Ready for a Fight

OK....so Tate comes home yesterday in a HORRIBLE mood. She got off the bus slowly and slowly walked to the car. NOT NORMAL. First off she had to sit alone on the bus (apparently the whole school is out with either the Chicken Pox or the flu FUN TIMES). Anyway she was pretty quiet and really grumpy (grumpy normal...quiet NEVER). So as the evening wears on she tells me in the bus line some kids were playing a game and she was playing too. I have NO IDEA what the game was but the kids were a little older and I was just not following her story the point is you had to say the word "N-E-R-D". Yes NERD! Well, we all know Tate sounds like she is from the Bronx. I truly have to say I love it. I have actually spoken to her teacher about the way she pronounces the "O-R and E-R" sounds and she has reassured me not to worry and Taylor will outgrow that. Michael and I always talk about how one day she will say those correctly and I will bust into tears because it will most certainly mark a huge maturity moment.

Anyway.....these girls started laughing at her and told her she doesn't know how to talk right! OMGOODNESS Michael and I were ready to hunt these girls down and bust down their front doors. I know she is going to face many of these moments bit still come on. She was really bothered by this and if you know Taylor at all she just doesn't let much get to her. She did not let them see this of course and told them she did know how to say her words right. I don't think they knew who they were dealing with because this little K kid told them to just leave her alone and turned her back on them and refused to talk to them if they were not going to be nice! MY GIRL!

But, last night when she was reading with me she would stop and take extra time on certain words that never bothered her before. I was so sad. I am sure she needs to work on those sounds but they are my one reminder in this almost 6 year old going on 40 that she is till my little girl. So, oh well I like to remember when she was three! I tried several times to explain to her God created and loves her just the way she is and just the way she speaks. She assured me she knew this but still is working hard on changing her sounds. SO SAD!!

A Long Week

What a week. Tate had her surgery and she is back at school YEAH! It ended up being more invasive! She had tubes in ears, adnoids out, sinus's flushed and these noduals in her nostrils were enlarged so they were lacerated and shrunk causing a bloody nose! BUT...she was a trooper and is back at school this week PRAISE GOD! Props goes out to all homeschooling moms I could NEVER do it and have, on more than one occassion, reminded God to not make that my calling.

Friday was Donuts with Dad and she begged to go to that. We let her and she did make it through the whole day taking it easy! Her two AMAZING great aunts sent the best cookie boquet EVER! Great for me on WW's.

The night before her surgery it was so sweet she told us she could help us out by putting Jake to bed for us and reading to him. I went in there to pray with them and she quickly kicked me out because she was in charge that night. These pictures are of how I found them!

Our weekend

Wow! What a weekend! Last week we had so much work done on the house(why do I always plan that before a birthday party I will never know). Tate got the stomach bug and Michael was out of town OF COURSE!

Friday night Aaron and Gator came for a sleepover. I took the girls to our church for a special treat MISS PATTYCAKE!!! She was at our church and they were so excited. We got to sit in the front row and they were so fun! The boys stayed at home and hung out!

Saturday was Caden's birthday party! It was so fun and he had so much fun chasing the balloons. He was truly blessed by everyone and will be well dressed!

Sunday we layed low. Caden and I skipped church and stayed home. I went to the bathroom and came back and he was gone. he had climbed the stairs and was looking at me over the walkway! I yelled STAY THERE!!! A little scary..now I have to keep a big eye on him and put the gate up right behind him! Then me and the kids watched a movie on the couch by the fire all cuddled up!

The pictures here are of us cuddling, Caden at the top of the stairs and Jake working on his gate while the men worked on our roof. If you look to my flickr folders you can see pictures from Caden's birthday and more pictures of pattycake. I am also attaching two videos: one of the girls dancing with pattycake and the other while we were standing in line for pattycake Tate saw

her reflection in the mirror and was jamming out! TOO FUNNY!

Wee Pup turns ONE!

Today is wee puppy's first birthday! Of course he has NO CLUE! He is having issues eating solids (is being evaluated by ECI on the 29th). He was severly tongue tied and that has been addressed with surgery he is now eating like a 7 month old. He finally puts things in his mouth he just spit most back out. A little tongue thrusting problems. We will celebrate his special day Saturday!

Tate sadly has the stomach bug. She woke up not feeling well but got better and went to school. I went and got her an hour ago and she is still throwing up YUCK!!! Today the house is being painted and we are having some remodeling things done. jake's playdate got the stomach bug so my sweet mom-in-law came to the rescue and came and got him!!

These pictures are of him trying to eat!

New Camera Fun

Well...I got a new camera...not the one I wanted (like Cyn's and Mariah's) but a new fun one none the less. We are taking a HUSH HUSH trip to D-I-S-N-E-Y and so I could not splurge as wanted. (We leave in may and the kiddos know NOTHING. We are going to wake them up the morning of with packed bags and head out! No...wee pup will not be going.) It is a Sony Cypershot DSC-H3. I love it and Tate and Jake inherited my old camera for fun. They LOVE playing photo shop and take all kinds of fun pictures. Tate is actually getting really good!

There are some new pictures to the right Holy Rollerof Trevor and of Tate and Brooke at gymnastics. I forgot to take pictures until the end because Cyn and I were talking to much OOPS! The videos are of my sweet man. He will be one next Tuesday CAN YOU BELIEVE and he is our little "holy roller". Watch to see I almost pee my pants every time! You will also see a laughing fit of his where I have a great mommy moment of telling Taylor to "shut up". We were trying to hear him and she was not the center of attention and started acting out!

Little Orphan Annie

I have wanted to get this on video and blog it FOREVER!!!! This is not her best shot because she got very embarrassed but here it is none the less!

Merry Christmas

Christmas was crazy and great as usual. As per Bench Family rule kids were sick. Taylor woke up Christmas Eve with an ear infection and wee pup was still battling junk and developed thrush! Best part of the day is Aunt Kimmy went into labor at 8:15. We got a phone call and they rushed the kids over and we had some play time while I cooked. Gator even ran errands with Uncle Mike!! Trevor Joseph was born at 3:14 and weighed 6 1bs 13 oz. He is so precious and I was excited to see him right out of the oven!! We went to church that night and the kids had a "sleepover" together...a new tradition they said!

The kids were blessed by everyone as usual they got way more than they needed. Here are some pictures of celebrating at our house with my folks, and Michael's families house and celebrating again with Uncle Jason and Aunt Lisa! We also got together with the Blackshear's (I forgot to take pictures...cyn took some great ones of the girls dressing Jake up see her blog to the side!)

I hope you had a wonderful and Christ filled Christmas!