Funny Stuff

Today as I was reading the news online, I was listening to the kids eating hardboiled eggs for a snack. This is what I heard:

Ava: "Jordan can you take Daddy's eyeball out?"

Jordan: "This is how I take Dad's eyeball out." (As he is taking the yolk out of his own egg)

Jordan walks over to Ava's seat and starts taking out her yolk.

Ava: "Can you put Daddy's eyeball on your plate, I don't want it on my plate."

Jordan: "Okay."

Brady: "I want Daddy's eye out of my egg."

Jordan takes the yolk out of Brady's egg.

Brady: SCREAMS!!! " I don't want to eat Daddy's eyeball!!!!!! I don't eat that stuff!"

Jordan: "Brady, if you don't eat Daddy's eyeball, Mommy won't let you have an egg again."

Brady: " Ewww.... I squished his eyeball." As he starts squishing the yolk with his finger. "Jordan why are you eating Daddy's eyeball?" Jordan is eating the white part of his egg, not the yolk.

Ava: "That's not his eyeball. that part is the egg!"

FRIENDS

Having great friends is truly a blessing from God. Last weekend we went back up to Wiesbaden and stayed with our friends, John, Jen, Austin, Annabelle, and baby Spencer (who is due to arrive on Beckett's 1st birthday). The entire family got a much needed break from our wet and dreary winter. I don't know who was more excited to see their friends, the kids or me??? The Mommies got a break and we were able sneak out for dinner, while Charlie and John fed the kids and put them to bed. Ava had her first birthday party with friends invited and she thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a triple birthday party at the bowling alley for Ava, Austin, and another friend from Wiesbaden. Ava and Austin got to turn five again as they were both January babies.

Here are some of our pictures with friends from the weekend. Jen B: I am a bit sad that there are no pictures of us, but Charlie obeyed and only took pictures of your baby belly. :)


Ava and Belle playing in the bathtub.



Me, Amber, and baby Cookey at the bowling alley. (She is expecting her first baby in April!)

Me and Kathrin at the bowling alley.

Ava and Vivian posing.

The five year olds! Ava and Austin. For my friends and family from afar.... Ava is really tall for five and Austin is a bit shorter for five. I am thinking that they should get married someday and their children would even out and be average. Plus, if they marry... I am sure to love Ava's mother-in-law!

Jordan and Austin playing the Wii.

What we came home to after our girls night out, sleeping angels All five kids sound asleep in Austin's bedroom. This is probably my favorite picture!

His tubes are a success!!!

Beckett's surgery went well today. We are all very tired and can't wait to see the benefits of Beckett having tubes in his ears. We left at 7:30 this morning and we were finally back home at 3:30. He did very well and was only in the operating room for about an hour. The Germans are extremely cautious about letting patients go home, so I was grateful when his nurses let us go after a couple of hours (post-surgery). Thanks for the prayers and well wishes.

Beckett Will be Getting Tubes Next Week

We had Beckett's appointment with the ENT today and it went very well. He is getting tubes put in his ears next Wednesday!!! It is happening faster then we had originally anticipated because the doctor is concerned with how much fluid is in his ears. Evidently there can be some fluid or a lot of fluid and he has a lot. And the quicker he does surgery, the less likely Beckett is to need more antibiotics if the bacteria starts growing again. The doctor claims that Beckett is probably hearing like we would hear if we submerged ourselves in water to listen to our everyday noises and conversation. Our doctor is German and seems to be very good. He speaks an adequate amount of English and was great with Beckett, so I am confident that everything will be great.
He talked about taking his adenoids out, but he would like to wait because at Beckett's age... the adenoids can grow back. So hopefully the tubes will fix all of the problems and if he needs his adenoids out then later we will deal with that when the time comes.
They will be putting him under anesthesia, so naturally I am a bit nervous. My sleep will probably suffer because I do my best thinking when I should be sleeping. I actually met with the anesthesiologist today as well and she went over everything with me. The doctor said that the tubes procedure will only take about 10 minutes, but the anesthesiologist said to plan on being there for about 4 hours so that they can monitor him as he wakes up.
I know lots of kids have had this procedure done and it is pretty simple, but I am still nervous and anxious to get it over with. And he's my baby! Please keep Beckett in your prayers until next week.

He won't STOP growing!

As Beckett is getting closer to his one year birthday, he is going through a lot of changes! Here are a few of the latest pictures:

Ready for bath time!

My latest trick! I am really a Mommy's boy and every time she leaves the room I get really upset. Well , I figured out how to turn myself around and STAND UP in my highchair so that I could see her when she left the kitchen. I am so proud of myself. Unfortunately, I won't be doing this anymore because Mommy figured she should probably buckle me in now!!!

Muffin Tin Monday and Ballet

Today was a new day! We tried Muffin Tin Monday (thanks Brenda for passing on this wonderful idea) and Ava had her first ballet class. Muffin Tin Monday is basically when you let the kids eat out of muffin tins. I don't know why we didn't start with muffin tins a long time ago instead of the silly kid friendly plates. The muffin tins are perfect portions for kids and nothing fell out of their tins onto the table. Brilliant!

Ava enjoyed her first ballet class. She didn't care for all the stretching and focusing on her arms. When we left she asked her teacher if she would be just twirling on Friday at the next class? Then in the van on the way home she said that next year when her name is Rose, she will be able to twirl like the ballerinas on tv. Ava has this obsession with the name Rose. She thinks that when she turns six we will change her name to Rose. Her baby dolls are all named Rose, she wants a dog named Rose, and best of all.... she can't understand why my friend Amber (she's expecting) doesn't want to name her baby Rose if she has a girl. Her newest idea is that Miss Amber could name her baby Rose but call it something else. GEEZ.... Miss Amber why not????

Switzerland

We spent our weekend in Lucerne, Switzerland and had a fantastic time. I was fortunate enough to find a hotel that would accomodate our larger family in one room that was just outside of Lucerne and situated on the lake. The only bummer was that we couldn't really see the views of the Alps because it was snowing and overcast, so I am hoping to make it back to Lucerne someday when it is a bit nicer outside. On our way home from Lucerne, we stopped at the Rhein Falls. The Rhein Falls is the largest waterfall in Europe and although it isn't the Niagera Falls it is still beautiful.

Here ar our pictures:



My favorite picture of the kids at the Rhein Falls. They enjoyed playing in a little bit of snow that fell.

Charlie and the kids in front of the falls.

Markplatz area of Lucerne. So pretty!

The Chapel Bridge in Lucerne. This is an old foot bridge that was originally built in 1333, but burned down in 1993 and was later rebuilt. The stone water tower in the center of the bridge is believed to have been a lucerna (or lighthouse) giving Lucerne its name. Now the stone water tower serves partially as a souvenir shop for Lucerne.