Insomnia & Mid-of-the-Night Catching Up

I hate insomnia, BUT it's a chance for me to sit, think, & blog about lots that's been happening lately...

• Flynn lost another tooth. This is #3 & strangely, all have been bottom row.
• Flynn has added the sound "Foo" to her weird Momma-Flynn language. It sometimes follows, "Mowsch".
• I made a haul at garage sales today. Lots of classroom stuff, which is always the 'funnest' for F & G, as they get to play w/ it before it makes the trip to my school.
• Tomorrow we're headed to Purina Farms to meet up w/ a good 'old' (friends for a while, not old in age) friend & her mini. Easter Village, here we come!
• Gabe is not one ounce less sweet than last week. He melts my heart with every ILOVEYOU.
• Baseball & Softball are in full swing. Other than the fact that Mom's taxi gets frazzled & seems to run out of gas easily, I'm so enjoying watching my kids play my old past time sport.
• Gabe is obsessed with a new show, JAKE AND THE NEVERLAND PIRATES. It always makes me laugh when they're into a show, as the tv seems to rarely be on. But he loves the pirate thing.

Playing 'Ball'

Tonight is Flynn's very first softball practice. She couldn't be more excited. Matter of fact, I can't remember her being this excited about anything.
And what's with these seven-year olds acting older when they're excited. It's like an instant-teenager pill.
Things she said on the way home from school (w/ the excitement bubbling out of her as she counted down the minutes til practice):
"Oh Mom, I needed to tell you, Nolan said 'hi'."
"You forgot your phone? Drop me off at the door & I'll run in & get it."
"Hey Mom, you think you could put a headband on me before practice?"

I can't wait to follow her, I think she's going to be great... and not just because softball was my sport!

True Grit

I turned the tv to AMC & an older western was on. This immediately snagged my boy's attention as his personality as of late is cowboy, cowboy, cowboy.
He turned & stopped his racetrack building momentarily & watched the gun-slinging & lady-grabbing.
Next he said, "We need to tell Papa this is on...."
---deep thought---
"Sometimes I wish Papa wasn't my Papa, so him could be my friend."

Mowsh

Not really sure how to spell that... but sounding it out?, that's EXACTLY Flynn's new favorite "word".

It started out as 'meow', a sound of endearment between her & I. Jeff & I would laugh because she would only return it if *I* said it. Even at his insistence.

Somehow, the sound started evolving & has arrived at this German sounding 'noise'.

She says it to us when we tuck her in. She greets Bubby with it in the morning (given they're both in 'civil' dispositions). She says it when we see a baby, a kitten, a puppy, or anything fluffy.

I even heard her let the sound escape today, when I walked by her line in the hall.

I wish I could bottle the sound, so we could always knows EXACTLY what it sounds like.

My Baby & Kindergarten Testing

How, how, how could my BABY be going to Kindergarten?! Seriously!!!

So, we made it very official. I took 1/2 day off of work & picked him up at school promptly at 12:20 pm, just as I'd promised.

My date looked very handsome. His hair was 'piked. And he had on a polo.

He took me to my favorite [only] Mexican restaurant in town. We shared conversation...about Lucy.... and Sammy at school, and how close his new classroom will be to mine.
We saw a sewage truck go by & Gabe noted the size of the truck. Then insisted on knowing the truck's purpose.
All this over chips & salsa.

He made me tell the story again, about why we had his birth certificate with us & grinned while I told him that he'd need that when he goes to get his marriage license with his wife.

He proudly held my hand into my school building & greeted everyone as I directed him to. He aced the test with flying colors answers & was very confused when we got home
& I had to tell him
that school
doesn't start
for another
five
months.

Gabe Update, 2/20/11

Gabe...

• loves cars & trucks
• loves his momma, being at home with her, & days OFF of school
• wants to stay in his pj's every morning
• loves sweets & candy
• likes to craft
• likes being with family
• is loyal to his friends
• likes his stuffed lizard, "Scooby" & his stuffed manitee (from Aunt Gi)
• is musical
• is so sensitive & is very honest
• talks a lot about heaven
• still has somewhat of a speech delay & talks A LOT
• loves to give hugs & love
  

Flynn Update, 2/20/11

Flynn likes:

• Madelyn & Elly, her friends
• going places (walmart, a friend's house, out to eat, soccer)
• the stuffed puppy dog Landon gave her for V'day
• her pillow pet monkey
• dance class
• soccer
• her cousins
• chocolate soy milk, hash browns from mcd's, chips, carrots sticks, & oranges
• purple
• crafting
  

Moobs

Our Gabe is a funny boy --- says what he's thinking & means what he says.
After a shower with Daddy, he was hanging out, sitting outside of the shower & watching Daddy's every move.

Gabe looked at Dad's chest. Looked at his own. Then said what he was thinking,
"Hey Daddy?... (reaching out & pointing to his little bosom)
....when I grow up?, are these gonna get big?..... like Mom's?....and....YOURS?"

And Jeff immediately started a new diet plan.

New Years 2011

The whole family (minus Hannah) joined in for the festivities of ringing in' the New Year, 2011.

silly girls up & silly girls down there

played some Parcheesi & Scattergories...

Papa

A tuckered out Flynn (who I was able to wake up for the clock striking midnight)....and, of course, mayhem

2010 was not so bad... can't wait to see what 2011 holds!

Shave & a Haircut

MLK Day. Striped tights. Hairs cut.
My girl.

"Guy Rockets"

Flynn is in the bright/pre-gifted education at school. Our school calls it, "Sky Rockets."
One of her assignments was to take a bag & fill it with 20 unique things. She chose things like photos of her & gabe in a photo booth, trinkets, Mad Science make and takes, lip gloss, a shell from the beach & at least one of her favorite rocks.

This collection took a couple of weeks to obtain. And the whole family got in on the selections.

Fast forward a couple of months. The scene is Gabe showing Flynn something "neat" & Flynn's typical excitement for all things neat Gabe shows her.
The best though, was the response Gabe gave her...

"Finn!, Finn! You can take it to GUY ROCKETS!!"

Random Trip to Lone Elk

MLK Day lent us the morning for errands & the afternoon ride home the chance to go where we wanted.
Included on that list was a first-ever (for the kids at least) trip to "Lone Elk Park".

Snuggie Twins

Flynn got her "Princess" snuggie from the Frosts for her birthday. Gabe won his at 'Rob Your Neighbor'.
These snuggies are an important ingredient (along w/ a movie & a toasty fire) for a perfect snowy afternoon.

Space Cowboy

This handsome wrangler strolled into my room to find me to tell me & tell me a very important announcement....

"Me the SPACE COWBOY."

Now either this kid has been listening to the Steve Miller Band. Or he has taken his love for Toy Story to the next level & combined Woody & Buzz.

Awake Enough for I LOVE YOU

Last night, I went into check on the kiddos & cover them up like I always do. Flynn, my heavier sleeper, doesn't so much as stir -- even if I cause cause a little wind on her when the blanket breezes her sweet lil' face.
But Gabe, my lighter sleeper, wakes up when the I darken his doorway.

So after covering him up & tripping over his toys as I find my way back out, I hear him,
"Momma! Momma!.....
I yuv you."

I love that he isn't short on I love you's.
Even in the middle of his sleep.

Tricks & TREATS

She's a tricky one, that girl! And my buddy, he makes me want to kiss the cook!

So our Halloween was different this year than the years past. This year we started the tradition of trickin' & treatin' in our own subdivision.
KK joined us as 'Weekend Vampire' a rock band & we pounded the candy-giving pavement.

What Did You Learn at School?

My students sit in 'pods' (I call them) -- groups of desks - 4 or 5. The students are faced inward & then, have a bit of opportunity to talk amongst themselves if necessary.

I was 'layin' out the law a couple of weeks ago. I told them their musts & must-nots & followed my speech by, "...and NO monkey business."

I continued my march around the pods of desks when I heard in a small voice, "What's monkey business?" The question was 'answered' by a fellow pod-neighbor who replied in an even smaller voice, "I thinks it's like bee's wax."

Tornado of Presentry

BEFORE

AFTER

My Grandchildren

So Gabe tells me randomly tonight that he & his wife are going to have 2 sons. "And dat's it. No stisters."

I was both amused & surprised by this announcement, "Oh, what about your wife, what if she wants to have another in hopes of having a daughter? Some mommas want to try for a daughter."

"Nope. No girls. .... Well... okay, maybe I will. Yep- Me gonna have seven babies."

Flynn chimes in at this point,
"Gosh Gabe, that's a lot of babies. That's a lot of dirty diapers!"

Then he reasons it out & informs us,
"My wife will change them."

I'll try to keep this conversation from his future wife.

Ho-Ho-Ho & Mistletoe

2010 has ushered in & out my favorite holiday...Christmas: The day full of giving, warm fuzzies, & stocking-fuls of love.

It seems each year, that the holidays get a little easier; but part of that is bittersweet, it just means my babies are growing up. They no longer tumble out of a toddler bed & toddle into the livingroom, rubbing their eyes like a baby bear cub.
They bounce into our room, full of questions regarding the previous night's events... asking if Santa ate their snack... did his reindeer make noises on the roof.... and wondering when they'll get to go see what Santa has left them.Flynn's 'faith' in Santa doesn't seem to faulter but sheesh, does she have the questions. 'How does he get to so many places?' 'Where does he live?' 'Does Mrs. Claus help him?' 'What if there's a fire in the fireplace?' 'How does he fit down the chimney?' 'What if you're bad right before he comes?'

Gabe doesn't have faith so much, as anxiety. The poor fella, I thought I was going to have to give him a zanax the night before the big day. He actually broke down & cried & it took everything out of me not to spill the beans. He was worried that Santa would come into his room. And 'why does Santa have to check on me?'

Nevertheless, everyone awoke on Christmas morning, ready to start the unwrapping derby. And wow were we blessed this year to spoil our kiddos & each other.