What do you do all day....summer edition

In response to the question, "what do you do all day..."

• Wake up to the Baby Girl talking to herself on the monitor
• Feed Baby Girl a bottle while watching last nights Tonite Show ( i love Conan!!!)
• Put baby down to play on play mat
• Put in a load of laundry
• Empty Dishwasher
• Put Baby Girl in the Bumbo because she is fussing (change of venue)
• Put coffee on for E
• Check my email/facebook/daily blogs (if time allows)
• Make sure the man is up
• Swap out laundry
• Feed Baby Girl some solid food
• Bathtime for Baby
• Morning nap
• Make bed
• Roust pre-teen if she is not up already
• Put on Makeup/take care of my locks
• Change Baby girl who has made a poopie and wont go to sleep with a poopie diaper on
• Offer suggestions to the Girl for breakfast
• Fold Laundry
• Remind the Girl to clean up her bathroom and make bed/clean room
• Listen to protests from the Girl about cleanign her bathroom and making her bed/cleaning room
• Remind the Girl that I am not a maid
• Get dressed
• Swap out laundry
• Feed and water cat
• Bottle for Baby Girl
• Run errands: Target, Publix, Library, Dentist, Doctor, Play date, whatever that day calls for
• Feed Baby solid food/Lunch for Girl
• Nap time for Baby
• Put up laundry
• Tell the Girl she needs some "room time" also known as "get out of my hair for 30 minutes momma wants to watch a show time"
• Lie on the sofa watching New Jersey Housewives
• Drift off to sleep
• Wake up to someone ringing the doorbell wanting to swim with the Girl
• Start thinking about dinner
• Offer popsicles to anyone in the pool
• Vaccum with baby in one hand as she is afraid of the noise
• Feed Baby bottle
• Play with baby/therapy with baby/listen to baby scream in protest for 10 minutes while I put her through the positions
• Remind the Girl that wet towels cannot stay on the carpet
• Get bamboozled into letting kids watch a movie/serve popcorn
• Chat on the phone
• Put up remaining laundry
• Put fussy baby in her crib for "rest time" ( 5-6 is hour knows as "piranah hour")
• Get dinner moving
• Kick kids outside for a bit
• Remind the Girl that heat will not kill you unless you forget to stay hydrated.
• Offer water bottle
• Feed baby solid food
• Recieve irritating phone call from husband saying he will be late.
• Contemplate having cereal for dinner
• Offer baby bottle
• Put baby to bed
• Have dinner with the girl/set aside plate for dad
• Tell the Girl to get in the tub
• Allow her to "finish her show" that she is watching on TV
• Clean up dinner
• Sweep floor
• Set dishwasher going
• Argue with the Girl about what time is bedtime
• Watch 10 millionth episode of Zac and Cody with the Girl
• Put passy in cranky baby's mouth
• Read with the Girl
• Brush hair so I dont look lik ea crazy person when husband gets home
• Have a cigarette and a martini (just kidding...)
• Que up something on the DVR
• Roll eyes when husband gets home and says, "What, do you sit around like this all day?"
• Throw husband's food into the trash
• Slam door of bedroom
• Open door and throw out pillow and blanket and scream, "I HOPE YOU LIKE SLEEPING ON THE SOFA!!"

TOTALLY kidding on the last part, although to be sure, its happened previous!

I suppose one of the the hardest parts of being a mom is dealing with the routine and the boredom of meeting other people's needs all day. Its that dying to self stuff. In all honesty. I just want someone to wait on me and take care of me, but that is not my calling right now. Still it can get tedious.

Having been in summer for three weeks now, I realize I am a better mom when I work some. It does me good to have structure and it does me good to get away and have my own "domain." Being here at home too much leads me to start obsessing over things and that is never good.

On the flip side, I am not as stressed when not working and Im definately more fun and lighthearted. I think its from not having so much in my brain all the time and always having to think of the next thing the next thing.

Father's Day 2009

We had a great Father's Day this past Sunday. When the Girl asked E what he wanted for Father's Day he said that he wanted to simply spend time together as a family. She was quite put out because honestly, she wanted to buy him something. (i love this child so much...money speaks to her in a very motivating way!)

After thinking about him and what he likes, she came up with blindfolding him and driving him around town for a bit and ending up at the RDV Sportsplex to ice skate for the afternoon! After church and a quick lunch, we blindfolded E, and after he got over looking like a hostage, he cleverly thought he knew where we were going...but we drove him around and around, never actually leaving our neighborhood and he was soon all discombobulated. The Girl was cracking me up with comments like, "MOM!! There is so much traffic on I-4" or "Oooooo this light is taking so long"...while we were stopped in the middle of our neighborhood street. I loved seeing her happiness at surpising him.

Dad and the Baby Girl. We could not aget a good shot of everyone together because Baby Girl would not look at the camera and smile unless Big Sister was dancing and goofing off!

I love this picture so much! Look at the happiness on both their faces. So sweet!

In his "hostage gear"
Getting read to skate!!!The RDV sports mascot came to make everyone laugh!
For a Florida girl, she is great on the ice!
Hot cocoa was had by all (well Baby Girl had formula) to top off the event!

Summer begins...

Yes, yes, Ive been horrible about blogging, still! I think Im still coming down from school. Or rather probably just settling into summer. It always takes me a bit to transition. This is my first summer with two children and Im finding it a challenge. Not only is it different for me going from one to two children, but their age differences allocate their needs quite differently:

One needs naps

One needs activities

One needs to be fed every three hours

One forgets to eat and gets cranky

One needs buckleing into a car seat

One needs to be told to sit in the backseat not the front

One needs diapers changed

One needs to be reminded that underware go into the hamper not the bathroom floor after showering

One needs physical therapy

One needs physical activity

One is learning to talk

The other one wont stop talking

One needs social activity in small amounts

The other wants people over every day

One goes to bed at 7pm

The other goes to bed at 10pm

One gets up at 6am

The other gets up at 11am

Both are wonderful and amazing and I love them. Its still a challenge though and we are all learning how to be more flexible. The girl in realizing that we are not able to go go go as in past summers. The baby girl learning that there will be lots of activity around our house.

Enjoy the fun pics from the other day!

From my alma mater: Timothy Christian Schools

Kitty-Cat, Kaitlin and Claire

Playing in Bit Sissy's room is always so much fun. I love the Girl's look in this picture. So precious...that look of true laughter and joy!

Kisses...look at how huge the Baby Girl's stomach looks in this picture. HAHA!

Checking out the bling bling.

What a mischevious little look...like she knows she is not supposed to be gumming that tiara!

"I think it can fit me...really..."

Giggly Girl!

For a fun activity the Girl and I hollowed out orange halves and filled them with jello.
We used different colors and then sliced them like oranges.

Fun cool treat!

Sweet girls! (look at Miley Cyrus coming off of Claire's bow...!)

Ki

Brandi's Blog Creations!

I wanted to thank Brandi for blinging up the blog for summer! Thanks B! She is starting to do blog design and you simply MUST check out her website and her work! She is amazing at what she does and is the one who has done my blog banners for the past year and a half! She really listens to what you are looking for and knows how to tweak it just so and include the little motifs that really catch each author! Give her a shout out on your own blog!

Thanks for the gorgeous update B!

Summer summer summer!

Literally, tomorrow is the last day for work for this school year. For me at least. Im so excited!

It finally feels like summer!

The past three weeks have been extremely difficult with such an overload of busy-ness, and obligations that it about did me in. One day I thought I was going to implode so great was my stress. There was the girl's obligations with school...end of the year program, program practice, volleyball, end of the year party, field trip to the Mud Walk, 1/2 day here and there. There was my end of the year school stuff...Awards Ceremony, Exams, Graduation. Throw in a discipline issue that took several days, and a high level of concern amoungst the general community due to the school year ending and things being "out of the norm". Add trying to get a baby into the Early Steps program for physical therapy. Toss in E's car breaking down, a sleepover, pink eye, swimmers ear and Here's the kicker...we really DID simplify too!!We didnt partake in all events and beg gedoff what we could, and its was still overwhelming. Im so so glad its over. Today I giggled while talking to H and I stopped and said, 'I swear that is the first time I've giggled in three weeks!'

So a news update:

We got a new car. (I have yet to ride in it!) E's blue 1997 Taurus finally bit it. It wasnt like we weren't good stewards and didnt drive it into the ground. We laughed cleaning it out because there were still stickers on the passenger side visor that the girl put there when she was in gymnastics when she was three. That is funny!! We purchased a 2008 Honda Accord...at least I think that's what it is. Im horrible with cars and just let E deal with it. I know he is beyond thrilled and that it's silver and has airbags. I suppose that is enough! Im glad to see he is so happy about it though.

The girl got pink eye before Memorial Day, gave it to the Baby Girl, who gave it back to the Girl who by then had swimmer's ear to boot. Believe me when I say I was washing my hands every time I touched either one of them!

Baby Girl was diagnoised as hypotonic which means she has low muscle tone. At 8 months she is still not quite sitting up by herself and does not roll over from lying supine to lying on her stomach. She also does not bear weight on her legs. I noticed this at four months. We saw the doctor at 6 months about it and got her evaluated by Arnold Palmer Pediatric Rehabilitation three weeks ago. Although no one wants to hear their child is less than perfect, it is so good to know she can overcome this through physical therapy and that the delay can be made up. I would definately appreciate prayer that she can get into the Early Steps program which is Federally Funded (free!) and provides for a therapist to come to your house rather than you go to them. Our other option is to go for private physical therapy. A great option, but our insurance does not cover this and the sessions are $150 a 1/2 hour. Obviously, we would like her to qualify for the Early Steps Program if possible. Please pray about this. She is the happiest, sweetest baby that i have ever met. Even now she is swinging in her swing talking to herself over the passy in her mouth and holding onto her two feet. Its precious beyond measure!

What does the summer hold for us? Lots of chill time is what Im hoping for. The girl and I went through our coupon book today and she pulled all the coupons for fun things she wants to do: RDV ice skating, Semeron Skateway rollerskating, Bowling, Minature golf at Congo River, Little 500 speedway, Medieval Times. Of course we have the normal dr's physicals, dentist check ups and opthamologist visits. We also will do our typical summer events of tubing at Rock Springs, visiting the pancake house at De Leon Springs, and going to the beach. Of course throw in a myriad of sleepovers both away and at home, volleyball games, and a trip to Chicago and you have a fun summer. I know it will go fast.

D.I.T...Diva in Training

I couldnt help myself...I just had to try it on her.

Rachel Getting Married

She was literally THE most radiant bride I have ever seen.

I cried as if she were my own child.

What a beautiful, precious day! Congrats to Rachel and Brandon!