Today

Update: I got the job! But since the salary would not even cover childcare for Hannah and Ben I had to turn them down. 

Also, have you hugged your child's parapro today?  Because they work for practically nothing. 




TODAY I HAVE A JOB INTERVIEW!!  AT THE ACADEMY!!  I'M SO EXCITED!!!

1:30....wish me luck :).

A MasterCard Experience

One Pair of Gymboree (clearance) Underpants: $3
One Pair of Gymboree (clearance) Jeans: $10
One Pair of Gymboree (clearance) Knee Socks: $3
One Gymboree (clearance) Hoodie Shirt: $6

Watching the child pee (ALL OVER) the floor of Learning Express knowing that you left the diaper bag with a change of clothes sitting on the kitchen table?  Priceless.

Day2 of Self Feeding...

Today we tried applesauce...perhaps we should have considered using the more neutral colored applesauce.  Lesson learned!

Hannah wanted her picture taken:

Letting Go

In spite of the usual state of my house, I am really not a big fan of mess; particularly mess that I can control.  For this reason, I have resisted letting TheBen feed himself...(also, maybe because he's the baby and the baby is not big enough to feed himself.  Even though he will be turning two this year.)  However, we've had a bit of trouble getting Ben to eat enough at dinnertime which results in the 4am cry for warm milk...which is getting really old.  He has always been interested in feeding himself and when he was in daycare they talked about what a great eater he was and how he LOVED to feed himself.  Also, we were very impressed with (cousin) David's ability to feed himself with minimal mess.  So, this morning I decided to try it...if he made a mess it would be okay....that's why we have a perpetually hungry yellow lab around, right?  However I was surprised at how well he did!  Clearly mommy was holding him back all this time...here are the pictures:

When I first gave him the bowl of cereal he mostly just jabbed at it (I think he liked the little splashes of milk it made).  Eventually, however, hunger took over and he got busy...

He preferred the spoon upside down.

Mad self-feeding skills!

When we got close to the end, he couldn't resist dipping his hands in, and cereal became finger food.  Since he was not tipping (or throwing) the bowl, I didn't mind.  Chassie  was a very disappointed puppy though!

He ate a great breakfast and really seemed to enjoy himself...I guess mommy is going to have to let the boy feed himself from now on-sigh.  Whatever keeps the kid happy, right!?

Snow Day!!!

Monday is the best day for a snow day!  Today, after 6-ish inches of snow fell last night, Matt and the kids got to play hookie with the babies and me.  It was big fun...and it looks like we get to do it all over again tomorrow...hopefully we won't go completely stir crazy!

This morning we got up and outside as soon as we could-all bundled up of course:



Kiddos (and my shadow..oops!) ready to go out. 





Haha!  I thought this was a funny baby angle.  Ben is not really feeling the girly snow boots...





Look at all the snow!!

Ben agreed to come out only if he was well covered.  Especially the girly snow boots.

Chilly puppy!

Matt and Pea (unsuccessfully) attempting a snowman.  The snow proved to be unpackable-

Matt didn't want to give up on it!

Chassie loves the snow!  Nothing better than fetch with snowballs!

That's a happy puppy!!  Also excellent Chassie blackmail. 

Ben was happy watching from the wagon.

We pulled out the pool turtle (which doubles as a sled) for a few rounds down the driveway

Matt had to work really hard to get them down the snowy driveway.

Really, really hard.

Even Ben went for a quick ride.  Before melting completely and needing a bottle in his warm "mancave". 


The snow has turned into ice which makes it a bit dangerous to go out in, so I'm not sure how much we'll be outside tomorrow.  Hopefully between Netflix, Candyland and the Kindle we'll stay entertained!

Company!

Last week Aunt Ginny and Baby Richard (Or “baywishad” as Hannah calls him)  came over for a visit-the last time they came over I didn't take a single picture, so this time we were determined to take plenty!  In between photo shoots, Gin and I squeezed as much sister bonding time as we possibly could.  It was wonderful!  I wish she lived next door!

While we did manage to take a lot of pictures of Richard, we never managed to take one with all of the cousins (or any of the cousins)…someone was always either napping or at school or in the mood to hit babies (Ben)…but maybe next time.


Ginny warned me beforehand that as good a baby as Richard is (and he is an awesome baby) he has one little personality quirk…he refuses to do what you want him to do when there is a camera present. I doubted Ginny on this…surely I wouldn’t have any trouble getting a smile on camera…the kid smiles a LOT! However, she was right. I worked SO. HARD. to get a smile picture. I’d have him grinning up a storm…but just as soon as Richard saw the big black flashy thing, he was all serious business again. Not that these weren’t adorable shots…but I really wanted a picture of that sweet baby smile! Eventually I did get it, but only after an exhausting game of peekaboo…with me and the camera hiding under the table.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures:

Mommy loves the baby!!  So sweet...

Admiring his adorable reflection

I love the little hands by the chest

Getting smooched (AGAIN) by Godmama. 

Bonding with Uncle Matt

More bonding

FINALLY!!  The elusive smile for the camera!

So good that I'm posting it twice

And now, a section devoted entirely to the importance of child safety caps (brought to you by guess who?)

Now that he has mastered opening the back door, you better believe I was keeping a close eye on this situation...

Happy 2011!

I am terrible with resolutions and over the past few years, I have really not made any (certainly none that stuck anyway).  I think the pressure just gets to me and I tend to do the exact opposite of what I resolved to do.  However I think goals are important, (and as long as we don't use the word resolution, then it is not a resolution) so this year as a family we've decided to try to be healthier and more active.  Ben is getting a bit bigger and more able to participate in family activities, and  we are not firmly anchored to a nap schedule.  In the spirit of maintaining this goal, we set out early this morning to the playground where a wonderful time was had by all. 



This is one of our favorite playgrounds in Athens.  It is a bit of a trek from where we live but well worth the miles!



Matt and I took at least 60 pictures with my new camera (that thing is so much fun!) and while I haven't gotten the hang of all of the settings, I'm feeling more comfortable experimenting. 

When you first get to the playground there is one of the bulldog statues.  We can never resist the photo-op:

Almost a good shot...except Ben decided to look away right at the last minute!

Poor Matthew started falling off when I tried to take another one, and Pea is getting "squeeshed" by Ben.  I decided to move on to playground pictures.

Daddy, Pea and TheBen.

Kings of the Mountain!

When we go to the playground, the slide is always a huge hit.  Ben decided to give Matt a lesson in sliding:

Head first is best!

Now it was Matt's turn:

He got down in one piece...

Managed (with a little help from Ben) to squeeze himself out...

"Pretty sure I pulled something..."

Hannah the Monkey P.I

Hannah the monkey P.II

Matthew the monkey

Caitlin the monkey. 

More slide fun

Big brother waiting at the bottom to help!

And taking a moment to be silly...

The big kids have started playing a lot of 'tag'...either as hide and seek, or 'cops-n-robbers'...as long as it involves chasing and tagging in some way, they are all over it.  Today they recruited Matt and I to play:

Counting (also praying that the game would be over soon.  I think I'm too old for tag.)

...about to be tagged!

We got to play for as long as the weather held out.  Unfortunately it is now rainy and cold, and will be for the rest of the day.   Good thing we got out wiggles out early! 

Hope y'all have a great New Years!