Handprint Ornaments

So many people saw my pictures of these on Facebook and have since sent messages and text asking me how to make them or what supplies I used. So here here goes:
Supplies: Non shiny Christmas balls
White acrylic paint (I used Americana b/c it was on sale!)
Paint pens to "dress the snowmen"...you can also use Sharpy pens too!

Step one: Paint kiddo hand

Step two: Place kiddo hand on the ornament. This is so much easier with a second person! Quickly remove hand before they have a chance to smear the paint

Step three: Let paint dry and then decorate the snow men!

Very easy and super fun to give!
Who knows you may be getting one from Clayton :)

keeping a toddler entertained on a cold day in a small apartment

Last Saturday Clayton was being a hand full and we decided that is must be the same thing that was driving us crazy driving him crazy...the walls to our tiny apartment are closing in! Plus it is really too cold for us to play outside too much and there is too much furniture for him to really run around in the house. So I tried to come up with some activities that would keep him busy. Here are some pictures of our busy as to not be crazy Saturday. 

We made applesauce bread...Clayton helping Jason mix the dry ingredients

Clayton hand painting. Trying to get him to just finger paint was a loss!

Overall the activites were fun and did take up some time... oh there was another art project but it requires its own post!

Getting Cold...for like a day!

It finally got cold enough in VA to bring out the hat and coats...and then today we were back to no jackets...what is going on. 

 At least I got some cute winter gear pictures!

How to put Humpty Dumpty together again

Normally my post are about what we have done the current week or something cute Clayton has done but today I need to post a negative post. I am really struggling with mommyhood today. I think the problem started a few weeks ago when Clayton started having the night terrors I wrote about a few weeks ago. They are getting better but now we have the 12:30 wake up issue. Before C was having the terrors around 12 or 1 and would go back to sleep and be fine until morning but lately he has been waking up around 12 and SCREAMING until someone comes and gets him. I have done everything I know to do, everything every website, book, or other mom has told me to do and nothing is helping. The other night I really broke donw and just begged him to go back to sleep, unfortunatly the only thing that works is to let him lay with me or for to sleep in his room. Neither of which are working. I am tired which makes me ill and grouchy which brings me to the next part of my day. Becuase C is not sleeping well he is not well rested (duh) and therefore very hard to handle. I hate to say this but I am afraid if I dont figure out how ot get control of the sleeping issue we are going to lose our minds. What could a 19 month be doing that is so bad? Let's so he now hits me and his father and I am afraid anyone who would try to show authority (ie nursery at church...I am not looking forward to the morning). When he has ANYTHING in his hand and is told something he doesn't like he throws said toy usually at soemthing that belongs to me or Jason (today he threw my phone into a glass cabinet because he couldn't reach his cup...This may be the terrible twos coming on but I just feel out of control and like somehow he has slipped into one of those children no one wants to be around. He really is sweet child and it is breaking my heart that I am writing these things about him but the truth is the truth. My fear is that before we get to California (we move on the 18th and spend time in GA until the 1st of Feb) he is going to be so far off of his schedule...which makes these behaviors so much worse...and so far away from my rules that I am not going to get him back! That may sound like an irrational fear but finding stability in a life like ours is hard enough and then we throw in a struggling time in toddlerhood and we are looking at what could be a serious monster....Please just pray that I find the answer or the right way to handle this "stage" and that I don't lose sight of that little boy I know he is :(

Washington DC

On Thanksgiving J, C and I left for DC with the intent to come back home on Saturday but the trip turned into so much fun and just the break from routine and reality we needed. We decided to stay until Sunday! It is so unlike me to change plans especially on a trip but I am so glad I did and we quickly ajusted everything needed to stay the extra day and hade another day of site seeing. We saw all the war memorials and all but Jefferson of the presidential momuments. The Natural History and American History museums and Union Station. Oh and Jason's favorite Arlington Cemetery and the changing of the guard.  The weather was so cold and kind of rainy on Friday so we opted to take o of the hop on hop off tour buses. I have to take a moment to brag on Clayton. He was so well behaved! There was only one melt down and the main cause was pure exhaustion. Overall it was the best trip we have taken since our honeymoon and I'm glad we went. We were a little concerned that right before Christmas and a big move a big trip like this might not be the best idea but we stayed with in budget. I found an efficincy suite with a full kitchen and huge area for Clayton to run in Arlington for half the cost of a normal room inside of DC and the hotel was 2 blocks from the Metro which was great. Speaking of the metro I think it was Clayton's favorite part. He would scream CHOO CHOO when he saw it coming, so cute! There are so many picture I thought linking to the Facebook album would be easier.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2075449&id=51100448&l=c8404def1b

Oreo Turkeys

As our activity on Monday I decided we should make turkeys out of Oreos. So easy! You need Oreos, candy corn, Whoppers, icing and creativity! That's it

Clayton did not help at all he only wanted to eat the supplies

Finished product

He was trying to put the turkey back together with the pieces he didn't eat!

Happy Turkey Day!

Sponge painted leaves

Since I decided to join the Babywise or Toddlerwise moms, Clayton and I have been even more structured than we already were...hard to imagine I know! I plan to write a whole post about how Toddlerwise is working after we have done it for a successful month. Anyway one portion of Toddlerwise is the emphasis on routine. As part of our routine I have incorporated table time. Some days we play with playdough or some other textured item some days we do art and some days we do a learning activity. Today was an art day and we did a project I found on a childrens activity blog.  

I drew the tree trunk and poured the paint but the rest was all him! He worked on control, colors, following directions, and we talked about the leaves outside and then looked at the leaves we could see off the porch.

This was my favorite picture of the day. He decided to use he hands as a tool and then got really excited about the paint on his hands! I love to watch him learn!

No HO HO

Clayton did not like Santa...can you tell?

Something about soldiers and their toys

So I guess it isn't good enough that the Army provides Jason with tanks to hang out with and big guns....yes I know it is more technical and blah blah...point is he has decided he also needs to learn to ride a Harley. I have no problems with motorcycles at all. As most of you know my dad is what is commonly referred to as a "biker" so I have been around them all my life but I never pictured Jason as the bike riding kind. This weekend he is taking the rider safety course at the Harley dealership to get a little taste of riding before actually buying one...good choice! So who knows in my next few post I might be saying that we are Harley owners! (by next few I mean sometime after the move to Cali, I get a new car and we pay off the truck!) 

What about the Turkeys?

Jason and I are slammed every weekend before we move (Decmber 18) and since he was deployed last year at this time he missed Santa and homemade gifts and all that fun stuff that comes with Christmas. After looking at the calendar we realized that this past weekend was the only time we would have do collect craft supplies for gifts and shop together for gifts that we buying and most importantly it was the only weekend we would have for a Santa picture. I was a little concerned when I saw our only free weekend. I thought it was so early in the season to get christmas stuff taken care of ...boy was I wrong. Christmas is under way and we completely skipped Thanksgiving! There were no signs of T Day at all! We will be in Washington DC for Thanksgiving so we don't need to decorate but what if I wanted to? I know a lot of people jump ahead to Christmas decor for their T day gatherings and that is perfectly fine with me also but we are yet again not going to have a home or will not be home for Christmas so we are not decorating for that either....but WE ARE ALL THREE TOGETHER!!! and that is super exciting! This will my 5th Christmas with J and as most military families can relate to...this is one the second one we will be spending together. Back to my point...I just felt like I needed to point out that we have somehow managed to push Thanksgiving aside....could it be I feel out of sorts this year because the weather is still saying early fall and the stores are putting Christmas decor on clearance!

Night Terrors

Lately Clayton has been waking up in the middle of the night, around 3 or 4, crying like he had a bad dream or is uncomfortable. Monday night he went to bed really late, his grandparents were in town so we cheated and let him stay up late. About 2 hours after he went to sleep he woke up SCREAMING! I thought something was really wrong so I went in his room to find him standing up in the middle of the crib with tears just pouring out of his eyes. I reached for him to comfort him and he acted like I was not even there. So i picked him up and started to rock him but then he pulled away from me and looked straight at me said something and thrashed backwards almost falling out of my arms. At this point I realized he wasn't awake so I cut the light on in his room and tried to talk to him but there was no response. I thought he was dreaming so I decided to rock him for a few minutes and lay him back down. But he kept thrashing and screaming out then I realized his eyes were rolling back in his head...my first thought was a seizure. I brought him into our room and woke Jason. He took C and started talking to him trying to make him aware of where he was. Clayton acted like he wanted down so Jason set him on the floor thinking maybe he was trying to tell us something...Clayton threw himself on the floor and rolled under our bed hitting his head.

Then it dawned on me...my psych degree kicked in and I realized he was having a night terror. I of course googled it and looked it up in What to Expect. Text book case! After we knew what was happening we also knew that the worse thing you can do is wake he...like a sleep walker. In the end he calmed down and went back into a real sleep.

I have since been researching this and learned that the best way to prevent it is enough sleep and a steady schedule...duh right up my ally!! More proof that I am not crazy for making C have a strict schedule.

I wanted to share this with my mom friends out there...it scared the crap out of me at first but now I know how to handle it ...don't wake him and just watch him to make sure he doesn't hurt himself and that he does go back into a deep sleep. I had read of this kind of thing but never seen it...pretty scary to see my baby boy so out of control! 

Halloween Festivites

He hated it!!

I had plans of Clayton being a cow for Halloween but my mom bought this duck costume when I was pregnant! and I thought it was a size 3 so I figured it would be great for him to wear next year. While I was home in October I decided to try it on and turns out it fit, but I had already made the cow so we did both!

Starting to like it a little better

Clayton and Kemper at Starbucks

The Starbucks kids crew

Sorry it is sideways...We changed costumes and went back to Starbucks later for their carnival

Friday night before Halloween we took Clayton to our church for the Harvest Fest and Trick or Trunk. This is him in the costume contest...we didn't win but had fun!

Jason guessed how many candy corn were in the jar and won...818! He put Clayton's name so now Clayton thinks they are his and runs to our closet (where they are hidden) and begs for candy everyday!

Clayton and Kemper hugging but then they fell : (

Halloween night we stayed home...the weather was horrible! I made mummy hot dogs for dinner and pumpkin pie bites for dessert.

Although Jason was home last year at Halloween for R&R this Halloween was my favorite so far!

Chester

Ok sorry my road trip blogs are coming so far apart...

We got to Chester late on Tuesday night (10/27/09). So we just grabbed some at the cute little Mexican restaurant up the street and headed to bed. The next day I took my mom and Aunt on a little tour of our town. First stop the Blanford Church and Cemetery. I know it is a little creep but Clayton loved climbing and running all over the little "up" as he called them.   

He was giving a speech?

Karen and Clayton exploring

I thought this was such a pretty fall scene

Since Jason and Clayton and I will be out of town for Jason's birthday everyone is celebrating his birthday when they come to visit. My mom found this little sea food place on the James River. The view was awesome but the food was not that great :(

We decided to scope the place out before dinner and while we were there we saw the James River plantations. Above is my aunt picking some cotton, which by the way made for great fall decor in my center piece.

Shirley Plantation

The family at Jason's birthday dinner ( a month early!)

Too close to home

The events of yesterday that took place at Ft Hood will forever bring chills to me. I assume it will be no different than thinking about September 11th or the VA Tech shootings but somehow this was a little different for me. About 6 months ago Ft. Hood was my home. I heard those same sirens my friends experienced, but for me they were a test. I had my baby at the same hospital that sorry example of a soldier worked at. My husband went in those same buildings and worked across the street after his return home from Iraq. I spent a year of my life waiting for my husband to come home from a war where ha was fighting with people like that man portrayed. Portrayed because that man is only a scared coward that wore the uniform Jason and millions of others wear everyday with pride and a purpose to protect. There is a strong connection between members of the Army family, a connection that binds us together while we wait for returns home and comfort while we say good bye and cry tears of joy when it is finally time to welcome a soldier home. Yesterday shook me up and I sat praying and checking and re checking on friends making sure all were accounted for...I should never have to be scared for my life, a friends, or my husband's life on American soil and I hope that we as an Army community never forget what happened at Hood and never have to experience it again. Thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved and especially with those directly affected.  

Day 3 of RT: Greenville NC to Chester VA

Day 3 of the family road trip starter with almost as yucky weather as the day before. We left Greenville, NC and the nasty room we stayed in and headed to apartment in Chester.

Along the way we saw so much cotton it was crazy! I mean acres and acres of the stuff. My aunt wanted to take pick some but we were afraid that might be illegal.

We stopped at the buffet called Captain Bob's in Hertford, NC and had the funniest waitress ever. This huge bus of high school soccer kids came in and she seriously asked him if they had reservation. Of course the said no so she proceeded to announce to the whole restaurant that a bus of Mexicans (one was Hispanic) was coming in if we wanted any food from the buffet to get it now because everything was going to be gone! 

My mom and Clayton

We made it to VA, Beach in the late afternoon and was welcomed by a ton of police and yellow tape. turns out a woman had jumped off of a 5th floor window and died. Isn't that awful!

Being an Army wife, anything that involves homecomings and soldiers reuniting with their families makes me sad/happy. I saw this statue in a little park that was dedicated to Sailors and Coast Guard. I thought it was beautiful and brought me to tears.

This is a statue of the Norwegian woman that stands over a protects all service members at sea. 

My mom and aunt and C on the beach

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Clayton was freezing so we wrapped him up in a towel. Even though he was cold he was such a trooper in the wind.

C right before we entered the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

If you look in the back of the picture beyond the rail you can see where the bridge is in two parts. That is where the bridge becomes a tunnel for the second time. Pretty cool experience...not really worth $17 but cool none the less.