Wordless Wednesday

Cookie Tuesday {Resumes}

"My Da-dee!"

I try to always somehow include Ben in our everyday. We have a routine of getting to talk with him nearly every morning on Skype. We talk about him throughout the day. We read the book he recorded for them. We push the buttons and listen to the messages on our Daddy-Monkey and Daddy-Bunny at least once a day. And we pray for him every night.

But my favorite thing of all? It's not something that I instigated.

It's when Ellie begs for my phone so that she can sit back and look at "my Da-dee" on my "fooooone". A silly photo that he had sent me is my wallpaper and she figured out that if she pushes any button, the black screen will light up with Daddy's picture. Heaven help you if a text thread was left open - she'll throw a fit until she gets to see "my Da-dee pease!!"

"HI, Da-dee! Yov you!"

Monday | According to Noah

N: "Mommy, you n' Ellie smile an' I'll take your pish'ure."

N: "Now just you, Mommy. SMMMMM-ile!"

N: "NNNooooo Ellie! I'm takn' YOUR pish'ure! You can't have my camera!"

N: "It's not time for bed... I. need. to. take. your. PISH'URE!"

Not a clue where he gets the attitude or pish'ure-taking-desire from.

Simple Sunday

Church.

{with Sno-cones!}

Lunch.

{@ Soda Pop's}

Naps.

Playtime.

Pizza at Aunt BB's house.

Swings.

Baths.

Bed.

I ♥ Simple Sundays.

Deployment Gifts | Month Three {And a Party}

Ben requested that we give the kids their deployment gifts a couple of days early this month, so that he'd be able to stay awake for a while with them.

They LOVE getting their gifts from Daddy. And think the "close your eyes" part is super fun. Although Ellie usually can't contain her excitement and her eyes are almost always half-way closed while she bounces up and down on the bed.

Noah just adores his Batman and Ellie was hardly seen without her new jewelry all day.

Thank you, Daddy. We love and miss you!

♥

After naptime and dinner, we headed over to Aunt Connie and Mickey's house to celebrate Megan {Mae-Mae} turning four. I couldn't help but giggle when we didn't even make it through the front door before Amanda was passing out hugs to her very willing and elated to see her second-cousins.

Made me smile and remember a page from one of my favorite Cynthia Rylant books, The Relatives Came.

A certain little birthday girl, however, requested that no one sing her Happy Birthday. And then promptly turned on the shy routine when we belted it out.

As you can tell, Noah loves a birthday party... and wanted to have the front row seat for both blowing out the candles and opening presents.

Happy 4th Birthday Mae-Mae! We love you!

Ellie {@ 23 Months}

I'm finding myself having those weird denial feelings of there's-absolutely-no-way-my-baby-will-be-two-in-a-month. I had them with Noah but I think with Ellie, it's a little more painful on my heart-strings since Ben won't be here to experience it and since, at the moment, she's my baby.

Happy 23 Months, Our Dearest Ellie!

And happy last-month-I'll-probably-ever-tell-your-age-in-months. {sigh}

Things Ellie Loves at 23 Months:

• PESTERING her brother. Seriously, if this were an Olympic sport, she'd win the gold medal... at 23 months of age.



• saying lots of new words and phrases. Among my favorites: "Saw-dee." {Sorry.}; "Yov you." {Love you.}; "Hi Mommy. {pause} Hi Baby." {finishing the good morning conversation for me.}; "Oh my."; "Wooh! Iz a pane, in da sky."



• trying on shoes... anyone and everyone's, but the bigger the heel, the better.



• going "bye-bye"... but will freak out and throw a fit if you don't leave soon after putting her shoes on her.



• reading. To herself. With others. To others. {Seriously, how did I get so lucky that they both love to read?!}



• loves her Papa. Noah, at this age, was a Nana's boy... Ellie is definitely a Papa's girl.



• going crazy with excitement the moment that anyone comes over for a visit.



• watching "Signing Time" and attempting to sing and sign along.

Littlest Dear One, you make our hearts happy with your silly ways, your funny faces, and your orneriness. You make us laugh and giggle every time you laugh! I love to watch you dance and hear you sing along with songs in the car. You are growing by leaps and bounds, every single day. And we know that God has some amazing things in store for you! We love you, cherish you, and simply put are already so proud of you. We'll eat you up, we love you so. ♥

School and Sleep

We haven't been doing much in the way of school lately. Mostly because a good portion nearly all of our school supplies are packed. So yesterday, while Noah and I were at Target {thanks for letting us have a little adventure, sans the munchkin, Nana!}, we picked up this fun dry erase board.

Noah. loves. it.

And he diligently traces the letters just so he can make the smoke coming off of the candle on the cupcake {which is hidden from view by his right hand!}.

He also loves sharing an after dinner, after bath treat with Papa.


***


Remember when my Littlest One was sleeping through the night and staying in her big girl bed until I came in to get her each morning? I do. And remember how since we've been in Oklahoma, it's been one trial after another just to get her to sleep in the same room as Noah? I do We all do.

The biggest trial, really, has been that she loves to get in bed with Noah. And, normally, I'd be okay with this type of sibling affection. Except, with her, it's not affection. It's I'm-going-to-pester-you-until-you-are-crying-and-screaming-for-Mommy-to-come-save-you-because-I-woke-you-up-by-poking-your-eyes attention. I'd deal with this little tete-a-tete a couple of times each night until I finally would give up and do one of three things: pull her into bed with me {rarely worked}, pull Noah into bed with me {leaving her to have their room to herself}, or put her in the pack 'n' play {which, until a couple of weeks ago, we kept in Mom and Daddy-Man's closet}.

Her princess bed {"priddy beh" as she calls it}, for the most part, has gone unused because she simply won't stay in it.

This past week she learned to climb out of the pack 'n' play. I knew it was coming. She figured out how to climb in, it was only a matter of time before she figured out how to get out.

So yesterday, I ordered this:

And paid the nearly $22.00 for overnight shipping.

Noah's reaction: "Where's the tent for my McQueen bed?"

Ellie's reaction when I asked her if she wanted to sleep in her princess bed or monkey bed tonight?

"I'wn money beh."

Here's to a good night's sleep for all of us!

Overheard | This Week

From the monitor, at 6AM, when Ellie was suppose to be in her pack 'n' play still:

Ellie: "Noz. Eye. Eye. Tee-ffff."

Noah: {screaming} "I FORGIVE YOU ELLIE!"

Ellie: "Saw-dee Bubbie. Saw-dee."

***

While listening to a VeggieTales cd in the car, with everyone dancing along...

Noah: "Get it Mommy!"

***

Noah: "Night-night, Ellie. Now you can't get out."

Gim-ee and Papa Noz

I love my Grandparents dearly. And I like to think that I have a special relationship with them. They were there, of course, throughout my childhood, cheering me on {often while I, myself, was cheering!} at various sporting events, attended plays, and just lent a listening ear when I complained about boys or school. In college, they drove out to Shawnee more times that I can count to help me move, attend Hunnies intramural softball games, or to take me out to dinner, just because. And while I was teaching, my Grami was a regular in my classroom, spending a little one-on-one time with kids who just needed some Grami-Snow-time.

I love that they love on my kids in the same way.

And that my kids love them right back.

Thanks for dinner and ice cream, Grami and Papa Snow. We love you and promise to not let it be that long before it happens again!

Ellie: "Bye Gim-ee! Bye Papa Noz! Bye Gim-ee!"

Add It to My List

I need to start keeping a list of things I need and want to video tape. Mostly for Ben, so he can see what the kids are up to and the latest accomplishments they are making, but also just to have so we can remember how little they use to be.

And because hearing Ellie finish the sentences in our very well-loved copy of "No, David!" is something I don't ever want to forget.

Today, we...

... managed to fall into our new normal routine.

... didn't take any pictures, but took several videos.

... stayed indoors most of the day due to the crazy {and seemingly never-ending} heat.

... said and heard "Saw-dee Bubbie". A lot.

Heading Home

It was almost painful to leave this Little Man and his parents. He's just so snuggly!

But, after lunch, that's just what we had to do... we had our own kids and husbands {in person and on Skype} to get back to.

Stephanie, David, he's darling. And amazing. And I can't wait to see the big things that God is going to accomplish through him... and through you, as his parents. We love all three of you to pieces!


Also, you're lucky I didn't try to just bring him home.

And Erin, can't wait for more adventures in Maryland! ♥

Crazy Love

Erin and I stayed up late last night at the theatre watching Crazy, Stupid, Love. Highly recommend it - we laughed SO hard! And, with no children of our own with us, we slept in and it. was. awesome. We got over to David and Stephanie's just in time for lunch {Chipolte... again. It. was. awesome.} and spent the rest of the day snuggling with Jonah, talking, and just enjoying each other's company.

There might have been a ton of photos taken as well. ♥

Meeting Baby Jonah

I've been waiting for this day since November.

True story.

I have SEVERAL friends who are having babies this summer. Many of them are second-time Moms and it's fun watching and listening to them deal with some of the same issues that I dealt with when Ellie arrived... and mostly agreeing with me that going from 1 to 2 is a little more difficult that it was going from 0 to 1 {though, I'm convinced that #3 and on is a breeze}. A few of them are first-time Moms. And I'm loving watching them turn into "Mommies". Especially the ones for whom it has been a natural and easy process...

Stephanie {and David - dear friends of ours from our Life Group} had Jonah at the beginning of July and since they live in Ft. Worth, I haven't had a chance yet to see them or to meet Jonah officially. So today, Erin and I drove in from our respective cities and met up at their house to visit the new family of three.

It was all I could do to not smother the Little Guy with kisses.

I'm seriously in love.

And totally ready for Baby #3.

Last Swim Class

Noah had his last day of swim lessons today. Everyone else except for Papa had had a chance to come with us, so today, Daddy-Man left work a little early to come watch him swim. Except, today was the one day that they didn't swim. Bummer. They had a water safety lesson {which, let's be honest... I'm thinking should have been the first day?}. The lone little three-year-old did pretty well amongst all the big kids.

{He didn't quite get the whole "lay-on-your-belly-to-help-pull-someone-out-of-the-water" gig.}

"Look, Mommy! I'm in a boat!"


His achievement card shows that he mastered nearly every skill in the level 1 preschool course, minus underwater tasks and treading water {oh man, was that ever funny to watch! He wouldn't even try, he'd just lift his legs up into a toe-touch position underwater. heh.}. His teacher said that for having never taken a class before, he kept up with the five year olds really well.

To celebrate the end of class, we picked up Ellie from Aunt KK's house {thank you!} and went to eat dinner at the "pizza store", per Noah's request for the last couple of days. Mom and BB had Open House at their school tonight {school started on Monday... and those poor kiddos and teachers - no outside recess in this heat!}, so the kids, Daddy-man and I were on our own anyway.

Minus the stinky service, the food was pretty good.

And the company was great.

Noah, we're proud of you! ♥

Overheard | This Week

Nana: "Come on, let's go brush the fur off your teeth."

Noah: {in an incredulous tone} "Nana, it's NOT fur. It's food!"

***

While leaving the neighborhood yesterday morning to run some errands, we drove past Aunt KK's house. Both kids know her home just by the direction we go, as they do Aunt BB's. She had her sprinkler on.

Ellie: "KK wadee! KK gaw wadee!!"

Noah: "Mommy, let's drop Ellie off."

***

After staying underwater to the very fast count of four, Noah popped up and exclaimed while raising his fist in the air, "I'm in first place!"

{It was going to be a} Wordless Wednesday

until I was looking at this photo. And realized I never did a 22 month post for Ellie. And even though we're days away from a 23 month post {oh my soul, just over a month until she's TWO}, I don't want to forget some of the things she's learned and accomplished by 22 months.

Ellie @ 22months:

• uses lots of words, including: people: Mommy, Bubby, Daddy, Papa, Nana, BB, she won't say Jessie for the life of her... Aunt Jessie is either called Nana or BB, Byn {Bryan}, Pinny, KK, Mo'ney {Morgan} and Elmo; things: bunny, Meow {her stuffed cat}, and Bebe {baby}; and makes us giggle every time she strings words together: "Hap me bed" {help me on the bed} or "juce teet peas" {juice treats please!}.


• is. totally. HYSTERICAL. And knows it. She makes herself giggle with her silly antics and will do just about anything to make others laugh along with her.


• loves her brother. Loves to pester her brother. To. No. End.


• will, most times, try any food at least once. Current favorites include: juice treats, bananas, any kind of chip as long as there is something she can dip it in {unless they are Cheetos... and then she just devours them as is}, carrots, and green beans.


• shoes.


• reading books, with whoever will read them to her, but is content to even "read" them to herself.

Noah @ Swim Lessons

I didn't take any photos yesterday - probably because I'm still on overload from A Week in the Life and all the previous weeks of just life.

I did get a few videos today, however, of Noah during swim lessons and compiled them into one video for your viewing pleasure: