Tiny Talk Tuesday

It's been awhile since I wrote about some of the things my kids say, but boy does my memory function at a low capacity with 3 kiddos.  If I don't write something down that instant, the next minute it's gone.  Yes, I'm afraid what my brain would do if I had 4 children!!  Anyway, here are a couple of the cute things they said, that I remembered:

While in the car:
Mom:  Hey Katie, can you tell me what the colors mean on the stop light?
Katie:  Sure, geen means go, red means stop, and yellow means slow poke.
(Uh huh!!  There you have it.  Kyra would have said slow down, since she's a stickler for the rules, but this is how the second one rolls!!)

While at the park:
(We were a little weary of letting our kids play at the park because there was a teenage couple hanging out and showing a little too much PDA.  Fortunately they left soon, but we were prepared for some questions...)
Kyra:  Daddy, how come you and mommy don't show each other that you love each other like that?
Dad:  Well, Kyra, we do...but we just chose to do it in a non public place like our house.  You've seen us kiss haven't you?
Kyra:  Ewww...yes in our kitchen, but that's not appropriate in front of children.
Dad:  And where would it be appropriate?
Kyra:  At the park.
(I guess we aren't showing appropriate examples of affection....according to our affection police!!  I'm so glad those teenagers were there to set a more fitting example-enter sarcasm)

If you'd like to read more tiny talk, just visit Mary's.

Andrew Update: 11 Months

Ever since Andrew discovered that he could take a few steps on his own, he doesn't want to stop.  The minute he falls down, he grabs for your hands to pull himself back to a standing position.  The child simply isn't happy unless he's walking.  The problem is...he doesn't know how to fall well.  In the month that he's been taking steps, he still is wobbly as ever.  He'll take 8 steps forward, and 3 steps back until he falls straight back and bumps his head.  Someone really has to watch him or he could really get hurt.  They already overestimated his capabilities in nursery last week, and he scraped the side of his face pretty good.  Yup, I think this boy will be in for some scrapes and bruises (comes with the territory right?).

Andrew still hasn't shown any interest in crawling, but he recently learned how to sit up from a lying down position.  I found him playing in his crib one day, and a few minutes later he figured out how to stand up.  The problem is now that he has this newfound trick, he has been falling asleep sitting up.  It was funny the first couple days, but now his naps have been cut short because he won't lay back down.  I think he's going to enjoy throwing us for a loop.

As far as eating goes, he is a human garbage disposal.  I think a few months ago I mentioned that he was a picky eater, but now I can't seem to get him to slow down.  He eats oatmeal, grapes, bananas, chicken, cheerios, and just about any kind of veggie.  I think the only thing he doesn't seem to care for at this point is cheese (which I'm sure will change).  I even have to be careful when I get a snack out for the girls, because if he's around he starts screaming at the top of his lungs to let you know he doesn't want to be left out (I'll never do that in the grocery store again!).  Yes, he's a boy of few words, but he certainly let's you know when he wants something.  In fact he's so impatient, that often just to be able to converse over dinner, we have sent him into the other room to watch a Baby Einstein video (obviously we won't do that forever, but for now it works, and he loves them!!)  And transitioning to a sippy cup was a breeze (unlike Katie who wouldn't start until she was nearly 18 months old).  He even sipped out of a straw the other day. 

In a month, he will be turning 1!!  My last snuggle bug is growing up and not wanting to snuggle so much.  But we are having a blast watching him learn so many new things.  The girls love to help guide him in his walking adventures, and give him bite size nibbles too.  Yes, we love ourselves some Andrew! 

A Visit from the Tooth Fairy

During yesterday's events at Tulip Time, Kyra finally lost her first tooth.  We have been anticipating this loss for a very long time now.  Over 6 months ago, her dentist said she had a couple of loose teeth.  And seeing as how I had a special pillow to put my lost teeth when I was a child, I felt like she should have one too.  So last fall I started my quest for a cute pillow.  I saw some chincy ones, and some very cute ones (although they were way too expensive).  Finally, I decided I would make her one and give it to her as a Christmas gift.  I found a simple pattern online and bought all the material.  Now I don't sew very much, but the pattern seemed simple enough, so I decided to go for it.  Needless to say it took me a little longer than anticipated.  It was made out of felt and required a bit of glueing which is where the problems came to play.  Whip stitching over felt glue is not easy work.  My fingers were paying the price, but I was determined to see the project through.  In the end I was very pleased with the fruits of my labor, but I'm not sure I would ever do it again.


With the pillow complete we simply had to wait for her little tooth to fall out.  So we waited, and waited...until finally this past month her tooth clearly became very loose.  We encouraged her to wiggle it, and teased her about tying it to a string and door while slamming it shut.  But in the end we let her do it in her own time.  My hubby said, just be careful not to swallow it!  I said, well surely that won't happen.  She'll certainly feel it when it comes out.

But this afternoon, she ran to me and told me she lost her tooth.  Oh congratulations, I said, where is it?  No, she said I lost it and can't find it.  Funny thing is, once we told her daddy, he knew exactly where it was.  At the restaurant today she was eating a corn dog and had bit into something crunchy.  When she showed her dad, he said it must be a piece of a bone from the hot dog!  Come on, a piece of a bone?  Now when have you ever found a bone in a hot dog?  Those things are as processed as they come.  But he didn't think much of it until she told him she lost her tooth.  So, now her tooth lies at the restaurant with the corn dog!

This evening Kyra wrote a note to the tooth fairy, hoping that she'll take a note instead of a tooth.  And maybe next time if she bites into something crunchy, we'll have a better idea of what it really is!


Tulip Time


It was an exciting day for us today.  We were headed to Tulip Time to enjoy some fun activities for the kids and look at some beautiful tulips.  The kids were excited because we haven't done a whole lot of fun activities in awhile.  Spring cleaning, planting, weeding, gearing up for surgery, and trying to build a bathroom in our basement has been our focus for the last couple of months so I think they are feeling a little cooped up.  And this momma wasn't feeling too different.  I was ready to take a day off and enjoy the great outdoors.

Although the day started off rainy, the sun made its appearance later in the day and made for a pleasant afternoon.  The tulips were some of the best I've seen in years.  There were such vibrant colors and they were so incredibly tall.  They looked like tulips on steriods!  Being outside and seeing all the flowers really does wonders for your soul.  I know it doesn't produce food like a vegetable or fruit garden, but seeing so many variety of colors just brings out the beauty in God's creation. 

The fun part of the day though was taking part in the kinderplaats festivities at Tulip Time.  Although we have gone to the festival a couple years in a row now, we have never done Kinderplaats.  It basically consists of  booths with activities or crafts for kids, some dancing for entertainment, a petting zoo area, and a hand full of bouncy rides.  Yet, there were so many things to choose from, we had to leave to get lunch and come back again.

Kyra and Daddy holding a Boa Constrictor!  Didn't know either of them were that brave!

Speaking of lunch, that was one of the best parts as well.  We went to New Holland Brewing Co. for lunch, and it was wonderful.  I had one of the best pulled pork sandwiches I have had in a long time.  Of course spending the day with good friends we don't get to see very often made the day as well.  There really isn't much I could say that went bad today.  Perhaps it's because we haven't gone out as a family in awhile, or perhaps it is because the weather is turning around.  Either way, it was a very fulfilling day.