This is me doing a happy dance.
My baby boy slept straight from 7:30-11, 11:15-5:30, and 6:00 (or so) - 8:00!!!
I feel amazing!
HURRAY FOR SLEEP!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
He Stood Up!
Alex stood up all on his own today! He had been pulling up on me, and suddenly he stood up by himself! He quickly sat back down, but still so exciting!
Hurray for Alex!
Hurray for Alex!
Dishwasher Detergent and Replacing the Swiffer
I don't have a working dishwasher. Long story. Frustrating situation. I won't go into right now. But my mother-in-law does, and she lives next to a lake. Their "gray water" is piped out of the house and then allowed to roll down the hill into the lake! She was looking for a green recipe for her dishwasher and I thought that I would post what I found for everyone!
Green Dishwasher Detergent!
What you'll need:
Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
20 Mule Team Borax
Distilled White Vinegar
Here's what you do (read slowly because there are only two steps):
* Step 1: Add one tablespoon of Super Washing Soda to the dishwasher dispenser
* Step 2: Add one tablespoon of 20 Mule Team Borax to the dishwasher dispenser
You're done. That's the recipe for homemade dishwashing detergent. Now the recipe for removing the water spots that so frequently occur with automatic dishwashers:
* Pour distilled white vinegar into the dispenser for the clear rinse gel.
Once you've run your dishwasher, be sure to hold your glasses up to the light and inspect them thoroughly. You'll find that the homemade detergent cleans as well if not better than the store bought detergent.
Cost Comparison:
Depending on how much you pay for your dishwashing detergent and how much you pour into the dispenser will determine how much you are paying per wash for your detergent and spot removing gel.
The cost for this recipe is less than 4 cents per load.
Calculation as follows:
Cost of Borax: $2.50 for 76 ounces = .03/oz or .015 for ½ oz
Cost for Washing Soda: $2.50 for 55 ounces= 4/oz or .02 for ½oz
Recipe calls for ½ ounce of each so the cost per wash is 3.5 cents. How much does your detergent cost (this week)? Next week the price may probably go up.
*****I don't promise that this works, but if my mil uses it and she likes it, I'll pass on the info.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Also, I have stopped mopping. Not for a green reason -- no, this comes down to time. By the time I have a child-free moment to mop and let the floor dry without getting baby prints all over it, I'm too tired to walk across the house, much less to mop. So I've been Swiffering on a daily basis. First of all, I'd like to point out that this is EXPENSIVE! I go through 5+ Swiffer Wipes a day. When a 24 count box of wipes cost me almost $9 a time, then that's way too much to spend a payday on it.
Also, the last time I bought a box, all the liquid leaked out of the sealed top! I wasn't going to waste the wipes. I added vinegar to them and called them good. But it got me thinking. Why couldn't I just cut up an old towel or one of my "Magic Cloths" and use that? I could put the cut up ones in the old wipe box, and soak them in a water, vinegar, and dishsoap mixture.
Green Dishwasher Detergent!
What you'll need:
Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
20 Mule Team Borax
Distilled White Vinegar
Here's what you do (read slowly because there are only two steps):
* Step 1: Add one tablespoon of Super Washing Soda to the dishwasher dispenser
* Step 2: Add one tablespoon of 20 Mule Team Borax to the dishwasher dispenser
You're done. That's the recipe for homemade dishwashing detergent. Now the recipe for removing the water spots that so frequently occur with automatic dishwashers:
* Pour distilled white vinegar into the dispenser for the clear rinse gel.
Once you've run your dishwasher, be sure to hold your glasses up to the light and inspect them thoroughly. You'll find that the homemade detergent cleans as well if not better than the store bought detergent.
Cost Comparison:
Depending on how much you pay for your dishwashing detergent and how much you pour into the dispenser will determine how much you are paying per wash for your detergent and spot removing gel.
The cost for this recipe is less than 4 cents per load.
Calculation as follows:
Cost of Borax: $2.50 for 76 ounces = .03/oz or .015 for ½ oz
Cost for Washing Soda: $2.50 for 55 ounces= 4/oz or .02 for ½oz
Recipe calls for ½ ounce of each so the cost per wash is 3.5 cents. How much does your detergent cost (this week)? Next week the price may probably go up.
*****I don't promise that this works, but if my mil uses it and she likes it, I'll pass on the info.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Also, I have stopped mopping. Not for a green reason -- no, this comes down to time. By the time I have a child-free moment to mop and let the floor dry without getting baby prints all over it, I'm too tired to walk across the house, much less to mop. So I've been Swiffering on a daily basis. First of all, I'd like to point out that this is EXPENSIVE! I go through 5+ Swiffer Wipes a day. When a 24 count box of wipes cost me almost $9 a time, then that's way too much to spend a payday on it.
Also, the last time I bought a box, all the liquid leaked out of the sealed top! I wasn't going to waste the wipes. I added vinegar to them and called them good. But it got me thinking. Why couldn't I just cut up an old towel or one of my "Magic Cloths" and use that? I could put the cut up ones in the old wipe box, and soak them in a water, vinegar, and dishsoap mixture.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Green Things
I'm going green--well, sort of. No, I'm not suddenly buying into the hype. I'm not becoming a paranoid freak about the environment, and I'm not overreacting to recent studies. (All the things I've been accused of by a certain brother.) But I am making a commitment to being as green as I can. Here's the reasons why:
1. First and foremost, I'm a Christian. In Genesis, God told Adam that this world was his to care for. I believe that that charge of stewardship extends to us. We have beautiful oceans, lakes, trees, deserts, animals, plants, etc in this world that God gave to us. I don't believe that He intended for us to destroy it with harsh chemicals, litter, and pollution in the name of progress. Now, please don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that there isn't a time or place for progress. I'm not blaming past generations -- if it weren't for the industrial revolution then I wouldn't be typing on this laptop, sipping a glass of iced tea w/ my precious artificial sweetener, and listening to my kids sing along with Jack's Big Music Show. I'm grateful for the progress our race has made. But I still believe that we have a responsibility to keep the world we have as clean as possible.
2. I have recently read and heard about more and more studies that takes the autism link away from vaccinations (which I never acted on anyway) and ties them to the chemicals in our products. I'm not going to dramatically throw out all my products to buy new more natural ones. You wouldn't want me to suddenly switch to a regular deodorant from an antiperspirant, I promise. But I do want to slowly replace those products (personal and household) that I believe can make a big difference in my house and whose non-natural alternative isn't necessary. And through these replacements, I can reduce the chance of my children and future grandchildren being autistic. But it's not just the autism link. It's the fact that our children shouldn't have those extra chemicals in their bodies. Think about everything that's outside on the pavement -- feces, pesticides, car exhaust fumes, lead, insect poisons -- those all get brought into our homes and once on the carpet, they go into our children's mouths. Who wants that in their children??? Not I!
3. I'm cheap. There, I said it. Call me a penny-pincher or say that I learned a little too well from my mother (Bagga...hehe) or say that I'm getting carried away with getting my grocery bill down (I beg to differ)......I don't care. What I do care about is saving money. If I can create new habits and work with more natural cleaners and other products that are just as effective and less expensive, then I'm all for it! For example, my driveway is full of cracks. Those cracks have more grass in them than the front yard has grass. (How does that work, btw? I water the yard and not the driveway, but yet the driveway's grass grows and the yard's does not.) Chris kept telling me to go buy a bottle of Roundup. I didn't want to. I didn't want to spend the money and didn't want the product to drain into our water system. Recently KT (linked here and on the side) posted a recipe for a weedkiller that is absolutely free since I have all the ingredients in my home already. We're trying it as soon as the remnants of Fay have disappeared.
All that being said, I'm going as green as possible, one step at a time. And I'm going to share what I'm doing with you each step of the way. I considered setting up a third blog, but this is my family blog and this is an important step for my family so this information stays here.
Here are the ideas and decisions that I've collected/made over the last few weeks:
1. I'm moving more towards cloth diapers. I started this because $200-300 a month for disposables was killing my budget. Kairi breaks out easily with all diapers, so I've left her in the Pampers Baby Dry b/c they affect her the least, but hopefully when we can afford better cd's (cloth diapers) then that rash won't come back. But in the meantime, I've been putting Alex in cd's during the day and leaving the disposables for nighttime, nap time, and church. I think that when I have enough of the good cd's for all of it, that we'll make it a permanent switch, but in the meantime, this is a good move for us.
~ Less diapers in the landfills. (Takes 5,000 years for a disposable diaper to decompose.)
~ Fewer chemicals to irritate skin and bother my children.
~ MUCH cheaper! Once you get over the initial investment, no more spending money on diapers! For our family that's a $200-300 break a month!
I've settled on bumGenius diapers because they're also sold at Target and one size fits both my babies.
2. I have a compulsion to disinfect all my dishes and kids' toys on a regular basis. At first, I used a dish soap with a disinfectant, but they all are "orange" and the citric acid leaves rashes on my hands and arms after extended use. So I started buying Palmolive's Green Apple and adding a touch of bleach. I discontinued the bleach b/c it is so harsh and because even Satin Hands could not combat my washing dishes 4-7 times a day in bleach after about 2 weeks. Then I remembered that I had some Lysol 3-in-1 disinfectant. I started adding a capful of that to my dish water. But again, the thought of all those chemicals started to bother me. So today while on the phone with my mother-in-law I looked up a green disinfectant. I'm going to have to buy some ingredients for this, but nothing that I would mind having in my house as it is.
Easy Four Thieves Vinegar Recipe
2 Cups of apple cider or white vinegar
4 Tbsp. dried lavender flowers
4 Tbsp. dried rosemary
4 Tbsp. dried thyme
4 Tbsp. dried sage
4 Tbsp. dried peppermint
Combine all the ingredients and seal tightly in a glass jar. Place the jar in a warm, dark cupboard for four weeks, shaking occasionally.
How to Use Four Thieves Vinegar
This mixture can be strained, cut with equal parts water, and decanted into a spray bottle. It is particularly good for use as a topical disinfectant around pet feeding areas, countertops, wood laminate floors, outdoor seating areas, and washable surfaces near where children play. Special note: If you are using herbs fresh from your garden, triple the amount specified in the recipe.
3. And here's a 2 in 1. Chris and I have decided to cut the plants against one of our fences waaaaaaaaay back. Then we're going to dig up a good portion of the yard next to that fence and section it off with lattice panels. We're going to plant a garden! We'll grow winterish vegetables this fall, but remembering that we live in Florida, I bet we can have some warm weather plants as well. We're also going to build a bin in the corner of the garden to use as a compost pile. I feel guilty every time I through away something that could easily decompose and make great soil -- call it brainwashing by my mother if you wish, but I can't spend the money on potting soil in good conscious when I know that I have plenty of supplies to make my own in my own refrigerator.
And as a sidenote, since our backyard is small and therefore our garden will be as well, we're going to use one of the front flowerbeds as a place for tomatoes, onions, garlic, and possibly peppers.
We're also making other changes, but I have written more than enough this time around and my children might kill each other if I don't go pry the girl off the boy. :)
1. First and foremost, I'm a Christian. In Genesis, God told Adam that this world was his to care for. I believe that that charge of stewardship extends to us. We have beautiful oceans, lakes, trees, deserts, animals, plants, etc in this world that God gave to us. I don't believe that He intended for us to destroy it with harsh chemicals, litter, and pollution in the name of progress. Now, please don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that there isn't a time or place for progress. I'm not blaming past generations -- if it weren't for the industrial revolution then I wouldn't be typing on this laptop, sipping a glass of iced tea w/ my precious artificial sweetener, and listening to my kids sing along with Jack's Big Music Show. I'm grateful for the progress our race has made. But I still believe that we have a responsibility to keep the world we have as clean as possible.
2. I have recently read and heard about more and more studies that takes the autism link away from vaccinations (which I never acted on anyway) and ties them to the chemicals in our products. I'm not going to dramatically throw out all my products to buy new more natural ones. You wouldn't want me to suddenly switch to a regular deodorant from an antiperspirant, I promise. But I do want to slowly replace those products (personal and household) that I believe can make a big difference in my house and whose non-natural alternative isn't necessary. And through these replacements, I can reduce the chance of my children and future grandchildren being autistic. But it's not just the autism link. It's the fact that our children shouldn't have those extra chemicals in their bodies. Think about everything that's outside on the pavement -- feces, pesticides, car exhaust fumes, lead, insect poisons -- those all get brought into our homes and once on the carpet, they go into our children's mouths. Who wants that in their children??? Not I!
3. I'm cheap. There, I said it. Call me a penny-pincher or say that I learned a little too well from my mother (Bagga...hehe) or say that I'm getting carried away with getting my grocery bill down (I beg to differ)......I don't care. What I do care about is saving money. If I can create new habits and work with more natural cleaners and other products that are just as effective and less expensive, then I'm all for it! For example, my driveway is full of cracks. Those cracks have more grass in them than the front yard has grass. (How does that work, btw? I water the yard and not the driveway, but yet the driveway's grass grows and the yard's does not.) Chris kept telling me to go buy a bottle of Roundup. I didn't want to. I didn't want to spend the money and didn't want the product to drain into our water system. Recently KT (linked here and on the side) posted a recipe for a weedkiller that is absolutely free since I have all the ingredients in my home already. We're trying it as soon as the remnants of Fay have disappeared.
All that being said, I'm going as green as possible, one step at a time. And I'm going to share what I'm doing with you each step of the way. I considered setting up a third blog, but this is my family blog and this is an important step for my family so this information stays here.
Here are the ideas and decisions that I've collected/made over the last few weeks:
1. I'm moving more towards cloth diapers. I started this because $200-300 a month for disposables was killing my budget. Kairi breaks out easily with all diapers, so I've left her in the Pampers Baby Dry b/c they affect her the least, but hopefully when we can afford better cd's (cloth diapers) then that rash won't come back. But in the meantime, I've been putting Alex in cd's during the day and leaving the disposables for nighttime, nap time, and church. I think that when I have enough of the good cd's for all of it, that we'll make it a permanent switch, but in the meantime, this is a good move for us.
~ Less diapers in the landfills. (Takes 5,000 years for a disposable diaper to decompose.)
~ Fewer chemicals to irritate skin and bother my children.
~ MUCH cheaper! Once you get over the initial investment, no more spending money on diapers! For our family that's a $200-300 break a month!
I've settled on bumGenius diapers because they're also sold at Target and one size fits both my babies.
2. I have a compulsion to disinfect all my dishes and kids' toys on a regular basis. At first, I used a dish soap with a disinfectant, but they all are "orange" and the citric acid leaves rashes on my hands and arms after extended use. So I started buying Palmolive's Green Apple and adding a touch of bleach. I discontinued the bleach b/c it is so harsh and because even Satin Hands could not combat my washing dishes 4-7 times a day in bleach after about 2 weeks. Then I remembered that I had some Lysol 3-in-1 disinfectant. I started adding a capful of that to my dish water. But again, the thought of all those chemicals started to bother me. So today while on the phone with my mother-in-law I looked up a green disinfectant. I'm going to have to buy some ingredients for this, but nothing that I would mind having in my house as it is.
Easy Four Thieves Vinegar Recipe
2 Cups of apple cider or white vinegar
4 Tbsp. dried lavender flowers
4 Tbsp. dried rosemary
4 Tbsp. dried thyme
4 Tbsp. dried sage
4 Tbsp. dried peppermint
Combine all the ingredients and seal tightly in a glass jar. Place the jar in a warm, dark cupboard for four weeks, shaking occasionally.
How to Use Four Thieves Vinegar
This mixture can be strained, cut with equal parts water, and decanted into a spray bottle. It is particularly good for use as a topical disinfectant around pet feeding areas, countertops, wood laminate floors, outdoor seating areas, and washable surfaces near where children play. Special note: If you are using herbs fresh from your garden, triple the amount specified in the recipe.
3. And here's a 2 in 1. Chris and I have decided to cut the plants against one of our fences waaaaaaaaay back. Then we're going to dig up a good portion of the yard next to that fence and section it off with lattice panels. We're going to plant a garden! We'll grow winterish vegetables this fall, but remembering that we live in Florida, I bet we can have some warm weather plants as well. We're also going to build a bin in the corner of the garden to use as a compost pile. I feel guilty every time I through away something that could easily decompose and make great soil -- call it brainwashing by my mother if you wish, but I can't spend the money on potting soil in good conscious when I know that I have plenty of supplies to make my own in my own refrigerator.
And as a sidenote, since our backyard is small and therefore our garden will be as well, we're going to use one of the front flowerbeds as a place for tomatoes, onions, garlic, and possibly peppers.
We're also making other changes, but I have written more than enough this time around and my children might kill each other if I don't go pry the girl off the boy. :)
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Calling all Baggas!
Sorry, Gramma, just had to say it.
Kairi has officially named my mother "Bagga". I'm sure that it will change with time, but whenever she talks about Gramma, she talks about Bagga. If I write out Gramma and ask her to repeat it, she says Bagga. Yesterday she grabbed me by the hand and took me around the house saying "Bagga, Bagga, Bagga, Bagga". Finally I saw the phone and said, "Kairi, do you want to talk to Gramma?"
"Talk! Mommy! Talk Bagga!"
:D :D :D
And yes, every bag lady joke you can think of has been brought up. :)
Kairi has officially named my mother "Bagga". I'm sure that it will change with time, but whenever she talks about Gramma, she talks about Bagga. If I write out Gramma and ask her to repeat it, she says Bagga. Yesterday she grabbed me by the hand and took me around the house saying "Bagga, Bagga, Bagga, Bagga". Finally I saw the phone and said, "Kairi, do you want to talk to Gramma?"
"Talk! Mommy! Talk Bagga!"
:D :D :D
And yes, every bag lady joke you can think of has been brought up. :)
Sunday, August 24, 2008
She's too smart
for her own good.
Kairi just learned how to open the art supplies box. It's one of those airtight containers with a handle on the top. And she knows how to open it. I guess I have to find a high spot to put it in to save my walls from any more artwork.
Kairi just learned how to open the art supplies box. It's one of those airtight containers with a handle on the top. And she knows how to open it. I guess I have to find a high spot to put it in to save my walls from any more artwork.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Interesting Article
Click here for an interesting article about how the fetal heart rate offers clues to child development. Super super super interesting!
Post Number 1 from Yesterday: Mom
Mom
Do you remember me talking about glimpses into teenager-hood with Kairi and how they terrified me? Last night I had another one of those moments.
Kairi has recently been exploring what she can call me. Mommy, Mama, Mudder, Mom. I don't mind for the most part, but I would rather not be called Mom. At least, not while she's this young. The other four are fine (well, Mudder's just funny), but Mom irritates me. I'm sure I got this from MY mother. She HATES being called Mom. I had a grandmother we called Mom, so my mother's name was Mama. Period. Do not try to call her anything else. If you call her Mommy, her answer is no. Always. :) I'm sure that Kairi has picked up that irritation, and my proof was last night's supper conversation.
K: Mommy. Mommy. Mommy.
M: Kairi. Kairi. Kairi.
K: Mama. Mama. Mama.
M: Kairi. Kairi. Kairi.
K: (In the snottiest tone you can imagine.) MOMMMMM!
M: Silence. I figure the best response is to ignore it.
K: (Still in a snotty voice.) Mom. (giggle) Mom. (giggle.) MOM. (giggle)
M: Kairi, speak to me nicely or don't talk.
K: (Snotty voice) Mooooooooom! Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.
M: (To Chris) Who is she talking to? It certainly can't be me. No one speaks to Mommy like that.
K: (Snotty voice) Mooooooooom! Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.
M: *sigh* Kairi, say Mommy.
K: Mommy. (And then in a whisper... mom mom mom mom mom mom)
Yeah, our teenage years are going to be fuuuun.
Do you remember me talking about glimpses into teenager-hood with Kairi and how they terrified me? Last night I had another one of those moments.
Kairi has recently been exploring what she can call me. Mommy, Mama, Mudder, Mom. I don't mind for the most part, but I would rather not be called Mom. At least, not while she's this young. The other four are fine (well, Mudder's just funny), but Mom irritates me. I'm sure I got this from MY mother. She HATES being called Mom. I had a grandmother we called Mom, so my mother's name was Mama. Period. Do not try to call her anything else. If you call her Mommy, her answer is no. Always. :) I'm sure that Kairi has picked up that irritation, and my proof was last night's supper conversation.
K: Mommy. Mommy. Mommy.
M: Kairi. Kairi. Kairi.
K: Mama. Mama. Mama.
M: Kairi. Kairi. Kairi.
K: (In the snottiest tone you can imagine.) MOMMMMM!
M: Silence. I figure the best response is to ignore it.
K: (Still in a snotty voice.) Mom. (giggle) Mom. (giggle.) MOM. (giggle)
M: Kairi, speak to me nicely or don't talk.
K: (Snotty voice) Mooooooooom! Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.
M: (To Chris) Who is she talking to? It certainly can't be me. No one speaks to Mommy like that.
K: (Snotty voice) Mooooooooom! Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.Mom.
M: *sigh* Kairi, say Mommy.
K: Mommy. (And then in a whisper... mom mom mom mom mom mom)
Yeah, our teenage years are going to be fuuuun.
A summary
I wrote 2 posts yesterday for your enjoyment. But with my internet being out (thankyouverymuchtropialstormfay) I was unable to post them. I'll put them up today.... later. You know, whenever I turn the computer on that I wrote on and saved them to. (Oh dear ... too many phrases and sentences ending w/ prepositions ... oh well, too tired to fix it.)
Tropical Storm Fay began affecting us last Friday ... maybe Thursday. It's still affecting us today, but now it's more like it began: cloudy skies and some wind. Ok, so the wind's still stronger than it started out, but I have faith that that will die down as well.
By Wednesday night, the rain seemed to be coming down harder than I'd ever seen rain fall. It'd rain 30-90 minutes, slack off, rain again, slack off, but it was always hard when it was raining.
Fay moved slowly so that made it worse. Much worse. And also made for a boring week as we couldn't allow the hooligans outside.
Chris and I stocked up on foods that were storm friendly and cooked a couple extra meals so that if the power went out, we weren't stuck with just canned goods.
Thursday was when we were supposed to experience the worst of it. We had internet, satellite, power, water ....
Friday wasn't supposed to be as bad. Chris had duty that morning through Sunday morning, so we woke up bright and early (5am -- ugh) and took him to work. It was so strange to see the base practically evacuated! I hated driving back to the house in the storm and by myself, but tried to convince myself that all would be just fine.
I had no internet and my satellite was in and out all day long. Satellite wouldn't be a big deal if I could toss the kids outside (I'd go with them of course), but there's only so many activities I can come up with some days when the kids want nothing more than to be outside. Kairi was very unhappy with the situation, and if she's in a poor mood, so is Alex. That's just the way it works.
We did have a water incident in our house. I walked into the kitchen during naptime to see water on the floor under my table. I just knew it was child-related, and grabbed towels to clean it up with, but as I was wiping away, I realized that there was no cup under or on the table to explain the liquid. It had no smell and was completely clear..... Then I looked over and realized that it was seeping from my baseboards. Ack! I went outside and dug a hole in the flowerbed that lines that outside wall to drain the water away from the house and to put a barricade up b/w the house and the water. That majorly slowed the water down, and then within 30 min to an hour or so the rain slowed down again, and from that point on I had no water in my house.
Nevertheless, we survived.
Then there's today. Now that the major part of the storm has passed, I woke up without power. Ack! It was only an hour and a half without power, but it could have been for a few days as some people have experienced. I'm going to put the kids down for a nap very soon and take one myself. After the last few days (and nights of no sleep thankyouverymuchalex), we all need a nice long nap. Maybe tomorrow I can catch up on the laundry....
I'll post the others later ... but for now it's nap time!
Tropical Storm Fay began affecting us last Friday ... maybe Thursday. It's still affecting us today, but now it's more like it began: cloudy skies and some wind. Ok, so the wind's still stronger than it started out, but I have faith that that will die down as well.
By Wednesday night, the rain seemed to be coming down harder than I'd ever seen rain fall. It'd rain 30-90 minutes, slack off, rain again, slack off, but it was always hard when it was raining.
Fay moved slowly so that made it worse. Much worse. And also made for a boring week as we couldn't allow the hooligans outside.
Chris and I stocked up on foods that were storm friendly and cooked a couple extra meals so that if the power went out, we weren't stuck with just canned goods.
Thursday was when we were supposed to experience the worst of it. We had internet, satellite, power, water ....
Friday wasn't supposed to be as bad. Chris had duty that morning through Sunday morning, so we woke up bright and early (5am -- ugh) and took him to work. It was so strange to see the base practically evacuated! I hated driving back to the house in the storm and by myself, but tried to convince myself that all would be just fine.
I had no internet and my satellite was in and out all day long. Satellite wouldn't be a big deal if I could toss the kids outside (I'd go with them of course), but there's only so many activities I can come up with some days when the kids want nothing more than to be outside. Kairi was very unhappy with the situation, and if she's in a poor mood, so is Alex. That's just the way it works.
We did have a water incident in our house. I walked into the kitchen during naptime to see water on the floor under my table. I just knew it was child-related, and grabbed towels to clean it up with, but as I was wiping away, I realized that there was no cup under or on the table to explain the liquid. It had no smell and was completely clear..... Then I looked over and realized that it was seeping from my baseboards. Ack! I went outside and dug a hole in the flowerbed that lines that outside wall to drain the water away from the house and to put a barricade up b/w the house and the water. That majorly slowed the water down, and then within 30 min to an hour or so the rain slowed down again, and from that point on I had no water in my house.
Nevertheless, we survived.
Then there's today. Now that the major part of the storm has passed, I woke up without power. Ack! It was only an hour and a half without power, but it could have been for a few days as some people have experienced. I'm going to put the kids down for a nap very soon and take one myself. After the last few days (and nights of no sleep thankyouverymuchalex), we all need a nice long nap. Maybe tomorrow I can catch up on the laundry....
I'll post the others later ... but for now it's nap time!
10 Things all of us Military Wives get tired of hearing...
A friend passed this to me. Some of it isn't worded the exact way I would ... but it's good none-the-less. :)
*Repost* if you've ever felt like strangling someone for asking you one of these...
1. I don't know how you do it.
Well, guess what? In all honesty, I don't know how I do it either. I just do. Because really, what other choice do I have?
2. I could never deal with it if my husband was gone for that long.
Hmmm...how does hearing how someone else can't deal with it help me to deal with it?
3. Are you scared that something may happen to him while he's there?
This one has always really perplexed me. Of course, I'm scared. I wouldn't be human if I wasn't. But being reminded of the fact that something may happen to him doesn't help me out.
4. Do you miss him?
Every time I get asked this, I just want to respond "Oh, no, definitely not. I like it when he's gone. It gives me the chance to be all by myself 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Who wouldn't want that?" Of course, I miss him. Wouldn't you miss your husband?
5. I know just how you feel. My husband was on a business trip last month for three days and I just thought I would die.
Are you kidding me? First, I barely notice now if my husband is only gone for three days. Second, unless his business trip was to a place where everyone is openly carrying a gun in the street trying to kill him and suicide bombers and roadside bombs are prevalent, its not remotely close to being the same. The only thing I may give you on this one is that you know what it's like to sleep in an empty bed.
6. Do you worry about him cheating on you? Or along the same lines...How can you go without sex for so long?
Well, people, it is a little thing called self control. That and a love for my husband and respect for my marriage. Do some people cheat? Sure they do - both here in the states and overseas. But people cheat in civilian marriages too. Being in the military has no bearing on that.
7. How can you sleep at night knowing your husband is a murderer? Won't you be afraid when he comes home?
This one sets me off more than any other. No soldier is a murderer. Have they had to kill someone? Quite possibly. But there are a great many soldiers who never have. It's not something they talk about in daily conversation. Regardless of what they do overseas, it does not make them a murderer. They are in a war zone and following orders. I have never once even had an inkling that I should be afraid of my husband because he is a soldier.
8. I'm so sorry your husband had to be deployed. Don't you just hate President Bush?
My husband joined the military of his own free will, knowing full well that he would probably be deployed. The President may be the one running the show, but my husband knew what he was getting into when he joined. I'm proud of him and his accomplishments. And I don't discuss politics or religion with anyone. (I DO discuss religion, but not with random people that are asking me about my husband.)
9. If you truly supported your husband, you would be protesting so he wouldn't have to deploy again/could be brought home/the war would end.
Really? My definition of support must be much different than the definition of support by these people. Supporting my husband means supporting him in what he does and what he believes in. It does not mean disrespecting the men and women who volunteered to defend our country and our rights. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have the right to protest in the first place. I'm certainly not putting myself in a position where it could be construed as anything other than 100% support for our troops and their families.
10. I can't believe your husband did this to you. Aren't you mad at him?
Um, what?! My husband didn't do anything to me. He honors his agreements and he follows the orders of his superiors. There's certainly nothing sad or maddening about having a husband who fulfills his commitments. Don't feel sorry for me. I'm proud of my husband and I completely support him.
*Repost* if you've ever felt like strangling someone for asking you one of these...
1. I don't know how you do it.
Well, guess what? In all honesty, I don't know how I do it either. I just do. Because really, what other choice do I have?
2. I could never deal with it if my husband was gone for that long.
Hmmm...how does hearing how someone else can't deal with it help me to deal with it?
3. Are you scared that something may happen to him while he's there?
This one has always really perplexed me. Of course, I'm scared. I wouldn't be human if I wasn't. But being reminded of the fact that something may happen to him doesn't help me out.
4. Do you miss him?
Every time I get asked this, I just want to respond "Oh, no, definitely not. I like it when he's gone. It gives me the chance to be all by myself 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Who wouldn't want that?" Of course, I miss him. Wouldn't you miss your husband?
5. I know just how you feel. My husband was on a business trip last month for three days and I just thought I would die.
Are you kidding me? First, I barely notice now if my husband is only gone for three days. Second, unless his business trip was to a place where everyone is openly carrying a gun in the street trying to kill him and suicide bombers and roadside bombs are prevalent, its not remotely close to being the same. The only thing I may give you on this one is that you know what it's like to sleep in an empty bed.
6. Do you worry about him cheating on you? Or along the same lines...How can you go without sex for so long?
Well, people, it is a little thing called self control. That and a love for my husband and respect for my marriage. Do some people cheat? Sure they do - both here in the states and overseas. But people cheat in civilian marriages too. Being in the military has no bearing on that.
7. How can you sleep at night knowing your husband is a murderer? Won't you be afraid when he comes home?
This one sets me off more than any other. No soldier is a murderer. Have they had to kill someone? Quite possibly. But there are a great many soldiers who never have. It's not something they talk about in daily conversation. Regardless of what they do overseas, it does not make them a murderer. They are in a war zone and following orders. I have never once even had an inkling that I should be afraid of my husband because he is a soldier.
8. I'm so sorry your husband had to be deployed. Don't you just hate President Bush?
My husband joined the military of his own free will, knowing full well that he would probably be deployed. The President may be the one running the show, but my husband knew what he was getting into when he joined. I'm proud of him and his accomplishments. And I don't discuss politics or religion with anyone. (I DO discuss religion, but not with random people that are asking me about my husband.)
9. If you truly supported your husband, you would be protesting so he wouldn't have to deploy again/could be brought home/the war would end.
Really? My definition of support must be much different than the definition of support by these people. Supporting my husband means supporting him in what he does and what he believes in. It does not mean disrespecting the men and women who volunteered to defend our country and our rights. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have the right to protest in the first place. I'm certainly not putting myself in a position where it could be construed as anything other than 100% support for our troops and their families.
10. I can't believe your husband did this to you. Aren't you mad at him?
Um, what?! My husband didn't do anything to me. He honors his agreements and he follows the orders of his superiors. There's certainly nothing sad or maddening about having a husband who fulfills his commitments. Don't feel sorry for me. I'm proud of my husband and I completely support him.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
A Poem for Fay
Tropical Storm Fay,
Please go away.
My babies would like to play.
As I watch the trees sway,
I'd just like to say
That today's just not a good day,
For skies so dreary and gray.
Please, oh please, dear Fay,
Go far far away.
Hey ... I never claimed to be a good poet.
Seriously, though, the storm is getting to me. My house is just a solid state of gray. My kids are whiny. Kairi refuses to nap because of the wind. Alex doesn't feel good, and I'm fairly certain that it's allergies brought in by whatever this storm brought with it. No one feels like doing anything. We have been super lazy, and my house shows it by the countless toys and "others" on the floor. I have only done one set of dishes. And we've done more snacking than healthy eating.
So again, I plead, Fay ... Go Away!
Please go away.
My babies would like to play.
As I watch the trees sway,
I'd just like to say
That today's just not a good day,
For skies so dreary and gray.
Please, oh please, dear Fay,
Go far far away.
Hey ... I never claimed to be a good poet.
Seriously, though, the storm is getting to me. My house is just a solid state of gray. My kids are whiny. Kairi refuses to nap because of the wind. Alex doesn't feel good, and I'm fairly certain that it's allergies brought in by whatever this storm brought with it. No one feels like doing anything. We have been super lazy, and my house shows it by the countless toys and "others" on the floor. I have only done one set of dishes. And we've done more snacking than healthy eating.
So again, I plead, Fay ... Go Away!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Babies shouldn't be allowed to get sick
Especially not when it's my baby boy. My sweet baby boy who wants nothing more than to be able to breathe while he sleeps.
My poor poor poor baby.
My poor poor poor baby.
Look what I found
Kairi has developed an "interesting" habit to eat Oreos. She pulls them apart, eats the cream filling, and then hides the cookie part for later.
Today I gave her 2 Oreos for her snack. I don't know where she hid the cookie part, but Alex found them.
Today I gave her 2 Oreos for her snack. I don't know where she hid the cookie part, but Alex found them.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
A New Blog?
Yes, that's right. I created a new blog. But not to replace this one at all. Instead, I just wanted a place where I could post the fun recipes I've been trying recently. I'm sure that the people I love get tired of hearing about the details of my cooking, but I needed a place to go into it, so we have "What's For Dinner?". I've asked my friend Jammie to join me in posting recipes. We may have to bug her from time to time to remind her that the blog exists, but I'm really excited about sharing recipes with her!
So come on over and spend some time with us! If you have a recipe to share, email it to me (colornineus@gmail.com) and I'll post it!
So come on over and spend some time with us! If you have a recipe to share, email it to me (colornineus@gmail.com) and I'll post it!
Mommy, Baby. He Cry.
My efforts to get Alex sleeping all night long continued last night. He woke up at 1:30am. I laid in bed and listened to him fuss. And fuss. And fuss. He wasn't screaming, so I was going to let him stay there. That is, until I heard Kairi cry. Now you have to understand, that when Kairi gets up in the middle of the night that something's wrong. Either she's scared or her stomach hurts or she has a dirty diaper. She's like her Mommy--sleep is to be cherished and not interrupted. So when she started crying, I knew that I had to get up. I go into her room and hold her for a minute, told her that everything was ok, and to go back to sleep. She looked me in the eye and goes "Mommy! Baby cry. Mommy, Baby. He crrrrrrrry!" I told her to wait just a minute. I gave Alex his pacifier back, laid him down, and watched him go back to sleep. Go back in Kairi's room. "Is that better baby?" "Yesh, Mommy. Bebber." "Night night baby." "Nigh nigh Mommy."
She rolled over and went back to sleep. What a good big sister!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For future reference:
Husbands shouldn't put up groceries. At least not without very specific directions that are written out so that they can refer back to them at any given momeny. At the beginning of the month after my grocery shopping trip I was running late for another event and told Chris to put up the groceries.
I said: "And don't put the meat in the freezer, I need to repackage it first. Just leave it in the fridge."
He heard: "Put the meat in the freezer."
So he put a 3lb package of chicken and a 4.5lb package of ground beef in the freezer.
Now, the chicken was easily dealt with. I thawed it out and fixed half one day and the rest the next. But 4.5lbs of ground beef? Seriously? What do you do with that? It doesn't help that I have been limiting the amount of red meat we eat for less fatty foods.
Last night I had to thaw it out. I had to do SOMETHING with it.
Half of it became meatballs. We had meatballs and spaghetti last night. I will freeze the meatballs we don't eat at lunch.
The rest was browned with garlic and onions, and frozen I figure that this'll make it easy to make taco meat in the future. Or a taco salad. Or add some ground meat to pasta. Or beef stroganoff. Or ... anything else you might use browned meat in.
I guess I should be thankful because now I have 3 easy meals that are frozen and ready for me to fix later. .... Yeah, thankful. :)
(Sidenote: I'm really not upset with Chris over this. I'm simply amused that he thought that freezing 4.5lbs of ground beef was a good idea. And I am STILL appreciative of his efforts to put away groceries and all the other things he has done to help out around the house recently.)
She rolled over and went back to sleep. What a good big sister!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For future reference:
Husbands shouldn't put up groceries. At least not without very specific directions that are written out so that they can refer back to them at any given momeny. At the beginning of the month after my grocery shopping trip I was running late for another event and told Chris to put up the groceries.
I said: "And don't put the meat in the freezer, I need to repackage it first. Just leave it in the fridge."
He heard: "Put the meat in the freezer."
So he put a 3lb package of chicken and a 4.5lb package of ground beef in the freezer.
Now, the chicken was easily dealt with. I thawed it out and fixed half one day and the rest the next. But 4.5lbs of ground beef? Seriously? What do you do with that? It doesn't help that I have been limiting the amount of red meat we eat for less fatty foods.
Last night I had to thaw it out. I had to do SOMETHING with it.
Half of it became meatballs. We had meatballs and spaghetti last night. I will freeze the meatballs we don't eat at lunch.
The rest was browned with garlic and onions, and frozen I figure that this'll make it easy to make taco meat in the future. Or a taco salad. Or add some ground meat to pasta. Or beef stroganoff. Or ... anything else you might use browned meat in.
I guess I should be thankful because now I have 3 easy meals that are frozen and ready for me to fix later. .... Yeah, thankful. :)
(Sidenote: I'm really not upset with Chris over this. I'm simply amused that he thought that freezing 4.5lbs of ground beef was a good idea. And I am STILL appreciative of his efforts to put away groceries and all the other things he has done to help out around the house recently.)
Monday, August 18, 2008
Still finding it EVERYWHERE
Today was the first day since our vaseline incident that I have had a moment to deep clean Kairi's room, where the incident took place.
I found vaseline on the play-kitchen's stove, sink, refrigerator; on multiple dishes; on board books; on play bibs; on a pair of too small shoes; and on one of the legs of her bed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I found another frog in our house today. This is number 4. At least this one was alive and able to be set free....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kairi's leg is fine. She doesn't even notice anymore that there was a boo-boo. She cried when I took off the bandaid, but food distracted her from that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We had turkey cheese melts for lunch today. As I pulled Kairi's sandwich off the grill, I called for her. I didn't hear her respond, so Chris went searching for her. She was in her bed. Asleep! We have no idea when she put herself to bed, but I'm proud of her for doing so! She woke up at 2:15 and is in a great mood. :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you heard about Chris' kidney stones, then you'll be happy to hear that he's ok now. He's still sore, but that's it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday morning, I decided that I had had enough. Alex has been up 4 times that night to nurse. Chris was up with kidney stones. Kairi was up. I barely got any sleep. It was happening more and more often. So I made a plan. I would nurse Alex ONCE that night. And that was it.
Saturday night went like this:
~ 8:30pm Go to bed.
~11:30pm Wake up and nurse.
~ 1:30am Wake up and go back to sleep quickly after being given his pacifier back.
~ 3:00am Wake up and scream for forever. Finally sobbed himself to sleep at 4am.
~ 5:30am Wake up and go back to sleep quickly after being given his pacifier back.
~ 6:15am Wake up. Mommy decided that since it was after 6am it was alright to let him nurse again. Goes back to sleep after nursing.
~ 6:45am Wake up for the day.
It was a long night ... but it could have gone worse.
Last night looked like this
~ 8:30pm Go to bed.
~ 1:30am Wake up and nurse. Go back to sleep quickly.
~ 7:25am Wake up for the day.
PRAISE GOD! I GOT SOME SLEEP! HURRAY!!!!!!!!
Now, that does not mean that tonight will go as well ... but I'm so thankful for a good night, that I'm not about to even start to consider what that might mean. :)
I found vaseline on the play-kitchen's stove, sink, refrigerator; on multiple dishes; on board books; on play bibs; on a pair of too small shoes; and on one of the legs of her bed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I found another frog in our house today. This is number 4. At least this one was alive and able to be set free....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kairi's leg is fine. She doesn't even notice anymore that there was a boo-boo. She cried when I took off the bandaid, but food distracted her from that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We had turkey cheese melts for lunch today. As I pulled Kairi's sandwich off the grill, I called for her. I didn't hear her respond, so Chris went searching for her. She was in her bed. Asleep! We have no idea when she put herself to bed, but I'm proud of her for doing so! She woke up at 2:15 and is in a great mood. :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you heard about Chris' kidney stones, then you'll be happy to hear that he's ok now. He's still sore, but that's it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday morning, I decided that I had had enough. Alex has been up 4 times that night to nurse. Chris was up with kidney stones. Kairi was up. I barely got any sleep. It was happening more and more often. So I made a plan. I would nurse Alex ONCE that night. And that was it.
Saturday night went like this:
~ 8:30pm Go to bed.
~11:30pm Wake up and nurse.
~ 1:30am Wake up and go back to sleep quickly after being given his pacifier back.
~ 3:00am Wake up and scream for forever. Finally sobbed himself to sleep at 4am.
~ 5:30am Wake up and go back to sleep quickly after being given his pacifier back.
~ 6:15am Wake up. Mommy decided that since it was after 6am it was alright to let him nurse again. Goes back to sleep after nursing.
~ 6:45am Wake up for the day.
It was a long night ... but it could have gone worse.
Last night looked like this
~ 8:30pm Go to bed.
~ 1:30am Wake up and nurse. Go back to sleep quickly.
~ 7:25am Wake up for the day.
PRAISE GOD! I GOT SOME SLEEP! HURRAY!!!!!!!!
Now, that does not mean that tonight will go as well ... but I'm so thankful for a good night, that I'm not about to even start to consider what that might mean. :)
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Watch for Razors
While getting ready for church this morning, Kairi decided that she wanted to take a bath in Mommy's bathtub. I grabbed the razor, moved it next to my sink, and put her in the tub. While she played, I did my makeup. Suddenly she gasped. I whipped around. She had a razor blade in her hand and was trying to shave her legs!
Her knee bled and bled and bled and bled and bled and bled. She'll grab her knee at random moments and just start bawling again. If she falls on it, she'll bawl. If she sees the bandaid, she'll bawl. And, by the way, the bandaid caused just as much of a fit as the actual cuts. I only insisted on it b/c I couldn't get her to stop crying.
Her knee bled and bled and bled and bled and bled and bled. She'll grab her knee at random moments and just start bawling again. If she falls on it, she'll bawl. If she sees the bandaid, she'll bawl. And, by the way, the bandaid caused just as much of a fit as the actual cuts. I only insisted on it b/c I couldn't get her to stop crying.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Oh Joy....
I knew something was wrong when I heard both children giggling hilariously. I mean, they were near hysterics. This doesn't sound right. The shrieks of laughter coming from Kairi's bedroom were too good to be true. Yes, my children play together well, but not THIS well. I peek inside the door.
Kairi had smothered Alex from head to toe in vaseline. They both found it to be the funniest thing that had ever happened.
Alex had his bath a little early today. I seriously doubt that I got all the vaseline out of his hair.
Kairi is on her 3rd set of clothes. I think that the next thing she does today will earn her the privilege of going w/ just a diaper on. I'm almost caught up on laundry, but this will quickly set me back.
Kairi had smothered Alex from head to toe in vaseline. They both found it to be the funniest thing that had ever happened.
Alex had his bath a little early today. I seriously doubt that I got all the vaseline out of his hair.
Kairi is on her 3rd set of clothes. I think that the next thing she does today will earn her the privilege of going w/ just a diaper on. I'm almost caught up on laundry, but this will quickly set me back.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Picture of Kairi
GRRR!!!!!!!! So my trying to make it a link just to take you straight to the picture isn't going to work apparently. Instead, go here:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8Abt3Lhs1atlEx4&emid=sharview&linkid=link2
Click view pictures.
Then look on the bottom right you'll see where it lets you chose which pictures to view. Change it to 73-84.
It's the top left one.
Note -- this is the fourth time I've changed this post. It had better work this time.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8Abt3Lhs1atlEx4&emid=sharview&linkid=link2
Click view pictures.
Then look on the bottom right you'll see where it lets you chose which pictures to view. Change it to 73-84.
It's the top left one.
Note -- this is the fourth time I've changed this post. It had better work this time.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
2 Year and 9 Month Well-Visit
Today we braved the doctor's office. Kairi's fit started the moment we were called back. It did not end until we were out of the office. Alex was fine and laughing the whole time.
Kairi: 27lbs, 32 1/4 in
He's happy that we've been successful at reintroducing cheese. He wants us to try Lactaid milk soon.
Instead of ordering an allergy test, he wants us to challenge her with peanuts. We're to touch a peanut and then immediately touch her, record the reaction. We need to do this several times w/ about a week b/w each time. If this turns out ok, then we'll touch her skin directly w/ a peanut shell. Next would be a peanut. If she can tolerate those, then he won't prescribe an epipen. One reaction, though, and we'll have to carry the pen around. He told me to label EVERYTHING that someone else could see that she has a peanut allergy. He said that he hopes that one day we can challenge her with an actual bite of peanut butter, but warned that that may be years down the road. In the meantime, he said to keep giving her the soy butter and to always be willing to provide the snacks wherever we go in order to avoid peanuts -- which I do anyway.
Alex: (my shrimp!) 16 1/2 lbs., 26 1/2 in long
Everything looks good! He did say that his growth is sorta leveling out, and that he wouldn't be upset if we gave him one cup of formula a day. He said to not replace a meal time w/ the formula, but that it would give him a drink w/ a little bit more calories -- maybe we can plump him up some this way. But if I chose to not, then he won't be upset about it. Otherwise, he's in perfect health and will just always be a small child!
Both of them hand the finger prick. Alex just blinked and then tried to get his hand back. Kairi acted like she was being stabbed. I also had to physically pin Kairi down to be examined. We talked about each thing that the doctor was going to do before the appointment and she was fine when we talked about it, but today she went into panic mode. I didn't get upset or frustrated with her, which the doctor was glad about -- but I just don't know what I'm going to do about that child. Next time Chris will HAVE to go, b/c she's sooo strong I'm not sure that I'll be able to hold her down myself again.
Kairi: 27lbs, 32 1/4 in
He's happy that we've been successful at reintroducing cheese. He wants us to try Lactaid milk soon.
Instead of ordering an allergy test, he wants us to challenge her with peanuts. We're to touch a peanut and then immediately touch her, record the reaction. We need to do this several times w/ about a week b/w each time. If this turns out ok, then we'll touch her skin directly w/ a peanut shell. Next would be a peanut. If she can tolerate those, then he won't prescribe an epipen. One reaction, though, and we'll have to carry the pen around. He told me to label EVERYTHING that someone else could see that she has a peanut allergy. He said that he hopes that one day we can challenge her with an actual bite of peanut butter, but warned that that may be years down the road. In the meantime, he said to keep giving her the soy butter and to always be willing to provide the snacks wherever we go in order to avoid peanuts -- which I do anyway.
Alex: (my shrimp!) 16 1/2 lbs., 26 1/2 in long
Everything looks good! He did say that his growth is sorta leveling out, and that he wouldn't be upset if we gave him one cup of formula a day. He said to not replace a meal time w/ the formula, but that it would give him a drink w/ a little bit more calories -- maybe we can plump him up some this way. But if I chose to not, then he won't be upset about it. Otherwise, he's in perfect health and will just always be a small child!
Both of them hand the finger prick. Alex just blinked and then tried to get his hand back. Kairi acted like she was being stabbed. I also had to physically pin Kairi down to be examined. We talked about each thing that the doctor was going to do before the appointment and she was fine when we talked about it, but today she went into panic mode. I didn't get upset or frustrated with her, which the doctor was glad about -- but I just don't know what I'm going to do about that child. Next time Chris will HAVE to go, b/c she's sooo strong I'm not sure that I'll be able to hold her down myself again.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAW-MAW!
I know that you'll be reading this soon -- so Happy Birthday! We love you and miss you! Hope that today's a great day! We thank God for you everyday.
God bless,
Love,
Stephanie, Chris, Kairi, and Alex
God bless,
Love,
Stephanie, Chris, Kairi, and Alex
It's a Paaaawwwty!
In a rush to get to bed last night b/c my sciatica flared up, I left bags upon bags of birthday party supplies on the couch. This morning Kairi found them. I told her that they were special for her birthday party, and that the party was after church and her nap. That was when it began. Pawty pawty pawty pawty pawty pawty pawty pawty...... They talked about it in class, talked about it in nursery, she drug her daddy out of the church to get home for the pawty, talked about it on the way home. (I stayed home to catch up on all that I should have done the night before but hurt too badly to do -- didn't help, I was still in pain in the morning but at least I was rested.) She refused to take a nap because of her excitement for the pawty.
I was running late, of course, and the party began about 20 minutes after it should have, but several guests were late as well, so it worked.
Here's the pawty with running commentary.
We had these hanging from the ceiling in various places -- different shades of pink.
The spread -- minus the pretzel butterflies (cream cheese stuffed celery w/ pretzels for butterfly wings) which weren't done yet.
Dirt Cups
Ants on a Log (soy butter and raisins)
Critter Crunch -- animal crackers, honey bees, mini-pretzels, M&Ms, chocolate covered raisins, and gummy worms
Kairi digging in -- notice the number of ice cones around her....... Yeah, that was all her. We moved the rest.
Alex enjoying himself!
Kairi hiding
Kate and Carter!
Kairi loves her bubbles!
Carter!
Babies with Mommies
Baby Dash being held by Ms Dea!
Kairi helped herself
What happened when Mommy took the cupcake plate away
All done, let's play ... on the table
Presents!
Kissing the baby in the box.
She climbed into Mr. Heath's (Carter's dad) lap to have her book read to her.
That's the party!
I was running late, of course, and the party began about 20 minutes after it should have, but several guests were late as well, so it worked.
Here's the pawty with running commentary.
We had these hanging from the ceiling in various places -- different shades of pink.
The spread -- minus the pretzel butterflies (cream cheese stuffed celery w/ pretzels for butterfly wings) which weren't done yet.
Dirt Cups
Ants on a Log (soy butter and raisins)
Critter Crunch -- animal crackers, honey bees, mini-pretzels, M&Ms, chocolate covered raisins, and gummy worms
Kairi digging in -- notice the number of ice cones around her....... Yeah, that was all her. We moved the rest.
Alex enjoying himself!
Kairi hiding
Kate and Carter!
Kairi loves her bubbles!
Carter!
Babies with Mommies
Baby Dash being held by Ms Dea!
Kairi helped herself
What happened when Mommy took the cupcake plate away
All done, let's play ... on the table
Presents!
Kissing the baby in the box.
She climbed into Mr. Heath's (Carter's dad) lap to have her book read to her.
That's the party!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Kairi's Birthday and New Haircuts!
Remember this?
Today is two years later! I can hardly believe it!
We opened a few presents today and Mommy, Daddy and Kairi all got haircuts! Here's a few pictures from our day!
The back of my new haircut! See above for the front.
And of Alex from two days ago -- just for good measure!
Today is two years later! I can hardly believe it!
We opened a few presents today and Mommy, Daddy and Kairi all got haircuts! Here's a few pictures from our day!
The back of my new haircut! See above for the front.
And of Alex from two days ago -- just for good measure!
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