{New babies}

We spent our Spring break in Idaho at Grandmas house. The kids were so excited to get to go and see grandparents and cousins and run to their little hearts content at the Place. I am starting at the end and working my way back to the beginning of our week. One of the fun things to experience while at Papa Chip's house is seeing a new calf be born. We have always just missed seeing the new babies come. Either they happen right before we get there or they happen right after we leave. Well we got lucky this time. We had two babies born while we were there. One we didn't get to see because it happened really early in the morning (more to come on that baby) and one we got a front row seat to see.

This little guy was born our last full day at the Place. His mama, Oreo as we lovingly call her, was showing signs all week of being about ready to pop. We had planned on having a family movie night to watch Tangled with all the cousins that night. Right after dinner and right after everyone arrived for the movie Papa came in to say that Oreo had started. You didn't need to say anything more and all those kids were headed down the hill to watch this baby being born. Cows usually go off by themselves to have their babies in peace and quiet but luckily for us (and the fact that Oreo was closed up in the front pasture) we got to witness the birth. At first we were up on the hill watching from afar because a tribe of kids can't be quiet enough for a mama cow to be able to settle down enough to have her baby. But once that baby dropped we loaded up in the back of Papa's truck and we were off to get a closer look. Once down on the road close to the new baby there were lots of questions about placentas and umbilical cords and the deep burning question of what gender the baby was. Basically the facts of life were discussed, analyzed, and debated among a group of kids ages 12-2. Pretty interesting stuff I tell ya. They also named the little one Oreo Milkshake, which makes total sense to a bunch of kids...... We couldn't resist waiting around to see the baby stand up and start to nurse. We cheered with each slip and fall of the baby, practically willing it to it's feet. Oreo was a great mama. She was right there licking and helping every time the little guy would fall and then try again to get up.

Finally there was success and though while very wobbly, he didn't fall down again and chased his mama around for his dinner. We finally left them alone and headed back up to the house to start our movie. Although I think some of us felt like we had already watched the main attraction. It is sure to be something my kids remember for a long while.

{Opening Day}

I know it has been a month since I last posted and there are so many pictures waiting on my computer to be put up on the blog. My life feels a little crazy right now and I feel like I am running in circles not getting anything done. So I am going to start from yesterday and work my way back over the last month.

Yesterday officially started our baseball season around here. Thankfully we had good weather, which means we didn't necessarily have sunshine but we didn't have any rain. We are thankful for the little things. Ayden moved up a level this year, which means that the kids pitch and not the machine. I am amazed actually at how many balls get into the catcher and how many the ump actually called strikes. Ayden is on the Minnesota Twins this year and so far is loving it. Each year we see improvement in his abilities and his coach is pleased with his level of ability as well. The boys get to run onto the opening ceremony field while we rock out to some tunes. It is fun for them and fun for us to watch. Makes them feel like real big league ball players, which I am sure 98% of the kids that play want to be when they grow up at the point. Again, Ayden is the only lefty on his team. He didn't have the greatest hitting day. He struck out once, and was walked his two other at bats. Ayden's great day came while playing defense. He caught a pop fly and while playing at first got a few guys out. The coach was moving the kids around the field to see where each would play the best in a game situation. Ayden played shortstop, first and even got to pitch to a few batters. They ended up winning the game 11-9. Ryan says all is right in the world again now that it is baseball season. We will have fun watching Ayden this year.

{A Decade}

We are officially at the end of an era. For the last ten years we have been buying diapers. I don't think I even want to know how much money has been spent on that many diapers. I might have a breakdown if I knew the real number. But I am happy (and so is my checkbook) to say that I won't be buying them any longer. Wyman is pretty much potty trained. I say pretty much only because we have been doing it for barely a week but he is already accident free, going #2 in the toilet and this morning he woke up dry and promptly went potty. I would say that is "pretty much" potty trained.

Potty training my kids has been my least favorite things to do in this business of motherhood. Really it is nothing more than a battle of wills (at least it has been with my kids) and you are basically trying to convince a two year old who has just realized that he/she can make decisions for himself that going potty is a really cool thing. Some kids buy into it, others don't. Wyatt made me really step up my game this time around.

Months ago he was showing signs of getting ready to learn the finer art of going potty in a toilet. I ran out and bought underwear and skittles to use as bait. He thought it was a great idea until he had to try sitting on the toilet and then he knew I had some how tricked him into something he wanted no part of. He had accident after accident and I could see that he was just not ready yet. So each and every time I changed his diaper from then on I would tell him that he needed to tell me when he needed to go potty and I made a huge deal of the poopy diapers and how yucky they were. He got to the point that while changing diaper after diaper he could tell me where he was suppose to have gone potty but didn't. Well the other day he came up to me and said "Mom, I'm wet, you need to change me." Literally, word for word. Then later on in the say he came to me and told he me was poopy and that I needed to change his diaper. He even told me that it was disgusting. That is when I had an epiphany. If this little person was big enough to tell me that he was wet only moments after peeing in his diaper and the same with pooping then by golly he was big enough to be doing it in the toilet. That next morning he woke up to no more diapers. They were no where to be seen, he looked all over for them but to no avail. So he reluctantly donned a pair of Buzz Lightyear undies and we were off to the store get a big prize for when he went poop in the toilet. To be honest it was that easy. He had only one accident that day. The next day he earned his big prize and had again only one accident. He has been great ever since, including going to church and the store. We had a minor hiccup when we were at Ayden's baseball practice and all that was available was a honey hut. He was having nothing to do with that puppy, but who can blame him really.

I still have a pack of diapers leftover from a Costco size box that I will use for night times but other than that there is no more diapers to be purchased for this family. Hallelujah! Now onto the next milestone, getting Lauryn to tie her own shoes, which in our family is prerequisite for going to Kindergarten.

{Pinewood Derby 2011}

Ayden participated in his second Pinewood Derby last Saturday. It is amazing how much better the kid does when his parents have a clue about how to help him put together his car. Sadly Ryan and I were obviously out of the loop last year. Heck we didn't even know about weights or graphite for the wheels. This year Ayden did pretty much everything by himself including the painting. Along with his parents being better prepared Ayden did much better this year. In fact he got 8th place this year instead of like 28th last year.
(this is the smile I get when I tell him to not show is teeth. I guess I get what I ask for huh!!?)
This was the competition for this years race. There were some really creative designs.

This boy had such a good time racing his car this year. He is enjoying his time in Scouts for sure.

{Heaven Help Me}

This child will not stay out of my kitchen. I don't understand his fascination with it but it is driving me crazy. I can't cook in peace anymore due to him having to be right in the middle of me and the utensils and pans and food. Even when I am not in the kitchen he is. As he was on this morning a few weeks ago. By looking at the counter you can imagine what the floor looked like. I think he went through an entire bottle of sprinkles for heaven knows what recipe. Instead of getting mad, which was my initial feeling I got my camera instead so I could get evidence. When this young man is a world renowned chef I am going to have proof that he started at a very young age.

Oh yeah and he has some aversion to his new bed. He would rather sleep cramped in his laundry basket than in a nice warm, soft bed. Just this last week he has finally figured it out. I guess sleeping on the floor for a year will do that to a person.