Hopping along…

Before we left the lake, we had a little egg hunt…(only Wyatt wouldn’t put his shoes on and come outside, so he missed it.)

and discovered something left by the Easter Bunny! Princess bling! and only 3 things of candy! good job, EB! Of which, Dellaina chose the fruit snacks (over the M&M’s or Smarties, surprisingly!) 

Wyatt decided to come out, too, since there was a grand prize and he got a fun pack with a little race track!

 

Then, we made our way to G&G’s where Daddy was already there and they had a new fun surprise!

and the Easter Bunny had come to their house, too! With one giant chocolate bunny (tradition) and clothes! (yay, because had you noticed those snug britches she was squeezed into?) So, thought we’d managed to come away without too much candy, but then…we had an egg hunt with candy in all 124 eggs!! oh well. It was a lot of fun. All 3 kiddos did really well.

 

  gymnastic skills!

  the sand pile was just too tempting.

we even ate our lunch outside on the new picnic table!

Addison was a super swinger! She’d just hop right up in that swing and get going super high! Neither Dellaina nor Wyatt can swing. It’s so awkward trying to teach them, too. I keep laughing because it looks so funny, but it just hasn’t clicked yet. I really thought swinging next to Addison would help, but…it didn’t.

After a good visit, we went over to Garris & Mary’s new house in Bogart! They closed on Wednesday and so were still moving in. It’s a good little home and I’m excited for them. Can’t wait to see when they are more settled. Greg helped with the ceiling fan in the living room and then we headed home. It was late when we got back, but we had a great weekend. I was SOOOO excited to see my surprise.

Greg had followed us on Friday when we left the school Easter party rather thank turning to go home and I called and asked him what he was going to Lowe’s to get and he challenged me to see if I’d notice when I got home. Of course!

 

Our old rotting white mailbox on the cracking yucky green post was a real eyesore! It matched the green mildew on the house, so once we had the house (and deck/fence) pressure washed (thank goodness!) it was time to replace the mailbox, finally. We’ve only had the new mailbox sitting in our garage for a year! Doesn’t it all look so spiffy and clean. I love it. It makes me proud every time I come home.

Backlog

After Wyatt's haircut, Dellaina gets in the car from school, points at him and asks, "why does he look like that?"

Greg called him "onion head" for awhile, too. lovingly, of course.

Dellaina went through a phase where she was threatening future punishments when Wyatt wouldn’t do what she wanted him to do. “ok, no presents for you on your birthday.” After I explained that other people would get him presents, she started using, “no cake for you! on my birthday, no cake!”

Dellaina gets upset drawing pictures when they “won't look like what I want them to.” I tell her to just keep practicing.

She is learning from Abbi in her class. She was drawing a house and added shutters. I asked her where she learned that and she told me, “from Abbi” and has made the same comment on several of her newer pictures.

This one isn’t from one of my kids, but it’s too cute/funny, not to share. Before Garris & Mary’s wedding, mom and I kept talking about how the bridesmaids were wearing jersey knit dresses and one night on the phone Emily asked me, “like...a basketball jersey?” imagining little holes in the dress.

Wyatt’s tummy controls him (it’s not his brain that dictates his actions, if you ask him, it’s his tummy that does the talking). Sometimes it makes sense: "I’m still hungry! My tummy says, ‘I need more food!’” But it’s not limited to food; I’ll ask him, “are you sleepy?” and he’ll respond, “no, my stomach says it's time to play.” His tummy rumbled one morning while brushing teeth and I ask him “are you hungry?” and he responded "no, I'm just digesting" Well, ok. smarty pants. They pick up so much it amazes me!

We’re working on matching correct tense form on the unusual words: cutted, ranned, foots

Wyatt likes to call us, “Mama/Daddy” and then there is a long pause after we answer, “....I luv you.” It’s really sweet. Even the times where he’s been whining or crying at bedtime or annoying and frustrating, he’ll pull that one out so sweetly. Even Dellaina has started using it, too. And she’s gotten more affectionate with hugs and kisses, too, because she sees our praise and enjoyment reaction to Wyatt’s affection.

Wyatt is sleeping in underwear overnight!! It’s been months now, but I don’t think I’d documented it. It took some convincing, but we finally got him to agree to it and he’s had 2 accidents that I can recall, so took to it really well.

Wyatt said, “Aflac. Aflac. Affffllaaaaccc!!” and I laughed and asked him, “where did you hear that?” and he simply responded, “From a duck.” of course. I assumed it was from a commercial, but then I remembered there’s an Aflac duck at the lake that you squeeze and it says the saying.

Dellaina was telling us that they had to throw out markers at school, because [very exasperated] "friends wouldn't put the tops back on!"

Wyatt got an AC/DC shirt for Easter from G&G and it has a lightning bolt on it, so he calls it his Thor shirt.

 

One time he told me "the man with the microphone was yelling." And I try to figure out what he’s refering to and ask, “where? on the boat?” thinking maybe he was thinking about the Rehearsal Dinner on the boat, the DJ had a mic, even though I didn’t remember yelling, And Wyatt replies, “no, here.” and again I ask, “where?” and he answers, “in my head!” of course. maybe his stomach isn’t totally in control after all.

He’s started calling blankets, “blanklet” and I’ve tried to correct him and he protests, “that’s how Haley says it.” She also called him “quiet” for a long time, too, which I thought was just too cute. and much too ironic.

The other morning, Wyatt was trying to get me to play something with him and get me away from the computer and he promises, “it's much funner than typing.”

During my Girl’s weekend get away, a friend revealed that her mother’s family had all died in a house fire when her mother was very young (8 brothers, grandparents, mother, etc.! Only her and her dad had survived) so she’s very big on fire safety – practicing drills and talking to the family, etc. and urged us all to make sure we did it with our families. So, the Sunday when I came home, I approached the topic with Dellaina and Wyatt. Dellaina had learned about fire safety at school some, too and was open to discussion. Wyatt was, but also got more upset. He’ll talk about, “I don’t want our house to get fire” and I explain that I don’t either and we do things to make sure it doesn’t and be safe, but it’s still important to talk about it so that if it did, we’d all know what to do. And Dellaina chimes in with wisdom beyond her year tidbits like, “it's a part of life. it's not going to happen randomly.” Wyatt asked questions about how the house could catch on fire (apparently the dryer is the #1 cause of house fires!) and it’s a delicate balance to offer reasons without making them think too much about it or worry that it will definitively happen (every time we run the dryer or plug something up or there is lightening). We talked about playing with candles and how it’s important not to run and hide, but to just get out of the house. Yell to others, but don’t go looking for them. And Wyatt said, "we can sing Happy Birthday fast and I can blow out my candles really fast" and I just thought that was the cutest thing, because that’s the extent of his knowledge with candles! We talked about crawling and holding shirt over mouth, and they both chimed "I can do that!" and they referenced a game we play. So, we practiced some and Wyatt really enjoyed practicing climbing out the windows and still wants to practice every other day rather than using the door. We stressed to just get out and meet at the mailbox! I encourage everyone to check their smoke detectors, clean out the dryer hose and talk about it with your family.

My Turn

When I started this blog nearly 5 years ago, I managed to write about more than just my kids. So, here’s a dose of my own trials and tribulations these days (but let’s be honest, some of them still relate to my kids, it’s just more about my point of view rather than their accomplishments):

*On Tuesday, when I was opening my car door in the parking deck, I smashed my finger on the mirror of the car next to me. I guess it’s good I was “protecting” the cars from hitting, but it’s still bruised and hurts.

*I got through 2 finals, a test, a quiz, a paper and notebook this past week and after my final on Thursday, I’ll be done with this semester! I have a nice little break until June 1st when the real work begins as I start the nursing program. I had wanted to try to go to the beach for a week as a family, because I know it will be a while before we have time again, but couldn’t get the timing to work out. And we don’t have the money anyway, so it’s for the best. I’ll just be in school from 8-5 everyday, so the kids will be adjusting to longer days AND longer weeks and I’m mourning the fact that I won’t be seeing them as much. Especially with Dellaina starting Kindergarten in the Fall, I’m sad I won’t be able to volunteer and help out with her class as much and get to know her friends and classmates and teachers.

*During my Chemistry test on Tuesday, I get distracted by the girl next to me punching buttons on her phone! It didn’t register at first and then I realized she was using her phone to look stuff up! I got so distracted trying to think about how to alert my professor. My heart was really racing and I couldn’t go back through my test to check my answers like I normally do. I decided to write a note on the back of my test and when I went up to turn it in, I showed my professor, “the girl in the tank top next to me (on my right) is using her cell phone. Please wait until after I leave.” Greg laughed at me that I was so nervous and asked her to wait until I left, but I didn’t want her to know I’d turned her in. Afterwards, I don’t really care as much, I’d own up to it if I needed to, but at the time, it felt so much like tattle-telling. My professor wrote me this note later that evening:

Andria,
Thank you. What you did today was extremely honorable and also extremely difficult. After I grade the tests I will photocopy your back copy onto colored paper, so that the writing is not on your exam. I will keep the original - and if you'd like it at a later time I will be happy to provide it.
For many, many reasons it has been such a pleasure to have you in class.
Thank you!
Dr. C

It made me feel really good and I thought was very sweet. I was still worked up about it and wanted to talk to someone – I told Greg briefly when I picked Dellaina up from his office and as we pulled out, she asked what we were talking about, so I explained to her that I’d seen someone cheating on the test I’d just taken, so I’d told my professor. Dellaina remarks, “you're not supposed to cheat; you're supposed to think!” Amen, little lady! (I know Mama Megan will be proud of that remark as well) “And you'd hurt those that wait.” I didn’t get this one and asked her more about it and she explains, “if you're a nurse and they are hurt and waiting.” So she was able to connect that cheating won’t help you learn and do what you’re supposed to do! rock on!

*I’ve been counting calories, trying to be more aware and conscious of what I eat and get back in better shape. It’s been about a month and I have lost 8 pounds, which is a great start, but really it’s hard to even tell much because I’d let myself go soooo much. Seriously, I was back up to my pregnancy weight with Wyatt (who I was already 15lbs heavier than I was with Dellaina) and well, obviously, wasn’t pregnant as an excuse. I can tell in places – my pants feel better around the waist, my face/neck area working out look better to me and my work out pants, which had gotten shorter as I expanded are slowly getting back down to the proper length. It’s been really eye-opening looking at calories. I’d been justifying a lot of things – “oh, I just took a few bites” snaking with the kids or “I got a salad instead of a burger” but the dressing is ridiculous! Zaxby’s is one of the most caloric! A salad is 900 calories!! One packet of honey mustard at Zaxby’s is 330 calories! That’s nearly a meal’s worth! And portions are critical. We have been measuring things out carefully and it’s an adjustment! It’s all about planning. I’ve been able to keep my Tuesday morning ritual of CFA before class, as long as I plan my lunch and dinner accordingly! I’ve been aiming for 1600-1800 calories/day and most days are on the lower end. It was just a simple way to start. Greg & I have a shared document spreadsheet where we each input our food and keep up with each other and talk about it regularly (which is helpful to have a dialog, rather than fights or accusations or ignoring it) Greg in no way needs to be trying to loose weight, but he likes to be healthy and aware and is doing it out of support for me (with, obviously, a much higher daily allowance) which is very thoughtful and helpful. We laugh about how much longer our food is lasting when we actually use the correct proportions!! Saving a little bit of money and going to the grocery store less often!

*My camera finally died tonight and I could just cry. It’s been on it’s last leg for a while, but finally just won’t close or zoom or turn on to take a picture anymore. It was at a BEAUTIFUL mountain wedding with, honestly one of the most beautiful brides – just happy and relaxed and gorgeous dress and just a simple, natural beauty. It was such a great setting, especially with kids in tow – golf cart rides from the parking area to the wedding area, a farm with lots of animals to pet on including dogs, miniature ponies and sheep. There were also animals not to pet, but just watch: ducks, chickens, pheasants?! regular horse and cows and even a llama! The ceremony was very short and sweet (and even forgot the “you may kiss the bride” part at the end, so as they go to walk down the aisle, we are all calling out, “kiss the bride!!” so they stopped and made up for it, sweetly a few times over) and just running around for the kids and yummy meal and delicious cake!!

These are my final pictures.

 

a row of Berry folk

Jon Allen

     beautiful, happy Sarah. My camera was already acting up and not responding, so the pictures aren’t great, but a little something.

Performances

Here are a few videos of Dellaina's class performing songs at different parties. I'm never on the right side when they start to really capture her, but you get a glimpse every now and then!

From Zoo Day




[I give up. This video will NOT load. The other one is cuter anyway.]



This video is from the Easter Party and I warn you, this song is super addictive. I kind of love it and sing it all day long. And I LOVE Dellaina's dance. This is her signature move these days and I love that by the end, she's taught her friends to do the pelvic thrust body wave.

Adventures in April Continue

There was a contest at school where each child drew a picture on “special paper” and then they were displayed and judges picked one winner from each classroom. The winner’s art would be displayed at the local BB&T bank. I wasn’t going to necessarily tell Dellaina that there would be a winner, because when we entered a raffle, she was very concerned about the winner and seemed really disappointed when it wasn’t us. But, she came home telling me all about it, so apparently they filled them in at school as well. And when we went back to pick up Wyatt that afternoon, I asked Ms. Shea if they’d been judged and had winners and she said, “yes, she won, of course! She stole everyone’s heart and they loved it!” She was so thrilled and I kept getting excited and would tell her, “ok, I’ll stop.” then I’d squeal again and squeeze her hand and she’d laugh, embarrassed, but enjoying it and tell me to stop. And we called and told family and when Daddy came home, he was really sweet and proud of her and gave her big hugs. We made a big deal out of it and are really proud, because she does love art so much and really defines herself by it. She kept saying, “I’m the winner!” She got dressed up the next day, because they were going to take her picture with her picture and then, after we went and REGISTERED HER FOR KINDERGARTEN, we went by and looked at the picture on the wall at BB&T. It was just taped up. I kind of thought they might make a bigger deal out of it and have it framed with her picture next to it, but they were just randomly stuck up on walls, which was fine with her.

 

(you can see Wyatt’s hands in the background – he loves playing at the sensory table! this week, it had sand in it)

Pajama Day

New Kindergarten shirt we got at Registration that she wore the next day to school! When we went, they took her back to a room to do an assessment while I filled out paperwork. She was very clingy when we first walked in and when we learned she’d be going somewhere without me, she was near tears. But, when she came back she told me, “they asked me to read.” and when I asked if she did, she said yet and told me it was about animal homes. And they asked her to count. So, she counted all the way to 100. She said the teacher kept gasping each time she’d get to the new number (20, 30, 40, etc.) and colors and shapes and letters and letter sounds. So, she had a big time and she got to do it so she wouldn’t be bored while I filled out all that paperwork.

 

Saturday, April 16th, we woke up, ate breakfast, put on our rain boots and headed over to the local nursery to stomp around. Everyone loved that they came prepared to splash in the puddles (we had big storms overnight). We walked around and ended up picking out some plants we liked with some ideas for a few new planting places we weren’t really looking for. After naps, we went over to Samuel’s neighborhood for an egg hunt. There were only about 6 kids, 3 of them ours, so it was nice and small. Dellaina won a prize for finding the most eggs (a water blaster that I just know Daddy loves in the tub!)

Then, Samuel came back to our house to spend the night! The egg hunt had been at 4, so it was basically bath time, dinner time and then bed time, which all went pretty well. The actual bedtime met with a little resistance and crying, but we put Samuel in our bed and had them each in their own space and they did go to sleep. Then, once Greg went to bed, we moved Samuel into Wyatt’s bed, thinking they were both asleep, so it should be fine. But, when I went to bed, I always check in and Samuel stirred a little, but didn’t seem to really wake up. However, 20 minutes after lying down, I hear pitter patter heading my way and then Wyatt’s next to my head, “Maa-um, Samuel’s bothering me!” What the *^&$ you’re both supposed to be asleep! So, Wyatt gets in our bed and for the next hour flips and flops and wants to be in the middle, but then is too hot and wants to be on the end so he can stick his feet out and then wants to be back in the middle. Finally, he’s ready to go back to his bed and I’m hoping it’s been long enough that Samuel’s fallen back asleep. But, no. He’s still awake as well and there’s crying because “Samuel won’t give me Hank back” or whining because “Wyatt’s touching me!” so, I sit in the room with them for the next hour waiting on them to go to sleep, but they just don’t. They are talking or loud, but they just both keep flipping and flopping and are restless and make noise to bother the other one. And Hank comes clacking in at one point and wants to go outside. Finally, I get Samuel and take him to Dellaina’s bed, throw Wyatt’s animals all back in his bed and go crawl wearily into my own. She is a deep sleeper, so I was hoping she wouldn’t wake up and he’d be able to fall asleep better. And Wyatt just needs his own space, too. Next time, I’ll know to go that route from the get-go.

The next morning, Greg was kind enough to take all 3 kiddos down for breakfast and let me sleep in a bit more to catch up! Then, we all headed outside to play and work in the yard. We hid eggs over and over again. It was highly amusing.

World’s Largest Egg Hunt?

Greg is attempting tomatoes this year! And jalapenos!

Dellaina ran by right as I snapped this picture and completely blocked Samuel, too. Note Wyatts’s method to “hiding” the eggs at this point – after we’ve been hiding and finding them for a while now.

Samuel’s approach was pretty unique as well. I love it. He “hid” them all here and then, systematically went back to “find” them. It was difficult for him to hid his eggs and let the others find them, but he got allowed it sometimes.

 

Emily brought Boston Market for lunch and then we all got to crash for naps in our own beds!

After naps, we planted our new plants, including my “Dellaina tree” that I have wanted for 5 years. When Dellaina was born, my world exploded in pink and walking in our neighborhood, there were these vibrantly pink-purple trees in bloom that I just loved and hadn’t really seen anywhere else, but I wanted one. I thought they were called Japanese Magnolias, but apparently it’s Jane Magnolias or Tulip Trees is a common name for it. And I wanted to plant a tree to take pictures of her next to each year to mark growth of both her and the tree. We just didn’t really know where to plant a tree. Finally, we came up with a space on the other side of the driveway that was kind of barren. And we dug up some rocks from different spots in the yard (including under the ivy!) and arranged a neat little planter area, I think! Hopefully the rocks will help shield the plants from all the neighborhood dogs that come pee in the ivy near the fire hydrant. I love the funky Globosa Nana in front and the yellow Gold Mop!

 

trying to show the little white flowers on this bush and the start of the Rhododendron.

It was nearly as tall as Wyatt when it was in the pot, so I appeased him with that fact and we renamed it to my “kiddo” tree to include them both.

We also got 2 bright Magic Carpet Spirea for in front of the house. I couldn’t get a good picture, because I didn’t want to show the green mildew on the house or the neighbors driveway. They now have pretty pink-purple flowers, too! We had the house pressure washed on Thursday so maybe I can try to take one again with the flowers, too.

Monday, I picked up both Dellaina & Wyatt and their friends, Emma & CJ and we headed to meet another friend from school at the local Kidstock park. It was hot, but fun. Then, we went to McDonald’s for dinner where their dad met to pick them up. I think I’m trying to cram it all in because I realize, starting the nursing program, I’m not going to have the time to be as involved and it makes me sad. Especially thinking about her starting Kindergarten and I won’t get to know the kids as well or be at the parties or volunteer as the Room Mom Librarian each week. *sniff

Wyatt always jumps in when trying to do pictures of Dellaina with her class/friends. But, he fits right in, really.

Friday, Greg wanted pictures of the fully blooming Rhododendron and I forgot before taking Dellaina to school.

Greg had the day off, so we had a nice morning with him. I dropped Dellaina off at school and came back home to pack suitcases, then headed back to help with the Easter party. Greg & Wyatt came for the egg hunt that should have been outside, but thanks to more rain storms, was moved indoors. We just had sooo many eggs!

Dellaina and Raul

Javier and Jayla

Jayla and Barbara

Emma & Citlaly

Jimmy, Emma, Citlaly and Quinn

eggs!

Dellaina & Emma

Dellaina & Quinn

After the party, the kids and I headed out to the lake. We’ve had a great weekend – the kids have even been swimming! Immediately followed by hot tub and hot shower. We are going to G&G’s in the morning for the day. Greg will drive over to meet us there.