New Post (I don't feel inspired with a title.)

***ALERT. ALERT** We now have a two-year old in the house. Updates will be added as necessary. All necessary precautions are being taken.


(This is how I found her listeing to kid songs on Pandora when I came out of the bathroom.)





Cassie loves Buddy-Boy. (Not to be confused with Boy (Micah), whom she also loves very much. I didn't realize how often I call Micah "boy" when I'm talking to him, as in"Boy, you'd better be careful when you're doing flips!" or "Hey, come here, boy." I guess it's because we have only one boy, so it's fun to get to call him that. Cassie apparently thinks that's his name. It's especially cute when she's upset about him taking something she wants and saying through wails, "Boy took my toy!" She's brainwashed us enough now that when we're talking to her about him we often call him by his new name.)
She feeds Buddy his dogfood one piece at the time, and as a thank-you he lets her pet him while she sucks her thumb. This time she was even using a paper plate. Spoiled little doggie.

Cassie's big day, turning 2. We had a cake at Mam's and shared it with the cousins, Michael and Caroline. The night before, I'd told her she would be having a birthday tomorrow. Her response? "Cake?"
She wasn't real bold in blowing out those candles, but after a few tries she managed to project enough airflow to extinguish them. As we were eating the cake she looked up at the video camera and said, "Happy Birtday to oooo." I was charmed. :)

Camie made her a purse out of some soft cloth that feels like the robe Cassie uses as a blankey. They all helped me make her a pillow out of the same material and we used the belt from the robe to make a big bow on it, like a wrapped present. She was upset at first that a piece of robe was sewn down on this present and she couldn't get it off, but now it's as loved as Robe itself.

Easter 2011, before church. We stopped at Mam's on the way to Sunday School to show her the outfits. Mom used to do this on our way home from church at Easter for Grandma when we were young (and even as teens, I think) because grandmas like to see their darlings all dolled up. I knew nobody's hair or clothes would look as nice after church, so we let her see them nice neat. Micah has been wanting a tie for months, and I finally got him this. He loved it and looked so grown up. My niece, who is married and I think of more like a sister or cousin, came over the night before to show me how to fix the girls' hair. You can see that Camie's was in ringlets. Lissy's was in a ponytail which was curled in little ringlets. Mine was like hers; bad choice for pictures I realized later. When will I learn this? Cassie's was just brushed and in a bow.

Today the three older kids were on the trampoline playing and didn't see me watching from the porch, so I was able to see them playing without hearing, "Mamma, watch me!" every 15 seconds. Camie and Lissy were dancing to a Christian song on the radio in sort of sweeping, arm-waving motions they must've seen some drama team do. They were watching their shadows on the trampoline while they moved. At one point Camie had her behind stuck way out to the side (don't remember that move in any Christian dance), watching her shadow. Micah was lying down nearby and I saw the glint in his eye. He stood up like he was going to bounce with them and then hauled back and laid a big whack on her hiney. She whirled around and couldn't decide if it was Micah or Lissy who'd done it. Lissy pointed at Micah, who grinned and said it was Lissy. And this is what boys do while girls do interpretive dance. ;)

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Micah was bringing apple juice from the pantry to the kitchen for me the other day and dropped the plastic jug. Lissy was worried and asked, "Is that going to bruise all the apples in it?"

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Cassie is talking A LOT lately and saying very adorable things, none of which I can think of right now. She calls Camie "Cahm", Felicity "She-she" and Micah "Boy". She is very goofy and likes to talk in odd voices. Robie (the robe she loves) is a constant companion around the house, and she ahs other soft blankies and toys (and a winter hat) that she keeps around for times Robie needs a bath or can't go with us somewhere. Today we were all outside except Cassie. I stuck my head inside to look for her and called out, "Cassie, are you in the house?" I heard her little voice in the living room, "No."

What's Little and Cute, and Better than a Baby Doll?

On Monday mornings when I do the bulk of our laundry, I am impressed again with the differences between 5-7 year old girls and 4 year old boys when it comes to the number of outfits they go through. While Micah has to be made to change out of his playclothes before putting on pajamas (More than once he's gotten ready for bed and appeared back downstairs with bulging legs and middle due to the playclothes under his pj's. It's so much work to take clothes off apparently.), I am constantly trying to monitor the girls' changing outfits and make sure they came out of the "not-so-dirty" stack rather than fresh out of their dressers. I've told them they can change as often as they like as long as it's dress-up clothes or from the playclothes basket where we stick clothes not dirty enough to wash, but not fresh enough to go back in the dresser. Somehow their laundry basket still gets ridiculously full each week, spilling over, in fact. I guess part of it comes from my being overly cautious about germs when we've been out in town or to the doctor's office. The clothes worn there go straight to the dirty clothes and they get to pick out another outfit. And Lissy starts out with various layers of pj's on at night because here little silky nightgown/slip is so pretty and girly (and one must look pretty and girly, even for bed), but too cold to be worn by itself. That requires it to be put over a shirt, and then of course you need pants. But sometime during the 15 minutes before she falls asleep some pieces get shed and lost in the covers or under the bed. I do make them fold their own clean clothes (I help a little with the difficult ones) and put the away. Camie seems to be catching on to the cause and effect of changing often=more folding.

I have a friend whose oldest three children are boys, and she's commented that she's made it a rule that they have to check with her before changing outfits. But, being boys, they don't really change just because after lunch they like the blue shirt better then the grey one. Her 4th born is a girl and is 2 1/2. I'm just waiting to see if she's as easy to keep in one outfit as the boys are. I've heard other moms of boys say that constant clothes-changing wasn't a problem in their family...until the girl was born. Then, as soon as the little thing learned how to get her pants and shirt off she was trying on new outfits, changing shoes, dressing up, etc.

And today our oldest discovered something maybe even better than changing your own clothes: changing your little sister's clothes.

Camie and Cassie were upstairs while I was on the phone with Grandpa Morris. I could hear Camie talking to Cassie as she wiped her face and arms with a washcloth (not sure why), then it got quiet. I walked quietly upstairs the way my mamma used to when she lived here and I was a little girl playing at something a little too quietly, and I peeked in Cassie's room. Camie was holding up shirts for Cass to choose from. I started to tell her not to change her clothes, but thought, "Why? It's one outfit, Cassie's is probably wet from the face/arm washing, and this is great that Camie's learning how to take care of her little sister." Besides, I remember going to a friend's house as a kid and loving to pick out clothes for her little sister and dress her.

A few minutes later, Camie escorted her model downstairs and told me Cassie "forced her" to put those clothes on her. I think that meant that Cassie was a little opinionated about which ones went on her, not that Camie was disinclined to dress up her own live "doll".

And she looked adorable. Camie had brushed her hair and put a bow in it. I usually keep Cassie's hair in a little ponytail on top of her head or on the side just to keep her curls out of her eyes. So to see her with it down and brushed so nicely made her look like the two-year-old she's about to be. It was sweet to see these two sisters together: Camie, loving being the big, older sister, and Cassie thrilled to have the attention.

Camie let her wear the bead bracelet I'd made for her (Camie) from a bracelet kit Mam gave her to keep her occupied during her two-week recovery. I felt a little weak when I saw "10,000 BEADS!" written unapologetically in large letters across the front of the box. Only one major spill has occurred so Matt and I figure we're down to about 8,000. A much more manageable number.

She reminds me of her cousin Claire in the picture above. I think it's the forehead and mouth, for those of you reading this who know the cousin.

Such a big (and terribly cute) little girlie.

Camie gets to watch extra movies since she can't swim or ride bikes or anything fun like that while she's recovering. She and Cassie were enjoying one together while Micah and Lissy swam.

This was taken a few days ago. I bought popsicles to try to give Camie something to swallow without hurting her throat. It's a good thing I bought a big box, since the other three like them too.

I'm a sucker for pictures of kids taken from the back. That's convenient, because usually they are walking away from me by the time I manage to get the camera out. But I love how they're so little next to those giant doors.

Just hangin' out together....eating big sister's popsicles.

Thanks for praying for Camie. Today was the best day she's had. She was able to eat even better, and wasn't so cranky from the pain. Still using pain medicine throughout the day and night, but hoping to cut that back soon. We go back on the 19th (Cassie's birthday) for a checkup. Praying she'll get the go-ahead to run and play to her heart's content.

~~Rose

Bits and pieces from the past MONTH(!)

Has it really been a month since I posted? It feels like I've kept up with the blog because I come to it nearly everyday. . .to check other people's. Sorry to all you faithful followers.(I jest. I think there are about 6 people who regularly read this. But thank you to those who do.) I'll try to make up for my procrastination by including lots of pictures. :)

A word about the new banner picture. I really like the one of Matt and me with the helicopter, but this one with Grandma and Grandpa is so cute I decided to use it this month. Afterall, 35 years ago they brought my wonderful husband into the world, along with his twin sister Melissa. Thanks Mother and Dad. We love you.


Last month the homeschool group went to the Hattiesburg Zoo on a filed trip and picnic afterward. It was a lot of fun, and as usual, I think the train ride and carousel were the biggest hits of the trip with our kids. The playground next to the zoo was a close runner-up. :) As you can see from the picture I took of Cassie and me, she enjoyed herself after I drugged her. Just kidding.

Daddy is Cassie's property. She knows which shirts and socks are his when I'm folding laundry, which seat at the table is his, even which bowl he uses at breakfast. When I'm putting dishes away or setting the table and she sees one of those black cereal bowls, she matter-of-factly tells me "Da-da." She and Daddy have a game they play, invented, and perpetuated, by Cassie. She makes a sound or movement and Daddy copies her. Then she does another one and he copies that one. Repeat ad nauseam. Sometimes Daddy tries to make one up but she ignores that. Here they are playing her game while Daddy is trying to watch sports or something on Netflix.

I've been wanting the kids to have a rope swing and Matt doesn't have much time at home that's not taken up with school-related work (and playing Cassie's game) so I decided to just try it myself. After and hour I successfully got the rope wrapped twice around the oaktree limb. This required dragging an old dresser out of the shed to stand on, tying a heavy piece of metal to one end and flinging it with all my might as hard as I dared (keeping in mind the possible need to duck real fast in case my throwing was off) about a dozen times before I got it up on the VERY HIGH limb and in the right spot. The kids really like it and so far it has held up. I just love looking out the window and seeing them having fun on it. And with the door shut I can't even hear the arguing over whose turn it is to swing. :)

Cassie seems to have a fondness for getting into things, and I don't just mean tupperware and markers (although those are favorites). She likes to sit in this little basket in the big girls' room and look at books. Another favorite spot is a babydoll cradle, and when I'm folding clothes, she's emptying the basket by armfuls into my lap so she can get into the basket. She calls it a "bo" (boat).

Grandpa and Grandma Morris came for a weekend in November and we were all glad to see them. The kids were eager to show them all their new tricks. Cassie looks a bit shocked at what her hi-jackers are using her car for, though.

Camie took this picture of us, and everybody wanted in it. I finally got Lissy and Micah to step aside, and just as Camie took it, Cassie and her bouncy ponytail walked in front of the camera.

I really like this one of tall Grandpa and tiny Cassie. He pushed her around and around the yard in that car and always ended by parking it with the front wheels on the bottom porch step. This became a tradition after two or three times, and on the last round when he failed to do it Cassie babbled and grunted and pointed letting him know the job wasn't finished.

Since Matt has a new car now, the old Chevy truck is just parked in the yard. The kids like play on it and in the back of it. (Note: Micah dresses himself this day. Those are not pink shorts as Matt said they looked like, but faded swimming trunks.)

I love his expression here. Camie is whacking him on the behind, and he disapproves.

"Where's a big, strong Grandpa when you need your car moved?"

I am blessed with two very loving and sweet parents-in-law. Dad is so good to Mother, and I love to see the look on her face when she looks up at him and says "Love you, Gary.'

The heroes of the weekend. Matt had a weekend class so he was gone except at night, so I was thankful for their unplanned visit. It made a weekend that could have been long and hard to get through easy and very enjoyable.

We went to Missouri for Thanksgiving. Every time we go we pass a big fruit stand called Donna's #6 just north of Hattiesburg. I've often wanted to stop but we're usually in a hurry or they're closed. This time Matt surprised us by turning around after we'd gone by and taking us there. Cassie liked the tiny rocking chairs they had on display.

And I had to get a picture of our cute punkins in the pumpkin display. :)
The Thanksgiving meal was held at Matt's sisters Kristy's house. The Day turned out to be cold and rainy (very different from the sunny, 80 degree weather we'd left in Mississippi the day before), but thankfully they have a garage where we, and especially the kids, could sort of get outside. Micah watched the big guys play ping pong for a while and finally told me "I want to play it with Uncle Mike." He finally got to play, and had a blast. Here he's playing with Matt.

Aunt Melissa, pregnant with their fourth blessing was pretty worn out. Abby, her very-nearly-two year old and Cassie (19 months old) ended up taking naps on her lap. It was so sweet. Melissa very often asks me on the phone, "Have you counted your blessings today?", referring to our four kids. I usually stop and feel ashamed as I realized I've not really thought of them that way up till that point. In the busyness of the day I too often notice that they are being fussers or interrupters, but Melissa helps me get back in the right frame of mind. I heard her call them and ours "little blessing" or "blessing number 2" while we were visiting.

Kristy did pretty much all the cooking for the main meal, and Melissa made 5 pies. I stayed around after the meal and helped clean before going back to Melissa's where we were staying, to get kids ready for bed. The food was wonderful, ladies.

Friday evening we went to Kristy's older son's basketball game. Brian is at least as tall as Matt's Dad, and only 16. He must be 6'3" or 4. I know very little about basketball, but I had a good time watching the action of the game, and his team won. Micah wanted to go home to MS and get his basketball shirt, travel back to MO and get out on the court with them. Cassie was content to be in Grandpa's lap, her chosen seat for the weekend.

And lest I forget them before the next post, here are some quotes from our kids:

We were eating cashews and I told the kids to try a bite and see if they liked them. Lissy tasted hers then politely said, "Mamma, I don't like cat shoes."

While in Missouri, Micah got to play Uncle Mike's video game. Mike was pretty impressed with how well Micah was doing with the controller and asked, "He's only 3, right?" Then he asked "When will he be four?" Micah, ready to be included in the men's conversation, answered, "After I'm three."

Camie got to go out to eat at Sonic with Matt and me a few weeks ago. After the meal she was eating her Sonic peppermint and didn't like the taste. "It tastes like some of the workers at Sonic touched it with their hands."

Felicity has had some more good ones, but I don't remember right now what they are. Maybe if I think of them that'll give me the incentive to post again before January. :)

Rose