Cleaning

Tonight as I was "tidying" up in preparation for our Daddy's arrival home from work :) the girls surprised me by jumping in and "helping". Sometimes you have to document these moments because you know you aren't going to remember them in the future.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear...

McKenna's preschool class had a Pajama Party today with the debut of their 1st class Video of "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" by Bill Martin Jr/Eric Carle. McKenna was so cute this morning she was so excited asking several times throughout the morning if it was time for the bus yet. She usually thinks all parties are for her birthday and as I explained that this was a pajama party and not her birthday party she sat there for a minute in silence and you see the wheels turning in her head and then the lightbulb lit and she reiterated what I had told her adding to it with "Keon Pajamas on bus". Keon must be a special friend because he's become a big motivator when it comes to getting on the bus and going to school. :)

I specifically remembered my camera, but in my haste to get both Tate and Tyler up from their naps and loaded into the car I forgot my phone-and then once we got in the classroom and things were about to begin I pulled out my camera, turned it on and found I'd left my memory card in the computer. Of all the rotten luck-so you'll have to settle for my description of the afternoon.

There are about 10-12 kids in the class-only one of those being a girl, Sophia. Anyway the kids were really cute. They began by having the kids sit in chairs at the front of the room and each taking a turn reciting their part with the different animals. McKenna sat through Brown Bear and then she dropped the red bird (who is next) and came running to sit with Tyler and I. Earlier that week the teachers had recorded the kids doing different parts so I was able to see McKenna perform a couple of lines. She was so cute and spoke them very well...I'm really not doing her justice am I? After that we had snacks and then sang a good-bye song and then headed home. It was really fun to be able to go and see McKenna in her class, although she still had a hard time leaving my side...

Here's part of the book McKenna made-I'm such a proud Mom:

Walking down the hallway of the elementary school and seeing the kindergarten class in there...I'm so NOT ready to send her to full time school. I'm ready for her to be potty trained completely- but she's done a lot of growing up since Tate was born taking on the Big Sister Role like a champ. She's very careful and protective of him and actually Tyler too. It's adorable and I love watching her and seeing the love she has (right now) for her brother and sister.

Flies

John here writing on the Blog tonight. I guess this will be an occasional event. I just want to write about raising girls. Last night a fly made it into the house. Not a horsefly or large fly, just a small ordinary, inconsequential house fly. Tyler calls these "bees". She starts pointing and getting worried. Well, the fly landed right on her index finger. I guess it really like the peaches she was eating because he stayed awhile while she lost it! She started to cry and cry pointing at her finger and wanting us to kiss it better. (A fake kiss does in these instances as I am not going to put my lips where the fly had been). McKenna then started to cry because she was scared that the fly was on the loose and after her next. Mel and I just looked at each other and laughed as I grabbed the fly swatter to be the "protector" of home. No, I did not catch the fly but he left somewhere and peace was restored. Now if Tate grows up to do this we might have to worry about the example the girls are setting. On a lighter note tonight at dinner we had spaghetti. It's messy but good and fun. Melanie spilt some on her white shirt and so did I. We just strip Tyler down to her diaper because we know she is going to be dirty. Melanie makes the comment that maybe we should all take our shirts off while eating so we don't get messy. McKenna says, "No, no, uh uh, Daddy you don't go naked in the kitchen, that's silly" It is silly to have daddy naked in the kitchen. What were we thinking. It was a good laugh which I needed. Either the girls were hard today or I just wasn't in the mood. Between Tate peeing on me at church and his bottle spilling out, to having to lift a huge fluffy dress to change Tyler to having to sit in the bathroom with McKenna and hold her hand while she passes the smelliest stool ever smelt, I've had enough. Don't get me wrong, I love being a dad. I'm an independent guy and to have 3 people not big enough to take care of themselves even the basic feeding and pottying is a BIG struggle for me. I guess I'll just need to learn to relax and enjoy the innocence at this age.

PS-McKenna came down from watching Snow White this evening and walked up to Melanie and asked her, "Mommy, you're not a witch. (over and over and then) You're not a Monster are you Mommy?" Melanie's response, "not today."

Tyler and the Potty

I meant to post this next story last night, but I finally got my computer moved down to our main room and out of our bedroom. I shouldn't say finally because John has been working so hard on so many things-but there is so much time to be wasted on the computer that I wasn't able to do. :) That is actually partially true-there are also so many things I "needed" the computer for do get some stuff done while Tate was sleeping. We didn't get internet until this evening, but I'm not complaining. So happy!

Last night a remarkable thing happened: Tyler used the potty...twice! We always have her sit on the potty right before she gets in the tub, trying to encourage her to pee in the potty and not the tub, or around the tub. (you know it's all happened with your kids, warm water will do that to a kid.) So the first time we were very excited-the 2nd time she told John she needed to go potty. She sat on the potty while he read her favorite potty book and as she was looking down between her legs (to see if something is happening) and after John gave her a drink...wa-la she was pleasantly surprised, and a lil shocked by the expression on her face. It was so cute, a lil sheepish and then she went to John for a hug as we all danced and sang her praises.

John got our last cabinet up yesterday as well, which included the silverware drawers. It's all coming together so nicely, now it's time for the fronts. Pictures to come...

Happy Birthday Keira!

My sister had her 2nd little girl Keira a few weeks before I had Tyler, so in my head they are practically twins. This is one of my favorite pictures of Keira from last summer. She was a whiz kid on the "bike". She's a really smart, observant girl who is fascinated with people's eyes. :) Especially her sister's, She thinks they are great for poking. :)

Motherly L-O-V-E

Before Tate was born I truly wondered how I was going to love a lil boy. I have girls and I love my little girls, I love dressing them, playing with them, doing their hair-when they will let me. Although I went through the same inner turmoil before Tyler was born-and having so much love for another baby. This time it just had the added twist of being a male. I still don't know what to do with a little boy, but my heart must've grown because I truly love this kid. Sometimes I just want to kiss him on his squishy lil cheeks and I love watching him when he's content just laying there kicking his feet staring at the ceiling letting out a lil baby noise every minute or so as if he's chatting it up with someone and keeping up with his side of the conversation. These are the moments you live for that keep you going when you feel like you want to "strangle" your kids-even if you don't mean literally strangle them. So you gotta write them down. (After this Susan, you really might stop reading my posts).

I guess it's just a natural maternal instinct and dumb of me to be so worried about this and the fact that the ultrasound made him look and sound like a freak with his long skinny legs & body, small head, big nose and ears... What do the machines know anyway right?

Thar He Blows!

This is more for me than really anyone else as I think it's kind of funny. Today Tate had his first "blow-out" which is funny because yesterday I was thinking about it and how he hadn't had one. Murphy's Law of course kicked in. Anyway it was not only out of the diaper, but almost up to his neck.

Way to go Tate, done like a true blue boy!

This picture was not taken today-I'm not crazy enough to document it in pictures.

It was actually taken a few days ago by McKenna. She's getting pretty good!

Kitchen update

It doesn't seem like much on pictures, but John has been working hard (as usual) continuing his work on the kitchen cabinets. He even got the new Microwave up and running. What a man! Only one more cupboard and some shelves and then he'll be making the fronts and getting them done. Yeah!

Smiles

Yesterday morning Tate woke up at 6:30 am ready to be fed. Needing to use some milk we had in the fridge I groggily took him down and started warming it up. I'm not much of a morning person and there wasn't anything I wanted more than to crawl back in bed. I looked down at Tate and he must've sensed my "unhappy" state because I looked down and he had the biggest grin on his face. Most smiles are fleeting, but this one lasted a few minutes, long enough to John to cross the room to see and to start laughing at him. He is pretty cute!

I got these another time, hard to get something w/out the flash, blinding them...all in good time!

Rain, Rain Go Away-Come On Back Another Day?

It's raining it's pouring, the Old Man is snoring.

He went to bed with a cold in his head and he won't be back til morning...

I've been informed by John that talking about the weather is a Harris' thing to do. I'm ok with that, besides it seems to be making the National News as I'm sure many have heard. It's been raining a lil more than usual around here, so much that 21 rivers have flooding over (some more than 8 ft) and all the State Highway/freeways have been closed due to flooding so that the only way you can leave is to go North and up through Canada or by air.

C-R-A-Z-Y!!!

Who's the Baby?

(Sometimes it's a competition between all three kids)

Tate: 1-month old.

Designer Blog Makeover Giveaway

So Teandra posted as I'm sure most of you have seen about this new site that is giving away a free blog makeover to 3 lucky winners. Her site is really cute. You'll have to check it out. Just click on the Sign:
Go comment on her blog to win. Deadline Jan. 15th! Check it out!

This and That

Need to jot down a few tidbits before I forget, which happens quite easily.

Sunday John was released as the Young Men's presidency, almost exactly a year to the day of being put in. It was a bittersweet departure as he's had to move on to a new calling. He loved/loves the boys and will miss working with them and going on a lot of the fun activities they had planned. He had to go to a planning session of all the activities for the year the day before. A lil torturous as he won't get go camping this year. Maybe we'll get away and go as a family, if I get brave enough to take a baby that is. Sunday he got up and bore his sweet testimony and after he came down and sat down. Tyler the sweetheart she is went to him with blanket and binky in hand and climbed on his lap. She then gave him a hug, touch his teary eyes and then grabbed his nose and said, "honk." Nice!

Tyler has actually become quite the Daddy's girl. Twice now she has reported to him that she needed to go "potty". Like a good father he's taken her in and sat her down and then after reading a book to her, she stands up, wipes (Her favorite part), gets a new diaper and then poops in it. Yesterday she even went and found him and told him she wanted it off, "now!" I'm thinking he should maybe stay home and do the potty training.

Tate is now a month old has begun smiling a few gaseous smiles which we like better than the gassy screams. He's also coo'd a time or two. Nursing and sleeping are hit and miss. He has his good days and bad on both, although since clipping his tongue nursing has become a better experience for both of us. 4 weeks is better than 6 weeks, and John now gets to sleep through the night as I've taken over all the feedings. I dream of a good nights sleep in the far distant future... Although Tate doesn't sleep longer than 45 minutes in the day he sleeps really well from 9-2 or 3 am. (Not too shabby I know, now if I could just get myself to bed before 11:30).
John and I did make it out for New Years. We were lucky to find us a sitter-no easy task with the youth dances and firesides the church puts on. We got the girls down to bed and then we picked up Kendra and made our way out to Enumclaw for the annual Erickson New Years Bash. They had lots of good food, company, and I got my first showing of "Rock Band" and we played Picture Man-a "green" version of Pictionary.

Hope everyone had a good New Years. I think my goals thus far are centered around children. Trying not to yell at them (as much), trying not to have the TV on (as much), getting Tate to sleep through the night (which has a big impact on how much yelling and TV there is). And maybe learn how to potty train my kids?

I shouldn't be surprised but I don't think I've taken a picture since the beginning of the year, well except the ones I took on my phone yesterday of Tate. I'll have to get those up a lil later.