The Juice according to Jess

What is up with Bryton these days? He just might eat us out of house and home before he is 10 years old. This kid eats his meals great, loves his snacks, and he's still hungry. Hmmm...growth spurt? Guess I'd better get used to that. At age 7, his size 8 slim jeans fit him just right length wise right now (although Levi's slims are not slim enough...we have to have adjustable waste for this kid) A shout out to Children's place...their jeans are nice and long, and fairly slim in the legs (yes, he cares about this...no cargo pants anymore, b/c they aren't "close" to his legs like he prefers" :)
Lego's remain his favorite toy. He'll sit for an hour or two at a time, just building. Bryton prefers building vehicles...anything with an engine, and has shown us that once he's built it once, he doesn't need the directions to do it again. He has his Dad to thank for that...spending lots of time, getting him started on whatever he's building. Many of times, I'm saying "bed time" and Brian is the last one up the stairs to help tuck the kids in. He doesn't like being dragged away from Lego building either!
Bryton is loving playing Wii and his DS. So much that we have to control how much time he spends on both per day/night. Some days he has to take a break the entire day, and believe me, those are not his most fav days of the week! He is anxious for summer to get here, so he can be outside playing basketball, baseball, etc.... His favorite books right now are Junie B. Jones, which he reads right before bed, or when he has extra time in the morning before the bus arrives.
Lastly, his personality...he is a funny kid. He likes being silly and loud at times. He's a good singer...usually right on key, even with high notes. He's a pretty smart kid, but he greatly dislikes doing his homework right after school. His brain wants to shut off by then and he just wants to play...he gets lazy w/ his writing and his focus. This makes for fun homework sessions w/ his mother! Bryton is still a sensitive kid. He likes to know the details of what is going on, whether its with him (his daily schedule) or someone he knows (such as where Uncle Jerod is right now)...or something he sees or hears about (such as the lady killed by the killer whale). He's a thinker...a very deep thinker, and he eventually comes to a conclusion of "why" something happens, in his own head, if we do not talk it through with him. Sometimes he's way off with his reasoning, and sometimes he's so right on from a very basic childish elementary viewpoint that it gives us goosebumps.

And Avery...what has she been up to? She got a haircut, just as she wanted, b/c she no longer likes wearing any type of hair fixture in her hair. It is still past her shoulders, but considerably shorter. All of the light blond from summer was cut off!
Avery is a watcher. She watches people closely and knows what is going on around her. I joke that her personality is 4 going on 14. She is "testing" us constantly right now. Trying to see what she can get away with, by talking back (responding "no" when she is asked to do something), being sneaky (sneaking gum or trying to "fix" the plugged toilet w/ the scrub brush...and not telling anyone while making a huge mess) and wanting to do everything herself (from brushing her teeth to putting clothes on with her feet thru the head hole b/c she still has issues doing it over her head for some reason).
She also loves to sing; however, she is off pitch more often than on :) She still belts it out, though, and the 3 of us have to muffle our laughs! She apparently doesn't think she sounds bad, so we encourage her to keep on a signing!
Avery loves to snuggle morning, noon, and night. Her feelings are hurt easily, as she is also a sensitive kid. Her favorite thing to do is dress up and play pretend, whether its prince and princess, house, store, etc... And she loves books, except she prefers reading them rather than being read to. This can be quite comical b/c she reads with a lot of voice inflection, facial expression, and body movements. Her favorite books are Princess books...anything to do with and one of the Disney Princesses.
She is built a little different than her brother. At the age of 4, her size 5 jeans fit her perfect in length...but there is no need for adjustable waste or slims :) She is stretching out, and eating better as she gets older. When I ask her if she ate her lunch at school, she'll tell me "Yep, all of it" and when I continue asking more questions I get the answer "welllll, maybe not all of it." I remind her that she needs to try all of her food at lunch, and she reminds me "Mama, you aren't there to watch me eat." True that, lil stinker.

So, they continue to prove to us each day how very different they are from each other...and in the next breathe they remind us of Us! It can be scary, and very very rewarding at the same time. Avery was asking yesterday about where she was before I got pregnant and had her in my belly. "You were a dream" was the answer we gave her. This reminded us of how special their little lives (and ours) are.