He LOVES church. . .

Isaac loves to go to church. He loves his room, the Colts room, and he loves to go to the worship room. Of course, he always mentions snack, too, as a favorite part of his time at church.

My sister goes to the same church we do and was at the same service as we were last Sunday. So after the service was over, she came back to "Little One's Way" with us to pick up the kids. You have to understand, that we attend a HUGE church with thousands of families and children. Each family has special ID tags and numbers that are necessary to pick up your children and to even enter the hallway. . . Anyway, I sent her to pick up Isaac so I could help Nate get the babies. . . I gave her my tag so she could show it to the teacher in Isaac's room. . . probably a mistake. . .

You see, Isaac never wants to leave church and often has to be bribed (or dragged) out. . . so when Caroline went to get him and the teacher there tried to bring him over to her, he yelled out, "SHE'S NOT MY MOM!!!"

Luckily, Caroline was able to explain everything. . . next time I'll send her to get a twin.

Censorship

I really don't like the way the word "gosh" sounds when it comes out of a child's mouth, so we try really hard not to say it in front of Isaac. He knows this, and we have taught them that it isn't a "nice" thing to say. . .

So to warn you, if YOU say it in front of him, even if you think he will not possibly hear you, he will flat out tell you, "We don't say gosh. . . " He has corrected friends, family, and the babysitter.

Last week at school he overheard his teacher say it, and sure enough, she was scolded. . . He knows not to say the other "G" word, either. . .

Censorship at its finest. . .

Generations. . .

The doll on the left was mine as a baby/child; the doll on the right is Olivia's. Both were made by Fisher Price. Obviously, there have been changes, but it is kind of fun to see the similarities, too. I brought mine home from my parents' house, cleaned it up, and now Olivia loves to play with it!

Good Manners

We've really been stressing good manners lately with Isaac. Sometimes he is really great at using his manners, and at other times he still needs a little help. . . The other day he wanted me to "go away," and he flat out told me, "GO AWAY, MOMMY! I, of course, informed him that saying that was not very nice!

His response: "May you go away please?"

Manners.

Late-Night Prowler

The other night I was so close to nice, deep sleep, and I was startled by a strange noise. It sounded like a cartoon or something. I listened again and heard nothing, so I figured I had dreamt it or it was just my imagination. However, a few minutes later, I heard it again. And it sounded an awful lot like Mickey Mouse talking. . . hmm. . .

Our little boy has a Mickey Mouse flashlight in his room that "talks." Giving our angel the benefit of the doubt, I figured he rolled on it in his sleep and thought I'd better go move it so it wouldn't wake him up, too. I opened the door to my bedroom, and. . . my angel, wide awake (with his flashlight) was about to enter the babies' bedroom. He wanted to go "look at the babies." In the middle of the night. And he did not look tired at all. And he did not understand why I would not let him go look at the babies. . .

Sigh.

A mother's job never ends. . . even after bedtime.

Got Dimples?

We often make comments about Olivia's dimples. We'll say, "Oh look at those dimples!" or "I see your dimples!"

Well today, I was changing Caleb out of his pajamas and into his clothes. Isaac was standing right next to me talking to Caleb, and I heard, "I see your dimples!" I kind of chuckled and kept on with what I was doing. Then I looked down and saw Isaac pointing to Caleb's nipples as he said, "Oh, you've got dimples!"

To be honest, I don't really know how to finish this one. . .

Look-Alikes. . .

The other day we were sitting at the table getting ready to eat, and out of nowhere, Isaac said, "Hey Mommy! The babies look like Jesus!"

Pretty cute. . .

4 - - -

- - - the number of pieces of dogfood I just took out of Caleb's mouth. . .

2 - - -

- - - the number of pieces of dogfood I took away from Olivia because as soon as I took Caleb away from the dogfood she got into it!

It's a SURE thing. . .

Isaac's favorite word lately is "SURE!"

If you ask him if he likes candy, he'll answer, "I SURE do!"

If you ask him if he can go get his shoes, he'll answer, "I SURE can!"

If you ask him if he will pick up a toy for one of the babies, he will answer, "I SURE will!"

Is this "new to us" expression completely cute. . . it SURE is!

TAG

I have been tagged. I am supposed to write 7 random facts about myself and then TAG 7 others to do the same. . . I've done this before, but it has been awhile, so I'll try to think of SOMETHING interesting to share. . .

1. Not to start on a downer, but this was the first thing I thought of. . . when I was 2 years old, I almost drowned in my grandmother's swimming pool. For some (odd) reason, she felt comfortable leaving me outside on my own while she ran inside of her house. I was riding a "big wheel" (remember those?) and decided to take a short-cut across the pool. . . I was in the water a few minutes. . . Although my grandmother left me out there alone, she also jumped in the pool and pulled me out. . . sometimes I think I may have some memories of the accident, but I'm not too sure. . . I was only 2. I was afraid of the dark for a long time after that. My parents pushed the swimming lessons so I wouldn't be scared of the water.


2. This is more about Nate than me. . . when I first got to know Nate, he enjoyed tormenting his mother by dying his hair blonde or black, wearing earrings, and painting his toenails blue. He must have used his outstanding personality to dazzle me way back then because it was all a little, well, weird. . . I'm sure some of you are surprised. . . Nate is definitely not a real wild guy!

3. My date to my senior prom was on the Dr. Phil show a few years ago! I was watching TV one day and saw the ad for the show that day and could not believe who I saw. He and his wife (now ex-wife) were on to talk to Dr. Phil about their son's behavior. The little guy was pottying on the TV and wouldn't keep his clothes on. . . stuff like that. Hopefully that is all taken care of by now. . . still laugh about that one from time to time!

4. 27 just might be my lucky number. My parents were married on July 27, 1974. My dad was 27 years old. I was born at 11:27 pm. My brother was born on July 27, 1979 at 12:27 pm. My sister was born at 8:27 am. I was in the 27th graduating class of Wawasee High School. My mailbox number at Ball State my freshman year was 27. . . hmm. . . I was put on bedrest during my 27th week of pregnancy with the twins. . . maybe 27 isn't exactly LUCKY, but it is kind of weird!

5. I talked to Bobby Knight once. . . When he was out promoting his book a few years ago, Nate and I stood in line for a VERY long time in VERY cold weather to have him autograph it for my dad. He asked me how I was doing and I told him I was freezing. Then he said, "Well, I got you the he#$ out of the cold, didn't I?" He was just teasing me and was actually very nice. I still think he's pretty cool. . . I know, some of you think I'm nuts, but he is a legend.

6. I am distantly related to William Jennings Bryan. He ran for President a few times and was the Secretary of State. He also had a very active role in the Scopes (Monkey) Trial and was very outspoken about evolution/Darwinism (He prosecuted the teacher for teaching evolution). And PapaJohn will love this. . . he was a DEMOCRAT!

7. I can't stand it when someone throws something into a trash can right after I've emptied it. It really only bothers me if it is one of the small trash cans in the office or bathroom. . . Nate does this to me ALL of the time! I know - it's a bit unreasonable because it IS a trash can. . . but if you're ever at my house and you see an empty trash can, you should think before you throw something in it! :)

I guess I am supposed to tag 7 people now, but I don't think I know 7 people who have blogs who read this, so I'll just do the best I can. . . definitely don't EXPECT anyone to do it, but it is kind of fun. . .

1 - Kriste
2 - Wendy
3 - Jen
4 - Debbie
5 - Crystal
6 - Erika
7 - Staci

Melt My Heart

Last weekend we were sitting around, and Isaac looked at me and said, "You're the greatest, Mommy!"

Last week I was talking to Isaac on the phone when I was on my way home from somewhere. He talked and talked and out of the blue said, "I just love you, Mommy!"

Sweet boy. . .

I have to go back and hold on to these moments when I'm having rough Mommy days. . .

Backseat Driver

I have a new "backseat driver" now. . . Isaac just LOVES to tell me how to drive. He will yell from his 3rd row seat, "It's green, Mommy! It's green!" or "It's a stop sign! STOP!" Some may think it is cute, but it is not all that fun when you're the driver! The most frustrating thing is when I'm stopped at a RED stoplight to go straight, and Isaac sees the GREEN arrow for the left turn lane. "Go, Mommy! Go! It's green!" Then I have to go into this long explanation of why we have to wait, speaking loudly above his music or video that is playing. . . UGH!

I guess I am just glad he is learning what RED and GREEN mean from his mother (because quite franky. . . sometimes his Daddy forgets!)

"I like your T, Daddy!"

Isaac and Daddy were playing on the floor earlier today. Nate's shirt came up a little in the back, revealing his tattoo, which is a cross. (Yes, I'm sure some of you are shocked that Nate has a tattoo. . . that's another story, though!)

Isaac, who has had to have seen this a million times, said, "I like your T, Daddy!" He was so excited about his compliment.

And then he lifted his shirt up in the back and asked, "Mommy, do you like my T?"

Mommy's response . . . "NO!"

Move the gate. . .

We had some friends over for lunch today. They have a 3 year old, Caleb, and a 10 month old, Abigail. Caleb and Isaac were playing "cars" behind the couch, and I had set up the gate so that the babies, who were all playing on the floor, would not disturb them.

After a few good minutes of playing, Isaac stood up and said, "Mommy, I need you to move the gate for me. I need something."

I said, "Okay, what do you need?"

Isaac responded, "I need. . . I need. . . I need to hug that baby." He was pointing at little Abigail.

We all got a good laugh out of that, and Abigail did get that hug. . . and then some!

Sharing

I was sitting on the couch earlier this evening. My glass of watered-down Cherry Coke was on the end table next to me. Isaac ALWAYS asks for a drink of my pop. He will beg and plead, telling me, "But I really like that kind." Every once in awhile I give in, but not too often. All that kid needs is a few mouthfuls of sugar. . .

Anyway, tonight, he asked for "some of that," pointing to my pop. I told him no - it was "yucky." (It really was no good - all of the ice had melted and it would have been no good.) A minute later, he brings me his water cup and gives it to me, telling me, "You can have some of mine." It was so sweet. And he insisted until I took a sip of his water.

Still didn't give in on the Cherry Coke, though. . . much to his dismay!

Honey

I call Isaac "Honey" at times. I do. Never though I would, but I do.

Tonight I had the kids outside, but it was close to "clean-up time." I needed to give baths and get the babies to bed. Nate was at church playing basketball, so I was on my own in getting it all accomplished. So I said to Isaac, "Honey, it's about time to clean up. We have to go inside."

Isaac was in the garage, and I heard, "Honey, I don't want to go inside yet!"

Still cracking up. . .

Watch what you wish for - - - you just might get it!

I try to take the kids out for a walk about every day. I put the babies in the double stroller, and Isaac usually rides his bike. The bad thing is, Isaac rides SO SLOWLY. It takes us FOREVER to get around the neighborhood. Sometimes I will just make him walk, too, so we can move a little faster. But, I really want him to learn to be comfortable on his bike. Well, on our walk yesterday, I thought I'd motivate Isaac a little bit. We would have a race. He was "Lightning McQueen" and I was "Chick," who is McQueen's big rival. . . (I'm referencing the Disney/Pixar movie CARS in case you don't know who I'm talking about).

Well, now Isaac rides so fast that I can barely keep up with him and have to tell him to slow down! And he flies by me saying, "Ha ha ha. . . you'll never beat me now!"

I think I may have crashed and burned here. . . or maybe I just need to be in better shape so I can keep up with him!

Just in case you ever wondered. . .

Isaac usually goes potty downstairs in our powder room. We keep a MagnaDoodle and some books in there for his entertainment. Isaac calls the MagnaDoodle his "drawing thing."

According to Isaac:

1. The "drawing thing" is for peeing.
2. The books are for pooping.

Like I said, just in case you ever wondered. . .

It's okay for Mommies to lie. . . sometimes. . .

Here are some appropriate times for Mommies to "lie" to their children:

1. Tooth Fairy

2. Easter Bunny

3. Santa Claus

4. When you're out on a walk in your nice, quiet, suburban neighborhood and you spot a dead cat next to a mailbox. . . it's okay to tell your very inquisitive 3 year old, "SHH! The kitty is sleeping!"

Oh Isaac. . .

• Awhile back Nate, Isaac, and I were in the basement. Nate and I were watching the US Open Tennis Tournament. It was early on in the tourney, so I didn't recognize the girls playing. One gal wasn't doing so swell, and I made the comment, "Wow! She's really stinkin' up the place." Isaac, wanting so badly to participate in the conversation said, "Yeah, that's DISGUSTING!" Nate and I could not stop laughing.

• The other day, I asked Isaac to "do me a favor." Olivia had dropped a toy behind the dresser/changing table, and I knew Isaac could easily reach it. He gladly complied. Then he looked at me and said, "Mommy, can you do me a fever? Can you move this chair over here?" I said no because it was not a good place for the chair to be, but a few seconds later, he asked me again, "Mommy, can you do me a fever?" Pointing to some baby toys that HE had placed at the bottom of the stairs, he asked, "Can you pick up those baby toys and put them in the basket, please?" It was so cute. I probably did end up picking up the toys. . . always do. . .

• Isaac wanted to wear his new "colts outfit" (see my other blog for the picture) to school today. When we were getting out of the car at school, Isaac was so excited and said, "Mommy, Miss Amber is going to LOVE my Colts outfit!" His Daddy is so proud that he's so into fashion. . .

• And my favorite, the other day we were in the kitchen. I had a box of the babies' cereal out. I typically buy the Gerber brand of cereal, so of course there is a picture of the Gerber baby on the front. Isaac saw it and said, "Look, Mommy! It's JESUS!" So cute. . . (Isaac thinks of and relates to Jesus as Baby Jesus most of the time).

No cape. . .

So Isaac informed me at dinner tonight that I am not SuperMommy because I don't have a "black thing back there" (in his words as he indicated that I do not have a cape).

But somehow he is SuperIsaac because he does, indeed, have an (imaginary) cape. . .

It's a wonder how his imagination works amazingly to his advantage!

Obedience

I have been talking to Isaac a lot about what it means to obey and what it means to disobey. We've talked about how it makes Mommy (or Daddy) happy when he chooses to obey, and it makes Mommy (or Daddy) sad when he chooses to disobey. I've also pulled the Jesus card and have talked about how it makes Jesus happy when Isaac obeys us, but it makes Jesus sad when he doesn't obey us. Bad SuperMom, I know.

Tonight Isaac was, well, choosing to disobey. So I reminded him that it does not make me happy when he disobeys.

Then Isaac said, on his own, "Sorry, Mommy!" I thanked him for his apology and told him how nice it was.

A few seconds later I heard, "Sorry, Jesus!"

AW. . .

Little does Isaac know how happy he just made Jesus (and Mommy). . .

Ooh. . . what have I done?

The other day I took all 3 kids out shopping for Nate's birthday gift. The babies were in their stroller, and Isaac was walking next to me. He was starting to wander away a little bit, so I gave him a big warning. . . and I'm thinking I may have done some psychological damage! I told him that he needed to stay right beside the stroller because I didn't want him to get lost or have a stranger take him. Ooh. I know what you're thinking. That's bad. . . Well, it worked that day, except the whole time we were walking around, Isaac was saying, "Where's the stranger?" and "The stranger can't take me, Mommy!" I was sort of hoping that he would forget about it, but he mentioned it again yesterday. He heard someone cough in the parking lot and said, "Oh, that's a stranger!" I've created a monster!

I have started talking to Isaac about what he should do if someone he doesn't know asks him to go with them. . . which is okay, I think. He should know about this. . . and I think he is old enough to understand it as I am presenting to him in an age-appropriate manner. I wasn't going to use it as a warning anymore, though. . .

And then today happened. . . we were all at Babies R Us shopping for a new car seat, and Isaac kept running down the aisles. I was growing so tired of it, that I told him he'd better "Come here!" Then I bent down and said, "You need to stay next to Mommy and Daddy. I don't want a stranger to take you, and I don't want you to get lost!" I can't remember exactly how I worded it, but it sounded a lot better coming out of my mouth at the time than it does as I type it and read it to myself!

But the kid didn't budge from my side again. . .

Psychological damage, I know. . . and you'd think a SuperMommy would be able to control her 3 year old better, huh?!

Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy. . .

I have been trying to teach Isaac that when he wants something from me or needs to ask me or tell me something, he only needs to say "Mommy" one time.

What I used to hear: "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy. . . "

What I hear now: "Mommy!"

Mommy: "Yes, Isaac?"

Isaac: "I said it one time!"

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Daddy's birthday is coming up on the 31st. Isaac and I were talking about it the other day.

Mommy: "What should we get Daddy for his birthday?"

Isaac: "Cake!"

Mommy: "That's a good idea. What else should we get him?"

Isaac, thinking hard: "CHEESE!"

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Already a Biblical Scholar. . .

Crystal told me this story. . . we all got a good laugh from this one!

Isaac, Vinny, and Crystal were reading Bible stories, and they read the story of the Biblical Isaac and Abraham. Crystal was showing him in the picture that the boy's name was Isaac also. At first Isaac laughed and said, "No, I'm Isaac!" So, Crystal explained that both of their names were Isaac. Then he pointed to Abraham and said, "And that's Vinny!"

Note: I have confirmed with Crystal that the picture was NOT one of Abraham (a.k.a. Vinny)preparing to sacrifice Isaac. . .

What a smart boy!

Isaac was trying to tell Caleb what not to do the other day during lunch. . . and so we had a little discussion about WHO is in charge at our house. Here is a summary of how it went:

Mommy: "Isaac, you are not in charge. Mommy is in charge and Daddy is in charge."

Isaac: "Daddy's not in charge. He's a boy."

Mommy: "Boys can't be in charge?"

Isaac: "No. Just girls are in charge. Mommy is in charge, and Olivia is in charge."

Hmm. . . maybe I am doing something right. . .

The Name Game

When Isaac was at Crystal's house the the other day, they were talking about names. Crystal asked Isaac what he called Olivia, and he said, "Olivia." She asked him what he called Caleb, and he said, "Caleb." Then Crystal asked what Daddy called Olivia. Isaac gave her a list, including "Sugars." She asked him what Mommy called Olivia, and he told her, "Livi."

Then she asked him what Mommy calls Caleb, and Isaac responded, "Caleb Anthony Haugh!"

Well. . . I can't say I haven't done it. . . the whole "full name" thing. . . but I can say that Isaac has heard "Isaac Nathaniel Haugh" much more than Caleb has heard his full name!

Oh boy. . .

Just what do you say to this. . .

Disclaimer: This post contains the words pee-pee, poo-poo, and penis. If you are already offended, quit reading now. . .

Isaac was finishing up in the potty this afternoon, and he began talking about how Elmo goes pee-pee and poo-poo in the potty. (He has a video and a book about going potty - both starring Elmo).

I said, "Yes, that's right! He does!"

Isaac responded, "But Elmo doesn't have a penis!"

By golly, he's right! Elmo doesn't wear clothes, and it is quite obvious that he does not have one of those. . .

If you have an suggestions on how to explain that one to Isaac, feel free to let me know!

Conversation at the Park

Little girl to Isaac: "Will you be my best friend?"

Isaac: "Yes!"

So cute!

Then the little girl ran off and asked someone else the same question. . .

Oh well!

Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da. . .

The babies are babbling like crazy now! Their favorite consonant sound is the "d" sound - which leads to a lot of "dadadadadadadada." I know they aren't saying "Dada" for Nate - as a speech therapist (and a reasonable person) I know this. . .

But it wouldn't really hurt my feelings too much if they were saying, "Dada," and here's why:

• When they're saying "dadadadadada," I can look at Nate and say, "I think they want YOU to change their diapers/put them to bed/feed them/etc. . . "
• I also know from experience that even if they do say "Dada" before they say "Mama," they'll be saying "Mommy" the rest of their childhood. . . especially if they are anything like Isaac. . . I hear "Mommy-Mommy-Mommy-Mommy-Mommy" in my sleep these days!

Big News

You know it is BIG NEWS if it makes The Mail Journal, the small-town newspaper of my hometown. My parents brought a paper to us this weekend, and we got a good laugh out of this one. We think Ellen or Jay Leno need to know about it. . . they'd get a good laugh.

This was under the Accidents/Incidents section.

• Sunday, 8:15 am. EMS Lane. . . Driver: Miller, 66 (I won't put his whole name in, poor guy. . . ) Miller reported driving in a convertible when a bird pooped on his passenger's leg. Miller then looked for a towel in the vehicle, and the vehicle ran off the road, striking a parked pontoon boat trailer, two mailboxes, and a waste container. Damage up to $5,000.

Bet his insurance company loved that story!

He's officially "gone". . .

It has happened. Officially. I knew it would happen, but I just didn't know when. . . Nate is totally, completely, one hundred percent SMITTEN with Olivia. Those of you who know the Haughs know that the Haughs produce males. Nate's father was one of 3 boys. Nate is one of 3 boys. On the Haugh side, 3 out of Nate's 4 cousins are boys. For years there were only Haugh boys until Madi was born 7 years ago! When we got married, Nate pretty much told me I could kiss my chance at having a little girl goodbye because Haughs produce males! He was always okay with that, having grown up with only boys and being a little clueless about girls. . . but I still hoped for a girl one day. I remember his Uncle Todd (who has the only other girl on this side of the family) telling Nate that having a little girl is great and that if he had one he'd be wrapped around her little finger. . . I also remember Nate saying, "Nah. . . not me!"

Oh, but it has happened. Sure, Nate loves Caleb and Isaac just the same, but when he comes home from work he looks at Caleb and says, "Hi Squirt!" Then he looks at Olivia and says, "Hi Sweetie," only it sounds more like "Hiiiiiiiiiiiii Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeetieeeeeeee." (Can't quite figure out how to emphasize how he says it.) He's gone. . . far gone. And it's even worse when she's wearing a cute little outfit.

I wouldn't be fair if I didn't say this: She is totally gone, too. Her eyes light up when she sees her Daddy, and the girl knows how to use those dimples to her advantage.

Boy are we in trouble. . . but it sure is cute to see it all going down!

For those of you who knew Nate growing up and in high school, I promise you I am telling you the whole truth. . . and nothing but the truth. I wish I could video tape it for you all! I can just hear Kelley and Denise chuckling right now - and maybe giving a little (ahh) sigh!

Watch what you say. . .

Isaac decided that he was going to be a puppy today when we got home. So we spent the evening dealing with extra panting, barks, and all around doggy behavior. During dinner, we had to threaten a "time-out" for something (can't remember that now). . .

Little Isaac then said, "But I'm a dog, Mommy!"

Mommy responded, "Then I'll have to put you in your crate."

BIG MISTAKE!

The rest of the night, Isaac is saying, "Mommy, lock me in the crate. Lock me in the crate!"

Oh good. I hope he goes to school and tells this story tomorrow!

Recent "Isaac-isms"

• The other night when I was trying to get out of Isaac's room at bedtime after our little routine, Isaac said to me, "Mommy, I need to tell you a question." So cute. . . and such a staller!
• Tonight Isaac had been in time out, and I said to him, "You need to go tell Daddy that you're sorry." So Isaac walks up to Nate and says, "You're sorry, Daddy!" Had to laugh!
• The other day at Crystal's house, Isaac asked his pal Vinny if he wanted to learn some complex words. . . and then proceeded to teach him what some complex words were. If you ask him what they are, he will tell you all about silent e. It's amazing what he soaks up.

Can't wait to see what else is in store for us and little Isaac!

2 words

"Borrowed" this from my sis-in-law - I like doing things like this. . . Here goes. . .

1. Where is your cell phone? kitchen counter
2. Where is your significant other? on treadmill
3. Your hair? a mess
4. Your mother? friend, shopper
5. Your father? friend, golfer
6. Your favorite things? twins, Isaac (and I have to cheat and add naptime)
7. Your dream last night? can't remember
8. Your favorite drink? cherry coke
9. Your dream goal? write books
10. Your hobby? blogging, reading
11. Your fear? losing people
12. Where you want to be in 6 years? wife, mommy
13. Where you were last night? at home
14. What you're not? size 4
15. Muffins? cinnamon streusel
16. One of your wish list items? swimming pool (dream on)
17. Where you grew up? Syracuse, Indiana
18. What are you wearing? capris, shirt
19. Your TV? not on
20. Your pets? Oliver, Chloe
21. Your computer? good enough
22. Your life? busy, blessed
23. Your mood? bummed, tired
24. Missing someone? yes, already
25. Your car? Honda Odyssey (LOVE IT)
26. Something you're not wearing? shoes, socks
27. Favorite store? bullseye - SuperTarget
28. Your summer? work, fun
29. Like someone? of course
30. Your favorite color? red & more
31. When is the last time you laughed? tonight, Isaac
32. When is the last time you cried? yesterday, today

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T LEAVE YOUR PURSE AT MY HOUSE. . .

1. If you live miles and miles away, I will have to mail your purse to you.
2. You will ask for me to OVERNIGHT it to you because you will want your purse back as soon as possible, which is understandable.
3. I will have to go to the post office in the morning since you will want me to OVERNIGHT your purse to you.
4. I WILL HAVE TO TAKE ALL 3 KIDS TO THE POST OFFICE!
5. I don't like to take all of my kids to the Pendleton post office because there is not a ramp! (Technically there is, but you have to go to the back of the post office, go up the ramp and then ring a little doorbell. Then the postal worker has to run back and forth to complete your transaction . . it is really for people with physical handicaps, not SuperMoms.) The post office is also right on the main street in Pendleton, so it also scares me to have a baby carrier in each hand causing me to have very little control over Isaac.
6. But. . . I am SMART! I get online and look up all of the post offices that are nearby. I see there is one at the Meijer in Anderson! Great! I will go there! I need to pick up a few things anyway!
7. I go to Meijer, 3 kids in tow. The babies are in the shopping cart and my darling 3 year old is on his hands and knees playing with the wheels of the shopping cart. . . oh goody!
8. The first brainiac at Meijer takes my package and immediately asks someone to trade her because she has no idea how to mail a package. ??? Brainiac #2 takes over. He processes the package and is trying to figure out which special slip needs to go on it for NEXT DAY DELIVERY. Brainiac #3 comes back from break. Now she is actually a real brainiac because she tells brainiac #2 that Meijer cannot guarantee next day delivery. . . UGH! A little frustrating since the US Post Office website lists Meijer as a POST OFFICE!
9. So - I ask her to tell me where the closest post office in Anderson is. She gives me directions. It really isn't close at all. . . but we'll try to find it.
10. Um. . . SuperMom did not bring the stroller, so there really is no point in going to the Anderson post office when the whole point in avoiding the Pendleton post office was due to the fact that it is not stroller-friendly.
11. I drive back to town, calling Nate because I am so frustrated. Is there ANY way he can get home from work by 5 so I can just go to the post office when he gets home? Nate is having a horrible morning at work because 3 employees called off. Probably can't get home before 5. . . back to square 1 again!
12. I decide that if there is a parking spot right in front of the post office, I will go ahead and mail the package.
13. There's a parking spot! I give Isaac a huge lecture on how dangerous the cars are.
14. I get the babies out - one on each arm - and threaten Isaac that he'd better stay by my side. The carrier + baby combo easily weighs over 20 pounds, which is why my arms don't jiggle as much as they used to! I guess that's a good thing. . .
15. OOPS! I need to get the package, too. . . but I don't have another arm or two to carry it.
16. My very strong 3-year old gets to carry the package.
17. My arms are burning by the time we get in the post office. Isaac's must be, too, because he is grunting as he walks up the steps with the package in his hands. The package weighs in at 3 pounds, 9 ounces. . . (My goodness, what exactly is IN this PURSE?!) I mail the package. Time to go back out.
18. Isaac is threatened once again to stay beside me. . .
19. We all make it back to the van in one piece.
20. I decide that I cannot come up with a quick lunch before Olivia's physical therapist arrives, so we get McDonald's! I needed that big McD's Coca-Cola after this excursion!

This is lovingly dedicated to my wonderful mother, who left her 3 pound, 9 ounce purse at my house on Sunday. . . Love you, Mom!

It's here. . .

I've been wondering when it was going to come. . . and the time is now.

Isaac's new favorite question:

WHY?

MANNERS

We've really been working on manners with Isaac lately. This is how our little "lesson" went this morning.

Isaac: "Mommy, put my socks on!"

Mommy: "Please!"

Isaac: "Please."

Mommy puts Isaac's socks on.

Mommy: "Now what should you say?"

Pause.

Mommy: "You should say 'thank you'."

Isaac: "Thank you."

Pause.

Isaac: "Mommy, say 'You're welcome'!"

And so the student becomes the teacher. . .

A New Occupational Hazard???

This is the question that was asked of me today by a 4 year old little boy:

"Can I lick your feet?"

HUH?!

Later he asked a little girl in his class the same question and then proceeded to spell the word FEET with his play-doh.

Well, at least he asked. . . that's one of his goals!

Papa's Influence

PapaJohn, Grandma Becky, and Uncle Tony were here for a visit this week. On Wednesday evening we were trying to figure out what to have for dinner. . . so we asked Isaac what we should have. . .

Isaac's response, "DONUTS!"

The boy sure knows what to expect when his Papa is around!

A Girlfriend?

Isaac was outside picking dandelions today. When I was little, we used to hold them up to our chins, and if your chin looked yellow, it meant that you "liked a girl/boy."

I held a dandelion up to Isaac's chin and saw it was yellow. So I asked him, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Isaac said, "Yes!"

I asked him who it was. . .

Isaac's very excited response: "VINNY!"

Teething Bites

We had a rough, rough night last night (or should I say a rough, rough early morning). Olivia was up off and on from about 12:30 to 5:00 this morning. We aren't sure what the deal was, but we are assuming she is teething. She seems to have swollen gums and it feels like something is trying to pop through. Isaac was never like this when he teethed. . . it isn't fun! I'm hoping for a much better night tonight. Please, please, please. . . .

Cute onesie. I wish they made a "teething bites" shirt for Mommies and Daddies, too. . .

What a way to wake up!

At 5:37 am, the house started shaking. . . and it shook for a good 15-20 seconds. I was completely confused as to what was going on. Nate had already left for work. I turned on the radio to see what they were saying, but it was just music. I decided to just go back to sleep if I could.

When I got up around 7 (due to Isaac knock-knock-knocking), I turned on the news. Sure enough, it was an EARTHQUAKE! How strange! 5.2 on the scale, which is considered a "moderate" earthquake.

Only in. . . Indiana????????

Another "Isaac-ism". . .

The other day, Isaac was wanting one of his toys that was out of reach. He was whining and grunting and pointing at it for me to get it (a new behavior we are trying to discourage).

I said, "Isaac, use the magic words," thinking he knew what that meant because he had mentioned the 'magic words' the night before.

Isaac responded, "Meeska, Mouska, Mickey Mouse!"

For those of you who watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, you know that these are the magic words to make the clubhouse appear.

I had a good laugh - and I had to give him his toys.

A good "Isaac-ism" to share. . .

Last night we were eating dinner. Our dog Chloe was hovering by Isaac's feet, waiting for a crumb to drop. . .

Our little academic, Isaac, said, "How do you spell Chloe? What letter comes first?"

Before Nate or I had a chance to say anything, Isaac is going, "Kw-kw-kwo-wee. . . Q!"

He was so excited that he figured out that first letter!

I'm still laughing!

???

Questions, questions, questions. . .

I took Isaac for his 3 year check-up on Monday (he's doing great, by the way). Our pediatrician always gives us a handout for "what to expect" at a specific stage of development. The first thing Isaac's "3 year old" paper said was: "Three year olds ask more questions than a district attorney." I kind of laughed. Isaac asks questions, but not tons and tons.

Well, that was MONDAY.

On Tuesday, we were going to school. The entire trip, this is what I heard: "Mommy, where is the sun?" or "Where is the sun, Mommy?"

And so it begins. . .

Unfortunately, I cannot bring myself to type up some of the questions he has asked the past 2 days or so. . . let's just say he has realized that HE has something that his Mommy and sister do NOT have. . .

Not taking my own advice. . .

Parents always tell me how there are things about their kids' speech that they don't want to change. . . like how "cute" it is when they say their r's and l's wrong. . . or how "cute" it is that they say "titty tat" for "kitty cat." As a speech-language pathologist, I'm not supposed to think those things are "cute," and I never really have thought they were. . .

Until now. . .

Isaac can't say the /r/ sound yet (which is completely fine at his age). He usually substitutes an /l/ sound for an /r/ sound. My favorite thing he says right now is, "What's your problem?" Only it comes out, "What's your ploblem?" It is so. . . . dare I say. . . "CUTE."

The other night we were eating dinner with Grandma and Papa while they were visiting. Grandma and Papa had some broccoli, and Grandma offered some to Isaac. He just touched it (never tasted it) but looked at me and said, "Mommy, I don't like bloccoli." Awwwww. . . .

The thing I always tell parents is to repeat what their children say back to them the RIGHT way. So if their child says "wabbit," they should say, "Yes, that's a rabbit."

But I have found myself looking at Isaac lately and saying, "Hey Isaac, what's your ploblem?"

NEVER say NEVER

Yep, it's ours. . . never say never!

(And we love it so far!)

Dinner Conversation

Nate's parents are going to be visiting us soon. We were talking about it a little bit at dinner tonight and said, "Hey Isaac! Guess who's coming this weekend?"

Isaac's response: "JESUS!"

Hey. . . you never know. . .

Some things I've noticed as a Mommy of twins. . .

1. PEOPLE STARE AT US - Everywhere we go, people stare. It doesn't really bother us; it makes us laugh, really. Nate and I usually just chuckle and move along. If someone is with me that isn't usually out with me, I warn them that they will be stared at - and often!

2. PEOPLE TALK ABOUT US - I notice people whispering and pointing at us when we're out. Last night we were leaving a restaurant. Nate was several feet ahead of me with the twins in their carriers, and I followed behind with Isaac. As I was walking through the waiting area, I heard someone say, "Either they are (twins) or they had them REALLY close together." For a minute I thought about saying, "Oh, they're twins!" I didn't, though. . . I had a nice laugh, though, as I left the restaurant.

3. PEOPLE ASK US QUESTIONS - People ask us all sorts of questions, and nothing seems to be off limits! Here are a few samplings of questions we are asked:

• Are they twins? Always makes us laugh. . . of course they are! I think when the twins are older I will understand this question a little more. Sometimes I just feel like saying, 'Nah. . . had one and then SURPRISE - the other one came about 3 months later. . . "
• Are they identical? This one makes me laugh, too. People usually ask this before they think about it. . . one boy, one girl. . . nope, not identical!
• Do twins run in your family? Nate and I usually say "Yes." We both do have multiples in our families. Nate has twins and triplets; I have triplets. . . saying "yes" to this question avoids questions like the one below. . . A friend once told me she says, "WELL, THEY DO NOW!" I like that answer, too!
• Are they natural? Hate this question. . . especially when asked by a total stranger! I dealt with it my entire pregnancy and will probably be answering it the rest of my life! Of course they are NATURAL! Is there such a thing as an artifical baby? I know what people are getting at when they ask me this, and I think I will always get defensive about it. And for some reason, I always feel like I have to explain things to people (even though it is none of their business). Infertility is heart-wrenching, and my heart breaks for those who struggle with it.

We're getting used to the whispers and stares and questions and feel so overwhelmingly blessed with our little family. . . It has been a huge adjustment, and we have moments that are VERY DIFFICULT. I won't say that there haven't been tears shed. . . I think I've had a moment or two that all 3 kids AND Mommy have been crying at the same time. . . but I wouldn't trade my life for anything.

The Poo Poo Choo Choo!

We tend to fill up the Diaper Genie rather fast these days (wonder why?). When we empty it, this is what it tends to look like. . . and we've somehow nicknamed it the Poo Poo Choo Choo. Isaac loves to pull the Poo Poo Choo Choo out to the garage when it is time. . . we all get a kick out of it. And yes, we do make him wash his hands when he's done!

Knock-knock-knock!

Knock-knock-knock! This is what we hear at least one time each night. . . usually it is 2, 3, 4 times. Post bedtime, little Isaac knocks on his door. Last night (or this morning) the knock-knock-knocks (there are ALWAYS 3 knocks) occurred at 2:30 am and at 5:30 am. There is no rhyme or reason to the timing of the knock-knock-knocks, but they are happening every night now! Sometimes you can hear the pitter patter of little feet or a jump off of the bed before you hear the knock-knock-knocks, but most of the time it startles and scares us out of our sleep. Nate and I usually take turns to see what the catastrophe is. . . this morning I believe it was that he needed something out of his stuffed animal basket (which is something he could easily do for himself). . . I'm not sure what it was the other time. It could be that he wants his pants changed (the child does not wet his pants at school, but he for some reason refuses to "hold it" during the night.) It could be that he cannot find a stuffed animal in his bed (because he insists upon having about 20 in his bed so it's no wonder he can't find a specific one. . . ) It could be that his music has stopped (even though this can't be the case because we purposefully keep his CD on "repeat" mode). Who knows? It's always something new. . . and sometimes all you have to do is tell him to get back in bed and you're good as gold.

We don't know what started the knock-knock-knocks. We just hope they end. . . SOON! Now that the babies are ALMOST sleeping through the night, we would prefer to not wake up to the knock-knock-knocks! Every night when we put Isaac to bed, we warn him, "No knocking!" I've even threatened to take his blanket, his turtle, or his Ike dog from him if he knocks, but doing this would be more of a punishment for me and Nate than it would be for Isaac.

Oh well. . .

Here's hoping for no knock-knock-knocks tonight! Mommy's TIRED!

Itsy Bitsy. . .

Yes, we bought Olivia a bathing suit. . . an itsy bitsy bikini. You wouldn't believe the cute little bathing suits that they have out there for little girls. NATE is actually the one who insisted that she have a bikini. I think we both feel like we will allow her to have one now and maybe next year, and then no more bikinis for a long, LONG time! I can hardly wait to see her chubby thighs and chunk of a belly in this thing. And yes, I know, I will have to slather her with sunscreen when she does wear it, which probably won't be as often as she wears the one piece suit she has. . . She may only wear it once just for the photo opportunity. But still, I had to share. . .

Naughty Spot

Isaac has been in the "naughty spot" THREE times today. Actually he was there THREE times by 1:30 pm! What in the world?!

We used to call a time-out "time-out," but for some reason, "naughty spot" does the trick a little bit better. Thank you, SuperNanny! Isaac does NOT like the "naughty spot."

We started out saying "naughty chair." Then I realized that not every place will have a "naughty CHAIR," but every place WILL have a "naughty SPOT."

Oh, Isaac. . . you are so much fun, but you are such a little stinker sometimes! Luckily we have been free of the "naughty spot" for about 5 hours now. . . here's hoping for a smooth evening!

Tag

I have been tagged. . . I guess this means I am supposed to blog 7 weird/random facts about ME. Here goes:

1 - No one has ever been able to say my last name - even now that I am married. Growing up, Mahnensmith was hard for everyone. That's pretty understandable when you look at it. People that knew our family for a long time still couldn't say it. You'd think Haugh would be better, but it really isn't. We get everything, including HOG and HO. There was a time at work when a woman, a mother whose child I had seen in speech for over 2 years, kept referring to me as Mrs. Ho. . . lovely.

2 - Nate CANNOT beat me at Scattergories. Just can't. He tries, but has never, ever beat me. We don't play games very much anymore (since the twins were born anyway), but he does not like it if I pick Scattergories. . . he knows he will have to accept defeat AGAIN. About the only person who CAN beat me in Scattergories is my brother. That is because he makes up ridiculous answers and argues until everyone agrees that they are acceptable.

3 - I have a steel-trap mind. I remember everything. I remember the birthdays of people I went to elementary school with. I remember what I wore on my first date with Nate. . . I remember a lot of weird things. Nate hates it because I am really good at bringing stuff up just to make him crazy. . .

4 - My most embarrassing moment ever was at my 5 year high school reunion when I asked a girl there if she knew if she was having a boy or a girl. . . but she was NOT pregnant. Enough said. . .

5 - My hometown is Syracuse, Indiana, which is WHERE Lake Wawasee is located. The following scenario happens to me ALL of the time (and it drives me crazy):

• Random Person- "Where are you from?"
• Me - "A small town about 2 hours north of here - Syracuse."
• Random Person - "Never heard of it."
• Me - "Have you ever heard of Lake Wawasee?"
• Random Person - "Yeah. I went there every summer to visit my grandma." or "I used to go to this place called The Frog all of the time!"
• Me - "Well, Lake Wawasee is in Syracuse."
• What I really want to say - "DUH! You were in Syracuse. Are you kidding me?!"

6 - Whenever I vacuum, I like all of the "sweeper marks" (I'm not sure what else to call them) to be in the same direction, and it really bothers me if they aren't. Luckily, at our new house, the carpet does not really show any "sweeper marks," so it makes vacuuming nice and easy! (I do kind of miss the "sweeper marks," though. They gave me a sense of cleanliness, I suppose.)

7 - I have a note from high school from a friend that is folded like a house. . . remember how you used to do that? On the house, she drew 2 people and a mailbox that says "Mr. and Mrs. Haugh." Yes, that is WEIRD! This particular friend had kind of a crazy crush on Nate, who I didn't know or even talk to until we were in college, and she thought it would be fun to tell people that I liked him. (She also told ME that she and Nate dated and a lot of other things that were not true, but that is another story.) I kept the note and still have it somewhere in a box. It makes me laugh whenever I find it when I'm going through things. . .

I guess I am supposed to "TAG" 7 people to do the same thing, so I will tag:

1-Jen

2-Wendy

3-Allie

4-Darcey

5-Jennie

6-Staci

7- Monica

I don't really EXPECT you all to do this, but it is kind of fun. . .

The "C" Word. . .

Isaac said the "c" word today. . . yes, he said CRAP. Actually he said, "Oh, crap!" I kept saying, "Isaac, what did you say?" while Nate LAUGHED in the next room. I guess we REALLY need to watch what we say around him from now on. . . and no more watching basketball with Daddy for awhile. . . which will be hard since March Madness is about to begin!