Weird SCIENCE

Dr. Dreadful has entered our home. Why yes, the STOMACH CHURNER is an appropriate name for this toy. Isaac and I spent a while trying to create festering blisters and oozing potions. After a while, I just let him GO and use his creative MAD Scientist juices. If I could go back in time and tell myself this when all my kids were younger, it would be this: toys, such as this one, aren't meant to last longer than ONE, maybe TWO times. Let your kid have a blast with it, making as many concoctions as possible and using up ALL the ingredients and then move on. Don't save the toy for a later time or ask them to follow directions--just let them go. Trust me, it's easier in the long run. I know that statement makes me sound like an incredibly wasteful person, but quite frankly, I find it frustrating "maintaining" toys like this. And, they usually discontinue the refills or make them impossible to find unless you want to spend $20 on eBay for bubbling blister goo or slingshot snot mix. This has happened with Isaac's Graffiti Scooter chalk (which won't be pitched), Martian Matter refills, Aqua Sand and the list continues. Those of you that know me, know I am a clutter free kind of gal--although Lego's have covered my dining room for months now. My point, let your kids have all kinds of fun with these toys but then LET THEM GO--either give them to a grandparent, a donation center or the trash can. If only my future self could've told this to my current self--stress less and have fun MORE.

Wheels of Glory

Jimmy = Isaac Chazz = Miles

The boys don't quite fit the titles above, but we're hopeful they'll eventually become skating GREATS like Jimmy and Chazz. Both Miles and Isaac got their first taste of roller skating yesterday. Our weekend was full of excitement. Our neighbor Mia has a birthday just days before Isaac and celebrated with a party at The Skate Box. Karson has been skating numerous times, but the boys have never been. Walking into The Skate Box brings back floods of memories for me--the chewing gum mountain, the cubby holes which housed loads of skates, the super slick restroom floor, sock races, the Hokey Pokey, blisters, and the list goes on.

Skating and photo taking requires much more skill than you think. I'm thankful Karson has gone "pro" with her skating and didn't require much attention on the rink. The last time she went roller skating (which wasn't long ago) she got a terrible blister on her toe. We came prepared this time around with TWO pairs of socks.

Is she not the most beautiful child?

All I can say about Isaac is that he was determined to master the art of skating on Saturday. He went through THREE skate changes in the process. He started out on bright orange skates which cannot be adjusted. He was basically pulling my shoulder out of socket trying to boomerang around the rink. If he wasn't on the floor, he was completely out of control. I told him we needed to find some different skates--preferably ones that can be fine-tuned (aka, tightened wheels). The tan skates (above pics) offer that--more controlled skating to get a feel for it. He liked those for a while but towards the end of our session was READY to trade them back in for the orange, lightening speed skates.

Uh, yep, that's him LAID out in the middle of the rink which is where he remained most of the time in in the orange skates.

Here's another shot of him maintaining his balance. By the end of the session, he really was getting the hang of it. I was proud of his perseverance. I've never seen him try SO HARD at something. I guess he's growing up in that area. He's ready to go skating again although his legs look like he's been badly beaten. I told him the next time we go he needs to wear Karson's volleyball knee pads. He said, yeah and a HELMET. Look out Skate Box.

Sweet Miles enjoyed every minute skating. He loved it. I could hardly drag him off the rink (except for drink breaks). Granted, it took almost ten minutes to make a lap around, it was still fun. I have a feeling we'll be returning to The Skate Box sooner rather than later.

My 7 year old Beach Boy

Here's the invitation that went out.

Here's the venue of the birthday celebration.

Here are the people I walked in on when the hotel gave us the wrong room. Just kidding--this picture is off the hotel website. But the hotel did make that mistake and gave us keys to someone else's room. I knew something was off when I noticed boots on the floor and suitcases on the bed. It could've been very awkward if the people had been in their room.

Here are the table decorations, sunglasses and leis, and the beach cake. I also got smiley face beach balls and water guns but realized I would give those out as favors at the end of the night. Plus, I wanted to be courteous to the other people using the hotel pool.

Here are three anxious kids waiting for party guests to arrive. We booked a hotel room for the night so Matt and Isaac could have a boys night. Since check-in was at 4 p.m., we decided to head on over right after school and make the most of it.

Here are some of our party guests.

Here the guests are enjoying pizza. Thanks goodness Domino's in directly across the road.

Here are some guests dancing under the sun lights.

Here's Isaac blowing out his 7 candles.

Here's Isaac opening up his gifts.

Here's the smile that makes all the planning and preparing TOTALLY worth it.

And, finally, here is the mantel showcasing all of Isaac's birthday cards and wishes. My friend Lisa made him the most adorable balloon wreath.

I think this was the best birthday ever for my little 7 year old. I highly recommend a pool party in January.

Happy 7th I.M.D., our MIDDLE child

"Many experts have studied the placement of children in the birth order of the family unit and have discovered that each group displays certain traits and characteristics. Oldest children tend to be born leaders while younger children tend to be affectionate and creative. Middle children characteristics are a little harder to pinpoint as these youngsters usually stand apart from the other children." Isaac Matthew Deaton has certainly stood out. From the time he was born, on January 25, 2005 at 7:11 p.m., he has definitely not been your typical MIDDLE child.

Isaac was the best baby any parent could have. He ate well, slept through the night at a very early age, rarely cried, was a completely CONTENT baby. Isaac likes to be in the spotlight but only on his terms. He is incredibly smart, creative, popular, not attention seeking--unless for a laugh, of course, funny, accountable (he will go to time out when he's done something wrong and NOT argue about it) and HAPPY. I wonder if we'd named him something else if we would've gotten different results? The name Isaac fits him PERFECTLY. When I google "middle child personality traits", Isaac doesn't really fall into the "my parents don't pay any attention to me so I act out all the time syndrome." I, as a 2nd child, have been very careful to make sure that Isaac has the same experiences as Karson--taking JUST AS MANY baby pictures of him, making sure he has 1-on-1 time with people (not just us), encouraging him to be involved in things like sports, camps, WKU classes, etc. Isaac, however, can't really be told what to do--everything has to be on his terms. I think that makes him a leader, in his own way. He likes what he likes.

Karson spent lots of time explaining to him that SHE rules to roost, but he didn't listen to well.

I love that our new printer has a scanner. I don't remember when I first got a digital camera, but our computer(s) have crashed so many times, I've lost some of these cute pictures.

Isaac was a good little eater as baby, and when I think back to his "meals of choice", they usually involved MEAT of some sort. He liked Chicken and Rice, Chicken and Apples, Chicken and Pears, Beef with Vegetables--you get the picture. The boys has always been a protein eater. I guess that's why he looks skinnier than most 7 year olds. He's a no-carb kind of kid. I have been cracking down lately and making him try more foods. It hasn't made him like any of the "new" foods, but he doesn't complain about it much anymore.

I love this picture of him checking himself out in the mirror. There was a mirror on the flip side of this walker. I vividly remember rolling him up and down our driveway with his footed sleeper on--so much so that we wore holes in the sleeper toes--oops.

He spent lots of time playing in his farm. Like I said, completely CONTENT. I'm not exaggerating when I say he rarely cried--he's the same way today. You know if Isaac's crying, it's something serious.

Isaac loved ANYTHING with a steering wheel. He had a few toys that had steering wheels. He would sit on the floor and "drive" those things like a speed racer. It was so stink in' cute. I remember one night he and I stayed home from church when he was little and a terrible storm came knocking out the power. It was to early for bedtime and kind of scary being alone in a dark house with a toddler. I decided to take him to the van and let him play with the steering wheel. We sat in there, and he played and played until the power came back on. I used the picture above on his 1st Birthday invitation. At this point in time, he'd found his tongue and had it out in every picture. I think he liked raking it over his freshly cut bottom teeth.

Isaac doesn't have a shortage of lunch guests that come to school and eat with him. I'm reminded in the front office that he has many visitors on a weekly basis. I love that! I usually only come eat on cheesy bread day (my favorite) which is THIS FRIDAY, whoop whoop. I would come more often but with my school schedule and Miles's preschool schedule and the kids EARLY lunch time, it doesn't work out to well. It makes me happy knowing that his pap and uncles come and visit with him, like they did today.

Here we are celebrating at school! Nothing rounds out the school day better than donuts and milk.

His birthday cupcake on the Plano wall.

We're having a birthday swim bash on Friday night. Check back for party pics.! Happy 7th birthday Isaac, you light up our day and make us proud!