Munchkin Words

As Elijah's running to his bed:

Me: I love you, Buddy!

EM: uh-you....Mommy!
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after getting in the car when Eric picked them up after going to other people's houses for a couple of days:

MJ: Yay! Now you and me and Mommy, and Ewijah and Kerith all get to be together, and we don't have to go to other people's houses any more!
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Me: Did you like the breakfast I sent for you the past couple of days?

MJ: Yes.

Me: With the eggs, chees and potatoes?

MJ: I don't wike potatoes--only pink ones b/c pink's my favorite color (she'd just informed me that now her favorite color is pink :) )
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before our spontaneous date the other night:

MJ: (to Eric) My ankle hurts. My ankle doesn't want you and Mommy and Kerith to go bye-bye; that's why it's sad.

Kerith Laughing & Spitting

7 Years!

Wow! Seven years has gone by really, really fast! It doesn't seem like we've done a whole lot until I stop to think about it: marriage, grad school, work, moving to Houston, Eric finishing school at HBU, 3 babies, and lots of other little things in between! Sadly enough, this is the most recent pic I have of the two of us--Kerith tagged along with us on this trip :)

Eric's parents were very gracious to come hang out with Mikaela and Elijah while we went to eat a late lunch/early dinner at On The Border. Then we headed off to the Galleria for a little strolling around the mall and then to get some YUMMY cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory :) We got to talk and reflect, and Kerith was a good girl for us. We enjoyed our time with just the two...uh...three of us :) God provided me with the perfect mate--He always gives so much more than I can even imagine, especially when it comes to my husband. I have the best hubbie in the whole world and can't wait to see how the Lord grows our marriage in the next 7 years!

Birthday Party

Saturday night, Sam turned 1. The party was to be at the splash park, but there were some REALLY dark clouds hanging over. So everything got set up, just to have it all taken down SUPER fast. I think it was one of the quickest pick-ups I've seen :) And good thing b/c it started POURING. Fortunately, their house is right around the corner from the park, so we just transitioned over there, but Eric and I got totally soaked going the short distance from our cars to the house :) For MJ and EM it didn't matter b/c they were in their swim gear anyway with dry clothes to change into. It was fun though, and we dried fast :)

Forgive the blurry pics--my camera and squirmy kids really wanted me to use a flash, but I was refusing on some :)

Amanda's Bridal Shower

This past Saturday, we had a bridal shower for Amanda, who will marry Dave this coming Saturday! Can you tell this month has been jam-packed with parties and get-togethers and the such?! They've been lots of fun, and I have to give my sweet Eric kudos for all the time away I've had without two of my little munchkins. He's not only been home with them, but also took them grocery shopping, fed them dinner and put them to bed! KL gets 8 more months of being attached to mommy's hip :) But I have to say that even she has gotten lots of loving on from the girls and ladies at our outings :) Enjoy the pics--just 3 more days until the wedding!

A Couple of Mikaela Funnies

The other day, I was getting the kids out of the car, and while I was loading up, MJ was leaning over KL's carseat, looking in the mirror (the one in front of KL's carseat) saying something like, "I told you no! She's MY sister--you can't wook (look) at her!"
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Mikaela has done this one many, many, many times, yet here she was doing it again. She'll be eating her lunch meat, and before I know it, the eight or ten pieces I have cut for her have become 15 or so pieces, which have all become mommies, daddies, brothers, sisters, friends, etc., and she's carrying out little skits with them on the table :)

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MJ & EM many times sit togther, in the green rocker/recliner that we have, to watch tv. Recently I've heard EM start whining and fussing. I'll come to see what the problem is and MJ tells me, "Ewijah won't keep me warm!" Apparently she tries to snuggle a little too close for his liking when she starts getting cold :)

Ouchie!

Did you ever do this to your toes and feet after a few hours of swimming and dragging your feet across the bottom of the pool? Well, I'm not sure what MJ was doing the other day, but these were the results. Even her toenails were red and bruised! Then yesterday, she scraped one of her toes and made one of the blisters bleed. Poor thing has been walking on her heels :)

And I forgot to mention--I never know who Mikaela is going to befriend. There have been many times while playing at the park or the pool that MJ will go up to another mom and carry on a conversation with her. Then when she comes back, we'll ask her, "Who were you talking to?" She'll say, "That was Carolyn (or whoever)." Pretty funny :) Well, the other day at the pool, I look over, and she has befriended the lifeguard--a teenage girl carrying around a long, skinny, orange floatie thing. Next thing I know, the girl is laying on the float, and MJ is pulling her around the pool :)

Elijah Keeping Things in Line

Covered

Mikaela can't stand for anyone to be uncovered when they're sleeping, especially Kerith. I don't know how many times I've walked back into the living room to find Kerith like this :)

Jessica's Shower

Last Sunday, we ladies gathered together again for a post-wedding shower for Jessica. We enjoyed some good food and time of fellowship and got a chance to hear a little bit more about Jessica and Les. Enjoy the pics :)

Swimming

We had the opportunity today to go to a friend's neighborhood pool. Let me tell you, this pool is totally awesome! It has a large area with 1-ft water that has three slides and stuff spraying out all over the place. Then there's a very large big pool that has a beach entry that also has these tall mushroom-type-thingies that spray water out. And there's even the traditional "baby" pool with 1-ft water. And the deep end has 2 or 3 slides for older kids and adults. It's pretty cool! I did forget to bring a camera today but managed to get these two of KL with my phone. She actually had a pretty good nap in the water. I was really grateful for this cool little gadget today :) Some friends took other pics--I'lll post them when they send them to me.

Elijah Funnies

Elijah can find a "mess" just about anywhere. When he does, he's very quick to tell me, "Mama, mess!!"
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Tonight little man was "gargling" to help put himself to sleep :)
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I've started going through a catechism with the kids, and even Elijah is starting to learn the questions and answers. Here's what he tells me:

Me: Elijah, who made you?
EM: GOD!
Me: Elijah, what else did God make?
EM: aw yings (all things)
Me: Elijah, why did God make you and all things?
EM: mumble, mumble, mumble...go-wy (for His own glory)

More Thoughts From Mikaela

As she was getting a bath the other night, MJ put her washcloth over her chest and said, "Mikaela's bra." :)
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The past few nights when it's getting close to being time to wind down and get ready for bed, she says, "Is it getting too wate (late) now?"
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There have been a couple of times when Kerith and I have had to go somewhere alone. One night when I came home, Eric had just put MJ and EM to bed, so I went to tell them good-night. She said, "I don't wike it when you and Kerith go bye-bye. You'll get wost, and the wyons and tigers and bears will hurt you, and then I won't have a baby sister, and I won't have a mom."

Think she's seen a little too much tv? :)
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And this one happens quite often--

MJ: Mom (as she's tapping me with her finger), ... I mean Belle (or Cinderella, or Snow White, or whoever she's determined I'm going to be that day) :) :)

Mikaela-Speak

After having a bath the other night, Mikaela said, "Ah man, I'm tired!"
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On the way to the baby shower and at the shower, Mikaela kept telling me and other people that she wanted to see the shower. We all kept trying to explain to her that a shower is just a party. When we got in the car to leave, she was trying to come up with any excuse possible to not have to go, so she said, "But I didn't get to see the shower!" I said, "Baby, we've been at the shower this whole time." Her immediate response back was, "But the baby didn't take a bath!" :) :)
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About Kerith:

MJ: "Mom, Kerith is the cutest baby in the whole world!"

Other days: "Aww, she's such a cutie pie!"

This morning: "Kerith is the cutest pie in the whole world!"
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A lot of times I tell Mikaela she can wear a play dress. She has turned that into a "day" dress. So yesterday she asked me if today she could wear a "day" dress and on the next day she could wear a "morrow" dress :)

A Baby Shower

Today we had a baby shower for Melissa, a friend from church. She is pregnant with her 7th child (a boy) and has very difficult pregnancies. Most of her babies have been preterm (ranging from 32-37 weeks), and she would really like to have this baby at home with my same midwife, Jackie. But this little one will need to make it to 36 weeks in order for that to be able to happen. She has to put herself on complete bedrest for the majority of her pregnancies, so you can only imagine how she feels emotionally. So pray for her and this baby that he will hold off for another 11 weeks!

It is also Melissa's birthday tomorrow, so her husband surprised her with an icecream cake she wanted from Baskin Robbins. :) There were LOTS of people at the shower! It was really loud, but it was also a lot of fun.

disclaimer: Please excuse a majority of these pictures--I am horrible at inside pics. And they have these really great windows that go almost from ceiling to floor, but it makes it really hard to get the lighting right for a pic b/c it's different everywhere you go in the room.

Kids in Action

Enjoy--this girl sooo cracks me up :)

And little man is too much; you have to look closely, but he's shaking :)

Aww--rolling over from tummy to back--but she does it immediately when I put her down and not again until the next time I put her down; one day I'll catch the whole thing :)

The Fun of Spitting on Each Other (??!)

Ha!

This is what walked into my kitchen tonight while I was cooking dinner. I lost it (in a good way :) )!

More Mikaela Funnies

Mikaela was playing with her "small" dolls the other day. I have to act like I'm not really paying attention or she'll get embarrassed and stop playing until I move on. So I was listening to her, and I heard, "Here you are standing there loving me," in a I'm-trying-to-sing sort of tone. I looked, and she had a "prince" and "princess" singing to each other like in "The Sound of Music." Too funny--didn't even realize she listened to the words of the songs :)
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This morning I was going to the kitchen to do something, and Elijah headed toward the computer chair. So I told him to be sure he didn't touch anything on the desk. He acknowledged that he wouldn't, and as I'm leaving, Mikaela says, "I'll watch him." :) :)

More Kiddo Funnies

Elijah came into the kitchen with a movie in his hand.

EM: I wa dis. (I want to watch this.)
Me: No, we're not going to watch any movies right now.
EM: Aw man! (He walks out.)

EM comes back into the kitchen.

EM: I wa dis.
Me: No--I told you we're not watching any movies right now.
EM: Aw man! :)
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While we're eating breakfast:

Me: We need to pray for Amelia. She'd not going to be able to come today because she has pink eye.

MJ: But I reawy want to go see Amelia.

Me: She's going to come see us. But she has to get better first.

We talk about other things for a minute.

MJ: I don't wike pink eye. I wike red eye. (A girl after her mom's own heart :) )

Love, Me--Awww

Mikaela LOVES her baby sister and can't wait until Kerith is big enough to share bunk beds :)

Hats

Pre-4th of July Get-Together

Last night we went over to some friends' house for some good food and fellowship in celebration of the 4th of July. We had lots of fun and so did the kids. Mikaela just loves playing with the big girls, and she's in doll heaven at the Smythes' house :) And it's so cute to see the three 2-year-olds playing together--they're so funny!

My 2-Year-Old!

Well, we officially have a 2-year-old in the house now! On the day of his actual birthday, we went to some friends' house and invited another friend. They all had lots of fun playing together.

Little man is starting to talk more and more. It's so cute with his sweet little voice :) He also picks up all the things that aren't so nice that Mikaela says to him. He's getting so thick, and you just want to pinch him and squish him and tickle him :) His big milestones so far are being potty-trained (during day) and knowing his capital and lower case letters. He copies pretty much everything MJ does, from wearing her shoes to what she says to the very inflection of her voice. A couple of his new sayings right now: Hi, Yeyes (Kerith); sop it (stop it); Yeyes, nice...me (Kerith isn't being nice to me--ha, ha--also insert any other name); Pop's house; Manna's (Amanda's) house; I teeko (that tickles); I wok you (rock me); I cold; mine (he's a little too good with this one :) ); etc. All in all, he is so scrumptious, and we are so blessed to have him in our lives.

Elijah, Mikaela, Elyona, Joshua, Judah, Elijah & Nathan

Strong

The scene: Mikaela was carrying her container with her "big" dolls into a friend's house.

MJ: Mom, these are too heavy.
Me: You're ok--you're a strong girl.
MJ: Yeah, I am strong, Mommy.