the best Christmas gifts

This Christmas we started a new tradition with the girls, which quickly became one of my favorites. I stole the idea from one of my sisters who has done this for years with her kids (thanks SBBBB). I think it helped the girls focus more on gifts they were giving rather than gifts they were receiving. Of course the girls are going to be excited about their 4 gifts under the tree (something to wear, something to read, something you want, something you need- thank you to whomever I got this idea from!!), but we want them to also be excited about the birth of our Savior, and we want them to learn to be grateful and generous.

A week before Christmas I took Belle and Bug to buy presents for their sisters and Dad. We got a bag full of quarters out of their piggy banks, and then I took each girl by herself to the Dollar Tree to pick out some gifts. I had so much fun on this one-on-one shopping trip with the girls. They both loved looking through the aisles to find something their sisters or Dad would like, and they loved giving their quarters to the clerk at the check-out. Afterward they loved helping me wrap the presents, and they loved watching everyone open them and play with them. I was so impressed with how well Belle knew her sisters... she picked perfect gifts for both of them. She picked two gifts for Bug, and those were 2 of Bug's favorite gifts. I also enjoyed watching them pick gifts for their Daddy. Everything Belle found that her Dad might actually use she very practically pointed out that he already had it... "he already has socks", "he already has a candle", "he already has tools".... so instead she got him a giant coloring book (he didn't have one of those). These 2 trips to the Dollar Tree with my girls were my favorite Christmas shopping, and it was definitely the best $7.00 our family spent all season.  I look forward to doing this each year with my girls. I'm so glad I got this idea from my sister, and I thought I'd share it in case anyone else was looking for an idea to encourage some generosity at Christmas.

I really think these might have been the Officer's favorite presents. A giant coloring book and an alligator hat that Bug knew her Daddy would just love.

Another shot of the alligator hat, because it is just too good

Preparing for Christmas

One week until Christmas, and today was my last day of school! Our Advent has been pretty hectic, but wonderful, and hopefully the girls are feeling the great anticipation of Christ's birth. Today our beautiful Nativity finally made it out of the attic, and the Advent candles arrived last week, so it's looking a little like Christmas at our house. I love all of our Christmas traditions, and the girls seem to be enjoying them too.... 

We started Advent with a fun family evening decorating the tree and listening to Christmas music. This year the girls were old enough to really decorate the tree with only a few directions from me. I did the fragile ones and they took care of the rest with some reminders that it usually looks better when there aren't 3 ornaments on the same branch. I have so many fond memories of tree decorating with my family growing up, and I hope that my girls will some day too. 

Of course St. Nicholas arrived on his feast day with a few pieces of candy for the girls, and my mouth watered while they ate their Reese's. 

Then we made a surprisingly successful trip to visit St. Nicholas. Last year neither of the girls would sit on his lap, but look at the picture we got this year! I made a huge deal about them showing their baby sister how to do it, and man did they deliver. They happily walked up, sat on his lap, said cheese, and walked away. This is our 4th year going to this Santa at Bass Pro Shop, and he is the best. We also go on a weekday afternoon when everyone is in school... there was 1 person in front of us in line, the whole thing was free, and then we got to go visit the fish afterward. 

Some women collect shoes or purses, but I collect Advent calendars. Every year the Officer has to remind me that we don't need another one, but I always find an excuse to get a new one. We currently have 4 in our house that the girls get to do each morning. This is our new magnetic one that the girls like to use as a backdrop for their Nativity.  I'm obsessed. 

Another of our favorite traditions is the tacky light tour in our city. Every year after dinner we load up the car and spend 2 hours driving to different houses on the tacky light tour. Last night we got to do this with the girls, and they loved it! 

Tonight I'm taking the girls out individually to buy presents for their sisters, and then we are visiting family, wrapping presents, and relaxing until Christmas. It's the most wonderful time of the year!!

Connected at the Hip

Sisters. Life would be so boring without them. I am lucky to have so many sisters and sisters-in-law, and they are my best friends. It makes me so happy that my daughters have sisters. They already love each other so much, and I know they will always have each other. 

Belle and Bug are only 13 months apart and they are inseparable. They spend every second of the day together. Belle takes shorter naps than Bug, so when she wakes up and Bug is still sleeping she always asks me, "When is Bug going to wake up?" "Can we go wake her up now?". They do not like to be apart. If they are in different rooms for more than a minute, Bug starts wandering around saying, "Where'd my sister go???"

bicycle built for one

They fight over toys, and they argue about who gets the green plate at lunch (or blue, or purple...). Sometimes Belle hits her sister, and sometimes Bug bites her. Mostly though, they laugh together, they read to each other, they share toys, they help each other find things, they pretend together, they stay up late talking together, and always they want to spend time together. I know it will change. There will be times when they have big fights, and there will be times when they hate that they have to share a room. That will change too though, and when they grow up I hope they love each other as much as I love my sisters. I hope they love each other as much as they do now. Thank God for sisters. 

Here they have literally tied themselves together and then tried walking around the house like this. Must. always. be. together.

A Halloween worth melting for

We had such a fun Halloween this year... majorly improved from last year's Halloween when I failed in every way possible. Last year I planned our family's Pumpkin Day, and we drove 45 minutes to a fabulous pumpkin patch, only to find that it was closed for field trips during the week, and my two toddlers did not count as homeschooling.  Then on Halloween the Officer was working, so I took the girls trick-or-treating by myself. We walked out the front door, and I realized I had forgotten their candy baskets and (much more importantly) my keys to the house. I frantically called the Officer, who had to leave work and drive 30 minutes home to unlock the door for me. The girls were also wearing second-hand lame costumes that I chose for them. So last year Halloween was kinda not so great, but this year... this year was perfect.

this year the girls were old enough to help clean out their pumpkins

The Officer's awesome Papal flag pumpkin. Just in case anyone in the neighborhood was wondering how much we love being Catholic....

The week before Halloween we went to a really fun pumpkin patch 10 minutes from our house. We enjoyed the hayride, moon bounce, pumpkin launcher, straw maze, perfect weather, and found 5 good pumpkins. Then we easily drove 10 minutes home in time for lunch and naps. Pumpkin Day this year was a success! 

"Hi, I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs"

For the first time in years, the Officer was off for Halloween!! Weeks ago (right after we watched Frozen on Ice) the big girls asked if they could be Anna and Elsa for Halloween, and their Aunt Mantha delivered. Oh boy did she deliver. She sewed them beautiful dresses, and made a little Olaf hat for their little sister. She also made homemade costumes for all 4 of her boys. She is superwoman. I'm going to have to do an entire post just on the 7 costumes she made, because they were all awesome.

homemade Anna, Olaf, and Elsa costumes on some very excited little girls

We joined the Mikboys (Aunt Mantha's family), our friend Miesha, and a lot of other friends from our Church Mom's group at the Little Sister's of the Poor nursing home. I don't know who thought of this fantastic idea, but everyone with little kids needs to do it. We donate some candy a week early, and then we bring our children in their trick-or-treating at the nursing home (indoor, not dark, not cold, no streets, minimal walking...). The sweet elderly residents get hours of adorable little visitors, stopping by their rooms, saying "trick-or-treat", and showing off their costumes. It is perfect, and I hope we get to do it every year.

Then we went over to the Mikboy house for some dinner and some neighborhood trick-or-treating.... their neighborhood gives out the good candy. You know... king size bars, snickers, skittles.... only one pack of pretzels and no candy corn. I got to watch Belle run through the yards holding hands with her Godmama singing "Let it go". I got to watch Bug smiling from ear to ear in her pink cape that she waited and waited to wear. I got to push a chubby cheek Olaf in the stroller all night, and she never cried once, even though I didn't let her have a single piece of candy :). I got to watch so much joy from my girls, my nephews, our "frezins", and every little child I saw along the way. Oh I also saw an incredible Transformer costume on a friend (complete with sound effects as he "transformed")... it was worth remembering! Then we had a big sleepover and were ever so thankful that the Mikboys moved back from the West coast.

The girls are blessed with some incredible "Frezins"

This Halloween was a good one. Holidays can't always be magical, but this one was.

Good days

All Moms have the days when nothing seems to go right, and you are staring at the clock wondering how soon is an acceptable time to put your children to bed? Like when a toddler throws down an epic tantrum because somebody is wearing the socks that she wanted to wear today (or you know, she doesn't have peanut butter and jelly). Or the day my 3-year-old "helper" drops a gallon of paint in my kitchen, and I almost cry as semi-gloss white paint comes pouring out all over my hardwood floors (that one actually didn't end too badly). Those days can be hard. I probably won't forget those hard days, even if I wanted to, but I definitely want to remember the good days. Especially on the challenging days when patience is hard to find.... I want to remember the joyful moments, the days when I don't think I could possibly love these little humans more than I already do.

One of the nice peaceful moments

Yesterday was one of the good days. Yesterday the Officer worked a 23 hour day. 23 hours straight at work. You might want to feel sorry for the Officer who had to stay awake that long, but really we all know that Mommy alone with 3 kids for 23 hours is the one you should feel sorry for- well at least since she's the one writing the blog.

I had mentally prepared myself for the marathon day and was expecting it to be awful. I had to take all 3 of them to the grocery store and the craft store. Miraculously, the whole day went really smoothly. All 4 of us napped =) which is my definition of a good day. Then I was putting the girls to bed, and usually at the end of a long day alone I practically throw them in their beds and run for the couch. Have you heard Jim Gaffigan say that bedtime is like hostage negotiations in reverse??... you will give the kids anything they want just to stay in their rooms- yes that is my life at night. Not last night.

Belle was telling me how she is getting all grown-up. I gave her my usual, "Oh no you are not allowed to grow up. I want you to stay my little girl forever!" Then my little girl who can be so stubborn and bossy laid this on me...
Belle: "I want to grow-up and get old so that I can go be with Jesus some day."
Me:
Belle: "Mommy, will you help me go be with Jesus when I get old?"

Oh, I hope so my dear girl. I hope so. Then they all peacefully went to sleep with none of my usual hostage negotiations, threats, or bribes. Yes, it was a good day.

Toddler Talk volume 2

Bug had a cough
Belle: "Mommy, you need to give her the fertilizer"
Me: "You mean the nebulizer?"
Belle: "Oh yeah, she needs the nerdalizer."

Nerdalizer alert

I made gnocchi for dinner and Belle said, "I want more Pinnochios!"

Me: "You hurt my feelings"
Bug: "That's okay Mommy, because you have more feelings"

Bug chooses some stylish outfits for herself... I especially love the mitten

Anytime we are talking about any playmates:
Belle: "I want to play with my Frezins" (it's confusing to keep track of who is a cousin and who is a friend)

We just love these "frezins"

While the Officer was packing his lunch to bring to work....
Belle: "Daddy make sure the bad guys don't take your lunch"

While reading from our children's Bible....
Belle: "Why could Jesus walk on water?"
Me: "Because He is God"
Belle: "Well how come Daddy can walk on water too?"
Me: .......

Belle singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game: "Buy me some peanuts and jackercracks!"

And here is a nice quote from the Officer after I handed him "play clothes" to put on the baby....
"Why can't we just leave her in pajamas? I don't understand baby clothes. Babies do the same thing during the day that they do at night."

Fall Fun

I'm linking up with Jen at Conversion Diary, and I'm finally writing down what we've been up to this fall. I've been in denial that summer is actually over. Fall means winter is coming and winter is just the worst, but we've been having so much fun the last few weeks.

1. Belle has been asking the Officer to teach her how to play tennis for months, but we never had the time. So the last few weeks we've all gone out a few times to play, and she has loved it!

2. We've also hit up our favorite playground a few times and walked to the neighborhood slide on beautiful fall evenings.

3. Frozen on Ice. What an amazing night. Aunt Mantha wanted to take her Goddaughter (Belle) to it, and Bug and I tagged along for a super fun girls night out. The girls squealed and laughed and smiled the entire time. It was so magical to watch their joy!

4. Every fall our church has an awesome Oktoberfest that raises money for some of the local Catholic schools. We always have a great time at Oktoberfest. I hear that the beer is excellent (ew I hate beer). I can vouch for the delicious food, and there is a kidzone that my kids love. The KidZone had a moon bounce and a huge blow-up slide, different bean bag toss games, and face painting. We all had a great afternoon at Oktoberfest, and my sweet little baby just napped in her stroller the whole time.

Belle wanted her face paint to be "scary", and that's what it was. Bug's was worse though, because it didn't come off well, and the next morning she had blue circles around her eyes at Mass.

5. The following weekend our little town had a fall festival, which was packed and FREE. You park at the local High School and a trolley takes you down to "The Village Green" where they have tons and tons of tents full of different vendors, food trucks, and a kidzone that I wish I was small enough to play in! They had face painting, bull riding, a dunk booth, moon bounce, a blow-up maze, dancing, and more.... Did I mention that all of that was FREE?!?! We packed lunches, and the only money we spent the whole day was buying the girls ice cream at the end.

6. Also, this fall we have decided to tackle a few more home renovations. The Officer spent a week renovating our powder room, and this week he did the demo on our master bathroom. The master bath reno is going to be a long project I'm sure....

Here is the finished powder room. Hard to get a good picture of such a small bathroom, but I love it! 

7. So this season is off to a great start for us, and now we get to start doing all the fun Halloween activities! Next year when I get all depressed that summer is ending, someone remind me that fall is pretty incredible too. And here is a picture of the littlest Mik (and all of her chins) hanging out with one of her buddies. She is always so chill for all of our family adventures.

Bug's surprising birth story

A few days ago I finally typed out Belle's birth story, and now it's time for Bug's. My labor and delivery with Bug was pretty much the exact opposite of Belle's in every way.  I had Belle 10 days past my due date, so I was assuming Bug would come late too. Bug was due March 7, so I figured sometime mid-March I'd be meeting my baby. My pregnancy with Bug was my easiest one, and everything was going smoothly a week before my due date. I spent that day teaching preschool and that evening at David's Bridal with Belle picking up her flower girl dress for our friends' wedding. In my normal procrastinating fashion I had nothing ready for Bug's birth.

It was February 28th at about 10:00 pm, and the Officer and I were getting ready for bed. I was so surprised when I started having some contractions. I told the Officer that it must just be Braxton Hicks, since this baby was surely not coming for another week. The Officer laughed at me and said, "This baby is coming, so I better get some sleep". His need to sleep while I'm in labor seems to be the only thing my labors had in common :) Then he went to bed. I was still in complete denial and decided I should go to bed, since I had to teach in the morning. I tried to sleep, but my contractions every five minutes would not allow it, so I got up and called my SIL around midnight, since she was in a different time zone. I realized that not only might I be having my baby in February but that it was a leap year, so this baby could be arriving February 29th.

She was a pretty chill little baby

I started realizing that this baby might actually be coming soon, so I decided I should write some lesson plans for the remainder of the week and pack a bag for the hospital. Around 2:00 am I woke the Officer up, since I had been having steady contractions for hours. He called his Mom, who drove the hour to our house to stay with Belle so we could go to the hospital. His Mom arrived around 3 or 4 in the morning, and I was still in denial. After my marathon labor with Belle I assumed I had a long time until this baby actually arrived. I finished lesson plans and took a shower, when my sweet MIL kindly said, "ummm I think maybe you guys should head to the hospital".  I told her I felt like a wimp, because these contractions were already so painful, and I probably had a long way to go.

Dads and their daughters are just the sweetest..... Bug was a tiny little peanut

We left for the hospital just before 5 am, and luckily the Officer got us there very quickly. We got our ticket for the parking garage timestamped at about 5:15am, and Bug was born at 6:17am! When we arrived at the hospital I still thought I must have a lot of laboring left, so I refused the wheelchair and waddled my way to the room, stopping every 10 feet to breath through a contraction. We made it to the room, and they tried to get me hooked up to monitors and start an antibiotic, but I was completely freaking out by then. I was 7cm when I got there, and I was definitely panicking about the pain. All the nurses trying to talk to me and mess with me were making me mad, and I looked at the Officer and begged him to "please help". Then I yelled, "Something's happening to me!", and a nurse said, "yes, you're going to have a baby", and my water broke. I tried to tell them that the baby was coming right NOW, but in my mind nobody seemed very urgent. The Doctor never made it to the room, but there was a Resident there to catch Bug as she came out in 2 pushes just one hour after we had parked our car.

Grandma has 30 Grandchildren, and is ALWAYS there to meet them. 

It was definitely a very intense and painful hour right before Bug arrived, but it was much better than the 40 hour ordeal with Belle. My recovery after Bug was super easy, and she was a pretty easy baby other than some reflux issues. She was a good sleeper, similar to her sister. Bug surprised me in every single way. She surprised me when she came only 13 months after her sister, she surprised me coming a week early, and she surprised me with her fast and easy labor, but once I was holding my sweet little Bug and for every moment since, I can't imagine our lives or our family without her.

Blessed

Now I'm 38 weeks pregnant with our newest peanut, and I have absolutely no idea what to expect! I'm hoping things will go as smoothly as they did with Bug, but hopefully I give myself a little more time to settle in at the hospital. No matter what, I just can't wait to finally hold this little baby and find out what child God has blessed us with this time!

Hot

Our air conditioning stopped working last Thursday, and it has been hot. We were scheduled to have people come check the air conditioner today... they were supposed to be here between 9:00-1:00. It's 2:45, and I just got a message that they are on their way. It is also 93 degrees outside right now. I'm also 33 weeks pregnant. My first two babies were winter babies, so I had no clue what being really pregnant in the summer was like.... wow I need to have all winter babies from now on. Yesterday, the girls and I spent the afternoon walking around Target and their nice air conditioned facility (we definitely would have done the same today if we didn't have to stay at home waiting for the workmen to get here). It is bearable as long as I can sit still on the couch with the fan on me, but as soon as I have to function as an actual human and cook dinner (ah the oven!) or do some other chore... wow the suffocating heat kicks in.  Yes, I'm definitely being dramatic, but it's hot!

They don't look like they are suffering too much.... I guess I'm the only wimp in the Mik house

So, of course I needed to play my "at least" game today. At least it's not July heat. At least my house usually has air conditioning!  At least when I'm in the car I can blast the air conditioning. At least my girls have not complained a single time even with hair sweating to their foreheads- they are still insisting on sleeping with their big blankets on them (but I was able to convince them to lose the socks). At least the AC van just got here..... let's hope they can fix it!!!

the best years of my life

They are trying to hold hands while eating breakfast.... if only they were always this sweet to each other :)

I'm currently deep in the toddler trenches.  We have temper tantrums, whining, dirty diapers, dinnertime battles, meltdowns over peanut butter and jelly :).... all the usual toddler fun. Sometimes it is tiring to refill sippy cups 22 times a day, make those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cut them just right for the sixth day in a row, wipe the kitchen table, kiss boo boos, wipe noses, make dinner with "helpers" nearby, fix socks that the two-year-old just can't seem to get on quite right by herself, wipe the kitchen table again.... all while I wish I could just sit on the couch for a while. Last week was especially tough with the Officer working crazy hours, a 3-year-old who seemed to be testing me with her every action, and two little girls who have been sick for almost 2 months straight (hello ear infections that never go away). So after a few of my own cry sessions (what will I do when I can't blame those on hormones anymore!?), I needed a little perspective.

 

Sometimes I catch myself thinking "oh I can't wait for someday when they can make their own sandwiches" or "I can't wait until they can put themselves to bed" or "Will there ever be a day without timeouts?!" Then I remind myself to slow down. That "someday" will come way too fast, and I know I won't be ready for it. That "someday" will mean girls who go off to school; girls who are busy with sports; girls who don't think their Mommy is the greatest thing in the whole world; girls who don't need me all the time and don't ask for hugs and snuggles.

Yes, I will happily kiss those cheeks 1000 times a day

These are the best years of my life. A kind woman at school whose children are all grown reminded me of that a few weeks ago. I think raising teenagers is going to be so tough. Not knowing what my girls are doing every second of the day, protecting them while giving them independence, dating rules (which will be fun with the Officer and his girls ha).  No, I don't want to rush to that part of parenting..... instead I'm going to soak up these toddler years. Sure these years can be physically tiring, but they are wonderful. These are the years I get to spend playing and being loved by my girls. Yesterday I got home from school, and before I could take my shoes off Bug demanded, "Dance with me Mommy". Moments like that make these the best years of my life. Right now I treasure morning snuggles with Belle, dancing with them, being part of their little imaginary worlds, and finding trucks and school buses when we're driving ("I think that one is magic" says Bug every time). When I was in college I thought those were the best years of my life. Those carefree years were nice..... but these years are way better. It seems to get better and better..... who knows maybe those teenage years will surprise me with their own joys =)

She is so fun... most of the time ;)

11:00 pm meltdown

Last Saturday night we went to a friends' house for dinner. They are an awesome couple with an adorable little girl the same age as Bug. We had a yummy dinner and then hung out while the girls all played happily. We had planned to put the girls down at our friends' house, so the adults could hang out some more. The girls are such good sleepers, and we figured it would be no big deal to put them down there for a while. Wrong. We put them in the same room, which always means they think it is party time. So after they talked and laughed for almost an hour they were finally quiet for maybe 30 minutes, and we thought they were asleep. Then we heard Bug yelling, so I went in to find a nice little diaper that needed to be changed, which meant Belle was up too. By then it was 10:30 and the girls were obviously not getting any sleep, so we packed them up to take them home and had a delightful trip home.

Bug is usually very easy going and smiley, but that girl does not function without her sleep. We had a 30 minute drive home at 10:30 pm, and Bug screamed in her carseat for the first 20 minutes. I can't blame her.... I'm a grump too when I don't get my many hours of required sleep, and I was feeling really bad about keeping her up so late. The really frustrating part was that she was yelling for something specific over and over again, but the Officer and I could not figure out what she was saying. Even her translator (Belle) couldn't figure out what she was saying. She's 2 and sometimes hard to understand, and she was crying so much it was just impossible to tell what she was saying. I knew she was tired, so I guessed everything logical for bedtime.... her lambie, her blanket, her crib, water, a diaper, snuggles, kisses.... we had a long 20 minutes in the screaming car. Then as we got off the exit 5 minutes from our house I finally figured out what she was saying......

 "Peanut butter jelly!!!!!" That is what she was yelling nonstop at 11:00 pm. The day before I had given the girls PB&J in the car when we were driving at lunchtime, so I guess she thought that was the standard now. All she wanted was for us to understand her. Once I finally figured it out and told her, "No we do not have any peanut butter and jelly right now, Bug." Then she was completely content and silent the rest of the way home.  We made it home, she fell asleep immediately, and slept in until 10:00 am the next day. Ever since then whenever someone has been acting irrationally (which happens quite frequently in a house with toddlers and a man ;) the Officer and I just say, "peanut butter jelly!!" and laugh about Bug's middle of the night demands.

Toddler Talk

Toddlers are always so funny. I hate that I forget all the funny little things my girls say, so here are a few of our recent conversations that I want to remember when I need a smile.

Belle was reading a book and sneezed:
Belle: I got my bless yous all over the page!!

Belle: Why don't we have a dog?
the Officer: Mommy is allergic, so it would make her sick to have a dog in the house.
Belle: Mommy, you can go outside, and then we could have a dog inside.

I said "say cheese", and this is what I got

some Belle vocabulary:
"poodle potties"= porta potties
"alligator juice"= gatorade

After a day of the adults renovating my parents house:
Belle: Grandma and Grandpa worked hard today
Me: Yes, everyone worked very hard today.
Belle: I worked hard too
Me: What'd you do to work hard?
Belle: I worked hard to get up from my nap.

It's hard work being 3

Lately Belle loves to talk about what everyone will be when they grow up. Almost always her list goes like this: Bug is going to be a police officer, Belle is going to be "a soccer team", baby Mik will be a teacher, and our next baby after that is going to be a pilot... I guess we need exactly 4 children, because she knows of 4 possible occupations right now.

The other day when I asked her what she wanted to be when she grows up this is what I got:
Belle: I'm going to be a Nun
Mommy's Catholic heart melted
Belle: Then when I'm done being a Nun I'm going to get married and have a baby in my tummy
Me: ummm that's not how that works.....

I really need to work on my theology instruction

frequent conversation with Bug:
Me: How are you doing Bug?
Bug (while holding her lower back): My back hurts
Me: ......
Bug: I need to have the Doctor check my back.

She's 2 and her back is fine, but one time Daddy hurt his back....

another frequent conversation with Bug:

Bug: I love you

Me: I love you more!

Bug: I love you Miss Frizzle!

no clue what that means except that we are too obsessed with Magic School Bus....