Oh Ella...

Oh Ella. What am I going to do with this girl?? I would really like to know. Never have I met a more complex creature, who tests and challenges me on more fronts. She can go from being the sweetest, most creative little girl, to being the type of holy terror only seen on Nanny 911. She doesn't like to be alone - for any reason - and she therefore refuses to go to bed at night in her room, won't watch a movie, and is now refusing to do any extracurricular activities (such as her beloved dance!). I'm honestly at a loss about how to control and react to her daily full-blow tantrums and constant whining and crying fits. Help! Surely somebody out there has dealt with something similar!? (Please say yes.) The trouble is that when she is good...she is so good! She loves to color, write, draw, and learn, and she comes up with the most creative little games (such as in the second picture). This was a day that she was really in her zone - wearing mismatched pajamas, with her hair in about 20 clips, drawing in the stroller on the chair. I love this zone! She can happily play and play, and although messes are usually made, she is so happy. Then, in the blink of an eye, she will freak out about some inconsequential thing. I'm talking full up lying on the floor, thrashing about with legs kicking, and screaming as though mortally wounded. This will continue for half an hour, while in the meantime the rest of the family is about to lose their minds! So far we've had to officially move Ella's bed into the boys room in order for her to go to sleep at night. They are not especially thrilled by this move, but they are trying to be patient with her until she can figure this out. We've got the sticker chart going to reward good behavior, which seems to be really helping, and we now have a "plan" for what to do with her during a tantrum. I know she doesn't want to act like this, and I don't think she just wants attention. I think she just loses control and can't figure out a better way to act. And I do think that tiredness plays into it, which is why she HAS to take a nap every day. When she doesn't, for some reason, we usually end up with her falling asleep in the car or on the floor. So...here is the question. Any ideas??? Any good books on the subject? An expert I should seek out? Is there hope for us??? We love this little one, and want to help her (and us!!). So I'll be waiting for all of your wonderful advice now! :)

Spencer's Backwards Party

Spencer finally got to have his birthday party this past weekend! It has been quite a chore finding a weekend that we could have it, for some reason, and so last weekend it was. He had a backwards party, which was RIGHT ON for 10 year old boys! They got so into the theme - backwards dressing, talking, games, food. You name it...it was backwards! It was also quite fun to plan, and the build up for the kids was almost as fun as the party (and afterward too...I saw some of the boys laughing about the party yesterday when they saw each other). So fun stuff. So in my planning, I encountered a lot of great ideas online. Several of them I copied (such as the "7-down" for the drink - a 7-up can, upside down, with a hole stabbed into the bottom and a straw. Brilliant! And a major hit.). But several of my ideas came right from my brain - such as the upside-down chin faces (the boy's favorite party game). But I just couldn't think of how to do a backwards pinata. Several suggestions I found online were kind of lame I thought - hang a regular pinata upside down, have the kids tape candy onto a balloon and take it home. I mean, these ideas were OK, but I felt like I could come up with something better. So I was at the store and there were all these miniature pinatas for sale. Evidently this is something that is used for San Antonio's "Fiesta" somehow (which is some giant party downtown, from what I hear). So then it hits me...the best pinata idea ever! Each kid will have their own mini pinata that they will use to hit the hanging bat! Doesn't that sound like a great idea? Well, I thought it was genius! OK, well, if you watch the following video you will see that it didn't quite work as I had planned. I just about singlehandedly broke skulls and windows with this genius idea. It was quite unexpected, and frankly quite frightening! But aside from this funny turn of events in the pinata crushing, you have GOT to see my husband in this video. You'll have to look close. He is in the background (wearing his Thailand shirt, of course) and he appears to be standing guard, protecting our new grass from stray bits of candy or pinata. So all of you who know and love my dear husband - who have seen him vacuuming as company drives away, who have witnessed the urge to clean just take over all his good senses - you are really, really going to enjoy watching this. I was CRYING I was laughing so hard. Oh Bry...oh Bry.

Easter...finally!

Has anybody else been having problems with blogger? I've been trying to post these pictures since Monday and it has been refusing to let me! Very annoying. Seriously. OK, but back on topic...Easter was GREAT this year! The kids were all adorable, they had a great time coloring and hunting for eggs, and the food was all fantastic. I even included a picture of my cool bunny carrot cake. That was one easy dessert, and it was even more delicious. Oh I know that sounds a lot like bragging, but it's not like I invented the recipe! My kudos go to the recipe inventor and to the cute bunny cake idea creator. I am a mere copier! But anyway. One thing I love about Easter is getting to dress up my girls. I mean really...when else is it socially acceptable for a 4 year old girl to wear satin gloves and a bonnet! She was so gorgeous. And little Ru. It's hard to see the tiniest, most miniature pig tails ever on the top of her head - but they are there. They reminded me of little bunny ears! And the boys, of course look handsome as can be. I was happy with the shirts and ties I found for them, but Bryan thought that Tyler's shirt was the most hideous thing he'd ever seen. I thought it was a great Easter shirt! He said, "If you're ever thinking of buying me a great Easter shirt...don't." What? Even Bryan had to admit that Ty looked pretty dapper in that green shirt. Just because it's not white or blue, Bry, it's still OK!! Spencer looks like a little stud in his striped shirt. He is getting so old! I wish I had a better picture of Ruby to show, but she was not being cooperative. As you can see from the picture, she is trying her hand at walking lately! I'm sure it won't be long and her "first walking" video will be posted. But we're waiting until she does more than laugh and fall! But she does love trying. Happy Easter everybody!

My very cool ride

A couple of weekends ago I was able to take a seriously cool ride. The spouses in our squadron were invited to go up in a KC-135 tanker and watch the F-16s from our squadron refuel. I have tried to do this on several other occasions, but have either been too pregnant or had a newborn. So here was my chance! Bryan's parents watched the kids, and Bryan was scheduled to be the first jet on the tanker. Of course I took my Dramamine, which was a good thing since two of the other wives got sick! So first of all, I got to lie back on the mat where the boom operator works for take-off. That was quite a sight to behold, especially for somebody who is deathly afraid of heights. I was literally watching the ground disappear as we took off, similar to looking out a glass bottom boat, and as we taxied down the runway my face was only feet above the ground. A little frightening, but cool nonetheless. Before the jets arrived, I was able to steer the boom around - kind of fun - and then the waiting began. They kept talking about "Snake 1" being late to the refuel, and of course I knew that was Bryan. So, as luck would have it, his wingman had to ground abort and so Bryan had to give up his jet for somebody who needed a checkride for that sortie. Boo hoo!! That was the only disappointment of the day, however, because it was amazing in every other way. You could literally see the faces of the pilots! All friends of ours. So it was just cool to see what my husband does for work each day. Seriously? He is getting paid for this??

Happy Birthday Spencer!!

Happy Birthday Spencer! My first baby is now ten years old. Double digits! That makes me feel really old! Well, Spencer is a great boy. He is fun to be with, fun to talk to, and is as imaginative as they come. As a typical first child, he is not sure he wants to grow up and lucky for him his parents usually forget that they should probably treat him a little bit older. What can you do? He is as blind as a bat (if Spencer was here, however, he would correct me and say that it's a common misconception but actually bats aren't really blind), as skinny as a rail (62 pounds!), and is double jointed in most of his limbs (thus the crazy Kung Fu flailing). Spencer loves babies, and is such a great helper with Ruby. Homework is the bane of his existence, and weekends and free time are the purpose of life. Since the day he could utter his first word, Spencer has had obsessions. He will just get completely consumed with an idea or a movie or a sport, and his mind refuses to leave this obsession for any reason (schoolwork is especially bothersome). I'm sure many of you remember some of the past obsessions: magic potions, magic wands, Ariel, mermaids in general, flying (not in a plane), Kung Fu, ballroom dancing, and football - just to name a few! I look back at past Christmas letters and just crack up remembering some of his past obsessions (I just read 2002, and Spencer was apparently crazy about the flag and the National Anthem that year). So, Spencer is always busy putting us to work on a scheme of some kind. But we love that kid! He's a wonderful boy. Happy Birthday SB Machine!!