Makes my heart happy

to see my little miss smiling and doing so well. It was not the case when she came 3 months ago and it has not been easy some days. She does not talk much and screams a lot. Preschool for speech and other things started today and I was super worried she would be sad and scream the entire time. I have never been happier to be proven wrong. She smiled, said words I have yet to hear and was super excited to be there. It has been fun the last two weeks to see her finally coming out of that shell she was hiding in. She has taken longer than any of my other kids to feel at home and adjust. Makes me wonder what she could tell us if she could only talk.

Eye contact, smiles, and making faces, all new things this week. She never has reacted for the camera before. Love the real her. Watching her blossom is going to be fun.

Back in the saddle

In more than one way. I have my camera back. I am so grateful it did not take as long as predicted. Mr. M even came home with a new filter for me.
I guess this means more blogging to. You know since I am all about documenting this year. When my camera was returned to me good as new it made me realize how much I really do document already just by what I knew I had missed. So this begins a little day in the life project for my family this year. Who cares if the image is perfectly exposed, who cares if the moment is flawed. They are mine and I want to remember them. So here goes a camera happy, blog happy year.
Speaking of saddles and cowboys. My kids love preschool and especially love the day they get to dress up like cowboys and cowgirls and shoot marshmallows at each other.The guns painted, holstered, and ready for the shoot out to begin.

When they get home I am the target. This kid must have some pent up aggression towards me, he was a little to excited to hit me with those marshmallows. Should I be worried?
Aim, Fire.....

Gotcha!!

This little man has not graduated to marshmallow guns, but hats are a different story and boy isn't he cute in one. He may have to give up the blankie habit by the time girls start coming around, but for now they are both cute.

Sweet K may not be able to conquer her need to pout and put ice packs on tiny scratches, but I think she finally got tired of waiting around for others to tie her shoes and did it herself. Two missing teeth and tying your own shoes not bad for one week. She is finally conquering some speech issues and just in time to pick up that cute toothless lisp.

The best is ending a couple of hectic weeks with a low key Saturday. No surprises, no commitments to any one but ourselves. Doesn't happen very often around here. it was eerily quiet at one point. I was so happy to see it was not mischief that had them occupied.

The T.V. stayed off for most of the day. I call that Heaven. No fighting, and all the chores were done early. If I weren't so close to heading to bed I would still be waiting for the other shoe to drop. Maybe my washing machine screaming some error code and not finishing a cycle is the other shoe.Hope it's an easy fix! Keep those fingers crossed.

Awwwwwwwwww....

Preschoolers are just some of the cutest kids around. Nothing like a small tyke with a back pack as big they are to make you smile. I love how they are so eager to learn and everything in life fascinates them. Except for time out, that my preschoolers don't love so much... Bubba and Little H will spend the rest of their school years together, starting this year. They are 4 months apart and do not seem to to mind. They were both so excited this morning. When their feet hit the concrete they were off and running. It was all I could do to make them stop for the obligatory, appease your Mom photos.
(Names on back packs have been blotted out to protect the innocent.)

That running away from me and this smile are proof that this girl is excited. She NEVER  wants to have her picture taken or leave me for that matter and she did not shed a single tear today.


They all wanted to do their "fun work" before school today. We will see how long that lasts....

This kiddo has no problem showing his emotion. Think he's excited?

So just in case you were thinking two in preschool is not enough Wild Thing is in the afternoon class. He was so excited he would hardly cooperate for a picture and poured an entire a bottle of glue out for his teachers.  That's my boy, yowzers....

Here's to a great year!

Some Things You May Not Know About Me

According to the "Mommy" experts, Bubba and Sweet K.

My Mom is as beautifal as:
Bubba,  " Mrs. McClure " the preschool teacher
Sweet K,  "A can of water."

My Mom loves to:
Bubba, " Plant flower in her garden."
Sweet K " Hear me say, "I love you!"

I think my Mom weighs:
Bubba, "3 pounds"
Sweet K, "5 pounds" I weigh 8 pounds, yipeeeeeeeeee

My Mom hates to:
Bubba, " Have us take something that is very dangerous."
Sweet K, "Getting up in the morning!"

My Mom gets out of bed at:
Bubba, "6:40"
Sweet K, "5:30 am EARLY!"

I think my Mom is:
Bubba, " 3000 inches tall. She's way tall!"
Sweet K, "26 inches tall."

My Mom loves it when:
Bubba, "I'm climbing a tree."
Sweet K, "I listen to her."

My Mom hates it when:
Bubba, " You get on her seat and play on her computer."
Sweet K, " I don't listen, because I hit."

My Mom looks best:
Bubba, " In her pajamas in the dark." OUCH.........that hurts Bubba, only because it may actually be true:)
Sweet K, " Going to the store at 5 O' clock."

My Mom makes the best:
Bubba, "Sandwhich meat and orange juice."
Sweet K, " Strawberry Jam." Just for the record, never made strawberry jam EVAH.......

How do You Say Thank You,

when thank you just doesn't seem like enough?

Sweet K graduated from her early intervention preschool she was in for speech therapy. It was at the beginning of this month and when we left the school and said to goodbye to the amazing women who haved loved and cared for my little girl for two years, I almost cried. I wanted to cry. I played a game with Sweet K instead. She insisted we could not step on the cracks so we hopped, skipped, and jumped our way to the car. Sweet K went into that class with very few words and mostly pointing and grunting and now getting her to stop talking and asking questions is a monumental feat. Linda. Susan, Gail ,Jen and Mary THANK YOU!!!!! Thank you for loving and caring for my little scared girl trapped inside herself. You have no idea what it has meant to us to see her come so far. When she came back from her Bio Fathers so withdrawn and frightened, I had no idea how we were ever going to make up for all the trauma she endured being there. To all the teachers,church leaders, and community leaders who make a difference, THANK YOU!! When you go home exhausted each day from working so hard with children. Know you have changed a life even if you don't realize it. What you do each day affects so many for good. Being a teacher is not an easy job and I am sure sometimes it seems you are just spinning your wheels, but on behalf so many Parents out there, thanks again! We just registered Sweet K for Kindergarten. I can hardly believe come August I will be sending her out that door every day with C-Dog and Miss M.They really do grow up tooo fast don't they??

Awwwwwwwwwwww,

Somebody?

Graduated from her first year of preschool.

Don't you just love watching little kids perform?

I do, a big group of innocence and fun jumping around a stage for their Mom's and Dad's.

It makes me happy......

I can't wait until next year when Bubba and Sissy will be bouncing and singing on the stage together.

Somebody?

Got her FIRST hair cut. I scrapped a page and hated it so I file 13'd it.

I will try again later. I was so proud of Little H. She was not fussy or whiny just sullen and ticked off. Better than a fit any day. She has the most beautiful curls, but they were so uneven so she just got a quick trim and I Love it. Thanks Jen!!!!!!

I guess I should do her hair and take an after shot. My camera has been on rest mode for a while now. I think my kids have been enjoying a break. It will be short lived because I just got the cutest things out shopping today and I have big plans for the summer.

Speaking of.....

In an hour or so my world will change as I know it for a couple months, so I am off to get a quick siesta to gear up for the madness that will be my life.

I know one last ditch effort at a power nap is useless for an entire summer worth of crazy but hey, mentally it makes me feel better.

WISH ME LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SEMI FREEDOM WEEK PART 3

It's Sissy's turn she goes to preschool for speech therapy three days a week. Today was her first day. She picked out her Dress. She has been dying to wear that dress since the moment she laid eyes on it. I made her wait for school. She was so brave getting on the bus. She is going to do another preschool in our neighborhood but that does not start until after Labor Day. I hope it's not to much but it works out to only be a couple hours a day every day.She will have a full day on Thursdays. She wants to go to the other preschool more than this one and I really think it will help her. Yeah for my big girl. Sissy and Miss M also start their dance class today and Sissy wanted to skip school and go straight to dance class. At least the dance class they can do together and maybe it will help Sissy's Miss M separation anxiety. This little girl LOOO-OOVES her Daddy and had to have kisses before she left.

Speaking of my kids just LOOO-OOving their Daddy. I found this when I got out of bed this morning and when I went to touch it I was informed by Miss M that she had her Papa's breakfast ready and to NOT mess it !!! How cute is that?? But where is mine???

TIME OUT...

And a few other things we have been up to.

Baby H has started that lovely stage of throwing fits. Well the other night she not only threw a fit she got mad at me and spit her milk out at me. We have sent her to time out before but usually have to walk her there and stay with her during her sixty second exile. This time I just said "You had better put that nose against the wall. We do not throw fits" She promptly headed to the wall and assumed this nose against the wall but out position. SOOO CUTE!!

I had to get the camera. This funny position deserved to be documented. She must have known I was NOT KIDDING!!!
She stayed in that position whining for a while so I let her stay. It is never to soon to learn what "Go to the wall" means at our house! She then sweetly turned around to look at me with this pitiful face to see if I would take pity and let her out. I did of course because how could a Mom not give in to that sad face?

Last night we went to The Forgotten Carols at the Gammage. If you have never been you have to go! I am sure it will be back next year. Michael McLean is an amazingly talented man and this year Jordan Bluth was part of the cast. He is an LDS Josh Groban. AMAZING!!!!!!!

I love how he always makes the audience feel like they are a part of the show and really brings a personal touch to everything he does. WOW!!!!!!!! This is one way to get a huge dose of the holiday spirit!!! The spirit that reminds us that Christ is the real reason we celebrate. Today I went to a concert that reminds me of another fun part of Christmas...The kids! Miss M's preschool had a Christmas concert and lunch. It was so Fantastic, her teacher goes above and beyond in all she does. The kids sang for an hour and had special props for all the songs. To bad I came a few minutes late and had to stand in the back and could not get any good pictures of the event. There were too many parents trying to do the same things I was and I had no one to keep an eye on my little ones while I tried to sneak forward. This picture with eyes glowing and Miss M looking like she is trying to choke herself is actually the best one I took with the zoom action happening . Oh well, It was a fabulous time anyways!!!!!

I AM IMPRESSED!!

Miss M and I went to her preschool orientation today. I am completely impressed and excited!! She starts on Wednesday and can hardly contain herself. This little girly has not stopped smiling since we arrived for orientation!!!!!!!!!!

I just love all the thoughtful care put into all the small details. I know when someone pays such close attention to detail that they will pay that much attention to their program and my child. Just look at the backpacks provided by the preschool.I broke my No name rule to show you just how awesome her teacher is!!


The kids also get a Bring Back bear Book. They can practice writing their names,alphabet, and numbers in this book.They also get their own pencil box ,complete w/school supplies and they get a t-shirt. I think I am just as excited as she is. Her preschool teacher is one of my sister-in-laws best friends and runs her preschool out of her home. Way to go Mrs. McClure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!