Monday, February 27, 2012

It's been a while


Hey everybody. This is Adam. I just signed on to post a pic of Taylor and Maggie (our new dog), when I realized that it has been a while since I've blogged. Well, when I looked, I noticed that it's been a while since anybody blogged. We can't really blame Amy though, because she is very busy with Pampered Chef and 'Run for God'. I'll come back later with a better update. We'll just say we got a new dog, Maggie, and everyone is doing fine. A little info about Maggie: she is a Rottweiler, she is 6.5 months old, she is 62 lbs, she is not violent, and she is currently enrolled in doggie school. She really is a great dog, and other than a few minor issues, she is great with 'her' kids. See pic above. I have one somewhere with both girls on Maggie that I was going to post, but I can't find it right now. When I do, i'll put it up. Well, that's it for now.

P.S.
I know the chair looks a little 'worn', but it is comfortable, and it is my favorite.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

HUMPHRY

MEET HUMPHRY! OUR FIRST TEST COB! (a little small, but we'll get there)

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Project Garden

Hey all! Apparently I like posting about my garden. I just wanted to upload a few pictures. Here ya go!
P.S.
I didn't include the Sweet Potatoes. (THEY'RE UNDERGROUND)


MOST OF THE GARDEN



CORN



BANANNA PEPPERS



TOMATOES



SQUASH



WATERMELONS



CANTELOPES



CUCUMBER

Saturday, June 11, 2011

BEACH BLAST BRINGS BIG CUCUMBERS










Hey All!
Apparently posts from me are becoming the norm. Anyways, we just got back from a great beach trip (please see Amy for details), and there were lots and lots of cucumbers and an assortment of other veggies from my garden. Taylor and I picked all kinds of cucumbers, two bananna peppers, and one squash. See the pictures below. Thanks for reading. I just wanted to post some pics.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

I see a little apple in your future!

Hey all!
This is one of those rare posts that I do! (This is Adam) Some of you might not know this, but the girls and I gave Amy an apple tree for Mother's Day a few years ago. We brought it home, surprised Amy with it, and then planted it. One of the first things that Amy asked is 'Will we get apples?' Well, seeing how i've done just about everything else in my life, I can understand that Amy would think that I would just know the answer. Well, i'm here to tell you, I didn't. So, after much research, I came to the conclusion that, NO we wouldn't be getting any apples from her tree. According to my research, apple trees had to be fertilized by another apple tree. So, alas, no apples. But I told her it was 'Nice to look at though!' I think she 'bought' that.

Fast forward to today. Amy and I and the girls were out in the front yard talking to our absentee neighbor Duane, when all of a sudden, Amy lets out a cry that 'We've got an apple!' So we go over an look, and sure enough, there's a tiny 'fake' little apple. It looks just like an ornament. The first thing I thought was, 'Man, this tree's been get'n busy'. The next thing I thought was, 'Wait, I didn't plant another apple tree'. So I take a look around and try to see if there is another one in a neighbor's yard. I don't see any.

Well, the only conclusion I can come up with is that some other apple tree has been coming over and playing 'footsie' with my apple tree. At first, I didn't like that idea, but after arguing with Amy over who gets to eat the apple, i'm now on the look out for other apple trees to invite over. It's a low point in my illustrious life. I'm now an Apple P.I.M.P.

Shamefully yours,
Adam ($$Big Money$$) Morrison

P.S. This video is different from the previous one!




Sunday, December 12, 2010

SAHM

I've been a SAHM (stay at home mom) for 3 weeks now and have some random thoughts about the transition. Overall, it's gone really well. It's amazing how four weeks ago, I didn't have the confidence to 'deal' with my children 24/7. Working a job and coming home to my family was so stressfull, that I never was emotionally capable of handling my kids for long stretches of time. So I was really nervous about this new chapter of my life. I now can say that it's been successful so far.

The first week was kind of rough. Kendall was a walking disaster - falling, hitting her head like 5 times. Taylor refused her naps... EVERY day. But by day three she was cooperating with 'quiet time' and by day eight actually fell asleep after 1 hour 15 minutes of 'quiet time.' Now she does sleep most days after she reads her books for 30 minutes.

So here is my break down on the pros, cons and things to work on of being a elementary stay at home mom.

PROS:
- Taylor - to see her play by herself is awesome. She loves to color and play with playdoh. Nothing else holds her attention long. She enjoys staying home with me and therefore we have less battles. Her behavior seems to be more consistent.
- Kendall - in the three weeks I've been home she's learned several new words and I've started to pick up on what she is saying more (just by being around her. She has become extremly independent. This week after 20 minutes of "I can do it" (slurred into 3 syllables) she can put on her pants all by herself. It's hilarious to watch her and if you attempt to help, she'll pick up and run to a corner to continue doing it herself. She's also peed in the potty twice (in one day). She's asked to sit on the potty many more times but doesn't actually go. Last week, I saw her saw her feed herself an entire meal with a fork - no help from me. It's the little things but I figure before hand we were so rushed for everything, we would never take the time to let her do things herself. It's awesome to see her grow up.
- I feel less stressed (most of the time). I've gotten half the house cleaned up and maintained. I am able to balance my life better. I'm still working 17 hours a week but that gives me time to get a way.


CONS-
- Socially- I do worry about my kids and their need to socialize. They go to Bunnie's 1 1/2 days a week but I don't know if it's enough. Taylor has had trouble sharing and listening there. We've never had trouble with her at any daycare facility/home. Kendall use to love to socialize but recently I noticed she whines at children she doesn't know. I'm not sure if she's 'scared' or 'telling' on them but it's different.
- Weekends are still an issue. When working, I always fell apart on weekends... grumpy, irritable, etc. I was hoping it would be better but not sure. During the week, we have a 'schedule' (not really) and things are semi controlled. However during the weekend, it seems nothing gets done, the house becomes a mess, we all stay in our jammi's on Saturday unless we have plans and by that evening, I'm going stir crazy with all the noise.
- My socialization. I've found myself needing to talk to someone... but no one to talk to. I told Adam one evening when I was wanting to talk and he was wanting to watch TV that he's the only adult I see all week and hope for any conversation.
- Cabin Fever... I think eventually if we don't get out regularly, I'll end up with cabin fever. We haven't done a whole lot these past three weeks so we have lots of options but the fever is still there.
- Weekends - I find myself alittle crazy... needing to get away from the noise and chaos and mess. But at the same time weekends are time that we usually spend doing.. nothing as a family. heh heh.

Things to work on...

- Our schedule. Some days I find it hard to get dressed. My kids are dressed but I'll stay bummed out until late in the afternoon. I know I need to get dressed along with them but just don't find jeans ,etc all that comfy.
- I'd like to do some structured stuff with them - crafts, baking, etc. But haven't gotten there yet. I am not all that crafty and wouldn't know where to begin. If anyone has any ideas for any fun activities, please share them.
- I have to implement some away time for me. During the week isn't bad as I take time off during quiet time and can re-generate. But don't always have that time on the weekends.

Over-all I'm pleased with how things have gone. This was something I knew was coming eventually and have been nervous about it for months. The transition has gone well and I think both me and the kids have adapted well.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Kendall - 18 months


It's occurred to me recently that I haven't posted on Kendall specifically since she was a baby. For Taylor, I tried to post blogs after her well visits to document her vitals and milestones. Since we've had Kendall there have been numerous occasions that I have looked back at Taylor's post to compare. So I'm going to attempt to make this post all about Kendall.

Kendall is such a sweet child. I knew as soon as she was born that she was going to be my cuddly child and she is. She is contempt sitting in your lap or you holding her. Don't get me wrong, she likes to play and can hold her on. But she likes to cuddle just as much. Kendall is an awesome sleeper. She get's that from me. She usually asks us to go to bed for both naps and night time. She'll gather all her night night items, say 'night night' and head to her room. She usually goes straight in her crib, alittle humming at the least.

She loves her big sister. She looks up to her and recently copies/mocks everything she does - actions, words, songs. This can be good and bad. She's hurt herself a few times copying Taylor and they've gotten into screaming matches to see who can outdo each other.

She loves music and is a dancer. Since she was a baby, she knew how to do the chicken dance. Now she dances to all music and will attempt to sing along.

She's my social bug. Everywhere we go she makes friends. If she see's another baby, she'll try to talk to them "baby." We went to the library this week and before we left she had had conversations with two other children their. She has a real concern for other people's feelings and wants to know what's wrong.

She is part monkey. She loves to climb. She started walking at 10 months old. Not long after that, she was climbing on the furniture. We have found her on table tops at times. I keep waiting for her to learn to climb out of crib. She's tried before by hiking her leg up.

She seems to like animals. However everything is a dog to her.

She is so independent. I'm sure this is typical of most second children and beyond. But it still amazes me. At 18 months, she went trick or treating by herself, sits at the doctor by herself (ENT doctor in the chair all by herself for the exam), puts her self to sleep, gets in her carseat, brushes her teeth, attempts to put on her shoes. She loves to read books but must read them herself (babble). She does not like to be read to.

She's my texture baby. She had trouble starting solids, starting a sippy cup, etc. Even today some days she doesn't like certain foods/textures. We haven't had a problem with her putting non edible items in her mouth. And she also has to adapt to textures with her hands. She does pretty well with it but has to get use to the texture first on her own time. With eating, she'll usually play with it or touch it a few times before putting it in her mouth.

She's a biter and a hair puller. Kendall has been pulling hair since she was 6 months old. She still has that habit and even occasionally bites. Luckily, she's never bitten anyone outside of the four of us. Hopefully we can keep it that way. She responds well to time outs and reprimand. She listens most days better than Taylor, though I'm sure that will change with age as well.

At 18 months, Kendall weighs 23.8 lbs (42%) and is 33 inches (85%).

Her speech had a slow start due to ear problems but in the last few weeks had blossomed. Her vocab includes: mine, "side" (outside), doggie, woof, shoe, more, milk (maa), cheese, sit, Taylor, (Ta-da), dada, momma, uh-huh (yes), uh-uh (no), CiCi, glasses, night night,

She knows many body features: eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth, hair, head, fingers, feet.

She has seen almost every doctor specialty since she was born: Gastro (stomach), ENT, allergist, Opthalmo (eye),speech (texture aversion- feeding therapy). Luckily we have spared the most serious referrals and all she has is treatable at this point. She does have esotropia (cross eyes) and probably will wear glasses her entire life. At this point, doctors don't think she will be a surgery candidate (good thing). We hope that the glasses continue to work. As for gastro, there are still some minor questions of her possible intolerances. We won't know anything for sure until she gets older. Around two, our pediatrician may order some lab tests but even that might not tell us what we know. Right now, our only suspicion continues ot be oats. We have no reason to think anything else causes her probles, (wheat, etc).

So that's my Kendall in a nutshell. She is a pleasure to be around and I love her so much.