Fort Squishing

The boys often build a fort with the cushions from the couch. They build it back in the corner between the couch and the wall. Here was today's conversation:

Carter: The baby wants to go in the fort. Come on, Baby.
Spencer: No, Carter. The baby can't go in the fort. Mom, Carter wants to put the baby in the fort!
Me: No, she can't go in the fort. Baby just wants to play outside the fort. She's too little to go in the fort.
Carter: But, she won't get squished.

Hummm... no one mentioned that, wonder what he was planning to do. Put her inside and then jump on the top?? He's done that before (not with her in there, of course). I told them that she could go in after she turns 1. That hopefully will giver her one year of life before we cause any permanant damage...

Notice how tiny thw baby is... That's a size 2 diaper!! She is crawling and pulling herself up onto things. She just looks so small. And yes, most of the time Carter and I call her Baby, as if it is her name.

Dave got into the groove too...

Dave was not getting into the holidays spirit... at first he was feeling a little like Scrooge, then he started to get into it and started to groove a bit:
http://www.scroogeyourself.com/?id=9559591053

Then, he joined the children in the true holiday spirit and they rejoiced together:
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9559207122

Elves... you have to see this!!

Thank you to my dear friend, Sara for having this on her blog!! Yes, I know, I'm a copier, but it was so cute, I had to do it to my kids...

The children as Santa's Helpers. Check it out by clicking the link below.
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9557286870


This elfin' greeting brought to you by OfficeMax®.

instant replay...

Wow! Yes, we went from no ear infections to 3 in 2 weeks. The baby has had a fever all weekend, and I took her to the doctor yesterday morning. 2 ear infections!! One in each ear, no wonder she was miserable. She should be okay in the next couple of days because we have her on antibiotics. It was the same thing as Carter: Fever, doctor, ear infection, pharmacy... their medicine sits next to each other in the fridge, their dosing syringes sit next to each near the sink, difference is, one takes it like a man ("UMM, yummy, Mommy. I like my medicine.") the other spits it out (big ol' raspberry every time). I have not yet found a good way to get my delicate little angel to take her medicine (any of it, Tylenol, antibiotics, everything) she spits everytime. Normally, I think she would drink it right down, but she hasn't been drinking very well since she's been sick. So, I've tried in the cheek, laying down, sitting up, and various other methods, she seems to spit every time... Any ideas would be great.

Who needs a Roomba??

Ever since I got married, I realized that I am not a very good housekeeper. It just doesn't come naturally at all. I thought one day, many years ago, what we need is a little robot that goes around cleaning up. Then a few years later, a company called iRobot introduced the Roomba, a small robotic vacuum that goes around the house vacuuming all the time. It's fantastic! I have wanted one ever since, but by that time I had children and a Roomba wouldn't have made it one day in the house with my rough boys. So, that, coupled with the price, has made it so we will never get one.
Well, here is what I have realized... (with some background notes... )

Back when Spencer learned to crawl, I learned that no matter how clean you think the floor is, he will always find something on it to put in his mouth. An example: One morning, shortly after Spencer learned to crawl, I vacuumed the carpet in the family room of our townhouse. That afternoon, Spencer was crawling around the room while I folded laundry. Yes, this was 6 years ago and I remember very clearly what I was doing because I remember throwing the shirt down on the floor and running to him. He had stopped crawling and was sucking on something, so I ran to see what he had... a nail, a 3-4 inch nail. It seemed huge to such a small baby. He was sucking on it like a popsicle, it was horrifying. I remember thinking, but I JUST vacuumed, where did it come from??
By the time Carter came along, Spencer was only 2, so it meant all kinds of food, toys, and fun all over the floor for Carter to find.
Yesterday, Carter had a fit after lunch. He was exhausted and finally fell asleep, but not until after he threw some crackers on the floor, which broke into smaller pieces. I thought I had found all of them and threw them away, but not so... Miana was crawling around in the family room and found a small piece. I picked her up shortly after that, she smelled like cracker and had soggy brown stuff all over her. Then, about an hour later, she was crawling around in the kitchen and she stopped, I immediately ran over and found her with another piece of cracker in her mouth. I think she has found the rest of Carter's mess by now, but then I had this thought,
"Who needs a Roomba when you have a crawler?"

A note about the slide shows below

I had so many pictures of our trip to Switzerland that if I had put them all on the website, you would have never been able to get through all of them... so, a slideshow was the obvious choice... We were there the end of September to visit my parents who are serving a mission.

France and Switzerland, people we know!

France and Switzerland - Just the views, no people (at least no one that we know)

Pets: Part 2

I should save this for tomorrow, since I've posted so much today, but I wanted to do it before I forgot all of the details...

About a year ago, Carter started telling people that he had a cat. Just occassionally would mention it, but it wasn't like he was walking around pretending that there was a cat in the house. People would ask him if he had any pets and he would always say, "yes, a cat." I would have to explain that he does not have a cat but that his aunt has 2 and our neighbor has 1 and that really likes them. He did this for about a month and then we didn't hear about the cat again.

On Monday, we were in the car and he all of a sudden starts talking about his cat. I will try to remember all of the details, "It is black with stripes, he likes to lay on my bed, sometimes he sleeps in the baby's bed. His name is Grandpafish." So, this was actually a little freaky for me because of the details. There were more but that is all I can remember.

Today, my neighbor brought me some clothes, a rather large pile of them in my front entry way. Carter jumped into the pile, as any kid would, but what he said next really threw me. "Yes, the cat will really like this. He likes clothes." He then began rolling on his back and stretching, he looked just like a cat! It's a little freaky, I am beginning to wonder if he has a split personality!?! Just kidding, of course.

What to do? One kid who wants a dog, which we aren't getting. One kid who wants a cat, which we aren't getting, or thinks we already have one or that he is one! It would work out perfectly if Spencer wanted a cat and Carter thought he was one, everyone would be happy!! Oh, well.

Pets: Part 1

I mentioned the conversation with Spencer about getting a dog, well, he hasn't been able to let it go, he is, well, obsessive about it.

A few days ago:
Mom, we will have to get him a leash.

A few hours later:
The dog will have to have 2 bowls, one for drinking and one for dog food.

A few hours later:
I will get him a big bed, and maybe will have to make him a house for outside.

The next day:
Spencer: I was thinking about a name for my dog. I think I like "Walk."
Me: Walk the dog. That's very funny.
Spencer: It is? Oh. How about "Sign."
Me: Sign? I like Walk.
Spencer: You said it was funny, I don't want it to be funny.

I am SOOO buying him a dog when he is 43 and I am giving it to him with a tag on it that says, "Walk, the dog"

Shepherd's Pie

By request, I am posting a recipe... Remember, I am NOT a chef, a gourmet, or even a cook. I am a MOM. I like dinner that is fast and easy. The following recipe has "steps" which I try to avoid, I like to throw it all together and cook. That's it, but this was not too hard because I use quick and easy things.

Ingredients:
1 refrigerated pie crust
1 lb. ground beef
some chopped onion (how much is up to you, if using fresh, I would suggest about 1/2 of a large onion, but I use dried, just threw some in)
garlic (I used some out of fridge, not fresh, just minced from a jar, you could use fresh or even garlic powder)
1 tiny can chopped olives, drained (optional, but nice touch, makes it feel like a grown-up meal)
salt and pepper to taste
1 can creamed corn
2 cups mashed potatoes (I used instant, just add water, in the microwave, if you use anything, it will take more time, so plan for that)
shredded cheese (we prefer cheddar)
and topping of choice: cheese, cinnamon sugar mixture, or the orange stuff they put on deviled eggs, can't remember it's name...

Preheat oven according to pie crust directions (for an empty shell)
STEP 1: Put pie crust in either a "deep dish" pie plate (which I tried and it wasn't quite deep enough) or a casserole dish (much better). Bake shell according to directions for an empty shell.
Warning: Mine Never look pretty, but it doesn't matter because it will be completely covered up.
STEP 2: While pie crust is cooking, brown meat. This must be done one handed as you will most likely be dealing with a child (holding, feeding, making strawberry milk for, etc. ) Drain fat, I suggest not holding the baby while doing this as a burn could result in a visit from family and child services. Add onions (and a tsp. of water if using dried), olives, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir altogether in pan with meat.
STEP 3: Make up mashed potatoes according to directions. (again, mine were microwave water for 2 minutes, dump in flakes, stir, done)
By this time, the baby wants more attention than you can give her so call in reinforcements... the 5 year old works great, he was making her dance all over the kitchen.
STEP 4: Assemble by layering into pie crust: put in ground beef mixture, then dump the can of creamed corn on, then a tiny bit of cheese, then the mashed potatoes, then topping of choice...
STEP 5: Cook until the topping is crisp or browned, we usually do cheese and put the broiler on for a few minutes at the end... cooking time is usually around 30 min. to make everything is heated thoroughly. We cooked 25-30 min. then broiled for about 3 or so. That was Dave's idea... good work, Honey!!

Now you can rescue baby from the dirty kitchen floor where she has been laying because her brother got tired on helping and just left her there, go play the video game with the 3 year old, and let hungry husband fend for himself because it took longer than you thought to "create" dinner and he got home really fast and wants to eat NOW... he can read books with the 5 year old until dinner is ready... sorry...

Dinner is ready!! It's yummy and it's all in one, meat, veggies, potatoes, all here! I find that one pie crust full feeds my husband and I with a decent size helping left over (big enough for the 5 yr. old and 3 yr. old to eat too, if they liked it, which they don't because neither one likes ground beef, so they don't eat it... too bad, more for us, here, have a lunchable for dinner.)

Me: Don't kick your sister!
Carter: But I have to... I love her.
Me: We don't kick people we love.
Carter: Oh.

Urgency

but, as a warning, it is a little bit of a "personal" note, so don't read it if you aren't up to it...

You know that feeling when you have to go to the bathroom so bad, you've been holding it all day, you know the one I'm talking about...

Well, that's Spencer, everyday after school. I understand it though, they don't really give him a chance at school. They have one break and he doesn't usually have to go until after that, by then, it's almost time to go home. The problem is compounded by the fact that he walks home. They make all the walkers wait until the buses have left. So, there he is dancing around in the line waiting to run home so he can, well, relieve himself. Compound the problem by the fact that we live several blocks from the school, he has his backpack and coat to deal with, those pesky buttons/zippers to deal with, it's too much for someone in such a hurry. Not to mention the days the front door is locked. I hear pounding and doorbell ringing in great urgency. Once inside, he leaves the front door open and his backpack in the doorway or on the front step (no time to put it off to the side), then he runs into the bathroom.

Today, I was in close proximity to the front door when he came in and the phrase I heard next was priceless and worth writing about. He ran in, as usual, unzipped and started his, um, relief. I was about to ask him about school when I heard a great sigh of relief and "Ohh, yesss, now that's the way I like it."

Forgot...

I also forgot to mention that on Sunday, we caught the baby trying to drink from Carter's cup. I'm pretty sure she didn't get anything, but it was time for a bottle any way, so I thought, let's give it a try. It took her a few minutes to get going but after that it was no different for her. She drank completely from the sippy cup!! Go baby!!

crawling

It happened. I thought it never would. After many yellings at "helpful" brothers to leave her alone, she finally learned to crawl. Friday afternoon she went forward a little, Saturday night she did it a little more and by Sunday was moving quite quickly. It really didn't take her long at all, only about a week. She cries the whole time, it is too much work, it doesn't feel good, and she isn't moving fast enough. She wants to walk so badly. I personally think that walking is much better, I will be able to see her (so I don't step on her) and it is much cleaner than having her hands on the floor all the time. So, yes, I am pushing her to do it soon.

OOPS! Sorry.

I am still so new to blogging. I have recently been looking at other people's blogs and wondering why their sites are so cool and mine is so plain, boring. Then it hit me...

They have pictures. So, I will try to find some cute pictures and post them, but I make no promises...

I thought I would start with an old picture and work my way through the year so I could show how the kids have grown. This was Easter, 2 days before the baby was born.

Spencer 5
Carter almost 3

Miana

first day home from the hospital

The kids in May, a little bit of an illegal posting... sort of, they gave me the CD, so just don't print any copies of it!!

Fever Update

just an ear infection, which, by the way, is also a family first... first of my 3 children to have an ear infection and oldest is almost 6!

105.2! A new family record...

No, I didn't freak out, but I was starting to go through every scenario... I will have to take him to the emergency room, they will find something terrible, he will be admitted and we will both spend the next few days in the hospital, they will have to get complete statements as to whom he has been in contact with the last few weeks and we will have to quarantine the family. There will be a huge outbreak and it will be our faults because the kids have played with everyone in the neighborhood.

Let's do a flashback, back to Monday afternoon. My sister just returned from a trip to Africa and came over to bring us lunch. I jokingly said to her, "I don't know if I want you around my kids, you may have brought back strange diseases with you."

The next afternoon, after spending the day with some friends, I noticed Carter was warm. I took his temperature, 101. That's okay. I gave him some Motrin and that was it, I watched him that day and he was a still a little warm, but nothing serious. That night, in the middle of the night, he came into our bedroom. He was really warm and said he needed a drink. I got him a drink, gave him some Motrin and took his temp. 103... we're getting warmer... The next morning he still had a slight fever, but overall seemed fine (obviously I didn't send him to school). That was yesterday, all day he was fine as long as he was on Motrin, but as soon as it wore off, his fever was back up towards 103. He seemed miserable right before bed, was really stuffy and therefore having a hard time breathing. He was making some pretty funny noises while he was sleeping. Then, at 2:35am this morning, he woke me up. "I need a drink, I need a drink." I got him a drink, some Motrin, and took his temperature, it read 101, but I couldn't get it in his ear just right, he felt so much warmer than that, so I repositioned and took it again, 105.2! I had just given him Motrin, so we wanted to make sure it was working before I freaked out. It had been taking 45 min. for the medicine to kick in, but I laid there thinking... I'm giving it a 1/2 hour then I am getting dressed and taking him to the ER. By 1/2 hour later, the meds had already begun working, so I settled down.

And, that's basically it. I am obviously taking him to the dr. today. In fact, time to go! I'll update later.

When I'm 43 can I be the boss of this house?

Well, it turns out that yesterday was a great day for conversations with my kids... Here's the all day long on going conversation I had with my 5 year old.

Spencer: Can I get a dog for my next birthday?
Me: No.
S: Pleeeeaaasssseee?!!
Me: No.
S: Pleeeeaaaaassssseeee?!
Me: No, you know the rule. What's the rule?
S: We can't have pets and kids in our house, but, but, I have to have a dog!

This went on for about 5 minutes. Then after a brief pause, he returned.
S: When I am 43, can I be the boss of this house?
Me: THIS house? If you'd like to... (I don't know if my husband and I will still be living here, but maybe when he is 43, I'd be willing to sell it to him and buy us a new one)
S: I can?? Then I can decide if I can have a dog?
Me: Yes, when you are 43, you can decided if you can have a dog. In fact, if you'd like, I will buy you a dog when you turn 43. I will give it to you for your birthday (whether you want it or not)

All day long, we had several conversations about the dog when he was 43, 45, and 35...

He was fascinated by the fact that I told him he could be the boss of this house and decide whether or not to have a dog. He kept saying, "boss of this house." So finally, I said to him, "don't you want to be the boss of your own house?" He very quickly, and seriously said, "When you are dead, I will be the boss of my own house."

Yes, it was a good day for conversations with my children yesterday.

An interrogation of a 3 yr. old

Me: What is this mess?
Carter: Candy wrappers.
Me: Why are they on the floor?
Carter: I put them there.
Me: Well, who's going to clean it up?
Carter: Spencer.