Was it Wrong?

Last night, we went to visit friends after 8pm.  They have a boy and a girl that are older than our kids....so they had a lot of fun playing together.  We let the kids play mostly unsupervised, and let them stay up very, very late.  They eventually fell asleep.  Many hours later we carried them to the car and brought them home.


Are we horrible for doing this?  we feel pretty bad.  Normally we closely supervise our kids.  Never let them fall asleep at someone else's house...unless it was a planned overnight and we aren't there.  (Like at grandparents or aunts).  Never take the kids out that late at night or have to put them in the car in the middle of the night to go home.


Have you ever done this?  do you think it's okay? 

Misadventures and Fits

My crazy little angels!

Okay, so if you are a parent, you will totally understand how frustrating some of these types of scenarios can be.  If you aren't a parent and you read this....you may rethink if you want children, lol!

I am told, at least once a week, sometimes more often how w.o.n.d.e.r.f.u.l my children behave at daycare.  They are said to be polite, well mannered, sweet, etc.

Sometimes when I am home with my children, I wonder....are these really the same children that the daycare raves about??  And don't get me wrong...I would prefer it to be this way....behave in public/misbehave at home.  As much as it sucks sometimes at home dealing with them, it gives me great pleasure to hear others rave about how well behaved my children are.  :)

But, I just want to share some of the fits and misadventures that I recently had with the kids.  Saturday morning, while Lee was at work and I was alone with the kids, I had stepped into the bathroom.  Jake (4 1/2) comes to tell me that he spilled a little water.  Well, it turned out that he had knocked over a huge cup of water on the end table...which had lots of magazines and newspapers that were now sopping wet.  Our tables are glass top with wood around the edges.  So the glass sits down into the wood.  Well, anytime a drink is spilled....it runs under the glass and gets everywhere down below.  So I had to move the lamp, candles, picture frames, Scentsy burner, etc. to clean up all the water. Ugh.

A little later, while I was ironing clothes Julz had gone into the bathroom....I thought to brush her teeth.  Jake comes in and says, "Julz has nail polish".  Oh! Yes! She! Did!!  It was on her face, on her hands, on her shirt, on the sink and in the bathtub.  Mind you this happened in just a matter of three minutes tops that she was out of my eyesight!  So, I did get it off of her, but not so much the shirt.  And I did manage to save the sink and tub as well.

Then Jake had a small fit after that because he didn't want to put on clean underwear!  (boys!)  When I picked a gift bag for his friend's birthday present (I have to climb up in the attic to get this, since that is where I store all my gift wrapping items) he cried for I know 20 minutes because the bag was "too pretty" and he didn't want to give it away! (me=rolling my eyes)

Later in the day after being at a birthday party and visiting Mimi & Gramps we were almost ready to head out.  I needed to go to the grocery store to pick up some items for Julz's birthday party.  After the behavior they exhibited at Mimi's house (running, being loud, not listening), I told them they wouldn't be allowed to go to the grocery store with me.  So, they were both upset, crying and pouting.  On the way out of the house walking through the garage, Jake stopped beside my mom's (very nice, shiny, well taken care of, immaculately clean) Dodge Nitro and proceeded to kick it t.h.r.e.e times!!!!  aaaarrrrgghhhh!!!!  So then, Gramps spanked Jake (very unusual) and Jake was crying and mad and then Julz hopped in between Jake and Gramps and says loudly and sternly, "don't you be mean to my Jakey!!!  (gotta love the sibling love!) so, then Gramps told her that she needed to be quiet that he wasn't talking to her.  Crying, more crying.  Both crying.  Crying all the way home!!

So I hope you just enjoyed a day in my life with children, lol!!  I still love them even though they drive me crazy!!

How many of you can relate to this craziness???

My Brown Eyed Girl

(about a week before she was born)

My Brown Eyed Girl

Three years ago today, it was a beautiful, sunny Saturday.  I woke up, felt a bit strange, but not too bad.  Went on over to my Mom's house for my normal Saturday routine.....eating breakfast with them and then cleaning their house.  I had my boys with me, Joey and Jake.  I kept having contractions, but thought they might have been Braxton Hicks.  As the morning progressed, they became stronger.  But, I was in no rush to get to the hospital, so I just kept cleaning and every so often would have to stop, bend over and breathe....then I just cleaned some more.  Finally, I decided I should be heading home.  I left my little Jake (age 21 months) with Mimi and Gramps.  And I asked Joey (age 15) to drive me home.  I had never let him drive me anywhere up until that point....he had his learners permit.  He was pretty excited that I let him drive.  I called my doula, Autumn, before leaving Mom's and asked her to meet me at the house.  (A doula is a birth assistant.) She seemed to think I was still doing pretty good.  I remember having to stop and get gas for the car....seemed like it took forever.  Got home, rushed around to pack my bag and gather baby things.  Autumn arrived, Lee was ready to go!  He was afraid I'd have the baby at home!! (I would have loved a home birth.)  I wanted to go upstairs and take pictures....I have beautiful pictures of me from the day I gave birth to my son.  Unfortunately, I couldn't handle the contractions too well at this point, so no pictures.  Autumn tried to check and see how dilated I was, but she couldn't tell....I thought she just didn't want to tell me that I was like a 3 or 4.  When we arrived at the hospital and they had me in triage, the nurse yelled for the doctor to come check me.....she said I "sounded like a 7".  I was actually at 8 cms!!  woohoo!  I was sooooo excited.  But, when I had Jake I was a 7 when I arrived and didn't have him for 5 hours.  So I was thinking I still had awhile.  Well, things began to move pretty quickly, they got me to a room and before you knew it....we became proud parents of our beautiful Julz Alaina.  Total time at the hospital until she arrived: 20 mins!!  Awesome delivery!  2/23/08 @ 3:36pm, 7lbs12oz. Happy Birthday to my sweet, sweet girl.  

February 23, 2008

With big bro, Joey.  February 23, 2008

Giving sis her first present. February 23, 2008

I love this pic!!  February 25, 2008

Julz is a beautiful little girl with big brown eyes and light brown hair.  She loves all things girly....baby dolls, Barbies, Littlest Pet Shop, My Little Pony, etc.....but, she also enjoys playing cars, trucks, trains, monsters, etc.....she does have brothers!  She makes me smile every day.  She loves to color.  She can fold laundry almost as good as me.  She is potty trained!!  She loves us all, and has the best giggle in the world when we tickle her.  She likes zebras and pigs.  She is a people pleaser.....except when she is being Miss Independent and trying to get her way!  She does have a bit of a stubborn streak at times! 

~{{She makes our family complete.}}~

December 2010

My big 3 yr old!!

Sibling Love....For. Ever. More!

(my photo)

How long will it last?  

My kids are so freakin' adorable *sometimes*, lol!  

But, really, they truly love each other.  

It just melts my heart sometimes the sweet things that I see them do for each other or the things they say to each other.

We really encourage this love in our home.  We talk about how we are a team and that we are supposed to love and take care of each other.  

Oh yes!!!  we do have the "he hit me", "she bit me" moments, but they are also the first to jump up and defend the other.

The other day, our 4 1/2 year old had gotten in trouble.  On the way home from daycare Mommy & Daddy were fussing at him for his behavior.  Our daughter, who is almost three says, "Don't you be mean to my Jake for. ever. more!!!" (not "forever", but she said each word separate)

Love them!!

What do you do to encourage sibling love?

If you enjoy this post, leave me some comment love.  Follow my rss.  Read some of my old posts.  Thanks!

Kids or Secrets?

(my graphic)

My parents kept my kids for a little while last night.  When we got there to pick up the kids, my mom says, "you know you can either have kids or you can have secrets, you can't have both".  


Hmmmm, I'm thinking...why is she saying this....


So....my mom proceeds to tell us, "Julz told me tonite that Daddy doesn't wear underwear", lol!!!  I thought I was going to die!  my husband says, "that's not something I wanted my mother-in-law to know". (my daughter is almost three)


It's true though....the kids/secret part.  I've worked with children (elementary age) for 17 years.  One thing I've learned is they will tell you anything and everything.  They will tell you things you know their parents would not want being told.  


Makes me wonder what mine say at daycare, lol!


Have your kids ever told any secrets on you??

TV Time or Not?

(free clip-art, color change by me)

When I was younger working in a daycare, I can remember parents complaining about how often their children were being allowed to watch tv/movies while in daycare.  I thought....what's the big deal.  I thought they were really picky parents.

Now, I'm that parent.  

The other day a friend on facebook mentioned how horrible the shows are on a certain tv channel for children....I won't name the channel....but initials are CN...you can guess which channel that is.  When my kids were very little I didn't let them watch tv at all.  As they got a bit older I allowed a short period of time everyday.  I had come across the channel PBS Sprout.  And that is the channel my children still watch.  


We don't watch some of the others, because I feel like some of the shows are just so overly "commercialized".  I don't need my kids begging for a certain character every time they walk through the toy aisle.  I don't want to buy a toy or a book or a piece of clothing just because it has a character on it.  I will admit I'm not as stringent about this as I used to be....Jake likes Cars stuff and Julz likes Tinkerbell, but I still don't want to pay double for something just because it has a character on it that my kids see on a tv show.  I avoid these toys and clothes.


My kids favorite show is Caillou which I think is such a sweet little show.  Of course there are characters on PBS that are placed all over toys/clothes as well....Thomas, Elmo, etc.  (By the way....I hate Elmo.  Really.  I can't stand his annoying high pitched voice.  Am I the only mom that feels this way?)


I have read many studies over the past few years that bring me to the conclusion that tv isn't such a great thing for my kids.  So I limit it.  PBS Sprout, maybe some Nat Geo Wild and movies occasionally.  


Will I always be this picky about tv?  Probably to some extent.  Even when our teen was growing up....we limited tv time/computer/video games.  (oh, and video games....my kids don't have any yet.  I do sometimes bring home ipods to let them play on, but they only have educational games on them.)


This comment might not sit well with some people, but I think that tv is used as a babysitter with a lot of children.  I can see where this would happen, it sure is easier for me to run to the basement to flip the laundry when the kids are glued to the tv, easier to clean the house, easier to get dinner fixed, etc.  But, I would rather my kids sit in the floor and play with their Hotwheels and race track, build with their Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys, play their musical instruments (wait....why did Santa think a drum was a good idea? lol), pretend to be mom & dad with baby dolls, "cook" and serve food at their kitchen/diner, read a book, etc.  


How do you feel about tv for kids?  toys/clothes with characters?  anyone else an Elmo-hater??  lol

Little Boy Shoes

(my photos)

How is it that I look at my son on a daily basis and hadn't noticed it.  4 years, 8 months, 10 days. He's no baby anymore.  But, he will always be my baby.  My first baby.  Shoes, that's what it was.  Shoes.  I just happened to walk by and glance down at them.  Empty.  Not wrapped around my son's little piggies.  Not little shoes.  It just hit me.  These are the shoes of a boy.  Not a baby.  Not a toddler.  w.o.w.  Such a simple little thing, but it just jumped up at me.  Where has the time gone.  I will be sending my baby to kindergarten in eight months.  Blows my mind.  I will cherish every kiss, every cuddle and every "I love you, Mommy".  Especially the cuddles.  :)

Where it all started,
 his sweet little baby toes.

Was there ever a moment where you just realized your kiddos weren't babes any longer?

Jingle Bellz & Jolly Elves

Do you know about Elf on the Shelf?

Do you have elves living at your house?? We do!  at least for the holiday season, then they will head back home to the North Pole to hang out with Santa.  

Santa sent ours at the beginning of December, we came home one day and they were waiting at the front door for us!  Jingle Bellz and Jolly Elves are the names my kids bestowed upon them. We even registered them in the Book of Elves on the Elf on the Shelf website.  And then Santa sent us a letter! (one you could print out) (Jingle Bellz is actually a reincarnated elf that grew up with my father, I added a little pink felt.... and *bam*, it's a Girl!)  My children have a great time with these elves living in our home!  I have caught them reading to the elves, tattling to the elves, leaving candy and toys for them!  It is so much fun to figure out where they are hiding and to wonder what they have been doing.  Also, seems like their behavior has been pretty good since they fear the elves will tell Santa if they are Naughty! 

If you have an elf in your house, what's his/her name and have your children enjoyed tradition?

The elves brought the kids candy canes one day

One day Jake's elf brought him a hotwheel and Julz's elf brought her Tinkerbell
undies since she has been doing such a great job potty training!

NoIsEs in my HoUsE

LOL, it's funny when you have different age kids in your house.  

They all make NoIsE, some just different than the other!

Last night, the teen was listening to some screamo metal music.

The toddler was making siren noises while playing with his ambulance.

LOL, gotta love it!!

Teens & Toddlers

Of course, I love my kids....but why is it that one moment they are nice/sweet/loving/cordial, etc.  Then a moment later they are the complete opposite??  It's up and down, up and down.  And lately I haven't had much patience for the down.  ugh!

Mean People

November 27, 2006, from an older blog

I saw a bumper sticker the other night that I really liked, it said....MEAN PEOPLE MAKE LITTLE MEAN PEOPLE.....isn't that true?  I think children really do learn to act like the adults in their lives. 

Growing Fast!

April 28, 2007, from an older blog
 

Wow! My boys are growing up so fast!  It's hard to believe that Joey will be 15 in 11 days!  I first met him when he was at the daycare in Kindergarten, then he moved into my class in 2nd grade.  And, Lee and I started dating when he was in 5th grade and had just turned 10.  He is growing up to be such a nice young man.  He is very smart, funny and just a lot of fun to be around.  I really enjoy hanging out with Joey, we have a lot in common and get along about 98% of the time which I think is great for a stepmom and a teenager! Jake will be one in 9 days!  That is so incredibly hard for me to believe!  I can't believe how fast this year has just flown by.  It's just been so incredible.  I really enjoy being his mom.  I was so nervous about having a baby and wondering what kind of mother I would be, but I think I've done a great job.  (Except as my husband would tell you, not that I was ever a domestic goddess, but now it's even worse!!)  I just want to spend every minute with him.  I love watching him grow and change.  My advice to any new parent is to enjoy every second and every stage.  Because if you blink your child has moved on to another stage.  You think the baby will never roll over, then the next thing you know they are sitting, crawling, standing, cruising, WALKING!  Take lots of pics/videos!

Baby Girl

February 5, 2008, from an older blog

I really can't wait for Baby Girl to arrive.  I'm really over being pregnant.  When I was pregnant with Jake, I could have stayed pregnant for a long time, wouldn't have bothered me.  But, this time is different.  I think maybe she is bigger, or she likes to be up in my ribs more, bounce on my bladder more, etc.  I'm just getting really tired and kinda miserable.  Some people at work say I look like I'm gonna pop!  That's the way I feel.  I'm pretty much ready now.  Mostly packed.  Did my belly cast the other day.  I love belly casts, I think they are so cool!  I do still have a dresser I need to paint, just got it last night from my Dad.  It was my dresser when I was a baby, then we used it for my sis, then my sis used it for her baby.  So I'm really excited to get to use it.  I think Joey is looking forward to being a big bro again, he wants a cuddly baby...Jake isn't cuddly...too busy all the time. I'm so worried about how Jake will handle a new baby in the house.  I hope he isn't too jealous.  I know he will be.  But, I hope it's not too bad.  They will be 21 months apart. I'm hoping my labor and delivery go well.  I will have a doula again.  My doula, Degra, from last time is in Texas studying to be a Midwife.  So I have a different doula, Autumn, this time.  But, I think we will all be fine together.  I just hope when I go into the hospital I get a decent doctor.  One that is open minded and supportive of natural childbirth.  I still wish I was having her at home, but hubby wouldn't go for that. I'm also anxious to have a name for her.  Hopefully the hubby and I will come to an agreement on a name soon.  :)

This describes my life!

An Excuse for Not Returning the Visit of a Friendby Mei-Yao Ch'en, translated by Kenneth Rexroth

Do not be offended because I am slow to go out.
You know me too well for that.
On my lap I hold my little girl.
At my knees stands my handsome little son.
One has just begun to talk.
The other chatters without stopping.
They hang on my clothes and follow my every step.
I can't get any farther than the door.
I am afraid I will never make it to your house.


I think this totally describes my life!!!  Even the ages/descriptions of the kids.  I love my babies, and sometimes it is hard to get out.  I used to love getting out and doing a lot of things, and hanging with friends, which I still enjoy, but it's not my priority anymore.

Blessings

I have watched two shows this week, that really make me feel blessed.  One was about a little girl who was the only living "mermaid" in the world, her legs were fused together at birth.  Bless her heart, she had so many medical problems, but she was happy and you could tell she loved life.  She lost her fight at the age of 10.  The other show was about a little girl who is five now, she was basically born without a face.  No real ears, nose, no jaw bones, no vision in one eye, can't eat, hearing impaired.  Poor thing.  Intellectually she is just like all other five year olds.  I can't imagine living your life as these children have.  And I can't imagine being a parent to a child with such severe disabilities.  I feel so incredibly blessed to have the children that I do.  On an almost daily basis I hear of another child who has cancer or some other horrible sickness.  And, of children that have been ripped from life and their families prematurely by cold-hearted horrible people.  It really makes you put into perspective how fragile life is.  Just because my babies are well now, unfortunately doesn't guarantee anything.  I love my kids, and I wish them healthy, safe, long lives.