Wakeup Call

Ever had something really wake you up? Someone really throw you for a loop? Every time I am disciplined by God, I learn something amazing about Him. I am going through some crazy discipline right now. I am being put in timeout for longer than my 31 minutes (you are supposed to do a minute for every year the kid is). I have gotten more than my five lashes. I will learn something from this. I will, I promise. I hope I learn it soon. For real God. Anyway, while I was whining and complaining to God about how miserable I have it, I saw a phrase that really struck a chord with me. "Don't grumble about what you don't have. Be thankful you don't get what you deserve."

Kind of deep to think that we are getting way more than our "fair share" by just not being thrown into the trash! We are all sinners, I am a pretty bad one too. So, instead of asking why, I am gonna be thankful and acknowledge all that I have that I really don't deserve anyway. Two of my biggest gifts are Sullivan and Sophie. They keep me laughing and filled with wonder and amazement throughout the day.

This morning we were all cuddled up in my bed watching cartoons when Sullivan tooted. Sophie apparently smelled it, covered her nose with her hand and said in her tiny little voice "Ooh brother you stinky, ooh stinky toot brother." It was all I needed to remind me how much I have!

A few of Sophie's latest phrases she has added to her speech vocabulary- (keep in mind this is all coming from a tiny little body that is super sassy):

"Watch this mommy"

"Count wif me"

"Mommy say Daddy, water, get it"

"Apple juice mommy no red juice or milk"

She has also started counting to ten!!! I think its so neat to listen to her tiny little voice count that high and best of all her numbers sound like this-

"un, too, pree, four, pive, sicks, seben, ate, nine, pen" Then she says "Dopie did it!!! hooray Dopie!"

Sullivan is getting better at writing every day. He loves reading and doing math but has always hated writing. Something has finally clicked in him, and he seems to really be getting the hang of it. I'll have to take a picture so you can see the cool cat, alien, fish painting he did.

I am also extremely thankful for Aaron. I don't say it enough, but I have a wonderful husband. Since the day I have met him, I have been impressed with his morals, work ethic, and sensitive side. There is nothing he wouldn't do for me, and definitely nothing he would not do for his kiddos. He is an excellent husband and father, and I could not have picked any better. I guess its a good thing God threw him in my path when He did!

What are you doing today?

I am laying in bed, the windows are open, fresh air is flowing in, and my kids are playing in the backyard. They are totally enjoying this weather. Its gorgeous. You can't ask for more in Texas than to be able to open you windows. And, it couldn't come at a better time. We went to Louisiana this past weekend to help Aaron's stepmom get her house ready for the market. When we were coming back Monday, Sophie threw up ALOT. Then, she had the big D once we got home. We were hoping it was some reaction to food or something, but no, it was the infamous stomach bug. We have been VERY healthy this year, and I shouldn't complain, but man, it was miserable. I woke up fine yesterday, then about 9:30, my body turned into a weapon of mass destruction. I haven't been that violently ill EVER. It was bad, and the worst part was that you would have about an hour and a half in between episodes of feeling fine. Then, Sullivan started to throw up around 6 last night, then Aaron around 2 this morning. I am HOPING we are on the tail end. So, I scrubbed every surface I could find with clorox this morning, am on my fourth load of laundry, and am not airing out the house with the windows open. HOORAY.

I'll have to get back with you later, as I am super weak and really hungry! Enjoy the pictures.

This is the Life

My mom called me at 8 this morning to tell me Happy Birthday. Good thing she reminded me. If she didn't, I might have forgotten. At 2 am last night, Sophie came in here screaming, soaking wet. She apparently wet the bed, ALOT, and it scared her. In my stupor, I brought her to the bathroom, took off her clothes, gave her new panties, and wiped her up a bit. Good thing I woke up, or I might not have gotten the cothes in the dryer. Normally I don't care if I dry clothes at 2 am. But, when your kids wear the same shirt everyday, its essential that they be cleaned and dried before they wake up. Luckily, we were able to peel the batman shirt off of Sullivan yesterday and trick Sophie into taking off the Dora shirt. It had been 4 days for each. After four days, a kid starts to smell pretty badly, and I can't describe what the clothes are like.

As I lay here in bed typing this, Diego is on my tv. Sophie is cheering wildy about some cat that he is apparently saving. Yesterday, she saw an elephant on my computer and went nuts. She had to kiss and hug it. So then, Aaron and I spent 30 minutes typing animal names into the google search so she could have a new picture to make out with. You had to be here. Sullivan wears a batman mask to go with his batman shirt. He wears it everywhere. Yesterday, we went to the mall, and he wore the garb. Aaron was rather embarrassed and asked him to take it off. I explained that it was part of development and asked him to let it go. When Sullivan started making arm and leg movements, and then sound effects, it did get rather embarrassing.

But, I remind myself all of the time that THIS is the life. From where I stand, life could not be better. I mean, honestly, my kids adore me. I am not trying to brag, I am sure your kids adore you too. Seriously, what could be better than a human being that kisses you when you fall, hugs you when you cry, and pats your back when you screw up? I mean, hearing a tiny voice say they love you, they need you, and that their world would not exist without you- how could it honestly get any better? My mom told me that this weekend Sullivan was very loving with her. He told her how everyone loves her. When she said sometimes people are mean to her, he apparently showered her with love. I mean, honestly, can you ask for more?

Ok, while I am enjoying this life, Sophie just found the peanut butter dog biscuits. She is beating Sampson with one trying to make him eat it. I must go solve this dilema! Enjoy your life today!

the Poop Situation

So, once you become a parent, you instantly join the "we talk about poop publicly club". Sorry if you aren't there yet. You should understand one day. I knew when we were at the hospital with Sullivan. Here we have this 5 pound tiny newborn, and all we want to do with him is take him to our house and be a new family. But, nurses had to keep coming in every ten minutes to see if he had pooped. We had to wait until he did before we could leave with him. Then, when they get sick, its not enough for people to ask if your kid is pooping, they want to know the variety of poop, solidity, color, and smell. Apparently there is some "rank fish" smelling poop that comes with rotavirus. Let me tell you, if I have to analyze the smell of the thing I most want to throw away in the outside trash, I am gonna not be a happy camper. One time, when Sullivan was a baby, he had to take an antibiotic that made his poop white and smell like windex. Aaron thought we should save it and try to sell it on ebay. We didn't.


So, why am I talking about poop? Sophie woke me up this morning by coming and getting me in the living room and telling me that poop was yucky. Yes, I definitely agree, this is why we get it OUT of our bodies for good. I quickly smelled they yucky she was describing. I asked her if she pooped in her panties and she said "No Dopie poo poo in the potty." I looked in her panties, and let her know that she had , in fact, pooped in her panties. She was VERY insistent that she had pooped in the potty. She led me into the bathroom to show me. She had apparently sat on the potty (without taking off the panties), tee teed and poopooed. All night's worth of pee was in the toilet shy of what was filtered through the panties. We were super proud of her for doing it on her own accord, but tried to explain that she should take her panties off first.

Hopefully, we are close to doing all of our potties actually in the potty. I thought I would brag that she has now said her first 7 word sentence! We went for her two year checkup Tuesday, and the doctor was asking me all kinds of developmental milestone questions. She asked if she said two word phrases, and I laughed. Of course, I remember being terrified at Sullivan's two year checkup because he wasn't talking. Anyway, the doctor (who is wearing a purple shirt), starts talking to Sophie and asks her a question. Sophie ignores her. I remind her that she gets a sticker if she answers the questions. Sophie says, "I no talk to the purple." Needless to say, she is doing fine developmentally. So, the 7 words? Last night, she came into my room and said "Mom, water." Its two in the morning, so I just said, "come cuddle with me, I don't have any water." She replies, "Mom, say. Daddy, water, go get it." I guess she has learned rather young ;)

Brother, thankful, and the such

I like to jumpy, jumpy! Sophie has begun calling Sullivan "brother". She says it in the dearest of ways, "Brother, come here," "Brother, move", " Brother, I say move!" Anwyay, its really cute. Yesterday at Sam's, she was screaming at him at the top of her lungs "Brother give me the coke!" Too much for her little britches. Speaking of britches, she is full time in panties, no more pullups EVER (hopefully). And, I am proud to annouce that "Houston, we have lift off", she has pooped in the potty three times. Yesterday she was in the playroom and screamed "Aaron come here fast! Oh No, Uh oh." He ran in there to find quite the late Christmas present in her pants that apparently was dropped off before she had time to run to the potty. You did read the quote right, she also is calling people by their real names. Its really funny and really annoying all in one. She was running around the "Bounce" the other day looking for me yelling "Bicky, Bicky!!!" She loves calling my parents "Steve and Linda". Only when she is mad of course. She is growing too fast. Today is her two year check up, so we'll see how fast she really is growing.

I got an award and need to list six things I am thankful for. So, I here ya go:

-I am thankful taht every day I know two beings in this world love me no matter what I do or look like, and have me on a pedestal that's pretty close to as high as the clouds.

- I am thankful that I found my true love early in my life- at 20! so that I can have one of those crazy long marriages- I am shooting for 80 years!

- I am thankful for two parents who still love each other and sacraficed more than I will ever know for me to have a happy childhood filled with wonderful memories.

- I am thankful that I live in a country that I can love Christ and talk about it.

- I am thankful that God loves me even though I am SOOO unworthy of it.

- I am thankful for my two little beings that are growing so big and strong every day. They are so gorgeous!

PawPaw- Steve- I said don't take another picture, just play with me.

Do I have to tell you again? This is getting really frustrating.

Sullivan's idea of how to build a ramp- just put two pieces of wood together, should work.Nanny helps him build one that just might actually work.And he's off! It works!!! Who knew scrap wood could be this much fun!?!

Well, I see that Sophie has found Sullivan's light saber, and hear it as well. Sullivan had his Indiana Jones sword and looks as though he is ready to defend himself. I must run. I'll have to catch up with you later!

New Year's Sullivanisms

So, I talk to Sullivan like he is an adult, always have. We talk about lots of stuff, he asks questions, I give him answers. Here are two funny stories that need a little prep. Sullivan wears a hat now almost every day. Its a "Cars" hat that apparently makes him Mario. He loves wearing it, and after catching him sharing it on the playground one day, I had to discuss lice with him and how we don't share hats.

The other night, we went out to eat with my parents. The waitress was being really friendly, so of course, Sullivan was flirting away. She tells him that she wants to borrow his hat and wear it around, but that she will bring it back. He is laughing and smirking and says, "but you could have bugs in your hair and I wouldn't want my hat back." It was so embarrassing, but really funny!

Sophie was playing in the tub this morning while I was cutting Sullivan's hair in the bathroom.

He doesn't like having his hair cut. He had lots of extra hair, and by the time I was done, he had hair ALL over him. He was naked because he didn't want his clothes to get hair on them. He exclaims, "now I look just like daddy, I don't even have to be a grown up!" Can you tell his daddy has a hairy chest? So, as soon as I was done, he jumped in the shower to get the hair off. Sophie wouldn't get out of the tub so she stayed in. Sophie found Sullivan's privates. I told her "Sophie we don't touch Sullivan's penis." Apparently Sullivan had never heard me call it that, we always call it a "wee wee." So, when she tried again, he yells "Sophie, do NOT touch my peanuts." I was laughing so hard, and he says, "What mom, she understand spanish way better, and that's how you say wee wee in spanish right?" Ummmmmmm....... yes. Sophie was taken out of the shower immediately!

Horses

A few weeks ago, we went to Aaron's grandparents' house in Louisiana. They have a HUGE amount of land (161 acres!) with lots of animals running around. When we drove into the driveway two horses came up to greet us. We, of course, being city folk, had to stop the car, open the door, and let the horses check us out. Sophie and I rode bareback quite a bit- they don't ride the horses much anymore being in their 70s, so the saddles were not "in working order". Sullivan would not ride bareback until he is 31, because apparently that's the only year that it's safe to ride. The kids had a blast. Sullivan and his two girl cousins, Anna and Carson, chased cows all afternoon, never catching one. They have LOTS of feral cats running around that Sophie looked for but never caught and a few dogs to add to the fun. We had a great day and are sure to return as soon as they are ready for my two running around their once quiet house again!

Hello 2009

Hello all. I assure you that we have not fallen off the face of the planet. Actually we have been rather busy and rather lazy all at the same time. We left our camera (along with all of our pictures) at Aaron's dad's house over Christmas, so I have no pictures to post. I will tell you that our chidlren had GREAT holidays. It is so fun to watch them experience new things. Santa was very good to them, our families were even better. The amount of toys that they received is enough to keep a daycare going and happy. My aunt Karen came over last week and surprised Sullivan with a "bath tub" (his words) FULL of legos from when her two boys were growing up. He won't even leave his room. He was beaming, super excited, and hasn't stopped playing since. She brought her grandkids with her, and Zack exclaimed that he wants to be Sullivan's new brother. I told you they got alot of toys!!!!

Anyway, let me fill you in on some of the things going on in our house-

Sophie wears panties now all of the time, she poops in them most of the time (about every other day). Its pretty gross. No, its really gross. It grosses her out, she stands still and screams, refusing to move. But, it apprently doesn't gross her out enough to do it in the toilet. We'll get there.

Sullivan plays legos, Indiana Jones, Batman, Mario, or Sonic all of the time. He takes his characters very seriously. He has been begging me to make him a cape so that he can be a superhero "for real". We'll see if it actually gives him superhero powers.

We watch ALOT of Dora. ALOT. We now have EVERY Dora movie there is I believe. Anyway, as soon as we get our camera, I'll share some pictures. Sophie loved opening presents. She really didn't care what was in them as long as she got to open them. We had to watch her wherever we went because she would be under their tree opening presents. One night, we were at my parents' house and just started to wrap random stuff for her. It was pretty funny. She had soooo much fun!