Cookies, cookies, and more cookies

Well after 2 days of measuring, mixing, baking, and cleaning I now have 200+ cookies sitting in my freezer. The funny part? I still have three batches in the fridge and four other recipes still to make up. This doesn't even include the bread!!! Gotta tell ya'......... I am beat.

I am very thankful to Tony who has kept the boys busy during this marathon of flour-flinging. David helped decorate some of the cookies & sampled several, as well. Joshua mainly drooled all over himself & demanded some time at the "mommy-tap" between recipes.

Tony works a mid-shift tomorrow, so no baking. However, with him here in the morning both Thursday & Friday I "should" be able to finish up. Next hurdle is the shopping for gifts.

Catching up

So the past few days have been "fun". We have been passing around a little bit of a cold, Joshua has officially cut his first 3 teeth (all at once), and we have been doing more holiday prep. Whenever David has been up to it we have done some art projects. Here is a sampling of what we have been up to:





The next two days will be cookie days...... so "regular" art will be on hold. However, cookie "art" will be plentiful.

Painting is fun.... but only if you're messy!

We did hand prints today. I am planning another project later that needs handprints so this was our "practice" session. I gave David two trays of paint & some paper. All I have to say is thank goodness for washable paints & old play clothes!! I was scrubbing paint off the table, chair, and Joshua's head. Then David decided he was done so he wiped his hand off on his shirt and pants.

Enjoy the pics!

Busy Sunday

Well..... we had a busy day yesterday so I wasn't able to get this posted. David painted some new ornaments for the tree & had fun wearing my shirt while he did it. I am finding that in doing all the crafts I am remembering loads of fun projects we did as kids. It is like a little walk down memory lane.

Here is the little Rembrandt in action:




And of course we need a candid or two:

Then he was all worn out after our busy morning. This is how he watched Rudolph:

Sugar Break!

Well, since it was snowing today we opted to bake cookies for our holiday project. Kept things REALLY simple..... Chocolate Chip Cookies. I made up the batter while he napped but let him help me stir in the chocolate chips. He enjoyed tasting the chips as much as the helping. Then I scooped the cookies onto the baking sheets & let him decorate them with colored sugar. He had a blast with that part. Then after they were baked he enjoyed the fruits of his labors by having a cookie & a cup of milk. Not a bad way to spend a snowy afternoon.

Here is the little artist in action (By the way..... please ignore my messy counters):

Here is his later work:

Then the reward!!!!

Fun with glue

So we ran some errands with the boys today. This resulted in a need for an easy art project this afternoon. We let David decorate one of those little $2 stockings with stickers & puff balls. He had a blast.



We ended up taking the kids pre-Christmas shopping. This was a chance for us to see what things made them light up. Nice to still be in the age bracket where no matter what we get them (or in what quantity) they will be thrilled. It is our hope to always have it be this way.

Fun with stickers

Today's holiday art was to decorate Christmas trees. I pre-made 4 trees out of paper & let David have total control over the foam stickers to decorate. He lost steam after only 2..... but that just means I have some back-up for a future day. He loves using those stickers & they were worth every penny. Joshua made sure to check out all the action to make sure we stayed on task.

The trees:


The sleepy artist:


The observer:


Daddy will be home tomorrow so maybe we will do a family project!

Day 2 of Christmas Countdown

Today's theme was Santa in all his puffy-cotton glory. We worked on him together (the whole gluing thing can be difficult at times) but David did most of it. Then it was on to free-painting with Daddy. David actually was begging to start "art" today. Maybe this is a better idea than I first had hoped!

Our project:


The painting buddies:

25 Days of Christmas!!!

Okay, so I am an admitted Christmas lover. I decorate every room in the house & the tree is up before Thanksgiving. (I would put it up as early as the day after Halloween..... but Tony wouldn't agree!) My mania is now extending to my art supply box.

Now that David is getting into art projects, it is my goal to have a new craft for him every day leading up to Christmas. They may not all be huge ones..... but they will all be holiday-themed. I am hoping to build up excitement for the big event and also have a way to distract him every single day!

Today's theme was snowmen. I pre-made all the parts for a Frosty and gathered extra supplies for a free-form project. David was allowed to use the glue (always a hit with him) and we worked together to make the first project. Then I turned over the extra supplies & the glue to let him have fun.

Here are our results:




Stay tuned for more toddler art all month long!

In honor of.......

the last day of November, how about a little thankfulness?

I am thankful for my two beautiful boys. They keep me going in the rough times, make me want to be a better person, and light up my life.

I am thankful for my hubby. He may not be perfect..... but we seem to work well together. I love how we seem to balance each other out & fill in those spots or needs the other person has.

I am thankful for family. They may drive me crazy at times but they are the fabric that binds us all together & they helped shape who I am today.

I am thankful for friends. They help remind me to laugh & give me a shoulder in times of need.

I am thankful for my life. It is hectic & has ups & downs ............ but it wonderful in its complexity.

Now bring on Christmas!!!!!!!!

Trying Some New Things

It is good for everyone to try new things from time to time. My new thing this week is trying to remember to take a deep breath & count to 10 whenever David starts to test his boundaries. I know a lot of it is normal toddler stuff & will pass in time. It is my job to help him learn those boundaries & set up the idea that there are consequences in life for our behaviors. That is a big job. Almost overwhelming at times.

Joshua is continuing to make great strides on the eating front. He loves to feed himself little bits of food and gets mad if he is not allowed to eat everything he finds! Thank goodness for vacuum cleaners. I am going to have to start running it twice a day to stay ahead of him. He is better than one of those robo-vacuums!

Proactive Approach

So today I tried the proactive approach with David. Whenever I saw him heading down that path of wanting to throw a fit I tried to redirect him.

Example: Joshua was asleep during dinner so David got one-on-one time for his meal. However, when Joshua woke up, David was not ready to share the spotlight. Instead of waiting for the "bad" behavior to come I instead got him focused on being my helper. It was his job to tell Joshua to open up for the yummy food & he got to pick what item of food we fed to Joshua next. He got so wrapped up in being a little "cheerleader" that he forgot to be upset. I kept telling him what a good job he did at helping me feed Joshua & he started doing his happy dance every time Joshua would pick up his own food & eat it with a grin.

This may not always work. It certainly took more effort to be creative on the fly & more aware of the early warning signs. However, I am all for any technique that rewards the good instead of having to punish the bad.

learning each day

As the mom of two little boys (and trying to conceive baby #3) I am all about learning new things that will help us out. Our big eye-opener this holiday?? How cheap turkey is! We have bought 2 turkeys so far & spent less than $11 total. Those two birds will cover so many meals I feel like I won the food lottery here. Now we are stock-piling recipes for turkey leftovers. New this season was a turkey & wild rice casserole (made with leftover veggies already in the house) and a turkey chili. Mmmm. The boys love it. Thank goodness.

We are battling the "terrible two's" in force here. David's new thing is to hit us if we say no to him. We decided to give time-outs a real go but they just don't always seem to work. Now we are looking for new ways to curtail the hitting before it gets out of hand. Updates to follow as we try each technique.

Dear reader....

I apologize for the long delay in updates. We have been rather busy with the boys & life in general. Both boys are cutting teeth and Joshua is fighting sleep training. This combination has left mommy worn out.

On the light side...... Joshua has become a fabulous eater & is getting really good at climbing. He is getting quite vocal but still has no "real" words. David is getting more excited about the concept of Christmas this year. He seems to get the idea that presents are coming.....just can't get the "why" of it all.

Tony & I celebrated our 3rd anniversary. Well, he worked that night & I went to bed alone..... but we talked on the phone & he brought me flowers the next day. Such is life with little extra money & two little ones at home!

We are on cycle 2 of charting for TTC#3. I have this gut feeling that we will not be getting our BFP (Big Fat Positive) this year. I say that because with his crazy schedule & the kids keeping me busy to the point of exhaustion we find precious little time to "Try" in the TTC equation. We have left it up to time & God. When it is right it will just happen.

Hoping to get back with updates more regularly. Now we have Christmas & Joshua's 1st birthday to plan! Theme for the birthday has been decided: Frosty the Snowman. Joshua loves the stuffed snowman we have almost as much as he loves chewing on his own feet.

Giving over the reigns

Well, sort of. Joshua is going through an independent streak & doesn't want to hold still for a full meal. Since we are trying to make up for lost ground in getting him switched off of puree I let him have the reigns today. I put a dollop of sweet potato, a bit of broccoli, and a scoop of baby spaghetti onto a plate & let him have at it. This kid must have thought he just won the lottery. I was able to slip in a few spoonfuls between fist-fulls and I am pretty sure he ate a good meal. Just wish I had the camera handy. He was orange from hairline to nipples!

Made a list today of my winter clothes needs for the kids as I am off to the consignment sale tomorrow night. Daddy is staying at home with the boys so I can take my time & really shop. I will be getting home in time to give Joshua his final feeding. I am actually looking forward to this. Will be my first trip without at least one child in tow. Hoping to find some deals...... David needs a whole new wardrobe!

Return to the simple

In past years I have watched as the bounty under the family Christmas tree has grown. It has grown because the size of the "family" has grown with marriages and births. It has grown as all of us got better paying jobs & had more to spend come the holidays. It got so bad the year after David was born that we couldn't all fit in my parents' living room until some of the loot had been removed first.

Last year with Joshua on the way & the economy not being the best we all agreed to only buy presents for the kids and that all adult gifts must be a "make-it-or-bake-it" gift. Let me tell you, it was the most touching Christmas yet. Mom made me a tree skirt for my tree that she had been promising for years. I was able to knit a scarf for Tony. I baked goodies for my in-laws and my sister's family. They were thrilled because none of them had the time to make those "special" holiday treats.

I have decided that this year will be the same. I don't think my boys need 10,000 new toys. They don't even play with all the ones they have. We are going to donate some to a local charity to give to others. I have started my knitting and have picked out some other projects to tackle, as well. I am practicing my bread making so that everyone can get home-made loaves of bread for their Christmas dinners.

Maybe it is hokey or old-fashioned...... but I love the idea of less-is-more and really treasuring the things you do receive.

The fun things mommies & daddies do

Did you ever wonder what your parents did after you went to bed at night? I remember going through a phase where I swore my parents must be having a blast without me. Why else would they want me in bed? They were doing FUN things!

Fast forward to now. When Tony & I put the kids to bed we usually just crash on the sofa & watch grown-up TV off the DVR. Sometimes we sit & talk. Sometimes we catch up on cleaning. Sadly, the most common thing we do is go to bed early! There are many times when we are turning out the lights before 9pm.

Oh, occasionally we will engage in some "couple's fun" ........ but that, too, is usually short, sweet, and followed by sleep. It is a rare treat to have one of those pre-kid nights.

So, mystery solved. Mom & Dad got us into bed so that they could have some peace & quiet.

The things toddler's like

...or dislike, as it were! David is probably the only toddler I know who doesn't like mac & cheese or hamburgers. He will, however, eat anchovies and likes to try asparagus, tomatoes, and anything Daddy eats. I guess this is a good thing.

We are in the midst of the "Terrible Two's" around here. David's favorite word is "No" and he refuses to do anything we want him to do. We are learning to deal with it, though. We let him sit in front of his dinner without forcing or bribing. If he eats what is put on his plate he gets loads of positive attention. If he refuses to even try it we just let him drink his milk. I used to freak out about this until I charted his food intake over an entire week & realized that he is getting a good mix of all the food groups..... just not all in one sitting.

Potty training is continuing to meet with success. He has had a few "misses" but always stops himself quickly & says, "Ooops!" before running to the potty. My mother says that this isn't fair & potty training shouldn't be this easy. I figure as long as we let it be self-directed why shouldn't it be easy? I am in no hurry to force him out of diapers. I just want him to continue to enjoy the process & his successes.

Now if only we could get him to teach his brother to nap...... *sigh* ....... the joys of recognizing your children are individuals, right?

Makin' use of the leftovers

Since Tony & I are still in an effort to cut back our out-going expenses I am trying to get even better about using up all our leftovers. I can't count the number of times I have had to throw stuff out in the past because it rotted in the back of the fridge without me knowing it was there.

But who really wants to eat the same thing 4 nights in a row??? To that end I have begun "re-purposing" meals. Thursday's baked ham dinner is Sunday's Macaroni & Cheese casserole (ham & peas mixed in). Friday's baked yams are Monday's Savory Potato Bake. This way I feel like I am getting more bang for my buck & we are cutting down on our waste.

My brag this week? We stocked up for the month this last Friday. (We will still need to get fresh veggies & dairy as needed, of course.) With shopping only sales & using coupons I got about $200 in groceries for just under $130!! Not bad. I even have basic menus planned out for the next 4 weeks.

Bring on the savings, baby! Mama is hunting for a bargain!

The illness merry-go-round

We have been fighting some sort of bug here for a little over 2 weeks. Tony came home with it first & was laid up for 2 days before he had to go back to work with it. The boys have been going in & out of it. I was the last to join the "fun" and am still feeling wiped at the end of every day. Yay. :P

As a result of all our lovely family sharing I have had zero energy to get on here & update. So some highlights:

1. Took the boys apple picking & had a blast. Now I get to start baking up a bushel of apples. Pie, anyone?
2. Got my flu shot finally & feel like my arm has been beaten up. The pediatrician's office is so over-booked for shots that I have no clue if I will be able to get Joshua's booster done. Still no idea what we will do about H1N1.
3. Finally got a visit from that "lovely" monthly gift. Now I can actually start charting and maybe plan when we will TTC #3.

And the biggest update of all...........

4. David went pee-pee on the big boy potty!!!!!! He has had several successes there & gets this big grin when he does it. I was so proud of him the first time & I still get tickled when he actually tells me he wants to try & then goes. We have had one "miss" and have not switched to underwear full time yet.... but we are making progress.

Now I am off to try & rest. This thing better leave us soon.

Pays off

I always heard that if you flirt with your hubby on the phone while he is at work it will pay off. Boy, does it ever!!!!! We had one of those nights that resembled our pre-kid days. Little bit tired today but sooooo worth it.

Boys are getting it easy today. I am still getting over this cold Tony brought home so they are getting juice, loads of TV time, and are being allowed to pull out all their toys to the LR rug.

Life is good today.

Looking Back

Ok, so I would never trade my life. I love my kids & my hubby. But lately I have been having the weirdest dreams. None of them are things I would do IRL.....but they still freak me out that I have them.

I am dreaming about ex-boyfriends. Some I haven't seen in AGES. I am not one to read a lot into dreams. Mostly I think they are just what your brain does when you have no good material to ponder. It still messes with me in the daylight hours, though. I usually tell my hubby I have these dreams. I feel guilty about having them even though I have no control over them.

*sigh* I guess I am just messed up. Hey, these guys are all ex-boyfriends for a reason, right? No use looking back. I am happy with my life. I guess it is just that old "What if?" popping up.

I need new dream material.

Baby steps

No, not those kind! We are making baby steps at getting Joshua to actually sleep through the night.

He sleeps in his crib from his final nursing (8pm) until about midnight. Then we move him to the pack-n-play in the living room when he wakes up screaming. I usually give him 5 minutes of screaming in the nursery before we go get him. Once he is moved we don't say a word just pat his butt a few times & then walk away. He then gets to cry himself out. The first night it took an hour for him to get there. Then it gradually got less. Now it takes about 20 minutes. I also am refusing to feed him if he wakes up before 3:30am.

Last night he woke up at 1am wet; but, a dry diaper was all he needed to go back to sleep. He stayed that way until Daddy left for work at 5:15am. I was thrilled!!!

Now if we can just get him to take a morning nap.........

Check-ups

Both boys went to the pedi today. I like getting both visits knocked out in one day. Sure makes life easier scheduling-wise!

David has grown like a weed and was such a big boy. He is now 36" tall and 27.8 pounds. He got two vaccines today & a finger stick for lead & anemia screenings. That kid shocked both Daddy & I by not even starting to cry. He let the doctor examine him without a fuss, too. Such a big boy! He got a brave patient ribbon, a cool band-aid, and picked out 2 stickers on the way out.

Joshua weighed in at 17 pounds and is 28.5" long now. He has fallen in weight gain to the 5% from the 15% . His height has also dropped from 80% to 50%. The doctor was not concerned today as Joshua has only recently started solids & he appears otherwise healthy. We go back in 3 months to see if he picks up some speed. This little guy got three vaccines today and seems fine now. He cried a little....but as soon as we were out of the exam room the tears dried up & out came the smiles. Such a flirt.

Still planning to do a lot of research on this H1N1 vaccine. I know it is not FDA approved for kids yet. Our pedi is taking a "wait-and-see" approach as well. They are not recommending it until they get further info. That was good to hear. Now I don't feel like I am just some paranoid mom. Guess we will all just have to take it slowly & hope for the best.

Busy little fall bees

The boys have been keeping me hopping. David is just starting to potty train. For now he is a little unsure of the potty seat on the toilet but will sit on it on the floor. He climbed up onto it while it was on the potty once by himself, though.... so we are just going slow. Joshua is into everything these days now that he is a full fledged crawler/cruiser. He seems to think that he can walk but never understands why the floor hits him in the face everytime he tries to follow David during playtime. I'm sure he will get it soon enough.

Pediatrician appointments are coming up for both boys so I will get to see how they are doing. Now that Joshua is happily eating anything we put in front of him I am a lot less worried about this visit. This kid loves table food. He will only accept "baby" food if we mix in a little of what we are having for dinner, too. Not an issue....saves money in the long run & that whole switching to "real" solids thing David had to do.

The Holy Grail

Well.....I bow to other mommies & their worlds of advice b/c Joshua is EATING!!!!!! It has been a full week since David's birthday of at leat 1 good meal & a not-too-shabby attempt at a 2nd everyday. He loves his veggies more than fruits and loves the savory bits he "steals" off our forks. The moment of triumph actually came from a comment made by "flip-flop mama" and the suggesstion of using a sippy of ice water. Whether it is the novelty of getting to drink from a big-boy cup or whether his gums are killing him from teething doesn't seem clear. However, he happily eats a full serving of food at dinner & even can be coaxed to try breakfast. Now maybe we will start getting better sleep & perhaps even a regular nap!!!

Oh, and now the two boys are bathing together. Loads of fun for them to splash the heck out of mommy. Bedtime routine goes sooooo much faster with only "one" bath. Plus the pics are too funny. So here are my men gettin' clean:


(I just can't ever get enough of cute bath pictures!)

My "baby" turned 2....

It was a long week of cleaning & prep work. I did a little at a time but by Sunday I was ready. David turned 2 on Sunday and we had all the family over for a party. He had a blast watching his 2 cousins & enjoyed his gifts. He was thrilled with chocolate birthday cake & fell asleep like a champ.

I am feeling a bit nostalgic....but so happy that he is growing up healthy & happy. Now for some indulgence:

The journey to turning 2:

and 2nd birthday:

Frustrated

Every 2 steps forward we take with Joshua I feel we take 1 back. We were making good progress on starting solids for a few days but now he cries as soon as he goes in the highchair. We had gotten him sleeping 6 hours in a row without a feeding and now he is at 3-4 maximum.

I am taking a deep breath here and pausing. I need to remember that eventually he will take solids. He won't still be on the boob when he goes off to college. I also need to remember that eventually this sleeping through the night thing will sink in.

I heard this morning that Toy-R-Us is doing a trade-in thing. Bring in used highchairs, cribs, and other big baby items and they will give you 20% off any new item. I think maybe we will take over our old stuff and see if we can get a new highchair for a fresh start. We shall see.

Big Crawler

Well, after weeks of this commando scoot, Joshua is officially crawling. He got up on his knees today & took off after Daddy & David. Of course an hour later he was trying to stand. I am so not ready for two on the loose!

I am enjoying watching the two of them navigate this whole "brother" thing. They love to play peek-a-boo and now Joshua loves to chase David. David likes to share....but I have to watch his "gifts" because they range from a stuffed animal, to a hard measuring cup, to a hunk of meat. Aaahhh, brotherly love is grand!

Two weeks.....

My "baby" turns 2 in two weeks. I still vivdly remember being preggo with him. I remember bringing him home & then everyone left to return to "real life" and I realized I was the mommy. I have grown a lot since those days but only enough to realize that I know so little & still have loads to learn.

Now to plan a little party. He is really into "boy" things right now. Dinosaurs, trucks, trains..... so we are thinking a cake made into a train engine. With money so tight we aren't hosting a big shindig but I want him to have fun. I think some colorful streamers, balloons, a yummy cake, and some fun presents will be fine. Would love to keep it just to a few people but if you invite some.... you must invite others. *sigh* Hopefully people will leave their personal drama at the door.

Just like the olden days

My mother & sister came & picked up David today for a play-date. They went to the pet store & then back to mom's house. He got to be the center of attention all day & even crashed over there for a 2+ hour nap.

I got to experience life with just one kiddo again for a day. Joshua and I played chase on the rug. He is getting so good at scooting around now. He kept trying to pull to standing, too. We had long conversations & I made him giggle until he was red-faced.

The problem? I had no idea what to do with myself when he would nap. My cleaning was done early. I couldn't relax enough to nap myself. I ended up playing on FB all day. Not a bad problem to have...... just funny. We are planning on David going back for an over-night soon. Hopefully I will handle that one better.

Night time is the right time

Last night we had our first "success"..... if you can call it that. Joshua fell asleep at 8 and woke up again at 10:30 for a feeding. He fell asleep again in his crib and made it until 3:15. When he woke up crying David also woke up so I went in to get Joshua out of the nursery and put him in the pack-n-play out in the living room. I patted him tummy until he was calm & then went to calm David back down & tuck him in again.

Joshua cried for about 30 minutes in several bursts with good silent stretches and then...... silence! Blessed, lovely, golden silence until 6:30am. I actually woke up first and got dressed thinking I must have missed hearing him. I tip-toed out to check on him & he was sound asleep! I was able to brew my coffee, pour David's milk, and get David out of bed all before Joshua made a peep. Then when he did wake up the two boys played until 7:30 breakfast.

Here is to future success!

My one true friend

I have had a slow cooker since my college days and it is my favorite kitchen appliance. I have learned to cook so many different things in it and will never be without one. My current one has been with me since before Tony & I were married almost 3 years ago and it just now getting a crack in it. We will save the insert as a planter.... but I will love getting a new model!

Today, for instance, I am making pot roast. I thawed out my meat last night & cut up my veggies this morning. I added my soup & water and walked away. Now I am free to play with the kids, clean other parts of the house, bake a peach pie, and put my feet up for a bit..... all the while knowing dinner is cooking away & will be ready in plenty of time.

My slow cooker ventures have included breakfasts, soups, roasts, stews, BBQ, chickens, and desserts. I make apple butter and applesauce in it every year. My butt was saved by it last week when we had an unexpected hospital trip. We got home that night tired & grumpy.... but there was dinner waiting for us.

I love my slow cooker.

The joys of "Flex Menus"

So in an effort to save money with me staying at home with the boys for now, we have gotten into meal planning. I know, "Ugh! How hard is that?" I used to look at people who had pre-planned their whole month of menus & think I could never be like that.

Truth is, I'm not!

Tony & I sit down once every week & look at the sales circulars for our 3 local markets. Then we take stock of what is in the freezer, fridge, and pantry. (This part is made easier by keeping a post-it pad on the fridge to jot down things as they run out) We plan "menus" based on what we have on hand & what is on sale, then go do our shopping. We stack coupons on top of sales and will even stop at all 3 markets, if the deals are right. We usually do 2 big trips per month and 2 small trips per month. The small trips are to stock up on perishables between big trips.

Our menus are "flex menus" because I have most of my ingredients on hand for 2 weeks of meals so I can pick what I feel like instead of being dictated to by some list I made one day when I was hungry. I usually try to stay at least one day ahead of myself for prep. This way I am not stuck at 5pm going, "I forgot to thaw anything out!"

Not a perfect plan.... but it works for us!

Tomorrow: My love affair with my slow cooker!

Manic Mondays???

Not anymore! I used to love Mondays when I was in school. (I was one of those goofy types who actually loved back-to-school time, too) Mondays were always a fresh start. It didn't matter how awful last week was, Monday was a chance to start over. Clean slate.

When I left school, Mondays became my worst enemy. They marked the start of a long work week and the end of a fun weekend. Work was never as enjoyable as school for me. I never woke up on time on Mondays. Never had a weekly plan. Never could focus on anything but how far away Friday afternoon was.

Then I became a Mommy. Now Mondays are my clean slate-day again. I start the week by getting my house in order & planning my week. I use the early morning hours to plan what we need to accomplish as a family. Mondays allow me to put whatever failed last week behind me & start fresh.

The only thing missing now is my back-to-school plaid jumper & a new backpack!

Living in my 15 minutes

I am a follower of the
FLYlady program and have been on-again-off-again about my routines since having Joshua. This past week I have really hunkered down & made an effort to stick by my routines. I have been getting my house under control in 15 minute bursts and am pleasantly surprised by my results.

I no longer feel in a panic if someone just drops by to see the kids. A sudden change in Tony's schedule no longer throws me off track. I am not perfect.... but I am learning that is okay, too. I am loving the freedom this builds into my day. I have more time for the kids and they are responding really well to the calm that is entering our home.

If you haven't checked it out I highly recommend it!

Froggy baby

Joshua has a bit of a frog in his throat since yesterday. No fever.... but he sounds so pitiful. I just hope it stays simple. I don't want both boys to get sick right at the end of summer!

He had a rash that was diagnosed as yeast/heat combo and I am lovin' the nurse practitioner who gave us a DIY recipe for the mega expesive cream she was prescribing. One day of this stuff and we are already seeing improvement.

Both boys are actually napping right now and all I can think about is having a glass of wine & reading a good book. *sigh* Someday I will get my drink on!

Making progress

Now that Joshua is taking solids we have gotten serious about sleep training. We have tried to train him before, to various degrees of success, but have always allowed him to backslide b/c he wasn't yet eating solids & I was worried about calorie intake.

Well. Night #1 he screamed & cried in 3 big shifts but slept 6 hours in a row after all the fuss. Last night (night #2) we heard about 30 minutes of crying and then nothing for 6.5 hours. I have faith that this is for his benefit & will get easier over time.

For now it is tough b/c of geography. The boys room-share but letting Joshua CIO (cry it out) for long periods of time wakes David up & then they keep each other going. So, we have the pack & play in the living room & let Joshua sleep out there for the CIO sessions. It is my hope that once we get him to the point where the initial crying lasts less than 5-10 minutes that he will be able to stay in his crib & David will sleep through it. We always let Joshua CIO in the room first....but get him after 10 minutes if it doesn't sound like he will go down. David has adjusted to this arrangement by sleeping with his shark blanket over his face.

We will make it!!!!

My love affair....

... with thrift stores has been going strong since I was a teenager. In high school thrift stores were a place to find funky clothes like bellbottoms or team logo shirts. In college our theater director turned me on to vintage thrift stores where treasures from the 30's & 40's were a steal.

Now I love to thrift store hunt for many things. I have outfitted my hubby with several Hawaiian shirts for work. He figures they make him wear collared shirts.....why not have fun with it??? I go to consignment sales 3x a year for my kids. This is like elite thrift store hunting! Only kids' items and all washed, properly labeled, and at FANTASTIC prices. For me.... I still go for vintage. I never go with any one item in mind but rather enjoy the exploration and eventual discovery of some artifact that will give my closet a boost. Recent discoveries include a cardigan for around the house, a cozy turtleneck for the holidays, and a vintage wool skirt.

I love me some thrift store hunting!!!!

Singing the praises......

....of oatmeal. I took the suggestion of a mommy friend & tried to mix oatmeal cereal with Joshua's food. 2 of her 4 kids were texture snobs & both would only eat the oatmeal over the rice. So we got a small box of oatmeal & cracked open a new container of squash than sat back with bated breath to watch the drama unfold.

Result? A happy 7 month old who ate a full tablespoon of food without coaxing & banged the highchair tray for more. I sat there in amazement waiting for him to say, "Just kidding!" and vomit it all back up but he kept it down & kept looking for more. At the end of that small serving I decided not to press my luck. He was looking around at other stuff & starting to wiggle more.

Miss Crystal...... you rock my socks. Thanks for the advice.

Joshua...... my reason for coffee

This little man is getting the best of me. Still not STTN (sleeping through the night) by any stretch of the imagination. 4 hours in a row seems to be a maximum. Still not taking solids for the most part. He will let me put them in his mouth but just rolls them around and eventually pushes them out with his tongue. I think he swallows very little. I love him.......but how I wish I could read his little brain!!

Game plan:
1. Try oatmeal cereal mixed with fruit and rice cereal mixed with veggies to entice our texture snob to eat.

2. Try to encourage self-soothing at bedtime in his crib rather than wait until he is asleep to move him there.

3. Pray David doesn't shoot me when Joshua cries at night & I have to let the tears flow for a bit.

4. Get an IV hook-up for coffee.

5. Get an IV drip of margaritas instead.

6. Scrap all my plans & just follow Joshua's lead.

We'll see how it goes!

Off my chest

I have to get this off my chest. I am still angry at my last boss who laid me off when I was 7 months preggo with David and my husband was laid up in the hospital. I know as a small organization they did not have to abide by FMLA so I had no guarantee of a job when I left to give birth..... but he laid me off over the phone when I left for a 4 day vacation so we could move into our new apartment. I used to put in 12+ hour days for that man and did way more than my job description entailed. I stayed there when they hemorrhaged staff each fall as students returned to school. I wrote 3 training manuals for them & fully updated their ordering system so that all inventory properly tracked in their computer system.

His lame excuse for letting me go??? Too much staff & not enough hours.... and "health" reasons. I know if I had been in a frame of mind to fight him the fact that he listed "health" reasons could have been to my advantage as my only "medical" condition was pregnancy. I was just hurt that after all I did for those people he had the nerve to lay me off that way.

*deep breath* I know I am better off. I was able to collect unemployment while in my last weeks of pregnancy & the weeks after David was born. I didn't have to commute 45+ minutes each way in August while 9 months preggo. Best of all........ I could stop playing babysitter to a man who would rather be anywhere than at his business.

Funny. Just typing that makes me feel better.

WWYD?

I am "friends" with my ex-boyfriend's kids on facebook. We were close while I was dating their father and it is nice to see them growing into young adults. I don't have any contact with my ex..... he called me once after David was born & sounded really upset to find out I was married & had a baby. Can't say I am hurt by that..... I never have been a big believer that exes can be friends.

I have noticed something on his daughter's profile that has me concerned. There are lots of posts hinting at partying & adult behavior. She is only 16. Now she has posted pics of her with cigarettes & beer. I know kids sometimes post things to make them seem like someone they are not.... but the images kinda make me wonder if her parents are aware of what she is posting.

Now I sit here wondering if I am stepping over a line to be worried & if I should try to contact her dad about it. *sigh* I sometimes hate being a grown-up.

Give peas a chance

We have had three "real" meals of peas!!! I end up scooping up about 50% of what I try to put into Joshua's mouth from his bib... but he swallowing the rest! We found two points with him that have helped.

1. Joshua loves texture. If it is pureed to the point of goo he won't open up. If it is paste or thicker, he is happy to try it.

2. Joshua loves to be in control. I hold the end of the spoon to help guide the contents to his mouth. He holds the part of the handle closest to his mouth & looks very proud of himself after each bite.

We are still learning.... but I am happy with our progress.
Next venture: pears!

The crazy life.

I remember when Tony & I would stay up until all hours of the night. We would order take-out or delivery. We would go out to restaurants. We would cook at home......but on a whim & whatever we felt like eating regardless of price. We bought movies & nice clothes. We would sleep until noon on our days off.

Fast forward to now. Up before 6am most days. Cook 90% of our meals at home after shopping the sales & clipping coupons. We buy at thrift stores & consignment sales. We don't know what a day off is.

Would I trade it? Not on your life. It is a crazy life. It is the most demanding job I have ever had. It is a total change of lifestyle.

It is the best thing that could have happened to us.

Starting slow.....

With solids, that is. We have decided to give solids another shot. We are aiming to start with just one meal per day but to have him at the table in his highchair as often as we sit down to eat. This way we get him trying to eat but also used to idea of sitting in the chair without being forced to do anything. Fingers are crossed!!!!

Had another great trip to the consignment sale. Spent $87 and got tons of early fall clothes for David, "new" toys, a double stroller, and some extra clothes for Joshua. At the rate that little monster is growing he will be able to fit all of David's old winter clothes (all 18 & 24 month sizes) in no time!! Looking forward to the next sale in October.

Finding a better rhythm

Since Joshua has not been a good sleeper in the day I have been racking my brain to remember what we did differently with David. Aside from the fact that he is a different child, and thus going to have different habits, the big difference I found was rhythm.

So starting today at those times of the day where Joshua seemed the most fussy (ie: already ate but still wanting to be held or he would cry) I just sat & rocked with him. I noticed rather quickly that he does want to drop off.... he just has his own time table for how he will do it. He took a 30 minute am nap and two back-to-back pm naps of 30 minutes each. Tomorrow we will try again.

Lesson learned: Mama don't know everything....... but she is willing to learn as long as her kids keep trying to be patient with her.

The amazing nap-less munchkin

See those tears!

Hear him cry!

See his red & blotchy face!

Hear him scream!

Joshua, the amazing baby who never naps longer than 15 minutes! Able to reduce a mom to tears in a single afternoon. Able to keep an older brother from having a quiet morning. Louder than a Sesame Street mix CD. Tougher than a parent's will-power.

Hurry! Tickets to this unbelievable spectacle are going fast! Space is limited! Reserve your seats now!
Call 1-800-CRY-BABY and speak with one of our exhausted customer service representatives today!

Waving the white flag.......

...........on solids for awhile. Joshua acts as if we are torturing him just by sitting him in the highchair. I am getting so frustrated and I know that our attitude can directly affect how our babies approach eating. So after talking with the pedi we are throwing up the white flag for two weeks. Joshua will sit in the high chair only if he doesn't fuss but we won't try to feed him. We got some mesh feeders that we can fill with goodies & put on his tray but we will let him decide if he wants to try them. No pushing from us & no frustration if he chooses to ignore them.

Sleep has improved dramatically. He goes 5-6 hours before getting up for a feeding now. Next step is to get him to get himself back to sleep after a feeding without waking up his brother. One battle at a time, right?

Bit by bit....

Joshua slept from 8 to 12 last night. I tried to get him up for a feeding at 10 but he wouldn't stay latched on. He ate at 12 and then after a bit of fussing out in the pack-n-play he slept until........7 am!!! I am floored. Now if we can just get him to fall back to sleep in his own crib without too much fussing I will call this a total success.

Solids are still a battle ground. He acts as if we are torturing him. So we start with solids, aiming for 1/4 to 1/2 of a teaspoon, and then we let him nurse. While I wish he would eat more of the solids I don't feel I should force the issue. I don't want him to hate mealtime. We keep trying to mix it up. Both of us try to take turns feeding and we offer a little variety in the foods. One of these days he will latch on to something other than the boob! lol!!!

"He Got Napz"

That's right, folks! Joshua took two loooooooooooong naps today. Still fightin' the solids, though. Little victories. Little victories.

David & I made chocolate chip cookies today and I put on a "real meal" for dinner. Meatloaf, real mashed 'taters, and blanched green beans. My lil' man ate a good serving of everything. Tony liked it, too.

The house is quiet now and clean. All the boys are asleep. Mama should be off to bed, too. Monday morning will be here bright & early.

A showdown........

Well upon hitting rock-bottom after several nights of getting up every 1.5-2 hours to feed Joshua I called the pediatrician. They recommended we go "cold turkey" on night feedings and follow a whole new plan:

1. Give him a full feeding before his bedtime (about 7-8).
2. Feed him again as we go to bed (about 9-10).
3. If he gets up at any time for the next 6 hours try to let him get himself back down but go in & pat his tummy or talk quietly to him if he gets too upset.
4. Go ahead and feed anytime after 6 hours have passed.
5. Space out daytime nursings to no closer than every 2.5-3 hours.

Because the boys room share we can't let Joshua just cry in the room and bringing him into our room just wakes him up more. Tony had a wonderful idea that saved us last night. We have set up the pack-n-play in the living room (the only "extra" room we have) and when he gets too fussy he goes in there.

The pediatrician is hoping this will lead to better daytime naps & Joshua being more willing to take solid food. All I know is that I need something to work. Mama needs better sleep so that she can be a better mama to both boys. Little sleep makes for one grumpy mama!

Night one: he fussed once after 2 hours but playing his crib music knocked him out for an extra 4 hours.
Last night: He fussed after 2 hours and had to be moved to the living room. Once he calmed down he slept an extra 6 hours!!!
Still not loving the solids but will update as we go.....

Why I love Michael's

I am addicted to craft stuff. Just ask Tony. I have boxes & bags full of yarn, fabric, paints, stickers, stencils, and other assorted goodies. I raided the $1 bins at Michael's today and David now has his own plastic kitchen goodies (no need to always steal mine now) and a kazzoo. I also got tons of stickers for potty training and helping charts which will start soon.

My happiest finds????? A "craft pack" full of pipecleaners, google eyes, and pom-poms and a box of big craft sticks. We are going to have TONS of rainy day fun ahead. I swear I never thought my training as a camp director would come in handy but it sure has saved my tushy more than once! I am off to plan a craft for the next time Joshua actually naps.

Things that "should" be.......

I am sitting here having successfully put the boys to bed by myself and a few things have occurred to me:

1. Baskin Robbins should deliver
2. Some anonymous stranger needs to deposit $300,000 in my checking account and ask that I never repay them.
3. Chocolate chip cookies should make my hips smaller.
4. All moms deserve a medal just for being "the mom".
5. Did I mention Baskin Robbins should deliver????

I am weeding out the drains in my life. I have been great about decluttering "stuff" that is around me but these past few weeks have taught me that clutter does not just come in the form of "things". I have clutter in old friendships & relationships. I have clutter in my mind & heart. I have clutter in my marriage and in my relationships with my children. So I am going to begin to clear it all out. I am remembering that "baby steps" will get me there and that this is all about finding a place of love & peace in this world. I deserve that. My family deserves that.

Now......why doesn't Baskin Robbins deliver?????????????

Daily Battle

We are starting solids......(whoo-hoo!).......but it is a daily battle. Joshua seems to think that solid food is my little way of torturing him. I know the little guy is hungry. He nurses almost every hour during the day & every 2-3 at night. The lack of sleep is killing me. We have tried cereal mixed with water, breast milk, and baby food. We have given veggies & fruit a turn. He still would rather spit out most of what he gets and then nurse again. I have tried having Tony feed him. I have attempted meals on empty, full and partially full tummies. I try to get at least 3 attempts a day with a possible fourth when I can.

I don't remember David being this difficult to get started. I remember going slow.....but he was a great eater pretty quickly. At least that is how I remember it! Tony says David was just as difficult. I guess the big difference is that when David was a baby I had 45 minutes to sit & patiently feed him. Now if I try to sit for 45 minutes with Joshua (seperate from a nursing) David goes nuclear. I try to match up their meals so that at least we are all at the table....but that isn't fool-proof.

*sigh* Someday I know Joshua will be fully on solids and our little nursing sessions will be a distant memory. Until then I will keep plugging away at it.

Still here.......

Well, a week long "stay-cation" ended with ony having to go back into the hospital for the 5th time with pancreatitis. We were at the zoo on Monday with the boys when he admitted he needed to go to the hospital. I dropped him off and then got back home with both boys by myself. I went to Joshua's 6 month pedi check (all ok) with both boys because no one could watch David for me. My mom came over on Wednesday so I could go grocery shopping without the two kids. Tony came home on Thursday but is still out of work.

I am grateful for this time in the hospital because it seems like we may have turned a corner. He got info for several programs to help him fully quit drinking. He was asking loads of questions about his health and seems honestly prepared to make an effort at staying sober now. My fingers are crossed and my heart is in prayer.

Boys are fine.....getting bigger every day. I am coming off my stress from being a "single parent" for 4 days. Sorry to have been MIA for so long.... sleep was WAY more important! Hoping to get back into my normal swing soon.

Blah, blah, blah

That is how I feel this morning. Blah, blah, blah. I have the queasy tummy blah's. Tossed my coffee in favor of water. I really should drink more water than I do. I ate a blueberry muffin, too. Hoping that this goes away.

Tony starts his vacation tomorrow. We have no specific plans.....just going to enjoy "family" time. His last vacation was all "honey-do" stuff. This time is all about having fun with the boys. He won't be able to get any more serious time of until we move later in the year so we are going to enjoy this now.

So what shall we do? We want to take the boys to the zoo. Keeping my eye on the weather. DC humid summer days are no fun for the little ones. Rainy days would not be good, either. Hoping to go on a weekday but know that with school out now any day is likely to be busy. We also want to go to the local nature preserve. We have taken David several times when he was little but now he can get into it a bit more. Other ideas include grilling, finger painting, going to the pool, and going to see the new house my little sister & her hubby are closing on today.

Yay for vacation time!!!!!

Skebbies, sleep, and Daddy

Well, it was a simple Father's Day....but a good one. David & I made a chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting. Sooooo yummy but, alas, most of it will go to work with Tony so I don't turn into a hippo. David had a blast "helping". I pre-measured the ingredients into bowls and he got to dump everything into the mixing bowl.

Dinner was a standard fave around here...... "Skebbies"!!!!! (That is "spaghetti" for those of you not into the toddler lingo.) Both Tony & David claim it is their fave and it is super easy for me - especially when the sauce was made a week ago and all I have to do is thaw & heat!

Last event for the day.......*drum roll*.......... both boys slept in the same room last night!! I cheated a bit by waiting until both boys were asleep before I moved Joshua in there. However, David slept through the 12:30am feeding and both boys woke up at 6 cooing at each other. Too cute.

Happy Monday, ya'll!!!!!!!

Sick Days

They are inevitable. Sick days just happen. With David I was tired but healthy until he almost 6 months old and then I got hit with a whopper. He got sick just as I got better and, WOW, did he get it hard. Luckily we were in a hotel down in VA Beach for a friend's wedding. I say luckily b/c David had projectile vomit and left several lovely stains on the hotel rug. Glad is was not our carpet!!!!!

Well here we are approaching Joshua's 6 month milestone and I am once again sick. I am hoping that the boys don't get it. One sick baby was miserable enough.....two would be a real blast. I know it will happen someday. I am just hoping to delay it. You know, until they are off at college!

I am off to curl up on the sofa again. Tony is closing tonight, again. He is off tomorrow, though. Maybe I will just order pizza tonight. That way I don't have to cook.

We have become plant people

Neither of us had a real "green thumb" before we met & got married. We have only had one houseplant that has survived any length of time and that is the lucky bamboo we received the day David was born. Well, we are changing that record. Tony has been bringing home plants a few at a time and we even got some "starters" from my mother. With all the rain I haven't had to do anything to them....... and they are thriving! Now if we can only have this luck with a garden next year.

Here is a slide show of our little oasis:

Sunshine & Full Tummies

Beautiful weather here yesterday allowed us to take the boys to the pool while Tony was off. David had fun pouring water on our heads with his bucket & splashing himself. Joshua had fun sitting on my lap & kicking in the water. One of these days I need to bring a camera with me & get some shots.

We stocked up the fridge, freezer, and pantry recently and it feels good to open any of the above & look at the bounty. We aren't rich.....but we are living like kings these days (thanks in huge part to coupon clippin & monitoring sales). Tony & I have decided that it is because we actually COOK. We are not pre-packaged types. We may not be gourmet about it.......but we have fun. This is another reason why we want our own home. A yard would allow us to garden. Then we could have our own produce & even can the extras!

That's right, folks......we is gonna be farmers!

Water baby

Took the David man to the pool today while Nana stayed inside with Joshua. It was good to get some one-on-one time with my little man again. He was so tired after, though, that he practically fell asleep in his lunch. Can't wait to take the whole family.

So today my first bit of gratitude is having quality time with my toddler. Very important. Oh, and he said "Love you, mommy" for the first time after our little trip. That is my second bit of gratitude today.

Ahhhh, Friday

These used to be my margarita nights. Now they are my praying for early bedtime nights. How life has changed! I know that a day will come again where my kids will be much more self-sufficient (*sniff-sniff*) and I can have my Friday rendevous with Mr Cuervo. Until then I am happy with my cold glass of iced tea with lime and a quiet house.

That's right folks...... it is 8pm and all the little munchkins are asleep!!!! Tony is on his way home, the kitchen is clean, the living room is picked up, and a load of big-baby-gear laundry is running. I feel like a million bucks at the moment..... even without that margarita.

Bit o' gratitude:
1. I am grateful that David happily ate dinner tonight. I made smokey sausage & rice with LOADS of diced veggies & beans. All he noticed were the hunks of sausage & beans....two current faves. He never even noticed how many veggies he was eating with each heaping spoonful.
2. I am grateful for good sales this week. My fridge is STOCKED and my freezer is out of room. Yummy bonus: Pork shoulder was on sale $0.99/lb. The sale was not in the weekly ad but there it was. Carolina BBQ on Sunday, ya'll!!!!! (Tony says I have become quite the "housewife".....total compliment in my book!)

Happy Wednesday

Had a long day of just me & the boys & then Tony called to say he would be staying at work an extra 4 hours. Deep breaths. I was planning on dinner & bedtime by myself anyways..... this will mean he can have a short day tomorrow or Friday. See that, I saw the positive!!!!

David's new fave game is to sit on Joshua or offer him stuff to eat. Stuff like a watering pot, a goldfish cracker, a foot....... such a generous big brother!!!! Joshua seems to think it is all hilarious. I am the only one who seems to think there is something wrong with this form of sharing.

Now for my bit of gratitude:

I am grateful that the apartment people repaired the leak in the AC before it flooded our living room.

I am grateful that my mother offered to buy me some new clothes for my new mom body. Not a whole new wardrobe or anything..... but some comfy things that will fit me now & make me feel better about myself.

Change is a good thing

Sorry so long since my last post. Teething, fussiness, and other "woes" have kept me preoccupied. So after much soul searching (and some darn good advice) I am going to make a real effort to live with an "attitude of gratitude" in all areas of my life. Tony & I have come across some rough patches lately, my two boys make me want to pull out my hair some days, life keeps trying to knock me down, and I feel like I am in danger of getting bogged down by it all.

So here is a new start......





Two things I am grateful for today are:
1. Having a peaceful dinner (just me & the boys) during a huge thunder storm. David & I were pretending we were Mr Brown (from Dr Suess' Mr Brown Can Moo, Can you?) and everytime we heard thunder his eyes lit up & he went "BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!" instead of getting scared or fussy. Joshua just laughed at us.
2. Tony made me lunch when Joshua was having a fussy period this afternoon. He even took the time to ask me how I make my tuna fish instead of just making it how he likes it.

An ode to the humble PB&J

Aaahhh, peanut butter and jelly. How I love thy simple yet filling presence. Thou hast brought a smile to my toddler's face yet again. We try to keep his diet varied & nutritious but toddlers know not what they should eat. He turns his nose up to a cornucopia of offerings placed with care upon his plate. He will shove said vessel away after only a nibble with a resounding, "All done!" and will refuse to be swayed.

PB&J thou hast saved me yet again. I humble myself before thy nutty goodness providing my little man with some protein for his growing body. Thy yummy fruit spread also brings him some vitamins & fiber. Thy toasty wheat bread makes him smile each time thou art presented. Thank you for bringing along some of thy companions for his nutritional benefit, as well. Sister Banana & Brother Watermelon came to our little gathering today and were heartily consumed.

PB&J how I love thee. May thou always be welcome in our home.
- A Grateful Mother

Just treading water.......

......'cuz I swear it never rains, but it pours!!!!!!! Joshua is just a little bit sick (I blame all the people at Tony's work who coochie-cooed him when we went there the other day). David is still cutting 8 teeth all at once. Tony's uncle died suddenly. We are deciding on a course of action for birth control.

The two kids not feeling well is super-fun. They go nuclear on me with no warning. I have to pick my battles carefully b/c if I attend to the wrong child first I get hit in the face with the explosion of the other. I will be so happy when David is done teething & Joshua feels better.

Tony's uncle died after having been admitted to the hospital 5 days ago for alcohol poisoning. He was in a coma the next day. They pulled the respirator after only 3 days b/c he was experiencing mulitple organ failure. He leaves behind an 11 year old daughter and an estranged wife. Tony hasn't said a lot about it, but he seems bothered by the whole leaving behind a family....especially a young child. Maybe something good can come out of this tragedy?

The issue of birth control is a hot topic right now. We need to sit down & talk. We both know we should wait. The specifics are still up in the air. More to come on that front.

Shocking revelation

I had been feeling queasy for three days. All day. Food or no food. And, no.... I am still not on birth control. I "know" I should be.... but I am gun-shy about the pill. I am still bf'ing Joshua and that means the mini-pill. It MUST be taken at the EXACT same time each day or it has a pretty decent failure rate. That is how we got David. I was on Yaz but had been switched back & forth between different pills during the 4 months leading up to getting pregnant. Why go on a pill I am pretty sure won't work worth a damn????? Than there is the idea of an IUC (like Mirena). The only trouble is that I really do want to try again for baby #3 and in less than 2 years. My OB is not comfortable implanting the IUC only to have to remove it so quickly.

Long story short...... I took a HPT and it came up negative. Here is the shocking part..... I was quite disappointed. I had already come to terms in my heart that we were, in fact, pregnant again. Even more, with all the heavy queasies I had myself convinced this was going to be our girl. I had even gone so far as to start picking names. I didn't realize all of this until I was staring at a negative result.

Now Tony is serious about getting me on some form of birth control. His response to buying a HPT was that he would "kill me" if I was pregnant again. Well, it takes two to tango, bub. If I was pregnant again I didn't do it alone! I know with house hunting & all the work these two little boys are making for me that baby #3 should wait...... but I have to admit that I am more ready than I had thought I was. So I will bide my time, but not forever!

Sleep training is leaving me exhausted

......I always thought it was supposed to result in more sleep! We have been at this for almost a full week now & it still takes two 20 minute CIO sessions, 2 full feedings, and a small rocking/lullaby time before he is down for the night. Average start time is 6 pm for bath. Average down for the night time is 9:30. Yikes. A 3 1/2 hour bedtime process is leaving me worn out.

On the upside..... David is showing some starting signs of being ready to potty train. He is getting really good about telling us if he is wet/dirty. He still gets confused sometimes and says "poop" even if he is just wet,so I know he is not fully ready. However, we have started to get him familiar with the potty & let him flush his poo which makes him grin. (Never thought I would be using potty-talk with pride.) I am not going to push him but I am hoping that this goes smoothly & quickly. He already hates a wet diaper & now we are noticing a distinct pattern to his habits. I am looking forward to only having one kid in diapers soon! Yay!!!!!!

What am I thinking????

DAY FIVE: I have no stomach for CIO. If DH were here he could do it. I would have to hide like the weakling that I am. Joshua cried for the full 20 minutes on round one. Bear in mind he nursed a full meal & had several burps plus fell asleep in my arms while eating before I was able to get him to the bassinet. Got David in bed and he only made a few peeps before going out like a light. He was soooooo ready for bed. Got Joshua & calmed him with cuddling before changing his diaper. I nursed him again after two big burps & a little spit up (I feel like a broken record) and he fell sound asleep on my arm. I jiggled him, held him upright for a burp, tickled his cheek..... all to no avail. I took him back & put him down. He slept for 30 minutes then woke up. He started with just a little bit of fussing but quickly progressed to full screams. I caved after only 5 minutes and went to get him. He burped again while I cuddled him. I rocked him gently for several minutes until he was sleepy again. I put him down drowsy & patted his tummy until he was practically asleep. He has been down for 15 minutes now & I am hoping it is for good.

The saga rolls on...

DAY FOUR: Boy will I be glad when we get past this stretch again. David entertained himself all afternoon b/c Joshua was in one of his "moods" again. Fusses if he is anywhere but in my arms on these types of days. Dinner was a success. David ate some tuna fish with his veggies tonight and practically ignored the cheese. He usually eats that first & ignores veggies & meat/fish. Hurray for variety!

Joshua cried for a full 20 minutes after round one of nursing at bedtime. I put him into the bassinet drowsy but he was screaming by the time I got out to the living room. I was able to get David bathed, into jammies, brush his teeth, read a book & sing a song in those 20 minutes, however. Went to get Joshua and changed his diaper. Cuddled & calmed him for 10 minutes & then nursed him again after 4 big, wet burps and a little spit up. Put him down drowsy again & listened to another 20 minutes of crying. Went in to get him again and cuddled him while I sang several songs. Gave him 5 minutes of cuddle time before he really looked drowsy. Put him down in the bassinet where he started to fuss again. I patted his tummy & sang three more songs. A few wimpers & he was out. Not a peep since.

I am calling tonight a victory b/c he was asleep before 8:30 despite two long CIO sessions. I am hoping tomorrow is better. Mama needs her sleep, too. I am really starting to lose it.

Not quite pulling my hair out...

DAY THREE: Boys never did nap well this afternoon which set up a medium rough stretch to dinner capped off by Joshua having 5 major spit ups before he finally fell asleep at 4:30. Dinner was a bit of a victory.....gave David veggies again but only one piece at a time tonight. I waited until I knew he had swallowed before giving him another piece. He ate three cucumber slices, two pieces of broccoli, and a green pepper slice!!! Veggie dip rocks my socks right now.

Bedtime started at 5:45 with Joshua's bath. Nursed him in two sessions until 7:15 when he finally felt totally asleep. Put him down in the crib only to have him totally wake up. He screamed like a wounded thing all through David's bath, book, & song. Went to get the little bugger after David was in bed (he fussed for exactly 5 minutes & then was asleep) and changed his diaper. Nursed him again after three large burps and cuddled him until sleeping. Back into the crib......back awake. Took him back out to the living room to rock him again. Got him dozing and took him to the bassinet this time. Back hit the mattress....eyes open & crying. I fought the urge to smother him with a pillow (thus feeling like I was an awful mother for having the urge in the first place) and walked out.

Thus began a forced CIO ("Cry-It-Out" for those not familiar with the term). I called DH to be my moral support as I waited. I hate CIO as a general method but knew in my heart that I had hit a wall tonight & needed a serious break before trying again. We mutally agreed on a 20 minute limit. By minute 12 Joshua was quiet. He picked back up again but with less intensity for about 2 minutes. Then all went silent. Not a peep and we hadn't hit the magic 20 minute mark. I guess sleep training has begun and I never intended to sleep train with this baby. Ahhhh, what is that old saying about the best of intentions???

A week in the life....

...of a "retail widow". I first heard that phrase coined by my sister-in-law. It refers to those of us who are married to men who work the crazy life known as retail sales. Tony is working the crappiest stretch of that life this week. After his ONE weekend off per month he always gets a 6 day stretch of nothing but closings. He leaves here at 1pm and doesn't get home until about 12am. One the one hand, this allows him to be home to help with breakfast, lunch, and both of David's naps. On the other hand, it leaves me alone during the "witching hour" from afternoon snack through bedtime. I know this is nothing compared to the women who have husbands that are deployed over seas......but this is my mini hell.

DAY ONE: Mini victory....his close got switched to an open. I get help at bedtime!!!

DAY TWO: David slept for an hour & a half today (Woo-hoo!!) He woke up in a mildly foul mood just as I got Joshua to sleep. I took David to our room and we cuddled on the bed and I sang silly songs while he had some juice. Then he helped me pick up his toys. Joshua woke up upset but a dry diaper & some cuddling solved that. Both boys were great the rest of the early afternoon. Joshua never did take another nap so I had to prep David's dinner with one foot on the boucy seat. Fun!

David used his carrot & cucumber slices to scoop up his veggie dip ignoring his hamburger patty. He seemed to be eating a TON of veggies until I realized he was doing his hamster routine again. Bits of food crammed into his cheek.....very little of it swallowed. I pulled away his plate & his sippy and asked him to finish chewing. He started to fuss. I told him he could spit it all out but he started to scream to get down. Long story short....I ended up digging half of his carrots out of his cheek b/c he refused to swallow or to spit. He screamed the whole time and I still don't think he really ate anything.

Joshua's bath was next. We are working on 48 hours without a poo for him at this point. He was fine for bath & nursing. No screaming tonight........ thank goodness! David decided that Joshua's feeding time was a great time to scream his head off while playing in a cardboard box. (Mommy has a headache again) Joshua finally fell asleep only to be startled awake by David shouting in his face as I tucked him into the swing.

Joshua screamed all through David's bath, book, & song. No amount of quick-fix stuff helped. Finally got David down and he only fussed for 10 minutes.....all teething fussing. Joshua then took another hour & a half to go to sleep including another feeding, a diaper change, and some cuddle time.

Only 4 more nights until Tony if off again!!!

Bad blogger mommy....

...but I have a cleaner house! I have been plugging away at every nook & cranny and finally am nearing the end of my house overhaul. My routines are getting back into place but with some changes. I find that if I leave a lot of my routine flexible I am more apt to complete it all.

For example: pre baby #2 I had to do my weekly house "blessing" in one day over the course of an hour. Now with the two kids I never get a solid hour. So I do a few tasks Monday, a few on Tuesday, & a few on Wednesday. By Wednesday evening my house has had a thorough cleaning & the little routines keep up each area until the next "blessing". I also used to wait until bedtime to set up my coffee maker for the next day. Now I do it as soon as I go in to wash dishes during the day. Sometimes that is after breakfast sometimes after lunch. I still do laundry every day.....that one is a MUST!

My focus has become the kids, with my house coming in second. So what if I don't get the dusting done on the same day I vacuum?! I look at the successes of the day measured in how happy my kids are now rather than how clean my house is. Now, I am not letting it all go out the window... no, no no! I just don't beat myself up if I have to spend the morning cuddling a baby instead of wiping my bathroom.

Hurray for victories like popsicles & bubbles or wet razzberries & tickled toes. Three cheers for the child who is giggling so hard he can hardly breathe. I am throwing a daily parade for the smiles & coos that have beaten out the rigid schedule of cleanliness I thought I had to adhere to. Now where is my gold star??? ;)

Taking Back The House

Well.....I am a contrite FLYbaby as I write this. I have let my routines slip to the wayside as I have been dealing with a fussy baby & a toddler tornado. My dust bunnies have multiplied and are now demanding benefits. My cobwebs have started a union. The scale build up in my shower heads has left me in a trickle-down meltdown. So what is a tired mommy to do???

I AM TAKING BACK THE HOUSE!!!!!!!

I am not going to set myself up for failure and aim to have it all done in a day. My routines will begin again but I am taking one room per day & giving it some "loving" (ok.... maybe not "loving"... perhaps more violent affection). I have tackled the master bath today. It is shiny top to bottom again. Tomorrow I reclaim my kitchen.

This is my quest.... to find my shiny home again and use my routines to keep it that way. Fussy baby and toddler tornado are no excuse for what I have let happen here but I refuse to look backwards. Onward we go! We will be moving before the end of the year & I want to be ready to go.

Clutter, be gone!
Dust bunnies, here is your eviction notice!
Cobwebs, your judgment day has arrived!

WHY?????? Because I am the MOMMY, that's why!!!!!!!!

It never rains.......

...but it pours.

The past several days hav been chaotic, to say the least. I wish that I could file for vacation!!!! We have been dealing with teething, falling backwards in a chair, 4 month check-up & vaccines, and a visit from a great uncle. I am tired. I am sore. I have a headache. I am ready for a break.

David is still cutting teeth. Poor kid is always chomping on his fingers but loves the popsicle remedy! He is now in a big-boy booster seat at the table & he loves it. We got him the Prince Lionheart BoosterPOD. He climbs up into it all by himself and can clip the seat buckle, too. We did run into a problem when he began pushing his feet on the table & fell backwards. He smacked his head against the wall & cried a ton. A sippy of juice while I iced his head seemed to fix things. No more tipping!

Joshua had his check-up & his vaccines. He did great but ran a temp all day after. He is 26 1/4 inches now and 14lb 9oz. No wonder he is filling out 9 month gear!! He is having a rough time in the evenings lately. He is giving the term "witching hour" a run for its money since he goes for up to 4 hours most nights. I hope it passes soon.

My mother's youngest brother came to see all of us. He has epilepsy & some mental disability so he functions on the level of a young teen. He is LOVING being a great uncle. He sends gifts to the boys but had never met them. David was leary of him at first but warmed up to him quickly. Joshua was fine for a little bit, but then had the Chernobyl of meltdowns so we had to leave early.



So that is a sampling of what has been going on. Now I would like a cold drink & someone to massage my feet & back. "Oh, Tony!!!!!!"

Boo on terrible two's

I swear David is starting his terrible two's already. I know some of what we face is baby-related, but really.... sometimes the baby isn't even in the room & I am totally showering him in attention. I don't know if I can take this for the next two years. Yikes if he decides to keep it up for a long time & Joshua decides to start early, too!!!!! Deep calming breaths. I love my boys. I love my boys.

On a fun note, David was eating my vegetarian mexican lasagna last night & kept saying "Bye-bye bean," everytime he would eat a bean. If he got a piece of zucchini or corn he looked at them all confused and said "Bye-bye. No bean." Times like that make the tough times fade away. He came running up to me this evening while I was nursing Joshua & planted a big wet kiss on my cheek then leaned over to plant a slobbery kiss on the baby's cheek. Too cute.

Joshua did nothing but sleep, eat, and poo today. I swear he is trying to outgrow his brother before he hits 1. Silly kid. I am enjoying him while he is still little & squishable b/c I have a feeling he will be bigger than David long before I am ready. Lord help me when these two hit their teen years!!!!

Ok, 'nuff of my bragging. I am off to put my feet up & enjoy Tony having the next two days off!!!!!!

Warm weather fun

So it has been 90 here yesterday and today. Supposed to continue tomorrow and then a break. I have busted out all my summer gear only to find that after two summers of being preggo all I own is maternity summer gear. Come to think of it, with the exception of one pair of jeans I bought a week before I got preggers with Joshua, all I own are maternity bottoms, sweats, and PJ pants. Can ya' tell I am a SAHM????

I have the boys in lightweight T's and diapers all day. (They have the life.) We have the AC cranking b/c the pollen is driving me nuts. The boys and I spend a little time outside on the balcony, though. Tony hung our new plants out there and David "sweeps". Today we blew bubbles through the railing and David had a popsicle. Joshua is content to just smile and drool.

Now just for fun.... here is my little man showing off a bit. I can't believe he is almost 2. Where does the time go?????

Long difficult days.......

I am sitting here in the silence enjoying the fact that both boys are actually asleep!!!!! They went down after only one attempt on both. After the afternoon they gave me I figured I was going to face an AWFUL bedtime. Bless them for taking it easy on me.

My balcony door is wide open and the warm air from this summer-like day is delicious. The only thing missing is an ice cold margarita & a bowl of home-made salsa. Mmmmm..... pardon my drool. I am so ready for warm weather.

That's my guy

We are trying to be good about keeping David exposed to books. Both Tony & I are avid readers and we always recommend people get books for David as gifts to increase his collection. We read to him several times a day and always at bedtime. This was important to me because my parents had me "reading" since infancy and it made a huge difference in school and now as an adult I love to read just for fun. Tony's parents were never big on the reading.......neither are his sisters. (Maybe that is why both our nephews had to go to reading camp to catch up to their age group in school.)

Well, the little man shocked the heck out of me today when he recited more than half the alphabet from his ABC's book. He then brought me "Cat in Hat" as he called it and was able to tell me a lot of the story. I know most of this is just memorization from having heard these things countless times ("Again, Mommy! Again!")....... but it still made me feel like shouting from the rooftop. He looked up at me after the story and grinned while he said, "I smart!"

You go, kid!!!!!!

Le fuss de night-night

So Mr Joshua fussy pants (I think that may his full name from now on) has decided that right before bedtime is the PERFECT time to get all in a twist at the world in general and bedtime in particular. I love the little squirt.... but a 45 minute fuss-fest after the big bedtime feeding is tiresome after 5 nights in a row of bedtime on my own. I am taking deep breaths and remembering that David went through a phase like this, too. Right around growth spurts. I bet I wake up tomorrow and Joshua ia 5'11"...... okay maybe not that tall.

Sleep.... you are an elusive mistress at times and a demanding one at others. May you bless my little guy with lovely dreams and 4 whole hours before I am asked to feed the little bugger again. (I don't want to press my luck and ask for 6.....I'm afraid you'll give me just 2 out of spite!)

Ready for my close up.....

So Joshua, the little stinker, has been getting closer & closer to rolling over back to tummy. He keeps getting stuck on his one shoulder & then releases the legs only to flop back. Today I went & bought him a new baby gym. We had a hard plastic one from when David was little.....but David likes to try and impale his little brother through the guts with the feet of it. This one is all soft & cozy...... and cost me $60 friggin dollars.

So I lay Joshua down on it on his tummy. He has a blast kicking & playing and then gets tired. I rolled him to his back & he went right back to playing. I got up to get David some juice & when I came back Mr Man was on his tummy! I asked Tony if he had moved Joshua.....nope! I flipped him back over & sat back to watch. Sure enough he got those legs up, stuffed one fist in his mouth & rolled toward that arm..... over he goes, happy as can be.

He looked at me as if to say, "Mommy.....I just wanted something that was all mine and not a hand-me-down before I would perform." Little stinker! Yah, that's right. I am bragging and calling him a stinker all in one breath. He is my kid and I reserve the right to name-call once in awhile. Especially when he is so durn cute!!!

Damn you, Easter Bunny!!!

I had been doing pretty well. I was eating very few sweets and loads of fresh fruits or yogurt. I was also getting more veggies & good protein. Then you came along, you stinking Easter Bunny. You with your fancy chocolates and yummy goodies. You are eeeeeeeeevil!!!!!!

I tried to be good & only nibble the jelly beans. Not too many calories there and fat-free. Then your hidden stash of mini robin's eggs beckoned to me from the kitchen. It called my name as I battled stress and coaxed me into having just one. Then just one more. The next thing I knew I was buying a second bag to hide the fact that I had eaten the first. Then you had to send your minions after me. Those small chocolate soldiers attacked my weakened front and had me pinned against the wall. I had to give in or die in the battle.

So, damn you Easter Bunny. You and your basket full of my fat ass and chubby tummy. Go away and take your buddy (that fat little devil who calls himself "Cupid") with you. Tell your cohorts I am declaring war on the lot of you!!!!! (Right after I finish my kid's chocolate bunny)