Coop's new thing is to tell you something hurts and that he needs a "bandage". I happened to find some old gauze and obliged him his need for a bandage. As soon as he had it on he said he felt better.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
A Bandage
Coop's new thing is to tell you something hurts and that he needs a "bandage". I happened to find some old gauze and obliged him his need for a bandage. As soon as he had it on he said he felt better.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
A Date To Remember
With only about a month to get Jim ready for his deployment we decided to squeeze in a date to spends some time together where we were not allowed to talk about bills or the kids. So after a wonderful dinner Jim thought it would be fun to go ice skating! 
We were trying to pretend like we were young and hip but a random teenager asked us for help getting his skates on. We knew then we looked like parents and not one of the kids squeeling with delight over the strobe lights flashing with music we'd never heard of.
Autumn Leaves 2008
I will miss our complex here in the fall. We are surrounded by trees on every side and when fall arrives it literally snows down leaves. It's breathtaking and hours of fun for the boys.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thanksgiving 2008
We packed up the boys and headed up for a wonderful Thanksgiving visit with the Monihan's. The boys did fabulous on the car ride. Cooper had to stop every 30 minutes to go potty. He would yell, "Daddy stop the truck and pull over!" Grandma Kathy prepared a feast and we got to spend some much needed time with family. We headed back home this morning to finish getting Jim packed and ready for the first leg of his deployment. We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by those you love. We are counting our blessings and remembering all that we are grateful for.
Halloween 2008
This was our first Halloween where both boys asked to get dressed up and picked out their own costumes. They ended up switching costumes though and asked to dress up for a few days after Halloween.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Boys Update
POTTY TRAINING
Coop’s potty dance- he is doing a great job he just likes to have an audience at all times. He refuses to go to the bathroom by himself. If you don’t make it in time he will pee standing up with his pants down running around the bathroom frantically breathing and yelling at you to, “Come on!!!”
Bear’s potty stubbornness- Bear goes back and forth potty training but still prefers diapers. Some days he asks to use the potty and others he demands diapers. We could force the issue but I figure I’ll be patient and let it happen more naturally. Besides we have a lot of change coming up I’m not going to stress out on this one. It is adorable though to have them both sitting on potty’s at the same time.
FAVORITE TOYS
Flashlights. If anyone has leads on really inexpensive flashlights I would be very grateful. They break them constantly but have to have one with them at all times. Coopers favorite thing to do is close himself off in a dark room and ask you to “Come play dark with me!” Coop will ask and take you on a tour of any dark room but he’s clear to say, “Don’t scare me.”
The baby. We have this little baby doll that we purchased to help Coop adjust to having a baby around the house. Well now the boys take turns with the baby and try very hard to take care of him. Often they will ask for him to be in a diaper and yesterday Coop asked for a bottle for the baby. Right now Bear just brought him to be saying, “Baby’s diaper.” Coop picked him up and said, “Oh baby!” and is now burping him.
LINGO
Backyardigans translates to “Fardigans”
Gym translates to “ym”. (Think gyro but how people say yro.)
Wal-Mart translates to “The City”
Whole Foods translates to “The Castle”
Kroger translates to “The Kroger Castle”
BACKSEAT DRIVERS
There is nothing worse than a backseat driver. Ask Jim I drive him nuts every time someone breaks too fast in front of us. But how do you argue with two toddlers who yell, “Go, go, go!!!” at the top of their lungs every time the light turns green. How do you not scratch your head when Coop tells me to turn right or left at every turn and most of the time he is right. But the funniest is when they argue over where we are going. Bear will determine “The Castle!” and let up a little cheer. Coop will respond, “No Bear, NO CASTLE we go to the ym!” Bear usually will say, “Oh ok.”
IN A MINUTE
This little phrase has saved my tail countless times. When they want something they want something. They don’t understand it when I say later, or tomorrow or not tonight. But if I tell them, “Not yet,” or “In a minute,” they 99.9% of the time calm right down and know that they will get it eventually.
TRAINS
They are train obsessed that is for sure. They each carry little lunch pails EVERYWHERE we go filled with little trains. Bear also has this little green basket filled with toys he carries with him all the time. If another kid at the gym daycare even dares to come close I’ve watched Bear put his hand out and say, “No baby, no touch!” The only issue we face is they both want to sleep with Thomas. Not Gordon who is also blue but only Thomas with the Number 1 on the side. I tried to trick Coop once and he kept saying, “No, not the number 1!” So Jim found 2 more Thomas trains that we will hope to combat any arguing until they lose those. If they weren’t so expensive I would have asked him to buy 6!
Coop’s potty dance- he is doing a great job he just likes to have an audience at all times. He refuses to go to the bathroom by himself. If you don’t make it in time he will pee standing up with his pants down running around the bathroom frantically breathing and yelling at you to, “Come on!!!”
Bear’s potty stubbornness- Bear goes back and forth potty training but still prefers diapers. Some days he asks to use the potty and others he demands diapers. We could force the issue but I figure I’ll be patient and let it happen more naturally. Besides we have a lot of change coming up I’m not going to stress out on this one. It is adorable though to have them both sitting on potty’s at the same time.
FAVORITE TOYS
Flashlights. If anyone has leads on really inexpensive flashlights I would be very grateful. They break them constantly but have to have one with them at all times. Coopers favorite thing to do is close himself off in a dark room and ask you to “Come play dark with me!” Coop will ask and take you on a tour of any dark room but he’s clear to say, “Don’t scare me.”
The baby. We have this little baby doll that we purchased to help Coop adjust to having a baby around the house. Well now the boys take turns with the baby and try very hard to take care of him. Often they will ask for him to be in a diaper and yesterday Coop asked for a bottle for the baby. Right now Bear just brought him to be saying, “Baby’s diaper.” Coop picked him up and said, “Oh baby!” and is now burping him.
LINGO
Backyardigans translates to “Fardigans”
Gym translates to “ym”. (Think gyro but how people say yro.)
Wal-Mart translates to “The City”
Whole Foods translates to “The Castle”
Kroger translates to “The Kroger Castle”
BACKSEAT DRIVERS
There is nothing worse than a backseat driver. Ask Jim I drive him nuts every time someone breaks too fast in front of us. But how do you argue with two toddlers who yell, “Go, go, go!!!” at the top of their lungs every time the light turns green. How do you not scratch your head when Coop tells me to turn right or left at every turn and most of the time he is right. But the funniest is when they argue over where we are going. Bear will determine “The Castle!” and let up a little cheer. Coop will respond, “No Bear, NO CASTLE we go to the ym!” Bear usually will say, “Oh ok.”
IN A MINUTE
This little phrase has saved my tail countless times. When they want something they want something. They don’t understand it when I say later, or tomorrow or not tonight. But if I tell them, “Not yet,” or “In a minute,” they 99.9% of the time calm right down and know that they will get it eventually.
TRAINS
They are train obsessed that is for sure. They each carry little lunch pails EVERYWHERE we go filled with little trains. Bear also has this little green basket filled with toys he carries with him all the time. If another kid at the gym daycare even dares to come close I’ve watched Bear put his hand out and say, “No baby, no touch!” The only issue we face is they both want to sleep with Thomas. Not Gordon who is also blue but only Thomas with the Number 1 on the side. I tried to trick Coop once and he kept saying, “No, not the number 1!” So Jim found 2 more Thomas trains that we will hope to combat any arguing until they lose those. If they weren’t so expensive I would have asked him to buy 6!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
You Gotta Wiggle It
Ooookaaaaay....
So, obviously, Abbie spends more time with the boys than I do. Well, today, I saw a hint of what to expect when I get back from deployment.
The boys were sitting at the table eating breakfast and they wanted some slices of an apple. They kept asking for "pieces of green". So finally, Abbie pulls out the apple...then says, "okay, Boys, dance...dance." And guess what? They all start to dance in their chairs. "You gotta wiggle it, just a little bit!" and they keep wiggling it.
Its wonderful to know that the boys exist just for our amusement. Abbie was like, "yeah, they'll be in school in the lunch line and just start wiggling it. They're friends will all be like 'what are you doing' and the boys will be like 'what, don't you dance before you eat?'"
Mmmm-hmmmmmmmm.
So, obviously, Abbie spends more time with the boys than I do. Well, today, I saw a hint of what to expect when I get back from deployment.
The boys were sitting at the table eating breakfast and they wanted some slices of an apple. They kept asking for "pieces of green". So finally, Abbie pulls out the apple...then says, "okay, Boys, dance...dance." And guess what? They all start to dance in their chairs. "You gotta wiggle it, just a little bit!" and they keep wiggling it.
Its wonderful to know that the boys exist just for our amusement. Abbie was like, "yeah, they'll be in school in the lunch line and just start wiggling it. They're friends will all be like 'what are you doing' and the boys will be like 'what, don't you dance before you eat?'"
Mmmm-hmmmmmmmm.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Say Thanks To A Veteran Today
As a future veteran of the Middle East wars, I felt it appropriate to post here information about the organization, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). They're a veteran-created non-partisan group dedicated to helping the Veterans of our two wars.
If you are a veteran, or know someone that is, please pass on to them this organization's website.
www.communityofveterans.org
www.IAVA.org
I'm sure I speak for many of my peers when I say, Thanks for all of your support.
If you are a veteran, or know someone that is, please pass on to them this organization's website.
www.communityofveterans.org
www.IAVA.org
I'm sure I speak for many of my peers when I say, Thanks for all of your support.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
November 2008 Update
We stopped posting updates because it was more of that hurry up and wait! Back in January we made the decision that Jim would go back into the Army. Snafu after snafu somewhere along the line we shifted to him joining the National Guard and then more sanfu's ensued.
Jim has now officially been sworn into the North Carolina National Guard and received his orders yesterday!! What that means is he will be deploying for 16-18 months starting December 1st. So while we knew this was a possibility and knew it would eventually happen it's now REALLY happening and we have a lot to do! We are looking to buy a house and finally get our stuff out of storage and have a yard to play in. That may or may not happen before Jim leaves but we sure will try. We will be in NOVA for Thanksgiving as well!!
The boys are doing absolutely amazing. They are speaking to each other in their own language and Cooper likes to translate for me. Yesterday we went to the playground and they could see the early moon out. As they were swinging they kept reaching for the moon saying, "Momma I can't reach it!" They watch Thomas the Train and Coop will point out each train and get Bear to repeat each one after him. It's quite adorable. The boys even celebrated their first Halloween with costumes that they got to pick out. (Although they switched them when it came time to wear them.) I'll post those pictures soon.
I spent most of October getting my new office set up and I'm lucky to have some classes scheduled that keep me busy and distracted. I picked up some work at my gym daycare to help on our cutting back program. I get my gym membership (as long as the boys) for free plus a little extra. I'm still amazed at how little we pay those to take care of our children!
We'll keep everyone posted now as things should start moving along (FINALLY).
Jim has now officially been sworn into the North Carolina National Guard and received his orders yesterday!! What that means is he will be deploying for 16-18 months starting December 1st. So while we knew this was a possibility and knew it would eventually happen it's now REALLY happening and we have a lot to do! We are looking to buy a house and finally get our stuff out of storage and have a yard to play in. That may or may not happen before Jim leaves but we sure will try. We will be in NOVA for Thanksgiving as well!!
The boys are doing absolutely amazing. They are speaking to each other in their own language and Cooper likes to translate for me. Yesterday we went to the playground and they could see the early moon out. As they were swinging they kept reaching for the moon saying, "Momma I can't reach it!" They watch Thomas the Train and Coop will point out each train and get Bear to repeat each one after him. It's quite adorable. The boys even celebrated their first Halloween with costumes that they got to pick out. (Although they switched them when it came time to wear them.) I'll post those pictures soon.
I spent most of October getting my new office set up and I'm lucky to have some classes scheduled that keep me busy and distracted. I picked up some work at my gym daycare to help on our cutting back program. I get my gym membership (as long as the boys) for free plus a little extra. I'm still amazed at how little we pay those to take care of our children!
We'll keep everyone posted now as things should start moving along (FINALLY).
Monday, November 03, 2008
Persistance Pays Off
We are a Superfood family now!! This is the most amazing stuff in the whole wide world. It has all the vitamins, minerals & nutrition a person's body could possibly need. It doesn't always taste good at first but man you feel so great when you have it. It has been a key factor in the healing of Cooper's health issues and I can rest at night knowing that even if we aren't perfect in our food choices if we are getting our superfood in our body is getting the nourishment it needs. Coop drinks two Superfood drinks a day and would drink even more if we let him. Bear picked up Coop's bottle one day and took a sip expecting water. You can imagine the face he made when it his his taste buds. That was a year ago and he's refused to drink anything that isn't clear water. No juice, no kombucha- nothing. I had been sneaking it into Bear's cracker recipe since he's stopped nursing but one day he pulled his chair up to the counter and poured himself a bowl of Superfood and proceeded to eat it!! They love to have it now with breakfast and as an afternoon snack!!!
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Ride?
It still amazes me how much we all are creatures of habit. It's fascinating to watch in the boys as they set up certain things that they expect. After the gym they expect a bag of crackers. Before bed they know that there is bath, a show, books and then they wait for marshmallows and chocolate (names for supplements they take). If you miss any part of their ritual they will let you know about it and it's very difficult to recover from the error.
Over the past two weeks a new habit has emerged. They will not step one foot into their bedroom if they know it's time for books. They will scream for their ride and one of us has to get both of them on our backs and give them a ride into their room.
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