Last post of the year. It's been a good year.
I wish I could go into all the detail of all that has happened the past two weeks, but I would not do any of it justice. William, Robert and I have been and still are sick for nearly a week. We haven't' slept much and my head is a bit foggy, but I will do my best to hit some highlights of our Christmas.
We (Francis, the boys and I) left for Dallas Friday before last. Saturday we had Christmas with my family. We decorated cookies (which William did for a lot longer than any of us expected), ate pizza, and opened presents. It was a sweet time and although I am a little sad to miss all of the Brownfield traditions, it was perfect for this year.
Tuesday we (Francis, my in-laws, the boys and I) got on a plane and left for Montreal, Canada. Together we checked 10 items and still had two backpacks, a purse, 2 suitcases and 2 strollers to haul through security. Fun times. We touched down about dinner time, got through customs, got the rental cars and headed straight to get some poutine. William has had it before, but Robert had ti for the first time and loved it. We all ate our fill before heading on to the Phillips/Heron house. There we were welcomed warmly by so many people, and cyndy, Chris and Abby joined us shortly as we all ate Bravo's Pizza before putting the kids to bed very late. they were just having too much fun with the cousins. And Francis's grandmother was enjoying seeing her little ones for the first time after over a year.
Wednesday (Christmas eve) we hung around the house in the morning and the kids played in the snow. William and Abby loved the snow, even building a snowman and having a snowball fight with the help of the adult children in the house, hehe. That evening (after spending the afternoon playing at the science center) we had dinner with Francis's mother's father. Dinner was quiet (and mostly in French) and we were able to head home before it got too late.
Thursday (Christmas Day) morning was a fun affair. We had breakfast then opened stockings (a good 28 or so of us). We took pictures, opened presents and had a delicious lunch that left nothing to be desired. I am so thankful to have married into such a kind and wonderful family who reminds me so much of my own. It was a special time. We finished the evening off with dinner at Francis's mother's mother's house. She had a large portion of her family there (including 5 out of the 6 children in his mother's family). Thanks to Chris, most of the conversation ended up being in English, much to the delight of the grandkids and frustration of those whose English was not as good.
Friday we had breakfast all together, then split off in all directions. Francis's branch of the family went and had Bravo's for lunch and then his parents watched the little ones while the parents and cousins went and saw Into the Woods (good movie). Friday night everyone (and I mean everyone from the "three families") who was in town met at a "sugar shack" for dinner, music and dancing. We basically had the place to ourselves. the food was good, but William preferred to drink the maple syrup than put it on his turkey or meat pie. Everyone else then tried drinking the maple syrup too and, well, much syrup was deliciously ingested that night.
Robert and William played and played and they were sad to leave. Robert particularly loved all the attention and how there was always a willing pair of arms to hold him. William loved the snow and the constant availability of playmates (with cousin Matthew being a favorite).
Saturday we headed home. William and I got sick the night before, and were sick the whole way home until now. Robert has been sick on an off too. I really want to get better because this has gone on far too long. We haven't left the house but to go to the dr and the pharmacy since Saturday. I'm ready to be well.
In conclusion, GREAT week if Christmas...but rough past few days. Trying to look at the positive though. 2015 is almost here, and it's almost certain to bring big changes and I'm looking forward to see what's in store.
Till next time!
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Thursday, December 18, 2014
December 18, 2014
Big week. Good week. Can't go into all the details, even if I had time!
Gotta be brief. We leave in the morning for Dallas and then head onto Montreal on Tuesday to celebrate Christmas (staying till Saturday). Packing to do. Need I say more?
William is able to do addition up to 10. He figured it out all on his own. He came up and said, "Mommy, if I put two fingers on this hand and two fingers on this hand, that makes four fingers!" I explained that in math you say two plus two equals 4. He then went on to do nearly every permutation that adds up to anything less than 10 (as that's all the fingers he has). But he didn't stop there. He then counted by 10s. Then he said, "Mommy, if I do two tens, that makes 20. Because *singing* 'Ten, Twenty'!" Such a smart kid!
Robert is talking more and more. Favorite words? "Uh Oh, Dada and Mama". He says a bunch of others, but those are the most often spoken. I think that pretty much any question or statement can be answered with one of those three words when you are 15 months. So, he's all set!
We've been off this week from almost all our regular activities, so we've been hitting the town. We went to the aquarium for the last time (our pass is about to expire) yesterday and Mt. Playmore today. Both with Ranger. Gonna miss the Davis Family when they move next month, that's for sure.
Yep, time's up! Till next time.
Gotta be brief. We leave in the morning for Dallas and then head onto Montreal on Tuesday to celebrate Christmas (staying till Saturday). Packing to do. Need I say more?
William is able to do addition up to 10. He figured it out all on his own. He came up and said, "Mommy, if I put two fingers on this hand and two fingers on this hand, that makes four fingers!" I explained that in math you say two plus two equals 4. He then went on to do nearly every permutation that adds up to anything less than 10 (as that's all the fingers he has). But he didn't stop there. He then counted by 10s. Then he said, "Mommy, if I do two tens, that makes 20. Because *singing* 'Ten, Twenty'!" Such a smart kid!
Robert is talking more and more. Favorite words? "Uh Oh, Dada and Mama". He says a bunch of others, but those are the most often spoken. I think that pretty much any question or statement can be answered with one of those three words when you are 15 months. So, he's all set!
We've been off this week from almost all our regular activities, so we've been hitting the town. We went to the aquarium for the last time (our pass is about to expire) yesterday and Mt. Playmore today. Both with Ranger. Gonna miss the Davis Family when they move next month, that's for sure.
Yep, time's up! Till next time.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
December 11, 2014
First, a funny story from a few weeks ago that I don't think I've told:
I was talking to William and he told me someday he was going to grow up. I asked him if he was going to get married and he responded, "yes." I asked what she would be like and he responded, "I don't know what her name is, but she will wear a sparkle dress." "Like a princess?" I asked. "Yeah, mommy, I'm going to marry a princess." I smiled and asked sweetly, "What are you going to call this princess of yours?" William didn't miss a beat, "I'm not going to call her my love like Daddy calls you. I'm going to call her BOOGERHEAD!" I tried not to laugh but it was just too cute. A little while later when I was telling the story someone asked William what his princess was going to call him. He gave the only logical response, "Booger goose!" So there you have it. I now pronounce you Mrs Princess Boogerhead and Mr. Booger Goose. Hehe, William has since relented and said he will in fact call his princess "My Love", but the first name has stuck.
This week has been relatively quiet. We celebrated our little family's Christmas on Saturday as we didn't want to take gifts back and forth, plus we thought it would be nice to have some traditions of our own. The boys went with Francis to Home Depot and made Christmas lawn ornaments while I set up their "big gifts" at home. When the boys arrived back, there were two huge objects with sheets over them. On three they opened them and were thrilled to find a work bench with working tools for William and a kitchen with all manner of pots, pans and food for Robert. The boys played for over an hour without pause before we had lunch and took a nap. After nap, more playing with their new toys. Then we made and decorated a gingerbread house as a family. While not Pinterest worthy. I am proud that we were able to complete something as a team. It's special to me. We finished off the day with dinner out and going to look at Christmas lights. There is a house nearby that has an amazing light display complete with singing and dancing Beatles (band), Elvis, Olaf and Grinch. We watched for over 30 minutes as the boys laughed and got covered in fake snow bubbles. Then we drove around the neighborhood and watched Christmas lights. The boys didn't want to stop, but eventually they passed out and we headed home. Robert loved the lights and did whatever he could to climb out of the car as we drove around. He smiled and cooed and laughed the whole time. It was a great day!
Tuesday we had ladies night at the house. Francis and the boys hid upstairs, and the ladies had fondue and watched White Christmas. It was so fun! We may try fondue with the boys this weekend. We'll see! Yesterday William's friend Ranger was over here for 3 hours while his mom was at her dr appt. The boys had their own "fondue" party with BBQ sauce and Rudolph. It was super cute and the boys had an absolute blast!
Today was our last Bible Study this year at the Quarries. The older kids put on a little concert at the end which was completely adorable. And William actually sang this year! No "do do do dos" for this kid. He did the motions, sang, and smiled to boot. Future choir member in the making right there!
Robert has taken quite a liking to our Christmas tree. When we first put it up, he kept taking off ornaments and running with them. I have since loosely placed a few ornaments such that when he touches a branch, the loose ornament will fall off, distracting him long enough for me to come over and monitor. I'm no so worried about the tree as I am that he may try to pull it over on himself. He's doing better with gentle touches, but he and the tree are becoming quite close. I think he may have a fit when we take it down. Hopefully he'll be too distracted with new toys to notice! Till next time!
I was talking to William and he told me someday he was going to grow up. I asked him if he was going to get married and he responded, "yes." I asked what she would be like and he responded, "I don't know what her name is, but she will wear a sparkle dress." "Like a princess?" I asked. "Yeah, mommy, I'm going to marry a princess." I smiled and asked sweetly, "What are you going to call this princess of yours?" William didn't miss a beat, "I'm not going to call her my love like Daddy calls you. I'm going to call her BOOGERHEAD!" I tried not to laugh but it was just too cute. A little while later when I was telling the story someone asked William what his princess was going to call him. He gave the only logical response, "Booger goose!" So there you have it. I now pronounce you Mrs Princess Boogerhead and Mr. Booger Goose. Hehe, William has since relented and said he will in fact call his princess "My Love", but the first name has stuck.
This week has been relatively quiet. We celebrated our little family's Christmas on Saturday as we didn't want to take gifts back and forth, plus we thought it would be nice to have some traditions of our own. The boys went with Francis to Home Depot and made Christmas lawn ornaments while I set up their "big gifts" at home. When the boys arrived back, there were two huge objects with sheets over them. On three they opened them and were thrilled to find a work bench with working tools for William and a kitchen with all manner of pots, pans and food for Robert. The boys played for over an hour without pause before we had lunch and took a nap. After nap, more playing with their new toys. Then we made and decorated a gingerbread house as a family. While not Pinterest worthy. I am proud that we were able to complete something as a team. It's special to me. We finished off the day with dinner out and going to look at Christmas lights. There is a house nearby that has an amazing light display complete with singing and dancing Beatles (band), Elvis, Olaf and Grinch. We watched for over 30 minutes as the boys laughed and got covered in fake snow bubbles. Then we drove around the neighborhood and watched Christmas lights. The boys didn't want to stop, but eventually they passed out and we headed home. Robert loved the lights and did whatever he could to climb out of the car as we drove around. He smiled and cooed and laughed the whole time. It was a great day!
Tuesday we had ladies night at the house. Francis and the boys hid upstairs, and the ladies had fondue and watched White Christmas. It was so fun! We may try fondue with the boys this weekend. We'll see! Yesterday William's friend Ranger was over here for 3 hours while his mom was at her dr appt. The boys had their own "fondue" party with BBQ sauce and Rudolph. It was super cute and the boys had an absolute blast!
Today was our last Bible Study this year at the Quarries. The older kids put on a little concert at the end which was completely adorable. And William actually sang this year! No "do do do dos" for this kid. He did the motions, sang, and smiled to boot. Future choir member in the making right there!
Robert has taken quite a liking to our Christmas tree. When we first put it up, he kept taking off ornaments and running with them. I have since loosely placed a few ornaments such that when he touches a branch, the loose ornament will fall off, distracting him long enough for me to come over and monitor. I'm no so worried about the tree as I am that he may try to pull it over on himself. He's doing better with gentle touches, but he and the tree are becoming quite close. I think he may have a fit when we take it down. Hopefully he'll be too distracted with new toys to notice! Till next time!
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
December 3, 2014
It's been an exciting couple of weeks over here. It's been fun, but I am glad to be home now back in my warm bed. Getting back into the routine is tough, especially since after next week we will be off for three weeks from all our activities due to winter break. No can say our lives are dull.
Saturday before last was my birthday. I got a pedicure with Danielle and my mom before my birthday party, which is the first one I've had since February. It felt so so good! My family, sisters, parents, in-laws, Ashley and Brandon and his bride Bethany were all at my party. We had cake and I opened presents, then we played a game of Fish Bowl. If you've never played it, you should. It's a hoot. It was a successful party and I am so glad that I was loved on by those I love.
Tuesday, the boys and I went with Danielle and my mom to the Gaylord to see ICE! They have a whole exhibit each year and this year the theme was Frosty the Snowman. They keep the exhibit 8 degrees Fahrenheit. Aka:COLD! We went through it faster than we would have liked just because we
(Robert in particular) were miserably cold. The ice was beautiful though, and the nativity scene at the end (after all the Frosty stuff) made me speechless. William loved it all and especially liked the ice slide. The cold never bothered him anyway.
Wednesday we went to Six Flags Holiday in the Park. It was bring a friend for free and since my mom and Danielle have passes, the boys and I got in for FREE. My favorite price for sure. We all had a blast. William got to ride more rides than anyone and he even talked Sweetie into buying him an awesome Superman cape. He wore it most of the rest of the day, and still wears it now that we are home. William's favorite ride was the old time cars. He got to legitimately drive and he thinks that's about the coolest thing ever. He tells me that when he grows up just a little more, he'll be able to drive for real. Hold on, kid, not too fast!
Thursday was Thanksgiving and my whole family went to my Aunt Bup's house. It was a smaller crowd this year, only 21 people. We had a nice time, but by evening time, I started to feel tired as the long week caught up with me. All I wanted was to be in my own bed. So we packed up from Ft Worth and headed to Plano, where we packed up for real and headed back to Austin. We got home at nearly midnight, but it was worth it to put my head on my own pillow.
Friday we drove onward to San Antonio to be with Francis's parents and sister's family. Every year we spend the weekend after Thanksgiving there. We saw the river parade Friday night, opened presents Saturday morning (since we don't want to haul all the gifts to Canada), and then spent the day at Sea World. The highlight of the day (other than opening presents) was having dinner at Sea World with Santa and Mrs. Claus. William and Abby both know Santa is pretend (i.e. based on St. Nicholas who lived long ago), but they enjoyed him like they did Mickey Mouse at Disney World. The food was delicious and the kids were so excited. Santa read them the night before Christmas, and then they got to take pictures with him and eat cookies. What's not to like? Oh, Robert did not like the "mime" elf. The guy wiped Roberts mouth with the puff of his hat, and after that, any time the guy came near, Robert would scream bloody murder. It got to be a little funny. A great trip with great people. Sunday we took some family photos of the Phillips clan and they turned out cute. The one of the three cousins is particularly adorable. We are so blessed to have such a great set of relatives!
This week, I'm still trying to recover. Laundry is still being done, the house is still being cleaned, and I am flat out exhausted! the Christmas decorations are up, which is a small victory. One step at a time, I guess.
Till next time!
Saturday before last was my birthday. I got a pedicure with Danielle and my mom before my birthday party, which is the first one I've had since February. It felt so so good! My family, sisters, parents, in-laws, Ashley and Brandon and his bride Bethany were all at my party. We had cake and I opened presents, then we played a game of Fish Bowl. If you've never played it, you should. It's a hoot. It was a successful party and I am so glad that I was loved on by those I love.
Tuesday, the boys and I went with Danielle and my mom to the Gaylord to see ICE! They have a whole exhibit each year and this year the theme was Frosty the Snowman. They keep the exhibit 8 degrees Fahrenheit. Aka:COLD! We went through it faster than we would have liked just because we
(Robert in particular) were miserably cold. The ice was beautiful though, and the nativity scene at the end (after all the Frosty stuff) made me speechless. William loved it all and especially liked the ice slide. The cold never bothered him anyway.
Wednesday we went to Six Flags Holiday in the Park. It was bring a friend for free and since my mom and Danielle have passes, the boys and I got in for FREE. My favorite price for sure. We all had a blast. William got to ride more rides than anyone and he even talked Sweetie into buying him an awesome Superman cape. He wore it most of the rest of the day, and still wears it now that we are home. William's favorite ride was the old time cars. He got to legitimately drive and he thinks that's about the coolest thing ever. He tells me that when he grows up just a little more, he'll be able to drive for real. Hold on, kid, not too fast!
Thursday was Thanksgiving and my whole family went to my Aunt Bup's house. It was a smaller crowd this year, only 21 people. We had a nice time, but by evening time, I started to feel tired as the long week caught up with me. All I wanted was to be in my own bed. So we packed up from Ft Worth and headed to Plano, where we packed up for real and headed back to Austin. We got home at nearly midnight, but it was worth it to put my head on my own pillow.
Friday we drove onward to San Antonio to be with Francis's parents and sister's family. Every year we spend the weekend after Thanksgiving there. We saw the river parade Friday night, opened presents Saturday morning (since we don't want to haul all the gifts to Canada), and then spent the day at Sea World. The highlight of the day (other than opening presents) was having dinner at Sea World with Santa and Mrs. Claus. William and Abby both know Santa is pretend (i.e. based on St. Nicholas who lived long ago), but they enjoyed him like they did Mickey Mouse at Disney World. The food was delicious and the kids were so excited. Santa read them the night before Christmas, and then they got to take pictures with him and eat cookies. What's not to like? Oh, Robert did not like the "mime" elf. The guy wiped Roberts mouth with the puff of his hat, and after that, any time the guy came near, Robert would scream bloody murder. It got to be a little funny. A great trip with great people. Sunday we took some family photos of the Phillips clan and they turned out cute. The one of the three cousins is particularly adorable. We are so blessed to have such a great set of relatives!
This week, I'm still trying to recover. Laundry is still being done, the house is still being cleaned, and I am flat out exhausted! the Christmas decorations are up, which is a small victory. One step at a time, I guess.
Till next time!
Thursday, November 20, 2014
November 20, 2014
This will be my last post as a 28 year old. This year went by so quickly. I wouldn't change a thing. Thank you God for your gifts and your mercies!
It's been a busy week. I can't really go into the details, but we've been praying a lot and learning about God and his faithfulness. Tuesday was a particularly humbling day. I really don't know what to write, and I hate for things to sound secretive that really aren't. They just don't need to be posted so the whole world can read. If you know me well and want to know what's been happening, give me a call. I'd probably like to hear from you anyway!
William and Robert are both doing well. Our trip last weekend was successful although the travel was grueling and I almost turned back to go home (the highway was shut down). I am so thankful for 2 sweet boys and understanding Dogs who kept me sane despite the stress. My gandmother's 80th party was wonderful and the food and company were beyond compare.
Ranger joined William's Little Gym class on Tuesday. Their teacher said they are the cutest best friends ever and that she loved having them. William also has one of his favorite friends in his Little Gym class: Sam. I'm so happy my boys have friends!
The boys are both already up from their naps so I have to end this here. If you are reading this, pray for us as we again travel to Dallas for the week starting tomorrow and then onto San Antonio next weekend. Thanksgiving means travelling for us, and I just want it to be smoother and less stressful than last weekend!
Till next time!
Thursday, November 13, 2014
November 13, 2014
Not exactly sure what to write. Too much on my mind, I guess.
As a family, we went to Ranger's 3rd birthday party on Saturday. The weather was beautiful (the party was at a park) and a great time was had by all. We will be so sad come January when he and his sweet parents move to Houston, but there is a season for everything and we pray God's blessings over them and the next step in their lives.
Robert pooped on the potty a few weeks ago. It was a random occurrence, but seems worth mentioning. He was getting ready to take a bath and I could see the look on his face. So I put him on the potty with a potty seat and voila! The results have not been repeated though, so I think potty training may still be a ways off.
It's gotten cold here the past few days. The low tonight is 27F. I am glad our house holds heat well, because the wind is something terrible outside. I hope it warms up by this weekend (which is not expected) as Francis and the men from our Sunday School class are going camping and they might just literally freeze! I will be heading to Dallas this weekend for Mom Noble's 80th birthday party, so we will be outside on and off going places. It makes me miss the warmth already and it isn't even Thanksgiving.
We had a first on Tuesday: I napped and William didn't. After multiple pleas that he wasn't tired, I told William he could play quietly in his room. He did and shortly after I rested my head on the couch only to wake up over an hour later to Robert screaming from his crib (he miraculously took a 2 hour nap). I peeked in on William and every book from his bookshelf was on the ground "burying some treasure " he had found in his closet. I went in his closet and every hanger he could reach lay on the ground. I took a deep breath, thankful that nothing was broken and helped him clean it up. At least he stayed in his room!
So, when I was pregnant with Robert, I craved these "Ranch dipped Hot Wing" chips. Seriously wanted them all the time even though they are burn your mouth spicy. Well, I hadn't had them since having Robert, so I bough them on a whim. Yeah, they are nasty...so I put them on the stairs with Francis's camping gear to take with him (so nice I know). Well, Robert keeps getting into the gear, digging out the chips and eating as many as he can before I catch him and take them away. I guess he really does like them, and that's why I craved them. Who knew?
That's really all I got. I need to get back to packing. Till next time!
As a family, we went to Ranger's 3rd birthday party on Saturday. The weather was beautiful (the party was at a park) and a great time was had by all. We will be so sad come January when he and his sweet parents move to Houston, but there is a season for everything and we pray God's blessings over them and the next step in their lives.
Robert pooped on the potty a few weeks ago. It was a random occurrence, but seems worth mentioning. He was getting ready to take a bath and I could see the look on his face. So I put him on the potty with a potty seat and voila! The results have not been repeated though, so I think potty training may still be a ways off.
It's gotten cold here the past few days. The low tonight is 27F. I am glad our house holds heat well, because the wind is something terrible outside. I hope it warms up by this weekend (which is not expected) as Francis and the men from our Sunday School class are going camping and they might just literally freeze! I will be heading to Dallas this weekend for Mom Noble's 80th birthday party, so we will be outside on and off going places. It makes me miss the warmth already and it isn't even Thanksgiving.
We had a first on Tuesday: I napped and William didn't. After multiple pleas that he wasn't tired, I told William he could play quietly in his room. He did and shortly after I rested my head on the couch only to wake up over an hour later to Robert screaming from his crib (he miraculously took a 2 hour nap). I peeked in on William and every book from his bookshelf was on the ground "burying some treasure " he had found in his closet. I went in his closet and every hanger he could reach lay on the ground. I took a deep breath, thankful that nothing was broken and helped him clean it up. At least he stayed in his room!
So, when I was pregnant with Robert, I craved these "Ranch dipped Hot Wing" chips. Seriously wanted them all the time even though they are burn your mouth spicy. Well, I hadn't had them since having Robert, so I bough them on a whim. Yeah, they are nasty...so I put them on the stairs with Francis's camping gear to take with him (so nice I know). Well, Robert keeps getting into the gear, digging out the chips and eating as many as he can before I catch him and take them away. I guess he really does like them, and that's why I craved them. Who knew?
That's really all I got. I need to get back to packing. Till next time!
Friday, November 7, 2014
November 7, 2014
Another Full week. I won't go into all the details, but here are a couple highlights:
The day trip to College Station was a success. William and Robert got to see A&M campus and Francis and the men had fun at the game. Tracy, her kids, her mother-in-law, Audrey, the boys and I went to Chick-fil-a and a Harvest Festival while Francis, Dave, his father, Andrew, Gershom, and Francis's Dad enjoyed a nail biter of a football game at Kyle Field. A good time was had by all.
William can now tell his right from his left. He's been doing it for about a month now with complete accuracy. He says things like, "I have an ouchie on my right knee", or "mommy you just turned left in the car" or "I'm going to put my shoe on my left foot using my right hand" and he is always right. I'm not sure I'm even that good. It's impressive.
Robert continues to talk more and more. He is becoming a very adept climber as well. We have moved a second stool into the kitchen for him to stand on while I make food. He stands on it and watches me, eager to help like William does. He can climb on the couch and even on our bed now, which I find very impressive. He still prefers to be held (after all, the view is better), but when that is not an option, he climbs to the highest point he can. I am just hoping he doesn't fall, because I can't keep him off everywhere.
Today we went to the mall with Arlene and Caitlyn, and Angel and Ranger. My two pregnant friends. I am so blessed to know them and see their families grow. It was a great morning and it's simple days like this that I treasure.
I...I have a lot on my mind, but I am choosing to be content in the moment. In this moment, all is right with the world. My boys are sleeping, Francis is hard a work (though I know he loves being home better, which makes my heart happy), and I have a quiet moment. All the rest, well, I will have to leave at the feet of my Savior. He is what I can never be, and without Him I come up empty.
That is really all it comes down to.
Friday, October 31, 2014
October 31, 2014
I have to make this brief for the day is quickly slipping by and I still have so much to accomplish.
Robert's word of the day is, "Bella" but it sounds more like "buhh". He is chasing her around (poor Bella) and pointing at her saying it over and over and then looking to me for encouragement (which I happily give). He is trying to say new words all the time, but most of them sound somewhat indiscernible from the others. Keep up the good work, kid!!!
William has a wicked cough. The Dr. confirmed he has Fall asthma just like his mom and that we have to up our nebulizer treatments to three times a day. I am sad for my kiddo but I can totally sympathize. This time of year it feels like someone is always sitting on my chest. I'm ready for the first freeze so whatever it is that causes this dies!!
We went tot he pumpkin patch in Bastop last Saturday with Francis's parents and Cyndy, Chris and Abby. It was a good pumplin patch, but it was just too hot and we all ended up coming back to the house to wait for Francis to get off work (his last saturday to work!) so we could do October birthdays! It was a truly delightful time and it was even better when Francis arrived. I was sad when the door closed (as I usually am) and we had no more company.
Monday was Francis's last Monday off so we went to the park by the Thinkery (can't remember the name) and just relaxed soaking up sun and sweet fresh air. Today the boys and I went back to the same area to go to the Thinkery (children's museum). There were so many Halloween events that no one was there. I mean the place was nearly empty and we had entire rooms to ourselves. It was amazing and we spent 3 1/2 hours there without me having a panic attack. It's usually so crazy that I start to panic within an hour over the number of people and not being able to reach Robert or William. If it were always like this, we'd go every day.
I have to get everything set up for us to attend Fall Fest at Church tonight. I'm excited, but I do wish I could also be here to pass out candy and make connections with some of my neighbors. I'm hoping we'll get back early enough to still see some trick-or-treaters. We leave for college station tomorrow just for the day, and I need to pack for that also. And I need to make the house clean in case we do have trick or treaters. And now Robert is awake. So much to do!
Till next time!
Robert's word of the day is, "Bella" but it sounds more like "buhh". He is chasing her around (poor Bella) and pointing at her saying it over and over and then looking to me for encouragement (which I happily give). He is trying to say new words all the time, but most of them sound somewhat indiscernible from the others. Keep up the good work, kid!!!
William has a wicked cough. The Dr. confirmed he has Fall asthma just like his mom and that we have to up our nebulizer treatments to three times a day. I am sad for my kiddo but I can totally sympathize. This time of year it feels like someone is always sitting on my chest. I'm ready for the first freeze so whatever it is that causes this dies!!
We went tot he pumpkin patch in Bastop last Saturday with Francis's parents and Cyndy, Chris and Abby. It was a good pumplin patch, but it was just too hot and we all ended up coming back to the house to wait for Francis to get off work (his last saturday to work!) so we could do October birthdays! It was a truly delightful time and it was even better when Francis arrived. I was sad when the door closed (as I usually am) and we had no more company.
Monday was Francis's last Monday off so we went to the park by the Thinkery (can't remember the name) and just relaxed soaking up sun and sweet fresh air. Today the boys and I went back to the same area to go to the Thinkery (children's museum). There were so many Halloween events that no one was there. I mean the place was nearly empty and we had entire rooms to ourselves. It was amazing and we spent 3 1/2 hours there without me having a panic attack. It's usually so crazy that I start to panic within an hour over the number of people and not being able to reach Robert or William. If it were always like this, we'd go every day.
I have to get everything set up for us to attend Fall Fest at Church tonight. I'm excited, but I do wish I could also be here to pass out candy and make connections with some of my neighbors. I'm hoping we'll get back early enough to still see some trick-or-treaters. We leave for college station tomorrow just for the day, and I need to pack for that also. And I need to make the house clean in case we do have trick or treaters. And now Robert is awake. So much to do!
Till next time!
Thursday, October 23, 2014
October 23, 2014
My little Robert is becoming more of a big boy all the time. For starters, two more molars came in this week, bringing his total to 12 teeth! He's gotten good at running and pivoting, then running a different directions. Oh, and as a result, his new favorite game is chase. He'll go somewhere he knows he shouldn't be, wait for me to show up and as soon as he catches sight of me he will run away and giggle until I sweep him up into my arms. We play this game at least a dozen times a day. He's also getting better at talking and communication. He is also becoming and expert climber. He has now climbed on the couch, and William's bed with no assistance and was very delighted with himself. In fact we played "escape the vacuum" (a game I made up so I could vacuum without interference) in which the boys run into a room and climb up on whatever they can find so the vacuum can't get them. It was a ton of laughs and I was actually able to clean. Win! Robert is handing me object and learning to share, though taking turns is still confusing and frustrating to him. He's mostly smiles and his teachers call him an absolute delight. And bonus! He's sleeping through the nights most nights. No complaints here!
William is growing too. He is hiding God's word in his heart. He can't read enough and the Bible is no exception. He loves AWANAS and learns his verses and keeps them from week to week. He had about 30 sight words he can read (that I know of) including and, the, go, up, no, yes, stop, dog, do, you, if, a, I, Mom, Dad, Robert....the list goes on. He also reads random words without any context such that I really do wonder how much he reads. He read "koalas" off a sign and asked where they were and could we follow the arrow. He also found some trash in our yard and said, "mommy, why is there trash that says 'wing stop' in our yard?". He might have recognized the logo but he spelled both words for me later, so I'm not sure. His imagination is his friend. William tells me fun stories about pretend things, but never confuses it with the truth. he says, "mommy I want to tell you this pretend thing." It's so cute!
We went to Abilene this past weekend. After the morning at a farm with our MOPS group (where we got to see a chick hatch which was one of the coolest things I've ever seen), I took the boys on the three hour journey to Abilene. We met my mom and Jamama and Japapa at the hotel and had dinner before I went off to judge SING. Judging was stressful but I had my support team (Danielle, her boyfriend Kevin, my cousin Harrison, Rachael and Rebecca) behind me both physically and emotionally. Saturday we all got up and went to HSU homecoming! Dad helped me with the boys while mom, Danielle and the rest of us went around to the education brunch and other activities. The boys got to go horseback riding, play games, do crafts, jump on the bounce house (which both boys LOVED and wouldn't come out) and had great fun in the "posse" club. I got to see some friends, and Rebecca even brought up her son Jonas so that all three boys could spend a little time together. My parents, Danielle, Kevin, Harrison, the boys and I all had lunch in the College Cafeteria where they served delicious BBQ. We talked about how we had all eaten there in college, and William declared that he was now attending college since he had eaten there too. I asked him what classes he was taking and he responded without hesitation, "English!" So now you know...my 3 year old is taking college English. William and Robert really enjoyed the ice cream of the cafeteria. they were covered in blue before it was all over. Finally, before heading home we went to the Harding-Simmons University Cowboys game. William liked ringing his bell and cheering for his team ("H-S H-S U U!") Robert liked walking up and down the length of the bleachers flirting with strangers and occasionally watching the game when everyone started cheering. I'm glad they had fun! When we got home William told me that HSU was kind of like Disney World. I know his Sweetie would be glad to hear it!
That's it for now!
William is growing too. He is hiding God's word in his heart. He can't read enough and the Bible is no exception. He loves AWANAS and learns his verses and keeps them from week to week. He had about 30 sight words he can read (that I know of) including and, the, go, up, no, yes, stop, dog, do, you, if, a, I, Mom, Dad, Robert....the list goes on. He also reads random words without any context such that I really do wonder how much he reads. He read "koalas" off a sign and asked where they were and could we follow the arrow. He also found some trash in our yard and said, "mommy, why is there trash that says 'wing stop' in our yard?". He might have recognized the logo but he spelled both words for me later, so I'm not sure. His imagination is his friend. William tells me fun stories about pretend things, but never confuses it with the truth. he says, "mommy I want to tell you this pretend thing." It's so cute!
We went to Abilene this past weekend. After the morning at a farm with our MOPS group (where we got to see a chick hatch which was one of the coolest things I've ever seen), I took the boys on the three hour journey to Abilene. We met my mom and Jamama and Japapa at the hotel and had dinner before I went off to judge SING. Judging was stressful but I had my support team (Danielle, her boyfriend Kevin, my cousin Harrison, Rachael and Rebecca) behind me both physically and emotionally. Saturday we all got up and went to HSU homecoming! Dad helped me with the boys while mom, Danielle and the rest of us went around to the education brunch and other activities. The boys got to go horseback riding, play games, do crafts, jump on the bounce house (which both boys LOVED and wouldn't come out) and had great fun in the "posse" club. I got to see some friends, and Rebecca even brought up her son Jonas so that all three boys could spend a little time together. My parents, Danielle, Kevin, Harrison, the boys and I all had lunch in the College Cafeteria where they served delicious BBQ. We talked about how we had all eaten there in college, and William declared that he was now attending college since he had eaten there too. I asked him what classes he was taking and he responded without hesitation, "English!" So now you know...my 3 year old is taking college English. William and Robert really enjoyed the ice cream of the cafeteria. they were covered in blue before it was all over. Finally, before heading home we went to the Harding-Simmons University Cowboys game. William liked ringing his bell and cheering for his team ("H-S H-S U U!") Robert liked walking up and down the length of the bleachers flirting with strangers and occasionally watching the game when everyone started cheering. I'm glad they had fun! When we got home William told me that HSU was kind of like Disney World. I know his Sweetie would be glad to hear it!
That's it for now!
Thursday, October 16, 2014
October 16, 2014
If Francis weren't having a guy's (birthday) party tonight at Top Golf, I might not have gotten in a post this week. Today is Francis's birthday. Happy birthday, my Love! It's been a good day and week, and Francis being around has made it even better.
Francis has had off Monday, Tuesday and today from work (he did have to work Saturday). That means that this calendar week, he will only work Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. We've had fun with him here! They boys love it when he's home. Francis took William on a Daddy-son date to the rink again on Monday. William is getting used to that time and will be very bummed when November hits and Francis goes back to regular schedule. William is turning into a pretty competent skater. As Francis said, "Yeah others were going faster, but they were older and hugging the wall. William went far from the wall with no fear and made it across the rink multiple times without falling." Proud of my boys! Speaking of pride, Francis is becoming quite the handy man. After taking William to his Little Gym class Tuesday (per William's request), Francis fixed leaks in two of our showers and upgraded our shower head in the master bath. I am so impressed. And don't forget about Robert! He has a new favorite word and he is using it so well. It's "bye bye". He does it and waves as he leaves the room. He first did it really clearly to Angel on Wednesday, but tonight he said his first sentence as he was hugging William goodnight. He said "bye bye bruh (brother)." I thought it was a fluke but he said it three times and then pointed to William and said "Bruh". He has also started to say "up" when he wants me to pick him up. My little talker!!!
The boys and I decorated Francis's cake yesterday (he chose carrot cake). It was so fun! I got a bunch of sprinkles and let the boys go to town. William was very methodical right down to the blue icing border and heart on top. Robert wanted it to be a cake smash and kept sticking his hand in everything and eating the evidence. I am so blessed.
The morning we got up and made Francis breakfast in bed. The kiddos and I then headed off to Bible Study to give Francis some alone time, but we came back in time to make him lunch (hot ham sandwiches, one of his favorites). After nap we opened presents. The boys got him some models that they are going to build together and some one of a kind artwork. I got him a leaf blower/sucker/mulcher. He said he likes all his gifts. We then had the cake which was delicious! Francis chose Red Lobster for dinner, and is now at Top Golf with some buddies hitting some balls. I think that's a pretty good day and I hope he does too. I love you honey!
That's it for now!
Francis has had off Monday, Tuesday and today from work (he did have to work Saturday). That means that this calendar week, he will only work Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. We've had fun with him here! They boys love it when he's home. Francis took William on a Daddy-son date to the rink again on Monday. William is getting used to that time and will be very bummed when November hits and Francis goes back to regular schedule. William is turning into a pretty competent skater. As Francis said, "Yeah others were going faster, but they were older and hugging the wall. William went far from the wall with no fear and made it across the rink multiple times without falling." Proud of my boys! Speaking of pride, Francis is becoming quite the handy man. After taking William to his Little Gym class Tuesday (per William's request), Francis fixed leaks in two of our showers and upgraded our shower head in the master bath. I am so impressed. And don't forget about Robert! He has a new favorite word and he is using it so well. It's "bye bye". He does it and waves as he leaves the room. He first did it really clearly to Angel on Wednesday, but tonight he said his first sentence as he was hugging William goodnight. He said "bye bye bruh (brother)." I thought it was a fluke but he said it three times and then pointed to William and said "Bruh". He has also started to say "up" when he wants me to pick him up. My little talker!!!
The boys and I decorated Francis's cake yesterday (he chose carrot cake). It was so fun! I got a bunch of sprinkles and let the boys go to town. William was very methodical right down to the blue icing border and heart on top. Robert wanted it to be a cake smash and kept sticking his hand in everything and eating the evidence. I am so blessed.
The morning we got up and made Francis breakfast in bed. The kiddos and I then headed off to Bible Study to give Francis some alone time, but we came back in time to make him lunch (hot ham sandwiches, one of his favorites). After nap we opened presents. The boys got him some models that they are going to build together and some one of a kind artwork. I got him a leaf blower/sucker/mulcher. He said he likes all his gifts. We then had the cake which was delicious! Francis chose Red Lobster for dinner, and is now at Top Golf with some buddies hitting some balls. I think that's a pretty good day and I hope he does too. I love you honey!
That's it for now!
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
October 7, 2014
Life keeps moving around the Phillips' household. There's never a dull moment.
Robert is moving every which way, running as much as he's walking, and getting all the scrapes, bumps, and bruises expected of a young explorer/adventurer. Right now he's learning by trial and error. Mommy saying don't do that is just not good enough. Robert is finding a new set of experiments to try each day, much to my delight (and sometimes my dismay at the result to my carpet or nice things), but his favorite item of exploration is definitely the toilet paper roll. If he can get his hands on one (we can't put them on the holders and must keep them up high), there's no telling the amount of shredding, wetting and general mayhem that will occur. It's the wet part that he likes best, but it grosses me out to no end. He isn't dipping it in the toilet (thank goodness!), he's mostly trying to eat it or put it in the shower. His ever present smile makes it hard to get onto him, which I know he uses to his advantage. He'll crawl over to something he shouldn't have/do, smile at me and do it in slow motion just to see how long it will take for me to get there to stop him. He does this daily with the dog water. I'm convinced if I were not in the room, he'd have nothing to do with the dog bowls, but as soon as I come into veiw, it's a swimming pool! Such a cutie pie! I am (still) learning to enjoy the bumps with the smooth patches, as the bumps give our life and family character. The BEST NEWS of it all is that as of Thursday, William and Robert both slept through the night for the first time ever. Robert has never done that before, and William only on occasion, so to have it happen the same night was amazing! Sleep for all!!! Since then Robert and William have been more or less sleeping through the night every night with only 1 or less wake ups each night. Friday night the boys and I slept a full 12 hours. I was sick, but I was thankful that the boys let me recuperate without interruption.
William is getting funnier all the time. He knows it too. Just yesterday Francis and I were talking about what to make for dinner. I had spent all afternoon cleaning while Robert slept and Francis took William ice skating so the kitchen was actually clean. William, as if reading my mind says, "Oooooor we could go to Wing Stop!" It's one of my favorite restaurants, but we haven't eaten there in at least a couple months so I don't where that even came from. William then turns away from Francis looks at me and winks! I laughed so hard! I said, "You know mommy likes that place, don't you!" He said, "Yep and then the kitchen can stay clean too!" He's a smart (and in this instance wisely manipulative) kiddo! We did end up deciding to eat out only to find out my car wouldn't start. The good news is it happened when Francis was home and the auto shop was still home so we were able to jump it and get it to the shop before they closed. Thanks William! We'd have had such a hard time dealing with it if we had found out after Francis left for work this morning. Counting my blessings for sure! William also has started making up his own music. The song last night went something like, "An orange aardvark, not red, not yellow, not green, not blue, not purple, oh nooooo, it's an orange aardvark!" I wish you could hear the tune. It was cute and I could tell he was making it up on the spot. He also told me I was a "cutie patootie" today. So charming!
We went to the pumpkin patch last Friday with a bunch of ladies and kiddos from church. It was so fun! We fed the goats, went on a hayride, went through a corn maze, jumped on a bounce pillow and picked out a pumpkin of our very own. The boys and I rode with Angel and her boy Ranger, and on the way home we assumed the boys would nap. We were so wrong! Ranger and William sang songs, played some ispy, pretended to sleep and eventually Angel and I gave up and bought them slushes when we stopped by Sonic. It ended up working in my favor though, since the boys both slept 12 hours that night, so yay!
That's it for now. I need a nap!
Robert is moving every which way, running as much as he's walking, and getting all the scrapes, bumps, and bruises expected of a young explorer/adventurer. Right now he's learning by trial and error. Mommy saying don't do that is just not good enough. Robert is finding a new set of experiments to try each day, much to my delight (and sometimes my dismay at the result to my carpet or nice things), but his favorite item of exploration is definitely the toilet paper roll. If he can get his hands on one (we can't put them on the holders and must keep them up high), there's no telling the amount of shredding, wetting and general mayhem that will occur. It's the wet part that he likes best, but it grosses me out to no end. He isn't dipping it in the toilet (thank goodness!), he's mostly trying to eat it or put it in the shower. His ever present smile makes it hard to get onto him, which I know he uses to his advantage. He'll crawl over to something he shouldn't have/do, smile at me and do it in slow motion just to see how long it will take for me to get there to stop him. He does this daily with the dog water. I'm convinced if I were not in the room, he'd have nothing to do with the dog bowls, but as soon as I come into veiw, it's a swimming pool! Such a cutie pie! I am (still) learning to enjoy the bumps with the smooth patches, as the bumps give our life and family character. The BEST NEWS of it all is that as of Thursday, William and Robert both slept through the night for the first time ever. Robert has never done that before, and William only on occasion, so to have it happen the same night was amazing! Sleep for all!!! Since then Robert and William have been more or less sleeping through the night every night with only 1 or less wake ups each night. Friday night the boys and I slept a full 12 hours. I was sick, but I was thankful that the boys let me recuperate without interruption.
William is getting funnier all the time. He knows it too. Just yesterday Francis and I were talking about what to make for dinner. I had spent all afternoon cleaning while Robert slept and Francis took William ice skating so the kitchen was actually clean. William, as if reading my mind says, "Oooooor we could go to Wing Stop!" It's one of my favorite restaurants, but we haven't eaten there in at least a couple months so I don't where that even came from. William then turns away from Francis looks at me and winks! I laughed so hard! I said, "You know mommy likes that place, don't you!" He said, "Yep and then the kitchen can stay clean too!" He's a smart (and in this instance wisely manipulative) kiddo! We did end up deciding to eat out only to find out my car wouldn't start. The good news is it happened when Francis was home and the auto shop was still home so we were able to jump it and get it to the shop before they closed. Thanks William! We'd have had such a hard time dealing with it if we had found out after Francis left for work this morning. Counting my blessings for sure! William also has started making up his own music. The song last night went something like, "An orange aardvark, not red, not yellow, not green, not blue, not purple, oh nooooo, it's an orange aardvark!" I wish you could hear the tune. It was cute and I could tell he was making it up on the spot. He also told me I was a "cutie patootie" today. So charming!
We went to the pumpkin patch last Friday with a bunch of ladies and kiddos from church. It was so fun! We fed the goats, went on a hayride, went through a corn maze, jumped on a bounce pillow and picked out a pumpkin of our very own. The boys and I rode with Angel and her boy Ranger, and on the way home we assumed the boys would nap. We were so wrong! Ranger and William sang songs, played some ispy, pretended to sleep and eventually Angel and I gave up and bought them slushes when we stopped by Sonic. It ended up working in my favor though, since the boys both slept 12 hours that night, so yay!
That's it for now. I need a nap!
Thursday, September 25, 2014
September 25, 2014
So last Wednesday I woke up to find my credit card had been used fraudulently. I noticed a couple of foreign transactions fees and knew I hadn't been out of the country the day before, so I called my credit card company. They removed the charges and got me a new card (even if I had to wait a week for the card). I'm glad I noticed though. Someone could have had a shopping spree at my expense otherwise! We went to Barnes and Noble that morning where William and Ranger had a sweet reunion and Angel and I were able to catch up. William told Ranger all about our trip and invited him to come back with us "next time". Now sure when that's gonna be, kid! The boys and I had lunch with Angel and Ranger before we headed on to their 1 and 3 year old check-ups at the doctor. William is still at the top range of his age being nearly 39 inches and having gained 5 lbs in the past year. His BMI is perfect, and Dr. Enders says everything looks good. Robert too has grown to be 30 inches long, but he only gained just over a pound in the past 3 months instead of the expected 3. The doctor wasn't too worried since he still gained weight (didn't lose weight), and said as we stop nursing to make sure he gets even more healthy, high calorie foods to get his weight up. We began the weaning process that day, much to Robert's displeasure. I would give all the reasons we needed to wean (not that I need to explain myself to the internet), but it's better to just say it was time. We also started working on getting Robert to sleep in his own bed all by himself the whole night. What a rough week for my baby boy. My big boy (William) had his first AWANAS meeting that night. He is a proud cubbie! He went straight into class and right to work. Other parents were hanging around to get their kid's comfortable, but William said, bye and I took him at his word. I'm so proud he's reached this milestone, but it's happened so fast! After dropping him off Robert smiled and I realized he has two more teeth. His top two one year molars are in, bringing his total number of teeth to 10! I needed some good news right about then and this was it. Robert is a keeper, that's for sure!
Thursday we has Bible Study. Robert screamed when I left him and I could hear him scream until he eventually passed out. Separation anxiety has been in fully swing. I take two steps away form him and he starts to cry. It's been exhausting. I know I will miss all the cuddles when it's over, but the crying makes me feel so sad when I have to go do normal things like make dinner or go to the restroom. It's nice to be loved.
Friday the boys and I went to Mt. Playmore with a group from my new MOPS group which included Angel and Ranger. It was a fun morning but towards the end we had to leave because William kept sticking coins in the games without telling me and then the game would run out with us having not played it. He got a warning and decided to ignore me once more, so we had to go home. He cried and cried, but once he settled we had a great opportunity to talk about sin, Adam and Eve and what happened when they disobeyed their Father (kicked out from the Garden of Eden). I then told him that he was going to get a second chance (which we explained is grace) and that after nap we could try again if he was willing to show me he would listen to me. I am pleased to tell you the message sunk in and that after nap and dinner, Francis and I took the boys back to Mt. Playmore and William listened really well. Who knew Mt. Playmore would have Biblical applications? Yes, I know every thing has Biblical and spiritual applications. This time I just happened to see it in the right moment.
Saturday, (with Francis still working Saturdays), the boys and I went up to the mall and happened upon an event at both the Disney store (a Doc McStuffins' event) and at the mall at large (Julius Jr. and his friends event). The boys got to do activities, make crafts and William even got his face painted. It marvelous when a plan accidentally comes together.
Sunday I was back at church and I love how much church feels like home. Our pastor teaches the truth even if it is hard to hear. After church we had a birthday party at the Little Gym. William's friend from there turned 3. When I arrived, I recognized more than half of people at the party (I thought I would only know the mom of the little girl) and one of them was actually someone I had met at Mt. Playmore on Friday from my new MOPS group. Small world! I'm getting to where I can't go anywhere where I don't know someone. It's great!
Sunday night was the last time I nursed Robert. Francis had Monday off so after the boys and I made a grocery run, I had a Dr. appointment to finally get my ear looked at. I've had fluid in my ear for nearly a year, and two different doctors told me they needed to wait until I was done nursing to deal with it. I'm now on steroids. After my appointment, Francis, the boys and I bought Robert his new, big boy car seat. No more carrier car seat for my big boy. We got a 4ever car seat by Graco and I think we will really like it.
Tuesday was Little Gym day. It's always fun to see my boys learn new things. Wednesday morning I had my well-woman's exam and everything looks great as far as that goes. Before heading to the appointment, I threw out my back. Like bad...I dropped the boys at Angel's, and I couldn't even lift Robert out of the car without wincing in pain. I'm still not recovered, but I'm on regimen of Aleve that seems to be helping significantly. Wednesday night William officially finished his cubbies entrance book and got his cubbies vest. He was so excited! He's looked so big when he tried it on. I', so excited for him.
I had Bible Study this morning and I have MOPS tomorrow. I am so blessed to be around such Godly ladies who challenge me to know God better and to reach out to a world who needs Him.
Finally William had been doing great at (home) school! He's learning more and more sight words to read, writing better and completing tasks. He is learning so much about math and science and literature. I'm so impressed by him. Just the other day I let him open some of the junk mail. I asked him what it said and he goes, "mommy it's just a bunch of 'yes's and 'no's. Sure enough, I looked at it and it was a chart comparing a bunch of different cable providers with yes and no in each square. I was so impressed! Today and yesterday we've been using a balance scale given to us by my mother-in-law to talk about mass. He learned that not all things have the same mass, that it takes precision to measure and, most importantly, that one Oreo is equal to 12 chocolate teddy grams in weight. Priorities! He's also been learning his Bible verses and taking them to heart. So far he's learned 1 John 4:10 and Romans 3:23. If you see him around, ask him to recite them. He'll be so pleased to tell you what he knows! He's been working on his French too. He likes learning about all the things he will be wearing in Canada and how to say thing in French.
Robert had learned to turn around and walk sideways. This comes in handy as he has been getting into every space imaginable and had to find a way out. His appetite has increased since he finished nursing and I have every confidence that he will pack on the pounds in no time. He actually slept 9 hours in a row without any assistance for the first time ever this week (his record was 5 hours before). It's only happened once, but it's a start!!!
My boys are so fun. I'm so blessed that they are mine.
Thursday we has Bible Study. Robert screamed when I left him and I could hear him scream until he eventually passed out. Separation anxiety has been in fully swing. I take two steps away form him and he starts to cry. It's been exhausting. I know I will miss all the cuddles when it's over, but the crying makes me feel so sad when I have to go do normal things like make dinner or go to the restroom. It's nice to be loved.
Friday the boys and I went to Mt. Playmore with a group from my new MOPS group which included Angel and Ranger. It was a fun morning but towards the end we had to leave because William kept sticking coins in the games without telling me and then the game would run out with us having not played it. He got a warning and decided to ignore me once more, so we had to go home. He cried and cried, but once he settled we had a great opportunity to talk about sin, Adam and Eve and what happened when they disobeyed their Father (kicked out from the Garden of Eden). I then told him that he was going to get a second chance (which we explained is grace) and that after nap we could try again if he was willing to show me he would listen to me. I am pleased to tell you the message sunk in and that after nap and dinner, Francis and I took the boys back to Mt. Playmore and William listened really well. Who knew Mt. Playmore would have Biblical applications? Yes, I know every thing has Biblical and spiritual applications. This time I just happened to see it in the right moment.
Saturday, (with Francis still working Saturdays), the boys and I went up to the mall and happened upon an event at both the Disney store (a Doc McStuffins' event) and at the mall at large (Julius Jr. and his friends event). The boys got to do activities, make crafts and William even got his face painted. It marvelous when a plan accidentally comes together.
Sunday I was back at church and I love how much church feels like home. Our pastor teaches the truth even if it is hard to hear. After church we had a birthday party at the Little Gym. William's friend from there turned 3. When I arrived, I recognized more than half of people at the party (I thought I would only know the mom of the little girl) and one of them was actually someone I had met at Mt. Playmore on Friday from my new MOPS group. Small world! I'm getting to where I can't go anywhere where I don't know someone. It's great!
Sunday night was the last time I nursed Robert. Francis had Monday off so after the boys and I made a grocery run, I had a Dr. appointment to finally get my ear looked at. I've had fluid in my ear for nearly a year, and two different doctors told me they needed to wait until I was done nursing to deal with it. I'm now on steroids. After my appointment, Francis, the boys and I bought Robert his new, big boy car seat. No more carrier car seat for my big boy. We got a 4ever car seat by Graco and I think we will really like it.
Tuesday was Little Gym day. It's always fun to see my boys learn new things. Wednesday morning I had my well-woman's exam and everything looks great as far as that goes. Before heading to the appointment, I threw out my back. Like bad...I dropped the boys at Angel's, and I couldn't even lift Robert out of the car without wincing in pain. I'm still not recovered, but I'm on regimen of Aleve that seems to be helping significantly. Wednesday night William officially finished his cubbies entrance book and got his cubbies vest. He was so excited! He's looked so big when he tried it on. I', so excited for him.
I had Bible Study this morning and I have MOPS tomorrow. I am so blessed to be around such Godly ladies who challenge me to know God better and to reach out to a world who needs Him.
Finally William had been doing great at (home) school! He's learning more and more sight words to read, writing better and completing tasks. He is learning so much about math and science and literature. I'm so impressed by him. Just the other day I let him open some of the junk mail. I asked him what it said and he goes, "mommy it's just a bunch of 'yes's and 'no's. Sure enough, I looked at it and it was a chart comparing a bunch of different cable providers with yes and no in each square. I was so impressed! Today and yesterday we've been using a balance scale given to us by my mother-in-law to talk about mass. He learned that not all things have the same mass, that it takes precision to measure and, most importantly, that one Oreo is equal to 12 chocolate teddy grams in weight. Priorities! He's also been learning his Bible verses and taking them to heart. So far he's learned 1 John 4:10 and Romans 3:23. If you see him around, ask him to recite them. He'll be so pleased to tell you what he knows! He's been working on his French too. He likes learning about all the things he will be wearing in Canada and how to say thing in French.
Robert had learned to turn around and walk sideways. This comes in handy as he has been getting into every space imaginable and had to find a way out. His appetite has increased since he finished nursing and I have every confidence that he will pack on the pounds in no time. He actually slept 9 hours in a row without any assistance for the first time ever this week (his record was 5 hours before). It's only happened once, but it's a start!!!
My boys are so fun. I'm so blessed that they are mine.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Robert's Birthday, Disney World Part 2
Where was I, oh yeah! Wednesday before last, my baby boy turned 1! We woke up and put Robert in his ONE shirt that had his name on it and also put on his Disney birthday button. He was not as excited about this proposition as I was, but he indulged me. We headed to Magic Kingdom, and immediately rode, you guessed it, Buzz Light year 9 or more times (Francis and my mom and I traded out riding with the boys so we could ride other things they couldn't). William and Robert sure love that ride. Good thing there was no line! We spent the day riding nearly every ride we could with short lines or no lines in most cases. The two most anticipated rides were The Jungle Cruise and The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Well, we got straight on the Seven Dwarfs ride using our fastpass, and William jumped the whole way through the line. I was as giddy as he! The ride was so fun, even if it was a bit short and the seats a bit narrow. I guess William likes roller coasters because this was the third one he's been on and he's loved all of them! The Jungle cruise is one William has "ridden" on our Disneyland game many times and so he was very excited to get on it. The ride did not live up to his expectations, I'm sad to say. He got scared that the fake hippos and fake crocodiles were so close to the boat and started crying (funny thing is we were right next to real Hippos the day before at Animal Kingdom and that didn't bother him!). Not every dream turns out the way you expect. Shortly after that ride both the boys passed out and Francis and I rode Haunted Mansion while my parents watched the boys and the parade. The ride has been changed to be extremely scary/creepy and I didn't enjoy it. I was so glad that we didn't take William on it. I wouldn't take young ones on that ride! When we got back Robert was awake and Sweetie had bought him a toy for his birthday. He toddled along happily with a little stuffed wolf, smiling at me. It made me happy to see him enjoying his day even a little. William woke up and we rode more rides and I even managed to get a picture of Robert with his 12 month sticker on in front of the castle with no one around! There was a dance party going on in the square in front of the castle which effectively blocked off access to the castle except from the direction we came and so the courtyard was deserted. I felt so happy to snap that shot with no one else in frame. It's definitely going in his baby book. For dinner we ate at Liberty Tree Tavern. The food was delicious, especially the beef. Robert ate quite a bit, and the waiters brought him an ice cream with a candle and sang to him. I made the mistake of putting a completely adorable 1 Birthday Mickey Mouse hat on him and he cried through the second half of the song. He did like the ice cream though so I think he forgave me. We made it out of the restaurant just in time for the Lights parade, and William and Robert were mesmerized by it. Then we wisely used our last fastpass of the day to watch the fireworks in a special wide open spot with plenty of room (though the spot was a pain to get to thanks to the crowd gathered). The boys loved the show (almost as much as I did) and is was a perfect end to our day. Overall I think it was a successful first birthday.
Thursday when Robert woke up, he felt really warm. I was nervous, but anxiously hoped the fever would quickly pass. After all, we were celebrating William's birthday that day (exactly one month late)! William put on his Mickey Mouse Birthday Boy shirt and button and beamed with pride. We went to Epcot, where every employee wished him a very happy birthday and he in turn told them that he was three years old. He was so proud and loved the attention. We rode the much anticipated (by me) ride Soarin' and William was actually just tall enough to ride (40''). He loved it and so did I. It is quite possibly my favorite ride at Disney. As the morning went on, Robert continued to feel hotter and hotter until we took him to the clinic at Epcot. He had a fever of 104.6! We quickly got him some acetomenaphin and a cool wash cloth to get him temp down, but I felt terrible that he was in so much pain. After lunch Francis took Robert back to the hotel where Robert took a good long nap. My mom went back with them and headed to the airport, leaving my Dad, William and me in Morrocco at Epcot. The three of us went "around the world" meeting and seeing characters as we went including Aladdin and Jasmine, Pluto, Snow White, Alice, Mary Poppins, and the chipmunks to name a few. William was delighted to meet all these characters even if he knew they were "just pretending". He's such a sweet kid. William even got to spend some time with Mickey, Minnie and Goofy up close and personal as there was no line. They each kissed him and Goofy even picked him up and swung him around. He's still talking about it. The only dark spot in the afternoon was when I took William on Maelstrom in Norway. It's a pretty creepy ride thanks to the trolls(which I didn't exactly remember), and William got scared. Poor kid; mommy fail. Funny thing is when we got back from our trip, they announced that they are taking out that ride and putting in a Frozen ride instead. I don't blame them! After a long nap, Francis and Robert rejoined us for William's "birthday" dinner at Coral Reef restaurant, but not before riding the Nemo ride for the 4 or 5th time. It's his second favorite ride after Buzz Lightyear. The Coral Reef restraint had good ambiance, but the food was just ok. William didn't care though. At different intervals he would excitedly say, "There's Crush!" Or "there's a shark" and we would look at the aquarium filling the entire wall and watch the sea life as it went along. He was so happy!
Friday was our last day at the Disney parks. Robert was doing better and mid morning his fever broke and he returned to his happy self. We went to Magic Kingdom and rode, you guessed it, Buzz Lightyear a bunch of times. My dad stayed at the hotel. Turns out he wasn't feeling great, but we didn't know it. We rode all the rides we hadn't on Wednesday. We had reservations at Be Our Guest in Belle's castle, and we made sure to be on time for our reservation. The inside of the restraint was impressive. they have three cafeteria rooms (though I feel silly calling them that because they are so well done). One is the ball room complete with hanging chandeliers and snow falling outside the windows. Another is the beast's chamber with everything ripped and the rose slowly losing petals as you watch. The third is like a library and has Belle and the Beast dancing around on a pedestal. The food was equally good. We all cleared our plate. I got a light up souvenir goblet with my meal which made me feel exceptionally royal. I also like that the food was different because that made it special. It's the place to be. When we left the restraint, it started to rain, so we hurried around to ride the Belle's enchanted castle ride. It started to pour just as we got inside. Whew! William was selected to play the part of Chip and he did his part admirably. Belle took her picture with him and he smiled so big, I thought he would burst! After the ride, the rain subsided, and we went to visit Cinderella and Rapunzel while we waited for our fast pass time to come. Then it was time. William scanned his magic band and we got to go see Anna and ELSA! They were all done up and played their roles beautifully. William spoke to both of them with such excitement and gave them each a hug. They admired his Olaf shirt and he laughed with pleasure. When we finally had to leave he walked backwards out of the building so he could see them as long as possible. I think he may have a crush on some of the Disney princesses, though he claims that Olaf and Buzz will forever be his favorite characters. Robert did well to with the princesses. He smiled and let them touch him, but he didn't much want his picture taken as a rule. He may take after his daddy who also is not fond of posed photos. William chose the last ride: Ariel's Grotto. It was a great end to our afternoon. We then headed over to Downtown Disney for dinner and a little shopping. We ate at a Wolfgang Puck restaurant (which was included in our meal plan, wow!) and it was delicious. I have no complaints about any of the food consumed that day. We bought a few souvenirs (we hadn't been shopping until then) and headed back to the hotel exhausted but happy. William wasn't don't though. He and Francis went swimming one last time before bed. He wanted to squeeze in just a bit more fun.
Saturday we pack, checked our bags for the airport at our hotel and had some breakfast. The boys also played in the hotel arcade until our bus came to pick us up. William was ok with leaving until we physically got on the bus. He then decided to have the second biggest meltdown he's ever had. He wailed saying he didn't want to leave and then tried to exit the bus over and over. I finally took him to the restroom on the bus so he could calm down. As soon as he got over it though, he even waved bye to the hotel and said, "we'll see you again sometime". I'm glad he didn't cry the whole way home. Robert nearly did. He cried on and off even on the plane. We parted ways with my dad after lunch at the airport and once we were on our plane I saw a rash on Robert's torso. I quickly realized he had had Roseola this week, and we were now infecting an entire plane...awesome. Nothing could be done at that point and I read afterward that the are actually less contagious once the rash appears (sorry if you were on that plane! I really thought he was healed!). I still feel really bad about the whole thing. Well, we made it home and unpacked, glad to put our kids down in their own beds.
Sunday and Monday, I kept Robert quarantined until 24 hours after the rash was gone. William and Francis went to church Sunday, and I spend Sunday and Monday getting our house back in working order. Tuesday we were back in full swing at the Little Gym. I think I will close here, because I am getting both longwinded and off topic for this post. Thanks for reading. It was an awesome trip!!!
Thursday when Robert woke up, he felt really warm. I was nervous, but anxiously hoped the fever would quickly pass. After all, we were celebrating William's birthday that day (exactly one month late)! William put on his Mickey Mouse Birthday Boy shirt and button and beamed with pride. We went to Epcot, where every employee wished him a very happy birthday and he in turn told them that he was three years old. He was so proud and loved the attention. We rode the much anticipated (by me) ride Soarin' and William was actually just tall enough to ride (40''). He loved it and so did I. It is quite possibly my favorite ride at Disney. As the morning went on, Robert continued to feel hotter and hotter until we took him to the clinic at Epcot. He had a fever of 104.6! We quickly got him some acetomenaphin and a cool wash cloth to get him temp down, but I felt terrible that he was in so much pain. After lunch Francis took Robert back to the hotel where Robert took a good long nap. My mom went back with them and headed to the airport, leaving my Dad, William and me in Morrocco at Epcot. The three of us went "around the world" meeting and seeing characters as we went including Aladdin and Jasmine, Pluto, Snow White, Alice, Mary Poppins, and the chipmunks to name a few. William was delighted to meet all these characters even if he knew they were "just pretending". He's such a sweet kid. William even got to spend some time with Mickey, Minnie and Goofy up close and personal as there was no line. They each kissed him and Goofy even picked him up and swung him around. He's still talking about it. The only dark spot in the afternoon was when I took William on Maelstrom in Norway. It's a pretty creepy ride thanks to the trolls(which I didn't exactly remember), and William got scared. Poor kid; mommy fail. Funny thing is when we got back from our trip, they announced that they are taking out that ride and putting in a Frozen ride instead. I don't blame them! After a long nap, Francis and Robert rejoined us for William's "birthday" dinner at Coral Reef restaurant, but not before riding the Nemo ride for the 4 or 5th time. It's his second favorite ride after Buzz Lightyear. The Coral Reef restraint had good ambiance, but the food was just ok. William didn't care though. At different intervals he would excitedly say, "There's Crush!" Or "there's a shark" and we would look at the aquarium filling the entire wall and watch the sea life as it went along. He was so happy!
Friday was our last day at the Disney parks. Robert was doing better and mid morning his fever broke and he returned to his happy self. We went to Magic Kingdom and rode, you guessed it, Buzz Lightyear a bunch of times. My dad stayed at the hotel. Turns out he wasn't feeling great, but we didn't know it. We rode all the rides we hadn't on Wednesday. We had reservations at Be Our Guest in Belle's castle, and we made sure to be on time for our reservation. The inside of the restraint was impressive. they have three cafeteria rooms (though I feel silly calling them that because they are so well done). One is the ball room complete with hanging chandeliers and snow falling outside the windows. Another is the beast's chamber with everything ripped and the rose slowly losing petals as you watch. The third is like a library and has Belle and the Beast dancing around on a pedestal. The food was equally good. We all cleared our plate. I got a light up souvenir goblet with my meal which made me feel exceptionally royal. I also like that the food was different because that made it special. It's the place to be. When we left the restraint, it started to rain, so we hurried around to ride the Belle's enchanted castle ride. It started to pour just as we got inside. Whew! William was selected to play the part of Chip and he did his part admirably. Belle took her picture with him and he smiled so big, I thought he would burst! After the ride, the rain subsided, and we went to visit Cinderella and Rapunzel while we waited for our fast pass time to come. Then it was time. William scanned his magic band and we got to go see Anna and ELSA! They were all done up and played their roles beautifully. William spoke to both of them with such excitement and gave them each a hug. They admired his Olaf shirt and he laughed with pleasure. When we finally had to leave he walked backwards out of the building so he could see them as long as possible. I think he may have a crush on some of the Disney princesses, though he claims that Olaf and Buzz will forever be his favorite characters. Robert did well to with the princesses. He smiled and let them touch him, but he didn't much want his picture taken as a rule. He may take after his daddy who also is not fond of posed photos. William chose the last ride: Ariel's Grotto. It was a great end to our afternoon. We then headed over to Downtown Disney for dinner and a little shopping. We ate at a Wolfgang Puck restaurant (which was included in our meal plan, wow!) and it was delicious. I have no complaints about any of the food consumed that day. We bought a few souvenirs (we hadn't been shopping until then) and headed back to the hotel exhausted but happy. William wasn't don't though. He and Francis went swimming one last time before bed. He wanted to squeeze in just a bit more fun.
Saturday we pack, checked our bags for the airport at our hotel and had some breakfast. The boys also played in the hotel arcade until our bus came to pick us up. William was ok with leaving until we physically got on the bus. He then decided to have the second biggest meltdown he's ever had. He wailed saying he didn't want to leave and then tried to exit the bus over and over. I finally took him to the restroom on the bus so he could calm down. As soon as he got over it though, he even waved bye to the hotel and said, "we'll see you again sometime". I'm glad he didn't cry the whole way home. Robert nearly did. He cried on and off even on the plane. We parted ways with my dad after lunch at the airport and once we were on our plane I saw a rash on Robert's torso. I quickly realized he had had Roseola this week, and we were now infecting an entire plane...awesome. Nothing could be done at that point and I read afterward that the are actually less contagious once the rash appears (sorry if you were on that plane! I really thought he was healed!). I still feel really bad about the whole thing. Well, we made it home and unpacked, glad to put our kids down in their own beds.
Sunday and Monday, I kept Robert quarantined until 24 hours after the rash was gone. William and Francis went to church Sunday, and I spend Sunday and Monday getting our house back in working order. Tuesday we were back in full swing at the Little Gym. I think I will close here, because I am getting both longwinded and off topic for this post. Thanks for reading. It was an awesome trip!!!
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Robert's Party, Disney World Part 1
I've decided it will take more than one entry to catch up to "live" so I will take my time and try to do this right.
Friday before last we had a marriage conference at church. It was a huge success and we learned a lot. When we got home from it, Nana and Grandad were at our house which meant one thing: birthday weekend had begun. They helped put the boys to bed and we went to bed shortly afterward. I woke up and showered early Saturday morning and Francis's mother and I headed out to pick up the (enormous) cake and food for the party. While we were out my grandparents (Jamama and Japapa) called and wanted to come over and spend some time with the boys. Well, Japapa went with William and the men on a trip to Home Depot while Jamama loved on Robert. I think they had a nice time getting to bond with their great grandkids. Right around lunch time my sister-in-law Cyndy and her family arrived and we were able to do an awesome photo session capturing Robert's cake smash. He was not timid like his brother was...oh no! Robert dipped his finger in the icing, tasted it, his face lit up and he dug right in! If I could have changed one thing it would have been to not use any red icing on the cake. There was only a little on there, but it smeared everywhere! The pictures turned out adorable (Thanks Cyndy!). I'm one proud momma!!! Well, my whole family came over before the party including my sisters, brother-in-law, parents, both sets of grandparents and my aunt Camille. We had our whole family together (as Francis's family was all already present) and our house was full of love and laughter. When the party got in full swing we had 37 people including 11 kids! I'm a quality time person so even though the party was for Robert, I certainly felt the love for not only him, but for our family. Robert got so many wonderful presents including a Zany Zoo activity table, Xylophones, a ball pit, books, cars, buses, a Disney birthday t-shirt, a dusty ride on toy, a tricycle, a toy car ramp, and SO MUCH MORE! Don't worry, we will be clearing out other toys to make room in our house. It was a successful party and I am so glad so many were willing to celebrate with us. The full sheet of cake only had a row and a half left. It was great cake! Most of all Robert had fun with his friends and family. He walked around and laughed and played. He's growing up too fast I tell you!
Sunday we packed up our car and headed to church. We brought all the food left over from the party to church and left it there so others could enjoy. After Bible Life class (Sunday school) we picked up the boys early and headed to the airport. I felt silly leaving church early, but everyone was so excited for us and our trip that it turned out just fine. We got to the airport, checked our bags and waited for the plane. I think that was the hardest part because William was so anxious to get there and Robert was anxious to get into everything. The plane ride was fine thanks to a long nap by Robert and William playing with his new Busy Books and watching the TV in front of his seat. The unlimited drinks and snacks helped too (thanks Jet Blue!!!). After the bus ride to the hotel (where William got increasingly excited and kept asking if we were there yet), we were welcomed by my parents in the lobby. Of course even though it was 7:00 and raining, William still wanted to hit the pool right away... which he and Francis eventually did. My mom bought the boys flashing Mickey Trick or Treat baskets and they were glowing in the window when we got up to the room. That is when I knew we were actually at Disney World.
Monday I was up bright and early. We showered, ate breakfast and took the bus to Hollywood studios shortly after it opened. They had Frozen stuff everywhere, but William only had eyes for the Toy Story ride at first. We actually rode another ride first as our fast pass was not yet active, and although he liked the Great Movie Adventure, he was even happier when we headed over to ride Toy Story Mania. I was so glad we had our fast passes as we got almost straight on. William loved the ride, and Robert, who was sitting in my lap, was absolutely mesmerized. I got the high score on my side, but Francis and my dad outscored me overall. After we got off the ride, we got in line to see Buzz Lightyear and Woody. It was one of the longer lines we had to wait in, lasting nearly 45 minutes. But when we got to the front, it was all worth it. William lit up and beamed as he got to turn Buzz "on" and "off". He gave both Buzz and Woody hugs and high fives (Robert had fallen asleep just before we reached the front). For the next hour or so, William's face was one HUGE smile. Talk about melting a mother's heart! We used our other 2 fast passes for the Indiana Jones and Cars shows which William also enjoyed a great deal. At lunch we got Elsa and Olaf cupcakes as part of our meal plan, and they were a huge hit! Francis and my dad stayed in the air conditioning while Robert napped after lunch, and my mom, William and I attended the Frozen Sing along. It was so cute and so much fun. At the end they made it "snow" and William nearly leapt out of my lap popping and catching the bubble pieces. At the end he said, "Mommy I didn't sing at all", and he flashed a grin and started laughing. He's a crazy kid. We also got to play in real snow in oaken's trading post. They have an indoor area with a skating rink and snow area. William and Francis built a snowman. Then William kicked it down. Yeah. After we used all three fast passes, you can actually get another. We used ours to get priority seating at the fireworks show Fantasmic that night. It turned out to be a very smart move because as soon as we got off riding Toy Story Mania once more, we ran over to Fantasmic to find it was standing room only, but in the preferred seating (which we had) there were still plenty of benches. The show was great and we had great seats even if we did cut it a little close!
Tuesday we hit the other three parks. You read that right. First we went to Animal kingdom. My dad stayed at the hotel as his knee brace bothered him. We headed straight to meet Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. William again beamed with the happiness of a child without care. He hugged Mickey an d Minnie, danced around them and stayed as long as we would let him. His face once again wore the look of the happiest kid on earth for a long time after we left. It was adorable. Robert looked with interest but wasn't quite as overjoyed. Maybe someday, kid. There was no line for the river rapids so we went straight on instead of waiting around for our fast pass (there were almost no lines for most things). William got sprayed in the face pretty early in the ride and did not enjoy the rest of it. My mom, the boys and I looked at all the animals while Francis rode a roller coaster, but that was the most we did since we can look at animals anywhere. We did ride the Safari ride which was extremely enjoyable. Francis got some really cool pictures. We headed back to the hotel after lunch and after some rest time, my dad joined us as we all headed over to Magic Kingdom. We rode on the Laugh Floor and then rode Buzz Lightyear 3 or 4 times in a row. William has been waiting for months to ride this ride and it certainly lived up to his expectations. It was by far his favorite ride! we also rode the people mover while the men got straight on space mountain. Fun times! Magic Kingdom was closing early for the Halloween party so we went over to Epcot for dinner and to ride a few rides there. Also no lines at that park. It started to rain so we eventually headed back to the hotel. It was a great day!
That's all for now. I will pick up next time with Robert's actual birthday Day!
Friday before last we had a marriage conference at church. It was a huge success and we learned a lot. When we got home from it, Nana and Grandad were at our house which meant one thing: birthday weekend had begun. They helped put the boys to bed and we went to bed shortly afterward. I woke up and showered early Saturday morning and Francis's mother and I headed out to pick up the (enormous) cake and food for the party. While we were out my grandparents (Jamama and Japapa) called and wanted to come over and spend some time with the boys. Well, Japapa went with William and the men on a trip to Home Depot while Jamama loved on Robert. I think they had a nice time getting to bond with their great grandkids. Right around lunch time my sister-in-law Cyndy and her family arrived and we were able to do an awesome photo session capturing Robert's cake smash. He was not timid like his brother was...oh no! Robert dipped his finger in the icing, tasted it, his face lit up and he dug right in! If I could have changed one thing it would have been to not use any red icing on the cake. There was only a little on there, but it smeared everywhere! The pictures turned out adorable (Thanks Cyndy!). I'm one proud momma!!! Well, my whole family came over before the party including my sisters, brother-in-law, parents, both sets of grandparents and my aunt Camille. We had our whole family together (as Francis's family was all already present) and our house was full of love and laughter. When the party got in full swing we had 37 people including 11 kids! I'm a quality time person so even though the party was for Robert, I certainly felt the love for not only him, but for our family. Robert got so many wonderful presents including a Zany Zoo activity table, Xylophones, a ball pit, books, cars, buses, a Disney birthday t-shirt, a dusty ride on toy, a tricycle, a toy car ramp, and SO MUCH MORE! Don't worry, we will be clearing out other toys to make room in our house. It was a successful party and I am so glad so many were willing to celebrate with us. The full sheet of cake only had a row and a half left. It was great cake! Most of all Robert had fun with his friends and family. He walked around and laughed and played. He's growing up too fast I tell you!
Sunday we packed up our car and headed to church. We brought all the food left over from the party to church and left it there so others could enjoy. After Bible Life class (Sunday school) we picked up the boys early and headed to the airport. I felt silly leaving church early, but everyone was so excited for us and our trip that it turned out just fine. We got to the airport, checked our bags and waited for the plane. I think that was the hardest part because William was so anxious to get there and Robert was anxious to get into everything. The plane ride was fine thanks to a long nap by Robert and William playing with his new Busy Books and watching the TV in front of his seat. The unlimited drinks and snacks helped too (thanks Jet Blue!!!). After the bus ride to the hotel (where William got increasingly excited and kept asking if we were there yet), we were welcomed by my parents in the lobby. Of course even though it was 7:00 and raining, William still wanted to hit the pool right away... which he and Francis eventually did. My mom bought the boys flashing Mickey Trick or Treat baskets and they were glowing in the window when we got up to the room. That is when I knew we were actually at Disney World.
Monday I was up bright and early. We showered, ate breakfast and took the bus to Hollywood studios shortly after it opened. They had Frozen stuff everywhere, but William only had eyes for the Toy Story ride at first. We actually rode another ride first as our fast pass was not yet active, and although he liked the Great Movie Adventure, he was even happier when we headed over to ride Toy Story Mania. I was so glad we had our fast passes as we got almost straight on. William loved the ride, and Robert, who was sitting in my lap, was absolutely mesmerized. I got the high score on my side, but Francis and my dad outscored me overall. After we got off the ride, we got in line to see Buzz Lightyear and Woody. It was one of the longer lines we had to wait in, lasting nearly 45 minutes. But when we got to the front, it was all worth it. William lit up and beamed as he got to turn Buzz "on" and "off". He gave both Buzz and Woody hugs and high fives (Robert had fallen asleep just before we reached the front). For the next hour or so, William's face was one HUGE smile. Talk about melting a mother's heart! We used our other 2 fast passes for the Indiana Jones and Cars shows which William also enjoyed a great deal. At lunch we got Elsa and Olaf cupcakes as part of our meal plan, and they were a huge hit! Francis and my dad stayed in the air conditioning while Robert napped after lunch, and my mom, William and I attended the Frozen Sing along. It was so cute and so much fun. At the end they made it "snow" and William nearly leapt out of my lap popping and catching the bubble pieces. At the end he said, "Mommy I didn't sing at all", and he flashed a grin and started laughing. He's a crazy kid. We also got to play in real snow in oaken's trading post. They have an indoor area with a skating rink and snow area. William and Francis built a snowman. Then William kicked it down. Yeah. After we used all three fast passes, you can actually get another. We used ours to get priority seating at the fireworks show Fantasmic that night. It turned out to be a very smart move because as soon as we got off riding Toy Story Mania once more, we ran over to Fantasmic to find it was standing room only, but in the preferred seating (which we had) there were still plenty of benches. The show was great and we had great seats even if we did cut it a little close!
Tuesday we hit the other three parks. You read that right. First we went to Animal kingdom. My dad stayed at the hotel as his knee brace bothered him. We headed straight to meet Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. William again beamed with the happiness of a child without care. He hugged Mickey an d Minnie, danced around them and stayed as long as we would let him. His face once again wore the look of the happiest kid on earth for a long time after we left. It was adorable. Robert looked with interest but wasn't quite as overjoyed. Maybe someday, kid. There was no line for the river rapids so we went straight on instead of waiting around for our fast pass (there were almost no lines for most things). William got sprayed in the face pretty early in the ride and did not enjoy the rest of it. My mom, the boys and I looked at all the animals while Francis rode a roller coaster, but that was the most we did since we can look at animals anywhere. We did ride the Safari ride which was extremely enjoyable. Francis got some really cool pictures. We headed back to the hotel after lunch and after some rest time, my dad joined us as we all headed over to Magic Kingdom. We rode on the Laugh Floor and then rode Buzz Lightyear 3 or 4 times in a row. William has been waiting for months to ride this ride and it certainly lived up to his expectations. It was by far his favorite ride! we also rode the people mover while the men got straight on space mountain. Fun times! Magic Kingdom was closing early for the Halloween party so we went over to Epcot for dinner and to ride a few rides there. Also no lines at that park. It started to rain so we eventually headed back to the hotel. It was a great day!
That's all for now. I will pick up next time with Robert's actual birthday Day!
Friday, September 5, 2014
September 5, 2014
Hello September. You've snuck up on me a bit. This week has been crazy. We are in full fall season here at the Phillips house. Sunday night Francis's parents came in town for dinner and spent the night to hang out with us for Labor Day. They could not get over how much Robert has grown and how well he walks now. He does better every day! For Labor Day we went to breakfast at IHOP and then over to Mt. Playmore for a morning of tunnel crawling, game playing and general wearing-out-of -the-grandparents. It was fun. We had lunch at Chick-fil-a followed by some time ice skating at the local rink. William has improved so much since I last saw him in person. He can get around by himself without falling and is even beginning to pick up a little speed. I'm so proud of him! Francis's parents left before dinner, but as William was not done having fun (where does he get the energy?!), Francis took him back to Mt. Playmore for one last hurrah! It was a great day!
Tuesday we had Little Gym. I'm beginning to figure out ways to fill the odd hour between the boys classes. We've been going to all the local stores. William loves going in by himself to his class, but Robert is still struggling not being with his brother. I keep saying, "I know kid, he went and grew up on us." And then I look at him and know he's growing too. Time can go a little slower if you ask me.
Wednesday we did story time at Barnes and Noble with Kristina and her son Samuel. I'm really trying to make an effort to hang out with people from church and elsewhere that I want to get to know better. It was so fun!
Thursday was our first Bible Study at the Quarries church for the year. It's funny because everyone but one person in my group I know from Great Hills and couple of them I even invited to join the study. I'm so glad they did. It's going to be a good year.
Today we were back at Mt Playmore, this time with Laura (another sweet lady I hope I will start to see more of) and her son Stephen. My goal was to wear out the kids and it seems to have worked as the are both miraculously asleep at the same time. Now to clean the house! I have to do it before Robert's first birthday party tomorrow at the house (we are expecting 41 people!), and I have to do it before tonight since I would like to attend the marriage conference at church at 6:30. I feel a bit like Cinderella trying to make it to the ball, but without the cute mice (no my children are not mice). If anyone wants to be my fairy god mother and hire a cleaning service, be my guest! Not sure waving a magic wand will do much. I have already decorated mostly and it looks very festive. I hope to give Robert a party that will make him smile. He brings such joy to my life!
Sunday after Sunday School we leave for Disney World. I'll give you the details of Robert's party, Robert's birthday and our trip after we return. Till then!!!
Tuesday we had Little Gym. I'm beginning to figure out ways to fill the odd hour between the boys classes. We've been going to all the local stores. William loves going in by himself to his class, but Robert is still struggling not being with his brother. I keep saying, "I know kid, he went and grew up on us." And then I look at him and know he's growing too. Time can go a little slower if you ask me.
Wednesday we did story time at Barnes and Noble with Kristina and her son Samuel. I'm really trying to make an effort to hang out with people from church and elsewhere that I want to get to know better. It was so fun!
Thursday was our first Bible Study at the Quarries church for the year. It's funny because everyone but one person in my group I know from Great Hills and couple of them I even invited to join the study. I'm so glad they did. It's going to be a good year.
Today we were back at Mt Playmore, this time with Laura (another sweet lady I hope I will start to see more of) and her son Stephen. My goal was to wear out the kids and it seems to have worked as the are both miraculously asleep at the same time. Now to clean the house! I have to do it before Robert's first birthday party tomorrow at the house (we are expecting 41 people!), and I have to do it before tonight since I would like to attend the marriage conference at church at 6:30. I feel a bit like Cinderella trying to make it to the ball, but without the cute mice (no my children are not mice). If anyone wants to be my fairy god mother and hire a cleaning service, be my guest! Not sure waving a magic wand will do much. I have already decorated mostly and it looks very festive. I hope to give Robert a party that will make him smile. He brings such joy to my life!
Sunday after Sunday School we leave for Disney World. I'll give you the details of Robert's party, Robert's birthday and our trip after we return. Till then!!!
Sunday, August 31, 2014
August 31, 2014
Goodbye August. Hello September. I've missed my usual blog date by a couple of days, but it's been busy around here!
With our school year schedule beginning last week in part, and continuing in whole this week, we are seeing the last bits of summer pleasantly pass. It's been a great season. Last Monday Francis took William skating again. He made it all the way across the ice rink by himself this time. I find that incredibly impressive considering it's something I can't do. Tuesday was our first Little Gym class of the season which means William went into class without me for the first time. Robert was so confused and kept trying to get in during the entire class while we watched. William was a champ. He followed the teacher and she said she never would have known it was his first "funny bugs" class. I'm one proud momma though I was a little sad that the time of parent/child classes has come to an end. Here's to growing up!
Wednesday we did story-time at Barnes and Noble. A little girl about Robert's age was standing from a squat without holding onto anything. I made the comment, "Hey Robert, that's what you'll be doing next", as he still prefers to only pull up on things to stand. Not an hour after we got home, I found Robert standing in the middle of the floor all of a sudden. He sat down and then stood up again from the ground. He's mastered getting up off the floor without pulling up! Now I can't trust him anywhere at all because he hops up and runs without warning. He's already taken a fun bath in the toilet. Oh boy!
Thursday the boys and I went with Arlene, Angel and their respective kids, Caitlyn and Ranger to Sea World. We had a blast and it was a fun end to our summer! My favorite part (other than the amazing company) was the water. It was a little hot and the water felt so good!
I will be spending this week packing and cleaning. We have Robert's first birthday part on Saturday (that was quick!) and we leave for DISNEYWORLD on Sunday afternoon. I have to get it all done by Friday night because we have a marriage conference at church. Wish me luck!
With our school year schedule beginning last week in part, and continuing in whole this week, we are seeing the last bits of summer pleasantly pass. It's been a great season. Last Monday Francis took William skating again. He made it all the way across the ice rink by himself this time. I find that incredibly impressive considering it's something I can't do. Tuesday was our first Little Gym class of the season which means William went into class without me for the first time. Robert was so confused and kept trying to get in during the entire class while we watched. William was a champ. He followed the teacher and she said she never would have known it was his first "funny bugs" class. I'm one proud momma though I was a little sad that the time of parent/child classes has come to an end. Here's to growing up!
Wednesday we did story-time at Barnes and Noble. A little girl about Robert's age was standing from a squat without holding onto anything. I made the comment, "Hey Robert, that's what you'll be doing next", as he still prefers to only pull up on things to stand. Not an hour after we got home, I found Robert standing in the middle of the floor all of a sudden. He sat down and then stood up again from the ground. He's mastered getting up off the floor without pulling up! Now I can't trust him anywhere at all because he hops up and runs without warning. He's already taken a fun bath in the toilet. Oh boy!
Thursday the boys and I went with Arlene, Angel and their respective kids, Caitlyn and Ranger to Sea World. We had a blast and it was a fun end to our summer! My favorite part (other than the amazing company) was the water. It was a little hot and the water felt so good!
I will be spending this week packing and cleaning. We have Robert's first birthday part on Saturday (that was quick!) and we leave for DISNEYWORLD on Sunday afternoon. I have to get it all done by Friday night because we have a marriage conference at church. Wish me luck!
Thursday, August 21, 2014
August 21, 2014
Well, we have a toddler and a big boy in the house now. Just a few weeks ago I would have said we have a baby and a toddler. But times, they are a changin'.
Robert's teeth finally came in which brings his total up to eight. I checked this evening and he has at least another 2 if not 4 about to break through. Earlier this week he had two break through 10 minutes apart. He awoke from his nap screaming so I checked his mouth and none of his teeth had some through (you could see but not feel them). So I waited and felt a short time later as Robert was screaming and gnawing on me. One had come through! Robert was still screaming so I patiently rocked him and tried to calm him. All of a sudden he stopped crying and smiled at me. This made me curious so I checked his mouth again, and sure enough, the second tooth had poked through. Teething may not be painful for all children, but it sure seems to be for Robert. I mentioned he is now a walker. He took three steps in a row on Saturday (after my mother, my Aunt Camille and myself had tried to get him to do it the night before at a Little Gym party). Shortly afterward Francis got home and he took 5 steps (on video!). Since then he's been walking/cruising as much as he has been crawling. He's getting braver and spanning larger and larger distances. He'll also stand in the middle of the room and just hang out for long periods. His legs are getting strong! I'm one proud momma! He's also getting much more vocal. He makes all sorts of sounds and tries to copy some of the sounds I make. I know he enjoys these pseudo conversations, and frankly I do too!
William has had a big week too. He had his first camp this week at the Little Gym. You must be at least 3 and potty independent in order to attend. The theme this week was "Neat Ninjas"! William went on Monday and Wednesday and had a great time. The teachers were very impressed with his listening skills and participation as he was certainly the youngest in the class (ages 3-8). Monday after camp, Francis (who is still working Saturdays and not Mondays) took William to ice skate for nearly 4 hours just the 2 of them. William is becoming a natural I'm told, and Francis got quite a few videos of William crossing the ice solo on skates! He quickly pushes off of the boards and just goes for it. Gotta admire his gumption! After 7 hours of non stop motion and no nap, William still managed to stay up past his bedtime. How does he have so much energy?! Tuesday the boys and I went swimming with Angel, Arlene and their kids Ranger and Caitlyn. I didn't tell William where we were going, and he was over the moon excited to see his friends! They swam and laughed and brough delight to our hearts. Robert enjoyed swimming too. He is fearless, crawling deep into the graded pool and then sitting and splashing with glee!
Today was William's last parent/child class at the Little Gym. Next week he starts the big leagues and will be in class all by himself. As camp was a success, I have no doubt he will be just fine without me, but it does make me a little sad that he's gotten so big. So I'll be sad for a minute so I can prepare to celebrate this big move next week. Ok, minute over. Today was also William's first day of "school". Most of William's friends are going to preschool or being homseschooled this year, and William has been talking about school quite a bit. So Francis and I picked out "prepare for preschool" language arts and math booklets and a home science experiments book. William was excited to start his own school and we did 2 pages in each book as well as 3 of the science experiments. He was so proud of his penmanship and counting that he made me take pictures and send them to his Sweetie (my mom)! It took us about 15 minutes, but (as my mother pointed out) it would have taken hours to do the same in a preschool setting because of the other kids and lack of 1 on 1 attention. Now, we won't be doing preschool in a classroom, but that doesn't mean we can't bring some elements of preschool home! According to William, "Mommy is the best teacher anyway." I knew I liked him.
Well, that's it for now!
Robert's teeth finally came in which brings his total up to eight. I checked this evening and he has at least another 2 if not 4 about to break through. Earlier this week he had two break through 10 minutes apart. He awoke from his nap screaming so I checked his mouth and none of his teeth had some through (you could see but not feel them). So I waited and felt a short time later as Robert was screaming and gnawing on me. One had come through! Robert was still screaming so I patiently rocked him and tried to calm him. All of a sudden he stopped crying and smiled at me. This made me curious so I checked his mouth again, and sure enough, the second tooth had poked through. Teething may not be painful for all children, but it sure seems to be for Robert. I mentioned he is now a walker. He took three steps in a row on Saturday (after my mother, my Aunt Camille and myself had tried to get him to do it the night before at a Little Gym party). Shortly afterward Francis got home and he took 5 steps (on video!). Since then he's been walking/cruising as much as he has been crawling. He's getting braver and spanning larger and larger distances. He'll also stand in the middle of the room and just hang out for long periods. His legs are getting strong! I'm one proud momma! He's also getting much more vocal. He makes all sorts of sounds and tries to copy some of the sounds I make. I know he enjoys these pseudo conversations, and frankly I do too!
William has had a big week too. He had his first camp this week at the Little Gym. You must be at least 3 and potty independent in order to attend. The theme this week was "Neat Ninjas"! William went on Monday and Wednesday and had a great time. The teachers were very impressed with his listening skills and participation as he was certainly the youngest in the class (ages 3-8). Monday after camp, Francis (who is still working Saturdays and not Mondays) took William to ice skate for nearly 4 hours just the 2 of them. William is becoming a natural I'm told, and Francis got quite a few videos of William crossing the ice solo on skates! He quickly pushes off of the boards and just goes for it. Gotta admire his gumption! After 7 hours of non stop motion and no nap, William still managed to stay up past his bedtime. How does he have so much energy?! Tuesday the boys and I went swimming with Angel, Arlene and their kids Ranger and Caitlyn. I didn't tell William where we were going, and he was over the moon excited to see his friends! They swam and laughed and brough delight to our hearts. Robert enjoyed swimming too. He is fearless, crawling deep into the graded pool and then sitting and splashing with glee!
Today was William's last parent/child class at the Little Gym. Next week he starts the big leagues and will be in class all by himself. As camp was a success, I have no doubt he will be just fine without me, but it does make me a little sad that he's gotten so big. So I'll be sad for a minute so I can prepare to celebrate this big move next week. Ok, minute over. Today was also William's first day of "school". Most of William's friends are going to preschool or being homseschooled this year, and William has been talking about school quite a bit. So Francis and I picked out "prepare for preschool" language arts and math booklets and a home science experiments book. William was excited to start his own school and we did 2 pages in each book as well as 3 of the science experiments. He was so proud of his penmanship and counting that he made me take pictures and send them to his Sweetie (my mom)! It took us about 15 minutes, but (as my mother pointed out) it would have taken hours to do the same in a preschool setting because of the other kids and lack of 1 on 1 attention. Now, we won't be doing preschool in a classroom, but that doesn't mean we can't bring some elements of preschool home! According to William, "Mommy is the best teacher anyway." I knew I liked him.
Well, that's it for now!
Thursday, August 14, 2014
August 14, 2014
We have a 3 year old in the house. He is super proud of that fact too! His party was on Saturday, and we had so much fun. The whole family was present including all William's grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousin Abby, his great Aunt Camille, and Mom and Pop Noble. He had over 40 people at his Little Gym party. The kids played and ran around so well that more than one mom mentioned how well their kids slept that night. The theme was Mickey Mouse, and we had Mickey mouse everything. There were MM cupcakes, balloons, plates, hats, part favors and William even had a Mickey Mouse shirt that read "Birthday Boy"! Afterward, the whole family along with the Davis's came back to the house for pizza and present opening. What a joyous time we had! William got so many great gifts, most of which were Jake in the Neverland Pirates themed, Buzz lightyear themed or Olaf from Frozen. A happier kid you will seldom meet.
Sunday was a long day of church and training as we are the directors of our Bible Life group. I learned a lot about how to take roll and keep records (since I am the secretary) which I was unaware was even an issue. By the end of the day, we were all spent!
Monday was William's actual birthday. We did it up big! Francis took the day off from work and we had breakfast at The Original Pancake house. We then dropped Francis off at iFLy for training and I took the boys to walk around the Austin Aquarium for a bit. We headed back to iFly and watched Francis indoor skydive for the first time. William was so excited."Mommy LOOK! Daddy is FLYING!" Just when you thought you couldn't get any cooler as a dad. We had lunch next door at Phil's icehouse with Arlene and William's friend Caitlyn. They had missed the party due to illness so it was nice to celebrate with them. Francis, the boys and I then went to Lakeline Mall. At the Disney Store William got a birthday hat and button and the whole store sang to him. He then enjoyed story time there and got his Olaf and Elsa button (the one he's been waiting for all summer). It was great. After a long nap, William asked for a family movie night to round off his day. Just before the movie, we gave him his present from Francis and me: A Buzz Lightyear action figure. William was overjoyed and has been playing with him pretty much ever since. He mixes in time with his other toys, but Buzz is at the top of the list. We watched Toy Story and had pizza for dinner. Overall a 3-year-old's ideal day!
Tuesday I couldn't take it anymore and we collected up some toys that William has essentially never played with in order to donate them. William was a bit reluctant, but filled up a bag. When it was full he said very solemnly, "Mommy, that's enough. Those kids [that have no toys] now have toys." It took everything in me not to laugh out loud. He's a sweet boy. I am glad he was willing to part with some things.
The rest of this week has been spent playing with new things and going through our routine!
Robert is taking more steps every day. He still won't take three steps in a row though, which is driving me nuts! He will do one or two all the time, but that third step is yet to come. This is for two reasons. He can get to almost any object in our house and hold onto it in two steps (like walking from our couch to the table or from the living room table to a wall) after which he will cruise along the object until he gets to the next gap, and if it is more than two steps, he'll hesitate, stand for a moment, and then sit down and crawl to it. He is a fast crawler and when he is excited, he doesn't even bother trying to walk (I don't think he took a single step on Saturday because he was just too excited!). Don't worry, I'm working on it. Pretty soon he'll be walking across the room, and maybe I will actually be able to get a video!
That's all for now!
Sunday was a long day of church and training as we are the directors of our Bible Life group. I learned a lot about how to take roll and keep records (since I am the secretary) which I was unaware was even an issue. By the end of the day, we were all spent!
Monday was William's actual birthday. We did it up big! Francis took the day off from work and we had breakfast at The Original Pancake house. We then dropped Francis off at iFLy for training and I took the boys to walk around the Austin Aquarium for a bit. We headed back to iFly and watched Francis indoor skydive for the first time. William was so excited."Mommy LOOK! Daddy is FLYING!" Just when you thought you couldn't get any cooler as a dad. We had lunch next door at Phil's icehouse with Arlene and William's friend Caitlyn. They had missed the party due to illness so it was nice to celebrate with them. Francis, the boys and I then went to Lakeline Mall. At the Disney Store William got a birthday hat and button and the whole store sang to him. He then enjoyed story time there and got his Olaf and Elsa button (the one he's been waiting for all summer). It was great. After a long nap, William asked for a family movie night to round off his day. Just before the movie, we gave him his present from Francis and me: A Buzz Lightyear action figure. William was overjoyed and has been playing with him pretty much ever since. He mixes in time with his other toys, but Buzz is at the top of the list. We watched Toy Story and had pizza for dinner. Overall a 3-year-old's ideal day!
Tuesday I couldn't take it anymore and we collected up some toys that William has essentially never played with in order to donate them. William was a bit reluctant, but filled up a bag. When it was full he said very solemnly, "Mommy, that's enough. Those kids [that have no toys] now have toys." It took everything in me not to laugh out loud. He's a sweet boy. I am glad he was willing to part with some things.
The rest of this week has been spent playing with new things and going through our routine!
Robert is taking more steps every day. He still won't take three steps in a row though, which is driving me nuts! He will do one or two all the time, but that third step is yet to come. This is for two reasons. He can get to almost any object in our house and hold onto it in two steps (like walking from our couch to the table or from the living room table to a wall) after which he will cruise along the object until he gets to the next gap, and if it is more than two steps, he'll hesitate, stand for a moment, and then sit down and crawl to it. He is a fast crawler and when he is excited, he doesn't even bother trying to walk (I don't think he took a single step on Saturday because he was just too excited!). Don't worry, I'm working on it. Pretty soon he'll be walking across the room, and maybe I will actually be able to get a video!
That's all for now!
Thursday, August 7, 2014
August 7, 2014
We have a lot of new things around this house, including a new computer...but the new computer is not set up. To be fair, we've been very busy.
Last Friday, we hired our first babysitter that was not family or close friend. Her name is Jalisa and she is amazing. So qualified, I would have been crazy not to hire her. Plus, she lives in the neighborhood. After I fed the boys, Francis came home and took me out to a very nice dinner at Main Street Grille. It was good, and then we went to a see Guardians of the Galaxy. I can't remember the last movie I saw in a Theater with Francis, much less on opening weekend. It was so fun. While we were gone, my in-laws came in town and relieved the babysitter, so when we got home, the boys were in happily in bed and Francis's parents were all but asleep too. I realized afterwards that I was gone 5 hours: the longest I've ever been away from Robert. He didn't seem to mind though, as he was asleep for most of it!
Saturday, with the help of my in-laws and Dad, we built a play set in the backyard. It is so cute! It has a little restaurant with a bench on the bottom, and a window on the top deck with a rock climbing wall, slide and ladder all attached to the top deck of the fort. On the swing set portion is a swing, one set of handle bars and a back to back glider. The boys love it! The night we finished, our next door neighbor asked to come over and play (he's never done that before), and he and William had a blast. William has asked ever morning and evening since if he can go outside and play on it. I think it's a hit! Robert likes it too. He can climb up the slide all by himself, and squeals with glee when he can stand up there with the big boys. Did I mention Saturday was our 6th anniversary? It might not have been "romantic" but it was so full of love!
Sunday, Francis parents joined us a church, and stayed till after dinner as we still had some tweaking to do in the backyard to level the ground. It was a glorious weekend and I would not have wanted to spend my anniversary any other way!
Another event of note is that the Browers (Dave, Tracy, Penelope and Forrest) are in town for the week. Tracy and I took all 4 kids to the Thinkery on Tuesday. Penelope and William have a special connection. It's been over a year since their last meeting, but they always start as if they've always been together. I was happy to meet baby Forrest, just as Tracy was glad to meet Robert. We hung out all morning and even had lunch together at Chick-fil-a before we parted ways for rest time. As soon as Dave finished work downtown, all 4 of them came up to our house. William woke up from his nap and asked every 30 seconds if Penelope was here yet. Apparently, Penelope did the same. When she did arrive, the kids were joined at the hip. They never fought or argued. Francis came home and we all had dinner together. William insisted on doing the prayer and included "thank you for Penelope" in it. The kid has never thanked God for anyone over the dinner table, no less someone present! It was so cute. A short while later, Penelope told William she loved him. Tracy and Dave assured us she never does that. She then proceeded to hug and kiss him when they finally parted ways. William hugged back and told her to come again soon. It's interesting that they have only met three times in their lives, but they always seem like they belong together. I guess it's genetic as their daddies get along so well too! Robert and Forrest were not to be outdone and had a rip-roaring time laughing and playing in a language only they could understand. Overall a day for the record books!
The rest of this week we have been taking advantage of all of the free birthday things you can do around town for William. We did Toys R Us where you get a crown, balloon and $5 to spend in the store. He chose a bath toy car. We've done Barnes and Noble where you get a free muffin (and story time). On Monday we will do the Disney Store where you get a hat and birthday surprise as they parade you around the store and sing. I can't believe William will be 3 in 4 days. How did this happen!? William is super excited, but I can't get over how fast this has gone.
Robert too is growing so fast. He has an opinion about everything and lets you know what he thinks. He can walk, cruise, or crawl everywhere. And he does most all of it with an ever present smile.
Before I get teary eyed (I'm already far too tired for this time of night), I will close this by saying this is has been a glorious summer. I will be sad to see it end. If summer's had a taste, this one would be of a sweet rich apple, both whetting the appetite and satisfying the spirit.
Why yes, I am currently reading Anne of Green Gables, why do you ask?
Last Friday, we hired our first babysitter that was not family or close friend. Her name is Jalisa and she is amazing. So qualified, I would have been crazy not to hire her. Plus, she lives in the neighborhood. After I fed the boys, Francis came home and took me out to a very nice dinner at Main Street Grille. It was good, and then we went to a see Guardians of the Galaxy. I can't remember the last movie I saw in a Theater with Francis, much less on opening weekend. It was so fun. While we were gone, my in-laws came in town and relieved the babysitter, so when we got home, the boys were in happily in bed and Francis's parents were all but asleep too. I realized afterwards that I was gone 5 hours: the longest I've ever been away from Robert. He didn't seem to mind though, as he was asleep for most of it!
Saturday, with the help of my in-laws and Dad, we built a play set in the backyard. It is so cute! It has a little restaurant with a bench on the bottom, and a window on the top deck with a rock climbing wall, slide and ladder all attached to the top deck of the fort. On the swing set portion is a swing, one set of handle bars and a back to back glider. The boys love it! The night we finished, our next door neighbor asked to come over and play (he's never done that before), and he and William had a blast. William has asked ever morning and evening since if he can go outside and play on it. I think it's a hit! Robert likes it too. He can climb up the slide all by himself, and squeals with glee when he can stand up there with the big boys. Did I mention Saturday was our 6th anniversary? It might not have been "romantic" but it was so full of love!
Sunday, Francis parents joined us a church, and stayed till after dinner as we still had some tweaking to do in the backyard to level the ground. It was a glorious weekend and I would not have wanted to spend my anniversary any other way!
Another event of note is that the Browers (Dave, Tracy, Penelope and Forrest) are in town for the week. Tracy and I took all 4 kids to the Thinkery on Tuesday. Penelope and William have a special connection. It's been over a year since their last meeting, but they always start as if they've always been together. I was happy to meet baby Forrest, just as Tracy was glad to meet Robert. We hung out all morning and even had lunch together at Chick-fil-a before we parted ways for rest time. As soon as Dave finished work downtown, all 4 of them came up to our house. William woke up from his nap and asked every 30 seconds if Penelope was here yet. Apparently, Penelope did the same. When she did arrive, the kids were joined at the hip. They never fought or argued. Francis came home and we all had dinner together. William insisted on doing the prayer and included "thank you for Penelope" in it. The kid has never thanked God for anyone over the dinner table, no less someone present! It was so cute. A short while later, Penelope told William she loved him. Tracy and Dave assured us she never does that. She then proceeded to hug and kiss him when they finally parted ways. William hugged back and told her to come again soon. It's interesting that they have only met three times in their lives, but they always seem like they belong together. I guess it's genetic as their daddies get along so well too! Robert and Forrest were not to be outdone and had a rip-roaring time laughing and playing in a language only they could understand. Overall a day for the record books!
The rest of this week we have been taking advantage of all of the free birthday things you can do around town for William. We did Toys R Us where you get a crown, balloon and $5 to spend in the store. He chose a bath toy car. We've done Barnes and Noble where you get a free muffin (and story time). On Monday we will do the Disney Store where you get a hat and birthday surprise as they parade you around the store and sing. I can't believe William will be 3 in 4 days. How did this happen!? William is super excited, but I can't get over how fast this has gone.
Robert too is growing so fast. He has an opinion about everything and lets you know what he thinks. He can walk, cruise, or crawl everywhere. And he does most all of it with an ever present smile.
Before I get teary eyed (I'm already far too tired for this time of night), I will close this by saying this is has been a glorious summer. I will be sad to see it end. If summer's had a taste, this one would be of a sweet rich apple, both whetting the appetite and satisfying the spirit.
Why yes, I am currently reading Anne of Green Gables, why do you ask?
Thursday, July 31, 2014
July 31, 2014
Well, we are still without a fully working computer, so this is why it has taken two weeks to write. Our computer flat out died the morning after my last entry, and Francis is taking time to find the right replacement.
Friday before last, we went to the Frozen party at the local skating rink. We watched Elsa and Olaf skate and then Francis and William took a turn at skating themselves. It is only the second time William has been skating, but I couldn't help but note the marked improvement in his skating ability. He must have his daddy's coordination because he didn't get it from me. Before even the first hour was up, William was up and skating on his own. Not fast, but he was holding himself up and moving along. I have seldom seem Francis so proud. The boys got off the ice for a second to take a rest, but William wanted right back on. He loves skating!!
The past two weeks, in addition to our usual Little Gym time and keeping up with the Disney summer play days, we have been doing swimming lessons. William has been doing his first lessons without me (even though he is not yet 3!). His class was him and 3 other girls. His teacher said the William is "fearless" and always willing to do whatever was asked of him. He passed his class and will be able to take Preschool 2 next year! Robert had his first parent-child classes. He loved the water and really enjoyed jumping into the water from the side of the pool. He also liked walking around the pool by himself, and I got him to take several steps in the shallow end of the water without holding onto me because he was distracted during "toy time" at the end of his lesson. Two smart boys!
Robert has his 5th tooth and 3 more are currently working their way through. At this rate he'll have a full mouth in no time! He loves eating table food, so the more teeth, the better!
Francis had to work last Saturday (he will be working Saturdays for a couple of months) so he got off Monday. He got to experience a typical day in our lives. He went with us to Swim lessons, and got to see William swim. This made William's week and he's been talking about it ever since. Francis also got to go to the grocery store, have lunch with us, see typical nap time, and run errands with us. Now he knows why we are so busy! He had a good time and we loved having him around. Now everything we do William says "I wish Daddy was here." or "Now Daddy will be home soon!". I am so glad he loves his daddy! I do too!
There, short and sweet. I hope we get a new computer soon!
Friday before last, we went to the Frozen party at the local skating rink. We watched Elsa and Olaf skate and then Francis and William took a turn at skating themselves. It is only the second time William has been skating, but I couldn't help but note the marked improvement in his skating ability. He must have his daddy's coordination because he didn't get it from me. Before even the first hour was up, William was up and skating on his own. Not fast, but he was holding himself up and moving along. I have seldom seem Francis so proud. The boys got off the ice for a second to take a rest, but William wanted right back on. He loves skating!!
The past two weeks, in addition to our usual Little Gym time and keeping up with the Disney summer play days, we have been doing swimming lessons. William has been doing his first lessons without me (even though he is not yet 3!). His class was him and 3 other girls. His teacher said the William is "fearless" and always willing to do whatever was asked of him. He passed his class and will be able to take Preschool 2 next year! Robert had his first parent-child classes. He loved the water and really enjoyed jumping into the water from the side of the pool. He also liked walking around the pool by himself, and I got him to take several steps in the shallow end of the water without holding onto me because he was distracted during "toy time" at the end of his lesson. Two smart boys!
Robert has his 5th tooth and 3 more are currently working their way through. At this rate he'll have a full mouth in no time! He loves eating table food, so the more teeth, the better!
Francis had to work last Saturday (he will be working Saturdays for a couple of months) so he got off Monday. He got to experience a typical day in our lives. He went with us to Swim lessons, and got to see William swim. This made William's week and he's been talking about it ever since. Francis also got to go to the grocery store, have lunch with us, see typical nap time, and run errands with us. Now he knows why we are so busy! He had a good time and we loved having him around. Now everything we do William says "I wish Daddy was here." or "Now Daddy will be home soon!". I am so glad he loves his daddy! I do too!
There, short and sweet. I hope we get a new computer soon!
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
July 15, 2014
Somedays you just notice your children have changed all at once. Oh, I know in general they change gradually, but it hits you like a wave that they are no longer the image you have in your mind's-eye. They've grown.
William all of a sudden has gone from a toddler to stretching out and looking like a child. His legs and arms seem miles longer than before, and his face is lit up constantly with an imagination that can change the world. His smile makes my heart stop and his laugh is music to this mother's ears. The sun has bleached his hair again, so it is the white blonde that we sometimes imagine angels must have. And oh, he is a delight. He's been singing all the time with me (not just at me), asking wonderful, meaningful questions, and I find myself having real discussions with him about things that matter to both of us. It's awesome. William is developing a more mature sense of humor. He told me he was hungry and I retorted, "hi Hungry, I'm mom!" He laughed quite a bit and finally responded, "That's really funny mommy. You are super silly." He's started quoting movies and shows appropriately. The other day he quoted Frozen. When it was time for bed he told me, "The sun's awake, so I'm awake!" I mentioned his imagination. He ran around yesterday with a dragon-shaped car in a shoe (which he called a rocket ship) chasing mickey mouse who was flying an airplane. The things coming out of his mouth were hysterical! I could tell he was having a great time. William's handwriting has gotten worse, but that is actually a good thing. He is actually writing letters into meaningful words, instead of just copying pictures. His name somehow has more meaning to him now when he writes it. As do all the other words he can spell or write or read. I'm so excited for him as the world of the written word opens to him like a flower. This kid is also fearless. The rings were out at The Little Gym both yesterday and today. William pulled the rings back as far as he could and swung, letting go intentionally at the other end and flying as far as he could across the room. Telling him to stop was no good. He really believed he could fly. When he landed, he would somersault. Talk about a showman!
Robert is almost 1. How did this happen? Francis was holding him last night, and Robert stretched the entire length of his torso and then some. Such a big boy! He still lives up to his nickname, "Mr. Smiley" and his attitude is just as pleasant as his face. He babbles constantly trying to tell me things. I wish I spoke baby! Tooth #4 is finally officially through as of last week (tooth 3 came in while we were in Plano), and he is loving being able to bite off his food. He is able to feed himself pretty independently, and as long as he gets table food, he will eat more than a good portion. I knew he could eat, but wow! That pincher grasp of his is working and working well. He is also drinking more from a cup and occasionally even from a straw. This makes me happier than I can say! He hasn't taken another step (though he acts like he will all the time), but he cruises along furniture and walls like he owns the place. He's getting fast. I have to keep an eye on him at all times, or he will try to go and play in the dog water. Silly boy! I also am finding random objects strewn about the house. Robert has mastered the "carry things in one hand while you crawl" maneuver. He's quite a pro. Robert graduated out of the baby class at the Little Gym yesterday and had his first 'birds' class today. Not wanting to be outdone by William, Robert climbed up on the platform, grabbed the rings and swung out all on his own. He held on the rings several seconds (giving me time to get over my surprise and help him when he released) before dropping to the ground with a triumphant squeal. Future professional gymnast? Maybe. Finally, Robert has mastered the art of manipulating strangers. He can clap, smile, point, wave, and high five with the cuteness that would melt a heart of ice. His blue eyes look at you and it's all over. I have caught Robert flirting with many a stranger by hearing clapping or hearing a soft "hello". Everywhere I look, I see someone waving at me, only to realize Robert is waving at them first. He got a whole table at Chick-fil-a to clap with him yesterday. This kid is not shy!
Well I would go into what we did this week, but I fell what's above is way more interesting so I'll spare you.
That's it for now!
Monday, July 7, 2014
July 7, 2014
I can't even begin to tell you all the wonderful adventures we have had these past two weeks. It has truly been amazing.
We finished off VBS week before last on Friday. William had an amazing time and learned so much! I am so thankful for his wonderful teachers who taught him God's word and made it fun in the process!
Immediately after VBS, we headed to Plano, managing to have dinner with my in-laws, parents, and Danielle before my dad left for Europe the next morning. It was a wonderful time. Francis and I have talked a lot lately about what a wonderful family we have. We are both so blessed to have parents, siblings and their spouses and children who are amazing, live our kids and who are so fun to be around! I think our family may just be the most awesome ever, but I am a bit biased!
Saturday, Francis, the boys and I went to LegoLand with my mom, Danielle, Gershom, Kristi and their two girls. It was so fun. William got to ride a ride "like the Buzz Lightyear ride" and he couldn't get enough. He shot all the bad guys and had a blast. Robert loved the big rubber legos, and all the kids and adults really enjoyed themselves. William swam almost every day this past week and Saturday was no exception. My little fish is a great swimmer and he is very confident in his ability. That's my boy!
Sunday we went to church and spent some time with Brandon and his new bride Bethany before Francis had to leave and head back to Austin for work. The boys (and I) were sad to see him go, but having so much family on hand and so much to do made the time fly by! My grandparents (Jamama and Japapa) arrived late Sunday night and spent Monday and Tuesday hanging out with my family and the boys. I am so glad the boys were able to spend some time with their great grandparents and make some memories! We got some sweet pictures too.
Tuesday night, Angel and Ranger arrived (as Austin is already staying at my in-laws for the summer) and a 5 day play date began for William and Ranger. From more or less dawn until bed time, the two were inseparable. It was adorable. Wednesday we went back to LegoLand with Ranger and Angel. William showed William all the cool stuff to do, and Ranger in turn taught William how to sing all the time (William has previously almost never sung, but not anymore and I love it!). We then had Avenger's training in the Disney Store where the boys learned some cool fighting moves, and after lunch in the food court at Grapevine Mills Mall, we did the Aquarium to round off the afternoon. The boys all three passed out in the car, so we drove around for an hour before heading back, even whispering into the drive thru at Sonic to get some drinks! Hey, mommies need a break too!
Thursday we hung out with my mom and Danielle and went up to Stonebriar Mall. The boys were all troopers, but they finally hit their limit and we had to take them back for naps. William slept for over 3 hours, so when he got up, we had dinner with my mom, Danielle, Kevin (her boyfriend), and my in-laws. It was nice, and helped pass the time before Francis arrived. Francis got in late that night as did Cyndy, Chris and Abby.
Friday was Independence Day! It is my favorite non-religious holiday. We all got up (the 12 people staying at the Phillips' house as well as my mom, Danielle, Kevin, Christian, Chad, and the Cotnoir family) and went to the parade in the morning. The kids got some goodies, and we all witnessed a little slice of Americana. After the parade, all 23 people headed back to the Phillips house for some BBQ and swimming. We played volleyball while the kids swam in the little pool and played in the sand. It was so fun and I haven't laughed that hard in so long. We ALL finished off the day with pizza in the parking lot and a firework display. Robert loved the fireworks and would jump around and laughed when they went off. All in all a pretty perfect day.
Saturday we got ready for Danielle's birthday party by the ladies (Cyndy, Angel and I) going and getting Abby a princess dress and all three boys a shield. The three of us then managed a lunch with only Robert, and had a glorious time chatting without interruption. We got back just in time to put all four kids down for a nap. That left the 8 adults time to play a rousing (and competitive) game of Oh Heck (or Dutch Blitz if you are Canadian). Angel won by 1 point and then Francis came in second, with me one point behind him in third. It was a good game. Well, we got up the kids and headed to Medieval Times for Danielle's birthday. We all met up with my mom, Danielle, Kevin, Chad, Christian, and Danielle's friend Sarah. The place was hopping, and the boys even got swords to go with their shields (except Robert who got a bib), and Abby got a scepter. Our knight (the green knight) won, and the food was delicious. Who could ask for more? Francis, the boys and I went back to my parents' house for cake and presents before calling it a night. Did I mention how much I love our family? Because I really do!!!
Robert gave Danielle the best birthday present. HE TOOK HIS FIRST STEP! Right after we sang and had cake in my mom's kitchen, Robert wanted me and Francis let go of him and he took a step in my direction. My heart nearly flew out of my chest. I was so excited Francis was there to see it! We have a walker!!!! Or at least a stepper. It won't be long before he's running. Watch out world, he's coming!!!
Yesterday we went to church, had lunch and headed home. It was such an enjoyable trip and I hate that it is over. But I am glad to be back in my own house and bed.
Now, back to reality!!!
We finished off VBS week before last on Friday. William had an amazing time and learned so much! I am so thankful for his wonderful teachers who taught him God's word and made it fun in the process!
Immediately after VBS, we headed to Plano, managing to have dinner with my in-laws, parents, and Danielle before my dad left for Europe the next morning. It was a wonderful time. Francis and I have talked a lot lately about what a wonderful family we have. We are both so blessed to have parents, siblings and their spouses and children who are amazing, live our kids and who are so fun to be around! I think our family may just be the most awesome ever, but I am a bit biased!
Saturday, Francis, the boys and I went to LegoLand with my mom, Danielle, Gershom, Kristi and their two girls. It was so fun. William got to ride a ride "like the Buzz Lightyear ride" and he couldn't get enough. He shot all the bad guys and had a blast. Robert loved the big rubber legos, and all the kids and adults really enjoyed themselves. William swam almost every day this past week and Saturday was no exception. My little fish is a great swimmer and he is very confident in his ability. That's my boy!
Sunday we went to church and spent some time with Brandon and his new bride Bethany before Francis had to leave and head back to Austin for work. The boys (and I) were sad to see him go, but having so much family on hand and so much to do made the time fly by! My grandparents (Jamama and Japapa) arrived late Sunday night and spent Monday and Tuesday hanging out with my family and the boys. I am so glad the boys were able to spend some time with their great grandparents and make some memories! We got some sweet pictures too.
Tuesday night, Angel and Ranger arrived (as Austin is already staying at my in-laws for the summer) and a 5 day play date began for William and Ranger. From more or less dawn until bed time, the two were inseparable. It was adorable. Wednesday we went back to LegoLand with Ranger and Angel. William showed William all the cool stuff to do, and Ranger in turn taught William how to sing all the time (William has previously almost never sung, but not anymore and I love it!). We then had Avenger's training in the Disney Store where the boys learned some cool fighting moves, and after lunch in the food court at Grapevine Mills Mall, we did the Aquarium to round off the afternoon. The boys all three passed out in the car, so we drove around for an hour before heading back, even whispering into the drive thru at Sonic to get some drinks! Hey, mommies need a break too!
Thursday we hung out with my mom and Danielle and went up to Stonebriar Mall. The boys were all troopers, but they finally hit their limit and we had to take them back for naps. William slept for over 3 hours, so when he got up, we had dinner with my mom, Danielle, Kevin (her boyfriend), and my in-laws. It was nice, and helped pass the time before Francis arrived. Francis got in late that night as did Cyndy, Chris and Abby.
Friday was Independence Day! It is my favorite non-religious holiday. We all got up (the 12 people staying at the Phillips' house as well as my mom, Danielle, Kevin, Christian, Chad, and the Cotnoir family) and went to the parade in the morning. The kids got some goodies, and we all witnessed a little slice of Americana. After the parade, all 23 people headed back to the Phillips house for some BBQ and swimming. We played volleyball while the kids swam in the little pool and played in the sand. It was so fun and I haven't laughed that hard in so long. We ALL finished off the day with pizza in the parking lot and a firework display. Robert loved the fireworks and would jump around and laughed when they went off. All in all a pretty perfect day.
Saturday we got ready for Danielle's birthday party by the ladies (Cyndy, Angel and I) going and getting Abby a princess dress and all three boys a shield. The three of us then managed a lunch with only Robert, and had a glorious time chatting without interruption. We got back just in time to put all four kids down for a nap. That left the 8 adults time to play a rousing (and competitive) game of Oh Heck (or Dutch Blitz if you are Canadian). Angel won by 1 point and then Francis came in second, with me one point behind him in third. It was a good game. Well, we got up the kids and headed to Medieval Times for Danielle's birthday. We all met up with my mom, Danielle, Kevin, Chad, Christian, and Danielle's friend Sarah. The place was hopping, and the boys even got swords to go with their shields (except Robert who got a bib), and Abby got a scepter. Our knight (the green knight) won, and the food was delicious. Who could ask for more? Francis, the boys and I went back to my parents' house for cake and presents before calling it a night. Did I mention how much I love our family? Because I really do!!!
Robert gave Danielle the best birthday present. HE TOOK HIS FIRST STEP! Right after we sang and had cake in my mom's kitchen, Robert wanted me and Francis let go of him and he took a step in my direction. My heart nearly flew out of my chest. I was so excited Francis was there to see it! We have a walker!!!! Or at least a stepper. It won't be long before he's running. Watch out world, he's coming!!!
Yesterday we went to church, had lunch and headed home. It was such an enjoyable trip and I hate that it is over. But I am glad to be back in my own house and bed.
Now, back to reality!!!
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
June 25, 2014
I'll make this as brief as I can. It's been a hectic and at times, very frustrating week. We have had VBS going on this week, and it feels like everything is happening now to distract me from doing His work. I have had one great helper in my room, Krystina, who has been helping me keep from jumping off the cliff. Our kids are also wonderful, which makes loving them easy and sharing the truth about Jesus a joy. So whats wrong? Well, things like I spend a bunch of time preparing, and then I forget my lesson plan at home and have to scramble to get a copy of the Bible story. But most of the things have been going wrong at home. We switched our TV provider to be able to bundle it with our internet, and the wifi and DVR are yet to be up and running after two multi hour visits from service men. A third one is coming soon and will hopefully fix the problem. All of our devices including our printer run on wifi which make it hard to print my lesson plans. Then our refrigerator is sending out what I believe to be black mold along with the water in the water dispenser. A serviceman is coming in a little bit to look at it. I hope it is an easy fix. Our minifridge that was upstairs, we discovered had black mold all in it, so we had to toss it outside, trailing black mold and water all across the upstairs and down the stairs....which meant I had to clean all my carpet before putting the boys to bed. So....nothing major is wrong, but all of this (as well as a myriad of other things) added up over a short period when I am already stressed out from directing a room is too much. I need a vacation.
William is enjoying VBS. After the first day, he was promoted to the 3-year-old room which means he gets to so all the VBS activities. He loves being a big kid! He tells me all he is learning about Jesus and sings me the VBS songs. He's getting so big!
Robert most enjoys the buggy rides at VBS. He likes watching all the children do all the fun activities. Robert has mastered crawling while holding objects and enjoys transporting things across the house. He also is standing for longer and longer periods. He stood unassisted for 30 seconds yesterday while contemplating taking a step. He ended up sitting down instead. He's getting close! Robert also had his 3rd tooth come in this morning. His 4th tooth does not look too far behind so I will keep you posted.
That's all for now!
William is enjoying VBS. After the first day, he was promoted to the 3-year-old room which means he gets to so all the VBS activities. He loves being a big kid! He tells me all he is learning about Jesus and sings me the VBS songs. He's getting so big!
Robert most enjoys the buggy rides at VBS. He likes watching all the children do all the fun activities. Robert has mastered crawling while holding objects and enjoys transporting things across the house. He also is standing for longer and longer periods. He stood unassisted for 30 seconds yesterday while contemplating taking a step. He ended up sitting down instead. He's getting close! Robert also had his 3rd tooth come in this morning. His 4th tooth does not look too far behind so I will keep you posted.
That's all for now!
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
June 18, 2014
Quite a week!
Robert is my little cruiser, and he is getting fast enough crawling properly that he can follow me around the house with ease. At least twice this week I have set him down by his toys, walked in the next room to grab something and turned around and almost tripped on him as he was right at my heels! He says mama whenever I am out of sight, and likes to keep constant tabs on me. his new word seems to be "up". He hasn't done it quite enough times for me to be positive that he is doing it on purpose, but he has said it while reaching up to me many times. He has also told William "no!" when William took a toy from him, but that was an isolated incident. It's so fun to see him communicate. He loves waving and giving high fives. He also follows many simple commands like, "stop" and "get that out of your mouth", but only when it suits him. Robert smiles and laughs constantly and still doesn't like to sleep anywhere but on me. I have to let him cry when I put him to bed, but if I do it right, it usually lasts less than 2 minutes.
William is all energy and imagination. He is constantly on the move and making up stories. I've never seen a child with so much energy. I set up part of my room for VBS yesterday, and for 3 hours, William ran around non stop with some of the other workers' kids. It was the first time I've let him run "free range" for that long and I was astounded that he was ready and able to go to the grocery store just fine afterward. On a side note, William got into no trouble for those three hours and the children's building is still standing. I am so glad I could trust him (and the other kids for that matter, especially two older girls) to make good choices. I would never have gotten as far as I did otherwise!
This past weekend we celebrated Father's Day. I am sad I was unable to spend it with my own father, but I loved getting to hand out with the daddy at my house (Francis) as well as my in-laws and Cyndy, Chris and Abby. Francis's parents came in town Friday night. Saturday morning we went to a local park and played in a splash pad. After lunch, Cyndy, Chris and Abby arrived and we all went to a local pool. William and Abby LOVED the water slide and got all of the adults to ride with them at least once. William also liked the lazy river portion, but Abby was all slide, all the time! Robert splashed and crawled in the shallow area, and played with some of the sprayers when it suited him. Robert also liked hanging out in the deeper part while I held him so he could kick and splash. He's got the makings of a swimmer! We opened presents and had dinner at BJs before everyone headed home. It was a great day!
Sunday was Father's Day and I made cinnamon rolls with William for Francis to eat while he opened his gifts. We got Francis an indoor skydiving gift certificate, a board book with pictures of him and Robert (similar to the one of him and William) and a mug with pictures of Francis and the boys that reads "World's best dad". I think he liked them. We had lunch at Rudy's after church and then I made lasagna (Francis's favorite) for dinner. I hope he felt appreciated because he's amazing!
I'm gearing up for a very busy couple of weeks starting tomorrow when I'm scheduled to go to Sea World with Arlene and Caitlyn. Next week is VBS and the following week we will be heading to Dallas. It's definitely summer!
William is all energy and imagination. He is constantly on the move and making up stories. I've never seen a child with so much energy. I set up part of my room for VBS yesterday, and for 3 hours, William ran around non stop with some of the other workers' kids. It was the first time I've let him run "free range" for that long and I was astounded that he was ready and able to go to the grocery store just fine afterward. On a side note, William got into no trouble for those three hours and the children's building is still standing. I am so glad I could trust him (and the other kids for that matter, especially two older girls) to make good choices. I would never have gotten as far as I did otherwise!
This past weekend we celebrated Father's Day. I am sad I was unable to spend it with my own father, but I loved getting to hand out with the daddy at my house (Francis) as well as my in-laws and Cyndy, Chris and Abby. Francis's parents came in town Friday night. Saturday morning we went to a local park and played in a splash pad. After lunch, Cyndy, Chris and Abby arrived and we all went to a local pool. William and Abby LOVED the water slide and got all of the adults to ride with them at least once. William also liked the lazy river portion, but Abby was all slide, all the time! Robert splashed and crawled in the shallow area, and played with some of the sprayers when it suited him. Robert also liked hanging out in the deeper part while I held him so he could kick and splash. He's got the makings of a swimmer! We opened presents and had dinner at BJs before everyone headed home. It was a great day!
Sunday was Father's Day and I made cinnamon rolls with William for Francis to eat while he opened his gifts. We got Francis an indoor skydiving gift certificate, a board book with pictures of him and Robert (similar to the one of him and William) and a mug with pictures of Francis and the boys that reads "World's best dad". I think he liked them. We had lunch at Rudy's after church and then I made lasagna (Francis's favorite) for dinner. I hope he felt appreciated because he's amazing!
I'm gearing up for a very busy couple of weeks starting tomorrow when I'm scheduled to go to Sea World with Arlene and Caitlyn. Next week is VBS and the following week we will be heading to Dallas. It's definitely summer!
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
June 11, 2014
Well, I have a 9 month old as of yesterday. That time flew by! It seems like each night I go to sleep thinking how long the day was and wake up a month later (which is actually funny since I get almost no sleep at night most nights).
Last Friday, the boys and I went to the pool with Arlene and Caitlyn for a morning of swimming. It was great fun and it was Robert's first trip in the pool other than the splash pool at Sea World and our wading pool in the back yard. He had fun, but didn't much like the water getting in his face. William swam like a champ with his float vest, and is learning how to steer and get across the pool with ease.
Satuday was a full day. We went to Walmart, then Home Deopt, then out to the mall for lunch, a mall cooking demo for kids, and the Hot Dog Dance at the Disney Store. Finally we went to the Aquarium before heading home for naps. For dinner Francis made the most delicious burgers. Even Robert couldn't get enough!
Francis took over being the full fledged director for our Bible Life (Sunday school) class on Sunday as the previous directors moved back to Atlanta. When he first volunteered to be the "fill-in" director, I nealry passed out from surprise since public speaking isn't his thing. but he has really risen to the challenge. He seems comfortable and makes every effort to make everyone else at east as well. I'm so proud of him!
Sunday evening, my mom and sister Danielle drove down to see us as they hadn't seen the boys in over a month. William and Robert were overjoyed to see them and mom and Dani stayed until after Lunch the next day, much to the boys' delight. My mom even got to join William in his Little Gym class before lunch and he is still talking about how much fun he was. Grandmothers and Aunts are the best!!
Monday started our summer classes at the Little Gym. As I was leaving, I asked if they'd done the drawing for all the prizes from priority enrollment. Ms. Shauna (who is now both boys' teacher) said that they had and she would call me after talking to Ms. Andi. I have been putting off booking William's birthday party anywhere because they hadn't done the drawing. Well, sure enough, I get a call telling me that William has won a free birthday party at The Little Gym. They actually drew his name and put it back because he's won the grand prize (a free summer or season at the Little Gym) two of the last three times (adding up to a free year of classes). But then they went to draw again and pulled his name out a second time! I laughed until I cried. I joked that I should take him to Vegas because he wins so often at things out of his control. Sooo...now our decision of where to have William's birthday is both easier and harder since I had in my head we would have it at a local splash pad. I guess We'll just have to let William decide!
Yesterday Robert turned 9 months and we started off the day by having pictures done. The pictures turned out well and while we waited for them to be printed, I took the boys to Cici's Pizza next door. William ate a lot of pizza (including the promised dessert pizza since he had been good that morning), and Robert ate a full slice of cheese pizza (minus the very bottom crust which was too tough, and an apple dessert slice. I had two happy kiddos! We then went to the mall and played on the playgrounds while we waited for 2 pm to come around. Robert loved the coin rides and I even forked out the money so both boys could ride the circus truck. It was a red-letter day to be sure! At 2 we went to the Disney store for their "summer days" activity (that day it was learning to draw Mickey), and William received his weekly pin for his lanyard. Saturday was Mickey and Minnie mouse, which he was thrilled to get, but this week it was Sofia the First. He refused to take it from the lady saying, "That's Sofia. That's a princess pin for girls. I'm a boy. I don't want that pin." He had a mini meltdown and I took the pin from the lady and we headed home. We talked about that everyone that week was going to get the same pin, both boys and girls. Next week everyone was going to get a Jake and the Neverland pirates pin, even the girls. He nodded and seemed to understand. It's the first time he's really cared if something is for "boys" or "girls". I'll be interested to see how this goes moving forward. Robert and William helped me to make dinner. We made hot ham sandwiches which required both grinding up ham and shredding cheese. Both boys were fascinated with this process and delighted with the results. Robert and one whole sandwich and William ate two (in addition to their vegetables and fruit, of course). I guess the meal was a hit!
Today Robert had his check up. He's healthy! He's 18lbs 6 oz (up 10 lbs from birth), and 29 inches. He's not off the charts like his brother was (except in head size, our family just has big heads), but he's sure long and lean. He's quickly outgrowing his 12 month clothes, and I am starting to put him in 18 month gear. My big boy! The doctor was impressed with his standing/walking progress and said there is no way he'll make it to his first birthday and not be walking independently. She thinks it will happen very soon, so we'll see. she also noticed a tooth on top is about to poke through. That explains all the gnawing on me he has been doing. And she said to make sure and give him three good meals a day and to start offering him a little water. This makes me a little sad to hear her say this (though I know it's true) because it make me realize he's not such a baby anymore. He gobbled up the grape pieces, apple, peas, and puffs he had for lunch and then flashed a smile that told me he was so proud of himself. I'm proud of him too, to be sure. I just want to enjoy every second! Oh, and they drew blood today to run some routine tests. The guy took the blood from Robert's arm. I held my baby and prepared for the worst, but Robert didn't even cry when they pricked him. He looked interested and watched, completely relaxed and still the whole time. When he was done, Robert smiled at him as he put on the band aid. We may have a future doctor!
That's all for now.
Last Friday, the boys and I went to the pool with Arlene and Caitlyn for a morning of swimming. It was great fun and it was Robert's first trip in the pool other than the splash pool at Sea World and our wading pool in the back yard. He had fun, but didn't much like the water getting in his face. William swam like a champ with his float vest, and is learning how to steer and get across the pool with ease.
Satuday was a full day. We went to Walmart, then Home Deopt, then out to the mall for lunch, a mall cooking demo for kids, and the Hot Dog Dance at the Disney Store. Finally we went to the Aquarium before heading home for naps. For dinner Francis made the most delicious burgers. Even Robert couldn't get enough!
Francis took over being the full fledged director for our Bible Life (Sunday school) class on Sunday as the previous directors moved back to Atlanta. When he first volunteered to be the "fill-in" director, I nealry passed out from surprise since public speaking isn't his thing. but he has really risen to the challenge. He seems comfortable and makes every effort to make everyone else at east as well. I'm so proud of him!
Sunday evening, my mom and sister Danielle drove down to see us as they hadn't seen the boys in over a month. William and Robert were overjoyed to see them and mom and Dani stayed until after Lunch the next day, much to the boys' delight. My mom even got to join William in his Little Gym class before lunch and he is still talking about how much fun he was. Grandmothers and Aunts are the best!!
Monday started our summer classes at the Little Gym. As I was leaving, I asked if they'd done the drawing for all the prizes from priority enrollment. Ms. Shauna (who is now both boys' teacher) said that they had and she would call me after talking to Ms. Andi. I have been putting off booking William's birthday party anywhere because they hadn't done the drawing. Well, sure enough, I get a call telling me that William has won a free birthday party at The Little Gym. They actually drew his name and put it back because he's won the grand prize (a free summer or season at the Little Gym) two of the last three times (adding up to a free year of classes). But then they went to draw again and pulled his name out a second time! I laughed until I cried. I joked that I should take him to Vegas because he wins so often at things out of his control. Sooo...now our decision of where to have William's birthday is both easier and harder since I had in my head we would have it at a local splash pad. I guess We'll just have to let William decide!
Yesterday Robert turned 9 months and we started off the day by having pictures done. The pictures turned out well and while we waited for them to be printed, I took the boys to Cici's Pizza next door. William ate a lot of pizza (including the promised dessert pizza since he had been good that morning), and Robert ate a full slice of cheese pizza (minus the very bottom crust which was too tough, and an apple dessert slice. I had two happy kiddos! We then went to the mall and played on the playgrounds while we waited for 2 pm to come around. Robert loved the coin rides and I even forked out the money so both boys could ride the circus truck. It was a red-letter day to be sure! At 2 we went to the Disney store for their "summer days" activity (that day it was learning to draw Mickey), and William received his weekly pin for his lanyard. Saturday was Mickey and Minnie mouse, which he was thrilled to get, but this week it was Sofia the First. He refused to take it from the lady saying, "That's Sofia. That's a princess pin for girls. I'm a boy. I don't want that pin." He had a mini meltdown and I took the pin from the lady and we headed home. We talked about that everyone that week was going to get the same pin, both boys and girls. Next week everyone was going to get a Jake and the Neverland pirates pin, even the girls. He nodded and seemed to understand. It's the first time he's really cared if something is for "boys" or "girls". I'll be interested to see how this goes moving forward. Robert and William helped me to make dinner. We made hot ham sandwiches which required both grinding up ham and shredding cheese. Both boys were fascinated with this process and delighted with the results. Robert and one whole sandwich and William ate two (in addition to their vegetables and fruit, of course). I guess the meal was a hit!
Today Robert had his check up. He's healthy! He's 18lbs 6 oz (up 10 lbs from birth), and 29 inches. He's not off the charts like his brother was (except in head size, our family just has big heads), but he's sure long and lean. He's quickly outgrowing his 12 month clothes, and I am starting to put him in 18 month gear. My big boy! The doctor was impressed with his standing/walking progress and said there is no way he'll make it to his first birthday and not be walking independently. She thinks it will happen very soon, so we'll see. she also noticed a tooth on top is about to poke through. That explains all the gnawing on me he has been doing. And she said to make sure and give him three good meals a day and to start offering him a little water. This makes me a little sad to hear her say this (though I know it's true) because it make me realize he's not such a baby anymore. He gobbled up the grape pieces, apple, peas, and puffs he had for lunch and then flashed a smile that told me he was so proud of himself. I'm proud of him too, to be sure. I just want to enjoy every second! Oh, and they drew blood today to run some routine tests. The guy took the blood from Robert's arm. I held my baby and prepared for the worst, but Robert didn't even cry when they pricked him. He looked interested and watched, completely relaxed and still the whole time. When he was done, Robert smiled at him as he put on the band aid. We may have a future doctor!
That's all for now.
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