The report is in!!

So Jess reports that she had fun, but can't remember what she learned today. Her teacher read a book called "First Day Jitters." Jitters means when you are nervous and have butterflies in your stomach. First graders DO have water bottles and snacks, too. Oh and there were a lot of "babies" who had to have their parents take them to class. The new cafeteria was WOW! really cool! Everything was great except for Recess because it was HOT and she only got to drink from the fountain for 5 seconds. She was SOOO thirsty Mom! We had icecream with our cookies when she got home from school. That cured the problem.

Brain? Testing, testing, testing. . .

Alphabet? Check!

Left? Right? Check!

Breakfast? Check!

Teeth brushed? Check!

Lunch $? Check!

Backpack? Check!

Teacher's name and classroom? Check!

New school clothes? Check!

New Hannah Montana shoes? Double Check!!

Bus Marcano? Check!

Jessica is already to go! 1st grade here we come!

She didn't even need Mom to walk her in.

Happy happy baby!

That's what I love to see! Those cute little dimples. Gavin loves his swaddleme. This morning I put him in his bouncer and put up the mirror. He looked up at himself and I think I heard him laugh. It's so fun to see him do something other than cry!

2 months already

Tuesday Gavin had his 2 month baby check.

Length = 22.5" (25%)

Weight = 11.6 # (50%)

Head Circumference = 39 cm (25%)

He was still a little jaundice as I suspected, but the doctor wasn't concerned yet. She did give him some zantac and it has made a difference. The spitting up has calmed down 99% and he has not cried nearly as much. He's even cooing and smiling like he should at this age. Yeah, Gavin! The shots were not fun for him and he wasn't a happy camper the first night home. Poor guy. He is doing better now though.

I must also say that after a year of hunting, I finally found a pediatrician that I like who is a lot closer than College Station. This woman knows what she is doing!! Hurray!

Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun. . .

Okay so we broke down and vested in a trampline. So far it's been a family highlight!

I remember loving ours when my parents FINALLY bought one for Christmas. We wore it out and they did it again! It was just as fun the second time around. When dad bought the second trampoline, he set it on top of the old one that was disassembled near the fence. We never even noticed it until Christmas morning. The trampoline gave us reason to use the back yard. Without it, it was just too hot to go out there.

Homesick for Grandma's house

Okay it's a daily ritual now. Lily is asking again to go to Grandma's house. Tonight she pulled a tag off of a mattress and told me it was her ticket to Grandma's house. I asked how she would get there and she said, "Like that, Mama," as she did something with her hands. I asked if she was magic and she replied in the affirmative.

Finally I asked if she wanted to call Grandma and she nodded yes. We called and Grandpa answered. Lily got really excited and said, "Hi! Grandpa!" She began to tell him how she was coming to Grandma's house. As he was listening to her she didn't hear him and said to me with a concerned look, "I want to talk to Grandpa!" I assured her as did he that he was there. She "showed" him her ticket and her sticker she got today. Dad played along and got Grandma on the line to listen. Lily talked to her Grandma and Grandpa for a while to let them know of her plans and then she got down from the couch and went as if to leave right now. She obviously didn't get far, but if wishing were willing she'd be there already.

School is in the air

It's almost time. It's coming faster than I expected. Where has the summer gone? In less than a week we'll meet the teacher and then one week later, Jessica will be heading off for 1st grade. *sigh*
Along with the beginning of the school year comes registration for dance lessons. I've been researching alternate dance studios to the one Jess attended last year. The studio she attended was okay, but I didn't see it taking her anywhere and she was bored with it. The only good thing about it was the proximity - only 25 miles away.
The other options are 45-55 miles away. But the good news is that they have classes available for my little one too! Yeah! Okay this is all adding up to more money than I have available to pay out for tuition AND gas.
So I've been shopping around for extra means to money. I considered substituting a few days a month until I started doing the math of paying for a babysitter and taking out taxes. My neighbor who graciously offered to take my two kids suggested that I take a kid in myself as it would be way more lucrative and there seems to be a need. So now I'm on the verge of accepting another child into my home.

Here's my pro/con list:
Substituting:
Pros:

1. No long term commitment.
2. Time with adults during breaks.
3. Exposure to district in the event I want to apply for any positions in the future.

Cons:

1. Half of my pay would go to pay for day care and/or taxes
2. I'd have to work more days meaning more time away from my kids.
3. Getting up early enough to look good and get my kids to day care and school.

Day Care:
Pros:

1. I can still be at home with all my children 24/7.
2. I don't have to get dressed up in the morning.
3. The pay from one child will more than cover my girls' dance costs.
4. I still have freedom to go and do what I need or want to during the day.

Cons:

1. Long term commitment.
2. I'll have at least three kids to take with me wherever I want to go.
3. It might be hard to go walking with 3 kids in tow.

Have any more to add to my list? I've got to decide pretty quick.

Lily & Lipstick Backfire

As a positive reinforcement to help Lily stop sucking her thumb, I told her she could wear some lip gloss to church, but she couldn't suck her thumb or it would ruin it. She was so good to take her thumb out of her mouth and tried really hard to remember. . .
The problem is that she is addicted to lipstick. Being that she IS still 2, she hasn't quite figured out how to apply it only to her lips.
Sunday afternoon when Jhonny went to wake her up from her nap, he yelled for me to come. He asked me, "How do you not yell at this??" I could see the veins popping on his neck as he pointed to our daughter who was covered from head to toe along with her bedsheets and dolls in red lipstick. I replied, "It's hard and sometimes I even fail."
The rest is well history. I did what all good mothers do. Time out and clean up after a good picture to memorialize the moment.

Times and Seasons

So we (my husband and I) went to San Antonio with just Gavin last week for an overnight get away. We didn't do anything REAL exciting - just a movie, dinner and a walk around the Riverwalk on Tuesday, but it was nice to get away and spend some time alone (sort of). Wednesday morning I was debating going to the temple. Mothers understand how hard it can be when you only have 1-2 hours before your time isn't yours again. I sent some names of Jhonny's family to be baptized last week with the Youth and there were three sister's names to move on. I went back and forth debating my ability to go until we had to leave the Hotel room and we went that direction for lack of anything else to do.
I decided I could at least do the next step and get back out before too long. While I was there doing the work for these three women who I am related to by marriage I was happy to be there. Then on the last name. . .I was overcome with emotion. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. She must have been there - my great aunt in law. How else can I describe the feeling? It was a mix of gratitude, joy, love and knowing I made the right decision that day.
I was in and out within an hour because there really wasn't anything else I could do with my time constraints. There is a time and a season when mothers are just not able to go to the temple. I was glad I got to spend even a little time there. I have to give thanks to my husband who was waiting outside with my little attachment so I could have the blessing of temple service.
Some day my time and season will change again. When the time comes, I hope to spend many more of my days and hours in that place as I did once before. For all of us who can't just now and if it's your time and season, GO! You won't regret it.

Brownie Fun

Finally something the girls can help me bake. Sundays we tend to have a late afternoon dinner after church, take a nap and then do dessert before bedtime. Last night I had a craving for brownies and icecream. Lily and Jessica love to try and help me in the kitchen - something I usually turn them away for because 1)There isn't room or 2)It's just too complicated or dangerous for them to jump in. But mixing brownies is just the thing! They can dump ingredients and blend to their hearts desire. The best part of course is licking the beaters afterwards! Almost as good as enjoying hot brownies with icecream later!