Maya's Mouth

Oh, the things she's been saying.  I can't get enough of the funny things that come out of this girl's mouth!  Here are just a few:

~ At the grocery store, we run into an old co-worker of mine.  We exchange greetings & she turns to Maya to inquire about how she's doing.  Maya responds to her "Hi Maya, how are you doing?" with "I wipe my own butt when I go poop now."  That conversation went south really quick!

~ In the bathroom at Sam's Club, Maya tells me that she'd like to flush the potty all by herself.  I oblige, only the toilet was automatic and flushed before she could get to it.  I say "Wow Maya, this potty knew we needed to flush, so it just did it for us."  Maya turns to face the toilet and replies with a sincere "Thank you, Potty." (as I hear snickers from the next stall)

~ In the bathroom at the campground, Maya sees a spider crawling on the floor.  Maya says, "Look Mom, an Old Lady." I say, "No, that's a Daddy Long Leg." Not sure where that one came from!

~ "I can't wait to go camper-ing with Grammy and Papa"

~ Maya ate some roasted marshmallows while sitting around our campfire this past weekend.  There was more marshmallow on her face and hands than she ate, I'm sure.  We told her that we were going to have one of the dogs in the campground lick her clean......and she WANTED us to find one for her.  Any people that walked by, she would perk up and say "Maybe they have a doggy," in hopes that some little dog would come clean her up.  We opted to use a washcloth instead of dog saliva :) Maya was totally bummed.


To be continued, I'm sure........

Maybe Next Time It'll Click

Trying to explain relationships between family and friends to my 3 year old is well.....practically pointless.  This is an actual conversation we had today.

M: "Mommy, you are my Mom."
Me: "Yes."
M: "And Grammy is my mom."
Me: "No, Grammy is MY mom. Your grandmas are your mom's mom and your dad's mom."
M: "You are my mom."
Me: "Yes, and you are my daughter."
M: "And you are MY daughter."
Me: "No.....(repeat previous statement several times until she seems to catch on). Who is the man I love?"
M: "Jude."
Me: "Well, I love Jude, but he is a little boy. Who is the big boy that I love?"
M: "Daddy. You are married....and Grammy and  Papa are married....and Grandma and Papa Steve are married.  And when you get married, you kiss like this (insert long, obnoxious kiss....remind me to ask around as to where she learned this from because I did NOT teach her this!!) LOL!
Me: "Yes, we're married, so Daddy is my husband. And I am Daddy's wife."
M: "And I'm your sister."

And that's where I left it.  At this point, I think it was safe to say that none of this "lesson" was sinking in.  Maybe next time around, we can grasp more of the concept.......maybe after she starts preschool in "My-reka" (ie Eureka).

Jude's Baptismal

The following is a list of all the items that have officially been "baptized" in my whirlpool tub thanks to Jude:

Maya's Barbie (fully clothed)
A Comb
A Squirt Bottle
A Bathroom Rug
Aaron's Boxer Shorts
Aaron's Contact (in the package)
An Empty Contact Box
A Plastic Measuring Cup
A Spare Part to my Blowdryer
A Bath Towel
Blue Dog (Jude's Comfort Object)
Jude's Brush
Jude's Toothbrush
A Spoon
A Hand Towel
Attempted:  The Toy Vacuum (too heavy), The Bathroom Rug AGAIN (Mom was too fast)

As I look at this list, I can only wonder what will be next. Inevitably, something is bound to get ruined around here really soon.  Hopefully I can get one step ahead of him because obviously, I've failed thus far.

Domestication: What I Find Absolutely Adorable in a Man

So, what did you and your spouse do together tonight? Anything? Go out on a hot date? Out to dinner? Watch a movie? Oh, me?....what did I do with my hubby tonight?  We made pickles together. 

Aaron started learning to garden just a few years ago and he's come a long way.  It all started with a 10x10 plot of land that he cleared the sod from in hopes of planting a garden.  Unknowingly, we bought and planted about 10 different things in that tiny piece of land not understanding how big these garden vegetables get (thankfully, a friend came by and set us straight :)  Since then, our garden has expanded to about a 40x15 ft area filled with tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, red peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, rhubarb, strawberries and blackberries!  We're quite the farmers now!

Our refrigerator drawer was officially packed to the brim with cucumbers so Aaron pronounced it "Pickling Day."  He went to the store and bought all the supplies he needed, brought all the canning supplies from the basement, and set to work cutting up his spears.  I offered to help, not only because I can't stand other people messing up my kitchen, but because I had nothing better to do and would feel bad simply watching him do all the work.

I cut up the cucumbers and he did the rest! I just stood in the kitchen with him as he canned.  We chit-chatted the whole time, just about life, our garden, what to plant next year, etc.  We had such a wonderful time!  I never dreamed in a million years, when he and I began dating 12 years ago, that I would have so much fun standing in the kitchen making pickles with him.  Funny how I was so attracted to his "bad boy" exterior in high school.  Ha!  He's a PICKLE MAKER....I married a PICKLE MAKER!!  What happened to the wallet and chain? The earring? Either our lives have taken a terrible turn to the boring side, or we've just started figuring out some important things about being married.  It's about the little moments, just as much as it is about the big ones.  So glad I took the time to spend an evening making pickles.....and memories with the one I love.

A "Gift" From Jude

WARNING:  Those of you with weak stomachs need not read any further.  This story may or may not tickle your gag reflex and/or make you vomit in your mouth a little bit.

Last night, we were just finishing up unloading everything from our wonderful, 4-day, camping trip.  Getting the kids their dinner and baths before a much-needed early bedtime.  The camper was in need of cleaning after so much use, so I offered to clean it if Aaron would agree to give the kids their baths.  Deal!  I actually don't mind cleaning if I don't have a small child trying to stick their hands in the toilet or hanging on to me until my pants fall down, so I saw this as my chance for some solitude.

Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.....taking my time, actually.  Isn't it sad that I found solace in this little ounce of peace and quiet I was receiving?  I was truly enjoying myself.....while cleaning sinks and toilets.  Odd. 

Aaron comes outside to find me with this word-for-word question.  "Soooooo, what is the protocol for poop in the bathtub?"  "The protocol?" I reply.  We then discussed the situation.  It seems that both children were already washed up and simply playing in the tub.  Aaron turns to Jude, just in time to notice "THE LOOK."  If you are a parent,  you know THE LOOK quite well, I'm sure.  That red-faced, nasal flaring, breath-holding LOOK that says "No, I'm not ashamed to be pooping right here in front of you.  I simply cannot help myself.  It must be done no matter what."  Aaron catches Jude giving him THE LOOK and throws Maya from the tub without warning before she had the chance to be swimming with any foreign objects.  Jude comes out next, but not until after he has skillfully laid 4 landmines in the water.  Aaron sends Maya to "swim" in the other tub for awhile as he washes Jude up once again.  This is where the question to me about protocol comes in.

Now, you must know that my little sis called me a few weeks ago with this exact same dilemma and Aaron couldn't believe that she didn't know what to do with a tub filled with poo.  How ironic.  Turns out, it's not something in his repertoire either.

I come inside to handle the situation while he handles the kids.  There were a few "floaters," so I decided that those should probably go in the toilet since they were most-likely too big to go down the drain.  TMI??  Well, just wait.  So, Aaron is pacing back and forth by the door as I clean up and I say, "Well, I'm gonna have to put some of this in the toilet." and I begin to reach into the tub to grab the few pieces of poo with my bare hands.  Now.....I have changed a bazillion poopy diapers and gotten so much poop on my hands that I have learned not to freak out about poop.  Your hands WILL wash.  It is a proven fact....one I've proven to myself many times.  Aaron sees me doing this and he nearly gags while saying, "Oh My God, I'm going to throw up! Don't....oh, honey.....no wait....let me get you.....Oh My God....I can't believe you just did that! Disgusting! (insert another gag)"  The rest of the poopy just got sent down the drain, cause it all goes to the septic whether it goes down the sink or the toilet around here. Then the tub got a thorough scrubbing.......by me.  I got a lot of cleaning done last night!

Glad I had gotten my few moments of solitude while cleaning the camper.  God must have known I was going to need them to face the rest of my evening.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The new thing for Maya is pretending to be a caterpillar/worm.  She pulls on the biggest blanket she can find & crawls around the house with it over her head and dragging behind her.  As she wriggles across the carpet, unable to see where she's going, she runs into random pieces of very-solid furniture.....I hear her whisper "ouch" to herself,  and then the worm keeps on moving.  Every now and then, she'll find me or Jude and "munch" on us just like The Very Hungry Caterpillar does in the book. 

Jude has been known to hitch on a ride on The Caterpillar, which Maya finds funny sometimes, and really annoying at others.  He also has been known to be terrified of The Caterpillar because sometimes it engulfs him like a Venus fly trap and knocks him clean to the floor.

Yes, weird things happen at our house.  Come here at your own risk!  The Caterpillar just may come after you next :)

Seriously......This Will Make Me Think Twice Before I EVER Quit My Job Again!

Getting myself back into the workforce has been tough.  After applying for 7 positions, and being accepted for interviews at only 2 of them, I was beginning to worry that it was just not be meant to be.  When I graduated from nursing school, there were millions of nursing positions waiting there for me to pick from, mostly because I was planning to work full-time.  Going back to work, wanting only part-time hours.....not so easy.  But finally, it happened.  I got hired back at OSF for a part-time pediatric nursing position. 

Then, I thought the hard part was over.  I was sorely mistaken.  Now comes all of the following: 2-step TB test (4 visits to the health department), CPR certification, hunting down my nursing license, college diploma, marriage license & immunization records, going to "parking services" at St. Francis to get my parking sticker, Occupational Health Physical, visiting HR to fill out all employment paperwork and getting my badge, 6 full 8-hour days of "hospital orientation".  And this is all before I start my unit-specific orientation, which will take God knows how long since I'm only planning to work 1-2 shifts per week. 

Add all of this to the stress of finding similar documentation for my daughter to begin preschool next month and you've got one, crazy person on your hands!  I'm sure we'll get into a rhythm with preschool and my work schedule this fall, but right now I'm a bit nervous.  Praying for wisdom and a lot of grace as we dive into this new chapter.

Our Night in Review

Since my kids think that 6:00 is an appropriate time to wake up in the morning, I've decided on a new plan of action for bedtime.  They typically are in bed anywhere from 7-7:30 on a normal night......so, probably the reason they are so ready to greet the day so early.  We are pushing bedtime back to 8:00 pm for awhile.  Just to see if we get any early-morning relief.  I am a firm believer in the saying "Early to Bed, Late to Rise" for children, but I'm also a believer in the fact that a body can only sleep for so long.  I can't put my kids to bed at 7:00 pm and expect them to sleep until 9 in the morning....I could hope, but never expect.  I'm getting ready to start a new job next month for which I will not be getting to bed until after midnight a couple nights per week, so getting out of bed at 6:00 the following day could lead to a very grouchy day for all involved.

Last night was day 1 of 8:00 bedtime.  The kids both went to bed beautifully.  We'd had a fun-filled day with my little sister and her family including lots of outside time and lunch at The Burger Barge.  They were definitely "more ready" for bed at 8:00 than they are at 7:00--bonus.  Jude could seriously care less and probably go to bed at 5:30 pm if I wanted him to, but this new routine seemed great for Maya since she still naps in the afternoon.

1:15 am- Jude cries out in his bed.  Only for a second and then he's quiet.  I keep sleeping.  1:25 am- Jude cries out again and then quiets down.  I fall back asleep thinking, oh he's working it out on his own.  This happens about 4 more times, all about 10-15 minutes apart, so I decide maybe I'll go in and see what's going on.  He's sitting in the corner of his crib holding his "Blue Doggy" and he bursts into tears when he spots me come in.  I picked him up and he instantly snuggled up to me ready to be rocked back to sleep (which I never do), so I relished it for awhile.  He laid so close to me, breathing slowly and falling back to sleep.  He sneezed and then he laughed at himself.  I sand him a couple songs quietly and actually enjoyed the fact that I had to get up to spend this time with him.  I wasn't missing my sleep at all.  Just when I think he's getting so big these days, this one night makes me realize how small and vulnerable he still is.  Still such a baby.  I lay him back down and he fusses, but I leave to see if he will just go back to sleep.

2:40 am- Back in Jude's room for the same reason I had been there before.  Same routine....songs, rocking, etc. only this time I added in some Tylenol/Orajel for the "just in cases" and soothed him back to sleep as he laid back down in his crib.  This time he made it the rest of the night and it is now 3:25 when I crawl back into bed.

6:30 am- A little 3 year old, blondie comes crawling into our bed ready to get up for the day.  Aaron and I are not ready to start the day quite yet, so she laid quietly with us until Jude woke up at 7:15 and we got up. 

I know this may not be an interesting story, but I think it's therapeutic to put this into text to remind me of how great my kids are at sleeping most nights.  Most nights, when they sleep through the night.....and even get up at 6:00 AM. 

Fondulac Farm Park

Some high school girlfriends and I took our children to the Fondulac Farm Park today.  We try to get our families together once every month or two, mostly so us mommies have some adult bonding time, but the kids seem to enjoy it too, so it's truly a win-win.  In all, there were 10 kids and 5 adults....quite a crowd.  When we started these playdates, there were 6 kids, most of which were not even crawling yet....so needless to say, the "dynamic" of our get-togethers has changed dramatically.  For that reason, we have decided that "location playdates" are the best option so that no Mom is stuck cleaning up the tornado-like disaster left behind when this clan is done.

All the kids played at one of the playgrounds while all of us Mommies got caught up on new news.  One new pregnancy and one new job in the group.  How exciting! So....make that 11 kids, up and coming!  We're going to have to start renting out banquet facilities for these playdates!  Because believe me, I'm no martyr.  I'm not gonna offer to host at my house anytime soon :)

The park at ice cream cones filled with animal feed for all of the kids to feed the animals with.  We fed them all....goats, sheep, cows, horses, chickens, pigs, more goats....oh wait, let's go back to the chickens one more time, and I think that goose looks hungry.....I was wishing that I would have only purchased 1 cone of animal feed, but no, I had purchased 3.  I didn't want Maya to run out, you know.

So, once the animals were begging us to leave them alone, we all headed to the "Feed Shed" for some lunch.  It was truly delicious!  BBQ Beef sandwiches, pretzels, hot dogs, chips, applesauce, cookies, juice.  Not bad fare for the low, low prices we paid too.  We all sat at a couple shaded picnic tables and devoured our lunch, following a very thorough hand washing for all.  Then the kids played some hide and seek, tag, and run.....yes, I said run, because seriously, they were just running like it was their job....no reason, just running.....ahhhh to be a kid again. 

After lunch, we were all saying our goodbyes and all the kids yelled a big goodbye to Maya in unison.  She felt pretty special!  We headed to the van to load up two very exhausted park-goers.  For having so many kids and babies along, the outing went as smooth as could be and we all left with smiles on our faces......looking forward to next time.

Clean House or Screaming Baby?

I appreciate having a clean home.  Not that I "clean" all the time, but I like it to be picked up and clutter free most of the time.  In the past, oh, 11 1/2 months, I'm sure my floors have not been the cleanest.  Adjusting to having 2 children, and in the last few months, a crawling toddler who hasn't learned what "no" means has made it that much harder to get things done.  The other day, I was reminded of another reason I rarely vacuum. 

I pulled the vacuum out of the closet and Jude sees it from across the room and bursts into tears.....before I even have the thing plugged in!  So, I can now do one of two things.  Give up and put the vacuum away or proceed to vacuum (2000 square feet of carpet no less) with a screaming child on my heels.  I decide that it'd been too long since the last time I endured the screaming while vacuuming and that I should, indeed, sweep my floors.  In the past when I've vacuumed with Jude around (which HAS happened, but not very often:) I've tried giving him snacks in his high chair, turning on a movie, starting at the opposite end of the house as him, and he screams no matter what! 

I started by holding him as I vacuumed.  That was fun.  As if vacuums aren't heavy enough on their own, but now I have a screaming, 20 lb toddler on my hip as I push the vacuum around.  So, I thought to myself "Self, if he's just going to cry whether or not you are holding him, spare your back and arm the agony and let him cry on the floor!"  So I did.  After completing room number one, I laid him down and continued on my quest.  He wailed and followed me around so I could witness his pitiful display the whole time I cleaned (which only took about 20 minutes) because I was vacuuming at speeds you wouldn't believe! 

So please, in the future, if you come to my house and notice the floors may not be all that clean, just know that I am well aware.....It's just that I can only stand to torture my kids once in awhile.

The Things He Knows

It's official...my little boy is on the verge of growing up.  Inevitably, all children do this, but it just seems to have started this week.  Or perhaps, I've not been paying attention to the little changes taking place in my sweet Jude.

He pays attention and imitates:  He has started attempting to put his sister's headbands on his head.  I've watched him to see if it's just a fluke, but no, he intentionally places the headband on top of his head, lets it go, it falls off and then he tries again.  He knows what a headband is for.  (Vital information for a male child LOL)

He also only puts a cell phone up to his ear.  Strange??  I suppose not.  He's obviously been paying attention to what those things are for.

He sings along with me at bedtime (my personal favorite).  As I sing a rousing rendition of "Jesus Loves Me," Jude hums and coos right along with the song.....and stops when I do.  I thought that this, too, may be coincidental, but as it happens at EVERY bedtime, I'm learning that he is finding his sweet, little voice.

I'm so thankful for the moments I spend with my children everyday, for my ability to watch and take note of the small things that are happening in their minds and development.  They surprise me with something new each day. Any elderly person who sees you with your small children on the street would tell you that "these are the best years of your life!"  Some days, I think "That's NUTS!!" Most days, I totally get it. This is what it's all about folks! 

Weekends With "Nothing" To Do

Going into this past weekend with no big plans excited us!! Our summer has been jam-packed with events, trips.....just PLANS, in general and we were looking so forward to a break.

Friday evening, we did just that....nothing!  It was great. Aaron rented us a movie and went and picked up "movie candy" at Casey's for us beforehand.  It was nice.  Saturday morning came and we decided to take Maya to see the new "Winnie The Pooh" movie.  Grandma Lesa came and stayed with Jude so we could have a little 2-on-1 time with Maya.  She really enjoyed the movie, but she mostly loved sharing the giant tub of popcorn with us.  It was really special to see her sit on the edge of her sit and bounce to the songs and laugh.  Aaron and I just kept looking at her and then each other as if we knew we were both thinking "When did our little girl get so big?"  It was a great time for all of us.

Saturday evening was Girls' Night Out for me.  One of my high school friends had planned a night out for a group of girls from Olympia that all have kids now.....& all needed a night away.  We went to dinner at Granite City and ended the night with milkshakes at Steak 'N Shake.  We had such a great time talking, laughing and comparing family stories.  Can't wait to do it again.  Aaron stayed home with the kids and had a special "Dinner and a Movie" night with them.  They all ate Casey's Pizza and watched Toy Story 3 in the family room.  We NEVER do that, so it was really fun for them. 

Sunday, Aaron re-filled up the kiddie pool and we had swimming time all morning while listening to music and lounging poolside.  Lunch, naps, then Maya and I attended her friend, Lily's, birthday party while Jude & Daddy went over to help Grandma Lesa with some projects at her house.  Party ended and Maya and I joined up with them all for dinner at the Busy Corner in Goodfield!

For not having any plans, we sure kept ourselves plenty busy this past weekend.  It was wonderful spending the whole weekend doing things together, though.  Movies, dinners, swimming.....making memories.  Aaron and I are so ecstatic that we are just as free next weekend.  Looking forward to having just as much fun.....& maybe going to work harder to be less busy in the future.  It sure makes for great weekends!

Swimsuit Shopping.....Cringe!

The kids and I ventured out to P-Town today to meet Aaron for lunch and we had some birthday shopping to accomplish, so I decided to bundle it all into an afternoon of excitement!!  We headed to the mall after lunch and succeeded in buying the birthday gifts needed within the first 25 minutes of being there.....score!!  So, I decided to just browse around for a bit.  In the back of my mind I knew that I needed a new swimming suit....I've needed a new swimming suit since, oh, like 4 years ago, but with the bigs and smalls of pregnancy, post-partum, breastfeeding, dieting, etc, I'd just spared myself the torture.  But with a big Mexico trip looming in my near future, I knew it couldn't put it off much longer.

But what better day to shop for a swim suit than today, right??  I have both of my children in tow, I have no extra hands to help me with them, they're both on the verge of a melt-down since it is currently PAST their usual naptime and I've been, let's just say, "off" my diet for the past couple week......perfect timing!!! 

Much to my surprise, Sears had their suits 60% off.  Was this a sign?  Was God smiling down on me?  What's that??  Jude just fell asleep in the stroller and Maya ISN'T talking??  Holy Cow!! Run! Run! Shop!!  I grabbed about 40 different top/bottom combinations and took them all into an abandoned dressing room nearby.  Jude slept and Maya critiqued as I tried on every single piece.  Not only did I find a suit, I found 3!! I liked them all so much that I bought them all.  I figure this way, maybe I can get another decade in before I have to shop for a suit again.

However, I was thankful for my well-behaved babes today.  They were both such troopers and they actually made swimsuit shopping practically enjoyable!

My Boy Today

Just can't get enough of this little smile. We went outside to play this morning and Jude was as happy as ever. Maya was outside with us too (she, however, was not as thrilled about being photographed :)

Just Checking

As I was preparing breakfast this morning, Maya, who was watching some PBS on TV calls over to ask me a question.  I stopped what I was doing and went to her in the family room.  She says "Mommy, you have the same pee-pee as me, right?" To which I respond, "Yes." She says, "It's a 'gina,' right?" And I say, "Yes, it's called a vagina." Then she says, "And Jude and Daddy have a 'pee-nuts'?" "Yes, Maya."

She looks at me, says "OK" and turns around to continue watching her show as if that was the most normal conversation she'd ever had in her life.  Unfortunately for me, I know that's not the last time we'll get to discuss our anatomy.

"The Goats Were My Favorite"

We ventured out to the Peoria Zoo today along with my mom, sister and niece.  Knowing it was going to be a hot day, we decided to get there at opening time, 10:00 and knock out the zoo before lunchtime.  Maya. Was. So. Excited.  Before Aaron left for work this morning, she was telling him about all the animals she planned to see there.  "And the elephants are going to spray me with their trunks" she was saying......"ooooooo ooo aaahhhhh" (monkey noises)..........."I wanna pet the goats."  She was prepared.  Her mind was made up about all the things that were going to happen at the zoo today.

When we arrived at the zoo, she quickly informed us that she wanted to feed the goats first.  As we were walking over there, she said "I'm gonna go up to the goat and say 'hey buddy', like that." It was so cute.  So sure enough, we found the goats and just as she'd said she would, she let out a "hey buddy" to the first one she saw.  Hilarious! Lots of "awwwwws" were said as she admired the farm animals in the barn.  Then it was on to the Africa exhibit.

Much to Maya's dismay, there are no elephants at the Peoria Zoo (or at least we didn't come across any), so no getting sprayed by their trunks today. We'll have to try for that at the next zoo we go to I suppose.  We got to get up close and personal with the lions though since they were sitting right by the glass.  That was really neat. 

It was a great time spent with my favorite gals.....and little boy!  Our zoo experience was topped off with a little Firehouse Pizza lunch buffet (Maya's and my favorite).  What a great day!!

The Maiden Voyage

Last night, Aaron, the kids and I went out on our new fishing boat for its Maiden Voyage.  Aaron and I couldn't decide which would be best.....him taking the boat out by himself for the first trip out and risk being stuck by himself if something happened, or take the whole family and just risk it :)  Obviously, the kids were both suited up in their life vests for the ride, which neither of them seemed to mind.  The boat only has a 9.9 horsepower motor, so this boat is a little more "my speed" than boats we've had in the past.  I'm what you might call a "Sissy" or a "Scaredy Cat" when it comes to boating.  I don't enjoy speeds that make your hair blow....even a little, I hate hitting other boat's wakes, I hate the launching and loading.....needless to say, this is AARON's BOAT & I don't plan to ride along often. 

The kids were another story.  Both of them thoroughly enjoyed the experience, which in turn, helped me have a nice time.  Aaron even threw a line in for a while just to get the whole feeling.  No bites, but we sure saw a lot of fish surfacing.  We were out on the water for about an hour and the kids started to get antsy, so we headed for the dock.  I even got brave and decided to try backing the trailer in (I think I was really just looking for an excuse to get out of the boat :)  It went really well with no problems.  Aaron and I talked about how much we enjoy the times that just our family of 4 spend together.  We have so much fun spending time together, whatever we may be doing.

Perhaps I could be convinced to give this boating thing a try again sometime.

The Reenactments of Sadie's Farewell

Nearly 9 months ago, we said good-bye to a dear family member of over 6 years......our miniature schnauzer, Sadie. No, she didn't die, she just moved out. Sadie and Maya were tight.  "Sadie" was even Maya's first word.  After Jude was born, the incessant barking, anal gland evacuation problems (TMI?? Sorry), wet/muddy paws on the floors, our desire for more independence, etc.....just got to be too much.  I, living on little sleep and already struggling to manage showering once every 4 days, decided that Miss Sadie just had to go.  Her barking was waking my baby, and when I was trying to nap during those naps, that led to one unhappy Mama.  We knew that separating Maya from Sadie was going to be a challenge, but we figured she'd either have to say farewell now or deal with her death at some point in her life, so we thought this would be the easiest.

We found a home for Sadie with a very kind, elderly woman in Bloomington.  She had recently lost her husband and needed companionship.  I was glad for Sadie to move to a home where she'd get all the attention she deserved.  The woman's name is Barb and I never knew that "Barb" was going to become such a household name around here.

Over the last 9 months, I've fielded many questions/comments about Sadie's situation. "Where is Sadie at?" "Will Sadie be coming to my birthday party?" (I know, gut wrenching, right?) "When is Sadie coming home?" "Why does Barb get Sadie for a friend? I want a friend too." "I'm never going to have a dog!"  So, it's been a little hard on all of us.  But lately, it's the "playing Sadie and Barb" that just KILLS ME!!  Maya will say, "Ok Mommy, you be Barb and this [a doggy-shaped purse that looks exactly like Sadie] is Sadie."  So, I have to show Maya what I think Barb and Sadie are doing.  I always make Barb a VERY nice woman and she is taking such good care of Sadie.  Well today, we had to play "Barb and Sadie" again, only this time, we pretended to be dropping Sadie off at Barb's house.  Maya decided that the front entryway to the house was "Barb's House" and we walked her little doggy purse over there and said hello to Barb and good-bye to Sadie.  We got about 5 steps away and Maya looked at me and said "Sadie is sooooo sad that we left, I'd better go back and get her!!" Oh man!  That girl knows how to lay it on thick!!

So, needless to say, Sadie will NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER be forgotten.....no worries, Sadie.....your memory is alive and well in the Mahaffey house!  Barb sends us updates and pictures of her very regularly, which only poors salt into the wounds sometimes, but we appreciate knowing how much she is loved and cared for in her new home.  I knew Sadie would be missed, but I never planned on Maya keeping the memory alive QUITE as well as she does! 

Jude's First Haircut

As unfair as it may seem, my almost-11-month old son was in need of his first haircut before my 3 year old daughter has had her's.  Perhaps someday she'll be blessed with a head full of thick, luxurious locks, but for now, we're making it with only two small ponies on top of her head (the type of ponies you see on infants no doubt) but at least there's enough to grab hold of these days. 

Jude was starting to look "mullety" as I like to call it.  Maya is all to familiar with the term "mullet." I've had to trim millimeters off the back of her hair once or twice to prevent her from the same coveted look.  It seems that the front of her hair refuses to grow for the time being.  Jude officially beat her to the punch today.  Only because it's ok, in my eyes, for little girls to have whispy bangs, tons of hair hanging over your ears and a slight mullet.  Boys, on the other hand, are made for shorter hair, so once it starts to look unruly, a cut is warranted. 

I took Jude to my "hair girl" and it seriously took all of 10 minutes to trim him up....if that.  He sat on my lap and we both wore smocks.  His had penguins on them, which Maya thought was very cool.  She circled around us, placing a goldfish in his mouth for him (since both of our hands were under smocks and I was busy using mine to hold him still most of the time).  He attempted to keep his eyes on Maya the whole time which made it interesting for Reatha to cut his hair, but she managed.  As I feared, he emerged from the whole experience looking a whole year older.  My little boy is not so little anymore. 

Before

After

Today marks the beginning of all sorts of experiences that move my little boy one step closer to adulthood.  Next comes standing, then walking, then college, etc..........ok, well maybe I skipped a few, but I'm sure it'll truly go THAT FAST in real life if it's anything like the last 11 months have been.  Love my babies so much and wish they could stay small for just a bit longer.

Johnson Sauk Trail

This past weekend, we went on our first real camping trip of the year!  Last summer, when I was about 8 1/2 months pregnant with Jude, we purchased our 5th wheel camper.  I must admit that, at the time, I was VERY skeptical about how much I would see the inside of that thing this year....or even next.  Much to my surprise, camping is a huge hit with our kids!!  Both of them!!  We now have at least 6 more trips planned for this year involving the camper trailer & I'm truly excited about each of them.  It's so great to get away from the busyness of being home and feeling the obligations of housework, yard work, etc.  It truly fulfilled the meaning of "family togetherness" for us and I had many moments of sublime happiness.  Hopefully all future trips do not disappoint!

Aaron's mom, Lesa, and his sister, Ashley, came along with us this weekend in Lesa's new RV.  It was the maiden voyage of her new toy, so we were all excited for her to try it out! We left Friday morning in hopes of spending the whole day enjoying the great outdoors because the forecast for Saturday looked rainy.  We managed to get all set up at our sites, take a bike ride, go to the park, go fishing, roast marshmallows and hot dogs over the fire all before dark!!  It was great!  Around the fire that night, we got a bit creeped out by the bats flying over our heads, but I just kept telling myself "one less mosquito, one less mosquito...." every time I saw them.  It helped marginally.

Day two, which we thought was going to be spent indoors, turned out even more beautiful than day one!!  We did it all again!  Park, bike rides, walks, fishing, checking out the Big Red Barn, an impromptu trip to Good's Furniture in Kewanee....  Another wonderful day, topped off by cheeseburgers on the grill and homemade fruit pies cooked over the fire....& maybe a couple marshmallows too.  Then it was off to bed.  Our camper has two bunk beds and one queen bed.  Maya, the queen of the camper, sleeps in the queen bed with either Mommy or Daddy (depending on who wants to listen to the snoring that night :) and we put a rail up on the bottom bunk for Jude.  The couch lays down like a futon for either Aaron or me.  Both kids slept like we were at home.  I'm telling you, this thing is just like a house on wheels.  It sure beats a hotel any day!! 

Sunday came and we took one last bike ride and trip to the park in the morning before cleaning and loading up for the drive home, which was only about an hour and 15 minutes.  We got home around 2:30 in the afternoon and by 5:30 that evening, we had already booked our next trip to return to Johnson Sauk Trail for Labor Day Weekend.  I'd encourage anyone to make the trip there sometime!  It's a beautiful and peaceful park!