It's been FOREVER I know...

The boys have set up some sort of fort area. Can you see Adam under the rocking chair? That's my favorite. :) Oh, and that they still have their pajamas on too. :)

And here's another angle. That would be my cusion to the benches in the other room, sitting on my coffee table and the other cusion is on the lounge chair. And a little surprise in my load of whites. I am pretty sure they are clean though. Anna is dressed for the day though. One point for me! :)

Ok, it's been 3 months. If you don't even look at this blog anymore, I don't blame you! Ha! I missed the first day of school, pumpkin party, Halloween, our hayride.... I get it. But I've been busy busy busy. Three kids, a house to maintain, Sunday School to run, piano lessons, and a brand new curriculum to learn and teach... life has been busy. But everyone is good. Here are some fun pictures that just make me smile.

Some things you should know about teachers

I have been thinking about this post for a while and I decided to write some things that people who are not teachers, may find handy. Some things I have just learned recently. This year is Adam's first year going to Kindergarten and I have to remember some things because I will be wearing the parent hat. Things that I find annoying as a teacher, I need to remember that as a parent. So here are some little tid-bits I have thought of:

1. If you are going to send in a birthday cake for your child (usually parents send in cupcakes but some do send in cakes) please provide forks, plates, something to cut the cake with, and no candles. The cafeteria staff often does NOT want the teachers involved in cafeteria related items. They can be somewhat soup-nazi-ish.

2. Teachers do not know about the following items and honestly, these type of things are not on their radar list of important details- when the chocolate lollipop order is coming, how to contact the class picture people, anything to do with cafeteria related issues, anything that happens in a special (art, music, etc.) and class yearbooks.

3. (I learned this one this year) When writing an absent note for your child, write their last name. So don't write, "Dear Mrs. Furman, Bobby was absent yesterday because he didn't feel well. Sincerely, Mrs. Smith" Write, "Bobby Smith". This makes sense since a lot of the students don't have the same last name as their parents. I just noticed when I got the notes back from the office, the secretary always wrote in Smith.

4. Speaking of attendance, perfect attendance isn't something that is really really REALLY important. If your child is sick, or if you want to bring them to a Broadway show or something, by all means, keep them home. Some parents make a HUGE deal out of perfect attendance and honestly, we say their name at the end of the year and they get a pencil. Don't drive yourself crazy over that one.

5. If the teacher contacts you about something negative that happened that day, it's a pretty big deal. I don't know any teacher that contacts a parent over a minor infraction, or if they weren't warned multiple times. So if you get a note or a phone call, PLEASE address it with your child. We are really hoping for that.

6. I know what your husband wears to bed, and how much he spent on your Valentine's gift and where he got it. I know the name of your parents' dog and what you had for dinner last night. I know if you took the door key from the Disney Resort as a souvenir and your phone number at work. Just saying.

7. Don't' try to pull, "Oh, I have no idea what you're talking about, Johnny, never had a problem like this in years past." We have every report card and comment and parent contact and referral from Kindergarten in the folders and will often contact past teachers.

8. Last year I had a parent tell me her child was the smartest child I would ever have. I don't recommend that. We'll figure it out pretty quickly if your child is smart.

9. Teachers spend A LOT of their own money. I don't know a teacher that doesn't spend out of her own pocket for prizes, school supplies, coats for kids, snacks, holiday gifts, books, books and more books, and just general supplies.

10. Your kids are constantly on our minds. What would work best for this child? How can I get her to do this? How can I get her to stop this? Would this be better? etc. Honestly, we become a little family. We are with these kids ALL day long, all year long. We have dreams about them. And we REALLY REALLY want them to succeed.

Our little reader

So we're three for three. All of our kids love books. Anna has taken to Big Red Barn, and any other farm books. Unfortunately, you can see a page she is sitting on. Even though it is a board book, she seemed to rip part of a page off. I taped it back. :)

Adam and his block creations

This is a super hero playground. I just love him! :)

Baby Curls

Anna has these little curls in the back of her hair that I just ADORE. I think the boys had them too but of course Chip made me cut them. I am so happy I don't have to cut hers. Granted I know they won't stay forever but I just think they are adorable!

Someone else feels as strongly as I do about Sunday School curriculum. :)

I really REALLY like having two boys in the house...

but having a girl isn't so bad either. :)

Fans of Daddy

The kids are big fans of Daddy. And who wouldn't be? I am quite a fan myself. :) Since school has been out, Chip and I have both been off. The kids are really relishing in this time that they get to spend with him. I caught a few of the fun things they have been doing together. He reads them their bed time stories EVERY night. This is nothing new really but I thought I would snag a shot of it. I know that Adam really cherishes this time because he wrote about it in his journal at school. In the second picture they are making sun tea together. And the last few they are playing airplanes. You can see the landing pad they created. Each night when Adam goes to bed he asks Chip what he is going to wear, and then bases his attire on his father's response. Van HAS to wear a belt if Daddy does and will wear sneakers if Daddy is wearing sneakers or work boots if that is the choice of foot wear at the moment. And you can see the matching green hats in the first picture. :) I am very thankful for the father of my children. He is a wonderful dad.

Haying

Well, one of the pictures posted twice. That's ok I guess. :) 'Tis the season for haying! Chip has been on vacation for the last week which for him of course doesn't mean vacation. There is always a lot to do around the farm. In the summer, the first and foremost priority is haying. For the last 8 years that we have been married I have discovered that haying really depends on the weather. You can't hay when it is raining and since haying is a multiple day process, you have to have a few days of dry weather. At times, Chip and his dad will be out until 9 at night if the forecast calls for rain the next day. You can't leave hay down when it rains because it gets ruined. Thankfully, Chip picked a perfect week for vacation because it has been dry and he has been haying every day. There have been summers where it has been really wet and he and his dad get anxious thinking they aren't going to get enough hay in for the winter. Our cows really depend on it.

The process goes something like this: First you cut the hay. It has to dry a day or if it is really hot, you may be able to start the next process that afternoon which is: ted. This takes step takes another apparatus attached to the tractor. The tedder I guess? You go along the cut hay with this and it basically stirs the hay up to dry it out. Then for the next step: raking. This is yet a third machine attached to a tractor which puts the hay in rows. I had a good picture of this but instead I posted the other picture twice. After the hay is in rows, you are ready to bale which of course takes a baler. They are using the round baler in these pictures as you can see. We have a round baler and a square baler but our square baler just broke the other day so we are getting a new one. Round bales are faster. I thought baling was a pretty easy task but Chip explained to me last night that you really have to watch the gauges on the baler to make sure it is even, and then you have to do something else with the gauges to makes sure it is tied correctly. Yesterday, his dad was raking at the same time as Chip was baling. I think the fields are pretty much done. But often times they will do a second cutting for bedding hay and any extra hay we may need.

Yesterday after Anna and Van woke up from their naps we went out to watch them hay. We have been watching a lot. Chip will often take Adam with him when he is getting the bales. Today he did and when Anna and Van woke up, they were coming back with a load of bales. We went over with them and I drove the truck through the fields (while singing if you're happy and you know it to Anna because she was getting antsy) and Chip put the bales on the trailer. The boys really enjoy being involved. I will post in a month or so when the calves are being born. It is SUCH a fun time. :)

Piano lessons

We started Adam in piano lessons a month or two ago? The woman that plays the piano at our church is amazing and we asked her if she would be willing to give Adam lessons. She said that five was a little young but we could give it a shot. He surprised us all and has been doing really really well. He goes for a half hour each Tuesday afternoon and has worked through over half of the book. He seems to have quite an ear for it because he has memorized most of the songs and can even play them on his little toy clarinet that he has. I don't know how to play any musical instruments and it is really important to me that our kids do. Chip can play the piano a little so he sits down and helps them. He learned the F sharp a few weeks back and was SO excited. Mrs. Miller said she has never seen a child so excited about the F sharp. I am very proud of him though, he will often just sit down and start playing like you can see above, that was Anna's little birthday party and he decided to play. I hope he always enjoys it.

Sea World

I decided (totally on a whim) to take a trip to Florida. My mom has never been on a plane before and since we had 5 days off for Memorial Day weekend, I thought, why not go to Florida for a few days? My plan was for my mom and I to take all three kids to Florida and just hang out. I don't want to do Disney yet because I want to wait until all three are a little older and we can enjoy the experience as a family and go for an extended time.

After my mother in law found out we were going, she really wanted to keep Anna home. So I called the car rental and cancelled the baby car seat, and called the hotel and got the crib out of the room. When I realized we were going with just the two boys, I decided to do something fun and that was Sea World. I didn't think it would be enjoyable bringing a baby in the 90 degree weather and sit in a stroller all day so if Anna were going, we wouldn't have went to Sea World. I went to Sea World when I was in fourth grade with my family and loved it.

We went to Sea World for two days and saw every animal, and every show they offered. They started Memorial Day weekend to stay open late and have fire works every night. In the one night shot you can see the show 'Shamu Rocks'. It was rock and roll music and the Shamu did different tricks. I really liked that show.

There was an Elmo show too and the boys got to see the characters and I have pictures. The boys really enjoyed the show.

I highly recommend Sea World. Everything in Orlando seems over the top. I think you could stay in Orlando for a month and not see everything. We just did Sea World and it took us two days. They also have an Aquatica park which is a water park and Discovery Cove where you get personal interaction with the animals or something? It's all part of the Sea World family or something like that. You could get a ticket to all three parks but we're not ready for that yet. I would like to do that some day when the kids are older maybe. But Sea World was clean and everyone was nice. There were lots of places to park strollers and you could get everything you needed such as bathing suits and towels. We found this one spot where the kids area was, that was like the mom's resting area or something. There were bathrooms where the toilet was close to the floor for little kids, and there was a baby high chair and rooms to nurse. There was also a vending machine outside where you could buy pacifiers and wipes. I thought that was cute. But I think that Sea World is part of Busch Gardens and Sesame Place is as well. And you know how much I love Sesame Place.... I just looked online to book the breakfast with Elmo in July.

It was a wonderful trip and I hope to go again sometime with the five of us.

Grahamsville Gallop

Every spring (for the past 38 years Mr. I announced today) they have had the Grahamsville Gallop. It is a race for anyone that can walk basically. Chip and I ran in it when we were younger. I moved to the area when I was in fourth grade. We didn't have the track then. I had to run 800 meters around the parking lot and I took off like a shot (like most kids do) and died probably 200 meters into it and probably got last, I don't remember.

The boys have been 'running' in the race since they were 16 months or so. That race is always a riot. Kids are crying, Adam turned around and went the opposite direction, stopped, waved to my parents and did a dance. It was hilarious. That is usually the 2 and under or 3 and under race. They always separate the races by gender and age, 4 year old girls, 5 year old boys, etc. When you are in the 3 and under race, you run 80 m, 4 year olds run 100 meters, 5 year olds run 200 meters, everyone else runs 400 meters up to 11 year olds run 800 meters.

I don't like to be one to brag about my kids. Of course I think they are just great because they are my kids and of course they are smart and beautiful and everything else every parent thinks of their child. BUT.... Adam is pretty darn fast. He has won every Grahamsville Gallop except the one I mentioned above where he got last. He ran this one mostly in the fourth lane and when I yelled to him to move over, he stopped in the middle of the race and looked at me for a milli-second. He has his father's natural stride and grace when it comes to running, he really does. He also has stamina. When we brought him to the track the other night, he ran a mile, 4 times around, no joke. He has that competitive edge about him too.

Van got fourth in his age group. Van doesn't seem to have the competitive edge that Adam has. He just is very laid back and does his own thing. We were watching the video and when they said go, he just stood there for a while. Van definitely marches to the beat of his own drum and I love that.

Something that is funny (but not really) is that we have camera issues EVERY Grahamsville Gallop. One time I taped it, and I was cheering and whatnot and missed most of the actual people, but got just a bare track and some random people's feet. So I was called off the video detail. Another year we gave the video camera to someone else and the same sort of thing happened. Another year we dropped the actual camera after Van's race so we didn't have a camera for Adam's race. This year, Chip insisted on doing the video taping. Van's race (which was first) was video taped, but no still shots, I think because we just weren't thinking. I was down at Van's race for the start, Chip was at the finish videotaping, and we just didn't hand anyone the camera. For Adam's race, I was with him at the start, we gave Chip's sister the still camera and she took shots but Chip thought he had the video camera on and never pressed record. He is beside himself. Maybe ONE year we will get it right. Next year we'll have three kids running though so that adds another opportunity for something to go awry. :)

Every time before a Grahamsville Gallop, I get nervous. I feel my heart rate increase when we pull in to the track. I know it is ridiculous. I told Chip about it today and he said, "bringing back past memories." I think he is right. At the end of the race they have a mom's and dad's race. You have to run 400 meters and guess what your time will be and the closest person to their time wins. Chip ran the race with the moms and the dads. I felt very proud to see him run. He won of course because he just has a God-given talent. He really does. He ran 67 seconds. 67 seconds just hopping on the track and running a lap!! He thought he would run 70 seconds so he was only off by 3. Someone guessed their time right on the nose! Can you believe that?

It was a fun day though- it brought back a lot of memories, we had a lot of laughs, and my heart just swelled with pride when I watched my boys (and man) work their magic around the track. :)

When the daffodils bloom

For the last few years my mother in law has been buying daffodil bulbs and has planted them all along the hill. She likes to call it daffodil hill. :) They start at the bottom where it is clear, as you can see and pretty much go all the way up to the farm. She has planted some by Chip's stone house you can see above, and along the flagpole, etc. She ordered a bunch more and thinks she has planted over a thousand bulbs. I took this picture for her, and a bunch of others, and would like to put them in a frame. I think she would like that.



Last year Adam kept asking, when is the baby coming, when is the baby coming? And my mother-in-law would say, "When the daffodils bloom." This year I am having a hard time with the daffodils blooming.



Last year the daffodils came and went actually. :) You can see that this picture was taken on April 8, today is the 20th and they are still in bloom. We had that really hot streak last year for a couple of days, right around April 28 if I remember when I was due. And Anna decided to hold out until May 3rd.



I basically think I have been in denial about her birthday. It's just in a week or so, and I have refused to think about it until recently. I just thought about the fact that I am going to order her a cake from my very good friend that makes beautiful cakes. And our family just picked out the date that we are going to celebrate it. (The day before is my grandfather's 92nd and Anna shares the day with my dad so we have a busy few days). I also need to put in some thought of what I want to get her. But I am very reluctant to turn that calendar to May.



Here are some ways I am convincing myself she is still a baby:

-She keeps her hands in fists (I mean not always but you know when you're a baby and your hands are in the rested state and they are in fist form?) She still does that.
-She looks like a baby.
-She talks like a baby.
-She doesn't have many teeth.
-She doesn't have a lot of hair.
- Her legs are still a little bow-legged.
-She can't walk.
-She takes two naps.
-She sleeps in a crib.
-She doesn't wear shoes for the traditional purpose.

So now that I am done convincing myself, I hope I can enjoy the special day with my BABY daughter. I love her to pieces. She melts my heart. I will post some pictures of her big day in a few weeks. :)

What Anna has been up to

Job status

I am happy to report that I still have a job. Unfortunately for a lot of people, they lost their jobs on Friday. If you would like to read an article in a local newspaper, here is the link below:

http://www.sc-democrat.com/news/0003March/26/news.htm


Three administrators are being cut, 35 teachers (with an aditional 11 retiring) and 12 support staff as well as a school is closing. We lost 8 teachers in our building alone I think, about 20 elementary in the district. It has been very stressful for a lot of people at work and it is very sad knowing that great teachers are being lost, and the probability of them finding a job anywhere soon is slim. Next year will be a very interesting year since we will be getting students from another school, and losing students as well. I will keep you posted if anything changes. We still have a buget to pass and that may make even more things change.

A year ago

Isn't the above quote the truth? I just found that and I LOVE it!!!!

For some reason the other day I pulled out the book in which I had made this blog made into. The book went from September '08 until just a few days before Anna was born, so it was about the end of April '09. It was fun to look at. The majority of it was about my pregnancy and I realized a few things. One- I made a lot of grammatical errors so I apologize for that. Two- I am kinda anal. When I was reading over my 'To-Do' list before I had Anna and all the things I wanted to get done and had already done, I was almost annoyed at myself. But anyway, I came across this post which is almost exactly one year ago:

http://farmkids-julie.blogspot.com/2009/03/big-change.html

I decided I wanted to write my thoughts about teaching and the effect it has had on our family and I since I found out that I was getting back into it after being home for four and a half years.

As you have figured out by now by reading my blog or just knowing me for an extended amount of time, I am a planner. I have an idea of how I want my life to go on a larger scale as in years and years. And I also plan what I am going to have for dinner each night and what day I go to the grocery store. I like to be in control of these things and I feel that if I have a plan and make it happen, my life will be less stressful in the long run. Teaching is all about planning. Well, maybe it is for me anyway. People may say that cooking doesn't take any planning either but for me it obviously does. I have to know what I am teaching a week in advance or I feel completely frazzled. I think this is one reason why I like teaching though, I am in control of what I do in my classroom. I call the shots, I plan what we are doing, and it has a constant flow to it. One friend posted on facebook she is never bored when she goes to work, and if that ain't the truth! Teaching is most definitely not boring, and it has sort of a quick pace which I enjoy. Staying home with the kids DEFINITELY does not have a quick pace to it.

I think that as much as I would hate to admit it, I enjoy going to work more than staying home. I also truly believe that God is looking out for me, knows what I can handle and knows what is best for me. I think He knew that having Anna and staying home with all three kids would have put me over the edge. I think He gave me an out before I knew what I was in for. And I think that He knows that I really enjoyed my job and this was a perfect way for me to keep all my family members alive. :)

I do get stressed some days, and I do have bad days at work. I am tired sometimes and I welcome a snow day now and again. But I am genuinely happy at work. There is not another profession I would choose for myself. Sometimes I wish I did things a little differently in my classroom, or my lessons don't go as I had planned but I am striving to do better and I think I will.

My kids don't seem any worse for the wear. They still are here on the farm every day, out in the barn, doing their thing. Chip is home 2-3 days a week. Life is fine. I am a little sad that I can't take Van and Anna to The Little Gym like I did with Adam. And I do sometimes wonder if I 'missing' their baby years. But I work 180 days a year, I am here for half of it.

And with that said, a year after I make the choice of going back to work, I find out, there is a good possibility that I may not have a job next year. I don't know if you have been reading the local papers lately but Monticello Central School District (and I guess other schools in the state as well) are losing A LOT of aid. From the meetings I went to, I guess Monticello is being cut by 4.5 million dollars. We are being told that one of the elementary buildings may be closing. I would like to think that we will know this in about a month or so. Our principal and superintendent said that there will be 30 elementary teachers being cut possibly. Of course this goes by seniority, not buildings so even if another elementary building gets closed in our district, they will let go from the bottom There are about 130 elementary teachers in our district (if I read the seniority list correctly). Someone in our building said that is every fourth grade teacher in our building except for one! I am about 22 up from the bottom. Teachers in our district are in a panic not knowing if they will have a job next year or not. If I don't have a job, I sincerely believe that is God's will. Adam will be in school all day next year, I will be home with my other two kids. Maybe it would be His way of saying, 'Hey, you can handle it now. I'll take care of the rest.' I am not sure. I have a peace about it. I am not going to worry about it until I am really told one way or another. I went to one meeting where there were over 100 people. Residents are upset that a school may be closing and rightfully so. I don't know the answer. Our superintendent also has the reputation for getting everyone in a tizzy, and then miraculously making everything better. So we'll see. What will be will be. And I will be doing another post if anything drastically changes. :)

The incident

So after a long five days of snowstorms, we had a pretty relaxing Sunday. We went to church, I came home and cleaned the house. Van and Anna took their naps and I was pretty tired too because for some reason, Anna took to waking up at 5:30. I thought that was going to be her new wake up time but as soon as I went back to work, it resumed to the 6:15-6:30 routine. Anyway, all was going well, I had just cleaned the house and was looking forward to some down time, I took a little rest on the couch when Anna and Van did too. Then we lost power. Everyone had woken up at that point and I changed Anna's diaper. I went upstairs to call my mom since our phone wasn't working downstairs because we didn't have power. Van asked if he could put the powder away after I changed Anna and I said yes. I took Anna upstairs and called my mom.

Well, I get downstairs after the phone call and you can see above what had happened. Apparently, the powder didn't make it back to it's designated location. I was peeved to say the least. I couldn't vacuum it because we didn't have powder and even so, it wouldn't have been the best choice because fine dust like that shouldn't enter the vacuum. I opened up all the windows in the house because it was in the air, and I didn't want everybody breathing it. But then everybody got cold. I shouldn't have run the water but I did just a little because I had to wipe it up somehow. My now clean house was no more and since it was Sunday around 4ish and we didn't have electric, it wasn't getting really clean again any time soon. The boys were just absolutely covered. I had to wash Van's eyelids. I think they learned their lesson. They went to bed without stories that night and a half hour earlier than normal.

Three of my favorite things

Adam-

We have Adam reading now and Chip taught him about exclamation points and question marks. Whenever he comes to an exclamation point now he SCREAMS! It's pretty funny. All I can think of right now is there is this one sentence that is, "You can too!" And of course he says, "You can TOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" It's pretty deafening actually.


Van-

Something Van has started saying which I guess he has picked up from Adam who I think picked it up from me is, "Actually" As in, "Van, do you want a peanut butter sandwich or pizza." And he will say, "A peanut butter sandwich. Actually, pizza." It's cute. He says it several times a day.

Anna-

I totally get that my kids, (Anna included) are like in the 10th percentile for weight. Anna weighed in at 16.5 pounds at her 9 month appointment and she was like 9 and a half months. But anyway. I love her fat hands and feet. The little dimples in her knuckles and the way I have to dig in between each finger go get the grime out is just cute to me. And her toes are like CRAMMED on her feet. They look so fat like they can't even move. Very cute.

Happy Birthday Adam!

My Adam is five years old this year. I like this picture of him because he is laughing and it was one of the ones we were trying to take for the Christmas photo. I know I used to say that I always think of their birthdays when it gets to American Idol time and this year I haven't been watching it so it didn't really strike a chord with me.

One thing that I always forget about, but am then reminded of it at the time is the 'Sullivan County Heart-a-thon'. I remember clear as day when I was pregnant with Adam and on bedrest I guess (I was taken out of work and put on bedrest for high blood pressure, even though I never asked for the REAL meaning of bed-rest, I just sort of took it easy), I was up in what is now Anna's room, but was my computer and craft area, on the floor making scrapbook pages waiting for his arrival. I had the radio on the floor as well and I was listening to the heart-a-thon because they put it on each year. This year, the heart-a-thon is tomorrow.

Adam is a great kid. I got a letter from a parent this year explaining to me about her daughter which I was about to have her in class. (Which I don't recommend from a teacher's perspective.) But anyway, I remember her saying, 'You will never have a problem with 'Maude'.' I am not saying that just because a parent says that, that is always the case. I had another parent tell me this year that her daughter is the smartest kid I'll ever have. Another thing I don't recommend, and in this case, is NOT true. But anyway, I feel that way about Adam and the first parent. I don't think anybody will ever have a problem with him and his behavior. He is a good boy, he listens and has a strong conviction of what is right and wrong. And he is pretty smart I might say because I am his mom. But never would I ever say he's the smartest kid anybody will ever have. Are you kidding me with these people?

Five years old is an awesome age I have decided. (And I am a pretty big fan of three too, but I won't get into that now.) They can use the bathroom, put on their shoes, pick up their toys, play together, watch a show while you take a shower, do crafts, go to fun places. I am LOVING this age range. Adam loves to play with all of his trucks and farm equipment. I am really happy he is still at this stage in his life. Honestly, for Christmas we got him some transformer things and Batman things because it seemed like he was interested it in. But he doesn't play with any of that stuff and that kinda makes me happy. I think he'll have time for all of that and the Bakugan stuff or whatever it is in a couple of years. I think he's a genuine five and I like that. We are planning on going to Sesame Place this year again. He still sleeps with Elmo each night and would be upset if he were missing but I don't think he responds to the show as he used to. My oldest boy. Last night he was buttering up to me. He was saying that I make the best food and do the best things and am the best mom and when he dies he wants to be between me and Daddy. Huh? How did that one get thrown in there? He's a piece of work and I love him.

Just for fun

Anna- 9 months

Van- 9 months (look at those two teeth sticking out!) :)

Adam 2 years 9 months, Van- 9 months

Adam- 9 months

Happy Birthday Van!

My sweet Van turns three this coming Saturday. I love all these pictures I posted of him. His sweet little innocent face the day he was born. And then all the other pictures of him being his crazy self. I believe he has had the 'terrible twos' for half of his little life. It started when he was about 18 months and still continues. He doesn't bang his head on things or people anymore thank God but he still will melt onto the floor. He is 110% boy as you can tell in the last picture. He likes trucks, tractors, four wheelers, snowplows and dirt. He's always fixing, digging or getting into something. He has a mind of his own and knows how to get his brother's goat.

I still think of him as a baby. I know I shouldn't but I do. And I call him baby too on occasion which sometimes he responds to and other times he'll say, "I'm not a baby!" I love his angelic little face and the way he marches to his own beat. Happy birthday to my sweet sweet boy. I love him to pieces.

Daddy's girl

Anna and her daddy have quite a thing going on. I love the last picture of the two of them. He plays with her like she is a little boy and she loves every minute of it. I have to say he doesn't treat her like a little girl at all and I don't think she even knows she is a little girl. She always grunts and growls, never a little dainty coo. And when she gets in her jumper, she goes insane. You can't walk by her without her trying to smash into you. She crawls after the boys and grabs their trucks and pushes them around. Chip calls her his little diesel mechanic because he is convinced that she is going to grow up and be one.

This morning when I go and get her out of her crib, she has a rubber football in her bed. I yell into Chip, 'Do you know that Anna has a football in her bed?' "Oh yeah", he said, "I put that in there with her last night when I put her to bed. She likes it."..... Huh? I think. It actually cracks me up to see them together. She gets SO excited when he comes home from work and she gets to see him. I am anxious to see how she is when she is older. I am going to keep dressing her in dresses and hope for the best. :)