Cosette had fun at Target too!

Lance got new shoes for my birthday

Lance got new shoes for my birthday...

I know its a very strange birthday gift but there has been a battle between us since we met about these reeeaaaaallllly worn out flip flops that he happens to love.

and I hate them.

Really hate them.

I actually think that its the fact that I hated them so much, which he found to be comical, that made him continue to wear them.

Anyway... he got new SHOES!! Yay for Lance.

I also got 2 new sandals for my birthday :-)

Yesterday we went to the play "sleeping beauty" and then Javan went to his grandma's.

Lance, Cosette and I had loads of fun at Target buying things for Easter (because that's what old people do on their birthday - they go to Target) and had a nice dinner together.

This morning Lance let me sleep in while he got up with Cosette, he even gave her a bath and dressed her in a pretty little pink dress. :-)

I'm such a lucky girl.

When Javan came home from his grandma's we went out for some birthday ice-cream. Javan and Lance even sang Happy Birthday to me at the ice cream store.

With every year my life gets better and better. :-)

Just being a little silly

Super Javan is rescuing his little sister from the evil robots. 

Stand up for what you believe in

We recently got a flier in Javan's backpack advertising a fundraiser Called McCougar Night at Mcdonalds. Of course, that went right in the trash. The only time we eat at Mcdonalds is if we are on the road and there aren't any other options...we certainly aren't going to replace a healthy dinner for "junk food" for a fundraiser. Yesterday i got an email from the school secretary reminding us to attend McCougar Night:

"TODAY, join the fifth grade for dinner at the Mission McDonald’s McCougar Night, to benefit our Tall Oaks fund. The fifth grade will get a percentage of all menu items sold between 4:00 and 8:00 p.m.; dine in or drive-through! A doughnut party will again be awarded to the class with the highest percentage attendance at McCougar Night!! Just check in when you arrive inside to get credit for your class. Dine in only counts towards the doughnut party. (Congratulations to Mrs. Baxter’s class and Mrs. Froetschner’s class, who tied for best attendance at the December McCougar Night!) Prizes will be given out at McDonald’s to all students who attend !"

I really try hard not to push my beliefs on other people or even talk about it at all. It wasn't that long ago that I had the same mentality and I do believe you have to come to the realization about healthy eating on your own.

 And its not even about the trip to Mcdonalds. I always say that the nice thing about eating healthy in the home is that when we do decide to go out for Mcdonalds or donuts or whatever...we don't feel bad about it - because its considered a "treat" not a "habit".

 But, many of the children that go to our elementary school don't have parents that care about healthy eating. For those children, the elementary school is the only healthy eating influence they have... and they are encouraging them to eat dinner at Mcdonalds.

 It doesn't make any sense.

 Anyway, like I said, I try really hard not to say too much about that stuff but this was one of many things that I have chosen to bite my tongue about and I just felt like - if i don't express my opinion, then they will never know how I am feeling. So I wrote:

I have a really hard time with this. Of course, we want to support the school and the 5th graders but our family works hard to instill healthy living values... which means we DO NOT eat at or SUPPORT any restaurants that have contributed to the epidemic of childhood obesity. Its interesting to me that the newsletters have lots of great healthy eating tips and updates on how you are incorporating fruits and new foods to the snacks,etc... yet your fundraisers has my child coming home asking to go to Mcdonalds to support the school....not only is it contradictory, it puts me in a difficult spot to explain to my child why we will not participate. Same with the your very strict no soda in the lunch room rule....yet soda is allowed (as long as its clear) at classroom parties... and then the game at the carnival that gives away 2 liters of soda. I think Crestview is sending mixed messages there....It made me sick to my stomach watching children walking around with 2 liters almost completely empty because they were drinking straight out of the bottle! For so many of these children, Crestview is the best influence they get to encourage healthy eating...let's find some fundraisers that back up your beliefs in fighting against childhood obesity, instead of supporting it. :-) Thanks for listening, i'll step off my soapbox now ;-) Merrie

and there it went. I sent it.

 I held my breath.

 I thought, poor Javan - the kid with the crazy mom who ruined McCougar night, and donut parties, and soda in the classroom... The secretary wrote back:

I agree with you completely, but never really thought of it until you said something. I will pass your message on to those making these decisions.

Wow wow wow.

 It occurred to me that not everyone thinks the way i do. She had never really thought of it until I said something.

 I'm glad I said something.

 It doesn't mean that things are going to change necessarily.. but at least I put my vote in. And now they know where I stand.

 Of course, Lance did warn me.. ." Merrie, that's great. Glad you wrote it. Just choose the battles that are important to you, though. Don't go emailing her everytime something bothers you."

 haha. He know's me too well. I said my piece now I need to let it go and go back to biting my tongue.

Suck those fingers :-)

A lot changed this week for Cosette.

Since she was born we would swaddle her nice and tight, pop in and paci and it worked like magic to get her to stop crying and go to sleep. Lately it has been SO. HOT. for her all swaddled tight in that blanket.

So, i made new swaddle-me's in a lighter fabric. But, I didn't have a lot of velcro laying around so I was a little stingy in that department. Well, we like to call her "houdini baby" because she would manage to squeeze her little arms free in the most interesting ways.

So, I decided to give up on the swaddle instead of buying more velcro. Enough is enough, its time for our baby to learn to sleep without being wrapped up like a burritto.

Well, now with her little arms free, she has discovered that her fingers are much easier to find then a paci that falls out of her mouth.

Now, I have mixed feelings about the finger/thumb sucking. In one sense, its soooo easy to get her to sleep and if she wakes up and is still tired she just sticks those fingers in her mouth and voila back to sleep.

Then again... we now have no control over when she stops sucking those fingers...and I guess we face the possibility of it being a challenge when she gets older.

Anyway, I don't think it really much matters what my opinion is on it. Cosette has decided she wants to suck her fingers and its not like i didn't try to keep her from it. Every once in a while she will take the paci but usually she just spits it out and starts sucking on her fingers.

She even will try to stick her fingers in there while she is nursing... little stinker.
She's learning that doesn't work so well. haha.

 

Wedding

 '
We went to a wedding this weekend. It was so fun to get out and do something a little different :-)
It was one of those true honky tonk country weddings, ya know, the kind where the bridesmaids wear cowboy boots with thier dresses haha.

Our little princess

 

They had a "candy table" oh boy. Javan had to practice his "self control" haha.

Uncle Jessie and Aunt Katie Loving on Coco

Uncle Jessie needs lots of practice because he's going to be a daddy in June!

Lucas was Javan's little shadow. it was adorable.
Everything Javan did, Lucas wasn't far behind doing the same thing.

 

 

Practicing her vocal chords

I have a feeling I am in for it.. haha..

We have quite the little talker on our hands. Just wait until she actually figures out words...

Oh boy..

Cosette's first bike ride

It was almost 80 degrees out yesterday, so it was a no brainer that it was time to break out the bikes.

Here Cosette is all ready to go!!


She wasn't particularly fond of the wind in her face so I ended up turning her around.
She was so cute because she would lean back as far as she could and just watch me while we rode.
This pic is when we got back. She was kind of over the ride (plus a little tired, she missed her nap because I thought she would sleep on our bike ride...she was too busy checking out the sights - plus I forgot her paci and she apparently won't sleep AT ALL without it).  

 

 

Cosette's 3 month appt

I forgot to mention that I took Cosette in for her 3 month well-check. My teeny tiny baby weighs in at 9lb 10oz . That's not really concerning because she eats well, and has been consistently in the 5th percentile for weight (50% percentile is average).

After the doctor check her out she said "ok, she's healthy." w-w-what?? I don't think I have heard such words come out of a doctors mouth since her birth. I literally did a double take. Even though I have always known she's healthy... it was so nice to hear it from a medical professional :-)

Cosette 3 months

I finally got around to posting some pics of Cosette at 3 months.
Here are a couple of her cuteness....

 

 

click here or the link below or copy/paste this in your browser:

https://picasaweb.google.com/115639023178791141355/Cosette3Month?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKbBmJi215by6QE&feat=directlink

Cosette 3 month

Kansas City Auto Show

This weekend we went to the Kansas City Auto Show. There was a huge section with all sorts of Army stuff. Lance and Javan did some pull ups


Javan was sooooo nervous! You can see it in his face.

Yay, he did it (with a little help from the big guy). She gave him an army pen for doing such a great job. Lance did some too and got a plastic mug which Javan has now claimed as his... a great place to keep his new pen :-)

 

I didn't really know what to expect, we ended up having a great time. Javan loved climbing in all of the different kinds of cars...

and looking at cars that he would never be able to afford. I think this one was about $130,000 

They even had a Phineas and Ferb party bus. He joined the radio disney "kids club" which was free and they said they will mail him goodies. So far he has asked every day if he recieved his "goodies" yet in the mail...its going to be a long couple of weeks haha

He found it to be particularly enjoyable to be able to crawl under the really big trucks. Its funny the things that kids will find amusing.  

Cool dude driving the fancy new car! 

Mom and Cosette had a good time too :-)  

For more pictures of the fancy cars (if your into that sort of thing) and a few other pics that we took click here

<>

FebMarch 2012

Cosette thinks its fun to blow raspberries :-)

Sorry that was so unfair to send just a sideview of her. I'll take some better pics hopefully today. In the meantime, here some squishy cuteness to hold you all over until then :-)

I promise ill blog with an update of all the goings ons around here but I had to post this quickly. Lately Cosette is not content laying back. If you lay her that way she will try her best to sit up.

She is also beginning to learn that these fancy things that are attached to her that often fly around in the air uncontrollably (called hands) are pretty neat. One hand will fly by her and catch her eye and then she will just stare at it "now if only I can figure out what to do with them"

Anyway, usually if we put a toy in her hand she will just wack herself in the head with it..but today I noticed her trying to sit up so she could reach the toy that's dangling in front of her. So I took a pic. :-)

Oh, my baby is growing up

Coconut oil

i found this on a blog today and I just felt the need to share. I've been using coconut oil on everything since it healed Cosette's diaper rash and we have found it to be awesome for our skin. Also, coconut oil is one of the only oil's out there that remains stable in high temperatures - which makes it the perfect oils to cook with (you can also buy the "expeller pressed" type that does not taste like coconut) Be careful when purchasing though because there is a such thing as hydrogenated coconut oil which is no good. You want to get a virgin coconut oil. I buy mine at the chiro's but I know you can get it at the grocery store with the other oils or in the health food section. This is where this lady gets her's http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil.htm

Anyway, here's the link to her blog http://www.deliciousobsessions.com/2012/01/52-uses-for-coconut-oil-the-simple-the-strange-and-the-downright-odd/

Also, she refers to "oil pulling" I've never heard of it before... but after reading this article: http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/article%20oil%20pulling.htm  I am anxious to try it.

Humor me and take some time to check it out :-)

Baby talk

Ok, Last video.. Cosette was being so cute smiling and "talking" I had to get it on camera. :-)

if the video doesn't come up you can click here or copy and paste this in your browser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zy-KcxnNZA&feature=youtu.be

Coco says "hello"

We wouldn't be good parents if we didn't have the irrational belief that our child is a prodigy. :-) But, really, doesn't it sound like she is saying "hello"? 

She had a mean diaper rash so we had her go without a diaper as much as we could... that's why her clothes are half off. :-)

Javan's Pagent

Last time I uploaded video's I waited until I had several to upload and it took me all day and I said to myself "Self, next time upload video's as you make them because it takes forever to upload."

Too bad I didn't remember that and now I have a few to upload and it is taking forever.

This is Javan singing at his pagent. **cutie**

If it doesn't work, just copy and paste this in your browser http://youtu.be/Wp11508p94A or click here

Brotherly Love

Javan loves to smother snuggle his little sister

This is one of my favorites. I love her face.

Help me decide

I have this picture of Javan and me framed on the wall in Javan's room

I want to put something similar of Cosette and Lance.
I have 2 to choose from and can't decide which one...
What do you think?

This one:

or This one:

And click the link here of some more pics of Cosette.