The Hardest Job

I love being a mom. I love it! I love being the one to take care of my kids and knowing what they are learning and being there for every first. I love holding them and comforting them and being their world.

But being a mom is the hardest job.

I can't call in sick. I can't quit. I can't even get a minute to myself these first years. Naptime is the best time because I can think for a second. If I am run down and about to break, it doesn't matter. I have to just keep going. Keep feeding and cleaning it up and trying to lose weight while feeding everyone else what they want. I have to wash the dishes and fold the laundry. I never get to go out alone to Barnes and Noble and get a coffee and read a book. I don't get to have ALONE time even in the bathroom. I haven't finished a project in forever and I haven't had a good nights sleep in 3 years. Sometimes I look at what my passions were before I had kids and they are all going by the wayside because that's what happens when you take on parenthood. It's just all consuming. It's hard being a mom.

Today I am tired and worn out and I need a day off that I won't ever get. But I wouldn't trade being a mom for the world...

Missed You!

We (the girls and I) went on a mini vacation to WA last week, therefore the lack of posting. We are back and have been for a day or so but you all know what it's like to get back and have to deal with unpacking and such. Anyway, I saw my cousin and her family and some more family and then... we hit Sabbath School and it's like Facebook in there. When you have parents who worked at academy's and then you worked at academy's and went to academy's and basically spent your whole life in this little Adventist bubble, you are bound to see someone you know anywhere you go. So I'm in Sabbath School and a face from the past walks in. We did the eye dance for a while as we hadn't seen each other in 15 years (and that's half my life span right now). She whispered to her friend and then I was whispering to my cousin and then we locked eyes and did that silent, "Are you ______?" "Yeah." "HEY!"

So I did what I thought was customary and waited until Sabbath School was over and the din of toddlers was getting to a maximum just before everyone headed up to church to go over and WAIT AND WAIT for her to talk to me or for there to be a break in conversation for me to talk to her. She didn't and there wasn't.

After standing there for a while, I finally was like, "Hey."

She was like, "Hey."

And that was IT! 15 years and we didn't have anything to say to one another. Now, I can usually make conversation like crazy no matter who it is but this girl (now a lady) was really hard to talk to. I'm not sure why but it was the most awkward moment I have had in a long time.

In Love

My little girls are beautiful. I'm not just bias because they are mine. They are really beautiful.

We were at some friends house on Saturday night. They have a son, Sonny, who is around 4 years old. He is so cute, a very good looking child. He and Abby took right to each other. They were just two Gap Kids in a pod. It was late so Sonny's mom set up two easy chairs with pillows and blankets and we plunked them in front of the TV while the adults played games. After a few minutes, they were leaning over onto each others chairs. A few minutes later, they were playing baby and daddy and Abby was casually strewn across Sonny's lap, arms around his neck and he had his arm slung around her back holding her and staring into her eyes. It was straight out of an Abercrombie ad. Grr... My first thought was, "What the hell?!" But then, they are toddlers and they have no idea how inappropriate they look. We let it go. It only got crazier throughout the night. We were rolling in our seats as we watched them faun over each other. Abby is in love with that kid. I would have gotten pictures but I was laughing to hard.

Grouch

Here's my grouch... Andy works at a gym here teaching tumbling a few days a week. I take Abby to the same gym. It's a GREAT class. It's really a great gym. There is also an open gym time when you can take your kids in and they can just play. I have been paying at a discounted rate for the class and each open gym session. Last week, at open gym, there were only two other employee kids at the open gym. They didn't charge me but the people who are supposed to be on the floor basically left me to watch their kids while they stood around in the lobby and chatted. OK. Fine. I'm an employee's wife and I don't need to be watched carefully. I don't mind watching other peoples kids, especially if I'm getting a free gym. Then, today, they charged me, and left me with the kids. OK, one way or the other...

I mentioned it to the owner and she was on it like a fat kid on cake. Problem, the lady who is supposed to be on the floor was back in a flash and giving me the evil eye. I "told" on her and she was ticked. I don't know if I will go back. It's just to hard to complain. I had almost made up my mind to just leave it but... I like the gym. I want to go there and not be fuming the whole time while I pay to be a babysitter. Should I have just left it alone? Should I have just not gone back? I don't know. What do you think? Am I just an annoying grouch?

Our Morning

Most mornings are ending up like this. Cate being "dressed up" by Abby and everyone still in pajamas unless we have to go somewhere.

At least Abby likes to help me clean...

TWINS!

I have a friend who is having twin girls here in Montana. I live close to her. If you have or had twins, how can I help her? I have already had the suggestion of taking food and that is being coordinated through the church. Any other suggestions?

Cate, The Early Bird

Cate was crying and crying last night. I thought maybe those two early teeth (3 months, people. And YES I am breastfeeding her still) were bothering her. But alas, when I stuck my finger in her mouth to rub her sore lower gums, I felt a new tooth on the top coming through. Dang it! Why does she have to be so ahead of the game?

Pictures of the Baby

I seem to talk about Abby alot in this blog but that's because everything is new with her. Cate is just as cute and just as perfect. It's just that we have been through all the baby stuff already and I know I'm in danger of repeating myself and driving away readers. Here are some pictures of my precious Cate especially for the grandma's.

Isn't she the sweetest?

The First Haircut - The Event

I like to braid Abby's hair right after she gets out of the shower so it stays out of her face. In this picture, I'm pregnant with Cate and we are still at Pisgah. Aslan is still a part of the family... (sniffle)

I love to put her hair in sponge rollers also. It's so Shirley Temple. But it was getting crazy on the ends. Although there was great baby hair curl, it was difficult to comb out and it was just getting crazy so we cut it.

This is Annette. She was so nice about the whole thing. She let me take pictures and cut Abby's hair so quick we barely knew it happened. I did not save the hair itself.

I prepped Abby for days before we did this. I told her we were getting her hair cut and that it was going to be fun and look pretty and by the time we went, it was a serious event. Look at that serious face!

This is her hair all done being cut. Now, I tried to get a nice picture of her with the apron off and her all smiley and with her new haircut. She would not cooperate and you all know what it's like to try and get a picture of a two year old when they don't want it. I just gave up and I will post something soon when I can get her to stop being a booger.

Why Leave All the Spoiling to Grandma's?

How is it that we have this idea that Grandma (or Grandpa) has to be the one spoiling the kids? Tonight I started testing recipes for a Peanut Butter Inside-Out cookie that will blow your mind when I get it done. I'm totally posting the recipe when I perfect it. But for now, it's just not quite right. Abby looks up at me with those perfect little blue eyes and says, "Please, Mommy. Have a cookie?" How can you resist that?! Is it bad that three cookies and a glass of whole milk later, we both need to be on the treadmill?

Tomorrow, pasta and a creamy tomato sauce, more peanut butter cookie testing and most likely, some kind of fruit snacks after she sits very still for her haircut... We are going to need some serious walking time after all that. Bring it on...

The First Haircut

I believe I have mentioned before that I only really do Abby's hair for two reasons: It get's it out of her face and keeps it out of the mac and cheese, AND everyone compliments me and I get to watch them fawn over how perfect she is and compliment me on getting my kid to sit still. I have to admit, it's getting to where I have to sit on her and wrap my legs around her neck to get her still enough to do stuff sometimes but that's only because she's seen every episode of Clifford the Big Red Dog about 50 times and it has ceased to entertain her.

After having combed out the knotty, tangled mass of fine baby hair for 2.5 years, I'm done. I decided that I really want to get that fine stuff off the bottom so combing will be easier and she won't look like some kid of 19 kids and counting. So Friday we are going in to get some inches cut off. I will probably cry but I will also be relieved. I will post pictures when it's all said and done but don't worry, it won't be short. The hardest part is that when all that newborn hair is gone, all her natural curl will be too. Curlers, irons and all that will become a permanent part of her life if she want's any curl at all.

Ok, I have to go deal with the baby songs toy that I skipping and driving everyone, including the baby, nuts. Have a great day all and send me pics of your kids when they had baby hair.

Battle of the Earwigs

When Andy and I were first married, I battled the mice living in his apartment. There were traps everywhere and we lived in the middle of a huge field so that didn't help. However, I triumphed after many weeks and countless times being woken up by the sound of a loud SNAP!

Now we are here in the land of eternal rain and there are earwigs in our house. I don't know of any snap traps that will deal with that kind of infestation. I have been grabbing them up with Kleenex and running them to the toilet to be flushed (to which Abby says, "Bye bye, Nemo bug..." Anyway, I'm battling the earwigs and dreaming every night of them being all up in my nose and stuff. I'm especially worried about my babies having earwigs on them EVER! Therefore, I have decided that I will never sleep. I will be the night watchwoman over my kiddos and grab earwigs whenever they appear. I already function solely on caffeine and cheese. I can go without rest...

The Increadible Shrinking Bedtime

I have been trying to find a happy medium with Abby. She usually gets up around 8 am. If she takes a nap, it's usually 2-3 hours in the afternoon. She can't sleep again until around 10 or so. I have tried putting her in a dark room and just leaving her there. She will cry or scream or play or get up and come out until around 10 o'clock and then drop off. It's tough. During the summer, we tried no nap. She would hit the hay around 7 pm. Now she can't make it that long anymore. I'm not sure if it's because there isn't the excitement here in Montana that there was with her cousins around or what but she will sleep whether I like it or not around 12 or 12:30 after her lunch and stay that way until around 3. She is going to be about 8 pm and actually going to sleep. We have had so many different routines that it's hard for me to determine what is the best. Anyone else have trouble with their kids sleep patterns? Does anyone have suggestions?

Netflix presents: Superman

Watching old cheesy episodes of Lois and Clark with Abby. Wow, the acting is really bad but Abby goes, "Wow. Mommy, a superhero!"

Lois: "Superman!" *dreamy eyed look into the camera*

Abby: "Mom, he a superman." *same dreamy eyed look at me*

We are all hooked up to the internet and we have a great DVD player that streams directly from netflix to our computer. It's the only way to go. Forget regular TV. No commercials... no scary previews. Nothing. I can control what is being watched.

Also back to regular blogging. Please, dear readers, don't desert me. I missed you all...

Daddy's the Big Man

Abby has been calling men "the big man" for some time. She always states to me that "Daddy is the big man." Yes, it's true. Daddy is the man... such a man. We are at his brother's house for the weekend and there is the slightest chill in the air. We aren't putting on a sweat shirt. We aren't snuggling up in a fuzzy blanket. We are building a fire. What is it with men and fire?

I seem to remember a certain student missionary who, when surrounded by all females, felt the need to build fire on the beach. Not only do men build and light fires, they tend fires. They love to sit there and feed the fire. Find any campfire and there will be a man, boy or male toddler who is sitting there feeding the fire with anything he can find.

Tonight, Daddy built a fire and I was terrified the whole night that we would burn down the house. It's not our house and we don't know what's been going on with this fireplace. Let's be real, I don't even know how to use an indoor fireplace. There is a fire roaring as we speak and there isn't smoke pouring into the house nor is there fire spilling out onto the hearth. I guess Andy knows what he's doing.

Side note: After building up the fire, Andy was trying to get Abby into her jammies and got pulled into a you-stop-that, no-you-stop-that argument. I was trying really hard to back him up but I ended up snickering into Cate's stomach. Her tummy, while fun to motor boat is a poor muffler...