Violet's hair style

I was looking online at for some inspiration/ideas of how to do Violet's hair.  She saw what I was doing over my shoulder and saw a picture of a hairstyle that she really wanted, so I tried it, and it turned out super cute!

This was what she saw:

and after watching a how-to on youtube, I did this to her hair:

Eli - 3 months old

Eli continues to grow and grow.  I don't know how much he weighs now but my guestimate would be 19-20 lbs.  He's such a heavy thing.  He's outgrowing all his 3 mo and 6 month clothes, starting to wear 12 month stuff.  He easily smiles at anybody who will look at him and talk to him, and he will laugh if he's tickled or played with.  He rolls both directions and seems to be wiggliest when I change his diaper.  Once I made a mistake by tending to an issue Vanessa was demanding attention with right when I finished changing Eli's diaper.  He was laying on his changing area by the laundry room sink and as I looked down, I heard a "thunk" and he was in the sink.  Oops!  He cried for 2 seconds after I picked him up then smiled.

Last night was the first night I left him alone in a crib by himself for 6+ hrs.  I fed him at 2 am and then left him in a crib in the guest room so I could sleep soundly, and it made a huge difference.  I woke up feeling rested at 8:45 am for the first time in....3 1/2 months!  Eli has never been a great sleeper at night - constantly waking up wanting to nurse, suck his paci, or just sleep in close proximity to me.  His strong leg kicking is annoying when I'm trying to sleep so the co-sleeping thing is out for good now.  He's big enough to not have to nurse at night multiple times anymore.

He still loves his paci and snuggling his blankets. :)  Oh, and being held.  He doesn't like being left along for too long.  He plays in the exersaucer sometimes, and reaches for toys above his head in the baby gym thing.  Vanessa attacks him (by smothering him with "love", lays and sits on him, so I have to watch her carefully!) so I can't leave him alone too long anyway.  He naps two or three times a day for longer naps too.

Flash visit from Rachel

Rachel made a quick appearance for one night at our house before going to an alumni get together at the U of I this weekend.  She looked at properties with Lockard Realty and spoke with two bankers about financing for her long term plans.

She got some kid time too.  Her visit was very well timed since Dave took a trip to Denver, Colorado for two days (Tues thru Thurs) and she was able to help me a lot.  She flew into Cedar Rapids on Wednesday the 19th and met Jay and Molly for lunch, then drove up to Cedar Falls in time to pick up Violet from school for me!  A friend had taken her to school for me and left the booster car seat in the school office so it was easy for Rachel to bring her home.  Violet helped her with directions on the way home, Rachel wasn't sure where to go.  When she brought Violet home, I took Kelsey home (a family friend who helps clean our house!), and we took advantage of a very windy day and flew Violet's parrot kite in the grassy field by the Orchard Hill Church parking lot 2 blocks away.  It was a perfect day for kite flying too.  It sprinkled a bit, and we saw some random big stringy pieces of corn plants floating in the air and landing near us, that was really weird.  Rachel was "dressed down" in jeans and a t-shirt, and Violet made some comment that she didn't look like Aunt Rachel because she wasn't dressed up. haha!  I grilled BBQ chicken for dinner with rice and broccoli - and Rachel helped me get the kids to bed.  Eli was happy to be held by Aunt Rachel too!

Thursday and Friday were no-school days for Violet since those two days were for parent/teacher conferences.  Mine was scheduled for Thurs at 1:20 pm and Rachel was on kid-duty while I went for that.  Thursday morning was a yummy buttermilk pancake morning.  Rachel went to look at some properties, and came home in time for me to go to Violet's conference.  I worked on sewing a rip in Violet's favorite skirt.  Rachel made a run to Hy-Vee and came home with some corn on the cob, and beef tenderloins for dinner.  Dave came home Thursday afternoon and we all had a yummy dinner that Rachel cooked entirely on the grill.  Best steaks I've had in a long time!

She took off for IA City Thursday night.  Pics from the visit:

 Violet trying to braid Rachel's hair.  All 4 kids are in this pic!

 Vanessa and Violet loved playing with Rachel's fancy clippy-cloppy shoes:

 BIG smile from Eli!

Update on Vanessa's head

We had the stitches taken out last night.  Her injury looks more like a bad scratch now, not so much a huge cut that needed stitches.

Before...and I'll spare you the open fleshy pictures, there's only one on my phone and its a little blurry.

5 days later:

Vanessa's head smash

Poor kiddo, she took one for the team tonight.  Violet and Vanessa were playing horsie with the jump rope (it was their reigns) and Vanessa was the horsie in front.  She was running and fell (Violet said she stepped on the rope somehow) and her head smacked into the corner of the square post that supports the counter tops in the kitchen.  I was cooking something on the stove at the time and sort of saw what happened in my peripheral vision, but not exactly.  All I knew is she was screaming and I saw blood, so I immediately picked her up and wiped off her head, only to expose a very deep wound that made me shudder.  I knew the second I saw it that it would require stitches, so after Dave figured out what happened, he rushed the kids into the van ASAP.  Urgent care took one look at it and said head to the ER, so we did.  We had to take some detours to get around trains on route to Allen.  Vanessa had calmed down and was doing quite well.  We kept a cloth on it with pressure trying to hold it together - and the bleeding had stopped completely with in 15 minutes.  Since nobody had eaten supper, Dave got Vanessa checked in and the nurses put numbing stuff on her skin so the lidocaine injections wouldn't hurt as bad.  I drove thru McDonalds and got us some food, then we went back to the ER and saw Vanessa for a bit.  She was her cheerful self, and was excited to see all of us.  But of course...a tiny hospital room + 4 kids = stress ... so I kissed Vanessa goodbye so Dave could be with her, and I took the other 3 home to get them to bed.  Violet was struggling handling her emotions.  She was in tears on the way to the hospital, curious when we got there, and admitted to being the accidental cause of the accident on the way home by saying she stepped on the rope.  We know it wasn't intentional, but I knew she felt responsible.  One the way home I called a few family members, and our neighbors, Deb Beving and her daughter Haley, and they put the kids to bed for me while I went back to get Dave and Vanessa.  I changed into a non-bloody shirt.  Violet and Calvin brushed their own teeth and Deb read them some books, Haley held Eli.  Dave called as I was leaving saying she was all done being stitched up and it looked really good.  7 stitches later, she had a big gauze thing taped to her forehead, and she was super cheerful, very excited, almost shaking, and Dave had promised her ice cream.  We went to McDonalds and got her an ice cream and a cheeseburger.  She was acting so crazy...throwing her arms around, giggling and shaking her head.  She ate about 1/2 of it, and we went home.  V and C were sleeping, Eli was awake but happy.  Vanessa continued to run around the house for another hour...she was SO awake, she played with her little pink chair w/ the cup holder, "Mr. Bear" from the hospital, and wanted a sippy cup of milk.  Dave laid down with her on the couch and iced her forehead, she seemed to calm down a little and eventually went to sleep after we changed her dressing with a clean one and more tape so it would deter her from peeling it off.  The doc said the stitches need to come out in 4-5 days.  This is an abbreviated version of the story...however...its super late and I'm tired.

I'm thankful Dave was home when it happened (he had been on a trip to Albia to get stuff from my grandma all day), he acted quickly and calmly, and tended to Vanessa expertly.  She got good medical care, and we can expect good healing.  Thank you Lord for caring for us in all situations (even the boring ones and the frazzling ones)!

Laundry day

This is what my living room looks like on laundry day.  :). It took me a day to fold and probably will be another 2 days before it is all put away.

Beginning of September

I have not been a very good Blogger lately. The months of August and September have been super busy!  With Violet and Calvin starting school, it seems to have changed the family dynamic.  We are on a schedule!

Dave gets up at 6:45, wakes up Violet at 7am.  I wake up at 7am and help get her ready (brush hair, pack lunch), Dave gets breakfast ready and makes coffee.  He takes her to school at 7:40 am.  She is learning about sound combinations, short and long vowels, sight words, spelling lists, reading better, and more. 

Calvin has preschool 9:00-11:30 am on M, W and F with Mrs. Knapp.  He has 20 kids in his class, seems to really enjoy it and looks forward to going to school.  Drop-offs with him are quick, he hops out of the van and says bye! 

Vanessa is a crazy wild 2 yr old.  She is very social, and will attach herself to anybody who will give her undivided attention.  Kari Jo Wilson is currently her favorite to play with at church. She is beginning to talk more, but most of her words are not understandable.  She wants to pee/poo on the toilet only when she wants to, and usually sits there and does nothing.  She loves taking care of her baby dolls and pushing them around in the stroller.

Eli is so happy, he smiles a lot, sleeps a lot, and is beginning to chuckle and laugh when he is tickled.  He doesn't really sleep all that well at night, he wakes up a few times, and that makes for a tired mommy in the morning.  He is a tummy sleeper but I frequently find him in his pack and play on his back startled, like rolling himself over woke him up.