. . . a new look . . .

Well, as I said before, Christmas was fantastic! I figured with the New Year, I’d change the look of my blog. I was going to buy a book at Amazon about CSS (cascading style sheets– what is used to program my Wordpress blog) because I’m totally clueless. I got to looking for graphics, editing them for my site and then I started poking around in the code an figured out how to do everything I needed to do (as of right now!!) MUCH to my surprise!! I was able to figure the stuff out because of the things I began teaching myself in 1996. I bought a bunch of books, experimented a lot, ripped apart computers (this is an ongoing thing STILL for family and friends), tried my hand at some coding and read and listened to a bunch of other true computer geeks! My next venture is taking just plain graphics and trying to plug them into my existing Wordpress CSS. I still plan on getting a couple of books about CSS and Wordpress but I am going to hold off a little bit!

Ok, enough of tooting my own horn . . . naturally, I have some new pictures!

Isn’t she amazingly adorable? You can’t believe how many comments we get when we go out somewhere! We’re constantly stopped and told how beautiful she is. Of course, this is not news to me I COULD be a bit biased but I’m thinking not
Olivia says soooo many words! Her first word was “mama” and the list just keeps growing (it’s not an exhaustive list– she says sooo much!):

• daddy
• grandmom
• grandad
• oldest brother’s name
• oldest sister’s name
• youngest sister’s name
• puppy
• baby
• hello
• bye-bye
• Abby Cadabby (Elmo’s newest friend on Sesame Street- she says “Abby Dabby”)
• bite
• I got it!
• I did that!
• that
• this
• thank you
• God
• I like it!

Speaking of “liking it”, Olivia has very unique tastes when it comes to food. She likes spicy, sour, sweet and just about anything. She loves collard greens with red pepper flakes and apple cider vinegar, extra-sharp cheddar cheese, yogurt, pepperoni and then the usuals like sweet potatoes, butternut squash, vienna sausage, carrots, bananas, white soup beans, etc. etc.
I bet you’re wondering where the pictures of the other kidlets are? Well, they are in a passworded post above this one. If I know you, feel free to email me and I’d be happy to send you the password to view them!

And musing, “how will we EVER top this one?” This year is no different.

The Christmas shopping season started out and I wasn’t even sure what my kids wanted for Christmas. They never really specify anything, that is, until the last minute. Sure, like every child, they mention things they like and think that are neat but it never seems that they can settle on a list. I even sent them on the internet, cruising the Toys R Us website to see if anything struck their fancy. They all came back with “I don’t know.” So, once again, I am left to guess and get into the mind of a 10 year old boy, a 10 year old girl and a 4 year old girl. The baby, I knew would be easy.

I began to google “hottest toys for Christmas” and came with a website with some ideas but none that seemed “perfect” for my kids. At the same time, per usual, I kept my eye on my favorite bargain-finding website, Fatwallet and aha! I had found what would be the beginning of an amazing Christmas for my kidlets , specifically, my son– the Razor Electric Chopper. The juices, along with the deals, just kept flowing. Here’s what they ended up with:

10 year-old son:

• Razor Electric Chopper Retail: $200. My cost: $106
• Eyeclops Handheld Bionic Eye Retail: $49.95. My cost: $31
• Bounty Hunter Fast Tracker Metal Detector Retail: $189.95. My cost: $79
• R.A.D. Robotic Air Defense Retail: $119. My cost: $26.Transformers Movie Beatmix Bumblebee Retail: $39.99. My cost: $11.24
• Pirates of the Caribbean - At World’s End (Widescreen Edition) (2007) Retail: $19.99. My cost $14.99
• Casio® G-Shock® Waveceptor® Tough Solar® Black Watch Retail: $120. My cost: $30

TOTAL RETAIL: $738
TOTAL COST: $298
% saved: ~ 60%

10 year-old daughter:

• Nintendo DS Lite Coral Pink Retail: $129.97. My cost $109.
• Cheetah Girls In Concert Collection Singing Dolls, Aqua & Chanel Retail: $12.99/each. My cost: $3.99/each.
• Barbie Girls 1 Gb MP3 Player, Gold Retail: $99. My cost: $29.
• Barbie Girls Fashion Pack Retail $15. My cost: FREE
• Mattel High School Musical Gabriella & Troy 2-Pack Retail: $44.97. My cost: $25.
• Cheetah Girls Tour Bus Retail: $79.99. My cost: $22.50.
• Barbie as the Island Princess Nintendo DS Game Retail: $29.99. My cost: $21.
• Nintendo Lunchbox Starter Kit, Princess Peach Retail: $29.99. My cost: $19
• Ratatouille DVD, Widescreen Retail: $19.99. My cost: $10.
• Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with Friends Nintendo DS Game Retail: $29.99. My cost: $29.99 (I was in a hurry to get this one and did not shop around- it arrived via next-day air on December 24th!)

TOTAL RETAIL: $505
MY COST: $263
% SAVED= ~ 48%

4 year-old daughter:

• Nintendo DS Lite Coral Pink Retail: $129.97. My cost $109.
• Cheetah Girls In Concert Collection Singing Dolls, Galleria & Dorinda Retail: $12.99/each. My cost: $3.99/each.
• Barbie Girls 1 Gb MP3 Player, Pink Retail: $99. My cost: $29.
• Barbie Girls Fashion Pack Retail $15. My cost: FREE
• Nintendo Lunchbox Starter Kit, Princess Peach Retail: $29.99. My cost: $19
• Dora Saves the Mermaids Nintendo DS Game Retail: $29.99. My cost: $21
• Strawberry Shortcake Strawberry Land Games Nintendo DS Retail: $25. My cost: $14.99.
• Barbie Prince Antonio Doll Retail: $19.99. My cost $4.
• Cabbage Patch Kids 16″ Magic Glow Doll - Blonde Retail: $29.99. My cost: $9.
• Cheetah Girls Tour Bus Retail: $79.99. My cost: $22.50.
• Dora the Explorer TV Globe Adventure” Retail: $39.99. My cost: $16.
• Baby Chou-Chou Mommy Make Me Better Doll Retail: $34. My cost: $18.
• Amazing McKayla Retail: $65. My cost: $36.

TOTAL RETAIL: $623
TOTAL COST: $306
% SAVED: ~ 57%

1 year-old daughter:

• Care Bears 25th Anniversary Bear with DVD retail: $29.99. My cost: $8.00
• Leap Frog Learn Along Lilly Retail: $9.99. My cost: $4.00.
• Fisher Price Little People Musical Circus Train Retail: $12.99. My cost: $7.53.
• Fisher Price Little People Musical Ferris Wheel Retail: $14.99. My cost: $8.93.
• Baby Emma Retail: $49.99. My cost: $19.99.
• Fisher Price Mommy and Me Sweet as Me Baby Retail: $15.00. My cost: $10.
• Tickle Me Elmo TMX Edition Retail: $39.99. My cost: $19.99.
• Little People Touch and Feel Circus Retail: $26.97. My cost: $16.00.
• Cabbage Patch Kids Holiday Bean Bag Doll Limited Edition: Retail: $19.99. My cost: $10.

TOTAL RETAIL: $219
TOTAL COST: $104
% SAVED: ~ 52%

Family presents:

• High school Musical DVD Board Game Retail: $29.95. My cost: $7.99.
• Apples to Apples Junior Edition Board Game Retail: $24.99. My cost: $18.79.
• Monopoly Disney Pixar Edition Retail: $34.99. My cost: $10.
• Uno Attack Card Game Retail: $24.99. My cost: $8.73.
• Hasbro Nerf tech Target Game Retail: $24.99 My cost: $7.20.
• Cranium Family Fun Game Retail: $19.99. My cost: $8.99.
• Trivial Pursuit Greatest Hits 80’s & 90’s Pop Culture Retail: $29.99. My cost: $10.00.

TOTAL RETAIL: $189
TOTAL COST: $71
% SAVED= ~ 62%

So, I bet you are wondering, “well, you got those great deals BUT is it REALLY what your kidlets wanted for Christmas?” I can’t say that they thought of all those things before Christmas or even looked at them (they did look at the Nintendo DS’) BUT I can say, with 100% certainty, that this was their best Christmas EVER. They said it themselves. They are SOOOOOOOOO pleased with everything they got. And my son is riding his electric bike even as I type (it goes 10 MPH). One thing he did ask for is a metal detector. He was VERY excited about Santa bringing that!

. . . a first-time parent . . .

when walking into Babies R Us or any other big baby store.

They are the ones with the scanner (for their baby registry, of course!), furiously debating the merits of the Diaper Genie over the Diaper Champ. They are the ones scanning things like magnified baby fingernail clippers or the Mommy Bear which mimics the sounds of the womb, knowing that they have to have each and every little obscure (and ordinary, for that matter) baby invention. Pregnant with my fifth child, I am here to tell you that babies are pretty self-maintaining and a lot of the stuff that’s put on the baby registry makes only for a good garage sale and dust collectors.

Now, I’m not saying you don’t need *some* things but, I assure you, you don’t need as much as you think you do for a new baby. Here’s my list of essentials for a newborn:

• diapers (to cloth or use ’sposies?)
• burp cloths (cloth diapers, washed a few times with absolutely no fabric softener, EVER as it reduces absorbency; embroidering of the baby’s name on burp cloth is, of course, optional)
• baby bouncer (and this isn’t necessary, merely helpful at times but they can only use it for 3-4 months or shorter if you have big ole babies!)
• bottles
• pacifiers (about a dozen because you will lose 6 on your first day home)
• good breast pump if you plan on breastfeeding (courtesy of Medela, of course; this will be one of your most expensive investments– $500+)
• a good car seat (Britax is a favorite among parents and is very, very spendy- $250+)
• a stroller (optional; very bulky and not used nearly as much as you’d think you would use it)
• a good diaper bag (diaperdude.com has great diaper bags); style is VERY important! While the ones you wear on your shoulder are ever-so-cute, they are completely impractical. Opt for a messenger bag style so that you can wear it across your body. (You think you’re one of those that would NEVER wear a bag- be it purse or otherwise- across your body? A lot of “nevers” go out the window when you have kids!)
• If you’re not co-sleeping (and if you are, an Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper Deluxe is perfect), then a good, adjustable crib for the baby. A bassinet is virtually useless– you use it for about 2 months and then the baby is too big for it.
• A GOOD BATTERY-POWERED, OPEN-TOP SWING! Did you notice the emphasis on this one? This is, perhaps, one of the best investments EVER. You’ll spend around $100+ on this item. Your baby can nap in it while being gently rocked and you get all the laundry done that you are certain to now generate. I prefer a portable swing that can be set on top of the kitchen table, the floor, etc. etc. as you can move it as you need.
• LOTS OF BATTERIES FOR ABOVE! Self-explanatory, right?
• breastfeeding pillow- this isn’t necessary but can be useful even if you aren’t breastfeeding
• lots of onsies and sleepers– skip all the outfits– most of them won’t be used anyway
• swaddling blankets– either blankets to swaddle the baby with or the actual swaddling blankets with velcro that “cocoons” the baby
• “The Happiest Baby on The Block” book by Dr. Harvey Karp. Ignore his incorrect references to evolution and utilize his advice for having the happiest baby on the block– they REALLY do work (and *yes* swaddling is a necessary component of having the happiest baby on the block!)

Completely unnecessary things:

• Diaper Genie or Diaper Champ or even a diaper pail– it’s called Wal-Mart plastic bags, tied at the handles and put in the trashcan. Free and, truly, no smells. Or some of the peach-colored diaper disposal bags found at the famous Dollar Tree stores- $1.00 for 100. One box should last you 1.5-2.5 weeks, depending on the age of your baby.
• the green pacifiers given to you by the hospitals called “Soothie Newborn Pacifiers”. Bring your own pacifiers to the hospital (mini-mam’s are a great choice) because the one your baby uses in the hospital is the one they will use until you wean them from the pacifier. The Soothie pacifiers are a nightmare. When they drop, since they are made entirely of silicone, they are silent as they bounce all the way across the room and under everything making them very difficult to find. Not only that, the only “pacifier holder” that is available in stores is this HUGE flower that goes around the perimeter of the pacifier. As if the pacifier itself wasn’t enormous enough, this flower pacifier holder is HUGE on your baby’s face. And if you have small babies (as I do), it really does interfere with actually *seeing* them and them *seeing* you.

There are a whole lot more completely unnecessary things for your baby that escape me right now or that I’ve listed above in the “necessities”. I may have overlooked some necessary things but, if I did, rest assured I’ll add them later and I’m certain I didn’t miss much!

. . . just exactly how funny babies are . . .

I guess that’s because you kind of forget between children, what they are like at different ages. Well, at least *I* do!

Olivia is a big ham! She loves to be held and is such a good natured child. She rarely cries, except when she gets hungry or mommy walks out of the room And smart? Whew! She says “ma-ma” (she’s said that since she was about 4 months old- YES, believe it or not!), “da-da”, “n-mom” (grandmom). “n-dad” (grandad). “hiiiiiiiii”, “I did that!”, “yee-yah” (my oldest daughter’s name), “oh-yahhhh!” (my son’s name), “ehl-yee” (my middle daughter’s name), “bah-bah” (bye-bye), “em” (more as in “I’m ready for another bite”), “do-yah” (Dora, as in Dora the Explorer) and I’m sure I’m missing something. She rolls her gospel chariot, she pattycakes, she took her first steps last week and by the end of next week (she’ll be 10.5 months old), I think she will be toddling along! She kisses herself in ANY reflection– see the picture below:

Anytime you look at her, she always smiles. She has a HYSTERICAL laugh and she gets *extremely* goofy and laughy when she gets tired. She fights sleep like a mad woman and power naps. If she can get in 10 minutes, she’s good for another 2-3 hours (ha!) Right now she weighs a little over 15 lbs. and is 27″ long. It’s kind of funny to see something so small standing, walking, talking, etc. People can’t believe she’s almost 10.5 months old. They always think she’s about 7 months old. That’s ok– I always have small babies who are absotively adorable! Just see for yourself some more . . .

Look at my sleepy eyes! But, I’m still so gorgeous!

I went to sleep, finally, and I just woke up here! That’s the reason my cheeks are so red- from laying on them!

“One of the happiest days of my life was the day that my mom had a baby girl. I love her. She cries a lot. We had to get up in the morning like 11:52 and she was born at 12:15. We would go to see her. They would bring her in the room. Every time she would wake up. And she would cry and when she did her belly button would pout out. She doesn’t use a regular pacifier. And when she came home she liked to eat guava and banana. Now she eats table food. I think she is 9 months old. And she can crawl on the floor. She may walk sometime in a year. I told Mrs. Tappan and she was surprised. She weighed about 5 pounds and 5 ounces. But now she is about 10 pounds. I love my sisters so much. She is a good sister. One day she busted her head open.”

— my son

I have said it so many times but I have amazing children! They have been through so much in their little lives and they are the sweetest, kindest, politest, affectionate, most gorgeous, hysterical children that have ever walked the planet. I am certain I am not biased even though I am their mom They make me so proud every single day of their lives. I can’t believe how blessed I am.

And, at the end of March/beginning of April 2008, we will be blessed once again. Yes! We are pregnant! Boy or girl? We have no idea– we MAY find out next week. We both feel strongly it’s a boy, however. Time will soon tell!

So, let’s take a vote on what we should name the baby!

. . . my fancy AND my funny bone . . .

Last night, Allen was sitting at the computer eating before Bible Study and I was sitting next to him at the dining room table, on the exercise ball, bouncing up and down. I was telling him that he needed to get a desk so that we can clear the computer off the dining room table. He said “I want to get one of those corner desks and put it right there in the corner.” I said “no, no, no… don’t get a corner desk! That’s impractical. When we buy a house, what if there’s no corner to put it in?” And he replied “oh, you mean if we get one of those, like, circle houses– or a house that only has corners on the outside? Or what about an OVAL house?? Hrmm? No corners there!” And I started laughing. And then he continued, “oooooooooohhhhhhhhh I see what you are saying NOW! You are saying that once we are married I’m not even going to get a CORNER for my stuff! I’m not even going to have even a small corner to keep stuff!” His tone of voice and facial expressions just killed me and I was dying laughing and fell off the exercise ball onto the floor, laughing so hard!

I’ve said it before… I’ll say it again… he’s the funniest man I’ve ever known

. . . is . . .

Do you think you are competent in standing up for what you believe in?

No way. Not a chance. Not this girl. I would never be so bold.

. . . and I deliver . . .PICTURES!

This picture of Olivia was taken on December 23, 2006. She’s smiling! And no, no one will ever convince me that when an infant smiles that he/she really isn’t smiling– they have gas or some other myth. At any rate, this is a beautiful, smiling baby

Here’s a picture of a proud, proud daddy.

. . . to me . . . (and everyone else who lays eyes on that amazing face and those chubby legs)

Lyvers (aka Olivia) turned 8 months on the 17th. She’s crawling, pulling up to everything, standing for a few seconds on her own and her second toothhas been through for awhile now.

She says “ma-ma” and she’s said that for at least a couple of months now. At first, she started saying it when she cried (and she only cries when she is hungry or needs her pants changed!)

This baby is amazing. Well, all babies are amazing. But, man alive, she is a funny girl! My parents got her a stroller for Elli’s birthday (they always get each of the kids presents for the other kidlets birthday). We were pushing her around in it and she loved it! She was sooooo cute– we had her reclined and, she’s so short, so she propped her feet up on the feeding tray. It was too funny!