So Olivia has taken to potty training!!! Yeah, I mean she hardly has accidents at all. We are so proud of her! All it took was princess underwear, and my little pony underwear, and Elmo underwear.....Who knew? She like to tease us though. In the car ride to daycare in the morning, she says "I need to go potty." I ask her if she can wait and she nods her head yes. Then she lifts up her legs, as if she ready to give birth and makes a pisssss noise. She thinks she pretty funny....so do we, although we try not to show it.
Sabrina still has no desire to go potty in the potty, but she loves to try and wear underwear over her diaper. I think we'll try again in a couple of weeks.
This Weekend Chrissy came up and hung out. We took the twins shopping at the mall for over three hours! Believe it or not, they were so could. Sabrina even fell asleep in the stroller. Olivia went potty three times! The were so good I let them ride the carousal at the mall. I have pictures, but left the adapter at home.
Andrew's birthday was on Sunday. He is now nine years old! Happy Birthday to him. We are celebrating next weekend, since he was at his dad's this weekend.
I am copying my mother's posting because I thought it would be fun and interesting.
I think being a parent, one of the hardest choices you have to decide on, is what to name your children. I know I thought of tons of names for my kids...RoseMarie was going to be Oscar Paul if she was a boy......Matthew, my ex wanted Rushin Orion. (I liked Rushin, but not with Orion, I thought it sounded like a comet.) Andrew would have been AnaClaire.....(I'm glad he was a boy, he would have been teased with AnaClaire) The twins, I was thinking of Montana and another state name.....hadn't made up my mind. This was just before Hannah Montana made it big, and I always joke that I could have named them Hannah and Montana..........
Sabrina the youngest twin. Her name means princess in English and from the border in Latin. I like to think princess with spice....that's her, diva through and through! Her name was ranked #196 the year she was born (2006).
Olivia the older twin. Her name means Olive Tree in Portuguese, Latin and Greek. In English her name comes from Olga, meaning holy in several different languages. I think I did could with Olivia, although I am not sure if she fits an olive tree........Her name though in 2006 was ranked #7. Poor girl, she'll be known as Olivia B. for the rest of her life!
Andrew in Latin means manly and the Greek meaning adds strong and courageous. This name is also one of Christ's Twelve Apostles names. My Andrew is definitely a manly boy, soon to be a man. In 2000 the year he was born it was ranked #10 and has not been ranked below #13 since.
Matthew is Hebrew for gift of God. What a wonderful name to have! All children are of course gifts of God, but to have that for a name? Matthew also is a book in the Bible and an Apostle. His name was ranked #3 in 1998, and since then it has never been higher than a 9.
RoseMarie you have to take the two names separately. If you take the name Rose, in Latin it means Flower (a Rose) and Marie a variation of the name Mary, in Hebrew means bitter. Flower Bitter.......I don't know does this describe RoseMarie? I know the flower part does.....good thing we call her Rosie most the time! In 1997 RoseMarie was ranked #2015.
Christina in Greek means Christ- Bearer. She is worthy of that name I do believe. The sight I look on, only went back as far as 1995, were it was ranked #68.
I can't find Kelline anywhere........
Kelli is the closest, but I'll make you go to my mom's blog to get that info, cause I am lazy like that.........but I'll provide the link: http://myrnalayton.blogspot.com/2008/12/whats-in-name.html
In following both my sisters, I think reflections on Fridays is a good thing. I decided to dedicate the next six Friday's to each of my children.
When I first met Christina I didn't know she would wind up being one of my children. I am so grateful she is, because she is so smart and loving and a great big sister to all my children, especially Rosie.
I started babysitting Christina when she was three years old. She was so smart even then! She loved it when I would come over and spent many times snuggling on my lap. The most vivid thing I remember about her was the fact she HATED going to bed.
She would scream at the top of her lungs for hours, if I let her. She only did that for the first weeks or so. I became one of the sitters that she didn't exhibit that behavior for.
As she grew up I co-coached her soccer team. She was a great team player!
When she was seven, her and Asheli would come over and babysit my three younger children. She was so good to them.
I remember that she had this business pant suit, just like the executives wear. She loved to wear it to school! She was always very mature for her age and a great helper.
She always did what I asked her to, and was quick to inform if the other siblings were not following instructions.
Now that she is in high school, she is above a 3.5 grade point average. She is planning to get her CNA certification and eventually her nursing degree.
When she comes and visits on weekends, the twins light up to see her and Rosie is very excited. She is such a great help with the girls and boys. They look up to her.
I am so glad that she is a part of our family now!
Thanks to a wonderful birthday present from my Mom and Josie, here are some pictures of my kids at the petting zoo!
Matthew, Sabrina in pink, Olivia in blue
My favorite picture of Andrew!
Sabrina, she was the most difficult to take a picture of, always on the go!
Olivia
Rosie, Matthew in far back, Andrew in orange shorts, Chrissy on the left in the light.
Andrew in front, Matthew in Back
Okay I promise this isn't one of MY kids, but it is a kid in a stroller.........ha, ha, ha......
Matthew....
Olivia, hair in face (obvious before the haircutting incident) Sabrina didn't ride the horsies this time because she was taking a nap!
Left to right, Chrissy, huge pig, Josie, Rosie.So Rose calls to talk to her Dad and brothers, and asked what they are doing. Matthew and Andrew are very eager to help out their friends! They were asked to watch their friends pet snake, but were afraid to tell their Dad and Mary, because they would have said NO! So they decided to sneak it into the house. Everything seemed to be okay, except the snake escaped. Needless to say the two boys are in a mess of trouble, and still to my knowledge have a snake M.I.A.! I am glad that they can be boys, at their father's house....at times, I miss them too!
Olivia and I this morning were pointing out body parts. She's got the basics down, so I thought we'd start to work on hand, finger, thumb. How confusing is that for a small child? She would point to the thumb and say finger, then I would correct her and say thumb. Then I would grab each of her other fingers individually and say finger, finger, finger, finger. I can't help to think that body parts must be difficult to understand to a two year old. Anywhere you point on your head is a head, but only certain parts of your head to you have hair, eyes, teeth, etc. I mean you have a mouth and a small child points to there teeth and says mouth, we all smile and say very good. Then the same action we try to teach another word, no teeth, yes mouth, but teeth too!
Anyway that was my deepest thought so far this morning. Isn't amazing the knowledge these little ones learn in such a short span?
I am so proud of Christina. She is currently sitting at a 3.9 grade point average, hoping by the end fall semester to bring it up to a 4.0! She is so smart and I know that with hard work she can do anything!
Oh those who care, the decorations for Halloween are up. We still have a few ghosts, bats and pumpkins to stuff with paper and tombstones to put up, but the lights and ghosts and witches are spooking up the yard. As Rosie says we have 3 weeks until the party, where are the invitations?
As we all know I am the greatest at attempts, but something that requires dedication and persistence? Leave that to my sister Nancy. Seriously, have you seen her blog? I feel guilty for not being as dedicated to writing as she is. I remember the life of just one child for a brief almost two years, the baby book was incredible! Let's see how after five kids, job and school..ha,ha,ha. These are just excuses to make me feel better.
Checking in up to date.
I am working for a company called Medax. I have replaced their customer service manager and I am the office guru around. I like the hours, pay is okay, and the people I work for are nice.
Christina is 15. For those of you who don't know she is my step-daughter from a shortly lived marriage, however she has chosen my family as hers. She started 9th grade this year and is loving it. She is currently in like again with Tyrone...but you know the age..... She is excellent at getting here homework done and babysits her foster sister's baby while she is at work.
RoseMarie is 11. She loves to text her friends on her cell phone. She is turning into a great babysitter, when she wants too. She is excited to be going to young women's in Jan. She is the oldest grade in here school and is hoping to be able to attend a charter school in the following year. She is looking forward to going to the movies by herself, with friends! So far she likes school, her friends, but that changes weekly.
Matthew is 9. He likes his new teacher and has a friend in his class. He gets to ride the bus to school with his brother and Rachel (his dad's girlfriend's girl). He loves to play video games and build with legos.
Andrew is 8. He also likes his new teacher and his friends in school. This year has been a rough one for his bones, he spent most the summer in a cast from jumping off the bed and breaking his arm. This was after just getting out of a walking boot for breaking his leg jumping off a trampoline. I think he needs to stop jumping off things!
Olivia is 2. She likes horsies, fireworks and parks. Just drive by some and you'll know. Olivia: "MOM! MOM! MOM! LOOK! LOOK! LOOK!" Mom: "I see." Olivia: "Horsie, or park, or pretty (fireworks)." She loves to talk on the phone and she is a cuddler.
Sabrina is 2. She likes movies, music and dressing up. She is a girly girl. Loves her nails painted and wearing make-up. She is very independent and will give the "Bina" glare if you interfere with her Independence.
Well hopefully pictures are to come and you will enjoy seeing the blog go through the construction stages.
We have some exciting things coming up!
Sept 5th FolkFest and Fireworks (for Ollie)
Sept 13th we are all going to the Crash-Up Demolition Derby
Sept 27th Duggar Family reunion
October 11th Harvest festival
October 18th Our Halloween Party.....Uncle Andrew will be missed as the "mad Scientist"
I am putting these events up has a hopeful ploy for me to blog on the aftermaths!
Until next time....
