I am a Suburban Mom

This morning, I went to a pilates class at the Y and then ran into Target, picked up Drew and we went and opened a new checking account (why are there no banks that service the midwest and east coast?), then stopped in to Starbucks for my fave, java chip frappuccino and then home again and played outside in the yard (did you catch that we played in the yard and not on concret!) and then made lunch and put the boys down for a nap after cleaning up from lunch! (I am pretty sure that was a run on sentence, but I don't care!) And I was driving a mini-van!

And now, you should go visit Steph at Adventures in Babywearing because she is hosting another contest for a cool cd! I am always on the look our for music for Sage since he takes everything and makes it a microphone or a guitar!

Settling

I think this is how I will feel all summer. Like I am settling into something. A different house, a new routine, a new YMCA, a new car. Just settling in for the next 3 months.

It is exciting and a little bit draining too. Drew hasn't started work yet, so this week we are settling into a routine with him around. Next week, the boys and I will start settling into our own routine.

We got a membership to the YMCA, signed the boys up for swimming lessons (yea!) and started working out there this morning. The boys seemed to do okay with the huge room and huge group of kids. It is like the church nursery times twenty! Sage told us that he and Kolby cried. But the workers didn't say anything, although the same girl that checked them in, checked them out and I doubt she had left the door the whole time. I think it will work out. Sage wanted to go but said he would like to come back sometime.

Sage and Kolby are both starting in the Skip swimming lessons, so I will be in the pool with both of them. Although, we have to do two different swim times so that they can both have my full attention. It will be a mad dash since we only have 5 minutes in between classes! I think Sage will love it and Kolby will hate it. I hope and pray that Kolby will get used to it. I am going to try to take the boys before we start, so we can go over our rules and hopefully Kolby will be less scared since it is a zero entrance pool.

Drew's dad wants me and the boys to use the mini van for the summer (we drive a Saturn). So in a few days, we will be settling into a new van (for the summmer).

So, the name of the game is settling. Do you think that in life I will ever feel settled? When we go back home, I will know we are on the nine month countdown of moving again, but where? Maybe that will help me clean out closets!

We Made It!

We pulled in by 1:00. Thanks to the time change, Kolby woke up at 5:15 so we were pulling out of the parking lot by 7:30 and Kolby was napping by 8.

It was another smooth drive, although there was a buzz in the air. We all wanted to be done driving and just get there! Drew might have sped and I might have stayed turned around, without my seatbelt on a little too long, but I don't want to write anything incriminating on my blog.

We are pretty much unpacked but need to make a Target and Ikea trip for some stuff we didn't want to pack, like a potty seat. It's not like Sage uses it anyway.

On the Road Again, I just can't wait to get on the road again

After 5 short hours tomorrow, we will be to our destination!

Today was another smooth sailing kind of day. I can't say enough how good my boys are, it is amazing. It doesn't bother me in the least that Kolby ate a bag of goldfish, a box of raisins, chocolate milk, one chicken nugget, one apple, some macaroni and cheese, a bag of teddy grahams, some gatorade and some juice. (That was lunch and dinner included in that list and he did eat a whole banana for breakfast.) I give him a small bag of toys and he takes everything out and throws them into every crevice that he can find and believe me, we are packed like sardines so there are plenty of crevices. I am a little scared to unpack the car and find all the food he didn't eat and just threw!

After stopping at McDonalds for lunch again and getting the big Shrek and the donkey in our happy meals today, (yesterday was one of the baby Shreks) Sage informed me that he wants baby Shrek on his cupcakes for his birthday! He has never seen any of the movies so I guess the marketing through McDonalds is working.

We bought the movie Prince of Egypt to watch on our trip and made a big deal of giving it to Sage and letting him watch a new movie. He asked to turn it off half way through.

Sage broke down five minutes from our hotel. He woke up from his nap and his pull up was wet and he wanted changed. We were at a gas station and I told him we would have to wait. He cried until we got to the hotel then I showed him the pool and he forgot about it and so did I. Then we came to our room and his jeans suddenly got wet and I was like oh no, your pull up is leaking. And I started to take his jeans off and he started crying again and then pee started coming out his jeans. I took him to the bathroom and he finished peeing on the floor. He did get to go swimming and he is so funny. He told me he didn't cry in the pool or when he took a shower.

They are both asleep in our luxurious hotel room with granite counter tops, a pull out couch, a portable crib, king size bed, fridge, and microwave, and free Wi-fi!

On the Road

We started our journey today, day one of three. It has gone so smoothly. Let me expand on how smoothly. We wake up to the boys at 6:30am, after going to bed at 1am because we are procrastinators and we waited until the day before moving for 3 months to do things like pack and clean the fridge. We were on the road by 8am watching Cars, slamming milk and eating Cheerios and granola bars. Kolby napped about an hour, Sage watched two Veggie Tales. 10:30 snack time, Teddy Grahams and juice. Time to play with toys until lunch. Drew is determined to not stop until after noon. 11:56, we pass an exit with about five restaurants. Drew turns off the air conditioning because we are low on gas and he doesn't want us to get stuck. There are no places to eat for 45 minutes. By that time, the only way, that Kolby won't cry is for me to hang my arm behind me, draped over my seat and let him pull and pull and pull. We see a gas station sign and a sign that says some town, that way, 7 miles. We get gas and I ask if we should go into some town or is there a better place to stop? Next exit, McDonalds! And not just any McDonalds, a nice, clean, pretty one. We get back in the car and tell the boys they need to nap and within 10 minutes they are both asleep. I start to doze and then Drew wakes me up because he thinks he sees a funnel cloud. It starts to rain, hard. We pull off on an exit to wait it out. The boys wake up. We pull back on. The boys go back to sleep. Sage wakes up and eats his ring pop and asks for water. Kolby took a two hour nap! We drive into our hotel and Drew notices a screw in our tire, leaking air. Drew and Sage take it to get fixed for $16 in about 30 minutes. We go swimming. Sage loves it! He can even stand in the shallow end. Kolby hates it! We go to dinner at a Hut that serves Pizza. I don't even know how to explain the most awkward meal we have ever eaten at a restaurant. The waitress stood at our table while Drew signed the credit card slip. Enough said. We came back to the hotel. Put Kolby to bed with minimal crying, like hardly any and now I am using their free high speed internet! Sage still isn't asleep, maybe because I am on the computer and Drew is watching softball? That is how a smooth day of traveling goes. Tomorrow, day 2!

We're Home

And I'm supposed to be packing... um yeah, I'll get to that. We're just moving for the summer, so I don't have to pack the entire apartment just the essentials and I keep telling myself that they have a Target and the Mall of America, so I can pick it up if I need it!

Seattle was incredible. So beautiful, I want to move there. I will try to post some pics and blog more about it later, like in June.

BUT, Steph at Adventures in Babywearing is hosting another contest! This time it is to win some awesome products from Skip Hop, hosted by Mason & Matisse. You may remember that I was digging the Dou diaper bag. I ordered it in kelly green from another store. I literally ordered the bag and then clicked on to Steph's site and read about the contest and the 20% just by entering the code insider.

Have fun shopping and saving!

And We're Off!

Drew and I are leaving on a jet plane and taking a "second honeymoon". My mom is here to take care of the boys and I know she will take great care of them!

I already cried last night about leaving the boys but I know it is healthy for me to leave them and I know they will be great but man, I'm having a hard time! Kolby is helping to make me feel awful by only wanting me to hold him and such and oh yeah, I took him to the doctor on Tuesday and found out he has his third ear infection and his third bronchial infection. He is on amoxicillin and albueteral inhaler. I really need to research amoxicillin and ear infections. I am not convinced that I need to give him medicine for it but this wasn't the time to mess with it when I am going out of town.

Sage is so excited for us to leave. Mom has been here for a few days and he has demanded us to leave many times!

We are getting into our crazy time. Our trip this week, then when we get home, we have a couple of days turnaround until we move for the summer. So, yeah, I am feeling a bit unsettled and I can't imagine how my little babies are feeling and wondering what is going on. It should be an interesting few weeks and then summer!

Big Decisions

This is huge, people, life changing kind of decision.

I currently carry a diaper bag everywhere I go. It carrys my wallet and cell phone and some chapsticks, my essentials. It also carries the boys essentials, diapers, wipes, 2 sippy cups, 2 snacks, bandaids, neosporin, purell, sunscreen, and kleenex with the random receipt crumpled at the bottom.

So, the life altering decision is this: do I want to carry a fun summer purse (suggestions welcome) also and leave the diaper bag in the car as I go in and out of stores or do I want something that can be taken in and out of the diaper bag like this? Really, really, serious, important decisions.

I know that I don't need to shlep the diaper bag with me everywhere I go, but I do need it in the car.

That's all I've got.

Mothers Day

It is hard for me to put into words the way I feel about Mothers Day. I remember not long ago, not really remembering Mothers Day, cards were always late, maybe I would remember to call, but now? Now, I wonder why the whole world doesn't stop for Mothers Day. And honestly, I feel like this is the first Mothers Day that I have felt this way, even though it is my third Mothers Day celebration. Something hit me today or this year or sometime.

Something that I can't quite explain. Something that is so fierce, so overwhelming, so scary. The pastor this morning was talking about what an impact our moms have on us. He was talking about Timothy and how his grandmom and momma taught him about Jesus and to love the Word of God. How, I have that power to instill the love of the Word to my kids. How, I have the power to show them that we base decisions on the Word, on what God says.

My mom showed me that. She showed me that even through tough, hard things, stick to what the Word says and you will be blessed because of it. Tough, hard things that the world and your family are telling you to do one thing, that it would be okay this time, but God isn't super clear in the Bible but we know that to do things His way are always the best, even when it seems like the hardest way.

My mom also showed me her love for the Scriptures. Many times, when I would be coming down the stairs, rubbing sleep from my eyes, she would look up from reading her Bible and writing in her journal and give me her good morning smile.

My mom also showed me the power of prayer. She kept prayer journals so she could look back and see what God had answered and how. I know she still prays for me, my husband and my kids. I know I can pick up the phone and hear her pray for me.

We laugh about how "preachy" she can get and sometimes, we tell her to stop, but it is always good stuff to hear. She can just keep talking about it like the energizer bunny.

Love you, mom! I guess I should have written this in your card, (which you will probably get in the mail tomorrow, heehee) but it just came to me!

No Title

Just jammin to my new Ipod Nano in pink that my awesome husband got for me. He combined my birthday, mothers day and anniversary and I am so excited! It is so fun. I even put photos of the boys on it. And it has a stopwatch so when I run, I can see how long I am actually running, instead of looking at my cell phone when I leave and when I get back, hey one minute can make a difference!

Now, on to what I really wanted to write about.

Yesterday, Sage, Kolby and I went to meet a family with a little girl one month younger than Kolby who was also born with bilateral club foot. She is not doing as well as Kolby. When Kolby doesn't wear shoes or when he does, no one would notice that his feet were clubbed at birth. His feet look perfect and pretty much like every other babies feet. This little girls are much worse. Her feet are still noticeable turned in. She has been through two surgeries in her short life. It breaks my heart for her. Guess what doctor she sees? The doctor we didn't go back to. When Kolby was 7 days old, we took him to Dr. Marsh at Yale New Haven Hospital. We were so glad that we were going to receive world renown care. We had done our research. We knew we wanted the Ponsetti method for treatment. It is the best. It is proven. Dr. Ponsetti is still seeing patients at the University of Iowa. He has done extensive research and his treatment is proven time and time again. In is non-invasive. It requires castings changed weekly with the casts going half-way up the baby's thigh. (I would show pictures of Kolby with them on but they are on a different computer.) We knew this was the best option for our baby. I knew it. We wanted the best and weren't going to settle. But, we were going to Yale, how can you get better than that, right? Wrong. So wrong.

We spent time talking to two residents, asking questions. Asking about the Ponsetti method. We were assured that is what Dr. Marsh practices. We asked the resident, if it were your child, would you bring him here or go somewhere else? He said he would take his child to the Childrens Hospital where the doctor is treating club foot everyday. RED FLAG! We asked how many club foot patients he sees. I don't remember exactly but I want to say 3 a year. Finally, we were taken back to the casting room and met Dr. Marsh himself. We asked him some more questions and he assurred us that he is excellent with club foot. In fact, so excellent he has been treating the same patients for 18 years! RED FLAG! Club foot is very correctable. It might take a few years and of course we expect to take Kolby in for check ups but he shouldn't need treatment at 18. 2 Red Flags. We went ahead and got casts put on Kolby. I held my 7 day old baby on my lap as the doctor "massaged" his feet and Kolby screamed and he slapped plaster around Kolby's foot and up to his knee. RED FLAG! We asked about the cast going up his thigh. Dr. Marsh looked up at me, crying and said that is the reason we don't put casts up the thigh. Implying that the reason was because of my emotions.

We made another appointment, hoping that we would find someone better. Right when we got home, we got on the internet and looked at Connecticut Childrens Hospital and found Dr. Thomson. Wonderful Dr. Thomson. We called afraid we wouldn't be able to get an appointment. We got one in less than a week. We are so fortunate. The second casting was so different. Kolby still cried. But they gave me sugar water to dip his passy in. And there were two of them doing the casting. Dr. Thomson would hold Kolby's foot in the exact position that he wanted and Tony would apply the plaster cast. Tony made sure the casts were smooth which made them look nice and he made sure Kolby could wiggle his toes. A world of difference.

After writing all that, I want to make sure that glory goes where it is deserved. Dr. Thomson has treated Kolby beautifully. But the glory goes to God. My BIG God. He corrected Kolby's feet. Kolby is close to walking because of God, not man. Kolby went to Dr. Thomson because of God. The Lord guided us to the best doctor in our state. We are forever grateful that Kolby's feet are so beautiful. My prayer is that Kolby will use his beautiful feet for the Lord. Romans 10:14 - 15 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Kolby's going to do great things!

Sage Funnies

He was looking at his football today and asked what was on it. I answered that's the Hawkeyes. He responded "Me yove hotguys!"

We were watching Rachel Ray and a cookie commercial came on. He said "What's that?" I answered "Cookies." "Me yove cookies."

We were watching Rachel Ray (still- and this is only like the second time I have ever seen it) and a commercial for Reeses Peanut Butter Cups came on and he asked what it was. I answered candy. He said. "Me yove chocolate!"

He is in a love everything phase. Pretty funny. He even told me he yoves boccolli! The sweetest is when he says, "Me yove you." Melt my heart.

He also yoves tum (gum), Bo, daddy, baseball, Cars, Boz, Veggie Tales, Coke, foffee, Yife (Life), Frosted Mini Wheats and usually whatever he is eating. These are in no particular order and he has never tasted Coke or coffee, but has declared his love for them many times. He might have heard those phrases slip out of my lips!

28

That is how old I am as of today.

10 years ago, I graduated from high school. I went to a small, private, Christian school and graduated with seven people. I think I know where 3 of them live and maybe what they are doing. Sad, huh?

Am I where I thought I would be 10 years after high school? I think so.

I am a stay at home mom with two boys. I don't think I really thought about where (in the States) I would live. I probably just assumed that I would live where I grew up. I didn't think we would live 20 hours away.

Which brings me to my new blog title, Seagulls in the Parking Lot, we live near the ocean and when I am at the grocery store or Target and see seagulls, it brings a smile to my face. To be able to tell my son, that's a seagull and not while watching The Little Mermaid, is cool. I am so glad that we don't have to tell him about crows! Yet.

I thought we would be living in a house with a mini-van.

I wanted to be done having babies by the time I was 30. (probably not going to happen!)

I'm tired and this post is going no where...

A New Title?

I am thinking of changing the name of my blog. I mean, seriously, Thoughts and Happenings? Pretty boring and unoriginal! When I first started my blog, I mainly wrote about Sage and the changes in our life. Mainly, the change of moving half way across the country. And boy, my posts were booorrrriiiing! I think the two people who read were my mom and Rach, who had a blog herself and made me think I could do that! Not that my readership is huge by any means, just that I know I have at least 3 more friends that read!

My point! Is that my title and my url are boring. I don't think I will change my url because, I don't want to confuse anyone nor do I want to confuse myself, and really, I am only thinking of myself here. But, the title of my blog could be easily changed. Drew suggets "Seagulls in the Parking Lot" because we still find it funny to see seagulls in the parking lot of Target or the mall! We have lived here two years and can't get over it!

Any other ideas?

I'm Feeling Guilty

Two words. Birthday Parties.

I haven't thrown a birthday party for either of my kids. Not a party where other kids are invited. We have had some of our friends over for their birthdays, though. Sage's one year, we had some Italian neighbors who came down and brought a pie for his cake. That wasn't American enough for me so I baked a cake and we had our own family celebration. I guess they did bring their little boy who turned one two weeks prior. Sage's second year, we had our friends Deb and Doug over for some cupcakes. Kolby's first year, we had Deb, Doug, Katy, Jeff, and Jeff. They were all over the age of 24. See a pattern here?

Sage's third birthday, we will have just moved about a month and a half earlier and will be living with Drew's parents. So obviously, they will celebrate with us, as will his sister. I don't have plans yet so maybe some more family will be around and that would be exciting because we haven't had family around for our kids birthdays.

Kolby's second birthday (I know way too far away, but I think ahead), I will probably feel more guilt because if we have a party for him, we should have a party for Sage and for Sage's fourth birthday, we will have just moved again (Lord willing) to who knows where and who knows who we will know.

Now, normally, I wouldn't feel guilt for not throwing my kids birthday parites. But, other parents throw their kids parties and invite my kids, usually feed us something and have fun activities for us. Here is where the guilt comes in. I am not recipercating the birthday party invites. Isn't that the dumbest thing?! That is the guilt I feel. But then I try to justify myself, well, we bring gifts to the parties. Does that make up for the lack of return birthday party invite? NO! Because, there are other people at the same party who had parities for their kids and recipercated the gift and the party.

Oh, the guilt!

Things:

I'm digging: Canon SD700IS, Ergo Baby Carrier- I carry my 25lb. son on my front, no problem!

I'm buying (bought): Keen's for Sage in black and Croc's in black for me! And looking for shoes with arch support for Kolbs, maybe Converse?!

I'm eating: Caramel Nips and Kettle Corn Popcorn in the 100 calorie packs

I'm wanting: Pink Ipod Shuffle for running, of course. Skip Hop Duo in denim. And in all fairness, one of the handles of my current diaper bag is ripping a handle off. (that is a whole other post) Harveys seatbelt wristlet because I really don't need to carry my whole diaper bag around Target, Stop & Shop, Sam's Club and the million other in and out errands I drag the boys to.

I'm dreading: leaving the boys to go on a 5 year anniversary trip. Seriously, I don't think Kolby has spent one night away from me and I can't remember the last time Sage did. That said, they will probably do better than me! Also, 3 days of driving with the boys.

I'm thinking: There is only 4 minutes until Gray's Anatomy!

Happy May Day!

Is anyone doing May Day baskets? I wish we were, but I don't have anything to make for them and I can't get to a store.

Anyway...

I found an addicting website called Etsy. It is a place for people to sell homemade stuff. You can type in anything you are looking for. I typed in headbands and found this wonderful lady out of Seattle. I bought a headband from Target and was wearing it quite often, but by the end of the day, it was giving me a headache. I am so glad that I found the perfect fit headband. I ordered one tentatively, because what if she thought they were the perfect fit but I thought not. I received it in the mail a couple of days later and put it on right away. By the end of the day, I was hooked. Drew thought it was really cool and liked it a lot, so I got back on and ordered two more! One of the best features, is that they are reversible, so for the low price of $7, you get not one but two awesome headbands! I can wear my hair down or up with the headbands so they make me look just that much more pulled together in two seconds!

She did not ask me to write this nor did I receive anything free, I just love them so much I want everyone to know. And I have been checking back to see if there are any other fabrics I need...