Another "Cal" moment...

Okay, what's wrong with this picture?

A little bit of life...

Okay, I'm working on some pictures I took today while the kids are outside with Daddy. Oprah just came on and I'm listening to it in the background. Do y'all know that t.v. show "John and Kate Plus 8"? Well if you don't, it's basically the life of a couple with 7 yr old twins and 3 yr old sextuplets. Anyway, a couple things that she said really hit home for me. One thing is that she feeds them very healthy organic food... and they eat it. She said that the secret is that "there are no options. I am not a short-order cook and I am not a buffet. They need to eat, or they don't eat." For those of you that don't know, Cal is a very picky and terrible eater. And I let him. I just realized how weak I am. Lord, give me the strength to get this kid to eat! I won't ever feel sorry for myself again. She also said that for them, 3's are tougher than 2's.... "3 is the new 2." I've actually heard that A LOT lately. I thought it was 2 that was so terrible. Seriously... I've never ever heard that before and now that my kids are about to be 3, I have heard it from so many parents. Did I say I wasn't ever going to feel sorry for myself? Great....

Finally!!!

I finally got a picture of Cal and Patti where they are both looking at the camera and smiling! Yay!

It's a bird, it's a plane...

... nope, it's just Cal.

Notice: he's facing away from the camera because he's trying to catch his open-mouthed expression in the reflection of the television set.


He was having a grand time jumping off the recliner and doing a front-roll as soon as he landed.

Things that make me giggle.

There's a thunderstorm blowing through CS right now... lots of rain, lightning and thunder. Cal heard the thunder and yelled "Oh no! A peecano (aka: volcano)!!" Too many episodes of Backyardigan's The Legend of the Volcano Sisters. Right after that, Patti came running up to me pointing at her mouth saying "It's a pickup (aka: hiccup)!" Evidently the storm scared the hiccups into her. I laughed -- encouraging more "fake" hiccups that sounded more like little belches.

Fine, we'll get our own vitamins!

Sunday mornings are always a little hectic. Here, let me just go through a little dialog to explain...

Cal: "Hey MOM.... vitamins!"

Mom: "Sure Cal... in just a minute... Mommy's busy."

Patti: "Mommy... vitamins?"

Mom: "Sure Patti... but, I'm busy doing my hair and Daddy's in the shower... just a minute."



*** some play time.... some more of the same dialog as above***


*** a few minutes of silence.... I panic (because I don't trust my son -- I rarely let him out of sight or ear shot for more than a couple of minutes)***



Mom: "Hey Dad... what are the kids doing?"

Dad: "I don't know.... I'll go check." "Hey Jen, come here."




They decided that we were too busy.... they'd just get the vitamins themselves. Notice the tricycle below the cabinet -- obviously used for a boost on to the counter.



Here's Cal pleading his case with Daddy.

Hello again...

It's been a while since my last post... unfortunately not a lot to catch up on. Potty training is going okay. We went to visit my parents in S. Texas and Patti took a couple steps back, but we're working on it. Cal now asks for a diaper when it's "that time".... yikes! Any suggestions? A friend told me to tell him that there was a big party underneath the bathroom floor and that his poo-poo really wanted to go, but the only way down would have to be through the potty.... hahaha... I love that story and see how it could totally work. But, unfortunately Cal's not able to understand that whole concept. We'll get to that party one of these days! So, I was starting to miss diapers last night. Cal woke up at 1:30 having to go potty, Patti at 2:30 and then again at 4:00. I need to monitor how much they're drinking in the evening and eventually cut them off.

Here are some pictures of the kids at The Ranch. They love it down there!

Grams bought Patti some makeup for Christmas. We left it at the ranch.... Patti found it while I was unpacking. Doesn't she look pretty... kind of like I wear my makeup.

Can't have a ladder out without Cal climbing it.

Uncle Bugaboo (aka, Bomboo)

My little broccoli-eater (raw or steamed... she loves it!).