Signs of Spring

So, did you really think I was going to be able to show you daffodils sprouting? I sent Olivia out to play even with a double ear infection! Yea, I was that desperate for her to burn off some energy. She rode the bus for the first time yesterday and that went ok. First, I forgot to tell her and her cousin exactly where they were getting off at (my mistake), so they saw the house and figured they were getting dropped off right at the front door, wishful thinking. So I had to hold up the bus until they got them off the bus (which seemed like it took forever). They were clear at the back, i figured they would sit at the front, the bus carries K-4 and as we know, the bigger kids always get the back of the bus. So after talking to Olivia and telling her they should sit at the front since they are the first stop, she tells me about a "big kid" that made them move from the front cause they were in her seat. I know, i know, everyone has their seats they sit in and it's your seat and nobody else can sit in it, especially when you are the 4th grader! So she precedes to call them "boobs" when asked who was holding up the bus line, and this did not sit well with Olivia. Now understand, Mackenzie will let that stuff roll off and keep going, Olivia on the other hand would probably turn and stand her ground and call her a name back (she has no boundaries for older kids). This worries me. In all fairness she's only been in school with kids her own age and the K's are pretty much kept by their selves in school so she knows nothing of "older" kids. One thing I was very proud of her and myself was, she asked me this girl chose to use "mean words" and not make the right choice!! Some things do sink in! But as you see, she is still thinking like preschool and the world is not that nice! So, we will see how today goes, the mama in me wants to stick up for my kid with the older kids and keep her in her "safe" environment and keep all the meanies away, but that can't happen. It's a hard thing to do because you don't want nobody to be mean to your kid or you don't want them to be put in that situation where their feelings get hurt. Whoever said "the hardest thing you'll ever do is be a parent" was so very right.....

Logan's life is pretty simple and someday I will want to keep him in a bubble too, but for now, I can. I tried the cereal spoon feeding with him, and that did not go over well with him. I really didn't know if he was ready yet or not, but trying never hurts. Well, you would have thought i was trying to feed the child cow poop! Oh, the faces. But he really isn't ready yet and wanted to gag, so that ended that. Olivia was being very loud the other night and being just plain goofy and he laughed so hard at her, well that just egged her on to do it more and she thought i was the neatest thing that he thought she was sooooo funny. I had him sitting against the couch the other day and she was so amazed that he could sit like that and so excited that he was getting bigger. I love when she sees new things he's doing and she's old enough to see the progress.

And so it goes......

I really think this winter has it in for us this year. Olivia just got back from the doctor's again and she is on her third ear infection, double ear infection this time. She had her first ear infection last year and it's been down hill from there. Makes you feel so bad cause there is nothing to do for it except go to the doc and get some antibiotics. So I dare ask the question, WHEN are we going to get a full night's sleep?? I am going to venture cereal with logan and see how that goes. Not sure how ready he is, but mama is. Otherwise everyone is doing good. Found out that logan is going to be my child who doesn't fall asleep in the car seat, unlike Olivia who to this day falls asleep as soon as the car moves. Different, Different, Different,they are!

Sorry, no new pics, the photographer has been spring cleaning closets. I'm sure with doing that and keeping the rest of the house from being torn apart, the photog doesn't have a free hand right now. Oh yes, speaking of cleaning out stuff, we know olivia is a huge pack rat, well i dumped some of her Bratz shampoo into another one, cause one was almost empty and threw the empty out.......right?.......went in her room and there was the empty shampoo bottle on her dresser, displayed very proudly like a new nick knack! I think she's checking the garbage every day now.

*****Kim, I looked up the Junie B. and that is soooo funny. Well we were at the book fair at school and low and behold they had one book of her, so I bought it and we have been reading it at night. Funny stuff!!

Up In The Sky......

"Look mom, it's the New Year's Blimp". Thought i would pee my pants driving down the road! Now this is pretty much a everyday occurence over our heads on a good weather day and Olivia is going to be 6, so she's used to it, but i thought for sure.........she knew the real name! PRICELESS!!

I really didn't forget about Valentine's Day, just thought Logan's 6mos.old was more interesting! I'm not a huge fan of V-Day, I like it and all, but don't go out of our way to celebrate. I think Olivia likes it way more than me and Rich. I went to Olivia's school party, and there is sooooo much chaos at the parties with the kids. It's nuts. They have fun though and love the mommy's and daddy's there. Funny story.....I do not have a very good past with the school nurse there, nice lady, but kind of not good at what she does.(Long story)....so I get this call yesterday that she has Olivia in her office and she's crying and they can't figure out what is going on??? Puzzled after talking to olivia(or so i thought, read on) and her saying she didn't think I was coming to school for the party and all this other stuff, I tell the nurse that i will just come to the school early and see what is going on. Now I have told olivia that she knew that I was coming for the party and that i would be there. Only to get to the school and find out, it wasn't my kid at all. They called the wrong mother! So now I've convinced this other poor girl(who's mother isn't coming afterall) that I will be there! Now my Olivia did have a meltdown over losing a heart off of her shoe (girl drama), but this wasn't my child on the phone! This nurse is screwy. The whole way to school I keep thinking, i hope she isn't going back to "i don't want to go to school" mode again and trying to already think of how i was going to handle this and..................not my kid! Just a day in the life..........

Help Me Grow was here today and Lisa is very impressed where Logan is in his development. I was listening to him chat away last night in his crib and was thinking how when he was in the NICU we loved when we heard a little cry come out of him and how he was so very quiet that whole time and listen to him talk away to himself was just music to my ears and very funny.

***No Kim, I don't know who that person is***????

Seriously, Olivia has picture issues. Those are lovely tattoos on her forehead from Valentine's.

Future hockey player??? LOL

Happy 6 months old!

I almost forgot Logan turned 6 mos. old yesterday. I am so in love with this toothless, bald man!! Can't get no smiles yet. I bring out the camera and he gets this real serious look on his face.

OH.....the weather outside

The weather don't want to let up, need i say more? Ok, I get it, we live where it snows and it's COLD. I'm tired of it, really, i am. Got a little depressed when I watched the Daytona qualifying and people had long sleeved t-shirts on and the sun was shining (yes, the sun), and they were HAPPY people! Oh, some day Spring will come. Don't ya wish you were a kid again and didn't care what the temperture is or what it's doing out? Yes, i remember those days, the more snow the better!!

Logan is doing good. He's just as happy as two peas in a pod. He just laughs and laughs. I really never seen a more laughing baby in my life. Maybe that's what I get for all the stuff i went thru to get him here! I know i will regret saying this but, I almost can't wait for the day he can sit up and play. It gets a little frustrating when all they can do is lay or be held to play. Only so much they can do. Of course Logan could just sit and stare at the lights and he would be happy. He is getting a trip to school tomorrow for Olivia's V-day party, so he will think that's a treat!

Speaking of Olivia, she's just being Olivia. I think she's had enough of being in the house, cause when she's here she's pretty much ready to climb the walls. I am soon going to climb the walls also if she doesn't get over it!! She told me the other day, when she wanted more chocolate milk at bedtime and i told her she would pee the bed if she drank too much , (she yelled this at me) I AM NOT 3, ONLY 3 YR. OLDS PEE THE BED. I AM GOING TO BE 6!!!! Yes, she's right, and i was honestly too lazy to make it again and was just using that as a excuse and she got me on that one. See, i've been telling her lately to act her age, not 3! She really is listening to me when I talk! On a lighter note, she announced over the weekend, that she wants to be like Uncle Mike when she grows up so she can have a "cool" room like his!!!!!!! Please God ,tell me this is not happening. What kind of cruel trick are you playing on me! I mean, the brother that was suppose to be my sister and turned out to be a brother and I did not want my mom to bring him home! The brother that I never saw eye to eye with (cause he was suppose to be a girl), but dearly love.............lesson learned, game over :)

****The blogger is not letting me spell check and being I'm doing this at lightning speed while Logan is sleeping, I apologize for words that don't look right at all******

***Tip for the day: Cut your dryer sheets in half and have twice as many, they work just the same****

Snow Celebration

Let me first say, my pics really are lousy to say the least. I thought I could juggle Logan and take them at the same time.....wrong ,as proved below. Rich was running the video camera, so we have that. Everything went really well. Olivia was so excited when she seen us. She loves anyone to come to her school and of course she loves the stage. I have to give the teachers credit for pulling this off, cause it was 2 classes together and the kids knew their lines very well and nobody messed up! Logan was a dream come true. He sat on my lap the whole time or we walked and never left a peep out. I thought maybe he would sleep or want to eat, but nope, he just looked around and was as quiet as a church mouse! So that is what a "good" baby is suppose to act like! Don't get me wrong, I thought and still kind of think olivia was a good baby, but no where near content like Logan. Ask my mother how many times the child flipped out in public for me! So I sit all the time and just wait for Logan to do this and he doesn't and i already have a game plan in mind before it happens cause that's what all "great" moms do, right? I never need my plan of exit with him. It just truly amazes me the difference, but what's funny is Olivia's personality is still what is was as a baby but it took Logan for me to see! Girls will be girls and boys will be boys!

I've seen a lot of progress with Logan in the last 2 days. He is grabbing and holding toys now, and loves it. He has learned to stiffen himself up when he gets mad so you can't bend him! He has also been sleeping in his crib without any problems, except maybe sunday night when he wanted to sit with me and watch the super bowl! I finally ended up just putting him in the pack and play and letting him sleep there. He also has been sleeping all night until 4-5 am.! Everybody say "yeah" to that. Now the last time I said that, he started getting up again at 2am, so we shall see. What a difference all night sleep makes in me! I've been sneaking in a 1/2oz. more in his feedings and he seems to be ok with it. He's like the tasmanian devil when he's hungry. I can't do cereal with him for another month, so that has been frustrating as far as how much he eats. Funny thing, then i'll go.......i kept hearing this sound last night and no, it wasn't the pounding rain or thunder beating off my bedroom window, it was logan sucking on his hands and putting himself to sleep. I would look over and there he was, those poor hands, and soon after he would be sleeping. How wonderful those little hands can be!!

olivia is the one by the curtain!

Shadow????

Logan finally started sleeping in his crib. He has only been in the pack and play, but I decided it was time. I thought he would fight it, but he seemed to do pretty well with it. We will see! I think cabin fever is setting in for everyone, including the dogs, they have started acting very weird. Olivia is like a caged animal. I thought maybe a trip to Pa. this weekend would cure some of it, but the weather got nasty again, so the trip never happened. Olivia didn't have school on Friday so their "snow celebration"at school never happened and will on Monday....hopefully I will get some good pics from it. Hopefully logan will cooperate too! Wouldn't that be nice!

Tomorrow is the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, none of our teams are playing. The Steelers had a terrible showing the last time and even the Brown's didn't get in. I don't like the Cleveland Brown's, but I have to give them credit, they did come a long way this season.........Sorry, no Brown's material in our house! In a long awaited 2 months NASCAR will start again. i believe the Daytona 500 is like Feb.18...............until then................!

Winston, waiting for a morsel of food to drop off a plate!

I hear Punsxy Phil saw his shawdow. That was a big deal to Olivia this year. They tried to throw in at school about "Buckeye Chuck", like what is that! So 2 different groundhog's saw different things this morning, well try sorting that out for a 5yr.old. So we settled for Phil.

I Loooooove The Girls

So, I'm really thinking Logan loves to flirt. He sees girls, he's like, "oh ya, they talk to me and pick me up, and tickle me" and all I have to do is smile! I went to the store today and decided I really didn't want to go myself so I got Rich to go and that meant Logan had to go also. (Rich could really care less if he entered another store again in his life). Which was ok, cause my experience with Olivia was, you really never knew when that child would flip out in the store and it was always nice to have another adult with you when it happened. So I must say i went on pin and needles not really knowing what he would do. Well.......he was tired so I thought he would go to sleep on the way there, nope eyes were wide open when we got there. So okay, maybe he would fall asleep in the store, he had to fall asleep sometime. So he kept closing his eyes and opening them. He didn't fall asleep until the ride home and by then he had pooped so i had to wake him and change him when we got home anyway! Go figure. But he was funny. The women love him and they kept coming up and saying "oh, how cute is he, how old is he". People give you a funny look and say how small he is when you tell them he is 51/2 months old. So he would start this fussy little whine and the girls would come over and talk to him and he would smile like crazy. So overall it was a good trip and he is certaintly different than Olivia was. He was very interested in everything going on.

Let me back up to his NICU follow up appointment. First they had him doing developemental task for a infant of 3-4 months old. logan just reached 3 months old (corrected age) so he didn't do very well, but they figured he wouldn't. Really his 5 months old age doesn't mean much, except for a early b-day! Overall it went well. He weighs 11lbs.12oz. now so he's growing like a bad weed. We had a eye opener at the appt. It was in the Neurodevelopmental floor and it wasn't very fun to see those kids in there as a lot of them were in wheel chairs and one girl threw a major fit while we were there and they had to wheel her out and poor Logan just kept looking around, i thought for sure he was going to start crying, but he didn't. I think Children's Hospital is a wonderful place, but it's not a place that i thought I would visit too often after Logan broke out of there! It can be a sad place. Especially when it involves kids that are sick or handicapped. Last but not least i have to tell you about "Johnny". I don't remember if that was his name or not, but we will go with it. I really try not to judge people, but sometimes people really bring it on themselves. That being said, there was this mother there with "Johnny". Now she has 2 eyebrows piercings, a oversized t-shirt, and her hair is looking kind of like it's screaming for it's next washing.....okay, you get my drift. She spies logan sitting on my lap and the first thing she says is "Johnny, look at this little baby". Well if you know me well, you know that those are words that absolutley go thru me like a knife blade. Okay, it's bad enough it's cold/flu season, but add in somebody you don't know, and the first thing kids love to do is touch baby's HANDS. Where do you suppose Logan's hands are always? Right, in his mouth..........well luckily, "johnny" didn't move quick enough and they called logan's name, so he didn't get to touch logan! Sorry, I'm by far a germ-freak, but I can't take that and it makes the hair stand up on my head. I know.......kids will be kids!

Finally, Olivia has been writing books, okay novels. This child loves to write. This new found freedom on writing words on her own has gone to new levels. So with lots of stock of tape and staples, she has made books and folders for these books. She scored a 99% on her report card.....woo-hooooooo! She missed a point for writing all her numbers backwards! Yeah, talented enough to write them backwards and when i said you wrote them all backwards except for 0, and 1, she said "how do you write those backwards", i said that's why they are right, you can't write them backwards! LOL She is having a presentation at school tomorrow, so hopefully the weather will hold up. She has a part with a partner then by herself at the very end. i will have to tell the story about how she went to school and kept saying "i'm still practicing my part" even though she knew it, which caused the teacher to email me about it in case she had to replace her! GIRLS. I will also have to tell the conversation about how she thinks she now has 2 boyfriends!