We received a fun and anonymous gift this year in our stockings, a jar full of someone's change. I would like to thank whomever was thoughtful enough to think of us.
Want to do a Christmas Jar of your own for next year? Check out this website.
So this morning I sat Enoch on the toilet, just for fun. Didn't even think to check the potty after.
It wasn't until later when I stuck Levi on it, that I saw there was PEE in it!! How can my 16 month old be more successful than my 3 year-old? It doesn't make any sense.
Let's hope Santa gives me for Christmas whay I asked for this year.... a potty trained boy. But maybe it'll be Enoch instead of Levi.
Due to the CUPE strike, we have been unable to get Enoch in to see his pediatrician until now.... he was weighed today, and things look good. A full 21 pounds! (Some of you with monsters for children/grandchildren are laughing, I am sure). However, the doctor is now worried about his height. We just cant ever seem to win. Maybe Josh should take him in next time, and then they will stop worrying.
Q: Why don't you like to colour, Levi?
A: Because.
Q: Well, how come?
A: Because it hurts my toes.
Our ward had a fun and unique activity this Christmas. Here are some pictures of the evening:
I've been tagged again, but instead of writing everything out, you can check out the alphabet info.
This is a very fun website. If you are bored or want some cleaning tips (MOM) etc, check it out!
Here is an example of one of Levi's prayers. I usually help him, and he repeats what I say.
Mom: Dear Heavenly Father
Levi: repeat
Mom: Thank-you for my family
Levi: repeat
Mom: Thank-you for my blanket
Levi: repeat
Mom: Thank-you for my cars
Levi: repeat
Mom: Help me be nice to Enoch
Levi: repeat
Mom: Help me go pee in the potty
Levi: I don't want to go pee in the potty.............
That is when we have to wrap things up. On one hand I should be glad that I have proof that Levi actually wants to be nice to Enoch. On the other, I worry if Levi's faith is stronger than mine, and which prayer will be answered; mine or his.
Something funny, yet terrifying happened.
Lat night, Josh watched the kids while I worked. He left Levi alone watching a movie for a bit after putting Enoch to bed. Shortly thereafter, as Josh was playing guitar in the office, he heard Pearl Jam blasting through the home stereo. Levi comes running in full tilt screaming his head off. Levi had managed to push the piano bench over to the TV, climb up to reach the DVD player, eject Robin Hood, insert Pearl Jam, and press play. The loudness of what he heard, and probably the fact that it was not whatever movie he was hoping for, shocked Levi so much that he cried for almost 15 minutes.
What I do not understand is how Levi can figure this out, but my mother who has a college degree and various work experience still can't seem to work the DVD player at her house. Kids these days really are technologically advanced.
Usually I write about the kidlets when they are driving me crazy, but I feel like they are overdue for some praise. First of all, though Levi continues to not pee in the potty, he did go pee in the potty twice, in one day!!! That was very exciting. Next, Enoch now has 14 teeth with two more on the way. I can't believe how quickly he is getting those teeth. Finally, I feel like Levi is due for some major high fives for his lack of hitting and beating on his brother. They of course still have their moments, but time is now allowed to at least slip in between these moments, rather than being a constant battle all day long.
Than BUTTER.
I love butter. Sometimes l wake up in the morning and feel like eating butter, so I'll make pancakes. My family thinks it is because I love them and want to give them a good, warm, hearty breakfast in the morning. No; it is because I want to eat syrup and butter, and feel butter's creamy smooth texture melt on my tongue. The same goes for oatmeal, only this time butter's sidekick is brown sugar.
I made some very delicious zucchini bread the other day. Well, I think it is really zucchini cake, but since I ate it with butter like you would a dinner roll, we'll call it bread. MMMMmmmm. So good. I ate the whole thing in a matter of minutes. And I didn't care, and still don't care that my children and husband went without. Butter goes so well on popcorn, and french bread, and with garlic, and steamed veggies, it makes good pasta sauces, icing, cookies... excuse me, I've got to go visit my refridgerator.
Here is our new bedroom. I have to confess it is not my dream room, but for 60 bucks it sure looks a lot better than it did before. All we need now is a bigger picture for over top of the bed. I tried a thing I saw on HGTV, and the fake headboard somehow shrunk the temple picture.
My kids came up with an incredible (yet totally disgusting) invention today; a new game I like to call Snot Stickers.
We were having what you would call an awful morning. Enoch has been sick all week, with a runny nose and mild fever, and was not happy at all when he woke up. To make matters worse, Levi was not in the mood for potty training, which only elevated the stress and unhappiness in the air. I have to admit I also played the part of grumpy mummy this morning due to a very sore throat and chest.
As I made myself some hot chocolate to soothe the throat, I handed Levi a container full of Cheerios. Within minutes they were all over the floor. At this point both kids were still grumpy, but then Levi came up with the idea to try to eat the Cheerios off the floor sans hands. And one stuck to his mouth! So Enoch followed suit, only with much more success. His runny nose had run all over his face by this time, making himself a walking, talking, and thankfully, laughing, Cheerios magnet. It was like bobbing for apples, only they came up with breakfast cereal stuck to their faces every time. I tried to get a video of their diving and laughing, but it just doesn't do the game justice. I am grateful such an simple thing could turn our day around.
To our ugly sunshine yellow bedroom.
Not that I have anything against yellow, or the sunshine. I just do not like waking up to sunlight at 4am. It doesn't help one catch up on lost sleep. We painted our bedroom on the weekend, and now it is much nicer. I do not yet have a picture, cause I want to get new lamps for the side tables before I get a picture of the end result. (Plus, the bed wasn't made on my way to the office, so I didn't bother). Josh and I were at Wal-mart last night for way too long trying to decide. Anything I liked, he didn't. Vice versa with anything he liked. And if we both happened to like the lamp, then it was bucks deluxe or out of stock..... arrrg. You will just have to wait on the edge of your seats for an after shot in the mean time.
Lately I have had nothing to write about. Nothing. And I still cant even think of anything. So, I am going to go way back and share memories from when I was little.
We have been swimming a lot lately and I am excited that Josh is coming with us today. First, because that means I will only have to change one child afterwards, and second, because dads are way more fun. I remember being so excited as a kid when my dad would throw on his trunks and join us in the pool or the lake or whatever. He gave the best surfboard rides and seemed like he could hold his breath forever.
I have been thinking about Honey, the ol' family pet lately, too. She passed on about a year and a half ago. Whenever I see the ridiculous pet Christamas stockings you can buy for pets at the store, I remember Honey and her little nose shoved into her stocking pulling out every last sniff of cheese. She could hear the cheese door of the fridge open form anywhere in the house (in her earlier days, anyways), and come running for a treat.
Other memories? As the season of giving aproaches, I recall that my mom still owes me a red velvet dress with a rather large white collar that she said she would make for me. It is probably close to 20 years overdue. I remember my mom dancing with lettuce in her mouth when we were camping. This is real vague.... not sure why she was doing this. I remember my dad's favorite phrase from the sidelines he would yell out when I missed a shot; "More arch!" I hated hearing that, but it always worked. I remember the day mom came home with a pet monkey for the family to babysit for three days from the zoo, and all the fuss that entailed. OK. That I just made up.
Yesterday was Levi's third birthday. We had lots of fun as a family; went to the zoo, made and ate pigs in blankets, opened presents, and ate cake. It is so odd to have such an old child. And fun. Here are three reasons why I love Levi.
1) I love him for his ability to make us all laugh. He is always ready to smile and have fun. Watch out: his laugh is contagious.
2) I love him because although he is a bit of an older brother brute, he still loves to give Enoch a hug and a kiss before bed every night.
3) I love Levi cause he is so dang cute in his little glasses.
Of course, I could go on, but lucky for you he is only three and I will stop here. Just wait until my hubby's next birthday!! That list is sure to go on forever.
Here are six things you never knew (and wish you still didn't know) about me:
!) I used to want to be a boy. Not in the sex-change type of way. I just really wanted to be like boys.
@) I wake up every night to pee. Pregnant or not pregnant; my bladder just can't handle it.
#) My favorite color when I was younger was pink. SHHH!!! Don't tell anyone.
Now, of course, it is blue.
$) I have a definite opinion about how the toilet paper gets put on the roll. When it is wrong, it drives me crazy.
%) I check my blog WAY TOO OFTEN to see if there are any comments. Loser? Believe me, I already know.
^) I guess number 3 was really two pieces of info.
Who lived in a house
She found the best recipe
And filled her whole mouth
She baked and baked and baked some more
And she ate and ate and ate galore
Her jeans sit tighter than ever before
Levi: Mommy, what happened to your hair?
Mommy: Why? Does it look nice or not nice?
Levi: Not nice. It looks broken.
After almost five and a half years of marriage we have finally taken the time and effort to get some family pictures taken. Thanks to a good friend and aspiring photographer, we had a great time on Monday out and about the university and train bridge. I do not have any of the pictures myself, but check these photos out.
Normally I am a sane person. Normally.
But when it comes to minor injuries and blood and my children, I lose control and all rational thought. I can't help it.
This morning, due to my neglect, Enoch accidentally hurt himself in the mouth. Big screams and cries. Not a big deal, I can calm
him and pat his back and make him feel better.
ENTER: blood from mouth and nose
Now I am in hysterics. I am yelling at Josh to get up. I feel faint. I can't walk to the door. I sit on the ground and hold Enoch while I panic and make Enoch panic all the more.
ENTER: wonderful husband, calm and quiet, kindly explaining that I am making it worse for Enoch because I am scaring him
Ok. Scaring my child is the last thing I want. I calm down. I find the car keys. Whew, at least they are easy to find. Health card,
another easy one (thank goodness). We go to the ER and everything is fine. No stitches, vitals normal, bleeding slowing down,
instructions given on care and red flag signs to watch out for. Bo-benic is fine. I lie down on the hospital bed with a cold cloth on my head, but at least it isn't the floor this time. I can think clearly. Rational thought begins to flow again and I can function
without aid. I can reflect on how happy I am to know my kids are tougher than I am in these situations and that I am the only
lunatic in the family.
We got to go to the temple on Saturday with a bunch of people from our ward here in Saskatoon. It was such a blessing in some ways, and one of the most tiring experiences of my life in other ways. It was so incredible to be able to attend with Josh and take a break from the world and feel the peace and quiet that you can only get at the temple. It was great to attend with friends and family and feel a bond grow with them. It was inspiring to reflect and learn and think about my Saviour.
Then we got on the bus ride home. It took hours. HOURS. And our kids were crazy. CRAZY. All they wanted to do was run around and do anything but sleep like they normally do in the afternoon. 3 hours of kids in a vehicle without seatbelts is torture. Makes me wonder why on earth anybody would ever have preferred the "good ol' days" when kids could roll around the car without restraint. I imagine parents trying to drive with their children's faces eclipsing the windshield and arms/legs grabbing at the steering wheel and gear shift. Whew. Am I ever grateful for modern day conveniences.
A temple trip is always a good thing. But I think next time I will re-evaluate our choice in mode of transportation. I am only now recovering from this trip. Bus rides are not for the faint of heart.
I absolutely love this tree. It is incredible. In the spring it boasts delicate, clustered white flowers that look like snow resting on its green boughs. In the summer it becomes covered with red berries (for birds, not kids I remind Levi) that contrast the green foliage. In the fall its leaves stay green the longest on our block, and then burns bright orange, red and yellow, so that our yard looks like it is on fire as you approach it from down the street. In the winter it is barren, but then it allows the most sunlight possible to hit our cold house to help keep us warm. Like I said, I love this tree.
It is too bad that it is framed by an awful peachy-pink coloured house that turns my Monet into graffiti.
Starting tomorrow we will be adopting a pirate in the family. For about an hour a day or so, that is. Levi went to the opthamologist's today and we are trying to patch as a last resort. Well, its the last resort before the last resort: (surgery). So, just in time for Halloween we have a new inspiration for a costume.
He was so good today, by the way. Much impressed with his cooperation in the eye chair. I wonder if he will be as good when we visit the dental chair. According to his tooth brushing record I would say fat chance.
Not too much.
I thought it would be fun to take the boys to campus and get some scenic pictures of them amongst the trees, buildings, etc. It was more difficult than I thought, they had lots of fun, but unfortunately that meant that I didnt get any very good pictures.
They might not be the best pictures, but I least I caught some digital personality.....
No, I am not an unedjumecated momma feeding her child chocolate milk to rot his teeth. I am not a crazy lady who gives strawberry milk to her baby to develop his sweet tooth. I am, however, the one who is giving her baby milkshakes to get him to gain weight- and its working!! Bo-bene has gained as much weight in the last month as he did in the previous six months combined. He is certainly enjoying this new burst of growth and energy. He is everywhere. He is on everything. I caught him on the kitchen table at least half a dozen times today already. I found him on his dresser the other day, who knows how he even got up there. I like this new turn in Enoch's life. He is more lively and opinionated and fun to be around. He participates more and gives me silly looks when he is into something he has never seen before. It is so fun to watch him discover life bit by bit and be amazed with something as simple as a spoon hitting the hardwoods, or a box on top of his head.
For the last few weeks we have been having some bedtime troubles: Levi does not want to go to bed when he is supposed to. It has been pretty action packed at nights, we would go in there and never have a clue where Levi was going to be; behind his bed, on the dresser, behind the crib, underneath the crib, IN the crib..... you can see how this gets frustrating, especially when he wakes up his sleeping baby brother. This kid has stealth and moves the Russians would have wanted to exploit.
This all took a climax when Josh and I went to the temple last weekend and the kind and dear babysitter and auntie could not get Levi to go to sleep at all. He was a pest to put it nicely. He ended up sleeping in our room before the night was through and we got home. (Sorry, guys).
So we made some dramatic changes. Levi has this whole little routine before bed where he has rules that he repeats, like closing his eyes and being quiet. And it actually works!! Looks like his future for espionage is going down the drain.
Enoch is up and at 'em these days with his new ability to walk. It is pretty cute to see how proud he is of himself whenever he goes a long distance. I am now out-numbered 2:1 by toddlers, and I have a fear that they are planning a revolt.
I am sorry for the bad signals and lack of programming lately. There are 3 really good books out there that I HAVE to read. Right now. I am already half way through the second book, so it shouldn't be too much longer. Until then, my thoughts are turned away from facebook, cooking, email, and children, and are thirsting after Edward, Bella, Jake and the rest of the town of Forks.
I love the fall. Always have, probably cause I was such a nerd that as a kid I looked forward to going back to school and meeting my new teachers and seeing which kids were in my classes. Now, school days for myself are long gone, but there are new memories to make. Last night Levi and I got to go for a walk just the two of us after Enoch went to bed. The trees were on fire, and the harvest moon was enormous in the sky. It was so beautiful, and as a bonus Levi wanted to hold my hand the whole time so that his fingers wouldn't get too cold. He looked up at me through his glasses and said. "I love you mommy." So cute. I replied, "I love you, too, Levi." And then he said, "NO!! I love you," in a voice that let me know he was the only one showing any love.
Here are a cople pics of another walk we took this week.
I am a bad mother, cause I let this happen to my child. But as you can see from the pictures, I think that I am the only one still suffering from the incident. Josh is real proud (of me); at least I could take a picture of the wound this time, and I didn't have to lay down on the ground at the doctor's office while they tended to my son.
A- attached or single- attached and loving it
B-best friends - hubby, ma-lelly and fab4 forever
C- cake or pie- both
D- day of choice- Sunday unless I have to teach
E- essential item- toothbrush and floss, I guess that's two
F- fave color- blue
G- gummy bears or worms- is there a difference?
H- hometown- Calgary
I- indulgences- chocolate and recently, practicing piano,
J-january or july- july cause that means gardening
K- kids -2, Levi (2) and Enoch (1)
L- life is incomplete without - love
M- marriage data -May 10, 2002
N-number of siblings- three sisters and one brother
O-oranges or apples - apples, especially my mom's apple pie
P- phobias or fears - you name it, it has probably scared me, I only never admitted it till now
Q- quotes- "A second on the lips, forever on the hips"
R- reason to smile- when Levi and Enoch get along
S - season - autumn, so beautiful
T- tag three - Laura, Sherilyn, Ashley
U- unknown fact about me - I used to want to be a boy,
V- vegetarian or oppressor of animals - oppressor? that seems a little overboard, don't you think?
W- worst habit - I am a nag with a capital N
X - x-rays or ultrasounds- x-rays, cause then I dont have to drink a bunch of water and hold it in forever
Y-your fave food - I love a good Italian pasta with fresh seasonal veggies and chicken
Z- zodiac- virgo
Sunday was an incredible day. It was so hot that it was Josh's idea to go for a walk; 27 degrees Celcius in mid-September will do that to any husband. Off we went and unfortunately our kids missed the entire trip. After I took this video clip, Levi woke up and was super mad that we hadn't gone for a walk yet. He thought we were trying to cheat him out of his outdoor time. Poor kid, better luck staying up next time.
Here is a little FYI for any of you who want to know.
Levi had his eye appointment today, and his weak eye is doing much better. What was 20/70 a month ago is now almost back to 20/20 with his new glasses. Levi has been referred to see an opthamologist for an assessment to see if surgery will help straighten his eyes. We are a little bummed cause if everything didnt go so well today, Levi would have gotten a patch and we would already have half of his Halloween costume ready....we will have to think of something else.
Enoch is now happy on cows milk and I believe he is gaining weight. We do not see the pediatrician till the end of the month, so we will know for sure then whether or not he is getting fatter. To me he seems like a pig, so I think things will be in his favour.
Enoch has also taken his first step. (Not steps, just step.) Take your time, buddy, you've got ALL WINTER.
As far as potty training goes..... Levi has not had wet underpants for 2 days!!!! I just wish we could say the same thing for #2.
We have begun. No more diapers for Levi (daytime, anyways). Yesterday was an absolute failure, but today Levi did pee in the potty once, and pee on the potty once!!!! (but it sprayed everywhere else but the potty). At least he is not resisting and crying tlike he was before. What I dont get is that after peeing on the potty, he has peed another FIVE times consecutively in the same hour. What is up with that?
In a few short weeks we (Josh) transformed our dingy, dirty and dark bathroom into a beautiful oasis. Who knows, maybe I'll like it so much now I might do more than just brush my teeth. Hair dos here I come...
Enoch and I went to the pediatricians today and so far, so good. Blood work, good. Lungs and heart, good. Tummy, good. Diaper areas, good. Eyes, good..... and so on. They think that Enoch may be what is termed a "late bloomer," someone who reaches puberty and maturity later than the average Joe. There goes our hopes of Enoch being the master rebounder in Junior High on the BB team, but there is always grade 12, so we will keep him practicing just in case.
We had a wonderful day trip last weekend to Yorkton to see Josh's uncle, Eric, and his wife, Erin, get married. It was a real nice ceremony out on the bride's family farm. The house and surrounding gardens/lawn were incredible. We had lots of fun and it was real nice to be able to play catch up with relatives that we hadn't seen for a while, as well as relatives we had never met. Quite the treat. Here is a pic of many of the family, excluding the bride and groom unfortunately.
Here is a little taste of what Josh has been doing all week. I have to admit that I much prefer walking around Home Depot picking out tiles and paint colors to the job that he faces. The more we gut the room, the more trouble we get into; nobody builds things like they used to, and now we are trying to match up old with new, and it gets a bit complicated. Maybe a lot complicated. We just keep thinking about the finished product, and about (hopefully) Levi getting to know "uncle John".
Twice we have tried to get Levi to graduate from diapers to toilets. Twice we have failed. So, this time around we have decided to put Levi in a very advanced potty training school. Tuition is close to $2000, but we figure it will be worth it in the end to have a son potty trained by the time he goes to sunbeams. Strangely enough, this educational institution is located at our local Home Depot. Somewhere along the way, our bathroom reno has changed from fixing the mold to building a new bathroom for Levi to poop in. He loves the whole idea of this and talks about it frequently. He even got to look at the toilets and pick one out.
I really hope this works, cause if it does, we just might become Guiness record holders for most expensive potty training technique. If it doesn't work, then we have seriously tried all avenues that we can think of, and will be in desperate need of help.
In lieu of being able to brag about my son's incredible weight gain or walking capabilities, I am writing this to mention some of his other accomplishments to make myself feel better.
1) He can say many words; mama, dada, byebye, hi, hello, door, levi, kiss, ball, vroom....and his latest: popo (popcorn)
2) He can stand without support
3) With the touch of a single button, he can do wierd things to the computer as I type that only my husband can fix
4) His screams reach a decible that would be considered torture in some areas of the world
5) He can tell me when to change his diaper by scratching on the linen closet (where the diapers are kept) like a little dog wanting to go outside
6) Today I left the room to put some laundry away, to find that he had climbed onto the couch and was sitting there quietly playing with the phone I thought I had left out of reach
7) Imagine my surprise when a police officer stopped by, and said someone in our house had dialed 911! Talk about smart if he can already contact superior autorities behind my back.
It is hard to believe, but Bo-bene turns the big one today. He is still such a baby in so many ways, I dont feel like I have a one-year-old. To give an example, he doesn't walk. Not even with someone holding his hands. People often are surprised by his age, I think I could pass him off as an 8 month old if ever needed. (Did you ever lie to get into a movie for a cheaper price?) We went to the docs today, and he has been labeled as "not thriving." What exactly that means, I am not sure. If they took food intake and dirty diapers into consideration, then they would have to label him as something else.... ziggy piggy, maybe? But as it stands, he is not gaining the weight that he ought to be. It is sure hard to please the public eye. Since the day he was born I have been trying to feed him nothing but healthy food, to avoid the awful phrase childhood obesity, only to be told my child has childhood fat necessity. 
Oh well.... what's most important is that my little guy is happy. And hopefully in the next few weeks we can discover why Enoch is so little, and give him the healthy and thriving label to go along.
Happy birthday Enoch. I love you!!
After 7 weeks of seeing very little of my husband, and having a 2 year old who likes to act out in his absence, I called Josh up and asked him to come home early. It was either that or a break down. He will be home in a little over 14 hours and I can not wait to see him!! What's an extra weeks worth of salery when my sanity is on the line?
That's it. I am officially old. 3 weeks shy of my 27th birthday, I sneezed and my entire back hurt, and continues to hurt hours later. I plan on picking out my walker next week. Do not pity me: you're next!
No, this is not a blog with an ode to Gun's 'n Roses, in case any of you were getting excited (after all, Appetite did turn 20 this year), this is dedicated to my children and the fact that some days I have patience, and other days I don't.
Today for instance, my 2 year old was in and out of sorts all day. He didn't like the size of cup he had his juice in this morning, he didn't like that we had to leave the scrapbook store when we did, he didn't like that I made dinner without holding him in my arms, nor that I his fork was the wrong size. He didn't like that I put his shoes on him before he could (he can't do this feat, but he thinks he can), he hated going to bed for a nap this afternooon, and he didn't like my saying the dinner prayer without his arms folded. (We ended up blessing the food twice, and the second time he blubbered every phrase after me through sobs). This is how it was all day, but today was a good day. And I just found it funny.
Wednesday, however, was not so good. He drove me crazy. I wanted to scream along with him. I wanted to go hide and never be found. I wanted to slam doors and stomp up and down. He gets to do this, so why not me??
I am embarrased to say that I have recently found a new weapon against toddler tantrums. NOTHING. I say and do nothing. I remain quiet. Levi hates this and begs me to speak and calms down. It is amazing, actually. My only problem is that I can only control myself into speechless oblivion when I have patience growing out my ears. And as it stands I am in the need of some major fertilizer.
Picture this: a mother of two young boys sprawled out on the floor in a hospital room with an ice pack on her neck as she fights to maintain conciousness. Nurses quietly step around her as they tend to the 2 year old who has just received his first stitches...
We still are not even sure how Levi cut his foot. The prime suspect is an open vent with a sharp screw sticking out of the side, (which has since been duct taped to the floor), but who knows? What I am amazed at is the calmness and ease at which my toddler handled the entire situation. Sure, I held him and kissed him and told him things would be fine, but my knees wanted to buckle and my stomach constantly churned. I am not sure how he knew, but Levi was incredibly intuitive. When we asked him what happened, all he would say is, "I'm gonna be OK, " in his little, reassuring voice. And as I held his hand on the way to the hospital, he was the one to squeeze my fingers tight, letting me know that things were fine.
But now all that is over; the wound is healing and Levi lets us dress it as needed. My thoughts turn to the future and I am scared. Is this bound to happen again? Did I grow up ever so carefully to avoid the hospital and serious injury, only to have my children take me there again and again as they find ways to hurt themselves? If my husband is any indication of what the future holds for me, (as far as Stone boys are concerned), I better toughen up and start dealing with this better. I can't always count on my 2 year old to give me the strength I need to help him get better. How on earth are they so tough? I want to learn.
P.S. I couldn't bring myself to get a picture of his foot, but here is a picture of Levi after the ordeal and after the blue popsicle the nurses gave him.
I am sitting here with my niece, Marvel, and am showing her the wonders of blogging. We are both Harry Potter freaks, and have finished the books and now have time for other things, such as this website. She wants to see games on here, and I have absolutely no idea how to do that. Anybody? Can it even be done?
I was doing Cart-wheels to get Levi to eat his veggies. It worked at first but then he wouldn't sit at the table, he wanted to be in on the action. I admit that he doesn't have perfect form (who can blame him with me as an example), but it is mostly for his expressions at the end that I am sharing this video.
We get to go to the park almost everyday cause, we have nothing else to do and it is always warm (did I ever think I would be saying that about S'toon?). Levi is flying his first kite in the first pic, you cant tell, but it would really pull him. I was very proud at how tight he held on. He must have learned from an earlier experience at the mall when he let go of his balloon. Enoch is quite the spiderman on the slide, as long as I can keep him from eating the rocks. And the last pic is of Levi not wanting to go home.
Did you know that Saskatoon has over 190 parks??
My kids, who like to be The Rock and Stone Cold at times, sometimes prefer to be the Bushwhack Brothers. They like to team up at bed time against their nemesis: me (the one who is trying to make them go to sleep). They have this new game, where Enoch, from his crib (the ring), can reach the light switch and flick on the lights. I go in there and turn them off, and move his crib so it is out of reach. Levi then is tagged and is able to push the crib back into position so that Enoch has free reign over the light switch again.
They did this for over an hour the other night. Laughing like crazy with every move they made.
I dont mind a bit being on the wrong team, as long as they realize moves like this as teenagers aren't going to entertain me quite as much.
Today was a wonderful day. I have been home alone with the kids all week, and this morning I woke up NEEDING a break. Pam and Kyle were kind enough to take the kids swimming for an entire 2 hours. It is astounding what one can accomplish in such a short amount of time when she is used to having two kidlets running around. I learned some things while cleaning my garage:
1) spiders can look like mice in your peripheral vision
2) I still have my volleyball kneepads from junior high
3) mice can poop in many odd places
4) lowering heavy objects is much easier than lifting them back into place
5) my garage door opener is still nowhere to be found, despite this thorough clean
6) cleaning is fun, but not as fun as a hot fudge sundae from McDs after sweating for 1.5hours, especially if enjoyed while watching The Office.
Thanks Kammy and Kyle!!!
....help someone get their head unstuck between the wall and the bed
....go bathing suit shopping with a double stroller
....make up games on the spot, like how to brush away a monster
....make funny faces while eating dinner without realizing it
....step on a car and slide across the floor (just like the movies)
....cuddle a baby till their hair curls
....have boogers handed to you
....carry more things in your arms/hands/teeth/neck than you ever thought possible
....be embarassed at the store
....be slowed down at the store because of people wanting to talk to the cute kids in your cart
....a good sleep is unacceptable
....forget to brush your teeth in the morning, despite being a hygienist
....kiss scratched knees and mosquito bites
....change dirty diapers like they are going out of style
....sing, dance, do dishes and play, all at the same time
....admire the beauty of a sleeping child (and enjoy the peace!!)
Levi has this new thing that he likes to do whenever he in being told what to do. I think it started when I asked him to stop being so 'rough' with his brother. Now he uses the same word to show a little disobedience as he does what is asked. Granni asked him the other day to stay upstairs and not play downstairs. "Ruff, " he said. I asked him to put on his glasses, and he answered with a "Ruff." He does the same thing if I remind him to be nice to his little brother, or to go eat his food, or anything else bothersome but necessary for a 2 year old. I am just glad his bark is worse than his bite.
Here are some pics to remind you of home. Some will make you homesick, others just might be a cure.
Do you or do you not trust an auto mechanic? After spending way too much money getting my jeep ready to hit the road and see my hubby, my car is now worse off than when I took it in this morning. Bad acceleration I could deal with, but crazy shaking of the steering wheel when you're going ninety down Circle is a little scary. I would much rather have my old car back, thank you very much. Really, though, what's the deal? Cause I know many people always think their dentists are trying to rip them off, but that is a case that I have rarely ever seen. (Have I seen it? Maybe I've just heard about it). Perhaps if I were an auto hygienist I would feel I could trust these guys, too. Hmmm. As it is, I need a real cheap, real honest, unsexist mechanic who is available tomorrow. Know one?
I love my children. LOVE THEM. But lately they drive me crazy!! Where are on earth do they learn such behaviors like hitting one another as though they are golf balls, and biting clothes and trying to drag one another away, and grabbing by the neck and falling backwards? (OK, so its always a certain brother doing the action, and a certain other always crying in reaction.) Why are boys so mean? Where did all this energy and aggresion come from? I thought I put a stop to it when we stopped watching Lion King (that definitely explains the biting).
What are you supposed to do? Ignore it and hope it stops? Try to bribe it with the thought of a treat? Lock it away in the corner in a time out? Cause none of these seem to be a solution. Someone should invent a force field that goes around a child that you can turn on and off with a remote that prevents siblings from being able to make contact. That would sell.
A two year old is good for many things. Today Enoch had a blowout so I sent Levi to ask his Daddy for a onesie. With a very confused look he said, "Daddy, I need a monkey." "You need a monkey?" Daddy replied. Levi then shook his head and said clearly, "No, Mommy needs a monkey." Luckily Josh had overheard our previous conversation and knew what Levi was really talking about. I love having a helper so eager that he is willing to get anything for me, even a monkey.
Ever heard of the freshmen 10? The 10 pounds that new students tend to gain their first semester being away from home,
eating all of that cafeteria food as they are cooped up in their dorms studying? The same thing happens when you get married. All these years I have been blaming my "few pounds" on the fact that I have birthed two children. Nope. I have come to realize my hubby is to blame. When we were dating, did I ever order a burger at Wendy's? NO. A lovely garden salad would do, with a side of water. Did I ever drink root beer, or any other pop for that matter? NO. It was and is so unhealthy that I swore never to drink it after the nutrition class I took in college. Did I make terrific meals everyday (OK, not quite every day) to satisfy the appetite of a 6'5" gladiator? NO. I was happy with a baked potato and salad, or maybe even some fruit and chocolate. But I think the real reason why I dont mind eating all this disgusting, yet oh so yummy food, is that my hubby is real good at making me oblivious to the fact that I am carrying around some extra love. I can eat ice cream sandwhiches by the dozen, and he just joins in on the party. I make cookie dough for eating, and all he cares about is that I save enough dough to a bake a few cookies for tomorrow's lunch. I am not complaining about having a man that loves me any way, shape or size, but shouldn't I take into account what my arteries have to say, too?
I am sorry to admit that I have had no entries all week. My time has been consumed by the prospect of having to give a talk in church on Sunday. Topic? Snore fest, I mean civic duties. Thus, all of my own creative writing juices have been spent writing, deleting, and re-writing a talk that has less to do with voting and parliment, and more to do with, well, I am not quite sure yet.... Hopefully I will be less apathetic to my blog duties in the near future once this is over with.
Happy Father's Day to all the father's in my life.
My dad, who has always been such an example of service and love and faith to me. 
My father-in law, who has shown me love from the time I entered the family, and has shaped his son into what he is now. 
And to my hubby, who is such a good daddy it is no wonder that the kids light up whenever they see him and like him way more than me. I love you all.
