Sunday, December 5, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving... is Over!
My sister and her husband came to Midland over Thanksgiving, but it the holiday did not quite go as planned. Laura got the tummy bug Thanksgiving morning about 4:00 am, so she missed the big meal at my grandmothers. Her husband started feeling ill during the meal, and had to leave, thanks to the tummy bug. My parents came over to my house and we watched the Aggie vs. tu game while we put up my Christmas tree! That part was great, especially with an Aggie win! WHOOP!!!
The next morning my sister (who was feeling better) and my parents came back over for breakfast and we decorated the tree. That night we all went to eat at my Aunt Linda's, where we had dinner with my two cousins and their four children(combined). So 7 kids 4 and under! We had a great meal and went home to go to sleep.
Saturday morning we woke up and went to my grandmother's house for breakfast and to help her get her tree up and decorated. Did I mention that she got a pacemaker 2 days before Thanksgiving? Anyway, she needed our help! So we put up her tree. Then my sister and I took Katie (her baby) and Mary to a birthday party. We decided to let Ashlin go play with Janie and Mema. After the birthday party and a long nap (desperately needed) we went to my Aunt Nancy's for another birthday party! My sister was turning 30 that day! So another full family function with 20 something people! For some reason we thought this would be a good time to try and take a picture of all three grandkids in their matching HO HO HO outfits. Below are the best shots we could come up with. Mary was so hyper and excited (2 parties = 2 cake and ice creams = crazy kids) and Katie was just a bit fussy. Ashlin, who was getting in her first teeth was an angel and just smiled no matter what (I love that laid back girl!).
That night I started feeling nauseous. I decided to go to bed early and hoped it would pass. However, I woke up at 3:00 am with the tummy bug. At 6:00 in the morning I called my daddy because I knew I couldn't be around the girls and Kevin couldn't lift them because of his recent surgery (I'll post more on that at another time). My father answered the phone and said that he too was sick! He sent my mom to my house to get the babies. I spent all day Sunday sleeping off the bug, instead of trying to get ready for school on Monday.
Unfortunately we were not the only ones to get hit with the bug. Since Saturday my uncle, my cousin, John's cousins daughter, my other cousin and her son, daughter, and husband, and another cousin and her daughter have also come down with the bug!! That is 13 people! It must be really contagious! I doubt we all had the same one, but you never know. Thankfully my girls and Kevin have not had it. I have tried to sterilize anything and everything in my house! I am hoping for a much more uneventful Christmas!
My Niece Katie!
Ashlin and Katie
All three Angels!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
My Silly Mary
Mary keeps us constantly entertained! She is always saying something funny (there is nothing she can't say) or doing something silly that is making Ashlin giggle! I find it so amazing to watch how her mind works! She loves doing jigsaw puzzles and will spend hours working to make each piece fit.
Recently we have started talking to her about Christmas. Here are a few of the cute things she has told us:
Mary - Mommy, Santa Claus is coming to town!
Me - He is, what is he going to do?
Mary - Bring toys.
Me - Who is he bringing toys to?
Mary - Mary (duh!) and Ashlin
Me - What about Mommy and Daddy, do they get toys?
Mary - NO.
I am also trying to make sure that we talk about the real meaning of Christmas. The other night we read a book based on the song, O Little Town of Bethlehem, and she told me baby Jesus was a baby angel :)
She has also been learning some new phrases at day care! The other day she was sitting next to me on the couch and I put my arm around her. She said, "Mommy, keep your hands to yourself!" Last night when we were reading a book, Ashlin (who is trying to grab anything and everything) tried to grab her book. Mary shoved Ashlin's hands away and said"DON'T TOUCH!" This lead to a discussion on sharing...
Recently we have started talking to her about Christmas. Here are a few of the cute things she has told us:
Mary - Mommy, Santa Claus is coming to town!
Me - He is, what is he going to do?
Mary - Bring toys.
Me - Who is he bringing toys to?
Mary - Mary (duh!) and Ashlin
Me - What about Mommy and Daddy, do they get toys?
Mary - NO.
I am also trying to make sure that we talk about the real meaning of Christmas. The other night we read a book based on the song, O Little Town of Bethlehem, and she told me baby Jesus was a baby angel :)
She has also been learning some new phrases at day care! The other day she was sitting next to me on the couch and I put my arm around her. She said, "Mommy, keep your hands to yourself!" Last night when we were reading a book, Ashlin (who is trying to grab anything and everything) tried to grab her book. Mary shoved Ashlin's hands away and said"DON'T TOUCH!" This lead to a discussion on sharing...
Friday, October 15, 2010
Go Chargers!
Last week was Trinity's homecoming football game. We went for the first half and Mary wore a cheerleading uniform loaned to us by a friend.
Mary's version of a cheer!
This is how she sat when I told her I wanted to take her picture. (They just had pictures taken at school and this is how they had to sit)
Eating Spaghetti, a scientific process!
Last night a friend brought us dinner. Mary's favorite, Spaghetti! Eating it has become a scientific endeavor. We must look carefully at each noodles length before slurping it up into our mouth! See images below for reference:
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Black Tie Affair!
We were invited to a wedding last weekend that was black tie! Kevin bought a tuxedo a few years ago because of all the things we had to go to that required them. I, however, had nothing that would work! Everything I own that is dressy is more for winter or is maternity! Fortunately I found a dress, two actually. Unfortunately, no one in my family could agree on which one they liked. Fortunately, I took them back and found another. Unfortunately, the zipper on the new one decided to break as I was trying it on for Kevin Saturday morning before the wedding. Fortunately my almost 90 year old great aunt who is visiting and grandmother are talented seamstresses and bought a new zipper to replace what my grandmother referred to as an "inferior zipper!" I didn't even get to try on the dress till it was time to go to the wedding, but I think it turned out okay! The wedding was probably the fanciest and most interesting wedding I will ever see. The bridal procession was to bongo drums, the bridesmaids wore turquoise, Duke Ellington's Heaven was sung during the ceremony, the reception venue included daybeds for couches, and there were more hydrangeas than I have ever seen in one place!
Yadda yadda yadda!!!
Mary surprises me everyday with how much she is talking! One night this week Kevin sat down at the table to eat his dinner. Mary looked at him and asked "Is it good, Daddy?" (she is asked this every night).
Last night as she was waiting for me to bring her her dinner, she started quoting one of her new favorite books, No David! She said, "Sit down David! No Yelling, No Hitting, and No Running in the Hall!"
Then today I went to daycare to pick her up and told her we were going to the doctor. This is our conversation:
Me: Mary, we are going to the doctor.
Mary: Dr. Wolbert!
Me: No, Dr. Patel.
Mary: No. Dr. Wolbert. Dr. Wolbert.
Me: No we are going to see Dr. Patel. Dr. Wolbert is for your allergies.
Mary: NO! Dr. Wolbert. He look in my ears!
Then all the way to the doctor's office she shouted happily, Dr. Wolbert! Dr. Wolbert! Apparently she is getting over her fear of doctors. Thank you Dr. Wolbert! Thankfully, she acted more than happy to see Dr. Patel, who informed us we have an ear infection (which we already knew). Unfortunately, we may be on our way to a second set of tubes and a possible removal of adenoids...
She also knows many songs, to which she constantly mixes up the words, changes the words, or transitions between. She may get her ability to memorize song lyrics from her mommy (I know every single word to Copacabanna!). Her repertoire includes:
Last night as she was waiting for me to bring her her dinner, she started quoting one of her new favorite books, No David! She said, "Sit down David! No Yelling, No Hitting, and No Running in the Hall!"
Then today I went to daycare to pick her up and told her we were going to the doctor. This is our conversation:
Me: Mary, we are going to the doctor.
Mary: Dr. Wolbert!
Me: No, Dr. Patel.
Mary: No. Dr. Wolbert. Dr. Wolbert.
Me: No we are going to see Dr. Patel. Dr. Wolbert is for your allergies.
Mary: NO! Dr. Wolbert. He look in my ears!
Then all the way to the doctor's office she shouted happily, Dr. Wolbert! Dr. Wolbert! Apparently she is getting over her fear of doctors. Thank you Dr. Wolbert! Thankfully, she acted more than happy to see Dr. Patel, who informed us we have an ear infection (which we already knew). Unfortunately, we may be on our way to a second set of tubes and a possible removal of adenoids...
She also knows many songs, to which she constantly mixes up the words, changes the words, or transitions between. She may get her ability to memorize song lyrics from her mommy (I know every single word to Copacabanna!). Her repertoire includes:
- Twinkle Twinkle
- The Alphabet Song
- The Wheels on the Bus
- Frère Jacques (Are You Sleeping, but we sub Ashlin Jane for Brother John)
- Old McDonald
- OweeOwee (don't know really how to spell it, it is an Irish song Kevin sings to her)
- Jingle Bells (must be working on Carols at daycare)
- The Clean-Up song (my personal favorite)
- A Bushel and A Peck and a Hug around the Neck
Here is a recent pic from Septemberfest, and her new friend the Goat.
We are Growing!!!
I cannot believe how time flies! Ashlin had her 4month check up 2 weeks ago and Mary was 23 months old on the 29th of September. Ashlin now weighs 16 pound and 5 ounces (95th percentile and she is getting really heavy in that car seat/carrier). She is also in the 70th percentile on head circumference and 50th percentile on height. Ashlin can (but won't) roll over. She also started solid foods. So far we have had rice cereal, oatmeal, peas, green beans, and spinach.
And yes, she wants to feed herself!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Angels
I was thinking about the song "Angels Among Us" the other day, and I started thinking about how true it is that there are angels among us!
The last several months have been very difficult for many reasons. The least of which is trying to get from here to there or anywhere with two kids under the age of two! This past week, my Uncle Paul (we referred to him as Tall Paul because I have two Uncle Pauls) passed away. Eight years ago he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. At the time of his diagnosis, they realized he had had the cancer for quite some time. He went through years of treatments including chemotherapy, but unfortunately his cancer had already metastasized when they discovered it.
Last fall Kevin had a routine physical and discovered he had an elevated PSA (prostate specific antigen). After several months of unsuccessfully trying to lower his PSA, his urologist pushed for a biopsy. It turned out to be malignant. Kevin is lucky. We found his prostate cancer early. At this point we do not know if it has spread anywhere (praying it hasn't) but realize there is a good probability it has spread on a microscopic level. An early bone scan did not show any sign of spreading. We are currently waiting for him to have another PSA check following the radical prostatectomy he had in August. This will give us the answer we have been waiting for.
Which leads me back to the topic of Angels. Through all of this we have been surrounded by angels. Here are a few examples of the angels in our lives:
My parents canceled their 40th anniversary trip to babysit the kids while we went to Austin for 10 days so Kevin could have surgery, recovery, and post-op appointments.
My extended family provided them with meals almost every night.
Since we have returned people have provided us with meals (Kevin was told not to lift anything over 10 lbs for 4 weeks, which makes having 2 kids in diapers difficult).
My great aunt and uncle gave us a place to stay for 10 days, and never complained about us kicking them out of their master bedroom.
Last week after my uncle passed away a whole chorus of angels (literally the church choir) provided a huge meal for our family between his burial and memorial service.
A good family friend brought meals of enchiladas and meatloaf over for our family. Did I mention we have a huge family, 20+ people???
A friend from school gave us the number of someone at MD Anderson, should Kevin need further treatment. She also has a good friend that has been through this before and she is working on getting us connected with them as well.
And that isn't even the tip of the iceberg!
Needless to say we have been blessed! If we had found out about Kevin's cancer any earlier, there is a good chance we wouldn't have our two adorable daughters. If we had found out any later ...
Thank you to all of those people who have provided Kevin and I, and our family with support and encouragement (and meals). We are looking forward to moving past this chapter in our lives, although we are not sure when this chapter will be over. I will continue to update.
The last several months have been very difficult for many reasons. The least of which is trying to get from here to there or anywhere with two kids under the age of two! This past week, my Uncle Paul (we referred to him as Tall Paul because I have two Uncle Pauls) passed away. Eight years ago he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. At the time of his diagnosis, they realized he had had the cancer for quite some time. He went through years of treatments including chemotherapy, but unfortunately his cancer had already metastasized when they discovered it.
Last fall Kevin had a routine physical and discovered he had an elevated PSA (prostate specific antigen). After several months of unsuccessfully trying to lower his PSA, his urologist pushed for a biopsy. It turned out to be malignant. Kevin is lucky. We found his prostate cancer early. At this point we do not know if it has spread anywhere (praying it hasn't) but realize there is a good probability it has spread on a microscopic level. An early bone scan did not show any sign of spreading. We are currently waiting for him to have another PSA check following the radical prostatectomy he had in August. This will give us the answer we have been waiting for.
Which leads me back to the topic of Angels. Through all of this we have been surrounded by angels. Here are a few examples of the angels in our lives:
My parents canceled their 40th anniversary trip to babysit the kids while we went to Austin for 10 days so Kevin could have surgery, recovery, and post-op appointments.
My extended family provided them with meals almost every night.
Since we have returned people have provided us with meals (Kevin was told not to lift anything over 10 lbs for 4 weeks, which makes having 2 kids in diapers difficult).
My great aunt and uncle gave us a place to stay for 10 days, and never complained about us kicking them out of their master bedroom.
Last week after my uncle passed away a whole chorus of angels (literally the church choir) provided a huge meal for our family between his burial and memorial service.
A good family friend brought meals of enchiladas and meatloaf over for our family. Did I mention we have a huge family, 20+ people???
A friend from school gave us the number of someone at MD Anderson, should Kevin need further treatment. She also has a good friend that has been through this before and she is working on getting us connected with them as well.
And that isn't even the tip of the iceberg!
Needless to say we have been blessed! If we had found out about Kevin's cancer any earlier, there is a good chance we wouldn't have our two adorable daughters. If we had found out any later ...
Thank you to all of those people who have provided Kevin and I, and our family with support and encouragement (and meals). We are looking forward to moving past this chapter in our lives, although we are not sure when this chapter will be over. I will continue to update.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
POTTY TRAINING!!! Day 3 - Final Day
So here is a list of things I have learned:
1. Poop is much easier in the potty
2. So is tinkle...
3. Mary can go in the potty if she wants, but she really doesn't want me to interrupt her play time.
4. I don't think Mary is quite ready, but we did get lots of quality practice!
All in all, I have decided that it was time well spent this weekend, however, I don't feel comfortable sending her to daycare in anything other than a diaper or pull up. I think Mary is much more aware of her bodily functions, but doesn't have control of them yet. Our plan now is to keep her in pull ups and put her on the potty often. I will have to discuss this with her daycare. They are potty training several kids in her class right now, so maybe there will some good tips they will want to share. I also think she doesn't quite know how to read the signals that she is about to go. I did enjoy and entire weekend of no poopy diapers, that is until tonight when we ate at my parents for dinner. I guess Janie and Babo's house is just too exciting to slow down and poop in the pot!
1. Poop is much easier in the potty
2. So is tinkle...
3. Mary can go in the potty if she wants, but she really doesn't want me to interrupt her play time.
4. I don't think Mary is quite ready, but we did get lots of quality practice!
All in all, I have decided that it was time well spent this weekend, however, I don't feel comfortable sending her to daycare in anything other than a diaper or pull up. I think Mary is much more aware of her bodily functions, but doesn't have control of them yet. Our plan now is to keep her in pull ups and put her on the potty often. I will have to discuss this with her daycare. They are potty training several kids in her class right now, so maybe there will some good tips they will want to share. I also think she doesn't quite know how to read the signals that she is about to go. I did enjoy and entire weekend of no poopy diapers, that is until tonight when we ate at my parents for dinner. I guess Janie and Babo's house is just too exciting to slow down and poop in the pot!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
POTTY TRAINING!!! Day 2
Last night I didn't sleep at all. I dreamed about potty training and woke up every 20 minutes worrying that Mary had wet the bed. I would go check on her and all would be fine. It didn't help that Ashlin, was the most noisy sleeper ever last night and I could also hear her grunting and moving on the baby monitor! At 5:30 I woke and thought I should check on Mary, but decided against it since she had been fine every other time I check her. Just as I drift off, 5:45 I hear some little girl breathing noises, then I open my eyes and Mary is staring at me. I reach down and sure enough she has tinkled all over herself and the floor next to my bed!!! I have to at least give her credit for coming to get me.
The morning got off to a great start. We only went through about 4 pairs of panties and tinkled at least 3 times in the potty. I did leave her with daddy a couple times while I was putting away laundry, going to the potty myself... and both times the moment he took his eyes off her we had a mess! It was his bad luck! This afternoon wasn't quite as good. We had to get out the upholstery cleaner for the couch, clean our booster chair during lunch and dinner, and we threw several fits because we really wanted to wear the purple underwear we had already gotten "wet"...
Tonight we took a bath, and I said screw it, and put her in a pull up... I thought we both needed a break and this is definitely "breaking" the rules of the book. Anyway, since then she has gone to the potty two times once poop and once tinkle without wetting the pullup! Yeah!!! And tonight she will be sleeping in a pull up.
Kevin did share his opinion with me that she is too young and that she will regress immediately when she gets to daycare and someone isn't watching her like a hawk. That may be true, but if this means at home she will start pooping in the potty, it was totally worth it. I still haven't decided it I am going to go with big girl panties or pull ups tomorrow. I am going to drink a glass of wine and ponder now that she has gone to sleep.
The morning got off to a great start. We only went through about 4 pairs of panties and tinkled at least 3 times in the potty. I did leave her with daddy a couple times while I was putting away laundry, going to the potty myself... and both times the moment he took his eyes off her we had a mess! It was his bad luck! This afternoon wasn't quite as good. We had to get out the upholstery cleaner for the couch, clean our booster chair during lunch and dinner, and we threw several fits because we really wanted to wear the purple underwear we had already gotten "wet"...
Tonight we took a bath, and I said screw it, and put her in a pull up... I thought we both needed a break and this is definitely "breaking" the rules of the book. Anyway, since then she has gone to the potty two times once poop and once tinkle without wetting the pullup! Yeah!!! And tonight she will be sleeping in a pull up.
Kevin did share his opinion with me that she is too young and that she will regress immediately when she gets to daycare and someone isn't watching her like a hawk. That may be true, but if this means at home she will start pooping in the potty, it was totally worth it. I still haven't decided it I am going to go with big girl panties or pull ups tomorrow. I am going to drink a glass of wine and ponder now that she has gone to sleep.
Friday, July 30, 2010
POTTY TRAINING!!!
So I may be insane! Several of the kids in Mary's daycare are starting to get potty trained. Including a couple that are very close to her age. So the competitive mother in me (this is not a good thing) thought that it might be a good idea to try to potty train Mary. She is 21 months old, and let me say (I am not biased at all) brilliant! She has been telling us when she goes poop for a while and she seems to know when she is going tinkle.
A good friend passed along a book that teaches you how to potty train in 3 days. According to the book you throw away diapers and give them some "big-girl" panties. Then you load them up on liquids and fiber so they will tinkle and poop and often!
So we started this morning. We "threw away" the diapers, actually we put them in Ashlin's closet. Then we put on our big girls panties and I waited and waited and waited. Finally we tinkled on the rug. Then she tinkled in her closet, then on the floor in the den. Then in her booster chair! At this point I am thinking, WTF have I gotten myself into! Mind you I was running her to the potty everytime she started to go and asking her non-stop to tell Mommy when she needed to go potty. Then came naptime. She slept for over two hours and never wet the bed! I felt a little more hopeful! This afternoon she successfully tinkled in the potty without going in her panties first twice! Then tonight right before bed she pooped in the potty!!! I have never been so proud!!! Anyway, we will see how tonight goes. Even though we went through 12 pairs of undies today, it might be worth it. I will update again tomorrow!
A good friend passed along a book that teaches you how to potty train in 3 days. According to the book you throw away diapers and give them some "big-girl" panties. Then you load them up on liquids and fiber so they will tinkle and poop and often!
So we started this morning. We "threw away" the diapers, actually we put them in Ashlin's closet. Then we put on our big girls panties and I waited and waited and waited. Finally we tinkled on the rug. Then she tinkled in her closet, then on the floor in the den. Then in her booster chair! At this point I am thinking, WTF have I gotten myself into! Mind you I was running her to the potty everytime she started to go and asking her non-stop to tell Mommy when she needed to go potty. Then came naptime. She slept for over two hours and never wet the bed! I felt a little more hopeful! This afternoon she successfully tinkled in the potty without going in her panties first twice! Then tonight right before bed she pooped in the potty!!! I have never been so proud!!! Anyway, we will see how tonight goes. Even though we went through 12 pairs of undies today, it might be worth it. I will update again tomorrow!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Just a couple pics of the kids!
They are both getting so big! I can't believe Ashlin is almost 3 months old, and Mary will soon be 21months!
Vegas!!!
Kevin and I went to Vegas a couple weeks ago to celebrate his birthday and our 6th anniversary. He had never been, and it is one of my favorite places! We stayed at the Monte Carlo, which is a beautiful casino, but I was very disappointed in our room! The first night we could hear everything that went on in the room next to us, and at 4:00 in the morning a very inebriated man kept sticking his key into our door trying to get in. After about 10 minutes, I went to the door, and explained to him that he had the wrong room! The next day they moved us to a better room :) We walked around and enjoyed some of my favorite places to eat (Mon Ami Gabi's) and played a few slots. The first day we both lost. That night we decided to enter a poker tournament. I didn't really want to play, but Kevin wanted me to enter with him. We both ended up making it to the final table! Kevin came in 7th place and I came in 5th place! I would have done better, but my flush was beat by a full house :( The next two days things went much better, we played blackjack and won, watched the Soccer World Cup final and semifinal in and Irish Pub where Kevin got to eat an Irish breakfast (see pics below), and played blackjack some more and won! We ended the trip with the most wonderful dinner at Olives at the Bellagio. We sat outside overlooking the fountain and actually got wet from the spray! We were excited when we got home, it was the longest both of us had been away from the kids!
The flower room at Bellagio
View of the fountains at Bellagio from our lunch at Mon Ami Gabi's
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| We went to Paris on our honeymoon, and the other Paris for our Anniversary! |
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| Kevin enjoying Irish breakfast while watching the World Cup |
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| My big win! On a penny slot! |
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| View from dinner at Olives |
Monday, June 28, 2010
Quickie Update!
The last few weeks have gone by so fast!! Ashlin is growing like a weed! She is smiling and cooing like crazy and the best part of all, SHE IS SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!!! This past weekend we went to Laura and John's in San Angelo to visit and see baby Katie. We had a great time and Mary turned into a fish, we literally couldn't get her out of the pool! That girl has no fear of water! Tonight we went to her first swimming lesson, and she did great! She loves to go under the water or be thrown up high and splash down! This weekend we are looking forward to the Chancellors coming to Midland to celebrate the 4th and then Kevin and I are off the next weekend to Las Vegas!!! He has never been and it has been way too long since I was last there... Looking forward to a weekend away just the two of us! I will update again soon with pics!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Wedding!!!
My cousin Rachel tied the knot this weekend! The wedding was in my aunt and uncle's backyard and was followed by a receptiion of BBQ and swimming (it was 109 degrees by the way)!!! Here are a few pics from the day!
Katie and Ashlin
My mother had been in San Angleo helping Laura and John, so my father and I made a quick trip down there to pick her up and visit sweet Katie! John made us delicious burgers and it was a quick trip but we got some great photos of the two cousins!
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