Wish Us Luck

I took it upon myself to take the sides off Henry's crib today. I feel antsy and I need a room to do something with. The boys room has been a hodge podge since we moved in, because I knew Henry would be ready to sleep in a bed very soon. Well after a year and a half, he's still in his crib. So today I changed that. It's the first step to getting a real bed in there. But I'm not sure how things will go. He was awfully excited to see he crib without sides. But my gut tells me tonight is going to be a disaster! Wish us luck!

post edit note: I guess putting a sleep deprived, sick child in bed is a fool proof way of having the transition from crib to bed be successful. We put him to bed and he didn't budge until morning...when he called to me still, and didn't get out of bed. Threatening him with his favorite blanket might have been a good move too! :)

Christmas Snow

When Henry saw the snow outside this morning he said, "I open my presents now?" You see, he has been telling us that it wasn't Christmas yet because there was no snow. I don't know where he got the idea that snow was only associated with Christmas, but now that there is snow on the ground, he is only concerned about one thing-presents.

He handled the fact that we weren't going to tear everything under the tree open remarkably well. We distracted him with sledding and snowmen. And hot cocoa. Always lots and lots of hot cocoa. So although today isn't Christmas, I gotta say, this snow sure has perfect timing! It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas! And I can't wait!!

Crying Babies

I'm a terrible mom. I can't help it. There is something perfectly adorable about babies crying with bed head. I grab my camera every time. Those tired little red faces are just so expressive in the morning when all they want is to get picked up and cuddle with a bottle of milk. And I make them wait. It's bad. This particular morning Henry was concerned about "my baby" and thought that maybe he needed a book read to him to help him to be happy. That only seemed to tick William off even more. Which made for even better pictures! (bwahahahaha). Why is it so easy to get a great picture of a baby crying and seemingly impossible to get a great picture of a baby smiling? I just can't stand how cute William is in these pictures!

Just so you don't actually think I'm horrible I checked the time on my first picture 8:24:57 am. The last picture was 8:25:37. Only 40 seconds-that's a small price to pay for cute, crying pictures!:)

American Girl Birthday Girl

We woke them up and it was still dark outside. She practically got dressed with her eyes closed. We took blankets and donuts with us and watched Frosty the Snowman in the car. I did her hair in the empty mall lobby. We had to be in Kansas City by 9:00am. That's what time the class started. We made it to the American Girl doll store just in time for them to open the door to 4 very special little girls.

For Gabriella's birthday she wanted to get her dolls ears pierced and hair done. The day we could make it to Kansas City happened to be a day the store was offering a "how-to style your dolls hair" class. But it started an hour before the actual store opened. Could we make it to the class that early, or should we just go to the salon and have the ladies do her dolls hair instead? Gabs wanted to take the class, so off we went at 6:30 am.

I'm so glad we did. Gabriella got to go into the store with only 3 other girls, stand behind the salon counters, and learn three different hair styles on her doll. They didn't let the parents stay. They had the whole quiet, empty store to themselves. Gwen and I went to the Disney store and rode the escalators a couple trillion times for the next 45 minutes. (Even at 5, all she wanted to do was go up and down those escalatores by herself, over and over again. Funny little thing.)

We made it back and they escorted us in to take pictures and see them finish up the last style. Each girl left with a goodie bag full of hair accessories and gigantic smiles on their face. We waited about five minutes (with a crowd of people) for the store to open up to the public, then rushed back to the counter to be first in line to get her dolls ears pierced. By the time we were done, there was easily hundreds of people swarming the place. Joe took the kids to play and I finished up by grabbing a few Christmas gifts. We were out of there 30 minutes later. And never looked back. It was nuts! And a really fun morning. Joe thought the whole thing (ie- salon chairs, capes, hair styles, ear piercing) was a little overboard for some dolls. HA! I thought it was awesome. I think Gabs would agree!

So Far Today...

...I made and cleaned up breakfast.

...I folded the laundry I washed on Monday.

...I loaded last night dishes.

...I changed 4 (count them-4!) poopy diapers.

...I read about 2 dozen books to the kids.

...I sent 2 e-mails.

...I put William down for a short morning cat nap.

...I got down the pretend food for Gwen and Henry to play with.

...I broke up a fight over a pink baby doll between Gwen and Henry.

...I put the folded laundry away.

...I taught Gwen how to tie her sisters shoes (since she doesn't own any with laces).

...I put Henry in time out for pushing.

...I pretended to be a "friend" to Henry and Gwen so they could take me on a tour of their home (their bedrooms).

...I made lunch.

...I cleaned 1 bathroom.

...I sent one girl off to school and put two boys down for a long (hopefully) nap.

What I didn't do today was change anyone out of their pajamas-except Gwen, finally at 12:00 so she could go to school. Or brush any one's hair.

My jobs in any given day range from mundane to boring to horrible (the poopy diapers) to frustrating to so completely gratifying (teaching Gwen the simplest of things like tying her shoes). I feel like sometimes I get bogged down with the "tasks" of being a mother that I forget to be grateful for the special "moments" I can and get to create with my children. I really take for granted the things that I am able to do as a mother. I complain sometimes after a long day about giving baths or getting kids in bed. But those are blessings. Because I get to do them, and I am able to do them. I'm grateful that today I really soaked up that time I spent with Gwen teaching her how to tie her shoe. Because those are the memories I will hold onto and look back on. I can still remember sitting with Gabriella on our little square area of hard wood floor by the front door in Washington teaching her how to tie her pink converse on her first day of school in February. I will remember today with Gwen just the same. What a blessing it is to have my job.