ARGH!!!!!

We found ourselves at McDonald's the other day. (the fun one in Washington that has the kids play area) We had time to kill while Grandma's dog (Weegie) was getting a haircut. So it was treats for everyone! (ice cream sundaes and endless play on the germ gym....I mean jungle gym)
We were the only people in the play area. It was the middle of the afternoon, lunch was long over but it was too early for the supper crowd. Trey was happily eating his ice cream. An employee had come in and was cleaning some windows but I hadn't really paid much attention to her. Then my thoughts were drawn to Trey who is now giggling to himself and singing a made up song to himself. The lyrics were this: " Funny, funny. One eye open, the other one not there. Funny, funny. Like a pirate, one eye open. Funny, funny." I gave him a strange look. I felt my head tip to the side and my eyes narrow as I tried to interpret his song. I'd never heard anything like this before from him. I feel puzzled and Trey is staring off in space not even aware that I am studying him. I follow his stare... to the McDonald's employee. My heart stops. Her back is to me. Please, I thought, let this woman have two eyes.....
The worker finished the window she was working on and turned to leave. I tried not to let my mouth fall open, but sure enough she was wearing a black eye patch over her right eye. She smiled at Trey and asked him how he was. He answered her and gave her a wave. All was well. Or at least it seemed that way. I sighed a sigh of relief. I was glad (proud if him in a way) that he didn't treat the woman any differently than he would another person.
After Trey finished his ice cream he decided he needed a trip to the bathroom. Up and out into the main part of McDonald's we go. We hadn't made it far when I spot a woman sitting at a booth wearing a bright blue eye patch. What are the odds?!? My heart picked up its pace again because I just knew that Trey would spot this. His walk did start to slow. Just as he began to say "Mommy...." I grabbed him by the arm and drug him back towards the bathrooms.
When we were out of earshot Trey finished his thought, "I've never seen so many pirates here before." Me neither and its really quite dangerous for me when I'm with an observant, inquisitive 4 year old!

Woooo Hoooo!!!!!

Its a follower post!!! I haven't written one of these for a LONG time! 23 followers for me : ) - it makes my toes tingle (whatever that means) 23 followers may not seem like very many to some of the big time bloggers but to me it is amazing. When some of my friends made mention of me starting a blog, I wasn't sure if I should. I mean really, who would want to read about my crazy kids, cows and goats? My day to day life is no more interesting than the person down the road. I wasn't even sure my family would read my blog let alone people with no blood ties to me. Now look at me, I'm sooo close to my goal of 25 followers, I can almost taste it. (taste it? I think I'm off my game tonight) The question is what shall I do to celebrate if I do reach 25 followers? Any suggestions?
Now its Sandy's moment to shine....she is lucky number 23. I use the word lucky loosely because there really isn't a prize for being #23. (But it does give me a warm fuzzy feeling inside.) Sandy goes to my church. I must admit, I was a little thrown when she told me this morning that she had been enjoying my blog. When I had time to think about it, I couldn't stop smiling. So, thanks Sandy! You honestly made my day.
I love to write on my blog. And I really get a good feeling when I see that I've made people smile or laugh from my stories. I like to share things that I find funny or sweet but at the end of the day when I hit the 'publish post' button I will still have an insecure moment and revert back to the shy little nerdy kid I was growing up. I am changing, slowly but surely. I get less and less shy about sharing my thoughts. I find more and more courage when I face that publish button. I am finding a little extra strength through this blog. And dear followers, I have you to thank! Please keep reading.

What's This?

I am willing to bet that anyone who has had kids or been around kids have had to answer questions that they really didn't want to answer. Here is the conversation Trey and I had after bath time. --- why are kids so inquisitive anyway?

I was drying Trey off and he was lying on the bath rug squirming around like crazy. He was up and down and side to side at least a hundred times in a few minutes. He finally landed, spread eagle in front of me.
"What's this?" he asked pointing down towards his privates.
"You know what that is." I said, "Its your peni". I don't make a big deal out of these questions. He usually doesn't dwell on things if I seem uninterested.
"No....not my peni.....this thing!?!" He exclaimed, pulling on himself.
Oh boy....what to say??? I didn't want to use slang and I couldn't think of anything else acceptable to say. So, remaining uninterested I replied.
"Oh, that's your scrotum."
Trey cracked up. I smiled inside that he found that word so amusing, but I kept a straight face while he giggled.
"Scrotum?!?" He laughed, "I never heard of that before!"
I didn't answer because I wanted the conversation to be over.
But, it wasn't.
"What's it for?" Trey asked.
Ugh...what's it for? What's it for? How is a good way to explain that?
"Uhhh....Ummm....." was all I seemed to be able to get out. I was drawing a blank.
Trey had his thoughtful look on.
"I know Mommy! Its for... to keep my peni from being lonely!"
I nodded. Sure. Why not? That made good enough sense to me. I relaxed a little. That wasn't so bad after all.
"Do you have a scrotum, Mommy?" Trey asked a short time later.
Yikes! He is still thinking about this.
"No, only boys have those" was my answer.
"So, Daddy has a scrotum?"
Good grief! I've got to get this kid to bed so he'll stop asking questions!
"Yes" I answered.
"Where does Daddy keep his?" Trey asked.
I was biting the bottom of my lip to keep from laughing now. But, I knew that laughing was out of the question.
"The same place you do" I replied.
"Oh." -short pause- "You wanna build a train track with me?"
"I'd love to!" I answered as I sighed with relief.

*SNOW*

Kayelynn was totally unimpressed with the snow even before we made it outside.  I put so many layers of clothing on her she seemed to have a hard time finding her balance.  She finally gave up and  laid on the kitchen floor, motionless,  (as if the effort to move was much too great) while Trey and I piled on our clothing layers.

Once outside, Kayelynn was still unimpressed with the snow, or greatly disappointed.  I'm not sure which.

Trey, on the other hand, was elated!

Here is another one of my attempts to get a picture of both of my kids together "enjoying" the snow!



It also seems that when Trey is very happy (and saying "cheeeeeeese") he closes his eyes for every picture I take!

Trey went sledding for the first time.  He LOVES it!  I don't know how many times he went down Grandma's hill.  This particular hill is like the bunny slope of sledding but Trey didn't care.  Each trip down was more fun that the one before.
When he gets older, we have a huge hill in our back yard.  But, Trey will have to learn how to bail off of the sled before hitting the woods before I send him down that one.  ; )

Sledding was sooo much fun, Trey never complained (not even once) about climbing back up the hill.

my collection of christmas memories

Christmas is over but I am just now getting around to posting some of my pictures!  I suppose the meaning of Christmas is supposed to live in our hearts all year so Christmas pictures should always be in season.  : ) These pictures are just a snippet of our holiday season and adventures had.  But each picture holds a special memory for me.  I hope my memories will remind you of the special moments you had or of moments long past that you still hold dear.

I have mentioned before that I am absolutely TERRIBLE at taking pictures.  My children also do not enjoy posing for pictures.  This combination makes it extremely difficult for me to get pictures of my kids together.  I used to struggle and struggle with these poses.  As of late I have decided to go with the flow and just accept what I get.  And this is what it was on Christmas Sunday....Trey is not moving because I bribed him but also not smiling because he really wants to move.  Kayelynn is just too darn busy to hold still for a picture.  I literally had to set her down and lean as far back as I could to snap the picture immediately because within a few seconds, she was long gone.  But, that is Kayelynn.  She always has somewhere to go.  I think she even moves in her sleep!

As I was saying......this girl of mine NEVER holds still!  I can dress her up in pretty clothes, ribbons and bows but that doesn't keep her from wanting to climb on things and be adventurous.  I can see already that she is going to be a tough cookie that can't turn down trying something new.  As much as I wanted a girly girl, I totally love this little gal!  Her sense of adventure and her excitement in discovering new things always brings a smile to my face (even when she is discovering the toilet or trash can)  I hope she always  finds joy in learning about things.  I also hope she keeps her energetic spirit.  The twinkle in her eyes when she's on the move seems to be the cornerstone of her whole being.

Trey on the other hand, he is my quieter child, my deep thinker.  Also, of course, obsessed with trains!  As you can see, the first thing he wanted to do when he got to Grandma's house was break out the train track.  He then played with his trains for the majority of the day, dazzling relatives with his extensive train lingo and know-how.
I also like this picture because Trey reminds me  (through the eyes) of some pictures of my dad when he was a boy.

Did someone mention Christmas cookies?  My little on-the-go-girl loves to eat.  One of her newest tricks includes climbing up onto the kitchen table.  She will then say "foo" (food) or "moe" (more) until she gets something to eat.  Simply taking her off the table and redirecting her does not work.  Within seconds she will be climbing the chair again until she gets a snack.

Christmas Eve was spent with the Stroud side of the family.  Most might say that this is not a very good picture.  But as I look at it I can feel the excitement from the kids, working together to "help" Grandma get her present unwrapped.  I was surprised and delighted to see how well Trey and Kayelynn actually worked together when it came to presents.  Isn't it funny how it doesn't matter who the present belongs to or what might be inside.  The actual fun of presents seems to be in the unwrapping!

This is one of my favorite memories from this Christmas:  It was Christmas Eve night, jammies were  on and teeth were brushed.  All the wee ones were ready for bed.  I reminded Trey that we needed to leave a snack out for Santa.  "I know just what he wants!"  Trey cried.  I had an idea too.  There were a few Christmas cookies that Trey had helped to make left in the kitchen.  That is the direction I was headed when Trey shouted "APPLE JUICE AND CHEESE".   Apple juice and cheese?  Yes, Trey insisted that this was Santa's favorite. (more like Trey's favorite)
The next morning Trey was delighted that Santa had eaten all of his snack AND left him "a message".

What's not to love about this picture?!?  Look at the pure joy on his face.
 This is what I dreamed of when I thought about having children of my own.  The happiness that a child's joy brings is unbelievable.

I also find great entertainment in watching the kids experience things for the first time.
 Kayelynn was quick to learn that the stocking held many fun treasures.  She was delighted to find that she could empty the contents onto the floor without being scolded and rip at the wrapping paper without reprimand.
And I was delighted to let her do it all on her own!

Nana and Poppy (maybe more Nana than Poppy) REALLY wanted a picture of all of the grandkids by the Christmas tree.  Notice Kayelynn is not in this shot.  (she had already sprinted off to check something else out)  The other three are sitting still as instructed so that they can get their presents as soon as the picture torture is over.  What is best about this picture is the actual expressions on their faces.  Leah, our little diva, is happy to smile for the camera.  Trey is sitting still but totally bummed that the picture taking is prolonging his present opening.  And Caleb, he's just bored.  My sister, Ashley, captured the best shot from this pose.  Maybe she will share it with me so I can share it with all of you.....

Here is proof that Kayelynn was at my family Christmas.  She was able to stay in one spot long enough to open her own presents.  Note the tiny pieces of wrapping paper on the floor.  This is the method that Kayelynn uses for unwrapping.  Every small shred of paper must be removed from the gift box.  Once she has finished that meticulous task her box was free game for anyone to open.

The flashlight.......
Trey loved his Thomas the Tank Engine flash light.  And this was no ordinary flashlight, it had a blinker switch to enable train signaling.  It also had a built in train whistle that the adults decided not to tell the boys about.  Yet somehow, the boys figured that secret out without a problem.
Trey and his cousin, Caleb, went down willingly for an afternoon nap.  Each snuggled in their own sleeping bag with their flashlights in hand.  An hour later, we adults could hear giggles coming from upstairs where the boys were "sleeping".  When Aunt Ash went to check on them, she found a full light show taking place with the flash lights turned light sabers......

This picture was supposed to show multiple generations of the Stroud family.  On the couch is Uncle Bill (he shares Trey's birthday), his wife Aunt Sylvie, and her brother Uncle Boyd.  The guys on the floor are Rex and his brother Cody.  Any guesses where the youngest generation is?  (its kind of like where's waldo)

I saved this picture for last because I think it is very precious.  People talk about the wonder of christmas.  I think this picture demonstrates a child's wonderment in general.
Kayelynn was rather impressed with her newest (second) cousin on the Drew side.  She wanted to pat and touch the baby.  Her excitement was well contained (for a one year old)
But if this picture showed Kayelynn's bright eyes, you'd see all of the wonder, joy and excitement of Christmas that we Strouds experienced this season.

Trey's birthday party

Going back to the 'better late than never' theory, here are some pictures from Trey's birthday party. Maybe I will get some Christmas pictures on before Valentines day. : )

Blowing out the candles. I wonder what he wished for.

Everything tastes better when you eat it with your hands, right?

They really are having fun....

This was Trey's first "friend" party. I think it went pretty well. The trains seemed to be a big hit. Everybody loves Thomas.....(at least in my world they do) This was the second thomas birthday party that Trey has had and he's already put in his request for another one next year!

What made me think it was a good idea......

I took the kids all the way to Lake Rudolph tonight to see the lights. Better late than never, I thought. However, never might have been better.

I thought I had everything covered. The baby took a nice long afternoon nap. I packed some trains and the leapster to keep Trey occupied in the car. I knew it would be a long drive but didn't know exactly how long it would take. My mother in law went along for reinforcements. We drove through Jasper and stopped there at Fazolis for supper. I thought this would break up the drive enough that Trey wouldn't get too bored.

At the counter, I asked Trey what he wanted to eat. Ravioli. Okay, why not? (you see, Trey is very picky and doesn't often try new foods and ravioli isn't one of his standard meals, so I was surprised at his choice.) I ordered it for him anyway. (with marinara sauce) (because he doesn't eat meat....and yes, he really does belong to Rex and I) Trey was excited to get to hold the buzzer/pager. We found a table and all was well. (or so I thought) When I brought the food to the table, Trey went in to full melt down status. It took at least a full minute of panic (and people staring) to get him to tell me what was wrong. The problem you ask.......he wanted his ravioli plain. I assured him there was no meat in the sauce but he was still unable to eat it. In fact, he could not even have it sit close to him.

Oh well. I decided to feed it to Kayelynn. She is like a little garbage disposal and rarely turns down trying something new. But then again, we are out in public, trying to have a nice family outing.....she wouldn't eat it. Not even one bite! Trying to get her to try a bite led to screaming, growling and flailing of arms (this was all Kayelynn, not me).

In the mean time, Trey is trying to talk to me. It went something like this.....

"mom....mommy....mom.......mommmmmmy"

"what trey?"

Silence.

I began trying to feed Kayelynn again.

"Mom.....Mom......Mom.......Moooooooom"

"what is it Trey?"

Trey looks away.

I begin trying to feed Kayelynn again.

Silence. (except for Kayelynn fussing)

"mom.....mommy....Mom....Mommy.....MOM!!!!!!"

"WHAT!?!?!"

"I'm not hungry"

I gave up trying to feed Kayelynn and decided to feed myself. That's when the chair routine started. Are you familiar with that? It starts with squirming. Then there's the feet on the chair, elbows on the table, then there's the feet on the chair, elbows on the table, butt in the air. This continues, up, down, up, down. There are some threats involved. Then there is the sly slinking out of the chair, the walking around the chair while trying not to actually let go of it (there by not actually getting out of it) This is mind blowing and totally ruins the appetite. At the same time the MIL is trying to give Baby sips of her coke.

I surrendered and went to get a to go box.

Okay. We're back in the car after only minimal problems (trey thought he needed to stomp every iced puddle in the parking lot)( It was 19 degrees outside and Trey couldn't understand why I wanted him to hurry to the car.)

Kayelynn is usually a very good car rider. (just like she's usually a good eater.....)

She fussed and cried all the way from Jasper to Santa Claus! Half way there I thought I heard little snores. I checked my mirror. Sure enough, Trey was slumped over in his car seat, sawing logs. At this point, the MIL decides maybe we should just turn around and go home. We are only 15 minutes from our destination. It is January 2nd. Christmas is long over. But, by golly, we are going to see those darn lights that everyone had been raving about!

We arrive at the park and I stop to wake Trey up. He squeals and tries to look away from me. I decide to let it go. If he misses the lights, he misses the lights. Kayelynn had at least quieted down. I tuned my radio to the station I had written down off of the internet. There was supposed to be something on the radio to correspond with the light show. (Nope, that didn't work, just news) I stopped at the ticket booth and paid my admission. I asked the girl at the booth about the radio. She gave me a different station to try and said there would be some christmas music on. I don't think there was, all I ever heard was static. Okay, we don't need music. The lights really were pretty by themselves. And as we crept down the lighted path I snuck a glance to the back seat. Trey was looking out his window. I could see the reflection of the lights shining in his eyes. Before long, Trey was pointing to the lights, telling stories about what was going on, and really enjoying himself.

Finally, a real smile crossed my lips too. I sighed, feeling content.

But, that was short lived. (Remember the drive home was very long and there was no Fazolis stop to save us) There was hitting, pouting, whining, crying, sassing, fussing.....(you get the picture)

Finally we are home. The kids are in bed and I am curled up here on the couch. I'm still not sure what made me think that trip was a good idea. I guess it had something to do with what Trey said when I put him to bed. He wrapped his little arms around me and said "Ohhhh...I love you so much." I kissed him and tucked him in. "Those lights were pretty Mommy. Can we go back there tomorrow?" I am such a sucker for him. (but we're not going back tomorrow!)

Makin' Tracks

She loves her horse. She tries to chase Trey on his train (probably for a train robbery) but he is just too fast for her. At least she enjoys herself!

New Year Treyisms

Trey has been very inquisitive this past month. There was much to discover as we entered the winter season and celebrated Christmas. Here are some of my favorite Treyisms from December.

1. On our drive to the babysitter one morning I said, "Look! Its spitting snow!" Trey's response,

"Its not nice to spit!"

2. That Sunday on our drive to church, Trey was very impressed with the tiny dusting of snow.

"Its like God sprinkled everything with powdered sugar!" he exclaimed.

3. With cold weather comes cabin fever. And one afternoon after many times of me telling him no, Trey threw his hands up in the air and said, "You're driving me up the ceiling!"

4. We were out checking on our goats and found that we had a new set of twins. Trey got excited about finding two goats instead of just one and later retold Rex: "Wooly hatched TWO babies!!!"

5. Trey was watching me very closely, looking thoughtful. Then he asked this, "Mommy, how old was I when you were born?"

6. We visited my cousin at the hospital in Jasper after their son was born. On our next trip to Jasper Trey pointed to the hospital and told me that was where babies come from. (his cousin, his sister...) I told him that sick people go there to get better too. He said "No, the sick people go to the hospital in Vincennes." (this is where his daddy works) I thought his reasoning was funny.

7. He seems to have a fascination with babies lately. But, that makes some sense because there is a new baby at church and a new baby in our family. But it surprised me when he told me one day he'd like a new baby to come to our house and he wanted it to be a brother. I told him that we couldn't do that right now. He wanted to know why. So I told him that I didn't have a baby in my belly right now, so we would have to wait a while to get one. He suggested that we go to the hospital in Jasper because they have babies there!

Christmas Decoration Distruction

Kayelynn's christmas decoration distruction continues. I must get things put away today or may have to buy all new decor next christmas!
The most recent casualty is the Little People nativity. I was cleaning up breakfast when I found the angel in the trash. Went to return her to the stable and found there had been a huge earthquake or possibly a tornado. The stable and its contents were strewn across the hallway.
I quickly started gathering people and animals and setting them back in their places. It didn't take long to realize that the Christmas story had been rewritten for my house hold. In the manger lay Baby Jesus, his birth now more miraculous than ever because Mary and Joseph have vanished. The angel, saved from the trash is keeping watch over the baby as 2 wiseman travel to see the baby. The Shepards must have been evacuated during the disaster or were abducted with Mary and Joseph. Only their sheep survived. And if Mary did make it to the stable, she must have rode on a cow because the donkey is MIA.
So, there you have it.
Happy New Year!