Happy New Year!

Wow, I cannot believe that this year is over! What a great year we have had!
It was so fun to send Levi off to summer school then "real" school. I'm sure in the future I will be so sad to see him leaving for school. Seeing him learn to skate and play roller hockey, watching t-ball, and seeing him get better at soccer. He now reads and writes. Levi kind of rides a bike. He has become a great big brother, protecting his little brother, playing with his little brother, and yes antagonizing his little brother.
Benjamin is now a talker, repeating so much that is said. He now runs and jumps and plays. He is now his chronological age TWO. There are no more extra doctor's appointments, no more cautious optimism, he is just him. He has learned so much with Levi as a great role model. How to tackle, how to antagonize, how to play. He now wants so much to play hockey and go and do everything.
Jacob is the best husband ever and 2009 will start a new chapter for him, he will begin his journey for his Bachelor's Degree in fire science. This will take a few years, but it is a dream of his to have his degree. He coaches t-ball and soccer. He loves watching Levi skate. He has learned that Benjamin is a good little helper and gives Benjamin good helping jobs. Jacob continues to create the things I dream up. He is a GOOD MAN!
I just keep perking along. I continue on my journey to be a healthier me. I have found some mental health in teaching a little bit of Sunday school and always strive for balance. I think I have become good at keeping us together and in the right place at the right time...this year I have really missed Jas, we so often have the same issues at the same time, it would be nice if we lived closer. Too bad neither of us are in the position to relocate...
I will be with my two little boys tonight, Jacob will be off fighting fires. No doubt we will be in bed asleep well before midnight.
so HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

the things kids say

Not sure if Levi made the paper last year, but this is his letter to Santa this year:
For Christmas I want a DS and Mario Super Car Game to go in the DS. I want Star Wars DS game. Come on a different day because dad works on real Christmas.
Your friend, Levi
Ok, so I knew about the DS, however I have asked him Thousands of times which games NEVER did either of these come up. Jacob is doing a scrabble today....
Merry Christmas!
GO FREEZER BUNS!!

Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat...

The Sunday before Christmas and we are still very unsure of when our celebration will be. We have been so lucky for so long that and this year is really the first time that our occupations have gotten in the way. Jacob works the 25th, I work the 24th and we have extended family on Saturday. We have told Levi that we will call Santa to make arrangements, but for when. There is a promising chance that Jacob will be home about midnight on the 24th/25th-which entails him working the 24th day- this is what we are hoping, but I hate to completely plan that because if something happens and he ends up staying all night then we have to wait for him to come home. Levi is SUPER excited which makes Benjamin SUPER excited. I love watching them...
We got to "play" Santa for a family in the town that I work, the CNAs asked for donations and got TONS of them for a family in need. Levi is pumped about all of the stuff in my office for the girls. Again it makes me so thankful for the things I have...I have never needed anything for Christmas--like toothpaste, shampoo, sheets, towels. It is a good time to remember what good feels like.
Today we did Sunday school. We do this rotation in Sunday school for the kiddos, in which for 8 weeks we use the same lesson and just apply it in different ways. Jacob and I always do the cooking week. We made edible Christmas trees- with sugar cones, green frosting, popcorn, and cookie decorations. This is a fun thing to do, but can be messy! We talked about how even though each of us had the same things to decorate with none of the trees were the same, kind of like people. We talked about what Christmas means and one of the boys said it is not as much fun when you don't believe in Santa. I asked him why he does not believe and he said he "knows" (mind you there are little kids also in the room) I said well wasn't God the first Santa- he gave the best present-he was surprised, and I said maybe there is a little Santa in all of us, and you just have to believe in giving and Santa makes sense- sometimes I surprise myself... I have Levi convinced that snowflakes are Santa's eyes and ears to watch over everyone. On that same note Levi had a bell today and he was ringing it in Jacob's ear, J pretended he did not hear it. Levi was very upset believing that J did not believe in Santa (don't get it watch Polar Express), J then said is that a Santa sleigh bell? Oh I can hear it...
So Merry Christmas, and may you all find more that you need in your celebrations! Oh, as for the title of this post, well, I do love John Denver the the Muppets Christmas Carols...

it's been a while...

Sorry it's been a while. I still have several pictures to post (maybe this post-who knows). This post may be a bit rambly (yeah a new word) but I am watching HOUSE. We have been great and the boys are enjoying the Christmas season. We had our Christmas celebration with my parents this last weekend. They are still on the getting stuff "high" that happens this time of the year.
Hockey is over Levi's team fought a good fight, but they just could not put the puck in the goal, which is a key to winning. Now Levi is focusing on school. Which has been shortened and cancelled because of snow and cold. If we were farther north school would not have been cancelled. We have snow today and are expecting more ice and snow on Thursday.
Benjamin does not enjoy the snow as much as Levi, Benjamin likes to look at the snow and kick the snow, but God forbid any snow gets on him. He just has a fit.




Here are some Hockey pictures. Levi is goalie!

Here is Levi getting some instruction.

My little boy consumed by goalie gear.

Here are my boys working on their future toy room. They are working on it now for that matter...

A very sweet and tired Benjamin.

I did some face painting...

Special thanks to Am, who taught me how to do this spiderman face.

holidays

I just wanted to say that we are still here and alive. All is well and we are just preparing for the holidays. First Thanksgiving then Christmas, then the time will be over and all will be back to normal (not all that excited, but I will get there, just a lot of "red tape" with the holidays isn't there?). Still working slowly, but surely on the toy room. It is taking longer than some think it should, but it is consistent with our plan of slow but sure. We want it to be just right, so I like that it is taking awhile so I can think of how I want it done. It does, however make my house always messy, but honestly what difference does my messy house make, I doubt anyone will take my kids away, or throw me in jail....So I will probably post more later...

My sweet Benjamin, and his CARING brother

I realized while reading Freezerbuns (keep holding on) that my NICU experience was not bad. I had the "best case scenario" all of the time. Enjoy-the pictures they don't start until Benjamin is 3 weeks old. The hairy chest is Jacob, Levi is the other male in the pictures...

The blue outfit is the day we came home. It is Preemie and was still TOO BIG.

Happy at home a couple of months later...

Some say Benjamin is a miracle, however the real miracle is that my family stayed together and Levi LOVES his brother-I could not ask for a better husband, kiddos, and nursing staff during these last 2 years. He is TWO no more adjusted AGE!!!!!!!!!

VOTE

I voted today. It took me 30 minutes-in a town of 3000, seriously?! Even now I am undecided if I voted the way I "should" have...Really what role does experience play? Does anyone have enough "experience" to be pres or vice pres. What prepares you for that? And if you have "experience" being president than you only have one term left-right? I will be glad when the polls close. I am grateful that I have PTO tonight as much as I HATE PTO (it used to be PTA), but at least I won't be home hearing about the election every 2 minutes. Either way this election will result in the first...and either way I fear for the president-what you don't think that someone would want to kill the first minority president or kill to make the first minority president. Either way I believe the secret service has their work cut out for them...
On the non-political front...this weekend we get pictures done with my whole family. Sunday we will then do what I have grown to look forward to, and never thought I would ever do...we sight in rifles for deer season-no I don't hunt- not because I think it's wrong, but because I think it would be BORING and COLD! However I do love to shoot a gun-mainly the 9 mm. LOVE IT. Levi shot the 22 last year and will again this year. We go with John, Keri, J, R, K, G and we always take my little girl Sadie (dog) who loves to try and retrieve what ever we shot-mainly she runs around and never manages to find anything that does not stink nor does she ever get shot-amazing...Every year (well the last 3) I have gotten a picture of Jacob and Levi walking to the targets-they hang in my office, each time I manage to catch them in the same part of their step. This year we will add Benjamin. Both boys have their own ear muffs for the noise and both know to stay out of the way. It is important to us that they understand gun safety...
Levi plays hockey and I think that my parents are coming for that game (actually I think they will be here all Sunday-but we really "have" to get the guns sighted in deer season starts 11-15). I never ask and honestly I don't know why we have to do this every year, but it is a day outside in the wilderness...
and still not pictures, some day...

mostly levi

Halloween is over, soccer is over, and November is here.
Halloween was very busy. Benjamin came to work with me as usual for a Friday, but he was all TWO when it came to his costume. He did not want it on when it was on, then he wanted it on when it was off. So he put his costume on and off about a million times. I was a Hershey's Kiss, which is nice when it is cold, however it was so hot in the facility (I am guessing about 3 degrees cooler than hell) so the day was hot and stressful. Benjamin was hot, I was hot, Benjamin was whiney, I was easily annoyed by whining. Once we got home and cooled off then the evening went much smoother. I will post pictures sometime...
Levi's last soccer game was Saturday and we had the team over after the game for cake...Levi scored 3 goals and was very prooud that he "slammed the door on Q". The other team had this little (not really little) boy that used his body to push everyone out of his way. Levi got pushed once, then "slammed the door on him". (I don't know and I didn't ask-I have never said it, maybe his coach did).
Last night we had hockey. Levi goalied both games. The league does not have many kiddos so they played 3 on 3 and the other team did not even have a goalie (because no one wanted to be goalie). Levi does a good job, but he can't stop all of them and when there are 3 coming at him he does good to keep the score down. His team was missing one of their best players, so the White Ducks got creamed, even with no opposing goalie. His teammates just could not overpower the 3 on 2 situation, so Levi got lots of practice defending his goal...
Benjamin is good, he has entered the "I'm two so I am always right" phase of life. Although he is cute when he says no and runs the other way, he is more adorable when he just comes and does what he is asked.

short and sweet

I hope that this will be short...
We have had some exciting times! Levi is almost done with soccer (this Saturday is the last game) and hockey is getting started! We have let him be goalie now...and last Sunday he took one in the chest, one on the forehead part of the helmet, and one in the face mask. I tell you what it did not even faze him. He kept right after the puck, never loosing sight and never forgetting what he needed to do. I was a PROUD MAMA! He really works hard at the goalie thing, so hard that you can tell that he's not all that into the whole scoring thing. That would not be a problem on any other team (no one wants to goalie), but on his team there are 3 that like to goalie. Most are older (one is 12 one is 9) so they usually let Levi have his way. Levi also got hurt during his first game. I walked out on the rink when heard him cry here was the conversation:
me: "Pop tall, Levi you're tough"
Levi: "No, I'm not"
me: "Where does it hurt?" (I knew, but what the heck)
Levi: "MY KNEE" (yeah, not the answer I thought-yes I thought it was a bit higher than that-and his shin guards go past his knees)
me: (as I kiss my hand and put it on the shin guard) "If you are not okay then no goalie next game"
Levi: "I dried up"
and off he went...
All the while Benjamin (who had no nap, but was really good) is posing for his picture taken about a million times with some girls.
BOYS!

It's FRIDAY

It is time for Jacob to come HOME! I must admit that this week has been a very long week...
Jacob has been in Las Vegas since Tuesday and I have been a single parent, a job I am NOT cut out to be full time! It has been a great week and I really have done well ( I have only done drive-thru once-but may do it again tonight) that means I have cooked, done dishes, kept the house picked up (as much as a construction site can be anyway), bathed the children, and managed to come to work every day! I must admit I love my boss, she has been so kind to me this week-daycare does not open until 0730 and the kiddos have to be picked up by 1715 (sorry 5:15 I operate on a 24 hour clock, you'll have to learn it- I don't always convert) it takes me 45 mins to get to work so I get to work at 0830 then leave at 1615-that's no 8.5 hours, she has let me use leave time to make up for the hours this week, usually I just make up the time when Jacob's home, but he's not here, is he. All three of us are ready for daddy to be home.
A woman at work got married last Saturday-Benjamin's favorite here at work, I am so happy for her, and I am glad to hear someone wanting to be happy in marriage. There are at least 3 people getting divorced here at work. It really makes me sad, never do I think that people believe their marriage will end in divorce. So, I'm happy for D, because she has a good guy (maybe almost as good as mine) and it's good to have more happy couples in the world.
The new toy room is proceeding full steam ahead. We have the room tore down to the studs so that we can seal and put new insulation up and drywall. I had planned on working on the room this week, but bedtime came so quickly after supper that it just didn't make it on the list of stuff to do...
Benjamin is talking all the time. I do not think I have heard mom, mama, mommy, mmmmooooommmyyyyy as much this year as I have this week. He misses his dad. Benjamin likes the construction zones and pounds everything. He is a worker... Last evening he was "helping" me pack Levi's lunch and wanted one to bring to work today. I packed his lunch and he has carried it everywhere, and cried when I put it in the fridge here at work.
Levi is super excited for his dad to get home and his jam packed weekend of soccer and hockey. He is going to his friend R's after school. It is amazing watching him learn to read. He loves his books and figuring things out...
I start a cake decorating class on Monday with some friends, I'm pretty good already, but there are somethings that I don't know how to do like FLOWERS...

Well, it's getting toward the end of the week and we are BUSY! Levi is now a two sporter-soccer and roller hockey. Both Jacob and I are sure that Levi will make a great goalie for both sports. He tends to stay back and guard the goal. Pretty good, huh?! He is going to be TIRED a lot. He is loving school and using his glasses while he reads to me. There is so much to report that I can't think of anything. His schedule is amazing and I have now gone to color coding the calendar to make sure we are all in the right spot on the right day.
Jacob is working a lot and will be gone on business all week next week. Wow, already! My children and I will have to struggle by next week, I'm sure that we will make it. Jacob will be starting back with saxophone lessons soon, so our home will be filled with new music. (my friend Amber-who I am learning that I miss when she's not around teaches Jacob's lessons then we make a supper for her... one day her and her husband will learn to SCUBA with us)
Benjamin is the only one that just goes where he is told. To say that Benjamin loves Levi's hockey stuff is an understatement. Benjamin's ability to follow the game is amazing. Soccer seems to just be a good time for Benjamin to play.
I start a fun class on Monday evenings. Cake decorating. Monday will be my first class, but I am already pretty good at putting what is in my head in or on a cake. I have made all of my boys' birthday cakes, mostly from scratch and love to carve the cake then decorate. I do not know how to make a frosting flower and a few others things that I hope that I learn. I made a cake for Jacob's birthday one year and now I cannot find the recipe.
We are all fine and bracing for a busy weekend, church function on Saturday, unusual soccer and roller hockey back to back on Sunday (very unusual). We are working on the upstairs toy room hoping to have it done before cold weather!

It's FALL

Last night Jacob and I went to the my least favorite store in the world--Wal Mart. I would live a happy life if I never went to another Wal Mart again, but there is no where else to get stuff-although I rarly do grocery shop there I go to Hy Vee! Anyway we got some Halloween decoration to surprise Levi. We usually do not decorate for Halloween, we are never home and never have any trick or treaters...We alway go to Keri's and Jacob and John stay there and pass out candy, Keri and I take the kiddos to the local nursing home and on one street. They make more candy than they can carry we usually have to take an extra bag for candy overflow. So it is alway pretty fun, this year I think another family is going with us, partly because we will need 2 cars anyway, so we might as well spread the wealth. Jacob and I had the spiderweb spread out and the lights up as Levi was coming home from AWANAS he was surprised and so was R. They love it and all we have left is to put some spiders on the web.
Last weekend we were at my parents had a good time and we were able to make it to the U of I Homecoming parade-it was the first REAL parade that Levi's been to, it was FUN! Jacob had fire school and I left the kids with my parents and went shopping with E. It was really fun to just do whatever I want. We went to the city market and got some peppers that were art!
This week is the Levi's school's homecoming! Today was crazy hair day, I will try to get a picture and post it--Levi's hair is fun!
Soccer game this Sat and I work this Sat evening, it will be busy, but good!
take care,
Paula

PICTURES

Just a quick note before you enjoy the pictures. Sunday when I watched Keri's kids went slendidly! There were only a few issues, mostly because of age differences J is almost 7 the boys are 5 so there are some play style differences and Julie feels like the only girl, she kind of is...and Levi has a power wheel GATOR, J likes to drive it, well, she is a bit of a woman driver and backed up, not watching where she was going and ran over her brother, G, up to his shoulder. G is 13 months, yeah he was alright, he's pretty tough, being the youngest of 4...
ENJOY, I tried to make the comments match the pictures...
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FUTBOL??? Levi informed me he is not playing football-he's playing soccer...











The swarm... the black team is Levi's in this pictue are on the left L, in the middle R (Levi's best buddy), and then Levi on the right

Levi fell and his friend K was there to help him up! Great teamwork, later in the game Levi passed the ball to K and she scored!

Levi's glasses-not sure if you can see the lighter blue flames. Jacob is amazed at how unkidlike he looks with his glasses-he looks so much older...

These are my kiddos being kiddos...

What is with kids and verticle blind? In these pictures Levi was getting annoyed with me taking pictures, hence the poses...

These are at Jasmine's son A's birthday party...

I saved the best for last! I gave Benjamin his first haircut this weekend (Saturday afternoon). He was the second haircut I gave...

Levi got what he wanted and I was good with it, he's 5 and his hair goes so fast...Plus this is the first time he's wanted his hair to do anything but lay on his head.

Benjamin's hair is A LOT longer than Levi's I tease Jacob that I am going to keep the sides short and let his hair grow to his ears!

Here they are right after the cuts!

On the way to church, where I must admit the people th0ught they were cute. Later that day I had Keri's kids, I heard R saying he wanted a mohawk to look like Levi, Levi said "but this way they can tell us apart easier". Everyone gets Levi and R mixed up and if any of us adults are with them people will "how old are your twins" they are always so surprised when they find out they are just friends--no relation at all...

I am so lucky-but I am ranting and raving

I have really gotten "hooked" on a blog- Freezerbuns. I must admit that her struggle and so many others struggle to get pregnant makes me feel very strange. I remember my miscarriage and then the "hard time" I had getting pregnant, but the emotions that D has gone through to get her twins is amazing. The determination that some people have to have children is amazing and I am in awe of them. I love my children, but honestly I'm not sure how I would have felt had Levi not come as kind of a surprise-I had resigned myself as a childless woman. I know that I have mentioned Amber in the past, but I see how much she wants a child, and just hasn't gotten pregnant. I have another friend, M, who has had several pregnancies and only 2 children, and one on the way, but she is SICK. I don't mean just a little bit of morning sickness I mean hyperemesis (yes, it's a medical diagnosis). M is nauseated all the time, unless she is puking. She takes medication to help her keep food and fluids down EVERY 90 minutes AROUND THE CLOCK. Yes, she sets an alarm clock so she wakes up to take her meds. I remember having to set my alarm clock to pump-that SUCKS. When M was pregnant with J (now 3) M was honestly green. She would puke so hard she would pee, then the soles of her feet would get burns because her urine was so concentrated. M had always wanted a big family, so she tried again after J even went on Clomid with no baby, now she is pregnant and unable to keep food down again. With this case in mind I think of all of those who cannot get pregnant and try so hard, how awful would it be to finally get pregnant and not feel good. Before Benj was born I didn't know that I didn't feel good, but WOW did I feel lousy. I hope those who are having trouble getting pregnant feel good while they are pregnant, otherwise what a double whammy. I know that Freezerbuns is really feeling big-my gosh she has twins! I hope she has a healthy delivery... and a healthy baby. My friend D exposed me to another blog about a little girl with CDH (congenital diaphragm hernia) and little baby Elli's struggle and how sad to see the end of her struggle. It could happen to anyone. When reading babygirlreed2be it really angered me, I got to hold Benjamin when he was a couple of days old (I love Overland Park Regional Medical Center's NICU), but Elli's parents did not get to hold her until her 19th day, just the hours before she died. She was at the same Childrens hospital that Keri's 3rd baby, K, was at- Keri did not get to hold K until discharge was in sight. It just seems dumb that we in the medical community would believe that these babies would do better with tubes and wires and not human contact? I mean seriously? There can not be that big of a difference between a preemie and a sick baby-touch is what it is all about.
I think that reading some of the infertile blogs made me appreciate my family, and how much compasion I have inside of me.

I think I have gone crazy

Last night at soccer practice we (the soccer moms who all happen to be EMS widows-I mean wives also) were talking about Saturday's game-it is at 0900 and it is about an hour away. So much for sleeping in at all...anyway one of them Keri has to work and she was talking about her husband John getting all the kiddos ready that early-it is hard I'm sure-I'm not looking forward to it and I only have 2 not 4. Then the conversation turned to Sunday's training for the rescue team. Keri again has to work. I never watch her kiddos, not sure why-she always says the 6 is a long way from 2, but she watches my kids and doesn't mind saying that 6 is not far from 4. Anyway I know that finding someone to watch kids on Sundays must be hard and expensive! So I offered to watch all 4. I think it will be fun, I have some stuff to do and the big kids will help, the only thing that will be a challenge is managing the 3 little ones-Benjamin is not used to sharing my lap with anyone, but tolerates Levi, I will have to feed G, and K is always wanting to sit on my lap. Hopefully I will keep them all busy enough that it will go fine.
Levi got his glasses last night. I took pictures and I will post them when I can. He looks SMASHING in them. I still am not totally sure he needs them. The other day we were walking to the car and he saw a snail on the driveway. I could hardly see it. He claims he got close to see it. It looked like a rock-I'm not all together clueless. I guess he just needs them for close up. Last night Jacob went over how to open the case and put them on/take them off without touching the lenses. He also showed him how to clean them, put the cleaning cloth in Levi's backpack with a note to his teacher for her to help him for a while. I imagine soon the fun of glasses will subside and he will not want to wear them, then he will have to wear them...Oh, he even had me take a picture of his profile to show off the black flames. I'm not sure the pircture really shows the detail, but I will post it.

only 2

Yesterday Jacob started a 48 hour shift, which usually means that I am worn out before the first night, but yesterday my friend Keri called and asked Levi to visit her son, Levi's best buddy R. So I was down to just on kiddo. Benjamin is so funny, he was sooo very tired, but was not going to stop moving until I had the laundry done. He has been such a bear lately he is cutting 2 molars! Oh yes, so fun, there is no amount of oral gel, ty*nol, ibu*profen to ease his tender gums, which results in gross poop and a tender butt. Yes, the fun of TWO. I got laundry done and he and I sat he napped and I watched TV, wow there was not much on...Then we went to Keri's for supper. She has FOUR children--6,5,3,1--all I can say is WOW. I sat and entertained Benjamin and the 3 year old and 1 year old. Her youngest probably weighs more than Benjamin and he is only one! But Benjamin is still cute and amazing. Yeah, I am so glad that I have only two. As I sat there being mulled by 3 kiddos I noticed that Keri was just cooking away, completely unbothered, she offered to have me over every night to entertain so she can cook. The diner was fabulous with good company, and good conversation!

HEY- FOUR EYES!

Levi needs glasses. He is getting them as I write. The new requirement that all kids entering kindergarden must get their vision checked. I guess this is the reason.
As I understand it he had been complaining about his eyes hurting and that he could not see the board at school to his dad not to me, so I did not know that he was having any issues until Jacob told me. Levi has been requesting Tyl*nol almost every school night for a headache, I just figured he was tired-let's face it I was kind of right--his eyes were tired. Anyway I had to pick up my contacts and made him an eye appointment and helped him pick out some frames, just in case he really needed glasses it would make Jacob's life a little easier. I picked out 2 different pair-one cheap, on not so cheap-both cool, both blue, both square. I figured Jacob would guide Levi to the cheap ones--HE IS FIVE! Well, no such luck both Jacob and Levi liked the not so cheap ones they are Conv*rse, they are blue, they are square, and they have black flames on the sides (yes, that is the only difference between the two pair). Good thing open enrollment is coming up, I guess we will be signing up for family vision coverage!
I will probably be taking Benjamin to have his vision tested also we might as well get all of us in glasses! After all he's the one who had retinopathy!
When Levi gets his glasses (yeah, it will take a week, we live in hicksville) I will post pictures!

this morning

I just remembered something that I wanted to post...As most of you know I'm not too sappy, nor do I think that every thing that my kiddos do is the cutest thing...BUT this morning (must have been early) Levi came in and went to sleep in my bed (Jacob was working and I slept through it), then Benjamin came in about 5:30AM. I got up at 6:30AM and left them sleeping. I had just gotten out of my shower and I hear Levi singing "Good morning to you, good morning to you, no need to be blue 'cause Levi loves you, he loves you". My heart swelled, that is the song I most generally sing (although I say Mommy loves you) to Levi to wake up-Benjamin only gets sung to occasionally, because he usually just wakes up. Levi sang that a couple of times after each verse I would hear Benjamin either laugh or say "vi" (pronounced vigh for Levi). I wished at that moment I had a video camera in my room that could have videoed that interaction. I would have loved to see the body language.
Wow, my little boy is growing up and will be in college soon, I better not blink...

on the chart

Benjamin is on the charts, finally! He is on 33 inches tall that puts him in the 10-20 percentile for a "normal" (no adjusted age) 25 month old! His weight is still below the chart at 23 pounds! They had to weigh and measure him twice because he had such a big growth! He is still "needing" to potty every time he goes into the bathroom, some success. He tells us every time he poops in his diaper and he will go and get the diaper and wipes when he feels he needs to be changed. He thinks that is is the funest thing to watch Levi go to the bathroom, so at least he is interested. I've been through this before, so I'm really not overly excited and making plans to stop buying diapers. All the literature says he'll be a bit slow in that department, and since he seems to be meeting milestones earlier and earlier I suspect he'll be done sometime around 3, just like his brother...
Thought I'd keep you all updated.
Levi is loving kindergarten even with the nightly homework-imagine that homework...

just another day

Well, my dad's surgery went well as I expected. It was a bit shorter than I was told...I went for a walk after the 1st hour of waiting. I was enjoying the time by myself looking around University of Iowa (from which I graduated) and noticing the changes. It was the first day of class for students. Wow how things have changed and stayed the same. The same ages of people, the same buildings, the same bars. Wow, they took out the fountain affectionately known as "3 women pissing"-wait I think they did that a long time ago... I so rarely get the chance to go to Iowa City and just look around, I have always loved when the students come back, the hussle and bussle-it's like Christmas time! One thing I noticed that even that really old student had on low rise jeans and a skin tight t-shirt with the back pack straps on BOTH shoulders. Wow, what a risky life I lead I only used one strap! I could tell that the night before had been a really GOOD night for 2 reasons-1) when I was walking in the ped mall by all of the "hot spots" (yes the same ones I frequented) my shoes stuck to the ground and 2) there were several people (mostly females) that were less than perfectly groomed for class-hair kind of up in a quick ponytail, in pajama looking attire-we've all wished we could literally get out of bed and go... They have poured new sidewalks and put in little quotes in the sidewalks, kind of neat, but I did not stop often, because the students would have run me over. I was at the old capital area when I got the call that dad was done, so I had to haul ass to the hospital to hear what the doc had to say. I did make it not horribly out of breath. The report was all thumbs up! As a matter of fact dad did great and went home on Wednesday (they had expected 4-5 days-knowing healthcare as I do I knew it would be 3-4 days).

It has taken me a while to do this post (so sorry) I've been busy.

My friend Jasmine's son A turned 4 and what a party. I think that she should pack her kiddos to CR every birthday!!! I saw some of my friends from High School and saw their children. It was fun!

The fair started last night and it had rained then stopped just in time for the parade, which they cancelled just as the sun was coming out. We went and looked around-big news there is a new carnival company providing rides, some new and good rides. I wanted to post that we walked by a frazzled mom pushing a 3-seater stroller, babies in each seat. I knew that they were triplets--THE triplets that everyone has talked about, since they have been born. I immediately thought of my cousin G and wife K (especially K) and resisted the "are they triplets?" or the "are they all yours?" or the "wow, you must be busy with three" all of the things that would point out the 3 baby show. Anyway I did not say anything, I even just glanced at them, but smiled at the mom, who smiled back. I thought that I must have been the only one not to say anything... Although this family has been in the paper and now has personalized plates--"3-babys" and "all 3", I mean that does draw a little attention to the whole triplet thing. She had worked at Wal Mart, which is kind of the "breakroom" of Bethany--if you want to know something just ask a Wal Mart associate. Anyway I'm sure that K is pleased that I did not stop to look and ooh and ahh over the babies. People still do that with Benjamin, although it is always "wow, he's gotten so big, to think he started so small". No one ever says that about me-I started out small and I can gain more than 20 pounds in 2 years!!!, but that is never a good thing. Twins, Triplets, and preemies are not freaks, not fun (at first), and not for everyone! I can only imagine the "ordeal" that people who have multiples go through.
I started with my CPAP. Yeah, not so much fun...I sleep ok, I guess, I don't snore at all, according to Jacob, but I really have not woke up feeling refreshed. I guess that will come...
I have got to quit, I will post pictures next week...

a little of this and a little of that

After peach picking wow were they quiet! It did not take long after we dropped off Amber for it to be snozzville in the Element!




Fun in the sun! My work rents this HUGE slip n slide this is Levi going "down" it. Unfortunately he is not heavy enough to slide the whole way.









Benjamin LOVES Darci (the Recreational Therapist at work). He comes in wanting "Darci" he really does say it very clear. He spends a good part of the day with her and the department, I am so thankful that she really like him, otherwise bringing kiddos would be even harder.










Benjamin turned two and we did football, partly because I had this cool cake pan, and partly because he likes balls, and we did the round ball theme already when Levi was one. We had a good time everyone who is dear to Benjamin (except Darci) was there and he had a great time!










The first day of school! I so badly wanted Jacob to take Levi, but Levi wanted to take the bus (I am so thankful that he has a mind of his own).







We are off to CR this weekend, there was a time when we first lived in MO that I loved to go back, CR was still home. Now, I think that MO is home and most of my friends have moved away or lost touch. So it seems so hard to get geared up to go. At least this time Jasmine will be there and I will get to see her and her family, I really do wish she and I lived closer-even though she and I live just off of I-35...

Happy Birthday, YES to me!

Today is my birthday, so I thought I'd put down some words. My birthday has always been very special to me. I usually start August 1st with my birthday month, then the week of my birthday is my birthday week, and a birthday weekend (depending on what day of the week my birthday falls on-I LOVE it when the 21st is on a Wednesday--you guessed it 2 birthday weekends). This is the first time I have actually worked as a professional on my birthday (I usually take the day off), but Jacob is working today at Liberty (yes he asked if I wanted him to take it off), Levi has school, and I thought my family of work friends deserved a little birthday joy. My big family birthday celebration was last night-Jacob made supper and got me a cake, gave me exactly what I wanted a Wii Fit. I had an appointment this morning and I had to go to Wal Mart (yeah the Wal Mart trip not so good and I was afraid that the rest of my day would go south-I mean really why would someone want to upset the birthday girl?) so I got to work around noon, wearing my super cool "BIRTHDAY GIRL" button that Jacob and kiddos got for me and with the attitude that I would have a good day! My boss and friend Amber took me out to lunch. I brought a peach swirl cake and my buds sang happy birthday, and got me flowers and a balloon. I love my Birthday!!!!!

This weekend I think that we are going to CR and visiting my parents and my friend Jasmine. Her big boy is having a birthday party so we are going to the party, then probably whatever my parents have planned for us. Then Jacob and the kiddos go home on Sunday I will stay my dad is having surgery on Monday. So I will stay Monday for that assuming he does well I will be home Monday night.

Here are some pictures Oh how we love Sadie! and Peaches! and Helping!

Oh how cute am I?