Whittaker Woman

Family Night # 23, Seanna's First Party

Since we were in LA last weekend. I thought I would have a party for Seanna with our friends and family from So Cal. For some reason, Seanna usually gets gypped for her b-day and I thought I would make up by giving her two parties. One in Cali, and one in GA. So we spent time as a family celebrating our girl this week.
She wanted a cooking party...

Which was so easy because I just used what was in the kitchen! I used the mixing bowl for chips, a collander or the grapes, and cake pans to layer and put plates on.

Everyone made their own pizza, Seanna did hers first.

I wore a chef outfit while I rolled out dough.

The kids then decorated the their own cupcakes. Really this party was great, the guest did their own cooking! What a big time saver!

Now I know this was not our traditional Family Night, it was a time where we were able to spend time with our loved ones. How do you spend time with yours?

Your turn...
Share your what your family does to connect.
1. Simply write about it in a post on your blog.
2. LINK back to this site somewhere in your post.
3. Then put your URL into Mr Linky below.
I can't wait to get more ideas!  H

Fog, Hoodies, and Sand

Sohaila has been studying the continents and oceans in school. She has been asking non-stop about the PACIFIC Ocean. Mom when can we see the pacific ocean? Are we near the pacific ocean? Did you know that the pacific ocean has so many sharks? Did you know... On and on. So I finally decided to make it stop! It was freezing, windy and they could not have been happier!

 








I am just grinning from ear to ear while I post this. What a great day! Oh and tonight my tummy is full of Mexican food! Really does it get any better? H

My shadow

Today I was working on this...

And my shadow wanted to help so we had our first sewing lesson... a button.


Then the switch was hit and she morphed into what I like to call MY BEAN,



I just have no idea where she gets it from. H

Sunday... Blessed Sunday

I am a part of a group of women that single handily has to get our families put together before church.  This means everyone showered, dressed and fed. Usually there are tons of tears and many frustrated memories.  Sundays are the most stressful morning of the week, so why not add a little extra drama!
We only have one car so on Sundays everyone gets loaded up at 6am to drive Carlos to church. On the way home I was driving down our street and see a duck sitting in the middle of the road. I completely stopped and he did not move. I realized he was injured and decided to help the little guy. I mean why not. I have nothing to do, right?

The problem was, well there were multiple problems. I quickly learned that 3 kids 6 and under are no help when it comes to wild animals. I also learned that they do not teach you how to drive with a duck in your hand when you take drivers training. Luckily we were not far from home. Our little duck had a hurt leg and was a very good sport. He just sat in this towel with the best manners.
 I called a kazillion numbers before I finally found someone to help our little friend. I guess animals don't get hurt or found on Sundays, because everyone was closed.  I finally got everyone showered, dressed and fed and we were off to take Ducky to the doctor.  Oh, but my drama does not end there. You see my #2, my bean, my Seanna  gets car sick and sure enough I hear in her sweet little voice. " Mommy my throat hurts." AKA I am about to puke!  Are you kidding me. Luckily we are prepared and I grabed a bag.

All this drama before 9 am! Now that is a Sunday Morning! H

When will I accept the truth?

I am a mom. Some how most days I forget it. I guess it defines me so much that I don't even recognize the simple fact anymore.  It seems normal to me to be humming disney songs all day long. It seems normal to have someone want to be in the restroom with you no matter what you may be in there for. It seems normal to me to have 5 people sleeping in one bed.  I just don't think twice about these things.
Well, not today. September 2nd has been a day that I stare momhood in the face.  The alarm rang earlier than usual today. Or maybe it was just harder to get out of bed to start the day. None the less the day began. I walked one baby to the bus stop, which reminded me. Hey I am a mom.  I came home to my next baby saying her "throat hurt" translated means QUICK GRAB A BAG I AM ABOUT TO HURL! So I did 3 hours and 9 bags later she sits like this.

The bag did not make it to her once and so I am now washing the couch covers. Which reminded me that I am a mom! That should be enough reminders right?
Oh, but I have one child left, he woke up gave me the best morning hug, I fed him and not long after I smelt him. Nice and ripe. We went up stairs only to find out that I had another introduction to mommy-hood coming my way... a blow-out! So as I put his soiled PJ's in the wash with the cushions with puke, I just laughed and thought...Wow, I am a mom today! H

Summer Rain

I must say this week has been delightful. I have loved the rain we have had all week. There are leaves that are beginning to change and fall is in the air! I must say I love Georgia today!

   
What brings this kind of smile to your face? H

The little things I just never knew

The girls have been able to get ICE water for themselves all summer. It was not until today that I finally saw how they did it. My monkey! H

Raising Girls

 This is what happens when you have a girl who loves straight hair, but has naturally curly hair and she needs to go out in the rain. She took her shirt and covered her hair so it would stay dry when she went out in the rain. Oh she is so great! I love girls. I also feel her pain. There is nothing like having water sprayed on your hair after you spent so much time getting it straight. What's your hair drama, to frizzy? To straight? No style? Wrong color? H

"Mommy I tried to wake Seanna up"...

I don't know if she really went about it the right way. Maybe I should explain to her that you can't read when your eyes are closed. H

REAL Family

 
Don't let anyone tell you it's not real! H

You ask, I'll answer set 10

1. How did you guys choose your children's names? They're all beautiful!
Posted by: Paloma
2. What is the significance?
Posted by: Beth

Good questions!
I remember the day like it was just last week. Carlos and I were newlyweds and free as the wind. We went to the beach for the afternoon and just talked. Ok hold on... I am having a moment here peeps. Come with me for a second as I reminisce what life was like with no kids. Oh, to be able to just get out of your car and walk on the beach. NO whining because the sand is to hot, no extra bags to carry, just the sound of the waves and my mans voice. Ahhh...
 
So we are on the beach just chatting and Carlos bust out with, "when we have our kids and if we have a girl can we name her Sohaila?" "Sure" I replied and it was simple as that.
You see Carlos is not opinionated. He really never asks for anything and when he does I usually do it. :)
Sohaila was a girl he knew in college. Apparently her parents were missionaries when she was born over in middle east and they wanted to give her a native name. And Sohaila it was.
When we chose that name I was so excited, because it was so different. I knew she would never be able to walk into a gift shop and buy a mug with her name on it, but I was ok with that. It was different and I loved it.  Sohaila Teresa Whittaker. Oh we also agreed that the middle names were gonna be after our siblings. So Teresa is from one of my sisters.

 

Fast forward 17 months and our little bean was born. Seanna Jess.
Well once you name one kid Sohaila  your next one can't really be Madison, or Kate. So we began the hunt for different names. I liked a few, Laionie was one, but all I could think about was in first grade when kids pick apart your name they would just call her Lay-on-me. So that was a no go. We really did not have a huge list but a friend, James (our roommate who lives with us now)  went online and made a list of different names and Seanna was on that list. I loved it, and now is just perfect for her. 

Now for Losiah. See if we were gonna have a boy when we were pregnant with Sohaila we were gonna name him Isaiah. We both liked the name, but there were a few reasons why we did not go with that name when it came around for our second child. First reason being the fact that Isaiah is a common name. We were now in the club of "no one can pronounce my childs name or spell it right" And so Isaiah just would not work. Another factor was that I dated a guy named Isaiah and not that it mattered because Carlos did not care about that, but it did add some incentive to not use it.
So, again I remember this conversation like it was yesterday. Carlos and I had gone on a vacation with our best friends Brian and Jacinda. We were out on a date and Carlos, busts out with "lets play with the name Isaiah" HUH? "you know lets see if we can use that name but change it up a little" So we sat there that night and thought of different names that sounded like it but were a little more unique. Then Carlos says "I always wanted my son to be named Carlos" and I said "NO"! But then he said, "what if we took the LOS (which is Carlos' nickname) and combined it with Isaiah and we make LOSIAH. And walla, there you go. Losiah Eddie Whittaker.
Now you must know that we had Losiah picked out for Seanna, before we knew she was a boy or girl. But I think what I love the most is that we named our adopted baby after his daddy. I don't know there is just something special about that.

So tell me what are your kids names?

***Update: Prounications

Sohaila: So-Hay-La
Seanna: Say-anna
Losiah: Los-iah

A quick question...

I got this great question from Sarah over at Ordinary Days on this post, and I wanted to see what you guys thought. Sarah, who has three boys wanted to know what thought process I went through in deciding that I was comfortable with Seanna wearing make-up at her young age? Sarah was by no means being judgmental she was just a mom of boys coming to a mom with girls wondering how I came to that decision.  She continues to say that she was sure I gave it some thought and was just curious. So here I go with my parenting style and thought process on this...

Sarah, thanks for the question I by no means think you were judging me on this topic and even if you have a different stance on my way of parenting I still do not believe you are judging me. There are many ways to raise kids. I think majority of the parents out there are doing their best to bring thriving, loving and self sufficient kids into this adult world we live in. So my way may not be the best way it's just my way. Sometimes I fail, sometimes my decisions turn out right!

Ok so here is my opinion or thought process on this... First let me say that I never had a thought process.  But I can tell you how it came about. You see around 4:30pm everyday I will go upstairs and freshen up because Carlos is almost home and I want to look good for him. Seanna being the little me that she is would always be my shadow. One day she asked me mommy why are you putting on makeup. I responded with " to get pretty for daddy". Then the next day she again was my shadow and this time she asked "mommy can I get pretty for daddy too?" Come on! How can I resist that. She is 4 years old, wants to do everything her mommy is doing and on top of that is understanding the value of looking nice for the man in her life. It just so happens that her man is her daddy.

My girls are dreamers. They are playing make believe all day long. It is one constant play in our house and I do not want to stop that, just because "makeup is for adults" I have no problem with them playing with it. When we go to the mall and walk through Nordstrom's we always walk by the MAC counter and they ask for some blush and lip gloss. They float the rest of the time in the mall. How can I resist that.

Here is the final overall belief of mine...

They have pure motives behind using makeup. If they were wanting to put it on because they wanted to be sexual about it then I would be having a different parenting issue. Right now they are sweet innocent kids who just want to have a little sparkle.  They are not trying to be grownups, they simply are all girl!

Thanks for asking Sarah! Ok peeps, what is your rules, beliefs and thoughts? H

 

Mini Me

The girls worked so hard on Mothers day to make me
breakfast all by themselves.

I said NOTHING which was very hard for my controlling self.

After I told her that squashed up pancakes were my
absolute favorite kind, she began to feel better. So cute!

You guessed it!

Before...

After

We cut the girls hair off! How adorable are they! Wow!

Today!

4:30 and 5!

Mon. Tues. Wed. THURSDAY!!!

Three more days... What will it be?

This is why I love Georgia!

This past Friday Carlos and I went out with Seanna to do some errands.  Seanna and I dropped Carlos off at the doctors office. He had to finish some work from this day, and while we waited we found this wonderful park. It was so cool that after we picked Carlos up, we went right back and had a little bonding time with #2!

The park was amazing. It was so green and had  great
walk ways and bridges.

We explored some more and found this great railroad bridge.

It then opened up to this great field... (Seanna picked the pose)

Which was perfect to do some cartwheels!

This park even had toys that I have never seen...

This little bucket thing you sit in and by the shape of
it and the gravity of your feet it just keeps going round
and round.

This thing was different too. It also swung you around
by the way it was shaped. So fun!

I love moments like this. We had a crazy day of errands,
but we stopped for a second and look what we have now
wonderful memories. H

I can't wait...

5 more days until...
What can it be? H

Girls just wanna have fun!

Nani wanted me to take this picture, she was ready
even though her local clock said 10am.

   

She is gonna hate me

I have to post this. It's to funny to keep to myself. However
when she is old enough to go back through my blog and
read these journaled days, she will probably roll her eyes
eyes and with every ounce of teenage attitude say "Mom".

This is my dearest going potty. What is she doing?
She is holding her hair up because she thinks it will
fall in the toilet. I try to tell her that it is not long
enough but no matter what this is how I always find her.
H

We found the jets!

All by myself

On Saturday, or at least on days when we don't leave the house,
the girls are able to dress themselves.
What do you think?

Mountain girl like her mommy

Well kinda, I would not use tie down straps but at least
she is wanting to do it.

Shhhhh!

Yikes...
The monster filter sucked him up.

I caught her counting them yesterday and I quickly
distracted her. If we have to do the first pet death talk
it will be my mans job! H

Daughter?

I had this moment once a few years back when I looked at Sarah and I looked at and thought, Gasp, what if?  Carlos cheated on me with Sarah and is really Sarah's baby.  Then it occured to me that I carried Seanna, therefore she is mine. But for a quick second I thought it. Can you see why. They look identical. said today " I want hair like Ms. Sarah" So we did. H

Nature Walk

We took advantage of the different terrain and took a cactus hunt hike.
This is what we found.
   

   
Lesson Learned: Don't go hiking in flip flops in the dessert.

Meet Soda, Pizza, Losiah and Food

Every Friday Sohaila gets a Daddy date to Starbucks on the way to school. some how misses that deal and so Carlos wanted to take her out on a special date this past weekend. I had one of those movie like experiences as I watched her gleam with delight as they walked hand and hand out the door. I knew this little time with daddy would make them so much closer. is a quality timer for sure! When they come home she has this look on her face. They were up to something. I walk into the kitchen and she is gleaming with two plastic bags of fish. Thats right the Daddy date included bringing 4 more animals into our crazy home. was so afraid I would say no. I tried to give her a hard time but she was about to break. So here they are... Meet Soda, Pizza, Losiah and Food.

I think Carlos needed to just take her to dinner instead of buying her fish. :)