What do you think Baby Lamica will be?  Boy or girl?  Enter your guess by clicking the link below.  This is our 4th and final baby pool :)

http://www.expectnet.com/games/BabyLamica4

I needed to read this

This week is spring break at preschool. My kids get antsy when school is out so I decided a day out would do them good.

I wanted to grab lunch, hit Kidventure (an indoor playground with bouncy houses and lots of noise) and then stop to visit my mom who just recently came home from having surgery. Sounds easy right?

First we had to decide on lunch. I promised JC a few weeks ago that the next time we were near Little Rosie's we would eat there. Silas got mad. He doesn't like LR. Sorry little dude, but I despise McDonalds and sometimes you get to pick and we eat there. Gross! So I pulled into the parking lot and got in line. I wanted to get lunch and take it to kidventure (fyi - they have picnic tables and outside food is welcome).

Waiting in line...

Silas yells from the backseat "I have to go potty!!!" Oh great. "Can you hold it?" "NOOOO"
So I decide that we will all go in for lunch because I can't leave JC in the car with Rossin and I'm not about to get all 3 out to go in for a potty break and then right back outside to wait in line again.

I can do this!! That's what I was thinking....haha

And here is how it went.

1. got kids out of the car, loaded Rossin in the stroller
2. took kids inside to potty, mommy needed to go too
3. stand in line to order food
4. feel like a dummy when I ask that someone help me with my tray and drinks
5. find a table
6. pick up food from window
7. ask some random man to hand me forks, straws and napkins...then smile and politely say "thank you" when he tells me "you sure have your hands full"....yes and you don't even know I'm preggo with #4. You would really think I was loony then.
8. try and pass out food and drinks to JC and Silas all while keeping Rossin from grabbing everything in sight.
9. feed Rossin while rice keeps falling from his mouth onto the floor
10. another couple walk by and say " you have your hands full"....clench teeth
11. somehow manage 2 bites of salad before hearing the other kids say "I'm done"
12. ask them to please sit still while I continue to feed Rossin
13. He's done and spitting food from his mouth
14. my salad sure looks good...I wonder what it tastes like
15. go to the front and ask for a to-go box
16. clean rice from table
17. dump trays
18. load R back into his stroller
19. get the heck out of dodge!

I'm serious when I say this...I about knocked over two old ladies trying to get out of that restaurant!

Fast forward to Kidventure. I'm waiting in line to pay and finally get ready to sign my credit card slip and BOOM! I look over to see Rossin and the entire stroller full of bags and my to-go box in the floor. Rossin must have turned around in his seat and leaned forward making the stroller tip backward. My bottom of my tea cup busted and he started crying. Then I wanted to cry. Pick up bags, baby, food and stroller from the floor. I realize that my purse is dripping, the tea must have busted in my purse and is now soaked. My new iphone is now dripping wet and not working. Great. After I get everything cleaned up and the kids start playing everything seemed to calm down and I started to relax. We had a great 2 hours playing at Kidventure.

Ahhhh....

And then we go to my mom's house. I'm visiting beside her bed and Silas walks in and says "I don't feel so well"....and his Little Rosie's came up and landed all over the floor and all over him. He must have caught the stomach bug that has been lurking around our house for the last 2 weeks.

Now I'm home and exhausted. I checked facebook and saw this link posted. It's what I needed to read tonight, because after the vomit episode I was counting the hours before I could go to bed.
http://fiveintow.com/2012/03/01/counting-the-hours/

A new pair of shoes.

"God has blessed us with another pair of shoes to fill"

This is how I announced our 4th pregnancy to friends and family.

After Rossin was born I decided our family was complete, I guess God had a different plan.

A nurse said something to me when I called to set up my appointment, she could tell from my voice that I was upset. She said "The shock will wear off and the joy will set in". She couldn't have been more right :)

After 3 days of crying when I first took the test and the 3 months of keeping it a secret from friends and family, I am now looking forward to this new baby that God has planned for us.

December in January.

I don't know what's been going on with my blog but it would not let me upload pictures for the longest time. I wanted to post the rest of our Elf pictures (mainly for you Erika). I know it's already mid January and y'all are probably done with Christmas but hang tight and enjoy :)





TW heard all our wonderful stories of Disney and decided to take a trip himself!

Quite an artist!

That sneaky elf got into my makeup!

One morning we woke up to find our bathtubs filled with green water! TW was hanging out on the shower wall with a note.

Sneaking Dad's coke!

Bryson gave JC this necklace for Christmas. TW decided to "borrow" it for his date night with Jessie.

Our last night with Twirly Whirly. We love our elf and can't wait to have him back next year!

Holiday sprinkles anyone?

Midnight snack.

Twirly Whirly thought it was a nice night for a fire and some marshmallows :)

Mmmm.

We elves like to stick to the four main foodgroups: candy, candy canes, candy corn, and SYRUP! Yum.

Date night

It's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you!

Bath Time!

Being an elf is hard work. Twirly Whirly decided to take a break for some R&R.

Elf on the Shelf

It's that time of year again! Our Elf, Twirly Whirly, came back to visit our home until Christmas. He showed up on Thanksgiving night with a sign stating, "I'm back!!"

He is quite the character. I'm going to attempt to show you his picture each day.

I missed taking pictures the first few days. But here is a list of those.
1. Been in the fridge eating butter. The evidence was on his face.
2. He replaced our stockings hanging on the mantel for a pair of every one's underpants (including a cloth diaper in honor of Rossin :)
3. Made a snow angel on the kitchen table in a pile of sugar.
4. Buckled up in the car on his way to church last Sunday.



And now for the first picture.

Happy Halloween from the Toy Story Bunch!

Jessie, Bullseye, Buzz Lightyear, Woody and Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head

Boys and Girls

I was changing Rossin yesterday and Silas decided to come over and chat...

"Is Rossin a boy?" - S

"What do you think?"

"Yeah, he's a boy" - S

"Do you know the difference between boys and girls?"

"Yep! Girls wear hair-bows and boys don't!" - S

Happy Anniversary to us!

7/14/01 - Met Andrew in Toronto Canada

10/19/01 - Started dating

2/12/04 - Got engaged!

10/9/04 - Said "I do" and became Mrs. Lamica

7 years and 3 children later he's "Still The One"

He's my best friend and my partner in life.
He makes killer hamburgers, grilled cheese and fried eggs :)
He loves Coke and cookies for breakfast. Had everything to do with me becoming a Red Sox baseball fan.

He prefers the indoors and air conditioning. He never gets sick, loves joking around, hates sweet tea, still plays video games, loves to wrestle with the kids and has a horrible habit of loosing EVERYTHING!

I promised myself I would marry a southern gentleman. Instead I fell in love with a Yankee who said weird things like "Wicked good, Cah (Car), and bubblah (Water fountain), Yous (instead of y'all) AND he drinks Iced Tea?? Gross!

When he was little he always had a Kool-Aid mustache...just ask his Mom.

His face is covered with freckles and easily sunburns.

His hair is starting to shimmer with silver...I absolutely love it. I hope and pray that he's the rocking chair that rocks beside me when we are old and the kids are grown.

Most importantly he loves to serve God and works hard in leading his family to do the same. And that makes me love him more and more each day.

Still The One

Orleans

We've been together since way back when
But I want you to know, after all these years
You're still the one I want whisperin' in my ear

You're still the one -- I want to talk to in bed
Still the one -- that turns my head
We're still having fun, and you're still the one

You're still the one -- that makes me laugh
Still the one -- that's my better half
We're still having fun, and you're still the one
You're still the one -- that makes me strong
Still the one -- I want to take along
We're still having fun, and you're still the one (yes you are)

Changing, our love is going gold
Even though we grow old, it grows new

You're still the one -- that I love to touch
Still the one -- and I can't get enough
We're still having fun, and you're still the one

You're still the one -- who can scratch my itch
Still the one -- and I wouldn't switch
We're still having fun, and you're still the one
You are still the one -- that makes me shout
Still the one -- that I dream about
We're still having fun, and you're still the one
You're still the one, yeah still the one
We're still having fun, and you're still the one

Happy Anniversary to the one I love most.

There are days when I look and feel like this...

Happy 2 Years Lamica Bunch!

Guess what? Today is my 2 year blogiversary! If you are a loyal follower you may remember this post and when it all started.

I've often wondered who actually reads my rambles on this blog.

So to say thanks I am going to give away my first freebie. Just leave a comment below and you will be entered to win a free Mary Kay mineral eye-shadow, your choice of color.

Here's to 2 more years...cheers!!

:)

Homemade Diaper Wipes

I got this recipe from a friend. I've made 3 batches of wipes so far and they seem to work just as well as the Huggies brand. Sometimes I use 2 at a time for the messy diapers. I like the way they smell and love the fact that I know exactly what's in them.

You'll need a roll of good-quality paper towels (bargain brands won't hold up to the moisture). Cut it in half length-wise. This is most easily done with an electric knife but can be done manually.

For each half, you'll need to mix together 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of baby wash, and 1/2 tablespoon of baby oil. Put the half roll in an air-tight container and pour the water mixture evenly over it, making sure to wet the inner cardboard tube. Put the lid on and wait about 10 minutes. Turn the container over and wait another 10 minutes. The tube should now be soft enough to remove. If it's not, you can pour some more water over it and wait a few more minutes. Once the tube is out, you're ready to pull the wipes from the middle.

I use the Bounty Extra Soft and really like it. For mine, I mix up half as much again water/wash/oil mix to make sure the whole roll gets evenly moistened. I've read to not use a select-a-size type, but I have a friend who does and she just tears off 2 wipes for diaper changes and uses the single small wipes for hands and faces.

I also suggest finding a container that is easily opened and closed with one hand. The one I have has a thing on top that you pinch to release the lid. (I use empty Huggies wipe containers)

If you want to, you can make up both halves of the roll at the same time and they'll keep for awhile as long as they're in an air-tight container.

If you need a visual demonstration, there are tons of videos on Youtube showing how to make them.

Based on the ingredients I use, this is the general math:

1 59-sheet roll of Bounty Extra Soft paper towel: $1.60

1 tbsp Aveeno baby wash: $0.18 (based on $6.50 for an 18-oz bottle)

1/2 tbsp Target brand baby oil: $0.04 (based on $3 for a 20-oz bottle)

Total: $1.82 for 118 wipes = $0.015/wipe

Compare to $7.00 for 216 Huggies wipes = $0.033/wipe

50 Rules for Dads of Daughters

Love this.

All I wanted was cookies.

I was waiting in the car at preschool for JC and Si. And it hit me...a need for something sweet! I'll go home and bake cookies! Yep, that's what I'll do! I baked cookies yesterday for an activity at church and knew I had all the ingredients to make white chocolate cranberry cookies. I couldn't wait to drive home...

30 min later we pull into the driveway.

I unloaded the car. Kids and backpacks are inside. I asked the kids to put away their backpacks. I put Rossin in his high chair. He looks hungry. I preheat the oven. Notice a bottle and a few other things in the sink. Run a sink full of soapy water. Silas wants a snack. Get Silas a snack. Rossin is still hungry. Pull out baby food to feed Rossin. JC needs help in the bathroom. JC needs a snack. Start to feed Rossin. The kids decide they want to watch a video so I give instructions on how to rewind a video. They are finally settled. Feed Rossin. Start dishes in the sink. JC and Silas want a drink. I notice a case of water that needs to be put into the fridge. Then I notice a load of clothes that need to be dried. Start dryer. Pull out ingredients to bake cookies. Rossin wants out of his seat. Put him in the swing. Take a bag of chips from Silas...he cries. Go back into the kitchen and see magnets on the floor, place them back on the fridge. Put away Rossin's spoon and empty food container. Now back to the cookies...get out bowl to start melting butter. Silas needs help in the bathroom. Phone goes off. Text from my mother-in-law needing help with Facebook. Log onto computer. Fix problem. Have an email from a friend who has a question, respond to email. Rossin is fussing. Change his diaper and discover we are running low on diaper wipes. I'll make a some wipes after the cookies! Fix a bottle and lay R down for a nap. Take a bag of chocolate chips from Silas as I head out to the garage to toss dirty diaper. Find some dirty clothes...toss into hamper. JC asks me to show her how to do her prek homework. Silas wants to paint a picture. Remember I need to call about a picture order and do that. Find Orbeez on the floor. Clean those up. Silas is finished and wants to hang his picture on the fridge and can't reach the magnets. Rossin wakes up...he lost his paci. Find my utility bill on the kitchen table covered in paint. Wipe it off and take it to bedroom. See my purse and remember I needed to mark something on my calendar. JC asks for a popsicle...I tell her no. Hear my phone going off again...I'll check it later. JC wants her little Bible to look at but can't find it. Help search for Bible. Bible found. Silas has boogers in his nose and is now crying. "I can't get them out!" Dislodge boogers. Rossin is now awake from the booger commotion. Realize Rossin has leaked through his outfit. Change diaper and clothes. Needs a new bib too! Toss out another diaper...walk past the oven and wonder why it's preheating??? Oh yeah....

cookies. I was going to cook them at 1:00 this afternoon. It's now 3:40.

Maybe I'll get to them sometime today.

You think I'm kidding....wish I were :)

5!

5 years ago today I was admitted to Huntsville Hospital for a c-section.

I had spent the last month on bed rest trying to "cook" this baby a little longer. I remember waking up in recovery wondering what I had...boy or girl...boy or girl? The nurses wouldn't tell me, they said Andrew wanted to tell me.
So I waited....and waited....close to an hour to find out if I had a Camden Andrew or a JaneClaire Elise.

Andrew finally met me in the hallway as I was riding to my room in the hospital bed. He was holding a blanket and a little pink and blue cap peeked out from under it.

And I met her...

He said it's a girl. Meet JaneClaire. I've been in love ever since.

I can't even begin to describe how much love I have for this girl. She is my first born. I spent many hours in the hospital for various tests, 7 months of nausea, high blood pressure, many shots of steroids, early labor, painful contractions, hips dislocating, 4 weeks on bed rest and I would do it all over again. In a heartbeat.

She wanted to come out early...and she did. 4 weeks before her due date, it would have been 8 if she had it her way :) And she hasn't slowed down since.

JaneClaire has many names. She is our JC, Janie Claire, Boot Boot, Toodle Doodle, Sassy, Wild Child, and our favorite here lately, Legs. She has the longest legs in the Lamica house :) She has a stork bite that resembles a "V" on her forehead. It was very red and noticeable when she was born but has faded some over the year... When she gets mad or upset it still turns bright red.

She crawled at 7 months, walked at 11 months and was talking in sentences by 18 months. She is smart and funny, caring and kind. She can also be a tad dramatic and sassy :) She is generous and she loves attention. She likes to be "held like a baby" but doesn't want to be called a baby. She gives huge-knock-me-down hugs and some of the best "sugar" around. This girl can eat her weight in ice-cream. She would prefer salad and fruit over french fries. She loves pink, sparkles, princesses, ruffles and bows. She loves to play doll house and pretend being a Mommy. She is a great big sister to her little brothers. She loves to paint, color and make crafts. She loves being read to, it's one of the few moments when she will sit still. Her feet are huge, there is only a one size difference between us. AND let me tell you - this girl loves to SING! Anything and everything. I love watching her from the rear view mirror in the car. She knows just about every song that comes on the radio. She loves Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Sugarland and The Band Perry.

She has been looking down at me for quite a while now...



And now she's 5! 5 seems like such a big age. I can't wait to see what God has planned for her in the next 5 years. I know he enjoys watching her just as much as I do.

This is the song that reminds us so much of our girl. We call it "Daddy's song to JaneClaire"

She was a surprise baby. A baby Andrew and I wanted to wait 5 years for. She came in 2. Thank you God for our surprise!