A good team

Michael and I would like to announce that we have finally become a good team! Yahooo! Just kidding! We just had a really good day and it could have turned out equally as bad--and we were the deciding factor.

Jack was up a 6 (* read: Mommy and Jack were up at 6*) this morning and Samantha decided to join him at 7:15. After two minutes of playing with him, she screams from his room, "Mommy! Jack is awake!" Oh dear! That did NOT make Mommy happy as she KNOWs she is not to go in his room in the morning unless she KNOWs Mommy is in there. And then, to wake Mommy up by screaming at her...NOT GOOD! So, we had a rough start and then at breakfast (her favorite place) she just was irritating us, although not on purpose. So, after fussing at her for a minute, I just looked at Michael and said, "We just need to stand down." I used this terminology because it was fresh on my mind (we watched TWO Battle Star Gallactica episodes last night on DVD) and because I knew she didn't know what that meant, so we could back off without loosing face. Michael heard and agreed and from then on we had a GREAT day!

Jack's new words:

• Ba -- Gramps
• PLEEEEEEESSSE -- Please, Mommy may I have some gum?
• Blue balls -- blueberries
• Chair
• Hep -- Help
• Car wet -- This morning as he was trying to get in his "Cozy Coupe" he looked at me and said this. I was amazed!
• Snaak -- Gerber baby fruit snacks
• Caker -- Cracker
• Saw -- the power tool
• Duck
• Play
• Fie-fiss -- Butterfly
• Toothbrush
• Flush -- like flush the potty
• Dink -- Drink
• Hi

That's all I can think of for now. There's nothing really that he can't say...it's just that some things have meaning while others are just repeating the syllables. This is also a stage where he comes to us and takes our hand to show us what he wants! AWESOME!!!

Hope we are able to do something fun outside tomorrow, this crazy "I'm might rain any minute" weather has been tough. Maybe we'll hit their new sand box Santa brought?!!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Later

Tomorrow's gonna be fuuuunnnn!

Tomorrow is going to be a blast! Here's the schedule: 9:20 Samantha swim class, 9:40 Jack swim class, and 10:30 4 children and 1 adult arrive at the Wilson's for the ULTIMATE play date. Don't ask me what we're gonna do, but it will be fun! That is for sure! You can't help but have fun with 1 five year old, 2 four year olds, 2 two year olds, and Jack! I sure do hope it's pretty outside! :)

Jack is talking up a storm! "Chair" and "Putting" (pudding) are new words. This morning when I told him Daddy was home he spoke an entire paragraph about "My Daddy hum!" It was supppper cute! The sorta bad news is that his bi-lateral ear infection is NOT gone after 10 days of antibiotics, so we got a new one...that's almost gauranteed to upset his tummy! Boo!

So, can I ask WHY would you put a SCARY snow monster in the Rudolph claymation movie??? Samantha was TERRIFIED that this horrible creature was going to eat Rudolph's mommy and daddy. She must have asked Michael the same three questions 1500 times before bed. Luckily I knew the "God is bigger than the boogey man" song from Veggie Tales and we sang that tonight before bed. Bless her heart! I'm guessing there will be no "Polar Express" video after all this year! Now I am worried about taking her to see "Charlotte's Web"...how's she gonna deal with them wanting to eat Wilbur?

I really didn't realize that my four year old would still be so sensitive to movies and visual things. I wonder if Jack will be different?

If I don't get to wrapping soon, I am going to be so tired Christmas morning that I may just sleep while they open gifts! :) Just kidding...but I gotta get started!

Later taters!

Sufficiently covered

Well, I think I did it! I think I am REALLY finished shopping for Christmas!! Yahoo!! Now, I've just got to wrap this crazy stuff!!! And my ultimate goal is to remove all the crap that comes along with every kid toy we purchase...BEFORE the big day. But that seems rather lofty since we need to put the wagon together, too (hint, hint, Michael :)).

Jack's reading books to himself, outloud! Tonight it was "Bickey" (Baby Mickey) and the blocks were "too har" and the dinasour was "too bumpy" but his "bankie" was perfect. You see Mickey's looking for something to sleep with. When I asked Jack if he slept with a bankie he emphatically shook his head NO! And when I mentioned Poe (a TellyTubby that Samantha insisted be in his bed) he repeated it 5 times; and to think I thought he viewed Poe as a bump in his bed. I think he really likes her!?

We had a much better day today. If I could just remember to keep a cool head when I discipline Samantha I wouldn't have to "one-up" her after she's one-upped me. And life would be much more simple.

Ok, I've avoided cleaning the kitchen long enough!

Later!

Nuts or no nuts..that is the question!

Well, we are finally going to one nap a day for Jack. He doesn't seem to be taking it very well, but I really feel like he should be able to do it. The reason we've kept at it this long is that he sleeps so much better at night, when he gets two naps during the day. Crazy I know, but they say sleep breeds sleep. Wish us luck!

On to the nuts
Funny, yet sad, at the same time: Samantha had a freak out on Satuday at church (crafts and b-fast with Santa) because she imagined that she had eaten nuts. She was decorating a cookie with icing and after tasting the icing she began to spit, claw her tongue off, and generally act like a nut because she thought it had nuts. Michael was the only parental figure there (I was shopping) and I don't know how he settled her down but eventually they recovered. When I got home with her, we had a big laugh and I asked, "What made you think it had nuts?" "I coughed" she said. We all laughed again. I tried and tried to tell her that Mommy and Daddy will never give her nuts, but I think she'll have to figure that out herself. At least she was able to laugh...laughter is the best medicine. And if you can't laugh at yourself, life is going to be very stressful.

I've gotta make a list of what gifts I have so that I make sure that everyone is sufficiently covered.

Later!

The things kids say...

Last night we were sitting down eating dinner. Michael and I were probably talking about work or something, when Samantha chimes in with "What's dufft mean?" We asked her to repeat it a couple of times, and finally she says, "It's when Mommy says this: (and she begins to sing)

'You are beautiful beyond description, too marvelous for words!
Too wonderful for comprehension, like nothing ever seen or heard.
Who can grasp your infinte wisdom, who can fathom the dufft of your love?'"

We laughed and explained that it was "depth", like the water is three feet deep in the pool. "I don't have three feet!" she says. Too funny! By this point Jack is probably throwing food, so somehow the conversation ended without much understanding, I'm afraid.

And today, Jack and I are waiting for Dad at the doctor's office when he decides he wants his jacket "Off!" and he says it repeatedly until he got the jacket removed from his body. That is definitely a new word for him. Can I just say that I LOVE it when they communicate with words!

Michael and I are discovering the differences between Jack and Samantha. Samantha would be quite happy with the same breakfast for the next 15 years, but Jack...dear little Jack...he needs variety for breakfast, lunch and supper. About leftovers Jack says a resounding, "NO!" We're ok with the differences, it's just a shock to our system 'cause we got our parental game down; we know what's for breakfast, or at least we did! Now we have to be creative and think so early in the morning. Anyway, knowing is half the battle, G.I. Joe!

Christmas shopping is almost done, although I need to get the gifts all in the same room and count them...so that they have an equal amount. My favorite gift this year is the sand box that we bought for them! I can't wait for them to see it!

Another almost done thing is Christmas cards...envelopes almost done, and I haven't decided about a short little note to include. We've been in the wilderness, so it would be quite a short note. We'll see.

Tonight, I'm going to coffee with my friend, Julie. I REALLY like her and am excited about becoming closer friends.

Later taters!

A GREAT Thanksgiving and beyond

I just have to brag on my kids, 'cause I'm the mom and it's my perogative! I have the best travelers in the WORLD. At 3 years and 17 months, we watched a total of ZERO videos on the 15 hour trip to Kansas, and they were just fine without it. We only stopped twice, once in Dallas and once in Broken Arrow, OK. They were both fairly long stops, but we certainly deserved them, if you ask me!

Once we got there they slept the best they've ever done. It was a great time!

Words to add to Jack's list

1. Bus
2. Boat
3. Adam
4. Matt
5. RoRo (Michael's mother's "Grandmother" name)
6. Ozzie

This evening Michael will post on his blog about his mornings "adventure." November 28 seems to be an adventursome day for us...four years ago today I had our beautiful girl after having my appendex removed.

Speaking of birthday's: Samantha's getting her first doll house today and i can't wait to see the look on her face!! And we got her two play dresses from Gymboree, since she's constantly asking to wear a dress.

Gotta run! Curious George needs to be read!

Three things I forgot...

We counted it up and Samantha knows close to 30 Spanish words: numbers 1-10, 10-11 colors, and the 6-7 animals.

Yesterday as we were pulling out of the drive way, Gabriel, the cat, was climbing in the neighbor's U-Haul truck and Michael made a funny comment about Gabe moving to California with our neighbor and about 5 minutes and 10 conversations later Samantha says, "Daddy, is Gabe moving to California?" You just NEVER know what's gonna stick! :)

I've wanted to make a list of words that Jack can say so that I won't sound like such an idiot when Grandparents ask. So here goes:

1. Abby
   
2. Apple
3. Applesauce
4. Baby
   
5. Ball
6. Bible
   
7. Bites (verbal and sign language)
   
8. Car
9. This
10. That
11. Mama/Dadda
12. Nana/Bamps (for Gramps)
13. Pawpaw
14. Sister
15. ByeBye (sweetest thing you've ever heard!)

He is the sweetest thing on the planet when he talks (except when he's back talking and you KNOW when that is...he points his finger and speaks emphatically when he doesn't want to do what you've said). Today he talked and gestured to my Dad for probably a full minute and none of us had any idea what he was saying. Too cute!

Ok! Done for tonight!

Later

Jackie did the sweetest thing tonight at bedtime. I am pretty sure he fell asleep while I was rocking him, but as I stood up to lay him down he lifted his head and gave me a kiss! It was awesome, and helped since this week he's been fighting a head cold and has been a tad bit...fussy.

Jack and I had to run to the grocery store this afternoon to get our contribution to our Life Group meal tonight, and when we returned home Samantha greeted me with the sweetest, well-rested, little girl smile. After I got my kiss she said, "Mama, I had a LARGA (Spanish for long) nap!!!" and jumped up and down. It was sooo good to see her sweet spirit ready to be with our Life Group family!

This will will be spent getting ready for our trip to Kansas next Sunday. Michael will fly to us on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and then we'll all drive back together the following Saturday. It will be a busy time, but hopefully Jack will be better soon and it'll be a good trip.

Later!

For a long time, I've wanted a place to catch the funny, crazy, infuriating, silly things that my kiddos do. I wanted Michael to do it on his blog, but I think the focus of his blog is shifting a little, so I am starting my own!

This morning the first thing Samantha says to us is: "I have a B word: 'BiterBiscuit!'" Then she promptly sticks her thumb in her mouth and starts twirling her bangs...the first sign that she hasn't gotten enough sleep. Oh well, she's in school today, so we'll let her teacher deal with it! Ha!

Enough for now, gotta get this house clean while Jack's sleeping!

Later!