Outing with the Kids

Outings with our kids are so predictable. As we go into the store, the kids are going to condescendingly recite to each other the rules: No screaming, no running away, no hiding from Mom, and stay by the cart. As soon as we cross the threshold into the store, those rules are forgotten and they break them all at once.

Yet, sometimes our outings are unpredictable. Take last night for instance, when I got a spur-of-the-moment urge to go to D.I. Our family loves D.I. I can buy my kids' books for 50 cents a pop. My kids LOVE books, so a trip to D.I. is a great incentive for them to clean up the books they already have, which are strewn all over the floor so we can't see the carpet. Anyway...

Last night was funny. The kids actually behaved pretty well. (See? Unpredictable.) We immediately split up, Peter and the big kids went straight to the books, and I checked out the kids clothes with Levi. When I caught up with Peter, he was cracking up at the kids. Here's what was going on, according to him:

Peter heard Eden in the next aisle over talking to a little kid who was probably 5 or so. Then she said:

Eden: Look, I want you to see my daddy! *Eden brings the kid over to Peter*
Eden: Look, Daddy, here's my new friend! *awkward silence* (poor kid)
Eden: Look, he has one of these! *Eden points to the Batman logo on his shirt*

Here was this poor kid, being introduced to some weird girl's tall, scary dad.

Peter also heard a convo between Jonah and another kid. Jonah was sitting on the floor reading and the kid was looking at the books on the shelf.

Kid: Look at this book. How about this book? *showing it to Jonah*
Jonah: *annoyed* I don't know.
Kid: But I have this book- what about this book?
Jonah *more annoyed* I don't know what you're talking about! (Translation: I'm reading; leave me alone!)

At the D.I. in Mesa, there's a little ramp that you go down to go to a separate room where they keep the toys. Eden found a little stool to stand on so she could greet everybody loudly as they went up and down the ramp.

Eden: Hi! How are you? I'm Eden! What's your name? *repeat 100 times*

So, I guess our D.I. trip was predictable after all. It amazes me how strong these kids' personalities are. Peter and I could have guessed how the kids would act. Eden is such an extrovert, and Jonah, well, he can be a little moody when he's trying to read and someone interrupts!

As for me, well, I scored a pair of skinny jeans for Eden (so cute!) and a ton of books for the kids, and one for me to replace that piece of crap I was reading before.

I'm sure I'll spend at least an hour with Jonah on this one:

It's funny how irrational my last post sounds when I reread it. So thanks for the good advice; that book is gone!

Beware: Lots of Photos!

I finally cleaned off the camera today, and found some gems. These are from the fun Valentine's Party at the park, thrown by my friend, Jenny. She now lives in the ward we moved from, so it was fun to go back to the old neighborhood. It rained a little, but that didn't keep my kids from playing on the playground! I almost had to force them to come eat some cookies! I don't get it...The rest of these are just of the kids hanging around the house. Cozy comfy with Dad.
I took these one day after school. The kids only lasted for a few shots together before Eden started teasing Jonah and a fight broke out.Some individual shots of the kids- Jonah didn't want to sit down, so I chased him down with the camera!

Eden, 3.75

Levi, 2.5

And Jonah wearing his crown he made in Primary.

News for today: Levi walked down both flights of stairs today in my heels without falling! He's even better than me now!

The End!

Today I'm Loving...

this soundtrack (never watched the show):

this white chocolate popcorn:

and this high pulp orange juice:

but I am hating this book!

I have been trying to get through this Pulitzer Prize winning book for a few weeks and I hate it and can't get myself to read it! I usually just push through even if I'm not liking a book. I can't remember the last book I started reading and didn't finish, but I think I want to give up on this book. Biggest offenses: I hate the main character, there's some potty language I don't appreciate, I don't love the message so far, and it's just kind of slow and boring. I am about half way through. Do I have your permission to quit? Has anyone else read this book?

I Quit

Sorry to disappoint, but I quit at noon today. ☺Ha ha ha!

Now before you start calling me a quitter, hear me out.

The only reason I even considered starting this early is because Levi learned to take his diaper off and did it twice yesterday and he peed on the floor once. I told Peter and he thought maybe we should potty train him. So I decided maybe I'd try it today and see if he was ready. I think he might be ready, but I realized that I AM NOT!

Here's what happened during this crazy day today. I started training Levi before I even had a shower, so I wasn't really prepared for it anyway. It was more of a random spur-of-the-moment idea. I put him in underwear, the whole time trying to get ready while I watched him to make sure he didn't pee all over. He did end up peeing in those cute Mickey undies a while after I blogged. I expected that much. I changed him into new undies and reminded him to go to the potty if he needed to go. Then a little later, I found him in the bathroom with a puddle on the floor. ( Like I said, today was crazy and he did not have my full undivided attention.) So I think he was trying to get to the potty, but he didn't ask for help and he couldn't get his undies off by himself anyway.

So long story short, I think he could be ready, but I'm not ready to devote the next 2-3 weeks to this little project. I'll try again when he turns three. I really think I want to wait that long. And I bet he'll potty train in less than a week if I do. At least I hope so!

Experiment

Title: Is This Boy Ready to Exclusively Pee on the Potty?
Hypothesis: He will have a few accidents until he figures out what it feels like to "need to go." Then he will make it to the potty a few times. Mom might give up after a few hours.

Procedure:
1. Put the kid in undies. Let him have a few accidents.
2. Remind him that if he needs to go pee, he needs to hurry and go on the potty.
3. Put him in front of the TV on the potty all day.
4. Try to ignore the stench in the house.
5. Do lots of laundry.

Results/Conclusion: To be posted later!

I Took a Sick Week...

and this was the result.
I know it doesn't look that bad, but it was. And it was like this for a full week. Oh, well. I cleaned all day on Friday. I do not like cleaning all day. It's so much better when you can do one or two things a day and be done with it. But this week, I just couldn't get myself to do it!

Eden is getting to be a vain little stinker; every time I pull out the camera for something, she wants me to take a picture of her! As a result, I've captured some cute shots of her.
Levi has taken his shoe obsession to a new level and is now developing a talent for walking in 3.5-inch+ heels. I must say, he's pretty good, even if he doesn't really have the legs for it.

And Levi has also been dressing himself. Oh, joy!

Looking forward to a sick-free week!