From the mind of a 4 year old

Mia dictated the following to Colin one Saturday afternoon while Jack and I were resting
Mia invites Mom & Dad to a birthday party. There will be birthday hats. You can make them out of paper, glitter, modelmagic fusion or playdough. It's going to be a special surprise for somebody who is a girl. We have to keep shoes on, but we have to surprise somebody who is a girl. You can't tell anyone Dad. But Mia and Dad are going to make an animal birthday cake. Any my dog is going to surprise Mommy too. We will make penguins. Ruffie and Mia love to surprise. Ruffie is my dog. We will do games, activities, music, adn stories. We will play with toys and riding center. When my brother is done having a nap and playing on my leap frog, I'm going to ask Santa for a pink leap pad. Love, Mia, Dad, Ruffie and cat.
If you have ever read "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" or "If You Give A Moose A Muffin" that is Mia. We jump from one thing to another in about 5 seconds. She wears me out!!! Jack and Mia are finally starting to play together a little more. Their favorite thing to do is run around the house opposite of each other and when they meet up they laugh and laugh these big belly laughs and turn around and do it again. It is my favorite thing to listen to.

Valentine's Celebrations

Valentine's day was expecially fun this year because Mia is in preschool. She was so excited that there was a party and that I got to be there. We made her Valentine's and she used enough glue to put down a pergo floor. They were wavy and wrinkly but she loved them! We spent about 3 days doing just 14. We printed, cut, glued and put stickers all over each one. It was a bit overwhelming, the mess that is, for me but the kids really had a fun time. Mia woke up at 4am that morning and didn't go back to sleep, something she has been randomly doing lately, so she fell asleep on the way to school. I practically had to push her out of the car to wake her up. Her party was great and she was so excited about every valentine she received. That night I wanted some pictures of the kids together in their red shirts and Mia "hurt" herself but when I got the camera out she was ready to grin. She is my drama queen. Jack even cooperated and I got some pretty good shots.

Colin, being the thoughtful man that he can be, got me a pot of flowers and my favorite chocolates. I didn't do anything for him. I didn't even fix a real dinner that night. My excuse was that I was super tired, which I was, and I was still getting over having a cold. He didn't seem to mind though. He knows me by now, that's why I love him so much!

BB update

Well, Jackson has decided that he can live without the binki and so have I. He asks for it when he is tired but hasn't thrown a fit about it which he is so good at doing these days. I am amazed and impressed with his attitude towards not having it. He is such a good boy!!!

Bye, Bye "B.B."

Today is a remarkable day for Jack, or for me, I took away Jack's second love in his life, his pacifier. I cut the tip off of 3 and Jack concluded that they had an owie. He threw 2 of them in the trash and one is on his chest of drawers to remind him that it is broke. He only cried for about 15 minutes at naptime and he is currently in bed and has cried out once in about 5 minutes. He can get going and keeps reminding us that he wants a BB or Binki. I have to admit that I am actually sad about taking away something that he loves so much and gives him so much comfort. He has loved it since the day he was born, literally. As I laid him down for bed my heart sank and my guilt grew but the fact that he isn't freaking out yet is a good sign. He is such a good boy and soooooo sweet. Alas, it is certainly time to let it go, he will be 2 in March afterall.

Pregnancy Blahs

Number 3 is going to be hard headed and strong willed, I just know it! I have been neauseated, which has never happened before, I have night sweats yet I seem to be freezing cold when I get into bed. Of course, I am so hungry most days I feel like I might me dying of starvation, my toes get crampy at night and worst of all I am only 9 weeks and my pants are fitting tightly. How I wish I had tried to loose 10 before I go pregnant. The gray winter sky of Cleveland doesn't help a whole lot and what was I thinking? Do I really need someone else to demand even more of my time? I feel so blessed to have this baby coming into our lives. Colin gave me a blessing and he said that this baby has been prepared to come to our family. How great is that? Mia still says it is a girl baby. She is so excited and that makes it even more fun for me. Jack is interested in babies and likes to hlep me take care of Aleah, the almost 1 year old I take care of 2 days a week. Mia is in to changing the babies diapers and wants to change Jack's also. It is very cute. I think I will take her next time so she can hear the heartbeat. Wow, you can see how rampant my emotions can be. Poor Colin. He is so patient and understanding.

Finding family

to the croshaw's who posted a comment on our blog. We are certainly related. Colin, my husband, is David's son. Colin said, "Yeah, it's Peter." I tried to post on your blog but it wouldn't let me. David and Debby also have a family blog at www.notthecroshaws.blogspot.com Funny how these things work out. I guess Colin knew that when we all lived in Blacksburg. I saw that she had a link to your blog and figured we were related. Small world.

8 weeks and counting

I went to the doctor today and had our first ultrasound of our next baby. I can't believe #3 is on the way. Of course it was planned and we are very excited. I really thought it would take longer to get the ball rolling however. Mia is very excited, she thinks it's a girl and was even calling the baby a "she" just about 5 minutes after we told her. She said my belly wasn't big though. I told her she just had to wait. We were playing on the floor and she had her feet on me and I told her not to put her feet on my stomach. She gave me that look of death, stuck her lip out and said, "Did I hurt the baby?" She just about fell apart. I quickly reassured her that she didn't, it was just more uncomfortable for me. It's fun to see her concern. This baby is due August 19. August is a big birthday month for the Croshaw family. We are going to be spending every day at the pool!! Here is a picture of the peanut.

Mommy, don't wake-up MY DADDY!

I just couldn't resist this picture. Colin didn't know until tonight that I had taken these. The man who slept through a tornado on his mission. We had to wake Jack up so he would go to bed. He doesn't like it when we do that! The picture quality isn't that great but Jack's expression is priceless.

Blessings, blessings, blessings!

Lately I have been trying to count my blessings and I have realized that I have so many more than I thought. I was getting discouraged about Colin not receiving any invitations for radiology interviews. We had prayed about leaving the surgery pursuit and heading in the direction of radiology and we knew by the end of the day that that is what we had to do. So, we have pursued that course for the past 4 months and to no avail. It has been very frustrating. Colin did have an ER spot offered to him here, in Cleveland, at the same hospital for next year. Up side- we wouldn't have to move, Mia could stay in the same pre-school she loves so much, we wouldn't have to pack and move, we have great insurance, a nice ward, a friend or two and many more reasons. The down side - 3 more very cold winters in Cleveland and this one isn't done yet. Obviously the ups outweigh the downs. But I thought that the Lord wanted us to do radiology so where was our door? Why wasn't he giving me what we wanted? It hit me right then, I remember I was walking into my bathroom, I get what I want everyday and I am so spoiled. So I haven't gotten the million dollars yet but that's beside the point, I have a warm house, a great family and my health, blessings that I could take forever counting. I love life and am so grateful for all that I have. If we are supposed to stay here than we will and I will love it! Or at least learn to really like it.

Merry Christmas!

We took some really great pictures of the kids Christmas Eve in their new P.J.s and then I deleted them all Christmas morning, on accident of course. So here is Christmas day. They weren't nearly as cooperative however. They are still cute aren't they? We had a great 4 day weekend together with Colin. We hope you all had a great Christmas also.