Rolling, Rollling, Rolling

Mabel is now rolling. Okay, she's been rolling for about 2 months, but I'm just now documenting it (stinks being child #3). And now she's quite proficient at it. She even teaches classes. Here's Rolling 101:

Step 1: curl knees up

Step 2: Swing left to gain momentum

Step 3: Throw legs back to the right

Step 4: Roll!

TA DA!

And now the review:

After being on her tummy for too long she starts to fuss. Can anyone teach her how to roll back?

What??

I was just downloading some pics of Mabel (in the next post) and I found these pictures on my camera! I guess Bret took some pictures. It's always a pleasant surprise when I'm not the one behind the camera. This is what Aiden made in school. Isn't it cute! He's my little Pilgrim.

Being the great mom that I am, I didn't take any pictures of it. Thank you Bret!

On a side note, Bret also took this picture:

Notice the shoes neatly lined up in a row along the couch. I don't remember where I had gone but I came home to find all the toys had been cleaned up and this. This was Bret's idea of cleaning. Don't get me wrong, I loved that the house had been picked up and the shoes laid so nicely. I questioned him about the shoe row and he said the boys were already in bed and he didn't want to wake them to put the shoes in their room. But as you can see, Grayson is clearly WIDE AWAKE. Maybe Aiden was asleep... I don't know, but a Mack truck couldn't wake that boy once he's out, as evidenced by the infamous toilet picture. But thank you again honey for allowing me to come home to a clean house!

A Few Grayisms that Made me Giggle!

I was at the grocery store and walking down the candy isle. I was in search of some Andes Mints so as I'm looking intently, Grayson is walking along doing the same...looking, touching, in awe of the assortment before him. I'm not paying much attention to him, and suddenly he's in front of me waving a sucker back and forth saying, "Sank you, Mommy! Sank you, Mommy!" Of course, I said no. We can't be giving him everything he wants any time he pulls something so cute! The funny thing is, he happily walks back to where he got it and puts it back. No fit, not even a whine! As I write this, I'm wishing I had bought it for him now. I'll just have to give him some of his potty training stash.

Another cute thing: While driving to go to Albertson's, we pass by Grandma Chloe's house. After we've just passed the street that turns into her neighborhood Grayson says, "No, no, (pointing to the street) Kamma's house! No, no, Kamma's house!" He was trying to tell me I had missed the turn. I never realized he paid that much attention to direction. Now I have another backseat driver to tell me I don't know where I'm going...Aiden does this all the time!

She's so Vain

If you can believe it, only 2 seconds prior to this photo Mabel-dee-dable was screaming bloody murder! I have found the answer to my problems...a mirror. This child loves to look at herself. No more having to strip her down and put her in a warm bath, all I need to do is put her in front of a mirror! I have noticed that every time I tell her she's a beautiful girl, she gets a huge grin on her face, so you'd think I would have figured this out sooner. Now if I could just leave her in her Bumbo in front of that mirror all day! Oh wait, that's why they recalled the Bumbos, bad parents. Now I just need to figure out a way to make her sprout some locks.

That boy can crash ANYWHERE!

Last night the boys were in the tub having a good ol' time and I hear someone hop out (am I a bad mom? I let them play in there for quite a while without supervision). So I go in to make sure it's just for a potty break. I see all is clear, so I go back to watching Dancing with the Stars, not my favorite, but what else is on on Mondays? Anyhow, Bret later goes in to wash their hair and get them out but he comes in and tells me, "Hollie, come here, you've got to see this." So I go in and this is what I find:

Aiden has fallen asleep on the TOILET. Not your most comfortable place to sleep, but who am I to judge, right? I wouldn't have posted this picture if not for the strategically placed car he had in his hand. Now he has a good reason to hate me for life.

And then there's Grayson squealing away in the backgrond...he sleeps even with all that noise!

I swore I wouldn't blog this much, but sometimes the material just writes itself!

My Beef with kids' sports...

Flashback about 17 years ago. I made the All-Star team for girls softball. We were practicing and I was playing 2nd baseman. A ball went through my legs. My bad, I should have had my glove down. Then I hear a mom from the bleachers say, "*big sigh* Put her back on the bench where she belongs!" It was her daughter I was competing with by the way. That was my first experience with how ugly parents can be in sports. Well, it was practice and we were going all the way to exotic Elko, Nevada for the play offs, so you can see the cause for her concern.

Fast forward to 2008. We've finally decided to put Aiden in sports. We figured it will help him redirect some of his energy. His team, the Cheetahs, has won their first 2 games and tied their 3rd. So I missed his 4th game due to setting up for Gray's B-day party. It's a good thing I missed it because I would have been duking some Grandma and possibly Aiden's coach. Bret comes home and tells me the Cheetahs lost 7 to nothing to a good team. The most goals scored in any previous game was probably 3 total. Anyhow, Bret tells me some kid's Grandma is over there saying, "This is embarassing. Put your best defenders in!" Well...this is 4-5 year old soccer, most of these kids just learned what a defender even is. Guess his coach, whom I've been pretty impressed with up 'til now told Aiden, "If you're going to be out here playing you need to FOCUS and stop dancing around!" I can kind of get that because Aiden has a hard time focusing. But I've seen coach get a little too into these games. Let's simmer down a bit folks. So I ask you people, what is more embarassing?

Grayson's BIG Day!

So yesterday was Gray's birthday party. I always look forward to planning the birthdays each year and then after the birthday I am reminded of why I don't care much for throwing the party. It is quite the mess! But the kids always have a good time, so I guess that's enough reason to do them.
This year we called a spade a spade and themed the party 'Make a MESS'. Guess where I got the idea...that's right MarthaStewart.com. Man, if it wasn't for Martha... We finger painted, colored with sidewalk chalk, made some play-dough (I'm still paying for that one), and decorated cupcakes. There was a huge mess afterwards but at least it was in the back yard.

All of the presents were a hit! And I already have a headache from all of the NOISE! I'm happy to have another birthday party behind me!