Avery-isms

Avery is so fun to be around! She says such cute things, I think it would be a shame to not write them down and keep them somehow. So... here are a few! When something is big, it's not just big. It is "big one." I like I want a big one drink, I took a big one nap. When you ask her her name, she will say Avery Rose. We are teaching her her last name, so now she will say Avery Rose Lehman (Ay-wee Wose Wehman). We are also trying to teach her OUR first names in case we're ever separated somewhere. Yesterday we were informed that our names were Daddy Rose Lehman, and Mommy Rose Lehman. She is big into favorite things. Whenever she sees something she likes, like her bike she'll say "oh, that's my favorite bike." She calls everyone her favorite friend. Everyone she meets is her friend. The other day she introduced Asher to our neighbor by saying "this is my good friend Asher." And of course when she introduces us like that, she always cups her hands a little and points in the direction of the introducee. Her new thing to do this week is to tell us that she has an idea. If she wants to go outside to play, she tells us "I have an idea, let's go outside...isn't that a great idea?" If she does something naughty and we punish her for it (like spreading diaper cream on the carpet or drawing on the carpet with a Sharpie), when we remind her of it she'll say "I won't do THAT again." If we catch her doing something she isn't supposed to do, like flushing the toilet or drawing on a paper we need- she'll tell me "I just pretend- I not do it." She is always telling us funny things, like to be very careful, or I will miss you. The other day she said she was proud of me for coming home from work. Avery is tenacious, and loves to keep trying. When she doesn't get it right the first time, she'll say "it's okay, I'll try again." She will also encourage us to keep trying again, and sometimes it can be really funny. Once she asked for a cookie right before dinner. I said I can't give you a cookie, and she looked at me, cocked her head and shrugged a little and told me "just try!" It's okay is another one. When she makes a mistake, I'll tell her it's okay. Well now when she does something naughty she'll say it's okay mommy. I caught her in a pile of macaroni noodles that she'd dumped out on the ground. I said Avery what did you do? Her response- it's okay mommy. :/ I'm sure I'll think of more... I will just have to edit this as I remember them! :) Asher is pretty little yet, so doesn't have many Asher-isms. He has learned the word "diaper" (pah-pah). A few weeks ago every once in a while he'd bring one to us and we'd change him. Now after he poops he'll say diaper. So, all you can hear is him grunting to poop, then he says diaper. It's so funny! The other day he farted, and said diaper! Hahaha

First day back at daycare

We decided to start the kids back to daycare twice a week, just in case there were problems adjusting. This way we could pick them up early if we needed to, before it wasn't possible. Jamie had to be at the Caterpillar plant this morning so it worked out well. Avery was SO excited, she was squealing. All morning long she was talking about how she was going to see her friends, how Derrick and Owen were going to be surprised that she was a big girl, and that she could go to the potty. Everything she picked up, she asked if she could bring it along to school to show Bobby, because Bobby would 'wub this.' We arrived and the kids were so happy to see Avery and Asher. Of course, Asher didn't remember any of it and was really upset that everyone was crowded around. When it came time for me to leave he just screamed. I have been worried about him all day. Jamie called to check on them, and heard Asher screaming in the background. Jamie went to pick them up at 4, and the kids were all sitting around their tables eating snacks. Asher was there and eating his snack, just like a big boy. I guess he loved the slide (of course!) and went up and down it all day long. Avery and Derrick were holding hands most of the afternoon. :) It does my heart good to know that they are being cared for. It really is the best case scenario having them in a couple days a week. We aren't going to break the bank, we get to take care of them most days, and they get to play and develop friendships with other kids.

Busy day!

Today was the fifth annual Columbia Half Marathon Challenge. We had so many more people registered this year than in years' past! I think there were nearly 500 total runners with nearly 400 of them being individuals rather than teams. I stepped back a bit this year from the planning and Lisa did a great job of stepping up. I look forward to the day that I can just step back completely and maybe even run things... getting up at 4 am the first Sunday in Oct every year is getting old! I didn't see the kids much today, but we did have a nice evening together. Avery let a daddy long leg walk all over her- up her arms across her back, on her tummy- and she loved it. She was VERY upset that the spider from the face-painting the day before had worn off. The more she cried about it, the more it ran off her sad little face. I ended up getting out some makeup and painting on a new one. She thought that was way cool, and kept running to the mirror to look at it. Someone in Walmart said something to her about it, and she just beamed. I wonder how many spiders I'm going to have to paint on her face before she loses interest. ;)

The Pumpkin Patch

Well, we got news yesterday that Jamie got a job! What an answered prayer. It's not his dream job, but he will work on Sat, Sun, and Mon for 12 hours per day and get paid for 40 hours. It's in Boonville, which is 40 miles away, but he only has to go there three times a week, so it's not that bad. We only have to get childcare on Mondays, but we are going to send the kids Friday too. That way Jamie will have a day completely off (lucky him). He is still talking to people outside of town- specifically in St. Louis about jobs. He would commute there (5 hours each day). I would see him only an hour or so at night, and the kids would only see him on weekends. I'm not a big fan of this idea, but he really wants to do something with his life that has to do with construction, and I guess it's important enough to him to be willing to make that sacrifice. In the meantime, I wouldn't enjoy being a single mom, so to speak. Ah, we'll cross that bridge if it comes. So, since we figured that Jamie might soon be working weekends, we took our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch with the kids. This is our third year. It was a beautiful day... the weather was perfect. The kids enjoyed climbing around on pumpkins... ...a hayride and feeding the goats. Asher is fearless when it comes to the goats. He was feeding them one piece of food at a time, and they were nibbling his fingers as he was laughing. Avery wasn't quite so brave, but did choose to get a spider painted on her face. It was the first time she'd had that done, and out of the butterfly, pumpkin, and ladybug she chose a big hairy spider! We had our neighbors over that evening for grilled pork chops, and all in all had a really nice day!

Busy day

I have a busy day today, and the next couple days. The half marathon is this weekend. This is the first time in four years I haven't been the director. I told Lisa that I would take on the responsibilities of coordinating the volunteers. Ugh. I remember why I told her I would do it- I was feeling guilty for not directing so took upon myself the most thankless, difficult jobs. I'll be glad when Sunday comes. Funny- for the last five years I've been dreading the first Sunday in October. The kids are doing better- the whole family was sick for the past week. I think Asher still has a bit of the bug. Last night I really had a good night with him. (I had both kids by myself... and Avery was a good girl, but Asher was being fun.) Recently he learned that a monkey says 'ooh ooh ooh' and whenever you ask him what a ___ says, he says ooh ooh ooh. As cute as it is, horeses and dogs don't say ooh ooh ooh. Well, last night I asked him what a horse said and he neighed! Then I asked him what a doggy says and he started panting (then he said ooh ooh ooh.. but hey, baby steps!). Then I read brown bear to him and he actually sat still for a good part of it- big accomplishment. We made all the sounds the animals make and he mimicked each one perfectly. When we got to the teacher at the end I pointed my finger and said 'wah-wah-wah' like Charlie Brown's teacher. He cracked up! Every time I did that he giggled himself silly.. then he started doing the same thing with his chubby little sausage finger pointing all the while. Avery in the meantime is obsessed with being a big girl. Every time we eat, or she pees in the potty she says that 'now I can grow.' (yes, we told her she would grow more if she went to the potty- and takes naps... LOL) She is such a lovely little thing. Every morning she comes into my room carrying something or other (lately it's been her rubber lizard Joey) and tells me she wubs me. We usually watch Little Mermaid together, then I turn on Little Einsteins and she watches that while I get ready to go to work. She really doesn't like when I go to work... it makes me so sad when I see her get sad, knowing I have to leave. Jamie is on the verge of getting a job at Caterpillar. I know he doesn't want to work there but we NEED the money. If he gets it, we'll have to (get to?) send the kids to daycare two days a week. He'll only have three 12 hour days to work, so he can watch the kids Tu Wed Th. I'll have them pretty much all weekend, but that's okay- I miss them so much during the week I love spending time with them on the weekend. I'm praying he gets this... he needs to get out of the house more, and we need the money.

Nice weekend

We had a nice weekend! Saturday we went to the Heritage Festival with Sunny and Reagan. There were lots of things there that the kids liked and we had fun walking around looking at things. They especially liked the animals and the guy with the whip. :) Afterwards we went to McDonald's for lunch, then home and naps and a nice dinner. Everyone was in a good mood! I went to the grocery store during naptime, and Aldi's (I was amazed at all the food I got there for $40!). Sunday I cooked all day. Jamie and I decided that the kids do better in the evenings if we eat early, and when I cook the whole meal when I get home from work we don't eat until closer to 6. So, I prepped a bunch of stuff (4 meatloafs, 5# chicken breasts cut into strips, several pks of pork chops and roasts, spaghetti sauce, cabbage and beef, chickpeas, rice and taco meat) so hopefully he can thaw it out and start dinner. I was so tired on Sunday after all that cooking- I think I was in the kitchen for 4 hours.

Good weekend

We had a good weekend here in Millersburg, MO. I ran in a 5k race on Saturday morning. I placed first in my age group (out of both of us!), but came in about 10 seconds slower than last year. I ran with my friend Dana and had a nice time. After I came home Sunny and I took all four kids to a Parents as Teachers sponsored do-dad in Fulton. It was in a local elem school's gym and the kids all had a fun time. It was better than playing outside, because it was a really rainy day. After naps, we went to Noel's fourth birthday party. It was a really nice little party, and even Jamie came. Saturday night into Sunday morning it was very rainy. Hurricane Ike came through and dumped about 7 inches of rain on us. Sunday I spent most of the day cleaning house because we had an open house. But, no one showed up. At least I have a clean house, I guess. We got to play outside a little yesterday evening. The kids loved finding worms and playing with them. Poor, poor worms. Asher loved on one particular worm a little too much and ended up stomping it to death. Avery's potty training is going well. She is still not pooping in the potty very much. Yesterday I told her if she pooped in the potty that I would bake her a cake. I left (for privacy, of course- she insists) and a minute later hear "mommy, I pooped! I want cake!" I went in there to see the tiniest poop in the world. I hated to break it to her that I wanted to see a "big one" poop. I got a message on my phone at work today. It was Avery informing me that she did a big one poop in the potty all by herself and that she had earned her cake. :) Funny... Jamie said that before he put the kids in the tub today that he was using the toilet, and Avery informed him that he deserved for me to bake him a cake too! LOL! I told made-up stories to Avery last night, and it was so fun. She was interacting and really engaged. At one point I was talking about a snake and she said that snakes were scary. So, I went and got my fuzziest softest sock and put it on my hand and pretended it was the snake. Pretty soon she had one on too and we were kissing with the snakes.