Heard in my house today . . .

Addison: Boys pee standing, but I pee sitting down.

Later in the day

Addison: I don't act like a boy.

Me: How do boys act?

Addison: Like animals.

Patience

Addison is teaching me patience. There are so many little things in our daily routine that it would be easier and faster if I did them, but I know it is important to let Addison do these things. Such as brushing her teeth, getting dressed and putting her shoes on. I have to plan ahead to make sure there is time for Addison to do these tasks. So when we are getting ready to go somewhere, I have to start getting the kids ready 10 minutes earlier, so that Addison will have plenty of time to put her shoes on by herself. I am so used to doing everything that I have to remind myself throughout the day to let Addison do things. She is capable of doing so many things, if I will just let her.

Finally, a cool day to play outside.

Cute Pics.

Ahhhh, Coffee

Today, for the first time in over two months, I sat down and enjoyed an afternoon cup of coffee.

A little over two months ago I gave up drinking coffee. Not willingly of course. It happened during a six day stomach virus were the withdrawal symptoms of quiting caffeine cold turkey were nothing compared to debilitating symptoms of losing everything that I attempted to eat and being curled up in a ball from the pains of stomach cramps.

After I recovered from my stomach virus my pod coffee maker stopped working. Despite a cabinet full of coffee pods, I decided I would just forgo coffee.

My efforts were rewarded when I started losing weight and the only thing I had changed about my routine was the fact that I was no longer drinking coffee.

Then life hit me. Sleepless nights, kids waking up at night, going to bed later than I should, having to get up earlier than I want to, stress, etc. So today I gave in and had a wonderful afternoon cup of coffee.

The really funny part is how I made the coffee, because I no longer have a coffee pod maker. I have this thing that I think you are supposed to use to drain cans of food (because it fits right over a can and it has holes in it like a strainer). I heated up water in the microwave, put this can strainer (I guess that is what you would call it) over my coffee cup, put a pod in the strainer and then poured the water on the pod. Then I let the pod soak in the coffee cup a few minutes and wha la, I had a wonderful cup of coffee.

What a Mess

This is what happens when you start cooking carrots at 11:00 in the morning and then forget about them until 2:00pm. I guess we are not having carrots with dinner.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Yes, she ate all of them.

Addison ate all these orange slices, by herself, AFTER eating a large lunch.

Hunter's Balloon

Tissue

This morning Addison asked if she could get a tissue to wipe her nose. I said, "Yes . . . just be sure to throw it away when you are done." I didn't think anything else about it until I walked into the bathroom a while later.

So now I just need to teach her to only use a small piece of tissue, not half the roll.

Flower Girl

Four Cookies

Today at lunch Addison ate all her food, so I gave her two cookies, the ones you can pull apart and lick the cream center.

I was feeding Hunter when Addison said, "I have 4 cookies." I looked over and she had pulled the the two cookies apart and laid all four pieces back on her plate and she indeed now had 4 cookies. I was amazed.

Sometimes when I give her cookies or fruit we will count how many she has, but I didn't think she really understood. But maybe she does.

French Fries

Here is a conversation I had with Addison this morning:

Addison - Where's daddy?

Me - He's at work.

Addison - Can he come home and bring french fries?

Can you tell that there are many days when I don't want to cook and daddy brings home something that includes french fries?

Hunter's First Hair Cut

Before

After

We only cut the front, not the back . . . not yet anyway.

I had a horrible "What If's" day yesterday.

So yesterday I had jury duty. You are suppose to call in the night before and find out if they are going to need you or not. So I called Tuesday night and this is what the message said, "Please call back tomorrow, Wednesday March 10, at 12 noon for further instructions." That was it. No other details.

I had arranged childcare for the day, but the people watching my children were going to a lot of trouble to do it. On top of that Daniel would have to miss a meeting to take the kids to my friend's house, so I could get to the court house by 8:00. Since I knew I would be home at least in the morning, I called and canceled the childcare plans. This worked out great for Daniel, who now didn't have to worry about missing his meeting. And a friend said she could come over in the afternoon to watch the kids if needed. So things were falling into place nicely.

Then the "What If's" started:

What if I call at noon and they need me to be there by 1:00? I would have to wait until my friend could get here (she lives 30 minutes away) and then show her where everything is and then get to downtown Raleigh, park and walk to the court house. I don't think I would be able to make it there by 1:00. I worried about this most of the morning.

At noon I called and the recording said we were to report in at 2:00. So that was a relief. Two hours was plenty of time for my friend to get here and then for me to get to the court house. It would have been nice to have known that the earliest they would need us was 2:00. I wish that the message the night before had said, "Please call back at 12 noon tomorrow for further instructions. The earliest you will be requested to come in would be 2:oopm." That little detail would have saved me a lot of worrying.

A little before 2:00 I got to the jury lounge. They show us a video that says, "the average length of service for jury duty is one week." ONE WEEK! Here come the "What If's" again: What if I get chosen for a jury and they need me for a whole week? What if I can't find people to watch my kids?

To add to my stress, on Friday I am attending a conference that I have been looking forward to for a LONG TIME. What if I am selected for a jury and they need me to be there on Friday. I will miss this conference that we have already paid for and that I am really looking forward to.

I sat there worrying about these things until about 4:00, when the jury clerk came in and told us that the defendant had changed their plea to guilty and we were free to leave.

So this was a stressful day, but the stress was of my own making. Each time I pictured the worst case scenario and each time the best case scenario happened. It really couldn't have worked out better. Daniel was able to go to his morning meeting. I didn't have to sit around the court house all day doing nothing. I was not selected for a jury, but I am still considered as having "served", so I will not have to serve again for at least two years.

Yes we do, Mama

This is the conversation Addison and I had yesterday as I was drying her off after her bath.

Addison - Mama, can I have the Whinnie the Pooh towel?

Me - We don't have a Whinnie the Pooh towel.

Addison - Yes we do.

Me - No we don't.

Addison - Mama, can you look?

Me - I will look, but we don't have one.

I open the closet door so Addison could see all the towels. She immediately goes over and pulls out a red and orange towel. It is a Whinnie the Pooh hooded towel that even has ears on it.

Addison - see Mama, we DO have a Whinnie the Pooh towel.

It is scary when your children are smarter than you are.

He can't walk, but he can climb stairs!

Hunter can't even walk yet, but he can climb stairs!

Addison & Hunter

Hunter on the Move

Brain Damage

I am causing my daughter to have brain damage.

A few days ago, after Addison had gone to the bath room, I was pulling up her pants and she grabbed my arm and pinched it. I jumped, which caused her to fall backwards and she hit her head on the corner of the bathroom cabinet.

The other day she fell backwards in her rocking chair and hit her head on the bottom stair. (okay so this one was not my fault).

Today I was moving our two pack-n-plays into our room. Addison was sitting in the doorway. The first one I was easily able to carry over her head into the room. The second one, I didn't realize was not in it's carry case. So when I picked it up and over Addison's head the main part of the pack-n-play fell out and hit her right on the head.

Poor Addison!

Addison in the Snow!

Addison & Hunter Playing

Olivia & Addison Playing

Addison's Prayer

Every time Addison prays, she says the same thing.

Very quietly she says,

"Dear God, thank you for today. Have a good day. Amen."

It is SOOOO cute!

Miggy & Addison Playing

These are a Few of My Favorite Things . . .

Every time Addison gets out of the bath, she loves to be wrapped up in a towel and sit in my lap, snuggling and singing. We always sing lots of different songs. I treasure our snuggling and singing time together!

My Precious Boys

Sick Baby

My baby boy is sick.

103.2 temp. So sad.

He was surrounded by toys and didn't want to play with anything.