Simple Fun

Sometimes the everyday things that entertain my children amazes me.  

Like this:

A chair and step stool = a "ride."  I am assuming it was a rollercoaster-type ride based on her actions.  She had her hands up and she was swaying from side to side while screaming.

Last month Joe developed a huge fascination with pots and pans.

For a few weeks he had a pot, pan and/or lid with him at all times.  There was no stopping him!

We have one kitchen tool that both kids are obsessed with:

I'm not exactly sure what it  (Jason knows...) but to the kids it is a butterfly pony net and a trumpet/thing to carry around and throw.

Shoes are another big one with Joe.

Specifically my work shoe - on his right foot.  He will sit around in it for up to an hour some nights!  NO idea why!

And let's not forget boxes...

Both kids (acutally ALL kids) love boxes - any shape or size!  Laundry baskets too - they are kind of like boxes.  The length of time boxes/baskets amuse kids is awesome! 

Sometimes I wonder why we need have any toys!  These two can make anything fun!

Lazy Night

This afternoon I sat down with Amelia to watch Dora.  Two hours and fifteen minutes later I woke up to this:

The girl who never naps, napped.  That meant I had napped too :)

Then I had to go wake Joe up over an hour later than his normal wake-up time.  He woke up like this:

He had a fever of 103 :(   He got some "magic juice" and we spent most of the evening like this:

The boy who never sits still - sat still.  For pretty much the whole evening.  We watched Netflix and had saltines for dinner.  I was nervous to give them (mostly him) anything more than that.  I was pleasantly surprised that Amelia asked to go to bed at about the normal time.  Since we had the long nap I was prepared to be up late with her while she bounced off the walls ;)

daddy with a D

When we first started speech services for Amelia we were asked what we wanted to get out of it.  To me, that was a hard question to answer because I just wanted to be able to communicate with her and her with me.  I couldn't think of a simpler first step, I wanted it all NOW.  

Jason's response was much simpler.  He said, "I just want her to be able to say Dad."  That became the #1 goal on her first IEP (Individualized Education Plan) when we began working, in our apartment, with Birth to 3 and it is still listed on her revised IEP at the elementary school.

Well, it finally happened.  Last night at the kitchen table she said it.  Over and over and over.  She tacked a "mom" at the end for some reason but the important part is she said daddy - with a D.  Finally!

We have her IEP meeting the first week of next month.  Looks like we will be able to pick a new goal to work towards!

Sick Saturday

We had an abnormal wake-up call yesterday...a crying child.  Usually Amelia just comes right in and wakes us up (and we ask her for 5 more minutes...ha!) but she wouldn't leave her doorway yesterday.  I noticed a little wet spot next to her on the carpet and asked her if she had thrown up.  Yep.  She had.  

Jason got her into the bath and I got her bed stripped and next door to the laundry room - thank goodness no one else was doing laundry!  Mid-morning Joe and I left to do a few errands we had intended to do before our final Christmas gathering at Jason's sister with his grandma.  Yeah, that was cancelled :(

By the time we got back, a few hours later, it was evident she was feeling a little better.  Just to be safe we went to the minute clinic and they recommended we keep a close eye on her and come back if any symptoms returned.  

For dinner Jason helped me make lasagna. 

We used a jar of his grandma's spaghetti sauce that his Aunt Lori made for everyone for Christmas.  It turned out great!  Amelia had "green pop" for dinner - Sierra Mist to the rest of us.

We didn't want to push her to eat anything if she wasn't feeling up to it - especially since dinner was chock full of dairy products.

Since she spent most of the day sleeping she was nowhere near ready for bedtime at bedtime.  She and I did alphabet puzzles.

She ended up staying until ten p.m.!

This morning she is back to her usual self so we felt safe to let her have dairy again - which thrilled her.

Drinking all the milk from her cereal!

Keeping her away from her milk and cheese yesterday was hard.  She nearly lives on dairy products - milk, yogurt and cheese specifically.  We made her "magic juice" and she finally understood that was all she could have.  "Magic juice" is unflavored Pedialyte, Gatorade and Tylenol.  At one point she kept asking for what Jason thought was mac and cheese and he was telling her that wasn't possible right then because she was sick.   It didn't sound quite like mac and cheese to me and we figured out she was asking for "magic juice!"  Too funny!

Amelia really can fight off sickness like no one else I've met.  There have  been a handful of times where she wakes up "sick", fever and all, and within half a day she is much better/good as new.  Now if only she could figure out how to get rid of coughs and congestion as quickly as she fights off other illnesses ;)

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Amelia's latest "music video"...

Weekend Alone

We have been childless since last Thursday night!  My family went to visit extended family in Indiana and they asked to take the kids with - so they went!  I was a little apprehensive about sending them but I did it.  I worry, a lot, and I just wasn't sure I could handle them being gone, so far away, for so long.  Jason on the other hand, he was making plans for our weekend before I even let my parents know our final answer!

Friday night I just didn't know what to do with myself.  I got home, to and empty house, and just kind of did my usual things.  From there I wandered around looking for more to do.  I didn't take the nap I swore up and down I would take and by just past 6:00 p.m. I gave myself until 7:00 p.m. to finish up and then it was time to force myself to relax.  

Work was rough last week and I was very sore so I tried out my new foot massager (found out there was a heated option which felt even better!) and did a puzzle while watching "I Love Lucy."  

By the time Jason got home I had finally finished the outline of the puzzle and started building into the middle of it.  It's a foil puzzle.  Let's just say it wasn't the smartest choice for my first puzzle in a few years - it is difficult!

Saturday morning we headed north and met a friend to see "The Hobbit."  After that we went to her house to continue a movie marathon and hang out.  It was our first time to her house and they live on a beautiful piece of land!

We stayed up into the wee hours of the morning and slept over to be on the safe side.  She woke us up for breakfast Sunday morning and then we headed home. 

Bald eagles on the way home

We had to check on on my family's cats and from there we went to Kohl's and Fleet Farm to look for clothes.  We both ended up with new jeans as well as work pants.  Pants shopping is getting easier for me as I drop the weight - yay!

Before we went home last night we decided to eat out and see another movie.  I know, two movies in the theater in one weekend - whoa!  I picked "Les Miserables."  

 

I liked it but Jason?  Well, he said he enjoyed it but he didn't realize they sang everything and he also said watching Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) sing everything was kind of amusing to him.  He also had no idea what to expect from it as he had not seen the play like I have.  

We had a lot of freedom this weekend but we sure did miss the kids!  It's strange to have so much time to yourselves - really!  We got a lot of picture text messages from my sister this weekend to keep us updated on what they were up to.  

Amelia and Joey playing with cousins P and A at a children's museum

They are a couple of hours from home currently and should be back by dinner!  Jason asked if I could keep them up until he got home (10:15 p.m.) but I'm thinking that won't happen.  Plus, I think he might have been joking.  I will play it by ear.  If Amelia is doing ok maybe she and I will watch Netflix on the couch until she falls asleep.  Then he can see her when he gets home and tuck her in.  We'll see how moods are after being trapped in the car all day!

Reading with Nana