britten - almost 9 months

little B (the Biebs, or Bieber as she's often called by all; hopefully that doesn't stick!) is really on the move now! she started crawling a few weeks ago and is in everything (including the kitty food bowl - all the time. yuck!).  her newist trick is climbing up the stairs.  and man, you think you're big time when you do it, with big brother and sister cheering you on (bieber! bieber! yay!! puts the biggest smile on your face).  you are now always standing in your crib in the morning when I go to get you.  you have, however, know from the start how to get back down after you've pulled up on something (brother and sister had some trouble figuring that out and would just cry and cry because they'd be stuck standing up).  you don't say much right now except 'dadadadada' ; you love to blow rasberries and do a little "puff' sound for words (especially when you see a ktty - you squeal, then 'puff, puff').  4 teeth, size 3 diapers and eating mostly finger foods (ravioli, shredded cheese, squashed and cubed veggies, soy sausage, spaghetti, squashed up pears, chopped bananas, cheerios, mum mums, scrambled eggs). sleep wise, you have been going through a bit of a spell where you go to sleep fine, but then wake between 11pm and 1am, just wide awake, smiling, squeeling and wanting to hang out and play.  you are cute little girl, but not wide awake at 2am. 

I really have a boyfriend, you know....

Oh my - just overheard a conversation between 6 year old Celia with a couple of her little neighborhood friends (Kimberly and Aparoopa).....she had no idea I could hear her talking but from what I gathered this is how it went "I really have a boyfriend, you know. He's in my class.  I've kissed him before" ... the other 2 girls exclaimed "ewwwww, you did??" and C says "yeah. Then he came up to me another time when I was doing math and said 'let's have some kissing time'"....again, the other girls said "ewwww, did you do it?" to which C replied "no, i thought 'this is really getting creepy.  then we were in the bathroom together and he told me we should pee together. then I thought 'this is really getting creepy'. so I didn't. But his name is Carson and he has really blonde hair".   Aye, yay, yay.  I"m not ready for this 'kissing time' stuff!! At least she had the sense not to pee with this guy!  Think Daddy and this Carson kids' dad need to have a little talk to find out exactly what his intentions are with our daughter ;)

happy 3rd birthday, silly man Drew!

my little boy turned 3 - boo-hoo!!! I always try to bargain with the kids on every birthday for them to please not turn one year older because it makes mommy so sad!  Honestly, I don't know how time flies so fast.  drew definitely is all boy - loves sports of all kinds and tearing up things faster than I can put them together.  (requested only 'boy toys' for his party - ha! think he's sick of playing house with Celia with all of her baby dolls and stuffed animals; when asked what 'boy toys are, he told me basketballs and helicopters).  Gift highlights from this year were: a basketball goal to put in the cul-de-sac to practice, a new spongebob tennis racket, a real fishing pole from Papoo, a little helicopter from Celia and a Wii console from me and Joe (really for the whole family, but he loves loves playing at Andi and Kasey's house - is pretty awesome at golf and bowling!)

He's rough and tumble for sure, but also the sweetest little guy you'd ever meet. Currently, when he does something he knows he shouldn't (like swing the dining room chandaleir back and forth for the millionth time or pick the cats up and drag them around, or just make a general big mess) he looks at me with those big eyes and says "oh sorry mommy, I forgot" or "it was an accident". I mean, really, how can you stay mad at that??  I get many compliments on Drew on how well behaved he his - out in public, he typically sits very nicely and doesn't throw fits. His gets dragged from Celia's ballet to speech therapy for almost 3 hours on Mondays, and I hardly ever have any issues with him. He plays quietly with the legos or we read books together. Basically, the boy melts my heart.  I love you little monkey boy!!!  

think we may have ruined them.....

in preparation for the arrival of baby, joe and i decided to let celia and drew sleep together  in her bed, as we had been playing an all night game of musical beds, hopping from one to the other as they called out "mommy, come lay with me" or "daddy, i need to go potty". we figured this way they may keep each other company and not depend on us so much when the baby arrived and needed our all night attention.  it worked, but think a bit too well; now drew will not lay in his bed alone at all - celia claims to not like drew sleeping with her (he kicks me and keeps me awake sucking his paci) but from the looks of things, I really don't think she minds :)

waiting.......

39 weeks down, one to go! I can't believe by this time for sure next Friday, we will have another addition to our family. This pregnancy has flown! (though these last couple weeks are dragging right along, as I carry almost 40 lbs of extra weight, waddling due to sciatic nerve pain, and can't get any sleep between my huge belly, numerous nightly bathroom breaks and the calls from my other 2 children to "come lay with me"). I am starting my usual worries (well, wouldn't say just started, as I am a known worry wart). I am hoping the delivery goes smoothly, new baby is healthy, and Celia and Drew love their new baby brother or baby sister as well as they've grown to love each other. I truly am blessed to have such great kids - though their are MANY days they simply wear me out with their, shall we say, energy, they really do get along amazingly well. Drew runs right along with Celia, playing part in all of her imaginary games with her animals, being her pet dog on a leash, playing store, basketball, jumping on the trampoline, putting on dance shows for me, and whatever else their little minds can come up with. Their giggles melt my heart. It's scary to wonder if I still have room in there to love another child as much as love them? I know I will...it's just going into the unknown that's a scary thing. I can't wait to meet you little bean!! My prediction for your birthday was today, February 17th; daddy's is February 22nd. I have a scheduled induction on my due date, next Friday the 25th, so either way, we will know you by then!!!!

ice storm

so this week we got hit with this crazy ice storm that left the streets, lawns and driveways as nothing more than huge skating rinks, with a nice thick 2" layer of ice. the kids and I were iced in our house for about 4 days straight due to school being cancelled, and me not being able to get our car down the driveway. needless to say, we were all a bit stir crazy!!! we filled our days with coloring, play doh, decorating a big cardboard house, lots of tea parties, playing house, numerous bubble baths, tee ball, plenty of iCarly and Dora, and Celia doing a bit of 'butt sledding' down our icy lawn.

But we survived! mom and dad thankfully had already agreed to take the kids that following weekend for me to get one last relaxation weekend in before baby arrived. Thank you!!! It was just what the kids and I both needed! We are so lucky to have wonderful family around that love our kids so much.

big boy undies!!

drew is potty trained!!! We really thought he might go to high school in diapers :) (sorry baby) as he had NO, ZERO, ZIP interest in the potty whatsoever. For a couple of months he's been wanting 'privacy' when pottying in his diaper, so we kept trying to get him to sit on the potty. No way, wasn't having it. "But I not big yet, I only 2" he would say. "Maybe tomorrow" were his famous words about when he would sit on the big boy potty. Then one day, as usual, daddy suggested Drew try to pee on the potty. He agreed, much to our surprise. He didn't want the small training potty though - went straight to standing on the stool, peeing in the big potty "like Daddy". He was SOOOO excited, running around saying "I'm so proud of me!!" wish I would have gotten that on video. this is him having some special diet coke and proudly wearing his big boys. Since that first day, there has been no turning back - accident free (aside from a couple in the hotel we stayed in the next night at Caribbean Cove water park - not exactly the ideal time for him to pick to potty train when we are staying somewhere else the next day). Other than that, he's good to go. Yay Drew!!!