The kids got to see their great grandparents--their mom's dad's parents today!

Pat and Bud drove up from DFW to see us today, bearing a virtual bevy of baby boy clothes for the adorable Mr Gabriel. Also included were some very precious little Emerald clothes--including a soft blue pair and a black pair of ballet slippers!!!

They stayed for a while and had lunch with us--the kids absolutely adored them. Emerald especially liked interacting with them.

Emerald had a chicken fingers and fries with ranch lunch, so her day was golden. Gabriel got some whipped cream, which he just gobbled up gleefully. He's the sweetest.

We're all layin down for naps now--goodnight!

As you probably figured, Gabriel is just fine. He would have made fun of me for overreacting if he was older, lol. His biggest problem now is having his fingernail severely severed by Mama Scissorhands over here.

Emerald, mean while, has found a new favorite movie--Finding Nemo. Makes me worry just a little, as I find Dori the most obnoxious fictious character ever....

Such is life!

Just got off the phone with Gabriel's nurse. She said to watch out for signs of an allergy, or that the venom is affecting him--swelling in his face or at the sting site, wheezing, refusal to eat, etc. And to put ice on the sting to contain the venom, and give him benadryl.

I am..relatively more concerned now.

Oh, no! Gabriel got his first wasp sting! He is wailing inside while Oma tries to soothe him and I try and get ahold of his doctor. :(

Poor poor sir.

We have had so much fun the last few days, I haven't been able to update!

Yesterday, we took the children swimming at Amber's work. Emerald loved it so much--she was jumping into the pool, laughing her little heart out. Gabriel just leaned back and soaked up the sun, cooing and gurgling happily.

That night, we took them for photo opportunities at The Children's Park. We got some truly heart-wrenchingly sweet ones. Check Amber's myspace to see a few.

Today, we had a relaxing day to counteract our busy-ness the last few days. The kids caught up on sleep, I helped out by tidying up a bit.

Today, Gabriel woke us up at 3 so hungry that he downed 3 oz in 3 large gulps (wow--lotta 3's!). He then woke up for good at 8, sunny and bright. Emerald woke up shortly thereafter, and then things kind of...imploded.

Amber has a trained Quaker Parrot (parakeet?) named Dennis. Dennis was eating his breakfast when Emerald stuck her finger between the bird and his food. Before I could react, Dennis had accidently bit her.

She was so upset, she started hyperventilating. I was worried she'd pass out. I finally got her calmed down, but she was unhappy.

She cried all morning, and so Amber and I have planned a trip to McDonalds and the Zoo for her this afternoon--I'll let you know how it goes!

Ted and the kids--Grant, Jessica, and Grace--drove through Tyler on their way home from Florida last night, and so stopped to have dinner with us at Jalepeño Tree. Emerald was charming, and an excellent eater--snagging stuff off everyone else's plates and finishing it off with three ice cream cones.

Afterwards, Amber and I took her to Target, where she accidently borrowed without paying for ::cough:: a hat and shorts, which Amber and iare going to have to return today.

She fell asleep watching Madagascar 2. Sweet babies.

We just took the kids to a very cute park down here. We had Jack in the Box for a picinic lunch, and the squrriels would run up and nab table scraps. Which, of course, would send Emerald into peals of laughter and myself into panic. Nasty little rodents.

Naturally, Emerald finished lunch before Oma and I did, so she sat next to us and smeared dirt all over herself and her outfit. In true hobo fashion, I held her under the water fountain stream to get the bulk of it off, but she still looked like a filthy vagrant.

Gabriel sat in his stroller, cool diaper wipe on his head, and cooed and cooed.

Now we're on the way home with two very dirty, sleeping babies :)

Gabriel is one slappy happy baby boy!!

I was wanting to start him on cereal formula so he'd eat less formula and sleep longer through the night.

So, last night, his Aunt Amber got him baby Oatmeal with Bananas. I thought there would be inhibition on his part...but that disappeared when he INHALED the first bottle and started demanding for another one.

He loves the cereal, and the added benefit is he is having healthy B.M.'s now--so he's a gigglin, chipper little mess!! Oh, I love that little boy.

Last night was harsh--in the middle of dinner, Emerald broke down emotionally at the table, screamin and carrying on. We took her out on the inclosed porch, and she calmed down in the fresh air...until she stepped in dog poo and freaked out.

So, her and I took a shower together, which she thought was so funny and was having a great time...until she slipped and fell and rubbed soap in her eyes. ::sigh::

I get her out, dress her, and we lay down and watch Mdagascar--Emerald LOVES it, but fell asleep half way through.

I think the stress is finally getting to her--being away from daddy and home, travel, new people. But she'll start perkin up when she gets some sleep :)

It is Sunday, and Day 1 of Mikeless-ness. The kids are fairing surprisingly well. Emerald fell asleep to Meet the Robinsons and woke up to Meet the Robinsons, so life is pretty good in her eyes.

Yesterday, I seriously doubted my decision to go home. Emerald had a severe diaper rash, Gabriel is still very young....

This fear was cemented when Emerald tossed her poptarts (or, as it was, her lunchables) all over the inside of Stephen's car. So, she arrived at Pappy's party in hysterics.

Besides that, the trip was largely uneventful--Gabriel made a new friend in Amy, Rhonda's cousin's wife. Emerald enjoyed running rampant. All in all, enjoyable party.

The second leg of the trip, the kid's stated nearly completely asleep the entire time. Long day!

Emerald is watching Meet the Robinsons (again) after her interminably long day.

Slip and Slide!!

Michael was able to get the second half of Monday off of work because of some E-Time or some such AT&T business...basically means that if there are too many people scheduled to work, you can take an allotted amount of time off of work. So he got to spend the second half of the day with use at home!

I wish you could have seen Emerald's face when she saw Michael coming in several hours early. She rubbed her eyes, then when she saw that he was actually standing there, she ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. It was heartbreakingly sweet.

I am petrified to take her away from Michael for three weeks.

Anyways, we decided to set up the slip and slide Michael got for Emerald at the WOW! store at work, and see how she took to it. It was an incredibly hot day, and we were eager to see if she would like being in the chilly water.

As always, she hates getting her face wet, but that is not surprising. I am not crazy about it either. But you should have seen her, running up and down that thing, splashing me and laughing as loudly as I have ever heard her. She had such a great time.

When we brought her inside, she shook her head seriously, looks at Michael, and says "Cold". Mike set her down, laughing, and Emerald walked down the hall, still shaking her head and saying, "cooold".

She's so precious!

~ANDIE~

Birthday Party

Sunday was my official birthday party. It was over at Ken and Rhonda's, and we ate taco salad for dinner. It was really good--we had a different taco salad when I was growing up (basically, a really quick, cheap, easy meal that could feed 6 people) that was one of my favorites. But dinner was really very nice.

I got a Kohl's giftcard, which was awesome--I was able to buy a cute yellow blouse, white shorts, nice beach-y sandles, lovely orange cream necklace and earring set, and a headband for myself, as well as two dresses for Emerald. They are really very cute dresses--both are kind of the gingham, which reminds me of my mother. One is yellow, and a little nicer, with a little cotton top. The other is green (Mike and my favorite!!), and both very summery. The best part? Both dresses were $3 each!! When I rich, I am literally going to gorge myself buying adorable clearance clothes for the kids (and maybe a few things for Mike and me!).

I also got some movie money, which I haven't been able to use quite yet, but I am really excited--a matinee for two is $12, so I will be able to take Mike and myself on two movie dates! I am thinking UP! and Harry Potter =)

Finally, I got some money, and was able to buy myself some nice things with it--I got some Paula Dean candles in Strawberry Shortcake, Creme Brulee, and Fried Apple Pie scents. Its really nice to girl up the house a little bit, and satisfies my sweet tooth without having to sacrifice my figure :-D

Emerald smurfed out at the cake--it had some blue icing, and she just went crazy on it--even stabbing the entirety of my cake off my plate and stealing it! She's so silly. But she seemed to have a great time.

We all had a good chuckle when Ken accidently prayed that I will be a good mother and husband--Michael hasn't stopped making fun of me yet.

Great birthday party!

~Andie~

It's Been a While

Shamefully, it has been a long time since I have updated the family blog. I am properly abashed, and intend to hopefully catch you up today!!

June 12th was my (Andie's) 22nd birthday. Last year's birthday was just awful--Emerald was nine months old, and she got sick on June 11th as I was getting off of work. She had never been sick before, and so Michael and I were up all night with a vomitting, clingy 9 month old. It was rough. So, this year could only look up!!

Gabriel has still been very fussy, though we haven't figured out why. I think he just needs more assurance and affection than his much more independent sister ever needed. Friday was no exception, so I took the kids out for snack outside. We had orange juice and crackers, and colored with chalk on the sidewalk, sang silly songs, and played in the shade. We had a wonderful time.

Michael still had to work all day, which was a disappointment, but not the end of the universe--the day itself matters less than getting to spend time with him. So, we just planned on time together some other day.

For dinner, Ken and Rhonda took us out to Jason's Deli, which is one of my favorite restraunts. I got the quarter turkey muffaletta with a cup of poblano corn chowder on the side. It was surpringly spicy soup, but still really very good. Emerald had problems with wanting to sample off everyone else's plate, but she loved her organic mac and cheese.

The highlight of the evening was when Patrick tried to get up and leave the table, and a distraught Emerald tried to throw her weight so that she could chase him down. Poor girl--she doesn't do "goodbye" all that well.

Ken and Rhonda took Emerald to see their friends that night in Portales, and let Emerald spend the night at their house, so it was just me and Gabriel for the rest of the night. I think he really appreciated getting more one on one time, and slept better that night.

All in all, good birthday!

~Andie~

My Darling Son

I realize that Michael and I were incredibly blessed to have started with such an easy baby.

Emerald was the ideal infant--easy going, eager to please, hardly crying, always smiling and laughing, and so very bright. We took that for granted.

Gabriel is so very much more....me then his sister is.

I could not love a little boy as much as I do Gabriel Lynn, but he is definately been a lesson in patience. Emerald is her father incarnate--patient, calm, easygoing. Gabe is a miniature of his mother--needy, high-maintainence, spastic, impatient.

The fact of the matter is that I have never really had to handle someone so very like me before, and I am having trouble. My Gabriel will definately be a test in my patience (and sanity), but I know that he is so very worth it. I also see the good of me in him, and through the trial of fire in learning to keep my cool, I will have also learned an invaluable insiders perspective so that one day I can teach Gabriel how he can too calm his wild nature.

Here begins the taming of the shrew.

~Andie~

The Mystery of My Non-Working Vacuum

Figured out why my vacuum wasn't working.

It was a clog.

~Andie~

Our Day with Daddy, Part 2

After we left the AT&T store, we had Andrew and Angie over for dinner. Andrew is feeling quite tense due to his son that is due any day now, and I figured he could use a friend to talk to.

We are never exactly rollin in the dough (read--we aren't wealthy), so we couldn't do anything too fancy, so it was just frozen pizzas, salad, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Naturally, I was the only one that ate salad--Mike brought out the potato chips and french onion dip. So much for me trying to infuse some healthy eating into our lives :p

It was nice to get a break it just being the children and me alone all day. I adore them, but Gabriel has been a bit trying lately. I needed a break....what I need is a vacation.

Mike really loved getting to spend time with his babies. Him and Emerald were inseperable, she just adores him. She likes to sit in his lap and play with the bubbles application on his ipod. Just watching them make the same intent expression when focusing on something is just so precious.

Now we have until Sunday again before we get to spend any time with him---here's hoping I keep my patience and my sanity!!

Our Day with Daddy!

Tuesday is one of our day with Michael because he has that day off. Usually, we run errands all day and it is super-stressful, but we decided we would run one errand, and I would straighten up the house, and we would try and enjoy a relaxful day with the children.

My awesome pet hair remover/deodorizer vacuum wasn't working very well, so Mike had to fix that, but now my living room looks really nice. FYI--burgandy carpet trumpets every slight piece of dirt ::sigh::

After lunch, we decide to go to the AT&T store to get Michael a replacement phone. He had gone swimming with it in his pocket on Sunday, and we had low hopes of them being very helpful. After all, we had been with Sprint for two years previously, and they had gone out of the way to be unhelpful.

We had an upgrade available on my line for a new phone, but even then, most phones that are not terrible are $200 or $300 down, plus a mail-in rebate. Needless to say, we did not have $300 just lying around to get a new phone.

The guy that helped us was actually incredibly helpful. The month prior, my phone had punked out and we had to do a warrenty replacement, but the phone company had sent back the broken phone and had charged us for the new one because there was damage to the casing. This had made our phone bill that is coming up due double what we generally pay, but our representative simply took that charge off. It was just above and beyond, since it made sense that we should have to pay it. Then, he cut us an amazing deal on a fancy new 3G smart phone for Michael, threw in a free carrying case, and took 30% off our entire purchase, then set it up to charge to our account next month.

I LOVE AT&T--never once has our bill been a cent higher than we anticipated, and they have always solved our issues quickly and efficently. I could not be more pleased =)

Now Mike has a phone, if you ever need to call him!!

~Andie~

Sunday Night Swimming

AJ just moved into a new apartment and has been trying to get us out swimming at the apartment pools for a while. We haven't been able to thus far because Michael works so much, and I am not comfortable with trying to watch two infants incapable of swimming by myself. So, last night, we decided to finally go.

Emerald was really very tired because she had woken up early and hadn't taken a nap all day, so I convinced her to lay down for 15 minutes, but even then, she was still exhausted and ill-tempered. Gabriel was still feeling really clingy, as he has been for the last few days, so we were apprehensive.

The water turned out to be freezing cold, but Emerald still took to it incredibly well. She loved being afloat in the water, whomping the boys with pool noodles and splashing about. I ended up staying out of the pool, assuming (probably correctly) that Gabriel would have hated that, and we talked with Alyssa.

We didn't end up staying more than an hour, but the children really enjoyed it--they love having different activities to do outside, and it was a beautiful night. We may end up going again sometime.

The highlight of the night was the moment we were packing up to go and Michael realized that he had jumped into the pool with his black jack II (his cell phone) in his swim trunks pocket. Needless to say, the thing is ruined. We are trying to find a cheap option to replace it. But he will be not answering his phone for a few days.

~Andie~

Sundy afternoon

Correction from before: we had all the friends over on Saturday night after Michael had gotten off at work.


Michael has every Sunday off, so it is one of the few days we get to see each other. It is very weird to go from being so completely wrapped up in one another, then getting scant time alone. Don't get me wrong--Michael and I adore having chldren, epecially such little treasures as Emerald and Gabriel, but...Michael is my closest dearest friend, as well as my hubbly, and I miss him.

Sunday morning was pretty laid back--we did little, just straightened up the house, took care of the pets, and let Emerald lead Michael around the house showing him everything she had been doing this week. Realizing that we have not gone and seen a movie in theatres since Hulk last summer, we became determined to going on a date. Grannymom and DadDad agreed to watch the children for a couple of hours.

We got to go see Star Trek at the nice movie theatre in town, and decided to do a concession stand lunch. Just so you know--just as expensive as going out to eat, and not worth it.

An aside--when I was growing up, movie theatre nachos were the things dreams were made of. For two dollars, you got a heaping pile of large chips drenched in the most succulent of creamy cheeses. At no charge, you could get fresh pickled jalopenos to top it, and it was a meal in and of itself. Yesterday, I was blatantly ripped-off as I paid $4.50 for a bag of tostinos and a little cup of cheese in which to dip it. It was pitiful, and my heart yearned for the quality service of yester-year.

Back to my story at hand, recently Michael and I have tried the Star Trek original series starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy because we heard it was worth a laugh or two. Surprisingly (well, not that surprisingly if you consider that we are a bit of nerds as it is), we really got into the series, and we both just loved the new movie.

It was really nice to get to spend time with Michael again. Ideally, I would like to plan a date once a week, or once a paycheck, but unfortunately, plans rarely go the way you intend for them to. I have set my sights on merely getting to watch a matinee showing of UP! with him for the present.

~Andie~

Friday Night Party

Friday night, the end of the week, we needed desperately to relax since we feel like we've been running solid for weeks. So, we had Andrew and Angie, who is still miserably pregnant, poor thing (she should have Gabriel's best friend any day now!!), as well as AJ and Alyssa, who is AJ's new girlfriend, over for burgers.

We were going to eat outside on the patio, but it was still boiling hot at 7pm, so we moved it inside and made a buffet style meal set up in the living room.

Emerald thought everything on the table was something to dip her chips in, so she ran from cup to cup, dunking her soggy potato mush in everyone's sprite and french onion dip... gross girl!!

Sara Sue called half way though the party and stopped by to see us, which was a godsend--Gabriel had been incredibly tempermental all night and had not let Michael or me set him down at all, even to eat. He did, however, gravitate towards Sara (probably due to her baby-whisperer like essence from working with children so long). Emerald loves her being here too, and she ran from guest to guest, soaking up the loves.

It was a very tame party, even for us (the fairly unsocial little buggers that we are)--we ate dinner together while watching Men In Black, then Angie and I took the children on a walk to get them relaxed before bed (and hope that Angie's son will settle lower down), and everyone had cleared out by nine. Emerald and Gabriel were so tired from the busy day that they crashed fairly early, and the parents went to bed early to catch up on all the sleep Gabriel has been depriving us of.

It was nice to feel like more than just a parent (and in my case, a housewife) again. We may try and make it a weekly thing, though we may have to switch to meatless spaghetti if we are going to be feeding 6 adults once a week!

~Andie~

Emerald Said Her First Full Sentence!!

I am so proud of Emerald!! She said a full, complete sentence--noun and verb!!

Not the happiest of circumstances for her--she had taken her sippy cup and was "watering" the carpet once again (I have no idea where she learned that, but it is driving me nuts), which earned her a swat and a trip to the timeout mat.

While sitting in time out, she very clearly wails--

"I get spanked!!"

It was so sad and pitiful, but that does not diminish that I am really very proud of her =)

~Andie~

Gabriel!!

A certain son of mine has decided that nighttime is the best time to party! After he slept through the night that ONE night, he has been sleeping worse than ever, to the point of sleeping a mere 30 minutes the other night. This kid is going to be the death of me!

~Andie~

Potty Training, Day...4?

So, I realized that I was updating several times a day and then ran out of things to say for a few days! Now, I have let some things accumulate and have things to say again--whoot!

Potty Training, first of all--Emerald is improving a little at a time. The first day, she thought her potty was a hiding place. The second day, we established that it was something to sit on, and then on Saturday, she showed the most progress--I sat her on her little potty sans diaper to watch wiggles so when she went, she would get a dumdum. She sat there until she needed to "go", then crawled off and peed next to the potty on the carpet. ::sigh::

Later that day, I see her running full force towards her little potty, pulling her diaper off as she ran. She made it just in time to tinkle on the lid of the potty. ::bigger sigh::

Little girl, suffice to say, is learning. We have a way to go..I have heard that if you set her on the potty every 30 minutes, and reward her when she goes, that she will probably learn fairly quickly what she is supposed to do.

Wish us luck!! We are almost down to one kid in diapers!

~Andie~

Emerald's Day in June

Emerald spent last night with her Grandparents. She went to the mall and played around and had a wonderful time, then gorged herself on Furr's Buffet. Another sign that she is just a miniature Michael!!

Naturally, when she got home today, she was beyond exhausted from playing so hard at Ken and Rhonda's. As soon as she got home, she lay down on the couch and slept for an hour. Even then, she was so tired that she didn’t want to do much today. We colored with colored pencils, and Emerald helped me straighten up the house.


She was actually really helpful, since Gabriel was feeling needy, and she would bring him a pacifier, his elephant lovey, or a bottle. And she never complained when I needed to hold him instead. She just patiently sat beside us. In the sweetest moment of the day, she ever so tenderly stroked a crying Gabriel's face as he sat in his bouncy chair, wiping his tears away and quietly talking to him. He calmed down and just watched her. They are going to be so close =)

She went on two walks with us today, and at the end of the post-dinner walk, we set up
camp in the driveway, letting Gabriel sit in the stroller and watch us as we colored with chalk.
Emerald had a wonderful time, calling to the neighbors and their friends as they came 
and went, and chattering away about what she was doodling.

She was really very tired by the time we made it back inside, so she got the bubble bath and lotion rub wind down treatment, as well as a hot cocoa and classical music. She is laying down now, waiting to tell Daddy goodnight before she goes to sleep.

Wonderful day with wonderful children =)

~Andie~

Gabriel's Day in June

Gabriel had a very up and down day today. He wasn't able to maintain the sleeping through the night two nights in a row. He woke up at 1am after having peed out of his outfit and all over himself, then again at 4.30am. It must have been very unpleasant and cold, being covered in your own urine, especially since Michael and I keep the fan on in our room. Dr. Stripling said a rotating fan may help prevent SIDS.

We got up earlier than usual because Gabriel had such a rough night, and went to Game Stop with a gift card we had been holding on to. Gaby Baby loved the extra time with Daddy last night and today--as a family, we have generally been splitting up, with Michael and Emerald spending more time together, as I have had to focus on Gabriel so much since his birth. He really does think Daddy is funny though--he has a rich, throaty laughter that is just delightful.

Unfortunately, he was still constipated today, and starting to get very uncomfortable, so he enjoyed an ice cold apple juice and two walks.

I know God must have heard my needs, because the weather was incredibly mild near our house--the wind was gentle and cool, and the sun wasn't beating down quite as hard today. He really enjoyed the fresh air and smooth, rocking motion.

I tried singing to him, but he is not a big fan of The Wiggle interpretation of Duke Ellington's "The Mooch" (basically me meowing at him).

Finally, just wanting to get the poor kid calm, I gave him a lavender scented bath. He really seemed to enjoy it, though he got chilled after a moment and had to be taken out. Emerald, when she was his age, bathed much more frequently, but he gets very greasy when we bathe him every day, and it is pretty disgusting. After his bath, I gave him a lotion rub and dressed him in these adorable, skintight long johns Aunt Amber got for Emerald. He had a toasty bottle, some Nystatin, and Mylicon and fell very asleep.

Luckily, all my efforts paid off today, and he is no longer constipated, and is sleeping like an angel. He is much happier, so maybe he will sleep again tonight!!

~Andie~

BEST NEWS OF THE WEEK!

Mr. Gabriel Lynn slept from 9pm last night until 6am this morning--that's right, folks, Gabriel slept through the night for the first time!! A good night's rest for Mama and Daddy is on the horizon! He does really well in his bassinet, but wants his Seahorse (a glow worm product that makes ocean noises and plays lullabies) going all night. Maybe we will move the stereo into the bedroom and play a similar CD--we have church songs sung as lullabies with an undertone of crashing waves that Emerald is partial to. Maybe he will really take to that…as it is, YAY GABY BABY!! Mama and Daddy are so proud of you!

~Andie~

Regression

Since Gabriel was born, Emerald has been horribly regressing. I have let it happen because I know that she is just feeling insecure and she will grow out of it on her own, but it is starting to get frustrating. She will drink his unattended bottles (even if that means taking it while Mom or Dad is burping him), exposing herself to the thrush, which is just not sanitary, as well as being expensive for formula. To counterbalance that, we have been giving her a bottle of milk at the same time that he gets his formula, which keeps her from stealing it, but she often won't eat her food because she wants to eat like Gabriel eats--reclined in Mom's arms, getting a bottle. I am worried she is not getting the nutrients she needs, but everyone assures me that she will eat when she is hungry.

She is also having trouble sleeping. She cries out in her sleep, and when we get in her room to check on her, she is breathing heavily, drenched in sweat, and her little heart is racing. She is trying to make the big move back to Mom and Dad's bed, but I am absolutely unwilling--it is surprising how much room the smallest person in the bed can take up. Not to mention, one of my friend's sisters has had to push two queen size beds to accommodate herself, her husband, and the 6 and 7 year old children that are not wanting to sleep by themselves. The thought makes me dizzy--Emerald has a wonderful toddler bed my parents made for her, yellow with a garden border decorating it. I love her bed, I will keep it forever.

Besides the trouble sleeping, and the attachment to bottles, she also wants to swing in his swing, sit in his bouncy chair, and have Mama carry her everywhere. While good for my upper body strength, it is getting difficult to accomplish all my other chores while she is hanging off me. And his chair and swing were not intended for children of her...impressive girth. She is going to break them, and they are such lifesavers when Emerald is feeling clingy and I need a safe place to put him down.

I know that she will grow out of all of this, but as of right now, it is driving me nuts!!

~Andie~

Poor Gaby

Seems like Gabriel is constipated, I assume because of the Nystatin he is on for the thrush. Worst part is, he either re-infected himself with the thrush (despite my sanitizing all his bottles, and buying him new pacifiers), or it hasn't cleared up in the first place. His bottom lip and tongue are completely white, and his voice is so pitifully cracked and hoarse. I hope that thrush can't do permanent damage--does anyone know?

Either way, today we will be braving the heat for walks, as the motion helps his uncomfortable-ness, and I will continue to bicycle his legs and rubbing his tummy and hope it passes.

I guess apple juice wouldn't hurt either....

=) hope your day is going better than his!

~Andie!~

Bath Time!

Emerald loves baths so much I can barely keep her out of them these days! If Michael and I invested in a kiddy pool for the backyard, she would just burst from happiness--she is quite the little fishy. The only problem is that she hates getting her face wet, which is completely understandable, but it makes her hair very hard to wash. Michael can wash her hair without getting any water in her face, but since he is at work, it falls to me now, and I just deal with her being angry. Poor girl.

She has made a very recent discovery--if she has chalk from her outside toys, she can doodle on the side of the bath, and it just washes away. Now art truly saturates every aspect of her life, and it so very sweet to watch her.

When I took this picture, she had drawn this very detailed picture and was telling me all about it--chattering at me "blah blah blah blah Dada and Gay!!!" It was adorable. I know she misses her father so much while he works, which makes Sundays her favorite day of the week, because Mama takes her to the park, just the two of them, and Daddy will split an ice cream sundae with her. She's a good girl.

Remy, who is never too far from Emerald, likes to sit on the side of the bathtub waiting for her to come out, and she will give him drinks of water, or let him lick her fingers and just peal out in laughter, but her favorite is drawing his picture (she always points and says "cat, cat" very clearly. I love watching those two interact, since she cares about him so, and he is her little baby.

I hope Gabriel bonds with Pepper or Oscar--I don't see us getting any more animals any time soon!!

~Andie~

Fresh Air

To keep the children calm (as well as their increasingly frazzled mother), I have been taking them on daily walks around the block in their double stroller. Quick side note: I ADORE this stroller. It is one of the most useful presents I have ever gotten, as it changes to fit our needs so well--it can hold Gabriel’s car seat if he needs to lay down (even though they are not the same brand), or he can sit up in the back and look around, and Emerald can sit, stand, or even utilize a jump seat next to me in the back. Greatest stroller ever!

Back to my story at hand (I get distracted easily--I apologize!).

Because the weather has been so lovely this year so far, and because it just makes all three of us feel so much better, we have been going on 2-3 walks a day. Once we even went on 5 walks in one day (Gabriel was having a particularly hard day). Emerald drinks her water or juice, and we talk and sing and observe the comings and goings on our street...all in all, one of my favorite parts of the day. Not to mention the definite benefit of getting me back to some semblance of my pre-baby figure!!

My issue has so recently become that, as it is June and so very hot here, we are unable to take very many walks. Sometimes we wait until later in the day, when it is starting to cool off a bit, but we still need the break in the middle of the day--it helps keep us all level headed and keep us from getting cabin fever.

Now, without these walks, I am not sure what we will do, both for exercise and relaxation and fresh air. That being said, I am searching for a new calming tactic. I am thinking about completely clearing the garage of all our boxes and such, and seeing about installing a window, and therefore a window unit to cool off the garage. Then, we can go out there to finger paint, do chalk drawings, have snack, or what have you. With the garage door open, we will get the fresh air, and it will be safer for Emerald to run around without the fear of burning out in the hot sun. It doesn't really get me exercise, but I will puzzle that out a bit more on my own later.

~Andie~

Day 1 of Potty Training

Today, Michael and I went and helped Emerald pick out her first big girl potty and "panties"!

As I have mentioned before, Emerald is showing definite signs of being ready, so I consulted my pediatrician's home guide that said she is a good age to give it a try and I got some general guidelines that might help ease the transition. So, this morning before Michael went to work, we packed up the kids and headed for Target.

The potty Emerald actually picked out sang a triumphant song every time she "goes" in her potty, but as it was twice as expensive, I have heard mixed reviews on the product itself, and we are not even sure she will take to potty training at all yet, we got the very practical transitional one--it can be a stand-alone potty, attach to the big toilet, and eventually become a stepping stool for when she is older. I don't really want her to view the potty as a toy, so we are holding off on the (somewhat obnoxious) singing toilet.

Per advice in my guide, I went ahead and picked up a package of the off-brand pull-ups for girls. Side note—pull-ups are EXPENSIVE!! Back to our story--she so loves her new big girl "panties". We are hoping this is the last pack of big diapers for her, as well as the last pull-up package. Once she shows noticeable headway with the potty training, we are going to have a special "party" in her honor--I know it's dorky, but I like celebrating milestones. I am going to get McDonalds for us three, put up some balloons, and bake a cake for the big girl--she will even get a present of us taking her to pick out her first big girl undies. Yes, I realize she will probably mess in those, but if I let her stay in the pull-ups for too long, I also know that she will have little incentive to progress.

Today, all we did was have her sit on the potty in front of her Wiggle show, fully dressed, so she can get used to it.

I will keep you updated on the progress!!

--Andie--

The Tree....

It would occur to me that I pratter on and on about the slightest nuance with the children, but scarcely talk about myself or Michael, when there is all ready so very little that some people know about us in the first place. It was as though the moment we met, we became so wrapped up in each other that we were fairly cut off from the world. Therefore, I will make an honest effort to talk more openly about the tree from which the acorns fell (get the title now? Clever, right?) as well as to tell you more about ourselves as individuals.

As way of introduction, most of these posts will generally be written by the mother--Andra, called Andie (because most everyone will read that wrong, and therefore call me by the wrong name, which annoys me endlessly). As I spend the most time with the children, I try to keep this blog updated as much as possible, mostly for my husband Michael's sake. He works so much that he feels like he is missing out on the children's lives, and this helps him know the things that I forget to tell him at the end of the day. We both go to school--he is going for Computer and Simulation Design, which is one of his true passions, and I am going for business and biology (::super sigh:: practicality is one of my many flaws. Though I am unhappy with business, I know that it is a very valuable tool to have at your disposal). He works as a call representative, and while he is very good at it, it wears on him terribly because he is not used to such hate coming from people that have never met him before.

An aside--when you talk to someone on the phone that is trying to help you, know that you are not entitled to anything and no one is trying to scam you (unless you are talking to Sprint. Then they make so many mistakes, you are probably right). Even so, that is no cause for rudeness). These people are just following protocol, just like everyone has to do at their jobs, and they deserve common courtesy.

Back on topic from that tangent, as I said earlier, I will be trying to tell you more about us parents in general. I believe it is important, for a variety of reasons, but as always, you are free to skip them. I think they are interesting asides any way. =)

--Andie--

Jolly Little Sir

I have been wondering what Gabriel's "thing" would be--Emerald has her art and dance, Michael has his programming and graphic novels...I want to know what Gabriel will be passionate about. During my pregnancy, I was hoping I could forge a little Dave Matthews--devastatingly beautiful singing voice, talented at a number of instruments, creative and romantic. It may be my own wishful thinking, but he is all ready showing a love for music--perhaps my dreams for him have come true!! (*Side note--I am being as realistic as possible about this, and know that he is just an infant and cannot show too much preference for any one thing, this is just my observations).

Gabriel's absolute favorite songs--the ones that can't help but bring a giant grin to his face (see picture above)--are The Sausage Man Song (proof that he is a male from the Wagner clan--there hasn't been a little boy yet that hasn't responded to that song) and You Are My Sunshine (Mama's special song for him--in case you are curious, Mama's special songs for Emerald are Crazy for This Girl and She's so High Above Me).

Every time I sing to him, he coos along, very obviously trying to sing along with me, to the point that he stops when I stop, and restarts when I start singing again. Whenever Emerald watches her Wiggles, he sings along with that as well. He is just such a happy baby!! He reminds me of stories of Amber (my sister) when she was an infant--she was forever singing, and she has such a beautiful singing voice.

The only hang up I have is that though his Daddy has a lovely voice, most men in my family are ::cough:: not the best singers. They love singing, but they couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, if you know what I'm saying. Maybe he got the right genes--Granny (my grandmother) has the most beautiful voice in the world. I may just have my Dave Matthews yet! I'll get on teaching him "Let You Down" right away.

(And I'll see about getting a video of him singing for me to post!)

--Andie--

Birthdays

With my own impending birthday, I can't help but think I only have 3 more months to plan Emerald's 2nd birthday party. Some might call me over-anxious, but I believe the cost of the party should be broken up as much as possible so that you don't have a large amount to pay all at once. If I decide how I would like it to go now, I can buy decorations this month, presents in July, party favors in August, and food in September. Everything else keeps.

This year, I am thinking about going with a green, white, and art theme. I found a recipe for a cake decorated with M&M's that would go really well, and I was thinking of hand-making party hats and favor bags for her friends to decorate with markers or crayons and stickers. I suppose crayons are a better bet, since they won't stain little clothing, but this is just the beginning stages of thought. I had also considered a more lasting art present--there are "decorate your own cup" plastic coffee cups at Hobby Lobby for around 50 cents each. They each have four interchangeable Bible scenes, and are very cute. For party favors, I will use the bags they decorated and fill them with little coloring books, sticker pages, a four pack of crayons or chalk, and maybe a little children friendly candy. I don't think Michael and I could undertake the fiscal responsibility of feeding a large group of people, so I was thinking more along the lines of snack-y foods--cut up fruit and cheeses, crackers, cookies, and maybe juice boxes or not sugary punch, though I doubt there is such thing. I don't want to overload people on sweets, or I may end up getting stuck with too much birthday cake for us to finish off. 

These of course are all just ideas, and premature ideas at that. Emerald has definite likes and dislikes, but she has a true love and passion for art at this age, and I want to nurture that love. 

Hopefully, the whole party won't be over 2 or 3 hours, because there is always sleepy babies to think of. Present ideas are completely open at this point--I am thinking an art easel, or an adorable tutu. What she needs the most are tons of more clothes. That girl grows at an impossible rate. It's mildly maddening, but I do enjoy shopping for her. 

--Andie!--

Tuesday

Today, I was awoken at 7.30 am in the most terrible of ways--to the sound of Gabriel gasping for air from his bassinet. Specifically, it sounded like he had spit up and was drowning in it. Luckily, Michael jumped up to find what appeared to be a perfectly fine, though panicking, Gabriel. Since his nose started running profusely the moment he was in my arms, I am thinking it was drainage that had gotten backed up in his nose and throat, and so will follow the pediatrician's advice from days past--if we elevate the side of his bassinet his head lies on with a pillow underneath, there is no risk of suffocation, and the excess mucus will merely drain down his throat.

That being said, I have nervously watched him all day, spoiling him more than a child ought be and have scarcely let him leave my sight. It was very frightening, to be sure, but I believe Michael is right, and that I am just overreacting.

Emerald, on the other hand, has been in quite the darling mood all day. She has cheerfully done as she is told, and is exploring more than ever before. The picture above is of the little darling intent on reaching her colors, and crawling on top of the table to do so. She thinks it is just the funniest thing ever. While Gabriel and I did some light grocery shopping, Michael took her to pick out some little toys--she picked out a little Batman figure and a Joker figure. She is becoming more and more like her father every day. Thus far, she has enjoyed making the figures kiss, then later fight one another. She is a bit all over the place.

As a reward for such good behavior lately (and getting 15 stickers for being good), we bought her a Happy Meal dinner and hot fudge sundae dessert. She was ecstatic--nothing makes that child happier than golden crispy nuggets. And she is the only child I know that shows less interest in the prize than in the dinner itself. Afterwards, she was a bit giddy, twirling all around the living room, bumping into things, laughing hysterically, and hugging anyone or anything that came too close to her. I am starting to think Mr. Remy LaBeau (the ginger tabby we own) lives and dies for that girl, as he will let her cuddle him like a teddy bear while she naps on the couch, carry him all over the house, and shower him with kisses. The cutest part is that he looks like he was made for Emerald--they both have the exact same shade of hair.

All in all, a very good day for Michael's day off of work, with the occasional hiccup. Hopefully, we don't have trouble with Gabriel tonight, though I am sure I will jump at every sound and not sleep a wink. Luckily, Emerald is finally sleeping through the night and in her own big girl bed, so hopefully I will get a little rest.

It's just about that bath and bedtime, so have a good night all =)

--Andie—

Potty Training and Little Sickies

First, Gabriel--my little darling is the proud owner of his first low-grade fever. It's probably just teething or a little infection, maybe, but the poor dear hasn't wanted me to set him down even for a moment today. He spent most of the day sleeping in mama's arms and refusing food, so some good friends kept Emerald happy and entertained for me while Michael was at work. Luckily, I did get some time with her this evening, and hopefully Gabriel will be feeling better tomorrow.

Emerald is showing definite signs of wanting to potty train, especially around BM's. The other day, she woke up and looked me right in the eye and said "poo". I was obviously confused, so she made the hand sign for "make". I ask her what she means, and she sighs heavily, crawls to the floor and squats right in front of me, proceeding to "make". Goodness that girl...

Other than that, there are other clues--she will go and pick out a book, magazine, or comic to "read" during, or will bring me wipes and go in front of me. I am thinking she is ready for the concept to be introduced. 

So, I have never done this before, obviously. I have bought a book on clearance called "Once upon a Potty". Michael finds it a little obscene, but it is all I have today. I read the hints in the handbook my pediatrician's office hands out, and according to its advice, I sit Emerald on the potty fully dressed, and read her special book to her. She didn't like balancing, but she enjoyed the story, and all went well, until I showed her how to flush--she ran screaming from the room. First run, a colossal failure, but after Michael gets his paycheck in a few days, I will take her shopping to pick out some candy and a special potty, and we will try this again this weekend!

As it is, Gabriel is screaming his little heart out, so I must go tend him--any advice on potty training is always welcome!

--Andie--

Family Dinner

As Sunday was Macy's birthday, and Monday was DadDad's, last night found our little Weard-o's over for another family dinner! 

Gabriel was his usual sunny self, getting loves from everyone. He couldn't give his patented Gaby kisses because he is still contagious with the thrush, but he was generous with his smiles and throaty chuckles.

Emerald announced moments after we arrived at Steve's that she was going to starve if she didn't eat immediately, signing to anyone that would pay attention "more food". She ended up ruining her appetite gorging herself on vanilla wafers, and didn't end up eating the ribs and corn-on-the-cob, which attempts I am convinced would have been very comical. Of course, she made room at the end for ice cream with fudge sauce. :p  

I think it bugged her a little bit to watch other people open presents when she wasn't getting to, but she held herself in very well, especially for being really very tired. She has been trying to wean herself off naps, which I full-heartedly believe she is NOT ready for. She gets so worn out with the short little cap-naps she's been taking.

It amazes me sometimes how much Emerald understands and how social she is becoming--we told her to go "fist bump" a girl Emerald had never met before and she passed by everyone else and headed right for her! It shocked me--she grows up so faster than I am comfortable with!! 

All in all, we had a good night with well-behaved little children. Maybe next time, Emerald will eat more than just sweets! 

--Andie--