Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Summer

Well again I am being really bad about updating, but here is what our lovely summer has been about. I am really bummed I do not have pics to add to this to show all of the fun we have been having!

Summer started out a little rocky with my new job and all. It was hard for me to get in a routine of leaving in the morning and being home in time to get ready for work, so sadly we were just staying at home. It wasn't all that fun though :(

The last week of June J and I both took vacation time off of work. It was a really fun week for our family. We spent the week with my wonderful brother in law, sister in law and my niece and nephew. It is always a great time with them :) We first took the kids to Holiday World and boy was that fun!!! My Angel and WildMan surprised me so much in not showing fear of anything. They were both willing to ride and play in whatever their height allowed. My Angel rode a big wooden roller coaster with me. She asked to ride and when we were finally sitting in the cart to soon be pulled up to the highest part of the coaster, she was very terrified. I was reassuring her it would be fun if she would just relax and trust in me that I wouldn't let anything happen to her. So with my arm wrapped around her and my other holding the bar ever so tightly we were flying through the coaster. She was absolutely terrified through the entire ride, but she rode it!!!! We get off and I asked her, " well did you like it?" She replies with, " I don't want to ride anymore today", LOL!!!!

Miss Spitfire and Sunshine were my little chickens all day and were scared to do everything. I will give full credit to Spitfire for riding a few water rides that I thought were scary for her. She was with my sister in law at the time so I didn't get to see her, but she was happy to tell me about them even though she was very scared of them, lol! Miss Sunshine is a child who is scared of her own shadow, so standing in the wading pool ( it was 1 and a half foot deep) was her excitement for the day! She wanted nothing to do with anything that moved, splashed or made noise! hehe~

We spent the rest of the week swimming and cooking out, it really was relaxing and very fun for all of the kids and of course all of us adults! Oh yeah we managed to squeeze in an Indians Game as well. My Angel was my only child who wanted to go, so we dropped the others off at Mamaw's house! We of course went with my brother and sister in law again. The kids all had a good time, eating junk and playing a few games! It had been years since I had been to a game and it was very refreshing to do something new :)

This same week I took the kids to the Beech Grove fireworks with my dear friend, her husband and kiddos. It was a very quick event, but the kids loved it. Wildman thought it was very cool, but went to fast!

We have been spending the rest of the summer at the pool. My wonderful Mother has a friend who runs an apartment complex and she welcomes the kids and I to swim anytime and it really has been wonderful. We have swam more this summer than the past 2 summers combined. I am in heaven and I know the kids are too! I have also figured out my routine so we can leave during the day even on the days I work... I know I am a dork!

Summer has been just great so far and I am not looking forward to school starting back up at all :( I love having my babies at home and getting to sleep in is also a plus :)

Monday, June 21, 2010

Do they really know?

Who knows if they fully understand at this age, but they have to have some concept of it! If they don't I can't wait until the day they really know and really see it :)

He wakes up everyday at 5am for them.

He goes to work everyday for them.

He checks on them every night before he goes to bed.

He plays with each one of them. He makes sure they smile everyday.

He would risk everything for them.

He wakes up and goes to bed with them on his mind.

He wants nothing, but the best for them.

He teaches them, he disciplines them, he respects them.

He makes sure the Holidays are for them.

He makes sure every Birthday is wonderful and special for them.

He goes without, so they can have it all.

He makes sure they are able to pursue their interest.

He cooks for them. He cleans for them.

He makes sure their lives are full of love.

He does all he can to keep them safe.

He does all he can to help them be them.

He is reassuring, loving, caring, a comfort...

He is their DAD! So do they really know...



How wonderful and amazing their Dad is? Do they really know how lucky and blessed they are to have such a man as their Dad?!?!?! I see it and love it! One day they will too and until that day I will do all I can to help them see it and feel it! J you are amazing and I love you!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

A little update

I feel a little update is in order! I have been working almost every night so my blogging as been put on the back burner due to being tired... sorry!

I am loving my new job. I am however working almost every night and that is wearing me out! I hope to just prove myself in the next few weeks to be able to be bumped up to a better dinner section to hopefully make more money ( the reason for the job)!!!

J and I have grown tremendously as a couple within the last couple of months and I couldn't be happier. I kind of feel like a high school couple who can't wait to see one another or talk to one another. We are each others biggest cheer leaders and support system. He has been helping me so much and in the end it makes me love him even more. Our love has grown and is in a place I am not sure either of us has felt since being married. It is truly wonderful :) I am hoping to renew our vows in 2 years... which will be our 10 year Anniversary! I have begun the brainstorming for this fabulous event, lol :)

My Angel is just fantastic! School is out and she has some great ideas for ways to spend our summer. She is definitely growing into a young lady. She is in the beginning stages of puberty which is sometimes hard to tip toe around, lol. The emotions are always on the surface with her. She is still just as smart as ever though. She got a library card today ( thanks to my beautiful mother for taking her). She is just as excited about her 7 books as she is about buying a new toy or game. She found out 2 weeks ago who her teacher will be for next year and she will be in a "cluster class" which means an above average classroom. J and I are just thrilled for her! She was soooo excited even though she said she knew this was going to happen! lol

Miss Spitfire is exactly what her nickname is... a spitfire! She is cute as a button, but has a fiery attitude. She is into aggravating all of the kids and pushing her limits. She likes to test the waters to see how far she can go with everything! She is loving summer and if up to her she would never come inside! She is so active and wants to be doing something 24/7!
On the health side of things, she has had some serious ear pain for quite some time now. I was thinking it all has to do with her Crohn's and sinus', but I am now leaning towards getting her tonsils removed. She snores so bad at night that she sometimes stops breathing ( an issue we dealt with at 3 weeks old with her)! I am thinking her adenoids and tonsils are so big it is causing ear pressure and breathing issues. So I am hoping to get her into the doctor soon to check into this a little more. Her Crohn's has so far been doing very well. She has fully adjusted to her diet and will let everyone know what she can and can't eat without me saying a word! She has made me very proud of her with how she deals with all of this. Such a big girl :)

Wildman is just that as well... wild! I love him to death, well I love all of my kids to death, haha! He keeps me laughing all of the time! I will admit though that he is ALL boy! He has been wrestling and getting into little fights ( play fights) with all of us and he loves it! I am thinking when he gets a little older wrestling might be something we look into! He has grown so much (not really in height or weight) but in the since of his speech, his attention span, his understanding of things in the world and how different things work! He is just awesome and I am really loving this age with him. He is very independent and to be honest I love it :) He will wake up in the morning and run and go all day until I have to make him lay down which is usually around 11pm ( when I get home from work)! Who has that much energy??? Not me!!!

Miss Sunshine is growing everyday in the same way as Wildman! She will hold an entire conversation with you and it is the cutest thing you have ever heard! She talks with her hands and body and just really gets into whatever it is she is talking to you about! We recently bought her Dora big girl panties and a cute little potty chair to sit in the front room for her to sit on! Right now she is really into just playing with it. She will sit on it and say she is going potty but she is usually fully dressed when saying this, lol! She is staying dry in her diapers most of the day and almost all night. She immediately tells me when she poops in her diaper and brings me wipes and a new diaper. She is ready, I am ready, I am ready to be done with diapers forever :) So hoping this potty training goes well and hopefully she will be in panties before July!!! I also have to say she has almost mastered riding her tricycle as well... she has gotten so big, so fast!

One more important update and that is about The Crohn's and Colitis Walk ( Take Steps Be Heard Walk) that happened last weekend! I had no idea what to expect with this walk or what would really be taking place! It was in the beautiful area of the White River State Park. We had a few family members show up and we had a great time. I know the kids had a blast jumping in the bounce house provided :) I am excited to announce that I was the number one Fundraiser and my team "Straton's Team" came in 3rd! I think what we did is so rewarding and awesome! We didn't have a whole lot of support at the walk, but what we did have was more then I could have asked for.The people who showed up for us were the same people I can always count on being there for me and have been there for me! They all walked beside Straton and I and helped us raise almost 2K for the CCFA! Such a wonderful evening that will forever be embedded in my memory! I can't wait until next year to do it all over again :) To all of you who supported us physically, spiritually and financially... THANK YOU!!!!!

So I hope you are now caught up on our crazy wonderful lives, so sorry it is a mini update of each person and issue... I am a slacker and admit it!

Monday, May 31, 2010

My new role

I am officially now a working Mom! I haven't really been able to say that in a really long time. I have been a stay at home Mom for what feels like an eternity and I loved-love it! I am currently only working nights, but it honestly feels weird.

It is a weird that no one can understand unless you have stayed at home with kids for years. I kind of hate to admit it, but I am loving my new job! I am working as a waitress at The Cheesecake Factory and to some that is a belittling job... to me it is perfect! Yes I would love to make the money of a lawyer or a nurse, but for me this job is exactly what I needed! I love interacting with other people, helping people, having such a flexible schedule that allows me to spend my everyday still at home with all 4 of my babies and work at night! The other half of my weird feeling is, I don't get to tuck my kids into bed every night. This is something I totally took for granted when I did it every night, heck sometimes I complained about it. It would be yelling "I don't want to go to bed", me waiting on each kid to hug and kiss miss Sunshine while I found her baby and blankie, making sure they were all in bed, covered up, hugged and kissed, this light on and this light off. Sometimes it would take 20 minutes or so. Now that I am not here most nights to do this, I miss it and feel bad for complaining about it or asking J to do it!

I realize with this new job how much of a difference it does and will make for my family! Of course it has it pro's and con's, but both big differences! I like having the adult conversations, I like making money, I don't like that I hardly see J on days that I work, I don't like that my kids whine when I tell them I have to work, I don't like seeing their sad faces when I leave, I don't like not being the last face they see when they go to sleep, but I know this is what needs to happen for my family!

This job has in a way really opened my eyes to how important my family is to me. Please don't misunderstand that, they were and always will be my number one priority. It just makes me see how blessed I am and how I want to do nothing, but make them all happy... especially J. I feel overjoyed that I have them and I know when I get off of work they will all be here ( asleep, but still here)! They love me and I love them! Family is so important and without each one of them I would be lost. They all have my heart and even when I am running crazy at work to serve other families and to make sure they are enjoying their evening... my family is always on my mind :) My time with them is way more valued and cherished! This job so far is such a blessing and I just hope it continues to go so well and remains beneficial!

Did I mention their Cheesecake is phenomenal?!

Well it is :)

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Wild Man's Birth Story



Wild Man was welcomed into our family on May 25, 2006! Buddy I am so sorry this did not get posted on your actual birthday :(

May 21st I went into my OB for my check up and she informed me I was dilated to 3cm. I was ecstatic!!! However I was only 34weeks and 6 days along. Hang on...let me back up for just a second, Wild Man was a baby we tried very hard to conceive. I desperately wanted a boy sooooo bad. That is the only reason I couldn't say no to more babies after Miss Spitfire. I wanted him so much and the day I found out I was having a boy, I balled during the whole ultrasound. When she said I was having a boy she had to give me Kleenex's due to the snot and tears that were combining all over my face, LOL!!!! So needless to say I was more than anxious to meet him.

Back to my OB appointment ( sorry I get off track very easily). She also mentioned to me that she was going on vacation that Friday for 2 weeks. She offered me the choice of coming into the hospital Thursday morning to see how my contractions were coming along and if I could be induced she would induce me or I could just go on and risk her being on vacation if I delivered. I don't have a history at all of my kids coming early ( I had been induced with both my girls)! So without thinking of my beautiful boy, my selfish instincts of course chose Thursday May 25th to possibly be induced.

My Momma of course kept my girls for us. We went to the hospital and I was contracting but not having strong ones. They were very consistent, but not strong. J and I walked the halls for what felt like forever to get things moving along. It worked a little... my next check I was dilated to a 4, so she decided to break my water and admit me. J and I were so excited. I called J's mom and my Mom to let them know we were staying. I was then taken to the only room that was left... the C-section room. I was then hooked up to pitocin and things were trucking along. My nurse was great, my needs were met, I had an epidural put in around 6cm and J's Mom came to be with us, things were wonderful!!!!

About 8pm we realized my monitor was going off, the nurse came in calmly and asked me to roll over and put a pillow under my belly. She said it happens all of the time and rolling over helps the baby! The monitor was the baby's heart beat, it was very low :( I of course rolled over, but sadly the monitor wouldn't stop going off. She had me roll over to the other side, didn't work. She went and got some belly band to help push him down or something along those lines ( to be honest at this point I was a little frantic so I am not sure at all what the belly band was for)! I asked her to please get my doctor and she did. My doctor was in there within 2 minutes and she immediately said we need to get him out and we need to get him out NOW by C-section. I was balling and so scared. Scared for my baby, scared to have a C-section and scared of the unknown. I had 2 minutes for them to prep things so I called my mom to let her know and before I hung up they were wheeling me back.

They got me all ready and then J was brought in. I was shaking so bad I bit my tongue a couple of times. I had serious trimmers and was very nauseous. It was not a fun delivery at all. She had him out within 5 minutes after J was brought in. I sadly don't remember the exact minutes he was born ( I have this in his baby book I promise) but I know it was in the 9 o'clock hour ( pm). He was out and he was screaming, I had never been so relieved in my life to hear that loud shriek of a cry. All I kept saying was how little he was and how much he looked just like my girls. After I knew he was ok and I could talk again from crying so much, I asked if she knew what the problem was and he had the cord wrapped around his neck 2X's. Thank the Lord he never had to go to the NICU at all... he weighed 6lbs 9oz and was 18 in long and was healthy! He had the dark black hair and olive tan skin just like my girls! He was beautiful, too pretty to be a boy :)

To this day I find myself wondering, if the cord was due to my induction or if the induction was a blessing that saved his life! I will never know, but I will always question it.

I was so proud and so excited we had our boy. He was healthy, he was eating, peeing and pooing like he was supposed to. He never cried while in the hospital, so I thought he was completely perfect! Then we got home... he cried 24/7. Nothing I ever did helped him at all. He took almost an hour to drink every bottle and he ate every 2 hours. This every 2 hour feeding lasted throughout the day and night until he was 12 months. The DAY of his 1st birthday he slept through the night! I was the most tired and drained Momma out there for a YEAR! So just incase you couldn't figure it out...he was a HORRIBLE baby, but such a fun and hyper toddler. This past year has been the best year with him. When he turned 3 he became less defiant, a little more hyper, but not in the crazy way he was before, it was great! He is wonderful :)

To my handsome boy, I love you sooooooooo much! I wanted you more than you will ever know. You will always hold a special place in my heart. You keep me on my toes, but you always keep me laughing. I enjoy our late night snuggles and hugs and hope they never end! I love you with all of my heart and I am enjoying every minute of watching you grow up... yes even the ugly days! You make my heart smile and I can't wait to be there for every fun milestone you will soon start to hit! I love you my handsome buddy. Happy Belated Birthday ( still so sorry this was not done on your day)! Love, Mommy
XOXOXO

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

4 today

WOW... today my Wild Man is 4!!! I can not believe he is 4 already. He has grown into this adorable and hilarious little man!
He is ALL boy, he loves sports, trucks, cars, dirt, rocks, wrestling and of course video games! Is favorite thing in the whole world right now is cereal, LOL! He has to have it everyday as soon as he opens his eyes. When I come home from the store and I buy new cereal, it is honestly the same reaction we get on Christmas morning! So funny, but yet so cute!
He is so full of personality and humor. He keeps us all laughing daily. He makes us laugh just from watching him play and he has no idea we are watching him. Then there are times he is trying and will continue to try until he hears a chuckle :)
This past year has really been a fun one. Watching him grow into the little guy he is, has been great! He is so loving, sweet, funny, skinny and smart! He is my buddy and I am so blessed to have him. He makes me smile!
Happy Birthday my Handsome Boy! I love you sooo soooo soooooo much :)

His birth story is to come sometime later today, just as I did for my girls!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

A new role for me

I will be working... for the first time in a very long time! I will be starting a new part time evening job starting on Sunday!

J has always been the one to work while I stayed home with the kids. He has always worked multiple jobs for this to happen!! Somethings have changed in our financial status and J is now just working one job, so this is why I will be working. He wants a break from work and I think I want to take a break from being home with the kids 24/7!!! Still not really sure how I feel about it to be quite honest.

I am really excited to take on this challenge. It is a challenge for me to give up being home, physically going to work, doing well on the job, missing family functions, missing my kids' sport activities... missing a lot! It will be a challenge for both J and I. I don't think he really knows how challenging it can be to have to run this kid here, be back to pick that kid up from there, meet so and so here and so on, all by myself! I also don't know what it feels like to hear him call me while I am at work to tell me how crazy and stressful the kids are being, him telling me how well Miss Spitfire did at her game or to tell me what cook-out they have planned to go to on that day. I have no idea...

So as we embark on this new journey with our new roles, I only hope it is a great transition for our kids and makes a difference for our family. I am staying super positive about it all, it just makes me a little nervous with each passing day. Hopefully the nerves will subside and I will just be happy to get out and be a financial contributor to my family :)

Please keep us in your prayers for the weeks to come as we make the transition and that this new role is really better for all of us!!