Life Lately

DUNK! I just heard Emri's bottle bang on the floor above me. She is in bed and she drinks her bottle (I know, she is a bit old, but she looooves it) and then casually tosses it over the side, puts in her nuk, finds the tag on her blankie, and goes to sleep. What a creature of habit and securities. She is getting so big and soooo cute, I don't even know what we are going to do when she gets older. It is a serious and legitimate fear I am sure many parents of girls have. I am very much looking forward to Dr. Dobson's "Bringing up Girls" when it is available. I need it already! Just to prepare myself to be a mom to a beautiful growing up girl!!! What a little ham she has been lately. She seems to really enjoy making her daddy laugh. This includes balancing anything on her head, repeating what he says (or trying to) and making funny faces. She is still attached to me, though, and if I am away, Wade says that a little "mama" will come out of her little tulip mouth every now and then. Aaaaahhh. What a precious time in life!!

On to the little man- he is so clever and aware- just like his daddy I guess. The other day, in his way, he said out of the blue, "Mom, you are SO my mom. " Thanks?? I think that was a compliment!! I'll take it!! He tries anything and everything to get out of bed at bedtime- tummy hurts, legs hurt, needing snuggles, needing more prayers, needing a vitamin (!) It is so hard not to laugh, but be stern. I find him using the disciplinary tactics on Emri that I use on him.

Me, "Ethan you get back to bed or I will take away your blankie."
Blank stare in return.
Me, "Alright, no blankie then."
Little legs running to the bed, arms holding to blankie for dear life.

Ethan, "Emri, you want to come down the slide with me?"
Emri, "Nuh-uh."
Ethan, "Alright, no fun then."
Emri walks away unaffected. Doesn't quite work for him I guess!!

I even caught him threatening a time out if she didn't eat the "applesauce" he had "made" for her in their play kitchen.

But it is a lovely way to spend my life- sacrificially for sure! I never realized the work involved, but someday I will look back and not regret a single second of it.

Here are pics of us lately- including one of the little boy who is SOOO active in mom's belly right now:

I've been.... DUH Duh duh.... Tagged!!

What is being tagged? I guess it is when you are put on the spot to do something for friends that will make them smile, while at the same time making yourself out to be a weirdo.... I'm game!!


Here are the tagging rules:

1. Post the rules on your blog
2. Write 6 random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post
4. If you're tagged, DO IT and pass on the tag

1. If I am eating something yummy to my palate, I shake my buns in my seat. As a kid, I had the nickname "wiggle buns". It is a totally unconscious movement and if I could stop, I would.

2. As a kid, I faked an allergy to potpurri so my mom wouldn't keep it in the house. I would pretend my nose was plugged and make myself cry. Good little actress, I guess.

3. If I would have told the "me" of 10 years ago that I would be a stay at home mom and wife, I would have dropped over and fainted right there.

4. I am obsessed with kissing my kids, and squeezing their cheeks. Mainly the lower ones.

5. I love fashion, scarves, and making women feel beautiful.

There is a little about me! And, oh, I have to break the third rule because I haven't read anyone else's blog but Rachel's and Jeannie's, and they both tagged me;) I just have to make more blogger friends I guess!

A vacation, a wedding, and an ultrasound.

I haven't had the chance to write in a month! Yikes! Chasing kids, cooking, cleaning, laundry, trying to make time for my hubby and myself.... And to put a huge spin on it all, we had the opportunity to stay in a camper for two of those weeks. Two kids taking a nap in bunkbeds when they usually have the peace and quiet of their own rooms with fans on for dead noise was.... interesting. Stressful to be honest. We had to try and rig up a towel on the outside of the window but little Emri always found a way to peek her little face around it- cute, yep. Make mommy frustrated? yep. She loves her own bed at home so much that her first nap back in her crib was for FOUR hours! A little creature of habit.

So one of the Saturdays, we had a wedding to go to. And, shocker of all shocks (?) we had to hire a babysitter. For the first time!!! Both sets of grandparents and Uncle Aaron and Auntie Billie were busy!!! So was my dear friend Rachel, who has watched the kids before but is more of an Auntie than babysitter. So, yep, we had an expensive day. Gift card from Target, check. Managed to lock the keys in the van so we had to use $10 more in gas, check. Pay the babysitter $40, check. Back at home after one dance because Ethan cried into the phone so we picked him up a 'treat', check. Guess what the little guy wanted? A spin-toothbrush. Nice!

So all this was 'news' for our family, but the biggest news is that we found out we are having a....baby.... BOY! Yay!! Ethan proudly walked into Grandma Peaches' office and announced, "We are having a boy brother." Classic.

Here are a few pics from our vacation- we got the kiddos dressed up and attempted some cool photos. We got a few out of all the hard work;)

Aaaaah. Beach Days.

Lovely lovely summer, how I love you. You make me tan and happy! Okay, so I am working on being happy no matter what circumstance I am in, but the smell of tan oil, sand in my toes, and waves splashing on my kids just does it for me. We spent the fourth out at my parents house cruising on the pontoon and over at the beach. Ate too much, got too much sun, and didn't do much of anything, but that's the beauty of it, right? Okay, I will try and NOT tell myself it is okay to have three brownies just 'cuz I am pregnant, but that is all I will try and fix.

I often wonder why we live in Minnesota if Wade and I share the same love of warm weather, but I do believe it is because we savor it. We get 9 months of the not-so-ideal for the thrill of the 3 wonderful ones. Do not ask me why we have chosen to be pregnant for three summers, because I have no smart answer. I tuck my round body into a swimsuit and play with the kids anyway.

The beach today was a lovely experience- complete with Ethan's first time with head under water, Emri's first time sitting and playing in water, and my Cousin Megan's son Carter's first time flashing the beach. Yep- the funniest thing- we were chatting away of course and Megan jumped up quick and my mom radar went up. Is Carter okay?? Of course. Just naked. What can I say, the kid just likes to be wild and free. And at three years old, who can blame him?? Well, some people I guess because 10 minutes later the manager of the beach came out and asked us, "This is a weird question, but is there a boy out here with no clothes on? Someone came in and complained about it." We were shocked. I had to contain myself- seriously! Who would be so cruel to a mom to do that?? It isn't like Megan was letting him run around like that! So please, if you are ever at the beach and you see a naked child, remember there is somewhere likely a mom who is completely embarrassed and doesn't need it pointed out. There. I have said my piece for the day. Thankfully Rita, the manager, thought it was a ridiculous complaint as well.

So my message is enjoy summer- I know we will be. And Carter will be too. Probably naked.

What's in a name??

About four days ago Wade and I noticed that Ethan was no longer calling us Mommy and Daddy. We were now Mom and Dad. Yes, he is three going on 13! I seriously didn't think that transition came until much, much later. I am trying not to view it as him growing up too fast, but somehow I can't help it. The other day he watched a video of himself we had taken just a year ago, and his speech has changed sooo much that he was actually laughing at himself and said, "I talked funny, huh Mom?" My response when he calls me mom is to call him 'E'. If he can shorten it, so can I. So there. Hmmm, don't think it phases him. I guess nicknames don't, as Wade and I have come up with some pretty interesting ones.



For Ethan: E, E-man, Little E, Wheat thin, Eepshton, Little Manley, Monkey Man, and Doug. Yes, Doug. That was from Wade. That nickname alone shows Wade's sense of humor. Dry and off-the-cuff. The first time I heard it, I doubted it would stick. But today, Ethan said, "Mom, my name is Doug-Ethan." Score: Dad one, Mom zero. Bummer.



For Emri: Emmers, Memmers, Memory, Munchkin, and Gremlin. You know who calls her Gremlin.



So what is a name? I guess not much as long as it is said with love. Even Doug.

Too smart.

The other day I had told Ethan three times to stop throwing things in the house. I was determined to discipline him the next time he did it, but didn't really want to have to of course. But, sure enough, there went a ball whizzing by Emri's head. He looked at me right away.

I said, "Ethaaaaaan!"
His reply, "I'msorry." As fast as can be.
Me, "What did I tell you??" Oh, I am so my mother.
Him, "Iloveyou."

He's got me all figured out.

I can't resist some of the things he comes up with these days. Saturday night we were at my parent's house and had a bonfire to roast marshmallows. He told Papa, "I am going to make my marshmallow golden brown and healthy!" ????

He is beginning to like the company of his sister and the other day I caught him calling her Peanut. Too cute.

All for now, more Ethanisms to come!!

Manners!

I have found it very difficult to get the idea of manners into Ethan's cute little blonde head. I tested him yesterday by letting him go by himself from the park over to Great Grandmas (about 50 of his little steps away) to ask her, "Please may I have a doughnut? And may I have one for Emri too?" He came back successfully with two doughnuts in his sandy little hands and his sister was very grateful.

Later on, I went back to my Grandmas to ask her what she thought of that. She said it was wonderfully funny to have Ethan come to the door by himself. Then came the test. I asked her what he said when he came in the door. She replied, "Well, all he said was, 'I want a doughnut!'"

AAARGH! Every day, probably every HOUR we practice saying 'please, may I'? I guess this is a battle of endurance that this mommy is determined to win!