Holiday Time

It was a very bittersweet Thanksgiving in our house.  Our beloved Cy, Jordan's big brother and Jim and mine's first baby, had to be put to sleep.  We all knew the time was coming, but it was still so hard.  He was Jordan's first dog and they had such fun together.  He was the first dog Jim and I got together.  He was the gentle dog that let our blessing, Carter, pull on him, and love on him, and get down on the floor with him.  There were many tears shed the first few days he was gone; the most might have been by the brother he left behind, Jake.  Poor Jake has had a hard time adjusting to being the only dog in our house, but we have been sure to shower him with lots of love and attention.  Here are a few out takes from our annual Christmas pictures, for the first time in eleven years minus Cy.

               Jordan really wasn't into smiling for this pic

                      Carter had had enough of pictures

                        No one was ready for a picture

            Really a sweet picture, Jake is such a good dog!

                            Jordan loves her dog!

                Too bad no one was looking at the camera!

Finally!

So, in July, I posted that Miss Carter was finally starting to potty train.  Alas, that was a short lived dream, as she really could have cared less.  However, this past weekend, she decided she was tired of pull ups, and has decided to be a big girl!  I am so proud, and I don't know why I ever thought she would potty train when I wanted her to.  She has always done things when she wanted.  Should be an interesting time with her.

A MAJOR Milestone

We have just had the first, of hopefully many from this point forward, trip to the potty!  I know that this may not be all that amazing to some, and honestly I didn't think it would be all that amazing to me because Jordan potty trained to easily, but Miss Carter is her own girl.  We have been trying for awhile now to get her to go tee tee on the potty.  I will be honest, I didn't really force it to much because I've always heard until they are ready they won't do it.  My clues that she wasn't ready were as follows: finding Dora panties and telling her she could have them if she would tee tee on the potty.  Her response, handing back the Dora panties and telling me no.  Really wanting a cupcake, and me telling her she could have one if she would tee tee on the potty.  Her response, no.  I was kind of at a loss.  Jordan potty trained at daycare and just came home and did it one day.  It was so easy!  I really thought Carter would be the same.  However, that was not meant to be.  But tonight, our luck changed.  She really wanted to make out the sofa bed, and our response was, if you go tee tee on the potty.  Ok, she said!  I was super excited.  She doesn't like to sit still, so we watched Little Einsteins on my phone and waited.  We got through almost an entire episode before I heard the sound of liquid falling.  I yelled and screamed, and daddy and Jordan came in and were so excited for her.  We called Grammy and Marmoo and told them what we did.  So, let's hope that now that she's actually done it, she will start doing it more regularly.  

Our beach vacation

Three years ago, we had a very eventful summer.  I took kids to Washington DC, we moved back to West Texas, and then we went to the beach as a family of 3.  Little did any of us know, we were actually going to be a family of 4 in a few short months.  We decided that we should go back to the beach this summer.  Jordan loved the beach the first time she went, so we were sure that Carter would love it too!  Our first stop was San Antonio for the night, because honestly a 9 hour car ride with a two year old would be a little much.  We went downtown and visited the Alamo and Riverwalk before heading back to our hotel.  We stayed at the La Cantera resort which was very nice; I highly recommend it.  A beautiful golf course, awesome rooms, great activities for kids, and 3 pools!  We spent our afternoon swimming, eating s'mores, and Jordan even went to the movie on the lawn.  The next day, we were up and off to Padre.  If you've never made this trip, it is very LONG.  The girls did great though.  We were so lucky that our friends the Braswells were able to go with us, and all of the kids had fun.  We got up everyday, ate some cereal, went to the beach and played (or in Carter's case played at the beach for a very short amount of time before going back to the pool), came back for lunch and a nap, then back to the beach for more playing.  The bigger kids (dads included) attempted to surf, we all boogie boarded, and searched for shells.  In the evening the dads and older kids would go crab hunting.  It was an awesome time, and we are planning on making it a tradition to go every summer.

I have a picture just like this of Jordan and Jim at Seaworld

I also have a picture just like this of Jordan and Jim walking off a football field

Carter and Jim (she wasn't a big fan of the waves)

Jordan and Jim playing in the pool

Tanner and Jordan digging a trench in the sand

Marley, Blake, Jim and Jordan getting ready to surf

Valerie and Carter watching the surfing experience

Surfing!

Kaitlyn posing by the surf board

Blake and Marley

Carter

Oh my Carter! She has started talking up a storm. It is really no secret that I was a bit worried that she really had no desire to talk at 18 months. (Her sister was talking up a storm by that age) I've discovered that she just does what she wants when she wants to do it. I think I may be in trouble as she gets older! We don't always understand her, but we can usually make out what she is saying. Here are some of her favorites:

"No, Mommy, No!!!" in response to me taking something away, bringing her inside, etc and it comes out crystal clear

"Peesss" (Please)

"Tank you" (thank you) She will also look at you and say welcome if you don't respond with you're welcome. What can I say my girls has her manners

"Gin, gin!" (again, again) Usually when she's playing with daddy and they are having too much fun

"Ders a monster!" (There's a monster) She can thank her sister for telling her that one.

"Joordan Mommack, No!" (Jordan Wommack, No) She likes to throw in our last names when she's really angry. I've even been mommy mommack.

"I go daddy's truck. Let's go!" She's a girl on the go, what can I say.

"Supper ready? I ungee" Super ready, I'm hungry. She's also a girl that likes to eat!

What can I say, I love this girl! How could I not?

I go daddy's truck.

Jordan

I've decided to do two posts today, one for each daughter. I think that is only fair, and it is only right that I start with the oldest daughter. Jordan has been a questioner since she first started talking. I promise you've never seen a child ask why so many times. I think someone once told me it was a phase and she would grow out of it. They were wrong, she still asks why, and how, and when, and what. So, what fun times I've had this week as in science they have started studying genes! It started with "Mommy where do babies come from?" I know this is not an unusual question, she asked it before, but with the new knowledge she has my usual answers were not going to cut it. I said from God, and she responded, not everyone believes in God. Can you tell that I am in trouble? The next day my question was "If 18 chromosomes come from the girl and 18 come from the boy, HOW do they get together to make a baby?" I didn't ask this stuff when I was 10! Even if I learned about it, the thought didn't cross my mind. So, we made a decision that dad would take Miss Carter to Bronte and Jordan and I would stay home and have "the talk". As Jim and Carter left, I can't make this up, Jordan says how do girls have eggs and where are they? We came in, and I started "the talk". I know that all of you whose daughters are younger are super jealous as you read this, because you want to do this as well. I hope you can tell my sarcasm there :) It went surprisingly well. She asked appropriate questions, and thought the appropriate things were gross. Then, as luck would have it, the Discovery Science channel had a show on called Life before Baby and it answered even more questions. I'm hoping I'm done with these questions for awhile now!

Spring Break!

We have totally enjoying our spring break this week. Wish I had pictures, BUT I left my good camera at school (taking group shots for the yearbook and in my rush to leave last Friday I left it). Anyway, back to spring break. So far this week we have played, set up a tent in the house, played some more, installed Magic Mesh, and enjoyed the ability to run in and out of the house at will. Of course, Jake has also discovered to run in and out at will, so we have to keep doors closed unless we are outside playing. (If you haven't seen the infomercial for Magic Mesh, it's this screen stuff that has magnets in the middle that creates a mesh door AND it totally works! Carter and Jake have been in and out a million times and it is still up!)

The girls and I went Easter dress shopping and Jordan totally melted my heart when she insisted that she and Carter get the same Easter dress! I know if they were closer in age I could totally get away with dressing them the same, but with such an age difference that doesn't happen much. So, they both got very pretty Easter dresses with cardigan sweaters.

I've also discovered that I have a reincarnated Southern Belle for a two year old. She says things like owch (when I'm brushing her hair) or I build a howse. It is so cute! Jordan was the master of the mean look when she was younger and Carter is the master of rolling her eyes. Yes, 2 year olds can correctly roll their eyes whenever they do not like what their parents are telling them. Along with the eye rolling, comes a totally ignoring of whatever you told her not to do. While I realize it is not a good thing, it is so very hard not to laugh whenever she does this.

Another tidbit for anyone is that 2 year olds can totally lie. How do they learn this? I have no idea, but I do know when I ask, who made this mess (in Carter's room) her response is Jordan. Again, I had to laugh because how does she know how to do that?! She has barely started making sentences and speaking, and she already knows how to lie!

My two girls

If I'm being honest, Jordan tolerates Carter some of the time. Occasionally, Jordan will offer to play with Carter, or she will watch Mickey Mouse with her, but usually she would rather hang out alone. Carter, on the other hand, loves trying to do everything Jordan is doing. Lucky for me, last night Jordan was in a generous mood, sort of. While Jordan was playing Wii, Carter came in the living room and just started watching and laughing and having the best time. It made me so happy to see my girls hanging out together, until of course, Carter messed Jordan up, then she was done tolerating her. LOL

Carter watching Jordan playing Mario Brothers

She so loves her sister!

Jordan doing the yoga tree pose, and Carter copying her. Have I mentioned how much Carter LOVES Jordan.

She had to be on the board with Jordan. Shortly after this Jordan fell off the board, causing her to get 2nd place and "It was all Carter's fault!"

Whoever thought that a 10 year old could not argue/blame a 2 year old was sorely mistaken!

Jordan's 10th birthday!

So Jordan's actual birthday isn't until Tuesday, but you can't have sleep overs on a school night! Also, she has an All City Choir concert on her actually birthday, so this weekend it was! This year Jordan wanted to have a few friends over for a sleep over, so that's what we did. Her friends came over, had some pizza, and a chocolate chip pizza for dessert. They played games, put on tattoos, played with balloons, and had a blast. Let's just hope that I survive the weekend!

Opening presents. I decided today that we would get her a new bike, but when asked numerous times all she said she wanted was a gift card so she could buy stuff to put in a care package to send to Africa! How my heart melts for my kind hearted girl!

Blowing out the colored flame candles on her chocolate chip pizza!

Playing with balloons. Who knew that 4th graders would enjoy the balloons as much as the 2 year old!

Still playing with balloons!

Too hard not to include my favorite 2 year old. I can tell you, it is really hard to be 2 when your sister is 10! All she wanted to do was play with them!

Carter's 2nd birthday!

Rather than try and catch up for the last 5 months that I have been a horrible blogger, I've decided to just start fresh and post about my girls' birthday! January 31-February 27 is a very busy time in the Wommack household. Carter's birthday is January 31, Jordan's is exactly 3 weeks later on February 21, and Jim's is on February 27! Plus, our favorite sister/aunt is February 12! Needless to say those 4 weeks are jam packed with stuff. To start the birthday season off, we had a Minnie Mouse themed birthday for our favorite 2 year old, Carter! A friend of mine blogged 20 things about her daughter on her 18 month birthday, and I am totally going to steal the idea, then include some pictures!

1. Carter absolutely LOVES her sister. She would spend every minute with her, if only Jordan would allow it.

2. On the other hand, Carter can totally kick Jordan's butt. I have no doubt that my sweet angel will be able to hold her own as she gets older.

3. We have finally started talking! I was a little worried about our lack of conversational skills at 18 months, but she has definitely blossomed since then. She says lots of things that I cannot understand, but she says lots of things that we can understand.

4. Mickey Mouse is the best thing ever! We DVR it in the living room, and we have several DVDs of Mickey. She can even sing the theme song and do the hot dog dance.

5. I'm pretty sure we have an athlete on our hands. She can throw a ball, likes to kick the ball, and loves to run.

6. She loves to dance! There is no type of music that she doesn't enjoy.

7. There is a word we are very careful in using in our house; the word is GO. Whenever she hears this word, she is ready to go.

8. Carter LOVES going with her daddy. We recently got a second car seat for his truck, and she frequently tells us she is going in daddy's truck.

9. She has no patience! While stopped at red lights, she will say "move truck".

10. She loves her dogs! Jake provides lots of entertainment with his energy, but she loves Cy because he will sit and let her love him.

11. She is the world's best eater! I can honestly say I do not know of anything she will not eat. I truly think this proves that you can be born a picky eater.

12. She really has no desire to go "potty". It is not for lack of trying, but she is just as content to wear a diaper.

13. Even though when asked who she loves, she responds "Daddy" when it comes down to it, Mommy is who she wants.

14. She loves having her picture taken. Whenever she sees the camera she says "cheese!" and squinches up her eyes and nose.

15. She is not very fond of snow. As luck would have it, in her short 2 years of life she has probably seen more snow than Jordan has at one time, than Jordan has in 10 years, and she doesn't care for it at all.

16. She has absolutely no fear. There is nothing that she will not do.

17. At two, she is already well aware of how iPods, iPhones, and iPads work. It is scary really.

18. She loves to read books!

19. She gives the best kisses and hugs!

20. And maybe the best thing, she enjoys sleeping!!!

Now for the adorable pictures!

Enjoying Minnie Mouse cake!

To prove how much she loves Mickey/Minnie, she got two of these!