addicted to diapers

well i have not been a good blogger lately...not that there is a lack of things to blog about...just haven't had the energy to do it! potty training evan is one of those things sucking my energy! i started full force a few days ago. the first day, we had 3 semi-successful attempts...he was at least sitting down on his little potty, but most of the pee-pee flew across the floor or all over me. getting him to point "it" down was a challenge the first day! we've had many accidents and a few successes. we're doing a potty chart where he gets to put stickers on his chart...he is one away from getting ice cream. we are trying the timer. i've tried the cheerio in the potty trick but he doesn't want to stand up. we are pretty much attempting anything we can. and many times he just doesn't want to try...he begs me to let him wear a diaper. and believe me, i want to give in!! i'm just as addicted to diapers as he is....it is just sooo much easier! cleaning up messes all day long is not fun. either is running and tripping over things to get to him as fast as i can when i hear him say "mommy!" (in that certain voice which i can interpret as "i'm about to pee all over myself & the floor). anyway, eventually he will get it. and eventually i will be glad that we're doing it. the process is exhausting though. so for any of you who have potty trained boys...i'm open for any tips that you have!

no tears. no cavities.

ella's very first dental appointment went extremely well! i was a bit nervous on the days leading up to the big event. knowing her past fears and struggles with being a bit over dramatic...i was preparing myself for the worst. but it turned out to be the best it could be. she wasn't nervous or scared. she didn't shed a tear. she even smiled and giggled a few times. she basically was mesmorized by the widescreen tv showing "the little mermaid" during the whole cleaning and exam. you would've thought she had never seen tv in her life. the dental hygenist kept asking her questions and i had to nudge her to answer! anyway, the dentist said he was so proud of her and thought she had beautiful teeth. and a good report of no cavities topped off her great first visit to the dentist. we were all so proud of how well she did and couldn't stop telling her. everywhere we went today she wanted to tell people that she went to the dentist and how brave she was...it was so cute.

another party in the books

saturday was evan's "cars" movie birthday party. we had it at a local park and it was a beautiful day. a bit windy...but great fun. evan had lots of his little friends there and his cousins (16 total kids!). and here's what went down:

we made a makeshift racetrack out of cardboard boxes and placed it on a hill. the kids had fun rolling their cars down the track.

i love this picture of Miles...he was fascinated by the balloons. we had to tie them on the grill b/c it was too windy to put them on the tables.

evan and his twin cousins coloring Lightning McQueen.

playing Red Light Green Light...with a twist...they were running backwards like Mater does!

i made a couple of cardboard "cars" and the kids had a relay race....lots of fun!!

singing happy birthday

family picture after the party...we forgot to take one at the park

and i had to include this picture. ella drew evan this picture of Mater for his birthday...so sweet!

happy birthday baby

so now that he is the big THREE...i guess he's no longer my baby. but i sooo want to hang on to any little glimpse of those sweet baby characteristics about him. like him sucking his 2 fingers (still!), wearing cute footed pajamas, and him letting me cradle him like a baby (although his legs hang off the rocker!). my boy is growing up and it seems the years are going by far too quick. for right now, i will just enjoy this wonderful child that God has brought to our family. he brings many smiles to us all. he is adored by many. and we are happy he is ours! we love how funny he is...like when he called his magnets "magazines" tonight and when he said he wanted salad for his birthday dinner. i love that he sings at the top of his lungs and can carry a tune! i love that he can hit a baseball hard...and hit it far! i love that he can't wait til daddy comes home so he can wrestle. i love that after we drop sister off at school, he can't wait for us to pick her up. i love that he likes to dress up like a princess with ella and even wears high heels. i love when he tells us "good job!" and cheers us on. i love when he gives me "nuzzles". i love when he says "loves you, mommy". i love when he runs around outside and acts like a superhero. i love his high pitch giggle. i love his sweet soft cheeks and his big kisses he gives.

we love you, bud! happy 3rd birthday!!

age 2 above and age 3 below. amazing what a year can do!

evan's birthday eve

as i was tucking evan in bed tonight i was telling him that 3 years ago today he was in my tummy. "your tummy?!" he said. he thought that was funny. we talked a little and then he said, "when i turn little, i want to be in daddy's tummy. i want to sleep in dere (there) and get in a little ball."

super cute stuff right there. watch out daddy...maybe his dreams will come true?!

my conversations

once again, i'm sitting down trying to remember the details of the cute conversations that i've had with my kids lately. this one in particular i had with ella is one of the sweetest little talks we've ever had. it went something like this:

Ella: "mommy, am i going to be pregnant someday like you were?"
Me: "i sure hope so...then i would be a grandmother and that would be so fun. but that won't happen til you are much older!"
Ella: "grandmother!? but mommy, that is silly. you are my mommy!"
Me: "yes, but some day when you get to be an adult like mommy, hopefully you will get married and have children of your own. and then your children will be my grandchildren. just like Gramma J is your grandmother and she is my mommy. i know that is hard to understand."

as i was explaining all of this to her...her face gradually started changing and her eyes welled up with tears....she started crying.

Ella: "i want you to be my mommy. I don't want you to be a grandmother!" (through her tears!)
Me: "oh Ella, sweetie, i will always be your mommy. that will never, EVER change!"

at this moment, i felt so loved by her....that one little comment through her saddened face communicated so much love to me! then the conversation went on...

Ella: "i think i know what i want to name my children."
Me: "oh! what names do you have picked out?
Ella: "i like Haley. and Anna."
Me: "So you are going to have 2 girls? how many children do you want?"
Ella: "hmmm....maybe 5?" ...pause...."wait, i don't want to be in the hospital that much!! so maybe just 2."

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we bought Evan some new PJ's...they are one piece footed pajamas and we just oooo'ed and aahhh'ed over how cute he was in them. it made him still look like a baby and i'm not complaining! so when i put him to bed that night we were rocking in the chair and he said "mommy, i look sooo cute in this outfit!" (hearing him say that in his sweet voice was priceless...i loved that he called it his outfit!)

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another conversation with Ella:
Ella: "i'm scared of witches. i'm scared of witches and mommies."
Me: "mommies?" "OH! you mean 'mummies'!?"

i can see how she would put witches and "mommies" in the same category....we can often act like witches! :)