One of the many things I didn't realize about being a parent was just how much I would enjoy watching them learn new skills and concepts. Watching Mackenzie grasp the concept of potty training and overcome that huge step has just been amazing. I can see the excitement in her face each time she has success, and it's easy to see how proud of herself she feels. (And for the record, after more than two weeks with no accidents, I am counting her as POTTY TRAINED! One down, one to go!)
Another thing that is fun to watch is the development of the girls' imaginations, which are in full swing right now.
Not long after school started back in August, the girls started talking about someone named either "Caleb" or "Kayla"...it's hard to tell exactly how they're saying it. (Most of the time it comes out sounding like "K-love"-- a playground rapper, perhaps?) Upon checking with their teachers, we ascertained that there was no Caleb or Kayla in their class or any of the classes they come into contact with. After many instances of overhearing the girls boss "K-love" around, tell him (her?) to take a nap, buckle his car seat, and eat his lunch, we decided that Addison & Mackenzie may just have their first imaginary friend.
Having had two imaginary friends of my own as a child, I think it's pretty darn cute. (No, I won't reveal my childhood friends' names or exactly how long I carried on conversations with them!)
The pretend games have only increased since then, in both animation and complexity. The latest game involves the girls pretending to be one of their teachers, with Mrs. Pam, their Sunday school teacher being the primary character of the moment. Addison is particularly serious in her role, often completely ignoring me saying her name until she finally gives me an exasperated look and says, "I'm Mrs. Pam!". Some days it's hard to keep track of just who I am supposed to be talking to! Addison will open any one of her books and say, "This is my Bible and I'm going to read you a story. You sit down and listen."
Who can refuse such a cute demand? : )
11.30.2011
11.27.2011
Thanksgiving Quick Takes
- I seriously forget that Thanksgiving is an American holiday, but I fully support the idea of a holiday that revolves almost entirely around food. It may not be good for my pants size, but it sure is good for the soul.
- We spent our Thanksgiving at my church, as we have for the past five (?) years or so now. We serve a Thanksgiving meal for our community. It started out as sort of a service to those who needed somewhere to go, but now, it's open to absolutely anyone who wants to come be a part of it: those who need a place for a wholesome meal, people who might live alone and not want to cook, those who can't be near their family, and even families who just don't feel like cooking themselves. It has turned into an awesome ministry, and we enjoy serving and eating our meal along with our friends and church family. Our church provided over 850 meals for the community this year.
- Thursday night we went to Jeremy's parents' house for round two. It was delicious, and the girls really warmed up to the houseful of friends and relatives better than I expected. We all had a great time, and the girls were very well-behaved despite being out past their bedtime.
- Out of curiosity, we drove past Wal-Mart when we got back into town around 10:00 on Thanksgiving night, and it was insane. The parking lot was covered, all the spaces in nearby businesses were full, and cars were even parked on the grass. CRAZY, I'm telling you...you couldn't pay me to get in that madness.
- In general, Addison & Mackenzie were awesome during the entire holiday weekend. I have memories of whiny, clingy, over-stimulated children from this time last year, and I am so thankful we had none of that happening this time. They still didn't eat a lot--most of the traditional Thanksgiving dishes are not their favorites--but they behaved so well, I didn't even care! (They did fill up on macaroni n' cheese, rolls, and dessert...not the healthiest of days, but we were all happy.)
- My sister got into town on Tuesday night and stayed until Sunday, so we had lots of family time together. There were shopping trips, crafting projects (more on those later!), late-night movies, and hot chocolate involved in our holiday weekend, and it was all wonderful.
- There was a little football game on Saturday that we were all looking forward to watching. And yes, I'm being sarcastic when I call it a "little football game"...the entire state of Alabama stands still on Iron Bowl day, and that is not much of an exaggeration. A & M spent Friday night with Jeremy's parents, so he went over there to watch the game and bring them home. Laura Jo and I were left to watch the game at my house free of any comments from the Auburn fan in the family. We worked on projects during the game, and by the time it was over, my tree was complete, and we were two happy Bama fans.
The girls and Jeremy arrived home, and we were (mostly) able to put aside our differences and enjoy the rest of the evening. It was easier for some of us than for others (Roll Tide!!), but J handled it pretty well. : )
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| Consoling Addison after she heard Auburn lost... : ) |
We do have so much to be thankful for, and family is right at the top of my list. It was a great holiday weekend, filled with so many of our favorite things.
Now...bring on Christmas!!
11.23.2011
Potty Mouth
No, not that kind of potty mouth...just lots of talking about the potty and bodily functions.
Since the last time I talked about my potty training frustrations, I pretty much dropped the subject. Occasionally my mom or Jeremy's mom would ask the girls about sitting on the potty, but I didn't really mention it at all.
Imagine my surprise then, when my mom called last Tuesday to tell me that both Addison and Mackenzie had worn panties to school! Their teachers have been telling us that it's fine to send them in panties whenever we are ready, so when they both agreed to wear them on Tuesday morning, off they went. I think they had gone without diapers most of Monday as well, but honestly, I can't quite remember.
On Tuesday, neither one of the girls had an accident at school. I could hardly believe it. Even better, they had both used the potty at school. (Remember, my girls must have amazingly huge bladders--they can hold it for hours--and they have still never pooped at school.)
Tuesday was a major milestone for our little family!
Addison had an accident at school on Wednesday, but she wore her panties again on Thursday and did just fine at school. Since then, though, she has kind of regressed and flat-out begged for diapers. After a bit of disagreement on Friday, Jeremy and I decided not to push her on it right now. Addison has not been interested in the potty as long as Mackenzie has, so I feel good about giving her a little more time and focusing on M right now.
As for Mackenzie...she has been in panties full-time since last Tuesday and has not had a single accident. AND she used the potty at our friends' house during a birthday party on Saturday! Woo-hoo!!!
I should clarify that she has consistently peed in the potty; we still have a little way to go on the poop stuff. (Sorry if this is all a little gross...we say "pee-pee" and "poo-poo" in our house...what kind of terms do you use with your kids? There is no good way to say it, is there??)
For the first few days, M would request a diaper when she needed to poop (I'm pretty thankful for the bodily function control that allows her to wait while I get a diaper!), and I was okay dealing with that. Thursday night, out of the blue, Mackenzie agreed when I suggested she try to poop on the potty. And she did! Well, a little at least. I knew it wasn't, well...enough...but hey, it's a start! She has since done it a couple more times, getting more comfortable each time.
Maybe a little too comfortable, judging by her declaration in this video...
(Yes, she will want to kill me for this someday, so I am making a mental note to remove it before she gets old enough to be embarrassed by it. In fact, this entire post should probably be made private at some point in the future...)
I am SO incredibly proud of my big girl. I am also very proud of my Addison, who has handled all the extra attention directed at M with very little drama. I know she will be ready before too long, and she will get her turn with the attention and praise.
While we can't throw out the diapers just yet, diapering only one child (plus honoring the occasional request for a diaper from Mackenzie) is already much easier on the wallet and on this mama and daddy. These are exciting days in our house!
Since the last time I talked about my potty training frustrations, I pretty much dropped the subject. Occasionally my mom or Jeremy's mom would ask the girls about sitting on the potty, but I didn't really mention it at all.
Imagine my surprise then, when my mom called last Tuesday to tell me that both Addison and Mackenzie had worn panties to school! Their teachers have been telling us that it's fine to send them in panties whenever we are ready, so when they both agreed to wear them on Tuesday morning, off they went. I think they had gone without diapers most of Monday as well, but honestly, I can't quite remember.
On Tuesday, neither one of the girls had an accident at school. I could hardly believe it. Even better, they had both used the potty at school. (Remember, my girls must have amazingly huge bladders--they can hold it for hours--and they have still never pooped at school.)
Tuesday was a major milestone for our little family!
Addison had an accident at school on Wednesday, but she wore her panties again on Thursday and did just fine at school. Since then, though, she has kind of regressed and flat-out begged for diapers. After a bit of disagreement on Friday, Jeremy and I decided not to push her on it right now. Addison has not been interested in the potty as long as Mackenzie has, so I feel good about giving her a little more time and focusing on M right now.
As for Mackenzie...she has been in panties full-time since last Tuesday and has not had a single accident. AND she used the potty at our friends' house during a birthday party on Saturday! Woo-hoo!!!
I should clarify that she has consistently peed in the potty; we still have a little way to go on the poop stuff. (Sorry if this is all a little gross...we say "pee-pee" and "poo-poo" in our house...what kind of terms do you use with your kids? There is no good way to say it, is there??)
For the first few days, M would request a diaper when she needed to poop (I'm pretty thankful for the bodily function control that allows her to wait while I get a diaper!), and I was okay dealing with that. Thursday night, out of the blue, Mackenzie agreed when I suggested she try to poop on the potty. And she did! Well, a little at least. I knew it wasn't, well...enough...but hey, it's a start! She has since done it a couple more times, getting more comfortable each time.
Maybe a little too comfortable, judging by her declaration in this video...
(Yes, she will want to kill me for this someday, so I am making a mental note to remove it before she gets old enough to be embarrassed by it. In fact, this entire post should probably be made private at some point in the future...)
I am SO incredibly proud of my big girl. I am also very proud of my Addison, who has handled all the extra attention directed at M with very little drama. I know she will be ready before too long, and she will get her turn with the attention and praise.
While we can't throw out the diapers just yet, diapering only one child (plus honoring the occasional request for a diaper from Mackenzie) is already much easier on the wallet and on this mama and daddy. These are exciting days in our house!
11.17.2011
Book Review: Kisses from Katie
I have been reading ARCs (advance reader copies) through NetGalley for a couple of months now, and so far, I am loving it. I have found some great books that I might otherwise have never read, plus I get the fun added advantage of reading them before they even hit the store shelves.
Kisses from Katie is one of the first books that I heard about before I even saw it listed on NetGalley, so I was very excited to get started on it.
Katie Davis, from a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee, traveled to Uganda during Christmas break of her senior year of high school. She was captivated by the people and the country, and knew she would ultimately return one day. Upon her high school graduation, Katie did return to Uganda, and ended up making a home there. Over the last few years, she has adopted fourteen (yes, fourteen!) young girls and has helped countless others get the food, medical care, and schooling they so desperately need.
Kisses from Katie is the inspirational story of Katie's deep and abiding love--her love for the people, especially the children, of Uganda, and for her God. Katie's love is evident in every page of her book. What else but love could motivate such a young girl to give up the life she's known and move to the other side of the world to live in the midst of poverty, sickness, and strife?
While I find Katie and her story nothing short of incredible, the book itself fell a little short at times. Not unexpectedly, the text is full of scripture references and passages describing the ways God has provided in the midst of the overwhelming need, and the saccharine tone felt a little overdone at times. It is obvious though, that Katie's words are absolutely sincere; I can imagine that the way she writes is the way she goes about her life. There are a few cliche phrases thrown about at times, such as "adoption is God's heart", that sound meaningful but don't really carry much weight. These things bothered me more in the beginning of the book than the later parts, almost as if Katie found more of a rhythm in her writing toward the end.
My only other issues with the book come from the fact that I wanted more of the story in some places. Katie had a longtime boyfriend when she left for Uganda, and we realize early on that they are no longer together, but don't get much of that story. There are a few vague paragraphs devoted to the fact that she sacrificed that relationship, but I would have liked to hear more about that dynamic. How do you tell your boyfriend who is currently thousands of miles away that you are adopting a child? That you don't think you'll be coming back to Tennessee?
In retrospect, I feel I know a lot about Katie's ministry, but not a lot about Katie herself. That may very well have been an intentional move, but I also think Katie missed an opportunity to develop a more intimate connection with her readers by sharing more about other parts of her life. It is often through shared struggle that bonds are formed, so I think the story might have resonated on a deeper level if Katie had shared some of the personal details many of her readers would relate to--the hard days of motherhood, the heartache of losing a first love--rather than just repeating the mantra that God provides abundantly (which, he does, of course...you'll find no argument from me there!).
I may sound critical of the book, but really, I very much enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone needing an example of the good that can be done when we respond to the Bible's challenge to truly love our neighbors--all of them. Katie is a fascinating, inspiring young lady, and I look forward to seeing what amazing things she will accomplish in the next decade of her life. I would love to read a follow-up a few years down the road.
**ARC received from NetGalley for review. Kisses from Katie is available now.
Katie Davis, from a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee, traveled to Uganda during Christmas break of her senior year of high school. She was captivated by the people and the country, and knew she would ultimately return one day. Upon her high school graduation, Katie did return to Uganda, and ended up making a home there. Over the last few years, she has adopted fourteen (yes, fourteen!) young girls and has helped countless others get the food, medical care, and schooling they so desperately need.
Kisses from Katie is the inspirational story of Katie's deep and abiding love--her love for the people, especially the children, of Uganda, and for her God. Katie's love is evident in every page of her book. What else but love could motivate such a young girl to give up the life she's known and move to the other side of the world to live in the midst of poverty, sickness, and strife?
While I find Katie and her story nothing short of incredible, the book itself fell a little short at times. Not unexpectedly, the text is full of scripture references and passages describing the ways God has provided in the midst of the overwhelming need, and the saccharine tone felt a little overdone at times. It is obvious though, that Katie's words are absolutely sincere; I can imagine that the way she writes is the way she goes about her life. There are a few cliche phrases thrown about at times, such as "adoption is God's heart", that sound meaningful but don't really carry much weight. These things bothered me more in the beginning of the book than the later parts, almost as if Katie found more of a rhythm in her writing toward the end.
My only other issues with the book come from the fact that I wanted more of the story in some places. Katie had a longtime boyfriend when she left for Uganda, and we realize early on that they are no longer together, but don't get much of that story. There are a few vague paragraphs devoted to the fact that she sacrificed that relationship, but I would have liked to hear more about that dynamic. How do you tell your boyfriend who is currently thousands of miles away that you are adopting a child? That you don't think you'll be coming back to Tennessee?
In retrospect, I feel I know a lot about Katie's ministry, but not a lot about Katie herself. That may very well have been an intentional move, but I also think Katie missed an opportunity to develop a more intimate connection with her readers by sharing more about other parts of her life. It is often through shared struggle that bonds are formed, so I think the story might have resonated on a deeper level if Katie had shared some of the personal details many of her readers would relate to--the hard days of motherhood, the heartache of losing a first love--rather than just repeating the mantra that God provides abundantly (which, he does, of course...you'll find no argument from me there!).
I may sound critical of the book, but really, I very much enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone needing an example of the good that can be done when we respond to the Bible's challenge to truly love our neighbors--all of them. Katie is a fascinating, inspiring young lady, and I look forward to seeing what amazing things she will accomplish in the next decade of her life. I would love to read a follow-up a few years down the road.
**ARC received from NetGalley for review. Kisses from Katie is available now.
11.15.2011
Holiday Bucket List
I say it approximately one million times every year, but I absolutely love the holiday season. I love the anticipation of it all. Thanksgiving, with all the food and family, is a quiet time to just reflect on our many blessings and enjoy time with family. And of course, I love everything about Christmas...the bustle of stores and the challenge of finding the perfect gifts; the Christmas music; the quiet glow of candles and brightly lit trees in nearly every house; and the peaceful magic of the Christmas Eve celebration at church.
I just can't get enough, and my love for the season has only grown since Addison and Mackenzie came along. Last year was the most fun yet, watching them experience so many new things, and I can already tell this year is going to be even better.
To ensure we make the most of these few magical weeks, I am declaring a Holiday Bucket List for our family....all things to accomplished between now and the end of the year.
What I've got so far (including some very basic things because I like to cross items off a list!):
Your turn...What's on your holiday bucket list?? What am I forgetting?
I just can't get enough, and my love for the season has only grown since Addison and Mackenzie came along. Last year was the most fun yet, watching them experience so many new things, and I can already tell this year is going to be even better.
To ensure we make the most of these few magical weeks, I am declaring a Holiday Bucket List for our family....all things to accomplished between now and the end of the year.
What I've got so far (including some very basic things because I like to cross items off a list!):
- Serve Thanksgiving dinner for our community at church.
- Stuff ourselves again on Thanksgiving night with Jeremy's family.
- Analyze the mountain of Black Friday sale papers with family on Thanksgiving evening...then go to bed instead of going shopping. : )
- Watch Love, Actually with my sister (holiday tradition!).
- Watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and The Santa Clause with A & M...likely many times over.
- Stay up far too late each night of Thanksgiving week, talking, cooking, eating, and watching movies with family (including Laura Jo, who will be home most of the week!).
- See a movie in the theater (a rare treat) with my mom and sister...we have done this the past couple of years, so it's kind of becoming tradition for us.
- Ride through our favorite neighborhoods to see Christmas lights.
- Take a walk around our own neighborhood to check out all the lights and decorations... we kind of started this last night by walking down the street to see a neighbor's tree through the window!
- Get a picture with Santa (if the girls don't flip out, that is).
- Make these fun little trees with the girls.
- Go to holiday lights at the Chattanooga Zoo (thanks to a good deal on Groupon).
- Bake and decorate Christmas cookies with the girls.
- Stay up late wrapping gifts and finalizing the Christmas-morning setup with Jeremy, who is thankfully off work on Christmas Eve this year!
- Read the Christmas story together as a family on Christmas Eve...we have a great book I am looking forward to introducing to Addison & Mackenzie.
- Host a holiday get-together for some of our close friends.
- Attend the Christmas Eve candlelight service with our family.
- And in general, enjoy every moment of watching our girls experience all that the season has to offer.
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| One of my favorite pictures from last year, largely because Addison spent so much time gazing up at the tree like that; as if she was just in awe of it. |
11.11.2011
Friday Night Five
1. Well, I'm a NaBloPoMo flunkee. I posted on each of the first nine days of November, which was a record for me, I'm sure. But some days I just don't feel like blogging, or I am not inspired, and that doesn't make for good reading does it?
Many months ago, I basically stopped using the computer at home on the weekends, and quite honestly? I like it that way. The weekends are family time, and when the girls go to bed, Jeremy and I are left with some of the very few hours we get alone each week. I don't need my "requirement" to post a blog to get in the way of that. (If I were all organized and efficient like some other bloggers I know, I would have posts pre-written and set to post automatically. Alas, that will never be me...I write about whatever is on my mind at the time.)
I do think maybe I can get in the habit of posting more often during the week, which was my original goal anyway. So...win?
2. I left work early yesterday and Jeremy and I were able to have lunch and do some shopping together. I had my first peppermint mocha of the season, so it feels like the holidays are officially here! I got the girls some black boots, which they are in LOVE with already, and a new outfit for our family pictures this weekend. We picked up a present or two and just enjoyed wandering around for awhile, and it was very, very enjoyable.
3. I had an unpleasant experience with a chain bookstore that still has me a little irritated. I had a 25% off coupon, so I was going to break my own rule (don't buy anything for yourself that you have already put on your Christmas wishlist!) and buy the Harry Potter box set. I knew the average online price was around $50, so when the clerk helping me pulled up the price of $86 and some change, I quickly declined. While taking a coffee break, I searched for the online listing and quickly found the set on the store's OWN website for $52.15, with a little button that said "click here to pick-up in your local store". Sounds like a workable deal, right? I reserve it at the online price, then "pick it up" at the store.
I'm sure you can see this coming, but it didn't happen. No, apparently when you reserve online, you have to pay the store's price at pickup if there's a difference. Do you know how extremely upset I would have been if I had traveled to the store to pick those up? It would not have been my best moment, I feel sure.
Though I didn't really want to give them my money after that, I saw a book I knew A & M would flip over, so I used my coupon to get it for them. We have another Llama, llama book, and they request it multiple times a day sometimes.
4. I think the girls are back on schedule from the time change last weekend. It wasn't particularly hard on us, but for the past couple of weeks they had been waking up a little earlier than usual so I was worried about the possibilities for a wrecked sleep-schedule. They stayed up super-late one day last weekend, so it might have even helped that they were a little off schedule to begin with. A & M are pretty much back on track, though they are still waking up earlier than they were for awhile, but I'm thinking the months of sleeping until 8:30 or 9:00 must have just been a fluke. Regardless, I can't complain about 7:15 when they are also taking marathon afternoon naps, like the three-hour one from this afternoon. (It was glorious!)
5. Not to be deliberately vague (because I haaaaate that, really), but I have a possible change coming up, and it would be freakin' fantastic. So, just send good wishes and/or prayers my way, okay? I will certainly share if it happens. It's a big maybe right now, but still...
Many months ago, I basically stopped using the computer at home on the weekends, and quite honestly? I like it that way. The weekends are family time, and when the girls go to bed, Jeremy and I are left with some of the very few hours we get alone each week. I don't need my "requirement" to post a blog to get in the way of that. (If I were all organized and efficient like some other bloggers I know, I would have posts pre-written and set to post automatically. Alas, that will never be me...I write about whatever is on my mind at the time.)
I do think maybe I can get in the habit of posting more often during the week, which was my original goal anyway. So...win?
2. I left work early yesterday and Jeremy and I were able to have lunch and do some shopping together. I had my first peppermint mocha of the season, so it feels like the holidays are officially here! I got the girls some black boots, which they are in LOVE with already, and a new outfit for our family pictures this weekend. We picked up a present or two and just enjoyed wandering around for awhile, and it was very, very enjoyable.
3. I had an unpleasant experience with a chain bookstore that still has me a little irritated. I had a 25% off coupon, so I was going to break my own rule (don't buy anything for yourself that you have already put on your Christmas wishlist!) and buy the Harry Potter box set. I knew the average online price was around $50, so when the clerk helping me pulled up the price of $86 and some change, I quickly declined. While taking a coffee break, I searched for the online listing and quickly found the set on the store's OWN website for $52.15, with a little button that said "click here to pick-up in your local store". Sounds like a workable deal, right? I reserve it at the online price, then "pick it up" at the store.
I'm sure you can see this coming, but it didn't happen. No, apparently when you reserve online, you have to pay the store's price at pickup if there's a difference. Do you know how extremely upset I would have been if I had traveled to the store to pick those up? It would not have been my best moment, I feel sure.
Though I didn't really want to give them my money after that, I saw a book I knew A & M would flip over, so I used my coupon to get it for them. We have another Llama, llama book, and they request it multiple times a day sometimes.
4. I think the girls are back on schedule from the time change last weekend. It wasn't particularly hard on us, but for the past couple of weeks they had been waking up a little earlier than usual so I was worried about the possibilities for a wrecked sleep-schedule. They stayed up super-late one day last weekend, so it might have even helped that they were a little off schedule to begin with. A & M are pretty much back on track, though they are still waking up earlier than they were for awhile, but I'm thinking the months of sleeping until 8:30 or 9:00 must have just been a fluke. Regardless, I can't complain about 7:15 when they are also taking marathon afternoon naps, like the three-hour one from this afternoon. (It was glorious!)
5. Not to be deliberately vague (because I haaaaate that, really), but I have a possible change coming up, and it would be freakin' fantastic. So, just send good wishes and/or prayers my way, okay? I will certainly share if it happens. It's a big maybe right now, but still...
11.09.2011
Phone Photo Dump
I'm really tired tonight, but I have blogged eight days in a row so far...I'm not quitting now!
Here are some Instagram pictures from my phone over the last few weeks:
Here are some Instagram pictures from my phone over the last few weeks:
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| Fall trees around the courthouse square. Love seeing these trees when I come to work every day. |
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| Mackenzie at dinner a few weeks ago |
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| Addison painting pumpkins |
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| Mackenzie and her pumpkin |
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| Movie night with my two favorite girls! The Wizard of Oz, of course. |
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| Mackenzie at the library Saturday morning. |
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| I hope to use this picture again after the Alabama/Auburn game! : ) |
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| One of my current favorite pictures. |
Jeremy is taking the day off tomorrow and he promised the girls a breakfast date before he takes them to school. They went to bed really excited about it. : )
I am taking the afternoon off and J and I are going to lunch and to do a little shopping. Combined with the holiday on Friday, it should be a great long weekend. Hopefully a relaxing one as well...we could use it!
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