Blog Extravaganza, Part One

I'm back! Get ready for some pictures of the kiddos. I've got Halloween and Veteran's Day pictures to share with you so let's start with Halloween.

K was an Auburn cheerleader even though we aren't having the best of seasons. I'm still a proud supporter of my Tigers but it's just not the season we hoped it would be. There's always next year!

L wanted to be a princess so I let her pick from the many princess outfits we already own and she chose wisely. They had face painting at school that day and I thought it looked really cute.

Poor H. This a picture of him on Halloween but not in costume. He was Eeyore for all of about 45 minutes and I didn't have the camera in my hand. I was too busy manning L's class booth and chasing around an 18-month-old who really wanted to go up the stairs to the Treat Walk. It was interesting to say the least.

There's more but I'll put that in a separate post...

I Know, I Know

I know I haven't posted the much-anticipated (HA!) pictures of the kids in their costumes but I still haven't gotten them off the camera. It's a combo of busyness and laziness; take your pick.

This week has been busy and it's only Wednesday. I feel like time is flying by and slowly moving along all at the same time. Ever feel that way?

We went to the pediatrician on Monday for H's 18-month checkup. He's doing just fine except for the walking thing. The doctor said that we should have him evaluated at our convenience since he believes that H is just lazy and needs a little confidence. He can do all the walking he wants as long as he's holding on to something. Maybe I'm just too quick to pick him up and don't want to push him. However, I'm ready for him to walk. Ah, the irony.

K had to go with us as she was due for a booster shot and let me tell you, that was an experience. You see, when I was little, I hated shots (actually I still do but it's manageable) and even cowered in the corner once to avoid the shot. The corner is not the place to hide as I was trapped and got the shot anyway.

To make a long story short, it took 3 of us (me, S, and the nurse) to hold her down long enough to get the one shot, never mind that I was also holding H at the time. Thank goodness S was with me because I wouldn't have been able to do it myself. K is awfully strong!

So that's been our week. I'll post pictures when I can. In the meantime, here's a picture of my friend's twin girls. They are a year older than H and just adorable. Handfuls but adorable.

First Tooth Picture

Yet Another Sign She's Growing Up

As if loosing her first tooth this week wasn't enough, K had her very first sleepover party Saturday night. Now I remember these fondly as I look back on my childhood. Playing with other people's toys and getting to sleep in a sleeping bag was just so much fun. We stayed up late, ate junk food, and came home in a foul temper, pumped up on sugar and with no rest. Oh, but it was fun.

When K got the invitation, I was very hesitant to let her go. But she begged and pleaded and said she really wanted to, day after day after day. I took this as a sign that she wasn't afraid to do it. So many questions came to my mind as I pondered what to do: what if she had an accident at night? What if she ate something she wasn't supposed to? What if she got scared and wanted to come home? I talked to S about it. I talked to the birthday girl's Mama about it. I talked to several other Mamas about it. And then I talked to God about it. After much consideration, I let her go.

Oh, friends, it was hard. I drove her to the party, took a tour of the house, got all the info I could possibly need and knew that she would be in good hands (not my hands but good enough ones). I had to leave a list with all the things K is allergic to and what to do should she have a reaction to anything, including medications and their proper dosages. I hugged her good-bye five or twenty times before we left. I'm glad S was there or I would have been a puddle. I had a knot in my stomach until about 10:00 PM, when I was pretty sure there wasn't going to be a phone call that she was scared and wanted to come home.

When I picked her up yesterday, I was so happy to wrap my arms around her. Oh, how I'd missed her! She had a fantastic time. Birthday Girl's Mama said K was a huge helper and was very well-behaved as were all the girls (nine 6- and 7-year-olds).

K's first question for me? "When can I have a sleepover at our house?"

I don't think this Mama is ready for that just yet.

Growing Up

On Tuesday afternoon, as the sun was beginning to wane, I forced the kids outside to get some fresh air. They had been inside most of the day and were going stir crazy (and about to drive me crazy) so they went outside to play, even H. He loves being out there but with a crawler, it's hard to want him to be out there. He either gets his legs dirty or his pants come back caked with dirt. Ah, the joy of having a boy. He also likes to climb the stairs of the play house which scares me to death. But the antics of H outside is another post entirely.

K has been nursing a loose tooth for some time now. I think it was back in the spring when we first noticed it was slightly loose. Finally it was loose enough to come out but hung in there for over a week. She pulled it out on the back porch and you would have thought she had won the lottery. She was so proud! She is the last person in her class to lose a tooth so this was really exciting.

I'll post a couple of pictures if I remember to download them. I just had to tell you that my baby is growing up!

Random Things I Love About My Children

1. K crosses her legs while riding in the car.
2. L calls K "Sissy" and gets mad when anyone else does. It's her term of affection for K.
3. The way H says "seese" for "please."
4. The way both K and L said "upplease" when they wanted to be picked up.
5. K's dimples.
6. H's dimple under his right eye that can only be seen when he laughs really hard.
7. L's nose.
8. L's crazy hair. It's always in her face but she just wouldn't be the same without it.
9. H's juicy lips. He gets lots of complements on them.
10. The sound of laughter from all of them.
11. K's ever-increasing zeal to know and love the Lord.
12. L's attempt at reading. She tries so hard.
13. L's tomboy behavior. She'll be outside digging in the dirt and chasing boys but she'll be doing it in her princess dress.
14. K reading to L.
15. The way H puts his head on my shoulder and gently pats my back.
16. The way their little voices sound on the phone. It was sweet music when I called on the way home from the cruise.
17. The way they all love their Daddy.
18. H's fat little legs.
19. Being called Mama.
20. Hugs and kisses at the end of the day.

Spending Time with K

S has, blessedly, been in town for the last few weeks, giving me freedom to do many things without all of the children in tow. While that hasn't included pedicures or haircuts or frilly things, that has included going to the grocery store by myself. That is a huge blessing in and of itself.

Last Thursday, I got to spend the afternoon with K. She was in desperate need of tennis shoes, something she could run in during PE. Her Keds from last year were just fine but it's really hard to run in those on the gym floor. I took her to a local shoe store, had her measured (she wears a 13.5, for those interested), and looked in the sale room. Alas, there was nothing in her size so we headed across the street to the discount shoe place. There, they had some cute and not-so-cute shoes and, after steering her away from ones that had glitter and hearts and all sorts of horribleness, we found the perfect pair.

When we got to the car, she asked if we could get ice cream. So we did. We sat inside, enjoyed our cool treats, and just talked. I took pictures of her blue tongue (blue from the cotton candy ice cream) with my cell phone and even let her call Nana using our OnStar in the car (a very handy feature).

The bottom line for me is that I got to spend time with her, just her, without any distractions. I sometimes forget that she's as much fun as she is, that she's learning at an alarmingly fast rate, and moving into the young lady phase. I know that she's growing up, that these times will be fewer and further between. That makes me treasure them even more.

First Grade

Early to rise

Hearty breakfast

Choosing the perfect outfit

Fixing hair

Traffic

Lots of pictures

Nerves

Finding the proper seat

First day of first grade

Inquiring Minds

Last night we did something we've never done as a family: we went bowling. I should tell you that I really detest bowling. I have never liked it and the last time I actually bowled a frame was in junior high. I scored an 83. And that was the end of my bowling career.

A friend informed us that they and several other families were going to dinner and bowling as one last hurrah before school starts. And it was so much fun. Dinner was great and the bowling even more fun. I didn't bowl (neither did H) but S and the girls did. My excuse was that someone had to help K and L.

So what does this have to do with an inquiring mind? Well that incident happened on the way to dinner. S and I were talking when K piped up and asked, "Daddy? When you're away do you tell people about God?" Both S and I were taken aback, not able to speak as if the wind had been knocked out of us.

We have prayed, from the time I was pregnant with K, that she, and all of our children, would have hearts for God, that they wouldn't know a time they didn't know the Lord. I looked at S, wanting to hear his answer. There aren't a lot of opportunities for witness with coworkers in today's society but I know that he has shown his faith as best he can. He did his best to explain this to K and it seemed to satisfy her.

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. Romans 1:16

A Little Nostalgia

I found this picture of K taken a couple of months before she turned two. She was helping Daddy do some yard work. I see a lot of H in her!

Pushing Buttons

The other day Gran (S's mom) and I had to take a day trip to a nearby town to pick up pants S had altered in a nearby town. Since our small town doesn't exactly have this particular store we were forced to another town. It's really not that big a deal and Gran and I set off with 3 kids in tow.

Ever since we got our new car, L and K have been sitting in the third row and usually get along quite nicely. Well, Wednesday was an extreme exception. I don't know if it's too much time together and they need a break from being together or if it's their ages but something's got to give. I spent the first half of the trip attempting to break up fights, threatening to pull the car over, telling both of them that they were pushing each other's buttons. I was forced to stop half way there, partially to break them up and partially to stop at a really cute shop. K got moved to the middle row next to H but was, tragically, in front of L.

Better but not perfect, we trudged on to our destination. As the girls were both in a mood, L just couldn't let things go and kept putting her hands on K's chair. I was forced to break it up and threaten L within an inch of her life. K wasn't exactly making life easy, either. L's response to the whole thing?

"I'm just pushing buttons."

How Y'all Doin'?

I must say that I am worn out and it's only Wednesday. We have relatives visiting and we've been busy doing fun things with them. We've had a great time but this is the first night my kids were in bed before 8:30. And that includes H. I know, I'm a terrible mom for keeping him up so late but it's been really nice to spend time with family we don't see very often.

As for swim lessons, I have been so amazed at the girls' progress. The instructor was even impressed today. It's amazing what a little confidence will do. L was jumping off the side into the shallow end by the end of today's lesson and K was diving (DIVING!) off the side into the deep end and swimming to the ladder. Y'all, she didn't know how to swim until last Friday. She could go under water and hold her breath but had no clue how to swim. And now she's diving. I'm so, so proud.

And I'll leave you with a much-needed L-ism. Tonight, as I was putting on my pajamas in my bathroom, L barged in. "What are you doing, Mama?"
"Putting on my pajamas."
"What's that?" (pointing at my shirt)
"You know what that is. It's my shirt."
"Oh, I know. It's for hiding your boobies."

The Dentist

I promised an update and update I shall. We've had lots going on in the last two weeks including trips to the dentist and a visit from Nana. Add in swim lessons and cousins coming to visit and we've already got a busy summer.

K and L both went to the dentist last week. They did great and I was so impressed with them. It was L's first trip there and she did a fantastic job of sitting still and doing what the hygienist asked of her. We are thankful that our hygienist, Kathy, is great with kids and made them feel so comfortable. As a mom, it did my heart good! The girls got to wear sunglasses to keep the light out of their eyes and even got to hold the vacuum cleaner (aka suction) on their own.

The Things They Learn When You're Not Looking

Yesterday, on the way home from the gym, I had to stop for a red light. The gas station on the corner is undergoing some renovations and the kids (meaning my girls) always ask what they're doing and wonder, aloud, what those big machines do.

Then L piped up and asked, "What is that hand for?" I'm thinking she's talking about something in the car or something related to the gas station. I, for the life of me, can not figure out what she's talking about. I said, "What hand are you talking about?" Again, she asked, "What is that hand for?" I'm still baffled as to what hand she is referring. It's one of those moments where you feel completely lost and would love to answer your child's questions but just can't. I don't like that feeling.

K, on the other hand, knew exactly what L was talking about. She said, "It means you're not supposed to walk across the street." That's when I looked up and realized that L was referring to the red hand on the crosswalk sign indicating it was not safe to cross the street.

I am so amazed that K, at five, knows what she knows. Some things are taught at school; many more things are taught at home. But there is so much that children just pick up on. When I asked where she learned that she said, "I don't know. I just knew it."

Edited to Add: After telling S this story, he informed me L asked the same question the other day. He answered her which is how K knew the answer when I was around. So much for thinking my child is brilliant. Well, I know she's brilliant, just not about this particular subject.

One More

I promise I'm done with the blogging today. I guess this makes up for my absence at the end of last month. Here's a picture of K with all her buddies at a birthday party for a friend. These were the girls in her kindergarten class this year.

Kindergarten Graduation

It's hard to believe that another school year has come to a close. At the beginning of the year, K could barely read and hated to write in lowercase. Now she is proficient at both. And her confidence has grown by leaps and bounds. Her kindergarten graduation program was this morning and she did such a good job. Each child took part in the program reciting poems, bible verses and songs. K, not one to speak in front of a group, did great despite a rough start to the day. I can't believe she's going to be in first grade in the fall!

...An End-of-the-Year Party Today

Here are some pictures from K's end of the year party at a local rec complex, complete with water park. The kids had a blast and I even ran into an old friend who was in town for the week. We had a great morning! K asked for a blue snow cone and I obliged hence the blue tongue.

(I have been tagged by Sporty Mama for some game of bloggy tag and I'll get to that later today.)

Strawberry Patch

Here are the much anticipated pictures of our girls at the strawberry patch. I ended up getting more pictures of L's class than of K's although I don't know how. I guess I was busy picking strawberries for us to take home rather than taking pictures. I had fun both times. L's idea was to pick them and eat them right away without paying for them. I let her do it a few times! She ended up with strawberry juice all down the front of her dress. We made strawberry shortcake and froze some of them for smoothies later on down the road.

Enjoy!

This is K's picture of the cow. She was so excited about it because it was a baby cow and she was dying to have a picture of it. Hence the fence.The end of picking after a long, hot day. You can sort of see the strawberry juice on L's dress!

Catching Up

I have been such the delinquent blogger this week and there's really no reason for it. It's not like I haven't had the time after the kids are in bed. I guess I'm just too tired to come upstairs and get on the computer. So here's what we've been up to.

K had a field trip to a local TV station to learn about the weather and news reporting. It was really cool. Each child got to stand in front of the green screen, pretend to do the weather, and see themselves on TV. Very cool. Except that K didn't want to do it when it was her turn and then decided, at the very last second that she did but it was too late. Bummer.

Ballet pictures were Friday afternoon and the girls were so excited to get into their costumes. They both looked so cute. K's dress is a princess dress and she looks so beautiful in it; so grown up. They did not want to take them off when we got home. They do like to play dress-up!

H is into anything and everything these days. S gave him a hard-boiled egg this morning. Check out the picture below for how that went over.

I hope all of you are doing well and I promise to be back with more pictures very soon!

K, practicing her ballerina twirls...

L trying to open her eyes in the bright sun so I could get a good picture...

L walking away from me because she wanted to have her picture taken by herself and not with K. K smiled sweetly.

H getting egg all over himself. He did get a bath right after this!

L-ism of the Day

On the way to school the other day...
K: It's all froggy outside. I can't see a thing!
L: I can see a thing!