This boy.
This boy right here.
Well, right here would be a picture of Cole, if Blogger decided to cooperate. Which it is not. So picture in your mind a picture of my little blondie boy Cole.
Anywho, this boy is gonna drive me nuts.
For example, Cole figured finally learned how to poop on the potty. Consistently. For a good month. And then he regressed big time. Why? That's the million dollar question. I haven't been able to figure that out. And then this past week he decided to poop in the potty - consistently - again. And today he pooped in his pants. Again.
Why. Why?! WHY?!?!
Then today at Wal-Mart I turned around and received a shock: Cole was exposing himself for the whole world to see. His little Coley bits sticking out, he and Tess giggling wickedly. And when I told him to put himself away? He pulled his pants down even lower and then tried - unsuccessfully - to run away.
By the time I caught him and set things right I turned around I caught Tess pulling her dress up and trying to pull the pants she was wearing underneath down to her ankles.
It's not all pooping and peep-shows around here, though. We've been talking up Cole's upcoming birthday. Since Tess's birthday he's been walking around saying "It's my birthday! I want happy birthday cake?!" However, when we talk about how he'll be turning four he kinda freaks out a bit.
"No four," he exclaims. "I'm three. No four. I HATE FOUR!"
I'm interested to see how far he takes this hatred of being four. Will he allow us to put four candles on his cake? When people ask him how old he is, will he refuse to answer four?
This boy sure keeps me on my toes. But he sure keeps things interesting!
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Tess's New Hobby
Tess has a new hobby - taking her socks off and putting them on her hands. It's pretty funny.
She gets pretty proud of herself once she gets that second sock on her hand.
Picasa seems to get pretty proud of itself when it decides to crop and filter my pictures all by itself, without me telling it what to do. This one came up just like this, I swear. It cracked me up because it's such a dopey picture, but it made it seem so serious and important with the sepia and soft focus and whatnot.
I don't know why, but the socks on her hands crack me up.
She even insists on playing and eating with the socks on. (Watching a toddler eat a banana with socks on her hands? Pretty entertaining.)
She gets pretty proud of herself once she gets that second sock on her hand.
Picasa seems to get pretty proud of itself when it decides to crop and filter my pictures all by itself, without me telling it what to do. This one came up just like this, I swear. It cracked me up because it's such a dopey picture, but it made it seem so serious and important with the sepia and soft focus and whatnot.
I don't know why, but the socks on her hands crack me up.
She even insists on playing and eating with the socks on. (Watching a toddler eat a banana with socks on her hands? Pretty entertaining.)
Thursday, April 25, 2013
More Ear Drama
I know - you'd think my ear exploding would be drama enough to last for the year. But no.
Okay, actually, this ear adventure wasn't nearly as dramatic. Or as painful. But it did involve a rather large shot in my hip, so there's that.
On Tuesday night I realized that instead of getting better, my left ear was actually getting worse - even after a full week of being on antibiotics! In fact, I could really tell there was fluid in my ear, and I was starting to actually hear less. Not good.
So I called the doctor on Wednesday morning. The only appointment openings they had were 1pm (right in the middle of nap time. No way.), or 9:45am (30 minutes later). I chose the 9:45, then went into turbo mode to shower and get ready.
Poor Cole and Tess did not want to go to the doctor with me again, mainly because they had just been to the pediatrician the day before and that office is WAY more fun than my boring doctor's office. Cole was a complete pill in the waiting room and I was getting a bit nervous about how this visit would go. But he pulled through like a champ and didn't destroy the exam room. In fact, the nurse even commented on how well behaved my children were. I nearly fell off the exam table.
The doctor finally came in, took a look at my ear, and asked in all seriousness "Did you take your medication?"
Um, no. I decided not to bother. I mean, an exploding ear doesn't need medicine, does it?
OF COURSE I TOOK MY MEDICATION!!!!!
I explained that, yes, I had taken all of my medication.
He was quite surprised because my ear was still really infected. Silver lining? My ear drum seems to be healing quite nicely despite the infection.
So he decided that it was time for some hard-core antibiotics. As in a shot and then 10 more days on pills. Would I be okay with a shot?
Um, no. Giving birth to four children via c-section didn't prepare me at all for any type of shot. I've never had a shot in my life.
OF COURSE I'M FINE WITH A SHOT. MAKE ME BETTER!
I said I'd be fine with a shot.
So the nurse came in and as I was lifting my sleeve she explained that she usually gave this shot in the hip because it was rather large.
And it was. I mean, like I just said, I've given birth to four children and have who knows how many number and sizes of shots. This was one impressive.
So I got my shot and headed over to the Wal-Marts for a fun 45 minutes of waiting for my prescription with Tess and Cole. During that time we did some shopping and got dizzy and nauseous from the shot. Once again I'm pretty sure the pharmacist took pity on me and moved my prescription to the front of the line.
$64 later and I was out of there. You read that right - TWO prescriptions, with insurance, $64. Can you believe it? These are some powerful drugs.
I spent the afternoon with a leaking ear, feeling pretty gross, and trying to rest while Cole and Tess climbed all over me. The joys.
As of today, though, I think my ear is getting better. The leaking has stopped and I don't feel quite as gross. I think I can hear a bit better, too.
So, let's all hope (and perhaps pray) that this is the end of my ear drama.
At least for now. I have an appointment with an ENT next week.
Okay, actually, this ear adventure wasn't nearly as dramatic. Or as painful. But it did involve a rather large shot in my hip, so there's that.
On Tuesday night I realized that instead of getting better, my left ear was actually getting worse - even after a full week of being on antibiotics! In fact, I could really tell there was fluid in my ear, and I was starting to actually hear less. Not good.
So I called the doctor on Wednesday morning. The only appointment openings they had were 1pm (right in the middle of nap time. No way.), or 9:45am (30 minutes later). I chose the 9:45, then went into turbo mode to shower and get ready.
Poor Cole and Tess did not want to go to the doctor with me again, mainly because they had just been to the pediatrician the day before and that office is WAY more fun than my boring doctor's office. Cole was a complete pill in the waiting room and I was getting a bit nervous about how this visit would go. But he pulled through like a champ and didn't destroy the exam room. In fact, the nurse even commented on how well behaved my children were. I nearly fell off the exam table.
The doctor finally came in, took a look at my ear, and asked in all seriousness "Did you take your medication?"
Um, no. I decided not to bother. I mean, an exploding ear doesn't need medicine, does it?
OF COURSE I TOOK MY MEDICATION!!!!!
I explained that, yes, I had taken all of my medication.
He was quite surprised because my ear was still really infected. Silver lining? My ear drum seems to be healing quite nicely despite the infection.
So he decided that it was time for some hard-core antibiotics. As in a shot and then 10 more days on pills. Would I be okay with a shot?
Um, no. Giving birth to four children via c-section didn't prepare me at all for any type of shot. I've never had a shot in my life.
OF COURSE I'M FINE WITH A SHOT. MAKE ME BETTER!
I said I'd be fine with a shot.
So the nurse came in and as I was lifting my sleeve she explained that she usually gave this shot in the hip because it was rather large.
And it was. I mean, like I just said, I've given birth to four children and have who knows how many number and sizes of shots. This was one impressive.
So I got my shot and headed over to the Wal-Marts for a fun 45 minutes of waiting for my prescription with Tess and Cole. During that time we did some shopping and got dizzy and nauseous from the shot. Once again I'm pretty sure the pharmacist took pity on me and moved my prescription to the front of the line.
$64 later and I was out of there. You read that right - TWO prescriptions, with insurance, $64. Can you believe it? These are some powerful drugs.
I spent the afternoon with a leaking ear, feeling pretty gross, and trying to rest while Cole and Tess climbed all over me. The joys.
As of today, though, I think my ear is getting better. The leaking has stopped and I don't feel quite as gross. I think I can hear a bit better, too.
So, let's all hope (and perhaps pray) that this is the end of my ear drama.
At least for now. I have an appointment with an ENT next week.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Tess's Talent
When a pediatrician who deals with hundreds of different children each year comments on what a powerful pouter your toddler is, well...
...then you know she's got some talent.
*****
Tess's Two Year Stats
Height: 33" - 25th percentile (our shorty!)
Weight: 26.4 lbs - 50th percentile
Monday, April 22, 2013
Happy Birthday, Grandma Susie!
Happy birthday, Grandma Susie! We sure love you! (Despite the lack of cooperation from certain grandchildren... ;)
We hope you have a wonderful day!
What I said during the 15 minutes we played with the bubble machine
Let's play with the bubbles! Yay - bubbles!
Cole, don't push Tess.
Cole, don't touch the bubble machine.
If you push the bubble machine it won't work.
Why don't we run through the bubbles instead!
COLE - DO NOT TOUCH THE BUBBLE MACHINE!!!!
Don't cry, Tess. I'll get more bubbles.
Cole, don't push Tess.
COLE - TIME OUT!!
Welcome back, Cole. Let's play in the bubbles!
Cole, the bubble machine does not like to be picked up. The bubbles will spill out.
COLE -TIME OUT!!
Don't cry, Tess. I'll get more bubbles.
Hi Cole! I'm glad you're back.
Tess, eating sand is gross.
Cole, the sand needs to stay in the sandbox.
If you put sand in the bubble machine it will break.
DO NOT STEP A FOOT CLOSER TO THE BUBBLE MACHINE, COLE.
Do not walk in the garden, Cole, it's muddy! Let's play with the bubbles instead! Whee!
Don't touch the bubble machine, Cole. DO NOT TOUCH THE BUBBLE MACHINE, COLE!
Sorry, time for the bubble machine to go into time out.
Cole, don't push Tess.
Cole, don't touch the bubble machine.
If you push the bubble machine it won't work.
Why don't we run through the bubbles instead!
COLE - DO NOT TOUCH THE BUBBLE MACHINE!!!!
Don't cry, Tess. I'll get more bubbles.
Cole, don't push Tess.
COLE - TIME OUT!!
Welcome back, Cole. Let's play in the bubbles!
Cole, the bubble machine does not like to be picked up. The bubbles will spill out.
COLE -TIME OUT!!
Don't cry, Tess. I'll get more bubbles.
Hi Cole! I'm glad you're back.
Tess, eating sand is gross.
Cole, the sand needs to stay in the sandbox.
If you put sand in the bubble machine it will break.
DO NOT STEP A FOOT CLOSER TO THE BUBBLE MACHINE, COLE.
Do not walk in the garden, Cole, it's muddy! Let's play with the bubbles instead! Whee!
Don't touch the bubble machine, Cole. DO NOT TOUCH THE BUBBLE MACHINE, COLE!
Sorry, time for the bubble machine to go into time out.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Happy 2nd Birthday, Tess!
On Saturday we officially celebrated Tessie's birthday.
First, the cake.
Oh readers, we all know I have had issues in the past with making cakes. For quite a while it seemed as though I could either a) make a delicious cake or b) make a cake that looked good. But I could never do both. However, I was getting much better at making cakes that both looked and tasted good. (For example, Gigi's cake. It was pretty dang tasty, if I do say so myself, and it didn't look too bad, either!)
So for Tess's birthday I had grand designs. This one, in fact.
Okay, not three layers, of course. But I figured I could make my own rock candy and then put it on a white frosted cake. So I made the rock candy, and it turned out great - it was a lovely shade of pink... until it cooled and hardened. And then it was orangy. I'm not quite sure how or why, but that's what it was. And by the time I realized it was orangy I had already made the frosting for the cake, only it wasn't white, it was a pale, pale pink because I decided that would look really great, too. (I had made buttercream, which is never a perfect white, so that's another reason why I made it pink.)
So anyways, the orangy candy on the pink frosting? No. No no no. It just did not look good. So I decided to frost the cake and then do something else I had seen on Pinterest. So I started frosting the cake, only to realize that I didn't have enough frosting. Dang it! Usually I make 1.5x the amount of frosting, but this time I only made a single batch. So I made another batch of frosting, only this time I accidentally added too much food coloring because I only had gel food coloring and that's tough to only add in little doses. (At least for me.) So instead of having a lovely light shade of pink it was a rather electric, Pepto Bismol pink.
But by this time I really did not care. I was (and still am) getting over this dang ear infection and cold and had craft group coming to my house that evening and still had a bunch of cleaning and such to do. So I used the frosting and got out the sprinkles and this is how it turned out.
Which is really not so bad, but I really wanted the sprinkles to cover the entire top of the cake but the frosting kept drying and it was just a pain in the neck.
However.
All the kids loved it. Tessie kept yelling "Two! Two!" when she saw it. And that's what matters most, right?
So, there's the cake saga. Now back to the real star of this post, Miss Tess.
My awesome friend Kanien came over with a bag full of dress-up clothes for Tess on Friday night. While Tess was not friendly at all while Kanien and Claire were giving her the gift, she sure was excited later on! Why yes, she is wearing a tutu, fairy wings, straw hat, and her crown. All at the same time. Because when you're two you can totally get away with that.
Since Tess is too little to choose where we went out to eat that night (read: mom and dad did NOT want to go to McDonald's), we chose for her. Actually, Lance chose for her. There's this Mexican place down by the mall called La Bamba that has a big neon sign that says "Burritos as big as your head!" Lance decided that's where he really wanted to go. I wanted to go to El Mason, but figured we'd try the new place out.
We drove by and there was a cop with lights flashing in the parking lot. We walked in and the first thing I thought was "Oh my... dive." I mean, it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't that nice, either. So we ordered all the food and sat the kids down. Tess loves getting everyone to slap their hands on the table, as you can see.
A very happy birthday girl!
So we got our food and the first thing Tess did was pour a cup of salsa all down her pants, shoes, and and floor. And she did it so surreptitiously that we didn't even notice it until she said "Uh-oh". As you can imagine it was oh-so-fun to deal with.
The meal was spent in typical Madsen fashion - calming children, stopping fights, and trying to get everyone to at least eat something. Lance liked his burrito, but me? Not so much. I won't be returning to La Bamba again.
Josh was kind of a pill during the whole meal. You know what they say, Josh: "Every party needs a pooper, that's why we invited you."
We got home and it was time for cake and presents! See that #2 candle? I bought that for Cole while I was pregnant with Tess and justified it by telling myself that we'd use it on Tess's second birthday. And we did!
Tess was pretty excited about the cake and the candle!
"It's a two! Two! Two!"
Then it was time to open presents. Tess got a tutu and magic wand, a bubble machine, some books, and some toy pots and pans and utensils. She was pretty excited about all of it!
I have to say, though, that the biggest hit were the books from Grandpa ElRay and Grandma Susie. This girl LOVES to read! By the end of the evening I had already read all four books three times each to that girl.
At two years old Tessie loves to:
First, the cake.
Oh readers, we all know I have had issues in the past with making cakes. For quite a while it seemed as though I could either a) make a delicious cake or b) make a cake that looked good. But I could never do both. However, I was getting much better at making cakes that both looked and tasted good. (For example, Gigi's cake. It was pretty dang tasty, if I do say so myself, and it didn't look too bad, either!)
So for Tess's birthday I had grand designs. This one, in fact.
Okay, not three layers, of course. But I figured I could make my own rock candy and then put it on a white frosted cake. So I made the rock candy, and it turned out great - it was a lovely shade of pink... until it cooled and hardened. And then it was orangy. I'm not quite sure how or why, but that's what it was. And by the time I realized it was orangy I had already made the frosting for the cake, only it wasn't white, it was a pale, pale pink because I decided that would look really great, too. (I had made buttercream, which is never a perfect white, so that's another reason why I made it pink.)
So anyways, the orangy candy on the pink frosting? No. No no no. It just did not look good. So I decided to frost the cake and then do something else I had seen on Pinterest. So I started frosting the cake, only to realize that I didn't have enough frosting. Dang it! Usually I make 1.5x the amount of frosting, but this time I only made a single batch. So I made another batch of frosting, only this time I accidentally added too much food coloring because I only had gel food coloring and that's tough to only add in little doses. (At least for me.) So instead of having a lovely light shade of pink it was a rather electric, Pepto Bismol pink.
But by this time I really did not care. I was (and still am) getting over this dang ear infection and cold and had craft group coming to my house that evening and still had a bunch of cleaning and such to do. So I used the frosting and got out the sprinkles and this is how it turned out.
Which is really not so bad, but I really wanted the sprinkles to cover the entire top of the cake but the frosting kept drying and it was just a pain in the neck.
However.
All the kids loved it. Tessie kept yelling "Two! Two!" when she saw it. And that's what matters most, right?
So, there's the cake saga. Now back to the real star of this post, Miss Tess.
My awesome friend Kanien came over with a bag full of dress-up clothes for Tess on Friday night. While Tess was not friendly at all while Kanien and Claire were giving her the gift, she sure was excited later on! Why yes, she is wearing a tutu, fairy wings, straw hat, and her crown. All at the same time. Because when you're two you can totally get away with that.
Since Tess is too little to choose where we went out to eat that night (read: mom and dad did NOT want to go to McDonald's), we chose for her. Actually, Lance chose for her. There's this Mexican place down by the mall called La Bamba that has a big neon sign that says "Burritos as big as your head!" Lance decided that's where he really wanted to go. I wanted to go to El Mason, but figured we'd try the new place out.
We drove by and there was a cop with lights flashing in the parking lot. We walked in and the first thing I thought was "Oh my... dive." I mean, it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't that nice, either. So we ordered all the food and sat the kids down. Tess loves getting everyone to slap their hands on the table, as you can see.
A very happy birthday girl!
So we got our food and the first thing Tess did was pour a cup of salsa all down her pants, shoes, and and floor. And she did it so surreptitiously that we didn't even notice it until she said "Uh-oh". As you can imagine it was oh-so-fun to deal with.
The meal was spent in typical Madsen fashion - calming children, stopping fights, and trying to get everyone to at least eat something. Lance liked his burrito, but me? Not so much. I won't be returning to La Bamba again.
Josh was kind of a pill during the whole meal. You know what they say, Josh: "Every party needs a pooper, that's why we invited you."
We got home and it was time for cake and presents! See that #2 candle? I bought that for Cole while I was pregnant with Tess and justified it by telling myself that we'd use it on Tess's second birthday. And we did!
Tess was pretty excited about the cake and the candle!
"It's a two! Two! Two!"
Then it was time to open presents. Tess got a tutu and magic wand, a bubble machine, some books, and some toy pots and pans and utensils. She was pretty excited about all of it!
I have to say, though, that the biggest hit were the books from Grandpa ElRay and Grandma Susie. This girl LOVES to read! By the end of the evening I had already read all four books three times each to that girl.
At two years old Tessie loves to:
- Sing - especially "Once There Was A Snowman" and "Popcorn Popping".
- Read - any book, any time. Especially when she says it's time.
- Help cook - hence the toy dishes.
- Get her way - hey, she's two.
- Take baths
- Have her hair done
- Go on walks
- Swing in the swing
- Talk non-stop at home but clam up in front of strangers
- Run through the aisles of the grocery store
- Fight with her nemesis: Cole
- Play with her favorite friend: Cole
- Lay on Mommy and Daddy's bed with her blankie on her and a sippy cup of milk and veg after Spencer and Josh have gone to school
- Watch Sesame Street
- Run around like a crazy lunatic
- Be very, very naughty in church - to the point that Mommy just about loses it
- Give kisses and hugs
- Pull out all of the books in her bookshelf and drop them randomly throughout the house
- Pout. Big time.
- Tantrum at the drop of a hat.
- Go "bye-bye"
- Play with Spencer and Josh
- Rough house with Daddy on the bed
- Sleep with approximately 237 blankets in her bed (she makes a little nest out of them)
- When she's angry she'll pretend to want something, only to angrily and maliciously throw it back at you - hard.
- Be a punk
- Be an angel
- Throw food when she's done eating
- Stick her hands in other people's drinks
- Take her shoes and socks off as soon as we get back home
- See herself on the computer when we do Google Hangout
- "Play" the piano
- Watch digital timers count down
- Say "mine!" Lots.
- Wear hats
- Wear dresses
- Dance in the kitchen with Momma
"Though she be but little, she is fierce!"
I wouldn't have her any other way. I love you, my little, fierce Tessie girl!
Friday, April 19, 2013
Bad Medicine
Antibiotics and decongestants always make me feel gross and loopy. Taking them is always a matter of them being the lesser of two evils.
But this morning I really have to question whether or not they're worth taking.
Every night before I go to bed I jot down a quick to-do list for the next day. Number four on today's list: Set Up Dumbo.
What the what?!
Dumbo is Cole and Tess's most absolute favorite movie right now. They get to watch it whenever they're in the car. In fact, they often want to be in the car just so they can watch it. It makes running errands with them so much easier. (And now I could quote it to you, word-for-word, inappropriately-stereotyped black crows and all.)
Also this morning I was cleaning up in the kitchen after breakfast when I swear I heard a news anchor say "...those who come to this even will get a screaming gerbil!"
This was probably more a matter of not being able to hear well out of my left ear. But still.
But this morning I really have to question whether or not they're worth taking.
Every night before I go to bed I jot down a quick to-do list for the next day. Number four on today's list: Set Up Dumbo.
What the what?!
Dumbo is Cole and Tess's most absolute favorite movie right now. They get to watch it whenever they're in the car. In fact, they often want to be in the car just so they can watch it. It makes running errands with them so much easier. (And now I could quote it to you, word-for-word, inappropriately-stereotyped black crows and all.)
Also this morning I was cleaning up in the kitchen after breakfast when I swear I heard a news anchor say "...those who come to this even will get a screaming gerbil!"
This was probably more a matter of not being able to hear well out of my left ear. But still.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Princess Tess
Today is Tess's 2nd birthday.
Holy cow. This happened TWO years ago?! How can that be?!
But since today is pretty busy and because Tess doesn't really care either way, we aren't celebrating until Saturday.
Still, I couldn't let the day go without something a little special. I made pancakes for breakfast and put two candles on them. (Josh was SUPER EXCITED about this. Mental note: do this for Josh's birthday.) I also gave Tess one of her gifts: a homemade princess crown.
If you know Tess, then you know that she likes flowers, hats, and flowey fabric on her head. That's why I knew this crown would go over very well.
She wore it ALL morning, preening and running and spinning. I had to be the mean mom and not let her wear it for her nap, mainly because I'm pretty sure it would get destroyed once she woke up.
It makes a momma's heart happy.
Typical Tess - she's totally fine. I just wouldn't let her wallow in the mud puddles.
Tess's favorite book right now is Cinderella, and she kept talking about it and saying "Cinderella" and touching her crown.
Holy cow. This happened TWO years ago?! How can that be?!
But since today is pretty busy and because Tess doesn't really care either way, we aren't celebrating until Saturday.
Still, I couldn't let the day go without something a little special. I made pancakes for breakfast and put two candles on them. (Josh was SUPER EXCITED about this. Mental note: do this for Josh's birthday.) I also gave Tess one of her gifts: a homemade princess crown.
If you know Tess, then you know that she likes flowers, hats, and flowey fabric on her head. That's why I knew this crown would go over very well.
She wore it ALL morning, preening and running and spinning. I had to be the mean mom and not let her wear it for her nap, mainly because I'm pretty sure it would get destroyed once she woke up.
It makes a momma's heart happy.
Typical Tess - she's totally fine. I just wouldn't let her wallow in the mud puddles.
Tess's favorite book right now is Cinderella, and she kept talking about it and saying "Cinderella" and touching her crown.
I'm so glad our little princess loves her gift!
Tess's First Haircut
I learned that my hair dresser gives kids haircuts for only $7. For little boys that's far more than I'm willing to pay. (Mainly because I'm not willing to pay anything.) But for little girls? A bargain.
So on Tuesday (ear exploding day) I took Tess to get her first haircut. I forgot to take my camera and Cole was playing with my phone and I didn't want to risk a meltdown from him by taking it away, so no actual pictures during the cut.
Tess was not sure what was going on, but she knew she didn't like it. She pouted the ENTIRE TIME and had little crocodile tears in her eyes. But to her credit, she never really cried or freaked out. She was actually really well behaved!
It's next to impossible to get a picture of Tess holding still. She is always on the move! And combing her hair? Forget about it. But here are a few shots that kinda show off her new 'do.
Oh my darlingness. I simply love A-line bobs on little girls. So cute!
The only problem is that it makes her look so much older! I guess she's not my baby anymore - she's my little girl.
My cutie-cute-cute little girl!
So on Tuesday (ear exploding day) I took Tess to get her first haircut. I forgot to take my camera and Cole was playing with my phone and I didn't want to risk a meltdown from him by taking it away, so no actual pictures during the cut.
Tess was not sure what was going on, but she knew she didn't like it. She pouted the ENTIRE TIME and had little crocodile tears in her eyes. But to her credit, she never really cried or freaked out. She was actually really well behaved!
It's next to impossible to get a picture of Tess holding still. She is always on the move! And combing her hair? Forget about it. But here are a few shots that kinda show off her new 'do.
Oh my darlingness. I simply love A-line bobs on little girls. So cute!
The only problem is that it makes her look so much older! I guess she's not my baby anymore - she's my little girl.
My cutie-cute-cute little girl!
Third Grade Science Fair
At our elementary school all third graders participate in the science fair. They have judges from Purdue come in and the kids present to them. It's little odd how they do it - last week I got to go in and see Spencer present to his class. But then Tuesday (ear exploding day) was the day that the judges actually came in. I don't understand why they don't have the parents and judges at the same time.
Anywho, Spencer was really into science fair. He knew he really wanted to do something with growing plants. (I suspect this desire came from watching the wheat grass I had been growing for Easter.) So after a little research online Spencer decided he wanted to test how nitrogen fertilizer affects the growth of plants. And, because we live in Indiana, he chose to grow corn.
I was proud of him for taking such an interest and such initiative in the project. But not so excited that the project would be so long-term. (I much prefer the one-time-do-it-in-an-evening projects!)
So during Spring Break we bought the things we needed and got to work. First, we carefully measured the amount of soil in each cup.
Then we planted two seeds in each cup.
Then we waited. And waited. And finally the corn sprouted! There were three groups: 1) the plants received no extra fertilizer, 2) the plants received the normal amount of fertilizer, and 3) the plants received 15 times the normal amount of fertilizer. Every day we had to water and measure and observe the plants. Every day. You can imagine how much fun that was for me. But Spencer lurved it, so I guess it was worth it. (I'm a terrible mother...)
You can also imagine how the corn did. The first two groups did fine, but the 15x fertilizer group was pretty unhappy. Burnt to a crisp, really. (This picture doesn't do it justice - you should see those poor plants now!) (Yes, we still have them. I'm not sure what to do with them; it's too early to put them in the garden, but they're getting too big for their pots!)
Spencer came home on Tuesday super excited - his project won second place in the science fair!
He even got a medal. I know he doesn't look too excited here, but trust me, he was.
And how about that poster, huh? I made Spencer do all the typing and showed him how to use Excel to make the graphs and such. But I put it on the poster, mainly because Spencer HATES that sort of thing and because it would've looked terrible if I had left it to his devices. (He's a put-squish-it-all-together-who-cares-what-it-looks-like kind of guy. And I can't handle that.) And do you like the title? That was Lance's idea while we were brainstorming titles.
Good job, Spencer! We're very proud of you!
Anywho, Spencer was really into science fair. He knew he really wanted to do something with growing plants. (I suspect this desire came from watching the wheat grass I had been growing for Easter.) So after a little research online Spencer decided he wanted to test how nitrogen fertilizer affects the growth of plants. And, because we live in Indiana, he chose to grow corn.
I was proud of him for taking such an interest and such initiative in the project. But not so excited that the project would be so long-term. (I much prefer the one-time-do-it-in-an-evening projects!)
So during Spring Break we bought the things we needed and got to work. First, we carefully measured the amount of soil in each cup.
Then we planted two seeds in each cup.
Then we waited. And waited. And finally the corn sprouted! There were three groups: 1) the plants received no extra fertilizer, 2) the plants received the normal amount of fertilizer, and 3) the plants received 15 times the normal amount of fertilizer. Every day we had to water and measure and observe the plants. Every day. You can imagine how much fun that was for me. But Spencer lurved it, so I guess it was worth it. (I'm a terrible mother...)
You can also imagine how the corn did. The first two groups did fine, but the 15x fertilizer group was pretty unhappy. Burnt to a crisp, really. (This picture doesn't do it justice - you should see those poor plants now!) (Yes, we still have them. I'm not sure what to do with them; it's too early to put them in the garden, but they're getting too big for their pots!)
Spencer came home on Tuesday super excited - his project won second place in the science fair!
He even got a medal. I know he doesn't look too excited here, but trust me, he was.
And how about that poster, huh? I made Spencer do all the typing and showed him how to use Excel to make the graphs and such. But I put it on the poster, mainly because Spencer HATES that sort of thing and because it would've looked terrible if I had left it to his devices. (He's a put-squish-it-all-together-who-cares-what-it-looks-like kind of guy. And I can't handle that.) And do you like the title? That was Lance's idea while we were brainstorming titles.
Good job, Spencer! We're very proud of you!
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Exploding Ear!
Yesterday was the busiest day of the week for me.
So of course that's the day my ear decides to explode.
I've been dealing with a pretty nasty cold for the past few days, but yesterday morning I woke up feeling a little bit better. But around the time I got the boys off to school my left ear started to feel a little pressure. I ignored it, thinking my ears were just congested from the cold.
But then it started to hurt. And hurt more. And hurt more.
Enough that I decided, as I drove Tess to her first ever haircut (post on that later) that I had better go see a doctor. Fortunately, my general practitioner is awesome and I was able to get an appointment an hour later.
By the time I got to his office - Tess and Cole in tow, of course - I was really starting to hurt. As I sat in the exam room, waiting for Dr. Resheidat, I let Cole play with my phone as loudly as he wanted and Tess climb all over me and the exam table. I just did not feel good and certainly didn't feel like fighting them to behave.
Dr. Resheidat took one look at my ear and exclaimed "That's the worst ear infection I have ever seen!"
This is not the first time I have heard a doctor make this exclamation.
It is, in fact, the THIRD time I have heard a doctor make this exclamation.
Good heavens.
T
he first time was from an ancient doctor at the BYU medical center when I was a sophomore in college, and the second was from some middle-aged doctor at the urgent care center one early Thanksgiving morning several years ago.
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I am really, extremely good at getting ear infections. Seriously, so good. The thing that I remember with each one is that they come on so fast and hard that there's nothing to be done about them. And Lance wonders why I down decongestants like candy every time I get a sniffle.
Anyways, after the appointment we went over to Wal-Mart to pick up my prescription. By this point I was MISERABLE. I had two small children who were getting hungry and a throbbing ear. I told them my name and asked if there were any way to rush my order? The lady at the counter looked at me like I was crazy and said they would do it in the order they received it.
Thanks, lady. Your compassion knows no bounds.
So I parked miserable self and hungry kiddos on the bench in front of the pharmacy, rummaging through my purse for some snacks. No dice - I had forgotten to refill my snack canister after our last trip. But, I did have my emergency stash of jelly beans, which I generally dole out one or two at a time for special emergencies.
This was a special emergency.
I gave each child a handful, which they promptly devoured and then loudly demanded more.
As Tess crawled all over me and then bench and Cole sat in the cart, yelling at my phone because it wasn't doing what he wanted (yeah, I don't know either), I tried to fight off tears because I felt THAT BAD. I was in pain and I was tired and frustrated and just wanted to GO HOME.
Well, I must have looked as miserable as I felt, because we only had to wait 10 minutes for my prescription. Obviously, the pharmacist has a bit more mercy than the grouchy pharmacy cashier.
Somehow I was able to make it home. Fortunately, the kiddos had lunchbox lunches waiting for them in the fridge, so I didn't have to deal with actually making lunch. Once Tess had eaten and been put down for a nap, Cole and I went downstairs. I laid on the couch, wishing my ear would just fall off my head and be done with it, while Cole channel surfed and made a general nuisance of himself.
All of the many chores and errands that needed to be done? Forgotten.
Spencer and Josh eventually came home. Somehow I was able to get all the kids clothed, shod, and into the car because Spencer's talent show audition was that day. Of course.
I could tell that the antibiotics had started to kick in because my ear was making weird internal sounds and I was feeling nauseous. Because antibiotics always make me nauseous. Of course.
So we got to the music room where the auditions were being held. There were these big, wide platform stairs to sit on. But Cole, who had been cooped up inside for the past several days due to rain, took it upon himself to run up and down them like a banshee. Tess followed suit.
By the time Spencer got to play his piece I had kind of gotten everyone to settle down a little. Cole was still running, but wasn't yelling. Tess was dancing by herself in a corner. And Josh was whining for a snack, but that was easy to ignore.
That's when my ear exploded.
I've actually had ear drums rupture before, so I knew exactly what had happened. Blood and goop slowly started running down my neck as I frantically looked for tissues in my bag. I don't know what anyone else saw what was going on, but it was still mortifying.
Spencer finished his piece, I finished cleaning myself up and stuffing tissues into my ear, and I somehow got all the kids out of the school and into the minivan. I got home and promptly emailed Lance, begging him to save me. Oh, and that he would be in charge of dinner and the kids that night.
Lance got home a bit later. I was still in a lot of pain, which makes me think that the eardrum didn't perforate all the way. But all sorts of goop kept coming out - I'm sure I was an attractive sight for Lance to come home to.
Lance took care of dinner and the kids while I laid in bed. I couldn't sleep because I was hurting and too nauseous. But finally, around the time the kids got into bed, my pain meds kicked in and/or my ear decided to behave itself, so I was finally able to get some rest.
I'm taking it really easy today, getting only the minimum done. I still feel gross from the antibiotics and my ear is still draining goop. But at least I'm not in pain anymore.
Hopefully my awesomeness at getting ear infections won't be used for several more years.
So of course that's the day my ear decides to explode.
I've been dealing with a pretty nasty cold for the past few days, but yesterday morning I woke up feeling a little bit better. But around the time I got the boys off to school my left ear started to feel a little pressure. I ignored it, thinking my ears were just congested from the cold.
But then it started to hurt. And hurt more. And hurt more.
Enough that I decided, as I drove Tess to her first ever haircut (post on that later) that I had better go see a doctor. Fortunately, my general practitioner is awesome and I was able to get an appointment an hour later.
By the time I got to his office - Tess and Cole in tow, of course - I was really starting to hurt. As I sat in the exam room, waiting for Dr. Resheidat, I let Cole play with my phone as loudly as he wanted and Tess climb all over me and the exam table. I just did not feel good and certainly didn't feel like fighting them to behave.
Dr. Resheidat took one look at my ear and exclaimed "That's the worst ear infection I have ever seen!"
This is not the first time I have heard a doctor make this exclamation.
It is, in fact, the THIRD time I have heard a doctor make this exclamation.
Good heavens.
T
he first time was from an ancient doctor at the BYU medical center when I was a sophomore in college, and the second was from some middle-aged doctor at the urgent care center one early Thanksgiving morning several years ago.
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I am really, extremely good at getting ear infections. Seriously, so good. The thing that I remember with each one is that they come on so fast and hard that there's nothing to be done about them. And Lance wonders why I down decongestants like candy every time I get a sniffle.
Anyways, after the appointment we went over to Wal-Mart to pick up my prescription. By this point I was MISERABLE. I had two small children who were getting hungry and a throbbing ear. I told them my name and asked if there were any way to rush my order? The lady at the counter looked at me like I was crazy and said they would do it in the order they received it.
Thanks, lady. Your compassion knows no bounds.
So I parked miserable self and hungry kiddos on the bench in front of the pharmacy, rummaging through my purse for some snacks. No dice - I had forgotten to refill my snack canister after our last trip. But, I did have my emergency stash of jelly beans, which I generally dole out one or two at a time for special emergencies.
This was a special emergency.
I gave each child a handful, which they promptly devoured and then loudly demanded more.
As Tess crawled all over me and then bench and Cole sat in the cart, yelling at my phone because it wasn't doing what he wanted (yeah, I don't know either), I tried to fight off tears because I felt THAT BAD. I was in pain and I was tired and frustrated and just wanted to GO HOME.
Well, I must have looked as miserable as I felt, because we only had to wait 10 minutes for my prescription. Obviously, the pharmacist has a bit more mercy than the grouchy pharmacy cashier.
Somehow I was able to make it home. Fortunately, the kiddos had lunchbox lunches waiting for them in the fridge, so I didn't have to deal with actually making lunch. Once Tess had eaten and been put down for a nap, Cole and I went downstairs. I laid on the couch, wishing my ear would just fall off my head and be done with it, while Cole channel surfed and made a general nuisance of himself.
All of the many chores and errands that needed to be done? Forgotten.
Spencer and Josh eventually came home. Somehow I was able to get all the kids clothed, shod, and into the car because Spencer's talent show audition was that day. Of course.
I could tell that the antibiotics had started to kick in because my ear was making weird internal sounds and I was feeling nauseous. Because antibiotics always make me nauseous. Of course.
So we got to the music room where the auditions were being held. There were these big, wide platform stairs to sit on. But Cole, who had been cooped up inside for the past several days due to rain, took it upon himself to run up and down them like a banshee. Tess followed suit.
By the time Spencer got to play his piece I had kind of gotten everyone to settle down a little. Cole was still running, but wasn't yelling. Tess was dancing by herself in a corner. And Josh was whining for a snack, but that was easy to ignore.
That's when my ear exploded.
I've actually had ear drums rupture before, so I knew exactly what had happened. Blood and goop slowly started running down my neck as I frantically looked for tissues in my bag. I don't know what anyone else saw what was going on, but it was still mortifying.
Spencer finished his piece, I finished cleaning myself up and stuffing tissues into my ear, and I somehow got all the kids out of the school and into the minivan. I got home and promptly emailed Lance, begging him to save me. Oh, and that he would be in charge of dinner and the kids that night.
Lance got home a bit later. I was still in a lot of pain, which makes me think that the eardrum didn't perforate all the way. But all sorts of goop kept coming out - I'm sure I was an attractive sight for Lance to come home to.
Lance took care of dinner and the kids while I laid in bed. I couldn't sleep because I was hurting and too nauseous. But finally, around the time the kids got into bed, my pain meds kicked in and/or my ear decided to behave itself, so I was finally able to get some rest.
I'm taking it really easy today, getting only the minimum done. I still feel gross from the antibiotics and my ear is still draining goop. But at least I'm not in pain anymore.
Hopefully my awesomeness at getting ear infections won't be used for several more years.
Monday, April 15, 2013
I Forgot How Reslient Kids Are
I had an oh-so-great mothering moment today. I was at Sam's Club with Tess and Cole and we were eating lunch. (Nothin' but high class eatin' in our family!)
I was already a bit frazzled because our trip had started and lasted a bit longer than expected and both kids were going NUTS by the time we were checking out. Cole actually yelled at an old man who made a comment to him.
That boy is going to drive me to drink.
However, we had survived and bought our lunch and had finally gotten everything cut up and all the drinks and napkins and oh - what a process it is just to have a simple lunch out with two little kids! Anywho, we were eating and just as I thought "I should probably hold Tess in my lap while we eat" she stood up on the bench and promptly slipped inbetween the bench and the table, her head making a resounding and solid *THWACK* on the way down.
In that half a second before I reacted I clearly remember thinking "Omigosh, she's knocked herself unconscious and I'm going to have to take her to the emergency room again."
She hit the concrete floor and immediately she started WAILING. I swooped her up and started checking her out, making sure there was no blood from her head or mouth or wherever. There wasn't, so I tried to sooth her as best I could.
That's when I noticed a good 50 different people all staring at us.
Marvelous.
Fortunately, Tess only cried for a minute or two. Apparently those plastic benches are aren't as hard as they seem. So I gave a half-hearted "She's okay" and turned away from the majority of the crowd.
A nice employee gave her a little bag of ice, which Tess loved. (To play with, no to put on her bump.) Soon everything was back to normal - Tess even ate an ENTIRE Sam's Club hot dog, plus several big bites of my pizza.
Now if you or I had had a fall like that, we'd be in the hospital for sure, or at least stuck on the couch, downing ibuprofen like it was going out of style. But kids are super resilient and bouncy. Thank goodness.
I was already a bit frazzled because our trip had started and lasted a bit longer than expected and both kids were going NUTS by the time we were checking out. Cole actually yelled at an old man who made a comment to him.
That boy is going to drive me to drink.
However, we had survived and bought our lunch and had finally gotten everything cut up and all the drinks and napkins and oh - what a process it is just to have a simple lunch out with two little kids! Anywho, we were eating and just as I thought "I should probably hold Tess in my lap while we eat" she stood up on the bench and promptly slipped inbetween the bench and the table, her head making a resounding and solid *THWACK* on the way down.
In that half a second before I reacted I clearly remember thinking "Omigosh, she's knocked herself unconscious and I'm going to have to take her to the emergency room again."
She hit the concrete floor and immediately she started WAILING. I swooped her up and started checking her out, making sure there was no blood from her head or mouth or wherever. There wasn't, so I tried to sooth her as best I could.
That's when I noticed a good 50 different people all staring at us.
Marvelous.
Fortunately, Tess only cried for a minute or two. Apparently those plastic benches are aren't as hard as they seem. So I gave a half-hearted "She's okay" and turned away from the majority of the crowd.
A nice employee gave her a little bag of ice, which Tess loved. (To play with, no to put on her bump.) Soon everything was back to normal - Tess even ate an ENTIRE Sam's Club hot dog, plus several big bites of my pizza.
Now if you or I had had a fall like that, we'd be in the hospital for sure, or at least stuck on the couch, downing ibuprofen like it was going out of style. But kids are super resilient and bouncy. Thank goodness.
Friday, April 12, 2013
A Bit of This and That (Socks! I Talk About Socks!!)
So Cole came down with a spring cold last week and since then I have been washing my hands like crazy and disinfecting everything he touches because I really did not want to get that cold! But then Tess came down with the cold and I knew all hope was lost. And I was right.
Last night it struck me HARD. I could barely breath and barely stay awake while watching the latest episode of Dr. Who with Lance. DR. WHO, people!! That's how out of it I was feeling.
I'm doing okay today, but all three of us are just hanging around the house and taking it easy instead of running all of the errands I had planned. Dang.
I was folding the laundry the other day and decided to take a picture of a fairly common sight. Why yes, that is Tess with a basket on her head. It's kinda her thing. (Her thing also includes growling and then saying "I scare you?" 36 times in a row. It's pretty darling.)
Okay, so a few months ago I just about had a meltdown over socks. Even though their drawers were FULL of socks, none of my four children seemed to be able to find matching socks. Socks would mysteriously go missing in the wash or get left outside or even in the car. And then the random socks that I found around the house would go in different spots that I would never remember and then they'd never make their way back to their match. It was ridiculous. So one day I finally went through every single sock drawer in the house and found all of the matching socks and threw out any that were missing. It was very therapeutic.
Then I got this cheapo basket from the dollar store and designated it "Sock Purgatory". I wanted to make a cute sign for it, but c'mon, ain't nobody got time for that. The basket hangs on the porch door in our master bedroom. (What, you don't have a door that leads to a porch from your bedroom? That was one of my favorite features when we first bought the house. But you know how much we use it? Not at all, my friends. Maybe if I actually did something with the porch... but that's a project for another... decade.)
Anyway, now when I fold laundry if there are any socks without a match they go into this basket. Eventually, most of the socks find their way back to their partner and all is right with the world. I know, it's not the most sophisticated or beautiful method, but it works for me.
You know what doesn't work for me? Bad grammar and poor spelling. As you probably know, I actually work for an editing website. Which makes this mistake all the more embarrassing.
Yes, that is the spine of my latest blog book. And yes, that does say "ike Karen With an "M". Where the heck did that L go?! Why didn't I notice this before I ordered my book?! Would anyone else have ever noticed this had I not pointed it out?! The answer to all of these questions is a resounding "Who knows?!" But it sure does bug me. Oh well. I guess even I can't achieve grammar perfection. At least I got the cover right!
In case you're wondering, here's this year's dedicatory haiku. Not my best work, but it gets the job done.
I sure love that man. He's the bringer of my internet.
Last night it struck me HARD. I could barely breath and barely stay awake while watching the latest episode of Dr. Who with Lance. DR. WHO, people!! That's how out of it I was feeling.
I'm doing okay today, but all three of us are just hanging around the house and taking it easy instead of running all of the errands I had planned. Dang.
I was folding the laundry the other day and decided to take a picture of a fairly common sight. Why yes, that is Tess with a basket on her head. It's kinda her thing. (Her thing also includes growling and then saying "I scare you?" 36 times in a row. It's pretty darling.)
Okay, so a few months ago I just about had a meltdown over socks. Even though their drawers were FULL of socks, none of my four children seemed to be able to find matching socks. Socks would mysteriously go missing in the wash or get left outside or even in the car. And then the random socks that I found around the house would go in different spots that I would never remember and then they'd never make their way back to their match. It was ridiculous. So one day I finally went through every single sock drawer in the house and found all of the matching socks and threw out any that were missing. It was very therapeutic.
Then I got this cheapo basket from the dollar store and designated it "Sock Purgatory". I wanted to make a cute sign for it, but c'mon, ain't nobody got time for that. The basket hangs on the porch door in our master bedroom. (What, you don't have a door that leads to a porch from your bedroom? That was one of my favorite features when we first bought the house. But you know how much we use it? Not at all, my friends. Maybe if I actually did something with the porch... but that's a project for another... decade.)
Anyway, now when I fold laundry if there are any socks without a match they go into this basket. Eventually, most of the socks find their way back to their partner and all is right with the world. I know, it's not the most sophisticated or beautiful method, but it works for me.
You know what doesn't work for me? Bad grammar and poor spelling. As you probably know, I actually work for an editing website. Which makes this mistake all the more embarrassing.
Yes, that is the spine of my latest blog book. And yes, that does say "ike Karen With an "M". Where the heck did that L go?! Why didn't I notice this before I ordered my book?! Would anyone else have ever noticed this had I not pointed it out?! The answer to all of these questions is a resounding "Who knows?!" But it sure does bug me. Oh well. I guess even I can't achieve grammar perfection. At least I got the cover right!
In case you're wondering, here's this year's dedicatory haiku. Not my best work, but it gets the job done.
I sure love that man. He's the bringer of my internet.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Minecraft
Minecraft has taken over our home. Spencer and Josh eat, breath, and live it all the livelong day. (This despite the fact they're only allowed to play computer on the weekend.) It's almost funny how obsessed they are with it. Almost.
I found the following conversation I had with Spencer today pretty humorous given all the Minecraft mania in our home.
Spencer: Mom, I have to write a funny haiku for school. But I don't know what to write about.
Me: What about Tess? She's pretty funny.
Spencer: Nah.
Me: Okay, how about Pikachu? Or Phineas and Ferb? They're pretty funny.
Spencer: Maaaybeee...
Me: I know! How about Minecraft?!
Spencer (dead serious): Mom, there is nothing funny about Minecraft.
My mistake.
I found the following conversation I had with Spencer today pretty humorous given all the Minecraft mania in our home.
Spencer: Mom, I have to write a funny haiku for school. But I don't know what to write about.
Me: What about Tess? She's pretty funny.
Spencer: Nah.
Me: Okay, how about Pikachu? Or Phineas and Ferb? They're pretty funny.
Spencer: Maaaybeee...
Me: I know! How about Minecraft?!
Spencer (dead serious): Mom, there is nothing funny about Minecraft.
My mistake.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Spring Outfit
Tess got a few new spring outfits in her Easter basket. (Thanks, Grandpa ElRay and Grandma Susie!) She has asked every day if she can wear them, but it wasn't until today that it was warm enough. I held out two choices for her and she immediately grabbed this one, hugging the shirt and crying out "Cute! Cute!" (I am not making this up.)
I decided to get a few pictures of her in the outfit before she reverted to her natural (i.e. dirty/disheveled/toddler) state. She did not want to hold still. I took the pictures and then took a quick shower. Ten minutes later she had pulled out both sides of her hair, had half of a shoe on, and had some sort of mystery substance smeared across her face and shirt. Homeostasis restored.
I love the pouty pictures. I can't remember why she was pouting, but does it really matter? Tess is the queen of pouts.
I decided to get a few pictures of her in the outfit before she reverted to her natural (i.e. dirty/disheveled/toddler) state. She did not want to hold still. I took the pictures and then took a quick shower. Ten minutes later she had pulled out both sides of her hair, had half of a shoe on, and had some sort of mystery substance smeared across her face and shirt. Homeostasis restored.
I love the pouty pictures. I can't remember why she was pouting, but does it really matter? Tess is the queen of pouts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)