Super Bummed

Tonight has been planned for over a month for Jeff and I to go out on a date. Well with the current state of our house being head lice, though I must say we are doing pretty well kicking it's butt. I had to cancel the sitter and stay home with the girlies. It totally stunk to watch my two boys leave the house with their dad when I should of been the one going. It wouldn't have been a big deal if our dates weren't so spread out. We go on one maybe once ever 2 or 3 months. I so want to change this but I just don't know how. Babysitting is expensive for 4 kids. We do have a few free babysitters but only a few of them are actually willing to watch our kids the others we have to beg and beg and that only works about 50% of the time. It is hard. Period. Anyway I had updated my status on facebook about watching the boys leave on my date with their dad. One of the comments mentioned trade sitting, which we have done once with another family who has 4 kids. Let's just say that watching 8 kids is completely INSANE. Most of our friends have 2 or 3 or 5 kids not many have 4 like us. I will definitely have to work something out with some friends to get this to happen more often with out breaking the bank for a date night = paying a sitter and then whatever we spend on the date. Ok my pity party is over ;)

Frustration

I'm learning that the pain in my body is very cyclical. The good days are great but the bad days are terrible. I just really want to get to the bottom of this issue. I have been trying not to write about it because I just really don't want to have any memory of this and for it to be figured out but it is such a part of our lives right now. A friend gave us a packet on Fibromyagla and J read it last night. I know he is frustrated just like I am and this is my proof. I try really hard to cope but sometimes it is just too much for me to keep to myself and I go to him. The worst part of everything is that when we do research on the diagnosis they give us I really don't fit the bill but may have one or two symptoms. It's frustrating. One thing that we have learned is that fibromyagla comes out after a trama to your body ie my c-section. Even though it was a controlled trama it was a contributing factor. We'll see they are running a few more tests today and the doctor said to come in 3 weeks for the follow up to the tests. WHAT? 3 weeks. I'm not waiting that long. I think I will be good if I can wait a week. I'm asking the person doing the test to find out how long it takes to get the results and then I'll make my appointment. Why should I wait for no reason, just so I can worry about the results, that is so stupid. I'm done complaining now. As my hubby said hopefully God could use this to His glory somehow.

Can we start today OVER?

You know when you wake up in the morning after very little sleep and within the first hour you can tell whether you day is going to be good or bad? Well today it was very clear that today was not shaping up to be a good one. The kids were noting getting ready this morning and I had to keep repeating the things that needed to get done. Now I wish I would of kept my mouth shut and just taken them to school they were they were. Next time, hopefully I will remember that. Yesterday I started a list of things needed at the grocery store. I had planned my meals for this week and started a walmart list as well. This week is different because we are hosting playgroup at our house which means extra food for that and also I'm making a meal for a family who just had a baby also extra food needed for that. This morning as I was getting ready I remembered a few things that needed to be added and I added them. But when it was time to leave for school I couldn't find the list ANYWHERE. I wanted to scream. We were already running late as it was because they kids weren't getting ready. I got them to school 2 minutes before the bell rang and told them they must run to class FAST. I came home to look for my list AGAIN in depth this time looking for about 20 minutes. I needed to get going otherwise Peanut's nap was going to royaly be messed up. I quickly jotted down things that were a must get and I went. I am now home from shopping with all the cold stuff put away and Peanut sleeping. I need to clean and cut all the fruit and start the prep work for dinner tonight. The last store I went into this morning after the lady rang everything up I started walking away without paying. It just added to my day but that part was funny! I'm hoping the rest of my day will be relaxing and Peanut will take a 3 hour nap like she has been the last few days and I can get tons done! Did I mention the list still hasn't shown up? I think one of the kids took it, but who knows!

What a week...

I really hope that this week is not the predictor for the whole school year. Among left book bags, lost items and tons of homework for the 2nd grader, it's been interesting to say the least. And to top it off I just got a lovely call from a collection agency saying I owe over 100 dollars. Um, no I don't, we have HMO and only pay 10 bucks at the most for EVERYTHING it's our co-pay. I am so upset this is so annoying. We just got finished dealing with the mess the insurance had on Peanuts bills (over 500) and now this. This better not hurt our credit. I have become best friends with the human resource person at J's work.

On a more positive side. We started our women's ministries at church this morning and we got to go out for mom day out. And it was just so nice. We had 9 women and we went to Pot Belly's, I love that place! I am really excited about this year and getting to know more women in the church we have about 5 new moms in our group!!!

Be warned I'm venting here...

I am so mad for lack of a better word. I took my kids to McDonalds with a playplace with a friend of mine and her two girls. Seriously, within 5 minutes of my kids playing one of her girls comes out crying, then Red comes out crying both saying that there was a kid inside punching them. I had Red take me inside and I witnessed first hand this kid punching kids. Then I came out and started asking parents who he belonged too. But as I was asking parents at least two of them said their child came out crying too saying someone was punching them. Hmm. I found the mom and right away she got her kid out and all was well in the play place for about 20 minutes. Until two brothers decided that they were going to be the bullies. Two of the three of my kids playing in there came out complaining about them. I told them to stay away from them. And I just kept my eye on them to see where they went to get their drinks between bullying. Then it happened. Monkey got hurt from one of them. I'm thinking great kid I told you to stay away from them. I told the mom and she did nothing but buy them ice cream. Then she comes up to me and says, "I pulled each of my boys aside and asked what happened and your son poking my son in the eye first." I told her that was fine but, "That her son body slamming my son was an inappropriate way to react and that it was unacceptable." Then she says, "Well they are just boys being boys. They are just playing." To which I responded with the sign from McDonalds saying, "ALL children must be supervised. This play land is not a babysitter. I have been watching my kids." Then she says, "I have been told by several people that my boys are very well behaved. And you should talk to your son about poking my boy in the eye." I'm thinking to myself yeah that is why I have been hearing several parents around me comment on how rowdy and misbehaved your two boys are, sure lady. Needless to say, she was in denial that her kids could be bullies, together. Well I get out to the car and find out the only reason why Monkey poked him in the eye, not that it was right, was because these two boys were picking on Red. **When we got home he told me that they were actually sitting on top of Red and not getting off when he asked them too.** Red and GG told me the exact same thing leading up to the poke in the eye. He was trying to protect his baby brother from these bullies. So I'm asking you ladies. How do you handle these situations? Do you just leave the place or tell the manager or the parents. Do you talk to the kid yourself? I hate these places but my kids love them. I hate confrontation even more and I was shacking as I went out to my van. But I'm the protector of my kids, I don't baby them but I'm also not going to sit there and watch them get hurt by other kids bigger then them. These two boys were 7 and 6 years old and the youngest was the same size as GG.

The day is going better than yesterday minus this above incident. There was only one unpredictable thing happen. That was Peanut pooping out of her diaper and all over her clothes. Why is it that there is always poop involved!

This world...

it makes me so sad and so mad. We were in our living room with the front windows wide open playing our Wii. This mom was walking by with a child in a stroller and a little girl about a house behind her. The girl walks past our house and picks our flowers and then picks it apart after killing it then she proceeds to take my kids bug house that is in our yard. The kids play with this daily as they are so "into" bugs, example the inch worm. Here I am with the Wii controller around my wrist playing a game quickly pause the game and run outside with no shoes on and yell at the girl to bring our toy back. The mom turns around and just looks at me and says something to her daughter but I don't speak her language so I have no idea what she said. The girl walks to me and hands me the bug house. I was just so sad that this little girl doesn't know better. She was about 7 years old. And mad that my kids didn't pick up their toys like I asked them too. I should let their toys be taken next time, but this bug house was homemade and was a gift.

Why do we do this?

When our kids get to a certain age (about 3 years old) they start asking questions about driving. Like, "why are you stopping?" J and I trying to be good parents explain to them that we are stopping because either the light is red, there is a car in front of us, or we are at a stop sign which ever the case is at the time. Well this has led to many back seat drivers. Red for the past three weeks has been the worst at this. He yells and screams if we go when he thinks the light is red or we stop and the light is green. I have tried to be patient with him on this as he is only 2 but I'm about to crack. My standard answer of late is, "I know how to drive and you don't so trust that I am driving right." Then comes all the buts...the light is red or green and so on. I am hoping this will make him a good driver when he is old enough but for now it is just nerve racking as I am driving.

But on a cute note: my phone rang the other day and I was nursing the baby and it was for J. I had Red take the phone to daddy and as I hand him the phone he looks at it then puts it up to his ear and says, "Who is in there?" It was pretty funny!

Needing some help...

I don't usually ask for parenting advice but I'm kind of stumped right now and starting to get frustrated. GG is in 1st grade which is the first year she actually gets grades on her report card. First quarter she had all A's, three being A+'s. She just got her report card for the second quarter and she had all A's and one B this time and I believe two of the A's were A+'s. She is inconsolable about that B. I have had in great length, talks with her about how great of a report card she got and as long as she was trying her best that is all she can do. The B was in Math, which didn't surprise me, because the packet of work she gets sent home for us to review, she has always struggled with the math portion. They do speed drills and so she gets all the plank ones marked wrong but all the ones she has filled in are the correct answer, she just doesn't have enough time on the test. Next year she is going to have to answer 100 math problems in 5 minutes so this is preparing her for that. I have even told her I would work with her on her math but she just feels so bad she didn't get all A's. She even told me she was the ONLY one in her class that didn't get all A's which I know to be false. The school sends home the honor roll along with the GPA of everyone that is on it. There is high honors and then honors. There were a few kids in her class that didn't even make it on the sheet so they couldn't have gotten all A's. But I don't really feel I can share that with her. Well I feel better after getting that off my chest, please any help/advice with this from you moms out there with grade school kids would be greatly appreciated.

Whirlwind of thoughts and emotions...

I don't think I mentioned that yesterday at my appointment they offered to do an amniocentesis to see if the baby's lungs were developed and if they were they could try turning her earlier. I immediately said no for two reasons, I've never had one before and I was scared it would hurt. Well I talked to two moms I know and trust who have had one done and they both said it didn't hurt and it was not a big deal. I called the midwife and told her I wanted one. Here we go...I went in today to get the amniocentesis done. Before hand J and I talked to the doctor about the risks and so on and then we scheduled a external version with possible c-section for tomorrow morning at the hospital, because we would know if her lungs were developed by then. Well during the ultrasound and they couldn't find a pocket of amniotic they would be able to use. Either the pocket had cord in it or when they pushed on my belly her arms and legs moved into the spot they would be testing. Both situations are dangerous for her so we didn't get one. I was almost relieved as I really hate needles. Then my next thought went to they are going to cancel my appointment for tomorrow. I was happy to learn that they still want me to come in and get the external version done with an epidural this time. If it works they are going to induce me but if it doesn't they will be sending me home empty handed and I will have to wait until the 14th for a c-section. I just hope I am going to be able to sleep tonight. I really want to meet this little girl. Please pray for safety for me and the baby, wisdom for the doctor and midwife who are performing the external version and for success so she will be born tomorrow. I am to be at the hospital at 6am with the doctor and midwife getting there around 7:30am. I will hopefully be able to update in a day or two with a little girl in my arms :) If not you will be hearing from me tomorrow afternoon.

What day is it!

OH yeah it is FRIDAY!!! It is also J's last day to work this week. This morning we went to the Mall to get his wedding band resized. He has gained 15 lbs since we got married 7 1/2 years ago and the ring was cutting into his finger we figured it was time. This afternoon it was a bit chilly outside so the kids watched a movie and it is movie day anyway so it worked out good. Then Amy came over and we went to Wal-mart and that was a nightmare. First thing on my list was a tub for GlamorGirl's dress up clothes because I had gone through her room yesterday and needed to use the tub they were in for the new baby. I found a thin tub that would slide under her bed but when it came time to get the lid for it there was none to be found. I found an employee and they informed me that another costumer, only 15 minutes earlier, wanted the same tub but they didn't have the lids. I suggested to them that they remove that size tub until the lids (in the next few days as they told me it would take) came in because it is frustrating to find a tub you want but it not have a lid. They ignored me and left them there, stupid people. Then I went to the diaper section to get a shower gift for the baby shower I'm going to tomorrow. The mom uses Luvs and the only size they had were 3 and 4 I was finding the store ridiculous at this point. This is exactly the reason we make a list for about 2 to 3 weeks of things we need from there so we don't have to go all the time. Then I checked out and one of my items rang up wrong and the guy changed it to the right price but didn't take the other price off so I ended up paying way too much for the item. I realized it once I left the store and looked at my receipt so back into that dumb store again to get the money put back on my credit card. I think they should of taken both the charges off since they screwed up and given me the item for free. But whatever. Then once I finally get to the car Amy informs me that Red's sandal had broken at the strap. I was so thankful that I had picked him up some new ones, the ones that broke were smelly and I was sick of smelling his feet after wearing them, so that was a blessing. Amy told me that God must really love me today because he has been testing me big time :)

School's Out for SUMMER!

My baby is now a 1st grader :)
and
Here is the short video I took of the balloon launch that ends the school year. Monkey's class did it too but we were at graduation when his class launched.


As for the rest of our day it was pretty crazy. After school we went out for lunch and then headed to meet my mom an hour away. Let's just say it has been one of those days as much as I have tried to make it fun and non-stressful. We were shopping in Sears and Monkey had to go potty so I took him and left the other two with my mom. He had to go number 2 when he was done I asked him if he got it all out. Well he said yes but he didn't. We went back to shopping and all of the sudden he grabs his butt and says I have to go. We run to the bathroom all of us because my mom had gone out to her car. We were in the bathroom for over 20 minutes and the underwear he was wearing went into the garbage. I had to wash his shorts because poop got on them and GlamorGirl (what a great little helper) stood at the blower dryer and dried the shorts while I cleaned Monkey up. I don't know how he did it but he had it EVERYWHERE even on his ARMS, that will remain a mystery to me how he accomplished that. This bathroom only had a blow dryer so I asked a nice girl who unsuspectingly happened to use the bathroom while we were in there if she could get an employee. I NEEDED PAPER TOWELS! They gave me some from the cleaning crew and the clean up went much smoother. By the time I was done washing him the shorts were dry. Poor Red was in the stroller while all of this was going on. GlamorGirl had given him his cup but it was empty so she filled it up with water from the drinking fountain except that she didn't put the lid on all the way and I had a Red soaked in water. At least it was WATER. At this point I am thinking we need to check out and go home...we have an hour drive. We said goodbye to my mom and left. I called J and made plans to get Subway for dinner and meet at the department. I gave him the run down of my day (nightmare) and we ate dinner together. Then GG went into the bathroom to blow her nose. Two minutes later I hear my name being called from the bathroom. I go in to find she had dropped the tie to her dress in the toilet after she had gone...it was in pee water. Good thing I had brought the clothes we had bought to show J, I just changed her into the new dress. What is the saying, "When it rains, it pours?" It was one thing after another today and I was trying not to let it ruin my day. If nothing else it is a good story and will one day be a good laugh :)

One More Day...

We have one more day of getting up early and getting to school. I am so excited! Anyways, I was going to post some pictures of Red in my *new to me* Maya Wrap sling. But the battery in my camera died and I have to charge it for tomorrow's graduation. My friend got the sling for her kids and never used it so she gave it to me. Another cool thing is that the fabric of this sling is the exact same as the doll sling that GG has for her baby doll :) She was pretty happy about that. Now I can spend the money I was going to use on getting a Maya Wrap and get a Mei Tai too! I still have my OTSBH sling as well, which I have used since GG was a baby. But now they have so many other kinds that I want and I am going to get them. I want to be comfortable when holding my baby and taking care of the other kids.

Yesterday was Monkey and GG's last day of gymnastics. I don't know what I am going to do next year with GG she really wants to take more classes but she will be in school full days. I don't know if Monkey wants to continue I haven't asked him because I want to see how having the baby goes first then we can see about adding extras but GG is talking about the classes so I *know* her opinion on the subject!

Today has been a very busy and somewhat stressful day for me. We had playgroup at an indoor play place that was crazy with kids EVERYWHERE. I have never seen it that busy in there. We ended up getting to school a little late to get the kids and they were freakin out. All was well when I told them we were going to Chuck E Cheese for lunch. It was to celebrate Monkey not getting any blue cards this year and GlamorGirl graduating from Kindergarten. J has to work tomorrow so we wanted to make sure we had enough time to play there! After we left I got a message from our sitter saying she can't babysit tonight. That is when the stress mode kicked in. All the high schoolers I called had to study for finals and the adults I called were not home from work yet. I did end up getting someone so all is well with the world now. And my stress level is much lower :) Sometimes I think in order to have kids you need to be a hermit and have no social life...

Frustration

Yesterday was a not so good day in our household, well I should say afternoon. The morning was good I had a doctor's appointment and got to hear my little girl's heart beating. Then as soon as the kids got home Red took the fish food and spilled it all over the floor, which was really no big deal just a real big mess. As I was making lunch I started to feel sick and thought I was going to throw up so I had to go lay down. After lunch the kids were suppose to be sitting at the table doing their homework but instead Monkey took a magnet to our computer screen. It was all discolored. So J turned the computer off in hopes it would fix itself when we turned it back on so I didn't have a computer yesterday to update. Well when we did turn it on the color was fine but all my blogs that I had bookmarked are gone. So I have to find them on the internet again and bookmark them not a huge deal but just frustrating to me.

What a day we have had today, not in a good way either. It really started with the fact that J and I stayed up way too late last night talking. The talking was good it was just that I am extremely tired today because of staying up so late. This morning we had a Kirby demonstration in the house were they come and show you how their product works and how *good* it cleans. Well the guy wasn't watching what he was doing and vacuumed up my mother's day present that was on the entertainment center, why would you vacuum an entertainment center?? Who knows. But the real question is why wouldn't you look what you are doing especially in someone else's house? Needless to say the company is going to replace my necklace. Then I get the kids ready for their sports class and we go with the directions from the park district. They were wrong and I got lost. Then we get there late to find out that the class was on Tuesday. I swear when I signed them up it was a Thursday class. That was just frustrating on top of everything else that had happened. So the kids and I went to school to visit grandma and then we went to the park and J met us there, he is working tonight. Then our friend Matt came over to get something J is letting him borrow and he moved a big chair for me that I just couldn't do and then he played with the kids for about 30 minutes. That was nice. We ate dinner and I read GG more in her book. Oh yeah we checked out the Little House in the Big Woods book from the library it is the book version of the Little House on the Prairie. She loves reading that book. So after we are done with this book we are going to get the second book, then the third and so on. What a great series! Ok time to get them to bed.

Things at work are getting better they aren't completely fixed but they are getting there. At least things are going in the right direction! Last night we had some friends over and we had a great time. They brought us a house warming present and it was really cute. It was a bowl for salsa and a bigger bowl for chips and they also got the chips and dip for it! The kids loved having company. When they first got here the kids were doing things that they knew wasn't allowed like jumping off the couch and stuff. It is very hard to discipline children when your company is laughing and encouraging the behavior. Matt and Sarah are fun to hang out with and talk to. They aren't engaged but they talk about their honeymoon and wedding. Very funny to listen to. Not much else to report I need to go make dinner...the kids were acting good so I thought I could update real quick!

I have some frustrating news. We walked into a house yesterday and loved it once again! So we put a bid on the house. There was two other bids besides ours that came the same day. Now this house was put on the market yesterday. The listing agent took it off the market meaning no more people got to see it as of yesterday. Anyway they presented all 3 offers to the seller today and if you guessed we lost it you would be right. Our offer was the highest but the offer they took was a cash deal and there is no way we could of beat that. It is so frustrating. We are hopefully going to look at some more houses tomorrow. So today I took Monkey to work because he got up so early and wasn't going back to sleep. I wish I wouldn't of done that because he was cranky at work. We came home and just hung out waiting to hear from our realtor about the house. I guess that wasn't the house God wanted us in either. So we are praying and waiting for the perfect house He has for us that is somewhere out there. Oh have I mentioned the awesome double stroller I got?!?! Sue got it from someone at work and gave it to me. I love it and so do the kids! Sorry this post isn't more entertaining I just don't feel like writing any funny stories tonight.

The internet got disconnected last night...GRRR. The only one who knows how to router it is J and he was working. So we had to wait for him to fix it this morning. Two things I want to write about yesterday. The first is Monkey fell asleep last night without nursing, yay! And GG has quite the imagination :) At work yesterday she was pretending that pillows were babies and her and Rachael were playing house each being the mommy. When we got home and Monkey was sleeping she was pretending she was performing for imaginary people. It was too cute! She was talking to them and just having a blast. Oh yeah Becky came home from college to do laundry which she hasn't done yet. I think she is waiting for her mom to get home from her retreat so she can do it. How lazy. Speaking of Becky she ate J's dinner for work tonight. I was extremely pissed at her, I put his food in a container and said to everyone this is for J. She was like I can make him dinner now. He had to leave for work in an hour, plus why would he want to eat her food, she can't cook. Just makes me think this summer is going to totally suck. I have a feeling that we are going to have to hide our food down here or Travis and Becky are going to eat it all. They eat like pigs. And I am not joking, Travis eats a half loaf of bread in one sitting and Becky just eats all day long. Ok enough of that, this morning both the kids went with me to work so J could fix the internet. Actually GG's presence was requested by Elsye. While we were there GG's pants kept falling off of her so my other co-worker Wiesia (she is polish) made her two belts they are really cute! So when we came home we ate and J and I had some alone time. That was much needed. I am so happy that he is off tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday! I have a new title at work too. I am the green snot nazi. If the kid comes with green snot we are getting the parents and the kid is leaving the place. I am sick of getting sick from working there. We have a sheet when you sign in that says no green burgers allowed. So it is a rule! Well I am going to sign off of here and maybe take a nap...I got one yesterday and it felt so good!

Where to begin, let's start with yesterday...I had three glasses of caffeine. I don't usually drink caffeine. Needless to say that I was up until 1 something in the morning because I couldn't fall asleep. Then we woke up at 9:40am and Aaron and Ellie were suppose to be here at 10:30 so I ran all over the place getting us ready for them to come. They ended up getting here at 11 right as I was getting Monkey finished. They were here from 11 to 2 just in time for the kids naps. So that made the day go fast. After the kids woke up from their naps at 4pm we got in the car and went to Ethan's house for dinner. Where I got to talk to J on the phone. I am so mad because he told me that they got all of their privileges taken away because about 5 people out of 50 are not following the rules. So this weekend we will get to see him at about 9pm on Friday and he will leave at 11am on Sunday. I am so mad, weekends are short enough as it is. Oh well nothing I can do about it. We got home tonight at 8pm and now we are just chilling! I am sorry that I have been getting bad at telling cute stories. They happen everyday but by the time I get on at night I am too tired to type them or I forgot them. I will start trying to remember more. I do have one for tonight. GG came up to me and said, "Mommy, I love you. Do you love me too?" I told her yes. She then told me, "Then you can't spank me, you can't yell at me, and you can't tell me no." I then had to tell her I do those things because I love her. She didn't like that but she said ok and was off to play. I must say she is doing a great job sharing her toys with Monkey as well as her friends that have came over in the last few days to play. Monkey as I told you yesterday has started to stand on the bed. Well tonight he stood to close to the edge and fell off, only onto a pile of blankets. I think I have rambled on enough tonight and I am going to end this before I say something about someone I shouldn't. If you want to know email me and I'll explain or you can call too. I have decided to take the high road on this one.