Project Zone

Who in their right mind paints a ceiling any color other than white? (this one is yellow, if you can't tell) Oh, and that light fixture? Gone.
Sadly, the camo fighter jets and helis don't match with that girly headboard...we're gonna fix THAT!

This is where we started

Caterpillar Green is the happiest of colors! Don't YOU think so?

We're doing the legs of the headboard (waiting to be upholstered) too.

Getting there...
Upholstered, ta da!
Headboard, meet bed.

This is the current progress on Gunnar's room. He's bummed that we can't put everything up on the walls yet because we're waiting on the paint to cure. But after priming walls and the ceiling, two coats of white, then two coats of blue, not to mention the green, I feel like he should be happy to be sleeping in his bed again.

Once both rooms are totally put together, I'll post the finished product!

I need to rest now.

Winner's Circle

WE WON!
The only girl on the court ALL night.
The Half-time show.
Running in circles. She did this the whole hour....
Future baller?

Crush-tastic!

Gunnar had a secret last week...but he REALLY wanted to share it. He was standing right next to his friend, "Princess A.", and says

"We have a crush on each other".

Looking at Princess A., she confirms with a big smile and an enthusiastic nod of the head. And so it begins. A friend, who also happens to be a girl. For those of you who may be concerned about what I am or am not encouraging at this tender age, I simply said that it is GREAT to have good friends, girl or boy! (and Princess A.'s Mom feels the same..)

Since then drawings and notes and other various trinkets have made their way to and from school. Big grins and fun playdates are the norm. Twitterpation doesn't only happen in the Spring. Apparently.

Operation: Will ANYONE Notice??

We've had several beta fish over the last 7-8 years. The most recent one was blue, and was named Violet Beauregard by the kids. We have had it for about 4 years, which is the longest living of the fish thus far.

Around Christmas, I noticed that the fish wasn't as active and the water was looking cloudy although I had changed the water recently. I cleaned the little tank out again and hoped for the best, but, as I was cleaning it out I noticed the fish's body had a bend in it.

As I continued to check on him every day I noticed he wasn't eating the pellets I put in, 2 per day. I felt really bad just watching him starve himself day after day. And I started thinking, does anyone ever SEE this fish but me? Would anyone notice if one day it were gone?

Unwilling to watch this fish starve to death, on a Monday morning after the kids were at school, I ran a glass of COLD water, and euthanized the poor thing. It only took a few seconds before his little fishy mouth stopped moving, then I waited to make sure he wouldn't resuscitate in the warm sewer only to be eaten by a rat or something worse, and flushed him. I then threw out his tank and food. I've decided I'm done with the fishy pet thing....especially because it seems nobody else cares. I decided not to say anything to Chris or the kids and see how long it takes for anyone to notice....I waited, and waited, and waited.

Just as I suspected, nobody mentioned a thing. I finally asked Chris on Sunday night (just shy of a week, fishless) and he admitted he hadn't noticed. The kids still haven't, and it's been 10 days. The funny thing is when I mentioned this to my friend last night she told me that Gunnar was just telling her kids about his pet fish 2 days ago. So, maybe as long as they THINK they still have a pet, we don't actually have to own one. Now, that's MY kind of pet!

Milestones...

Now that she's 2, she's ready for the Big Girl Bed! Our Sydney Bear loves being BIG. She has been in her new bed with big girl sheets for 2 nights, and 2 naps, and LOVES it! (to the joyous relief of her Mommy)

We moved the girls into the bunkbed room, that was their brother's. We bought new bedding and moved the girly wall unit in, we even painted the wall looking out to the street PINK! We have to wait on the finishing touches a few more days until the paint cures, but they already love the changes.

In the meantime, I'm also fixing up the BOY room next door. More to come on that later....

It's MY party!

Sydney had such a nice birthday! We ordered PEE-PEE, I know that doesn't sound appetizing to you, but it's PIZZA. :) We opened presents, then we had cherry chip cake ala pepto colored frosting along with rainbow sherbet and cookie dough icecream. She still doesn't really like cake, but she loves her EYE-EYE, she had a little of both flavors!

She was a hoot opening presents. She had to do it HERself, and kept walking around the room to get away from her siblings who couldn't resist helping her. In the picture above with Gunnar, he was asking for a Thank You Hug for her twin dollies and she was openly rebuffing him! The Hello Kitty tent was a big hit, as you can see, she was trying to play in it while Dad was still setting it up.

While singing to her at cake time she sand "Happy Birthday TO ME!" She is gaining vocabulary SO fast, and it was a great moment to catch on video! So, now we have a full-fledged two year old!

Happy Birthday TWO you!

Sweet Sydney,

You're two today! Happy Birthday! It makes me stop and reflect, especially because you're our last baby, and those baby years are pretty much done. I am so grateful for your little personality and for all you contribute to our family.

You've had to grow up fast, with Sissy and Buddy to keep up with. They love to play with you - Savannah treats you like a real life doll (which sometime drives you crazy, especially when she tries to pick you up), while for Gunnar, you are his playmate-dream-come-true. You two can play together for hours and just be happy, "after Kindergarten time" has given you just that. You are up for anything, trucks, books, wrestling, hide-outs, blocks, babies, coloring, playdough, you love it all. You were out of the high chair and booster seat in record time because you wanted to sit on the big chairs like us.

You were a born Mommy's Girl, clingy as a baby, and it drove me a little nuts to not be able to hand you off or leave you with a baby sitter, but that has now turned into the right amount of cuddles as you seek your independence. You like to cuddle when you first get up in the morning, you are a grumpy bear if you don't get your "loves" in first thing.

You have the cutest little language that is growing by the day. You like to add BEE on the end of any old word. When we get ready to go, you say SHOESSSSS, HAT-BEE and COAT-BEE. Ice cream is EYE-EYE, popcorn is POP-POP. When you see a dog, you get so excited you say DOG and then GOD, forward and backwards. You also have one of the most heinous sweet-tooths I've ever seen. When you hear a candy wrapper or the clank of a spoon on your Dad's dessert bowl, even if you're in another room, you come yelling NUM NUM NUM NUM, until whoever it is with the treat can't imagine not sharing, or better yet, getting you some of your own.

You have the most developed sense of humor I've seen on a toddler. You laugh alot, and especially love slap-stick comedy. Your siblings have been known to trip over their own feet just to get a laugh out of you! You are also very sympathetic. While watching a TV program you'll see something sad happening and a tear will run down your cheek, you'll turn to me and say "I CHY" with your little lower lip sticking out.

You are very opinionated and can be stubborn, and Mom has had to pick her battles with you. You feel as though you are entitled to everything that any other member of the family has or does. Sometimes you scream out of anger, frustration, happiness, delight, you name it. You're a screamer....and it's rubbed off on your brother, dang it!

You seem to have us all figured out. Mom and Dad have often thought that you are an old soul, and Mom finds you somewhat of a kindred spirit. We can't imagine what our lives and family would look like without you, now that you've graced them. We are so looking forward to all the humor, love and adventures we'll share as we watch you turn into who you are.

Much love, your Mommy

**And THAT was my 100th post! YAY, it's another milestone :)