What We Have Been Up To

So, I haven't been blogging or even commenting much.  We just have been busy.  Three kids plus work kept me going this summer.  And then there is part of me that wonders how much I want to be "public" about our lives.  Anyone could read this blog, and if I have too much up here, I wonder if there would be risks...  So, I have been more careful about what I post online anywhere - including FB too.

As for what we have been up to, AJU7 turned one last week.  She is growing fast.  She can stand on her own and take some steps.  But, she still crawls most of the time.  She has mastered the stairs (up and down), which is really nice.  That means I no longer have to run to the top of the stairs when she wants down.  But, on a related note, she can climb so easily these days.  She is getting into chairs, climbing ladders, and even climbing onto the tricycle we have outside.  This means I have to keep and eye on her, especially when we aren't home where things are safer. 

AJU6 is definitely boy.  He is slowly gaining more and more speech - starting to talk in sentences, etc.  Unfortunately he is also a great mimick of AJU5 - copying all of her bad behaviour.  Luckily he also has a very sweet side that comes out when he wants it.

AJU5 has started kindergarten homeschool.  We have gotten to some longer lessons, which she doesn't love.  But, the reward of getting to play PBSKids when she is done works.  She has to get it done before the other two wake from their nap, so she normally is willing to push through her work.  Her phonics lessons are often 6 pages (3 pieces of paper front and back), and then we do 4-6 pages of arithmetic most days too.  We will add in science and history a little later, once she has become used to all of the work 3-5 days week.

As for me, I am keeping busy with scrapbooking as well as work and the kids.  I got 2-3 layouts done on average each week this summer.  It is my way to unwind and do something for myself most days/weeks.  Other than the Olympics and 1-2 shows a week with my husband, I don't watch TV.  And I haven't read any books (other than the Bible which I am reading on a 1 year through the Bible plan) since last summer.  So, scrapbooking is the main "entertainment" in my life these days.  I am on leadership for my MOPS group this year and I did coordinate our church's VBS, so I guess those take up some of my time too...

Well, I think that is about it. Hopefully I will get at least one post in a month for a while...

Maternity Leave

So, recently on Facebook, a few companies I "like" posted a graphic of maternity leave by country around the world.  The graphic was for the amount of paid leave the government mandated for workers going on maternity leave.  And of course the US is at the bottom. 

Here is the deal though - the US does have provisions for at least 6 weeks of paid leave, but the graphic said 0.  The reason - the mom has to elect to get short term disability insurance.  But, from what I read online, it is available in all states.  And the requirements for that are basically the same as the requirement in Canada (which was at the top of the graphic).  Others were also saying some other countries weren't reported correctly either.

The topic quickly went to how Canada's program is family friendly.  And I am not so sure it is.  I really wonder if having 50 weeks of paid leave (55% pay normally) promotes women going back to work after 1 year.  It might help those moms stay home for that first year, but I bet it also makes them feel like less of a woman if they don't go back after the year. 

Do I think the US has room to improve?  Yes.  I think the FMLA provisions should be changed some.  I think all women should get 6 weeks of job protection after a birth.  Then, I think the length of protection should be proportional to the size of company the person works for.  If you work for a really large company that can easily absorb your work for up to a year, then I think they should have to give you at least 1 year of job protection.  If youw ork for a very small company, then 6 weeks seems to be fine. 

I also think that there should be options in the short term disability to allow you to pay more for more benefits.  It would be nice if there was a way to pay in to have 12 week and then maybe 24 weeks of pay.  Again, it would be the employee's option to get the insurance, etc, but it would be an option.  Employers would have the option have subsidizing the insurance and/or providing additional benefits as well.

Why don't I think the US government should get involved?  Well, let's look at our Social Security system and how well it is working.  From what Canadians say, their system is funded the same way.  And well, the US government hasn't done a good job with SS, so I don't think I would trust them with anything else.  Also, I don't think it should be mandatory.  Some people just don't want/need the insurance.  That is their right I think.  We didn't have any, but we also planned our careers so that I could work from home after AJU5 was born.  Before we even got married, my husband was set on finding a job that would support our family on his income alone.  So, there wasn't a need for us to have the extra pay.

What do you think?

Brand/Company Loyalty

I am struggling with whether to be loyal to one company that I have loved (and referred people to) because of some recent changes in how they run.  I know some people love their new business model.  But, it isn't for me.  The new business model is a move away from what I fell in love with.  But, without this company, I wouldn't have found the other companies or been in the market for more "things."  This company also has a Faceb00k page.  The page used to be a spot of friendship and camaraderie over a shared love for the company and the type of business they are in.  Between Faceb00k going to Timeline for pages, a little spat amongst some of those people, and the change in the business model dividing everyone, it isn't a fun place anymore.  So, I have taken a step back and am going to spend some time thinking about things.  I don't need to buy anything for a while anyways, so it doesn't hurt to take some time to think. 

I have seen this happen with other companies in the past too.  It isn't a new thing.  But, it is the first time it has really affected me.  Most of the other things i wasn't "in love" with.  So, it was easy to make a decision as to which side to fall.  Other times I was a complete on-looker, as it wasn't a company I even "used."  But this one is harder for me for sure.  I have made some great friends through this company, and I know they will be friends either way.  But, other people I thought were my friends have turned out to not be.  At one time, we were all in a "group" in Faceb00k, and that group had over 100 members.  Now, there are less than 80.  And most of the 20 that left were the ones that were "regulars."  There are probably 30-50 of those still around that only lurk, that I don't know too well.  But of the 20 that left, there are only a few I still would call friends.  The others, well, let's just say for the most part they have decided to not continue a friendship with me.  And as a result, I think those feelings have made me a tiny bit sour to the company that bonded us in the first place...

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On to happier things - here are a few updates on the AJU's:

• AJU5 recently finished her second year of AWANA Cubbies.  She is very excited to be a Spark next year - which means a red vest and the chance to build a pinewood derby car.
• AJU7 is VERY mobile on all fours now.  She can completely navigate our downstairs, which involves three levels.  She can also climb a complete flight of stairs with no problem (as she does it a few times a day).
• AJU6 is a train and car lover!  He carries a supply around with him, often too many to keep in his arms actually.  Most nights he has to line up at least 4 of them on his headboard before bed.
• All three kids seem to have a decent routine down.  AJU7 goes to bed between 6:30 and 7 each night, and the big kids go to bed between 7:15 and 8.  The big kids are up each morning around 6, and AJU7 sometimes sleeps until 7.  AJU7 also wakes 2-4 times a night still, which I am not surprised by one bit!  AJU7 naps around 9 in the morning and around 1 in the afternoon.  AJU6 "joins" her int he nap in the afternoon, going down sometime between 1 and 2 most days.

Tidbits and Such

1. AJU5 is not really aware of what "racing" really means. Recently at Cubbies they were having races, and she was happily running where she should without a bit of urgency. I don't mind it really - it means she isn't super competitive and likes to just play along. But, it is funny to watch when she has no clue she should be trying to beat the others!

2. AJU6 is SLOWLY potty training. Part of me wants to push it and get him trained, but part of me doesn't want to. The whole needing to go potty in a store is a PAIN with a younger child in tow as well. So, it is easier for him to be in diapers for that reason. But I am tired of changing his diapers. Oh, and I am not sure how his pants will stay up when he is out of diapers... some of his 24M shorts are already falling off even with a very fluffy (cloth diaper) rear.

3. I hate trying to get out of the house with 3 kids these days. The biggest issue is finding a time when the older two won't fall asleep in the car. We still go lots of places. But, I just don't like the "stress" of finding a time to go. Luckily some things are scheduled so the time is already set. The biggest downside of AJU6 falling asleep in the car is that he doesn't transfer well. So, that means the car nap is often all he gets (which isn't enough). It also means there isn't any "me" time when that happens too - when the younger two are napping. Luckily it is almost summer, which means most of our activities are drawing to a close. Hopefully by fall AJU6 won't fall asleep int he car if we leave before noon...

4. Finding time to work out is getting harder. Like I said above, getting AJU6 to nap if we have errands to run is almost impossible. That means on those days I can't do the work out normally. We have gone for a walk once, but it isn't easy to go with 3 kids. I wish they made a "jogging" stroller with a jump seat I think. AJU7 isn't terribly happy in a carrier (except hip carry), so I need a "seat" for three kids most of the time...

First Real Step to Homeschooling

I made the first big step in our decision to homeschool yesterday - I ordered curriculum for AJU5 for kindergarten. I plan on starting VERY slowly once it arrives. That way we can do 1-2 lessons a week to get used to a more formal school life and still get kindergarten done by next May.

So, why did we decide to homeschool? My husband was set on it before we got married. I wasn't so sure. I had a great public school experience, and he had a so-so one (he homeschooled for high school). He had seen some things happening in education that I hadn't seen as much, partly because we grew up in two different states. The first year we lived here (and were married) I substitute taught in the local middle schools and high schools. By the end of that experience, I had decided that I didn't want to send my kids to those schools. There were so many things kids get exposed to (mostly from other students whose parents don't have the same values and expectations as us), and I didn't want my kids to be put through that. I still thought private schools would be a great option. Then, as I was teaching at the community college, I saw more and more that even the private schools aren't a great option. First is the price. My salary wouldn't cover the cost of 2 kids in many of these schools. Second is the fact that even the private schools have some of the same peer "teaching" that I didn't want. Third, I saw more and more the options of homeschooling in our area. There are co-ops, athletic teams, bands, and field trips. There is a graduation ceremony each year as well. So, by the time AJU5 was born, I had pretty much agreed that homeschooling was our best option.

Now on to what we are going to use. There are a number of good homeschooling curriculums out there. And you don't even have to use a curriculum if you don't want to. But, since I work part-time from home, having some things already decided for me was a nice option. Also, I had seen already in AJU5 that workbooks tend to work with her. Printed pages from the computer aren't as enticing. So, a little over a year ago I went searching for preschool curriculums. That is when I "stumbled" onto Horizon from Alpha Omega Publishing. They have a great preschool curriculum, but I decided we didn't need one. AJU5 had already mastered many parts of it, so the price tag on it made it not a great buy. Instead, we have been using the workbooks you can get from big box stores to work on writing letters, counting, and other basic skills. But, while I was looking at the PK material, I looked at the K material as well. I like that Horizon has math and reading/phonics as its two main subjects. It actually doesn't have science or history/social studies. But, that was a plus for me. I want to do more of a unit study for those (since we will have 3 kids in 3 grades before too long). With a unit study, all of the kids could learn the same big concepts from experiments, field trips, and literature. I could then expect different levels of learning from there. I looked at some other curriculums, like ABeka, Bob Jones, and single subject ones like Hooked on Phonics and Math U See, but I didn't love how the material was presented. Some were very watered down. others were designed more for a private school setting. I wanted something rigorous but still involved me in some of the teaching. Horizon seemed to have that. Their material goes on sale (as to most of the other companies) in April, so when I saw 20% off and free shipping, I went ahead and ordered the K phonics and reading, math, and health. Next year, if we like it, we will order the same "subjects" in first grade as well as the PK material for AJU6. AJU6 seems to be more "average" in terms of what he knows, and he likes to be like his sister. So, by the time he is 3-4 yo, I bet he will want to sit at the table with her when she is learning.

Hopefully everything will go smoothly. Technically AJU5 wouldn't start K here until the next year (August 2013), so if it takes us more than 1 year to complete K, it isn't the end of the world at all. I like that I won't have any pressure for sure.

Icky

That is the best word to describe our house right now. It started on Saturday with AJU6 throwing up 5 times. Sunday was "clear" but we also took it really easy. Yesterday morning AJU5 woke up not feeling well, and she started puking around 6am. I think she puked 5-6 times, and luckily she has been "clear" since about noon yesterday. But, she still has a fun cough and isn't herself yet. I started felling bad yesterday afternoon. It got really bad around 5pm just as my husband got home from work (huge blessing that it stayed away until then!). I was "stuck" in bed basically all night. By around 11pm, I was a little better, able to go downstairs and get my cell phone and my own drink without thinking I was going to die along the way. Since then I just have been mending from getting very dehydrated.
My husband started getting sick around 2am. He has been stuck in bed almost all day. He was supposed to leave on a work trip this morning, but that is on hold. He did get out of bed around noon, but then he overdid it and ended up back in bed.
AJU7 started throwing up this morning. She threw up once in her bed and then once as we went downstairs. Since then I think she has thrown up 4-5 times. Most of the time I only notice because I either see it or feel it. She doesn't complain unless it comes out her nose (and she can't breathe well). That means she is attached to me right now so I know if she gets sick again.
AJU6 has also had some bad diapers last night and today. He seems to be "acting" like AJU5 did two years ago when the stomach bug last hit our house. She would puke one day, have bad diapers the next, etc. It last almost a week with her, although AJU6 seems to have done all the puking in one day.
I just hope we are done with it after today. I have done more laundry and carpet cleaning the last few days then I do in some months. I am tired of all of that house work for sure!

So New Routines

I am finally getting more sleep at night. AJU7 still isn't a great sleeper - waking 2-4 times a night - but I don't expect any different since her siblings were that way. But, what has made a huge difference the past few weeks is getting AJU5 to stay in her bed and not come to our room unless she sees a light on. The past two mornings, she has opened their door numerous times between 5:30 and 6:15 only to go back to sleep. I have also heard her in the night open it, but she isn't coming to our bed at least. AJU7 will sleep until about 6:15 or 6:30, and AJU6 will sleep past 6:00 if he doesn't hear us, so it is a lot better than the 5:15 they were trying to do. Weekdays are harder though. My husband is up around 4:30 to work out. He then leaves for work by 5:45. It is fine if AJU5 wakes while he is not in the shower or actually leaving the house. But, if she wakes at like 5:35, then I have to get up with her. Also, if she wakes when he is in the shower, I might have to get up.

I am also working out most afternoons while AJU6 (and normally AJU7) are napping. I am using the Kinect Your Shape 2012, and I am trying to get in 30-45 minutes at least a day. I started over a month ago, and I can tell I am in better shape. Unfortunately the weight isn't coming off, but at least I am in better shape! Maybe soon the weight will come off (12 lbs still to go). I guess that is one big positive of AJU7 not really eating solids yet (she spits them back out 99.9% of the time) - I am still her primary food source and hence burning more calories that way.

I am also having to be more diligent with cleaning up, as AJU7 is mobile. She isn't really crawling, but she can inchworm all around the house. She can almost make it up the step from the living room to the kitchen even. It won't be long until we really have to sort through the toys and hide the choking hazards...

Teething - Ugh!

AJU7 is teething. She is crying a ton more than normal. It is a lot harder to lay her down and keep her asleep. And she isn't sleeping as long.

Add a little guy (AJU6) getting over a bug (I think he is better now), and it is "fun" around here. AJU6 is SUPER clingy and wants me to play with him the whole time.

So, I have a clingy AJU7 when she is tired, a clingy AJU6, and an AJU5 who still wants attention. I guess that is why our house is a mess... and I am stressed... But I know it could be a lot worse. The younger two just went down for naps, so now I can get the laundry another step towards done. And hopefully I can get a workout in too...

Keeping Me On My Toes

AJU7 has decided to change things up a little recently. First, about a week ago, she decided she didn't want to sleep on my arm all night long (she starts in her bed, but she sleeps with me after she wakes the first time). She will let out a single cry, I slide her off my arm, and she is "good" for at least a few hours. I like having my arm back anyways, so it isn't a huge deal. It is just something new to get used to.

Yesterday she decided to scream like crazy when she was tired. Walking around with her in my arms slightly calmed her, but she didn't' want to fall asleep. In a moment of desperation, I just laid her in her bed. And guess what - she went right to sleep once I gave her her lovey and wrapped her in her blanket. She did this every time yesterday too. I of course like this as well because it means getting her to sleep is VERY easy. It gives me about 15 minutes back each time.

Finally, last week she decided she was just too big to be in the sling while shopping. I have been wearing her a lot more than I ever wore her siblings. With 3 kids, there just isn't room for a car seat in the shopping cart! Plus, she always woke up when I was getting the kids out of the car anyways, so the only times I would leave her in the car seat where when it was raining/snowing (which is rare around here - maybe twice in almost 6 months she has stayed in her car seat for shopping trips with all three kids). After having her fight me all the way around Costco, I let her sit int he shopping cart while we go our "Costco juice" (berry smoothie) and "ice cream" (frozen yogurt) on our way out. She was instantly happy! So, yesterday when we went to Costco, I just immediately put her in the seat with AJU5 next to her (and AJU6 in the back). She was content the whole trip. She wasn't as content last week when we went to Wal-Mart - only making it half way around the store without wanting to be held - though. I think it depends on how awake she is. So, I will continue to bring the sling with us for a few more weeks, knowing I may or may not use it.

How AJU7 Is Different

1. AJU7 does not use a pacifier (other than me). She has only taken it once, and that was a battle my MIL tried when we were running out of options to get her to settle.
2. AJU7 prefers to be rocked to sleep. The other two would scream when we tried at this age.
3. AJU7 still hasn't figured out how to go from her belly to her back. Her siblings did this by 3mo. But, she is a master at going from her back to her belly these days (something AJU5 didn't do until after 7mo).
4. Dirty diapers. I used to think it was weird when people said their kids didn't poop every day as EBF babies. AJU5 and AJU6 always went at least once a day. But, AJU7 has gone 3 days before between unloading. There are definite pros to this!

I think those are the big 4 things that are making AJU7 different. She is definitely keeping me on my toes when I thought I had most things figured out.

When Sleep Gets Complicated

It started out well. AJU7 fell asleep after 9pm, and we headed to bed at 10.
There were 2 in a king bed - lots of room!
Sometimes between midnight and 2am, AJU7 joined us in bed. Still, there was a ton of room. And I didn't have to worry about anyone pushing me out of the bed!
Then 2:45 came. AJU5 "couldn't sleep" in her own bed. Luckily she went to my husband's side of the bed to climb in. So, I still had almost half the bed for AJU7 and myself - still content.
A few minutes pass, and AJU6 enters our room and climbs up on my side of the bed. I knew that wasn't going to work so well. I would be squished and having to protect AJU7 too much. So, I took her to the guest bed room. Two in a queen bed and three in a king bed still seemed fine to me, especially since my "bed partner" is very small.
But, it wasn't meant to be. About 15 minutes later, AJU7 is nursing (after being stirred enough during the move that she couldn't get back to a deep sleep) and AJU6 is crying for mommy. I "yell" that I am stuck with AJU7 eating, so Daddy brings him to me. He (AJU6) proceeds to smack me in the head 2-3 times getting snuggled in. Luckily he does fall asleep, and so do the rest of us.
Daddy wakes up at 4;30am, and I hear him exercise (Kinect Your Shape) and then get ready for work. AJU5 is getting the king bed all to herself, but I am afraid to move AJU7 for fear of waking her (and waking AJU6). So, we stay in the queen bed.
AJU6 wakes at 6:15 - ready for a cup of milk and a show. I oblige and then return to the queen bed to sleep. AJU5 wakes at 7:00, upset that her show isn't on (she was promised the pick this morning). Luckily I was able to calm her with a promise that her choice would be "up" next (and a cup of milk).
I snuggle into the king bed alone (AJU7 is asleep in the queen alone) until AJU7 wakes around 7:30...

How to make an 1100 mile drive in 1 day with 3 kids

The inlaws live about 1100 miles away. And we make this trip in one day - about 17 hours in the car. The main motivation for a 1 day trip is to avoid the hotel stay - the kids never sleep well the first night in a new location, so we wouldn't be too rested for the second day on the road anyways. Plus, we can save about $100 each way - always a nice bonus.

On the way there, we leave as early as we can. The latest we will leave and try to make it all of the way from here is 6am. It is actually easier to wake the kids up and then go because they sleep more in the car that way. I make sure AJU5 has gone potty and AJU6 and 7 have clean diapers before we leave. I double diaper AJU6 actual - with a size 3 diaper under a size 4 diaper - to ensure no leaks. I also feed AJU7, so she is ready to fall back asleep as soon as we get going.

We pack the car as much as we can the night before - leaving only the last few things for the morning (drinks, electronics, and the overnight bag normally). The "big" kids each have a bag of toys and books as well as a pillow and blanket, and these are in the back seat of our SUV with them. We often put one suit case (duffle bag) under each child so toys aren't lost as easily on the floor too. AJU7 and I are in the bucket seats in the middle. Around us is the diaper bag, our entertainment (a couple of toys for her, my cell phone, and my touch pad), the snack, and the drinks. My husband gets to play "taxi driver" sitting up front alone. He has control of the GPS and his phone (with our mp3 selection).

We normally stop 3-4 hours in for a potty run/diaper change. Then we drive another 2-3 hours. We stop them for gas and food (as well as the potty and diaper changes). This last trip we just got Wendy's chicken nuggets and fries, but we have stopped at Arby's before too and gotten sandwiches and salads. But, when we stop and eat in a restaurant, it takes FOREVER!!! The kids won't sit still, so it is a challenge to get them to eat enough. So, the car seems to be working better (even if the food isn't as good). From there, we make 2 more stops, about 6 hours apart, for gas, potty, and diapers. AJU7 also gets to nurse as much as she wants during these times, so the stops are about 20-30 minutes. The big kids roam around the vehicle and stretch there legs while they wait too.

As for snacks - we have granola bars (Fiber Plus, Zone, and Fruit and Nut), trail mix (fruit and nut), crackers, gold fish, pretzels, apple chips, and peanut M&Ms. The non-bar stacks are served in small ziplocks, which helps with portion control and mess containment. For drinks, the adults each have two 27oz water bottles. The big kids each have 1 milk cup, 1 water cup, and 2-4 very weak juice cups (about 1oz juice to 5oz water) - all sippy cups. We used to bring more milk, but AJU5 and AJU6 each have thrown up in the car in the past, and "sour" milk is NASTY coming back up. So, we keep the milk for after lunch, and it seems to work great.

On the way home, we normally don't leave until 8-9am. That means we get home a lot later, which can be a little tough. But, we also tend to stay up later at the in-laws, so it isn't TOO bad. We normally have to stop about 3 hours after we leave for gas (and potty, etc). Then we stop 6 hours later and get food with the gas. Then, we can often make it with only one more stop - 6 hours later. Occasionally we will stop for potty once in there too, but it depends on how tired we are and how much everyone drinks.

So, how does AJU7 survive only getting to nurse every 6 hours? She doesn't. The first trip I pumped and gave her bottles. It worked great. Then we went to my parents, and she refused the bottle. She would occasionally take about 1oz, but there was a ton of screaming. On the way tot he inlaws, I pumped some, but she still would only take about 1oz. The first two segments were fine - only 3 hours apart. The middle segment she drank a little more from the bottle - maybe 2oz, so it wasn't terrible either. And, that also coincided with her long nap, which I think was a life-saver. But, the last segment I had to be a little naughty. I unbuckled and leaved over so she could nurse while we were driving. We were on the interstate in an area with very few exits (and no wide shoulders). It was dark and the road was pretty empty, so I went for it. And it worked great. She ate and then went right to sleep. I had to do this more often on the way home, which was a little harder - simply because it wasn't at night once or twice. But, it always seemed to happen that she would be hungry where pulling over to let her out wasn't easy/safe. If we had a bench int he middle row, I probably could have just leaned over instead of unbuckling...

So, that is how we "roll." I am not looking forward to AJU6 potty training. I highly doubt he will be able to go 6 hours between stops like his sister (she has NO problem holding it that long we found out over a year ago). That means our "plans" may change. But, AJU7 won't be nursing as much, so it might be a wash...

TOtal Slacking Over Here

So, having three kids is a lot of work. It isn't terrible, but the time without one or more kids on your lap, pulling on you, or screaming is very limited. This is especially the case since they aren't in day care, preschool, or with a babysitter on any sort of a regular basis. So, I haven't had much chance to blog lately. I haven't even had a chance to comment on most of your blogs, simply because by the time I am done reading a post (or two), I get distracted by one kid or another. But I have been reading them!

AJU5 is now 4 years old. She LOVES dresses, especially the shiny ones with fuller skirts. She now has two long skirts she loves as well. But, rarely will you find her in just pants. She has started to wear jammies to bed most nights, but most mornings she enters our room with a dress in hand (she can't button/zip and bow them on her own).

AJU6 is now 2 years old. He is a ball of energy and emotion. He is so close to fully talking, and it has been fun to watch is vocabulary grow in the last couple of months. He LOVES Thomas, Veggie Tales, and Cars. He got a ton of Thomas things for Christmas, so he is a happy guy for sure.

AJU7 is now 4.5 months old, and she is sitting up already on her own. She can sit for at least 30 seconds without falling. She is definitely going after things (paper, toys, her siblings), which is getting dangerous. She still doesn't sleep all night (like her siblings), but she also doesn't take a pacifier at all. So, she is a little more high maintenance than they were. But, her smiles will metal any frustration for having to entertain her so much.

Hopefully in the new year I can at least get a monthly post out. That is my goal - although a weekly post would probably be even better...

What We Have Been Up To

Since AJU7 was born:
17 hours trip in a car each way to help someone celebrate their 100th birthday (family member).
Air Force Thunderbirds show
Started MOPS
"Field Trips" to a pumpkin patch and wildlife zoo
Walks around the area - with all three kids in tow
Lots of trips to Costco, Albertsons and random other stores/places

Needless to say we have been busy. AJU7 has started to smile, so she is starting to show a personality. Add to that her desire to be held, AJU5's "desire" to say no to whatever we want her to do, and AJU6's daredevil ways, and I have been busy... There is never a dull moment around here unless all five of us are asleep.

Life with Three Kids

Some days I definitely wish I had three sets of hands - or at least 3 hands. But, we are doing okay. I have had all three of them in my lap at times, but other times I am child-free (even with my husband at work).

The biggest challenges:

• Trying to meet the needs of all three if they all of legitimate needs at once (hungry, hurt, potty, etc).
  
• Making shopping carts work with three kids.
• Keeping the house in order.

The shopping definitely depends on the carts available. Costco is manageable if I put AJU7 in a sling. The other two can get their normal spots that way, and AJU7 is content until she gets hungry. Grocery stores, WalMart, and Target are going to be hit or miss based on shopping cart availability. If the huge ones are available with the extra seats, we are good to go. Some times I can even leave AJU7 in her car seat that way. But, if only the standard ones are available, it is a little cramped. We did WalMart once with a standard cart, and it worked luckily. But, we only needed a few things which I could pile around AJU5 (in the back with AJU7) and AJU6 (in the actual seat). If I needed to get a good amount of stuff, it wouldn't work. And then there are the places with the tiny carts like Michael's, Hobby Lobby, and Cost Plus. I won't even try those with 3 kids for a while! I took AJU5 and 7 to Michael's yesterday, and it was hard enough with the two of them. You can put the infant car seat in the back, so AJU7 wasn't as happy at a "weird" angle (and woke up and cried). There is no place to really put AJU6 if he went unless AJU7 was in a sling. And even then I know it will be a challenge because those places have WAY too many things to entice little ones...

But we are making it for sure. School started back for me (teaching), and I have been able to balance everything so far. My husband is struggling some with the transition, but I think it is mainly because the kids are too good at pestering him when he is around. AJU5 and 6 will play together alone when he isn't around, but they are less likely to do that if he is home for some reason...

Why I Love Our Pediatrician

Yesterday was one of those days. AJU5 and AJU6 took a bath just before 9am. When AJU6 got out, he was ready for a nap (totally normal). I pulled out a dress and undies for AJU5 so we wouldn't wake him when she got dressed (they share a room). Well, the dress I picked wasn't "good enough" for AJU5. So, I either had to deal with her screaming (which would probably wake AJU6) or let her pick out a different dress from their closet. I thought there was a chance we could get in and out without waking AJU6, but it didn't work. Then he refused to go back to sleep. He stayed in bed for an hour total, but he only slept for 15-30 minutes. We had to go to AJU7's check-up, all four of us, and I knew it might be an adventure.

Getting to the doctor's office was easy. There weren't any real fights there. The waiting room time (only a couple of minutes) went easy too. The walk from the waiting room to the back had only one fit - because I was carrying AJU6's sippy cup and not him. But that was an easy fix. The weighing, measuring, and waiting in the exam room went okay. AJU6 didn't like when the door closed, but he was content with a book before too long. Then the doctor came in. First, she complimented us on AJU7's name, which always gets brownie points. Then came the big things I like about her.

AJU6 quickly insisted on being held. So, the doctor helped me put AJU7 on the table and did everything there (normally we just do it with the baby in my lap). I loved that she was so flexible with us. She wrapped AJU7 up afterwards for me so she would stay warm while I nursed her (she was waking up and was hungry but not upset). Then, when I nursed AJU7, AJU6 had a FIT! He wanted to go home. He was crying, pushing on me to stand up, and in general throwing a huge tantrum. The doctor came back in and asked if she could take the two older ones to get their stickers while I finished up with AJU7. It worked perfectly. They had Thomas the Tank Engine stickers, which both kids love. AJU5 picked Percy, and AJU6 picked Thomas. Add that AJU5 let AJU6 hold hers, and they were "happy" through the rest of the time we were there.

For AJU7's next appointment, we are trying afternoon. Hopefully that will avoid the lack of nap tantrum. But, of course AJU6 could change his schedule between now and then too...

The Name Game

So, naming AJU7 was not easy. The week before she was born, my husband posted two polls on Facebook about boy names. We thought we had a short list of good girl names, so we weren't worried about them. The boy names were down to a short list, and we had a girl. Picking her name took over 24 hours...

First we went back over our list. We looked up the "stats" on the Social Security webpage as well as meaning and Biblical history (since all of the AJ names are Biblical). Our front-runner girl names quickly were losing favor. It turns out that one is actually a lot more common as a boy name. The person is male in the Bible, but it still sounds like a girl name. Friends on FB that were commenting on my husband's statuses actually included it on their lists for a girl, but we just couldn't do it. Then another name we liked has a very common male version. The spellings are different, but the pronunciations are the same. So, again it was off the list. Another name my husband said he didn't like all along, and then he decided he liked it. y this point, I didn't like it because it had been off the table for so long. After about 8 hours, we didn't have a good name. We thought one might work, but we were going to sleep on it. My husband went home to spend a little time with the kids before bed (since AJU5 was very sad I wasn't coming home). Before we both went to sleep, that name was off the table basically.

The next morning we texted about names. That let him spend some more time with the kids (who were needing some daddy time for sure based on their behavior) but still think about things. He got to the hospital, and we went to work. We knew we technically had 10 days, but we would have had to go back to the hospital once we had a name. It was easier to get it done before we left. And we finally picked one out. One he had texted in the morning was sticking with me for a first name. Then, I "made" him pick the middle name. We had three middle names we liked, and it was more of picking the one that sounded the best. He got to run down to the birth records department while we waited on the nurse to get back (she had a new admit to deal with before we could finish the discharge) so we could get the proof of birth for insurance.

Her name isn't 100% Biblical, but the "root" is Biblical at least. Girl names just aren't that common in the Bible, and so many of them are "weird" or have bad meanings (and not-so-great stories). AJU6's name doesn't have a good meaning, but at least the person he is named after has a great story. And that story explains the meaning. AJU5's name has good meaning and a pretty good story. AJU7 has a good meaning, but the reference is normally just in genealogies/lists. But, it was the best we could do...

The Past 5 Days (and 9 Months)

As most of you who read this already know, we welcomed AJU7 into the family last week. At first my husband wanted to keep the pregnancy quiet at work - just because he wanted the surprise factor I think. Then it got to the point where it just felt weird announcing it to the "world" on facebook and here, although I had told MANY people. This is part of the reason there had been so few posts the last 9 months - there wasn't much to talk about not involving being pregnant/I was too tired to post much.

So, now for the birth story. Let me just say in so many ways it was perfect.

We thought the baby would come by the due date, as AJU5 was 4 days early, and AJU6 was 2 days early. But, it wasn't to be. This one came one day late. We had decided to "force" the baby out the day she decided to come on her own, and I guess knowing her eviction date was what she needed.

At 4 am, I woke up in pain. She was on a nerve, and it HURT. It wasn't contractions - just a constant pain until she moved. This happened again at 5am. Most likely she had dropped some in the night, which is probably a good thing. So, at 5am, I took a shower, hoping that would move her to a better position. While in the shower, I thought I might have had a contraction. So, I took a bath. By the end of the bath, I knew I was in labor. So, at 6am, I texted my husband since he was on his way into work (he left shortly after I got in the shower). Well, he didn't get the text since he was already in the office and his computer hadn't synced yet. So, 30 minutes later I called him and "ordered" him home. I also called the doctor at this point because the contractions were real and fairly regular. The kids where watching TV, and my MIL had just gotten up (and was taking a quick shower).

Around 7 my husband got home and he finished packing up snacks and water, and we left. His mum was pushing us out the door although the two of us weren't so impatient. I just wanted to get to the car BETWEEN contractions. I had gotten "stuck" on the stairs mid-contraction, and I didn't want to repeat that for sure - OUCH. We got to the hospital before 7;30, and we figured out how to get into registration after a minute or two. They have "secured" both the labor and delivery unit and the post-partum unit in the last 20 months, so the doors were "locked". You had to go around the corner to get into registration, but luckily we finally saw the sign which said that. After going over all the registration stuff (since I didn't pre-register again), we walked to triage. Since I had already called the doctor, they lead us to the room. I of course had to change and pee in a cup, and then they hooked me up to the monitors and took my vital signs. Then the nurse came in and repeated the vital signs.

Eventually the midwife on duty (for my OB practice) came in an checked me. I was definitely having strong contractions at the point and was being a little vocal. The midwife was really nice and actually complimented me on how I was handling everything. She checked me, and I was 7 cm. She asked about pain meds, and I said if it lasts much longer I would like the epidural (because boy were they starting to hurt). She said they would move me to the real room and get things going as quickly as possible, but there weren't any guarantees there would be time. A few minutes later I was starting to have to say more during the contractions and have my husband rub my back at the worst of each one. And a few minutes after that I felt pressure. I told him to go get the nurse (he asked if I was sure), and just as he got into the hall, the nurse was coming in. They believed me, and rushed me to the L&D room. By the time they wheeled me into the room, they could see the head (but I had missed that conversation). I made it onto the real bed, pushed a couple of times (I had been pushing some along the way because, well, my body said I had to), and she was born. The midwife barely made it into the room before I moved beds, and she placed the little girl on my stomach so I could see what she was (just like the other two we didn't know the gender). AJU7 got to lay on my stomach for 30 minutes or more - they didn't move her until she had nursed already and everything was calm in the room.

From start to finish, labor was at most 3.5 hours (I am not 100% sure on the first contraction's time). I was able to deliver for the second time without drugs. There was no fetal distress or any of that craziness - something I had been praying about. I only had a VERY small tear and didn't need any stitches. The midwife that delivered her was great. She was very complimentary and joked with us afterwards. The rest of the medical staff welcomed us to have 5 more babies there (something that WILL NOT HAPPEN). Oh, and the hospital now does "room service" instead of set meal times, so I got breakfast in the L&D room (cereal and yogurt)!

Now, the only things that would have made it better:
1. My OB there (but I knew it wasn't that likely since she is only at the hospital 12 hours a week normally).
2. In the L&D room a few more minutes so I would have been more aware that they baby was coming out (but I am not sure how much of a good thing that would be).
3. No blood clots after birth. Having them work to get them all out was painful.

So, it was a great labor and delivery, especially compared to the craziness of the other two. We think we are done now, but of course God could have other plans...

My MIL left on Sunday, and my parents arrived about 2 hours later. They left this morning, and now we are working on getting the bigger kids adjusted to the new normal. AJU5 is being difficult and talking back at times, but we think a lack of sleep/over stimulation might be more behind it than the new baby. AJU6 is very clingy to either my husband or I. This is going to be the biggest challenge I think, especially since he can't say what he is feeling like his big sister can. Luckily my husband has a flexible work schedule for the rest of the week...

The Tale of Two Sessions

We started the second session of swim lessons yesterday. And it is like a totally different world with the AJU's. Part of it I expected, part of it I didn't. But, at least I think I know the reason for the unexpected part.

AJU5 is doing great! Yesterday she cried twice - first when I left her (but she didn't stay upset) and then when she was done and I wasn't there yet. She was cold and having difficulty with her towel. Luckily another mom helped her, and I was walking over anyways so she finally saw me. Today there wasn't a tear at all! Well, after we got our swim suits on and to the pool that is. I was there when she got our, and she was happy in class again.

AJU6 isn't thrilled with his class. The first week (it turns out) is more structured than the second week. Week 1 they go over the holds and skills, and they expect the class to stay together in a circle. Of course, my 19.5 mo doesn't want me to hold him for 40 minutes, even if we are moving. He wants some control. Add a cold pool today, and we got out about 5 minutes early. He was shivering, and I had enough of him whining about getting down. I think the structure is making it even harder for him to progress. If he isn't happy, he isn't going to do what I ask, especially since his vocabulary isn't that huge. Things like blowing bubbles and kicking he can do, but normally it isn't on command. Tomorrow we bring toys, so we will see how that goes. I know next week will be like the week we did before (at least partly), so I think we will be okay in the long run.

Hopefully by next Friday AJU5 will be "graduating" from the preschool class and AJU6 will not be wanting to get out of the water like he is this week...

Swim Lessons - Takes 2-5

Day 1 was definitely the worst. Now, that is not to say the others days were easy, but Day 1 was definitely the worst!

Day 2 started with me joining AJU5 in the circle for her class again. When it was time to get in, she was not willing. I had even bribed her, but it was a no go. So, I took her to the big pool where she had to sit on the bench while AJU6 and I swam. Well, the big pool was a little cool for the little ones, we just after AJU6 did a couple of jumps into the pool (one of his favorite things), we went to the little pool. I decided to let AJU5 in with us, hoping that watching her class AND doing many of the same things with me would help on Day 3. And since the water is at most 2.5 ft deep, it was easy to keep them both safe (AJU5 can walk the whole pool, and AJU6 can walk half of it).

Day 3 started off like the others. I got AJU5 to go into the water with her class, and AJU6 and I went to the big pool - for one jump. Then it was back to the little pool. AJU5 tried to "escape" her class once, but between the teacher and myself, we got her back to her side of the pool and she stayed. She just wasn't comfortable with putting her face in the water (no surprise to me - she HATES getting her face wet), and so she wanted away! Since she did well enough, she got an ice cream cone on the way home.

Day 4 started off okay. The little class just started outside, so AJU6 and I got in before AJU5. I had to get out to help her get in line, but everything was going well. Then they moved to the big pool. AJU5 did not like that. The teacher carried her over, and before too long a parent carried her back to me. She was afraid of sinking, and I accepted it. She swam with AJU6 and I until class was over. AJU6 figured out a new trick - going underwater and trying to swim. He walks a few steps and then pushes his feet back and goes under the water. It is oh so fun to "save" him every couple of seconds. It made it so I couldn't work with AJU5 much at all, but I did get her "dunked" a few times at least.

Day 5 was today. It started out like Day 4, with the parent/tot class just swimming outside. Again AJU5 wasn't sure about lining up with her class, but I got her to join in. They went straight to the big pool. I had to bring AJU6 and join them on the deck until she got settled. But she stayed! She didn't' get in initially like the other kids, eventually she got in even! She is slowly warming up to one of the teachers, and I think that is a huge help! That teacher is willing to push AJU5 a little, but knows that when AJU5 gets upset enough to let her calm down and just ask again later. I hope she is one of AJU5's teachers next session for sure. If she is, I think AJU5 will make big progress! I want her to at least be able to put her face in the water after 2 more weeks of lessons. If she doesn't get beyond that, I am okay.

Oh, and AJU6 kept up with his going under water today. He loves it, and he isn't taking in water at all. So, I think he is getting the idea. Now I just have to figure out how to get him to kick and/or use his arms so he can go somewhere. He is definitely more like me when it comes to water. I am guessing AJU5 is more like her daddy...

Swim Lessons - Take 1

So, AJU5 is feeling 100% other than not having all of her energy back (i.e. she needs a nap for sure each day and often sleeps a little more at night, both of which I don't mind in the least). The fever went away Friday/Saturday, her nose isn't running any more, and she has been eating like normal (if not a little extra). So, we went to church yesterday and tried to tackle swim lessons today.

I have her signed up for the preschool class and AJU6 and I signed up for the parent/tot class. I thought they would have everyone in the big pool, but it turns out they have the preschoolers in the kiddie pool. The biggest issue with this is that she can't see us and I can't see her. Normally (when the pool is open for the public) they have the doors open so you can see the kiddie pool fromt he big pool. But, they have them closed during lessons for some unknown reason. I finally thought I had gotten her settled in her class (after they took role, went over the safety rules, got a little wet on teh side of the pool and then eventually got in the pool, but before too long one of the lifeguards brought her too me. So, I got to try to hold on to both kids int eh parent/tot class.

AJU6 is big into "Ready, Set, Go" and loved to jump into the pool (that is all he wanted to do actually). But, after one jump AJU5 was done with jumping in, probably because I let her go under some. But, she loved climbing in and out on the ladder, so it wasn't too bad. But, it is hard to work with them on floating and kicking when holding on to both at the same time...

Hopefully tomorrow will be better... I want to get AJU5 to stay with her class. We have another two week session in July, and I really want to be "normal" participants in lessons by then at least. If the rest of this week is spent getting her comfortable with her class, I am okay with that. I just have to corral AJU6, as he wants in the pool too (I had to grab him at least a handful of times as I tried to get our towels out and shoes on so we could go home as he toddled to the edge of the pool). He even tried to climb in a few times with AJU5's class in the little pool. If only he would follow instructions - I would just put them both in the preschool class! But he isn't verbally ready for that just yet (maybe next summer)...

So here is to praying tomorrow goes better. At least I now know the routine and everything so I can prepare AJU5 a little more. If only her baby doll was water safe - then maybe she would be okay (but then trying to participate with a toy might not be that easy)...

No Answers...

I ended up taking AJU5 to the doctor Tuesday. She had a low fever in the morning, but then it spiked to over 104 in the afternoon AND she threw up the Advil I was trying to give her. It turns out her tonsils are nasty, so they did a strep test. The rapid test was negative, and since the lab was already closed by the time we knew that (well, about to close - would be closed before we could get there), we waited on the over night version. It came back negative, so today I took her to get a mono test. There is a "rapid" mono spot test and then another test for the other antibody. The rapid test came back negative, but the CBC levels are indicative of mono or a mono-like virus. So, (hopefully using the blood they already have) now they are testing for the other antibody tonight/tomorrow. We should have an "answer" by tomorrow afternoon...

AJU5 is miserable though. She is okay for a few hours at the "height" of the Advil, but she still isn't herself. And she doesn't want to take the Advil, so it is a struggle. Baths are also a struggle, but she smells so bad after she sleeps because of all the sweat and her throat. Her face also swelled up Tuesday morning, and we have no clue why. Luckily she can still open her eyes, and it is mostly around her eyes and cheeks (and she doesn't notice it). Keeping her hydrated has been not too hard, but she isn't eating much. Luckily I can get at least one sippy cup of milk with carnation instant breakfast in her and a few bites of something each day (yesterday was a pickle spear and one or two bites of cereal, and today was about 1/3 of a hot dog).

Hopefully tomorrow will bring an answer and no fights over medicine...

Thwart by a Bug

Also - How to Second Guess Yourself and an Apology (again)

Today was supposed to be day 1 of swim lessons for the kids, but we aren't going. AJU5 is sick :( Yesterday she woke up with a fever and complaining about her throat. I gave her some benadryl and advil, and she napped. By the end of the nap and a little TV, her fever was gone and her throat didn't hurt. But, I guessed (and was right) it was just the medicine. Her fever came back as the Advil wore off, but we waited until she wasn't comfortable to give her more. The throat wasn't bothering her, and now her complaints were her nose (which was congested/runny the whole time) and her mouth. She slept and watched TV all afternoon, and with a second dose of Advil in full swing, she was a little more herself in the evening. Her fever didn't drop completely, but she wanted to play "person game" (Chutes and Ladders), and she was up and moving at least. She had been drinking all day and even snacking a little, so I wasn't too worried. She got some more benadryl and tylenol before bed, and we were praying by morning she would be fine.

Around 3am, she cried enough for me to get out of bed (i.e. it wasn't just a dream cry). It turns out either she coughed up a little crud or her nose ran enough on her pillow to bother her. Since it was dark, I thought it was worse than it was until I got to the bathroom and just saw a little snot in a few places on her pillow. Luckily there is a second pillow on her bed, and she went back to sleep. Well, for an hour at least. Then she joined up in bed, asking for some milk. She was half awake from then until 5 I think, and then she pretty much slept until 8. Periodically I would check her temperature this morning. First it was 100. something. I was happy - I could deal with that. About 45 minutes later I checked again and it was 105. I was worried. Luckily I checked about 2 minutes later and it was down to 101. I checked again about 30 minutes later, and I got temperatures between 102 and 103. So, I knew it was time for Advil again. After with more Advil and milk in her system, she asked to be carried downstairs to watch her favorite TV show (which today appears to be Curious George). She is sitting up about 1/3 of the time and zombie-like the rest of the time. Hopefully once the Advil is in full affect, she will have a little energy....

I definitely have been second guessing myself with her and this bug. First I was afraid it might be strep, but I quick look online revealed that wasn't likely due to the congestion. And since her throat isn't bothering her anymore, I have ruled that out. Now it is the bug (virus) vs. infection debate. Is it worth going to the doctor? If it is just a virus, they won't be able to say or do much to help. But, if it is an infection, we could get medicine. I know it isn't a sinus infection (still running clear), and there is no stomach issues. So, it is just a head "disease" of some sort. Right now I am thinking virus and praying it is over by morning...

And today I realized once again I have been terrible at commenting on blogs. I gave up and closed about 10-15 tabs in Firefox, all of blogs I had opened and meant to comment on. But, when I am on the third row of tabs (and I have a wide-screen monitor), it is just too overwhelming. So, I cleared the deck and hopefully I can try to stay on top of them now!

Slacking - Again!

I can't believe it has taken me this long to blog - AGAIN! I have had posts in my head, but I havne't sat down at the computer to type them for one reason or another.

Summer is in swing around here. We bought a plastic baby pool last week, and the kids like it. AJU6 is actually more of a fan of getting in than AJU5 it seems, but I guess part of it might be he doesn't care if his clothes get wet. AJU5 on the other hand requires her swimsuit to get in, and the thought of changing out of her dress isn't always desirable. I also signed "us" up for two sessions of swim lessons this summer. AJU5 will be in a preschool class, and AJU6 will be with me in a parent/tot class. I used to teach swim lessons, and I hated the parent/tot classes! But, I know he won't be happy watching her and taking them to the pool alone is a pain, so I decided to let him have some fun too (my husband isn't a big pool fan...).

We also planted a garden, as our backyard transformation is almost done. We have sunflowers, corn, beans, radishes, tomatoes, pumpkin, watermelon, strawberries, lettuce, peas, and bell peppers (I think). Most we started as seeds, and we are getting seedlings already so we are happy. Hopefully we will produce something this year!

Oh, and now I have been labeled a "cloth diaper expert." I am a page administrator for two Facebook pages about cloth diapers now. I get a little money to feed my addiction there, and it is easy work. I just have to answer questions as they are asked (and check in at least twice a day for said questions). The funny thing is 14 months ago I had very little clue about cloth diapers. I knew there were cute/colorful covers and you put things in them. Now I know most/all of the lingo and have tried out a good number of them (and want to try more but am not willing to spend the money YET).

Well, I think that is it. How is your summer going?

Life Is Precious

I just found out one of my aunts passed away this morning. About a month ago she became very sick. They quickly learned that her bone marrow was no longer creating new blood cells like it should, an effect of cancer treatment about 30 years ago for lymphoma. She was actually the only person alive still that had received the treatment. She had blood transfusions and started to be stable. Then they did chemotherapy to try and get the bone marrow to work and fight any cancer that may be coming back. After one round of treatment, she said she was done. The side effects were just too great. She would rather spend her last days healthy than sick. She was still willing to get blood transfusions, but she was done with everything else.

She didn't want anyone to visit. Her younger sister (there are three sisters and two brothers in my mom's family) forced her way in because she lives in the same area. But, she didn't want my mom or her brothers to come visit. I know this is probably really hard on my mom. I found out from Facebook, as my mom posted on my wall about the death...

Life had finally returned to something they wanted. They had a grandson they got to see regularly after "loosing" their other grandkids after their son had a head injury that completely changed him (resulted in a divorce and the kids' mom moving them across country and making visits and contact difficult). They were enjoying life. And then this happened.

It really makes you realize how savoring every day is important. We need to live life like today may be the last. That doesn't mean we do anything crazy thinking today IS our last day. But, we need to accept that today MAY be our last day. Or it may be the last day for someone we love.

Are you ready?

Dentist

So, I took the kids to the dentist today. They went back in October/November. AJU6 went because his front two teeth were short and discolored back in October, and it turned out to just bee some staining and genetics. I took AJU5 back a few weeks later since we liked the office we went to. She was not very cooperative, so I didn't know how today would go at all.

Turns out both kids did AWESOME! AJU5 only whined/cried once. She was completely cooperative during the cleaning, fluoride treatment, and even an x-ray. Then, shortly after all that she threw up... That is what caused the crying, which I can understand. But the dentist bribed her with a sucker (that she didn't get to eat until we were home), and she sat still for him to look at her teeth, etc too. Then it was AJU6's turn. The dentist decided to try him in the big chair instead of the lap board, and he was quite cooperative. The other dentist (it is a father/son team) walked through the area and joked about us drugging him. He even sat still for the dentist to polish a few of his teeth that had a tiny bit of staining.

Both kids do have alignment issues thanks to their love of pacifiers, but other than that their teeth are perfect. I am just relieved that there was no fighting at all today!

(Hopefully I will catch up on some posts I have planned to write sometime in the next month. I know, I am terrible at blogging these days!)

Egg Issues (and Apology)

First, let me apologize for being such a bad blogger lately. Not only have I not written, I haven't commented much either! I will sort of blame the kids. They are rarely giving me any time at the computer these days, as they both like to use the mouse and keyboard. So, I only get a few minutes here and there between 6:30am and 8:15pm most days. Oh, and they refuse to nap at the same time. AJU6 naps in the morning (he is down by 10 at the latest), and if AJU5 naps, it isn't until after 1 (normally after 2 or 3). So, yeah, no time to sit, read, AND type. I have been reading all of your posts, but I just never find a few moment to type without little fingers trying to "help" me with it...

So, on to today's adventures. We are going to dye eggs for the first time as a "family." First issue: forgetting to watch the eggs while cooking. Luckily only 2 eggs (out of 14) were cracked, but the water when I went to turn it off made it look like all of them were ruined. Luckily the second batch was perfect. Second fun: AJU5 found one of the cracked eggs on the counter. I let her look at it as I put AJU6 down for a nap. Then she met me upstairs without the egg. I forgot about it until I saw a Faceb00k post about eggs. I asked her where it was. Luckily she had put it back on the counter. But, she had investigated it for sure! She tried to eat it without pealing. I was trying to figure out why she was telling me about crunchy bits on the way to the kitchen... So I peeled it for her, and she was a lot happier! Hopefully the afternoon won't be so interesting!

Perfectionist

I think AJU5 is a perfectionist. And I think that is why she won't color. Instead, she "makes" me do it.

She found the love of some software I have on my computer. It is meant for die-cutting (for scrapbooking), but you can also print your creations. So, we have printed a few creations so far. And she says before we print she wants to color. But, we get the colors out, she might make a mark on the paper, and then she says she can't do it and I have to. Today she "had" to do some of it on her own since AJU6 wasn't napping. She got outside the lines twice and flipped out. She got the pencil, and tried to erase the crayon. It didn't work great, but it helped a little. Luckily I still had the picture on the computer, so I just printed her another one. It is still blank...

I hope she gets over this soon. She is the same way with writing letters. She has successfully written T, L, I, and A before, but lately she has refused. She makes a mark and says she can't do it. I hope to get her over this, but there doesn't seem to be a quick solution. I keep pushing her to do some - taking turns for some things - and it isn't making a big difference. But, she is only 3. So, there is time.

Luckily, she does have her colors and shapes down now and can count to at least 12. Our next goal is to know the numbers visually (what number is this game). But, she isn't interested really. Again, she is only 3, so we have some time...

On a Lighter Note - New Skills!

AJU5 and AJU6 both mastered new things this week outside, as we have taken some advantage of the warmer temperatures here.

First, AJU6 learned to climb to the top of the playground using the ladder. This means I don't have to lift him up anymore - something I do like. Unfortunately he thinks he can come down the ladder too, but his legs just aren't long enough yet. I am working on getting him to slide, but ours has a bump and a good drop at the end, so he doesn't like to slide alone (he has hit his head a few times when we have tried it).

And the biggest news - AJU5 can peddle her own tricycle! She figured out how to go backwards a week or two ago. Her trike has a removable handle, and she had been practicing. But, there is only so much pushing her around in circles a mommy can take (especially with AJU6 walking around). Today she asked me to take the handle off and she made is across the concrete on her own (the length of our house). I bet she could have gone farther, but she changes activities A LOT these days.

I plan on letting the kids play outside a lot this spring and summer, and hopefully they will be pretty independent out there soon. I know I will still have swing pushing duties, but it will be nice to just sit outside and watch them like I get to do a few minutes each day already.

Private Businesses (and Individuals) and Their Rights

It is becoming more and more common for private institutions - whether they be businesses, schools, or families - to be "raked over the coals" for religious beliefs. It is to the point that private institutions are losing many freedoms I don't think they should.

Personally, I think any private institution that makes its belives public knowledge (stated clearly and easily found) should be able to act on those views and beliefs as long as they don't cause harm to others and other "businesses" exist to meet the needs of those that disagree.

In 2008, a photographer was sued because she refused to photograph a same sex commitment ceremony. The only thing the same sex couple was "out" was the time to look at a webpage, write two emails, and read two emails. Yet, they won a court case and were awarded over $6000. Really - would they have wanted that photographer if she was not comfortable with the event? I don't think her photos would be the quality they would have wanted because she heart wouldn't be into her artistic work. And this wasn't in a small town where there are only a few photographers. So, they easily could have found someone else. But, according to the courts, the photographer discriminated and hence was wrong.

Recently there have been two companies that have taken heat over the same issue - one on each side. Chick-fil-a has lost customers because a franchise donated free food to a marriage conference that was openly against same sex marriage. As part of the controversy, the owners of Chick-fil-a made it clear that they do not support same sex marriage, and as a result many have been up in arms. Does Chick-fil-a refuse to serve homosexuals? No. Home Depot on the other hand has financially supported same-sex organizations and legislation. So, some people who hold to the other side choose not to shop there. Again - does Home Depot refuse to sell items to those who want marriage to be defined as a union between 1 man and 1 woman? No. I am glad (for now) this is just a case of people spending money where they want. I think this is how it should be. Although both companies haven't made it totally clear to the public their stances, the public is spreading the word and making their own decisions utilizing our free-market economy.

BYU was under a little heat recently for putting its star basketball play on probation for breaking the school's honor code. This college student had sex outside of marriage, and as a result suffered the consequences. No one at BYU is crying foul because the player knew the rules. But, those on the outside looking in are saying BYU's rules are wrong. They claim it isn't fair to expect students to not have sex. I disagree. First, there are many other schools this gentleman could have gone to. He would have gotten a free ride at MANY schools around the nation. But, he chose to go to BYU. He knew going in what was expected of him. He broke the rules and is accepting the punishment. And, it was either him or his girlfriend that told the school - it isn't like they have people going around watching them 24-7. It is an honor code, and they chose to be honorable and turn themselves in.

In the UK, many similar things are going on, and it is probably worse than the US. One human rights organization said that Christian foster parents "infect" foster children with moral values. This is the same organization that is helping a same sex couple file an appeal after being awarded "only" 6300 pounds (over $10,000) in a lawsuit because the judge took into account that the company owners were in fact acting on sincere religious convictions when refusing service instead of "just" discriminating against the couple.

I would even argue that restaurants should be able to allow smoking if they want to. Now, there must be signs posted EVERYWHERE letting potential customers know of the rules. But, if the customers and workers knew of the rules before entering the establishment, I don't have a problem with it. I see so many restaurant workers smoking outside restaurants that I don't think there would be a lack of workers. And if people wanted to be around the stench of smoke while they ate - then let them do so. Personally, I wouldn't go near the place...

What is your take? How far should the government regulate what private businesses do?

Keeping Me on My Toes on a Sunday

I definitely didn't have a restful Sunday yesterday. It wasn't a bad Sunday, but it was full of "fun."

It started with AJU6 joining us in bed around 2. He had been doing this for a few days because of allergies (it is very hard to suck on a paci when your nose is stuffed up). Luckily, AJU1 realized I was SO tired since I had dealt with him the past few nights that he took him. AJU6 likes to be touching you as he sleeps, and half of the time he wants his head on some part of your body. This makes it really hard to find a comfortable position and has resulted in much lost sleep. (Last night I gave up and gave him a small dose of Benadryl before bed so we could all get one good night of sleep, but I don't want to give him drugs every night. Ugh.)

We got up a little earlier than normal because with AJU6 in bed with us, AJU5 couldn't snuggle with me until he cried. Instead, he stood up and tried to walk to the end of the bed, got down, and then motioned us to go downstairs with his hands and grunts. Luckily it wasn't too early.

From there it is was Sunday morning as usual, although I did curl my hair for the first time on a Sunday in AGES. I started curling the ends about a week and a half ago when I went someplace other than walks/very quick trips to the store. It looks so much better with a little curl/body!

Sunday School went fine. AJU5 was a little quirky, but it wasn't a bad thing. She just didn't want to color. Luckily her friend (and the only other student in her class other than AJU6 this week) was willing to color her finger puppets for her so we could make them.

Church started out fine. AJU6 fell asleep in my arms during the songs. AJU5 was playing with the figures from Sunday School (paper cut-outs), and all was going well. Then it came the prayer between the message and the invitational. AJU5 had found the fruit leather in the diaper bag and wanted a piece. AJU6 of course started bouncing and begging for some too. So, I broke off small pieces for each one. They were content. Until AJU6 started choking. Before I knew it, he was throwing up... all over himself and me. I rushed us to the nursery to start washing it off. I ended up taking off both of our shirts. Luckily I had a tank top on and had AJU5 get my jacket for me. AJU6 just went topless. But, it was off of us and the smell was basically gone (oh the fun of milk puke).

After we got home, I got lunch on the table, and the boys snuggled up for some NASCAR watching as AJU5 and I ran to the mall. I realized how much I hate going to the mall on weekends when I saw the parking lot. But, I needed another pair of pants and AJU1 needed a tie for work. We hit up JcPenney, and luckily they had everything we needed. Unfortunately AJU5 had fallen asleep in the car on the way there. I carried her asleep all the way across the parking lot into the section where I found my pants. I laid her on the floor when I went to look at the pants, and she woke up. Within minutes she wanted her jacket off and to go look at dresses... I quickly found my pants and we headed downstairs to look for ties. Unfortunately my husband is not normal when it comes to ties. He refused to wear solids, stripes, plaids, and geometric patterns. That basically means no ties are left to pick from. I picked out four, some with some pattern, took a picture, and emailed him. I wasn't too happy with his choice, but it was done. While we waited for the picture to send, we went to the kids section and looked at dresses. Boy are they expensive - even at 40% off! With how much AJU5 wears them, I bet we would get our money's worth, but she has so many already. We picked out one I thought was cheaper than it actually was (due to bad sign-age), and went to look at things for AJU6. Of course she founda toy and debated over and over again between it and the dress. I found AJU6 a polo shirt for Easter, AJU1 emailed me back, and I convinced AJU5 to leave everything as I wasn't spending $18 on a small stuffed bunny or $30 on a dress yesterday. Maybe closer to Easter we will get a dress that expensive, but I know if I bought it now she would wear it every day she could, at least for a few weeks.

Luckily the rest of the day wasn't unpredictable. We watched the end of the race together. We went to evening service where AJU6 fought falling asleep on me many times. And then we came home, put AJU6 in bed, made popcorn, and watched a little TV before and after sending AJU5 to bed.

Hopefully next Sunday I can sleep in a little, won't be thrown up on, and won't have to go to the mall!

Expectations

Last week (or possibly two weeks ago), I got into a conversation on Facebook about expectations for young children. It actually started when I friend posted an article on time-outs and how they may not be affective. From there, it went to expectations.

One of my friend's friends (let's call her A) claimed that until the child is 4-6 years old, we shouldn't have expectations for obedience. She claimed we shouldn't expect a 3 year old to obey our commands, and as such there is little to no discipline needed. I disagreed. We definitely have expectations for AJU5, and I don't think we are expecting too much out of her. We do have to remember that she is 3 and give her a little time to stop what she is doing to obey, but at the same time we do expect her to obey.

A's claim started with her saying we shouldn't expect a child younger than the 4-6 range to put on shoes when asked. I thought this was crazy. AJU5 started to bey this command about a year ago. AJU6 is already getting his shoes when he realizes we are going someplace. Now, AJU6 might be doing it because he loves going outside, but it is a step in obedience. We didn't discipline AJU5 for not getting her shoes until the last 3-6 months though. Before that, we would get "manhandle" her if she didn't obey and put her shoes on for her. Now she has to do it herself, and she can. She can ask for help, but rarely does she need it. We also expect her to clean up her toys when asked. Other than that, it is just simple commands (come, sit, wait) that we expect her to obey.

From previous comments by A, it seems like she is very much into attachment parenting, etc. She just redirects her kids to distract them. I don't think I totally agree with this approach. We are the parents. We aren't to stifle our kids and make them robots, but at the same time we are to lead them and train them. We don't expect AJU5 to keep her toys clean all day long at 3. Instead, we expect her to pick them up once or twice a day. Some times, she has to put one "big" toy away to get a second, but other than that she can have her toys where she wants them.

The only other disciplines/trainings we do with her are to share (especially with AJU6) and to control her crying. If she takes something from AJU6, she has to give it back. If she has more than two items, and he wants one, she has to give him one. If she is crying and won't calm down, she is sent to her room to regroup (and normally this occurs because she is told no about something like another show).

What about you? What do you expect from you toddler/preschooler? Do you expect some basic obedience prior to kindergarten age?

A Case of the Icks

Our house has been sick this past week. It started last Sunday. AJU1 didn't feel good, and I wasn't 100%. His was a bug he caught on his trip the week before. I wasn't sure if mine was just exhaustion from the week or a bug. Monday I knew it was a bug when I threw up and was running a fever over 100. Luckily, my bug was basically gone the next day, and I was back to normal on Wednesday. But then Wednesday afternoon happened. AJU6 started to run a fever. It wasn't too high yet, but I was watching it. AJU1 was still sick with a head cold, but he was going to work (he claims he gets just as much rest there as at home with the kids). Thursday AJU6 was burning up - fever of 104 without medicine. Luckily Advil dropped it down to about 100, and he just "hung out" there for about 24 hours (with Advil every 6-7 hours). Once it got up to 104, but that was because he took a 3 hour nap starting about 45 minutes before I could give him another dose of Advil. He wasn't eating much, but he was drinking more than normal. So, I wasn't too worried. Yesterday he was doing better. His energy was back, and his fever was definitely on its last legs. But, then AJU5 started running a fever. First time I checked it it was 101.4. About 30 minutes later, it was up to about 101.8. So, she got Advil too. Other than the fever, the kids are just dealing with some congestion and the related cough after a night of sleeping, so I wonder if it is a different bug than AJU1 and I had - as he hasn't run a fever, and they haven't been nauseous. Luckily today AJU6 is fever free, and AJU5 was only at 101.2 this morning after going 14 hours without medicine (since she slept all night). So, maybe we are on the tail end of it...

The good news is I didn't have to deal with any ick. AJU6's diapers haven't been the nicest since he hasn't been eating as much, but luckily this isn't a stomach bug. A little runny nose snot I can deal with, but I am not a huge fan of puke or diarrhea - I HATE them.

The saddest part is AJU5 so wanted to go to church today. Her friend has been sick twice in the last four weeks and missed another Sunday because her mom was sick. She started asking on Monday for her friend to stop "sicking" so they could play at church. They did play Wednesday night and Thursday night, but I guess it just isn't the same as Sunday morning. She so wants to stop "sicking," but she isn't completely understanding that it takes time and rest. Hopefully after today both kids can be healthy for a while so they don't have to miss each other...

Kids and Sports

A friend posted this story below on Facebook (although I am paraphrasing everything in the post and comments):

Daughter is on a volleyball team for 8 and 9 year olds (roughly 3rd grade). During the third game of a match last weekend, the opposing team's coach stopped the game and made her players do push ups. That team had won the first two games, but they ended up losing the third game.

I was just shocked by the post. I didn't start playing team sports (other than swim team and tennis) until fourth grade. You could do soccer or softball in our area younger, but basketball didn't start until fourth grade, and volleyball wasn't an option until middle school (seventh grade). Sports were always about fun for me. Yes, I really liked to win, but it wasn't what was most important (trying your hardest and doing your best while enjoying the sport was). I wanted to coach when I was in college (and before of course), but the summer between my junior and senior year made me reconsider. I decided to go to grad school at that point and just see where things led me after having a bad taste for athletics in my "home" state twice in three years. And it was all because winning was becoming too important. Oh, and as a coach, you also had to make sure you players liked you too. If your players didn't like you OR you didn't win enough, you could easily lose your job. I didn't want that pressure. And I think I made the right decision. This friend is in that same state. And think that at the 3rd grade level winning is that important already in the minds of some...

Only 33 Days Later

So, I have been a terrible blogger. Many of you already know why*. But, it needs to change.

So, here is a funny story from this morning.

AJU6 was in the bath for his morning nap (he LOVES baths). He was tired since he woke up about every two hours for some reason last night. He kept putting his head down in the bathtub (on the lip so he didn't drown himself). I offered to get out, and he would just smile and play for a second. A few times I reached in to get him, and he did not like that. Eventually I gave up and got him out. He was SO tired. I quickly got a diaper and shirt on him and put him to bed. This little guy is so stubborn it is funny at times!

Failure!

So, I still haven't been commenting on blogs as much as I want. And I wasn't going to post until I got better. But, I decided to "clean the deck" again and hopefully be more successful. I think the biggest issue I am having is that I am opening the posts on my desktop, but I am only spending maybe 10 minutes on it a day. With the laptop in the family room, I am using it 99% of the time (and using my phone to check Facebook and email other times). I am actually only using the desktop to do work grading, and that is fairly minimal.

So, now I am going to open the posts on the laptop and comment on them there. I just have to get used to typing standing up... But, hey - I will burn more calories this way!

In munchkin news, AJU5 is wearing dresses almost exclusively. Other than the couple of times we have insisted on jammies for bed (and truly, it has been 1-3 times), she hasn't worn anything but a dress (with pants some times) since Christmas. some days she goes through a few of them. Other times we have to force her to change after 48 hours in the same dress. This is SO not what we expected!

AJU6 is very demanding these days. And it is all because we can understand what he wants. he can get us to follow his commands to get him food. He can beg for the TV to be turned on. I don't remember AJU5 being quite this ... what is the word... not vocal per se but communicative. He is slowly getting words, but pointing, grunting, and making other noises is working for him. And I don't know how much I like it. But, he is only waking about once a night now, and all he wants is his paci (if he lost it) and some snuggles. So, I can live with this I guess...

A New Year's Resolution

Sorry I have been so terrible at commenting on blogs. I actually have 19 posts open right now, meaning to comment on them. I think there might be a few open on the laptop too. I blame the kids for half of it. It is almost impossible to type with one of them on the lap (and two is impossible), but I can use the mouse. Hence, I read posts and open them. But, then I never get back to commenting. Sometimes I do. But it is too rare. So, I need to set aside time each day to comment. Hopefully I can start today or tomorrow. If I make it a "rule" that I can't leave posts open over night, then maybe I will either comment or close them. When I get to 19 like I have now, it just seems to daunting to even start. I would have to really reread the posts at this point to remember everything and then think of a comment and post. Ugh.

In other news, the kids are doing fine. There is a daily battle of toys around here. They both want the same ones, and I have having to teach AJU5 that she can't just steal the toys out of AJU6's hands. And there are the times AJU6 is upset because AJU5 has the toy he wants, but luckily he is normally okay with trading. Except for yesterday when he was very mad at me for giving AJU5 Larry (the Cucumber) after his nap. I had to grab it out of his bed, so I didn't think he wanted it. AJU5 saw it wasn't in his hand, so she asked and I gave it to her. And he cried and fussed for a good 10-20 minutes. Luckily eventually she went to church with Daddy and he got Larry back (and took him to bed with him).

Too many toys

I think I got too many new toys for Christmas this year. My husband spoiled me with as laptop, smart phone, and a kinect for the family. Then my mom (and dad) got me a Silhouette SD. And I haven't had time to play with them all.

The kids got lots of puzzles and Veggie Tales dvds. I feel spoiled compared to them, but they are happy and don't know better...

Typed on smart phone...

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Santa and Some Randomness

Yeah, so I have post ideas, and then I just never open the Dashboard to write them. I get sidetracked with the kids, and don't comment on blogs as well (but rest assured I still read every post in my Google Reader and open most of them thinking I will comment later). Here is one topic I have been thinking about:

I am glad we haven't done the Santa thing. Reading and seeing things on Facebook makes me really glad we don't want the pictures of the kids with the jolly man. The lines. The grumpy Santas. The kids scared of the big man. Yeah, I don't think it is worth it. Now, there are some good pics of kids with Santa too. But, they are not the majority!

So why haven't we done Santa? Well, there was no way AJU5 would have had a picture with Santa before her first Christmas as she got home from the hospital 4 days before and was still on oxygen. Plus, it wasn't even on my radar that year, as I was still recovering from all the insanity that was her birth.

Then there is the whole lying/hiding/being secretive thing. I just don't think it is worth it. I want the kids to actually thank the person who got them things - and you can't really thank Santa... Okay, you could write a thank you card, but it isn't the same. And I am not great at being secretive anyways, so it would be difficult for me.

And then there is the part where we don't go all out at Christmas anyways. With their birthdays so close to Christmas, we only get them a few things. They get enough toys from family that they don't need more and won't really appreciate it, especially at this age.

And then at this age,t hey don't get it anyways really. AJU5 has been watching Saint Nicholas - the Veggie Tales version - a lot lately. Maybe she has a little idea that there is a person called Santa now. But, before that show she was completely clueless. She saw a few Santa decorations, and she thought they were Noah (since she has a few Noah books and a Noah Little People set). It would be a battle to get her to completely understand Santa even at 3, so it is just easier.

Now I just have to remember not to ruin it for my nephews that still believe. Last year I almost blew it because I was telling my sister how the kids only got a few things from us, including the things in the stockings. Luckily the boys weren't listening closely...

Wordless Wednesday - Birthday Present (Yesterday)

I Survived!

I don't know how military wives do it. DH was gone for almost a full week, and I was so ready for him to be home!

He left last Sunday from church, and he got back around 6pm on Saturday. And some how I survived the week with both kids. AJU5 asked where Daddy every day. She actually does this during the week too, but she did it a little more frequently (normally it is just when she gets up, and she will tell me where he is). Of course AJU6 can't talk much, so I don't know how much he noticed.

Luckily it was a fairly busy week. Monday I had to pick up exams and grade them. Tuesday I had to drop them back off at campus so they could be mailed to the students. Wednesday I got a call from the neighbor inviting us to a cookie exchange on Friday. We also had church that night. Thursday was our normal walk and then Cubbies at night. Friday, we went to a Christmas Corral (the Pumpkin Stand transformed), then to the cookie exchange (minus Amos who I left with a friend), and then dinner at the friends'. That was 9 hours away from home - minus a quick run to the potty and grabbing of cookies. Saturday was our church's Christmas potluck, so we were gone for about 4 or so hours as well. Between Friday and Saturday, I bakes two double batches of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and a batch of butter rolls. I also had to make to morning trips to the store as we were out of oatmeal, Crisco, and butter before it was all done. Luckily the "bribe" of cookie making made it easy to get AJU5 out of the house.

I also got one 22 page mini scrapbook album done for my MIL and got all my shopping for the niece, nephews, and husband done. Now I just have a TINY bit for the kids (AJU6 socks and AJU5 tights or leggings) left, plus my mom and sister. Not too bad!

This week will be crazy too. Tomorrow is AJU5's birthday, Thursday I am in charge of Cubbies craft and snack, Finals are this week, and Saturday is the kids' birthday party. So, if you don't hear from me - don't worry!

Maybe I won't Scrapbook This, as He Might Kill Me Later

I am referring to AJU6 and his current "room."

On our road trip, he became a TERRIBLE sleeper again - up every 2 hours. I thought it might be the dog, who slept right outside their window most nights. Or it might be teething. But, after over a week of not getting more than 2 hours of sleep in a row, I decided we needed to try a little CIO. But, I couldn't have him waking AJU5, as that would be worse as she would want to sleep with us (which means I get kicked all night).

I knew the guest bedroom wasn't a great idea because the one other time we let him cry for more than a couple of minutes he woke his sister in the next room. The office wouldn't be much better, as the distance to her would be about the same. And of course our room wasn't an option. Downstairs wasn't a good idea because he would be woken up by AJU1 when he goes to work in the morning - before 6am. So, there was one option - their bathroom.

Luckily the bathroom is big enough for the pack-n-play plus access to the bathtub, both sinks, and the drawers. The potty isn't accessible, but it is rarely used anyways since AJU5 prefers the downstairs bathroom for some reason (probably because that is where we trained her). We started Tuesday night. He woke around 8;15, and screamed for a while. Since we weren't in bed yet, I got him and tried to get him to sleep. I also offered him his cup. But, he just screamed. So, before too long, I put him back in bed and he fell asleep within a few minutes. He slept for 3 hours at a time, and I was "happy."

Wednesday night AJU1 watches him while I go to church (and AJU5 comes with me now). So, when he cried when I got home (well, a little after that), I did let him nurse since he didn't have that option before going to bed. He nursed well, and then he slept for about 4 hours at a time. I was happier than the night before.

Last night he did okay. He didn't wake when I got home (from Awana with AJU5), so when he woke about 4 hours after going to bed, he was definitely thirsty/hungry. After that, he slept for about 3 hours at a time. At one point I realized AJU1 didn't change him before bed, which might have been why he was waking so much (very soggy diaper!). Also, he didn't have jammies on, so his legs were a little cold. But still, it was better than the every 2 hours he had done before. AND!!! he slept in until 7 (he had been up by 6 most of the week, beating his sister up).

Tonight he went to bed early - before 6. Four hours later, and he is still asleep. He did get two shots today (MMR and PCV), so he was tired and fussy this afternoon. I dosed him with Tylenol before he went down, and I have Advil ready if he needs it tonight. Hopefully it will be another night of good sleep.

I don't expect him to sleep 10+ hours at night for a few more months. AJU5 was definitely older before she did it regularly. But, I will be happy as long as I don't have to get up more than twice a night! Oh, and there has been very little CIO it turns out. I am just afraid to put them back in the same room right now... maybe a week before Christmas we will try again.

What We Have Been Up To

We left for the inlaws on Friday, Nov. 19. We left around 11 am, and drove about 11 hours. Then, Saturday, we had "6" hours left (except there was snow, so it was about 7 hours plus we stopped for about 2 hours at family for lunch - you get the picture). We stayed until Saturday (the 27th). We did the same driving - 11 hours the first day and 6 the second - and again there was snow.

The kids did fairly well in the car. We quickly realized AJU5 could actually hold it when there wasn't a potty to stop at. We just rationed her drinking, and we didn't have to stop too much for her. AJU6 had a few fussy times, but in general he was happy sitting next to me in his car seat.

While we were at the inlaws, the kids got to play in the snow a tiny bit. It was VERY cold (below 0 on morning, and it never got over 32), so we didn't stay out long. But, I think they enjoyed it a little bit. The snow was too dry to do much with it though.

Of course we celebrated Thanksgiving while we were there. None of the "extras" came, so there were only 10 of us. AJU5 fell asleep in my lap just before dinner was served, but she woke up before everyone was done (and dessert was served). AJU6 went down for a nap before dessert was over. It was "fun" trying to deal with their nap needs for sure.

Thanksgiving night we let AJU6 have his cake. We knew Friday would be crazy, and since he was born on Thanksgiving, we thought it was appropriate. I baked a banana cake, cut it in the shape of a tractor (with two extra square cakes for the kids), and then frosted with cream cheese frosting. It looked okay and tasted pretty good. We gave AJU6 his square whole, and he picked it up and destroyed the frosting. Then, we cut it, and he ate some. He definitely made a mess and consumed some of it!

The inlaws got the kids a tricycle for birthdays/Christmas, so we let them see that Thanksgiving too. AJU5 was in love, and AJU6 enjoyed it too, even after he hurt himself on the trailer hitch and drew blood. It will be a hit for years to come at their place I bet, as AJU5 can't totally reach the pedals at the shortest seat setting and the uncles enjoyed "riding" it too.

Since then I have been trying to keep my head above water. The term is drawing to a close, so I have had work work to do. Then there is AJU5's actual birthday and their party. Oh, and Christmas cards and Christmas shopping. It is a busy time of year for us!