Slip and Slide Extravaganza

To my dearest friends who share in parenting young toddler boys...may we all remember each other in the teenage years and draw upon one another for support, encouragement, and a good laugh when needed.

I found this video on a friends blog one day. Is completely worth the six minutes to watch and turn the volume on:)

On a side note...I am not condoning nor advocating the encouragement of our sons to try these sorts of things:):):)

What I've Learned

What I learned from my first...

Easy babies are just that...easy! Of course no baby is entirely easy and when you have an easy baby you often don't know it. I thought Wyatt was an average baby, but Addie put him way into the easy category!

If "Babywise" worked for you it really means you are none the wiser...it just means you had an easy baby that cooperated, but you thought your parenting was really what did the trick! This statement characterized my confidence after Wyatt's infancy...boy did I need humbling! I should've expected a colicky baby next:)

Boys come out of the womb making truck noises and also many other unwanted boylike tendancies of roughness.


What I learned from my second...

Fusssy babies are just that...fussy! Their only predictability is that they always scream! Addie was our first glimpse into this kind of baby!

"Babywise" means nothing when your child screams all day and night even when you followed the instructions the same way you did with your other children:) I actually do like the book "Babywise" for many reasons, so please sense some of my sarcasm!

Babies will learn to sleep, even through the night, inspite of all our fears they won't and ploys to get them to before they are ready!

Girls with big brothers often are tougher than their older brothers!

What I anticipate for the third...

My chances are just as high for a fussy baby as they are for an easy one...regardless, I am preparing for fussy!

At some point in the first year, my baby will sleep through the night. It probably won't be at eight weeks even though I'll try for that, so I am expecting more like eight months!

I will likely freak out that my child still isn't sleeping through the night at six months, but it will hopefully be a more mild freak out than I've had in the past:)

Sidenote...if you like "Babywise" take no offense...I like it for much of their advice and hope you see the humor here is more about me and my children than anything found in the book:)

The Little Accomplishments

So yesterday we had our ultrasound. And yes folks, we resisted the urge to find out what we are having. The picture and gender are sealed in an envelope stuffed in a mail file sitting right above my head as I type. Nothing is official yet, but I am proud to say I am one day in to keeping myself surprised! Only 138 to go.

David on the other hand...still doesn't know, but already made several objections at dinner last night. I told him he can look, but I want to be surprised. He said that he doesn't know if it is worth four months of not being able to bond with the idea of a "future daughter" or "future son" to be surprised for one moment in the end. I personally think he just wants to streamline the amount of time he has to spend thinking of a name with me:)

While we are speaking of accomplishments on a small scale, our little Addie has started walking. Her steps are small and few; both self initiated and inspired! She is really cute to watch as she branches into toddlerhood. Her birthday baby doll is now the favorite. We named her Luci. Wyatt named his baby Henry. So Lucy and Henry now must accompany us most places.

If I don't post again, have a wonderful day of Thanksgiving. We are so thankful for all of you!

What all mothers can be thankful for...those annoying toys that are given to us that make noise even when completely untouched! I just this second returned from my covert operation sneaking into Wyatt's room in the middle of a nap because I heard this blasted score board song with mock applause sounding in the background. How do these toys operate with no one around them????

Addie Grace turns 1...

and we've become the "princess party palace" host to hughes of all pink and purple princesses just in time to replace the former "poison palace". When we moved to Gulf Drive or just shortly before, we received a letter stating that we should be aware that our apartment may or may not contain lead paint because it was constructed before 1978. Being the very new mom that I was, I freaked out about bringing our sweet Wyatt James into a place with poison! Neither David nor I had ever really lived in a place that was "pre-1978". After all, we were born in 78 and we are from California...isn't everything in California new construction??? Upon calling the seminary and trying to understand how this would affect us we learned that our apartment had been painted over many many times and we shouldn't be concerned. When we arrived we were quickly relieved that there were babies all around us and none suffered from the ill effects of lead inspite of their "poison palace" locale!

That stated, gone are the days of poison palaces and new are our experiences with so much pink, purple, and princesses! Addie Grace celebrated a birthday week as she turned one. On Monday, her actual birthday, we served her a candle-lit eggo waffle and she really was unsure of any reason to celebrate. That was about the jist of her celebration because Memaw and Tetee arrived on Wednesday so we had the complete celebration on Thursday. We stopped at a local cupcake bar and picked up some gourmet cupcakes for the party and this really seemed to make her a little more excited about her birthday. After all, it isn't a birthday if you are served the same old waffle breakfast as every other morning. She really enjoyed the buttercream frosting as did Wyatt and the rest of us!!!! Yea Jilly's! (the cupcake bar)

And as for presents, what better occasion than a first birthday to introduce our little peach to baby dolls and shades of pink and purple everything! Sweet Addie Grace has pretty much spent her first year in a world of planes, trains, and automobiles. She loves them all the same because anything Wyatt does is good enough for her and pretty much the only thing she wants to do. She has never complained and barely shown interest in girly dolls and the like. So turning one would mark a milestone entrance into the world of dress up and playing mom. Addie got a baby doll, bed, stoller and several little people toys in pink and purple rather than the usual primary colors we strut all over the house. In hind sight, I've realized though, that most of these little toys that sport girly colors are still vehicles by nature...the fairytale princess horse and carriage and the little mom-suv with baby in tow! She couldn't be happier to drive her girl cars next to her big brother and his big rig!

Happy Birthday Peach! You have been a true joy this first year of your life and we look forward to many more:)

The Juelfs' Family Zoo

We spent a nice brisk but comfortable evening trick or treating around the neighborhood. The kids had a great time! Wyatt was a tiger and Addie Grace used the Halloween staple monkey costume. Our two little animals were adorable. Wyatt finally worked up enough courage to say "trick or treat" after three years of Halloween and this year boldy declared his wish knowing what would come in return. Addie isn't walking yet, so I carried her! She sure liked shaking her pumpkin bucket. It was like she really knew that she was suppose to be getting something at each house because instead of saying trick or treat she just shook her bucket. They were pretty cute. And now, we are just dealing with the days of candy overload attitude!