From Their Mouths

The boys have said a few things in the last week about the new baby, pregnancy, etc. that I want to jot down before I forget...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last Friday morning I was explaining to Samuel that we'd be going to see pictures of the new baby.  I reminded him of when we went to see Abigail's ultrasound and saw the baby's hands and feet and he was super excited.  Then he told me that he wanted a boy baby, that we needed a boy baby.

When I asked him why, he said we already had a girl baby, so we needed a boy baby.  I told him that I had two boy babies - a Caleb boy baby and a Samuel boy baby.  He started laughing very hard and then reminded his silly mommy that he and Caleb were not babies.

No, Samuel dear, you'll always be my baby.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the ultrasound room both boys cheered when they heard we were having a boy.  I didn't know Caleb had a preference either way until then.

That night he shared with me that God had answered (in the affirmative) one of his prayers.  Apparently he had been praying that we would have a boy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Richie asked both of the boys what they thought we should name baby boy.  

Samuel:  Diego - yes, as in everybody's favorite animal rescue hero
Caleb: John - because he decided he liked that better than his name

Which leads me to something interesting I've watched with Caleb through each of my pregnancies.  He tests out new names.  In Kindergarten, he decided to change his name to Zach.  He was in public school then and thankfully had a wonderful teacher who handled it really well when one of her students kept writing a different name on his papers.  It went on for several weeks and then just kind of went away.

During Abigail's pregnancy, he wanted to be called Jeb.  It didn't last nearly as long.  So I guess now he's outgrown the phase of "trying on" names and can just verbalize that he thinks he likes a different name more.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Caleb started telling me that there should be 10 kids in the family.  When my eyeballs came out of my head and threatened to attack him he brought the number down to six.  He has also informed me that I should be pregnant by July next year.  My eyeballs restrained themselves from inflicting bodily harm on the child, but they wanted to, I just know it.  And Samuel keeps telling me that we should have more babies, too.  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The boys are so sweet.  Talking to the baby, hugging my belly.  Caleb gets really concerned if I'm doing something he thinks might hurt the baby or me.  I love being able to see this side of them!  Gives me great hope for their future wives. *smile*  I also pray its the beginning of beautiful and lasting sibling relationships.

Randomness

I was working on a blog entry and the computer keeps freezing on me, so I just decided to write the thoughts swimming around my head.  Lucky reader, you...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My kitchen is sticky.  I'm sticky.  The kids are sticky.  And if we had a dog, it would be sticky too!  We've been canning peaches and I can hear my crocs (they help my feet and back while canning) peeling off the floor with every step I take.  I feel like I have to keep moving or I might get stuck.  

I think there's a spiritual application there.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Tomorrow (Friday!) we will find out if the little one I'm carrying is a boy or girl.  If the baby decides to cooperate that is.  Caleb is the only one we decided not to find out with and he made sure we couldn't change our minds.  He didn't reveal himself during the two ultrasounds I had with him.  
  
I'll be sharing the news tomorrow, so check some time in the evening if your curious. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After a month long summer break, we started our "new" school year four weeks ago with two subjects and have added a "subject" a week since then.  It has worked out really well for us and given me time to work through any kinks (read: learning how to keep the two little ones occupied during that time) we encounter.

We pretty much homeschool year round for those of you who didn't know.  And no, it's not as bad as it sounds!  For any of us. *grin* 

I am so excited about the year we have planned, I think it's going to be fun and Caleb seems to be enjoying himself so far.  I saved history - his favorite- for last.  We'll be in full swing Labor Day week.  Then I'll start adding more with Samuel.  I eventually hope to have a set of activities to rotate with Abigail also.  So I figure by November we'll be in a sure groove.  Which will give us 1 1/2 months before the Christmas holidays and the baby arriving.     Then it will be time to readjust. *smile*
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Samuel came inside today and said, "The potatoes are biting me."  Turns out the mosquitoes were biting him. *grin* 

I love when Samuel announces to me that it is morning.  He always says, "It's sun time, Mommy."  The rule is that he can't get out of bed until the sun is up.  Once he has a better grasp on numbers we'll be changing that a bit...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abigail has been weaned for a week and half now.  I'm not sure if it's been harder on me or her.  She typically asks to nurse about twice a day still.  We both miss it, but I really felt like my body needed to stop.  I sometimes wonder if her lower birth weight (5 lb. 15 oz.) was due in part to my nursing Samuel through my pregnancy with her.  I'm glad my sweet girl still likes to snuggle and hug a lot or I would be really sad!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Richie surprised me for my birthday by getting an old bike someone had given us fixed.  I haven't gotten on it yet because I'm a little scared I'll hurt myself or the baby, but I'm super excited.  We live in a great neighborhood for it. 

We're still trying to work on the house as we can in hopes of evetually moving.  We've got a long way to go, especially when we keep discovering things like rotten floor beams.  *grimace*  I just keep reminding myself that God is in control.  And that is a really good thing!

So as I head off to bed tonight, that's the thought I rest in.   

If You Were A Fly On The Wall...

in the last 48 hours, you would have witnessed:

• Samuel dressed to go outside in his coat, underwear, and flip flops
• me having to hold Abigail with my legs and one arm in order to administer her breathing treatments for pneumonia...every 4 hours
• 4 loads of clean laundry on my couch
• 4 loads of dirty laundry by the washing machine
• 4 days of dirty dishes in/on the sink, counter, and kitchen table
• and a partridge in a pear a tree..oops, wrong post
• Abigail running out the back door naked
• a woman at the park giving me a mean look because Abigail ran out the back door naked
• the boys killing over 30 flies that are invading our house (gross!)
• good thing you weren't a fly on the wall, eh
• me discovering that Caleb was wearing shoes one and a half sizes too small
• me having to ask someone to repeat very simple directions twice because it was just not registering
• me discovering that Samuel was wearing his pants backward, at 2:00 pm, after we had been in public
• and a whole host of other head shaking things that all lead to one thing...
• me calling on Jesus a whole lot

Life With A Toilet Trained Tornado

The Good - Samuel simply goes to the bathroom when he needs to now.  No encouragement or prompting necessary.

The Bad - Samuel simply goes to the bathroom when he needs to now. Usually without letting me know. Which could lead to open bathroom doors at the library. Throw in a little boy grunting and all I can do is laugh. Of course, the lady reading in the chair right by the door was not smiling.

The Ugly - Samuel simply goes to the bathroom when he needs to know. Usually without letting me know. So I could be in the middle of something, like changing Abigail's diaper upstairs and laying her down for a nap, when he needs some assistance from me. I might decide to have him wait until I'm done. Which could lead to a bottle of lotion being smeared all over his body and the toilet. Throw in several bottles of nail polish being poured all over the floor and I have to dig deep to find my smile.

Samuel, you live life big, never doing anything halfway. Getting the most out of it you can.  I love that about you, even when there's a huge mess to clean up.

Potty Trained...Finally

Words that I began to wonder I would ever be able to say when it came to Samuel. Because this whole potty training thing has been going on for so. very. long. In fact, here is when I first thought we were on track to getting him out of diapers. In June of 2008.

He was doing so well and then he just lost interest. And then I may or may not have gotten lazy with it. As time passed, I began to get desperate. I even broke out good old bribery. And he still wasn't interested. What can I say, I guess he was holding out for better deals.

Out with the bribery and in with the begging and pleading. The boy was immune. Not even a mother's tears could send him to visit the porcelain throne. Knowing his friends were using the bathroom did not sway him either. Where do you go when peer influence holds no persuasion?

The kid is good. Maybe even Navy Seal good.

Needless to say, visions of graduation parties and diapers were dancing in my head.

I had been praying about the situation, but not really on a consistent basis. And it probably involved additional begging and pleading. Then after earnestly seeking God about our dilemma one day (okay my dilemma, because I was so over changing his diaper), it all came together.

One morning Samuel asked to go to his favorite restaurant, a local pizza place that we all happen to love. That's when what some might call genius, I call it divine inspiration, struck me. A potty party. A pizza potty party.

We got to go celebrate his latrine success that night with his very own pizza potty party. And unlike Caleb, I didn't care who knew what our celebration was about. I was celebrating! I mean, I even had a Dr. Pepper. It was that serious.

So, we kept celebrating. We had potty parties every night until it just became part of his natural routine. Chocolate cake. Candy corns. Oh, the glorious fruits of positive reinforcement that he reaped.

You know, I'm going to have to consider throwing a party the next time I'm tired of any, shall we say, poop in my life. Just start celebrating until I find breakthrough.

Anyway, I'm proud to say that a month later, he is still going strong. No pun intended.

Thanks, God, for caring about all the things in our lives!

Imagination Station

Imagination. The stuff that makes childhood. There's been lots of it this summer. Which makes me happy. Except when outfits are being changed three times a day. Then I remind myself that it's time to teach Caleb how to do his own wash.

The boys reenacting the story of The Good Samaritan.

It's nothing to find Caleb in some variation of this "getup" as he pretends he's in the Civil War. Currently his favorite time period. Although, I don't think they had crocs back then.

He loves to get the little ones involved. Yes, even Abigail. Here I believe she was their field nurse during a reenactment of some battle.

Speaking of laundry, we even have issues with the clean stuff. The boys piled on layers of clothing to be big sumo wrestlers. Watching them walk was probably the funniest thing.

Ah, librarian Caleb. With the pen in his pocket.


Obviously tying a necktie is also on the list of things to learn.

One of my personal favorites, the big brothers. Because they had "big muscles". Otherwise known as more clean laundry.

Clearly I need to find another spot for clothes waiting to be folded other than the couch. Or maybe not. It's seems to be so inspiring.

I love this boy's creativity and imagination. Such special gifts from God.

Them Bones, Them Bones, Them Broken Bones

On Sunday night we had a family first...and hopefully last. Our first broken bone. Our first trip to the emergency room for any of our children.

My sweet, sunshiney Samuel broke his arm. He was climbing up the slide of our swingset (something he has done at least a gazillion times), lost his balance, and fell about five feet to the ground. Richie and I were in the front yard (the swingset is on one side of the house), so we didn't see it happen.

And after hearing Caleb's description of the fall - which he also generously reenacted despite my discouragement - I am thankful I was not a witness to the actual event. Saying this boy keeps me on my toes (and knees!) may just be understatement of the year.

We prayed for Samuel and put some ice on his lower arm and wrist. There was very little swelling, no bruising, he could move his wrist and all his fingers with no ill effects, and he was crying off and on, but certainly not what I would have expected with a fracture. The people in the emergency room even looked a bit skeptical a few times. It's amazing to me and I know God was all over it.

After three hours at the hospital they wrapped it in an ace bandage, put a splint over it, and sent us on our way. And Monday morning he was climbing up the slide again! Unbelievable. Perhaps the real testimony is that I haven't gone into cardiac arrest. *grins*

Tuesday we went and had a hard cast put on, which I had never seen done before. The cast extends from his mid-upper arm to his hand. He will have it on for 3 weeks and then he will have it replaced with a shorter cast. I have a picture of him, but my computer is acting up again, so I'll have to try it later.

Overall, he is doing well. He's ready to get the cast off, but then again, so am I!

My Kids Just Have A Way

Of making me fall in love with them more and more every day. They are such neat and special people.

Um, for clarification purposes, that would not be "neat" as in tidy or organized...

This tender hearted young man is so fantastic with his younger siblings. He's got a unique personality and interests and is one of the coolest kids I know. I looked at his hands the other day and it was as if they spoke to me and let me know that he would soon be leaving childhood behind.

Ah time, why won't you leave me alone and come back in about 5 years and we can pick up where we left off?

Samuel continues to be full of life and enthusiasm. He melts my heart when he winks at me. On the mini-trampoline, eating lunch, or into mischief, it is precious. When I'm cooking, he has this adorable habit of asking me, "What are you cookin' hon?" He heard Richie ask me that once and now asks it all the time. I love it!

And little Abby-girl, which happens to be the only nickname we have for her. Other than sweetheart, darlin', etc. I dare you to spend one hour with this sweet girl and not fall in love with her. Impossible. It is against the very laws of nature. What a blessing!



My precious, little people. I love you all more than words can say!

Where I Done Been

Or maybe I should just ask, where haven't I been? It feels like I have been going non-stop these past weeks. For someone who has started becoming somewhat of a homebody, not a good feeling.

Or maybe it's not that I'm really becoming a homebody, maybe it's just easier to keep my three young'uns at home. Contained. *wink*

Abigail turned 9 months and is doing so well. She's fighting a cold right now, but continues to be a doll. She has truly spoiled me. I love this little daughter of mine so much. She has such a great personality.

Samuel has been sick the past few days. These past few, very long days. The little guy has been miserable. I've felt so bad for him. Now we're treating a double ear infection from the junk he had. We've also been having some speech evaluations done. He has cooperated really well and everyone just loves him. He is such a sweet little man.

Caleb has been doing really well with his schoolwork and I keep seeing glimpses of maturity that make me so proud. We're working on an allowance system right now and I think I've just about got it ready. Just a few charts to make. Not sure how it came up, but he wants to design a wheelchair swing that we could put down at the park where we live. Touching this mama's heart, I tell ya! *grin*

Richie...wait, Richie who? Ha, ha, ho, ho, hee, hee, ha, hee, ho. Ah, if I didn't laugh about it, I'm not sure what I'd do. Baseball season is in full swing and my man is MIA. The kids are doing pretty well adjusting this year (so far), I think I'm the one with the biggest problem. I'm tired and lonely. Ha, hee, hee, ha, ho, ho...

And as for me, I've been reacquainting myself with the costly world of dentistry. I've got to get some work done and my pockets are becoming as jittery as I am about getting it completed. I mean, don't get me wrong, there would be a cost for me to stick my hands in a bunch of people's mouths all day long, but ouch!

And as it turns out, when God tells you that it will be a year of beginnings, there are also endings. I know, what are the odds. *wry grin* It's kind of like when you are moving physical locations and you start cleaning out your old place...did you know that was behind the fridge?!

Richie and I went canoeing with a group several years ago. They ended up running out of canoes, so we volunteered to go in the inner tubes they offered. I moved at a snail's pace compared to those canoes, but Richie, poor guy was a sloth. They tied an extra inner tube to his in case one of ours popped and I remember watching him get further and further behind. The Lord used that to minister to me about the baggage and junk we carry in our lives and how it effects our pursuit of the Lord.

I was unprepared for the circumstances in which (more of) my junk is being revealed, but it is my heart's cry to come before God with a pure heart. With that in mind, I say, "Okay, Lord. It may not be pretty, it may not feel good, but if it makes me look more like you, then let's do this thang." I hold tightly onto His promise of beginnings and His hand. Even when I want to scream about things being unfair and too painful. When I want to just be mad. When I want to throw the world's biggest pity party. Even when, I just want to give up.

His promises and His hand are still there. 'Cause He's faithful like that.

Man, I love God.

And that, my friends, is a taste of where I done been lately.

Boys Will Be Boys

I don't like using phrases like this too often. Many times it's just a lousy excuse to dismiss misappropriate behavior. But there are other times, when I don't know how else to explain things.

Take our old cell phones for example. We had to recently replace them and the boys asked if they could have them.



Caleb thought he was hot stuff with his. He keeps playing ring tones, but his favorite is taking pictures with it.



Samuel loves talking on the phone and has since he was about 9 months old. So, he was super excited too.

I was having so much fun watching them and their antics.

And then this happened. Which made me roll my eyes. Okay, and laugh. A little bit.



Caleb was recording burps into the phone.

Nice.

And honestly, I was the type of child that would have probably done the same, but I'm not going to admit that. I'm just going to shake my head as a refined mother and say, "Boys will be boys."

Just In Case You've Been Wondering

What Samuel has been up to lately. He's been busy leaving his mark on this world.

Okay, just in my kitchen. Again.

But I consider it training for leaving his mark on this world for Jesus. It's all about perspective...otherwise, I might cry. *wink*



This is not the first nor the most recent incident of this nature.

Perhaps you're wondering why I took pictures. It's my coping mechanism. That and one day when he has a child who is just like him, I will have proof. And a good source of bribery. I can't forget that. *grin*

He thoroughly enjoyed this escapade. Living it up to the fullest, 'cause that's how Samuel approaches life. It's the only way he approaches life. He lives big. And knows how to make the most of it. I love that about him.



I do not love the mess. Now you know why I cannot get to my other household chores. There are many unscheduled adventures to tend to...



Oh, sweet Samuel. I love you.

Always Check Your Pockets

Before washing...

and drying.

We've been having some problems with Samuel getting into the washer and dryer. I think we've finally gone a full week without him getting in one, so hopefully he's learned. Thankfully, he never shut the doors, because then I would have probably lost it and entered into my own version of a spin cycle. This child keeps me on my toes. I just keep wondering why I don't lose any weight from all the chasing I do. all. day. long.

Then I'm reminded that my Heavenly Father probably has to pull me out of my very own "washing machine" several times a day too. The sin that I just keep walking back into. The one that I keep insisting of partaking. Yeah, puts a whole new perspective on it for me. May I exercise the same amount of patience and mercy with my own children that God generously measures out to me daily.

You Are...

You are the apple of my eye,
the pumpkin in my pie.
The soft, blooming flower in spring.

You are the funnel cake at the fair,
the smell of autumn in the air.
The brilliant color in my world.














You are the snowflake on my tongue,
the silliest song ever sung.
The warm breeze on a summer day.

You are the puddle in which I jump,
the juiciest strawberry, nice and plump.
The sparkling dew on the grass.

You are the eskimo kiss on my nose,
the tickle on my toes.
The laughter dancing in the air.

You are the finer things of my world,
You add so much to my life.
I thank God for making you mine.

You are so very precious to me,
yet there is One who loves you more.
And His you will always be.

Caught Red Handed

Or rather blue handed.

About an hour after my post yesterday, I walked into the kitchen to find this face staring at me.

Busted.

He got into the blueberries. Again.

Five O'Clock Shadow

It's been a while since we've had a multiple choice question. Past due if you ask me, so I present to you the following picture of my boy, Samuel...



Which best describes this picture:

A) Samuel was enrolled into a research study on the effects of fertilizer run-off in water after he began sprouting premature facial hair.

B) He discovered a small, mushroom village outside and satisfied his hunger with helpless, blue Smurfs.

C) It's an adverse reaction to helping Jo Ann lick stamps.

D) Samuel raided Jo Ann's grape Fanta stash.

Doesn't this picture look like his little hand got horribly smashed by something? It almost upset my stomach, silly huh? Ah, motherhood. *grin*

And the answer is...

Boo-behwies. I had a cute video of him saying blueberries, but I couldn't get it to work. Anyway, I made muffins today and had given him some in a bowl. I left the kitchen and when I returned I found him eating from the bag (which was in the freezer I might add) and turning very purple.

P.S. I do not have a Fanta stash. I repeat, I do not have Fanta stash. Oh, and I don't make the kids lick stamps. Anymore.

SNOW!

Oh my, have I ever told you how much I love snow? At the risk of alienating myself and being threatened with bodily harm (again), let me tell you... I LOVE SNOW! I have no idea why. I just love it.

I still get butterflies in my stomach like a small school child over it. I check the weather forecast like crazy when they are calling for it. I announce it to the world when I see it.

Grilled cheese sandwiches with hot chocolate. Snow angels. Snow forts. Catching snowflakes on my tongue. Need I say more?

Even when I worked full time out of the home and had to drive in it I still loved it.

I love it! I love it! I love it!

So, here are some pictures from our first snow day. Too bad it all turned into ice and you could still see the grass. :(

The view from my front porch. Part of the river is covered in snow and ice.

We could not keep him from eating the snow, no matter how hard we tried.

And I don't think I'm the only who enjoyed it.