Maddux Funny

Mad Dog has so many words, sentences and phrases these days. Even though Eli and I are the only ones who understand what she's saying sometimes, she communicates so much. One of her favorite phrases right now is "(Insert Name) funny!" As in, "Eli funny!" when he trips on his own feet and falls. Or "monkey funny" when she sees a picture of a monkey dressed up in a party hat. Most days my assessment is, "Maddie funny".

After church today, Lehr took the kids by the bagel shop for lunch, per our usual routine. He asked them for their request before they entered: hot dog bagels. (This was a rare treat, I assure you.) Since supply is not always the same, Lehr asked for back-up choices in case they were sold out of bagel dogs. Eli said, "Honey Wheat". Maddux? "Tiddy Tat." (Kitty Cat)

He's Knighted!

Eli had his first baseball practice with the Knights this afternoon. Since it hit right at nap time, I stayed home with Maddux to let her nap while Lehr took the boy to the field. Eli got all decked out in his cleats, baseball pants and socks, and Cubs shirt. In his new baseball bag (thanks, D!!!), he packed his glove, some balls, and his aluminum bat. The boy was ready to play!!

Sidenote: Eli insists on wearing his baseball cap all of the way over his eyes. Think Danny in Grease when he steps up to the plate for baseball tryouts...serious strain of neck just to see.

Lehr said the team ranges from ages 4-6, with only Eli and two others being on the younger end. There is a big difference between the 4-year-olds and 6-year-olds, but I know that gap will be bridged in the next year. Eli got to hit (off of the tee most of the time) and field. They talked a lot about using both hands to 'trap' the ball in your glove and Eli learned how to 'hustle'. Lehr said he was very focused on what his job was at any given time. He listened very well to the coach and always followed directions. I think it helps that he doesn't know any of the kids on the team yet; no friends to distract him. The first thing he did when he got home was ask if he could practice some more. This kid has quite a work ethic! It looks like Eli will be enjoying his first season in the big leagues!!

The Power of Fear

Maddux has it. My fearless Mad Dog suddenly has fear about many things. It could be that she recently suffered 'trauma' surrounding the finger incident. It could be that she's two and more aware of 'scary' things now. It could be that Lehr gave her a fear of Halloween masks recently. It could be just a phase. Who knows.

In recent days, Maddux has been very fearful of masks or costumes. A few weeks back the kids were playing dress-up with their Old Navy costumes and Eli asked Daddy to dress up too. Eli specifically requested Daddy's mask (a Dennis Rodman mask). Lehr went and found the mask and wore it back into the room. Eli loved it, but Maddux fa-reaked. out. She shook her head furiously and said, "No, Daddy, NO!!" Even once the mask was off of his face and on the floor, she still kept a watchful eye on it. And if anyone got near the mask, she would loudly protest again, should they think of donning it. So I've taken her to a few costume shops now, where the masks are on the shelves and I can hold her (safely) in my arms as we peruse. She doesn't cry, but she clings. Fast forward to this last weekend when we were at a birthday party. The mascot of the establishment came in to say 'hi' and Maddux did it again. Tears. Howling. Frantic searching for Mommy. She no like. Halloween should be interesting this year...

Maddux used to be the best 'patient'. She would sit nicely when I needed to do eye drops or alcohol in the ear for pool-related stuff. She would sit calmly when I needed to inspect her finger, or any other ailment she might have. In fact, with the exception of clipping nails, she's always been way more 'brave' than Eli in this area. Gone are those days. Maddux stepped on a pine cone during Eli's party and had close to a dozen big slivers embedded in the bottom of her foot. Taking them out has been a three-day process so far. (I *think* I'm done now.) And getting the others out seriously took me holding her down, singing calming songs, blanket reinforcements, and lots and lots of tears and screaming. Eli was so sweet today, helping me out by trying to distract her. He even suggested I find a sliver on him (which I did) to remove so she could see "how brave I be".

Lastly, bath toys. We have had a bath shark that moves for longer than we've had Maddux. It is about 4 inches long and barely wags it's tail through the water. Tonight when she got into the bath, she saw it in there and said, "NO FISH!!" She then basically jumped out of the bath and would not re-enter until it was out of sight. Seriously freaked out. So I guess we are entering a phase of new fears...I just hope nightmares don't follow!

The Light

It's at the end of the tunnel, but I see it!!! It's been a rough two or three weeks in our house. We've had some good times, but we've had a lot more not-good times. Maddux has been a bit whiny and VERY extreme in her daily reactions. That is to say if she receives the answer 'no' at ALL, she bursts into tears and stamps her feet. If Eli is playing with something she wants, she whines and yells like it's the end of the world. And the worst is the frustration factor for her right now. Mad Dog is two and she has hit the 'I-do-it' stage, full on. But her little fingers can't do everything, so the frustration outbursts are a-plenty. But we'll get through it. It's tough, but to me, this stage is a necessary one for her growth. I just need to be consistent.

Eli's rough patch has been longer than any in a while, and it has to do with very new issues for us. Mainly, getting out of his bed and room during naps and bedtime. The kids have always been 'good' sleepers with an understanding that bed time is sacred in our house. Out of seemingly nowhere, his constant 'potty trips' and random door openings have both Lehr and I scratching our heads in confusion. I think he's ready to not nap every day, but we've already discussed with him that playing quietly in his room is totally acceptable. I even help Eli plan for what he's going to occupy his time with each day. Still, issues most nights and naps and it's eating up any free time I may have had.

Then today: light bulb moment. We had a rough morning, but once we came home for lunch Eli made a shift. He went back to being his helpful, loving self. He even told me several times, "I'm going to stay in my room for naps today, Mommy!" I love it. I set him up with some new legos in there and closed the door. Almost 90-minutes passed before I heard his door crack. Even then, he just wanted to show me his creation. I walked into his room to see ALL of the little legos put neatly away in a bag and one big vehicle-thing in the middle of the floor. He was so proud. I told him he had ten minutes left (only because I believe he should not be the one to dictate the end of quiet time), and I'd come get him. He crawled up on his bed and zonked out for those ten. I came back in and snuggled with him while he came to again. Seriously: these are the moments....

The rest of the day was great too. He was supportive and caring while I tried to remove splinters from Maddie's foot, he was helpful when we ran an errand, and he was obedient to the max in every area all night. Bedtime went smoothly as well. I read to him, said prayers, and kissed him good-night. Not a sound from his room.

Birthday Bonanza

Eli's birthday fell on a Friday this year, which caused us to postpone his celebration to the weekend. I am usually not a fan of this: everyone gets one special day each year to celebrate them, and it should be done on that day. However, since the kids are a little younger and their bedtimes (and those of their friends) fall earlier in the evening, having a party on a weeknight when parents don't return home from work until 6PM or later is difficult.

So today, after a friend's birthday party, baseball try-outs and a nap, we had Eli's 4th Birthday party. He had been requesting a drum set cake for a long time...several months at least. I remember when I first realized he was sticking with the idea: I thought it would be a piece of cake (pun, de pun, pun) because drums are all circles. On my 'to-do' list, the cake prep remained towards the bottom because I wrote it off as 'easy enough'. About two weeks ago I started giving it more thought, and Lehr and I realized some real work may be involved. To simply create 2-D circles in the shape of a drum-set (looking from above) would not be very effective, as the drum heads are not very obvious. More often than not, they are plain white. The idea of 3-D came in, but then Lehr and I remembered that we are no where near the artists or engineers that the Cake Boss employs, and this may be difficult. We planned a few things and then decided to just hope for the best.

Nap time only lasted about 90-minutes due to the craziness of the day, but Lehr and I used 110% of that time baking, cutting, constructing, re-building, icing, re-building, and refrigerating the cake. In the end, it looked enough like a drum set to please Eli, and that's all that mattered!

Eli's friends played on the slip-n-slide with him (we used dish soap this time and it worked like a charm!), mowed the grass, and shot the rockets onto the roof (with help from a few of the dads). I can't believe this party marks the FOURTH birthday party we've had for Eli...crazy.

Baseball

One of the many things contributing to our crazy schedule this weekend was a baseball 'try-out' for Eli. We decided to skip soccer this fall to give Eli the opportunity to try another group sport. (Two in one season sounds like too much for us at this time.) Since the boy obviously loves baseball, that seemed like the obvious choice. We picked a league that practiced and had games just down the street from us, intent to sign him up a few Saturdays ago. However, on the way to said sign-up, Lehr passed a sign for another league for the same age, and opted to try that one. Good call, as they allow some pitching. (Most leagues for Eli's age are tee-ball only.) This other league pitches five times; if a ball is not in fair play after that, the tee is pulled out. Brilliant! The age range is 4 - 5 1/2. Eli made the cut-off by one day.

So, back to the tryout. Our day was hectic, full of birthday parties (one before baseball and one after) and whatnot, but we planned for success. Power bars and baseball pants make it all work. The purpose of the try-out was to evenly distribute the team, but Lehr said it was still pretty intimidating. The kids went in groups of 10, all at different time slots throughout the day. They were pitched 10-12 pitches, then they ran around the bases to the 3rd base dugout (where Lehr was volunteering), and then they came into the field and hat do throw and catch. Eli did as well as could be expected...caught a piece of one or two pitches and tried really hard in the fielding (but didn't quite impress anyone). Lehr said he was pretty awe-struck the whole time. So many other kids dressed in baseball get up, so many bats and balls and so on. I think he'll learn a lot this season. He tends to focus so much more on the task at-hand when he's with older kids. Here's to our little leaguer!!

Donation Corner: charity: water

Sa-la-cker!! That needs to be my new nickname because I have not posted a new Donation Corner in several months. My blog posts have been sporadic due to busy schedules (mine) and unruly behavior (the kids'). Those are poor excuses though, so I'll start today fresh.

Lehr stumbled across charity: water a few months ago and we both fell in love with their simple, effective and amazing model. One of the coolest things about this charity (and there are a LOT of cool things about them) is that 100% of money raised goes to the cause. 100%. And the guy who started it is a normal guy. Living his life in NYC until he took a trip overseas and had his perspective changed. I love how he talks about the Bible story of compassion: "Only one had compassion." That's all it takes, right? For SOMEONE to have compassion. For SOMEONE to give a little of what they have. And if you are reading this blog right now, you 'have'.

charity: water sites that unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness. Every day, women and children in developing countries walk many hours a day to gather water that is unsafe, because that is all that is available to them. Of the 42,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and a lack of basic sanitation, 90% are children under 5 years old. That means had Eli and Maddux been born elsewhere, they could be part of that 90%. Gut check.

Check out this video....peruse the website...buy some gift cards for friends' birthdays or holidays....act. now.

The story of charity: water - The 2009 September Campaign Trailer from charity: water on Vimeo.

Four Years....

How in the world did that happen? I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was in a pain place that I'd never experienced before...so much that I couldn't open my eyes because it was too distracting. (How weird is that?!) I cracked them open for just a minute when the midwife told me you'd be in my arms in less than ten minutes. I only opened my eyes so that I could tell her she was wrong. The clock read somewhere around 8:20AM and I'd been pushing for 90 minutes. With no drugs. It didn't feel like you were any closer to my arms than you were four hours before, when the pain started to kick in. As usual, the medical professional knew more than the silly patient and you entered the world at 8:28AM. I can STILL remember how it felt as she put you across my arms and chest. I can STILL feel the warmth of your wet skin. I can STILL remember how my eyes instantly snapped open because in just a second all of that pain was gone and tremendous joy replaced it. So many memories from those first few moments....

Here we are, four years later. You are such a little man that sometimes it scares me. You do not miss a THING...spelling words doesn't work on you, even though you technically can't read or spell. You have learned to listen for the first letter and use context clues to figure out what I'm talking about. Looks like you'll be an adult conversation eavesdropper like your mommy was!

You love love love your music and your sports. Baseball rules your life when you're not playing drums. Drums rule your life when you're not playing baseball. Tomorrow you will go to your first 'try-out' for a baseball team. Just saying those words makes me realize how incredibly grown up you are. You can hit pitches, you can catch balls on the one hop, and your throwing arm rivals mine. You even have some of the idiosyncrasies of baseball players down (shaking off a pitch, warming up with the bat, etc.). And you have mastered the 'one-two-three-four' beat on the drum-set. You even tried to teach a younger friend the technique yesterday.

Eli, you are incredibly sweet to your sister. You still try to 'trick' her into giving you the toy you want by offering her another one in an enticing way ("OOOOH, Maddie. Do you want this cool book??"), but in your heart, you adore her. Before naps and bed, you give her a kiss on her head and a hug. When you say your prayers, you thank God for your sister. When we play outside, you usually ask her if she wants to play with you. Life is good!

In two weeks you will start pre-school. REAL pre-school. Letters, numbers, sight-words, science....the whole thing. I've opted to send you only four days each week, because I just can't imagine only having you to myself all day on the weekends. And even more I can't imagine depriving you and Maddux of each other's company every morning. And even more than THAT, I am keeping you home that one extra day because next year I will most likely not have the choice: you will be in Kindergarten. Gulp.

I hope you have an amazing birthday weekend. Tonight we will meet with our small group and I will bring baseball cupcakes for everyone to eat in your honor. Tomorrow, after your try-out, we will have a celebration at the house with a few friends. You've been requesting a drum-set cake for over a month now. You are my first born, my favorite big boy, my sunshine, my baby boy, and my Incredible Hulk (and you even tell me 'Don't make me angry!!'). I love you, Eli!

In the beginning:


One Year:


Two Years:


Three Years:


Four Years!

Welcome To Age Two, Maddux

Rather, welcome to the 'terrible twos', Mommy!! Maddie is every bit of two that she can be. Enough to make up for Eli never really having the typical 'terrible' behavior and rebellion. She is still a sweetheart, and I cannot get enough of her cuteness each day. BUT our house is loud. And it's loud right now because Maddux ignores most of what Lehr or I tell her, and she has found her high-pitched screech to use when someone has offended her (or used a toy she wanted, or not anticipate one of her needs). Oye. Her latest phase of two-dom includes getting incredibly frustrated over everything. (Pretty much the anthem of two-year olds everywhere, right?) If she asks you for something and you don't answer her or give it to her right away, tears and howling. If she tries to put a piece of clothing on, or hook a toy over her shoulder and fails, tears and howling. So on and so on. Maddux is still into hitting Eli if/when she feels like it too...just for a reaction. Working on that. The good news is, he is still not retaliating.

What a Month!

So Eli is going through a phase, or a growth spurt, or a personality split right now... The root of it is he does not want to stay in his bed OR his room during naps or bedtime. This is something very new for us, as sleep has always been the 'easy' part of parenting in our house. I realize he is getting older and naps every day may not happen. So he has the option to play (quietly) in his room during rest time...no worries. But Eli insists on getting out of his room, always under the guise of potty necessity. (This is the same child uses the restroom when he gets up in the morning and then not again until nap time at 2PM. He can hold it.) The process of correction and discipline and talking surrounding this issue is draining all of us. Eli included. I think school is needed as a diversion! If nothing else, hopefully it will help tire him out more to make him less likely to kick up during nap time. I really do try to get some physical activity in for the kids each morning, but unless it's hiking three miles in the heat, he can usually resist the nap!

Some funny talk from Eli as of late: "But she's tough as nails, Mommy!" Eli said this to me the other day when Maddie was a bit tired and whiny during our pre-dinner playtime. She fell in the driveway and started to cry. As I picked her up, he seemed quite confused.

The Beatitudes

Eli has been learning about the Beatitudes at church for the last several months. Lehr and I have not been checking in with him as we should have, and we were shocked to see how well he could rehearse four of them on his own! Lehr shot a quick video of Eli going through the hand motions last night; you can see Lehr's reflection in the window, but I promise it was just to remind Eli as HE was the one who taught us what to do for each word.

2009 08Eli Beatitudes from Nicole Eliason on Vimeo.

A New Leaf

Wow. What a rough 7-8 days we've had! Eli has been in a 'funk-phase' before, during and after the finger incident with Maddux that finally, FINALLY seems to have broken today. Nothing more than little, constant, continuous acts of disobedience. But those of you that have pre-schoolers realize 'nothing more' means 'nothing LESS'. It has been a rough patch. As much as I struggled and prayed and internally second guessed, Lehr and I presented a united front and maintained consistency through it. It seems that the eye of the hurricane has passed us by, for now.

Onto other news... Maddux has been healing quite well. She had a general check-up this week (still in the 95% for height) and the doctor gave her finger the 'A-OK'. I have been thinking about potty training a lot recently. I didn't start Eli until just before his 3rd birthday, but Maddie has shown some signs. This summer was a rough one due to diaper 'issues' with Mad Dog at the pool. This last month has been great because it has finally clicked with her that she cannot and MUST not use the pool as her potty time. If she goes, she now stays out of the pool and tells us right away so we can change her diaper. (We've even sat on the potty for many many minutes each trip.) It's been great!! The next step is getting her to do that when we're not at the pool also. Once school starts and I have two mornings with Maddux alone, I plan to further this process.

Since I'm already on potty talk, I'll move over to the other child. One day I realized that Eli has been dry during naps almost every day for a LONG time. There was a point back in May when Eli started resisting pull-ups during naps. He would promise to 'not pee-pee' in bed if I let him wear his big boy underwear. I'd usually give in with the stipulation that if he had an accident, the next day he HAD to wear a pull-up. I would also remind him that wearing a pull-up during naps was OK...his body doesn't always tell him he has to go to the bathroom when he's sleeping. (Eli appears to be a VERY heavy sleeper that doesn't get woken up by the potty cues.) So our success rate was about 50%. I would always offer the pull-up and only allow the big boy pants if Eli pushed for it. Suddenly here we are, wearing them every day for naps and I can't remember the last time I had to change the sheets. Nights are a different story for sure, but we did have one day a few weeks back that he woke up with a bone dry pull up.

Back to the positive day we've had with Eli...today was amazing! Eli was an angel and obviously TRYING to be an angel. I saw a few moments where he thought to stray from obedience and he visually chose to stay on track. This made me SO proud of him and his new-found big boy choices. Maddux is struggling a bit more with keeping her frustration in check, but I know that is all part of being two.

Today was spent cleaning out toy bins and clothes. The kids really got into it and helped pick out toys for 'other kids'. They also loved finding toys they haven't played with in a few months. Eli kept saying, "YAY! I'm so glad we got new toys!"

Lil Stitch

While Maddux is just fine, this weekend proved to be difficult. The gauze bandage we reapply to her finger each day is not the easiest thing for a 2-year old to keep on. Maddie hasn't been actively pulling it off, but regular activities tend to knock it off. Most of the time we've kept it 'bagged'. We started doing that during baths and mealtimes to keep the area dry and clean, but through trial and error, that seems to be the only way to keep the bandage on. She will visit the doctor for a check-up tomorrow, and hopefully we'll get the go-ahead to use only a band-aid at that time. Keeping Mad Dog clean, dry, and out of any dirty or germy situations is hard work!

Maddux hasn't shown any real signs of pain, no does she squirm when the bandage comes off and she sees the wound. But when there are people around, especially those who give her the "I'm sorry" face, she plays. it. up. Friday night Lehr and the kids accompanied me to a pizza dinner 'party' where many a mom and dad wanted to see her and comfort her. After just minutes of this, Maddux strolled around the room, looking up at people and holding out her hand for them to see. (As in 'I'm hurt - recognize and give sympathy.') Same goes for church yesterday. She acted sad and pitiful when it came time to show people her hand. Never mind that minutes before she was happily playing with her buddies in Sunday School.

Maddux, the Drunk

Here is a quick video of Maddux's first (and hopefully ONLY) ER visit. Lehr shot a few minutes of video after she received her anesthesia. Her resemblance to someone a little too intoxicated was more than he could resist. She was much more slap-happy the rest of the time, but this video does show a little bit of her silly side. And no, that is not Oreo cookie crumble in the corners of her mouth: it's dried blood. Very nice.

2009 08 Maddux ER from Nicole Eliason on Vimeo.

Thinkin' Back

My boys are camping tonight and Maddie and I had a low-key evening. Because of Maddux's injury, I am covering her whole hand with a Publix bag during meals and bath time (which only consists of about one inch of water). This reminds me of when Eli was a baby and still had his casts on. Bath-time for him in those weeks was very similar. We would place a towel in the bathtub and fill the tub with just enough warm water to cover the towel. Then we would tie plastic bags around each of his legs and lie him on top of the towel. His 'bath' was more of a shower by way of a cup pouring water over his body. Such a long, long time ago. But of course it prompted some memories, and I ended up back in 'the archives', looking at old pictures and watching old videos. Below is the same video I've had on youtube for years now; the video and pictures of Eli's progress have been used in Dr. Ponseti's famous office (Eli cameo at 4:05) as well as in presentations on clubfeet.

I Never Want To Do That Again

That goes for most of the day. I never want to hear the door leading to the garage slam shut followed by a child crying. I never want to open said door to hear a cry I've not heard before. I never want to pick up my child thinking they are ok only to find myself covered in blood minutes later. I never EVER want to hear Maddux call for me (even though I was holding her) in the sad way she did in the minutes immediately following the door closing. I never want to smudge the buttons on the phone with blood as I start calling Lehr, and then neighbors, before finally deciding on 911. I never want the fire department to pull into my driveway again. I never want to take an ambulance ride to the ER again. I never want to hold my child's arm down while part of her finger is stitched back on. I never want to hear her cry of pain the first time she bangs the finger on the floor after the pain meds wear off. And I never want to see the sad look in her eyes when she goes to comfort herself with her thumb before bed only to realize she can't access it because of bandages.

Whew.....I'm struggling for words right now because the day from 1PM on has been such a jumbled, scary mess. The crazy part is, until about 15 minutes ago, it wasn't too scary for me. That weird calm came over me while everything was happening, but my body is now literally pulsing with the adrenaline finally exiting and the fear and shock of the day's events settle in. Maddux's finger got shut in the door between our garage and house. A very heavy, 30-year old wood door. When I opened the door and reprimanded Eli for shutting it before she could come in, she was crying, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I should have known because her cry is one that now will not leave my head...it was different. But we'd had a busy, tiring morning, so I thought she was just overtired and sensitive. About a minute after I picked her up, there was blood all over my shoulder and her hand, but I still thought it was 'just' a fingernail issue. Once I got her to the sink, I saw how the tip of her finger (from the bottom of the nail up) was separate from the rest of her finger. Very very separate. I started to call a neighbor to get Eli so I could drive Maddie to the doctor (obviously not thinking clearly)...mid-dial I stopped and decided to call Lehr first..stopped and decided 911 was necessary so I at least knew what to do with her until we got to the hospital. All the while, Maddux is crying her eyes out and calling "Mommy". (Another sound that I cannot escape right now.) Thankfully the bleeding was under control and a fire truck arrived quickly. They assessed and decided to wait for the paramedics to do anything to the finger. The paramedics said we needed to get to the hospital, and I asked if Eli could ride with us in the ambulance. They said to call a neighbor so I wouldn't have to deal with two kids at once. (Something I never considered in all of this.) A wonderful neighbor came and got him and Maddux and I were on our way.

While in the ambulance I called Lehr, just to let him know what we were doing (it still was not really setting in yet), and of course he came right away. The nurses and doctors were very gentle with Maddux and wrapped her finger right up to protect it while they prepared to suture. She was given a type of anesthesia that made her relaxed and kind of loopey. Maddie was like a little drunk person: she was slurring her words and she thought everything was funny. (Lehr got a few seconds of video on his phone.) Then we wrapped her up in a papoose to keep her still and secure. The hardest part was the initial lidocain...they had to inject it into her finger, but once it was in, she felt nothing. I did have the job of holding her arm down while they stitched. I did not watch because I knew I couldn't handle that. I felt a lot of pressure though, and the thought of what was happening makes my stomach turn. The tip of the finger 'pinked up' right away, which was a great sign and she got a new and improved gauze bandage. She EVEN got an orange Popsicle to celebrate her bravery. Then we had to wait for an hour or so to do X-rays (to make sure nothing was inside or broken) and to get our walking papers. Maddux was back to her old self in no time. A few anti-biotic prescriptions and some pain meds and we were out of there. She will not be in the pool for a while (at least a week), but besides that, a full recovery is in her near future.

Funny story...considering all that was NOT funny. Maddux was only wearing a pair of semi-wet shorts when this happened. We spent the morning in some fountains, and I'd already taken her wet shirt off. Then, after the door closed, she soiled herself. Given her hysterics, I wasn't able to change her until we were in the ER, close to an hour later. That meant her shorts were a bit dirty also. So by the time the first nurse saw her, she was already 'that kid', wearing nothing but a diaper.

Back On Track

So today was all about just getting back in the swing of things. No plans, a few errands, and lots of downtime. Eli was pretty much an angel all day...no whining or anything. (It figures though, since he whined more in the last two weeks to last him a long time.) Maddux was, well, Mad Dog. What can I say.

We had a few gems this morning. Eli was playing while I got breakfast ready. He put a few small toys in a plastic bag he got from FIA yesterday. Then he placed said bag on the stairwell and told me, "Mommy, that's nunya." Later he told me, "Mommy, that bag is nunya bizness." And then before we left the house, Eli concluded the episode with, "I gotta go get my nunya." (*We throw around a lot of 'nunya' in our house.)

When we were outside playing ball, Maddux requested the tee. She had some trouble moving it out of the garage and Eli came to her rescue immediately. He asked her, "Maddie can I help you?" She nodded and said, "Yesssss." As Eli walked past me, he looked over his shoulder at me and said, "I'm pretty strong."

I got both kids a haircut today. I didn't want to, but their bangs were a little too long and shaggy and my hand is not steady enough to cut a straight line. As always, I regretted it as soon as we left the salon. The haircuts are fine, but I miss my messy, adorable, looking-through-their-hair-at-me kids.

FIA

This morning we had Faith In Action at our church. (In a nutshell, instead of going to church, we ARE the church that day, usually participating in some type of community service or outreach program.) This time around we had a bi-lingual service, handed out school supplies, provided dental check-ups, prepared lunch, and gave haircuts to students and families of a nearby elementary school. The kids had a blast and the day was a huge success.

Eli helped Treis and Lehr grill, arriving a little earlier than Grandma Cathie, Maddux and me. (By the way, when the guys all got in one car, Eli said, "DUDE FEST!!" Then I told him our car was a 'chick fest', to which he replied, "Chicken Fest??") As the day wore on, Treis defended his reputation in air hockey, Maddux ran around with Grandma Cathie chasing her, and Eli went back and forth between the two. Maddux sat still for a butterfly face painting at one point, shocking all who know her. Then Eli got a bear painted on his forehead. They didn't offer bears, but the guy overheard Eli say he wanted one, so he caved. Then Eli pointed to his forehead for the location....wacko!

After naps we made homemade veggie pizza for dinner. Once we finished eating, Eli asked for 'that thing they had at the church that Treis ate'. (Cotton Candy...obviously very taboo in our house.) I asked, "You mean cotton candy?" "YES!" Eli said. I told him we probably won't eat that any time soon because it is nothing but sugar, to which Eli replied, "But I LOOOOOVE it." I know all of you are chuckling at me now!

Before bed, Eli, Treis, Lehr and I played a game of CandyLand. Of course there were a lot of WWCD's thrown around. At one point Treis drew a good card right after Eli did. Eli told him, "You got a chicken dinner just like me!!"

Water-Logged

We spent the entire day in the water, starting the weekend with a bang down at Centennial Olympic Park first thing this morning. We try to take the kids a few times each summer, but it usually just works out to once. Eli and Maddux love the 'high water' fountains available for them to run through in the summer heat. Last year they both got a real workout, going back and forth in and out of the water. Maddux was a little apprehensive when we first arrived, avoiding the soaking wet stream that Eli and Treis jumped into, but it didn't take too long for her to get in on the action. We played for about an hour before the fountains cleared for a short water-show presentation. (Three songs with the fountains choreographed.) From there, we walked down to the playground which was VERY short lived, given it was already after 1PM and the kids were exhausted. We had a few sweet moments with Maddux chasing the birds, Eli acting like a magnet on Treis' hip the whole time, and Mad Dog giving Grandma Cathie a few kisses. But we also had some serious melt-downs from Maddie and a near one from Eli. What more could you expect in the heat that close to lunch and naptime?

After said naps, we all made our way to the pool. Eli was dying to show Treis his diving board skills, and Maddux just wanted to play in the 'be-be poooooohl'. Both kids swam a bunch, jumped a bunch, and enjoyed the pool being totally empty. Eli's favorite lifeguard was there and Maddie flirted with him non-stop. A short dinner followed before everyone crashed in their respective beds.