Jacob

This kid is 13! My little angle baby is such a wonderful young man. We celebrated with cake and ice cream at Umma and Uppa's.  What can I say about Jacob, still a hard worker, still kind hearted, still my sweet boy.

 

Jack

This year Jack bought me a Christmas present for the first time with his own money. He is very proud of that fact.  One of his teachers showed him something she made and was selling (I think she was selling it) so he typed into chat he wanted to buy it. She came by later that day or maybe the next to drop it off to him. Jack is so thoughtful.  I love him so much.

Ms. Stephanie

  Well Ms. Stephanie died on Wednesday, December 9th. It was expected because her cancer had spread but also because she had declined quickly over two days. On the Sunday of Jacob's birthday she invited him over for a piece of cake, a card she made for him and some birthday balloons. She told me she was sorry she didn't have a real present for him but I told her that was ok. It wasn't ok with her. 

Ms. Stephanie also sent Amelia the special Advent calendar she buys her every year. The last couple of years Ms. Stephanie bought the calendar but she just downloaded it on her computer so Amelia just played it at her house. It was super sweet of Ms. Stephanie to remember the calendar at the end of her life. I have made a note on my calendar to buy one for next year.

Jack was apart the communication of her decline. Mark kept accidently texting me so Jack kept relaying me messages. He could tell by the messages that something was up. On the day she died I told the kids it would be soon. That night she passed away.

We were so lucky to have Ms. Stephanie as a neighbor. She was so great with the kids. Each of them had a special relationship with her. She was able to see each of the kids for their individual strengths and specialness. She nurtured each of them. Because of the coronavirus there has been a bit of a distance between them, obliviously for health reasons, so the kids right now can't absorb the absentness of her love. But it will come. And I pray as they get older they will remember that love. I pray that they can recognize the ease that she loved them and how they took advantage of that easy love because they were kids that received so much of it.

Jack and Amelia

 Jack, Amelia and I did some fun Christmas string art. It was fun evening a winding string around nails. I think, both kids threw one fit each and I messed up one time, but for the most part it was pretty easy and lots of fun.

Amelia

 

A sweet picture Amelia drew of the two of us to cheer me up one day.

Jack

 Jack loves playing video games. He especially loves the online server game Roblox. I am not sure what it is exactly but I do know there are tons of different games where kids get to do everyday life things, just in crazy kid ways. Like I think one of the games is pizza simulator where the kids run a pizza shop. Or a game about a shark eating people in boats. I think what Jack likes most right now is that you play it with other kids. Jacob and Amelia play to in the same room so they are always talking to each other about the games. Jack also plays with Umma. He likes to get her on FaceTime so he can talk with her and play the games with her. 

I don't think Jack realizes how much his Umma loves him to play a stupid online game with him. I can only guess that 3 years ago if you asked her if she wanted to play a video she would have said "Absolutely not, video games are stupid!" But because she is such an amazing Umma she plays.

Jacob

 Well my little Baby Jacob has caught puberty. (Jack is always saying he doesn't want to catch puberty.) Jacob is growing SO tall. He has a bit of acme, but not too much. But the real tell tale sign is that his voice is changing. Sometimes he sounds like a little kid and other time defiantly not. 

I tease him that I am going to throw him a 13th birthday party with presents like pimple cream, razors, deodorant and books about his changing body. He just rolls his eyes and says no way to the presents but ok to an actual party.

Just a big sigh for my mother's heart that my little guy is growing into a man.