19 months- a month later than planned...

I don't blog about my kids nearly enough. Especially since I do not scrapbook, so this is kinda it. So, I was really disappointed when I realized this week that Lyla turned 19 months old and that I didn't blog about her at 18 months old like I had planned. I guess the reason why is that I don't really know what to say. All I really know to say is that it's going TOO fast. I should say size stats, Lyla was 21 pounds at her check-up. Pretty pumped she grew. She's still on the small side of the growth chart. Which is fine. After all, it would be sad if she grows up with the nickname "Lil Bit" and turns out to be a "Big Bit"... She is still the sweetest thing I have ever met, but is learning quickly how to get attention and how to get her way. Let's just say she has strong opinions. She still loves to be the baby. She loves to be carried every where still. She still loves to cuddle and is FINALLY allowing us to rock her a little before bed. She won't let herself fall asleep though. She doesn't like that. She will rock and the sit up and say "Yiunnadoe night night" (I want to go night night). She then smiles while we lay her in her crib and cover her up. It's the sweetest part of my day.

Lyla doesn't seem to have quiet as many words as C did at this point, he had almost 100. But she tries sentences a lot more than he ever did. And she will attempt any word you ask her, so if I wrote down everything she CAN say, she'd probablly be close, but she doesn't really NEED to talk, C never stops long enough to give her a chance.

Speaking of C, Lyla does EVERY SINGLE thing he does. If he jumps, she tries to jump, if he cries, she cries, if he gives me kisses, well you get the point. She ADORES him. The first thing she says in the morning is "I yunt BUBBA!" The second is "I yunt Peppa" (Peppa Pig is her MOST favorite show!) Lyla loves babies. Real or pretend. She is so sweet as she pats them and kisses them. It's really sad because she would make a great big sister, but I'm not having another baby unless I can experience it from the dads point of view. So she's out of luck. But I'm sure she will make a great babysitter someday.

Lyla is good at making me be the mom she needs me to be. She will play and play and then she needs me. And there is NO putting her off. She comes at me with those little arms stretched way up in the air or she will back into me and sit in my lap. She still sucks her two fingers so when she cuddles in your arms you remember how it was when she was oh so small.

Lyla has been going to Mothers Day Out since she was 9 months old. I didn't like doing that, but financially at the time and lack of sitters forced me to do it. But she LOVES it. She has the best and most loving teacher. She reaches for her every morning. Some mornings she cries for me, but stops before I hit the door. Picking her up is my favorite part of the day. Seeing her play with her friends then drop everything to yell "MAMA" and laugh with joy (she kinda has a crazy woman laugh that is HILARIOUS!). She then YELLS "BYE BYE" at everyone she knows. So SWEET.

Lyla is a great eater. When she is done she waves those sweet little hands in the air and says "All done" or "Ta Da!". Love it. She loves being dressed up and getting her hair brushed. She loves bows and shoes. And of course, anything that is Carsons. She is a tough little cookie. She wrestles and shoves her brother off anything she wants. She is gonna have a little fight in her. Which is fine. She won't be very big. She has a VERY mean look she can pull out when she needs it. Always handy for any girl to have I guess. She loves my phone because she can play "Bubbles". She has learned to sometimes enjoy saying "cheeeeese" for the camera. However, most of the time, never for my good one, only for my phone camera.

Lyla is becoming less shy. She is realizing that she is super cute and starting to show off a little for strangers who are willing to give her attention. It's funny. She flirts a little. No clue where she got that ;). She loves loves loves to dance and to listen to music real loud in the car. Her favorite song is "Stuck Like Glue" she sings along. It's so funny. She is VERY pigeon toed. Found out that runs in the family. My uncle said my dad was "retarded as hell" (lol) and had to wear special shoes, yes, like Forest Gump. J and I grew out of ours without special assistance. Thank goodness. She tells me when she has a wet or dirty diaper. However, I am in NO hurry for two potty trained kids, so she's stuck a while. We can barely get from point A to point B as is without stopping for C to pee, so L is just gonna have to wait. Afterall, she's only 19 months. Diapers are easy. In fact, I'm thinking about making C wear one on our drive to Galveston in a few weeks... that's bad right?...Tell me not to do that. I can just give him a bottle to go in instead. ;)

Well, I guess I had lots to say. Lyla is an angel. And growing too fast. But everytime she grows more I love her more, so I guess it's ok.

November...

Is off to a bumpy start. No seriously. We were woken up by an earthquake two nights in a row. The first night, was quick. J and I jumped out of bed and ran in circles trying to figure out what blew into our house or what blew up. Only when we turned to facebook did we find out that is was actually a 4.2 (or something) earthquake. In OKLAHOMA.

Then Saturday night J had just gotten in bed, I was passed out from lack of sleep from the night before, when boooommmm again. This time it lasted what seemed like FOREVER. I think it was only a minute, but it was seriously one of the scariest moments of my life. J and I ran to our kids hall, completely expecting them to be awake. After all, it was LOUD. and we were SHAKING. They slept through it. But we were shook up.

So, we got on facebook to find out that it was a 5.6. I'll just say that I don't want to feel ANY bigger. The rest of the night was spent trying to fall asleep, once we would, an aftershock would hit. not cool.

At one point C came in, between aftershocks, and said he was scared of a monster. This was normal, so I assumed he actually didn't feel anything, after all, he slept through the other two. I just kept thinking how happy I was that he didn't get what was going on b/c I didn't want him to feel as scared as I was.

I think there were something like 20 earthquakes in all, or more. We felt them getting ready for church, in the afternoon, evening. Even got to see the damage at a local college where they had part of their building fall. However, J was proud to find out that he did build an "Earthquake proof swing set". ha.

This afternoon I asked C why he slept in our room. He said he was scared. I asked why. He said "well, because the floor was shaking." Guess it didn't slip by after all. :(

Turns out I am an earthquake chicken! Earthquakes and roller coasters are NOT my thing. Apparently I like to be on solid STILL ground. I am just hoping that this crazy paranoia ends soon. Any noise I hear I'm afraid another is coming, yes you can hear them COMING. Every time I am shaken, like at church by the guys foot behind me, I get that creepy feeling all over again. And I don't really want to go to sleep, because it is NOT a good thing to wake up to. Earthquakes just suck. You don't know when they are coming or when they are gonna STOP. not cool.

Sure hope November smooths out...

It's the most wonderful month of the year

I LOVE October! We get a break from the heat, a break from school, a lot of football, and what is growing to be my ABSOLUTE favorite holiday, Halloween!
Here's a quick look at our October:
Early OCtober, my dad brought C a sling shot and a "hunting hat". C was so thrilled he decided he wanted pictures.

Then, it was the greatest day of my life. Just kidding. Well, maybe not. I finally got to dress my little girl up like an OU cheerleader. I was thrilled. Little bit enjoyed it as well. And once again, C was willing to take pictures.

We then got all fancy for Carson's Jessie's wedding. C looked SO handsome in a suit...

Then J took an afternoon off during Fall Break and we all went to check out the Orr Family Farm. It was SO nice. It felt like we were in Katy again. It was so clean and well kept. The kids loved it. I think we found a fall tradition! C LOVED the huge bouncing pillows and the giant slide. We took a train ride and a hay ride. And of course, took a lot of pictures. They were NOT in the picture mood that day. This is C mid complaint...

I LOVE their matching expressions here...

Lil bit looked a lot cuter, but it was HOT and I had a sweater and a coat over this shirt...

On October 30th, my cousin Krisiana and I pulled off a suprise party for my grandmother, DeDe. Here's some cute pics of my kids from that day.

And then there was HALLOWEEN!!! This is becoming my favorite holiday as an adult because all the other ones involve guilt. Guilt over not being able to spend time with everyone in our family who wants us to spend time with them. Halloween is just about the kids having fun and us having fun with them. I JUST LOVE IT. C got to pick what he wanted to be this year for the first time, and he chose to be a pirate, for the second time. He also wanted Lyla to be one as well. While this was kinda against everything I had wanted, I gave up my dream of a little cute cuddley bunny or something and let my baby girl be a pirate.

And once again, C was WANTING his picture taken.

Until I asked for one sitting down that is...

C got to trick or treat this year. It was SUPER sweet. She would "say" trick-or=treat sometimes, but mostly she just said "ARG" and laughed to everyone she saw.



We tried to hit up a party after a pit stop at the Rollins house, but you know my kids, it was like after 7, so L fell apart and we had to go home to go to sleep. Maybe next year we will trick-or-treat in the DARK...

August 3rd

Was the last time I blogged. SERIOUSLY? It's not like nothing blogable has happened or that I haven't had memories I wanted to blog about. I guess I just have been keeping myself too busy. Or something... Or maybe I felt pressure to write "good blogs". Who knows. When I started this blog I planned to blog once a week. Wednesdays. Then at least once a month. Now, once a semester? Come on! I don't scrapbook, I blog. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRACK MY FAMILY MEMORIES. I have GOT to do this more. Even if it's silly or a little too sweet. I will blog. Maybe once a week.

Today, I'll just blog about a short conversation with my 3.75 month old son....

"Mom, my butt hurts" C said walking into my room with his pants off. "Well, get your fingers out of it." "Oh."

Really? Boys...

Next week I'll blog about October. My most favorite month. I think you'll see why...

One of those days.

I am having one of "those" days that normal mom's probably don't like to admit to having. You know the days that you look at the children, who you love more than anything, but can't help but to feel like you are being punished....Your head is pounding due to the constant screaming coming from the two babies, who you always imagined would play together happily... or not. You are wiping snotty noses, kissing boo boos, asking them not to hit each other, not to throw their balls at your face, not to dive off the couches head first, to please eat their breakfast. You are still in the clothes you slept in, teeth unbrushed, no breakfast, too little coffee, hair a mess, and you just want to scream "What happened to my LIFE?!?!" To top it all off it is boiling hot outside, so you can't send them outside AND the city's water lines busted so you can't even turn the sprinklers on to let them play. So there you are. Head pounding. Stinking. Hungry. Comforting crying babies. Fighting back your own tears. Feeling like you are the worst mom in the whole wide world. Then one little baby comes up to you and says, "Mom. Why are you so grouchy today?" And you sit down on the floor with them and tell them, "because you guys are SO loud." And that little baby says, "Oh. Well, I'll be quiet to make you better." Kisses you on the head and skips off.

And with that, you regain the patience to continue.

It was the summer of 2011

I haven't blogged in two months. I blame it on the nice even number of blogs I have posted to date- 100. That's only minor OCD that I didn't want to change it to 101, right?

Either way, I decided that today was THE day to catch up on the summer....

This summer has been fast, slow, busy, boring, sweet and frustrating all at the same time. And it looks like it is only going to be about 9 days too long. Here's a wrap up of my summer with the two kids. We have started most days at the YMCA getting our workouts and play time in, we have helped out with two VBS's, fed lunches to hungry kids in the park, spent a week at camp, spent long weekends at the lake and watched WAY too much T.V.

I have also had a total of 15 hours of class this summer, so nap times, bed times, feeding times, and any little chances I get in between have been spent in front of my computer. Which lead to the frustrating part of the summer. I have felt like I have been behind the WHOLE time. But I made it. Summer school is now over and I am very close to being ready for the fall to begin. WOO HOO!

Kid update:
Carson is, well, LOUD. LOUD and NAKED. If I am not asking him to not yell, I am asking him to put some underwear on. I really don't mind the nakedness, but it's easier to keep his hand off his wee wee with his underwear on. Plus, when he goes outside naked, I'm afraid his butt will burn and I don't really wanna worry about putting sunscreen in places that the sun SHOULDN'T shine.
In addition to being LOUD, C is also getting a smart mouth. I just can't imagine where THAT came from. Case and point, here is a conversation we had the other day:
Me: Carson, I really need you to eat your banana.
C: Why?
Me. Because you need it to grow tall and strong.
C: I'm already strong.
Me: Ok, are you strong enough to pick me up?
C tries and fails
C: No.
Me: Well, then it looks like YOU need to eat this banana.
C: Mom, can you reach that up there.
Me: No.
C: Well, it looks like YOU need to eat this banana.

Smart. Ass.

Needless to say, he no longer hopes to be "tall like you, Mama." He's moved on to his dad. Which is better really.

Carson has also mastered the pool this summer. He loves to do cannon balls, belly flops and even likes to dive. But we have to be there to flip him back over or his swim suit floation device will hold him feet up. It's kinda funny to see just for a SECOND.

Carson has NOT mastered flushing the toilet. I regularly do poop checks around the house. With three toilets, one of which I never use, I find left over poop in the potty most days. It's really only an issue when the upstairs one gets missed for a few days...

Carson has also mastered being boss of Lyla. He regularly disciplines her by saying "No No little miss!" and "Lyla! I have told you a hundred time!" And "MOM! Lyla is being a pain in the butt". He is also great at being sweet to her. He calls her "sweetheart" and hugs on her and likes to carry her around. I frown on that, but whatever.

Carson has NOT mastered dressing himself. IF I can get him to get dressed, I can only hope for him to NOT come out with a crazy shirt, crazy shorts and of course his camo rain boots on the wrong feet...

Carson sleeps most nights on a pallet on his bedroom floor. Whatever. Gets EMBARRASSED if he falls out of his bed, when he does sleep in it. His (and MY) new favorite thing to do is cuddle in our bed and watch a movie. It's pretty cool he likes to watch them. He LOVES "Captn Jack" and regularly speaks in pirate. He has to do everything "MYSELF" and sheepishly asks for help when he can't do it. He is sweet and loving 90% of the time and the rest of the time he is a "pain in the butt". I'm sure I'll get in trouble for that when school starts....

Lyla is also LOUD. She doesn't have the vocabulary that C did at her age, but seems to be MUCH more aware of what she wants and is REALLY REALLY aware of how to get it. She has this high pitch squeal that will get even the most stubborn parents to jump to give her what she wants just to make it STOP. Then she laughs and smiles the sweetest little smile, you can't help but to think she is the sweetest thing EVER (or quiet the little devil...) Either way, we are screwed when she gets older...

Lyla LOVES to dance and my kids favorite summer activity is listening to "Energizers" from camp and dancing in her room. She is also the nosiest little thing ever. She gets into more than Carson ever did. She loves digging in my cabinets and hiding my cell phone in them. She also is naturally a girly girl (for now). She loves to put on jewelry, even that of strangers, carry purses and put bows in her hair. Too bad I am not much help in that department.

Lyla FINALLY started walking. She waited until we got to camp, then took OFF. She really hasn't been that unstable, because she just waited until she was READY. Not much on taking chances. This could be the only trait that saves me during her teenage years...

Lyla shakes her whole body up and down or side to side when asked a question. She doesn't bother SAYING yes or no, but there is NO doubt what her anwer is.

She is just as sweet, but busier now than ever, so less into being held. Which has been bitter sweet. I needed her to let me put her down, after 9 months of pregnancy then 14 months of carrying her, I was LITERALLY crooked. So my back/hips/neck feels better, but I struggle to just get a cuddle in. She likes to sit on the floor at bedtime across from you when you read and thinks every story is the funniest thing EVER, but doesn't really care to cuddle, she also doesn't care much for a drink before bed, so no cuddle time there either. She laughs when we lay her down because she's so happy to be in her bed, so no cuddling to sleep. But when she is sick she CUDDLES! Woo HOO! I mean, poor thing ;). I take advantage of hurting teeth, or colds!

Speaking of teeth, she still only has four. Wish me luck over the next few months. I'm SURE we are about to get a whole mouthful at ONCE. eek.

By four pm everyday I am usually about to go crazy. I really don't know how stay at home moms do it every DAY. By four, C is literally bouncing off the walls/furniture/floor and Lyla is so ready for bed she just fusses non stop. She likes to be fed at 5 and again at 6ish when we eat. And really the only way to make her happy is to hold her, but she doesn't cuddle when you hold her, she fights it, wants up, then wants to be held again and repeats. So I gave up cooking to tend to her during this time of day. Luckily, Josh really likes to cook and is great at it. Whew.

Between the before dinner tears and frustrations and the struggles a bedtime with a three year old, I go to bed every night more convinced I do not want ANY more children and thanking God for moments like that, because if it wasn't for breakdowns and temper tantrums we would NEVER want them to get older. At least with age comes greater control of emotions.

However, by morning, the miracle of motherhood has occurred and I am ready and willing to do it all over again. And until about 4pm- I couldn't be happier....

This used to be my playground

Dwight Mission. I can't even put into words how special this place is to me and my husband. See, Dwight gave me life. I know, my parents and God did that, but Dwight gave me MY life.

It has been 20 years this summer since my childhood friend, Lauren Phelps, first said to me "Let's go to Dwight Mission". Me, always having been up for a good time said, "Let's go". And that was the first week of my life.

For the first time in my life, I go to meet myself. I got to know what it felt like to fee comfortable in my skin. Being an akward tomboy at age 11, I had been feeling uncomfortable in every sense. Physically and socially. But at camp, it all went away. Confidence shined through that hadn't been around since my earlier years, socializing became natural. BOYS like ME. Girls sometimes didn't because of that. But I felt good. I liked getting to know myself. And somewhere between singing songs and chasing boys, I met God.

I continued attending Dwight Mission camps, retreats, ski trips, anything that I could attend I did. I even missed my WORLD OM competion one year because it was during camp. Missing camp was not an option.

Summer after my freshman year in college, I found myself wondering what I was going to do for the summer. I didn't have myself in the best life situation, bad relationship, partying too much, so I knew I needed a new path, fast. One day I ran into my dear friend Nick Thompson, who I met that first summer as the akward 11 year old tomboy. He said, let's go to camp and be counselors. Well, I had ALWAYS wanted to do that so I said yes! I interviewed with one of my old counselors who was now the Program Director and he said yes! A couple of weeks before I got cold feet about leaving that relationship behind, when another good friend, Keith Anderson, who I also met that first summer, reminded me of all the reasons I wanted and needed to be there. That was it. I was going. Well, until I ran into this Tracy Brown girl in the cafeteria and found out SHE was going. GREAT. I thought. She does NOT like me, because Nick Thompson liked my friend Lauren Phelps. I didn't EVEN like Nick that way. But again, I decided to go.

Again, I can't put into words how special my first summer on staff was to me. Of course, right away, Nick and I were playing and having a ball, that Tracy Brown girl, has been my best friend since staff training, some annoying guy Josh Rogers was on staff that summer, a guy named Brian Carroll, Johnna Comptom, and SO many more- we all became friends. So I spent the summer chasing boys, singing songs, and again meeting God.

The second summer I was on staff, my good friend Keith joined, remember, the one who had to talk me ino going again? Well, he talked me into going back with him that summer. Nick was gone, but Tracy was back, along with her boyfriend who she had met at Dwight Mission as a camper. At some point that summer a life changing moment happened. Jim Burns, from Memorial Presbyterian Church in Norman, asked me to interview to be one of their youth directors. Now THIS was a shock. I couldn't believe that he saw ANY possibilities in me to do that kind of work. But again, I said yes.

After what was another WONDERFUL summer, I interviewed for the Memorial job and got it. I also moved in with Tracy Brown after spending a school year neighbors to Josh Rogers. Tracy and Tim Dowell spent the year dating and getting engaged, I worked at Memorial until one day Nick Thompson called saying that I should apply for a job at Westminster (a MUCH bigger church) as their junior high director. Well, there has been one thing I've learned in life, say "yes" to Nick. ;)

I interviewed and again got a youth director job. I still had some school left so I finished that up while working with who else? Nick. Then Nick left. But guess who replaced him? Tracy Brown. Now Dowell. All in all, I spent four years working there with two of my best friends and one of the most special ladies I have ever gotten the pleasure to meet, Linda Zahn. During my time at Westminster, I began leading a youth retreat called Youth Quake. I needed someone to lead music so I called on my old camp friend Josh Rogers. We got to hang out after what had been years a couple of times- and eventually started dating, and you know the rest.

Like I said, Dwight gave me life.

Now Josh and I have two wonderful children and we jumped on the chance to take them back to the place where it all started over Memorial Day. Now, this was a big deal for this lake bum, but MAN am I glad we went! And guess who was there? Nick Thompson, Brian Carroll, Johnna Compton, etc.etc. As well as SEVERAL kids who were in Josh, Nick, Elisa (Nick's wife, who was a youth director with Josh) or I's youth groups were now counselors. It was great.

While there I started thinking about what it means to be a "Dwightie". Most don't get it. My parents didn't. Most of my friends don't. And that's because it's hard to describe.

Being a Dwightie means singing to the top of your lungs no matter what age, it means laughing until you cry several times a day, it means you do not feel comfortable in closed toe shoes or real clothes no matter how long you've been off staff, it means you love people who you couldn't stand in the real world, it means your idea of worshiping God is outside, sweating to death, sitting on a dirty floor and loving every second, it means believing in ghosts, it means being excited that a Moose, that is clearly a DEER, found it's way home, it means being able to imagine the taste of Christine's bisquits and the red juice, it means butterflys evertime "the fence" comes into sight, it means, at one point, you may have drank your whole small group's spit, it means having friends that are closer than family, it means your ankles look naked without strings around them, it means never letting inside jokes die, it means you won't think of watermellons the same again, it means believing in true love, it means meals should always be followed by song, it means learning if something needs to be done- you do it, it means you have worked for like $1.50 an hour, it means you know how to solve problems, stay calme, and smle when things are tough, it means you will dance like a fool to pop songs at your wedding and not care! It means seeing the stars so close you feel like you can touch them, it means quick showers, hard beds, it means eatting way too many smores, it means sneaking out late at night, it means seeing others like God must see us, without fault, and full of love, it means you know your comfort zone and how important it is to push it, it means you call out "MAGIC CIRCLE" when you want to not be touched, it means crying when you have to leave and undestanding that the transition to the real world takes time. Most of all, it means only feeling truely at home when you are there.


And this weekend, my kiddos began their journey to become "Dwighties". I hope it gives them life too.