Daddy's Girl

Daddy and his little girl!

Julia's Dance Debut

This video is all from the same day. (It was sometime this past fall). Jeff says he's grateful as she dances she adds clothing rather than removes it. =)




I think she will one day kill us for posting something like this. This seems exactly like the thing she would not want her first boyfriend to see.
Love you, baby girl!

Christmas Movie 2008

I realize this post is uh, very tardy, but Jeff just made it tonight. It is from Christmas Eve with the Harriss family and Christmas morning. We didn't take any video of the Conway Christmas celebration Christmas afternoon, just still photos...uh, maybe that post will be done by July? Eek!

My favorite part is when the kids come down the steps and Julia sees her house. Oh, pure surprise and joy!

January Organization

Does anyone else go crazy organizing in January? We seem to have that trend around here. After Christmas and Ryan's birthday it just seems like we need a good reorg to keep along with my sister's favorite quote: "A place for everything, and everything in its place."

Throwing "girlie" toys into our mix this year has completely thrown me off. I have bins for matchbox cars, nonmatchbox cars, superheros, animals/dinosaurs, balls, Little People, blocks, wooden Thomas, Take-Along Thomas, plastic Thomas, etc. But NO doll, jewelry, purse, dress-up type of storage. (Where do you put the Rose Petal cottage, cribs, doll bunk beds and strollers!?!)And it had me going CRAZY (I wish I were kidding!) for a good week here. After many many trips to the organization store, we are finally gaining some sanity around here!

Last year, my sweet husband made the wainscoting and hooks along the laundry room wall (great for coats and bags!), as we seemed to have outgrown our little laundry room closet. This year, he was busy this weekend making additional storage for our shoes. I am SO THANKFUL for this! So now on days I need rainboots, at least I don't have to dig through the closet for them, making those rainy days even more gloomy! HORRAY!

A Fun Day!

Today we met Jeff's parents at the coffee shop in Edwardsville, as we enjoy doing many weekends. They offered to take the kids for the day so we could enjoy some kid-free shopping. HORRAY!

And THANKS SO MUCH! We had a fun, responsibility-free day, and the kids (even Julia!) have been talking about their fun day. YEA!

We actually spent about a hour in Sunglass Hut alone - something that would NOT have happened with the little people around!

Kate & Us

New Year's Day my parents hung out with the kids so Jeff and I could grab some dinner and a movie. We saw Marley & Me. (Which, if you have been living under a rock, is a story about a couple and their TERRIBLE dog, Marley). Well, this movie brought back LOTS of memories for us about our dog, which we think might be a close second for the worst dog ever! As I think I have mentioned before, she earns her keep because the kids adore her so much...and I can't get her to run away and I haven't had good enough aim backing the car over her --yet. (KIDDING!)

To give you a better impression of what I am talking about, Kate has eaten the handle off of coffee mugs, soup bowls, DVDs, CDs, almost an entire baseball card collection (she prefers the "special" cards in the hard plastic cases), matchbox cars, doll arms, Little People figurines, Thomas train track, etc. We once tried to put a 4x4 foot fence in the basement while we were working since she couldn't have run of the basement with this type of behavior and we felt bad crating her all day, and she was able to somehow get out of that even. Our vet tells us she has extreme separation anxiety, and that she has hormone issues, so we give her hormone pills (ok, who am I kidding, Jeff gives her!) once a day, which she refuses to take unless they are smoothered with peanut butter and you smoosh them as far down her throat as possible!

Here is part of an email I wrote after our first few days with our dearest Kate, back in June 2003. (Which means she can't have THAT much longer to live, right?!?)

I got home around 3pm, and the dog had "#2-ed" ALL over herself and her cage and her blanket and toys. It stunk SO BAD. So I open her cage to bring her outside, and I open it and grab hold of her collar and as we're walking to the door, she's shaking and flinging poop all over me and everything else! It was soso gross. So I tie her up in the front yard hoping she'll continue shaking and going through the grass to get some of those chunks off her. I go inside to clean up the mess in there but she won't stop barking out front, and I get nervous that maybe I am not supposed to have tied her up like that, so I go get her, and we go upstairs to the tub. Oh man, wish it could have ended there! So I'm trying to hang on to her as best as I can, and she thinks it's play time, but sees I'm filling up the tub. So I'm trying to keep her close, without completely rubbing all over me - she's still really gross at this point, despite the fact that she's flug many of the chuncks that were stuck to her hair off. STINKY. So I fill up the tub, and stick her in...and she's being very good letting me clean her (eeewwwwww) until it's time for her face. She wasn't wanting that wet at all. So I fill this tuperware up and am drizzling it over her head and she takes off. She jumps up on back side of the tub, knocking in all the candles and bottles of bath gel and flowers into the water. Then she starts shaking all over everything...but she's on the far corner of the tub and from this distance I can't reach her and she's just standing up there. So I have to strip down, walk into the poopy water and grab her wet self. EURG. She enjoyed the drying off part, so that was good. So then I dry her off for the most part, and leave her in the bathroom and go call Jeff at work to tell him what's going on back at the house. Then I go back to the bathroom to get her and we go downstairs and I shake out all the chunks that aren't smooshed into the blanket outside and throw her blanket into the washing machine along with her washable toys. Then we drag her icky cage outside to hose down and vacuum up some mess that had scattered outside the cage and when she was flinging all around on her way to the door to go out. So then we go back upstairs and I'm going to clean out the tub, and I'm talking to her, and she squats down and begins to pee. So I scream and grab her midstream and we run down the steps and outside. So then Emily calls, and I'm like "PLEASE HELP ME" and so she comes over, and things seem back under control. So we're Katie is eating a bone, and Emily and I are taking and looking at her, and Emily is just saying how she seems like a really good dog and she heads into the family room and squats - so again I scream, grab her midstream and we head outside. Not long after that, Jeff calls for us to get him from the bus stop and Em takes off and Katie and I head to pick up Jeff. Then I went to my tennis league at 7...let me tell you - I don't REMEMBER a time when I was SO happy to get out of the house!!! Real babies CANNOT be this tough! It was quite an exhausting day!

Chatter

Christmas Eve, we are at church and the pastor is talking about a funny childhood memory. He shares his story, and the congregation chuckles. Then, as the laughter stops and the people are silently waiting for him to continue speaking, Ry looks at me and says LOUDLY, "Oh my, he is a funny guy!"

Yesterday:
Julia (in her playhouse with her dolls): Niiii, niiitte, babee.
Ry walks in.
Julia (pointing finger): No, Ry Ry. No!
Ry: Baby, can I be the daddy?
Julia (pauses to think): Ok. (Then she hands him the baby and leaves the playhouse. Smart girl!)

And today:
Me: Ry, did you have fun with Glammie and Papa yesterday at the movie theatre?
Ry: Yes, but I was mad.
Me: You were mad?
Ry: Yes, because I didn't see you there.
Me: Well, I had to stay home with baby sister so she could take a nap. Babies can't go to movies. You got to go for a special treat because you are a big 4 year old boy!
Ry: Daddy could have stayed home with her!
(I am, at this point, impressed with his critical thinking skills..he is becoming better at forming his arguments!)
Me: Daddy had to run to the store, so I had to stay home with Julia.
Ry: Oh. Yeah. Okay. Sorry.

Me (at lunchtime): Julia, would you like more cheese?
Julia (growling!): NO!!!
Ry: That's it. Bad attitude baby. You are going to bed!
Julia (screaming, flailing arms and shaking head): NO! NOOOO!
Ry: Yes baby. You are too tired to be awake.

Goodbye 2008!

2008 was a busy year for our family!

Flipping back through the calendar it seems like we traveled more than I had remembered! Here are some of the highlights...

January - Jeff enjoyed a ski trip with friends.

February - I traveled to Paris for an amazing girlfriend getaway!
We also celebrated Julia's 1st birthday (and Jeff's 31st!)


March - Jeff and I traveled to Tepilitan, Mexico for a life-changing mission trip.

May - Happy 5th anniversary to us!
Welcome to this world, Baby Lucas! (Julia is excited about this, can you tell?)

June - We postponed our Disney trip on account of our nephew's arrival! When we asked Ryan about going to see Mickey at his castle, he said "Oh, I'd rather just watch him on tv." (What!?!)

July - We brought the kids on their first airplane flights to New York ("York City" as Ry calls it!) to visit Aunt Stacy and Grandma/pa who were there for the entire summer.

August - We took our annual trip to Norfolk Lake where we rent cabins and spend the week boating. (Did I not take pics of this trip!?!!)

September, October and November we visited the condo at the Lake of the Ozarks!

Other memories: ear infections (not a happy memory, but a big part of our lives - Julia has a double infection as I type this!), birthdays and more birthdays!, softball games and tennis leagues, gymnastics at the Y for Ryan, the Harrison family reunion, Julia takes her first steps, Mom&Me club events, Fusion (Metro's youth group), Jeff business trips mostly to Denver and Kansas City, swimming at the pool, mold and work on our brick, Julia starts preschool, NCCS walk, the kids meet Clifford, Day out with Thomas, the circus, the zoo and homecoming carnival, parades, Ryan wins a coloring contest, Grumpy's 90th birthday, my dad's 59 1/2 suprise birthday and the balloon glow.

Happy Birthday, Ryan!

Ryan:

I can hardly believe that today you turn 4 years old!  I try and remember to tell you every single day how glad that I am God gave you to me. How happy I am that you get to be my little boy. And you know what you are constantly telling me when I say this?  "I'm a big boy, Mommy!" You are right...where has the time gone!?

I remember how excited (ok, and shocked) I was when I learned I was pregnant with you.  Daddy wanted to take the day off work to celebrate, but I insisted on "normalcy" that day, and we settled for a lunch date were we headed straight to Borders to read all about what was in store for the next 9 months while we waited for your precious arrival.  Your Daddy used this as prime opportunity to tease me about expanding bellies, stretch marks, swelling, etc.  I do think I got the last laugh here though, as during the first half of prenancy I was sick, sick, sick and actually lost weight! 

Your Daddy wasn't quite sure how to help during all the commotion!  He kept busy painstakingly painting your room (over and over and over until it was perfect) with a denim finish, a stripe and yet another color up on top just as we'd seen in a catalog, and running to KFC for mashed potatoes for me. It is hard to believe that the crib which was once yours is now your sisters, and that you have been in a "big boy bed" (with rails!) nearly 2 years now!  

Four years ago, at 6:06pm (with the help of some forceps!), our lives changed forever.  I'd like to say that our first moments together were  perfect, but honestly, when the nurse put you on my chest I told your Daddy to take you away fast because I thought I might vomit.  He did such a great job taking care of you while I tried to recover from the labor. I remember watching him 

hold you, walking around the room and bouncing ever so gently and being so thankful that at least it seemed like one of us maybe knew what we were doing!

New Year's 2005 will probably be my most memorable, as we welcomed in the new year still at the hospital together.  We drove home the next day probably the slowest your Daddy has ever driven, with his prized 8lb 6oz package snuggled in the back seat. When we arrived home, Daddy carried you in the kitchen and set your infant carrier on the table because we weren't sure where you "belonged" just yet.  Oh my, has that mind-set changed..it seems you "belong" everywhere here!!  Little did we know how much STUFF comes along with a baby (or a big boy!)!  

So here we are, 4 years later.  It is hard to remember what life was like before you were born. (Although I do think it involved a little more sleeping!)  One thing is for sure, I never knew I could love someone so much, or worry so much, or feel so much joy - at times all in the same 10 seconds!

Ryan, you have a ZEST for life I pray you never lose.  You love to dance and sing when you are happy, and you don't care who is watching. You are an influencer (and you really know how to work your grandmas, in particular!).  You show empathy for others.  At times you seem so aloof, and yet you know exactly everything happening around you. (Today you finished Glammie's adult conversation sentence when we didn't think you were even listening!).  You know just how to melt my heart (the other day you actually stroked my hair and said "I love you, Mommy. Let's talk!" ...ok, in full-disclosure here, you are very up for talking when it's bedtime..you know just how to prolong my walking out of your bedroom. HA) =).  You are fun-loving, easy-going, smart (your memory is amazing!), you love to play and have books read to you ("Tell me the words!", you request.) You are a charmer, and you are a boy everyone seems to LOVE!  

I'm so glad you're mine. (and daddy's!).

Happy Birthday, my big boy!

Love, Mommy

(From your 1st year photos - how you have grown!)

More Birthday Celebrating!

Grandma/pa Harriss and Uncle Patrick/Aunt Crystal were all sick (Yes, we might have given this to them on Christmas Eve..YIKES, Merry Christmas!) and unable to make Ryan's dance party, so they came over tonight to help our big 4 yr old celebrate!

Ryan's Dance Party

Today we celebrated Ryan's 4th birthday with a dance party.
He had a BLAST doing one of his
favorite things - dancing - with so many of
his family and friends!

We played around with goofy hats -
the disco balls were our party hats,
and some others at the studio!

Aunt Beth led the kids through the hokey pokey,
catch the train, follow the leader and freeze dances.
(Thank you, Aunt Beth for letting us use your studio and fun props!)

We danced ourselves silly!
(And got a nice cake sugar-high as well!)

Merry Christmas!

Santa Baby, Hurry Down the Chimney Tonight!

December 20, 2005 - Ryan is just shy of 1 yr old. This is his first visit with Santa. He was a bit apprehensive, but since this child usually knows no strangers, it all worked out.

December 2006
 2007 - Julia's 1st Santa visit,which did NOT go smoothly!
She was NOT a fan of Mr. Claus or his assistant!

November 30, 2008 - Julia is not thrilled.
Ryan wants to know why Santa has a stack of coloring books instead of trains and bikes.

December 13, 2008
Ryan (almost 4), Julia (22 mos), Tyler (23 mos), Glammie (29+holding)

Frightful 24 Hours

It has been a terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-night/day around here!  

I realized we were in trouble when Jeff says to me last night: "Uh, I think we'd better get the kids to bed ASAP before we are too weak to do so!" (Meaning, he was going downhill FAST, and I was already there).  

And then when I am laying in bed between runs to the bathroom thinking about who I could send to the hospital with poor dehydrated Julia via ambulance. (Aunt Amy, you were the winner...hope you would have been up for that?)

Things to be greatful for (It is SO time for the "glad game!"):

1) Ryan hasn't caught this awful bug.

2) Grateful for my love of buying pjs: Julia had enough clean ones to make it through this nightmare (so far)...even the hour she was changed 6 times!

3) Desitin really does help a bleeding bottom!

4)A sister who reacted FAST when I called in tears for help and who had Pedialite and Gatorade at my front door within 20 minutes! (And for mailing the remaining Christmas cards and Ryan's birthday invites too!)

5) The fact I am actually sitting up now and have a tiny appetite back!

Praying for a full recovery by tomorrow so we can keep our sanity and finish up all those last minute Christmas/Ryan birthday things we NEEDED to be doing!

Christmas Card Photo Bloopers

Does anyone else have the trouble we do here to try and get a good photo for the Christmas cards? Is it the ages of the kids? Why can I usually get great pics when they have chocolate smeared over their faces, crazy outfits covered in paint or whatever other art project we did that day and nonbrushed hair?

Nope, I am not going to hold my head upright. This is way more fun, and I LOVE the reaction I am getting from it. No M&M bribe is worth getting out of this position!

Forget the pictures. I am outta here..with the snacks.

I think they actually might be conspiring here against us. I'll stick out my tongue next and then when I finally stop, your turn. (Which is what happened in the following shots).

Ryan won't stop singing, and Julia just wants to run.
Looking at the camera? What a crazy idea!I think I'll just sit on my brother's head and liven up this photo shoot!I'm done!!!