A pooper and a stepper along with other things...



does Sister have to sing EVERY morning?!

kayyyyyyy!

oooooo!!!!!!

aarrrrrrrr!!!

great job Sister, great job!

making tortillas with the master and Brother wishing he could join in

Daddy makes torts too!

our Chefs

Autumn and Lalas torts

walk with me Papa!

fall day with some Sweets

meeting our nephew!

We took a trip to Great Falls as a family last week and helped Lala rake leaves. It was great to have Dana along for our almost weekly visit. Her yard is massive but it was the perfect day to watch the cousins play, laugh with the parents and cringe at the discomfort my sister looked to be in. We watched Autumn make tortillas with Lala, and Dom get his first haircut from Lala, which turned out much better than the one his Daddy and I gave him, It was a busy long wonderful day and at the end of it I told the fam I would see them next week and with a rush of commotion of tired babes we were loaded and out the door. The next morning I got a text that Whitney was in labor and to keep her in our thoughts and prayers. Gotcha, call me if you need me. A couple hours later I got a call of can you come back and help, sure thing on my way as soon as Autumn gets done with her dance lesson. (Which is going great! One private while the bully was still being moved and now she is back with the group as the bully is with another group, hopefully of bigger boys that don't take well to being shoved around;) ) So, I head to GreatFalls on a last minute plan as the B. Goodans are so great giving D time off so that I can go and do things like this. My night with my nephew and niece was similar to the nights with my own babes. I did this and did that and talk to Dana a few times but was doing good and not really "missing them". Then it started to get dark, rumors of snow coming began and the decision of should I go or should I stay now (tra la la) started. Dana and I agreed not to race home in the dark trying to beat a storm that may or may not come. My sister and brother in law stayed at the hospital with their third child and second son and I would stay with the two older, Julianna and Logan. Then the missing began. What was my family doing with out me. Who was going to tell Autumn "angels on your pillow" before she fell asleep, who was going to cheer Dana on silently as he got up with Dominic in the middle of the night? My cheering is silent so that I don't get him out of the "I'm on duty zone" Ha!  I missed them so much. I painted with the kids, read with Ju, looked for Waldo, and watch Ponyo (if you have not seen this it is pretty cute) but always in my mind I missed my kiddos. It was a great time to see another side of my niece and nephew with my full attention and just to hang out with them. I'm glad that I could do it and be apart of welcoming Jonah into the world. On Sat. after I stopped at the hospital I headed back to the center of Montana. The snow on the ground was slush, cloudy skies with sun peaking through, no big deal I've driven worse and off I go with a big fat hot coffee that I RUINED trying a new flavor. Boo. No turning back I miss my family it's been less than 24 hours they have probably grown a foot and Dom is probably walking and speaking three languages by now. Halfway home I realize how great my time is for so so road conditions and figure I will be home in no time and we will have the whole afternoon together. I come over a hill and the truck I have been following has slowed down so much that I can see where he bought his vehicle. (Won't promote since he didn't buy from my hubbie). Whats wrong with this guy. Then I feel the ice. I'm sliding into Stanford. I can feel the truck wanting to go this way and that and I turn down the radio so I can think better. Why does that help? I want him to stay the course. I like that he is going 35 and then I don't look like the scared chick, he turns. Here I go.All is going well until I pull off so that some trucks can pass me, I can't seem to get traction. I'm saying over and over again "Help me Jesus. Help me Jesus. SH@! HELP ME!" I'm sort of laughing at the comedy that I had just left a message to my mother and Dana to stop freakin out the roads weren't bad at all. Now here I am in a two wheel drive I think trying to get up to speed. At least I wasn't the only intimidated one out there. By the time we got another 15 miles the line was about 20 cars and we were all stuck behind a semi going vera vera slow. As it turns out I did have 4 wheel drive I just didn't know it, so I was slipping and sliding until Dana told me different. I called him to tell him even though I only had 38 miles left it was going to be awhile since  we were going  40. Oh jeez. Anyway, I made it home. I hugged and squeezed my babies and just as I thought Dana said "Dom is standing on his own". No wonder I never want to leave them EVER! :) So we sat on the floor laughing with the kids, playing ball and trying to see if he would walk. Out of the blue little Dom took 3 steps without our help. We were very quiet, said "alright Dommie" and kept our voices low so we didn't startle him. Along comes Sister and the moment passed. He hasn't done it since. One or two here but not a big ol three.  We spent the afternoon together just hanging out and it was wonderful. I can't believe how one night away I felt lost.
The last few nights Autumn will strip down her clothes and say "Mom, I need to poop on the potty a while". Um? Okay? Then she tells us she needs Goldilocks. No other book will do. Twice, Dana and I have been rushing around the house on tip toe so we don't wake Brother while she says in her I'm wide awake voice "YOU FIND GOLDILOCKS?!"  I am usually the lucky one to sit and read with her while she makes magic. I can not however get the guts to put the poo in the big toilet and then wash it out. I have to say "Let's show Daddy!" Then hand the torch to him and hide my gagging while I say "HI FIVE WOO HOO!!! A POOPY IN THE POTTY!" Oh jeez.
Tonight, Autumn was very restless. As I must be since it is after midnight. We lay with her until she falls asleep though. We don't read until she falls asleep because we would be into novels or be stuck with the three bears till the wee hours. We said our goodnights, she told Daddy goodnight, tossed and turned, tossed and turned, sat up, patted my back, scratched my arm, listened to Dana fall asleep "Mom! Daddy sleeping". Yes I can hear that too. I just lay there so she hopefully thinks I'm sleeping. She plays with my hair, pulls my earrings (why are those in?) pushes on my eyes, pulls my cheeks out until they make the "lollipop" song sound, and sighs. I'm winning. She thinks I'm asleep. I'm wondering what she is thinking and how long I can keep a straight face and not look at her. I'm thinking her nails are super long and she almost put a hole in my eyelid when she opened it with her talons. I'm wondering if she wants to get up with me and have a midnight snack. I'm also curious how I'm going to get out from between the two of them when she finally does go to sleep. "I see you Mom, angels on your pillow, sweet dreams". Totally busted.