St Paddy's

Sisterly Love

Happy Baby



We have so many St Pat's shirts it is crazy.

This one is a hand-me-down from Kaylee.

It suits her better than Ainslee.  

80% good

20% attitude

100% Irish

I think the wording on this shirt could be changed to better suit Kaylee

Eating at the local Mexican restaurant, where this conversation took place

me to the waiter: "could I please have some limes for my water"

waiter: "yes the green ones or the yellow ones?"

me: "LIMES......the GREEN ones!"



Updates ---- video style

Kaylee is the most fantastic big sister EVER!!! Not only does she do WHATEVER I ask when it pertains to Brynlee, she does things I don't even ask her to do!

Like this.......this was the 2nd time she had picked Brynlee up, without being asked, from under her gym, walked her over to the couch, where she sat down and played/held her.

She also volunteers to change diapers, I have video proof, but don't have the editing software or the tech knowledge to blur out my babies private areas so you will just have to take my word for it. She LIVES to hold and play with Brynlee, it is so nice to have her around to help. Like the other day, I was nursing Brynlee first thing in the morning in my bed. Kaylee came in when she woke up. We laid in the bed playing until I heard Ainslee. I was in the middle of getting Brynlee dressed and I told Kaylee "just sit here and talk to her while I go get Ainslee." I was gone all of 1 1/2 minutes and came back to a FULLY dressed baby. Kaylee had finished putting on her outfit and buttoned it correctly (which seems to be a hard task for daddy), and was playing with her on the bed! Brynlee shares her love for Kaylee, whenever I say, "you wanna go see Kaylee!" she gets SOOOO excited!

Here she is "talking" on St. Patrick's Day

Ainslee reading her newest favorite book

***she usually does it better, but she has always suffered from stage fright, as soon as I turn on the camera her whole mood changes***

I told Kaylee it was time for her to start riding her bike without training wheels. She looked at me like I had 3 eye balls! Then I took her to the top of the hill, told her to put her feet on the petals, gave her a push, and this is what happened......

i knew she could do it!

Last night I pulled out the girls dresses for today. Today is Brynlee's baptism and I wanted to be as prepared as possible to avoid the craziness. When I pulled her dress out Ainslee's eyes got as big as grapefruits and she said excitedly "I'm wearing THAT dress!!!"

This morning when I went to get her out of her bed she said "Mommy I looked at my bed last night while i was sleeping" and then when we went to leave the room to get breakfast, naturally I turned out the light, she said "Mommy don't turn out the light I need to get my dress on." When Marcus got home from work she was sure to tell him ALL about the dress.  Then while sitting at breakfast she started talking AGAIN about the dress, i was making sure to prepare her for the idea that the dress might not fit her and we would try it on after she ate. I said "AZ if your dress doesn't fit you can not wear it." She thought for a quick second and then said "then I will find another beautiful dress!" I said jokingly "NO I think then you will wear pants." She got a dishevelled look on her face, and she thought for a few more seconds before saying sadly "but I want to wear a BEAUTIFUL dress!"

Happy Friday

Today has been a great day over here! We had another day of kindness and cooperation, and this momma was one HAPPY camper today! I didn't have any "school" planned today, but the girls have been begging for more school days, ever since I lightened the load down to 3 days a week. So I scrambled to put something together for us to do. I really need to get a folder prepared for these circumstances, sorta like a substitute folder. Anyways this is what I came up with for today.....

I had this particular activity planned out now for about a year. My mom and I made this last year when I was planning on reading to Kaylee's class, and then the teacher never had time for it, so i tucked it away until today.

I read them this book......and I have to say both girls were completely enthralled by it

Then i passed out the pieces that correspond with the book and I reread the book to them even the 2nd reading kept their attention. Whenever I said a piece that they were holding they had to come and place it on the white board in the correct spot.

After this activity I gave them a paper with all the pictures on it and asked them to remember what color each thing was and to color it the appropriate color. Here is Ainslee's color page. It is amazing how they remember everything you say.

Here is Kaylee coloring her page, she takes such pride in her work, and it makes me happy!

When i was getting the pictures off my camera for this post I found a few surprises.......

 Kaylee must have gotten a hold of my camera and taken a

few shots of her favorite person.........37 pictures

to be exact!
and they all look something like this

 

Here is a picture of the bird house my dad gave me that he made with the children at Madonna Learning Center (a local school for children with disabilities). My dad volunteers there once a week and does wood working with the children. His "project" was this bird house. He made it with one side plexiglass so that the birds build their nest and you can look in to observe without disturbing them. I was so excited when we got this and had GRAND plans of doing lessons on birds, but we haven't gotten around to that part. I knew it was getting late in the year, so I had to go ahead and put the house outside so birds could start doing their thing. Today was the first day we've seen any action. Two birds, I like to think are husband and wife, were checking out the place deciding whether or not to move in. We got so excited! Cant wait to see how they decorate the place!

While the girls were napping I started looking around online for some Easter activities. I found this one and thought we'd give it a whirl after nap. I grabbed the necessary supplies and got things prepped.

Kaylee poking her whiskers through

gluing her ears together

the final project......I had plans of getting a shot of each girl with her creation, but then daddy woke up and the chaos that followed did not allow for that.
***this picture shows the flowers on the hands grass unfinished. We made the petals for the flowers with glitter, which is always a hit around here.***

I have a few more activities rolling around my head, one of which I am extremely excited about......I'll keep you posted, if I'm able to get pictures before I eat them all up!

After showing off all we did today to daddy we enjoyed a family game of Disney Bingo. Then Brynlee requested her meal while ours was still in the making, so I had to pass cooking duties off to daddy, and I have to say he fared quite nicely in the kitchen. It was nice sitting back, nursing Brynlee, while Marcus handled the big girls and finished dinner.

Lately I have been busy planning my visit to the Homeschool Convention that is coming next month. I will be going by myself this year (well Brynlee will come at least one day), but next year I am already excited about making it a family event!  And now as I type I am thoroughly enjoying my first glass of wine in like 3 weeks! I am finally well enough to want a drink, and MAN is it tasty, even though it is only 3 buck Chuck! Don't get me wrong, all days around here do NOT go this way! But occasionally some do and I am very thankful for them!

HAPPY FRIDAY Y'ALL!!!!!

Highlights and Lowlights

Highlights:

Ainslee self potty training at nights starting about 2 months ago. She just all of a sudden decided no more diapers for night time, and she has done absolutely wonderful with it! Im so proud of her!

Brynlee has been sleeping fairly well (not consistent) up to 10.5 hours at night. Sometimes I wish we had more of a routine with her but then I realize that with our schedule a solid routine would be nearly impossible
All the help and support I get when sick

Kaylee conning my parents into spending the night whenever possible. It is so awesome to see how much she loves spending time over there and how much they seem to enjoy having her.

I finally got Brynlee's baptism scheduled (super sad her godmother won't be able to make it)

The weather has been AWESOME 80*+

Having family over for dinner, playing games, and going to the zoo together

The fact that i get to homeschool and be so flexible during the day to go do whatever we want when we want to, as well as the obvious perk of getting to watch your children learn.
All my friends who support me endlessly
Hearing the new things that come out of the girls' mouths, I wish I could recall all of them right now.

Brynlee pooping on potty everyday. You read that right......my 3 month old goes on the potty everyday. She started when she was 2 months old. I will explain, one day I got her bath ready, after I stripped her down I tested the water temp and found it was too hot. Since I already had her naked I thought I would sit her on the potty, which is right next to the tub, and hold her with one hand while i fixed the water temp with the other. She peed and pooped immediately upon sitting on the potty. I screamed and praised her and we clapped. She was so happy! She didnt have a clue why we were so happy together but she knew I was happy so she was happy! Since that day I have randomly put her on the potty throughout the day and 9 times out of 10 she either pees or poos. I will sit there and hold her I will grunt and she grunts with me and pushes out her poo.  I started this form of early potty training called Elimination Communication with the big girls at 12 months with Kaylee and 5 months with Ainslee. Both girls caught on fairly quickly with very little accidents and NO stress over the typical potty training.  I am so happy to be able to start even earlier with Brynlee, and the fact that we save a TON on diapers is an even bigger plus!

Receiving my grandmothers furniture pieces, I am in the process of funding someone who can strip them so they can be repaired and refinished. I was given her vanity complete with a mirror and bench seat as well a chest of drawers.

Lowlights:

I've been sick......super sick! It lasted about 2 weeks, with about 3 good days in between. I started off thinking I had the flu and then it turned bad, really bad! I finally went to the doctor and learned i was severely dehydrated. I was nearly hospitalized for my condition. And in hindsight I probably should have been. Besides the dehydration I had a really bad bacterial infection. Long story short I was finally able to get better after 2 bags of IV fluids, a round of steroids, 2 doses of antibiotics as well as an injection of antibiotics, LOTS of pain meds, and LOTS of sleep! I needed more pain meds in a single day while I was sick than I needed for the entire time after I delivered Brynlee. I would much rather give birth 5 times than go through that pain again!

Getting up to take Ainslee to the potty in the middle of the night is definitely not one of my most favorite things to do

Still not finished with Kaylee's room, we are getting closer to purchasing her a bed and when we get that we are moving her up there immediately

Brynlee is now wearing a lot of 6 month clothes, where has the time gone?

Because I was so sick and dehydrated my milk supply suffered. I had to give lots of bottles, and I am just now beginning to get my supply back. It has been a struggle to make sure that she gets enough without wasting my precious milk.

I have been trying to dig myself out from under all the work that was pushed to the side while sick. Eventually I will get it all done.........hopefully


High/low:

Attending my grandmothers memorial mass. I was in disbelief nearly the entire trip, it being my first time going to St Louis and NOT seeing her. The mass was touching to say the least. Many tears were shed and more memories made. My favorite of all was watching Ainslee give her great grandmother kisses (on the program) and attempt to hug her throughout mass.