UGH!!!! I am at my wits end with Ms. Alexis right now. She has always been my 'free spirited' little ones but on some days it will drive a person to want to jump off a clift. Today she has given me two heart attacks, well not literally but definitely a couple panic attack.
When we were leaving her preschool she decided she was going to run ahead. We talk about this EVERY day and usually she is good at stopping at the gate to wait for her old mom to catch up. Well, today she decided the fence was no good and just went running straight for the car, amongst all the moving vehicles that are there to drop off and pick up their own little ones. I about had a nervous break down and you better bet her entire name came out of my mouth at a louder then normal level... ALEXIS JULIANNA H. YOU BETTER STOP RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE THIS MOMENT!!!!! Even after the raised voice and full name being spoken she didn't seem to understand the gravity of what she had just done and how lucky she was not be a pancake under someone's car.
Then, as I was changing a bomb diaper of Aiden's she went into the kitchen to get the necessary items for me to make a peanut butter sandwhich. She does this all the time; one kids' knife, the bread, and the jar of peanut butter. Well, this time she decided that she needed to mess with the stove knobs and successfully turned the burn on full force. At the old place the burners would click when someone was lighting them but these you just have to turn and they automatically come on. Of course she had set the loaf of bread on the burner before she decided they looked like fun to play with. Pure panic that not only was the loaf of bread (and melting plastic) a big mess, but that they whole place was going to catch on fire.
I think I need to lock her in her room for the rest of the day. If third time is the charm then I don't want to give her the opportunity for the third heart attack of the day. Seriously I won't be locking her in her room, but really, how much more can this mommy take? Time out just doesn't seem to do justice anymore. I am more or less writing this post so I can calm down and take a time out myself so I don't blow up at this moment about her reckless behavior. Maybe we need to invest in those little stove baby locks (never needed them when she was littlier but I guess we do now) and maybe I need to invest in one of those harnesses when we walk to and from school(never needed those either when she was little). Who knows? UGH!!!!! She may look like me from her baby pictures and mine, but she is ALL her dad. Just ask his mom about all the wonderfully adventurous things he did as a child, like drinking sewing machine oil among MANY other dangerous things. This is just a glimpse of things to come and I am really in for it.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Cookie Cutter Kids
Ok, first of all, do you hear that noise? That is the sound of me patting myself on the back. I FINALLY figured out (through MUCH trial and error) how to scan pictures, save them where I wanted them, email them to my other computer, and then be able to find them again. But SHHHHH!!! Please don't tell Dale otherwise he will never help me out again if he knows that I have it figured out.
I wanted to compare all our pictures around the same age group and it is crazy how much the kids look alike, almost as if they are cookie cutter kids. This is Aiden's 10 month picture, just taken a few weeks ago.
This is Alexis' 10 month picture. Notice the stricking resemblence.
And, this is Andrew's 10 month picture, with the same chubby cheeks. I have always said that he is 'my little man, but with a tan.' He looks just like me but with a darker colored skin that I wish I had.
So I got a little carried away and went searching for pictures of myself and Dale around the same age. I am the 'little' one on the right (my sister, Charity, is on the left). Still the same double chin and chubby cheeks. I am about 13 months old in this picture. (I am sure my sister will love me once more for sharing her picture as well.)
And lastly, this is a picture of Dale when he was less then a year old. Not sure of the exact age but I know it took place before his first birthday. I can not get over how much Aiden looks like me in some pictures and then I see one of Dale's pictures and I change my mind.
I wanted to compare all our pictures around the same age group and it is crazy how much the kids look alike, almost as if they are cookie cutter kids. This is Aiden's 10 month picture, just taken a few weeks ago.
This is Alexis' 10 month picture. Notice the stricking resemblence.
And, this is Andrew's 10 month picture, with the same chubby cheeks. I have always said that he is 'my little man, but with a tan.' He looks just like me but with a darker colored skin that I wish I had.
So I got a little carried away and went searching for pictures of myself and Dale around the same age. I am the 'little' one on the right (my sister, Charity, is on the left). Still the same double chin and chubby cheeks. I am about 13 months old in this picture. (I am sure my sister will love me once more for sharing her picture as well.)
And lastly, this is a picture of Dale when he was less then a year old. Not sure of the exact age but I know it took place before his first birthday. I can not get over how much Aiden looks like me in some pictures and then I see one of Dale's pictures and I change my mind.
So, the question of the day is.... Who do you think Aiden looks more like? Dale or myself? Please leave me a comment with your vote. Thanks.
Not Me! Monday and Smoke Detector Sensitivity
It's that time of the week again, "Not me!" Monday, where I can confess all the things I did not do this week. If you would like to read about what other mothers did not do this week, do not head on over to MckMama's blog and click on the different links. Join in and have twice the fun as just reading.
I did not, while taking a luke warm shower (seriously, Dale's are 10x hotter then mine), set off the fire alarm in our bedroom. The alarm is not so sensitive that it would be triggered by the steam from the shower. This could not have all been avoided had I turned the exhaust fan on instead of leaving it off to hear what the kids were doing. I did not call for Andrew when I heard the high pitched noise to ask if there truly was a fire somewhere and then get bummed out that it was just a false alarm that was interrupting my few moments of peace. I did not get out of the shower with conditioner still in my hair and soap all over so I could fan the smoke detector to turn it off and then get back in the shower, turning the exhaust fan on of course, so I could finish my business. Needless to say I have not done that again and I did not entertain for a short moment the thought of just taking the alarm out so I could continue enjoying my luke warm showers with the exhaust fan off. That would just be reckless mommy behavior if I had wanted to do that. Thank goodness for technology that keeps us safe, but does it have to be so darn sensitive??
Moving on from that traumatic event that did not happen. I did not praise my doggy, Suzy Q, for having no accidents in the house since the big move, only to walk into Alexis' room moments later and step into a warm wet puddle. I did not proceed to clean it up all while muttering under my breath how she was on thin ice and better watch what she does or she is out. After cleaning it up I did not decide to take the time to reorganize all of Alexis' toy bins. After putting everything in it's proper place I did not proceed to take pictures of each bin so I can print them and tape them to the front of the bin so she will remember where everything goes. I am not tired of resorting them every time I help her clean. After said cleaning/sorting marathon I did not proceed to walk down the hallway toward the living to relax and get stopped dead in my tracks when I stepped in yet another warm wet puddle. YOU DARN DOG!!! Suzy Q did not spend the majority of the remainder of that day out on the deck in the cold wind. And yes, Andrew had done his job and was taking her out consistently that day, she just thought my carpet was more inviting then the grass for some reason. She better snap out of it.
We did not spend hours this week watching home videos and converting them to DVDs. This was not extremely fun but depressing at the same time. Fun to remember all the funny things the kids do, but depressing to see my weight changes morph before me and the reminder that I have not pulled out the video camera once since Aiden came home from the hospital. I have some 'video' time on my digital camera, but nothing like the hours clocked on Andrew and Alexis when they were little. We did not run out right away and buy 6 new tapes and still have not used them to document what Aiden is now doing. I am sure he will be in therapy for years to come since he has 'third child syndrome.'
Ok, I am not procrastinating on the laundry as we speak so I can write all about the things I did not do this past week. Hope everyone does not have a wonderful Monday and remember to not join in the fun by heading over to MckMama's blog for the easy to follow rules.
I did not, while taking a luke warm shower (seriously, Dale's are 10x hotter then mine), set off the fire alarm in our bedroom. The alarm is not so sensitive that it would be triggered by the steam from the shower. This could not have all been avoided had I turned the exhaust fan on instead of leaving it off to hear what the kids were doing. I did not call for Andrew when I heard the high pitched noise to ask if there truly was a fire somewhere and then get bummed out that it was just a false alarm that was interrupting my few moments of peace. I did not get out of the shower with conditioner still in my hair and soap all over so I could fan the smoke detector to turn it off and then get back in the shower, turning the exhaust fan on of course, so I could finish my business. Needless to say I have not done that again and I did not entertain for a short moment the thought of just taking the alarm out so I could continue enjoying my luke warm showers with the exhaust fan off. That would just be reckless mommy behavior if I had wanted to do that. Thank goodness for technology that keeps us safe, but does it have to be so darn sensitive??
Moving on from that traumatic event that did not happen. I did not praise my doggy, Suzy Q, for having no accidents in the house since the big move, only to walk into Alexis' room moments later and step into a warm wet puddle. I did not proceed to clean it up all while muttering under my breath how she was on thin ice and better watch what she does or she is out. After cleaning it up I did not decide to take the time to reorganize all of Alexis' toy bins. After putting everything in it's proper place I did not proceed to take pictures of each bin so I can print them and tape them to the front of the bin so she will remember where everything goes. I am not tired of resorting them every time I help her clean. After said cleaning/sorting marathon I did not proceed to walk down the hallway toward the living to relax and get stopped dead in my tracks when I stepped in yet another warm wet puddle. YOU DARN DOG!!! Suzy Q did not spend the majority of the remainder of that day out on the deck in the cold wind. And yes, Andrew had done his job and was taking her out consistently that day, she just thought my carpet was more inviting then the grass for some reason. She better snap out of it.
We did not spend hours this week watching home videos and converting them to DVDs. This was not extremely fun but depressing at the same time. Fun to remember all the funny things the kids do, but depressing to see my weight changes morph before me and the reminder that I have not pulled out the video camera once since Aiden came home from the hospital. I have some 'video' time on my digital camera, but nothing like the hours clocked on Andrew and Alexis when they were little. We did not run out right away and buy 6 new tapes and still have not used them to document what Aiden is now doing. I am sure he will be in therapy for years to come since he has 'third child syndrome.'
Ok, I am not procrastinating on the laundry as we speak so I can write all about the things I did not do this past week. Hope everyone does not have a wonderful Monday and remember to not join in the fun by heading over to MckMama's blog for the easy to follow rules.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
These Shoes Were Made For Walking
Here is a picture just for my husband. Don't worry, it is totally G rated. I told him last night that I NEEDED to start wearing my sneakers because my knees, shins, ankles, hips, you name it were really starting to bother me from going up and down the stairs so much and the walks back and forth to school, all while in flip flops. So hunny here it is.... me in sneakers.
For those of you that know me personally, you know what a big deal this is. I wear flip flops 365 days of the year. No joke! In the rain, to church, on a trip to Disneyland, to school, the grocery story, EVERYWHERE. I dislike shoes SOOOOO much it is not even funny. But, over the past few weeks I have come to understand that sneakers need to become my new best friend. The stairs up to our house are killing me in the flip flops, while juggling a dog leash in one hand, a chucky monkey 10 month old in the other hand, a little girl zigging and zagging right in front of me on the verge of making me trip, with the baby bag slung over one shoulder, a cell phone in the palm with the dog leash, and keys dangling from somewhere. I just need more support I guess. I know that sneakers are not going to change the full hands but they might help my feet and legs feel some better.
Not only is it the stairs that are giving me a hard time, it is the walk back and forth three times a day to school that gets to me. We have uneven pavement, rolling parking lots, and children bobbing and weaving once again in front of me while I am juggling Aiden in his baby wrap. I have resolved that I will not drive the kids to school even though we are slightly farther away then before. I have even resolved that I will extend that walk once I have dropped them off in the morning and add another 10-15 mins to my walk. So for my a.m. walk it will be 25 mins long and for the other two it will be at least 10 mins. Hard to extend the walk when I have extra little legs that need to keep up all while whining about being hungry, thirsty, tired or some combination of the three. That gives me 45 mins of walking each day. Not much, but certainly a lot more then I was doing before.
So Mr. Sneakers (or are they Mrs. Sneakers since they are pink and made for girls?), get ready to be dusted off more often and used at least 5 times a week. Get ready to clock more mileage. And please, help my aching bones!!!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Not Me! Monday
This week I did not do a lot of things, but right now can't seem to remember half of them.
I did not regret taking the kids outside to play when the winds were kicked up and do not now have a major sinus head cold that is killing me.
I did not sing hallelujah when I dropped the kids off at school today after a long 3 week vacation. Mommy needed a vacation from the constant questions of "can we play the Wii?, can we have a snack? can we play outside?, can we go on the computer?, can we, can we, can we.....?" UGH! It was sure quiet around here, and even though I do love the quiet, I must admit that I did not miss the kiddos.
I did not enjoy having my friend's kiddo spend Thurs, Fri, and Monday at my house. I wish I could have a Mommy helper all the time. Katee is awesome at keeping the kids entertained, changing the baby, or just being a fresh ray of sunshine at the house. Thanks Katee for all your help!!
I did not procrastinate all week long and still have a box or two to unpack from our move on the 3rd. I will get that box unpacked before the next Not Me! Monday.
I did not mistake a 5.0 earthquake as my daughter's heavy feet running down the hallway, only to discover that she and her brother were standing still in the kitchen. I did not realize it too late to do anything and stood there just staring at my husband when I should have been getting the kids to a safe place. Time to map out our emergency plan for the new place so the kids know where to go.
I did not get my little 10 month old's hair cut, telling the stylist to please cut it but don't make him loose his baby boy look. That would be like asking for a bagle toasted but untoasted (can't remember who does those commercials right now). I did not love his haircut but at the same time miss his old crazy hair look.
Well, that is all I can think of for now. Head on over to MckMama's blog to see what other moms are not doing these days. Hope everyone has a wonderful week.
Officially a Big Boy Now
We decided to take the plunge and get is hair cut. At first it was just going to be a trim of the bangs but it ended up being the whole shabang. He did a pretty good job and now officially looks like a big boy.
Here is his before mug shot with his crazy hair in his eyes.
Daddy got the pleasure of holding him so I could take the pictures (With baby girl I trusted him to take the pictures and ended up with only 2 or 3. I didn't want a repeat of that event so he held while I snapped away 40-50 pictures to choose from). Aiden wasn't too sure about having the cover put on him.
The first cut. "What are you letting her do to me, Mom?"
She gave him a sticker to distract him. That last for all of 2 minutes tops.
"OK, I AM DONE NOW!!!!"
The finished product and posing with Tracy, the stylist.
What do you think? Pretty darn cute if you ask me, but definitely took away his baby look.
He got an official certificate and of course I collected all the clippings in my little ziploc baggie for safe keeping. His hair looks so dark in the bag since she had wetted it down to cut it.
Here is his before mug shot with his crazy hair in his eyes.
Daddy got the pleasure of holding him so I could take the pictures (With baby girl I trusted him to take the pictures and ended up with only 2 or 3. I didn't want a repeat of that event so he held while I snapped away 40-50 pictures to choose from). Aiden wasn't too sure about having the cover put on him.
The first cut. "What are you letting her do to me, Mom?"
She gave him a sticker to distract him. That last for all of 2 minutes tops.
"OK, I AM DONE NOW!!!!"
The finished product and posing with Tracy, the stylist.
What do you think? Pretty darn cute if you ask me, but definitely took away his baby look.
He got an official certificate and of course I collected all the clippings in my little ziploc baggie for safe keeping. His hair looks so dark in the bag since she had wetted it down to cut it.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
To Cut or Not To Cut? That is the Question
Ok ladies, I need your help. Aiden's hair is really starting to bother me. It hangs down in his eyes, over his ears and down on his neck. I want to cut it but I am afraid he is going to loose even more of his baby look then he already has. I originally wanted to wait till he was a year old but that is almost 2 months away. I don't think I can stand to look at it much longer. It is so fine and whispy that it won't stay brushed back. So, Aiden (and his silly mommy) would like to know: to cut or not cut? Please give your opinion.
******************
Aiden likes to be Daddy's little helper. "Don't worry Dad, I will help you build it."
"First you have to read the instructions. HMMM, could someone help me out here?"
"You're doing a great job Dad. Almost done."
******************************
"First you have to read the instructions. HMMM, could someone help me out here?"
"You're doing a great job Dad. Almost done."
******************************Watch out Fashion Week. This is the combo she came up with today. YIKES, she needs a serious intervention!!
And yes, those are still boxes in the background that need to be unpacked. Dale broke the DVD cabinet when we were moving and I am waiting till it gets replaced so I can unpack the rest of the DVDs. Only one more misc. box to unpack/throw away. Yipee! And the rest of the pictures will be hung tonight as long as Dale comes home in a hanging mood. We shall see what today holds for us. I am hoping to have it all done, one short week after moving.
So ladies, please weigh in on the haircut dilemma. I need all the advice I can get on this one. Thanks in advance.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
EARTHQUAKE!!!!
We had a doosie (sp?) of one tonight!!! It was a 5.0 magnitude centered about a mile away from us but it felt like we were directly on the center of it all. We felt it like crazy since we are now living in a second floor condo. At first I thought it was just Alexis running around in the kitchen, she isn't exactly the lightest walking person. So I yelled out, "Princess feet baby girl!" To which she replied, "I'm not even walking mom." Then I looked at my hubby and we both realized at the same time that this was not some heavy footed walking, it was a hardcore earthquake. Of course by the time we realized it there wasn't much we could do. The kids didn't even realize it since they were too busy fighting over string cheese and the baby is oblivious to it all right now in sleepy town. No pictures fell off the wall, oh wait, there are no pictures on the walls yet. See, procrastination paid off this time. :) Tried calling my friend in Redlands right away and the network was busy. Everyone must have been calling their friends to check in on them. Dale's parents called within 5 mins. to see if we were all ok. They had felt it all the way out in Palm Desert, about 50 miles away. My mom was next to be called in San Diego, and of course she knew about it already since she is dating a guy that lives up here in my town and they happened to be on the phone at the time it happened.
Now that it is all said and done and the phone calls have been made, it is time to calm down and get to bed. The earthquake emergency backpack is packed somewhere. Might be a good idea to get it out and find it's new home sooner then later. Hopefully no more shake, rattle and rolling here tonight.
Now that it is all said and done and the phone calls have been made, it is time to calm down and get to bed. The earthquake emergency backpack is packed somewhere. Might be a good idea to get it out and find it's new home sooner then later. Hopefully no more shake, rattle and rolling here tonight.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Hair, Wii, Teeth, and More
I think our new place has great natural lighting for pictures. Aiden has really adjusted well to our new living place, even though this hasn't been an easy transition for him. He currently has some type of tummy bug that has been going on since Friday. He has been having blow out diapers to the tune of 6 outfit changes a day. Not fun when you lay out 3 outfits for two days and then pack the rest away. He has gone through so many diapers and wipes I can't even keep things straight. He has been on the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) since Sunday but nothing really seems to help much. I am hoping we are on the back end of this all since he has only soiled through two outfits today. I have definitely gotten familiar with the new washer and dryer very quickly. Even through it all he has had the best disposition and doesn't act like anything is wrong.
It amazes me how similar Alexis and Aiden are, right down to their hair color and eyes. Baby pictures are so crazy to compare. When things settle down I will have to scan one of Alexis and show the similarities they have.
Talk about static. His hair is so crazy fine and light that it sticks up with even the slightest static in the air. My favorite is teasing it with a balloon. Wish I would have had one that day.
Aiden has learned to give kisses. If you make a kissing noise then he returns the favor by puckering up and kissing back. It is so cute. If you are holding him and ask for a kiss he dives right in, tongue and all. Very slobbery.
Aiden really wanted to get in on the Wii action that day. Andrew was teaching Alexis how to play tennis, baseball, and bowling. Alexis on the other hand seems to be the pro at boxing.
Andrew was hiding from me just to be funny. He used to fit under the exersaucer, not so much anymore, but still funny.
Aiden now has 4 teeth. He got his second tooth, a bottom one, the Saturday before Christmas, discovered in the line at Home Depot as he tried to teeth on the cart (YUCK!!). The third tooth came in on the bottom left on Christmas eve and then on Friday, Jan 2nd, he got his fourth tooth a top one. He looks so cute with his toothy grin. We are still trying to figure out which teeth have erupted on the top since they are so far over to his right and not centered like most would imagine front teeth to be. Time will tell. He is by far my worst teether. He gets cranky, doesn't sleep well, has loose diapers and is over all not fun to be around when he is cutting teeth. Sometimes I just wish I could put him to bed and then have him wake up with a full mouth of teeth the next day. These new teeth have brought with them other new adventures, like discovering Ritz crackers and Nilla Wafer cookies. Yum yum. This picture isn't the best as he doesn't like to show off his teeth yet and wasn't liking me putting a camera in his face at that time.
Well, that is enough rambling for now. I should get back to unpacking those dreaded misc. boxes. Dale has tomorrow off so we are going to go over to the other place and work on some last minute things before we walk away completely. Please pray that my migraines will go away. I haven't had them this bad for a long time and I know that they are from the stress of the move and my tooth that is in desperate need of attention. It is no fun to wake up and go to bed each day with a constant headache for over a week. I really should get the tooth fixed and get to a chiropractor to help me with the migraines, but that will have to wait till another day.
It amazes me how similar Alexis and Aiden are, right down to their hair color and eyes. Baby pictures are so crazy to compare. When things settle down I will have to scan one of Alexis and show the similarities they have.
Talk about static. His hair is so crazy fine and light that it sticks up with even the slightest static in the air. My favorite is teasing it with a balloon. Wish I would have had one that day.
Aiden has learned to give kisses. If you make a kissing noise then he returns the favor by puckering up and kissing back. It is so cute. If you are holding him and ask for a kiss he dives right in, tongue and all. Very slobbery.
Aiden really wanted to get in on the Wii action that day. Andrew was teaching Alexis how to play tennis, baseball, and bowling. Alexis on the other hand seems to be the pro at boxing.
Andrew was hiding from me just to be funny. He used to fit under the exersaucer, not so much anymore, but still funny.
Aiden now has 4 teeth. He got his second tooth, a bottom one, the Saturday before Christmas, discovered in the line at Home Depot as he tried to teeth on the cart (YUCK!!). The third tooth came in on the bottom left on Christmas eve and then on Friday, Jan 2nd, he got his fourth tooth a top one. He looks so cute with his toothy grin. We are still trying to figure out which teeth have erupted on the top since they are so far over to his right and not centered like most would imagine front teeth to be. Time will tell. He is by far my worst teether. He gets cranky, doesn't sleep well, has loose diapers and is over all not fun to be around when he is cutting teeth. Sometimes I just wish I could put him to bed and then have him wake up with a full mouth of teeth the next day. These new teeth have brought with them other new adventures, like discovering Ritz crackers and Nilla Wafer cookies. Yum yum. This picture isn't the best as he doesn't like to show off his teeth yet and wasn't liking me putting a camera in his face at that time. 
Well, that is enough rambling for now. I should get back to unpacking those dreaded misc. boxes. Dale has tomorrow off so we are going to go over to the other place and work on some last minute things before we walk away completely. Please pray that my migraines will go away. I haven't had them this bad for a long time and I know that they are from the stress of the move and my tooth that is in desperate need of attention. It is no fun to wake up and go to bed each day with a constant headache for over a week. I really should get the tooth fixed and get to a chiropractor to help me with the migraines, but that will have to wait till another day.
Moving Day
Moving day has come and gone but the boxes still live on. Things went pretty smooth. We had 4 trucks and 5 guys helping move all our stuff. It took 8 truck loads to get all of our stuff moved. Thank goodness we wern't moving too far away, this load with my table upside down on this mound of mattresses and other things was making me nervous. Everything made it over without a scratch.
Frank decided to sit down on the job. We had to keep a close eye on Alexis' fuzzy pink bejeweled lamp. I was afraid Frank was going to walk off with it. j/k
Moving was done by 12:15 and then Dale and his friend Darren had all the beds rebuilt and furniture in place in time for Candace and I to get their rooms in order before the kids came home at 3:00. I wanted it to be a smooth transition for the kids, especially Alexis who usually does not do good with change. She said she loves moving and the new house.
Frank decided to sit down on the job. We had to keep a close eye on Alexis' fuzzy pink bejeweled lamp. I was afraid Frank was going to walk off with it. j/k
Moving was done by 12:15 and then Dale and his friend Darren had all the beds rebuilt and furniture in place in time for Candace and I to get their rooms in order before the kids came home at 3:00. I wanted it to be a smooth transition for the kids, especially Alexis who usually does not do good with change. She said she loves moving and the new house. No dinner being eaten at this dinner table that night. 
Boxes are good for more then just packing. They can be used as a foot rest.
And as a learning table while sister acts like a teacher.
Boxes are good for more then just packing. They can be used as a foot rest.
And as a learning table while sister acts like a teacher.
We have gotten the majority of it all settled in. I think we have about 10 more boxes to unpack, of which 5 are marked misc. stuff. All the last minute stuff that didn't have a home and probably just needed to be thrown away. Those are the worst boxes to go through. My goal is to have it all unpacked by Saturday.
Internet and cable were finally installed yesterday (me going without internet for 5 days?.... that was a killer, but gave me no excuse for not unpacking). We still have to wait for the phone installation till the 16th. It will be nice when it is all said and done and life can get back to normal.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!!
This year we were going to just stay at home and continue with the madness of packing. After a full day of packing I decided we needed to take a break from it all and try to enjoy an evening with no boxes involved. We went over to my best friend's house, which we have done for the past 7 years or so. It was great to get away from it all and just enjoy some adult time while the kids played in the other rooms. We were going to celebrate New York style (9:00 CA time when the ball drops in Time Square). When 9 o'clock rolled around the guys were still having fun playing the Wii and the kids weren't ready to head back home to chaos yet. We ended up celebrating Dallas style (10:00) and then heading home, in bed by Tuscon time (11:00 CA time) and then Aiden decided to wake back up to celebrate Alaskan style (1:00 a.m.). It was fun but I am sure tired today and have lots to do. I have already packed 10 boxes in the past hour and half and needed to take a break before I dive back in. Here are a few pictures of our New Years Eve.
Unrelated to New Years but still adorable - When Andrew was born, the first words out of this loving mother's mouth was, "He looks like a Munchichi!!" He was super hairy and to me looked just like the adorable Munchichi toys I had played with as a kid. I found this Munchichi at Vons the other day and could not resist. Do you see the resemblance? The little doll is holding onto his pet Welsh Corgi, which is exactly what we have. I love my little Munchichi guy!!!
Andrew has been such a big help during this moving process. Now that Aiden has decided to take the bottle like a 'normal' baby it has made feedings SO much easier. Andrew had given Aiden a certificate in his stocking good for one bottle feeding. Mommy decided that Aiden wanted to cash that in yesterday morning while I was busy packing the dishes. Aiden LOVES his big brother. Thank you Andrew for being such a good big brother and an awesome helper for Mommy. And, "GO CHARGERS!!!!" Check out Aiden's onsie - getting ready for the play offs, don't disappoint me now guys.
Now for the New Years pics....
Hope everyone had a wonderful New Years. I know that we are looking forward to lots of good things to come in 2009.
Unrelated to New Years but still adorable - When Andrew was born, the first words out of this loving mother's mouth was, "He looks like a Munchichi!!" He was super hairy and to me looked just like the adorable Munchichi toys I had played with as a kid. I found this Munchichi at Vons the other day and could not resist. Do you see the resemblance? The little doll is holding onto his pet Welsh Corgi, which is exactly what we have. I love my little Munchichi guy!!!
Andrew has been such a big help during this moving process. Now that Aiden has decided to take the bottle like a 'normal' baby it has made feedings SO much easier. Andrew had given Aiden a certificate in his stocking good for one bottle feeding. Mommy decided that Aiden wanted to cash that in yesterday morning while I was busy packing the dishes. Aiden LOVES his big brother. Thank you Andrew for being such a good big brother and an awesome helper for Mommy. And, "GO CHARGERS!!!!" Check out Aiden's onsie - getting ready for the play offs, don't disappoint me now guys.
Now for the New Years pics.... This is Jen, my best friend, and their new puppy Marley reading a book to Aiden.
Marley was in love with Aiden's exersaucer. It was the perfect retreat from all the kid feet running around.
Did someone slip something into his bottle? Don't know where this look came from but he was super full from his bottle and just needed to lay back and take a break from the party.
This is Alexis with her buddy Robbie, Jen's grandson. He is 3 months older then her but probably half a foot taller. They play so well together.
Aiden wasn't so sure about James at first. He has gotten to the 'stranger' stage and really takes time to warm up to people that he is not around on a daily basis. About 30 minutes later he was laughing and giggling with James instead of crying every time James looked at him.
Jen and I are a little worried about our children. EVERY time they get together they end up playing "Dr. Phil" We think they are destined to end up in therapy some day, married to each other, or something. Last night they were playing "Dr. Phillis" because Katee's best friend was interviewing Andrew and Katee, who were a married couple with 'issues'. They have such funny imaginations sometimes, but always good for a laugh.
Sarah was reading to Aiden, one of his favorite things to do.
He ended up falling asleep in her arms as she read to him.
Marley was in love with Aiden's exersaucer. It was the perfect retreat from all the kid feet running around.
Did someone slip something into his bottle? Don't know where this look came from but he was super full from his bottle and just needed to lay back and take a break from the party.
This is Alexis with her buddy Robbie, Jen's grandson. He is 3 months older then her but probably half a foot taller. They play so well together.
Aiden wasn't so sure about James at first. He has gotten to the 'stranger' stage and really takes time to warm up to people that he is not around on a daily basis. About 30 minutes later he was laughing and giggling with James instead of crying every time James looked at him. Jen and I are a little worried about our children. EVERY time they get together they end up playing "Dr. Phil" We think they are destined to end up in therapy some day, married to each other, or something. Last night they were playing "Dr. Phillis" because Katee's best friend was interviewing Andrew and Katee, who were a married couple with 'issues'. They have such funny imaginations sometimes, but always good for a laugh.Sarah was reading to Aiden, one of his favorite things to do.
He ended up falling asleep in her arms as she read to him.
Hope everyone had a wonderful New Years. I know that we are looking forward to lots of good things to come in 2009.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Quick "Not Me!" Monday
This will be short and sweet and to the point today since I am crazy busy with packing and appointments today. MckMama is not having Not Me Monday today due to Stellan (her little MckMuffin) being sick and in the hospital. Please keep him in your prayers.
*I did not enjoy the hours of arm free time when everyone kept offering to hold Aiden at my in-laws house.
* I did not have ALL the Christmas decorations packed up and stored before 1:00 pm Christmas day. I of course settled in on that day and relaxed and did not rush around packing a gazillion boxes.
*I did not give Dale a guilt trip over his lack of participation in the packing and moving even though I know that he is not feeling well. I did not give him an ultimatum to either help me paint the new kitchen or get off the couch and go to urgent care to find out what is wrong. The man who NEVER goes to the doctor did not choose to go to urgent care to only find out that he does not have a serious sinus infection with all the bells and whistles. I did not feel guilty for forcing him to go to the doctor but glad that he is hopefully on track to feeling better before the big move on Saturday.
*I did not feel sad when my stocking was empty, minus the voucher for a free vacuuming, compliments of my caring 9 year old son. I guess when we agreed to not give each other gifts, Dale figured he was off the hook on the stocking too. That's my favorite part. Hopefully next year he will put some effort into that.
*I did not forget to buy oranges for the kids stockings this year. I have always put one in their stocking since I was always given one as a child. How could this have slipped my mind? Too much going on right now.
*I did not spend Sunday working in the nursery, to end up only having my kid in there. I could have watched him from the comfort of my own house instead of him being the only one there and grouchy in this forgein place.
*My family will not be happy when this whole move is over so they don't have to deal with grouchy mom who tries to pack everything in sight. So far they have avoided being shoved in a box, taped, and labeled.
Well, I have taken a long enough break. Must get back to packing before I have to leave for my next appointment of the day in about an hour. Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe New Year's celebration.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Howse Family Christmas
On Friday we went to Palm Desert to spend time with Dale's entire family. This was the first time that many of them had seen Aiden. He had only met his grandma and grandpa and two of his cousins. He was a little unsure of all the people at first who knew him but yet he had no clue who they were. Over time he warmed up and really enjoyed all the extra love. The kids' Howse cousins are all older then them (the youngest is 20) so they treat them more like aunts and uncles, but always with lots and lots of love.
Alexis and Andrew got some books from Grandma and Grandpa.
Alexis and Andrew got some books from Grandma and Grandpa.
....as did Aiden - he has really started loving books and being read to.
Aunt Dawn and Uncle Ralph, from Oregon, got each of the kids an Oregon football shirt, perfect timing since Andrew's last shirt was getting a little small.
....and a cute pink one for Alexis.
Cousin Candace reads with Aiden and Alexis.
Spending some lap time with Grandpa
It was awesome to have Uncle Ralph come and visit from Oregon. We all wish they lived closer.
Some cousin love from Gabrielle, who lives in Bakersfield. She had seen Aiden one other time but today was the first time she got to spend some time with him.
Cousin Gabe with Alexis.
Candace and Aiden. Candace lives a block away from us and the kids LOVE when she comes to play with them. She is such an awesome helper for Dale and I and usually bails us out when we are in a pinch.
Cousin Jessica, from Bakersfield. She is awesome with Aiden. She could get him to giggle like there is no tomorrow. She really has a knack for kids.
Cousin Liz, from Bakersfield, with Aiden and Alexis. Some how I never got a picture of her hubby, Josh.
Auntie Deana, Uncle Anthony, Candace and Gabrielle with Aiden.
Auntie Danette, from Bakersfield, with Aiden.
He was SO exhausted by the time we had lunch but wouldn't go to sleep for fear of missing out on the fun. He finally crashed on Auntie Deana's lap, as long as he had his blanket tag near his mouth.
Alexis LOVES playing the piano with Grandma. I remember sitting on the bench with my grandma when I was little. I know that she too will hold that as a special memory.
Uncle Bob, from Bakersfield, with Aiden.
The entire family. Only 4 cousins and their families were missing, along with one brother. In all there 19 of us there. We all had a great time catching up on each others' lives.
Aiden with Grandma and Grandpa. Aiden said 'ga ma' (translation: grandma) for the first time that day.
Grandpa was being naughty and trying to teach Aiden how to walk. He really isn't ready to walk, he barely takes one or two cautious steps along the couch and does not initiate moving his feet when someone holds his hands. That is all fine with me because I am not ready for a walker. I just want to make it through the move and get settled before I have to deal with that.
Auntie Dawn watches as Hannah (Liz and Josh's daughter) holds Aiden. Everytime she would walk past him she would say, "baby baby." She loved being able to hold him. She is an adorable almost 2 year old. We had not seen her since she was a little infant. Aiden on the other hand was not too sure about being held at that time and only wanted his mommy.
Spending some snuggle time with Daddy.
Grandma tried to rock him to sleep but there was just too much going on around him.
Auntie Dawn with the kiddos in their antler ears.
All smiles for Mom. He just melts my heart. (his scar is doing great, just the one spot has a knot that we are trying to massage out.)
Being showered with kisses by Uncle Ralph.
The kiddos with Uncle Ralph and Auntie Dawn. Our time with them was way too short. We are hoping to be able to go visit them in Oregon at some point. I and the kids have never met their two kids, Matthew and Tiffany and her family.
Grandma, Grandpa and the kiddos.
Ok, if you made it through all the pictures then I am impressed. We all had a great time and enjoyed the wonderful weather as we ate lunch out on the patio. We wish we could have spent more time and hope that the next time we see everyone is not that long from now.
Aunt Dawn and Uncle Ralph, from Oregon, got each of the kids an Oregon football shirt, perfect timing since Andrew's last shirt was getting a little small.
....and a cute pink one for Alexis.
Cousin Candace reads with Aiden and Alexis.
Spending some lap time with Grandpa
It was awesome to have Uncle Ralph come and visit from Oregon. We all wish they lived closer.
Some cousin love from Gabrielle, who lives in Bakersfield. She had seen Aiden one other time but today was the first time she got to spend some time with him.
Cousin Gabe with Alexis.
Candace and Aiden. Candace lives a block away from us and the kids LOVE when she comes to play with them. She is such an awesome helper for Dale and I and usually bails us out when we are in a pinch.
Cousin Jessica, from Bakersfield. She is awesome with Aiden. She could get him to giggle like there is no tomorrow. She really has a knack for kids.
Cousin Liz, from Bakersfield, with Aiden and Alexis. Some how I never got a picture of her hubby, Josh.
Auntie Deana, Uncle Anthony, Candace and Gabrielle with Aiden.
Auntie Danette, from Bakersfield, with Aiden.
He was SO exhausted by the time we had lunch but wouldn't go to sleep for fear of missing out on the fun. He finally crashed on Auntie Deana's lap, as long as he had his blanket tag near his mouth.
Alexis LOVES playing the piano with Grandma. I remember sitting on the bench with my grandma when I was little. I know that she too will hold that as a special memory.
Uncle Bob, from Bakersfield, with Aiden.
The entire family. Only 4 cousins and their families were missing, along with one brother. In all there 19 of us there. We all had a great time catching up on each others' lives.
Aiden with Grandma and Grandpa. Aiden said 'ga ma' (translation: grandma) for the first time that day.
Grandpa was being naughty and trying to teach Aiden how to walk. He really isn't ready to walk, he barely takes one or two cautious steps along the couch and does not initiate moving his feet when someone holds his hands. That is all fine with me because I am not ready for a walker. I just want to make it through the move and get settled before I have to deal with that.
Auntie Dawn watches as Hannah (Liz and Josh's daughter) holds Aiden. Everytime she would walk past him she would say, "baby baby." She loved being able to hold him. She is an adorable almost 2 year old. We had not seen her since she was a little infant. Aiden on the other hand was not too sure about being held at that time and only wanted his mommy.Spending some snuggle time with Daddy.
Grandma tried to rock him to sleep but there was just too much going on around him.Auntie Dawn with the kiddos in their antler ears.
All smiles for Mom. He just melts my heart. (his scar is doing great, just the one spot has a knot that we are trying to massage out.)
Being showered with kisses by Uncle Ralph.
The kiddos with Uncle Ralph and Auntie Dawn. Our time with them was way too short. We are hoping to be able to go visit them in Oregon at some point. I and the kids have never met their two kids, Matthew and Tiffany and her family.Grandma, Grandpa and the kiddos.
Ok, if you made it through all the pictures then I am impressed. We all had a great time and enjoyed the wonderful weather as we ate lunch out on the patio. We wish we could have spent more time and hope that the next time we see everyone is not that long from now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
