Relaxin

Well, I didn't think that my time here would be so wonderful. Don't get me wrong, I thought it would be great, just not wonderful. Today, my mom graciously watched the boys while I went with my best friend, her sister and her other sister to get a massage. A 60 minute full body massage. I have never had one before so I didn't know what to expect. It was fantastic, fabulous, incredible. So relaxing. Wonderful.

After that, we went to Zoey's Pizzaria for a New York Style cheese and pepperoni and a zookie for dessert. A zookie is a chocolate chip cookie freshly baked topped with ice-cream! Heavenly. A perfect lunch after a massage!

The boys are napping and we have plans for a park and maybe Cheeseburger for dinner (hey we're on vacation here)!

Another Contest

So, I have to enter another contest for a Solervei ring sling. Go here to enter yourself! If you win, you could always give it to me!

I never win.

I didn't win the sling. That is all.

Today, the boys and I drove to my home town! We are going to stay with my best friend for a couple nights, then stay with my parents and then go see my brother and family! It should be a nice change of scenery for us! The only plans we have are to hang out. I am secretly hoping we can hit a pool sometime. And by hit, I mean go to.

Kolby and Sage are taking naps at my parents house and I heard Kolby cry out so I went to check on him. I peeked in and he couldn't see me. He was fussing but still laying down. I watched him find his passy, put it in upside down, find his green, silky, soft blankie and rub it to his cheek and roll over. It was so sweet. I wanted to go in and swoop him up, but then it would have defeated the whole self-soothing thing he was in the middle of. It is moments like that, I want a video of in my head for all times.

I want that sling!

So, I have been reading Steph at Adventures in Babywearing for quite some time. I have linked to her more than a couple times siting great contests that she has. And she has done it again! This time a ring sling made from Solerveil, a fabric that blocks UVA and UVB rays while keeping you cool at the same time.

And I need it! Need, people. Let me explain. We have had swimming lessons this week. Sage and Kolby are both in the parent help class. But! Kolby's was cancelled so he joined Sage who worked with his teacher, Katie and I worked with Kolby. Kolby hasn't loved swimming lessons. Let's just say that it is an improvement that Kolby isn't crying...as much during the "lesson". By lesson for Kolby I mean, I hold him and twirl him around and give him 8 million kisses and hugs to reassure him and try to keep a smile on my face while he cries. I try splashing (but not his face, or he will cry harder), I try helping him do the back float. All this to say that I want to take the boys to the pool or lake around here, but how?! This sling would be the answer to my problems. Why not just buy it? Because I just bought a sling and lets just say that Drew wasn't totally excited about it! (Hi babe!) But it is totally gorgeous and I so need it! Remember, Kolby doesn't walk yet? I need it just to help me in and out of places like Target, pretty much anywhere we go, I am going to start sporting Kolby in that sling.

So, click here to enter the contest. And check out KimzKreations to see the woman who makes these slings! Did I mention that you get to pick the color of the fabric and slings? And if you would like to donate to my sling fund, please email me! That last part was a joke, by the way, unless it is you, mom, then it's not a joke.

Trip to the Zoo in Pics

Monkey!


Giraffe!


Tiger!


Buzz the Polar Bear doing tricks for lard!


Waiting for the seal show. At least we had snacks!


We waited 15 minutes in the burning sun for a 7 minute seal show that was less than impressive.


Uncle Achoo (Matthew) and Sage in the mist zone.


Sage is "driving"! He wasn't very good, I guess my no Power Wheels rule didn't pay off for him!


The last ride. He did much better "driving" this car er boat!

Summer Boredom

I might sound like I am complaining a bit, I just need some suggestions!

I'm bored. I think Sage is too and it is only the middle of June. We are taking swimming lessons this week and next. We went outside to play this afternoon and there weren't any neighbor kids out and Sage wanted to go in after 15 minutes. I offered to go to a park. And he declined. I offered the big park. No takers.

My other quandary? Kolby. He is hard to take places. 15 months, 26 pounds, not walking. Not loving his stroller as his big brother runs around. Did I mention 26 pounds? He crawls around on the street staining his knees, shorts, ripping some shorts and scraping knees. He likes to push the cozy coupe or big wheel around, but it doesn't last long.

And swimming lessons? Kolby is not a fan. On day 3, he has gotten better, but I can't imagine taking him and Sage swimming anywhere by myself. Sage can't be trusted because he can't swim by himself but isn't scared. Kolby has a firm grasp on me at all times. By firm grasp, I mean, legs and arms wrapped around me with his cheek smooshed next to mine or into my chest. Although, today, I was zooming him around and he wasn't holding on, at the end of the 30 minute lesson.

So, any ideas?!

I leave you with pictures!


Sage running through our crazy sprinkler! The novelty lasts about 10 minutes!


Me and my Bo.


Caught!


Learning to walk or ride?


What I do most of the day, inside, outside, on the street, on the grass, on carpet, behind a car.


We went to the zoo this weekend and this is how Kolby enjoyed the views! More pics and a special zoo post to come!

I've Been Meaning to Update

Kolby. Remember when I asked for prayer and faith that Kolby would walk by the end of May? I wanted Janelle, our physical therapist to see Kolby take a few steps.

Well, he hasn't walked yet. God answered my prayer with "Wait." I don't always understand why he tells me to wait but I am still waiting.

Kolby is cruising along everything. He pulls himself up to everything and will walk along it, around it and over it. I got him a walker and he does great with it, even turning corners! He hasn't figured out how to back it up. It comes down to the balance. He won't do it by himself. I try to let go of his hands so he can practice and if I do it more than twice in a row, he sits down. I don't think he is scared he just doesn't have the confidence. He has the strength, he just won't use it.

In other Kolby news, he fell down the stairs yesterday and it was totally my fault. I wasn't close enough to him. I was watching him go down the stairs and then he started rolling. down. the. stairs. I felt awful. And he didn't stop crying until I gave him some milk. I wished I still nursed him so I could comfort him.

The Spew

I am ready to go home now. Vacation is over. It was fun. Now, I am ready for my own house, my own stuff, my own kitchen where I know where everything is, my own bathroom, my nice shower, my house. But, we aren't on vacation, we have 11 more weeks!

That means something needs to change. Probably my attitude. It's not that I have a bad attitude, I am just ready to be back in the familiar. Ready to go back to our parks, our everything.

The suburb that I am living has a ton of shopping. Too much shopping. So much shopping it can be overwhelming, addicting and not fun at all. Everyday I think about where I could run to real quick. And then I look at the boys and realize it just won't work, none of us are up for that challenge nor is our checkbook!

We have been going to the Y most days. Yesterday, I ran 4 miles on the treadmill and was so proud of myself. Do you know how boring treadmill running is? BORING! Anyway. The kids place goes to the gym everyday at 11, it doesn't work the best for us, but Sage has been asking and asking to play in the gym and play basketball! Every. Day. So, yesterday and today, I try to make it there at 11 for kids gym time. Yesterday, Kolby's nap went too long and we got there at 11:35. Today, I had to take Drew's sister to her car (long story), we got there at 11:25. The kid were still in the gym! I said Sage would like to go in the gym with the other kids. She asked how old he is, I said 2.5. "Oh, they are supposed to be 3 to go in the gym." He turns 3 in a month, can he please go? They are too strict and won't let him. I told Sage that we have to wait until his birthday for him to go in the gym. He was so good. He just walked in the kids place like nothing was wrong. And when I picked him up, he didn't say a word. I, on the other hand, felt like crying. I went up to the treadmill and felt so sad. I wanted to start crying! I didn't even run a mile before I quit. I felt silly going to get my kids so soon, so I did some weights and then went to get them.

As we drove towards the in-laws house, I started to dread going back to the house. I don't know where I wanted to go, but it wasn't there. I contemplated a McDonalds or something, but don't know where one is.

Sage is being such a stinker lately. Like awful. He is being so disobedient and so disrespectful. This morning I was thinking about how I want four kids and how if I have four kids, I am going to be disciplining all. day. long. I read Proverbs 13:24 this morning which helped. The paraphrase is "He who spares the rod, hates his son but he who loves him, will be careful to discipline consistently." I needed to read that to stay strong in my discipline. Days like today, make it tough!

She has great contests!

Steph is at it again, another contest for a cool prize. This time, you can enter to win a $75 gift certificate from MamaKanga! It is a great site that offers different types of sling for babywearing. If I were to win, I would be getting a mei tei! I think the colors are neutral enough to carry a boy or girl so when Kolby can't be worn anymore, my next baby would get good use out of it too!

Dinner with Distractions

Saturday night, Drew and I went on a date. We did the typical dinner and a movie, I mean movie and dinner. We went to the early show so we only paid $4 a person!

Anyway, my point is the dinner part of our evening. We went to a great restaurant along the river and sat outside. We actually weren't sitting outside, we were under the canopy which the restaurant considered inside. I tell you that because it is a small detail in my story. There were quite a few open tables but we were seated directly in front of a table of about 12 guys. They were all ordering beers and smoking. The waitress had to tell them that they couldn't smoke there, but if the would step over the flower boxes, they were allowed to smoke there. They were loud. And they were staring all the waitress and any woman who walked around the restaurant at all.

I noticed something as I tried to be distracted from their obnoxious pointing and staring and loudness, why is it that the loud, annoying guys that make obscene comments and point to all the woman are ugly? And I don't mean homely, I mean just flat out ugly. I don't get it. I mean, I am sure that there are attractive men who stare at women but they just aren't as obvious. Seriously, these guys were straight arm out, pointing at women and then their creepy eyes would follow their prey across the room.

I was embarrassed for them. And if I ever have a daughter someday, she won't be a waitress.

Random Things About Me That You Probably Don't Care About

My favorite colors are green and pink, okay black too.

I like having long hair.

I love bags and purses.

I love shoes but don't buy too many because shoes in a size 10 or 11 just aren't as cute.

I think I am in the middle of being girly and a tomboy. Meaning, I keep my toes polished, and usually dry my hair but can get ready in 20 minutes if needed, usually I just need 30 - 40.

I like to blend in with the crowd.

I wear mainly plain clothes, not too many prints because in my mind, I won't get as tired of plain colors as quickly.

I love shopping at Target, could spend hundreds of dollars and way too much time.

My boys are the cutest ever!

I have a like/hate relationship with my bangs.

I probably won't cut bangs after I grow these out.

I use cloth diapers for Kolby.

I try to be "green", reduce, reuse, recycle. But will be the first to admit that I am not that great at it.

I enjoy going to the Y more after I am done than during or before.

I am a fast reader, if I am interested in the book.

A Confession

Sometimes I get bored as a stay at home mom.

And it has been more evident to me lately. I know there are other factors, like living somewhere new and temporary that play a large part in my boredom of late.

I just keep doing the same things over and over. Wake up, change diapers, feed the kids, clean up, get dressed, go to the Y, shower, play "rolling" (roll the ball back and forth, back and forth), play airplane, play with little people, watch them play while I read, change diapers, try to get Sage to pee or poop on the potty, make lunch, eat, clean up, play, lay them down for naps, play, play, play, pick up Drew from the bus, dinner, clean up and bed time.

And why is it when I am bored, the less I want to do? Does that make sense? Everything seems like such an effort. An effort to go outside and play or go to a park.

This is also compounded by the fact that Sage got sick last night. We were finishing dinner, Drew had just gone outside to mow and Sage throws up. I was so glad to have Drew's mom to help clean it up. I just can't handle throw-up. I gag and puke myself. I snuggled him on the couch until bedtime, having a sick toddler is good for something! He had a rough night too. He was up at 1 am and between 4 and 6, between the boys and the dog, there wasn't much sleeping for our family. Sage was burning up so at 4 I gave him Tylenol and at 5:45, he was back asleep and slept until 8!

DISCLAIMER: I am so blessed to be a stay at home mom. Believe me, there is nothing in the world that I would rather do, but sometimes I struggle. I am pretty sure this has more to do with being in a new place for such a short/long period of time than anything else. Also, I was so busy right up until we moved. I no longer have other babies coming into my house 3 or 4 days a week, I don't have friends to meet at the park or for lunch. But, it is temporary and I will start making the most of it. We didn't go the Y this morning, but that will be something normal in our daily routine and I can plan things for us to go do by ourselves, like the Big Park, MOA, Como Zoo, Children's Museum and I am sure we can find some other fun, free stuff! See, I am feeling better already. It is just this cooped up feeling.

I am guessing this little sickness came from the Y. Last week, they told me that someone had broken out in the chicken pox and had been in the child care the day before. So were mine. They have both had the vaccine, so I guess we'll find out if it works!

The randomness of this post is astonishing, I just need to get back in the groove of blogging again.

Suburbia Randomness

I am not sure what to write and usually when I am feeling this way, I just stay away from my blog.

I must admit, I am feeling a little lonely here in suburbia. It is so weird because there are people everywhere but everyone is in their own world. We went to the park this afternoon and were the only ones! Sage asked why we drove to the park and didn't walk.

Driving here is so easy! There are huge parking lots everywhere you go, I never have to parallel park or need change to plug $1.25 per hour in the meter.

There are so many stores here. Too much shopping. And everything is the same, by that I mean, everything is a chain store. It is weird/funny to travel through out the country and see how everyone is a lot the same and a lot different all at the same time. I should expand on that...

I am blaming my sadness/loneliness on suburbia and moving somewhere new, but honestly, that probably isn't it. I haven't been reading my Bible or keeping up in my prayer journal lately. I have excuses, but they aren't good. I know it is what keeps me going, keeps the joy in my life and yet, it is so easy to putter out on it. I wrote in my prayer journal today so hopefully I am back in the game and will get rejuvenated quickly!

I am missing my own home and my friends. Three weeks before we moved, a really nice family moved in two houses down. She is a stay at home mom and has a two year old girl and is due the 16th. I was sad to leave them. I would have loved to make a casserole and buy a new baby gift to take over. We did get to play with them several times, especially since they have a yard!

Drew's first day of work was yesterday, he leaves at 6:45 and gets home at 6:15, thanks to a one and a half hour commute. It is a long day and he is tired when he gets home. It should be an interesting summer.

I almost forgot! I got to run yesterday and today in my new running skirt and I love it! It is so comfy and so much more flattering than shorts! I love tricks! If only my running were going as well as how much I love my new skirt!

/End rambling.

Weekend Wrap Up

We drove 900 miles, saw my cousin get married, met my new (2 month old) niece, Sophie, forgot to take a picture of the cute baby, ate pizza at Happy Joe's and had an ice-cream sundae for $2.85 (I forget how cheap the midwest is!) and now we're back. The best part was watching Sage sing, dance, wave his hands in the air, and play the air drums and guitar at my parents church this morning. Let's just say that, it is hard to get people to clap there, so he was definitely noticed. It was so cute.

Drew starts work tomorrow which means it is my first day in his parents house with the boys by myself. Kind of, his mom has Mondays off.

I'm having a hard time finding things to be positive about so I am just going to bed and leave you with this: do not read anything into the last post. If I have an announcement it will be very clear.

Purely to Link to a Contest

Steph at Adventures in Babywearing is once again hosting a contest. This time it is for a $50 gift certificate to Vincent Shoes! If I win, Sage or maybe Kolby will definitely be getting a new pair of shoes. Like Andy or Hampus or Martin or Sam or Smith or Stan or or or. I can't decide, they are all so cool!

But if I had a girl, she would definitely be getting Love, okay so nothing is definite, but...

Go check out Vincent. And shop away! They even have some on sale right now!

We're off for the weekend, have a great one!

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!