Sami-Then & Now

My first-born is in SECOND grade! She is sporting a bob haircut this year to better manage the wildness we call her hair. We flat ironed her hair for pics this year, but that doesn't happen every day. Or week. Or month. It takes a lot to tame that mane. 

Sami turns more and more into a sassy, talk-backy pre-teen every day. But she is still my super sweet, big hearted girl. 

This is her then at almost 7 and now at almost 8. Her birthday is in a week and a half and I CANNOT BELIEVE IT! Two more years until the double digits, three more years of elementary and only ten more years until she's 18. 

Stella-Then & Now

Stella has come so far over the past year. She has become a bit more independent (but she does still call us into her room at night when she is cold to cover her up), finally completely potty trained, done with naps (for the most part), and her personality just gets funnier with each new day. 

Here she is at age 3 last year and 4 this year.

Haddie-Then & Now

Haddie has changed quite a bit over the last year. Her hair has grown a bunch, she's a few inches taller, improved speech, a little bit sassier, a little bit funnier and a whole lot sillier. 

The comparison here is from 1.5 years to 2.5 years.  Haddie will be turning THREE in January; I cannot believe it! 

Happy Birthday, Cash!!

Today is Cash's third birthday. He's such a great dog (thanks to a certain handsome trainer). I call him 'My Prince' because he is so calm and well mannered. Well, except for the peeing on EVERYTHING.

(Not very thrilled with the princess crown.)

We are all very relieved to have him here with us today, as last night he was to go to a new home a few hours away. That was the plan from day one with him - he is to train and sell. Don't get attached.

Guess what? 

We got attached. 

So attached (to this dog that isn't even really a family pet, but a working hunt test dog), that a certain female in the house sobbed sporadically and uncontrollably from the time she heard the words 'I sold Cash' to the time the deal was called off (even a little bit after that time, too). But, REJOICE! None of us could really bear the thought of Cash not being ours anymore. Some are just better at hiding our feelings than others.  

So here we are on this happy day. Cash has a friend over to help him celebrate (or perhaps a dog-sitting gig just happened to fall during this time) and he has actually been participating in some fun dog play that doesn't even involve birds or bumpers.

Happy Birthday, My Prince! 

Free Pool

I took the girls plus my niece to the free wading pool across the river. We got there right when it opened and it was just us for the first glorious 30 minutes. 

Then a daycare showed up, which wasn't so bad. It was when I heard a classy lady tell her young child not to worry about other kids splashing him, because she'll just drown them, that I decided it was time to go. Then she described to him, in detail, how it's done. 

GIRLS!! Time to go!

My Messy Dirty House

There is an unwritten rule that if you get a surprise visitor, it will be at a time that your house is in shambles (and if when the place is looking good, there will be nary a visitor for days).  As a mother of three young children who are constantly peeing on the toilet, spilling their food, wiping boogers on the walls and running through the house with muddy feet, I am slowly beginning to accept this. That's sort of a lie. 

I had planned on taking these two hooligans to play outside after rest time and snack this afternoon (Sami had a sleepover at Grandma Deb's), but they disappeared off to the living room and were playing dreamingly well together. So, I continued to clean up the kitchen, making sure to not show myself to them, and as I was washing the floor and wiping the window sills, walls and baseboard down I thought about how the visitor we are supposed to have later today probably won't show up now. The house isn't in shambles, after all (well, at least the kitchen isn't).

Then I thought about the time my sister-in-law dropped in quick to use the bathroom. I'm sure you have pieced it together by now that the bathroom wasn't lookin' very good. It was pretty disgusting. Now, I'm sure that she doesn't think back to the state of my bathroom and cringe, like I do, and maybe one day I will forget all about it. Until then, I am going to try to embrace the dirty floors, walls and toilets, because one day I will miss those boogers on the wall. Well, maybe not the boogers.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Haddie!

Haddie came screaming into this world two years ago and so much has changed in those two years!  She is an independent, strong-willed, funny little girl and we are so happy she is ours!

On her first birthday, she was cut-off from nursing. Done. No more. Happy Birthday To You!

On her second birthday she was given a seat at the dining table. No more high chair. 

I think two is going to be a good year! 

Blizzard Day Fun!

What happens at the Fluge house on a storm day?  We build a big, awesome fort!

Other happenings:  

• Somebody split their lip open in a trampoline accident.
• Somebody almost fainted.
• Somebody pooped their pants in the closet.
• One person got fully dressed.
• Awesome fort was demolished by lunch time.
•  Other, less severe, injuries.
• Somebody "thought this was going to be the best day."

How to Potty Train a Grizzly Bear

'No. 1'
Step one: Bribery with chocolate. 

'No. 2'
Step one:  Sense when the bear has to make a stink.
Step two:  Capture bear.
Step three: Escort bear to what the humans call a 'toilet.'
Step four: Distract bear from noticing the human contraption it is sitting on. (This may last anywhere from 10-45 minutes).
Step five (the mistake): Believe the bear does not have any 'movement' and set it free.
Step six:  Notice bear is missing. Go on bear hunt. You will find a big one. A big stinky one.
Step seven:  Reassess bear potty training plan.

The Hair

This is the first time I've seen Haddie with bed head. Wish I could show a 360 degree view!