On Dasher, on Dancer, on Woodrow & Vixen

Merry Christmas 3 days late!

My kids were so spoiled rotten as evidenced by the tree (this is the Christmas Eve tree, so not including Christmas morning and Christmas dinner with Thomas's family) and yet they still can't find anything to occupy themselves during the day. Well that's not entirely true, everything they want to do involves me: Pretty Pretty Princess, reading books, card games, puzzles... and if it doesn't involve me then they'll find a way to make it involve me. After playing with them all afternoon yesterday, Caelen was busy finding hidden objects in an activity book and Addison was coloring all over the cardboard playhouse so I thought, "Hmm... maybe I'll go to the bathroom to steal a couple minutes of privacy." Before I had been in there 30 seconds they were both in the bathroom staring at me. Lock the door, you say? I'd rather them calmly staring at me than banging on the door, screaming out my name, sticking little fingers under the door and asking why I shut them out.

Thomas came home and asked me how I was. I replied, "I have two midget shadows and a parasite but I'm alright."


But back to Christmas. Ever made reindeer food?? Reindeer like a combination of oatmeal or rolled oats and glitter. Pretty simple! Even a 20 month old can do it.
Then spread the food out where you expect the reindeer to land (I don't recommend the roof) and see what happens. Caelen spread it out all over the patio just before she headed to bed on Christmas Eve. Woodrow had glittery ears when he came to bed that night....

Pure bliss is your first Barbie

or finding out Santa left you just what you wanted: A Scooter! (with a special place for your Barbie to ride along)
All the present opening proved to be too much for Addison who ended up protesting by the 5th present. She didn't want to open a darn thing and she was so not impressed with the remote control My Little Pony Airplane Santa left for her. But she's taken great delight in all of her coloring books and any toy that has to do with Dora.

Thankfully my children are grateful. When Caelen opened her first gift on Christmas Eve morning (a tiny ornament with her name on it) she said it was the best present she could ask for. And Caelen is especially generous, usually wrapping up her possessions to give to her friends anytime she sees them. I often have to tell her that we won't be seeing that friend for a week or two but the gifts for that friend just keep piling up. As a parent you're always trying to balance out the materialism and entitled attitude that can develop without being a killjoy at the same time.
Christmas was a lot of fun, and if I thought there was a lot of pink this year, I haven't seen next Christmas with 3 baby girls!

My 3 Girls

Some of Addie's new sentences:
"I can't reach it" (Comes out "I can't teach it")
"Help me Mama" ("Help you mamas")
"Daddy, where are you?" (Daddy, are you?")
"I found it!" ("I find it!")
"Stop it!"
"Get down"

and everything exciting begins with "Look!" She says Caelen clear as a bell, now we just have to start calling Caelen by her name instead of "Sissy". Sissy was borne out of necessity since Addie couldn't say "Caelen" and couldn't refer to her until we gave her another word, hence Sissy. But now when she says Caelen it's so darn cute!

She's a non-stop chatterbox, jumping bean, wild child and she's full of joy. Unless she's pitching a fit over having to clean up. Someone please explain to me how a not-even-two year-old knows that cleaning up is repulsive. I have not been able to trick her into thinking it's fun, although that could be from watching her sister make a stink over it....

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Caelen started in a about 5 this morning coughing with every breath. She'd actually been having coughing fits all night, for which I had gotten her juice and her humidifier with cough supressant vapors. Finally at 5:30 (tired of getting out of bed) I jostled Thomas and asked him to get Caelen a spoonful of honey and tell her to drink the juice I gave her. He says OK and promptly does absolutely nothing. So I push him again and ask (ever so sweetly) again. He says OK and just lays there. This time I get a bit louder, push him harder and say, "THOMAS can you get Caelen some honey?" to which he asks, "A pie plate?"

His daughter is apparently just as bleary minded when she has woken up because the conversation they went on to have in the kitchen was just as silly.

Daddy: I'm getting you honey and then it's back to bed.
Caelen: Huh?

Daddy: I'm getting you honey.

Caelen: Me?..... You?....

Daddy: Huh? I'm getting you honey.

Caelen: No thank you.

Daddy: Yes, you're going to have some honey and then drink your juice and go back to bed.

Caelen: OK

At least he didn't hand her a pie plate.

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I'm almost 23 weeks pregnant with only 16 left to go. Our newest sweetheart will be born on or around tax day when I'm 39 weeks. At least that's the plan! I saw her move from the outside for the first time a couple of weeks ago and Thomas felt her move about a week ago. Caelen was resting her head on my big round belly last night while we watched a movie. Whenever I laughed she said the baby was kicking her. I didn't argue too much ;)

I have come to terms with waking up nauseaous every morning (some mornings much better than others) and I still am "sick" about once a week. It will be amazing to wake up after the baby has been born and not feel ill.

I'm so ready to meet her. 16 weeks isn't too long right? That's what I'm trying to tell myself. I'm so ready. We've got a bassinet, clothes and everything else a newborn baby girl could need! Let's get this pregnancy over with :)

Tangled

I don't think taking your two precious daughters to the movies for the first time is something you should brave alone. Especially when you suspect that one of them will NOT be sitting through the whole movie. That's why God made aunties.

So we hit the first showing at the theater today. 11:00am. I knew if the girls had to wait any longer, we would all be going crazy, so I was definitely going with the earliest show. We arrived 15 minutes early and there was one other guy outside on his phone, all the box office windows were closed and the door I tried was locked. So, before my kids started to worry the place would never open we took a photo oppurtunity.
My face is crazy, I know. I just didn't know why the theater wasn't open and didn't know what to expect of the kids either.
Then I noticed a door slightly ajar so we marched into the theater and asked the first employee we saw where we could buy our tickets. This guy, who was probably fresh outta high school informed me, "We're not open." I sassily replied, "Well, your door is open. When does the box office open?" to which he checked his watch and said, "Uhhh, 3 minutes ago." "Sweet," I said as I headed back out the door to wait for another 18 year old to help us get our tickets.
After Icey and popcorn purchases we found our seats, with only two other kids with one of their parents sitting in the theater with us.
So about 10 minutes into the movie Addison spilled Caelen's Icey on her dress and then fussed until I took it off. She spent the rest of the movie in tights and cowgirl boots.

Caelen was riveted whether she really understood the movie or not. I wasn't worried about her, I knew she would enjoy herself. Addison sat maybe 50% of the time, the rest of it she spent running up and down the stairs yelling, "Hi Mom, Bye Mom." "Uh-oh Mom" etc. When we left she said "Buh-bye TV" and waved at the screen. She promptly melted down in a candy coma by the time we got to the car.
All in all, it was a great time! And a very cute movie.

Cheers!

Addie learned, almost as soon as she could talk, "Cheers!" Caelen as well. I've found that little ones like to point out when something is the same. It usually starts when they realize they and someone else both have a cup, hence, "Cheers!" It's kind of our way of saying, "Hey we're the same." It usually trickles over into other areas: if Caelen and Addie both have a baby doll they might bonk the doll's heads together and say "Cheers!" for example.
But I got the best "Cheers!" ever just about 15 minutes ago. Addie and I were laying on my bed and she was pretending to go to sleep, talking about the pillows, saying "Night night!" Then she said, "Mom, night night!" so I lay my head down just like her and closed my eyes. She lifted her head up with the biggest smile, head-butted me and said, "Cheers!"

Baby Girl & Caelen strikes again

So yes, it's baby girl 3 on the way! Don't ask for a name, we're completely confused as to what to name her. But she's beautiful and long legged. She sucked her thumb and liked to kick my bladder during the ultrasound. We're so excited and Caelen decided (after a day of mourning the baby brother she wanted) that she will "love her new baby sister." Addison on the other hand has a fit if I hold any other child... so..... we'll just have to see.....

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Me: Your birthday is almost here! I can't believe you're gonna be four!!
Caelen: ...and you're gonna be 59!
Me: (laughing) No, thank you, I'm gonna be 29.
Caelen: How old are you now?
Me: 28
Caelen: (confused) How can you be 28? You're 59.

*************

Caelen had a rough morning Thanksgiving morning. I can't remember why, and I think it was only rough for her. So after getting all grumpy, and then calming down, we thought the drama was over. About 10 minutes later she says, "Guys, even though I have a happy face on my mouth, I'm still very upset!!" I said, "Don't worry Caelen, we wouldn't dare assume you were happy honey."

*************

We were leaving Auntie's house yesterday after Thomas had installed a door and some lights while Heather cut my hair (I love how that works out ;) and we stopped at the gas station to fill up. While Thomas was at the pump Addison kept talking about him and "asking" where he was. Finally, in a pleasant voice, Caelen responds, "Daddys filling up the car with gas!..... freakin kid...." I couldn't speak, I almost died laughing. If there was any chance I was going to tell her that wasn't kind, it flew right out the window immediately. I couldn't stop, and Caelen figured out pretty quickly that I was laughing at her so she started giggling uncontrollably and we all had a good laugh for about 5 minutes until I was able to ask her where she heard that, to which she responded, "Garfield Christmas." Still kills me.

So will it be "The Girls" or "The Kids" from now on?

Addie's had a language explosion and within a couple weeks it's totally changed how she relates to everyone. The "sentences" have begun, multiple words strung together to get her point across. She never fails to communicate (even to Caelen) what she wants. It's making life a lot easier. When I was gone at Women of Faith for literally 2 days, I came home and realized her enunciation was clearer.

She's a huge fan of Mickey Mouse and has named her Little People toy man "Diego". She calls her Dad "Thomas" sometimes. She held a short conversation with Thomas on the phone and he ended up laughing, probably because it was so cute. She's pretty easy going but definitely testing the limits now, and she can be quite the stinker when she thinks we're not looking, especially to her sister. Unfortunately Caelen ends up taking matters into her own hands and hurting Addie worse and then Caelen gets in trouble. I just wish she'd give me two seconds to take care of the problem. I'm a full time referee.

Caelen found out I was going to see Harry Potter with some girlfriends so she suggested I go see it with another one of my friends who I hadn't mentioned. I said, "Well baby, she's just not a big fan of Harry Potter," and Caelen replied, "Oh really? Who does she root for?"

Today Addie was looking out the car window at the rain pointing and shouting, "Water!" So we discussed that yes, rain was water. Then she looked intently out the window and said, "Fish!" I encouraged her that fish DO live in water but Caelen quickly pointed out that fish don't live in rain and she couldn't be seeing fish outside. A few minutes later, just to make her point, we drove past a truck with a fish on the back and Addie jumped at her oppurtunity and yelled, "FISH!!" She told us!

Today I walked into the living room to find Addison smearing a glue stick on her eye.

So today is Monday and on Wednesday at 2:25pm we have our big ultrasound!! First and foremost I really do just want to know that it's a healthy baby. The baby flutters around during the day but is either a) not nearly as active as my other two or b) not noticed as much because I'm so busy with my other two kids. Either way, peace of mind would be amazing. And then, of course, I can't wait to find out if it's a boy or a girl. Adria's doctor told her she doesn't believe that the heart rate can tell you the sex since if they're active it'll be faster and if they're resting it'll be slower. So our baby's heart rate of 150 (which would be a girl) will just have to wait to be confirmed or not.

Beautiful Ballerinas

Life has been chaos. The kind where I make lists of all the things I have to do and then cry. Of course, maybe I cry because I'm pregnant, I'd like to blame it on that since I cry almost everyday now. I know a lot of it is I'm tired, I'm pregnant, but it seems like whether for joy or sadness there just seems to be a lot of reasons to cry.

The brightest spot in my day has been my children! (believe it or not). God has granted me some enjoyment of them that I haven't had with all the slogging through life & morning sickness lately. It's been so fun to tickle feet and raspberry bow-butts (bellybuttons). I figure if life is gonna totally overwhelm me, then I may as well forget it and go play with my kids. I sure as heck ain't ever gonna get it all done and find the time to enjoy them. Just gotta do it.

Addie is growing up fast and talking so much! Everything is, "Look! Cat!" or "Look! Color!" Whatever she sees or does she wants to share with us by shouting, "Look!" She tells us to watch her a lot too and we often have two beautiful girls shouting, "Watch me! Watch me!" at the same time.

Addie can also be a stinker and has her share of time outs, usually for abusing her sister which sends Caelen straight to tears. Caelen's so sensitive and Addie just pounds on her until someone grabs her and makes her stop. I can understand Addie's frustration and she has no words to say, "Leave me the heck alone sissy!" But when she pushed both Daniel and Austin over and made them cry in the space of two minutes I realized we're gonna have to start taking it seriously (and then we can laugh to ourselves later.)

Caelen is such a big girl that I can't believe she's not going to Kindergarten, like, next month. When she's not asking her daddy how the sun works or what energy is, she's telling God that the sunset He painted is, "just perfect Lord." She's a budding artist, and takes great joy in all kinds of artistic endevours. Painting, coloring, stickers, so I introduced her to collages. My mom used to give us all her old magazines and have us cut pictures out and paste them on an unfolded paper bag. Caelen has hers proudly displayed in her room now.

She also just finished a four week ballet class with Riley in which she ended up doing a lot better than I thought she would when she first started out. She can actually show you first position and other arm positions. She's great at following directions and just like her dear old mom would get so frustrated when others in class wouldn't do what the teacher said to do (at least that's what she told me after class).


As you can see, Caelen is tall. (Riley is 3 weeks older than Caelen for reference.) When Caelen introduces herself to someone new she says, "I'm Caelen Abigail and I'm as tall as my friend Ty." Which is an impressive but of information if you also happen to know that Ty is one year older than her. Her grandpa and uncle ARE over 6 ft so there's height in the family. We'll see.

He loves us both Mom

Every night I rock Addie in the rocking chair in her room in the dark as she lays against my chest and I rub her back and sing Jesus Loves Me. When it comes time to say, "Yes, Jesus loves me, yes Jesus loves me, yes Jesus loves me the Bible tells me so" I always substitute her name in place of "me". Yes Jesus loves Addie. And after I say her name (all the while her head is still on my chest) a little, quiet, very tired voice says, "Mommy." Not like a question, or an argument, just a small addition to the song.
Yes Jesus Loves Addie
Mommy
Yes Jesus Loves Addie
Mommy
Yes Jesus Loves Addie
Mommy
The Bible tells me so.

Baby #3

There's my baby! One of the best days of the whole pregnancy is when the ultrasound tech pulls a picture of your baby up on that screen for the first time. I always breath a sign of relief that it's actually in there and I'm not just fooling myself. The little heart was just pumping away and we could see the umbilical cord and everything. I'm always overcome with all my motherly instincts and fall instantly in love with my little bean.

Here's another little bean. She's swiped her big sister's roller skates and actually did amazingly well on them. Once she hit the hardwood I was helping her, of course. But on the carpet she moved around all by herself! I definitely trust Addie in the physical realm more than Caelen.
Daddy and Oldest sister picking out a name for the new baby. Caelen liked Arion for a boy because "it sounds like Ariel!"

I ordered Caelen a legit Backpack from Dora the Explorer complete with Map in the side pocket for her Halloween costume. She's going to be "Princess Dora" so there's not going to be any way to tell she's Dora unless she wears this backpack, otherwise she'll just look like a, well, princess. And that'll cause a whole lot of frustration for Caelen if I know her at all, hence the backpack!

But Backpack is Addison's most favorite part of Dora. If there's anything she likes better it might be Isa or Diego, but backpack and map are right up there, and I'm getting to be a smart mommy of two. No way am I ordering just one! So I got one for each of them. You have never seen two happier girls! They carry them everywhere and are pretty adorable. Backpack is almost as big as Addie so that's a pretty cute sight when she has it on her back. Now I'm just sticking Addie's diapers in hers and Caelen always has a fancy array of toys in hers.

I have a video of Addie chattering away about her backpack when she first inspects it upon arrival but this site won't let me upload it right now. Hopefully I can get it on here soon.

Another horrible day of morning sickness. Actually this one takes the cake for the worst so far. I was sick in the bathroom 4 times before lunch and was pretty convinced I wasn't keeping anything down. For fear of dehydration I called Thomas but he was unable to come to my aid even though I knew he desperately wanted to. Then Courtney offered to take my kids for the rest of the day so I could rest. While waiting for her, there's a knock at the door and it's Amy (we always call her Josh's Amy since we have so many Amy's in our lives!) and she's got a bag full of 4 types of Gatorade! I was so blown away! Then Courtney shows up 5 minutes later and takes my girls back to her house. I lay down on that couch and fell asleep for 3 hours. I have fabulous friends and am very blessed. But now I think I'll have to sign off. It's about 5:00pm which is not a good time for this "morning" sickness.....

When it's Worth It.

What's on my mind right now isn't the morning sickness, it's not the kids, it's not all the chores that I should be doing. No, as a matter of fact, none of those are on my mind because they're all gone for one glorious morning. Thomas took the children to Pastor Bern and Kat's house while he helped Bern with some electrical stuff and installing of ceiling fans. Kat was awesome and offered to watch the kids while the men worked so I could have a free morning. Seriously?! I couldn't have wanted anything more.
So I took my time this morning getting caught up on my study, cleaning my house to some of my favorite music and my morning sickness seems to have taken a hiatus for the time being. I feel almost normal. I feel relaxed, the opposite of stressed and excited. Who would have ever thought that my definition of a great morning would have been being by myself, cleaning my house and goofing off on the computer, but it is.

What's all this talk about morning sickness? Yes, it's true, I've done it to myself again. Those little creatures are always worth it even though they suck the life out of you for so long. All I have to do is look at my girls, or look at their baby pictures and I have no doubt in my mind that it's beyond worth all the vomiting, antacid pills, exhaustion and the chronically messy house with no food in the fridge.
My first ultrasound is Tuesday and I'll get my official due date but for now I'm saying that I'm 8 weeks along and due around April 20. That will probably change (though not by much) on Tuesday, so I'll update again later.
In the meantime while I can still tie my shoes and even wear my normal pants, I cannot sleep on my stomach anymore, can't get through a morning or evening without tossing my cookies, and absolutely can't keep my eyes open past 8:30pm. I'm subsisting on Ghardettos, Chex Mix, 7up, Snapple and breakfast burritos. Don't show me garlic, cucumbers, sandwiches, salads or anything I normally eat. I was totally embarrassed at Food Maxx yesterday when I realized my cart was full of chips, cookies, popsicles, and soda, and I could barely see a few fruits and vegetables at the bottom of the cart. I told the girls, "Enjoy it all now, as soon as Mommy's not pregnant, I'm not buying this stuff again!" Then I hoped no one would judge me as I loaded up the conveyor belt.

My biggest concern when I found out I was pregnant was how I was going to lead the discussion each Thursday for Breaking Free at the women's Bible study at Hessel. When I was asked if I would be interested in being a discussion leader (way back in May or so) I honestly informed everyone that that was really when we would like to try to get pregnant again and that I get incredibly sick. But at the same time, I knew that the Lord was asking me to do this, so I said yes.....then I got pregnant right on schedule. I also got sick right on schedule. But you know what? Graciously the hours of 9-12am haven't been bad and this week I felt pretty great during the discussion time. As soon as it was over I was popping chex mix like a mad woman, but how awesome is that?
So I'm learning the meaning of sacrificial service, of doing it when it's not convenient or it might cost me something. It's easy to serve when it's easy, when it doesn't cost us much. But how about when it's hard, when what we really feel like doing is laying on the couch with potato chips and watching movies while some imaginary nanny watches our kids? As I prayed about whether I was doing the right thing by continuing on in my commitment, I felt no permission to give up or turn the job over to someone else more equipped than myself. Now I'm seeing why. He had something great to teach me, something I've desperately needed to learn and am still grasping. I told Him it's hard, He understands, but He loves me too much to leave me the way I am: selfish and sometimes lazy. So watch out ladies, I'm coming with my chex mix and barf bag and we're gonna do this Breaking Free thing together! And afterward I pray none of us will be the same.

Buh-Bye Hair

My one and a half year old knows more words pertaining to Dora the Explorer than anything else. She knows a couple animal names, and common courtesy words like "thank you" and "please" but from Dora she knows: Backpack, Map, Dora, Diego, Isa, Tico and the best word of all - "Fo Fawdy" which has now become our household name for Swiper.

Addie also loves to look at the cieling with her head thrown back. I think it makes her dizzy. She always smiles about it and if she's somewhere safe (like on our bed) she'll then proceed to fall over and giggle. If you pick her up and she's in a playful mood, you better hang on because she'll throw herself backward and never come up again.

Caelen cut her hair off. Yes it's true. I closed my eyes for just about 2 minutes while on the couch and Thomas was changing his clothes from the work day when he comes out and I hear, "Daddy, look what I did." There was a huge pile of hair on the floor and she had taken the right side off right under her ear. There was a bit missing on the left as well. She said, "I wanted a hair thing like Grandma." Grandma Janet had shown her a lock of her hair she had kept and Caelen decided she wanted some too.

Thankfully I sent a photo text to my sister who was over in about 30 minutes to undo the damage. The result is an absolutely adorable bob with side swept bangs. I couldn't be too mad, I had kinda been wanting to do something with her hair but was afraid of her reaction. She, by the way, loves it.

New Camera!

I would like to officially welcome my new camera to the family. I know.... I just got a new camera... Christmas Eve morning to be precise. But I don't take care of my material possessions, either that or I'm a huge klutz (probably both) and I think the other camera got dropped one too many times. I knew when a little piece of bright orange plastic fell out when I opened it up that it was time to start saving for a new one. I was bound and determined not to go to Yellowstone without a new camera (I mean, seriously now) so here it is, or more like here's what it does.

These are some zinnias we have growing in our garden that are now adorning my parents' dining room table. There are colors in these pretties that you only see from Crayola. I, unfortunately, am no photographer and the picture doesn't do the vivid colors justice.

Addison Paige. How adorable you are.

Some of Addie's current words:

"A Guy" - Chicken

"Bee" - Bird

"A Pain" - Airplane

"Papa" - Grandpa

"Fluffy" - Cat

"Saw Wee" - Sorry

"Too" - Me Too

"Mo Me" - More Please

"Tattoo Baby" - Thank You (Baby)

"Gabby" - Garbage

"Poopy" - Diaper

Sissy

Binkie

Toy

OK

Yeah

Baby
Yucky

If she hears an airplane (and her ears are tuned in) she shouts it out and points to the sky. She says "Get Down" when she dances. And she follows directions really well now.

You know it's summer when you have watermelon faces.

Caelen decided she was MAD today in the car. I say "decided" because it truely comes out of left field. She screws up her face and talks all grumpily announcing that she's mad over and over. Finally after joking with her couldn't get her to stop and she began taking it out on her sister, I asked her why she was so mad. She said, Because Jesus was taking so long to come back, and she just wanted some love from Jesus. I said, I did too and happily we have His Spirit in us. She said she didn't care about having the Spirit she wanted some love from Jeeeeeesuuuuuusssss. So I told her she needed to talk to Jesus about it then and quit taking it out on her sister.

Coloring for Jesus!

This morning Caelen was coloring a page out of her Princess coloring book "for the Lord," she said. It was a picture of Cinderella all dressed up in her wedding gown, I couldn't help but think that was absolutely an appropriate picture to give the Bridegroom Christ! ;) Anyway, she wrote "Lord Jesus" on the picture, opened the slider and said, "OK Lord, here it comes!" and threw the picture out the door. She shouted a little Hallelujah and closed the door.
I can't make this stuff up.

Addie Talks and Takes a Time Out

Addie says, "Thank you Baby" everytime she says thank you. I noticed it today when Caelen handed her her tabby blanket and Addie clearly said, "Thank you Baby!" She's said it alot today to other people and I realized that everytime Caelen thanks her sister she sweetly says, "Thank you Baby." Just copying big sister!


Today Addison had a short conversation with the bagger at the store. She said Hi and he said, "Hi, how are you?" and she said, "Good!" Pretty funny and unexpected.


Addison won't watch TV, never seems to be paying attention but she knows Dora. A few weeks ago she was saying, "Dory Dory Dory" over and over and I realized she was pointing to Caelen's Dora juice cup. She points her out everytime she sees her now. Go figure.
She also calls Grandpa "Papa". She saw a picture in her book of him and called him that. Now a week later she walks over to a picture of her Grandma and Grandpa and points to Grandpa and says, "Papa!" She's happy when she talks about him.

Addie had her first time out yesterday and actually ended up having another later in the day. I remember Caelen being a year and a half when I started her on time outs and she got it. I wasn't quite sure if Addison would understand, but she did. She was pitching a bratty fit and completely outta control so I took her and set her down in the entry way and told her not to move. She sat there happily (not sure about that part) talking to herself and holding her feet rocking around in the corner until I came and got her and said she could be done. Seemed to do the trick too.

In other discipline stories. Caelen has made a bad habit of coming out of bed with some excuse. So last night when she was refusing to go back to bed Thomas told her she would have to have a spanking if she didn't listen. Well she folded her arms, stared him down and didn't flinch as he counted to 3. So he sighed and walked over, administered some discipline and took her back to bed. She began crying that she needed love from her mom so I went in and lay down with her and we talked for a bit.
I told her it wasn't ok to disobey daddy like she had. And she said, "Yeah but I just wanted a swat before I went to bed." I confusedly asked, "You WANTED a swat??" "Yes" she replied. "Why?" I half-laughingly asked. She answered, "Because I just like the sound it makes."


"If you think you are seeing the same show all over again seven times a week, you're crazy. Every morning you wake up to something that in all eternity never was before and never will be again. And the you that wakes up was never the same before and will never be the same again" ~ Frederick Buechner

Prayer Time with Caelen

I have had this killer sinus infection for about a week now. Just when I thought it was on it's way out, it came back right above my eyes. As I lay on the couch with my warm rice sock over my head Caelen said, "Mommy, I'm sorry you have an owie. I'm gonna pray for you." And she bowed her little head with one hand on my knee and whispered, "Dear Jesus, Thank You....... ::whisper whisper whisper:::........ Hey-Man! Mommy, I prayed for your owie."



Caelen's prayer for our dinner tonight was: Dear Lord, thank You for this food and I didn't know that sometimes cracks have flowers in them! Hey-Man. (Apparently she had seen some cracks in the concrete out in the garden with some little flowers!)

In other Caelen Prayers: Caelen wants to be a million things when she grows up and they're all professions that help other people so I told I really loved her heart in that. She wants to be a mom, doctor, firefighter, soldier, and police girl. She asked me if she could be all those things and I've always said, "Of Course!" Well today I said, "Maybe we should pray that God show you what you should be." So she began whispering to Jesus about it. When she was done she announced, "God said I can be all those things!!"

8 is nice, but 35? You Go Guys!

I woke up to one of the sweetest sounds in life this morning; little Addison was calling, "Mommy? Mommy?" from her crib. Not distressed, just letting me know she was awake. She was wet from an overloaded diaper which was probably the reason she finally got desperate enough to call for me. She's usually satisfied to play quietly in her crib until someone hears her happy squeals and comes to say Good Morning.
Our routine goes on to me and her cuddling on the couch with our respective morning beverages. About 15-30 minutes later Caelen will open her door and Addison will begin happily saying, "Morning! Morning! Morning!" over and over until Caelen says, "Good Morning" and gives her a hug. Mornings are a sweet thing right now, it's nice to be in a good stage with the morning time instead of waking up to chaos like I have most of my parenting life.

Happy 35th Anniversary to my mom and dad! Seriously, I remember their 25th like it was just a couple years ago. We were in Maui and I had already graduated high school. We bought them a beautiful monogramed throw blanket that still rests on the back of their couch. This year I think I'll send some goofy card I ended up grabbing because the kids started screaming in the middle of Target and I had to just go with whatever was in my hand. Ah life.

Problems Solved

At the dinner table Thomas and I were discussing Caelen's recent "diagnosis" of hypersensitivity, (that's another blog for another time) and I was informing him of all the rabbit trails I went down on the internet today, looking for reasons behind it all. I was so overloaded with different ideas and opinions and I said, "I just don't know what we're gonna do" and Caelen continued filling her fork and nevering missing a beat said, "Just give me the Holy Spirit!"

Today I went to the doctor for a nasty sinus infection. When I returned after leaving the girls with my mom, Caelen told me she had called me while I was gone and I had told her to make a salad for tonight. My mom filled me in on the details of her pretend phone conversation with me. Later on the way home Caelen was getting sassy and I warned her that she would not be getting the hot chocolate she had asked for if she continued with her behavior. She told me that if I wouldn't make her the hot chocolate, then she wasn't going to make the salad I had asked her to make for dinner tonight. Guess she showed me! :)

Summer Fun & more Words

Caelen's favorite movies are her Bible stories movies. I can't read the Bible to her 24/7 (which she would prefer) and she can't read yet so I thought movies would keep her busy. She's definitely paying attention. We walked into Oliver's market and up above the aisles where they have all their decorations, they had a big ceramic cow with tie dye colors all over it. Caelen saw it, gasped and said, "Mom! They worship idols in here. I think they're wicked people."



Addison was coloring with markers next to Caelen and she put her marker back in the case and said, "Buh-bye!" Caelen asked who she was saying bye to, when I told her it was her marker she started laughing so hard! We had a good laugh about that one.



Addison can said, "Side" (Outside), "Go", "Gabbie", "Ty", "Boy", and so many other words that it seems like theres a new one or two everyday! She also knows when something is garbage and usually says "Yucky" and takes it to the kitchen garbage. If you ask her for a high five, she'll deny you though and walk right by! She's started taking stairs like a normal person instead of a baby. And if she's ready for a nap, she'll gather her "Bee Bee" (binkie) "Tabby" (tabby blanket) and say "Nigh Nigh!"

In other news, the whole family has a summer cold for 4th of July, but the show must go on. The badminton net is going up as we speak and Caelen got a new frisbee today. Thomas has been working every spare minute on the backyard and it does look pretty spiffy. I just know I'll have no voice by 4:00 tomorrow when the BBQ starts due to this chest cold. Oh well, I'll just smile and sign ;)

So Sentimental

As we're playing in the living room today, Caelen throws her arms around me in a big spontaneous hug and says, "Mom? When you die up to be in heaven..... (I'm anticipating a mushy moment where I get to explain to her that hopefully I'll be around for a long time and she doesn't have to worry about that for awhile....)... can this be my house?"

Earlier in the same day as we were listening to one of her favorite songs, "Eden" by Phil Wickham she says, "Mom, I wanna be in heaven with God." I said, "Yeah... we all do baby." "I wanna be with Jesus and God Mom." and I told her, "You will one day honey." She asks, "When I really really old like Grandma Evelyn?" "We'll see baby."

Addison's conversation isn't as deep, of course, but is getting much more diverse. She's saying things like "Bye guys." "Weee!!" (When something is fun, even coming down from her highchair.) She says her name perfectly clearly and pounds on her chest. Bye, Hi, Thank You, Mama, Dada, All Done, Help Please, Down, and No are refined and used often. And she can communicate with pointing, gestures, and head nods extremely well. It's so fun to interact with her, but even better to watch the girls interact and see Caelen understand Addie and sometimes laugh with her.

We've been sick alot

Our conversation in the car today went like this:
Me: Caelen you're sounding very angry today. Do you have an anger problem?
Caelen: Yes! Right here (pointing to her side under her left arm.)
Me: Right there?
Caelen: Yes, I have an angry germ right here and it makes me mad when I talk to you. It makes me mad when I talk to you and Ty, but not Riley, it makes me happy when I talk to Riley.... and Addie. But the angry germ makes me angry at Ty and at you Mom.

Later in Costco as she's talking about how she would like to take her new coloring book into her room and shut the door to color she's getting angrier and angrier (don't ask me why):
Caelen: And I want to take it in my room and color in there, not in the playroom, because I don't want Addie to mess it up!!!
(People staring at an angry child.)
Me: Honey, you need to tell that angry germ to calm down, and you should find your kind germ.
Caelen: My kind germ is over here (pointing to her right side) and I'll move it over here where my angry germ is so I can be nice again. See Mommy?! I can talk nicely again!

Maybe He could stop by for a BBQ?

While we were driving around town, Caelen was asking me when Jesus was "coming back in the clouds". I told her that no one knows, only God. She said she really wanted Him to come back. And it was a really fun conversation but the best was when she said, "I want Him to come back in the sky and into our yard for a visit."

Today she got a cut on her hand (with what looks suspiciously like a splinter but she won't let me touch it). About 10 minutes later while she's playing outside and I'm sweeping the patio she says, "Mom, would you pray for me?" I said, "Absolutely sweetheart. What would you like me to pray for." "My owie," she said. So I came over and put my arm around her and we asked the Lord to heal that owie and that if He chose to let it hang around for awhile that He give her the strength to endure it.
Seriously, that kid is the sweetest darn thing.

I have another sweetest darn thing, and when I get my other computer turned on I'll upload some videos of Addison and her antics. She's getting so good at communicating. Today she pushed her dinner plate away, said, "Ah Da" and as Thomas was helping her out of her very messy clothes she asked, "A Ba?" with the sweetest hopeful expression knowing that baths always come after dinner.
She says "No" clear as a bell but in a sweet little voice, almost like a question as she shakes her head vigorously from side to side. Mostly she does this if her sister gets in her face or if you ask her if she wants to go night night. Although tonight I asked her and she said, "Yeah". She calls Woodrow "Wuh Doh" and every animal is "A Ca!" (A cat). She knows where a nose is and if shes about to give you a kiss you'll know it by the big open mouth that comes at you. She never puckers!
She's obssessed with her "Bee bee" (binkie) and when I tried to carry her out of her room, pretending I didn't know what she was asking for, she finally got fed up and yelled, "Mommy!"
I think she knows she charming and when she's in trouble she just laughs. You can have the sternest face and scold her with a loud NO! and she'll stop, assess the situation and start to grin as she continues in the bad behavior. Like it's a game. Oh my Addie. I just love those girls.

I have to go potty, can I come to your house??

If you ever feel like your house is falling apart around you, can I just share with you? And I write this for the future me, as much as anyone else who may happen to glace at this post.
For the past two months, that would be the day my new garage door arrived and was installed after the old one was mutilated by a drunk driver, that day my dishwasher died. So I have been doing dishes by hand while the putred water that wouldn't drain out of the bottom just sat inside my dishwasher. I was told it would be taken care of and then 2 months of life and stagnant water happened.
Well then my toilet wouldn't plunge. My husbands strong, pretty strong. He couldn't do a thing about it. So we used the other toilet, waiting for someone to call Roto Rooter. Finally I announced that I was just gonna call them (should have done this in the first place) and they came out.
The culprit: Addison. The weapon: a miniture can of bright pink playdough flushed down our toilet. Roto Rooter fixes it "for now" he says and I have him look at the dishwasher. "Oh it's probably just clogged right here" he says as he snakes a tiny connection between my dishwasher and disposal.
After a lot of embarassment over disgusting water in the bottom of my dishwasher (oh the smell!), and half a bottle of bleach poured in for a cycle, my dishwashers working again, and I should add, "for now."
Fast forward to that evening. I'm using the toilet that hadn't been the problem in the first place. I flush and water leaks out from the bottom of the toilet all over the floor. "The seal is broken" says Thomas. So we're using the original problem toilet now.
The next day THAT toilet backs up again...... then it blub blub blubs until it's filled with black sludge. I'm scared to look in the other bathroom, but I must be brave. Yep, black sludge leaked out onto the floor and my shower is completely full of, let's be honest" raw sewage." And unless we want to pay alot of money we don't have, we have to wait it out through the weekend until Monday morning. "Sounds like the can of playdough just went further down the line and now has backed up your main line. It'll take two guys going up on your roof and down through the main vent." Fine.
As I load the girls in the car to make a Raley's run (duel purpose, groceries and toilets) I notice the washing machine has leaked sludge all over my garage floor which harkens back to our first experience with Roto Rooter 6 months ago. As I ask Thomas if he could remove our dining room table leaf and my wrapping paper from the slime, I hop in the car and drive away.
Needless to say after contemplating sleeping in the living room, we opened all the windows in our bedroom and bathroom and tried not to smell the most disgusting smell that left me falling alseep praying for all the poeple in the world who live with this sewage running down the middle of their towns and roads where their children play.
In the meantime, I've been dancing as I load my dishwasher... and then realize I better place a rag under it because it's spilling out water as it runs. Thomas asks me this morning why it's there. I explain and he points out that the hardwood floor in front of the dishwasher is now buckling at the seams a good 2 feet out in front of the machine. "And we probably shouldn't run it since it unloads into the main line." Fine.
Praise the Lord we're finally having beautiful weather, we have no guests staying with us, and one of our children doesn't even use a toilet. I'm looking on the bright side here people. I asked Thomas if he thought the Lord was preparing us for missions in countries where they have no indoor plumbing. "At this point, I'd rather live there, then I woundn't have to deal with this." he says.

They don't get hyperbole

Awana's meltdown happens almost every Wednesday night becuase Caelen is up 1 1/2 hours past her normal bedtime by the time we get her home and ready for bed, but tonight was extra drama. One thing after another was setting her off. Finally when I told her it was time to brush her teeth she stood her ground in the hall and said, "I'm not coming." So after some loving discipline I had her in the bathroom on the stool, toothbrush in my hand and she shoves a hand towel over her face and says she's not brushing her teeth. More discipline. Nothing. I tell her she's not riding her bike tomorrow. Nothing.
Finally I say, "Fine. We won't brush your teeth. If they fall out, don't cry to me." Then she bursts into a slinky fit (the one where you can't pick them up because they're slinking to the floor) screaming that she wants to brush her teeth now. I put her in bed, tell her not to get out and leave. She is screaming hysterically for 10 minutes.
She eventually braves the possible consequences and gets out of bed and hysterically sobs my name from her door. I tell her, "Baby, I told you not to get out of bed." She replies, "I know Mom but I have to tell you something." I ask what. She stands at the end of hall, the hysterical sobbing goes up another notch as she wails, "Mom if I don't brush my teeth and they fall out, I'll be a baaaaaaaaabbbbyyyy again!!!"
So this Mama had to apologize for saying something so thoughtlessly that apparently scared the crap out of her. Poor thing. After I asked her forgivness, she asked mine for "having a bad attitude." I think we ended on a positive note.

My sweet Addison is now trying to repeat all the important words that she hears and she's getting pretty good. Her new phrase is, "Help Please" which comes out Heh-Pee. She uses it very appropriately and is a lot less frustrated these days. Her four teeth are making the look of her face change, so she's talking more AND looking older.
This morning Addison was hanging out in bed with me, suddenly slid down and went into the hall. As she looked toward the kitchen she said, "A Bah!" I asked, 'Do you want a bottle?" She got so excited and we headed down the hall. I followed her to the kitchen where she went to the cupboard, pulled out an empty bottle and said, "Heh-Pee!"
She also says Baby, and even called her little face in the mirror, a baby. And she is so fun with her goofy facial expressions and gasps that she does because she knows she's hilarious. I love those girls!

More Quotes for the Archives

Caelen discovered a new site on the computer from the Disney Channel and she was playing on that one afternoon. When it was time to get off her attitude went down the drain. There were a couple of offenses before I got smart and decided to put an end to it. I said, "You're attitude is so bad, you're not playing on the computer for the rest of today or tomorrow." She thought about it, looked at me and said very respectfully, "Mom, I think I'm gonna need some possibility." With an emerging smile on my face I said, "Possibility of what, baby?" She said, "Some possibility of the computer tomorrow."
Unfortunately I had to reiterate that there really would be no possibility of the computer tomorrow.

Tonight at dinner Caelen came to the table, announced she was going to pray by saying, "Okay, I'm gonna pray. Everyone dry up their tears and let's pray!" (No one was crying and I have never heard this said anywhere before!)

Addison will play in a sandbox (mulch, dirt, sand, kitty litter....) for an hour by herself. Absolutely no one else is necessary in her sweet little world, she just busily plays non-stop. It's pretty much the sweetest thing.

Addie can say, "Hi Da!" and "Bah" (Ball). She has started shaking her head for no (like when I tried to get her to finish her banana). She knows what we're saying to her most of the time and she's begun testing what happens when she obeys, or doesn't. She's usually a good listener but I have a feeling she's also checking to see if that mischievously adorable grin of her can get her out of trouble.

The girls often play ball together now. If Caelen proposes it and Addie's in the mood she'll sit right down and spread her legs to a V shape so she can catch the ball. Both girls will face each other like this and roll the ball back and forth. They seriously have a blast!

Addison says "Hi" for Bye but she waves when it's Bye or Night Night. Always with the hugest grin on her face so you can see her, now, four teeth. The girls are so different. Caelen loves anything artistic, reading, and learning. Addison is into agility, tactile games, and has already mastered the stairs (which is amazing since we don't have any.) She's very careful. She's also very musical and loves to turn on music, play the piano or clap. Not to say that any of these things don't overlap for the girls (Caelen loves singing! and Addie fancies herself an artist with her paintbrushes on the playhouse walls) but it's fun to see them develop in different ways.

A Pig Offering?

I offered Caelen some spagetti as I was getting some for myself but she wanted an apple. A few minutes later she looked at her half eaten apple and changed her mind, asking for some spagetti. I told her she could absolutely have some spagetti after she finished her apple. She promptly turned around and headed toward the bathroom. I heard sounds and got suspicious so I called her back into the room. She not only DIDN'T come, she shut the door to the bathroom. So I headed in and she (looking very guilty) was leaning against the toilet. I asked her whatshe was doing and she shrugged her shoulders. Only after I threatened her with who-knows-what for lying to her mother did she open the toilet and show me the apple floating inside.

Two stories intertwine here: Thomas was telling some friends a couple of days ago that the first time he killed a pig was when he was about 6 years old. So today we were reading Caelen's Bible about Abraham and Isaac when God tested Abraham's faith and willingness to lay down his idol and sacrifice his only son. Of course the Lord provided a ram instead. Caelen started asking why, so we began discussing the old sacrifices God used to require before Jesus came. She was understanding, nodding her head and I said, "So now we don't have to offer those kinds of sacrifices anymore." to which she replied, "My Daddy offered sacrifices when he was six."

Preparing for Nevada

Yesterday I heard Caelen in some other room saying, "I'll baptize you if you baptize me" and rambling on and on about baptizing. Then somehow I realized she was in the bathroom and images of her dunking imaginary people into the toilet came to me.

Both the girls are sick again. In the past 5 weeks we've been to church, Bible study & Awanas one time. I'm over it. Whatever! LOL. If we make it, we make it, if we don't then I have a Bible and good friends.

We're gearing up to go to Nevada to visit missionary Larisa Craig. When her story touched my heart I didn't know if I could do anything to help except maybe collect up some women's clothing for the young women she minsters to. Women's clothing became women's clothing, kids & baby clothing, blankets, toys, books and over 50 pairs of new flip flops! Jennifer's American Heritage Girls troop adopted Larisa as their missionary and did a book drive and she's also collected up more of the same. From the sound of it she has at least five times the amount of stuff I have. I CANNOT wait to take it all to Larisa! It's gonna be way better than Christmastime! We'll feel like Santa in a big 12 seater sleigh pulling up :)
My concern is the girls going with me. Larisa really encouraged me to bring them and Jenn is bringing her girls. Plus Auntie Heather is coming, so short of Daddy being with us, it's about as perfect a situation as it gets... but the girls are unpredictable. Addison has the attitude of an experienced 2 year old at only barely a year and Caelen insisted she couldn't close her eyes at Tyler's house and therefore couldn't sleep unless she was at home. So fair warning to everyone involved in this trip, my kids have minds of their own.

I made the mistake of telling Caelen we were collecting stuff for some poor kids who didn't have much and that's why I was asking her if there were any toys or clothes of hers that she could give up. They kind of became known as the "poor kids". So while perusing all the bounty we have to take with us, Caelen once again mentioned the "poor kids" and I said, "Yes, but maybe we shouldn't call them that anymore. Let's call them....." Caelen threw her arms in the air and said, "... the kids we love!!!"

Girl Talk

Caelen thoughtfully asked me the other day, "Mom? If you want to have two babies, do you have to get married two times?" "No," I said, "You just get married once and then you can have as many babies as you want." "I want FIVE!" She exclaimed. Definitely Thomas's daughter.
When I was telling Courtney about this, Courtney then asked Caelen, "What if your husband doesn't want five babies? What will you do then?"
And Caelen replied, "Find another man and have babies!!!"

Addison knows where Fluffy hides, under the desk in the playroom. She gets down on her tummy and looks under the desk and says, "Hi Daaa! Hi Daaa!" So when Caelen and I were fishing a shoe out from under Caelen's bed, it made perfect sense why we must have been on our tummies. So Addie got down along side us and hollared, "Hi Daaa! Hi Daaa!"
She's also completely mixed up the words, "Up" and "down." She used to say Up for everything, even when she wanted to get down from a chair or a wagon or something like that. We would correct her with Down. Now she uses down for everything, even when shes standing on the ground reaching up it's, 'Dow!"

Caelen has been amazing this week - literally one time out all week so far (it's Wednesday.) Her attitude towards everyone has been so loving and she has been quick to listen, pointing out every time that she's being a good listener. I don't know if part of the incentive has been watching her baby sister start to act out, have an attitude and see consequences, but whatever it is, it's been very enjoyable! But Addison is beginning to have a toddler 'tude. She knows when she's not getting her way and if she doesn't get it quickly, she's pitching a fit! She's also fighting back with Caelen and the look of shock on Caelen's face the first few times Addison stood up for herself has been pretty funny. Caelen is a lot more thoughtful about whether or not she should strike her sister now.

Caelen said to me yesterday, "Mom, I appreciate your help, but I can do it." Seriously, she amazes me.

We eat Vitamin C like it's going out of style

In the past 3 weeks the only representative from my family of four that has made it to any church function has been me, one Sunday I made the first service but had to leave immediately following because my sister was getting sick again and needed me to drive her home. Now keep in mind that my family is at church anywhere from 3-4 times per week. The reason for our absence? Neverending illness!

Sickness Count in Past 3 Weeks

Pink Eye - 3 cases

Fever & Body Aches - 4

Sinus Infection - 1

Random Runny Noses - 2

and not one member of the family has been left unaffected.

But thankfully we were all well for Granmda Evelyn's graveside service Wednesday March 17 at 12:30.

It was very simple with the members of my small immediate family there (Grandma was an only child, married an only child and had an only child so it's not a huge family tree) along with Grandma's caregiver who was with her exactly 2 years to the day she died, Ateca who has become like a sister to my mom. Ateca served and loved my Grandma so wonderfully and her pastors and friends would come and visit Grandma too. Grandma loved them all and it was necessary and wonderful to have them there.

Pastor Moses got up and shared to start the informal service off. Next Ateca spoke about her and Grandma's 2 year journey and the days leading up to Grandma's passing. Next, I got up to say who-knows-what and in the middle of my first sentence Caelen pops up from her seat, stands where everyone else had been standing and began a speech. She spoke about shopping at Target with her mom for her new coloring desk that has a roll on sheet of princess coloring pages and places to stick the markers and crayons. Then she took her seat. After that I finished up and my Dad spoke. Thomas brought the kids back from the bathroom just in time to watch Grandma be lowered down and then we headed home for a St. Patrick's Day reception.

Mom decided she wanted to go out for dinner a little later and so we loaded ourselves into the Suburban and Auntie Heather drove us out to Negri's in Occidental.

It was a great time with family and definitely a celebratory time. The painful time was when Grandma was still alive and suffering. There was a lot of relief on Wednesday.

And then the sun came out again today and the girls got to play while I recovered from a fever I came down with as we were leaving the restaurant.

Goodbye Grandma, Hello Spring

On Sunday March 14, 2010 at about 1:05am my Grandma Evelyn got to go home to heaven. We'd been praying for a long time that she would be relieved of her suffering, by the time she went she had bedsore pain that morphine couldn't touch. What a relief for her spirit when she got to leave that all behind! Today is Grandma's graveside service, and then a St. Patty's day wake! LOL, Although, we're doing it backwards.... supposed to bury the body after the wake.....
Either way, I'm looking forward to being with very close friends and family this afternoon as we lay Grandma's body to rest. It's a relief for everybody, and now the grieving process can truly begin.

But rebirth is on it's way in the form of spring. It's just around the corner as my trees can testify.

And Mommys love spring because it means a change in wardrobe for the little ones and we get to bring out all the cutsie outfits that have been hanging in the closets teasing us.
I figured we were well over due for some pictures! So here they are. The Kline's enjoying the warming weather.

(Seriously! I know, much too cute for words!) Addie's newest words are "Yuck Yuck" and "Owie" which she uses appropriately!

(And she's turning into a beautiful little girl!)

I've been having to leave about the girls' bedtime a lot of evening these past couple of weeks and so Thomas has taken on evening duties. When I came home at about 11:00pm, every light in the house was on but there wasn't a sound to be heard. I walked into Caelen's room to this:

She had been having a night terror and once he cuddled her she had calmed down. Too sweet!

And one last photo, the garage is working!! There's all new siding, the new garage door is up and the inside is sheetrocked and painted. The only things left to do are paint our house (we have sample quarts, thanks to Doug, that we can try out as soon as we get a chance!) and building the new shelves in the garage.

So I guess we're just never bored around the Kline home, and I wouldn't trade it all for anything, joys and sorrows, it's our craziness, and I like it.

One is Fun!

I'm concerned about the Pavlovian nature of my one year old. The girl is trained to sound of my cell phone; whether it's my ringtone "Cannons" by Phil Wickham or the simple "Beep Beep" that tells me I have a new message, Addison stops whatever she's doing, looks at me, makes a acknowledging noise and then heads in the direction of the phone. It's making me think that more probably I'm the one who is like Pavlov's dogs and my kids are just learning from the master. Maybe some behavior modification is called for.

But my toddler is growing so fast! She has such personality emerging and I know Caelen catches us watching Addison a lot and is beginning to desire some of that attention for herself. So we love all over Caelen and brag on her, but watching a one year old just really is a ton of fun!
She's got a few new words that she's using regularly aside from the "conversations" we have made up of unintelligible sounds that I'm sure mean something to her. "Juice" is a very clear one. Just a couple of days ago she walked into the kitchen holding her empty cup. While looking at it, she held it up to me and said, "Juice". I knew then that that word was a keeper and no longer a possible fluke. "This" is another on she uses when talking about anything else she doesn't know the word for. Sometimes it sounds like juice, but I'm thinking it's her way of asking what something is, or discussing it.
Addison wanders around constantly, she's in perpetual motion. Her favorite thing to do is climb on and off things and always announces her accomplishment with ,"Up". When she's not climbing, she's usually walking with her hands behind her back like a little old man leisurely strolling the park. When she wants up she opens and closes both her fists way above her head and says, "Ahhhhhh-P"

I knew there would come a time when my kids would be doing homework that I just couldn't help them with, but when your 3 year old already grasps a concept that you don't, then you begin to feel strange about yourself. If you don't already know, I have always had a hard time knowing my left from my right. I know, it's silly and I blame it on dyslexia, but I literally have to think for awhile to figure out which is which, usually remembering which hand I write with helps. I'm getting a bit faster in my old age.
So Caelen come out of her room Saturday morning with full blown pink eye and says, "Mom, I had a crumb in my left eye and I picked it out." I asked, "Which is your left eye?" and she immediately pointed to it. This wasn't the first incident and has proven not to be the last but it was the moment that I realized I was inferior to my child in some way and just reaffirmed that, yes indeed, she is smart.

So with the onslaught of pink eye, sinus infections and fever, I'm beginning to feel that I will never reenter the real world. I have missed 2 Thursday Bible studies, 2 Wednesday playdates, one Thursday night Grey's night, one day of work, and 2 Sunday mornings. Forget the fact that that's the regularly scheduled programing and I most certainly am not doing anything spontaneous like dinners with friends etc. Although last Friday we were able to do dinner with the "commune", that felt like a social oasis in a lonely sick desert. But time alone with my family has been a blessing. Though the girls are sick, they're not unbearable and we've been just taking it easy. I'm feeling rested amazingly enough, calm and not frenzied with a crazy schedule. So I'll enjoy it while it's here. Soon enough the weather will warm up, the flu will hibernate (or whatever it does with itself) and we'll be social again.

I'm Drowning!

It's always the mundane drudgery of life that inevitably threatens to send me over the edge. Give me a crisis, I can handle that. But it's the days were one kid has a sinus infection and gets her fingers slammed in a door by her older sibling who was disobeying, and who herself has pink eye. You have to go to work but first you have to wait for the installation guy to come install a new garage door because a drunk crashed into your old one. And as you're trying to get everyone ready for the day amidst the screams of dissatisfied toddlers, your dishwasher finally dies on you. Not to mention you're broke, your Internet won't work on one computer, but the other is so slow and filled with viruses you'd rather just throw it out the window, and the house is complete and utter chaos even though you spent the entirety of yesterday cleaning it. Oh and it's only 8:30am. And yes, that is the exact morning I am experiencing right now.
These types of things leave me unable to compartmentalize. I know that's a man's gifting, but I can do it too. That's why when I clean, I completely clean one room and then close the door. I can say to myself, "Well the rest of the house may be a disaster, but that ONE room is taken care of." When it seems every little thing is going wrong in some little annoying way, then I'm unable to use this coping mechanism. And all these things become like a swirling vortex that begin to suck me into the chaos around me. I very easily begin to focus on all the frustration, all the things that are messed up and I forget to look up. To look up out of the swirling waters and to my Ultimate Help.
"If the Lord had not been on our side... the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away." Psalm 124: 2-5 (NIV)
But once I look up, and get my focus off of these "momentary light afflictions" I regain my perspective. This is so temporary, sometimes as short as a few hours to as short as a lifetime, but in light of eternity, I can do anything for a little while.
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:18

Stick a cork in it

For better or worse we learn to be sassy early on in the Kline household and without a doubt it's from the Williams side. Addison is already learning the fine art and undoubtedly so early because she doesn't only have her mother's example, she has the Princess of Sass as her older sister :)
Caelen was busy with a coloring book right in the middle of my kitchen floor. Perhaps Addison wanted to demonstrate the inconvenience of such a location so she waddled over and plopped herself right on top of the book with the subtlety of a cat who is mad that you're reading your newspaper. Caelen began fussing and yelling, "No Addie, No! No!!" and Addison, as calm as can be removed her binkie and stuffed it in her sister's mouth.

Everyone thinks my poor Addison is a boy. I thought perhaps it's because she looks like her Daddy, so therefore people think, "Boy." But this is happening (most frequently) when Thomas isn't around and commented on by people who have never even seen him! Grocery shopping is when I experience it the most. Doesn't matter if she has flowers on her shirt, or even bright pink pants, it's, "Hey little guy!", "Is that your little brother?" Caelen always looks at them first like they're crazy then she gets all defensive and sassy, "That's my SISTER!" What are sister's for if not to defend you when someone thinks you're a boy.

Caelen had informed me many times that she'll be on the stage and I believe she's practicing. At least practicing the costume changes. She goes from her jammies in the morning to new jammies after breakfast to clothes for the day (then those aren't quite right so she changes again) to jammies again once we get home, then maybe a dress so she can go outside, then a new outfit after it starts to cool off, then probably jammies for dinner, new ones after bath and then finally the madness stops and I have two laundry baskets of clothes to run.

Sleep Over

Addison has finally corraled all her words together and is using them all consistently now. Mama, Dada, Up, Uh-Oh and Hi are the more clear and common ones. Then today Caelen was yelling NO! because apparently Addison was moving dangerously close to the enterance to Caelen's bedroom. Anyway Addison responded in kind, "Wa-AH!" The delivery of it sounded just like Caelen's NO! Same emphasis etc. So that's solved the mystery of another common Addison word.

This weekend Thomas and I attended the Love & Respect conference at church and Thomas surprised me with dinner out and a stay at the Doubletree while the girls spent the night at Grandma & Grandpas. Lest anyones tempted to be jealous of my parents, my mom informed me over text after I asked her how it was going that, "addie has insomnia and Caelen woke up screaming hysterically for mom & dad." Awesome. Apparently they're not ready for mom and dad to leave them for a week or so. Well, Addison is maybe but not Caelen who was unable to handle life by the time we got there. Addison on the other hand ran right back over to Grandma to be picked up.

Anyone else feeling like the summer can arrive now?

Caelen Speaks Out (As Usual)

Me: Caelen you need to have a sweater if you're going to wear a short-sleeved dress. (The biggest argument in our house)
Caelen: Why?
Me: Because it's cold and I said so.
Caelen: Well.... I don't think so.
Me: Are you the mommy who knows best, honey?
Caelen: ::pause:: (cautiously) Kind of?

Caelen came out of her room needing her dress unzipped and said, "Mooooomm!! I wanna take my dress off and give it to a poor kid who don't have any dress."

On a car ride to church, just the two of us, Caelen reminds me that when she grows up she's going to be a ballet dancer. I said, "Good for you baby!" Caelen: You will have to come see me Mom. Me: I will honey, I'll come to all your shows. Caelen: I'm gonna be on stage mommy. Before I have babies.
Reminded me of someone I used to know :)

This morning Caelen woke up and called me into her room. "My brain hurts." Me: Your brain hurts? Caelen: Yeah, because of my pull-up. Me: (tyring not to laugh) Your brain hurts? Up here? (Touching her noggin) Caelen: Yeah, my pull-up goes all the way up to my brain and it hurts.

Sun & One

All I need is a little sun, a little warmth and all is well again. I have enjoyed the rain we've been having, I'm thankful I won't have to feel guilty this summer when the kids dump the hose out of the kiddie pool and it fills a puddle in the middle of my lawn before I see it and replace it. Thomas won't be breathing down my neck to stop filling the girls' bath because he wants to be able to water his garden.
But when that sun peeks out and I feel it's warmth, though not as intensely as I know I soon will, I get so excited. I feel refreshed, clean, awake and energized. I open the windows in all the rooms and then the kids and I pour ourselves out into the backyard as fast as we can!

The thing most present on my mind, besides the challenging books I've been reading, (Pilgrim's Progress and Pursuit of God anyone?) is Addison's 1st birthday coming up this Friday. My baby, and not my first baby either, is going to be one. I thought I was still getting used to having two babies. But I suppose that's not really true. Life without Addison wouldn't be life, and I don't know when that happened. When your babies are about 4 months or so, you can still imagine life before them, back when things were "normal". Somewhere between then and now, that child becomes your "normal" and life just wouldn't be life without them in it. I love that.

The Princess & the Firestation

There's been a rather formal feeling around the house lately. Not only do we have a resident princess, but she's also taken to calling us "Mother" and "Father". While in the complete princess garb (which is as you see here) she instructed me to call her "Princess", I agreed to which she replied, "Thank you Queen." I apparently forgot the rules on Sunday morning when she was needing a reminder to eat her breakfast. "Caelen, you need to be eating your breakfast," I said. She looked at me with a very serious face and said, "You can call me Princess."
Unfortunately, the reign came to an end after a series of a couple sad events where we lost the tiara and a Cinderella glass slipper to some serious breakage. Even Gorilla glue couldn't fix the royal wardrobe.

Miss Addie may finally be feeling some teeth. She is 1 year next Friday and still not a sign of a tooth, until today. I like to tell myself her crankiness and constant whining must be due to teething and I'm also trying to believe that I feel a tooth under one of her little gums. What an angel, but I think she's gonna be trouble!

Can we talk about the Baby Trend Sit 'N Stand stroller? Because I've had it 5 days and already feel it has changed my life. I seriously don't know how I went a year without it. It's the only stroller I will ever need (check your local Craig's List soon for multiple stroller postings!) You can do two baby carriers, two normal stroller seats or turn the back into a bench seat so the older child can sit or stand or just hop off at their convenience. (Or any combination thereof.) If you have two children, or are planning on two children, may I suggest this be the first thing you purchase. It's super lightweight also! Only 16 lbs and fits in my Camry's trunk. It doesn't get much better than this.

So we took our Super Stroller and headed to the church's local firestation for a Mom Group playdate. The Gold Ridge Firestation offered to give our playgroup a tour. I wasn't going to miss an opportunity to show Caelen that firefighters were nice, were there to help you, and so therefor were NOT the ones who crashed into our house after Christmas. (Yes, we're still working on this.) Caelen was very timid and enjoyed the security of her bench seat. A couple times she ventured off but never to go very far or for very long.


The firefighters gave the kids hats and a bag with a coloring book, crayons, stickers etc. which Caelen was so excited about. Not the hat though, she refused to put that stupid piece of plastic on, I mean honestly, where are the tiaras?

The brought the truck out with lights and sirens. They even let the kids take turns spraying the hose. Caelen passed on that, but she did get into the drivers seat long enough for me to get a picture.

We were just so excited to have sweet Austin and his mommy and brother there. After the awful weekend Austin had had, what a blessing he got to join us, and looking so well I might add!