Bee Movie

We took Makaila to her first real movie in the theater. We went to see the Bee Movie. We went to an event that provided pizza and cookies too, so that made it extra special. Makaila looked so little sitting on her knees on the big chair (more like a large office chair). She was excited and I don't think she really knew what to expect. The funniest part was when she told me she thought it was going to be on a big TV and was surprised it was different. I told her that was called a movie screen and she thought it was pretty huge.

Throw up quote

We were driving in the car yesterday and the conversation turned to a friend of Makaila's who had thrown up. Makaila threw up this past spring for the first time at a memorable age. She proceeded to tell me what it is like. In her words, "it starts in your tummy, goes through your bones, into your mouth and then onto the ground." Nice.

Dada bye-bye

Cole said his first 2-word sentance last week. We just said good bye to Makaila and Chad as they went off to a soccer game. I was changing Cole's diaper and he said, "Dada bye-bye" and waved both his hands.

No more thumb sucking!

Yea! Makaila stopped sucking her thumb. We had a "Not sucking thumb celebration". It We went to get some diner food and purple ice cream. Here's us enjoying the noise and food.

Halloween

We had plenty going on this Halloween. We visited the Arboretum, had a community carnival and did some group trick-or-treating with 3 other families in our neighborhood. Cole was a little overstimulated at the carnival, but he enjoyed following after the "big" kids for trick-or-treating.

Dora watch

Makaila has been making her bed and putting pajamas away almost every day to earn a nickle. Then when we saw a Dora watch for $7 we decided that would be a good thing to save money to buy. She started picking up leaves in front of our house to earn $.50 at a time. She kept her change in her purse and slowly we saved enough. We talked about how she was going to pay for it herself and she did. She has worn that thing almost every day since. She also makes sure to show it to anyone she can. She sometimes makes Chad wear his so the three of us will all have watches on. She even went to a b-day party and told me that she was the only kid wearing a watch. She tells us what time it is often.

Kid quotes

by Makaila, age 4.

"It's (going to the bathroom) is better with your shoes on. Because then your pants don't fall off."

Me, "Boy, it's really foggy out here today." Makaila, "yeah, it sure is soggy."

My little helper

Cole really likes helping me around the house. Well, he likes certain household tasks. His favorite is unloading the dishwasher. He loves to take the silverware out. Chad once let him do the more, but after a plate broke we try to keep him only on silverware. He used to hand each piece to me. Some go in his mouth first (I have to wash the measuring spoons several times before they make it to the drawer) and some just to me. Now he actually walks over and reaches over the edge of the drawer to put them in. Just bearly makes it. His other activites are turning on the dehumidifier, taking out my travel sized toiletries and helping me take clothes out of the dryer. The later involves making sure the lint screen is clean multiple times.

Deep in the heart of Texas. . .

It really stinks not having a camera when you are a mom. This week Makaila is doing Texas week at school. Being that we are not from here, we hope she doesn't come home saying "ya'all" already. Tuesday was the first day and all afternoon and evening she sang, "deep in the heart of Texas". No other part of the song, just that. And she was spouting trivia, "Mom, do you know what the state flower is? The Bluebonnet!" So, continuing with the weeks theme, today the kids were to dress up in their Texas clothing. We don't have much to work with in our house, but we did get her in a jean skirt, pig tails (didn't have time or energy for braids), and a red bandana around her neck. But no camera to show you how cute it was. Bummer. But Makaila was sure to tell me that I should look in magazines or the newspaper so I can buy a camera and next time they have Texas week I can take a picture. She seriously said that.

Growing Cole

It is fun to see Cole's little mind comprehending more each day. When we read bird in a book he immediately points out his window where we had watched a bird fly into the tree outside. When I say let's take off your shoes he reaches down to touch them. And he is such a boy. He already loves remotes and buttons. Daddy let him push the button on the wall to close the garage door. Now every time we are coming or going he wants to push the button. And right after we push it we turn and watch the door go up or down. He also loves to grab the remote for the fan for our bedroom and point it up at the fan. He lets us know when he wants a drink because he walks to the refridgerator and makes himself known until someone gets out his water cup. He has now found Makaila's "nummy drawer" for snacks. When I am have the pantry open getting dinner ready he will go to the drawer and pull out something that looks good to him. He isn't saying many words (mostly mama, dada, and doggie) or signs yet, but he is an excellent pointer. I think he is going through a growing period where he needs more sleep. He has been sleeping in until 8 or longer. Of course I'm not complaining about that!

Emergency Room

Well, we had our first emergency room visit for Cole. For some reason I don't think it will be the last.

We were making pancakes and Makaila was up on a chair helping me like she always does. But now Cole has to be up with her. I put Cole on her right between her and the wall so he can't fall down. I was on her left. I pulled the griddle out to put the pancake batter on and I didn't even know but Makaila lifted Cole up in front of her to see. He put his hand flat on the hot pancake griddle. All I know is I heard her say, "no Cole, it's hot" and then I pulled his hand off the griddle. He was of course crying soon after that when he realized he was in pain. He was shaking his arm like he was trying to get the pain off his hand. We feebly got some cold water on his hand because he wouldn't do the ice or cold pack.

So, after a stressful breakfast and getting clothed, off we went to the nearest ER. Chad surprised us and met us there and that helped. His hand has a large bister plus 2 blisters on each finger and a small one on the thumb. Cole started doing better once the motrin kicked in. They wrapped him up with some silvadene and had us follow up with a hand specialist on Monday. The hand doctor said it was healing well and if he didn't mess with it we could not wrap it and just wash it several times a day. But it still looks pretty painful and I cannot imagine washing it after he ate or went outside (for 3 seconds) so we are still wrapping it. Plus Chad had the clever idea of putting an old mitten of Makaila's on over the gauze. So he doesn't mess with it much. He doesn't seem to like to look at the wound (you wouldn't blame him if you saw it). Tonight after bath he looked at the injured hand and then looked at the other hand and then patted them together and then kind of cried. But once it was wrapped he is back to his normal non-stop movement.

Favorite routines

There are somethings I just get tired of doing and truly wonder when it will be over. Then Makaila gives me a little glimpse into her mind and my opinion can quickly change. Every night she likes to race into her bed room with one of us, grab her stuffed lamb and then we have to lie on the floor behind her bed until the other one of us comes in. Then we pop up and yell surprise. This gets really old. We were just together reading on the couch and we're going into her room to pray. Everyone knows we were just together and everyone knows where we are going. No surprises involved, right? The other night we were lying there waiting for Chad and Cole to come in and Makaila whispers to me, "I LOVE this game". How cute is that? So now I have a little more spring in my step as we race to "beat Daddy" and yell surprise.

Future 2-year-old

I have seen a few glimses of how Cole may be as a 2-year old. When he sees Makaila up on the 2-step stool in the bathroom all he wants to do is be up there too. Of course there is NOT room for 2 kids on the top step at the same time, but there's no getting that into Cole's head. The other day he persisted on getting up there. When it was time to leave the bathroom I made him get down too (since he's fallen once and got a forehead goose egg to prove it). He was NOT very happy with me.

Today we had a similar incident with the phone in our bedroom. That is the only phone we have with a cord, so it doesn't get used very much. The kids play with it and that's fine by me. When Makaila is pretending to call various people, Cole is right there beside her pushing the buttons. I think that is why today when I was talking on the phone he did NOT understand why I wouldn't let him push the buttons. He can give the most pitiful faces when he gets a stern NO to something he wants to do.

Crazy kids

It is amazing what kids can do sometime. Cole is just starting to want to do everything big sister does. If we are sitting at the table he will come and try to do pull ups at the tables edge until Makaila lifts him up so he can see (she loves the ways she can help him) or we get him onto our lap. If Makaila is up on a chair helping me cook in the kitchen, he comes over and fusses until he gets to be up on the chair too. And boy does he think he's big stuff when he's up there. Last night Makaila was yelling my name from the bathroom and saying that Cole needed some help. I came in there to find her kneeling on the (very HIGH) counter trying to wash her hands and Cole completely IN THE SINK. I don't exactly know how Makaila got him up there (or what she was thinking) or how his entire body fit in there. Afterwards we had a big talk about how dangerous it was help brother up to the bathroom counter!

Our kids have a favorite evening activity. When it is bathtime they love to get all their clothes off and run around the house screaming. Makaila has enjoyed the running around naked part for quite some time, but now that she is getting Cole to follow her it has become one of her favorite things.

Quote of the week (said during dinner)

Now Mommy, you might already know this, but if you have food in your mouth and you take a drink of water, you get FOOD in your water. Did you know that already?

Bad library day

Normally we go to a children's only library and I can just let Cole roam wherever he wants. I can read Makaila books because there's not anywhere he can go where I can't see him. Our children's library is closed this month so we're back at the public library. Our public library is fine and well-used, but it isn't easy to manage Cole at his age while trying to help Makaila get the books and videos she wants.
Today it was raining so I decided that was a way to get out of the house. Cole of course poops on the short drive over there and I hadn't brought the diaper bag. Inside, Cole just wanted to pull things off the shelves or run away from me. I'm reading Makaila the one book I said I would and Cole falls off the bean bag and bumps his head. His crying is just echoing all over the quiet library. I give him the keys to entertain him and that worked for a while. But when time came to check out the books I needed the keys from Cole because that's where the library card is. He did NOT want to give them up. As I struggle them out of his hands he falls onto the floor and bumps his mouth on the cement. He is in definite pain and crying hysterically. He is bleeding and there is bloody slobber everywhere. He has a little bit of a cold and snot is really flowing now. His loud cry is again heard throughout the once quiet library and I'm quickly trying to check out books without getting his snot and bloody drool all over me (of course he still has that dirty diaper on. . .). Let's just say it wasn't our best library outing.

Haircut

I noticed some hair under the counter in the bathroom the other day. Tonight while I was giving the kids a bath I pulled it out and saw that it was quite a bit. I asked Makaila if she had cut her hair, Cole's hair or any doll's hair lately. She said yes and admitted to giving Cole a little trim. She couldn't seem to remember why she did it or if she knew Mommy and Daddy wouldn't like it. The amazing part is that I didn't notice by combing Cole's hair. Upon later inspection there's a spot at the front and at the top, but some how she did it in a way that it didn't totally stand up or look bald.

corn kid

Here's Cole's first taste of corn on the cob while we visited some friends over Labor Day. I think he liked it and did his best to eat as much his Daddy.

First Day of Pre-school

Makaila has been so excited to go to pre-school. We have been reading books about going to school. We got the new lunch pack and the school supplies. We met the teacher last week. There was some definite shyness, but painting a picture with her teacher helped. Last night we picked out her clothes. I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast. And Chad even went to work late to be able to take her to school and meet her teacher too. When I went to pick her up it was fun to see her playing with 2 girls she was already bonding with. The teacher told me the 3 of them ate lunch at their own little table. Makaila had new art to show us and said it was "so much fun". We've been having a little emotional rollercoaster the end of the summer and she is constantly bugging me to either go play with friends, watch a video or have a snack. So, I think Makaila starting pre-school is the right thing for us!

excellent walker

Cole has really got this walking thing down. He can get up off the floor without crawling to furniture. He can walk carrying things. He can stand and drink a sippy cup without falling over. He's made quite a few balance improvements.

He continues his tackling or wrestling crawl over you thing. He mostly likes to do that when we are sitting on the couch ready books. He comes over and says "un" until we bring him up on the couch. Then he dives onto our laps and crawls over us from side to side on the couch. It makes it quite difficult for reading Bible story at night with 3 of us sitting on it and Cole crawling back and forth over our laps.

Makaila did a little dress up when she and Cole did a Saturday morning with Daddy. This is how she dressed Cole.