Laiken

I wanted to share a story about Laiken and Jack, it is really sweet. We had just arrived to football practice, but did not get out of the car right away. (Dylan was on the field.) I had picked up my Avon order from Jody and was looking at the new book. Laiken was watching a movie and Jack was sleeping. The main reason we stayed in the car was for Jack to catch a short nap. He woke up, I spoke to him. Then Laiken noticed he was up, she said, "hands Jack." He took her hand and then jerked it back. She said, "hold hands Jack" And as if he knew what she said, he held her hand. Laiken said, "Aww, She really loves me!" (Laiken distinguishes boys and girls but not he's and she's, she always says "she" for Jack) I thought it was precious. Funny how much they love each other.

The start of a brand new week...

Saturday's football game was in Waynesboro. We won. Dylan only played 3 plays. He was given a different position, some other kid plays his spot as inside linebacker. Not really sure about the details on that. Trey seems to think it is related to the ankle incident a few practices earlier. On the way to the game we followed the other parents from the sandhill school. On the way home we relied on our memory. We took the wrong road. I told Trey we should turn around or call Ryan. He said, "Why, every road leads to somewhere." Hmmm. So after 20 min... the road we were on, that was leading us to somewere, turned to dirt. Trey looked at me and said, "We are officially lost." My husband is a proud, headstrong kinda guy. I was so so very relieved that at the first gas station we came to, he did ask directions (surprisingly). And we were lost but heading in the right general direction. Dirt roads and tons of laughing later, we still managed to get home in the same amount of time it took to get there. Which is funny to anyone who knows where I live, we got there by ways of Waynesboro and got home by ways of Richton (complete opposite ways). Today was the last day of the Pecan Festival. There was no traffic getting in or leaving. We went first thing this morning and managed to avoid any lines. And the weather was pleasant. For all of those that attended the festival last year, Sunday morning is the best time to go. There are no funny stories to report about Laiken, she was in a terrible mood most of the day. Alot of crying and screaming. On those days you often wonder, "whose kid is this?!" The time that she was happiest, she was on a jumping thing that she has done several times at the mall. It has harnesses to strap around her little body that are attatched to huge bungee type rubber bands. She stands on a mini trampoline. The bands are then stretched really high and the guys who operate it pull on her harness and let go, flinging her high into the air. She goes up about twenty five to thirty feet. It is so ridiculusly funny to watch her. She loves it so much. The next time we go to the mall, I have to video tape it. It is truly unbelievable. But she would ride a pony ride, she was scared. That was pretty much our weekend, busy but fairly uneventful. Next week starts Monday with football, Tuesday football, Wednesday USM, Thursday football, and Friday Dylan goes to his Mom's. Trey has to stay in LA and work this weekend.

forgive me

I am going to go to jail for striking another person's child. Every football pratice I have gone to, I have to physically restrain myself from picking up someone's kid and violently shaking them. One night I had a kid that threw sand in her face repeatedly til she cried, another night he was snatching toys from her (that were not his). And another night the same kid pushed down a little boy she was playing with. Okay, we just avoid the little demon now. Today, on a whim, I decided to sit on the sociable side of the field (the side with all the parents), rather than where I normally sit, (alone and happy on the visiters side, with a handful of other parents, mostly just critical dads leaned on the fence). I started feeding jack his ravioli, Laiken runs off under the bleachers. I hate when she does that, cause I can't see her well and there are always older kids there. So she comes running back screaming and three older boys are chasing her screaming at her. They are all just playing but they were older and boys and besides they were calling her names. One of the boys is that little demon kid I don't like. So I quickly packed us up, put her in the stroller and moved to our unsociable side. Later two of the little boys came to our side. Laiken, bless her heart, tells them to go away and leave her alone when they come close to her. One of the little boys pushed her!!! WHAT!!! I stood up to come to them and he pushed her again!! WHAT!! Laiken pointed at him and said "NO no push!" I got about 4 feet from him, careful to stay more than snatching distance, and pointed my finger and told him not to do that again. He started to say something, I got louder and told him I don't care, she is smaller and he is older and he doesn't need to push girls and to NOT let me see that again. I am pretty sure I'm going to go to jail one night. I think I am just going to put her in karate and get one of those bumper stickers that says "my kid can kick your kids ass"

Are you kidding me???

Tonight we have no football practice or anywhere to go! Thank goodness. Trey texted me about 5:30 and asked, "So ya'll have the night off?" Are you kidding me? I took a minute from vacuuming, cooking supper, begging Dylan through homework and keeping two babies occupied to answer his text with, "Your right we have no where to go tonight, but I never have a night off." Was he serious?

Thank Goodness It's Friday!!!!

We have had such a busy week. Football practice Mon night. Dylan hurt his ankle and was carried off the field. It was just rolled, not sprained or broken. I know it hurt him, but it must have been a tricky type of injury because he proceeded to limp off and on the rest of the night. The coaches noticed his "injury" and a few parents too. That was a frustrating night. Tuesday night we had practice again. No ankle problems, just fussy babies. I think they are tired of long practices too. Wednesday night, no practice, but we had to go to USM. Dylan is in behavioral and cognitive modification therapy. For those lucky few who don't get to hear the stories about his mom, there are alot of issues there. Hopefully, USM will teach him and us how to deal with some of the issues he deals with. On a lighter note, we also went to the mall Wed. before USM to return a pair of shoes for Dylan. They didn't have his size so we were forced to pick a different shoe. Five styles and 20 try ons later I realize that Miss Laiken has a stinky diaper. A second later, much to my horror, I see that she realized she had a stinky diaper and had reached back and put her hand in her diaper. She then smeared the poop collected on one finger, all over her white shirt. I cannot count or describe the levels of embarrasment I experienced. Well, needless to say Dylan did not get any shoes and Laiken DID get a new shirt. We also managed to make it to USM on time, (a miracle in itself) So then Thursday I discovered, Thanks to mom, I have a crib recall. I have to return the crib my kids have been using for 2 years to Target. We had practice tonight, then I had to take apart the bed. I will have to borrow Ryan's truck tomorrow and return it to target, get a refund, and go to walmart and purchase a new one! FUN!! Then Friday evening I have no where to go, Thank Goodness Its Friday. My new netflix movie, I am Legend, is here! So that is what I will be doing tomorrow night. Saturday night we have a football game and Sunday we have a birthday party in Lucedale. I feel like I have one million things to do and never cross anything off the list. lol Maybe next week we will have less practice. But next weekend will be busy, I am sure we will have a game sat and the Pecan Festival is next weekend. (Dylan chose not to go to his mom's this weekend and I'm sure will not want to go next either. I love it!!!) We may play hookie from school and try to beat the crowd?? Maybe, but how do you explain a little white lie to a kid you are trying to teach not to lie??

First Football Game

Today was Dylan's first football game. Due to the hurricane, Trey was given the weekend off (he is still working in Baton Rouge, LA). He was so very happy to be able to go. I couldn't tell who was more excited about the game, Dylan or Trey. We won 22-0!! It was very exciting. I really enjoyed it. The game is only 8 minute quarters, and all kids have to get to play. Dylan got to play the whole first half! He is inside linebacker on defense and made three good tackles. In one play, he was the only one who stopped the kid running with the ball. It was pretty exciting. Dylan seems to be a natural athlete at whatever sport he plays. The entire second half the coaches were trying to make sure that everyone got to play, so Dylan didn't go in the second half at all. We managed to take a few pictures and video some of the plays. Practices may not be much fun, but the games are cool. I wish they were just a little bit longer. I'm sure everyone is wondering how Laiken and Jack liked the game. Everything was typical at first, (til they tag teamed and beat up a one year old baby). Laiken ran around like she had never been outside in her life before and Jack sat in the stroller and ate. We walked along the fence up and down the sidelines to be able to see dylan and let Laiken watch the little cheerleaders. (she loved "and we're gonna beat the whoopsy out of you!!!" It was cute. Then we made our way back to our chairs and the people sitting next to us had a one year old baby, Braxton. Braxton crawled over to where Laiken and Jack were playing in the grass behind my chair. They were playing fine at first, then next thing you know Laiken threw a football ice pack at Braxton and hit him in the face. He was tough. He didn't like it but he didn't cry. Right after that, Jack crawls over to him and pinches his face, I guess to finish him off. He screamed hysterically, his mom came and scooped him up and I apologized. I had to round up my bullies and put them back in their strollers. Thankfully, his parents weren't mad. It was a very nice day with Trey home. We spent most of the day at PawPaw Collie and Mimi's (for those who don't know that is Ryan and Jody). The babies played in the sandbox with Kynnedi, and Dylan played with Ryanne. (For those who have never tried it, baby powder does work to knock all the sand off! It was so easy to clean up the sand stuck all over the babies and they smelled good too. lol) We came home and Trey grilled hotdogs for lunch. Then everyone took a long nap. After our nap I took Laiken and Jack for a ride in their John Deere wagon. It was so sweet, she sat in back and Jack sat in front. Laiken put her arms around him and sang "if your happy and you know it" to him. We went back to Ryan's and played there for a while. I shot Donald's Recurve bow. It was pretty neat. I even hit the target some. It was a perfect day!!!!

I Love Laiken so much!!!

Laiken is such a tattle tail. Spend one day with her and she will tell you all of the things I say to her most. She says to me "Mommy, no touch!" "Put it back" When I tried to share a smoothie with her at sonic, she says "this is mine, that is yours!" (pointing to the medium sprite we were also sharing). Today she used a new phrase. She climbed into her booster seat and said "mommy, want the baby carrots." I said, " no, you only eat the ranch dressing." (she has a condiment problem, ketchup and ranch are sides and sometimes whole meals for her) She said "MOMMY, Want the baby carrots" "no Laiken" She says "Mommy, 1-2-3, timeout!" I couldn't help but laugh!!

football practice

Dylan does such a good job at football practice. Tonight they assigned positions. He is a linebacker. I don't know much about football, but Trey was so so excited. He said that is a position where the player has to be really tough. He is so proud of Dylan. I am very surprised and very proud as well. I like to see him do well and be praised by others. It builds his confidence, which is what he needs. Trey is working in Louisiana and will not be able to make it to the first game. He said it almost makes him want to cry. I wish he could be there. I know it is his dream to have one of his children to carry on his football legacy. I am going tomorrow to have team shirts made for the babies that say Dylan's lil' sis and Dylan's lil' bro. We did it for baseball season. I guess now it will be a tradition. In my family's lifetime, I think we can expect to spend a small fortune on sports. :)

For weeks Laiken's new phrase when you ask her is she's ready for a nap, she says, "can't, too little" I laughed so hard that now whenever she does't want to do something she says that. This week she is officially on a napping strike! For two days she refuses to take a nap. She lays in her bed and plays with toys or books so quietly that I cannot hear her on the baby monitor and I think she is sleeping. When I go in and check, she is still up. Both yesterday and today this went on for two hours and countless threats before she ultimately gave in and fell asleep. Today she tried to plot against me with Jack. I put them both down for a nap. She was talking and singing and he could not go to sleep. I took him out and rocked him to sleep. And thinking she was close to sleeping herself, I put him back in his bed. Within 35 min, she was still up and started singing and woke Jack up. So Jack took a nap in my bed today. Laiken eventually gave up and fell asleep at 4. The best part about the new napping trouble is that we are now going to football practice 3 times a week. Practice lasts from 6:00 to 8:30. By the time she is falling asleep, I have to wake her up so we can leave. And everyone has to have a bath when we get back. So bedtimes are pushed back too. Seems like we are all suffering from not enough sleep.Too much fun. For those of you surprised that Dylan is playing football, join the club. We did not think he would and also thought if he did, he wouldn't like it. It turns out that he loves it! He hates stretches but loves to tackle. the more he thinks he hurt someone, the prouder he is. He is quick to report he has already made two little boys cry. Like father, like son I guess. Trey is so happy he can't stand it. And now I'm afraid they will all turn out to be just like their Daddy!! LOL.

Jack "The Baby". He is the sweetest one of all. Maybe that is just b/c he hasn't started walking or talking yet!

Laiken "The Boss". This is at Ian's birthday party. Looks sweet doesn't she!! Lol.

Dylan "The Athlete". This is the first day of second grade. Isn't he so cute!!

Have you seen my keys?

I've decided to try out this blog thing. I think I have some interesting moments in my life, thanks to my 3 beautiful children. And since we are so far away from friends and family, this may be a better way to share the "small stuff" that is my chaotic, wonderful life. I will start by just explaining the blog address I chose...Have you seen my keys? That is a metaphor that explains my whole life. I spend countless hours looking for things. And of course it is also a very literal definition of my day. If I am leaving the house to go anywhere, there is a 99% chance I will say "Have you seen my keys?" Mostly I am asking my husband or 7 year old, (both are never helpful in finding them) or I am asking my 2 year old (who is even less helpful) and usually answers "I dunno". Time is getting late. I will post more later this week, pending the arrival of Hurricane Ike, in which case it might be next week.