Are we Jinxed?

Phil & I were beginning to think our weekend away just wasn't going to happen as planned.

On Wednesday, our a/c went out. We thought it was going to be an easy fix. We wound up having to replace the whole unit (which didn't get done until Thursday).

Wednesday afternoon, I got a call from daycare saying Callie had thrown up. They called again a little while later and said Callie just didn't feel well. So, I go pick up the kids and head home to a warm house. Luckily, it wasn't that bad in the living room where we had a fan going.

Thursday morning, I call Wendy to see if she's on her way. She's sitting on the side of the Interstate w/ a flat tire. She finally got it fixed and got here around 9:00 Thursday night.

Phil & I finally left Friday morning (as planned). We get to Sevierville and my stomach starts hurting again (I just got over a stomach bug earlier in the week). Anyway, we get some Immodium AD and go on our way. :)

We checked into our cabin around 2:00. Guess what? The A/C is out!! Phil calls the place, they said they'll send someone. Someone did show up around 4:30 or so...he couldn't fix it. He said someone else will have to come back out. So, we go to supper. We get back and our cable appears to be out. Phil calls again...well, this time, it wound up being operator error...somehow, we turned the VCR on and the cable no longer worked...it's around 7:00...A/C is still out. Phil calls again (he's probably already called 3-4 times by this time)...they're still sending someone out. FINALLY, around 9:00 or so, the right person comes out and fixes the a/c.

It was only bad in the cabin for a couple of hours (there were 2 units and 1 was working - it was the smaller unit, so it didn't work well).

After a shaky start, Phil & I had a wonderful time in the mountains...nice and relaxing.

We called home this morning and found out that Wendy got sick during the night. She called mom at 5:30 this morning and she came out to take care of the kids until we got home. :)

It's kind of been a comedy of errors all weekend. It was nice to get away, though.

Josh's first phone call

One of Josh's friends (female) from school just called! She actually called earlier and left a message.
I was surprised Josh wanted to call her back, but he did!
They talked for about 5 minutes - he told her about his new easel and a movie he saw yesterday (Shaggy Dog). It was too funny...

Why does a parent of a kindergarten girl let her call a boy the parent has never met? I've met the girl and I'm not overly impressed. She's actually going to be 7 this year (held back a year maybe?). She's bigger than Josh (height and weight). She's a little more "wordly" than I'd like for Josh to be at this age.

Anyway, the conversation was innocent enough. I just think it's funny he actually talked to her! He won't even talk to his grandparents on the phone!

Room of their own

For the first time in 2 years, the girls are in a room of their own (finally). Last night, they were so tired, I don't think they even realized they were in the same room.

Sometime before we went to bed, we heard Emma crying. I went up and checked on her and she had thrown up in her crib (nice clean sheets and everything). So, Phil gave her a bath while I cleaned up the sheets...Callie slept through the whole thing.

When I put Emma back in bed, she finally realized Callie was in there, too. She looked over her crib and I asked her if she was happy Callie was in there. Emma just looked at me and put her finger over her mouth and said, "Shhhhhh". She didn't want me waking Callie up.

Right now, the 2 of them are up there playing peek a boo over the cribs and giggling up a storm. I wonder how long it will take them to go to sleep?

That being said, Josh is back in a room to himself. We rearranged his room and have semi-cleaned it up. We were able to put up his easel that he got for Christmas. He's in heaven. We haven't seen too much of him this evening. He was anxious to go to bed (even though it's a tad early for him). :)

We rearranged our bedroom, too, and cleaned it up. Josh came in and said it looked like a hotel room. :) I can't believe how much floor space we now have...it was nice to get the crib out of our room. We actually put the glider chair in our room - we couldn't get it into the girls room (yet). We may have to take it apart - we can't get it through their door (it's at the end of the hall and not alot of wiggle room).

Christmas Gift for the Girls

Yes, it's March, but I just found a deal too good to pass up.

I just found this at the Disney Outlet. I think by Christmas time, the girls will really be into their baby dolls, so this will be perfect. It was only $20 (regularly $70)!

Next week is spring break

Josh is excited about not having to go school...not too excited that he won't be staying home. :(

His daycare class will be taking a couple of fieldtrips next week. They're going to play putt putt on Tuesday and probably go see a movie and McDonalds on Thursday or Friday.

I am taking Thursday and Friday off (yay!). The kids will be in daycare on Thursday and Phil and I hope to go see a movie.

Wendy will be here sometime Thursday and then will take on the fun task of keeping the kids over the weekend.

Phil and I have rented a cabin in Pigeon Forge for Friday and Saturday night. This is the first time in almost 6 years that we've had some time to ourselves. We've rented a 1 bedroom that has a big screen tv (Phil's requirement), pool table, sauna, hot tub, jacuzzi, high speed internet, etc.

Here's the link to it: http://www.smokymtncabins.com/tarzan/index.htm. Ignore the silly picture on the wall...it's the one piece of tacky in the cabin. HA!

We're looking forward to a nice quiet weekend...I just want to sleep! :)

Weekend at the park

We took the kids to Walker Springs park twice this weekend. I really love that park. It's small and confined, so it's a perfect place to watch 3 kids at once.

Josh had a blast on the swings - he couldn't go high enough! He's still learning about pumping your legs and getting himself going, so he likes one of us to push him.

Callie took a few minutes to warm up to the whole idea of swinging and sliding. Phil put her in the swing the first time and she did NOT like it (she loved it last year). She climbed up to the slide for the first time and decided she didn't want to go down alone. So, I slid down with her the first time...after that, she was ok. She never tried to go down w/out getting help first, though. :) Sunday afternoon, she climbed to the top of the slide and said, "Help! Hold my hand!". So, I reached out to hold her hand and she changed her mind...she said, "No!" and got up and did something else before finally getting brave enough to slide down. Once she went down once, she was okay, but she always wanted someone right there to catch her.

Emma, on the other hand, has no fear! The girl climbs to the top of the slide and slides down whether anyone's there to catch her or not. She went down head first down the spiral slide...I think it scared her a little, but did it stop her? No way! I don't know how many times she went down the slide while I was helping Callie...she scared me to death! :) She loved the swings, too! She couldn't swing high enough. Phil put her on his lap on the big swing. After that, she wanted nothing to do w/ the "baby" swing. :) She saw some bigger kids on the monkey bars, so she wanted on those, too!

I'm not used to having a daredevil. Josh was always very cautious.

To see more pictures, check out our website (click the link in the title)

Where's my camera when I need it?

Last night, the girls were getting ready for bed. Well, Emma found a winter hat (it looks like a jester's hat in pastel colors). Anyway, she put that thing on her head and turned my radio on. She then started dancing to the music (in rhythm). It was the funniest thing I've ever seen. Now, Emma loves to dance, but the hat was just too much. :)

Callie couldn't be left out...she got a McDonald's toy that plays music and then started doing her own dance (swinging her arms up and down and bouncing to the music).

Where did these girls get the rhythm?! :)

They both like to sing, too (or have me sing). After our book last night, Callie said, "Sink Jesus" (Sing Jesus Loves Me). After that, it was "sink tinkle" (which is sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star). When I started singing them, she started clapping yelling, "YAY!!!" and then she "sang" with me. Emma likes to sing on her own.

I need to keep that video camera a little more handy! We're going to miss all of these funny moments on film!

The girls turned 2 (quick update)

I should have done this a week ago, but things are busy, as usual.

The girls turned 2 on the 16th. Yay!!

They had their 2 year well baby check up on the 20th.

Both are doing quite well.

Callie was 35 5/8" and 30 lbs 8 oz (90-95th percentile for height & weight). The dr said she's the size of a typical 3 year old! Developmentally, she was around a 3 year + a few months level. She talks all the time! She doesn't miss much!

Emma was 33 1/2" (roughly) and 23 lbs (25-50% for height and 5% for weight). Developmentally, she was at 2 years and 7 months...she's not talking nearly as much as Callie...and has a hard time w/ what she does say (because of the cleft palate). Verbal skills are her only "weakness" and she's really right on w/ those.

Both girls got 1 shot...they whimpered a little, but that's it. They were very brave.