Tuesday, October 05, 2010

September 2010

September was a great month! Eva Kate is sleeping more through the night and things are getting back to normal. Also we have successfully been potty training Jackson! After spending close to $200 on diapers, wipes and formula I decided it was time. Jackson has done GREAT! I am so glad I didn't push him a few months ago when we first tried. He has only had maybe 3 accidents in a total of 3 weeks. He is amazing! I am so proud. Here are a few pictures of Jackson. I told him if he didn't have an accident all day he would get an "ice cream" (which is a snack pack pudding). Let's just say he got his reward and thoroughly enjoyed it!

Jackson has also been doing great in "high school" (Crossroads Weekday Preschool). He is really getting into the fall season and doing art projects in the afternoon when he comes home.

Our precious Eva Kate is growing up so fast! Tomorrow she has her two month check up visit with her doctor. She is so sweet and too precious for words!

I love her hair and putting bows in it! I can't tame that "crazy hair" as Jackson calls it:) Little does he know he had the exact same hair do when he was this age!



Friday, September 24, 2010

Had to Share:)

So there are a few blogs that I follow and I came across this one today that cracked me up... you have to be a mom to get this!

Advice to New Mothers (Sarcasm Ahead)

New mothers; they wear sleep deprivation and unwashed hair like badges of honor. They are excited when their little bundle of joy has six wet diapers a day, and smiles at them. Remember these days Veteran Moms?

I think it's time to share the advice I wish someone had given me before becoming a Mother. (Or shortly thereafter.) I hope this is helpful to some and that others will not look back in retrospect with regret. Trust me, these tips can apply to grandchildren, or neighborhood kids as well. If there is something I missed, feel free to leave your own ideas in the comments.

1. Don't Get Comfortable Sitting. As every Veteran Mom knows, the minute you sit after a flurry of work which little eyes have taken in, someone will need something. I, therefore, recommend you master the elusive "counter lean" or the non-committal "wall slouch". Both of these are effective because they offer the benefit of semi-relaxation while keeping you upright. This will confuse your family, as they can only ask for things once you're sitting. You master these, and you're golden.

2. Learn to Fly Under the Radar. Few Moms know their children are born with a freaky sixth sense. They can calculate, to within a few nanoseconds, when their Mother wakes up. It is especially sensitive when you want to read your Bible or exercise. I have developed what I consider a fulll-proof plan. First, sleep on a cement floor without any blankets. This ensures no one will be tipped off by creaking or rustling. Secondly, as much as you may think it necessary, there can be absolutely no breathing. And for heaven's sake, don't even think about flushing the toilet.

3. Electrify Your Bathroom Door. If you're the kind of Mother who likes an uninterrupted shower, this little gem may come in handy. Have the navy seals come and install a special sensor. After you lock the door of your bathroom, it's automatically activated. Now anyone who touches it from the other side will receive a fairly sizable shock. You may also wish to have them install a decibel recognition system to prevent the children yelling to you from the other room.

4. Boiling Water is Your Friend. When your child asks to help you cook, say "Sure!" with confidence. Whip out a pot, fill halfway with water and set on a burner over high heat. (Even if you don't actually plan to use it for cooking.) Ask the child to let you know the minute it starts to boil. Set the child on the counter so it can't get away, then tend to the real cooking duties. The child may get bored and lose their desire to help rather quickly, which is exactly what you want.

5. Don't Teach Them To Speak English. Use the TV as a babysitter often. In fact, don't even speak directly to your child. Ever. Just make sure you sit them in front of foreign language programming. Preferably a language that you don't speak, such as Russian or Farsi. Or that clicking African language. Yes, the satellite dish is a bit of an investment, but with all the money you save by not owning a real bed or having to wash sheets, you can afford it. Think of it as early missionary training for them.

6. Have A Wax Replica of Yourself Made. This way you can take naps or read for extended periods of time under the radar. Make sure the wax figure is pose-able, and can execute the "counter lean" or "wall slouch" effectively. The last thing you need is for 'you' to fall over and have the neighbors hear your child yelling like a crazed maniac in some foreign language because 'Mom' fell over and is unresponsive. Let me also recommend having a voice recording installed that activates on 'unexpected fall'. It should be recorded in your child's chosen language, sound like a hyped-up aerobics instructor, and only ask: "Ok! Who wants to help boil water?!?" Your child should respond by staying quiet and slowly backing away. They may even retreat to a hide-out under their bed. This is good: you can then stash the wax figure away without their knowledge.

7. Employ A Foreign Spy Temporarily. Look on the web and find a foreign spy employment agency. It shouldn't be too hard. Hire one that speaks your child's language, and instruct them to covertly warn your child that 'they' are watching him/her, and if they want to have a positive future in the government of said country, the child cannot allow even a speck of dirt to infiltrate the house. Let them know in no uncertain terms that it is their duty to their countrymen to keep the house clean. Your house will remain spotless with no effort from you. This is especially effective if Russian is your child's language.

Feel free to pass these tips onto any new Mother you know. They will be sure to thank you.

"Things My Mom Taught Me"



My Mom taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.

"If you're going to kill each other,

do it outside. I just finished cleaning!"

My Mom taught me about INDIVIDUALISM.

"I bet if all your friends jumped off a bridge, you would too!

My Mom taught me RELIGION.

"You better pray that stain will come out of the carpet."

My Mom taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.

"Stop acting like your father!"


My Mom taught me about TIME TRAVEL.

"If you don't straighten up, I'm
going to knock you into the middle of next week!"


My Mom taught me LOGIC.

"Because I said so, that's why."


My Mom taught me FORESIGHT.

"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in
case you're in an accident."

My Mom taught me about HYPOCRISY.

"If I've told you once, I've told
you a million times - Don't exaggerate!!!"

My Mom taught me IRONY.

"Keep crying and I'll *give* you something
to cry about!"

My Mom taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE.

"I brought you into this world,
and I can take you out."


My Mom taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.

"Shut your mouth and eat your supper!"


My Mom taught me about CONTORTIONISM.

"Will you *look* at the dirt on the back of your neck!"

My Mom taught me about ENVY.

"There are millions of less fortunate
children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do!"


My Mom taught me about STAMINA.

"You'll sit there until all that spinach is finished."

My Mom taught me how to solve PHYSICS PROBLEMS.

"If I yelled because I saw a meteor coming toward you;

would you listen then?"

My Mom taught me about WEATHER.

"It looks like a tornado swept
through your room!"


http://juliemom.blogspot.com/2008/04/advice-to-new-mothers-warning-sarcasm.html

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

A few more days to go!

Well we are very excited that no matter what this time next week we will have little Eva Kate in our arms! Jackson has enjoyed getting everything ready for her. He loves playing in "Pate's room" and "organizing" all of her stuff. I know he is going to be the bestest big brother!

Over the weekend we celebrated my Mom's birthday! We had so much fun! Sarah made and awesome meal and Jackson brought cupcakes with star sprinkles! We had so much fun playing all day long!
One morning Jackson woke up with his hair all crazy! I started calling him Ace Ventura:)

Thursday, July 01, 2010

Learning our whole name

Recently I have been trying to teach Jackson his whole name. Now sometimes you ask his name he will just say "Caldwell" but every once in a while we get this:
Enjoy:)


Wednesday, June 30, 2010

First Movie

Our local movie theater offers free kids movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I have been wanting to take Jackson for the longest time and today we finally made it! Jackson did so great! We went and saw the "squirrel movie" (Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs). He had never seen this one and he loved it. He sat in my lap and stood up some of the time but he did great. Way better than I expected. He snacked on his goldfish and m&m's and had a blast. We will definitely go again next week.

After the movie we went to Babies-r-us to take back some stuff. Jackson always loves looking around at "Pate's stuff". Of course by the time we got home he was passed out in his car seat. I am praying for a long nap since he really hasn't been napping lately. Mommy needs a break during the day and thank God I am getting one today!

Hope everyone is doing great and has a great fourth of July weekend!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

It has been awhile

Wow you probably think that I have forgotten about the Blog...I actually did. Anyway I figure I can't recap everything that has happened in my life since like Christmas and most of you keep up through phone or facebook so we can just start over here:)

For those of you in Wisconsin it is extremely hot here in the big GA, and those of you in Texas completely understand. So Jackson and I have been keeping it cool indoors while the sun is out. On the days it isn't too bad he plays in his "bath tub" which is his pool, and he plays in his Buzz Lightyear sprinkler. Me being 8 months pregnant I can only handle at max 30 minutes outside which works out just fine. Little man enjoys playing indoors, reading books, singing, dancing, coloring, playing with his train table and watching movies. His vocabulary increases more and more everyday...so you better watch what you say or you have a 2 year old following you around repeating it!

Yesterday Andrew started his new job and so far he is loving it! We love the idea that the company is based in Atlanta which means we will be too:) Other than that I guess our next big adventure will be with little Eva Kate Caldwell arrives hopefully within the next month! I go back to the doctor Friday (I will be 34 weeks) and will be going weekly after that. Everything has been going smoothly so far which is a huge blessing! Eva Kate's room is practically all finished minus me finishing her curtains, adding some artwork/pictures and raising up the crib mattress. When it comes down to it, if she came today we would be ready!

Again I will try to post whenever anything pops into my brain, or I get a moment to myself. I hope everyone is doing well and look forward to writing again:)

Thursday, December 17, 2009

BA BA Update 12/17/09

Some of you know that we have had a very hard time breaking the habit of a ba-ba (bottle). We slowly cut him off in the mornings but he would want one before bed. Well Jackson has been sick for the past week and the doctor said to stay away from dairy products. Perfect opportunity! I am proud to say that we are ba-ba free for the past week! He hasn't even mentioned one!!!