binky...

binky, pacifier, plug, paci, nuk, soothie, mam, whatever... we love them at our house and we are pro-pacifier. but we have been telling the 2 year old that when he loses his two remaining binkies, then mommy and daddy are not going to buy him any more. because when you are two, you don't get new ones in this house...avery actually got to that point and then used a mini-mam she still had for a while. now that was funny! but blake had these two magic pacifiers that never coexisted...i was almost convinced they were one and the same (except one was white and one was blue) because we never had both of them together! we had the blue one and not the white one and then vice versa almost every day! so on Friday 18th he had one of them (the blue one i think) and i went to go see the movie with friends ( so fun! but too much blood and skin for me guys...sorry!). my beautiful and wonderful neighbor had my kids while i went to the theater early before kendall got home. when i came home, i was told B-man came back without his binky...and he went to bed without his binky. i didn't ask my neighbor if she knew where it was because once you put him to bed without it and start that jazz you can't go back! so he's been binky-less since the 18th and really folks, he's done a great job. he has been a little louder, especially in church, and he cries a little more frequently but he's acclimating well and learning. he also talks to himself at nap time...pretty hilarious. sometimes i have to go back in (which i don't like to do but seems to work for now) and tell him that he needs to go to sleep and stop talking and tell him another little story....just while he's laying there, i don't pick him up or anything. he's been doing really well. i'm proud of him. blake is definitely SO much more laid back then either E or A were as smaller kids. i am so thankful for all our children, but Blake especially was what i needed after a cranky Avery baby, what i needed as an easy-going kid when Christian was born and is such a comfort to me now. Ethan and Avery are very comforting as well, but there's something about such a tender soul as Blake who still wants me to hold him and love on him...i appreciate that. 

so there's a milestone passed in our house!

 Ethan was determined that we should put up our Christmas tree on sat. 26th and so we did! and then i just got out all the Christmas stuff and put it all up! it was fun and i love having the house decorated for Christmas! it's so festive and i love the twinkle lights and just thinking about this season. I really do love Christmas. i am trying to plan ahead sufficiently so that, as we get closer to the actual Christmas day, i don't have too much of an opportunity to stress. we'll see how it goes:)

 i went to Savers and Goodwill yesterday...it's that time of year where everyone needs pants/long sleeves/socks (not that i buy socks at Goodwill or Savers)...avery especially had about one pair of pants i think that fit her growing length...so i was able to get her three pairs of pants and three long sleeve shirts for about $16! that's pretty good huh? so excited! and i got this little beauty...any guesses as to what it'll end up being? i'll give you a hint...not a spice rack:)

i saw an idea online here to decorate a soap dispenser with stickers...at our house we love window clings...the kids really like to decorate our sliding door with them at any opportunity/holiday, so i tried it out with window clings on a hand sanitizer bottle and it worked well! best part is it is so changeable for when christmas is over!!