Funny boy.

Chase went to his very first day of preschool this morning. There were about 5 other kids starting this morning too. I felt like a bad mom because I didn't bring my camera along. All the other moms (and dads- oops I guess we messed up there too) were snapping pictures left and right of their little ones rolling playdough or playing with puzzles. I helped Chase find a seat at the playdough table, gave him a kiss and ran for the door. Ok - not really, but I didn't hesitate to leave once he seemed thoroughly engaged in whapping his playdough with a hammer. I guess since we have been going to this preschool for the last 4 years it just seemed like normal to take him and leave him there. I drove away with a little smile on my face and a few hours of NO KIDS ahead of me.

Speaking of Chase-he is such a funny boy. He is our best sleeper and we sometimes have to wake him up to go places. This last Sunday it was around 9:15am and he was still asleep. He had gone to bed at 8pm the night before so we were a little worried. Gordon went into his room and layed down next to him to try and coax him awake. I peeked my head in to see how it was going and Chase saw me. He kind of yawned, put his head back down and the first thing out of his mouth that morning was, "Momma will you help me to get Daddy out of my bed." I started cracking up.

Gotta love him!

We had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Christmas Eve Fun- we made pizzas and they were delicious. We also made Snickerdoodles for Santa and all the kids got new pj's and slippers.

Christmas Morning was pretty exciting. We had to wake Chase up, but once he heard Santa had come he was ok with getting out of bed.

Madison's face is so classic in this picture. My kids are the best to give gifts to. They love everything and act like every present is the coolest thing in the world. It makes Christmas and birthdays very fun!

Christmas Traditions

I used to think that we weren't very good at doing Christmas traditions, but as I listened to my kids talk (well, actually just Abby talk) about all the things we do at Christmas I realized that we do have some traditions.

We decorate outside. Granted, it doesn't take much effort, but the kids love it. (I think I warned all of you about this at Halloween.)

We go to the same tree lot every year and pick out a tree. The kids always get a picture in front of the giant Santa and the picture is always washed out because of the sun.

We always go to the ward christmas party and the kids sit with Santa. Madison has always been fascinated by Santa and she sat on his lap about 6 times this year at the ward party. It helped that we were right on time and there was only one other family there. Whenever we couldn't find Madison we looked over by Santa and there she was either on his lap or watching his every move from about three feet away. When Santa left and we started to eat dinner Madison was very curious about where he was.



madison and her BFF, aka- Santa.

We have some other traditions too, like Gordon's work Christmas party (where Santa comes to visit too), neighbor gift delivering and Christmas eve pizza. But those things haven't happened yet.

If I get any good pictures I will post about those things too. So far it's been pretty fun and the kids are getting excited. I am excited too. I think I did pretty good on gifts this year, especially for Gordon. I think I might even see him excited! It's hard for Gordon to show excitement about gifts, but I think I might have done it this year- and no, it's not a Caribou Hunt or a Ford F-150, although those would be guaranteed to elicit some excitement from him. I'll let you know how I did. What are you most excited for this Christmas?

Helpless!

So, I have been lucky enough to have a nanny helping me out for the last year and a half or so. I wish every mom could be so lucky. A few months after Chase was born we had Mimi come and work for us. She came every day for a few hours, which was great because she was able to stay with the kids when Gordon and I went on a trip together, and she came when I had surgery to have my tonsils taken out. She was just what we needed at the time, but we knew it would just be for a few months. After Mimi we had Courtney come to work for us. Again, Courtney was just what we needed at the time. Courtney is married and lives close by. She started by coming two days a week, and then she just started coming one day a week. She is wonderful, amazing and she provided the sanity I desperately needed. She took care of the kids, cleaned, did the laundry, made their meals, took them to the park (all in one day). I swear that girl never takes a rest!

BUT, guess what! Yesterday was Courtney's last day. So, so , so Sad!!!! I have to hand it to her though. She worked until she was 37 weeks pregnant. And she continued to work hard through her whole pregnancy. We will miss her, but are totally excited to meet her daughter Kristen when she makes her way into the world (hopefully not on Christmas day- even though she is due Dec 24th!)

So now I am totally help-less!!!! (I did used to have a cleaning lady too- I know I'm spoiled, but I swear my kids are HARD!!!) Life is much easier now though. Madison's therapy session are still 4 days a week, but are here at Abby's elementary school instead of in Walnut Creek. The kids are doing chores, which actually really helps out. We have gotten used to Gordon's travel schedule and long hours.

Anyway- we just wanted to give a shout out to our wonderful nannies, without whom I would have for sure had a nervous breakdown. Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping our family when we needed it most!

Madison, our daredevil.

Madison's birthday was on November 15th. She turned 5. 5 is a big deal at our house because it is the first year we do a "big" birthday party. Madison got to choose where she wanted to have her party and our little redhead chose the "rock climbing place."

She has been to a couple of parties at this place and has been on the rock wall almost the whole time. There are also big jump houses and slides, foosball tables, and other activities, but Madison loves the Wall!

That's her up there on the right. She mostly just liked the freefall off the wall.

So on Friday November 14th, twenty of her friends, neighbors, cousins and classmates joined us at her favorite party place to celebrate her 5th birthday.

She had a blast. Can you tell? She totally deserved an amazing over the top birthday party and we are just so glad so many of her friends were able to come and celebrate with her. She works so hard in all her therapy and she has made so much improvement. We love her so much and are happy she is part of our family.

The Halloween Edition- only 11 days late!

So, I am a little late. But, here are our Halloween cuties. Princess Fiona, Tinkerbell and Thomas the Tank Engine all hope that you had a great Halloween too. Princess Fiona did not know her own name, only that she was the Shrek Princess (a movie which she has never seen by the way.)

Tinkerbell acutally picked out a Daphne (from Scooby-Doo) costume, but decided at the last minute that grabbing something from the dress up box was just easier than a wig and weird shoe things. Thomas the Tank Engine didn't want to wear a costume, including the hat, but once the candy thing got going he completely forgot about it and was just about as excited as a three year old can get.

This is the best picture I could get of the three of them. Seriously. They had a great time on Halloween and loved every minute of the few pieces of candy they got to eat. What's even better is they rarely asked for the candy after Halloween. I had to get rid of most of it just so I wouldn't eat it myself. My favorites this year were twizzlers, milk duds and kit-kats. I think I overdid it on Butterfingers last year, as they held no appeal for me this year. We do need to train Chase a little better though, he ended up with about a dozen almond joys a handful of mounds. No one in this house will eat those! But, if any of you out there enjoy them let me know and I will save them just for you next year!

Who potty trained that kid?

This is how to thoroughly confuse a little boy when potty training.

1) insist that he sit backwards on the potty when first learning to go.

2) realize that he has to completely strip from the waist down to sit on the potty backwards

3) realize that stripping from the waist down will not go over so well in preschool.

4) insist that he stand up to pee, but of course with the seat up

5) bribe and beg him to stand up to pee so he can go to preschool

6) try to have him sit forwards on the potty so he doesn't have to strip and can still go to preschool

7) have him pee all over you, the nanny and the floor while sitting forward on the potty

8) bribe and beg again for him to stand up to pee - preschool is really important people!

9) let him decide how he wants to use the potty

10) be happy that now he stands up to pee, but still sits backwards to go #2

I can just imagine the thoughts in poor Chase's head.

Chase thinking- "I need to pee, so I stand up and put this seat thingy up. Wait, I actually need to go #2, so I guess I'll just sit down. Wow, this feels different and what is this seat doing here in front of me. I thought I was supposed to sit on it. I guess I still can sit on it , if I can just get it over my head. Oh now what do I do? I thought my legs were supposed to be under this thing. I guess I just put it back up. Oh great, I think I am......."

Chase screaming- " Mooooommmmmyyyy, I is stuck!!!!!"

He's not going to preschool until January. I guess we still have some time.