This pretty much sums them up

Recent quotes heard around here:

Camille: ME BYSELF!! BIG GIRL!! - pushing me away so she can climb into the van without my help.

Lucy: Why do I always get hurt? - sobbing after running into a doorknob, then kicking the leg of a chair on her way to tell me about her head injury.

Kilian: You know those numbers that are smaller than zero?
Me: Yes, you mean negative numbers.
Kilian: Yeah - they are kind of zeroish. It's like they are on zero's team.

Since turning two

She's more resourceful

better at dressing herself
... kinda
a veteran of moving
and familiar with a 2 minute time-out

Child's play, the James way

Here are just a few of the things I find our kids playing with this summer.

Bug catcher and observation thingy - he's really good at this.

Wooden dolls and dollhouse

Soft little bunnies

Glow sticks

* p.s. not good if you are trying to get them to sleep at a decent time. This caused big excitement at 9:30 pm (when it finally got dark), leading to wide-awake kiddos, but fun none-the-less.

Fairies + mushroom house + Ariel + Littlest pet shop fish = fun game that keeps Lucy busy for hours upon hours.

Butterfly net, also known as a moth net at night

Of course I wouldn't leave Pippin out. He really thinks unwinding Scotch tape is fun.

Also, they all three love to play in our little backyard pool. I'll post a picture of that after I get photoshop and figure out how to "add" some clothes for my middle child because she loves being without a swimsuit (or anything for that matter). I've pretty much given up that fight for this summer. What is the cut-off for that being acceptable?? Are we past it yet??

She even stripped down when the water softener guys were here. That night after bath, she ran into her closet and closed the door saying "Mom, I don't want you to look because I need some "promicy" (privacy). Really?? Interesting.

Camille is 2!

Definitely two, definitely not terrible (not even a little bit). Thank you for all the hugs, kisses and fun you bring to our family.

Happy 2nd birthday, sweet Camille.

We love you.

Things said around here

DELL has supposedly put my new power cord for the laptop in a box and sent it my way, but I don't have it yet. So, still no pictures, but I feel kinda wordy today.


L - Ooooh, can we get more kiweed at the store today??
Translation - more kiwi, please



K - I think I got a good antenna today.
Translation - You know, from being in the sun - I think I a good tan today.


C - I tolor on da taper.
Translation - I color on the paper.


C - Top, Pippit.
Translation - Stop, Pippin.


C - I pits!
Translation - I want to spit (while brushing teeth).


One more: As we walked by a JC Penney escalator being repaired the other day the older kids (and me, too) were mesmerized. Every single step had been removed and was stacked in a huge pile while two men in "oompa loompa" type white uniforms were working down in a waist deep hole. It was a huge, deep, greasy cave in between the purses and socks. Kilian said wow, they must be fixing it. Lucy said I think the battery stopped working. I couldn't help but laugh because I knew she was picturing these guys trying to get to the little box in the back where they replace two AA batteries!

Even more in common...

These two don't just like the same kind of books. Sometimes they both like to cry in the middle of night for something or other.

They both like to keep each other company during the day. (not looking like spring here yet).

They both like to mess with my laptop while I try to type, both are teething, and both think these are pretty yummy.

Same taste

What do this

and this


have in common?

they both like to damage the same kind of book. That's what.

Fashionista

Someone found the tub of dress up clothes...and shoes.

Conversation with Camille

Camille: "I did it!"

Me: "You did it?"

Camille: "Yeah"

Me: "What did you do?"

Camille: "I don know"

RSV, Part II

Let me summarize the last few days for Camille:

11 hours in the ER

27 hours in another hospital room

4 IV bags

3 terrible ulcers/canker sores in her mouth

1 daddy with the stomach bug

93 (approximately) cups of various beverages, mostly turned down by her

1 ear infection

1 happy mama when she woke up saying "want food" this morning!

I knew she hadn't been eating or drinking enough, but I didn't realize she had such terrible sores in her mouth causing the problem. I took her into the ER because I though she was dehydrated, and when they first looked at her, they said she probably wasn't because she had lots of good, healthy tears. They said they would do a quick IV if I wanted. I thought that would make me feel better - and mayber perk her up a little. They just wanted to keep her on fluids until we got a wet diaper, which took WAY longer than we expected.

After hanging out in an ER room all night, they admitted us the next day when a room was available. She must have gotten the luxury room - it was huge with the separate "entry room". After several doses of the "magic mouthwash" concoction, her poor little mouth finally seemed to feel better. She was spoiled by the nurses, and her siblings were spoiled by my parents while Brad was miserable at home. I should also mention that my parents each took a shift at the hospital during the second night - so I could sleep on a bed for a few hours and get to take Kilian and Lucy to school.

She is doing better today, but my full time job is to offer her tons of various drinks and food. I have found myself making up songs and cheers about taking sips. I pretend to give teddy bears and dolls drinks, and act like the drinks are mine, and she can't have any - hoping she will steal it.

The worst part is that she has lost weight - so soon after I bragged about her reaching 20 lbs. and letting her face forward in the car (at 19 months!) The good thing is that the fever is long gone and her lungs never really sounded bad.

Here are some pictures of the little patient - I had quite a bit of time on my hands, and happened to have my camara in my purse. Thank you so much for all the well wishes and prayers!!

RSV

We've never had this in our house before. After Camille had high fever for a couple of days, I took her into the doctor on Saturday - fully expecting to hear she had the flu. Turns out it is RSV. I don't recommend it. I'm having a hard time getting her to drink/eat. So the 20 pound milestone that I was so proud of, is probably no longer the case. The only good part of this is that she's wanted nothing but "blankey" and "rock" for the last 4 days, so I've been able to hold the little girl that would otherwise be climbing onto the kitchen table.

I'll try to get around pictures soon - maybe tomorrow she'll be more like herself.

Milestones

This week Camille decided she likes to count objects, as high as 5 or 6, then back to 3 and 4 (and 3 and 4, and 3 and 4, which seem to be her favorites). Also, she finally joined the "20 lbs club", and she's only 19 months!

What I like about

• a 6 year old - He's smart enough to know that if he yells "Mom" to get my attention at a basketball game, that lots of moms will turn to look. Instead he told me he'll just yell "Lael", so that "only a few" mom's will turn to look.

• a 4 year old - She's little enough to believe her "barely dressed" self when she states that "4 year old's do not get cold" - while wearing a sleeveless night gown (18 degrees outside), but smart enough to tell me "You're the best mom I've ever had" when I give her some hot chocolate to help get rid of the purplish tint to her skin.

• an 18 month old - She is old enough to get really excited about a Reese's cups impulse buy at the grocery store. She is young enough to not tell her brother, sister or dad about it when we get home.

A few of my favorite things

- Christmas trees

- Baby in Christmas p.j.'s

- Goodnight Moon, the book

- Daddy (that just got home) who is willing to read a book before he even takes his coat off

Little Mimic

Camille is so much fun these days. She'll repeat just about anything you ask her to!

Don't worry, these are "Brad-approved" organic, trans fat-free Oreos! Seriously!

Dear Camille,

I really hope that one day you can explain to me why you love to be chased by a big 'ol vacuum cleaner, yet the hair dryer makes you cry everytime.

Love,
Mom

Maybe it is payback

I almost felt bad for poor Lucy when she ran into the living room, 15 minutes after bedtime and said, "Camille is coffying me". (which I assume is the same as copying). She is hurting my feelings and she is making me have to go to the potty. "

But then I remembered this event, about a month ago. I wondered why I kept hearing Camille whine for about 30 minutes after naptime began. This is what I found. Notice how incredibly sleepy Camille is near the end of video.

Actually, I think Camille deserves a few freebies when it comes to keeping Lucy awake.

The Wedding

One way or another, all 5 of us were involved in my sister, Mandy's, wedding on Saturday. The wedding was beautiful, the food was great, and the newlyweds are now relaxing in the mountains on their honeymoon.

Here are the highlights, as far as my kids go:

- the 5 year old "Ring Burier" was a trooper during rehearsal and through all the afternoon pictures (in a tux while it was about 90 degrees outside). However, just before the actual ceremony he got the chills and his stomach hurt and he had to lay down on his little ring-bearer pillow and cover up with a table cloth we borrowed from the caterer. He had fever and was trying to hang in there just long enough to walk down the aisle. He did, but couldn't stand any longer and wound up leaning on my mom (Mother of the Bride) on the front row. Poor guy. I know he wasn't faking because with a couple of tears running down his cheeks, he said he wanted to go home, even without any cake.

- the 3 year old "Flower Thrower" managed to look like she knew what she was doing during the ceremony, even after skipping out on part of rehearsal to play on the nearby playground. I was relieved when she so willingly put on the dress, tights, shoes and bow in her hair for pictures. She posed and smiled. All was well until we caught her with her dress off, tights at her ankles, trying to unbuckle a shoe about 4 minutes before time to walk down the aisle!! Crisis averted with a small bribe (involving cake). She ended the night as a barefoot dancer - minimal icing smudged on the dress.

- the 1 year old "Honorary Flower Girl" did well for pictures, but missed the ceremony due to screaming when she saw me (Matron of Honor) walking in. She let about a dozen people pass her around during the ceremony, ate her cake with only a diaper and dress shoes on, then enjoyed a nice dance with the Bride to "Twist".

Congratulations Mandy and Mike!

One of my favorite things about morning

I love the way Camille waves "hi" to all the crazy people outside in Rockafeller Plaza with Al Roker on the Today show. She takes it pretty seriously.

For those that haven't seen it...

Camille can walk, and pretty fast.

Warning:
If you get motion sickness or have a fear of large birds, don't watch.




I turned off the camera abruptly there at the end, but we survived!!