Our Kids

We are taking gymnastics with Coach Mike. The girls have taken his gym class several times. We went back to his class because gymnastics at the big gym was really working Lela over. She was so stressed out and cried and it broke my heart, even though she loves gymnastics.

Today was our first day back to class and she was loving it. She follows directions so well and is such a good girl. There was a little boy named TJ there and he kept invading her personal space. So there she would be on the balance beam trying her little heart out and doing so well and he would invade her space and she would crumble. That look that she gives me rips your heart out. Then once she makes eye contact she wells up and runs over to me. I soothe her and then off she goes to have her space invaded 3 more times. She still enjoyed class and I know she has to deal with it but it is hard to watch.

Oh man oh man oh man! I think we are seeing a taste of Piper as a teenager! HA!

She is really in to power plays right now. For example, she says she wants something, you tell her that she can’t have it and the reason why, you may even make a compromise with her about the item and then she quietly walks away and comes back with her step stool to procure the item for herself! Oh what a pistol!

She wants the opposite of what you are offering. So if Jason is reading her a bedtime story she is all for it until bedtime actually arrives and then she only wants the other parent. I think she must be most like Jason because I swear he would rather jab himself in the eye with a hot poker than deal with her when she is like that. He does well even though I can see his blood boiling underneath.

Sometimes you just have to laugh even when you are being boiled alive by your 4 year old.

Landis is such a crack up! She has this thing where she has to be holding something if she feels insecure or is sleepy, or nursing. It doesn’t matter what it is but it has to be something. Today she had to have the shoulder pad from Piper’s car seat to fall asleep at nap time. She is VERY insistent that she wants exactly that and nothing else. She might hold a pretzel, a pillow, a note pad just whatever strikes her fancy. It is so cute to see her all curled up in her little toddler bed clutching a kitchen towel. She prefers her baby from Nana Peggy the most but if that isn’t in site she picks an alternate.

We are safely back in Arizona just a little worse for wear. Landis is still on her own time zone which involves waking up for good at 5AM. We are still kicking a cold that we picked up in Texas and brought home to Jason. He was happy to see us at first but now he is not feeling so friendly, lol!

Trying to get back in to the swing of things around town and the girls are resilient like all children and doing super. Today we are off to do some errands. The girls desperately need some pajamas and a few other things. They are growing like little weeds and we need to get prepared for summer so we are off to Kid to Kid consignment this morning for some essentials.

The girls started back to Apples to Zebras last week and they are having fun. I was a little worried because they have 18 kids in their class versus the usual 10. But they don’t seem to mind it at all. They start gymnastics this week and also a class that will reinforce what we are teaching them at home (writing the alphabet and numbers). Our Spanish class was canceled so we will be continuing with that home school style.

I am finally committing to losing these last 10 pounds so I expect to be pretty cranky for at least three days until I get back in to my eating healthy routine. Thankfully I have an uber supportive spouse, even with a cold:)

Nine days without Jason (WOJ) is all I can take before meltdown mode kicks in. I am so grateful for my dad because he is a big help but he gets tired too and ten there we are all worn down with 3 energetic children jumping around!

The newness of my folks house as worn off so now the girls are looking at me to constantly entertain them like at home. It all works out at home cuz’ I have so many tricks in my bag but here I am at a little disadvantage. I have taken some time today to outline things that we can do to keep us all entertained and sane (the insanity is generally just my problem, the uber clingy, whiny children are also MY problem).

We are off to the beach for a few days and that should be a nice change of scenery for us all. My mom really loves the beach so maybe the change will brighten her spirits and lessen her pain (hip problems) for a bit.

Well we have been having a really good trip so far. At first it was muggy hot and humid but now the weather has turned downright chilly and rainy. The girls love the rain so it is okay, the cold is another story. I am afraid we can’t live anywhere cold.

This week we went on Safari at Natural Bridge Safari Park, then we went and had our hair done and out to lunch, story time at the library, manicures and pedicures and tomorrow off to the Children’s Museum of New Braunfels. Landis stayed with Grandpa during the trips to the salon and all three stayed with Grandpa while I ran to Old Navy for warmer clothes for us all.

I have managed to get a bad case of cedar fever (aka. Texas allergies) but it is okay. Everyone has been really good and mom and dad very helpful. The girls and the neighbor girl are looking forward to hanging out and playing all weekend so that will be nice as well. We all miss Jason but have been able to talk to him on Skype a couple of times which everyone loves.

Well we made it here safe and sound. The plane ride was good if a little bumpy at the end (which ended with me barfing in the airport bathroom and peeing my pants but that is another story for another blog). The girls did great on the plane thinking all the bumps and drops were a world of fun and letting everyone around know it:)

Landis stayed up for an hour of the flight and then slept for an hour so she was good. There was another woman directly across from me with three kids that were a bit more of handful than mine (but she seemed oblivious to that fact chatting on her cell while her 6 year old was barefoot in the plane restroom and the ground crew was having to hold the plane til’ she came out). The girls watched most of “Cars” and then just chilled and looked out the window.

They have been super since we got here playing with Grandma and Grandpa. Right now they are out in the backyard playing with the neighbor 9 year old girl, Devon, and the 6 year old boy, Hayden, and having a great time. Landis is out and about in the thick of it like a big girl.

Today Piper told me that she missed daddy which was really sweet. I have recovered from my motion sickness, thank goodness, and we are ready to start our vacation:)

I joked to Jason that we have suppressed Lela’s inner diva long enough and now it is dying to get out. She isn’t really a diva but she is pretty girly even though she has never seen a Disney movie, I have not encouraged girlishness (being a tomboy myself), nor have I talked about what is pretty or steered her towards any colors. In that respect we have been fairly agnostic I think.

Anyway, her preferences are coming out. Piper is very nurturing and loves baby dolls. Lela is all about bows in her hair, the color pink, dancing like a ballerina and all the sugar and spice that comes with a girly girl.

Recently she asked for some dress up dolls. We have been steering clear of Barbie for obvious reasons but there are not really many dress up dolls out there. We are looking at American Girl dolls and some other options (yes, I know Target has a cheaper version).

The girls are really good about getting rid of toys they don’t play with and they went through all their toys and we sold them at last weeks DSMOM garage sale. I bought Lela some “dress up dolls” at the sale and we are waiting to see if she actually plays with them. So far she isn’t that interested in them. I just don’t know if we go with American Girl (or the one from Target) if she will actually play with it.