Hey boo,
How's it going?
So, I just need to tell you about this observation I have with the girls. And I'm pretty sure I've noticed it before, but it's becoming more apparent as they learn new skills.
I've noticed that Charlotte is definitely better at the fine motor skills, while Violet is better at gross motor.
Charlotte was the first to be able to take her pants off, and put them back on all by herself. Violet still struggles sometimes putting them on by herself. I think it's because she's always in such a hurry and doesn't have much patience. She ends up putting both legs in the same hole, and then gets frustrated because she can't find the other hole... But Charlotte is slow and steady, and really focuses on where she's putting her feet/legs.
Charlotte holds a crayon or marker more appropriately than Violet. Violet will still use a fist like hold, or some other weird way of holding, while Charlotte pretty much holds it like how most people hold a pencil. Charlotte is also much more into coloring than Violet. Violet gets bored really quickly with that activity. Their pictures look different too. Charlotte will draw circles and lines, and Violet likes to scribble in one spot.
Charlotte is able to open doors by turning the doorknob now. Yikes! I've had to child-proof them with the doorknob cover things. Violet gets frustrated and stops trying right away when attempting to turn a doorknob. The other day, Charlotte even figured out how to open a drawer that IS childproofed with a special hook thing that prevents it from opening it all the way. You have to push the thing down to open it, and she knew what to do. It's the drawer with knives in it, so that is just awesome... I'm really going to have to teach her not to go in that one, or find a better lock!
Charlotte also can put her shoes on by herself every time. Most of the time she gets them on the correct feet, but if I see she is doing it wrong, I just say "Uh-oh, it goes on the other foot. Try again!" And she will laugh and say "Oh!" And take it off to put on the other foot. Violet occasionally puts on her shoes, but again, no patience. She usually asks me to do it for her. The both can obviously take their shoes off, easy cheesy.
For gross motor stuff, Violet is ahead of Charlotte. She was obviously the one to walk, run, and jump before Charlotte. She is also the one who could climb on the couches before Charlotte. She was also the one who could jump OFF the furniture first. I attributed it to her dare-devil personality, but I think it also has to do with gross motor.
Violet could walk up the stairs like a normal person (stepping vs. climbing on all fours) first. She is now able to do it without holding on to the railing, although I tell her she needs to hold on anyways, just in case. She was also the first to be able to walk down the stairs like normal, although she still holds on to the railing. Charlotte is now able to do both of these, but she still has to hold on when going up the stairs.
Violet can also balance on one leg pretty good. She is so going to be a little cheerleader!
Well, I think that's it for now. It is so interesting watching 2 kids the same age grow up and develop at the same time. I wish you were here to see it.
Hearts!
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
The Good and The Bad
Hey boo,
How's it going?
I'm pretty darn excited right now. One of my posts from my Me Plus 3... TODAY! blog was shared on a HUGE bloggers Facebook page, which has TONS of followers. So my post is going crazy. For my little blog, I consider it viral. No, it's not going to make national headlines, but I've had more page views in one day than I usually get in 1 month! :-) I'm so pumped!
On the down side, I'm missing you big time. A) I want to tell you about it so much. When I first discovered it, I was shaking I was so excited, and I wanted to tell someone who would be just as excited with me.
On an unrelated to blogging note, B) I'm trying to do something in Excel and I can't figure out how to do it. I need my Excel Guru. I would tell you what I want, and you would laugh because it's so easy. I know it's easy and it's totally possible, I just can't figure out how to get the right functions set up. Grrr...
Anyways, Lovebuckets!
How's it going?
I'm pretty darn excited right now. One of my posts from my Me Plus 3... TODAY! blog was shared on a HUGE bloggers Facebook page, which has TONS of followers. So my post is going crazy. For my little blog, I consider it viral. No, it's not going to make national headlines, but I've had more page views in one day than I usually get in 1 month! :-) I'm so pumped!
On the down side, I'm missing you big time. A) I want to tell you about it so much. When I first discovered it, I was shaking I was so excited, and I wanted to tell someone who would be just as excited with me.
On an unrelated to blogging note, B) I'm trying to do something in Excel and I can't figure out how to do it. I need my Excel Guru. I would tell you what I want, and you would laugh because it's so easy. I know it's easy and it's totally possible, I just can't figure out how to get the right functions set up. Grrr...
Anyways, Lovebuckets!
Kid Stories
Hey boo,
How's it going?
I haven't been writing in my daily journal as much lately, so I need to write down some funny/cute kid stories, so I figured I'd email them to you!
Story #1
So, bedtime with the girls is getting to be wonky. I screwed up there routine, so it's kind of a free-for-all until I can finally get them into their cribs. I just can't get them back onto our typical routine.
Anyway, they like to look out their bedroom window while I'm changing their diapers and getting them into their jammies. It's getting dark out earlier now, so the other night we were talking about how the sun was going "night-night," so they needed to go night-night too.
So of course, Violet asks "Why?" And I tell her that when it's dark out, that means you should be sleeping.
So, we said "night-night" to the sun and they got in their cribs. (Of course, they didn't actually fall asleep until 45 minutes later...)
Well, during this past weekend, I was trying to get the girls ready and in their cribs for nap-time. And Violet says, "But the sun is awake! It's bright out!"
Touche, Violet. Touche... :-)
I just told her that a nap was different than going "night-night." It was something you do when the sun is still awake...
I'm not sure she bought it, but they did both eventually take a nap. Yay!
Story #2
The kids are getting so smart. Sometimes they just blow me away when they start doing or saying new things. I miss my babies, but I also love seeing them grow up. These kids are completely different than the kids you knew. I wish so much that you were here, you would laugh all the time at these little goofballs.
Anyways, last night I was changing Charlotte's diaper, and we were talking about school (we do that a lot, it's our main topic of conversation because I never know what to talk about with them!). She was talking about how she like Ms. Emily (because she was there when I picked the girls up). I asked her if she liked Ms. Genna too? She said yeah. And then she says, "She go bye-bye." And I said, "Ms. Genna went bye-bye."
Charlotte: "Yeah, in her car."
Me: "Oh."
Charlotte: "She go to her house."
Me: "Yup, she probably did go to her house."
Charlotte: "She take her shoes off."
(slight pause)
Charlotte: "She eat food."
Me: "Yup, she eats her dinner."
Charlotte: "She go spa."
Me: (laughs a little) "Yup, she probably will take a spa."
Charlotte: "Then she play a little bit."
(slight pause)
Charlotte: "She go night-night."
Me: Just looking at her in awe as I realize the sequence of events she just told me. It's our typical evening routine after school. I feel like it's a big deal or a milestone for them to remember and be able to list out a bunch of steps in a row like that. So I just say "Wow, Charlotte! That was a really good sequence! You are so smart!"
Charlotte: "Yeah."
:-) Goofy girl!
Story #3
In the morning on school days, I wake up and get myself ready. Then I wake up the girls, change diapers, get them dressed, and do their hair in their bedroom. I leave their outfits out the night before just outside their room. I usually have a stash of diapers in their room for middle-of-the-night diaper changes and after spa and whatnot.
Anyway, I grab their clothes and walk in and realize there are no diapers left on the shelf. Both girls are laying down and it sounds like they are snoring, so instead of waking them up to bring them downstairs for diaper change, I just walk out and run downstairs to grab more diapers.
I walk back into their room and Charlotte is standing up in her crib, in the corner closest to the door, looking out the door. For some reason, it really surprised me/scared me, because I wasn't expecting it. I thought they were both sleeping.
So I jumped and yelled "Ah!" really big!
And because I yelled loudly, it made Charlotte jump really big.
And then I just started cracking up. "You scared me!" I told her. Fortunately because I was laughing, she started laughing too instead of crying because she got scared.
Of course this silly little moment woke Violet up, but that was OK.
It was just a funny way to start the day.
OK, I think that's it for now. I never stop wishing that you would be here to experience all of this craziness. I just look at these kids and know how much you would love them.
I miss you.
Hearts.
How's it going?
I haven't been writing in my daily journal as much lately, so I need to write down some funny/cute kid stories, so I figured I'd email them to you!
Story #1
So, bedtime with the girls is getting to be wonky. I screwed up there routine, so it's kind of a free-for-all until I can finally get them into their cribs. I just can't get them back onto our typical routine.
Anyway, they like to look out their bedroom window while I'm changing their diapers and getting them into their jammies. It's getting dark out earlier now, so the other night we were talking about how the sun was going "night-night," so they needed to go night-night too.
So of course, Violet asks "Why?" And I tell her that when it's dark out, that means you should be sleeping.
So, we said "night-night" to the sun and they got in their cribs. (Of course, they didn't actually fall asleep until 45 minutes later...)
Well, during this past weekend, I was trying to get the girls ready and in their cribs for nap-time. And Violet says, "But the sun is awake! It's bright out!"
Touche, Violet. Touche... :-)
I just told her that a nap was different than going "night-night." It was something you do when the sun is still awake...
I'm not sure she bought it, but they did both eventually take a nap. Yay!
Story #2
The kids are getting so smart. Sometimes they just blow me away when they start doing or saying new things. I miss my babies, but I also love seeing them grow up. These kids are completely different than the kids you knew. I wish so much that you were here, you would laugh all the time at these little goofballs.
Anyways, last night I was changing Charlotte's diaper, and we were talking about school (we do that a lot, it's our main topic of conversation because I never know what to talk about with them!). She was talking about how she like Ms. Emily (because she was there when I picked the girls up). I asked her if she liked Ms. Genna too? She said yeah. And then she says, "She go bye-bye." And I said, "Ms. Genna went bye-bye."
Charlotte: "Yeah, in her car."
Me: "Oh."
Charlotte: "She go to her house."
Me: "Yup, she probably did go to her house."
Charlotte: "She take her shoes off."
(slight pause)
Charlotte: "She eat food."
Me: "Yup, she eats her dinner."
Charlotte: "She go spa."
Me: (laughs a little) "Yup, she probably will take a spa."
Charlotte: "Then she play a little bit."
(slight pause)
Charlotte: "She go night-night."
Me: Just looking at her in awe as I realize the sequence of events she just told me. It's our typical evening routine after school. I feel like it's a big deal or a milestone for them to remember and be able to list out a bunch of steps in a row like that. So I just say "Wow, Charlotte! That was a really good sequence! You are so smart!"
Charlotte: "Yeah."
:-) Goofy girl!
Story #3
In the morning on school days, I wake up and get myself ready. Then I wake up the girls, change diapers, get them dressed, and do their hair in their bedroom. I leave their outfits out the night before just outside their room. I usually have a stash of diapers in their room for middle-of-the-night diaper changes and after spa and whatnot.
Anyway, I grab their clothes and walk in and realize there are no diapers left on the shelf. Both girls are laying down and it sounds like they are snoring, so instead of waking them up to bring them downstairs for diaper change, I just walk out and run downstairs to grab more diapers.
I walk back into their room and Charlotte is standing up in her crib, in the corner closest to the door, looking out the door. For some reason, it really surprised me/scared me, because I wasn't expecting it. I thought they were both sleeping.
So I jumped and yelled "Ah!" really big!
And because I yelled loudly, it made Charlotte jump really big.
And then I just started cracking up. "You scared me!" I told her. Fortunately because I was laughing, she started laughing too instead of crying because she got scared.
Of course this silly little moment woke Violet up, but that was OK.
It was just a funny way to start the day.
OK, I think that's it for now. I never stop wishing that you would be here to experience all of this craziness. I just look at these kids and know how much you would love them.
I miss you.
Hearts.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Dammit Taylor Swift!
Hey boo,
How's it going?
So, Taylor Swift has a new song playing on the radio. And of course, I have to rock out to it.
I just want to NOT like her!
But then I do!
I'm a closet Taylor Swift fan. Don't be mad at me. :-P
Ok, hearts!
How's it going?
So, Taylor Swift has a new song playing on the radio. And of course, I have to rock out to it.
I just want to NOT like her!
But then I do!
I'm a closet Taylor Swift fan. Don't be mad at me. :-P
Ok, hearts!
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Happy Miserable
Hey boo,
How's it going? I'm just missing you as always...
I still constantly have the urge to email you, or think "I want to tell Chaz that" after something funny/stupid/sad/annoying/whatever happens.
It sucks.
So, I've got my Pandora playing right now, and of course, a Justin Timberlake song comes on. It's from Part 1 of the 20/20 Experience CD... I bought it when I was preggo with Will, and listened to it constantly in my car while I was driving.
So anytime I hear a song from it, it always reminds me of being pregnant, in the cold yucky winter months of February and March.
It was such a "happy miserable" time. You know I always complained of being miserable when I was pregnant. But I also loved it at the same time. It was misery worth having, so that made it happy and good.
So, a part of me doesn't want to listen to these songs, because I want them to ALWAYS remind me of that time. I want them to always give me the feelings that I had during those last few months of pregnancy.
But then another part of me does want to listen to them, so that I do have those feelings right now. But I just don't want these songs to get tainted, and lose their "magic."
I don't know, it's a weird and complicated to explain. I guess it's more of that Jukebox Therapy stuff going on...
I miss you.
Hearts.
How's it going? I'm just missing you as always...
I still constantly have the urge to email you, or think "I want to tell Chaz that" after something funny/stupid/sad/annoying/whatever happens.
It sucks.
So, I've got my Pandora playing right now, and of course, a Justin Timberlake song comes on. It's from Part 1 of the 20/20 Experience CD... I bought it when I was preggo with Will, and listened to it constantly in my car while I was driving.
So anytime I hear a song from it, it always reminds me of being pregnant, in the cold yucky winter months of February and March.
It was such a "happy miserable" time. You know I always complained of being miserable when I was pregnant. But I also loved it at the same time. It was misery worth having, so that made it happy and good.
So, a part of me doesn't want to listen to these songs, because I want them to ALWAYS remind me of that time. I want them to always give me the feelings that I had during those last few months of pregnancy.
But then another part of me does want to listen to them, so that I do have those feelings right now. But I just don't want these songs to get tainted, and lose their "magic."
I don't know, it's a weird and complicated to explain. I guess it's more of that Jukebox Therapy stuff going on...
I miss you.
Hearts.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
1 Year
Hey boo,
How's it going? I'm sure you can guess how I'm feeling...
It's been 1 year. One fricken year.
And it STILL does not seem real.
Will it ever?
I look at pictures of you, and I think is it really possible that I haven't seen your face in an entire year?
That I haven't felt your scruffy beard, or your ooo la la freshly shaved face. That I haven't touched your "funny ear" or shown you how your nose is as long as my finger. Or touched your "bowling ball head" after getting a hair cut.
That I haven't complained about your "sock fuzzies" on the carpet, or heard you "rip ass" from across the room. I haven't had to ask you to shut the door when you're "painting a picasso."
I haven't heard you laugh, or heard the way you clear your throat when you get all emotional and don't want to cry.I haven't heard the garage door open and told the kids "Yay, Daddy's home!" I haven't had to caution you when you throw the kids up in the air.
I haven't had you talk to me about NASCAR or walked by you to see you on jayski.com. I haven't heard the phone ring, and known that it was you calling to ask what was for dinner or if you should pick something up.
There hasn't been an email in my inbox telling me what time the kids got checked in at school. Or an email telling me how tired you are. Or an email telling me you loved me. There hasn't been any emails at all, except these ones that I write to you.
We haven't watched Friends bloopers on youtube before bed. Or played "name that artist" to those dorky music collection infomercials. I haven't told you what happened on Ellen today, or what episode of Daniel Tiger we watched.
I haven't heard you ask me "How was work?" and I haven't had to reply "The usual."
You haven't randomly played some song from our younger years on youtube for me. And I haven't heard you take the first sip of your Dr. Pepper and say "aaaahhhhh..."
We haven't talked about our past. And we haven't talked about our future.
It's just me.
Trying to live the future we had planned for our family. Our family of FIVE. It's not right that there are only 4 of us here to live our hopes and dreams. It's just. not. right.
I can't believe how much emptiness can hurt. It's paralyzing pain.
1 year. One year of torture. One year of hell on Earth. One year.
I didn't think I could make it through 1 day, let alone a year. I still have times where I'm not sure I can make it through the next hour.
It's still just 30 seconds at a time.
I've made it through 1 year, 30 seconds at a time.
I miss you. I ache for you. I just want to put my head on your chest and for you to give me a hug.
I love you. Love. Lovebuckets. Hearts.
How's it going? I'm sure you can guess how I'm feeling...
It's been 1 year. One fricken year.
And it STILL does not seem real.
Will it ever?
I look at pictures of you, and I think is it really possible that I haven't seen your face in an entire year?
That I haven't felt your scruffy beard, or your ooo la la freshly shaved face. That I haven't touched your "funny ear" or shown you how your nose is as long as my finger. Or touched your "bowling ball head" after getting a hair cut.
That I haven't complained about your "sock fuzzies" on the carpet, or heard you "rip ass" from across the room. I haven't had to ask you to shut the door when you're "painting a picasso."
I haven't heard you laugh, or heard the way you clear your throat when you get all emotional and don't want to cry.I haven't heard the garage door open and told the kids "Yay, Daddy's home!" I haven't had to caution you when you throw the kids up in the air.
I haven't had you talk to me about NASCAR or walked by you to see you on jayski.com. I haven't heard the phone ring, and known that it was you calling to ask what was for dinner or if you should pick something up.
There hasn't been an email in my inbox telling me what time the kids got checked in at school. Or an email telling me how tired you are. Or an email telling me you loved me. There hasn't been any emails at all, except these ones that I write to you.
We haven't watched Friends bloopers on youtube before bed. Or played "name that artist" to those dorky music collection infomercials. I haven't told you what happened on Ellen today, or what episode of Daniel Tiger we watched.
I haven't heard you ask me "How was work?" and I haven't had to reply "The usual."
You haven't randomly played some song from our younger years on youtube for me. And I haven't heard you take the first sip of your Dr. Pepper and say "aaaahhhhh..."
We haven't talked about our past. And we haven't talked about our future.
It's just me.
Trying to live the future we had planned for our family. Our family of FIVE. It's not right that there are only 4 of us here to live our hopes and dreams. It's just. not. right.
I can't believe how much emptiness can hurt. It's paralyzing pain.
1 year. One year of torture. One year of hell on Earth. One year.
I didn't think I could make it through 1 day, let alone a year. I still have times where I'm not sure I can make it through the next hour.
It's still just 30 seconds at a time.
I've made it through 1 year, 30 seconds at a time.
I miss you. I ache for you. I just want to put my head on your chest and for you to give me a hug.
I love you. Love. Lovebuckets. Hearts.
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