PC Report

She's Baaack

2012-01-29T22:23:00.000-06:00

After a flu bug and 3 new teeth busting through, I think we finally have our happy girl back. PHEW!

Callie turned 10 months old this weekend, and that just doesn't seem possible. Probably the lack of hair leads me to believe she is still a tiny baby, but she is most definitely NOT. Lately she won't even eat baby food- only small pieces of fruit, toast, peas, or whatever we're having. Hoping she will be our good eater since Preston would be happy to survive on waffles and candy alone every.single.day. I thought maybe some peer pressure from Callie would get him to eat and enjoy some new foods, but tonight he took one bite of what we were having and promptly said "No, thank you!" while making a gross-out face. Sigh. Those books that say 10-15 exposures to a food will do the trick are full of it.

Some peek-a-boo fun! No mas peek-a-boo, Mom.

Maybe they could take this show on the road and make us millions? As a side note, I never NEVER thought I'd be the parent who puts their kids in pjs like Preston is wearing in this picture. But, alas, last night he was wearing Woody and Buzz, and Callie was wearing Tinker Bell. What has happened to me?! Have I lost all will to fight??

Here's a little bed time story for you read by Preston. If you aren't familiar with the DAVID books, I recommend them. He may not be a good role model, but he makes me giggle. Especially when he runs naked through the streets. I'm fully expecting Preston do to that some day. Soon.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2012-01-21T09:01:00.001-06:00

Top 10 Things We Love About Daddy

10. Playing Super Hero

9. Tickle Fights

8. Playing Baseball

7. Bath Time

6. Reading Books Together

5. Getting Donuts For Breakfast

4. Playing Games Together

3. Sample Day At Costco

2. Haircuts From Barber Clint

1. Cuddle Time

We love you for soo many reasons, but mainly because you spend quality time with us every day. Thank you for everything you do! Enjoy your special day!

A New Year

2012-01-15T22:31:00.002-06:00

How is it January 15th already?! Seriously?! And where are my snow days??? A few (late) pictures from Christmas. Still don't have a real camera, so my blurry phone pics will have to suffice.

Callie is 9 months now and had her check up a few weeks ago. She loves to wave at people, drool, chase the cats, and annoy Preston.

Her stats were:

Weight-18lbs (50%ile)

Height- 28in (65%ile)

Head- 17.25in (50%ile)

I call this one "Please?? Can I have some hair?"

And here are a few videos since I have been a blog slacker lately.

Callie torturing Phoggy. (The cats love/hate both kids!) I love the sound her little hands make while she crawls around the house.

"Slap, slap, slap, slap."

Preston had a flu bug last week, so that was a barrel of fun. (Clint and I had it, too, but his was much worse). Here is his version of what happened. This video was taken less than 12 hours after his first round of puke. Kids are crazy resilient, no?! And don't be fooled...it wasn't just "spit" on the floor, but we won't get into those details here.

Gross.

And one more of the little lady playing her most recent game, pretending to fall asleep. I love how funny she thinks she is! Just like her mama...

Wook At Dis!

2011-12-25T22:21:00.001-06:00

A movie of our Christmas, starting with one present on Christmas Eve. Preston LOVED all of his presents, but I think the toy computer was the winner. Way to go, Santa! (Yes, Santa left toys, but he also left a note reminding Preston to behave.)

Some of my favorite parts of this movie are all of the "WOOK! WOOK!" moments. If you stick it out until the very end, you can see some sweet peek-a-boo from Callie.

Hope you enjoyed the day with your family!

Carols, Naughty List, and Crawling

2011-12-22T21:01:00.001-06:00

We recently watched Preston's video from his school Christmas performance last year, so he wanted to act it out for us again this year. (No program at school this year- BOO!) Here are some songs he wanted to sing. Love the made up words he throws in there...and all of the W sounds instead of R sounds crack me up. I also like how he stops mid-song to tell me how Santa comes in the chimney. Love when he is my sweet boy! (He was a very sweet boy today- must know Santa will be here soon!)

Preston got a special video message from Santa the other day. He got one of these last year, too, but he was on the nice list then. This year it is questionable. Does anyone actually not give their kids gifts on Christmas for being naughty? Doubtful. Am I mean for putting him on the naughty list for this video? Probably. But he definitely knows he needs to try harder!

Don't want to forget about Callie- she is a wild woman and all over the place at all times. Preston is learning how to distract her from HIS toys by offering her something he doesn't want to play with. Let the sharing lessons begin!

A Christmas Dance

2011-12-12T21:20:00.001-06:00

You don't need a shirt to feel the Christmas joy...

Santa Visit and Claps

2011-12-02T23:26:00.001-06:00

Preston got to go visit Santa this week at our neighborhood tree lighting ceremony. Santa read the kids a story, listened to their long lists of 'I-wants', and then dazzled the crowd with his sleigh. Not just any old makeshift sleigh...his super-duper-rocket-booster sleigh! Preston was a sweet and patient boy while in the same room as Santa. He literally sat still for over 10 minutes waiting for his turn- you can see a small part of this in the video. Now if we could only transfer that perfect behavior into our everyday lives! We had our magic Santa Cameras installed this week to see if that will help. They are inside the smoke detectors and he has been talking about them frequently.

"Mommy, I see a wed light up thewe."

"That means it's working."

"I'm scawed of the light, Mommy."

"Don't be scared...just be a sweet boy and Santa will be happy!"

Thank you, Christmas, for giving me some leverage over my child at the moment. Stellar parenting? Probably not. But I'll take what I can get.

And here are some claps from my sweet girl. YAY! 8 months old and full of energy. Crawling everywhere (still almost exclusively army style), laughing, clapping, climbing up stairs, cutting two teeth, putting any and everything in her mouth, pulling up on the couch, following big bro around, and trying to escape from her crib are some of her latest milestones. Sleeping completely through the night is a milestone we're still waiting for. Desperately waiting.

Thankful

2011-11-27T21:20:00.001-06:00

We had a great Thanksgiving week with Mimi Mary, Papa Joe, and Cousin Kevin! Preston decided to be on his best behavior...or not. He was a bit of a disaster all week (and that's putting it mildly), but he loved spending time with them. Kevin was tons of fun, and the boys played together very well. They even took a trip to the bouncy house and went swimming at the hotel pool! Kevin was super sweet with Callie, and she enjoyed watching the boys play. We all ate too much a Mima Ceese's house on Turkey Day. Well, I did at least.

Preston was asking for them today...hopefully we'll get to see them again soon!! Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of everyone together, but here is a super long video to make up for that. We're thankful that they endured the LONG drive to get here and back home to spend time with us.

Super Boots

2011-11-06T16:07:00.000-06:00

Did you know Superman wears rain boots? Me either.

Lots of army crawling and rockin' from Callie lately. She'll be for-real crawling in no time, but I don't think it will make her any faster. She's a quick little squirt! I like the part of this video where she talks to Preston. And the second part with the monitor is from this morning. Thank you, Daylight Savings, for the early morning wake up call. "It's wake up time! It's wake up time! It's wake up time!" He probably said this at least 75 times (no exaggeration) before I finally went up there. I miss the days when we got an extra hour out at the bar as a result of the time change OR an extra hour of sleep! Ahhh, sleep. I miss you.

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T22:29:00.000-05:00

Some nuggets of cuteness in this video...a little long, but worth it. Hope you ate as much candy as I did!

Sorry for the lack of photos lately. Still haven't bought a new camera, and the phone camera just isn't quite fast enough to get a non-blurry picture of a 3 year old and a 7 month old. Here are a few from the Cider Mill last weekend and playing in the leaves.

Family Photos

2011-10-10T21:39:00.000-05:00

A BIG thank you to Molly and Betsy for doing a little family photo shoot for us this weekend! The weather was perfect, and they did an amazing job. Of course, Preston got a big 'ol rug burn on his chin the morning of the pictures, so we'll be doing some photoshop work before we print any. But I think they do a good job of making us look like we have it all together! Those who know us know the truth. Here are a few of my favorites!

Our First Kids

2011-10-08T21:55:00.000-05:00

5 years ago, our first kids were born...MC and Phoggy! Such sweet little ladies they were.

Sadly, they are now somewhat neglected by us/terrorized by our children. They sleep all day, and talk to us incessantly every morning/night when it is time to eat. They DO still like to cuddle when Preston and Callie aren't around. Actually, MC is very tolerant of both kids. (I learned this today when Callie army crawled over to MC and yanked on her fur.) And she always lets Preston pet her. He told her today, "MC, you're my best friend." Phoggy is a little bit jumpy, so she doesn't like to be out around them much. But we love them both and will shower them with attention tomorrow!

Ch ch ch changes

2011-10-01T21:10:00.000-05:00

A few changes around here lately. Preston is now in a REAL bed! Thanks to the Wilsons and Briscoes for the mattress/box springs, and thanks to Mima for the Spiderman sheets! Here's hoping he doesn't fall out tonight and crack his head open. (Yes, I even worry about him when he sleeps.) He has also been spending a lot (and I mean A LOT) of time in time-out at school and home. We're trying some positive behavior supports and hoping it helps. Forever a teacher- already implementing a behavior plan with my three year old. Sigh. Luckily he is still cute and can still be quite sweet.

Our little Callie Rose turned 6 months this past week. Seriously? Seriously. She's changing so much each day and is truly on the verge of full-on crawling. (See video below.) She has the army crawl down pat, and I really can't leave her alone on the floor for more than about 10 seconds. Time to baby-proof the house again. This could prove to be a challenge with the amount of toys (not for babies!) Preston has around here. She is a happy girl and loves bath time, eating, bonding with Mommy in the middle of the night at least once (still), watching her big brother, putting anything and everything into her mouth, and squealing(see video).

Stats:

Weight- 15lbs 11oz (50%ile)

Height- 26.25 inches (75%ile)

Head- 16.75 inches (55%ile)

Cuteness- unmeasurable (100%ile)

And here are a few pictures from the Velvet Creme Popcorn Festival today- beautiful day for a walk down the street!

Video footage from today. Enjoy!

OLD pics

2011-09-20T21:46:00.003-05:00

I cleaned out my mom's camera today and found a few cute pics of Natalie and Julia on there.

Natalie getting her Preschool diploma- notice it is upside down...I'm pretty sure she takes after her father.

Halloween princesses

Here is one of the cousins from biggest to smallest! We took this on Sunday. Fun times getting all of the kids to sit AND stay still AND smile.

Roller Coaster Parenting

2011-09-12T22:13:00.000-05:00

Even if you don't have kids, you know that parenthood has its share of highs and lows. Think of the things you put your parents through! I have been thinking about these ups and downs lately, and decided to make a list. Some are what-did-I-get-myself-into moments, while others are how-could-I-possibly-live-without-this moments.

high- pregnancy (So exciting!!)
low- pregnancy ( HORMONES, hungry, nauseous, happy, sad, excited, scared...)
high- the day you see that sweet face for the first time
low- changing tar filled diapers
high- being in charge of something so precious (I MADE this little person and can shape him/her into a wonderful addition to society!)
low- being in charge of something so precious (I don't want to mess this up, so I'll second guess myself 384 times every day.)
high- seeing poop in the potty for the first time from your wee one
low- pulling items from a poopy toilet (This week alone we have had 2 casualties to this act. Sigh.)
high- tiny hand grasping my finger while she eats
low- breastfeeding in general for the first month or so (My poor nipples! Will they ever be the same?! Panic- she's hungry and I'm in the waiting room...can I really DO this here??)
high- nap time!!!!! YAHOO! (This is especially nice when Mommy gets one, too.)
low- days without naps
high-giggles and smiles
low- screaming while I try to make dinner
high- hearing your child is waking up from his anesthesia and asking for you
low- taking your child to to ER (for any reason!)
high- hearing "I want Mommy to do it!" (awww)
low- hearing "I want Mommy to do it!' (doh!)
high- feeding your baby solid foods for the first time
low- seeing the horrible rash resulting from an allergic reaction to said solid foods (What have I done?!)
high- "I love you THIIIIIIIIS much, Mommy! All the way to the moon and back!"
low- temper tantrums because I: flushed the toilet, turned off the light, forgot to put Buzz in the car, put Buzz in the car the wrong way, opened the wrong pack of fruit snacks, put 12 pistachios in the snack bowl instead of 13, used the wrong voice while reading a book, said no to candy and cookies and juice for dinner...(This list could continue forever. May have to dedicate an entire blog post to tantrums in the future.)
high- bath time and the smell of a clean baby/kid
low- bath time tantrums (see above for ideas of what may have triggered it- too hot? too cold? too many toys? not enough toys?)
high- sweet baby breath
low- washing poop out of clothing, sheets, blankets, changing pad covers, etc
high- tiny hands touching my face
low- tiny hands grabbing my hair and yanking like a bull rider
high- hearing thank yous for something simple "Thank you for making me dinner, Mommy!" or "Thank you for taking me to the park!"
low- "I don't like that!" (Potentially heard at every.single.meal around here.)
high- "I DO like that!" (Rare, but sometimes it happens.)
low- going to the store- "I want this. I want this. I want that. I want this."
high- up every few hours at night for months and months (Bonus cuddle time!)
low- up every few hours at night for months and months (Mommy needs sleep, kid. Seriously.)
high- hearing "MOMEEEEEEEE!" when I pick him up from school
low- leaving their sweet faces to go to work every morning
high- hugs and wet, sloppy kisses
This list could go on and on, and I'm sure there will be days with more lows than highs. But there is never-- NEVER a second I could imagine my life without my sweet (sometimes) children. I'm hopping back on the Hooker family coaster tomorrow morning! Or in a few hours if Callie decides she wants some bonus time with me at 3 am...

Weekend Fun

2011-09-11T15:18:00.004-05:00

The World According To Toddlers

2011-08-30T21:31:00.007-05:00

Clint brought a book home tonight that I plan to give to a co-worker who is expecting his first baby soon. I browsed through it was was laughing out loud. The book is called "The World According To Toddlers." It is like the authors were sitting in our house when they wrote it. A few excerpts:

Ten likely causes of a tantrum:

1. You picked out a shirt with buttons.

2. You won't let toddler wear one shamrock sock and nothing else.

3. You put a purple lid on an orange sippy cup.

4. You pushed the garage door opener instead of letting Toddler push it.

5. You put Toddler in car seat.

6. You tried to take Toddler out of car seat.

7. You mentioned the words "car seat".

8. Sibling looked at Toddler's toy.

9. You did not let Toddler buy sixty-one ounce bag of marshmallows.

10. You wouldn't tuck Toddler in for the tenth time.

Potty Training Basics (Tips for Toddlers BY Toddlers)

It is best to remove all clothing before you use the toilet.

Wiping is optional-always.

The ideal times to go to the bathroom are when you and your mom are in a pool, in the car during a traffic jam, when you are about to check out at the grocery store, and when you finally get to the front of a very long line at an amusement park.

You and only you must flush the toilet. EVER.

Beware of public toilets. They will suck you down when you flush.

Note- if you are not ready to poop on the toilet, just poop in your pull-up. Do not announce your intentions to anyone; instead, hide in a corner and crouch behind something, then go to work. If your mom sees you she will just think, "Oh, he is hiding and has a very serious look on his face." SHE WILL NOT GUESS WHAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY DOING.

A Toddler's Ideal Restaurant

Welcome to Toddler Cafe! Let me show you to your table. What? No, no no. There are no chairs here. You simply wander around while you eat. If you'd like to dine naked, that's perfectly fine.

Napkins? I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about.

Our special tonight is fish. Goldfish crackers, to be precise. Personally licked by the chef.

You will find appetizers on the ground.

If you don't like your food, simply open your mouth and let the food fall out on the table.

If you like the look of your neighbor's food, by all means steal it.

May I interest you in juice? Refills are immediate and endless.

Oh, yes: When you are done, let us know by vigorously wiping all the remaining food off your plate and onto the floor. Enjoy your meal!

On opening new toys:

Unless you have a college degree in mechanical engineering, don't expect to open a packaged toy without spilling some blood, testing the bounds of your patience, and exposing your child to some four letter words.

Picture of a dad attempting to open a toy dog while screaming "AAAAAAARGH! F#&*ing puppy! Get the &%* out of this packaging!" as the child smiles, giddy with the excitement of the new toy.

Good stuff. Happy to report that Preston is past SOME of these stages, but not all of them. And I'm SURE Callie will be the perfect toddler. Right?? RIGHT?

5 Months and A SUPER Weekend

2011-08-28T20:36:00.004-05:00

I took Preston to the Kansas City Zoo today with The Nelson clan, and we got to see SPIDERMAN!!! Preston was all talk before we got close to him- telling me all of the things he wanted to say to him. But when we were in the presence of the great super hero, he lost all of his speaking abilities. So funny. Got a few good pics and a little video, but my video camera wasn't working right so the video isn't the best. I missed most of their "talk". Spiderman was amazingly good with all of the kids. Would definitely go see him again!They were exchanging super hero secrets here. A little ride on the carousel. BudsA polar bear in Kansas??? Yup! There she is! And Callie turned 5 months old today. Pictures are fuzzy because our real camera broke, so my phone has been a poor stand-in. She is getting her little personality, that's for sure! She is rolling all over the place, eating her feet (and rice cereal), sleeping a bit better at night, and loves to watch her big bro. Can't believe she is 5 months already- maybe it is the lack of hair, but I think she still looks like a 2 month old!
Chatty Callie

Meeting Spiderman

Busy Busy!

2011-08-12T20:31:00.006-05:00

Too busy with the beginning of a new school year for many posts lately, but here are some videos to tide you over.
"Googlie Bear" (a little song we sing for Callie)

First food for Callie- we tried it for the first time a few days ago, and she is like an old pro now!

Rolling over- she still doesn't roll from her tummy to her back much, but she does this all the time now!

This last one is pretty amazing, methinks. I asked Preston to 'read' to me tonight. He always says, "BUT I CAN'T READ, MOM!" I convinced him to try it tonight. This book is called There's A Nightmare In My Closet and it was mine when I was little. (I LOVED it!! So much that I had to tape it together for Preston to be able to use it.) To be fair, we have read it many times, but last night was the first time we had read it in a while. This is him reading it to me tonight. And he seriously knows almost every word. The boy has his father's memory, thank God! I can't remember what I had for breakfast today.

Here are the REAL words, so you can see how well he does: There used to be a nightmare in my closet. Before going to sleep, I always closed the closet door. I was even afraid to turn around and look. When I was safe in bed, I'd peek...sometimes. One night I decided to get rid of my nightmare once and for all. As soon as the room was dark, I heard him creeping toward me. Quickly I turned on the light and caught him sitting at the foot of my bed. "Go away, Nightmare, or I'll shoot you!" I said. I shot him anyway. My nightmare started to cry. I was mad...but not too mad. "Nightmare, be quiet or you'll wake Mommy and Daddy," I said. He wouldn't stop crying, so I took him by the hand and tucked him in bed and closed the closet door. I suppose there's another nightmare in my closet, but my bed's not big enough for three.

4 Months

2011-08-01T20:41:00.007-05:00

Callie had her 4 month check-up today. She decided to make it interesting for me by having a poop EXPLOSION in the car on the way over. I, of course, didn't notice until I got her out of her car seat in the waiting room. The poor brand new mom sitting next to me was mortified by what she saw. There was literally poop up to her shoulder blades. I was prepared with an extra onesie, diapers, and wipes galore. (New mom commented on how calm I was...I wanted to tell her that sh*t happens, but instead made some remark about kids enjoying giving their parents a challenge. She looked terrified and tired, and asked me if things like that happen a lot. I lied and told her no, all the while trying to keep the mess off my elbows, Callie's head, and the floor.) I ended up being forced to ask new mom for some MORE wipes because I used all of mine. (Taking the poop-covered onesie off caused the disaster to transfer to more locations than just her bum and back.) It was also nicely spread all over her car seat. Needless to say, the onesie did not survive the day and was tossed out with the rest of the carnage. The lesson I learned today? Always carry the extras mentioned above AND a plastic bag to dispose of the disaster. Sorry, people who used the public restroom at that office building today, for the smell that must have come from that trash can.

But I digress...

Here are her stats from the check-up:

Head 16 inches - 50th percentile

Weight 13lbs 5oz- 50th percentile

Height 26 inches- 90th percentileShe is a HAPPY girl, as long as Mommy is in view. Just ask the babysitters we have had lately...

She loves to:

-eat her hands-all.day.long.

-kick and hit things on her playmat

-have tummy time while looking at the ridiculously CUTE baby in the mirror

-roll over (both ways), but still isn't doing it consistently

-listen to Preston's plethora of noises

-listen to Mommy singing

-stand and explore things on her exersaucer (this is new this week)I have LOVE LOVE LOVED spending my summer with her and am sad to go back to work next week. I'm sure I'll be more traumatized by it that she will.These two pics are from the doc's office today. I swear she is laughing because she is so proud of herself for ending my summer with a blow-out!Some tummy time

Destin Family Reunion 2011

2011-07-25T10:26:00.006-05:00

Clint and Preston took a trip to Destin, Florida to the Hooker family reunion last week. (Callie and I sat this one out since she is still so small and difficult to travel with. Heck, she's difficult to NOT travel with!) They had a fabulous time with the 30+ people who made the trip. Lots of visits to the ocean, beach, pool, restaurants, and playing at the house. Here are a few photos. Our camera officially died on the vacation, so there aren't too many.

Preston meets the ocean. (This is my favorite pic from the trip!)Burying Liam in the sand.P on the beach. Dinner out. Liam, Clint, Preston, and Will. Kevin, Emma, Natalie, Preston, Liam, Will, and Cameron. CUTE!!! Not sure what he's eating in this one...

Ocean time. The Dudes. Stud muffin with Michelle and Melissa. Natalie and Preston. Marjorie and Preston- love her hair!!! And the lone video that survived the trip- Preston learned how to go under the water while he was there! Guess those swimming lessons paid off after all...

Looking forward to the next reunion so Callie and I can join in on the fun! More pictures to come later as we get some from other family members...

No Naps

2011-07-18T11:40:00.002-05:00

Callie has discovered how to "talk" and use her hands. These discoveries have greatly decreased her napping.

Fun, yes.

Cute, yes.

Tiring, yes.

Tulsa Trip

2011-07-10T21:44:00.011-05:00

We took a little road trip to Tulsa this past weekend to visit the Stanford family. This has been a tradition for the past 6 years (we have gone every other year). It was a great trip, and most definitely not long enough! Lots of pictures of the fun we packed in.
Callie was excited to leave on Friday.

Let's go, Mom! The whole crew Saturday morning. Having a SUPERsnack. Playing in the backyard. Fishing in the backyard. The dudes. Becky got them all new T-shirts to sport. I think this one is funny- looks like they are making some major decisions. Sweet Charlie. He got one! This little stream is amazing...you throw it in, and a fish bites. EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. I don't think Charlie and Brooks will enjoy REAL fishing when they have to wait to catch one! Mmm...dinner. Next we went to the pool and then out to lunch. Loved passing Callie off to Becky and Jeremy! She was even nice enough to get her to go to sleep Saturday night when she was being cranky. Boy do I wish she lived closer... Callie picking her nose at the farmer's market we stopped at for fresh tomatoes and peaches. Superfriends. Watching a movie before Hayden and Tracy joined us for a delicious dinner. Charlie LOVED Callie!!!! So sweet. And Sunday morning they took a trip to the Quik Trip donut factory! How cool is that! Driving the donut truck. Then home for some splashing in the backyard. Brooks---so cute! All of the kids. And some video of it all.

Can't wait to do it again!!! (We'll pretend like the car rides there and back didn't happen, and then it was the perfect weekend!)

Simple Pleasures

2011-07-08T14:50:00.002-05:00

I really wanted a nap today while the kids were down.

Callie had a different idea.

Don't think I can be mad at her for wanting to talk to me!

Love her little squeals.

Happy 4th!

2011-07-04T16:32:00.005-05:00

A few pics of the kids this morning. Callie has some silly faces and is awfully cute in her watermelon dress!Preston and I went to Villagefest in Prairie Village this morning. It is a great place to take kids for the 4th! We saw lots of friends there, and some cool animals, too!

Preston and Ellen looking at baby goats. Superman waiting for the bouncy house.He only asked me 300 times, "Are we ready yet?!" LONG line to get into the bouncer. Climbing up Made it to the top of the Wacky Banana!"I wanna go again, Mom!Superman took a break from the Batmobile to drive the Fire Truck. And a little birthday song for America!

Peanut, Swimming, and 3 Months

2011-06-28T16:33:00.018-05:00

We had an interesting end to our weekend here at the Hooker house. Went to Cousin Sam's birthday party Sunday afternoon, and Preston had a great time in their little pool. All smiles!

But a few hours later(post-bath and almost bedtime), we found ourselves in the ER at Children's Mercy Hospital. Preston aspirated a peanut into his windpipe, and was coughing and wheezing. We could hear it in there and decided it would be best to get him checked out. He thought it was super cool to be driving around late at night and was a little ham to everyone he met that night. When we got to the ER there was only one person in the waiting room. There are probably at least 100 chairs in there you can choose from, so I told Preston to go sit down while I filled out paperwork. This is where he chose to sit...pretty sure this guy was homeless, but Preston just walked right up, plopped down next to him, and was showing him how Buzz works. The people at the desk thought it was the funniest thing they had ever seen. That's my boy! A friend to everyone!

Before the trauma begins...getting oxygen checked in triage. Notice the smile and happy eyes.After it is all over and heading home. Notice the scowl and red, swollen eyes. Poor kid!Checking his oxygen levels in triage.

Here he is being goofy while we waited to get x-rays in the ER. Four pictures later, they decided to admit us for an overnight stay and procedure (rigid bronchoscopy) in the morning. They could tell his right lung wasn't working properly.Getting the IV was probably the hardest thing for him to endure. Here he is the next morning (after only about 3 hours of fitful sleep). Not quite as enthusiastic to be there.Love this one. Thumbs up from Buzz and Preston. Sleepy and wanting that IV out of his arm. So sad.Seriously, Mom. I wanna go home!Getting ready to roll to the OR. He LOVED rolling in his bed and riding on the elevator! And here is the culprit...the most expensive peanut in the world! The doctor said it was very common, but no more peanuts for him. This thing was lodged at the top of his lung in his airway, completely blocking his right lung. Good thing we took him in!!! The doctor that performed his procedure told us, "I see a lot of kids in here, but yours is one of the cutest I have ever seen." Needless to say, I LOVED his doc. Here we are reading some books to pass the time after his procedure. He REALLY wanted to get the IV out asap, but they didn't remove it until it was time to leave. I got the peanut! Interestingly enough, he said he wanted some peanuts and pistachios for a snack as soon as we got home. HmmmAnd here is his version of what happened. So cute. He literally asked every hospital staff member that walked into his room, "Are you going to hurt me? Don't hurt me!" I overheard several nurses talking about how they wanted to take him home with them. (Bet they would change their tune if they could have seen him throwing food and whatnot at the dinner table last night.) We are grateful that he is back home and healthy! A BIG thanks to Jean and Mima for helping take care of Callie for us so we could be with him at the hospital.

And the next day he went to his first swimming lesson! Didn't skip a beat...we are having Coleman work with him on putting his face in the water as he only INHALES at the moment. He didn't LOVE his first lesson, but was still excited that he gets to do it again tomorrow. Callie also turned 3 months old yesterday...so cute! She is exploring her hands a lot and getting close to rolling over/crawling. She is always at the other end of her crib when she wakes up from naps, so lots of wiggling around. And lots of smiles and chatting- especially when she is on her changing table. Love her!! Now for the big question. WHEN WILL SHE GET SOME HAIR!? Mom! This monkey is touching me inappropriately!Sweet smile.This one makes me laugh.

Belated Father's Day Video and BUGS!

2011-06-24T15:15:00.004-05:00

Couldn't get the site to load this with the Daddy Day post, so here it is now. We love Daddy!

And what childhood would be complete without chasing lightning bugs in your jammies?! A little video of Callie chatting at the end of this one, too. She is getting too big WAY too fast!

Callie has something to say...

2011-06-15T09:44:00.003-05:00

I just LOVE her coos and gargles!

She talks to me like this all the time, but won't do it when she sees the camera. So I had to be sneaky and get her looking at me before I started recording. Sorry for the crummy camera angle!

Happy Daddy Day!

2011-06-15T09:28:00.008-05:00

Happy Father's Day, Clint!

Here you are with Tiny Preston..Giving Preston his first bath...And Tiny CallieGiving Callie her first bath... Post haircut with Barber ClintThank you for everything you do for us: getting Preston ready for school, making him breakfast, brushing his teeth, remembering to put Buzz in the car, taking Preston to soccer and the park and the pool and the bouncy house, being Barber Clint, playing all of the roles that Preston assigns you (Superman, Batman, Woody, Buzz, MC, Phoggy, Jesse, etc), giving Preston baths, reading him books every night, building him forts/cars in the living room, giving Callie baths, holding her during dinner so Mommy can eat a hot meal...the list goes on and on.

You will always be our superhero, Captain Awesome! Thanks for being such a SUPER dad!

Cute video won't post for some reason...will try again later!

Super

2011-06-12T11:16:00.003-05:00

No captions necessary

Stats

2011-06-05T22:10:00.004-05:00

I'm a slacker, so some of these photos are from my phone and a bit blurry. Just seems easier to use it these days!

Callie "sitting" up in her Bumbo

Preston's impersonation of Callie
Kisses at the doctor's office. Preston's 3 year check-up, Callies 2 month check-up. Both healthy!

Stats for Preston:

Weight 33.4 lbs (75%ile)

Height 38.75 inches (75%ile)

Stats for Callie:

Weight 10lbs 3oz (45%ile)

Height 24inches (95%ile)

My hero

Summer Is Here!

2011-05-31T10:00:00.008-05:00

End of the school year picnic with our Purple Dragon peeps.
Time at The Briscoe lakehouse! Ready to snorkle!

Super heroes like to look at the lake, too.Callie at 2 months- a happy baby! Sweet boy Abby found a turtle for Preston- he named him Frosty the Turtle. Love this pic! Giving Mommy a heart attack. Chillin' with the ladies. Family photo op Blue eyes A little stop in Preston's town And some video of the fun. This starts when Clint picked him up from school Friday afternoon with a surprise in the car.

Happy 3rd Birthday!

2011-05-22T21:43:00.007-05:00

Where does the time go?? Was he really this small?Now he is a great big brother. And can be very sweet... Singing to himself!

Happy Birthday, Preston!!!!

We love you all the way to the moon...and back.

Friends Forever

2011-05-19T20:59:00.004-05:00

Its not what you think. This post isn't about friends. It is about boogers. See video of Preston to understand...

Not sure WHY the boogers are friends forever, but it made me giggle.

His imagination/creativity continue to astound me. An example from tonight.: he likes a Dora episode where Boots gets his hair cut. They sing a little song that goes like this: We're goin' to the bar-ber shop, we gotta get there. Preston decided to change the words tonight as we went to the bathroom for him to make a "big yucky". He sang (over and over again) We're goin' to the poo-py shop, we gotta poop there. Yup- he is my kid.

A few pictures since I have been a blog slacker lately. (Back to work and no sleep = no time/energy for fun stuff!)

Last day at soccer- we'll play again next spring

Ellen and Preston at Jack's 3rd birthday party-Smiles from Callie-
Snoozin' in her crib. Mommy isn't quite ready for her to sleep there at night, but soon enough. She is too big for her bassinet!!
Buds

Sneeze and a little chatter

Future All Star?

2011-05-05T09:04:00.006-05:00

Some Preston footage...future all star or bench warmer?

Some Callie footage...eat, sleep, poop, cry, repeat.

Photo Shoot

2011-05-03T09:40:00.014-05:00

I convinced a few friends with photog skills to come do a little photo shoot of Callie the other day. The pictures turned out amazing, and here are a few of my favorites! Thanks Molly and Betsy!
She was supposed to sleep through the session, but of course decided to stay awake. (I have finally figured out her sleep pattern- awake when I want her sleeping, and sleeping when I want her awake. Nice.)
BUT we got one pic of a smile!

Tiny feet in a big diaper. Thinking of blowing it up and framing this one for her bedroom.
Ready to twirl in her tutu.
Love this one, too, and will probably frame it as well! Just like this one because I have so few of me with her! Don't tell anyone I hadn't showered that day...
By far my favorite from the day...love her sweet face. Don't want to leave Preston out, but no pics of him today. So here are a few videos of him from the past week/weekend.
Dancing with Kosi- I love the booty bump Kosi does to Preston! P wasn't sure what to think about that...

He never stops talking anymore. I'm enjoying listening to his little imagination running wild!

Callie Rose- One Month

2011-04-28T09:27:00.007-05:00

With her sock monkey

Sleepy smile
So cute

Can't believe how fast her first month went. We are loving every minute with her!

Stats from today's doctor visit:

length: 21 5/8 inches - 75%ile

weight: 8lbs 4oz- 35%ile

head: 14 1/4 in-40%ile

And this is what I see most of the day...too bad I don't see it at night!! (Seriously- I got about 4 hours of sleep last night. And that's being generous. Sigh.)

But I love her little noises when she snoozes...

Misc Pics and Videos

2011-04-18T12:36:00.005-05:00

Scooter ridin' Still in my pjs- I'm 3 weeks old today! Tutu

Flower power

Big brother reading to Callie:

Working on his soccer skills (Preston is wearing blue pants with his blue shirt):

Happy Easter!

2011-04-18T11:49:00.003-05:00

Captain Vegetable

2011-04-10T10:35:00.004-05:00

Mirror images NOBODY messes with my little sister. "Momee- wook at hew tiny toes!" Little peanut

Our own personal super hero... have I mentioned that he has a lot of energy??

Similar? Yes!

2011-04-06T11:44:00.003-05:00

They are definitely siblings...

Callie at one week...Preston at one week...Callie's first bath...

Preston's first bath... I see the resemblance, that's for sure!

Feeding The Baby

2011-04-06T09:12:00.008-05:00

Preston is playing in his first soccer league with some good friends' kids, and they had their first practice/game last weekend. Clint took him and said it was mass chaos, but that most of the kids enjoyed it. (For the first 20 minutes, anyway. Then their little attention spans kicked in and they were all over the place.) I can't wait to go with him to his next game! Some pics of Miss Callie from her first week home:

Sweet face

After her first bath. Sleeping beauty. Sleep all day, up all night! She's lucky she's so cute...

Preston seems to be handling the transition into big brotherhood well. A few meltdowns here at home over silly things, but he is still doing very well at school. I'd rather have him melt here at home than in public! Overall she doesn't seem to have phased him much. He likes to hold her and give her kisses.

A little video of him talking to her and "feeding" her. He cracks me up. Funny to try and explain to your 2 year old that he doesn't make milk and that it most definitely doesn't come from his belly button. Not a conversation I thought I'd ever have!

And last but not least, here is a photo of what Preston shot into his basketball hoop last night- and made it! Yup. That's Batman underwear. So glad to have another girl in the house now...

Dance?

2011-04-02T22:29:00.004-05:00

Preston starts his first soccer league tomorrow. HOWEVER, we are thinking we may need to sign him up for dance class instead....

Maybe it is because I am so sleep deprived, but I was literally crying while watching this in person. The kid cracks me up!

Introducing...

2011-03-31T12:33:00.004-05:00

Callie Rose!

Born March 28, 2011

6lbs 10 oz

18.5 inches

Preston meeting his little sister...I like that he sings happy birthday to her. He's going to be a great big brother!

Five Little Monkeys

2011-03-26T21:50:00.003-05:00

I love that he says they need to go to timeout for jumping on the bed...a good indicator of how much time HE has been spending there lately.

Random Stuff

2011-03-20T11:18:00.005-05:00

Went to play with the Nelson clan last week and enjoyed some great weather...

Mallory and Kate

Preston and Jack

At the top of their jungle gym

Mima's birthday dinner- cute cousins

Reading on the porch with Daddy

And some video clips of climbing the rock wall with Jack, playing baseball with Daddy, and singing some Chili Peppers in the car. The singing is awesome- he loves those Peppers!

Swingin'

2011-03-14T21:11:00.002-05:00

We had some fun with Ellen and her parents at the park this weekend...thanks for meeting us and taking pictures of my big belly!

Ellen is thinking about giving Preston a kiss to wake him up...but her dad is watching...click here to find out if she does it!

Whooooooa!

I just like their crinkled eyes in this one.

My Sweet Boy.

We'll see how sweet he is when he realizes this baby is going to be staying with us FOREVER!

Mmmmmm...sugar

2011-03-08T17:51:00.002-06:00

MAYbe if we didn't give him any sugar, he wouldn't be so wild.

But how can you say no when it makes him so happy??

Flash Cards

2011-02-28T18:08:00.003-06:00

I was trying to teach Preston some letters, but he would NOT sit still.

So I compromised.

For each word/letter he said, he got to run around the room.

Such a wild child!

Red Team??

2011-02-26T17:02:00.001-06:00

Wild Man

2011-02-21T20:23:00.002-06:00

Who do you love?

2011-02-13T19:14:00.004-06:00

I did no prompting on this, so don't be offended if you aren't mentioned. He loves ALL of his faithful blog followers!

Hope you get lots of love this Valentine's Day!

Buzz Lightyear...

2011-02-08T17:14:00.003-06:00

...to the rescue!

Preston is loving his new toy from Papa Rod. Buzz had to watch him take a bath last night, watch him brush his teeth, read books with us, sleep next to him, sit with him on the couch this morning, and he was the first thing P mentioned when I went to pick him up from school today. "We going home to see Buzz?" Here he is seeing Buzz for the first time when we got home. Soo excited!

For Jack

2011-02-03T10:17:00.002-06:00

Blizzard of Oz

2011-02-02T09:26:00.004-06:00

Loving some bonus snow days this week! A foot of snow fell yesterday, so we made the most of it.
Some shoveling, playing in the snow, slam dunks with Dad, and silliness with mom. (I loved the "Hi, my name is Chubby" bit when I was younger, so I taught it to P the other day. He has the basics down. And we are all chubby, so that makes it even better!

On the agenda today- snuggie forts, making Valentines, cuddle time, reading books, coloring, and maybe some letter learning. At least that's MY plan. P would rather watch movies all day...

Rock Chalk

2011-01-29T13:17:00.004-06:00

P has a pretty bad cold, but was still willing to show off some artwork from school for me today. "O" week octopus painting, and some "P" week goodies. A Puppy-Paper-Puppet and a Popsicle-Playdough-Pasta-Porcupine. The Porcupine is super cute!
And a message for the Jayhawks-- big game today!

A few silly potty stories:

Went to a restaurant last weekend with P, and he wanted to use the bathroom a few times. I have to remind him to keep his penis down while sitting on the pot so it doesn't spray everywhere. So he took his turn, and then it was my turn to go. He YELLS at the top of his lungs for anyone in earshot to hear, "MOMEE! DON'T FORGET TO PUT YOUR PENIS DOWN!!!!"

Nice.

And then today, he worked on a massive #2. He calls them "yuckies". Normally he says, "I made a BIG yucky." Today Daddy commented that it looked more like a MAN yucky. So now he says, "I made a MAN yucky."

Awesome.

Little girl can't get here soon enough!! ETA March 29!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2011-01-20T17:06:00.004-06:00

A little message from your son.

What is this about wearing bunny slippers together? I guess this must be something you two do while I'm not around...Would you call that "male bonding"???

Have a happy day! We love you!

Bonus Day with Mommy

2011-01-10T12:26:00.005-06:00

All bundled up...

Snow angelSome chatting at breakfast, playing outside, and showing off tricks: ABCs, 123s, and days of the week.

Oh, and BTW we are almost 100% potty trained. Only had two accidents in two weeks- I think that's pretty good!

Snow

2011-01-09T10:24:00.004-06:00

Been busy around here- a quick recap of the last two weeks.

Got some snow today! Hoping for a snow day soon... "M" week at school- Mouse Mask and Mushroom picture. He INSISTED on eating some mushrooms when he got home from school after mushroom day. Unfortunately, he hated them. "I no like it, Mommy." Shocker.

With Cousin Kevin last week-getting ready to go on an adventure.

Reading a book with Papa Joe.

The dudes.

With Mimi, Kevin, and Papa. Preston loved having them here!

Some video from Monkey Business with Daddy yesterday. (Mommy is studying for a big test next weekend, so Daddy was nice and took Preston on an outing so I could study.)

And some snow shoveling!

Cousin Kevin

2010-12-31T16:38:00.003-06:00

Cousin Kevin came to visit with Mimi and Papa...Preston has had TONS of fun and thinks Kevin is the coolest kid ever!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T12:28:00.005-06:00

Family photo from Christmas Eve at Mima's house- fat bellies and double chins included free of charge.

Cuncle Clint with kiddos
Cute cousins!

Reading A Charlie Brown Christmas together. (Easier said than done when there are PRESENTS to be opened just a few feet away! My kid was the least behaved, even though we read books quietly together every.single.day. Sigh.)

Christmas morning-before the chaos. P woke up promptly at 7 with a loud, "MOMEE! IT'S CHWISTMAS TIME! TIME TO WAKE UP!"

Santa was very good to P- even gave him fruit snacks in his stocking! (It's the little things in life...)

Stay away from my fruit snacks.

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

Some of the loot all over the place. Books, puzzles, and his beloved space rocket.

10 minute video. A little long, but thought you may like to see most of the fun. Starts with some singing Christmas Eve morning and progresses from there.

In case you were wondering, this is what we did for Reindeer food last night. Cute idea I stole from a friend!

Hope you got your "space rocket" and enjoy the day!

Message from Santa

2010-12-23T12:59:00.001-06:00

Click on the photo for a special message from Santa to Preston!

Santa

2010-12-19T20:04:00.002-06:00

Preston's God-Mother is in town, so she wanted to do something fun with him. What's better than a trip to Crown Center?

Molly and P waiting to sit on Santa's lap. Sweet Santa pic. Preston promptly told him he wants a space rocket and then busted into his "Up on the House Top" song. Santa was kind enough to sing the whole song with Preston. So precious!

Then across the street to play in the trains, cars, and yes- one space rocket outside.

Toy soldier- P's stick is his sword.

Then off to dinner at Fritz's. Love those choo-choo trains!

Thanks, Molly, for a fun night!

Big Show

2010-12-16T11:24:00.004-06:00

This morning was Preston's Christmas show at school. Doesn't he look like a little business man?? We cut his hair last night and he said, "Mommy, I'm soo handsome!"

Very true. Photography was banned at the program, but I did sneak my FLIP in. (There was nothing in the note that came home about not taking VIDEO, only not taking pictures!) Being the rule follower that I am, I promptly hid the FLIP when she stopped halfway through the program and chastised all of the parents for having their cameras out. Oops.

So, the footage isn't great. Imagine 40 kids and 80 parents crammed into tiny chairs in a very small room. And trying not to have the camera be seen by teachers.

They sang about seven songs, did three little dances, and Santa even came at the end and gave each child a present! Preston was in the March of Toys dance- he is the second dragon that doesn't seem to know what he's doing there.

A few tears from him- confused as to why Mommy and Daddy were there but he couldn't come talk to us or go home with us. (He was not the only one crying, that's for sure.) All of the prep work we did yesterday and this morning didn't seem to help. The kid loves his routines, so anything like this is hard for him.

Overall, a very fun morning! We were all impressed at how well a group of 40 two to four year olds could put on a show!

Pink

2010-12-13T20:28:00.005-06:00

Pink Eye.

Every parent's favorite thing.

Especially when they give you eye drops for your 2.5 year old.

Riiiiiiiiight.

Just lie on your back and open your eyes, Buddy!

OR we'll pin you down and pry your eyelids open to do it while you scream bloody murder.

Good times.

Some misc pics from the past week or so

Oh, Christmas Tree...

Stealing a kiss from the birthday girl, Ellen. Don't tell her dad!

Mmmmmmm-popcorn!

Step away from my cupcake, Lady.

Last week was "M" week at school- here is his marshmallow masterpiece.

"Look what I have created!" (Tom Hanks style in Castaway)

Making some phone calls- see if you can figure out what he's saying. He's a fast talker!

And reaction from the first snowfall he saw out of his window the other morning.

Fa Wa Wa Wa Wa and Jingle Bells Away

2010-12-04T07:47:00.003-06:00

To get you in the Christmas spirit...

Reminds me a little of the A Christmas Story scene in the Chinese Restaurant.

Sowee

2010-12-01T18:50:00.003-06:00

Please don't judge my parenting skills. Just enjoy the temper tantrum and then the song to apologize. (Disclaimer- footage was actually shot on two different days. There are lots of "sowee" moments around here with a 2.5 year old.)

Bedtime discussion tonight:

Me- Are you ready to read some books?

P- Yes, Momee!

Me- Ok. Come on, Baby.

P- I not a baby. I Pweston.

Me- Oh, yes. You are NOT a baby. You ARE Preston.

Sigh. He's not a baby anymore and he knows it...

End of November Already??

2010-11-30T20:36:00.002-06:00

How is tomorrow December?! A few misc pics from the last week to end the month...

I crack myself up in my Green Eggs and Ham bib!

Frosted flakes....

They're grrrrrrrrrrrreat!
Sweet Ellen turns two soon- how do they grow up so fast?

Silliness in the kitty room

Banana Spacerocket & Thanksgiving Wishes

2010-11-24T08:52:00.003-06:00

Preston's name ideas for the baby bean:

Bwack Cookie

Helicopter

Jumbo Jet

Banana Spacerocket (my personal favorite)

Spaceship

You have any suggestions?

And some Thanksgiving wishes for you and yours:

Kitty and Sickie

2010-11-20T20:04:00.003-06:00

"K" week at school=Kitty mask.

"Wook, Momee- I show you!"

Cute kitty. Got our first call to pick him up from school for being sick on Thursday. I guess they don't like it when your kid pukes everywhere after snack time. Picky picky! It has been a rough few days with lots of upchuck clean-up...

but he is never too sick to make a mess!

We are at 24 hours being yarf free- let's hope we are done.

Sugar and Spice??

2010-11-16T17:08:00.004-06:00

Preston has an announcement...

So we are only 90% sure that it is a girl because she was VERY smart and kept her legs crossed the whole time. (Clint was happy to see that she is modest.) We'll go back in 2 weeks to check again and be sure...everything else looked good, though!

Belly Watch, 4AM, and Twinkles

2010-11-11T21:30:00.006-06:00

So here I was at 20 weeks with Preston... And here I am at 19 weeks with peanut #2. Much bigger, methinks! At least I FEEL much bigger at this point. Less than a week and we'll know what this little wiggle worm is...

This is what happens when your kid wakes up at 4am and tells you he isn't tired. After the typical calming down, cuddle time, and whatnot, the conversation went something like this:
me- Ok, P, time to get back in bed
p- but I not ti-ard
me- well, Mommy IS tired, and she wants to go back to bed
p- no get back in bed! (sniffle sniffle)
me- let's go, bud
p- WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! III NOOOOT TIIIIII-AAAAARDDDDD!
me- you want to read books in bed since you aren't tired?
p- no. not in bed. wead books in chair.
me- ok- whatever, kid. Mommy needs sleep. Read your books in your chair.
p-ok- see you when you wake up momee
Fast forward to 7 am, and this is what we find. Passed out with his little feet sticking straight off the edge of the chair. Notice the Elmo slippers are on- he HAD to have them at 4 am, too.

Kids are funny. He was OBVIOUSLY not tired. At least he was smart enough to bring his blankie with him to keep warm...

And for your listening enjoyment...singing "Twinkle Twinkle". And I use the term 'singing' loosely.

Pretty in Pink

2010-11-08T20:32:00.003-06:00

How can you ever be mad at this face?! Well, I CAN, but it is hard sometimes. Playing in our bed.

Indian hat from "I" week at school last week. One of his teachers is Native American, so he learned some good stuff! And I'm pretty sure he picked out the pink parts...

October Recap

2010-11-01T19:59:00.007-05:00

Lots going on in the last week, so sorry for the long post with too many pics. Click this first picture to see the whole album. (If it will work- something has been wrong with the site recently.)

Checking out the Budweiser Clydesdale horses with Daddy. Preston was annoyed that the horses were there. He told Clint, "The howses awe in the way of the twucks!" Playing in the leaves.

Natalie's 7th birthday party- with Cousin Noah. Since her birthday is on Halloween, we like to wear our costumes.

Dragon on the run! Watch out for dog poo!!
Pinata time- only one person was smacked with the pole. Poor Julia! Luckily it wasn't my kid that hit her. And she recovered with some candy.Mmmmmmm...Dragons like candy.

Cousin pic- the best you can get with small ones wound up on sugar.

Time to carve the pumpkin! Checking out the goo inside.

"YOU clean this out, Mommy!" Silly me- I thought he would want to help with the gross part, but he did NOT. What are boys for if they don't want to get messy?? I swear this was the only time he has NOT made a mess.

"Helping" with carving. Do not try to do this by yourself with a two year old. I did, and will not attempt it again. Nobody lost a finger, but it was not an easy task. Especially when his attention span lasts about 2 minutes and it took 20+ to carve.

Finished product- GHOSTIES!

Uncle Ewic came to visit this weekend and P LOVED him! Not just because he gave him cupcakes, either. Clint and Eric got to go to the Chiefs/Bills game on Sunday, thus the Chiefs gear for P.

Time to trick-or-treat with the fam!

Seriously, Mom? Enough with the pictures already. Can we go get candy now??!

Witch down the street- you'll see this on the video.

Mmmmm...more candy. Mom was no fun and only let me have 2 pieces.

Can't wait till next Halloween!

A Halloween day montage for you- a bit long, but parts make me giggle.

"YOU do it!"

"Big boy boy bed."

"BOO-WOAW!"

"Twick ow tweat."

"Wopen fo me...mmmmmmmmmm"

Halloween Partay

2010-10-27T21:04:00.005-05:00

We had our annual Halloween Parade at Rising Star today, and Preston joined in the fun. He LOVED it and cried crocodile (or dragon) tears when he had to leave. Some pics of the madness.

My girls. The Sock Monkey costume was my favorite. My boys. Notice the Whoopie Cushion on the far right- classic. Costume came with a farting machine. (Which I -of course- had to take away several times throughout the day. Oh, the drudgeries of being a responsible adult.)

The two dragons.

Love my mama! (I'm dressed as a Wildwood Camper- complete with lanyard earrings, bugs taped to tie-dye shirt, and owl pellet necklace. EW.)

Some computer time with the kids.

Waiting for the parade to start...

And a little bit of video- not great, but it shows what the morning was like. (Yes, we do this first thing in the morning. What a GREAT way to start a day of learning!) At the end, there is a little singing from Preston (robot style) at bedtime. Gotta love "Wheels on the Bus".

Pampers Thongs?

2010-10-22T22:34:00.002-05:00

Could thongs be the next big trend in diapers? You decide. A little head trauma doesn't keep P from smiling.

Cutie in the bath.

G week at school- Goat coloring, Glue project, and Glitter picture.

F Week, Friday Night Lights, and Pumpkins

2010-10-16T21:35:00.006-05:00

Some projects from F week at school. Flower Garden and Fabric Collage glue projects, Ferris wheel sheet, and Fern pictures for helping clean up. P finally seems to be over the hump, and even had a few days without tears at drop-off! Hooray for progress! One thing they wanted us to work on at home was drinking from a REAL cup. Coordination is NOT P's biggest strength, so it has been a challenge.
But we'll keep working on it!

Last night we took him to his first high school football game. Really, his first football game ever. He's been to several tailgates, but not to actual games. I have decided this is the perfect place for a loud, energetic 2 year old boy. PERFECT. See video at the end of the post for more on the game. We walked to Miege and watched them slaughter Mill Valley.

Then off to the Louisburg Cider Mill with some friends today. A BEAUTIFUL day for it!

Sup'. I want all of deez pumpkins.

Not the greatest start to our time here. He REALLY wanted to take this green pumpkin with us right away. Ew.

Cider Mill distraction works wonders.

Mmmmmmm...smashed apples.

Sleepy Jack arrived and wanted to cuddle with Clint.

Just plain cute.

Runnin' on the HAAAAY with Jack.

Posers.

What blue eyes you have, Mallory!

I got some good smiles from Kate, but failed to capture any of them on film. But she's a beauty.

Ellen sitting on pumpkins. I don't recall seeing her jump around on the hay. Ahh, to have a sweet girl.

Jack taking a break from it all.

Mmmmmm- apples!

And some footage from the Football game and the Cider Mill.