Matthew's First Athletic Cup

I'm 100% positive that that is not the way you're supposed to wear it...... Although it would come in handy to protect your nose and mouth. But then again, I have got to assume it would be rather smothering while trying to play T-ball.

Birdie the Shoe Hijacker

Beatrix is obsessed with shoes. She hijacks any and all shoes she can get ahold of. She'll pull out pairs from the shoe cubby and shuffle around the house in anything she can manage to find.

Right now she is obsessed with Phoebe's rainboots. She totes them everywhere and insists on trying to walk in them even though she can barely lift her feet in them.

One day, Kevin was looking for his shoes and asked me if I knew where his tennis shoes were. I told him I had no idea. Beatrix perked right up and took off running down the hallway. Low and behold she returned with Kevin's tennis shoes clutched to her chest.

A few days later my flip flops went missing. I looked everywhere I could think of and I couldn't find them. Apparently Beatrix had taken them and put them in the dirty laundry basket. Kevin found them and returned them safely to me.

She seriously has a shoe obsession. I can't count how many times she has hijacked someone else's shoes.

Now we know that if any shoes go missing, we need to pat Birdie down and ask them where she hid them before we look anywhere else. She hijacks them whenever she can and hides them in places only she would think to look.

Lion vs. Lyon

I arrived to pick up Phoebe from preschool about ten minutes early and sat down to observe story time.

The teacher was reading a story about a little dog who followed his owner to kindergarten. At almost every page the teacher asks a question to one or more of the kids.

At some point the teacher says to this little boy Lyon- " What would you say to the puppy Lyon??"

Phoebe raises her hand practically jumping up and down. The teacher says- " Yes Phoebe???"

Phoebe jumps up and yells- "Roar!!! A lion says Roar!!!"

The teacher and I were both had to choke back the giggles. Even littly Lyon started cracking up. Lyon's mom had just arrived however and she started giving me the stink eye as I was trying to suppress the giggles.

The lady needs to get a sense of humor. She named her kid Lyon, not me. I doubt Phoebe will be the last person in the world to call attention to the fact that she named her son after a lion.

T-ball

Matthew and Elijah have started t-ball. Kevin volunteered to coach and he made sure they both got on his team.

The boys are loving it. Every week when practice rolls around they go nuts with excitement. They have their last names printed on the backs of their shirts and they love the shirts so much that it's a huge fight just to get it off of them to wash again.

Kevin makes an awesome coach. I swear just watching him try to teach all the kids how to play t-ball just makes me fall in love with him over and over again. It's actually been a lot of extra work for him that neither of us had really counted on, but it has really been worth it because the boys are just so delighted to have him as their coach.... And I have to admit that I get a hoot out of people referring to me as the "Coach's wife". LMAO.

I can't wait for their first game!! It's going to be so fun and I just know that they are all going to be so freaking adorable.

Look Who is Climbing Now!!

Yep!!! My little Beatrix can climb on the high counter chairs all on her own now!! Acks!

The really tricky thing is I can't lift her down from there until my back is fully healed from surgery, so she manages to climb it and then is stuck until I can guide her climb back down. I can already tell that this is going to be a disaster, but I suppose that I should just be thankful that she hasn't tried to jump off of the chairs like Phoebe used to.

St. Patrick's Day Snake Race!!

In honor of St Patricks Day, all of the Kindergarten kids had a Snake Race. It was seriously just about the cutest thing ever. Matthew really wanted me to come watch him race. I was worried my back wouldn't hold up well enough but I decided this was important enough to push myself a bit and I'm so happy I did.

There were ten different heats of the race. All the kids laid on their tummies by their cones and had to attempt to slither on their bellies while guiding their snakes made out of old donated ties towards the finish line. All the kids were chanting- "Go snakes! Go snakes! Go snakes!!" Everyone was cheered for whether they came in first or last. It was awesome.

During recess time a "Leprechaun" broke into their classroom. He wreaked all sorts of havoc in the classroom. He threw clovers and gold coins all over the floor. He turned things upside down and poured green paint in the toilet. Last but not least, he left cupcakes for every student.

Matthew was a cross between excited about the Leprechaun and outraged that he would make so much mischief. In between the giggles and the little twinkle in his eye as he was describing it to me he very seriously stopped and informed me that something must be done about this Leprechaun and he must pay for his actions. I'm pretty sure I overheard him mumbling something about a Leprechaun trap for naughty Leprechauns as he walked away.

Phoebe School!!!

My little Smelly Cat started preschool this past week!! Or as she corrects me- "Not a preschool!!! A Phoebe School!!"

She loves it. I wish we had put her in a class even earlier. I had really wanted to get her into the older potty trained class, but she was being a horrible turd on the potty training front for the longest time. Thank heavens we're past that now and she has potty training down pat.

She's taken to the class like a champ. Better than Matthew did at that age. She really gets into the daily art project and she is uber excited to be making little friends. Her teacher was really impressed that she already has all her letters and numbers down. I wish I could take the credit for being a diligent teacher, but really she just picks things up like crazy all on her own with minimal prompting and effort from me.

This has been such a big step for my little Phoebe! A step towards independence and a lifetime of learning. I am so proud of her and the way she's taken to preschool. I can only pray that she will always have this enthusiasm for school.

The Smell of Love

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‎"You know what Mommy? You smell like love!!!", announced my little Matthew.

I was unaware love has a specific smell, but I'll take the compliment!!

Back Surgery

I have yet to write about my back issues or the back surgery I had last week. Honestly, it's not really fun to write about so I hesitated to bother to put this entry in here. But I eventually came to the conclusion that this is a pretty big piece of my life at the moment and I may as well embrace it. Life isn't always sunshine and roses and the lessons that this whole thing has been teaching me has been priceless. I might as well keep a record of what God has been teaching me through this whole ordeal.

Back in November I hurt my back lifting Phoebe out of the bathtub. Or more accurately, I hurt my back while trying to lift a flailing Phoebe out of the bathtub. She didn't want to come out of the bathtub even though the water was growing cold so she decided to protest by throwing herself around like a crazy banshee. She threw herself one way and my back went one way and that was that.

The following couple of months I popped ibuprofen like it was candy and kept thinking that the back pain would eventually go away. I probably would still be popping ibuprofen like a mad woman if I hadn't woken up a few weeks ago with numb legs and feet. Crazy scary to wake up and not be able to feel your feet and legs.

A MRI revealed a ruptured disc that was pressing on 90 something % of my spinal chord and blocking my nerves. The Dr warned me that if I didn't have the surgery there was a good possibility that if the disc ruptured any further all of my nerves would be cut off to the lower part of my body. My legs would turn to jello and I would essentially become paralyzed.

So .... I signed up for the surgery. Given the options of being potentially paralyzed or having a surgery I chose surgery! No hesitation.

The surgery went so smoothly. I was stunned by how well it went. Recovery has been rougher than I thought it would be. I've been pretty much kept in bed. I can get up for 10 minutes here, 20 minutes there. Lots of being weak and in pain. Lots of being sick to my stomach. Lots of sleep. I've been learning oodles about patience, obedience, and humility.

This specific verse has really been a a strong encouragment to me throughout this whole thing-

I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.... Isaiah 41:9-10

I'm definitely getting a little stronger every day. I'm hoping and praying that I'll be back to myself in another couple weeks. I can't wait to be able to scoop up my little Birdie and tote her around like I used too. ♥♥♥

The Littlest Gleeks

Rocking out to the Glee soundtracks.

Dance your hearts out my little white boys.

Note Matthew's attempt of the robot about 4-6 seconds in. I'm only disappointed he didn't attempt his break dancing routine. It is freaking hilarious.

Poor Phoebe

Phoebe: I need more cookies Mom-Mom.

Me: No, you can't have any more cookies Phoebe.

Phoebe: Don't say bad words to me Mom-Mom. Those are bad words to say to your poor Phoebe.

...............................................

Insert my eyeroll here. Poor Phoebe nothing. I was just lucky she decided to try to guilt me into giving her cookies rather than kick me in the shins and take them away by brute force.

I'm pretty sure she could take me if she wanted the cookies badly enough. She's freakishly strong and I'm currently gimpy. Not a good combo when you have a strong willed toddler.