Halloween Costume Preview

Munchkin is going to be a cowboy tonight. This week I found some cowboy boots at Walmart. Here he is wearing them today.

Yes, he is still in his pajamas and yes, he is playing with a diaper in these pictures.

Papa Corn

Last weekend, Munchkin was at his grandparents'. His grandpa (papa) is a farmer. Munchkin got to ride in the combine and brought some of Papa's corn home. He loves to play with it. Here he is in the kitchen living it up.

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I know I haven't posted very consistently lately. I'm hoping to get better at it. I should have more posts with pictures this week, so please keep coming back!!! I promise to be more consistent.

Tomorrow I should have pictures from tonight. Munchkin is dressing up as a cowboy.

Weekend Wrap-up

Munchkin is at the grandparents' this weekend and won't be returning until sometime tomorrow. Hubby and I have really enjoyed having a weekend to ourselves at home.

We spent yesterday morning going through and reorganizing the storage room in our basement. I went through all the boxes of clothes, toys, infant stuff, etc. that Munchkin has outgrown.

Last night we got take out and watched the Tigers get beat.

After church, we went out to lunch at Mongolian BBQ. Yum!!! Then we went shopping at the mall and Sam's. On our way home we went to Sheridan's. They have a new Pumpkin Pie concrete that has an entire piece of pumpkin pie in it. I thought it sounded gross, but Hubby got one and is was delicious.

Tonight will be more cleaning up of the basement and vegging.

Tomorrow Hubby has to go back to work unfortunately, but I am going to sleep in! I have to go to the grocery store, and besides that, who knows what I'll do. Maybe nothing! Ha!

Thanks grandpa and grandma for taking Munchkin. I know you all have been having just as much fun as we have.

Outdoor fun with daddy and our roses

He makes me lie down in green pastures

Well sleep has still been a big issue for us. It really has been a challenge, but I know God is teaching me a lot through this. For instance, He has taught me that I still worry about a lot of things. I mean, as soon as I wake up I start thinking about nap time and wonder how it is going to go, and get anxious about it. God doesn't want me to live like that. I need to give it over to Him and let Him be in control. Worrying about it takes away time from Munchkin and being able to enjoy him.

God has also confirmed that I am not ready to have a second child yet. I didn't think I was, but now I know I am not. I have too many things to learn before I will be able to be a good mommy to two children. Will I ever be completely ready? Heck no! That's the thing about parenting, you learn it by doing it. But God has told me that He has some more molding He needs to do before #2 comes along. And I have to admit, I'm pretty relieved!

I am also learning to pick my battles with Munchkin. Right now we are moving his naps to later in the day (ok, this is only the second day I've done that) but so far it is working. There is definitely less of a struggle. I'm doing my best to be flexible with him.

I certainly still need your prayers on the issue. Because it is certainly still an issue. I know that like most everything else, this is just a stage. We'll figure it out, move on, and then another difficult stage will hit. Who made up these rules anyway???? Obviously someone without any children. Kind of like all the non-teacher politicians pretending they know something about educating children and deciding that No Child Left Behind is a good idea. But don't get me started on that soap box.

On a lighter note, we currently have carpet samples at our house. Munchkin has discovered they make great pastures for his animals. If you look closely you will see that dinosaurs, tigers, and farm animals live in harmony in Munchkinland.

Thorn in my side

**UPDATE: Guess how long Munchkin slept???? 20 minutes!!! That's right folks, he cried longer than he slept. Grrrrrr

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I am feeling so frustrated right now. Munchkin is having trouble napping AGAIN!!!!! He has never consistently been a good napper and it drives me nuts. We go through these phases where he won't fall asleep on his own. Well, he will, but after much frustration and crying - sometimes on both our parts.

I have almost always been an advocate of teaching kids to fall asleep on their own by crying themselves to sleep. We started that with Munchkin like a year ago. It worked. It was brutal at first (I remember calling Hubby at work crying because Munchkin had been crying for 2 and a half hours! I was down in the basement without any monitor because I thought I would have a mental breakdown if I heard him crying any longer). But like I said, it worked.

However, Munchkin works best with routine. So, when he has to sleep and we're not at home, sometimes it can be a battle. Especially at my parents' house. (Sorry Mom) Mom's not a big fan of crying yourself to sleep which has been frustrating for me in the past. But we've both been flexible with each other's beliefs and have worked through it.

But this week Munchkin has been fighting naps again for apparently no reason. We haven't been out of town. He did spend the day at my sister's house on Saturday, so maybe that threw him off. Monday it took him an hour and a half of crying and resisting to fall asleep. Yesterday he didn't cry himself to sleep, but he only slept for 20 minutes! Ugh!!!! And now, he is finally quiet after 25 minutes of crying. I am about to go up and check on him. I was upstairs sorting laundry (another thorn in my side, but we won't go there) and I saw the light on in his room. We may need to move his crib.

I've talked to God about this nap issue several times. I've also let Him know that if He decides to ever give us a second child, I only want one that is a good napper.

Ok, I'm going to go check on Munchkin. Here's hoping he sleeps longer than 20 minutes!!!

30th Birthday

My brother turns 30 on Saturday, and since I don't blog all that often over weekends, I thought I'd go ahead and talk about him today.

We are 3 and a half years apart and he has been an awesome big brother. Granted, he cried when I was born because he wanted a baby brother. And we certainly have had our disagreements, but I have loved having him as my big brother.

Since he was upset I wasn't a boy, he decided to try and treat me like one. We watched wrestling together on Saturday mornings, we would wrestle in the living room and make mom mad because we were shaking the house. He would make me play one-on-one basketball with him, even though I didn't like it because I always lost. He would also make me play Tecmo Super Bowl with him on the Nintendo. Again, I always lost. He took me for rides on his dirt bike. We would play "spy" and spy on mom around the house. When riding bikes he would pretend to be a police officer and pull me over on my bike. Apparently I broke the law a lot. He would make me laugh at inappropriate times at church. We would gang up together on our older sister and pick on her. (Ok, we may still do this one!)

At Christmas we would sneak downstairs together during the night to find out what Santa brought us. One year we heard mom coming and we both started running. I tripped and stubbed my toe and he left me lying there. After that I stopped going downstairs to peak at Christmas. But he still would and then come up to my room and tell me what Santa brought me. Thanks a lot. So much for being surprised!

I don't remember mom spanking us very often. In fact, the only memories I have of being spanked are when he and I would be spanked together. I should elaborate...mom would always spank me first because when it was his turn, he would start laughing and make mom laugh so that he got out of his spanking. Again, thanks a lot.

But in all honesty, I love my brother. No one can make me laugh like he can. He has always been protective of me. He truly is a big softy - not everyone knows that about him. It hasn't been all that uncommon to snuggle up with him on the couch or get big bear hugs from him. I know that if I ever need him, he'll be there. If Munchkin ever becomes a big brother, I hope he is as great of one as my big brother is. I love you Jase! Happy Birthday!!!

Just An Ordinary Day

First, here is a picture of Munchkin when we went up for Great Grandpa G.'s funeral a couple of weeks ago. Grandpa was in the Army and this was his helmet. I think it is fitting that Munchkin was wearing his American Flag shirt.

Today was just another ordinary day. We went to MOPS, came home and ate lunch, took a nap, and played until Hubby got home.

My goal is to get a video of Munchkin up on here soon. He is growing and changing so much every day. He is truly a little boy. And a sponge. He says things every day that I had no idea he knew and he keeps putting more words together.

He is really getting into dinosaurs. Before Sesame Street (his favorite show) there is a new show on called Dinosaur Train. Awhile ago he and I went to Target with my sister and bought a couple of plastic dinosaurs in the dollar section. Now he sits and holds those toys while he watches the show.

Tonight I was downstairs as Hubby was getting Munchkin ready for bed upstairs. He had just gotten out of the bath and was getting dried off. I heard what I thought was screaming (the fun kind). Hubby later told me it was Munchkin singing. Too funny!

A bit of this...a bit of that

This weekend we helped Aunt N. remove wallpaper and paint her new house. Munchkin got to hang out with Auntie D. while we worked. She put some picturues and videos of their time together on her blog Oh Fiddlestix.

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Hubby and I have started teaching Sunday School together. Remember last year I taught science? Well, Hubby is teaching with me this year! We'll actually be able to listen to the sermon together!!! At first it was a little weird having him in the room while I was teaching. Teaching is my thing - it is what do, so having him there was a little weird. It would be like me going to work with him and watching him design a concrete saw. Weird.

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I am watching the weather right now. We won't even make it into the 50's tomorrow. Sad. I miss summer already. Sigh. I haven't even bought Munchkin a winter coat yet. Guess I better get on that.

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Munchkin is 20 months old. Munchkin is acting like he is 2 years old. We have officially started saying "no" to everything and throwing tantrums. I have a feeling it will only get worse. Apparently he didn't get the memo that it is called "the terrible twos." He owes me four months.

Cookies and Tigers

Hi! This is Munchkin. It has been raining her ALL DAY LONG! And I love being outside, so mom has been trying to be creative in helping me not get bored. This morning we had something called a "playdate" at the mall. I'm not sure what that word means, but I sure had fun.

This afternoon I helped her do something I haven't ever done before - bake! We baked cookies! See?!!

This is me helping mix the dry ingredients....whatever they are.

While Mommy worked with the liquid ingredients, I very carefully spooned the dry ingredients out of one bowl and into another. This wasn't in the recipe, but I thought it would make the cookies taste better.

Here I am looking at the cookies right before they are ready to be put in the oven.

Here is the first batch of cookies! Yum!

Here is the best part...eating them! Mommy says I was a huge help. I heard her mumble something about me being a huge help in getting flour all over the kitchen, but I know that help is a good word, so I'm pretty proud of myself!

All day Mommy has been telling me to get my game face on. I'm not really sure what that means. She says that the Tigers play the Huskers tonight. I know what football is, and I definitely know who the Tigers are, but I still don't understand this whole "game face" thing. I better have another cookie and think on it awhile.

My Child's Not Perfect

My child is certainly not perfect, but there are those moments when you couldn't be prouder of them. There are those moments when all your hard work of trying to teach them how to behave pay off. There are those moments when you think you may not be doing such a bad job as a parent afterall. Yesterday, I had one of those moments.

I had Bible Study at church yesterday morning, so Munchkin went to the nursery. When I picked him up, the nursery workers told me how sweet he is. They told me how he gets along with the other kids so well. They explained how he was a big helper. One even described him as a little mother hen because when other children get upset he goes over and tries to comfort them. I was so proud when I heard these things that I knew as soon as we got home, I was going to call Hubby and let him know what a good boy his son was. And then we started to leave church...

Munchkin didn't want to leave so he started running away from me into the sanctuary while yelling, "NO NO NO!" I picked him up and we walked out the door. While he continued to yell "NO!" he proceeded to thrash around and wiggle so that I had to let him down so I wouldn't drop him on the sidewalk. Munchkin then refused to hold my hand and would run away from me if I tried to get even remotely close to him. Finally I picked him up, got a better grip on him, and carried him to the car while he continued to thrash and yell.

Nope, my child not's perfect.

Celebrating Grandpa's Life

Grandpa passed away Wednesday evening. We spent Thursday through Sunday with family. Here are some pictures from our time. We took quite a few family pictures, but didn't get any on our camera, so family members who did, please send pictures our way! Thanks!

Munchkin and Baby G.

Hubby's dad and Baby G.

Enjoying the beautiful sunset after the funeral.

Grandma with Uncle David, Aunt Kay, Hubby's mom and dad.

Hubby being tackled by Cousin Lucas, Munchkin and Cousin Quinn.