All God's Creatures

Me, killing flies with a maniacal, gleeful expression in my eyes: "Ah ha! Got it!"

E: "You shouldn't kill flies."

Me: "Why not?"

E: "Because they're God's creatures. You shouldn't kill any of God's creatures."

Me: "Where do you think hamburgers come from?"

E: "I don't know. Pigs?"

Me: "No, you know hamburgers come from cows. So, do you want to stop eating hamburgers?"

E: "No. But you're not the one killing the cows."

Me: "True."

E: "So, you shouldn't kill flies; they're God's creatures."

Potty Training Fail

C is three.

Three.

T-H-R-E-E.

And she's just now figuring out this whole pee-and-poop-in-the-potty thing.

Grr.

Actually, she's been doing a wonderful job lately. If she's bored.

Otherwise, she simply pees on command. You know, like she can (mostly) hold it between times when I tell her to go.

Anyway, since she has been finally willing to (semi-)cooperate with this, she's been dry at night.

Yippee!

So, I put her in underwear last night. Training underwear, but underwear. I didn't fully trust her, but it's been at least two months since she's had an accident at night.

Until last night.

Sigh.

Back to pull-ups. Again.

Our Summer, In Pictures

windmills

cartoons in bed

Grandpa's boat

inner tubing

niece/cousin

dream park

spinning

marina

waterfront park

science center butterflies

friends

zoo

beach

family reunion

leavenworth

hiking

wenatchee river

So, what have you been up to this summer?

Costume SuperCenter--A Review

When I was offered the chance to review a Halloween costume, any costume I wanted, I gleefully jumped at the opportunity.

I have two girls. Two girlie-girls. Who love to dress up.

So this opportunity? Perfect!

My girls are slightly obsessed with Pocahontas, so Costume SuperCenter graciously provided me with the Princess Wildflower Costume.

Our Review

My first impression was surprise that this was a full costume, complete with all the little "extras" that can be so difficult to find. As a busy mom of three, this is very important. And everything coordinates so beautifully.

Since I don't intend to make this an actual Halloween costume, and plan on adding it to the dress-up trunk, I checked out the stitching and durability pretty carefully. Although there are lots of raw edges throughout the costume, the stitching is strong and it should last my very active, very creative girls a nice, long time.

That's what we like in this household: durability!

My girls' reactions? Love!

They oohed and aahed over the fringe and the beads. They carefully stroked the furry boot covers. They squealed over the hair clips.

I think I picked a winner.

And I just might have to go back and look through the huge selection of kids costumes once more. After all, Halloween is just around the corner.

Ack!

This post was written for Family Review Network and Costume SuperCenter who provided the complimentary product in exchange for my honest review.

Family Review Network

Exciting times at E=MC2!

I've been offered the opportunity to join Family Review Network! Yippee!

Free stuff!

Stay tuned!

I won't do very many of these, I promise. I'm picky. :)

Anniversary Math

one boy

+

one girl

+

150 guests

+

one honeymoon to St. John, USVA

+

one move to Eastern Washington

+

one Hutterite colony

+

two school districts

+

one new car

+

two new-to-us cars

+

one townhouse

+

one rambler

+

one church

+

two girls

+

one boy

=

10 years of marriage

Happy Anniversary, Mr. Einstein!

I love you very, very much.

Bad Blogger

I'm a bad, bad blogger.

Bad blogger.

3 kids, teacher husband, busy summer.

'Nough said.

More coming.

The End of My Rope

After a long morning with cranky and dehydrated kids...

after a short nap time with overly-tired and crying kids...

after an endless afternoon of failed potty training and entertaining kids...

after an exasperating evening of misbehaving and constant demands...

after a prolonged bedtime of inattention and incessant chatter...

after finally taking a moment for myself...

after E getting out bed to tell me C has to go potty...

C tells me, "I love you when you're Mommy,"

and I think the end of rope just may stretch a little further after all.

Hand-Me-Downs

When Big Big Sister gets a new bike,

a big bike,

with pink sparkles,

Little Big Sister gets a "new" bike.

When Little Big Sister gets a new bike,

Bubba gets a "new" bike, too.

Well, a trike, but he doesn't know the difference.

Yet.

The End of the Beginning

E's last day of kindergarten is today.

C is (finally) close to being out of diapers.

M really isn't a baby anymore.

(Sorry, West-siders, for the Cougar outfit. It was a gift; I swear! Besides, I wasn't the one who dressed him; blame Mr. Einstein.)

It's the end of many beginnings here in the Einstein household, but I couldn't be more excited to see what the future holds for all of us.

Wordless Wednesday--Daylily

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For more Wordless Wednesday, go to 5 Minutes for Mom.

Wordless Wednesday--Memorial Day Clouds

Seen on Memorial Day.

Preceded, and followed, by rain.

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For more photos, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

By Halves

Today, M is 18 months-old.

(I know! Where did the time go?!?)

Which means:

M is 1 1/2 years-old,

C is 3 years-old,

and E is 6 years-old.

My kids' ages are half of their older sibling's.

I'm such a math nerd! I think this is really cool. And this is the only time in their entire lives that this will ever happen.

A Birth Story

Three years ago, C was born.

I went into labor early Saturday morning, the day before Mother's Day.

We called our parents to let them know, but told them not to hurry. E took over 24 hours, so we assumed C would, too.

We had a lazy Saturday. I showered, dressed, and we went out to lunch. I waited in the cafe, laboring, for our sandwiches, then we went home.

Some Jehovah's Witnesses stopped by, and Mr. Einstein let them in. (I know! What was he thinking?!?) They chatted for about an hour, while I labored in the nursery, putting some freshly washed baby clothes away and entertaining E.

(It's funny now, but at the time, I was not pleased. At all.)

E went down for her nap, and I lay down on the bed to rest; but, instead, I decided to time my contractions.

It was time.

We called our parents to see where they were, and dropped E off at the sitters until one set or the other of grandparents got to town.

Mr. Einstein and I headed to the hospital.

After we arrived, we discovered I was further along than I had thought, and, consequently, C would be here sooner than we thought. That night, in fact, and not the next morning, like her sister.

I labored some more and got an epidural. My doctor came in eating popcorn, and I really wanted some. He wouldn't give me any.

All the grandparents finally made it into town. My parents and sister decided to go out to dinner. They had just finished up when Mr. Einstein called them and told them it was time.

They almost missed everything, it was so fast.

I pushed a few times, and within fifteen minutes, there was C, all 8+ pounds of her.

She was beautiful, of course. She took to nursing with such ease.

She was slightly jaundiced, but she never needed to go under the lights. I just stripped her down to her diaper and nursed her in the sunny windows of our house.

Today, C is three.

She's my big girl, my middle child. She is both a younger sister and an older sister.

She is funny, and sweet, and kind. She loves to share and play and cuddle. She refuses to potty train (sigh), but she'll get there.

She loves sausage, and baked beans, and watermelon. She loves to dress up, and watch movies, and color. She loves pigs.

She is my joy.

Happy Birthday, darling C!

I love you very, very much.

Motherhood

This is C.

10 months and 11 days before this photo was taken, she born two hours before Mother's Day.

4 days before this photo, we had just found out M was on his way (unexpectedly, unplanned *ahem*).

Poor thing didn't even realize we were about to force middle child-dom on her.

But, that's what motherhood is all about: taking the unexpected, the unplanned, and going with the flow. Making number 2 of 2 comfortable in her new position as 2 of 3. Making number 3 feel just as loved, just as wanted, just as expected as both 1 and 2.

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For more Mother's Day photos, visit An Island Life.