Monday, November 30, 2009

Thursday, November 19, 2009

And Y'all Thought I Was Kidding


It's official, my children can say ANYTHING! Tchoupitoulas.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Another phase of their life

We have entered a new dimension around here: Full blown toddler hood. And believe it or not, it's not all bad! Sure, they remind me on a daily basis that I am the mother of not just one but two toddlers. But lately the fun times have been out weighing the tough times 10-1, hands down. We started going to story time a few weeks ago and it was then that I realized just how "grown up" my babies are now. They participate in the songs and listen very intently to the stories. Well, James does. Audrey does for the first one but by the last, she has made her way around the entire circle at least 3 times and has touched everything her little hands can reach! They get very excited about going to the library and it's the first public place (other than church)that my children walked from the car all the way inside, up the stairs, down the hall and into the children's room with out being in a buggy, a stroller or on my hip. That is a big step for us!We went to Wal-Mart the other night when Jon was in Mississippi to rent a movie from the RedBox and I didn't even have to put them in a buggy. They just stood right by me with their little hooded jackets on checking every thing and every body out. Another big step: going into Wal-Mart without getting in a buggy, even if it was only for 5 minutes!


They still enjoy watching Popeye but a new obsession has taken over their little minds: Jungle Book. Oh man do they love that movie! We usually have to watch at least 10 minutes of it before they go to bed at night. They also like CatMouse(Tom and Jerry) Tiger and Humpy Dumpy(Pink Panther) and Deet(which is Rudolph. BTW they call deer 'deet'!)You can carry on a real conversation with both of them and it makes sense, for the most part. James enunciates each of his words very clearly, even if they have a southern draw to them! Audrey talks really good as well but most of the time she talks so stinkin fast you can only catch one or two words. I usually have to interpret her sentences, even to her daddy! Someone told me the other day that they think Audrey speaks audgenese!! She has also developed this so-cute-it-hurts lisp. She has a huge gap in between her two front teeth and that little tongue practically goes right thru it! The last few days around here have been exceptionally pleasant. They have been getting along beautifully and playing together like two siblings who really love each other should! Audrey is constantly suggesting things for bubba to do in a semi-bossy way. She doesn't shout at him or get mad when he doesn't comply. She just keeps suggesting until he usually does what ever it is she wants like hold his monkey or ride fast on his car or do this or go there. I am always hearing "watch this bubba. watch this" or "follow me bubba. follow me".
They follow directions really well these days and enjoy helping me clean or put clothes away. One time I asked Audrey to put some dish rags on the counter in the kitchen and she readily agreed. When I went in later to see where she had put them, I found them exactly where I had told her they needed to go even though some of them had come unfolded and were hanging off the side of the counter! One day while Audrey was still napping James and I were in my room folding clothes. I asked James to go put his pj's in his drawer and off he ran. He came back and still wanted to help so I told him to go put some towels in the bathroom. Instead he shoved them in my t-shirt drawer and exclaimed "All done"! He lost interest after that.
They love to sing and can now sing all the words to I'm a Little Tea Pot and The Grand Old Duke of York. They can sing their ABC's but it comes out ABC, WXY! This past Saturday night we were in church at Irwinville and Jon and I got the best present ever during the song service. Audrey and James have always liked to open song books and sit there with them on their laps for a little while. And a few times I have heard them softly singing in church. But that night Audrey started singing at the top of her lungs and James soon followed. It was the most beautiful singing we have ever heard. She was clearly off tune and wasn't saying any real words but the little angel was singing her heart out! During the last song right before preaching started and the preachers(including her daddy)were in the pulpit, she started singing again and this time every one in the building could hear her and turned around to smile at her. It was one of those "most proud parent" moments and I still get choked up thinking about it!

Monday, November 16, 2009

JW

Our #4 nephew, John William Michael Ladner, was born on Thursday, November 12. He weighed 7 lbs, 13 oz and was 21 inches long. Jon took a quick trip Friday after work to go see his name sake. I decided it best that we not drag the kids on such a long, fast trip. Especially since I thought Audrey was coming down with a stomach bug. So Jon made the trip alone but I sent the camera!!!Harrison and Uncle Jon. Harrison is showcasing the hole from where he lost his first tooth!Audrey did not have a stomach bug, at least I don't think she did. I really think she is teething or it was the antibiotic she's been on that messed her stomach up. What ever it was has left her bee-hind in an awful state!

I wont get to see John William until Christmas(insert frown here) so just letting everyone know that I am calling dibs!

Friday, November 13, 2009

So much for cooking....

I don't know if I should be aggravated at them for doing this or happy that they can use their imaginations so well.Anyway, they are making it reeelly hard for us these days to be mad at them for doing things they shouldn't do. I mean it, they get funnier and cuter by the second. They know when they've done something "naughty" and can flash a big old gaped toothed smile at you so fast, that before you know it you are laughing at them instead of getting on to them. Good grief Charlie Brown!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Can You Say........


So what if they are not being raised in New Orleans. Or Louisana for that matter. It's in their blood and this proves it. I mean, how many two year olds do you know that can say Lake Pontchartrain? Well, ones that live outside of the city anyway! Their next New Orleans word shall be Tchoupitoulas!!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Smartie Pants

Just one of the ways in which my little munchkins are starting to out smart dear old Mom.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Maybe she can play in the pro's

Note: this is just a sneak peek of Peach on roids.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Man, it was a good run

We were well for almost 2 weeks around here but then James and Audrey had to go catch RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus). We were with my 5 month old nephew, Samuel and the rest of the McDaniel crew on Sunday, when he started running a fever. Betsy took him to the doctor the next day and was diagnosed with RSV. I know how contagious this virus is, so I'm not surprised. In fact, I've been waiting on it! I don't know if any one remembers, but when we first brought the twins home they had to get monthly shots for 6 months to protect them against RSV. It is very dangerous for infants under one year and even more dangerous for premature infants. We dodged the RSV bullet for 2 years and for that I am so thankful. Children who are 2 and up really don't have any serious complications, mostly just common cold symptoms. James has RAD (Reactive Airway Disease aka: Asthma) so it's affecting him differently than Audrey Grace. I was up Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night with him for a few hours because he woke up having little coughing fits and I'd have to give him a steam bath. This is a pretty common occurrence around here and the steam usually works. Until Wednesday night. I ended up having to give him his inhaler because everything else I tried didn't work. He coughed all morning yesterday and by the time I got him to the doctor he was wheezing at the end of every breath. The doctor listened to him and said he definitely has RSV and started writing all these prescriptions for meds. A steroid, an antibiotic because his ear looked really red and ear infections come with RSV, albeuterol and a scrip for a nebulizer. She wanted to give him a breathing treatment in the office so she could listen to him afterwards. Oh my. The screams. I'm sure people in the waiting room could hear him. Probably even across the street. The breathing treatments at home started out horrible but he's getting more and more tolerable after each one. Probably because I bribe him with donut's, or odunts as he says! I know some of you out there are getting a good old laugh at the thought of ME giving one of MY kids a donut in the middle of the night and all throughout the day. I know, I never thought I'd do something like this either. The things we do for our kids!

Audrey just has a runny nose and a barky cough when she coughs, which isn't that often. Thankfully she doesn't have to do the breathing treatments! I really don't know if I could handle 2 kiddos on Albuterol. One is quite enough! She does have to be on a steroid for 3 days though. not looking forward to that!
Despite the extreme fatigue I feel right now, I have to laugh. James is all cracked out, running up and down the hall like a wild man! He runs every where he goes and does everything with lots force. He will not be still, mean while all Audrey does is lay around. They have completely reversed rolls here! After his treatment at 1:00 this morning he was WIDE awake. (I thought we were gonna get off easy because after his first two he was just as mild mannered as always. But that third one triggered something.) I turned the t.v. on for him and got him some juicy, grabbed me a blanket and tried to go to sleep. I know that's awful but don't worry I wasn't able to. Thanks to the little guy saying "mommy, mommy, mommy" and constantly poking me in the eyes and on the face saying "wake up mommy, wake up mommy." I was sooooo tired but he was soooooooo funny! However, I really hope he doesn't do it tonight. Oh I hope he doesn't do it.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

A Little Bit of Randomness

Much to my surprise we have adjusted really well to this time changin business. Never in my life have I actually enjoyed the sun coming up at 6:30 in the a.m. and going down at 6:30 in the p.m. I've started walking in the mornings before Jon leaves for school, so it's really nice to walk in the light. Plus getting up and breaking a little sweat before I start my day has proven to work to my advantage. I'm much more motivated to be productive and my day seems to run much smoother, whether I am productive or not! The kids are up though, about an hour earlier than normal but again, to my surprise, I'm totally diggin that too!!They are lookin for tractors in this shot. They play so well together, most of the time. I have a feeling when they get old enough to understand what a best friend is, that they will be each other's! Every morning the first thing out of theirs mouths is "Go wake up Bubba" or "Go wake up Sissy." They don't mind playing alone but would much rather have the other by their side. Monkey see monkey do these days. It doesn't matter what it is, if one sees one with it or doing it the other must have/do the same. Apparently Audrey did not like the way I positioned their chairs next to the book case, so she pushed hers right in front of it. James had to do the same.Nakey time is over, thank goodness! In case you haven't noticed my kids like to be nakey (not really nakey but they don't know the difference yet!) or neked as James now says! I don't mind them running around in their diapers all day(hey, less laundry for me!) but it doesn't always make for the most flattering of pictures so I am looking forward to a clothed winter 'round these parts!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Mechanic? Maybe an engineer.

Just once was all it took. Jon took the kids outside one day to work on the lawn mower and ever since then James is always fixing something and it's usually a car. He says "I fix mommy, I fix." The other day I found him with a teeny tiny screw in his hand (no idea where that came from)and the hood on his tractor up. Now I know I am his mother and all but for the kid to lift the hood to fix it, I'd say that's pretty stinkin smart. It is such a blast to watch him turn into a little boy. And it is so amazing to see how instinctive their natures are. Audrey would much rather feed and rock her babies then work on a greasy, old tractor!
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalms 139:14