Some people wake up to a rooster and some to an alarm clock, but not me! For the past week I have woken up every morning to an elephant and a giggly little boy! Andrew has this mirror in his crib. When he wakes up in the morning, he does not scream or cry - he plays.
When you push the little tabs hanging off, they make the sound of the animal that is above it. For some reason Andrew really loves to push the purple tab which makes elephant noises. So, every morning over the baby monitor I have been waking up to elephant noises and then Andrew giggling at the elephant noises. Every now and then he throws in another animal sound, but he only seems to giggle at the elephant.
I just let him play away until he either starts getting upset or I am ready for him to start getting into everything!
To anyone who has a hard time getting out of bed in the morning, I recommend you get your own elephant and giggly baby! It sure beats the rooster or beeping alarm and definently helps get you up with a smile on your face!
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Friday, November 09, 2007
This is why we call him Monkey:
Maybe that is why he likes bananas so much! Paul was telling Isaac good night. When he went to walk away - Andrew would not let go. So - we let him hang!
Still a ONE!
I was changing Andrew's diaper just now and had to open a new box. He is going to be seven months old Sunday (can you believe that?) and he is STILL in a size one diaper. Not only is he still in a size one diaper, but the tabs of the diaper still overlap!
I am not going to complain because when I bought the diapers I was looking at the size/price. The box of size one had 152 diapers, size two had 132 diapers - but they were the same price!! 20 more diapers for the same price. Come on, there is not that much more diaper on a two than a one!!!
I am not going to complain because when I bought the diapers I was looking at the size/price. The box of size one had 152 diapers, size two had 132 diapers - but they were the same price!! 20 more diapers for the same price. Come on, there is not that much more diaper on a two than a one!!!
You know you are in Arkansas when...
The first big news story on most stations is that hunting season starts Saturday.
And...
you drive down any street and see lots of smiling men either pulling a trailer with a four-wheeler or loading up their trailer with their four-wheelers!
Saturday, the state will pause so men and women can go spend deer season in the woods!! Make sure you wear your bright orange if you enter the state and watching for flying ammo!!
And...
you drive down any street and see lots of smiling men either pulling a trailer with a four-wheeler or loading up their trailer with their four-wheelers!
Saturday, the state will pause so men and women can go spend deer season in the woods!! Make sure you wear your bright orange if you enter the state and watching for flying ammo!!
A Visit to the Police Station
We left this morning to run an errand. Bryce kept asking me where we were going, so I finally told him we were going to the police station. "NOOOOO" he kept saying. I told him we were going to go talk to the policeman about talking to strangers and sneaking out of the house. "I PROMISE I will NEVER sneak out of my window again!"
When the policeman came out and I explained what was going on, he tried talking to Bryce, but Bryce clammed up and started crying. I told him he wasn't in trouble, but he needed to learn this stuff. The policeman asked if Bryce wanted to see the police car and play with the lights and sirens. Bryce immediately lit up and said yes. He told Bryce if he would talk to him he would get to see them. So as we walked through the building he talked to Bryce about why he can't sneak out of the house and talk to strangers.
I am still not sure that Bryce gets the stranger part. The policeman asked if he was a stranger and Bryce said no. I asked Bryce if he knew him (which we DID NOT know his name) he said yes he was a policeman. Unfortunately, these days they have to be taught to be weary of people dressed like police/firemen! I gave it to him that time and did not lecture on that. The policeman said "I have an idea, lets go inside." He took him to the office and asked if Bryce knew anyone in there (they were all in plain clothes). Bryce said they were not strangers. The officer asked if Bryce knew there names, he said he forgot them (we have NEVER met any of them before). One of the ladies asked Bryce if he would leave with her if she gave him candy. HE SAID YES!!
I think the window thing is taken care of. The policeman took him to the "interview room", which is literally big enough for a small desk, two chairs and for you to walk on one side of the desk to get to the chair. The walls were padded. He opened the door, DID NOT turn on the lights and asked "Does this look like a fun room? Do you see any toys?" Bryce looks around, goes and looks under the desk and behind the pads on the wall. "No, there is nothing in here." he finally said. "This is where you get to go if you sneak out of your house again. It is dark, there are no toys, no food - but bread, no spagetti o's!!! You just get to sit." The police officer explained. "You don't even get to see anyone, like your Mommy or Daddy or brothers!" Bryce's eyes got big and he quietly backed out of the room. I wish I had a camera - his expression - PRICELESS!
I feel better about him sneaking out (or NOT sneaking out). I am still really leary and scared about the strangers though. I wish the police officer had spent more time talking about that. Maybe we need to have a Police party and see if we can get a policeman to come over and talk about Stranger Danger - because what I am trying to tell them is NOT getting through! I will have to see about getting some of the kids friends to come over for it!
The policeman got quite a kick out of the fact that I am having to worry about a four year old sneaking out of the house. He asked if there were locks on the window. I told him there were regular window locks, but I was scared to put extra locks that he could not undo because of fire. He could not believe that Bryce could undo the locks (not sure why - but I guess Bryce is not a normal four year old!!). As we were walking down the hall the officer was telling everyone that he snuck out of the house at FOUR!! I explained that I had four boys and did not think the four year old would be the one I had to worry about that with - YET! I explained to him that Bryce is just a very curious little boy and his curiousity often gets him in trouble - because it is ALWAYS hands on curiousity!
When the policeman came out and I explained what was going on, he tried talking to Bryce, but Bryce clammed up and started crying. I told him he wasn't in trouble, but he needed to learn this stuff. The policeman asked if Bryce wanted to see the police car and play with the lights and sirens. Bryce immediately lit up and said yes. He told Bryce if he would talk to him he would get to see them. So as we walked through the building he talked to Bryce about why he can't sneak out of the house and talk to strangers.
I am still not sure that Bryce gets the stranger part. The policeman asked if he was a stranger and Bryce said no. I asked Bryce if he knew him (which we DID NOT know his name) he said yes he was a policeman. Unfortunately, these days they have to be taught to be weary of people dressed like police/firemen! I gave it to him that time and did not lecture on that. The policeman said "I have an idea, lets go inside." He took him to the office and asked if Bryce knew anyone in there (they were all in plain clothes). Bryce said they were not strangers. The officer asked if Bryce knew there names, he said he forgot them (we have NEVER met any of them before). One of the ladies asked Bryce if he would leave with her if she gave him candy. HE SAID YES!!
I think the window thing is taken care of. The policeman took him to the "interview room", which is literally big enough for a small desk, two chairs and for you to walk on one side of the desk to get to the chair. The walls were padded. He opened the door, DID NOT turn on the lights and asked "Does this look like a fun room? Do you see any toys?" Bryce looks around, goes and looks under the desk and behind the pads on the wall. "No, there is nothing in here." he finally said. "This is where you get to go if you sneak out of your house again. It is dark, there are no toys, no food - but bread, no spagetti o's!!! You just get to sit." The police officer explained. "You don't even get to see anyone, like your Mommy or Daddy or brothers!" Bryce's eyes got big and he quietly backed out of the room. I wish I had a camera - his expression - PRICELESS!
I feel better about him sneaking out (or NOT sneaking out). I am still really leary and scared about the strangers though. I wish the police officer had spent more time talking about that. Maybe we need to have a Police party and see if we can get a policeman to come over and talk about Stranger Danger - because what I am trying to tell them is NOT getting through! I will have to see about getting some of the kids friends to come over for it!
The policeman got quite a kick out of the fact that I am having to worry about a four year old sneaking out of the house. He asked if there were locks on the window. I told him there were regular window locks, but I was scared to put extra locks that he could not undo because of fire. He could not believe that Bryce could undo the locks (not sure why - but I guess Bryce is not a normal four year old!!). As we were walking down the hall the officer was telling everyone that he snuck out of the house at FOUR!! I explained that I had four boys and did not think the four year old would be the one I had to worry about that with - YET! I explained to him that Bryce is just a very curious little boy and his curiousity often gets him in trouble - because it is ALWAYS hands on curiousity!
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Funny (but not)!
I guess in all of Bryce's badness today, he threw this gun in the playpen. I put Andrew in it after he played in the toy in the last post for a long time. I didn't notice the gun at the time. I went to check on him because he had gotten quiet and this is what I found. I OBVIOUSLY had to take a picture of it - especially since this is how I feel today!!
Walking Circles
Andrew has been playing in this thing for over an hour. This is the first time he has really played with it, even though it has been out for months!
King Kong is BACK - AGAIN!
I have figured out how to let him kill himself though! AND I got photos this time. It does not do justice with the size, but I added a pic of King Kong next to a regular fly.
An Explanation
I guess I need to do a little explaining about the last post. I can't believe I had not put this on here!!
When we went to Texas to see Walking with Dinosaurs show, we went to Paul's great aunts house first to visit. We have always let the boys play in her BIG backyard. There are pecans to pick up and trees to climb. It is fenced and we have never had any problems.
Well, we sit in the kitchen and talk and keep an eye on them. Paul looked out the window and the boys were in the alley behind her house. They have NEVER left the yard before. Not only were they in the alley, they were talking to an old man with a dog.
Paul went running out to them. He got onto the boys and sent them in the house. He talked to the man for a couple of minutes and then came in. We talked to ALL of the boys about not talking to strangers. We thought they had got it and allowed them to go back outside.
A few minutes later, Paul went out to check on them again and two of the boys were in the mans backyard, the third was in the alley.
Bryce just kept saying "he wasn't a stranger I knew HIS name AND his DOGS name.
This has defienently been an eye opener. We talk about "stranger danger" ALL the time. We talked about different circumstances where they may be asked into a car or to go with someone they don't know. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT JUST BECAUSE WE KNOW SOMEONES NAME DOESN'T MEAN THEY ARE NOT A STRANGER!
I am going to try to get a police man to talk to them, but I am not sure if anything, short of having him kidnapped, is going to work! I don't want to scar him for life, but I would rather have a controlled kidnap then a stranger take him.
So, this is why the sneaking out the window is so scarey - other than the OBVIOUS reasons!
When we went to Texas to see Walking with Dinosaurs show, we went to Paul's great aunts house first to visit. We have always let the boys play in her BIG backyard. There are pecans to pick up and trees to climb. It is fenced and we have never had any problems.
Well, we sit in the kitchen and talk and keep an eye on them. Paul looked out the window and the boys were in the alley behind her house. They have NEVER left the yard before. Not only were they in the alley, they were talking to an old man with a dog.
Paul went running out to them. He got onto the boys and sent them in the house. He talked to the man for a couple of minutes and then came in. We talked to ALL of the boys about not talking to strangers. We thought they had got it and allowed them to go back outside.
A few minutes later, Paul went out to check on them again and two of the boys were in the mans backyard, the third was in the alley.
Bryce just kept saying "he wasn't a stranger I knew HIS name AND his DOGS name.
This has defienently been an eye opener. We talk about "stranger danger" ALL the time. We talked about different circumstances where they may be asked into a car or to go with someone they don't know. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT JUST BECAUSE WE KNOW SOMEONES NAME DOESN'T MEAN THEY ARE NOT A STRANGER!
I am going to try to get a police man to talk to them, but I am not sure if anything, short of having him kidnapped, is going to work! I don't want to scar him for life, but I would rather have a controlled kidnap then a stranger take him.
So, this is why the sneaking out the window is so scarey - other than the OBVIOUS reasons!
Sneaking Out - ALREADY!!
I JUST CAUGHT MY SON IN THE FRONT YARD!!!! HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN BED - TAKING A NAP!!! He messed his screen up yesterday so I took it off his window. I walked outside just now - just to get some fresh air, and caught him outside. He climbed through his window! I think his new bedroom is going to be THE BACK YARD WITH THE DOGS!!! HE IS FOUR!!! AM I REALLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HIM SNEAKING OUT OF THE HOUSE ALREADY?
Cute Pictures
Andrew's playhouse with a tunnel entrance. I put this in his bedroom - and he really seems to be enjoying it! I put a bunch of his toys in the house and he trys to drag them back through the tunnel and out with him.
Useful Regurgitation
Okay - I guess the boys are rubbing off on me too much.
I was going through the blog and ran across the picture of Andrew's artwork. I have decided that I need to start bottling the stuff. There has got to be a use for it! I mean if they say to use hemmorhoid cream for under-eye puffiness, surely a little regurgitated baby formula HAS to be good for something! I have a few ideas! For example, Paul's shirt with the artwork - after I washed it, it still has a butterfly, but it seemed to have brought the color BACK into the shirt!
The butterfly is the shirts color before it faded!! Pretty impressive, but sad that I am going to go Shout the shirt to get it back to its FADED color!
As much as comes out of that child - I could bottle it with him alone and probably supply a nation with whatever product we could make out of it!
I was going through the blog and ran across the picture of Andrew's artwork. I have decided that I need to start bottling the stuff. There has got to be a use for it! I mean if they say to use hemmorhoid cream for under-eye puffiness, surely a little regurgitated baby formula HAS to be good for something! I have a few ideas! For example, Paul's shirt with the artwork - after I washed it, it still has a butterfly, but it seemed to have brought the color BACK into the shirt!
The butterfly is the shirts color before it faded!! Pretty impressive, but sad that I am going to go Shout the shirt to get it back to its FADED color!As much as comes out of that child - I could bottle it with him alone and probably supply a nation with whatever product we could make out of it!
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Andrew's First Cold
Andrew has his first cold (actually - first illness of anykind)! I took him to the dr today to make sure there was no ear infection accompanying the cold because he kept rubbing the same ear. Turns out that when Andrew is not feeling great - he rubs his ears (he rubbed his ears a lot when he was teething!).
He did not sleep last night. Turns out that when you have a cold and you are really congested and having a hard time breating, sucking your thumb becomes a difficult task! Sucking his thumb is how he sleeps. Apparantly - no thumb=no sleep - for Mommy or Andrew!!!
Sadly, he keeps trying to choose the thumb over the breathing. Unfortunately for him (but thank goodness) the not-breathing thing isn't working out so well for him, so he HAS to do the breathing thing over the thumb-sucking thing. It is a continual battle with himself as to which is more important!
He has had fever off and on and just generally congested, clingy, whiney, snotty, etc. MISERABLE! Tonight we will sleep in the chair again, with the humidifier and breathing in LOTS of baby Vaporub (that stuff is GREAT!). Hopefully, we will both breath a little easier tonight and sleep A LOT BETTER TOO!
He did not sleep last night. Turns out that when you have a cold and you are really congested and having a hard time breating, sucking your thumb becomes a difficult task! Sucking his thumb is how he sleeps. Apparantly - no thumb=no sleep - for Mommy or Andrew!!!
Sadly, he keeps trying to choose the thumb over the breathing. Unfortunately for him (but thank goodness) the not-breathing thing isn't working out so well for him, so he HAS to do the breathing thing over the thumb-sucking thing. It is a continual battle with himself as to which is more important!
He has had fever off and on and just generally congested, clingy, whiney, snotty, etc. MISERABLE! Tonight we will sleep in the chair again, with the humidifier and breathing in LOTS of baby Vaporub (that stuff is GREAT!). Hopefully, we will both breath a little easier tonight and sleep A LOT BETTER TOO!
Bryce's Imagination
I don't know what is worse, how vivid Bryce's imagination is at four or how he is already using his vivid imagination (or trying too) to his advantage. He is still using his imaginary friends as excuses when he does something he knows he is not supposed to be doing. If he is caught with something he is not supposed to have someone else (either one of his brothers or one of his imaginary friends MADE him take it.
It really scares me. This is a hilarious/disgusting story/example of what I am talking about!
I came in a little while ago from standing outside talking to a friend. Bryce came in to the room I was in. He had been in bed for quite a while, but kept making excuses to come out. I knew while I was outside he was probably up with Caleb. I noticed that something was in his hair and felt it and asked what it was. BOY AM I SORRY I ASKED!!
Bryce what is in your hair?
Nothing, nevermind, good night (he is embarressed and running to bed)!
Bryce, come here.
What
What is in your hair?
Um, well someone may have stuck my head in the toilet.
Who?
Caleb.
(Frightened, but asking anyway) What was IN the toilet?
POOP, and now I have POOP CRUMBS in my hair.
GO GET IN BED!!
I go and ask Caleb (through tears of laughter) if he put Bryce's head in the toilet. "No, he always makes things up and blames me!" Which he does!
I go back in Bryce's room. Bryce who REALLY put your head in the poopy toilet?
OKAY! Really it was Robby!
_________
Please tell me that child is NOT really blaming an imaginary friend for something that gross!!
And yes I sent him to bed - without a shower.
It WAS NOT POOP!! I already got lectured from my sister about the diseases that poop can cause and how horrible I was for sending my son to bed with "poop crumbs" (nice four year old terminology there!) in his hair. It was SOAP in his hair, but Bryce thinks that I think it is poop and that I am mean for making him sleep in it. This is his gazillionth excuse TONIGHT as to why he can't go to bed. The best one, before this one, was him coming out 50 times to tell me he had a horrible, ugh, ugh, ugh cough that was keeping him up! He came out about every two minutes to tell me though, and he was not fake coughing in bed - just as he walked into where I was!
This story is one for the record books!! I hope he reads this in disgust in 30 years and then his son does the same thing to him!!!
It really scares me. This is a hilarious/disgusting story/example of what I am talking about!
I came in a little while ago from standing outside talking to a friend. Bryce came in to the room I was in. He had been in bed for quite a while, but kept making excuses to come out. I knew while I was outside he was probably up with Caleb. I noticed that something was in his hair and felt it and asked what it was. BOY AM I SORRY I ASKED!!
Bryce what is in your hair?
Nothing, nevermind, good night (he is embarressed and running to bed)!
Bryce, come here.
What
What is in your hair?
Um, well someone may have stuck my head in the toilet.
Who?
Caleb.
(Frightened, but asking anyway) What was IN the toilet?
POOP, and now I have POOP CRUMBS in my hair.
GO GET IN BED!!
I go and ask Caleb (through tears of laughter) if he put Bryce's head in the toilet. "No, he always makes things up and blames me!" Which he does!
I go back in Bryce's room. Bryce who REALLY put your head in the poopy toilet?
OKAY! Really it was Robby!
_________
Please tell me that child is NOT really blaming an imaginary friend for something that gross!!
And yes I sent him to bed - without a shower.
It WAS NOT POOP!! I already got lectured from my sister about the diseases that poop can cause and how horrible I was for sending my son to bed with "poop crumbs" (nice four year old terminology there!) in his hair. It was SOAP in his hair, but Bryce thinks that I think it is poop and that I am mean for making him sleep in it. This is his gazillionth excuse TONIGHT as to why he can't go to bed. The best one, before this one, was him coming out 50 times to tell me he had a horrible, ugh, ugh, ugh cough that was keeping him up! He came out about every two minutes to tell me though, and he was not fake coughing in bed - just as he walked into where I was!
This story is one for the record books!! I hope he reads this in disgust in 30 years and then his son does the same thing to him!!!
How You Live by Point of Grace
This has become one of my favorite songs lately. It kind of goes with my life motto: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
I try to remember this motto when the kids ask me to do something with them when I have a ton of things to do and zero time. It is often hard to stop what I THINK needs to be done and remember that I will not have them for long and I need to take advantage of the time I have with them. Go here to hear the song, and click on How You Live under the player.
Verse 1:
Wake up to the sunlight
With your windows open
Don't hold in your anger or leave things unspoken
Wear your red dress
Use your good dishes
Make a big mess and make lots of wishes
Have what you want
But want what you have
And don't spend your life lookin' back
Chorus:
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
Cuz it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live
Verse 2:
So go to the ballgames
And go to the ballet
And go see your folks more than just on the holidays
Kiss all your children
Dance with your wife
Tell your husband you love him every night
Don't run from the truth
'Cause you can't get away
Just face it and you'll be okay
Chorus:
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live
Bridge:
Oh wherever you are and wherever you've been
Now is the time to begin
Verse 3:
So give to the needy
And pray for the grieving
E'en when you don't think that you can
'Cause all that you do is bound to come back to you
So think of your fellow man
Make peace with God and make peace with yourself
'Cause in the end there's nobody else
Chorus
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
'Cause you won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live
I try to remember this motto when the kids ask me to do something with them when I have a ton of things to do and zero time. It is often hard to stop what I THINK needs to be done and remember that I will not have them for long and I need to take advantage of the time I have with them. Go here to hear the song, and click on How You Live under the player.
Verse 1:
Wake up to the sunlight
With your windows open
Don't hold in your anger or leave things unspoken
Wear your red dress
Use your good dishes
Make a big mess and make lots of wishes
Have what you want
But want what you have
And don't spend your life lookin' back
Chorus:
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
Cuz it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live
Verse 2:
So go to the ballgames
And go to the ballet
And go see your folks more than just on the holidays
Kiss all your children
Dance with your wife
Tell your husband you love him every night
Don't run from the truth
'Cause you can't get away
Just face it and you'll be okay
Chorus:
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live
Bridge:
Oh wherever you are and wherever you've been
Now is the time to begin
Verse 3:
So give to the needy
And pray for the grieving
E'en when you don't think that you can
'Cause all that you do is bound to come back to you
So think of your fellow man
Make peace with God and make peace with yourself
'Cause in the end there's nobody else
Chorus
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
'Cause you won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live
He is his Daddy's son!!
I was building a little playhouse for Andrew this afternoon. Caleb came in while I was in the process of putting it together. All that I had together was the floor. He looked at it for a few seconds and says "I wonder what the perimeter of this houses floor is in square inches."
WHAT??
CALL DADDY WITH QUESTIONS LIKE THAT!!
WHAT??
CALL DADDY WITH QUESTIONS LIKE THAT!!
Babysitter
I hired a babysitter for the first time last week. We were going over the rules with the boys and they just could not understand the concept of a babysitter! Bryce kept asking over and over why the boys could not go with us to dinner. I kept nicely saying that it was a grown-up dinner and they would not have any fun. I guess Caleb got tired of Bryce asking so he finally answered Bryce with "They are getting a babysitter because they don't want to listen to little midgets like you all night."
All I could do is laugh and say "something like that, but Caleb is included in the 'little midgets'"
The boys loved the babysitter and she did a great job. We will definently be asking her back - assuming the boys have not scared her away! :)
All I could do is laugh and say "something like that, but Caleb is included in the 'little midgets'"
The boys loved the babysitter and she did a great job. We will definently be asking her back - assuming the boys have not scared her away! :)
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Caleb's Tree
We got a tree for the backyard this weekend. This is Caleb's tree (if you remember, we are planting one tree for each of the kids). It is a Centurion Crabapple Tree. We chose this one because it was so pretty with it's fall colors, but looks like it will be gorgeous this spring/summer! It is a flowering tree, with flowers that look like this and will also have long lasting cherry-red berries on it.
This tree is SO fitting for Caleb. Really, could his tree have a better name than Crabapple? So funny! I believe I will start calling him Crabapple from now on!!
Habitat Box
Caleb had to make a habitat box for school. He chose to do the arctic and wrote his report on the polar bears. Here is the box that he and Daddy did together.
BAD BOY!!!
Luckily, I had JUST changed his diaper! I walked in to find Andrew in his crib EATING his diaper. I guess he got hungry and decided he would just take off his diaper and eat it to fill his tummy!
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