The Perfect Day!!

So bare with me while I tell you about our fabulous day we've been having, thus far....as I type this at 3pm on Monday....there are still plenty of minutes left to be filled with happiness or frustration but we are headed down the pathway of happiness.  To start the day Maddox slept in till like 6.30, PAST the turning on of her green alarm clock....which she has been doing very well with lately.  I got up about 7 and started the daily process of just getting things going for the week. I was able to get 2 loads of laundry done, the kitchen picked up, counters cleaned, and the kitchen floor swept all before KTK woke up at 7.45!! I was a moving machine.  Maddox was OVERLY happy and just in general in a good mood excited to eat one of Grandma Jean's muffins I had frozen from last weekend.  KTK woke up just as happy as lark as well. Maddox showered him with books in the crib while I quick vacuumed the downstairs, the green braided rug and the debris that I had swept up ( best to do the vacuuming without little people underfoot...way more efficient).  I came upstairs to a happy BRO and SIS entertaining themselves.  We all got dressed, brushed teeth, and got ready for the day.  KTK had a quick breakfast and it was off to get Maddox's hair cut.  We had a little wait at the haircut place but the kids literally danced around to the jammin' music until it was Maddox's turn.  She did really well and came out with a fabulous haircut.  Kennon also happily rearranged all the haircare products on the shelves :) We then loaded up and headed for the park. The weather was fabulous this AM and we spent more time than I had planned playing at the playground...!! We were all soakin' up the vitamin D and gettin' in a lot of laughs.  Kennon was all over the place, way more interactive than the last time we were at this playground last fall. Just goes to show his motor skills have really improved. We then hit HyVee where I was pleasantly surprised to have more time with 2 happy kids AND a gallon of milk was only $1.99 and the bags of shredded HyVee cheese were only $1.18 AND we got two free boxes of the expensive organic Kashi cereal ( yes....GRAMMY....lots of bargains..!! )  On the way home I took a detour as it was a nice day I had the sunroof open on the van and decided to check out all the building around our house....it is literally maddening to see all the new houses going up around us!!  The longish drive allowed both kids to fall asleep which actually worked in my favor as they were both happy enough and recharged just a bit to make it through a completely efficient and happy lunch with both kids cleaning their plates of turkey, blueberries, green beans, and organic bunny crackers!!  Their happiness allowed me to get an entire pot of chili on the stove while they were eating and playing with the stacking cups...!!  Then they both went down without a peep and have been sleeping since 1.30PM.  Now if there is someone who knows how to replicate the above day I would likely pay them.  I have gotten so much accomplished AND gotten to spend some great quality happy time with the kiddos.  Now back to the prior format for the blog. I don't have a lot of funny things to write since it has only been a week.

Maddox with her baby at church

Maddox and Eric fixing up the swing set roof.

Kennon headed down the Noah's Ark church slide.

Getting a little 'help' from Maddox above and below....

I envision using this photo in her wedding day/college day collage.....

Maddox decorating her Valentine bag

Maddox and Kennon making quick work of the Valentine stickers they received in the mail from Grammy Papa Dick Grandma Jean and Grandpa Jim

Making OATMEAL cookies

Maddox in her new hand me down sweater from the girls across the street 

I love this shot.....Kennon Papa Dick Maddox Grammy

Great Grandma Berg llooovveess to sit and watch the kids....particularly Kennon

Kennon ready to slide at the park today....56 degrees!

The finished product....a stable roof 

1.  We were saddened to get a letter from the City of Bettendorf this weekend re the possible rezoning of the land to the East of our house. Luckily it is going to be rezoned for single family homes and not commercial but we will be sad to see our great view go.  I"m hoping it won't be for another year or so, looking forward to having corn and tractors in our backyard again this summer.  Eric is going to the council meeting tomorrow evening to see what's up.

2.  We had pink mashed potatoes the other night for Valentine's day....a Knowles family tradition ( next up green- for St. Pat's day).  I made them from scratch and they turned out fabulous and the kids really enjoyed them.  I ALSO had Eric grill us some great chicken from Fareway. I had cut up several pieces and put them on Maddox's plate. After stalling quite a bit and clearing her plate of the potatoes and green beans she counted aloud ' 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.....Mom there are 8 pieces of chicken on my plate....that is too many. You need to take some off!'  I'm not sure if she thought counting them out loud was going to impress me to take some off or what??  She finally finished her plate coaxed with a homemade Valentine treat from my PT friend Katie. Kennon on the other hand had like 3 servings of chicken.

3. Last Monday the kids and I made homemade cranberry oatmeal cookies. I had told Maddox that we were going to make oatmeal cookies and she very quickly said 'I want to make cookies but I don't wanna put oatmeal in them....'     LOL

4.  Saturday evening before church we went to Chipotle for dinner. It is one of our favorite spots and the kids scarf up what I think is relatively healthy food, cheese, brown rice, black beans, and organic white milk. They LOVE to go to Chipotle and are generally in good moods during the visit. Eric and I enjoy it as well as it is perfect for our healthy diet, protein and lots of veggies. Anyhow this time when we arrived Maddox was quick to spot a black lab dog much like Spook, for those of you who knew Spook. This dog was most definitely a working dog as the beautiful lady that was with her was blind.  So we quick had an educational talk about the working dog and Maddox really seemed to get it.  Later in the meal Kennon finally spotted the dog and as loud as he could he shouted repeatedly DOG DOG DOG DOG. Maddox quickly gave HIM the educational lesson on the black lab dog and he quickly quieted down.  He is going to learn so much from her in the coming years.

5.  The kids are REALLLLLY into Finding Nemo these days. They LOVE it and know all the fishes' names.  So most of you know there is Nemo the main fish, then Marlin, Nemo's Dad and then Dori, the blue fish that is played by Ellen DeGeneres who helps Marlin find Nemo. Anyhow I was covering for a co-worker of mine on Friday and was down on the Southwest side of Davenport.  I went to this not so nice house and inside was a nice guy and 2 huge aquariums ( pretty typical for SW Davenport....house falling down but ya got 2 huge aquariums.....oh how I have become accustomed to my nice Bettendorf territory....good for me to go down south again).  Anyhow I could barely do therapy with the guy because I was so mesmerized by the fish..!! I happened to look up at just the right time to see a real live DORI fish.  It was so cool. I immediately told Maddox when I finally got home at 6pm that night...( a long day).  She said ' When I grow bigger can I go to see the Dori fish with you Mom?'   I think we may need to take the kids to the aquarium to see all the real fish.  Even I was like....'wow that is cool to see a real live DORI fish'

6.  BasementUpdate- We will be receiving the 2nd of the 3 bids on Friday at noon. I anticipate we will end up going with this particular builder and he TOO can start in March.  We have really been cleaning out and organizing the basement and it is starting to look like it's ready for some construction.

7. Both kids slept for over 2 hours this afternoon and we just finished a nice chili dinner. There was a fair amount of protesting to get their bowls cleaned but we ended on a fairly high note and Eric is now playing duck duck goose with the kids.

8.  As you can see from the video Maddox has become quite teacher'ish.  She loves to read books to Kennon despite him rarely actually giving her his full attention.  The other day she was 'reading' Kennon and I a book. She had in her hand 'Snowmen at Night' but was actually telling/saying a story about Nikki and Babba and animals and a mitten???? I had no idea what book she was describing but defiintely one from school as I didn't recognize it from anything that we have around here.    I was describing what she was saying to Grammy a few hours later and Grammy was able to identify it as 'The Mitten'  We now have our very own copy of 'The Mitten' compliments of Grammy.

9.  Happy Birthday to Granmda Jean!! She celebrated a BIG day on Saturday. Despite not being with her we were sending her lots of Happy Birthday wishes and love. We love you Grandma Jean.

What's Happening....

Cinderella 'Maddox' on a Sunday morning home with Dad. Doesn't her hair look long...!  Might need to get it trimmed up. Her bangs are about grown out. 

Grandma Doris and the kids snuggling while catching some toons post nap. 

Snow White 'Maddox' eating a mexican ommlet made by Dad... check out the Cinderella slippers

Kennon must have stepped up on this stool 50 times one night. He was so proud of himself getting all the way up without holding onto anyone's hands.  That has now transferred over to wanting to do the steps by himself too. No more going down on his belly...and he started today not wanting to even hold onto the rail....just wanting to step down like a big boy!!  Big boy means biffin' it into the carpet  or wood floor once or twice I'm afraid. 

Grammy Maddox and Kennon playing educational games on Grammy's ipad. She uploaded a special APP just for Maddox. 

Reading books with Grammy, always a favorite. 

So I'll stick with the previous format and just give you the highlights and 'funnies' over the last 2 weeks.  

1.  Maddox's new favorite phrase  'That's disgusting'.  She says it about anything and everything. I hate to say it but I think she originally heard it from me. Initially it was kinda cute but she says it about 50 times a day. We are trying the 'ignore' principle to see if it stops soon. 

2. Kennon is talking talking talking. He can even sing his ABCs a little.  His favorite letters in the song are C, G, P, S, T, V, W, X, Y,  Z.  Sing it to yourself and you'll figure out why!!  He repeats the last word of almost all phrases that you say to him.  He loves to say expression words. Maddox has taught him to say Holy Cow, Oh My Gosh, Awesome, and he is very good at chiming in on the 'AMEN' on the God is Great God is Good prayer before we eat.  It is so dang cute...he just nods along with a big smile as Eric, Maddox and I say the prayer and then loudly proclaims AMEN at the end. 

3.  Last week, or so, I decided to use the big bathtub in our master bath to give Maddox and Kennon a bath. I thought it would be totally cool....they could swim around, I'd turn on the jets...it would be a real special occasion thing. Needless to say it didn't go so well.  When I turned on the jets both kids completely freaked out...water went everywhere and both were trying to climb the edge to get out.  Ok....we'll save that till they are older. Funny now......not so much then....well I have to admit I was chuckling a bit after I got them settled. 

4.  Maddox wants to be everyones' PAL.  She said to Kennon the other night 'Kennon we are pals aren't we?'   Yep Maddox, and we hope it stays that way for a lifetime!! I LOVE MY bro and know we are PALS :)  Then a bit later in the evening she asked Kennon to marry her....... 

5.  The basement project Eric and I have been talking about since like 2009, literally, is nearing initiation.  We are just waiting on a couple of bids but are hopeful to start in March!! We have been busy clearing out the 'stuff' down there and it actually looks almost ready.  I sold some furniture on Craig's List this week and have been making trips to Good Will.  Kennon and Maddox are enamored with the basement because it is a space they haven't spent any time. So every time a contractor comes over to look at the basement they are quick to follow us downstairs. They seem to love the area.  Last week I told Maddox there was going to be a big playroom down there for her and Kennon and her brown ( yes....her hazily eyes since birth are starting to be more brown.....) eyes lit up. Little does she know, I'm planning to reveal to her, when the project is finished an old doll buggy and the dollhouse Grandpa Jim made me when I was a little girl.  Plus today I scored a fabulous Cinderella indoor tent at the second hand store. I can't wait to see the look on her face when she sees all the fun new toys. And sentimental for me to have her play with some of my old favorites. 

6.  Monday I cut the heck out of my finger and ended up having to go to the Convenient Care place to get it dressed because I couldn't get it to stop bleeding. They couldn't do stitches because of the shape of the wound but gave me a special dressing and bandaged it up.  Maddox was quick to notice the bandeed ( as she still calls them) and has been very inquisitive about it. Today ( Wednesday) she said ' Mom, you STILL got your bandeed on?'  I think seeing my band aid be on for almost 2 full days was blowing her mind.  She keeps those things on for like 20 minutes tops!!  The wound is getting better although far from healed. AND YES GRAMMY...I did correct her to say 'HAVE your banded on'  :) 

7. I got the letters from Our Savior Lutheran Preschool this week.  BOTH Kennon and Maddox were accepted and will be attending next year, Monday and Wednesday 8.45 -11.45!!  A FREE morning for mom. Standing out in the cold a few Saturdays ago for over an hour payed off.

8.  Maddox's new favorite thing to tell us when we pick her up from Kcare or church school "Mom , I didn't bite anybody today!!' and she is always proud of herself. We had a bit of a rough week 2 weeks ago. She bit the same girl at Kcare, Chamberlain, 2 days in a row.  Apparently Chamberlain did not want to play what/how Maddox wanted her to play and she became angry and bit her!!  UGH..... mortifying as a parent. But, we have talked a lot about 'walking away' and she seems to be doing well. No incidents of late. 

9. It has been awfully quiet around here lately. The neighbors to the south of us, with 4 very loud large barking dogs, moved last weekend and the new family moved in!!  Just the husband so far, but NO DOGS. The wife and 2 daughtersare to arrive in a month or so. I am hopeful for older girls to have built in babysitters but then again hopeful too for playmates for Maddox and Kennon. One of them is named Pria, so I am assuming they are younger.

10.  Today while I was showering and Eric getting ready for work, Maddox decided to turn our master bedroom closet into her make believe bedroom. She put on 2 of my dress shoes, different of course, but with HEELS ( a rarity in my closet) and then paraded herself back and from her bedroom to her 'new' bedroom carrying all her knick knacks...IE her alarm clock, her barrette basket, her stuffed animals, purple bear.  Every time she walks on the tile in our bathroom her heals clip clop and she LOVES the sound hence the need for many trips and many items.  She is getting VERY imaginative and is pretending more and more.

11.  The teachers in KTK's class give us daily written reports about his behavior, length of nap, food eaten etc. Then they usually give us one additionally tidbit of information that is unique to him. Last week they told us that when one of his favorite teachers, Miss Missy, went over to the book shelf to get a book to read to the class for 'book time', he took off running to the reading carpet all in preparation for Miss Missy to read the book.  Missy said he went to the carpet completely independently just as soon as she headed for the book shelf to pick a book,  before his classmates went. She was very proud to tell us and we were happy to hear.

12.  It was CLEANING LADY WEEK...which means my Monday and Wednesdays are WAY more open for cooking. Monday I roasted some chicken in the oven ( Aunt Brooke's recipe) and then made a cool new salad with roasted sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans and feta cheese.  The meal was yummy and the kids loved the roasted sweet potatoes.  Then today I used the leftover roasted chicken and made a fabulous chicken pot pie soup complete with homemade ( well from a box....sort of homemade I guess) heart shaped biscuits with a special mail order apricot jam I got from one of my patients yesterday.  KTK ate 2 bowls of soup and 2 biscuits. Maddox initially fought me on the soup but ended up eating the whole bowl before she went to bed.  I LOVE cooking and am happy when the kids eat it without much struggle.

13. I saved the best for last. Today it was SUPER warm out. You can see the pics of the kids on their bikes and scooters.  40 feels like a heatwave compared to the 10 degree weather we had last week. SO the entire neighborhood was out. All the kids on our street were hanging out in the driveway across from us. So of course Maddox, Kennon and I went over to join in after naps. The kids had a blast.  Grace the yellow lab was out and all the kids of various ages ( Kennon the youngest...but you wouldn't know.. he jumped right in with all the GIRLS...!!) were running about and ridding their scooters and bikes.  Maddox rode her little red bike over but quickly decided she wanted to borrow one of the big wheels from one of the other little girls. I told her that was fine but she had to ride her own bike back to the garage before she could move on to another device. That meant that I would be leaving KTK in the driveway for just a second while I chaperoned Maddox to our garage.  As Maddox and I discussed this event of swapping ridding devices you could see the wheels turning. She quickly turned to one of the older girls and said 'Would you please watch my little brother so he doesn't go in the street while I'm gone?'   I about melted.  How cute and so thoughtful that she would think of him while she was gone.  She had asked an older girl from a family of 6, yes 6!! So she is quite accustomed to watching her younger siblings and kept KTK at bay on the sidewalk while we took her red bike back home.  Surely this is a sign of great things to come between Maddox and Kennon.

Maddox doing her usual head tilt pose....Kennon clearly enthused. I like how he has his hands nicely folded though. 

Kennon trying out Papa Dick's shoes

We are praying for that Miracle for you Grammy!!