I think 13 or 14 hours is apparently my shift limit. By the time the 13th hour of being awake hits, my patience is running thin and I feel like I’m about to go cross-eyed if I hear one more disagreement or sassy phrase out of a kiddos mouth. Tonight X-man made the comment, “It’s a good thing you don’t teach preschool or Kindergarten.” I raised an eyebrow and said, “To be honest dear, it wouldn’t happen.”
If there is a parent out there who can honestly and completely say that they never lose patience with their kids, and are always in a sunny disposition, then I’d really like to meet you in person. Or else get the number for the doctor who is prescribing you the medication. I only joke about the medication part. I think.
Don’t get me wrong. I sure hope that anyone who stops by here gets that I love my children and I adore them. But I’m not going to “pull the wool over your eyes” and pretend that I’m always in tip top performance or Numero Uno Mother of the Year. I WISH I could be super close to perfect. Yet, then again, what fun is there in perfection? I mean what can my kids learn from dealing with a parent that occasionally isn’t ubber cool under the collar and sometimes looks like she should be put in a straight jacket and left in a rubber room? Hmm… they are boys so they are definitely learning that moms, or women in general, have “moody” moments. They have their days. And they aren’t perfect. In fact, we all have our “days” and make mistakes. It’s human nature. It’s okay. As long as we don’t do it intentionally or in a negligent/abusive way.
They have seen me sit down and cry from frustration. They’ve heard me raise my voice a level or three. And they’ve seen days where I did the bare minimum to get by. Oh, you want cereal for dinner? Sure. Sounds good.
And occasionally they just hear me blurt out a few lines of “It’s a Hard Knock Life.”
Clean clean clean. Yep, I’m back in the cleaning bug again today. I’m just taking a break for the time being. If there’s one thing my body (and thus, Baby Micah) has been teaching me, it’s that I can do my housework, but I can NOT go full throttle for 10 hours straight.
I woke up this morning, came out of my bedroom and my nose was instantly offended. I noticed that the kids’ bedroom door was open (they normally sleep with it closed all night) and my nose was getting more offended the closer I got to the room. What on EARTH is that stench? OH. NO. Oh yes… Lil’ C had apparently woke up in the middle of the night needing to go to the bathroom, but decided not to actually go use the toilet. He pooped in his underwear. I felt my gag reflex trigger.
After waking up X-man and warning him to be careful where he moved to get off the bed, I went straight to work. I ran a bath for C and started the most disgusting task of clean up I’ve had to do in a while. Blankets, stuffed animals that share the bed, etc…. off to the washing machine. Removal of the toxic waste…. into the toilet with undies and all for the time being (I treat the toilet like a wash tub when these things happen, to get the majority out). And I got sick about 5 times. Baby M didn’t appreciate those muscle spasms in my abdomen.
Let me tell you something else I figured out today. The Febreze spray for pets? Yeah… that stuff worked WONDERS to cover the smell so I could flip my gag reflex off. Thank you Mr. Febreze Pet Odor Eliminator… it’s good for the elimination of smells from kids who usually don’t have accidents in their pants, but do like to crawl around the house acting like a puppy or kitty (Lil’ C likes to do this a lot).
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Alright, so I got distracted and busy, then I got tired. haha.
WOW! WOOT! The end of the semester has arrived! I took my last final exam this morning at 8am. Can I just tell you, I’m so excited to have the semester behind me. I’m also finished working outside of the home for the time being. We are so excited that DH received an excellent job offer and he has accepted. He will be working four days a week, and will actually get to be home three! You all have no idea how much it excites me for him to have a job that he can literally leave at work. The past few years have been a lot of adjustments, balancing acts, and a few rough patches. We have so many more things that I’m sure will require those same things in the future, but as it stands we are approaching a new state of stability in our lives.
I have the most amazing husband in the whole entire world. Challenge me. I dare you. Over the last couple of weeks I have experienced morning sickness related nausea for the first time in my life (didn’t have it with X-man or Lil’ C), pulled abdominal ligaments (not comfortable, at all), and bronchitis (which agitated the aforementioned ligaments with all the coughing). My husband just never ceases to leave me awe struck at his support. I said something in passing, altogether to myself, about mopping and next thing I know DH is on a cleaning spree in the kitchen. “I was going to do that.” DH: “I know. That’s why I’m doing it.” I love him. He’s the best. He has really dealt well with my random mood swings, dozing off while sitting with him in the big green comfy chair, and being snippy when I’ve gotten startled awake. He has rubbed my back when I’ve woke him up whimpering in the middle of the night, and allowed me my space when I’ve been to achy to cuddle. We are anxiously awaiting the first ultra sound this Friday, and I can’t wait to see the look on his face when it suddenly becomes very real for him as he sees the little bean on the monitor and possibly gets to hear the heartbeat for the first time (we think I’ll be far enough along to hear those 150+ beats a minute). While I can feel all the drastic changes taking place inside, I realize that it’s hard for a dad to really have it sink in until they actually SEE the proof. I have spotted him reading my pregnancy journal/book that details the development day to day, flipping through the pages of the “What To Expect When Expecting” book, and browsing through the discussion boards and information on whattoexpect.com. And when he has wanted to cook one of his creative dishes, he has accepted my green face without to much of a pout. I have an amazing husband and I am so thankful for him each and every day.
Lil’ C has been quite comical with this whole baby thing. I have been talking about baby a little each day, even as little as “say good night to baby.” X-man was nearly 7 years old when Lil’ C came along, so it was quite a bit easier for him to grasp the concept of a new baby on the way. I’ve been trying to make sure that as we go along, Lil’ C is able to get some understanding of what is to come. Sometimes when I say, “What’s in my belly?” He replies “Baby!” And occasionally he follows it with “There’s no baby in your tummy. Baby is in my tummy. Say hi to baby.” One day as I sat here rubbing my belly, Lil’ C came up and said “What are you doing?” I told him I was rubbing the baby. “Did baby poop?” hahaha. I’m not sure where it came from but DH, X-man, and I cracked up. I’m sure the antics will continue to amuse us over the coming months.
As I begin a new stage in life, as a stay at home mom and homemaker, I’m sure the tone of this website will begin to morph and change into a more solid direction.
Until then, I’d like to end the post with a few more things for the movie BABIES, releasing this Friday in theaters nationwide. I’m a BzzAgent Ambassador for the movie, and I cannot tell you how excited I am about this movie. It will not be showing in a theater close to me, so I’m afraid I’ll have to wait for the release on DVD to view it, but believe it’s at the top of my list of things to see when the time comes.
Real advice from real moms, this video from MommyCast reminds moms that your baby cares most about spending time with you – so keep it simple!
My wonderful Dear Husband (DH). He was directing the canoe while I took pictures. This was out at Pennyrile State Park during July of 2009.
Energetic Lil’ C climbing up the slide that used to be in our neighborhood (we’re not sure when the play equipment disappeared… it just wasn’t there one day).
Here’s my X-man climbing up the slide at Central Park in my hometown (I almost wrote “our” hometown, but then it occurred to me that he wasn’t born here so I guess his hometown is technically in Michigan).
While having lunch with a friend at the local park: “Want to go play on the equipment?” Me: “Not really.” Friend: “Oh, that’s right, you don’t do things like that. You’re boring now.” Me: “I play with the kids when I bring them. But there’s a family with five kids over there and it’s their time.”
I am boring. He was so right in making that comment. And it was about three weeks later before it slapped me on the other side of my face. Yeah, I turned my cheek and got it from the other direction. It was just delayed.
Life got all to serious for me in 2006. And in 2007. And even more so in 2008. And in the process… I lost the “young” me… and life aged me. And I feel old. And boring.
And so the task begins for me to refind the “fun” me. The “let’s be spontaneous” me. The side of me that laughed almost daily until I nearly cried or wet my pants. The side of me that isn’t worried about anything because I know God provides all that my family needs. And the side of me that doesn’t worry if others think I’m being ridiculous and foolish, so long as I’m not abandoning respectability and decent sensability.
Last night was the beginning of that venture. X-man and I went to see the Harlem Globetrotters and we had an absolute blast. They were taking volunteers to participate and after coaching X-man to participate for one of the activities, he pushed me up on the floor for the next one. I couldn’t very well tell him no after I had been pep talking him on how he should “just have fun and don’t worry about anyone else.” If I had kept myself planted in the seat for fear of looking ridiculous, I would have been a hypocrit to my son, and that’s something I strive not to be. So I felt my body shaking all over because I was so nervous and paranoid. So I hardly grasped the directions for the game because when I get nervous I get scatterbrained and forgetful and can’t seem to absorb new information. So what if I had a Globetrotter psyching me out and I was supposed to pretend to be some coordinated basketball free-throw shooter. So what. WE HAD FUN!
X-man had a blast, and I was so thankful for that. He had been unsure of what we were going to, or just exactly what to expect. But at the end of the night he was super excited about autographs and he knew exactly who he wanted to sign his basketball. He knew precisely which points of the program were his favorites, and he remembered the show from start to finish. That tells me it kept his attention and he was entertained, because if you know my dear X-man in real life you know that he isn’t an overly exciteable child unless something REALLY peaks his interest.
We’ve been having a lot more game nights at the house. We usually try to have one a week at least (that’d be DH, X-man and myself). But in the last few weeks we’ve been trying to have them a couple of nights a week. Game night=Family time. It’s great. Some nights I’m too tired for a real elaborate game, but we have so many to choose from we can usually find something that will make everyone happy, even if it’s only 30 minutes.
And I can hardly wait for Disney this summer with X-man. This year is going to consist of me acting like the biggest kid ever with him, because that’s what we do.
Alright you guys… Do you ever get yourself involved in too many projects at once? I’m pretty sure that’s what I have done to myself. If you know me, you know that’s not an uncommon occurence. The difference is these days I’ve learned how to just raise my hands and wave the white flag of submission.
I’m fairly certain I’m not going to make it to 50,000 words on my novel by the end of November. I guess we’ll see how much writing I accomplish during Thanksgiving weekend, but I doubt it’s going to be much. DH joked that I would end up skipping the holiday festivities at Grandpa Hen’s that Saturday to stay home and write. I told him he just might be correct. Nah, I’ll go. I just might excuse myself a little early.
The end of the semester is rapidly approaching which means the final rushes of assignments and exam preparations. Not to mention scheduling for the next semester. I have at least accomplished the latter. I’m anxiously awaiting my next Social Work class, and equally but transversely awaiting the Biology class I’ve been procrastinating on. Alas, I can procrastinate no longer.
I’ve had this idea come into my head for a possibly Etsy shop. Nope, I can’t tell you what it would be… then my idea would be out and it would no longer be my own. Actually, I have no idea if it’s a very unique idea… I need to research that to be certain.
The house is in some major need of reorganization. I also need to eBay a bunch of stuff, donate a bunch of stuff, or just altogether throw a bunch of stuff away. Yes, DH, I know you are nodding your head. It’s frustrating how quickly clutter can accumulate, and disheartening how long it can take to make that clutter disappear. This weekend I have every intention of cleaning off the bookshelf that has been in shambles for months. That also means I get to file paperwork I’ve been shoving there until I took the time to get the file box out. Yikes. I hate these kinds of chores. Funny thing is, I’ll get it all in perfect order and I’ll become anal about maintaining it’s cleanliness for about two months, then I just throw all caution to the wind and let the disaster develop again.
This potty training thing with Lil’ C has its ups and downs. He will do super fantastical for several days, then he has a day or two where he’s just like “nuh-uh! No way! I’ll pee on myself before I go to the potty!” He’s a willful child, that boy. A few evenings ago I put his “big boy undies” on him. DH started joking that I’d have to clean poop out of Lil’ C’s underwear. I kid you not, less than five minutes later, Lil’ C came out of the bathroom and with distress in his voice saying “poo! poo!” YAY! Do the happy dance! He went poo in his potty without any encouragement! Next day… not so much. He’ll spend the whole day at daycare in his “big boy undies” and going potty with only naptime accidents, then come home and REFUSE to use the potty. He’s already leaps and bounds ahead of where X-man was at this age. But he’s still behind some of his peers. I realize each kid is different, and of course it also depends on how the parent(s) are handling the situation. If X-man goes to the bathroom, Lil’ C is suddenly much more interested in being like big brother and wants to go potty. He could care less if Momma Hen is headed to the bathroom. “Be like you ma? I’ll pass.”
So… back to the taking too much on. Yeah… I’m feeling the pressure. “I’m tired of responsibility. Responsibility and I are not getting along. I quit.” DH: “Sure. We’ll quit responsibility.” Me: “Why does everything have to be a WE? This is about ME.” DH: “No, we’re in this together.”
Lil’ C has picked up on the ever popular phrase of procrastination “hold on.”
“Carter. Come take your bath.”
From his room: “Hold on.”
X-man: “Carter! Come here!”
From the other side of the house: “HOLD ON!”
“Carter, leave the kitty alone.”
“Hold on Momma.”
*sigh* haha.
In good news for Lil’ C… we’re developing good study habits early. X and I were sitting at the kitchen table doing our homework this evening. Lil’ C came over to see what we were doing. “Do you want to do homework too Carter?” “Yeah! Homework!” He seems to be working on his lines, swirls, and shading abilities. haha. He did this the last time we were doing our homework too. I should coin the phrase, “The family that does homework together, stays together.”
X-man. Well well well. I have had one heck of a week with him. Thankfully the things that I consider problematic are minor compared to what I know they could be. X-man was grounded Monday night when he not only forgot to bring home his science book so he could study for the test he would have Tuesday, which he had known about for a week and a half. But also, for pretending to study when I told him he needed to (prior to coming clean with the fact that he forgot his science book). He and I had been sitting at the table doing, you guessed it, our homework. He got up and went to his room where he flipped on his television. I asked him if he studied for his science test. He says “oh! no.” He turned off the television and came to the living room and sat on the couch with his backpack. I went back to the kitchen table to continue my homework. Within a matter of minutes, he was back in his room. I called for him and asked him if he thought that 3 minutes was really an appropriate length of time to study for a science test when it’s the one class he needs to put more effort into so he can bring his grade up. Granted it’s only from a B to an A, but when it’s the only class that he has a B in and the only thing standing between him and that A is learning he has to put a little more effort into committing the information to memory, the point is I’m trying to teach him that things are going to get more difficult and not everything is going to be as easy breezy for him without having to study. Anyway… he ended up grounded for the rest of the evening: no t.v., no video games, and only reading science related material in his room (Kids Discovery magazine… it’s not torture, I promise). Well… the little terd pulled off an 100 on his test! I joked that maybe he needed to be grounded the night before a test from now on. “Ha. Ha. Mom. Not so funny.” He knows I love him. And before you all want to flog me, X-man knows that it’s not having a B that is a problem here. He and I have discussed that it’s okay to get a B, so long as he knows he has put the proper time into studying. Kiddo normally only has to spend about 20 minutes on his homework per night. After that, he gets to play his game boy, or watch cartoons, or go out and play. He has it pretty darn easy.
So… my kiddos are great. They present their challenges, but I love them. If there’s ever talk of quitting responsibility, it doesn’t include them.
Over the last couple of weeks I have experienced morning sickness related nausea for the first time in my life (didn’t have it with X-man or Lil’ C), pulled abdominal ligaments (not comfortable, at all), and bronchitis (which agitated the aforementioned ligaments with all the coughing). My husband just never ceases to leave me awe struck at his support. I said something in passing, altogether to myself, about mopping and next thing I know DH is on a cleaning spree in the kitchen. “I was going to do that.” DH: “I know. That’s why I’m doing it.” I love him. He’s the best. He has really dealt well with my random mood swings, dozing off while sitting with him in the big green comfy chair, and being snippy when I’ve gotten startled awake. He has rubbed my back when I’ve woke him up whimpering in the middle of the night, and allowed me my space when I’ve been to achy to cuddle. We are anxiously awaiting the first ultra sound this Friday, and I can’t wait to see the look on his face when it suddenly becomes very real for him as he sees the little bean on the monitor and possibly gets to hear the heartbeat for the first time (we think I’ll be far enough along to hear those 150+ beats a minute). While I can feel all the drastic changes taking place inside, I realize that it’s hard for a dad to really have it sink in until they actually SEE the proof. I have spotted him reading my 
