Tuesday, April 29, 2014
If its not Frozen, its The Sound of Music
If the kids aren't obsessing over Frozen songs, its music from The Sound of Music. I heard Violet and Calvin the basement "rehearsing" this little performance they came up with. They performed it here!
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Violets third tooth came out
Seems like it was wiggly for months! She was determined for it to not hurt when it came out so she just kept pushing it back and forth with her fingers and tongue until it was hanging on by almost nothing. It came out Thursday morning when she woke up before leaving for school.
Thursday evening we (bad mom and dad moment) forgot to exchange her tooth for some coins in the special Tooth Fairy Pillow. Whoops. She was sweet though. She reminded me when I was in the bathroom getting ready Friday morning. She said, "It's OK mom, but you forgot to take my tooth out of the pillow last night. But its ok! You can just do it tonight." I was like, "whoops, sorry hon." She kept smiling and said "its ok" :)
Dad told her I guess we forgot to text the Tooth Fairy and let her know a clean sparkly tooth was ready to go to the fairy's tooth castle. She totally knows its mom and dad but I guess he likes to have more fun with it than me. :)
Thursday evening we (bad mom and dad moment) forgot to exchange her tooth for some coins in the special Tooth Fairy Pillow. Whoops. She was sweet though. She reminded me when I was in the bathroom getting ready Friday morning. She said, "It's OK mom, but you forgot to take my tooth out of the pillow last night. But its ok! You can just do it tonight." I was like, "whoops, sorry hon." She kept smiling and said "its ok" :)
Dad told her I guess we forgot to text the Tooth Fairy and let her know a clean sparkly tooth was ready to go to the fairy's tooth castle. She totally knows its mom and dad but I guess he likes to have more fun with it than me. :)
Wednesday, April 02, 2014
My candid photos of all the kids - Spring 2014
I am kidding myself when I think its possible to get everyone smiling and looking at me at the same time that I hit the button to take the picture.
At least I tried.
At least I tried.
Reality check
I have a tendency to only post things on my blog that I find funny, sweet, endearing, memorable, etc....
As real and as precious as those moments are, I've learned in the last 8 years of being a mom that the times of normalcy and the tasks of "the daily grind" are to be just as memorable. Same people involved, all doing things necessary for survival. Feels sorta like going back to the roots.
I snapped a pic of my laundry pile and yes, this took me all day to fold and put away. It was a miracle I put it away in the same day it was folded, that never happens. I was expecting a guest for the weekend, that was my motivation to put it away.
Someone (or who knows, maybe it was some mommy blog but I can't remember the source) told me one of the best times to pray for your family is when you fold laundry. Every member of the household has laundry, and with each outfit brings a memory or possibly a life lesson learned, or re-learned for the hundredth time. I'm going to start using laundry time as prayer time (even if it has to be silent) for my family. It kinda guarantees each person will get prayed for on a regular basis.
As real and as precious as those moments are, I've learned in the last 8 years of being a mom that the times of normalcy and the tasks of "the daily grind" are to be just as memorable. Same people involved, all doing things necessary for survival. Feels sorta like going back to the roots.
I snapped a pic of my laundry pile and yes, this took me all day to fold and put away. It was a miracle I put it away in the same day it was folded, that never happens. I was expecting a guest for the weekend, that was my motivation to put it away.
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Kinetic sand
My mother gave the kids a pack of interesting sand on her way back from a trip to Wisconsin last week. Its just a pile of sand, but its not ordinary sand. Its incorporated with some kind of binding agent that makes it stick together. But its not sticky. Its more like....fluid sand. Its packable, but it doesn't really stay in shape. The kids find it mesmerizing to work with. Vanessa especially loves playing with it with out Violet or Calvin bothering her during the school day.
Vanessa's preschool field trip to the Youth Pavilion
Vanessa's preschool field trip snuck up on me as far as schedule goes. I knew she was going on one, but I didn't realize it was happening the day after I read the paper from her teacher about it. Parents are always invited to come along. I debated going and really, I should always want to go along on these cute little adventures, but I have to be pushed into going. Maybe its hanging out with a whole crowd of three year olds that makes me think twice about going. But that should really be my place of most familiarity, right? Anyway, I digress. Turns out when I go along with a child of mine on a field trip, it is one of the more special times I have with them and are enjoyable and memorable.
I found a friend who was willing to watch Eli for a couple of hours (thanks Kim!!). I brought Vanessa to preK at 9 am like usual, dropped Eli off with Kim, then made it back to the preK building in time to meet up with Vanessa and her class at 9:35 am to board the bus at 9:40. I was waiting in the entrance of the preschool wing when he class was lined up walking towards the door. She had a fun day being the leader and bringing the snack, so was first in line. When she saw me she lit up like a ray of sunshine and ran to me saying, "that's my mommy!!!" and gave my leg a big hug. I held her hand and we boarded the bus together. She chose a seat and say by the window, and the ride to the youth pavilion was pretty exciting. She found it funny she didn't have to wear a seatbelt, and stared at the ground as the bus drove noting how fast we were going. She recognized Bethany Bible Chapel and said "that's our church!" and we drove by the building. She was excited to go under a bridge. And the bumps on the bus are always exciting.
When the bus arrived, she noticed the big blue X on the building which is part of the logo. Each class hung up their coats in the building and a lady directed our classes where to go. We first looked at a moving piece of art behind a glass wall that was activated by a button. The kids were directed to another room where the feature was recycling things - a big circle of tires roped in a trike/bike riding area. Vanessa listened to music made from recycled materials, drew on paper, and did other things. Her attention span is very short.
The kids got to wander around the other play areas where they could put on dress up clothes, play on a stage, play with puppets, stack blocks, and explore little rooms that were informational about other countries. The lower level of the play area had the painting screen, milking a cow, riding a bus, and fishing with magnetic poles. She jumped from thing to thing.
The hour there went by very quickly. Vanessa wanted to do everything with me, drag me everywhere to every little thing that captured her attention, and insisted on holding my hand. She told me I was the best mommy ever.
On the bus ride home she wanted to sit by her friend Baylor, so I squeezed in a seat next to those two girls who giggled and switched spots a few times.
What a fun time. I'm so glad I decided to go. Vanessa is such a sweet little thing and so loving and really seemed to love having me there.
I found a friend who was willing to watch Eli for a couple of hours (thanks Kim!!). I brought Vanessa to preK at 9 am like usual, dropped Eli off with Kim, then made it back to the preK building in time to meet up with Vanessa and her class at 9:35 am to board the bus at 9:40. I was waiting in the entrance of the preschool wing when he class was lined up walking towards the door. She had a fun day being the leader and bringing the snack, so was first in line. When she saw me she lit up like a ray of sunshine and ran to me saying, "that's my mommy!!!" and gave my leg a big hug. I held her hand and we boarded the bus together. She chose a seat and say by the window, and the ride to the youth pavilion was pretty exciting. She found it funny she didn't have to wear a seatbelt, and stared at the ground as the bus drove noting how fast we were going. She recognized Bethany Bible Chapel and said "that's our church!" and we drove by the building. She was excited to go under a bridge. And the bumps on the bus are always exciting.
When the bus arrived, she noticed the big blue X on the building which is part of the logo. Each class hung up their coats in the building and a lady directed our classes where to go. We first looked at a moving piece of art behind a glass wall that was activated by a button. The kids were directed to another room where the feature was recycling things - a big circle of tires roped in a trike/bike riding area. Vanessa listened to music made from recycled materials, drew on paper, and did other things. Her attention span is very short.
The kids got to wander around the other play areas where they could put on dress up clothes, play on a stage, play with puppets, stack blocks, and explore little rooms that were informational about other countries. The lower level of the play area had the painting screen, milking a cow, riding a bus, and fishing with magnetic poles. She jumped from thing to thing.
The hour there went by very quickly. Vanessa wanted to do everything with me, drag me everywhere to every little thing that captured her attention, and insisted on holding my hand. She told me I was the best mommy ever.
On the bus ride home she wanted to sit by her friend Baylor, so I squeezed in a seat next to those two girls who giggled and switched spots a few times.
What a fun time. I'm so glad I decided to go. Vanessa is such a sweet little thing and so loving and really seemed to love having me there.
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| our selfie on the bus |
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| Vanessa with her "bestie" Baylor |
Eli's "sleeping in bed progress" and no more pacifier
One night last weekend nobody could find Eli's pacifier. We just made the decision that it was time to take it away for good. The switch has been dreamy. He doesn't ask for it that I know of, as he doesn't really have a word for it. He says "wanket" for blanket though. I'm sure if I gave it back to him he'd take it but he's been doing just fine.
As far as him sleeping in his twin bottom bunk, it really only took three or four nights for him to get the idea that this was now his bed. He doesn't climb out during the night anymore. He's had about a week of solid nights sleeping in his bed and not getting up in the middle of the night.
We're working on him staying in bed when we put him to bed for the night though. He typically gets up, very quietly, pulls the cord that the fan is plugged into so it turns off, opens the door, shuts the door, and walks out. He does this with the most somber face, it is almost comical. We find it funny he closes the door quietly behind him. He's learning each night that he gets a little spank if he gets out of bed. Last night only took two times putting him back in bed.
I'm really loving not having to keep track of that pacifier. He was down to one or two pink pacifiers that were mildy chewed up. Ick. I did find the one pink one I'd lost, of all places, under his pillow. The night I found it I stuck it in my pocket without him seeing.
One of us checks on the kids before we turn in for the night (usually Dave) and we've always found Eli sleeping on his back. I guess he is a back sleeper (?)
As far as him sleeping in his twin bottom bunk, it really only took three or four nights for him to get the idea that this was now his bed. He doesn't climb out during the night anymore. He's had about a week of solid nights sleeping in his bed and not getting up in the middle of the night.
We're working on him staying in bed when we put him to bed for the night though. He typically gets up, very quietly, pulls the cord that the fan is plugged into so it turns off, opens the door, shuts the door, and walks out. He does this with the most somber face, it is almost comical. We find it funny he closes the door quietly behind him. He's learning each night that he gets a little spank if he gets out of bed. Last night only took two times putting him back in bed.
I'm really loving not having to keep track of that pacifier. He was down to one or two pink pacifiers that were mildy chewed up. Ick. I did find the one pink one I'd lost, of all places, under his pillow. The night I found it I stuck it in my pocket without him seeing.
One of us checks on the kids before we turn in for the night (usually Dave) and we've always found Eli sleeping on his back. I guess he is a back sleeper (?)
Tuesday, April 01, 2014
Eli's first haircut
Don't worry anybody, those blonde crazy curls are still there. I only trimmed the back of his hair by his neck where there was a crazy long piece sticking out. The little tail is gone, and the rest of the hair curled right up. It looks more even, and much better. :)
When he sees the camera he immediately says "cheese!" - he's a ham like the rest of `em!
When he sees the camera he immediately says "cheese!" - he's a ham like the rest of `em!
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