New Rug

It's a big deal when you have a baby walking and falling and crawling and playing on the floor. We spend a lot of time down on the floor and I was really tired of being cold. I was really tired of the frayed and curling corners due to all the vacuuming. I was really tired of the dingy colors and stains. 

I decided to save up for a new rug, but it was taking forever. I had saved $0 for the $300 rug I was eyeing at IKEA, so I was reluctantly planning to use my birthday money toward it. It was big, 8 x 10, to maximize playing space, and maybe keep the furniture from sliding around, and maybe keep toys from constantly going under the couch, and make less mopping area. 

Last week before we all got the GI bug the little boys and I were making a target run...maybe that's where we got the bug. There were some great clearance aisles (don't you love perfect timing?!) and I found a 7 x 10 rug on clearance for $80!!!! I just love a great bargain. 

 

I don't love it, and I don't hate it. I quickly realized that it's going to be ruined by the time we are done with it, so I'm really grateful that I 1) didn't spend $300 on it 2) don't love it. 

It's very soft and comfy. It also keeps me a *little* warmer when we sit on the floor to play. 

Have I mentioned that Lewis was spinning on it so long when we laid it out that he made himself puke? Yep. (See merry go round incident story a few posts back.)

Adventure Day

 

Grandpa Burda joined Logan and the boys on a day trip to Kearney and Hastings.    

They enjoyed many museums, sandwiches at Firehouse Subs, and good company.           

They had hoped to spot some Sandhill cranes, but unfortunately they didn't have any sightings. 

Thanks for a great day Grandpa!

Teeth

 

Elias got two molars and a canine last week. Sheesh. The last two nights he's slept so well that I've been waking up after stretches of sleep lasting four hours. FOUR HOURS!!!!! Do you know how fast the night goes when you sleep that many hours without interruption?! He's eating more again too. So much that I get worried he will burst, but so far so good. Praying we can finally move out of the baby food stage finally. He prefers puréed foods still, and is a bit limited due to intolerances, so the transition isn't easy. But that's nothing new for us, so I'm trying to un-block the memories of what I used to feed Lewis as far as table food so Elias gets some variety. He still can't have dairy, avocado, bananas, or broccoli. We've added chickpeas to the list as well after a failed attempt with hummus and baby teether biscuits made with chickpea flour. 

Mish Life

Every year missionaries come and go. Some years we meet new ones who become life long friends, like Ashley. She's been a blessing since day one, four years ago. The boys love her and so do Logan and I.

 

This will be her last year on the team with Logan. But we won't have to miss her because she's staying here to live, and will be living in a house a block away from us!!!! We couldn't be more excited for such a great new neighbor!

Busy Baby

He got his first fat lip, which wasn't even that bad. Also, he loves that phone lately.   

The teeth. He got three more this week. THIS WEEK. Which brings his total to eleven.  

I don't like that horse. But my new shoes are amazing.  

Well, maybe I'll be brave.  

Yep. I'm brave. 

Grandpa Stories

 

The boys number one request from Grandpa Burda is to read stories together.  

Almost One?!

 

Do I even need to let a photographer try to get a cuter face captured in a photo in a few weeks?! And in my childhood rocking chair to boot. 

The Big Kid

 

We went to a birthday party this week and the Grandpa of the family is a fire investigator, so of course my big boy was entranced. The fire investigator (in the background of the picture) was awesome and showed him his badge, walkie talkie (he happened to be on duty), an app on his phone that keeps track of local emergency calls linked with a map, and his helmet. Augustine likes his picture taken in real fireman helmets. 

Augustine is doing really well in school. He is very good at learning. He is writing, reading, doing addition, subtraction, and even figuring out some multiplication, enjoys all his specials, and helping various teachers with tasks especially cleaning the lunchroom. He is interested in trying out soccer. He is looking forward to Boys Choir again this summer as well as swimming lessons. He still wants to be fire chief. He enjoys homework, reading and being read to, large motor activities, Rescue Bots, quality time with good friends, and his baby brother. He loves us all, but he really loves Elias...and has since the minute we told him Elias was on the way. He would like another baby brother. Augustine has continued to learn more jokes, and understand them. We can be silly and joke him out of a bad mood now...most of the time. That's a big change for him. He likes to help with heavy lifting and house projects. He holds Elias even when he's fussy and plays all kinds of games with Lewis. He likes to take bike rides with Daddy and play restaurant with me. 

Wrapping Up the Week

 

Logan takes them to the library almost weekly now that videos are one week check out. It's been a good weekend staple. They don't always want to go, believe it or not, but they are always happy when they get home. Augustine has been choosing easy readers lately. 

Don't be fooled by the cuteness of this pose. He's in time out. Due to having a sick baby and sleep deprived parents, discipline and attention has been lacking for the big boys, and it's showing. We got back on track this past week, which meant a lot of time outs and lots of cuddling.  

The old man eating his snack on the front porch. It was so beautiful outside. When the weather is good we sit on the porch every day just before school gets out and watch all the kids and teachers say goodbye, and anticipate Augustine coming home. Lewis misses him. 

Our friends are redoing their kitchen so we had them for dinner. The kids performed a singing concert.   

Once Lewis is in bed we pull out Augustine's homework. I know. In kindergarten?! Stupid. He likes to complete it for the most part so we remember to do it most nights. He was doing it at the table, but he seems much more relaxed if I snuggle him on the couch while he works. It's a good time for just he and I to be together. 

Drawing

 He draws so often. I'm still not used to it, but I LOVE his creations. I didn't even know he knew enough about a stingray to draw one. 

Lent 2016

 We started off simple with some placemats and a sacrifice jar. This year Logan and I are planning to beef up our family Lent traditions to be as good as our Advent season. 

Lewis at School 2

         

Funnies

Some of these quotes from the big boys are from quite a while ago, but I'm glad I have them. Sadly, I've missed writing down quite a few funny things Lewis said in the last few weeks, but some of the comments just wouldn't be funny written down. 

Lewis was up from 215-315am. He laid in his bed wide eyed the whole time bc he'd had a bad dream. 

Me: what was your dream about?

L: somefing was in my room. 

Me: what was it?

L: it was a swirdol. (Squirrel)

Me: {trying not to laugh} what was it doing?

L: it was...wunning awound. 

Me: {looks away bc I'm dying} where?

L: in our house. 

Me: oh. 

This morning:

Me: so you had a dream abt a squirrel?

L: yes. It was wite here. {in the dining room}

Me: oh. What was it doing?

L: I tell it to wun away. 

Me: did it listen to you?

L: yes. It bit me leg. Yis one. {raises right leg}

Me: {stupid squirrel}

Me: So, do you like Dr. Williams?

L: No. He has a weird talking. 

Me: What do you mean?

L: He voice is weird. 

Me: It's very low. 

L: Yeah. He have a spider voice. 

Me: He has a spider voice? What's a spider voice like?

L: {completely ignores me}

{L & E playing in the bedroom when I hear a big bang}

Me: Lewis, come here. 

L: {hands on hips} what?

Me: what's going on in there?

L: I cooking. 

Me: what's Elias doing?

L: sanding up. Like dis on da kitchen. 

Me: ok. He's helping you cook?

L: yes. Now I need to get back betuz I watching him for you. {hands on hips, walks back to the bedroom}

{something falls on the floor}

Elias Buhdah?! What I say?!

Slowing down a DVD. 

L: Love of Pete.

Me: Why did you say that? 

L: I slow it down with my finger.

Me: That might break it. 

L: Oh.

A: Mom? Why would someone name their kid FATima?!

Me: Lewis you need to calm down. 

L: No, you need to talm down. 

Me: excuse me?

L: what dat called?

Me: disrespectful. 

L: no. Dat talled talking back. 

L: daddy seep here?

Me: yes

L: and you seep deuh?

Me: yes

L: and Lelias seep in da midduhl?

Me: yes

L: and you hewp (help) him?

Me: yes. All night. Babies don't sleep well. They need a lot of help. 

L: why?

Me: bc that's how God made babies. 

L: me wish Dod make babies not poop or doowuh (drool).

Me: you wish God didn't make babies poop or drool?

L: yes. Den dey not be so slimy. 

L: when me go to kindergarten?

Me: in two years when you're six. 

L: me can't go betause me not know the songs.

L: me want more poofs

Me: no. You've had enough. 

L: give me more poofs or me give you a spank. 

A: these poofs aren't as good as the other ones. 

L: yes dey are!

A: no they aren't. 

Me: well don't eat them if you don't like them. 

L: me like dem! Don't waste me poofs!

Me: go find something that's ok to do. 

L: another day. 

L: Me walk in dah store, not ride in da stroller. It good exercise!

Me: nice try. Get in and buckle up. 

Beth: how is kindergarten?

A: oh, you know. You were a kid once. 

L: why it called a belly button?

Me: I don't know. 

L: betause it so button-y. 

L: why poopy smell bad?

Me: {I explain why}

L: me wish God not make poopy smelly. Me wish nobody have stinky poop. Me wish me not have to seep or die too. 

Me: well that's the way God made things. 

L: me wish the gass die and all da tees. 

Finally Better

 

Elias is finally better. He's sleeping much better, playing happily, walking more than crawling, discovering new things to get into, making new sounds, eating more foods again, and just plain happier.  

We love our pediatrician, but it would be nice to only go to her office for well checks! 

He falls asleep so peacefully now that he isn't hurting. 

I let him try the stairs going up and there was no hesitation or learning curve. He zipped right up.   

He tried out the rice but wasn't impressed. 

He reads his books multiple times a day. The Yellow one on the left is the only one he doesn't chew on. All the rest get destroyed if we don't help him.   

The little side smile! He's done that since day one. A good friend of ours fixed this little rocking chair from my childhood and it's good as new! The boys love it. 

A nice visit with Grandpa.   

This picture doesn't show it well, but he got his first fat lip. He's been trying to walk faster lately and also chooses to lunge toward furniture. Bad combo. The lip didn't get as big as I anticipated.