A hodge podge of Swimming, Teething, a New Ride, and Videos

I figured I need to sit down and blog since I've started getting threats and phone calls. Some people are bored and evidently they have nothing better to do than read my blog when they should be packing (cough, cough...you know who you are)! ; )

Honestly, I've just been a bit dry in the blogging department.

I haven't had much to blog about.

So far this summer, our days have been pretty much filled with swimming. We're either at the Pope's or at the Grandparents at least four (sometimes five) days a week.

We're definitely getting our moneys worth out of our swimsuits this year.

Except Olivia, I've come to terms that she only likes to swim in a swim diaper and a t-shirt. I usually don't fight her and let her go since I'm a cool mom like that.

I don't like to take my camera out by the pool with the splashing kids, so I don't have any pictures. Plus, I'm sure you would get tired of picture after picture of the same kids swimming day after day. Everyone except the Grandparents I'm sure.

Olivia's doing well with the water this year. I was a little concerned at first because she was frightened, but after a solid month at the pool, she's gotten over her fears. We have realized that she likes it most when she's out there with just adults. I can't decide if the bigger kids splash too much for her liking or if she just wants to be right there with them and stands by the deep end the entire time, while we all yell "Olivia backup" all day long.

Oh...now I remember why I haven't been blogging (besides the fact we really have been spending our days by the pool).....Olivia's two year molars came in last week. Two words....PURE HELL!!! So, I was warned by many a moms that the two year molars were no joke. I however was not prepared. They really are that bad. Tuesday of last week, Olivia woke with a 101 fever. I gave her some motron and we spent the day laying around watching Sesame Street and sleeping. She took a three hour nap that afternoon, after taking a 30 and 45 minute nap that morning already. I'll admit, I was kinda enjoying it. I hated that she felt bad, but it was a pretty relaxing day. However, the next day the fever was gone and she was going strong, but NOTHING was making her happy. I had ran out of teething tablets the last time she had a tooth coming in and went to (no lie) every store in our county looking for some. No one carries them anymore and I've been told that they are no longer selling them. So, if anyone has them...send me a bottle so I can keep some on reserve for any future two year molars. I tired another brand, but she wasn't having it. I felt so bad that there was nothing we could do for her. However, after four nights of no sleep for any of us, our patience was being pushed to its limits.

Thankfully, she woke up Monday back to her sassy, but happy, almost two year old self. I'm so glad to have my happy baby back. Especially since her and I are leaving for the beach this weekend. I was a little worried that we might not make it with the molars coming in.

In other Mabrey news, I got a new (to us) set of wheels! It was a pretty spur of the moment thing that we've been talking about for awhile now. Ha! Like everyone else, we've been getting killed at the gas pump lately and we just honestly could no longer afford the gas for our two big cars. It was really starting to put a damper on our everyday living....meaning we could no longer afford to do anything or go anywhere because all our extra money was going to gas. I honestly had started staying home a lot these past few months because I just didn't want to waste the gas. I think it was starting to wear on Olivia and I, because we Mabreys like to be on the go. As soon as we got the confirmation that we were not going to get that sibling group, I was trying to sweet talk David into getting me a car that's better on gas. He finally agreed (I'm sure because he was getting tired of paying for the gas...not because of my constant complaining) and we traded in his gas guzzling truck for a Nissan Altima.

I'm in love with it. It gets WAY better gas mileage than the trailblazer (which Dave's driving for now). Olivia and I even made the thirty-five minute drive to Target Monday, just to walk around. We have not been able to afford the gas for that for some time now.

I know your probably thinking....What about more kids??? And our answer is that we're only taking the number of kids that can fit in the back of the car! The back seat is actually bigger than the back seat of the trailblazer and we can easily fit two car seats and a booster seat if needed. For now, this is got to work. The kids will just have to learn to sit close to each other. My Dad and his siblings are always sharing the story of how three of them use to all fit in the back of a pinto (I think that's what it was?) for the nine hour drive to Richmond. They survived and so will our kids.

Olivia is loving the new ride! We think it's because she can climb into and into her seat all by herself and y'all know how she's Miss. Independent! She has several times opened the garage door and tried to get in. Yes, we've started locking the garage door so she cannot get out. I don't want anyone calling DFACS on us. She's also very possessive of it! The first time we drove it over to the Popes, Nicole and Josie were trying to look at it and Olivia jumped in front of the door, threw her arms out, and started yelling "MINE!!!" They quickly backed off.

My mom has been requesting some video of Olivia, so I finally got around to taking and posting some. If you take the 60 seconds to watch....A. Please ignore my huge pimple and lack of mkeup in the first one, I took it in the morning. B. Please check out David's fancy foot work in the second one.





I think that covers everything for now.