...and my little girl is growing up...

I guess you could say that I've known this day was coming for awhile now. Jenna is becoming more and more independent and certainly thinks she's capable of doing all that she sees her older brothers doing. Including going potty. Last spring, when I was encouraging William to ditch the diapers, I jokingly said I would be potty training both of my babies at the same time. But part of me was serious too. So when Will FINALLY potty trained at the beginning of summer I figured Jenna wasn't far behind. She has always despised having a dirty diaper (wet or otherwise). And over the past week, I've watched a funny behavior. When she peed, she would go get a clean diaper then come to me, walking in a straddle as if she's been riding a horse for a week. She'd say, "diaper" and expect me to change her. Everytime! So I started 'offering' her opportunities to go potty in the toilet. She actually peed in the toilet a couple of times too, but she also peed on the floor and in her panties. And I've been down this road TOO many times with the boys and I know how long it takes for them to make the connection so I wasn't prepared for what happened today. Today, she knocked my socks off. I was at the computer, perusing Pinterest, when she waddled in with her 'straddle' walk and said, "poop". I figured she'd just filled her diaper and wanted it off, but since she didn't have a diaper in her hand, I asked her if she wanted to go potty. Really, I was just trying to buy some more Pinterest time. The bathroom is across the hall from my computer. She said yes so I took off what turned out to be just a wet diaper and helped her sit down on the throne. Seriously! before I had myself adjusted in my seat in front of the computer, she had climbed down off the toilet and was taking me by my hand, saying, "help". I asked if she needed help to wipe and she replied with her adorable "Yeth!" (she lisps when she says yes, or when she has a pacifier in her mouth--which is most of the time) So we went across the hall to wipe and she proudly points to the toilet and says "Poop". Sure enough, treasure in the toilet. (I'm sorry. Perhaps this a little too much information and WAY to much detail, but this is important to me to remember all the fine lines in her growing up. She is SO different than her brothers!) It's as if she knew she needed to use the bathroom and she knew what do to about it. That girl amazes me! So I guess we'll be heading out to the store to buy panties today for my baby girl who doesn't want to be a baby any more. Wow! who knew this day would arrive so quickly?

Scout Advancement

 Joshua's Webelos leader  has been working so hard to help prepare him for Boy Scouts. Thank you, Sister Stubblefield! He's been working hard too, to finish up a few things in Cub Scouts. Well, the hard work has paid off. Joshua earned his Arrow of Light and participated in the crossover ceremony tonight. He's now a Boy Scout! Congratulations, Joshua!

...the rest of the story...The Swing.

After Josh's genius idea, which drew every one to the back yard, and ended in some tears (after Andrew sat in the swing and broke the "oh-so-strong" branch it was hanging from) (oh, the tears were from Josh, not Drew) Ben went to work.
And this is what he concocted...

He used the same tree but a different, much larger, branch to hang this.

Just Jenna...

 

(figured it's about time to share pics of the girl)

My creative one...

Josh disappeared for awhile last night. I was busy getting dinner ready so I didn't hunt him down. Just before I finished, he came in the back door and asked if I would come look at what he did.

 

He showed me the swing that he crafted all by himself.

Bigger and Better...

 

How's this for one of the critters the kids found in the back yard. Imagine the size of the spider when you figure that the leaves are 2-3 inches long. It's called a trap door spider and it's built like a tank. There is NO way I could step on it, even as {SHUDDERS} much as I cringe at the sight of it. It would be like stepping on an acorn. Eeew! So we did the next best thing. Catch and release. Caught it in a jar and released it in an empty lot down the block.
I know you're jealous! I know you want to have critters like this in your back yard. Well, the only thing I can think to suggest is that you move to Tennessee and become our neighbors. I'd be happy to share....

Jenna

 

17 months

family pic

 

Just a snapshot of our family at the Atlanta Temple openhouse.

April Fools Day fun

It's April 1. April Fools Day. I've known it was coming, and I started scheming, but then Ben went out of town (all the way to Nashville) for a training of some sort and I completely forgot what today was. ...and I got GOT! Joshua didn't forget. He taped the sprayer nozzle down. So when I went to the sink this morning with a pot in one hand and the other on the faucet, I was soaked before I really even realized what was happening. Well, me and the floor! I untaped the handle and filled the pot with water for cream of wheat. When breakfast was done, Josh asked if he could put color in Michael's breakfast. (I had changed clothes by that time and was a little happier than I had been when I was wearing all that water) I ok'd it and he put a drop or two of food coloring under the spoon. Then we put sugar on top and poured the milk. When Michael stirred up his breakfast, it turned green. We all had a nice giggle and then William started screaming. I reached for the food coloring thinking he wanted green breakfast too, but instead, I discovered that Josh had done the same thing to Will's bowl and William DID NOT want green cereal. I didn't even see Josh do that! So I scolded him lightly, reached for my bowl to share with William in hopes of settling him down only to find that MY bowl had fallen victim as well! That boy was busy!! Unfortunately, I wasn't smiling by that point, feeling like I had to dump breakfast and start over so William would settle down. I was still feeling annoyed when Josh left for school. But I had all day to think about my actions and finally concluded that I do love Joshua's sense of humor. It's alot like my dad's in fact. I don't want to squelch the 'tease' in him. But I'm not about to be outdone by a 10 year old.
SO.....
This is what Joshua is getting for dinner.






Sure, looks innocent enough. But it's not. I made meatloaf (something my kids love) in muffin cups. I took the cooked meatloaf out of the cups and put them in foil cupcake liners. Then I whipped up some yummy mashed potatoes and blended in some beets to turn them pink. I piped them onto the meatloaf with an open star tip (frosting decorating gear) I sprinkled some 'sprinkles' made with cooked rice and food coloring. They almost look yummy.
Oh, and I don't have picture, but I also filled everyones cup with Jello--looks like juice, but doesn't spill! Perhaps I'll be better prepared next year.

It's official...

Today I went from this...

 

to this. Makes me a little sad, in a way.

 

Guess it's about time!

One Year Old Jenna

 

Happy Birthday. Here, want some?

1 year....can it really be one year?

January 11, 2010. 38 weeks into a pregnancy with a baby that, just the week before, had been presenting with her bum first, I was sent for yet another ultra sound to confirm the placement of said baby. I walked away from the Dr's office with one of the biggest surprises of my life. FINALLY! We learned that we were having a little girl. Not that I wasn't excited to learn that the boys were boys, just that I was NOT expecting to hear words like 'her' or 'she' or 'hair bows' for several more years (like until one of those little boys grew up and married and had babies of their own). It was a pleasant surprise. And so was the news that sometime over the weekend, she had done a summer-sault; she'd flipped to a head first position. So, January 12, 2010, I went to see my OB/GYN at her office. She looked over the ultrasound report, and with a smile on her face, told me that, if I was ok with it, she'd like to cancel my appointment for a C-section and schedule me for induction. Hey, that works for me! But even more surprising was when she called the hospital, the L&D nurse persuaded her to send me to the hospital that day, instead of waiting 2 more days and chancing another flip from the baby. I left Dr Whatley's office about 2 in the afternoon to go pick up William from the babysitter (Thanks, Lori and Tad Sharum), receive kids from school and make arrangements for another sitter to spend the evening with them. Dr W told me she'd meet me at the hospital after her office closed at 6 pm. I was going to have a baby...a baby GIRL! What!!
But Jenna had other plans.
Meanwhile, we didn't hear about it until after we'd gone home from the hospital, but thousands of lives were being affected elsewhere. Haiti was hit with a violent earthquake and several aftershocks. Lori and Brent have been trying to adopt a couple of children from Haiti.

New Year, new 'do

 

I did it. I finally did it! I got brave enough to commit to something different; a long over-do change. I got a new hair cut and I actually like it. It will take some time to get used to, and to learn how to do my 'do, but I like it. Over ten inches of locks were donated to Locks Of Love. Almost makes me feel lightheaded
Happy New Year!