Pacifier

The dreaded pacifier!  Anna & Madeline both sucked their thumbs - well past the age of three when most kids magically stop on their own.  Both of them needed lots of persuasion, reminding, and nasty nail polish to help them stop.  It was not fun.  By the time Lilah was born I had gotten smart and forced a pacifier on her to stop the thumb sucking - the same for Celeste.  When Lilah was about 12 months old and I was getting ready to throw her pacifier out a dentist told me that there have been studies that show that getting rid of a pacifier too early can sometimes cause thumb/finger sucking.  So Lilah got to keep hers until about 20 months or so.   Now here we are in the same situation with Celeste.  We are doing pretty well limiting it to her crib.  She knows to take it out and leave it with her blankets when we get her out.  The problem is that she leaves it close enough to the edge of her crib that she can sneak back in and get it out.  She'll sit in her room and suck on it until someone catches her.  When she gets tired, bored, or sad she'll find something else to suck on - she has her fingers, toys and this toy lid in her mouth all the time.  I have a feeling that she is going to have her pacifier for a while and that it's not going to be fun when it comes time to take it away!

This is a toy lid for a pot - it has a little knob on the top that she sucks on.  Yes, she wanders around the playroom like that!

Christmas is Coming!

The day after Thanksgiving we move right into Christmas!  We got up and did a little bit of Black Friday Shopping - nothing too crazy this year.  We take the kids to 5 Below and go shopping for the sibling exchange.  They draw each other's names and find something for $5.  It was so hard for Lilah to be surrounded by so many great things and focus on getting something for Calvin - she didn't even want to look at boy stuff - but she did a good job picking out a gift.  Then we hit Lowes and I got my $.99 poinsettias for me and my VT sisters.  I love poinsettias!  We did go to a couple of other stores, but since Mike had to go to work for a few hours - I didn't stay out long with all the kids by myself! 
We went home and drug out all of the Christmas decorations.  The kids wrapped the gifts they had just bought while we waited for Dad to come home and help us with the hard stuff.  It's hard when Thanksgiving is so early in November - it makes Christmas feel so far away!  This year my kids aren't done with school until December 21st - so 4 full weeks until Christmas even feels close!  They seem to think the anticipation is going to kill them and have decided that if they ask enough times I might let them open one present early - not to worry, I won't give in =)

Giving Thanks

On Thanksgiving the kids watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  It keeps them out of the way while Mike and I cook our dinner.  We really enjoy Thanksgiving as a family - but it is a lot of work to do the whole thing by yourself!  We enjoyed lunch at 2pm and then spend the rest of the afternoon doing Thanksgiving mazes and color sheets.  Mike & Calvin got in some good football playing and watching.  We had pumpkin and apple pie for dinner and then enjoyed our after dinner show by the kids.   They get shy when the camera comes out - but you get the idea.

Lilah

Celeste's video wouldn't download on blogger, so she is on youtube here

The Day Before Thanksgiving

On the day before Thanksgiving the kids always have a half day.  I spend all morning making rolls, pies, and layered rainbow jello.  After the kids get home we go out to a movie and then dinner.  It's a fun tradition that the kids look forward too.  This year we saw Wreck It Ralph and everyone loved it except for Celeste.  But, to be fair, she decided she didn't want to watch before it even started.  She doesn't really like movie theaters - they are probably a close second to the chapel.  Any room where you have to sit still in a seat doesn't really rank very high with our little wiggle worm.  During one of my turns with her we ended up out in the hallway and she kept saying 'go' and pulling toward the exit.  She was done! Everyone else really enjoyed the movie.  After the movie we took the kids to the play place at the mall so they could get out some wiggles and we could kill some time until dinner!  It was crazy to see everyone getting ready for Black Friday (which apparently starts on Thursday now).

Lilah at the play place

Fixed

The camera on my phone has not been working correctly - the settings for the flash have been off (all the weird and 'bright' pictures that I have posted over the last few weeks are from my phone).  Mike was playing with my settings and finally got it fixed.  He also had some fun with some of the other settings on my camera phone. 

Poodle

We have a pink headband with poodle ears in our dress-up box.  Lilah wears them a lot.  Today she thought her Dad should take a turn with them!  The next time the kids ask for a pet - I'll tell them we already have a poodle!

Visitors (Again)!

Nick & Janet came for another visit.  They are moving to Florida next week so it was our last chance to see them.  They came last night (a couple of hours early and surprised us before the kids went to bed).  We had a relaxed morning playing and talking.  After lunch we loaded up into the two cars and went for a quick tour around downtown Richmond and ended at the canal walk.  We walked along the canals, looked at the old locks, saw some art work,  the flood walls and even walked on the pipe bridge so we could stand on the James River bank for a few minutes (we didn't stay long, we did not want wet kids!).  We then drove to Richmond Battle Field park.  It was a great place for the kids to run and play in all the ditches and burms from the fort that used to be there.  They played hide n seek with Mike and Uncle Nick.
That night, after the kids went to the bed we got out the kids Christmas present, hooked it up, and had some fun!  I packed it all up again.  I should probably wrap it so I'm not tempted to get it out again.  I'm going to enjoy it just as much as they do =).
Thanks for driving all the way up to see us Nick & Janet!  We loved having you.  Good luck in Florida.

 Here we all are in front of the 'Richmond' painting at the Canal Walk.

Another 'interesting' painting at the canal walk

New Door!

We decided to redo our stairs door back in July.  When we got our new couch this spring we had to take our old (not so great) door down and decided we may as well make a new one to put back up.  We (well not me) can be kind of slow when it comes to home improvement projects.  We finally hung the door today. It still needs paint and more trim at the top and a handle and more of this and that - but it's hung up =).  We had to get it hung up in time for our company this weekend!

It's suppose to match the wall - it slides on the track up at the top. 

Budding Photographer

I found this picture (among many others) on my camera today.  I'm guessing Anna Elise took the shots, but  I'm not sure.

Behind the Couch

Celeste decided she wanted to get into that little space underneath the window and behind the couch.  I was curious as to what she wanted to do back there - so I helped her in.  She sat down and read a book!

Moving 'Forward'

You'll have to excuse me, I'm going to depart from my usual family happenings to talk about some personal feelings.  I was so sure that this election would bring about a much needed leadership change and get our country back on the right track.  On Tuesday night as Mike and I sat in our hotel room watching the election results come in I felt so angry.  I was upset and felt physically ill.  I knew that the anger that overwhelmed me was not what I wanted be feeling.  I struggled to find peace.  As I prayed and read and thought I was able to push it down some, but it was still there and I still felt fear and anxiety and just helplessness.  This morning I was driving to the park with my little girls and listened to the radio for just a few minutes.  Glenn Beck was talking about the disappointment of the election and he related it to the book of Jeremiah.  The discussion I listened to brought the much needed peace that I have been looking for and the anger and fear are completely gone.  I still feel disappointment and I still feel anxiety for the future, but I am in a much better place emotionally now.  I wanted to share some of scriptures and discussion with you.  In Jeremiah chapter 29  it says


"4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;   5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant ^agardens, and eat the fruit of them;   6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.   7 And seek the ^apeace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace."

The Israelites were in captivity for 70 years.  They were told to build houses, plant gardens, have families, and to participate in the city they lived in.  Some of us are in a type of captivity in our own country, we are stuck with the consequences of other people's decisions, and we need to just move 'forward' and keep on living, building homes, planting gardens, having families, and serving in our communities to find our peace.  This is the Lord's plan.  This wasn't some mistake or misunderstanding, it's part of the plan.  I don't know if I really like the plan right now, but considering who's plan it is, he knows better then I.  I hope this brings peace to you as well. 


Here's a picture of Lilah at the park. 

Great Wolf Lodge

There is an indoor water park/hotel, Great Wolf Lodge, just 45 minutes from us.  We've been wanting to go for years but felt like the kids weren't old/tall enough, I was always pregnant or had a newborn and it just wouldn't work.   After going to Busch Gardens this summer we felt like it might be time to try Great Wolf Lodge and when I got a Groupon for it - we had to go!  Yesterday the kids got the day off (their school is our polling place) so after we voted he loaded up the car and headed to Williamsburg! We checked in, put on our bathing suits and hit the water park.  It was amazing and just perfect for our family.  They had a kiddie pool with baby slides that even Celeste could go on.  She loved the water and the slides!  It was the perfect depth for her.  She even go to the point where she would run and jump in (it was only 18 inches deep).  She had a ball.  Lilah is fearless and not too picky so she had fun doing whatever.  She liked everything - she was able to go on the next level up all by herself and she did!  She would say "Mom I'm going on the slides". She climbed up the large 'play house' and went through the obstacles and spraying water, got in line, and came down the huge slides - all by herself.  She had a lot of fun playing in the wave pool as well and was usually pretty good about wearing a life jacket in that pool.  Madeline claims her favorite was the family hot tub, but she spent most of her time (by choice) in the wave pool.  I'm so glad she has had swimming lessons.  She spent a lot of time either jumping waves, diving into them or riding them on a tube. They had some really fun tube slides that she could do on her own, she liked going on them with Anna Elise and Calvin and being one of the big kids.  Calvin and Anna Elise's favorite slide was the Howlin' Tornado.  It was not my favorite ride.  It dropped you straight down (as in your stomach falls out and you feel like you are on a roller coaster but don't have the safety or added reassurance of a seat belt!) into a type of funnel that is lying on it's side.  You swirl around in there for a bit and then continue on the slide.  It was intense and the older 2 kids did it over and over - with Mom, with Dad, with each other, Calvin even went with strangers.  There were other slides and pools as well.  The kids loved their little 'cabin' in our hotel room.  Nobody got much sleep, but that's too be expected.  We could've stayed all day today, but Celeste hit the end of her rope so we headed home this afternoon.  We all had a great time.  We got a great deal.  I think as the kids get older and more independent it makes vacations a lot more fun and little bit easier!  We'll definitely be going back sometime. 

Big Girl!

Guess who had their first official day in nursery?  Our big girl!  She has been for 20-30 minutes for the past couple of weeks with mom or dad.  Today she was 18 months old and went for the entire 2 hours by herself.  She did really good.  I just can't believe she is old enough to go - she is growing up too fast!

She is finally starting to get more hair.  Her hair is growing in thicker then her sisters, but is shorter.  They all had their mullets trimmed by this age, but her hair isn't getting any longer, just thicker.  She is finally starting to talk.  She has been really taking her time.  She has maybe a dozen words, but just in the last few days has started repeating a lot of what we say, so that is fun.  She even said 'cheese' for her picture this afternoon.  She still likes to climb, she likes to be held, she is becoming more interested in books,  loves to be outside, still loves to wear her shoes,  still has her beloved pacifier (but only gets it in bed and when Mom is having a hard time), carries her baby everywhere, likes to say 'no' and shake her head, loves to point at everyone's eyes, nose, ears, belly, etc. on demand and when she feels like it she kneels down and folds her arms for prayers.  She is becoming a more picky eater which is frustrating for me.  Celeste is spoiled rotten.  We are working on being more firm and more consistent with her - we need to tame the monster we've created!  We love her to death!

Toothless

Madeline lost her first tooth today!  It's been really loose and in her way for over a week but didn't want to come out until today!  She was excited!