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Monday, March 30, 2009

one more thing...

Another thing about our visit to Dea's...

As we all know, Casey has a serious infatuation with Spanish speaking individuals...Well, Dea's husband, Gonzo, is Colombian and was more than happy to play along with us...He spoke Spanish directly to Casey.  Oh, my Lord, this child!  She blushed and was all giggly and giddy and then took off running.

When we were leaving,  Gonzo again spoke to her in Spanish.  Exact same reaction - blood shot to her cheeks, high pitched giggling and then she hid behind me.  

Tonight at dinner, Chris asked her about it.  Blushing, giggling, she replied, "I couldn't help it!  I am a very shy person!"  WHAT???  Really?  Seriously?  And then she admitted that she thought Gonzo was really cute.  I think its the foreign language attraction.  :)

CRCT Practice

So here's something else from the weekend...

While we were at Dea and Gonzo's all of the kids were in the playroom upstairs - the girls being the big kids of the group.  Dea came down from checking on everyone at one point and said, "Uh, Ang, your kids are working on fractions on the white board upstairs."

So, the next time the girls came down, this was our conversation

Me:  So how is everything?  Are you having fun?
Casey:  Oh, yes, Mama, we're practicing for the CRCT.
Me:  Really.  What kind of practice are you doing?
Chan:  We're working on fractions.
Casey:  I'm writing a fraction on the board, and then Chan is drawing the picture of the fraction.
Chan:  And then we do it the other way.  You know, taking turns...
Me:  Well, alright then...glad to hear you're enjoying yourselves.

I hope that they have this same behavior at a party in about 10 years or so.

*After the conversation, I looked at the white board and they were doing a great job with their practice!*

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Untitled

Yes, its an untitled post. Usually I know what my post is going to be about before I start typing, but not this time. I suppose I could mention that as I am typing Quinn is carrying on in his crib like we are sentencing him to death by putting him to bed. This is a new behavior - he is usually the BEST about going to bed. But last night he decided that we were up to something in our fancy clothes and the lady with long brown hair hanging out in the kitchen (more about this in a minute) and was suspicious and would NOT go to sleep before we left. We tried everything to no avail. We eventually told the babysitter to do whatever it was that she needed to do to maintain sanity and then ran out the door. She decided to bring him downstairs for a little while longer - he cried the whole time he was down here and then some more when she finally did put him back down. We have tried keeping him up later, but it is not a fun time for anyone involved, and it does not make him sleep any better in the night. So. I'm not sure what that is all about. He has stopped crying and is now listening to his aquarium music (which he turns on and off by himself).

This weekend was busy and full of fun - for the whole family! Friday night, the girls old babysitter, and a former student of mine, BriBriana (this is what the girls call her) came over for dinner with us. We miss her now that she is in college! Saturday we spent the majority of the day cleaning out the girls room. We have an enormous amount of items that we be relocated to the nearest Goodwill including...
1. 209 Barbie dolls
2. 3 bags of Polly Pockets
3. 41 My Little Ponies
4. 2 Littlest Pet Shop Play Sets
5. 891 stuffed animals
6. 37 books
7. 18 dress up outfits
and
8. 2 bins of clothing

Ok, so the actual numbers may be just a tad bit off, but that is what it felt like we were packing up, and that is definitely what it looks like in the hallway! The saddest part is that it still feels like their room and closet is busting at the seams.

Yesterday was also Chris's 30th Birthday. We originally planned on going to the mac store and out for lunch at Five Guys, but reconsidered, thinking that perhaps that wasn't quite on par with a 30th b-day celebration. So, we got a sitter (1st time since we've had Quinn), and went to 5 and 10 in Athens. YUM! The best part was that I was in cahoots with his best friends Nick and Liz and they drove in from Atlanta to meet us there. Chris is incredibly surprised. From there we went to the Manhattan (one of my favorite bars in Athens). It was fabulous to have a grown up night out - dinner and drinks - while wearing make up and heels... (well, I wore make up and heels...Chris wore a tie)...outstanding!

Chris let me sleep in this morning, we worked some more in the girls room and then I took all 3 kids over to my friend Dea's house this afternoon. And now, it is time for me to start getting myself together for the week ahead. And then, Hello, Spring Break!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Fairytale Session


A few weeks ago the girls had a fairytale picture session with Miss Frankie. I can't wait to see the rest of the pictures! If you haven't already been checking the blog - you should definitely do so - I am always so impressed with the pictures they take.

www.stylizedportraiture.com/blog

In other news, we had 3 good nights of sleep and now Quinn is back to being a holy terror in the middle of the night. Chris and I are exhausted and grumpy, which is completely unfair to the girls. I just keep thinking that this too shall pass. And of course, I am well aware that when it does pass, there will be something else to take its place and that Quinn is very quickly growing from baby to toddler and that I will miss the days of him being a baby.

Speaking of babies, this one needs some serious prayer right now...

www.mycharmingkids.net

Sadly, that is about all that I have to write right now. It is lack of sleep.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Ohmygod I love Edward

It's true. I am obsessed. I started reading the Twilight series when Twilight first came out and then forced it on everyone that I knew. Chris and I are not big movie goers, so I knew that I would have to wait for the DVD...which I got today and watched tonight and it just reinforces my love for Edward. Definitely one of the best characters ever created. And, I must admit, I was doubtful that Robert Pattinson could bring him to life the way I imagined, but boy oh boy was I wrong. I think I might have to watch it again tomorrow night. Big sigh. Chris also wants it known that my lusting after Robert Pattinson makes me a cougar. Whatever. I'm down with that.

In other news, Quinn has decided out of the blue that he would like to be an all night sleeper. I think he heard me talking about shipping him off to my mother's. :) Thank you for all of the emails and phone calls of advice though. I am sure that the good night's sleep won't last long though, so I am tucking all of your words of wisdom away in my back pocket and keeping some tylenol in his room.

This is my quote of the day...

As we're walking out of Lowe's after already having gone to Target...
Casey: Whew! Hooray! We get to go home now.
Me: Well, I don't know, I think that Dad and I want to go to the computer store.
Casey: For what?
Me: Oh, you know, just to look around...see what we can see.
Chandler: Why?
Me: Because Dad and I want to.
Chandler: But why?
Me: Because we like looking at computers.
Chandler: *in bratty voice* Why do you always answer things with 'Because I want to' or 'Because I like that' or 'Because I said so'? Those aren't real answers you know. (huffs and puffs, rolling eyes, shuffling feet)
Me: I think it would be in your best interest to stop talking.

Yes, just another fine day in the neighborhood.

ps - we decided not to go to the apple store after all.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Advice Needed

Next week, Quinn will be 9 months old. For the past two months he has not slept through the night. Today Chris and I both went to work on about 3 hours of sleep. His current wake up time is 11pm, 1:30am, 3am and 4:30am. At 4:30 he had his first bottle of the day and slept until 6:30. The problems first started when he had the stomach virus and was having horrible diapers throughout the middle of the night, then we went into congestion and he couldn't breathe, then the ear infections and then RSV. But, he is well now and still finding reasons to wake up. And when I say "wake up" I mean, screaming at the top of his lungs standing in the crib shaking the railings. Sometimes he has a paci in his mouth, sometimes he doesn't. When you lay him back down and rub his back, he growls and kicks his legs. We thought perhaps he was going to bed too early, but no, we've kept him up later and it has the same outcome. Last night we tried the Ferber method - going in to check on him and spacing it out, and essentially trying to let him cry it out - he screamed from 11:24 until 12:30 (not to worry, we were checking on him and listening the whole time through the monitor) when I went and got him and put him in bed with us. Then Chris and I spent the next hour watching him flop around on our bed like a fish out of water, crawling on top of his and ramming his head into the wall. At 1:30, I put him back in his own bed. He screamed for another hour, woke up at 3:45, which is when I broke down and gave him a bottle. We are at the end of our rope. During the day he takes an hour nap in the morning and a smaller afternoon nap. He plays and is happy. He is a champion eater. And for the most part, he sleeps great from 6ish until 11...and then all hell breaks loose. Prior to January he was the best sleeper ever - from 5:30pm until 5:30am - with almost hardly ever a peep in the middle of the night.

So, what to do? What to do? Any suggestions or advice to give?

Monday, March 16, 2009

The Cost of an Ottoman

Me: Chan, stop tipping back on the ottoman. If you break one of the legs off you'll have to pay for it. We'll have to get a new one and it'll be about $200.
Chan: But I only have $18.
Me: Right. So you'll be giving me money for a long time to finish paying for the new ottoman.
Chan: How much was it again?
Me: $200
Chan: So, that's $20?
Me: No, $200.
Chan: So, that's $102?
Me: No, Chan, $200.
Chan: So what is that? 20 pennies?
Me: No, Chan, TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS.
Chan: Well I don't even know what that looks like. (stops tipping the ottoman)

Friday, March 13, 2009

Topics of Conversation

We discussed tonight at dinner the following items...

1. The fact that Chan's initials are C.P.P ... really. Poor kid. So we are figuring that if we talk about it at home and get it out in the open and laugh about it, she will be less sensitive and better able to roll with it when the kids at school find out and start making fun of her for it. She is also still convinced that her middle name is really supposed to be "Batricia". We spent quite some time practicing the difference between the "P" sound and the "B" sound.

2. The girls' teacher is pregnant. The baby is kicking all the time now. Mrs. B wore black today to school and Casey was pleased to report that she doesn't look pregnant at all in black. Casey almost forgot Mrs. B was pregnant...but then she remembered.

3. Chris noticed this morning that when the girls go out of the van at school that they pretended to be worms. They re-inacted it for me and yes, they most certainly were worms. They have a different animal picked out to be every morning next week. Chris is very excited about this...as you might imagine he would be.

4. The fact that Chris and I will be cleaning out their room very soon because it is a disaster and they have waaaaaay too much stuff. We asked if they play with the Barbies, "No." We asked if they play with the huge tub of baby dolls that they have, "Just a few." But the one thing that Casey was insistent that we not take was the stage. That's right, they have a stage. And she needs the stage because when she grows up she is going to be a role model. Yep.

I can't wait to hear about their dinner conversation with Chris's mom tomorrow night. :)

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Big Boy Quinn

Check out that big boy Quinn, drinking out of a sippy cup! We are slowly weaning him off of the bottle and formula and it is actually going quite well. Surprisingly well. He is VERY interested in feeding himself - everything from graham crackers, club crackers, puffs, biter cookies, watermelon, and the girls' stickers. Oh, well, perhaps they will start learning to pick up after themselves now that Quinn is on the move and tasting their things.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

New Hair 09

Ok, these are NOT the greatest pictures ever, and I wish that you could all see, in person, the greatest hair cut ever. Here is the honest truth...I am a Great Clips/Hair Cuttery/etc. girl. I hate making a hair appointment and then waiting two weeks for said appointment. I like deciding on my way home from work that I need a trim and going to get that trim. These are the benefits to going to such places. Unfortunately, for the past few years, I have not been pleased with the haircut that I have gotten there. I have even gone back on a few occasions to have it recut because one side is longer than the other, etc. I also color my hair with a box from the grocery store. (Yikes!) But, now that I am 31, I feel like I should, as an adult, have a hair stylist. Someone who knows me and cuts and colors my hair for me. So, I was referred to Honey Salon in Athens. Seriously, one of the best experiences of my life. And the craziest thing - I now have naturally curly hair a la Quinn. Really. The layers that Lorie cut in my hair have made it light enough for awesome curls to spring all over my head. Not that I have the slightest clue of what to do with them. :) So, now that I am an adult (you know, 3 kids, paying taxing and owning a home will do that to you), I have a hair dresser (she prefers "hair ninja" and I'm down with that). I also made it all last week without wearing sneakers to work and this week I am going to attempt some eye make up. All part of turning over a new leaf.
**I included this picture just to show off my super cute new green ballet flat moccasins from Old Navy. I am in love!

Snow 09

Snow 09 kind of snuck up on us. Sure, we had heard that we might have some snow on Sunday, but we've heard that God only knows how many times and had it not be true. So, Chris took Casey to church with him, I stayed home with sick Chandler and RSV boy Quinn. There was lunch at the fellowship hall afterwards, and the snow started falling before Chris got home from Athens. Chan and I sat by the window watching the beautiful flakes drifting down from the sky. Quinn slept through it. Chris called to let us know that he was on his way home around 1. It took him about an hour to make the 25 mile drive. Even though Chandler had a terrible cough, we felt like we could not deprive her the experience of playing in REAL snow. The girls have never seen snow like this before. He bundled them up and sent them out. I made hot chocolate and we prayed that the power wouldn't go out. Chris got the call around 6pm that Jackson Co was having a snow day on Monday, but I did not receive a call from my school system. Bottom line, we had 5 inches of snow at our house and 20 miles away at my school there was nothing. So, Chris had to shovel the driveway and I had to brave the icy roads to get to school (late) Monday morning. I had about 15 mini heart attacks on the way - I couldn't tell what was ice and what was just shiny road. :) The same thing happened on Tuesday - Chris and the kids stayed home while I made the trek to the land of no snow.
Chan - preparing for a snowball battle.

In addition to the snowballs, the girls also built snow ladies. Casey named hers Nina and was upset to watch her melt away.


Yes, they are wearing rainboots! And yes, we did sled down the hill in the backyard on cookie sheets.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

What the girls really think about me...

This is a note that I posted on facebook...only here you get to read my comments on this as well (not just their answers). Mainly they're my comments that were in my head, not what I actually said aloud to the 7 year olds! :)

1. What is something mom always says to you? Casey: No. (This is true. Sad, but true. I mean really, what else I am supposed to say when the child asks to watch 8 hours of tv on Saturdays, or wear a shirt as a dress?)
Chandler: I love you. (So sweet. I am sure that she wants something.)

2. What makes mom happy? Casey: When we give you gifts. (Um, I am about all filled up with beaded necklaces and am ready for them to move on to a different gift making/gift giving project.)
Chandler: When I do that funny dance. (Only because I am shocked everytime by the ridiculousness of it.)

3. What makes mom sad? Casey: When we cry. (Only if its for something real. Not when you cry because sister won't let you listen to the song that you want to listen to for the 184th time on that particular day. Not when you cry because you are convinced that your eyeball is bleeding and you are shrieking at the top of your lungs and brother has just laid down for a much needed nap and then there ends up not even being a mark on you - or your eyeball - and 5 minutes later you are back to practicing headstands. These situations provoke a different emotion than sad.)
Chandler: I actually have no idea. (Really? Really?)

4. How does your mom make you laugh? Casey: When she tells funny, funny stories from when we were little kids. (Yes, that's right, I make you laugh by talking about you.)
Chandler: Actually, when you dance like this (and then a spot on imitation of me) (Which also happens to be very similar to the dance that is mentioned in #2, which has slightly freaked me out.)

5. What was your mom like as a child? Casey: nice, longer hair and braces. (true.)
Chandler: braces, nice, and at school you didn't have a cafeteria (this is also a true statement. At my elementary school in Carol Stream, IL, we ate lunch in the gym on tables that folded down from the walls. There was not a kitchen area and we had to bring our lunch from home everyday, or if we lived close enough we could walk home and then walk back.)

6. How old is your mom? Both: 31 (They are facinated by our ages. They used to ask people, "What's your number?")
7. How tall is your mom? Casey: 6ft tall (She actually got to this answer by estimating since she is 4ft tall, then I must be 6ft.)
Chandler: 7ft, no I change my mind, 6, definitely 6ft (ok, Rain Man.)

8. What is her favorite thing to do? Casey: playing and dancing with us. (Absolutely these are my favorite things to do.)
Chandler: scrapbook. (Casey was then disappointed in her answer. She forgot that I did this. Nevermind the fact that I now have a room in the house devoted to it.)

9. What does your mom do when you're not around? Casey: probably work, and maybe take naps. (Yes, take naps. I wish that I could just take some naps when they are not around.)
Chandler: I do not know this because I don't have a secret camera in here. (She said Chris cleans and thinks about how he is going to scream at them.) (I love this answer. I especially love what she said about Chris. He almost NEVER, even remotely, raises his voice.)

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? Casey: Because you do a lot of things - you were a teacher and now you're a library. (Holy crap! I'm a library. I had no idea. How does one become a library?)
Chandler: Because you have A LOT more clothes than dad. (While this is also true, I am not really sure how it would make me famous.)

11. What is your mom really good at? Casey: being a library teacher...I really like your library. (She is desperate to come back to visit - we have stairs! at my library. I also figure that this is a good answer because a year ago she told someone that I was really good at playing at pacman.)
Chandler: reading books to a 1,000 kids...and teaching because I know a lot of your students.

12. What is your mom not very good at? Casey: Carrying me...we're getting really heavy.
Chandler: I would probably say carrying something like a sofa.

13. What does your mom do for her job? Both: Library! (This is now being used as a verb!)

14. What is your mom's favorite food? Casey: everything! What, she does like to eat! (True. But I didn't notice that the 7 year olds had picked up on that.)
Chandler: you don't like tacos, I think its chinese though (I do actually like tacos, but never look forward to taco night and then end up eating 6 of them.)

15. What makes you proud of your mom? Casey: Because you scrapbook alot. (She was dying to use the scrapbook answer.)
Chandler: that you're my mom. (So sweet. She definitely wants something.)
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? Casey:London on Suite Life (So she's not really sure what a cartoon character is.)
Chandler: The weatherman on the news. (Chan should help Casey with the cartoon characters.)

17. What do you and your mom do together? Casey: dance (Again with the dancing...what people must think about us!)
Chandler: play

18. How are you and your mom the same? Casey: we mostly have the same hair length and bangs (Its all about the hair with this one!)
Chandler: faces.

19. How are you and your mom different? Casey: You're mostly taller than me. (I should hope so.)
Chandler: color hair (she says it this way, instead of hair color...which mine will be changing on Saturday!)

20. How do you know your mom loves you? Casey:Because you smile when you look at me sometimes ...except when you look at me with the creepy eyes. (The creepy eyes are what I give her when I am ticked at her about something. I know what the creepy eyes looking like because my mother has them too. They are creepy. But really, did she have to bring them up in a question about how I love you???)
Chandler: I just know that. Because my family loves me. Even if they scream at me they really love me deep, deep, deep down inside. (Do you think we've told her this before? And really, what is up with the "screaming" comments? Chris and I are definitely not screamers.)

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? Casey: the mall (She says this because it is her favorite place to go.)
Chandler: whenever you go see your family members. (Where ever that is!)