Tuesday Again

1. Colt is all over the place. He has been crawling for like two weeks but just the past few days he has been cruising. Time to baby proof.
2. I hope boys cry less than girls. The girls cry a minimum of 4 times a day each because of toys, injuries, etc. I just hope it slows down soon.
3. Livy loves to tie stuff up. She is always tying her animals up or tying things to wagons. This weekend at the lake she threw a rope in the water, jumped in, tied the tube with the rope, got back out and tied the rope to a post on the dock. She just makes up these knots that so impress me. She is very determined and set on a task when she starts. I love watching her concentrate and accomplish something.
4. Colt just started waving and clapping. Baby claps are just the cutest! I love it when he does it.
5. I wish it was not so hot out still. I am so excited for fall and I want a little cooler weather. Excited for all the yummy pumpkin and apple treats to come. Not excited about the 10 lbs. I gain every year at this time!
6. I need to work on getting Rachel to stop sucking her thumb. It seems to be getting worse and she has it in there all the time. I don't know exactly what to do. I might have to get one of those plastic thumb guards. Any suggestions?
7. And Livy still needs work on peeing in the potty. She has got the poo in the potty down but we still struggle with pee. She doesn't even care if she pees in her pants, she'll wear them wet and not tell me. Anyone have suggestions here?
8. It is really bothering me that I can't cook. I have no idea of what to make and I am not a good cook, and I don't seem to be able to get it actually done with these three running around. If I could have any "Mormon skill" it would be cooking. I wish so bad for the desire to want to cook and for the ability to be able to. I will work on it. But for now I am grateful for a husband who is ok with takeout a lot.
9. The girls are loving school and so am I! They are playing really good on their own with each other for a longer period now too. It might have something to do with not having as much free time as they used to or maybe they are just getting older.
10. All the kids are growing up. It is sad and awesome. They can all do more each day which amazes me. But my babies are not so much babies anymore. Even Colt is 9 months already. I want it to slow down. I want a better memory so I can remember all these years and how cute they are.

Excuses and Sayings

Some excuses they have come up with lately:

Livy: In NY at the dinner table with everyone I was trying to get her to eat dinner. She said she couldn't because her hand hurts, she can't hold the fork. She picks up th fork and says "see" and slowy drops the fork out of her hand. We were all in tears watching her because it was just too funny watching her come up with the excuse and follow through with it.

Livy: After coloring I asked her to clean up the markers. She replied "No, I can't because I am too sweaty from coloring."

Livy: Her excuse for everything is she is cold, sweaty, or her back hurts. She thinks that she doesn't have to clean up if she says that.

Rachel: When she doesn't want to do something she says she's allergic. Yesterday she told me she was allergic to babies when she didn't want Colt near her.

Rachel: Wanted to change her shorts. I said no just keep those clothes on. She says, "Can I change them if I pee in them?" I guess I better just let her change them so I don't have to clean up the pee!

So close:

Rachel was talking about Eric: "He hurt my tears." (Feelings, when he told her not to bite)

Livy when we were bowling. I said that some times we get them down and some times we don't. She replied "Some times you have to have fake. The Lord says we have to have fake." (Faith)

Livy telling me she didn't want to rinse off after being in the pool. "I want to keep my clemicals on." No that's not a spelling error, that is what she calls them.

So cute:

Rachel: "We're different mom. The Lord made us different."
Rachel gave me her "infinty" ring. (From a book)

Just Funny:

After asking Rachel ten times to go to the bathroom so we could leave the house she told me to ask her nicely. This was hard since I was very frustrated but I said "Rachel can you go do to bathroom please." Not very happy but I did it. She said "No. Your eyebrows are still mad. Try asking nicely again." After that response I was laughing so it was easy to smile and ask.

Girls fight differently than boys:

While playing with their princesses, Livy says "Do you want to play fight Rachel?" So they get out ABC puzzle pieces which they use as swords. Instead of hearing what I expect to hear: bam, pow, got you, etc. I hear "Fight fight fight, cut cut cut" sung to a little melody as they get each other with the "swords."

Ten on Tuesday

1. I read a book this weekend called I am a Mother by Jane Clayson Johnson. Jamie had given it to me for my birthday. This was the first book I have read in a long time and I thought it was great. It was a great reminder of just how important my job as a mom really is. It has so many great quotes in it. I want to go back and just write all the quotes down so I can read them off quickly when I need some encouragement.
2. On the subject of reading, I also just started The Hunger Games. I think I am the last person to read it but I am happy to finally be getting around to it. The problem I have with reading is that I get so into the book I can't put it down until I am done. Which is hard when you have little kids to take care of and then you can't read. It is frustrating and tiring because I stay up to read when I should sleep. Eric doesn't like when I am on a reading kick either because he says that is all I do and I don't spend time with him either. This is why I can't read all the time. Just every once in a while. I'm like an addict. When I start I have to do it all the time. I get it from my mom. She says the same thing. When she likes something it is all or nothing (diet pepsi and food of the month). But with that said, I am happy to be reading it. And the girls were awesome today playing a lot on their own so I got some reading time in. Can't wait to finish and start the next one. I don't read that often so I think I deserve to do this total devotion thing every once in a while. And about the book, I just have so many mixed emotions I don't know where to begin. I like it but almost feel guilty that I like it!
3. Colt is picking up the pace a little on his crawling. He is not speedy yet but he can go distances now. He still likes to just go a little and sit but he has got the going from sitting to crawling and back to sitting down pat. He is getting so old! Slow down little buddy!
4. Eric and Livy love watching Minute to Win It together. The get pretty into it and Rachel joins in some but is more with me and what I am doing. It's cute watching them together and the funny comments that Livy makes about the contestants abilities and the conversation Eric make with her about how he will train her and she can be on the show and win him a lot of money!
5. Rachel is more of my shadow now a days. She loves following me and standing right next to me pretty much holding onto my leg or pants. She squishes between the counter and me and has gotten knocked down a few times because I didn't see her. Poor kid. She always wants to sit with me and for me to hold her. Sometimes it does get a little irritating but I know she is only this little for little longer. Then it will change so I don't mind it that much. I hope she knows how much I love her and Livy.
6. I am addicted to chocolate. I can't quit it. I sneak it all day and have no self control lately. I need to get whipped into shape. This time of year is so hard for me some how. I love fall and it turns into a free for all. Hopefully I can get a handle on it and not gain my usual fall/winter weight so I don't have to do the annual diet in February and March!
7. The girls share a room now. They sleep in the guest room in the king and queen sized beds we have in there. When Hannah was here all three of them slept in there and after she left the girls wanted to keep sleeping in there so for now they share a room in there and it is going well. They don't really stay up and play and only one night we have had to threaten putting them in their own rooms if they didn't go to sleep.
8. It was Labor Day weekend this past weekend so Eric had off of work on Monday and today on Tuesday it was raining a ton so he had off again. It was nice to just hang around all together. We did a little swimming, Eric watched the first Texas game, some shopping (not fun stuff really just errands-but food shopping was nicer with him), hanging with some of the Williams family, went to Jaden's blessing, and mostly just hung out at home. I got a run in too which was great, especially since I didn't have to take the double stroller. It was a nice time.
9. We went to the library last week and took out some books. I am actually ashamed to admit that it is the first time we went to the library and actually checked out some books. We had gone to story time before but gotten any books. It was a fun little trip. Livy liked sitting and reading. Rachel found an older girl she was playing hide and seek with. I hope to make it a weekly or at least every other week kind of thing.
10. Eric has been playing "the door game" with the girls this week. After baths he tries to block the bedroom door and they try and run by him. They have lots of fun getting tossed around by daddy. Livy actually tries to run around him but Rachel says "here I come daddy" and runs straight into his arms. It's really fun to watch them all having a great time.

Pebbles

Photos to document the terrible dog owner I have been. I wrote about the ordeal in my Ten on Tuesday, one of the girls put a hair tie around her neck who knows when which cut through her skin because it was too tight, thing but here are the pictures. They don't even to the cut justice. That is all you can see with the hair covering it. If you get the right view, which I couldn't apparently, you see the real bad part. The hair on the top of her neck sticks over it too much here. And I wonder how I didn't notice it? I am hoping it wasn't there for too long and I am not that oblivious. And my parents were here too so I am thinking someone would have seen it? I must have just got bad on Monday so that is when I saw it. Either way I am so sorry Pebbles. The good news is she isn't acting hurt at all. And she is recovering pretty well. Thanks for being such a good dog Pebs. We really do love you!

After a week I am glad to report now that it is pretty much healed. I can't believe how quickly it got better, besides for the few times she scratched at it and made it bleed again, it happened really fast.

NY Continued

Most of the Rathgeber clan. We were missing a few. We all went to Uncle Dave's ward on Sunday. He is the Bishop now of Bayshore Ward.

Charlie and Michelle. Rachel is trying to steal Charlie from Michelle. She is going to marry him and run into his arms she says.

We went to see Josh and Katie's house while we were there. They are doing an awesome job and have such vision because I would have never had enough guts to purchase a house the way theirs looked when they bought it. So excited for them because it will be amazing when they are done and it will be so good to know they did it.

We will have to try better next time to get a good picture of our family. We some how always forget every time we are in NY with Danny to get one of all of us.

Cute pregnant Cass. Can't wait to meet her little boy and for a year or two when Colt, Tucker and this little guy can play together!

Some of the gang. Everyone is getting so old it's crazy!!

Me and my girls. Eric wasn't there yet.

Me and Cass. Miss you sis. It stinks not living near each other and even more now that she is about to have a baby that I want to be there to see and watch grow up. Looking forward to a long summer stay in NY next year!

Part of the spoiling. The girls get so spoiled here. Junk food and no bed time plus lots of toys. Those are the days at Grammy and Poppy's house!

Colt got so much attention and was such a good boy. He was happy all the time and went to everyone. He didn't sleep well at all so I was tired but he was happy at least.

We had an awesome time in part to our awesome babysitter(s). Rachel can handle it all and she has Ian and Katherine to help out too. The girls love these guys and were so happy to be with them. Thanks guys!

Grammy icing her hurt back and stretching with Colt. I love this picture and my dad's face in the back so happy too.

Happy Livy and her Poppy.

I love this picture of these two!

Rachel practicing the Macarena that Katie taught her.

Dan leaving for school in the morning. He loves seeing everyone in the morning but sometimes doesn't want to leave on the bus when everyone is there. The girls loved watching for the bus and Livy was always up with Grammy and helping to pack Danny's bag.

And once again, to be continued.....

I think I will just copy Erin's blog for the last one. I don't have the strength to do another!

Hannah's Visit

Hannah flew back from New York with us and spent two weeks here in Texas without mom and dad. It was a big step and a long time away from them for her but she did great! We had lots of fun while she was here and the girls loved having her around all the time. And so did I for that matter. She was an awesome help with all of the kids. She helped get them ready, always buckled them in the car, watched Colt when I needed her to, helped clean the play room, helped get the girls swimming more, helped the girls use the bathroom, and I could go on and on. We were really busy while she was here and also got the girls registered for preschool and met their teacher. Mom and dad came to pick her up and were here just for the last week end. We hope you had a great visit Hannah! And hope you come back soon!

We did more swimming these two weeks than we probably did the rest of the summer combine! But it paid off because the girls are swimming much better now.

These two love the water.

Mr. Potato head earrings on.

Painting ceramics. The girls had a lot of fun doing this and eating the popcorn they give you. Hannah picked a dolphin, Livy picked a Hello Kitty box, and Rachel picked an elephant.

Rachel wanted to wear Hannah's flip flops everywhere, even though they were falling of her feet. Silly kid! She wanted to be like Hannie the whole time. They would play baby too and Hannah was always Rachel's mom.

Choo-choo! Here is their train. They tied bikes and wagons together. It took a few tries but got it going finally.

Little buddy enjoying some food. He loves to eat everything now. He still only has two bottom teeth but that doesn't seem to stop him. We think he said Hannah. A few times he would look right at her and say what sounded like Hannah. He did it in NY the last two days too and other thought it sounded like it too, I'm not just crazy.

Silly time at the table for all three girls.

Colt loves dogs and gets so excited seeing them. He loves rubbing his feet on Pebbles too when she comes around his chair looking for dropped food.

The girls massaging Eric's back for money. Well Hannah anyway, I don't know exactly what the girls are doing.

A fun night at ITZ. The food was beyond gross but it was fun playing the games with the girls.

Eric and Hannah on the bumper cars. He really enjoyed having an older kid around that he could play with and do different stuff with.

The gang.

Sliding on an inflatable slide. We went to an indoor bounce house place and they had lots of fun. We were pretty much the only ones there since school had started here and they had so much fun. There was one little boy that they ran around with that Rachel of course came to love. She said she is gonna marry him now, not Charlie anymore.

Visiting the zoo. On the way to the airport to get mom and dad we spent the morning at the zoo. The girls had lots of fun seeing all the animals. Here they are in a little tunnel that goes through a fish tank. It was pretty cool. They loved the giraffes, elephants, and orangutan too. Lots of the other animals were sleeping so they were hard to see.

And brushing the goats is always fun for the kids.

Livy was rubbing this ones chin saying "What's wrong, what's the matter."

I probably shouldn't have let him get this close to the goats mouth now that I think about it but he was just so excited to see them. I think he thought they were dogs. If I didn't have him down on the ground to see them he was screaming and throwing himself around.

We took a trip to the lake the one of the weekends Hannah was here too. A little fishing, jet skiing, boating, and water sliding.

Livy and Rae enjoying the jet skis, very slowly.

Tucking a tired Pebbles in.

Some pictures borrowed from Jamie's blog. Thanks!

Mom and dad came to pick Hannah up the last weekend she was here. We did lots of swimming and I got to go shopping by myself. We had their favorite Texas foods: BBQ potatoes, Chic-fil-A, and Papasitos.

Colt enjoying NY bagels.

Lots of tea parties too!

We miss you guys. We always do. Thanks for coming to stay with us Hannah and for all of your help. Rachel was crying the morning they left. She says she has no one to play with now that Hannah is gone. I had to remind her of her sister who she said doesn't want to play with her. She also told me to call them and they will come right back. I have a feeling it is going to start getting harder to say goodbye to them now that the girls realize more that they are not around all the time when they want them to be. It is so sad watching them get upset about it. I can't keep it together either when they start crying because I miss them too. We are doing better now though and looking forward to the next trip.