Every Thursday the kids go to Mass with their school. Most Thursdays I will also attend. Sometimes Ethan will come sit with me rather than sitting with his class which I love. When I ask him why he comes to sit by me, he normally smiles and then starts playing with Cooper. It has nothing to do with me being there, it's all about his littlest brother. And I am a-ok with that ;)
Today, when he came to sit by me which he hasn't done in awhile, I asked him why he came over by me. He put his head on my shoulder and quietly said, "well, we don't get much alone time anymore." That was it. No playing with Cooper (at least not until a little later in mass). Just time with mom. I LOVE you Ethan! And what you did today means more than you will ever know!
Showing posts with label Angie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Angie. Show all posts
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Pick Me Up
Sometimes as a parent you forget that even your oldest child needs time to feel like they are still little. One of the things I miss most as Ethan and Trevor get older is picking them up. Rick and I still pick up and hold all three of our boys on occasion, but not nearly as much as we used to! I miss that! And obviously, last night Ethan did, too! Thanks for making him still feel little (and so very loved), Rick!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
7 Ways to Be a SMARTER Mom
At my MOPS meeting this month we had a wonderful speaker, Kasey Johnson. She lives near Kansas City and is a phenomenal speaker. I won't go into her background as you can get that from HERE on her website. But she is a mother of 3 boys, very down to Earth, and I wish I could have talked to her all day. She is the author of 7 Ways to Be a SMARTER Mom and I can't wait to start reading it.
(While she was speaking to us about it, she made it known that this is not a "step by step" approach type book where you have to follow specific steps to become a smarter mom. She realized that there were too many of those types of books around and she didn't like being told "what to do" when trying to figure out how her family dynamic and parenting strategies. Therefore, she put together this book and it goes through various topics, but has areas for you to write things down in order to analyze your family dynamic and your situations and then be able to mold that into how it will work with your family. (I am just rephrasing what she was saying, but I will let you know more as I read and work through the actual book.)
I'm not going to give a summary of the whole talk, but it was based on LOVE and each letter stood for something different - L = listening, O = optimistic, V = variety, E = endure. During her talk she brought in laughter, lots of laughter, real life stories of her family and others, God, tears, and amazing perspective on many different things. She travels around the country giving talks to various groups on all kinds of topics and like our group, she tailored it to what our topic was for the meeting. If you ever have a chance to see her speak, I advise you to GO! Or if you ever have a need for a speaker and you think she would fit into your needs, check her out and see if you can make it work. We only had her for a short time, but I would love to see her speak again.
Here are a few points that I took away from her talk...
(when you see "them" in the text below, it is typically referring to your kids)
- LISTEN.... get down to their level and listen. Put away the phone, computer, extra stuff and listen to them.
- Turn off technology for certain period during day. Can keep tv, wii, stuff you can do as a family on., but put away the computer and phones and texts. Spend time together.
- LOOK when your kids and/or your spouse are talking. Don't just nod and say, "Uh-hu". LOOK at them and listen, really listen. Kids, especially, just want you to listen. And at the young age they want to see you interested in what they want to say. You don't have long in this stage because as they get older all they want you to do is let go and let them have their independence, not wanting to talk to YOU as much. So when you have them wanting to talk to you... LISTEN to them. The emails can wait, the text that came in can wait.
- Don't always make your kids wait. If they are pulling at you and really wanting to tell you something while you're in the middle of a conversation, sometimes it's ok to stop what you're doing and make them feel that what they have to say is important to you. The others (presumably adults) will understand if you say, 'excuse me a minute' when a child is pulling at your sleeve.
- talk softer instead of talking louder. if they (the kids) know you're talking softer, they will too and will know that you are listening to them.
- NEVER get the urge to say "I don't know what I am going to do with you" (when in a struggle or at your wits end with them.) It is devastating to hear that and tears a kid down. It's as if you're saying, "You're beyond help." Instead, say something like, "I don't know what we're going to do to get through this, but we are going to figure it out and get through it together!"
- variety.... in all things - kids activities, rewards, special outings, dates with spouse, etc. Getting in a rut is not healthy, not fun, and is BLAH. Spice things up. Change things up. Little changes - it doesn't have to be huge, extravagant changes.
- MOM Contract - Always here.
- Pay attention to them. Don't miss a moment. (example of mom at restaurant who never looked up from phone the whole time to talk or pay attention to 4-5 year old daughter.) The daughter was looking around waving at others, happy as could be. That mom missed out on spending that time with her daughter in that moment and will NEVER get it back.
- Be optimistic. Not clueless... but hopeful. Have hope in the Lord. Believe in your children and/or spouse. Sometimes when a spouse is going off on something at work or whatever, they don't need you to join in the "bashing" game. Sometimes it's as simple as saying that you BELIEVE in them and that you know they can make the situation better and can handle the difficult time. With the kiddos... try to refrain from showing the attitude of "You are old enough, you know how to do this, now go do it!" Instead, try letting them know that you BELIEVE in them by saying, "You can handle/do it. I know you can." This can be used from everything from making their beds when they say "I can't do it" to when they are older and making the "big kid" decisions between right and wrong when with their friends or in school. Be optimistic and believe in them!
These are just several of the many good points that she spoke of within her talk. It was enlightening, eye-opening to new ways of doing and thinking of things, and as I stated above, I will go see her speak again if the chance ever comes up.
(While she was speaking to us about it, she made it known that this is not a "step by step" approach type book where you have to follow specific steps to become a smarter mom. She realized that there were too many of those types of books around and she didn't like being told "what to do" when trying to figure out how her family dynamic and parenting strategies. Therefore, she put together this book and it goes through various topics, but has areas for you to write things down in order to analyze your family dynamic and your situations and then be able to mold that into how it will work with your family. (I am just rephrasing what she was saying, but I will let you know more as I read and work through the actual book.)
I'm not going to give a summary of the whole talk, but it was based on LOVE and each letter stood for something different - L = listening, O = optimistic, V = variety, E = endure. During her talk she brought in laughter, lots of laughter, real life stories of her family and others, God, tears, and amazing perspective on many different things. She travels around the country giving talks to various groups on all kinds of topics and like our group, she tailored it to what our topic was for the meeting. If you ever have a chance to see her speak, I advise you to GO! Or if you ever have a need for a speaker and you think she would fit into your needs, check her out and see if you can make it work. We only had her for a short time, but I would love to see her speak again.
Here are a few points that I took away from her talk...
(when you see "them" in the text below, it is typically referring to your kids)
- LISTEN.... get down to their level and listen. Put away the phone, computer, extra stuff and listen to them.
- Turn off technology for certain period during day. Can keep tv, wii, stuff you can do as a family on., but put away the computer and phones and texts. Spend time together.
- LOOK when your kids and/or your spouse are talking. Don't just nod and say, "Uh-hu". LOOK at them and listen, really listen. Kids, especially, just want you to listen. And at the young age they want to see you interested in what they want to say. You don't have long in this stage because as they get older all they want you to do is let go and let them have their independence, not wanting to talk to YOU as much. So when you have them wanting to talk to you... LISTEN to them. The emails can wait, the text that came in can wait.
- Don't always make your kids wait. If they are pulling at you and really wanting to tell you something while you're in the middle of a conversation, sometimes it's ok to stop what you're doing and make them feel that what they have to say is important to you. The others (presumably adults) will understand if you say, 'excuse me a minute' when a child is pulling at your sleeve.
- talk softer instead of talking louder. if they (the kids) know you're talking softer, they will too and will know that you are listening to them.
- NEVER get the urge to say "I don't know what I am going to do with you" (when in a struggle or at your wits end with them.) It is devastating to hear that and tears a kid down. It's as if you're saying, "You're beyond help." Instead, say something like, "I don't know what we're going to do to get through this, but we are going to figure it out and get through it together!"
- variety.... in all things - kids activities, rewards, special outings, dates with spouse, etc. Getting in a rut is not healthy, not fun, and is BLAH. Spice things up. Change things up. Little changes - it doesn't have to be huge, extravagant changes.
- MOM Contract - Always here.
- Pay attention to them. Don't miss a moment. (example of mom at restaurant who never looked up from phone the whole time to talk or pay attention to 4-5 year old daughter.) The daughter was looking around waving at others, happy as could be. That mom missed out on spending that time with her daughter in that moment and will NEVER get it back.
- Be optimistic. Not clueless... but hopeful. Have hope in the Lord. Believe in your children and/or spouse. Sometimes when a spouse is going off on something at work or whatever, they don't need you to join in the "bashing" game. Sometimes it's as simple as saying that you BELIEVE in them and that you know they can make the situation better and can handle the difficult time. With the kiddos... try to refrain from showing the attitude of "You are old enough, you know how to do this, now go do it!" Instead, try letting them know that you BELIEVE in them by saying, "You can handle/do it. I know you can." This can be used from everything from making their beds when they say "I can't do it" to when they are older and making the "big kid" decisions between right and wrong when with their friends or in school. Be optimistic and believe in them!
These are just several of the many good points that she spoke of within her talk. It was enlightening, eye-opening to new ways of doing and thinking of things, and as I stated above, I will go see her speak again if the chance ever comes up.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year
Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were full of excitement, laughter, joy and relaxation. 2012. What is in store for this year? We have no idea, but I am hoping that it will be full of laughter within our house and lots of activities to keep the boys and Rick and I out of a "ho-hum" rut. I am excited for the year. I am excited for the things we will be able to do outside now that Cooper is getting a bit older. I am excited for the places we can go now that Cooper is a bit older and can go more than 3 hours without eating and will be able to kind of "eat on the move" for the nicer months of the year. I am just excited and looking forward to the year. (but it's early, so I am fully aware that my attitude can change at any time... and am ok with that.)
So every new year brings resolutions that you try to hold yourself to. This year is no different, but I am really hoping to accomplish just 3 things....
1. Getting back on the exercise train. I'm not putting a quantity on the # of days or an amount of weight to lose. I am back to pre-baby weight, but I just don't feel good yet. So, I just want to exercise so that I feel good about myself once again. That's all....no marathons coming up, no body building competitions to enter. I just want to feel better.
2. I want to get our house organized. From top to bottom, I want to throw stuff out. I want to slim it down, declutter, and just plain old organize things. The house kinda got away from me these past few months and I need to get it back under my control ;o) Again, not too much to ask. Just a realistic goal.
3. I want to be better at storing and backing up my pictures. The fact that I have ALL pictures from June 2011 til the present on my camera disc and nothing backed up or put on the computer says it all. I NEED to get those pictures off and back them up. That all starts by getting & keeping my blog up to date and even making the kids monthly collages a bit quicker than I have in the past 6+ months. So, I hope to get that under control as well. No deadlines (as of right now), I just want to start working on it soon.
So there you have it. Those are my things for 2012. Not too tough, but will take some work and discipline to get them done. But I think I'm up for the challenge and am ready to get back to work on the things I've neglected since having Cooper.
Happy New Year to you and may you have a good year getting your list of things done.
So every new year brings resolutions that you try to hold yourself to. This year is no different, but I am really hoping to accomplish just 3 things....
1. Getting back on the exercise train. I'm not putting a quantity on the # of days or an amount of weight to lose. I am back to pre-baby weight, but I just don't feel good yet. So, I just want to exercise so that I feel good about myself once again. That's all....no marathons coming up, no body building competitions to enter. I just want to feel better.
2. I want to get our house organized. From top to bottom, I want to throw stuff out. I want to slim it down, declutter, and just plain old organize things. The house kinda got away from me these past few months and I need to get it back under my control ;o) Again, not too much to ask. Just a realistic goal.
3. I want to be better at storing and backing up my pictures. The fact that I have ALL pictures from June 2011 til the present on my camera disc and nothing backed up or put on the computer says it all. I NEED to get those pictures off and back them up. That all starts by getting & keeping my blog up to date and even making the kids monthly collages a bit quicker than I have in the past 6+ months. So, I hope to get that under control as well. No deadlines (as of right now), I just want to start working on it soon.
So there you have it. Those are my things for 2012. Not too tough, but will take some work and discipline to get them done. But I think I'm up for the challenge and am ready to get back to work on the things I've neglected since having Cooper.
Happy New Year to you and may you have a good year getting your list of things done.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Oh Christmas Tree
My poor Christmas tree this year. It really is a sight to be seen. Not that it's terrible. It's not a Charlie Brown tree either. But it is a bit out of the ordinary for me this year. You see. The tree is normally "MY" thing. I put the lights on. Lots of lights. I normally do most of the decorations because the boys put on a few ornaments and are then bored with the whole thing. So I get to put on most of them, strategically placed so that the longer ones fill in a hole that is visible, or little ones go right on the end of the branch so they can be seen. And of course, there are never 2 ornaments on the same branch. NEVER.
Well, this year. The lights were still my thing. I got those done while the boys were at school one day. All lights working (at least I thought). I did test them before putting them on and they all worked. Got them all on and that first night of turning the lights on the very top strand was 1/2 out. Since the ornaments weren't on yet, I used the next day to take that strand off and replace it with another one that I had. Those are still working.
Then we got to putting on the ornaments - as noted in the other post about decorating the tree. The boys did a great job; however, I do have to say, it is taking all my will to not move ornaments around. Seriously. A lot of strength is being used! But I love the tree. The boys had so much fun and are enjoying the tree more this year than in the past.
But then, after all ornaments are on and after a week of enjoying it, half of another strand of lights decided to go out. Tried changing the fuse. No luck. Thought about going through every light bulb on the burned out side, but that is just a pain in the butt. So what do I do. I add another strand of lights over the currently burnt out ones to fill in the dark spaces. Seriously, it looks hilarious during the day when can see all the green wires from the lights. However, at night, no one would ever know!
So, here's to you Mr. Christmas Tree. You're a sore sight for my eyes, but I love you just the same!
Well, this year. The lights were still my thing. I got those done while the boys were at school one day. All lights working (at least I thought). I did test them before putting them on and they all worked. Got them all on and that first night of turning the lights on the very top strand was 1/2 out. Since the ornaments weren't on yet, I used the next day to take that strand off and replace it with another one that I had. Those are still working.
Then we got to putting on the ornaments - as noted in the other post about decorating the tree. The boys did a great job; however, I do have to say, it is taking all my will to not move ornaments around. Seriously. A lot of strength is being used! But I love the tree. The boys had so much fun and are enjoying the tree more this year than in the past.
Three ornaments on the very same branch... the poor branch is pulled toward the floor.
And can you see Santa in there... he's little and he's hiding in the "woods".
But then, after all ornaments are on and after a week of enjoying it, half of another strand of lights decided to go out. Tried changing the fuse. No luck. Thought about going through every light bulb on the burned out side, but that is just a pain in the butt. So what do I do. I add another strand of lights over the currently burnt out ones to fill in the dark spaces. Seriously, it looks hilarious during the day when can see all the green wires from the lights. However, at night, no one would ever know!
The highway of lights on the tree this year! Man it is a sight to be seen! No wrapping and pushing them into the inner part of the tree when all the ornaments are on already ;o)
So, here's to you Mr. Christmas Tree. You're a sore sight for my eyes, but I love you just the same!
Monday, November 7, 2011
To Give Thanks....
It's been a bit crazy around here lately with kids being sick, non-stop running around due to ump-teen (yes, I'm saying that's a word today) events for the boys, Rick's work schedule, and just trying to stay caught up (which I'm not doing a very good job at). But last night after I finally got Cooper to sleep, I just sat in the quiet house and realized that there are many things to be thankful for. Big things and little things. So, in order to keep my mind in the right spot during these upcoming holiday months, I am going to periodically be posting about what I AM thankful for and what we have been blessed with.
So today, here are are just a few of the many things I am thankful for...
*My three beautiful boys, they might be sick every now and then, but they are here for me to hug
*That my boys still love to hug their mom
*A warm house
*An amazing church and school community/family that we have come to love
*My husband that works so hard for us day in and day out
*The rain that fell last week and the rain that is supposed to fall today/tomorrow
*Cough drops (I have been eating them like candy the last day or so)
*Oh and the real candy that we have from Halloween (thankfully the boys go to bed early so Rick and I can raid the buckets for a piece or two without them knowing (hee-hee))
So today, here are are just a few of the many things I am thankful for...
*My three beautiful boys, they might be sick every now and then, but they are here for me to hug
*That my boys still love to hug their mom
*A warm house
*An amazing church and school community/family that we have come to love
*My husband that works so hard for us day in and day out
*The rain that fell last week and the rain that is supposed to fall today/tomorrow
*Cough drops (I have been eating them like candy the last day or so)
*Oh and the real candy that we have from Halloween (thankfully the boys go to bed early so Rick and I can raid the buckets for a piece or two without them knowing (hee-hee))
Thursday, October 27, 2011
A Brick was Thrown
Why is it that when you start complaining about something or think that things just aren't going your way, a brick is thrown to hit you and put you back into place. A place where you realize that things really are not that bad and the things you're complaining about are really quite.... remedial.
Of late, I have been telling people about how Cooper is not going to sleep well at night and then is waking up at 3:30 or 4:00 only to be awake til 5 when I finally give in and feed him so that he'll go back to sleep for a bit. To any other mother, that's probably not a big deal for their 4 month old. They'd be happy with a baby sleeping til 4am without waking. However, this mom, the mom that was hit with a brick today, has been greedy and since Cooper had been sleeping through the night (til 6:00 or 6:30am) for the last 4 weeks, I wanted that to continue.
Instead, I should be counting my blessings. I should be smiling back at him at 10:30pm when he has wide eyes and is smiling up at me from inside his crib. I should be letting the boys play him as much as they want even if they didn't wash their hands after school. I should be rocking with him and not trying to keep him in his crib because I am tired (physically) of holding him. I should allow him to fall asleep fully in my arms, enjoying the peacefulness of a baby instead of putting him down 1/2 awake so that he gets used to falling asleep in his crib. I should be loving the fact that he wants to be in the room where we are and fusses if he's not. I should be saying, "who cares" about the house work and cuddling him as much as I possibly can while he is little and still wants to be cuddled. I should just take things as they come and remember that he is ONLY 4 months old. He doesn't know that I have things to do. He doesn't know that his mom likes to sleep. He doesn't know that his Daddy is traveling or working late so mom is doing it on her own. But he does know that he loves his mom to hold him, to talk to him, to cuddle with him. That he does know!
I should be counting my blessings. I should be doing that because in the blink of an eye, he could be an angel in heaven... like a little baby boy from our church now is. A baby boy that was just recently baptized two weeks ago. A boy that has loving parents and grandparents. A baby boy that was the same age as Cooper. A baby that was flourishing, alive, and happy. He is now an angel in heaven. He now has distraught parents and family members. His mother can no longer hold him. No longer console him when he's tired and crying. A mother that can no longer see the smile in her son's eyes when she simply looks at him. A mother that will never see him take his first steps or say his first word, or even drink from a cup. A mother that is without her son...
I should be counting my blessings! My son IS here. My son may cry at night when I am ready to go to bed, but he is HERE with me. My son might be cat napping instead of taking a nice nap so I can get something done, but dang... he IS HERE WITH ME! So tell me, why is it that you need to have a brick thrown at you in order to see how good you really do have it...
(I will be honest, I do not know what happened to the little boy yet as we had just heard about it before mass began this morning for the school kids, but whatever the reason, my heart goes out to those parents. I talked to the mother in the back of church the day her son was baptized. He was tired and fussing so she took him out of the church to try to get him to sleep. I rubbed his back as his mother and I were talking. Since the boys were born, we always joked about them together because this "little" guy was so much bigger than Cooper. I would love to take away the pain and sorrow that she is feeling right now....I just can not imagine what they are going through this morning. My heart goes out to them...)
Of late, I have been telling people about how Cooper is not going to sleep well at night and then is waking up at 3:30 or 4:00 only to be awake til 5 when I finally give in and feed him so that he'll go back to sleep for a bit. To any other mother, that's probably not a big deal for their 4 month old. They'd be happy with a baby sleeping til 4am without waking. However, this mom, the mom that was hit with a brick today, has been greedy and since Cooper had been sleeping through the night (til 6:00 or 6:30am) for the last 4 weeks, I wanted that to continue.
Instead, I should be counting my blessings. I should be smiling back at him at 10:30pm when he has wide eyes and is smiling up at me from inside his crib. I should be letting the boys play him as much as they want even if they didn't wash their hands after school. I should be rocking with him and not trying to keep him in his crib because I am tired (physically) of holding him. I should allow him to fall asleep fully in my arms, enjoying the peacefulness of a baby instead of putting him down 1/2 awake so that he gets used to falling asleep in his crib. I should be loving the fact that he wants to be in the room where we are and fusses if he's not. I should be saying, "who cares" about the house work and cuddling him as much as I possibly can while he is little and still wants to be cuddled. I should just take things as they come and remember that he is ONLY 4 months old. He doesn't know that I have things to do. He doesn't know that his mom likes to sleep. He doesn't know that his Daddy is traveling or working late so mom is doing it on her own. But he does know that he loves his mom to hold him, to talk to him, to cuddle with him. That he does know!
I should be counting my blessings. I should be doing that because in the blink of an eye, he could be an angel in heaven... like a little baby boy from our church now is. A baby boy that was just recently baptized two weeks ago. A boy that has loving parents and grandparents. A baby boy that was the same age as Cooper. A baby that was flourishing, alive, and happy. He is now an angel in heaven. He now has distraught parents and family members. His mother can no longer hold him. No longer console him when he's tired and crying. A mother that can no longer see the smile in her son's eyes when she simply looks at him. A mother that will never see him take his first steps or say his first word, or even drink from a cup. A mother that is without her son...
I should be counting my blessings! My son IS here. My son may cry at night when I am ready to go to bed, but he is HERE with me. My son might be cat napping instead of taking a nice nap so I can get something done, but dang... he IS HERE WITH ME! So tell me, why is it that you need to have a brick thrown at you in order to see how good you really do have it...
(I will be honest, I do not know what happened to the little boy yet as we had just heard about it before mass began this morning for the school kids, but whatever the reason, my heart goes out to those parents. I talked to the mother in the back of church the day her son was baptized. He was tired and fussing so she took him out of the church to try to get him to sleep. I rubbed his back as his mother and I were talking. Since the boys were born, we always joked about them together because this "little" guy was so much bigger than Cooper. I would love to take away the pain and sorrow that she is feeling right now....I just can not imagine what they are going through this morning. My heart goes out to them...)
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Just Leave. Me. Alone
Short story for you....
Ethan had his Punt Pass & Kick competition today. Ethan and Rick went there.
Trevor had a soccer game this morning. Trevor, Cooper and I went there.
Cooper in his car seat at the start of the soccer game.
Cooper gets fussy so this nice mom (Me) takes him out to comfort him.
Cooper is happy for 5 minutes then gets fussy again.
Nice Mom tries to console him.
Changing positions...up on my chest, cradled in arms, football hold facing out front.
Nothing works.
Screams get louder.
And louder.
Nice Mom leaves soccer game to walk the parking lot in hopes of making Cooper feel better.
It. Did. NOT. Work.
Screams get louder and now "vibrating" because he's so mad.
Game is now over - Mean Mom (Me) didn't see Trevor play 1/2 the game.
Nice Mom takes screaming child back to where we were sitting to collect our things.
Cooper goes back in car seat...still screaming.
Walking to the van Cooper is starting to settle down.
Get home, take him out of the car seat.
And this is what we have now.
Lesson learned (again).... Mom, stop trying to be nice and just Leave. Me. Alone!
And after typing this post...we now have this.
Once again... Just. Leave. Me. Alone!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
What I Did (& Didn't Do) Today
Today was a day that will not earn me the Housewife of the Year Award
however....
it will earn me the Cherishing My Children Today Award
So. Instead of taking care of this
or taking care of this
or finishing up the chore of folding this
I decided that I wanted to look at this
little ear
and this
hair line
and this
noonie that fits perfectly below this nose
and these
little toes
and this
cute mouth
and these
tiny fingers
and finally this
peaceful, precious, little face of Cooper Davis
Not a very productive day, but one that I will never consider wasted!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Are YOU Ready...
For some football???
Kick-off of the NFL season TONIGHT with the Green Bay Packers.
Cooper and I are ready!
And the other two boys have their jerseys laying on the bed - waiting to be put on as soon as they get home from school.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
I Didn't Realize
I didn't realize just how much I have missed doing certain things these past 6 weeks while I was on "doctor's orders" to not do a whole lot while my c-section has been healing. Those first couple of weeks, I never mind not doing much at all, but once I start feeling better and feeling more like myself, it's hard to remember that I can't do certain things.
So, this past week I was "released" to be myself again. The 6-week post partum appointment went well and she said I am a-ok to go back to normal activity! YAY!!! And now, I have realized how much I've missed certain things (or took them for granted that I could always do them on my own and by myself without having to ask someone for help). These things include, but are definitely not limited to the following:
So, this past week I was "released" to be myself again. The 6-week post partum appointment went well and she said I am a-ok to go back to normal activity! YAY!!! And now, I have realized how much I've missed certain things (or took them for granted that I could always do them on my own and by myself without having to ask someone for help). These things include, but are definitely not limited to the following:
- emptying the dehumidifier bucket
- picking up Trevor (he was very excited that I could finally pick him up again)
- pulling out weeds - you know, those really stuck in the ground type that you need a little umpf to actually pull out
- vacuuming
- going into the pool
- putting the garbage cans out on the curb
- sit-ups... the regular kind
- cleaning/scrubbing the shower floor
- throwing the football with some pizazz to Ethan
- playing tennis with Trevor
- and the list goes on and on...
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
My Baby....
This is my baby for now and man do I love this kid!!
(although you can get a glimpse of the "new baby" that will turn this house upside down).
(although you can get a glimpse of the "new baby" that will turn this house upside down).
To My Boys
Dear Ethan & Trevor -
In just a couple of days your life will change once again - just like it will for Daddy and I - as we bring another little person into our family. For almost 5 years it has been just been the four of us and I wanted to take some time to tell you a few things before our lives, as we know them, change.
First, and most importantly, and if you read nothing else of this post, read the next sentence. I love you more than words can ever express and nothing, NOTHING can change that. You are my babies and no one will ever change that!
You two are such a joy to have around and make me laugh each and every day!! Ethan, I love your determination to do things perfectly, your ability to laugh at the drop of a hat, and your outgoing personality. Trevor, I love your belly laugh (it is absolutely contagious). I love your sensitivity towards others and animals, and your tenacity when you put your mind to something. Both of you are your own person and I love that about you, yet at the same time, you can do so many things together, as brothers and as friends. Daddy and I hope that the friendship you share now only continues to grow as the years pass and you get older. There is nothing better than a good relationship with your siblings and so we hope and pray that you continue to love, respect and enjoy each other as you do now (most of the time anyway).
Now, once your little brother or sister is born, it may seem that the time we spend together changes. And it will for a little bit, but know that the love I have for you will not change one bit. Mom and Dad have so much love in our hearts and this new brother or sister will put even more love in our lives. Ethan you are already a big brother so you know the drill of being a big helper, but Trevor, you will now learn what it's like to be a big brother, too. And I have no doubt that both of you will do a fantastic job of being a big brother to this new little person.
You both give me a reason to get up and be a better person each day. I love, absolutely love, being your mom. You make me smile. You make me laugh. You allow me to love unconditionally. Your smiles warm my heart! You teach me to take things slower. You teach me to cherish the simple things in life. I love watching you learn. I love watching you play. I love watching you grow into loving, caring boys. I love hearing you giggle. I love seeing the peacefulness you have when you're sleeping. I love your tenderness, your compassion, your loving spirits. Plain and simple - I love you both!
The minute you entered my life, you had my heart wrapped around your little finger, much like this new little baby will. But have no fear, I have plenty of room in my heart for all of you! Thank you for being the wonderful little boys you are, and thank you for being the wonderful big brothers that I know you WILL be very soon!
I love you,
Mom
In just a couple of days your life will change once again - just like it will for Daddy and I - as we bring another little person into our family. For almost 5 years it has been just been the four of us and I wanted to take some time to tell you a few things before our lives, as we know them, change.
First, and most importantly, and if you read nothing else of this post, read the next sentence. I love you more than words can ever express and nothing, NOTHING can change that. You are my babies and no one will ever change that!
You two are such a joy to have around and make me laugh each and every day!! Ethan, I love your determination to do things perfectly, your ability to laugh at the drop of a hat, and your outgoing personality. Trevor, I love your belly laugh (it is absolutely contagious). I love your sensitivity towards others and animals, and your tenacity when you put your mind to something. Both of you are your own person and I love that about you, yet at the same time, you can do so many things together, as brothers and as friends. Daddy and I hope that the friendship you share now only continues to grow as the years pass and you get older. There is nothing better than a good relationship with your siblings and so we hope and pray that you continue to love, respect and enjoy each other as you do now (most of the time anyway).
Now, once your little brother or sister is born, it may seem that the time we spend together changes. And it will for a little bit, but know that the love I have for you will not change one bit. Mom and Dad have so much love in our hearts and this new brother or sister will put even more love in our lives. Ethan you are already a big brother so you know the drill of being a big helper, but Trevor, you will now learn what it's like to be a big brother, too. And I have no doubt that both of you will do a fantastic job of being a big brother to this new little person.
You both give me a reason to get up and be a better person each day. I love, absolutely love, being your mom. You make me smile. You make me laugh. You allow me to love unconditionally. Your smiles warm my heart! You teach me to take things slower. You teach me to cherish the simple things in life. I love watching you learn. I love watching you play. I love watching you grow into loving, caring boys. I love hearing you giggle. I love seeing the peacefulness you have when you're sleeping. I love your tenderness, your compassion, your loving spirits. Plain and simple - I love you both!
The minute you entered my life, you had my heart wrapped around your little finger, much like this new little baby will. But have no fear, I have plenty of room in my heart for all of you! Thank you for being the wonderful little boys you are, and thank you for being the wonderful big brothers that I know you WILL be very soon!
I love you,
Mom
Friday, May 20, 2011
thoughts for the day
I am just going to have a brain dump on here while the boys are playing nicely in the bathtub.... don't mind me, just need to put some stuff down on "paper" in order to get it out of my head for a bit. I am doing just fine, so don't worry. As I am getting further along in this pregnancy, these are just some of the things that I have had more time to think about since I take my breaks during the day and many times just veg out during the evening hours....
~We have a 1st grader and a 4-k child. Where has the time gone. Trevor is so excited to go to school in the fall, but I am a bit sad about it. He's been my baby. At home with me most of the time since he's been born... I'm going to miss that little stinker!
~When I decide to go back to work, what am I going to do?
~Holy man... did we do the right thing with #3? (not that we have any way to go back now ;o) ) I am so very excited about it, but at the same time, I am so nervous. We are going back to square one with an infant again. Am I going to love it as much as I think I am? Will I still be a good mom to Ethan and Trevor even though I have another little person to take care of? And will I still be a good wife? Rick and I are in a pretty good place right now with our relationship... will this addition mess with that dynamic? Will I be able to keep my cool when it's been a long day with a crying baby and two older ones that are crabby? I want to.... as I don't want to hand off 3 kids to my hubby as he walks in the door from work, but how will I handle those days when I'm tired, the kids are crabby and I am at the end of my rope?
~Will we ever be close to family again? Lately I have really missed being by family. It's not that I cry about it or am sad every day about it, but I see things on email/facebook or hear from people on the phone about how members of my family are going to get together to do this or that and it makes me want to be there. I want to be able to take a quick drive to see them. To go to a niece or nephews sporting or school event. To just hang out for a couple hours, etc. And I feel like my kids are missing out on spending time with their cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents. That is time we will never get back and they are at such a fun age for being silly around family and for building those relationships with everyone right now. How long will it be before we get to have the luxury of being close to them again?
~ What are we going to name this newest member of our family? Will the boys adjust as well as I think they will or will they go through a difficult transition period?
~ How can I save our family more $$ on a monthly basis? Or how can I make some extra $$ for our family by doing something simple (something online, making something that others want (that is easy to do), etc). I really want to find something that helps "contribute" to our family in a monetary sense.
~ I miss my friends that are back home too. Even though I have some wonderful friends here, there's something about the "old friends" that have known you for longer than a year or two.
~How long will it take me to lose this baby weight that I am putting on? I pray that it comes off as easily as the other two did...
Ok - the boys are done in the tub so I am done with my brain dump. Not that I have accomplished anything by putting it on here, but sometimes it's just good to let it all go and get it out of your head. ;o)
Happy Friday, Everyone!
~We have a 1st grader and a 4-k child. Where has the time gone. Trevor is so excited to go to school in the fall, but I am a bit sad about it. He's been my baby. At home with me most of the time since he's been born... I'm going to miss that little stinker!
~When I decide to go back to work, what am I going to do?
~Holy man... did we do the right thing with #3? (not that we have any way to go back now ;o) ) I am so very excited about it, but at the same time, I am so nervous. We are going back to square one with an infant again. Am I going to love it as much as I think I am? Will I still be a good mom to Ethan and Trevor even though I have another little person to take care of? And will I still be a good wife? Rick and I are in a pretty good place right now with our relationship... will this addition mess with that dynamic? Will I be able to keep my cool when it's been a long day with a crying baby and two older ones that are crabby? I want to.... as I don't want to hand off 3 kids to my hubby as he walks in the door from work, but how will I handle those days when I'm tired, the kids are crabby and I am at the end of my rope?
~Will we ever be close to family again? Lately I have really missed being by family. It's not that I cry about it or am sad every day about it, but I see things on email/facebook or hear from people on the phone about how members of my family are going to get together to do this or that and it makes me want to be there. I want to be able to take a quick drive to see them. To go to a niece or nephews sporting or school event. To just hang out for a couple hours, etc. And I feel like my kids are missing out on spending time with their cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents. That is time we will never get back and they are at such a fun age for being silly around family and for building those relationships with everyone right now. How long will it be before we get to have the luxury of being close to them again?
~ What are we going to name this newest member of our family? Will the boys adjust as well as I think they will or will they go through a difficult transition period?
~ How can I save our family more $$ on a monthly basis? Or how can I make some extra $$ for our family by doing something simple (something online, making something that others want (that is easy to do), etc). I really want to find something that helps "contribute" to our family in a monetary sense.
~ I miss my friends that are back home too. Even though I have some wonderful friends here, there's something about the "old friends" that have known you for longer than a year or two.
~How long will it take me to lose this baby weight that I am putting on? I pray that it comes off as easily as the other two did...
Ok - the boys are done in the tub so I am done with my brain dump. Not that I have accomplished anything by putting it on here, but sometimes it's just good to let it all go and get it out of your head. ;o)
Happy Friday, Everyone!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Changing It Up A Bit
After saying for a year (or more) that I needed to get new specs, I finally have them.
So, we changed from this...
to this...
Friday, March 18, 2011
Family Update
My blog posts lately have been a bit less than desirable in terms of how I like to communicate things and the types of things I like to communicate. So, I am going to give a quick - well, not really all that quick - update on everyone since the glimpses into our life and personalities have been lacking lately. I am hoping (still) to change this, but for now we'll just see what happens.
Ethan -
He's only 2 months away from being done with Kindergarten, and he is still loving it. He enjoys reading and we are so proud of him and how well he is doing. He can read higher level books and loves the challenge of them. In terms of academics, the one thing he loves more than reading is Math. He LOVES math. (oh and how happy that makes the his two "engineer" parents!)
He is also becoming "too big for his britches" on some days. You know, that sweet innocent kid that all of a sudden has his body and mouth taken over by some aliens that are looming in the air. The snotty-ness and sassiness comes out and you wonder where in the world they get it from. There have been a number of those days lately and they have resulted in early bed times, taking away of the Wii privilege, etc. Hopefully this is just a phase and the sweet boy that we know and love will be present on a regular basis once again.
He is still into each and every sport possible. We are at the beginning of spring soccer here and he is a bit nervous about the season. Prior to this season, he was in the Pee-wee division (4 and 5 year olds). this year, he is moved up to the Minors division which includes students that are 6, 7, and 8, I believe. He's not used to being the "little guy" on the team so it's a whole new ball game for him. Being the youngest. They now have goalies. Bigger field. Tougher competition. It will be fun to see him rise up to the challenge after he gets those first few little butterflies out of his system.
Here is a quick run down of adjectives that describe Ethan at this point in time (and by no means is this list all inclusive): inquisitive, sweet, kind, knows how to get away with things (so he thinks), loving, funny, smart, up for a challenge, athletic, helpful, always-on-the-go, gentle (with everyone but his brother), sensitive, competitive
Trevor -
Trev is doing well in his Preschool and looks forward to going each Tuesday and Thursday. He is also very excited to be signed up and already in a Pre-K class for next year at the same school as his big brother. He has been ready to attend there (in his mind anyway) since last year so hopefully next year will be a lot of fun for him. It will definitely be a switch for him being in school ALL day EVERY day (oh and it'll be just a little switch for me), but hopefully we'll get through that first tough month of adjustment and all will go smoothly after that. He has taken a liking to coloring "nicely" rather than scribbling, he enjoys doing activities with his letters/numbers and can recite all the letters, their sounds, and has finally caught onto how things rhyme.
Some things we are still working on (and this is more because of his stubbornness than anything) are getting dressed by himself, putting his shoes on by himself, and covering himself up at night when he wakes up. For Ethan, these things seemed to "just happen", however, with Trevor it's been a bit more of a struggle. But we're getting there....slowly, but surely. Did I mention we're getting there SLOWLY??
This spring season, Trev is finally old enough to play soccer here. He is SO EXCITED!!! It's been a long time that he had to just sit and watch Ethan, but this season will be different. He is on his own Pee-Wee team and will have to learn the rules of the game. It will be interesting to see how he does. Being the "little brother" some days he is very in-your-face competitive and other days we hear a lot of "awwweee... he took the ball from me" or "he won't give the ball back to me...." type of comments. It'll be interesting to see how things play out when he is on the field and doesn't always get the ball. Either way, it'll just be fun to see him out there running and having fun (I hope) with the other kids his age.
And the list of descriptions to hit a bit on Trevor's personality at this point: cuddly, humorous, instigating, faithful, caring, determined, competitive, sweet, loving, whiny, picky eater (at dinner time only), interested in what bigger kid are doing, imaginative, smart (even though he likes to "pretend" he doesn't know the answers), compassionate
Rick
Well, I can't really say that Rick is changing all that much.... you know they tell us women not to expect to change them after we marry them. And for the most part, that is correct. No changing going on around here - he still likes to know where the money is going, still hates to do the dishes, and even more so hates to dust - nothings changed there! ;o) But some other things are still the same and I am thankful for that. Rick is still very much enjoying his job. He takes pride in doing a good job and strives to continue doing that. (and I thank him from the bottom of my heart since he is giving us the life we have right now - allowing me to stay home with the boys, a wonderful home that is filled with love from all of us.)
He is enjoying time with the boys and their faces just light up when they get to spend the time with him. As an extra special treat this spring, Rick is helping coach both Trevor and Ethan's soccer teams. He is excited to do something "non-work related" and the boys are ecstatic that Daddy will be at every practice with them! Since neither Rick nor I ever played soccer except when we were forced to in PE class, it is a learning experience from him. But the head coach of the teams is fantastic at the sport and with the kids so it will be a great person to learn from this season.
Amidst being a hard worker, a wonderful father and amazing husband Rick is trying to fit in time for exercise as well. The challenge of making it a routine, just finding the time to do it, and making it happen has been a struggle. However, hopefully with the warmer weather on it's way it'll somehow work itself out and he'll be on his way to a routine again.
And this just in so that you can see what Rick really does while he's at work...
(it was perfect timing for him to send me these pictures as I was writing this post) 
(ok ok ok.... I have to admit, I think it's a pretty cool thing that they do. Each year for Dr. Seuss's birthday, individuals from the leadership team of their company take time out to read stories to local school children of all ages. Some in grade school, some just in preschool or younger. This year Rick had a group of youngsters that were not even in school yet - 2 maybe 3 at the most. He enjoyed it and loved seeing their reaction and how they tried to repeat certain words and animal/object sounds. Can't say he was overly thrilled with being sneezed and "snotted" on, but hey, that comes with the territory. It's a great activity that their company allows and encourages them to do in the community!)Angie
Me, well, that's a bit harder to write about. You know, it's always easier to write about others than it is yourself. But I'll give you the point blank run down of what's going on with me. No added adjectives to make myself feel better or worse about myself ;o) So me - I'm growing. Unfortunately, not height-wise. I gave up on that fantasy many years ago. But my belly is growing, growing, growing. (Be on the look out for belly pictures - I have decided that if I don't put them on here, they will just be lost in "picture space" never to be seen again). I am officially 24 weeks and some odd days pregnant. I am loving it, like I did with the other two, however, I am not absolutely loving the "getting bigger" part this time around. But I am feeling good so I am not going to complain. (enough about the pregnancy - that I'll leave for a different post).
The boys deliver me my frustrated days; however, I am doing a better job of taking a step back, taking a deep breath (or maybe 10) and then reacting to whatever is going on. I am enjoying the little things with them - playing board games, coloring, doing workbooks/homework, just sitting and watching a cartoon or part of a movie, acting silly, and just being there to spend time with them.
(At this exact moment I just had a conversation with Trevor about how Ethan can make farting noises with his hands. Trevor thinks this is the coolest thing and was telling me all about it. You see, it's those type of moments that instead of saying, "oh Trevor, that's not nice to do", I'm sitting here laughing with him and telling him how silly it is when Ethan does that.)
This winter, I loved the snow! We got a bunch of it and it was so fun to be outside with the kids in it. However, I'll admit, I am SO READY for the warm, summer weather! My body might not be ready for a swimsuit, but I don't care. (that might change when I actually go to put on that swimsuit, but at this precise moment I am saying, "bring on the swimsuits".) I am ready for warmth, shorts, tank tops, and yes, even time at the pool. I know that time will be cut short with the baby due in July, but I want to enjoy it while I can and plan to do just that! So that we can visit the pool frequently this summer, I am trying to get better at my cleaning routine. It doesn't always work, but I'm getting there. Floors are getting vacuumed on a regular basis. Things are getting dusted on a regular basis. I'm more on top of my laundry piles than I have been in the past. My menus are getting completed ahead of time.
All in all, our family is doing very well. We are still trying to find our "niche" here in our town so that we have things to keep us busy, but overall we are liking it here and have met some great people along the way. The smaller towns are a blessing in some ways and a bit more difficult to get used to in others. With the warmer weather will come more opportunities to do different things and that we are looking forward to once again!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
No More Bed!
Around these parts, we figure that if we don't use something, why keep it! Right?!? (Actually, Rick is wishing that was my philosophy - we'd have a lot less junk sitting in our basement right now!!) Anyway, since Ethan didn't sleep in his bed for more than a couple hours between Thursday and Sunday of last week, we figured we should just get rid of it. ;o) Ok, maybe we didn't act that quickly, but like I said, we'd have a lot less junk if I did.
The poor kid, started with a fever on Tuesday as I picked him up early from school. He slept Tuesday afternoon and all was good Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. So off to school I sent him on Wednesday. That afternoon I got another call that his fever had spiked back up. So, home again we came. But there was nothing other than the fever. Just a high (102-104 degree) fever that wouldn't stay down. I kept him home Thursday just to be safe and that day he started with a stuffy nose and a little cough. The congestion got worse and so did the cough that decided to accompany all the drainage he had going on. He would lay down and would be alright for about an hour or so and then his cough would start. And it wouldn't stop! It. Just. Would. Not. Stop. Rick or I ended up bringing him out to the couch in the living room to see if we could get him relaxed enough to stop that cough. Thankfully, after some time it worked and he was able to fall asleep. And this is how he spent the rest of his evenings.
Thankfully, on Sunday night he was able to stay in his bed the whole night with just a little bit of coughing. I hope we don't have any more nights like that for quite some time. It's terrible to try every method of "helping" your child (humidifier, cough medicine, inhaler, taking a drink of water, etc) and not be able to do anything. Anything, that is, except sit with them, rub their back and try to get them to relax enough that they can catch a good breathing breath and calm their coughing fit.
The poor kid, started with a fever on Tuesday as I picked him up early from school. He slept Tuesday afternoon and all was good Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. So off to school I sent him on Wednesday. That afternoon I got another call that his fever had spiked back up. So, home again we came. But there was nothing other than the fever. Just a high (102-104 degree) fever that wouldn't stay down. I kept him home Thursday just to be safe and that day he started with a stuffy nose and a little cough. The congestion got worse and so did the cough that decided to accompany all the drainage he had going on. He would lay down and would be alright for about an hour or so and then his cough would start. And it wouldn't stop! It. Just. Would. Not. Stop. Rick or I ended up bringing him out to the couch in the living room to see if we could get him relaxed enough to stop that cough. Thankfully, after some time it worked and he was able to fall asleep. And this is how he spent the rest of his evenings.
Unfortunately, the first night or two he didn't want us to leave him on the couch so I stayed out there with him longer than I probably needed too, but by night 3, he was a-ok with us getting him calmed down, covered up and then retiring to our bed for the rest of the evening.
Thankfully, on Sunday night he was able to stay in his bed the whole night with just a little bit of coughing. I hope we don't have any more nights like that for quite some time. It's terrible to try every method of "helping" your child (humidifier, cough medicine, inhaler, taking a drink of water, etc) and not be able to do anything. Anything, that is, except sit with them, rub their back and try to get them to relax enough that they can catch a good breathing breath and calm their coughing fit.
Monday, February 21, 2011
I Gotta Feeling....
.....that tonight's gonna be a good night....
No not really - it'll be just a normal night around our house. But I do have a feeling today.
The feeling of our baby kicking away!
Until today, I've only had a few random movements that I would classify as "kicks" and then they disappear. Not to be felt again for days. But today, it was a good 10-15 minute stretch of pushes, kicks and movements.
What a feeling....
I sat still in the chair. Didn't move a muscle. Just enjoyed the feeling.
Starting to Catch Up
On my blog.... well, I am doing a little better on that, but that's not what I'm referring too. Yesterday, I was able to take a good chunk of time (thanks Rick, for entertaining the boys with the Daytona 500 Race and the Wii) and organize some of my 2009 pictures. Yes, that's what I said, 2009. I have them all separated by month; however, I needed to delete the ones I really didn't need. (and did you know that it's much easier to delete random, not the cutest-of-the-cute pictures that you don't really remember where they are from when it's 2 years old already). Well, I was able to delete a bunch from my Jan-April pictures and then name them all! Now those 4 months are ready to be backed up and deleted off the computer -- only to make room for more recent ones that need to be gone through and named.
It's really a never ending battle, but I feel good that I got 4 months done in one shot yesterday. Hopefully since today is a rainy day, I can get a couple more months done!
And once that project is done, then I get to start back in on my collages that I started way long ago and try to catch up on those. All the while, my blog will probably suffer and not be updated as often as it should. And then... you guessed it...I'll have to catch up on that! Oh - the circles I go in to keep these things up.
It's really a never ending battle, but I feel good that I got 4 months done in one shot yesterday. Hopefully since today is a rainy day, I can get a couple more months done!
And once that project is done, then I get to start back in on my collages that I started way long ago and try to catch up on those. All the while, my blog will probably suffer and not be updated as often as it should. And then... you guessed it...I'll have to catch up on that! Oh - the circles I go in to keep these things up.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Wonderful Sound...
Saturday Rick and I heard a wonderful "new" sound.
It was a sound of very quick tempo.
So quick it was hard to keep up.
According to the "metronome" that was used it was 178 beats per minute.
Can you imagine that?
Not quite sure how we're going to keep up with that one,
but I think it'll slow down a just a bit over the next few months...
just like I will.
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