The Merriest Place on Earth!

Since I was pregnant for most of 2009 and didn't really feel like doing any vacationing, I figured someone should take advantage of the get in free on your birthday deal. My dad's birthday is the week before Christmas, so off we went to CA!

It was so fun to be at Disneyland during the Holiday Season! The decorations are so fun,

and all the characters are dressed up in their Christmas sweaters,

and the Haunted Mansion is all decked out for the Nightmare Before Christmas!

We got to see Mickey with his Santa hat on (in the flowers) and with his sorcerer hat,

the castle looks so cool all covered with snow and ice,

and we rode some rides while waiting for the Christmas Parade!

(We heard the park was at capacity during the parade, and you could tell. So many people!)

Small World was Hayley's new favorite ride:

And Tiana was her new favorite princess for the day!

(Tiana didn't have a lot of competition.

The wait for all the other princesses was over an hour and a half!)

Hayley also loved Toon Town and any vehicles,

and went through many different faces, including the inevitable meltdown:

So much fun, but so little time...

That we're gonna go again in April, with my mom!!!

It's a Party!

The excitement starts a day early around here, on Christmas Eve's Eve. We headed to my mom's for breakfast-for-dinner, some Christmas singing, and a reading of the story of Christmas. My mom wanted a talent show, but she was out-voted.

Hayley's favorites were her Princess Barbies. Possibly because for the second year in a row, she was nosy enough before Christmas to discover her presents. Both at Grandma Heidi and Grandpa Bob's house and here at home. Sheesh.

Jeremy loved his fake hair hat (for more on that, please see the post below...), and Stacey loved Jackson. For the evening. We didn't give him away as a Christmas present. :)

The next night we headed up to Grandma and Grandpa Bachman's for more yummy food and fun gifts.

I tried for a cute shot of the cousins in front of the Christmas tree...

But I guess some shots under the tree will have to do!

Christmas morning we woke up to this:

(Really, how could the four month old be so excited for Christmas?

I'd think he wouldn't even know.)

Hayley got a stash, but I think the princess castle for her little dollies was the favorite. She set up all her presents like that and told me to take a picture. (Which I did after we had a little discussion about asking, instead of being bossy.)

Here they are excited for more Christmas fun at Grandpa Dame's and Aunt Marilyn's.

I rounded out the day by taking the Christmas decorations down. Because as much fun as we had, I was also ready for the Big Day to be over!

Uncanny

His nickname at work is Beaker.

And now I understand why.

No one tell him I posted that pic.

That's what he gets for not reading the blog!

Dancing is Hot!

First up, Hayley's little group put on a show at a retirement center. Hayley's looking a little stone faced because we had a curling iron mishap that morning. After multiple discussions about how the curling iron is "Hot, HOT!" Hayley decided she needed to find out for herself. With her finger. After some tears and a "kiss" bandaid (that's the one that goes up and over the fingertip, sometimes it's a slobbery kiss if it needs Neosporin) and a "hug" bandaid (that's the one that goes around the finger to make sure the kiss stays on) on her blistered finger, we actually still made it to the performance on time. And, she actually danced, and wasn't just the crier or the stander-therer! (The criers and stander-therers are still totally cute, by the way, if you happen to have one of those!)

A few days later, she had her actual concert. This is her posing and practicing the one thing that she didn't do at the previous performance: SMILE!

And an action shot:

(She did wave and smile quite a bit at the beginning. Darling!)

All her fans were so proud of her!

(Okay, really Jackson may not have cared, but he was cute and behaved well!)

Hey, You!

What, are ya busy or somethin'?

Not many posts out there in the blog world lately, and not many comments either (ahem!), but for many of you, I only have your blog address. I don't have your email or your street address. So if you would like a Christmas card (or "Holiday" card, if you are reading this after Christmas) from the Bachman fam-damily, please email me your street address at heather_sue_98@yahoo.com.

Happy Holidays!

P.S. Posts still to come in the next few days:

• An explanation of "Hug and Kiss" bandaids
• Hayley's first dance concert
• The Holiday Trip to Disneyland!

But not today. Because we got in from California at about midnight last night, after a full day at the park, and I am at work today. Feeling a little like a zombie, and not being able to type well, but at work all the same. And seriously considering putting naptime up on the class schedule for the day. Think my fourth graders would go for that?

The Joy of the Boy

Warning: If you are offended by bodily fluids, this post may be TMI. Feel free to scroll down to the next two posts, which are much more uplifting.

Here's how my morning went:

3:30 a.m. Jackson wakes up crying. This is unusual for him. Turns out he has a fever. I feed him, give him some Tylenol and put him back to bed.

6:15 a.m. I wake up Jackson for his morning feeding. He's happy, and his fever is down. (Maybe it's just the fuzzy warm winter jammies?) I'm relieved.

6:30 a.m. After he eats, I change his diaper. Turns out I'm not fast enough, and he gets a waterfall of pee on his clothes and changing table. Not too much on him though, so I wipe him and the changing table down and call it good.

6:31 a.m. Again, with the trying of the diaper change. Again, in the seconds that the old one is off he starts to pee. However, it's worse this time, because he is also yawning. That's right. Pee right in his mouth, and all over his face. Nice.

6:32 a.m. Okay, fine Jackson. You can have a bath at the crack of dawn. Happy? (Actually he was. This kid loves the bath!)

So, Jackson got an extra feeding, two eventful diaper changes, a bath, and an outfit change out of this morning. Due to these unexpected events, I didn't get to do my hair or makeup for work. But I did get in some quality time with a cute little boy.

As for the hair and makeup, at least I have an excuse.

At least for today.

Still working on all the other days.

Oh, the joy of this boy!

I Needed a Little Christmas Spirit

So, I just haven't been feeling very Christmasey this year. I don't know what it is, but Christmas is seriously close, and I still wasn't feelin' it. What's a sure cure for my bit of Grinchiness? Head to the mall at Christmas time of course!

I went out determined to have a good attitude. And I did. We skipped the Santa in the middle of the mall, the one with over an hour wait, and opted instead for the Santa with the freebie picture in Macy's. They also had a craft table set up for kids to write letters to Santa, which Hayley did happily for over 20 minutes, stopping every so often to show what she had drawn to Baby Jackson in his stroller. For once, I just slowed down and watched her. And realized how big she is getting, and how proud I am of all the learning she is doing, and how lucky I am that she took to her baby brother so well and so quickly.

After that, Hayley saw some kids with balloons, so we scouted out who was giving out the free balloons in the mall. Amazing how happy just a balloon can make a kid! Next stop was the bathroom where Hayley got her precious hug-and-kiss-bandaids wet. (Another story, another post...) She's kind of crying about it as we leave, and this nice grandma lady stops, digs in her purse a little, and comes up with a Backyardigans bandaid. Really?! What a life saver! Then she said goodbye and hurried on her way.

Next up, Jackson's hungry, so off we go to find a dressing room big enough for the four of us (no, Jer wasn't with us, but let's face it, the dang stroller counts for at least one person), with a tricky enough lock that Hayley can't escape, and without space under the stalls that she can crawl under. (She's been known to make new friends in dressing rooms.) We find one and get situated, and I'm talking to Hayley, and to Jackson, when the lady in the next stall pipes up, "I like the way you speak to your kids. You sound like a great mom." I thank her, proceed to have a little cry, and continue to reflect on my attitude and the Christmas Season.

I didn't buy anything at the mall. That wasn't the point of today's trip.

Funny the things that will change your outlook, like a unplanned Santa opportunity and a free balloon.

Funny how angels will show up with unexpected gifts and in unexpected places.

Funny how when I just slowed down and chilled out a little, I found that the Christmas Spirit was already there, all around me, all along.

Live in the Moment

Celebrate the temporary

Don't wait until tomorrow

Live today

Celebrate the simple things

Enjoy the butterfly

Embrace the snow

Run with the ocean

Delight in the trees

Or a single lonely flower

Go barefoot

In the wet grass

Don't wait

Until all the problems

Are solved

Or all the bills

Are paid

You will wait forever

Eternity will come and go

And you

Will still be waiting

Live in the now

With all it's problems

And it's agonies

With it's joy

And it's pain

Celebrate your pain

Your despair

It means you're alive

Look closer

Breathe deeper

Stand taller

Stop grieving the past

There is joy and beauty

Today

It is temporary

Here now and gone

So celebrate it

While you can

Celebrate the temporary

Never let a problem to be solved

Become more important

Than a person to be loved

Don't be too impressed.

I didn't write it.

But I love it.

And it's a good reminder.

P.S. or Sassyfrass 101

More Hayleyisms:

We were getting ready to go when Hayley informed me that she didn't have shoes on. She did this by saying, "Uh, Mom? P.S. We need to go get my shoes!" Yeah, guilty as charged. I might say the "P.S." from time to time.

Hayley: "Mom, if you and Daddy are both here, then who is the Main Boss?"
Me: "We both are."
Hayley: "No! 'Cause there can only be one Main Boss! That's the rules!"
Me: (No response, because by now I am ignoring her.)
Hayley: "Fine! You don't want to talk about it? I guess I'll just have to be the Main Boss!"
You wish, Hayley, you wish.

Me: "Hayley, you are working on a time out."
Hayley: "I will just crunch you!"
Okay. Whatever kiddo.

Me: "Hayley, I made you a dentist appointment."
Hayley: "I'm so excited! The dentist will be so proud of me, because I am a good toothbrusher!"
Hopefully, that attitude about the dentist stays around!

Me: "Hayley, I'm so proud of you!"
Hayley: "You're welcome."
Way to get to the point.

And some Hayley-ese (added syllables, made up words, etc.)

"Mom, can I play with my Littlest Pet Shop-ez?"
"No I amn't!"
"I'm in the 'puter room!" (Computer room)
"Let's watch Sleeping Beau-ty!" (Beau-ty makes me laugh, because she says each syllable so precisely, while most of the rest of us just slur it all together. Maybe her Utah accent just hasn't kicked in yet, eh?)

P.S. I love this girl. And all her sassiness and spunk. Just don't tell her I love it. She's already enough of a handful!

Note: Thanksgiving = Turkey

"Hey, Mom! Look at that blow up goose on their lawn!"
"It's a turkey sweetie."

"Mmm, this chicken is good!"
"It's turkey honey."

Upon seeing the bones after the carving:
"Mom, did that used to be a dinosaur?"
"No, Hales. It used to be a turkey."
"Oh. Right."

We may be well past the holiday before Hayley associates Thanksgiving with not only the right bird, but the correct animal in general. One that hasn't been extinct for millions of years.

It was a fun holiday anyway, especially with this Little Turkey.

Although it's getting to be a joke to call him a "Little" anything. Jackson had a doctor's appointment the day before Thanksgiving, and weighed in at 15 lbs 7 oz. That's the 75th percentile, up from the 19th percentile at his last visit! The doctor was surprised, but not concerned, since his length matched his height at 25 inches and 76th percentile.

I don't care how much you grow Jackson, you'll still be my little boy for ever and ever, even when you're big(ger)!

So Thankful

Some of you have been posting every day with something you are thankful for. And while I'm really not that disciplined to post every day, I've really enjoyed your posts. And it's gotten me thinking about things that I am thankful for.

I'm thankful for my family. My mom, dad, both sisters, and most of the extended family all live within a half hour drive of us. Sometimes I think I take this for granted. I'm so glad that my kids know and love their grandparents, and even their great grandma. I'm thankful for my sisters, both of which I also consider friends.

I'm thankful for my husband. I tell him all the time that we would have never been friends in high school, so it's a good thing we didn't meet then. I'm so proud of his work ethic and what an amazing dad he is. He's able to be home with our kids for three days during the week, and you can tell it in the bonds he has with our kids.

I'm thankful for my two wonderful children. Happy, healthy (for the most part), cute, fun to hang out with, go to bed and stay asleep fairly easily. And funny and sassy. At least Hayley is. And I'm sure Jackson will hold his own.

I'm thankful for a job that I like most days, and truly love some days. It's so nice to do something that I love, that I know that I am good at (sorry, but it's true) and get paid to do it. Plus the kiddos crack me up, and I get to work with a team of gals that are some of my favorite people.

I'm thankful for the internet. And blogging. And Facebook. Let me explain. People, in person, sometimes make me nervous. Especially people that I haven't seen in a while, or don't know very well. I feel like I constantly flub up what I want to say, and look dumb. There are lots of old friends and new friends that I feel like I've gotten to know much better from glimsping into their lives through their posts. So, I guess really I'm thankful for friends, old and new.

And a few more random things I'm thankful for:
Curling irons, Diet Coke, Rolaids, compressed air (flat tire last night), preschool, a potty trained kid, cell phones, seat belts, Tylenol, heat, central air, Snapfish, hand-me-downs, Miche bags, hoodies, electricity (power went out last night), Mulan, microwaves, Nuk binkies, makeup, hot showers, Disneyland, a paid-off car, flashlights, toliet paper, band-aids, a warm bed, a home, my country, the Pledge of Allegiance, soldiers, Thanksgiving, hugs, kisses, and cuddles.

Who could ask for more?

So thankful for a wonderful life that I love to live every day.

For My Teacher Friends

This is a piece of writing I found in a teacher book titled Rainbows, Head Lice, and Pea Green Tile. Teachers, you'll relate to this. And parents, I hope you are not offended by this. If you are offended, then quit doing your kid's work. :)

The Note I Never Sent

To the Father of Martin Ambrose

Dear Mr. Ambrose,

Congratulations on the lovely job you did

With Martin's science project.

Your tree cross-section was accurate

And the root system was structurally correct.

Enclosed you will find Martin's version of the project.

I had him do it at school today.

It's not quite as detailed as yours

But it's very good.

You'll be happy to know

Martin earned a B.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Lester

That's Just the Way I Roll

He's been doing this for about a month now. Little Boy is not fond of being on his tummy. He'll either plunk his face down in the blanket and cry, or immediately flip over, as shown here. As you'll see, he's quick. That's why this is the first time I've gotten it on video.

In case you didn't notice, Little Boy ain't so little anymore. He's getting to be a pretty big chunk of baby! Hayley was never as much of a chub as this one is. And I mean that in the nicest way possible. His rolls are darling, both on his little body, and the ones from his tummy to his back.

P.S. No fair making fun of my "baby talk".

The Time Had Come

Just like with Hayley, when I started nursing Jackson, my baby weight started to fall off. To the tune of about 25 pounds in about six weeks. But then, just like with Hayley, the weight loss seemed to flatline there. It was then that I knew the time had come.

The time, my friends, for this:

I joined on Halloween. (Not the smartest cookie, eh?) So, in my first week, I had a major holiday, two days of Parent Teacher Conferences, an outing to Olive Garden, and a massive shake from Iceberg.

To my amazement, I still lost 2.2 pounds.

So, I decided for this last week to really give it my all. I journaled religiously, stayed in my points most days, drank my milk, took my vitamin, etc.

The results?

2.6 pounds.

My thoughts on that? What the heck?! Followed by a high points Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks that I'd been craving all week. Followed by the realization of how much better I'd actually felt for the last week. Followed by the realization that this is why they call it a lifestyle change. It's not all about the number all the time.

So why am I posting about this? Because now I know that other people know. Because just you knowing will help me keep me on track. And because checking in here will hopefully keep me more accountable. And because being at my goal weight was one of my goals to attain before I die. And I'd prefer sooner, rather than later.

I've added a sidebar to track my progress. :)

Wish me luck!

The Tiger and the Mouse

While the title of this post may sound like one of those stories that teach a life lesson, it's not. Really, it's just what the kids were for Halloween. Enjoy!

I was on track this year for Halloween, so I also dressed up on Friday. All of the 4th grade teachers were fairies.

Here we are, in all our glory! The amazing makeup was courtesy of Tiffany, and the wig was Suzanne's idea, because I'm all about a day of skipping doing my hair!

Well Aware (Tagged... Maybe)

While I'm well aware that the Heather that Hayley JW tagged may not be me, I'm doing this post on "The Fives" anyway, 'cause it looked fun.

Five things I don't leave the house without:

1. diaper bag (I learned my lesson with Hayley that if I leave without it, there will be mess!)
2. something cool to pull out of the bag for Hayley when she gets restless
3. shoes
4. keys
5. cell phone

Five cartoons I watched when I was younger:

1. Jem and the Hollagrams
2. The Smurfs
3. Maya the Bee
4. Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers
5. Saved by the Bell (Technically not a cartoon, but it was on Saturday mornings...)

Five things that terrify me:

1. Something bad happening to one of my kids
2. Something bad happening to my husband
3. Something bad happening to one of my parents
4. Something bad happening to one of my sisters
5. Scary movies

Five things I dislike that everyone else seems to like:

1. Scrapbooking
2. Cycling
3. Onions
4. Peppers
5. Flying

Five things I want to do before I die:

1. Get to my goal weight (sometime before I am dead...)
2. Be totally debt free (car, house, everything)
3. Visit family in the Netherlands
4. Go to Paris with Jeremy
5. Have an annual pass to Disneyland

Five people I tag:

1. Mel
2. Kimi
3. heather
4. Kelley
5. Jen

Do Me a Favor

Just know that if you say these things, this is what teachers will be thinking about you, even as we continue to smile.

"So what exactly do you do all day that I have to help my child with work at home?"
(Hello, that's part of your job as a parent! Feel free to come in and see what I do all day! Even better, feel free to come in and do what I do all day.)

"We don't really believe in homework in our family."
(Well, we believe in it here at school. Please support what we do, especially when we are trying to teach your child important concepts and responsibility in the process.)

"Well, I never learned that and I turned out just fine."
(That's a matter of opinion. Please don't give your child an "out" so they don't have to work hard.)

However, feel free to say these:

"Thanks for all you do."

"What can I do to help my child?"

"I appreciate you."

"My child likes coming to your class."

"You're very organized."

Can you tell it was Parent Teacher Conferences this week? Hence the lack of Halloween posting as of yet. It's coming, I promise.

Worth the Wait

Finally getting these smiles on camera,

was seriously worth the wait!

He Just Loves Me!

Any of you who know Hayley probably know that she can be a total crack up. She makes me laugh because rarely will she say about her baby brother, "I love him." It's always "He loves me!" or "He just loves me so much!"

After the last picture above, she said, "He just loves me so much that he started crying!" Yes, I'm sure that was it. It had nothing to do with the overbearing bear hug!

Vegas Baby!

While I admit that taking a three-year-old and a baby along doesn't make for the most optimal Las Vegas vacation, when you are the food source for one of them there is really no other choice! So we headed to Tahiti Village to use our time share week.

Hayley was pretty excited. Not sure if she was more excited about the trip, the drink that Jeremy bought her, or that she got to watch movies in the car on the new portable dvd player, which may have been the best $129 I've ever spent! Apparently, all that movie watching can wear a gal out, because here's what happened when Hayley wanted to go grocery shopping with me once we got there.

She perked up though, and did a whole bunch of swimming over the next few days.

Yep, in October. It was great!

We didn't want to take the baby over to the germy Strip, so Hayley and I had a few dates during the week. To the Mirage to see the tigers and dolphins, which Hayley loved, to Treasure Island to see (half of) the pirate ship show, which she was afraid of, and to the M&M Store to see the 3D movie, which she also claimed was too scary. I made her stay and watch it anyway. Because sometimes some "Forced Fun" is necessary.

While Hayley and I were out on the town, Jeremy and Jackson stayed at the resort and did this:

Jackson loves his daddy!

A fun trip, but next time, I don't know that these hooligans will be coming with us!

Think They're Related?

Quite often, people comment that Jackson looks a lot like Jeremy. This is fine with me, because I know he's my little boy. I birthed him.

What I can't get over though, is how much he and Baby Hayley look alike. Especially when Jackson pulls the same faces Hayley used to. The proof is in the pics.

(Hayley's on the top, Jackson's on the bottom)

Seriously, these kiddos crack me up!

Parental Vocabulary

"The Passover" - the shifting of a new, floppy, awkward infant from one set of arms to another.

"The Transfer" - the act of moving a sleeping child from the car to their bed without waking them. A successful transfer may just be a parenting legend.

"The Last Supper" - the night time claim from a child that they are hungry. Usually coincides exactly with bedtime, and often in accompanied by "The Last Refreshment" and "The Last Relief."

"The Last Refreshment" - the begging for "one more drink." Because apparently, getting ready for bed can make you really parched.

"The Last Relief" - "Mom, I have to go the bathroom!" Usually due to "The Last Refreshment." (See above.)

"The Ahhh" - synonym for a U.I.S. (Uninterrupted Shower). Not to be confused with a UTI.

"The Awww" - an unrehearsed expression of "I love you" from a child. Also used to describe a unwarranted hug or kiss.

"The Oh, ____!" - the spitting up, throwing up, diaper blowout, etc. at the most non-opportune time. To be expected especially if you are running late.

"Mommy Time" - aka Midnight Snack. Or, the five minutes in the parked car before attempting "The Transfer." (See above.)

No Better Way...

To spend UEA than lunch and shopping at Gardner Village with good friends!

Such a fun Girlies' Outing!

Little Jackson came along, too:

The only boy who was allowed!

Smile! No really, smile already!

This is how Jackson feels about smiling for the camera:

I did get close a couple of times though:

Not sure if this last one counts, since it could just be gas:

Heck, he's so cute, I'll take him even if he's a little stinky!

(Or a little stinker, as he is on occasion!)