Advent season

Christmas is more than a time for presents, time off, and traveling.  It's a time to celebrate Christ's coming, Christ's birth and celebrate what a blessing His coming was and is!  How do you teach this to a 1 and 2 year old?  I have really struggled with this question and feel like it's so important to start traditions now that will help teach them the importance of the season and what the true meaning is, but keep the fun of the Santa world alive.  I have been so busy this week with work and family, but I'm blessed to say it's been buying gifts for United Way, our angle tree at church, delivering money to local charities from W& F employees, counting it and being blown away at how such a wonderful group of employees always pull through donating to great causes, and buying $2500 (from a work fundraiser) worth of bikes.  What wonderful things to wear me out, while doing it with kids in tow, hoping that something I am telling them is sticking.  "This baby is for a little girl that doesn't have a mommy or daddy."  Or, "This bike is for a little boy that wouldn't have one if we didn't buy one for him".  I have a lot of ideas I have heard from Bible Study, Facebook, and other friends that would make great traditions for our family, but you start small and simple.

We started this week with our Advent Wreath.  I loved this tradition growing up and wanted to start it as early as I could.  We read the Christmas board book story and prayed together.  Kevin and I are doing the daily devotion without the kids, but they enjoyed lighting the candles and talking about Jesus.  Blake asked, "Who's birthday is it?" when we lit the candles, what a great way to start an explanation!!!  Christmas is about waiting, waiting for Christ.  Delaney has that part down, every time she hears the word Christmas she says "wait" with her hands up and a serious, serious face.  She gets it and it's simple, we wait, we wait to open presents in her mind, but we wait on Christ, that is it we wait and we wait on Him to come back.

So thankful....

I am so thankful for a busy Thanksgiving week...
I am so thankful for having two families that love us...

I am so thankful for my husband and kids...
I am so thankful for our health...





I am thankful for our love...
I am thankful for our travels...
I am thankful for our fun...

We watched the parade, made Christmas shirts and presents, and had dinner with the Blake family (who Blake is named after obviously).





 We took a few family pictures, and even had a swim in the hot tub!  Delaney decided it was a little cool for her, so she took a 20 min shower instead which is her new favorite thing to do!

I have tried multiple times to get a family picture of the 4 of us, the one at the top of the page is the best so far, Blake usually refuses to corporate, as you can see in the Reindeer shirt picture.

Breakfast

Daddy gave the kids cereal in a bowl like I eat most mornings and at the end Blake decided to drink his milk out of the bowl like I do.  Little sister followed, but took the rest of the cheerios out first.  They both did pretty well with it.  Blake poured the milk from his cup into the bowl to drink more after his finished.  

Just another Davis Day

 Delaney loves showers, she will stand in there for a LONG time and still cry when I make her get out.  She stands under the water, letting it go on her face, back, etc.  She really enjoys it!  She took one this last night after a pee pee accident, got all nice and clean, and slept great all night.  She had a great day at school with only one pee pee accident this evening during dinner.



Both kids had a great Thanksgiving lunch at school today, we got to go enjoy lunch with Blake, but when we got home he was still hungry, but super tired.  I walked away for a couple minutes while they were feeding their selves and I came back to Delaney's mess and Blake so tired!
I left Blake finishing lunch to put Delaney down and I found him lying on the couch with his eyes shut when I came back out.  I have never known him to do this, it was so cute.  He opened them quickly and I tried to get him to shut them again for the picture, that explains the smile.

Playdate

 We had a super fun playdate this morning with Emily and Bella, twin sisters to Cooper (who was in school and couldn't come) that we met when we joined SPAFA 3 years ago when adopting Blake.  Susan and I have stayed friends over the years through RESOLVE (infertility support group) and then through the kids and I am very thankful for them.

By the way, Delaney has told me and pooped on the potty for 3 days in a row and has had very few accidents!  We are on our way!!!

I love these kids!

 We had a night with just mom and the kids while dad was at a meeting, so we decided to take a few pictures.  Blake was so excited about it.  He likes to cheese and then fall down.  Oops, he fell and little too hard one time knocking down Delaney.  This sad face makes my heart melt.  This is me comferting her while explaining to Blake he hurt her.  (The camera was on a timer for the 3 of us and took it after he hurt her, a lot in 10 seconds!)

 They both love rolling on the floor, but mainly on top of me.

 Slippers were in demand this morning.  I just love it when he puts his arm around her and is teaching her something new.  They soak up so much and love each other so much.

Another update from the potty

Delaney went poopie in the potty yesterday!!!!!!!!  She had only done a little bit before, but this was a full time!  Go Delaney!  I am so excited, one is almost out of diapers.  We are going to take a break with Blake and not push for a couple weeks and start over again after a break.  But Delaney is about 90% done.  She will tell us when she needs to go, even if it's driving down the road, I have a pot in the back, and she'll try when I put her on there.  Yea!!!

Life inspirations

One of the reasons I wanted to start this blog was to leave life inspiration for my kids, I want to leave this to them to read one day and know what I think of them as they are growing and changing each day, but also I want to let them know what I wish for them, dream for them, and hope for them.  I pray to God that they will grow up healthy and full of life.  Here are some things I have heard this week I want to write down for them to read one day.  one of my biggest fears is something will happen to me before I'm able to teach them all I want to about life and I want to always be there with advice for them.  I learn in quotes and grow in quotes, here are some thoughts. Some are from the sermon this week and some are from Oprah.

• #1 thing to take with you in life is the meaning of life.  What is the meaning of life?  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, and your mind.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  Follow these two things in everything you do and God will be happy.
• Live your life from the inside out, not the outside in.  Don't worry about what people think, if they have an opinion about you then they aren't a true friend.  
• Everyone will not like you no matter how hard you try, that is okay.  Just be true to yourself.
• Live your life for you, not for someone else.  Not for me, not for your dad, not for a friend, spouse, a child, no one, just for you!
•  Love is the measuring stick for all growth.
• Get ahead and stay ahead in school. Read before school starts for classes, them review during the semester to make it easier to learn.
• Stay out of credit card debt!
• Live below your means, but get want you need.
• Enjoy college, have fun, go out, meet friends, enjoy life, live life, but do it in moderation!
• Learning to love yourself as you age is one of the most challenging parts of life.
• Your life is a reflection of the way you think. What you believe is what you become. 
• Be an angel, watch over those around you and take care of all of those you love and hate.

Such a mess...

 Blake tells Delaney all the time, and I think because I say it, "Delaney, you're a mess."  He is so right!
Go figure, the first day I sent Delaney in a nice dress to preschool it's a birthday celebration.  They said she picked up the napkin and licked it!
During the annual Keystone Chocolate Festival she got one of her first tastes of chocolate!
At school they are studying a different color each week, she found a purple flower during purple week, however it was picked out of my yard and was the last one.  Awww, sad for the flowers.  She sure loves her flowers though!
She has this crazy hair that will not stay lying down on her head.  It's baby fine and a little bit of everywhere, but hey, she has hair now at least!  She loves to brush it and put stuff on her head as a hat or bow.  She likes to wear play necklaces, she says, "neck" and play dress up.  She can put on clothes and take them off (loves to streak) and put shoes on and take the off, which she does ALL THE TIME.  She wears mine around the house and puts on Blake's clothes if they are out around the house.  She's so funny.

Blake and Delaney potty training update

This morning Blake woke up and said, "I'm not going to wear diapers anymore" and was proud of himself, so he went to school after not needing to go at all at 8:30am in a pull-up.  He cried a little and wanted a diaper about 9:15am, but went and sat and went pee pee a little bit with Ms. Nikki his teacher.  She said it wasn't all of it though, he tried again at potty time about 10:30 and didn't go, but did come home with a wet pull-up.  He wanted a diaper on for nap time.
Delaney was pretty wet this morning when she woke, we put panties on her and she peed before we went out the door on the potty right when she sat down.  We tried again at school at 8:30, but nothing came out.  She told Ms. Leane, her teacher, she needed to go during school 4 times and went each time!!!  She loves the M&M reward!  However, about 11am she was uncomfortable, tried to go, didn't, and went poopie in her panties.  They changed her and put on a pull up.  After lunch, she sat on the potty and went pee pee!  She's sleeping in a pull up, but I think she's well on her way!!!  Not even 21 months yet, who would have thought?

Another update...poopie!!!

Delaney pee peed in the potty this morning before we left for church!!!!!  She had a wet and dirty diaper after she woke this morning, but that is good, I don't want her to hold that poopie in.  She tried to go on the little potty at church, but didn't go.  We ate breakfast at church and had the ride home, she said wet when we got out of the car and she was, she had wet her pull up.  That's ok.  She sat on the potty right when she got home because I put her that and she started pushing, there came the poopie!!!!!!!!  Holy cow!  I don't want to think this is it, she's only 20 months old, but she sure is doing well.  Yesterday in Columbia at the condo we had the potty on the porch and she went up there in the open air one time!!  She had 1 accident, went int he diaper twice and Go D!
Blake is proud of her to if you are worried about him, but he still doesn't really want to try.  He is ok with her getting the praise and attention with it. Maybe it's encouraging him.  He does check with me to make sure he has on a diaper before he pee pees and tells me he has to sometimes.  He's almost there.

Potty Training update

I know, Delaney is dressed crazy, she likes playing dress up
and puts all kinds of things on herself, plus she undresses
herself and dresses herself.  WOW, go D!

 So, on the afternoon of day 2 that Blake decided that he wanted to wear underwear and try to go potty Delaney decided that she wanted to sit too.  The bathroom just isn't big enough, so we sat in the den.  Neither of them went so we got up, both in underwear and played a little, Blake all of the sudden said he had to go.  So as I'm making a full of myself encouraging him, I'm keep an eye on Delaney out of the corner of my eye and I watch as she pulls her own pants down and sit on the potty, then stands up and smiles.  I look over and there is pee pee!!!!  Blake didn't go, but he was very proud of her and clapped and sang with us.  She got her M&M and we pulled up pants.
Both of them tried a few more times during the afternoon/evening.  Delaney wet just a little like 3 times in a row, i think she stopped herself each time and didn't finish, so the last accident I put her on the potty and she went and good bit!  We cheered!  After a bath and no more pee pee we put on diapers getting ready for bed, about 5 min later she said "Mama" and pointed at her bottom, I asked, "pee pee?"  She nodded yes and I put her quickly on the potty, she went again!!!!  She told me she had too!!!
So this morning we tried and tried.  Blake finally decided he wanted to put on a diaper and went pee pee in it pretty quickly afterwards, but kept cheering on Delaney.  She successfully went twice before lunch and only had 1 accident.  She doesn't go when I put her on it, she tells me and she sits.  It's crazy to think, but I think she's on the way!  Blake just isn't quite ready and that's ok, I don't want to push him, he's too sensitive for that.

Potty training update

So this morning Blake decided that he wanted to wear underwear and when it was time he peed on the potty!  We were so excited, he usually says no he doesn't want to go every time we ask!  Even if Delaney goes it doesn't motivate him.  So when we left for Wal-Mart, I'm not putting my life on hold right now for it, we put a pull-up on.  He was just as excited about that too, so I went with it like underwear explaining not to pee in it.  We stopped by the ladies room at WM, with Delaney too, that's tough in a public restroom when you are training and have an extra kid, but he didn't go.  When we got out of the car he said ut-oh, I'm wet and teared up.  I explained it was ok, accidents happen, we'll go to school and put another on and try again, but he lost it.  He was so hard on himself for messing up, I felt bad for him.  He just wanted to put a diaper on, so I did and left him crying at school.  She said it didn't last too long though.  I thought that is it, he won't try again at all now, but he wanted to wear a pull-up for his nap and sat on the potty before he went to sleep too, but didn't pee.  I hope this is it, I hope he's ready, I sure am!  Maybe Delaney will give it another try too!  She actually has peed on the potty several times in the past month!  There is hope with both!  That's the update, not much more to say, I don't plan to push him though, he's not a kid that can take that, it'll be a slow process I'm sure.

It's Football time!!!!

It's football time!!!  We have gone to the home games this year and enjoyed them with the Williams family and Davis family.  It's been so much fun hanging out on Saturdays with everyone.  The September games, 4 in a row all had great outcomes, now after a loss last weekend we are ready for 3 more home games in a row and looking for the wins!!  Matt and Sandra and Kevin and I went in to the game without kids one evening, that was fun!  Most games I stay back with the kids, but watching from the condo on tv is quite fun and comfortable!!!

 This is the view off the roof deck, we love watching everyone scatter after the game and being able to stay to enjoy the rest of the evening.

There have been cold days and hot days, you never know what to wear!  Delaney got a tattoo on her face the first game and it took a few days to get it off.  Baby oil works best if you need help sometime.

The girl cousins enjoying time together.  Kaitlyn, 9, Delaney, 1.5, and Taylor, 16!

A wonderful Sunday School class

I was blessed to fall into a great group of friends at Oakland, my church I have attended since I was born, about 7 years ago.  Once Kevin and I moved to Rock Hill we started attending more and after kids we have really been more involved.  All the others in the class have kids too and we love gathering together to let them play, but mainly to enjoy some social time together.  A big group of us went on a cruise not long ago and had a great time getting to know each other more on a social level.  They are such a great support group and wonderful friends.  This is Porter, Ali, Blake, Delaney, and John Howard, just a few of the sweet kids.  Ali is so good with Delaney, I love it when she is around, I get to sit and enjoy some adult time.

October memories

 I wasn't great at updating the blog in October due to my camera not working right and my computer crashing, so here are a few memories...
The kids loved getting the Halloween decorations out with me, Delaney looked like Cousin "It" from the Adam's Family, which Kevin and I went to see on stage in mid October.
We love going out to eat, and I am embarrassed to say that we did a lot this month.  Weight Watchers isn't going great, I am gaining what I want to be losing.  That's my November focus, get the pounds off before Christmas, put a few on and start over in January!  We'll see.  Charanda's is still our favorite.  We love a good breakfast too.
As the weather suddenly got colder we got out last year's hats and gloves and the new ones and tried them on, Delaney loves to dress herself these days and even undresses herself and running around naked, fun, fun!

 No potty training success yet, we don't want to push it, but both are aware of the potty.  Delaney has gone more than Blake.  Maybe Thanksgiving break we'll give them both a shot.