My BIG Boy!

Beckett was rather resistant to potty training and had no interest in doing it. But I decided that it was time for big boy underwear. Last Friday we put him in underwear and by the end of the day, he had caught on to the concept. Prior to our first day, he had never peed on the potty. We would sit him on there first thing in the morning and he would never go. I was convinced that it was going to be a battle.

Three days later, he had it completely figured out. Now it has been 7 days and he is Mr. Independent. He goes into the bathroom, shuts the door, and won't let you in until he's done. He's even staying dry at night... but I haven't had him sleep overnight in his underwear yet. I'm not ready because he's in our bed.

Here he is modeling his Calvin Klein Thomas the Train underwear.

Ava's Birthday!

We celebrated Ava's birthday last Saturday with a group of 10 little girls and her 3 brothers. First they decorated aprons (and their own shirts) with fabric paint. I didn't think to tell their parents, so everyone went home with some paint on the clothes they came wearing. Oops! Then they created their own pizzas for dinner. It was a bit crazy, but they were occupied with activities for much of the party!

On Ava's actual birthday, I stated that I couldn't believe that it had been seven years since my last baby girl. Ava asked me how that could be? Then she realized that she was my only baby girl! Time goes by so quickly and she is growing up so fast. I need to keep a journal of all the cute things she says because I am pretty sure that it won't always be this way!

Cake time!

Blowing out her candle! This candle has been circling the neighborhood for the last few months and all of her friends have blown out the same one.

Opening up her gifts.

Making the pizzas!

Her family birthday cake!

Origami Art by Jordan

Jordan has picked up a new hobby. He's always loved to make paper airplanes and paper boats, so today he decided to try origami. He made 2 bunnies, a seal, penguin, a little box, and a star.

Pinball Blogging

Pinball blogging is in style for the Bailey Babble. It has been so long, that I am playing catch-up and in no particular order. Please scroll down!

Brady turned FIVE!

Brady turned FIVE in November and we celebrated with Buzz and Woody. At his party the kids were able to pretend that they each had their own galactic blasters while they played a wild game of laser tag.

Brady doesn't care for being the center of attention, so this is his one picture with his cake. He kept hiding behind the plate (see his right hand). But when he couldn't get enough wind from his cheeks, the plate dropped for a minute and we stole a better picture.


Space blaster pinata!

Before laser tag they had to sit through a 15 minute speech (that is geared towards adults) on the rules of laser tag. It was dreadful for the kids and the parents. Making it worse, the guy who gives the speech uses a robotic voice as he's doing it.

Christmas 2010

Camelbaks!

A pink one, too!

I think this might be my last year of matching pj's. :-( Jordan still thinks it's cool but I know my days are numbered.

This Santa photo was taken at our Battalion Holiday Party. I was so busy with the event planning for the party that we never got all of the kids together for one Santa photo. Now Ava and Brady's won't save from FlickR to my computer. Very frustrating.

Tree #2. I love it more than the first one. C.h.a.r.a.c.t.e.r!

We've had lots of questions, but we still believe. A big thanks to the Santa Tracker online. Jordan followed him all day on Christmas Eve and I think it helped convince him.

Jumping into 2011

I've been a blog slacker. It just doesn't always make the cut on my daily list of things to do. I thought it would be fun to make 11 resolutions/goals for 2011 and share them will all of you.

#1: Try 1 new recipe a week. Over our 2 week Christmas break I successfully made 6 new recipes and every one of them got great reviews even from the pickiest of the picky in our bunch. I've discovered that cooking with wine makes just about everything taste good!

#2: Finish printing off my photos from our time in Germany and get them in albums. I started using dropbox and I have downloaded over 4,o00 pictures to it, so that when our old desktop finally crashes I have them all online.

#3: Run the North Pole half-marathon and try a triathlon.

#4: Finish 3 quilts that I feel like I have been working on or putting off for years now. I figure that while Charlie is deployed I will be able to tackle this.

#5: Get Beckett out of our bed. (I am already aware of the fact that I will probably fail at this because Charlie will be gone.)

Okay... who am I kidding? I will probably need to get all 4 of them out of my bed for my 2012 resolution. Maybe I should just get a California king size bed now.

#6: Learn how to cut Beckett's hair without him making a scene at the Barber shop. I've tried just about everything and he screams and cries hysterically. Trust me, it's bad. We've had to walk-out of the barber with half of a haircut. Then I feel so terrible that I end up tipping the barber more than twice the amount of the haircut. Makes me want to let it grow out long. SUPER LONG. I end up having to cut his hair with scissors while he takes a bath and it takes F-O-R-E-V-E-R.

#7: Learn to say NO to home product parties. Sorry people... I don't want to go and I don't want to host. Somehow in Alaska... they are out of control. Everyone sells something and they all try to suck you in. We are such a small Army community, once you go to one... you will be invited to a home party at least twice a month.

#8: Eat more fish. I have a freezer that is full of fish and I just don't cook it that much, so we don't eat it that much.

#9: With 4 kids in the house who love to cook, we just decided to make a rotating chart of who is the lunch helper and the dinner helper. My goal is to stick to the chart and kick the non-helpers out of the kitchen. It gets way too crazy and then I don't enjoy letting them cook with me.

#10: Find a babysitter who can watch the kids once a week while Charlie is gone. We went back to homeschooling and I know that I will need a break from them as much as they will need a break from me.

#11: Buy a new video camera. Then actually use it.

Brats

Brats, Part 2