Stuck (warning: lost post)

It's almost Feb and I'm pretty sure cabin fever is starting to set it. McDonald's trips have been seriously considered (and happened) more than ever, since going to the park is out of the question. We hit up the library at least once a week, and well as Kroger and Walmart.

However, we've stuck pretty close to home because....drum roll please....we have a child newly out of diapers!!!!! I cannot explain the shear joy of only have one kid in diapers. It's wonderful. Just this week we've started venturing out of the house without a pull-up on. It's been a little over 3 weeks, but I still just wasn't quite ready for the risk of having pee all over the grocery store. But she's been doing wonderful. It was a terrible first week. I was about ready to pull my hair out. If you ever need to know how to clean pee off of various surfaces (wood floors, furniture, mattresses, bedspreads) I'm your gal! 

Despite having a touch of cabin fever, we've been very busy. Some of Carter's latest adventures include: pushing the buttons on the dishwasher (got at least 25 spankings that day, until I finally put the highchair in front of it), hauling a full gallon of bleach up the basement stairs after getting past the child lock on the cabinet, celebrating Bridget's successes on the potty (he gets treats too), insisting on feeding himself at every meal, climbing on anything and everything and subsequently fall off and getting lots of bruises and scrapes, making a bee line for and giggling like crazy any time the kitchen chairs aren't pushed into the table (the laptop is on the kitchen table), ripping books, playing in the toilet, dumping out a brand new box of cheerios and proceeding to smash them, annoying Bridget by playing with doll house or anything else she's deemed as hers, screaming all the way through my chiropractor appointment (you know those smiles you get from the receptionist and everyone else in the waiting room when leaving? So embarrassing), and on and on. 

Bridget's latest activities include: doing everything in her power to keep Carter away from her doll house, doing her best to boss Carter around, attempting to boss everyone else around, putting her babies and all and any stuffed animals to bed and telling us all to be quiet (and giving severe glares to anyone who isn't), wanting to "walk all on my self" (all by myself) whenever we walk into any place, hating peeing in a big potty (I did drop her in once :-s), giving her dolls a suppository (she's had issues...and may be slightly scarred  wanting to take naps in mom and dad's bed (hasn't happened yet), actually trying the food we're having for supper (never eating more than her obligatory one bite, but it's a step), negotiating how much food she actually has to eat at a given meal ("I eat these, and I not eat those" or "when I am done with this I will have some more." The later usually only applies to things like grapes, cheese, and snacks). 

Bridget's been getting quite an attitude and telling us "no" a lot, so she's been getting disciplined for that. Only she's a little too smart for her own good and has started saying "nuh uh" instead of no. So the other day I told her to do something and she replied with "nuh uh." I picked her up and said "Bridget, you don't tell mommy no." To which she replied "I not say no! I say nuh uh!" Stinker.

 cool lady

 Giving kisses 

 Playing memory. I greatly overestimated her ability to do this. 

 This was a long time ago, but these are some of his first steps.

 Out of order, but here are more first steps.

 Reading the new library books

 First snow of the year! These two could care less how cold it is, they just love to be outside. Unfortunately for them, they have a mother who hates being cold. 

 Knapp Christmas...Bridget got a doll highchair

 And Carter got a cozy coupe car! There have been many fights over this car.

 Again, something happened and some of these are out of order. This is back at Knapp Christmas...Sandy reading books to the little girls.

 Bridget and Uncle Adam. We got these headbands in the Target dollar section and they've been a huge hit with the kids!

 Smashing a cracker into little pieces. 

 Back at Christmas with my family...Bridget got a doll house.

 Making pop pop with dad...they both LOVE popcorn, and even Carter knows where the special popcorn bowls are kept!

 Climbing on the side table. Just before this picture was taken he knocked the stereo off the back and broke it. :(

 Eating popcorn

 Two stinkers in the laundry basket

Quotes from Bridget

1. Me: Bridget, please don't get in that cupboard.
Bridget: Why? Because Jesus died on the cross to save our sins?

2. "I love you more. I love you most!"  (actually a quote from the movie Tangled, which she is totally obsessed with)

3. "It's not so bad in here.... that's what Tangled says."

She's slightly obsessed with that movie. Bet you can't tell!

4. In reference to the oven timer: "Ding! That's what the oven say"

5. "Don't freak out dad. Okay?"
We couldn't figure out where in the world she came up with this, until she was watching Tangled the other day (I promise she doesn't really watch it that often!) and sure enough, Rapunzel says it!

6. Both kids were upstairs yesterday morning and I heard Carter squealing. So I called up the stairs "Bridget, why is Carter fussing?" To which she replied "I'm just holding him down." And sure enough, she was!

Life and an ER visit

I realize it's been a while since I did a post. Part of that is from the busyness of life, and partly because there's not much new going on. 

A little over two weeks ago Carter got sick. I wasn't too worried because Bridget had been sick the week before and after 2 days of a fever she was better. 2 days into his fever, he starts sounding wheezy, and coughing a lot. About 11:30 on a Sunday night I heard him coughing and gagging so I went in to check on him. He sounded horrible, like he was out of breath and really wheezing a lot. So we headed into the ER. After a traumatizing two hours, and being diagnosed with RSV and pneumonia, we headed back home with an antibiotic. 

Back to the Dr office first thing Monday because he sounded even worse. This time he was borderline needing to be admitted, but a nebulizer treatment brought his oxygen levels back up. So they let us go home with a prescription for breathing treatments.

Tuesday I had to go to Peoria to return a couple things.

Wednesday we headed back to the Dr's office because Carter still had a fever. Double Ear infection and a new antibiotic for that. 

Thursday was Thanksgiving. Bridget and I went to church with my mom and dad while Luke stayed home with Bridget. Then we headed to my mom and dad's for the day and since it was just our family, it was relaxing (and least for me...I don't know about my mom since she did most of the food). 

Friday we put up the tree and relaxed. Bridget LOVES Christmas trees this year. I got some good black Friday deals online. It's def the way to shop!

Saturday night we had a double date night with Logan and Ashley. We went out to TGI Friday's and then went to see the new James Bond movie. Good movie...very intense. I needed a massage afterwards because I was so tense the whole time.  :)

Last week not much happened. 

Last night we were on our way to the once-a-month Sunday night services when Carter lost his whole supper all over himself, the carseat, and the van. Thankfully we had friends who lived close by and who were home. They graciously let us bring our  puke covered toddler into the house to clean up, and helped clean up the van. And then they sent cupcakes home with us. :)

 One of the kids favorite things to do is dump out all the play kitchen stuff and sit in the basket.

 They both love to read books, and it pretty much melts my heart to see them sitting next to each other reading.

 Someone figured out how to get up onto the loveseat!

 And yes, he was quite proud of himself!

 Don't ask me what they're doing under the chair. Sometimes they're weird.  :)

 My view when I scrub the kitchen floor. They get barricaded in the living room. 

goldfish for breakfast? Why not?!

birthdays and other things

Warning: long post and lots of pictures. :)

 Bridget's unofficial job is to empty the silverware. She thinks she's big stuff and tells me "I help'in you, mommy!"

 The word "help" is said loosely.

 We brought Bridget's little table and chairs downstairs for a few days and she and Carter had lots of tea parties. With marshmallows, of course, cause it wouldn't be a party without them!

 We had to move the toy chest over by the steps because Carter figured out that he could fit between the spindles. Except he usually couldn't get turned sideways and ended up getting stuck.

 And moving on to Bridget's birthday party! She has a current obsession with Nemo, so I thought I'd attempt doing Nemo on cupcakes. After spending several hours on the cupcakes, I decided they were too small for something detailed like that, scraped off all the frosting, clumped all the cupcakes together and did one big Nemo. It was much easier. That being said, next time I get into my head to decorate a cake, remind me of the HOURS spent, and suggest that I just buy one from Kroger and let someone else decorate it. 

She was thrilled with it though, so I guess it was worth it.  :)

 I know that Adam will appreciate this picture.  :)

 These guys got stuck in the living room cause our table wasn't big enough to hold everyone. 

 The other table.

We had pizza (Bridget's fav food...*insert sarcastic tone here* since she has so many foods she likes...ha!), chips, fruit, salad, cake, ice cream and strawberries. 

 She was just SLIGHTLY excited

 She got a doll pack and play from Uncle Daniel and Aunt Wendi, and a kitchen with all the accessories from both sets of grandparents and from us. 

I thought she'd have so much fun with a kitchen (since she does at everyone else's house) but sadly her favorite activity involving the kitchen is clearing it off after they've all been picked up. 

 We let Carter practice for his party!

 And....the next weekend we headed to Warrens, WI with the Knapp's! We stayed at the Three Bears resort. We had 2 cabins and they included tickets to the indoor water park. Bridget loved swimming with her cousins, and in true form, Carter disliked people. He did do better than I expected him to, for which I was very thankful! I have no pictures from the whole weekend, aside from the above picture of AMAZING snack mix I made to take along. 

 The next weekend this little guys turned one! His birthday was on a Wed, and we had his party that Fri night. 

 This kid rarely plays with toys. He mostly just likes to clean out. It's what he does all day. As I'm cleaning up the pots and pans he's empties he'll be in his room taking the clothes out of the dresser. While I'm picking up the clothes he's emptying the books off the bookshelf. And so goes the entire day. 

 Sorry, I forgot to turn the picture before uploading.

I made Carter a cow cake, since at the time a cow was the only animal he knew the sound of. It was much easier than Bridget's cake.  :) 

 And here's the little buddy cleaning out the tupperware...

 Reading books on a Sat morning. 

 We had some unseasonably warm days and we took advantage of them!

 One week we went to Radar Family Farms with some friends from church. It was our 2nd time there this fall, and since Bridget knew what to expect, she was quite excited to go! Carter got to stay with Grandma P and take a nap, and it was nice to only have 1 kid for a morning!

 Getting a ride in the barrels

 Bridget loved the animals and told me (several times) "it's a baby pig! He's so little. aww...."

 playing in the corn bin. 

 Bridget likes to stand on the little chair on the left, and then dive over the arm rest of the couch and our little climber thought he'd give it a try too! thankfully he's too short to get over the arm rest!

 playing with Uncle Luke

they love being baskets, esp when we push them around!