We're Walking!

It has been quite busy these past few weeks.  I finished with my first group of students and am planning for my next new group of students.  Matthew turned 1! And we celebrated Christmas.  We celebrated MJ's birthday at Grandma and Grandpa Hirsch's house.  Many people showed up to celebrate with us.  Kyle made MJ's cake and I got to decorate it.  MJ received many toys, which Lily loves to play.  On Christmas Eve, we went to Grandma Delores' house with Uncle Jon and Aunt Angie along with Brendon and Abby.  We had such a wonderful time with one another.  Grandma Delores made her famous and most delicious ham! Next it was off to Aunt Sally and Uncle Gary's house.  This was the first year we had Christmas at Sally's instead of Grandma Shirley's house.  Finally, we ended our Chirstmas Eve celebration at Grandma Bonnie's (Ford) house. Lily and MJ came home with a trunk full of toys.  Luckily, I picked up a little bit and moved some toys downstairs out of the way.  We didn't get home until about midnight!  Chirstmas morning, Lily got up at 7.  ::Side note:: Lily has a big girl bed.  MJ and Lily share a room, so Lily has a mattress on the floor, while MJ has the baby crib.  They are now successfully sharing a room together.  At first, when Lily woke up she would scream "Daddy, Daddy, I'm awake."  Then it progressed to her knocking on our bedroom door and waiting to be welcomed in to the bedroom.  Now, she comes on in and tells me she needs cottage cheese.  I'm still trying to decide if she wakes MJ up on purpose or accidentally, but that doesn't matter because she's waking us all up consistently between 6 and 7 am.  Ok, so it was about 6:30 when Lily came in Christmas morning.  I could have cried that morning because I felt like everything fell apart.  I didn't realize until Christmas was over, but the battery died and we only caught about 5 minutes on film.  Kyle woke up sick.  I wanted to start the tradition of reading the Christmas story from the Bible before we opened gifts, but it took Kyle quite awhile to get in the living room to celebrate with us.  MJ didn't really care about opening gifts this year.  He did like watching Lily open her gifts.  Well, our Christmas was over, but we still had two more that day.  We packed the kids back in the car, but before we were out the door Lily said she didn't want to go.  I told her that was fine, but bubby would open all her gifts and keep them.  I instantly knew she was tired when she responded by saying that it was ok for bubby to open her gifts.  Of course Lily went with us and we were off to Grandma and Grandpa Shoptaugh's house.  Presents took over the living room and dining room.  Lily and MJ, again, received so many toys and clothes.  Lily opened a princess stroller and was finished.  She almost cried as we made her open her last present.  Nap time quickly approached us.  MJ slept in Grandma and Grandpa's room, Kyle slept in the jungle room and Lily and I slept in my bedroom.  When we woke up it was about 3 and we gathered our things.  Next, it was our final destination, Grandma and Grandpa Hirsch's house.  We all walked in and there stood a shiny red bicycle.  Lily sat and pushed while Matthew sat on the back and held on.  MJ's face was the most precious!  He was so continent letting Lily chaeffure him around the living room and kitchen.  We are so truly blessed to have such a wonderful, loving, Christian family.  God has been amazing to us and we try not to take it for granted.

Now to my most exciting and recent news.  MJ is walking!  Matthew has been taking a coupld steps without holding on.  Apparently, he wanted to wait until Kyle and I were celebrating our anniversary out of town to begin walking long stretches without holding on.  Kyle and I returned today from Louisville and Grandma and Grandpa Hirsch said he has been walking, and sure enough, Matthew let go and walked about the length of their living room.  I love watching him walk.  He's so unstable as he is learning to walk.  He is a little wobbly and walks sideways.  He reminds of a crab because of the way he balances himself with his arms hanging out to the side as he side steps.  But my favorite part today was getting him up from his nap after we returned from being out of town..  I sat down with him and he grabbed my face with his little hands and leaned all the way in resting his forehead on my forhead and I could see him smiling.  I think he missed me!

Missed you so much

This weekend we had Kyle's mom and dad watch Lily and Matthew.  We had plans to go to a friend's house, but that fell through because Kyle had a headache.  I was ready to get the kids that night by 9pm.  We didn't, I slept in utnil 9:30.  It was wonderful!  When I met up with Kyle and the kids, Lily kept hugging on me.  It was so precious.  She kept saying "I love you, Mommy.  I missed you so much."  I thought I was so special, until the next day when we left Mickey Mouse in the car to run in to Target.  When we got back to the car, Lily hugged on Mickey and said "Mickey, I missed you so much."  Well, that just burst my bubble.
Tonight, Matthew was so happy and not ready for bed.  He always peeks over the top of his crib and laughs the best baby belly laugh.  He was irresistable, so I picked him up and held him.  He layed in my arms half awake.  He was tickling my cheeck and laughing, with his head falling backwards off my arm.  Within a moment, he was asleep.  There is nothing I love more than a sleeping baby in my arms!

We make heroes

Tonight was Halloween, but before I get too carried away describing our day, I want to reflect upon the last couple of weeks.  It has been about two weeks now where Matthew has been responding to us saying "bye, bye."  He raises his hand in the air and waves with his hand backwards.  While he does this, he also lifts his head up.  Also, about a week ago I think he has been saying "what's that."  MJ is growing so fast, I can't believe we'll be celebrating his first birthday in less than two months!
Back to our Halloweening events.  Yesterday, after church we went home to change before leaving for Brendon's football game at the bowl.  As Kyle and I were in the bedroom talking about who knows what, Lily comes to the doorway points her finger at us, while it rests next to her check and says "Don't talk about me, ok!?" then turned and ran off.  Kyle and I stared at each other speechless, then busted out laughing.
After Brendon's game we went to Aunt Sally and Uncle Gary's church for Trunk-or-Treat.  Lily acted shy when Grandma Julie was trying to teach her to knock and say trick-or-treat.  As soon as Lily said it, Grandma gave her wrapped up donut balls.  You could almost see the light bulb go off in her head.  She grabbed my hand, took me to the candy bowl and told me to say trick-or-treat.  Once she realized she was getting candy for saying tick-or-treat she was off.  I took my little firewoman (Lily) and Superman (Matthew) and headed off car to car.  Lily had no reservations about telling everyone trick-or-treat, as well as, using her manners and telling every one of them thank you. One of the ladies from the Mother's Day Out program even bought Matthew some baby cookies to eat.
Today we started off at Pastor and Mitzie's house.  Mitzie made up an ice cream cone with candy corn, raisens and tootsie rolls wrapped up inside the cone.  We got in the car and I reminded Lily she couldn't eat the candy.  She said ok.  Well, from the time it took to get from our house to the gas station (on our way to Grandma and Grandpa Hirsch's house) at buylow, less than 5 minutes away, Lily started eating the bottom of the cone, with candy falling out.  She nicely gave up her candy.  We got to Grandma and Grandpa's house to play before we ate our traditional, and delicious, chicken and noodles.  Matthew quickly crawled around the floor, head-butted his car seat out of the way and started playing with the toys.  Matthew loves the miniture band set they bought Lily for her first Christmas.  Cousin Ryan was at the house along with Grandma Bonnie.  Grandma Bonnie tried to hold Matthew, but he wouldn't have it and wiggled on out ofher arms to play.  Lily says she doesn't like Ryan, to the point of refusing to look at him.  We ended up eating dinner and trick-or-treating at a few of the houses in the neighborhood. 
By now it was almost 5:30 and we were off to Grandma Delores' house.  We told Lily once again she couldn't eat any of the candy.  She said ok.  The reason we let her hold her candy was because she drove about 20 minutes from the Trunk-or-Treat the previous night to the house holding her candy without eating it.  I thought she could do it again, especially on short trips.  But she proved me wrong, again!  On the way, she ate a snickers and a bag of skittles.  Grandma was so excited to see the kids.  She let Lily have just about every kind of candy she had.  Matthew crawled around and kept hitting his head on her glass table because, well, it is glass and clear.  He eventually stood up and tried to take all the suckers.  Grandma just laughed and laughed at him.
Uncle Jon and Aunt Angie already visited and began trick-or-treating in Grandma's neighborhood.  We caught up with them and Lily had a blast!  She would say "Guys, hey guys, wait up.  Guys c'mon let's go.  Hey guys, look what I got."  Now she wasn't just saying this, she was screaming it.  At one point, she even yelled out "Brendon, wait."  Matthew rode along in the stroller.  It was pretty cold after the sun went down.  I didn't want to get him in and out.  He seemed content where he was.  Trick-or-treating at Grandma's took about an hour. 
Our last stop was to Grandma Shirley's house.  We only visited about 15 mintues since Lily was getting tired.  Matthew slept most of the time there. 
All in all it was a fun family night.  I can't believe how quickly the kids are growing!

Water Please?

Every Wednesday evening, after our AWANA program, Kyle and I take the kids to DQ for ice cream.  We usually go with our friends, the Harrison's, Stirk's and Alldredge's.  Lily is absolutely in love with little Sammy Alldgredge.  He'll be seven in a couple months.  She runs around chasing him in DQ.  Luckily, DQ isn't very busy inside and we've been going there for about three years now every Wednesday, they think nothing of it.  This particular Wednesday, Sammy went to the counter to order more food.  Lily stood back watching.  After Sammy received his food, Lily walked to me and said, "I want water."  I told her to go up to the counter and ask.  One of the worker's happened to be watching our conversation so she waited for Lily.  Lily walked up to the counter then turned around and looked at me.  I said, "Go ahead, say 'water please.'"  My sweet two year old girl twirled her fingers through her hair and said, "Water please."  It was the sweetest moment, where I quickly realized my two year old will become an independent diva in the very near future! 

I'm a Diva!

Every night before bedtime, Lily finds a book for Kyle or I to read to her.  Her recent favorite book is, Go, Dog. Go!  In the story, there is a page of dogs riding around in cars.  One particular scene is a head on carsh between two dogs.  A smaller dog is waving his finger in the air at the other dog "driver".  The other dog is standing with his hands on his hips.  Lily said, "What dog doing?"  I replied, "What is that dog doing?" Lily then said, "He's saying, 'I"m a diva.'"  As of a coule weeks ago, Aunt Sally and cousin Katie have been teaching Lily to put her hands on her hips and say "I'm a diva."  Well, they've been successful.

Matthew is now nine months old. It's hard to believe time has gone by so fast.  He's pulling up on everything and crawls all around the house.  He definitely is a daddy's boy.  As soon as Kyle leaves his sight, he cries.  He holds his hands up in the air, waving them for Kyle to pick him up.  When Kyle holds him and I go to take him, he leans back on Kyle holding on, not wanting to leave his daddy's arms.  Within the last week, Matthew has learned to make popping noises with his mouth.  He sounds like he's from an African tribe. 

Hurricane Irene and slobber

 Nothing overly exciting, but something to remember....
Hurricane Irene is expected to hit the east coast. Luckily, our friends in NC are far enough away, they shouldn't have any damage.  In local news, Matthew is cutting his four top front teeth.  It was when I put him down to change his diaper that I noticed his top gums were white!  Now, he'll begin eating solid table foods, which is the scariest part of parenting at this stage. 
The babies and I went to Grandma and Grandpa Shoptaugh's house tonight to visit and have dinner.  Uncle Dane bought the coolest Disney Princess tent EVER!  It is so big that Lily can lay down in it.  Uncle Dane thought Lily needed a toy at their house.  Luckily it fits at their house.  The tent wouldn't fit at our house since it's practically the size of our living room.  Before we left for the evening, Lily took a shower in Grandma Julie's shower.  This was her first stand up shower.  She was ok until I pulled the shower head down to wash her hair.  She doesn't like us dumping water on her hair to wash the soap out, much less a constant flow of water from the shower head.  She quickly got over it and continued playing in the shower. 

My First Blog

So here it is, my first blog.  I'm not the most entertaining writer, but I wanted to begin blogging to accompany my scrapbooks.  It's something for my family and I to look back on and say, "I forgot about that!"  As of today, Lily is turned 2 a month ago, and Matthew is now 8 months old.  Lily loves to read books, especially before bedtime.  Right now, she reads Go Dog, Go.  Once finished, then she wants to read The Cat in The Hat or Baby Signs.  It seems as though she wants one more book to read about every other night.  I have to say though, she knows every sign in her Baby Signs book.  I'm amazed at how quickly she learned them (Milk, water, diaper, more, finished, cat, dog, book, and sleepy)
Matthew has taken off crawling.  Just a couple days ago, I hear Lily say, "no no sashoe" (aka Matthew), then the sound of water splashing.  Matthew crawled into the kitchen and discovered our dog's, Cooper, water bowl and started splashing.  Lily did the same thing when she was a baby, too.  MJ (Matthew James) is now pulling himself up to his knees and feet.  He can give high fives and tries to wave bye-bye.  He has his two front bottom teeth half way in and many more on the way.  How do I know, you may ask?  Because he's drooling like crazy!
Kyle's busy keeping the kids fed, bathed and happy.  He is a wonderful stay at home dad! 
I just started a new teaching position within the EVSC.  I'm very excited to be working with the elementary kiddos again.  It seems it has been too long!  This year, I will be working with students who are not making academic progress, for whatever reason.  After a process of paperwork, the students will come to me for a six to nine week period.  This is the only elementary program like this in the school corp, so I know I have to do well in order for other classrooms like this to open to help more students!  I'm very nervous, so keep me in your prayers to do well and to reach the kids.