Thursday, September 20, 2007
PS
Heeheehee! I was going over animal sounds with Isaac this morning and when I asked him, "What does the bunny say?" he said, "Rabbit Rabbit"! Too funny!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Just Another Update
Soo... the kids are napping for the moment (yes BOTH of them, miracle of miracles!) and I have a thousand other things to do but the old blog is calling my name! It's been too long!
Anyway, here is what is going on with us (and why I've been MIA). We have a new (old) house, a new computer, and a new job for Hubby starting on Monday. He also started taking an online class this past weekend. Isaac is still nowhere near potty training but that's ok because I've switched Grace to cloth diapers and am in the process of switching him too. It's less expensive than disposables and less of a headache than cleaning the carpets all day long! Grace's sleep has taken a turn for the worse this past week (and you didn't think it could get any worse, did ya?) but she's currently sleeping in her playpen when she's not in our bed because we haven't put her crib together yet. I'm hoping that when she has her crib back she'll sleep better again... yes, I do know better but I'm still hoping.
Other than the new house, computer, job, and oh yeah, we're thinking about shopping for a new church sometime soon, things are basically the same around here. Well, except for the fact that the kiddos are constantly changing. Which is kinda too bad since I think they're at the absolute most perfect ages right now.
Gracie is quite possibly the most gorgeous baby in all of history and getting more beautiful by the minute. She still has that sweet disposition but is experimenting with adding a little bit of drama into the mix every now and then in the form of a shrieking tantrum. Too bad for her that next to what her big brother used to dish out, her objections sound like an angry little mouse. Ok, they're a little bit louder than that but unlike Isaac, she doesn't make me wonder if she's actually being TORTURED by an unseen force. I just laugh and tell her that "save the drama for your Mama" is just an expression and I don't want to hear it.
Speaking of my little whirlwind, all the angst I had over Isaac's discipline seems to have been for naught. It seems that he was going through the terrible two's a bit early or something. We still do occasional time-outs of course but overall he's mellowed out a lot... at least for now. In fact, I think he may actually be the most polite (or is is politest?) 2 year old in the world. He's been saying "please" and "thank you" and "excuse me" and "sorry" for quite a while (not that anybody else knows it since he still doesn't really speak to anyone outside of the house). Just this past week though, he took it to a new level. I asked him if he wanted dinner and he said, "No. Me no want dinner. Thank you though." THANK YOU THOUGH?! He really just sounds like such a little grown-up sometimes. He's also started telling us, with very careful enunciation, "I'm okay," after he hurts himself so I know that his referring to himself exclusively as "me" instead of "I" will soon be going the way of "bapple" (apple) and "chitchen" (kitchen). SIGH!!! Oh, he also asks us "How your day?" (How was your day) even when we're right in the middle of it and tells us "Don't worry 'bout me." AND he finally said "I luf (love) you" to me! Just once though and it's been "I luf ya" ever since. I guess I should savor the "ya"s though before they're gone. It's been hard not to cringe at them since I realized that he was mimicking me.
Anyway, I can't really say that nothing has changed but I guess I could say that I really haven't. Same old, same old going on in my tired brain. It's nice to put it out on the internet again though. Hopefully my next post will happen a bit sooner!
Anyway, here is what is going on with us (and why I've been MIA). We have a new (old) house, a new computer, and a new job for Hubby starting on Monday. He also started taking an online class this past weekend. Isaac is still nowhere near potty training but that's ok because I've switched Grace to cloth diapers and am in the process of switching him too. It's less expensive than disposables and less of a headache than cleaning the carpets all day long! Grace's sleep has taken a turn for the worse this past week (and you didn't think it could get any worse, did ya?) but she's currently sleeping in her playpen when she's not in our bed because we haven't put her crib together yet. I'm hoping that when she has her crib back she'll sleep better again... yes, I do know better but I'm still hoping.
Other than the new house, computer, job, and oh yeah, we're thinking about shopping for a new church sometime soon, things are basically the same around here. Well, except for the fact that the kiddos are constantly changing. Which is kinda too bad since I think they're at the absolute most perfect ages right now.
Gracie is quite possibly the most gorgeous baby in all of history and getting more beautiful by the minute. She still has that sweet disposition but is experimenting with adding a little bit of drama into the mix every now and then in the form of a shrieking tantrum. Too bad for her that next to what her big brother used to dish out, her objections sound like an angry little mouse. Ok, they're a little bit louder than that but unlike Isaac, she doesn't make me wonder if she's actually being TORTURED by an unseen force. I just laugh and tell her that "save the drama for your Mama" is just an expression and I don't want to hear it.
Speaking of my little whirlwind, all the angst I had over Isaac's discipline seems to have been for naught. It seems that he was going through the terrible two's a bit early or something. We still do occasional time-outs of course but overall he's mellowed out a lot... at least for now. In fact, I think he may actually be the most polite (or is is politest?) 2 year old in the world. He's been saying "please" and "thank you" and "excuse me" and "sorry" for quite a while (not that anybody else knows it since he still doesn't really speak to anyone outside of the house). Just this past week though, he took it to a new level. I asked him if he wanted dinner and he said, "No. Me no want dinner. Thank you though." THANK YOU THOUGH?! He really just sounds like such a little grown-up sometimes. He's also started telling us, with very careful enunciation, "I'm okay," after he hurts himself so I know that his referring to himself exclusively as "me" instead of "I" will soon be going the way of "bapple" (apple) and "chitchen" (kitchen). SIGH!!! Oh, he also asks us "How your day?" (How was your day) even when we're right in the middle of it and tells us "Don't worry 'bout me." AND he finally said "I luf (love) you" to me! Just once though and it's been "I luf ya" ever since. I guess I should savor the "ya"s though before they're gone. It's been hard not to cringe at them since I realized that he was mimicking me.
Anyway, I can't really say that nothing has changed but I guess I could say that I really haven't. Same old, same old going on in my tired brain. It's nice to put it out on the internet again though. Hopefully my next post will happen a bit sooner!
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Just a little update
Wow! It's been forever since I posted! That is because, in case you hadn't heard, we got the house!!! Yippee!!! So now it's all about painting and cleaning and packing...
Also, my computer is not working so I only have a computer in the evening when Hubby is home and by then I'm pretty tired.
In other news, the no-cry sleep solution has gone nowhere! Well, we've gone nowhere with it. There's just too much going on for me to be able to focus on it. Soo... Grace's sleep is worse than ever. Also, the work we were doing on discipling Isaac has gone right out the window.
I just can't wait until we're all settled into the new house! I crave structure and routine and organization... and coffee! Not that I can't have that here; I just can't have it now because it's 3 o'clock in the afternoon... but that's besides the point.
I really don't have anything entertaining to share today. I just wanted to let you know where I've been... if anyone is even checking this anymore! :) I'm hoping to get back to regular posting again soon. Don't hold your breath though!
Also, my computer is not working so I only have a computer in the evening when Hubby is home and by then I'm pretty tired.
In other news, the no-cry sleep solution has gone nowhere! Well, we've gone nowhere with it. There's just too much going on for me to be able to focus on it. Soo... Grace's sleep is worse than ever. Also, the work we were doing on discipling Isaac has gone right out the window.
I just can't wait until we're all settled into the new house! I crave structure and routine and organization... and coffee! Not that I can't have that here; I just can't have it now because it's 3 o'clock in the afternoon... but that's besides the point.
I really don't have anything entertaining to share today. I just wanted to let you know where I've been... if anyone is even checking this anymore! :) I'm hoping to get back to regular posting again soon. Don't hold your breath though!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
More nutritious lunch choices
So the good news is that we're not eating as much mac 'n cheese these days. The bad news is that now Isaac is basically subsisting on Peanut Butter and Fluff sandwiches. Peanut butter and FLUFF! I'm embarrassed to even type it.
I'm not exactly sure how it happened except that I remember walking through the grocery store one day (I think while I was still pregnant) and seeing the fluff and remembering it from my days in daycare (where the only other things that I remember ingesting were oreos and kool-aid... in case you wondered why I don't send my kids to daycare!) and I wanted some. But I didn't buy any that day. In fact I didn't buy any for weeks even though it's right next to the peanut butter (which we buy every week) and the craving wouldn't go away. Finally I caved in and bought some for a treat, resolving not to let Isaac have any. Which lasted for exactly 2 seconds after he asked for a bite. So now he's eating "P-Fuff" for breakfast and lunch most days and would probably want it for dinner, you know, if he would actually eat dinner. One day he even finished his sandwich and then, while I was busy with Grace, he ate most of mine! Isaac! Ate almost 2 whole sandwiches! What do they put in that stuff anyway? Marshmallows and CRACK?! Maybe I should start slipping some broccoli in there between the fluff and the bread. Hmmm.....
Anyway, we will close on the house on Monday IF everything goes right between now and then. So stay tuned!
I'm not exactly sure how it happened except that I remember walking through the grocery store one day (I think while I was still pregnant) and seeing the fluff and remembering it from my days in daycare (where the only other things that I remember ingesting were oreos and kool-aid... in case you wondered why I don't send my kids to daycare!) and I wanted some. But I didn't buy any that day. In fact I didn't buy any for weeks even though it's right next to the peanut butter (which we buy every week) and the craving wouldn't go away. Finally I caved in and bought some for a treat, resolving not to let Isaac have any. Which lasted for exactly 2 seconds after he asked for a bite. So now he's eating "P-Fuff" for breakfast and lunch most days and would probably want it for dinner, you know, if he would actually eat dinner. One day he even finished his sandwich and then, while I was busy with Grace, he ate most of mine! Isaac! Ate almost 2 whole sandwiches! What do they put in that stuff anyway? Marshmallows and CRACK?! Maybe I should start slipping some broccoli in there between the fluff and the bread. Hmmm.....
Anyway, we will close on the house on Monday IF everything goes right between now and then. So stay tuned!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
My groggy thoughts
You wanna know what is the worst part about having little ones who are not good sleepers? It's not the lack of "me time" or even the sleep deprivation, although that is horrendous (there's a reason why they use it to torture people). Nope, it's probably not what you'd guess.
Without a doubt, the very worst thing about having 2 little insomniacs is the suspense! If I put her down now will she wake up? If she doesn't, will she sleep for 5 minutes or 2 hours? Do I have time to a.) blog b.) use the bathroom or c.) clean the house (just theoretical- you know I'd never pick c!)
When people have asked me what I think is the hardest part of having 2 kids, I've automatically said that for me it's naptime even though when I think about it, naptime usually goes ok. Disaster is always lurking though. Grace could decide to stay awake until it's too late to put Isaac down. Or she could wake up crying just as he's drifting off (which would mean the end of the world- trust me!) And just to make sure that I don't get too comfortable, Grace usually wakes up just as I'm leaving Isaac's room. It doesn't matter if it has taken me 5 minutes to get him down or a half an hour.
What really drives me crazy is how people don't understand this and urge me to nap when the kids do. "Even if it's only 10 minutes, you should try. Maybe you'll get a good nap." Ha! Shows how much you know! First of all, if I lay down, it's not going to be the day that they nap well. Secondly, I can only stand that feeling of being wrenched out of dreamland and into reality so many times in a 24 hour period and the 17 times (give or take) a night is about filling my quota.
Earlier this week I actually did get so desperate that I tried it. I was soo tired and feeling yucky and I thought that if I laid down with Grace that she would sleep for a while. Isaac only had 45 minutes or so left until his normal wakeup time but he'd had Benadryl right before he went down and the last time he had Benadryl he had slept for 3 hours! 10 minutes later he was awake. And I mean WIDE awake, not even groggy like he usually is after his nap!
Soo... to get to the point...we're starting the old no-cry sleep solution today. You may have noticed that I haven't been blogging much and it's not because I don't want to. I've just hit that can't-even-function-anymore level of tired and have been finding it possible to be interesting. So anyway, I could use your prayers! The no-cry sleep solution did fabulous things for Isaac's sleep but it does take patience and actually involves more staying awake before things get better.
In other news, the house buying is still moving forward. If the radon test comes back ok and the house appraises right (we'll know about both within the next couple of days) and if the current owners will agree to replace the oil tank (eek!) then we'll be in business! Again, any prayers are appreciated!
More later...
Without a doubt, the very worst thing about having 2 little insomniacs is the suspense! If I put her down now will she wake up? If she doesn't, will she sleep for 5 minutes or 2 hours? Do I have time to a.) blog b.) use the bathroom or c.) clean the house (just theoretical- you know I'd never pick c!)
When people have asked me what I think is the hardest part of having 2 kids, I've automatically said that for me it's naptime even though when I think about it, naptime usually goes ok. Disaster is always lurking though. Grace could decide to stay awake until it's too late to put Isaac down. Or she could wake up crying just as he's drifting off (which would mean the end of the world- trust me!) And just to make sure that I don't get too comfortable, Grace usually wakes up just as I'm leaving Isaac's room. It doesn't matter if it has taken me 5 minutes to get him down or a half an hour.
What really drives me crazy is how people don't understand this and urge me to nap when the kids do. "Even if it's only 10 minutes, you should try. Maybe you'll get a good nap." Ha! Shows how much you know! First of all, if I lay down, it's not going to be the day that they nap well. Secondly, I can only stand that feeling of being wrenched out of dreamland and into reality so many times in a 24 hour period and the 17 times (give or take) a night is about filling my quota.
Earlier this week I actually did get so desperate that I tried it. I was soo tired and feeling yucky and I thought that if I laid down with Grace that she would sleep for a while. Isaac only had 45 minutes or so left until his normal wakeup time but he'd had Benadryl right before he went down and the last time he had Benadryl he had slept for 3 hours! 10 minutes later he was awake. And I mean WIDE awake, not even groggy like he usually is after his nap!
Soo... to get to the point...we're starting the old no-cry sleep solution today. You may have noticed that I haven't been blogging much and it's not because I don't want to. I've just hit that can't-even-function-anymore level of tired and have been finding it possible to be interesting. So anyway, I could use your prayers! The no-cry sleep solution did fabulous things for Isaac's sleep but it does take patience and actually involves more staying awake before things get better.
In other news, the house buying is still moving forward. If the radon test comes back ok and the house appraises right (we'll know about both within the next couple of days) and if the current owners will agree to replace the oil tank (eek!) then we'll be in business! Again, any prayers are appreciated!
More later...
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Just another day in Paradise
The forecast for today said it would be in the 90s! So I decided that if we were going to get out to play it would have to be in the morning before it could get quite that hot. My plan was good. When Gracie woke up from her morning nap, I'd get the kids ready really quickly and we'd have time to play before lunch. Except that I forgot that it takes a half an hour just to get us all sunscreened and bug-sprayed. And then I had to bring up the laundry from the basement and find the clothespins and everybody's hats and Isaac didn't want to put his shoes on until after he put his COAT on which he doesn't know how to do. Finally I convinced him that I'd help him with his coat once we got outside if he would just put his shoes on NOW! Of course he forgot about the coat as soon as we stepped out the door...PRAISE THE LORD! By then it actually was about lunchtime so I brought out crackers and cheese and turkey and peanut butter and we had a little picnic. Once the clothes were hung, the mail retrieved, the neighbors's cat chased away and his departure mourned ("Where kitty go be?"), I put away the stroller, 2 bikes, all the sandbox toys, and the lunch fixings and dragged us inside. Then came the removal of the sunscreen, bugspray, and sweat. Two baths, a shower, and a completely trashed upstairs later, the kids went down for their naps RIGHT ON TIME! GO ME!
Speaking of Supermama, I also took both kids grocery shopping BY MYSELF yesterday! I know, I know, I am completely crazy! But I got one of the carts with the car on the front and Isaac got a free cookie from the bakery, a free slice of cheese from the deli, and a new "Thomas" book (not free but worth the $4) and he stayed right in the cart and there were NO tantrums the WHOLE time! Well, there was one in the parking lot on the way out when he dropped part of his cheese and was so so sad that I wouldn't let him pick it back up (Him: My cheese!/ Me: I'll get you more when we get home/ Him: Me want that cheese!), but since that was outside of the store, I'm not countin' it!
So I guess it pays to be a little crazy once in a while. Like my cheesy but sweet husband always says when I tell him he's crazy, "Yup! I'm crazy about you!" And I am crazy about those kids! Which is a good thing since they're the ones that made me crazy in the first place...
Before I sign off (which I probably should do before I hurt my brain- I'm a little scattered today, huh?) I just wanted to give my Hubby some credit, you know since I've shared his shortcomings with the whole world (or at least all 5 of my readers). My birthday is this Thursday and I've already received a present from him! A wonderful, thoughtful present that I absolutely love but that I did not hint about, did not order myself, did not make the arrangements for him to order! I had nothing to do with it and it's an awesome present and it's here on time...EARLY even! Oh yeah, and it's a pair of PINK CROCS!!! Ok so they're the wrong size but that's only because he remembered my old size and didn't realize that 2 pregnancies had made my feet bigger. And he's doing all the work to exchange them for me! New shoes delivered to my door...what more could a girl ask for? I LOVE YOU HONEY!
Speaking of Supermama, I also took both kids grocery shopping BY MYSELF yesterday! I know, I know, I am completely crazy! But I got one of the carts with the car on the front and Isaac got a free cookie from the bakery, a free slice of cheese from the deli, and a new "Thomas" book (not free but worth the $4) and he stayed right in the cart and there were NO tantrums the WHOLE time! Well, there was one in the parking lot on the way out when he dropped part of his cheese and was so so sad that I wouldn't let him pick it back up (Him: My cheese!/ Me: I'll get you more when we get home/ Him: Me want that cheese!), but since that was outside of the store, I'm not countin' it!
So I guess it pays to be a little crazy once in a while. Like my cheesy but sweet husband always says when I tell him he's crazy, "Yup! I'm crazy about you!" And I am crazy about those kids! Which is a good thing since they're the ones that made me crazy in the first place...
Before I sign off (which I probably should do before I hurt my brain- I'm a little scattered today, huh?) I just wanted to give my Hubby some credit, you know since I've shared his shortcomings with the whole world (or at least all 5 of my readers). My birthday is this Thursday and I've already received a present from him! A wonderful, thoughtful present that I absolutely love but that I did not hint about, did not order myself, did not make the arrangements for him to order! I had nothing to do with it and it's an awesome present and it's here on time...EARLY even! Oh yeah, and it's a pair of PINK CROCS!!! Ok so they're the wrong size but that's only because he remembered my old size and didn't realize that 2 pregnancies had made my feet bigger. And he's doing all the work to exchange them for me! New shoes delivered to my door...what more could a girl ask for? I LOVE YOU HONEY!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Can I get an AMEN!?
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." 1 Timothy 6:6-7 (NIV)
I was talking to a friend last night (in order to protect the innocent from association with my blog we'll just call her Friend A) about another friend (Friend B of course) and how Friend A thinks that Friend B looks up to me or maybe even is a little bit jealous of me. This sounded very improbable to me since in addition to having a family (which is about the only Earthly thing I have) Friend B has a new car, a college degree, her own home, lots of things that I know are very important to her that I don't have. I listened patiently (as patiently as I know how; I once even let 10 seconds worth of silence go by without breaking in) as Friend A and Hubby (who totally understood where she was coming from) tried to explain to me that it is because I am happy and have what I want in life even if it's not the same as what Friend B's has. While I think that Friend A and Hubby were on the right track, after thinking it through this morning, I think that they weren't quite putting the whole puzzle together for me. I mean, I don't care if a person is the absolute happiest person in the whole world! If they don't have a family there is no way that I'm going to envy them even if they have everything else a person could have (and I am seriously prone to jealousy!) because a family is what is important to me. I don't think that Friend B could envy me for the things I have when I don't even have the things that are important to her.
I think perhaps that what I have that she wants (even though she doesn't realize it) is true contentment. And I'm no expert but I think that true contentment is can only come from God. I KNOW that in my case, it is from Him alone! Here's an example. A few years ago I was going through a time of wanting my own home SO badly. I was definitely coveting but I don't think that adequately describes how I felt. I wanted it so bad I could TASTE it, so to speak. I had been working toward it for a long time and out of the blue a friend of mine called me to tell me that she'd bought a house (and she had not been working towards it the way I had). When I heard the news, it made me physically sick. The bitterness I felt was like poison. So I avoided her. And avoided and avoided until I couldn't avoid anymore. The time came when I had to go see the house. I didn't know how on Earth I was going to be able to walk into that house and be happy for her when the very thought still made my stomach sink. Well, the day came and as I was driving to her house I was hoping so hard that the road would take me into a city, would take me to a house that was nice but not at all what I would want, so that maybe I could somehow be happy for her. I was also praying. The entire drive I never stopped. It's a good thing too because the road was taking me out into the breathtakingly gorgeous countryside. I was praying over and over for God to take my envy away but as I pulled up to my dream house, it was still sitting like a lump in my stomach. I walked into my friends amazing new house and the envy suddenly disappeared. She gave me a tour and I was able to sincerely compliment her home without even the threat of tears. If I have ever witnessed a miracle, that was it!
All this is not to say that I'm perfect or that I never get jealous anymore. Like I said, it is something that has always been a big struggle for me. In fact, right now we are in the process of trying to buy a house and I have been praying all morning because I'm having a really hard time not obsessing (please pray for me!). I guess what I'm saying though is that it makes all the difference in the world to know that I can be happy with what I have no matter how little it is, if I will just give it to God. True contentment is GOD-GIVEN and I am SO BLESSED to have a God who will give it to me when I ask!
Anyway, I hope you were blessed by my little foray into theology today.
Even if you weren't I know I really needed the reminder!
Have a wonderful weekend!
I was talking to a friend last night (in order to protect the innocent from association with my blog we'll just call her Friend A) about another friend (Friend B of course) and how Friend A thinks that Friend B looks up to me or maybe even is a little bit jealous of me. This sounded very improbable to me since in addition to having a family (which is about the only Earthly thing I have) Friend B has a new car, a college degree, her own home, lots of things that I know are very important to her that I don't have. I listened patiently (as patiently as I know how; I once even let 10 seconds worth of silence go by without breaking in) as Friend A and Hubby (who totally understood where she was coming from) tried to explain to me that it is because I am happy and have what I want in life even if it's not the same as what Friend B's has. While I think that Friend A and Hubby were on the right track, after thinking it through this morning, I think that they weren't quite putting the whole puzzle together for me. I mean, I don't care if a person is the absolute happiest person in the whole world! If they don't have a family there is no way that I'm going to envy them even if they have everything else a person could have (and I am seriously prone to jealousy!) because a family is what is important to me. I don't think that Friend B could envy me for the things I have when I don't even have the things that are important to her.
I think perhaps that what I have that she wants (even though she doesn't realize it) is true contentment. And I'm no expert but I think that true contentment is can only come from God. I KNOW that in my case, it is from Him alone! Here's an example. A few years ago I was going through a time of wanting my own home SO badly. I was definitely coveting but I don't think that adequately describes how I felt. I wanted it so bad I could TASTE it, so to speak. I had been working toward it for a long time and out of the blue a friend of mine called me to tell me that she'd bought a house (and she had not been working towards it the way I had). When I heard the news, it made me physically sick. The bitterness I felt was like poison. So I avoided her. And avoided and avoided until I couldn't avoid anymore. The time came when I had to go see the house. I didn't know how on Earth I was going to be able to walk into that house and be happy for her when the very thought still made my stomach sink. Well, the day came and as I was driving to her house I was hoping so hard that the road would take me into a city, would take me to a house that was nice but not at all what I would want, so that maybe I could somehow be happy for her. I was also praying. The entire drive I never stopped. It's a good thing too because the road was taking me out into the breathtakingly gorgeous countryside. I was praying over and over for God to take my envy away but as I pulled up to my dream house, it was still sitting like a lump in my stomach. I walked into my friends amazing new house and the envy suddenly disappeared. She gave me a tour and I was able to sincerely compliment her home without even the threat of tears. If I have ever witnessed a miracle, that was it!
All this is not to say that I'm perfect or that I never get jealous anymore. Like I said, it is something that has always been a big struggle for me. In fact, right now we are in the process of trying to buy a house and I have been praying all morning because I'm having a really hard time not obsessing (please pray for me!). I guess what I'm saying though is that it makes all the difference in the world to know that I can be happy with what I have no matter how little it is, if I will just give it to God. True contentment is GOD-GIVEN and I am SO BLESSED to have a God who will give it to me when I ask!
Anyway, I hope you were blessed by my little foray into theology today.
Even if you weren't I know I really needed the reminder!
Have a wonderful weekend!
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