The Munchkins

I love my three little munchkins! They bring me smiles daily. Life doesn't get better than this. I am a little bit behind in posting on 'events' so here are some snapshots of life here in VB lately. 

 Love is in the air!

I try to play down valentines since I feel it is a holiday about have and have nots. I don't care for a holiday that leaves people out. What I did for them this year (last minute idea) was throw together place mats that highlight their best qualities. I want to teach them that they are individuals. I love them for who they are, and I don't want them to be someone else. 

Reese is spirited, inquisitive, brave, huggable, faithful, creative, unique and smiley. 

 Creative, spirited and unique...yes sirree. She keeps me laughing!

Inquisitive, not too many five year olds want to stay inside to read instead of playing and running outside. 

 Elli is cuddly, helpful, passionate, curious, animated, bright, loyal and independent.

She found the only puddle in the whole area. Call her curious George. 

 She is one bright star. At library PJ story time, the librarian read a story we have never heard before. Elli immeadiately walked over to the book rack in the room and plucked the same book off the shelf. She had memorized the books on the rack and wanted the matching copy.

Elli is in a early interventive parent child preschool class run by the city. She is thriving in this class. I was prepared to hate it and I love everything about it. She is so independent in the class.

Brady is dedicated, affectionate, kind, supportive, thoughtful, graceful, hard-working, and understanding.

This hard-working graceful ballerina has almost perfected her leap. I am in awe of her. I thought I didn't want a daughter that liked ballet, but I am really getting a kick (no pun intended) out of this. 

Brady LOVES being a big sister. She brought Elli in for a special show and tell.

Brady loves to put on shows with her middlest sister. Here she was exploring the idea that tears can be result of happiness or sadness.

I will keep them! All while counting my lucky stars!

" I LOVE MEATBALLS!"

I have raised picky eaters. I am not sure quite how that came to be, but it did. I have tried EVERYTHING! One night when I was at my wits end I did yet another tireless google search for "how to help picky eaters".

I read one article that listed about 8 tips. I had already tried 7 of the 8 items.

The other: Make a rule, for each new food, you must take three bites on three different nights.

"When you take that first bite you’re scared and you’re going to hate it no matter what. But now that you know you aren’t going to DIE from eating that broccoli, you take a second bite to truly taste it. The third bite is the decision bite where you get to proclaim love, meh, or hate"

Simple enough. I made a list each night of what was on the dinner table. Three bites of everything went on the girls plates. The oldest, being obedient, took it in stride. An occasional up turned nose appeared, but once reminded of table manners fixed undesirable behaviors.

Now the middlest, oh the middlest, did NOT take it in stride. There was food being spit out, hands over her mouth, LOTS of head shaking, grunts, tears, oncoming stares from others waiting to be excused. It was PAINFUL for ALL of us. The youngest even starting mocking these undesirable behaviors. UGH!

About 3 weeks into these nightly battles, we turned a little but significant turn for the better. She would put the unmentionables into her mouth on her own, she whined while doing it, but SHE did it. The second time eating ground beef in pasta sauce, she stated, I still don't like it but it is fun to chew. We will take it!

About a week later, a meatball in red sauce lay on the middlest's plate. This is the third time she must take three bites. After staring it down for five minutes, the middlest bravely put it in her mouth. Then next thing we know, the second and third bite are being digested. Then, just then, the angels looked down on us, sang a hymn and the middlest shouted "I LOVE MEATBALLS!!!" She was so proud that this proclamation was shouted over and over. We all celebrated. I even teared up a little. Then the rest of the meatball was consumed!

She loves meatballs, she wants me to cook meatballs again soon. This is a big deal people! She has never liked beef before this day.

Three bites, three times... it works in this house!

Steady beat

Bum bum badadada bum
Bum bum badadada bum
Bum bum badadada bum

I heard this from the upstairs bedroom. Puzzled? Is the construction that steady across the street? Are the neighbors banging on the windows again? Nope, just the marching band passing.







Love living on base! Never a dull moment!


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How Do We Solve a Problem Like Maria

Reese said she needed a haircut. Apparently chin length is much too long.

On a whim, I brought her upstairs and cut it. I was quite pleased with the little bob I gave her. It feel right at her ears. I kept the back the same, it was stacked beautifully from the last cut. All she sees is the front so that is all she cares about. I asked her, if that was what she wanted. "Nope! I want it to here!" Strategically placing her hand at her eyebrows.

Confused, I resorted to the internet. Pull up a display of pixie cuts, cute ones too, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, cuteness abound. Ask Reese which is the one you are picturing. She intently studies them. "None of them! I want to look like Maria."

Leave it to my child to want a 1960s style cut.

 So back upstairs we went. Clip clip clip, trim trim trim. BAM

Initially I wasn't a fan. Not too keen on bangs most of the time. Especially short ones. But this girl knew what she wanted. She wants a cut that doesn't need to be brushed. I am sure she will have a buzz cut someday.

Here is the best part...

Me: Reese, you know, I wasn't a fan of your haircut at first, but it is REALLY starting to grow on me.

Reese: Oh no, let's go cut it again!

Post-op Update

Reese had her post-op appt. today with ENT. It has been 3.5 weeks since her surgery. The doc was quite pleased with what he saw. I requested one more hearing test to confirm that the tubes fixed that issue.

The last test that she failed miserably in November showed that she could understand words spoken at 25 decibels. Today she understood words at 5 decibels. I am quite pleased with the success of the surgery. Her hearing is better, which means her speaking volume is better, and her speech enunciation is better too. great news all around.

But, the most exciting part of the appointment came when they were checking her vitals at the beginning. She weighed 39.6 pounds. Awesome! I asked them what she weighed at her last appt. on December 20. She was 36.6 pounds. Yea, do that math.... THREE POUNDS in a month!!!!

I can't believe her body has responded so well to being gluten free. The gluten was prohibited her body from absorbing all the nutrients from her food in the past.  Now that gluten is out of the way, her body is catching up and filling out. This makes this momma happy!

Brady's Life By Brady

Not quitting my day job

I love this job, I know I tell you all the time, but I just am so stinkin' happy these days...

I read this article today

http://www.danoah.com/2014/01/how-to-be-a-better-parent-according-to-small-children-vol-1.html



So I asked my girls, "What should mommy change to be a better parent?"

I was ready for something off the wall, comical maybe.



Check out these replies...

Reese: "I don't know, oh, I know, give me more hugs!"

Done, and done.

Brady: "Don't change anything, Mommy!"

LOVE THIS GIRL! Love these little pats of the back I get.

Did your boss give you praise today at work? Mine did!

Peace out diet soda

The '2013 me' told many a person, I know I am addicted to diet soda, but I am okay with that. It is my only vice. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't like coffee, you get where I am going. I need a vice, and diet soda is that.

Then I started realizing I don't really like fountain soda. It is too irregular for me. I need consistent predicatble taste so I started drinking only bottled/canned soda. But I was sticking to my guns, this girl loves diet soda. This girl is okay with drinking 4-5 diet sodas a day.

I also started realizing I eat more with my snack when I have a diet soda. I want to be eating food the entire time I drink my soda...YIKES! Oh well, I am not obese, diet soda you are still my staple.

Then about 2-3 weeks ago, it hit me, I don't really LOVE the taste of diet soda. It is truly a habit not a desire. WOW, what a thought, oh well. I don't care I am sticking with it.

Then about one week ago, I realized I drink soda for its convinece. If I had to get a cup out everytime I wanted it and pour it or dispense it, I would NOT drink it 4-5 times a day. I want to open the fridge and immediately have a beverage. RIGHT THEN. Oh my goodness, when did I get so lazy? Wait, I am not lazy, I am chasing three kiddos and lucky to get the 2 seconds to grab that can out of the fridge.

So what if water was that convinent? What if I could just grab a water out of the fridge and drink in two seconds. Well, duh, there is bottled water. Nope, I refuse to pay money for bottled water. Okay, so I am sticking with my diet soda habit.

Four days ago, I ran out of diet soda. I have not had one since. We had some leftover water bottles from Reese's birthday party. I drink from those, throw them in the dishwasher and refill all at once in the morning.

This girl right here has not had a diet soda in FOUR days. Not long you say, think of this, that is 20 diet sodas I have not drinken. That is one and a half packs of diet soda. I have been drinking about 6 bottles of water a day, wash and reuse. This is great people, hence my 'toot my horn' blog post.

On a side note: I have to be real, I am a mom of three youngins, I still need caffiene to make it through the day most days. I allow myself ONE of Karl's regular sodas. I don't eat when I drink it. It has 140 calories. That IS enough to hold me over for a couple hours. I have found I don't even really want to finish the entire 12 ounces. One day, I didn't crave it at all. CRAZY people CRAZY!

So there it is, My name is Christy, I am diet soda addict, and I have been 'sober' for 4 days. See you at the next DSA meeting.

Bucket List 2014

Here it is. The bucket list for the year. Part of this is sculpted from what we know we already have planned, which honestly I consider cheating, but we are going to have an awesome year!

-Grow own food (Christy)
-Go strawberry picking (Christy)
-Go to 2nd grade (Brady)
-Go to kindergarten (Reese)
-Go to the Children's Museum (Brady)
-Start running (Elli)
-Go to DC (Karl)
-Go overseas (Christy)
-Go to the Great Wolf Lodge (Brady and Reese)
-Go see Pop Pop's fish (Reese)
-Have a Kid free weekend on our Tenth wedding anniversary (Christy)
-Attend an air show (Karl)
-Bike/run/play at Mt. Trashmore (Christy)

2013 Bucket List COMPLETED

This post is a few months behind, but I can proudly say we kicked the bucket...list in the behind! We had it completed in late October.

I orginially made this list right after our move to get us excited about the new possibilities in this new town. Remember this list was created over a year ago.

Here it is:

-go on a rocketship (Reese)

We visited the Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton, VA in September. We explored all sorts of air vehicles including rocketship. We also got to see a rocket take off from our front porch one night! We kept the girls up so they could witness this extraodrinary event.

-go swimming (Reese)

-Perform an Ariel show with my doll (Reese)

This is not the Ariel show pictured... but we get 'shows' on a daily basis. No really, EVERY day. Sound of Music is the most recent theme of most shows.

-go for a hike (Brady)

No hills in our hikes, but we do enjoy the mile walk through our neighborhood (base). 

-go to the zoo (Brady)

-go to where Felicity lived (Brady)

The older two girls were treated to a couple trips to Colonial Williamsburg last year. They enjoyed learning about the differences in life and culture, including tea and curtsy lessons.

-go to the Botanical Gardens (Christy)

Among our multiple trips to the Botanical Gardens to play in the World of Wonder kids' garden. We also explored the Christmas light display during the Polar Express event. The girls also got their first taste of hot cocoa.

-go to the Great Wolf Lodge (Christy)

-go to DC and watch the Giants play (Karl)....

This one wasn't completed in its original form...instead Karl go to see the Giants play in San Diego, even better right!?!?!

-go see Kaddie's (now better known as Pop Pop) fish (Christy)

-go to the Children's musuem (Reese)

-go to the Aquarium (Brady)

-eat Cheesecake Factory cheesecake (Karl)

You know he ate this too fast for me to grab a picture of it!

We did so much last year, much of which is not even listed on here. Glad that we were able to kick the bucket...list!

Stay tuned for the post previewing this year's to do list.

Hard Knock Life

Daddy is out with the two older girls. Mommy is home with the little that is refusing to nap. Mommy needs to plan the week's dinners and the subsequent grocery list. Mommy needs thirty minutes hands free.

Guess what the little did for thirty minutes straight... Yep, sat in one spot reading books and this momma was hands free.


Gosh, such a hard job I have raising three girls. And man that one year old, off the wall ... In awesomeness that is!








Baby girl, you make this job too easy!


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New Beginnings

Today was surgery day. The day this awesome warrior had been dreading.




















There was a lot of talk about normal emotions to feel before. And normal 20/20 retrospect tells you that those emotions were silly. Yesterday she was scared, today she delighted that there was nothing to be scared of.

4:00 AM wake up call for 5:15 arrival... people, not even Hardees was open for breakfast, yes, that early. Also, this momma forgot to factor that the 'nightly' construction work that closes the tunnel would still be in effect too.

All is good we made it there just in time to...wait.

But there was televsion, good luck letters and emails, ipads to pass the time. Afterall, this was her self proclaimed 'SPECIAL DAY' and she gets to watch television ALL DAY LONG!

Let tell you about the 'loopy' medicine they give...versed...so that they can give the IV. She had me and five doctors cracking up. She informed the nurse that she had two noses. She would try to sit up just in time to fallover. She had the goofiest grin that would make anyone smile. And when the surgeon himself (all 6'6"of him) picked her up to carry her to the OR; she looked at his faces and looked like a love sick disney princess that had finally met her prince. She giggled and then snuggled into his neck. I slightly felt like I was watching her at a college party...yikes. I walked away from her to the waiting room with a huge smile on my face... I needed that. 

The procedures went well and she recovered from general beautifully...phew!

 Around this point the medical corpsman asked me if she has had several surgeries. He said she was taking it like a pro. Luckily, she is no pro, just awesome beginner's luck. We will take it. NOT A TEAR WAS SHED...by anyone.

We paraded out of that hospital six hours later. Twirls were twirled upon arrival at home. No pain meds, eating normal by 3:00. THIS GIRL KICKED SOME SERIOUS RECOVERY BUTT!

Goodbye tummy troubles. Goodbye fluid filled ears.

So now onto new beginnings. Onto keeping the stereo at reasonable decibels. Onto the gluten free diet adventure.  Wish us luck... this is a untraveled path for us and we may need to stop for directions along the way. Luckily we know some people we can call.