This past week, we packed our bags and drove a whole 45 minutes west to stay with Hubby's siblings, their spouses, and all of there kids along with his parents. Of course, since he's one of 5 kids, this made for a houseful of 24 people from 5 months up to 60-odd years old! Everyone thinks we're crazy, but it is a lot of fun. The one dozen kids all get along well most of the time, they have plenty of grown ups and a couple big kids now who can read stories, and the weather wasn't too bad so they even got to go outside and play a few days. They even rode tricycles around in the garage when it was cold outside.
Christmas Eve we went to my in-laws' church for their family service where we pretty much took over the front section of the pews. Bubby wanted me to stand, and CJ conked his head during the service and started crying--but luckily they weren't the only kids there causing a ruckus! Then we put the kids to bed and had a grown up dinner which was attended by one not so sleepy baby. My sister in-law had set the table with fancy plates and cloth napkins. My father in-law had brought some wine for us to try from one of his trips this year. We managed to finish the bottle by the end of the night. Luckily there were lots of people to split it with.
One of my favorite things about Christmas is getting to see the spouses interact with each other and with their children. Now that I have children, I especially appreciate seeing that it isn't just my kid having problems being perfect. All of my nieces & nephews are so well behaved though, really, and it truly is a testament to how their parents have raised them. I like taking mental notes about different parenting tactics that they have. They each have their own ways of doing things, but they all radiate love for their children and it is so wonderful to see. I forget the exact wording that one of my sis in-laws said, but she was saying how love is more powerful than anything and the same applies to disciplining her children. As Hubby would say, I have "quality" sisters & brothers in-law and I can glean so much wisdom from them--I wish Christmas happened once a month. Every day would be exhausting. haha.
We were supposed to be going to my parents this evening to stay, but the weather is awful right now so my dad said we should wait until morning to come. He is worried that we won't be able to see if the road is flooded or not, which is so funny because I was just talking about how he worries about weather and safety when we're traveling a lot. I am learning to trust him a lot more now that I'm older. So we're just going to listen to his advice and stay home for the night. It will be good to get an extra night of rest before leaving anyway, right? Also good to make sure our laundry room doesn't flood.
In other news, Bubby is thisclose to being able to sit up and be left sitting there without fear of him falling over instantly! CJ had a great Christmas and loved playing with his cousins. He had a rough time sharing toys, but he hasn't really had to do that yet so I'm sure we'll be learning a lot about that over the next few years. Luckily, I got a few ideas from my older, wiser siblings! Well, I have laundry to fold while CJ is sleeping! Bubby is smiling next to me beckoning my attention as well. :D
Monday, December 28, 2015
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Thanks In ALL
So we have mice. At first I wanted to pretend like it wasn't a real thing and that Lyna was just sniffing around like crazy because she is crazy. But I decided to get some traps anyway "just in case." About 10 minutes after setting up the traps, I saw a mouse scurry into the living room! The hunt was on. The stories are quite comical so I thought I'd share, even though they're disgusting little creatures to have, I might as well enjoy the heeby jeebies.
Mouse 1: Scurried into the living room. I found him under our end table. Hubby & I grabbed boots and started swatting. He then scurried behind the couch to another corner where he met his doom.
Mouse 2: We were watching a movie, and I saw it out of the corner of my eye. Hubby thought I was crazy. We started looking for him, but couldn't figure out where he went. So we decided to check in the storage compartment under our couch. Just about the time Hubby thought I was crazy, the little mouse pops out 2 inches from my foot and scares the tar out of me! Of course Hubby still hadn't seen it, so he maintained my insanity was real. The little guy scurried out the other side of the couch from where we were & ran into one of my traps by the dog's cage. Then comes the part where you have to figure out what to do with the still living body. We decided squishing was bad enough the first time. Figured the paintball gun wouldn't work. And the rubberband gun wouldn't be powerful enough. So I drowned him. :/
Mouse 3: Wasn't that exciting other than a huge chase with a giant metal spatula while Channer was watching saying, "Mommy? Mommy?" Also ran into one of my traps which I had tripled the amount I set from the first night by now.
Mouse 4: Hubby was on the computer, and I was in the kitchen. He came in with a package of crackers and said he saw another mouse. By this point, it was war. He said he had seen it on the desk where he was sitting munching on some crackers. The nerve of that mouse! So we went searching through all the stuff that gets hidden behind the computer out of reach of CJ. It was on my to-do list to organize the desk, and it got done. Hubby grabbed the curtain that falls behind the desk & started screaming! The mouse was in the curtains--and he had touched it between his fingers! In my mind, I was thinking, "Finally, I'm not the only one to get freaked out by them!" So while Hubby was shaking off the heeby jeebies, I got under the desk to try and heard him towards my trap, and it worked!
I just finished reading my favorite book The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, and in it she talks about giving thanks for fleas that kept the Nazi officers out of their room where they were hiding a Bible and holding a Bible study. So I'm going to give thanks for mice because they're helping Hubby and I have fun chasing after these darn creatures. And they are kind of cute, I just don't really want them in my home.
Mouse 1: Scurried into the living room. I found him under our end table. Hubby & I grabbed boots and started swatting. He then scurried behind the couch to another corner where he met his doom.
Mouse 2: We were watching a movie, and I saw it out of the corner of my eye. Hubby thought I was crazy. We started looking for him, but couldn't figure out where he went. So we decided to check in the storage compartment under our couch. Just about the time Hubby thought I was crazy, the little mouse pops out 2 inches from my foot and scares the tar out of me! Of course Hubby still hadn't seen it, so he maintained my insanity was real. The little guy scurried out the other side of the couch from where we were & ran into one of my traps by the dog's cage. Then comes the part where you have to figure out what to do with the still living body. We decided squishing was bad enough the first time. Figured the paintball gun wouldn't work. And the rubberband gun wouldn't be powerful enough. So I drowned him. :/
Mouse 3: Wasn't that exciting other than a huge chase with a giant metal spatula while Channer was watching saying, "Mommy? Mommy?" Also ran into one of my traps which I had tripled the amount I set from the first night by now.
Mouse 4: Hubby was on the computer, and I was in the kitchen. He came in with a package of crackers and said he saw another mouse. By this point, it was war. He said he had seen it on the desk where he was sitting munching on some crackers. The nerve of that mouse! So we went searching through all the stuff that gets hidden behind the computer out of reach of CJ. It was on my to-do list to organize the desk, and it got done. Hubby grabbed the curtain that falls behind the desk & started screaming! The mouse was in the curtains--and he had touched it between his fingers! In my mind, I was thinking, "Finally, I'm not the only one to get freaked out by them!" So while Hubby was shaking off the heeby jeebies, I got under the desk to try and heard him towards my trap, and it worked!
I just finished reading my favorite book The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, and in it she talks about giving thanks for fleas that kept the Nazi officers out of their room where they were hiding a Bible and holding a Bible study. So I'm going to give thanks for mice because they're helping Hubby and I have fun chasing after these darn creatures. And they are kind of cute, I just don't really want them in my home.
Monday, December 07, 2015
He can sit?
CJ's first Sunday School class was yesterday! He was the only one potty training, but he showed those other 2 year olds that he can keep the same pants & underwear on during church. (Let's hope that continues.) More amazingly, as we were driving to church, I was sharing with Peter about how I was nervous for Channer and didn't picture him sitting in a chair with other 2 year olds. When we went to pick him up from class, he was sitting in a chair lined up with the other 2 year olds! Those people are miracle workers! I mean, how did that happen? They were even all sitting there with their backpacks in their hands waiting for their parents. It was the craziest thing I've ever witnessed. So apparently 2 year olds can sit in chairs with other 2 year olds. You learn something new every day.
Tuesday, December 01, 2015
Thanksgiving & other subjects
This past week has been one for the record books. The plan was to spend Wed-Sun at my parents house. Tues night we had Pie & Praise at our church. Though, the order was reversed so we sang before eating pie. Every time they would stop the music to have a time for people to share testimonies, CJ would just keep saying, "Pie. Pie. Pie!" We all felt the same. But then the evening ended by CJ getting sick. So pie was kind of ruined as were our plans to arrive on Wed. We ended up getting to my parent's on Friday instead. I managed to find enough stuff to make corn casserole, mashed potatoes & (packaged) gravy, a can of cranberry sauce, and leftover pork chops for our Thanksgiving meal. It was actually our first Thanksgiving without anyone else which was sad but enjoyable at the same time. The extroverted portion of me really wanted to be with my family though. Then I remembered that my bff Megan was in town visitng her in-laws! Initially we were supposed to be gone while she was here, so we hadn't planned on meeting. So I texted her to see if she wanted to meet up. We decided on shopping after putting the kids to bed since that seems to be the thing to do on Thanksgiving night. Hubby stayed home to hold down the fort.
We had a pretty good visit with my parents. I did a 3 mile run with my old sister Saturday morning, and her family came over that afternoon. CJ was being so sweet and giving everyone lots and lots of hugs like a true Neuby would. But then something happened and the rest of the night was a big meltdown and he only wanted, "Daddddyyy, daddddy, daddddy!!!!" He gets that way a lot when Hubby is home, especially on weekends or extended periods where he is around. It's not Hubby's fault, just an attachment issue with CJ. Christmas vacation should be really "interesting" if it's still a problem then.
This morning we met with a couple therapists--one who was more general and another who was a speech therapist--as well as a coordinator, to see if I am just an over-worried mom or if CJ really is delayed in his speech. I know I've mentioned a few times before how I have been concerned that he seems to be falling behind more and more with his speech. He has a lot to say, but no one really understands what he's saying. They came to our house and played with him for about 45 min-1 hour I think and saw how he moved and used words and actions to communicate. He actually did really well for them, I thought. He even said, "Boo," for "balloon" which he has never done before--they've always been "Elmo" because he had an Elmo balloon one time. One of the first things the speech therapist noted was that he drools a lot. Apparently that's not normal at this age. haha. But they did say he was very intelligent and tested at 30-31 months for a lot of the fine & gross motor skills, however, he tested at 18 months for his expressive communication & sounding out words. He was almost on track for receptive (what he understands) communication. So he does qualify for services (aka I'm not crazy), and he will be starting speech therapy once a week for about an hour. All the details are to be determined, but I am glad he will be able to get help to get caught up. I noticed a big difference between his speech and his cousin's speech who is only 2 months older than him this past weekend. I'm not happy that he is "delayed," but I love my boy so much I'd do anything to help him out. He's still a fun, happy kid.
Next Sunday CJ will be starting his very first Sunday school class! I am so nervous for him & his teachers. I mean, having a class full of 2 year olds is just insane to me. Little people's ministry is just not a gift I have been blessed with--which is ok. I'd much prefer the kids who can go to the bathroom on their own at least or the teens. I also just don't picture my 2 year old sitting down in a group to hear a story read, but I guess it's good practice. Just so they don't blame me if he doesn't cooperate! haha. They probably know what they're doing more than I do. Someone asked Hubby if that meant he was going to be singing in the Children's Christmas program with the other 2 year olds--HA!
I think everything else around here has been pretty hum-drum. I'm reading The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom which is my favorite book. I want so badly to just sit and read it, but with 2 little ones that's just not possible. I've also been sick the past few days so I'm trying to rest instead of staying up all night to finish it.
It's almost Christmas!
We had a pretty good visit with my parents. I did a 3 mile run with my old sister Saturday morning, and her family came over that afternoon. CJ was being so sweet and giving everyone lots and lots of hugs like a true Neuby would. But then something happened and the rest of the night was a big meltdown and he only wanted, "Daddddyyy, daddddy, daddddy!!!!" He gets that way a lot when Hubby is home, especially on weekends or extended periods where he is around. It's not Hubby's fault, just an attachment issue with CJ. Christmas vacation should be really "interesting" if it's still a problem then.
This morning we met with a couple therapists--one who was more general and another who was a speech therapist--as well as a coordinator, to see if I am just an over-worried mom or if CJ really is delayed in his speech. I know I've mentioned a few times before how I have been concerned that he seems to be falling behind more and more with his speech. He has a lot to say, but no one really understands what he's saying. They came to our house and played with him for about 45 min-1 hour I think and saw how he moved and used words and actions to communicate. He actually did really well for them, I thought. He even said, "Boo," for "balloon" which he has never done before--they've always been "Elmo" because he had an Elmo balloon one time. One of the first things the speech therapist noted was that he drools a lot. Apparently that's not normal at this age. haha. But they did say he was very intelligent and tested at 30-31 months for a lot of the fine & gross motor skills, however, he tested at 18 months for his expressive communication & sounding out words. He was almost on track for receptive (what he understands) communication. So he does qualify for services (aka I'm not crazy), and he will be starting speech therapy once a week for about an hour. All the details are to be determined, but I am glad he will be able to get help to get caught up. I noticed a big difference between his speech and his cousin's speech who is only 2 months older than him this past weekend. I'm not happy that he is "delayed," but I love my boy so much I'd do anything to help him out. He's still a fun, happy kid.
Next Sunday CJ will be starting his very first Sunday school class! I am so nervous for him & his teachers. I mean, having a class full of 2 year olds is just insane to me. Little people's ministry is just not a gift I have been blessed with--which is ok. I'd much prefer the kids who can go to the bathroom on their own at least or the teens. I also just don't picture my 2 year old sitting down in a group to hear a story read, but I guess it's good practice. Just so they don't blame me if he doesn't cooperate! haha. They probably know what they're doing more than I do. Someone asked Hubby if that meant he was going to be singing in the Children's Christmas program with the other 2 year olds--HA!
I think everything else around here has been pretty hum-drum. I'm reading The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom which is my favorite book. I want so badly to just sit and read it, but with 2 little ones that's just not possible. I've also been sick the past few days so I'm trying to rest instead of staying up all night to finish it.
It's almost Christmas!
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