State of the Family #19

2 weeks to cover again. . .

Miss Thumb Sucker, thankfully, hasn't made too many leaps since the last post. I am just not ready for my baby to be walking yet. . . but she gets closer everyday. She has started getting much more brave in letting go when she is standing up and is trying to pass between the couches and coffee table on two legs as well. I have a feeling she will be running all over before her 1st birthday arrives. Where did my baby go? I am also pretty sure I heard her say "no,no" last night too while I was feeding her before bed. She was repeating after her brother who was screaming, not wanting a sliver removed from his hand. She hasn't said it again since then though, so I am hoping it was just a fluke! She also had a bout of the croup this last week, but seems to be recovering well.



Miss Firecracker has been doing significantly better the last few weeks. She seems to go in spurts. Her fits have really diminished, not completely, but at least to a manageable level. She is so much more fun to be around when she can control her temper. . . but isn't that true of all of us! :) She was the dancing queen at the two weddings we attended the last 2 Friday nights, even copying Aunt Kelli in a "Poker Face" move. (Which I can't really tell you what song it is from or anything else, other than it was adorable and most people who listen to more than one radio station will probably know what song it is and what the move is.) She was shaking her hips and swinging her arms. . . this girl has rhythm! She has also been reallying enjoying joining mommy on her runs lately. She even told me the other day that when she gets big she is going to run and push me in the stroller! I thought that was a great idea!



Noisy Man has been testing boundaries these last weeks with his sisters. He is constantly picking fights with Miss Firecracker and has gotten his fair dose of reciting his Bible verses to "be careful to do what is right and live at peace with everyone" and "love is kind". They seem to remind him of how Jesus wants him to treat his sisters for about 5 minutes and then we start over again. :) But that is probably a 4-year-old for you! He had quite the even getting off the school bus the other day. We were running a bit late getting home from the bank, so our neighbor came over to meet him as he got off the bus. We were just 2 minutes behind as we met the bus pulling off our street. He was upset and crying that we weren't there, but mostly because he wasn't feeling well. He wanted held so I picked him up and he was just a sweaty mess. He said his head really hurt so we started to head inside to get him cooled off. . . then daddy came out after taking some papers inside and took him from me. As soon as I handed him off he tossed his cookies all over daddy. Poor thing (both him and daddy). But, man was I glad daddy asked for him! He ran a fever the rest of the evening and into the night but was much better by the next morning, thankfully. He also had his first ever sleepover party at the neighbors house as well. He had a blast at the Star Wars Fest they made it and is ready to do it all over again. . . I'm not so sure the mom of the sleepover would agree though. She had 10 kids there!



Daddy is preparing for duck season. . . that might cover it for him! He will be gone very early in the morning every Saturday morning and absent from church here and there for the next 2 months. It is his vice. I guess there could be much worse things to lose my husband to for a few mornings. :)



I have been lazy lately. My house is a mess. . . I still have some apples to finish up. . . I don't know what my problem is. I did so well for quite a while, keeping my house pretty clean, peeling coring, and slicing apples almost every day, keeping up with my laundry. . . then a busy weekend hit and it all went to pot. Now I can't seem to catch up. As daddy would say to our kids, I need a swift kick in the pants. Well, I guess that is my cue. . . get off the computer and get to work!



Oh yeah, I guess our other big news for the last couple weeks is that we refinanced our house for a 15 year mortgage and other than that we are DEBT FREE! We are pretty excited! We also mailed in our final check for our van. So, now we are done and the 15 yr will save us a TON of money in the end and hopefully help us get to build our dream home in the country a little bit easier as well. Although, I must confess. . . it will be hard to start another mortgage after whittling away on this one so well.