Disney World 2011

Eric and I had an Every Nation conference in Orlando this year, and were so excited to take Eve to see the princesses.  Grandma offered to keep the twins, and we were off!  About to spend some MUCH NEEDED one-on-one time with our first born.  We stayed at the Coronado Springs Resort near Animal Kingdom.  The conference was at The Swan...not too far away.  Eve had a BLAST, we all did.  It was definitely a memory-making trip for us as a family, and we cant wait to take the twins back in 2013!!!

 on the bus, headed to magic kingdom to see THE PRINCESSES!!!

 seeing the CASTLE for the first time -- taking it all in

 just last night, Eve said to me, "momma, you remember you held me and 

carried me to ride the big white horse at Disney Word?  That was SO fun!"

 Eve and Rapunzel (Flynn Rider was playing hide and seek with Pascal and couldn't make it)

 Eve and Aurora -- they talked about living in a castle, and how Aurora's dress changes color from blue to pink.  Aurora was very sweet to Eve, and knelt down the whole time she was talking to her.

 Eve was THRILLED to meet Belle.

 She and Belle talked about the Beast and how his hair looks like Eve's when he's been out in the rain playing.  Belle noticed that Eve was also wearing yellow like her, and commented on how they looked the same.  Eve was really, really in heaven.

 Eve and Cinderella talked about Prince Charming and riding a horse.  Eve started talking jibberish about her purple birthday cake not being spicy, but very yummy, and that she liked tea and water, not spicy drinks.  She made Cinderella laugh and Eve rambled on and on and could have talked for hours (who would have thunk it??).  :)

 Eve was EXCELLENT.  She walked, rode, saw shows and parades, waited in lines, and was overall, a very pleasant girl.  Eric and I loved watching her face light up with excitement each time she saw something new.  When we got back on the bus headed to our resort, it was 11pm.  We had been at Magic Kingdom since 2pm.  Needless to say, Eve zonked out in my arms on the bus, and did not budge at all on the walk back to the room.  We put her in bed, where she peacefully rested all night.

 We didn't get to spend a lot of time at Animal Kingdom, but did enjoy a safari ride, ice cream, a Nemo theater show, and meeting Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald Duck.   Eve walked a lot this day, but had a great attitude about it.  Holley, Brent, Karla, and kids went with us.  We ended the day with dinner at Rainforest Cafe.  What a great experience!  Eve loved watching the animals come to life... from afar :)

 Our last morning at Disney World, Eve got to be a part of the Character Breakfast.  She LOVED getting to spend some time with these three, but didn't quite understand why the wouldn't talk to her.  Before we left, she gave Minnie quite a hug goodbye.

missing medicine...

since finding out we were pregnant again, my dr has put me on three different medications.  progesterone, folic acid, and baby aspirin.  i take those three pills everyday.  they stay on the kitchen counter...in the same spot.  when i woke up one morning, the three pill bottles were gone.  i just KNEW eve had done something with them.  she likes to put my phone in the pantry, and her toys in the refrigerator.  the first thing i did was search for them everywhere I would have put them...my car, my purse, diaper bag, kitchen drawer, medicine box on top of fridge.  NOTHING.  then i started trying to think like eve.  i looked under every couch, bed, and table.  i looked in every kitchen cabinet and bookshelf.  i cleaned out the pantry, fridge, and freezer.  i looked in closets and shoes, and toy boxes.  i could NOT find them anywhere!  when i asked eve what she did with my medicine, she said, "i dont KNOW where it is!!"  a day passed, and i knew i needed that medicine.  i called my pharmacist, and had the prescriptions refilled.  after paying the $74 it cost to buy new meds, i sat down on the ottoman to burp clara and couldn't believe my eyes!  there, right in my plain sight, was my medicine!!!  i couldn't decide whether i wanted to laugh or spank!   that eve.  life with her will always be full of surprises!!

when i questioned eve about hiding my medicine there she said, "what's wrong mommy?  they were just taking a nap!!"

A cow, joy, and a baby boy!

Eric and I are so excited that we get the privilege to welcome ANOTHER baby to our family in Jan/Feb of 2012.  This new baby will be 13 months younger than the twins, and I just know they will have SO much fun growing up so close.  Ever since I found out I was pregnant, I just knew it was another girl...but apparently, I'm the only one in my family that feels that way.  Eric immediately started thinking of "C" boy names, and landed on Cal (which I am not particularly fond of).  When he told Eve that the baby in my belly was going to be a baby boy named Cal, she was extremely confused.  She looked at me with the most puzzled face and said, "so you have a baby boy AND a cow in your belly?"  We tried to explain, but she was NOT going to grasp it, so we moved on to a new topic of conversation :)  A few nights later, as I was praying over her at night, I was praying for the fruit of the spirit in her life and mine.  That we would have peace deep down and know that God is with us.  That we would be patient with each other and our friends.  That joy would fill up our hearts and show everyone around us how happy we are inside..."  At the end of my prayer, she said, "so you have a baby boy AND a cow AND joy in your belly?"

If this precious life IS indeed a girl, I think her middle name may need to be joy :)

wow, that was easy!

Why did I get it in my stubborn, little head that Eve needed to be potty trained before the twins came home?  Why did I beg and bargain and plea and bribe?  Why did I waste money on pull-ups?  Each attempt I made at potty-training Eve was a massive failure!  Her stubbornness met mine head-on, and it was a true battle of the wills!!  I'll never forget her looking at me, not smiling but wanting to, as tee tee runs down her leg, through her panties (the THIRD PAIR OF THE DAY)...after she had been in time out and given a spanking for REFUSING to use the potty!  Why did I put myself through that???

A week ago, Eve decided she didn't want to wear a diaper anymore.  So, I got her some panties.  I asked her every thirty minutes or so if she needed to go.  Each time, she would look at me so confused and say, "but mommy, i didn't TELL you I needed to tee tee!!"  So I left it alone.  About thirty minutes later, she informed me that she needed to use the potty, so we did...and she did it!  The first two days, she pooped in her panties, but each time she needed to tee tee, she told me...even in the middle of naptime.  On the third day, she got #1 and #2 down and was SO over wearing diapers (even through the night).  I was a little hesitant about her wearing panties to bed, but she has not had ONE accident!  NOT ONE!  IN 5 DAYS!  And I ask again, why did I torture myself because I WAS READY?  Obviously, when the girl gets something on her brain, she accomplishes it... I am one proud mommy.

I need to read this again in two years when I'm ready for the twins to be out of diapers... :)

Where does she get this stuff???

Pulling up to church yesterday, Eve says, "I wanna sing with you in church this morning."  I reply, "Not today, baby.  You're gonna go to your class to play with your friends."  She says in the saddest voice possible, "I can't sing with you with THAT attitude!"

First thing this morning, I have Ellie and Clara on the couch, Eve is having a little conversation with Ellie and I overhear this... "Ellie, I'm not your mommy.  I'm just here to help you!"

Eric came home for lunch today, and he was in charge of feeding Eve lunch so I could go out with one of my favorite youth girls.  As I'm walking out the door, I hear Eve say, "Daddy, come here, I have a secret!"  Eric bends over and she puts her hand up by her mouth and says loudly, "I have a great idea!  You can share all the cheetos with me for lunch and you can bite them and put them in my mouth.  All of them.  All of the cheetos.  Is that a great idea?"

Today, as Eric is leaving to go to work, Eve stands by the garage door blowing kisses and saying, "Good Luck, Daddy, Good Luck!  I love you!  Good Luck!"

After her nap, I am working on dinner in the kitchen so Eve comes in to join me.  She opens up the cabinets under the sink and sticks her head in.  She looks up at me and says, "I'm just looking for George.  Do you see any George's?"  

While getting the coffee maker out so I can make tea for dinner, I drop the coffee pot on Eve's head (while she is looking for George in the cabinets).  She says, "Oh, sorry mom!  We didn't mean to startle you!"  

Eric's Shaved Head

Actually, this was done at Fripp, but I felt it deserved it's own post.  It happened on a whim and I am SO glad he let me do it!  It looks fantastic...and he loves how easy it is.

BEFORE

THE PROGRESSION

THE FINAL PRODUCT

I LOVE it :)  I have a handsome hubby!

Greasy Hands, The Potty, and Grass

Just had to start this post with the most adorable picture of my girls!!  6 months old and so fun!

Clara and Ellie are teething!  Bad!!  We've got drool dripping from ear to ear, swollen gums, and two cranky 6-month-olds.  Their hands are ALWAYS in their mouths, which means, not only does their drool get all over them, but all over anyone that touches them :)  Yesterday, Eve was trying to get Clara's hands out of her mouth so she could put her pacy in (she's such a helper).  When she pulled Clara's hands away from her mouth, they went straight to Eve's arm (trying to pull that into her mouth).  Eve wanted NOTHING to do with it!!  She said, "Clara, get those greasy hands off of me!!"  Eve gave up on the pacy and walked away.

Right before I put Eve into the tub, she will climb up on the potty by herself and tee tee.  Tonight, she climbed up there and I said, "Eve, are you gonna go potty?"  She replied, "You BET I am!!"  The girl is not three yet!!!  She cracks us up!

We are housing a golfcart for a friend while he is staying in a place without a garage.  Well, it ran out of juice while Eve and I were riding tonight.  It was SO HOT, and we were alone, and I had Eve standing on the gas pedal so I could push it up a HILL... just to get out of ANOTHER neighborhood (not even our own!).  She didn't really understand the concept of standing on it, so I'd be pushing my heart out and look down at her foot and she'd be standing somewhere else...frustrating!  But then again, she's 2!  We made it out of that neighborhood and coasted into ours, where right off the bat we were confronted with a mountain I was NOT pushing up!  We parked it at the first house (I told the homeowners what happened) and Eve and I started on our trek up to our house.  Several times she said, "I dont really wanna do this, I want to hold you."  To which I quickly passed over and made her continue to walk.  As we get close to our house, she says, "We're almost there.  Wow, our grass looks so pretty."  :)  Eric would be so proud!!!