Official birthday post

I love how easy it is to please a 2 year old!

All is takes is a little cake...and lots of frosting!!!

Parker was making her laugh.

She is going to have cupcake coming out of her nose if she isn't careful!

There is a card from Parker, Kasidee, and Addison on this present. They all wanted to wish her a very Happy Birthday.

She put her new present to good use right away...

Bustin' a move to Dora...

It doesn't get much better than this!

Or this...

Or this!!!

It's official, the terrible 2's

I have pictures of the little family party we had for Bailey yesterday, but I thought this was much for fitting for her "terrible 2" birthday post.
We BBQed outside the other night, and Bailey found the ketchup. Instead of being a good mother and taking it from her, I grabbed my camera and hid behind the corner to see what would happen.

Little Miss Independent figured it out all on her own.

Score!!!

Everything lately has been..."I do it!!" She has figured out that she can drag a kitchen chair around to anywhere in the house to have access to anything her little heart desires...candy, cereal, light switches, pens, markers, toothpaste, fruit snacks...you name it, she's figured a way to obtain it....BY! HER! SELF!!!

There are benefits to the independence. She can now get her pj's out of the drawer and put them on by herself. She can get me a diaper and wipes for either her or Reilynn. She can go find a binkie for either herself or Reilynn. (Yes, we can't quite get her off a binkie yet.)

Bailey has been such big help with her little sister. She has taken on the role of big sister whole-heartily! She loves holding Reilynn, singing her songs when she is sad, making her laugh, teaching her how to buzz her lips, and shares her binkie if Reilynn doesn't have one.

Oops, I wasn't quite as sneaky as I thought....she caught me.

We love you Bailey!

culprit captured

I woke up in the middle of the night, a couple nights ago, to Zoe barking.
The rascal that has been crawling around between the floors of our house was finally stopped. We had tried all different kinds of food to try and lure it into the trap, but in the end it was an empty tuna can that did the trick.

Boy was he/she (I wasn't going to get close enough to determine gender) mad!!! He was shaking, biting, pulling on the cage wires to try and get free. I almost felt sorry for the little guy. And then I remembered all the sratching and running across the floors, and the sleepless nights...ok, not so sorry anymore!

Zoe is a good little watch dog. She was going crazy all morning until the pest control people could come haul the critter away.

Thanks Zoe for loving us enough to protect us from a mean pesky raccoon!

rewarding

There isn't anything more rewarding than seeing all of your hard work pay off at a recital.

I wasn't sure about teaching my own children lessons. I didn't think they would listen or take me seriously as a teacher. I thought I would hear, "whatever mom," or "that's not how you do it mom," or "I'm not playing that mom," but they have done so good!
They practice every morning before they leave for school. And if we wake up too late and don't get it in, they practice after school.

We have been pretty regular about having their lessons on the same day every week, and making it as much like my other lessons as possible. I think we have only missed one weeks since we have started.

I'm not the only teacher in the house. Parker likes to help Kasidee because he is a little ahead of her in their books. He started a couple weeks before she did. He thinks he is hot stuff!

Addison was a little nervous. I was so proud of her for actually playing her song. The first video was cut short because Mark took a screaming Bailey out into the hall. Luckily a good friend saw the mess and recorded Addison for us. Thanks Suzy!

All of them did such a good job! I love seeing them love and learn the piano. It is such an important part of my life, and it gives me warm fuzzies that it is becoming special to them too.

I can't get Kasidee's video to load. The file is too big, and I don't know how to resize it. If anyone has suggestions I would love them!

All Aboard

The kids made a bus out of a cardboard box and a lawn chair. I don't know where the tape came into play...but it seemed to add to the fun. Of course, Parker is the driver. He likes to be in charge...I don't know where that came from?!?! (ok, maybe from his mom)

I love when they are creative and make believe, it makes me feel like I am doing something right as a parent!

The baby of the family

is not going to be a baby for long!

She started eating cereal...

and she can't get enough of it. I don't think any of our other monsters caught on so fast. She is a real pro! Leave it to one of our offspring to be a professional eater. It warms my heart!

Keep looking...it gets BETTER!!!

I know, no one wants to see a picture of my gross swollen foot with a million ant bites all over it, but...

I want to remember what I had to go through to get these... oh so cute pictures of my little monsters. I am still learning how to use photo shop, so non of these pics are doctored up. But they will be even better when they are.

There are all of these cute yellow flowers in the field right by my house.

I think they are called black-eyed-susans. So mom (Sue), these pictures are to honor you.

I couldn't get Parker to look at me and smile a non I-hate-that-you-are-taking-pictures-of-me-with-flowers smile. So this was as good as it got. Boys!

I had to bring a towel for their little tootsies to stand on. They were terrified of being attacked by the killer fire ants, like their mom had been.

I may have screamed like a girl, and yelled like a crazy person when I got bit. It is no wonder that all of my kids are terrified.

I try not to scream when I see cockroaches, so they won't be as scared of them as me. But I am not always the bravest when it comes to large bugs in my personal space.

Luckily Kas has not been affected by my phobia. She grabbed a gecko out of my car the other day, and through it outside. She is so brave!

"I don't want to be a mom!"

Addison: "I don't want to me a mom!"

Me: "Why wouldn't you want to be a mom?"


Addison (with tears in her eyes): "Because then I would have to live in a different house far away."


Me: "Don't worry, we will let you live with us for a long long time."


Addison (completely serious with more tear): "But my toes are growing up."

I hope ya'll had a very nice Mother's Day.
Mine consisted of a husband who got it all wrong...but tried very hard, so it still counts!


And to my mom: I love you so much! Thanks for caring enough to drive 10 hours each way, every other weekend, to help with new twins. Thanks for caring enough to send fun packages every unimportant holiday. Thanks for caring enough to call when I've had a bad day. Thanks for caring enough to send flowers and tell me I'm a good mom when it isn't even Mother's Day. I love you mom!

And to my mother-in-law: I love you too! I couldn't have asked for a better second mom! You are so kind and thoughtful. I have always felt like I was an immediate part of your family when Mark and I got married. Thanks for treating my like one of your own daughters!

Bailey Parker by day....

Spidergirl by...afternoon.If you are ever in danger, have no fear...


She can leap off buildings (or chairs), scale walls (or write on them), and right wrong (or just tell on the bad man).

Here she comes to save the day!!

(Did you sing it? Because this line was meant to be sung!)


Accessories ARE included...please come take the binkie from this almost 2 year old. I can't seem to get rid of it!

Chubby Freckles

I love these chubby cheeks!

I could just eat her up!

Her new trick is buzzing her lips. It is very cute, until I am feeding her rice cereal.

This is me being stubborn. I wasn't going to smile for the camera!!! But do you see all those freckles!!!

Maybe I don't like the new camera. The pictures are TOO good. It's like when tv stars hated when the tv's all went to HD.

I just love the sun too much.

Do you see what I mean with the cheeks?!?...LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

good ol' Pippi

I remember watching this movie as a family growing up. It was on the Wonderful World of Disney...how I miss that program!!!

Well, Pippi was on Netflix instant watch, and my kids were glued to the tv.


My pictures are a little fuzzy. I am still trying to figure out how to use the camera my mom is letting me borrow.

Zoe loves movie night. She gets rubbed by a loving Kas throughout the whole movie.

We set out a blanket and did icecream, picnic style.
It was a bit of a mess, but the little monsters had a blast...especially Bailey.

Addison is a very talented girl. She doesn't even have to take her eyes off the movie to get every last drop of the melted goodness in her tummy.

And everyone wanted a ride upstairs from dad after the movie. Being the very efficient person he is, not wanting to take more that one trip, he carried them all at once.

That's my big strong man, sorry ladies, he's mine! (:

Movie night was a success. I love it when those old movies can still bring families together, just like they did 20 some years ago with mine.