Sleep, Bobby, World Tapir Day

Soooo, remember the whole Hadleigh climbing out of her crib situation???  It has gotten much better but not without some hard nights.  Some nights I just gave up and she winded up in my bed which resulted in NO sleep for me.   Look at her....doesn't she look so innocent?? 

 

 

But now we are back where we belong.  Me in my bed and she in her bed.  I lowered the front of her crib so if she decides to climb out there will not be a long fall.  BUT so far (knock on wood) she has not attempted to get out again. 

 

Next up, this was the kids bright and early Friday morning.  Don't they look so sweet??  Especially Roc!!  But we all know better don't we??  ha ha

 

Rocco took his British police helmet to show and tell on Friday.  He said the kids in his class were not impressed with his knowledge of British history or his English accent (which he has learned from his obsession of Peppa Pig).  I told him kids are hard to please these days.  He agreed. 

Today we went to the zoo with Aunt Mashure and KK.  Always have to stop at the flamingos. 

 

If you didn't know, today is World Tapir Day and the zoo was filled with activities to celebrate.  This puppet show was sooooo cute!!!!

 

The kids got to meet the puppets and puppeteers.  KK would not get near them!!  Ha!!

 

The littles liked the big toad.

 

I would never want anybody to think my kids were perfect and here is a perfect example.  My kids are obsessed with popcorn.  I do not let them have it often but when I do, watch out.  They know when we go to the zoo, if they are good, there will be a popcorn stop.  I got our usual tub of popcorn and Hadleigh went beserk!!!  She would NOT let anyone near her popcorn!!!!

 

 

Aunt Mashure had to buy another tub for the other 3.  Doesn't KK look mad at Hadleigh?  ha ha

 

We finished with the zoo and went to ride the train.  Now Hadleigh is mad at KK for holding the popcorn!  She is crazy about the popcorn!!!

 

They are happy with the popcorn!!

 

Ready to ride the train!!! 

Bike Rodeo Update

I was under the impression that every elementary school across America has a bike rodeo.  My BAD!!!  Evidently, there are people who have not even heard of a bike rodeo so I wanted to give an explanation. 

A bike rodeo = a series of tests and obstacles for bike riders

Test #1 - Does your bike have the necessary safety equipment.  Police officers are on hand to inspect your bike.  Check for reflectors, brakes, mandatory horn/bell and bike helmet. 

Test #2 - Do you know bike hand signals?

Test #3 - Weaving through obstacle course set out with cones.  If you touch cone, point off.  If you miss a cone, point off.

Test #4 - Can you ride straight?  Two lines 6 inches apart.  Point off every time your tires touch either line.

Test #5 - Bryan and I grew up with a figure 8 but at Jillian's school she had a circle.  Must ride around circle the fastest and without touching lines. 

Test #6 - How slow can you ride?  Two straight lines 12 inches apart but goal is to take the longest time to reach the finish line without touching the lines.  (This is the hardest test but this was Bryan's speciality.  He said he learned to balance his bike without moving.  This is how he won for 5 years in a row.)

So there you go!  At our morning assembly this morning, the winners were announced by our principal.  You know where this story is going......

Here are the winners for kindergarten.....Coach told me she won by one point!!!

Coach was passing out the ribbons and prizes.

 They know how to speak Jillian's love language.  She won a princess memory game.

Now we have to start practicing for next year so she can repeat!!!

La-La

Hadleigh is finally talking up a storm lately ( YAY!!!) BUT you got to speak Hadleigh if you know what I am saying!!

First of all, her favorite word is no.  If you ask her a question, ANY question, she will say no.  BUT it doesn't always mean no.  Sometimes it means yes!  You have to listen to her tone.

She is saying lots of easy words like bye and ball and book and can say and sign more.  She says wa-wa for water but sometimes that means milk.  For milk, she will say wa-wa but give the sign for milk.  Got it?

She also has a word for train which doesn't remotely sound like train but I know that is what she is saying.

Dog is woof-woof.  Melmo is Elmo.  But Melmo could also be Melville (Mom and Dad's dog).  ARe you confused yet? 

She is learning her colors and loves to say geen and yeyyow.  Everything is geen and yeyyow. 

She still hums the important songs.  She can hum the whole tune to so many songs but does not sing the words (even though she knows them).

She can point to all of her body parts and can say most of them.  She has a difficult time with the h sound so it comes out like "ead" and "air"

She can identify all her family members in her own language
Mama and Dada can be easily identified but Jillian is G.G. and Rocco is Doe-Doe.  Seriously, she CANNOT know how fitting that nickname if for 'ole Doe-Doe. 

AND the BEST part is that because of her difficulty with the h sound, she has named herself La-La.  It is awesome!!!  So without further adieu, here is La-La identifying everyone....

Bike Rodeo

In elementary school, Bryan was the grand champion of the bike rodeo for like 10 years in a row.  There was a lot of pressure for Jillian to continue that tradition and she has been practicing!  All that practice paid off and the girl did great!  She was very excited!

Afterwards, kindergarten was dismissed to recess and she had so much fun playing with her friends.  They are a very sweet bunch of girls. 

Three days later and still no winner has been announced for the bike rodeo???  Bryan is ready to call the school and call WOAI trouble shooters for an investigation.  I'll let ya know what happens......

This is where our money is going.....

In our continuing discussion of what our girls are doing in dance class, I present to you

Jillian Avery in a riveting performance of

I Love A Rainy Night

I am pretty sure my childhood dance teacher, Toots Johnson, would not be impressed.  None of the girls looked excited or thrilled but hopefully that was because they were all complaining of their ill-fitting costumes.  All that money for the costume and the company that made them messed up on the halter tops and they are too tight.  Jillian did not even want to put it on.  One of the dance moms is going to try and fix the necklines. 

So hopefully, eventually, her costume will fit and she will be excited to perform!!!  Why else am I paying for all this, right??

I smell T-R-O-U-B-L-E

A certain someone (who shall remain nameless) has figured out how to climb out of the crib!!!  I have never had to deal with this issue before and let me just tell you this has sent me over the edge. 

The first night, Sunday night, it took me HOURS to get her to go to sleep.  I finally had to forcibly hold her down in her crib until she went to sleep.  All the while, the other two were witnesses to a very ugly wrestling match between a mother and a baby and I think they were traumatized.  Ha!!  They did not get to bed until very late because of the aforementioned catastrophe.

Monday night, I knew I had to have a plan.  However, it didn't work.  Again, I wrestled her for HOURS until she fell asleep.  Olders kids are now totally exhausted as they have stayed up past their bedtime two nights in a row.

Tuesday night, I had a partner.  So we took turns wrestling and shooshing her until she fell asleep.  Older kids went to bed on time because we could tag team.

Tonight I don't have a partner so it could return to ugly.  I am just not sure what to do with this girl.

Momma needs some sleep!!!!!

In other non-interesting news, I wanted to write down the kids stats just so I would remember:

Jillian age 6 (otherwise known as little minnie)
ht - 45 in (50th %)
wt - 41 lbs (29th %)

Rocco  age 4 (otherwise known as the tall tank)
ht - 42 in (91st %)
wt - 39 lbs (70th %)

Hadleigh age 2 (otherwise known as giant)
ht - 39 in (>97th %)
wt - 31 lbs (90th %)
head (>97th %)

It is VERY hard to get any piece of clothing over Hadleigh's humongous head.  She cries and fights you because she knows its gonna hurt.  Isn't that crazy??

Attitude

NOT MINE - THEIRS

Yesterday I had to do a lot of praying - praying for patience.  At every moment of the day, one of my "little darlings" was giving me attitude!  So frusterating!!

This one was giving me "tude" over food and TV.  I don't want to eat this.  I don't want to eat that!  I want to watch this.  I want to watch this.  Mix in a little whining, eye-rolling and foot stomping and I was ready to give her the boot!

This boy almost put me over the edge.  I taught his class at Sunday school yesterday and he was AWFUL!!!  I had to put him in time-out in the middle of the church hallway.  I was sooooooo embarrassed.  We also had a huge meltdown over his "nametag" (in the picture) that I can't even talk about over how ridiculous the whole thing was.

Finally this little miss did put me over the edge!!!  Such a little stinker!!!!  Everything was no.  No mommy!!  No mommy!!  She also likes to say "mean Mommy"!!!  (She fell AGAIN at my parents' house and busted her bottom lip again.  I am hoping that CPS will not come calling.)

Seriously, these are the faces I dealt with all day.  Such joy!!!  Bryan's next day off is not until Tuesday.  I might need y'all to pray for me too!!!   

Easter or this year, Grandma's Birthday

Sunday, the kids were up early and ready to see their Easter baskets!!  We usually put eggs in the backyard and let the kids run out for a quick hunt but the Easter Bunny's husband had to work the night before and I was scared to go in the backyard at night.  Isn't that a silly fear??  But I spread the eggs all over the living room and felt it was just as good!!

 

 

Here they are!!  Ready for church!!  My mom made the girls' dresses and Rocco's shorts and they looked so cute!!

 

We made the hour drive down to Devine to celebrate my Grandma turning 95!!!!  Isn't that amazing??  So amazing that I did not take a picture of her!  Isn't that terrible?  But here are the cousins!!

 

You know these two were up to no good...

 

After a very late lunch, we headed back to SA to have dinner with Bryan's folks.  The drive was so fun as Hadleigh cried the ENTIRE way!! 

 

The in-laws always have a fun hunt with eggs filled with coins.  The kids always feel sooo rich!!  ha!!

 

And of course, they always have to count their money afterwards.

 

I am so grateful that we always get Good Friday off but when Monday hits, I realllllllly wish we got the Monday after off instead.  We are Easter hungover and need a rest!!!