18 month stats: weight: 25 lbs. (65th%), height: 32 in. (70th%) and head 75th %
Reinforcing Family Culture
9 years ago
Saturday, February 26, 2011
My Girl!
My baby turned 18 months old on Wednesday.
I love everything about this little girl from her hip-swingin' run, to the "shh, shh, shh" she says as she's rocking her baby dolls to sleep or quieting her brothers.
I love seeing her smile each morning, her squeals of delight when I come home and the fact that she's a momma's girl.
I love the way she repeats words that she hears, finds such joy in her brothers chasing her around in circles and attempts such a cute version of push-ups.
I love the way she says "NO," her ability to say lots of words, especially any that begin with "B" and the way she pats your face or head when she thinks you're sad.
I love the way her leg warmers roll down at the top from having such juicy thighs, the way she rolls her eyes in disgust and the way she pushes her hair out of her face.
I love my Jillian Venice!
18 month stats: weight: 25 lbs. (65th%), height: 32 in. (70th%) and head 75th %
18 month stats: weight: 25 lbs. (65th%), height: 32 in. (70th%) and head 75th %
Monday, February 14, 2011
We've Been BUSY Around Here!
Shell Bell came to visit for five days and we were so thrilled to have her. The kids loved bonding with her and when we dropped her off at the airport, we hadn't even pulled away from the curb before Beckam said, "I miss Shell Bell." Thanks for the visit Michelle -- we love you lots and lots!
My dad's birthday is this week and I'm the appointed person to be in charge of his birthday this year. He mentioned that he needed a new watch, but wanted to pick it out himself and since we live across the country from each other, I had to come up with something. I didn't necessarily want to just put some money in a card or get him a gift card, so I came up with this, which I wrapped up and sent home with Michelle to give him on his birthday. Happy Birthday Dad! I wish I could personally deliver this gift and give you a big hug -- love you lots!
I saw this cute idea from the Tatertots and Jello blog and decided that's what I wanted to make for teachers, my kids and my visiting teachers for Valentines Day. My kids were thrilled with their Love Juice and I'm hoping it was a big hit with the others as well.
This was from last weeks FHE. The kids each took turns standing on the heart as we all told that person what we loved about them. For our treat we dipped vanilla wafers into melted red frosting and then we refrigerated them for a bit -- super tasty!
We made personalized Valentines Day cards again this year and I think they turned out great. The boys were happy to channel their inner rockstar long enough for me to get a good picture to use.
I love this picture of Beckam -- I think it captures him pretty perfectly!
We made personalized Valentines Day cards again this year and I think they turned out great. The boys were happy to channel their inner rockstar long enough for me to get a good picture to use.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
Parenting Lessons #563, #564, #565, #566, & #567
DON'T JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS!
DON'T THREATEN!
DON'T TEAR UP YOUR CHILD'S ARTWORK!
RESOLVE ISSUES IMMEDIATELY!
ALLOW YOUR CHILD SUFFICIENT TIME TO EXPLAIN THEMSELVES!
Wednesday Mac came home from school and as always, I sat down to go through his backpack. There were the usuals, homework, books, and his daily work, as well as a groundhog puppet since it was Groundhog's Day. Mac was busy eating his snack and working on his Math homework, so I continued sorting. As I picked up his groundhog puppet to move it aside I noticed something that Mac had drawn on his puppet. I didn't believe my eyes, so I looked again and again. What the?!? Is that a cigarette coming out of MY child's groundhog's mouth?
I immediately panicked and thought very quickly about the best way to handle this. Threaten! That always seems to work. (I know, I know I've got a lot to learn.) "Mac, come here, please. What is this?" I asked holding the puppet up and pointing to the cigarette, all the while using my best stern voice. Mac hesitates and I immediately take that as his guilt, so I continue, "Son, I send you to school trusting that you are going to make good choices and when you pull something like this, it makes me think you don't deserve my trust." (I'm on a roll, so I keep going.) "If you don't know how to make good choices, then I'll keep you home ALL day EVERY day and you'll do school here at the house with JUST me. How does that sound?" And then came my grand finale, "This is garbage McCade and garbage does not belong in our house!" I said as I ripped the puppet into two. Mac's shocked look let me know that he knew I was serious and I was pretty sure I had gotten through to him, but just to be positive I added, "Do you understand?" Mac's head bobbed up and down and I felt pretty successful. Way to go, Mom, high five!
Even though I felt like I had "handled" the situation, I was still in shock that MY child would do such a thing. I needed to tell someone fast, so I dialed my sister and she was as surprised as I had been. "Where did he learn about cigarettes from?" Michelle asked me. "I have no idea," I told her. She suggested that I talk to him more and find out WHO he's learning such things from. I agreed and told her that I would get to the bottom of it. Later, much later, like the next afternoon (nothing like resolving the issue immediately :), Mac and I were walking in from outside when I remembered to ask him, "Hey Mac, where did you learn about cigarettes from?" "What's a cigarette?" he asked, completely innocent. "You know, one of those smoking things . . . you drew one out of your groundhog puppet's mouth yesterday." "Mom, that wasn't a smoking thing, that was a SWORD behind the groundhog's back. I made my groundhog into a warrior!"
Imagine my horror, not to mention embarrassment! I dug through the garbage, pulled out the two puppet halves and sure enough, there was the handle of the sword at the top, and the point of the sword at the bottom. I apologized again and again and again and then asked Mac why he didn't explain that to me yesterday. His reply was, "Well, I didn't really know what you were talking about and then you just ripped my puppet up."
Today (another day later), as Mac was gluing and stapling his puppet back together I suggested he use tape since it would be easier. He quickly replied with, "You know what would be easiest, is if you wouldn't have ripped it in the first place," and when I looked at him with the look of "really, do we have to go there?" he added, "I'm just sayin' Mom."
I don't see any Mother of the Year nominations coming my way anytime soon . . .
Take it from me, allow your children the opportunity to explain their actions and DON'T jump to conclusions. I find that my immediate reaction is to assume the worst, but if given the benefit of the doubt, my children usually pleasantly surprise me.
And just for the record, for about the 10th time, I am so sorry Mac! Mom was wrong and I'll try to do a better job of understanding from now on. Thanks for loving me no matter what!
DON'T THREATEN!
DON'T TEAR UP YOUR CHILD'S ARTWORK!
RESOLVE ISSUES IMMEDIATELY!
ALLOW YOUR CHILD SUFFICIENT TIME TO EXPLAIN THEMSELVES!
Wednesday Mac came home from school and as always, I sat down to go through his backpack. There were the usuals, homework, books, and his daily work, as well as a groundhog puppet since it was Groundhog's Day. Mac was busy eating his snack and working on his Math homework, so I continued sorting. As I picked up his groundhog puppet to move it aside I noticed something that Mac had drawn on his puppet. I didn't believe my eyes, so I looked again and again. What the?!? Is that a cigarette coming out of MY child's groundhog's mouth?
I immediately panicked and thought very quickly about the best way to handle this. Threaten! That always seems to work. (I know, I know I've got a lot to learn.) "Mac, come here, please. What is this?" I asked holding the puppet up and pointing to the cigarette, all the while using my best stern voice. Mac hesitates and I immediately take that as his guilt, so I continue, "Son, I send you to school trusting that you are going to make good choices and when you pull something like this, it makes me think you don't deserve my trust." (I'm on a roll, so I keep going.) "If you don't know how to make good choices, then I'll keep you home ALL day EVERY day and you'll do school here at the house with JUST me. How does that sound?" And then came my grand finale, "This is garbage McCade and garbage does not belong in our house!" I said as I ripped the puppet into two. Mac's shocked look let me know that he knew I was serious and I was pretty sure I had gotten through to him, but just to be positive I added, "Do you understand?" Mac's head bobbed up and down and I felt pretty successful. Way to go, Mom, high five!
Even though I felt like I had "handled" the situation, I was still in shock that MY child would do such a thing. I needed to tell someone fast, so I dialed my sister and she was as surprised as I had been. "Where did he learn about cigarettes from?" Michelle asked me. "I have no idea," I told her. She suggested that I talk to him more and find out WHO he's learning such things from. I agreed and told her that I would get to the bottom of it. Later, much later, like the next afternoon (nothing like resolving the issue immediately :), Mac and I were walking in from outside when I remembered to ask him, "Hey Mac, where did you learn about cigarettes from?" "What's a cigarette?" he asked, completely innocent. "You know, one of those smoking things . . . you drew one out of your groundhog puppet's mouth yesterday." "Mom, that wasn't a smoking thing, that was a SWORD behind the groundhog's back. I made my groundhog into a warrior!"
Imagine my horror, not to mention embarrassment! I dug through the garbage, pulled out the two puppet halves and sure enough, there was the handle of the sword at the top, and the point of the sword at the bottom. I apologized again and again and again and then asked Mac why he didn't explain that to me yesterday. His reply was, "Well, I didn't really know what you were talking about and then you just ripped my puppet up."
Today (another day later), as Mac was gluing and stapling his puppet back together I suggested he use tape since it would be easier. He quickly replied with, "You know what would be easiest, is if you wouldn't have ripped it in the first place," and when I looked at him with the look of "really, do we have to go there?" he added, "I'm just sayin' Mom."
I don't see any Mother of the Year nominations coming my way anytime soon . . .
Take it from me, allow your children the opportunity to explain their actions and DON'T jump to conclusions. I find that my immediate reaction is to assume the worst, but if given the benefit of the doubt, my children usually pleasantly surprise me.
And just for the record, for about the 10th time, I am so sorry Mac! Mom was wrong and I'll try to do a better job of understanding from now on. Thanks for loving me no matter what!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
SEVEN
I took Mac to the store with his birthday money from grandparents and he picked out some Ninjagos and then decided to save the rest. On the way out of the store there was a donation container for sick children; Mac paused, asked me what it was for, I explained, and without any hesitation, he dropped his change inside it. He didn't look to me for a pat on the back or a "way to go Mac," he knew what the kind thing to do was and he just did it, happily and without another thought about it.
I love everything MAC! His drama, his sweetness, his sincerity, his hard head, his drive, his wisdom, his curiosity, his wonderfulness!
Happy 7th Birthday big guy! You make my every day AWESOME and I love you more than words can say.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
happenings . . .
Beck and Jax just after their haircuts. And for the record Nate does a much better job of cutting hair than any salon we've ever taken our boys to -- good to know in case the hospital administration thing doesn't work out. :)
Jillian turned 17 months old last week. I'm still trying to wrap my head around where the time went and how my baby girl grew into such a busy, demanding, sweet, dramatic, and nurturing big girl.
We've been taking advantage of this 60+ degree weather. We are SO ready for spring, warmer weather, and getting outside more (without freezing).
More material flower crafts (and I'm still not tired of them).
Beckam is quite the little guy. The other day he took the handvac upstairs to vacuum up some chips that Jilli had dumped. He was very meticulous about this job and insisted on doing it himself. It took him quite a while, but when he was finished, he had done a great job. After I thanked him and gave him a big hug he said to me (as he arched backward to stretch his back out), "I think I've got a crink in my back." Way to take one for the team Beck!
Nate and I headed to PF Changs for a little post-birthday dinner. Super. Yummy.
And let me just say that this world would do well to have a few more "Kristi Kubik's" in it -- much thanks to her for taking on our four kiddos so that Nate and I could eat in peace.
Jillian turned 17 months old last week. I'm still trying to wrap my head around where the time went and how my baby girl grew into such a busy, demanding, sweet, dramatic, and nurturing big girl.
We've been taking advantage of this 60+ degree weather. We are SO ready for spring, warmer weather, and getting outside more (without freezing).
More material flower crafts (and I'm still not tired of them).
Beckam is quite the little guy. The other day he took the handvac upstairs to vacuum up some chips that Jilli had dumped. He was very meticulous about this job and insisted on doing it himself. It took him quite a while, but when he was finished, he had done a great job. After I thanked him and gave him a big hug he said to me (as he arched backward to stretch his back out), "I think I've got a crink in my back." Way to take one for the team Beck!
Nate and I headed to PF Changs for a little post-birthday dinner. Super. Yummy.
And let me just say that this world would do well to have a few more "Kristi Kubik's" in it -- much thanks to her for taking on our four kiddos so that Nate and I could eat in peace.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
someone's SpEcIaL day . . .
It's Nate's special day today. The interesting thing about Nate's special day, is every year when it comes around Nate likes to celebrate his special week -- he also thinks that when my special day comes around that it's his special day too . . . funny how that works. He's a smart one, I tell ya.
This is one of our very first pictures together, almost 10 years ago. I knew he was special then and that hasn't changed. And actually I think he turned out more special than I had ever dreamed.
Happy special day Nate. I love you more than words can say.
(I asked Mac and Jax if the picture above still looked like me. Their response, "Yeah, except for the lipstick and girlie hair." :)
We had the Dyreng's over for cake and ice cream since Chelsea's birthday was yesterday. The kids had a great time playing "war" and it's always good to spend time with Scott and Chelsea.
I was especially impressed with the boys this year. They insisted on using their own money to each buy dad their own gift. They all put a lot of thought into what they ended up buying and honestly I think they did a great job.
This is one of our very first pictures together, almost 10 years ago. I knew he was special then and that hasn't changed. And actually I think he turned out more special than I had ever dreamed.
Happy special day Nate. I love you more than words can say.
(I asked Mac and Jax if the picture above still looked like me. Their response, "Yeah, except for the lipstick and girlie hair." :)
We had the Dyreng's over for cake and ice cream since Chelsea's birthday was yesterday. The kids had a great time playing "war" and it's always good to spend time with Scott and Chelsea.
I was especially impressed with the boys this year. They insisted on using their own money to each buy dad their own gift. They all put a lot of thought into what they ended up buying and honestly I think they did a great job.
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