I'd have to say we are ready for Spring at our place!!!

Besides the fact that I can't wait to put the kids in their spring clothes....

I just want to be able to go outside and play with the kids.... I feel like this about it....
As you can tell Ali is sick of being cooped up as well!

So who is with me? This 30 degree weather needs to go!!

Babysitting!!

Last week Camery texted me and asked if I would be in town Wednesday and Thursday of that week because she was looking for a babysitter to fill in for her regular babysitter. I was so excited, because not only had Roger just started his phlebotomy class (which means I don't really see him from 9am to 9pm so I knew he wouldn't miss me terribly), but because Natalie is such a fun little girl and I knew it would be fun for my kids to get to play with someone else!!

I have known Camery since I was a little girl, but our friendship didn't really start until I worked with her when I was in high school at Dr. Earl's office. She has always been such a good friend to me and an even better example. She was always there to give me advice when I needed it and let me tell you she had some awesome advice!! I am happy our friendship has continued over the years even though I moved across the country and back! She probably doesn't realize how much fun I have every time we get together! I look forward to continue to enjoy her company and getting to play with her little girl as she grows! Camery is such a great mom and while I was watching Natalie I really got to see how great she has been at teaching Natalie things. Natalie was super independent which made it even easier on my part.

The first day I enjoyed getting to know Natalie and her personality. The second day we danced, sang, ate popcorn, and watched movies!

She liked to switch the lights "on" and "off" which she learned from Ethan. LOL. Ali loves Blaze!! Remember when Ethan did this same thing? And even still does!!
Natalie wouldn't look at the camera for me, but I sure tried!!

They all loved the popcorn.

Soon after these pictures the popcorn was spilled everywhere! My mom put them on blankets and drug them all around the hard wood floors and they laughed so hard!! I think my mom enjoyed it as much as I did because it reminded her of her babysitting days when all the kids on the block would be at our house.

Thanks Camery for asking me to babysit. We really had tons of fun and I hope you don't hesitate to ask next time you need someone. It's always fun to see some familiar and fun faces!!

Crazy Silly Boy

I was going through pictures the other day and noticed that I hardly had any recent photos of Ethan. It is because he hates the camera, but I was determined to get some pictures. It was crazy because it took me over half an hour to get these four pictures. When he actually smiled for me a couple times my card was full so I'd have to delete pictures to try and get it. I know that is a no no, but I didn't want to take the time to replace it with another card. I just wanted to get the pictures!! Again you will notice Lightning McQueen in his pictures. I don't know when this phase is going to end, but I have a feeling it will go on for a while. He has to have his car constantly and even when he goes to bed at night!

My mom watched our kids for us last weekend and we were so thankful, because we needed to spend some quality time dejunking our apartment. You can't tell much right now because our stupid dishwasher broke for the third time! Argh I'm so sick of hand washing dishes because it hurts my back so bad to lean over the sink. And our water doesn't stay hot that long so I can only do a few at a time. Roger told me that the manager called Friday afternoon and they will be replacing the dishwasher! Wahoo! I don't want them to try and replace the motor again and have it burn out AGAIN.

Can you tell he is telling me, "NO!"?
Ethan and Ali had so much fun at Nana's house. My mom said that Ethan only woke up screaming for me in the middle of the night and thought that Kaitlin was me so he went back to sleep, but other than that they never cried for us. My mom really enjoyed having them and we've talked about doing it once a month so Roger and I can spend some time together and clean the things I can't clean when the kids are here. Roger is so busy with everything I hardly see him!

Shots = Sick Baby

Ali hasn't done good since she got her six shots. You can read about hers and Ethan's well child visits below. She was fine for most of the day yesterday, but last night her fever got high and this morning she was clinging to me and only wanted to cuddle. That is so unlike my little munchkin, but she's feeling a little better. I took these pictures when she was sitting on the couch eating her munchies and she never just sits so you know she feels sick. She loves the camera so even though she didn't feel good she had to pull some smiles for me! I have definitely enjoyed her cuddles!!
They love the backyardigans!

The snacks ended up all over the couch after I took these pictures. And no Ethan hadn't had a bath yet, because he fights me every time and since Ali needed me I decided I'd wait and have him get in the shower with me when she goes down for her nap!

1 Year and 2 Year Well Child Visits

Aliana and Ethan got caught up on their well child checks today. I don't know what I was thinking scheduling them during Roger's class. For some reason I thought I could do it by myself. At the last minute he decided he would just go to the later class so that he could help me. I was so thankful because man were the little pills. I couldn't believe how crazy they were acting. They do like to explore new places so I guess maybe that was just what they wanted to do.

Aliana got checked out first. She weighed in at a whopping 17.5 pounds! Oh my goodness I knew she was light, but she is just not gaining weight. The weird thing is is that she can put away food like no other and as soon as she is hungry she lets me know it. For weight she was in the 2%, but for height she was 81% at 30.5 inches. Her head measured at 16.5 inches, but didn't get the percentile on that. I'm guessing it's just under average because she's never had a big head. Everything else checked out good for her. She was still for the doctor and let her check her over good, but as soon as she was back in my arms we just wrestled around the whole time. She wanted down. There was no way I was putting her naked body on that exam room floor. She got six shots so she could get caught up on her shots. One was the flu shot. They said that a lot of their cases last year were diagnosed in February and March and their first two cases this year were last week so we decided to get them flu shots even though I thought it might be a little late in the season already.

Ethan got checked last and man did he hate it! He weighed 29 lbs. so he was 51% for weight and 53% for height at 35.1 inches. His head was 19 inches in size and was 31%. All in all I call him my average kid. When he was born and for the first 6-9 months he was a big boy, but he's evened out. It's crazy how kids in the same family can be so completely different. I'm sure that they are opposite sexes has something to do with as well. He was not too happy with the doctor. I had to get right in his face for him to lay down while they looked over him and tried to bribe him with chocolate. He doesn't have to go back until he's 3 so I'm hoping he'll be a little better, but I've been reading that 3 is worse than 2 so who knows!! Ethan got a flu shot and his second hepatitis A shot. He was not happy about that. He got his shots before Ali and so when I took him out and she went in to get hers he knew right away and kept crying for "Ali". It was so sad! He did not like having band aids on his legs either. He wanted them off right away! I told the doctor about Ethan's sleep walking spells. I don't think I've mentioned it yet, but since he's been going to bed in his bed he will wake up 2-4 hours after he falls asleep and come into our room and just stand there in Roger's face staring at him. He doesn't cry or say anything so Roger will put him in bed with us and he just lies there his eyes wide open. I try to comfort him and talk to him and make facial expressions at him and he just stares blankly. It's really kind of freaky so hopefully he can move on from it. The doctor thought he was young to have started doing it already, but not unheard of. I guess we're just lucky he hasn't hurt himself doing it.

My ARTIST!

I'm convinced Ethan will be an incredible artist just like his father!! LOL. I know that he is just learning, but it's like he goes out of his way to look for pens or markers!! I'm constantly chasing after him when he finds one. I've decided that I've waited too long to buy him some crayons so hopefully tonight or tomorrow I will be making a trip to the store to get him some. Walmart is about 15 minutes away so I just have to find time to go!! I gave him coloring book pages printed from the internet to color with a pen and once he got bored of them his body was the only other thing he could think of to color while he was locked in his high chair! Atleast when he has crayons he can't color on himself or his clothes!! Don't you think his tattoo work is beautiful? Notice it under his chin as well??

I'm feeling...

like today is a good day. I registered this morning for my last two quarters of classes!! WAHOO!! Now I'm guessing many of you didn't know that after I had Ethan I continued to pursue my degree. After going to one full semester at Southern Virginia University and then not finishing full time the second semester because of morning sickness (mind you I had biology at 7am so that was definitely not going to happen with a lab that had rotten milk in it) I felt a little discouraged, but wasn't too hurt because I wanted to be a mom!! I am getting my bachelor's degree in Business Management!! After this quarter I only have 5 more classes so they are dividing it so that I have 3 classes next quarter and then my last quarter I will have my senior project and an elective of my choice! I can't believe it's finally coming to a close. It feels like it's taken forever. When I started back to school again my school only requires 2 classes a quarter to be full time because most students are parents or have full time jobs as well so it works out great. It is based on the east coast and since that was where we were originally I just felt safe going with it, but it's worked out great here in Washington as well. If any of you are interested in completing your degree because you are so close you should think about it. It's called Strayer University Online and there isn't different tuition for being out of state.

So the debate is whether or not I should continue on and get my Master's Degree. I have been thinking about it since Roger will still be in school. I haven't gotten any information on it yet, but if I could do it than why not right? I eventually would love to have a couple different businesses and I'm not just talking about the stuff I'm already doing, but much more...

I have learned so much about how a business should be run and where your money should be invested in order to succeed with these classes and I love it. I am definitely happy my family and Roger talked me into continuing on to get my degree. I was so close after high school with already having my associate's and all I wanted to be was a mom, but I feel good about knowing if I have to support my family someday it is completely possible!! Today has been a good day...although I have a stinkin' headache...but that's what my days consist of anyways...