Tuesday, August 30, 2011

A new schedule...

Well, camp weeks are finally over!
I'm so excited.
I always feel going in that i will never make it through,
and yet somehow, i always do.
And now i'm back to a more normal schedule, if you can ever call my schedule normal.

On another note, Em is pulling a fast one on us.
She used to nap 3x a day, for about 30min-3 hours, depending on her mood and the day.
Well, now she's switching things up on me.
Recently, she's been sleeping like 2 hours for her late morning nap,
skipping her early afternoon nap,
and then napping about 1-2 hours for her late afternoon/early evening nap.
It really threw me off for a few days there, getting used to it and all.
Now it's kinda nice.
It gives Mady and I more time to play together during the day.
Not so good for whomever has to watch Em in the afternoons, hahaha.

Em is getting better at sitting on her own.
She still falls over almost all the time,
but she is really trying her hardest.
She is really into grabbing at things, and of course, putting them in her mouth.
Typical baby, her favorite thing to grab is my hair.
On a funny note, she also loves to grab Frank's chest hair.
Em, Mady and I laugh...Frank, not so much.
She is also starting to yell more and more.
Now that she knows that it's her voice that she hears, she thinks it's great.

Mady is still growing like a weed.
She is sillier than ever, and like a typical almost 3 year old, she is non-stop all day long.
We are always trying to teach her new things.
She is like a little sponge, soaking up everything she hears.
She is having a great time at her new "school" with her new friends.
I'm trying to get her to remember their names, but that's still a work in progress.
Right now, she is pretty obsessed with movies.
She loves to watch movies!
I'm trying to get her outside as much and as long as i can during the day.
Before we know it, it's going to be really cold and we won't be able to go outside as much.

I'm still working on all the details for Mady's 3rd birthday party.
She is very excited for it already, and it's still over a month away!
She will be very upset when, after her birthday, i tell her her next birthday is a whole year away.
That's a really long countdown.
Maybe we'll be having a few Un-Birthdays during the year.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

It's no wonder...

It's no wonder American's are unemployed.
People from other countries are willing to work,
They are smarter too!
Our education system in this country is taking some really huge hits.
Is that really something we want to do?
Is that really something we can afford to do?
Around here, they have cut pre-school classes all together.
They have moved the enrollment date for kindergarden back.
And now, kindergarden is only a half day!
When i was little (which wasn't really all THAT long ago) i went to preschool for TWO years.
Yup, you read that right, i went when i was 3 and when i was 4.
Then i went to a full day kindergarden.
FULL DAY!
Yes, we had nap time, recess, show and tell, art...
Nothing overly strenous.
But we were there full day to learn.
Look what it has come to.
They've already started weeding people out too.
Now, you have to make under a certain amount of money to be able to enroll your child in the only preschool class in the area.
No offense to anyone reading this, i'm not a bigot or full of myself or anything...
But why do the poor people get to have their children educated and people like us don't?!
I'm not saying i'm better than anyone,
But i work my butt off for what i have, and so does my husband.
So why must our kids be punished?!
I think all kids, regardless of money/race/gender/etc, should get to get an equal education.
It just really ticks me off.
Sorry for my vent.
Looks like i'll just have to dust off Aunt Marian's teaching skills and make her open her own "preschool" and teach my kids all they need to know and more.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Shake, rattle and roll...

So yesterday there was an earthquake in Virginia, and the shock waves resonated all the way to New York.
And i totally felt it!
Something i can cross off my bucket list that i never thought i would be able to.
I was sitting in my room at work, getting ready to go outside.
Suddenly, i felt my chair start swaying.
I looked up and the water in my water bottle was shaking.
The blinds on the wall where rocking.
The door was rattling.
It was really weird.
I didn't know what was going on at first.
I thought maybe a really really really big gust of wind blew through,
but that didn't seem quite right.
It wasn't until 30min later when i was down on the football field that i heard an earthquake had gone through the area.
I wasn't the only one here that felt it either.
I can't imagine experiencing a real earthquake, not just an aftershock.

Parent job description...

PARENT - Job Description

POSITION :

Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION :

Long term, team players needed, for challenging, Permanent work in an Often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication And organizational skills and be willing to work Variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends And frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required, including trips to Primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, Until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a Pack mule And be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat In case, this time, the screams from The backyard are not someone just crying wolf...
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, Such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets And stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and Coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings For clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be a willing to be indispensable one minute, An embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a Half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for The quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and Janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :

None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, So that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :

None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :

Get this! You pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because Of the assumption that college will help them Become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that You actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :

While no health or dental insurance, no pension, No tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and No stock options are offered; This job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love, And free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Something to think about...

My friend Tracy recently blogged about an article she found that she read and was moved by. I thought i should check it out and see what i thought. So i clicked on over, and found the article that i have copied and pasted below. I included the web address, so as not to unwillingly take credit for anything said below.
It's a really good article about mothering.
About taking time out to say "yes" instead of saying "no" or "i don't have time" or "not right now" so much.
It really made me think.
I try more than my best to be the best mommy i can be.
I want to have my kids look back on pictures and memories and think "wow, my mom really made time for me, we did lots of stuff, and she really cared".
Sometimes, though, i get caught up in myself.
I am a micromanager, as my mom would say.
And sometimes, i get caught up in things...like cleaning, organizing, planning, etc.
Sometimes Mady asks for something and i find myself telling her "not right now".
Why do i do that?!
It would take maybe 5 minutes to do something for or with her, and it would make her so happy!
Whatever i'm doing, in most situations, can wait.
I need to re-prioritze some things in my life i think.
Not to say that things will never get done.
But dinner can wait 5 minutes, the laundry can wait 10 minutes, Emmy can come outside and nap, no matter what it is it can wait.
I am going to make a concious effort to say yes more to my kids.
Hopefully, if you read this article, you will feel the same way.
Enjoy!

http://powerofmoms.com/2011/07/is-mommy-too-busy/

I am a very fast paced person. I love to be busy. I relish in the feeling of completing a task. I hate to be interrupted. When my first baby was born, I remember my greatest concern was that he would slow me down. It took me twice as long just to load the car with an infant. Now, with three kids, we often sit in the driveway for 10 minutes working to get everyone buckled! Even the smallest tasks seem overwhelming when it includes shuffling children in and out of the car more than once. I often find myself thinking, “I could have done this so much faster on my own!”

As my children have grown, I have gotten into the habit of saying things like, “Not right now,” or “In a bit,” or “Mommy is too busy,” or just plain “No” when my children ask for some of my precious time. They need me to play with them, build Legos, read a story, watch a movie or play in the sand. I’m also guilty of always hurrying my children. I can be heard saying things like, “Hurry quickly and get dressed,” or “We’re running out of time,” or “Come now!”

I had a realization a while back. I am not really mothering. I am so focused on my “lists” and moving onto the next thing that I am missing many of the moments that really matter. I have been so involved in the good things that I am failing to take time for the best things. These moments, right now, are the critical moments in my life! So what did I do about my realization?

First, I let go of some things in my life (or at least greatly scaled them back). I’ll have time later in my life to do some things that I am putting on hold now. I don’t have to give them up fully, but life has times and seasons, and this season is a little more kid-focused.

Second, I started to treat my mothering like a career it is. When I worked in other careers, I would attend seminars, read books and train myself so I could be the best I could in that job. Now, motherhood is my job, so it is okay to spend money on seminars and workshops, read books and work to improve my mothering. I focus on what I can do with my children that will be meaningful and fun. I am more intentional as I plan each day of my “work”.

Third, and probably most important, I say “yes” a whole lot more. I have learned to stop what I am doing to read a book with my oldest or smash Play-Doh with my three-year-old, or cuddle my baby. After all, it only takes five minutes. Don’t misunderstand; I still take time for me. I still engage in projects where my kids have to wait for me to step away. But, each time they need me, I evaluate if what I’m doing now can wait another minute while I “mother”.

After returning from the grocery store with all three kids at nearly 4:30 pm the other day (a trip I only make in near emergency situations), my oldest asked me to ride bikes with him. The immediate thoughts in my head were of the dinner that needed to be made and the baby that needed fed. But, I said “yes” and loaded my two youngest into the bike trailer and set out with my oldest in the front. We rode for 20 minutes. We bonded. And, guess what? Dinner still got made and the baby didn’t starve.

Today, I took my middle son to the greenhouse to get some soil pep. This greenhouse has a bridge over a pond on one side. As we were leaving, he said that he wanted to walk over the bridge. Even just a year ago, I would have said “No,” that we needed to hurry home. Instead, I loaded our purchases into the car and then walked back over with him to stand on the bridge. He was so thrilled to be standing on the bridge, looking at the fish and the water. It only took a minute or two, but it made his day. Once we got off the bridge, he looked at me with his huge, blue eyes and said to me, “Mom, I wanted to go on the bridge this many times,” holding up three fingers. I told him to run over it two more times and then we’d go, which he happily did with a very satisfied grin in his face. He had no complaints as we got in the car and headed home. A five minute detour had proved to be worth it. This is especially true considering the tantrum it prevented and the joy it brought to one little boy’s life.

Now that I have slowed down a little, I notice and enjoy the little moments more. I find more humor and joy in the silly things my kids do. We laugh together more. Amazingly, they are also more obedient and happy because they are getting the attention they need. And, I feel more balance in my mothering and in my overall life.

QUESTION: What can you eliminate (or scale back) from your life in order to be able to say “yes” to your kids more?

CHALLENGE: Just once this week, when you would have usually said “No”, say “Yes” instead and take note of what happens.

Another week...

Well, we are officially into week 2 of camp weeks.
It hasn't been too bad so far
It's actually gone pretty quickly
I still can't wait until it's over though.
Only a few more days.
Then i can finally get back into my routine.
And i can start the girls on their NEW routine, which will now involve the daycare/babysitter.
It won't be a big change, but i have to change things a little bit or everything will fall apart.
Like nap time, for instance.
Right now, Mady is napping at 130pm and Emmy naps at various times during the day.
I have to move Mady's nap time back to around 1230pm on babysitter days and 115pm on daycare days (i will be taking her in early so she can nap with the other kids).
She isn't going to be a huge fan of switching things around, but if we don't she won't get a nap at all some days, and that will make for a miserable night for poor daddy.
Hopefully we can transition smoothly.
Hopefully.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Family picture day...

Just call me biased, but i really do think i have the best family in the whole wide world!!
Not only are they ridiculously good looking, but look what they let me do to them!
Cuddle bug Em

All smiles

Split family

Family collage

Family rivalry

Daddy and his lil longhorn

Mommy and her lil irish princess

Cheese

My lil ham

Daddy and his angels

Mommy and her besties

The loves of my life

They are so freakin cute

Could i get any luckier

Football saturday at it's finest

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Is it Friday yet?!

So daycare went pretty well for the girls yesterday.
Mady, of course, had a great time.
She ate, she played with the other kids, they had learning time, and she even made a kitty cat mask that she brought home (she colored it green, hahaha).
Em is still having a rough time with me gone.
She only napped about an hour total at daycare, and she was a bit fussy still.
Nothing too bad i'm sure, but for how she is for me, i'm sure it was more.
Tomorrow Frank is taking off because Em has a doctor's appointment, and since i'm working all day everyday for the next week yet, i can't take her.
So at least tomorrow she should get back to a semi-normal schedule.
Although, Em does like me more than she does her daddy, lol.
I think it's because i can tolerate more crying and i'm a bit more soothing.
She loves him a lot, don't get me wrong, she just knows who's going to give her what she wants.
That will all change when she gets older,
Just look at how daddy is with Mady.
He is captain softee, mister i can't say no to her.
And he thought he would be the strong one.
HA!!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Day 3...

Today is day 3 of my camp weeks.
So far it hasn't rained, and it's been pretty hot again today.
I keep trying to tell everyone that it could be worse,
But for some reason they just don't believe me anymore.

It's been an extra hard day for me today so far.
I had to take both kids to daycare for the day.
Those of you that know me, know that i HATE taking my kids to daycare for a full day.
Partial days i can do, but full days depress me.
I know 90% of parents take their kids to daycare for 8-10 hours a day,
But it just bothers me.
Depending on a stranger to make sure my kids are safe, fed and happy.
I just don't like the feeling.
Plus, we're at a new daycare this year since we've moved.
So on top of my already anxious feelings, i'm even more anxious because it's a new place will all new people that don't have a clue about my kids.
Mady is in the toddler room, but they are going to test her and see if she will be able to move up to the preschool room.
I know i'm just bragging, but i know she'll be able to move up because she is very smart!
Em is in the infant room with 1 other baby girl.
I worry about her the most.
Mady adapts well, and she is able to play with the other kids and almost forget about Mommy and Daddy until we come get her.
Em on the other hand, is a very needy baby.
And she knows when she isnt' with someone she wants to be with.
She has been having a really rough time with me at work.
She is so used to me being around her all the time (it's been 17weeks non-stop with her).
She hasn't been napping during the day very well, and she's been fussy.
It makes me sad to think she is so unhappy and i can't do anything about it.
I just keep counting down the days until camps are over.
Soon baby girl, soon.

Day 2...

Yesterday was day 2 of my camp weeks.
Again, i was lucky enough to have someone come over and watch the girls.
This time it was "Grammy Kay Loraine's" turn.
She was extra smart too.
She brought reinforcements to help her tackle the 2 kids.
She brought Mady and Em's cousin Isabella!
I didn't hear much about the day, but i'm sure Isabella kept Mady pretty busy...
And visa versa if i know my kid, lol.

I had a long day at work.
It rained on and off all morning, so everyone was pretty soaked and miserable.
Then when the rain cleared after lunch, it got pretty hot out.
Knock on wood, it's still not as hot as years past...
But then again, we still have a week and a half of camps to go.

I forgot how much i dreaded camp weeks.
I'm tired already!!

Monday, August 15, 2011

And so it begins...

That's right folks, it's that time of year again.
The time of year where i live at the school, and briefly visit my house, for 2 whole weeks.
I have been dreading going back to work more than usual this year.
I think it's because i've been home with Em for almost 17 weeks, and i hate leaving her.
When i had to leave Mady the first few times i cried.
Now i have to leave 2 of them!!
It's a little bit easier for me this time around though, as i have some wonderful family members that are willing to come over and watch the girls a few times for me so i don't have to send both of them to daycare everyday, all day.
I know daycare is good for them, for interaction with other kids, learning, etc.
It just hurts my heart to leave them!!
I know most people take their kids to daycare for 8-10 hours a day, 5 days a week.
I just can't do it!!
So last night my Mother-in-law came over and spent the night and watched the girls for us today.
It was nice to have them with family that they knew and were comfortable with.
I heard they weren't perfect little angels for her though.
They are definately a handfull to take care of sometimes!!
1 day down, only 10 more to go!!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Happy Birthday...

Happy Happy Birthday to the best Uncle ever!! We love you so much Uncle Jack!! We hope you liked the brownies, they were mixed and poured with lots and lots of love by your favorite god-daughter/great niece Madylinn. We hope you had a great birthday, and tons and tons more!
All our love,
Stacey, Frank, Madylinn and Emmerson :)

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Rainy day activities...

This is what we do on rainy days.
It's getting harder and harder to entertain a 2 year old inside all day.
What am i going to do when winter gets here?!











Friday, August 5, 2011

My mini mommy...

Mady has been really good with Emme ever since she was born.
She's been better than i ever thought she would be.
She loves to hug her and kiss her,
Hold her and feed her.
I even think she would change her diapers if i would let her.
So it should be no surprise how much she wants to help me in the mornings.
I try to wake up early so i can get a little workout in before the girls wake up.
That lasted about a day.
Between me not wanting to get out of bed,
Emme wanting to be awake early,
And Mady hearing Emme and not wanting to miss a thing,
We made it a family affair to workout in the mornings.
Emme usually sits in her swing, while Mady eats her yogurt and drinks her milk at the coffee table.
I turn on Team Umizoomi for Mady, and i do my workout from the computer.
Emme usually sits and laughs at me (what's so funny, i have to lose the weight i put on from you, silly girl)
Mady often takes breaks from her breakfast to exercise with me, or to just cheer me on (how could i not work harder when i hear "Go mommy, Go mommy, Go!!" from behind me).
Then, when Emme starts to fuss because it's getting close to her breakfast time, or she's just bored watching me workout,
Mady comes to the rescue.
It's so freakin cute, and so darn helpful!
She gets her her binky,
She sings to her,
She tells her jokes,
She gets her stuffies to hold and play with,
She gets pretty much anything that makes noise to entertain her,
And sometimes she'll even start to feed her for me.
Sometimes i feel like a bad mom, having my almost 3 year old feed my almost 4 month old while i exercise.
Good thing only i know about it...
Oh, and you all too now.
She wants to do it though, i swear!
She really does like it!
How sweet she is to Emme, now that's what i call love.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Love...



He said, she said...

(As we sit watching an already famous singer perform on tv)

He said: This is stupid, he is lip-syncing!

She said: At least he's dancing full out. You have to either sing live or dance full out, or its not worth watching.

What do you think?

Picture of the week...

Picture of the week...