J-5 Rogers Family

i vs. I

2011-08-14T02:40:00.000-05:00

Do you ever feel like your world is run by i?
iPod, iPhone, iPad, i(I)nternet, Wii, DSi - i, i, i...

This "I" wishes that it could take over those "i's".

I would like to vacation in Italy or Ireland with no i's in sight.
I would like to continue reading books that I can touch and turn pages on.
I would like to stop reading when I want to, and process my thoughts about what I read without some "i" voice doing it for me. After all, this "I" did program that "i", right?
I would like to hear a voice on my phone - not see a message pop-up from some other i user.
I would like to teach my children that ice cream, iguanas, and especially Isabel (grandma), are so much more fun than all of the other i's that they currently own.

No, I didn't copy and paste this. I can think for myself unlike those i's.
I am sorry, there is no app. for that.

Take a break from your i's.
I promise that your I's will thank-you.

Just some ~~ifood~~ food for thought.

Happy FrIday!

Note: This was supposed to post on Friday, but too many i's got in the way, and it had to wait until Sunday.

Rant

2011-02-09T13:15:00.000-06:00

Who would have thought that North Texas would be off from school FIVE days in one school year?

I have heard SO many parents complaining about their daycare and payment. Why shouldn't the daycare get paid for snow days? I guarantee you wouldn't be complaining if it was just one day, right?
Teachers will still get paid for not being at school. Everyone I know is still getting paid for not going to work - even if they had to use a vacation day or a sick day. (Some didn't.) If you really & truly have a reason for not being able to get to work, and you have never taken advantage of not being there, your place of employment should be more than understanding if you don’t have child care. I, personally, feel like parents just don’t want to be at home with their children – they aren’t used to it – so they resort to complaining.
The daycare still has bills to pay whether or not the children are in attendance. Perhaps trying to compromise on partial payment for missed days might be more appropriate than bashing a daycare for keeping their employees safety in mind, and not opening their doors. These people are watching your most prized possessions. Why wouldn't you want to keep them happy?
Parents should have a back-up plan. I understand that this is sometimes easier said than done, but it's part of being a parent. If you are absent from work, you have a back-up plan ready whether it means working from home, or having another employee cover for you. The same should be in play for your children.
Off my soapbox.

On a happier note, snow pictures to come soon...

J-A-C-O-B-Y

2010-11-19T10:17:00.000-06:00

Did you notice...

1. That he is left-handed? He is my only left-handed child. Both the hubby and I are lefties. (...along with my sister, my dad, and his dad, too.)

2. At the 28-second mark, how Jacoby starts scooting over when the attention isn't on him anymore? He says: "How 'bout mine, mommy?" His next spelling word should be: j-e-a-l-o-u-s.

3. How Jilian copied Jacoby, and laid down at the 54-second mark? Monkey see, monkey do...ALWAYS.

It's like having twins.

4. Jilian is spelling, too? At the 1:05 mark, she is saying her vowels. I am trying to teach them the difference between vowels & consonants. It's never too early to try, right? She can also spell her name, but only on her terms, and with lots of probing.

5. He is in pajamas - the same ones he wore in the last video? It's a rarity in the colder months that we get out of pajamas during the week since all we do is go to/from the elementary school to pick Jaydon up and drop him off. Saves on laundry for sure! The reason Sassy is dressed is because she insists on getting dressed in the mornings. Girl? :)

I love being able to teach my kiddos. Jacoby knows all of his letters - upper & lower case in any order, he can sing his ABC's, he can count to 20 and identify all of his number to 10, he knows most of his colors, and a few shapes, too. He's known most of these things since right after he turned 2. Jilian is not quite there yet, but she knows a few letters, and she is my talker. She is teaching her brother new words, while he teaches her letters.
They are learning to share - albeit the hard way with some pushing, shoving, and hair pulling. It's really too cute though, and I'm glad I'm here to see it done rather than it being at a daycare where I wouldn't know who the culprit was, and just how "hard" they've pinched, bitten or been mean to one of my children.

Jacoby will start a 3-year old class next fall through the church that Jaydon went to pre-K at. It's 3-hours per day, 5-days per week. It will be his first time at a school, and I hope he continues to learn.

Next task: Potty-Training...for both. They are both ready, and I've procrastinated long enough. The post about that won't be so sweet. It starts next week. I tried this summer, (for two days) and I just wasn't into it at all. Next week, it's all about the potty. (Great timing since Jeremy will be here most of next week. Coincidence? You decide. {big smile})

Happy Weekend!

Might be my last happy one for a while, mom...

Racing Toddlers

2010-11-09T12:50:00.000-06:00

After our breakfast, and fun-filled morning of ~~coloring~~ scribbling, trains, playing house, and reading, we went outside.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again:
OUTSIDE + MY CHILDREN = ☺♀ & ☺♂
Two very happy toddlers...

I know I have been a bad blogger. I apologize. It usually takes a few emails, or just seeing another friend start blogging (Thanks, Knecht!) for me to blog again.

I hope to stay caught up - especially during the holidays. There is never a dull moment around here!

Anyway, so the video...
Some days, you just have to let 'em run wild, and do as they please. (I admit, I was having a good time watching them race.) It usually leads to longer naps. That's always a plus, right?

Jaydon's First Day of Second Grade

2010-08-23T21:10:00.001-05:00

What can I say?
He is definitely the most handsome second grader that has ever set foot inside his elementary school? He is my angel? He is such a blessing? He did so well?

This year, I didn't get quite as emotional as in years past. (Kindergarten & First Grade) It has gotten better year by year, but it isn't any easier for sure.
I am, however, going to miss having him around. He is my little helper.

He woke up promptly at 7:00 and said, "Today is the first day of school, right?" I think he was half asleep.
I packed his lunch, ironed his shorts, and he ate breakfast. He actually ate some dry cereal this morning along with his Ensure. I explained that he would have to eat more at breakfast because his lunch time will be later and later every year. It must have clicked because he ate a lot of cereal.
He then opened his "first day of school card" that Tia Jessenia had mailed him. He was excited because it said to call her at 6:30 PM to tell her about his day. He came home after school and counted down the ~~hours minutes~~ seconds until 6:30. Thanks, Tia!

Jeremy stayed home with the two little ones this morning so that I could walk Jaydon in. Thanks, babe! Like always, it was packed. It will be this way all week. There was also the fair share of non-observant drivers who were turning left into the driveway of the school when the posted sign says, "No Left Turn"! (cough, cough . . . IDIOTS!) Thank goodness for the motorcycle cop sitting there giving out warnings. Seriously - how do people get a driver's license?

We walked to his classroom, and after I took a picture of him with his teacher, he gave me a kiss, and went right to his desk. He started chatting away with another little boy who has been in his class for three years in a row now. The mom who was scared her son would never speak is now worried that he will get in trouble for talking when he isn't supposed to. Go figure!

He is using the same backpack & lunchbox from Land's End that he has used for the past TWO years. The BEST investment I have ever made. It's just solid red with his name monogrammed on the lunchbox, and his initials on the backpack. He can't really "outgrow" it, and besides a couple of spots on the lunchbox, they both still look great.
Unless the Crips decide to initiate him this year, we should be good to go for another year. I will buy him something new next year for sure because a sweet lady I know has been posting some cute designs for lunchboxes on her website.

Jeremy came home tonight with a gift for him. Three years running - he hasn't forgotten to get his boy a gift for his first day of school. ALL his doing with no reminder from me. This year, he brought him a new Nintendo DS game and a recorder. So sweet! What a great daddy Jaydon has, huh?

I am so proud of my boy. Even if he doesn't make straight A's, have perfect conduct & perfect attendance like he did last year, I will still be proud of him. He has come such a long way. He is such a joy. His teacher should be elated to have him in her class.

I ♥ you, Jaydon Cole Rogers!
Go get 'em, you big, handsome, intelligent, GQ second grader!

My Monkey(s)

2010-08-11T22:12:00.000-05:00

All three of my children are escape artists. Jaydon & Jacoby both escaped from their cribs for the first time at around 15 months.
Jilian is shorter, so it took her a little longer. She managed her first escape a few weeks ago at just 18 months. This is with no bumpers, no pillows, and her mattress all the way to the bottom. I know children who are 2½+ that still don't escape.
Why can't I be so lucky?

Ignore my hair, please. I just woke up from a nap and my mommy caught me in the act!

Jilian, however, wins the "monkey award" hands down. That little girl is so.very.strong!
Not only does this little fearless child climb out of her crib, she also hangs on anything she finds, swings on the monkey bars by herself, and she can climb ladders like a true construction worker. It ~~amazes~~ terrifies me to see her sometimes.
Surly she doesn't get her innate gymnastics ability from me!?

Yes, she climbs all by herself, and then tries to jump to the monkey bars. This is the "terrifying" part!

On the other hand, she also loves to be girly. She pushes her doll in the stroller up and down the yard over and over and over again. She takes her out, gives her kisses, pats her head, and continues to push her. She feeds her, tells her "No, no baby", as if she is scolding her. Then she laughs at her. She is constantly moving, climbing, and being busy.
Perhaps this is why she is a lightweight?

I thought that Jacoby was a little tornado, but she is definitely the busy monkey. (If any of you know Jacoby, you know that it must be pretty bad if she is busier than him!)
So to say that I am a busy lady is an understatement.

Nighttime (right now) is blog/me time. Even then, it is still all about my children.
...and I love every single minute of it.

How could you not?

Marshall's Nana

2010-08-10T16:33:00.000-05:00

My mom has an at-home daycare. Marshall was one of the children she took care of. She babysat Marshall from the time he was six months old, until he was nearly three years old. We all watched that little (Marshall was never little!) newborn turn into a toddler, then a young boy. Marshall is almost four now, and one of my favorite little boys ever! His Mom, Christina, is also a special lady whom I love dearly.

Recently, Marshall's Nana (Christina's Mom) was diagnosed with cancer. Unfortunately, she has no health insurance. To learn more about her story, please click HERE.
Anything you can do to help would be great. Become a follower of her blog, donate a little something, share her story with others, pray for her, or just send your love and support through comments.

It is still early. I, however, prefer to think that it is never too late. There is still SO much hope.
With a little faith and love, we can help each other overcome anything!

Marshall & Nana

Gymnast Jilian

2010-08-05T20:13:00.001-05:00

Last Wednesday, Jilian had her first gymnastics class. I took her, and she did so well. Her two favorite things were swinging from the rope, and doing forward rolls. She jumped on the trampoline, and I got a work-out just watching her. I couldn't take pictures while we were there because it's a Mom & Me class, and with her being the youngest in the class, I had to keep a close eye on her.

Here is her outfit from last week, and a few pictures of her in it.

Already stretching. Natural?

Love this little keyhole!

This week, Jeremy took her to class. He came home, changed right out of his work clothes, and took off with her. He was just as excited as she was!

He also said that it was a work-out keeping up with her. He really enjoyed getting to spend time with his little girl alone. I love that he is such an involved daddy!

I mean seriously - what's not to love about that face?

We were on the waiting list at ASI Gymnastics for a Saturday class, and they have a new Saturday class that opened up this week. We are excited about that because going in the evenings during the school year would have been quite stressful. She will start this Saturday. So we got an extra class for free this month. Yay!

I got her two leotards at Gymnastics Plus in Southlake for the price of one. I looked online and went to a couple of stores, but they were all so expensive. These at Gymnastics Plus were affordable and cute. I like the multi-colored one best of all. They are just a tad big, but she will grow into them in no time. This way, they last longer.

...and yes, I made her a matching bow for each leotard. Duh!

Hopefully she continues to enjoy her classes. Starting in January when she turns two, she can do the classes on her own at Gymnastics Plus. I went there in the mid 1980's, and I coached there through my high school years in the mid 1990's. I can't wait to see her there! (If she wants to do something else when she gets older she can. Right now, I am in charge of activities!)

We are so proud of you, Sassy Girl!

Boating

2010-08-03T21:08:00.000-05:00

These two toddlers who reside in my home will play with anything except for their own 64 million toys.

A few days ago, they turned the piano bench upside down and started paddling. They paddled, scooted, and pushed each other all through the house in their "boat". It was pretty funny to hear them calling it a boat and taking turns sitting down.

They stopped to rest, and I captured a shot. Notice the sweat on Jilian's face. Talk about a work-out having to push her older/heavier brother around!

Oh - and the Captain never allowed his First Mate to stand in the front. Bossy big brother! The First Mate did however, get a "say-so" later in the day after she pushed him overboard.

They entertain each other pretty well...most of the time. I'd say they've had a lot of fun this summer, wouldn't you?

Sleepy?

2010-08-01T21:02:00.001-05:00

Sometimes, pictures are worth a thousand words.

GOING...

GONE!

Did you notice the poor sippy cup?

He finished his big chunk of lasagna (Like you couldn't tell by looking at that mouth!) and some green beans, but never got around to his orange or graham crackers.

If only we could all fall asleep this easily.

I ♥ this boy!

(This was 4 days ago.)

Vacation Bible School

2010-07-30T14:59:00.001-05:00

Last week, Jaydon attended VBS at a church just up the road from us. He went from 9 AM - 12 PM every day.
This was the same church/school where he went to Pre-K.

He went with Ayden, and even though they were in different classrooms, they seemed to have a really good time.
Ayden was sick the last day, so he wasn't there for the end-of-week festivities.

There were also a couple of other kids from Jaydon's school that attended. He did end up having one of them in his class.

It was hard to get good pictures and video because Jaydon was really far away, but I got some.
I honestly have to say that I think the two little ones enjoyed themselves more than Jaydon.

I'll let you be the judge...

Where's ~~Waldo~~ Jaydon?

It will be so much fun when I can see all three of them on that stage together. I can't wait!

My hope is that their "energy" for Jesus never fizzles.

Summertime

2010-07-28T09:53:00.001-05:00

My absolute favorite thing about Summer is seeing my children play outside together.
They laugh, they run, they swing, they sweat, they get grass stains, they laugh some more, they 'make-believe play', they play in water & with water guns, they jump on the trampoline, they get dirt under their finger nails, they laugh some more, they wear out and take good afternoon naps, and ~~they~~ I love every.single.minute.of.it!

This Summer, Jacoby climbed the rock wall on the side of the swing set all by himself for the very first time - barefooted I might add.
ALL boy.
Jilian isn't too far behind though. Monkey see monkey do?
ALL sass.
Jaydon has taught Jacoby how to "pump" while swinging. He isn't good at it. It just makes it that much cuter.
ALL love.
Jilian giggles as she watches them swing on either side of her.
ALL smiles.

It's all simply priceless...

Boys, Sass, Love & Smiles.
Life just doesn't get any better! Period.

Toy Story 3

2010-07-25T15:57:00.001-05:00

We took Jaydon to see Toy Story 3 on June 18th - the day it premiered. I really don't think we have ever been to a movie the day it came out.
We went to a 7:30 PM show in 3-D, and it was spectacular. I am such a fan of children's movies. This one was done up just right. It was a bit scary in some places, but not too much for a 7-year old boy.
I have to say that Toy Story is still my favorite, but the next two were pretty good. I think I am just a fan of 'the original/first' of all movies.

Jaydon had SUCH a good time. He is not really fond of movies on the big screen, but he wouldn't let us forget this one.
Every day starting a month in advance was a 'count down'..."Mom, we have 22 more days until the movie." "Mom, we have 4 more days." "Mom, TOMORROW is THE day!!"
He enjoyed a bag of popcorn, and time away from his brother & sister with just his Mommy and Daddy.

Thanks to the Cooper's (our neighbors) for keeping our two troublesome toddlers. According to them, they were "perfect". Hmmm...

Check out Mr. Cool Guy himself in his 3-D glasses:

Here are a couple of pictures of our little ham. I told him I hadn't taken any pictures of him in a while, and he laughed (sarcastically I might add!) and said, "You never stop taking pictures Mom!"

Then I told him not to smile so big, and the picture below is what I got. Character?

I think he looks so angelic in this shot.

Keep your innocence as long as you can, Jaydon. Taking toys to college would be okay with your Mommy.

I'm glad you liked the movie just as much as we did, J-Bird!

Daddy & I enjoyed our time alone with you...our Sweet-Potato-Pumpkin-Pie.

xoxo,

Mom

Mini Chimney Sweeps

2010-07-23T13:52:00.002-05:00

I went to the laundry room to sort laundry. I heard the kids laughing and thought nothing of it. (Noise is good when you have children, right?)
I started the next load. I folded the towels, and went to put them in the linen closet.
I was in the laundry room a total of 4 minutes - if that.

My first clue that something was wrong:

No big deal. A few wipes and done. Perhaps it was dirt from when they were playing outside earlier in the day? Maybe not - I would have noticed that before coming back inside.

What could it be though? What did they get into? Why are there footprints here?

Then I hear, "Oh Moooooooooom! Just wait until you see what they did!!!"

I turned the corner and dropped the towels.

↓
↓
↓
↓
↓
↓

Exhibit A:

...yes, I dropped the towels INTO that mess.
(It sounds so cliché but the pictures do not do this mess justice. They really don't.)

My first thought was: Thank God that they aren't wearing their usual 'cute' attire! Jilian wears dresses daily. The Lord was whispering in my ear when He told me what to dress them in that morning. Phew.

Let's just say that one week later, it's NOT any better. Vinegar mix, Resolve, Bissell Steam Cleaner. It's not coming out. It's just not.

Guilty or innocent? The jury is out...

(Dear Addyson L: I ♥ you and your 'antics'. Nothing you have ever done even compares. This is just one of many 'incidences' here on Round Rock Road. Will you please move in with me? I will give your mommy a two-for-one special. Good price-great deal-promise. Signed, Aunt Jessica)

So my dream for new flooring might have just become a reality thanks to two 'busy' children.

We have lived in this house for five years, and never used the two-sided fire place. Ever. (Don't judge. It's not our thing.)
~~Apparently~~ Obviously, you are supposed to clean the inside after the old owners move out? Minor detail folks.

Last Saturday was spent scrubbing the tub where I had to bathe these two. Can you guess what I will be scrubbing the inside of this Saturday?

My house is completely child proofed.
All detergents & cleaning products are kept at about a 6-foot level behind/above the washer & dryer in the laundry room. There are unreachable top locks on all doors leading outside, along with door knob covers on every.single.door. All drawers and cabinets have baby locks, and all electrical outlets have covers. All Crayons and WASHABLE Markers are stored in sealed boxes in my closet. All Sharpies are kept up high in the garage. I thought I had crossed all of my t's, and dotted all of my i's.

~~Apparently~~ Obviously not.

Sometimes, you just can't win.

Would you say that this is one of those times?

Jilian's First Haircut

2010-07-22T08:13:00.002-05:00

Ahhhhhhh, furball...need I say more?

Can you see why she needed a haircut? (Of course I exaggerated a bit, and this is not brushed or conditioned.)

We took her in to get a haircut at Supercuts in Bedford with Kari, who has been cutting our entire family's hair since 2002. We debated taking her somewhere 'kid friendly' for the picture op, but Kari is so good with my kiddos!

Jaydon did great at his first haircut which was at 7 months. After that, Jaydon was a nightmare for haircuts for THREE years. He is fine now. Jacoby had his first haircut around his first birthday. Jacoby was good, but not great.

Jilian did well - very well. She just sat there like nothing. She was honestly an angel! She didn't even move or shed a single tear. We didn't have high hopes considering it was 8:00 PM and raining, but she pulled through like a real champ.

Kari only ended up cutting a litle off the back to get rid of the mullet, and to give her a more rounded look. She took a little off the top, too. Jilian's hair is pretty fine, but it has curl. I think she hasn't gotten a good set of hair in yet and still has a lot of baby hair. When we were done, there was hardly any hair on the floor. I'm so used to seeing mounds & mounds of hair!

I told Kari that I still wanted to be able to put a ponytail in her hair, and I didn't want bangs. You can hardly tell it was cut, but I can already see a difference in the fullness just 2 weeks later - amazing!

The best part was...Kari didn't charge us. SUCH a sweet lady! She always gives our kiddos their first haircut for free. It had been so long though that I forgot. So we tipped her, and that was that!

Here are some before & after pictures of this momentous day. That dress is up there on my list of faves because of the bright design and back.

Cutey-pie in her new dress from Key West

Look at that bum - love it!

You can see just how big Jaydon is next to her here - and he isn't even standing with his legs together. Amazing! He was dancing with her and turned around to pose.

Daddy's Girl for sure. (Sometimes)

It's official when you get a certificate!

Jilian - you rocked! Thanks for being a good girl.

Thank you, Kari! You are the best!

Eighteen Months

2010-07-20T23:04:00.007-05:00

Jilian Cate (A.K.A. Sassy Girl) - you are 1½ today!

Let's see what you are up to:

You weigh 23 pounds, and you are 30½ inches long. According to my calculations, you are in the 25th percentile for both height & weight. Awww yes - petite you are! (Your 18-month appt. is on the 27th.) (EDIT: You are 31.5 inches long as of your 18-month check-up on the 27th. That means...25th percentile for weight, and 50th for height.)
Jaydon is currently in the 95th percentile for weight, and 75th for height. Jacoby is currently just under the 75th for both. They obviously both took my "big" genes and left you with none!

You wear a size 4 diaper. You will probably be in that size for a long time.

You wear size 18-24 month clothes. Size 18 month dresses fit you better length wise than the next size up, but then I worry about the width. You have a few 2T shirts in your wardrobe, as well as some 12-18 month things that still fit. (Sizes are weird.)

You are comfortable in a size 4 shoe. That's two whole sizes smaller than your brothers at this age. Those teeny tiny feet are so adorable!

You sleep 11-13 solid hours every night. You have been doing that since you were a newborn though. You are taking 1 nap per day - usually about a 2-hour, late afternoon nap.

You have 12 teeth. FOUR more are trying to break through as I type. God bless you while you get new ones - it looks so painful!

You have about 30 words in your vocabulary - over half of which you use daily with meaning. Here are most of them:, "hi", "hello", "no", "apple", "nana", "shoe/shoes", "sock", "buh-bye", "please", "Daddy", "dog", "uh-oh", "up", "Duke", "Aba", "Mommy", "door", "ball", "tata", "baby/babies", "outside", "all done", "bubba", "hot dog", "this", "open", "thank you". When you want to be carried, you say: "Up pWease". When you don't want something, you shake your head rapidly while repeating: "No momma". You have even put three words together. You hand me something and say: "Here you go". (Although it sounds more like 'heeeaaw-you-o".) Just this morning, you brought me your brother's sippy cup. I said, "I don't believe that to be your cup. Where is Sassy's cup"? You turned around, went to the couch, and brought me your cup. Then you said, "Here you go". You also use the infamous "here you go" when you rip your bows out of your hair.

You still sign for 'more'. Your vocabulary is ahead of schedule...or maybe it's where it is supposed to be, so we stopped teaching you signs. All I know is that you are already saying more than I could ever get out of your two brothers. Lord help us all with your chattiness!

When you want us to sing, you say "habby, habby" (happy, happy). Your favorite song to imitate is, "If you are happy & you know it...". I love doing this with you because you grin from beginning to end. You also enjoy The Itsy Bitsy Spider which was your brother Jacoby's favorite. It's so cool to watch you move your fingers "up the spout" in unison with mine.

When we ask you how old you are, you hold up one finger...then continue counting. (Not that we can understand all of the numbers, but we get what you are doing.) We are trying to get you to say, "I'm 1", but it isn't really flying over so well. You shake your head and say "no" instead. The beauty of the 18-month old mind.

You can identify a few letters and know their sounds. (This is due to the fact that Jacoby is a letter machine and knows all of his letters and letter sounds. He helps you with that.)

You are a monkey. Simple as that - a monkey! There isn't anything that you don't climb on/over/under. I cannot leave you alone for more than 1.4 seconds. Ever.

You still love to dance. In fact, that's probably your favorite thing to do right now. You dance on the coffee table during that 1.4 seconds you are left alone and my heart skips 8 (or 12) beats every single time you are up there. Oh and the tantrums when I make you get down. Wowza. Full blown fits.

You love to be chased and tickled. You find us and run off, then turn around to see if we are behind you.

You still LOVE to be outside. Even in this 147º Texas heat, you could play outside all day long.

When we do gymnastics, I tell you to "finish". You raise both your arms up high and squeal with delight. You LOVE to hang on the monkey bars. You do this by yourself for a few seconds at a time while trying to lift your legs up to flip over. (Your real gymnastics classes start on August 7th. Woo-Hoo!)

You squat every time you go #2. You go once per day which is a drastic change from the brother a year older than you who went (and still goes!) 3-4 times per day. Then you bring me a diaper and say: "tata". (caca) Potty-training is in your near future seeing as how you want to do everything Jacoby does, and we are starting that with him. You also seem to understand the concept of being soiled, and you know where to go when I tell you it's pee-pee time.

You still drink milk from a bottle. This is your mommy's choice, not yours. We haven't even tried a sippy cup because it isn't a big deal to me. Why fix what aint broken? You have the rest of your life to "be big". I like knowing exactly how much you are drinking. You will drink water and juice from a sippy just fine though.

You eat really well. Your dad and I have 2-6 eyes on us every single time we eat. We hear lots of "pweases" at our feet - little beggars. You are not the big time fruit eater that your brother Jacoby is, but you love all meats, chicken, turkey, a couple of veggies, a couple of fruits, yogurt, pudding, bread, and cheese. I will sometimes give you a jar of veggies with your dinner if I don't feel like you ate a lot - and you still gulp it down as if you were a baby. I don't really think you have a favorite food although rice & chicken seems to be up there on the list. You are my girl though because you have a sweet tooth. You love dessert, and you ate an entire piece of my homemade flan the other night!

Jaydon still adores you. Jacoby...well, let's just say that you & Jacoby bicker more than I would like. The bickering is typically over toys. It sometimes ends with a shove, hair pull, or scream. Sibling rivalry? Too close in age? I know this will get worse before it gets better.

You have a favorite blankie that goes to your crib with you every time you sleep. You aren't attached to the point of taking it places or carrying it around all day, but you really enjoy sleeping with it.

Have I mentioned everything? Have I mentioned that you are spoiled rotten and will ask anyone to pick you up? Thank goodness that you are a lightweight.

My issue is that you & your brother both want my atttention at the same time. So although you are light, you + your brother = mega back pain every night for your mother.

You are such a joy. You are such a blessing. You are such a monkey. You are so stinkin' adorable.

You are you, and we love every millisecond of having you in our family!

xoxo,

Momma

(Dress courtesy of Tia {Madrina} Jessenia from her recent trip to Mexico.)

Jacoby's 2nd Set of Tubes

2010-07-19T10:48:00.004-05:00

On June 10th, Jacoby had his first set of tubes removed, the 2nd set put in, and he also had his adenoids removed. He was SO adorable with all of his toys. He loved the one-on-one attention from Mommy & Daddy too!

Jacoby has suffered from ear infections since he was 4 months old. On his first birthday, he was on his 4th infection. At 15 months when he got his first set of tubes, he had just gotten over his FIFTH ear infection. That's one ear infection every 3 months. For a child who doesn't go to daycare, and is hardly around other people except for his siblings, that's just not good!

Jaydon also had tubes. He didn't get his until he was 2½, and never got an ear infection once he got them. Jaydon's were surgically removed at age 4½ because they never fell out.

Jacoby continued to get ear infections even with tubes. My poor little man. The ENT thought it might be a good idea to have his adenoids removed as well. ANYTHING to help him.
It turns out that the first set was crusty already, so thank goodness they came out.

We are one month in, and we haven't had an ear infection yet! He seems to be repeating words a lot more too. Originally, he scored on the low side of average on his hearing test before these new tubes. At the next hearing test, he did just fine. YAY!

So...let's just hope that his speech continues to improve.

The procedure itself took all of 10 minutes. He had a LOT of gunk and fluids in his ears. :(
The doctor came into the waiting room to let us know that Jacoby was "officially a teenager" because he was conked out asleep and didn't want to wake up. We were finally allowed back, and Jacoby was still asleep. The poor boy was tired, and he wasn't waking up. He was snoring SO loud! (A side effect of adenoid removal along with stinky, stinky breath for 10 days!)
He only wanted his Daddy to hold him. He finally woke up, and he was supposed to drink something. He wasn't having it. I finally got some Gatorade syringed down his throat, and we've been good ever since.
I actually think his 'already good appetite' got even better after the 1-week recovery! He is a healthy 32+ pounds at age 2½. Not too shabby for a 6-pound baby at birth.

Here's to the hope that these tubes help you out, buddy! *cheers* (...and prayer!)

I wasn't planning on taking pictures, so all I had was my cell phone. I just couldn't pass up some of these sweet shots though...

BEFORE:

AFTER:

They gave us this doggy. It was named Cookie. That's Tia Jessenia's nickname growing up. It was a good sign! She was there with us in spirit.

Jaydon & Ayden's Pirate Adventure

2010-07-18T14:11:00.001-05:00

At the beginning of the summer, Jaydon & his friend Ayden (our neighbor who Jaydon went to Pre-K with and I babysit 3 days per week) went to a theater camp at the local high school. The words "theater" and "drama" camp were not taken well by two 7-year old BOYS.

Stage Make-Up...NO WAY!

Even the title "Pirate Adventure" didn't fly over so well. They just didn't think they wanted to go. It didn't fly over well until they were told that they would learn all about pirates, and combat.

Arrrgh, Matey - they were all set after that!!

It was only a 3-day camp. Their group was 7-10 year olds so they were the youngest ones there.

On the last day, they put on a 6-8 minute performance (only 1+ minute is shown below) for the parents. Jaydon is in orange; Ayden is in green.

Both are wearing red bandanas:

Let us review this, shall we?

1. Did you notice that Jaydon had a line? He was so busy fighting, he had to be cued not one, not two, but four times. (Hence the laughter from the audience.)

2. Even with the prompting, I still see acting in his future. That little boy loves to play things out (but only if they are rough & tough) and he reads so well - with emphasis.

3. I didn't post the whole thing because Jacoby kept wanting to be part of the performance and trying to control 2 toddlers and video all at once doesn't exactly make for a steady hand. You can actually hear him say "Awww Jayce" as he cheers his brother on.

4. Did you see how they both fell to the ground at the end pretending to be dead? That is how the next 2 weeks were spent here at home. Two seven year olds falling to the ground. Combat they called it.

After the performance, they both came home and played outside for three hours. THREE hours fighting (combat) and playing in our "make-shift" pool. They had a blast that day.

Take note in the pictures below of their facial hair and battle scars. (i.e. STAGE MAKE-UP!) I had a hard time trying to convince them that it was okay to wash it off. That they would eventually get facial hair and wish they had baby faces again and didn't have to shave.

"But, but, but...but MOOOOMMMM."

Also take note of the little boy who doesn't belong in the bottom right corner of the group picture.

Nice.

It was quite the adventure, but I'm glad they enjoyed it!

Return Home Drama (Vacation - Part 2)

2010-07-16T10:46:00.005-05:00

** Please read the post below - Summer Vacation - before reading this one. **

As mentioned in the previous post, we had slight drama on our return trip...

We started the first leg of our return trip - Miami to Atlanta - wonderfully. On time, perfect weather. The kids didn't sleep on that leg, so we knew that Atlanta to DFW part would be nice & relaxing since they would sleep. We got to Atlanta, snacked, changed diapers, and got on the next flight to DFW. It was due to land at 3:02. We left Atlanta on time, and the kids slept. Sweetness.

I knew we'd made time up in the air and were scheduled to land a few minutes early. At 3:04, I found it strange that we hadn't landed. At that moment, the pilot says, "We are having to go to Oklahoma City to refuel". That's it! No further explanation - nothing! The girl inside me who grew up on airplanes, who has a dad that worked for Delta for nearly 30 years, who worked for the airlines herself just.about.lost.it. So we land in Oklahoma City a few minutes later, and pull up to a hangar (not a gate) in the middle of nowhere to refuel. No announcements, nothing.

After FORTY minutes, I finally get up and go to the cockpit. I explain to the captain that while he is nice & comfy, there are 8 children near me who are starved, and we need to know what is going on. I tell him that if we are going to be too much longer, he needs to let us off the plane to get food. He says, "You know how it is. We are waiting on a flight release. It could be 10 minutes, it could be 45 minutes." I said, "Please make an announcement then. This isn't fair to us!" So what does the lovely man say on his announcement? "Ladies and Gentleman, we are waiting on a flight release from Orlando. It could be 5 or 10 minutes, or just a little longer."
Meanwhile, I have rallied the troops near me, and told them what was really said. Everyone is so upset. We have looked at the radar on our phones, there isn't any awful weather in DFW. It was clear as day when we landed in OKC. We have talked to family in DFW. So what gives? We obviously aren't being told everything...

After being at that hangar for over an hour, we receive the release - at which time it has started raining - and we are #2 for take-off. Finally. So while we are on the runway waiting for clearance to take-off, it is pouring. Nasty, sideways rain. We are told that there is now a ground stop in Oklahoma City due to wind sheers, and we aren't able to take-off! So now to save fuel, they are going to turn the engines off. Great. Wonderful. Do y'all know what happens when you turn off engines on an airplane that isn't hooked up to a generator?

Meanwhile, two planes are taking off in the next runway over. People on the plane see this and get really upset. (They must have gotten clearance before the ground stop which makes no sense to the people on the plane, but I get that.)
So we are now sitting on a hot airplane in the middle of a runway in Oklahoma City. We have now been on this airplane for 5+ hours, half of this time not even moving or in the air. What do you think my 1 & 2 year old are doing? No, not sleeping. They are going crazy. I am one prepared mom - I had diapers, milk, juice, movies, toys, and snacks galore. I even had a box of pastries and bread that we bought before leaving Miami. I just don't have any REAL food. I can't take my whole fridge on board. Jaydon is STARVED, and we haven't been given anything but a dry bag of pretzels and soda. I go up to the front again and ask to be taken back to a gate so I can get food for my children. They say they can't move. I ask for food to be brought in - offer to pay triple and get something for everyone on board - they can't. I explain that Jaydon has some sensory issues and he really needs real food. They won't budge. I am livid!
Don't think I didn't break open the pastries and start sharing. We were all in survival mode and sharing what we had.

After THREE hours of being in Oklahoma City, they decide that we should go back to a gate. FAA laws at this point REQUIRE it. I, peronsally, think it is abuse. THREE hours, really?!

So as we are about to get off the plane, an announcement is made: "Please listen carefully. You have FIFTEEN minutes to get food and get back on board. If you go outside security, TSA will not let you back in. We need everyone back on board in fifteen minutes. We don't want anyone to say they didn't hear this announcement."
Hmm...unload a plane that has 150 people on it, get food from 1of 2 restaurants in this tiny airport which probably doesn't even HAVE enough food at its restaurants for all of us, and get back on board in 15 minutes? RIGHT.

It is "that time" of the month for me. Need I say more? I have the strongest stomach in America. I never got sick while pregnant - ever! Y'all...I am hot, I feel like fainting, and I am not having it any longer. I felt like I was stuffed inside of an oversized tampon - at this point for 6 hours! I have flown to Australia, Hong Kong, Brazil, Korea, Mexico 9 times, St. Thomas, Costa Rica - ALL around the world, but not with three children, and never had I gotten stuck on an airplane like that.
Instinct tells me that this flight might get cancelled. What if the flight crew times out? What if, what if, what if? I know the drill.

My oldest son is starved, and my two little ones have been running up and down the aisle for 3 hours making friends with people who are just being nice for the sake of not being labeled "unfriendly" by those around them. What on Earth makes you think I am getting back on board that airplane? So we didn't.
What did we do? We ended up renting a car and driving home.

The airplane finally arrived to DFW at 8:45 PM. We arrived to our house at 10:00 PM. It is about a 3+ hour drive. By the time we got off the plane, got our bags, and got home, it would have been 10:00, so we got home at the same time driving as we would have flying. It wasn't cheap, ($188 for the one-way rental & 2 car seats + $20 to fill it up again) but I would do it again in a heartbeat to avoid the uncomfortable feeling of being stuck on an airplane with no way out with three children.

The DOT is going to get a nice letter from me. I WILL get reimbursed something. The airlines not allowing me off the plane when I said that my children needed to eat is beyond ridiculous. I can understand a "short" delay, but three hours is absurd.
When all was said and done, the people who flew home to DFW had been on that plane for 9 hours. A less than 2-hour plane ride took NINE hours with no offer to feed us, nothing. I know that weather delays are natural and cannot be helped. I also know that there is a MUCH better way that the situation ~~could~~ SHOULD have been handled.

Yesterday, we got a letter from AirTran in the mail apologizing for the delay that day. Are they admitting something? I appreciate the letter - I REALLY do, but I am not giving up on the hope that a letter to the DOT gets me something else. I have never been one to want money or ask for more, but I am still upset that my poor son was starved for that long!!

So to say that last day put a damper on our vacation is putting it lightly. The positive was that all three kids fell asleep the whole way home, and they wouldn't have done that on the plane.
Let me just say that we did everything "right" - Motrin or Tylenol before each leg of the trip, I had sippy cups with straws for them to sip on. My two youngest children are just busy. ...and they weren't the only ones roaming the aisles. You can't expect perfection from toddlers for that long.

We will NOT fly with kids again until they are at least 4 years old and can sit for more than 2.4 seconds at a time. Our next vacation WILL be to the beach though. A long vacation with just our own family and hopefully some friends on the beach in either California or somewhere up the northeast coast. Family is loving and fun, but they wear you out.

So that was the end to our family vacation. I'm sorry I couldn't end on a happier note like with us winning the lottery or something, but the bottom line is that we made it home safe & sound, right?

Summer Vacation - Florida

2010-07-15T21:23:00.000-05:00

Picture and word MEGA overload.
Grab that buttered popcorn, a cupcake or brownie with tons of icing, a glass of wine (soda, milk, water?) and cop a squat...

We left to Florida on June 26th for our family vacation. We were there until July 6th. The last time we were there was in July of 2004...6 years ago!

Just to give you some background: Due to a job transfer, my parents, sister and I moved to Bedford, Texas from Miami in 1984 when I was 5 years old. My mom, sister and I are the only people in Texas currently. Everyone else from both sides of our family is in Florida - Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Cousin's kids...everyone.
We are 17 cousins total on both sides, and FOURTEEN of us are girls. Yes, 14 out of 17 are girls! I know - our poor families. I am the second oldest grandchild on both sides, and the boy is older on both sides. Kinda weird, huh? What is even weirder is that when we all started having children of our own, we all had BOYS. The first five great-grandchildren were boys. We now have 10 great-grandchildren on both sides, and 7 of those 10 are boys. Total flip-flop.

Here is a run-down of everything we did each day that we were there, along with pictures from each day.
Enjoy...

Day #1: (Saturday - June 26, 2010) We departed from Terminal E at DFW -- which is where Jeremy and I met -- so we had to take a picture of the three kids at our meeting spot. The first picture is at the old satellite that Delta used which is now closed due to the ever slow economy.

This was Jacoby and Jilian's first time on an airplane, and the engines scared Jacoby. Not scared to the point of crying, but just to the point of holding on tight and leaning back in his chair when we took off. It was honestly cute. They did not do so well on the plane...at all. The portable DVD player and Nintendo DS helped, but not enough. They cried and whined a lot, but my two little busy bodies are not used to being contained for more than 20 minutes at a time. Their brother (Jaydon) was a complete angel.

We arrived to Miami at 5:45 to be greeted by my cousin Alany, and her boyfriend. We got our rental ~~car~~ minivan (Stylin' I tell ya! If you know me, you know that I am a ~~spoiled~~ SUV kinda girl, so this was tough.) and arrived to Abuela Tata's around 7:00PM to be greeted by another 15 people - really - and some DELICIOUS rice & chicken and Cuban sandwiches. (Weight gained on this trip will not be discussed.)
It was funny because 15 people is the norm at Abuela Tata's house, but Jaydon thought it was a 'party'. The next night, a few people showed up and he said, "Are we having ANOTHER party? Where is everyone else?"

Day #2: (Sunday - June 27, 2010) We got to celebrate Katie's (Alany's daughter) 2nd birthday on this day. It started at 2:00, and it was held at a church/park. Disney themed birthday. Super cute stuff, and Minnie Mouse herself made an appearance. This was what we did the entire day. I didn't get nearly as many pictures as I would have liked, but keeping up with a 1 & 2 year old in 90º & 100% humidity makes for a sticky, sweaty, not happy mommy. The kids, however, loved every minute of being outside, and that's all that mattered.
Sassy loved the jump house. Having a trampoline at home helps because my kids are jump house pros. They SO enjoyed the see-saw best of all. I see this as a possible near future investment!

Grandchildren: Lesley (26), Jessica (31), Lyanette (30), Antonio (32), Yamileth (16), Alany (21), & Lyann (22)

Missing: Jessenia (27) & Jorge (21)

Great-Grandchildren: Jilian (17 months), Eric (13), Dylan (7), Jaydon (7½), Dominic (4½), and Jacoby (2½)
Missing: Katie (Birthday Girl - 2), and Richard Julian (5 weeks)
Everyone was there at the party, we just couldn't get them together all at once! :(

Day #3: (Monday - June 28, 2010) We headed out to Aventura Beach (North of Miami) and spent a good chunk of the day at the beach/pool. This day was BY FAR the best part of our trip.
This was Jacoby and Jilian's first time to the beach, and they loved it. They absolutely loved it! The sand was burning hot, but they got used to it. I loved seeing them all play together building sandcastles. We buried Jeremy under the sand and when the kids weren't looking, I gave him some extra body parts. I got a picture of this, but due to this being a family blog, I will refrain from posting it. :)

Even with 70 SPF, my three kiddos got some color. Jaydon more so than the other two, but he's naturally lucky like that. Jeremy and I only wore 30 SPF, and we burned. We didn't peel or hurt, but we got really red.

Jacoby is a fish!! He held his breath underwater 5-6 seconds a few times without coming up gasping. He wanted to swim. This is a BIG difference from his older brother who still doesn't know how to swim after many swim lessons. Jaydon loves the water, but just doesn't care to learn how to swim. He doesn't like the feeling of floating and not being in control.
We also got to eat at my FAVORITE pizza joint which is inside the hotel where we were at. DELISH...and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree because the entire family thought it was delish, too!

Does Jaydon not look so serious - like a real Italian with that pose & look? (We are Cuban, not Italian)

Snacking while he waits on his pizza

Full mouth of food

That evening, after all of the kiddos were asleep, Jeremy and I took off to South Beach. We walked down Lincoln Road from about 10:30 PM - 1:00 AM. We shared a huge slice of pizza (in Miami and eating pizza all day - I know...pathetic!) and had a drink. It was SO much fun to enjoy adult time together outside. We people watched, and even saw a few people in bushes that we couldn't decide on...Were they homeless, or did they just have too much fun that night? We wanted to stroll on the beach for a bit, but by the time we made it down there, the beach was closed. There were others on it, but call us "goody-goodies". No need to get a ticket on vacation, right? Had we been 21 again, it might have been a different story. At age 31 with 3 kids...we played it safe, and just took in the breeze & view from a short distance away.

Day #4: (Tuesday - June 29, 2010) We got up fairly early on this day to head out to The Everglades. We met up with my cousin Tony & his wife, Elizabeth. Jeremy, Jaydon and I went out on the swamp/air boats with them, and really enjoyed our time out there. (Jacoby and Jilian were too small for this. It was really too loud for them.) There were a few baby gators. We only spotted one mommy alligator, but there were a lot of pretty birds and flowers.

Jaydon bought 3 fake alligators at the souvenir shop whom were named "Moody Monday", "Wild Wednesday", and "Freaky Friday". They ended up being the joy of the trip, and the butt of many jokes. One of these was Jaydon placing Moody Monday in the sink at my Grandmother's house, and her nearly jumping to Cuba the following morning when she woke up and saw it. My little innocent Jaydon can be tricky, too!

After "The Glades", we headed out on a car tour of Miami and surrounding areas. Long story short - Jeremy and I have considered moving back to be with family, and we wanted to see what neighborhoods our budget would put us in, and what schools pertained to those neighborhoods. Longer story even shorter, we are "in talks", but nothing really struck us as "perfect". What was perfect was WAY beyond our means. Can we say that momma has 'wine taste on a beer budget'?

Then later that evening, we went to dinner at my Godfather's house (my Dad's older brother) in Hollywood. (Ft. Lauderdale area.) We got to see him, his wife Marcia, and my cousin Stefany. Last time I saw Stefany, she was a little girl. She is now a junior at Emerson College in Boston. How time flies!
Let's not discuss that Jacoby's favorite thing to do here was hang out in the dog's crate...because that's not embarrassing or anything - even if it's family.

Then when we got back to Abuela Tata's, we found out that my cousin Lesley had to have emergency gall bladder surgery. She had TONS of stones, and they really weren't passable. So off to the hospital I went with my grandma to spend a few hours with Lesley before her surgery. (She had surgery in the middle of the night and recovered just fine - thank God!)

Day #5: (Wednesday - June 30, 2010) Jeremy got up really early to go play a round of golf at The Doral with my cousin, Tony. Considering he hadn't played or practiced in a very long time, he did well. He shot in the 80's. (Yes, Jeremy was in manly Heaven!)

After that, we all spent the rest of the afternoon/evening at the beach in Aventura once again. The kids enjoyed this just as much the second time. Again, the BEST part of our trip!
Jeremy did see a few topless babes on the beach this time. Somebody asked him if he got hit on the back of the head for looking at them. He said, "My wife doesn't care. Hers are bigger than all of theirs anyway." Oh how true that statement is, babe. Score 10 for you!

We did make a pit stop at the BEST Krispy Kreme donuts in the USA on our way back to Miami. It is in Aventura, and just beats all of the others hands down. Jaydon is not a sweets eater, but donuts are his weakness. He had never been to a Krispy Kreme, (I know we have one in Grapevine!) so seeing the joy on his face to see people & machines making donuts was priceless. He even shocked us and ate one while it was hot, ooey and gooey. The best way to eat a donut if you ask me!

Day #6: (Thursday - July 1, 2010) We got up early once again and headed out to Key West with my cousin Tony, and his wife Elizabeth. Jaydon went with us - the two little ones stayed with Abuela Tata. The drive down there is SO peaceful. There is water on both sides for miles & miles & miles & miles...

We stopped to eat breakfast, then to take pictures, then spent a few hours in Key West. It was BLAZING hot. We are talking burning.up.hot. My cousin probably thought we were loony, but we could hardly stand it! I ended up having to buy a visor. (Side note: I started off every day with my hair done, and ended in a cap or visor. Sad.) Poor Jaydon felt it worst of all. Elizabeth ended up buying him a t-shirt which you will see below. Too funny! We made all of the "touristy" stops, (Ernest Hemingway's house, Mile Marker Zero, 90 Miles to Cuba Sign, Margaritaville) and stopped at the beach for a bit in the evening before we headed back.

Jaydon is never short on poses for the camera, is he?

Dollar Bar - Dollar Bills hanging all over the ceiling and every corner!

Then, we ate some YUMMY seafood on the way home right by the water. Scrumptious!!

Enjoying his special soda for being such a good sport all day long!

(When you don't give your kiddos sodas or sweets, they REALLY do work as special treats. SCORE!)

This was a 7AM-11PM day. Needless to say, we all slept really well that night!

Day #7: (Friday - July 2, 2010) On this day, we packed up our bags (condensed down to 1 bag) and headed to Orlando for the weekend. Sixteen of us went on this trip in three different vans/SUV's. My Grandmother and Uncle got some BEAUTIFUL condos just a few miles outside of Disneyworld. They were 4 bedr/3 bath units - brand new & super cheap - and just awesome. They all had tile, granite - the works. The pool was five feet away from our back porch. We grocery shopped for the weekend, and just hung out that evening in preparation for the next day...

Day #8: (Saturday - July 3, 2010) The LONG awaited day. The day at...DISNEY WORLD!

Jaydon's favorite part was meeting Buzz Lightyear. They did the "cool guy" fist pump/hand shake thingy and Buzz knew exactly what to do. We stood in line for 30 minutes to meet him...

...but thank GOODNESS that was the only character that Jaydon had an interest in meeting! I just thought it was super cool that this "Superhero" was just a little taller than my 5'8'' hubby. Who's the real hero now Buzz, huh? Take that! (I love Toy Story by the way. ...and Toy Story 2, and Toy Story 3. Thank you, Pixar, for these great films.)

We didn't wait in line for anything else, thanks to the {drum roll, please} flash pass! Ahh - the best thing ever for skipping the lines.
Jaydon - the boy who rides nothing at Six Flags - rode everything. I was so proud of him! He rode on Splash Mountain, (We have the 'paid for' picture they take of you on the ride here at home.) Buzz Lightyear, Small World, Snow White, and a few others.
Jaydon loved it at Disney. Jacoby & Jilian had fun on the few rides they went on, but they were too small to really appreciate it all. It was also virtually impossible to get pictures of the family all at once. Jilian slept at first, (see picture below upon entering the park) then Jacoby slept for 2 hours, then they were hungry - it was impossible. I had "visions" of this photo shoot (Jeremy was dreading my 'visions'!) in front of Cinderella's castle with Mickey Mouse ears and all, but it just didn't happen.

My grandparents don't really need wheel chairs, but my grandma's foot swells badly if she is on it for too long, and my grandad's knee bothers him, so we always insist that they get them if we are going to be on our feet for a while. They hate it - it's really our doing. Also, my grandmother has never owned a pair of tennis shoes in the 31 years that I have been alive. She lives in clogs and heels at the age of 78. She says she doesn't know how to walk in anything flat. Oh, Abuela! Diva at your age...really??

She could have stood there and 'people watched' all day. She was content just running and watching!

She cracked me up with the way she held on. She insisted on sitting in the chair - not in our laps - and holding on herself. Such an observant little girl, too!

I loved the picture above because when I took it, it looked like they were riding Eeyore, and the tired look on his face was priceless. Not so much now, but it still makes me smile.

Jacoby's VERY first lollipop (or 'sucker' for you Texans!) ever was had at Disney World. Thanks, Alany, for the introduction to sweetness! :(

We will return again once Jilian is 4 or 5 years old. At that point, we will be waiting in all sorts of lines to meet Minnie Mouse, Cinderella, Ariel, Belle, Snow White, and who knows who else by then?!? I saw so many little girls with their autograph books, and it made me ~~chuckle~~ nauseous thinking about our ~~future~~ $$$ falling into the laps of Mr. Walt Disney - wherever his frozen self is. Anywho, moving on...
It rained on us, and this really put a downer on our day. It rains EVERY day in Florida in the summer, and this was no exception. We ended up having to leave much earlier than we wanted around 7:00. We had planned on staying for the nightly parade and fireworks at 10:00, but the rain wasn't letting up. We didn't know if they would still have the events with the rain anyway. One day at Disney is just not enough. We could have spent an entire 3 days there. This was Jeremy, and the three kids' first time there. At least they can say they have been now, but it wasn't the experience I had hoped for. Next time, we will stay at Disney, do character breakfasts, the works. This time, that wouldn't have worked with the two little ones anyway. Once again, they were just too young to really appreciate what Disney World is all about.

Day #9: (Sunday - July 4, 2010) On this day, we drove back the 3½ hours to Miami. It was pouring down rain pretty much the whole drive home. Poop. The kids were beat. We didn't even do fireworks this year. I know that is sooo un-American, but I am a weirdo and have never really loved Independence Day anyway. Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas...that's a different story. Jeremy and the boys had on matching flag shirts from Old Navy, and Jilian & I had on matching tanks from Target...bad mom - I didn't get pictures other than this in the car!

Excited about getting back to Abuela Tata's house, are we?

Late that night, Jeremy and I went on our second date night of the week. We saw a few fireworks as we were driving. Woo-hoo. We ate a yummy Cuban meal at La Carreta, followed by a trip to Wal-Mart. Romantic, huh? (Trust me when I tell you that ANY time alone is romantic for us! We cherish all of it no matter what we are doing.)

Day #10: (Monday - July 5, 2010) Today, we spent the day with my dad. He recently moved to a new condo, and it was SO pretty. It was a corner unit on the 14th floor of a 20+ floor building overlooking the bay. It is the perfect retreat for a semi-retired couple...but not at all for that semi-retired man's 3 busy grandchildren. I had my heart in my throat the entire 4 minutes we were there thinking about Jacoby showing us a trick off the side of the balcony. Not so fun. After we saw his new place, we ate another delicious Cuban meal at Havana Harry's. This is BY FAR my favorite Cuban restaurant. I don't know what it is, but I love this place!

Jacoby upset that his brother was leaving with Abuelo and he wasn't. A few more years, lil' buddy.

After that, Jaydon went with his Abuelo (my dad) to the beach (which was cut short by...you guessed it--RAIN!) and the rest of us headed to my Uncle's house for a barbecue. We picked Jaydon up later on, ate at my Uncle's, and then took Jaydon back to my dad's so he could spend the night with him. That night, we finished packing, and said our good-bye's.

Note to self: Don't make animal sounds while taking pictures, or your children will imitate and the result above is not so cute.

Day #11: (Monday - July 6, 2010) My dad met us at the airport with Jaydon. It was his 56th birthday on this day. We left Miami at 11:17AM. We got VERY lucky on the way there and back. On the way there, we had $80 in baggage fees ($50 for golf clubs, & 2-$15 bags) and we were only charged $15 TOTAL. Then on the way home, we had $95 in fees, and we were only charged $60 total. It's all in the way you talk to those people behind the counter. Been there, done that...now I need the shirt to prove it. :)

It was nice to get away, but it's so true that you need a 'vacation from your vacation' once you get back to the world of cleaning, grocery shopping, laundry, ironing and more laundry. Thank goodness Jeremy was off until July 11th and didn't have to go back to work until Monday. He needed that vacation more than anyone!

...to our family who gave so much of their time to us on this trip - especially Tony, Elizabeth, Alany & Tio Yamil!

Also, a BIG Texas "gracias" to Abuela Tata & Abuelo Farito! For.Everything.

...and to Abuelo, for understanding that we only spent one day with him because our stay was jam packed with activities. He can get on an airplane ANY time for FREE to come see us. (Which he should do more often! Just sayin'...)

PS: I couldn't wear make-up on the trip because I was sweating SO badly every day! The humidity was killer, too. I gussied up at night for my "dates" with Jeremy, but wouldn't you know that since it was just the two of us, we didn't get any pictures? :( I didn't want y'all to think that I look sweaty and unkept all of the time.
PPS: Yes, I color coordinate my children's clothes...always. The boys will dress the exact same 6 out of 7 days per week, (with one of them being in a size 8, and the other in a size 3, you can't find matching everything) and Jilian will always be in a coordinating color.

I hope you enjoyed our adventure as much as we did!

Stay tuned for more posts about our return trip, (d.r.a.m.a!) and also some other stuff that we've done so far this summer...

SheSheMade.com

2010-05-28T17:52:00.003-05:00

Dear sweet Ashley at http://www.sheshebows.blogspot.com/ is at it AGAIN!
She is doing a fabulous giveaway for a custom made dress or jon-jon.

Her stuff is SO cute!

So VERY cute!

She has never let me down.

Click on over to her SITE and you'll see for yourself...

TV

2010-05-25T08:28:00.001-05:00

I swore that I wouldn't do it again. I promised myself that extra 1-2 hours of time without the TV on this summer. After last season, I swore off the show. I worked with the bachelor from last season, and he wasn't a cheese ball at work like he was on TV. It just showed how scripted some of that really is.
I just couldn't do it though. I didn't have self-control. I am watching again.

This time, The Bachelorette.

I tuned in and watched the entire 2 hours...
I watched the guy who had the most annoying voice on this side of the Mississippi. I watched the guy with too much hair spray who should have played in the movie Grease. I watched the guy with the broken leg hop around a little more than he should have. I watched the guy do an awful Salsa dance. I watched the guys bicker like women over one girl who supposedly falls completely head-over-heels in love in 6 short weeks while the cameras are rolling.

Then after watching, I read...
I read every single article that Google could provide me with. I read about each of the guys. I read about an interview she did where she states that the ending is something that has never happened before.

Then after watching and reading, I talked...
I talked to a relative who says that she saw Ali & Roberto playing baseball at the University of Tampa a while back. She swears it was them, and I know she wouldn't lie. So apparently, Roberto makes it to the hometown dates at the least. Big shocker.

So why do I keep watching the cheese?
I really can't answer that question.

I did swear off of Idol, and haven't watched once this season. I guess I am getting better.
DWTS is over tonight, so that is one less show. Ruby is over. Desperate Housewives is over.

I guess it helps that I don't watch TV at all during the day. It doesn't even get turned on (except for the occasional PBS or DVD's for the kids) until 6:30.
Maybe this summer won't be so bad.

Who wins The Bachelorette? Any early "shoe-ins"?

Sixteen Months

2010-05-20T21:45:00.002-05:00

Sassy Girl,

You are JUST that - a complete Sass!

You love to dance, sing, dance, sing, dance, sing, and get into e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g!

You can be a real bully if you want something.

You are teeny-tiny, and so prissy though. (Who wants an Amazon woman anyway?)

You say "uh-O" and make sure you annunciate that "O" sound until we laugh.

You do the above again & again.

You have the most contagious chuckle.

You say so many words.

You are the BIGGEST flirt. (See below)

Yes, that is you. You climbed up on the saucer today all by yourself at Aba's house just to kiss Jackson and "sit on his lap".

Yes, we already have boy issues.

We love you!

~ Mom & Dad ~

xoxo

Fun-Filled Saturday

2010-05-15T16:09:00.006-05:00

We got going as soon as we all woke up this morning...
Our goal was to leave by 9:30. We were out the door at 10:00. It seems like no matter how hard we try, we just cannot leave the house before 10:00 with three children!

Our first stop was the Ft. Worth Museum of Science & History.
Here is the entrance to the Children's Play Area once inside:

The kids really enjoyed this place!! We were only there for 2½ hours. We probably could have been there for another 2½ if it wasn't for the two little ones. There is only so much that they can handle.
There was a LOT to do. Dinosaur exhibits, a dino dig, a 4-D show, a mini grocery store, water games outside, arts and crafts, toys, games, trains, cars, dolls - you name it, they had it. It was REALLY cool!
We had been before, but never with all three, and not since they have redone it all.

We "borrowed" our friends' membership card to get in, (Thank you, Harris family!) but we think it would be in our best interest to buy a family membership. We didn't get to see everything, and if we went back with Jaydon alone, we could spend much more time there. It is the PERFECT getaway on a rainy Saturday!

Here are some more pictures of the fun-filled day:

The pictures turned out nicely even with our 8 year old digital camera.
I love the last few pictures of Sassy in the "Hispanic" area. She makes the funniest facial expressions. I can't believe how grown she looks.
Can you find the doll in the last picture? I think the one on the right is the cutest!

After the museum, we headed to Billy Miner's for lunch. YUMMY! We hadn't eaten there in a couple of years. That was a nice treat for my belly.

The next stop was Sweet Sammie's for dessert. Not THAT was a DELISH treat!
If you are local to Ft. Worth, you must check them out. What a simple, sweet dessert - and really cheap, too! I ate an Oatmeal Toffee ice cream sandwich with pecan pralines & cream ice cream for $1.75. WOW! Their cookes are $.45 alone. You cannot beat that!

Now we are all home wishing that we could nap. It's that "in between" time though. It's roughly 3:00. If we try to make the little ones nap, they will wake up around 5:30 and then won't go back to sleep until 11:00 tonight. So we will opt for no naps - a very fussy evening, and everyone in bed by 7:00.
That means a few hours of alone time tonight with the hubby. That's a BONUS since he has been in Los Angeles for a couple of days. We can converse quietly and maybe watch a movie.

In the mean time, we are going to head out to the park to take a family walk. The bad weather has cleared out...for now.

What did you do today?

Parenting & Sacrifices

2010-05-12T17:58:00.000-05:00

Why is society in such a hurry to make their children grow up? Do "they" not realize that being a child is the shortest part of your life? Why rush things?
I have never understood why people take the "advice" from parenting books so seriously. The things written in there don't work for every child, nor are they meant for every child. It is, after all, just advice.

Weaning from the bottle at 12 months, getting rid of the pacifier by 18 months, potty training at 24 months.
...and that is just to name a few.
Take for instance my oldest son. He was ready to eat cereal at 2 months. He really and truly was. The books said to wait until at least 4 months. He started at 2 months. Mother knows best.
Take for instance my middle son and youngest daughter...they will both be potty trained at the same time. They are one year apart. One will be 2½, and the other 1½ when we are done. Mother knows best.

All we do in this country is try to "Keep up with the Joneses". It is really pretty sad.
We don't allow our children to be individuals. We don't spend enough time with our children. We "claim" to be the best parents ever, but don't make any sacrifices to spend more time with them.. Daycares are raising our children. Cut back on some of your extra expenses (manicures, pedicures, massages, lawn care, etc.) and one parent could stay home with the kids. How many people are really willing to make that sacrifice? Not too many. Because it's easier to drop them off somewhere and let someone else do the work.
Society just wants to be able to show their co-workers the cute things that their children are doing at daycare - and compare.

We buy Organic foods for our children. Milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, beef, and most of our fruits and vegetables. Organic is expensive, but it is something that we aren't willing to budge on. I will wear the same outfit everyday before I budge on that. A true sacrifice for the well being of my children.

If only society knew that the BEST gift you can give your child is the gift of being there to pick them up from school every day. It is proven that children who go to daycare after school or come home to an empty house are a dozen times more likely to get into trouble.
If only society knew that eating as a family (whether that be one parent or two) reduces the chance of troubled teenage years by HALF.
If only society knew the importance of a fatherly figure in the lives of children - especially boys. It can be anyone - a Grandad, Uncle or friend.

I believe that I should have been around in the olden days. I love that in our family, my husband is the provider, and I am the stay-at-home mom. We eat dinner together every night, we pray together before bed, and we make our family (& the Lord) our first priority. My title is "Mom", and my husband's title is "Dad". We don't need fancy job titles, or long worked hours to justify our human existance.

We aren't perfect, but it works for us. It works for our family.

Sacrifices - are you willing to make any?

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T22:28:00.000-05:00

To Mom-

Why I love you it's because you make dinner for us. You always bring me to school. You watch T.V. with us. We play lots of games together. You give me kisses and hugs-I like them a lot. You will take me to places like Jack-in-the-Box and Chuck E Cheese. When I am sick, you give me some soup and sometimes take me to the doctor so I can feel better.

I love you,
Jaydon Cole Rogers
==============

How can you not love the simplicity of a 7-year olds thoughts?
Those simple words melted my heart.

This morning, the boys made me pancakes in bed. It's a tradition and they surprise me every year. I always seem to sleep in (8:ish) on Mother's Day, so it really is a nice surprise every year.
Then we headed to Aunt Pam's house for burgers and a cook-out. After that, we went to my mom's house, and poor Jeremy mowed her lawn. (He said it was her gift for Mother's Day, but he gifts her with that a lot.)

We aren't big on "special gestures" for holidays. We feel like there are 365 days per year to love each other. Special gifts aren't necessary; the best gift on special days is the gift of family. I hope that you got the chance to enjoy yours.

It's thanks to the three beautiful faces below that I am a Mother . . .

(Yes, that would be a sprout growing out the top of Jilian's head. That girl's hair is out.of.control in a bad way!)

Anyway, I can't wait until the day that the three of you know what a wonderful feeling it is to be called Mom or Dad.

I love you Jaydon, Jacoby & Jilian. I love each of you so much.

Garage Sale & Mayfest

2010-05-04T23:20:00.000-05:00

This weekend, we had a garage sale. We have to hold these garage sales at Jeremy's parent's house. We don't have enough people in our area who frequent garage sales. His parents live in an older neighborhood, their house is on a corner, and there is an apartment complex just down the street, so it's the perfect location.
We were there on Friday and Saturday, and we made a nice chunk of change. The weather was perfect - not too hot, and not too cold.

Jeremy mowed his parent's lawn on Saturday, (they have a HUGE lot!) and he had a little shadow there with him who insisted on "helping". It was the cutest thing ever!

Then on Sunday, we went to Mayfest. We along with every other person within a 6,000 mile radius of downtown Ft. Worth. My oh my - can we say "CROWDED"?

We got there early and bought our tickets online, so we didn't have to wait in the ticket line. Good thinking on our part!

The kids enjoyed the free Tom Thumb Children's Area. They built a wood picture frame with their daddy. Jaydon made a plate with glue & sand. He also made his sister a little bracelet. Sweet boy.

They (Jaydon & Jacoby) also jumped in a couple of jump houses.
Jeremy and I chowed down on a BBQ sandwich, a corn dog, a funnel cake, and a fruit smoothie. The smoothie was SO good! We came in WAY under budget which was really exciting considering that one smoothie was $6, and one Coke was $2.50.
It helped that Jacoby and Jilian's entrance fee was free. Also, Jilian just isn't big enough yet to get into a lot of the bounce houses, rides, etc., so that helped. (Even though she threw a fit every time her brothers got in. She would have gotten in with them if I didn't think some bigger kid was going to smush her!)
Next year is going to be REALLY pricey with all three of them wanting to do things.

Enjoy the pictures!
(Like always, we didn't take our camera, so these are from our phones.)

Entrance

Jacoby about to climb up...

Jilian sporting the bracelet that her brother made for her

as she waits for them to get out of the jump house...

The boys working on their picture frame...

More picture frame work...

Who says girls can't build things?

Check out my hammer!

Actual Stats

2010-05-01T07:31:00.001-05:00

Jilian went in for her 15-month check-up yesterday. I was off by a little bit on her numbers last week. (I think because I always weigh her with clothes and shoes on.)
She officially weighed in at 21½ pounds and was 30¼ inches long. Yes, petite little thing. She was exactly the 25th percentile for weight, and the 40th percentile for height. I'm glad she's at least a little longer than she is big.
Jaydon was 34 inches, and Jacoby was 32½ inches at 15 months. They both weighed 2+ pounds more than her. I still cannot get over how petite she is. We gave the boys Ensure starting at 12 months to make sure they were getting their fill of vitamins, minerals, etc. We may just have to start giving her some, too. It might just help her grow a little!

Her visit went well. She talked to the doctor and only got one shot. I am glad because we usually split the shots up and now, we don't have to go back just for shots. YAY!
She will go back again at 18 months just for a check-up. Her doctor said no more shots until age 4. They must have changed something recently because I remember the boys getting another set of shots at either 18 months or 2 years.

Oh, and Jeremy took her to the doctor alone. He is so good with her! He said that at the end when the nurse came back to give her the shot, that Jilian just looked at her and started shaking her head no. So funny.
He said that she behaves so much better than the boys at the doctor. I think he just spoils her rotten and he doesn't pay attention to any "misbehavior" that may occur. Daddy's little girl for sure.

We have a busy weekend, and we hope you enjoy yours!

The Boys

2010-04-26T10:18:00.002-05:00

Lately, it seems like Jilian is the "star" of the show.
After all, she is the baby, and the only girl.

Well, it's not to say that I am not just as proud of my boys as I am of her.

Let's see what the boys (My sons, NOT the Cowboys - BLAH!) are up to, shall we?

JAYDON COLE:

Jaydon just finished the 5th six weeks of school. He has made straight A's the ENTIRE year. He has perfect conduct all year (stickers every single day) with perfect attendance as well. How lucky are we to have such a smart, healthy, and well-mannered boy?

He also seems to be doing better at socializing. . . YAY!

He officially starts Karate classes next week and is quite excited about this. He has also been playing golf with his Daddy whenever possible.

He spoils his little sister rotten. I am pretty sure that Jilian thinks he hung the moon. They are so sweet together.

He is quite the model. He is tall & dark with a thick build - 65+lbs. and around 51 inches tall. He is officially 1 ft. away from being my height. I can't get over how handsome he is.

That little boy will forever hold the first spot in my heart. ☺

JACOBY CADE:

He is 2 years and 3 months old. He is a little busy body. He LOVES to play outside. LOVES it. He climbs up and down all by himself off the trampoline, slide, and swings. He also turns the water on more than he should, but that's okay.

As busy as he is though, he is my learning machine. Jacoby recognizes ALL of his uppercase letters, (in random order) and he can tell you what sound every single letter makes. He can count to 10. He knows all of his body parts, and recognizes 5-6 animals.

He loves to hear me sing to him. He loves to grab books and bring them over to me. His favorites are the books that have animals in them because he loves hearing me make a fool out of myself as I make the animal sounds.

Our next objective is lowercase letters and colors, followed by shapes. I have no doubts that he will learn all of this very quickly. Pre-K here we come! Oh wait, he's only 2.

He has a charming personality. He laughs at jokes and smiles from ear to ear when it is time to pick his brother up from school.

We have realized over the past few weeks that he needs alone time. He behaves like a different child at night after Jaydon & Jilian are both asleep. He stays up the latest, and enjoys the individual attention. We are pretty sure he gets out of bed 400,000 times on purpose. Whatever it takes so that he doesn't get that "middle child" syndrome is fine by me.

I am so in love with Jacoby's eyelashes, and his care-free attitude. In my next life, I want to come back just like him.

I ♥ both of my boys so much!

What's not to love about those two adorable faces?

Fifteen Months

2010-04-20T14:21:00.002-05:00

My oh my... I cannot believe my youngest little one is ¼ of the way into her second year...

Dearest Sassy Girl:

Right now, you weigh about 23 pounds. I had to cancel your 15-month visit this morning because your brother, Jacoby, had been up since 6AM, and he wasn't going to allow us to go to the doctor in peace. It has been rescheduled for April 30th. We'll get your real numbers then.

According to my calculations, you are still my petite little thing, and between the 25th-50th percentile for both weight and height. The good news is that you are closer to the 50th instead of the 25th like you were before. For being petite, you sure can chow down though. Daddy has nicknamed you "fatty cakes" because there is nothing you won't touch. Veggies, fruits, chips, chicken, meat, ham, cheese - you name it, it's in your belly...fast! I take that back - you really don't like grapes or hot dogs. That's it though.

My little petite thing, you are ready for your gymnastics days! You love to hang on the monkey bars outside and swing. Daddy loves to watch you hang on - you sure are strong!
...speaking of gymnastics, your Daddy and I found you a nice gym in Keller. It is called ASI Gymnastics, and you will start there in September with your brother, Jacoby. I have to wait until you are 18 months old. I can't wait to see you guys having fun!

These past few months, you have really blossomed. You walk everywhere, and have started running and climbing. You love to do everything that your brothers do. No amount of toys keep you entertained. You love to look at books-but ONLY with Jaydon. You hug your dolls, and toss the ball. Climbing up the ladder to the slide is your favorite thing to do outside - along with moving all of the rocks from the landscaping to your own little corner.

You also love to talk on my cell phone, open and shut the DVD player, turn the TV on/off, and you are definitely Jaydon's little doll. He carries you when he can, and you just take it all in with a "poop-eatin' grin" on your face.

You squeal and smile when you get your way, and you throw yourself on the ground in a fit of rage if you don't. We'll have to work on the latter.

You also love anything that shakes, rattles and rolls. You love to "boogey" to any beat. You shake your head, bounce your knees, and move your hips around like a rock star! That's my little Cubana for sure!

The other day, we were all singing in the den, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine..."
You ran into your brother's room, and brought out the toy dog (puppet) that sings this song. How you knew to do this was beyond us, but it shows how attentive you are because we hadn't played with that thing in weeks. Maybe you were trying to tell us that we should stop singing and allow the puppet to sing? Ha.

You wear size 18 months clothes, but some of your outfits are 24 months. You even have a few shirts that are 2T that fit you nicely. It just depends on the brand. You are in a size 4 diaper, and a size 3 shoe. (At this age, the boys were wearing size SIX shoes!)

Your most recent development is your language. You have 18-20 words under your belt that you use daily. If we ask you to say something, you repeat at least part of it.

Here is what you say: the ball, doll, baby, dog, Duke, juice, please, this, Aba, Daddy, buh-bye, kiss, taca, (You tell us when you are 'CACA' by pointing to your bum and saying "taca".) eat, bottle, leche, Jay (for both brothers), eyes, teeth, and you sign for "more". (You picked this up from my trying to teach your brother some signs.) You also shake your head for "yes" or "no".

You can also point to your eyes, ears, nose, and teeth when asked. You even know some of your letter sounds!

You are the first one to run to the door when you hear the garage open in the evenings. You know that Daddy will be there, and you always want to be the first one to greet him.

For being "sassy & petite", you are definitely tough. I like that, and I know that your Daddy does too.

Thank you for being YOU!

We love you so much, and we hope that you never forget it!

~ Mommy & Daddy ~

xoxo

Outside Play

2010-04-13T10:11:00.001-05:00

I remember riding around my neighborhood on my bicycle as a little girl. I would circle my block more times than I can count, and it never got old. There were 4 trees before the first corner, 9 houses before the railroad ties, another turn, a steep incline, and then a long hill down to our house.
My sister and I would run to the grocery store on our bikes and get things for our Mom. I still think to this day that she never really needed what she asked us to buy, but it was a good way to get us out of the house for a bit. I remember being outside constantly, and loving every minute of it.

These days, it seems like you can't let children even so much as circle around the block alone - no matter how "safe" your neighborhood is. It is really pretty sad that our society has made such a drastic change for the worse.

I do, however, want my children to enjoy the wonderful outdoors. I want them to enjoy this beautiful Spring weather.

So every day, they play outside. They play outside in our backyard. They play outside for hours - and that is NO exaggeration.

They find things to do that I would never dream. They play games under the clubhouse, they peep through the fence at the neighbors, we read books under our big tree, they turn the water on and get each other wet, they jump on the trampoline, they swing each other, they go to our shed (which they call a barn) and pretend to feed their animals, they push each other from the top of our incline to the bottom on the tricycle,(I'm waiting for someone to break their arm, or run into that aforementioned huge tree!) they get their toy cars & trains and push them down the slide, we picnic at the table on the back porch, they play ball, they (Jilian) eat dirt, and the boys have taught their 14-month old sister how to climb the 6 extremely steep steps on the ladder to go up to their "clubhouse". Yes, she does this alone and will laugh the entire way up because she knows how much it freaks me out. She has gotten herself dirtier in the last two weeks than both of her brothers combined ever have. That little Sassy "Miss Priss" is going to be one tough cookie for sure.

I find such joy in watching them do all of these things together. For so many years, it was just Jaydon alone. Even though his brother & sister are a lot younger, he still enjoys being out there with them. ...and the two little ones are like twins - they won't do anything without the other.

We also go to the Farmer's Market and buy new fruit every week. We sit on the back porch and peel/cut everything together. They get out their plastic utensils and help me. Jacoby loves to feed his sister, but he doesn't always get everything right into her little mouth. Then we I laugh (they squeal with delight) as the juice drips onto our shirts from the new tasty treats.

It is such a blessing to be at home with them. It is so nice to be able to enjoy these special moments together. Daycare would never work for me. Jaydon attended daycare for a couple of years, and I'm glad we don't have to do that again. There are some great ones out there, but that is just not for our family. There comes a time when they will need to be with other kids, but that can wait until they are 3 or 4, and even then, it won't be all day. For now, they just need to enjoy being little, enjoy each other, enjoy their mommy, and enjoy that they can go outside whenever they want to.

My hope is that they continue to teach each other how to do things. I also hope that their laughter and happiness in getting to do things together never dies down. My hope is that their outside days only grow more fun as they get older & wiser.

The pictures below say it all.
I'm such a proud Momma - so proud that they are mine!

Important Question

2010-04-11T13:42:00.001-05:00

I recently posted a question on Facebook that said:

Why do young men (usually Latino) carry shirts (usually white t-shirts) over their shoulder? Is this a gang sign? Jeremy and I are in deep thought about this...

I had a few friends answer the question. Their responses ranged from "they are hot", to "they are young and don't know any better" to "they are selling drugs".

I got a kick out of reading the answers. Google was of no assistance. I tried everything, and couldn't get my question answered.

Jeremy and I pondered for a few hours last night, and finally decided that by carrying their shirt over their shoulder when they are walking, they don't get the shirt sweaty or wrinkled, and they can tan at the same time.
It was actually a smart concept...if that is the only reason that they are doing it. We just aren't convinced.

So I leave it up to you. What are your thoughts on the white t-shirt carrying?
Do you and your significant other ever stay up way too late trying to solve the problems of the world?

Happy Easter Week

2010-04-01T13:29:00.004-05:00

====================================

My Dearest Children:

Even though you can't see Him...

remember that HE will always be...

by your side.

Have a most joyous Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday!

Thanks to Heather, at Chunky Monkey Photography, for the great pictures!

SheSheMade.com

2010-03-31T00:37:00.000-05:00

I had another cute, custom dress made for my little Jilian. It arrived today, and is SO adorable!

Ashley at She She Made is the same person who made Jilian's first birthday dress. Now she made Sassy that cute bandana dress.

You don't have to be envious, just click on over and buy one for yourself! You won't regret it...promise!

LOVE her, and LOVE her clothes even more.

Y'all check her out!

Silly Stories

2010-03-02T14:43:00.001-06:00

As I was going through Jaydon's binder last night, I found a book that he wrote called "Silly Stories". He dedicated the book to Sean - a boy in his class.

On each page is a day of the week and a sentence. They had to finish writing each page to make a story.

First of all, Jaydon does NOT like anything having to do with writing. He never has. Ask him to answer a black and white question verbally, he will never get it wrong.
Art - he despises it.

I was really impressed with this book.

I will write in bold what was already in the book, and then the rest will be his completion of the page. Things that are underlined, or in regular font, are what he wrote.
I am going to write it just how I see it - he made a 95, so he only had a couple of errors.

Enjoy!

============================

On Monday, I woke up and looked in the mirror. "Oh, no!" I yelled.
I see a dinosaur and an elephant behind me. they are looking at me.

On Tuesday, I had to babysit a gorilla. What a day!
I played a game with him called Trouble. I won the game. I had fun babysitting the gorilla.

On Wednesday, a dog got loose in our classroom!
The dog began to run around the classroom barking. He wanted to leave the classroom because he wanted his Mom.

You'll never believe what happened on Thursday. A dog came to my birthday party!
He put his nose in the cake and then he ate it. He ripped the paper off the presents.

On Friday, our class took the most amazing field trip. Believe it or not, we went to Africa.

And on Saturday, the silliest thing of all happened. I was reading a book about Madaline and the Bad Hat, when suddenly I was inside the book! Here's what happened:
I had fun with her. I was glad the time came because I want to go home. I want my Mom and Dad.

=============================

Isn't that awesome?

I know my first grader is going to take after me in a few years and participate in Spelling Bees. He hates to write something unless he knows it is spelled correctly.

He told us that he won. I'm not sure what he meant, but apparently, another little girl won "Seven Sillies", (a story they read last week) and he won this. I think they may have voted for the funniest one and he may have won. My boy of few words won't ever explain things completely to me.

I am so proud of him.

The fourth six weeks ended last Friday, and I just checked his grades. We are FOUR for FOUR!!
He made straight A's - 93 was his lowest grade. No conduct issues, and perfect attendance with no tardies.

Swoon.

EDIT: Jaydon DID win. Today, he came home with Cheez-It's in his lunch box. I asked where he got them and he said, "From Mrs. Bruce". I got onto him for asking for food and he said, "MOM - I ordered them from her because I won the Silly Stories yesterday".
Awww - awesome!

Thirteen Months

2010-02-20T08:00:00.001-06:00

I have finally decided that she is mine.

It took over a year, but the decision was finally made. She is just like her momma.
See if you can decide how I determined that she was mine. You might just see a common thread in the post that follows.

The blue eyes are officially gone. They are still a dark hazel. She is sweet as pie, sassy as a teenager, precious as can be...and stubborn as a mule!

S.T.U.B.B.O.R.N.

She has now been 'walking' for about a month. She started off taking 2-3 steps. Then she moved on up to about 6-8. She then moved to 10+. She can now make it across an entire room.

SHE JUST WON'T DO IT IF SHE KNOWS YOU ARE WATCHING!
In fact, she will throw her head back in a fit of rage if you try to make her walk. Have you seen a 12-month old throw a temper tantrum? Because she does. The boys never did that.

S.T.U.B.B.O.R.N.

I have tried and tried to record this large milestone. Over and over again. It isn't happening. It just isn't. I have spent an entire month trying, and I give up.

I really think that she prefers to crawl. She feels very "baby" when she crawls, and knows that we will lift her up off the floor. Third child syndrome? Her brother doesn't like for her to be on the floor, and he (Jaydon) is starting to carry her more and more. She ~~likes~~ loves that.

S.T.U.B.B.O.R.N.

Amazing how I have had all three extremes with my kiddos.

Let's review, shall we?

Jaydon - Never crawled. Did all physical milestones early. Took his first steps at 8 months, and was walking alone by 10 months.

Jacoby - Never sat still. Did everything on time, or a little early. Crawled at record speeds by 7 months. Was walking alone around 11 months, and hasn't stopped for a millisecond since then.

Jilian - Never decided what she wanted to do. (Is she a real woman or what? Can't make decisions.) Sat up at 6 months, crawled at 7 months...and is still crawling.

S.T.U.B.B.O.R.N.

All three children were made by the same two people. Funny how the gene thing works.

I am not worried. I know that all kids are different. I know that she is not behind. I know that she is still way ahead of the curve. I know that she is her own person. I know that she will be talking in complete sentences by next week the way she already babbles and says quite a few words with meaning.

I also know that I have a long road ahead because that little girl SO knows how badly we want her off our dirty (not on purpose - it just stays dirtier than I would like with three kids and a dog!) floor, and she refuses.

Happy 13-Months, ~~Sassy!~~ S.T.U.B.B.O.R.N

Happy Valentine's Day Weekend

2010-02-18T07:31:00.001-06:00

My mom had been in Oklahoma City for a few days. She does these shows with various friends. They are basically little spaces set up in HUGE arenas where people showcase their homemade items. There were SO many cute little outfits for girls. There were candles, purses, jewelry. SEVEN buildings worth of eye candy for a mom with little ones. It was pure bliss if you weren't on a strict budget.

Jaydon decided on Saturday that he wanted to go see his Aba (Aba is short for Abuela in Spanish). So we up and packed a few bags, and left to fulfill his only Valentine's Day wish.

I am type A. This was hard for me. I will do anything to make my boy happy though. He is a boy of few words and requests, so when he asks for something, he usually gets it. Spoiled? Not really. Really, he's not.

1. Have you ever been to Oklahoma in the middle of the Winter?
2. Have you ever slept in an 18x18 space with THREE children and 2 pack-n-plays?
3. Have you ever been to Oklahoma in the middle of the Winter?
4. Have you ever tried to drive a double stroller through spaces that are only meant for undernourished females with no hips?
5. Have you ever been to Oklahoma in the middle of the Winter?
6. Have you ever sat in a car for 3+ hours with three children?
7. Have you ever been to Oklahoma in the middle of the Winter?

Holy Smokies.

Thank goodness my children are good sleepers. We thought we were going to lose our minds in that small hotel room. It had 2 queen sized beds and was very new and clean, but uncomfortable is putting it lightly.

The car ride to and from was okay. We had it timed just right to where they would all take a potential nap. They nap 2-3 hours at home, so it was such a relief when they fell asleep 10 minutes in on BOTH trips. ...only to wake up exactly 43 minutes later both times. I thought kids slept in cars? I guess mine like the comfort of their own beds.

Let's just say that Oklahoma is F.R.E.E.Z.I.N.G! cold in the Winter months. OMGosh! (Yes, I just used OMG in a post!) Talk about blistering wind blowing right through you. It didn't matter where you stood. Mr. Wind knew it, and almost knocked ya down. We woke up Sunday morning to some ice and snow, but it wasn't bad - thank goodness. I don't know what I would have done if we would have stayed in that room for more than just sleep. The hotel had an indoor pool, but who brings swim suits when they leave their home and it is 42º with a 20 MPH wind?

All in all, we spent a nice Valentine's Day together as a family. No flowers, (which I don't like anyway) no expensive food. Just some good 'ole bonding for all of us.

I failed to mention that this was all a surprise for Aba. That is a story in and of itself. Let's just say that we didn't even see Aba until Sunday morning. No bueno.

Jaydon funnies from the trip:

"Dad - Mom just gave ME the first kiss on Valentine's Day! Haha." *evil snicker*

"Mom, this Oklahoma chicken sure tastes better than the Texas chickens."
(As we sit at McDonald's.)

"That sign just said 'Welcome to Texas'. It should say 'Welcome BACK to Texas'. What are they thinking?"

I ♥ my boy.

Y'all come back now, ya hear?

Five Brutal Confessions of a Stay-At-Home-Mom

2010-02-10T08:17:00.008-06:00

I am going to admit some things to all three of you who read my blog. Since you are all female, I am going to be extremely candid. If you are male, just live with it.

Are you ready?

1. I have a hard time shaving my legs in the winter. Anything below 40º calls for no razor to the legs. Can you remember a night in the past few ~~days~~ weeks that it has been above 40º? Sound disgusting? I'm not granola, I promise. I still shave the underarms religiously, but the 'ole legs may ask for a new owner soon. I cannot stand when I get goose bumps, and the hair on my legs starts to grow back after I shave. That drives me insane more than the thought of hair on my legs. Tell me you can relate.

2. I won't let my children leave the house unless they are dressed "to the 9's", and look cute. I would even go as far as to say that if their hair isn't done, I make them wear hats. (I have boys, folks - talk about OCD, huh?) However, I leave every morning to take my son to school with only socks on my feet, sweats and a t-shirt, and no bra on. I spend 6 out of 7 days per week in that same get-up. I read blogs where people dress up daily, and put make-up on. Most days, I didn't even wear make-up when I worked. I always dressed very work appropriate, but make-up wasn't a must for me. Maybe that's why I can still pass for a 20-something. (Just don't look at the gray hair that I've had for 12 years.) I know my skin loves me...and the wrinkle free aspect of my life is 'oh so grand'!

3. I cannot eat lunch or dinner without having a dessert. I.just.can't.do.it. I don't have a slice of cake, or a bowl of ice cream, or ~~two~~ four cookies after every meal. Sometimes, even a Hershey Kiss is enough. I just have to eat something sweet, or my day is not complete. I'm pretty sure I picked that up from my parents because I still notice them doing the same thing. (They are both rail thin & healthy, too!)

4. When I walk into someone else's house and smell newspaper or pet odors, I instantly barf in my mouth. First of all, pet odors are disgusting. I have a dog - a smelly hound dog - and his odors drive me insane. He IS mine though, and I live with it...after I douse the house in Lysol. Other pet odors - not so much.
The newspaper thing. Don't get my husband started on that one! He thinks I am a freak. The smell and feel of newspaper send me over the edge. I won't touch newspaper...ever! When we get our Tuesday/Wednesday circulars & coupons, they INSTANTLY go in the trash. I literally go from the mail box to the side of the house where we keep our outdoor trash bins, and they are disposed of. I don't know what it is - it's just gross.

5. When I make a grocery list, I write down what I need in accordance with how that store is set-up. Albertson's, Wal-Mart, Target - they all call for the list to be written differently. Things just have to be in perfect order to make for the ultimate shopping experience.

What are some of your confessions?

Peek-A-Boo

2010-02-08T09:38:00.007-06:00

The other morning, Jeremy took off with the boys to get donuts for breakfast. Jilian stayed behind with me, and I ran into my bedroom to put some laundry away while she was in the kitchen.

I come back from my room, and Jilian is gone. We live in an 1,800 s.f. house - not some mansion, so I knew she couldn't have gone far.

She loves playing in Jaydon's room, so I check in there...no Jilian. I go to her room...no Jilian. I come back around into the kitchen, and finally see the culprit.

Exhibit #1:

~~Jeremy~~ Someone must have left the child latch off the pantry door. I hurry to capture the picture thinking that she is going to open the door any second, and I won't be able to get this on my camera.

Nothing. No movement.

Oh - so you are playing, are you little one?

"Jilian, Jilian...where are you?"

Nothing.

"Sassy, where are you?"

Nothing.

"Sassy - peek-a-boo - come out and see Mommy."

I see the door get kicked open.

Exhibit #2:

"There you are, Sassy girl - I found you!"

Exhibit #3:

She then proceeded to do this OH...140 more times. She would curl up in a ball and climb into the bottom shelf. Then she wouldn't move until I called her name.

Sly little thing!

How Many Takes?

2010-02-07T15:01:00.005-06:00

It takes 2 licks, and 1 bite to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop.
It takes 3 strikes, and you are out.
It takes 4 quarters to equal 1 dollar.
It takes 365 days to equal 1 year.

Take 1:

Take 2:
Take 3:

Take 4:

Take 5:

Take 6:

Take 7:

Take "I give up":

...and we will never figure out how many "takes it takes" to get the perfect shot.

At least it made for a cute post.

Happy Sunday!

(Ava Jade-13 Months & Jilian Cate-12 Months in their matching Children's Place sweaters)

Thirty + One

2010-02-04T19:48:00.002-06:00

I am no longer a child.
I am no longer a teen.
I am no longer a 20-something.
I am no longer 30.
I am officially IN my 30's.
I am 30+1.

Happy Birthday to me!

*sigh*

Sibling Love

2010-02-02T22:21:00.002-06:00

There are some days when you just let your children do as they please.
...because you know that doing that will make them happier than anything you do.
...because you have already tried everything in your power to get them to stop whining - and they won't.
...because even though they might get hurt or fall off the little car they insist on riding, every child gets bumped or bruised at least once in their toddler years.
...because deep down, you love them so much, you just melt every single time you hear them laugh.

Turn up your sound, and listen to Sassy girl...

Jilian Cate's First Birthday

2010-01-31T22:43:00.025-06:00

Our little lady turned the big O-N-E on January 20th, and we celebrated yesterday. Such a treat to spend time with family & friends. Thank you, Lord, for allowing us to celebrate like this...

(Missing from pictures, but in attendance: Aba, Aunt Pam, The Williams Family, Mrs. Hickman, and Stacia)

It was a chilly 32º in North Texas, but that didn't stop the kiddos from going outside to play in the bounce house.

They all came inside with bright red cheeks and noses, but at least they had fun.

I always buy food or cater any kind of celebration at my house, but for the sake of money saving, I cooked. (Darn economy!)

There were 25 adults and 14 children on the list of attendees, so you can imagine how much food I cooked. Because in my eyes, that RSVP really read: 455 adults, and 240 children. (If you don't know me, I cannot stand thinking that I won't have enough!)

I made 3 shrimp casseroles, and 2 lasagnas. Then I had salad and garlic bread.

Oh -and the pièce de résistance...the birthday cake. It was 3 tiers - marble, chocolate, and white. I know, I know, quite the cake for a one year old. What can I say? If I'm gonna do something, I'm gonna do it right!

THIS is the lady that made her delicious cake(s).

Sassy really enjoyed singing, and then smashing her cake. Can you tell?

The following picture made me chuckle. I know she is thinking: WHAT? What am I doing?
(We'll work on crossing the 'ole legs soon.)

We were SO thankful for all of the gifts she got. She got SO many new outfits...most of them from Children's Place - my FAVORITE little "non-Etsy" store. Then we got some gift cards which Sassy will learn to LOVE one day...if she's anything like her momma.

We also got a couple of toys, and a new big girl car seat. YAY! No more putting her in the carrier. She is right at 20 pounds, so it was perfect timing. (Yes, she is my petite little thing. She really & truly is the most feminine/dainty little girl that you will ever meet.) Thank you to Jilian's Godparent's for her new car seat!

I got a ~~little~~ lot of grief about her outfit. I'm pretty sure everyone loved it because I got a million compliments, but my closest friends gave me grief about the fact that I had her whole outfit - from head-to-toe - custom made. This included her shoes.

THIS lady made her dress, and THIS lady made her shoes. They were both so easy to work with, (they may not say the same thing about me!) and I can't thank them enough for their patience, and awesomeness!!!

All in all, it turned out to be quite the party. A few people stayed behind to help clean-up - God bless them! Ameet took pictures - God bless him! Andrea came over the night before to decorate everything, (see below for cake & candy table) and put together goody bags (see below) while I cooked. I had all of the stuff bought, but she started from ground zero, and it turned into the cutest decorated party ever - God bless her, too!

(Click on the picture below to see the plates. They matched Jilian's dress perfectly, and I was SO proud of that find!)

Well, Jilian - you can't say that you aren't loved. It was a lot of work, but if we had it to do all over again, we absolutely would. We love you, Sassy...more than you will ever know.

...and we know two other little faces that love you JUST as much!

Happy FIRST Birthday to our sweet, sassy & petite, beautiful angel...

These Eyes

2010-01-27T20:50:00.002-06:00

Do you ever feel like you are being watched?

Last night, I was awful tired. I tend to sleep about 5-6 hours per night, and I am just fine. I guess I have had a long week of birthday party planning, because I was in bed at 11:00 last night, and completely asleep within minutes.

At some point, I felt these eyes on me. I knew I was dreaming. I couldn't be for sure, so I opened my eyes to see two eyes staring right back at me. I don't sleep in front of a mirror, so I was a bit startled. Then I see a huge smile and hear a chuckle.

Who do you think it was, staring at me right at midnight?

If you guessed Jacoby, you are right!

That little tornado has a bad habit of climbing out of his crib during naps. He has never done that at night. He has been climbing out for months, but we don't remove the front part of the crib and turn it into a bed because we thought that it would just be easier for him to get out without the front. Either way, he is going to climb out, right?

So Jeremy had to sleep on the couch last night. We were scared that he would try to roam the house again. It's scary to think that he was walking around at midnight by himself in the dark.

This weekend, we have to turn his crib into a bed. Hopefully once that happens, there won't be the "thrill" of getting to climb out anymore, and he will keep still.

It's just a reminder to always be on your best behavior...because you never know who is watching you!

Here We Go

2010-01-27T11:42:00.003-06:00

Alright - it's official...
I'M BACK!

It has been a long time since I have posted anything. Instead of trying to play catch-up, I am just going to commit to trying to keep this bad boy updated with stories, jokes, and best of all, pictures. The whole point of doing this blog was to have a book for my children of everything they did that year. I can't let them down.

I am working on revamping, and I will start some interesting posts tomorrow.

Stay tuned...

First First - Part 2

2009-09-02T23:11:00.005-05:00

Preface:
Jacoby is 20 months old today! Four more months until the terrible two's (TTT)...Lord have mercy on the Rogers family!

The Post:
Jaydon's first 8 days of school have been phenomenal!

He has come home every day and told me what he did at school. This is a HUGE change from last year, where I had to drag it out of him.

He even came home on Monday and said, "Mom, I made a friend at recess. I played tag with her, and we played on the play ground." AWESOME!
(The little girl who he became friends with is SUPER sweet. She was in his class last year too, and I like her parents - big plus.)

Last year - in Kindergarten - our ONLY goal was for Jaydon to make a friend. Going into Kindergarten, Jaydon already knew the ins and outs of the alphabet, letter sounds, numbers to 100, how to read, how to spell TONS of words, etc. so learning to socialize more, and make friends was of utmost importance to us.
We felt like he made some acquaintances, but no friends....goal not achieved.
Not once did he ask for someone to come over, and he was never invited anywhere. (Yes, it made me cry every time I thought of it too!)
So you can imagine my excitement when I heard that he made a friend!

On our way to school Tuesday morning, I noticed that his new friend was in the car behind us turning. I told Jaydon, and he turned around and said, "Yep, that's her."
So he gets out of the car and starts to walk towards the front entrance of the school and stops. I look in the rear view mirror and notice that he is standing out front. I never leave until I see him go inside the front doors. I keep waiting, and he isn't moving. So finally, the teacher who has car pool duties tells him to go ahead inside. I leave.
It didn't hit until I got home that he was waiting for his friend to get out of the car so that they could walk in together! Why else would he be standing there when he has never done that before? I cried when I thought about it. It turns out that her mom had parked and walked her in.

Last year, Jaydon would hide his face if he saw any of his classmates. If I was with him, he would bury his head in my clothes like he was 3 years old.

Not this year! This year, he has even played basketball on a team during recess. He has told me more than once that he shoots and makes it, and some of the other kids miss. Last year, he shot the basketball alone.

On the first day of school, I sent a note in his lunchbox. I try to send notes every once in a while, but I don't like to send them daily for fear of some "meanie" (i.e. The child who wishes their mom did the same for them!) making fun of him, and Jaydon not being able to fend for himself. I washed his shorts from that day, and found the note in his pocket. My boy saved that note, and of course I took a picture of it.

Monday night was a bad night here. Three kiddos going haywire, and their mom at wits end. I sat on the recliner for a "moment of silence" with my head in my hands, trying to regain my composure. Jaydon comes over, puts his hand on my shoulder and says, "Mom, what's wrong? It will be okay. You are my mom, and I love you, and you will always be my mom."
Y'all, those words melted my heart, but the touch of those 6 year old hands on my shoulder really did me over. Have you ever had the joy of the touch of tiny hands on your shoulder? ☺

What all of this is trying to say is that Jaydon is really growing up. He is turning into the compassionate, intelligent, social boy that we knew he could be. He is really making us proud!

One last picture to leave you with...
He got a reader on Monday, and we read it once. There was no need to read it any more because well, he knew all of the words. It was 4 pages in length - about 10 sentences per page. Not the little one or two liners that they got in Kindergarten. We get it back on Tuesday, and check out what his teacher wrote in red on the top left...you may have to enlarge to see it. (Yes, I'm grinning from ear to ear!)

We can only hope that we will always be able to provide our boy with all that he needs in order to be successful...love, patience, and more love!

First First

2009-08-26T22:48:00.006-05:00

When children are younger, they go to At-Home CARE, or DayCARE, or Nursery. Then they go to Pre-School, Pre-K, and Kindergarten. Who CARES for them after that? What happens when the grade that your child is in becomes a number, and not just a word anymore?

Monday was Jaydon's first day of FIRST grade.

Unlike most elementary school children, he was not excited about starting school again. (I don't remember hating going back to school until I was in high school.)
Jaydon says to me on Monday morning, "Mom, this isn't the right Monday. School starts on another Monday." To which I laughed out loud.

We went through the routine - breakfast (bottle of Ensure because he won't eat anything), brush teeth, fix hair, get dressed.
Just when I think he is looking all perfect, he says, "Mom, you forgot something." He sniffs his shirt and opens the medicine cabinet to put on some of Jeremy's cologne. Jaydon - this is FIRST grade, not high school! (So if you don't know what to buy Jaydon for his next birthday, I'll bet he would be ecstatic to receive cologne!)

We get there at 7:50, (tardy bell is at 8:00) and he is the second one in the room. His teacher is SUPER sweet, and allowed me to take a picture of the two of them. Jaydon went over to his desk and got excited as soon as he saw a book called "I See" waiting for him. That's all it took - a book for him to get excited about being back in school. (I was just excited to see that there was still a restroom inside of the classroom. It's the little things, right?)

There were a few other kids from his Kindergarten class in there. He didn't care, he had his book. (God bless my little nerd!)

I looked around and no one was hugging their boys. It was "Hey dude - have a good day!", or "Are you ready for this, bubba?"
I looked at Jaydon and told him to behave and focus. I leaned down to give him a hug and he says, "Mom, you can hug me. That is what mommy's are supposed to do." Swoon!

As I walked out, I saw a little boy who will one day become a man.
Honestly, that can happen later rather than sooner.

...and this year, I didn't lose it like last year.
This year was different, but only because I knew that his teacher and everyone there would CARE for him.

This year, as hard as it was, I had to let go. My boy has wings, and he must learn to use them on his own. We have worked long and hard to get him ready, and he is there.
That $45 pair of Adidas will get you there, son. Make sure that they last all year!

Welcome to first grade, Jaydon Cole!

He won't smile because he is missing a few teeth up top - where did he get that vain trait from?

Click to enlarge this shot. Lighting is bad, but he is SO GQ...and not just because he is my kiddo!

Land's End rocks! Same backpack and lunch box from last year, with monogrammed initials on the backpack, and monogrammed name on the lunchbox. Two best investments EVER!

Does he look miserable or what?Mid sneeze...
Take Two...the excitement begins!

PS: Jeremy continued his tradition...He brought Jaydon a "goodie" bag just like he did last year. This year, it contained a bag of Doritos, a bag of Cheetos, a Thomas & Friends DVD, and a book. What a sweet, sweet Daddy to remember his best boy.

Happy 7-Month Birthday!

2009-08-20T23:23:00.011-05:00

Such a happy girl!

7-Month Stats:
Weight: 16 lbs. 8 ozs.
Length: 26.5 inches
(Mommy's rough estimations)

Another month has gone by, and you continue to grow and make us so happy!

We have gotten lucky as can be...
Both boys had already had at least one ear infection by 6 months. Jili has yet to even so much as have a slight temperature! We have been really lucky, and also thankful that she is so healthy.

What are you up to this past month?

You are now wearing a Size 3 diaper. I finally gave up the Pampers Swaddlers.
You sit up easily. You also go from your tummy to the sitting position. A few days ago, when I put you down for your nap, you started crying. When I came in a few minutes later to check on you, you were sitting up rubbing your eyes. That was a first, and it broke my heart to see you there crying. (I also do the "tough love" thing and made sure you were okay, and then just left the room so you could fall asleep.) Evil? ...nah!
You are eating really well! You still drink roughly 28 ozs. of formula daily. You are also eating 2 solid meals per day. We will work a 3rd meal into the daily meal plan soon. Meats were our new venture this past week, and you seem to enjoy whatever we give you which is nice.
You sleep 12 hours EVERY night, and continue to nap about 3 hours every afternoon. (What lucky parents we are, we know!)
You love "talking". You make noise and eye contact with everyone who comes near you after you warm up to them. Your Grandma Rogers says that you'll be talking before you walk which makes us laugh because that sounds like something a girl would do...T.A.L.K. our ears off! :)
Your eyes are still that hazel color that we discussed last month. In natural light, they look really green. Inside, they look more honeyish.
You have not cut a single tooth which is beyond strange. Your brothers already had teeth (Jaydon more than Jacoby) at this age, and most kids cut their first teeth between 4-7 months. Just another sign that you are meant to be petite because you can't really eat the good stuff without teeth.
You LOVE play time with Daddy at night after your brothers are asleep. It melts my heart to watch the two of you together.

That pretty much sums up this month.

Oh wait, I think I forgot one thing...

YOU ARE CRAWLING!
You have taken a few crawling steps in the past week. It isn't much, but you are definitely starting to move. I have a feeling that by next month's post, we'll have a big time mover & shaker on our hands!
(Lord, please help me to remain sane when I have two children getting into everything at the same time!)

Enjoy the pictures...

Trouble 1 & Trouble-2-Be

Ummm....ya, my thoughts exactly!

Cheesey Wheesey!

Matching?

Nah - just COORDINATING, Mom. Duh!

I LOVE this picture of Jilian (7 months) & Ava (8 months)...
They are playing together SO well these days!

My Husband's Story

2009-08-11T09:58:00.006-05:00

As some of you may or may not know, Jeremy never got to know his father. Jeremy was 10 months old when he passed away.

In fact, I'm not sure that many of you know who Jeremy's father was. Click HERE to learn.

On June 5, 2009, they had a dedication ceremony for the Ft. Worth Police & Firefighters Memorial. It is located on West 7th Street along the Trinity River.
We didn't make it out there that day, but we went a few days later.

Jeremy has never really shown much emotion when it comes to his dad. I mean - when you are 10 months old, you don't exactly have "memories".
We have gone to the cemetery many times, but that never hit home like this memorial did.

My husband was really in awe at the fact that so many men & women have passed away in order to protect us. The reality of the intensity that goes into the line of work that these men & women do hit home.

Jeremy does not enjoy reading, and he actually took the time to read the stories of each officer and firefighter.

He just stared at his dad's name - engraved clear as day in the stone - and it made me sad to think that he didn't get the joy of meeting him. It made me sad to think that his dad never got to meet his grandchildren, or hold them, or tell them how beautiful they are. It made me sad to think that he never got to see the shape of Jaydon's face - because it is his. It made me sad to think that he will never look into Jilian's eyes and see his reflection. It made me sad to think that he didn't get to smell the spice cake I bake for Jeremy every Christmas. It made me sad to think that he never got to hear Jeremy play the piano ♫♪, or hear the bat crack as he hit a home run.
It made me sad to think that he will never get to enjoy moments like this↓ with his grandchildren...

It made me ponder the "Why do bad things happen to good people?" thought.

I know that the Man upstairs has a plan for us all, and I could question His ideas until I'm blue in the face.

Some of us are here 9 months, some are here 29 years, and some get a full 89 years.

At the end, the most important thing is to treasure every moment you have.

Enjoy hearing the sounds of your baby cry, the smell of their freshly cleaned hair, and the taste of their sweet baby breath.
...because we don't know what His plans are, and you never know what tomorrow will bring.

Have a good weekend, and enjoy the pictures below.

A special thanks to Sherry - ♥ a dear friend ♥ - who gave us a coin from the dedication ceremony that we missed. You made Jeremy's day and for this, I am forever grateful!

Picture Post

2009-08-08T23:04:00.012-05:00

These are pictures from the past 6-8ish weeks.

The picture quality on some of these is not good because they are taken from my phone.

Enjoy...

How can you not fall in love with that face?

Yep - ole boy really fell asleep the entire trip to Wal-Mart that day!

What could he be thinking about?

This hairbrush is THIRTY years old!! (Yes, YUCK!) I have to find the picture of me holding it when I was a bit younger than him.
Never too early to start!
Twenty-fifth haircut

Fourth of July

Seriously?
Daddy & His Gang
Curly
Moe
I wanna be JUST like you when I grow up, Jaydon!
Chillaxin'
Seriously - GET OFF ME, you big baboon!
Baths rejuvenize
Power Naps Rock!
Tears
That smile is SO deceiving...little stinker!

Atta Boy!
Aba & her only Granddaughter

WT Swimming Pool - but look how green our grass is!
Sugar high before bedtime...

Sleepover!

* NEW POST BELOW *

Jilian Cate - 6 Months

2009-07-20T23:41:00.003-05:00

Note:
As you can see, I had EVERY intention of blogging for her 6-month birthday, hence the date!

Well Jili-Cakes, you are officially halfway there sweet girl! We cannot believe that you are six months old today!

6-Month Stats:
Weight: 15 lbs. 8 oz.
Length: 26¼ in.

You are still the Petite Princess...
You are right around the 50th percentile for both weight and height.
Your brothers were 17+ pounds each at this age, and over an inch longer!

What are you up to?

You started sitting up on your own - TODAY!
You get up on all fours and rock. Crawling is just around the corner... (sniff, sniff)
You transitioned from Size 2 to Size 2-3 diapers. I just cannot give up those Pampers Swaddlers, and that's the only way to keep you in them!
You wear size 6-9 month clothes.
You get upset when we leave the room - any of us.
You put your hands on either side of your bottle to hold it, and sometimes, I push them away because really...do I want you growing up already? What's the point in drinking from a bottle if your momma can't give it to you?
You enjoy Jaydon & Jacoby's company daily. Jaydon spoils you like you wouldn't believe! He runs to you if you even so much as make a sound and he tries to comfort you by mocking me... "What's wrong sweet girl? What can I do to make you feel better?" Jili, what will you do when Jaydon starts school in a few short weeks? :(
You are making tons of sounds! We've gotten a few "mama's" and loud giggles out of you. Your brother will say, "MOM - did you hear that? Jili is trying to talk to me." ...and then smile from ear to ear!
Your eyes are not blue anymore. They are in this weird in between stage. Some days they look green, some days they look brown, some days they look gray. I guess you'd call it Hazel...for now.

Happy 6-Month Birthday, baby!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T22:30:00.002-05:00

So upset but not really...

I went to upload the 45,298 pictures that I have on my camera and guess what?

Mybatteriesaredead!

Isn't that the most annoying thing?

I thought they were the rechargeable batteries, but apparently, my oh so genius 6-year old has decided to put the rechargeable ones in some of his favorite toys so that when they get low, he can charge them right up. I tried to get mad at him for that but just couldn't. That's actually pretty smart, huh?

SO...you will have to wait until tomorrow's post for our "real" Father's Day post, and the many pictures.

Good night!

Jilian Cate: 5-Months

2009-06-20T22:17:00.012-05:00

Doesn't that picture make you want to eat her up in all of her gumminess, orangeness, and ÜBER cuteness? It's okay, just be honest with yourself...that smile melts your heart, RIGHT?

I ♥ you, sweet ♀!

5-Month Stats:
Weight: 14.0 pounds
Length: 25.5 "ish" inches

It is just too hard to measure a squirmy girl when she is tired. Her weight is also an approximation since our home scale is not the best. We go in at 6-months for a check-up.
(I forgot to tell you that at her 4-month check, she was officially 13lbs. 4oz. She had gained 3+ pounds since the previous check at 2-months. She was also officially 24.5 inches.)

What is Jili up to at 5-months?

She LOVES to play with her doll, Pinky - pictured below. This is the same doll that she loved last month, but now the doll has a name. We don't know how Pinky got her name, but she is definitely Jili's favorite, and like the old AMEX slogan says: {We}"Don't leave home without it."
She is in love with her brothers - absolutely in love! She would prefer to see them than her mom & dad any day of the week. She is especially mesmerized by Jaydon. ...and quite honestly, he is mesmerized by her, too.
She is rolling every which way she can. She also must be scooting on her back because she ends up way at the other end of the crib all turned around a lot!
She dislikes sitting up - on the floor or in the Bumbo. We are talking SERIOUS dislike here, folks. She is doing the whole "slumping over I'm almost sitting up" thing, but she doesn't like it. (I have come to the realization that it hurts her tummy and makes her spit up to sit up. She no longer does the Exorcist spit-ups, but being in the sitting position isn't fun for her, or her mom's carpet!)
Which leads to...she dislikes her tummy, too. The second we put her on it, she is rolled over. Again, we think it hurts her and makes her feel like throwing up. The only time she stays on her tummy is when she is going to bed for the night. It's funny because she won't sleep on her tummy for naps - it's like she knows it's nap time, and she won't be in her crib for long. She does wake up on her back or her side every morning though.
When she wakes up, she doesn't make a peep. She just looks around, plays with her feet or hands, or lays there quietly until I come get her. God bless my sweet girl! (Honestly, I've never had issues with any of the kiddos with sleeping, or when they wake up.)
She loves to be in her exersaucer or just laying down flat, playing with toys.
She is such a sweet baby. When she goes to play with a toy or grab something, it's always done with such gentleness. I thought it was just because she was a girl, but it's not. She is just THAT gentle!
She is in a Size 2 Pampers Swaddler. Although we think she may be needing to move to a Size 3 or the 2-3...not because she is too big for the 2's, but she is quite the urinator ←is that a word?. She has a seriously full diaper every 1-2 hours....full, full, full. I have never seen a child go tee-tee that much. At night, she does fine, but during the day...God Bless!
Most of her clothes are in the 6-9 month range. 3-6 month outfits still fit nicely though. All of her Wal-Mart outfits (one of which is pictured above) are 12 months in size.
She is still drinking 24oz. of milk plus eating a bowl of cereal (2 more ozs. of milk here) in the morning, and a #1 veggie in the evenings. (At this age, both boys were chowing down about 9 (yes, 9!) #2 jars per day, plus a good 18-24 ozs. of milk! Such a difference!) We have yet to introduce any fruits, or anything else...sheer laziness on my behalf really.
She is on the exact same sleep schedule as Jacoby...12 hours at night, (8:30-8:30) plus a 3 hour nap (12:30-3:30) daily. She occasionally takes another 1+ hour nap in the early evenings. It's so weird to me that she is sleeping the same amount as Jacoby, but it's also a good break for me during the day. She is thriving, so I'm not worried.
The only time she cries is when her teeth bother her. The poor thing screams and sticks her entire hand in her mouth. I swear she has had the same two bottom teeth "stuck" for the past month. They just aren't coming in, but I can feel them for sure.
...and guess what? Her eyes are still light!? We don't even know what color they are anymore, but they still aren't brown, so I'm pretty happy about that!

We love you, Princess Jili Cakes!

PINKY DOLL

I just had to share Jilian's first doll with you!

Stay tuned for a buttload of pictures on tomorrow's post...

The Motorcyclist

2009-06-18T21:09:00.002-05:00

The other day, I was going down 183W - miraculously doing about 65mph which NEVER happens on this highway - on my way home from my mom's house.

I was approaching the 820 split when I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a motorcycle coming full speed ahead. When you look into your rear view mirror and see this, it kinda freaks you out because "Motorcycle Collides Into Escalade" doesn't give me the warm fuzzies as a headline in the Star Telegram. Obviously, my Escalade would win that one, and no need to mention what would happen to Motorcycle Man.

The cool guy on the motorcycle is wearing shorts, a t-shirt, flip flops, and no helmet.
Okay, I don't expect all out Linder Emergency Gear Getup, (Brian, Andrea's husband, won't go on his motorcycle unless he is covered head-to-toe with gear) but a helmet at the least, right?
(...and I hear that road rash is REALLY killer, so pants maybe?)

As this guy gets closer, I notice that he has something in his hand. He is steering with one hand and he has his cell phone in the other. He isn't talking, he is staring at his screen and pushing buttons...

Mr. Genius is texting!

At this point, I went to get my phone out to take a picture, but then who would have been the idiot on Highway 183 going 65m.p.h doing something stupid with their phone?

The next headline that came into mind as I slammed onto my brakes - "Escalade Collides with Semi" really freaked me out.

Needless to say, no picture was taken.

The nerve.

Idiots.
============

What has caught your eye while you are driving?

Random Question

2009-06-17T22:16:00.004-05:00

A while back, I emailed a few of you and asked the following question:

If you saw me in a police car, what would you think I got arrested for?

I got responses from a lot of you and sadly, they were all pretty similar. Am I THAT boring?
You ladies just don't know the "real" Jessica, huh? (Insert evil, wicked laugh here.)

For those of you that didn't respond - tisk, tisk!

So let me share those responses...

My husband writes: "For beating the sh^t out of someone for riding your a$$ on 820 during rush hour."
(No, my husband has never said a curse word in his life - can't ya tell?)

S from Keller writes: "For going "Mama Bear" on someone that was mean/cruel to your kids."
(Mama Bear? Clever wording, S. That is putting it lightly though!)

J from Watauga writes: "It would have to do something with your temper."
(Oh, J - you are good!)

A from N. Fort Worth writes: " I say it would be because you cut either the Wal-Mart greeter or the Albertson's manager."
(Yes, A - the mention of cutting someone does run in the family, so just don't mess with the Tomás girls!)

A from Forth Worth writes: "For kicking somebody’s azz for talking smack about your kids."
(Azz - are ya from New Jersey, A? LOL.)

C from Arlington writes: "For muling cigars in from Mexico."
(Well C, that's just a WHOLE other post that we'll have to share with the blogging world, isn't it?)
Maybe this next week...

Stay tuned!

I'm Back

2009-06-16T23:24:00.003-05:00

Hi There!

Remember me?

I am back, but not officially.

My computer was electronically impaired for the past week, and I have been at a loss without it. Seriously - how did we survive just 10 years ago?

I do not have time to post an official blog tonight, but check back with me tomorrow. I ASSURE you that I will be back in blog-o-thon mode then.

Thanks for waiting!

Frisbee

2009-05-27T22:04:00.002-05:00

Dear Target,

I am drawn to the selection of items in your Dollar Spot section each and every visit to your store.
Who doesn't love the knick-knacks, and non-seasonal items for just $1? I hate clutter, but I always find myself sifting through the piles of randomness to find the delicious $1 chocolate at the bottom.

At an Easter Egg Hunt last month, my son won a Frisbee that a friend purchased in your Dollar Spot section. The Frisbee had gone into hiding because it was BRIGHT PINK with a flower on the front, (apparently, this friend thinks that EVERYONE - like her family - has only girls) and my boys just weren't into it.

This Frisbee mysteriously made its way back into our hearts just a few days ago as the weather started warming up. My 16-month old loves it! His mother loved it too since it kept the 16-month old entertained for milliseconds on end...until she read the sticker on the back:

PLASTIC FRISBEE FOR DOGS

Okay, fine. So now this friend thinks that everyone likes pink, and that we are dogs. Nice!

Stick with me, it only gets better.
Next to that sticker lies the kicker (and I quote):

NOTICE:
Pet should be supervised while playing with pet toy. Pet toy should be taken away if your pet damages it by either tearing it, ripping the seams open, or if other damage is detected. This is not a toy for children. Do not allow children to play with it.

Let's review...

1. Pet should be supervised while playing with pet toy.
A. Does it really say that? You mean, I can't allow Fido (Duke in my case) to just sit in the back yard and play with a "pet toy"?

2. Pet toy should be taken away if your pet damages it by either tearing it, ripping the seams open, of if damage is detected.
A. Does it really say that? You mean, I can't let Duke continue to gnaw at it until the pieces become so small that we wind up at the vet? Please tell me more!

3. This is not a toy for children.
A. WOW!? I am at a loss here, Target. Last I checked, Fido only had 4 legs and couldn't throw himself a Frisbee to save his life. How is Fido supposed to play with the Frisbee "SUPERVISED", if nobody can throw it to him?

4. Do not allow children to play with it.
A. Gone are the days of children playing with plastic Frisbees!? Are you kidding me? So lets all sit in front of our game stations and press away. Forget about going outside to play Frisbee with Duke in the yard because God forbid the Frisbee attacks!?

To be honest Target, it just makes me curious to know why you would place a notice like this on a PLASTIC FRISBEE? Did someone else's Duke have an accident? Did a child swallow one? This thing is 10'' in diameter. I'm just at a loss!

Did the McDonald's coffee spill a while back make everyone uber paranoid about things? I mean really - coffee is HOT - we didn't need a label to let us know this.
BUT A NOTICE ON A FRISBEE THAT SAYS "DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO PLAY WITH IT"?

First, the world takes away tug-of-war and foot races at Field Day, and now THIS!?

Well Target, I know it sounds like I'm going to tell you that your Dollar Spot section will be off my list of favorites. Au contraire! You have just enlightened me. You have been an inspiration to me tonight. I will now make sure that I never miss an opportunity to shop through your Dollar Spot because the Notice on this Frisbee sure made for a nice blog post.

Thank you!

Sincerely,
Still Baffled About the Whole Frisbee Thing

Diapers - Part Deux

2009-05-27T00:42:00.006-05:00

There IS a God, (not that I ever thought otherwise) and she may work at Expeditor's!

Jeremy calls me today and says, "Babe, this lady at work has some size 2 diapers that her daughter grew out of. They are Pampers Swaddlers. Do you want them?"

You did NOT just ask me that. You really just wasted company time and money to ask me if I WANT diapers - of ANY sort? Is there a catch? Are you on crack? (The candy kind of course!)

"Of course I want them, honey. Make sure you offer her something, and thank her profusely!"

So Jeremy gets home with the diapers in hand. Here I was thinking that the little girl outgrew a FEW diapers - like a FEW left in a box or something...

He came home with 96 diapers, folks! We are in business for two more weeks.

...and of all things - Pampers Swaddlers the day after I post my blog about diapers.
Tell me somebody isn't watching over me!? (Don't you DARE tell me they aren't!)

Our pocketbook, and Jilian's butt are thankful to you, Expeditor's God...
Sweet Success!

Side Note: He also came home with Huggies Organics. Those are the new ones. My oh my - I have never priced those, but I get $3 off coupons for them frequently. Those are some SOFT diapers. I am very impressed!

Diapers

2009-05-23T23:50:00.002-05:00

We had to buy diapers for Jilian for the first time last week...

Can you believe that we got THAT many diapers at the baby shower?

So here is the low down on the diapers that we went through:

2 small packages Pampers - Newborn (80)
2 EXTRA large boxes Pampers - Size 1 (432)
1 small bag Huggies - Size 1 (84)
1 small bag Huggies - Size 1-2 (88) (We had to use these before the Size 1's because they were smaller!)
1 box Pampers - Size 2 (72?)

My favorites are still the Pampers Swaddlers!!
Smell, feel, taste - JUST KIDDING on the last one.
Really though, Pampers rock!

I predicted after I counted the diapers a few months back that we would be buying diapers for the first time when Jili was 4 months old.

I couldn't have hit that nail anymore dead center.

Now, we officially have two children in diapers at the same time. $$$!

Sob.

Pig Dreams or Nightmares?

2009-05-21T20:27:00.003-05:00

I can now tell you this story because the whole swine flu thing was not so much...ANYTHING BUT THE FLU!

A few weeks back, Jeremy was really paranoid about the swine flu. Not like OMG teenage girl crazy paranoid, just scared for his kiddos.
With three children, things circulate much more easily, and he became very germaphobe during that time.

One night, we were discussing the swine flu while the news raged on in the background with the N1H1-F5L6R4E3 flu talk. We finally decided that there was nothing we could do but wash our hands and...que sera, sera!

He went to bed, and I stayed up finishing housework.
Let me preface the following by telling you that Jeremy is a sleep walker & talker...big time. I could tell you stories that you wouldn't believe!

So around midnight, I finally hit the sack. As I get in bed, I hear, "Man, that pig just beat the shit out of me!"

I turn to look at him and he says it again - "That pig just beat the shit out of me! Damn those pigs! I'll get 'em."

I say, "What are you talking about?" To which I get no response.

At this point, I finally realize that he's dreaming.

I roll over and Jeremy rolls over, too.

Babe, I'm NOT the pig!

Now get off me.

Jilian Cate is 4 Months Old!

2009-05-20T22:12:00.013-05:00

Jilian is 1/3 of the way to her first birthday, and her parents are 1/3 of the way to being a century old.
WOW - what a positive way to look at life there, Jessica!

4-Month Stats:
Weight: 13.0 lbs.
Length: 24.25 in.

She is officially our Petite Princess.
(These are my unofficial stats here at home. Her doctor's visit isn't until next Wednesday.)

She HAS doubled her birth weight and she HAS grown 5 inches, so she is getting bigger for sure.

To put those numbers into "Jessica" perspective...
Jaydon and Jacoby were 15 and 15.8 pounds, and 25.75 and 25 inches respectively at this age. All three of my kiddos were born at the same weight and length, so she is definitely growing more slowly. I just hope it continues this way. Isn't it funny how you WANT a girl to be petite, but you WANT a boy to be big!?
The way she is going, she will be built just like her Nina Jessenia - except hopefully with better skin and more muscular legs. Nina has a good height at 5'5'' and her "girls" are nicely sized. (Don't you just love how I call my sister out on my public blog?)

So what is Jili up to?

Rolling over from tummy to back is second nature now that she's been doing it for two months.

She has started rolling from back to tummy, but not with ease...yet. She will be there within the next week.

She loves to smile and coo and gurgle and make sounds and eye contact.

She is a mellow baby and SUCH a good little girl.

She loves to reach for the toys on her play mat and in her chair.

She and Ava have recently started having baby talk time, and it's so cute!

She loves to hear her Daddy's voice.

She loves to suck on her entire hand. She still refuses a pacifier and hasn't found that thumb - thank God!

She has a little doll that she absolutely adores and could hold for hours on end.

She has enjoyed her exersaucer for the past week. We just put her in it for the first time last week.

She had her first taste of oatmeal over the weekend...and LOVED it! She gets a bowl every night now, and chows down. (This is the FIRST child with whom we have waited until you are "supposed to" to start solids.)

She drinks four 6-oz. bottles per day plus her bowl of oatmeal.

She wears 3-6 month clothing (for the most part) and a size 2 diaper. (I already miss the larger quantity you get with the size 1's!)

She consistently sleeps through the night - 10-12 hours on average.
Her eyes are still light! SWEET SUCCESS! They are in the blue/green family, just depending on what she is wearing.

She is treated like a little princess, and her immediate family just can't get enough of her!

We love you, Jili.
Happy 4-month birthday!

Below you will find a cute video of Daddy and his little cheerleader. The sound quality isn't what I expected - it was much louder in person, but you'll get the point. I also tried to upload another video from last week, and found it was deleted off my camera accidentally. :(

The pictures were taken with my phone, so I apologize for the poor quality. You see, when I bought the phone, I was told that I was "upgrading from a tricycle to a Harley" and 'ole boy at Verizon wasn't lying about that! When they say "We have an app for that", they aren't kidding! (Okay, that's the iPhone line, but it works for my Blackberry Storm too!) I still haven't had time to mess with it to figure out half of the stuff, including the camera and video portion!

Oh - and I am now being told that she looks like me - especially in the middle - serious - picture. My family is having a hard time trying to decide who she looks like since both boys immediately looked like someone. Your thoughts?

I'll bet that you didn't know Jeremy was the voice of Elmo in his past life...neither did I! LMAO!

Tomorrow is the "official" start to Blog-O-Thon 2009, so stay tuned...