Christmas Time

So this weekend we put up our tree and house lights. I tried to get a picture of all three kids for my Christmas cards. It didn't go well, Zane was uncooperative and Lucy was screaming. Here are a few of the ones that will not be selected!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Need a Turkey for Thanksgiving?

Howdy Partner! Check out my Pilgrim Hat!

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble get your turkey here!

This one's good eats!

Maybe I will be a princess for Thanksgiving!

Nope, can't stand the headgear!

Isn't Kindergarten awesome! Andrew made all these super cute hats and brought them home. It definitely made for some fun pictures. Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!

Place mats!

So I promised Andrew this year that we would make place mats for Thanksgiving this year. We are going to my mom's house and since the day is drawing very near I decided today was the day to carry through on my promise. While Andrew was in school Zane, Lucy and I went to the craft store to pick up supplies. I decided a sponge painted turkey was not too complicated for me. I even bought some googly eyes to go on them too. Always a hit!

The boys had a ton of fun and I am sure we will be doing this project again. Each boy got to do 4 turkeys and I made one so there wouldn't be any fighting (we needed 9). My artistic skills are slightly lacking but I still think they turned out pretty cute!

Andrew's Favorite

Zane's Favorite

While I was out and about I ran into Albertson's to pick up the sponges for the project. They were giving away these super cute scarecrows for free! I never pass up free and now I can decorate next fall too!

8 Hours

Yesterday after Zane's amazing pooing in the potty feat. We put big boy unders on him to wear. We also went to visit Reece and Angie in Puyallup. Zane stayed dry the whole way there. He tried to go pee as soon as we got there. No luck. Periodically throughout the day we took him potty. As the time went on I started to worry about a huge puddle being made at my brother's house. Finally, right before we left to go home and 8 HOURS! after he last went, Zane went potty. And yes, he made it in the toilet! We are on our way toward being potty trained for sure!

Success!

Today for the very first time, Zane went poo in the potty! Hooray! I was at the store and Eric convinced him to try. I am thrilled! He is now wearing big boy unders and is feeling super proud of himself! I see one less set of diapers in my future for sure!

Picture Time

So I realize it has been awhile since I posted pictures of everyone's favorite Andrew/Zane/Lucy. Sorry! I think the last two weeks have just slipped away from me in a blur. Tonight I took some pictures although they were inside and with a flash so obviously not the best :) Anyway, I thought I should share. We really haven't been doing much lately and I think that is why my camera has been neglected.

Andrew and Zane showing off the bellies!
Their idea, not mine!

Lucy playing with her tongue. Freaky long in my opinion!

I will try to be better this next week with the pictures!

A New Word with Horrible Timing

Lucy is not the best sleeper in the world by any stretch of the imagination. She seems to think she needs me several times a night. Last night she wanted my attention at 12, 3 and 4. The time at 4 was an hour long cryfest where she never got comfortable or settled down. I don't know what to do with her. The cute thing was that when Eric brought her in the room at 4 she said Ma-Ma! like I was the only thing in the world. Eric was very impressed but I have a tendency to not appreciate these types of things when I am sleep deprived. Now that I am kinda awake and with it, I am pleased. She is super sweet and she does adore her momma. One of these days she will sleep through the night AND say my name. Now that will be something to get excited about!

Super Smart

It is official! Andrew can now read. My mom got this set of primary readers from her school a few years ago and last night she brought over the first beginner set. Andrew picked one up titled "Mac and Tab" and started reading it. It almost brought a tear to my eye! I love to read and I am so excited for him to be able to read his own books too. This last week we got him his first library card as well. He was so excited about all his grownup-ness. I think he will be a fantastic reader by the time all is said and done. He has always loved books so much I just can't imagine him not liking to read. There are several great kid series out now too that are kinda boy-geared. Maybe I should start reading them now so I will be able to approve of them before he gets to them. Hmmmmmm...... that is an idea!

The Swimming Report

Yesterday was the end of a session for the boys swimming. They both are doing great. Andrew has mastered almost everything in his level with the exception of crawl stroke side breathing. He still needs to work on that. It will be interesting to see when he gets it down though what they want to do with him. He is at the last level of preschool and you must be 6 before you start the beginner levels. I am sure we will just keep him in the Advanced Preschool level though. It is good exercise and you can never practice your swimming skills too much.

Zane is also making progress. I was much happier with his instructor this session. She is so much better with the kids than the last instructor was. Zane still has quite a few skills that he needs to master before heading to the next level but he really is enjoying class and looks forward to it each week. Nothing bad about that in my opinion at all!

Lucy is so cute at the pool. When we put her down to crawl she will head off to who knows where. Eric or I will say "Lucy Fern!" and she stops and looks at us. It is always interesting to see the process of them understanding they can't go near the edge of the pool. I remember several sessions of holding Zane with a death grip because he just would not listen. Oh the joy of parenting! Lucy will probably be the same way I am sure. She is quite the hit with all the other families though. Somehow her little grin brings a smile to their faces.

No Ma'am!

There is a new phrase at our house called "no ma'am!" Lucy seems to think it is great fun to spit. She does it while eating, playing, talking or just because she wants your attention. Eric and I aren't super thrilled about it so we say "no ma'am" to let her know that it isn't proper behavior. (In case you are wondering, no, she doesn't seem to really get it and she keeps spitting, but we are working on it!) The boys seem to have taken it upon themselves to be the spitting police though. Eric and I are generally concerned about it while she is eating as it makes a huge mess. The boys though seem to think that a girl shouldn't ever blow a raspberry. All day long I can hear from one part of the house or another "NO MA'AM!!!" from one or both of them. It is quite cute. I am pretty sure she now just does it to get their attention since it seems to have an immediate reaction. She gets this look of glee on her face when they jump to attention. I can almost see the wheels turning in her brain, dance little puppets dance. She will have them doing everything for her in no time I am sure!

Proper Pronunciation is IMPORTANT!

So I got a new china hutch today. (Crazy good deal!) I was out with the kids on the way home from the grocery store and I was saying that when Eric woke up he was going to get my china out from the crawl space so I could put it away. Andrew pipes up from the backseat "Mommy, why is daddy getting stuff for the girl part cabinet?" It took me a second to figure out what he was talking about. I will let your imagination do the thinking too. I tried to explain that he was pronouncing "the girl part" wrong but he just kept giggling. Oh the fun of little kids!

Another Mom of the Year Moment

Or could be titled "Could Eric and I be any Cheaper?" So yesterday was a swimming day. The kids were excited and ready to go. We stopped by Eric's parents place to see them, they just had gotten home from a trip. We drive all the way into Everett to the pool. Everyone gets unbuckled. Then and only then do we realize WE HAD NOT THE SWIM BAG. Which meant that we had no swimsuits or towels. Andrew started to cry and I was incredibly frustrated. I hate it when we spend money on something and are unable to use it. Plus, it is the kids responsibility to put the bag in the car. (Eric and I try to help remind them but it is their job) So now the dilemma starts. Do we just go home? Do we buy new stuff from the pool? We didn't have time to run home grab the stuff and make it back. Lessons would be over by then. So I made the only choice I felt I could. I went and asked the people at the pool if they had any options for brain-dead parents who forget stuff. Lo and behold they did! And their solution is called Lost and Found. So in a moment of cheap insanity I put Andrew is some strange kids too big swimsuit from the lost and found and let Zane just swim in a swim diaper that was hanging out in the van (which was a good thing since they had no other small swimsuits in the lost and found) Andrew had a small fit because there were no goggles for him to wear but Eric and I told him that he would either live with it or not swim at all. He chose to swim and he had a marvelous time. (although he kept having to yank up his swimsuit) I felt pretty stupid though. Although I guess I am probably not the first one to resort to lost and found stuff. Man, if that doesn't qualify me for "Mom of the Year" then I don't know what will. Oh and by "Mom of the Year" I mean the most dumb. In case you thought I actually found my plan to be brilliant! LOL

A First Word for Lucy!

It has officially happened folks! Lucy said her first word. She has been babbling for a long time but this morning I heard her say a word that was inarguably on purpose. She was downstairs crying and Eric and I were upstairs. Eric popped down to grab her and in the middle of the crying as soon as she saw him she screamed DADDY! I swear it was actually daddy too, not just da-da babble. Eric came up the stairs looking proud as a peacock. This is our first baby to say daddy first so he is pretty pleased with himself. Of course he put her in bed with him and she immediately went for the milk factory so you can see where her loyalty lies. Either way she is talking. Now we just need to work on her saying mommy!

Too Smart for His Own Good!

I need to take a quick minute to brag about Andrew. Tonight he was working on one of his homework papers that was patterns. He had a train and he had to color the cars in a pattern. We talked about the pattern and I left him to work. The caboose had spots in it to write Andrew's ____ and _____ train. He colored his red and blue. I told him I would help him with the words when he was done coloring. A few minutes later he proudly announces "I'm done!" so I said "go get a pen and I will help you with the letters". He then informed me he didn't need help. He had ALREADY WRITTEN THEM! He spelled red correctly and blue "bloo" because two o's make and ooh sound (technically correct in some words). I didn't have the heart to correct him, plus his teacher said the fact that they try to spell it and are listening to the sounds is more important than the correct spelling at this point. Anyway, I asked him how he knew what letters to use and he told me that he just looked inside his brain and thats how they were spelled. CRAZY! I will have a reader/writer in no time at all!

A Gold Medal

Yesterday was Andrew's last soccer game. It has been a fun season and he is really bummed that it is over. The morning of his last game he asked is this it? When I told him yes he got all sad. He perked up a bit when I mentioned that he could probably play next year though. For his team party we went to Alfy's for some delicious pizza and cupcakes. The boys each got a super cool medal for their great effort (much cooler than a trophy in Eric and my opinion) and Andrew has been wearing his practically non-stop. One of the mom's on the team also put together these fabulous collages of each kid and then one of the whole team. She gave each kid a copy of the team one as well, so now Andrew has two sports posters starring himself on his wall. Oh and a nail on his wall too for his medal to hang. It has been so much fun to see him progress through the year. He had a great time and the kids all seemed to get along well. There was one little guy who seemed to mistake soccer for football (on purpose). He was kinda frustrating but other than that it was a great year. I think the final stats were 8-1-1 (wins, loses, ties for all of you not in the know). Eric was proud for sure. I am glad he kept track of the games scores though. I never did pay attention and didn't care if they won or lost. I just wanted Andrew to have fun and if that was the only criteria then the whole season was a success!