Toddler "Naughty" Words

A while ago I posted here videos of Declan saying things that sounded like he was cursing. Well, here is another one. It makes me laugh to hear toddlers talk and words coming out to sound like curse words. Austin LOVES it and always asks Declan to say these things and likes to show it off to his friends.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Today we decided to do some decorating for Christmas. I used to decorate for all of the holidays, then some fell off the wayside (like Easter) and even this year I didn't decorate for Autumn/Halloween even though I love my scarecrows, but Christmas will NEVER go without decorating. I LOVE decorating for Christmas!

I realized this year that I don't have many ornaments that are condusive for young children, but we made do with what I had and they boys enjoyed helping decorate the tree.

Wherever Corin put an ornament Declan wanted to put his in the exact same place. So we had bunches around the tree. Shane asked me if I was going to re-arrange the tree after they were finished and I said No. I have realized to let go and not have it be so perfect and that it is fun to look at the tree and know that my boys did the decorating of it. So the top half was mine and the bottom half was theirs.

This year Declan got to put the star on top of the tree, which he was thoroughly excited about. We had to explain to Corin that he has been able to do it the past few years and now Declan is old enough that he gets to have a turn.

Well, we had to have a little help from Daddy.

He Said WHAT?!?!?

I think on of the fun and definitely funniest things with children is listening to them learn how to talk epecially the way the come out sounding. When they are first learning it is so sweet and cute to listen to them say their first word (so far its been Dada) and as they get older to hear their vocabulary grow. And then it comes to when they can speak but words don't sound exactly as they should, so you have to be a translater and then some come out sounding like naughty words. Declan is 2yrs 9months it makes me just laugh to listen to him! So here are my favorite funny speaking moments!

10/26/2011

Who Does He Look Like?

This is an age old question. Whether it's your first child and they are asking which parent/side of the family he looks like or when you have more which sibling he looks like. I am getting the latter question recently. At first I thought he looked like Corin because I found this picture of Corin.

 Corin approx. 1.5-2months

Teagan 7days

Both of his legs are in one leg hole of his pjs. Him being so small and I only have 3month size pjs he would always get his legs in one leg hole since most of the time they were scrunched up.

But then I saw this picture I took of Teagan at 5days.

 And thought of this picture of Declan at approx. 1.5months

Well, at least we know what family be belongs to since he looks similar to both of his brothers. We'll see who he looks more like as he gets older.

They all sleep similar as well

Corin approx. 2months

Declan approx. almost 1months



Teagan at Thanksgiving (11/24/11)

Teagan a little over 1month 

 T



1 month

I can't believe it has been a month since the birth of Teagan! I sit with him in my arms, gazing at him and it just feels right that he is in our family. I am grateful for the Lord's inspirations and promptings, even though I feel stressed about having 3 kiddos and making sure their needs are met. I have wonderful family who are so helpful and supportive. Last December I had this overwhelming prompting that we were suppose to have another baby and that it was going to be another boy. I put off telling Shane because, to be honest, at that time, I didn't want it to be true. My thoughts kept going to money and how we were going to provide for another child and also deal with the bills that would come with having a baby. I finally told Shane and he was supportive, saying "If that is what the Lord told you then we need to follow through" I still had him pray about it and he got the answer that the prompting that I had been giving was true. We got pregnant quickly! The Lord knows us SO well and knew that if I didn't get pregnant right away that I would stop trying.

Teagan's Stats

Height: 20 1/4inches (5%)

Weight: 7lbs. 2oz (5%)

Head: 13 3/4inches (2%)

Lucky Girl

As I've mentioned before every Tuesday night I go with my Mom to a Stampin' Up! technique class where we make 3 cards. A new lady as joined and a few weeks ago she was talking about herself, family, etc. She said that she was glad her 2 year old son has switched movies because she was getting tired of watching the same one over and over again. I had mentioned that when I let my boys watch movies, if they have watched one recently and I didn't feel like watching/listening to it I make them pick something else. She said she just couldn't do that because it had taken her so long to get pregnant and because of that its just too hard to tell him no. So, basically she spoils the kid. As I listened to her talk about her son I realized that mine are calm comparitively. She also talked about that her husband is a huge basketball fan and that when she was pregnant their childbirthing classes happen to fall on a night where there was a BIG college basketball game and that he wasn't going to miss the watching the game to go to classes because he had a child from a previous marriage and he knew what was going on. I couldn't believe this! REALLY!?!? A basketball game over going with and supporting your wife! This was her first pregnancy. She let him stay home or else she would never hear the end of it about how he had to miss the big game for a dumb childbirthing class!! When the other members of the class and instructor asked where her husband was she told him and she claimed the other men were all jealous because she allowed her husband to stay home and their wives made them come to this class., like she did this great thing. (it was the tone of her voice talking about it that irritated me, like she was the greatest wife ever) I don't believe all the hubands where that way, I know mine wouldn't be that way. When we went to the classes when I was pregnant with Corin he was happy to go, learn and be a support to me. She also said that she didn't know if she was going to be able to come every week to class because she would have to get her mother to watch her son. I was thinking where is your husband? And concluded through listening to her talk more that he would be home, but didn't want to watch HIS OWN SON for a few hours in the evening!! I came home, gave Shane a HUGE hug and kiss and told him THANK YOU! He looked at me a little puzzled and said "You're welcome. What for"? I went on to tell him about this lady and listening to her talk about her son, the way she spoils him and gives him no boundaries and about her husband. He totally thought it was ridulous. So, this week she was there and she said that her mother was able to watch her son so she could come. I said, "oh that is nice of her." She said, "Yeah, I'm a lucky girl!" And my thought was "No, I'm the lucky one!" because I have a husband who supports and encourages me to get out of the house for an evening so I can do something I enjoy and I don't have to worry or feel guilty about leaving my children. I'm so glad I have a husband who isn't a male chauvinist who doesn't mind taking care of his children alone, who shares household cleaning and responsiblities and who will even take them over when I'm not feeling up to it, especially when I was pregnant and I would do the minimal to get through the day.

Our Newest O'Berry

Teagan Doyle O'Berry was born at 2:41pm and weighed in at 6 lbs. 2 oz and 18 3/4in long on Sunday October 16th, 2011.



He is by far my smallest baby (no wonder he came in only one push!) Labor was only 10hrs 10min long, but I believe it was my hardest labor yet. I had intensely sharp pains in my lower belly, down my butt and into my thighs. However, the epideral was amazing. It was so strong in fact that my legs were completely dead and I wasn't sure I was going to be able to push (or use the right muscles) because I couldn't feel a thing, unlike with my last 2 I could feel pressure so knew when they were getting ready to come. However, I guess I didn't have a problem because I pushed once and he came! The nurses and doctor were worried (even though at the time they didn't act like it at all, they were very calm and just said it was time for me to start pushing. They knew MUCH more than I did since I couldn't feel a thing) actually they wouldn't get everything ready in time because he was "right there" and they could see his head and hair very visably. The OB on call (not my OB, but one from the same practice) had to leave the hospital for some reason so another physican delivered Teagan (who isn't an OB). He was really nice and made sure I felt comfortable telling me that he had delivered babies before. I actually wasn't worried at all. The only time I was honestly worried was when I did push once he slipped out SO fast I thought the doctor wasn't going to catch him and did even slip a little in his hands, but he didn't.

SO SURPRISED!!

Every Tuesday night I go to a Stampin' Up! Technique Class with my Mom. Its $5 and we make 3 cards and learn at least one technique. I really enjoy it! Its time I get to spend for myself doing something I enjoy, be with my Mom (our relationship has grown) and get to know some really great ladies. I had never met these ladies until I started going with my Mom. I really got to know the other ladies (Valerie, who it the demonstrator, Wanda, Jimmie, Wendy, Laurie, Joyce and a few others, but these are the main ladies that come every Tuesday) when my Mom was gone for 6 weeks to Florida over the summer and I went by myself. They are SO friendly, welcoming and we had a great time teasing each other (I took "Wendy's spot" at the table). Last night they gave me a baby shower!! I was SO SURPRISED! Wendy made cupcakes (my favorite, chocolate with chocolate frosting!! And she didn't even know, just guessed!) and they each gave me some gifts of things that I would need for our new little boy! I was in desperate need of diapers and I got some along with a few outfits and wipes! The neccessities!! (Shane and I had just gone to the hospital on Monday for our Pre-Admissions appointment and they asked if we had everything for a baby. Shane answered yes and my mind was racing with "I don't have small diapers!")

Since it is a card making class one of the cards we made was this one, called the Side Step Dresser. Each lady made one and then gave them to me as another gift for me to use as baby announcements, so they only went home with 2 cards tonight instead of 3. I thought that was SO kind of them to give up one of their own cards to make me one so I could have a set of handmade baby announcements! The picture will go where the dimenionals are (the white hexagons) and then his name, date, weight will go on each of the drawers.

Thanks again ladies SO much for your kindness and thinking of me! I totally SURPISED!

It's Now Official, He's In School!!

Well, the time has come, I dropped Corin off at school today for his first day of Kindergarten. Like I've said before it's hard to believe, but it will be good for the both of us and of course it is time. I actually did well this morning, I didn't cry. I think I got it all out in the anticipation of it coming. I got just a bit teary when I came back home, saw Shane and told him that he was officially off to school. Sitting here right now, without hearing him is strange, but it also reminds me of when he was in Preschool last year. The strangest thing is going to be eating lunch without him and this happening 5 days a week. I keep looking at the clock wondering what he is doing and how he is doing. Unlike with Preschool I can't go to the school and peak in the door, so I just have to wait it out. Shane last night gave him a Father's Blessing. Corin's had a few blessings before, mainly for the healing of the sick, so I'd say this was the first actual Father's Blessing for School. I started to tear when Shane said he wanted to give Corin one for school and I thought about how many more of these there are going to be in our lives. It was wonderful and a lot of what I needed to hear for him.
On Saturday my Dad called me after reading my blog post and related a story to me about myself. My parents had signed me up for Preschool and my mom was, as I am now, saddened and worried about how I'd do. My dad took the morning off from work and they both took me to school. The car was just barely stopped and I jumped out and walked straight up to the school without looking back. I was ready to go. Corin was pretty much this way. We had to park a little ways up a neighborhood street since it was crowded. So we walked together to find his class (for the first day they were all outside and the teachers had signs) He got right in line and just waited, talking to a few of his friends he knew from Preschool and one from Chruch.  When the Principal started letting classes go he just kept walking, only looking back when I called "bye" He has never had any seperation anxiety. When he started nursery at Church at 18months he went right in.

Afternoon Update: As I've been sitting here today thinking about Corin at Kindergarten and even though I've been wondering how he is doing I get the feeling that this is right, the time and what we are suppose to be doing; a calming feeling. It reminds me of the feeling I get everytime I think about the home I live in, this is the place we are suppose to be.
I went to pick him up today and as his class came out the door he came RUNNING up to me yelling "Mommy! Declan!" and gave me a HUGE hug! It put a huge smile on my face that he was SO excited to see us! He's hasn't been telling me much about his day, bits a pieces and I have to ask questions to get any answers, that is just how he is, but he did tell me right away that he kept his chart green. When we went to the Meet and Greet last Friday, we saw a chart in the classroom that had cards with all the kids names on them in green, yellow and red. I read in the packet while I was standing in the classroom about a behavior chart and concluded that this was it. So, we talked a lot about keeping our name green. I was glad he remembered and made sure to tell me.

Day 2: It was fun to drop off Corin today at school and actually go into his classroom and watch him put away his lunchbox, water bottle and backpack. He just went in and did it. It's amazing how quickly they catch on to the routine (at least part of it, I can't say for anything else during the day, but I bet he's catching on fast) It was just interesting to think about today how yesterday wasn't just a fun thing to do, but this will be a regular occurance and part of our lives and daily routine. Yesterday we had some meltdowns do to adjusting to this new schedule, so I think that will take a little time.

The Wind In My Hair

So, there is a perk for having Shane work at a Facilities Services company, he can borrow the industrial equipment. And that is just what he did this weekend for me! He borrowed a machine that could clean our dining room chairs and couches! Yes, I was excited to have these pieces of furniture thoroughly cleaned and on another weekend he'll borrow it again to clean the stairs and another machine to clean the carpets! With the machine he also borrowed a big fan they use to get things dried quickly. The boys LOVED playing in front of it. I was gone most of the day to a baby shower and doing last minute shopping for Corin to start school on Monday with my Mom (new shoes and lunch food).  So Shane set up the fan again to get the chairs dried after bath time and I was able to witness the fun of the industrial fan.

Kindergarten Anticipation

In a week, A WEEK, my first born child will be entering Kindergarten and FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN at that!! I keep harping on that its full day Kindergarten, I know, but honestly, its crazy for me to think about that he's actually, officially in school!!

What happened to my little baby??

From this:

To this:

Yes, I know, the obvious answer, "He grew up, that's what children do." But honestly, it is crazy for me to think about even though I have a 2 year old and will have a newborn in October.

The past two weeks I have hit, literally, every end of the spectrum of emotions in the anticipation of Corin entering Kindergarten. Two weeks ago I was a crying mess about it. I kept thinking about "Will he have friends," and "will kids try to take his food." I know, strange thoughts, but they both have reasons behind them.

Will he have friends
Corin, even though it can be high energy is a very sweet, loveable child, however it seems to me that no one in his primary class really wants to be friends with him. We were at a Ward BBQ a few weeks ago (7/30) and 2 other boys from his primary class where there. They ran off together and Corin was left alone. However, this doesn't bother him, it bothers me more. He went off to find something else to do and was happy doing so and also he ran around with some of the older boys that do adore him (how grateful I am for the Dorny boys!) One of these boys will be in Corin's Kindergarten class, but I'm wondering if the exact thing will happen because there is another boy from his Preschool class that will also be in the same class (got information from his mom) Also, over this whole summer NO ONE has called to ask if we want to have a play date or meet at the park. I know, I should do some initiation of this as well, but I kept having the feeling of "I want to me wanted and I want my child to be wanted as well." It actually was really heartbreaking to me that no one wanted to play with us.

Will kids try and take his food
To go along with Corin's kind at heart personality, he is always willing and happy to share, however this has come at the expense of him getting basically none of his own snacks at church. Its been quite a few weeks ago (maybe more like a month or more) we have had a few incidences of this. A family was sitting behind us, one of there children, a little girl, in Corin's primary class. He was glad to share with them and didn't make any fuss when the snacks he had were gone and I don't think really even noticed that he, himself, didn't get much of them to eat. But, OH MY GOSH, the little girl and her brother that is just a class above them, were VULTURES!! They were CONSTANTLY ASKING for some and putting there hands over the back of the bench to get more!! I do like there mom, but she didn't say much to them and it seriously irritated the crap out of me!! Not a good feeling to have at church when you're trying to have the Spirit with you. Another week a little boy (the one who will be in Corin's Kindergarten class) and his family were sitting in front of us. Corin started to share again and he kept leaning over to PUT HIS OWN HAND in Corin's snack bag. I even, trying to be discreet, put Corin's bag in my lap and the kid STILL TRIED!!  Afterwards, we had a talk about it is good to be nice and share, but we aren't going to share at church. So, just a couple weeks ago the same family with the little girl were sitting behind us. Corin got out his snacks as he usually does after the sacrament has finished being passed (our own family rule) and she started talking to her dad about Corin. I couldn't hear much of it, but I got some of it. She was saying that Corin is my friend and then I hear "but he has food!" So, are we only friends because he has food!?!? Okay, I know a lot to read into a conversation from a 5 year old, but I do seriously think she wanted to be right behind Corin so she could get food from him. And just this past week they were 2 rows in front of us and she turns around and is totally eyeing Corin's snacks, watching him take one out the bag and put it in his mouth.
We've had some other good incidences of sharing we it is truly sharing and its been only a few of his and the other child will give a few of there snack to him. THE TRUE ACT OF SHARING!!

So, those were two of my MAJOR concerns. Will be he taken advantage of? Will he play with anyone and have someone to sit with at lunch? I seriously breaks my heart that he won't. My other concerns are the normal of  "Will be listen to the teacher and follow the rules," "Will he throw a tantrum if he has consquences for his actions" but for these I think about to him in Preschool and he fairly good and the teachers were great at dealing with him on an individual level. Only had a few incidences of complete tantrum break downs. I hope he's Kindergarten teacher is as great with him as his Preschool teachers were.

Last week was a REALLY hard week around our home. Total mayham and I was a ranting, yelling banchee!! It was bad and I'm not proud of it. So my thoughts about Kindergarten were "I'm SO glad he'll be starting school so I don't have to deal with him all day, he's driving me crazy!!" Now that I'm calm and rational I think my feelings are now in the middle. Last night Shane and I were talking about what we had going this week so he could put them in his scheduled and that school for Corin was starting in a week I told him I was going to drop Corin off at school the first day. And he said "Are you sure that's a good idea?" Meaning was I going to be an emotional wreck. I told him I think I'll handle it, or I actually need to do it so I can handle it better and then we just started talking about my two diametrically opposed feelings the last couple of weeks. I said that I think this will be good for both of us and that I honestly think with Corin and my frustrations I can have with him that the saying "Absence makes the heart grow founder" will really apply to us. That I will be able to be more calm and patient with him when he gets home even if he's dramatic and cranky from a full day of school because I wouldn't have seen him all day so I'll be excited to see him, spend time with him and I don't want to cranky with him after he hasn't seen me.

Horse Ride

The boys love to get horse rides from Daddy and recently Corin started giving Declan rides, which he loves. He continuously asks for them from Corin.

More "I Eat Big" Moments

 7/20/2011

7/21/2011

Tiring

Throwing a fit can be quite the tiring job

He screamed and threw a fit all the way home in the car. I got him in the house and he kept going so I left him on the stairs to take his shoes off while I ignored him and made lunch. He continued on and on til he got quiet. I went to check on him and he had fallen asleep on the stairs.

Being Big...

...or should I say wanting to be big!

Anything that Corin does Declan wants to do too and this was evident tonight at dinner. We had corn on the cob and chicken, nothing extravagent, but it was the way Declan wanted to eat. I had cut Declan's corn off the cob, thinking it would be easier for him to eat, however when he say that Corin had it on the cob he threw a fit saying "I eat big!" He wanted his on the cob too!

Corin has been working on cutting his own food with a knife. Just a butter knife, so softer foods like pancakes. However Declan doesn't really understand this and when I went to cut his chicken he threw another fit saying "I chop chop!" Which is how he refers to knives and cutting. So I just gave him a piece of chicken for him to try. He does try cutting his own pancakes with his fork.

A little more difficult than pancakes. So he improvised and ate it like this because he still would not let me "chop chop" his chicken.

Happy Independence Day!!

We had a fun Independence Day with a few funfilled activities! I was not on the ball this year as in past years to get make sure we had picnic-able food to go to the local rec. center, sit in the grass, eat, play and have a picnic dinner to then wait for the city fireworks show, so instead we did a few different things.

First we went bowling! I signed up for the Brunswick email because I wanted coupons for Corin's birthday and it has been great to get them just to know I have a coupon to do something fun with the boys if we ever wanted to. Well, the email I got was for one free game of bowling from July 1st-4th. So we decided to go! All we had to pay was shoe rental (which of course is more than the game) and decided not to get Declan shoes (they don't have a small enough size anyway as we found out for Corin's birthday) and he just bowled a little on Shane's turn. We got there pretty much right when the opened because I didn't know how crowded it could possibly get. Well, it wasn't crowded at all, pretty dead, so I was glad.

 

We were only there for a little over an hour so we came home and Corin rode his bike. I don't have pictures because I decided to video it on our camcorder instead. Now that he has learned to pedal he as been really into wanting to ride his bike, which is GREAT!! He still has some work to do (stopping, getting started on his own and continously pedalling) but he showed progress from when he started on Saturday til today, so I'm a happy Mama!

After lunch we headed to my parents house. My mom and I went out together on Saturday to do some errands we both wanted to do and she bought tons of strawberries that she wanted my help making freezer jam and freezing them whole. So we thought today was the perfect day to get that done and she bought the boys a small water slip and slide to play with. So while we were instead with strawberries Shane set up the water slide and took pictures for me. It took Corin a bit to get the hang of it (he thought it was going to be like a normal type slide) and they had fun playing in the water.

After the boys were finished with the water slide and they got dried off and clothes on they sat and watched a movie to have quiet time.

We then had dinner of ribs!! YUMMY!! When my mom and I were out on Saturday we went to Sprouts (where we got the strawberries for cheap, .88cents/lb) and they were grilling ribs! So my mom bought some for us to have today! They were really good!! Corin and Declan didn't much care for them. Declan quite enjoyed the spinach strawberry salad. I am grateful that my boys aren't picky eaters, or at least too much. I think they like and eat a good variety of food. I'd say Declan is less "picky" than Corin is. Corin doesn't like anything that is lettuce and Declan was gobbling up the spinach as long as we had a few strawberries to go along with it, but I gave him more spinach leaves than strawberries and he was eating it all.

 

After dinner we watched the Rockies game (which we lost to the Atlanta Braves 4-1) and headed outside to have dessert, SMORES!! This was my boys first experience with a fire. Declan stayed away and Corin tried to roast a marshmellow, but didn't like being so close to the fire. He told me it hurt his eyes and face. My mom got these GIANT marshmellows from Walmart while we were there on Sat! Seriously they are HUGE!! On the back of the package it says to use a whole Graham Cracker sheet for one! When roasted the grew to twice there size and we got 2 smores out of 1 marshmellow and they were still extra marshmellowy, but SO fun to have! We had a great time and laugh with them!

Then we concluded our Independence Day with, of course FIREWORKS!! The boys LOVED the sparklers! Once one went out Declan would ask for more!

Watching the Fireworks Daddy was setting off.

Having fun with sparklers with Papa!