KidSpeak

My children say some pretty cute things and in my head I think, "I'll always remember they said ..." Well, let's get realistic, I will probably forget within the week once they quit saying them. Here are some funny kid-talkisms:

Luke (the 2 year old):

"TIC-TIC ME, MOMMY!" (Tickle me!)

"Num-num wit pea-nut-butt-ter, pleez!" (banana with peanut butter NOW)

"I did went!" (I went potty!)

"I not know!!" (I didn't do whatever it is you think I did!)

"I like O-GEN!" (I like the color orange!)

"Wa-wa-meh-meh?" (water medicine - also known as Albuterol, an oral liquid prescription)

And some that do not need translation:

"NAKED ME!!"

"Too loud, mommy?"

Natalie (the 4 year old):

"Repel" (also known as Propel, the sports drink)

"Mommy, may you please...?" (Words a little out of order, but very courteous all the same.)

Cooper (the 5 1/2 year old):

"Mommy, I can't carry this because I'm full of hands."

"Mommy, that boy broke his foot and needs crunches to help him walk."

When Cooper was ~18 months, he called sunglasses "farlockeez" and a fishing pole "shoopinow". Don't ask me why I can remember that...probably because that child had such an incredible vocabulary early on and perfect diction most of the time that those were anomalies in his speech. (He could say over 200 words by the time he was 20 months.) Even today, his vocabulary is quite expansive for a 5 year old. (Probably because he asks more questions in a day than the the winner of Jeopardy!) Since he is so precocious with his verbal skills, I completely expect to be questioned, challenged or corrected every single day.... (and I love it--most days!)

A NEW Computer!

Whoo! Hoo! I have a new computer! How exciting does it get??? My previous computer was purchased in 2003 and had the speed of a octane fueled burrow. Seriously, it did not know the meaning of high-speed, only one speed...SLOW! Why is getting something new so fun? This screen is so big I have to sit back 3 more feet and put the font at 8. (Just kidding) John ordered this for me on Friday and we received it yesterday! Can you believe? Dell can make and ship a computer lickety-split! It is amazing! I must give credit to John; he disassembled the old one and completely assembled this one from 6 separate boxes in under an hour and NO cus words---yea John!
This computer has Microsoft Word (I had Wordperfect on the last one), Excel (I had QuatroPro on the previous one) and lots of other fun programs I have not discovered yet. Maybe, it will have some photoshop software...now, wouldn't that be a treat? I'm off to find out how to have fun with my new computer!!!

Laundry: A New Strategy

Laundry. A necessary evil, but not something I can say I enjoy. My previous 'strategy' with it included letting it all pile up until Saturday, or really, Sunday. Then, I would load clothes, switch clothes, pile clothes, hang clothes, fold clothes and throw clothes back into the basket Sunday night because I could not stand to fold one more item. That led to a lot of frustration, especially when I wanted to take an afternoon nap, nestled in between 4 loads of clothes. So now, a new strategy has emerged. The new strategy: constant washing. I do 1-2 loads a day, that way I'm not cramming 18 towels into one load and 47 socks in another load (a privilege to match up when I'm feeling lucky). So far this week, I have kept up with all the stinky, sandy, smelly variations of cotton: all our whites are completely washed, the kids' hamper is empty, all 6 twin sheet sets are clean and John has enough boxers to last until Memorial Day. Plus, this weekend I won't have to feel guilty about sneaking under the covers for a few mid-day hours rest. As if I would anyway. :>)

I LOVE NAP-TIME!

I. LOVE. NAP-TIME.
What would I do without nap-time? (Go a little bonkers?)

Yes, that's right, my 5 year old still naps. And my 4 year old and my 2 year old. EVERYONE. I'm telling you, they need to nap. It is a struggle some days, but well worth it once they all settle down and let their bodies rest. I strongly believe my children are happier (I know I am) when they get in a good nap. On Tuesdays and Thursdays only 2 get to take minimal naps at MDO, but M/W/F, they are napping somewhere between 1 and 4 o' clock. I think it is good all-around. Sometimes I will take a nap at the same time (a really good day) OR I will just have 1-2 hours of quiet, silence, solitude, thinking time, down-time, no-question-time, alone time, go-to-the-bathroom-without-a-child-screaming time or just computer time. Right now I should be working, and I'll get to that eventually. Right now, it's just nice to listen to nothing but the computer hum and the dog snoring at my feet...

No More Diapers?!?

Is it true? Could it be? We are seriously diaper-free in this house for the first time since October 2002??? There were times that we had 2 in diapers (never all three), but this marks the first time that we have not had one child in diapers!!!! Should I throw a party of some sort? Here's the story: Luke decided he would potty train himself (I take no credit!) when we were in Steamboat Springs in late January. I had no idea he knew what actually went into a potty. He had NEVER peed or pooed in the potty. He had sat on it at least 88 times, but with NO production. Then, he decides while we are in Steamboat, he would start going in the potty and wearing the big boy underwear. OK! No argument here! Once we got back, we would let him wear the underwear all day, but a diaper during nap and night time. Well, it became a little inconvenient to put the diaper on at nap time, especially when he always woke up dry. Then, 3 nights ago he fought the good fight to not wear a diaper. Why am I fighting him to make him to wear a diaper? Now, no diapers. I'm sure he'll continue to have accidents here and there, but I'm not having to change diapers!! Whoo-hoo! A new era in this house! Send the Diaper-Genie into retirement!!!
Just for the record: Cooper potty trained at 2 years 7 months on a trip to Kansas City; Natalie at 2 years 8 months on a trip to the Johnson farm in Kansas; Luke at 2 years 4 months on a trip to Steamboat Springs to see Grandmother. What's wrong with potty training at our house? They all have decided on a trip that that would be a good time to start potty-training. (???) Just another thing for my kids to make me wonder about.

More Pictures

We had 'family' pictures out at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens today. We had a very patient photographer who did his absolute best to catch the 5 of us smiling at once. OK, trying to catch 4 of us smiling and Luke looking in the general vicinity of the camera. All I keep thinking is, "Just one picture, that's all we need to turn out is one picture...". We are good for about 15-20 minutes of cooperative behavior before the "other" side of my children comes out. Once the 'other' side comes out, there is no amount of bribing, threatening or cajoling that will get them to cooperate. At that point, we cut our losses before someone ends up with a timeout until they are 8.
As soon as the pictures we done, we sped home so we could go to a birthday party (with chinchillas no less), Natalie's soccer game, the end-of-the-season soccer party, Cooper's t-ball practice, and then my parents over for dinner. AHHH! I need a break!

Too Busy...

I think I really need to slow down. Really. Last night not only my husband, but also my mom both told me (completely separate and did not conspire to coordinate their times) I have been too busy and I should consider doing less. Doing less? What is that? We just started the sports circus of practices, games and such for Natalie's Soccer and Cooper's T-ball. Then there are the various other activities that go hand-in-hand with having 3 preschoolers (birthday parties, field trips, playdates, storytimes, etc.) Plus my year of provisional stuff. I start my new job (part-time) on the 14th. I did just finish up Bible Study, but that is the very last thing I should give up. It is easy to get wrapped up in 'doing it all' for the kiddos, but even easier to lose yourself completely in all the busy-ness. I'm not complaining, just more trying maintain my identity, which extends further than my 3 carseat toting vehicle.

My Life After Children...

How am I different after having children? Forget the physical stuff- I am not even going to address that right now.
I will start with simple things, like driving. Now, when I drive in the car, I mean the 4 ton SUV, when the kiddos are in the car, I am listening to Veggie Tales worship songs and Hermie & Wormie scripture memory songs. When they are not in the car, I am listening to .... SILENCE. Why? Because I never, ever hear silence when my children are in the car!
How about going to the restroom? When I have all 3 with me, I am trying to balance while I 'go' , hold one from running/ crawling away, zipping up someone's zipper and begging the other one not to open the door until I am done. When they are not with me? I sit for hours... really at least an extra minute or two than I have to. (That is one place John will not bother me or ask when I will be done.)
How about workouts? I never miss a workout, because we have the most awesome Kids Club workers (Alicia, Christine, Katie and Tameka) at my gym. My kids love to go there! They love to go there, I love to go there and I am a whole lot less stressed when I leave. And when I don't have my kids with me at the gym? Well, I get on the stairmonster 6.2 minutes faster because I don't have to check them in, take the 2 year old potty, hug/hug/kiss/kiss times 3 and then get going with my workout.

Other than that, everything is just the same... I wouldn't change it for the world. :>)