Choosing Battles

WHAT A MESS!

I do mean this in more than one way!

First...literally...what a mess.  This picture doesn't even do the room justice.  The boys had basically gone around the room just dumping everything out.  Then they went around and played with stuff.  

Second...Nolan...what a mess he is these days.  The terrifying threes in full throttle!  

Third...the combination of these two...this is just the first of many big messes.  

 I'm not sure what Nolan's crazy little boy mind was doing, but he starting dumping it all.  Of course, Liam followed suit.  These days he is a little action parrot of Nolan.  

Then they played with it.

 Yet when clean up time came...Nolan would have nothing to do with it.  

This was a battle I chose!  Nolan, who use to be a good clean up helper, has really hit rock bottom in his clean up skills.  If HK is around, he meddles while she ends up doing all of the work.  So I decided that he would clean it all up...without help from Mommy.  He knows exactly where it all goes.  He dumped it.  He was going to clean it up.  

Once you choose a battle, you don't back down.  

The Momma does eventually win.
But sometimes the battle can be long..

 Since it was such an overwhelming mess I told him the first thing to clean up.  I understood it could be hard to know where to start...so I tried to help out.  He had until I got lunch ready.

 Nothing.

He had until I fed Liam his carrots.

Nothing.

He just looked at me.

Since he was obviously disobeying...hold it....wait for it...

Gasp....yes...the paddle.

I won't tell you how many times I had to paddle...gasp.

Please don't turn me in!

Did he clean ANYTHING up?

Nothing.

He just looked at me.  

 What does the Momma do now?  The big guns are not motivating him to obey.

Hmmmmm.....

Okay here it goes...

Hold it...

Wait for it...

Straight to nap with no lunch.

Gasp!

Please don't turn me in.

Now this one got his attention and while he was going the bathroom he cried the whole time.
So I gave him one final chance to clean up so he could eat lunch and not have to lay down yet. 

Did he clean it up?

Nothing...pure stubbornness and defiance.  

(Nolan can have an extremely stubborn streak)

So at 11 am...he went down for his nap.

He cried for maybe 5 minutes and he was out.

What a mess...on many accounts.

From 3-5 that afternoon...he played...no cleaning.  

Momma had to call in reinforcements (a.k.a. - Daddy) at about 5:15.  

If Momma can't win the battle she started, you better believe with Daddy on her team she will!

The Mommy/Daddy combo is pretty powerful stuff!

6:15 pm (after dinner)...

"Mommy look.  I cleaned it all up!"

He was so proud of himself.  

Just like I thought...he knew where it all went and could do it.

I'm worn out!

Why I am I recording this story?

Well Nolan, one day I hope to tell it to you because it will be so hard to believe that you were once that stubborn and defiant!

How could that sweet face and big blue eyes act so ugly!

Well, we all know why...but hopefully through the years Jesus will permeate your heart and change the stubbornness to willingness and the defiance to obedience.  

Hopefully we can teach you how to use that strong will and determination to stand your ground in positive ways as you grow older.

One day cleaning up when asked will not be an issue, but something else will.

So this story will help us to remember that when you do clean up willingly...it is a victory for all.  

Sometimes we forget to celebrate the victories from past battles and only focus on the current battles.  

I know you didn't clean up today (battle), but you always use the bathroom in the toilet and wake up dry (victory).  

You didn't clean up today (battle), but you can get dressed yourself (victory).

You didn't clean up today (battle), but you are learning how to be a gentlemen (victory).

Today's score

Daddy/Mommy = 1             Nolan = 0

And we will always LOVE YOU big guy!

***Just to give another example of Nolan's stubbornness...

I fixed chicken pot pie for lunch Saturday.  Nolan wouldn't touch it.  He ate some pineapple I had also put out.  So after much playing around I finally said... "Nolan eat your lunch or you are going to bed for your nap."  He usually begs to do just one more thing before nap...stalls.  He looked at me and said..."I guess I will just go to bed."  I almost started cracking up, but contained it.  I said okay...and off to bed he went...chicken pot pie untouched.  

The Entertainment Gene

I think that there must be an "Oldham entertainment gene" that is being passed down to the next generation.  I have yet to see an Oldham grandchild that does not show evidence of this.  

Saturday evening Uncle Nick, Aunt Terrah, and Elle came over for dinner and to hang out.

After dinner we were visited by Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf...

Entertaining...most definitely.  Liam was also crawling around the floor growling...just not captured in the photo.  

There were several other costumes before the night was over.  Nolan got his man card taken away for coming out in a skirt.  He then came out in this magician outfit and boots and proclaimed it was a "boy outfit".  

We watched HK's dance recital from last May because we realized Aunt Terrah and Uncle Nick had not seen her dances yet.  After that HK, insisted that she and Daddy and Uncle Nick and Elle dance to Dance Me Daddy.  This is almost a nightly occurrence lately.  She and Nate dance all the time to this song.  She LOVES it.  Might I say she is getting quite theatrical in her part.  Nate says that now he is just a prop.  Her favorite is to run and jump into his arms and then he spins her around.  She throws her arms and upper body back while they spin.  

 So we watched the Daddy Daughter dance.  I could never get tired of watching this.  It makes my heart so full and my eyes misty EVERY time!  Liam very desperately wanted to dance too!

HK loved holding Elle!  She is getting her baby sister fill in for awhile.

 I told Uncle Nick if you sit in the floor this is what you get...

because Daddy is always rough housing down in the floor with the kids.  If Nate is on the floor, he is free game for pouncing...by everyone!  BUT they ALL love it!

So this face is hysterical and adorable!  She scrunches her whole face up!  Nick and Terrah said she does it all the time but not when they try to get her too.  Seriously, every time I held up the camera and said her name (and said give me your scrunchy face)...she made the face for me!

It was so funny!!!

We had a little Guess Who!

And some more scrunchy faces by the youngest entertainer of the evening.  

I think they could have their own show one day!

I'm sure we will see many through the years!

The Way to Nolan's Heart

You need help?  Have a project?

Nolan's your man!

This is the way to Nolan's heart...letting him help.

The bigger the project the better.

 Nate finally took down our Christmas lights Saturday afternoon.  He was out there for a LONG time.  HK and I were working on writing a story at the kitchen table (another one of her creative projects).  I looked out the window and saw him picking up limbs in the yard.  Nap time was almost over, so I quietly slipped into the boys' room and got Nolan up so he could help Daddy.  Another 20 minutes later when I looked out the window, I saw this!

 They are standing in the middle of the road with a rope tied around a huge limb hung from one tree to the other (actually the base was on the ground by this point).  They were trying to pull it out.  Life couldn't have gotten much better for Nolan.  

 HK and I went out to observe, take pictures, and encourage.  Unfortunately, their limb was barely moving and they were tugging with all of their might.

One end was on the ground so I suggested just lifting and pulling that way.  Nate tried to say it was too heavy, but I insisted that he was definitely strong enough to do that!  

Nolan pouted when he had to momentarily let go.

My big strong man tried my suggestion and did manage to get it down without any major injuries!

Then the boys moved the monster branch to the pile.  

The day couldn't have gotten much better for Nolan!

Gingerbread Houses

On Nate's first day of vacation we made gingerbread houses from milk cartons, and Nate made homemade hot cocoa for us!  Nolan got to skip his nap that afternoon because this was definitely a project for while Liam was asleep!

There was definitely eating involved...especially on Nolan's part!

HK took hers very serious!

Well you can see how serious he was!  Serious about having fun and eating!  He did however get into it more than I had first anticipated.  

This is Nolan's

Trying out Daddy's homemade hot cocoa!!!   

I love afternoon's like this one!  They are ones I will treasure for years to come!  

Lunch with "The Girls"

Just in case you were wondering if we actually celebrated Christmas this year...have no fear for we did. It's just that most of the pictures from Christmas celebrations are on my parents' cameras.  I am having a hard time getting all of those from them.  However, in the meantime I am going to go ahead and blog what I actually have....

The Wednesday before Christmas we had "the girls" over for lunch.  That is how Nate kindly refers to Amy, Kellie, and Jane...the part of the office we couldn't live without!

Wednesdays are half days at the office, so they all headed to our home once they were finished for the day.  We wanted to show our appreciation for them!  They seriously are amazing!  Nate & I are both extremely thankful for them and their dedication to the practice.  Our kids love them too!  HK, even though she is terrified of shots, thinks that Mrs Amy is the only one that can give shots.  

 These ladies are also truly kind and extremely spoil our children!  

Liam did get to join us, but by this point had to get down for his nap! 

Once again..."Girls", you are truly appreciated!  We could never tell you enough times!

Semester One Done

I meant to post this after the first quarter, but I forgot.  So we will do it after the first semester!

HK has officially completed her first semester of school!  

We are so proud of all she has learned in so many different ways this past semester.  

(fyi....handwriting is difficult because they are learning cursive)

I told her I was going to make her a behavior report card at home!

It is always nice to hear what someone else has to say about your child...especially when you don't know how they are acting outside of your presence!  I will have to say we are more than pleased with the choice of sending her to ECCS!  We will continue to take it one year at a time.  

HK...your Mom & Dad think you are the best kindergartner!  Don't ever forget that!  We are so proud of the things you are learning but more excited about how we see your heart growing!  You are an amazing little girl!  

Greatie & Her Treats

It use to make me crazy that every time we went to my Granny's house (a.k.a. - Greatie), she would want to give and give and give my children endless "treats"....whales, cookies, ice cream bars, sucker, whatever sweet thing was in her kitchen!  My children now know this about Greatie.  HK has actually been upset if she found out Nolan went to Greatie's and she didn't.  He might've have gotten a treat that she didn't!  One time when I was there with the boys, she gave them both a bag of whales.  They shared a bag while there, and saved the other to take home.  She gave us a bag for HK too.  As we left, Nolan dropped his bag and a couple of whales fell on the ground.  So Greatie had to go back inside to get him another bag.  I finally quit getting so bothered by this.  I have learned the right amount of you can eat this now, and we will take this home for later.  That seems to make everyone happy...Greatie, the kids, and it satisfies Mommy as well.  Usually they forget about it once we are home.  

I don't necessarily remember a lot about my Great-Grandparents, but I do remember that there was a cookie jar at their house.  Every time we went, we could get in this cookie jar!  You could always count on it being full!  I guess that Great-Grandparents can even get away with more than Grandparents.  I assume if I am fortunate enough to become a great-grandparent I will feel the right to spoil anyway I please too!  

So here we are this evening at Greatie's house!

 Somehow the cookie just tastes better at Greatie's!

You can even get away with shoving the whole thing in at once! 

(pictures are from my phone...sorry about quality)

Today my grandparents would've been married for 68 years.  So we figured we'd drop by and spend some time with Greatie!  We brought dinner and she of course provided some sweet things for dessert. I lost track of how many cookies were eaten between us all (I do know I had the most...I have an awful sweet tooth)!  Then we turned on music and the kids entertained Greatie for awhile.  

 Liam found Mr Frog that Greatie said is named Vern because Vern Pollack brought it to her years ago.  I velcroed it around his neck and waist.  It was hilarious to watch him walk around like this.  He LOVED it!

I do still cringe slightly at the sweets she wants to load them up with, but I also realize that it brings her much joy.  It also is probably going to be a memory my children will have of going to Greatie's house.   Tonight we went home with two suckers and two chocolate covered pretzels in my purse!