Funny things my kids say

It's been a while since I've written down the funny things my kids say. I don't know why. Maybe because they say funny things all.the.time.

It's hard to keep up.

Most of these feature Preston.  He's at that age where everything he says is funny.  And he's with me all day long.

Tyson: Mom, I'm trying to help Preston find his shoes but I don't know how to say "re-trace your steps" in kid language.

Preston: Maybe you should say, "zeep up all a oop beep."

****************

Mom: Boys, please go play.

Tyson: But mom, we are playing Star Wars and Nolan doesn't know how.

Mom: I don't care.  Go play anyway.

Preston: I know! Nolan can be R2dirty2!

***************

Preston: There are three kinds of Pee.  The food pea, the letter P, and the pee that comes out of your pee part.

***************

Preston: Mom, what is a boomerang?  Is it a rang that booms? 

***************

Preston: Tyson, did you have fun at school today?

Tyson: Yeah.

Preston: Did you learn about Star Wars?

Tyson: No.

Preston: Did you learn about not sassing your mom?

Tyson: No.

Preston: What did you learn then?!

*****************

And then there are the funny things they do.

One day Preston was throwing a temper tantrum. Laying on the floor, screaming, crying, kicking his feet, you get the picture.  He was just having an emotional day and I was done trying to calm him. Nolan however knew just what to do.  He quietly walked over to Preston, bent down until his nose was two inches from Preston's nose, put his finger up to his own lips and shushed Preston.  I burst out laughing. Tyson burst out laughing. And best of all Preston stopped screaming and started laughing. 

May the Force Be With You

Darth Maul, Luke Skywalker and Yoda

I'm really not a big fan of Star Wars.  But my boys are.  In fact I just realized yesterday that Nolan can hum the theme song. 

Anyway, Tyson is obsessed with all things Star Wars and really wanted to be Darth Maul for Halloween.  I tried to change his mind.  I failed.  In order to make myself feel better about Tyson being some scary Star Wars bad guy I chose "cute" Star Wars good guys for the other two boys.  As a set I think they are adorable.  I just hope Tyson got it out of his system and we can move on to less scary things next year. (I can hope, right?!)

I considered being a good sport and dressing as Leia.  But that ended the moment I noticed that all Leia costumes are either slutty or ugly, two things I try to avoid being.

* At least two people thought Nolan was a lamb and Preston was his shepherd. 

Stage 4 Corneal Ulcer

(Another over-due post that's just for the blog book)

I have had so much drama with eyes this year.  But none of it was as insane as Dan's.  

He woke up one morning with a pain in his eye.  By afternoon he was in so much pain that he was begging me to take him to the eye doctor. He was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Corneal Ulcer and referred to a specialist.  

It was very severe.  And in order to avoid a corneal transplant we put drops in his eyes every 60 minutes around the clock.  That meant neither one of us enjoyed a full REM cycle for many days.  It was rough.   He was extremely sensitive to light and was unable to work for several days.  He couldn't drive, he couldn't look at a computer screen.  He couldn't text.  The only thing he could do was talk on the phone in a dark room.  This was so hard on him.  He's a workaholic, and always keeps himself busy.  He's not one to sit still for long.

At one point he said to me, "I'd rather have a hole in my face, at least then I'd be able to watch TV."



The white stuff is just some of his eye drops.  He was on two different prescription eye drops.  One was painful. Both were expensive.



Holding his eye open for this picture nearly killed him. 



A month, lots of eye drops, and many, many doctor appointments later he is recovered.  His eye still has a scar.  Only time will tell how much this has effected his vision.  We hope that this won't rule out LASIK for him either.

A Boy's Heaven

(This post is only a month late.)

To celebrate Preston's birthday we spent the day at Discovery Gateway Children's Museum.  The boys had so much fun! 

Mommy Fail: when we arrived I pulled out my camera to take pictures of the boys.  It was then that I realized I left my memory card home, plugged into the computer. Thankfully my camera does have some internal memory, but not much.  I was limited to 10 pictures for the day. 

The museum was so fun for all my boys.  I only wish we lived a little closer so we could come back often.   Preston loved all things building.  They had so many types of blocks and legos. He was in heaven.

Other highlights included the TV news desk and the life flight helicopter.

Nolan's favorite part was the giant beehive full of balls. It didn't matter where we were in the museum, he would find a way to get away from us and back to the balls.  It was nerve wracking!

What A Face

Preston was the lucky recipient of this little can of soda.  

He was so proud of himself when he was able to make the face.

November is National Adoption Month

I do my best to raise awareness and educate about adoption.  And each November I try to blog about adoption here.  I really don't have anything new to post about my own personal experience with adoption.  Well,  infant domestic adoption that is. 

I haven't shared much about my experience with adoption through the foster system.  Mostly because I've never done it.  I am not a foster mom.  But that's not because I haven't tried.  We almost adopted a foster child.  I'm still not completely sure why we didn't.  But that's a story for another day.  Today I want to share this video with you.  This video tugs at my heart strings. 

Haircuts & Suckers

My mom loves to cut my boys' hair.  My boys love to have Grandma cut their hair.  Mostly because she gives them candy afterward if they sit still.  (Not that she needs an excuse to give them treats. They don't call her "Cookie Grandma" for nothing.)

Do you want to know her secret for getting them to sit still?  

The spray bottle. 

My boys love spray bottles.

What Are You?

9am
Preston: Mom, what are you going to be for Halloween?
Me: I'm dressed as your mom today.
Preston: I want you to wear something else.
Me: What do you want me to dress like?
Preston: (in a dramatic whisper) Grandma

10am
Preston: Mom, why aren't you dressed up for Halloween?
Me: Just because. 
Preston: I want you to dress up.  But I changed my mind.
Me: What do you want me to be now?
Preston: Padme.


12pm
Preston: Mom, what are you going to be for Halloween?
Me: I don't know Preston
Preston: Oh I know! You can be a butterfly.

1:30pm
Preston: Mom, for Halloween I want you to be a gun.. . .or a lightsaber.  I want you to be Asoka's lightsaber.
Me: Uh huh. . .

Cornbelly's

I finally discovered a benefit to having a Realtor for a husband:

Realtor Night at Cornbelly's.

It was a last-minute idea and we didn't get there until the sun had gone down.  The boys didn't mind staying up WAY past their bedtime on a school night.  Dan will do just about to save a buck.

We enjoyed the jumping pillow, building giant Lincoln Log cabins, giant slides, bouncy houses, free hot chocolate and donuts from UCAR, and a bunch of other stuff that I can't remember.  It was dark and late so we didn't do the corn maze or many of the other activities.  But since my kids are still little, they didn't care. 

We did have a problem with Preston running off.  We lost him at least once.  We had the following conversation several times:

Me: Do you know what happens to little boys who run off?

Preston: No.

Me: If their mother finds them they get in BIG trouble.  If their mother doesn't find them someone else will take them home and they will never see their mother again.

Preston: Oh.  I didn't know that.

Me: Are you going to run off again?

Preston: No.

True Colors

Tyson went to a neighbor's birthday party recently.  He came home with his face painted.  And in typical Tyson fashion, he went all out.  

To say that Preston was jealous would be an understatement.

An Evening at Home with My Family

I'm usually a big slacker when it comes to Family Home Evening.  And this night was no exception.  

I grabbed this month's copy of The Friend magazine and let the boys each pick a story to read.  Tyson chose the story The Trouble With Chloe.

Go ahead, click over and read it.  Otherwise this may not make sense.

After reading the story I decided it would be fun to make idea clouds for each member of our family.

It was lots of fun for everyone.

And when we were done we hung them on the wall.  

It was one of my favorite FHE activities.  Go ahead and steal it.

Preston's 4th Birthday

Preston's birthday was awesome.  We had a family baptism and baby blessing to attend out of town that morning so we had to be creative with our celebrating.  He woke up to his favorite breakfast: Lucky Charms and Cocoa Puffs.  His was thrilled with the Transformers decorations and balloons in the kitchen.  

We spent the afternoon at the Children's Museum (which will get it's own post).  Afterward we let Preston choose where he wanted to go for dinner.  In true Preston fashion he chose to go home and have his favorite meal: quesadillas and tomato soup.  

The following day we had cake and ice cream at Grandma's house.

And then he opened presents.  Which he loved.  

Some of his favorite people gave him some of his favorite things:  a puzzle, a transformer, and Star Wars guys. Which he repaid with really tight hugs.

LASIK: Update

Sunday night I did everything I could think of to prepare for the next day.  I made sure the house was clean, and got a head start on my Monday chores: laundry.  I put everything I would need in my purse, signed all my consent forms, and even checked for the fastest route to the eye center considering construction and traffic. I set out my clothes for the next morning and made a detailed to-do list for Dan.  But when I tried to go to sleep I failed miserably.  I tossed and turned for an hour.  I finally fell into a light sleep, only to wake up at 2:30am.  I began the tossing and turning all over again.  I just couldn't get my brain to turn off.  I think I slept again from 3:30 until 5:30.  But at five I wasn't able to back to sleep.  I gave up trying around 6:30 and got out of bed. 

I puttered around the house, did some more laundry and killed time on the Internet until 7:00 when I decided it was best to get in the shower.  I was nervous all morning, but was fine as long as I kept busy.  Keeping busy isn't ever a problem in the morning as I'm trying to get kids dressed and fed and out the door on time.  By 9am Tyson was on his way to school and Preston and Nolan were on their way to the babysitter (my wonderful neighbor).  Then began the long drive to the surgery center. 

We arrived on-time and were checked in quickly.  And then I sat in the waiting room while they called everyone else back before me.  I was starting to go crazy.  Just as I began pacing the floor they finally called me back.  They ran a quick check on my corneas, checked my vitals and gave me a Valium.  Then we sat in another waiting room.  This one was much better with warm chocolate chip cookies and a cute baby to make faces at. 

After a few minutes they took me to another exam room where one of the doctors took their final look at my eyes.  "Look up.  Look down. Look left.  Look right.  Alright, your eyes look great.  We can proceed with the surgery." 

If I hadn't been on Valium I would have cried for joy.  Instead I just smiled. 

The surgeon came in next to ask if I had any further questions and chat about the fact that our high schools were rivals 'back in the day'.

The next 30 minutes were filled with eye drops, blinking lights to stare at, more eye drops, a massage chair, more eye drops, holding very still while counting to 15, more eye drops, and more eye drops. 

And then I could see.  I Could See!  I COULD SEE!!!  When I first sat up from my surgery I looked through the large observation window and I could see Dan pacing the floor.  When I walked out into the hallway I could see the mountains out the windows.  I could see the nurses smiling at me.  Things were still a little blurry and 'milky' from all the drops but I COULD SEE! 

The doctor took one more look at my eyes, handed me a bag of candy and sent me home.  They told me to keep my eyes closed and let them rest during the drive home.  It was so hard!  I wanted to see the world, clearly.  But I obeyed (almost). 

Once home I rested on the couch while Dan made me some lunch.  I gave myself eye drops a few more times and took a nap while Dan picked up the boys from the babysitter. 

One of my favorite memories of this experience was the look on Tyson and Preston's faces when I told them that my eyes were fixed.  I told them separately but they both had the same response. Their mouths dropped open and their eyes bugged out.  Then they got a huge grin on their faces and said, "Really?!" 

By about 3pm my vision was perfect, and my eyes felt great.  No burning, itching, tearing, dry eyes, etc.  I just have to put drops in every hour (lubricating drops every hour, antibiotic drops every 2 hours, and steroid anti-inflammatory drops every 4 hours.  Never when I'm sleeping).

I thought the biggest shock would come when I woke up the next morning and could see right away, but the bigger shock for me came when I tried to go to bed that night.  I've been trained my whole life to never go to sleep with my glasses on or my contacts in.  So for the last 26 years the world has been blurry as I fall asleep.  But not now.  It took all my will-power not to "take out my contacts" before I went to sleep.  It felt so weird. 

This is such a huge change for me.  I think it will take several days before I can fully wrap my head around it.  No more glasses.  No more poking myself in the eye every morning and every night.  Never again.  No more stumbling around in the dark to take care of my babies at night. 

I am so blessed.

Answered Prayers

1986
My first pair of glasses

I got my first pair of glasses when I was five years old.  I was the only member of my kindergarten class who wore glasses. And for the first time in my life I became self-conscious.  Every two years I was the lucky recipient of new frames as my prescription doubled about that often.  My eyes were rapidly getting worse.  I never felt cute as a kid.  I always felt awkward with my dull brown hair that vacillated between frizzy and limp, depending on how long it had been since my last perm.  And that was before I hit the inevitable awkward stage that we all get to endure.  The one where our teeth are too big for our mouths, and we haven't yet grown into our feet.  I was small for my age, and a late bloomer.  I lacked any sense of style or fashion in my homemade/hand-me-down wardrobe.  But I was comfortable in my identity.  And then I went to junior high. 

Some of my friends remained my friends but many did not.  I was not cool.  I was not "pretty and popular."  And that's ok.  I was kind to people.  I knew who I was.  I was a good person.  But, as every young girl, I wanted to be cute.  And I never felt I could be cute hiding behind coke bottle lenses.

The summer before I turned 14 I was offered a regular babysitting job.  While discussing my pay, my new "employer" asked me what I was going to do with "all that money."  Without hesitation I answered, "I'm going to buy contacts."   And that's exactly what I did.  I was still small and shy, had ugly hair and bad skin.  But at least I didn't have to wear glasses anymore. 

And I was content with my contacts for 15 years.  I loved them and was grateful for them.  My eye doctor frequently told me that I'd be a good candidate for LASIK.  I always smiled and sarcastically said, "Sure, someday when I have extra money laying around I'll remember that."  LASIK was always an unattainable dream.  Something that happened to other people.  Not me. 

About 2 years ago I started to realize that if I saved a little money here, and a little there I may actually be able to afford it.  It didn't seem too unattainable anymore.  So I waited until Nolan was born and then I called the best eye surgery center in the state.  I had my hopes up so high when I made that phone call.  I was so disappointed when they told me I'd have to wait until 3 months after I finished nursing Nolan before they would see me.  So I transitioned to soft contacts while I waited for another year. As soon as my waiting period was up I called again.  I scheduled my first consultation.  And I counted down the days.  About a week before my appointment I got Keratits.  I was still able to keep my appointment, but they wouldn't schedule my surgery date.  My eyes needed more time to heal from the Keratitis.  During this waiting time I had other unexpected medical issues arise.  So again we waited.  And waited.  And waited.  And now I have a LASIK surgery date scheduled.  Today.  I've been wearing my glasses for a week.  I've filled my eye drop prescriptions.  I've arranged for a babysitter and made Dan take the day off work.  But I don't dare get my hopes up.  There is still a small chance they will postponed my surgery again.  And I won't know until I get there.  They need to take one final look at my eyes. 

I'm nervous.  Not about having my eyes lazered, but about having my surgery cancelled again. My emotions have been running high this week. I think I've started randomly crying five times in the last two days. I know with certainty I will burst into tears if I have to cancel again.  I cried the last two times I had to cancel a surgery date.  



2011
My last pair of glasses



So wish me luck.  Pray if you are the praying type. First, that my eyes will be ready so it won't be cancelled.  Again. And second, that everything will go well and I will heal quickly.

Happy Birthday to my Favorite Middle Child!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

A Change in Seasons

 I'm noticing that as a mother of boys we have four distinct seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Sports.  Summer ended and we are in full fledged Sports mode.  We signed Preston up for Itty-Bitty Sports again.  And unlike last time, we managed to make it through the whole series without sickness.  

The first week was Basketball.  

Preston wasn't the only one excited about it.

 Nolan can't wait until he is old enough to play.  Just two more years. 

Basketball is his true love.

Look at that form!

After basketball we had a week of soccer, which was followed by a week of football.  The highlight of football week is the attempted game of flag football at the end.  What a riot!

Preston running for a touchdown.

Hike!

First Day of Preschool. Part Deux

 Preston was more than ready to start his second year of Preschool.  He was excited because his new school has snack time and a playground. Big highlights for any 3 year old.  

The only tears shed were by Nolan who was distraught when his brother got out of the car.  He cried and cried as we drove away.   

Having his picture taken by his Teacher

Boys of Summer

To end the summer right, Dan insisted we take the boys to Seven Peaks.  I'm not a huge fan of taking small children to the water park, but Dan insisted.  I'm glad he did.

The little boys and I spent most of the evening at the kiddie area while Dan and Tyson hit the big slides.  I can manage the two little ones in the water as long as Preston is wearing a life jacket and understands exactly what his boundaries are.  I have to keep my eyes on Nolan 100% of the time.  I can only pull my eyes away from him for a split second to get a quick visual on Preston.  I have to be in Helicopter Mom mode when Nolan is in the water.   He has no fear.  

Preston wanted to try a few slides, so Dan did a couple with both boys while I consoled Nolan. He wants to do everything his brothers do and was heartbroken when I wouldn't let him go with his Daddy.  I was only able to distracted him by taking him in the Lazy River, which he loved.

We got a quick bite to eat and then spent the last hour in this kid play area.  Dan, Nolan and I watched as Tyson and Preston burned the last of their energy.

There were tears when the park closed and we had to go home.

Coming Soon . . .

Thanks to a virus on my desktop computer I am using our laptop.  I'm not a big fan of using the laptop for much (other than watching Hulu in bed).  But there is a silver lining to this inconvenience.  I have been able to upload 100+ pictures from my camera to the laptop.  So I can now begin getting caught up on my blog.  I am at least a month behind so after posting I will be adjusting the dates on these posts (so that my blog book will be accurate.)

Assuming I can find enough spare time you should be seeing a lot up updates soon!

I tried to update my blog, but. . .

I can't upload pictures.  Either my USB ports aren't working or the cord to my card reader is broken.  I'm betting on the USB ports. 

And to make it worth your while for clicking over enjoy this little glimpse into my day:

Me to Preston:  You are driving me crazy!  I'm going to run away from home!
Preston to me: Then I'm running away from home too.
Me: Fine. Just tell me where you are running so I can run the opposite way.
Preston: I'm running every way to EVERY house! 
Me: Where am I supposed to go then?
Preston: (in a dramatic whisper) And I'm going to take Dad with me!

That's when I burst out laughing and walked away.

Preston: Are you running away from home now?

Feel free to nominate me for Mother of the Year.