Eleven

It's been awhile since I've been blog tagged but my good friend Sharee made me feel so special and tagged me so I gotta come through. The theme is eleven so here goes...

The Rules:

1. Post these rules

2. Post 11 random things about yourself

3. Answer the questions provided by the one who tagged you

4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag

5. Tag 11 people

1. I have double jointed thumbs.

2. I never thought I could have long hair but I'm making it work.

3. I love really really hot showers.

4. I work hard to be social and be the first to reach out in any situation but I am most comfortable with one or two close friends.

5.  I speak Russian.

6. My first and only pet was a hamster named Rascal.

7. I read Jane Eyre every two years and it never gets old.

8. I wear my wedding ring on my third finger because I'm too lazy to get it sized down.

9. I buy most of my clothes from TJ Maxx and Marshalls.

10. I love to exercise even though you can't really tell because I also love to eat!

11. I married the most amazing man on the planet.

1.  If you could meet any one who has lived on the earth in any time period, who would be your top three picks? oooooh, that's a tough one, non-religious ones would be Abraham Lincoln, Abigail Adams,  and Queen Elizabeth (the first one, Henry the VIII's daughter).  

2.  What is one of your pet peeves? whining! from anyone not just children

3.  What is your least favorite household chore? putting laundry away What is your favorite household chore? vacuuming

4.  What is the worst movie you've ever seen?  (the kind where you are annoyed that you just wasted 2 hours of your life on . . . ) I'm sorry to say I felt that way about "The Notebook." I know it really spoke to some people but I felt like I had wasted my time watching it, for many condescending reasons. 

5.  What is the most recent book you've read?  (And why don't you just tell us how you liked it and if you'd recommend it while you're at it?) Born to Run. LOVED IT! I highly recommend it, quite an easy read and makes you feel like an athlete just reading it.

6.  What are you looking forward to next month? Family reunion

7.  What frightens you? Mysterious sounds in the night when I'm alone. I always assume the worst.

8.  What do you do in your free time? I never really have "Free time" but I put things off and give myself "me time," so me time is reading and sleeping.

9.  What do you WISH you could do in your free time?  (and yes, those are two very different questions.) Get a masters degree.

10.  What is the grossest thing you've ever eaten? cow stomach

11.  What did you dress up as last Halloween? a Mom... I'm boring, but my kids were darling.

Wow, this took some real personal reflection and thought. I am running out of time so I am breaking the last two rules, sorry to be a downer. I'd love to read any of these fun questions answered by you blogger friends out there!

So Brave

Caleb had to have one more shot for kindergarten. I don't know about you, but I feel more anxious for my kids than they are for themselves when they go in for shots. I always give myself a pep talk so that I can act like it's no big deal and be brave for the kids. I always talk them through it, "It's just a quick poke, it will hurt for a second and then it's all done." It took me until having a baby to get over my needle jitters. Caleb's shot was a last minute thing so I did my pep talk really quick. 

Caleb said he would be really brave. I promised a treat after. We always get ice cream after vaccines just so that shots can be associated with something positive. Caleb said that he wouldn't even cry. I didn't believe he would really do it, so I said that if he didn't cry he could pick out a toy.

He was pumped up, ready to go. I held him in my lap and told him to look the other way. He was smiling thinking about his toy. And would you believe it, not even a flinch. So brave, braver than his mother was in college. All the kids came bouncing out of the office and one of the other office assistants asked in a surprised tone "Who was getting a shot?" I was so proud of him. He picked out a Captain America shield for his prize. He is one strong boy. 

Jo is strong too. 

(Please note the baby in the background of all these pictures constantly chewing on something. Love love love!)

Four and Seven

Lucy turned four last month and Siya is seven months old. For some reason, it seems like Lucy gets about three different birthday celebrations every year. And she did again this year. Once with Meema and Grandpa, once at home on her actual birthday, and once with Grandma and Grandpa and her cousin Wyatt.

She asked for a rainbow pony and Wyatt is the one who actually delivered on that. Mom and Dad only found a regular toy pony. She also got a Light Bright. Do you remember those? How awesomely retro. She loves it. She is grateful for pretty much anything she gets as a present, good girl.

Siya is seven months now and growing up so fast I'm in denial and forcing her to wear clothes that she has clearly grown out of. No, it's not time, she still needs to stay my little baby.

Now that we have settled down again somewhat, I have whipped out the cloth diapers again. She is rocking the fat bum and looking cute as ever.

Everyday she gets closer and closer to crawling. She loves to be on the ground, rolling wherever she can and from a sitting up position, she is constantly leaning forward on her hands rocking back and forth.

She is really talking baby talk, saying bababa almost on command. I'm proud to say she is saying mamama before dadada, which is quite unusual for my kids. Dad is their favorite! She hates turkey baby food and loves pretty much everything else.

Teeth

Caleb lost his first tooth. For some reason, this step in his little life has been emotional for me. I haven't been sad sending him to school or other things, but this milestone caught me quite by surprise. He isn't old enough to be losing his teeth yet!

One day, after coming out of timeout he said, "Mom, I can wiggle my tooth." I didn't really believe him at first because I thought he was just way too young. But he does. A few days later, he twisted it out of his gums, no problem and put it under his pillow for the tooth fairy.

I don't know how the tooth fairy works at your house, but here she delivers $.50, two quarters. She is not giving paper money of any kind. The tooth fair also decided to put the tooth in the sandwich bad in her sock drawer because part of her just can't throw away something as precious as a piece of her first born. (Don't worry, she's not keeping it forever, just for now).

His second one is loose now... the tooth fairy is ready and waiting.