One Day Teeth - Next Day Loose Tooth... and gone. Boy this milestone snuck up on me! (And thank goodness the tooth fairy got woke up at 5am and remembered there was a tooth under this kids pillow!)

More Confessions

I must confess... Bekah was potty trained by my Grammie at 14 months old (at the time it seemed perfectly normal - now I realize how uncommon that truly is!) Anna was potty trained by my sister at 22 months old (while I was in the hospital having Kaid). I potty trained Kaid at 2, then tried again at 3, everyone kept telling me he was just a boy... then tried again at 3 1/2 (ya know he's a boy, they're different) , then again at 4, (he still a boy and they will do it when they are ready)... then just put him in pants and hoped it would all kick in (he's 5 - I'm still waiting). So needless to say I decided I didn't know how to potty train and was dreading potty training Quinn! But Wow! It's done! I am so thrilled! We only had a few minor snafu's and I will share 2 things to remember when potty training. 1. Teach the kid how to pull down his pants before going... Apparently I forgot this step (I was just having him naked in the house and helped him when we were out) One day he came up and told me he needed to go and then ran over, sat down, and went... with all his clothes on. 2. Peeing on a tree is acceptable, pooping on a tree is not... somehow that socially unacceptable behavior escaped his lessons.

Enthusiasm

A totally different approach to a new school is what Bekah has. After she got home the conversation went something like this: enthusiastically

Me: How was the first day?

Beks: Awesome! We had 2 assemblies and learned a ton of different ways to pop balloons and

lunch was crazy and have no homework!

Me: Wow

Beks: Yeah and then I looked at this girl and she looked at me and she said, 'Bekah?' And I said, 'Gia?' And it was totally Gia from first grade and then we screamed and everybody was looking at us and then we got embarrassed and then we started laughing and Pickle knows her too and Alyssa is in my home room and that's good and the girl who cried trying to open her locker at parent orientation turns out she is popular and she is kinda mean and yeah. It was good. (giggle, giggle)

Me: (laughing at her and with her)

Beks: and there's this kid whose name is Andrew but he wants us to call him Mex

Me: Max?

Bek: No Mex like mexican which is just weird because his name is Andrew and that's just weird

Uhhh yeah, can we go swim?

Pain

The new year is so exciting in so many way. For Anna the 'new' can be so intimidating, so un-nerving, so unsure, so painful and it shows plainly on her face. Many times she is perfectly happy alone. She prefers it. She is a one or two friend kind of girl, but this year her best friend and her other best friend and her other other best friend aren't at school (moved, home schooled and older with different recess/lunch). The pain comes when as a parent your baby burst into tears off the bus because she had no one to play with at recess (despite the fact her class mates from last year came up and gave her a hug) and she had to walk around alone - in her high heels (despite the fact that she did that many times last year out of preference) or that none of her friends are in her new class (despite the fact that none of the other kids know each other either). I know she will make new friends, I know she didn't get a personalized invitation to play but everyone would have loved her playing with them, I know she will be OK in a few days and walking around alone because she wants to - but for now, yesterday and today - that is pain...

Who Likes Kaids New School?

Quinn couldn't wait to get in the door
Bekah was reliving her younger days


Lexsie found plenty to entertain her

Anna found a few things to experiment with

Kaid is still deciding if he will attend next week (He thinks he has choice LOL)

why do I do this to myself?

I start to bed at 10:25 I make it to my room at 11:55 and I just found this lovely surprise for myself. I hate it when I forget I have 15 loads of laundry on my bed to put away.

Sucker!

I'm a sucker - I know - I should probably be more strict, lay down the law and never compromise, but I have to admit I love that all my kids friends feel welcome here! I love that they want to hang out here and I'm even willing to put up the singing... at 3 am. (good thing craigs on nights~)

Just call Me Kate

Alright I've been caught. I totally watch Jon and Kate plus 8 (if only to make myself feel better about how I treat my husband (I hope!)). Anyway, I was in target today and after dealing with Lexsie crying and crying and crying (I"m not sure why but for the last few months she just cries and complains allllllll the time), people butting me in line when trying to purchase bread sticks (to stop the crying!) and then the over crowded school isles. I found myself yelling "MOM! (at the top of my lungs) the backpacks are over there! " I'm sure if there were a tv crew people all over the world would be rolling their eyes.... yeah I just stooped to that level. UGH!

(oh yeah - i just happen to have all these great shots of myself because Anna was making me be her model recently LOL!)

Is Church actually a Wrestling Match?

Just wondering if it's just me or does anyone else experience this phenomena? Are you exhausted by the time church is over? Ya know - grab the run-away sippy cup with your foot, pick up run-away child by his foot, quickly sooth knocked over baby, remind big ones to be quiet, feel the spirit, and listen to the talk... (see how happy I am!)

Just so I don't Forget

Lately Quinn has acted very 2. Every time we are ready for a prayer (at meals, in the morning, at night, personal prayers...) he yells, 'Me, Me, Me, I pray.' Of course we have tried to reason, bribe and even coerce, but he sticks out his pouty lip and keeps on yelling 'me, me, me' so loud and so obnoxious and with so many tears that we just let him have his way (even Anna and Kaid don't want their turn bad enough to put up with it) So tonight I found myself telling Anna and Kaid. 'Don't worry, this phase will pass and soon you'll get to say the prayer again."

Ahh, Quinn. You are so resourceful. Toady I brought home a watermelon and had it sitting on the counter. Of course everyone wanted me to slice into it right then, but I was putting grocery's away and picking up the kitchen and just kept telling them, 'in a minute.' Well Quinn was the first to give up and go away (or so I thought). He went downstairs to the toy room but a few minutes later he came back up with this little knife and fork, pushed a chair over to the counter and was prepared to cut the watermelon for himself. He never complains, he just takes care of business. What a great man he'll be someday!

OK so this kid is soooo scrawny. I mean he is all bones, if a strong wind comes along we have to anchor him down! And lately he has gotten to be such a picky eater that Craig and I decided to start having him drink a pedia-sure each day for the calories and nutrients. So I came home with a 6-pack and was talking it up telling Kaid it was a power drink - only he could drink it and that it will help build muscles and make him strong like spider man. (I left out all the parts about being scrawny and brain development). Well of course first thing this morning he asks for his power drink. I get it out and open it and he takes one swig - then he looks down at his (still scrawny arm) to check for muscle development. Oh the power of persuasion - I love it!

Top 5 'Funnies' about Kaid turning 5

5. When asked what you wanted for your birthday you said, "It's a secret." After digging for more information I realized what you meant was that you wanted a bunch of surprises!

4. You wanted to go to the 'blinking lizard' (really the winking lizard - a tavern) because it has a lot of TV's and a lizard.'

3. You kissed every one of your presents as you opened them. I know we're not raising an overly materialistic kid!

2. When Grandma and Grandpa asked if you got their package you ran out to the mailbox with phone in hand to check - fully disappointed when nothing was there. (the package had come a few days earlier.)

1. You told me about a week before your birthday that when you turned 5 you "would never pee your pants." I can only hope...