02/29/2012

Here is a pic from our Mardi Gras party that we did.  It was the first time any of us has had King Cake.  It was so gross!!!  Will not ever be getting another one.  The kids had fun though.  I didn't really go all out like I did with Valentines Day just basically what you see here.  I also made Jambalaya for dinner, so we had a Louisiana theme dinner.  Preston had fun with his coins and Emily had fun with her crown.   Jacob was napping through this.  He fell asleep late, but he needed his sleep so I let him sleep a little longer than I normally would have.  Jacob is 11 months old today!!  I can't believe it.  In just 1 more month he will be 1 years old!  He is getting to be so big!  I caught him trying to pull himself up yesterday.  He made it to his knees, but that was as far as he got.  He starts off crawling in the crawling position but reverts back to the army crawl.  I don't know why he prefers that way, it seems like it would be harder to move that way, but that is how he is still preferring to crawl.  He is really good with his walker though.  He is constantly chasing after Preston and Emily when he is in his walker.  It is really cute.  Preston and Emily also like to push him around in it.  They were having races the other day.  Preston had Jacob and Emily had her play grocery cart.  They would race each other from the back door to the front door.  Jacob was having so much fun!  He was giggling like crazy.  It was super cute!  Preston has his first loose tooth.  It is one if his bottom front teeth.  He told me this morning that he ate his tooth.  I went in there to check it out.  It was still there, but was loose.  I told him that he needed to be careful of it so he didn't swallow it.  That if he swallowed it then the tooth fairy wouldn't know he lost a tooth and wouldn't be able to give him any money for it.  So, he said he would be very careful, so he could get money.  Emily is still into getting married to Giovanni (her pre-school crush).  She told me that her other friend Alexa is getting married to.  She told me the name of the little boy, but I can't remember.  So I guess this is a common thing in her pre-school class.  She is still just as sassy as ever.  She will tell me - Aw look isn't that cute! - with her hand on her hip!  I have no idea where she gets this stuff.  She reminds me of what we used to call Valley Girls when I was growing up.  She does all that stuff.  "Oh My Gosh - Momma you have to see this!"  Crazy kid!  It is really cute though.

2/20/2012

I have finally finished the blanket I have been making for Jacob.  Its not perfect, but I think it turned out ok.  The edges were really hard.  And of coarse when I asked Preston how he wanted his blanket (his is next), he wanted the edges too!  Well at least I will get more practice with it.  That will just mean if Emily wants the edges for her blanket hers will most likely look the best.  Good news on the recital.  Emily will get to be in it!!!  Who-hew!!!  Another little girl that signed up for it b/f the deadline in Nov had to move away, so her spot opened up.  I don't know who is more excited about it - me or Emily!!  I am glad she gets to be in it.  I know it would have been hard for her as the recital drew nearer and all of her little friends getting to participate in the events but not her.  So, am glad she won't be left out!  I got WII fit from the kids and Dean for my birthday, but I think Preston has used it a lot more than me.  I only use it once a day, he uses it like a game.  He is so funny with it though.  He doesn't officially use it for its actual purpose of losing weight.  (Which am glad, b/c he really needs to gain weight not lose it).  He plays it like a game.  He puts it on the running one and he moves his hands really fast like he is running (he isn't though), and makes his guy fall down.  That is what he likes to do (makes his character fall down - makes him laugh so hard - its really cute).  Dean left this morning for his two weeks training at Ft Stewart.  Ft Stewart is also in GA, so he is only 3 hours away.  So, we may just drive down there this weekend to pick him up or see him.  Not sure yet.  If we can afford the hotel we might just stay there for the weekend, but if not, then will have to drive him back home.   Will have to see.  Either way, I know we will be doing something this weekend to be able to see him.  Today is Dean's birthday, and since he had to leave very early this morning we celebrated his birthday yesterday.  Got him a cupcake cake (since he isn't much of a cake person, and the kids are more int in cupcakes than cake), and some Blue Bell ice cream (this is what he is interested in).  So, the kids got their cake and Dean got his ice cream.  So, win - win!  We also watched the He-Man movies that Aunt Beef sent the kids.  Preston liked it a lot.  The music kept making me laugh.  Just basically He-Man over and over and over.  Goofy 80's show.  So, Dean wants to get Preston some of the He-Man toys.  They are hard to find.  So, not sure if I will be able to get any for Preston or not.  Found some on e-bay but most people want to much for them, so will see what pops up in the future on that.  Going to brave Joann's today with the 3 kids.  (I know - I must have some sort of death wish or something).  They have their patterns on sale today, and I want to get a few.  So, am going to brave it.  Hopefully (crossing fingers) the kids will be on somewhat decent behaviour.   I know I won't have an issue with Jacob its the Preston and Emily constant fighting that I am worried about.  Will see though.  9 more days and my baby boy will be 11 months old.   Crazy!!   He is starting to try and pull up on his own.  If I stand him up on something (holding onto) he will stay, but up till now hasn't tried to pull himself up on anything.  He started to try yesterday.  He didn't get to far b/f he fell down, but he tried.  So that is good. 

2/15/2012

Well the Valentine's Party was a hit!  It almost didn't happen though.  Preston got black at school, so I was very upset with him.  He had to work very hard to make up for it at home.   The plan was for Dean to get home - take Preston to basketball practice, pick up Emily, go get our dinner (I wanted dinner at Cracker Barrel - and since we don't get to go out with the kids due to their behavior, we did curbside to go), then come home.  That was going to give me plenty of time to get the party ready.  But, Preston's attitude at school changed everything.  When Dean got home, Preston was still doing the tasks I gave him to make up for getting black at school. So, he didn't finish in enough time to go to basketball.  Then, he still wasn't done when it was time to go get Emily.  So Dean left to get Emily then came back home with her.  Preston finally finished, so Dean took both of them with him to Cracker Barrel.  So instead of the 2 hours to get ready like I was initially going to get, I had 40 mins.  Needless to say, I had to scramble and work like crazy to get done.  Good thing I had already cooked the cupcakes earlier in the day.  I still had to bake the cookies, ice the cupcakes, decorate and lay out the kids suprises.  I had just finished everything when I heard the garage door open.  So, I knew they were home and the kids would be coming through the door any second.  The looks on their faces were so cute.  Emily said, "Thank you Momma!"   Preston said, "Valentine's Day Rocks!"   Jacob didn't really care of coarse.   He played with the stuffed animals he got a little bit, but preferred his snacks.  Definately Deans kid, loves him some snacks - ha ha! 

2/13/2012

Went and got our Valentine's Day Pics yesterday.  It almost didn't happen though.  We had an appt at 6pm, and when we got there there where so many people still waiting to get their pics taken.  They said they were an hour behind, so we went and got the kids some dinner first.  When we got back they were still behind, and said would be another 30 mins.  The kids were doing ok, so we decided to wait.  We didn't get in there till about 8pm!  By that time, Jacob was super tired.  So, he would start to cry almost immediately when I put him down.  Since we were there and had waited so long we just stayed and powered through.  Got a few smiles out of him, but not as many as we would had, had they been able to take us when our actual appt was scheduled for.  But, I wanted to keep the appt for yesterday since I had spent time getting all three ready and I know how much Dean hates pictures - taking and being at the portrait studio - so I didn't want to make him have to come out again for a while.  But the pics came out ok for the most part.  Got some cute ones!  They are all posted on my facebook page for any that would like to see the entire album.  Emily and Preston were all wired up when we got home at 9 though, so it was hard getting them to go to bed.  So, I know they are both going to be super cranky at school today.  Both are going to have to go to bed much earlier tonight!  Jacob is sick again, this time a head cold.  Sniffles and coughing.  Poor little guy.  Just can't catch a break.  Last week it was a stomach bug.  :(

Addition to 2/11/2012

Might have some good news on the ballet recital.  Dean took her today, so I didn't get a chance to talk to Emily's teacher, but apparently another girl that was registered has dropped out.  Her teacher said she would talk to me next Saturday about it.  So, hopefully, we can get Emily inserted into the recital now!!  Will keep you posted on that!  Preston had his first sewing class today.  No machines or anything like that, just a big needle and putting thread through some fabric to make a robot.  He picked out the colors, so of coarse green for the robot (his favorite color).  Blue is his next fav color, so he had to have a blue accent.  I did all the cutting for him, but he sewed it together.  He didn't do to bad of a job.  He got to stuff it since was double sided, so he had fun with that.  He named his robot Christopher.  So, I sewed a make shift C on the belt buckle.  Preston is being really cute with it, basically is referring to his robot as a person.  "He really likes it when I throw him up in the air and catch him".  "Momma, can you turn the fan off, so that when I throw him in the air he doesn't get cut".  Super cute!! 

2/11/2012

It has been a while since I have had a chance to post, so this may be a long one.  My previous post was a portrait of the Valentine's Day card that I had sent out.  I don't think they will make them to you in time though, so you will probably get them a few days after Valentine's Day.  Sorry.  Just didn't have a chance to make them sooner to make it b/f in the mail.  We all were sick last week.  All were different days, but all were sick.  Even Jacob!  Poor little guy.  So, another reason no posts last week.  Jacob is still just scooting, but I think he is getting really close to crawling.  I am often finding him in the crawling position, but then he reverts back to being on his belly and scooting.  So, I think its only a matter of time before he figures it out.  Preston tries to show him how to do it.  Its really cute to watch.  Preston and Emily both got a whoopie cushion in the mail from Aunt Beef the other day.  They had such a good time with it.  Giggling like crazy!  Got a couple of Videos on my phone, will see if they will upload to here.  (Got one loaded - it took forever - so not going to load the second one right now).  I might have to post them to facebook though.  Will see.  I ended up having to take more toys away from the kids.  They still did not clean their rooms.  So, I went in when Dean took them to the store to buy my Birthday Present (I know - bad :( - but the only time I could get in there to do it w/o them interfering), and picked up any toys they had left in the floor.  I put them all in the garage.  Told them they could earn them back by keeping what little they had left picked up.  They still don't pick up after themselves.  Its getting very frustrating to say the least.  But hopefully, can get them to clean up this weekend.  Emily's has a few new things she has started to say - "Are - you - serious?", OH - MY - GOSH!, and "Are you Kidding Me"?.  She is such a silly girl.  She uses the Are you Serious a lot when I ask her to do something.  The Oh My Gosh is when she wants me to come upstairs or to her room to see something.  "OH MY GOSH, somebodies getting married - come see".  It is her Barbie movie, Barbie is getting married.  I always see on TV where women say they started planning their wedding when they where a little girl, but never really understood that.  Now, I see it first hand.  She is so into wedding right now.  Preston has been super sweet to me this past week.  He told me "You are the best momma any kid could ever have".  He could have just left it there, I was feeling really good after hearing that - then he has to add, "I am trying to be nice because you are sick".   Well, at least I got the compliment, even if it was subjective.  Still was nice to hear.  A lot better than the "Your mean", and the "I don't like you" that I hear so often from Emily now days.  I know she just says it to upset me b/c the very next minute she is blowing me kisses.  Just wish she would't say it anymore.  Preston is really into the Diary of a Wimpy Kid and learning about Spiders right now.  He told me he wanted to pretend the book we were reading of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid was his diary.  So, I got him a notebook for him to use as  his own diary.  Will give to him on Valentine's Day as his Vday gift.  I didn't get him an actual diary, they were really expensive.  I hope he doesn't mind.  As for the Spiders, every book he has checked out from the library this month and last month have all been about Spiders.  He is really into reading about them (or having me read them to him - he keeps picking books that are outside of his grade level).  I just love that I am Jacob's security blanket.  Every time I pick him up, in pops the thumb in his mouth and the other hand grabs a strand of my hair.  I just love it.  My little cutie pie!  Need to set up Valentine's Day pics, haven't done that yet.  I still have to get Preston something to wear.  Everybody has something but him.  There just isn't anything that is cute for older boys.   I guess now is when they start to be embarrassed about that sort of stuff.  He hasn't yet, so I am glad.  He still will wear whatever to school and go to school w/o brushing his hair.  I ask him to brush his hair every morning, but doesn't get done most days.   Had our movie night last night, Emily picked out some movie about a moon princess.  It was ok.  Last weeks movie was Kung Fu Panda 2 - that one was pretty cute.  There was a part where the panda's mom had to leave him to keep him safe when he was a baby, and that made Preston tear up.  He is such a sweetheart.  Such a sensitive little boy.  They really like the concession stand, so a glad we do it every Friday too. 

Stationery card

Sweetest Wishes Valentine's Card

Turn family photos into photo Christmas cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Wednesday, Feb 1, 2012

Emily has her first pre-school crush.  His name is Giovanni.  She told me when she got home from school that she was going to kiss Giovanni and get married.  I told her she had to wait till she was at least 25 to get married.  Ha Ha.  I told her teachers about it this AM when I dropped her off for school.  They said that when Giovanni got picked up yesterday he told him mommy that Emily was his Emily and she needed to come home with them too.  I know this is all innocent, but it still kind of scares me a bit.  I just wonder if I am having this trouble with boys now, what is it going to be like later - YIKES!!  Dean better get a gun - ha ha.  JK.  Preston had a bad day at school yesterday.  (what his teacher told me).  He seemed to have some trouble focusing.  But when I spoke to Preston he said that some kids threw their lunch at him in the lunchroom (I asked him how his shirt got so dirty).  He also said that someone pushed him down at recess.  I know he likes to use the sympathy card, so am not sure what of that is true or not.  Am going to keep a close eye on the situation though to make sure my baby is not getting bullied at school.  If he is, this momma bear will not be happy.  Still trying to see if can get Emily squeezed into the ballet recital coming up in May.  So far its a no go, but am still trying for it.  Haven't given up completely yet.  Took some videos of her at this past Saturdays rehersal since it was parent day.  So at least Dean got to see that in case I am unable to get her into the recital.    Still trying though.

We have two more teeth!!!  I just saw that Jacob is cutting the top two middle teeth now!!