1st Day of KDO 2009

Yesterday Courtney started her 2nd year of KDO and I started my 1st! Last year I worked KDO so yesterday was, well, weird. Being on the other side of the door was refreshing and nice.
The morning started off weird...I had to wake Courtney up. She was so excited though. I asked her "are you tired"? She says "yeah". I say "do you want to go back to sleep or get ready for school"? She says "I wanna go to school, and play with my friends, and be nice to everybody". Oh yes, she is constantly reminded to be nice to EVERYBODY! So we get up, have some eggs and ham and get ready to go. She looks sweet as can be and is just as excited. About a mile down the road I think I forgot to give her milk...GOOD, she won't barf. I WAS WRONG! She barfed about half way there (yes that is 20 minutes into a 40 minute drive) and she was excited no more.

We did our usual, get naked in the truck in the parking lot and have many people (who don't already know my daughter was born to barf) look at us weird. But that was ok. She walked right into her class and had a great day! We borrowed a Nap Mat because mommy thought for some reason she would still be in a crib...maybe mommy needs to be in a crib. But we are in the process of learning how to make a nap mat...which means we have bought the fabric. :-) All in all, good day for us both. She enjoyed school and I spent time with my brother while I used his washer and dryer to wash Courtney's car seat once again.

Courtney and all her craziness

Oh my my. Courtney has been an absolute riot and so much fun lately. She seems to have entered a new stage of little girl. She is so independent, getting herself dressed constantly, wanting to get her own snacks, help get drinks, and much more. She has also seemed to develop this amazing knack for just down right having fun. I would honestly say the last few weeks have been the most fun I've ever had as a mom. Every part seems to be my 'favorite' during the time, but this has been such a fun time. I have spent many moments laughing. And not just the 'ha, that's funny' laugh, but the genuine, laughing because it's really funny. It seems like every time I walk around the corner she is doing something that just cracks me up.

Here we got done painting a stool for her to use to wash her hands and she wanted to "paint Courtney". So, we went outside and she did just that.

I always go in and kiss her good night and whisper "i love you sweet baby" before I go to bed. This night cracked me up as she was sleeping with her remote control car. Daddy was so proud.

Courtney and Daddy spent last weekend working in the garage. They changed the oil in my truck and a few other things. She is my little tom-boy who doesn't mind getting dirty (as long as her clothes don't get dirty). She has daddy put gloves on her and she 'helps'.

This is HILARIOUS. I am getting ready to give some stuff away and sell some stuff at the Rhea Lana sale. Courtney is now in love with her baby swing, which, she HATED when she was an infant. I don't think she spent 3 hours in it total when she was little. Now though, she has spent 3 hours in it in 2 days! She sat in it while I organized stuff in the garage then she had me bring it into our room so she could swing while she watched Alex (Madagascar). She even talks about the 'baby's swing" when we are in town. Almost like she can't wait to get home and sit in it. Oh how I love my baby girl!

These are the moments I LOVE! Mostly because we all have these memories as children so it's awesome to know she will have the same. Courtney is really picky on what she eats. If it doesn't look like she thinks it should, she doesn't want anything to do with it. Somehow I got her to taste cake batter this evening and there was no stopping her! "Just one more lick, mommy" she kept saying.

Again, just something funny. This is her first baby ever. We found it the other day and she is in love with it again. Oh, and I can't forget "nemo". That is a nemo boo boo thing. You know, the one you freeze for when they bonk their head. Yeah, she now sleeps with him, but only if he is frozen. I found "little baby" and "nemo" in the pantry yesterday.

First time she sat still for me to do her nails. Usually she sits just long enough for me to slap some on there but never long enough for it to actually dry!

No boobie shots on this site!

Awe. My sweet motocross baby. She rides and rides and rides. She sings "i'm going in circles" as she rides too. This day she felt it was a little dangerous with how fast her 4-wheeler now goes so she (no, not me) put Ethan's old life jacket on and a motocross helmet.

I love my baby girl! And I love being a mommy!

12 rules for raising children - by Ann Landers

From the blog of Cindy Beall. - Who by the way has a great blog worth reading.

"My mother gave me a newspaper clip when I was visiting her recently. It it torn and tattered for sure. I was amazed that she’d kept it after all these years because, you see, it was published in 1971.

I was a year old.

I’ve scanned it into this blog post and hope you glean some good advice."

Nitro Courtney

hail storm madness in...

Yesterday we had a crazy hail storm here in the town we live. (I'm not allowed to say per my husband, he thinks there are crazy people out there that will come get us:) It was nuts, I tell ya! (the storm, not my husband) The kids and I were outside on a nice, warm, humid as all heck day when a storm rolled in. I let the kids play in the rain until the lightening came along. Then, the hail started. I looked at my mom's car in the driveway and thought about my truck sitting out back. "They'll be fine" I thought. Then the hail continued, and got bigger. I decided to put a bucket over my head (yes, litterally) and go get my truck. I am SO thankful my mind said 'they won't be fine, annie'.

the pillow case

July was one of the hardest months I have ever had. It started with my Dad having another heart attack and open heart surgery. For those of you who have never had a parent sick, I envy you. My dad is my rock, he has always been and always will be. Honestly, until I was 26, I didn't have a true disagreement with him. I honestly have the best Dad ever! The day he had his surgery I was scared. I know God has a plan, I know we don't have a say in that plan, but I wanted one! He came through the surgery fine though, triple bypass surgery. Healthy heart. New arteries. He is good to go. But, when I walked into his room before he woke up, I lost it. There was my dad, on the bed with tubes every where, a tube making him breath, and there he layed. I knew he would be fine, the nurses assured me he would be fine. I didn't feel fine though. There was my rock, laying on a bed, not even able to breath on his own. The next time I saw him it was even harder because he was trying to wake up and his heart rate would get to 125 and they would have to sedate him again. This time I was holding his hand and just looking at him. My mom talked to him and I could see his forhead moving. He could hear her, he knew we were there but he couldn't wake up. That was the hardest moment in my life with my father. I just couldn't get through to myself that the same man that has always been there for me, that has never said a bad thing to me, who is so gentle and loving was laying there like that. He was at a Baptist hospital in Little Rock and the next time I came in he had his "heart pillow". A pillow they give him to hold on to against his chest to help with pain and pressure. On the pillow the nurses put two Bible verses: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Phil 4:13 and "Trust in the Lord with all your heart" Prov 3:5. I got tears in my eyes again. I told my dad "Phil 4:13 is my verse. That is the verse that I lean on every day. And Prov 3:5, Courtney sings a song of that almost every time we are in the truck." Last week when I visited my Dad, my mom gave me the pillowcase to his heart pillow. Some how that is the most important thing I have from my dad. I love you, Father.