My Children Are Quitters

Is anyone out there in need of a binkie or four? Because in the past week or so Lillie has followed the example set by her 3 older siblings and has decided that she is no longer in need of this "crutch." She would rather be pacified by her own means, which include crying, nuzzling my neck and face somewhat forcefully, and getting the attention of anyone who will look her way, at which time she smiles and smiles!

Emma gave up her binky at 10 months or so. She was getting her first tooth and I guess she blamed all the pain on the darn things and wouldn't touch them again. Mady never took one and if you know her you know that there was no way of forcing it on her. And Cooper just decided one day that he was done, around 6 months. Not one of them ever went back. I should be happy I never had to coerce, bribe,lie, cheat or steal to get them to give up the binkie. So why, at 5 months, should I be surprised that Lillie is done? I guess I am not surprised, just a little frustrated and sad that there is no MAGIC way to get her to be quiet, calm down, or go to sleep.

Look at that unwanted, unloved binkie perched precariously just for the picture!

And it has fallen to the side without a second thought! Binkie out, smile on!

So I am putting this out there to all of the babies in the world- why do some of you take to binkies like a fish to water and others of you could care less? I tried talking to Lillie about it the other day as I was trying to get her to sleep.
Me: Please just take this binky so you can go to sleep and I can get something done! Why won't you take it? Just take it!
Lillie: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (as said binky is sitting lifelessly in her mouth) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodbye binkies ( sob, sob).You will be missed by me!

Christmas

We celebrated with a quiet Christmas at home. Christmas Cookies..................

For........................

Santa! I guess Coop didn't get the memo.


And jammies, of course, for the Christmas Eve present. Not very exciting but a tradition we have.






After a restful sleep Santa came and all were blissfully happy! Especially with the long awaited gift of a Wii! Of course Guitar Hero was really for the parents.

Lillie's first present!

Blankets from Grandma and Grandpa McDaniel. The kids love them!

Christmas is not complete without some sort of Bears paraphernalia.

Emma's fruit snowman! Very creative, that one!

And look at Mady's excitement over a toothbrush. We might just forgo everything else next year and concentrate on healthy eating and dental hygiene.


We headed over to my sister Stephenie's house for dinner and games. The weather was a little scary, but we made it. All in all it was a fun day.

Love It!

This was in November when Lillie was just learning to hold her head up. Emma is a great reader and was able to hold her attention for quite some time.

5 Things I Love!

So I was tagged by my sister-in-law to do this thing and amazingly enough this is the 1st time I have been specifically tagged by someone. And it should be short and sweet so I thought, why not? Here goes...I LOVE...

1.My family: this includes but is not limited to my husband, my kids, my siblings, my parents, my in-laws, my friends, anyone who has touched my life to better my life. (Um, and I guess law school friends need their own special shout out. Here ya go ya crazies!)

2.A nice hot bath minus everyone listed above but including a good book! Alone and reading, pretty much anytime, anyplace, anywhere ....AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

3.Ice Cream. Chocolate cake and ice cream. Cobbler and ice cream. Pie and ice cream. Brownies and ice cream. (Oh, and slushies.)

4.Exercising. I know some people really don't like it. I do. I like, once again, the alone time for a few minutes. I like sweating; it makes me feel like I am doing something. And I like how much better I feel when I am done. And it helps me feel less guilty about #3.

5.The gospel. I love having something in my life that makes me a better person. I love to contemplate about what happens after we leave here and what I need to do now to be with my family when I leave this earth. And I am working on it one day at a time.

That's 5. I guess there are a few more things. Maybe one day you will hear about more, but no need to bore you all at once.

Mommy, Come See Messy

What happens when a two year old pours his own cereal because you are out shoveling snow....AGAIN!

Look who's 5!!

Mady had her birthday last week and we celebrated for 2 days!

The first night we went to Kangaroo Zoo. She had a hard time deciding between Kangaroo Zoo and swimming. She got to invite one friend and she chose "little" Maddie. She lives down the street and is just 8 days younger than our Mady, so she is little Maddie.

On her birthday we went to McDonalds to play and eat for lunch. Then we had Mady's favorite, pizza, for dinner. And we finished off with cup cakes and ice cream.

It was a very low key birthday, perfect for this mom.


And the prize gift was---- drumroll-------


Now there will be less fighting over Emma's and lots more sharing of games.
We are so glad Mady is in our family. She keeps our family laughing and happy. She is ALWAYS the first one to pick up Lillie when she is crying and can get the best belly laughs out of her too! She can play at Cooper's level with blocks and trucks and then participate in Emma's made up games and plays. Her energy level is that of an energizer bunny from the moment she wakes up until we force her to bed. She has quite the sense of humor and has finally grown into letting us laugh with her, instead of getting offended and thinking we were laughing at her. We love you Mads!!!

The Monkey Did It

I headed off to Kohl's to buy one thing- a tie for Drew for his work party tonight. The old Christmas tie, we discovered at 11pm last night, had been attacked by one of the children and was no longer presentable for the mixed company of "the firm". So I was willing to run out with the two little ones while Mady was at preschool to buy another one.

Everything ran smoothly while my favorite 2 year old, Cooper, was strapped safely in his car seat. This was going to be a quick trip so I lugged the baby carrier in one arm and had one hand free to steer Cooper in the store. We arrived at the ties and I picked out a very nice looking one only to discover Cooper had tip-toed off. He just started this, looking back over his shoulder to see if I notice. So I leave the car seat to go find Cooper and luckily just a short way down the aisle he was being detained by a very nice man who, when I walked up calling his name, said "there's your mommy." I lug him back to the tie area and Lillie, all the while lecturing him about staying right by me.

I set him down to pick up the carrier and then I look at the brand of tie and I don't see a specific area for them and I start thinking "what if this tie isn't on sale like all the rest of these ties?" I turn to another rack, find another one and poof, Cooper has disappeared again. This time I see him running straight down the aisle. I watch him and when he turns around I motion him to come back. He looks at me, looks the other way, looks at me, looks the other way, looks at me and takes off. I head after him only to discover when I get to the end he is no where in sight. I go the direction he went and spot him and he spots me and takes off. I put down the carrier and RUN after him. Yes, you heard me and everyone in the store saw me. I grab him and don't let go. I pick up Lillie and we head to check out. I get in the short line where the lady in front of me is almost done checking out. Has anyone else been sucked in by the short line? I swear I have the worst luck in checkout lines. So she says "do you have any of those Curious George dolls? I called and was going to put one on hold but they guaranteed me that you had alot. And now I can't find any." Cashier calling Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and the Seven Dwarfs on their individual cell phones to find a stinking doll all the while I am struggling with a writhing two year old boy. Can't this lady step aside while I pay for one stinking tie? NO. "I can call up to another Kohl's to see if they have any." Are You KIDDING? For a stuffed animal? Maybe I am out of the loop on this whole Curious George thing.

So the cashier tells me I can go over to the other cashier; she only has one lady in her line. Not thinking, I set Cooper down to pick up Lillie and the tie to head over to the next cashier. Cooper slowly starts scooting towards the door. I keep an eye on him but figure he has learned his lesson. Finally I pay for the tie and go to get Cooper where I had last seen him. He is GONE! No where in sight. I look up and down aisle after aisle while lugging the car seat. Luckily a lady that I know from growing up is there and sees me searching for my runaway and offers to keep Lillie. I start frantically searching for him all the while calling his name. I am holding back tears while trying to remain calm, all the while berating myself for not having gotten a cart in the first place. But this was supposed to be an in and out trip! And then I hear announced over the loud speaker "Code Yellow" and I figure this nice lady who I haven't even seen in over 10 years and is holding my baby has informed the store that I lost my child. And I think "I am a horrible mother and now everyone knows." I decide I should probably check the toys even though we had never been in that section and low and behold there he is sitting on the floor playing with a train. I say " You are in so much trouble mister!" and he just looks at me with his big, blue eyes and says "I poopie mommy."

As I walk up with Cooper in my arms to get my baby, past all of the smiling cashiers who are now cancelling the code yellow, I think this is all Curious George's fault!