Friday Week Review

Just a quick post to update you all on our first official week of school -

I started the week being very unsure of how we would all survive our new and busier schedule, but...WE DID IT!  I'm actually quite enjoying our schedule because I am getting so much more done and really feel like we are accomplishing things.  The only downside is I am very tired by the end of the day and I'm definitely going to have to guard my Thursdays and Fridays carefully because they are truly the only days that have any free time in them.  I still do NOT like getting up at 6am, but it is nice to see how much I've accomplished by 10am each day (Breakfast, Dishes, Laundry, Corbin on Bus and back home, finished school with Hayden for the day). 

Corbin seems to really love school, he hops on the bus without any fuss.  Of course, when you're going to school for speech, it's hard to know anything about their day.  I ask him did you have fun? and he replies..."Yesssh".  And well, that's the conversation, HA!  So, judging by his demeanor, I'm thinking he's liking school.

His private therapy is going well too, he really loves his speech therapist and she is super sweet!  Wednesday they both came riding down the hall on a plasma car!  Too cute.  Hayden and I relax in the waiting room and work on his AWANA memory verses.  I also now have a bag of fun stuff that Hayden plays with each time.  Things like card games, toys from fast food kid meals that I kept, puzzles, etc.  That seems to keep him busy for the hour.

Yesterday I finished up my lesson plans, copying, cutting, laminating and printing for the month - so I'm completely set till the end of September.  I think I will continue to work on lessons each Thursday like I did this week.  It feels good to have a buffer of lessons in case we get sick or things get hectic. 

The laminator has become my new best friend - I love this machine!  I'm finding all kind of fun games and other manipulatives to make for Hayden!  Plus, it's nice to laminate the items I know I'll use again next year with Corbin.  I definitely recommend this fun "toy" to any homeschooler!

Although it is a lot of work, I'm finding that I'm ending our week much happier than I have all summer - so I think that means Week 1 was a success!!  Come back next week and I'm sure you will find me passed out on the floor covered in worksheets and crayons in complete chaos!  But a girl can dream - and right now those dreams are of a week well done!

 

Gearing Up For Another Year

I'm gearing up for my busiest year yet in my almost 5 years of being at home.  So busy, that I actually had to resort to scheduling out everything in order to fit it all in. 

Corbin begins daily PPCD (Preschool Programs for Children with Disabilities) classes next Tuesday which will be from 7:45am-9:45am.  And with his recent diagnosis of apraxia of speech, he is also attending private therapy 2 more times a week (and possibly more in the future).  He is also receiving occupational therapy once a week (we are trying to work up to twice a week) for fine motor and sensory issues.

Hayden begins his first full year of homeschooling next week.  I've been lesson planning and organizing materials all week for the next month of lessons.  I am blessed to have 36 weeks of lesson plans and curriculum done for me, but there is still plenty of prep and adapting that needs to be done.  The results of this year will determine if we will continue educating Hayden at home, or if I will enroll him in Kinder next fall.  This year, as he is still four, I am mixing PreK and Kinder materials for him.  He is advancing well in his reading and is already in Kinder material. We took a break (except from reading) this summer, so I am anxious to get back to working with him.

Hayden is also beginning another year of AWANA on Sunday evenings.  We switched to Sundays this year from Wednesdays.  Wednesday was just too hard to do during the middle of a busy week, plus it was at 6pm which is generally our dinner time.  I am very excited to have it on Sunday afternoons now!

This year I also took on the role of Family Ministry Director at our church, and I am loving it! But, that too comes with meetings, planning, and work that I have to proactively schedule to make sure I stay on top of it.  I'm also trying to stay healthy so I can do all these things by working out at the YMCA 3 times a week!  Oh and don't forget all of that cooking, cleaning, and other things we wives and mothers do, HA!

My schedule is a sea of ink, but somehow I managed to put it all in there - with even time to relax and do my quiet time each day!  I think this year I will have to survive on lots of prayer and reliance on God.  Lucky for me, I thrive on less time, not more.  Give me a whole day to something and I will procrastinate until the last minute.  Give me 30 seconds to do something, and it's done.  That's just my personality.  So, I'm kind of looking forward to the chaos.

A Day of Yes

Inspired by this post, I decided to try a little experiment she called "A Day of Yes".  My rules were simple, whatever the kids asked of me, I would say yes.  The only exceptions being decisions that would affect their safety or lead them into disobedience.  This day was not about ER visits or creating spoiled brats - so let's just get those comments/reactions off the table.

I learned a lot about myself in this experiment.  First, I learned that I often say no out of convenience.

When Hayden asked to go to the park (which we were driving right by), my first reaction was no.  Not because we didn't have time, but because it was overcast and looked like rain.  I didn't "feel" like hauling the kids out and then chancing that we might all get wet and I'd have to wrestle them back into the car.

When Hayden asked to eat inside the restaurant instead of running through the drive-thru, my first reaction was no.  I didn't want to deal with waiting in line and handling trays with two small kids.

In both cases, I corrected my "instant no" to a "yes" and we had quite an enjoyable afternoon that would have been missed because of my own laziness.

How many other opportunities am I missing out on because of my resistance to the unknown?  Sure, it could have rained - but it only sprinkled.  Eating in the restaurant could have been a nightmare, but it wasn't.  Am I willing to take the risk or do I choose to do nothing because of the difficulties that might arise?

Second, I learned that I often say no without really thinking over the decision.  My first reaction is always no.  I'm not sure I like that.  I caught myself saying no without hesitation all day.  Most conversations that day went like this:

Hayden: Can we do X?
Me: No.  I mean, umm, yes.

Before I even realized I'd said no, it was already out of my mouth!  I think I am passing up great opportunities left and right because I have been a "No" person.

I don't want to be a "No" person.  So this week I've been a Yes person - and that has made all the difference.

Yes, we can play at the park.

Yes, I will have a lunch date out with a friend.

Yes, I will learn to hoop.

Yes, I will learn to quilt.

Yes, we will plant a garden.

Yes, I will live my life!!

A Guessing Game

Guess what the Zavala's are doing for Valentines Day!  I'll give you some hints...

1.  We have been enjoying long, luxurious naps.

2.  Mark will definitely be home until Tuesday!

3. We're getting to spend some quality time together as a family

4. Mark and I are trying out new facial wear!

5. The kids are getting to enjoy some quality time with our friend Disney.


Is it a long awaited vacation?

Is it a romantic getaway?

Are you jealous yet?

Nope, it's none of the above.

But, if you guessed that Mark and I both came down with the flu last week - you'd be a winner!!!!  Apparently, we're contagious until we end our doses of Tamiflu - which is on Tuesday.

Mark - AKA "Carrier Monkey"- and I sporting our Ebola prevention masks.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Winter Picnics!

So in Texas, when the thermometer dips below 40 degrees, 

we all hunker down and await the apocalypse of "winter".

Luckily, this only happens once or twice a year, so we can all function relatively normal most of the year.

Of course, extra indoor time for two boys that are used to being outside a lot, means that I have to get creative on those "blizzard" days.

This time, we did an indoor picnic - which was a huge hit with both boys.  I already mentioned that my boys love picnics in any form.  But having one inside was definitely something new.

It was the perfect way to get them to stop running around and SIT DOWN in one spot for more than 30 seconds.

I then topped it all off with a nice long "nap" time.

Rested

Why is it that I have so much trouble getting enough sleep?  No, it's not insomnia, but this insane stubbornness to let go of today.   I want to fill it with as much as I can, right until the last possible hour - which for me is around 2am.

I know that I need at least 8 hours of sleep to be a normal, functioning person.  Any less than that produces an irritable, tired monster who is even more stubborn than usual!  You'd think that at the very least I'd squeeze in a quick nap on these days - but no, I don't.  I just keep pushing myself right into meltdown mode.

I need to learn to release the day and get the rest I need for tomorrow.  Getting my "second wind" each day around 8pm is just continuing the unhealthy cycle.  As is pepping myself up with my morning coffee to make it through the day! That pretty much guarantees I'll be up for a good long while.

Sleep is good!! Sleep is good!!  I just need to remind myself that when my night owl tendencies rear their ugly heads.

Am I alone in this?  Obviously, in the baby years, sleep is a precious commodity - but now that the boys are getting older, I'm trying to squeeze in more and more into my evenings.  I need to start placing rest as a priority in my life - right now it ranks right down there at the bottom, HA!

So this week I'm giving myself a bedtime - I know, that sounds ridiculous, but apparently the rebel in me needs one.  Maybe my mother was on to something with that whole in bed by 10:30pm thing.

Ok, well off to do my laundry -  I must have taken the week off or something because we seriously have a mountain of it waiting for me.  No wait, that wasn't a vacation - that was a week of sick kids!  Now I remember.

It's About Survival

And no, I'm not talking about the "cold" Texas weather that my Kentucky friends would laugh about.  Although, I have to say, when you've acclimated yourself to living in 100+ degree weather, 20s feel pretty darn cold.

No, I'm talking about surviving the cold season with 2 preschoolers! (I was about to type toddlers when I realized that neither boy qualifies for that statement anymore...whoa - where did that time go?)  It seems like we have colds every other week around here.  My theory is that the minute you plan any type of activity in the winter you've just reserved your family a vacation in Virus-ville.  It never fails that whenever Mark and I have a date, or a friend is coming over, or there's a dinner to go to - the kids get sick!

And you guess it - they're sick again!  Although, I think I am becoming a bit of a professional when it comes to these colds.  In the past, this would have been a "crazy week" or some other kind of drama - but lately, I've been able to just handle it as part of life!  We pull out the nebulizer and the medicines, fill up the humidifier, Vicks the feet, and wipe little noses - all without the stress that used to accompany the dreaded Cold.  I even took Corbin's walking pneumonia diagnosis (only 2 short weeks ago - and he's already sick again!) in stride with honestly, very little freak-out factor.  Whoa!

Could it be that I'm starting to get the hang of something?!! It feels good not to fall into meltdown mode over every cold that comes our way and to leave those stresses behind.  Sure, it means we're "home-bound" and "quarantined" for a few days - but those days are so much more peaceful than they used to be.  Is it because they are older and handle it better?  Maybe so.  But I think it also has something to do with having more experience and perspective that this too will pass.

Oh and being OK with letting them do this to the house (whatever keeps 'em happy!):

Doing What Works

Everywhere you turn, people are always trying to give you advice.  And generally, it's good, well-meaning advice.  We all have opinions on just about everything!  We've read the blogs, books, and watched the documentaries or shows on X, Y, or Z.

But, then there's reality.  What I should do verses what I can do.

I have spent a lot of effort over the last 10 years failing at what I should do and this month I gave up and started doing what I can do.  Let me elaborate.

1. My grandmother once told me never to put my knives in the dishwasher because they would get dull.  For years now, I have had knives continuously on my counter piling up to be hand washed because "You can't put knives in the dishwasher".  This has led to me having an ongoing dirty dishes issue that I just couldn't conquer.

This month I decided that they were my knives and I'll throw them in the dishwasher if I want to.  I'd rather buy a new set of knives every year than see another dirty knife piled up on my counter.  And you know what?  I haven't had dirty dishes sit longer than a few hours in my kitchen over the last month.   This small change has made a huge impact in my life.

Regardless of how good the advice was, it just wasn't working for me.  It was good advice, but as a mother of two small children - I just don't have time to hand wash dishes.  Using the dishwasher saves me so much time and time is limited right now.

2. Being "green" and "natural" is a hot topic everywhere you turn.  I am constantly inundated with ways I need to be greener or more natural, and how this or that product is giving me cancer.  It's enough to make you hide under the covers.  So, of course, I was trying to do my part to use more natural products for cleaning and laundry.  Only, my "new and improved" products don't actually clean as well as my old ones.  I have to scrub longer and more often, and stains don't come out as easily of my clothes, and now I'm having to spend time making some of my cleaners, etc.  Basically, that meant my bathrooms looked grungy, our clothes had stains, laundry was piling up, my new natural deodorant was giving me a rash, I was spending a lot of effort trying to do just basic cleaning, and let's not even talk about my shampoo experience.

Although, I love the idea of "going natural" with my cleaners and products - I just need to step back for a time and regroup.  Maybe I will keep a few things, but for now I'm going to do what works.

3. Health is an important topic as it effects every part of our lives.  And there are a LOT of opinions on what we should and should not eat, drink, etc.  One of those being the great caffeine debate.  I am a caffeinated woman.  I like my morning latte.  No, scratch that, I need my morning latte.  At this stage in the game, with kid filled days, early wake-ups, late catch-ups (i.e. doing all the work that I couldn't do with the kids awake), and everything else - I need that extra boost.   Is caffeine unhealthy?  I'm sure.  But right now, not having my morning coffee just doesn't work for me.   Now maybe in the future I will wake up peacefully, do some yoga and sip some decaf tea - but right now I'm full-octane baby.

It all just wasn't working for me.  And read that correctly, I said "For me!!!".  Me, the person who is typing this, not you, the person who is reading this.  I have no idea what works for you.  I only know what works for me.  Maybe you spend luxurious hours hand washing your knives, while composting your kitchen scraps, whipping up a new batch of deodorant, and saving the world!  But, I, alas - am not that skilled.  And yet, maybe one day I will be.  Maybe this is just the me right now and the future me will be able to try some of these things again.  Because, like I said - the advice is good!  It just doesn't work for me.

And yet, lots of other things do work for me.  I've been able to happily incorporate them into my life without killing the quality of my life.    Although, those will be different for each of us.  I may never use paper plates, but for you that might be the pivotal piece that keeps life turning in your household.  And that's good!! Do what works for you and what keeps your family going during these seasons of chaos.

My hope is that, as women, wives and mothers (and you guys too), we can support and encourage each other instead of judge and criticize for what we can't accomplish or what we need to do just to stay sane!

So, if you can relate - what "advice" do you need to discard so that you can begin to function? :)

Beautiful Day Out There

One of the "perks" of living in central Texas are days like this - 64 degrees in January?  I'll take it!  The kids were driving me bonkers this morning - their usual mode of "play" inside usually involves someone being chased all over the house with Mom being "home base".

I finally decided to throw them both outside when they had stepped on my foot for the hundredth time while knocking whatever I was carrying out of my hands.  At the time, I didn't realize how nice it was outside - I was prepared to shuffle them out in snowsuits if I had to - but delightfully, God gave us a beautiful day here!  The next 2 hours were spent outside.  We even ate lunch outside.

Benefits of an outdoor lunch:

1. No mess to clean up

2. No dirt tracked in for lunch after playing outside

3. Kids will sit still and eat just because they have their own special picnic bench that is their size.  They love it.

4. If a carrot should fall on the porch and Corbin picks it up and continues to eat it, I just look away and pretend I didn't see it.  He's already managed to sample sand, leaves and mud within the last 2 hours - a little porch dirt isn't going to make a dent at this point.

Really, you should try it!  I love doing lunch outside.  And you don't have to have a fancy picnic bench to do it.  Previously, they used a cute little kid's table set I got off Craig's List for $10 bucks.  There are plenty of deals out there if you just keep your browser open for a few days scoping them out.  I actually have to NOT look because I'm always finding ridiculous deals for things that we don't really need, but are just so cool!

In fact, I outfitted our entire backyard off of Craig's List.  Now we've got a great place for them to play and explore, and it really didn't cost much at all.  Originally, I had researched playscapes but the price and difficulty of assembling them was just too much.  So, instead, I found really neat toys to throw outside that I didn't mind getting water and sun damaged.  I paid about $5 a piece for most of their ride on toys or sand table.  Throw in some $1 beach toys from Target and the Dollar store with a few packages of army men and you're set.  At least for my boys anyway.

And no, they don't originally want to spend hours outside.  Especially if they haven't spent a lot of time outside previously.  You kind of have to work up to it and show them how to play - because playing outside is different than playing inside.  Eventually, they'll be making up their own games and play, but I think you kind of need to start them somewhere or they'll get bored quick.

I also have a lot of random things out there that they've had a blast with.  Bricks, pieces of wood, pots, buckets, small shovels - you name it!  Today Hayden took some mesh shelving and some bricks to make his own ramps/roads for his car.  It was amazing to see what he was building out there.  Corbin used my little shovel to pour water and sand from one pot to another in his own little game.  I think the best toys I have out there are the ones that weren't originally meant to be toys!

Seems like they are always inventing, building, and discovering out there!

What kind of outdoor activities do you do in your backyard? And this goes for adults too!  We've got a rocking yard for the kids right now, but we could use some ideas for us "Big Kids" too.

Just Getting Away

There are some days you just need to get away.  Away from laundry and dishes and two boys fighting over the last goldfish and cleaning up the cracker crumbs AGAIN and well...just everything related to your house.

And no, a walk around the neighborhood just won't do.

You need a heavy dose of something beautiful.  And my something beautiful is about 90 minutes away at Bastrop State Park.  They have trees - real ones.  Not the bushes that dot our Austin landscape.  

So at 10am this morning I decided to pack everyone into the car for a day at the park.  

There is nothing better for two rambunctious boys than to run around the forest throwing rocks and collecting pine cones (for throwing too of course).

And because my son is Hayden, we had to have a picnic.  This boy is a picnic LOVER.  I think he would prefer all our meals served outdoor on a blanket.

And of course, no trip to the park would be complete without a long hike on the trails. The boys did great - Hayden walked the whole way and Corbin about half.

Overall the trip was just what I needed.  I got to soak in some "green" and let the boys run wild.  Hayden even got to practice his big brother responsibilities by corralling Corbin and bringing him back to the picnic area when he strayed too far.  Definitely a skill I'm going to be enjoying more of in the future!  

I just might have to add this outing to our schedule every week, as we all came home quite happy!

Cold and Flu Season is Here...

Seriously, does someone release millions of viruses each year around this time or what?  I think we get like one week in between illnesses and then we're down again.  Needless to say, blogging isn't at the top of the list these days.

Mostly my day looks like this:

Yeah...runny noses, TV watching, attack of the booger covered children.

The last cold we had for TWO WEEKS.  You read that right, two weeks.  This week the kiddos are healthy, but I got a lovely stomach virus - Yippee!  That disaster has receded, but now I am hacking up a lung as I write this...cough drops are overrated.

Besides surviving living in a petri dish, we've had other stuff going on.  Hayden's last day of his speech program was last Friday.  Woohoo!  He graduated out of his program and is no longer labeled as having a disability!  My chatterbox is officially normal - as if I didn't know that.  Kid will talk your ears off.

Poor Corbin was too sick to get his tests done last month so they've been rescheduled for November 19th.  I'm keeping him in a bubble for two weeks before these next tests because if he misses this one, the next available appointment is in February!!  Argh.  But I dragged myself this morning to his followup with is neuro and she says he's looking great!  She's thinks the MRI should come back normal and she's really interesting in seeing what the hearing test says - but we'll see.

His therapies are going well, but heaven help us when he gets sick.  Basically, once he's well we have to cram in all the appointments he missed and it turns into a gigantic "therapy" week.  It's crazy.

For the first time, Hayden knew exactly what he wanted to be for Halloween - a bee!  Unfortunately, bee costumes are mostly made for babies and toddlers, but we managed to cram his 4T-5T body into a 3/4T.  It's hilarious - but he loves it.

Hehehehe.

Corbin will be a fireman...I think.   We've yet to get him to keep it on for longer than 3 seconds.  He might be an "off duty" fireman.

Mark's new job has a Halloween event on Friday and Sunday we'll hit up a few neighbors as well as some of our church's block parties.

Hopefully we'll all be well enough to enjoy this weekend.

What are your Halloween plans? 

I'm an outdoor mom

I've come to realize that I'm an outdoor mom. I much prefer to spend my days outside with my boys than stay cooped up inside all day with two crazy monkeys.

Maybe it's because I have two BOYS... I don't know, but dealing with them all day within the confines of our house is maddening.

The fighting, whining, crying, etc is just too much to take some days.

But nice long days spent outside getting dirty, sweaty, rough and tumble boys is just what they need.

They play hard, have lots of fun, nature adventures and go to bed happy...and so do I.

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My New Love

I have a new love. Well, perhaps it is really an old love, because I have always loved it.

I love doing dishes by hand.

There. I said it.

And yes, that is a shiny new dishwasher right next to me in the photo.

But there is something so comforting about a sink full of hot, soapy water.

Scrubbing and rinsing, scrubbing and rinsing.

Slowly drying each dish by hand and then putting them away.

It's soothing. There is time to think there.

And it reminds me of doing dishes with my grandmother - who always did at least some dishes by hand each meal.

Dishwashers, in my mind, equate to rush, hustle, busyness, and chaos.

The clanking of the dishes as you stack them in, the whir of the motor and swish of the water as they wash...chaotic noise filling up my quiet house.

I am rebelling against quick, efficient, and busy.

By hand, is just peaceful.

And I enjoy that.

What are you rebelling against?

I Do My Best Work

I do my best work at night...with music...and lattes.

Not a lot of blogging to be done amidst the cries for help out of a rough wrestling match between brothers. Come on Corbin, just bite his toes off!! No eye gouging!!

But at night...aaaah. Easy writing.

I prefer to write 3-4 good posts in one sitting. Usually ideas I jotted down during the chaos. I write my ideas in titles, hehe. Titles are the hardest part for me, so if I have that nailed, I'm good to go.

When I'm not organized enough to do this you get posts like this, and this, and this. Yeah, those were nuts, but definitely a dive into my brain.

And while I was digging around in my posts, I found this one for all my preggo friends. Ah, those were the days.

So how about you? When are you most productive? If you have kids, how do you get any coherent thoughts out?

Under the Moon

Photo courtesy of Flower L*u*z*a*'s


Hang in there with me
Sometimes it takes a different kind of love to raise a child
So don't give up - lyrics from Raise it Up (The IMPACT Repertory Theatre & Jamia Simone Nash)

I've been reading about a girl. She's only twenty-one. And mother to 14 rescued daughters in Uganda. So I believe that qualifies her as a woman!

I often have trouble understanding The Gospel in the context of the suburbanite, super-sized, fast-paced corner of the world I find myself in, but in the arms of a girl, who gave up everything and everyone to Love thy neighbor as thyself it is truly breathtaking.

As I roamed the sidewalks of my little neighborhood, sick baby in my arms, I thought of her. I thought about the fact that right now although we're miles away, we're under the same sun and moon. As I walk with my bundled baby, aching arms, and tired spirit, I imagine her. I imagine that she is probably nursing several little ones back to health. She's probably aching and tired right now too. She's probably weeping over her own little or not so little ones.

Thinking about her, I hold my baby tighter, my spirit strengthened, full of thankfulness.

And I do another lap around the block.

Adventures in Baby Sleeping

I think one of the worst days is the one where your sick, and obviously tired, child can't fall asleep.

Today is one of those worst days. (Oh, and I schedule out my posts, so I guarantee the day you read this is not the actual day it happened, so if you see us out and about and perfectly well, it's because the Lord has granted healing at last!)

My day started gloriously - finding Corbin, his clothes, his blankies, and his beloved Doggie covered in puke.

Like I always say, if your day starts with cleaning up vomit - it's only downhill from there. Both boys, and the hubby were sick. I'd already been taking care of Hayden for the past 4 days, and now it had migrated to the rest of the family and still lingered on with Hayden.

The rest of the day consisted of the usual whining and crying that goes along with sickness. When I put Corbin down for a nap, within 5 minutes he had vomited again. The boy was fine all morning, but 15 minutes before I need to head out to my physical therapy appointment he's puking. I have to wake up Mark to help since I'm running low on time and only have two arms - which Corbin demanded be used to hold him.

After cleaning up puke round #2, getting fresh clothes for everyone - including myself - and making sure Mark was up to handling it, I rushed out the door for my appointment.

Neither Corbin or Hayden took naps, despite the obvious need for one.

I just knew they'd fall into bed early tonight...uh huh.

Let's see...where to begin...I put Corbin down first at around 6 because his eyes were drooping and he was falling asleep in his high chair at dinner. He fussed a bit, but overall didn't put up a huge fight.

I let Hayden play a bit more, while I took a Mommy break to read a new blog I found through She Laughs At the Days.

When it hit 7pm, I decided it was Hayden's turn. We did our usual routine - potty, jammies, blanket, sippy and headed for his room. I laid down with him for a few minutes, hoping he'd drift off to sleep.

But no such luck due to the fussing coming out of Corbin's room across the hall. He had heard us and was now wanting OUT. And his fussing was keeping Hayden awake. So I told Hayden I'd be back in a bit, and went to check on Corbin. He didn't like that idea, but well, that's tough.

So I grabbed Corbin and tried to settle him - didn't work. So I took him downstairs and started turning off all the lights, hoping he'd get the idea. He still was restless. So I thought, "Fine, let's go for a walk." I held him in my arms and did a walk around the block.

When we came back, Hayden was in meltdown mode. Mark, in his sickness, apparently was dead to the world and couldn't hear him. With Corbin in my arms, I went upstairs and sat on Hayden's bed with Corbin. By this point, Hayden had gotten himself in such a huff, he was coughing again.

I asked him if he needed a breathing treatment, and he answered sweetly, "Yes, mama."

So we all went downstairs and started up Margo Moo. There we all were, Corbin in my lap, me holding Hayden's dinosaur mask, Hayden, and Margo. Thirty minutes later, the treatment was over and we all went back upstairs. I put Corbin back in his bed - fussing of course. And went and laid down with Hayden.

He fell asleep (despite Corbin's whines) in about 10 minutes. Then I sneaked out of Hayden's bed, moved all the toys away from his doorway and quietly closed his door - leaving a crack open of course.

Back to Corbin...Poor baby was still awake and fussing. Okay baby, let's take another walk. We walk around the block again. I get this bright idea...a car ride. Whenever Corbin is even the slightest bit sleepy he passes out in the car. Sweet! I'll drive to Starbucks, get a Chai Tea Latte (yummy!) with my giftcard (cha-ching! free!) and he'll pass out on the drive!! I am SO smart.

And off we go - Mommy and baby. I congratulate myself - "It's like a date! Oooh I'll have to blog about my genius idea. Wait, what are those lights? Is that an accident? What the? They aren't serious...closing the road? Detour? What is this neighborhood?? What the devil? Where do I go now? Hey, didn't I pass that FedEx truck earlier? Dang it, yes I did!!! Oh Lord help me, I'm lost. Ah, crap - I'm back at the entrance."

Thank God for sweet firemen who give good directions.

So...30 minutes later...back on 620. I look back to see my awake child. Hmmm. Then I start making deals with myself. Okay, the other Starbuck's is on the other side of 620, if he's asleep before I get to my light, I'll just head home, otherwise I'll go.

I look back...still awake. Okay, great - off to Starbuck's - attempt #2 at Chai Tea Latte (yum!). Get the latte, look back...still awake.

"Hmmm....ok well you know, they say a watched pot never boils, maybe a watched baby never sleeps??"

Then I start making deals. "Okay, so don't look at him for the rest of the drive. Not until you pull into the driveway".

I get to a red light, instinctively I almost look back. "Nooooo...don't look". Phew. Okay, keep driving.

Then I hear a jingle - his Doggie. "Hmmm, that could be good. Maybe his little baby hands have released the doggie in sweet slumber?"

Then I hear a cough..."Hmph...maybe not."

A rustle of blankets - "He could be getting cozy, yeah, that's it. He's getting comfortable."

I pull into the driveway. "Okay, now you can look."

A sweet little doe-eyed boy looks back at me, as if to ask - "What's next?"

As I open the door he lets out a big yawn. "Yeah, yeah, I know...you win."

End of My Rope

There are those days, when it's 10am and I'm already at the end of my rope.

I cannot imagine getting through the day.

The noise level in my house matches any concert or sporting event.

Happiness factor is zero.

Whining is up 400%

That's when I declare cabin fever and toss everyone outside - muddy yard or not.

Just so I can breathe.

How about you? What do you do on those days?

Crawling Under a Rock

Every have one of those days (weeks) where you just want to crawl under a rock and hide?

Yeah, that's about where I'm at.

I got this ambitious plan to "make changes" and get the kids eating a wider variety of foods, but most specifically to get Corbin to eat things that are not known as:

Crackers
or...
Milk

These are his two preferred foods. If it's not crunchy or doesn't get served in a glass, he's not interested.

Argh...unleash the insanity of my week here...think tantrums, whining, crying, following mommy around, pulling on my clothes, etc.

Apparently, denying crackers is comparable to extreme torture tactics for 18 month olds. But not torture for him, torture for me of course. And I commiserate with him...believe me kid, I'd love to toss a package of crackers at you and go take a nap - but I can't. It's that whole...being a good parent thing.

And so we suffer...all of us.

And lest you think I'm exaggerating - I have witnesses! My friends have seen the horror that are my children without snacks. I'm surprised they didn't run out of my house screaming and thanking their lucky stars they don't have children like that. (Then again, maybe they did.)

Most of my ambitious plans tend to go this way. Change is NOT easy - and certainly not for toddlers. But I will prevail!!!

How about you? Do your changes get fought tooth and nail by your children (or even yourself, haha)? Did you survive the change, or just change your mind?

End of the Season

It hit me today that Christmas is over. I was driving Hayden to school for his first day back, and he sadly noted - "No more lights?". The last month's drive to school has been a bit of a winter wonderland with all the decorations and lights our neighbors had put up in their yards, but now that's all gone. All that's left is empty lawns and dead grass.

There is something depressing for me about January. We spend half the year in anticipation or celebration of the holidays, only to be met with another 6 months of nothing after it's all over. Our only reprieve is Easter, but that's a long way off. The world "sleeps" through this season in anticipation of Spring.

This winter I refuse to allow myself to just drudge through. There must be something good about winter. So I'm making a list of what's good. This is what I have so far:

- Soup! Soup definitely tastes the best during winter. I will have to add soups to our menu.
- Superbowl? Although I only follow college football, I do love a good Superbowl party! I think we may have to invite a few friends over now that we have a new TV worthy of such an event (Our Christmas present to each other this year was a new TV, hehe).
- Warm nights snuggled under the covers. We have a down comforter which is sort of miserable the rest of the year - but perfect every winter. I need to enjoy it while it lasts.
- Tea. Hot tea is best enjoyed if it's warming you up!
- Occasional flurries. Ok, let's be real - this isn't an often occurrence in this area, but just the possibility brings excitement and joy to everyone!

What do you enjoy about winter? Do you get "down" during this season too? Or do you find ways of making it enjoyable? What do you do to keep busy?

Another Day In the Life...

Random thoughts today - I don't think I can manage a coherent post right now, haha.

1. Here's Hayden:


Hayden is doing what Hayden does - play trains. He plays trains probably 75% of the time. What can I say? It's his passion. Unfortunately, his speech therapists/teachers get to deal with the consequence of that - his continual "Thomas" talk. They are working hard on getting him to talk about things other than Thomas. At home, we get all sorts of other conversation, but there, well...I think if Hayden doesn't know what to say or doesn't understand something he just starts listing all the names of the trains - Thomas, Percy, Gordon, etc.

Everyday I have to write down "news" in his notebook for him to talk about. This helps the teachers prompt him. It's a bit like show and tell, but not always showing something, they just tell something that happened the day before. To help Hayden, I usually try to have a prop to help him talk about it. So I've sent his toy dr. kit, a book, a gingerbread man we made, etc.
But having to do that really makes me think about our day - was there anything news worthy? If not, I better do something! So that's helped us to make crafts, play games, etc, just so he can have some news! HA!

2. This is Corbin and Daddy:



They are reading books - but that's a rarity with Corbin - he doesn't like books!! Crazy. He turns the pages really fast and then runs off. All Corbin likes to do is...

3. Dig out all my dishes:
4. A friend had asked for flying tips/advice and suggested it should be a blog post, haha. We are NOT flying anywhere this Christmas, and I am very happy about that. What can I say about flying? I shudder at the thought. That sounds horrible, but this age + 2 kids and me flying alone wasn't pleasant. Here were some of my mistakes/problems and things I've learned:

• I flew when Hayden was 10 months old. Right before the plane was boarding he had an insane diaper. When I went to the bathroom to change him and laid him down, the poop ran all they way down his back and into his hair. Yuck! Moral of the story: Have an extra set of clothes and lots of wipes.


• When Hayden was 2 and Corbin 1, I flew by myself with them both. I thought I was smart by downloading a kid's movie on my iPod for Hayden. What was not smart was not checking to see whether my headphones were working - which they weren't. Hayden was only mildly impressed with soundless Happy Feet. Moral of the story: Check that all pieces of your equipment are in working order! Don't rely on, "it should be fine".
• Southwest no longer does family boarding first - it's in between groups A and B. So DO check in online early, even if you still have to get a boarding pass for a little one flying in your lap. Then you can just board in A with everyone else. There really is NO time between A and B, so you aren't getting any "extra time" by boarding then.
• You can ask to have your husband/family walk down with you to the gate. I have done this several times when flying alone with kids. Just ask at the ticket counter and they are happy to give your spouse/family passes to get through security.
• Take advantage of "check at the gate". It makes like so much easier to bring a stroller for those long airport waits, and you can easily check it at the gate.
• Snacks. I say it again. Snacks. Bring lots of snacks. Individually wrapped. And ones they really like - not the healthy ones you wish they liked. Busy mouths = quiet mouths.
  
• Leave your self-consciousness at home. Your kids WILL do something embarassing or noisy, or kid-like - cause, well, they are kids! Who cares what people think? This day is about survival, not pleasing others.
  
• When Hayden was 5 months old, I had the luxery of nursing him on the plane. This kept him very happy and quiet. It also lulled him to sleep and he slept most of the flight. For little babies, this is definitely the way to go. Whip it out if you got it!
• I've flown at all different times, and it's really hit or miss on how they do. I've taken REALLY early flights and had them sleep, and I've also had them NOT sleep. Same with late nights or naptime flights. One thing I have found is morning is better. They are in a better mood in the morning and there is less fussiness. The closer it gets to naptime the worse it is.
• Be sure to check the list of what you can and can't get through security. They have rules you should be familar with concerning glass, food/drink, etc. You don't want to take the trouble to pack something you will have to throw away!! Plus you'll be missing something you probably needed.
  

Okay that's it for now. My mind shuts down at the thought of flying with them again.

5. We've been potty training. Ugh. Do I need to say anymore? I may write a whole post just on this experience - if I ever make it through.

6. Yesterday, was another steller example of why I hate potty training and other craziness. I had just taken a shower and gotten ready to go meet a friend, when the phone rings. Talking only for 1 minute - just enough to confirm the time we were meeting, Corbin decides to spill my drink I had absent-mindedly left on the table, next to my dinner, a salad. While I'm cleaning up that mess - which was a HUGE mess, the table is actually a trunk, so my juice leaked through the top and into my stacks of books! - Hayden comes up and says the dreaded words "Poo poo".

Yeah, he's in underwear. Ok, fine. Let's go clean up. I'm cleaning him up when I realize that his socks are wet, which means there's more than poo poo, there's pee pee somewhere too. Hmmm...please don't let it be on the carpet. It's not, thank goodness. A nice puddle on the tile awaiting me to clean up. Hayden is "finishing" on the potty, so while he's in there I go clean and mop the pee spill.

Then I see Hayden walking out and saying "Uh oh". Uh oh? Oh no. Little poop bombs are falling out as he walks towards me. ACK! What are you doing?? Go back to the potty. Luckily those fell on the tile too.

As I'm tackling that disaster, Corbin decides to take every piece of lettuce, carrot, whatever, out of my salad and put them ON the table. There goes my dinner.

I finally get all that cleaned up and then Corbin comes running to me - I think, to give me a hug. No, he takes his booger covered nose, digs it into my pants and wipes not one, not two, but THREE times. And so he displaced the enormous boogers onto my pants...

When Mark got home, I warned him as I walked out the door:

"Watch out for the poop bombs, I may not have gotten them all."