Intervention

I got the boost I needed yesterday.

First, I watched NieNie's video about her new book. I cried and kicked myself for not being more grateful. It comes out next week. I think I might have to read it. Or listen.



My friend and Visiting Teacher came over and reminded me that Duh! I'm tired! I should be tired. This is hard work. She brought peanut butter cookies and then took Scrunch to her house to play for a few hours. God love 'er!

I saw my neighbor detailing his lawnmower. I laughed at the weirdo and called my mom to tell her. "So? What's wrong with that?" "Oh my gosh! Do you do that?!?" "So? What's wrong with that? How else do you get all the grassy gunk off?" This only made me laugh harder. It's a lawnmower!

Then I went for my last visit with my midwives. I was able to donate milk to a baby who needs it. I get to pay it forward! Then I was validated. I am normal. And Juju is nursing a lot. At seven weeks she's up to 12lbs 3 ounces. She's gained over four pounds! Cream-a-licious.

Just went I started to think my little lump was a little on the serious side- she's started smiling. On purpose! And cooing. You would hate me if you knew what an angel baby she is. It's hardly her fault at all that I'm tired.

A long talk with my sister reminded me that she knows lots of child psychologists. We'll be fine! They'll be fine.

I was starting to feel good.

I got this!

I can do this!

She-rah!!

And maybe I got a little carried away because then I decided, "Hey! I can do that!" and I cut Porkchop and Papa's hair. I've paid for the clippers and a manicure! Booyah!

Before I could get any further and really set the world on it's ear, I slipped and fell down the little embankment between Winco and The Goodwill spraining my ankle. A little jerkwad yelled at me from across the street and down a parking lot regarding my grace. He proceeded with a few expletives I could only get the gist of. I wanted to drag that boy by his ear to his mother! And swore that if my boy ever!...So hep me!!...

And that is why I can't let up. Even if I'm tired. But maybe that's what I needed. A little break. (harhar) In this case a sprain. A reminder that it's okay to sit down and put your feet up. No really. Tape it. Ice it. And put your feet up! At least for a few days until the sprain heals. And then I'll go get my nails done.

Mood Swings

Good mood.

Bad mood.

Good mood.

Bad mood.

Good mood.

Bad mood.

Good mood.

Bad mood.

Good mood.

Bad mood.

Good mood.

Bad mood.

And it's not even noon.

I'm just tired. Really tired.

Raise your hand if you're not tired?!?!
Congratulations! You are my new worst frenemy.

We've hit the six week marker. I am cleared for exercise. Instead, I am hitting the chocolate chips big time. I can't blame baby for my weight. After Porkchop was born I learned the art of stress eating. I noticed it one night when I looked down and saw a bowl of mini marshmellows on my right and a bowl of chocolate chips on my left. Today I feel less guilty because I added a vegetable- pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

We are two weeks into the routine so it's not yet habit. I neglected to factor in going potty thirteen times a day. Last Friday Porkchop decided he wanted to go potty. Sure. Why not? Saturday morning he pooped and peed in the potty. "I eww-ed!" "I eww-ed!!" We high-fived. It was cute. I thought the novelty would wear off. He's been "ewww-ing" all weekend long and today he used the bathroom successfully five times. He's a rockstar, but the novelty has worn off for mommy. I spent the majority of the day nursing or in the bathroom.

When husband came home I was informed that it might be another six weeks before we know for sure if we're going to Israel and we will likely have little to no notice. Awesome.

The chocolate chips are not going to last long. Luckily, I think there is some Ready-whip leftover from my in-laws visit a few weeks ago.

It's Friday. It's random.

It is cheesy and corny and some will say lame, but we actually do have a meeting we call FEC on Sundays.  When we don't, we miss it. And when we do, it makes all the difference. Part of what we've started is to set weekly goals for ourselves. This is so we know exactly what to nag eachother about all week long. We each pick a personal goal, a hobby goal, and a house goal to work on during the week.

My goals for this week.

Personal goal- Start a One Sentence Journal. I would love to do something like the art journals with their pretty pages and sketches, but it's just not going to happen right now. The one sentence thing I've totally gotten behind. I write one sentence for myself and for each of the kids. I use COZI and then will have it emailed to me at the end of the month.

Hobby goal- Camilla babe sweater up to the sleeves. I am trying to use what I had in my stash and it was bunch of white pima cotton which I hope will be cool enough and pretty, but it's a beast to knit with. I kind of hate it.

House goal- Finish cutting in. Blech. I think I'll get to this the eleventh hour on Saturday night. My goals this week were really crappy. Next week I'll pick more fun goals.

I'm so close to being done in Porkchop's room. And just in time for us to move.

The gag order has been lifted, and I'm allowed to talk about the fact that we are planning a temporary relocation with Husband's job for six months. If all goes smoothly we will leave before the summer and I will spend my birthday on the Mediterranean! We're headed to Jerusalem. Don't be scared. We're not.

I've started going through things. We are no strangers to moving. 11 times in six years. This time it's a little different though because we aren't just packing everything up and taking it with us and then stashing the still packed boxes in the garage until we get around to looking for something. Most of it is going to stay. As I go through things I have to ask myself, "Will I need this in the next six months to a year?" And if the answer is "no" then why do I even have it? Furniture excluded obviously.

If we end up staying then my husband will have to seriously make it up to me by taking me to Sea World, San Diego Wild Animal Park, AND Catalina. Plus, my house will be super organized and I'll get to go shopping to replace all the things I just donated to Goodwill. It is a win/win.

The UPS guy is seriously hating turning around in my cul de sac this week. He's been here twice already and should be here again tomorrow. I have a thing for Amazon Prime and 6pm.com.

My Friends Call Me Cheeks

Big Boy

In a li-ittle co-oat!

You know I had to say it. I can't even think "Big boy" without saying it. Anyway...

Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

We don't call him El Nino for nothing.Was it Sister Agatha who described it as "throwing a whirling dervish out of whirl"? Yep. Uh-huh. Pretty much.

He was so proud of himself going down the largest twirly slide all by himself yesterday. And then he did it again, and again, and again-just because he could. We were only at the park because he insisted on it. As we drive past the turn he starting wrestling the buckles of his carseat, pointing, and yelling "Go!"

"Go!" "Go!" "Go!" Short and sweet. And his favorite phrase.

About the same week that Juju was born. Porkchop woke up one morning and was suddenly a big boy. The last few months have come with some growing pains as well as some surgical pains, and getting kicked out of the nest pains, but he's handled it all like a big boy.

Big boys wear boots and firehats. And sometimes little coats.

This week I'm slooooowly working on his big boy room. Pictures maybe by the weekend???

This is my family.

Kind of trippy huh? A few years ago if you had told me this would be my life, I wouldn't have believed you. Weirder still is that both of us hope there will be a few more heads in Christmas Card 2017. They can make you completely nuts and completely happy at the same time. I don't know how to explain it.

Who knew that sanity would come from a routine?!? It's taken me almost a year of mulling things over in my brain, a few books, more than a few blog posts, and several conversations to come up with it and finally this weekend I typed it out and made it Law. It is a routine, not a schedule and so far it's totally working for us!

I know, I know. FlyLady has heavily influenced it. As has Toddlerwise. And the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. What can I say? I've been drinking a lot of Kool-aid. What it really comes down to is that my sister has scared the bajeezus out of me with stories of what happens when you screw these small people up. I don't want that on my head and I need all the help I can get.

CRAZYTOWN ROUTINE

0600   Before the Kids are Up- Out of bed and Make Bed, Dressed to shoes, hair/face/teeth

Swish and Swipe, Empty Dishwasher, Reboot laundry, Check Calendar

Papa starts breakfast, Mom nurses Juju

Juju bathed and dressed

0700 or later

Kids up and start Kid jobs

(Morning kid jobs- Make beds, Breakfast, Baths, Dressed to shoes, hair done)

Breakfast-Scripture

Baths, dressed to shoes, hair done

Prayer and Papa leaves

Freetime while Mom does Mom jobs

Mom Jobs-Make lunches, fold one load, check emails, clean up kitchen, What’s for Dinner? Drink your water

0830-9

Walk/Bike Ride/Take K to school or Playdate

Roomtime- Mom Declutters for 15 minutes

Structured activity

Clean up

1200

Lunch

Quiet play till nap time

Between 1300-1400 till 1600

Nap/Quiet time

Freetime/Structured Activity

Structured Playtime with siblings

Movie or free time while Mom makes dinner

1700

Dinner

Bath and dad time while mom cleans up kitchen

15 min. Zone Cleaning and grime busting kids

Family Time

Couch time, scripture and prayer

Kid jobs

Evening Kid Jobs- pick up toys, brush teeth, pick out book

Bedtime

Mom Evening Jobs- lay out clothes for tomorrow, check calendar, Where are keys?, Load launch pad, 2 Minutes clearing hot spot, Wash face/brush teeth, Read, Nurse, or Knit

Sundays- FEC We discuss bills need paying, make our to-do lists, discuss calendar, budget      update, Kid focus, Goals for the week

            Personal goal, Hobby goal, House goal

An hour on Sunday Night Starts the week off right! We do the weekly cleaning hour

Monday- FHE

Tuesday- Date Night

Wednesday- Hobby Night

Thursday- Knit night

Friday- Movie night

Saturday-Family Fun Day

Random stuff I've made the last few weeks.

(Besides milk.)

That's where I'll start. 

 

Yes. I think I'm funny. So funny in fact, I made two.
The tutorial I used for the hooter hider said it best. "Who cares about a little boob? There's no way I'm gonna let people stare at my muffin top." 

Last year's Sunday School manual put to good use.

 

 

You didn't know I could paint?...I can't. It's an image transfer process. Of COURSE I used a tutorial. Are we still counting the number of times I say, "I found a tutorial..."?

I can however, paint furniture. I made a desk out of two nightstands and an MDF top. The best part is I can see the sandbox from where it sits in the family room.

 

I'm working on Porkchop's big boy room now that we know for certain Juju is a girl. The only thing I've made in there is the bed, sort of.

This is a pattern keeper for my knitting patterns. It opens up and walah! No raisins encrusted on the pages from sitting in the bottom of my bag.

What I'm Working on Wednesday

There are one...two...three..four..five...six..seven...eight...nine...ten..eleven...Eleven!?! browser windows open on my laptop right now.

1. Stenciled project bags. I need/want to use up some of my fabric stash and mess with some of my new Martha Stewart paints.
2. Gmail- I have a 30% off your entire purchase at Gap. Sweet.
3. Some craft blog with a linky party for St. Patrick's Day traditions. I think we'll go with Lucky Charms, green milk, and the clover leis.
4. Blogger
5. An article on easy journaling.
6. Tutorial for a Easter bunny shirt.
7. Tutorial for a wet bag.
8. Recipe for tuna and cannellini salad.
9. A different wet bag tutorial. I like this one better
10. Ravelry. Checking out my friend AnneLena's project page.
11. Roomba customer support page. He's new around here. I named him Mario. My vacuuming robot. Who needs a Maria?

Oh, and in case you were wondering/concerned. Juju is on my lap.

Random...I'm in a time warp and it's already Friday! Again.

The honeymoon is over. I don't know how to write a "keepin' it real" post without it sounding like I'm complaining. I'm not. But parenting is a trip. These little buggers creep into your heart and soul and mess with your brain. On a purely logical level it goes against all reason to enjoy being puked on (multiple times), sleep deprived (consistently), and then left to clean up the mess (sometimes at 2 and 3 o'clock in the morning). (Oh, and none of it was due to the newborn.) And yet you'd still cut your kidney out with a butter knife to sell on the black market if you thought it would be good for them. Most days. Others you would sell the little terrorist for a Dr. Pepper. (Love Holly for calling little boys terrorists!)

Porkchop is miserable. It is miserable to see him miserable. On top of his collar bone, he caught a cough and when he gets sick it goes straight to his lungs. He hacks, wheezes, and can't get comfortable. It is so sad. He is happiest and most comfortable sleeping in his carseat. As much as I'm ready for summer, I'm also glad is not too hot to let him take a nap in the garage. Unless you work for CPS or know my full name and address, in which case I never said that. You'd think this would all slow him down. Uh, no.

"Please do not roll your brother across the lawn in the tent. His arm is broken." Yes, I said that.

Juju is the easiest baby to nurse ever. Good thing. Because I am the non-lactation expert. I can do every bottle and syringe, but actual nursing uh, how do we do this? She is like the little sucker fish on on the bottom of an aquarium. I appreciate how uncomplicated it is. She's nursed in the Moby while setting up tables, painting Porkchop's big boy room, Kinkos parking lot, and of course all night long.

Scrunch got a little girl haircut. It is adorable, but makes me a little sad. She was hovering unusually close while I made dinner the other night. "Scrunch, what are you doing?" "I need to learn to be a grown up so I can take Porkchop to the Play Place." I had told her earlier we didn't have time to go to the Play Place and that it was too windy. She offered to let me stay in the car with Juju and she would watch her brother. Um, no. Because YOU'RE FOUR!!

A friend stopped by last week and saw that I had made my baby wipes and commented on them sitting on the counter. "I know you make your wipes, and detergents, and stuff (and now even our shampoo), but I love that you're not one of those psychos." "How do you know?" "Because they're sitting next to your McDonald's cups." Busted. I had brought them in from the car from the night before. In my defense...1) at least I cleaned out the car. 2) You cannot imagine the look of pure joy on my children's faces when I say we're going to the Play Place. It is win-win all around. We eat, leave the mess, they play with Papa in charge, and I take RooBaby to walk around Home Goods. And 3) I have resisted finding the YouTube video about what is in a chicken nugget because well, I don't want to know. I love me some chicken nuggets. We don't eat them every day and my kids will eat spinach, and cabbage, and kale. Go ahead and judge.

I successfully grew eight containers of wheat grass that made the cutest centerpieces. I also forgot all about my tulips I've been forcing inside for my table and managed to do them in. Bummer.

I cast this on. Twice. And that's as far as I've gotten.

A random text I sent this week, "Will our children see us as examples or wackadoodles?" Recipient's response, "Wackadoodle examples." Good to know.

I also randomly asked my sister on FB if she was P.T. when she said she was puking (she is a teacher). When she said, "Heck no!" I responded with, "You're not potty trained?!?!!?" That's what happens when I get tired and lost in Mommyland. I revert to the intellectual maturity of a twelve year old. I also consider reading The Hunger Games.

My in-laws will be here tomorrow.

Knitters Are Nice- Part 2

Quilters too!

Kimono wrap top- Cheri, Best baby socks!- Angela, Giraffe and Sock Monkey Quilt- Grami

Pact

While my Mom was here we smuggled Juju into the theater to see The Vow. We left with more mascara on our cheeks than still on our eyelashes. It was not exactly the feel-good movie of the year. Premise of the movie- Girl and Boy married and are madly in love. Car accident. She smacks her head a good one and completely forgets all about him, their life, and everything about the last five years. Boy spends the rest of movie trying to get her to fall in love with him again. Maybe I would have liked it more if I didn't know it was based on a true story, but I just found the story sad. Aaaand I'm totally hormonal, but who's noticed?

Later that night while I nursed Juju and while he was half asleep I woke Husband up to make him swear a pact. No matter which one of us smacks our head a good one, if for some reason we lose all memory of each other or our lives together, we will stay married and stay together- loveless marriage or not. Because lets be honest... as the haggard, out of shape, mother of three, I'm in no condition to go out on the prowl seeking love. Love does not take out the garbage. At least we will still have a healthy dose of respect for eachother and know we are fulfilling our responsibilities. He nodded, mumbled something, and asked if he could go back to sleep. I'm pretty sure it is still legally binding.

I also felt like I needed to start keeping a journal. The chick in the movie wished she had, thinking it might help jog her memory. I can hear it now...in a Young Women's lesson or testimony meeting near you... 'Keep a journal! You never know when amnesia will strike!' Well, I didn't start one because we are kind of boring right now. If you are new to the game of life, boring is good.

That was last week.

This week I came uncorked more than once and had to call in Husband as reinforcement for the day(s). I decided I needed a project to focus on and started cleaning out my craft room. Then I found out we are just waiting for budget approval for an international relocation for six months (and until that happens, that's all I can say). For the week-end topper this morning Porkchop broke his collar bone. I'm feeling a lot less boring. And I couldn't have managed without my Right Hand Man.

All week I've reconsidered the notion of a journal. There might be important conversations I'm having with my four year old that I might forget. Like Scrunch announcing, "I like that you have three children, Mom."
"Oh, you do, huh?"
"Yeah. But there are still two missing."
"Oh, really....what's the next one?"
"She's a girl."
"And then the one after that? That's only four."
Very annoyed and clearly disappointed, "Ugh. That one is a boy."

I'm not saying Scrunch is right, but wouldn't I want it recorded if she was???

I also need to remind myself regularly in my new journal what a bloody genius I am!

I conned him into marriage the first time with my eighteen year-old hard bod. Then, in a moment of weakness (or REM sleep. whatever), I made him swear an oath that he would stick around even if he didn't recognize an inch of me. And boy there are moments in the mirror lately that I don't even recognize myself.

As for me, I'm not so worried. I would know I loved him after I needed to convince him that we did not need to go buy nightlights for every room in the house so Porkchop wouldn't trip again in the middle of the night, and after watching him patiently squeeze frozen Gogurts for him all afternoon, and seeing him willingly play the game of Life and Candyland with a four year old (stick a spoon in my eye!). Plus, I'm no shmuck. If Scrunch happens to be right, there will be a boat load of trash that will need taking out!