10 and 0 + more.

The boys and I read Dr. Seuss' Gertrude McFuzz one day this week. When we got the part where Gertrude eats the berries to make her tail feathers grow Luke said, "That's the wrong attitude..." I asked what kind of attitude she had. Dade said, "A jealous attitude." These boys always give me a good laugh! Dade also told me the other day that he wants to play for the Rangers when he grows up because "[his] dad likes to watch the Rangers on TV."

They had football day at gymnastics today; they wore their Cowboys jerseys.

Dade

Luke

Audrey turns TEN MONTHS old tomorrow! It can't be! I held our neighbors little girl the other day (she is a week old) and it does not seem possible that our Audrey girl was that tiny not so long ago. At 10 months she:

still has ZERO teeth

claps

waves her arms when music plays

likes to bang on my piano

plays with her dolls

follows the boys (and me) around the house

can drink from a straw (started this Wednesday)

has started squatting when she plays

does not like to be in the stroller if it is not moving

LOVES to be outside

splashes the water in her bath

crawls to Daddy as fast as she can when he gets home from work

waves to herself in the mirror
lays her head on my shoulder as soon as I walk into her room (when she's tired)

goes straight for the shoes if the laundry room door is open

is sometimes so quiet when she plays that I have to hunt her down

has started opening my hand if I have food closed up in it

laughs when you blow in her hair

feeds herself finger foods

Dade pulled her in the car bin the other day.

I love putting these girly ruffle socks on her.

Step One!

Audrey took her first step last night in the living room; Tommy and I both saw it happen. Then she took another step a little while later. I decided to take her in to the clinic today -- she's been running 102.3 - 102.8 since yesterday morning, and I was trying to wait it out. However, it was up to 103.6 after her morning nap. Of course the doctor gave the dreaded "V" diagnosis -- a virus. He prescribed steroids and dimetapp to help her congestion. Otherwise nothing I wasn't already doing for her. Hopefully she'll be "back on her feet" again soon.

Photo Friday.

Audrey loves to play in the tupperware cabinet.

She does the cutest thing... when you say "hi," she puts her arm straight out up by her eye and moves her hand a little. Standing up!Luke saying "HI"

Dade's "Hello!"

Dade and Disney.

Most of you know that Dade is not one to talk to strangers. Something must have come over him yesterday... he told no less than five people at the store, "Next month I'm going to Walt Disney World for my birthday. I'll be five." He also threw in, "You can go in for free for birthdays" to one lady! Which is why and how we are going in the first place. Tommy's sister, Susan and her family live about an hour and a half from WDW. Dade and I will get in free on our birthday, and we were able to get day passes for Tommy and Luke through an employee (thanks Heather!). It will probably be the least expensive family vacation we will ever take! I am hoping it won't be too crowded in mid-February.

Questions.

I asked the boys today to think of something that made them happy, something that made them sad, and something that made them excited. Here are their answers:

Luke --
happy: "Daddy tickling me."
sad: "Taking a nap."
excited: "The park."

Dade --
happy: "When we play. When Luke plays with me."
sad: "When B Bear (Bonham) plays with me when I don't want to play."
excited: "Going to the zoo."

Last Night.

Dade making stairs with his blocks.Dade put all his blocks away by himself... he definitely did NOT get his spatial thinking from me. I always put them back in the way they originally came; he came up with this on his own. Audrey enjoyed her dinner.

I noticed that her eyes have a dark ring on the inside now like mine; I think they may still change a little over the next few months.

Right Now.

The boys are arguing over the Buzz Lightyear space vehicle. Luke had it a while ago and now he wants it back from Dade. Their conversation:

Luke: (whining) "I had that. Give it back."
Dade: "Whining doesn't get you anything."

I told Luke maybe he should try to work something out with Dade in a big boy voice. He comes back to me and says "We worked something out but he still won't give it to me." He leaves and Dade comes in a few minutes later to tell me Luke hit him on the hand with a wooden bat. When I question Luke about the event he replies, "Dade said he wants that big Buzz Lightyear race car for a billion minutes. He said that. I was so frustrated I hit his finger."

Dade says he's sad and misses his brother when he is in timeout and that "today has been a little rough... not too much, just a little."

Visitors.

We enjoyed a fun weekend with Tommy's parents... Mexican food Friday night, t-ball game on Saturday, and a date night Saturday night (thanks again for the free babysitting!). Of course they made the usual stop to pick up sweets -- cookies, a pecan pie, fudge and cinnamon bread YUM! The boys enjoyed typing on Nana's phone and whacking Papa with their foam "swords."

A Luke Last?

**Update**
I found Luke's blanket in Tommy's dresser. After several discussions, Tommy and I decided that we would give it back to him. We will celebrate this 'last' at another time.

(original post)
Luke has had his tag blanket since he was about one. It has been misplaced a few times but otherwise it has been with him at every nap, every bedtime and every car trip. Sadly, "blankie" has been misplaced again and Luke has gone without it since Sunday night. He has asked for it a few times (usually when he's tired) but has been fine without it. And he has not sucked his thumb ALL week! Monday may have been Luke's last day to rub a blue tag and suck his left thumb. I'm not sure why but I'm getting teary-eyed writing this -- I didn't think I would be sad about this day. As for now, I am still searching for his blankie so I can put it in the box in my closet with my pillow and blanket.

Sweet tooth.

The boys helped me bake a carrot cake this afternoon. I put Audrey up with us while we made cream cheese icing. I turned around to help Luke stir his strawberry milk and...

"Quality Assurance."

I thought the boys would never stop eating today. In the span of about an hour they each ate an apple, a PB&H sandwich, baked Cheetos, raisins, half an orange, Dade had yogurt, Luke had almost two bananas & dried cranberries. They must both be going through a growth spurt... after dinner last night Dade looked down at his belly & said he "swallowed a balloon." We already go through at least four gallons of milk a week; I cannot imagine what it will be in a few years!

A drizzly cold day.

I pulled the ball pit and tunnel out of the attic -- the boys have yet to get out!

Please pray

for baby Gianna, my friend Tonya's new little one. She was born early on December 11th and had to be admitted to the pediatric ICU Friday for respiratory issues. I think she has improved in the past two days but will still be in the hospital for a while.

Boys will be boys.

The boys expressing their creative sides on the sidewalk.

01.03.09

They had fun yesterday filling the sandbox with water.

01.04.09

Luke already wearing the "4" shirt.

We spent New Year's Eve with my friend Amy and her family (they have two boys, 6 and 4 and a 5 month old girl). The boys had fun with "sprinklers" -- Dade's word for sparklers.

I cannot believe that it's time to start planning Dade's FIFTH birthday party! He is indecisive about what theme he wants -- Caillou, superhero, Bob the Builder so right now he is saying he wants an "all mixed up party."

Is the new background too busy? Let me know what you think...

A New Year.

We spent New Year's Eve with my friend Amy and her family. They have two boys ages 6 and 4 and a 5 month old girl. The boys all had a great time with sparklers. Tommy and Paul grilled for us. I forgot to take my camera so I don't have any pictures to share.



I spent New Year's Day cleaning the carpet and starting our tax return while Tommy cleaned out the van... not eventful but it was productive! I fixed chicken chili cobbler with sausage and black-eyed peas and a side of sauteed cabbage for dinner. Luke requested that I make it everyday.



Now it's time to start planning Dade's FIFTH birthday, my garage sale and our trip to Florida (we're hoping to go in February).