lets talk about Jacey....

I'm sitting here staring at the cursor trying to think where to start. Jacey is something else. There are no words to adequately describe her. She has recently started into the clothes drama. Here are a few pictures to demonstrate some of the ensembles I find her wearing. I told her she couldnt come outside without a jacket and shoes. She promptly had a melt down and we all went outside without her. A few minutes later, this is what she comes out wearing: Tyce's church shoes and a dora backpack......because thats almost like a jacket, right?

This was another favorite. This polk-a-dot thing with my boots. Cute?

and of course, her princess dresses and ballet shoes. She changes her clothes at least 27 times a day and clothes are dispersed evenly throughout each room in the house. I have no idea what is clean, what is dirty, what she wore for 3 minutes or 3 days. I had a friend give us a sack full of little summer dresses and most of them are spaghetti strap. I have a few white t-shirts for her to wear under them but every time I turn around she has taken the shirt off. Every time I turn around, she is either naked or in another outfit. It is absolutely maddening. I have tried to hide her clothes but there really isnt anywhere in the house she cant get to and even then she just starts wearing my shirts or Tyce's and with a few accessories she can shape them up to look like a dress. There are times when her eyes haven't even opened in the morning before she is ripping off her pajamas and putting on a dress. We have all out fights about what she can wear when we leave the house. Already? She is two! Heaven help me. She has already asked for ear rings. She insists that I paint her nails. I have tried to hurry and paint my toe nails before she noticed because I didnt have time to do hers and within 2 seconds she noticed I had a fresh coat of paint on my toes and she went ballistic because she needed hers done too.

and she really struggles to get her underwear on right.....it was really close though. The bathroom has become an issue again too. She goes like a champion but she goes without telling and then she "wipes" by herself. She ends up getting a sore bum because sometimes I dont think she wipes at all. When she goes poo, she uses half a roll of toilet paper and I swear misses the mark completely.  Her hands smell like poo because of her delinquent wiping and then she tells Tyce to smell her finger! Where did the child come from???? She is the nastiest princess you'll ever see. I keep begging her to let me wipe for her but she wont ever tell me when she goes.

She insists on coming with me when I go to the bathroom and since the locks on our doors are broken, I have no choice. I keep asking her if I can just go by myself but she always says, "but I'm your very best girl." So she sits and chats with me and coaches me, reminds me where the toilet paper is and to flush and how to wash my hands. Its true, she really is my very best girl.

I try so hard not to come to heads with her because she has up'ed her level of tantrums and its quite frightening but sometimes I set her off even when I'm being careful. Like today she hit me because I said I didnt want the potty treat she was trying to share with me. I put her in time out and she told me not to talk to her "eber" again. Wow.......

I feel bad only talking about her craziness but at the end of the day that is what I remember best. As sassy as she is, she can be equally sweet. She gives the longest, tightest and hugs and the sweetest little wet-lipped kisses that are my favorite. She always tells me I look pretty and that she likes my hair. My favorite thing about her is that she is just funny! The things that come out of her mouth make me full-on belly laugh. She really is a riot and an absolute party but she is just a lot. In every direction - a lot.

I wanted to write down two stories about Tyce before I forget. I dont mean to make Tyce out to seem like an angel and Jacey out to be the very devil but sometimes thats the way the cookie crumbles, jk :)

The other day we were driving home and we were listening to that song that is sung by a little girl called "In Gethsemane" about how Jesus loves us and died for us. Well I looked back and Tyce has tears in his eyes. I asked if he was ok and he wiped his eyes all embarrassed and said, "that song made me have happy tears." Bless his sweet sensitive little heart.

And the other day he said, "Mom, you know when you and Dad gave me an Easter present? Well it made me have feelings....feelings like.....feelings...." He really struggled to find the right words and then said, "it made me have feelings that I have a wonderful life!" Seriously? He is so precious to me. 

They are both so funny and so great. Sure love my kids :)

first soccer game

Tyce had his first soccer game today - it was incredibly entertaining. Tyce has not been super thrilled about going to soccer practice but today at the game I think I finally saw a spark. I don't know if it was the actual game or the shin guards that gave him a bigger thrill but at any rate he seemed to have a great time.The first half of the game he spent more time finding all the friends he knew on the other team. A boy from his primary class and a girl from his preschool, which he had to run over to me and tell me "Mom, Sophie is here!" I said "thats great bud, but go back on the field and keep playing, ok?" Ha! 

The first time he really kicked the ball he had to run over and tell me all about it. We had to keep reminding him to keep playing. It was so funny. In the second half of the game he seemed to catch the idea a little better and he started to get the ball and dribble a little - in the right direction no less! All and all, it was a great time. We had some great laughs. It was almost as entertaining to listen to the commentary from all the parents and grandparents on the side-lines. "The other way! Go the other way! NOOOO, not that goal!" but mostly just "kick it! kick the ball! go get the ball! kick it!" etc. and then lots of full on belly laughs when all the kids would trip each other and there would be a huge pile up. Very funny.

After the game Jacey came up to Tyce and gave him a big hug and they chatted on the way to the car

"You did a great job brother." 

"Thanks Jacey, did you see me kick that ball?" 

"Yes I did brother, great job!" 

"Thanks Jac" 

"Your welcome brother. I sure had a great time." Ha!

They are so cute. Jacey has been really in to calling him 'brother' and she demands that he call her 'sister dear'...........she is such a princess.

Rustin kept saying how he has waited 5 years to go to Tyce's first soccer game and its so fun that we are here. I hope Tyce starts to really like it because it is sure fun :)

a perfect ordinary day

I love the first day of new library books. It warms my heart to see them both sitting quietly looking at books and they beg me to read to them which I really love. Today was such a perfect day. When I was in the shower this morning, the kids came into the bathroom all excited to tell me they had a surprise for me. When I got out and dressed they had me close my eyes and held my hands and lead me downstairs where they showed me they had made their beds without being asked. It was the cutest thing! Tyce has been trying to earn enough money to buy a track-hoe he saw at the Book Table so he has been trying to do his chores. I gave him his quarter and we all sat down and had a little lesson on counting money. He had enough for his toy so after we had our waffles for breakfast, we got ready and got in the car. We first went to the library for story time and got new books. Then we went to the Book Table and Tyce bought his "excavator" all by himself with his very own money. He was thrilled beyond words. It was seriously the cutest thing. He was so excited and so we just had to drive to Rustin's work to show Dad what Tyce bought. We came home and put together some new puzzles we found at the Book Table, we read books and played play dough. Rustin was invited to go to the Jazz game tonight so we decided to make our own little pizzas and have a pizza party without him. They helped me make the dough and put the cheese and pepperoni on their pizza. After we cleaned up dinner we read more books and got ready for bed. It really was the most perfect day. I sure love my little people. They were both just pure delights today. It doesn't always happen like today but I will sure take it. That's why I wrote it down, in case it doesn't happen again ;)

I know these pictures of the kids playing probably look all the same to you, but each one shows a face that is so familiar to me and I love each expression. It always warms my heart to see them so content to imagine and play by themselves. I just sat and watched......I mean sat and watched while I made a swather with hay bales to go in it at Tyce's demand.

Oh these pics got out of order again. We found these big puzzles at the Book Table today and we had so much fun putting them together! A Jonah and the Whale puzzle for Tyce (of course) and a princess one for Jac :)

I whacked my knee on the corner of the table today and I yelled out. Jacey came over ultra concerned and asked me to show her just where I hit my knee, she rubbed it and kissed it over and over and with these little puppy dog eyes said, "dont eber do that again or I will be very mad at you." Oh man, she makes me laugh. I could seriously just eat her up sometimes. She is so much fun.

This is the excavator he bought today. It hasnt left his side and he even had to sleep with it tonight. He is so funny and so much fun to have around. He gets soooooo excited over the smallest things and its pretty addictive. He is such a nice boy. He is so nice to Jacey, I sure love my little buddy.

This might sound weird but I have always felt like I am a much better mom when I'm sick. I have been getting a cold and haven't felt very good and it brings me down a few notches to where I don't have the energy to get upset with the kids or care too much about my 'to do' list. I seem to take time just to sit, read books to the kids, do puzzles, play with play dough and do anything that requires sitting. I refrain from anything that makes me wipe myself off the floor which keeps me right on the kids level and at their disposal. Being sick makes me feel sentimental too. I just watch them be their own little people and my heart swells with love and gratitude for these wonderful little people I get to have. I don't wish to be sick everyday but I hope I can be more like I was today. Slow to anger, quick to sit and listen to them, and grateful to just sit and play with them because they really are wonderful.

Easter Pics

I was so determined to blog more regularly, more as a journal, but alas there are very few things in my life that I am truly consistent at doing and blogging unfortunately is not one of them. But here is another valiant effort :) So I will start with Easter. Easter Sunday was really great. I love having our own traditions and doing things with our own little family. We hid some candy around the house and then hid some eggs outside. I even got them a few gifts, just some puzzles, coloring paper, and a toy. It was really fun.

After church we colored eggs and had some friends come over for a ham dinner. It was really nice.

Of course we cant do anything without a whale in there somewhere for my Tyce man. It was a really fun day. I so love having a house that we can have people over and we fit everyone so comfortably  We are so grateful to live in such a beautiful place. I really love living here in Wellsville.

Aggie Game

We took the kids to the Aggie game a few weeks ago and it was so much fun. They really loved it. My friend and I were laughing about how all the teeny boppers post these ridiculous fish-lip pictures of themselves on facebook so I did this one for her :)

The National Anthem.

For the first half, they were so entertained. I couldnt believe it. I thought for sure I would regret bringing them but they did awesome.

So much fun! Go Aggies!

Tyce's 5th Birthday

Here are the pictures of Tyce's birthday, a little late as usual. Sorry, these did not upload in the right order, but whatev. I apologize for the one million pictures of his cake but seriously, its all I have left after hours of construction so I had to take a ton :) 

Of course he had to have a whale cake. I blame Rustin's Aunt Shannon. She started this. She made him a backhoe cake for his 2nd birthday and since then, all he cares about for his birthday is the cake. He is not concerned much with the gifts or the events of the day, but the cake is everything. So I googled a bunch of whale cakes but found nothing that would work so I had to wing it. It took forever but Tyce honestly things I am the best Mom in the whole world when I make his birthday cake so its worth it. His new favorite whale lately has been the blue whale so I did my best.

The octopus' were a nice touch and definitely the kids favorite.

Humpback whale.

Gray whale.

Beluga whale.

Sperm whale.

Killer whale.

Knar whale.

It was very important that we got all his favorite whales on there.

It was definitely not going to get any points for being pretty but for sure the most cluttered. But he absolutely loved it so it was so worth it.

The expressions on their faces are so priceless. I love it :)

Oh what? the cake again? Just in case you didn't quite get enough :)

Ha! Classic :)

We gave him a bike but had to trade it because it was too small. He didnt care too much for it honestly. I hope he learns to like it. He keeps riding the bike we got him for his 2nd bday instead. We should have just got him a $3 whale and he would have been happier.

He had a few friends come over for cake and ice cream. It was a super fun day.

The making of the whale.....sorry the pics are out of order. Sure love my Tyce. He is such a good boy and an absolute delight. I am so grateful to have him.