He couldn't stay awake

James hasn't been taking naps every day. Which is fine because he sleeps a little longer in the morning. But the other day, he just couldn't stay awake so he curled up on the sofa under his quilt and fell asleep. Gertie couldn't help with sleep along with him.

What's been going on?

Not much. This past weekend, it became official. No more kids for the Holdgate's. That's all I'm gonna say about that.

James: Just started preschool 3 days a week at Fort Johnson Baptist Church. It's about 10 minutes from our house. He seems to like it, although he cries when I drop him off. I don't think I'll ever get used to that. His speech is improving and we are able to understand him more. He is into cars, books and drawing and movies.

Ryan: He likes lions and watching Potter - Harry Potter. He is a fiery tempered little man, but he is so sweet and sensitive also. In this picture, he is naked, something that I find all the time, looking for "Gams" (crabs). I hid the bare bottom for fear of the blogger police banning my site.

Olivia: She is quiet and laid back. She likes to be held and looked at. She's into the newly introduced rice cereal, something neither of the boys would eat. She will not take a binky, but has her hands and any other blanket she can find, in her mouth. I guess each child makes us learn how to be different parents.

Our household has been binky free for a few months now, and it's been a relief. No one asks for it anymore. I find old ones around the house that make me nostalgic for those baby days, but I know it's for the better having them gone.

Anyways, the Holdgate's are doing well.

The Ants Came Marching One by One....

Yes, and they marched right over my little girl's face and feet. Down here in Charleston, we have these wonderful creatures called Fire Ants. No, they're not red. They look like normal ants. Except, they bit the dickens out of you! And they leave little pus filled bubbles. Somehow, they found their way into Olivia's bed and she awoke this morning and this is what I saw.

The pictures don't show the full effect, but there's one bit under her eye, one in the corner of her eye and multiple bites all over her toes. Those red spots are the bites. She doesn't seem affected. However, her mother is very distraught that ants were biting her face.

Recipe Blog

Www.triedandtruerecipesbytiff.blogspot.com

Still adding recipes, but an easy way to share some.

Gifts from Above

I feel the need to give credit to God for this one.

Down here in Charleston, if you leave something at the end of your driveway, it's for the taking. It's actually really nice because you never know what you're gonna find. I found a baby swing for outside with hooks and everything one time. And this is what I found the other day. A rust-free bicycle with training wheels! Can't find one for that price at a yard sale.

But, I found it by accident because I was taking a back road to go around the trash truck that I was behind and there it was!! Ready to go home with me. Yes, I did stop and ask the very loud easterne european family if they really meant it to go home with me or did their little boy just leave it there. And yes, I was free to have it!! Thank you Jesus!

Don't Poop on the Deck!

This seems to be a fairly regular occurance these days. And no, I'm not talking about one of the animals going #2 on the deck, I'm talking about Ryan, my #2 Child. No pun intended. I mean, why not just go in the potty and get a present? Maybe it's because every time my boys go outside, they feel the need to strip to their bare necessities. And when you're naked and running around, what else is there to do? Play in it? I leave it there, for you to ponder.

James Playing Jacks

So, we bribe our kids. Especially James. James will work towards a goal. James has been in the potty training stage for a while. So, we told him if he went poop on the potty he'll get a present. But like his daddy, he has to see the presents to see if it's worth it. So one day James managed to make a little poop and he got to pick a present from the Spiderman Bag. He chose Jacks. So, I showed him how to do it and this is his rendition of playing the game.

A few days later, I heard the toilet flush upstairs. So, James came down and told me he went poop on the potty and needed his present. So, I went upstairs but couldn't find what he had accomplished. But I couldn't prove otherwise, so he got another present, a matchbox car. But I told him, that he had to show me the poop and not just flush it.

So here comes James again, telling me he pooped and was ready to show me. Sure enough, there was some in the potty but it just didn't look right. Sure enough, James had gone in his diaper and then dumped it in the potty. He didn't get a present that time.

But Alex showed him this really cool present if he went on the potty. So, James carried the present around for two days and he finally went on the potty yesterday. And yes, he went straight towards the present. And yes, he opened it and it is know as the "poop present".