It Only Took 5 Months ...

I love giving Joshua a bath.  I think of it as a 40 minute water retreat.  He's occupied, quiet and getting clean ... why not leave him in there?  But Eli ... giving Eli a bath is another story (shh ... that's why he hasn't had very many of them in his short life!)  Ugh ... the shrieks and screams that come out of my normally MELLOW YELLOW child are ear piercing.  There is no soaking ... no delaying ... no cooing or enjoyment.  You have to be prepared.  Have the water ready.  The diaper off.  The towel in place.  The whole process is painful enough and I'm a master at getting him in and out in less than a minute.  (Is there a fast bathing baby contest I can enter??)  So on Thursday ... I made all the same preparations.  Everything was set and in its place for the bath experience.  And then ... Mr. Water Hater decided to play nice.  He laughed.  Squirmed.  Kicked his feet.  He actually looked like he might be enjoying himself ... Of course then J How came in and sang (or should I say screamed) the lyrics to this weeks favorite Backyardigans song "Riding the Range" (Mikele ... I know you're singing along now!!) at the top of his lungs which sent him into hysterics ... but we might be making progress.

Look closely ... I think he might be getting hair?

WORK CAMP ... PART TWO

This week ... another business trip and can you believe ... my family came back for more WORK CAMP torture!  

J How and Big How are getting the trellis ready to dig into the ground. 

Stirring a bit of cement for a fence to block the blue and black trashcans.

And since I'm such a thoughtful task master ... I did allow everyone a break to place a phone call to my grandpa's sister ... who turned 90 on Tuesday!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Aunt Olive!

No before pictures ... just the finished product.  Joshua's NEW ROOM!

Complete with a chalkboard wall :)

He's so excited his room is "a green and a yellow!"  His room still needs a couple of shelves and a few pictures ... but it's SO MUCH better than the boring tan it was a few days ago! 

My grandma thinks we should start a reality decorating show but in order to make it LIFE LIKE ... you'd not only have to decorate but entertain 2 children, invite the neighbor kids over (while their dad has an interview) and give a piano lesson.  Sound like fun?  I'm game ... as long as the kids like to be stuck in front of Jack's Big Music Show for HOURS!

WORK CAMP ... PART ONE

When the cat is away ... the mice will play.  Or as I like to put it ... when Ben goes on a business trip ... it's time to bust out the paint cans and REDECORATE!

We started in the master bathroom.  We tried to take this mirror down in a more gentle-like fashion ... but I think my mom really wanted to get out a little pent up aggression.  So ... out came the tape and the sledge hammer!  Note to self ... she might look tiny ... but watch out!
And at WORK CAMP (as my mom likes to call it) ... there is no age discrimination.  I take workers of all ages ... and as you can see ... clothing is optional. 
My grandpa (84) informed me that he wouldn't paint this room again if I paid him $100.  Good thing I got him for FREE this time around!!
And I'm all about SAFETY at work camp as you can tell from the above picture ... J How climbing the ladder ... with a screwdriver in his hand.  PARENT OF THE YEAR, I tell you!  You all might as well stop trying ... I'm totally going to win!!
The finishing touches ... the new light fixture is in ... the mirror is up ... (like the red clearance tag that's still on it!)  As for the rest of the room, I'm almost done!  Just need to get a new bedspread, a few new pillows and some stuff on the walls.  I wonder when Ben is going out of town again???

Does It Appear That He's Helping?

Look closely ... 

Exhibit A:  J How is holding Eli's bottle ... Eli is quietly munching on a plastic seahorse.

Exhibit B:  J How is contemplating his next move.  

Exhibit C:  Seahorse is abruptly removed from Eli's mouth and bottle is SHOVED into the now wide open hole (thanks in part to Eli SCREAMING!)

Ahh ... should I just be thankful How at least acknowledges Eli's existence?  Right ... I'll just count my blessings :)

Baby Audrey

I came across this blog today.  Angie is married to Todd Smith who sings with the group Selah.  She will be having a c-section on Monday to deliver Aubrey ... I highly recommend reading her blog.  Go back to read the beginning posts ... and get ready with a few Kleenex.  I sent her an email tonight .... I was so moved by her trust in the Lord and her perspective.  Really made me think ... especially in light of how I often still grieve for our Gracie Anne.

Audrey Caroline

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling ...

The Latest in Potty Training ...

Ahh ... the time spent cramped in a little bathroom just HOPING that the spirit might move J How to do a little something.  J How's attention span is a bit limited and he tries SUPER hard to distract me while he tries to slide off the toilet and sneak out of the room.  Bummer for him ... I only fell for "Look, mom.  Right der!  A window!!" ... one time!

To keep him in one spot ... I've tried many techniques.  We sing songs, count the numbers on the clock, name the animals on the towels and yesterday ... J How wanted a bit of "rock and roll."  "Tar, tar, tar!"  Apparently, a little "Old MacDonald" was just the ticket!  Yeah, J How!

I think this will make the wedding slide montage ... 20 years from now!