Preschool

Victoria started Preschool two weeks ago. She loves it! Walked right in and made herself at home! The teachers always giggle, because she runs in, throws her Pink Dog high up into the air out of excitement, and says "Hi!". She gets to go to art and music classes, sing songs, listen to stories, read books, go to the chapel, and make new friends. I have to say I was a little teary eyed when she ran into her classroom the first day and it felt like she was all grown up for a second- then Bella started to cry. It was really amazing that she even got in to this Preschool- she was #27 on the waiting list in May (didn't know you were suppose to register in Febuary.) My little grown up goes two days a week. I'm using that time for some good one on one with Bella. We go to the library time and sometimes the park. I've helped her walk with the walker. Since Victoria isn't grabbing for it, Bella seems to be doing quite well. The other day she took 5 steps all by herself. She can say a ton of words- ball, bye-bye, ought-oh, woof, roar, and book.

This past week has been a tough one. I couldn't tell if Bella was teething, sick, or going threw that developemental stage of clinginess, but she was driving me crazy. Everytime she saw me, she wanted to be picked up, then put down, then picked up, then put down. And Victoria had a cough and wasn't feeling 100 percent- wasn't sure if it was allergies or a cold. Then yesterday, Bella's eyes crusted up and she had problems sleeping last night. I took her to the doctor today- Ear infection. Did I mention that Jer got the cold last night? What's a mommy to do? Run, hide.

S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

That's the way. UhUhUhUh That's the way. I like it! Uh Uh Uh Uh I like it! This weekend we had a Potty Party. We did the Dr. Phil Potty Training in a day approach- basically, show a doll going to the bathroom, have a party for her, practice going potty with your kid 10 times (pull down pants, sit, etc.), throw a party for your child once they go, call a super hero to tell them (we called Kipper the dog- thank you neighbor Darcy), and most importantly when they fail, do the practice thing 10 more times. SUCCESS! Victoria is now wearing big girl diapers. She's pooped in the potty twice and she has gone on her own- without telling me she walked to the bathroom, turned on the light, used it, and washed her hands. Grandma Carol and Granpa Dick came over to congradulate her. Then later Gary and Deb came by as well. It was a home weekend, but a good weekend.

I buy my shoes at Walmart

We have had a fun two days. Friday we went to the Bounce house with Chris, Nikko, Marly, Quinn, Tanner, and Tessa. Such energy! Then we came home and napped. Darcy called us up and wanted to know if we would go to Gattyland- of coarse. So Victoria and Kate played the night away- rode he merry-go-round, bowled in a mini bowling alley, rode a rollercoaster videogame with Daddy, rode a giant boat, and got a balloon. Did I mention eating lots of pizza- even Bella liked that. Then we went to go see Julie's new baby Braelyn- cute as a button. The next day we went to our neighborhood's family picnic. Victoria got to jump in a bounce house again, eat hotdogs, have a waterballoon fight, run around with Kate, and get her face painted like a princess. Later that night, Victoria was playing dress up. She put on her purple dress shoes, walked over to me and said, "I buy my shoes at Walmart." I had to laugh. She is too funny. Bella also is coming into her own. She's just started pointing at everything that she wants you to notice or take her to. Her favorite thing is to touch the dog painting as she tries to say Woof, Woof- it comes out FFFF, FFFF.

Lazy Sundays

My Dad came over today and we went to a splashpad to cool off. These things are so neat and great for the kids in this summer heat- I'm surprised there's not more of them. For those of you who don't know what they are, they are basically large areas that have 4 or more sprinkler type devices that spray kids with water. Victoria had the biggest smile and ran around squirting Pappap Joe with a squirt gun. Darcy, Kate and Abby enjoyed in the fun as well. On Saturday, the Lunn triumphant (Josh's family, Carol and Dick, and our family) went to Olive Garden to celebrate the August birthdays- Renae, Carol and I. It was so nice to have a room to ourselves to let the kids run and play and be able to eat and drink while some one else makes it and cleans it up. If you've never had a Italian Margarita there, then I highly recommend you try one soon. We went to Renae's house after dinner and jumped on the trampoline, opened presents, and took pictures. Cutest moment- Before the party, as we were getting ready to leave the house, I told Victoria that we were going to see Renae, Josh, Caleb, Chloe, Grandma and Grandpa at a resturant. Her reply- "Caleb... Caleb... oh, I love Caleb soooooo much." It's the first time she's said the words "so much"- I cracked up soooo much.

Sometimes all I need is the air that I breath and to love you

Do not read this if you have a weak stomach.
What a day! I debated tittling this blog as "the worst day ever" or my mantra- "sometimes all I need is the air that I breath and to love you"- I think I've probably sung that line to myself over and over today maybe 100 times- not lying. It started out when Jer left for work and I looked at the kitchen with dirty dishes, the living room with bags that needed to be unpacked from our trip to Aunt Barb and Uncle Jerry's lake house (FUN-boat rides, food, and most important family), the bathroom that desperately needed cleaned, the kids that needed fed (but were refusing to eat) and the rest of the house that just plain needs to be cleaned. I finally got 1/4 of a piece of toast down Victoria and got her dressed for the day. She told me that she wanted to wear big girl panties. Yes, I thought. I tried as best as I could to stick to our schedule- it's really pretty loose and flexible- Breakfast, Listen to Kiddie Music while doing Chores (my clean up time) Outdoor time (took the kids for a short wagon ride) Art (colored with texture plates and crayons), Lunch, ... and then this is were all hell broke loose. Up until know we had had a fairly successful if not hectic day- 3 pees in the potty, 2 accidents... And then the words- I need to go poop. I grab Victoria's hand and we run to the restroom. I take down her panties and see she's already started- it's OK- I'll just put her on the potty to finish. Then I turn around and realize, as we've been running, poop has been falling out of her panties. I run into the living room only to find ... SCREAMMMMM .... Bella with two hands covered in poop and a mouth moving a mile a minute. I grab her and throw her in the sink and start to wash her off, and stick my finger in her mouth and expel most of what she was chewing on. I then realize this stuff is not coming off as easily as I would like- she needs a bath. I carry her to the bathroom, along the way, I check up on Victoria, who is now off the potty and crying. Poop is smeared all along the toilet rim. I grab her too and head for the bath. I draw the water and put both kids in. Victoria starts to do the pee pee dance and screams "I need to pee on the potty." I grab her without thinking and put her back on her potty, then run back to Bella- cause duh- she's in the bath tub (all is OK- she's just screaming). Then Victoria starts screaming. Then I start screaming and crying- Just go pee on the potty!!! Victoria comes back to the bath and asks, "Mommy why are you crying." The only thing I say is, in my calmest voice now, I'm sad, because I don't like cleaning up poop. (Well, it was the truth.) I clean both kids up, then bring them carefully back to their bedroom- watching out as to not step in the ten-twenty poop pellets along the way. I put Bella in her crib and Victoria on Bella's floor with a toy to occupy her, then shut the door, and begin the cleaning process that took 20 minutes- I won't go into details, but I did almost puke twice. After the cleansing, I check in on Victoria and Bella. I hold and rock both of them while singing my mantra- they both fall asleep. Today I honesty thought that I had lost it- thank goodness, it was short lived. There's always tomorrow. Ahhh, another potty training day. On a side note, she did go pee in the potty when I yelled that.

Ahhh Vacation?

Why do we need a vaction after a vacation? I loved the corpus trip- yes we went to Corpus again and spent a good deal of time in the sun and ate way too much and had a blast- but I came home and desperately need another vacation- the sandy laundry, the stacks of miscellanious junk that I didn't put away before leaving, the car that lost it's air conditioning that had to be taken into the shop, the fridge that needed emptying (something weird smelling), the pictures that need downloaded and touched up and ordered, the kids that are on their last leg from traveling and are getting restless and fussy (although I think Victoria is cutting two molars), and all my friends and family that I need to catch up with- I love youall, but I need a break! Enough said. Onto cuter stories.

Today Victoria went poop on the potty. Yeah! I actually did a potty dance. I'm thinking of marketing this. Is it so wrong that my first instinct after she pooped was to grab the camera and take a picture. Man, I don't think I'd ever hear myself saying that.

We have had a surplus of flies in our house- yesterday my mother-in-law and I killed a combined 50 flies. Thank goddness today I only killed 10. I had to laugh at my daughter's reaction to my fly crusade. As I'm weilding the swatter, she exclaims, "Good job Mom!" (My little two year old) and proceeds to put her hand out to give me a high five. Too cute.

Working at the Car Wash, Baby

I had such a wonderful time today. I went out with my Christie buds (I miss them- thank goodness for summers) and went rollerskating. I sooo could never be a Sonic waitress- I was all over the place. I felt like I was that passenger on an airline that bumps into everyone. Victoria and Bella had a great time too. Bella couldn't stop smiling the whole time AND she was in the stroller the whole time- a first for her. Victoria was beeboping with Nico to all the songs. I got a good workout- I'm exhausted and thinking of going to bed early tonight.