Tribute to Kaya

Kaya

You have been the best dog I could ever ask for.  You taught me about protection... by the way you guarded the kids.  You taught me about love - by your unconditional love you demonstrated for all of us every day.  You taught me about compassion... by the time I had a miscarriage and you jumped up on the bed and lay by me as I cried.  You taught me about forgiveness... if we left you home alone all day - you would still run to the door to green us with your tail wagging.  You taught me about passion... by the way you would stare intently at that frisbee until someone picked it up and threw it for you... and about focus... by the way you couldn't think about anything else if the frisbee, ball or stick was around.  You were my first baby.  I used to feel guilty that I had to leave you in the car when I would run into the grocery or post office... but I would bring you into the school where I used to work in Breckenridge on the weekends.  I couldn't bear the thought of you laying at home alone.  We used to go on some massive snow walks.  You would get snow caked into your paws and then lay down and chew it out... then get up and gallop through the snow again.  You and I logged many miles together my friend... you helped me walk off baby weight three different times... and let those kids hug you, and pull on your tail without ever a snarl or a snap.  You understood.  And you were so so very smart.  And so loyal.  

We used to let you out to go potty and if we forgot about you for 10 minutes.. there you were waiting patiently in the window.  Kaya.  I love you so much.  Thank you for teaching me so many life lessons.. I  miss you... I miss you every night when I dont have to step over anyone in my bedroom... and every time I clean up crumbs from under the kids chairs.  I miss you sweet face laying on the steps when I go upstairs early in the morning... and I miss your bark when someone arrives at the door.  

I will always love you.  

Happy Birthday Ellee!

Well, the one thing about having two kids birthdays in the same week is that  you get to do a double party! Or triple party as it was this year, because we included Huck - the kids cousin.  It was a hit!  

Ellee...

Happy Birthday sweet girl!  Its hard to believe you are already two years old!  You amaze me every day with how much you understand of this world - and you are doing and saying new things every single day.  You love to sing.  You sing in the car (Favorite song is "Tonight's gonna be a good night" by Black Eyed Peas.)  You were just singing the "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" theme song a minute ago.  You will often be listening to what I say to Jack or Olivia and go do it for them... for instance I'll say something about shoes and you will go to the boot bench and get everyones shoes for them.  You are talking sooo well.  Its almost amazing to me because you're my baby!  And you can talk! In full on sentences!  You love Jack and Olivia so much.  You would do anything for them.. or with them.   It's been a fun summer of spending lots of time together... going to the pool.  Once we got you the right bathing suit you love it... but the one piece suits weren't cutting it.  You couldn't get to your belly button... which you like to rub constantly.  While you suck on your bubba.    You love reading books, you love watching "Kippa a dawg!"  (Kipper the dog) with Jack.  You still have just the sweetest fine strands of hair curling up in the back... And your round baby belly.  You love running around "nakey!" and love going "fwimming" (swimming) and you love your "nilk" aka Milk.  :)  I absolutly adore you Ellee.  I love everything about you.  I love getting starbucks with you "scone! scone!" while everyone smiles at how cute you are.  Sometimes you carry Rosie the train with you, and sometimes a purse.  You are very easy to have around b/c you are so easy going.  Especially for a toddler... you dont throw many tantrums and you are just finding your way in this world one day at a time.  I love being your mommy.  I feel so blessed to have you in my life.  I've been savoring your squishy baby body and your baby smell because I know it won't be long until you dont really seem like a baby anymore.  I love you so much, you are so full of love and life and sweetness.  xoxo  Mommy

Happy Birthday Jack!

Well, I'm writing the birthday letter here on my blog again - b/c this way it gets done, and it won't get lost!  

Jack Palmer! 

I can't believe you are four years old!  You have been waiting for this day for months... as if something magical or special will change about you when you turn "fouw".  Then the other day you started telling me you were "almost five."  We had your birthday party up at the pool.  You were so excited to open presents... it was all about the un-wrapping.  You sort of cared what was inside, but I think we could've wrapped up anything and you would've loved it.  Your buddies there were Hayden, Tye, Jake and Blake.  Phillip your other buddy couldn't make it.  But you were just a ball of energy and enthusiam... as you are every day.  Jack, I love you so much... you have so much joy contained inside you that sometimes it just comes bursing out VERY LOUDLY in your voice.  Ok, thats every day...  And you have a heart of gold.  If you do something wrong to one of your sisters your very quick to say "I'm sowwy Owivia".  You are very very easy going and laid back... but with a lot of enthusiam at the same time.  I dont want to under-estimate here your expressions and how animated you are because EVERYONE comments on it.  You make so many people laugh, and so many people smile because you are just so darn cute.  Your passion for trains is high on the list.  You are a collector and an engineer with those tracks.  You told me that you want to be a conductor when you grow up.  I hope I get a ride on your first train if you do.  :)  I keep thinking the Thomas obsession will wane, but so far it's going strong.  You know the names of all the trains and when yo get a new train, you insist on sleeping with it.    You have become a great swimmer this summer, and love jumping off the diving board.  You are just so much fun to be around Jack.  I just can't wait to see your little personality continue to re-fine itself and so lucky to be the mommy that gets to help shape you into the sweet boy your already are... and into the boy you will become.  I love you, Mom

Bad Nanners

I was washing sheets.  Jack came in the laundry room and asked me what I was doing.  I said... "Oh, I'm just washing some sheets.  Sissy had an accident in her bed while she was sleeping."  "Oh"  he said "Thats BAD NANNERS."
Again the following week we were out at Lake Lotawana Papa Jeff was telling Jack how he accidentally hit the stone bench with his lawn mower and it broke in two.   Jack told him that was "Bad Nanners" too.

So... I just want to make sure none of you have bad nanners today... if you need help just call Jack Palmer.

The old hag from Jason's Deli story...

So I was at Jason's Deli last week with two friends and six kids.  (Jack and Ellee and some friends.)  This is what happened...   We ate our lunch and had ice cream cones.   Everyone is behaving just fine.  Jack didnt' like the way I cut up his hot dog but other than that, everyone is happy.  We are eating our ice cream cones and wrapping things up.... I'm relaxing a little and talking to Kelley Jo and Clare.  Jack and his two friends were in the booth and Ellee was sitting by me.   She gets down and takes her ice cream cone over to sit by her brother.  They are laughing and making a few loud noises but basically just being happy kids.  She runs over to me, I wipe her face off, she runs back over to her brother.

This is when the horrible mean hag sitting behind us says "Who's child is that?"  I look over at her.  "You need to CONTROL your child!"
"Are you serious?" I ask
"YES! We're trying to eat lunch!!!  They're being rude! You need to control her."
"The baby?  Are you talking about this baby here?" I say pointing to my 21 month old child.
"Yes!  You need to stick a pacifier in her mouth or something. We're trying to eat lunch."    by the way, all of this is said in the utmost sneer of a voice.
I turn around and am fuming, trying to figure out what to do when she continues on...
"I PITY the kindergarten teacher who has that child in school... and I used to be a teacher!"
"So did I!" I say
"And this is the kind of child you're raising?"
"YES!"  In hindsight I would've said... "Yes a JOYFUL one."
"I raised four boys and they NEVER acted like this."
(Oh really?? I say in my head.)
"In Blue Springs kids don't act like this."
"Whatever." I say
Then Kelley Jo chimes in and says "Why don't you just go on back to Blue Springs b/c here in Lees Summit we're all nice and we LIKE kids."

I turn around and say "I have NEVER had anyone say anything to me about my childrens behavior before today..."
"Why don't you go to McDonalds!" she says
"THIS BASICALLY IS MCDONALDS" I say back.

Then I go pick up Ellee and take her to the bathroom, change her diaper. I am fuming...  no... I am FUMING mad!!!!! I dont know what to do... so I finally go over to the manager and basically start crying and told him how this woman is basically verbally assaulting me.  He reassured me that he hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary from us and that this was a kid friendly restaraunt and he was very sorry.    Then 5 minutes later we were leaving and he comes over to give me 5 free lunch passes for the kids and says he hopes we will return and re-instates again that they are a pro-kid restaraunt.  Mean lady comes over while he's talking to me to say "I just want to tell you that she wasn't controlling her child.  I am very disappointed in this restaraunt. It came highly recommended.  I had no idea this was this kind of establishment. "  He basically told her that it was that kind of establishment.  One that is ok with normal kids. so HA!  I left and spent the next 4 hours trying to get over it.  What a sad sad life this woman has b/c although she only ruined a few hours of my life, she's probably ruined most of her own.





I was scarred for the rest of the day but I think I'm over it now.

The latest funnies...

Ok so I'm walking the girls home from school last week (Olivia and Libby whom we walk/carpool with) and Ellee who is in the stroller.  Jack has escaped the stroller and is running ahead of the girls.  We come round the corner and what do I see?  Oh, it's just my 3 1/2 year old son standing with his pants around his knees PEEING into our neighbors yard!  I mean... it couldn't have taken him more than 2 1/2 seconds to make that decision b/c we were literally 25 feet behind him!  I was a little embarrassed but truly... what can you do?  So I just helped him pull his pants up and asked him to tell me next time he had to go potty so we could find some shelter and avoid the neighborhood knowing what Jack's bootie looks like.

Ellee went poop on the potty the other day.  Yay!  She loves to practice and sit there naked, but this time something actually came out!  She was startled and then a little freaked out when I whooped and clapped for her.  So we went in to tell Sissy and Jack.  Both of them (in different areas of the house) said "Gimmie 5 Elle!"  and slapped her five.  I thought it was sweet how supportive and excited they both got for her.  She hasn't gone since... I think I scared her.  But seriously!  We have sat there for many minutes so I just got a little excited when something happened!

Cute Olivia story:
We were talking about how Clare is going to have a baby soon and I was wondering out loud if it would be a boy or a girl.  Olivia thinks girl.  Jack thinks boy.  Then Olivia says "Wait mom, did they have that interview thing yet?"  (she means an ultrasound)  "because if they saw a WeeWee then it's a boy!"
She just may be a doctor.  ;)

Then the other day over at Myah and Tye's house we were playing outside with their pet baby ducks.  (Which was really cute.)  Ellee was playing around when she caught sight of Alpine (the Cooley's big fluffy white dog.)  "Momma  Momma...."  she says running over to me with her arms outstretched.  "Beaw"  (bear)    I picked her up and said... "No sweetie, that's not a bear, thats a big dog."  "No, Beaw" Ellee says.  "Sssawed" (scared)  she says crossing her arms like she's shivering in fear.  It was extremely cute.

Today at Paradise Park Jack helped Ellee climb up all the way to the top of these steps that lead to a giant tornado slide.  He had to help her put her foot in the net and then push her bootie up every time there was a landing that was too high for her.  It was so sweet b/c he was saying "Come this way Elle!" and they were both laughing and just having so much fun together.  I remember Olivia teaching Jack to climb up the same thing when she was 5 and he was 2.  Ellee does things sooner than the others did... she's just trying so hard to keep up!   Then when it was time to go I said  "Ok Elle get your shoes on and lets go"  She ran over, grabbed her crocks, sat down and put them on and ran over to me.  This other mom was like "How old is she?"  b/c she was impressed she followed directions so well...  Plus also maybe a little because she looks like a giant baby running around since she still has no hair!     but HA! Wish that old mean hag from Jason's Deli could have seen Ellee then!

Kids and SLEEP!

This is a hot topic among parents... why?  Oh, because if your kids don't sleep well then neither do you - but that's not all... oh no... if they don't sleep well (and they don't nap anymore) then you don't even have a CHANCE of having a normal, happy, relaxing day.  This is why some parents become sleep nazi's when they have young children.  I am guilty of being a little nazi-ish.

Ok so here's the scoop.  Olivia doesn't do well on little sleep.  We know this, we have experienced it time and time again.  Neither do Jack and Ellee for the record, but this week it has been about my Olivia.  My sweet seven year old.  She stayed up until 10:00 thursday night because she was reading in her room (I didn't know this until ten o'clock when I went to check on her.)  Then Friday night we had some friends of hers over who are older and do much better staying up I'm sure... but anyway she was up til 11. 
By the way... kids don't "SLEEP IN" at this age.  Not sure when that starts to happen but I'm going to put my money on it being high school...  If she goes to bed at 11 she still wakes up at seven!
Anyway, so by Saturday she is a mess.  A whiney, bossy, stubborn mess of a child that you have to walk around on egg shells to avoid upsetting her.  It is now Sunday night and I can finally say with hope that we are back to normal.   Two full days to pay for staying up those two nights late in a row.

Jack is finally sleeping in his own bed.  We sprayed the monster spray and scared all the monsters out of his bedroom, so it's safe.  He still comes down in the middle of the night crying sometimes, saying his knee hurts or his leg hurts.  This concerned us at first, but now I think it's just his thing he says when he wakes up at night.  So we get him an ice pack and go lay with him for a minute until he falls back asleep.  But overall he sleeps pretty well.   He doesn't nap anymore so it's usually pretty easy to get him down at night.  He usually sleeps from 8pm-7am.  On Olivia's gymnastics night he almost always falls asleep watching cartoons while she is gone.  Usually around 6:30.  We move him up to his bed and he stays asleep usually til morning.  Sometimes comes down around ten and needs his "milk with three ice cubes in his Elmo cup."

Ellee takes one big fat nap during the day.   She also goes to bed around 8 or 8:30 when the big kids do. She loves to climb into Jack's bunk bed with him.  Half the time I let her lay there for 5 minutes and pretend she's going to sleep there.  They snuggle and giggle and then 5 minutes later Jack is yelling to me  "Mom! Elle is bothewing me"  So I have to tear her little body from the bed while she cries "NO!"  She loves Jack.  She would also sleep in Olivia's room.  That girl loves her big brother and sister.

Ellee unfortunately has learned how to scream "MOM!" from her crib.  How come I'm not Mommy?  That's what I'd like to know!  Or even Momma.  Does she really have to skip right to Mom?   Anyway, for some reason she if she wakes up in the middle of the night screaming for me I have to go running upstairs (from zero to sixty... or at least zero to twenty mph) so she doesn't wake the others up.   The downside to having your bedroom on the first floor.

Sleep is a good good thing.  You take it for granted when you're getting it, but then if you have a bad night you remember how precious it is.  It's like gold.

Signing off to go get some sleep myself!  xo Marathon Momma