How's your week been?

Our week has been about exploring boundaries...


And learning about do's and don't's. Well, I guess mainly the don't's. Like don't write on your fingers with blue marker-even if you wish you could be a "Jumbly" with a head that's green and hands that are blue. (These are characters from one of Michael's favorite poems).And don't write on your tummy with a pen-even if you are practicing writing the letter O.
And don't play inside the fireplace- even if it seems like a cool cave to hide in.Benjamin is learning that crawling can be fun, especially the thrill of "the step".
With all this exploring there have been some tired folk at my house. I promise we do have beds- we just apparently don't use them!
Michael insisted on having his sucker from primary before we even left the church parking lot. Good thing too, otherwise he may not have got it in his mouth before he crashed.

What a great week! Who's up for a Friday night break? ME!

Just Another Manic Monday

Today is Jonathon's first day back at work. Of course, last night was the roughest night yet. I guess it always happens that way when we justify staying up late with a board game to celebrate the end of paternal leave thinking that the kids will sleep as they have the previous 3 nights. Turns out that is the best way to jinx your night!

Benjamin slept fine during our game, but as soon as lights were out, he was up and hungry. Then Michael woke up and was throwing a fit for about 25 min because of some sort of nightmare where I ate something of his. He just kept crying and pointing to my mouth asking for it back. Made for one confused mommy. Finally we got him to calm down (around 4:30) by giving him a granola bar (maybe that's what I had eaten in his dream--who knows) but then he was pretty awake. Not cool. At around 6:00 he fell asleep and 30 minutes later Jonathon dragged himself out of bed to get ready for work! Good luck honey! So, it turns out that we got about 4 hours of sleep last night-in really small increments. UGH.

This morning for me has followed suit. After one huge diaper blowout, two plates of sticky pancakes splattered across the floor, and some all to eager help from two big-boy sticky hands as I try to help Benjamin nurse in all the frenzy, I find myself sitting in a slump and wondering what I have got myself into. I'm sure things get better because I have heard of people choosing to have a third child... ON PURPOSE! But then I look at my kids and I know that having children was the best choice I have made. I am so happy to have my sweet boys in my life.And at least my mom comes into town tomorrow night, and I have to say it won't be a moment too soon. I still have to adjust to this mom-of-two job I have laid out for me. Plus, it's always fun to give her grandbaby time.

Benjamin week 1 and 2

Benjamin's first 2 weeks are going well. We came home from the hospital on Saturday Sept 10, and Jonathon was able to spend the entire next week with us. Benjamin's cord has fallen off, and he is seeming bigger and stronger each day.

Michael is getting used to being a big brother.
He is learning to share his mom and dad.

He has been practicing sharing his stuffed animals with everyone, especially an unsuspecting relaxing mom.

He has been sharing his stickers with Benjamin in a very friendly big brother way.

AND He has been watching carefully to make sure the Benjamin is ok while he is sleeping.What a good big brother he is!

Welcome to the world Benjamin Russell Climer!!

On Sept 8 2011 we went in to the hospital ready to have a baby. Here is Mamma before baby was born. After laboring for less than 12 hrs...
At 8:56 pm we welcomed Benjamin Russell Climer into our family. He was a hefty 8 lbs 9.7 oz, measuring 20 inches in length, with a 37.5 cm head circumference. We are so blessed to have him in our family!




I was so happy to have the baby finally here, but I couldn't help but feel something was missing. I was so happy to see Michael when he came, and wanted to show him his new brother.

First we checked to see if he had everything, like a nose-same as Michael-----And ears-just like Michael.

After a thorough investigation, he decided Benjamin was ok and let him sit on his lap.
Now we are a happy family of 4!

Bedtime Realities

So, after my last post about Michael's night time prayers, it got me thinking about our bedtime routines. Then, last night, I had an epiphany-- here I am complaining about Michael's bedtime routine and how long it takes, and I haven't even looked at mine. When I step back and evaluate my evening, I kinda had to laugh.

When Michael's in bed and Jonathon and I are headed to bed, I go and change into my PJ's (a welcome relief from my maternity clothes). With Michael, it's sometimes tough to keep him from running off mid-change. For me, it is kinda tough to keep me from tipping over mid-change. It's the whole, 'how do I lift my leg to put on my pants with this fat tummy in the way' issue I'm sure many of you can relate to. Sometimes I'm happy I don't have to watch myself as I do getting-dressed-yoga.

Next I brush my teeth, not too interesting, except that I still gag every time I brush. This only happens when I'm pregnant.

After scriptures and prayers I turn off the light and hop into bed with Jonathon. Well hop makes it sound spunky and graceful. Nope. It's more like plop, slide, shuffle, grunt, and collide with my bed. But eventually I am in bed.

You would think that it is over at this point, but it takes me probably 10 minutes to get comfortable and situated with all of the 15-some-odd pillows that I sleep with. On the other side of the bed something completely different, but definitely related is happening.It takes Jonathon just about as long to pile on and get comfortable with all the 15-some-odd blankets he likes to sleep with in our Air-Conditioned-for-a-Pregnant-Lady house. Fine with me, so long as the blankets don't come anywhere near me and my 15 pillows, or I may just burn up.

Then the inevitable happens and just as I finally settle into a semi comfortable position, I realize that I have to go to the bathroom. BLEH! I have to reset everything for just a two second trickle in the toilet.

Hmmm... not so different from the wiggles of a two-year-old getting settled into his bed, and the always present excuse of 'one last drink' or 'I have to go to the bathroom' to reset the whole routine. Wow. And to think that there was a time I would just go to bed. Oh, for simpler days.

A Collection and some Prayers

So Michael has been entertaining himself with the most random things lately. For the past 2 or 3 days he has been carrying a small blue bucket with his "collection". This collection consists of a small American Flag, a McDonald's happy meal toy, a small sand shovel, a small flashlight, a magnet, 2-3 dupblo toys and some random toys that I'm not sure about. Most of these things are things I have at one point almost thrown away, or aren't really intended as a toy. So, tell me, why do we buy toys again? Maybe we should all just pass around the junk we would throw away and that could keep our kids happy right? Or maybe a Rent-a-Toy center would be nice. Yep, that makes more sense to me.

Now a note on prayers. Michael has been learning how to say his prayers at night. For a while we would just have him repeat what we say and call that good. But after a Family Night lesson on prayers, we decided that he was old enough to come up with his own ideas. Since then we have noticed a pattern arising. A typical night time prayer for Michael would go as follows:

Mom: Say, 'Heavenly Father'...
Michael: Father
Mom: Say, 'thank thee for'...
Michael: GO!
Mom: Ok, that we could go out today. Thank thee for....
Michael: Papa car...
Mom: Yep
Michael: and Mama car...
Mom: Uh huh
Michael: and Me!...
Mom: Yeah. Say, 'Please bless'...
Michael: Mama
Mom: Ok
Michael: and Papa
Mom: Yep
Michael: and Baby
Mom: Yeah. Say 'In the name'...
Michael: No! and Papa's baby... and Mama's baby... and My baby.
Mom: Right. Say 'In the name'...
Michael: No! and Lizzy's baby (my brother's wife)... and airplanes... and bear...
Mom: That's right. Now say 'In the name'...
Michael: Jesus, Amen (said while cheering with his hands over his head)!
Mom: Alright! (cheering on the inside that we finally finished his prayer)

All of this is said while kneeling by his bed. Well, I guess we start by kneeling, but Michael wiggles, and turns around, and then back again, and climbs up on his bed. Then I pull him down and tell him to fold his arms, which he does for 0.453 seconds, and then he's off again-not to mention the distraction of a nearby book or toy. Wow, and to think I expect him to just lay in bed and sleep after this! Yep, that's why bedtime is always at least a 45 min event. But hey, we're on the right track right?

Uhhh Hmmm... Well, you know.

You may wonder why I have not posted in over a year... Well, due mainly to my neglect, the blog has become sort of on back burner for a while. And then, of course, having not logged in for SOOO many months, I forgot my username and password. Awkward. And then of course, this discouraged me from doing anything on it for a while because it takes enough to even motivate me to post, let alone reset my password and then post.

But enough with the excuses. I have figured it out, and now alll is well. So wanna know what's been going on in our lives for the past... year and a half.... WELL, let me explain. No NO, it's too long. Let me sum up:

I'm pregnant. Need I say anymore. (Due Sept. 11)
Ok. Just kidding, I will:

-Jonathon completed his Master's Degree at AFIT (late March)
-We moved to Eglin AFB in Florida (April)
-Michael turned 2 years old (April 30)
-First "East Coast Runion" with all my family on the East Coast (May)
-Jonathon did Tech Warrior training in NY (June)
-I did an ENTIRE online course in 4 weeks. Yeah, I'm proud! (June)
-First COMPLETE Baird Family Reunion in 3 years (July 4)
-Jonathon did FAM training in OH (July)
-Finally back in Florida at our house! (Aug)
-Expect our baby in T-5 Weeks

Meanwhile, Michael is the sweetest boy I could ever have hoped for. He is obedient, kind, gentle, and confusing me into having another child. What have we got ourselves into?

I have to say, we LOVE it here in Florida. Life is beautiful, and so are the BEACHES. Can you say white sugar sand? Yeah, pretty nice. To bad it is so dang hot outside. I think I'm gonna die. And anyway, Beach+2 year old= alot of work. So we mainly stay inside. But once baby is born, weather is cooler, and I feel more up to it--watch out world, here we come.

I can't even tell you how nice it is for Jonathon to have a normal job. He goes to work, comes home, and DOESN'T have SCHOOL WORK! Yep, this is the life. Couldn't ask for a thing more.

So now that you have the basic gist of our life, enjoy some pictures of some of our adventures. They may, or may not be in chronological order, but at least you have them! :)

All Michael Plays with are rocks... even when there is so much else to see.
Notice Jonathon is SO patient with Michael. I get bored too fast.

Playing with Sidewalk Chalk

Homemade Ice cream the old fashioned way.

Crazy "kids" at the East Coast Reunion

East Coast Reunion: Climer family, Brandt Family, McCarther Family, and Vilburn Family

Michael discovered what is in an Easter Basket....

Candy Candy Candy!!
(He is saying it and using sign language)

As always, a reunion isn't complete without games.

ROAD TRIP! Our happy family on the way to Florida

Last goodbyes to our house in Florida. We were all really exhausted.

Grandma and Grandpa come to visit for AFIT graduation.

AFIT's graduating class.

Graduation pictures with our good friends Devin and Melissa Dalton. We miss you guys!

Well, there should be more to come! Hopefully I won't be too lazy to post. Stay tuned for the arrival of another Climer!