Monday, November 24, 2008

My Favorite Stage? Maybe Until Next Week...

I'm the worst mom ever! OK, maybe not the worst, but the kid's birthdays were back in June and July and now in the month of November I have managed to get their year pictures taken. (Not like this is going to scar them for life or anything :) I think they have turned out wonderfully, if I do say so myself! Look at their cute little faces. If someone comes up with a way to bottle them up and keep them small, please let me know. I know that every hour, day, week, month and year just keeps getting better - but I like them now!

Right now at this stage of four AJ thinks he is a little man! He loves to tickle, joke around to make people he loves smile. He can be a real ham. He does have a mean streak and can be sneaky and bossy (his way is the only way). His other personality has become very polite saying yes ma'm, yes sir, please, thank you and may I. He is scared of being places by himself such as upstairs. He has begun to come in our room at night and sleep with us. He still loves Jeeps, trains (and knows the names of every Thomas train figure), and right now he is very into building towers and houses with blocks, Legos and Lincoln Logs. He loves to tell me and Kendyll that we are beautiful, and his dad that he is handsome. He loves to tell everyone he loves that he loves them multiple times a day. He craves words of affirmation. He is developing some friends and told me that Logan and Ethan are his best friends. He loves school and learning new things. He especially gets very excited when he learns a new word to read. He is into playing Leapster, watching Toy Story and the VeggieTales. He loves his Chunky Monkey and we have to kiss it goodnight as well as him. My most favorite lines out of his mouth are "mom don't say right now, say please," "Are you happy?" "Mom are you OK or fine, pick one!" "Mom the sun is out, Jesus' light came out again today." He will ask a question and then say "yes or no mom yes or no?" And one I always want to remember - the other night he didn't feel good and we didn't know at the time but he was on his way to throwing up soon. He came in our room and said that his tummy didn't feel well and he needed a band-aid to make it feel well! AWE! How sweet! Jeremy got up and put a band-aid on his belly. Unfortunetly it didn't work.
Miss Kendyll, what a little DIVA! At sixteen months she is quite the daddy's girl! She has Jeremy wrapped around her finger and right behind is Bompa and Pappa. She can do no wrong in their eyes. Kendyll loves balloons, balls, blocks, dancing to music, and her pink piggy bank. She has recently developed a love for books (thanks to AJ). She will pick out a book at night, we will read in the rocking chair, she will put the book away and get another book to take to bed with her. She goes to her crib and says "UP" then sits in her crib and talks to herself and the book until she falls asleep. She wakes up in the morning and can't go anywhere without her "B" blanket. She carries it around like Linus on Charlie Brown. Her hair is beginning to thinken up. Although most the time she looks like she has been struck by lightning since it sticks up on the top of her head. She loves to be outside and will sit in AJ's Jeep and just take in the sun. She is very beautiful. She loves, loves, loves Andrew. She will stop whatever she is doing and run to the television when she hears the Backyardigan's theme song. Her favorite place to be is inside of the pantry and she always has to be carrying around a snack - not eating it, just carrying it unopened. When she doesn't get her way she knows how to turn on the tears, when tears do not work it goes to dropping on the floor. If you ask her if it is bedtime she will stop crying instantly and start talking and pleading her case in babble. She has no problem ignoring you if you are asking her not to do something. She acts like if she can't see you then you can't see her. She is a true blessing.

An Attitude of Graditude

This month in school AJ's word of the month has been GRADITUDE. We were sitting eating lunch one day and he told me that he had an "ATTITUDE OF GRADITUDE." I asked him, what does that mean? Surprisingly he says back to me "that I need to be grateful for everything I have!" Oh, what a wonderful lady, Mrs. T, is for teaching him about graditude. I try everyday and maybe with the help of Mrs. T it may finally sink in.

With this being the week of blessings and thankfulness, I thought I would take a moment to show my attitude of graditude. I am thankful for sunrises and sunsets, my two major blessings, my family, the pond outside my window, my camera, Thursday evening television, car washes (so I don't always have to do it myself), my friends, all the new friends I am making and the ones that are still to come, strawberry limeades at Sonic, my bedroom, the playroom upstairs, rainy days so you have an excuse to snuggle and read under a blanket, my wonderful husband, inspirational sayings, happy people, a good pair of jeans, candles, men's cologne, Christmas lights, when AJ tells me I'm beautiful, a good chic flick (one that makes you cry), girl's night out, waking up the kids in morning, Jesus' light, a clean house, a beautiful picture, hearing AJ say "I wuv you" and positive attitudes.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

My Sweet Girl

Well here we go again, TUBES! This time with Kendyll. Oh my sweet girl. Even though I know she is in excellent hands and I've done this twice with AJ. It is never easy to watch a stranger take your child out of your arms and know they are going into surgery. Kendyll, at only 15 months, was taken from me, swaddled like an infant, screaming and taken through the double doors. It breaks your heart to hear her crying and knowing how bitter/sweet the situation is - she is scared, however the surgery is going to make her feel so much better.



Dad always saves the day with his fun glove balloon! It works everytime to stop the crying.


The surgery was successful and my sweet girl is perfect as of today. Her runny nose and congestion has already cleared up and she is happy and feeling so much better. Thank God for tubes! They are a life saver in this family.

My Little Monsters - Halloween '09

Okay, I know I am a little late in getting to my Halloween pictures, but I'm in catch up mode right now! I didn't go all out this year -- I was a little busy moving in, then I didn't have any Internet for a while. So I didn't get the costumes ordered I wanted which were Pablo and Uniqua from the Backyardigans. In AJ's heart of hearts he really wanted to be Woody from Toy Story. So I did take him to the Disney Store and they only had Buzz. Buzz was good, he said I'll just be Buzz again this year! Perfect! Even better though as I was unpacking I found AJ's Eeyore costume from his first Halloween - Perfect! Kendyll has a costume and Halloween is covered. We went over to my friend Teri's house and the kids gave out candy to tons of little Power Rangers, Iron Men and Indiana Jones'. My favorite however was a little six month old flapper girl.

The day of Halloween was AJ's Fall Party at school. This year I signed up to be homeroom mom and I had a blast planning this party. Before the party all the Pre-K and kindergarden students had a parade around the school. Parents came and followed and were able to get many photo opps! In the picture are AJ's friends Logan and Zander or Batman and blue Power Ranger. All the kids in his class were so cute. And the party, if I do say so myself was a HUGE success!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Wordless Wednesday - Kendyll with Pumpkins


Pumpkins Everywhere


OK, more than dressing up for the 31st, more than the beautiful leaves, I love pumpkin patches in October! I love the crisp greens, browns, and the vibrant orange. Kids always photograph well at pumpkin patches because they are having so much fun. Kendyll can walk this year and she just wondered around in amazement. She picked her own pumpkin and carried it around, dropped it and then picked it up and carried it some more. Jeremy and I figured we should do the right thing and buy the pumpkin since it had been dropped so many times. There was a maze and Andrew had a blast going through it, then getting lost. I would say "where's AJ" and he would pop up and say "here I am!" I'm already for next year's pumpkin pictures.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

This VOTE - History in the Making

It's the day that we have been waiting for since we saw the first campaigning begin I believe back in the beginning of 2007 (if not sooner). Today we do our American duty and go to the polls to choose our next President for the next four years. I have to say that I am in awe of the fact that we live in such a great county and we have the power to decide. Today will mark a new chapter in the history books. We could possibly have the first black president or the first female vice president. It is so exciting. This could also be the biggest voter turnout in history EVER! My sister at age 30 even registered to vote for the first time this year - amazing!

So I have gone in today as a strong, intelligent, voting woman and marked my ballot with who I believe will make this a safe, secure, and well-respected country I want to raise my children in. I know that I am only human and I don't know everything so I made sure to pray to God that he choose the best leader for this country. And I can only hope that whomever it may be, McCain or Obama, that they believe in Him and lead our country the way that it was created to be lead.