Thursday, May 5, 2011

State of the Family #35


Eating her traditional chocolate bunny

OK, so I realized that the 1 year anniversary of my blog came and went and I totally didn't even think about it until I was eating a Cadbury egg (I am still convinced that this company exists only to add pounds to my thighs, of which it does very successfully) and remembered one of my first posts about my obsession with unwrapping them.  But then again, things have been so crazy around here that I haven't posted in over 3 weeks so I am not surprised I missed the 'oh-so-exciting' 1 year blog anniversary.  Anyway, on with the family update....


Miss Thumb Sucker continues in her ornery ways.  Continually crawling on top of things, unraveling toilet paper, running the opposite direction when you ask her to come here, pooping on the floor if she escapes without a diaper for even 2 seconds (yes, it is true), and so many other things that make you tired just watching her.  But, man, this girl makes me laugh and smile almost every second of the day (when I'm not having to tell her no or pull her down off of the kitchen table, again).  She is hilarious.  She has these faces she is making right now that just crack me up.  They are not pretty or cute, rather they are quite unattractive, but hilarious nonetheless.  I have been trying to catch one on camera for a while, but haven't been successful.  She has also started copying many different things her siblings do or say.  For example, the older two are great about putting on their own shoes, but always come check to make sure that they have their shoes set up for the right feet by asking "Are these the right feet, mommy?"  So, lately, Miss Thumb Sucker, who has an obsession with playing with and trying on any and every shoe in sight, will bring me a pair of shoes and say, "Feet?  Feet?" as she is trying to put them on.  The poor thing probably has nightmares about tissues right now.  She is cutting all four of her eye teeth (poor thing has dealt with it like a trooper) and her nose is just running like crazy.  If she even sees me head towards the direction of the Kleenex box she darts in another direction.  One last note is that she, along with everyone else around us, is elated that the weather is finally nice enough to spend most of the day outside.  She will run to the door at any available moment and pound on it saying "Side!  Side!"


Enjoying the beautiful weather and some bubbles!

Hallelujahs are being sung in regards to Miss Firecracker!  She got into the preschool where her brother goes.  I was so excited when I found out I all but did a cartwheel.  She is rather excited about starting school as well and I am sure summer won't quite go fast enough for her.  It isn't coming fast enough for her either.  She received a little splash pool for her birthday and asks at least once a week if it is warm enough outside to use her fish pool.  Breaks my heart to have to tell her no every single time.  One of these days I'll tell her yes and she will be elated, I can't wait for that day.  She has been rather ornery herself lately.  Just small things, but they add up when she seems to pick one day a week to pull all of her ornery stunts one after another.  Then the rest of the week she is my happy, bouncy fireball.  I guess she just has one day a week she likes to sit in the time-out spot most of the day.  Still quite the princess in the making, she thought watching some highlights (no, I did not wake my daughter up at 4 in the morning to watch it, nor did I get up myself) of the Royal Wedding last week was very impressive.  She had lots of questions about how Kate was a real princess and who the prince was and who all the other people were in the pictures.  It was really cute, and she was quite enthralled for about 5 minutes, then was ready to watch Curious George.  Her new favorite way to be a princess herself is to have her toes and nails painted and she asks for it every single day. 

Receiving his awards at AWANAS
Noisy Man graduated from preschool tonight.  It was an adorable little ceremony and he looked quite dashing in his little cap and gown.  I am hoping to do a post near his last day of preschool and I'll post graduation pictures then.  He also had a little 'graduation' ceremony for his AWANAS class at church.  I am always amazed at how well he does at these types of things with how shy he usually is.   One of his main highlights the past few weeks was getting to go to the Nebraska Football Spring Game.  We had a great time and Noisy Man and Miss Firecracker were very well behaved (we left Miss Thumb Sucker at home with Grandma).  They thought it was pretty awesome to get to see the Huskers in person.  He is also all over the nice weather.  Always on his bike, chasing bugs or digging for worms, he is all boy.  He was quite thrilled to see some of our potatoes come up in the garden as well as a volunteer pumpkin (we think) from lost seeds from last year's.  He is counting down the days until his pirate party birthday and is really looking forward to the celebration.  He constantly asks about what we will be doing and had a blast looking at pictures of cakes until we decided on one that I thought I could handle.  Still quite obsessed with the new show on PBS, Wild Kratts, he is easily motivated.  It has become a great tool for me to use.  If ever he becomes hesitant to do something he should to doing or struggles to listen, the single mention of Wild Kratts makes him move pretty darn quickly.  He was rather disappointed when he was included in the fishing trip daddy went on last week.  So, daddy had to promise him lots of fishing excursions this summer to appease him. 

With Daddy at the Spring Game
Like I said, daddy went on a fishing trip last week.  While it wasn't a complete failure, the wind really put a damper on things.  In fact they ended up deciding to come home a day early.  They caught quite a few fish, but not quite the size of fish he was hoping for.  I was thankful to have him home in time for the 1/2 marathon though! He also planted our potatoes, watermelon, muskmelon, and made the cages for our tomatoes and peppers.  I always call it my garden, but really he does just as much work in it as I do.  And the sweetheart he is, still let me call it mine.    He wasn't entirely thrilled at having to leave the spring game just shortly after half time, but was expecting it nonetheless.  He really enjoyed watching the kids get into the game, but I could tell he wanted to pay a little more attention to the game than he was able.  I always feel bad that I don't have much to type about him, but he isn't one who would like be blogging much about him anyway.


A rare picture with mommy

I feel like I have just been running around like a chicken with my head cut off lately.  So many things going on and so much to do for all of them.  It seems like all of them require trips to Wal Mart as well.  I think in the last 3 weeks I have been to that darn store at least an average of 3 times.  I really don't like that place.  Sadly, I have to go back again tomorrow. . . The other running I did was the Lincoln Half Marathon which went perfectly.  I'll post more on that later as well.  The excitement of preschool acceptance, preschool graduation, marathons, fishing trips, PTO meetings, Easter (Totally forgot this fabulous holiday occurred during my blogging sabbatical - we had a fabulous Easter and I really had some great conversations with the kids about Jesus' death on the cross for our sins and how it all works, it was amazing!) the end of a fabulous first year of MOPS, and so many other things I can't even remember, I am pooped and going to bed.