Playing pretend

Getting ready

Well, a week from Monday, we are flying to FL! I am so excited. I haven't been home in 15 months and Jon hasn't been to FL in 2 years! We are long overdue. We will be in FL for a little over a week, then driving back across the country in a little less than a week. A trip of this magnitude takes lots of planning. And if you know me at all, you know I'm a BIG planner.

So today, we tried putting 3 suitcases, 2 duffle bags, the pack n play, and the stroller in the trunk to see if it all fits. AND IT DOES! Wahoo, we can fit it all! (I LOVE my trunk in my Impala!!!) So, we'll be good there. I can easily fit between the two car seats (I LOVE the width of my Impala!), so we have room to have someone come with us and drive our car back from the airport. So, I feel like a major part has been checked off.

Yesterday, we FINALLY went and got Hannah's birth certificate, so that's checked off as well. My parents are giving us their Suburban, which is how we're driving back, so we went to the DMV to get what we needed to, so that's done as well. I have also packed a duffle bag full of toys for the plane ride...I wanted to do that now, so it'll be a little while since Zach has played with those toys and he'll be excited for them on the plane. I'm trying to decide if I should take crayons and a coloring book or not. I've also deflated the pool tube to take and bought bathing suits for Hannah and I. Zach needs sandles still, but that can likely wait til FL. I'm not impressed with what I've found for $10 around here.

So yeah, that's what's been going on here, just trying to get ready. I will leave you with two fun videos. The first is of Hannah rolling, with Zach helping her, and all of Zach's words. The second, which I had to put under a different post, is Zach playing pretend with Hannah.

Well, the second one ended up above... it didn't work out the way I wanted, but that's ok :)

Peas

Zach has started saying "Please". Well, "peas", but just the same. And it's soooo cute. He gives you this big smile and says "peas" and gets so excited.

Tonight, he went down stairs and came back up with his detde (aka his blankie... Jon called it a detde growing up, and ever since, for all kids and grandkids after him, that's what it's been called), came up to me waving and saying "Nigh-nigh". ::Ahhh:: Seriously, how is this boy talking already?!!? I said "Are you ready for bed?" and he kept waving and saying it, walking off. So we went to bed. He wasn't happy to change his diaper first, but settled in for prayers. Before I was half done, he was waving to me. I guess he wanted me out of there. (Yet he laid in there talking for 30 minutes still haha)

We've also been trying lately to teach him sign language. I didn't when he was younger, and sort of wish I had, so we're teaching him a few things, so he'll be able to use signs, and also be able to teach them to Hannah. So tonight, he got down from the dinner table, and I said "are you done?" and he made the sign for eat! It wasn't the right answer really, but it let me know he knew what he was doing.

He also has some stuffed animals and is loving them lately. Today, he was walking going "ahh" while hugging one. He put two of them in the swing a few days ago to push them. Last night, he put his bear in his mini Tonka truck and was pushing him around the kitchen. This little boy has totally captured my heart more than I ever thought kids could! I'm so glad my heart softened before getting married about having kids!

As for Hannah, I stopped giving her cereal for a while, because she just didn't seem like she was ready for it. So, I tried again this afternoon. She ate it with so much gusto! She was doing really well and getting excited and happy with each bite.

I bought her some sandles today. I have a complaint about baby shoes! They are never the same size! She has two pair of black dress shoes, both size 2. One falls off, the other is too small. I bought her a pair of pink shoes for the summer, size 2 (Without her there), and they're too big. So today, I found sandles for her at Baby Depot, and ended up getting her one size 1, and one size 2! And get this... Size 2 is "3-6months". My daughter wears almost NOTHING size 3-6 mo anymore, except shoes.. and a size 1 that's 0-3 hahaha! I guess she just has tiny feet.

In other news, we have 5 tulips and 1 dandelion that have bloomed-all yellow! Wahoo. It looks like 2 red tulips will any day now. Also, I added a few more links to my other blogs. Cake Wrecks is HILARIOUS but be warned, some can be a little inappropriate, but they will have you laughing for hours.

With all of this, I shall end my post... Jon will be home soon. He had to work this morning, then got to come home for a few hours, then go back until 10pm. ::Sigh:: So, I'd like to have the dishes done in the next 1/2 hour, so, goodnight to all! Much love from us.

Learning so much

I am totally seeing where every little thing is a learning experience. Let's take this afternoon. We went to plant grass in the backyard. Zach got to learn how to turn the seed spreader wheel thingy. He also got to figure out the hose a little bit, and how walking underneath gets you wet. He also got a lesson in walking through mud gets you hosed off.

So then, we went to the library. Walking there, and back, he got a lesson in crossing the road-look both ways, hold daddy's hand, etc. At the library, he learned there are many ways to go, ways to get lost in all the racks. Plus he learned how to run away from mom and dad, and how to show mom and dad he wanted to play with the legos. Also, staying with mom and dad as they check out, even if he doesn't want to.

Leaving the library, he learned we CAN pick up the big rocks outside, and if we aren't careful, we can almost make it land on daddy's foot. Walking back, he also found a golf ball. He wandered in to someone's yard, which he isn't suppose to do, but because he spotted the ball. So he picked it up and immediately through it in to the road. Then he was upset we wouldn't let him go get it. When he got home, he learned how to throw it down the driveway and watch it roll. He also picked up a rock and threw it several times, but it didn't roll as well.

Oh, what a life for a little boy! It's so fun watching them learn and teaching them things constantly!

Learning words

So Zach has been learning to talk (say actual words) a lot more lately. His newest one that he likes to say a lot is "clock". Everything is a clock right now. It started because of this... He knows who Jesus is, and points and says "Jesus" when he seems him. Well, Jesus is usually hanging on the wall, so he pointed to the clock and said "Jesus" and we said no, that's a clock. So every time we're at the table, he points to it and says clock.

We are also learning our body parts. We know nose, ears, eyes, toes, feet and kind of mouth... and today, we worked on hair, teeth and tongue.

After dinner, he helped daddy do dishes tonight. Well, "helped". Then, I asked him if he wanted to play legos or read a book. He ran and got a book and got up on the couch, waiting for me (This isn't something we do often, so I was surprised). It was a 500 First words book and he sat there for at least 20 minutes, looking through it. We found shoes, socks, a cat, a dog, and well... a clock... more than *I* thought were in the book (ie a book was a clock, a lamp, etc) I never thought teaching a one and a half year old words would be so fun!

Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down

Ok, so my post yesterday ended up proving me wrong. I finished writing that post, in the office. Zach was just outside the office, in the den, playing on his slide (Yes, he has a slide in the den. It lasts longer and can be played on more inside lol) I posted, talked to Jon in the office for a few, and walked out. No, he wasn't playing on the slide anymore... he was playing.... IN... the FIREPLACE! Yes, covered in ashes. So, I took him, clothes and all, and put him in the SECOND bath of the day... or "GA" as he calls it. I just hope he doesn't realize anytime soon that if he does something really messy, that means he can get a bath. This boy definitely keeps me on my toes.

Today was nice. We went grocery shopping this morning, Jon included. He's working tonight, all night, so he had the morning off. As we're standing in line to checkout, Jon's holding Hannah in front of Zach. Next thing we know, she's crying, and he is too... why? Because he bit her foot!!!! :-O And then her crying and Jon flicking him in the mouth for it, upset him. But then, we came home, and she was lying on the floor on her play gym and he was playing with her... he handed her the hanging toy so she could hold it... then he handed her a rattle and rubbed her head. When she was lying on her belly, he got down on his belly in front of her and showed her how to drive his little car (because you  know girls so want to know how to drive cars!) When she went to bed, he said "Night night" and kissed her head. Those sweet moments are the ones I love. Oh, and the one from last night. He took his stuffed bear and dog (or maybe it was the stuffed wolf?? I don't remember, he loves them all) and put them in Hannah's swing and turned it on, then pushed them while swaying back and forth himself and "singing" to them. He loves his stuffed animals and will go around hugging them and kissing them. Kids are so smart at picking things up! And a while ago, I use to tell him every morning after getting dressed I needed a hug and a kiss, now he almost always just does it on his own. And he'll point to Jesus in our house and say "-esus" (or something like that) and he'll even wave goodnight to Jesus. 19 months is such a fun age, that's for sure!

Another great story, this one about Hannah...I had her lying on her play gym, on her back, head facing the tv..I came back in the living room from doing something else and she was lying parallel to the tv... and a few minutes later, she somehow had her feet facing the tv! She can do a complete 180, but can't roll over! All the other girls her age are rolling over, but nope, not her! Her other new thing is she scoots in her bed, in her sleep. Literally every hour to hour and a half last night, she would wake up crying because she would be stuck in the corner. I'm praying this doesn't continue because I can't keep getting up every hour to hour and a half just to remove her.

Anyway, the diapers are done washing... Which reminds me, I got more cloth diapers, wahoo! No, I'm not going green... I'm going "Save $$$!" because diapers for two, even the cheap Walmart ones, were costing us $50+/month. But I got some really cute ones this time. I'll post pictures eventually...maybe. So, diapers are done, Jon's working tonight, and the kids and I are going to a huge church garage sale early tomorrow morning... in other words, I'm out... like the light soon will be!

Much love,
Aimee 

Computers and fingers

The excitement of our day... I had surgery on my finger last week- had a ganglion cyst removed. I went for a followup today and got told "It looks good".

The other exciting part, we got the parts for Jon to build a new computer (Ours died last week) Thank God my hubby is smart with computers and can fix it by just getting new parts instead of a whole new computer.

Wow... what an exciting day. Oh, and the kids and I went to playgroup this morning, and they behaved greatly in the doctor's office. That's a miracle. ::sigh:: What a hard life I live.

Changes

As you can see, I've made some changes to my blog. I figured since I was finally getting back to posting, some change might be good. I also updated my links, got rid of the ones that dont work haha, and added some new ones I'd like to visit more frequently. I have a feeling I'll eventually be adding even more. This is a short post though, because I've spent the last hour, during naps, playing with my blog. I need to quickly get a shower before the little ones awake again.

Mischievous Zachary

I love my son, but today, he's driving me nuts, and it's not even noon yet! To begin with, I was sitting in the basement on the computer. I assumed the bathroom door was shut. I hear this loud gushing... went in and he had the container the toilet brush sits in... had that in the toilet, picking up buckets of water and pouring them on the floor....

So then, later, I'm washing my hands in the other bathroom, and within one second, he takes a handful of trash from the can, and puts it in the toilet (including a dirty diaper, tissue, and a cleaning glove)

So then, I'm downstairs doing something, and I hear him upstairs crying. I go up to see. He's in Hannah's room, stuck in the railing of her bed... and she's awake! She's now crying, letting me know she's not happy he woke her up. And me, well, I'm going for my 3rd cup of coffee, praying Lord, please let naps come soon so I can get a relaxing shower.


In other news... the water obsession is a new thing of his. Two nights ago, he had a cup in the tub, and poured several cups of water on the floor before we caught him. So the cup isn't allowed in the tub any more. Last night, I heard him too excited in the bathtub while I was doing something...he had a lego and discovered it holds water, so was pouring it on the floor..and had it all the way to the door and all over the toilet. He's only 19mo!?! Am I facing terrible twos already??

behind again

Man, I'm having a hard time keeping up with this lately! Part of the reason is because i no longer have a laptop (Zach...diet coke... laptop...fried). Therefore, I have to share with Jon, and he's taking classes online. The other, well, I'm a busy mom!

The past few weeks have been crazy. Last week Jon's family was in town. We had lots of fun and they were great house guests. Then Tues, I had a ganglion cyst removed from my left ring finger. Not a big deal really, but it was getting painful after like 5 yrs of having it, so they had to take it out. It ended up being a large finger cast that I couldn't get wet, so Jon got to take the rest of this week off, so he's been off the past 2 weeks, except for one day. Then, the motherboard on our computer died this week, so we got to replace that... still waiting on parts to come. And we finally decided that we just couldn't keep paying $50+/mo on diapers, so we have gone back to cloth diapers. I only had 14, so I've been washing them every.single.day. So, I got to order another dozen this week, and i'm anxiously awaiting those as well.

Zach had been being a pain about eating lately, so I'm reading "Child of Mine" by ellen Satter. It's great and I really recommend it for anyone with children. I am also reading Innocent Man by John Grisham, but I feel like I've read it before, or at least started it before. I also just finished reading the Duggars book- 20 and counting- and I totally recommend it. Easy read and really interesting. IT was awesome to see how God has worked in their lives and how they seek him. I've also been working on scrapbooking a lot more lately.

As I finish this post, I will share a funny Zach story with you. About every other night, after dinner, Zach gets a bath ("ga" in his words). HE LOVES his baths. The other night, we were eating and I asked Jon if he needed a B-A-T-H. (yes, i spelled it out). We decided he didnt need one. As we got done, he pointed and said "Ga?!?" with a questioning look. We started laughing, and when he got down, he walked down the hall, so excited, looking for us behind him, and pointing saying "ga?" We ended up giving him a bath anyway. We couldn't stop laughing. He is at this very smart, learning stage, and copying everything we do. It's so fun! I'm sure I'll have more to come soon, if I can keep up with this.