Big Daddy at your service.

I will have to say that I was quite shocked to get a call from Big Daddy saying that he has finally "officially" joined the family. You see, things happen to the members of our family that NEVER happen to other people. Maybe most folks have one or two crazy stories...but WE...could go on for days. For example:
1. One day my brother and I were driving down the road when an elderly lady ran out in front of us bleeding profusely from her head. She had slipped on a friend's porch and they weren't home.
2. My brother saw a girl hydroplane into a telephone pole. Her car caught fire and she was stuck in her seatbelt so he cut her out.
3. On the VERY same day as #2 I witnessed a pick-up and an SUV collide and then crash into the stoplight pole. Just before I made it to the intersection...said pole, came crashing down narrowly missing my jeep. I then got out and was helping the elderly lady out of her truck because she was choking on the airbag smoke, only to discover that her leg was broken...I mean broken.
4. My dad witnessed a semi drive OVER a compact car. He pulled a baby out of the wreckage who was UNHARMED!
5. I got hit by a drunk driver.
6. I found a guy asleep in my jeep.
7. Just yesterday, I saw a poor little boy at preschool break his arm into about 3 pieces after falling NO MORE than 2 feet! (STILL having mild panic attacks about that one!)

I could seriously go on for DAYS but, you get the point. SO on to Big Daddy's debut in our saga.

He was coming home from Arkansas. He stopped in Joplin at a gas station and noticed a car getting pulled over in the gas station parking lot. Of course he stopped to watch and thank God it wasn't him getting a ticket. The next thing he knows there is A LOT of yelling and the civilian charged the officer! Took him DOWN! So he ran in and told the lady working in the station to call for backup then ran back out in time to see the fatigued officer give him "the nod." You know, the one that says, "You don't HAVE to...but boy I could use some help here!" If you know Big Daddy, the following will come as a HUGE shock. He ran over and threw his knee in the middle of this dudes back to hold him down!!!! The officer was then able to grab his hands. Big Daddy and the officer held him until the Jasper County officer showed up. Apparently he and this "criminal" went way back. They thanked Big Daddy for his service and had him write a statement. He set out on his way with a new manly swagger about him. What a hottie.

Fishing boats and smurf spit.

Nanny was under the weather today and decided to stay in bed a little longer this morning. That left Papa (aka Mr. Nanny) to bring Drew to school. Cohen isn't supposed to go to school on Friday's but if there is an opening, his teachers usually BEG us to let him stay. Actually, last Friday they chased me out the door to make sure I didn't want to leave him! This morning they were full so he was coming home with me. I was saying my goodbyes to Drew and Claire when Papa met me at the door. He informed me that he was taking Cohen with him to work! Due to the MASSIVE overhaul I needed to do on the house before Big Daddy came home, I was happy to oblige. I didn't hear from them again until I called asking where I might pick up my little dude after I retrieved his sister! I found them at Bass Pro (after they terrorized the buffet at Hemingway's with Uncle) checking out the boats. When I finally caught up to my big boy, who was slightly buzzed off of Uncle's healthy serving of dessert, he had a smile from ear to ear. We headed over to grab a bag of cotton candy for the Clairebear. She was so sweet to share with brother, but we soon found out that he HATES cotton candy. He slobbered it out all over himself and Uncle. We will chalk that up to another lesson learned the hard way. After a visit with the giant bear, 10 minutes laughing at the ducks and an elevator that went up to the 4th floor then all the way down to the first floor and back up to the second floor...we were on our way home. By the time we passed our old bookstore...they were sacked out. I looked back to find Claire with a stream of blue saliva (smurf spit) rolling down her cheek! (Thanks Uncle for that cotton candy!) So I took the opportunity to drive around, listen to something besides "Johnny & June" and look at houses. I then came home to my clean house! A good afternoon if I do say so myself. God is so good to me.

Talking to God.

Yesterday Claire was using the potty and yelled, "Mom! Cohen just peed in the bathtub!" I went in to find a small yellow puddle in the empty tub. I asked him why he did that and he told me, "C-C-Claire tell me to." I asked her and she denied it but I had my doubts. Later when telling Big Daddy about it, she stuck with her story. I asked her one last time if she told Coco to pee in the bathtub. "No Mommy, I promise." So I gently reminded her that we need to tell the truth and that God knows if we tell a lie. She looked at me and said, "Well, don't talk to God then!" Busted.

Inspiration.

If you need some inspiration, go HERE and read Michael Stacy's wonderful article in the Springfield News-Leader. Then you can stop by my other blog and read a little more about why I am so thankful to call Steph my friend. I must go now, time to mug on my babies and cherish the little moments in my day.

What a day.

This is what happens when your 46 pound 2 year old still sleeps in his crib.

Cohen is MY child through and through. He is cautious, VERY sensitive, sweet and adorable. (Okay, the last two are traits that I MAY not posses...all the time.) Because he is not a risk taker, he refuses to bail out of his crib. I am also a firm believer in the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." He loves the crib and sleeps for 12 hours a night in it. In my opinion, "It ain't broke." But, it was time. We had a bed waiting for Claire and Big Daddy was ready to take on the project...so we did it. That is when we discovered...IT WAS BROKE!! Whoops.

So we broke out the screwdrivers (the tools...not the drinks) and went to work. I have to admit, I have been a little sad. We are done with bottles. No more diapers. Adios crib. Guess what that means? He's not a baby anymore. Ugh. I know he will always be MY baby, but he is just growing up so fast. He is talking so much which has made me realize just how much he is learning!

Nice and cozy with "Sock Gunky" (a.k.a. Sock Monkey)

This one breaks my heart! He was saying, "I'm a BIG boy!"

yummy.

Then, to top it all off, I went to Claire's room tonight to read. We started with some "BOB Books" because I thought we might read a few of those a night to work on her pre-reading skills. Imagine my surprise when she just took off READING!!!! That's right...my baby girl was reading! I listened to her sweet little voice, "Mat sat. Sam Sat." She went on, "Mat sat on Sam." I was SO PROUD! This was the first time we had ever looked at the book so I know she hadn't memorized it. We rushed in to show Big Daddy and of course I looked at me like I was trying to trick him! He was quite impressed when he realized that she was on her own. What a day it has been for this momma. What. A. Day.