The Easter Bunny Cometh

I can give you a million reasons why I am so far behind on posting Easter pictures, but instead I am going to give you a million pictures.

We hit a few egg hunts around town the week of Easter.   I really didn’t take many pictures at them, but I did find these from one at a local church on my phone. 

I will say, this is one of the least creepy looking Easter Bunnies we encountered that week.

We woke the kids up pretty early on Easter morning so we could have a little hunt and eat some grub, and head out for church.  They did not seem to mind. Their hair was still in bed asleep, but their little bodies made it out to look for eggs.  

Kaelan got some special hummingbird feeder for her deck and lots of summer fun gear (flip flops, swim toys, outdoor art supplies).

Seth got some of his own warmer weather gear (Frisbees, boats) and some cars to leave on the floor for mom and dad to step on.  Oh, that Easter Bunny!   He thinks of all of us! 

 

 

Though I distinctly remember them acting like little boogers and eating way too much Easter candy that day, they sure did look cute! 

Safety Camp

 

Just a few miles from our house, there is a fire station with a huge safety city set up surrounding it.   This place is just the neatest.

We have gone on fire station tours with friends here, and on a recent visit, one of the fireman told us about a safety camp offered for kids in  Kaelan’s age range.

She loved every aspect of the four day camp.   They really covered a lot of safety components.  Everything from tornado and weather safety (very wise in this neck of the woods) to cooking safety (very wise if I am your mother).  

The kids actually go out into a miniature “city” to rescue people, put out fires, and learn about safety signals and how to ride a bike and adhere to laws put in place to protect them.   I am fairly sure she now has her driver’s license and can legally operate a crane in four states.   They seriously covered all bases. 

On the last day, the children had to run a full training course through the city to showcase all they had learned and to  pass the class.

The gear, which was custom made for little kids,  was out and ready for the kids to put on.  The course started with the kids pretending to be asleep in their barracks and waking to an alarm.   They had to jump up, get their gear on, and respond to various calls for help.  

Kaelan responded to a fire rescue.   

   

Kaelan maneuvered through the city at lightening speed, faced whatever obstacles she had to along the way with the strength of a lion, sprayed out numerous fires,  and saved the lives of helpless victims everywhere.

She also dragged those 100lb dummies around like a true super hero.

She practices a lot on this little sack o’ taters.

Seth took notes on the course and will be back in a few years to complete his training.   Hopefully, we can keep him out of the city jail they have built next to the miniature city hall until then.   Hopefully.

Adventures with D-Man

 

We had the D-Man, Big D, Darian the Barbarian here for a visit recently.

The plan all along has been to get Kaelan and Darian together as much as possible post move.   Sadly, our spring breaks were not the same week this year, so that presented a bit of a challenge in either meeting for vacation somewhere or spending the week together.

However………..we made it happen!

Darian came to Oklahoma the week of his spring break.   Kaelan was in school, so I had the task of keeping D busy and entertained during the day, and then Kaelan took over in the afternoons.  

We did pull Kaelan out of school on Thursday so she could devote an entire day to her BFF.

The kids actually spent the night in the Science Museum for Star Wars night with Doug as their chaperone.  They had a great time, and I got to stay home with the little Jedi and get a full night of sleep.   Poor Doug.

The adventures were endless.   From the time we picked him up in Dallas, to the time we put him on plane (with Aunt Sara) back to Austin, we filled our week in a fellowship of friendship.

 

Despite the freezing temps, the kids spent a great deal of time outdoors on scavenger hunts nature walks around the property and neighborhood.

 

Lucky for us, the visit took place the week of St. Patty’s Day, so we had lots of visits from that pesky, sneaky leprechaun. 

Everything from mean tricks (mattresses flipped against the walls, missing shoes, green milk, waking up to 50 green balloons stuffed in the room, clothes covered in shamrock stickers, to name a few) to sweet treats (leprechaun treasure bubble bath, gold coin treasure hunt, shamrock shakes and cookies), we celebrated St. Patrick’s with great fun!

 

The big finale on the morning of St. Patrick’s Day was a huge rainbow maze all throughout the backyard, that ended with a pot of gold.   Hallie, Darian and Kaelan each had their own color of yarn to untangle throughout the yard to unveil the whereabouts of their treasure.  

The kids literally ran out of the house in their pajamas and started the maze.  It was stinkin’ cold that morning, but by the time they did all that running around and searching, they were all breaking a sweat.

 

 

We also had our annual glow in the dark flashlight egg hunt while Darian was here.   Several friends came and helped us enjoy a wonderful evening of egg hunting.   The glowing eggs were a big hit!   Thanks Aunt Sara for breaking your fingers stuffing them!

We ended the hunt with cupcakes and kids going crazy on the playscape and jumper. 

Wore those suckers out!

Kaelan and Darian did not even have the energy to yap themselves to sleep that night. 

We bathed them, put them in bed, and boom!  They were out.

I think we are still finding eggs from the hunt.  I know for at least a week after that night, we would see these creepy little alien glowing things out in our yard at night.   We would just send the kids out to fetch them.   They thought we were setting up a new egg hunt for them every evening.

We are such cool parents.

See you in a few weeks, D!

A Happy Ending

All parents have one.   

That horrible, nightmarish fear that flashes through your brain that lends itself to somehow harming your precious child.

Mine has always been someone kidnapping or taking my child.

Doug holds a deep fear of water  and one of his babies drowning.

Both of us are terrified of the prospect of one of them choking.

We lived one of those nightmares a few days ago.  

My fingers are getting all shaky, even as I type this.   I need to stop for now.

 

A few days break, and I think I am ready.

Sundays, after church, we like to go out for lunch.   Last Sunday, we decided to head out to Pop’s and treat ourselves to some yummy food and delicious sodas.    This kids love going here, and Doug and I think the food is the best in the realm of greasybadforyou stuff.  

Our boy has been quite the finicky eater as of late, and he doesn’t’ quite eat enough  on his own to constitute getting him his own meal, so we decided to just get him some fruit (his favorite) and let him graze off our plates.

He was extremely restless and trying to climb the walls (I remind myself daily to breathe and remember this stage passes), so Doug took him our in the grassy area to run off some energy.   When they got back, Seth was ready to eat and he sat down willingly in a big boy chair and begin munching on the fruit I had meticulously cut into small pieces for him.  

Like I said, he is in the grazing stage, and because he hasn’t been eating well (molars coming in is my guess), I was happy to let him grab a French fry or tomato from my plate.   Pickles are a new love for him, so I smiled as he gave me a questioning look and reached to snag one from my plate.   I stopped him before he popped the thick cut pickle slice and chopped it into bite size pieces for him.  

I saw that first little gag face.   Doug did too.   We both gave him a little back pat and a “you okay, buddy?”.  

Through watery eyes and a froggy voice, he replied, “I’m okay, mommy.”.  

We figured an apple slice went down wrong or something.

Then, seconds later.   I looked up to see him really gagging.   I saw his eyes squint up and his face turning  bright red in color.   I jumped from my seat and blurted out Doug’s name.  We both reached for him with knee-jerk reaction.  Doug pulled his arms up and I immediately reached for his mouth.   

My first thought was, That darn apple is still giving him trouble.   I will just reach in and pull it out.

But as I went to stick my finger in his mouth, he let out a raspy almost cry and then there was just this terrible airy sound that came behind it.  Then there was silence.

His mouth was wide open.  His eyes were clenched tight.   It appeared he was releasing a blood curdling scream that his tantrums of late have perfected, but there was nothing.   Nothing.

Just a faint almost gurgling sound in the back of his throat.

My hooked fingers dove in.   I could feel something.    By this time  I had swooped him up and Doug was calling out directions. 

Reach in there and scoop it out.   Hit him hard in the middle of the back.   Here let me try.

Things went from scary to complete panic for me in mere seconds.   I remember passing him off to Doug and seeing his little face.  It was no longer red.   It was like a deep purple now, and I could see foamy spit around his mouth.  

I know I screamed.   My mind was trying to go through all the training I had ever had for this type of incident, but my heart was crying out, Is this it?   Is this how this type of thing plays out?  But the sun is shining.  It is such a nice day.  There are people all around us.  Happy people.  The kids are out there on that grass running and playing.  The grass where Seth ran carefree moments ago. .

In a matter of seconds, I could feel a flurry of activity around me.  People were rushing to call 9-1-1, reaching for Seth, calling out “I’m a nurse!” ,   “I am a heart surgeon!” , “Help is coming!”.   Panic.  . 

I saw Doug turn him over one more time.   He looked like a little doll in a giant’s hands.   Doug banged his back on last time, and I saw one looked like a small fleck of something fall from his lips.   For several seconds,  I had stood there helpless, but with this,  I reached through the many hands and grabbed for my boy.

One last time, I scooped my fingers in his mouth.   I could feel something hard and stringy.   A PICKLE!

I knew right away this was not the one I had cut up for him.    In his grazing, he had grabbed a thick cut slice and popped it in his mouth while we weren't’ looking.  

With my fingernail, I was able to grab it and pull the long skin piece out to the top of his mouth.   I yelled out to Doug to strike his back once more, and out it came.

With his pale eyes and blue lips, he let out a pathetic cry. “Mama!”

I can’t tell you much about the next few minutes or even following hours.   I think my hands were shaky through the rest of the afternoon.

I do remember that  as the fury of the incident died off, lots of folks came up to just pat us on the backs and offer words of comfort. Seth had his head on my shoulder and face tucked into my neck while I sobbed and smiled back a look of thanks.  

Basically, my boy was okay.   He was  a little shook up and sore in the throat (mom’s probing fingers), but a while later he was back to running crazy and worry free.  

You always hear people who go through things like this, or even worse things, tell you to cherish you little ones more.  Hug them a little tighter.  Squeeze them longer.  

Anytime I hear those terribly sad and horrifying stories of someone’s child falling in a washing machine and drowning or choking to death on an apple or simply succumbing to a senseless disease, I have that same emotion wash over me.  

I am giving you one of those stories right now, but with a better ending.

Go give your kids an extra hug tonight, and give them a thousand kisses.  

I am so grateful I still have mine to squeeze.

Daddy/Daughter Dance 2013

 

About six years ago, when Kaelan and Daddy attended there first dance together, these type of events were pretty rare.   Nowadays, Daddy and Daughter Dances are catching on, and pretty much anywhere you go you can find one.

As it turns out, that is a good thing.  When we moved, I worried we might have hit a snag in a beloved yearly tradition.   After talking to a few folks and doing some research though, I was able to find several such dances in the area, and I was even able to pick and choose which one would fit our busy schedules.  

I love that this date night still excites Kaelan.   Dad is thrilled she still likes being seen with him.

 

I have to share something with you. 

Recently, I was having a discussion with some other moms about dads spending alone time with their daughters, and the topic of daddy/daughter dances came up.   One gal expressed her deep concern that these type of events were creepy and kind of “disgusting”  and “perverse” in her opinion.

Now, I can normally sit and calmly take in others views and opinions with respect and an open mind (I mean seriously, you should see how I handle family gatherings!  Geesh!) but that remark really irked me.

I had to speak up and state that I saw absolutely nothing creepy about my daughter spending time with a guy who loves her and holds the key to her heart,  showing her how a real man and hopefully her future partner SHOULD treat her.  Absolutely nothing perverse there.

Doug and Kaelan have a remarkable relationship.  She adores him, and I can’t think of a better guy for her to  use as a model for a future husband.

A while back, Doug actually gave Kaelan a beautiful antique looking key that she could keep in her jewelry box or wear as a necklace.   He explained to her that this was the key to her heart, and that he wanted her to guard it and keep it protected until the right person came into her life and she felt like that person was the one that would care for her heart with the same love and caution it deserved.

I remember Doug telling me that she handed that  key right back to him and  asked that he  keep it for her.   Right now in her life, he  holds the key to her heart.

Someday, when she finds that special someone, she has given dad permission to hand off the key.

 

They have it all planned out, those two.  

The key gets handed over on her wedding day.

So, yeah.   I laid down the smackath that day with that gal.

  I later found out she had a reputation for saying things that rather crossed the line of acceptable chit/chat among moms.  

Plus, it is hard to take advice on how to prepare your child for the world of dating and relationships from a woman who is on her fourth marriage in 11 years. 

I am pretty sure she lost her key somewhere between husband number 2 and 3.

Oh, snap!  I didn’t just go there.

Yep.  I did.

 

P.S.  If you have a girl, a great book that Doug recommends for fathers of young girls is called  “Raising a Modern Day Princess”.   

She may be  a princess,  but I do plan on reminding her that princesses still have to make their beds and clean their rooms.

And then came the official birthday……

 

February 3rd was a magical day. 

It was a Sunday, and we spent the morning sleeping in at a hotel.   Doug cuddled up with Seth in one queen bed, and me snuggled up to Kaelan in the other queen across the room.   This is not the usual hotel sleeping arrangement, but the last few hotel stays, daddy and I have given up the privilege of sleeping in the same bed so we can cuddle our wee ones.  The kids LOVE it, and though I take a few toes to the back and kicks to the head, I love it too.

After a leisurely morning, we packed up and headed back home.   Our plan was to make it back in time to catch a later church service, but the kids were so worn out after water parking for two days, that we opted to go home and have a quiet afternoon.  

And we did.

We huddled up in the movie room and watched some movies.  Played some games.  Built some forts.

Later in the afternoon (after some awesome family naptime), we went out for a February stroll in the park, where we drank the cold air and held winter in our fingers until they were numb.

Getting all cold and tingly made coming back home to our warm house that much sweeter.  We topped the goodness with whipped cream and hot chocolate.

We just had to have some sort of celebration (even though we had already been celebrating for weeks) to mark this monumental day, so we pulled out the cupcakes with sprinkles and  a few more gifts, and sang happy birthday to our sweet boy.

He is 2.   He is ornery (as you will see in the video).   He is syrupy sweet. 

He is hilarious and comedic.   He absolutely delightful.

Happy (Official) Birthday, My Boy!

You are a miracle.

 

Oh, and a word of advice……..NEVER TOUCH THIS BOY’S CUPCAKE!

Don’t touch the cupcake.

Kaelan: Version 7.5

 

She has made it to 7 1/2 years of age!   This is  a huge feat!   Seriously, I remember a few days over the last 7 years that I  may have muttered a phrase I heard my own mother mumble a few times. 

I can not wait until you have your own child.  If you MAKE it to be old enough to have your own child!

Kaelan is maturing and turning into a sweet old soul.   The level of drama can still climb and escalate quickly (she is MY daughter, after all) but overall, she has a kind and calm disposition.

She continues to excel in school (have I mentioned she recently passed an 8th grade reading test??) and loves both her new home and school.   She just started a new soccer season with a group of older girls.  The level of competiveness just skyrocketed!    Our new neighbors have a girl close in age to Kaelan, and the two have become thick as thieves.   Hallie, that’s her name, has played on a team for  a few years, and her mom and I thought it would be super for the girls to play together this season.  There are 15 girls on the team, and Kaelan is the only new member.   Kaelan is by far the youngest, and after the first practice and game, we felt like maybe we may have thrown her to the wolves, but she is improving already and wants to stick it out.  This could be the death of me.

Kaelan will soon start piano lessons.  She has been asking about guitar.  Electric guitar.   I am down with her trying whatever, but I did tell her I was not going to go out and buy her the pink guitar she requested until I knew this was something she was going to stick with.  Hence, she decided to stay with the piano.

Art is still her passion.  We actually just found out some of her work will be published in Highlights magazine.   We will keep you posted. 

Who best to tell us more about this amazing little gal than Kaelan herself?

As I have done in year’s past, I sat down to ask Kaelan a few questions about her life right now.   These will be classic someday, I just know it!  I also added a few questions about myself and daddy just to hear her thoughts in that realm.

Favorites:

Cereal? 

Out of sweet ones you will actually let me try…..probably Lucky Charms.      

Vegetable?

Corn on the cob.  I like it better on the cob.

Drink?

Probably that Bubbly Magic Potion drink from Magic Time Machine.

Toy?

Spyro from my Skylanders collection. 

TV show?

WildKratts! on PBS

Book?

Chronicles of Narnia and my favorite is The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe, of course.  (of course)

Restaurant?

Chuy’s, Rosa’s, Rainforest Café, and Firehouse Subs.

Holiday?

Christmas. Because it is about giving and it is Jesus’ birthday. 

Animal?

Cheetah, because it is very fast and the lines under its eyes protect it from the sun. (Hello!  Wouldn’t that make it your favorite, too?)

Color?
Rainbow, gold and silver.   (I think that covers all of them.)

Activity?
Art.  Pretty much anything that involves art or drawing.

Song?

Gangnam Style and Dynomite (NO!!  Really??  I wouldn’t know that from the 85, 985 times you played it in the car today!)

Movie?

Chronicles of Narnia.  The WHOLE series.

Sport?

Soccer.  You know that.

Best friend?

You know that, too.   Darian.    Also, Hallie, Bryce, and Lathan.

 

If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?

Right away, half of it would go to buy things for people in need.  I would go to where Rose Ann (our sponsor child of 4 years) and buy her family a new house and help their farm.  I would also get water and medicine to the kids in that country where the earthquake was.  Where was that place?  We just watched a movie about it?  (Haiti)  Yeah.  That place.  I would go there and help them.  

Then, I would take the other half and build my dream house on top of a rainbow.  There would be 35 stories.   Hundreds of rooms with themes.  A huge waterslide.   It would be really awesome.

Where would you like to go on vacation this year?

Probably to Africa to give away things and water.   Maine is another place.  I just always see how high it is on the map and I want to see what it feels like to be one of the highest points in our country.   Arizona.  I would like to go there again and see family. Also, Kansas to see if there is a Dorothy (she recently read “The Wizard of Oz”) museum or something like that. 

What are your wishes for the next year?

I really want to catch that St. Patrick’s Day leprechaun.    Do you think there is only one?

I also want to touch an actual whale.   Last year we got to see one up close, but I want to touch one this year. I also want to swim with and touch some fish.

Hold a wild blue jay (not a captive one) on my arm and feed it acorns from my hand.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

First, an artist. 

Second, an animal rescuer.

Third, probably a geologist or earth scientist of some kind.

What is your happiest memory from the last year?

Seeing blue whales up close.   Opening presents on Christmas, especially my fish tank and flying shark.

Starting in a new school and getting to explore in my backyard.

 

Now, tell us a little about your mom and dad…….

 

What makes you proud of your mom/dad?

Everything you guys do. 

For mom, it is that she is so nice to me, and she is the best kisser.  

For dad it is his awesome back scratching skills.

How old/tall is your mom/dad?

Mom is about 5’5” and she is 37.  (Great.  I am short and old.)

Dad is 6’ tall and he is 41. 

What does your mom/dad do when you are not around?

What do you do?   Mom, probably lays around and is sad and misses me.  She probably watches television or something.

Dad plays and entertains Seth, and then he goes off and plays football games on the Xbox.

What is your mom/dad really good at?

Mom is really good at cleaning and cuddling.  She is also good with crafts.

Dad is really good at football, mostly on the Xbox because his ankle is all messed up.   Cooking pancakes.  Playing tickle monster and remote control truck chase.

If your mom/dad were a cartoon character, who would they be?

Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I have Seth nailed….he is, without a doubt, the Tasmanian Devil!   (laughs)