Destin 2008

We started off in a bit of a rough place for our beach trip this year. Kailey had come down with some stomach bug that completely wiped her out for almost a week. She was on the tail end of it, but still weak when John V caught it right before we left. We flew into Ft. Walton Beach with two very wimpy kids. Makes for an easy plane trip, though! : ) The next day John also took the bug and I spent a day gathering up groceries, etc. with Kailey who was almost 100% while the boys were lying in bed or hanging over the toilet. : ) Thank the Lord, John only had it for one day and was completely back to normal the next day while the kids continued to get perkier and happier. I never got sick for which I'm extremely grateful. We were so glad that we waded through feeling bad because we still ended up having such a wonderful trip. We just took it very easy and did a little at the time. By the end we were having the time of our lives. It makes us so happy to have our daddy all to ourselves. No sharing with work or anything else. I don't know if the kids like it more or if I do! : ) Being together 24/7 makes us four very happy people having a ton of fun. We are so grateful for these memories!

Kailey telling us where to go

Taking a short walk while we were still getting our full strength back. Kailey loved hearing the birds singing!

I'm ready to go to the beach, Mom!

"Cheese!"

Both kids loved our elevator ride up and down from the condo

Headed to dinner - An easy breakfast and lunch were usually in the condo but Mom doesn't cook on vacation! Hooray!

"Look at the flowers!"

Counting the seashells in the sidewalk

Little Happenings

Yesterday while doing a puzzle together, John V told me a long, pretend story about him playing baseball. It had the Rangers, lots of other teams, batters, etc. At one point he totally threw me, though, because he said that "his girl, Font" was watching and saying, "Go Babe!" while he played. Whoa! I so do not want any girl, even a very pretend one, calling him "Babe!" And while we're on the subject, what kind of a name is "Font?" : )

I have to get my kids stuck on a new song. "Every Move I Make" is a wonderful praise song but I have now heard it 5,976,485 times. . . I am sure. They like to sing it at the top of their lungs. It's adorable but sometimes I wonder what the neighbors think when John is in the backyard and seems to always yell the line, "Oh my God this love, how can it be" much louder than anything else. Hopefully they realize he is singing and don't just hear him screaming the first three words. My favorite is when he sings, "Your love has captured mes." Yes, me is plural. It's adorable. The first few million times. ; )

John is currently very fond of telling me that I'm his favorite big boy. Kailey also keeps calling Big John "mama" all of the sudden. Maybe there's a little gender confusion going on over here.

Kailey will probably not be the difficulty to potty train that her brother was. She hates to be wet or dirty and will lie down on the floor and start singing, "Diaper, diaper, diaper doo, gimme change, I O OOOO!" (I love you). It's our little diaper song that my mom sang to us and now she uses it as her signal to tell me things are not right in the little pants.

I cannot figure out why every door knob in our house seems covered with some foreign, unidentified substance, but I should probably go clean them. I am going to get some pictures from our trip posted here soon, though!

Pictures

Kristin came to take Kailey's 18 month pictures along with some belly shots of Levi and a few of John at 4. You can also see the pink room for the last time - it's about to be a little more masculine! You can see the pics online at www.kristinmorales.com. Click flash and then client at the bottom of the page. The password is Kailey (case sensitive). I love pictures! They just make me happy! If a non-relative makes it through all 400+, I will be very impressed. It's a lot of pictures!

Ranger Game

Tuesday night we took John V to the Ranger game. One of his birthday presents was getting these tickets to go with "just Mom and Dad" to the game. He was so excited, but it was precious to see how he kept making sure that Kailey was also going to be taken care of. When my mom picked her up he said, "Take care of Kailey! Watch out in the street! Don't let her hit her head!" It was so sweet. When we picked Kailey up after the game, they held hands all the way home. They aren't used to spending even a few hours away from each other and their relationship grows more and more fun to watch. It was great to have some time to focus on John and realize how grown up he is getting!

Taking a quick rest on the way to the game

Just approaching the stadium is so cool for a little guy!

They started off with back to back home runs early in the game. Fun for John to hear the music and see the fireworks!

Sharing a "Big Kahuna"

Pitching

Hitting balls on the little field

A pic with the mascot

"Levi came too!"

He wanted to pose for a picture "with their gloves"

A Wiggle Birthday Party

Our cousin, Kyndall, had her 2nd birthday party at the Wiggles Playland in Frisco. Pretty cute watching those kids run, jump, sing, dance, eat, and play!

John getting a hug from Dorothy the Dinosaur

Kailey liked Dorothy from here and no closer

Singing and dancing

Kailey with a ketchup face doing the Wiggles motions

John and his buddy, Noah, getting a picture together

The house that Daddy built - Kyndall thought it was cool!

Beep! Beep!

My son is currently downstairs playing with his cars and I keep hearing him say, "I like broccoli!" over and over. I really am not sure what that has to do with playing cars. Funny kid.

We Love Our Small Group!

Kailey has this picture with Ryder on her bulletin board in her room

Kailey and Miss Blake - Kailey loves the babies!

We have now had the blessing of being with the same small group weekly for a long time! It is a wonderful thing to have friends you are able to be with consistently as you try to grow together. An added blessing is how much we love each other's children. If I ever needed anything, I know that these five couples would do anything for my kids. We have had a population explosion over the last few years so there are a lot of babies to love! Between December 2007 and December 2008, each woman in our group will have had a baby! The oldest is John at 4 and then there will be 11 kids two and under. It's crazy but fun! We love you, small group buddies!

My Special Mother's Day

John and the kids worked hard to make sure that I was also celebrated this Mother's Day. They picked out the most wonderful cards and John V was so proud for me to see and read them. There was even one from Levi thanking me for lugging him around every day! : ) They took me to the Gaylord for a special brunch. It was incredible! I have never seen that much food in my life and it was all so good! Even Kailey and John love a beautiful buffet so everyone was happy. It was wonderful to be waited on and spend time with my little family. I felt very appreciated on my special day!

The sweet kiddos that make me a mom

Kailey started patting my mashed potatoes - not sure if she thought they were a bunny or just really fluffy potatoes that made her happy!

Love the obvious thrilled cooperation in this shot

It's always fun to see the train at the Gaylord

Sweet baby girl

Mother's Day with Family

We spent Mother's Day weekend celebrating with our families, of course, and got some pictures of some of the sweet moms in our lives. I am constantly in amazement at the women in my life. My grandmothers, our mothers, aunts, sisters and sisters-in-law, all incredible women who do a fabulous job mothering. Seeing all of their different strengths and the way God uses them is inspiring. I am blessed by their examples as they challenge me to be a better mom.

The Critz crew complete with growing twins and the sixth grandchild on the way!

The moms on my side of the family - my grandmothers, aunt, mom, and sister-in-law

The May birthdays - we celebrate in groups : )

I don't know if you can see it in the picture but the flames on the candles were colored like the candles! It was pretty cool!

Gymnastics Show

I'm just going to keep moving back now through all the things I've missed blogging about. I should have plenty for a while! : )

John V wrapped up his spring semester of Little Gym with his show. Daddy came to watch and John was a total ham, as usual, when anyone out of the ordinary is there. Little Gym is one of his favorite places and we recently found out that his teacher also goes to church with us! John thought that was cool. This spring he has started doing backwards somersaults and is doing really well with the bars. We're already rolling into our summer semester which will be a good thing for him to have going with the baby's arrival and all the change.

A big jump

Mr. Brian coaches on the bars

Getting his medal

Posing with Daddy

John's 4th Birthday

On the 19th, John V's actual birthday, we went to lunch at his favorite restaurant, Cracker Barrel. We ate with Uncle Cam, Aunt Carli, my sisters and mom. Aunt Carli has to miss the parties because Saturday is an important work day so it was fun to still get to celebrate with her.

That night, John got to pick an activity for our family to do together so we went for some mini golf. We saw a rabbit and Kailey loved walking around with a pink ball and little club. It was a fun day celebrating our favorite big boy!

One of John's favorite things about his birthday this year was getting cards, especially in the mail. He would look at them over and over and tell me who they were from. He had quite the collection that is now hanging on his bedroom wall. One of his favorites played a praise song and he loved to dance to it.

John's Birthday Party

Cupcakes with our small group

"What did Mom and Dad get me?"

Tigger and Pooh were the theme for the day

Yummy cupcakes!

"YUM!"

This is less than half of the obstacle course

This year we decided to scale down a little from our usual, "every-kid-John-knows-is-at-our-house" birthday party. He chose his five closest buddies (his age) and then we had the cousins and family, of course. He wanted to have it at home and he and his dad picked a huge inflatable obstacle course to rent. It was fun! The obstacle course was already set up when he got up that morning and he was so excited when he looked out the window and saw it! He and Dad had to make a few runs before the guests ever arrived. The next day we had cupcakes with all of our buddies in our small group and then Monday he got to pick a special activity with just our family, so he had quite the long weekend of celebration!

Progress and Transitions!

I feeling like I'm working my way out of the deep sea of undone things. We have made some huge progress the last few weeks on some things that I was really wanting finished. Pictures will be forthcoming on all the excitement. Two of the biggest were big, growing-up changes for both John and Kailey.

First, just in time for his birthday, John is officially potty trained! He is doing fantastic and needs very few reminders. Accidents pretty much don't happen. I knew when he got it, it would happen quickly because of being older, but it really seemed overnight! He is proud and we are thrilled and relieved! Now there won't be three in diapers! : ) Kailey seems determined to join John in his potty endeavors and likes to stand in front of the potty and try to go. It's hilarious. We'll have to work on sitting before the real training kicks in with her.

A proud guy in his big boy underwear

Next, Kailey moved upstairs to her big girl bed in her new room and has done absolutely perfect!!! We have not lost a bit of sleep, she stays there, still goes to sleep on her own, and I am in total shock that she could do it this easily. I knew it would go well with her because she loves to sleep and doesn't seem as thrown by changes as her older brother, but this was beyond my wildest dreams. She seems to welcome the challenge of something being different and new and loves to talk about her "bed upstairs." Thank you, Lord, and bless you, Kailey!

A happy girl in her big bed

Working Away

The Johns putting Kailey's new bed together

We're working away over here at the Critz' house. The last weeks could not have contained any more events, fun, and friends. After having my whole family sick, being on vacation, hosting bachelor and bachelorette parties, and being in one of the most precious weddings I have ever seen, I feel like I've been hit by a truck. :) I know. . . a little dramatic. I have been struggling with first trimester symptoms like exhaustion and nausea. My midwife says this is common for some women when they hit their third trimester. Hooray. ;) Anyway, we're plugging through it and my kids, while making enormous messes that I am tempted to leave on the floor, have been precious about playing together for hours and hours. Their relationship is blowing me away already. Kailey hugs and loves on her brother and John tells Kailey that she is his beautiful, favorite sister. I tear up every time they do it!!! Sure, the playing often turns to squabbling, but they're learning to resolve it and that love far surpasses insignificant irritations or inconveniences. I thank God for how He is already working in their hearts turning them towards each other!

When we finally get a project finished around here, I'll post some pictures. I'll also try to get some beach trip pictures up this week. We had such a blast!!!