Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth!

Because I'm haaaappppppyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Life is GOOD, people!

We sold the property we had in Brown County!
I'm taking dance lessons with my husband!
I significantly exceeded my current weight loss goal!
Positive job changes are on the horizon!

WE'RE LEAVING FOR THE BAHAMAS IN 32 HOURS!!!

And, I have cutest kiddos ever.

Stuff I Don't Want to Forget.

I must admit, I keep a weird blog.

I guess what I'm sayin is, sometimes you tune in and get funny stuff, sometimes you get griping and moaning, sometimes you get weight loss stories and sometimes you get run of the mill, everyday life boring stuff.  Regardless of why you stop by, I hope I entertain you at least some of the time.  Thanks for reading!

On that note, the creation of the blog books have changed the way I blog a little bit.  I feel compelled to document all sorts of stories and milestones that are interesting to me (and perhaps the babies' grandparents) but probably not that exciting to anyone else reading this.  But, since it's going to go down in the history books (literally), for my kids and grandkids to read some day, I go ahead and put it on the internet today.

Lily:

• She's loves to tell me, "I love you TOO, Mommy."  She wants me to say, "I love you" so she can respond "I love you TOO!" And then she wants me to say, "I love you TOO, Lily!"  So she can say, "I love you TOO, Mommy."  Sometimes she wants to have the last word and sometimes she wants me to have the last word.  It's hard to tell when she wants what so it's a guess each time (no doubt designed to prolong my putting her to bed or dropping her off at school.... smart little thang).
• She's very much in to "I tricked you!"  For example, she'll say she wants princess snacks so you give them to her and then she'll giggle and say, "No I want Tinkerbell snacks!  I was just trickin' you!"  
• She makes up words.  She just strings random syllables together in complete gibberish and then looks up at you to see if you're listening.  She especially does this when she's "reading."  

Tyler:

• He grabs his behind and says "butt" when he's pooped and wants his diaper changed.  Once, he grabbed his butt and told Joel "dumpie" which is what Joel often calls a baby number 2 (he's so weird). Thoughts of potty training are starting to enter my head..... 
• About 3-4 weeks ago, Tyler started calling me "Mommy" (instead of "Mama"); Joel and I both tried for a few days to get him back on Mama but it was a pointless exercise.  Sissy calls me Mommy so that's what he calls me.  Sniffle, sniffle.  Stop growing up, Tyler.  
• It was a week or two before that when he stopped calling Joel "Dada" and he became "Daddy."  I don't think Joel was as bothered by this transition as I was.  

Baby Ailments.

I really thought Lily broke her toe last night.  I'm not exactly sure what happened, but I think that she was trying to climb or stand on her little chair and it slipped out from under her and then maybe landed on the top of her foot?  It instantly turned purple and was really swollen and she wailed louder and longer than I've ever heard her wail after an injury.  But smart Daddy to the rescue...... distract her with a popsicle and she's fine.

Tyler's been pretty crabby the last several days and looking like he doesn't feel good.  Yesterday he even fell sleep in his Daddy's arms in the middle of the afternoon - something he hasn't done in months and months.  This morning he woke up with a fever and he's really been pulling on his ear so I took him to the doctor.  But he's fine.  He has a cold.  That'll be $57 please.

Other than that, been a mighty fine weekend so far!

The Adventures in Babysitting: Part Deux.

Last night we had Maya come back and babysit for us again.  Joel and I are taking salsa dance lessons once per week!  What fun!

What wasn't fun?  The look on Tyler's face the doorbell rang and he saw Maya standing there.  Even though the last time went really well, Tyler got really clingy (again) after that night.  Not wanting us out of his sight, crawling up Joel's legs, etc.  So I was a little concerned but figured it would be ok.  He'll be ok.

He immediately launched himself at Joel and started wailing.  Lily was ok about Maya being there until Tyler got really wound up and then she got wound up and started in with "But Mommy, I want YOU to read me a story tonight!  I want YOU to read me a story!!"

We tried distracting them by taking them outside to ride their trikes.  That didn't work.  As soon as we started for the car, they'd both bolt off their bikes and tackle us.  

I finally said, "Joel we just have to go.  NOW."  We kissed Lily 17 times and told her she was going to have fun with Maya and handed a screaming, wiggling 20 month old over to the 15 year old babysitter and bee-lined for the car.

Boy, it was HARD to pull out of the drive way.  But then, I remembered my husband was taking me dancing.  So then I was ok.

When we got home at 9pm, I half expected at least Lily to still be awake since she was so adamant that I read her a story.  But she wasn't.  Both kiddos were sound asleep in their beds.

Maya said that Tyler calmed down after a couple minutes outside.  But then it looked like rain so they went back in.  Maya tried talking to Tyler, but every time she did, he cried.  So she just let him play by himself which he was apparently content to do.  Then it was bedtime and Maya said, Ok time to brush teeth and Tyler started crying again.  Poor fella.  Normally he takes off running for the bathroom when we say that.  She said he fussed a little bit during that but eventually calmed down and let her read him a story and then went to bed no problem.  Lily also went to bed no problem.  Whew.  

**************

I hate pictureless posts so here's a couple unrelated pictures of the kids gluing popsicle sticks to paper tonight.  One of the kids found the popsicle sticks in my "office" over the weekend and they've been playing  with (and fighting over) them ever since.  Tonight, Lily wanted to glue them.  I fully expect her to regret this decision in the morning and she'll pull them back off the paper.

(e)Ssentially the Same

Lily said that to me yesterday and I can't for the life of me remember what she was comparing, but she totally used that phrase in the correct context.  Sometimes I can't believe the words that come out of her mouth.  

She's big time in to telling stories.  Sometimes she "reads" books and makes up stories as she goes along.  Sometimes she sits on the toilet and just talks and talks.  We had this conversation recently while she was sitting on the thrown:

Lily:  Does Daddy have a husband?

Me:  No.  Daddy is a husband.  Daddy has a wife.  I'm Daddy's wife.  

Lily:  Who else is Daddy's wife?

Me:  No one.  Daddy only has one wife.  

Lily:  Well, Daddy is my husband.

Me:  Oh?  Did you get married?

Lily:  Yes!  And I was all dressed up in my Sofia dress and it was very beautiful and I had on my Sofia shoes but I didn't have on any socks because socks are slippery and you can fall and we were married in The Sanctuary and it was really beautiful.  And then Daddy was my hubs-sand. And Tyler was there too.  

So, little girls really do want to marry their Daddies!  

I had such a lovely Mother's Day.  The kids were AMAZING.  I mean seriously, so wonderful all day.  They played so well together, kept the bickering to a minimum, (mostly) ate their food without a fight.   The kind of day that makes me want to quit my job immediately and stay home with them.  But then, I remember the day prior.  Basically the complete opposite of a perfect day - they both cried, whined, bickered, and fought with everybody and everything all day long.  At one point, I contemplated dropping them off at the humane society.  Kidding!  Kidding!  Sort of.

Back to Mother's Day.  Joel had the kiddos make me a card with their hand prints.  Joel pointed out that Tyler's hands are catching up to Lily's and I teared up a little.  Then I read the poem Joel wrote and we all teared up a little more.  So sweet.  I also got several accessories for my bicycle which I loved.  The kids helped me open the presents which is to say they opened them. 

The kids also brought me lovely crafts from school.  Tyler's sunshine footprints and Lily's hand prints.  

Lily also brought me something that she planted herself.  I'm not sure what it is (the tag says "cosmos" - maybe that's a flower?) and I'm not at all confident that it will actually grow because the plant was dropped upside down 3 times.  Yes, it had to be dropped 3 times before I was wise enough to put it in the windowsill where it couldn't be reached by clumsy Lily hands (which she comes by honestly from her mother....).

I need to balance out my post with some stories about Tyler.  This boy is an absolute joy.  His personality is totally coming in to it (as well as a touch of the terrible twos.... oh yes, they are starting to rear their ugly little heads).  

• When he's not totally melting down, he's such a polite little feller and says "please" and "thank you" very regularly with no prompting.  
• In the car when he wants to listen to the radio or wants you to change the station to something other than commercials, he yells "Song!  SONG!" and continues yelling until you find an acceptable music selection.  
• He has broken my heart no less than 17 times in the last month because he loves to "go."  It doesn't matter where it is, if he sees you going for your shoes he runs and finds his shoes, brings them to you, plops down in front of you and hollers "SHOES!  Bye-bye!  Shoes!!"  I often take just Lily with me when I go to the store and poor Tyler wants to go so bad.  Sometimes I cave and take him.  And sometimes I hold back tears because Lily wants "Mommy and Me" time and I need to give that to her so that means poor Tyler-man stays home.  But he's getting "Daddy and Me" time which is very important too. 
• But, sometimes we need to switch it up to give alone time with the opposite parent.  We aren't doing a good job of that mostly because generally Lily prefers me and Tyler prefers his Daddy so to avoid (minimize) fits we just divide and conquer along those lines.  We need to work on that.  Anywho....
• He wants to do WHATEVER his sister is doing.  She runs.  He runs.  She picks flowers.  He picks flowers.  She pushes a baby stroller.  He pushes his grocery cart (after we convince him that he can't steal Lily's stroller).  She gets a drink.  He wants a drink.  She jumps on the bed.  He jumps on the bed.  You get the idea....

Joel is going to kill me for putting this on the internet.  But it's too freaking cute not to.  That is Tyler wearing Lily's Sofia high heels (on the wrong feet).  And let me just say that he maneuver's better in them than Lily does.  Which I will contribute to the fact that his feet are smaller and not very far up on to the high part of the heel and more of his foot fits in the toe part.  Hysterical seeing him walk around in these.  (I also like how he's holding his jammies pants leg like it's his princess skirt.  I think this is pure coincidence but a really funny one.)

OH!  I almost forgot to mention a major milestone in the Basham household.  Joel and I actually hired a babysitter on Friday night for the first time ever!  We found a girl in our neighborhood who is finishing up her Freshman year in high school and we had her watch the kids.  She did great and the kids did great and we will most definitely be doing THAT again.  

Lily remembered Maya from when we met her and her Dad a couple weeks ago.  Lily wanted to know if Maya was going to bring her dog.  No, honey, she's not bringing her doggie.  Lily remembered that Maya gave her a drink of water at Maya's house.  Then Lily asked if Maya's Daddy was coming too.  It was so cute.  She was really curious and totally ok with it.  Tyler, on the other hand, sensed right away that something was up and he totally melted down.  We had just sat the kids down to dinner when Maya arrived.  Tyler was so distraught he wouldn't eat.  We finally just had to leave.  I told Maya that if Tyler didn't calm down in a minute or two, she could take the kids and their food outside to have a picnic which would likely distract them both.  She ended up doing that and then both kids were good as gold the rest of the evening.  Whew!

What did Joel and I do with our date night, you might ask?  Hang on to your socks, folks.  Mattress shopping, dinner at Columbus Bar, belt shopping and Ritters (ice cream).  And we got home 20 minutes early because I was tired and we had nowhere else we wanted to go.  Hahahaha!

Cruisin'.

Yep.  That's the car seats strapped in to the back seat of the Bronco.  The weather was really nice yesterday so Joel decided to take the kids for a ride.  He texts me a picture and I can hardly believe my eyes.

Apparently the kiddos thought this was a great adventure!  At first Joel was just going to drive them around a little bit.  But then, he decided, why not have a destination in the plan?  Mommy's not with us!  We can go where ever we want and we don't have to deal with Mommy's diet!  Ice cream it is.

Joel said they grinned the whole way.  Loved every minute.  I bet they did!  Sun on their skin!  Wind in their hair!  Ice cream in their bellies!  The stuff memories are made of.  Doesn't get much better than that.  

Leapin' Lizzards!

We had a convening of the Fonner sisters and our offspring in Evansville this weekend.  It was so nice to do this because every time we've gotten together since Christmas, it's been for someone's birthday.  And while the birthday parties are a lot of fun, it means that at least one sister is distracted and busy and we can't really just sit around and talk.

 

We got 0 pictures of all the babies together.  How does this always not happen?  Grr.

 

I did however get these ridiculous cute pictures of Tyler wearing Jenny's Mickey hat sideways.  We kept turning it the right and he'd take it off and put it back on with the ears going front to back.

 

We went to this bouncy house place.  Oh my, it was SO. MUCH. FUN.  Both my kiddos thought it was a grand time.  Lily is my apprehensive child and Tyler is a little dare devil.  Nothing scares him.  Well, almost nothing.  I took a few pictures, but they all pretty much suck.  Do you know how hard it is to take pictures, with your cell phone, while you are bouncing? 

 

 

 

 

The best part were these slides.  I loved them.  The kids loved them.  It was awesome.  The only bad part was that Tyler couldn't really climb up the ladder by himself (even though he thought he could).  He would try to climb and I would be there supporting him one painstakingly slow rung at a time which meant that we created quite the log jam of eager kiddos desperate to zoom to the top and slide down.  So most of the time, I would scoop him up and carry him to the top.  Well after a dozen or so times, I was EXHAUSTED!

 

 

And if you think bounce houses are exciting, wait til you hear what happened after we got home!

 

Mom asked for some help getting a recliner from the basement up to her bedroom.  Jenny and I set off to get this done and when Jenny hits the basement landing she shrieks, "Oh my GOD!  Is that real?" 

 

So I get down the steps and see this.

 

 

That's a lizard.  In my mother's basement.  It was about 8 inches long and a grayish brownish color.  Never seen anything like it my life and certainly not IN MY HOUSE.

 

I said, "Daaaaaad?!  Where are you?!?!?!"  I find it so crazy that I just told that lizard story last week and here we are faced with another lizard. 

 

So, I did what any self respecting woman would do when there's no man around to deal with a reptile.  I got a shoe box and my big girl panties and I captured that lizard!  Jenny was supposed to catch the whole thing on video, but she was too busy shrieking like a big fat sissy and didn't get it done.  She said I was shrieking too; but, frankly, I don't know she could possibly know this given how loud she was hollering. 

 

After capturing the beast, I said, "Now what?"  Jenny said, "We let it go.  But first we have to show the kids!"

 

They were fascinated.  Jackson moved to touch the lizard a couple times and I though Jenny was going to lose her sh*t. 

 

 

And yes, my son is hanging out in the front yard in his skivvies.  He had just woken up from his nap as I was coming through the house holding a shoebox lizard so he just joined the train of people outside to check it out.  What a cute little fellar. 

 

 

School Pictures.

Amaya, Lily, Katelyn, Carmen

Jordan, Miss Kenvis, Cindy

Ava, Tre, Charlotte, Joshua

??, Miss Cortney, Gauri, Miss Courtney, Camden, Kennedy, Miss Pamela, Natalie

Grayden, Marco, Tyler, Anaza