Lessons Learned

Rachel over at Milkbreath and Me has implemented Moron Monday. I didn't participate this week since I couldn't think of any good stories, but next week I'm sure I'll have something by then!
Following Monday is Lesson Tuesday. So I will impart to all of you what I have learned from her other "moron" readers!!

• Don't make a chocolate beet cake with a 3 year old. And to top it off don't leave it un-refrigerated.
• Don't kneel on the the floor with a birthday cake at 35 weeks pregnant, in front of all your party guest!
• If dogs are in the house make sure you let them out in the morning. And if you smell something stinky, investigate!
• Check your shoes and Elsewhere for dog poop before you get in the car.
• If you're nursing and your child has a low tolerance to caffeine don't drink a whole Vanilla Chai Latte, unless you like fighting your child to sleep!
• When you yourself are tired don't take 3 tired, whiny, grumpy children to the grocery store at bedtime.
• Don't stay up til wee wee hours of the morning if you don't have to, especially the night before you're host a large party.
• 3 play dates along with normal weekend activities is too much for a young child.
• Walk, don't run when you're going to check if you didn't leave your headlights on. (Hope your ankle feels better Becca!)
• If you don't want your child eating your chocolate "grown up" snacks, don't eat it in front of them. And then don't leave them on the counter unsupervised!!

Oh and my favorite.....

• If your child has a loose tooth and you plan on the Tooth Fairy leaving dollar coins make sure you have them ready and available, lest the tooth comes out on the weekend and the banks are closed!!

So I hope you have learned from others mistakes as much as I have!!

What Was I Thinking??

Over the last month I've been working with Jaycob to say an actual word when he wants something, instead of whining, screeching, or screaming. And within the last week or so we've really made some progress!! But can you guess what the "actual" word is that he says now??? You guessed it....

"MaMa!"

At least he has finally gotten the concept of not screaming (most the time). But after I've heard "Mama" 300 times all before 0800, I'm almost more then willing to teach him how to just whine and scream again!! At least with the whining and screaming I can pretend that it's not really my attention he wants. Now that he's saying "Mama" whenever he wants something kinda means I have to acknowledge him and give a response. Whether it's the response he wants and how he reacts to it is what we're trying to teach him now!

Inspiration

The man that inspired me to blog and who introduced me to the two other blogs that I read is back on-line and blogging again. Ben is also the one who wrote, runs, and maintains the Trixie Tracker software that I use to track the kids sleep, diapers, cups, and meals!

I'd just like to say go check out the links and I'd like to wish Ben a great big WELCOME BACK to blogging from us to you!

Library Monday

We went to the library today, the first time since a couple weeks before the holidays. Usually we'd go for both the baby and toddler story times. But I realized this week that Abygail is now over 12 months old, thus making her too old for baby story time! We were there at the library when they rang the bell for the babies and it made me kinda sad to see all the mommies and their babies going in... My little one is obviously no longer a baby!

Both Jaycob and Abygail really enjoyed going back to the library. I had to kind of review our library voices with Jaycob and try to teach them to Abygail, but hey that's why they have a children's library!!! Jaycob kept signing "book" and saying "choo-choo" so we went on the hunt for train books. Since they've completely rearranged the shelves and order of things that was a task in itself!! But, we did walk away with a "choo-choo book"!! We also came away once again with "Big Red Barn" and Abygail was thrilled with that choice!!

Our morning had more adventure and activity in it then we're used to lately and you could really tell. About an hour before nap time Abygail passed out cold on the couch!! And Jaycob was more then willing to go up for his nap more then 30 minutes earlier then usual!!

Anagrams

After reading this post at the Taking Care of Baby blog I just had to go over to the anagram generator to find out what it would give me for Jaycob and Abygail!! I too played with it way to long to see what I could come up with that made sense!!! This is what I came up with.....

For Jaycob, first and last name:

CAB I MIS ITS JOY
JAB ICY MITOSIS

and here are quite a few using his middle name too:

A ABJECTION SHY MIST
A EMBASSY ITCH JOINT
A MYTHIC BEAST JOINS
A BANJO MYTHIC SITES
A BOA INJECTS SMITHY
A MAJESTIC BOY HINTS
JAYS TAN BIOCHEMIST

For Abygail's first and last name:

MILITIA SAYS BIG

and a few more with her middle name too:

AMICABILITY RISES INISGHT
INSATIABILITIES RICH GYMS
BASIC SIMILARITY NIGHTIES

You would think with a few more letters and different letters in Abygail's name it would be able to come up with a bit more. But, I guess, with a few too many I's (6 to be exact) it limits the amount of anagrams available!!

I also did my first and last name and came up with a few interesting ones:

ALIEN MIME SITS
MINI SALE ITEMS
MAIN ELITE MISS

Go play with the anagram site and see what it comes up with for you and yours. Come back and tell us your favorites!!

Pictures

New snow suit we never got to use!


Abygail having fun at Jungle Java!!


Jaycob and Abygail exploring Jungle Java!!

Holidays

Ok it's been way to long since I posted again! The holidays were filled with 2600 miles of traveling, family, food, and presents!

On December 24th big brother and sister were here. We opened presents and had our Christmas on the morning of the 25th. On the 26th we began our travels. We first went to Pennsylvania to visit with Grandma, Pop-Pop, aunts, uncle, and cousin! Fun and good food were had by all! And the kids were spoiled!!

On January 2nd we headed off to Michigan to visit with Nana, Grandpa, uncles, aunt, and cousins! This was the one I was worried about... I had no idea how either Jaycob or Abygail would react to their brand new baby cousin. Jaycob really couldn't have cared one way or the other and Aby loved the baby so much and just wanted to keep kissing her!! The kids really enjoyed the family fun! And the kids were spoiled!!

While we were in Michigan Aunt A, Uncle C, and cousin E introduced us to the wonderful world of Jungle Java!!Jaycob was a bit cautious for a bit, but Abygail went at it like she does it every day!! Towards the end both of them were quite apprehensive due to bigger kids showing up! I'll post some pictures of all the fun soon! They then took us to Cold Stone.... MMMMmmmmm... I don't think I need to say more! I will say I'm so glad there's not one near us. I would be 300 pounds and about as poor as can be!!!!

The kids were very good overall the whole holiday vacation. And they absolutely LOVED all the spoils that were given to them! We were greatly disappointed that neither PA or MI got snow while we were there! Matter of fact the one day MI was in the low 60's! In the beginning of January!! We were kinda hoping that they would get to play in the snow. Even bought Aby a cute snow suit.

Well, I'll post pictures soon and I hope your holidays were as happy as ours!