Christmas Adventures

If you hadn't heard, there was a massive blizzard in the Midwest....

The kids were excited by the snow, but we were stuck in the house for a while. Oh and did I mention, our hot water heater was on the fritz. So we were stuck at home in a blizzard, with no hot water for showers... but, I was counting my blessings that it wasn't the electricity, gas or the heater that was out. We can live a little stinky, but not freezing cold.

I got out of the house for the first time in a while when we went to mass on Christmas Eve. No, it wasn't Midnight Mass. It was at 5pm before we were really snowed in. We got to watch Krista's eyes light up as they placed Baby Jesus in the manger scene and sang all the wonderful Christmas hymns together. After mass, it was starting to snow at a good pace. Christmas morning there was a multitude of snow mounds drifted up in random areas. The front door could not be opened and the window sills were full of snow. The kids woke up in wonderment that Santa had come bearing gifts.

Gabriel got the cheese he asked for and Krista got her Space Barbie, which she promptly named, "Old." Along with her other new Barbies, "Sweetie" and "Cold," she was already in imagination land. The whole family got new bikes from Santa, with help from Nana, and we can't wait to use them this coming Spring and Summer.

We had the extended family Christmas on the day after and were able to travel the interstate. The hardest part of the trip was getting down our street to the main roads. We got stuck once and Josh had to dig us out of the snow. The best part of every stressful situation is the added commentary from the back seat. "Why did we stop?" "Let's go to Grandma's house!" "Can we go, NOW?" "What's happening?" The above picture is the snow drift by Grandma's house.

At Grandma's house, we finally got nice hot showers and baths! We also spent the night, to allow the street plows time to plow our neighborhood. We had a fun time wearing out recovering Grandma. We headed home to get back to some normalcy and our own bed. I think we've finally fully recovered. Our hot water is back on, Logan is sleeping from 8:30pm-7am, the new toys got put away and I'm getting over a cold I had. Now we just have to put the Christmas tree away, to Gabriel's disappointment. He talks about Christmas tree lights and stars in his sleep.

I've also updated our pictures on my photobucket account, which you can link to on the side bar. Take a look at all of our fun adventures.

Spirit of Christmas

Krista has really enjoyed getting ready for Christmas this year. She's wanted to be my little elfin helper in all things Christmas. She decorated the tree, or at least one branch. She helped make Christmas candies and cookies. She learned about telling Santa what she wanted and she wasn't shy about it this year! She asked for a Space Barbie and Gabriel asked for cheese... She learned that we celebrate Jesus' birthday on Christmas and is excited to see Baby Jesus in the nativity scene at church at the Christmas Mass. She even made up a story for me, which can be viewed by clicking on our YouTube link below. She's definitely ready and the rest of us are as well.

Hoodies

Gabriel really likes shirts with hoods. He will pick them out of his drawer and want to wear them. Not only does he want to wear the shirt, the hood MUST be up at ALL TIMES. I think it reminds him of his Halloween costume and the fun times he had as a bee. Many times, the shirt with the hood on it is not intended to be worn - I think that is the case for the picture below:

Although, maybe that look is a little less goofy than the "bucket head" look. I'll let you decide.

Headlock of Love

After asking Krista to pose with her brother, she thought she might "help" him stay in the picture by doing the following:

Cranky Parade

Last Tuesday, Krista and Gabriel received their H1N1 (Swine Flu) Vaccinations. Krista got the flu mist and Gabriel got the shot. We were also scheduled to come back in a month for their second doses and Gabriel's 2 year check up. Count three days after the vaccinations and Krista has a runny nose. The yuckiness continued to escalate in our house and both the bigger kids got continuous runny noses and coughs. Logan had a slight cough and EVERYONE was cranky.

I think we're on the downhill of it, though. Gabriel actually slept for his full nap time and didn't wake up crying because he couldn't breath yesterday. Krista is feeling better, too. Although, today she will be sad when she finds out that dance class is cancelled because of the snow day. And then do we have to go through this again with the second dose of vaccination? I hope it was a fluke and they just caught something else at the doctor's office... what a long week it was.

Krista's Hug Tally

Mommy 1

Gabriel 1

Logan 1

The Christmas Tree.... 3

Velveteen Rabbit

As I paid my mortgage payment online this morning, Krista was rocking away in the chair. Gabriel came up to me with the book, The Velveteen Rabbit, and said, "Read this!" I asked if he was sure, since it is a longer book and it is harder for him to pay attention that long. He said, "Yeah, Yeah!" I began to read the story and Gabriel slyly watches as Krista gets down from the recliner and comes over to listen to the book. A second later, he is rocking away in the chair. I believe it was all a ploy so that he could rock in the recliner like a crazy man without his sister, what a sneaky boy...

New and Improved

Yes, we've got it! The new and improved model of Logan John Hatchell. The original model was great, but now he's even better. Instead of only crying, eating, sleeping, pooping and crying louder, he now looks at you, smiles and coos. It still amazes me that these babies/kids just make a change like a light switch and they are instantly a different being. It's just amazing to watch the growth. I have a video that I'll post to youtube.com as soon as I can.

Black Friday Avoidance

I don't like crowds. I'm more of a shy person, especially in larger groups. I'm not very aggressive and I'm not the type to push for what I want. So, it's no surprise that I'm not going to be joining the masses to get the "deals" on Black Friday. In fact, I'm already done with most of my Christmas shopping - only a couple of gifts left to get. The kids have their Christmas gifts and Gabriel has his birthday gifts all ordered.

I shopped around, only I did it online. I found the items I wanted to get them and then comparison shopped for the best prices - mostly Walmart.com, Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. I do have to go pick up my items from Walmart, but at least I don't have to shop the aisles and I don't have to go during the worst shopping times. The rest will come to my front door, I just have to find room in my house for things prior to Christmas, where little snoopers and one big snooper won't find them!

A Little Italian

I'm not sure where, but we must have a little Italian in our bloodline. My little toddler-man has a dead on accent at times. When he counts:

"One-ah, Two-ah"

Although, maybe he's channeling The Count on Sesame Street because he also says, "Sewen," for seven. And he does enjoy watching Sesame Street....

I'm amazed that he can even count and he is starting that phase of quick learning and repeating everything he hears. Another lesson on how kids are all different in how they grow and learn. Krista really didn't talk until she hit 2.5 years and then she went directly to talking in full sentences. G is repeating any words and phrases he hears and he's not even 2 yet. Of course, G has also mastered the temper tantrum and is never quiet - so there is a flip side to every coin! It will be interesting to see how Logan goes through the growing process. So far, he is leaning to be more like his big brother in vocalization and independence.

I'm a Winner!

I just found out I won a free haircut from Chicks Dig Deals! A great deal for a woman who hasn't had a professional haircut in over 2 years. The last haircut I received was by my husband, which you may recall. It was be nice to have a professional cut and to have a little "me" time to be pampered.

The last time I remember ever winning anything was when I entered a "kiddie" tractor pull when I was 12. I won the age group and a toy tractor, a green John Deere to the horror of my International/"red" tractor owning uncles. So, I'm excited to be a winner again!

Dancing Through Storms

The other morning, I asked Krista if she knew what day it was:

T: Krista do you know what day it is?

K: What?

T: It's Tuesday and do you know what's on Tuesday?

K: Um... dance class!

T: That's right, you get to go to dance class tonight.

K: Yay and I'm going to dance through a storm!

T: What?

(a few moments later)

T: Oh.. you meant dance UP a storm, right?

K: Yeah, I'm gonna dance up a storm!

(a few more minutes later)

K: I'm gonna go to the scary forest and there's gonna be a BIIIIG storm and I'm gonna DANCE through it!

Googly Eyes

When it gets dark out, Logan opens his eyes really wide and Krista thinks it's hilarious. They are his "googly" eyes. So Krista wanted to demonstrate what Logan's eyes look like when they are googly:

Zoo Boo

Our little monsters enjoyed a cool evening at the Zoo. Krista went from wanting to be a ballerina, to a princess, and settled on being a cat. Gabriel said he wanted to be a duck, but we couldn't find a costume... so he ended up being a bee (recycled costume from Krista a couple years ago). They both walked through the zoo path and got their treats. Gabriel was even thanking everyone who put something in his bag - they both did a great job!

The Dead Squirrel

It began as a bad smell in the basement on Saturday night. Josh and I assumed it was the cat box smell that just needed to be cleaned out or that Crocket did her duty outside the box in the laundry room. We watched a movie, enduring the odd smell mixed with the smell of the dinner we cooked that night. We went to bed, oblivious to what was lurking in our basement. It grew in the night and we were unaware. We woke up, we went to church.

An hour later we returned home and Krista was the first one in the house.

K: I smell something that smells bad.

T: Me too.

J: We need to find out where it's coming from.

T: Hopefully nothing died in our exhaust spout on the roof or in our basement, like a mouse or squirrel or something. We don't want to deal with a dead squirrel.

K: Mommy, where's the dead squirrel at?

We began the search and our noses brought us to the basement, where we initially smelled the bad smell. It wasn't in the laundry room with the cat box. It wasn't in the family room. Oh, bam, there it is - like a smack in the face - in the toy room. We tried pinpointing the smell, but it was elusive.

K: Where's the dead squirrel?

I smelled in the closet, but nothing was there. Of course, this is the room with piles of toys on the floor, a doll house, toy kitchen, vanity, and other child accouterments - so the smell avoids detection of the source, for a while. I get on my knees to smell around the bookcase, suddenly my knees are wet. Ah ha, the floor, the carpet is the culprit. That's right, no dead squirrels this time, it's nice, wet and moldy carpeting and it smells awful.

A couple hours later and we pulled the carpet up in strips and thrown it outside. The source of the water was a detached gutter downspout outside and the water leaked in from the foundation with all the rain we had last week. We mopped the floor with bleach water and we waited. We left the house, picked up the kids from Aunt Angie's, and entered the front door again. The smell is gone, hooray! Plus, we now have incentive to paint and get a new piece of carpeting for the tiny room.

K: Did you get the dead squirrel?

Hello World

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but the last month of pregnancy and the first month with a newborn are exhausting. We welcomed to the world our newest addition, Logan John, on September 27th. A large boy, weighing in at 9lbs 10oz, he even exceeded my large birth weight. A payback of sorts, I'm sure. He is a surprisingly blonde child, with tons of hair like his brother and sister. He likes to eat, sleep and poop - like all normal newborns. I'm working on getting a normal schedule instilled in him, so he sleeps at night and is awake during the day. All is going well, especially since I found out he loves a pacifier as much as his big brother does.

Krista loves being the helpful big sister. Although, she has sworn off assisting with dirty diapers and will not touch them to even bring them to the trash. She wants to hold Logan, touch Logan and soothe him, "Oh, it's okay honey." She thinks he needs Barbie dolls surrounding him when he's sleeping.

Gabriel, for the most part, largely ignores his baby brother. He does like to stroke his hair. He also tries to squeeze his head and poke him in the eyes. He is a good helper with the diapers his sister refuses to touch and throws them all in the trash for me.

Well we have one bloody Gabriel nose, crying and a need for lunch and a nap - so gotta run!

Clothes Hamper

Gabriel is at the "good helper" stage. If you ask him to get his diapers and wipes, he will bring them to you. If you ask him to throw away a dirty diaper or a tissue, he will. If you ask him to put a toy in the toy bin, he will. When he accomplishes his task he comes back into the room, clapping his hands along the way and saying, "yaaay."

His wires get crossed on certain tasks and he just can't get them right. Every time I ask him to bring a piece of dirty clothes to the clothes hamper (in his room), he does the same thing. It doesn't matter if it's a shirt or pants or socks. Here, Gabriel, bring this shirt to the clothes hamper in your room! Off he goes and a moment later he is coming around the corner clapping his hands. BUT.... I later find the shirt stuffed into the tiny bathroom trash bin. I've even tried correcting him and telling him that the trash is the wrong place and demonstrating where the shirt is supposed to go.

Last night I found a tiny blue sock stuffed into the bathroom trash and we had a pretty good laugh about it, while the kids were in bed. The hilarity is compounded because he is SO proud of himself when he does it! I guess I should be happy that he doesn't stuff them in the toilet.

Oh, NO!

The time I've been dreading is here: Gabriel has hit his terrible two's early. We easily skipped this stage with Krista and did not miss it one bit. But, we are not so lucky with the little man. The last few days he has learned how to say, "NO," quite effectively. For three days straight, this word had rung in my head as he learns to assert himself and tell us what he wants. I'm already done with it and I believe the road is going to be a long one. He's already been briefed on the time-out system for previous minor offenses, but has only been there about 3 times total. This number may drastically increase throughout the rest of this week. He's a smart little bugger, so I'm hoping he learns the lesson quickly. I don't mind the assertion of the "no," I just won't accept the tantrum or frustrated hand swatting/hitting he does when he doesn't get what he wants. Let the fun begin!

Running Girl

Krista has never been very physical. She didn't crawl, didn't climb on things and simply walked carefully everywhere. She still crawls down the stairs and can't get both feet off the ground when she jumps. So it was no surprise that she just can't run. She does this funny power walk thing. She walks quickly and when she is "running," she pumps her arms really fast at her sides. She does all this with a huge grin on her face and she looks adorably cute when she does it. Now that she is in dance class, we're hoping she gains some strength and momentum when it comes to achieving physical prowess.

Apparently, they ran in class this week. She told the story after class at our usual dining spot, "FodGothers" (aka - Godfather's or as Grandpa taught Krista to say, "DogSlobbers"). They ran in class, the other girls all ran faster and she was behind everyone. "So the teacher needed help me." I had her run a second ago and she does seem to go faster, but I don't hold my breath for any races in her future.

In other news, the last 4 mornings, she has had a dry pull up AND she is now climbing down her bunk bed ladder with minimal assistance. You go girl!

Toddler Shoes

Wham, Bam, Poof! Gabriel is now a toddler. Yesterday we bought him some new shoes that he proudly ran through the store wearing. His feet are only a couple sizes smaller than his big sister's. Both he and his sister got new "sock" shoes that they can only wear with their socks on. So, hopefully the fall transition happens and there isn't much more hot weather (not that there has been much this year).

Instead of automatically getting strapped into a stroller or shopping cart, Gabriel can now walk by himself (in the case that there are enough adults along to hold his hand). He's not quite to the listening and obeying stage (not that they EVER are) and will run off in a random direction once you let go of his hand, but he is proud to be a big boy walking by himself.

We went ahead and put him in his big boy bed for the first time last night (sorry Nana, we couldn't wait for his new bedding as it is getting closer and closer to new baby time - but we ARE excited for when it comes!). He climbed in, on his own, and laid down on his blanket. Two seconds later he scooted to the opening and tried to get down. After being told it was night-night time, he stayed by his blankets and had his light-up, musical Curious George doll. He put himself to sleep as usual and slept the whole night through with no problems. Then this morning at 7:22AM, I hear a THUNK, followed by crying. At the scene, it appears he fell through the hole in the bunk bed ladder and onto the floor. Not a big fall and I think he was just more shocked than anything and wasn't fully awake yet. So, I put him down for his nap in his big boy bed and haven't heard a peep (except for the initial cry when I put him down).

I think he'll do perfectly fine as a toddler, we'll see how he transitions into a big brother as the next step!

Attached

Gabriel stole my birthday balloon and wouldn't let go. He carried it around the house for a few days straight. It made him angry that it would float to the ceiling when he let go, even though he could pull it back down with the string. His hand was glued to the stem of the balloon. We had to fight tantrums every time we left the house because he didn't want to leave it. So, when Gabriel went to bed the other night, the balloon got hidden away in my closet. Out of sight is definitely out of mind for Gabriel (unless it's Mommy, of course!).

Princess Crazy Hair & Princess Gabriel

Here they are as they make their grand entrance: Princess Crazy Hair Krista & Princess Gabriel!

Princess Krista enjoys ballet, barbies, eating cherry poptarts, shoes, and watching rain storms.

Princess Gabriel enjoys climbing on tables, opening and shutting containers, saying "Coca-Cola", squealing, and throwing both toys and food.

They are both ready for the grand ball in their beautiful gowns.

Ballerina Bedding

Nana sent Krista an adorable new bedding set for her "tall bed." Ballerina's and crowns, what could be better? I finally got them on the bed today or I should say, Grandma and Grandpa got them on, as I have a bit of a tummy right now...

A delighted Krista is now excited for bedtime with her new sheets! "I'll be so exciting!"

Little G

Someone continues to grow into a very vocal and physical little being in our house. "Baby G" is now "Little G" and is getting into everything. As evidence from the picture below, he tries to scavenge some of Krista's potty incentive:

He's a little talker, too. A relief from SOME of the squealing, screeching and screaming that used to be his sole method of communication. He can put two words together now, "Hi, Papa," "Hi Kitty," "Hat On," and others. He still reverts to his primary, non-verbal, communication most of the time - but we are working on it. He has always been louder than big sis and he says a lot more words than she did at this age. He definitely doesn't have the need to have a skill perfect before he uses it, like she did.

He also climbs on everything and is adept at climbing up into big chairs and couches without hesitation. Krista is his constant tormentor and vice versa, but soon he will be a big brother and have the same role she plays for him. It will be interesting to see how he handles it. Soon, he will be transferred to his big boy bed, the bottom of the bunk bed with Krista and I'll let you know how that goes - probably a few sleepless nights!

Family Fun Day

We try to fit as much family fun time in on the weekends as we possibly can. So far today, we bought Ansel some treats from PetSmart. It may sound like an average errand, but I assure you it is not. The kids slowly walk from one small animal to the next, observing the birds, fish, mice and guinea pigs to their hearts content. And as an added bonus, a lot of dog owners bring in their dogs to the store and the kids love petting them.

We also visited the Children's Museum, which was not as busy as I assumed it would be on a weekend. Krista got a ladybug painted on her face by Papa and she was in love with the revamped "stage/dress up" area. Gabriel got himself soaked at the water table and did not mind it one bit. We barely had enough time to look and explore everything before we had to get to our expired meter and lunch/nap time.


A special lunch at Fazoli's for pizza and unlimited breadsticks followed swiftly by Gabriel's nap time. Now we have a bit of quiet time, just a breather, before we go pick up a free toddler basketball hoop (gotta love freecycle) and venture to Shopko (or Shotgo as Krista pronounces it) for her choice of candy. This candy is destined for Krista's special movie night tonight with Mommy and Papa. We are going to watch Open Season and eat candy, cookies and popcorn - oh my!

Ballerina Update

At first, our tiny dancer did not want to participate in her dance class. Her teacher reported that she would just stand in class, observing, and she would not try the moves unless directly told to. This is expected and on par with Krista. She has always been hesitant with physical activity. She has always held off on doing things until she is ready and 100% confident that she can do them. So, after getting the report on her inactivity in class and after Krista expressing that she did not want to be a ballerina anymore, she now wanted to be a butterfly, we talked to her about trying new things and participating.

When she would watch a cartoon (like Dora, for example) we would make her do what the character was asking the kids to do. We also "played" dance class and she got to have a little role reversal by being the instructor and I was the student. By the next class, she was so excited to go to dance that she could hardly wait until the evening when her class begins. After the class, we were greeted with a large grin and Krista saying, "I did EVERYTHING!" Her instructor reported that she tried everything and did a great job. The same trend continued this week for her dance class and now she looks forward the the longer, fall dance season!

Trago Park

We had fun at a local free water park this past weekend. Once Krista "warmed" up to the water, we couldn't get her out! Gabriel, on the other hand, was an observer on the outskirts and did not even enjoy the mist that blew onto him with the wind.

The 4th

Here's the snippets of conversation from our 4th of July - from Krista:

The sparkler looks like Cinderella's Fairy Godmother's magic wand!
I have a hood, like Cinderella's Fairy Godmother!
Grandpa, you're ostracized - like the Papa in Abiyoyo!
I can do EVERYTHING and not scrutinize myself!
I like the cracklers AND smoke bombs.
That's amazing!
It's going to start snowing and a snowman is going to come.
I want more cake!

And Gabriel....

NoGoGo! NoGoGoGo!

Summer Fun

Little Ballerina

Our little ballerina had her first dance class today. She had a special dinner at McDonald's beforehand and then, dressed in her pink tights and black leotard, we arrived at the dance studio. Her face was already red simply from the heat/humidity (over 100 heat index). We slipped on her tiny pink ballet slippers and sent her off to class. We heard music and thumping and even the clip-clopping of tap shoes at one point. After class, she emerged with a very proud smile on her face. When we got home, she showed us her moves - holding her foot behind her and rotating her foot in a circle. She also informed us that she got to do a somersault and jumps. She learned how to curtsy. She is now anticipating her next class with much excitement and we couldn't be happier for her.

Gameshow Gabriel

After putting the munchkins in bed last night, Josh and I heard Gabriel singing the Jeopardy theme song in "uh's" before succumbing to sleep. The amazing thing is that I think that show has only been on once in his life, he probably learned it from his sister who hums it occasionally...

Gabriel's 18mos Checkup

Other than being the ultimate crab-boy, Gabriel had a great checkup today.

Height: 32 3/4"
Weight: 24lbs 14 oz
Head: 18 3/4

He is in the 50-75% for each category, a very rounded boy. The doctor said the little bumps on his arms and legs aren't too much of a concern. Not eczema and nothing really "cures" it. She said it could be there for a while, even as much as a year. It doesn't seem to bother him or itch at all, so it's just a cosmetic issue more than anything else.

He didn't want her look him over at all and screamed the whole time - a complete difference from the way Krista's appointments went when she was little. He didn't have to have any shots, at least!

But.. Papa Said It!

K: Is this a freakin' bed, mom?

-

K: Shut your face!

-

K: What the hell?

-

And Mommy taught her:

K: Oh my goodness gracious.

-

K: Gabriel is a poophead.

-

K: It's okay, bug (to Gabriel). You'll get a poptart, too.

Been a While

It's been a while since I posted, so I thought I'd make the effort this morning on updates. The unborn child in my stomach is doing well. It feels like I ballooned out over night and I can't believe I will get bigger in the next three months... this must be the difference between being pregnant in the cool winter months vs. the warmer spring and upcoming summer months. Yay for me, especially fun when I do errands and still have to haul G-Man around like a sack sometimes.

Gabriel is doing good, too. Seems to be a more happy guy lately - he is walking with ease and even moon walking (walking backwards) at times. He likes attempting stairs and if they are low enough he just crawls down them in an awkward manner or just takes the step and makes it. He is still not good at the "normal" sized steps, although he can crawl up them in no time flat. He got a much needed hair cut the other day, after many "rat-tail" comments about his hair. Even after getting his buzz on the #2 setting, that patch of hair on his neck just kind of grows there like a tail.. but he looks much better and surprising older now. He loves bath time, until he gets water in his face and then he wants out of there pronto. He doesn't like our baby pool outside and refuses to get in, even though the water is now very warm. Maybe he was just traumatized by the first filling when I stuck his toes in and the water was still a bit icy. He's talking more, at least single words. He can say "ball" "kitty" "mom" "papa" "car" "go" "juice" "ducky" "hello" "all done" "chicken" "cheese" and "coca cola". He learned how to do a "fistie" or "fist pound" and can't get enough.

Krista is doing great, too. She love love loves her pool and swimming/splashing around. She loves the outdoors and always wants to be out there. She is learning to ride her tricycle, but can't seem to coordinate the pedals, yet. Another "weak leg" issue is the stairs. she goes up them okay, but she has to put her hands down on the step in front of her still as she goes up them. I believe it's more of a confidence issue over muscle issue. She's always been slow going physically, though. We signed her up for ballet classes that begin in a week or two, so we're hoping that will get her a little more active and give her more physical confidence. I know she will have fun, since she is a social butterfly. Any where we go, she is constantly trying to make friends with other kids and even adults. She says, "Hi," until the person responds and the other day she even followed up with, "How are you today?" When we go to the zoo, the library for toddler time or even the store, I think she believes it's mostly an opportunity to make new friends. Last time we went to the zoo, there were kids watching the river otter and she went up behind two little boys and put her arms around their necks and peered at the tank between their heads, like they were best friends.

That's probably enough to read for a Monday, so I'll stop while I'm ahead and besides that, both the kids are now awake.

Cracked

Me: Krista, you crack me up.
Krista: No, I crack you DOWN!
Me: Okay... Mr. T, now I'm worried...

Krista's Song

Oh my darlin', oh my darlin'
Oh my darlin', Clementine...
You were lost and gone forever,
You're a scarecrow...
That's not the words.

After Krista sang those exact words in the car in tune to the song, Josh and I couldn't stop laughing.. I think she changed the words again to say she was sorry she lost her at one point, too. And then when she realized we thought it was funny, she started using the tune to sing about Gabriel and anything else she saw.

Popcorn

I made a quick microwave bag of popcorn for a midday snack yesterday. Grandpa will like this: I found out that Gabriel likes it and Krista can't get enough of it! I poured a bunch on her plate which she consumed one bite right after the other and then she came over to my bowl and was grabbing handfuls to stick in her mouth as quickly as she could. I told her that next time she was at Grandma and Grandpa's house, she would have to ask Grandpa to make her some popcorn. So get ready and stocked up, Grandpa!

Tall Bed

After spending time at her cousins' house, Krista could not stop raving about Kaitlyn's "tall bed." She kept saying, "Kaity has a tall bed. I want a new tall bed, too!" Little did she know, but it was already in the plans, since baby number 3 is on the way. So I began shopping around for bunk beds on the internet.

I knew I didn't want a metal bed and I knew it had to be twin over twin for space. The crib is white, so I was hoping to find a bunk in white as well. For some reason, bunk bed's range in price from $200-$2000. Most are over $1000 and I knew we could never swing anything like that for a piece of child's bedding that would most likely get beat up over the years. I found one at Walmart.com for $220 that was perfect, but the white was sold out and I would have to settle for the darker wood color. I found one for $700 at another online retailer that was beautiful and would match the details on our existing crib, but it was still a little expensive for us.

I knew Shopko had limited furniture in store only, so I decided to head over there next. They had a white bunk bed almost identical to the one at Walmart.com for less money. So later that night, I took Josh and we made the purchase of the last one in stock. Two days of putting the bed together around naps and bedtime later, Krista now has her very own "tall bed." She slept two nights on it and loves it! She wants to go to bed early, just so she can get in her new bed. Now, she just wants some new bedding to complete her fairy tale, pink of course!

Sweet Dreams

I put the kids to bed most every night around 7:30-8pm. We have several rituals we go through, including brushing their teeth, kissing Papa goodnight, getting tucked in, and singing our special bedtime songs. After our last song, I tell them, "Sweet Dreams," and ask Krista what she will dream about that night. She normally responds, "I will be a ballerina. Kaity will be a Princess and Alex will be a Prince and Gabriel will be a Prince, too. I will wear a sparkly pink gown." Sometimes she is a Princess, too, or even a beautiful pink butterfly, who will fly to the moon with Gabriel, the brown butterfly. It's so fun to see what her colorful, or more accurately, pink, imagination will come up with next.

Nice One

That little lady called Krista has been awfully grabby and selfish lately - especially in sharing toys with her brother. However, she shocked me today with a moment of pure giving:

After going to the potty by herself *yay*, she gets two pieces of candy of her choice. "I want jelly beans!" Well, sweetie, there are only two left - a yellow one and a black one. She takes them happily. Gabriel enters the kitchen, looking for his piece of the loot. Sorry, no more jelly beans buddy, would you like a Reese's Pieces? Mr. Pouty Lip shakes his head "NO!" and starts to walk away whining. Krista, without any prompting or expectations, walks up to Gabriel. "Gabriel, you can have my yellow jelly bean." Gabriel is now happy as a lark, with a wide grin, and consumes his jelly bean.

Krista's Advice

Krista gave us some advice yesterday that I would like to share:

If you see a monster coming...
Watch out for monsters!

Flashdance

Gabriel's new nickname is Flashdance. He's always loved to dance and has now taken it a step, or multiple steps, further. He now does the high stepping flashdance move. Enjoy, I'd add the song, but this is where my digital expertise ends:

Princess Pouty

How old is my daughter? Sometimes it's hard to tell. About two days ago, she started doing something new. When she would get in trouble for something or get told to do something she didn't want to do (share with brother), her eyes water up and her fat pouty lip comes out. Now she just looks at me one last time before turning on her heels and marching somewhere to pout by herself. Twice she was on the landing stairs, just sitting there and pouting. Once, she went to the dark, unlit bathroom to pout. When she gets it together, she comes back in the main room with the rest of us. I didn't tell her to do this, she just did. But now, if she starts crying, I ask her if she needs to go to a quiet place to calm down and surprisingly she does most of the time. And when she is done, she comes out and announces, "I'm calm now, Mommy!"

Josh's Swine Flu

We recently came back from a trip to Houston, TX and then we all had instant colds. I had a congested nose and was tired, a little more than the usual pregnancy-exhaustion. Then, the kids started showing signs. They both had runny noses and coughs. Finally, Josh was sick - he seemed to be hit the hardest. He had a sore throat, weakness, dizziness and some major coughing. None of us have had a fever, which is one of the main signs of the swine flu. Josh missed a few days at work and now the guys at work are calling him, "Swine Flu." A few relatives have voiced concerns/jokes at to whether or not we have the Swine Flu. As an answer, "No, we do not." It was just a bad coincidence of timing.

Krista's Concerns

I've come to a point in my pregnancy where I have to make a decision... to wear the tent-like maternity shirts and wear the very obvious, "Hello. My name is, Pregnant," sign or wear my regular shirts, which are beginning to get a little snug. With my regular shirts, the "fleshy show" phenomena happens. My shirt rides up slightly and my maternity pants love to ride down, resulting in a band of pudgy skin exposed around my stomach/belly button area. It's not a pretty sight. Luckily, I have Krista helping me out. She comes up and tugs on my shirt until it covers the area, saying, "Cover back up, Mommy." I recently found out that she does this because she has a secret fear that the new baby will suddenly pop out of my belly button at some random interval. "The baby's not coming yet, Mommy?!" She has the same concerns after multiple reassurances.

Gabriel on the other hand, has no idea what's going on in Mommy's world. He is solely concerned with being constantly mobile. He has a very powerful grip that he uses to pull himself up at times or to climb. Very often this grip gets used on mommy's pregnancy-sensitive "private" area, when he's trying to pull up to standing on my lap - ouch! Little does he know that his reign on being the "baby" will soon be over and things will change dramatically again until a new structure gets formed.

Back to Normal

Today we are finally getting back to normal, being at home. Gabriel had a nice 2 hour nap and woke up to Krista wanting so badly to play with him. She brought them both necklaces and told him she has "lots of treats" for him. Now they are playing well together in their room. So far, so good, at least until she tries to manhandle him too much or he takes something from her.

We had a lot of fun in Texas and the kids did pretty well on the trip. Gabriel had a hard time settling down to sleep, but once he did, he slept well. Krista slept well, but was car sick several times both trips. She proved that she could use her "sick box" and there was minimal clean up.

A boatload of generous gifts were bestowed on the children. Krista was bombarded with Barbies, clothes, accessories and more. She is now in Barbie heaven and there are clothes and shoes all over the floor. Gabriel also likes to drive the Barbie cars around the living room.

Yes, normal day - I heard Krista giggle, "sorry," and Gabriel squealed, "Na na na na!" So, I'd better go check on them!

Goodbye, Nebraska...

Tonight we leave for Houston, for a friend's wedding. We'll be gone for a whole week, relaxing in the sun (except for the occasional rain). The temperature should be in the 70's-80's and that will definitely be a nice change from the unpredictable Nebraska weather (today it's snowing, tomorrow it's 75....). It will also be nice to get away from the WIND, unless we have a hurricane - haha.

A 14 hour trip in the car awaits us. We'll see how the kids do, we are hoping they sleep the majority of the trip. I'll post about how it goes, either way.

So goodbye, Nebraska! We'll see you again in a week and I hope that you are then consistently warmer!

Answer Box

If I ask a question, Krista will answer it. Even if the question is not directed at her.

Me: Gabriel, can you say, "Kitty?"
Krista: Kitty!
M: Krista, I know you can talk. Let me ask Gabriel. Gabriel, can you say, "Kitty?"
K: Kitty!
G: Squeals

Today when we were eating, Josh was trying to get Gabriel to point to his facial features.

Josh: Gabriel, where's your head?
Gabriel: Pats head with both hands.
J: Good job! Gabriel, where's your nose?
K: It's right by his forehead, Papa!! (like, duh)

Spiderman & Crazy Lady

The kids showed two new sides of themselves today, which were quite alarming and funny at the same time.

Gabriel was the spiderman and yes I did sing, "Spiderkid, spiderkid... does whatever a spiderkid does!" We were touring houses today to see what was out there available and in one house there was a sunken family room. Gabriel decided to crawl down the stairs sideways. He put his left hand down one step, then his left foot, then followed with the right side of his body. On another occasion he decided just to go crawling down with his hands first. He was slow and spiderlike, like a move you would see a possessed kid do on a scary movie.

Krista was the crazy lady. First she told me that when we left for Nana's house, Crocket (the cat) would have brass eyes and Ansel would turn into a baby. Then she promptly asked if she could eat me. When we were out at houses, she kept asking the realtor's, "what's going on?" She said it in a confused, old lady-like voice. And just now, she had blue gatorade and oreo's, so she has black and blue smears all over her crazy lady mouth/face. It makes her even creepier when she says bizzare things, "Will you eat my heart, mommy?!!"

Baby Snuggie

If they made baby Snuggies, they would probably look like this:

A Special Gnome's Demise

It was a sad day yesterday. A scene of epic proportions, so traumatizing that I can barely type the words...

As I pulled the car into the driveway, after going to the library for toddler-time, I immediately noticed that something was wrong. I slammed on the brakes and rushed to the scene of the accident. I was too late; however, he was a goner. Our very special gnome, who has been guarding our front door for years, is no longer. The gnome was no match for the windy, gusty spring day. It must have taken one big gust to push the gnome swiftly off his feet. His face slammed into the concrete and cracked his skull open. His hat came fully off his head and pieces were scattered everywhere. It was a sad day indeed.

Here's to you gnome, we loved and feared you equally - you were a very powerful being taken down by a very powerful wind.

Bunny Ears, Elephants & Clowns

Josh really wanted to take Krista to the circus this year, but then we never got around to actually buying the tickets. Luckily, some free tickets were offered through a local mom group I am in and Josh was able to take Krista after all. She got the royal treatment from Papa. Spoiled with light-up bunny ears, cotton candy, lemonade, a pretzel and a wand (which is actually a sword). Her favorite part of the circus, aside from her treasures, included the lady that could change her dress in seconds multiple times and the guys "talking" with whistles. When they came home, my little princess was sound asleep in her car seat with her bunny ears flashing and her "wand" lit up and smashed right by her face. What an angelic sight that was!

Check-Ups & Shots

Yesterday, Krista and Gabriel had a dual well-care child doctor's visit. Gabriel has a nice cold with cough and runny nose. Krista is getting it to some degree, too, as she was sick in the car last night - all over herself and her carseat. Here's the stats from the doctor's visit:

Krista - now weighs 29lbs and is 37.5" tall. Her height was the same as her last visit, but they think it was a measuring snafu that happened during her last visit. She is in the 50-75% for both height and weight. Dr. Bargen was impressed that she knows her colors and can count to 12. She converses easily now and understands what you tell her. With that, she is now asserting more defiance and thinks she's being funny. She did not have to get any shots during this visit and her next well-care appointment is not until next year.

Gabriel - now weighs 22lbs 13oz and is 31.5" tall. His weight is down because everything was going straight through him for the past three weeks and he is walking more, which is that stage where the toddler starts to come through all the baby fat. He is in the 62% for height and the 23% for weight. He was a crabby little patient, but typical for an average 15 month old - especially one with a cold! He didn't have pneumonia or any infections and the cold should run it's course. He had to get two shots, one in each meaty thigh. I think he cried more just because I laid him down, not necessarily that he was getting poked. He gets to go back in 3 months for his 18 month appointment.

Josh and I were marveling that it's just a whole new experience with Gabriel, since he is a typical crabby toddler with tantrums. Krista was so laid back and delayed in a few areas that it's exciting to see the differences. Now we just wonder what the new baby will bring!

Funny Girl

We had a fun car trip yesterday. I turned on the radio and the Pink song, "So What," came on. Krista loves this song since she heard it on Ellen the other day.

T: Krista, your song is on! (I glance back in the mirror at her)
K: (Bops her head wildly back and forth with a huge grin on her face)
G: (Laughs)
T: Krista, you're funny!
K: (Keeps bopping and smiling)
G: (Still laughing)
T: You're making Gabriel laugh!
K: And I'm making YOU laugh, mommy!!!

She is a true comic at heart and if she finds out something she's doing is making others laugh, she will go full force at it.

Po' Boy

Gabriel has been suffering lately and so has his mom. Dirty diapers every time I turn around and a sore bottom making the change a very loud task. This went on for a week and per our doctor when this happens it can be up to two weeks before it slows down. But then the fever struck and the poor guy was not happy. Always peaking at about 104 before I would give him Motrin. On the third day, we went to see the doctor. On top of the dirty diapers and fever, he tossed his cookies after lunch and had some blood in his stool... So the doctor then had to poke his finger for blood and took his dirty diaper for some tests. The blood results are indicating that he possibly has a bacterial infection and the diaper results are pending (probably will get them tomorrow). On the up side, he is doing much better today. He didn't wake up hot and feverish, he's been playing and not stuck to mommy's lap today. We postponed our doctors appointment until they get the diaper results and call us. I'll update you all when we have more information.

Mr. Handsome

Josh gave Gabriel a haircut this weekend and he looks so much older. It's nice to be able to see his face! Here's some pictures of our little man:

Lesson #1: Pay Attention

As a mom of two young children, I learn new things every day. I want to try to relay my lessons in a funny way because I was probably not laughing the first time around.

Lesson #1 is Pay Attention. This seems obvious. Pay attention and watch what your kids are doing, otherwise you're going to end up with a toddler-sized shopping cart rammed into your heels so hard that you want to cry. But you can't cry, because you're standing in the middle of the frozen foods aisle with a toddler looking about to cry herself. So, you suck it up and walk it off and after about 5 minutes, it doesn't hurt so much anymore. Remember to breathe deeply and try not to talk.

I have many more lessons to come after they've been processed through my slow moving head. Maybe I'll post one weekly or more or less - we'll see.

Buzzworthy Oscar Party

Josh and I were extremely excited last night. Finally, the hour was upon us and it was time. We had our signature cocktails mixed. We were dressed in our most formal attire, as were our guests. The glitz and glamour was glaringly bright. We settled down to enjoy the party, to watch the Academy Awards in all our shining splendor.....

Okay, so maybe we did not do any of that. Maybe I'm wrong, but does anyone in the real world really care about this? I guess perhaps if you know a celebrity or want to be a celebrity or are a celebrity stalker, maybe it's prevalent? It takes over the TV for weeks in anticipation and several of the channels are transformed to red carpet interviews. The only one that really bothers me is the TV Guide Channel. As it is no more a TV Guide, the coverage takes over the entire screen and it slowly scrolls what's on the other channels in two very tiny lines at the bottom of the screen.

Krista and I did watch the pre-show at 7PM as I rocked her and showed her the "princess" dresses. About 2 dresses into it, she was snoring. I got both kids to bed and watched about 10 minutes of presentations. I realized quickly that I only watched about 2 of the movies nominated for any of the categories presented. This happens every year. Most of the movies nominated are not what the general populous has seen. But, perhaps, I'm just out of the loop?

Secretly, I wish I could attend in person. I would wear a fabulous dress and borrowed diamonds. I could smile and be a celebrity for a day. I still probably wouldn't have watched any of the movies nominated and all the clapping would hurt my hands... So, in reality, during Oscar Night, I put the kids to bed and ran an errand to the grocery store while Josh played video games downstairs. Now that's Oscarworthy!

My Little Lady

My little lady turns 3 tomorrow. She has been ready for her birthday for the last two months. Every single day she asks if we can have a party, several times a day. She asks for a "pink" cake and a Max and Ruby party. She has stated she wants a Barbie car, a jewelry box, a wand, roller skates and a scooter. She is a true princess and loves to dress up and wear her crown. Her favorite color is pink and she loves shoes. She also loves to be the "mom" and tells me to eat my breakfast and not to spill syrup on my shirt.

She is awesome at sharing and being "nice". Sometimes she has to be reminded to share with her brother, but she constantly amazes me when she selflessly gives him something that is special to her. Even when other kids are not so nice to her, she shows her true colors. Even after toys are taken from her in a harsh manner, she picks up a new toy and tries to share it with her adversary (there was an incident at the children's museum).

My laid-back, tiny, baby girl turns 3 tomorrow. She is a wonder and I love her dearly. Have a wonderful birthday, sweetheart!

Repeats

Krista's adept skills as a mimic can have shocking and also funny results at times.

K: What the hell? (repeated after hearing this on TV - not to be confused with, "She's going down to hell!" She's actually saying "hill" instead of "hell", but it's too close to tell most of the time.)

K: Come on, dude! (repeated after hearing Papa say these words while driving.)

K: I'll beat you! (repeated after Josh or I have said it to each other as a joke, but she says it to her brother later in a serious tone.)

Gabriel repeats single words, which is common for his age.

G: Good!

G: Juice?!

G: Ball!

On a side note, as I wrote this blog entry the kids enjoyed their lunch. Well, Krista enjoyed hers and Gabriel ate his banana and fell asleep at his table - that's a first! I hope he doesn't have a cold, that's usually the only scenario where my kids fall asleep randomly.

Days Schedule

Our current daily schedule goes like this:

7:15AM: Josh's alarm goes off and I hit the snooze.

7:20AM: Josh gets up to get ready for work as I roll over to go back to sleep for just a few more moments...

7:45AM: Gabriel wakes up talking and banging on his crib and I continue to lay in bed with my eyes closed.

8-8:15AM: Krista wakes up and talks to Gabriel and I eventually roll out of bed, get their milk and get them out of bed.

8:45AM: Breakfast is made depending on what Krista wants, either frozen waffles, homemade pancakes, fruit&cream oatmeal, or cereal.

12PM: After playing the morning away, I ask Krista what she wants for lunch and her usual response is, "we just ate!" She's never hungry and Gabriel is never full, so it's a funny contrast. We usually end up having chicken nuggets, macaroni & cheese, hot dogs or a sandwich.

1PM: Gabriel goes down for a nap and sleeps for usually 2 solid hours. Krista used to nap, too, but in the last few weeks has given up nap time.. so we end up going downstairs to play in the toy room while Gabriel naps.

3PM: Gabriel wakes up, usually on the dot. We all watch Ellen together and dance.

4-4:30PM: Josh gets home from work and showers.

5PM: We try to figure out what's for dinner and eat.

7:30PM: We read a bedtime story, brush the kids teeth, tuck them snug as bugs in bed and sing the nighttime songs (Frara Jaque, Twinkle Twinkle, and Backpack song from Dora twice).

8PM: Josh and I enjoy nice quiet adult time for the rest of the evening - watching TV, movies, playing games or reading.

10PM: We pray our rosary together and go to bed!

Yes, I Am

Pregnant, again. Soon we will have another little bundle of joy. More late night feedings, baths in the little baby tub, swing time and tummy time. We're hoping for another "easy" little girl like Krista instead of the "normal" roly-poly boy like Gabriel. It is a blessing indeed and I estimate the due date is Oct. 5th, but I'm usually off by a month. Another "suprise" child, so we will need to think of names for each gender again. For some reason we always have more of a problem thinking of boy names. In fact, Haley is on the tops for girl names and we just started. So, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers for another easy pregnancy!

Power of Prayer

As a Catholic, I strongly believe in the power of prayer and faith. Recently, Josh was reading about Our Lady of Fatima and read that Mary, the Mother of God, appeared to three children and asked them to pray more. She specifically told the children to pray the rosary each day and to spread this message.

We, as Catholics, believe that Mary was a human born without sin. She is the Mother of God and though we do not worship her, we do send our prayers to her so that she knows we need her prayers. She then, "pray(s) for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death," like the Hail Mary states.

Based on all of this, Josh and I have started dedicating 15 or more minutes of our night to pray the rosary. We have been dedicating these prayers to others who most need them. So if you have any specific or non-specific intentions that need prayers, let me know and we will dedicate our nightly prayer for you. I really think that prayer helps this world tremendously and have hope that more will begin or continue to have quiet reflection and prayer time with God.

A Day at the Park

Today we had some reprieve from the cold, windy winter weather - a great remedy for a severe case of cabin fever. We decided to take out the new wagon (from Santa) on it's second voyage. We went to UPCO park (the big one, at least near us). I thought this would be a good one as it does have a couple of slides for Krista. Of course, when we got there she climbed the slide ladders and then chickened out each time at the top of the slide. We got to swing, teeter totter, merry-go-round, throw sand, and bounce in the car. Then, surprisingly, Krista cooperated without a fight when it was time to leave and climbed up in the wagon. We headed home, where we are now enjoying a favorite lunch of hot dogs and mac'n cheese. Yum!

Computer Fun

Krista's conversation with "Elmo" on her little Sesame Street Laptop computer.

E: How many blue balloons do you see?
K: One, two, three, four, five....
E: How many blue balloons do you see?
K: I'm counting them! (Pushes the "5" button.)
E: Oops, does not compute. There are 7 blue balloons.
K: (Pulls lever for next question.)
E: How many candles are on the birthday cake?
K: One, two, three, four, five....
E: How many candles are on the birthday cake?
K: I'm COUNTING THEM! (Stops counting.)
E: We can play more later, bye bye!
K: BYE!

And Then He Could Walk...

This afternoon, Gabriel decided he could walk on his own. He does short bursts of wobbly walking jaunts, intermittent with crawling at warp speeds. I know, now he will never stop and that's fine by me! It's cool until he's able to crawl over the top of the crib. I say that now as I am watching him attempt to crawl up the stairs by himself... better get going!

Papa-tainment

Currently, the best entertainment at our house stars **Papa**! Whether he is doing the mundane task of scooping the snow --

Or, engaging in silly activities, he's tops on our list.

Crib Saga Continues

And continues.... A few months ago I posted about how our beautiful crib was recalled. We went through the ridiculous process of removing the hardware from the crib, sending it to the company, waiting for a voucher, and finally receiving the voucher in the mail. Thanks to Joe & Ashley, we were able to borrow their crib in the interim (so Gabriel was not rolling and crawling around on the floor instead of sleeping at night).

The voucher we received can only be redeemed at Babies R Us for a crib purchase, oh and we can't redeem it online. The first trip to Omaha and Babies R Us, the ONLY convertible crib (like we had before) that was priced under the voucher amount was out of stock and could not be ordered. So we waited another month and then took another trip to Omaha and Babies R Us, a new convertible crib was there that would work (it was white instead of cherry color, but good enough compromise). Of course, it wasn't in stock, but they could order it this time and let me know it would be there in 7-14days.

We waited two weeks and did not hear anything, so we called them. Oh yes, it's in and ready to be picked up. So another trip to Omaha and the crib is picked up. We wait another day for Grandma & Grandpa to bring it back to Lincoln in their truck. We then disassemble the borrowed crib, haul in the giant crib box and open it. Oops, wrong crib! It's not the same color, style OR brand. This is really starting to be fun. So, back to Omaha the wrong crib goes. We reassemble the borrowed crib and now we get to wait another two weeks for them to order the crib we wanted again. We'll then have to coordinate another trip to pick the crib up again and get Grandma & Grandpa's hauling capabilities to Lincoln.

Really?! I estimated some of the frustration involved, but apparently not to the fullest extent. So, thank you, Jardine, for your inferior crib quality and thank you, Babies R Us, for the extra trouble.

Max & Ruby

Max and Ruby... Ruby and Max... This is one of Krista's favorite Noggin shows. Some of you don't get this gem of a station targeted to preschoolers, while the rest of us are "blessed" with it and get to watch it - a LOT. Krista's 3rd birthday is coming up and she requested a Max & Ruby themed birthday. The following printable coloring picture is of the adorable twosome.

She loves all the Max & Ruby books by Rosemary Wells as well. We have checked them out from our local library on many occasions. And she has been singing a song she heard on the show all week:

Brown Sugar, Applesauce. Apple Pie is Fun to Make!

Of course, her two year old mind can remember more of the lyrics than I can even remember to post while she is asleep... oh well, just have her sing it to you when you see her. She may pull the shy act and you'll get nothing, but you may have a chance.

Waiting...

Our entire household is done with the cold weather. We are anxiously awaiting warmer weather. The following pictures embody our only experience with the sun (through the window) when it is so bitterly cold outside.

Subtle Change

I don't know what it is, but at a certain age a discernible, yet subtle, change takes place. Today I saw this change in Gabriel's face. It seems like it happens over night, which also amazes me. I think it has a lot to do with eye contact. Infants don't make eye contact at first because they simply see a blur and as they grow they see things in their own little world. At the point of the change, they look directly into your eyes with such a "click click click" of understanding. Gabriel just looked at me with his big eyes and truly looked engaged.

He teased me with a toy, by holding it in front of his face and pulling it away. He maintained eye contact to see MY reaction to his comedic act, instead of the other way around. He's pushing cars on the floor instead of just flipping them over to spin each wheel. He listens to commands and understands them. He's starting to babble quick, loud sentiments. He mimics actions and loves to dance and bounce. He's so close to walking, it will be any day/hour/minute now that I won't be able to stop him. The changes will keep coming and I can't believe I will no longer refer to him as the baby.

Inauguration

Celebrations are being formed as we speak. The inauguration day is approaching. Soon you will cheer with us as we inaugurate Gabriel to toddlerhood. Our little chubby-man made two, ever so slight, steps today. He was then tired of that game and on to other things.

Gabriel, Toddler-Elect

(Goofy hair & all)

Midnight Rocker

Gabriel rocks the night away in his crib - such a vastly, polar opposite of Krista, in yet another way. Krista would wake up in the same spot, same position where she fell asleep. Gabriel is in a different spot every time you peek in to their room. And you'll hear him in the middle of the night, "Aaaaaaaahhhhh...." Thuh-thunk, Thuh-thunk, Thuh-thunk (over and over again). He gets on his hands and knees and rocks back and forth to soothe himself back to sleep. And what's Krista doing? She's got the blanket over her face, laying still as stone in her bed, pressed against the wall.

On another side note, Krista has had no more nightmares to report, but she is still scared of the moon.

Nightmare Imagination

Another reason why toddlers are not good parents:

Krista's imagination somehow thought baby needed a chip clip pinched on his head. I'm not sure how that works into her play family's story. All she kept saying was, "What happened to baby?" Well, that's an easy one... YOU!

And as her imagination grows, we encounter new problems to deal with... for instance, last night Krista had her first "real" nightmare (not just a book or toy poking her in the night). As she clung on to me with her thin, monkey arms, she just kept saying, "The moon is coming to get me!" The sheer terror in her voice made me want to weep. After some consoling, a potty trip, a Papa talk, re-tucking in, a song, and leaving the door ajar, she was able to go back to sleep. Not wanting to set hard to break habits, it took all my willpower not to invite her to our bed and it apparently took all Josh's willpower not to lay in there with her last night. But she did go back to sleep and she seems fine this morning after sleeping in a bit longer than normal.

I'm sure with such an active imagination, we'll have our fair share of nightmare nights with Krista. It may be time for a night light, I'll keep you posted.

The Old Man and the Brow

I'm living with a classic, old man. What I mean to say is my husband already has some classic, old man characteristics. OK, well... he had one, at least, that was pestering me. It bothered me so much that I had to take care of it last night.

He had two, very long, scraggly, old-man eye brow hairs. Josh loved these brows and professed them to be "distinguished." They were all I could focus on anymore, not even his clear blue eyes could capture my interest with those brows staring at me. The future picture of us as grandparents was a vision of me standing next to my old husband, whose white, scraggly eye brows covered his eyelids.

I convinced him that it would be better if they were gone. He protested as if I were Delilah cutting his strength off. But, I persisted and am now content to look into his eyes and not worry that the creatures in his eye brows were going to attack.

Biblical Mother Goose

Krista and I were talking the other day and I was asking her a series of questions to find out which biblical stories she remembered from her books:

T: Do you remember who walked on the water?
K: Jesus!
T: That's right, and do you know who walked on the water with Jesus?
K: I don't know.
T: Peter did. Peter walked on the water, but he got scared and Jesus saved him.
K: Peter?
T: Yep, Peter.
K: Peter... the pumpkin eater!

Wedding Time

Yesterday was James and Angie's wedding day and Josh and I captured some good photos at the wedding - here are some from my digital camera that were our favorites: