Monday, November 24, 2008

Sunday's amazing moment

We were at my parents' house on Sunday for dinner. The kids were all playing nicely when my 8yo neice comes up and tells me, "Caden keeps asking for you" and then I can hear him - "mom, moooom, mom". Figuring he got up on the top bunk I asked her, "Where is he?"

"He's on the toilet."

As if it's no big deal. As if every 6yo kid should be doing the same. Well ok, they SHOULD, but Caden's not every 6yo kid.

I hurry to the bathroom, crew following me and lo and behold, he pulled the step stool up, had taken off his pants and diaper and was sitting on the potty! AND!!!!!! THERE WAS POOP IN THE POTTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so proud of him, he was so proud of him!! Maybe it's sooner than we think...


As I type this, James is at church for the annual congregational meeting. He is up for the office of deacon. We are praying for God's will to be done. We'll see what that will is in just a bit!

Edited - just over an hour later and James is coming home! Is it horrible of me to say we're really glad God didn't choose this time for our family?? He will not be a deacon this year for our church, and we are thankful for the time he will spend with us.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Had quite an exciting time last night!

Yesterday afternoon was one of those afternoons where I was ready to quit being a mom for a bit. Since that isn't an option, I called my good friend Tab to come over. Tab gets off work early, she's spectacularly single and she is ALWAYS fun to hang out with, plus she loves my kids and is SO good with them. I asked her if she would please hang out with the kids while I got some stuff done, which she was great about. We had a good time!

James got home around 5:30 and I had cooked up a plan - Tab and I would go out for dinner while James did bedtime (granted, I had already fed all 3 kids, changed Declan into jammies, and had them all cleaned up). As usual, he was agreeable so off we went - in Tab's car, which was nice of her because she was going to have to drive me all the way back out into the country after dinner instead of straight home to her apartment in town, but she didn't care. She's so cool like that.

We hemmed and hawed over where to go, and finally chose the Mexican restaurant. At the last minute I wanted to go for Chinese, but Tab overruled and we went Mexican. We had a great time, lots of chatting, good pop (soda, if you MUST be that way) and food. We were in there for over 2 hours.

We walk out into the parking lot and I kid you not, her car is GONE. We looked, and looked, and looked some more, but seriously, we BOTH knew where we had parked and it isn't there. The police station is only 1 block away so we walked up there to see if it had been towed for some insane reason. It hadn't. Holy. Poop. At this point, Tab isn't sure if she DID lock it, but we 100% know she had the keys the entire time and NO ONE else has a set. Ok so this isn't good. At all. They take all our information and tell us we might hear something in a few hours. Ugh. I called my mom (in town) to come get us and we decide to walk back to the restaurant to see if anyone there knows anything.

Again, I kid you not, as we near the parking lot we see her car, parked, unmanned, sitting in a COMPLETELY different parking spot, different part of the lot entirely. FREAKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As we're standing there, thinking we just MIGHT have lost our 30 year old minds, the cop pulls up and we tell him it's baaaaaaaack. So he pulls in, another cop car pulls in, the checking it all over ensues. The radio station has been changed (she had a Christian CD playing, they switched to hard rock, go figure!), there are candy wrappers on the floor and the passenger side seat was moved WAY back. NOTHING was missing, nothing was added, nothing was damaged, the fuel was nearly the same as previous, but the engine was still warm. As Tab is going over everything with one of the cops, a wrecker truck pulls in to see if we need his help. The police officer says, "No, someone decided to take a joy ride in someone else's car" and the wrecker guy says, "Again??" so we assume this has been happening.

Long story but we head back to the police station so they can pull fingerprints off the radio, etc. We also had to be questioned separately and they let us go, but poor Tab. She is so shaken up, and I am so p'ssd off for her. What a violating thing!! We hung out for a while and then she finally brought me home and went home herself...she said she slept well after finally falling asleep.

Interesting though...the car wasn't hotwired and no one else has keys. How in the world did someone do this?? Hopefully the police can figure this one out. It's probably bored teenagers in Pella looking for a good time but know this, we are on to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or I wish we were.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Praying for Kandy, Justin and family.

My friend Kandy lost her baby last night at 36 weeks gestation. Baby Ruby went to be held in the everlasting arms of Jesus last night around 10pm. You can read more about them in the links over to the left - Redneck Ramblings.

Kandy, I am praying for you guys. You have my love, prayers and support, now and always.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Night two and it has been quiet from the get-go!

We set up a few new precautions for Avery - she has fruit mentos on her nightstand that she gets to have if she stays in her room all night. She has a potty seat in her bedroom. She has a large object blocking her way out of the room, LOL! I think that oughtta do it!!

Caden wasn't so blindsided tonight, which helped. We talked it up a lot. We told him it was his job to watch Declan. He liked that! No tears, not one, from ANYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not a great night...

I don't have a ton of time but to get the gist of the story...we had Avery in our bedroom at 4:30. She had turned on nearly every light in the house, including Caden's bedroom light so he was up and we went through the entire process of him being MAD that he didn't have a roommate again. I'm tired.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Avery is sleeping in a big girl bed!

I know, you're probably falling over in shock more that she has STILL been in a crib at over 4 years old than that she's in a regular bed now, but it is what it is. She and Caden have been sharing a bedroom for 4 years, both in cribs (yes, Caden is still in one, more on that later) and it goes so well. They love it I think - someone to talk to in the morning, at night, etc. But we were given a wonderful bunkbed in white for Avery and we finally got her room painted in "Breezy Pink" on Saturday, so today we moved her in. She was SO excited. She also got to wear Pull-Ups instead of diapers for bed which means she could get up and go potty on her own, then go back to bed...

She did that about 5 times I think before the novelty wore off.

During that time, it was Operation Stop Caden From Breaking Down. Holy heck, you'd think we cut off one of his limbs. In no uncertain terms he told us he wanted to take his pillow and go sleep with Avery. Granted, there's room - it's a full sized bed on the bottom, twin on top. We had feet stomping, screaming, sobbing hysterics. For 30 minutes. I went in every 5-10 mintues and calmed him down, but it finally took James going in there and rubbing his back for 25 minutes and Cay fell asleep. We HAD Declan in Caden's room sleeping in Avery's crib during that time, but I rescued Declan and put him back in his pack n play in our bedroom so he could actually sleep. So yeah, we still have a baby in our bedroom but hey, there's always tomorrow night.

I just snapped some pictures of Avery sleeping. She's out like a light. We're so proud of her for doing so well! She's so proud.

Saturday, November 08, 2008

I think I have a sinus infection.

I feel like crap. I stayed home from church LAST Sunday to sleep all day and now I'm staying home again...I feel ok for a few hours, then cruddy again. Headache, sore throat top the list of what ails me most times, and now my nose feels tender to the touch. Enough's enough. Pity party for one? Done.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

In light of yesterday's momentous events in our country...

I thought I would share these lyrics from one of my favorite music groups Casting Crowns. These lyrics smacked me between the eyes this evening, just came flying into my head. America, my prayer is that we are not sleeping.


United States of America
Looks like another silent night
As we're sung to sleep by philosophies
That save the trees and kill the children
And while we're lying in the dark
There's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky
For the Bridegroom has returned
And has carried His bride away in the night

America, what will we miss while we are sleeping
Will Jesus come again
And leave us slumbering where we lay
America, will we go down in history
As a nation with no room for its King
Will we be sleeping
Will we be sleeping

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Caden's "report card" - brag alert!!!!

This isn't your typical report card but then again, Caden isn't your typical Kindergartener. Caden attends Madison Elementary School here in Pella and is thriving. It's Parent-Teacher Conference time (we aren't having one because we just had Caden's IEP) so report cards came home on Friday.His teachers have also reported back to me that there is a severely affected child in his classroom and Caden is his best friend, always talking to him and touching him and trying to include him. I couldn't be more proud of him. The report card is as follows:


Fall Kindergarten Progress Report

Caden has been such a blessing to our Kindergarten class. He warms the hearts of every adults and child he comes in contact with!

He follows the routines of kindergarten as he sits in a group, follows one step directions and interacts with his friends in play. We are all learning to communicate with Caden through formal and informal sign language. Caden's classmates are eager and determined to learn new signs and genuinely love him as a friend in kindergarten!

I marvel at the progress Caden has made in a brief two months of formal education. Through God's blessings, a network of dedicated individuals have formed a tremendous support group: from the bus drives, cooks, custodians, secretary, principal, classroom teachers, students and professional educators to every child in his class and other classes at Madison Elementary, to provide genuine love and the very best education possible for Caden. And he, in turn, has blessed each and everyone of us with a contagious love for life!

Thank you for sharing him with us!