the almost 2 yr old

Lacey is almost 2 and has the attitude to prove it! Abby and Dylan will have another thing coming if they think they will be able to push her around! She has started this thing where she folds her arms, scowls and says "No" when you ask her to do something. She will come and do it or come with you or whatever she just likes to have her say about the matter first!

She also kinda rams you with her head when she gets mad. It is really funny to watch. She is really strong! She usually does this when Abby or Dylan has a toy she wants, something that she feels is hers, or something they took from her. She puts her head down and then just pushes and pushes them, until they either give it up, she gets it from them or we pull her away. Abby and Dylan usually scream for help because they usually end up knocked over on the floor with Lacey ramming them while she is on all fours!

They just wont listen when I tell them they cant take toys from her.

She is definitely a force to be reckoned with!

happy 4th!

Happy Fourth to everyone! A big huge thanks to all who have served our country!

We had a total blast at the family bbq last night. Unfortunately the day leading up to it was less than fun and I ended up forgetting my camera but I am getting pics for other people so I will be posting those soon! Bryan, Abby and Dylan camped out and then this morning we had breakfast before coming home grabbing quick shower and heading off to our little parade.

It was raining this morning not really hard just enough to make it annoying. We went over to a friends house and sat on their lawn. The kids kept themselves busy waiting for the parade to get to us.

In a really good mid-west parade 3/4ths of it is tractors! There were ALOT of them this year despite the rain!

After the parade we had lunch with some friends. Abby was so excited that the rain kept coming down and there wasent any lightning. She has been dying to play in the rain!! Bryan threw a frisbee with Abby and Dylan. They thought that was great fun!

Lacey thinks that she has dibs on ohhh any food that is lying around. She ate hers and then saw Dylans plate-didn't pay any attention to Dylan sitting there- and grabbed his hotdog and when he tried to get it back she yelled at him and held it out of his reach! It was totally funny! By the time we got it out of her hand she had licked off all the mustard and took a bite as fast as she could and then of course Dylan didnt want it back! We had to calm him down and go get him another one. It was way funny!

We then came home where everyone is taking a nice long nap and my house while not as clean as I would like it to be it is quiet!!!

Questions

Yesterday Lacey started trying to jump. That is one of my most favorite things! I love watching her try to figure out how it works. She watches Abby and Dylan with a very intense face and then squats down and shoots up on to her tippy toes. She hasent quite figured out how to do it by herself but she can jump if she is holding on to my hands. She jumps and then claps and cheers for herself! she is so cute! Bryan's mom has a huge family thing planned for this evening compete with family olympics and trophies and everything! I am going to go out on a huge leap and say that I will be watching only! If you know me you know that I am not one to really be in the middle of things! But I love watching others do that stuff! So anyway along with the games and bbq everyone is camping also. Now anyone with young kids knows that you keep fun things you are going to do quiet untill you are leaving or you will be driven crazy with questions! I have kept the camping to myself knowing that Abby and Dylan would only talk about it and ask me when we were going all week long if I told them. So this morning in an effort to motivate them to clean their rooms Bryan told them we were going camping. And then it began. Screams. Excitment. Questions. Questions. Questions. He was like "oh my gosh! I thought that would get them to clean up!". It did get Abby to get her room clean- of course that is after we were forced to answer her same 5 questions- yes we are going camping, no we arent going right now, yea we are going later, yes you and Dylan get to sleep outside, no we are not going right now, not till after naptime, no you dont have to go to sleep but you do have to have a little rest time, yes after that we will go.

The Circle of Life

Squirrels and kids don't mix. A few years ago my mom was doing home daycare. She had her sweet little 4 yr olds outside standing in a circle in the driveway under a tree playing a game when all of a sudden a squirrel fell from the tree into the middle of the circle. Dead. So they had a little talk. Today I was lucky enough to have the same talk with my kids. My guys were out running around with Emma our neighbor playing hide and seek. They had been all around the yard and were making another round then I hear "hey there is a dead squirrel over here!". Sometime between rounds around the yard this poor squirrel fell from the tree. Now obviously I don't know what happened since it was dead and couldn't talk and we don't live in a cartoon and it couldn't talk and it didn't make any noise on its fall down since it couldn't talk. So either it died in the tree and fell or since it was super windy it got blown out of the tree and died on impact! Who knows!! So when Bryan got home the kids gathered round as Bryan buried it! What a way to end the afternoon!!

Busy day!

This morning we had a primary activity. It turned out awesome and I think that all the kids had a good time! I had some things to get ready for it and of course ended up doing it late last night. I don't know why that happens but I always seem to be up the night before no matter how well I plan! We did a patriotic theme. You can see more of what we did and some pics on our primary blog. We had about 23 kids come and considering we only have around 30 that is a pretty good turn out! Dylan and Lacey enjoyed running around and not being in the house! They really shouldn't have been there since they are not old enough but Bryan had to be there too so they got to come hang out! We were actually able to have it outside since the heat broke alittle! The only bad thing was as the morning turn into afternoon and we were still outside it got HOT!!! By the time we got home after cleaning up and setting up for tomorrow I was totally wiped out! It is really fun to see Abby in primary. It is fun to watch her with all the other kids and how she interacts with them. I got to sub her class last sunday and that was very interesting! It was the first time I have been in her class and it was really I don't even know what the right word is, saying it was an eye opener sounds like it was bad, I guess it was more like shock that she is actually her own person and can go on without me! It kinda freaked me out alittle! It was weird!

Umm Eww Gross.

A couple nights ago I sent Abby and Dylan into brush their teeth only to remember as they were rounding the corner to the bathroom that I left my wedding ring and band by the mirror by the mason jar that holds the toothbrushes. I was like "oh man!" and ran in there in time to save my wedding ring but not quick enough for the band! I asked them where the ring was in hopes that one of them was wearing it but they both just looked at me and then pointed down the drain. Great. I told Bryan what happened and he said he would come get it for me. He was up really late studying for a math test and then up and out early in the morning so I took matters into my own hands and become an amateur plumber! So I turned off the water and loosened the pipe stuff (that is an actual pumbing term!) and then stuck my finger down and around in the u-bend. It was totally gross!! I finally fished it out and put everything back and nothing was leaking so I was pretty proud of myself. Then I cleaned my ring-really well.

Updates

We finally got to go outside yesterday. The heat and the humidity have been crazy!! I am talking about 90 degrees and 105 heat index at 10 in the morning!! I think that is a little much! Today we woke up to 97% humidity. Doesn't make you excited to go outside but since the temps should be in the lower 90's and no heat advisory I think we might be able to play in the water today! We have been on the busy side of things lately. Bryan is taking a summer math class that is going at warp speed so when he is home he is holed up downstairs doing homework or studying for a test. The class is almost done and I think he will be glad to have this class check marked off! I have been getting the house squared away as my "free time" dwindles down to nothing on monday when I start babysitting again. Not very excited about that but the money is always nice. We also have a primary activity this weekend that I have been getting ready for. I am really excited about it! We are doing some fun stuff in honor of the Fourth of July! This way anything they make they can wear or display on the Fourth. It is going to be a blast!! On the kid front-Lacey has a new set of words that include "No" said with a very fierce scowl and "stop it" said whenever anyone looks or says something to her! I just tell myself that her new attitude is terrible two stuff plus it is easy to laugh at her because she makes the best faces when she is mad. So for now it doesn't really bother me, but in a couple months........! Dylan is in full boy mode complete with the unfocused what do you mean my room needs to be cleaned up look when you ask him to clean up his toys because they are scattered on the floor. Abby is way excited for school to start. We got her Letter in the mail that tells us who her teacher is and her Unpack your Backpack Night Aug.11th. She also asks everyday if it is time to go to school yet. Everyday. EVERYDAY!!! If you know me you know I am not a big fan of lots of questions. So it is very frustrating and helps me gain a few notches on my patience meter!

I love my sister!

Well these past 2 weeks we have been had family visiting! My parents and brother Jeff were out the weekend before last as well as my sister and her family. It was so much fun! Sarah and Eric took off for a much needed couple time and we had fun with the girls for the week. They got back this last sunday and decided to stay a couple days before going home. Let me just say that I love my sister. She is awesome and we have so much fun together. It has always been sad to leave whenever we have gotten together and I don't know what is different about this time but man I miss her! She gave me a hug and she started tearing up and I told her to stop that! I was good till she left but then the tears started and have been very near the surface all day!! If I think about them leaving at all or that I probably wont see her again till next summer then my eyes start to well up with tears before I can stop them and they fall and that makes me mad because I am being silly. I just wish that she could live closer so we could see each other a little more and visit. But whatever. Some times life is just stupid.

Playing with cousins!

Well now we embark on our fun-filled week with Luxie and Meadow! To add to the fun my sister-in-law-in-law (not type-o!) and her two chilins Josh and Brooklyn came out for a visit on Sunday. It is really fun to see them because they haven't been here for a couple years. My father-in-law has one of those blow-up bouncing things and brought it out for the kids. The only problem is is that it completly freakes out my kids! Give them a tall slide or a climbing wall no problem, something that makes noise-no way!! Everytime he has gotten it out Abby has refused to get in and ran crying from the room (it also doesnt help that her Papa grabed her and try to throw her in it!). So the cousins Josh, Brooklyn, Garrett, Luxie and Meadow and even Lacey all jumped in it. And I am proud to say that after much talking Abby got in and while I wouldnt say she loved it, she did have a good time! Also I must say how proud I am of Luxie, the last time she stayed with us whenever there where a lot of people or a lot of stuff going on she would just lay down and go to sleep. This time she was right in the thick of things and having a total blast!

Today was absolutly beautiful so we were able to spend some time outside. We got out the bikes and had to diffuse a coupe arguments of who got to ride what and when. The funniest thing was watching the girls play hide-and-seek. There arent many places to hide in our wide open back yard but they managed and had a lot of fun!

While the bigger girls were running around and Dylan was trying to stay away from all the girls, the little girls discovered the sand box.

While Meadow got in trouble for doing this with the sand......

Lacey got in trouble for eating it!

Milestones

Well a couple milestones to note. Dylan is potty trained! woohoo!! He has been for a little while. I told him one morning that now he was a big boy and big boys go in the potty. He looked at me and said "No, I not a big boy, I wear a diaper" I was like ummmm don't think so!! So the first day we went through every pair of undies that he had and the next day not one accident! He had been totally awesome! We have even graduated to going to the store and church in "big boy undies". It is so nice to have only one in diapers!

I don't know if others had trouble trying to get it to click in a little boys head, but I tried a bunch of different things to get him to go potty and he just wasn't getting it until I tried what worked for my little brother. Making water. I asked Dylan if he could make water, and the light bub went off and his face it up and he said "yeah I can make water!" So that is out code for when he has to go potty. Pretty exciting!!

Abby had a blast at her recital! Bill represented the grandparents by himself since Jenny was at home lounging after having knee surgery on Wednesday. They wanted the parents to come at intermission to pick up the little kids so I waited like I was supposed to but I wish I hadn't because the routine she loved as well as the rest of the ballet and lyrical routines that she would have liked were in the first part so she missed them! We got her a little bouquet of flowers, she thought she was pretty cool carrying her flowers and wearing her dress! I asked her if she liked being up there on the stage in front of all the people and she replied with a big smile "It was so much fun and I wasn't scared at all!" We took her back in to watch some of the second part and she was clapping and hootin and hollering for the other girls, she was really getting into it!

Lacey, my sweet Lacey has popped the biggest attitude lately, and I coudn't figure out if it was because she had teeth coming in or what until I remembered that she was 19 months old. For those of you who don't understand that expanation , the terrible twos do not start at 2 they start at around 18 months. No one tells you that. I think is because they don't want to scare people who are thinking of having kids!!! So now we have this sassy little thing walking around my house! The sad thing is is that she is just so dang cute it is hard to not laugh at her! Especially when she makes one of her faces! But I need to get that under control because laughing doesn't help when I am trying to curb her behaviour!!

Recital Rehearsal

Abby first dance recital rehearsal was tonight and let me just say that I hope the show runs better!! After the Christmas recital fiasco I was a little hesitant about leaving her with her group and the ladies in charge....and I was right! It has been a great place for Abby's first dance experience but I am glad we are moving her to a different studio! When we got there I got her changed in to her dress and they started separating them in to lines. The recital is both friday and saturday nights and they have two tiny tot combo classes so one performs each night. Abby is supposed to be on sat.. So they were lining the girls up and I asked them which line was which and which one they put her in so that she would be in the group she was supposed to be in. I left and went to the auditorium but should have because she ended up in the wrong group!! When they came out on stage I just figured that they had the fri. girls in front and the sat. girls in back, but turns out they had her in the wrong group! Not the end of the world but just annoying! I went back to get her when they were done and on of the other moms came over to me and asked me if Abby was performing on sat. cuz she was in the fri. group. I was like "what?" She was like "you need to go ask because she has to be on sat because my girls (she had twins) follow her, they don't know it as well". So longer story short-she is on sat. and we did get the right tickets!! So here is the video I got of her. The video isn't the best because right when the music started the girl in front of Abby side stepped right in front of her!! ARRGGGHHH!!! The first little clip is blurry but she looks so cute. the second clip I fixed the focus! So there you go! One way cute thing was after she was done I took her back to watch some of the other dances. We watched a couple when the older girls who go up on point came out. Their dance started and they were moving all around and doing the arm stuff and then all of a sudden the all popped up on point and Abby gasped and said "oh , they are beautiful! Aren't they beautiful mom?! This is my favorite dance, I love this one they are just beautiful!" It was the sweetest thing! I think we have a budding ballerina!

Battle Bedroom

Don't let this sweet face fool you!! Underneath that cute exterior lies a crazy stubborn little monster!! Well finally monday morning Abby got her room clean! Although her room has not been clean since the episode where she told me "little people need to sleep" (see below), I haven't been actively been trying to get her to do mostly because I didn't want to deal with her completely outrageous stubbornness that is Abigail. So I dug in and prepared for a fight! And I wasn't disappointed! It took 4 days! She ended up being stripped of just about every privilege a 5 year old has and bribed with numerous things. We tried stickers, buttons for her jar, candy, soda, toys, and money. We took away the computer, tv/movies and outside time. NOTHING WORKED!!! She is so stubborn! What kid wont do something for money or candy!! She spent alot of time crying on her floor saying "I am so tired! I don't want to clean!"

So finally on monday (day 4) I told her "Ok Abby, I don't want to hear anymore crying, You are a big girl and you need to pick up your toys, there isn't that much to do so you need to just do it real fast!" Well that was met with more tears. I have even tried reading to her while she clean. We have taken her toys and put them in trash bags and taken them away, she thanked us for cleaning her room for her and didn't ask for any of the toys for 2 weeks! She even offered to pay Bryan $5 to clean her room for her!!! HELLO???!!! She is 5!! And she is offering to PAY her dad to clean her room for her!! She is just way to much!!! Well she finally got it done and she was very proud of herself! It wasn't how I would have liked it done-everything was all jumbled together, nothing separated-but it was done and I had to tell her she did a good job! With a smile. So that is what I did and she was very excited! I just don't get why she has to do everything the hard way!! So if anyone had any other suggestions I would gladly welcome them!!!

Lacey and the Doc. Office

Lacey had her last check-up with the pediatric cardiologist for her heart murmur. We had to do the whole shebang-the chest x-ray, the EKG and an ultrasound. Everything went really fast and we were only at the hospital for 1 and 1/2 hours if you can believe that! It was really funny when they called us back for the x-ray, Lacey was all smiles and jabbering with the lady and then when she was done she was trying to get Lacey to smile at her and Lacey just gave her this mean glare!!! She makes the best faces! After the EKG the nurse gave Lacey a little gown to wear while we waited to see the doctor and do the ultrasound. I had to update her registration info so she was walking around the office with the nurse acting like she owned the place. She went into all the rooms and was jabbering with all the ladies in the office. Luckily we were the only ones in the office right then so she wasnt bugging anyone!

Adventures Outside

After naptime we went outside to play since it was absolutly beautiful! Right before we walk outside Abby tells me that Dylan opened his window in his room and was throwing stuff out the window! Dylan pipes up with "I can't reach it mom its to far away". So we go outside and sure enough there is a pile of stuff that Dylan had cpushed the screen out and chucked stuff out his window!! I mean come on!!! (pay no attention to the door to the basement! we are getting rid of that nasty wood thing and getting something new!)

Lacey discovered how to climb up the slide today by herself!! She climbs up, turns around and then slides down all by herself! She was very proud of herself! O.k. I have a video but I am having a little difficulty with getting it uploaded but hopefully I can get it soon because it is really cute!

The Sleeping Styles of Lacey!

I have been saving up these pics for awhile! I love to go check on Lacey when she is taking a nap. You never know just how you will find her!

Happy B-day Dylan!

I am a day late in getting this up but thankfully Dylan can't read yet and he never checks the blog!! My little boy is 3!! He woke up and came in to tell me good morning so I gave him a hug and told him happy birthday and he said "it's my birthday?!". He is such a sweet little boy. He trys to be as helpful as it is possible for a 3 year old to be! And he says some of the funniest things! His current favs are Hercules, Handy Manny, Lightning McQueen, Mickey Mouse, and Curious George. He eats just about anything he lays eyes on and it makes me wonder how we will be able to afford to feed him when he is a teenager!! He also is loud. And I mean loud. Seriously, LOUD. I take comfort in knowing that it isn't a learned behavior, he was born loud and the nurses will back me up on that! In the hospital they took him for his hearing screening and on of the nurses came in and started to ask where he was and she cut off mid-sentance, kinda cocked her head and said "oh here he comes". Kinda sad that they can pick out a certain baby's cry when they are only there for 2 days!! Oh well, it has to come in handy sometime in his life right?!! We love you Dylan!! Happy Birthday!!

Abby's fight to go to sleep

I cleaned the kids rooms yesterday by myself because I didn't want to hear all the crying and arguments that usually go along with it. So Abby has a few things on the floor that she has played with today and I asked her if she could pick them up real fast before she went to bed. And oh my gosh you would have thought I had asked her to clean the whole house!! She has been crying for 20 minutes! She keeps asking to go to bed (it is 6:50 right now) and I told her that she could go to bed after she cleaned. She is back in her room and I can hear her talking to herself. It is really funny! I feel bad because she is so upset but this is what she is saying "I hate cleaning, I hate it every time, there are too many books, it is too much mess, I can't do this mess, I am so tired, I need to go to sleep, My body, my eyes, my arms, my legs are so tired, I am so super duper duper duper duper tired and I need to sleep, that is what little people do, I am little I want to go to sleep, please I will pick it up in the morning, I am so tired, I totally hate cleaning this mess, I really really want to sleep, I didn't take a nap today and my body needs to sleep" Seriously word for word!! It is now 7:25 and I can hear her starting to pick some stuff up. Geeez louisa stop the drama!!!!

The Shed

We took the kids out for breakfast this morning. Not something we ever do so it was a treat for us all. We went to the Iowa Machine Shed. It is a very popular local resturant (obviously since it has Iowa in the name!!!) The whole thing is decked out in farming decor. There are bails of hay outside and there is a guy that waits outside to give rides around the parking lot in a tracktor. Dylan is way into tracktors so we thought he would be all over it. Ummmm......Not So Much!!

I felt bad for him, but it was just so funny! He did eventually calm down and was telling me that "I like this, this is fun Mom".

The girls didn't have a problem with it and enjoyed the whole ride. After we got everyone in the car Dylan, who sits by Lacey, turned and asked her "did you like that Lacey?" It was so cute!

After breakfast we did some shopping. While we were driving Dylan was telling us the story of the 3 little pigs. This the 3 little pigs (shortened version) as told by Dylan.

A Sister's Help

Abby, thankfully, is usually pretty helpful. Sometimes we get the "you ask me to do to much, I can't do everything!" comments. Yesturday we were brushing teeth and she decided that Lacey needed a little help! Lacey was patient enough for her to do it. She just laughed and laughed and thought it was a fun game. I like how Abby has a grip on her head to keep her mouth open!!