Which Story Do you Want to hear?

I wrote two blog posts.  Both are true.  If you're a glass half full person - read the first one.  If you are a glass half empty person - read the second.  

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POST 1

The kids and I have been staying super busy to keep our minds off Ben being gone so much.  

In the mornings I try to do something educational with the kids.  Usually that means reading, puzzles, or crafts.   

Playing with play dough is the absolute favorite activity in our house these days.  

Around 10AM McKay wakes up from his morning nap and then we try to go somewhere or have outdoors time.  We've gone to the park with Cricchio and Tickner, ward park play dates, walks around the neighborhood, and to a few stores.  The kids are really enjoying our outings these days.  

McKay sitting happily outback while the kids jump on the trampoline.

Jax swinging down a slide at Veteran's park on Tuesday's play date.

Jax was collecting acorns and putting them in the stroller during our walk.

On Wednesdays we have Joy School so we spend the whole day down at my parents' house and leave at bedtime.  They LOVE their Mimi!

He's always running or jumping off something these days.

I asked Sadie to pose for a picture.  This is what I got.

He pulled out a clump of my hair during the taking of this picture.

Do you think we look alike?

Sadie helping my mom make wheat bread.

Ben is gone until late each evening so we've also been doing more outings in the late afternoons.  We've gone to Green Key Park three times in the last week.  It's a park that sits along the ocean.  The beach isn't great but the views are pretty and the kids always have a fun time.

We've been taking baths most nights.  It's a sure way to keep them happy for a half hour and always relaxes them for bed.  On this night I caught Sadie washing Jax's feet so I grabbed my camera to capture the moment.  They sure love each other!

Only one more week and busy season will end.  We'll be happy for things to return to normal!

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POST 2

I'm still alive but just barely.  These have been the longest and hardest couple of weeks in my mothering life.  Here's why:

• It's Ben's busy season.  That means I'm pretty much a single parent.  Sometimes he makes it home by 8 to help me get the kids in bed but it's never a sure thing.  Most of the day goes smoothly but from 4 - 8PM it's pure chaos.  Also, all three have the same bed time yet slightly different bedtime routines, so it can be challenging to get them all down by myself.  
• The boys have sprouted 8 new teeth in the past two weeks (3 for Jax and 5 for McKay).  McKay especially has been so fussy.  His top teeth just finally broke through two days ago.  I hope that means we're through the worst of it.  
• We're transitioning, meaning, Jax is still getting adjusted to sleeping in a big boy bed and McKay has decided to drop his third nap so he's pretty cranky by late afternoon.  
• Sadie is extremely overly tired because of Jax waking her up early every morning.  She doesn't nap during the day and has been SO emotional.     
• Major behavioral problems with the two older kids.  I could go on and on about this subject.  I'll spare you.  Or maybe I'll make it a post in and of it's own, but the older two have been behaving embarrassingly awful.  Jax is starting to hit and disobey and Sadie is becoming defiant.  We've had so many time outs and talks this week that I feel like that's all I do anymore.  My kids were really pretty good a few months ago, but now they're little terrors.  At least with me they are.  Where have I gone wrong???? 
• I've been sick.  I had allergies or a cold or something and just couldn't shake it for almost three weeks. Probably because I never have restful sleep at night.  McKay was sleeping more at night (meaning going 3 or 4 hours) but because of my illness my milk supply dropped and he's been starving.  So, he's up more at night and I feel like I need to let him nurse as often as he can so that my milk will return (which it did two days ago).  Anyways, my coping mechanisms have been down because I've just not been feeling good and I'm tired because McKay has been getting up so often.  So, poor McKay has been teething, tired, and starving.  Not a fun combination!  

Needless to say, it's been a little stressful.  On Tuesday Sadie was behaving terribly, Jax kept hitting, McKay wouldn't let me set him down, and I felt exhausted and yucky.  I'm not a big crier but I just cried my eyes out (right along with two of the three kids who were crying also).  It wasn't a fun day.  Ben did show up with a pizza and flowers around 8:30 and that made me quite happy again.  And things have been improving since that day.  My milk is back, teething has slightly subsided, I'm feeling healthier, and only one more week of intense busy season.  Let's hope we survive!

Valentine's Party Play Date

We had a Valentine's Party Play Date here this morning.  It was really fun!  I was a little worried it would be crazy but it wasn't.  Those in attendance (for my records): Jenny and Jocie Anderson's, Marie and Issac Infante, Nina and Malia and Colton Stephenson, Melinda Marshall, Dawn and Sophie and Sammy Hodges, and the Cricchios. My kids had a blast!

A New Toy

We bought the kids a new toy. That's not like us.  We're a little anti-toy.   Ben doesn't like the clutter or the expense.  I'm anti-toy because I think it stifles creativity and imagination.  And I'm anti-too-many-toys because I think it causes ADHD and greedy children.  But, I forget about my principles when I'm exhausted and sick and the house is messy and the kids are restless.  

So, I found this on Craigslist last week and threw my anti-toy mantra out the window. 

I like this toy for three reasons:

1) No batteries

2) Great exercise = good naps :)

3) Has steps which creates a nice ramp up to the trampoline.  Perfect!

So, I drove up to Spring Hill on Saturday and bought it myself.  Then I set it up yesterday myself.  Ben was impressed, weren't you dear?  Little does he know that I had six screws left over and I can't figure out where they belong.  It hasn't fallen apart yet, though.  

The kids love it!  I hope we'll have many many hours of fun on it.  

My Sunday

This poor little boy is getting hurt left and right lately!  He has an incessant need to climb and conquer any elevated surface in the house.  My heart can't take the stress!!!  Today he fell and hit his head twice.  The second time was really bad - the worst he's ever cried.  He was trying to climb into the car and fell backwards.  I almost took him to the hospital.  No kidding.  He seems to be doing okay now, but things were touch and go there for a while.  His finger is completely healed now, though. That's good.


Today all three kids fell asleep on the drive to church and I drove around for an hour and let them nap.  Shame on me for skipping an hour of church!  We also left Jax in nursery for his first time and he did great. Perhaps because he was so well rested?!?!  I actually went the RS and heard the whole lesson.  Amazingly enjoyable.

We have allergies.  I didn't have allergies growing up.  Why do I now?  Sadie has a bad case of it, too.  Her little voice is all froggy.  It's quite adorable in a sad kind of way.  We've just been lounging around the house in our PJs the past few days.

Their favorite game lately is pushing each other in the little doll's stroller.  I realize some may be judging me for giving them bottles but that's okay.  We have things we're working on.  I'm not a perfect mom.  Judge away if you must.

Sadie stops every so often and kisses Jax on the head.  This action is a not rehearsed or requested.  She just does it on her own.  I love her!  She also always tells him, "Lift your feet so your don't get hurt Jaxie."

I took pictures of the Martinez's tonight.  Here are a few I've played with so far....

And this post would not be complete without me confessing my undying love for McKay.  So, here it goes....

I love Mo.

Worst Mother of the Week Award

No time to blog so I thought I'd share my letter to Kimmy again.

Kimberly, hello -

How are you dear friend? What is your life like? Do you still love me? I love you.

It's been a bit of a long, hard week. I've been a bad mother. My poor children. Do you think they'll forgive me?

Here are our happenings...

1) I ran a 5K on Saturday and I was awful. I ran it at Starkey Park and the whole thing was in 3 inch deep sand!!! Yuck. It was like Camp Wailani trails. Anyways, I only ran/walked most of it. I'm not sure of my time. 40 or 45 minutes maybe? I did run an entire 5K earlier this week on the treadmill. It felt good. My time was 38 minutes. Nothing to write home about but I'm making progress. If only I were losing weight though. I'm not! Sad. Oh, did I mention I had a sore throat and cramps during my run? But I had already paid for it so I ran/walked it anyways. There's another one March 10th on pavement that I may do.  

2) I got my hair cut yesterday. I told the hair stylist that I was tired of looking frumpy and to do whatever she wanted just keep it mostly long. So, it's still long but with layers and side bangs. Do you know this if the first professional hair cut I've had in 10+ months. That last one was this day: http://bsakj.blogspot.com/2011/04/new-summer-hairdo.html. I really need to put forth a little more effort :)

3) Sadie was bitten by a friend this past week during a get together. It was bad - it left a huge bruise. I'm not angry at the child/family but I do feel terribly guilty as a parent. When we have play dates I feel like they're more for me lately than the kids. Sadie especially doesn't like them much, but I keep going because I enjoy them.  I've decided to lay low; no more play dates for a while, except park ones - those usually go well.

She also had a mark like his on her lower left abdomen.  Poor thing!  I'm a bad mom.

4) Shadow is a bad dog. He has pooped on my carpet twice this week and keeps running away from home. He also ate cookies that Sadie and I had made yesterday afternoon. Shame, shame! He is recovering from his glass incident though. Did I tell you about that? He ate glass from a baby food jar that had broken. He lived to tell about it though.

5) Ben's busy season has started. It's awful. I miss him. He misses us. Jax asks for him all day and goes to the door and cries, "Want Daddy, want Daddy." It's truly pathetic! He is very attached to Ben lately and less attached to me. It's a little sad but I realize that with McKay being my sidekick that it's probably a good thing that he wants Ben instead of me.

6) We're still spending tons of time on the trampoline. I'm sure the kids will tire of it eventually but it's not going to happen any time soon. Our weather has been beautiful! It's gets up to about 78 every day. We even went to the beach this past week to play in the sand. The kids had a ball!

7) Jax got two new teeth this past week and McKay has been teething on and off, too. Oh joy!

8) I took Sadie to her first ever gymnastics class this past Thursday and it was one of the hardest hours of my parenting life. Sadie and McKay cried the whole time and Jax was a little hoodlum who wouldn't sit still or obey. I finally gave up and left early. McKay was pretty much crying continuously and I couldn't feed him because Jax was getting into too much trouble. Sadie did warm up by the end though and Jax knows how to do somersaults now. Wohoo! The teacher wasn't great and the kids were a little out of control so I don't think I'll be back to that class but maybe I can find something else that's a better fit. Hopefully.

9) We've moved Jax up to the bigger bed in Sadie's room and McKay is sleeping in the den/nursery/Jax's room - whatever you would call it. We let McKay cry one night for one feeding and then the next night he slept 5 hours. It was heaven. So, progress is slow but at least we're making some. Jax is a crazy sleeper and winds up in the strangest places and positions. Every night is a surprise of what life will bring.

 

10) Our garden is coming along. The cabbage, lettuce, and broccoli have done great. The spinach and green onions are so-so. The tomatoes, peppers, and snap beans are dead. Not sure what went wrong.

11) Jax cut his finger with scissors this past week. Again, I get the worst mom award! We were playing in their fort that mom bought them for Christmas and Sadie wanted to cut shapes and glue them to the inside walls. So, McKay was napping so I knew I could supervise closely and I figured Jax was old enough to use them and they were just kiddie scissors anyways. So, I taught him how to hold him and made him sit with me and told him NOT to ever put his finger between the sharp part. Well, the first thing he did was put his finger in the sharp part and squeeze. He wouldn't let go and just kept crying and squeezing. It was deep and bled a lot! He has a band-aid on it and he walks around with his index finger straight at all times. Poor little guy!

12) My house is a wreck!! Perhaps the worst it's ever been. But with me feeling under the weather, the boys teething, and Ben being gone until late every night I just haven't had the time, energy, or ability to clean. But, really, if I could run a 5K on Saturday I was well enough to clean. But I guess I'll try to tackle some of the rubble today. Wish me luck!  

13) Almost forgot...we did a little photo shoot with Charlie last Monday. Most of the pics were on Sarah's camera but here a few from mine. And we only had about 15 minutes and McKay fussed most of that time.  But, I think we got a few good ones.  Cute little guy, huh?!?!  He's one of the cutest newborns I've ever seen.  Not funny looking at all.  I love him.

Love you so much,

Your crazy sister

P.S. Speaking of biting....McKay has been doing a lot of it during his feedings lately.  And he has teeth now, you know! Ah, the joys of motherhood!!! :)  Pray for my soul, Kimmy.  Pray for it!!