Meet the kids

First we have Teddy, he's 12.  He's a carbon copy of my husband in every way except looks.  He looks like me only way cuter, but he is so completely and utterly my husband it's hilarious.  He plays soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter, baseball and soccer in the spring and he swims in the summer.  Despite all these sports he's the laziest human alive.  (Okay my husband is neither an athlete nor remotely lazy - it's his personality not his habits that are Brad's)  He's too smart for his own good and has yet to be challenged in school so it's easy for him to slack off.  He's working on that.  He's thoughtful and empathetic and kind (except to his brother).  Adults love him as he's a 40 year old in a 12 year old's body and he listens carefully and asks thoughtful questions.  He loves to read so much so that every single night since he could first honestly read a book on his own we have had to go back into his room after putting him to bed to take the book he turned his light back on to read away from him.  The books have changed but the nightly ritual has not.  This is not a good picture of him, but it's the best recent one I have.

 

And then there's Jackson.  He's almost 10 and insane.  He's very cute and has a very infectious personality.  He's extremely witty and fully understands sarcasm and irony.  He makes us laugh every single day.  He'll just drop a very dry one liner quietly into a conversastion and have us all laughing till we're wiping away the tears.  He too plays sports all year long; flag football, basketball, flag football and we're going to try baseball this spring too, and swimming in the summer.  He's really the true athlete of the family, but he has anxiety issues so it's hard for him to try.  But usually once he does he likes it.  He idolizes his brother, though claims to hate him.  They're at fun ages - not.  He regularly checks with me to ask if it's okay if he goes jogging around the neighborhood.  Who does that at age 9?  (or 8 for that matter) - crazy kid.  He frequently speaks with an accent or in a made up language - which my mother is known for as well. Currently he's walking around saying "flergin flagger" in a bad Swiss accent.  No idea where this came from, but it's oh so Jackson. Oh I didn't say, he's me.  Completely and utterly me.  Very practical, tons of common sense, and a little crazy. Me as an apple didn't fall far from my mom's tree and Jackson is sitting right on my feet roots.