b.i.f. thirty

Amelia is getting her hair cut in a week.  Here was our conversation about it:

Me: How do you want your hair cut?

A: I don't know!

Me: Do you want it just trimmed a little or do you want it cut shorter like mine?

A: I want it cut short like yours!!!

(pauses for a second)

A:  Well, no...I don't think anyone would recognize me.  I better not.

b.i.f. twenty-nine

Somebody got goggles for Christmas.

b.i.f. twenty-eight

Olivia loves to attack me when I have a camera in my hands.  She's a complete photo-bomber!

b.i.f. twenty-seven

How can you not love a Christmas celebration that includes the leg lamp from A Christmas Story?

Meredith and Eden

Meredith LOVED her password journal

Olivia refused to let me take a picture of her and her doll...I snuck one from behind.

cousins!!

b.i.f. twenty-six

The dinosaur has left the building.

Josh and I haven't ever been "techie" people.  Seriously, between the two of us, I think we had one old television when we got married (even older than the one in the picture!).  Nothing else.  At the time, someone gave us an old VCR, and we used some wedding money to purchase a surround sound system which served us well until a few months ago (it will be replaced in the near future).

Josh has been itching to get a flat screen for several years, but he just couldn't bring himself to spend the money. The dinosaur was beginning to act up to the point where we had to smack it on the side to make Tinker Bell show up correctly.  We're classy like that.  It was definitely time to make the transition to the flat screen, and it has been a good one.  We're never turning back...good riddance.

b.i.f. twenty-five

She's such a little snuggle bug.

I used a version of this picture on my computer screen as the wallpaper.  Olivia was so excited when she saw it.  I said, "Who is in that picture?"  She said, "Me!!!...and Daddy!!!...and Pippy!!!"  We can't forget Pip. :)

b.i.f. twenty-four

We loved visiting with our former neighbor, Kay, before she went to Florida for the winter. She's such a sweet lady and always brings goodies and craft supplies for the girls.

b.i.f. twenty-three

Moose antlers are pretty big around here right now.

b.i.f. twenty-two

Be still my heart.

b.i.f. twenty-one

Any teacher will tell you that one of the best parts of being a teacher is watching kids work hard and then succeed because of it.  Let me tell you something: teaching your own child, watching your own child work hard, and then watching your own child succeed is even better.  

Today was one of those pay-off days with Meredith.  She works so hard in math mainly because it's so tough for her.  It isn't naturally her easiest subject, and there are days when she gets a bit overwhelmed and frustrated.

This girl has been working on her math facts every single day.  She takes a math facts test every single day.  And every single day her goal is to get at least 15 problems correct in 45 seconds.  There are several different tests, so she typically doesn't have the same test two days in a row.  If she gets at least 15 problems correct in 45 seconds, she gets a little piece of candy.  Rare is the day that she gets her 15 problems completed.  She usually gets more than 10 but less than 15.  

Today was different.  She answered 21 problems correctly in 45 seconds...21!!!  The most she had gotten through on this particular sheet in the past was 11.  Saying that she was thrilled is a gross understatement. She was smiling ear to ear, jumping up and down, and running around the house to tell her sisters.    

We all celebrated together, and I'm sure that particular piece of candy tasted awfully sweet today. :)  It was a lovely moment to be able to watch.  

{b.i.f. eighteen}

I've been catching Olivia opening the bottom slide out inserts in our kitchen cabinets with her feet.  

Someone around here has been setting a bad example for her.

It might be me.

{b.i.f. seventeen}

I just finished helping Amelia get dressed to play outside in the snow.  I found her missing mitten, and this was the conversation:

A: You found it!!  You're a genius!
Me {smiling}: Thank you.
A: What does "genius" mean?
Me: It means you're really smart.  What did you think it meant?
A: I thought it meant "I love you".

I'll take it either way. :)  

{b.i.f. sixteen}

I put Olivia in some old bib overalls today {complete with a hole in the knee}.  A couple of hours later, I noticed that she had leaked through her pants and needed a complete change of wardrobe.  I laid her down to take her bibs off, and she began to wail. 

And I mean wail.  

She grasped onto the front of those bibs and hung on for dear life.  She was yelling, "Noooo! Doooh! Daahhhp!"  {In English, that would be, "No! Don't! Stop!"}

I began to chuckle and said to the girls, "I think she doesn't want to take these off!"  They all agreed.  

I did my best to try to pull them off of her, but she continued to cling to her beloved bibs.  The girls and I couldn't contain ourselves; we were laughing hysterically.  At this point, her little face was beet red.  I think she was even sweating.

I finally pried those overalls out of her sticky little hands while she spewed baby obscenities in my general direction.

This entire scenario made my day.

{b.i.f. fifteen}

Olivia can now climb up onto our bar chairs and then up onto the kitchen counter. Overall, I find this a bit scary. Thankfully, I have 3 little pairs of eyes that help me watch for the climbing. Today, after Amelia informed me that Olivia was on the counter, I heard her say, "Livi! You can't be up there...you might fall off and break yourself!"

{b.i.f. fourteen}

After I changed Olivia's diaper today, I stood her up and gave her a kiss.  I said, "Livi Lu, how could I love you any more than I do?!"  

She then proceeded to pucker up her lips and give me a big kiss.  

That'll do it. :)

{b.i.f. thirteen}

As I was wiping Amelia's bottom today, I said to her, "When are you going to start wiping your own bottom?"

Answer..."Maybe when I'm 15."  

I was thinking more like next week.

{b.i.f. twelve}

Every morning Amelia literally stumbles out of bed and into the kitchen. I can always tell it's her coming down the hallway: shuffling of feet, a knock or two into the hallway walls because she's still half asleep, and shaky bunny rattling softly the entire way.

I don't know how I'm going to cope with her growing up.  Her 4 year old self is just so much fun.

{b.i.f. nine}

This is what currently happens when Olivia is in desperate need of a nap:  As I'm holding her, she becomes extremely squirmy.  I put her down.  She sits there for 3 seconds feeling unloved, unwanted, and completely neglected.  

Immediately after said 3 seconds, she bursts out into tears and leans her head across her legs {as if she were stretching before a big race} and acts as if she's never been loved a day in her life.  

And in a perfect world {i.e. we're at home}, she is scooped up and taken to bed.  

Sweet dreams, baby girl.

{b.i.f. eight}

From Amelia. 

Mom, when we get to heaven, can I sit by you?

{I'll be sad if you don't.}

{b.i.f. seven}

Goodness, I'm in love with these girls!

Claire:  She read scripture from the pulpit yesterday for the entire congregation.  One of the most beautiful things that I see is my children living out our faith.  

Meredith:  Guess who isn't sucking her fingers at night any longer?!!  Oh my goodness, I seriously questioned whether this day would ever come.  {Thank you, Myah, for that article!!}

Amelia:  The way she pronounces "stomach" is adorable.  "Mommy!  Claire hit me in the skumick, and it hurts so much."

Olivia:  Fell out of her highchair last week.  {One more reason I'm not getting mother of the year this year.}  I don't strap my kids into their highchairs until they appear to be trying to escape in one form or the other.  She hasn't even appeared to want to get out up to this point.  I was in the laundry room, heard a thud, and look out to see her lying on the floor crying next to her highchair.  I'm pretty sure she dropped her sippy cup over the side and was leaning over to try to reach it.  I'm guessing she was pushing on the other side with her foot and slipped right on over.  Thankfully, it wasn't nearly as tragic as it could have been.  She cried for about 30 seconds and was fine.  Claire looked at me as soon as I picked her up and said, "Mom!  I think you need to start strapping her in every time!"  There were lots of comments, on my end, that came to mind at this point {again with the reasons that I'm not getting mother of the year}.  "Ya think?!" was what actually came out...trust me when I say that I thought about much worse.  So, obviously, the little one is getting strapped in at this point. :)