Old Ma

That's what the kids call my grandma. They really are pretty lucky to have a great grandma that is close by and well enough to play with them. I hope I have great grandkids one day to do the same.

When I was little I have great memories of doing her hair and putting makeup on her (to clown extent) and now with the same curlers my kids love to do the same thing when they are at her house. She loves it and they love it. Everybody wins! She is 83 and really in pretty good shape considering. I am so glad they are so close to her and are able to have memories with great grandparents.

The salon:


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Nutcracker

My sweet Alexis tried out for the Nutcracker this year with the dance company that is associated with her dance studio. She was given the part of an Arabian parrot in the Arabian scene. She practiced so hard for the last two months. She takes it so seriously that it is so cute. She is absolutely smitten with ballet and with her ballet teacher. Ben actually has to yell at her every night to stay seated during dinner instead of bite, plie, bite pirouette, bite, arabesque, bite, releve, bite, jete, etc. Usually Alexis ends up out of her chair using our hard wood floors as her stage. And when she isn't doing the above, she is cartwheeling, head standing, and acrobat-ing around the rest of the house. I love how much she loves it. It seems like this is going to be her "thing". She had her dress rehearsal last Monday night which is our only opportunity to take photos or video. So here is my little parrot all dressed up.

Beginning on Wednesday through Sunday, she had five performances. I thought she would get tired of it, but nope! And here are the action shots. She is leading the parrots in the front:

In the next photo, she is head on in the back of the circle. She is the smallest one so she is easy to pick out. Not the best lighting, but she is the front of the flapping line!

Here she is after her final performance. She was so sad it was over and is already talking about what part she wants to be next year. I tried to upload a video but it was too big. I'll try again later.

Things I'm Thankful For

Beginning on this thanksgiving eve and continuing through thanksgiving day, I will make a list of all the things I'm thankful for as a conscious way to appreciate this day of thanks. It is always easy to recall the things we wish didn't happen or happened differently but it is much much harder to recall every little thing we are thankful for.
1. I found my soulmate at age 18 and we have been happily ever after ever since. Fairy tales do come true.
2. Ben's quirky sense of humor that has helped to loosen me up a little.
3. The most amazing parents and childhood that I hope I am replicating for my children.
4. Although not nearly enough, 27 years with the best dad a girl could hope for. I always knew I'd be lucky if I married someone who would be half the dad my dad was. Somehow I ended up married to someone who is just as amazing.
5. 4 living grandparents until was 20.
6. A mom who is also my best friend.
7. A best friend who although she lives across the country is the best friend in the whole world.
8. So many wonderful friends that we fill our home (or my mom's home!) with during major life cycle events.
9. Maizy's belly laugh.
10. The way Alexis takes care of her little sister. So much so that when we have a babysitter, Maizy will only let Alexis carry her around and do things for her and cries when she so much as walks a step away.
11. The way Max smiles when he knows he is trying to be super cute to avoid trouble.
12. Max is EXACTLY like my dad even though he never really knew him in person.
13. Maizy's beautiful blue eyes.
14. A job with flexible hours so I can be with my children to raise then my way and not miss a moment of that precious time.
15. A great boss :)
16. How happy Alexis is when she is dancing.
17. How sensitive Max is and he always knows when you need a hug.
18. The blissful sounds of Alexis and Max playing kindly and sweetly together.
19. My college friends and sorority sisters who no matter what will always be there.
20. Girls night dinners
21. Night time reading in Alexis's bed.
22. Maizy's attempts to copy EVERYTHING her siblings do.
23. So many cousins for my children to grow up with.
24. A large and presently still growing immediate family. My family together is now 11 and Ben's family together any moment will become 15.
25. Our "gang" of extended family that is there for thick and thin.
26. Small holiday gatherings of 30-40 people all of whom I consider family.
27. Beach vacations
28. Co-workers that are all really friends (or family!)
29. Alexis's love for drawing (and she is actually pretty good at it).
30. Minivans with doors that open with a button push :)
31. Hand me down clothes!
32. A house where everyone has their own room.
33. Ben's devotion to our family with his four jobs.
34. Max doesn't really pass out anymore.
35. Maizy's cute little voice as she is learning to talk.
36. Alexis's teachers---a happy Alexis is a happy home.
37. Minor illnesses that may keep us home from school for a couple days but we get to bounce right back from instead of anything serious.
38. Ben's tolerance of my type A neatness!
39. My type A neatness
40. Max's sense of humor
41. Our adopted soldier who now has 12 boxes ready and waiting in our living room to send once a month thanks to our amazing friends and family (and now our living room serves a purpose!)
42. All the soldiers who make all of this list possible
43. My parents supported me through grad school even though I was married so I didn't have to have any student loans.
44. Ben's devotion to ALL of his jobs. When he does something, it's 100%. (except cleaning but that doesn't really belong on this list then, does it?)
45. How good Riley is when small people sit on her, pull her, put tiny fingers in her mouth. So what if she eats dirty diapers and pees when she is mad at us.
46. Almost always having extremely trustworthy and loving and free babysitters! Thanks mom, Karen, and Hank.
47. Ben's AP students who make excellent babysitters when we must pay someone.
48. When Max asks me to "come lay with me" in his bed and snuggles up close.
49. Going to UGA football games with fiends and making memories.
50. Babying all my babies because they won't let me do it forever.

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Many Small Children

If you have at least three children all of which are under the age of.......let's say 10, you are allowed to laugh at the following. If you don't, ha ha ha just you wait until you do. Then we will see who is laughing.

You know you are the mother of many small children if......
1. You find crumbs of who knows what in the car and don't have a problem with one of the kids finding said crumb and proceeding to eat it. Like I mean don't even bat an eyelash and are a little but grateful it's one less piece of food you'll have to clean up later.
2. You have pulled over, yanked a child out of the car, and seriously thought about if you drive away would you be arrested.
3. You say things like "get your hands out of your butt", "stop putting your sock in your sister's mouth", "if you don't come here and let me cut your toenails....", "karma train is gonna hit you hard if you don't start listening", and "stop splashing in the toilet water" without even missing a beat.
4. You are a chef, housekeeper, chauffeur, teacher, nurse, doctor, pharmacist, hair dresser, nail technician, bouncer, bar tender (mixed drinks of smoothies, juice, and water on the rocks included), butt wiper, face cleaner, hand de-gunker, lunch packer, nose picker, busted lip fixer, rectal temperature taker, and should make at least seven figures but actually make $0.
5. You get more excited for a minivan than you did for your little sports car when you turned sixteen. And by more excited I mean more excited to drive through carpool line than to cart your friends to the hottest party or the mall. I mean excited that your kids can be far enough apart that your entire car ride is no longer spent at a decibel level of 90. Excited enough to have doors that open and close practically by themselves so you can carry two kids, four bags of groceries, and three toys that shouldn't have been brought into the store in the first place.
6. Your glove box is filled with diapers, the seat pockets are filled with extra sets of clothes, the trunk is filled with one of the 14 strollers that you own, the cup holders next to the children are filled with something brown and sticky even though they have never eaten anything brown and sticky in the car, the floor is filled with cheerios that have been stepped on, and under the seats....well, there is just no telling.
7. You have given up on floppy seat covers, drinking from separate cups, hand sanitizer every five minutes at the playground, heck even washing hands. And you start believing that exposure to germs will in some way boost their immune system.
8. You will pretty much let them do whatever they want if they are not fighting, they are quiet, and no one is dying.
9. You don't even know what it is like to go to the bathroom alone so on the rare occasion you have to go to the bathroom when no one is around, you grab a stuffed animal to take with you so you don't feel like you are so alone. Actually you have become quite adept at peeing while nursing, while a baby is grabbing at your knees and pants around your ankles, while children are screaming from the other side of the door or the same side of the door, while refereeing, while....really it isn't even worth peeing anymore.
10. You have ever loved someone so much you could keel over, you have ever laughed so hard you didn't need that bathroom time because you already peed your pants, you have ever been so proud of someone that you could actually feel your heart bursting, you have ever loved how much two other people loved each other, you have felt so happy and lucky to have amazing little bodies that say I love you, you have ever cried because you love someone so much you can't even put words to it, and you can look into someone else's eyes and see hope.

If all these apply to you congratulations. You must also have many small children.

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Or Lack There Of

Apparently my blog decided to stop saving and putting my titles on my posts. Please excuse that problem while I try to figure out how to fix it.


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Welcome to My World

As the first official day of thanksgiving break, we spent most of it at home since Max has had a fever ranging from 101-104 for the last four days. Yipee! But an effect of us being home proved in my favor. Ben got to experience what it is like to walk a day in my shoes. Usually when he is home or takes a day off it's to do something fun or be out and about. Being home with kids who randomly throughout the day morph into whiners, brats, stompers, criers, or "I need"ers is not usually on his plate. At one point he was about to lose it and by it I mean his sanity. He started screaming and then looked at me and asked why I was unfazed by all the ruckus. Well honey, welcome to my world. You know how sometimes I'm in a bad mood, get a little snappy over ridiculous things, or just seem frustrated???? Well it's because inevitably some of my day looks like this. Sometimes it only looks like this for a few tolerable fleeting moments. Other days it is all freakin' day long. So are you gonna cut me some slack now?


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Location:A Day in the Life

Tired Eyes

Every day I wonder why am I so tired. I seriously think that there is never s moment from the time I wake up in the morning until I go to sleep at night (assuming I am able to stay asleep.....keep reading!) that I am not tired. Obviously have three children under the age of six is tiring. If they would all perhaps sleep through the same night at the same time from the moment I put their little bodies into bed until at least seven AM that would help. Really is 7:00 asking too much????

Let me relay my night about two nights ago. Ben was out tutoring (which usually happens at least two nights a week plus the night he teaches so we are usually looking at at least three nights a week that I do bedtime alone) so we do the whole bath time routine for Max and Maizy, then a shower for Alexis, reading, stories, prayers, and into bed. Ahhhh.....time to relax. No, actually I never have time to relax because I'm so freaking tired that as soon as I sit down to enjoy that quiet time I fall asleep. So I don't even bask in that evening glory. After making lunches and cleaning up some, I sit down on the couch. Like I said didn't last long and I was asleep. Finally cam upstairs around 11:00. Ben came home at some point, don't remember it, but he was on the couch asleep too! At midnight I am awoken by screaming and running footsteps into my room. Alexis- there is a bug in my room. Okay, since ben wasn't in bed, I tell her to hop in. Ain't no way I was going to see if there was a bug. A lot of times when she has bad dreams they are about bugs so I wasn't sure if there was actually a bug. Well, her screaming must have woke up Ben because he came up. I ask him to check her room. He comes back and says it's fine.
She goes back. And comes back screaming again that it's still there. Then Ben confesses he didn't actually check but just figured it was a dream. Sure enough a huge roach was on her wall. Then she doesn't want to sleep alone so Ben lays in her room with her. Ahhhh....back to sleep. Startled awake again around 2:00 by Max- "mom, can you put my scooby books back on my shelf". What the hell it's 2am I don't give a crap where your scooby books are. "Max, just put them wherever". Nooooooooo......"okay just be quiet and get in my bed". Since Ben was still in lexi's room there was plenty of space. About 3am, Ben comes back and sees Max. "Just put him back", I say. Fine. Back to sleep.....but not for looonnnnnggggg. At 4am, Alexis is back. Honestly I have no idea what she said but I told her to get in my bed. 4:30
I bear Maizy making whimpers on the monitor. Right as I was about to shoot myself, she mist have found her pacifier and got quiet. At 5:50, Ben's alarm goes off. Of course I hear it vibrating but does he? Nope! So I nudge him awake and he gets in the shower. Of course he also pressed snooze on his alarm (on his phone) so while he is in the shower it keeps going off and I can't even find the damn thing. I resorted to just getting up at that point.

Luckily, the next night was uneventful but I was strangely more tired the day after an actual night's sleep than the day before. Of course, it is 6am and I've already seen Max a few times since putting him into a slumbery state. But it's not like I'll be any more tired than I already was....I'm good at silver linings.

I also probably failed to mention that last week Maizy had several days of temperature ranging from 102-105. Those days didn't make for blissful nights either......sigh. Can't we all just do this:



And this:




And this:



All in our own beds!

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Monarchy or Dictatorship

The other day Max says "it's not fair!". My reply entailed a long diatribe summed up here: it doesn't have to be fair. This house is not a democracy. It is a monarchy and I rule. Your opinion doesn't count. There is no need for debates, speeches of persuasion, or people pleasing. I make the rules and you follow them. I don't have to run for reelection so your opinion of me doesn't matter. My job comes with a lifetime contract and no monetary pay so appeasing you or the concept of fairness has no place here. Freedom of speech is not a right but a privilege. There is freedom of the press as evidenced here by Alexis:


But unfortunately you can't write yet and you are three. Non-compliance with my laws result in capital punishment. And unfortunately for you there is no judicial branch of my government so your judgement day is mine and mine alone. I am my own checks and balances. At this point Max is just staring at me with giant eyes and a gaping mouth. Yet I continue.....

My laws may be amended at any given moment and don't need approval from two houses. My house rules. Actually perhaps this is less a monarchy and more a dictatorship. Either way it doesn't look good for you and your complaints. Your every move is monitored and tracked so don't even try to sneak it. I have eyes in your room (video monitors rule). So Max do you have a response? "ok". Great glad we got that all cleared up.

Do you think I should run in the election?

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Sassy!

All three children have in their own way adopted a sassiness quality. Alexis's is defined as her 'tude that she occasionally demonstrates and her fashion sense.



Max's is characterized by his incessant talking back and testing to see how much he can get away with. He is slowly learning.


And Maizy's sassiness stems from her new found independence. She is so proud of herself with all of her new accomplishments. She is walking, exploring, and talking.


These three sassy beasts make my world go 'round!

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Athletic Prowess

Our children have very different and distinct athletic abilities. Alexis is more of an independent and graceful athlete. Thus, she is great at ballet and gymnastics and running. Not really a team sport kinda girl. Doesn't like the idea of getting dirty or the possibility of someone running into her. Max on the other hand is all about sports that require motor skills -- baseball, soccer, football. He actually has quite an arm and doesn't have to be shown anything twice. I think these two videos explain it all.

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Another Two-Legged Creature

Our house has another two-legged creature. Maizy is walking. I think she probably could have been walking already but she doesn't like failure. So whenever she started to walk and wobble, she would resort back to crawling. It will be slot easier to be out with her walking then crawling. I mean crawling on concrete just can't feel good. I see endless possibilities....the park, jumpy places. Wow, I'm a little too excited about this. And still walking is not her most used or reliable means of transportation yet.

And she is so darn proud of herself!

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Alexis puts the Drama in Dramatic

In four years of Alexis being in preschool, I don't think I ever got a phone call to pick her up because she was sick. She doesn't even really get sick that much. But on day #7 of kindergarten the phone call came from the school nurse. Of course, my cell phone rang and when I didn't know the number, I didn't answer the phone. But I work on Tuesdays and so they called my work number. (Aside-of course I work one day a week where I am inaccessible and that's the one day she decides to get sick). Anyway, I guess I should program the school nurse into my phone, huh? I get there and she seems pretty content but says that her stomach hurts. She is walking all hunched over and I'm thinking the worst like we will end up in the ER and having her appendix taken out. I take her to my office and she lays crouched on a pillow and sips water. She thumbs through some books. Then she asks for her lunch box. It was about 1:00 by now and her class eats lunch at 10:45 and she didn't eat so it would make sense she was hungry. Then she goes to the bathroom. Then miraculously she is cured. It really is amazing. She had me convinced there for a minute we were dealing with something serious, but alas, I should know better. I asked her when she told her teacher her stomach hurt just out of curiosity of how it all went down. She said she didn't tell her. Well, Alexis, how did you end up in the nurse's office then? "Well, I was too scared to tell her but when I was walking funny she asked me what was wrong so I told her then". Oh dear. Hopefully, she doesn't ever have anything too important to tell her. At least now she is fine and this better not become a habit.


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Kindergarten

It's official.....we made it through our first week of kindergarten and have begun week #2. Alexis was thrilled to wake up early on the first day and bolt out the door to the bus stop.


I totally pictured her crying and us dragging her but she proved me wrong. She met her friend at the bus stop and when that big yellow cheese pulled up, she hopped right on. And by that I mean she clung onto her friend and kept turning to make sure she was still behind her. But no tears. I was so taken aback by how calm this went that I was the one who shed the tears. I figured I wouldn't cry because I was going to be so focused on getting Alexis onto the bus and struggling with her but it was almost too easy and so the tears came. Ben had already been busy that morning decorating the sidewalk in sidewalk chalk with motivating phrases like "you can do it", "one step at a time", and "learning starts this way" with arrows all the way to the bus stop. It was very creative and only a teacher would think of it. Each day has been harder and harder at wake up time. But not for Alexis.....for me. Yikes! I guess we will all get used to it.

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Munchkins

There were three little munchkins sitting on my bed!!!!!


Sadly, tomorrow I will only have two little munchkins sitting on my bed because my biggest munchkin will be at kindergarten. I am so happy and so sad at the same time. I am so happy to hit another milestone with my baby and seeing her grow up is such a pleasure. I am so sad because I lose my mornings and afternoons with her. I totally get why people keep having kids so you always have at least one home!!!! I'm excited to start the elementary school journey.....helping in her class, volunteering in the media center, organizing for PTA, chaperoning field trips, etc. All the great memories I have of both of my parents when I was younger. So from 3 little munchkins in my bed in the mornings down to two. And from no little munchkins on the bus to one!

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A Couple Firsts

Maizy had a couple of "firsts" in the food department these past couple weeks. The first situation was not by my choice at all and in fact I was appalled by the gall of a complete stranger. We were at a new restaurant in the neighborhood and had a good experience there except that it was soooooo hot in there. Anyway, when the check came the waitress brought three dum dum lollipops. One for each kid. Fine. Alexis and Max of course asked to eat it. Fine. Maizy was just holding hers seeing as how she has never had a lollipop or any candy for that matter. She thought it was a really cool toy. I was amused by her playing with it in total innocence until as I was looking down searching in my bag for something the waitress ripped the wrapper off and stuffed the lollipop in her mouth. Are you kidding me?!?!?!?!? My first instinct was to grab it out but she had already experienced that sweet taste. She freaked when I took it. So of course she was allowed a few more licks at that point. But seriously shouldn't a complete stranger ask before shoving a lollipop into a one year old's mouth. Pissed. Yes, I was. But she was awfully cute.


I'm pretty sure Alexis had her first lollipop about a month before she turned two.


Fast forward a couple of weeks and Maizy had another first. At least this one was my doing. I made juice popsicles from organic corn syrup free orange mango juice. The older two had them last night. Maizy recently is showing interest in what other people are eating. So here was the result:

At least it was an item I didn't mind her having and it was my choice. I'll give you that I'm a little controlling over what my kids eat but I think I at least deserve the right to give my own kid her first lollipop in my own time and not by some stranger. I wish I was a bigger b$&@" and I would have given her a piece of my mind. She even had the gall to ask if it was her first lollipop (I guess all the picture taking gave it away) and then laugh when we said yes. She didn't even feel bad.

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Thought for Thursday

Okay so maybe not thoughts on this Thursday but "cute tushie Thursday" didn't have the same ring. She had really bad diaper rash and we were letting her air out while playing. Gives new meaning to barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. Kind of more "naked and squishy in the kitchen". But by far the cutest butt I've ever seen. Ben thinks she kinda looks like muscle woman.

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Max Meets with Success

Just as an FYI, this post will contain some graphic information. Don't worry....I'll spare you from the images but the content will be gross.

Max has been "potty trained" for several months now. The reason it is in quotes is because he only pees in the potty. He also wears underwear all day long. How is this possible, you ask? Well, he holds his poop in until bedtime or nap time when he has a diaper on. He has quite a talent. And a few stomach aches I would imagine. Well, these last few weeks he has been at camp all day and not really napping. Hmmmmm.....a problem is posing. Finally last week we tried a solution. Since Max would often ask for a diaper we cut a hole out of the back of it and wah lah....he pooped in his diaper yet really in the potty. It was cause for a big celebration so our first trip to Dunkin Donuts ensued.


While I knew the first success was going to be tough, I knew that subsequent ones would be even tougher. But Ben promised him a sundae as big as his head if he made a habit of this.


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Five

I have decided that five is the best age in the world. If all my kids would go through all the stages from birth to five and then stay five forever, I'd be thrilled! Alexis is five and she is the best. I look at her and I almost always am overcome with love and amazement. She is grown up but still little, mature but still cute, independent but still needy. She's the best daughter and an even better sister. She takes such care of her brother and sister. She makes sure Maizy is safe and plays with her all the time.


She makes sure Max is always included with her friends. She has taught Max how to play, how to be a good sibling to Maizy, and how to take care of each other.


I look at her and immediately smile because she is kind, thoughtful, and sweet. She is so sweet with my grandparents. Always offering hugs or a story to them. She helps her with her walker and makes sure she sits down.


When you close you eyes right after you get married and imagine what your kids will be like, it is Alexis. I wish I could keep her five because I know when she goes off to kindergarten, she will start to talk back, fight with us about cleaning her room, become a pre-teen, get too cool for us, be home less and less, and eventually be in high school where I know from personal experience it's all over!!!! All these things are so normal, but selfishly I want her to be my baby forever. I understand why people keep having babies just hoping that one time they won't grow up!!!!!


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Bravery

Today at the pool was Max and Lexi's first jumps off the diving board. While I was in the water for the actual first jump, I still managed to catch one on video. Unfortunately my video of Alexis did not come out. But I am super proud of both of them. This was Max's first day of trying. Alexis has gotten to the end of the board before and burst into tears. Progress!

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A Little Bit of Redneck

There is a little bit of redneck in all of us. Some a little more than others! Last week on our trip, some of Ben's inner redneck came out and therefore projected on our children. One of his passions is fishing and he seizes any opportunity near water. The kids enjoyed several mornings fishing on the lake.



One such morning though it was raining. A little rain never stopped him. Ben fashioned some super duper redneck rain gear for them to sport.



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Looming Father's Day

This is the third Father's day without having my dad here to celebrate with. When the first one came around in 2009, I figured that each one would get easier. It was so awful that it could only get better. I was wrong. In fact, in so many ways, each one gets harder. It's been one more year of things he missed, one more year that my children missed out, one more year of time since I saw him last. I am so grateful for him and every day I learn a little more about how lucky I was. I hear so many stories or witness so people who had less than ideal fathers to grow up with or have stories of when their dad let them down. Probably many of those people had or will have 60 less than ideal years or more of time with their dads. But my dad was nothing short of amazing for almost 28. I never could have appreciated all he was and all he did if he were still here. Because I took it all for granted in the moment. I also know that Ben is exactly the same kind of father that my dad was. As his wife, I appreciate it more than as a daughter. I will also make sure that my kids appreciate it as much as I did and more. As a daughter, I knew how important my dad was, but as a wife I am ever so much more thankful that Ben can give my children what I had. We always want more for our kids than we had for ourselves even if we had everything (which I did). It would be hard to exceed what my childhood was like. I had two amazing parents who were ever present in my life, who loved unconditionally, who were involved, who cared about where I was and who I was with, who never missed a school event, sport event, or even a family dinner. I had two parents who loved each other unconditionally and gave me an example of a marriage that I could strive to find a match with whom I could emulate it. I had parents who worked hard so I could have what I needed, but also made me work so I could learn the value of things. I had two parents who made decisions for my benefit but also trusted me enough to make some for myself. I can't even imagine a better life than the one I had. Except now I get to live it all again, but this time as one of those parents. Even though I couldn't imagine it better or couldn't imagine how to make it better, I want to try. My kids are already missing the opportunity for an Opa who would have been at every preschool party known as the goofy grandpa who was always silly and crazy, at every dance recital behind his camera taking a gazillion pictures, at every baseball game cheering the loudest, at every cheerleading exhibition after which he would make up a new crazy cheer, and every award ceremony wearing a big proud smile. An Opa who would have played on the floor with them, swung them in the air, painted and colored pictures with them for hours, danced with Alexis, thrown a ball with Max, and giggled with Maizy. He and Max would have been inseparable. They are two of a kind. Max has his hair, his short legs, sense of humor, mischievous mind, and loud laugh. But Max has no memory with which to compare himself. Oddly enough though Max talks about him often. When he draws pictures, he often includes him. And every time he mentions him in passing, I smile in amazement because I know that since his memory from when he was two months could not possibly remember him, it means I might be doing my job. Making him such a part of out lives that Maizy who never even met him will include him. For now, I just miss what they don't even know that they are missing. I had it, and I want it for them too. I know he would only make their lives better so Ben and I have to pull double duty. I only hope that in 20 something years my kids will say the same things about us that I can say about my parents. I thank my mom and my dad for giving me a gift that I can pass down to my children and hopefully my grandchildren. And the gift is knowing what an amazing parent is so that I can hopefully be that to them and for them to be one to their children. My dad often said that you will only know if you are/were a good parent by observing your grandchildren. So I hope somewhere he is watching his grandchildren and that Alexis, Max, and Maizy are showing him what an amazing parent he was.


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Love at Births Sight

An exact month after Maizy was born, her friend Jarrett was born. His mom, Stephanie, one of my best friends, and I decided they were an item. It's pretty much a non negotiable decision since we know we'd like our in laws! So they have already had several dates before they are even one year old. Here is one of their first dates:












I think they were around 3 and 4 months old here. They pretty much decided at this point that it was meant to be so here was date #2:











Then true love began to blossom. They know that they will go to separate preschools but know that they can endure the long distance relationship. After a few more chaperoned dates, we decided to let them out of the confines of our homes and into public.


They even share toys well together. I guess when you really love someone you'll do anything for them.



She even lets him see her in a bathing suit!!!!!






The wedding date will actually be July 2034 so be there or be square!!!

Pool Progress

Alexis and Max have been taking swimming lessons and have made some incredible progress. For Alexis it was all about overcoming the fear. For Max it was all about a power struggle. Yup, that pretty much sums them up. Here the crazies are:

And here is what Maizy thinks about the pool:



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A Healthy Cheer

Alexis has been in her glory at cheerleading camp this week so Max has to figure out a way to entertain himself. Without his favorite playmate, he is a little lost. On wednesday, he had to endure playing at my office for a little while. I guess he wore himself out though because he fell asleep on our 10 minute ride to get Lexi. We picked her up and on the way home, Alexis was informing us about her day. We heard all about the jumps and cheers and games. Then she looks very serious and says that she had to eat chocolate Teddy bears for a snack because there were no healthy choices. I love that about her!!!! She loves being healthy and always asks me if something is good for her body. Her ballet teacher often talks about being healthy and eating well and we do talk about it at home too but a lot of it is on her own. The next day she came home and even remembered some of her dance and was quite obliging to show anyone who would watch and a few who didn't watch. She then says, "I had potato chips today for snack. Is that healthier than chocolate Teddy Grahams?". We discussed how it was okay to eat what they gave her and once in a while all that stuff is fine because we try to eat well on a regular basis. She is just so darn cute! And today I made kale chips and she was quite the fan!

Here is our little cheerleader (and a healthy one at that!)!!!


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Memorial Day

We had a lovely day yesterday at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Max had a birthday party there and they kindly invited the whole family since it was kind of a trek down there. In my 21 years of living here, I have never been there. It was so beautiful and they have a whole garden for kids with water play and slides and all sorts of stuff.





Ben really liked the edible garden and the kids liked the canopy walk. All in all it was a really fun day!!!!





Followed by a day at the pool where Alexis achieved swimming on her own. We will see if the bravery continues today!!!

After such a great weekend during which we have spent a lot of family time together, I just have take a moment and say how thankful I am for Ben, Alexis, Maxwell, Maizy, and my mom!!!! Best family ever!

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Ben vs. Chipmunk

This morning we went downstairs and Max went into the playroom. He picked one of his new birthday toys (birthday post coming later) and asked to open it. I said I would open it while he cleanup up his marble works. As he was cleaning, he screams, "Hey there's a squirrel". I thought he just saw a shadow or something. He says, "You have to squash it". So I thought maybe it was really a bug. He says it ran behind this gray box of Maizy's toys. I asked him was it a bug or was it furry. He says, "furry. Maybe a chipmunk". Now I know he knows what a chipmunk looks like from Alvin and the Chipmunks so I start to maybe believe him, but not convinced. Until Riley joins us in the playroom. Now she is going nutso and sniffing everywhere. Then she starts pawing at the same gray box that Max said it ran behind. Now I officially believe him. I clear everyone out of the playroom and close the door. I call Ben and he says that he let Riley outside this morning and she apparently pushed open the playroom door to come back in. (If it is not lock, which clearly it wasn't, she can push it open herself). By the time Ben realized she was back inside, who knows how long the door was actually open for. That's probably how whatever it was got inside, but I tell him he better do something. He decides to come home. We wait for him to come home. I think the next video pretty much sum up the initial search and find. Click below and please excuse my expletives.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3bL8714jik

I lose total mom points for screaming and bolting and leaving Max to fend for himself!!!!!!

So we move the chipmunk party to the kitchen since it now was under the fridge. The rest can be seen here.

http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIrFS6dlKbQ

I do feel a little bad since this poor little chipmunk did not dig some crazy hole and invade our house, but rather he innocently wandered in. But I don't think there was any way of getting that fast little sucker outside without the end result.

Maxwell AKA Evil Kenevil

A few nights ago after dinner the kids were playing while we were cleaning up. It was pretty quiet in the playroom so I peeked in. This is what I saw:


Yup. Max is standing on the kitchen "fixing" the window with his tools. Not to mention they trashes the place. Before busting him, I found Ben and whispered for him to look in because it was so funny. Ben wanted me to video the big bust. Here it is:

Max felt so bad. Poor kid. I really don't think he thought he was doing anything wrong. He is too cute for his own good.

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The Floppy Seat is No More

We have had a "floppy seat" that we have used with all of our children in the shopping cart when they are no longer in the infant carrier. I'm sure you know the kind. They look like this:





We went to Target this morning and Maizy was riding in the floppy seat and Maxwell was riding in the cart part. I chose not to buckle Maizy in because the buckle was looped behind the seat and she was fine for a quick trip without it. While Mischievous Maxwell was in the cart, he attached the buckle from our floppy seat onto the buckle from the Target cart. The only problem was that it was not meant to go together and therefore became STUCK. After much trying, I could not detach them. I was left with two options. Ditch the floppy seat it or ask for some scissors and cut the buckle. We opted for cutting the buckle.





Here is a little better view of the cart with our floppy seat buckle attached to it :(






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A New Webster Term

Today Maxwell coined a new term for Webster's dictionary: *snotkin*. Pronounced "snot"-"kin". Its definition is - a napkin used for wiping snot.

While at breakfast this morning, Max had a runny nose so he wiped it with a napkin. Then a few minutes later he was going to wipe his nose again and said "ummm, where is my snotkin?". We looked a little puzzled so he clarified, "you know the napkin for my snot, my snotkin.". Yup, I know just the one!


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Is there a problem?

I have really enjoyed getting to put some of my favorite outfits of Alexis's from when she was a baby on Maizy. I find it very nostalgic for some reason and remember the times Alexis wore it and where we were going. Yup, I'm a total dork like that. Anyway, today Maizy had on one of my old favs.

Maizy is 10 1/2 months old. She is crawling and waving, enjoying her siblings, and smiling and laughing all the time. As I was remembering a time when Alexis wore the very same outfit, I was motivated to try to find the old picture. Just to compare them. I did come across a picture. In this next picture is Alexis wearing the very same outfit! Love it!

But as I found the picture, I found a slight problem. Alexis in the above picture is exactly 4 months old. So the same outfit that Alexis wore at 4 months old, Maizy is wearing at 10 1/2 months old. Wow, I know that Maizy is small, but I guess she is even smaller than I thought. I think back in October when Maizy was 4 months old, she might have still been wearing Newborn! At least we get good use out of our clothes!!!!