Catching up...well, sorta....

Thought it was high time that I catch up on my notecard blurbs and such. It's only been FOREVER, right? =P

First of all, since I last really updated, I gained two 5 year-olds and still can't believe they're that old. And they're already a month and a half in to their 5th year. YIKES! We had Christmas, during which Ruby was upset with her doll, which, by the way, was the most expensive gift I purchased. Lovely. I forget exactly what she said, but it was something to the effect of why didn't I get her what I got Isaac (2 train cars for his wooden train set) or Jadelyn (a felt book). I don't remember. We really gotta work on teaching gratitude around these parts, I tell ya. =P We recently spent 10 days at my parent's house in Alabama. Well, the kids and I did. David joined us on the weekends. The big event? My sister Shelley was out from Oregon, and whenever she's on this side of the U.S., we like to see her. =) Also, I got to meet my youngest nephew, Xander, for the first time, and also got MUCH better acquainted with my cutie-pie niece, Selah. Now I just have one nephew to meet. Sorry, Eric...Ruby is really chomping at the bit to meet you, but I've joined in the mentality of Southerners completely and have no desire to visit Michigan in the cold. And in the spring/summer, Ruby will be incapacitated so yeah...I don't know when we'll meet you. Hopefully before you're two, 'eh? =P

Okay, okay...note cards...

Isaac is now wearing underwear to bed. First kid. So proud. Wondering why he doesn't keep his pants dry during the day, too. =P He IS getting better on that. Manor.

Jadelyn is now sleeping in a big kid bed. Fantastically. We started out by having her sleep in Isaac or Ruby's bed in the room with one of them, while the other one slept in her crib, which they LOVED. This way, Jadelyn witnessed appropriate big-kid bed behavior. (Stay in bed and be quiet). This went on for around 2 weeks, until we finally got her bed set up. She gets a sticker if she was "still and quiet" during a nap or at bedtime. She's done REALLY well. I was quite scared about this transition, because Ruby and Isaac did HORRIBLY, but live and learn - stickers ROCK! =)

Ruby told me that she was having a party, but only those who were older than 59 could go. She then asked how old I was. I told her I was 31. She decided that was old enough. Way to change the rules, 'eh? =P Then I asked her what we were going to do at her party. She said we were going to count in different languages. Where, where, oh WHERE did this kid come from, anyhow? =)

At mealtime, Isaac informed Ruby, "Ruby, I just gobbled my food up like a turkey" and then I was all done. I think this was in an effort to get Ruby to eat something she didn't care for, but I can't be sure. =P

I love that my little man Isaac is so quick to forgive. That child can be smacked up by Jadelyn, and pretty much the minute she apologizes, he forgives her and goes about playing with her again. Wow. You inspire me, I-see. And amaze me. I need to learn this skill!

Isaac heard a noise in my belly, and thought that maybe this noise was coming from "next to [the] blender". This is what I get for explaining that the stomach grinds food up like a blender. Isaac was quite surprised when informed that there wasn't a real blender in my stomach. Sorry, Buddy.

Jadelyn wrapped an exercise band around my leg, counted, "1,2,3,4,5" and then took it off, and I was done exercising. Little Physical Therapist in training? =)

When I get hurt, Jadelyn is often quick to say, "I kiss you" before giving me a smack-a-rooni. Sweet gal! (Sweet, that is, except for the times she is the one to inflict the pain. Be GENTLE, girlie!!!)

I was noticing recently that the 2T clothes were the clothes that were fitting Jadelyn the best. I couldn't figure out why the 18 month clothes weren't fitting so well...until I realized that she is 2 1/2. Yai. Guess I'm used to super small kiddos. =P

One day Ruby informed me that it was a "crazy day. I just fell in the potty." Oh, that girl makes me laugh!

Isaac was singing the ABC song. Except that it went something like, "A B C D F F G!" David corrected him, and Isaac shot back, "Daddy, you're funny. I'm singing it the best a 4 year-old can." (See how behind I am? He's stinkin' FIVE now, and this happened when he was FOUR! Wowzers.) Oh, I have another note that I'm not SURE what it's about, but I think at the end of the ABC song, Isaac sang, "but instead I'll dump them over". Niiice.

Ruby once questioned if there was "anybody eating gum?" to which Isaac replied, "you want mine?" Awww....

Ruby once asked Isaac, "are these precious baby chipmunks, Isaac?"

We broke the last of my favorite glasses from our wedding. There had been 16 of them. We've only been married for almost 10 years. I was sad. Isaac decided we could still use it, 'cause the bottom was intact. No matter that the edges were all jutted and jagged and would slice my lips to smitherines! Frugal fella. Except for that he wants to spend money all the time. To buy a garden sprayer. And a little truck with a camper that he can pull Ruby around the garden with when she has a cast. You know, normal things like that. =P

One evening at supper, I glanced across the table at Ruby, who was unsuccessfully trying to get a pea out of her nose. David had to help her. I swear, this child is WAY impulsive. Way.

Ruby informed me, "I don't like to be a kid." Why ever not? Because she "can't boss [others] around". Yai. Though just yesterday she told me that when she's a grown-up she'll wish she was still a kid, so she could go to work with Daddy, like Isaac did yesterday. Bad case of "the-grass-is-always-greener" syndrome, if you ask me.

When she was still a wee four-year-old, Ruby told me that when she's five, she will try Jalapeno Poppers. But if they're still too spicy, "I'll try when I'm next oldest".

Ruby was asking Isaac once if he will be nice and visit her when she has surgery and a cast. Isaac says he will be very nice. And not hit her. (Yeah, there shouldn't be any hitting going on now, either...though I don't think he really hits Ruby. Huh.) And he will bring her toys. And push her in her stroller or wheelchair. And just overall take care of her. Someday, when Ruby realizes how much Isaac loves her, their friendship will be priceless.

David was feeding the kids one day as I was working on the fire. Ruby mused that if I died sometime, maybe she would marry Daddy. Isaac then said that maybe HE would marry Daddy. Ruby said that Isaac couldn't marry Daddy, 'cause Isaac's a boy. This was a very sweet conversation to listen in on until they started wishing that David or I would die. I think I had to put the kabosh on that one. =P

I love how Jadelyn gives me kisses at night. She tells me where she wants to kiss me, "your cheek. Your 'nother cheek. Your head." etc. If it's not a good smack, she'll announce, "that's not good!" before re-kissing me. When she's done, she'll say, "that's 'nuff!" I also love how Jadelyn pants exaggeratedly when she's pausing from a run. And her crazy faces.

David and I have recently started going on dates 2 x a month. This is way up from the 1-2 times a year we'd been averaging. =P When I informed Ruby that we were going on a date, she asked if it was our "anniversary". And if not, why were we going on a date? Yeah, we need to get out more. =)

We love our neighbors, Tom and Tina, as do the kids. Most of the time, Tom will give the kids candy before we leave. One day, he was a bit belated in giving them candy. After we left, Ruby said, "I thought he might give us candy [before we left] but I didn't beg!"

On Christmas day, we spent a couple hours in the morning at the nursing home, handing out gifts and such. Ruby also handed out little shreds of colored paper she cut. She also hands 'em out at church, and yesterday, at Wal-Mart. But I digress. When we were coming home, we were talking about how we would open presents that evening when David got home from work. Ruby asked if I would give her medicine to sleep 'til Daddy got home. (I'm assuming this is due to us talking about them giving her medicine to help her sleep during her upcoming surgeries.) Um....no. Glad she didn't say this in a public place, or people would be like, "Oh, I see! THAT'S how Kim gets all three of her kids to take daily naps!" Yeah....no. =P On that same ride home, I said something about Ruby being a duck to which she responded, "last I checked [I'm not a duck]". Ha.

Ruby once said, "I smell a skunk. Oh, it's just Isaac's smell." Cracks me up.

I recently told Jadelyn when picking her up, "boy, you're getting big!" To which she responded, "I not boy, I Nini!" Oh, yeah. Right. =)

Ruby recently told Isaac something like, "if you want babies you can't marry Grandma. Because Grandma can't have babies." You know. Just in case you were wondering why you shouldn't marry your grandma. =P

On a walk the other day, a neighbor lady stuck her head outside to call her dog, who was barking at us. Ruby said with astonishment, "she looks old, but she speaks so clearly!"

Yesterday, Ruby drew a giraffe. Then she decided the location of it's head should be moved, so then announced that the giraffe had only 3 legs. Because it "went in a fight with a pig. The pig died." She continued to talk, saying that there was another animal, and it was grey, but we don't know what it was, "probly a cat". The cat lost a leg...two legs. "Poor little cat." I sometimes wonder if Ruby thinks about what she's saying, or just SAYS it. Silly gal.

This morning, David was getting ready to leave for work, and was getting his lunch and giving kisses. Suddenly, from the back room came a little voice. That of my little Ruby. Asking, "Dad, did you forget [to kiss] your precious little girl?" David asked what precious little girl, and Ruby exclaimed, "me!" =)

Oh, yeah! While in Alabama, I had to take Jadelyn to the ER after she fell of a bed and her arm continued to be in BAD pain. I thought she had broken her wrist. Sometimes she would say that her wrist hurt. Or her elbow. Or her upper arm. Anyhow...to the ER we went. She was very brave, still, and quiet during x-rays. When the doctor came in, he didn't know her name, and asked how her leg was. I told him that her name was Jadelyn, and it was her ARM that was hurt. He then examined her arm (which brought her pain) before asking if we'd had x-rays yet. I was MAD! Please look at the x-rays before inflicting pain on my child! Anyhow, he went out and looked at the x-rays. Not broken. YAY! He then said it was probably nursemaid elbow. (Now, Ruby had that when she was 15 months old. And when they popped it back in, her arm was IMMEDIATELY better.) Anyhow, he tried the twist thing on Jadelyn which made her cry and cry, and whadd'ya know. It didn't work. The doctor told me it could take a few minutes. They came in and gave her Motrin and Tylenol with Codeine. Nothing. Discharged us with prescription for the Tylenol with Codeine, which I didn't fill. After leaving, I looked at the paperwork, and it was circled that Jadelyn had a sprain. Now, why didn't he tell us that? Because he didn't want us to know he was wrong about the Nursemaid elbow? Anyways, I wasn't impressed. Her arm hurt her pretty bad for the next few days, and then hurt if ht was bumped wrong for another week - week and a half. I think it may be better now, but I'm not sure. It still hurt her on Sabbath if I moved her wrong. How long are sprains supposed to hurt, anyhow? Her elbow got all bruised and swollen, but looks better now. Oh, and Mom came with me. I was SO glad. At one point, I was feeling sick, and Mom was fanning me with a book. Seriously. If I get nauseous just because my child is in a bit of pain, how in TARNATION am I gonna survive Ruby's surgeries and casting? I don't know.

Okay, I'm "caught up"...now to stay that way....