There's a New Reader in the House!

Micah has recently started being a reading maniac! He has gone from reading because I tell him it's reading time in school to reading when he wakes up and while he is eating meals and just randomly throughout the day. It's awesome!

He has been reading the Dragon Slayer's Academy book series and picked up two other chapter books when we were at the library today.

I love having kids who like to read!

An Audra-ism

I'm supposed to be editing pictures, but I had to put this on here so I don't forget: Audra: "These covers are so oof-y" Me: "Oof-y, as in you have to say 'oof' a lot while you are trying to get them where you want them?" Audra: "Yeah, they're so oof-y"

Because I Can't Clean

No really. I can't. Why can't I clean? Because my children have lost the tubes for my vacuum attachments. I've done the other stuff on my list for today, so now I'm just being annoyed about those tubes being lost.

I was telling my mom some of the shenanigans that have been happening around here and she said, "I hope you are writing these down." I said, sure, in all my spare time. Which really means "no." But since I'm just sitting here being annoyed, I guess that means I have free time, now.

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Do you remember me telling you about the time that Micah peed all over the bathroom because he "didn't notice" that the toilet lid was down? Well, apparently there is a gene for such behavior and it runs in our family. Emilia had the same thing happen to her the other day. Just as baffling to me. How, exactly, do you sit down on the toilet and NOT NOTICE that the lid is down?? Especially as you start peeing all over yourself. Hmmm...just not getting it. But that's 2 out of 4 that have had this issue. I can only assume it's somehow genetic. Not from my side, of course. :)

On the same day that Emilia didn't notice that the lid was down, Audra peed all over the bathroom floor because she couldn't figure out where to set the toys she was carrying while she went to the bathroom. Like all good two year olds, she waited until the very last possible second before sprinting to the bathroom, so there wasn't a lot of time for decision making and then once the deed was done, she stood stomping in the puddle because she was so upset about having wet her pants and STILL not knowing what to do with her toys.

On the same day that Emilia and Audra peed all over the bathroom floor, Micah joined in the party and peed all over the floor. He came out to the living room and said, "You might notice that I have on different pants. That's because I had to go poop and then I had to pee and I didn't realize that my pee could come out in the space between the lid and the toilet. So, my pants got wet, but it's ok because I put on clean ones."

Was there a puddle on the floor?

"A puddle?"

Yes, Did any get on the floor or was it all on your clothes?

"Hmm...I don't know. I didn't think about that. I'll go check...."

"Yep, there was a puddle, but I cleaned it up. Good thinking, mom!"

All three of these incidents happened before lunchtime. I kept Josiah from finding out about it, lest he feel the need to join in the fun.

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And as I was proofreading the above story, Audra jumped off the couch and said, "I didn't just pee on the couch."

But based on the dark spot I see over there, I'm think she's mistaken

At least I don't need vacuum tubes to clean that up.

Halloween 2012

I lucked out and didn't have to buy any costumes this year. Not only that, but everyone liked their costumes. Yay! It was a win for all of us.

Audra was a stunning Rapunzel this year. And cute as always!

Emilia was purple Cinderella again, but I think she was more of a PUNK Cinderella, with her purple hair and black boots. This costume was so her!

Josiah switched from Harry Potter to Ron Weasley this year. He was so thrilled when someone actually recognized him last night! (Most people thought he was Harry)

Micah man was a Ninja. He was most proud to tell everyone that we made his costume in 16 minutes. I think that might be a record for us.

My Darlin' Diva

Emilia's fashion tip for today requires you to hunt through your closet and find clothes that don't remotely fit you anymore, let alone match and preferably celebrate at least two separate holidays. Wear them. Wear them together and strut your stuff in clothes that are two sizes too small. You'll look just as awesome as she does.

If Only...

I wish it was as easy to post on this blog from my phone as it is to post on Facebook with my phone. Sadly, it is not, which is why you wonderful blog readers have been being neglected lately. It's not intentional, I promise. It's just so much easier and faster to post a picture and an update on Facebook!

But, in effort to keep us all on the same page, I'm here to let you all know that they boys started to learn to type today. They insisted that I find them a program and have been ever-so-kindly reminding me every day that they want to learn to type. They will sit by my side while I'm writing emails and just watch my fingers and make comments like, "I wish I could do that!" or "I can't wait until you find us a program so I can learn to type, too!"

Then, last week, one of the blogs I follow had a post on a FREE online typing program that kids really enjoy. Sweet! I'm all about the free programs! Today was the first day of typing and I had to make Micah stop after 45 minutes so that Josiah could have a turn. They're serious about learning this! After one day they both know the home row and several more keys!!

(The blog I referenced is Freely Educate and the program we are using is Dance Mat Typing)

Four Year Old Fabulousness

Me: I'm going to take a shower

Emilia: Why??

Me: 'Cause it's been awhile and I'm kinda stinky.

Emilia comes up to me and sniffs my shirt.

Emilia: You're not stinky! You smell like coffee.

I take my shower and come back out. She looks at the boys and says with, in a slightly ticked off sort of way,

Emilia: Mommy took a shower. Now she doesn't smell like coffee.

Me: Is that a bad thing?

Emilia: Yes!

Me: Maybe I should just shower in coffee next time.

Emilia: Ok.

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Emilia started playing soccer last weekend. It was kind of a rough start, but once we got a few details worked out, all was good. While we were getting ready to go, though, this was the conversation.

Me: You're almost ready to go. You're gonna be awesome!

Emilia: Yeah, I'm perf-norm-ick.

Me: Perfnormic? What's that mean?

Emilia: It's like being good, only better.

About 30 minutes later...

Me: What was that word of yours that means better than good?

Emilia: I don't remember. What was it?

Me: I don't know, that's why I asked you. I loved the word and I'm trying to remember it.

Emilia: Hmmmm...I don't know. Can't remember.

We think.

Me: Perfnormic!

Emilia: Yes! That's it! Now don't forget it, mommy.

Brave

I know she's never seen it, but I'm pretty sure Audra was inspired by Braveheart.

He's Nine

We spent ONE day as a family celebrating this wonderful young man. We ate funny face pancakes with the fam and played some fun games together to get the day started.

We went to the movie theater TWO times before we made it in time to see the movie.

Madagascar THREE is a very funny movie!!

Josiah asked for FOUR things for his birthday: some new books (any books, just more books to read), a new Lego Hero Factory building set, Mario SuperSluggers Wii game and some money to donate to charity, specifically to homeless people.

FIVE is probably about the number of times that I teased him about possibly not getting the new Harry Potter book for his birthday. He gets one book every year on his birthday and this year was book number three. He's already read 262 pages of it. Next year he says he wants to get his new book first thing in the morning and be left alone for the rest of the day so he can read the whole thing. Except during meal times. He still wants to eat.

John and I made SIX funny face pancakes this morning for all the kids. We started the funny face tradition 5 years ago on when Josiah turned 4 and all the kids love it. When else do they get to eat chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream and M&Ms?? For my kids, the answer to that is "Never!"

Josiah got SEVEN good night hugs and kisses tonight. We were all eager to try out nine-year-old hugs and kisses. We've never had those in this house before!!

We EIGHT spaghetti and meatballs for dinner tonight, Josiah's request. With garlic bread, broccoli ("cooked broccoli, mommy, because you know I like it better when it's cooked"), salad and parmesan cheese. That's the list he gave me. I said, "What? No sauce?" He rolled his eyes at me.

Tonight, after all of the saucy hands and faces were wiped clean, I stuck NINE candles in this sweet boy's cupcake. We all sang happy birthday, savored our Chocolate, chocolate chip cupcakes with chocolate frosting (Josiah's choice, inspired by a Bill Cosby episode) and watched him open his presents.

I love my boy. I love his laugh and his smile. I love that he still gets hiccups when he laughs really hard. I love his sense of humor on the days it comes out to play. I love how sweet he is to others. I love his big heart to help. I love watching him learn and grow. I love how his brain is a sponge and can remember everything he reads or sees or hears. I love knowing what an amazing person he is and helping him see it when he has doubts. I love the nine years I've gotten to share with him and I'm excited about the years that are still to come.

Happy Birthday, Josiah!

You are an amazing kid and I'm so lucky I get to be your mom.

Somebody Pinch Me

It's officially been a week now.

One week of NO DIAPERS being used in this house. (I still have half a box of size 5s if anyone wants them)

Do you know that I have been buying diapers non-stop for NINE YEARS?

But do you know what the most surreal part of all of this is? It's how EASY it was to potty train Audra! In fact, I don't feel like I did anything at all. She's done it all on her own.

Now, before any of you hate me for what I just said, let me remind you that my sweet 4 year old more than qualified me to write my new book, "How to Potty Train Your Child in 365 Days or More." Look for it in stores in early 2013. I know it's going to be a best seller!

Not only that, but my 7 year old gave me a run for my money, too. That child was supposed to be completely potty trained before going to preschool at the school where I was teaching at the time. How well did that work? Well, let's just say I spent the month before school started working on appropriate, surprised sounding responses to finding out he'd had an accident...or two, while I was teaching. I only taught 4 hours a day. I suppose I should also add that the boy wore a diaper up until we got to school, where I would change him into underwear in the bathroom outside the preschool room. And yes, my friends, that went on for the whole, entire school year.

Oh and lets not forget this potty training moment of his that happened when I was 7 months pregnant.

And if that weren't enough, I'll remind you that my 9 year old wore pull-ups at night until he was 7 and even then only stopped because I discovered that he was intentionally peeing in them in the morning and I refused to buy them anymore. I had been trying to be a supportive mom, telling him that it was normal, that some kids just take longer (because they do). I even had his pediatrician tell him the same thing. All of that for years, only to learn that he was just being lazy and peeing in his pullup because he didn't want to get out of bed.

In light of all that, it BLOWS MY MIND that my 2 year old could just "decide" that she's going to use the potty and be dry during the day and be dry at night for the last week. Without me doing anything. She even got out of the pool twice to go potty when we went swimming! She can even hold it for 10 minutes after telling me she needs to go potty! She even "puts her yuckies in the potty!"

Somebody pinch me. I must be dreaming.

Holden Beach 2012

I may have been just a *little bit* busy recently...which is why it has taken me so long to put up pictures from this year's trip to Holden Beach. Well, that and our computer died so John had to do a bit of finagling to get our pictures off of the old computer. Details.

Anywho...it's never too late for beach pictures!! :)

Now, the possible downside to me not having so much time is that I did not weed through my hundreds of pictures like I usually do. So, this slideshow is quite a bit longer than usual. But at least you know up front so you can plan for it.

I suggest popcorn and a drink. :)

Pre-Fourth of July Celebration

We all gathered at my moms for our usual 4th of July celebration...only this year we did it a few days early--we wanted to make sure Brooke, Ryan, and Candida got to share in the fun! The kids had a blast, as usual, and the blackberry cobbler was delicious, as usual. :)

Smokies All-Star Game

For those of you who are on Facebook, you've probably already seen these pictures. For the rest of you...

On Tuesday, we (meaning, my mom and Sue, Karen and Bruce and me and John) took all the kids to the Smokies game. We got there just in time to watch the home run derby! Josiah enjoyed the whole game, but he REALLY liked this part.

Here is the line up of kids. From left to right we have: McCain, Timothy, Josiah, Emilia, Audra, Brooke, Micah and Ryan :)



The guy in front of us with the light blue shirt was terrorized a bit by the kids. He had ice thrown down his shirt and nacho cheese flung on his back. Thankfully, he was a good sport about it, but he did make several comments about sending us his cleaning bill...



After the game there were fireworks! They were pretty awesome, and the kids seemed to like them, too. :)









This is my favorite picture of Emilia. I love how she has her hands thrown up in the air with excitement!

Life in a Box

I spent this past weekend at my doula training in Georgia and helping my friend her celebrate her upcoming wedding with a Jimmy Buffett concert. It was so much fun and I learned a ton in my class!

It would seem that Josiah did some learning while I was gone this weekend, too. On Saturday, John asked Josiah to help with getting the sheets off the beds. The nerve of that man. Expecting a mere 8 year old to do something so strenuous. Or at least that's what Josiah was thinking (something along those lines, anyway). He walked over to our recycle bin, pulled out a box and said that was fine, he was just going to go live in a box.



I'm not sure if he got hungry or had to use the bathroom, but somewhere along the line he figured out that even with all the housework, having a house is preferable to not having one at all.

All packed up and ready for some fun!!

I think this is our best departure time yet.  Go us!  We're becoming beach packing professionals...ok, maybe not.  But we don't care--we're off to the beach!!

Seven

At first I put off the birthday post because Micah was sick.

Then I put off the birthday post because we hadn't done the funny face pancakes yet.

Then I thought I might as well wait until after the party.

Then I forgot.

Or maybe all this time I've really just been waiting for his sea monkeys to hatch...Yeah, that's it!

So my Micah man is seven. Ack! These kids keep getting older and I know I've told them at least a million times to stop it. When will they ever listen? :)

My mom likes to remind me how huge I was when I was pregnant with Micah. Aren't moms the best? :) Haha. She's right, though...check this out--that IS a HUGE belly!

But now check out this cutie. He was worth every stretch mark. :)

Seven years later and this is what we have...still a cutie!

I can't even tell you how happy this boy makes me. I love that he climbs over everything, doesn't understand why anyone would walk from A to B in a straight line and has made all of those Family Circus comics make complete sense. I used to think they were just filler comics...now I know Bill Keane had a Micah, too. :) I love that Micah can forget things as easily as I can and I love that he still wants to be tucked in at night. I love that he loves math and that he loves to play with his siblings. Long story short...he is an awesome kid!

I've mentioned that Micah was pretty miserable on his birthday. We skipped the funny face pancakes. We skipped the special dinner and the cake. But we DID do the presents! He was still feeling puny, though, as you can tell from these pictures:

The girls were good helpers and brought him all of his presents:

And Josiah had fun getting excited for with him about his gifts.

Naw...Micah got excited, too! :)

Everyone thought the sea monkeys were pretty awesome (and they hatched--FINALLY!)

But Micah's favorite gift was definitely the new baseball helmet. I know, seems like a strange gift, but it was one of the few things he said he wanted...and clearly he did!

I mean, he REALLY likes it.

REALLY, REALLY likes it.

Someone even asked me if he sleeps in it...I suppose that's a fair question. :)

We did finally get around to the cake a few days later.

With the most awesome candles EVER: Sparkler re-lighting candles!

Micah thought they were so funny! He kept cracking up at them re-lighting...I didn't think he'd ever get those candles out!

And the cake had a cool blue center for my favorite lover of blue.

About a week later was the bounce party (yay for Groupon!). I don't have a whole lot of pictures from the party because my camera battery died about 15 minutes into the party. *sigh* I just can't remember everything! Thankfully, the birthday boy didn't miss my camera AT ALL. He was completely happy to run around and jump with his friends without me taking pictures--who knew??

The bounce place had a rock wall that the kids could climb and luckily Micah climbed it before my camera died. :)

He looked pretty impressive making his way up there. But I wasn't surprised that my little monkey did well at this.

He was quite proud of his accomplishment, too!

Had to put a picture of these cupcakes--they turned out so good!

So in the end it was a happy, happy birthday for this superb, silly seven year old!

I'm so glad he's my son because he is one cool dude!

And I love him completely.