New frickin' Moon

I have been bottling up my excitement for going on three months now, but this Friday is going to be an amazing day! I can't wait for some great memory-making time! Seriously, pee your pants excited.

So grown up.

Every Thursday, I have an adorable little guy by the name of Jett come hang out with the kids and I. He is four years old with the energy to match Gabe. The kids have a blast and I love that they are completely WORN out by the end of the afternoon, however, so am I!

This week, after he left. I was antsy to get out of the house. Mike works Thursdays so I'm usually bored/free to do something...anything. We made a quick stop to say "HI" to Mike at work then swung by my mom's. Now-a-days, with it being SOO dark out SOO early, I was almost bummed to realize it was only 6pm after all was done.

I wasn't quite ready to head home for the night so I decided to take the kids to McDonalds to play on the toys. It wasn't too crowed and eventually cleared out completely. The crazy part was my BABY GIRL!

Now, I know Gabe was getting regular play dates at the park at her age, but he's always seemed more.... physically advanced. Gigi has always been my klutzy, scaredy cat baby; NOT YESTERDAY! My little girl climbed through the play place all by herself- numerous times! She didn't cry or get stuck once (which is a good thing, because I DON'T climb in play toys) She did, however, figure out the way through the toy to the slide and she did that a dozen times!

I was also proud of G. Ever the big brother, I could hear him saying, "This way, Gigi.... Good boy, Gigi.... I wuv you, Gigi." the whole time they were playing.

My kids are all grown up. It's a sad day for a mom.

Spokane, Teriyaki and Pee.

There aren't three things with less in common...

Except in my life.

Mike and I were very lucky to be able to go to Spokane last Sunday for a day trip. I know, "Spokane" and "day trip" don't really belong in the same sentance, however, it was well worth the hours and miles put on the road.

We've been blessed with an amazing couple that is both friend and mentor to us. They were so generous as to open their home to us and a few others for a couple hours of amazing fellowship, inspiration and dream building.

(Mikal, Brad and Hakeem)

(Me, Cassi, Julie and Angela)

(my favorite, $900 Loubs)

(this is only SOME of Julie's shoe collection. If you can't tell, there's a second row behind all of those. Take THAT, Mariah Carey.)

The heart and the word that were shared with us, along with the tough love and motivation is worth more than enough to drive 10 hrs everyday for.

Thank you, Brad and Julie and Steve and Ang!

Teriyaki...

Mike and I have always enjoyed going out to eat. Our love for food is matched by my laziness in the kitchen. When G was little, we ate out probably 3-4 nights a week... then he turned 1. He suddenly was no longer as interested by the food in front of him as he was the the salt and pepper shakers or the whatever-it-was across the room.

We quickly ended family dinners out.

By the time Gigi was born, we were in the routine of being home for dinners. Our time out was only when we had babysitters for the kids. With the exception of lunch when Gigi was 3 or 4 WEEKS old, we have never had both kids in a restaurant at the same time.

We decide to try for the first time, last night, with a quick trip out for Teriyaki. We, literally, sat in the car outside and debated whether we should carry out or dine in.

25 minutes later and with full bellies, we happily finished our first family dinner out. The kids were reasonably well behaved; Gabe only crawled onto the table once and Gigi only yelled for a few minutes until her food came.

We both considered it a success.

Pee...

In the very recent past, when Gabe was asked if he wanted to use the potty, his reply was, "no way!". I was SURE that Gianna would be the first to potty train given that she has gone numerous times and the ONLY time Gabe had ever gone was ONCE when Lindsey was babysitting.

Yesterday, during one of his attempts to change the subject whilst getting in trouble, he said, "go potty on the potty, mommy!"

I almost didn't fall for it because his deception tactic is commonly used during punishment or things he doesn't want to do.

Thank GOD I took him in!

Gabe went 3 times yesterday and 4 times already today! I feel like we've FINALLY crossed over the threshold and we can start the official training. Even better, I think Gigi will be there right along with him! Fingers crossed, I could have two potty trained babies in the early New Year.

In this town we call home, everyone hail to the pumpkin song

This is Halloween. This is Halloween. Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!

Holidays are amazing with my husband. He is suck a big kid; there is no detail spared. This Halloween was no exception.

This year, we made our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. After a few years, we returned to Maris Farms (the first time with the kids) and we really had a blast! What a HUGE event! Monster truck rides, corn mazes, pony rides, bouncy toys, canons that shoot pumpkins! There was so much to do! Unfortunately, we got there a little late so we didn't get to do EVERYTHING, but the kids had a really great time and were SO good.

For Mike, holiday spirit is helped along by great themed movies. In the past, we've looked for them on TV, but this year we decided to add a few to our movie collection. The Nightmare Before Christmas and Monster House are two of our favorites, so I was stoked to find them!

The movies were on full blast while we had our Pumpkin Carving Party. Hot apple cider, roasted pumpkin seeds and hours of carving really got us in the mood.

We were worried that Gabe might be afraid of the scariness that is The Nightmare... creepy things, red eyes, severed heads. What were we thinking? ... Gabe's not scared of anything. ;) To the contrary! HE LOVED IT; watching it over and over again, memorizing the songs, reciting the whole movie. He's such a fun kid.

We were SO ready for Halloween to get here. We practiced saying "trick or treat" and they wore their costumes for the 2 days before just to add to the excitement. With all that, Halloween night was no disappointment!

We kept with the tradition of the last few years, driving to grandma and grandpa's house as our first stop.

(mommy taking a picture of Gigi taking her own picture...she's SUCH a diva)

(My own personal Space Ranger)

(I guess you could call her a "leopard ballerina", but "Cute" works, too)

We also made a surprise stop by my dad's house, which he seemed to appreciate. He doesn't get to see them very often.

Keeping with our tradition of the last few years (even before babies of our own), we met up with Mike's parents and his little brother and sister (now 9 and 7!) and went trick or treating around Tapps Island.

The kids were SO good, the weather was a PERFECT Halloween night, and the candy gettin' was good!

Gabe quickly got into the groove; knocking, "trick or treat"ing, and, most importantly to mom, "thank you"ing!

What I didn't expect, which -in hind sight- I CLEARLY should have, was Gigi's love for all things trick or treating. She walked up to almost as many houses as Gabe and said "thank you" (or, her version anyway) almost everytime... but my little piggy, Gigi, was only satisfied if she had candy in her mouth- at all times. Literally. She ate through wrappers, stole, whatever it took.

Sugar high-ing

Trying to eat a Reeses wrapper off... (and, Yes, Mike has black contacts in)

We had such a great time this year; I can't wait for next! But, first up... THANKSGIVING! YAY for HOLIDAYS!

Mom's really DO think their kids are the cutest even when they're not

Once upon a time, I might have been offended by the "chubby" remarks that were constantly given to Gabe.  I would think, "He's really not that chubby!"  

Whoa, was that a mother's bias.  I came across some old Gabe pics, from just after his first birthday, and, MAN, he was a SOLID DUDE!

I compare that to A Day in the Life of Gabe:

He still has cheeks, but everything else has slimmed down SO much!

Gianna

Here are the afor promised Easter pics I managed to take of Gigi in her dress. Gabe, true to form, wouldn't look in the camera. His outfit was super cute though.

Moving, Easter and everything else.

Yay for moving!  

Mikal and I have moved a TON over the last two years, but never have I looked forward to a move as much as this one.  

Our last place served it's purpose.  It was dirt cheap, allowed us to pay off lots of debt, and was super close to Mike's work.  However, it was SOO tiny!  We were busting at the seams in that place.  Gabe's toys took over every tiny room, and Gianna was left sleeping in the kitchen.  

We took more time finding a place than we ever had before.  We, finally, had a specific criteria in which to fill.  Thank you, God, for three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a garage, and storage, storage, storage!!  What a relief to finally have room to put things away!!  

It's been, almost, two weeks since we got the keys, and we are mostly unpacked.  I still need to put together Gigi's crib, but I can't wait to decorate their rooms for them!  

The kids, the dog, Mikal and myself are all adjusting great! 

 The commute is a bit longer for Mike than the four blocks he's been driving, but he's handling it like a champ and says he "actually enjoys the quiet time in the car." Our new address puts us in South Hill, which could be a traffic nightmare, but from our location, is not bad at all.  We are within blocks to accessing the back roads that take us off Meridian to the other ways to cut across the valley.  And, lucky me, we are right next to the new "Sunrise Village" which has a Target, PetSmart, The Ram, and much more. Not to mention, the newer WalMart, and all your other major grocery stores including Winco...WOOHOO!  I don't ever have to battle South Hill Mall traffice... unless, that is, I'm actually going to the mall;)

Gianna, my good child, is adjusting flawlessly.  Never even a bad moment in her room on the first night.  She quickly learned how to maneuver stairs from watching her brother and has now seen a baby gate for the first time in her little life.  She's really coming along with her walking; getting braver everyday.  She only chooses to crawl if she's in a hurry.

Gabe...ahhh Gabe, has SO much personality. He, too, is enjoying the new place.  He loves the freedom of going places that Gigi can't get to.  He teases her from the other side of the gate.  He has also been granted "big boy status" and gets to eat most meals sitting at the table instead of the high chair, which he thinks is pretty cool.  

The first few nights here, he was allowed to sleep with us.  You may or may not know, but this just DOESN'T happen with us.  

Now, before you think I'm mean, it's not us who say "no" to him, it's him that REFUSES to sleep with us.  Mike would absolutely LOVE for him to sleep with us on a regular basis, however the kid can live off, seriously, NO SLEEP.  Whenever Mike tries to bring him to bed with us, we spend an hour telling him to lay down, 30 min tackling him and trying to pin him down and and the next 30 trying to settle down the tears that come from the wrestling.  By this time, usually Mike has fallen asleep and I get sick of the struggle and put him in his own room. OR, we both fall asleep, and he gets up, puts on a movie in the living room and starts to play.  Then, he climbs in Gigi's crib and tries to wake her up.  NOT Fun.

Anyway, after 3 nights of this, I was more than ready for him to be in his own bed.  Then came the question, "to duct tape or not to duct tape?"  The next 3 nights involved me laying in bed with him until he fell asleep, usually singing 90's Disney songs to him.  (He probably fell asleep to get away from my horrible voice and missed lyrics.)  But, like I previously stated, the kid can stay away FOR-EV-ER!  So, laying in bed often lasted 45 min-1hr and on the third night, I actually fell asleep, too.  

Enter, "The Spoon."  Again, don't hate on me for being the meanest mom in the world.  I spank only when my kid deserves it.  I have been super frustrated with his temper tantrums and have been reading up on ways to deal with "The Strong Willed Child"  (there is a book by that title. I highly recommend it.)  My child needs structure and discipline.  Not only will it make my life easier, but it helps him to be a happier, more well adjusted and socially behaved child and adult. (and, come on, that's what parenting is really all about, not my sanity...that's WAY down the list.)

The first night of the spoon went fairly well.  He was very tired and didn't put up much fight anyway.  He slept, for the first time in a full year, with his door open!! (He started crawling out of his crib at 15 months old.) 

Night two was a different story. He was grumpy, Mike was gone, and I was stressed.  It was a two hour battle.  And, please, don't think that I spent two hours beating my child.  It would start with ten minutes of attempted cuddling. To which, he would push me away or throw a pillow at me.  I would then lay him down, yet again, kiss him good night (while being head-butted) and walk out of the room. 

I held his door handle for 25 minutes, and he never stopped screaming or kicking the door.  Never once.  Then, I'd go back in and try to settle him down again...

At the hour mark, I broke out the spoon.  I stood beside his bed, and everytime he stuck his leg over the side, towards the ground, he got a swat on the thigh.    

This was a long hour.

I don't like spanking him, in fact, it breaks my heart to hear him cry, but I was determined to make it work.  Once he was in bed, with both feet up, I would slowly back towards the door.  If he tried to follow, I'd go back in and swat his leg.  I'd make it out the door and wait for him there.  This took so long, and I was afraid I'd lose it.  Thank God for Christia, who by the hand's off God, was awake at 1 or 2 am in Iowa, and  let me vent my frustrations to her.  

After two FULL hours of G screaming and crying, he finally wore himself out and I was able to tuck him in, one last time, and scratch his back, for 5 last minutes, until he fell asleep.

I was DREADING bed time again.  But this time, a miracle happened: Gabe respected The Spoon!  It took 5 min and 3 swats and he was in bed and asleep in minutes!  

I know, SHUT-THE-FRONT-DOOR!

I was so shocked!  And, get this, he's done that EVERY SINGLE NIGHT SINCE!  No duct tape. No severe screaming, and no 2 hour bed time routines!  I, simply, carry him upstairs (in tears, still) and lay him down.  We do a quick bed time routine that involves a Lion King/Little Mermaid song or two and the tucking of the blankets.  I kiss him good night, which is where he starts to freak out and I have to be very careful of avoiding fat lip causing head butts.  Then I take out the spoon and start to back away.  He starts flailing and kicks all his covers off, but if he sticks a leg over the side, he gets a swat. Now, however,  after one, he pulls his legs up if he sees me coming.  Then I back out of the room, door open, and he calms down within 30 seconds. He then pulls up his own covers, rolls over and FALLS ASLEEP!  

I am SO amazed at how well it has worked for him.  I love that, eventually, bedtime can be a nice time for he and I, and it might not be too far off.  

Tonight, I heard Gigi fussing on the monitor and went to check on her.  He heard me, sat up and said, "hi," but when I told him to lay back down, HE DID, without a single peep!

I feel so much better about him right now, I was started to get pretty down on myself.

On a COMPLETELY unrelated note, I am SOSOSO excited to go with my bestest BFF, JEN, to her BIG ULTRASOUND this week!  Yay, Yay, Yay!   I'm so happy that she lets me be so involved with everything.  She really lets me play my annoying know-it-all role without complaint!    I can't wait to find out what's she's having and then impose my over-opinionated names upon her. ...and then there's the shower to start planning.... so much to do!  

Soon, I'll post some of the super cute pics of Gigi from Easter!