Happy/Sad News

Today Mom and I took the boys from their 18 month check-ups. They got all of their shots at 15 months so it was a shot-free visit! Yipee! Here are the stats:
Rylan - 32 inches, 23 pounds, 4 ounces.
Jacob - 33 1/2 inches, 27 pounds, 3 ounces

Our pedi was thrilled with their language development, physical development (both are completely on the "normal" curve on the growth chart) and was go glad to hear that we have the sleep issue under better control. So that was all the happy news...

At the very end of our visit, our beloved pedi said, "I have some news for you. We are moving to Alabama this summer." My heart hit the floor! WE LOVE OUR PEDI!!! She teared up. My mind is racing, "You can't go! You've been with us since they were 6 pounds each. You are the BEST ever! You never make me feel like I'm asking a dumb mom question! My boys love you!!!!! We trust you. You give wonderful care to our boys." It was devastating news. We will miss her SO much!!!!! The other doctors in the practice are great too, we just LOVE her to pieces. She is so gentle and happy. She gives excellent advice. Ever since we left the office, I keep saying, "I'm so sad! Oh, how we will miss you Dr. L!" We are so grateful for 18 months of her wonderful care and love to Rylan and Jacob. She has been such a blessing to our family and helped us get through the tough first few months.

Have you had to adjust to a new pedi for your kids? Help this sad mama get through this big change...

What Fun!

The other day I left Jacob and Rylan in the den watching their favorite Baby Einstein (Baby MacDonald) while I was cooking supper. I came into the den to be greeted with the two biggest smiles in the world! What could bring such joy, squeals and big smiles to these precious faces, you ask?
Destroying the den of course!
Have your kids ever destroyed your house? Did you laugh or cry or both? On this day I laughed, grabbed my camera and then joined in the crazy fun! :)

And on another note...2 more days until Savannah! Watch out Georgia - the birds are coming!

Bedtime Stories

Over the last few weeks, Jason and I have been adjusting the boys bedtime routine. We used to give them a bottle, rock them until they were limp and put them in bed. It was certain that in 20 minutes the crying would begin, which was followed by more rocking until they were limp, which was followed by more crying... you get the sad picture. This cycle would go on until about 11pm. So at the turn of the year, we got brave and decided to be the parents and get in control of bedtime!!!

It took about 3 nights of tears, but now they go to bed quickly and don't wake up until morning! They are counting sheep from about 8:30pm until about 8:00am. So with all the crying came a more clear bedtime routine. Now we drink a small cup of milk, brush our teeth, take a bath every night, read 3 books, say our prayer and have a quick rock before laying down awake in the bed.

I have an affinity for children's literature! I guess it is the teacher in me coming out. The boys have a ridiculous amount of board books and we read them all the time. They will sit for 20 minutes or more just looking and pointing at books. It warms my heart!

Every night we have been letting each boy pick a book and we pick one book. THere is always at least one Bible story in the mix. I hit the jackpot at Dollar Tree for Bible board books. Som eof our favorite bedtime stories are... The Going to Bed book by Sandra Boynton, Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise BRown, Chugga-Chugga-Choo-Choo by Kevin Lewis, I Love you Through and Through, Brown Bear Brown Bear (really anything by Eric Carle!) and the list could go on forever.

What are your kids favorite bedtime stories? What is your bedtime routine?

One morning...

I have been trying to get up at 7 to walk on the treadmill. Our arrangement is that Jason will take care of the boys until I am done walking and taking a shower and then I will take over for the rest of the morning. So one morning I go to walk on the treadmill at 7. I walk through the den on my way to the shower at 7:40 and this is what I see on our couch...
My three favorite boys all snuggled up for a few more minutes of sleep. So I take my shower and come in to start making breakfast and this is what I see...

Jacob running around the den taking the crown on and off Jason's head. This is my sweet husband during all the crown fun...
Still catching his last few zzz's for the day!

And here is Jacob's shiner from a few weeks ago. It's gone now, but here's the evidence of his fight with the bathtub. Poor little guy!

SPT - My obsessions

I could not remember the blog of the real SPT inventor, so I made up my own this week! Are you obsessed about something? Is there something around your house that you have a million of? What is your weakness while shopping? Mine is cookbooks!

When we go on vacation we get one as our souvenier. People give them to me for my birthday. And at Pampered Chef parties, I always buy one of the dollar cookbooks. They are my weakness. Luckily, I do use them. One advantage to having so many is that we are always trying new recipes. I am one of those ladies who writes all in her cookbooks....smily faces, yucky faces, dates we tried them, Jason's reaction to the recipe, etc. I love cookbooks! I have several favorites! One of my favorites is the HU black and white cookbook. It is neat to cook the recipes of my favorite teachers and other alumni. I also love, love, love my Flamingo cookbook. We have been adding our "tried and trues" to it for over a year. It is quite a yummy collection. And I think that I have 4 Rachael Ray bookbooks! Gotta love only 30 minutes in the kitchen! Each cookbook reminds me of someone or some place we have been and holds a special place on my cluttered window sill! But what is my favorite you ask? Come on down South YA'LL and join Paula and I as we cook supper!I love Paula Deen's yellow cookbook!!! I have notes all the way through it! Since we are going to Savannah in a few weeks, I have been on Paula overload to get in the spirit of Savannah. Here are some of my Paula favorites: Sweet Potato Bake, Chicken in Wine Sauce, Gooey Butter Cakes, Chicken Pot Pie, Farmer's Pork Chops, Beef Stroganoff, Cheeseburger Meatloaf, Chicken Paprika, Snickerdoodles... the list could go on forever!

So what is one of your obsessions?

NOW!

Several ladies in blog world have chosen a word for the year. It should be something you will strive for, something to help you focus, something to enrich your life and the lives around you. There have been many great choices floating around there that I would love to steal... opportunity, joy, faith, bold, courageous...the list goes on and on. So after much deliberation, you know it is February for goodness sake, the word I have chosen for 2008 is NOW!

I want this year to be a year when I do not put off for tomorrow what I could do today... especially when it comes to sharing the Gospel and doing things for others. I want to forever lose my crown as the "Queen of Good Intentions" and follow through on those good intentions NOW. I want to memorize more scripture NOW. I want to slow down and hug my children NOW. I want to try new recipes NOW. I want to laugh until I cry NOW. I want to pick up the phone and call you if you are on my mind NOW. I want to speak up for Jesus NOW.

So there it is... my goal for the year... to be a person of action and to do good for others NOW. What is your word of the year?

(Note: I've been trying to upload Jacob's shiner and blogger is not cooperating! I'll keep trying!)

Fight with the Bathtub

Poor Jacob! Saturday night we were giving the boys thier bath. I was reaching down to pick up Jacob...he started standing up...his feet slipped... and he landed head first on the edge of the bathtub. Poor little guy has his first shiner! It started as a huge goose egg above his eye and by Sunday morning it was nice and purple on his whole eyelid. When we have been out and about everyone asks if Rylan did it to him. My reply is, "Oh no, he loves his brother. He got in a fight with the bathtub and the bathtub won!"

In other family news... Rylan is exploding with words! He said his first two sentences! "No no bye bye!" with panic in his squeaky voice as Jason was leaving for a meeting. Mom and Dad had stayed with us for a few days. The next morning after they left as I was changing Rylan's diaper and he said, "Gran, Pop, bye." He had such concern on his little face like he really was sad that they were gone. It warmed my parents hearts! :)

I have started private tutoring and am loving it! So far I have 2 second grade girls and they are both precious. It's nice to be using my teacher knowledge and to be able to help kids academically again. Next time I'll have pics, no time today!!!