Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
A Long Lost Friend Found...
The other day I tracked down my best friend from High School to whom I haven't spoken with in over 20 years. I know she will be visiting our blog soon so this is for her.
Michelle, I hope you enjoy the photos (from Prom and Epcot) and I'm sooooo glad to have found you. Our senior year together in Panama City to this day stands out in my mind as one of the most fun years of my life. I have so many WONDERFUL memories and have missed you throughout the years. My family says 'hi' and sends their love as well. Can't wait to talk to you more. LOVE YOU GIRL!!!!
Michelle, I hope you enjoy the photos (from Prom and Epcot) and I'm sooooo glad to have found you. Our senior year together in Panama City to this day stands out in my mind as one of the most fun years of my life. I have so many WONDERFUL memories and have missed you throughout the years. My family says 'hi' and sends their love as well. Can't wait to talk to you more. LOVE YOU GIRL!!!!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Sunday
On Sunday we put the kids down for naps. The girls in their new beds and Jadon in his crib. A couple hours later, Jadon came downstairs after climbing out of his crib, so we packed up the family and bought a big boy bed.
We are also thinking about putting Cody back on solids. We posted a while back he had started solids, but then he got sick and his appetite when way down, so we stopped and since then he's been happy with 32oz a day. Wow, 7 months old and still on bottles!! I LOVE IT!!!
We are also thinking about putting Cody back on solids. We posted a while back he had started solids, but then he got sick and his appetite when way down, so we stopped and since then he's been happy with 32oz a day. Wow, 7 months old and still on bottles!! I LOVE IT!!!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Growing up
Well, my babies are growing up.... On Sunday we purchased 2 twin beds for the girls. Addison has been climbing out of her crib at naptime, so it seemed time. We moved Jadon into Cody's room but are keeping him in his crib for a while since he seems happy there. Now we have the boys room and the girls room. I was afraid the transition would be difficult, but thus far we haven't had any problems. The girls have not gotten out of their beds at all (once the lights go out at night) and the naps are no more difficult than they were with their cribs. So far so good. I'm sure we will have problems down the road, but all is good for now. The girls LOVE their new beds and Kaylee gets very upset if anyone touches her bed, "No Jadon, This is MY bed!!" and Jadon doesn't seem to care what's going on. He is content to sleep wherever we put him.
Now I'm just excited to start redecorating the girl's room.
Now I'm just excited to start redecorating the girl's room.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Dancing
Well, I discovered a way around bloggers slow video upload process, YouTube.... whatever works. Although we watch VERY LITTLE tv, we are happy to see Dancing with the Stars will be starting up again soon as the babies love to dance along.
I recently signed up for Facebook in order to watch a video posted by my cousin and after playing with it a few days, I have to say I'm not sure I get it.... It's kinda like a blog and a place to share photos and video, but it also includes "what you are doing now" posts which I can't say add a whole lot of value. I guess it's IM meets Blogs. It is the easiest way I've found to share video thus far so I might keep it a while, but I can tell I'm getting old as technology and the need for idol chat is quickly passing me by. : )
The Terrible Twos... not soo terrible.
When the triplets were born, I thought every age was the best age, but each age just seems to be getting better and better. Now that Cody has come along, I realize nothing is sweeter than the smell of a baby or warms the heart like those little laughs and smiles, but for the most part babies sleep, poop, eat, and cry. But at 2 years old, those same little babies crack jokes, imitate you, converse, and communicate. Last night I asked Kaylee to eat some her sandwich since she hadn't even tasted it. Jadon put a piece of the sandwich on his fork, held it out for Kaylee and said "just one bite," which is a motto in our house and when Addison said she was done eating Jadon held out a bite her way and said, "Last bite, just one more bite." "Last bite" is my way of trying to get just one more morsel into their mouths. Kaylee has been singing Jesus Love Me a lot recently and she knows all the words. They know their alphabet, colors, and numbers and love to learn. We play and talk and have fun and watching them interact with each other is funnier than words can describe.
I have to say 18 months to 2 years was hard because the communication wasn't there yet. If they had to wait just one minute for their drink they would melt down, but now they understand I'm making the drink and it will just be a minute. They also understand consequences now so we are once again eating out as a family.
They aren't napping as well as they once did (as I am listening to them sing the Noah's Ark song over the baby monitor now), but they do play in their beds for two hours each day. Thus far, I am LOVING the twos and can't wait to see what each future age brings.
I have to say 18 months to 2 years was hard because the communication wasn't there yet. If they had to wait just one minute for their drink they would melt down, but now they understand I'm making the drink and it will just be a minute. They also understand consequences now so we are once again eating out as a family.
They aren't napping as well as they once did (as I am listening to them sing the Noah's Ark song over the baby monitor now), but they do play in their beds for two hours each day. Thus far, I am LOVING the twos and can't wait to see what each future age brings.
Friday, February 6, 2009
A true cost/benefit comparison
Robert's US Government Info Blog
By Robert Longley, About.com Guide to US Government Info since 1997
The Cost to Raise a Child Today
Friday March 28, 2008
A middle income family with a child born in 2007, will pay a total of $204,060 to care for that child until its 18th birthday, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
In its latest release of The Cost to Raise a Child Today (.pdf), the USDA reports that the cost to feed a child has decreased over the past several years, the costs of child care and education have increased substantially.
"For a middle-income, two-parent, two-child family, expenses for one child ranged from $10,930 to $12,030, per year depending on the age of the child, with expenditures on teenagers being the highest."
According to the USDA, the overall cost of raising a child has increased 15 percent from 1960 to 2007. Compared to today’s $204,060, the cost to raise a child through age 17 in 1960 was $25,230.
Here is a fun tool for calculating the cost of raising a child through college....
http://www.babycenter.com/cost-of-raising-child-calculator
You might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be "rich." Actually, it is just the opposite. What do you get for your money?
a.. Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
b.. Glimpses of God every day.
c.. Giggles under the covers every night.
d.. More love than your heart can hold.
e.. Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
f.. Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
g.. A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
h.. A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites
i.. Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
You get to:
a.. finger-paint,
b.. carve pumpkins,
c.. play hide-and-seek,
d.. catch lightning bugs, and
e.. never stop believing in Santa Claus.
You have an excuse to:
a.. keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
b.. watching Saturday morning cartoons,
c.. going to Disney movies, and
d.. wishing on stars.
You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.
You get to be a hero just for:
a.. retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
b.. taking the training wheels off a bike,
c.. removing a splinter,
d.. filling a wading pool,
e.. coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.
You get a front row seat to history to witness the:
a.. first step,
b.. first word,
c.. first bra,
d.. first date, and
e.. first time behind the wheel.
You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, So . . one day they will like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!
By Robert Longley, About.com Guide to US Government Info since 1997
The Cost to Raise a Child Today
Friday March 28, 2008
A middle income family with a child born in 2007, will pay a total of $204,060 to care for that child until its 18th birthday, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
In its latest release of The Cost to Raise a Child Today (.pdf), the USDA reports that the cost to feed a child has decreased over the past several years, the costs of child care and education have increased substantially.
"For a middle-income, two-parent, two-child family, expenses for one child ranged from $10,930 to $12,030, per year depending on the age of the child, with expenditures on teenagers being the highest."
According to the USDA, the overall cost of raising a child has increased 15 percent from 1960 to 2007. Compared to today’s $204,060, the cost to raise a child through age 17 in 1960 was $25,230.
Here is a fun tool for calculating the cost of raising a child through college....
http://www.babycenter.com/cost-of-raising-child-calculator
You might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be "rich." Actually, it is just the opposite. What do you get for your money?
a.. Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
b.. Glimpses of God every day.
c.. Giggles under the covers every night.
d.. More love than your heart can hold.
e.. Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
f.. Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
g.. A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
h.. A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites
i.. Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
You get to:
a.. finger-paint,
b.. carve pumpkins,
c.. play hide-and-seek,
d.. catch lightning bugs, and
e.. never stop believing in Santa Claus.
You have an excuse to:
a.. keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
b.. watching Saturday morning cartoons,
c.. going to Disney movies, and
d.. wishing on stars.
You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.
You get to be a hero just for:
a.. retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
b.. taking the training wheels off a bike,
c.. removing a splinter,
d.. filling a wading pool,
e.. coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.
You get a front row seat to history to witness the:
a.. first step,
b.. first word,
c.. first bra,
d.. first date, and
e.. first time behind the wheel.
You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, So . . one day they will like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
After much delay
Well, after much delay Cody is finally on solids. I was hoping to keep him on a bottle until he was off to college, but he has started waking up before his morning bottle is due and sucking all his bottles down throughout the day.... so it is time. On Friday night we gave him his 1st taste of cereal. Of course the initial reaction was "@%$@# I'm HUNGRY... what the @#$@% is THIS???" So we gave him his bottle. Once the bottle was down and he was happier we tried again. He seemed confused the 1st couple of bites, not knowing what to do with the paste in his mouth, but soon realized YUMMMMM..... and opened for more. However, all he knows is how to suck, so he would start sucking the moment the spoon approached his lips. He looked like a little fish. He is still working on learning how to swallow, but all in all is doing great and loving this new experience.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
