Thank You, Publix of Helena

I promised myself to make time to send this thank you out while I was still warm in my memory!

So, today, amidst thunderstorms warnings and tornado sirens, I had to run to the store. I did not plan on it being so rainy, as I also had a few other errands in mind to do, but b/c of the weather I narrowed my list down to "must" only. 'I must go to the store to pick up my Rx and get a few last-minute things for dinner with the Phelps tonight...'

It was raining when we parked at the Helena Publix, but Georgia & I had our raincoats on, and I had an umbrella. I wasn't sure how I was going to wrangle Georgia, Lincoln- in his car seat, the diaper bag, and an umbrella across the rainy parking lot, but I was sure it could be done! Well, no worries b/c the umbrella was a dud and had to be left behind. That left me with only two handfuls- Georgia & Lincoln. Thankfully Georgia thought the rain was fun and giggled as it sprinkled her face!

We did our shopping and I was in a good mood because Georgia was happily munching on her cookie (bless the Publix bakery and their free cookies for kids!) and an item I'd come for- spaghetti sauce, was buy one get one free! But my mood was dampened (pun intended) as we approached checkout and I saw it was not only still raining, but now pouring. And lightning. And thundering. Not idea conditions to sprint two kiddos and groceries to the car!

This is where the angels of mercy (dressed as Publix employees) come in! The kind lady that bagged our groceries told me she'd wait by the door with the cart & kiddos while I went for the car. Awesome! I was already feeling better that I was the only one that was going to get very wet. The kids are just finally getting over runny noses and I knew that wet trip to the car was going to reignite them! Then, as I ran out into the rain, the Publix gentleman pushing carts in thrust a large umbrella towards me. I thought about resisting since he was getting wet too, but it was in my hands before a word came out. So I finished my walk to the car in relative dryness, snug beneath my borrowed umbrella.

As I pulled to the curb in front of the store, my kiddos and cart were waiting for me. Georgia was already unbuckled and waiting in the cart-pusher's arms. As I buckled her in, he got Lincoln out and ready for me too. The lady that waited with them loaded my bags into the back, and someone else handed my diaper bag to me. We were all dryly loaded in no time and I was headed back home, to a chorus of "Drive safe, stay dry, have a nice day, cute kiddos!" from my angels!

It ended up taking at least four of them to get us out the door, but I am so grateful to the help and kindness, especially on such a yucky day when going to the grocery store is the last thing you want to do with two little ones. I did not even catch any names, but I'm confident that my angels from Publix not only know who they are, but they could have been any one of the employees that work there! Thanks again, Helena Publix!

Mommy Moments

Every so often- and more often than not, lately!- I have these little moments that I can only describe as "mommy moments". They usually happen unexpectedly and cause some sort of exclamation, like "Oops!", "Yikes!", "Uh-oh", or maybe even "Awww". And like the sitcoms we grew up with, there's always a lesson at the end. I had to record a few of these here, because, like all life moments, they pass by too quick!


Oh No(se)!
Last night Georgia was finishing her dinner with a handful of Craisens. I looked up at her just in time to see her messing with her nose. Before I could get "what are you doing?" out of my mouth, a look of shock and fear crossed her face and she started frantically sticking her finger in her nose. I knew right away- a Craisen was up in there. I grabbed her hands and Larry ran for the tweezers. She was screaming already and I tried to calm her down so she wouldn't suck it in further. Larry held her head while I went in after it... but only half a Craisen came out. "Maybe that's it?" Larry said, but I knew- Craisens don't come in halves. I ran for the flashlight while thinking- 'Doesn't the nasal passage lead to the brain? I can't be good to suck a Craisen into your brain!' Sure enuf, with the light we saw more Craisen. I was about to go in after it, when WHOOSH- it landed in a boogery mess on the high chair tray. She blew it out! Crisis averted!
Lesson: NOTHING GOES IN YOUR NOSE!!
A little nose, without Craisens in it!



Spit it out!
Recently I was in the living room feeding Lincoln, when I realized Georgia had been back in our bedroom for a while. By herself. Not good. I yelled for her to come see me and out she came- chewing something. I immediately told her to spit it in my hand. It looked like a candy conversation heart from Valentine's, but I knew (b/c I made sure they were gone!) there weren't any more. I smelled it and realized it was a Tums. Hmmm, can not-quite-2-year-old's have Tums? How many had she had? Can you have too many? I called her pediatrician's office; they referred me to Poison Control. That's the real Mommy Moment- having to call Poison Control for the first time! They had me give her lots of fluids and watch her for an hour, just to make sure her tummy wasn't upset. Apparently too many tums could upset a tummy, instead of help a tummy! She was fine- and now we have a baby-proof doorknob on our bathroom door. Lesson: Always shut the bathroom door and Don't eat things!!
PS: The Poison Control # is 800-222-1222... You never know when you're going to need it!!


Uh-oh
A few weeks ago we were at a friends house for playgroup. Georgia was the only "big kid" there that day and was trying to stay out of trouble, but... She followed my friend into the bathroom, then stayed in there when Jenny left. Then she closed the door- and locked it, locking herself in! Jenny lives in an older home, the kind with no way to unlock a bathroom door, the hinges to the door are on the inside, and the windows are all painted shut! So our options to get Georgia out were: break the window, bust down the door, or Georgia had to unlock it. And it was not a normal little lock on the doorknob, it was a old-fashioned, deadbolt style, under the doorknob lock. After weighing these options for about 15 minutes, and talking thru the door to Georgia to "turn the little knob- no, not the big door knob, the little one under it!"- wha-laa!! She unlocked it herself and came on out! I'm still not sure how she unlocked it, except God answers prayers and guided her little hand!
Lesson: Do NOT play with doors! ANY doors!!
Georgia and the bathroom door she had to unlock!

If you happen to have this style doorknob & lock- beware of little ones!



Awww
One more- this is just a sweet moment I had yesterday. We were driving home from the store when I heard sweet little noises coming from the backseat. Lincoln was awake and talking to his big sister- and she was talking back, copying his little ooos, ahhs and squeals. It was so sweet! Usually she doesn't pay him any attention back there, probably b/c he's usually asleep, but he had slept thru our shopping, so was awake and conversational! That was a very precious mommy moment!
Lesson: Sometimes the sweetest moments happen when you're not even trying!
Sibling love!

My Little Valentines

We had a fun Valentine's weekend! Grammie was in town for a visit, which made it extra-special. I thank God for my sweet little family that I love so much!! And I enjoy a day to celebrate that love. Here are some glimpses from our weekend:

Friday night, Larry & I got to treat ourselves to a special Valentine's date, with dinner & dessert at Flemings Steakhouse and going to see the movie Slumdog Millionaire, while Grammie graciously watched the kiddos.

Saturday, Grammie & I took the kids to the mall to see if there was anything we 'had to have', and she & GA rode the carousel. It was hard to catch them for a picture, so I got a little video too...

Daddy surprised GA with some Valentine's gifts- a sweet (stuffed) puppy dog, singing card and yummy, giant, pink heart lollipop. We let her attack that after dinner- she put her tongue up to it and it stayed there for the next 20 minutes, just licking & licking!!

Lincoln got a little taste too... (j/k- it was still wrapped!)

Lincoln had his own Valentine's gift ready for us- a new trick! He mastered rolling from his belly to his back this weekend! Here's a video of him, in action...

Hope you shared sweet kisses with your loved ones this weekend!

Georgia & Lincoln: Clap Clap Clap

As Lincoln starts learning to makes noises and give smiles, his big sister is realizing he is a little person, not just some big doll mommy is carrying around all the time. She is interacting with him more: giving him kisses- especially on his toes; wanting to hold him- for 30 seconds, tops; sharing with him- unfortunately for him, she likes to share large, hard things like her milk cup, bus, or the baby doll with the unusually hard head. Oh yea, and she shared her cold with him!

She even helped undress him one day- while he was in his swing, when mommy wasn't watching. I turned around for a second and all of a sudden the baby was naked! Which he thought was hilarious, by the way.

She makes sure he has his paci all the time, where ever he is, whether he needs it or not. Though I don't allow her to put paci back in his mouth anymore, unless it's an emergency- ie. he's screaming uncontrollably when I can't get to him, because she seriously jabbed him in the eye with it recently!

Ever since we learned that clapping makes him laugh (as much as a 2-month old can laugh), she loves to clap his hands, saying "yea kink-kn" (Lincoln)! Like in this video:

Overall I think she'd agree that this little guy is a keeper, and that we all love him very much!