Floods

Tonight I am the emergency crew!  Cedar Rapids is flooding really bad, pretty much all the bridge going any where near the river are closed and people are having a hard time getting places.  So because I work near the river I got an e-mail today that said we were closing at 3:30 and would be closed tomorrow as well, possibly longer.  My job requires backing up the entire county systems, so I got to stay and work – hence, not have to use my vacation time or take unpaid leave.  Fortunately I already was planning on taking Friday off and a half day tomorrow.  I’m really praying this flooding subsides, I’m low on vacation and can’t afford to not work. 

Balloons?

We had a really busy and fun weekend, mostly.  Friday night when I got home from work Caitlin was getting ready for bed when she ran to the bathroom to “spit” in the toilet.  She got sick, so we let her sleep with us that night.  Then she was sick a few more times Saturday morning.  We had been planning on going to the Cedar Rapids farmers market, which is huge and has over 140 vendors.  We didn’t make that, but after she woke up from nap she was feeling better.  So we headed to my co-workers house for her granddaughters high school graduation party.  There was a really cool swingset in the back yard, so the kids played on that for about an hour and sugared themselves up on cookies.  We left there and met some friends at the Kolache (sp) festival.  The kids played on the playground then Jaden jumped in the bouncy house and had a blast.  They got to ride a couple rides which they enjoyed – but I think Caitlin still wasn’t feeling great because she was crabby, plus it was super hot which didn’t help.

After that we went to McDonalds where the kids got to play in the germ area, I mean play area.   Then headed over to Rockwell Collin’s where the Tanager Place was holding a festival.  The rides weren’t free, but they had a couple of tents set up where the kids got to mix there own cereal, and then decorate the boxes.  Then we headed over to another huge tent where the kids got to make bookmarks, magnets, paintings, get their nails done, get their faces painted and tons more.  It was REALLY windy, so the hot air balloons that were supposed to be set up didn’t happen.  But there was a D.J. and they got to sing and dance.  Jaden was really into that.  Caitlin just sat in the stroller and ate her fruit by the foot and watched.  Then headed home, which on the way the girls clutched their newly made cereal boxes and fell asleep.

Sunday was a little slower.  The girls refused to nap, so we went to the mall and walked around a little bit before heading to faith family.  Then we got home and cuddled on the couch and listened to the storms going through.  It was a really fun weekend, I wish all weekends went this well.  Oh yeah, my girls slept until 8:15 (Caitlin) and 9:00 (Jaden) on Sunday.  I’m hoping this will be a new trend.

Silly Smooches

Anyone who knows Caitlin knows that she is not super affectionate.  Yesterday she was playing with Jaden and they looked so cute, Jaden ran up to me and gave me a hug and a kiss then kept playing.  I asked Caitlin for a kiss.  She said no, which I expected.  But then a couple minutes later she came up and gave me a hug, so I asked for a kiss, she said no, but then thought about.  So I pointed to my cheek and said, just a little one on my cheek.  She thought some more, then leaned over to kiss my cheek.  I instantly turned my head and kissed her lips.  She started lauging and thought that was great.  So we did that for a few minutes.  I’d point to my cheek or nose, then when she went to kiss them I’d turn my head and she’d kiss my lips.  Today again Jaden was running by so I snagged her up and gave her a hug and kiss, then asked Caitlin for a kiss.  She yelled no as she ran by me.  Then came right back and gave me a kiss.  Then she said “I want to kiss your cheek!”.  So I turned so she could kiss my cheek, she was giggling, and I couldn’t understand why, then I remembered yesterday at the last second and turned my head so she kissed my lips and she just broke down laughing.  I love watching her laugh, and love it more if I contribute to it.  It always surprises me how she remembers things and just seems to grown up in her actions some times.  I forgot our game, but she remembered.  This is such a great age – I wish I could record every second of my girls and go back and watch all the great things they are always doing.  I hate to think I’ll forget any of it.

Happy Birthday Tim

Today Tim turned 35.  I made him special chocolate chip pancakes, like I make for everyone’s birthday.  We have chocolate chip pancakes 4 times a year, and I refuse to make them any other time.  I love it that we have this special little ritual just for those times.  Then the girls gave him birthday cards that they colored and I traced their handprints on with glitter and glue.  He got to open his present from me too, I got him a WII.  I have to say that I played it for longer than he did, but he said he got to play it the whole time the kids were at Day Care. 

About Tim – he was born in Coralville.  He collected stars wars figures growing up and still has most of his collection, never opened.  His favorited movies – “It’s a wonderful life”, the “Star Wars” trilogy, and “Back to the Future”.  He doesn’t have a favorite color.  His favorite t.v. show is Lost.  He worked at Hy-vee as his first job, bagging groceries, then moved to checker, then to the Dairy dept.  He now works at Mercer where he has been for 10 years, first in Treasury, then in IT.  He is addicted to Iowa Hawkeye football and has only missed 1 game since he was 8 years old.  He is the best father I know.  He watches the girls every night by himself while I work and seldom complains about how hard it is to watch two toddlers by himself.  We’ve been married for 5 years and have dated for 10.  Our first Valentines day he gave me a 12 pack of mountain dew.  I’ve since taught him that practical isn’t always better than frivolous, especially in love…he’s learning.  He’s a good husband, a wonderful father, and my best friend.  I love you Tim.  Happy Birthday.

Morning sweetness

Last night we lost power for a couple of hours.  A couple minutes after the fans and lights went off Caitlin started crying because she can’t sleep without a light on.  So I brought her in our room to sleep.  This morning I woke up and she was holding my hand and looking at me.  She whispered to me, “it’s raining on my swingset”, Me “I know it is, but now it will be all cleaned off, and the rain will help the flowers grow too” Caitlin “God made the flowers” Me “He sure did, and he makes it rain so that flowers can grow and be pretty”, Caitlin “and my swingset too”. 

It was sweet the way she was whispering to me, I wish I could wake up every morning with those sweet little whispers. 

 

Ta Dah

Well we finally got the swingset built!!!!  It only took 3 weeks to get it done.  Saturday we went to the children’s Museum for their Dinomania, for members only, and the girls got to play until about 11:30.  They love going there, shopping in the grocery store and playing in the ball room are their favorites.  They got a goody bag with a dinosaur, pencil, fruit snacks and raisins and then they each got a dino tattoo.  Then we had lunch and went home.  I started working on the swingset about noon.  Finished with the monkey bars about 5:30 – and we still weren’t totally finished with it!  They were so anxious to play on it that we let them climb the stairs and just hang out in the fort part on top.  Sunday after church me and the girls took a nap while Tim worked some more on the swingset.  2 hours later when we got up, Tim was just finishing.  So they got to go out and swing for a little while.  They just love it!  Then we went to Faith Family and the girls got to play with Jordy, the other 3 year old in our Faith family.  They love to play with her and it’s really cute to watch them play together.

Today right after Caitlin got up she told me she had to go check on her swingset.  So she went to the back sliding doors and parted the curtains to check on it.  Yep, still there.  I let her know it wasn’t going any where.  I don’t know if she believes me or not.  Then when Jaden got up we got dressed and I bribed Caitlin that if she let me brush her hair we could go swing.  That worked wonderfully, I may try that every day!  We went out and they played for an hour on it!  The gnats around here are HORRIBLE and I was ready to go inside after 10 minutes!  I’ll post pictures later of everything, the best place to view all our photos is http://picasaweb.google.com/McCabe1019/KidsPics?authkey=uzVZEM-zVLo