Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Wow - where has the time gone?

February? Are you freakin kidding me? It is already February? Time has gone by so quickly and I can't believe my little ladies are about to turn 1! One year ago, I was in the hospital, settling in for a month long stay, awaiting the arrival of my girls.


So, I am back to trying this blog thing once again. I am finding I can better manage my time these days and life with the little ones has gotten pretty interesting lately.



Let me get you all up to speed. Connor is now 4 and a half and is hilarious. Seriously, he's a funny little guy. Totally obsessed with dinosaurs and often acts like one and quizzes me on which dino he is pretending to be. When I get it wrong (and I say when not if, because I know jack about dino's) he chides me and then gives me a lecture on the dino in question.



He also thinks he can do everything himself (very independent). Here he is trying (unsuccessfully) to make a mohawk with the handsoap in the bathroom:

So that's the Connor update.

Onto the girls.


Emma is a spitfire...she has such a fun spirit and happy personality. She loves to laugh, wrestle, climb...definetly a bit of a tomboy. She fell and hit the edge of a bench in our kitchen which resulted in her first black eye (I bet money that she would be our first child to go to the ER. This didn't get her there, but it was still scary...for us, at least. She cried for like a second and then tried to climb the bench again.)





She is walking -started at 9 months, doing a little here and there, but now (at 11 and a half months) walking about 90% of the time. She looks like a little drunk but it's super cute to watch.



Briar is also walking but she's a lot sturdier on her feet. She walks about 100% of the time. She is an absolute doll. She's our cuddler, princess, girly girl. She is also super sensitive and very bossy. She loves telling Connor and Emma "no" and gets her feelings hurt about a thousand times a day. Oh, and she's a thumb sucker when she's sleepy:





Great! Now everyone is up to speed on the happenings of the kiddos. Now I can start talking about the good stuff....

I am still at home. No job for me and it doesn't appear there are any jobs on the horizon. The kids and I are in a groove so it's been fun. The girls just stopped drinking formula - cha ching. $250 back in our pockets. Of course, now Emma's reflux is acting up and we can't help but wonder if it's the milk. I suspect she is eating too much. The girl eats like a marine. Double fisting food and shoving it in her mouth at an unnatural rate. She hates being fed things on a spoon and loves feeding herself (control freak), so I think I just need to teach her to slow down a bit.

We are in a seperation anxiety phase (the girls) and an attention getting phase (Connor), which is super fun. For those of you that haven't experienced these phases, let me give you a little glimpse into an average day at my house. I am sitting on the floor with the kids (I have to sit on the floor because for some reason if I sit on the furniture, my girls scream bloody murder). I am a jungle gym. Literally. I have 3 kids sitting or climbing on me in some way. When I stand up to get a drink of water...screaming. It seems I have to be completely focused on them AND physically touching them in someway, or there is severe anxiety. All the while, Connor is feeling a bit left out, so add in some dinosaur noises and running around. I am assurred this is a phase and will pass soon. It didn't use to be this way and I remember those awesome moments where the kids didn't even care if I was in the same room. Awe memories.

Bobby and I are still getting into a rythmn of me being home. It's weird when you've worked for most of the marriage...staying home is a completely different ball game. Chores shift, things become more annoying because I am home all day to notice the socks that were thrown in front of the laundry chute but not actually put down the laundry chute (for example), and there are times where I find I am just simply uninteresting. Yep, I said it. Love my kids, but there was a time in my life when I had things to say. I had things to talk about. Like, politics and drama at work. Now, I am with my kids all the time. So the things I have to talk about now are how much Briar drooled today or that Connor and I made a super awesome marble maze.

It sounds like I am complaining and I'm not. I just realized how different I am today compared to a year ago. I use coupons at the grocery store for crying out loud! I make organic baby food and bake with whole wheat flour. Fridays are craft days. I am having conversations with my four year old about what words mean and what heaven is like, because I am the one he is around most of the time and these things come up. I like the new me, but occassionally miss the old me. The person who would get a Starbucks whenever I felt like it without thinking how much a couple of coffees a month cost. The person who never planned dinner because I was the last one home and it always fell to Bobby to do that. I just never realized it was possible to change so much in a year...or maybe I was always this person deep down, but never had the time to know it. I am relaxed, not stressed. I feel happy almost all of the time. That's a nice change. Mostly, I am just really thankful for my life and my family. And am glad that I have the time to stop and smell the roses now (er, and the dirty socks in front of the laundry chute).

Anyway, that's what's happening here. So until next time.....

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Here I am again

So here I am... not updating my blog, in fact, I'm oblivious to the blog world altogether. The thing is, I'm not a bad blogger per say, more.. that every spare second I have, I hear a "mommy watch this" or a cry, or a noise that I can't determine, therefore it needs to be attended too.

Yep, this is me...terrible blogger, awesome mommy, sucky housewife. This is me. I love me. I try hard at the things that matter and I'm iffy on the things that I think don't.

So here's the deal. I had a part time job. I thought it was awesome. Said job was not awesome and I decided spending time with the kiddos was more important. A stay at home mom I will be (at least for now).

While I'm at home I thought I should do things. You know...things other than playing on the floor with the chicklets all day. So I've attempted tackling the laundry pile that is as big as Mount Everest - and anyone with 3 kids will tell you that if you don't stay on top of the laundry from the beginning, you will Never, Ever catch up. Ugh!

I'm also attemping to be healthy (insert hilarious laughing here)! I read somewhere that if you put on workout clothes first thing in the morning, you will most likely work out because you are half way there (ok, actually...insert hilarious laughing here). I did that. In fact, I do that. Every day I put on my sports bra, my jogging shorts and my tank top. I wear these clothes all day hoping for that *zing* that will not only put the energy into this body, but will also add the extra 4 hours needed in a day in order to take care of twins, a 3 year old and be able to leisurely work out. I'm trying. I squeeze one in every now and then. But I gotta know...how do moms do it? I mean seriously, let me know. How do you manage your time? Because I am new to this full time mommy thing and so far the only thing I have time for is being a full time mommy...where does the housework, bill paying, cooking and working out fit in? I'm not super mom, but I'm doing my best and that will have to do for now.

Bring on that laundry!

Till next time.....

Monday, July 19, 2010

A little of this and a little of that.....

So, yes...once again it's been awhile since I wrote. You'd think I had 3 kids (2 of whom are infants)...weird.


The hand foot and mouth went away and the girls managed to make it through without catching it. Connor is no worse for the wear and life is good once again.



Here are a few little tidbits about what has been going on lately.



First of all, we had a fish. Notice I did not say "we got a fish and he is enjoying life in his new home". Nope. I said, We HAD a fish. His name was Red Fin and he was a lovely little fellow. He lasted nearly 3 weeks at our house. But sadly he met his demise. I'm afraid his little fighting spirit was no match for my 3 year old and what I suspect was a toothpaste and soap combo floating in his bowl. Rest in peace Red Fin. Rest in Peace.



I've been enjoying life as a stay at home mom, but at times long for the working world. It's a tricky situation, this mom thing. When I was at work, all I wanted was to be home with my kids. Now that I am home with my kids, I long for a day or two of adult interaction. I wonder if all moms feel this way? Since I am a stay at home mom because of circumstance and not really choice (although if I had all the money in the world, it is a choice I would make everytime), I have been looking for jobs here and there (hey a girls got to have health insurance ya know). Today I got a call for a job that just might be the perfect thing. 20 hrs a week, I can work from home AND it has benefits. Woo hoo! I hope it's all it's cracked up to be. I'll keep you all updated.



Now lets see...what have my little chicklets been up to lately. Of course there was the fish incident. Oh, we have started the girls on food. Yep, real honest to goodness food. They have had rice cereal (Emma loves, Briar tolerates) and Avocado (Briar Loves, Emma, um, not so much). We've also split the babies into their own cribs (*tear). They couldn't care less, but it was difficult for me. It was time because Emma is a rolling fool and poor Briar was about to be smooshed (ironically, I think that is what was happening in the womb). The cute thing is, they are super excited to see eachother in the morning and when Emma sees Briar she stares at her and gently strokes her face. Love it!



The girls are way more interactive lately. But there are a few things that are just different when you have twins. You know that game that you play with babies? The one where you hold your baby in front of mirror and then in your most excitable voice ask "who's that baby" over and over.



Yeah, you know the one.



Well, the other day I thought, "Gosh, we haven't played the baby in the mirror game. I think I'll try it". So over to the mirror I go. Hold Emma in front of it, and in a high pitched, excited voice I ask "Who's that baby".


No response.


-K, must not be excited enough. "Who's that little bah-beee? Huh? Who iiissss that wittle tiny bah-beeeeeee in da mirror?" (yep that's what I sounded like).


The response was my 5 month old looking at me like I had just smoked a bunch of crack. Seriously? This game was supposed to amuse her? Why would she possibly care about the baby in the mirror when she can look at another baby all day? So, no more mirror game for them.



Let's see, what else....... last week, Connor started t-ball. He's just about the cutest thing ever:



He can make it a whole 2 innings before he starts building dirt piles, or kicking dust clouds, or generally just running around the field, flailing his arms and yelling (God Bless him).


Alrighty, kids are all waking up from naps, so looks like breaktime is over - they're slave drivers, I tell ya (lol).

Till next time.....

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Run, run from this house as fast as you can....

these are the words I spoke to my husband on the phone. You see, there is a little something called hand, foot and mouth virus. It's pretty much this disgusting blistery virus that kids get on..yep, you guessed it...their hands, their feet and in their mouth. There is no medicine to make it go away. And, oh...did I mention that it's hella contagious. Super. Cause I have 2 babies that my 3 year old loves to kiss and touch and generally invade their personal space.

Keep him away from them, you might be suggesting. Sure. I can do that now. But what about the past 3 days when he was likely contagious too. I can't turn back time ya know.
So, I'm inspecting the girls to see if they have any blisters, and what do I happen upon? Nope, not blisters. Instead I see what looks suspiciously like thrush in Emma's mouth. Are you kidding me!?! Now this could be the start of HFM for her, but it could also really be thrush. I gave her antibiotics for the thrush just in case.

So my day so far has been trying to keep Connor in some sort of quarantine, trying to keep Emma from sucking on any part of Briar - cause she likes to do that as you can see:

oh and dealing with a toilet that won't flush, but this fact was only discovered after Connor had used said toilet for not #1, but yep, #2. Awesome.

I'm earning my glass of wine today :-)

Friday, June 4, 2010

Oh the things a 3 year old will do.....

3 year olds are funny. Especially my 3 year old. He's smart (and smart mouthed), he's cute and hilarious and does the weirdest things.


Take for example, the "hickeystash" incident. I was busy feeding babies, changing diapers, cleaning up massive amounts of spit-up that seem to be never-ending from my dear Emma Belle, and wasn't paying the very close attention that is needed when you have a sweet (God Bless him) 3 year old. You see, my son had found a baby bottle lid and was amazed at his talent of being able to keep it attached to his face with the sheer force of sucking his breath in. Combine this wonderful talent with a few "uh huh's" and "mmmmm's" from me (I think I might even had thrown in a "that's great") and we have the "hickeystash". By the time I realized what was happening...it was too late. There, in all it's glory was a purple ring around my son's mouth. Only you couldn't really see the bottom so it looked like a terrible purple mustache. I was mortified. You see, I hate to admit it, but from time to time, "I phone it in" as a mom. There have been times where I've "uh huh'd" and "mmmm'd" my way into things like adding too many bubbles to a bath, or agreeing to let my son have ice cream for breakfast. Mostly when I'm sleep deprived. But this time, well...this time my "phoning it in" wouldn't be something that goes unspoken in the privacy of our house, nope...this time it would be obvious to all the world. Yep, this was not my proudest mom moment:



At least he looks handsome with a mustache :-)


And since this post is about my 3 year old, I thought I would also mention this little gem.......


So Connor has developed a fear of the dark at bedtime. Perfectly normal for his age. He thinks there are monsters in his room. Normally I can check for the monsters, assure him that they are not there, and off to sleep he goes. Well the other night, that simply was not doing the trick. So my husband had the idea to let our Golden Retriever, Tucker, sleep in Connor's room to "protect him from the monsters". Cause what monsters wouldn't be scared of this guy:




Anyway, Tucker happily goes off to bed with Connor and both drifted off to dreamland peacefully. Awesome. No drama, woo hoo. Except. Yep, it didn't last. You see, we always check on Connor just before we go to bed. So we open the door and see that Connor is asleep, but in the process we wake up Tucker and he just won't settle down. So we make the decision to bring Tucker into our room. Connor's already asleep so he won't know the difference. Right? Um, no. That would be wrong. Connor wakes up about 15 minutes later screaming bloody murder. I rush into his room expecting broken bones from falling out of the bed or possibly vomit from head to toe...as I enter his room, I see...nothing out of the ordinary. What the heck? I ask him what's wrong, and he tells me "Tucker's gone! The monsters got him! He was here to protect me and they ate him!!!!".

Um, yeah. We're like the best parents ever. Because instead of calming our son's fears about monsters at night, we essentially confirmed (in his mind) that there were indeed monsters and mommy and daddy decided to offer them up a little sacrifice.
So, that night we had the dog and the child in our room. And poor Connor cried all night. Because even when we explained to him that Tucker was fine and showed him that damn dog a million times, the damage had been done - we had successfully traumatized our 3 year old.

Like I said....Best. Parents. Ever.

Till next time.......

Thursday, May 27, 2010

What a difference a week makes....

Remember when I was all excited about my new part time work schedule...the one I raved about to a lot of you? Well, that's over. No, not just the part time schedule, but the job altogether. You see, my unit has been working on grant money because last year our department was dissolved and the only way for us to continue was to be self sustaining. Our appointments were due to end on June 19th of this year, but since we still have grant money we were hopeful they would be extended. Um, yeah...not so much. So June 19th, I'll be out of a job. Boo to that! This is a tricky situation because there is an issue of whether or not me working is worth it. After you pay childcare for 3 kids, it has to be a pretty darn good job. We are trying to figure out health insurance, since I provided that and my husband is self employed....this is the big issue. *Sigh*

In the meantime, looks like I'll be looking for jobs while trying out the SAHM thing for awhile. I have to admit, I'm excited to be home with the kids - a little stressed about how on earth we are going to swing it, but if I've learned anything these past 7 years it's that things will work out and God will provide for us. Just gotta keep the faith :-)

The little turkey's are doing great! Briar has decided she is tired of Emma getting all of the attention when rolling over, so she has started to try it. She can get half way, but she's a little chunkier than Emma, so she just can't quite get over. Oh, and the sleeping through the night thing? Uh, yeah...they happen to be awesome at it. 2 weeks of continuous night sleeping - I'm in twin momma heaven (and because I'm pretty sure I just jinxed myself by proclaiming this to the world, I am not knocking all on kinds of wood!).

The dreaded pink eye has hit our house. Right now Connor is the only one with the "crusties" but since he is constantly intruding on people's bubbles, I believe it is only a matter of time till we all look like zombies...walking around with pink, goopy eyes. Gross.

I'm super excited for the holiday weekend because we are tearing down some walls around our staircase to open up our house a bit. Man I love being married to a contractor. Doing a pretty large remodel, over 1 weekend, with a 3 year old and 3 month old twins? Are we crazy you may be asking. Um, yep...I'm pretty sure we are. We have this weird need to put our lives in a constant state of stress. Seriously. I think we thrive better that way for some reason. Will we be busy and on edge? mmmmhmmmmm. Who wouldn't? And I'm not ashamed to say that there will probably be some F-bombs dropped from yours truly (some might argue that the F-bomb part isn't different from any other day....I'm working on cutting back). But in the end, the project will be done and I'll let Bobby take a short breath before I start pressuring him to move on to the next project (lol).

Okey dokey, better get some bottles ready and my little man some cereal. Oh, don't even get me started on the cereal. I have made Connor a hot breakfast since he could eat solid foods, and for some reason these past few months whenever I ask him what he wants, it's just cereal (dry) in a bowl. C'mon kid, I'm offering you a wonderful hot, yummy breakfast...but no, he wants fruit loops. I never even used to keep cereal in the house, now we have every kind under the sun. Someone on the cartoon network must be a marketing genius because they got my kid ;-)

Till next time.......

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Tomorrow I become a runner...

Well, maybe not a runner....but tomorrow I do start attempting to run. (insert shock at this statement here!). For those of you that know me, I am not a runner. I am more of an out-of-shape mom that had two (count em two) babies 12 weeks ago. I'm mushy and gushy all over. Which is exactly why I have decided to run. You see, I'm in the mindset that running is an activity where you can get more bang for your buck...you can get a great workout in the least amount of time. And since time is not something that I have in abundance these days, running it shall be. I even picked a 5k race to train for and have told everybody and their dog (including you, little blog world) that I will be running in said race. So, like I said before...tomorrow I become a runner....today I'll enjoy an icy cold beer in the sunshine and possibly a strawberry shortcake later. Hey, if I become a runner tomorrow, than I can still be my mushy gushy self today (lol).

So anywho, let's talk about what's been happening with the Wilson Family five these past few weeks.

I started back to work. I decided to go part time and luckily my boss agreed to this schedule. Woo hoo. I'll be working only 2 days a week which gives me lots of time to enjoy the summer and my kiddos. Weird that I put summer before kiddos just then. Anyway, I think it will be a nice balance.

Things have been going great with the girls. They are officially sleeping through the night - which I am loving! I am now back in my bed. For those of you that don't know, I have been sleeping in the girl's room because Bobby has epilepsy and he can't be woken up at night (we already know that it can result in a seizure from experience). So I have a little twin bed in the girl's room and have been sleeping there. Well, just as I did with Connor, I said at 12 weeks I would move back to our room. So I did, and they don't seem to miss me. It helps that they are sleeping all night, because I don't have to make the trek up and down stairs a million times a night. And it's nice for me because if you count the month I was in the hospital, it has been 4 long months since I have slept in my bed. Yikes! The next step is to move them to their own cribs...stay tuned to hear how that goes.

Miss Emma Belle has started rolling over. It's really cute, but the little turkey gets stuck on her tummy and pitches a fit if you don't assist her back to her back. Briar seems content to stay on her back, but she likes to blah blah and entertains us with her long winded stories. Her facial expressions when she talks are just hilarious.

Connor is continuing on with the sassy mouth, but he's also sweeter than ever...if that makes sense. Everyone keeps telling me it's because he's 3 and when he's 4, things will get better. I think they are called the trying 3's and boy that certainly holds true for us. But at the same time, he's an excellent helper and so sweet to his sisters, whom he absolutely adores. I keep waiting for the jealousy to kick in, but he sincerely seems to think they are the bees knees.

We've had a couple hot days and I'm starting to get worried for summer. We don't have air conditioning you see (gasp!). But in our defense, we live in a town where air conditioning is literally only needed for maybe 4 weeks out of the year. We talk about getting it, but then those 4 weeks pass by and we're all "we really don't NEED it" and "We are so 'green' by not polluting the ozone".

The fact of the matter is we probably really do need it with 3 young kids and after this summer might be singing a different tune about that damn ozone layer. But for this summer, we are going to beat the heat the old fashioned way. I've stocked the mini fridge in the man's room in the basement and we are basically going to live down there and outside in the kiddie pool.

I really am going to try to blog more. I feel like I've lost my "funny" because I spend all my blog time giving updates and can't talk about the really important stuff like super poopy diapers or when I went to the bathroom for 2 seconds and Connor decided to put "lotion" (ie diaper cream) on his sister's head because it looked dry. You see those are things that funny blogs are made of, and yet....you are stuck with updates. Ah well, maybe next time I will bring the funny :-)

Till then......