T-Ball

Bekah did t-ball in May. It was a short 4 week program to help introduce kids to T-ball. I'm not sure who was more excited - Mommy or Bekah. (Okay..I think it was Mommy). I loved t-ball when I was a kid and was excited to share that with her.

We went out and got her a glove and bat and batting T to practice. (Of course the bat, ball and glove are in pink!) We played a few times but Bekah can be a bit of a perfectionist and if it doesn't come easily the first time or two she wants to give up.

After realizing that she wasn't an instant success she decided she didn't want to go "because I'm not good at it." We tried to explain to her that none of the kids would be good at it and they were all there to learn. The first week was hard. She didn't want to leave my side at first and didn't want to participate. The coaches eventually got her to participate though and by the fourth (and last day) she was all gun-ho. Wish they would have had another session but we will have to wait until next year. We still play at home though sometimes so perhaps next year she will be much more confident.

Although I told Bekah none of the kids would be "good" at it yet I learned I was wrong.  Keep in mind these are 4 and 5 year olds yet there was one little boy who either had a dad and older brothers that worked with him or else a whole lot of natural talent. His form was impressive for throwing and catching and he was one of the few who figured out how to catch the ball in his glove. Another mom and I joked that if he could sign his name we should get his autograph now as we could see some great potential in his future!

Oops...mommy wasn't paying attention!

Recently on one of our beautiful sunny days I was outside talking with the neighbors while the kids were playing. After a while Bekah went inside to get a drink and Lizzie followed. I heard Bekah yell, "Mommy, Lizzie needs help!" but didn't respond right away. I finished my conversation then went inside.  This is what I found...

Yes, that is Desitin Lizzie has smeared all over her face. She thought it was lotion and was quite proud of herself. Not only did she put the lotion on but she had climbed up on top of the changing table without help. Have you ever tried to clean up Desitin off of your skin? It's oily and does NOT remove quickly. (I'm sure that is what makes it work so well!) When it's on my hands I use super hot water and a lot of dish soap--however, that was not an option with Lizzie's face!  It took many, many warm washcloths. The rest of the day her face was oily and smelled like Desitin.

Next time Bekah tells me Lizzie needs help I will respond a little quicker.  Lesson Learned!

One-liners by Bekah

Last night I asked Bekah to get her pajamas on; and then I asked her again...and again....and again. (Isn't it sad how at four one can already be losing her hearing?) Eventually she looked up from what she was doing and said "Mommy, you're giving me a headache!" 

How does one explain to a four year old that more than likely it's the other way around and the best way to avoid two headaches would be for her to listen -- the first time???

I find amusement in Bekah's one liners--even when she is being sassy- it's hard sometimes to keep a straight face, I think part of why they are so funny to me is that she isn't trying to be funny but is just being quite serious.

Examples...(This happened a while ago but it's one I haven't forgotten because it is just so "Bekah") When putting away the playdough I asked her to put the containers back in the long tube they came in. Her response? "Mom it's not a tube, it's a cylinder!" She is much like her daddy and can be quite black and white. She likes to be exact in her description of things and will correct you quickly if she disagrees. Yet she also has a vivid imagination and loves to pretend and create stories.

One day when she was having a tough day I told her that if a certain behavior continued she would have a consequence. Her response?  "No, thank you. Those are not my favorite!"

Another day after having received a consequence of a swat on the butt she looked at me and stated "I'm wiping that off and starting over." Seriously, how does one not laugh at these times? It's so hard!!!

Another recent favorite was when I once again had to remind her that consequences would follow bad choices and she said to me, "Mom, you just ruined a perfectly good day!"

Hmm, as I re-read this I realized that many of these occur during times of discipline. I know there are many others but I seem to remember these the most...perhaps because they strike me as humorous in a not so humorous situation. 

I recently got this storage bench at a garage sale. It was a good deal and I've been wanting one for a while now. The first day we had it Bekah said she was going to nap on it. I tried to explain to her that it wouldn't be comfortable. It was hard and small and nothing like a bed. But she was insistent. Finally I was like okay, thinking she would lay on it for a few minutes and decide it uncomfortable. However, by the time I came back from laying Lizzie down she was fast asleep. She ended up sleeping for a couple of hours all scrunched up on this hard wooden bench. I have a feeling she did so just to prove her mama wrong! lol

Funny Girls

I know it's not possible but I wish I could remember every funny / cute saying or action my girls do. I guess this blog is going to have to be my memory for me. :) I often will write things on facebook as they happen but they only save your comments for so long so need to remember to come here and write them for myself.


The day after my last post Bekah was talking about marriage again and I told her she was too young but we could talk when she was 25.  Her response..."But mommy, I can already talk!" 

Currently they are "square dancing" -- their version which consists of putting four square papers on the floor and dancing around them! :)  So creative that Bekah is!

Innocence...

I hope my girls remain "innocent" for a long time. I love that we are able to keep their lives fairly simply at this point.


Last night while watching a Disney movie the two main characters held hands for the first time and Bekah said "Awwww, they are going to get married!"  :) 

Today while playing with a friend who is a boy - she said to him "I want to marry you - hold my hand!"


We had their first dentist appointment today for both girls. They both did a great job. No cavities for either one and overall look really good. Yay!

Overheard...

I heard Bekah playing with her dolls today and listened in on the following conversation....

Baby doll: "Mommy, Mommy, stay home with Daddy and me."

Mommy doll: "No, I have to go to work."

Baby doll: "Please Mommy, stay home and play with me."

Mommy doll: "Do you want to eat?"

Sigh..... the cold, hard facts of life - do they have to learn them so young?

Bekah's Eating

Myth = Eating is easy

Truth: Eating is the MOST complex physical task that human beings engage in. It is the ONLY human task which requires every one of your organ systems, and requires that those systems work correctly. In addition, EVERY muscle in the body is involved (one swallow for example, takes 26 muscles and 6 cranial nerves to coordinate). Plus, eating is the only task children do which requires simultaneous coordination of all eight of our sensory systems.

Many of you have heard me talk about Bekah's eating issues. We aren't really sure why she has issues - we are assuming it was because it was the numerous bouts of stomach flu she had as an infant that caused these negative reactions to food. We could be wrong though and it could be something totally different. We may never know. Bekah at this time can't really articulate the whys and by the time she is able to she may not know herself.

We enrolled her in an SOS feeding program (Sequential Oral Sensory) which was developed by Kay A. Toomey. She did very well in this program and while she is not eating a huge amount of new foods she has added some and is growing and developing as she should. When we started she would eat some fruits, orange cheese, chicken ring nuggets (only the ring shaped), some cereal, PB&J sandwiches and a few other things. Certain foods would make her scream, tantrum and/or vomit just by looking at it. There were days where she would just see me take something out of the cupboard to start making it for dinner and would just have a total melt down. Those issues are gone. She will now tolerate most food on her plate-though she remains quite adamant that she is not eating that. Since the therapy she will now eat cheese pizza, yogurt, mozzarella cheese, pickles, raisins, and a few other items. In the last few months she has begun to eat "regular" chicken nuggets. (It was almost silly the emotions I felt the first time we went to McDonalds and was able to order her a regular Happy Meal).

The cheese pizza was a huge process that took almost 8 months. We started with baking just some plain crusts with a little bit of butter on it. I had her help and see what it was. She has always liked garlic so it was not a big step to make it garlic butter on the crust. Adding cheese took a long time. She liked cheese but could not tolerate melted cheese. It took several times of having her put the cheese on and then watching it melt while in the oven for her to feel safe enough to take a bite. After that we began to add a smidgen of sauce and slowly increased it. Today she will eat most any cheese pizza and now will even share a pizza with Lizzie that has veggies and pepperoni or sausage on half.

Through this process I have "met" many people that are going through similar issues. Most of them are via the Internet and we have shared many emails encouraging each other and swapping stories. God has also brought people right here in my hometown with similar issues which has been such a blessing. It allows one to find humor in the journey and knowing that we are not alone or that it is an issue of "bad parenting" is comforting - to say the least.

One of my 'online buddies' sent me this video. I can't believe I missed this but will add this in here so if interested you can see a little of what Bekah deals with. ABC - Extremely Picky Eaters Struggle

Bekah's Birthday

Rebekah celebrated her 4th birthday in December (yes, I'm late getting the pictures out)!  I can't believe it has been 4 years since she was born...it's been so fun watching her grow. 

We started the day, bright and early, by making cupcakes. Bekah loves to help cook in the kitchen and has gotten quite talented at adding ingredients, cracking eggs and stirring them all together. We did cupcakes as they were quicker to do since time was limited.

 While the cupcakes were baking we blew up balloons and decorated. After all one can't have a party without decorations and balloons! The more balloons the better. I had bought a big bag of balloons at the dollar store - lesson learned! :) lol About 1/3 of them were unusable due to holes or being malformed. However, I do believe it was still cheaper in the long run then buying super expensive balloons and having them all work!

Around 10:30 AM several of her little friends showed up - we had 12 kids in total - 11 of those 4 and under. Praise God three of the moms stayed and helped.  Thanks ladies!!! 

Bekah loves to do arts and crafts so when I asked her what she wanted to do at her birthday party she quickly responded "Paint!"  Oh Boy! So I purchased some frames for $1 each at Michael's and some decorative items to add on there as well as paint and paint brushes. I also picked up some plastic table clothes at the dollar store. 

I wasn't sure what to expect - that many children in my small house with paint. But I must say they all did a great job. There was no paint spilled on the floor and it was all on the plastic table cover. Kid's clothes were relatively clean (Yes, I did warn parents and told them to come in 'get dirty' clothes). I learned a few lessons as well though: First - don't give kids every color of paint - I think most of the kids went home with army green/gray frames as they mixed all the colors together. Later we had extra frames and I gave Lizzie and Bekah just two colors each (two that when mixed, would make another pretty color). :) Oh well - live and learn. My second lesson learned is that kids do crafts in variable amounts of time. Bekah is one who can sit for well over an hour working on something...not so much with other 2, 3 and 4 year olds. However, the ones that were done early did a great job cleaning up and playing nicely while the others finished. 

 After painting we had pizza - and let it be know that three Jack's pizza will feed 4 mom's and 12 kids! :) And of course cupcakes! Bekah wanted green and pink so we got some "spray" frosting in those colors and she sprayed each one after I frosted it with a white base. If I was really nifty like Amanda over at I Am Baker I could have been much more creative with the cake...but alas - it is not my gift!: ) Pink cupcakes with pink and green frosting.

 

I believe a good time was had by all! :)  Bekah loved creating the frames and still talks about it. One thing about winter birthdays is you can't really have them outside. Going to Chuck E Cheese's is just way beyond our price range (do you know they charge about $18 PER KID for a party there and you get a slice of pizza, a pop and a piece of cake with a few tokens for each one!) So I need to put on my creative hat and start thinking up many more ideas for the future. Anyone want to share some???

Bedtime Stories

Usually we read stories to the girls before bed. Tonight Bekah (age 4 years 1 month) created and told her own:

Once upon a time there was a princess. Her name was Bekah. She lived in a big castle and had a pink egg. Inside the egg was a baby dragon. One day the dragon hatched. Bekah named the dragon Zoey. She (Zoey) roared very loudly. They lived very happy. The end!

How to get a 3 year old to pick up the living room...

Rebekah loves the Wii - LOVES the Wii!  Before she turned four she had mastered several of the games. Her favorites are on the Wii sports resort game which came with the Wii. She likes a few of the games on the Wii Fit but I don't need her getting focused in on weighing in at this point in her life. We haven't purchased any of the "kids" games yet but if anyone has any recommendations we are willing to listen.

Anyway, often after dinner, Bekah asks to play the Wii with Daddy or myself. One night I told her there just wasn't room because of all the toys on the floor. Next thing I knew she was picking up all those toys and putting them away!  Whoo hoo. So far it has worked just about every time. Sometimes she states she can't do it all - which is understandable...we have too many toys and certainly need to go through them...again. But she does do it - without complaining and we do help her as it's only fair. :)

She also certainly has the gift of encouragement. Since she can beat me often you can hear her saying "Come on Mommy, you can do it!"  I do believe that is one of her gifts - words of encouragement.  

Kayaking

How to keep kids busy...

I love Fisher Price Little People. If I had my way we would have every set and all the accessories - however, we don't have the $$ or the space or do my kids have that much interest in them. However, I did get the Fisher Price Nativity scene. Bekah also got another one as a Birthday Gift so we have two. Fisher Price also has a little Drummer Boy set, a Three Wisemen set, and a Bethlehem Inn set (Fisher Price Nativity. They all connect to each other and are a great way to tell the Christmas story and have a manger scene that toddlers can handle without fear.

I pulled out the sets this year and put them out on the table. For the next two hours the three kiddos were busy with this set. They shared (it helped that I had two mangers and Ricky just wanted to put the trees together) and set up their scenes and did their imaginative play. For a while the only noise would be the songs of Away in the Manger and Drummer Boy (since the pieces play those songs). They have been a favorite all season and I will be sad to see them go back into storage. However,  I think one of the reasons it was a favorite is that it was "new" to them so it will be "new" again next year, and the next, and the next....

There were a few extras in the cast - Mickey, Minnie and Strawberry Shortcake all participated.

Even Mickey worships Jesus! :)

These make me happy!

I love the look of the Department 56 houses. I've been collecting them for years - mostly back before I children, and had money and space! We put them up the first year of our marriage 5 years ago but haven't put them up since. I was determined to get some of them up this year. A house down the street had them up on their kitchen cabinets last year. I stole the idea from them.  I saw them through their windows one night while we were on a walk and thought they looked great up there! The only disadvantage of having them up so high is you can't put out all the little accessories. Well, you could but you wouldn't really see them. It was a lot of work. Not sure when they will come down.  Recently a friend of mine told me that she had put hers up on her cabinets and ended up keeping them up there for 3 years.  Do I dare?

" I'm Not Tired!"

The other day when it was time for rest time Bekah declared that she wasn't tired. I told her she needed to sit in the red chair and rest anyway. I did give in to her pleas for a "Gogurt" (which is yogurt in a tube). A few minutes later I looked over at her and she was sound asleep with the yogurt tube still in her mouth.  Reason #287 as to why you don't believe a three year old when they say they are not tired! :)

State Fair--Oops - forgot to post this!

It's that time of year - State Fair time - Back to school time - although since I have no school age children and am no longer teaching it doesn't hold quite the same meaning.
We had a pretty good time at the Fair - the kids were amazed at all the sights and sounds and the baby cows! I didn't take many pictures. Not sure why - perhaps it was just too hot!  It was a sunny clear day and we stopped in the shade any chance we got. I think both the girls enjoyed the parade the most - followed by the animals. Although the food was a big hit. One advantage of it being so hot is that you don't really want to eat anything. We shared some some smoothies which were delicious and nice and cool.

Here baby cow...come here...

That Sun is Bright! 

Shade, shade - we took it anywhere we could get it!

Looking Cool - or trying to...