Monkey Visits the Zoo

Andrew and I have been talking about going to the zoo for weeks and last week was so beautiful, we decided to go. Although we have been talking about going for several weeks (before we started potty training), everything fun right now is because of pottying!

He was so funny. He would ask "what's that" and I would tell him what the animal was called. He would immediately call it the easier name. For example, the worthog was a pig, the zebras and donkeys were horses, the ostrich and geese were duck (not sure why he chose duck instead of bird, but whatever).

We were there for two hours and at least an hour of that was spent with the monkeys.
One of the first exhibits with monkeys we visited had a young monkey and several older monkeys in the cage. There was a red ball in there with them. The young monkey was making sounds that I swear sounded like he was saying "mine". I was kind of chuckling at the way he was making this "mine" sound and chasing the ball. Then, I guess Andrew was hearing the same thing because he started yelling "MY BALL" to the monkey everytime the monkey said "mine".


Andrew hanging like a monkey


Andrew talking to the monkeys....he got them VERY interested in him!




The next exhibit of monkeys were very.....ummmm....playful (wink wink). Every time he got on her Andrew would yell "BAD MONKEY" and the "bad monkey" would look at Andrew and continue "playing." (I opted not to take pictures....didn't think my blog needed monkey porn).

We went to the barn to see the rabbits, geese, goats, sheep, and donkeys. This is always a favorite with the kids because they get to pet the animals. There was only us and two other moms and kids in there.. Andrew had looked at the rabbits and donkeys and had just walked to the goats from talking to the sheep. He was just starting to ask his "What's this" questions about the goats and their stalls when there was the loudest burp sound. Andrew looked around. After about a minute of looking around he started to do his "What's this" again. There was another burp sound. This time Andrew yells "Who doin that?" Another burp sound. "EXCUSE YOU!" This went on and on for quite some time. Every one was laughing at him and his instance that the sheep showed some manners. Here is a picture of him yelling at the sheep (he went and got right in their faces after a while)


Andrew telling the "duck" (aka peacock) to "GO DUCK!"


Just thought this one was funny (the zoo is under construction in several areas)


Andrew talking to the bird. This bird really will talk to you too.


These monkeys really get the attention of everyone at the zoo. It does not matter where you are at in the zoo, you can hear these two. They are VERY loud! Andrew watched these two for quite a while and tried a couple of times to repeat their sounds, but never came close :) thank goodness!






This is what Andrew came home and did

Potty Training Update

Andrew has been doing AWESOME using the potty. He has been working at it so hard and I am so proud of him. He is using the potty all day. As soon as he gets up in the morning I tell him to sit on the potty.

He is now just going when he needs to. I am not having to tell him every 10 minutes to go potty. He just goes and then comes to me very excited that he used the potty. If it has been a while since he has gone, I will remind him and he usually goes.

The only time we are having problems is when he is outside. He would rather just play. Yesterday I let him play out back in a shirt and his underwear. He decided when he needed to pee he would just use the flowerbed instead of wasting his time coming in. But that is okay, it isn't his underwear and it wasn't in the sandbox!

P-Rex was a great idea. Luckily, he doesn't know the difference between a penny or quarter. So, he gets a penny and sticker when he pees and a quarter and three stickers when he.....well, you know! I am running out of pennies though. Guess we are gonna have to move up to nickels and dimes soon!

His brothers think it is totally unfair THEY don't get paid for using the potty. Maybe I should buy them their own P-Rexs and if they make it IN the toilet, they can earn a penny! OH WAIT...they don't miss the toilet - NOT ME misses the toilet!

Question...

We learned this weekend that if we keep Mady up until 10:30 she will sleep until 7...straight through.

If we put her down ANY earlier than 10:30, she will still wake up around 3:30-4 to eat.

The dilemma....WE ARE NOT USUALLY UP AT 10:30! So, do I stay up until 10:30 so she will sleep until 7 KNOWING that the alarm goes off at 5? Or, do I keep putting her down at her normal time and getting up around 4 every morning? Sleep after that is hard to come by!

Our Own Lassie

Mady's bedroom door has been squeaky, which was fine until we had to start keeping her door shut (we put an air purifier in her room). Now, I get her to sleep and when I try to leave the squeaky door wakes her up. Bryce and Andrew's door has also been squeaky, but I have really put off oiling theirs, because I can tell when they open their bedroom doors. Unfortunately when Bryce gets up in the middle of the night or early morning to go to the bathroom, he wakes Andrew up and Andrew doesn't want to go to bed.

So this morning I oiled both doors. They are silent now. GREAT for Mady.....Andrew on the other hand....

He instantly realized at naptime that he could open his door without a sound. After he had been down and quiet for a little bit, Mady woke up. I thought I would go lay in bed and nurse her and hopefully get a nap myself.

I laid down for about 10 minutes and Bella (our Australian Shepard) came in from the living room and started putting her front paws up on the bed and hitting me. I told her to lay down and she ran back to the living room and then back to the bed. I thought maybe she needed to go outside, so I got up. I walked into the living room where Andrew was running around and had opened the back door.

I guess he was looking for me, but I never heard him. As soon as I saw Andrew, I went to let the dog out. She was back in her bed. I guess she was just letting me know that Andrew was up and had the outside door open.

Caleb's Birthday and Christmas Wishlist

I think this is the first year he has given us a realistic list! Usually he asks for all electronics (like cell phone, phone for bedroom, every video console, video camera, camera, tv, dvd, laptop, etc).

Here is this years...because I think they are funny to read and because I know people will be asking soon.

Christmas and Birthday list:

Toys able to be bought without my knowing

bean bag
R/C car
R/C boat
small portable tv
toy that can be built and changed (K'Nex, magnetics)
K'nex Roller coaster
K'Nex whatever
video camera
spy equipment
electronic door guard
tent (2 person)
portable fan
headlamp
fishing pole and good bait
a toy city for my hotwheels, matchboxes and Maistos)
a small cheap shed (to play in by myself)
a book with usable knoledge about outdoors and building

Andrew has turned into such a little boy the last couple of weeks.

He went and got his first haircut (not given by Daddy). He still does not do great at sitting still usually. But he did awesome. He did not move until he was told too.

He has also really started talking. He is putting words together, asking questions, repeating too much, etc. He is always asking "wuz tha" (what's that) over and over. "Daddy wuz tha?" "Mommy wuz tha?" You can tell him and he will repeat what you said and then ask again.

He was saying "ull moo" (full moon) last night at the moon and pointing out all the "staws" (stars). Daddy pointed out that it was not a full moon so now he just looks for the "moo" when it gets dark.

He likes to tell his big brothers what to do and calls them all by name (even if it is his own way of saying their names). He likes to tell them to stop whatever they are doing and call them "bad boys". He knows how to say that PERFECT!

I still love the way he says I love you (Abu). He is so sweet! We will be driving down the road and he will say "Mom....Mom....Mom(he doesn't give me a chance to answer)." "Yes Andrew?" "Abu Mom". He can be crazy running around the house and will suddenly stop and come in and ask for a "hu" (hug) and a "ki" (kiss) and say "ABU" and then run back to his craziness.

He still likes to tell anyone that asks his name that he is "Monkey" and then make monkey motions and noises. I don't encourage it, necessarily, but I don't tell him not to do this either. It was quite funny the last time we went grocery shopping. We go early in the morning during the week to Winn Dixie. This is when the elderly people do all of their grocery shopping too. WIth two little ones, we attract a lot of attention. We were getting some bananas of all things and an older lady walked up and was talking to Andrew. She asked him his name and he said "Monkey." She laughed and said "What is your real name." This went on several times. The last time the lady did not ask again. She looked at me, dead serious and asked "Is his name really Monkey?" I don't see the harm in him telling people his name is Monkey (right now anyway). He knows his name is Andrew and he will tell us when we ask what his name really is.

This can be a trying time (twos) with the energy and testing his boundaries but the little sprinkles of sweetness and discovering and imagination that he throws in the mix make it all worth while. I am so blessed to be able to stay home and see ALL of these moments with my children.

Nipple Snatcher

Yes, you read it right!

Madeleine has started biting when she nurses. She has no teeth (although she is working on some), but she definently has a strong bite. She thinks it is hilarious when I jump and gasp or squeal. The anticipation of knowing it is going to come and just not knowing when is bad too! I know you are thinking it cannot hurt that bad with no teeth and her being a little baby....but you are WRONG!!!

This is why I have always said when the kids get teeth I quit breastfeeding. Little did I know that the only time I would have a problem with this would be with the GIRL and BEFORE she got teeth!

Caleb thinks it is hilarious and likes to talk about calling her the Nipple Snatcher. He said he was glad he didn't have nipples. I told him he did and he said "No, these are pecks" and did some "manly" pose.

Then of course, all of the boys had to walk around showing off their nipples....or pecks, or whatever you call them!

Potty Progress

After two great potty training days, today was not so good. I think because brothers are home and the house is too busy for him to even care today. After feeling a little frustrated about it today, Andrew surprised me at bedtime. He came in to me and said "I peepee potty." Then he pulled his pullup off, sat down and immediately peed.

Up to now he has been using the potty, but it is lucky guessing on Mom's part and telling him to try and he eventually does. This is the first time he has ASKED to potty and ACTUALLY pottied!!

I SENSE PROGRESS. Not too bad for not even being two and a half yet!

OUCH!!!!

That is all I can say:

That is a 19.2 pound newborn baby....next to a regular sized baby.

OH

MY

GOSH

The article said he had more of a growl than a cry. I love the look the little baby is giving the big baby!

I thank God for my 7 - 8 pound babies!!

Smarty

When Paul was building the sandbox he would put his pencil behind his ear when measuring and cutting. Andrew spent at lot of time watching and "helping" Daddy. Now everytime he has a crayon or pencil he does this with it:

Mad Mady

If Mady is wearing a headband when she gets mad she likes to grab it and pull on it. This is usually how it ends up. What is funny is she instantly falls asleep when it is over her eyes.


She has never been fond of light, even when I was pregnant with her. I think she needs a baby night mask.

Answer to comment....she does have sunglasses, but this is not just when it is sunny. She is the same in the house. This was in the car where the windows are tinted, but I had the car door open to take the picture.

P-Rex

Yesterday I decided to REALLY tackle the task of potty training. Andrew was in underwear almost all day (only not in them when we were gone). The closest thing he came to an accident was he was sitting on the potty, but wasn't IN the potty! So, he made a little mess on the floor, but did what he was supposed to be doing.

The first time he got some cookies, after that he was asking for stickers. So he got lots of stickers all day. It was great that he wanted stickers instead of candy or cookies.....until last night when I was peeling them off the hardwood floors!

Yesterday evening he.....pottied in a more solid form.....
We took him for ice cream since he had done such a great job on day one and did so much more than I expected.

While we were out today, Andrew spotted this......

He got so excited about it when he saw it. I decided it would be a good way to reward the potty training and save up some money for him.

We call him P-Rex. Everytime Andrew pottys he gets to feed P-Rex coins. What is REALLY great for us is he has no concept of money. He is just as excited if you give him a penny as he is if you give him a quarter.

Daddy Saved Andrew (Literally)

I am SOOO glad that Daddy knows the heimlich maneuver. Friday we ate Mexican for lunch. Andrew was eating a piece of fajita meat. Daddy and I were talking and I looked over to see Andrew turning red and choking. Paul tried to get the food out of his mouth, but there was none. He ended up having to do the heimlich to get the fajita meat out.

Mama was ALMOST ready to panic!

The New Love in my Life

It is an animal.

The Dyson Animal!



Paul got tired of hearing me complain about vacuum cleaners that suck (well, actually that DON'T suck). My last vacuum cleaner started out strong, but did not even last a year. He also got tired of us having to buy vacuum cleaners every year. But, when you have a house full of boys and animals....it gets dirty QUICK!!

He did a LOT of research on the best vacuums and the best warranties. This one came out on top. We got it at Best Buy because they have a 30 day, no questions asked, return policy. If we were gonna spend the money on it, we wanted to make sure it was gonna last. It has a five year warranty that covers just about everything on it. If you do the math and I am spending about $100 a year on vacuums, well...it made me feel a little better about the price!

A couple of months later, lots of vacuums, a wool rug, a hairy shedding dog, etc.....it is AWESOME! STILL!!! I am having to vacuum the house basically daily because of Mady's allergies (I am pretty sure she will be diagnosed with asthma!) and the fact that she appears to be allergic to the dog.

It even does awesome on the bare floors. Past vacuums would just blow around the stuff on the hardwoods. This actually sucks it all up.

Dyson should be paying me for this post!

Yes, this is my life! It is what it is!

A Helpful Hint

I went to remove Mady's toenail polish this morning. I did not really want to attempt nail polish remover with a baby, so I instead put a little polish over the old polish and it easily removes the old polish with a wipe of a baby wipe.

Family of One

Do "they" really mean to "cherish every moment with your children"?

I could do without these frequent moments with my preteen son.

His attitude about EVERYTHING is horrible. Unless, of course, it is about HIM!

He thinks because he thinks homework is stupid and pointless he should not have to do it. He thinks that because his brothers are stupid and pointless he should not have to deal with them. Everything is pointless and stupid.

His teacher emailed me Friday and asked me to help him get started on a writing project. He was supposed to do the outline this weekend for a five paragraph paper. He had started it, but it was so off topic the teacher could not make sense of it. He didn't do it. I told him to do it this evening. He said it was stupid and pointless and she was not taking a grade on it (too bad, she emailed me and asked me to help him get it done!)

Friday, while he was cleaning, Isaac asked if he could play with the Lincoln Logs. I told him he could. There was a house built on their floor and Isaac was playing with the house. He was not tearing it down or messing it up, just playing with it and cars. Caleb walked in the room and kicked the house, Lincoln Logs flying. When we asked why he did it, he said it was not Isaac's house. The Lincoln Logs are not just Caleb's. He can't build something and leave it built for a week and get mad when someone else plays with them.

And what happens when we do something special for him and get something that is JUST for him. NO RESPECT OR APPRECIATION! Before we went to the beach we bought him an MP3 player. There was no reason for us to buy it. We got it because we love him and knew he had been wanting one and figured it would be nice for him to have for the car trip with his brothers.

When we gave it to him we explained that he absolutely could NOT take it to school and that if he did he would lose it for good. I found out Saturday that he took it to school the week he got it, and it was taken up by his teacher. He knew he would lose it, so he did not even bother to tell us it had been taken up.

We changed our cell service this weekend. We planned on getting him a cell phone for Christmas because it was not very much to add him. That was before finding out about him MP3 player. Now, he might find out that he is not entitled or owed anything.

I cannot guarantee that this is a moment in time that I necessarily want to treasure. I AM grasping for dear life at ANY moment that I can treasure. I am afraid they will become fewer and further between before they start multiplying!

Don't Know What to Do

We have an Australian Shepard that is very skitsy and shy. It takes her a while to warm up to new people. She has always been an outdoor dog until our lab died this summer.

Now, she will not stay outside. If we leave her in their fenced in area she gets out. If we leave her to the whole backyard, she gets OUT (like out in the neighborhood).

The worst part is that it appears Mady is allergic to her. She sheds a lot, which has never been a major problem because she was always outside.

Obviously, we need to give her away to a very good home....my daughters health has to come first. The problem....I think it might LITERALLY kill her. She doesn't eat when she is stressed out. When we boarded her a few weekes ago she did not eat a bite for the five days we were gone.

Our only other option is to get another dog to stay outside with her. She stayed out fine when she had company. But, what if we get another dog (which we don't really want) and she STILL won't stay out there?

I am at a loss as to what to do with her. This is not a thing of not researching the dog before we got her or just being tired of her. If that was the case it would be easy to give her away. But, we actually WANT an Aussie (they are great for outdoors stuff and good with the kids).

The whole time we were gone at the beach, Mady did not have any problems breathing. She is always worse when she is around the dog.

SUCH A DILEMMA!!

Magical Mr. Potato Head

Andrew has been so great today (other than at Walmart when he took his shoes off and threw them across the store). We got home and he immediately went and got a toy and sat on the living room floor to play. I could see him starting to get bored. so I thought I would get out the big knex and the Mr Potato Heads. This is the first time he has played with Mr. Potato Head and he had so much fun. The first thing he did, before I sat down and played with him and showed him what to do, was to get a pair of MPH shoes. He came in to me and tried to put them on my foot.

"Foot too big."

Then he tried to put them on Mady's (he put the stem that you stick in the holes on the potato head between our toes). "Shoe too big."

He tried the dogs....glad we have patient dogs because he was REALLY trying to get it on Bella!

"Foot too big."

I laughed at him a bit and then I went and showed him what to do with them.

He has played with Mr. Potato Head all day today. Did not fight about a nap. Got up and went straight back to it.

"I Like Big Butts'''

You know the song..."I like big butts and I cannot lie...."

My older three LOVE this song. It is on Madagascar and they sing that line over and over. Except it is NEVER sung correctly. Caleb sings "I like big butts in a can that's live" and Bryce sings "I like big butts in a can that slides" all the time.

About five minutes ago I was feeding Mady and Andrew was playing with toys in the living room. I hear him singing "I like butts" over and over.

MY TWO YEAR OLD IS SINGING "I LIKE BIG BUTTS" ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Part of being a Mom is forgetting the "bad" stuff. From birth on, this happens. We apparently "forget" the pain of labor because we choose to do it again. We don't hold grudges against our children when they make mistakes, we correct them and more on.

Well, this morning I FORGOT!! I forgot Caleb's punishment. I made the boy breakfast and lunch, got his clothes out, etc. I did not remember until he came out (after I had done all of this) NOT SPEAKING TO ME!! It took me a few minutes to figure out what was going on, but then I saw his spelling.

"Are you just going to get a zero on your spelling?"

No response.

Let me add here as a side note that the boys brought home progress reports last week and Caleb had a C in language arts! This is totally unacceptable and is due to LAZINESS!!

"Okay Caleb, don't answer me - although you are digging your hole deeper. You already have a C in that class, so fail it. Repeat fifth grade. But I will not be sending money for the 4H club you want to join, because has we have already discussed, you can't have a C or lower and be in 4H or Science Club."

I did not say anything else to him, but I did notice him writing his spelling words after breakfast while he was waiting on the bus.

Before he got on the bus, he also decided I was worth talking to long enough to ask me to buy his class snacks for tomorrow (he is star student this week and they get to bring snacks for their classes on Friday).

So, here is a list of things that I did/do for Caleb BEFORE 7:30 every morning. I am going to write it all out and hand him a list of EVERYTHING I do for him. And, while he is doing it all over the next four days.....MAYBE, just MAYBE he will stop the talk of me just being a housewife, and me not working, etc.

I was his:
alarm clock (got him up, in and out of the shower)
chef (breakfast and lunch)
personal stylist
his inspector (made sure he was up to dress code standards)
finder of all lost things ("Where are my shoes?" "I had this red.... and I can't
find it")
personal shopper ("I need a variety of flavors of nerds for snack tomorrow.")
secretary (all of his papers that have to be signed)
launderer (started his laundry so he had a uniform to wear tomorrow)
look-out (watch for the bus while he finished getting ready)

But, this is just CALEB's LIST! He is one of seven in this family! And most of this was all done before he got out of the shower and dug his hole a little deeper.

I am going to continue this list for him. Not only so he knows what he needs to do the next several days, but so that he can SEE what I do for HIM!

If this doesn't work.....I might need to look into military or boarding school for the child! :)

I do love my job and most days I don't mind doing so much for my family. But I do expect a little respect and appreciation for what I do.

Non-working Mom

Right after Caleb got home today, he for some reason asked when Take Your Child to word day is. I told him Daddy could not take his kids to work, it was not allowed. He says "And you don't work. All you do is stay home and clean house all day."

Okay, first off....as if cleaning house all day for a bunch of boys isn't a big enough job for ANYONE!

Secondly, that does not even scratch the surface of what I do.

We have gone through this before, I have corrected him and told him some of what I do, but he still makes comments like this.

It is an issue of respect (or lack of) I am having here.

On Wednesday nights he has the option of writing his 20 spelling words five times each or taking a practice test and having a parent sign it. Caleb always opts for the practice test and I am always the one that gives it to him.

This afternoon he came up to me with the list and handed it to me and said that he was ready for his practice test. I said "I don't do anything but clean, and that is not cleaning. Sorry, but I can't help you."

He gave me a look and then said "I am ready!" I repeated the same and he stormed off to his room.

Afer the statement and then the huge attitude (which, by the way, why did he never think to ask his DAD to help him with the practice test), I told him that from today to the end of the weekend, anything I would normally do - he gets to do. From cleaning, to changing diapers, cooking, etc. Obviously, there are things he CAN'T do, like going and getting groceries, running errands, etc.

Hopefully, him getting a little first hand taste of what I do will make him recognize and appreciate that even though I stay home, it is equivalent to more than one full time job.

(Oh, I also told him that since shopping for birthday presents is not cleaning, I can't go shopping for his birthday that is in November.)

Last of the Vacation Pictures

The T (Thumb-eating)-Rex

This morning Andrew and I were reading books together. He would not stop sucking his thumb, so I turned every story into Andrew and NOT sucking his thumb. Then I decided to make a story up for Andrew.

He now thinks a dinosaur is going to eat his thumb off if Andrew puts his thumb in his mouth. He thinks the dinosaur is sitting outside and can hear him sucking his thumb even if we can't hear anything.

All morning he has really been thinking about it when his thumb goes toward his mouth. I have caught him several times with his hand AT his mouth like he is sucking his thumb, but his thumb not in his mouth.

I have also seen him staring at his thumb saying "No, no, no" like he is reminding himself not to suck his thumb. He is walking around saying "no mouth!" and shoving his hand in his pocket.

Hopefully, this will help. I wrote a "book" for him and I will read it frequently to keep him reminded! He sucks on his thumb without even realizing he is doing it. At least this is making him more aware of it and making him think about it.

Miss Piggy's Pink Little Piggy

Yep, I did it! I painted her toenails. I made it almost five months before I did it. But, I saw a fellow blogger that painted her one month olds nails and OH MY GOODNESS it was TOO sweet looking!! So, I had to do it!

Now, if I could just convince Daddy to get her ears pierced.



She sat still in my lap, only occasionally looking back at me and smiling the entire 10 piggys. When I was done she looked at her toes, wiggled them and gave me a big smile.

Painting with a 2 Year Old

Before school started I went to Hobby Lobby and got some projects for AJ to do while his brothers were at school. Yesterday it was so rainy that we could not go outside and Andrew was getting into everything. So, I pulled one of them out.

I got a teapot for him to paint. I had gotten paint colors that matched the colors I have in my kitchen.

We sat down and the table. I put Andrew in my lap so he could reach everything well. I put the red paint on the plate. He was very excited. Then I grabbed the orange, opened the lid and turned it upside down to squirt it out. About that time, excitement got the best of him. He grabbed a handful of red and ATE it. Before I could react he immediately spit it out.

I ran to the sink with him and cleaned his mouth out. We finally got him cleaned and went and sat down and I noticed he was stinkin' it up! So, I told him to go get a pullup. He was in his room and when I turned the corner to tell him to come on, he was walking around with a brown finger yelling "PooPoo!"

We eventually got to paint. It is exactly what you would expect from a 2 year old! And the mess he made, well it too, is exactly what you would expect from a 2 year old. It was fun, but there is a reason we don't do this very often!

Cool Rainy Weekend

We had a somewhat productive, but kinda lazy weekend. Saturday we had to run a few errands. It was rainy and in the low to mid 70's and it really did not feel like we should be doing anything but sleeping. Unfortunately, the boys could not be convinced of that. In fact, I heard things such as "I don't see the point in sleeping," "Sleeping is a waste of time - there are MUCH better things that can be done. Like annoying my brothers."

Hmmm....that MIGHT be why I love sleep so much!

Next Set.....