Kids Say The Darndest Things

Some weeks my kids crack me up and other weeks, well they are just normal. Here are some of their latest quips.

Leighton is up and down and bouncing around her booster seat at the table. Her brother sees this and always wants to do what she does. It's the plight of the eldest. So we have conversation that goes a little something like this:

M: Lo please sit down in your booster and stop messing around.
Lo: Why mommy?
M: Because your brother always wants to do what  you are doing.
Lo: But my brother is not here.
M: Look I know this is tough, I get it I am a big sister too, but your brother sees everything you are doing and wants to mimic you. It is hard being the oldest, you never get to have any fun because you always have little eyes watching you. Mommy had to go through it too.
Lo: Mommy I don't have little eyes, I have BIG eyes.
M: Good talk Lo. Good talk. ::Sighs.::

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I had left a bag of dry roasted edemames out on the desk. MW is spinning around in the office chair and stops and starts shouting "Mommies, mommies."
I am dumbstruck because he never calls me mommy, always "Mimi"
Still shouting "mommies, mommies" this time pointing.
"Oh you want edemames buddy?!"
"Yep!" Complete with lit up face. I love that face he gets when we I get what he is saying! Really I love that face in general!

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Grandma Rachel was on a vacation and hit up a Disney store and found Lo and Izzy costume from Jake and the Never Land Pirates. She called and asked if she could get it for her and of course I said yes.
M: Lo, Grandma Rachel got you a surprise.
Lo: What is it?!
M: I am not telling, it is a secret.
Lo: MOM! We aren't suppose to have secrets unless it is birthday or Christmas.
M: True, but this is sort of like a birthday and Christmas type surprise.
Lo: Tell me!!
M: Nope you will just have to wait until next week when she gets back!
Lo: oh coconuts.

This conversation has occurred several times this past week. She is just so excited!

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Below is a picture of Lo's dollhouse remodel. She spent 30 minutes meticulously re-arranging the dollhouse rooms and "cleaning" it. I was impressed. Then she put all the people to bed. The End.

Fall Look

Happy Fall Y'all.
The other day Lo really wanted to get out the fall decor, it felt a bit early, but I guess it is the end of September. Weird to think my house won't be back to "normal" until January! Anyway welcome to our fall/Halloween decor.

{Side Table}

{Piano}

{Mantle. I changed this up from last year adding my kids' previous Halloween pics, they are just so cute.}

{And my little "witch."} You will have to excuse the bad pic, the dumb strap fell into the lens as I took this, but you can't re-create cuteness.

I always see such cute ideas I want to do, but then never get around to them. Every year I think, next year I will do better...but I don't. So maybe next year. HA!

These are a few ideas I want to accomplish at some point...

Source: google.com via Michele on Pinterest

Source: naptimedecorator.blogspot.com via Michele on Pinterest

 I sort of have a thing for candy corn. I realize most people think it is the most disgusting candy on the market right after conversation hearts, but I happen to love both. :)

Source: swelldesigner.blogspot.com via Michele on Pinterest

Maybe one day if I get a sewing machine AND learn how to use it I could make this cute bunting.

Source: tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com via Michele on Pinterest

I love that bat wreath for Halloween and the Owl one for fall!

Source: indiefixx.com via Michele on Pinterest

Then on top of all the decorating Lo can't wait to hit up the pumpkin patch, corn maze, big slide and carving. AND we may or may not already have a count down going for Halloween. She is just so excited this year to dress up like Izzy from Jake and the Never Land Pirates! The holiday season is upon us and so far it has been fun and magically, but ask me about Dec 15th and I may have a different tune. HA!

Weekend Rewind

Here is the 411 at our house:

{One} I am not one to really "buy into" the whole "terrible twos" thing. I didn't have it with Lo, sure we had our moments, but overall great kid. But MW...well he is making me question the validity of the theory.
The other day he was mad about something...still don't know what...and walked over here, put his feet on the wall and started screaming, crying and kicking the wall as hard as he could. So like any good mother, I took a picture and walked away laughing. {He didn't see me laughing, don't want him thinking this is "cute."} Five minutes later, I kid you not, he got up, walked over to his high chair and sat down and ate lunch. Okay, glad you feel better.

{Two} For Friday Fun this week Lo wanted to decorate the house for Fall. So we did. Post to come.

{Three} My little fashionista. This girl has style. 98% of the time she emerges from her room with some outfit she put together and it actually looks really great. I would have never come up with that combo on my own. She is into headbands now. I think she looked so cute rocking a little sparkly head band.

{Four} Beautiful weather. The temps are perfect now. Being outside is a joy and not a chore anymore!

{Five} 30 is knocking on my door. As in mere weeks I leave my youth behind and join the Medicaid group. Just kidding. Although that is what it feels like as my body is whole-heartedly rejecting this 30 business and instead embracing 80. On Friday, for my "Friday Fun" I got to go to the doctor and get a cortisone shot in my hip. And since I am a mother and can't get 2 minutes to sit down and ice said area, I came up with my own game plan. Don't be jealous--I'm Sexy and I know it! ;)

But really this whole thing is beyond frustrating. I do everything right and still wind up hurt and injuried all the time. People like to blame my mad gymnastic and cheerleading skills, but I am not buying it, I am still too young for this arthritis business. :( Okay pity pat party over. Not like it is going to slow me down. I will hobble into the gym with my walker if I have too! :)

{Six} Big Boy Boxers. I found these on clearence at Target and got MW some real underpants. He is doing so good at potty training with no accidents, that I thought he could sport some real boxers. How cute is he?!

I told Chad at least he will look like he has shorts on in all my pictures now, may not match, but at least we are clothed! :)

{Six} Birthday Party. My cousin's son had his 3rd Birthday last weekend. It was a crazy weekend, but so glad we could go and celebrate him! Here are just 3 out of 7 cousins. The other 4 live far far away! :(

{Seven} KSU vs. OU Game! Chad was invited to go to the game with his buddy, who is an OU grad and has season tickets. Chad said it was awesome and that the OU fans were nice to him when they found out he was a KSU grad/fan. So Chad sat in a sea of Red and cheered our Cats onto victory!!

{Eight} On Sunday afternoon we celebrated my mom's birthday! Happy Birthday Mom! We love you!!!

 MW chowin' down on CAKE!!!

{Nine} Last night we went to Hillsong a Christian group/worship team...not really sure how to best describe them, other than A-MAZ-ING! You just can't beat a great worship session. And chances are you probably sing a lot of their songs in your own Church worship sets.

 Seeing people just worshiping God together so passionately, it is just amazing. God was there.
There were also so many youth there. In a day where they say young kids are leaving the Church in hordes, I was blown away watching them worship so freely and passionately for Christ. They are our future after all.

{Ten} Leighton colored me this beautiful picture. She normally just scribbles on plain paper and hardly ever chooses to color an actual picture. When I picked her up from KidZone this AM she presented me with this. I was in awe of how well she did. This will definitely make the "keep" pile for her crafts. :)

It has been quiet the weekend/week, but the fun isn't over. It is just getting started. I go back to work this month, coupled with Judgement House rehearsals and stage nights {post to come}, it is sure to get a whole lot busier for this old lady. :)

If you made it to the end of this random train, feel free to disembark and check out other ramblings here:

The Things Lo Says

Last night I was putting Lo to bed and about 5 minutes after I left I see her standing in the hallway like a poltergeist. She is sneaky, and is constantly scaring the bejesus out of me, but this is very common.

M: What are you doing up?
Lo: Mommy! It's going to rain come look. I am scared.
M: ::heavy sighs:: {The excuses this girl comes up with, clearly she read Auntie Meg's "1001 Excuses To Annoy Your Parents and Keep From Bed." Not sure it is a best seller yet. So I follow her to her room to see.}
Lo: See Mommy! Look at those clouds.
M: Yes, but baby those are just plain, regular ole clouds, not rain clouds. Now please get into bed and go to sleep.
{She seemed less than convinced. I just so happened to have the iPad in my hand.}
M: Look baby I will show the radar on the iPad  and prove it is NOT going to rain tonight.
{I proceed to pull up chnl 12 radar, not a cloud, false echo, or 2% chance for rain until Wednesday. Finally convinced I kissed her goodnight.}

1030p--Chad calls to tell me he is on his way home from Norman, you know where KSU beat OU. Go CATS! As I crawl back into bed, I hear what sounds like moths attacking our window...thankfully it is not, it was RAIN! Seriously? Rain. After I assured my daughter there would be no rain until Wednesday!

 He is a "sick" bear with allergies, new teeth and canker sores in his mouth. So don't judge the paci, it brings him joy. :)

I don't know why, but I felt really bad, like I had lied to her. So I wrote it off as a fluke rain cloud and figured she would never know.

4aish (I think) Enter thunderstorm, complete with very loud thunderclaps and bright as mid-day lightening displays. Awesome. Now I really lied to her. I just laid there waiting for her to come in crying. She never did. She sleeps hard. PLT!

730a- Lo comes in to snuggle. I tell her all about the rain and how she was right and the meteorologist with their big fancy degree is wrong. She smiled and said "Why God do that to them then?! I guess God wanted it to rain and they did not know."

Oh sweet baby girl, you are right and you are so thoughtful to cut the meteorologist a break. :) I mean seriously what job out there can you be wrong numerous times and still get to keep your job? Meteorology is where it is at I guess.

And praise God for that rainstorm, because we need every.single.drop.

Parenting Advice

No one, I mean no one parents like the Cosby's. I love this show and their creative parenting techniques. Maybe if we all parented our children like this a tad more, we could see a revolution.

My favorite part of this clip start at minute 2:50, although all of it is hilarious!

Enjoy.

Best quote: I brought you into this world and I will take.you.out! HA!

MW 20 Months {Watch Me Grow}

Time to start 2nd birthday planning! Wow, in 4 short months you will be 2! Just crazy. I really enjoyed last month just writing down your silliness, so here we go again, or at least what I can remember. HA!

Anecdotes/Quirky things you do:
* You did this more last month, but you will just run up to me and blow raspberries on my legs. It was hilarious

*A few weeks ago I was watching a friend's little girl and she must not have stairs in her house (they don't live around here so it was treat to see them!) because when she needed to come down the stairs she reached for me and said "hold ju." Just like that in a split second you latched onto that phrase like white on rice and now exclaim all day long "hold ju." I am having flashbacks of Lo doing that, honestly can't believe it took you this long to learn. HA!

*Your speech is off the charts. If you hear it, you pretty much repeat it. Some of my favorite phrases right now:
--"where r ju, where R ju, where RRR ju?" {with each "are" getting more intense and drawn out.}
--"Mikey no ikey" BAHAHA! 1. He calls himself Mikey, not a fan, but what are you going to do. And 2. if he doesn't like it this is what he says. Hilarious. Love the 3rd person talk.
--"ike Lei Lei" {wants to be just like his big sissy, this is a double edge sword because he just can't understand he is NOT 3!}
--whenever you answer yes, it always comes out "yep."

--lately in the car you say what sounds like "bankie bankie," well that can only mean one thing--Blankie, duh. So I would hand  you your blankie and you would throw it at me and scream no! Yesterday I really started watching you when you said this and FINALLY realized you are really saying. "unbucky, unbuky." You want me to unbuckle you and get you out of your carseat. Sorry Charlie, but no can do we are driving, but at least I know what you want now. HA! Not sure that makes it better.

*You love "MicKEY" we don't really watch him much, but you sure know him!

Here we are watching/playing a Mickey game on the iPad, I just love the snuggle moments.

*Sissy has a Minnie Mouse piggy bank. You love to put coins in it all.the.time.

*You like to ride on my back like a monkey down the stairs.
*You say "owie" every time you bump something and/or get hurt.
*Doors must.be.shut.
*I was blessed with two little cleaners. If you spill something, spit up (yep we still deal with that from time to time) you say "owel, owel" and grab a towel and clean it up. Presh!
*Still a climber. You can now {thanks to sissy} climb up on to my kitchen counter to "help" me. Love this Mogli. 
*You are getting pickier about eating. You LOVE bread and crackers. Sometimes I wonder if you eat enough to sustain life, but I guess if you were starving you would eat. I know toddler eating is crazy. Then there are nights like last night that you ate 2.5 hotdogs. Go figure.

*You are looking like such a little man now. You have always had this Benjamin Button thing going on,  I think it is so cute. You are lanky looking just like your daddy.

*And a lovely video displaying sibling love at its best:

Brother and Sister Fight from Michele Keethler on Vimeo.

Favorite Toy/Book(s):
Your "row row" book. Just baby nursery rhyme board book, that just so happens to have Row Row Your Boat in it.
Favorite show is "DAKE!" aka Jake and the Neverland Pirates.
You love the shape sorter tool box, airplanes and legos.

Sleeping:
*We are officially down to one nap. Last month was hit and miss still, but this month I just bit the bullet and kept you from it and you seem to do fine. There are still some days you want to lay down early around 1215/1230, which is fine, but most often you make it to 1p. Kidzone is really wearing you out especially on Wed since you are in there for 1h15m since sissy has gymnastics.
*Sleep like a rock start at bedtime. Still have those pacis though!

Biggest milestone---you are nearly {daytime/awake time} potty trained!!! Hip hooray! You are 100% with me this past week and half (still not counting my chickens yet but...), we do still need to work on nursery settings because I just think they don't know to take you and telling other babysitters/learning his signals. But overall I am just so happy to reach this milestone!! I do keep waiting for the regression or slap in the face backslide, but so far so good...maybe we won't have one?!?!

*You do however think the only time I will read to you is on the potty. HA! So sometimes you like to "fib" to me and say "potty" just so we can read. Silly boy. Of course it is the only time you will set still and listen to a book.

Stats:
Wt: 22#
Ht:
Teeth--11, almost 12. All that are missing are the eye teeth.

Clothes-12-18m. Shoes 5
Diaper-size 3 swaddler at night.

Happy 20 Months Little Man

{ps--this is the story of my life, always climbing...}

{pps please ignore my "crummy" counter. Typically it is clean...and soon I will have a NEW one, good-by UGLY green counter tops!}

Soggy Fair

Yesterday Chad and I took the kids, along with my mom and sister to the State Fair.
It was soggy. But we made the best of it. It wasn't as much fun as it could have been on a dry, sunny, warm day, but it was still fun and Leighton was one happy girl.

Start of the day. I knew it would be rainy and 60*ish but apparently I didn't dress us appropriately. Thankfully, between my mom's car and ours we scrounged up enough extra jackets and blankets to make it work.

 Pig Races.

 Petting zoo.

 Leighton kept telling all of us this was a tiger! HA

I had to laugh because this is a Zedonk {zebra/donkey cross} apparently these animals can NOT reproduce. Funny because if evolution is about genetic mutations, wouldn't they keep reproducing the "mistake?!" HA! Maybe only I find that interesting and funny. Evolution at its finest. :)

Next door was the pony rides. Leighton remembered riding them last year, so she sweet talked grammy into the ride. 

Doesn't MW look like such a little man? How is he getting so big?!?

Grammy thought MW would want to ride too...he acted all excited, until he actually got on, then he freaked. The fair worker said let's just take a few steps and see if he calms down...he didn't, so he just watched sissy who was thrilled!

 Leighton rode Jake. She is obsessed with Jake and the Neverland Pirates currently, obsessed, so it was only natural to ride Jake the pony. HA! Also, Meg was her BFF yesterday. Only Meg could push her and take her places. :)

Birthing Center hosted by none other than KSU Vet Med.

 Brand new baby cow, s/he was a twin. Only days old.
We had just missed a cow giving birth. :( Some of you may be grossed out by it, but it is so cool.

Another KSU ag play area. The kids love running around in here. Another nice escape from the rain.

So MW loved this "pony" ride; guess the real pony was the scary part. HA!

Attempt at nap time...

Pretty much sums up our soggy fair day.

Meg, and maybe me, were dying for a red velvet funnel cake...it took us all day to find a vendor, but when we did it was heaven and a perfect end to the day. I told you Meg I was going to post this. HA!

Bye bye fair! 
Lo was pretty sad she couldn't do the fountains this year or ride the train with grammy...so here's to a hopefully drier, warmer next year!