Emori's Food Boxes for Kids

Emori was concerned for the children in our area affected by the detainment of one or more of their caregivers due to immigration issues. She asked if she could make a box for her friends at school to bring items. The next weekend we were tailgating with LuckyDays at USM and she asked, "Can I get the college kids to bring food too?" She made another box for campus donations. Aubri enjoyed helping make the boxes and loading the donations as well.

This is a news story that was done on the project by Kim Ward from WHLT here in Hattiesburg.

Oobies, Apples and Crocka-Doddles

This is a post I've meant to make for a while now. Aubri who just turned 3 has a unique, funny and beuatiful way of say things as 2-3 year olds do. One day she told me that she did not want to wear a particular shirt because "people will see my ooobies!" then informed me that actually I have oobies and she only has "apples". Guessed what she is talking about yet? "Oobies"="Boobies" and "Apples"="Nipples". Ha. One evening as she was laying on Larry's chest she looked up at him with her big blue eyes and said so sweetly, "Daddy, I wike you oobies". :) The words "apples" and "oobies" are used often in this house as our girls love to run around shirtless!

In April Aubri came home from preschool with a "treasure" from the "treasure chest". It was a plastic alligator. She said, "Wook mom, I got a CROCKA-DODDLE". I think that's a great name for it:)

This summer she would say (while doing a little dance), "We goin' to 'nachez'". I had no idea where she heard about Natchez, MS or why she would celebrate going there. But after a few weeks I realized what she was actuallly saying. We were taking gymnastics...and she loved it...so she was trying to say "nastics"...it just sounded like "natchez":)

Glorieta, New Mexico

Guess who did all of paddling???? Same person who took the picture!!!
And guess who wanted to go faster and farther??? Not the person who took the picture!

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The Beach

We went for a quick trip to the beach, and we had so much fun! Kennedi loved it. She played in the sand and wanted to run into the ocean waves (as best as her little legs could get her there). We really had to hold on to her:)

Aubri was in heaven being able to dig in the sand, make "sand angels", etc. As soon as we hit the sand the first day she and Emori immediately laid down and rolled in the sand...we had just gotten off the board walk and weren't even close to the water!

Emori loved it too. She especially like jumping into the waves. Although she got stung by a jellyfish our last morning there...it was DRAMA:)

We were getting into the van to go eat, and as usually it was a JOB getting them all rounded up and strapped in. While trying to buckle Aubri in, I used a firm tone of voice with her (really, I wasn't yelling:), and she looked up at me with those huge beautiful blue eyes and said, "Mom, why you bein' so mean?" As if to bluntly remind me to chill out...come on we are at the beach...have fun...get over it. I did:)

Mommy and Me Tea Party--SW-EEET!

I had to rush from a receiption for Larry's PhD Graduation to a Mommy and Me Tea party where Aubri and Emori were waiting for me. I went into Aubri's room first. All the mom's were already seated with their children enjoying cookies and koolaid. Aubri was excited to see me and had been waiting on me to have her cookie and koolaid. I sat down, and she got up and served me a cookie and drink before she got one for herself. She really is an especially sweet kid! She's 2 and served me first. Then she poured me some imaginary coffee from her tea pot...she knows I like coffee:)

When I went to Emori's room, she was very excited to see me also. Of course she wanted me to meet all her friends, and then she wanted me to introduce my self to the other mother's and ask their name. She'd say, Mom that's Cambry. What's her mom's name? Will you ask her mom her name? She's so funny.

Oh, these girls are such a beautiful gift:)

Colbey

Kennedi is turning 1 and saying much

Kennedi will turn 1 yr old in 2 days. She says Mama, Dada, Bye Bye, Swing Swing, Thank you, All done, uh oh, peep pie, there she is (all of these are mostly tones, but we can distinguish them clearly:). She loves to dance to music, and she sings along really well to songs. She took 2 steps today, and tonight when we were showing Daddy he said "Go, Girl" and she said "Go girl!" Later she was sitting with me and wanted to get down to walk and said "go girl!":)



She loves dogs...she goes crazy when she sees one.



She gives closed mouth kisses. And says, "mmm" when she kisses.

Who Knew Rocking Could Be So Fun?

Ok. So my 11 month old has decided that it is way fun to rock in a rocking chair that is too big for her but gets mad if it doesn't rock for her (I have to make it rock). So rocking is definitely a community/group event in our house. I am amazed at how demanding children can be but then again I am even more amazed at how demanding we adults are on others. We want our ways and we want to be rocked constantly but only when it works for us and only if I don't have to exert myself! Its a new adventure everyday in this household from high fevers all week, emergency rooms, nasty tasting antibiotics, poop somehow on the wall, to kids creeping into you bed during the middle of the night and me being too tired to do anything about it. They know when we are weak! My life is full and it is good.

Soccer Already?

Well, I guess we are now soccer parents.... Emori (my 4 year old) has started soccer. Life may never be the same. She is a good foot shorter than everyone else but she is not scared. In fact she said it was fun because everyone was bumping into each other.... I guess that would be a good way to approach life. At what point do we start seeing the "bumping into" part of life as an agitation. I hope to learn from these soccer years and celebrate the "bumping" I get to do as I walk through this life.