My baby loves Toby Mac

A couple of days ago, I heard Max singing from his crib. As I entered his room, I was trying to place the song. The tune and lyrics were very clear, and I knew I'd heard them before. And then I realized that he was singing a line from Toby Mac's "City on Our Knees". They play it on KLOVE all the time.

About a half hour later, we were in the car, and that song started playing. Max declared it "his" song, and began singing along. I was in awe of how many words and notes he actually hit correctly.

I said, "Max, that's amazing!" Brady, who cannot stand to be left out, ever, yells from the back seat, "What's amazing?!" Max replies, "This song is amazing!"

Thank you, Toby Mac. And thank you, KLOVE.

Sydney's post, Edition 1

Max is singing away

One morning at church we went to pick up max from class. Once max came out of class he started singing "life is a highway, I want to ride it all night long." Until Dad asked "Did you sing that in class?" Max answered " yes! " After that happened, on the way home everybody was singing life is a Highway!

Overheard this week:

Brady: Mom, if the cars get in your way, just honk your horn.


Brady: I need to go potty.
Max: I go potty too.
Brady: No, Max. When you poop, someone just changes you.
Max: Otay.


James: Just because I AM a poor college student doesn't mean I have to LIVE like one.
Me: Um, actually, that's exactly what it means.


And this is where a few of you are wondering who the heck James is. You will likely remember him as JJ or Jas. He's my little brother, and he's living with us for the summer. And wow, I have a lot of blog catching up to do. I'll try to do that soon. Where has the summer gone? And why doesn't the fall get here quicker? I'm dying for some routine, some sanity, a clean house and a pedicure!

Bible Stories with Brady

After Sunday Bible class, I always ask the kids what they learned in class. Today, Brady's answer was this:

Zaccheus was this man who was really short. And he was climbed up in a tree. Then God came by and said, "Come down for dinner."

Pretty good for three years old, right?

Camping converts

I've always held that camping is just not my thing. I joke that the La Quinta is as close to camping as I care to get. I don't love dirt and fishing and the smell of campfire in my hair.

But I love Garner State Park.

We went for the weekend a few weeks ago and stayed in cabins, along with five other families from our small group at church. I believe the official count was 12 adults and 18 kids. And the oldest kid was nine. And the bulk of those kids were 3 to 5 year old boys.

It was wild.

The best quote of the weekend came from Blake, of course. He said, after we'd been there for a few hours, "This is way more fun than I thought it'd be."

Poor kid. He'd been poisoned by his mother's bad attitude.

Blake hiked, played in the Frio, and played every sport anyone suggested. He was right in his element, and I'm not kidding when I say that I think he would be thrilled if we told him we were going to live permanently in one of those little cabins.

And he actually cried when we left.

Brady and Max played with friends and cars and dirt. Someone brought a bubble machine, and all the little boys had a blast just running through them.

All the kids are already asking when we're going again, and I'm thinking we might just be camping converts. It was a wonderful weekend, full of new friends and outdoor fun. God gifted us with perfect weather.

I know some of you are laughing out loud that I think staying in a cabin is actually camping, but just remember that it IS more rustic than the La Quinta.

I say a lot of bad words.

Or at least that's what my son claims.

Blake told me this evening that he told some kid on his bus that his mom says a lot of bad words. When I asked which words those would be, he answered, "You know, Mom, the d- word and the s- word."

God bless my sweet 6 year old who believes the worst words you can say are "dumb" and "stupid". May he always be so sweet and innocent.

And may I learn to control my tongue better.

Adventures in potty training

 

Anyone who knows me well knows I love being a toddler/preschool mom, but I HATE diapers. While I would not wish that my boys grow up, I am living for the day that they can (a) potty in the potty; and (b) wipe their own butts (yes, I just said "butts").

Because I am so eager to rid my home of the dreaded diapers, I decided to potty train Brady and Max together. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

In their Easter baskets, each boy got big boy underpants. I bought two little potties, thinking I could seat them simultaneously and read one book to both boys while they magically learned to "make something" in the potty. Seemed like such a brilliant idea.

On the appointed morning, I got them both out of bed, announced my plan, stripped them of their diapers, and put their new underpants on them. Brady was delighted with his Diego underwear. Max screamed at the sight of his Lightning McQueen underwear. It took me several minutes just to get them on him.

When it was time to sit on the potty for the first time, Brady immediately "made something". And by something, I mean the smallest drop of pee I've ever seen. But I cheered anyway, because it was better than nothing, right? Max screamed at the sight of his adorable little frog potty. I literally held him on the potty with one hand while shouting the book I was reading over his tantrum. When I'd finally had enough, Brady said very seriously, "Max didn't make nothin'". I was beginning to sense that my brilliant idea may not work out so well.

The entire morning, every time I put Brady on the potty, he squeezed out a few drops like a real champ. And Max screamed bloody murder and refused to make anything.

Then all at once, Max, standing (praise God) on the tiled kitchen floor, began to pee, frozen in his tracks and screaming "Oh, no, wa-wa, oh, no, wa-wa!" over and over again. All I could do was laugh. Oh, how I wish I had a video of that.

Side note: It reminded me of the first time Blake realized what was going on as he peed, naked and running in circles screaming. Again, wish I had a video.

It was then that I decided that one for two isn't such a bad record, and I could just let Max be a baby for a little while longer.

So Max's first potty training adventure lasted about four hours. I guess I'll continue buying Luvs in bulk, for now.

But the good news is Brady is still doing awesome.