At one time, I used my blog as a way of recording some of my favorite moments of motherhood; kids first words, first steps, and various major milestones. I found it to be a form of stress-relief and a way to keep my family and friends up-to-date on some of life's happenings.
I have kind of fallen off the Blogging wagon, and this is simply because LIFE has gotten in the way. I had an amazing October work-wise; my biggest month to date with the company. Henry has been moving and shaking, so lots of chasing going on around here (no treadmill necessary). Not to mention, hunting season is upon us. I get lots of quality time with my little men, but nobody to tag-team it with!
I am going to continue my "break" from blogging until the new year, I want to sit-back and embrace the joys of the upcoming holiday season. Baking with James, a trip on the Polar Express, decorating the house, finding new forms of mischief for the Elf on the Shelf (Eddie), and of course celebrating Henry's first year of life!
Wishing all of my family and friends a wonderful holiday season; I hope I get the opportunity to toast life's good fortune with many of you in the coming weeks. Catch you all on the flip side, peace out until 2014!
XOXO- Kathryn (and the Siegert Men- Jake, James, & Henry)
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
I'm Not In Your Bed
As we continue to work on Henry's night-time sleeping habits; James has started to exhibit some peculiar behavior himself. Seriously, is it something I am feeding these kids? Or is it truly a conspiracy to see how many nights in a row they can deprive me of my much needed ZZZZs before I have a nervous break-down???
As per a friend's recommendation, I have been using the Ferber Method with Henry and his sleep has improved dramatically. However, James has now become an issue. Within the past two weeks he has: woken up to use the bathroom (and peed all over the floor and himself due to not opening the lid), been sleepwalking (down the stairs on two occasions), and one night walked into the master bedroom and passed out face-down on the carpet next to our bed. There have also been a few instances where I have woken-up to James sleeping next to me. I was likely so exhausted that I didn't even notice that he crawled into bed in the middle of the night.
Sooooooo, two nights ago I had a long talk with James. We covered the following items: 1.) Use the bathroom RIGHT before bed 2.) No getting into my bed. I also decided that we better start locking the gate at the top of the stairwell to avoid any sleep-walking injuries.
The night of our talk, I was awoken by a bleary eyed James standing by the side of our bed. It was really quite creepy, as I am not certain how long he had been standing there prior to me waking up. However, upon me asking what he needed......he proudly replied, "Mom, I am not in your bed!" I truly don't know what to do at this point, but I am thinking we need to bump bedtime up a bit. Now that the days are getting shorter, this should be much easier to accomplish.
Sleep training round 2, pour me some coffee!
As per a friend's recommendation, I have been using the Ferber Method with Henry and his sleep has improved dramatically. However, James has now become an issue. Within the past two weeks he has: woken up to use the bathroom (and peed all over the floor and himself due to not opening the lid), been sleepwalking (down the stairs on two occasions), and one night walked into the master bedroom and passed out face-down on the carpet next to our bed. There have also been a few instances where I have woken-up to James sleeping next to me. I was likely so exhausted that I didn't even notice that he crawled into bed in the middle of the night.
Sooooooo, two nights ago I had a long talk with James. We covered the following items: 1.) Use the bathroom RIGHT before bed 2.) No getting into my bed. I also decided that we better start locking the gate at the top of the stairwell to avoid any sleep-walking injuries.
The night of our talk, I was awoken by a bleary eyed James standing by the side of our bed. It was really quite creepy, as I am not certain how long he had been standing there prior to me waking up. However, upon me asking what he needed......he proudly replied, "Mom, I am not in your bed!" I truly don't know what to do at this point, but I am thinking we need to bump bedtime up a bit. Now that the days are getting shorter, this should be much easier to accomplish.
Sleep training round 2, pour me some coffee!
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Feels Like Fall
I have had an incredibly wonderful weekend. We didn't have any set plans, which rarely happens and I have thoroughly enjoyed waking up and having the ability to decide what our daily agenda will be (minus James' first soccer practice today).
Fall is in the air, and I LOVE IT. Sweaters, leggings, boots, the changing of the leaves, pumpkin spice lattes, Mums, no need for air conditioning, Football, the list goes on and on.
James had his first soccer practice today, and I am amazed at his competitive spirit. I was also quite amazed at how tuned-in he was to the coach; I owe that guy a drink because he ended practice by telling the kids to be good listeners at home (as well as on the field). James took it quite literally and was on his very best behavior all afternoon.
Tonight I helped James build a fort in his bedroom, which he decided to sleep in. I am hoping my attempts at creating a fun Saturday night don't back-fire and result in a Toddler creeping into my room at the wee hours of the morning.
Henry has been a TERRIBLE sleeper. Lately he wakes frequently at night, and just wants to be held. It is not his teeth, and he just had his ears checked at his 9-month well visit (all clear). He has never been interested in a pacifier, so I don't have many options for soothing him. Unfortunately, I have had to play the sleep Nazi for the past week, because I am not letting this behavior continue. The screaming has shortened significantly every night, and I am hoping that he will be over it entirely in the next few days. There are so many damn theories on the cry-it-out method, but seriously what is worse? A crying baby? Perhaps a crying baby AND a crying, exhausted, at the end of her rope Mama? I am going to go with #2; therefore the cry-it-out method wins.
Fall is in the air, and I LOVE IT. Sweaters, leggings, boots, the changing of the leaves, pumpkin spice lattes, Mums, no need for air conditioning, Football, the list goes on and on.
James had his first soccer practice today, and I am amazed at his competitive spirit. I was also quite amazed at how tuned-in he was to the coach; I owe that guy a drink because he ended practice by telling the kids to be good listeners at home (as well as on the field). James took it quite literally and was on his very best behavior all afternoon.
Tonight I helped James build a fort in his bedroom, which he decided to sleep in. I am hoping my attempts at creating a fun Saturday night don't back-fire and result in a Toddler creeping into my room at the wee hours of the morning.
Henry has been a TERRIBLE sleeper. Lately he wakes frequently at night, and just wants to be held. It is not his teeth, and he just had his ears checked at his 9-month well visit (all clear). He has never been interested in a pacifier, so I don't have many options for soothing him. Unfortunately, I have had to play the sleep Nazi for the past week, because I am not letting this behavior continue. The screaming has shortened significantly every night, and I am hoping that he will be over it entirely in the next few days. There are so many damn theories on the cry-it-out method, but seriously what is worse? A crying baby? Perhaps a crying baby AND a crying, exhausted, at the end of her rope Mama? I am going to go with #2; therefore the cry-it-out method wins.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
It Would Not Be The Start Of A New School Year Without.......
SICKNESS!!!! That is right, I am currently battling round 1 of sick kiddos this season. James has been in his new classroom for two measly days, and he woke me up around 4 a.m. sounding like an injured seal. He has the croup (along with 3 other kids in his class). Henry is bouncing back from an ear infection, I owe a debt of gratitude to the bottle of ammoxicillan sitting in my fridge right now. I now have a baby that is back to sleeping through the night! I have my fingers crossed that with the help of a nebulizer and humidifier that we can achieve a full nights sleep for James tonight.
I am also without my husband for the week, so that makes for one bleary-eyed mama. So currently, I am in survival mode with the two little ones. Keep everyone alive, and try to maintain sanity while doing so!
Work has been insane this week, I think everyone was in full-on vacation mode last week so it is a lot of follow-up and fielding calls and e-mails this week. James will be home today and tomorrow; he is already bouncing off the walls so this could get real interesting.
On a side note, I shared a link on Facebook today that really struck a cord with me. I get really sad when I see young teenage girls wearing next to nothing on their bodies. I know that it doesn't help matters when stores such as Hollister, Ambercrombie & Fitch, and Forever 21 sell clothing that is big enough to cover a large Toddler but COME ON. I would NEVER HAVE BEEN ALLOWED OUT OF THE HOUSE if I were to have tried to pull-off some of the outfits that I see around today. I particularly liked the article because it highlighted the fact that boys take note of this; and there are many boys out there that don't like it. If these girls don't want to be treated as "objects" then they need to find a way to have respect for themselves and COVER IT UP. I am sick of seeing shirts that are passed off as dresses, and shorts that barely cover a girls hind end. END. OF. RANT.
I am also without my husband for the week, so that makes for one bleary-eyed mama. So currently, I am in survival mode with the two little ones. Keep everyone alive, and try to maintain sanity while doing so!
Work has been insane this week, I think everyone was in full-on vacation mode last week so it is a lot of follow-up and fielding calls and e-mails this week. James will be home today and tomorrow; he is already bouncing off the walls so this could get real interesting.
On a side note, I shared a link on Facebook today that really struck a cord with me. I get really sad when I see young teenage girls wearing next to nothing on their bodies. I know that it doesn't help matters when stores such as Hollister, Ambercrombie & Fitch, and Forever 21 sell clothing that is big enough to cover a large Toddler but COME ON. I would NEVER HAVE BEEN ALLOWED OUT OF THE HOUSE if I were to have tried to pull-off some of the outfits that I see around today. I particularly liked the article because it highlighted the fact that boys take note of this; and there are many boys out there that don't like it. If these girls don't want to be treated as "objects" then they need to find a way to have respect for themselves and COVER IT UP. I am sick of seeing shirts that are passed off as dresses, and shorts that barely cover a girls hind end. END. OF. RANT.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Labor Day, I Would Like a Repeat
Labor day passed us by far too quickly! First of all, I wasn't even fully recovered from my sister's wedding (the previous weekend) until last weekend. I enjoyed the long holiday, and having extra time to play with James (despite the fact that he keeps referring to me as an "old fuddy duddy." Brutal. Honesty. I guess this is why I let loose the night of the wedding. The wedding weekend was SO.MUCH.FUN. James pulled through with his ring bearer duties; even though he broke out in scream of terror as he reached the front of the church (while looking at his hand). The flower girl very closely followed my instructions to keep a tight grip, so he wouldn't sprint down the aisle. The whole day reminded me of marrying Jake five years ago; it almost felt as if we were re-newing our own vows.
James started school in his new classroom today, I can hardly believe that he is now considered school-aged. Henry is nearing 9 months old and dangerously close to walking. There are days that I wish I could just freeze time, because otherwise there will be need for a 3rd Siegert child in the future. My amazing little men are the loves of my life. I feel so happy and content when I get to peek in at their little sleeping bodies every night (the happiness is a combination of love and sheer joy at the fact that I have a few minutes of sitting without being asked to find something, or wipe something).
Wishing everyone a happy and successful school year!!!
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Mom, Have You Met Andy?
Growing up I had a very vivid and wild imagination. Anyone who knew me could tell you many tales of my "jumping around." Which was simply something I did as a pastime when I was young; I would open a book and act out the pages. I did this even before I could read. Maybe it is why I have such a love for books to this very day, I am not quite sure? I also was known for spinning quite the tale. My neighbors on Monroe Street will always remember me as the girl with the lost puppy (which was of course fictional), but she was a Cocker Spaniel (just like Lady from Lady and the Tramp). I couldn't tell you her name, but I am sure my Mother would recall if you asked her.
I also had an imaginary friend for quite some time, John John. He was my sidekick day-in and day-out. We read books together, played outside, made forts, and rode big wheels. I think that I created him because I was constantly wanting to get dirty, and play outside. I wasn't really into Barbies the way my sister was.
So today as I am driving James to school, he informs me that he has a sister named Andy. I played along and proceeded to ask him questions about Andy, and I was stunned at the detail he put into creating this fictional sister. Her favorite color is purple, she is older then James, attends the same school and is in the Mouse House (Pre-K) room, she rides the bus to school, she likes to wear dresses, her hair and eyes are brown, and she tends to get nervous around people. Huh?!
I am not really sure if Andy will live to see the light of another day, but I was so amused and entertained by her that I will certainly inquire and see what tomorrow brings.
I also had an imaginary friend for quite some time, John John. He was my sidekick day-in and day-out. We read books together, played outside, made forts, and rode big wheels. I think that I created him because I was constantly wanting to get dirty, and play outside. I wasn't really into Barbies the way my sister was.
So today as I am driving James to school, he informs me that he has a sister named Andy. I played along and proceeded to ask him questions about Andy, and I was stunned at the detail he put into creating this fictional sister. Her favorite color is purple, she is older then James, attends the same school and is in the Mouse House (Pre-K) room, she rides the bus to school, she likes to wear dresses, her hair and eyes are brown, and she tends to get nervous around people. Huh?!
I am not really sure if Andy will live to see the light of another day, but I was so amused and entertained by her that I will certainly inquire and see what tomorrow brings.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Don't Sweat The Small Stuff
The last few weeks have passed in a blur: parties, weddings, showers, play dates, not to mention work, and trying to maintain some balance in the household! Henry has been a mess; teething appears to be his Achilles heel. I always am asked by people if he ever cries; not usually unless he is hungry. However, as of late I can no longer make this claim. He wails and wails in the evening hours, Tylenol and Ibuprofen do nothing to help. Occasionally he decides to use me as a human teether. These teething woes have also complicated sleep at night; I really don't get much.
Yesterday I had a few early afternoon meetings in the Chicagoland area. The day was not off to a good start, when I realized I had overslept (must have turned off my alarm in a completely delirious state). Quickly rushed around to get myself ready, the children fed, and dinner in the crockpot. I arrived at my lunch meeting with a cool 10 minutes to spare. Lunch was delightful, and I had a lot of positive feedback from customers. I hopped in the car and punched in the destination of my next meeting on the GPS. The only problem came when my truck decided not to start. Got on the horn to call the sitter, James' school, and my next appointment to reschedule. Then called up a local repair shop and tow truck. The tow arrived almost 2 hours later, after I was told 30 minutes. The truck was an easy fix, new battery took care of my dilemma! $300 later I was on my way home, and feeling a bit sorry for myself.
As I sat stewing about the misfortunes of the day; I realized how lucky I was. Very recently one of my beloved professors, Dr. Chuck Tomkovick passed away. He had a short, but courageous battle with brain cancer. His passion for life was very contagious. He used to famously say, "If you see someone without a smile, give them yours." I owe a great deal to this man, as he helped me find my very first sales job out of school. I will never forget the afternoon I was sitting in his office talking about my career post-college, while he sat across from me bouncing his (then baby boy) Graham on his lap. Graham squealed in delight, and Chuck looked right at me and said just make sure you have this in your life also.....this is the really good stuff. He of course was referring to parenthood; the most important job you could ever have.
Even more recently, another friend from my UWEC days was delivered some truly tragic news. Her son (only 5 years of age) was diagnosed with Leukemia. My heart sunk as I read the news, and tried to even make sense of how this could happen to such a wonderful family. Luckily, she is an incredibly strong and faithful woman. However, tragedy like this could shake even the strongest of mothers to the core. I wish her entire family strength as they battle during the recovery of their son/brother.
Teething babies, broken down cars, missed meetings, endless To Do lists; all of it is really rather insignificant when you look at the big picture. After all, today is a gift which is why it is called the PRESENT. I will keep this in mind when I wake up with a screaming infant at 3 a.m. Life is precious and so very fragile.
Yesterday I had a few early afternoon meetings in the Chicagoland area. The day was not off to a good start, when I realized I had overslept (must have turned off my alarm in a completely delirious state). Quickly rushed around to get myself ready, the children fed, and dinner in the crockpot. I arrived at my lunch meeting with a cool 10 minutes to spare. Lunch was delightful, and I had a lot of positive feedback from customers. I hopped in the car and punched in the destination of my next meeting on the GPS. The only problem came when my truck decided not to start. Got on the horn to call the sitter, James' school, and my next appointment to reschedule. Then called up a local repair shop and tow truck. The tow arrived almost 2 hours later, after I was told 30 minutes. The truck was an easy fix, new battery took care of my dilemma! $300 later I was on my way home, and feeling a bit sorry for myself.
As I sat stewing about the misfortunes of the day; I realized how lucky I was. Very recently one of my beloved professors, Dr. Chuck Tomkovick passed away. He had a short, but courageous battle with brain cancer. His passion for life was very contagious. He used to famously say, "If you see someone without a smile, give them yours." I owe a great deal to this man, as he helped me find my very first sales job out of school. I will never forget the afternoon I was sitting in his office talking about my career post-college, while he sat across from me bouncing his (then baby boy) Graham on his lap. Graham squealed in delight, and Chuck looked right at me and said just make sure you have this in your life also.....this is the really good stuff. He of course was referring to parenthood; the most important job you could ever have.
Even more recently, another friend from my UWEC days was delivered some truly tragic news. Her son (only 5 years of age) was diagnosed with Leukemia. My heart sunk as I read the news, and tried to even make sense of how this could happen to such a wonderful family. Luckily, she is an incredibly strong and faithful woman. However, tragedy like this could shake even the strongest of mothers to the core. I wish her entire family strength as they battle during the recovery of their son/brother.
Teething babies, broken down cars, missed meetings, endless To Do lists; all of it is really rather insignificant when you look at the big picture. After all, today is a gift which is why it is called the PRESENT. I will keep this in mind when I wake up with a screaming infant at 3 a.m. Life is precious and so very fragile.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
It's All About Timing
Yesterday evening was an interesting one. First, I sorted through the mail and opened a few bills. I scanned our Charter bill and immediately picked up the phone to place a call and figure out why our bill was $50 more then what it normally is. I was able to score us a pretty great price for service upon our move to Wisconsin, $80 for our cable/Internet/DVR. I felt as though it was a fair price because as anyone that has had Charter knows....... they are HORRIBLE. Sadly, they are the only option for a cable provider in this area. Hopefully this will change in the future. My problem is not ever the customer service, it is the interruptions/down-time in service. Yesterday I called to negotiate our cost of service. I explained that I did look into satellite options, and the price was about $20 less then the new monthly price of our services. I also explained that I have NO problem WHATSOEVER paying for something when it is WORTH THE PRICE. I then documented all of the calls that I have placed with Charter over the past year, and further explained that it affected my productivity (seeing as I have a home office for work). The first customer service rep I spoke with told me sorry, and there was nothing he could do. I immediately called back knowing I would speak to someone else, and told customer service rep #2 that I would be cancelling our services. I went on to give the same rationale and reasoning that I offered to C.S. rep #1. C.S. rep #2 asked if anyone had worked with me to find a price that would work for me, ummmmm that is why I am calling. He then offered up a price that was $20 less then the new monthly price, easy as that. Victory was mine!
I cooked up a mean batch of Jambalaya for dinner, I was so excited to dig in and enjoy the dish after all of the slicing and dicing involved in the recipe. I kept smelling poop (baby poop), my first though was that it was smeared somewhere on me. This is not unusual considering the fact that changing Henry could be compared to wrangling a small farm animal. I have a very keen nose (I get this heightened sense of smell from my mother), I proceeded to let it lead me to the source of the smell. Henry was wearing a very light blue onesie, and I noticed that he had a nice little discoloration up the backside. Yup, this was RIGHT BEFORE I was ready to sit down to enjoy my meal. Upstairs we went, so as not to gross Jake out (he does not handle #2 well). I then proceeded to change what was arguably the WORST case of diaper blowout to date (with either child). I washed up and came downstairs, all the while hoping I could muster up the stomach to dig into dinner. Seeing as I had powered through the workday with minimal breaks for putting actual forms of nourishment into my body (other then puffs); I regained my appetite pretty quickly!
Cheers to little victories!
I cooked up a mean batch of Jambalaya for dinner, I was so excited to dig in and enjoy the dish after all of the slicing and dicing involved in the recipe. I kept smelling poop (baby poop), my first though was that it was smeared somewhere on me. This is not unusual considering the fact that changing Henry could be compared to wrangling a small farm animal. I have a very keen nose (I get this heightened sense of smell from my mother), I proceeded to let it lead me to the source of the smell. Henry was wearing a very light blue onesie, and I noticed that he had a nice little discoloration up the backside. Yup, this was RIGHT BEFORE I was ready to sit down to enjoy my meal. Upstairs we went, so as not to gross Jake out (he does not handle #2 well). I then proceeded to change what was arguably the WORST case of diaper blowout to date (with either child). I washed up and came downstairs, all the while hoping I could muster up the stomach to dig into dinner. Seeing as I had powered through the workday with minimal breaks for putting actual forms of nourishment into my body (other then puffs); I regained my appetite pretty quickly!
Cheers to little victories!
Monday, July 15, 2013
Tour De James
I am missing my firstborn something FIERCE right now. James has spent the past 4 days with his grandparents! Two days with the in-laws and two days with my Mom. I am planning on it taking a solid 8 days to get him back into his routine (namely having rules and not being the center of attention). I am so happy that he is able to have this time for himself. I fondly remember the days of visiting my Godparents; my days were filled with fun adventures, ice cream and other treats, shopping excursions, mani/pedi spa afternoons, and a complete lack of agenda! I NEVER had to compete with Winnie for attention; it was ALL ABOUT ME! James' trip has been filled with a trip to Noah's Ark, boat rides on the Mississippi, a parade, the carnival, and lots of swimming and outdoor activities! Since he has been gone a total of four days, it will take EIGHT to get him used to the land of rules and schedules again. You always take the days spent with grandparents and multiply it by two.
On the flip side, Jake and I have thoroughly enjoyed our time with Henry. I also cannot believe that I actually ever thought having one child was a lot of work. I have found myself looking for projects, or things that need to be completed around the house. I did also manage to finish a book, AND read a magazine!
We attended the art show on the capitol square this weekend; amazing pieces. I didn't purchase anything, but I would like to do so next year. We bumped into some friends from James' school at the fair, and we all had a good chuckle about dealing with one child versus two! They were up all night with their little boy (James' age) because he had a bug bite while their 8 month old had a night of uninterrupted sleep. Sounds eerily familiar! It is almost as if kids conspire as to who is going to keep the parents (or in our case, Mom) up at night! Sleep and I will become reacquainted someday in the future, until then I will just enjoy having little boys that need me!
On the flip side, Jake and I have thoroughly enjoyed our time with Henry. I also cannot believe that I actually ever thought having one child was a lot of work. I have found myself looking for projects, or things that need to be completed around the house. I did also manage to finish a book, AND read a magazine!
We attended the art show on the capitol square this weekend; amazing pieces. I didn't purchase anything, but I would like to do so next year. We bumped into some friends from James' school at the fair, and we all had a good chuckle about dealing with one child versus two! They were up all night with their little boy (James' age) because he had a bug bite while their 8 month old had a night of uninterrupted sleep. Sounds eerily familiar! It is almost as if kids conspire as to who is going to keep the parents (or in our case, Mom) up at night! Sleep and I will become reacquainted someday in the future, until then I will just enjoy having little boys that need me!
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Holiday Weekend Hangover
Getting back into the groove has been VERY hard after a fun-filled and exhausting holiday weekend. We stayed local (for a change) and attended a 4th of July bash at our friends' home in Sun Prairie. Water balloons, hot dogs, brats, beer, sparklers, snakes, and plenty of good conversation. It was a lot of fun, when we weren't busy entertaining the children! Our friends' home looks like something straight out of a Pottery Barn catalog, so I would be lying if I said that I wasn't constantly following James with my eyes (while holding my breathe) to ensure nothing was destroyed (or basically treated like our furniture at home- as a launch pad for human rocket ships).
We also spent lots of time playing on the new Slip N Slide (which is way more fun then the Slip N Slides of the past that I remember). The weather was nothing short of perfection, so we took advantage.
We also spent lots of time playing on the new Slip N Slide (which is way more fun then the Slip N Slides of the past that I remember). The weather was nothing short of perfection, so we took advantage.
On Saturday, James and I made our first official trip of the season to the Farmer's Market on the Capital Square. It is always such a fun experience, and great way to stock the fridge with fresh produce! James is also the perfect age, no more running away from me (meaning no more monkey backpack/kid leash required.....which always results in plenty of dirty looks). Don't judge peeps, until you know how damn fast a Toddler is! Saturday afternoon we attended a surprise 30th B-Day party which was also lots of fun.
By the time Sunday rolled around, we were all tired and in desperate need of NAP DAY. Jake and James washed the cars, and I cleaned out the fridge (the fresh produce always inspires me to do so). Then everyone in the house slept, except me. I started the new "Revenge Wears Prada" book. It is exactly what I needed, nothing deep but delightfully entertaining. I am already halfway through the book and anticipate I will have it finished before the end of the week.
Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday, now get back to work!
Friday, June 28, 2013
5 Years Ago
Five years ago I made the promise to love and honor one person; in sickness and in health; for richer or poorer; till death do us part. It was ONE of the best days of my life, and I cannot thank my husband enough for helping me become the person I am today.
I was merely a child when we met, with a brand new driver's license and a shiny blue Pontiac Grand Am. I didn't have very much focus, and truly lacked in self worth. Today, I am a wife, mother, career woman, and I have never had a better sense of self. I owe all of this to you. You helped me realize that I could achieve anything if I worked hard enough; you taught me that settling for something that was nothing short of extraordinary was not worthwhile. You are an amazing man, husband, and father. I cannot thank you enough for the two beautiful boys you have blessed me with. I am so thankful that they have you as the role model in their lives; someone with more passion, conviction, dedication, and gumption then anyone I have ever known.
In the past five years we have moved four times, purchased our first home, had two beautiful boys, survived dental school, and have kick-started both of our careers. There have been sleepless nights, tears, screaming matches, lots of laughs, amazing firsts with our kids, and experiences (both good and bad) that I would not trade for the world.
Thank you for choosing me, loving me, and always standing behind me. I love you more with every passing day. Cheers, and here is to the next five!
I was merely a child when we met, with a brand new driver's license and a shiny blue Pontiac Grand Am. I didn't have very much focus, and truly lacked in self worth. Today, I am a wife, mother, career woman, and I have never had a better sense of self. I owe all of this to you. You helped me realize that I could achieve anything if I worked hard enough; you taught me that settling for something that was nothing short of extraordinary was not worthwhile. You are an amazing man, husband, and father. I cannot thank you enough for the two beautiful boys you have blessed me with. I am so thankful that they have you as the role model in their lives; someone with more passion, conviction, dedication, and gumption then anyone I have ever known.
In the past five years we have moved four times, purchased our first home, had two beautiful boys, survived dental school, and have kick-started both of our careers. There have been sleepless nights, tears, screaming matches, lots of laughs, amazing firsts with our kids, and experiences (both good and bad) that I would not trade for the world.
Thank you for choosing me, loving me, and always standing behind me. I love you more with every passing day. Cheers, and here is to the next five!
Sunday, June 9, 2013
The Day of Rest
Today was truly the day of rest in our household! It was nothing short of miraculous that our wake-up call came at 8:30 a.m. versus the typical 5:45-6 a.m. call. This rest came at the perfect time for myself, as I have been dealing with a teething baby, work calls and e-mails galore, a toddler that has had a hard time going to bed every night in anticipation for activities planned the following day, planning a bridal shower/bachelorette party, and trying to find time for personal hygiene as well.
James' school kicked off their summer activity schedule with a class field trip to the Henry Vilas Zoo on Monday. I was fortunate enough to be able to chaperon. James was beyond thrilled for his first ride on a school bus! On the ride into school that morning he kept informing me that we would be riding to the zoo on a red school bus. In order to avoid massive disappointment, I decided to explain that school buses are usually yellow. The bus could have been pink, purple, yellow, green, you name it....James was SO excited! I think he was honestly more thrilled about the bus then the trip to the zoo.
So happy I was able to catch up on both sleep, and household chores this weekend. The remainder of June is looking to be nothing short of insanity! I somehow thrive in the craziness that comes along with our hectic schedules. Sometimes I don't know what I would do with myself if I had time to waste......even though Jake claims that is what I do when I watch "The Real Housewives of......pretty much any city except Atlanta." I beg to differ though, I always fold laundry while watching!
James' school kicked off their summer activity schedule with a class field trip to the Henry Vilas Zoo on Monday. I was fortunate enough to be able to chaperon. James was beyond thrilled for his first ride on a school bus! On the ride into school that morning he kept informing me that we would be riding to the zoo on a red school bus. In order to avoid massive disappointment, I decided to explain that school buses are usually yellow. The bus could have been pink, purple, yellow, green, you name it....James was SO excited! I think he was honestly more thrilled about the bus then the trip to the zoo.
So happy I was able to catch up on both sleep, and household chores this weekend. The remainder of June is looking to be nothing short of insanity! I somehow thrive in the craziness that comes along with our hectic schedules. Sometimes I don't know what I would do with myself if I had time to waste......even though Jake claims that is what I do when I watch "The Real Housewives of......pretty much any city except Atlanta." I beg to differ though, I always fold laundry while watching!
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Mother's Day (a few days late)
I have not posted in a very long time. Two children, a husband, a full-time job, and a household to manage would be a few of the reasons behind that. Life has been nothing short of insane, and it is not changing anytime soon. We have a summer filled with showers, weddings, and family events.
Mother's Day was simply Divine, my in-laws were here so Jake and I were able to sneak-away for the incredibly rare date night. I was able to sleep-in on Sunday (well, sort of as I heard James' protests about me staying in bed).
I now have a clear understanding as to why sleep deprivation is used as a form of torture. I have been experiencing it for the past two weeks. James has never been the best sleeper, but he became much better as we drilled down on sticking to a very tight bedtime routine. However, both kids have suffered from a nasty spring cold over the past few weeks which has resulted in very little sleep for me. In addition to the sniffles being a giant pain in my ass, James has been randomly waking up screaming and unable to tell me exactly why? Night terrors? Growing Pains? I have no damn idea, but I do know that I won't be able to take this much longer. I have an infant that sleeps, and a Toddler that doesn't.....talk about sick and twisted.
I am so happy that I was rested and relaxed from a beautiful Mother's Day weekend because.......
Yesterday was not a great day, it began by James waking up at 5 a.m. (yes, this is an hour and a half earlier then usual). James was screaming and crying about waffles, this screaming and crying woke up the baby. Immediately upon scarfing down his waffle, James climbed onto my lap while I fed Henry.....and then puked down my shirt. All this before 6 a.m........means a long day. Work is picking up, which is great but also means that it was a busy day and the thought of preparing dinner just made me want to drive into oncoming traffic. I managed to pull-it together and throw a pork tenderloin and some baked potatoes into the oven. Both kids went to bed perfectly, so things were looking up. I should have known better; 11 p.m. James wakes up screaming and I am pretty sure he was sleep walking also (probably trying to find the bathroom, only problem was he had already unloaded his bladder on his sheets). James' screaming again wakes the baby. So I have both kids to wrangle while the husband sleeps. Clean up bed and James, make a small bottle to soothe baby back to sleep, and then realize that it is midnight and I am still wearing my clothes and have yet to brush my teeth or wash my face. I climbed into bed feeling very sorry for myself; I quickly realized that I am BLESSED to have two healthy kids that wake me up in the middle of the night. Before Henry was born I started a gratitude journal, as a way to remind myself to be appreciative of the little things in day-to-day life (even on the bad days). I need to start filling out the gratitude journal again, if I can stay awake long enough to do it. I know someday I will look back on these days and long for little people that need me more then ever. Until then, bring on the coffee (and alcohol on occasion).
Mother's Day was simply Divine, my in-laws were here so Jake and I were able to sneak-away for the incredibly rare date night. I was able to sleep-in on Sunday (well, sort of as I heard James' protests about me staying in bed).
I now have a clear understanding as to why sleep deprivation is used as a form of torture. I have been experiencing it for the past two weeks. James has never been the best sleeper, but he became much better as we drilled down on sticking to a very tight bedtime routine. However, both kids have suffered from a nasty spring cold over the past few weeks which has resulted in very little sleep for me. In addition to the sniffles being a giant pain in my ass, James has been randomly waking up screaming and unable to tell me exactly why? Night terrors? Growing Pains? I have no damn idea, but I do know that I won't be able to take this much longer. I have an infant that sleeps, and a Toddler that doesn't.....talk about sick and twisted.
I am so happy that I was rested and relaxed from a beautiful Mother's Day weekend because.......
Yesterday was not a great day, it began by James waking up at 5 a.m. (yes, this is an hour and a half earlier then usual). James was screaming and crying about waffles, this screaming and crying woke up the baby. Immediately upon scarfing down his waffle, James climbed onto my lap while I fed Henry.....and then puked down my shirt. All this before 6 a.m........means a long day. Work is picking up, which is great but also means that it was a busy day and the thought of preparing dinner just made me want to drive into oncoming traffic. I managed to pull-it together and throw a pork tenderloin and some baked potatoes into the oven. Both kids went to bed perfectly, so things were looking up. I should have known better; 11 p.m. James wakes up screaming and I am pretty sure he was sleep walking also (probably trying to find the bathroom, only problem was he had already unloaded his bladder on his sheets). James' screaming again wakes the baby. So I have both kids to wrangle while the husband sleeps. Clean up bed and James, make a small bottle to soothe baby back to sleep, and then realize that it is midnight and I am still wearing my clothes and have yet to brush my teeth or wash my face. I climbed into bed feeling very sorry for myself; I quickly realized that I am BLESSED to have two healthy kids that wake me up in the middle of the night. Before Henry was born I started a gratitude journal, as a way to remind myself to be appreciative of the little things in day-to-day life (even on the bad days). I need to start filling out the gratitude journal again, if I can stay awake long enough to do it. I know someday I will look back on these days and long for little people that need me more then ever. Until then, bring on the coffee (and alcohol on occasion).
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Spring Happenings
Well, according to the calendar Spring has arrived. That is yet to be seen when I look out the window, or step outside into the bone chilling cold. We have had a scattering of pleasant sunny days but they have been few and far between.
We had a great Easter (despite the chilly weather). James LOVED coloring eggs, and was so fond of his creations that he insisted on sleeping with the eggs in his room. There were a few tears shed when his favorite blue egg cracked (I am surprised that it even lasted the full day to begin with). We planned on attending Easter Sunday mass and were going to head out for breakfast afterwards; our plans changed slightly as we pulled up to church (on time, miraculously). There were people spilling out the doors of the church; AKA the holiday church goers. I can proudly say that we are not grouped into that category of people. Yes, there are Sundays that church is not an option (to be expected with small kids) but we are trying to start the habits of church going early. Pretty soon James will be able to participate in Sunday school, which I know he will enjoy. My only regret was that we were not able to snap any pictures with James in his church clothes, I am always amazed that he even keeps them on through mass. There are not many times that I veto clothing choices; however church can sometimes be the exception. We also participated in Capitol Kids 12th Annual Easter Hat Parade around the Capitol. James was thrilled to meet Peter Cottontail, and make an Easter Hat with his own personal "flair."
The past few weeks have been busy, work is starting to pick up and our personal calendar is enough to make your head spin! Henry has been sick with a cold this week, and his baptism is scheduled for Saturday. I have a pretty long list of things that need to be done, but the lack of sleep from nursing Henry back to health has led to a lack of motivation to complete my tasks.
Spring, we can't wait for your arrival! We are now dealing with a stir-crazy Toddler and a Mommy that has spiked one too many coffees in the past few weeks.
We had a great Easter (despite the chilly weather). James LOVED coloring eggs, and was so fond of his creations that he insisted on sleeping with the eggs in his room. There were a few tears shed when his favorite blue egg cracked (I am surprised that it even lasted the full day to begin with). We planned on attending Easter Sunday mass and were going to head out for breakfast afterwards; our plans changed slightly as we pulled up to church (on time, miraculously). There were people spilling out the doors of the church; AKA the holiday church goers. I can proudly say that we are not grouped into that category of people. Yes, there are Sundays that church is not an option (to be expected with small kids) but we are trying to start the habits of church going early. Pretty soon James will be able to participate in Sunday school, which I know he will enjoy. My only regret was that we were not able to snap any pictures with James in his church clothes, I am always amazed that he even keeps them on through mass. There are not many times that I veto clothing choices; however church can sometimes be the exception. We also participated in Capitol Kids 12th Annual Easter Hat Parade around the Capitol. James was thrilled to meet Peter Cottontail, and make an Easter Hat with his own personal "flair."
The past few weeks have been busy, work is starting to pick up and our personal calendar is enough to make your head spin! Henry has been sick with a cold this week, and his baptism is scheduled for Saturday. I have a pretty long list of things that need to be done, but the lack of sleep from nursing Henry back to health has led to a lack of motivation to complete my tasks.
Spring, we can't wait for your arrival! We are now dealing with a stir-crazy Toddler and a Mommy that has spiked one too many coffees in the past few weeks.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Conversations with my 3 Year Old
Today I have already had two VERY amusing conversations with James. First, he walks into my bedroom this morning. Jake was getting ready for work, and I was just lounging in bed with Henry. He looks at me and very seriously and sternly says, "Mom, you have to stop hitting people. It is a really bad choice." My response, "James, I don't hit people. If Mommy is feeling frustrated or angry, I talk to people and tell them how I am feeling." James replies with, "Mom, you hit me, and Daddy, and Henry, and Cha Cha." It was obvious that there was no changing his mind on this one, so I guess I will not be surprised if CPS shows up on my doorstep sometime in the coming weeks.
The second conversation occurred on the ride in to school. We drove past a large Coca-Cola truck. James asked what was on the big red truck. I went on to explain that it was a delivery truck for soda. James then says, "I don't drink soda, just milk or water." My response, "That's right because Daddy is a Dentist and he would be upset if we ruined our teeth by drinking soda." To which James replies, "Yeah, but Daddy just drinks beer. Sometimes you drink beer too, Mom. I wish you would let me have some beer."
You really can't make this stuff up!
The second conversation occurred on the ride in to school. We drove past a large Coca-Cola truck. James asked what was on the big red truck. I went on to explain that it was a delivery truck for soda. James then says, "I don't drink soda, just milk or water." My response, "That's right because Daddy is a Dentist and he would be upset if we ruined our teeth by drinking soda." To which James replies, "Yeah, but Daddy just drinks beer. Sometimes you drink beer too, Mom. I wish you would let me have some beer."
You really can't make this stuff up!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Finding Our Groove
Being back at work has proven to be a good thing for everyone! It has brought with it the return of balance at home. I treated maternity leave as a vacation; therefore everything was VERY relaxed (and somewhat chaotic) around our house. No meal planning, no To Do lists, no morning routine, piles of laundry would become mountains. This would have driven me nuts at one time, but adding another person to care for just throws everything/everyone a little off for the first few weeks!
The last few weeks have been very busy with activity, and I don't see that changing anytime in the foreseeable future. We have a CRAZY summer ahead of us. My calendar is already booked solid with baby/bridal showers, family obligations, my sister's wedding (in fact, we have a wedding every SINGLE weekend in August).
Clearly there is something in the water, because all of my friends are starting families! Nothing better then a fresh crop of new babies to snuggle! It is especially nice when you get to experience the sweetness of a newborn, and then go home to your own kids (that SLEEP THROUGH the night)!
Yes, I may be crazy for writing this (as I don't want to jinx myself) but Henry is now sleeping 7-8 hour stretches at night! This mama is finally starting to get her mojo back! More sleep= a clear head, more energy to truck it to the gym, more productivity while working, less crabbiness/irritability, more motivation to keep up with the house and meal planning. All of the aforementioned = a happy husband. So, I am officially BACK (as long as the sleep continues)! This is a good thing because as I always say, "Jake may be the head of the household, but I am the neck (somebody has to keep things under control around here)."
The last few weeks have been very busy with activity, and I don't see that changing anytime in the foreseeable future. We have a CRAZY summer ahead of us. My calendar is already booked solid with baby/bridal showers, family obligations, my sister's wedding (in fact, we have a wedding every SINGLE weekend in August).
Clearly there is something in the water, because all of my friends are starting families! Nothing better then a fresh crop of new babies to snuggle! It is especially nice when you get to experience the sweetness of a newborn, and then go home to your own kids (that SLEEP THROUGH the night)!
Yes, I may be crazy for writing this (as I don't want to jinx myself) but Henry is now sleeping 7-8 hour stretches at night! This mama is finally starting to get her mojo back! More sleep= a clear head, more energy to truck it to the gym, more productivity while working, less crabbiness/irritability, more motivation to keep up with the house and meal planning. All of the aforementioned = a happy husband. So, I am officially BACK (as long as the sleep continues)! This is a good thing because as I always say, "Jake may be the head of the household, but I am the neck (somebody has to keep things under control around here)."
Friday, March 8, 2013
A Letter to James
Every year I write a birthday letter to James, it is a tradition I plan to carry over with Henry. I am not a big fan of baby books, mostly due to my refusal to spend free time scrapbooking when I could be chasing my kiddos!
So here we go.....
James,
Happy 3rd Birthday! As l look out at the beautiful sunshine today, I can't help but to think it is God smiling down on us for this very special day.
The terrible two's have come and gone, and I must say that most of the time "terrible" would be the wrong word to describe this time in your life. Granted, you can throw one heck of a temper tantrum (I am told this is something you get from your Mother). Don't worry, there is nothing wrong with being feisty! In fact, I find that it is a characteristic that has helped me throughout my life.
You continue to amaze me in all that you do: from how quickly you learned to ride a bike, your ability to shoot a slap shot with a hockey puck better then your Mom, your determination, your amazing ability to memorize your favorite books (Goodnight Moon, Hockey Alphabet, any number of Dr. Seuss books), your unwillingness to compromise (although, this also makes me want to pull my hair out at times), your skillful negotiation skills, and your ability to form meaningful friendships with all your buddies at school.
You are certainly no longer my little baby, as you like to remind me of everyday. I am so proud of your independent spirit. I admire the risks you take with your fashion choices when you dress yourself on a daily basis (I am hoping you will want my opinion as you get older, and would like a woman's point-of-view). I am also so proud of the amazing big brother you have been to Henry, he is so lucky to have you to look up to. You and your brother are by far and away my greatest accomplishments to date.
I am very excited for what the future holds for you. Your zest for life and determination are sure to make this year one to remember!
If you remember one thing and one thing only; Mommy loves you.
All My Love,
Mom
So here we go.....
James,
Happy 3rd Birthday! As l look out at the beautiful sunshine today, I can't help but to think it is God smiling down on us for this very special day.
The terrible two's have come and gone, and I must say that most of the time "terrible" would be the wrong word to describe this time in your life. Granted, you can throw one heck of a temper tantrum (I am told this is something you get from your Mother). Don't worry, there is nothing wrong with being feisty! In fact, I find that it is a characteristic that has helped me throughout my life.
You continue to amaze me in all that you do: from how quickly you learned to ride a bike, your ability to shoot a slap shot with a hockey puck better then your Mom, your determination, your amazing ability to memorize your favorite books (Goodnight Moon, Hockey Alphabet, any number of Dr. Seuss books), your unwillingness to compromise (although, this also makes me want to pull my hair out at times), your skillful negotiation skills, and your ability to form meaningful friendships with all your buddies at school.
You are certainly no longer my little baby, as you like to remind me of everyday. I am so proud of your independent spirit. I admire the risks you take with your fashion choices when you dress yourself on a daily basis (I am hoping you will want my opinion as you get older, and would like a woman's point-of-view). I am also so proud of the amazing big brother you have been to Henry, he is so lucky to have you to look up to. You and your brother are by far and away my greatest accomplishments to date.
I am very excited for what the future holds for you. Your zest for life and determination are sure to make this year one to remember!
If you remember one thing and one thing only; Mommy loves you.
All My Love,
Mom
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Back In the Saddle
First Day Back to Work:
1.) 5 a.m. feeding
2.) COFFEE
3.) Feed the other child
4.) Instruct James to get his clothes on
5.) Dress self and feed self, as I am about ready to consume an entire box of cereal by the time I am able to eat
6.) Brush Teeth (and add flossing for good measure, since James and I are seeing the Dentist tomorrow)
7.) Greet sitter and fill her in on Henry's morning schedule
8.) Load James into truck and drop him off at school
9.) Return to office to start tackling e-mails (all 800 of them)- MORE COFFEE
10.) Consider taking a shower, realize all the clean towels are in the dryer
11.) Fold Towels, and notice the dryer is really dirty
12.) Clean dryer (oops the rubber gasket piece falls off, attempt to quickly repair)
13.) Fail at repair, have to take dryer door apart (waste 45 minutes)...LG.....my life was certainly not good after this escapade
14.) Run out the door to pick up James (after running the lint roller over myself)
15.) Look at my weekly menu and realize Chicken Cordon Bleu is WAY to ambitious for my "first day back dinner" (What the hell was I thinking?!)
16.) Figure out Plan B for dinner......Fish Sticks it is!
17.) Feed Children
18.) Bathe Children
19.) Brush Toddler's teeth (and say a silent prayer that there will be no meltdowns at the dentist tomorrow)
20.) Books and bed for kiddos
21.) Load/start dishwasher
22.) Realize that I STILL have not taken a shower
23.) Waste a few minutes typing this
24.) Time for a pre-bed rinse off shower, a good teeth flossing, and bed
25.) All in all, a successful but exhausting day. Better get to bed so I can do it all over tomorrow!
1.) 5 a.m. feeding
2.) COFFEE
3.) Feed the other child
4.) Instruct James to get his clothes on
5.) Dress self and feed self, as I am about ready to consume an entire box of cereal by the time I am able to eat
6.) Brush Teeth (and add flossing for good measure, since James and I are seeing the Dentist tomorrow)
7.) Greet sitter and fill her in on Henry's morning schedule
8.) Load James into truck and drop him off at school
9.) Return to office to start tackling e-mails (all 800 of them)- MORE COFFEE
10.) Consider taking a shower, realize all the clean towels are in the dryer
11.) Fold Towels, and notice the dryer is really dirty
12.) Clean dryer (oops the rubber gasket piece falls off, attempt to quickly repair)
13.) Fail at repair, have to take dryer door apart (waste 45 minutes)...LG.....my life was certainly not good after this escapade
14.) Run out the door to pick up James (after running the lint roller over myself)
15.) Look at my weekly menu and realize Chicken Cordon Bleu is WAY to ambitious for my "first day back dinner" (What the hell was I thinking?!)
16.) Figure out Plan B for dinner......Fish Sticks it is!
17.) Feed Children
18.) Bathe Children
19.) Brush Toddler's teeth (and say a silent prayer that there will be no meltdowns at the dentist tomorrow)
20.) Books and bed for kiddos
21.) Load/start dishwasher
22.) Realize that I STILL have not taken a shower
23.) Waste a few minutes typing this
24.) Time for a pre-bed rinse off shower, a good teeth flossing, and bed
25.) All in all, a successful but exhausting day. Better get to bed so I can do it all over tomorrow!
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The Final Week
I return to work one week from today. I am currently experiencing very mixed emotions about the end of my maternity leave. On one side, I very much consider my job to be a part of who I am. I like the feeling of contributing financially to my family's needs, and feel as though I can maintain my own identity with my job. Not to mention, I am constantly meeting new and interesting people from around the world! On the flip side, it is very hard to leave my little Henry. I have LOVED every minute of taking care of my family during my time off. Cooking dinner, baking cookies, and playing games all day long with my boys has been exceptionally wonderful. James just simply loves his school too much; making the decision to work all the easier. He loves doing yoga, playing with his friends, endless art projects, and the constant stimulation of a learning environment. Unfortunately, due to the enrollment demands his school does not offer a part-time option. Luckily, Henry will be taken care of by someone we know and trust. It will be nice to have him at home during the day; allowing me to pop upstairs for smooches in between my office work! That is the other reason I enjoy my work so much; it truly allows me to maintain a healthy balance between my job and family! I have always said the moment that changes, I walk.
We decided to celebrate James' birthday early, since it would otherwise fall on the week I return to work. I don't know what we were thinking, but we decided to have it at Chuck E. Cheese. The best way to describe the venue: Every kids' heaven, and every parents' hell! So much stimulation: lights, noise, crazy sugar-filled children (no wonder they serve beer). It was the last time we celebrate at that particular venue. Next year I am thinking the Children's Museum will be a much better option!
I am hoping the return to work will help me get my Mommy Mojo back. I am ready to get back into some form of a routine (including routine maintenance on myself). I miss the gym, and I am ready to put in some serious sweat-sessions. Last weekend I attended a fashion show at the Chicago Midwinter Dental Conference, and I am attending a swimwear fashion show with a girlfriend tomorrow night. No better motivation to ditch the last few pounds of baby weight!
We decided to celebrate James' birthday early, since it would otherwise fall on the week I return to work. I don't know what we were thinking, but we decided to have it at Chuck E. Cheese. The best way to describe the venue: Every kids' heaven, and every parents' hell! So much stimulation: lights, noise, crazy sugar-filled children (no wonder they serve beer). It was the last time we celebrate at that particular venue. Next year I am thinking the Children's Museum will be a much better option!
I am hoping the return to work will help me get my Mommy Mojo back. I am ready to get back into some form of a routine (including routine maintenance on myself). I miss the gym, and I am ready to put in some serious sweat-sessions. Last weekend I attended a fashion show at the Chicago Midwinter Dental Conference, and I am attending a swimwear fashion show with a girlfriend tomorrow night. No better motivation to ditch the last few pounds of baby weight!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Not Candy......Kisses!
This morning I was doing my best to get both boys loaded into the truck by 8:30. It takes extreme precision, and everything being executed at the EXACT right moment in order to make this happen. Needless to say, it was a massive FAILURE.
I was upstairs dressing and feeding Henry, while James was downstairs quietly entertaining himself in the playroom. Silence (while it is something I crave at many moments of the day) is not usually a good sign in our household. As I walked downstairs, I followed a little trail of pink tinfoil wrappers. They led me all the way to a guilty chocolate-faced James! My response was, "James did you eat the candy from the heart bowl?" His reply, "No Mom, I ate Kisses not candy!" I went on to explain that kisses are candy. Then James whipped out his new FAVORITE line, "Mom, I just need you to calm down."
I was going to make it a point to bake heart-shaped cookies today, but his little early morning sugar binge makes me think I will take a nap versus taking on the role of overachieving do-it-all Super Mom. Happy Valentine's Day to me, INDEED!
I was upstairs dressing and feeding Henry, while James was downstairs quietly entertaining himself in the playroom. Silence (while it is something I crave at many moments of the day) is not usually a good sign in our household. As I walked downstairs, I followed a little trail of pink tinfoil wrappers. They led me all the way to a guilty chocolate-faced James! My response was, "James did you eat the candy from the heart bowl?" His reply, "No Mom, I ate Kisses not candy!" I went on to explain that kisses are candy. Then James whipped out his new FAVORITE line, "Mom, I just need you to calm down."
I was going to make it a point to bake heart-shaped cookies today, but his little early morning sugar binge makes me think I will take a nap versus taking on the role of overachieving do-it-all Super Mom. Happy Valentine's Day to me, INDEED!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Mom Fail, Anatomy Lessons, and Lenten Resolutions
This is somewhat of a random post, but that is because "random" is the best way to describe our lives right now! Our schedule is very "loosely" adhered to these days. I am trying to take advantage of the remaining weeks of leave.
Unfortunately my laid-back attitude bite me in the a** yesterday. It was PJ day at James' school, and I completely forgot. Luckily James had dressed himself in his new bright red pants and a Batman shirt (he frequently wears this shirt to bed, so after some gentle coaxing we avoided a major meltdown). I swear I don't know what I will do when he outgrows his Batman shirt, he would wear it in the bath if I let him!
James continues to be amazed by the human body, he is constantly making us aware of his new "discoveries." Which in turn leave us rolling on the floor laughing. A few days ago James proudly announced how amazing it was that he had nipples. He then went on to say, "I am turning into a cow, just like you Mom. I can make milk too!"
I cannot believe that Lent starts today, I usually give something up every year. However, I feel that giving up my uninterrupted slumber at night will suffice as my Lenten resolution.
Unfortunately my laid-back attitude bite me in the a** yesterday. It was PJ day at James' school, and I completely forgot. Luckily James had dressed himself in his new bright red pants and a Batman shirt (he frequently wears this shirt to bed, so after some gentle coaxing we avoided a major meltdown). I swear I don't know what I will do when he outgrows his Batman shirt, he would wear it in the bath if I let him!
James continues to be amazed by the human body, he is constantly making us aware of his new "discoveries." Which in turn leave us rolling on the floor laughing. A few days ago James proudly announced how amazing it was that he had nipples. He then went on to say, "I am turning into a cow, just like you Mom. I can make milk too!"
I cannot believe that Lent starts today, I usually give something up every year. However, I feel that giving up my uninterrupted slumber at night will suffice as my Lenten resolution.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Survival of the Fittest
Survival has been the word which best describes the month of January in our household! I kept thinking, what have I done to deserve this? First, James came down with a nasty virus (fever, vomiting, the whole mess of nasty symptoms that accompany the flu). Naturally I freaked out, Henry was only 5 weeks old and the last thing I needed was him catching the influenza bug. James and I spent our Friday morning in the Clinic; Flu Test (down the nose into the throat.........I wanted to start crying just serving as a witness to this torture they put my child through), Blood Draw, and Chest X-Rays. The verdict: just a nasty virus served with a side of pink eye. It took the whole weekend for him to even remotely feel better. I am on maternity leave, but was feeling like work would have been a hell of a lot easier then facing the task of keeping James from "petting" Henry (his word not mine).
Just as James emerged from the plague, and I started recovering from my zombie-like state.........Henry started coughing and sneezing. No fever, and was still eating like a champ, so I was not too concerned and chalked it up to the common cold. Exactly 1 week after my visit to the clinic with James, I found myself in the same predicament with little Henry (at only 6 weeks of age). Henry had to undergo all of the same awful tests that James did, and my heart broke the moment they told me they would be doing an influenza/RSV swab. Knowing what to expect this time around, I left the room. When they told me he has RSV and we were being admitted, my head started spinning. I had never had to have an overnight hospital stay with James, so this was new territory for me. I immediately started sobbing and was a hot mess, thank goodness for all the kind an compassionate nurses that were with me! Henry and I spent 3 nights and 4 days in a hospital room (did not leave once except to return home upon him being admitted.....to pack and take a shower). Seeing my little baby hooked up to oxygen, an I.V., and pulse monitors was almost too much to take. I can hardly imagine what it would be like to have a child that is terminally ill; there is nothing worse in this world that seeing your child in pain and helpless.
We are all home and healthy. Naturally, James passed his pink eye on to me (just happy that was the ONLY thing that was passed on to me). The past week or so we have holed up and hibernating in our house. I have to admit that I was slightly neurotic about the thought of taking Henry anywhere in public due to our little scare. The days have been long: lots of crafts, play doh, legos, puzzles, and I have been adamantly working on disinfecting the house and getting caught up on laundry. Yesterday, I started feeling a little frumpy (still in PJs at 1 p.m.) but as James begged me to play hockey in the front foyer of the house....I had to chuckle. Pretty soon I will be returning to the structure of work/life balance, and I know that I will miss these days and crave them just as much as ever. Luckily, I have a job that enables me to have an incredible work/life balance but there are still days that I miss out on being able to have the leisure of "no agenda." So I soaked in the moment, and will continue to do so until I go back to work in 4 weeks.
Time to load up the truck, today marks the very first road trip for just me and the 2 boys! I hope there are not too many tears shed (by me)!
Just as James emerged from the plague, and I started recovering from my zombie-like state.........Henry started coughing and sneezing. No fever, and was still eating like a champ, so I was not too concerned and chalked it up to the common cold. Exactly 1 week after my visit to the clinic with James, I found myself in the same predicament with little Henry (at only 6 weeks of age). Henry had to undergo all of the same awful tests that James did, and my heart broke the moment they told me they would be doing an influenza/RSV swab. Knowing what to expect this time around, I left the room. When they told me he has RSV and we were being admitted, my head started spinning. I had never had to have an overnight hospital stay with James, so this was new territory for me. I immediately started sobbing and was a hot mess, thank goodness for all the kind an compassionate nurses that were with me! Henry and I spent 3 nights and 4 days in a hospital room (did not leave once except to return home upon him being admitted.....to pack and take a shower). Seeing my little baby hooked up to oxygen, an I.V., and pulse monitors was almost too much to take. I can hardly imagine what it would be like to have a child that is terminally ill; there is nothing worse in this world that seeing your child in pain and helpless.
We are all home and healthy. Naturally, James passed his pink eye on to me (just happy that was the ONLY thing that was passed on to me). The past week or so we have holed up and hibernating in our house. I have to admit that I was slightly neurotic about the thought of taking Henry anywhere in public due to our little scare. The days have been long: lots of crafts, play doh, legos, puzzles, and I have been adamantly working on disinfecting the house and getting caught up on laundry. Yesterday, I started feeling a little frumpy (still in PJs at 1 p.m.) but as James begged me to play hockey in the front foyer of the house....I had to chuckle. Pretty soon I will be returning to the structure of work/life balance, and I know that I will miss these days and crave them just as much as ever. Luckily, I have a job that enables me to have an incredible work/life balance but there are still days that I miss out on being able to have the leisure of "no agenda." So I soaked in the moment, and will continue to do so until I go back to work in 4 weeks.
Time to load up the truck, today marks the very first road trip for just me and the 2 boys! I hope there are not too many tears shed (by me)!
Monday, January 7, 2013
New Year, New Addition
I can't believe it is 2013! I also cannot believe that we are now a family of four! The past few weeks have been a bit of a blur, between holiday festivities, a sugar-crazed (and slightly spoiled) Toddler, not to mention the sleep deprivation that comes with having a newborn in the house.
Henry decided to surprise us with an early arrival. He is our lucky 12/12/12 baby. I was in the process of completing my "final big clean" of the house. I had just drug the vacuum cleaner up the stairs when..........my water broke! This was a completely different experience from what I had with James (where the contractions came first, and they broke my water at the hospital). A couple quick phone calls, and we were on our way to Milwaukee. Our little peanut arrived at 3:57 p.m. and weighed in at 6lbs 3 oz. (a far cry from his enormous brother at birth.....9 lbs.6oz.); he was 19.5 inches long.
Life at home has been an adjustment for everyone, but a very good one! My instincts about Baby Henry were spot on, he is an EASY baby. In all fairness, James had me prepared for just about anything. Luckily, I have a great eater and SLEEPER on my hands! Thank goodness we have one child that is a good sleeper, because I cannot say the same for our Toddler. As luck would have it, my Parents magazine featured an article about Insomniac Toddlers. As I had feared, the problem has been created by me. What started as the occasional night of easing James into ZZZland with the help of my presence; turned into a nightly ritual after our move. It was the least I felt I could do, seeing as he experienced a lot of changes in such a short span of time. The magazine had said that the best way to deal with it was to cut out the behavior cold-turkey. We started last night, and it was UGLY! I am hoping it gets better each night, and that we should all be getting peaceful slumber after a week of extreme sleep deprivation.
On the bright side, Henry's arrival marked the arrival of James being OFFICIALLY potty trained. James (in typical fashion) behaved in the opposite manner that most children do when a new baby enters the house. Instead of wanting to go back to diapers, he was even more grossed out by them! I have not changed a diaper on him in almost a month! For that, I will forever be in Henry's debt.
Happy 2013 to all; wishing all of my friends and loved ones a new year filled with health and happiness!
Henry decided to surprise us with an early arrival. He is our lucky 12/12/12 baby. I was in the process of completing my "final big clean" of the house. I had just drug the vacuum cleaner up the stairs when..........my water broke! This was a completely different experience from what I had with James (where the contractions came first, and they broke my water at the hospital). A couple quick phone calls, and we were on our way to Milwaukee. Our little peanut arrived at 3:57 p.m. and weighed in at 6lbs 3 oz. (a far cry from his enormous brother at birth.....9 lbs.6oz.); he was 19.5 inches long.
Life at home has been an adjustment for everyone, but a very good one! My instincts about Baby Henry were spot on, he is an EASY baby. In all fairness, James had me prepared for just about anything. Luckily, I have a great eater and SLEEPER on my hands! Thank goodness we have one child that is a good sleeper, because I cannot say the same for our Toddler. As luck would have it, my Parents magazine featured an article about Insomniac Toddlers. As I had feared, the problem has been created by me. What started as the occasional night of easing James into ZZZland with the help of my presence; turned into a nightly ritual after our move. It was the least I felt I could do, seeing as he experienced a lot of changes in such a short span of time. The magazine had said that the best way to deal with it was to cut out the behavior cold-turkey. We started last night, and it was UGLY! I am hoping it gets better each night, and that we should all be getting peaceful slumber after a week of extreme sleep deprivation.
On the bright side, Henry's arrival marked the arrival of James being OFFICIALLY potty trained. James (in typical fashion) behaved in the opposite manner that most children do when a new baby enters the house. Instead of wanting to go back to diapers, he was even more grossed out by them! I have not changed a diaper on him in almost a month! For that, I will forever be in Henry's debt.
Happy 2013 to all; wishing all of my friends and loved ones a new year filled with health and happiness!
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