Blueberries

This morning Krista was "helping" me get Gabriel dressed for the day. When I had his jammies off I told her to give him raspberries on his tummy and proceeded to show her what to do. She then blows on his arm, moving her mouth back and forth and shouted, "Blueberries!" I love her so much, she always makes me laugh - no matter how unintentionally.

Gabriel's 12 Mos Checkup

Last Thursday, Gabriel had his 12 mos. well-care child visit. He's 22lbs (48 percentile), 30" (50 percentile) and his head is also around the 50 percentile. So, he's a perfectly average size in every way. He hasn't been gaining weight like he was and is thinning down now, but that is normal at this age as they are moving more and more. He crawls around the house and gets into everything now. He wants to walk around holding fingers now, too. The doctor said he looked great and his language ability is above the curve since he can say so many words. The poor baby got four shots and a finger prick at this visit. He was such a champ during the finger prick and blood draw and didn't make a peep. He didn't like the shots so much, though. But once Mama picked him up, he settled down and took a nice long nap when we got home.

Snow Angel

Krista is old enough to really enjoy the winter snow and not old enough to despise the driving conditions and cold... Today while Gabriel napped, she helped me scoop the sidewalk and front stoop.

Here They Come!

The Christmas lights are out in full force. Even some of our neighbors have lights on their houses. And then there's that "one" house with so many lights, it's like a winter wonderland creating a beacon of light on the block. Krista loves this house and insists that we always drive past the "big one" when we drive home. She sees them coming and a very excited, screeching high-pitched toddler voice shouts out, "Here they come!" Many "wows" follow as she gets her fix.

Ansel is at the height of excitement as well because the delivery men are out in full force. Any time he hears one of their trucks, which he can hear from miles away, he barks like a crazy dog. We have our fair amount of deliveries with all our packages flooding in from Nana this week. Ansel has spent a fair amount of kennel time the last few days when I just get fed up.

Gabriel loves the Christmas trees with their round ornaments. A couple of his new words are used daily as he gazes at the tree, "tree" and "ball".

We are all ready for Christmas/Jesus' birthday (which we now have to have a birthday cake for Jesus per Krista), but can't believe it's already just a week away!

Consequences

We are constantly learning in our household. Krista and I created a new "game" the other day that she loves to play.

T: What happens if you push your brother?
K: Go to time out!
T: That's right, so don't hit your brother. (I start to get distracted with something else.)
K: Do it again, mom. Do it again!
T: OK.. What happens if you don't share?
K: Go to time out! (Big smile.)
T: What happens if you..... say no to Mama or Papa?
K: Go to time out!
T: What happens if you.... hug your brother?
K: ... That was nice!

And on and on we go. I am so proud of the way she absorbs the concept of right and wrong and understands the resulting consequences. It's fun to watch the little wheels crank away in her little mind.

To Blog?

I feel like I need to blog, although I don't have anything funny or cute to report. I could tell you that Krista is doing awesome potty training. She made it through the day yesterday without accidents, only pottying when wearing a diaper in the morning and at nap time. Today, she's only had one accident. I could tell you that I'm getting ready for a low-key 1st birthday celebration for Gabriel. I'm trying to decide what kind of cake and how much effort I want to put into it. I could tell you that Gabriel is talking more and more. He now says "car", "go", "ball", "kitty", "papa", and a few other words in addition to all kinds of rude noises.

I could tell you.... and I guess I did - Blog Success!

Turtle

I am a Turtle, slowly crawling on the floor. My back is humped as my head peaks out.

I am a Monkey loudly calling out, "Oooh ooh, Ahhh ahh!" I grab my monkey young and run across the floor.

I am a Cat, licking my paws. I meow loudly and hiss at another cat.

I am a Bear and release a menacing, "RAAHHRR!" I show my claws and run swiftly.

Thanks, Krista, for your wonderful imagination. It's always fun to play with you.

Christmas Collage

Christmas Dialog

I dragged out our pre-lit artificial tree from the basement and proceeded to put it together. This was the dialog that ensued between Krista and well.... Krista.

K: Is it beautiful?
K: Wow!
K: It's a Christmas tree!
K: Is it nice?
K: Want to go to Christmas?
K: Wow!
K: Christmas is sooo fun!
K: Hahahaha!

Bad Mommy!

Recently, my lack of parental supervision has really shined. Maybe it is because I have been sick the last few days or my kids are being more mischievous... this is what I came into the room and found at different occasions:

--Three streaks of red crayon marks and three streaks of yellow crayon marks on the couch - Krista owned up to this when I asked her if she did it with a proud, "Yes, I did!"

--Gabriel sitting in a puddle of red punch, his pants and socks soaked red with Krista's cup from dinner in his hand. I did put the drink up on the Babee Tenda (high chair) table, but his reach has amazingly gotten longer recently (baby's grow? whooda thunkit!).

--Gabriel standing in the bathtub, unable to get out and me standing there wondering how he got in there without conking his head open.

--Krista sitting on Gabriel's back, while Gabriel is flat on his tummy on the ground unable to move - she was laughing and he was whining (maybe she'll be a professional wrestler?).

And all I can say for myself is, "But, I only turned my back on them for a second!"

Clarification

No, I did not have too much oreo fluff this Thanksgiving. As you may or may not have noticed, the previous blog entry was a little off the wall based on what I normally post. The explanation is that I did not even write the previous blog. Most of you probably figured it out by now, but I have allowed my husband, Josh, to create entries in my blog. You can note which ones are his by the authorship mentioned below each entry.

Josh told me the other day that he was making funny "end of shift" reports at the end of each week that he sends to his supervisors. His coworkers get a kick out of these random humorous rants, so I told him he should post them to the blog. I find them funny and you may, too.

Check out Josh's birthday dedication blog that I wrote for him, to have some background about him. Now, I will have some oreo fluff today, thank you very much!

Kermit the Frog

Kermit the Frog…

Do you remember that song that was sung by Kermit the Frog? The one that goes, "Why are there so many songs about rainbows? And what’s on the other side?" I was thinking about this the other day while I was sharpening my axe. I think Kermit is either a guy in the wrong place at the wrong time, or he is a genius mastermind who actually devised an elaborate plan to get rid of songs about rainbows by making the rainbow colors synonymous with the gay community. We already can figure out how he voted on Proposition 8 in California. He voted for it! The reason I believe this to be true is because he obviously hates songs about rainbows and he knows that to be a part of the gay community is not that popular or else they would have passed Proposition 8.

I mean how else are you going to get rid of rainbow songs? Have you heard a song about rainbows in the last 20 years? I bet you cannot name one! I sure can't. I mean maybe Barney had one or two but we all know what team Barney bats for. Plus that sick twisted freak is a bonified chubby chaser and has no business being around children in the first place. Well enough about Barney the big purple dinosaur, Kermit is the focus of this weeks end of shift report.

I am not saying anything bad about Kermit; in fact I really admire his divisiveness and ability to say to himself "I don't like songs about rainbows, now what am I going to do about it." Most of us would have just sat down and cried about it, or convinced themselves that the problem is too big to tackle, but not Kermit the Frog. No, He got up off his green water tight ass and did something about it! We could all learn from his example that if you put your mind to something, you can do anything! It is no wonder why he is king of the puppet community and it is Kermit who got the girl (Miss Piggy). Miss Piggy doesn’t want to hang around Gonzo or even Animal. When she was faced with the task of who is she going to sleep with at the end of the day, she went for the smart guy.

So here’s to you Kermit the Frog, I lift my glass to you tonight as I recognize the pure genius of your ways. God bless you and America, the land of opportunity, the only place in the world that you can get rid of songs about rainbows by making rainbow colors synonymous with homosexuality.

I Am Thankful

I am thankful for many things in my life. Today marks a good day to reflect and personally give thanks, although I am thankful every single day.

I am thankful that I have God in my life. I have two angel-faced blessings that I look upon each day, enriching my belief that God is there. I thank God for giving us the opportunity to live comfortably (while not rich) and giving us everything that we need. I pray I can convey my massive thankfulness to Him in my daily life and do not get muddled with the everyday hustle and bustle.

I am thankful for my husband and children. They provide the joy in my existence. I love them and relish the love they give to me.

I am thankful to my parents. They spoil and love me unconditionally. I feel lucky to have been born to such wonderful parents. I also feel lucky to have married a man with a mother who I now call my own and who also loves me unconditionally.

I am thankful for my extended family and friends. They are like a warm blanket of support. I know that if I need prayers or support, I need only to ask.

So, I simply want to say, "Thank You," and I wish you all wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

The Holy Grail

At least for the Hatchell household potty training success...

It's Potty-Time!

After posting my frustrations on potty training last week, I decided that Krista was just not ready. I put her back in her diapers and never mentioned a potty training word to her. Last night she spots the Skittles on the desk and says, "I make a potty?!" I told her that if she goes in the potty, she can select two Skittles. Off she goes and potty she does make.

She repeats this cycle about 30 minutes later, only this time she shouts, "It's potty time!" She does this again 30 minutes later. Each time, she successfully goes. I'm so excited. I ask her if she has to go one more time before we get in the car to pick up Josh. She goes.

We end up going to Target to buy more Skittles as they seem to do the trick. We buy a giant bag of Skittles and a pretty glass jar with a lid that screws on - so she can see the Skittles and be further tempted. The best part is, she went potty on the big toilet at Target when we got there and when we left!

So far today, I have had her in training underwear, which were still dry a few minutes ago. Like everything else she does, Krista has her own internal timeframe and when she's ready she goes full force. I pray for no back tracking now!

Hands

Hands can do a myriad of things that include: helping, praying, playing, clapping. Here are some portraits of some special hands I see everyday.

Wishlist

Last night in the car we asked Krista what she wanted for Christmas this year and these were her responses:

Krista's Christmas Wishlist

1. A Stick
2. A Wand
3. A Stick
4. A Christmas Tree
5. To Go Bye-Bye

Office Etiquette

I've been out of a office setting for a couple years now and I am getting a little rusty on office professionalism. I have relearned many of these skills from my daughter.

If someone gets too close to your workspace: Gently place your foot on their face and push. The person will then fall to the floor and cry, greatly reducing their presence in your space.

If someone tries to steal your work: Grab what you are working on and yell, "NO, (Insert said person's name)!" Continue to yell at a higher and higher pitch and hunch over the work so the person can not take it.

If you see someone using the fax machine or another piece of shared office equipment: You should scream across the room, "Mine!" in your most whiny voice.

If the boss happens to be in the room: Hand over all of your work and supplies to the coworker as a sign of your willingness to work as a team (and so you won't get written up).

If a coworker has candy on their desk: Shove as much in your mouth at once as you can fit. Devour it all, except for one piece. Take that one last piece of candy and hold it in your hand as long as you can. Maybe this saved piece of candy will be a bargaining chip or perhaps you must save it in case there is a shortage of food.

And, finally, on the subject of the office restroom: Never ever be coerced into using the office restroom. You should wear a diaper all day and not attempt to use the restroom, even if your diaper is so wet that it saturates the back of your pants.

Dual Purpose

Krista's method to make Gabriel laugh has a great dual purpose - to release latent hostility. She runs directly at him and pushes him over (on my lap). Krista, with her teeth grit together, releases a "huh huh huh" laugh as she runs at him and knocks him over. All the while, Gabriel has his huge, open mouth grin on and is laughing hysterically. He is none the wiser to her devilish intent.

So Frustrated

Krista is STILL not potty trained. She doesn't care about it at all. She would sit in wet/poopy diapers all day long and not care. So now I've tried to get more agressive as her 3rd birthday approaches in a few months.

FRIDAY @ 5PM: Instead of asking, "Do you want to go sit on the potty", in which she would respond, "Nope", I started a timer and just say, "OK - it's potty time." I then inforce the countdown and she comes with me to the potty chair and sits down. I also give her training underwear instead of a diaper to wear. I also made a chart and everytime she makes a potty on the chair she can make a star and when she gets 5 stars she gets a sucker. At first the timer was set to 30 minute intervals, but she wets her underwear between each potty chair visit. I change the timer to 15 minutes. She stays dry during a few of the intervals and even potties a tiny bit in the potty chair. She still wets herself in her underwear and doesn't let me know, she doesn't even care.

SATURDAY: Went to Grandma's house and forgot the potty chair - back to square one. She still does not say anything when she has wet/dirty diaper.

SUNDAY: Out for church and eating out, so she has a diaper on - I decide to wait till Monday to start again. Not one word about when her diaper is dirty or wet, I only change the diaper when I feel she is wet or can smell her across the room.

MONDAY: Timer started for 15 minute intervals. So far today she has had three different pairs of training underwear on and is on her second pair of pants. She pottied in the potty chair twice, but doesn't seem to care or have any differentiation between going in her pants or the potty chair. I am about to go back to the diapers after the next wet underwear.

Any ideas from other potty training parents? Is she just not ready or do I need to stay firm with her? It doesn't help that Gabriel thinks he needs to "help" us everytime we try to use the potty chair.

So Silly

Krista walks up with a "Little People" man.

Krista: "It looks like Baby Gabriel."
Grandma: "Yep, it's like Baby Gabriel."

Krista then drops the man and steps on him. (It appeared to be accidental, but who knows...)

So Sad

If you went to mass at Sacred Heart Church from 1981-1998, you would probably know who Fr. Patterson was. He was the parish pastor the entire time I was growing up in the church. He, sadly, passed away on Monday. He was a wonderful priest and there is a great obituary write up in today's Lincoln Journal-Star. He will be sadly missed by many.

So Simple

I am going to the polls, tonight. I'm sure you've been bombarded with media on the importance of voting lately. You've been given messages on candidates and why you should vote. After tonight a new President will be in office. I've looked at what each candidate supports and will vote for the candidate I believe will do the best job for the country. I will cast my vote with the nation, leave the t.v. off for the night and then check online later on for results. I could care less who is ahead in the polls two hours before the voting booths close and that "election night coverage" garbage will be on t.v. all night. So we'll see who the new leader of the country is tomorrow/as final votes are tallied and even if the candidate I voted for does not win, I will not be judgemental, but will observe with an open mind. Then, I will make the decision again in four years.

So Long

Today we said goodbye to Krista's baby curls. She had her first "professional" hair cut. I was a little sad to see her soft, curly baby hair on the floor being swept away. She was a trooper and sat very still for the stylist. The positive is that her hair should be easier to comb through and not be as snarly at the ends. She looks so grown up! Here's a picture of her new haircut:

Another goodbye goes out to a tree. Across the street (Faye's old house with the two very very large sycamore trees), the neighbor cut down one the large sycamore trees. I was glad to be free of SOME of the giant leaves that fall, but was sad to see this tree go - since it has been there my entire life. I'm not sure if the other tree will be going or not, but I will have to get used to the new view.

Ducks in a Row

Before going to Boo at the Zoo, Krista got all her ducks in a row... literally.

Princess & Bear

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful Princess.

She was very artistic and loved all the colors of the rainbow.

A brown Bear lived nearby.

The loving Princess tried to greet the Bear with a hug, but it only enraged him.

The Princess finally tamed the Bear with a bag of his favorite snack.

Superpowers

As an addendum to my previous post, I wanted to list my child superheroes' abilities.

Krista has several and they are varied:

• Can emit a high pitch squeal that only dogs can hear
• Mind Control - just by saying "mine," every object belongs to her AND she can elicit responses by giving commands, "Mommy, YOU want to go outside?!!"
• Gives hugs and kisses that will melt your heart

Gabriel also has a few good ones:

• Emits a contagious laugh that is irresistible
• Sucks all the air out of the room in one deep, squealing inhale
• Super-fast reflexes, he can grab the glasses off your face before you even "see" it coming

These are pretty good powers, but I have some of my own to counter them and keep them in check:

• Sad Face - Krista cannot let me have a sad face and will comply with any command if it will make Mommy happy
• Magic Countdown - if you don't listen by the count of 1, the world WILL explode
• Juggling Act - doing multiple tasks with a heavy child in one arm and another running around my feet

I bet you're pretty impressed, huh? It is quite fantastic.

Child Superheroes

If my children were superheroes, Krista would be "The Mimic" and Gabriel would be "The Bull".

Krista, the amazing mimic, can sound like anyone she wants. Currently, she's been addressing me by saying, "Tina! ....garble garble garble." It's funny how accurate she has Josh's voice inflection when he's telling me something, she just doesn't know what words to use besides my name.

Gabriel, the raging bull, can charge any hard object. He goes full force with his his head down and rams hard furniture. Then he's all like, "oh here's the table." He looks up at this point and climbs up to standing.

The kids will next appear in a comedy sitcom and Krista will reinact the time where she ran across the room, her foot steps through a circle shaped toy and she trips and falls (canned laughter would ensue).

Pumpkin Patch

This weekend we wanted to take the kids to their first pumpkin patch experience. I searched high and low to find one that did not charge an arm and a leg admission fee for things the kids are too young to do anyhow. I found Sunwest Farms off of N 84th street and it was FREE! I highly recommend this place. They had a complementary hayrack ride to the pumpkins and back. Several pumpkins were piled up in different areas. There was a "scarecrow" inside the building that told stories and sang songs. Krista loved everything and when we asked her what her favorite part was, she said, "the hayrack ride!"

Of course we got the standard "cute kids among the pumpkins" pictures. Some are posted on our favorites and I will post them all on our Photobucket site as soon as I can. My favorite has to be the picture of Gabriel's round little "pumpkin" head among the pumpkins.

Animal Sounds

Krista is getting quite adept at telling us what various animals sound like.

What does a cow say?

Moo. Moo.

What does a pig say?

Oink. Oink.

What does a duck say?

Quack. Quack.

What does an owl say?

Who. Who, farted.

Thanks Josh.

Paper, Paper, Paper!

Just like Leo the Lion at the local children's zoo, my son likes paper. He likes to crumple it. He likes to tear it up. He likes to even eat it, if I don't catch him in time. Yesterday we had a new paper situation from my perspective.

The setting - I'm in the Kitchen, making Krista a waffle. Krista walks to the bathroom where Gabriel has crawled.

K: Gabriel! You are a messy boy.
G: AAhhahhh
K: Gabriel, you are oddry (ornery).

Pitter patter, pitter patter - Krista enters the kitchen.

K: Gabriel... Gabriel is got the tissue.
T: Did Gabriel find a tissue and tear it up?
K: Yeah.

I head to the bathroom where Gabriel has about the entire roll of tissue paper surrounding him on the floor and a very big smile on his face. I like paper!

Nap Time

Nap time is usually my refuge. A time for an adult time-out from my little angels. Some days Krista will be asleep in her room after a few minutes, those are the good days. Other days, she will not go to sleep at all.

This weekend, Josh put Krista down for her nap and shut the door. I finished feeding Gabriel and got him asleep and crept into their bedroom. There was Krista, sitting up on her bed and singing to her babies. Josh had forgotten to shut the blinds, so the sun was blaring in and brightening up the room. I laid Gabriel in his crib, pulled the blinds shut and told Krista to lay down to take a nap. Krista continued to talk and sing in her room. After a while I thought she might have gone to sleep and opened her door to peek in. Where was Krista? Not in her bed. Not on the floor by her bed. Not in the closet. "Krista, where are you?" All of a sudden, a smiling, toddler face peeks her head out from under Gabriel's crib. "Hi, Mommy!"

Ok, I guess nap time's over for today.

Laughter

Gabriel has the most contagious laugh. When he starts going, we all start laughing. Usually it's Krista that somehow makes him laugh. Last night on our way home, Gabriel started getting fussy. Krista started singing, "Round and round the mulberry bush." He was still fussy. Then she says, "Goobert, goobert, goobert!" Gabriel must have thought that was hilarious, because he then started laughing his contagious laugh. And because he thought it was funny and Mommy started laughing, Krista did it again. More laughter. And the cycle continued until we got home.

On another *update* note: Gabriel is now pulling up to his feet all the time. This morning when I went to get him, he was standing in his crib. He's starting to move his feet a bit when he's standing and he almost dared to cruise from the laundry basket to his activity walker. He will definitely be my little dare-devil.

Ansel's Post

I saw you this morning, outside, taunting me. You were in the neighbor's yard slowly passing by. I saw you, and I barked at you. You can't get away from me. I'm ferocious. You stopped when you heard my bark. When I turned for a moment, you tried to get away. So, I had to bark at you again. You will not get away from me. I am Ansel, hear me roar!


--Blogger's note: What was Ansel Barking at? A plastic bag, blowing in the wind....

30th Birthday

Today is Josh's 30th birthday. I wanted to reflect on my husband today, on his day, and make a list (I love making lists) of things I've learned from him:

• The in's and out's of how a hockey goalie defends the goal (butterfly block, anyone?)
• The fact that Patrick Roy (former Avalanche #33 goalie) is pronounced "waugh" instead of "roy"
• The way to artfully frame a picture and be aware of surroundings
• The method to make the perfect frito-pie
• That ninjas, monkeys and zombies are awesome
• How to cook meals that incorporate no vegetables or fish
• That a person can change anything with time and dedication
• Contrary to popular belief, a Bob Ross painting is not easy to paint
• All leftover's must be heated up in the oven, not the microwave
• You can king more than one chess piece into the queen
• You can do a "smell" test on your Burger King order to make sure they remembered the onion rings
• How to say "about" in Canadian, "ah-boout"
• And finally, with enough practice, you can beat any song on Guitar Hero

Thanks, Josh, for those life lessons. And for the many, many others that I can't continue to list here. I love you and happy 30th birthday, I'm right behind you!

Choosing Words Carefully

Now that Krista talks all the time, I've noticed she has chosen key words that she likes to use. Things like, "I need mato's (tomato's)." And, "I can't pick up toys." The only thing I wonder is if I overuse these phrases, too, or if she aquired them all on her own. And she says it in such a way to make me believe she truly does NEED the item she's talking about or that she somehow physically CAN'T do what I want her to do. It's funny how kids can latch on to certain words and phrases, when learning how to communicate.

Gabriel's not quite at the verbal communication stage, but he's very adept at yelling loudly for attention. A loud, "AHhhhhh," when he wants some juice in a sippy cup. So now that I've fulfilled Krista and Gabriel's need of orange juice, I have about 5 minutes of peaceful silence - at least until the next need is realized.

Good Song

I was putting on Krista's jammies tonight and she made me laugh -

Krista began singing a jibberish song and I was just smiling and listening to her. Then she stops singing and (with a very serious look on her face) looks up at me and says, "That's a good song, Mommy." I started laughing and then she started laughing. Then she proceeded to sing again and tell me again what a good song it was that she just made up.

What a Goof.

Krista's Teeth

Krista had her very first dentist appointment yesterday. She was a star patient. She followed the dental assistant to the special room for younger patients. She brushed the stuffed monkey's teeth with a giant toothbrush. She let the dental assistant brush her teeth and then let her brush on flouride. She let the dentist look at her teeth. She picked a bouncy ball as her prize. The dentist said no plaque, it looks like we're doing everything great. They also say not to give your kids fruit snacks or gummy snacks and limit juice.... they must not have kids - those are the best snacks in Krista's mind! Oh well, don't tell the dentist, but she'll still get those as snacks!

Of course, now (after visiting the DR's office on Tues and the Dentist's office on Thurs) Krista has caught a cold... a nice runny nose and slight fever today - I never get away from those visits without a cold. In the near future I expect Gabriel to catch it from Krista and Josh and I will catch it from him.

Gabriel's 9mos Check Up

Gabriel had his 9 mos well-care child visit the other day. Here are his stats from the visit:

Weight: 21 lbs 4 oz (50-75%)
Height: 28.25" (50%)
Head: 18" (50-75%)

Overall, Gabriel is a very well-proportioned average child. His language abilities are right on track as he says, Gaga, Mama, Papa, Baba, Yaya.... the only one he says with purpose is "Mama" when he's mad and wants picked up. Sometimes he says "Papa" when he sees Josh leaving.

Nana will be glad to know that he had some meat yesterday. Some baby food ham, mixed in his other vege/cereal combo. No full body convulsions of disgust this time! Either he likes the ham better than the turkey or I mixed it well with the other food.

Today we also have a new adventure - today is Krista's first dentist appointment. I'll let you know how it goes!

It's Raining, It's Pouring...

both the kids are snoring.. at least they are sleeping in their beds, taking naps. That's good enough for me. So I'll update you on the latest and greatest happenings from our household. Gabriel is now officially crawling, everywhere. It's kind of a gimp crawl, but he goes fast! He pulls one knee up and uses his opposite foot to propel him forward. You'd swear he was crawling in a traditional manner until you look really close at him when he's going. He also pulled himself to standing today on a drawer that was pulled out on the coffee table. His top half was bend over the drawer, but his legs were completely straight. It's fun to watch him go through this growth step, since Krista was never active at his age. She was content to just sit in one place and play.

Krista continues to talk and gabber. She sings Ring Around the Rosie, while running a circle around Gabriel on the floor. She thinks it's funny and so does he - great free entertainment. And isn't that the best kind?

Sugar & Spice

I swear that poem that relates to girls being made from sugar and spice and everything nice is true and that boys are made from snails and puppy dog tails is also true. Krista is a true sweetheart and has done some very nice things lately to be on my good list:

1. The other night after the bedroom door was closed for bedtime I heard Gabriel start to fuss and cry and then I heard Krista begin to sing, "Jingle Bells... Jingle Bells...." Instead of whining or telling him to be quiet, she was trying to sooth him with a song.

2. Anytime we are around other kids (even kids she doesn't know) she goes right up to them to be friends. She wants to give them all hugs and kisses and be sweet to them.

3. Lately, Krista has been good at sharing as well. Handing Gabriel some of her prized possession toys including her "new" magic wand, tea cup and little people toys.

Gabriel on the other hand has been crawling lately. He crawled to the dog food bowl and tipped it upside down in a matter of seconds. He likes to get close to the animals so he can grab and pull their fur. He likes paper because he likes to crumple and tear it up in a destructive manner. He definitely going to keep me on my toes - a polar opposite to his sister!

Garage Sale Adventures

This past Thursday Nana, the kids and I went on a garage sale adventure. Nana gave Krista a dollar and some change to put in her purse to buy a toy. She also brought her pocketbook to spoil the kids with some purchases. We were set to go. So across town we drove to a neighborhood sale. House one=bust. House two=bust. House three=JACKPOT. Or so we thought.

We found a toddler little tikes climber/slide, some books and a few toys that Nana bought. Now we had a dilemma - how to get a large, plastic climb on toy in my little car with 2 adults and 2 car seats? We incorrectly assumed this plastic toy would just pop apart. No, it had at least 2 phillips screws attaching the slide. A neighbor was sitting at the owner's house at this sale, so no help finding a screwdriver there.

So, round two - after going to Super Target to obtain some tools - we took the very long phillips screws out of the slide and popped it off. The owner was back at her house, a very bubbly blonde who wanted to get rid of her stuff. The two of us could not figure out how the rest of the toy came apart (she had bought it together in one piece). So we both tried several times to wedge it in my car - first in the trunk, then the passenger seat (two ways), then back to the trunk. We finally got it down in the trunk far enough to tie it down. Then we drove slowly all the way back across town where I successfully pulled the toy out of the trunk and reassembled it. Then we were off to another garage sale that happened to be down the block, where a jackpot of little people toys were found.

The Expected & Unexpected

It seems as though everything happens at once. The last few weeks have been go go go. Some things were expected such as our Nana visit, a baby shower and an upcoming friend's wedding. Some things were unexpected such as Gramp's passing, the rain delaying our landscaping goals and Josh's car dying. A whole cluster of goodies. Some good and some bad, but all making it turn into a very busy couple of weeks. Thus, my blog has suffered and has been neglected. But, I will try to update you on cute stories that happen with our life and the kids - like when Krista tried Mommy's makeup and our garage sale adventures. All stories, coming soon!

Visit

We had closure with Gramps by attending his rosary, funeral and burial the last two days. His burial really gave the final note with the gun salute, folding and presenting the flag - since he was a veteran of WWII. Now to change gears, we are excited to have a visit from Nana. The kids love Nana visits because they get spoiled with presents and another person here during the day to show off to. One side effect of having Nana stay with us is a clean house. I have never been a clean/organized person when it comes to my living space and then I married someone who is even worse about it than I am. But, I'm guaranteed assistance in cleaning our space when Nana visits. For about a week before she comes we straighten, vacuum, dust, scrub floors & walls. This visit, though, it's been condensed into fewer hours since we've been busy with other things (see above). I think we're ready and the kids are ready for a visit from Nana!

Goodbye Gramps

Gramps passed away yesterday in the evening. He was very peaceful, from what I heard. I think it's the way most of us want to pass away after spending over 90 years on this earth - peacefully in our sleep. We had spent most of the day at the assisted living facility with family. He passed away very soon after we (Josh, the kids and I) had left. My mom thought he was waiting for the kids to leave before he went. He did love those great-grandkids. He even picked Krista up in church the week before to hold her. His face always lit up when he saw them at church. He will be sadly missed, but he is in a better place now. I just know he's up in heaven playing a mean game of cards and eating cherry pie.

Happy Sad News

I have some Happy news - Gabriel said "mama" the other day when he was playing on the floor. He's not yet at the age to actually associate it with me, but it's a start. He is also starting to reach for people when he wants to be picked up (which is all the time).

I have some Sad news - Gramps Kopf (Great-Grandpa to Krista & Gabriel) had a fall the other night, a pretty major TIA this time. It doesn't look like he's going to pull through this time. Fr. Walsh went out to the nursing home and performed the last rite on him last night. We spent a few hours there this morning with the rest of the Kopf crew this morning. So, please keep him in your prayers during this time. Here's a pic of Gramps holding Krista & Alex at Christmastime:

Krista's Check-Up

Krista, Gabriel and I just got home from Krista's 30mos Dr.'s appointment. "She is perfect," says the Doctor. Here are her current stats:

Height: 37.5" (in the 75-90%)
Weight: 27.4lbs (in the 25-50%)

No infections or problems or current concerns. She did not have to get any shots at this visit. Her next well-child appointment won't be until her 3 year check.

Next month, we have Gabriel's 9mos appointment to look forward to and some upcoming flu vaccines...

Birthday

Today I am 28 years old. So far I have been given many nice Happy Birthday wishes, including a "Happy Birtday, Mommy" from Krista. Josh took me to have donuts this morning before he had to go to work, yum! I've received some nice gifts from family that I appreciate, thanks!

More than that, though, a birthday is a good time to reflect on the year and how things are going. This past year a new member was added to my family - a very loud, roly-poly boy that I couldn't love more. My daughter is becoming a very sweet and compassionate person (with a few toddler/selfish/tantrum moments thrown in). Josh and I are as strong as ever as a couple. We are financially sound, no excess, but not hurting either. Overall, it's been a good year. I can only hope that the years to come match the fun and challenges that this one brought. Happy Birthday to me!

The List

Here's a birthday list for anyone who wants it:

• Citrus Zester
• Regular sized crockpot (mine is huge and I always end up burning what I make, b/c it doesn't even halfway fill the pot up)
• Headphones that I can plug into my computer - something comfortable to wear, no ear buds please!
• Word Games (including Scrabble) for my computer
• Flashlight
• Laptop Case (for the rare occasion I take my computer somewhere)
• Wireless Router
• Laptop desk (right now I hunch over a TV tray, which is not so good on my back)
• Cute wireless mouse
• VHS-Digital/DVD conversion software or hardware
• Free labor to dig up the flowerbeds in a few weeks (we want to put our mulch down)
• Free labor to help us repaint the garage and house next spring
• Free labor to babysit while we accomplish the above tasks! :)

Hands Full

I must look out of control when I'm out in public with my kids. Usually I am pushing Gabriel in the stroller with one hand and pulling Krista by the hand with my other hand. Inevitably, some kind soul will go out of their way to help me out. And I hear the phrase, "looks like you've got your hands full," on errand days quite a few times. I'm not complaining, I really-truly appreciate having nice citizens open doors for me/stroller/toddler. I just don't see myself as having my hands full, although, technically I guess I do!

One Word....

RIBFEST!

The Hole

I look out the front door and see, in addition to our sparse/crab-grassy yard, a big gaping hole. Yeah, last night the water main broke. Luckily it happened at about 7:15 PM before it got dark. Our neighbor across the street spotted the water gushing out of holes that burst through the concrete right in front of our house. Josh moved his car that was parked right on top of the hemorrhaging street and we watched the water as it began to fill the street and part of our yard. The city guy came out around 8 PM and was working on shutting off the water flow. By 8:30 PM the water was flooding into our yard a couple feet, just past our mailbox post. When we looked out again at 9:45 PM, the water was gone and there were big tractors digging a giant hole in the street. The hole is at least 5 foot deep. They were working until at least midnight. This morning there are no workers, just a big digging tractor and the hole with caution tape around it. Here's a couple pics of the scene:

Abiyoyo Feet

One of Krista's newest favorite books is Abiyoyo by Pete Seeger. Josh/Papa bought it for her recently. He had first seen it at B&N when she was a newborn and had wanted to get it since. Anyhow, we have since read the book over and over and over and over again. Now we have several "Abiyoyo" references we use with Krista. When we take off her favorite "blue" shoes, her feet are all gunky and stinky (b/c these are kind of like crocs that she wears with no socks). So she now wants us to smell her feet and say, "Whew, you've got stinky Abiyoyo feet!" She can't get enough of that. If her hair needs combed, she has Abiyoyo hair. If her nails need trimmed, she has Abiyoyo nails. So any reference to poor hygiene equals the giant in the book Abiyoyo. Also, she has a pencil that is her "magic wand" (since she lost her real wand at Target - which she will tell you if you ask her) and she will "Zoop" you with it. So you may see her tap her brother with a pencil and say "zoop!" Which is funny because when the father in the Abiyoyo book does this it makes whatever he "zoops" dissappear.

Ultimate Flip Flopper

You've probably heard this term in the news before - "flip flopper". It's used when a politician suddenly changes his views on some idea or political view, thus flip flopping his view. Well, my son is a flip flopper, too. He is the worst kind of flip flopper. He always flips one way and then flops another. It doesn't matter where he is or what we're doing. Flip. Flop. He does it in his crib. He does it on the floor. He even does it when you hold him. The back arches. The legs and arms swing about. His whole body tenses until he moves to where he wants to be. And then - he flip flops again.

Like Sailors

Today Josh and I got some alone time for a date out. A mere 4 1/2 hour seperation from our children and it was needed. Especially after the last few days of cranky Gabriel, who is teething and not sleeping well through the night, and a sick Krista, who was up all night a couple nights ago being sick, "in my bed, mommy." Even though she was, "so sorry, mommy" (trying to make me feel better when she was just sick) - it was nice having a few adult hours in the day. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!

Josh and I took the time to eat lunch at BW3's and watch a matinee movie (the new Mummy flick, which I advise waiting for on video - if at all). But, we had the most fun cursing like sailors in the car for the fun of it. We unleashed and had no toddler filter on our dirty mouths. I can't believe something so silly and simple was so much fun. I have no problem with the filter, normally, I think it was just the mindset that we were free to do whatever - even if it was only for a few hours.

Very Nice Kid

We were out eating some chicken tonight and there were some kids sitting in the booth behind us. Krista kept turning around to look at them and we kept telling her to sit down and eat. As they were leaving, the little boy handed Krista his stickers from his kids meal. I could hear his mom say, "That was very nice." And Krista thanked him. The rest of the night Krista kept saying, "that was a very nice kid." Over and over, she kept saying it whenever she saw the stickers. It was cute. Her other recent phrase she likes to say a lot is, "I can't wait to... (whatever she wants to do, usually play outside)."

Birthday Month

My birthday month is quickly approaching and another summer month is almost over. Can you believe it? Time seems to be swiftly passing me by. I know some of you will want birthday lists and I promise I will work on it. Some of you already know what you are getting me and I know what you are getting me - ha!

On a side note, I made Krista's first dentist appointment. It will be in September, so wish her good luck. It is probably a little late in the eyes of the pediatric dentist, although our normal dentist wasn't too concerned about getting her an appointment right away. But, she is getting good at letting me brush her teeth and wanting to "do it myself" - so that is a good sign.

Gabriel is almost to the point of crawling. He can get up entirely on his hands and knees for a short period of time now. This can't be an easy feat as he is a chunker. This makes sleeping through the night harder on us because he flips himself over and crawls (as much as he can in the crib). He then gets in uncomfortable situations with his legs stuck out the front of the crib or his head jammed in the corner. So up mom gets to plop him back in the middle of the crib on his back and stick a paci back in his mouth. This has been happening at least once a night recently. All I can say is: Ugh.

The Amazing Ansel

Ansel (our lovely, hair-ball dog) gets on my nerves several times throughout the day. He excels in growling at other dogs barking, barking at other dogs barking, running under my legs when I am attempting to walk, eating his own poo, jumping on Gabriel who is sitting on the floor, leaving hair ALL over the house, and being a general pain. Ansel has problems eating his dog food (I think he may be anorexic.. but not sure how the poo eating plays into this), laying contently in one spot, walking quietly on hardwood floors, letting people walk by our house without barking, and keeping himself clean. Of course, I blame my husband, who picked out this barking, crazy furball. But, he can't take all the blame. I did agree to purchase this pure-bred Shetland Sheepdog at the pet store. His beady little brown eyes and helpless demeanor as a puppy lured me into the trap. Now that I'm home all day, he just drives me crazy. I love the dog, but I don't like him too much. But, as much as I don't like him, I agree with the dog whisperer who says - it's the owners fault he's that way to begin with!

Potty Time Update

Today I said to myself, OK, you are going to set a timer and have Krista go to the potty chair each time the buzzer goes off. Of course, I have been saying this the past few days. So as incentive, I put Krista in big girl training underpants with the plastic underpant cover. Well... that plan flew out the window when Krista soaked them about 30 seconds later and she was sitting in it and not even caring. SO - back to diapers we went. I DID set the timer though and she did go when I sat her on the potty. Then we got distracted pulling weeds together outside while Gabriel took a morning nap. And then we had to do a Target errand run.... so then I was thinking, ok I'll start again tomorrow. Well, as she was eating lunch she said, "Mommy, I go peepee." So about 2 minutes later (after coraling her into the restroom with Gabriel on my hip), I sat her on the potty chair. Her diaper was pretty wet, so I didn't have much hope for this potty run. But, with a chocolate candy incentive, she didn't want to give up. She sat. And she sat. And she sat some more. About 10 minutes later I ask if her if she is done and she says, "yeah, mommy." When she stood up, I saw that she had a successful #2! Congratulations, Krista! Way to Go! Two chocolates for a #2! After nap, we'll see if the success continues.

Peek a Boo!

One of Gabriel's favorite things to watch is Krista running around the room. So we turned it into a fun game of Peek a Boo that we play at least once daily. Krista runs behind the laziboy and "hides", then she says "weady, set, GO!" and runs out yelling "peekaboo!" towards Gabriel. And Gabriel, waiting patiently for her to come out with a big smile on his face, begins laughing like a crazy man. He laughs so hard it's contagious. Krista really is his favorite person to watch... too bad she doesn't share his sentiment!

On another note, Krista has been saying some funny things now that she is talking more:

"Baby G is a Chunky Monkey"
"I wanna do that, mommy"
"I'm soooo sorry, mommy" (usually for no reason at all)
"Baby G's a kid!" (in response to me referring to him as a baby)

Kids are so funny.

Presents from Rebates

Well... it's here! I now have a girly pink/flowery laptop. I can now check my email in the evenings when Josh is playing computer games. I can also bring it upstairs with me if I want to organize pictures or do anything on the computer. Yay, me! I'm so excited. Well, gotta go - Gabriel is starting to get fussy.

Stranger Danger

Gabriel's been going through that lovely stage of development that includes "Stranger Anxiety." This means that it's a game of Russian Roullette whether he screams in terror at seeing your face or not. Let's see who's on the list of "scary" strangers: a smiling cousin Heather, the nice older lady who works at the library, Uncle Joe, and temporarily Godmother Tina. The last one he seemed to get over in about 2 seconds and he started smiling at her when she started talking to me. So... just as a warning, if you see us out and you go up to talk to the baby -- the pouty lip may come out and he may start screaming at the top of his lungs in an instant. You may think you "broke" the baby, but don't worry - he was already broken. And hey, he may start smiling and not care in the least, that's the chance you have to take.

Adult Supervision

Let me start out by saying, I am by no means overly overprotective of my kids. Well, maybe I am compared to the parents I've seen on my day to day activities. I guess I just don't understand how a parent can just let their small child go off on their own without any adult supervision. I guess my thought is: If I were able to snatch this child without anyone knowing, any weirdo out there could. And it happens everywhere. I see it in my neighborhood, small children under the age of 6 riding their bikes in the street - no parents in sight. I saw one 7 year old pulling on the arm of a 3 year old who was trying to run out into a busy street - no parents in sight. Oh, don't get me started on McDonalds (or any other child friendly food establishment). It's like they go there and just let them loose. They run down the aisle's, screaming at the top of their lungs - no parents in sight. I've even seen it at the library. Just because it's the kids area, doesn't mean you can let you 2 year old "browse" by themselves. I guess I just thought keeping an eye on your child was part of the job description of "parent". Ok, done venting now.

Black Bike

Krista is enamored of Grandpa's "black bike." Everytime she sees Grandpa she says, "Gampa's gota black bike. Ista's gota pink bike." She loves to see Grandpa riding it. She also likes to sit on it and wear the "melmits". She wants to ride the bike with Grandpa.. not realizing she would probably just fly off the back. Here's a picture of her ready to be a Harley Momma. Age 2 going on 20:

A Step...

in the right direction occurred yesterday. My beautiful, darling daughter has always been a few months behind on a lot of things like: rolling over, walking, and talking. It's like she has to make sure she can do it perfectly before she will even try to do it. So hopefully that is the case with potty training as well. Yesterday, with the promise of Dots candy, she sat on the potty chair three times with a successful outcome. With much praise and the promised Dots, she seemed nonchalant about the victory. Well, today she sat on the potty chair once and with no successful outcome. So it is still a battle, but I will keep you posted as to the progress.

Hair

I'm not too picky when it comes to my hair. It's usually pulled back into a ponytail or braids off my face and away from grabby little hands. I get my hair cut once a year or so when I get really sick of the length. I cut it pretty short, hoping it will stay short for a while - but it never does. Well the other day, I did the craziest thing I have ever done with my hair. This is the ultimate "I don't really care" moment for my poor hair. I finished taking a shower, combed my long long hair (12" or so) and immediately pulled it back in a ponytail. Enter Josh.

J: Want me to cut it?
T: Yeah! (Enthusiastic sarcasm)
J: I can do it.
T: Really? OK - I don't care.
J: Come here.
T: OK.
J: Are you seriously going to let me cut it?
T: Yeah, do it.

And he did do it. He cut it right below my ponytail holder. It actually doesn't look too bad for having my husband hack off my hair. It is shorter in the back and longer at the sides, but it kind of looks like I wanted it on purpose. Well, I guess it just proves I'm not one of these people who freak out when they go to get their hair cut OR I'm crazy.

She Did It

Well, she did it - Krista walked down the aisle as a flowergirl at Tina's wedding. She looked beautiful in her little white dress and held the other flowergirl's hand. I was so proud of her. I got a lot of great pictures at the wedding and they are posted on my photobucket site. Here is a picture of her walking down the aisle that my mom captured.

Long Weekend

It was a long weekend of fun and festivities this 4th of July holiday. We had fireworks, food, a wedding, and a very cute Gabriel laughfest as posted below:

Me At Home

Being a stay-at-home mom can be challenging and rewarding... boring and yet, there are hardly any "free" moments. I was in the working world from the time I was 16 to the day Krista was born. I was used to organizing my work to get the most done at once. I grew accustomed to getting extrinsic rewards like promotions, raises and bonuses. Things are completely different when you have no boss and no pay and no adult time. Right now, there's a lot of sitting and "playing" (or entertaining baby) time. Playing with a headstrong toddler who changes her mind at the drop of a hat. I will never get a promotion, no matter how entertained or well behaved my children are. So I tend to do other things to fill that void. I ebay when we have stuff to sell. I mystery shop when I can. I take a lot of pictures and edit them. And now, I keep this blog. These things keep my adult mind working until I reenter the workforce in the future. There are some things that work could never give me though - like never missing a "new" moment in my kids lives. And the endless hugs, kisses and thank you's are enough reward for a proud parent like me.

The Moon

It's amazing to me how a toddler learns and pieces things together. The other day in the car Krista was looking out of her window for the moon.

K: "The moon, mommy!"
T: "Yep, that's the moon, honey."
K: "It's broken mommy. Mommy, it's broken."

As I looked out my window (when we were safely stopped at a red light), the moon was no longer "round" as it had been the last time Krista saw it. It was in more of a half-moon phase. Ok, so I am definitely biased because this is my child, but I thought it was amazing how observant my 2 year old was.

Jump Rope

As some of you know, Krista's new favorite thing is "jumping". Her version involves crouching down low and then pushing herself up quickly until she's up on her toes. She never quite gets any airtime, but she still gets a giant grin because she thinks she is jumping so high. Well, a variation of this happened the other day. Krista learned what a jump rope was and saw some kids on T.V. jumping rope. The below video is her version of jumping rope - enjoy, I did!

The Deathtrap

I found out yesterday that my children have been sleeping in a deathtrap. That's right, our crib is the recently recalled Jardine variety that was all over the news yesterday. Apparently, the wooden slats are not in as best they could be and as a result, baby's body could fall out of the crib while his head is still inside. Nice.

I guess I'm not overly concerned as Gabriel is still currently sleeping in the crib, but I don't want to take a chance too long. So in an effort to resolve the issue, I go to the offical recall website for the company: http://www.jardinecribrecall.com/ and fill out my information. They are sending me an information packet of what I need to do next. What I don't understand is, if they are really concerned about my children and want me to stop using the crib immediately, why do I have to wait for a kit and a voucher (that arrives 1-2 weeks later) before I can purchase a new crib. On top of that, they want you to disassemble the old crib to send certain parts to them before they send the voucher.

Ok... where does Gabriel go with no crib? I guess he will have a gimpy set-up on the floor. I wonder how much of a deathtrap that is for Mr. Roly-Poly. I guess I just don't understand why they wouldn't have you purchase a new crib and then send a reimbursement check in the amount of the old crib, so your baby has a safe place to sleep in the interim. Well, just look for a grumpy Tina in the upcoming weeks as I will probably get no sleep - hopefully Gabriel does.

An Introduction

O.K. - so I think my mom is a little jealous that some of my cousins have a blog going and I did not. So I'm attempting to throw my hat in the ring. I hope I'm not too boring, but I will use this as more of an update tool on how our household is doing.

As an introduction, I am Tina Hatchell, married to Josh Hatchell and we have two lovely little children - Krista, 2, and Gabriel, 6 mos. So you will most likely get to know them as I see them. I'm a stay-at-home mom, so I have a lot of time to contemplate everything and nothing. I will try to keep the posts informative and entertaining, but we'll see how it goes.

Enjoy!