tiny turtle

Caitlin singing "I Have a Tiny Turtle"

We have been listening to Caitlin sing this almost non-stop for days. She learned it in nursery and can't seem to get enough of it. I love the age she is at and how she is learning and discovering everyday, and just getting smarter all the time. But I also love that she is still a little girl with a little girl voice.

Randomness from our life at home

Ashlee ended up in the play stroller last week when we were babysitting. Caitlin can't lift Ashlee, but the bigger kids could. After Chris and I had a little chuckle, we quickly took her out before she fell through the bottom. That stroller has had many kid bottoms in it and is ripped beyond repair, but still holds on by a few threads.

The band-aid trick is obviously failing. She doesn't suck her thumbs when they are on, but she just takes them off now, so they do no good. She doesn't even leave them on if we try to bribe her with treats. She is following he mom and Aunt Annie, who were merciless thumb suckers until we finally got special retainers when we were about 4.

And I guess we need to work on modesty also.

I would pull her dress down and say "put it over your knees like this"

then she would pull her dress back up

I would tell her it wasn't modest and pull it back down, and she would pull it back up. At least she is only 2.


Our life has been not so exciting as it has been snowing and cold a lot this past week or so. It snowed again last night and today, and Caitlin says "It noowed wast night", which she says everyday if there is any snow on the ground, whether it is fresh snow or not.

And there was snow on the road as we were driving to the library and she said "Be carefooo Mom, there's noow on the steet, don't slip." Thanks Caitlin, good advice.

Uping our numbers

We are up to a family of 6.

But only for a few days. We are babysitting 2 of our friends kids for 4 days. Life is more busy with an extra 2 kids around the house. I am glad it is not a permanent thing, but it does make me optimistic for the future (WAY in the future). I know it is much different just babysitting, but I think I will be able to handle more children (again- that will be way in the future.) It is nice to get to the point with a new baby when you don't feel overwhelmed anymore, and you feel like you can just live a normal life again. We did reach that point with Ashlee months ago, but this just reminded me of it.

just sitting

Ashlee is sitting up so well now. Here she was happily sitting up playing. The new found freedom from having to hold her up is so nice, but I spent the time taking pictures of her rather than getting anything done. Oh well, she is only this age once. (and I don't always have to hold her up, we do love the Bumbo and she is happy laying and playing- as long as Caitlin or I are close by)

She was excited to actually sit in a real chair at the table and have a tea party with Caitlin. Ashlee adores Caitlin and watches her every move. No one can make Ashlee laugh better than Caitlin can. It is fun watching them play together. I'm sure Caitlin can't wait until Ashlee can actually play more.

A few more from NY

Just a few more pictures from New York, from the day we met Chris and walked the Brooklyn Bridge. It is something we never did while we lived there, but now we have. It was fun and we saw great views of the city.

I just couldn't resist this video of Caitlin and Eden playing. They really had a great time playing together.

New Specs

Chris can be seen sporting new glasses as of yesterday. We think they look great and he definitely looks like a professor now.

We're Back

We are back home after our great trip to New York last week (and are nearly rested up from our 4:30am arrival home Sunday morning).

The girls and I had a wonderful time staying with our dear friends, the Ransom's, and getting a chance to see many of our other friends from Forest Hills. Chris played "tour guide" for some students from his school, showing them the sights, sounds, tastes, etc. of Manhattan. We did meet up with him in the city one day, and he came out to Forest Hills that night.

Caitlin loved playing with Eden (who she use to play with pretty much every day when we lived there), and playing with Tyler and Tessa when they got home from school. Our whole trip of just hanging out was awesome and we loved it.

Caitlin and Eden

Jane (another friend), Eden and Caitlin. These 3 girl's birthdays are weeks apart and they always loved playing together. And the sweet baby is Ansley, who was 4 days old when we got there.

Thanks, Marliese, for letting us come with your brand new baby! It was great being able to help out and hang out, we loved coming. Our trip reminded me of why I do miss New York, but our home is where our little family is and our home is now Rock Springs and I love being here with Chris, Caitlin and Ashlee.

Could it really be that easy?

We got a tip from a friend that band aids will stop a child from sucking their thumb.
NO? Really? Just a simply band aid?

So we gave it a try.

2 cloth band aids on each thumb, and wa-la: no thumb sucking! NO THUMB SUCKING!

We have taking them off at times, so her thumbs can get some air, but there has been remarkable progress in these past 3 days. No sucking with the band aids on, and reduced sucking with them off (by reduced I mean 50-75% less)!

It may be to early to call this a miracle cure, but we will see. Only time will tell.

When?

We are taking a trip to NYC next week to visit our friends! We are very excited and looking forward to it greatly. We had mentioned it to Caitlin a few times, but I guess it just clicked this week. On Tuesday she thought we were going to Eden's house that day (the little girl of the friends we are staying with). After her nap she put her fruit snacks by the front door so she could take them to Eden. She didn't understand that we weren't going until next week. So I threw together a little chart (with help from Caitlin), so she could better understand when we will go to Eden's house. We put a sticker on each day as it passes and count how many days are left (this picture was taken a few days ago, so there are more stickers now). She still doesn't have full understanding, but at least it helps a little.

Ashlee is starting to eat these little snacks, and her face is healing well from her accident last week. Today it is looking better than this picture shows. It doesn't bother her at all, she is such a tough little girl.

If you are wondering what her accident was, she grabbed a bowl of hot soup and pulled it off the table all over her and Chris. We were very thankful she wasn't burned too badly.

conversations with Chuck

Caitlin is talking to our puppet friend, Chuck.

(Be forewarned that the video is kind of long)

"I need to work on my 'puder'"

Caitlin working on her "puder". These glasses are broken now, too bad because she looks very studious and downright awesome in them.

We decided that punching the keys on the real computer wasn't such a good idea, so Chris made her this.

Sure it is just paper, but it is real to her- even though she stabbed it over and over and over with a pencil.

And the other day, this was her "puder". I am glad that she is using her imagination.

I think we need to take a closer look at those glasses. Yep, still awesome.

tagged

5 Things I was doing 5 Years Ago

• working at IMH in Laramie
• taking my first trip to NYC with the Will family
• celebrating our first year being married
• Chris was probably in a show, hum.... I believe it was a Shakespeare: "Loves Labors Lost"
• loving that Annie and David still lived in Laramie

5 Things on my To DO list for Today

• I don't make to do lists
• but today we will probably play outside
• take naps
• make a craft with Caitlin
• go on a walk

5 Things I would do with a Million Dollars:

• pay off our house
• pay off our car
• give to friends or family in need of a little
• save most
• go on a trip and maybe a cruise
  

5 Things I Want to be doing in 5 Years:

• maybe doing some nursing again
• helping my girls with their school work
• being a good mom with a bigger family (I'm sure it will have expanded by than)
• um.....gosh......I guess I need to work on my long term goals

I was "tagged", so I fulfilled. (thanks Brenda)

where does the time go

Why the lack of blogs for a week? The days have just been all filled up with other things I guess.

• doctors appointments
• trip to Utah to pick up my Grandma's sewing desk I bought from her (there will be a picture later on, I love the desk!)
• playing outside in warm weather
• cleaning the house
• reorganizing parts of the house
• unexpected trip to the ER (but than again, I guess a trip to the ER is never planned) A mishap with Ashlee, but she is well and healing.
• another trip to the ER the following day for a follow up
• church callings
• busy, busy week of work for Chris
• and I don't know what else, but the time did fly by

There will be more exciting blogs to come.