Monday, June 23, 2014
Top 10 for Week of June 9th
Top 10 for the Week:
June 9th, 2014
10. Gate GONE. Took down our baby gate this week. Its SO strange without it. But it was time. Both kids know how to open it and it was becoming more of a toy for Sir Clayton. Makes me sad though.
9. Leo Outside. Ummm....so strange. One morning this week, Jay went downstairs and heard Leo. Come to find out, he was stuck between the closed door and the screen door. He must have gotten out during the day sometime and got scared so jumped in through our holey screen and slept the rest of the night in that little space! There was cat hair everywhere! I felt extremely bad. Leo was frazzled. Went into hiding the rest of the day. I don't blame him. Must fix screen doors soon. On my honey-do-list.
8. Start of Summer. It's here! Can't believe it. Summer is starting off rocky with the kids. Ugh. BUT I started a "Rockstar Jar" that I found on Pinterest. When the kids get the pint jar filled with little rocks--they get a surprise. It's working. Hopefully it will all summer! Let's hope!
7. Library Sign-up. We signed up for the summer reading program in Decatur. In years past, I've tried doing two different library reading programs. Which has been crazy! This year, we are doing one...and the kids are loving picking out books (well, more Mal and Clay).
6. Blanket Time. This week was a bit chillier. So not so much playing in water weather. But we did spend an afternoon lying on blankets in the yard. It was so calming. Watched some clouds. Found a few animals in the clouds. Clay ate some grass. Watched some ants. My kids of afternoon.
5. Mal's First Friend Over. We were suppose to get together with a friend this past week and it didn't work out. Mal is still recovering from her recital...so it wasn't great timing (major tantrum from her!). I decided to give her school friend a call to see if she wanted to come over. And it totally worked out! I made strawberry shortcake while the kids played. I could hear Mal being a little bossy. So I intervened. I know. I should let it go, but it was her first real friend coming over. So, I wanted to make sure she knew how to get along with a "guest." Hopefully she'll want to come back:-)
4. Babysitting Daphne. We got a chance to babysit my friend's 6 month old. Mal was great but Clay was a bit too lovey and threw a few tantrums. Mal told me it must be because I was holding and playing with Daphne. Amazing to me how much she picks up on!:-) I felt pulled in a million directions. Kinda like having a 3rd child. Must remember this when I get the occasional baby fever! Ha! She is/was a great baby though. Making it much easier on this Momma.
3. Clayisms. Having a bit of a pooping problem. It seems hes become scared of doing it. Like he knows hes suppose to go in the potty not in his diaper...so he's been holding it. Making him constipated. Poor guy, went from going 2-3 a day to maybe going once. Seeing the look of fright in his eyes as you paces back and forth, makes me so sad. Hoping this phase passes soon! We went on a walk this week from the library to Jay's office. And Sir Clayton sure takes his time. I'm talking his sweet time. In fact, he even stopped on the way there and back to smell a flower from a planter. It was cute. And I have to remind myself to stop and slow down too...just like him. A great reminder.
2. Malloryisms. Lack of sleep really throws Mal off--but who doesn't have the same effect? It's been a rough week but I AM seeing glimpses of my girl. Maybe in a random hug or following my direction the first time. Even in a chore that I asked her to do this week. "Hey Mal, can you please set the table." Earlier in the week it was, "No." Today it was "Yes your majesty." with a HUGE smile on her face. Thank goodness. I've missed her. I also told her this week that her hugs make things better for me. So she informed me that "Maybe when you're mad, I can be your cuddlier-make-you-feel-better person." Ummmm....YES PLEASE! Am I really mad a lot lately?!?!? Oops.
1. Tigers Game! We went to our first Tigers game as a family! It was SO much fun! And the kids were MUCH better than I had anticipated. They were definitely worn out by the end of the day and both slept through the night. I just wish our kids would sleep in the car on trips. Makes for a VERY long car ride with cranky kids:-) But we survived and we had fun. Hopefully this will become an annual even for our family and my side of the family! We had a blast!
Summer is getting in the way of my posts. But I'm hoping to catch up every few weeks or so. Like on this rainy afternoon nap time:-)
Enjoy your day!
Until next week,
Mrs. Newell
Top 7 for June 2nd, 2014
Top 7 for the Week:
June 2nd, 2014
7. Grumpy Kids. Help. My kids are seriously SO grumpy it's driving me crazy. But luckily I have a husband who totally gets it and steps in. We truly balanced each other out this week. I was able to get a few bike rides in and workout! It was a huge stress reliever for me.
6. Mal Graduation. Mass followed by a program that concluded Mal's preschool days. You could tell she was nervous but she did great on her speaking parts. This moment was SO bittersweet. She's ready. I know it. But it's hard for me to believe she'll be gone all day from me. Only my second year home and she's already heading there for a full day.
5. Mud Pile/Sprinkler FUN. Our outdoor sandbox is complete! So excited. Kids LOVE it. In fact, one night this week the kids played for awhile and were a mess. We turned on the sprinklers and let them take over their clothes. They enjoyed every second of just being kids on a summer day. It was so sweet to watch them truly enjoy themselves.
4. Potty Training! We had a HUGE breakthrough this week! He now shouts when he has to go pee! Like we haven't had a wet diaper in a week or so! But he refused to poop on the potty. Enough to make himself constipated. He gets so nervous to even poop in his diaper now because he knows what's going on. I'm just following his lead. Not pushing. Not shaming. Nothing. I have faith it will come. Hopefully before he's FOUR. And if not, I WILL be okay with it.
3. Clayisms. He truly is obsessed with his sister. We went to one of my nephews game the other night and he pushed his way between another kid Mal's age so that he could sit next to her. I thought it was adorable. He's also starting to retell which is a huge developmental stage for him. Sounds are still struggling. As well as my patience with him. Three is hard. But doubly hard with his language delay. It still gets to me. I'm learning to let some things go. But I still struggle on a daily basis.
2. Malloryisms. Big recital this past weekend which she LOVED the whole atmosphere. Got a chance to "chit chat", according to Mal, with her a bit this weekend due to the recital. Nice to catch up and reconnect with her. On the way home Saturday, she wanted to play the "sugar bowl" game. I could not for the life of me figure what she was talking about. Then it dawned on me the syllable game! I got a good chuckle out of that one. I was also able to witness Miss Mal protecting and sticking up for her little brother. There was another kid that was messing with Clay. She grabbed Clay, told the kid no and to stop it, and then continued to hug Clayton until he was better. Most adorable thing ever.
1. Mal's Dance Recital. It was truly a pleasure to watch Mal enjoy every single moment of her dance recital. She has grown to become quite outgoing and loves being around other kids her age and older. Her best performance was Saturday afternoon--which I was the only one there watching. I was extremely proud. She won 3 awards and a gift certificate for a camp this summer. Looking forward to watching her grow in dancing.
June 2nd, 2014
7. Grumpy Kids. Help. My kids are seriously SO grumpy it's driving me crazy. But luckily I have a husband who totally gets it and steps in. We truly balanced each other out this week. I was able to get a few bike rides in and workout! It was a huge stress reliever for me.
6. Mal Graduation. Mass followed by a program that concluded Mal's preschool days. You could tell she was nervous but she did great on her speaking parts. This moment was SO bittersweet. She's ready. I know it. But it's hard for me to believe she'll be gone all day from me. Only my second year home and she's already heading there for a full day.
5. Mud Pile/Sprinkler FUN. Our outdoor sandbox is complete! So excited. Kids LOVE it. In fact, one night this week the kids played for awhile and were a mess. We turned on the sprinklers and let them take over their clothes. They enjoyed every second of just being kids on a summer day. It was so sweet to watch them truly enjoy themselves.
4. Potty Training! We had a HUGE breakthrough this week! He now shouts when he has to go pee! Like we haven't had a wet diaper in a week or so! But he refused to poop on the potty. Enough to make himself constipated. He gets so nervous to even poop in his diaper now because he knows what's going on. I'm just following his lead. Not pushing. Not shaming. Nothing. I have faith it will come. Hopefully before he's FOUR. And if not, I WILL be okay with it.
3. Clayisms. He truly is obsessed with his sister. We went to one of my nephews game the other night and he pushed his way between another kid Mal's age so that he could sit next to her. I thought it was adorable. He's also starting to retell which is a huge developmental stage for him. Sounds are still struggling. As well as my patience with him. Three is hard. But doubly hard with his language delay. It still gets to me. I'm learning to let some things go. But I still struggle on a daily basis.
2. Malloryisms. Big recital this past weekend which she LOVED the whole atmosphere. Got a chance to "chit chat", according to Mal, with her a bit this weekend due to the recital. Nice to catch up and reconnect with her. On the way home Saturday, she wanted to play the "sugar bowl" game. I could not for the life of me figure what she was talking about. Then it dawned on me the syllable game! I got a good chuckle out of that one. I was also able to witness Miss Mal protecting and sticking up for her little brother. There was another kid that was messing with Clay. She grabbed Clay, told the kid no and to stop it, and then continued to hug Clayton until he was better. Most adorable thing ever.
1. Mal's Dance Recital. It was truly a pleasure to watch Mal enjoy every single moment of her dance recital. She has grown to become quite outgoing and loves being around other kids her age and older. Her best performance was Saturday afternoon--which I was the only one there watching. I was extremely proud. She won 3 awards and a gift certificate for a camp this summer. Looking forward to watching her grow in dancing.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Changing with Age
It's amazing to me how much a mind and spirit can change with age.
I think about the start of my motherhood. All the oopsies I made. The cluelessness to my words and actions. And then I look at now. I am a completely different mother. Experience, books, advice, love. Changed me. Made me a better mother. The mother I wanted to be.
I think about the friendships I've had/have. Things I used to fret about then, are not important now. The importance of keeping warm, true, good friends around. Willingly making the effort in these relationships. And the goodness and benefits that are reaped from this!
I think about my marriage. How it's the same but different. We work as a team. Getting things done. Meeting the needs of our little ones. And each other. It definitely is changing. As our kids get older. As our hobbies change. As we figure out what we want for our family and what works best for us.
With age comes more forgiveness, more genuine love, more ambition to do what feels right.
And less desire to deal with people who do not have these qualities.
Top 10 for the Week:
May 26th, 2014
10. Constant Battle. I've come to the realization that I will more than likely battle anxiety and depression my whole life. It creeps up on me. Like I'm fine one day and then bam! It hits, full force. Out of nowhere. And I'm just a blubbering, anxious mess. It's horrible. Had a breaking point this week. BUT I am aware of my body and mind. I know when to get help. And I did. I feel SO much better. My weird/odd symptoms are finally disappearing. It's amazing to me how much your mind controls your body and spirit. I'm just SO extremely happy to be back...or CLOSE to back. All a work in progress right?!?! Anyone who battles this, knows how horrible it is and how consuming it becomes.
9. I DID IT! I reached out. Wrote a letter to an old friend I had a falling out with. Will be mailed out tomorrow. Another relief. Feelings and thoughts are down. And she will know soon.
8. Sandbox LOVE. Our kids LOVE sand. SO much that I decided it would be a great idea to make a bigger one for them!:o) Like we didn't have enough yard work/stuff to do. But I know it's important for the kids. So, Jay started it, and I finished it. He's out right now getting more sand for it. Kids already play in it several times a day. It's under a nice shaded tree by the swing set. They love it. Which I knew they would.
7. IEP. Clay had his IEP this past Friday. I had mixed feelings about this. Now that we are seeing our new speech therapist (whom we all LOVE), I was anxious (there it is again) to meet with the old. It was another struggle to get him out of the car. But I had the pleasure of meeting his teacher for next year. She was so sweet, warm, everything I would picture would be PERFECT for Sir Clayton. I mentioned that he was kinda loud and she said "Perfect! I'm loud too! We'll get along great!" Such a great attitude. He's going to LOVE her. He'll be going Tuesday-Thursday from 8:15-11:00 starting in the fall. SO hard to believe.
6. OUTDOORS. We have been enjoying our outdoor areas. Biking, swinging, swimming, chalk, garden, everything! Kids have been exhausted! Nothing like a little Vitamin D and fresh smells to make you feel great!
5. Memorial Day. We had a great Memorial Day with Jay's family. Went to the service in the morning and then headed over to my in laws. Spent the day on the boat and outside enjoying the nice weather. Kids found frogs, swam in the lake, ate cookie ice cream sandwiches, and enjoyed their cousins. It was great.
4. SPEECH. Have I told you how much I LOVE his new speech teacher? She is SO right for us. Her play therapy is SO right for him. He LOVES her. So, we had his IEP just before visiting Miss Dell--where he wouldn't get out of the car (bribed him finally with gum). While waiting in the parking lot to visit with Miss Dell (we were early), he kept saying "OUT!" "GO!" This week was kinda crazy--didn't get as much time to work with him as I would have liked too. But she noticed a difference! Said that my 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there are really working with him! And I agree. I cannot tell you how much joy and relief it brings me to have this new special person in our lives. She has totally given us HOPE.
3. Clayisms. Our little kiddie pool is his oasis. He will not get out of the pool ever. Between both of them, they could seriously wear their swimsuits all day and be totally content with it. And because he wears his swimsuit and does NOT like the feeling of the swim diaper, we've had huge success with potty training! He pooped two times on the potty yesterday!! Big doings here!!
2. Malloryisms. She's my little swinger:o) Even before 8:00 I can find her outside on the swing set, swinging. It's so cute. She's also become quite the social butterfly. She used to be so reserved and shy (like I used to be at her age) but now she really enjoys talking to whomever. She's growing up.
1. College Roommate. My college roommate and her husband came to visit us this past weekend for a night. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy her TRUE friendship. We don't talk or see each other as often as I would like, but we right away pick up where we left off and enjoy every single second we have together. Friendships like that are rare. Hard to find. And I am blessed to have her in my life. LOVE you Kelly Fornwalt.
The weekend is over!
Hello June!
Hello almost summer!
Have a great week!
Until next week,
Mrs. Newell
I think about the start of my motherhood. All the oopsies I made. The cluelessness to my words and actions. And then I look at now. I am a completely different mother. Experience, books, advice, love. Changed me. Made me a better mother. The mother I wanted to be.
I think about the friendships I've had/have. Things I used to fret about then, are not important now. The importance of keeping warm, true, good friends around. Willingly making the effort in these relationships. And the goodness and benefits that are reaped from this!
I think about my marriage. How it's the same but different. We work as a team. Getting things done. Meeting the needs of our little ones. And each other. It definitely is changing. As our kids get older. As our hobbies change. As we figure out what we want for our family and what works best for us.
With age comes more forgiveness, more genuine love, more ambition to do what feels right.
And less desire to deal with people who do not have these qualities.
Top 10 for the Week:
May 26th, 2014
10. Constant Battle. I've come to the realization that I will more than likely battle anxiety and depression my whole life. It creeps up on me. Like I'm fine one day and then bam! It hits, full force. Out of nowhere. And I'm just a blubbering, anxious mess. It's horrible. Had a breaking point this week. BUT I am aware of my body and mind. I know when to get help. And I did. I feel SO much better. My weird/odd symptoms are finally disappearing. It's amazing to me how much your mind controls your body and spirit. I'm just SO extremely happy to be back...or CLOSE to back. All a work in progress right?!?! Anyone who battles this, knows how horrible it is and how consuming it becomes.
9. I DID IT! I reached out. Wrote a letter to an old friend I had a falling out with. Will be mailed out tomorrow. Another relief. Feelings and thoughts are down. And she will know soon.
8. Sandbox LOVE. Our kids LOVE sand. SO much that I decided it would be a great idea to make a bigger one for them!:o) Like we didn't have enough yard work/stuff to do. But I know it's important for the kids. So, Jay started it, and I finished it. He's out right now getting more sand for it. Kids already play in it several times a day. It's under a nice shaded tree by the swing set. They love it. Which I knew they would.
7. IEP. Clay had his IEP this past Friday. I had mixed feelings about this. Now that we are seeing our new speech therapist (whom we all LOVE), I was anxious (there it is again) to meet with the old. It was another struggle to get him out of the car. But I had the pleasure of meeting his teacher for next year. She was so sweet, warm, everything I would picture would be PERFECT for Sir Clayton. I mentioned that he was kinda loud and she said "Perfect! I'm loud too! We'll get along great!" Such a great attitude. He's going to LOVE her. He'll be going Tuesday-Thursday from 8:15-11:00 starting in the fall. SO hard to believe.
6. OUTDOORS. We have been enjoying our outdoor areas. Biking, swinging, swimming, chalk, garden, everything! Kids have been exhausted! Nothing like a little Vitamin D and fresh smells to make you feel great!
5. Memorial Day. We had a great Memorial Day with Jay's family. Went to the service in the morning and then headed over to my in laws. Spent the day on the boat and outside enjoying the nice weather. Kids found frogs, swam in the lake, ate cookie ice cream sandwiches, and enjoyed their cousins. It was great.
4. SPEECH. Have I told you how much I LOVE his new speech teacher? She is SO right for us. Her play therapy is SO right for him. He LOVES her. So, we had his IEP just before visiting Miss Dell--where he wouldn't get out of the car (bribed him finally with gum). While waiting in the parking lot to visit with Miss Dell (we were early), he kept saying "OUT!" "GO!" This week was kinda crazy--didn't get as much time to work with him as I would have liked too. But she noticed a difference! Said that my 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there are really working with him! And I agree. I cannot tell you how much joy and relief it brings me to have this new special person in our lives. She has totally given us HOPE.
3. Clayisms. Our little kiddie pool is his oasis. He will not get out of the pool ever. Between both of them, they could seriously wear their swimsuits all day and be totally content with it. And because he wears his swimsuit and does NOT like the feeling of the swim diaper, we've had huge success with potty training! He pooped two times on the potty yesterday!! Big doings here!!
2. Malloryisms. She's my little swinger:o) Even before 8:00 I can find her outside on the swing set, swinging. It's so cute. She's also become quite the social butterfly. She used to be so reserved and shy (like I used to be at her age) but now she really enjoys talking to whomever. She's growing up.
1. College Roommate. My college roommate and her husband came to visit us this past weekend for a night. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy her TRUE friendship. We don't talk or see each other as often as I would like, but we right away pick up where we left off and enjoy every single second we have together. Friendships like that are rare. Hard to find. And I am blessed to have her in my life. LOVE you Kelly Fornwalt.
The weekend is over!
Hello June!
Hello almost summer!
Have a great week!
Until next week,
Mrs. Newell
Top 10 (Not Finished)
Top 10 for the Week:
May 20th, 2014
10. FREE Car Washes.
9. Fly in the House.
8. Breakdown.
7. Challenge.
6. Graduation Party.
5. Family Shopping.
4. Fish Hatchery.
3. Clayisms.
2. Malloryisms.
1. Outdoors.
May 20th, 2014
10. FREE Car Washes.
9. Fly in the House.
8. Breakdown.
7. Challenge.
6. Graduation Party.
5. Family Shopping.
4. Fish Hatchery.
3. Clayisms.
2. Malloryisms.
1. Outdoors.
Top 8
Top 8 for the Week:
May 13th, 2014
8. Still Not Quite Right. Annoyed. Done with it.
7. Ticks. They have started. Not a fan people. I pulled one off the back of Mal's ear in dance class. Horrible.
6. Nap Dilemmas. To nap or not to? IF he naps, he's in a better mood, but goes to bed and wakes up during the nap. IF he doesn't nap, he's cranky at night, goes to bed early, and usually does not wake up at night. We are on about every 3rd to 4th day he takes a 2 hour nap.
5. Rain. Feels good to have some rain. I love the sound of it.
4. Tuesday Home. Jay's bowling is over. Golf has started. But it's Wednesdays. I don't know what it is about having him home on Tuesday that's so nice, but I appreciate it. A lot.
3. Ben Over. My nephew came over for the afternoon on Monday. The kids really enjoyed having him over. They were entertained all afternoon:o)
2. Outside ALL day. Early Bedtimes. Fairy Garden made. Flowerbeds cleaned out and ready to mulch.
1. Random Fun. New tennis shoes that fit. New shampoo that makes my hair smell good and act they way it should. Nana here. Papa here. Help with Clay at Mal's Tball. I love crafting. Another friend turned 3 this weekend--a super hero birthday party:o)
Short and sweet.
Until next week,
Mrs. Newell
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