I've been neglecting this blog for a while now...sorry. Truth is, I'm not sure what to write. I have a few posts saved in drafts but haven't had the guts to post them. They're personal, deep posts. The kind that makes things seem dark and gloomy in my life. And although I've been using this blog as a virtual therapy tool, I'm not sure I want to go there. Truth is I'm afraid that if I open that door then a lot will fall out. Honestly, who wants to read about someone else's problems when everyone has enough of their own??
So I've been stuck. To clarify, there have been good things, great things going on as well. C had her last day of school and end of year performance. M is coming up on her 2nd birthday, and we had the first (of a few) celebrations for it. My house is back to being mine with no extra guests. We've taken trips to Baltimore, gone to see a few movies, and are getting ready to head up to NJ for my cousin's college graduation party. See, life isn't all gloom and doom here!!
Today while the girls are napping (or at least M is) and J is at work (yup, on a Saturday), I'm going to make an effort to blog. I'm going to download pictures, write posts and actually post them. What a novel idea, right?? So, until later....
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
The Great Mother's Day...
Mother's Day started early this year as C's class had Mother's Day Tea on Thursday. I promptly joined her and her class at 10:30 am to observe her gymnastics/dance/get-all-their-energy-out class and then headed off to tea. J was nice enough to stay home with M, so C and I got some one on one time. I swear, her teacher's are amazing! They prepared quite a spread for us, including cucumber sandwiches! :) The best part was find our spot, which was marked by a special place holder and placemat.
(The card reads: Recipe for Motherhood
1 Heart full of love
1 Head full of understanding
2 Eyes in the back of your head
3 Heaping cups of patience
1 Gallon of generosity
1 Barrel of laughter
Mix well. Sprinkle with kidness, add plenty of faith. Heat with sunshine and spread generously over a lifetime for a plateful of joy and a cup of warm memories.)
We then got our munchies and the teachers played a little game. They had each child fill out a survey about their mom and we had to guess who it was. C's answers were as follows (they are in bold):
1. My mommy is ? years old. (Other children's answers ranged from 6 to 21 but apparently my daughter was nice enough to not reveal my age. :) )
2. My mommy's favorite color is brown. (Really, since when??)
3. My mommy likes to eat salad. (Ahhh, gotta love this response. Yes, I like salad, but if it was my favorite I would probably be a lot thinner!!)
4. When I am at preschool, my mommy: I don't know because I can't see her. (Other kids said work or take care of a sibling. Got to love my literal daughter!!)
Right after question #4, C recognized her answers and told me this was mine. I started cracking up!
5. My mommy and I like to cuddle. (Can I get a collective, AWW!)
6. My mommy laughs when I do funny things.
7. My mommy is really good at everything. (I swear I didn't put her up to this one!!)
8. I love it when my mommy gives me hugs and kisses. (Can you tell we are an affectionate family?)
9. I love my mommy so much because she does nice things for me. (Again, no bribing here!)
I loved this exercise and listening to what other kids came up with!! I went home with tears in my eyes and a huge smile on my face. Score one for C.
After this we headed up to NJ for a wedding. Truth be told, I wasn't looking forward to this. I mean Mother's Day is supposed to be a day of relaxation for me and here I was going to have to drive back home. Yuck! The wedding turned out well, in a comedy of errors sort of way. Here's some of the highlights...
- Once the wedding was over we headed into the reception area and made it through cocktail hour unscathed. Thank god. No sooner did we get into the actual reception room then did I get a flute of champagne dumped down my dress!! Nice, huh??
- C wound up having a blast and dancing all night long. We didn't get home until almost midnight and M was still awake! She was with my mom and apparently decided to have a crib party all her own. I was greeted with her voice over the monitor saying "Mommy, I miss you!!!". Insert aaaawwww here. She didn't sleep at all Saturday night, nor did C.
Both girls were up before 7 am Sunday morning and I was dead. Needless to say we were all cranky beasts and Mother's Day was bad as a result. I even tried to make it to my brother's lacrosse game until to arrive as the horn blew signaling the end because C didn't want to wear a coat!! GRRRR!!!
I definitely was bumming the whole trip home and was still in a foul mood on Monday. Then I realized, well, this is all being part of a mother right?? Why should Mother's Day be any different than any other day? Shouldn't we celebrate our families every day of the year?? So that's what I am trying to do. Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day and you celebrate every day and every milestone! Someone said to me the other day that when you have kids the days go slowly but the years go by too quickly. How true is that?!? So enjoy every moment!! :)
(The card reads: Recipe for Motherhood
1 Heart full of love
1 Head full of understanding
2 Eyes in the back of your head
3 Heaping cups of patience
1 Gallon of generosity
1 Barrel of laughter
Mix well. Sprinkle with kidness, add plenty of faith. Heat with sunshine and spread generously over a lifetime for a plateful of joy and a cup of warm memories.)
We then got our munchies and the teachers played a little game. They had each child fill out a survey about their mom and we had to guess who it was. C's answers were as follows (they are in bold):
1. My mommy is ? years old. (Other children's answers ranged from 6 to 21 but apparently my daughter was nice enough to not reveal my age. :) )
2. My mommy's favorite color is brown. (Really, since when??)
3. My mommy likes to eat salad. (Ahhh, gotta love this response. Yes, I like salad, but if it was my favorite I would probably be a lot thinner!!)
4. When I am at preschool, my mommy: I don't know because I can't see her. (Other kids said work or take care of a sibling. Got to love my literal daughter!!)
Right after question #4, C recognized her answers and told me this was mine. I started cracking up!
5. My mommy and I like to cuddle. (Can I get a collective, AWW!)
6. My mommy laughs when I do funny things.
7. My mommy is really good at everything. (I swear I didn't put her up to this one!!)
8. I love it when my mommy gives me hugs and kisses. (Can you tell we are an affectionate family?)
9. I love my mommy so much because she does nice things for me. (Again, no bribing here!)
I loved this exercise and listening to what other kids came up with!! I went home with tears in my eyes and a huge smile on my face. Score one for C.
After this we headed up to NJ for a wedding. Truth be told, I wasn't looking forward to this. I mean Mother's Day is supposed to be a day of relaxation for me and here I was going to have to drive back home. Yuck! The wedding turned out well, in a comedy of errors sort of way. Here's some of the highlights...
- Once the wedding was over we headed into the reception area and made it through cocktail hour unscathed. Thank god. No sooner did we get into the actual reception room then did I get a flute of champagne dumped down my dress!! Nice, huh??
- C wound up having a blast and dancing all night long. We didn't get home until almost midnight and M was still awake! She was with my mom and apparently decided to have a crib party all her own. I was greeted with her voice over the monitor saying "Mommy, I miss you!!!". Insert aaaawwww here. She didn't sleep at all Saturday night, nor did C.
Both girls were up before 7 am Sunday morning and I was dead. Needless to say we were all cranky beasts and Mother's Day was bad as a result. I even tried to make it to my brother's lacrosse game until to arrive as the horn blew signaling the end because C didn't want to wear a coat!! GRRRR!!!
I definitely was bumming the whole trip home and was still in a foul mood on Monday. Then I realized, well, this is all being part of a mother right?? Why should Mother's Day be any different than any other day? Shouldn't we celebrate our families every day of the year?? So that's what I am trying to do. Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day and you celebrate every day and every milestone! Someone said to me the other day that when you have kids the days go slowly but the years go by too quickly. How true is that?!? So enjoy every moment!! :)
Friday, April 25, 2008
Whatcha Doin'?
That's been the question of late. Every few minutes, M says, "Mommy...whatcha doin'?". And she will continue to say it over and over until you answer. Yes, it's cute and funny but it's also highly annoying. Just close your eyes and picture this:
- Driving in the car back home from the park. It's a 10 minute drive and 4 times you hear, "Mommy...whatcha doin'?"
- In the bathroom where you are trying your hardest to pee in peace...you hear a knock followed by "Mommy...whatcha doin'?"
Now you try and remain calm and answer, ignore it, or ask her the same...but she doesn't relent. It's become the bane of my day right now. I figure I will pay her back when she's 16 by calling her every 5 minutes on a Friday night asking the same question! Fair...I think so! :)
Now onto what we have been doing...
- We were back in NJ last week to visit. C's friend Sophie was in town and we got to see her. Bad me forgot my camera, so there's no pictures...but they had a blast!
- C started tennis lessons and loves them! She now is saying she'll only go if she can hit the ball to another person, but we're far from that. If nothing else, she's running around for 45 minutes! Of course, M is jealous and wants to join in on the fun. If only they had a sibling class...
- M suffered a sinus infection right before we left for NJ, but is feeling much better. Her speech is so much clearer now as well. I'm not sure if it's just that she's getting older or being sick. But it's really great!
- I've been making more of an effort to find a playgroup with kids M's age in it. We went to an activity the other day where the kids were all around 2, and she had a great time! I'm hoping we'll continue to be able to do things like that without C around. Poor M just wants to follow her big sister around all the time that she doesn't play with kids her own age!
- C had Olympic Day at school on Thursday and M and I went to help out. It was a lot of fun! All the kids participated in different events and at the end they got gold medals! C loved every minute of it!
May will be a busy month here. We've got something going on almost every weekend!! Hopefully I'll have some great pictures to post!!
- Driving in the car back home from the park. It's a 10 minute drive and 4 times you hear, "Mommy...whatcha doin'?"
- In the bathroom where you are trying your hardest to pee in peace...you hear a knock followed by "Mommy...whatcha doin'?"
Now you try and remain calm and answer, ignore it, or ask her the same...but she doesn't relent. It's become the bane of my day right now. I figure I will pay her back when she's 16 by calling her every 5 minutes on a Friday night asking the same question! Fair...I think so! :)
Now onto what we have been doing...
- We were back in NJ last week to visit. C's friend Sophie was in town and we got to see her. Bad me forgot my camera, so there's no pictures...but they had a blast!
- C started tennis lessons and loves them! She now is saying she'll only go if she can hit the ball to another person, but we're far from that. If nothing else, she's running around for 45 minutes! Of course, M is jealous and wants to join in on the fun. If only they had a sibling class...
- M suffered a sinus infection right before we left for NJ, but is feeling much better. Her speech is so much clearer now as well. I'm not sure if it's just that she's getting older or being sick. But it's really great!
- I've been making more of an effort to find a playgroup with kids M's age in it. We went to an activity the other day where the kids were all around 2, and she had a great time! I'm hoping we'll continue to be able to do things like that without C around. Poor M just wants to follow her big sister around all the time that she doesn't play with kids her own age!
- C had Olympic Day at school on Thursday and M and I went to help out. It was a lot of fun! All the kids participated in different events and at the end they got gold medals! C loved every minute of it!
May will be a busy month here. We've got something going on almost every weekend!! Hopefully I'll have some great pictures to post!!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The Big 4 Year Checkup
Consider this a public service announcement for all of you who have a kid who will be 4 anytime soon...
C had her 4 year old checkup on Friday. It's a BIG visit! They check weight and height like a normal visit, but also vision, hearing, and urine!! Yup, C had to pee into her first cup. Now, I won't go into the specific manuerving we did to make this happen, but it happened. Just an fyi to make sure your kids have a full bladder before the visit!
Now, on to the actual dr. talk. We spoke about potty training, sleep, eating...all the basics. Then she had C write and follow directions. Luckily she followed directions perfectly and all was good.
That is until the shots... Yup, I said shots. 4 of them to be exact! I had prepped C for the possibility of shots, but I came prepared. I had an ice pack and lollipop standing by. None of that helped. C screamed so bad I thought she would throw up. It was awful. We spent a good 10 minutes calming her down before we ventured back out into the waiting room. The only thing that worked was the promise of a new dress for her doll and a strawberry milkshake. Hey, you would give your kid anything they wanted in that position too!! :)
Ok...so here are the stats from the visit:
Weight: 37 lbs. (70th percentile)
Height: 41 inches. (75th percentile)
Vision: 20/20 both eyes, 20/30 individual eyes
Hearing: perfect
She's in perfect health which is wonderful to hear. :) Now she's due for another shot but I'm not tackling that for at least a few months. *** End of public service announcement. *** :)
C had her 4 year old checkup on Friday. It's a BIG visit! They check weight and height like a normal visit, but also vision, hearing, and urine!! Yup, C had to pee into her first cup. Now, I won't go into the specific manuerving we did to make this happen, but it happened. Just an fyi to make sure your kids have a full bladder before the visit!
Now, on to the actual dr. talk. We spoke about potty training, sleep, eating...all the basics. Then she had C write and follow directions. Luckily she followed directions perfectly and all was good.
That is until the shots... Yup, I said shots. 4 of them to be exact! I had prepped C for the possibility of shots, but I came prepared. I had an ice pack and lollipop standing by. None of that helped. C screamed so bad I thought she would throw up. It was awful. We spent a good 10 minutes calming her down before we ventured back out into the waiting room. The only thing that worked was the promise of a new dress for her doll and a strawberry milkshake. Hey, you would give your kid anything they wanted in that position too!! :)
Ok...so here are the stats from the visit:
Weight: 37 lbs. (70th percentile)
Height: 41 inches. (75th percentile)
Vision: 20/20 both eyes, 20/30 individual eyes
Hearing: perfect
She's in perfect health which is wonderful to hear. :) Now she's due for another shot but I'm not tackling that for at least a few months. *** End of public service announcement. *** :)
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
A Very Happy Birthday to You...And You....
Today's a big day in our house. Both C and J's birthdays! Instead of a traditional post, I'm choosing to celebrate by writing each of them a note. So, here goes:
Dear C,
Today you are a big 4 year old girl. You amaze me more and more every day. As much as I miss cuddling you as an infant, I'm looking forward to watching you grow more and more into a young girl. You have so much love for your family and friends that it makes my heart swell. You are a wonderful big sister and we all love you so much! Happy birthday sweetie!!
Love,
Mommy
-----------
Dear J,
30! You old fart! :P I know I'll be joining you in a few months so I'll stop it. Seriously though, I hope you have a wonderful day. You deserve it with all you do for us. I know you joke about it being only C's birthday, but it's your day to and you deserve to be spoiled as well! :) I love you very much and can't wait to celebrate even more birthdays with you.
Love,
Me :)
Dear C,
Today you are a big 4 year old girl. You amaze me more and more every day. As much as I miss cuddling you as an infant, I'm looking forward to watching you grow more and more into a young girl. You have so much love for your family and friends that it makes my heart swell. You are a wonderful big sister and we all love you so much! Happy birthday sweetie!!
Love,
Mommy
-----------
Dear J,
30! You old fart! :P I know I'll be joining you in a few months so I'll stop it. Seriously though, I hope you have a wonderful day. You deserve it with all you do for us. I know you joke about it being only C's birthday, but it's your day to and you deserve to be spoiled as well! :) I love you very much and can't wait to celebrate even more birthdays with you.
Love,
Me :)
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Weee'rrrreee Heeerrreee!!
Yup, we're back in VA. What a week we had! Here's the summary:- C had her first all night sleepover at my cousin's house!
- We saw Horton Hears a Who and C loved it!
-M had a miserable time with diaper rash. She had an allergic reaction to something causing her to have an explosive diaper and burns all over her area. Luckily it's cleared up, but I'm definitely taking her for allergy testing!
- My mother in law and I took the girls to the Big Apple Circus and sat in the front row! It was a great show, but so windy we thought the tent would blow down! M was thrilled with the puppies and horses! :)
- We had a nice visit with my 88 year old grandfather, Pop Pop. He came over to spend time with us on Thursday and on the way out of the door fell on top of me! Thank god I was there or he would have hit the sidewalk. Still took 5 years off my life!!
- I stayed up until 2 am making a Tinkerbell cake for C's party on Saturday. Here's a shot of it:
- We had a great party on Saturday for C, J, J's cousin, and my cousin's boyfriend. Of course C made it all about her and ordered everyone to wear party hats and play games. It was a lot of fun though!
- We made it home in one piece...thank god!!!
There was definitely no relaxing on this trip. I enjoyed the time up there and the company. No one warns you how lonely you can get staying at home all day. It definitely was a nice break from that and it was hard to come home. The girls are already asking when we can go back!!
Unfortunately there is no rest for the weary this week. It's C's and J's birthday tomorrow, I have to make snack for her to bring to school on Thursday, and we're having a small party for her down here on Saturday. I'm definitely going to need a loooong nap and vacation after this week!!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Luck o' the Irish...
And a Happy St. Patty's Day to all of you! We're in NJ visiting family for the week. I'm converting my Italian inlaws into Irish ones for the day with some corned beef and cabbage. YUM! Of course this trip to NJ wouldn't be a typical trip if things weren't going wrong...so here is the list so far:
1. Got on the road 3 hours later than planned because we had to drop hubby's car off at work and pick up his suit for the wedding. Didn't realize that I had also left my jewelry and medicine behind...
2. M decided she was going on a dinner strike and only would eat french fries for dinner....
3. We got lost on the way to the wedding we were attending on Saturday...
4. M was up from 3-5 am Sunday morning and spent the day with a nasty nose, diarrhea, and was just overall miserable...
5. I forgot to pack M's St. Pat's day shirt... :P
Ahh, and it's only Monday! Stay tuned to see how the rest of the week fairs....
1. Got on the road 3 hours later than planned because we had to drop hubby's car off at work and pick up his suit for the wedding. Didn't realize that I had also left my jewelry and medicine behind...
2. M decided she was going on a dinner strike and only would eat french fries for dinner....
3. We got lost on the way to the wedding we were attending on Saturday...
4. M was up from 3-5 am Sunday morning and spent the day with a nasty nose, diarrhea, and was just overall miserable...
5. I forgot to pack M's St. Pat's day shirt... :P
Ahh, and it's only Monday! Stay tuned to see how the rest of the week fairs....
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Party Time...Excellent!!
Ok...here we go. Let's get this official Blog Party started!!
Here's J, my wonderful hubby of almost 6 years. We met in high school, fell in love and the rest is history. We'll be together 13 years in June! J is a hard working man who somehow balances work and our home life with the skill of a tight rope walker. He is one of the most devoted dads you'll ever meet, hence why we all love him so much!!
Add to that our cat Milo, and that's our family! We are loud, love to go to NJ to visit family, and most of all have fun! I hope you'll enjoy our little blog and stick around. We'd love to hear from you! Thanks for coming and don't forget to tip the valet as you leave! :)
Oops...almost forgot! Here's a list of the loverly prizes I wouldn't mind getting my hands on:
First off, thanks for stopping by! Drop your coat by the door and come on in. I'm K, mom to two crazy girls, C, and M, and wife to the wonderful J. Welcome to our little world. I hope you stay around and get to know us!
On to some introductions...
This would be me, K, mom and wife extraordinaire. I used to be a full time working mom until I had my second daughter, M. I then dropped to part time and have been a full time stay at home mom since last January. It's definitely a more challenging and rewarding job than I could ever get paid to do, but I'll be the first to admit I miss the day to day interaction an outside job brings.
Now to meet the family...
Here's J, my wonderful hubby of almost 6 years. We met in high school, fell in love and the rest is history. We'll be together 13 years in June! J is a hard working man who somehow balances work and our home life with the skill of a tight rope walker. He is one of the most devoted dads you'll ever meet, hence why we all love him so much!!
C, our oldest daughter will be 4 in two weeks. She's a firecracker crossed with a princess. She loves all things frilly, princess related, and pink. She's also got an attitude that's a force to be reckoned with. She gives the best hugs and is a loving soul.
Next up is M, our youngest. M will be 2 in June and she's a munchkin. She has this tiny little voice but when you get her mad...watch out! I guess that's what mixing an Irish mom and Italian dad gets you! M is coming into her own right now and loves to sing, dance, and play. She also loves to follow her big sister around and do whatever she is doing. She loves to give kisses and hugs and is turning into a funny little girl!
Add to that our cat Milo, and that's our family! We are loud, love to go to NJ to visit family, and most of all have fun! I hope you'll enjoy our little blog and stick around. We'd love to hear from you! Thanks for coming and don't forget to tip the valet as you leave! :)
Oops...almost forgot! Here's a list of the loverly prizes I wouldn't mind getting my hands on:
1. Bracelet from My Mommys Bracelets (#29)
2. Bead Dangle Photo Tile Necklace from Elemental Memories (#7)
3. Blog Makeover from Shauna (#67)
4. $20 Amazon Gift Certificate from Organized Knitting Club (#39)
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Dancing with Daddy...
Recently C has become obsessed with dancing. She has always loved it, but she is barely walking anywhere anymore...she's dancing. This past week J decided to teach C how to waltz. The result? Take a look...
I love her smile in this one!! :) Just ignore the kitchen mess please...lol!
I took another of her dancing and doing the waltz on the floor...but I can't figure out how to flip it. I took it with my regular camera and didn't realize I would need to rotate it! If I figure it out I will post that as well.
I love her smile in this one!! :) Just ignore the kitchen mess please...lol!
I took another of her dancing and doing the waltz on the floor...but I can't figure out how to flip it. I took it with my regular camera and didn't realize I would need to rotate it! If I figure it out I will post that as well.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
New Looks
On Sunday we took M for a haircut. She was definitely in need of it as she was sporting a baby mullet, but I wasn't sure what exactly to do with it. After a nasty morning with a plateful of maple syrup and hair that looks like dredlocks, I decided it was time. The result?
And then this one...
Nice, huh? That's the new face she gives you when you say smile or no, or anything else. The look also accompanies her "NO" or her demon voice as she likes to wip out from time to time. All this has made me realize that she's hit the terrible 2's. Yes, she's a bit early but so was C. It seems my girls like to start it at, ohh around 18 months. I have been dealing so much with the treacherous 3's as J calls them, that I've been caught offguard by this. The attitude, the tantrums, all has started to come falling out of my sweet baby girl. Where oh where did she go?? Oh right, she comes back out right when she knows she's in trouble... Manipulation at it's finest!! :)
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Little Ballerina
I accompanied J to C's ballet and tap class this weekend. I actually haven't gone since the session started a few weeks ago because C always wants Daddy to go. It's kind of a big deal because she's in the big girl class of 4-5 year olds as per the teacher. I was a little nervous as to how she would fare, but apparently I had nothing to worry about. She's doing beautifully in it as you can see from the following pictures:
Now the challenge will be to figure out what class to sign her up for the next session. I want to involve her in some type of sports as well as dance, but I also don't want an overscheduled kid on my hands. Decisions, decisions...
Cha Cha Cha Changes....
We've had a weekend of changes around here. M has been moved into a toddler bed. It wasn't by choice, mind you, it was a necessity. You see we have been debating the great move for a few months now. At first it was because we thought M's sleeping issues were caused by her dropping thing out of her crib or hitting her head on the crib rails. Then it was her "testing" the ability to climb out of her crib. She never actually did it, but she would put her one leg over like she was daring us to say anything.
So what made us make the move? Well on Saturday, Miss M. got her leg stuck in between the crib rails and actually got a burn on her ankle from trying to twist it out. So we decided it was time, or rather J decided it was time. I was all set to leave her crib in the room with the toddler bed for a few days, but J being as efficient as ever had the whole thing down and in the attic while I was at the store. The result?
M slept well until about 3 am Monday morning. Then she thought it was fun to get out of bed and knock on her door every 20 minutes until about 6 am. Needless to say, I wasn't a happy camper about it. Luckily last night was better with only one episode at 3:40 am where she fell out of bed. Hopefully tonight will be even better. She's loving her "big girl bed" and the freedom it brings. I on the otherhand am not as happy. It's a bittersweet moment. M is not in a crib, she's one step closer to being more independent. The crib, which my grandmother gave us, is packed up quite probably for good. So it's a mixed bag of emotions for me. I'm definitely happy and excited but I'm also mourning M's babyhood if you will. I can't even imagine how I'll be in a month when C turns 4!!!
So what made us make the move? Well on Saturday, Miss M. got her leg stuck in between the crib rails and actually got a burn on her ankle from trying to twist it out. So we decided it was time, or rather J decided it was time. I was all set to leave her crib in the room with the toddler bed for a few days, but J being as efficient as ever had the whole thing down and in the attic while I was at the store. The result?
M slept well until about 3 am Monday morning. Then she thought it was fun to get out of bed and knock on her door every 20 minutes until about 6 am. Needless to say, I wasn't a happy camper about it. Luckily last night was better with only one episode at 3:40 am where she fell out of bed. Hopefully tonight will be even better. She's loving her "big girl bed" and the freedom it brings. I on the otherhand am not as happy. It's a bittersweet moment. M is not in a crib, she's one step closer to being more independent. The crib, which my grandmother gave us, is packed up quite probably for good. So it's a mixed bag of emotions for me. I'm definitely happy and excited but I'm also mourning M's babyhood if you will. I can't even imagine how I'll be in a month when C turns 4!!!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Oh yea, It's Valentine's Day...
I accompanied C to her preschool Valentine's Day party today. What sugar filled chaos!! The kids enjoyed snacking on some cupcakes, and M thought hanging out at the party also meant running out of the room every 3 seconds. Fun was had by all! :S
The kids and I made cards for Daddy yesterday as well as addressed her friend's cards. That's all the heart fun in this house today. I'm not sitting her looking at a huge bouquet of flowers and eating bon bons while admiring my new jewelry. Sorry Hallmark, not in this house. This Mommy is happy with the pure joy my oldest showed me when I appeared at her party. And happy with the huge hugs M has emparted on me today. That's what it's all about anyway, right?? Oh yea, and some kisses from my hubby too. :)
Happy Valentine's Day!
The kids and I made cards for Daddy yesterday as well as addressed her friend's cards. That's all the heart fun in this house today. I'm not sitting her looking at a huge bouquet of flowers and eating bon bons while admiring my new jewelry. Sorry Hallmark, not in this house. This Mommy is happy with the pure joy my oldest showed me when I appeared at her party. And happy with the huge hugs M has emparted on me today. That's what it's all about anyway, right?? Oh yea, and some kisses from my hubby too. :)
Happy Valentine's Day!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The Great Debate
I've reached the point in my stay at home life where I'm wondering if I made the right choice. Would we have been better off if I had continued working? Are the financial constraints my decision caused worth it?
You see I always thought I would be a working mom. I loved working...the interaction with different people, the problem solving, the feeling like I was accomplishing something on a daily basis. At the end of even the worst day I knew I finished SOMETHING! Whereas my stay at home mom status has me lacking in this department. Yes, I know I'm here for my kids and that counts for an awful lot, but when I look at it, there is no task that is accomplished, no client won over or crisis averted. There is just piles of laundry, cleaning to be done, and kids to put to bed.
The closer M gets to 2 the more I wonder if I should be going back to work. Am I ready to throw my hat back in the ring? Will the kids survive and thrive more in some type of daycare? Originally I had planned on waiting to go back to work until M was in preschool and C was in Kindergarten. It seemed like a logical time, but now I'm wondering if it is soon enough? Sure we could use the extra money I mean who couldn't, but is it worth the cost of daycare for both kids? Would I enjoy work for a few days, weeks, months until I am dying to stay at home again??? And hence my dilemma...
For now staying at home is the only option. Unless by some miracle a wonderful opportunity drops into my lap that I can't not take, the cost of daycare for two kids is too much. I would be working to literally pay someone else to care for my kids. And that I cannot accept. Besides, what would I do? I've been out of the work force now for over a year and I'm not sure what direction I want to go in. My old job was easy, no real challenges and no room for growth. So that leads me to be starting a new career which is terrifying. How do you start? Go back to school? Take a temp job? Talk to a career counselor? I just don't know. And so the questions keep going...
So in the life long debate over the stay at home vs. career mom, the stay at home mom wins this round. And as the screaming kids beacon me back to reality, I happily accept my role.
You see I always thought I would be a working mom. I loved working...the interaction with different people, the problem solving, the feeling like I was accomplishing something on a daily basis. At the end of even the worst day I knew I finished SOMETHING! Whereas my stay at home mom status has me lacking in this department. Yes, I know I'm here for my kids and that counts for an awful lot, but when I look at it, there is no task that is accomplished, no client won over or crisis averted. There is just piles of laundry, cleaning to be done, and kids to put to bed.
The closer M gets to 2 the more I wonder if I should be going back to work. Am I ready to throw my hat back in the ring? Will the kids survive and thrive more in some type of daycare? Originally I had planned on waiting to go back to work until M was in preschool and C was in Kindergarten. It seemed like a logical time, but now I'm wondering if it is soon enough? Sure we could use the extra money I mean who couldn't, but is it worth the cost of daycare for both kids? Would I enjoy work for a few days, weeks, months until I am dying to stay at home again??? And hence my dilemma...
For now staying at home is the only option. Unless by some miracle a wonderful opportunity drops into my lap that I can't not take, the cost of daycare for two kids is too much. I would be working to literally pay someone else to care for my kids. And that I cannot accept. Besides, what would I do? I've been out of the work force now for over a year and I'm not sure what direction I want to go in. My old job was easy, no real challenges and no room for growth. So that leads me to be starting a new career which is terrifying. How do you start? Go back to school? Take a temp job? Talk to a career counselor? I just don't know. And so the questions keep going...
So in the life long debate over the stay at home vs. career mom, the stay at home mom wins this round. And as the screaming kids beacon me back to reality, I happily accept my role.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Bitten by the flu bug
Need I say anything else? The flu has hit our house full force. The girls got it almost 3 weeks ago and I spent last week in bed. Thank god for my mother in law coming down or we would have been in trouble! Hope everyone here is staying healthy!!
I have a few posts brewing, and I'll be back later but for now, off to the store and to catch up from being sick!!
I have a few posts brewing, and I'll be back later but for now, off to the store and to catch up from being sick!!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Question of the day...
The last few days our house has been hit by the flu, well, correction the girls have. Of course as any parent knows if the kids are sick it's only a matter of time before you get it, and everyone is miserable. Today both girls woke up fever free so I'm hoping we've turned a corner. I've definitely developed more bags under my eyes in the past few days than I'd like to share thanks to my whopping 10 hours of sleep over the past week.
So to say I'm off my A game today would be an understatement. Today is not a day for pondering life issues or trying to solve the economic crisis, nope...today is a day for tea, tv, and NO THINKING!! Of course, Miss C. had other plans for me. Here is our conversation:
C: Mommy, when M grows into a big girl are you going to have another baby?
Me: (Almost snorts my tea) Uh, what?!?
C: Are you going to have another baby?
Me: Ummm...I, uh, I don't know.
C: Well, why not?
Me: (Trying to think of how to explain this when J and I haven't made up our minds yet either..)
Why, honey?
C: Well because on Blue's Clues, Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper had another baby when Paprika was a big girl.
THANKS Blue's Clues!!!!! Note to self: enough tv for the last few days! Seriously though, this has been C's obsession of late. She LOVES babies. When we are out in public she's been pointing them out to me and saying how cute they are. Ahhh yes, I admit I love babies too. But after the past week of the girls being sick I like babies from afar. Like across the restaurant afar. So for now, I'm happy with my 2 girls. We'll see how long that lasts though...
So to say I'm off my A game today would be an understatement. Today is not a day for pondering life issues or trying to solve the economic crisis, nope...today is a day for tea, tv, and NO THINKING!! Of course, Miss C. had other plans for me. Here is our conversation:
C: Mommy, when M grows into a big girl are you going to have another baby?
Me: (Almost snorts my tea) Uh, what?!?
C: Are you going to have another baby?
Me: Ummm...I, uh, I don't know.
C: Well, why not?
Me: (Trying to think of how to explain this when J and I haven't made up our minds yet either..)
Why, honey?
C: Well because on Blue's Clues, Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper had another baby when Paprika was a big girl.
THANKS Blue's Clues!!!!! Note to self: enough tv for the last few days! Seriously though, this has been C's obsession of late. She LOVES babies. When we are out in public she's been pointing them out to me and saying how cute they are. Ahhh yes, I admit I love babies too. But after the past week of the girls being sick I like babies from afar. Like across the restaurant afar. So for now, I'm happy with my 2 girls. We'll see how long that lasts though...
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Just call me Oscar...
Yup, as in the Grouch. I'm not sure what my deal is or what bug crawled up my butt, but I'm just a major grump these days. I can blame it on a lot of things: weather (I hate the cold), lack of sleep (yup, that's still happening), family drama...but truth be told, I'm not sure what really my problem is.
I don't like my mood and the feeling of anger, b*tch*ness, whatever that comes with it and I can't seem to shake it. I've tried reading, watching a show I like, and other "me" time activities, but it doesn't help. I've even tried forcing myself to seem happy but that just makes it worse. If I bury myself in any more chocolate I'll not only gain back the weight I have lost, but you'll likely see me on one of those Richard Simmons infomercials that come on at 3 am. Yes, I'll be the one of the left bawling about eating to help me feel better about my empty life...
The thing is, my life is far from empty. I have two beautiful daughters and a wonderful husband. We live in our own house and while it's not our dream home, it's ours. I have a lot of family that would do anything for me at a moment's notice, and some friends as well. You see, I have a lot to be happy about and I realize it. Still, I'm grumpy...
I'm hoping that going to NJ this coming weekend will help. I'll have more help with the kids, allegedly be able to get more sleep since J will be off work, and hopefully even be able to go out on a date with him. If that doesn't help with my mood, I don't know what will... So my question to all of you out there in internet land is...Am I the only one that feels this way? If not, what do you do to help get out of your funk??
I don't like my mood and the feeling of anger, b*tch*ness, whatever that comes with it and I can't seem to shake it. I've tried reading, watching a show I like, and other "me" time activities, but it doesn't help. I've even tried forcing myself to seem happy but that just makes it worse. If I bury myself in any more chocolate I'll not only gain back the weight I have lost, but you'll likely see me on one of those Richard Simmons infomercials that come on at 3 am. Yes, I'll be the one of the left bawling about eating to help me feel better about my empty life...
The thing is, my life is far from empty. I have two beautiful daughters and a wonderful husband. We live in our own house and while it's not our dream home, it's ours. I have a lot of family that would do anything for me at a moment's notice, and some friends as well. You see, I have a lot to be happy about and I realize it. Still, I'm grumpy...
I'm hoping that going to NJ this coming weekend will help. I'll have more help with the kids, allegedly be able to get more sleep since J will be off work, and hopefully even be able to go out on a date with him. If that doesn't help with my mood, I don't know what will... So my question to all of you out there in internet land is...Am I the only one that feels this way? If not, what do you do to help get out of your funk??
Friday, January 11, 2008
Strange days...
So let's start with the weather... C and M enjoyed Monday - Wednesday since it was warm enough to play outside. Monday morning we went for a walk (meaning they sat while I walked...LOL) and then met up with J at the playground and had an early dinner. Tuesday C went to school and M went with me to MOPS. Again, we went outside in the afternoon. Wednesday we headed back to the playground in the morning. I think the outside time has done wonders for all of us. Nothing like fresh air and sunshine to improve our moods! Now we're back to cold and rain, blech. I really don't like the winter at all and would love to skip right to early April, but that won't happen. Instead I enjoyed our weather and the moods it put us all in.
Now the girls, ahh the girls... M has been sick since Christmas, but seems to finally have stopped with the runny nose/coughing she was doing. However, her teeth are really bothering her as she tells me, "Teeth HURT!". While it's nice to know what's bothering her, there's not a whole ton I can do in that department. We're doing motrin/tylenol and orajel at bedtime, but she's still waking up through the night and not really napping. I can't wait to the day I can say she's sleeping normally again!!!!
C has decided not to really nap at all anymore. Yes, I know she's almost 4 and that's probably normal, but my reaction is HELL NO!!! Naptime is MY time...quiet, peaceful, watch my tivoed shows time. Trying to even convince C that she needs to just "relax" in her room and be quiet doesn't work either. She just sits there for maybe 5 minutes and then the "I WANT TO GET UP" song begins. Now if M wasn't sleeping a mere 15 ft from her I would let her yell all she wanted, but then I would have two grumpy kids. No fun for me! In addition C just doesn't make it to bedtime without meltdowns on the days she doesn't nap. And although she may be more pleasant on napping days, she doesn't go to bed until around 10 pm. What to do what to do?!?!
Finally I ventured back to my endocrinologist yesterday to find out what's wrong with me. Turns out my thyroid is fine and my Vitamin D level is extremely low. So, I'm now taking a high dose vitamin once a week which should alleviate my problem (allegedly). Only time will tell on that...
We're in for a busy weekend of ballet, birthday partys, and a trip to Richmond. Let's hope this vitamin gives me the energy to keep up and M sleeps!! Oh and a big keep-your-fingers-crossed that my sister gets this job she's interviewing for as we speak. I'll update on everything next week. Hope you all have a great weekend!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
A Season of Pictures
Here are some pictures from our holidays. Enjoy!!
Our giant Christmas tree. It was over 8' tall and 6' wide. What were we thinking?!?
Here is C and her friend Sophie. We couldn't get one of them looking and smiling at the same time, but here they are making silly faces.
Here is C and M playing. Also, M's first ponytail. Yes, I know I'm a wacko and had to take a picture of it...but she looks so cute!
And here are some of C's favorite presents: Fairy wings, wand, and a Barbie house! (Yes, that is a disco ball hanging from it...)
Hope you enjoy them! I'll be back with a more meaningful post soon...
Our giant Christmas tree. It was over 8' tall and 6' wide. What were we thinking?!?
Here is C and her friend Sophie. We couldn't get one of them looking and smiling at the same time, but here they are making silly faces.
Here is C and M playing. Also, M's first ponytail. Yes, I know I'm a wacko and had to take a picture of it...but she looks so cute!
And here are some of C's favorite presents: Fairy wings, wand, and a Barbie house! (Yes, that is a disco ball hanging from it...)
Hope you enjoy them! I'll be back with a more meaningful post soon...
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Back to regularly scheduled programming...
Happy New Year! 2008?!? Really, already?? 2007 seemed to fly by us as I am sure it did for many of you. I wish I could say that J and I jetted off someplace romantic for NYE, but we didn't. We were here celebrating during the day with some family friends, and then ringing in the arrival of 2008 with my brother. He came back with us over Christmas and went home on the 1st. Back to school for him...
And today we started our normal schedule again. C went back to school and M and I headed to the grocery store. Exciting, right? I have to say, I'm enjoying the peace in our house right now. Notice I didn't say quiet...but peace. My sister is away until the 8th, and we are for the first time alone in our house since early November. It's funny how relaxing that is. I'm still running around crazy after the kids all day long but once J is home and the girls are in bed...we are alone! I've missed some couple time with the hubby that's for sure. So far we've managed to watch a few movies, and have a few talks. Maybe, if the stars align we'll even get to go out this weekend.
So I think this is part of my new year's resolutions...to find more peace in my life. I'm a better mother and wife when I feel peaceful, so it's definitely a resolution I need to keep. I'm not sure what kind of changes I'm going to make for this to happen, but stayed tune to find out...
And today we started our normal schedule again. C went back to school and M and I headed to the grocery store. Exciting, right? I have to say, I'm enjoying the peace in our house right now. Notice I didn't say quiet...but peace. My sister is away until the 8th, and we are for the first time alone in our house since early November. It's funny how relaxing that is. I'm still running around crazy after the kids all day long but once J is home and the girls are in bed...we are alone! I've missed some couple time with the hubby that's for sure. So far we've managed to watch a few movies, and have a few talks. Maybe, if the stars align we'll even get to go out this weekend.
So I think this is part of my new year's resolutions...to find more peace in my life. I'm a better mother and wife when I feel peaceful, so it's definitely a resolution I need to keep. I'm not sure what kind of changes I'm going to make for this to happen, but stayed tune to find out...
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