Say Cheeeeeeeeeeese!

This morning, Ellie got a hold of the camera and decided to wander around taking pictures. These are just a sampling of the wonderful images she captured. I'm not sure she's got the "eye" for photo journalism. Luckily, I delted all the pictures she got of me before anyone got to see them.

 

 

 

Ellie's attempts at photo-journalism 

I need an intervention

Yes, there are more things wrong with me than just my love of Arrowroot cookies (easy to chew and swallow). I have serious holiday issues. This week officially started my holiday season when I made my first Christmas card. Not just one Christmas card, but I've already made 5. Isn't it still July????

And I already have my kid's Halloween costumes. Speaking of which, if you have any ideas for costumes for me and Dustin, let me know! I'm not 9 months pregnant this year, so I can actually go as something fun! Yes, I still have 3 months, but I need to get planning!!!!

I'm also planning my Christmas party. I've decided that we're not going anywhere for Christmas this year, so I'm going to do all the things real families do this year. We're getting a tree, we're taking little gifts around to neighbors (I already bought the ornaments to tie with the ribobn on the gifts), we're sending out home made Christmas cards (did that last year too), and we're having a party. I'm not sure what we'll be doing at the Christmas party, but I know what the invitations are going to look like, I know who's invited and I know Dustin will be cooking (I think he knows that too, but I'd better double check).

I've already bought a few Christmas present as well. I've got my entire list made up and I'm checking it twice!!!

Lowest of the Low

I need sugar and none can be found in this darn house! I've gone through the entire place and the best I could come up with was some freaking peppermint sticks.

And so I'm sunken so low that I am eating Nat'es Gerber Arrowroot Cookies. And I like them too.

I hate lunch time

Can I just tell you all how much I miss eating lunch by myself? Slowly putting the food into my mouth, carefully chewing each bite, actually getting a sip of water here or there. . . Lunch time now consists of me BEGGING Ellie to eat what I've prepared and shoving food as fast as I can into Nate's ever open mouth, all the while standing up to run and get Ellie something else or clean up a mess one of them has made.

Today at about 11, Ellie comes to tell me she is hungry. I told her we'd eat as soon as Nate woke up and to go clean her room up so we'd be all set. Now before anyone feels sorry for Ellie, this is her MO -- she SAYS she's hungry and then refuses to eat what is set before her. So as the next hour passes, Ellie comes in every 15 minutes to tell me she's hungry. I then remind her to clean her room. She leaves and comes back 15 minutes later. . . So finally I tell her we're not eating lunch until her room is clean.

Nate woke up, ate a bottle, got his diaper changed. . . her arms were "broken" so she couldn't clean her room. Nate played, we made some calls, unloaded the dishwasher. . . her head hurt so she couldn't clean her room. I'm feeding Nate cheerioes to keep him happy until we can all sit down together. Finally it is 2 pm and nap time is sneaking up on us. Ellie is still sitting in the middle of her room doing NOTHING at all excpet every once in awhile her tummy "speaks" and says: I'm hungry. Well tummy! CLEAN YOUR ROOM! I finally gave in and fed Nate. Did the dishes, cleaned up the mess all over the floor under Nate's chair. . . Ellie has her hands over her eyes -- she can't see so she can't clean her room. Nate and I play around with his toys in the living room when I notice it is eerily quiet. No shouts of, "I'm hungry," or "I can't do it." Just silence.

Ellie has crawled up on the crib mattress under her bed (she has a loft bed) and has fallen asleep. I go and get cracker and toss it under there with her. She wakes up for a split second and says, "Mom, I'm just resting. I'm too tired to clean my room. Maybe when I wake up."

So Ellie's room is still a disaster and she hasn't eaten anything since breakfast. Should I make her clean it before dinner or just give in?

PS

All my pictures from this weekend stink. Will everyone share theirs with me? Just send them to my gmail address (samenamehereasmyhotmailaddress@gmail.com) , pretty please!!!!!!! it doesn't matter if they have my kids in them or not, I just want to see them.

The kiddos 

Alex Anne and Ellie after their bath  

Wyatt and Nate (6 months & 8 months) 

SUCCESS!

Yes, Rogers Raging Reunion 2005 went off perfectly fine. The children survived, the house isn't completely trashed, Ellie quickly got over her fear of dogs, Nate adored sleeping in the closet (so much so that he is napping there right now) and we even managed to eat before 8 pm a few nights (ha ha ha). Seriously though, it was so much fun. I just loved watching the kids play together. It really made me wish we had family around. There's some special bond between cousins that just makes your heart melt. Dustin and I never had any cousins to "bond" with, so it really saddens me that Ellie and Nate are so far away from all of theirs. Would some of you stinkers move out here please??? I believe the theme for this year was, "Arizona Doesn't Suck After All."

Anyway, we love you all and miss you now that you are gone. Come see us soon! I'M THE BOSS you know.

As for the rest of you, I'm finally de-stressed and everything can go back to normal. I will return your phone calls, I will be scrapping, I will be working out at the gym, I will make it play group. . . as soon as I catch up on my sleep.