New, fun tricks at our house...

Well... here is what our children have learned this week:

1. J.D. learned to toot on demand! Yep, he is all boy! Figured out how to do it, then spent 20 minutes turning himself red to see if he could do it again and again and again... and giggling all the time!

2. Natalie is cooing, ooh-ing, giggling and TURNING OVER!

What a week!

Visit in Carlisle

Visited with Grandma... she and Natalie got along great... Natalie snuggled with her... and Grandma was very pleased with her.

This was the highlight of J.D.'s visit to Carlisle... riding the tractor with Grandpa! You can tell he loved it! J.D. loves tractors... they may hold more fascination than planes these days...

Look at J.D.- he is so pleased with himself... thinking he can drive Grandpa's tractor!

This is J.D. and Natalie on Grandma's bed... J.D. learned how to work the buttons on the bed to make the top go up and down... we actually think he showed Grandma and Grandpa what their beds were capable of... it was great fun for all!

Grandpa with Natalie... he is still so strong!

We had a lovely visit with Jason's family members in Carlisle! We just don't get to visit them enough. Our visit with Grandma and Grandpa (the Great's) was good. I was really impressed with how engaged in their world they are... can't retain what we talked about from moment to moment... but they certainly do try and I am really proud of them for staying engaged in their world... it was amazing to hear from Sue what they did retain from the visit... who would have guessed that they remembered we were going to Colorado for a few days--- it must have connected back to a well established memory... amazing how the human brain functions.

Our time with Grandpa John and Grannie Jill was too short, too. We enjoy spending time with them-- it is just easy, relaxed and fun. John is great with J.D.... showed him the fishes, took him on a tour of the yard and obviously on a tractor ride. He clearly loves Natalie, too, but J.D. loves to be outside almost as much as his Grandpa John.... so, they tooled around in the yard for most of the afternoon. Jill and I got to visit, too. Jill is really good with J.D. and Natalie... it is fun to see her enjoy my children.

Well, I think that gets everyone pretty much up to date on the events of the last month in our household... it has been one busy month... more time spent away from home than in town... our kids do great on the road... it is just Mommy that needs to get home to her own bed... speaking of which... I think I am going to bed! Goodnight.

I love Jesus, too!

After our trip to St. John, our portable DVD player broke... quite the inconvenient occurance for a family that likes to travel! So, I took the DVD player back to Best Buy to see if they could fix it, replace it, etc.

When I got to the store, I put J.D. and Natalie in the double stroller and wheeled them into the store to customer service. The first person I encountered must have been no older than 15... and said there was 'nothing' they could do- since it was outside of the manufacturer warranty and there was no service plan on it. So, I asked to speak with a manager... for all of you who know me... this is when you say... 'oh no, here she goes...'

Well, a nice middle aged man comes from around the corner and gives me the same lines as the 15 year old... I told him the story... that we got the DVD player as a gift from my parents, only used it 3 times since Christmas, worked 2 out of the 3 times and that I was hoping he could help me by replacing it... since, clearly it never worked right... again, he told me there was nothing he could do... and then, I lost my cool... I started to cry right there in Best Buy... and I started to blubber.... something along the lines of... "my parents got us this great gift... sniff, sniff, sob, sob... for Christmas.... we can't afford to replace it.... we have another trip coming up with 2 small children.... sob, sob, sniff, sniff... my husband is a youth minister and this is a luxury item for us... sob, sob some more.... I can't even think about going on another plane ride without this thing working... sob, sob..."

And, the manager interupts by saying... "I love Jesus, too."

It was at this moment that I realized what was happening, I was appalled at myself for seemingly playing the God card... so, I just shut my mouth, packed up the broken DVD player, released the brake on the stroller and wheeled all of us out of the store...

I sat in the car and ran over the events in my head... "I love Jesus, too..." he said. What a blessing that was... what a great reminder that in the grand scheme of things... that is what really matters!

It makes for a good laugh... too.

(PS. When I told this story to my friend Lisa--- she packed up her DVD player, some Wiggles DVDs and rushed them right over so we could use them on our next trip! What blessing... I am sure glad that she loves Jesus too and that he gave her the spirit of generosity!)

Blue Angels

We watched the Blue Angels with J.D., Uncle Drew and Kayla! Drew got two golf carts from the course... and we took a back way to the Severn River for a lovely, semi-private viewing of the Blue Angels show for commissioning week at the USNA. J.D. loved the planes... Kayla was more interested in a lady bug she found and thus named 'baggy'- because Drew put it in a plastic bag for her to keep it. It was a beautiful day- and a great one to share with Drew.

ST John Vacation

These are Jason and J.D.'s footprints at Trunk Bay in St. John. The night this was taken was our favorite night on the beach. We saw two weddings on the beach this night... watched snorklers swim in the crystal, clear blue ocean water... and just enjoyed some good family time.

This is the view of Trunk Bay from above. It is BEAUTIFUL. I love the caribbean beaches... white soft sand, clear water, mountains that drop right into the ocean.

Mommy and Natalie in the ocean at Trunk Bay. This was Natalie's first time in the ocean. Both of our children have had great 'firsts' when it comes to the beach.... the first time J.D. was in the ocean was in Grand Cayman... and this was Natalie's... she LOVED it. The water temperature was great for a baby... she would float in the water for up to 20 minutes at at time... and in her pink bathing suit with a great ruffle around the body... it was quite the sight to behold.

This picture was taken at Caneel Bay in St. John on our last night. J.D. loved this beach because he could run and run and run and run... there were a lot of boats to look at in the bay area... iguanas to chase (he is fast... but not fast enough to get near one of them... thank goodness)... and I loved it because it was at a resort---beach bar, music playing, etc.

This is the view from our deck where we stayed. Every morning, J.D. would wake up... look out the window and say "BOATS"... it was a delightful surprise each morning to see that they were still there, apparently.

Some fun ancedotes from the week:

I was so paranoid about the pool (and having a walking, curious, non-swimmer) that one night I was looking for J.D.'s blond little head among the little children in the house... and I didn't see it... so I said very loudly... "Does anyone see J.D.?" Well, all of the adults quickly looked around... checked outside... and within 3 seconds someone said... "You mean, J.D., the one on your hip?". Oops!

There were two other 2 year old children on this trip. And, if anyone says that children are born without sin, they have not raised children. One afternoon- all 3 boys wanted the same monster truck (the favorite toys of the week... there must have been 10 of them scattered throughout the house)... but at this moment, they all wanted the same one... so, they all literally dug in their heals, pulled on the truck in three different directions, and were at about a 45 degree angle from the floor... and all shouting "NOOOOOOOO!" Oh my goodness... I hate that word!

It was a fantastic trip... not relaxing... but great to be away with Jason and the kids. It seems that we have entered the phase of life where vacations are just a relocation of chaos--- but, uninterupted time playing with our kids is well worth it!

J.D.'s antics

J.D. is loving to climb (as I mentioned in the last posting). So, on Friday morning... I had to give Natalie a bath... now, picture our small 1950's bathroom- totally functional, not a lot of space (when I lean over the side of the tub to wash a kid- my feet can touch the vanity... needless to say, it is narrow in there). I am giving Natalie a bath when I realize that J.D. is standing on my feet. Then, all of a sudden, he pulled himself up onto my back and spent the rest of Natalie's bathtime perched on all fours on my back. Just wait, it gets better. Not only is he perched on my back but he is quaking like a duck because he sees his rubber duckie in the tub with Natalie (yes, the same rubber duckie that he hurled at his baby sister moments before). Just writing this down is making me laugh all over again!

Then, tonight, J.D. is playing with his circus truck. One side of the truck has 'doors' that open so you can get the animals in and out. The other side looks like doors, but they don't open. We taught J.D. the sign for help... so, he can ask for help when he gets into a bind... So, he is signing help and trying to say it too- sounds like 'hep'-- and Jason says, 'turn it around". So, J.D. got up turned himself around, sat down, and tried again! We laughed so hard! Children are so literal. So, we had to tell him good job...and knew that we needed to share these two cute stories with you! These are the things that I hope my memory holds onto forever- just when you think they can't get any more precious... they do!

Natalie is smiling, smiling, smiling! She has a dimple... my children have dimples- I love it. Her whole face lights up when she smiles. And, she has rolled over... multiple times. Front to back. She is such a mover. When she is awake she is moving, kicking, moving, kicking, moving, kicking. Oh, and crying, too. God Bless the SWING! She loves it. Doesn't always like to be held- likes her 'alone' time in the swing. I try to hold her as much as possible, for I know she won't stay little for long- but am thankful that she likes the swing... which reminds me of another J.D. story.

I was cleaning dishes in the kitchen the other day... and heard J.D. saying "wee", "wee", "wee". I poked my head around the corner to watch him pushing Natalie in the swing and saying "wee"... I guess this is what he is used to me saying when I push him in the swing outside. Natalie had a fearful look on her face... she had never moved so fast or swung so high in her swing... and J.D. thought he was being a great big brother- he was having a blast. After that, I am securing Natalie in the swing a little more securly!

Well, Natalie is fussing again... gotta run! Have a great night!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Mamaw came to visit for 6 days! We had a wonderful time, it went by so quickly. And, now, we are officially on our own. There are no upcoming 'helper' visits... I guess everyone thinks we can do this on our own now... AHH!
We are actuallly doing okay. It is not as busy as I anticipated life to be... yes, there are lots of diapers, some late and long nights- but really- J.D. and Natalie are charming, easy-going and a delight. This makes the days go fast (and the nights go faster).
J.D. is climbing on everything these days... tried to climb up the oven (we are working on understanding the word "danger" and "hot"), tried to climb into the baby tub with Natalie, and tries to climb up my legs multiple times per day.
Natalie is sleeping better at night. She is a 'party girl'- she likes the nightlife already... it seems that midnight is her favorite time to finally call it quits for the day- but she is sleeping in like a real princess... she eats quickly at about 7am and then sleeps until about 11am-- oh, the life of a princess! She also has rolled over a couple of times already... Mamaw witnessed it... just ask her... it is true. If Natalie is awake- she is moving every moment! She is going to give her big brother a run for his money.
Well, so much for a moments peace... gotta run.. babies to feed!

Visit with Mamaw

We went downtown to go to lunch (with two babies... it was an adventure). We also had some time to feed the ducks.

In our backyard, we watched J.D. and Kayla play while Mamaw and Natalie enjoyed the sunshine. Natalie loves her Mamaw! They coo... smile... and Mamaw says "ah goo".

As you can see, Mamaw came with a black eye (and a bum shoulder). But, she is still more effective than an army of 10 when it comes to playing with kids. Did I mention that she has done almost 11 loads of laundry! She is amazing!

JD asleep

It was a big day! I went to my old job to help out for a couple of hours and Daddy and J.D. got to have some fun together... they looked at boats at the marina, went to Home Depot and came home for a short nap. Later that day, J.D. and I were playing outside- J.D. was pushing the stroller in circles on the driveway... Mr. Stillwell (our 88 yr old neighbor) came over to play with J.D.... and we played some golf with the new clubs Pap gave J.D. for Easter. And... then... we came inside... and J.D. fell asleep on the floor. This is how I remember my brother Drew when he was little- he would run, run, run- play, play, play- and then we would find him asleep on the floor somewhere in the house. J.D. loves his Uncle Drew-- and it seems he is going to turn out to be just like him... a little golf... a little nap... and all is right in the world.

Easter Pictures

I am trying to figure out how to post pictures here. Hopefully - you'll see some from Easter Sunday...

I decided to start a journal today....

On Friday, April 21st, I decided to start a journal. Here is the sequence of events that let to my decision.

It started out as a wonderful day. Natalie and I got to sleep in... and when we woke up... Daddy and J.D. had made waffles and the house smelled delicious. Fridays are typically my favorite day of the week... it means we survived another week... Jason is off... and we have a great family day. Well, on this particular Friday, Jason had to go to work.

So- I got an uninterupted shower (another small wonder in the life of a mother of children 14.5 months apart). And, we got ready to go to Tumble Tots at 12noon. We made it... on time, I might add. J.D. is the King of the Class. He knows how to play on everything... runs and runs and runs and runs for the whole 45 minutes. At one point, he stopped - turned bright red- then composed himself and started to move on... well, any mother knows what just happened... so I grabbed the diaper bag and we were off to change a diaper (mind you, I have been carrying Natalie in the Bijorn this whole time, too). When we (yes, Natalie and I)- got J.D. settled on the changing table - I asked him to hold his shorts. And within a matter of 3 seconds he had forgotten my request and threw them over his head... only for them to land in the toliet- 2 POINTS I exclaimed and he clapped! Needless to say, J.D. finished out the tumble tot session in a t-shirt and a diaper (his little butt with a picture of elmo on the diaper was too cute to watch run around the gym).

Tumble Tots came to an end... and we were off... off to the OB/GYN for my post partum check-up. I kept feeding J.D. in the car - as to keep him awake so that maybe I would get a nap when we got home too. Didn't work. As we pulled into the parking lot at the doctors office, I turned around and watched the eyes roll back in the head and heard a sigh that clearly indicated much needed sleep had been achieved. Okay... I can do this - I told myself. At almost the same moment J.D. fell asleep, Natalie woke up SCREAMING and turning purple- the look of dire hunger for her. I loaded screaming, hungry Natalie and fast-asleep J.D. into the double stroller and we were off for the appointment.

In the doctor's office, they took me back right away... not sure if it was the double stroller, the sleeping 16 month old slumped like a wet noodle in the front of it... or the screaming, turning purple 6 week old baby that got me fast-tracked at the doctor's office- or maybe the combination of all three. Doesn't matter- I was just glad to go straight back to the triage station. This is where they weigh you, take your blood pressure (ha, mine was a little higher than my normal rate- wonder why), and ask you 'important questions' like (what type of delivery did you have, how much did she weigh, etc... wasn't a doctor from their practice the one who delivered this child anyway????) I am trying to answer their questions- get a screaming, turning purple baby out of a car seat and hooked onto me to feed her... and the 19 year old nurse wants to take my blood pressure- 'just a minute' I asked... I hooked Natalie on... the nurse took my blood pressure and then said... let's go to a room... we started to move, Natalie came unhooked and we showered both baby and doctor's office with a good spray of milk- well, if you can't do it in an OB/GYN office -where can you?

The appointment went fine. All was calm. We got ready to leave, exited the doctor's office (on teh second floor), went to the elevator and low and behold the elevator stopped working sometime between us arriving and that very moment. I parked in 'egypt', it was starting to rain and I had a now awake 16 month old and again a screaming, turning purple baby. I just laughed! Who would have guessed that I would be faced with this today... So, we strolled to the stairwell... took Natlie in the baby carrier, put J.D. on the hip, went down the industrial flight of stairs, made our way to the car- LOCKED the children in the car- praying that no one would notice and ran back up the HUGE flight of steps, carried the double stroller down the stairs, got in the car, nursed a baby and headed to McDonalds for a Diet Coke, Quarterpounder with cheese and french fries... I figured I earned it today! I needed that 'break' McDonalds promises :)

And, on my way home, I decided I needed to start journaling. There were just too many things to laugh at...