Long Time Coming!

Wow, it's been two weeks plus since I last wrote an entry - I'll tell you what the real culprit is - we don't have a functioning digital camera, and it's just not the same kind of blog when I can't accompany an entry with a cute or telling Jake/Ben shot.

I will say that we're over a month into the school year and (knock on wood!), we're still all healthy! It's a miracle! And mark my words, because I've written and celebrated this, within the next two weeks, we'll ALL be sick.

Jake is enjoying his class - every week they study and practice writing different letters - first c, then o, then g, and now q. Each week, they bring to school on Wednesday pictures that they cut out that begin with each letter. This week's letter "Q" was going to be difficult, or so I thought. I figured that Jake would have a very limited vocabulary of "Q" words, and despite my usual competitive nature, I don't like to help him brainstorm too much on these, because I want him to do his own work, not me doing it FOR HIM, like some of the other moms in his classroom. However, I was most impressed at the words that he was coming up with. He started with the easy ones like quilt, quarter, and queen. And then he really got going with quill, quail, and quintet. He and Scott found a picture online of his aunt Cay in her brass quintet and printed it and cut it out, so he could show a picture of his aunt when he was sharing his project with the class. He also ended up adding a picture of quadruplets, Quasimoto (from The Hunchback of Notre Dame), and question. He made me proud.

Ben is so funny. He is walking and running all over the place, but despite his zest for physical activity, which usually translates into daredevilism, he's actually quite careful. When he climbs onto the couch and does whatever he does up there (usually emptying my purse and wallet), he always makes sure to turn around and back down, feet first, until they touch the ground. When he's walking and sees or senses a change in elevation, be it steps, a ledge, or just a graduated ramp, he turns himself around and backs down it. Which is really funny when we're at a sports field, in the bleachers, and we begin walking toward the handicap ramp, and he feels or sees the gradual decline in the ramp, and turns around, puts his hands on the ground, and starts scooting backwards down the ramp. It's so cute to watch - I"ll have to get video of it at some point.

That's all for now - hopefully next time I post, I'll have a picture too!

New Portraits of the Guys!~

Hi, everyone - on Labor Day, Scott and I took Ben to the mall (with Jake) to get his 1 Year portraits made (about a month late, poor second child!). Jake, who as we all know, loves a camera, was all too willing to be a part of the photo shoot, and had so many "ideas" that I finally had to find a polite way to break it to him that this wasn't really for or about him, and that the photographer and Mommy and Daddy were in charge. Ben wasn't NEARLY as cooperative as his older brother in front of a camera - he bolted for the curtain (that separated our photo shoot from the rest of the store) every time he had a moment of freedom. He climbed out of the photo props (i.e. airplane, crescent moon, fire engine, rocking chair) - which gave us very little lead time to snap a picture where he doesn't have a strained look on his face. But we did manage a few keepers, and Jake was a great big brother to help us corral Ben - what a wonderful brother he is! It's amazing how in love he is with his baby brother - there's never been any jealousy, or animosity, or bitterness - oh yeah, except for that one day Jake claimed I loved Ben more than him because I never punished Ben. But that will all change soon - I predict lots of time-outs for Ben, if he'll stay there. We've already found Ben standing on the couch, sitting on the coffee table, standing on Jake's stool in the bathroom, and Jake's timeout stool in the hallway, and he can open the front door. Scary!! Here are some of the pictures!

We're "Over the Moon" for our boys!
They love each other so much!

I told the photographer the tower of blocks wouldn't last!

Church Rebellions and Hijinks

It must be hard being a pastor's son - of course, that's no surprise, but I'm just starting to see some of Jake's "acting-out" instances. He went to his first Sunday School lesson yesterday (as a Pre-K student, he's now eligible to attend Sunday School). His teacher (who's a good friend of mine) said that he was really good and participated and liked answering questions----until the end when it was time to pray. He was quick to offer up a prayer request for Linus, who's my old family dog that died about three years ago - so random. Then he absolutely refused to participate in the prayer, which basically meant he needed to not be playing with the toys, and sitting with the rest of the class for about one minute. He refused.

Then we get to church and Jake is well-behaved. We went over the basic rules of the children's sermon, where all the kids come up to the front during worship during a designated period of time, and participate in a little "mini-sermon" which is very interactive and fun for them. Jake has a history of dominating conversation, which the congregation finds cute, and which Scott and I find slightly annoying. He also has a history of moving up and down the steps on his rear, usually accompanying by one or two of his apprentices. It's just distracting to watch. We always go over what he should do (which is listen, and sit as still as he can, and to raise his hand before speaking) and what he shouldn't do (listed above). Well, this Sunday, he did pretty well on the rule about not going up and down the steps on his rear - he did sit in place, although occasionally would spin around 360 degrees on his rear (!). And he did raise his hand before speaking, and waited to be called on, but the third thing I think I'll have to address is making sure that what comes out of his mouth is related to the discussion. Because what he said yesterday was totally out of left field. Scott was asking them something and Jake was the only one to raise his hand, so Scott called on him, and Jake announced something to the effect of "I'm pretty sure Jesus played the accordion".

Hmmmm....so that's where polka originated.

Shots for everyone!

Scott got the privilege of taking both boys to the doctor on Friday to get their Hepatitis A immunizations (a new state requirement for any children in preschools and daycares). Ben, of course, still has no concept of "shots" and probably no memory of the ones he's had. Jake, however, has a vivid memory, and especially of the last episode at his 4 yr checkup, where he refused to let the nurse pull down his pants, and then screamed bloody murder,"I'm never getting shots again, NEVER EVER." So, when Scott informed him on Friday morning that they were going to have to go get shots, Jake convinced himself and tried to convince Scott that Ben was the only one who was getting a shot (I even heard Jake say this to Scott when I called that morning to check in - the boy was in TOTAL denial). When I talked to Scott later that afternoon, he said that he thought it had gone better than he had expected, that Ben cried briefly but quickly recovered, and that Jake hid in a corner and they had to extricate him from that corner. He didn't handle it as well as Ben, but eventually got over it, and we went to The Incredible Pizza Company for dinner and bowling to celebrate. You know you're a horrible bowler when your 4 yr old almost beats you.

Gifts for Baby Jesus Aren't Good Enough for Jake

Jake went to his first day of Pre-K today. Apparently he was a little mopey and out of sorts. However, what really threw him off, and subsequently caused him to throw a fit was the chariot that awaited him outside the house - the RAV-4. He told Scott that he couldn't travel in that car because it stunk of frankencense and myrrh.

At first I thought, "where on EARTH did he come up with those two scents, seeing as though I only hear about them when referring to the Three Wise Kings and the gifts they brought to lay at baby Jesus's manger?". However, I forgot that the motion sickness ointment that Scott put behind Jake's ears during the Colorado trip actually does CONTAIN frankencense and myrrh. Funny.

The Nightmare is Over

I feel it is safe to say, after two weeks of adjusting, that Benjamin John Cummings now is back to sleeping peacefully through the night, and Scott and I praise God for that! I'm only saying this because it has happened for five nights consecutively now, so I think we're in the clear!

The Lad and Dad Colorado Trip Pictures

Here are some pictures of Scott and Jake on their ill-fated Colorado trip.....well, not really ill-fated. I just thought it sounded better that way. They actually had a fine time, camping at night in their tent (well, once in the RAV-4 when it rained all night) and hiking and exploring during the day.

They drove from Conroe to Trinidad, CO in one day (about 14 hours), spent one night there, drove to Chapman, CO the next day, attended cousin Will Brandes's rehearsal dinner and then spent the night, spent the next day at rest and exploring, went to Will's wedding that afternoon, and spent the night, then drove back to Trinidad, spent the night (that was the rainy night), and then drove the 14 hours or so home. It was a quick trip, but lots of memories were made, and I think Scott would like to repeat the trip again some time, as his love affair with Colorado grew to new depths.


As most of you know, Jake did battle motion sickness issues on this trip, particularly in the higher altitudes, and the winding mountain roads, but he was a trooper, and despite the throwing up, didn't have much bad to say

about the trip. He even found himself yet another girlfriend along the way, in the form of the flower girl at Will and Becky's wedding. I'm afraid we've inadvertently raised a Lothario.

Ben and I enjoyed the quality time together also (this was the week that I started back at school, but in the afternoons and evenings, it was just the two of us against the world!).

Summer School

Jake and Ben went to school this summer for one week - the week of Ben's 1st birthday. They went all five days and really had a lot of fun. This picture shows them standing outside the buildling before we went in. Ben has a little backpack now too, but didn't have it for the picture. They start school for real a week from tomorrow (Thursday the 31st), and I know they'll both really enjoy the change, although Aunt Corey and Donna are spoiling them rotten right now!

Breakin' All Da Rules

Somebody has learned how to stand up on top of his car, despite being told "NO" every time he does it. I thought it would be good for posterity to capture the rule breaking on camera, not only to laugh at behind his back, and also good for when he has children, and can see what kinds of trouble he got into. He's pointing at the TV, while Jake and I were watching the newest version of The Shaggy Dog. I guess he was trying to get attention in his own little way, and, well, mission accomplished.

However, upon second glance, what's even more disturbing than Ben's casual disregard for safety and our household rules and regulations are the frightening green eyes of one Eli Cummings. In the words of Brian Fellow from SNL, "That dog's got DEVIL eyes."

Somebody has a BAD attitude

Ben rolled along quite pleasantly all summer. Save one bout of croup and one bout of "Hand, Foot, Mouth" disease, he has been healthy, and so sweet and fun. BUT......this week and last week, he has not been particularly pleasant. As a matter of fact, I venture to say that he's been downright SURLY. To what can we attribute this Mr. Hyde persona? Perhaps Mom going back to work and abandoning him to his aunt Corey who dotes to a fault? Perhaps Jake and Dad having gone on a Colorado wilderness adventure without him, and leaving him in their dust? Maybe some new molars or incisors coming in? Maybe it's reading literally off the T-shirt "I could use some Grandma Therapy" when one grandma is bedridden in Austin with knee replacement surgery recovery and the other one is jetsetting to the tropical locale of Hawaii......You know, at this point, I don't even know if I care - I just want him to snap out of it - he has screamed at us through the baby monitor in the middle of the night for over a week now. Almost to the point that we have taught ourselves how to sleep through it. Personally, I vote for reason A, because it makes me feel important :). However, that's the hardest one to overcome, since it's a permanent change (at least until Christmas!). But school starts for Jake and Ben next week, and I know they'll both be thrilled to be around their peers and their beloved teachers.

By the way, as I'm writing this, both boys are in bed, and I'm waiting for my husband to return from a Monday evening water skiing jaunt - doesn't that make you sick? Well, at least someone's having fun (and getting some exercise!)

We're Here, We're Near, Get Used to It!

Jake and Ben at Easter with (awwww)

their matching outfits and baskets!

Welcome to the first post of the family blog - and the blog that will showcase the amazing talents, photogenicism, and craziness of Jake and Ben! I'll try to include pictures, where applicable, or just if I feel like it. You never know what these boys will be up to, on any given day. Please take any parental pride or braggadocio with a grain of salt - after all, it is our blog! And we're in love with our boys (even Eli, our dog, is included in that!).

Please keep your comments friendly - we always will be too!