We have a Kindergartener!

Dawson started school this last Wednesday. He has been waiting for this day for over a year now... possibly longer. He was up before I even had a chance to wake him up. He showered willingly, got ready, got his lunch packed, and put on his back pack. 

I should tell you that before he started school we've had lots of conversations about school. He chose to go only half day (which I was SO grateful for). They don't offer it unless you request it as a parent. Only 6 kids out of the entire grade are half day kids. I love it! I love that he will ease his way into school. 

We also had a back to school night. Before we walked into the school, Dawson said, "I hope she isn't scary looking..." I didn't know what she looked like, so I could reassure him that she wasn't scary looking. We had only heard about how wonderful Mrs. Bunn was. It's the same teacher that my nephew Carson had last year. We walked into her classroom and were welcomed with love and happiness. I filled out lots of paperwork while Dawson did things with his teacher. It was so cool. After back to school night we left and once we got home I started to cry. Just thinking of Dawson not spending all day with me hit me hard. I am excited for him to learn and grow, but it was going to be a hard transition for me. 

Here is Dawson in front of his locker at back to school night. 

Dawson asked what was wrong and I said, "I'm just really going to miss you all day."

Dawson replied, "Mom, it's going to be okay. I'm only going to be gone for HALF DAY! ..... (pause)... but then when I graduate, I'm going to go on a mission and will be gone for lots of months. Then you will really miss me. But, I will talk to my missionary president and I bet he lets me see you. So it will be okay mom. And then I will go to college and you will miss me even MORE. But I can call you." He ended it with the sweetest hug and kiss. 

My reaction.... more tears. First, what 5 year old has their life planned out??? Second, what 5 year old fixes all my fears in one message? Third, I'm just beyond proud of him and his ability to solve problems and make me feel like the bestest mom. He is such a sweet kid. He reassures me he's only gone for HALF DAY. lol! 

Back to his first day of school........

I teared up on the way to school. Then we parked and I watched him play on the playground until the bell rang. Then it happened......the bell rang. Tears came again. I took him to his teacher and he lined up. All of the sudden, they all turned and waved goodbye. It was such a bitter sweet moment. 

 Dawson was searching for me.... 

 and then he looked right at me to wave. 

At 1:00 Monty and I were waiting by the front office for Dawson. He came around the corner and gave me the biggest hug. He said he had the best day ever. They learned sounds to the letters, went to the library, he ate lunch in the cafeteria, 25 kids got stung by bees (3 in his class), saw the computer lab and music room, and played a game. 

I'm so grateful that I get to be Dawson's mom and get to help him grow and learn. I want him to stay little, but at the same time I'm excited to see him grow up. He is the sweetest and most happy little boy. He is going to do so good in school. I'm so proud of you Dawson! I love you!

Will You Do the Honors?

The latest of our little Dawson's new material....

Dawson sometimes has emergencies. In public he whispers, "Mom, I got a fart poop." At home he runs into the bathroom, strips down, and yells, "Mom! I went fart poop!!!" I think the words describes itself.

Up until 3 months ago, Dawson still wanted help wiping after going poop. Since then, I've not had to help him once nor have I had to help with 'fart poops.' 

This last Saturday J.D. was in the shower. I was also in the bathroom washing off Monty's hands and mouth in the sink from after breakfast. Dawson comes in quietly. He strips and stands there. I turn around with Monty and say, "What are you doing?"

Dawson says, "I went fart poop." 

He pulls down some toilet paper and hands it to me, "Will you do the honors mom?" and he bends over with his bum in the air....

I BUST up laughing! I can't even hold it together! It was hilarious and I was beside myself because I can't believe how witty and funny my 5 year old is. 'Will you do the honors?.,.... seriously? lol! 

Say What?

#1

This morning we walked over to the park near our house where a football camp for young boys was going on. Carson had signed up and he was just finishing up for Day 1.

Carson: "I can't come to your house tomorrow. I have football camp."
Dawson looks around confused: "Well I don't see you tents."
Carson pauses: "...... We don't stay the night."
Dawson: "Well you said 'camp'..."
Carson: "........it's not that kind of camp. It's a different kind of camp."

As I listened to this conversation between Carson and Dawson I had to laugh a little. Why call it 'camp' when you don't camp? I've never even thought about it, but Dawson sure did.

#2

I was relaxing in the recliner and things were so quiet. Dawson kept giggling here and there as he lay on the couch. I wasn't quite sure what was going on until....

Dawson brings his hand, cupped closed, to my nose and releases.... "Mom smell this....it's my fart."
NOT EVEN KIDDING! I got butter cupped by my 5 year old.

We have NEVER even talked about buttercups or done them in our house. We are constantly telling Dawson to not talk about farts or pooping... however it's just in boys' blood and minds'. Dawson just wanted me to smell his fart because they were so stinky. SO GROSS!

#3

Lately Dawson has been a little prankster. He keeps telling me there is spider in the house... or he will say "Mom! There's a bug on you!" and then he smacks my arm...

He knocks on the door and yells, "Mom, someone's at the door." He will answer it, pretend to talk to someone, and then yell "Mom it's for you!"Then slams the door. I believe him and get upset at him for slamming the door in the supposedly guest's face..........I open the door......Dawson just bursts out laughing, "Just kidding mom!" Good one Dawson.

#4

Here in Montana mountain lions are popular, especially coming close to people. Dawson has been so creative in telling us so many stories about how he saw a mountain lion and it was coming after him, and then he threw a rock, and it ran away. OR "I saw that mountain lion up in the tree and I got my gun and shot at him so he just stayed away and didn't come near me."

#5

"Mom, can we make 'marshmallows'?

#6

Dawson puts his chest right in front of J.D.'s face saying, "If you look real close you can see a chest hair dad."......"See?"
J.D. "Yep..." trying to just get Dawson chest out of his face.
Dawson now turns and shoves his chest in my face, "See mom? You have to look REAL close and you can see a chest hair."
Me: "Ya.... why do you want chest hair though?"
Dawson: "Because so I can be just like my dad!"
It made both of us just laugh and smile so big. Dawson literally does everything to be like his dad...
-he wears a white T under his church shirt so he can be like his dad.
-he took off his shirt this very day so he can be like his dad (J.D. was walking around with no shirt)
-J.D. sleeps in his G's, so Dawson will go put on a white shirt with white underwear to be the same
-If his dad wears boots to church, so will Dawson
-Dawson always asks which tie tac JD has on so he can try and match it
-Dawson has to have a wallet because his dad has a wallet
-They both love Phineas and Ferb. They cuddle and watch it all the time

and now..... they are getting Monty in on all their fun. Dawson is always trying to get Monty to be as much like him and J.D., as much as he possibly can.

#7

Every day Dawson chooses a word that he can use in the phrase "Oh My _______!" We did this because he was slipping when trying to say oh my gosh. Anywho, it's worked out to be super fun and he loves to pick a word every day. Some of the words he has chosen are: pickles, trampoline, chicken nuggets, pizza, cheese pizza, apple juice, baseball, chips, fire chips, cookies... etc.


So, there's some fun things Dawson has been saying lately. I often wish I had a tape recorder to record everything because I know I've forgotten a lot. Dawson is so funny! He is growing up so fast. He can't wait to go to kindergarten. He got all of his shots,which he will say it hurt, but he is all done with shots for a while. (I didn't tell him about flu shots every year...). He is such a fun big brother and loves watching Monty grow. He loves to make Monty laugh and get him all wild before bedtime. He is doing amazing at T Ball. He is a very accurate thrower and loves to be a part of a team. We started chores with him and to start out his life of chores... his chores consist of:

Get the mail

Take out all the trash

Get ready for the day

Brush Teeth

Do School work

Pick up all toys and put them away

Pretty simple for now, but every day he gets a quarter and is saving for a Disney Cruise Ship. Since we went to Disney land last August, Dawson has save over $100! I'm totally impressed! 

Good job Dawson! We love you!

What Did He Just Say?

This morning Dawson came into my bathroom and asked,

Dawson: "Mom, why did Andee die?"
Me: "Well, remember you told us. She had to go back with Heavenly Father. Heavenly Father needed her more up there than we needed her."
Dawson: "Well, she is with family too."
Me: "Yep. She's with Grandpa Stevens, daddy's sister JoAnn, daddy's aunt JoAnn, and other family members."
Dawson: "Well in like 20 weeks we are all going to die and be back at the place that I was at before I was born."
Me: "Oh really? 20 weeks?" (I'm astonished and feeling like he is telling me prophetic things)
Dawson: "Ya. That place is a happy place and there's no bad things and no one is sick."
Dawson: "Then we will see Andee again and she will be small again like when she was born.")
Me thinking, He's seen her and knows she isn't a baby right now. He remembers the plan of salvation and remembers where we came from. He is remembering!! I start to tear up.
Dawson: "Mom?"
Me: "Ya?"
Dawson: "When we see Andee again, I will help you teach her to make right choices cuz she won't understand or know."

Me thinking, how could Dawson possibly just know that in the new millennium, we have to teach Andee right from wrong without sin, since there won't be any sin during the new millenium. That's something that J.D. and I ponder all the time and try to figure out how we are going to teach Andee. No here's Dawson, who has never heard us pillow talking about it, and he's telling us that he will help us?!That's really deep doctorine and he's only 5! It's just speaks so much truth and builds us up even more. There is no way the gospel couldn't possibly not be true. There's too many things that we've experienced for it not to be. I love it! 

When Dawson was born, J.D. and I received some amazing revelation about the type of person Dawson would be. We both got it, but didn't talk about it until a couple weeks later. When talking, it was amazing that we both felt the same thing. It just strengthened our testimonies. Now we are seeing it come true every day. Children are so amazing and I tend to just want to hear more answers when they start talking about things like this. I'm so grateful for Dawson and his sweet spirit. 

I know this is really personal, but I hope that whoever reads this is strengthened. I also want Dawson to have this to look back upon if ever his faith is wavering. Love you little man! 

What Did You Say?

Lately J.D. and I have noticed quite the change in Dawson's vocabulary. One of my friends has a 'did he just say' label for some of the cute things her kids say. I am going to start the same thing and put it all in a book full of saying from Dawson. I'm so excited!

Mom: "Dawson what are you doing?"
Dawson: "Oh I'm just pretending with these sticks. See I'm a China person and eating like China does."
Mom laughs
2 minutes later
Dawson: "Mom look! It's the eiffel Tower!" He put 4 sticks together. "It's a different kind of Eiffel Tower though huh mom?"
Mom kind of in awe: "How do you know about the Eiffel Tower?"
Dawson: "I just do."
Mom: "Okay, but where did you learn about it?"
Dawson: "Mom. It's the Eiffel Tower. Everyone knows about it. You know, the one in Paris...."
Mom shocked/confused: "What? ..... Paris?"
Dawson: "Mom, the Eiffel Tower is in Paris. Don't you know that?"
Dawson: "Mom that's so 'ILARIOUS'! You didn't know! That's ILARIOUS."

(He is trying to say Hilarious.)
Mom: "You mean HIL arious."
Dawson: "Ya, that's what I said. Ilarious."

Well I can say that it was pretty hilarious that he kept saying il-arious.


Dawson: "Mom, can you build me this?"
Mom: "Sure."
I build the lego structure. Dawson re enters the room
Dawson: "Mom, did you follow the instructions?"
Mom: "Yes."
Dawson: "No you didn't. I left the instructions right here and you missed a part. See mom."

All I could think was that he used the word 'instructions'


Yesterday I was in the tub and Dawson came in and said, "Mom I want to take a bath."
Mom: "Well I'm in the tub and first you need to go out so I can have mom time, and second you have to wait until I'm done."
Dawson: "Well every time I want to take a bath you just come in and are already in here. I don't want to wait. I want to take a bath."
Mom: "Dawson you have 2 choices, wait until I'm done or don't take one."
Dawson: "Mom, remember how we went to the library the other day?"
Mom: "Yeah."
Dawson: "Well, remember how I got a library card?"
Mom: "Yep."
Dawson: "So since I got a library card, that means I'm an adult. So I don't have to wait."
Mom chuckling and trying to figure out how to end this: "Dawson 'adult' means you are 18. Are you 18? Just because you got a library card doesn't mean you are an adult. Also, I'm asking you to be patient, not be an adult."
Dawson: "Mom, my birthday is 18. That means I'm an adult cuz  you said. So you need to take turns and share. So it's my turn."

Yes, his birthday is the 18th.... not exactly what I was saying. This is the point where I just stop trying to explain.


Later this evening Dawson was looking at J.D.'s hair while J.D. wait on the floor.
Dawson: "Dad, I can see a spot on your head where there isn't any hair." and laughs
J.D. looked and me, I looked at him and we both started laughing. His hair is thinning, and he isn't going bald yet.