Pondering Vegetarianism

Dinner is never that great when all your five year old wants to talk about is how they kill the chicken...if the chicken was a boy or a girl....why we only eat girl chickens...what part of the chicken...what they do with the rest of the chicken...how they get rid of the feathers...and how they peel the skin off. Sick....

And -- he broke his arm.....again. To be honest, it's not so bad the second time. The second elbow in the middle of the forearm is not quite as traumatic when you know that it really can heal and be as good as new. Both arms have now been broken...hopefully we are done.

Today

I just wanted to say that as of today, Ellie has refused to wear any clothes that have any butterflies on them. Does anyone know the percentage of toddler girl clothes that have butterflies on them? Does anyone know the percentage of toddler girl clothes that we own that have butterflies on them? I would say at least 90%. She told me that she wouldn't wear them because she doesn't want any butterflies to land on her. I told her butterflies won't land on her if she has butterflies on her clothes. She doesn't believe me. She said that Daddy told her otherwise. I called Paul and asked him what on earth he was thinking telling Ellie that butterflies would land on her if she wore butterfly clothes. He laughed (because he doesn't have to get her dressed every morning) and said he only told her that if a butterfly landed on her, it would do so softly, and wouldn't even bite. For some reason, she decided that they only land on you if you have on butterfly clothes. I can't convince her otherwise...

In other news, Peyton lost the "privilege" of going swimming today because of his continuous roaring resulting in Ellie screaming and waking up the baby. After the third roar, I calmly went in and told him that if he roared one more time, we wouldn't be going swimming anymore. I then calmly walked out of the room. Within 30 seconds, I heard another loud roar followed by the high pitched screaming of a 2 year old. I walked back into his room and told him that we would not be going swimming because of the aforementioned roar. First, he tried to tell me that he "forgot" that I told him not to roar. Next, he argued that I wasn't clear in my warning and he thought I was asking him not to do something else (he couldn't name what it was). When that didn't work, he came up with a genius excuse. "But Mom, I was trying to say 'BOO', but my mouth decided to roar instead. It's not my fault because I was just trying to say 'Boo'."

I'm exhausted...

Milestone

Rolled from back to front today...growing up way too fast.

I tipped right over...

Paul and I have recently gotten into road biking (or cycling, as the cool people say). So far, I am loving it. Because I posted Peyt's first big fall, I thought it only fair that I posted our injuries as well. I laughed and laughed when Paul told me about tipping over one morning because he unclipped the wrong foot from his pedals. It still makes me laugh when I think about a grown man just tipping right over on his bike. No one else seems to find it quite as funny as I do.

Just a few days after Paul's fall, I had my turn. Even though I was consciously thinking, "I've got to unclip my foot so that I don't fall...okay, I'm braking...time to unclip...make sure I lean towards the foot that I unclip." I successfully got one foot out of my pedal and leaned the other way. I tipped right over on my side in front of Paul and at least one other stranger. When we bought my bike, the salesman told me that it was inevitable that I would have at least a few falls. He said he has been cycling for years and falls at least once a year, usually at a very busy intersection (why have I never been a witness to one of these very common falls?) but he reassured me that it really wouldn't hurt at all. I would be way too humiliated to even notice any physical pain...........he was right. It wasn't until hours later that I even realized that I had hurt myself. I'm still pretty sore 3 days later.

Being a Mom is pretty amazing and pretty exhausting.

These two are the best of friends and worst enemies. They are always at extremes...giggling hysterically and out of control together...or screaming and yelling at one another. There is no in between.
First bad crash on bike without training wheels. Face connected right with pavement.
4 Months old and still the sweetest, calmest baby ever!!

Ellie talks to herself...

Tonight I was getting ready to go to dinner when from outside the bathroom I hear Ellie, talking to herself.

"I really love lotion in my mouth. Yes, I do."

I went running out to find her with the lotion spout in her mouth. I quickly took it away and lectured her that we do not put lotion in our mouth. She answered, like always, with absolutely no intention to obey, "Otay, Mommy. I will not put lotion in my mouth anymore."

A few minutes later, we were walking down the stairs together and she turns to me and says, "I sure can talk better now because I put lotion in my mouth. It is not dry anymore and I can talk so much better."

(Our first child also liked to put the lotion spout in his mouth. At first, I thought it was harmless because I didn't think he could get any lotion out without actually pressing down.....I was mistaken. After watching him put it in his mouth for several days - maybe even weeks, I got suspicious and tried it out for myself. One suck was all it took to get a mouthful of lotion. Just FYI.)

Attitude

That's FAST!!

My kids love to play outside!! Normally, this would be good because I would just send them outside to play in the back yard, but since we are still waiting (not so patiently) for our seeded grass to grow, we do not have a back yard to send them to. They prefer the front anyway, but being that they are only 2 and 5, I'm not sure sending them in the front yard by themselves is such a great idea. Thus, all day I listen to whines and complaints and tantrums of both telling me - "I'm so sad," and "we NEVER get to go outside" (even though I spent an hour outside with them in the morning) and "EVERYONE else always gets to go outside" and "I miss my bike sooooo much," and "I'm so sick of being inside," and "there is nothing in our whole house to do," and "I'm old enough to go outside by myself," and "please please please," and "Mom, all you ever do is feed, feed, feed," ( I would add clean, clean, clean, and cook, cook, cook, and that pretty much sums up my life these days).

Anyway, we've come to somewhat of a compromise. I let them go out on the front porch if they leave the door open and I am downstairs (usually feed, feed, feeding). This has led to some wonderfully hilarious moments for me because I can listen to everything they are saying and they don't know it. Just this morning...

Jason (Peyton's friend): I can run to your house in 20 steps.

Peyton: Yeah, well, I bet I could run faster if my Mom would let me off the porch.

Jason runs back and forth to his house counting the whole time.

Jason: I just ran even faster. That was 18 steps.

Peyton: Yeah, well, I'm so fast too. I'm going to show you sometime, but I can't get off the porch.

Jason: One time, I ran around the block twice with Andrew and we did it in just 10 minutes.

Peyton: How long is 10 minutes?

Jason: It's really fast!

Peyton: WOW! That's amazing. I can't believe you can go that fast. Maybe I could run around the block in 10 minutes too. That's FAST!!

Little girls hair is harder to cut than little boys...

Before:And after multiple, frustrating, hair cutting sessions:


I will NEVER undertake this again. Please remind if I ever think that home hair cuts are a good idea again that they are a nightmare and people that don't know how to cut hair probably should not be cutting hair. (at least of little 2 year old girls)

Family Photo

My parents made the long drive here this last week. It was SO WONDERFUL to have them here! They were able to take our first family photo. It is perfectly indicative of how tired Paul and I are these days. This little baby does not like to sleep at night.

One day, my Mom and I were sitting downstairs staring at the baby (why can you stare at a baby for so long?) when Ellie announced that she needed to go upstairs to go potty. Potty trips are always preceded by detailed announcements. She left....and never came back. Knowing there was probably some sort of trouble brewing, I called up the stairs. "Ellie, where are you?" She called back, "Upstairs." "Come down here. We miss you." Interpretation - 'Come down right now because I know you are doing something you shouldn't and I am not in the mood to clean it up.'

She called back in the sweetest voice ever. "Just a minute Mom. I'm just wiping some pooh off my jammies really quick."

I sent my Mom up to help her.

Dear Rachel

I made it through the first two weeks. We're almost all better and Brooklyn seems to have made it through with no sickness.

Still no great pictures. Brooklyn gets concerned every time the camera comes out.

The kids are very excited about their little sister - constantly wanting to hold her (now that they can) and saying "Hi Brooklyn" at least 1 million times a day. They are even so helpful that they'll shake a rattle in her face to "keep her happy" even when she is sleeping and especially when she is nursing.

I'm tired, but happy.

I'm overwhelmed, but grateful.

My house is messy, but full of laughter.

And I am in love with one amazing man and three energetic little children.

Love, Rachel

PS - Peyton wants to know why I still have a big tummy even though the baby came out.

PS again - Ellie doesn't like our house anymore. She likes our neighbors house. Why? According to her, Bob the Builder didn't build our house, but he did build the neighbors.

One more - Showers and sleep and sanity are not necessary for a happy life.

Baby

On February 25, Brooklyn was born into our family. She was 7 lb. 6 oz. and is healthy and beautiful. I'm in love, and only slightly overwhelmed as you might be able to tell from this picture. Three kids is a lot of kids!
It has not been the most fun since coming home because everyone is sick. Paul and I have been wearing masks and just praying that she would stay healthy. The kids haven't been able to get near her and I think it has been hard for them. My mom has been here holding it all together for us and giving lots of love, help, and everything else only mom's can give.

Ducks

Today is my due date...I am realizing that patience is not one of my virtues.

We were eating dinner a couple nights ago and Peyton once again brought up one of his favorite dinnertime discussion topics - dying. I've learned just how much I don't know about dying because of these discussions. Actually, having him as my constant companion, I've realized how much I don't know about lots of things.

Peyton: What happens if you die when you are already in heaven?

Me: You don't die after you are already in heaven.

Peyton: Why?

Me: Because you already died.

Peyton: So, does that mean there are no wild animals to chase you and eat you?

Me: No.

Peyton: Oooooooh......so there are only ducks in heaven.

Me (in my head): Why does he think that a duck is the only animal that does not chase and eat you?

DONE.....please!!

Just wanted to say....I am done with being pregnant. I just wish the baby would agree.