Ready to get better

Usually all the kids are sick at the same time, which is miserable... this week Josh and I have been sick, which isn't fun either. He has had a cold/sinus infection thing and I have a staph infection in my knee. Poor Josh can't call into work and has had to work through fever and feeling miserable...
Anyways, there haven't been many exciting activities this week. Noah has learned to beg. As soon as Josh walks in the door "Daddy will you play games with me?" "Super Mario Brovers?" "Please, please, oh please daddy" How can you ever resist that? Yesterday while I went to the doctor Kara watched them and was playing Mario Kart with him and he can't stand for someone to be near him or beating him in the race and he'd tell Kara to "fall off in the hot fire, please, please, please" and she would...
If he wants to play games and isn't supposed to, he'll ask anyway and I shake my head no and he comes and puts his hands on my head and shakes it yes for me.
Josh said they were in the bedroom yesterday and the floor fan was on and Noah walked in front of it and pretended it blew him down, and he fell on the ground and rolled to the wall. Wish I could have seen that.
Also, when he wants to talk to you about something serious, and really wants you to listen, usually about how to play a game, or something to do with a game, he will get right in your face, almost nose to nose and tap your nose with his finger to make sure you are paying attention to him.
Harper Janey was dreaming, way out in space at the dinner table last night, and I said "whatcha thinkin' about?" and Josh said "Yea, what are you dreaming about?" and she sassily replied, "I NEVER DREAM and I NEVER FINK BOUT."
They are building a Little Caesar's here, right on our way to Noah's school, and if you don't know I LOVE that place, so every time we drive by it (2's a day) I make a big deal and tell them to look and see if it's open yet and cry because it's not and tell them as soon as it's open we're gonna have a pizza party... Well, yesterday I didn't say anything and as we drove past it, Judd said "pizza, open???" Ahh, how smart...
Time for some coffee and craigslist.

Growing Before Our Eyes

It's amazing how fast these three are growing. It's so sad that I can't pause time and enjoy this sweet stage for as long as possible. I know I will love each phase of life, but right now it's so incredible to watch them learn and figure stuff out, and imitate, and become an individual.

Judd has unfortunately, stopped saying "uh huh" for "yes" and has started saying "yeah" and he draws it out really long, so it's cute too... I will miss "uh huh" though. His new favorite toy is the Aflac duck and he "aflac, aflac, AFLAAAAAC"'s right along with it. He cracks up at himself big time...

We went to Chuck E. Cheese's last Thursday night. You know they've been learning their and since we were going to be out of town on Sunday, they weren't going to get to say it at church. Since they all new it and said it for me, we went to celebrate. On the way there, HJ said "I wub Judd, he's so cute." and I said "yes, and you love Noah too." and she said "Yeah, I wub dose guys, they aw sooo cute!" and I said "yes, and they love you, you are the cute sister." and she said "and you are the cute mommy." Ahhh, isn't she so sweet, always thoughtful, and never leaving anyone out.

Last night they were playing chase around the table and Noah yelled to me "mommy, I love my sista!"

I was sitting in the chair and Noah came up right to my face and said "squeeze you face" and did so, and "kiss you" and kissed me.

Miss Cindy said that Noah told the teachers a little girl had spit on him at school last week. When the teachers went to question her, Noah followed. He put his hand on the back of her head and nudged her, saying "here, you go time out, we need to call your mom"! Ha! Noah the disciplinarian!

When I say to Harper "Do you believe that?" or "Wow, can you believe it?" She replies, "Yeah, I BW-EVE it!"

Noah loves playing on Grandmom's walker. He holds himself up and the top of the handles and raises his legs up... then jumps off and does the Olympic pose at the end! He remembers everything.

Saturday night Josh and I spent the night in Rogers at Aloft. We went on a night out with Kara and Scott. THANK YOU NANNA AND PAPPA for taking care of the kids. The kids had a great time, and didn't even miss us very much. I think they get sick of me too, and we both needed a break from each other. Not saying I get sick of them, it's just nice to have a little break sometimes. Anyways, we got home yesterday around lunch time, and Judd came and hugged me, but didn't act very excited to see me, then went back and crawled up into Nanna's lap. I sat on the couch beside them and asked him if he was mad at me for leaving. He said "Yeeaaahhh" with out even looking at me. Harper must have missed me a little because about 35 times yesterday, she would just out of the blue say "I wub you, mommy" just over and over. We had fun, but were glad to be back home. We all just hung out yesterday and relaxed... Back to the grind this morning.

Funnies and Updates

All of the kids are singing the ABC song. Harper and Judd don't do it quite perfectly just yet. In the car the other day, they were singing it and when they stopped, Noah sang it (the right way) and then said "See, Hoppa, Juddson?"

Harper had a cough and cold the other day and she said (referring to KFC mashed potatoes and gravy)"I meed to taste dos tatoes in bed to make me feel better." She wanted to lay in bed and eat tators and gravy.... I don't think so...

While getting out of his car seat, Judd tooted really big and he laughed and said "TOOT!" and then Harper yells "Gross, that SNEAKS!"

Any time Noah doesn't want to do something he'll say, his foot hurts, or his ear hurts and that he needs to go to "Dr. Fred's house, make me better." Yesterday he had the hiccups and needed to go to Dr. Fred's house for those.

We were laying in bed last night and HJ said "I am going to wick my hand" and did. I said, don't do that, it's gross... She said "Well, cats do it." and I said "You are not a cat, you are a kid." She yelled back at me "I jus' purtendin'!"

Noah is in the process of memorizing his first Memory Verse for church on Sunday: Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. HJ and Judd are learning it with him, they are impressively doing a great job... While typing this, I just realized they won't even get to go to church Sunday because we won't be here.... I guess I will just have them do it for me at home and I will give them a prize.

Catching up

Last week we were super busy. It seems like if my house is clean, the blog is behind, and visa versa. Sorry, the house won this week. Anyways, I will start with Wednesday morning. We heard a funny sound in the truck on the way to take Noah to school and realized Cooper (our cat) was in there! He'd been in since the previous afternoon! He started meowing really loud and the kids got a huge kick out of it, so after we dropped Noah off, we had to go back by the house and take Cooper home before we could go to the gym. That day, while Noah was at Jennifer/Michelle school, the kids and I went to a play date at Jess and Brooks house. They are a new family we've met through church and their 3 kids are close in age to our 3, so Judd and "Harper Janey" (as Judd now calls her) played while Brooks and I talked. We were in such deep conversation, that I forgot about Noah and at 1:45, she said "aren't you supposed to get Noah" and I panicked. I called Nanna, who thankfully works right across the street, and she went and got him for me. I met them at the bank a few minutes later, and then we went back to their house to play more. The kids had a blast and didn't want to leave.
I don't remember anything extraordinary happening Thursday.
Friday Grandmom and Granny came over and Juddson put on a big show. HJ was sleepin' and Noah was playing games, and Judd did all kinds of funnies for them. We were doing his animal sounds at one point and I said "cat" and he said "MEOW!" and then he said "Na nanna"-- Savannah, "thhhhe" and I said "Savannah" and he said "THHHHE" and I was confused, and I said "Cooper" and he said "MEOW" and I said "Savannah" and he said "thhhhe" and I finally realized Savannah hisses at the kids and he was hissing......... hilarious!
Friday night Kara and Scott came over and played some old school Nintendo games and ate dinner. Juddson was attached to Scott and wouldn't leave his side. Saturday, Noah woke up and said "No Reynda school, no ex-size school, no Jennifer/Michelle school, No church, Yes Home!" and we were all happy to just be home for the day. We set up little people town and just hung out at home all day. Later that night, Granny and Pa came over to eat ribs and burgers, and Nanna stopped by and brought them all Valentine shirts. Thank you Nanna! After that, we went to Cory and Jessie's to see Livia. She's so tiny and beautiful! The kids were really wound up and wild and were making me nervous, so I didn't get to hold her as much as I would have liked to. Judd and Harper took turns holding her bottle while she was eating and they thought they were big stuff.
Today was church, and then home for pizza with Granny and Pa. After lunch Harper Janey and Judd were looking out the back window and I was listening to their little conversation and Harper was pointing going "that's mud"....and Judd would repeat and say "mud?" and then she said "and that's poop".... "it's called Hoovy poop" and Judd said "hoovy poop?" HJ says "Yeah, Hoovy poop."
I had a photo shoot this afternoon and when I got home Harp and Judd wanted to play playdoh, so we did that for about 15 minutes, then they went down for their nap.

Judd

Judd enjoyed the macaroni, I let him just get after it.

Yesterday I was changing Judd's poopy diaper, and was talking to him to distract him and I said "Your birthday is coming up, it's in April" and he said "April" and I said "Yes, April 19" and he said "teenth" and I said "yes, April 19." I said "What kind of birthday do you want?", thinking he'd say Gabba gabba or chuck cheese. He yelled "TAKE!" (cake) and I said, "oh, you want a birthday cake?" and he gave me a huge "UH HUH" with a big smile... The boy likes his food.

Fri/Sat/Sun

Friday morning we went to "exercise school", Kara met us there. After we were finished she needed a ride to Scott's store to pick up a big picture, so we took her. She bought the kids "Chicken Donald's" for lunch, so they were happy and quiet for the ride out there. Judd fell asleep on the way home and Noah and HJ played their new games from their Happy Meals. We'd been home for a little while and Mom and Grandmom came for their Friday visit. Noah, as usual, gave them sweet hugs and kisses. Harper was in bed watching Word Girl, their new favorite show, but came out to visit. She and Granny played with the money that Miss Becky gave them. It was beautiful outside, so after Judd woke up, I got out the triple jogger for the first time this year, and took them for a walk. We walked to Noah's school and when he saw it, he turned around and said "Good one, Mommy!" with a huge smile on his face. We walked for an hour and a half and they were ready to get home. We had supper and baths and then bed time.
Saturday we went to exercise school again, and then to Chick Fil A. We got there before the huge crowds hit, so they got to play in peace for a while. Our family ate an entire nugget tray and 2 large fries and then left. Why did we even go to the gym??? Judd fell asleep on the way home and Noah and Harper watched some shows and Noah played Wii. Nothing too eventful.
Sunday morning, the day my hairs turned gray. We taught Children's Church again, and afterwards, we were talking to a new couple with 3 little kids around the ages of our kids. We'd been talking for a while, when Noah dashed off and ran around the corner. I finished what I was saying and then went after him. He was no where in sight, like he disappeared. I had Judd, and new I couldn't run with heels while carrying him, so I dumped him on Josh and told Josh Noah was gone and took off. The corner he ran too, had 4 places he could've chosen to go... up the stairs, into the gym, outside into the parking lot, or into the annex. Ugh... I was a little worried, but not too much. Most of the people had already left church, and I figured I would hear him. I ran outside first, because I felt that would be the most dangerous place for him to be... No sign. Ran back in and took off upstairs. Ran around the "square" calling for him.... nothing... running faster now, down the stairs... a little more panicky... told our new friends and Josh that I didn't find him. Josh was going to put the other 2 kids in the car and then come get us... like, he thought I would find him in the amount of time it took him to do that and he'd pick us up at the door. By the time Josh got back, still no sign of Noah. Other lingering people noticed my frantic self and asked what was going on, I broke down and started crying and they all started helping. The new couple and their 3 little kids were helping too. People checked the annex, the gym, the bathrooms, the elevator, and I was running outside and back in and up stairs, and back down... what a workout... After what seemed like an hour, but it was probably only 10-15 minutes, a young girl found him upstairs in a classroom hiding under a chair. She brought him downstairs, and he was just smiling so big. I saw him and started weeping, and Mrs. Brown gave me a big hug, which was nice. I just thought someone had him in a bathroom, or he was running outside, or he'd find the balcony, or the baptistry, and the worst scenarios kept playing out in my head. Anyways, I was crying, holding him and hugging Mrs. Brown and I looked at him and told him he scared mommy, he can NOT run away, etc. and he said "I sorry" and hugged me. He got his Wii taken away for the afternoon for punishment. Ugh, I get nervous just thinking about it.
After things calmed down, and we ate pizza with mom and dad for lunch, Daddy, Judd and Harper went down for their naps. I took Noah to TJ Maxx with me and we stayed for an hour and a half. He was perfectly behaved, so when we got home, I let him play his games for a reward... The kids were wound up from last night and wouldn't go down. Finally, Noah and Harper fell asleep with Josh and I rocked Judd to sleep.

Wed/Thurs

Wednesday Harper woke up telling everyone to "'member the rules!......'Member the rules, Judd?" etc.. Thanks little mamma,; at least she listened to the family meeting! We were driving Noah to therapy and someone cut me off and I said "ugh, crazy drivers... people are NUTS!" Harper calmly said, "Mommy, just honk your horn."
Yesterday was Miss Becky's visit. She is with "parents as teachers" and it's a free service through the school system. She comes every other week and does projects and brings the kids books and something neat... Like, one week they got toothbrush packets with paste, and floss and a timer and toothbrush and a cover and a little pouch to keep it all in. One week we got playdoh and yesterday they made doctor kits and it was all about pretend play. They played doctor and then we cleaned that up and got out all her stuff to make a store, and they played store. We got to keep all the money and coins-- they love that! Here are some pics from the "hospital" or "doctor Fred's house" as Noah calls it.

Mon/Tues

We've been so busy already this week. Monday we were finally back on our usual routine, well, kind-of. After Noah's school we came home, but just long enough for me to shower, and then we went to Chili's in Van Buren and met Josh for a crazy, hectic lunch before Noah went to therapy. Judd and Harper and I went to visit Nanna and the ladies at the bank while Noah was in school. They had a blast as usual, and watched their favorite video of the little baby that swims and floats and looked at some you tube videos and ate candy from Nanna's desk and played with Miss Debbie's rubber band tin. We got Noah and rushed home and I dropped the kids of with Josh while I went to a counseling session. Josh was supposed to go with, but we didn't have a sitter, so I went alone. After I got home, we finally got to slow down for a second. Josh grilled some salmon, and we ate dinner, then put the kids to bed.
Tuesday was just as busy, but the day started off special. At 5 in the morning, Noah rolled over and covered his head with a pillow and said something. I didn't understand him, so I peeked under his pillow and said "what did you say?" He said "I wuv you, mommy." It was so precious. After school, and devo with Josh, we went to Target because Josh said they were having a half off sale of a bunch of home stuff. Unfortunately, even at half off, it was still too pricey... they are proud of their stuff. We stopped at Braum's and picked them up chicken and fries and "white, hot dip" aka. gravy... and went to mom's. Mom and Kara went to look at some wedding chapels and we stayed there with Grandmom. At one point, Judd fell down and picked himself up and opened his hand and kissed his boo boo and kept on going. While we were there, he also counted to 10!!! Perfectly!!! Yeah Judd. He'd do 1-6 very slowly and then say 7,8,9,10 real fast. Harper sung the ABC song perfectly too, they are so talented.
This morning, I got up at 4:30 with Josh and right when he left, the kids started waking up... maybe because we put them to sleep at 6:30 last night... Anyways, Judd was asleep in Harper's bed. She came pitter pattering in and I wanted her to go back to sleep, so I layed her down by Judd and I cuddled with her. Judd woke up and popped his head up and looked over her and then raised up and kissed her on the head and on the cheek, then he rolled over on top of her and wanted her to hold him on her chest and he closed his eyes to go back to sleep. She said he was "too hebby" so I rolled him off. About that time, Noah came in and saw us, and left and pottied, and then came back in and cuddled with us. I thought they were all asleep a few minutes later, but I was wrong, when I got up to start cleaning they all followed.... I wonder what kind of day this will be.

Weekend

Josh got home Saturday afternoon, and Harper and Juddson were both asleep. It was so beautiful outside, I decided to take Noah to Tillis for a walk. We walked around a couple of times and then we sat by the creek and threw rocks into the water. We hadn't gotten to do that in forever, and that is one of his favorite things to do, so we really had a good time. I WISH I would have had my camera with me... After we had our fill of throwing rocks, we walked around to the playground and he found some kids, well, teenagers to play with. He went to the top of the playland thing and they would throw the football up and over to him and he'd catch it and throw it back down and laugh really big. We'd been there a while and I knew it was about time for the tooters to get up, so we walked back him. Sure enough, I was greeted at the door and they insisted I hold them before I did anything else. The night was uneventful and we watched some shows and went to bed. I had a headache and couldn't sleep all night, and Noah and Harper were in bed with us, and I kept getting kicked in the back, so I moved to Harper's bed to try to get some sleep. After a few hours, Josh came in there and lay down by me, and then he told me to look up... Harper was sitting outside the bedroom on the vent on the floor with her cat. We called her to come in there with us, and we laughed about playing "musical beds" and then we were up for the day.
Noah's teacher at church said he participated and did great and he even got an award for being so good! Yeah Noah! After church Pa and Kara came over and ate pizza, and then Nanna stopped by and brought Harper a few more birthday gifts, and ended up getting everybody a gift. She bought little step stools for each of them. They are so cute, and the kids love them... I wonder what trouble they are going to find now... Harper already said... "I meed something in my room...wait, I can't reach it, I meed my bench" and pushed her pink stool into her room to reach her jewelry box. After afternoon naps, we pushed the table over to the side and got out the soccer goal and they played soccer. I told Noah he could do one kick, then it was Harper's turn to do one kick. He said, "Not 1, 20." and I said "You want to do 20 kicks and Harper do 20 kicks?" He said, "No...Noah 20 kicks, and Harper 1." We explained that that wasn't fair...so he agreed to 20 kicks for him, and 20 for Harper. After soccer we had supper... some ate cheerios and milk, others pizza, all of them ate yogurt. They love those yogurt pouch things, it's the same thing that comes in the container, but I guess it's more fun eating it out of a tube thing.... and more expensive, oh well, it's calcium.
We had our first Bice Family meeting. I have been working on a flip chart of rules and I got them star charts for things like taking vitamins, picking up toys, etc... and I introduced the charts during the meeting. They were so cute, sitting on their stools all in a row, listening and watching my "presentation." I don't know how well it sunk in, but they were sure cute sitting in a row on their stools listening to me. One picture was of a boy (NOAH) screaming and he would just study that page and try to get his face like the picture, he'd squint his eyes and stick his tongue way out, Josh and I were rolling, laughing... In one picture, with the mad kids-- Judd really got into that one, saying "Hoppa, MAD..." and he'd punch the picture.
Noah was in the tub the other night and I walked back there to check on him and there was water coming out from the bathroom into the living room... I yelled a little and asked him how that happened after I'd already told him not to splash and not to throw toys in the floor and demanded to know how it happened. He thought for a minute and looked up at me and said "It was just a accident." in the sweetest voice possible, so I laughed and started putting towels all over the floor... I am such a softy. Due to my reaction, he's now learned to use that line all the time. Like, we hear a thud and Judd is crying and saying "woawa, hit" and we say "Noah, did you hit Judd?" He says (again in the angelic voice) "It was just a accident."