What a week

Good thing it is Friday and GOOD thing Chase gets back tonight because I am completely exhausted!  It was a great week but thank goodness it is the weekend!  I am completely fine taking care of the boys all day every day but...when it comes to bedtime, that is when I need Chase to step in and let me have a little time to recover from the day.  Although I must say that the worst part about Chase going out of town is dog duty.  When Chase goes out of town I think Gauge knows it and thinks he has to remind me that he still needs love and attention cause he follows me everywhere.  The other morning I was trying to get all the boys ready for school, lunches packed, etc. and Gauge was in my way every time I turned around.  He is like an old person that doesn't know what to do with himself so he just follows me and sits and stares.  I finally gave him a kick to the rear.  I think little Chase thought I was going to kick him out permanently because after that  he quickly took Gauge to my bedroom and shut the door. "Don't worry Mom, I put Gauge in your room."  Smart move.

On a positive note, the boys had a fabulous week!  Jackson has warmed up to the idea of going to school. The last two days he has been super happy and excited to go without getting nervous when I drop him off.  That makes me extremely happy and I think he will have a great year!  I also signed up to be a room mother so I am excited about that.  They are all about parent involvement and they like to invite parents in to share talents and hobbies with the class throughout the year so I hope to be able to help out in his classroom a lot.

Chase is doing great! He seems to be doing really well in school.  I think he is really going to excel this year and have a fun time doing it.  I am extremely proud of him.  I would have never thought that Chase would have so much confidence when it comes to school and friends because of his shy personality.  He kind of reminds me of my brother McKay, shy on the outside but has so much personality, especially with his friends.  He has told me that he want to invite his whole class to his birthday party this year.  I am a little nervous about that one but he genuinely feels like they are all his friends so I don't know how I could leave any of them out.  We will see what we can do about that.

Jayden is kind of going through a funny phase.  I am trying to be super patient with him because I know he senses a lot of change.  You can tell he really enjoys the time he has me to himself yet I feel like he is a little confused and unsure about life and what is going on.  He is much more clingy than he has ever been and that is just not like him.  He has also been a little on the moody side which I don't know if it is just his age or something else.  Hopefully I can get him going with a little routine of our own and make it fun and exciting for him!  Luckily he has a little buddy coming soon!
One thing about Jayden,  he has a huge imagination just like his brothers.  I am fascinated by the way that he plays.  The other day I walked in and this was his setup.

Three batman cars lined up in the firehouse garage, his cash register, and his guys sitting around their table-the coins to the register.

Jayden also loves playing the guitar.  It is one of his new favorite things.

The last bit of news for the week...the latest and so far the greatest rewards system yet.  We have tried many different things and although it is only week one, they have definitely responded to this one the best.  I hope this will instill in them some lasting habits, especially making their beds every morning.  That is at the top of my list of things to accomplish as a Mom, create bed makers:)  

This is Mom and Dad's Super Store!  We made a chore chart for each of the boys with specific chores that they have to do every morning and night.  If they do their chores they get to put a sticker on their chart and earn "Star Bucks!"  They can also earn extra star bucks when they help out around the house and show super great behavior.  I was surprised by how excited they were to go to "the store".  They were counting down all week and when they woke up this morning they were stoked to go to school cause they knew that when they got home they would get to use their star buck to buy a prize!  If it works this great every week life will be pretty good!  We will see if the enthusiasm and motivation lasts. 

I asked the boys to go in their room while I get the prizes ready.  Jackson says, "Is that because you want to surprise us cause you love us!"  Exactly:)

Their first pack of gum that is all theirs!