Her's stinky like a camel

Ah, my darling Cadie! She's usually the sweetest girl in the world! When I wake her up to go pee in the middle of the night so she doesn't wet the bed she mumbles in her sleep "thank you momma, i love you momma!" She gets so excited to see people (pretty much any people) and loves hugs and snuggles and cuddles. She randomly tells me I look beautiful or that she loves me throughout the day and she loves giving toys and cuddles to her baby brother (who already dwarfs her) So imagine my surprise this morning, when she wakes up grumpy! She was snuggling with me on the couch when Libby wakes up and comes downstairs to snuggle with us - as per usual, but Cadie immediately yells - "No, Libby! You're too stinky!" After the token apology (enforced by mom) she still won't let Libby up on the couch! I finally ask her (since I smell nothing) "what does Libby smell like?" "Her's stinky like a camel." But she's never even seen a camel?! I don't know where she pulls these random bits from, but the rest of the day didn't get any better - I really hope she's not entering into some terrible 3's stage... This picture of her on the toilet was actually taken by my other darling - Libby! Who else would invade her privacy when she's freshly toilet trained to take her picture for future blackmailing!?

Ooh La La

Libby's new dress. I totally thought my zany 4 yr. old would not get excited over a dress - she's not usually that into clothing in general... would love to be naked all the time if I let her... but I made her this dress out of one of Corey's old shirts and she insisted on wearing it to school that very day. Also, can you see the eczema on her hands and face in these pictures? Any suggestions? The gerber Teeny Faces stick used to work ok but we're out and they've discontinued them, I can't find them anywhere...

Dear Libby... (with right-side up picture!)

To Libby. You are getting so old! You had your first parent-teacher interview for kindergarten a few days ago and it made me realize how quickly the last few years have gone - I used to be the one who had the most influence on who you were and how you behaved. Now you're growing up so fast and you spend much of your time with teachers and friends! I hope that I have done and good job in the time that I had and that I am able to continue to be the kind of mom that supports and uplifts you. I wanted to make a list of all the funny things you have said over the years. You learned to talk quite young and haven't stopped amazing me with the kind and funny things you say. Here are some of my favorites:

On the first day it snowed:

Libby:"Oh snow, I missed you!" -2

Examining a toy with baby drool on it:

Libby: "Eww, baby sister Yucked on it!" -2

Libby:"Momma, I want a parrot to eat!" (pear)

Libby: "Can I have some cherryos?" (cherries)

Libby: "I want strawbabies" (strawberries) -2

After a rather large tantrum:

Libby: "Oh don't worry, I was just crying in my mouth!" -2

Libby:"Oh, I think I'll have a popsicle to make me feel better!" -2

Libby:"I'm so excited to see Aunty Daddy!" -2

Trying to fall asleep:

Mommy: "Call me if you need anything."

-5 mins later-

Libby: "I meed anything!"

Mommy: "What do you need?"

Libby: "Seben dollars. And bread." -2 1/2

Libby:"STINKY MOMMY!" (everyday phrase) 2-current...

When asked if she had anything to sell at a garage sale:

Libby: "Umm. (sad pause) I guess my toes." -2

Libby: "MOMMY!!!! Mom, I was yellowing at you so loud!" -2

While eating breakfast one morning:

Libby: "Mommy, you have a big bum. (pause) And I have a medium bum and Cadie has a little bum!" -2

Libby: "Wow, Daddy's pants can pee. He just stands at the potty and his pants pee right in!" -2

Mommy: "Do you want to go to preschool next year?"

Libby: "YES...but I don't know how to drive yet..." -2

Mommy: "You're a BIG girl now, you can wipe your own bum!"

Libby: "But Momma! I'm not 14 you know!" -2

Libby:"If you don't let me sleep in your bed I will cry so so much!" -2

While making breakfast.

Mommy: "Do you know where eggs come from?"

Libby: "Yah. They're from Jesus." -2

Mommy: "What do you think we should name the new baby in Mommy's tummy?"

Libby: "NOT Jesus! Elmo." -2 1/2

While running up to the nursery leader with hands over her ears:

Libby: "It's too noisy in here!"

Brother Young: "Where's the noise coming from?"

Libby: "Your mouth." -2 1/2

Talking in her sleep:

Libby: "I have to get dressed quick. The fishies are coming!" -2 1/2

While playing with Daddy:

"Ribs to the ears!"- 2 1/2

At Libby's 3rd birthday party the doorbell rings:

Libby: "Oh GOOD, another customer!!" -3

When Libby turned 3 she drank a whole bottle of tylenol when the babysitter was over. I took her to the hospital and they fed her charcoal. All the nurses thought I was so cute and I was so excited that I got to stay up so late! -3

Playing with Daddy:

Daddy: "If I catch you I'm going to pop off your arm like a Barbie doll!"

Libby: "No, Daddy. You can't. Because Jesus made me special!" -3

While pulling leaves off Mommy's plant:

Mommy: "Hey! No pulling leaves off plants!"

Libby: "But I have to."

Mommy: "What? Why?"

Libby: "Cause that's what Libby's do." -3

While in the bath:

Libby: "AHHHHHHHH!!!! I need to get out of here!!"

Mommy: "Why?"

Libby: "This water is too wet!" -3

Mommy: "Time to get dressed!"

Libby: "I can't get dressed today. I have to stay in my jammies so that I remember to go back to bed tonight." -3

While driving home from church one sunday:

Libby: "Can we go to the french fry store?"

Mommy: "Sorry, not today, it's sunday"

Libby: (angry muttering) "some people go to church... some people go to the french fry store."

- 3

Daddy: "You keep talking wrong."

Libby: (smiles) "No I aren't." -3

After another bump and bruise:

Libby: "MOMMY!!! Next time you have to teach me to not fall anymore!" -3

Mommy: "Let's clean up!"

Libby: "I think I'll just take a picture of you cleaning up, Mommy!" -2 1/2

Mommy: "You need to clean up before you can play outside."

Libby: "I can't hear you...bye!" -3

Time to clean up.

Libby: "Oh LOOK, Mommy! (very excited) I found a special toy just for you to clean up!" -4

Mommy: "If you clean up all your toys we can make cookies together!"

Libby: "I appreciate your cookies, Mommy, but I appreciate playing even more." -4

Libby:" I am a people who likes to eat and play." -3

Daddy: "Grrrr, I'm going to put you in the dishwasher!"

Libby: "Actually, Daddy, didn't you know I'm not a dish? I'm a Libby!" -3

While Mommy was chasing Libby with a stuffed lion:

Libby: "NO, Momma, don't scare me... I'm just a child." -3

Libby:"I love you up to 20 pounds, Momma, cause you're the best momma I ever had." -3

Libby: "I learned that at school. (preschool) That's where I live when I'm not at home." -3

Libby: "AHHHHH! My toe feels like it has bugs in it!!" (asleep) -3

During family home evening lesson on tithing:

Mommy: "...we give 10% back to Heavenly Father to say thanks..."

Libby - interrupts and grabs some coins to throw out the window - back to Heavenly Father. -3

Libby: "I want to take Cadie out for a slurpee because I'm so proud of her for going poo on the potty!" -3

After opening the door too hard and making an indent in the wall:

Mommy: "Oh no! Careful! You'll make a hole in the wall!"

Libby: "Really? Well, that's OK. I always wanted to see Jesus."

Mommy: "what?"

Libby: "You know, Mommy, you said you want Him to live IN our house!" -3

After coming out of her room illegally for the 100th time:

Libby: "But Mommy! I love you so much that I can't even sleep!" -3

Elderly lady in Corey's parent's ward: "Hi there! You look like a Wilson!"

Libby: "Well... you look like...a blue...man. -4

Libby: "I think I'm allergic to poo."

Mommy: "No, you're not."

Libby: "YES I AM, because I cough every time I smell it!" - 4

Libby: "I love everyone the best... even strangers!" -4

Libby found a donation box outside the library filled with coats that said "jackets for kids" so she put hers in - thinking that's where you hang your coat when you go into the library. An hour later I noticed her coat was missing. People looked at me weird as I was digging through the donation box to "steal" her jacket back. -4

Upon completing a crayon-colored-ripped-out page of a coloring book:

Libby: "I bet when Daddy grows up he'll want to be an artist; just like me" -4

Libby: "I can't eat this food. These eggs are too slobbery." -4

After Daddy threw her in the air at the swimming pool:

Libby: "HELP!!! Daddy almost made me drained!" (she meant drowned) - 4

At supper time:

Libby: "Daddy. You have to eat or you'll shrink."

Daddy: Oh! Good!

Libby: "NO. You'll be as small as a mice!" -4

Libby: "I don't hate monday's! Cuz I'm a kid!" -4

1st thing in the morning:

Libby: "Mommy, you look like I don't even recognize you. Like an old woman or something."

-4

Libby:" Last night I heard a car pulling a whale behind them outside my window. It sounded like this: Ahhhhoooooh, Ahhhoooooh" (motorcycle) -4

Looking at Daddy's ever-growing belly after dinner:

Libby:"Uh, Daddy? Do you have to go to the potty? You look like you have lots of poo in your tummy." -4

YELLING to Mommy:

Libby: "BUT CADIE CAN"T GO OUTSIDE! (hysterical) SHE HAS NAKED FEET ON!!!" -4

While going pee on the big toilet with no potty seat - she fell in!

Libby: "Help!!!!" (she stayed there until I could rescue her!) -4

Libby:"I want a computer. I've wanted one for years and years."

Daddy: "You have one!"

Libby: "I mean one for my dolls." -4

Frustrated at a computer game - she climbed onto the desk and put her mouth by the speaker:

Libby: "Hey in there! I really want to do this!" -4

Mommy: "Stop scratching your bum."

Libby: "I'm not scratching my bum. Just the heel of my bum." -4

Libby: "Cadie. (in teacher tone) If you see something green you should eat it. It just might be cucumber." -4

Libby: "Daddy, you're really nice. Except when you're punishing." -4

Daddy: "Hold your spoon over your bowl when you eat your soup."

Libby: "YOU hold YOUR spoon over your bowl when you eat your soup." -4

While playing with a pair of sharp scissors:

Daddy: "Hey! You shouldn't be playing with those!"

Libby: "You shouldn't have left them where I can get them!" -4

As Daddy rescued her from falling on her head:

Libby:" Oh, Good job, Daddy!" -4

Random:

Libby: "Mommy, when you and Daddy die, how will I be able to drive if my legs aren't long enough and I can't even put David in his tall highchair all by myself?" -4

Examining Daddy's belly again:

Libby: "Daddy, are you pregnant?" -4

Aunty Elise: "Bye, Libby, I hope you have a good day!"

Libby: "Bye, Aunty Elise, I hope you have a healthy body!" -4

Liberty, I love your craziness and I'm sorry for trying to "hold you down" - as I read these quotes I am amazed how many times I'm telling you what to do or not do. It is my responsibility as your Mom to train you up on the way that you should go. I hope that I am choosing the most important things to correct you on and that I can learn to let go of the smaller details. Even though you have your cute stubborn streak, I just want you to know that I love you no matter what you do or say!

trip to vegas

corey and i were lucky enough to get buddy passes to go to vegas together for our first "couple holiday" since we had kids. It was great! My favorite part was the good food... seriously!

We got to see a show (Mystere) and eat good food. And not even clean up or do dishes or anything! The only hard part was coming home to sick kids - poor Cadie even threw up on the car ride home from grandmas! Corey is convinced that the kids only got sick because they missed us so much :)

He was so happy to see them he made us go out and do a photo shoot...

Cadie was concentrating real hard on throwing those leaves!

happy halloween

Here's Cadie dressing up for dance class in the costume that Chelsea made her last year!

We had such a great Halloween! The girls enjoyed carving their pumpkins - they designed and named them themselves - Ella and Ellie. Very original. The pumpkins were both smiling :)

We also had a fun time trick-or-treating until the end when they both decided simultaneously that they were done and needed to go home. They proceeded to ask the house we were at to drive them home. Thank goodness we were at Kristin and Jake's and they said yes! Libby was Larry the cucumber and couldn't sit down in her costume. She also had no peripheral vision. Cadie was Bob the tomato and couldn't walk up or down steps as she couldn't lift her knees very high. Both girls, once toppled over (which happened often) could not stand back up on their own. I was sick of my double wide stroller (long story) so decided to carry David trick or treating. I had to put him down in order to pick up a toppled veggie. At one point Libby and Cadie ran into each other and were both down - it was so funny I didn't even pick them up right away - all the other trick or treaters were laughing and loving their costumes, too. I think next year practicality will win out, though! :)

so embarrassing!

So, when I told my husband this story after work, he exclaimed "why do these kinds of things always happen to you?" I was totally hoping for some sympathy after all I had been through, but that's all I got. So it had been a busy day and I was running out the door again. I had volunteered at Libby's school and there had been treats. So Cadie had eaten treats. And she was thirsty. Now, let me preface this with Cadie had decided to potty train back in the summer and was doing a great job until she decided she didn't want to anymore. During those few weeks of little to no accidents, we signed her up for dance classes. You have to be potty trained to go to dance class. No problem, until she decides she doesn't want to be a big girl anymore. So she's kind of in between being potty trained and not. So she drank a lot today - and usually on dance class days I don't let her drink anything too close to dance class and make her go pee before we go and she's been fine-accident free. Well, today I forgot and she drank and then actually took herself to the bathroom a good hour before dance class starts so when it's time to leave and she doesn't have to go I started freaking out - I could just see and accident coming so... this is where it gets embarrassing - you have to realize I was sleep deprived and in a rush to get out the door and just wasn't thinking, anyway, I knew I couldn't put a diaper on her under her skin-tight ballet leotard because then they'd KNOW she wasn't fully potty trained so I thought hey, I'll put her in panties and just slip in one of those thin maxi-pads in there and then maybe if there is a little accident it won't be too bad? again, I don't know what I was thinking. After class, the teacher calls me over. I have bad luck with teachers. They're always calling me over. I know, I'm a teacher, too. I don't get it. So, this teacher tells me that Cadie asked to go to the bathroom during class. And asked for help. Then she just raised her eyebrows at me. Sooo embarrassing! I just thanked her and left really fast. There was no explanation that could have explained why my two year old was wearing a pad...

ouch...

so while everyone else is doing "thankful for" posts I'm going to do a complaining post! No, not really complaining because I LOVE my life and these little pieces of discontent are part of what makes me love it so much! Seriously, I've heard quotes that I can't quite remember enough to actually quote, but that generally say "predictable days where everything goes according to plan are boring" well, I'm thankful for Libby because she's my beautiful daughter that keeps my life non-boring. It's partially my fault that she was so grumpy and tired today because I let her stay up late - she invited all of her classmates over for a PJ party. Her entire kindergarten class of classmates. It was fun, so she thanked me today by doing the opposite of everything I asked. seriously. Like when I said "don't touch the iron, it is hot and it will burn you." She slowly, deliberately put her finger on the iron. She now has a decent sized burn blister on her index finger but she refused to give me any indication she was hurt "oh, that didn't even hurt one bit!" uh-huh... A few hours later she was swinging on the fridge - like hanging on to the handle of the door and swinging the fridge open and shut. A few minutes after my cautionary "STOP swinging on the fridge" she swings into the counter and hurts herself. Tears and a band-aid later, she still won't admit she got hurt. Corey and I both have our stubborn streaks, I'm hopeful that Libby's will get her through some tough times as a teenager dealing with peer pressure, etc. This can be a wonderful trait to have! However, in the meantime, any suggestions on how to keep her safe?