Mr. Miagi

I think a pregnant gnat must have flown into my car and given birth to a zillion baby gnats. Every time we are in our car, I see a gnat or two flying around. I try to swat them or grab them, but it's hard to do when driving, so I am usually flailing my arms about in vain. I'm sure I look pretty silly if you were in the car next to mine.

I feel like Mr. Miagi, although he was successful at catching the fly with his chopsticks. Maybe I should buy some chopsticks...

Praying the scriptures for my kids

I found another passage in the Bible that makes a wonderful prayer for my own children. It echoes my wishes that my children as they begin their life's journey together with God. From the time we found out we were pregnant, Matt and I have prayed fervently for our precious boys, for health, and for all these things echoed in this passage below. Please join me in praying for them and for your own children.

Colossians 1: 9-12
9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[d] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

He's a smart boy

Sometimes when the boys don't want to get out of their beds in the mornings on school days, I tell them that their teacher would miss them and would be "Sooooo sad" if she didn't see them in class that day.

The other day, I picked up the boys from school and we were headed home to eat dinner. #2 asked if we could go to Itz Pizza for dinner. When I answered that we could not go there today but perhaps another day, he responded, "But the bakers would be so sad if we didn't go to Itz!"

Wait a minute...aren't I the one who is supposed to be using the psychology on them, not the other way around? He's only 4 but he is a smart boy!

My car is possessed

My car is possessed. I will be driving along, and suddenly the radio will stop working, the A/C stops blowing cold air, and all of the lights on the dashboard will come on. The windows and door locks don't work, so it is like being trapped in the car.

Know how I get it to start working again? I have to open and slam the glove box closed, then everything start working again. Weird, I know.

I know it is some sort of electrical short, but I have taken it in before and they supposedly fixed it. Well, it is STILL happening, at the most random times. Now I have to find time to take it in. Again. Ugh! I hate having car problems!!! It makes me feel so helpless because having a car to get back and forth to work, school, etc. is such a necessary thing in my life. I don't know how to fix it and I don't know how to function without it.

Second soccer game

I wanted to take some pictures of the boys' second soccer game. Unfortunately, the boys had other plans. Not one single boy played a single minute during the game. They all sat on the sidelines beside me and refused to play. Nice.

Birth Order of Children

Below is a post about the birth order of children that I think is so funny because of the hints of truth behind the extreme scenarios. My favorite one is the "At Home" scenario. I don't know who wrote it, but she was a very wise mommy! Hope you enjoy it too, especially those of you with 2 or more children!


BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.  

2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.

3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

_____________________________________________________

Preparing for the Birth:

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.

2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.

3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month.

__________________________________________ ____________

The Layette:

1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.

2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.

3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?

_ _____________________________________________________

Worries:

1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby

2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.

3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.
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Pacifier:

1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.

2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.

3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

______________________________________________________

Diapering:

1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.

2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.

3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

_______________________________________________________

Activities

1st baby:  You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, Baby Zoo, Baby Movies and Baby Story Hour.

2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.

3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaners.

_____________________________ _________________________

Going Out:

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times.

2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.

3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

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At Home: 
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.

2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your ol der child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.

3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children

______________________________________________________

Swallowing Coins (a favorite):

1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays

2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.

3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance!

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MEANING OF GRANDCHILDREN:

God's reward for allowing your children to live

One of my favorite web sites for kids

A co-worker of Matt's told him about a website called www.starfall.com. It is a web site that teaches kids to read with fun, interactive stories. There are different levels, from learning to recognize letters to reading stories. We have been doing it for a little over a year, and the boys LOVE it! #1 started reading right after his third birthday, and hasn't stopped since. The others are coming along with their skills too. I am amazed at how much they are learning, and they don't even realize they are learning - they think the stories are just plain silly and funny. I'd highly recommend it if you have toddlers!

Here are some pictures of the boys reading with Daddy: