Today

This has nothing to do with what I was going to blog about, but I just watched Danny Gokey on American Idol and got tears in my eyes. I love him! And I'm so sad for him that he lost his wife!!!

So here are the Asher funnies from today:
*"Daddy, do you want to go play basketball with me?", Asher said. Beau replied, "I can't Buddy. I've got to work." To our volunteers out here at the camp, Mr. Jim and Mrs. Beth, Asher told on Beau, "My daddy not play basketball with me."
*"I need to go the hospital. I hurt my knee." (It's a scrape from over a week ago, mind you.) I said, "Maybe a Mommy kiss will help it." He said, "No, another doctor." (like the "another doctor" at the ER last week - you know, not his "usual" doc) "A machine with a light on it take a picture of my knee." (like the xray "machine" that took a picture of his arm last week)
*"Where did the big ol' bus go?" Big ol' bus! That's so funny! And of course after he knew how funny I thought it was, everything was "big ol'"...big ol' house, big ol' truck...
*"Mommy, you're my kid."
*"Ainsley, you're my kid."
*"Ainsley, you're a silly rascal!"
*"Ainsley, you're my monster."

Ainsley was lots of fun today too. First of all, she took a really long morning nap - which is always great! Then I had one of those "baby doll moments". I kind of felt like a little girl again, dressing up my baby doll. I don't know if she looked as cute as I thought she did, but I thought she looked REALLY cute today! =) And of course I meant to take pictures all day, and when I finally did, she was about ready for bed, so they're not that good. =) But she also laughed a lot this evening for no apparent reason, and I loved it. =) I feel like all of a sudden her personality is exploding. My little bitty baby is turning into a bigger baby. Bittersweet. I love it and hate it all at the same time.

Today was a good day. I had lunch with my friend Shannon, went to Dusty's baseball game (until we decided it was just too windy), made pizza for dinner, and now my three babies are all asleep, and I'm finishing the day with a little American Idol and the internet. =) So to all a good night!

Roller Coaster!

So I'm taking a few minutes to vent. I'm so happy with the progress I've made today. I've now got a clean downstairs! Well, almost... And that's where the roller coaster feelings come in. I'm making such a big dent - but there's always MORE to do! Like decluttering the top of my fridge, wiping down the front of my cabinets, decorating things that have needed to be decorated since we moved in (WAY too long ago now to even be saying that!)...and the list goes on...and that doesn't even START to cover the upstairs! And, I KNOW, those things do NOT SOUND like a big deal, but I just start thinking about ALL that needs to be done, and I start feeling panicky and heavy in my chest. That probably sounds psycho, but oh well. My theory is that everybody's a little psycho - in their own way. =) "So why aren't you cleaning right now? Why are you blogging?", you may ask. Because I could feel this "paralyzing" feeling coming on, and I knew that if I did not take a small break that I might get all depressed like I do sometimes. And I would rather avoid that if possible! =) And then I thought maybe "journaling" about my feelings would help. So here I am.

I was reading in I Timothy this morning and came across this verse (1:12): "I give thanks to Him who has granted me [the needed] strength and made me able [for THIS], Christ Jesus our Lord, because He has judged and counted me faithful and trustworthy, appointing me to [this stewardship of] the ministry.

This verse makes me feel better! It inspires me and motivates me to do well in this life He's given me. I very much view my roles as a wife and mother as the ministry that He's given me (that He's CHOSEN me to be a steward of - that's humbling!). And I'm thankful that because I've given Him my life, it is not ME who is living this life, but Christ who LIVES IN ME (at least that's the goal - that I fall short of WAY too often!)...and THAT is how it's possible for him to find me faithful and trustworthy. Because apart from Him I truly am a royal wreck! =)

So now, I'll take some deep breaths, and trust that it's all going to be ok. =) And I'll do the next thing...clean my steps off (You know all the stuff that was downstairs that doesn't belong downstairs, so it got put on the steps, and now it all needs to go to its rightful places?). And I'll also pull up "Resolved2Worship's" blog, because I like to listen to the music she has on it while I clean. =) But first, I've got to go put a paci in a baby's mouth...Such is my life. =)

"Poopoohontas"

I'm sorry to bring poop into this again, but Asher just said one of the funniest things I've ever heard! "Pocohantas" is on tv, and Beau said her name, and Asher said, "It IS Poopoohontas!" And he did not realize he was being funny. He really thought that was her name. That even makes it funnier! =)

By the way, my living/dining rooms are picked up, dusted,and vacuumed - even under the couch cushions! This afternoon I will clean the kitchen - my next goal. It helps me to put these things "out there". I guess it's a type of accountability. First, two kids need to go down for naps. =)

My Amazing Children =)

Of course every mom thinks her kids are amazing. =) We like to teach our kids a little sign language (and I mean a LITTLE - and those signs probably aren't even correct) when they are as young as possible so that they can communicate with us even before they can speak. So I've been signing "all done" to Ainsley since we started feeding her baby food - at around four months. Well, yesterday I asked her if she was "all done" and did the sign, and she raised her hands up and TRIED to sign it! Beau was there as a witness too. =) And we tried it several times to see if she would do it every time. We're pretty convinced that she was really trying it. What proud parents we are! =) Granted, it's probably perfectly normal that she would do something like that, but it's just fun to see your kids learn something new!

This morning I stood her up at a toy (a little Leapfrog table with different activities on it) so that she and Asher could play together, and she actually stood there for a minute or so (holding onto the table of course!)! I couldn't believe it! She's growing up so fast! =)

And a couple of funny Asherisms...
*"Im going to call my friend Chabata on the phone. Hello my friend Chabata." (That's Chewbacca from Star Wars for those of you who didn't get it!) It's so funny! Although he doesn't really know about Star Wars yet...I'm not sure where he got that!
*"Nice to meet you Dr. Wilson (shaking Ainsley's hand). You're my favorite Dr. Wilson, Ainsley." As I've mentioned before Dr. Wilson is his pediatrician, and he pretends that Ainsley is "Dr. Wilson" fairly often. I don't know why, but it's funny!
*"I've got an idea!", I said. And Asher replied, "What's your idea Mom?!" We've had this conversation in reverse many times. One of HIS favorite things to say is that he's got an idea - although rarely does he know what that idea is. =)

Have a happy Monday! I've got BIG plans today to be super productive in this house of mine! Please pray for me. I'm not kidding...I need it! =)

"I knit you..."

This weekend, I've been swallowed up by the mess in my house...again! And this may not sound like a big deal, but it effects me emotionally! It's a very real problem for me. I don't understand WHY it is, because this was not "me" as I grew up - and even before I got married. But it is. I want to change - desperately. That's why it's so discouraging when I look around and find myself in my mess...again! So I was reading my emails from the FlyLady tonight, and I read this:

One day, before our newest grand-baby was born, I was struck by these words from God "I knit you..."I looked over at the baby blanket draped over the child's wicker rocker in the corner of the room and started to think about how I felt while I was making it. I LOVED knitting each stitch of this light purple blanket! I followed an elaborate plan that I had settled on, one that I had never made before - not one stitch was haphazard. Every inch of yarn passed through my fingers as I crafted it. I savored every minute of knitting it and deep satisfaction and pride filled me as I watched the beauty of the pattern develop in the yarn. And when it was complete I was absolutely thrilled. I thought, "I love this! I can't wait for everyone to see this beautiful gift that I've made!!!" It took my breath away. This is how God feels as His fingers knit a life together in the quiet of the womb. He delights in His new creation, as he works the intricate pattern that He has never used before. When his plan is complete He thinks, "I love this child! I can't wait for everyone to see this beautiful gift that I've made!!!" "Oh God, this is how you felt when you made me!", I whispered as tears quietly ran down my cheeks. I bowed my head and worshiped, adoring the one who could love so deeply and feeling the embrace of the Knitter.Understanding that I was designed the way I am - on purpose - has made all the difference! I am free from trying to do life like everybody else. I am free to finally love myself and enjoy the adventure of discovering the way of learning and flying that fits how I have been patterned! Beautiful!

I have thought a lot about God being the Orchestrator of each of our lives...the tapestry that He is constantly creating. But I had not ever thought about it quite like this lady described. I thought it was very sweet, and it helps me to think about again that He created me to be ME. I just have to rest in the that and figure out what that means. =) It feels kind of silly saying something like that at 32 years old, but aren't we all still being shaped by Him? I know that we are. And by golly, I'm going to figure out how to be ME and have a clean house at the same time. =)

Poop!

So, I was lying on the couch with Asher as we were watching beautiful figure skating. And he said, "Mom, her has poop on her!" She actually had on a really pretty outfit/costume/whatever you call it that was mostly white with a layer of brown underneath the skirt. I guess that's what he was seeing! =) I assured him that it was not poop. "It's part of her clothes.", I said. "Why Mom? Why?", he said full of concern! I tried to explain it to him. But he couldn't understand. He said, "Her skating with poop!" Random, I know! And hilarious! Leave it to a BOY to turn something so graceful and elegant into something having to do with POOP! If you know me, you know just how funny I find that. For some reason, bathroom humor is beyond hilarious to me! I don't know why!

Not AGAIN!

So we took Asher to the ER today...AGAIN!!! But it was not due to allergies this time. I innocently "helped him along" by one arm, and he immediately was in a lot of pain. It was not a big, dramatic thing - you know how you just kind of help a kid get moving sometimes. I won't do that again! I could not imagine what could have happened to him by that small movement, but it kept not getting better. Beau even rocked him and got him to fall asleep so that we could make sure that he wasn't just upset. But even then, he would wince when we would touch it. So in the ER, they x-rayed him, and everything looked fine. So the doctor there told us what it probably was - a "nursemaid's elbow" - which is a partial dislocation of the elbow joint. I guess it's somewhat common in kids under the age of five or six. Anyway, he just quickly adjusted his arm, and he was better! It was AMAZING!!! I think it hurt him when he fixed it, but it was SO FAST, and within a minute he was giving us five and getting down to play. It was the fastest, most dramatic difference I've ever seen! It was a good thing we took him! I felt beyond terrible that I had hurt my little boy, but they made me feel better at the ER - because they knew just what it was, and did not suspect that I had done anything out of the ordinary to my child. I was scared of what might happen. But it all worked out ok, and now he and Ainsley are having late naps because their schedules were thrown off by all the "excitement".

Speaking of Ainsley, I think I forgot to mention that her second tooth broke through last Saturday, and I think a third one might be on its way soon. A couple of days ago, she found her feet for the first time and thought they were very yummy...as she does anything that she can get her mouth on these days! =) Also, I introduced her to veggies this past week, and she is not a fan! I've tried carrots, peas, and sweet potatoes so far, and she pretty much hates them all. I'm not quite sure what to do about that.

I'm sitting here in a quiet house, with three sleeping babies (sick hubby included), and the rain has officially begun! We're even supposed to get some snow tomorrow. I was supposed to go play Bunko tonight, but I'm not sure it's worth getting Ainsley out in this weather. (Asher and Daddy are staying home.) Plus, they may all be sleeping still in thirty minutes - when I should leave if I'm going to go.

Also, please pray for my parents-in-law, brother-in-law, and his girlfriend (and I'm not sure who else) as they're running/walking in the Bataan Memorial Death March in White Sands, NM this weekend. Look it up on the web if you're interested to see what that is. It's pretty amazing! They've been doing it every year for a few years now.

Have a great weekend!!!

Overdue Installment

Well, we had lots of family in town last week starting on Wednesday, and the last of them left yesterday. It was great having everyone in town - Beau's parents and grandparents, and my parents, sister Amy, and her kids. Beau's parents were planning on coming all along, because it was his mom's spring break. And we've been wanting to dedicate the kids at church for a LONG time, so we decided that that would be a good weekend for it. So that's why the rest of the family came in. It was great to have everyone here (and we missed the ones of you who weren't able to make it - but we understand!). Beau's family was so helpful with the kids, the house and cooking, and projects at the camp. And my family came in just in time for the dedication. We appreciate so much all of them making the long drive for such a short but significant event. Then my sister, niece, and nephews stayed until Monday. The best part of their stay was a really pretty walk that we went on with the kids on Sunday evening. We live in such a pretty place. We can walk out here at the camp and feel like there's nothing and no one for miles - which is beautiful - and a little creepy - but mostly beautiful! =) And every time I do something like that, I can't believe that I don't take advantage of our setting more often. I'm trying to turn over lots of new leaves right now though, so maybe I will do better. =)



So here's the new list of Asher-isms:

*He's playing outside right now, and he just brought in a flower and said, "A little bitty flower. It's so beautiful! A princess flower!"



*And then he ran in and talked about the airplane in the sky: "Sometimes a airplane scares me." So we had a discussion - AGAIN - about how there's nothing to be afraid of. It's way up in the sky, etc. And he said something that sounded like, "There are tires on the airplane." And I said, "Tires?" And he said, "No. (with a very confused look) Only on cars and trucks."



*On our way to King's Kids this morning, he was saying that he didn't want to go, that he wanted me...And then a minute later, he started talking HIMSELF into it (which was so funny and amazing I thought!) by telling himself all the fun stuff he would get to do there. "I can play in the activities room and play basketball..." He had a great time, and on our way home he said, "Mom, you're my best friend!" SIGH! I LOVED it - of course!!!



*Yesterday I saw a lizard outside, and I showed it to him, and he said - very excitedly - "A dinosaur!!!" So smart! =)



*He has a musical toothbrush, and it sings "If You're Happy and You Know It" with toothbrushing words, and part of it says, "If you're happy and you know it brush in front. If you're happy and you know it brush in back." And EVERY time it says that, he starts brushing his literal BACK! It's hilarious! I've explained it many times, that it's his back teeth that it's talking about...but his brain is stuck. Good thing by that point in the song, he has already sucked all the toothpaste off of his toothbrush. =)

*"My cousin Cooper and my Cooper dog." - talking about his cousin Cooper and his Grammie and Grandad's dog Cooper

*And again talking about his cousin Cooper: "I play his xylophone." Xylophone?! What?! I didn't even know he knew that word! =)

*Driving past a choo-choo train: "I love choo-choo trains. I love ravioli." Choo-choo trains I knew about. Ravioli? Not so much. =) (It's a new thing for him to say that he loves a thing - which some people don't encourage, but I thought it was cute.)

*I said, "His name is Mr. Potato Head." He said, "No, his name Mr. Potato Santa Clause!" "Oh is it?", I said. "Sure is!!!", he said. I've never heard him say, "Sure is!" before. =)

*We sing a song to him and Ainsley that we stole from Emily, and it goes: "I love you Asher Case (or Ainsley Grace), oh yes I do. I love you Asher Case, and I'll be true. When you're not near to me, I'm blue. Oh Asher Case, I love you!" We've sung this to him since he was a tiny baby, and he likes to sing it with us. But recently when we've sung it, I'll be singing, "I love you Asher Case...", but he'll change it to "Mommy Case". It's so funny - and cute! =)

*I told him to say, "No thank you Mommy" about something, and he said, "No thank you Sir." He's on a kick with calling me "Sir".

*"Mom there's poop on my sock!" "No, I think it's mud.", I said. "Maybe ravioli.", he said. What's up with the ravioli?! =) He doesn't even like ravioli!

*He's playing football and saying, "You on ten Dad, and I on ten." I'm not sure what he's talking about, but it sounds "football-ish".

*"Hut two three."

*"Baby power!" - speaking of baby powder - It's hilarious! He loves it. =)

*He sings, "Argh, argh, argh, argh. This is the battle of Bad Beard." from one of the shows that he watches.


And then there's our Ains. She's cutting her second tooth. And she's rolling over more frequently - finally. =) She's playing more with her toys, and her favorite things I think are still the same as the last time I blogged about them - laying on a blanket playing with her toys, sitting in her swing (outside is her favorite!), and jumping in her johnny-jump-up. She's a good eater sometimes, and sometimes she's a mouth-clamper. I introduced sweet peas today, and she was NOT a fan! But then again, she hasn't been a fan of any type of nourishment today. I think her mouth is hurting. But she's getting more and more fun! We're lovin' her little emerging personality! She's very sweet and smiley a lot of the time. And then there are the "other" times. =) One of my favorite things is to see the way that she and Asher look at each other. Their little relationship is already a special thing! I love it!

Overall, we're doing well, but we've ALL been sick! Asher and I especially are on the upswing. Ainsley is doing ok - just a little cough-y still. But Beau is not doing very well. He's got an appointment for tomorrow. Please pray for our health!

And one GREAT piece of news is that a new man has been hired to work with Beau full-time here at the camp. He'll start moving in this weekend. I haven't met him yet, but Beau thinks it's going to be a really good situation. I'm SO happy about that! It's going to be an amazing help to have someone else out here - especially as summer is approaching!!!

I guess that's all for now. I hope you're all having a happy spring so far! =)

"Stay calm."

*"Stay calm Ainsley. Stay calm."

*"Hey Ains."

*"Don't cry Ainsley. I'm right here."

All things that our little guy has been saying to our little girl. So sweet!

One More Thing...

The other day I had been gone. Asher stayed with Beau all day while I went to hear the FlyLady in person! =) When I got home, Asher was playing outside, and I could tell through my windshield that he was so excited, and he was saying, "Mommy! Mommy!" over and over! And when I opened the door, he said, "I love you so much!" Oh! My heart melted! =) I love that kid!

And last night (ok, this is two things...), I was rocking him trying to get him to calm down and go to sleep (He was REALLY messed up by the time change, I guess.), and I had my hand resting on his cheek. So he reached up and held his hand on my cheek for a little bit. I loved it.

Those new pictures I mentioned a few posts ago are still "coming up"! =)

My Kids =)

"Ainsley, you're a princess! You're beautiful!" - one of my new favorite things that Asher has been telling Ainsley! =) And this hits a special place in my heart because of the significance of us being "princesses". Beau needs to come around, because he still thinks of a "princess" as basically being a brat - but that's not what I think of at all! =) My mom has always called me her "princess", because that's what "Sara" means. So I already love it because of that. But also, it literally changed my life when I started thinking of myself as a princess - a daughter of God, the King. I love that whole concept! Anyway...plus, it's just CUTE that he tells her that! =)

"Mommy/Daddy, you want to come play football/basketball/soccer/etc. outside with me?" How could we resist?! =) And then the game looks something like this: he/we throw it as far as we can - not TO anyone in particular. He starts running, stops, turns around, and says, "Mommy/Daddy, you want to run with me?" The kid's got bruises and scrapes all over his legs from all the running and playing he's been doing outside these last several days. He's tough! =)

Ainsley has had her first tooth for almost a week now, and she kind of sucks her bottom lip as she's feeling it. She's "discovering" a lot right now too. She examines her hands very closely for no apparent reason - other than figuring out, "I like these things." =) I remember Asher doing that too. It's so cute. It's funny when she "eyes" my hair hanging down on my shoulder, then slowly reaches for it. And once she gets it, it's hard to get loose! =) She has "tummy time" every day, but she still prefers lying on her back. She likes to lay on a blanket and hold toys, and she ends up turning her body every-which-way - while staying on her back. She's still only turned over a couple of times. Her chubby body makes it difficult. =) She'll twist and turn, and almost make it - just not quite! She's finding her voice more and more in this last week - which makes it more difficult to keep her with us during church. =) She loves to jump in her johnny-jump-up. And she's been "clocking" herself in her mouth with her hand as she's learning about "batting". She just makes her arm go back and forth and back and forth, but she doesn't have much control over it, so she ends up punching herself in the face over and over. It's pretty funny! She's enjoying Asher a lot these days too. He got her laughing really good the other day. They're going to be good little buddies! Which reminds me...

*"Ainsley, you're crackin' me up!", Asher said.

*"Asher, Daddy's gonna come meet us for lunch. Isn't that exciting?!" His response: "Not really." "Do you want him to come eat lunch with us?" "Not really." Hilarious! Of course, he really did want him to. I guess he just recently noticed somebody saying, "Not really" and thought he would try it out. =)

*"Mommy, I burped." "What do you say?" "Excuse you Mommy." (in a deep voice)

*"May I be excused please?" - I'm proud of my boy when he uses such good manners! =)

We're looking forward to a visit from Grammie and Grandad over spring break!!! They need to see their changing grandbabies!!! =)

Friends

When we got married, I moved to a new town, and it was VERY difficult! I had lived in Waco for over 11 years. I had "grown up" there. I had family and LOTS of very close friends there - people who knew me...really KNEW ME...and LOVED ME! I was all of a sudden in a new place, completely stripped of everything and everyone I had known for so many years. I struggled a lot with depression. I think I cried for MONTHS! =) I liked where we lived. I grew to love the people there, but it was a difficult road.

When we moved here, it was not nearly as difficult - probably because I had been through the relocation thing before...and probably more because this time I had Asher to keep me on my toes - and now Ainsley is helping to keep me occupied as well. =) Not to mention, I had a "built-in friend"...Dina - a friend of my mother-in-law's who lives here and immediately took us under her wing! We love her very much!

I have loved being a wife and a mommy, but it has overwhelmed me MUCH MORE than I ever thought it would before I was in these roles. I used to be clean and organized, and I always decorated the places I lived well (at least I thought so =)). Now, I have piles everywhere, my bathrooms are long overdue for a good cleaning, and shelves are YET to be hung and decorated - and we've lived here for almost a year and a half now. (Thankfully, I've recently discovered FlyLady, and I think she's going to help me! =)...I even got to see her in person the other day!)

A few months ago, I met Autumn in line at Wal-Mart. Funny, I know. It's about the only place in this town! =) She is steadily becoming a very good friend to me!!! She even asked me today if she could come help me organize some things at my house! She was hesitant to ask, because she didn't want it to sound "bad" =), but I said, "YES!!!" and told her never to worry about how something "sounds" to me. Things like that rarely bother me! Besides, she said that it wasn't that my house "looked bad" =), it's just that I talk about it, and it seems to bother me. Well, she's right! It does! Anyway, I love her! She's definitely a gift sent to me from God! And I don't just say that because she wants to help me! =)

In January, she started a "mom's group" for stay-at-home-moms. We started out meeting once a month, but we're going to start getting together twice a month, because we all like it so much! =) Today we just scrapbooked together. Well, THEY scrapbooked...I fiddled with Ainsley for two and a half hours, talked, and cropped ONE picture! Oh well! Anyway, the inspiration for this whole post was this...The group is made up almost entirely of women who are not from here. So we all can relate to the struggles of moving to a new place. TWO different ladies - in completely separate conversations - were talking about how they had had old friends or the girls in their family come up for a fun girls' weekend, and how they had so much fun that when their friends and family left, they cried! I KNOW how that feels! It hasn't happened as MUCH here as it did after Beau and I got married, but it just reminded me of HOW IMPORTANT FRIENDSHIPS ARE!!! TRUE FRIENDSHIPS...not just saying hi here or there, but really getting to KNOW each other - and having FUN with each other! It almost makes me want to cry thinking about the loneliness in so many hearts! And sometimes we don't even realize the depth of it until we experience true friendship again - like the weekends that my new friends had. I haven't FELT the loneliness in this new place like I did in the last new place, but just in the last few weeks - since I'm STARTING to make some more friends - it's amazing at how GOOD it feels to connect with other girls (ladies, whatever...)! We all have that need to know and be known...to love and be loved. And I'm glad that it seems to be a season in my life where maybe that's going to start happening a little more again. =)

"It's from..."

Asher has been telling me where things he says or does are "from" - voluntarily. The last few weeks or so, when he would say or do something that I didn't know where he learned it from, I would ask him where he learned it or where it was from. Yesterday morning, he was sitting in his highchair, and he started fussing - kind of crying very EXAGGERATED-like. I told him not to do that, and he said, "It's from 'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse'." I asked him who did that, and he said, "Baby Goofy". It was funny - and not - that he had seen Baby Goofy "crying" like that, so he thought he would try it out. =) I assured him that "We don't do that!" And he hasn't tested it since. =)

Then this morning, he said, "I supposed to skateboard." I didn't know he knew the word "skateboard". And he said, without me asking, "It's from 'Handy Manny'." Then he stood up on his train that he drives around like it was a skateboard. So inventive. =)

So I Don't Forget...

I keep putting off posting, because I haven't "felt like it", but a few things have been said and done in the last couple of days that I'm afraid I'll forget if I don't just go ahead and do it. =) And by the way, more February pictures to come in the next day or two.

The other day I called Asher my precious boy, and he said, "Precious Mommy." I LOVED it! =) Or I'll say, "Asher Case", and he'll say, "Mommy Case". Or "Hey my little munchkin man." "Hey Munchkin Mommy." Funny, funny.

Last night he was on a roll getting Ainsley to LAUGH! It was hilarious! She just doesn't really LAUGH that much, and he was getting her good! It was so fun!

Iasked him what he wanted for lunch the other day, he sighed, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "Just nuffin'." I said, "Are you ready to go to sleep?" And he said, "Yeah." "Just nuffin'" - I love it. =)

He had so much fun playing outside the other day. He played with playdough on his table. He sang me songs - like "The Mommy Song" as he called it. It went something like this: "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy..." I loved "The Mommy Song". He's also been pretending more and more, and that day he had picked up a couple of sticks, and he said, "These are my drumsticks...and this is my room (pointing to the outdoors in general)."

Speaking of playdough...That same day was the first time I had ever let him play with playdough. Did I blog about that yet? He really liked it! He played with it three or four times in that same day. And when I played with him and made this or that, he would say, "Wow! Good job Mommy!" Nothing like the praise of your little two year old! =)

Which reminds me of what every Mommy wants to hear. I was in the kitchen cooking or something (probably something that is comparable to corn dogs), and he said, "Wow Mommy! That's AMAZING!" I love his simplicity and his heart!

Which brings me to this morning...He BIT Ainsley! So maybe his heart is not always so sweet! It was terrible...for both of them! He buried his two front teeth into her forehead. She wailed. And soon he did too! I think he felt terrible that he did that to her, AND he got in BIG trouble! It was sad, but it actually turned into kind of a comical moment. When he bit her, I was in the middle of changing her diaper, but I had to snatch him up so he wouldn't do it anymore and to discipline him. She's screaming on the couch, he crying his eyes out in my lap, I realize that she has no diaper on, but she needs to be picked up too. So I got her diaper on, while still holding Asher, because he did NOT want to let me go. He was actually being really sweet with me and was so sorry that he had done that. Then I picked her up too. He fell asleep on my shoulder while she was calming down and wanting to go to sleep too. And by the time Beau got home for lunch (maybe five minutes later), they were both asleep in my arms. It was pretty funny...and frazzling (which is what most of this morning was...frazzling)! =)

Which is why I need FlyLady! =) If you've never gone to FlyLady.net, you should! She's going to help me live a clean and decluttered life. =) I'm even meeting Amy and her friend Amanda in Oklahoma City on Saturday for a conference that she's speaking at. We can't wait!

Oh! One other piece of significant news! Ainsley is cutting her first tooth! Her bottom right tooth is starting to break through, and she's been a bit fussy to prove it. =) Tylenol (or acetaminophen as Asher calls it =)) and Orajel are becoming our close companions once more!

That's all I've got for the moment. I hope you all had a good weekend!

And by the way...if you read my blog, chances are I read yours too. If you wouldn't mind me listing your blog as one I read on the side of my page, would you please leave me a comment telling me that it's ok - or you can email me at beauandsarawaters@yahoo.com. It's nice to have the blogs I read in that list, because it tells me who has updated without having to go to your blog to check. But I don't want to do that without your consent. If you mind, it's no big deal. To each his own. Just thought I would ask.

Have a good week!