Ducky Fishing

Back in October I was having a hard time with Rome. He would not take a nap, but would not be happy just playing or watching TV every afternoon either. I didn't like putting him in front of the TV, but by 3 pm I was ready to kill him and needed a Mommy Break. (I still really miss his naps.) So, I started looking up toddler activities. I found tons of stuff I could do and not any time to do them. The first time I tried to do anything, it was this. It is not how the original activity went, but it kept him busy and me happy. I guess it worked.

My jerry-rigged fishing pole

The biggest container I could find, an old baby ducky bathtub, with alphabet magnets in it.

Rome trying to fish for magnets. It really didn't work. The magnets were so weak you couldn't "catch" anything.

It turned into a sorting game.

That works too. I want to keep doing this stuff. We will have to see how it goes.

Related

A couple of months ago I noticed something under Rome's chin. I thought it was food and kept trying to wash it off. I finally got a good look at it and it was...a freckle. Yup, Rome got his first freckle. Well, a couple weeks later he had a piece of something on his lip that wouldn't go away. You guessed it, another freckle. Weird how they show up randomly. Funny how I have the same ones. We must be related or something. His are much cuter though.

What a cute freckle (and a tear that he never wipes away)

Mine are a lot more and faded (I work hard on that), but its there.

It is really hard to get a two year old to sit still like this. It is hard to see, but its there. My picture was worse. I left it out. You will have to trust me that I have a similar freckle under my chin.

Shoes

Capri has teeny tiny feet. So finding shoes that fit is hard. She has lots of shoes for such a small person.

These were her first pair. I found the smallest newborn shoes I could find. She wore them forever. I think 6 months. They are so worn they almost have holes.

I got these two at a baby shower and I sewed on ribbons so they would stay on.

They are so cute! They only lasted 2 months, but she wore them every chance she could.
These were from Aunt Marge. Cute, but I couldn't get them to stay on for anything.

These are her church shoes. I found them at a second hand kids store. They almost don't fit.

These are super cute too. I need to see if they fit. They might keep her little toes warm.

I got these on clearance and I don't know if she will ever wear them. Maybe if she is still in size 2 by this summer.

Here are her current shoes. They are size 2 and a little big, but they stay on. The grippies on the bottom are perfect for standing, cruising and walking. Except, she has figured out how to take them off and likes to chew on them. Oh well. I guess they taste good.
Just wanted to share. Baby shoes are so adorable.

October Overload

So, October got lost in the hustle. We did lots of fun stuff.

We got into trouble

And broke stuff.

We cuddled.

Slept on tables.

Wore fuzzy shoes.

Got into everything.

Walked through a corn maze or two.

Played with pumpkins.

Rode a pony. Rome was SOOO excited!

Wore cute clothes

And cool costumes.
Rome is Go Fast-Lightening McQueen and Capri is the Piston Cup Trophy.

We had a party, of which I took terrible pictures.

Josh was Ricky Bobby, I was the Trophy Wife. Get it? I know we are so witty.

We went Trick-or-Treating.

Got lots of candy and had so much fun!

Facebook Listen Up!

I got this from Autumn and I was supposed to do it on facebook. But that is just a little scary so on here it goes. They can just come look if they want to.

I am not very good at saying what I believe or putting up links to better places to look, but I do know a lot of things that I would like to share. I know that I have a Heavenly Father and that he loves me no matter what. I know that he looks like me, well not Exactly but he has a body like I do. I know that he sent his son for us. I know that Jesus Christ is my savior and I love him and try to be like him. I forget sometimes. I know that there is a life after this earth one and that we can live with our Heavenly Father again. I know that families are forever and we can see our loved ones and live with them again also. I know that I have made some poor decisions in my life, but we can repent and I am where I am supposed to be. I am moving in the right direction and the best I can do is to keep moving. I know that I need to stay home with my kids and teach them everything that I know and it is HARD. I am so glad that I have good friends and family to help. I know that I am never alone. I can pray for help and my prayers are heard and answered. I dislike praying in public, but say Yes whenever I am asked. I might like it one day, maybe. I am grateful that I was able to go to the temple last year. (I can't believe it has almost been a year!) I hope that one day Josh will be there with me. I am not forcing him or holding my breath. I don't know what else to say, but I hope that is alright. So, there you go facebook. Hope you were listening. It doesn't happen often.

8 Months

Capri is getting so big! She loves to pull up and cruise on anything. She can stand one handed and walk if you hold her hands or the walker (when Rome isn't racing it). Any fall is the end of the world. I don't think she will be walking by 9 months, but maybe by 10. She has a new scream when she wants anything or is happy or unhappy. It sounds a lot like Rome. She has also decided that she is funny and fake laughs all the time. huh huh huh! Its pretty amusing. She is working on clapping and has said "da" a few times. She is still such a happy baby, but has started teething. It makes her cranky and she wants to be held all day and sometimes she just screams. Poor baby! I really wish those teeth would hurry up. I have seen them pop up two or three times, but they won't come through. She eats a ton! She eats 3 or 4 meals with us every day. She isn't "chewing" anything but loves lil' crunchies and yogurt bites. She will eat as much baby food as you will give her until she throws up. I have to watch it. She doesn't have a real schedule, but takes 3 naps on a good day and goes to bed with Rome around 7 or 8 and sleeps 12 hours. Except when she wants to wake up at 5:30 am I am pretty happy with it. I almost have some time to myself again. Almost. I was trying to not use the swing, but she fights sleeping so much. If I let her cry she cries for an hour and doesn't sleep at all and sometimes I just can't spend that long putting her to sleep, so naps are mostly in the swing and nighttime in the crib. She loves watching Rome run around and always checks to see if he is in the car with her. I think they will be great friends when she is a little bigger and not so unstable. We just love having her around. Two kids are trying, but she usually not the problem. And she just so adorable!







Ooo, you can almost see them...

Look at those little dimples! She just needed some more chub to show them off. I didn't get a good picture, but she has the most adorable chubby thighs. Oh how I love them!
You tell 'em!

Super Sunday

Okay, so I played hookey and stayed home from church on Sunday. I was really sick Saturday and Rome had a fever so it was kind of justified. Anyway, I felt much better Sunday morning and decided I wanted Cinnamon Rolls. Yum! I saw this recipe on the Crap I've Made blog for 1 hour Cinnamon Rolls and wanted to try it. We got up late, but I still thought I had time, so I dove right in.
First Special Step (one of Rome's sayings lately): mix the dough. Not too tough. It might have turned out better if I had listened to the recipe and only added 2 cups of water. It looked really dry so I added 3 and then spent the rest of the mixing time (and some) adding in extra flour to get it not super sticky. I forgot that I was making BREAD because I am so used to making COOKIES. I had to get my hands in there to mix it all up. It might have been really easy if you had one of those fancy Kitchen Aid mixers, which I don't. Rome wanted to help, of course. And then he needed help with anything and everything while my hands were stuck in the dough. Um, NO, I Can't help you NOW. Josh was a good sport though and took the climbing baby and distracted (sort of) the helpful 2 year old.
Second Step: Roll it out. By now Rome is super close, right next to me on the counter (which is not cleared off, just pushed over). I pull out just enough parchment paper to roll it out on. I have tons of dough so it is pretty thick on there, but I get it rolled out without too many extra fingers in it.

He is mixing cereal in the cups I was done using and some he got out.
Third Step: Fill, Roll, Cut. Yup, did those.

They look good right. They were HUGE.
I was feeling pretty good about these only taking an hour when I put them on the stovetop to raise. Then, they didn't. Of course. So I turned the oven down to 200, waited for it to cool down and tried again IN the warm oven. It worked much better.
The kitchen mess.
Last Step: Cook, Frost, Eat. Simple. The cooking went fine. The frosting was great. I used the cream cheese I just happened to have left over in the fridge. Then, eat.
They look tasty don't they. Josh thought they were good, but I disagreed. I thought they tasted like tin can. Yuck! I used my food storage flour and all I can taste is the tin can it came out of. So it took me 2 hours to make 1 hour Cinnamon Rolls that tasted to me like crap. Special. I was highly disappointed. I have heard that you can leave the top off of the flour for a day and the smell will go away, but I have not had any luck with it. Mine still smells, and tastes, like a tin can. I gave one pan away to the boys down the street (and their mom Cathy, I just love her!) they didn't have any problem with them. Maybe it is just me. Maybe I still have super crazy smelling powers left over from being pregnant. Either way, my flour is gross and I wish I could make it more appetizing. It really ruins my baking. And I hardly have any time to bake so that is just Terrible!
On a completely separate note, I started working on Rome's race car costume for our Halloween party this Friday. I think it is stinkin' adorable! Now to keep him from playing with it (i/e crashing and ruining it) until friday...wish me luck.

Falling Behind

Yup, missed September too. I know we did fun things, but they seem so long ago already. We mostly stayed home anyway. I know it wasn't cold yet. I kept trying to put long pants on them and then it was 90 degrees outside so we strip them off again. Oh well, summer clothes a bit longer.

Cuddling with Daddy, Rome did that himself

Or just trying to escape, I think she got stuck

Aunt Jenny Came to visit

Cam must be a great teacher

I was there too, don't we look cute

Rome got a real Big Boy Bed (thanks Grandma's house)

It has a super hiding spot

Capri gives great hugs! And slobbery kisses too.

Rome trying to get in on the "cheese"

Rome put his shoes on by himself, socks and all.

Wearing Mommy's shoes (the only time he sits still and its not in focus, boo)

We visited Grandpa who gives great horsey rides

Capri tried cereal puffs, she loves them!

They are so tasty, but not fun in your hair.

Running away from a diaper change. Yes, she is only wearing shoes and a hair bow. I can't keep her away from the window.

Bathtime, mostly fun together

Capri is getting so big! She's quick, but Rome was doing it too. If you look close you can see her mini dimples.