Anticipating Halloween

With Halloween tomorrow, the countdown has begun at my house, for both my kids and myself.  I am so excited to dress them all up in their little costumes, and take them out trick or treating.  The boys are going to be Thomas and Percy, and Mia is going to be a ladybug.  Joey is SO excited about Halloween this year - he asks me no less than 3 times per day, every day, if today he can go trick-or-treating.  I'm not sure what brought on this wave of excitement from him, though I do anticipate that once tomorrow comes, and he sees the bigger kids in their 'scary' costumes, well, he won't be nearly as excited as he is right now.  But his wave of excitement has given me a whole new perspective on the day, and has even made me more excited.  You see, normally I don't like Halloween. I don't like to dress up in a costume, never have, don't care for trick or treating, and just don't really care about Halloween. I just see it as a stepping stone to my very favorite holiday, Christmas! And then my next very favorite, my birthday! (It's on Groundhogs Day, which technically is on the calendar and in my book that makes it a holiday. It's my birthday, I can make the rules if I want to).  But having kids who are getting older every day, whether I like it or not, I have a newfound respect and excitement for all things holiday, regardless of the holiday.  And for that, I am thankful this Friday morning.

Things Kids Say Thursday #7

I love hearing the things that come out of my kids' mouths...to be that young, sweet, and innocent...or young, deviant, and mouthy...
Joey: Let's play circus. You sit there, and Mia, you sit there (Mia can't sit yet, so really, she sits where I put her).  Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the Math Circus (we've been watching this a lot lately). Today, we're going to learn about quidgets. (pulls out cars). I'm going to throw my quidgets in the air, and you can count them!
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Joey: Mommy, what is Mia going to be for Halloween?
Me: A ladybug. Why do you ask?
Joey: Oh. I thought maybe she wanted to be a train this year.
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Joey: (During his halloween party yesterday, singing a song about sticky bubblegum) Mommy, this is the part where I can't talk!
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Jake, who is just 2 and becoming more vocal:
Me: Jake, eat your beans.
Jake: Momma, I hear monsters. No monsters, don't eat my beans! Momma, monsters eat my beans.
Me: Nice try. There are no monsters, eat your beans.
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Jake: Momma, I hear coyote. He want to eat my toes.
Me: The coyotes won't eat your toes.
Jake: Otay. Coyotes eat your toes?
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Jake, every single time we have to stop at a stoplight or stopsign: Doe (go) Momma, no stop. Hurry up!
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Jake, having a tantrum over something or other, sees the baby, Mia, who is smiling at him: NO MIA, NO LAUGHING!, which, of course, just sets my husband and I off and we are cracking up that he is so upset that she is 'laughing' at him, given that she's 4 months old.
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Jake hates it when anyone in the family sings. I love to sing silly songs to the kids, and this has caused a love of singing in Joe. Every time I sing, Jake says No singing Momma. Last night in the car, Joey was singing along with the Math Circus video. Jake started saying No Joe, stop that. Stop singing Joe! No more singing Joe! Of course, Jake is 'allowed' to sing whatever he wants, just not the rest of us.
Oh how I love my kiddos!

Thousand Word Thursday

We moved to our subdivision 3 years ago next week.  We purchased our lot on my due date, on a whim, not planning to buy a house. However, the location was ideal (park in the front AND back yard!) and after showing up unexpectedly on the next door neighbor's porch to ask them their thoughts of the neighborhood, we were sold. In hindsight, we should have done more research, especially since the builder bunked up our basement causing it to have a huge crack in the wall, and the builder then went bankrupt 3 days before our 1 year anniversary. I digress. This purchase was both the best and worst decision we ever made. You see, in moving to the house we moved to, we made some of the best friends we have ever had.  Our next door neighbors, the ones where we showed up on the front porch to ask what they thought, have become both my husband and my, as well as our children's, best friends.  We talk to them daily. Our boys are best buds, and even when they see each other 3 or 4 times a week, still act as though they haven't seen each other in weeks. These 3 boys (well, mostly the older 2, but the younger one tags along) can play together for hours and you don't hear a single bit of fighting, yelling, screaming, etc. They have so much fun, and are so silly. They have a standing play date each Friday afternoon.  They go to the same preschool.  My middle guy, Jakey, adores their oldest girl, Em. He has a huge crush on her, and just adores her. The mom, one of my best friends, is one of Jakey's favorites, and he calls her "My M-".  He, we, truly adore them, and are so thankful that they are our next door neighbors!

Time Out for Mom THETA Thursday

So what did I do with my 1 hour to myself this week? Hmmm, I'm trying to remember if I even GOT an hour to myself this week, with 3 sick kids and a sick husband, halloween preparations, and sheer exhaustion.  Oh wait, I do recall a few minutes to myself. It wasn't an hour, but it was time to myself nonetheless.  I took a shower (gasp) and was able to go to the grocery store, where I strolled slowly around the aisles, and soaked up the silence. Ah, I do so love a trip to the grocery store, sans children! However, I have big plans for my time to myself this week - I'm going to the Packer game (hopefully!) on Sunday! I will thoroughly enjoy my time with my hubby, bro, SIL, and 50,000 other people as we watch the Pack take down their former leader!  Happy Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday - ER fun

Yes, this is my son - Jacob was in the ER for the 2nd time on Monday night. and what the heck do you do with a 2 year old in the ER for 2 hours? Well, if there is a puke bucket available, make it a drum! Or a hat!

Just wondering...Wednesday

Edited:
I am also wondering if anyone has any tips on discipline / behavior control for 2 year olds...mine has the same rules as my 3 year old, who is relatively obedient, but my 2 year old is becoming unruly, and honestly, I don't really want to end up on Supernanny...

This cold, damp, rainy Wednesday, there are a lot of things on my mind. My family has all been sick for the past week or more, and it's really become frustrating, as it seems we are in a never-ending cycle of sickness.  To top it off, we are anticipating some news on the health front for a family member that could be really, really not good, and I am anxiously awaiting that information. The wondering what the results will be has clouded much of every day, despite my best efforts to avoid those thoughts.

However, there are other things going on. For example, where in the heck did my 3 year old learn the word 'pick axe'? Last night he told me that he was using something as his pick axe, and I nearly fell over. We don't talk like that, we don't OWN a pick axe, heck, I don't even know where to BUY a pick axe!

With everyone being so sick, I'm also trying to figure out if my 4 month old is just dramatic with an attitude, or if there is really something going on with her. She's not been eating well at home, has been a bear to put down for a nap, yet is supposedly the exact opposite at day care. Does she not like us? That surely can't be it; I mean, her closet is filled with cute clothes, and of course we know that money buys love, right? JUST KIDDING!  I'm just not sure what the heck is going on there.

I'm also wondering if I should push my pediatrician to 'untie' her tongue. I know this can cause speech issues, and it seems as though she's having problems eating solids due to being tongue tied. So the question is, now, or later?

But mostly, I'm just wondering, does anyone want to buy a Longaberger basket? :) Happy Wednesday!

Not Me! Monday

It’s Not Me! Monday again, the blog carnival created by MckMama. Given the events of this past week, there are a lot of things that I surely did not do.


For example, I did not miss last week’s Not Me! Monday because I was tunneling through cleaning out Mia’s closet so she has somewhere to sleep this winter. Nope, I would never have that much crap in a closet, nor would I let my child sleep in a closet because her room is in the 50’s in the winter. We have such a fabulously crafted home that it would be nice and comfy cozy all year round. (Excuse me while I fall off my chair laughing). I also did not end up at the doctor’s office / acute care center with every single one of my kids this weekend, only to find out we are the lucky recipients of: Ear infections, croup, and roseola. My children are the PICTURE of health, and we would never be infected with that many ailments. I also did not bid on not one, not 3, but 7 Longaberger basket iron racks in the hopes of winning 1 to put in my kitchen, and end up with 2. Woops. I’d never be that irresponsible. I did not end up sobbing at the table last night because I was so frustrated with my baby for not sleeping and just crying instead. I’m a level-headed mommy who, despite feeling rotten, is always loving and nurturing. And I absolutely did NOT feed my kids muffins for breakfast and eggs for lunch because I feel like complete crap and don’t want to cook anything at all. Even though I’m sick, I’m a mommy, so of course I’d never skimp on meals for my kids because I’m sick.