Life

Things kinda got hectic, and posting here was pretty much the last thing on my to-do list.

I hate when life gets that way. I really don't feel like I get to enjoy even a little bit of it then.

So, I thought I would catch you up on some things going on around my bit of the world....

Little Miss is now potty trained (pretty much). We're still not doing overnights sans diapers, but all day long, and naps, we're pretty much accident free.

Want to know the starting point for our success?

Ah yes, Lightning McQueen. My girl is not a girly-girl (yet)!

Here's the background: she was doing a super job at school, no accidents; doing great. The second she would get home, she would go in her pants, or throw a tantrum about going on the potty. So, we had pretty much just HAD IT the night she sat in her brother's bumbo, looked at me, and peed in it. D.O.N.E.

At dinner we were talking about it, you know, where/when we go to the bathroom, and Cameron says, "I got it." He gets up, goes to the kitchen cabinet and pulls out Lightning. He looks at Emmy (who is meticulously looking over the item placed in front of her) and says, " if you want this, you go pee on the potty."

That night, we had no accidents and she kept telling us when she had "a feeling." (MAGIC, I tell ya!)

Being the good mom that I am - you know, with bribing my kid and all - I go to Target and get a bunch of cheap dollar items that will keep up the motivation. She loved the pinwheel she got the next night; still NO accidents!

The next day, early in the morning, here comes pee time. I look in my bag and tell her she can have this little Thomas Pez dispenser.

She looks at me like I'm crazy. The kid has never heard of Pez, nor knows what a Pez dispenser is, let alone what it does.

And that lack of knowledge lasted all of one second, because now....she knows. And she looks for her two candy "Thomas" reward every time she "delivers."

Point for team Mommy & Daddy.

Here she is a couple days after we all realized Thomas was the beholder of such good things:

(I am happy to report we have since misplaced Thomas - really and truly, I have no idea where she left him - so sugar amounts are much lower right now. However, I don't want to hear about sugar and cavities, etc. Let's remember, my priority people = a dry couch! She is a potty training champ, and so now onto #2 in the potty!! I may spare you those details, however. ;) )

Other news:

We may not be crawling, per se, but we are moving!!

Camp

This last weekend we went with some friends to a church winter retreat. It was our first time going.

I have to say it was a lot of fun.

We were watching daddy play broomball from the dining room that had floor to ceiling windows. The view was just amazing....just like her shirt says, she was dancin' (while eating, hence the funny mouth).

We stayed in a building called Lakeside...Lakeview? Lake-something. There were rooms everywhere with the gathering rooms on the main floor and sleeping quarters mainly on the top floor. The photo above (dining room) was on the lowest level.

I loved the hardwood floors of the top floor. It so reminded me of an old dormatory...had to get some shots up there.

Good thing I have such sweet subjects....until they are just over it.

I'm one of those people that loves a photograph with a crying baby. I mean I would never MAKE a baby cry to get a photo, but I guess that raw emotion just makes the photo seem even more real....maybe I'm weird. Whatevs! :)

LJW-7Months

Hi Big Blue.

(That's what your daddy calls you.)

You're 7 months. And Momma's behind in writing your letter...again.

I don't think I can get any worse, only up form here for me!

You're up on hands and knees rocking away. No crawling yet. You hate that you can't move around like you would like. I have to say, you are a champion stomach pivoter, and you have begun to "hop" while you are on those hands and knees to get to where you'd like. It's pretty funny. You watch your sister almost green with envy as she moves around the room. Pushing yourself backwards also gets you stuck in some pretty cramped spaces, like under the jumper, or living room chair...you get so annoyed when your head thumps the underside of something. You're just exploring for crying out loud!

It's hard to believe that you are moving up to the older baby room at day care some time next month. (You have to be 8 months old to get in the next room.) I'm always saying how time flies, but really, it does! And I have been really busy with work lately, which seems to make time fly by faster! I've gotten to spend more time with you and Emmy working part time and even though I have had an "adjustment" period getting used to not being at work 5 days a week, being with you both has been awesome.

I mean, if I ever wanted to practice patience, well, this is it.

You both are really great kids. Emmy is a huge helper and assists in almost anything I ask. She always grabs a burp cloth if we need it. Or puts your nuk in your mouth to help quiet you. She sometimes grabs a toy to give you if the nuk doesn't work. It's neat to see her mimic me...the "mommy"...because I think she is more doing it because she is your sister, and she knows she can help. She likes to help. She feels good helping.

But then, if you get a little too much attention she pushes your big ol' head into the blanket-carpeted-ground. Yes, I have to always be watching. She's 2...she's testing boundaries. But when or if she makes you cry, she feels horribly. So horribly in fact, she also begins to cry. I am thankful these moments do not happen often at all...but they do happen.

Emmy and you play together in short spurts....mainly where she grabs your arm and pulls on it and you laugh hysterically. She kisses you. She hugs you. Oh, Liam, how she loves you.

You are STILL teething something fierce, with nothing to show for it. Some days you are just miserable, but as long as you have something good to chew on, you tolerate so much. That sweet sweet disposition I always talk about. Such a quiet observer you are.

I won't let everyone think you have no backbone though...nobody should try taking something from you because they will hear about it until something equally exciting fills the void! Emmy's learned to fill your little hands-and quick-when you screech after she's grabbed something from you. I can't help but laugh every time. You've got some fire in that belly and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I love you big blue eyed boy. I am positive 8 months will be here before I know it...until then buddy.

love, your momma.

Outside TIme....Finally

Someone was very excited to get outside and play in the snow yesterday...

Someone else ended up not being so keen on the idea.

Poor thing, I made him endure it all. I mean, he better get used to it since he lives in MINNESOTA for crying out loud!

She loved every minute. We just played with sand pails and shovels and moved snow around.

He decided he wanted to be held. And I obliged.

Maybe next winter little boy, when you're at least walking around. Snow is a little more fun then!

Stylin'

Hair stylin' that is. Emalyn decided she would do both her and Liam's hair.

Good thing he had on those cammo pants to show his manliness cause that hairband is just silly!

Last Weekend

This past weekend Cameron had to work. So it was the kiddos and me for the most part.

That usually isn't so bad, but when the temps are hovering around NEGATIVE NINETEEN DEGREES windchill, I kind of have to think twice about heading outside for any amount of time.

During one of Liam's morning naps we looked outside for awhile at the snow...

Then Emalyn wanted to watch Clifford but her mean old mommy said no (she was asking for the longer movie version rather than the TV episode).

Instead we ate lunch then took in some Sesame Street. To which she said, "Quincy, my big red dog." (Always gotta have the last word, us ladies in my family!!)

And we played all together...(I love that grin on Liam's face.)

And then played a little by ourselves, too.

We read...and played some more.

I even busted out the Play-doh.

My mom in law still had to come over late Saturday afternoon and just provide a little bit of excitement for us with her presence. That was a huge help! (THANK YOU!)

The things I didn't photograph:

-Blowing bubbles in the bathtub (I recorded that time on our Flip, which may show up here)

-2 different crafty projects with Emmy-nothing specific (for her anything with glue is wonderful)

-Tinkerbell movie time

-Emmy endlessly pushing her stroller around with the baby in it that had an owie

Ooooh, I forgot about Emmy's and my pancakes. Those were good. We eat them with canned peaches. YUM.

(Cameron made mini pancakes once and we found Emmy eats them way better than one large one....so mini one's it is!)

I am most definitely OUT of things to do at home and will gladly take suggestions...

Really, can it please just be a little warmer this next weekend so we can get out a little bit?

I'll even take 30-a virtual heat wave!

Pomp-in

You may not find this as funny as I did....

But come on! She is emulating me....while "pomp-in."

I'm still chuckling.

BLUR-Now Fixed!

EDITED: Go to the Made blog for some help on the mast/header. She figured it out with the help of Blogger. Nice!

Does anyone know what's up with blogger and the fact that every time I update my title it is blurry no matter what I do? SO FRUSTRATED!

I hated how it looked so much that I left it without a photo until I figure it out...so now it is BORING.

Have to figure this out!

Ba La Neena!

She put on my trouser socks, both on her arms and her feet/legs. and announced, while spinning, "I a ba-la-neena (ballerina)!"

Her dress does some really great stuff while she was twirling too, psychedelic!!

Bath Time

My Girl

(And no, I do not promote her using an infant bathtub for her baths, BUT on the occasion that she chooses to play around or be silly, I say, why not? What is it hurting? Right?)

My Boy