Kids are Gross

Kids are the funniest.  You can't make this stuff up.  Almost every day of my life, I think "Is this really happening?" Friday, we had to go to the doctor's office for Sophia.  She's had a cough and woke up with a fever.  We were sitting in the waiting room and Stella and Sophia were taking turns pushing(no,hitting) the button that activates the train that goes around a track overhead.  Then, at every passing, they shriek and squeal with laughter at the "surprise" that there is actually a train coming by.  (We have been going to this doctor for three years)
Stella-"Mom? I need to go to the bathroom."
Me-"Really?  We just went before we left."  (knowing that a) as soon as I take her, they will call our name b)she probably doesn't really need to go, but has an obsession with public restrooms, and c)Sophia will touch everything in the public restroom and I will have to wrestle her away from everything and fight with her to wash her hands)
Me-"OK, let's go."  I sigh.
We go and everything I knew would happen, did.  They called our name, she didn't really have to go but Sophia decided she wanted to sit on the potty, too (didn't need to) and thought it would be nice to pick up someone else's used t.p. off of the floor and hand it to me to throw it away.  Hands washed, germophobic mother thoroughly disgusted, and back out to the waiting room.
Nurse-"Sophia?  Sophia?"
Back to the doctor's office we go, and as the nurse is trying to ask questions about Sophia's health, Stella is tugging at my shirt saying she has to go to the bathroom again.  REALLY?!?!?  The nurse says we can go while she weighs Sophia and gets her temp.  I take Stella and she actually uses it this time.  Wash hands and back to doctor's office.  Dr. finally comes in and Stella says (holding her hand with something earth toned on it up to my face) "I just poopoo'd in my pants."  Dr. says "I'll let you take care of that." And we go back to the bathroom.  (this is the third time in an hour if you are counting)  I deposit her underwear into the garbage can and use thirty paper towels to clean her up (no wipes because Sophia is potty trained and we don't need a diaper bag anymore, right?  RIGHT?!?!?)  Poor Stella has diarrhea, no underwear on, and blue jeans.  Ouch.  We wash hands and I try to get the poo off of my jeans that she wiped on me I tried to help her onto the adult sized toilet seat.  We go back to the doctor's office and wait for 20 more minutes because now we have lost our place in the rotation.  He returns and Sophia is swabbed for strep.  "I'll be back from the lab in 5 minutes with your test results," says Dr.
Stella- "I have to go to the bathroom again."
Me-"Stella.  Please try to hold it.  As soon as we leave, the doctor will come back.  Just wait a little bit, pleeeeeassse."
Five minutes pass and he steps back into the room to say "Sophia has strep. Here is her prescription."  "Great, thanks," I say.
"MOM! I just pooped in my pants again," says Stella, spreading her legs apart in a semi-split.  Dr. says "Alright-I will leave your prescription and file at the front desk.  Hope you all have a great weekend!"  So, here we are again in the bathroom cleaning poo off of Stella's jeans, stuffing them with paper towels, and cleaning poo off of toilet, sink, floor, hands, arms....did I leave anything out? I apologize to the giggling nurses in the hall that I am sure heard me saying "Oh my gosh.  Oh...my...gosh....oh good Lord, help me....Sophia, get out of the trash.....Stella, stop touching that....ohhhhh.....good grief.....wash your hands....make bubbles....."  Then, to the line to pay.  Of course there were 185 people waiting to pay on a Friday afternoon.  By this point, we had been there for 2 hours.  So, as we stand in line, Stella and Sophia were ooh-ing and aah-ing over the babies and Stella decided to share with everyone how she had pooped in her pants.  Lovely.  Now, I have parents clutching their newborns to their bosoms and trying to get as far away from me and my diseased children.  That was my Friday.  Like I said, you cannot make this stuff up.  Why would you want to?  Kids are disgusting.  It's a good thing they have wonderful personalities 85% of the time.

B.J. Reece's Apple Orchard

Apple pickin' smile

This goat looks thrilled to be here.  

About 2 seconds later, she was running to me screaming bloody murder because the turkey pecked her.  He's gonna make a nice Thanksgiving meal.

Short-lived slumber party in Sophia's new bed

After 5 years, we finally said goodbye to the crib.  It was bittersweet, but Sophia was soooo excited about her new bed!  Stella thought it was her bed, too.  She wanted to have a sleep in "her" new bed next to Sophia, so we said o.k. since it was a Saturday night.  We read stories, tucked them in, gave goodnight kisses and ventured downstairs.  We sat on the couch and smiled at each other, so proud of our precious, little girls. About 20 minutes later, there were wails and tears and names being yelled at one another. "What is going on?"  I said, flinging the door open.  "Sophia hit me in the head with a BOOK!"  "Sophia?  Is this true?"  "YES! Sissy is a POOPOO PANTS!"  Alright.  Slumber party over.  

Disney Princesses on Ice at Phillips Arena

Brooke, Moody Stella, and Harper

Bert's Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin Painting

We got "Boo"d!" If you don't know what this means, it happens when someone knocks on your door and leaves a treat and you are supposed to "pay it forward" and leave treats on another doorstep.  It is really exciting for kids, so we decided to choose two friends to "Boo" after we received our surprise.  I made up little treat bags and loaded the girls in the car.  When we arrived at the first house, I told Stella to hop out of the car and leave it on the doorstep of some friends of ours.  These friends have a gorgeous golden retriever that hangs out in the front yard at times and this was one of those days.  After Stella struggled to try to open the door (child lock), I had to get out and open the door for her.  As I am getting back in, there is a lady in a car waiting to get into the driveway of the house we were about to "Boo."  Lady in Car-"Are you trying to get into their driveway?"

Me-"No-we are trying to 'Boo' them."(assuming everyone knows what that means-I was wrong)

Lady in Car-"Pardon me?"

Me-"We are leaving candy on their doorstep"

Lady in Car-"Oh...o.k." (looking a little unimpressed)

Back to Stella-by this time, she had made it halfway across their football field front yard and was racing back to the car, screaming and crying, with the Golden Retriever on her heels trying to lick her to death.  By this time, the person we are trying to "Boo" (this is all supposed to be anonymous) has come out onto the driveway and is yelling at the dog.  I am grabbing the bag from Stella and running it to the front doorstep and running back across Central Park yard back to my now locked car.  Luckily, I have a code and type it in, jump into the car and speed away.  First Boo-ing=Success....well, maybe not.

Sophia kept telling everyone she was a kangaroo and requested lion makeup to go with her costume

Stella and Caroline at Trunk or Treat at our church

Snow White for school

Sophia's class was outside playing during Stella's class party and she could smell candy-this is her trying to party crash

July/August/Tour de Tejas 2011

Sophia has an interesting fashion sense. This is in for fall-pairing metallic gold capelet with Mardi Gras beads

Here we have princess dress paired with plastic lei

Amicalola Falls

Yes, that it is my child with a snake-and loving every minute of it

Wading in the water

Overlook

Heading to the falls

Antique truck in the forest-had to take this picture for my dad

My girls

Sophia's first day of school

She was very excited

Stella and her Papa Mike

Stella's first day of school

This is from our Tour de Tejas-visiting with the Donalson fam

Heading home from the pool with the Turner fam

Hunter, Sophia, and Aunt Carrie at their "water park" pool

Stella was worn out! She put herself to bed that night at the Turner home

Our visit with the Black family

Jason and Mandy

Stella enjoying a popsicle with Owen and Sophia

Owen!

Sophia-topless

Stella and her apple smile, courtesy of Grandma Polly

Sophia's apple smile

Grandma Polly, Stella, and her snow globe

Stella's catch of the day with Papa John

Papa John and Sophia. What's on the end of the string, you ask? Why, Stella, of course! Can't let her float down the river, so they tied a string to her life jacket! I think Dad may have called her "gator bait."

Sophia at Lake Wedowee

Stella and Mr. Paul

Stella and Preston

Bathtime

What's that saying about the girl with the curl in the middle of her forehead? Um...yeah....

Thar's gold in that thar vial!

In the Consolidated Gold Mine-Dahlonega, GA

Panning for gold-Stella's the only one that found gold

Snake at Anna Ruby Falls

Anna Ruby Falls

The girls at Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland, GA

What's been going on with the Newman family? A LOT! We had such a crazy, busy, wonderful summer. It was so great to visit with everyone in Texas and I couldn't have made the trip there without Nikki (who flew from Dallas with her daughter to Atlanta to drive out with me-willingly, I swear!) and Mimi Sandy driving back with me to Atlanta after a two week whirlwind trip starting in Jasper, passing through The Woodlands, Montgomery, Austin, Houston, and Sugarland. Did I leave anyone out?

When we returned to Atlanta, Mimi and I decided that Sophia should go into potty training boot camp before she started school. She had been showing signs of being ready and we knew it was time. How do I know that I will never have another baby in my life? It's not the sleepless nights. It's not even the pregnancy, delivery, postpartum issues....it is potty training. I never want to potty train another child in my life. Unless it it my grandchild thirty (yes, thirty) years from now. I have never soaked so many tiny, pink training pants, cleaned poop/urine out of places that it should NEVER be, and run through the grocery store with a toddler yelling "Go TEE TEE!" I would consider adopting a 5 year old. I like 5. Stella's close enough to 5 to say this. I teach 5 year olds and they are pretty cool. Don't get me wrong-I love Sophia more than any other 2 year old in the world, but 2 is challenging to every fiber in my body. It is like being around a mental patient in a tiny body. You never know what it going to set her off and you can only hope it isn't in public. And I know from experience with Stella that I have a couple more years with this mad woman until she evens out. And then we start the countdown to puberty! Parenthood is a beautiful thing and I am glad I am experiencing it with these two, precious little people. And I am even more grateful to have Josh to share it with.

So I feel like I should do a little Top Ten for Sophia so you don't think I am considering leaving her at a gas station.

Here goes-

Top 10 Things I Love About Sophia

• I love the way you take my hand and put it on your back for me to pat it when we are rocking in the chair at night
• I love it when you make your hundreds of silly faces
• The way you say "Boo!" and hide in plain sight
• Your gorgeous mop of curly hair
• The way you yell "HI! I Sophia!" at every single person we pass in public
• The way you say "yah" like a Danish person instead of saying "yes"
• The way you repeat everything your sister does/says
• The way you point out your imaginary booboos to everyone in hopes of getting a band aid
• The way you hide something by throwing yourself on top of it
• The way your face lights up when you see me and how you are always willing to give a hug and a kiss. I love your snuggliness. ( I know that isn't a word)

Backseat conversations between sisters:

Sophia-Poopoo pants! (Sophia's favorite thing to say)

Stella-I am NOT poopoo pants!!!

Sophia-(whispering)poopoo pants

Stella-Sophia? I am going to pray for you.

Sophia-o.k.

Stella-Sophia, let me have the book

Sophia-No

Stella-Sophia, if you want me to be your friend, you have to give me the book. Do you want me to be your friend? Say yes.

Conversations between us:

Josh-Put the golf club back where you found it

Stella-Why?

Me-Don't question Daddy, just put it back

Stella-You question Daddy all the time

Stella-singing

Me-Stella, you have a beautiful singing voice

Stella-Thank you

Me-You could be on the radio one day

Stella-And tv?

Me-Yes

Stella-Not now, though. Maybe when I get to be 5.

Stella-Bootsy(Mimi and Papa's dog), I can't play with you right now. I have been on my feet all day.