Ernie

 Ernie is the class mascot for James and Audrey’s pre-k class and yesterday was James’ turn to bring him home and take care of him over night. He was given strict instructions to not get him dirty and be sure to bring him back the next day so that some one else can have a turn. Oh to of had a picture of the boys face when he got in the van yesterday proudly carrying Ernie. He was sooo excited. I was happy for him but I must admit I was a little freaked out because it’s a stuffed animal and, well, lets be honest little bugs can live in those things. Thankfully James was the 2nd kid to take him home and the girl who had him before looks like a pretty “clean’ kid (but I mean that really doesn’t matter) but when Audrey gets to bring him home, you can bet that Ernie will be sprayed down and put in the dryer before he goes upstairs. Don’t understand? Good. You don’t want to.

Any who, James brought Ernie to the table for snack and supper. He sat with him while he got a breathing treatment. He even slept with him (trying not to freak here) last night. They were attached at the hip all afternoon and night. But guess where Ernie was this morning on the way to school? Yep, at home. Still asleep in James’ bed. So guess who did a U-turn on the highway to go get him? Yep, I did!

They kinda look alike here!

Olivia likes to:

Point out Teddy Bears in all the books we read

She finds all the small things on a page. A big, red clown face? She will bypass it and go straight to the tiny mouse in the corner of the page. Every time.

She loves to go out side. All.the.time. she begs to go out.

She loves to play peek-a-boo and patty cake. She laughs out loud with the best giggle while playing.

She LOVES the song If You’re Happy and You Know It and claps her hands appropriately.

She can stack a few blocks and put the rings back on her thingamajiggy.

She eats a half of an avacado almost every day for lunch.

Her juice cup is quite the problem these days. She must have it when she must or she can’t hardly contain her self.

She dances any time she hears any type of music. And that includes church songs at church :)

She can say Auda, Bubba, Mama and Daddy. But she says Mama and Auda at random moments all day long!

She can have quite the little temper if she is overly tired or sick and can’t have her way. She might have been known to slap a few of us in the face a few times when she gets irate.

For the most part, she is a very good listener these days when I tell her no, don’t do that. Well except for the times she climbed up on the couch and I told her to sit down. She chose not to sit down. And before I knew it she had gone over the side of the couch, face first. Scared us both to death.

She may have a temper at times but she is the sweetest, most loving child. I am enjoying my hours alone with her during the day. Even if she does wear me slap out :)

Burn baby burn

At 4:30 this morning sweet Olivia woke up crying. It’s not unusual for her to cry out in the middle of the night just loud enough for you to think something is horribly wrong and then stop crying just as suddenly as she started. But this morning she sounded different for what ever reason so I got right up to check on her. When I picked her up the poor baby was burning with fever. She has only ran a fever a couple of times in her short little year and I just hate it when she’s sick.

I gave her some Tylenol and rocked her till I felt her fever go down a little bit. She was still restless after about 30 minutes so I got a cool rag and put it on the back of her neck. At first she didn’t like it too much but after a couple times of her swatting it away and me putting it right back she either gave up fighting me because she doesn’t feel good or decided that it really did feel good to her hot neck. Soon after that she was back asleep and I gladly crawled back in the bed only to lay there with my mind spinning with thoughts of having to get up in 30 minutes to start the day. Then I remembered that I had forgotten to go to the store for bread and drinks for school lunches and that was that on the ever going back to sleep. Olivia woke up a few minutes later any way.

I got her up and got back in my bed with her and she laid on my chest for a minute or two and would whisper “mama” every 30 seconds or so. Sweet, sweet girl. Jon said yesterday when he had her outside for me so I could finish getting supper ready (we were having company) they were exploring all sorts of things and every now and then she would whisper my name. Sweet baby loves her some mama. Jon gets so put out by it!!! I remind him though that in a few short years he’s probably going to be the favorite. It doesn’t seem to help much in the moment.

Olivia did fall asleep on the way back from dropping the kids at school but only slept for about 30 minutes. She has been attached to me all morning and even rode on my hip while I vacuumed upstairs. Which, by the way, is no easy feat to vacuum all that carpet with a 20 pound rock on your body. But, I did it. I figured it would be the only seriously productive thing I will accomplish to day. Her temp went up a little while ago and I gave her some more Tylenol and then she laid on the couch and watched Elmo while I started blogging. Something my very active 14 month old has NEVER done. Hers really don’t feel good.

On another note, Audrey did fine yesterday with James. Jon said he stopped to get her a biscuit but she didn’t eat a bite of it and didn’t make a peep on the way ride there. When they got there, she wanted him to walk her in so he did. But when they got to her door, she hung her back pack up and walked in her class room with out looking back. Now, had that been me dropping her off, you would of had to peel her off of me. Another example of why kids need daddy’s around. Ms. Amy (the parapro) said Peach was a little weepy most of the day but no major incidents!!

Not so Peachy

Add some tears, a lot of tears, and this would be the face that was staring back at me this morning as I was shutting the door to her daddy’s truck. Poor little Peach had to go to school with out her side kick this morning and she was broken hearted. I was broken hearted. Her daddy was broken hearted. I hated to have to send her off but she wasn’t running a fever and was all chipper and excited this morning. Until she found out she was going to school with out her Bubba. I hope she does okay. This is going to be the longest day for me; wondering how she is doing. This day I will be counting down the hours until it’s time for pick up. My sweet Peach. Being a parent is tough sometimes.

She’s a little green today

This is the look I give myself (except that I don’t eat green marker) when I think about the terrible job I have been doing at blogging. Lets face it, I really fell off the band wagon. There for a while I felt like I needed to focus much more attention on the kids and the house than the blog. I am a slow blogger most of the time. And I can waste hours writing two paragraphs. But I do feel guilty for not blogging at least 2 sentences about Olivia every week over the last couple months. I didn’t even write her a letter on her birthday. Tsk Tsk.

Now that James and Audrey (the soul eaters) are in school every day, all day, I plan on being a blogging mom again. A real one. Ok, in all reality it will probably be part time but I did make a vow to myself that I will start recording her day to day activities just like I did with the twins. She is really a hoot these days and I don’t want to forget a moment of it!! And since the twins are in school all day, every day (did I mention that??!!) I feel like things are different and I can manage my time more wisely. I will devote a whole blog post to my feelings on the twins being gone all day in school.

A new chapter

James and Audrey start Pre-K tomorrow. TOMORROW our lives change forever as we enter into the world of public school and join the rat race of car lines and field trips with the rest of society. Gone forever are the lazy mornings and the all day play of dress up in super hero, cowboy and princess costumes. Gone forever. They may as well be graduating high school tomorrow as far as I am concerned. I can’t believe that their time is here. 5 years seems like such a long time day after day after day but now that it’s here, I feel like I blinked and woke up the day before they start school. Is this real life?

While I am loosing two at one time I am so glad they have each other. And I am so glad they are so close. James is pumped, ready to go and has been for weeks!! Audrey has been excited but reserved. Claiming that she is going to miss me so much. (I can’t argue with that) But today we went to Open House and they got to see their class room, meet a few class mates and “meet” their teacher. Mrs. Ponder is a member at one of our sister church’s in the area so they have been seeing her and knowing her on a regular basis their whole life. I am so thankful that they have her for their first year. For their initiation, if you will, into the world away from home. Away from me, the woman who loves them most in this world. I know she will treat them kindly and have a great deal of patience with them. Lord knows she is going to need it!

After we left the school today Audrey was as pumped about it as James!! That makes me feel better. Another wonderful thing about the school they are going to is that Jon teaches there. He will be just a few steps away if any thing serious ever happens. And there are so many wonderful people who teach in the elementary that we know and love and that know and love our children! I couldn’t have picked a better place for my babies to start their school career. I am excited and sad all at the same time. I am excited for them, they are really gonna love it and have so much fun and learn so much. But I am sad for myself. Part of me is “leaving the nest” tomorrow. All our nurturing and teaching the last 5 years is about to come into play. And I just hope and pray that Jon and I have done a good enough job preparing them. For their sakes. And I hope and pray that Jon and I will have the wisdom to guide them in right paths in this new chapter of their precious little lives.

Chicken

Being twins these two know how to make the most of their daddy’s shoulders. And one of their favorite things to do is to both get on those shoulders and play chicken. Yes, they try and throw each other off. It’s hilarious to watch!