Monday, December 1, 2008

Give Me Strength....

Its nearly 3 pm as I type this. Bubba is an hour over due for his nap, and is chattering away to himself in the hallway.

You think the little dude would be exhausted after only sleeping 8 hours last night (he usually sleeps 10 at night and then has an hour nap in the afternoon). Apparently he is still going strong.

I'm exhausted. I need at least an hour of down time.

I have been in survival mode a little too long. I need to feel like a human again.

I want to be a good mom, but I've been a little snappy and impatient lately.

I need patience and creativity, but those wells have run dry.

Give me the strength to make it to bed time..........

Friday, November 21, 2008

Money Can Buy Happiness :)

Whoever said that money can't buy happiness never bought a 16 ounce bottle of bubbles for 84 cents at Walmart.

I entertained both of my kids for over an hour blowing bubbles. They both giggled and laughed. My oldest had a fabulous time chasing the bubbles around the living room, popping them, trying to kiss them, and even blowing a few himself. Happiness- sheer joy. All for less than a dollar!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

2 Hours and 8 Minutes

Its not the amount of time we spent in the theater during the last James Bond movie. Its not the amount of time my kids spent napping (I sure wish it was though ;) ). Nope- its the amount of time it took from when Braden got into his car at work to the time he walked in the door on Tuesday night. There was not weather issue to contend with, just plain old Beltway traffic. Grrrrrrr!

Monday, November 17, 2008

My Cup Runneth Over

Late last week Braden called me from work at 10 am saying that he was coming home early. His computer was broken and wouldn't be fixed until the end of the day. Without a computer he couldn't do much more than return a few calls.

I love spending time with my hubby! Usually our saturdays are crammed with chores and activities, that we hardly spend more than a few hours just hanging out together. Sundays are sometimes just as crazy as workdays with all the meetings and visits Braden does for his calling as Ward Mission Leader. So, the idea of having Braden home during the week was a treat!


By the time Braden got home at 11, the kids had just gone down for an early nap. We jumped at the chance to get an extra hour of sleep as well. We have both been exhausted and feeling run down.

An blissful hour and a half later Bubba Dos woke up hungry. I brought her into bed to feed her and snuggle her for a few minutes. Not long after, Bubba came running in and climbed up onto the bed and promptly fell asleep in the middle. As I sat there snuggling my sleeping baby girl, and saw Braden and Bubba sleeping and all snuggled up, I realized that I was surrounded by the greatest blessings of my life. Right down to our crazy dog who had managed to jump up on the bed while we were napping :) My little family was happy, safe, and together. What more could a mother ask for? My heart swelled with thanks and awe for this sweet, perfect moment. And the love that I felt for my family was beyond description. My cup runneth over :)

Thursday, November 13, 2008

In Another Universe.....

My friend Geoff and I have joked about alternate realities or alternate universes. I'd like to think that in each of those universes my life is pretty much the same ( I love my little life - the good, the bad, and the downright heinous) with a few exceptions.

*First I would like the alternate reality where I live in the house pictures above. It is located just 15 short miles from Braden's job. It was on the market for several weeks, and I have spent far more time than I care to admit daydreaming about living there. I don't like that in this reality Braden commutes over an hour each way to work (And that is on a good day. If there is an accident on the Beltway, or if it is raining, or heaven forbid, snowing, it could easily double or triple the amount of time).
*Second I would like an alternate universe where someone has discovered a way to make dogs stop shedding. I spend about as much time vacuuming as I do daydreaming, and that is quite a lot my friend :)
* Third I would like that alternate reality where I don't have to have so much dental work done. I blame it on genetics, but whatever the cause is, all I know is that I have spent more time in a dental chair than I would wish on my worst enemy. Enough said.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Be Careful What You Wish For...

Every night when Braden and I say prayers together after the kids are in bed we pray that or little guy will learn to use words to communicate with us. Occasionally we get a word here and there out of him such as "UP" or "NO", but not much more than that, and never more than one word at a time.

For the past few months I have been taking a class through the county's Infants and Toddlers Program to teach me how to better encourage communication. We learn several strategies, practice scenarios, and are video taped at home to gauge the progress. Today was a video taping day. Bubba and I started out playing with beads and stringing them onto a necklace. That interaction quickly deteriorated and turned into him rolling the beads across the table to me. One of the strategies we learned in class is to follow your child's lead. So bead rolling it was. After he had rolled several beads to me I collected them in my hand and stood up to give them back to him. When he saw me stand up he thought I was ending his little game, to which he promptly pointed to my vacant chair and said, clear as day, and with a very defiant 2 year old attitude,"NO! Mama SIT!" I nearly fell over I was so shocked.

I am so proud of my little guy figuring out how to not only talk, but how to string those words together to form a sentence. I don't know how thrilled I am about the way he said it though :)

Was his command a preview of things to come? I sure hope not!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Into The Woods

No, I'm not referring to the musical, and I'm not going camping. Both alternatives sound much more pleasant right now. I am talking about how I feel.

Last week my hubby and I took our little man to see a specialist at Johns Hopkins. I was hoping that she would smile and reassure me as all the other doctors have that everything is fine, that all kids are different, and that my little Bubba is just taking his own sweet time to talk. My heart felt like it was squeezed by a vice grip when , at the end of her evaluation , she suddenly got serious and told us that something was not right. She then ran down a list of possibilities, none of which you want to hear as a parent. Thank goodness none of it is life threatening or anything like that. I'm sorry I am being so vague, but right now, until we learn more, I don't want to say much.

On Monday I spent a good part of the day on the phone scheduling more appointments and doing research on the internet.

I feel like I have walked into a dark forest and I don't know how to find my way out. I just don't want to do this.

I know there are other parents out there with sweet little children of their own dealing with much more serious conditions. I am thankful that my little guy has a strong healthy body, that he is happy, that he is learning and growing, and that he brings so much joy and happiness into the lives of those who are lucky enough to know him. I just need to keep reminding myself of that.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Maybe Next Week.....

So, I was all excited to document a week in my little life, but my camera had other plans. I experienced some "technical difficulties" , and was unable to take more than a handful of pictures.

I will tryt again next monday. I'm thinking that next week will be a better week any way.

In the mean time I'm off to finish sewing the kids Halloween costumes (Mr. Potato Head and a dalmation).

Monday, October 27, 2008

A Week In The Life...

Today I am starting to document a week in my little family's life. I got the idea from the ever-so-talented and inspiring Ali Edwards.

I feel like time is just flying by, and I barely have time to catch my breath, let alone stop and realize what is going on around me.

So, for the next week I will be toting around my camera, and making notes of all our comings and goings.

Hopefully sometime before Christmas I will be able to turn all the pictures and notes into a small scrapbook. A way to remember my life at this point in time.

So, I'm off.....no time for blogging today. I have a "TO DO" list that is quite intimidating. I'll post some of the pictures I take today tomorrow.

Monday, October 20, 2008

2 Little Words

"I'm Sorry."

These two little words can be some of the hardest words to say, but also some of the most essential. When said sincerely they can fix mistakes, heal wounds, clear understanding, soften hard hearts, and just make you ( and often someone else) feel better.

This past week I said "sorry" to a friend I thought I had lost years ago. I didn't know what else to say. Any other words couldn't explain or make sense of the rift between us. I'm thankful to have this person back in my life, even if only through emails.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

10 Years







10 years ago tomorrow I married my sweetheart. We have been through quite a lot together ( 2 kids, 5 moves, 2 cross country moves, 6 job changes, 3 graduations, 1 silly dog, 3 surgeries, 4 cars......) We have weathered some pretty heinous things together, and have come out the better for it.
I can't believe it has been 10 years! I am excited to see what the rest of forever brings.
I love you lots Mr. Thomas :)

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Way To Go Momma

This past Sunday I witnessed something at church that really has made me stop and evaluate myself this week. I wonder what my actions are teaching my little ones.

After one of the meetings, I was sitting on the couch in the foyer trying to get my daughter to go to sleep. Sitting next to me was a mom and her young son. I couldn't help but to overhear their conversation.

The little boy was upset that he couldn't remember his lines for the upcoming primary program. His mom reassured him that he wouldn't be the only one that had forgotten, and that the teachers would be there to help him. The little boy was still unsure so his mom suggested that they sing a song so he could feel better. They sang Hakuna Matata from The Lion King (how cute is that) and a primary song (I don't remember which one). Then before sending him off to primary they said a little prayer together.

I was so touched by the simple actions of this loving mother. She taught her son that when he is nervous or scared that there are people who love him and want to help him. She taught him that singing a favorite song can help you feel better. She also taught him the importance of prayer in everyday life, in everyday situations. She taught me, through her sweet example, the things that I want to teach my own children.

Thank you Momma for being such a positive example to your son, and to me.

4 Candles

Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Remembrance Day (http://www.october15th.com/).

I will be lighting 4 candles in remembrance of the pregnancies I have lost ( It makes my head spin to think that I have been pregnant 6 times!)

Anyway, if you or anyone you know has experienced a loss I encourage you to light a candle and think of them today.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

I Am Going To Do This....



http://www.bsim.org

I figure if I am going to get myself in shape to run a marathon I might as well run one in one of my favorite places on earth!

Monday, October 6, 2008

Wanderlust

I've got it bad!

I want to pack up the currently questionably reliable Cruiser and hit the road. I want to open the sun roof, roll down the windows, and blast James Taylor.

I want to head for the coast. Somewhere on the west coast preferably. Somewhere where I can hear and smell the ocean. Somewhere where I can walk the beach looking for beach glass.(Fort Bragg or Monterey ?)

I want to go.

Friday, October 3, 2008

The Journey of 26.2 Miles Begins.....

with a visit to the podiatrist.

Several months a go Braden and I told our friends Brett and Kathleen that we would run the Disney World Marathon with them. Since I was uber pregnant with Bubba Dos when we made said promise I bought myself a litte over year and a half to get in top running condition. Those of you who know me will know that I am going to need every single day of it :)

Apparently I didn't get started on the right foot. I've been trying to follow a training program but have been experiencing some pretty intense pain.

A quick trip to the podiatrist, a few x-rays, and the verdict is in....I need surgery to fix one of the problems.

Having surgery would not only throw off my training, but what on earth would I do in a walking cast with two babies to take care of?! Not to mention I am anxious to ski this winter.

Taking into account that the surgery is nothing critical, and my intense desire to spend some time on the slopes this winter, and the fact that I need to be able keep my little ones entertained and well taken care of, I have decided to try some custom orthotics ( I sound like such an old lady) and hope for the best.

I am going to try running just 3 miles a day three days a week until my feet feel a little better. In the meantime I'm taking up yoga again.

So, if you happen to see me limping around at church, the grocery store, the park, or Target, or if you happen to be around at 6 am on the days that I run, wish me luck. I think I'm going to need it.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Frazzled

I decided that I am moving to Utah.



I started what was supposed to be a nice, relaxing, 3 week vacation by getting on an airplane at Dulles Airport. I got off the airplane 4 1/2 hours later in Salt Lake City, and made the decision right then and there that there was NO WAY that I was going to fly back to Maryland by myself with my 2 kiddos.



Have you ever been on a flight where someones child screams and cries the entire time, and every other passenger on the plane is shooting the kid dirty looks, and every minute seems to drag on forever? Well, in this case "that kid" was mine!



To make the adventure all the more adventurous I also got to deal with a diaper blowout and wardrobe malfunction (seriously, don't ask about that one ).



As I was walking to baggage claim I couldn't help but notice all the perfectly coiffed , calm, neatly dressed passengers that were leisurely looking at magazines, checking email on their laptops, casually grabbing a bite to eat, or just watching the airport news monitors. Then there was me......... I felt and looked as though I had been dragged behind the plane during take-off and landing.



I just tell myself that my 2 year old was reminding me how long I waited for him, and how much I wanted children in the first place (Thanks Bubba - I got the message LOUD and clear ;) )



So, to all my friends back in Maryland....its been nice knowing you. If you ever happen to be in Utah drop by for a visit.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Yikes!

So, I've been craving change lately (Like having a new baby isn't enough to throw anybody for a loop).

I was hoping to get my haircut by the woman who usually cuts it, but our schedules kept conflicting so I broke down and just went to the Hair Cuttery by my local grocery store.

To make a long story short.....I walked in to get my hair cut, and walked out 30 minutes later looking like my hair had been caught in a blender. Thats all I really want to say about that.

Thank goodness hair grows back!

Besides getting my hair butchered, other changes are on the horizon.

I am going to visit my family in Utah for 3 weeks. I miss them terribly. It is hard being the only member of my immediate family not living in Utah (they all live within 30 minutes of each other).

Though being gone for that long will be hard on my 21 month old son ( he is daddy's little buddy), it will be nice to be home.

One more change coming is a strict diet and exercise program.

When I had my son in 2006 I was back to my pre-pregnancy size the day I got home from the hospital. I was wrong to expect that to happen again.

I work with the youth at church, and more than once they have commented how skinny I used to be ( I have to appreciate their brutal honesty).

So, wish me luck with the exercising, and send happy hair-growing thoughts my way :)

Thursday, June 12, 2008

A day in the life....

I'm an at home mom to 2 small children ( one is 21 months, the other just turned 1 month). I love being a mom, but I don't love how unglamourous my life has become.

Yesterday was pretty much the same as all my days are.I was spit-up on no less than 8 times. It wasn't just a little bit of spit. Oh, no....the floodgates were opened. So, here I sit at 12:30 in the afternoon in my pajamas waiting for the washer to finish.

Seeing as it is allergy season around here means there are runny noses. Can you see where I'm going with this? My son used me as a kleenex yesterday. Whenever his runny nose bothered him he would come running to me, give me a hug, then ask for a kleenex. Yup, I got slimed.

Having two small kids means we go through a lot of diapers. Yesterday, against my better judgement, I headed off to Target just before nap time. That was not a good idea. I walked in with 2 fussy kids, and walked out a half hour later with $95.00 worth of extra stuff and kids in full blown melt down mode.

This morning I glanced at myself in the mirror. Yikes! That was scary! The bags and circles under my eyes are huge! My hair looks like straw, and in the month since my daughter was born I can count on one hand the times I've put my contact lenses in.

So is the life of a mom.

I'm not going to take this laying down though (if I did I might fall asleep). I'm going to do something about it. Tonight I'm going to give myself a mini facial. Tomorrow I'm going to get my hair cut. On Saturday I'm going to treat myself to a pedicure (they better have my favorite color back in - O.P.I Deer Valley Spice). Hopefully, I'll be able to notice a difference, and hopefully nobody else will notice the little reminders all over me that I am a new mom :)

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Another one bites the dust

I never thought I would give in to the blogging world. To make a long story short... I was obviously wrong!

So, here it is. A place where my thoughts spill over.

Enjoy.