The Dilley Family

Please VOTE for me!!!

2010-07-20T10:49:00.000-05:00

Fellow bloggers...we won't even begin to discuss my lack of attention to this blog. :)

I need your help! I am a finalist in a photo contest and have the chance to win Adobe's CS5, the big mamajama of photoshop! This is a huge opportunity for me! In case I have missed you on facebook, or email, or any of the other places I am soliciting for votes...I thought I would get you here! Please, it will take seconds!! I am image #5 and currently in the lead! :) Voting ends Sunday, so please vote and SPREAD THE WORD!! Thank you so much!!

VOTE HERE

or

HERE

My submission:

Snow Schmo

2010-02-25T11:02:00.006-06:00

At a time where I long for summer the most

Where I curse the flakes and the cold,

I am reminded of the pure heart and spirit of a child...

To my littles: Thanks for dragging mommy out into the snow!
(p.s. I am still counting the days til spring)

Life is too precious

2010-02-17T08:33:00.004-06:00

I am reminded on a daily basis to stop sweating the small stuff, and lately it seems like God is SCREAMING this to me at the top of his lungs. I feel the need to share this reminder. We've been to a few funerals lately, a few too many if you ask me. I have a close friend who is on an incredibly tough journey (battle?) with her precious baby girl. And then this story that I am about to share with you. I was truly humbled reading their blog, "humbled" being an understatement. Heck I bawled for 30 minutes while I read Bronson's story. I don't know this family. The blog was shared with me by someone also feeling the need to share this reminder "stop taking life for granted"! It makes my daily struggles suddenly seem so unimportant. It makes me want to be a better mother, to not yell as much, to not sweat over the tiniest of things. I mean, who cares if Logan colored on the wall for the 10th time. His mistakes can be washed away, right? I hope this family does not mind me sharing their blog, I just think the message they can give us is so very important. This little boy is a true miracle, and example of the "power of prayer". Please continue to pray for him and his family, especially his mother that she might be able to forgive herself for her "mistakes". I think its pretty obvious that God has forgiven her...

DISCLAIMER: I was told to put this on here in case you missed the point of my post...this is a SAD and frightening/eye opening story about a child...BUT, if you read through the recent posts you will see His glory!
(start on Feb 1st post)
http://stakerzxposed.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html

Hug your babies tonight!

Living (without) Color

2009-10-26T21:54:00.002-05:00

The Gap casting call update...

2009-10-15T09:53:00.002-05:00

So I did it. I shamelessly entered my kids in the gap casting call. Maybe one of those 20 amazing, awesome, beautiful/handsome, intelligent (just in case they read this) panelists will somehow (out of the billions of entries and cuteness overload) come across one of my children's photos. I mean if they actually look at them, how can they not pick them (other than *Ava's eye photo--whoops)? I won't solicit votes though. I mean, you can if you want...but I do encourage you to enter your own children!! And then if your child wins you have to take me on your trip to Las Vegas! :) The votes go towards the "fan favorite", which is not the same as being a finalist (those lovely panelists pick those)!

So, I thought it would be fun to vote, however I went to see the top voted kids...and they have like 20,000 votes! Are you kidding me? The top two are brother and sister, and let me tell you...those were SOLICITED votes. lol I mean they are cute kids, but uh, yeah not 20K votes worth. So anywho, I dont know 20,000 people, and it would take a lot more than the 5 blog stalkers I have to vote every day to even come close to that! I will still post the link so you can see which photos I submitted. I realized how bad I have been with taking pictures lately!! I need to get on that!! I need to get on a lot of things...like going and getting Logan out of his crib right now cause all I here is "momma din, DIIIIN, DIIIIIIIIIN MAMAMAMAMA" *din=Done :)

http://family.go.com/gapcastingcall/entries/ldilley4410/249200147/
http://family.go.com/gapcastingcall/entries/dilley331/

If you click "see all entries by ldilley" you can see the others. I also had to submit one under Chris's name because I didn't resize one of Ava's photo *ie the EYE, and all it did was post a picture of her eye. Gee, maybe we'll win on most artistic photo! :)

Counting the ways my kids are AWESOME!

2009-10-08T09:40:00.004-05:00

I think most parents have that innate ego that their kid's are the best, cutest, strongest, talented, etc...even when maybe they aren't so much. lol Well, I am no exception. Id like to share a random list of how awesome my kids are, if not only to prove to them when they are older that I DID remember to write some things down in their baby book (both are mostly empty at the moment---a lot like my keeping up with this blog :)).

Ava:

A few different times now that I have picked her up from preschool, one of her teachers walks her out to the car and just completely dotes on her..."Ava is such a good girl, she listens so well, she is just so adorable I could eat her (please don't), she is just so much fun I just wanna take her home (we can maybe schedule that)", etc. I feel myself blush a little when I hear how awesome someone else thinks MY child is, and a little proud to hear that she listens so well to other adults. She IS pretty awesome.

The fact that she came up with "What in tarnation?" all on her own.

She is already starting to refer to her daddy as "father". Perhaps one of my favorites. Our random conversation at breakfast the other day..."Mommy, remember when father bought me a train for the Christmas tree." And last night before bed, "I wish father were here."

She has no fear. Something that as a mother I wish she had a LITTLE bit of, but it still proves her awesomeness. She was the 1 yr old, climbing the highest slide by herself at the park. She is the 3 yo gymnast who does flips on the bar, with praise from her gymnastic teacher about being fearless. She is the preschooler, who asks her mommy to drop her off at the curb. She wants to walk in all by herself. She is Miss Independent, that's for sure!

I love the way she can walk into a room and make friends with everyone there! She LOVES to socialize, and is always trying to plan out our day. I love that she is so outgoing! She takes after her father on that one!

Always says at random times of the day, "I love you mommy". "Logan, I love you" or "I love daddy/father." "I love grammy/grandpa", etc. She is a very thoughtful little girl, full of love. Basically, she is awesome!

Logan:

Started saying daddy right around a year, maybe even earlier (told you Im not good at writing this stuff down). Said mommy right around 16 months, also about the same time he started saying daggy instead of daddy. I LOVE IT!

Has no problem tackling his sissy in a tutu or princess dress (see picture below).

He will try to repeat just about everything you say, and if he doesn't he just laughs...like as if to laugh at you for even suggesting he say that! (I know what you are thinking, age appropriate right? Well if you heard him say elmo you'd understand! His voice deepens, and he puts special emphasis on the oooo. I'll have to post a video of all his words. I know its something all kids do, but watching a baby learn to talk is just plain awesome!

Has been known to climb on top the counters, the highchair, back of the toilet, back of the couch, back of the chair...he climbs so much, I'm pretty sure he is part monkey...or maybe that's just "all boy".

When he does climb on something he shouldn't, I know this because its always followed by him saying "tada"! I have turned around after hearing "tada" only to find him standing on the top slat of the kitchen chair, on top of his highchair tray, and standing on the back of the toilet while I was in the shower! He is for sure going to give me a heart attack! "Tada" also means, "I just put ketchup in my hair", "I just put ketchup in sissy's hair", "I climbed on top of the bathroom counter and knocked down all of mommy's makeup, and now I'm wearing it", etc. Basically, "tada" is like "uhoh" only 1000 times worse. haha

He is very sweet and caring. After watching my friend Mary with her baby, he now will sit and rock a baby doll in his elmo chair and "burp" the baby. He loves babies! One good thing about him being around so many girls, he is gonna be an AWESOME boyfriend and one day husband and father. Yes, I can tell this at only 17 months. As wild and crazy as he can be, he has such a gentle soul. Basically, he is awesome!

Stay tuned to vote for my awesome kids, after I enter them in the gap kids casting call! Its not that I think my kids are the cutest kids ever and will hands down win, its that they have no clothes that fit them and there is a 1000 dollar shopping spree on the line. So please, even if you don't think they are cute, come back and vote for them, so that they might have clothes to keep them warm in the winter! :) Thanks for reading!

Babysteps Photography, Lesson 1: The On/off button

2009-07-28T08:34:00.004-05:00

Here is what I have learned so far: I won't learn anything unless I turn the camera on! I started out reading all these "learn how" websites (which I will continue to do knowing me), only turning the camera on to see how the heck everything actually applied to my camera. And, I'm pretty sure the manual is written in a foreign language. :) I have learned a good lesson so far, the manual and the websites won't do me any good unless I just turn the camera on and start snapping away! So I did! And my husband has participated as well (I will admit a bit of jealousy cause he seems to know a lot more than I do and his pictures look better than mine!) Bear with me, as I just uploaded over 400 pictures to my computer!!! We have had a great couple of weeks to capture--The Great LaPorte County Fair and even a little mini family getaway for a friend's wedding. Here is a sweet pic of my little man (courtesy of Images.by.Chris) to keep you entertained while I make my way through editing the other 400 some pictures! :) MMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmm, ice cream!

My new toy, updates, and more promises!!

2009-07-23T09:24:00.010-05:00

Ok, so I know the world has not stopped in its tracks because of my inability to keep up with this blog. The short of it...having two takes up a lot more time than I imagined it would! Not to mention, Logan has this amazing radar to know when the computer is open and will fly in from across the room (or the other room) to come pound on the keys, pull on the screen, etc etc. As you can imagine that has limited my blogging time to bedtime or naptime, formaly known also as my bedtime or naptime. However, Ive got a new toy and Im picking up a new hobby! Photography is something I have ALWAYS wanted to get into, and that desire has grown more and more since having children (the PERFECT subjects). I am planning to devote more of that former sleep time to my new hobby. My loving husband has made this all possible by gifting me, probably the best gift EVER---a brand new DSLR camera. (don't worry, I just learned what that means too) Basically, it means I have this really awesome camera, that I know nothing about! Its time to put my money where my mouth is and invest some of my sleep time into learning my new hobby! Im going to hold myself accountable by providing weekly updates (photo updates) of my learning progress.

My lesson learned this week...even on Auto, I hardly have to do anything to these pictures! Im very excited to learn the manual side of the camera, but for now Im just enjoying taking pictures without having to go in and edit every single one of them! Plus, I think I have finally got a picture that really shows their true eye color. A detail that is priceless to a mother! Whatcha think?

Ava is 3 and Logan is walking!!!

2009-04-01T14:26:00.006-05:00

Where is the time going? Ava's 3rd bday was 3 weeks ago, this is how awesome I am at updating everyone! :) But, she had a wonderful birthday! We spent the sunday before at Grammy's house for a bday party, followed by Monday (her actual bday) with her best friends at the bounce house place, and then later that evening with Grandma and Grandpa Dilley! And Logan is walking more and more each day. He really started taking off this past weekend, after months of taking a few steps at a time. I thought Id do some spring cleaning on my blog, add some pictures, and a nice little update. We are all EXTREMELY ready for spring! Not a day goes by that Ava doesnt ask to go out and play. We were lucky with a week or two of park days and even one beach day! Hoping this 40 degree weather passes soon! Anyways, here are some pictures and video of the last few weeks...birthday, beach, walking, etc. Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Logan's surgery

2009-03-06T23:05:00.002-06:00

Logan had his hypospadias repair on Monday at Children's Memorial in Chicago. It could not have gone any better! It is such an awful feeling knowing your baby has to go under general anesthesia, but he did (and continues to do) amazing! We got there first thing in the morning, 730 am. I had woken him up at 330 am so he could nurse one last time. Knowing how much my little man eats, I thought being NPO was going to be so hard on him. But, he did great right up until it was time for him to head back to surgery. He crawled around in his gown, played peek-a-boo with the doctors and nurses outside his sliding glass door. He found his EMPTY sippy in my purse, which was enough to break my heart! He kept trying to shake it, then take a drink, then shake, then drink. Of course there was nothing in it. :( It was so hard to let them take him back! I thought I would be able to go back with him until he was asleep, but the anesthesiologist said he would be asleep within 2 min of leaving me, so its best if he just carries him back. UGH that was hard. But, Logan didnt cry, which made it easier. He just stared at the doc, holding his frog and sucked away on his paci. They put him under general, and also did a caudal block, which is like an epidural for pain control after the surgery. I couldnt believe how well he did!

They finished the surgery sometime around 11. The doctor came to talk to us for maybe 10 minutes, then we got to go see him in recovery right away. He was already WIDE awake and he had chugged down 4 oz of juice! He nursed right away and did so well they only kept us back there for a few minutes. We waited maybe another hour for his discharge instructions and prescriptions and just like that, we were on our way home! He didnt even snooze on the ride home. He took his normal nap and went to bed just like normal. He hasn't even been overly fussy, which is something we were definately trying to prepare ourselves for! Kids are amazing and so resilient! He was a little bummed today, after I took his dressing off. He seemed a little pissed off at me, but honestly thats the most change Ive seen in him ALL week! What a relief this has been! I keep waiting for the ball to drop and things to change. But, overall we are very thankful this is over with and that he has been holding up so well! What a trooper!

Mommy and Logan before Surgery

Playing peek-a-boo with the doctors and nurses

He found the empty sippy! :(

Trying to escape!!

AFTER surgery, still clinging to frog

Daddy and Logan after surgery
Grammy and Logan

Here he is later that day, 6 hours after surgery!!

Doctor appts!

2009-02-23T14:40:00.003-06:00

Last week (or was it the week before?? lol) I took both kiddos to the doctor for their well-child exams! Ava's THREE yr appt (gasp) and Logan's 9 month appt, as well as his pre-surgery physical. Ava certainly impressed the doctor with her verbal skills, as she talked NON-STOP during the visit. Logan impressed the doctor with his eating skills and his motor skills, as he walked around (with my help of course) eating cheerios the whole visit. Both kids got a clean bill of health! Both are growing (at their own pace) right on track!

Ava's 3 yr stats: 29 lbs (25th%) and 36.5 in (45%)

Logan's 9 mo stats: 20.5 lbs (50th %) and 29 1/2 in (80th%)

Logan actually lost some weight since his 6 mo appt, probably because he has been moving non-stop since then! Doc thinks he is gonna be a lean, tall, eating machine. Maybe following in his Mumma uncles footsteps! He really is losing that baby look! :( Im sad about it, Chris is happy about it! He is more of a toddler person and Im MUCH more of a baby person! Its so amazing to watch your kids grow, definately bittersweet for me though! Here is a picture I took of him last week! Red nose and all, he had a little cold at the time! Also, note the fingers in the mouth! His top two teeth came through, making a total of 4 now! He has his surgery next Monday, so thoughts and prayers would be much appreciated! I know God will watch over him, but the mama in me can't help but be nervous! After I took this picture of Logan sitting in the chair like a big boy...Ava wanted to sit in the chair to show how big she is too! I need to post a new Ava-isms post. Ive got some doozy's from the last few weeks!

Logan: Our human garbage disposal

2009-02-04T14:23:00.006-06:00

Ava has had the attention the last few posts, so today's nap time I'd like to dedicate to Logan, the human garbage disposal! My mom text me one morning as she is feeding him breakfast, "does he have a stop button"? I admit, Ive looked for one. The downside to this eating machine...at the ripe age of 9 months, he is already trying to eat us out of house and home. The teenage years are not looking pretty for my grocery bill!!

The plus side...he has a sister who eats like a bird! But don't worry...that food no longer goes to waste! I no longer get mad because I made her a grilled cheese that she took one bite off. Logan will eat it. I no longer get upset that I opened an entire can of peaches for her that went untouched. Logan will eat it. I CAN order her meals again when we go out to eat, because now I know what she doesn't touch, Logan will. Money not wasted. :) Left over pepperonis or half eaten containers of green beans that no longer have a place in the refrigerator? Don't worry, Logan will eat them. Cheese or yogurt that will expire in 2 days? No rush...Logan will eat it. Aside from the bottle filled with Pepsi, and the fried chicken he eats every night before drifting off to sleep...I don't foresee a trip to Maury Povich anytime soon. His rolls are trimming down, his face is getting leaner. I hate to say it but he is looking more and more like that active T word (toddler) than he is my sweet, chubby little baby! We go next week for his 9 mo and Ava's 3 yr (gasp) check-up. I'll be able to give a more accurate weight for my "little" guy. Speaking of toddling, he is getting closer and closer to walking. He loves his walker toy, and he loves to walk around the room holding your hands. He even gets brave at times and even tries it one-handed! We'll see...but, I have a feeling it won't be long!

I thought since the topic was about food, Id share some of the little man eating. The first two are of him eating blueberries. The pictures don't even do justice to the mess he made! He LOVES him some blueberries though!

The next two pictures I thought were pretty funny. Logan's favorite pastime lately...playing in the cupboards! I think he is looking for a snack, or planning his next meal! (check out all that snow through the window---blech). Then lastly, we are thinking about entering him in a chugging contest! haha. He puts his whole self into his drinking...then throws his cup when he is done. Typical male! :)

I know that every baby does "so big"...but its still sooo stinkin cute!

Ava-isms: Part One

2009-02-03T15:46:00.003-06:00

We do this weekly "kids say the darndest things" post on a mommy forum I belong too. Its hysterical the things they come up with at this age. Ava has me laughing on a daily basis with some of the things she says. I wanted to start keeping track of them, and maybe some of you will find some entertainment in them as well! So, Id like to start a weekly post here too!

1. Everyone that walked into the room was a doctor. Didnt matter if it was housekeeping, the nurse, an actual doctor...they were ALL doctors. Anytime Id leave and come back she'd have another gift (she was 1 of maybe 3 pts on the floor and she was the only little one). Id say, who brought you that? She'd say the same thing everytime..."the doctor got me this" hahaha "the doctor brought me more apple juice", "the doctor made my bed", etc etc

2. In the ambulance...I had to sit up front, so she was sitting in the back by herself with the paramedic. I could hear the guy talking to her, but couldnt really hear their conversation. All of a sudden he comes up front by us and the driver asks him what he is doing. He said he was trying to entertain her by asking her questions and she turned to him seriously and said..."Im just going to close my eyes right now. No more talking." so, he turned the lights off and came up front. lol

3. So, then we get to the hospital and she came alive again and started talking nonstop. "Is this the hostital?" (hospital) "Are we going on the alligator? (elevator) Is that guy sick like me?? She yelled REAL loud, "Pooh, pooh, pooh, poohs on the floor". (we were all thinking she is talking about poo on the floor) Ava said "no, you silly, dare's pooh right dare on da fwoor." Sure enough, there was a huge winnie the pooh sitting right there! No, you silly!

4. My cynical little girl. Whenever we are watching tv, if she sees something not "real" she will let us know. "barney isnt real, dinosaurs cant talk, monsters dont talk"...etc. We were at dinner last week and my brother points to a dog that she is coloring and asks her what a doggie says. She turns to him all seriously and says..."Dogs cant talk!"...DUH! hahaha

5. She got so sick of me asking how she was feeling, one time she was laying in bed and it looked like she was gonna get sick. I asked her if she was gonna throw up and she said "Dont say that to me ANYMORE mom." I maybe was being a tad overbearing!

More to come...nap time is officially over! :(

Ava's hospital adventure

2009-02-03T09:47:00.005-06:00

As most of you know, Ava spent a few days in the hospital last week. I know that the normal course of a blog is that I would have posted about it as it was happening, along with updates so you knew what was going on. But, I guess we got too caught up in a sick child and a 9 month old at home. Im sure you understand. At any rate, I still wanted to document this event for myself, for Ava, and for anyone curious. So, here’s what happened:

Ava started having belly aches, stopped eating food, and having some intermittent diarrhea on Sunday. It was nothing intense, but I knew she wasn’t feeling right. Thursday, she woke up as usual. Ventured over to our room, drank her FULL sippy of milk, then proceeded to throw it up all over my bed! Poor thing, was so sick after that. All day Thursday, she would just moan and cry in pain. Anything she ate or drank, came out one way or another. I called the peds and they told me there was a stomach bug going around, just try and keep her hydrated. So…I did. Friday, was pretty much the same, although she seemed maybe a touch better. After talking with the peds office again, I was convinced it was just a stomach bug and to just try and wait it out, I even went to work. What really bothered us about this though, was she would have these periods of extreme pain. It would jolt her off the couch, eyes bulging out of her head type of pain. Finally, Saturday…I had just gotten home from work and she seemed to be doing a little better. She was thirsty and drinking, which I thought was an excellent sign of improvement. I went to sleep, and not even two hours later Chris came to wake me up. He said he was taking Ava to the ER. She was SCREAMING in pain, and wouldn’t stop. She couldn’t be consoled, she didn’t want to be touched, nothing. Now I was worried that this was more than just a stomach bug. I ended up taking her to the ER myself.

After throwing up (her not me) in the doorway to the ER and no one even offering me a paper towel, Ava screaming in my lap, people talking about having been there for 3 hrs already…I had contemplated leaving. Im glad I didn’t. Thanks to a sympathetic mom/nurse, Ava got taken back right away. They started an IV on her, and drew labs. Her blood work showed that she was severely dehydrated! We were there for 8 hrs. Even after IV fluids, she still would not drink (the girl had learned that if she drank, she puked). So, they had no choice but to admit her. Portage does not have a peds unit, so we got the lovely experience of being transferred by ambulance to Porter Memorial (in Valpo).

Ava was amazing. I saw so much strength and courage in my own child. As awful of a situation as it was, I could not have been more proud of her. I figured she would be real withdrawn and scared of all the things they were doing to her, and all the people messing with her and talking to her. But, she was so brave! She didn’t seem to mind or mess with her IV, which I thought was a miracle for a 2 (almost 3) year old! I figured it would be terrifying riding in an ambulance for her. I couldn’t even ride in the back with her, I had to sit up front in the passenger seat. But, she didn’t even cry. I kept yelling in the back…”are you okay Ava?”…and Id hear this sweet little voice say…”yeah mommy, Im okay”. I figured it might be a little intimidating being wheeled into a hospital, but she had perked up and was talking nonstop “is that guy sick mommy?, is that the alligator (elevator), is that my room?, what’s that on the wall?” etc etc. I figured she would be scared to sleep somewhere other than her bed. We brought as many of her things from her bed at home to help make her comfortable. Im not sure she even noticed! She crawled into bed and was asleep within seconds! She barely even woke up for the doctor! She slept great (at night) the whole time we were there. She made herself at home, in fact she cried when she finally (3 days later) had to leave! By morning, she was wheeling her own IV down the hall to the playroom. She was spoiled by everyone! She was the only little one on the floor, and there were maybe 3 patients total as it was. Everytime I turned around, she had another present. Id say, where did you get that? She’d say the same thing every time…”the doctor got me that”. Everyone was a doctor. It didn’t matter if it was the nurse, the aid, the actual doctor, the housekeeper…they were all doctors. Lol I knew she was a brave little girl (she is the one that climbs the tallest slide at the park, jumps off the highest step, etc). But, she really showed her strength through this experience. I am so proud of her!

Her diagnosis: Thankfully, in the end it really was just a nasty stomach bug (and thankfully no one else in the house got it!). Her labs came back positive for rotavirus, which is super common in kids. She definitely got a nasty version of it, though! I say thankfully it was a stomach bug, because the doctors were initially concerned it was more than that. Her symptoms weren’t typical of a stomach bug. She has never been sick like that, in fact this was the first time she has really thrown up. The pain episodes she was having made us all suspicious of an intestinal blockage. Eating or drinking the tiniest amount caused her so much pain. They were going to do x-rays and barium enema study to rule out intessuception (where the bowel collapses on itself). But, thankfully, we never had to do that. Her pain episodes ceased, and she stopped throwing up. It took her 3 days before she would start drinking again, and because she was so dehydrated they couldn’t release her until then. On day 3, I told the doctor that I felt like her not drinking was due more to her being a toddler, than that it was causing her pain. She was sick of water and sick of apple juice, and most importantly sick of me trying to force them on her!! She wanted her milk and that was that. There was no persuading her otherwise. So, the doctor let her try a little milk, and sure enough she chugged it, begging for more. We were finally able to bring her home late Monday night. Thank you to everyone for all your prayers for our little girl! Its now over a week later, and we are still adjusting to life outside the hospital. As I said, she cried when she left. Ava just asked me what I was doing…I said I am writing all about your hospital trip. She said, “oh yes, it was very good.” So good to know she isn’t damaged from all of this! :)

Turn up your speakers...I thought the dramatic music was perfect for my drama queen! :)

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Just when I thought he couldn't do it...

2009-01-15T19:22:00.003-06:00

He proves me wrong! lol Chris and I were just talking about how these walkers are not practical for those learning because they would fall right on their face. Still, yesterday I got it out and showed him what to do (he was very shaky on it and needed me to help). Then this morning out of nowhere, he comes walking across the living room ON HIS OWN! I was shocked, but managed to grab the camera for proof! He still might be a little behind his sissy (she was about 8 1/2 months when she started walking...yes, you read that right). He is 8 1/2 months now, but getting steady on his feet...and most importantly eager to try. I think he will be full out walking sometime in his 9th month! I wonder if this means they are going to be good athletes??

btw...we had a fabulous Christmas, and would like to thank everyone for helping make this such a wonderful one for the kids! I have more blogging I need to do, and plan on posting more about our holidays! Feel free to check out the pictures on shutterfly!

Merry Christmas from Ava!!!

2008-12-22T14:23:00.002-06:00

Hearing ourselves talk

2008-12-11T20:37:00.003-06:00

Have you ever seen that commercial where the mom is driving, and starts yelling at another driver. The camera pans to the toddler in the backseat watching the mom and soaking it all in and the narrator says something like "how would you react if you were being recorded 24 hours a day?" Well, this is the story of my life. Not that Im THAT mom (although I can't exactly deny it at times either), but that is most definately my child! It was very disturbing the first time I really heard "my voice" come out through Ava. Hearing her yell "AAAAAHHHHHHH" loudly in frustration over something silly. Or "LEAVE ME ALONE, GET OUTTA HERE" to Phil. Or "Stop it RIGHT NOW, Logan. I mean it." Or (and this one gets me everytime)..."DONT TALK TO ME LIKE THAT" to me when I tell her no. She'll say things with the same infliction of anger/frustration that I at times catch myself doing. IT really is like being recorded 24 hours a day, and then having someone play that video back to you. Raising a toddler is interesting, to say the least. I know, I know...it only gets worse from here. lol

Its not always a bad thing though, which is what I really wanted to share with this post. I have learned through Ava, that there is a lot of love and nurturing going on in this house. One night last week, both kids had an absolute terrible night. Ava is getting her 2 yr molars in, and this particular night she was in a lot of pain and was up most of the night. I heard Logan stirring around 4 am, which is not a normal time for him to wake up. I was just going to leave him be, knowing he would fall back asleep. Although, I did worry he would wake Ava up. Well, not that she was even sleeping. Not two minutes after he started fussing, I heard her on the monitor...HIS monitor. I knew this was really going to wake him up and he'd want to play instead of sleep. But, I just had to sit there and listen to her for a few minutes. Here is a little snippet of her convo:

Hey buddy! Whats the matter? Why you crying?? Did you lose your paci? I'll get it for you. There you go, is that all better? (meanwhile he is now laughing). Want me to give you hug? Ok let me go get my stool. (she leaves the room, he starts crying...she comes back a second later with her stool.) Oh honey, dont cry. Whats wrong? Honey, now now dont cry. Shhhhh. (he starts laughing). There you go honey. You're so handsome, honey. Such a handsome boy. Time to go to sleep now though ok?? Its still dark out. Its 3 in the morning and time for bed (my EXACT words I said to her just right before this lol). Mommy will get mad, ok? Goodnight sweetheart. Dont cry honey. Dont cry.

Its so funny to hear her say the same things I would to him, or would say to her in the situation. She says stuff like this every morning too or after naps when we go get him out of bed. Hey handsome. Good morning sweetheart. Or when I change his diaper...lay still baby, lay still. Monkey see, monkey do (or say) has taken on a whole new meaning since I became a parent. Everytime I hear her sound like myself or react like I would when Im mad/frustrated, it stops me in my tracks. Im just thankful that in my house, the good and the loving outweigh the rest! Hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving, and enjoy the upcoming holidays! Check the shutterfly website (top right link) for recent pictures. Here are a few of my favorites:

Our 6 month old Turkey

2008-11-04T19:17:00.005-06:00

Logan is 6 months now! He weighed in at 20 lbs 6 oz...he will be a perfect sized turkey just in time for thanksgiving! 90th percentile for weight, 75th for height, and 50th for head! He is definately a big boy! He crawls backwards, rolls all over the floor, and definately knows how to get around. He is so close to crawling forward, Id say any week or even day now. You can see the wheels a turnin when he's bouncin on his knees! He definately has a look of determination and it wont be long before he is keepin up with his sissy. He also has his two bottom teeth (we all worked hard for those with fussing and lack of sleep!!) Hopefully, he will get a break with teething for a while. Our next task is sleeping through the night. Ive decided its time to work on that. Ava was so easy, she was sleeping 12 straight hours by the time I went back to work. Logan took me going back to work a lot harder and actually got worse with sleeping. But, its definately time, mama is tired and daddy certainly isnt getting any breaks on the weekends. The doctor said there is no reason he needs to eat 2-3 times a night...I happen to agree with her. Wish us luck!!

Ava really enjoyed halloween! This was the first time she really went trick or treating. She had so much fun. I think she was pretty amazed that she got candy just for saying "trick or treat". :) Here are a few pictures of the pair. Logan was a teddy bear, fittingly for his sweet personality. And Ava was a pink dinosaur...don't you remember seeing those on Jurassic Park?? I need to catch up on the blog, and post some fun pictures and videos Ive taken the last month or so. I'll stick to Halloween for tonight, but feel free to check out the new pics up on the shutterfly website (link on the top right). Happy voting day!!

I think we may be in trouble!

2008-10-03T13:24:00.007-05:00

Little stinker just turned 5 months! His sitting is now perfected, so he thought he'd move on to standing! He got so mad at me when I sat him back down. He wanted right back up but couldnt figure out how to pull himself up yet, so he just yelled at me til I stood him back up! lol. He is very mobile on the floor, but no crawling quite yet. CLOSE though, very close. Chris and I both think it will be a matter of weeks. His sissy was walking before she even turned 9 months. I think he may be following suit!

Logan also started getting very interested in eating when we were eating dinner. I wanted to hold off til after 6 months with solids because he is doing so well on just mama milk. However, he told us otherwise! After weeks of him grabbing everything off the table, reaching for every bite I put into my mouth...I finally gave in. He is such a happy boy now at dinner time! So far he has only had rice cereal and bananas! But, he LOVES it all! Ava never really liked baby food. Its so funny how different they can be!

This picture below is the whole reason I finally gave in to solids! Ok, so this picture needs an explanation! NO, I am not feeding him a sandwich. lol. He was sitting in the bumbo joining me and Ava for lunch. He decided her sammy looked yummy and so he picked it right up off her plate. I thought it was hysterical, grabbed the camera just in time. However, our flash takes like 10 seconds, so I had to intervene and grab it out of his mouth before he ate it! So, no I am not feeding him a sandwich. And, no he did not get any of it actually in his mouth!! :)

Mr. Independent

They grow so fast don't they??

Singing in the rain...

2008-10-03T10:05:00.003-05:00

Just singing in the rain. What a glorious feeling, Im happy again! doodoodoodoo

You can watch the video, just don't call CPS on me! :)

You guys won't believe this!!!

2008-09-04T16:35:00.003-05:00

Its now Day 3 of potty training, supposedly the END according to the potty training GURU. I was a skeptic myself. In fact, I think I went into this thinking its not gonna happen, she just isnt ready. I guess it was mommy who wasnt ready because its now almost 5 and not one accident all day! I know I should knock on wood, but even if she did have ONE who cares! Do you know how far we have come? I started from ground zero with this kid! The first two days were stressful, especially with a teething baby on my hands. Day 2 was the worst, since Chris wasnt here. It really helped having a second pair of hands/eyes on her all day the first day. I wanted to come post an update last night...but this would of been all I would have posted...

I was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo stressed. I thought, no way will she get this in 3 days. My kid is sloooow. This 3 day lady is crazy. What was I thinking? lol You get the point. But, this morning she woke up and immediately asked to go potty. She has told me every single time since. I didnt even use a pull-up for naptime and she woke up dry...FIRST TIME EVER! Its been a great day! To anyone with kids who arent potty trained yet...I highly suggest doing this when it comes time (and the GURU says anyone over 22 months that can communicate, even if they dont talk)! Its a stressful 3 days (2 really for Ava), but worth it in the end. The best part of it all, Ive never seen my daughter so proud of herself. Who knew potty training was a life lesson for success and self-esteem?

http://www.3daypottytraining.com/

Shameless picture post...

2008-09-02T22:52:00.003-05:00

Just too cute not to share! Ava @ 4 months and Logan @ 4 months. Both early sitters!

Day One...of Three (potty training)

2008-09-02T21:59:00.006-05:00

And what a day it was!! All I have to say is THANK GOD Chris was here to help! Let me start by showing a little bit of our preparation from last week!!

Very excited about our big girl panties!! Plus a pic of all our supplies! (ie "big girl" wipes, "big girl" soap, you get the theme here?"

And of course, the REAL DEAL M&Ms

I must like a challenge, because Im starting this with a fussy/teething 4 month old on my hands too! This is the face Chris and I have seen the most in the last week. If you know Logan, you know this is not his norm. But, who doesn't like a good challenge?

I even took him to the doctor this afternoon he has been so bad (dont worry he got a clean bill of health)...too bad there isnt a prescription for fussiness! But, it was kind of nice to get away from the potty training arena for a little while! Let me give you an idea of how it went today...

830: Everyone is showered, and fed and ready to go! Diapers are thrown away!! bye bye diapers! WE are VERY excited for big girl panties. We dressed her in just her new underwear, and a tshirt.

831: Our first accident. Soaked our first pair of undies, completely missed the toilet. But, she put on a fresh pair and we reminded her to stay dry and to tell us when she had to go.

831-10: 4 pairs of underwear down. All were catching her in the act, and she finished on the potty. Even a little drop gets a sticker and m&m.

10: She tell me she has to go potty, and undies are completely dry!!! YAY, this is easy! hahahahahaha

1015: 2nd dry undies, and again told us she had to go! *me thinks this is too easy!

1030: few drops in undies, few in potty...but she did tell us she had to go!

1040: small accident on daddy, rest in potty 6 pairs down

1050: same thing, down 7 pairs *good thing we bought 20 pairs!

1056: Same thing down 8 (Daddy now heads to walmart for more undies! :))

1111: same thing, but made a TON in the potty!

etc etc...SEE where Im going with this? This went on the entire day, with a few hits and a few misses, but mostly a combo of both. But, our enthusiasm is still there, our morale is high, and praying for a good night! According to the potty training queen, it WILL click with her within the next two days. Im hopeful...here is where our progress ended for the night. She did not go # 2 ALL day, right? Very abnormal for her. Well, we were sitting here watching tv before bed and she hops up "mommy I gotta go potty"...so we RUN to the bathroom, as she had all 500 times today. At first I thought she was fooling me, but then she said "mommy, I did it!!" And that she did! Our very first poop in the potty. You all can rest very soundly tonight now...or a least I can (I had visions, bad visions of this accident in the middle of the night). She also told me after her bath she had to go, and she did! Which means, she held it instead of going in the tub! All in all, it was a LONG day, and very trying...but it will be worth it if we can be completely diaper free by Thursday!

You think Im crazy dont you??

PottyTrainingBlues---part deux

2008-08-28T14:24:00.003-05:00

We have HIT a milestone! Ava peed in the potty for the first time the other night!!! You would have thought she won the nobel prize or an oscar (although Ive never had a child win a nobel prize, I imagine it ranks up there as proud parental moments along with being able to pee on the potty). We danced, and laughed, and jumped up and down shouting/clapping for a good 5 minutes! She then, with the utmost seriousness, said "mommy I need an m&m now". Oh I love this kid...she has a memory like you would not believe. I told her once that if she went pee on the potty, she would get an m&m. I did not tell her this yesterday, but like months ago!! I wanted the enthusiasm for the potty to continue, so we rush to the kitchen in search of something that just might pass as an m&m (after all, she has never even had one!). I thought to myself...CHOCOLATE CHIPS. Ahhh, but in a deep, pregnant desperation for chocolate I had consumed the last of my chocolate chip stash. But, there were butterscotch chips. Could this work?? She tasted it..."mmmmmmmm, mommy that m&m is yummy. I want another!!" HA, I said "Ava, honey...you can have them only for peeing on the potty". So, guess what she did? Thats right, she peed on the potty about 7 more times that night...over and over. Even if it was just a drop, she would look at me with that same excitement as the very first time and would say with utter pride "MOMMY LOOOOOOOOOK, I DID IT!!!!!" "Can I have an M&M now?"

ayayayay. So there is my PTB story # 3

The next morning, we put on her diaper as if the whole m&m saga never even happened. But, could this be the end of PTB stories?? By this time next Thursday, Ava WILL be potty trained and diapers will be a thing of the past! (Do you like my confidence?) Next Tuesday, we are starting the "Potty Train in 3 days" plan etched out by potty training fanatic Lora Jensen. It works for EVERY kid, so that would include Ava right? Sure!! So, Im waiting til Tuesday in hopes that Chris will be home to help with Logan. Lora's directions are that the trainee have your full attention. We also have some preparing to do. Ava and I are going this afternoon to pick out her big girl underwear, some fun activities and little prizes to keep us entertained and motivated, OH...and of course m&ms. The real kind this time, not the "whatever mommy can find in the cupboard kind"! So, wish us luck!! I will keep you posted of course!

Getting organized!

2008-08-28T14:14:00.005-05:00

With my pictures that is. Ive had a shutterfly account for a while, but just realized I could host all my pictures there, with my own website for everyone to see! So, Im trying to unload all the photos on my computer, for your (and my) viewing pleasure. I get asked a lot (mainly grandmas :)) for pictures of the kids, well now here is your opportunity. Shutterfly makes it real easy on ya. Open the albums, Click order prints, give them your address, and pay. :) Cheap too...like 9 cents a picture. Its something I need to work really hard on doing, getting all these pictures printed out and into albums. Im WAAAAAAAYYY behind! I have a lot of uploading to do, like 2 years worth. So, I started with the most recent and will work backwards. I dont want to confuse anyone! :) So, if you come here and just can't get enough of these adorable faces...feel free to check it out!!

Look on the top right, where it says Our Pictures. Click that link and you are good to go!

Lions and tigers and reindeer in a baby pool?? OH MY

2008-08-20T20:21:00.006-05:00

From kids

Yes you read that right!! For those who haven't experienced the Michigan City Zoo in a while...watch closely, you may miss it! My mom and I took the kids there last week. Thankfully, it was close and not a ton of money was spent because princess Ava was not a fan. Just like at the fair, she plugged her nose the whole time at the "stinky" animals. We wanted to take her to see the baby Zebra. She talked ALL day (and the day before which is excitement spelled out for a two year old) about seeing the baby zebra. Too bad she was too busy covering her face, in ever so dramatic style, that she didn't even LOOK at the little baby. Don't worry, I took a picture for her scrapbook. Im kickin' myself in the pants for not getting a picture of her plugging her nose. I'll definately have to save this blog for her to read someday!

I thought Id show off some of what the zoo has to offer. Yes, the reindeer IS floating in a baby pool. I bet you won't find THAT exhibit at the San Diego Zoo!

"Thats how I roll"

2008-08-12T11:03:00.007-05:00

As a parent, there seems to be something new on a daily basis that amazes me with my kids. Im sure this isn't unique to me, more a commonality among all parents. I mean, I know Im not the only one with the cutest, smartest, most advanced kids! :) But, its okay for you to tell me that I am! For instance, yesterday Logan discovered his feet! Grandma had been talking how it will be any day now because he STARES at them and drools, as if he is just thinking and plotting. Sure enough, yesterday he was sitting in her lap with his chunky little fingers wrapped around his toes, trying to figure out the best way to get those in his mouth!

But, that was yesterday. Today, his amazing moment was when we went to the doctor's office for shots. I had kept him up from his nap to take him, so I thought for sure this was NOT going to go smoothly. But, he laid there, his thighs exposed and ready when he just started cracking up at the nurse. Smiling, laughing and blowing raspberries at her. She said, "Logan you can't smile at me like that when Im about to poke you!" But, he didnt care...schmoozing will get you far in life and Logan does it well! It didnt get him out of his shots though. He got one for each chunky little thigh, and didnt even blink an eye. He just kept laughing and blowing bubbles at the nurse. No tears, no frowns, nada. What a tough guy! Meanwhile, Ava is sitting there watching and she now has invisible owies on her thighs, as well as "bandits" (bandaids) to make them feel better! :) I thought this onesie was perfect for the day! Thanks Great Aunt Staci!

Oh and for those keeping track...I snuck lil man on the scale and with clothes/dipe on he was over 17 lbs!! We'll get a more official weigh in at his 4 mo appt in Sept!

Get to know my "little" man...

2008-08-07T15:35:00.007-05:00

I know Im hardly a day into blogging, but I can't let another day pass without introducing my favorite little man. For those of you who don't know Logan, let me introduce you! He is seriously the happiest, most chill baby you will ever meet! Thankfully, cause as you can tell from my previous posts...Ava keeps us on the move! He just goes with the flow! (except for when mommy goes to work...but we'll save that story for another day) He is 3 months now, and if you cant tell from the pictures...very healthy! He "scored" off the charts @ 2 months tipping the scales at 15 lbs 11 oz. We love every roll on his body! He is taking after his Mumma uncles, thats for sure! He has a smile that will melt your heart, and eyes so blue they just sparkle! He amazes me everyday with the things he does, that I keep thinking he is WAY too young for! He sits up sturdy in your lap, grabs and reaches for toys already, and he will give you the deepest, most sincere belly laugh you have ever heard! I wish I could keep him like this forever...since I have Ava I know what Im in store for with the toddler years! :) Oh, and as you can tell from this video, he just ADORES his sissy! He can spot her from across the room. I look forward to watching their sibling bond grow over the years!

ps...he isnt too happy about having a PURPLE bumbo hand-me-down! But, these are the things parents do to their kids for laughs! :)

Man, Its good to be a kid!

2008-08-07T14:20:00.005-05:00

I remember growing up, and getting to go to McDonald's playland....oh boy what a treat! The 4x4 bin filled with balls! I was in heaven! I think back fondly on those "man, its good to be a kid" days! However, I think that statement has a whole new meaning for my kids! That 4x4 square has turned into a playland full of 8 or so massive bounce houses and slides! I knew from the second we stepped in the front door, Ava is going to LOVE this. For those who dont know her, she is one of the most daring 2 year old girls you will ever meet. At the park, she runs with the big kids, climbs the tallest slide, jumps off any and everything! Before we had even paid our admission, she was off running with excitement. I have to admit, it took everything I had not to wanna just go back to those kid days and jump right along with her! Luckily, there were a few houses that she would get stuck in, so I HAD to climb in and help her. What a blast! This will definately be a part of our winter, need to get of the house, routine. I will still look back on my McDs ball pit memories fondly...but at the same time I cant help but be a little bit jealous!

Dont you want to be a kid again? There were like 8 of these things!

THE WALL: I would take Haley as a climbing partner anyday, so calm and cautious. Ava, on the other hand, that girl will run you over! And she did...but in her defense Haley WAS on HER step.

Ava's Friend Haley...doing her thang!

Taking a break to play with "baby toys"

CAN SHE MAKE IT OUT??

Oh yeah!

Potty Training Blues

2008-08-06T21:06:00.001-05:00

Yes, I have them already and we havent even really started! Ava has little to no interest in actually going on the potty herself. We have introduced this concept to her in various ways here and there, hoping that she would be one of those kids that just decides to do it (as Ava would say) all by herselves. She is a riot, she is! Ive got several funny stories already, which for someone who isnt even potty training yet I could probably publish a book by the time we are done! Like the time she sat on the potty for 45 minutes...yes you read that right! Then calmly told me she would like a diaper on so she could go poop. Doh! And trust me when the girl has her mind set, there's no changing it! But, today after I changed like 6 diapers by noon...I realized that my patience for this is growing thin. Ayayay.

PTB (potty training blues) # 1 : Pretty Pretty Princess

Today we were walking through Kohls, when we passed a display of toddler underwear. OOOOHHHH my 2 year old squeals with glee. "Mommy look! Princess underpants, can I have it?" I decided I would use this little moment here to use a little reverse psychology...aka trick her into wanting to go on the potty. I matter of factly said, "No honey, those are big girl underpants and you can only wear those if you go potty on the big girl potty" She looked upset at first (I swear that bottom lip puckers out as instinct to the word "no"). Then she realized what that meant as she told me "oh yeah mommy I go potty in diaper, not big girl potty". I said, well one day soon you will learn to go on the potty and then you can buy these cool underwear! "Okay mommy, okay". Never has she been so agreeable! So much for my reverse psychology!

PTB # 2: All by yourself

The big phrase around the house is, as you can tell by the title "all by yourself"...or from Ava's mouth "all by myselves". She wants to dress herself, feed herself, climb to the top of the slide herself...basically independence anywhere she can find it...except for the potty. The times she has agreed to sit on the pot, I sit there with her and discuss things like how one day she can go all by herself, and she wont need mommy to change her diaper because she can do it all by herself, etc etc. See where Im going with this? Well today, I had just sat down in the bathroom, when the peanut gallery walked in and sat on the floor. I said "Ava, let mommy go potty by herself (meaning alone)". She looked at me like duh! "Okay mommy", as she continued to sit on the floor. I said "no, honey why dont you go watch tv while I go to the bathroom, I'll be right out." She said "No mommy I see you go all by yourselves, good job!" lol. Yes honey, for about 24 years now!

What the blog is this??

2008-08-06T20:52:00.001-05:00

I spend about 90 % of my free time (ie time not spent with the kids) on the internet. You can find me on facebook, myspace, email, and even a mommy message board. Yeah, that doesn't sound as cool written down. But, nonetheless, I am adding to my online obsession...blogger. I love to share pictures of my kids, brag about my kids, and complain about my kids. I thought I would start a space that I could do that all in one spot! I have no idea why, for someone who spends so much time online like myself, it has taken so long to venture over to blogspot. But, Im here and I hope you enjoy getting to know or catching up with my family!

Oh and I bet what you are anxiously awaiting to find out what I do with the other 10% of my freetime....SLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPP!!!