Floaties

As  kid I hated "floaties" in my bathwater.  I remember distinctly balking at entering the water in the bath (or if there was a bug in the pool) if I could even see a speck.  I'm sure my mom remembers this too!  I'm about 99% sure LMM gets his sensory issues from his mother.

I have floaties on my brain.  We love Shauni Feldhahn's books "For Women Only" and "For Men  Only".  In "For Men Only" (which I read, and will explain in a minute) it described women's minds like a computer screen with many windows open at once.  That explains my mind most of the time.  We have a hard time thinking about one thing and sometimes feel like we are juggling too many things at once.  I'm sure not every woman feels that way, but I certainly do.  So right now I have floaties.  SOOO many things at once I can hardly function or settle on one item.  Hold on, I just remembered I'm supposed to take a jello to a baby shower tomorrow and haven't made it yet....

...heavens.  I am so scattered.  Ok, so a few years back my husband and I got the Shauni Feldhahn's books.  We liked them so much we give them out as engagement/wedding gifts.  But we read them with a twist.  I read the men's one and he read the women's one making notes for each other as we read like "this is totally me" or "I've never really felt that way about...".

My big project this fall is making a family closet.  I'd heard about them and mentioned it to #1 (who instantly thought it was a great idea, just took me awhile to get on board) a little over a year ago.  I guess I am a traditionalist who likes everyone to have their own drawers and closet space.  However, now that (according to many, but not me) we are a large family things are getting a little...disorganized.  Often when the boys are getting their clothes out of drawers they toss everything in their way on the floor.  Later I don't remember what is clean and what is dirty and washing clean clothes is not  a good use of our resources.  I am tired of lugging laundry baskets up and down the stairs multiple times a day.  There are perfectly good clothes not getting warn because I never see them in the back of drawers, or because we simply have too many clothes.  In my opinion we have too much of everything material, but I am not great at getting rid of things.  I am learning to think of giving things we are not using as blessing others, not "losing" something.

I'll post pictures as we go.  Right now it looks like a tornado has hit our basement.  But that is not the only reason we have chaos down there.  Our basement floods every time it rains.  We used our tax return money plus some money we saved up to put an egress window in.  Our plan is to use tax return monies each year to finish off our basement.  We had planned on at least moving ourselves downstairs this year (even if it wasn't a "room" per se) and turning the girls' current room into a den off of our dining room.  They'd get our room.

The men installing our egress window in July

However, the egress now floods each time it rains which has ruined much of the carpeting in the playroom and everything in that area has been moved to higher ground.  The company had guaranteed that it wouldn't leak.  I have spent hours on the phone with them and was told for $1,500 they could put in a solution to our problem.  I politely informed them that before they came with their product I didn't have a problem.  After finally speaking with the owner I think they are going to put in some sort of a pump to pump water out of the well and it will be at their expense.  Time will tell.

 The kids enjoying a rainy Saturday

The view from inside the basement when it rains...water POURS in the window

The view from outside after it has rained.  

Other things floating in my brain are small like things I need to make for baby showers, planning meals, and juggling our schedule.  One of the reasons I think I cannot homeschool Snug is that I barely get everything done as it is.  I can only imagine what life would be like if I added that.  

I have a ton of apples sitting on my counter top waiting to be made into applesauce.  That is a project I'd like to have the entire family participate in, so it will wait for the weekend.  Homemade applesauce is a dessert/side dish we all enjoy throughout the winter.  

I'm also planning on doing some fall family pictures.  Not of us (although I'd like to fit that in too) but of some other families.  I am excited to try my hand at it.  I'm not a professional and I let them know that up front!  Waiting for some nice weather days and the colors to come in just a bit more. 

Speaking of pictures, I still haven't done ANYTHING with the ones of my cousin's wedding in August.  On my "to do" list today is to at least get them up on Facebook.  I am soooo bad!!!!

So while my basement is floating in rainwater and my brain is floating full of projects and things I need to get done, I better get off my blog and get working!

First Days and Nine Months

 Back to school has come and gone, and now school is routine, but I still wanted to share our pictures.  LMM is THRILLED to go this year, unlike last year where he cried and clung to my leg for, oh, the first 6 months.  No longer!  I barely get a "goodbye".

 There are tears though, I assure you.  Instead of LMM clinging to me sobbing that he wants to go home...I have Rosebud clinging to the art table or whatever furniture she can get her sticky-from-breakfast hands on screaming that she wants to stay.  She'd give up something pink and sparkly to be at school.  She has the back-to-school-bug bad.

 MMMM.  I could eat this one up.  She is a mama's girl for sure, and I am loving it.  I'll admit most days it is hard to have her wanting me ALL THE TIME, but as she gets older...I'm learning to cherish it.  Her baby days are numbered.  Everything is new and exciting and she loves to explore anything she can get her hands on.

 And then she eats it.  Cause that's what you do at nine months.

 I have zero new growth to report this month.  She is not even registered on the charts for weight (14 lbs 9 oz...still not as big as Rosebud was at 6 months) and is in the 10th % for length (26.5").  http://www.babycenter.com/baby-child-growth-percentile-calculator

However...she is developing GREAT!  She is taking steps along the furniture, exploring standing unassisted, learning to open/get into/crawl around everything in her way.  She feeds herself gluten free cereal, nurses often and well (finally sleeps 4 hours at a time most nights and is transitioning to her crib more than cosleeping) and eats baby food.  While she'll eat my homemade rice cereal and advacado, she has a bad gag reflex with homemade pureed veggies and fruits.  She is doing better on jar first foods, so I have been buying 2-3 of those a week as well.  Three jars doesn't kill anything but my pride.

 Snug Snug Snug.  I can't believe my preemie is in first grade.  He is not as excited about school this year as last.  I second guess my decision to put him in school daily.  I am trusting I did the right thing, but it has been hard.

He's already had his taste of bullying, but his teacher handled it well.  Not ready to tell that story yet, but I may in the future.  It for sure upped my opinion of the teacher though.  He is a little bored as the work comes easily to him, but new things should be introduced soon.  He also started swim lessons yesterday.  We found really reasonably priced ones at the YMCA a short distance from us.  He loves the water and we hope this opportunity will not only teach him swimming skills, but also boost his self-confidence (something he has very little of at school despite knowing all the required work) and social skills.

I have so much I want to/need to post and am working it into my daily schedule.  Er...weekly schedule.  After my last post I really missed blogging and need to make more time for it.

As it is September 11th I have a story to share.

A few weeks ago our family added a new activity (cause really we have nothing to do, totally bored).  We started Letterboxing.  I read about it in Parent's Magazine (or was it Family Fun?).  We've only done it a few times, but MAN is it fun, and has proved to be educational for the boys and a great way to get some exercise and spend time together as a family.

We went to our local 9-11 memorial for our very first try (we either failed, or the box was missing).  While there we took the time to examine the monument which is constructed from some of the Twin Towers building material  .  We talked a little bit with the boys about why it was there.  We kept it very basic.

Fast forward two weeks to this past weekend.  We're at #1's softball tournament (where his team did FABULOUS, knocking out the #1 ranked East Coast team in Police Softball shocking everyone including themselves).  LMM and I are watching the other team warm up and he asked if "thems is cops".  I told him yes, everyone here is a cop...it is Police League Softball!  Then he said they were bad cops.

More than concerned, I asked why on EARTH he would say a thing like that.  He proceeded to tell me that they were bad because they flew airplanes into buildings.  Heavens.  I don't think he got one thing right about 9-11.  I patiently tried to re-tell him and correct what he was way off base on.

I also informed him that his daddy is a cop (which he doesn't believe anymore now that #1 is a detective and doesn't wear traditional uniform...my boys think that is quite the disappointment these days!) and he knows daddy helps people at work.  He had to think on that for awhile, but I HOPE he understands at least the part that the police officers (and firefighters and all first responders) were the GOOD GUYS in history.

Have you told your kids about 9-11?  Any tips?

Life As I Know It

Life is so busy.  The thought of blogging actually makes me feel guilty because it has been so long. I've always blogged because I love it, it was fun, a creative outlet.  This summer it seems like I blog out of obligation.  I hate that.

#1 is out running with Snug.  They're training for a 5K in October.  Well Snug is, #1 is going to run something much longer in the upcoming months, just can't remember how long.  He got new running shoes and everything.  I kinda hope this is a sport of choice for him as a new pair of shoes is much more do-able than all the gear that goes with most sports.

Snug started first grade a couple of weeks ago.  He likes it ok, but hates getting up early.  He isn't a morning person, and I'm not either.  Makes for an interesting start of the day.  I'm trying to like his teacher.  I think being a teacher and then sending your kid to school for someone else to teach is really hard.  I think sending your kid to school is hard period.

Monkey Man starts pre-K tomorrow.  He is excited and so far I LOVE his teachers.  A mom who raised 4 boys and a former school psychologist who worked with kids who had all kinds of challenges.  I feel he is in good hands.  I just packed 25 days worth of snacks for him in a plastic container that they keep at his school.  Any kids with food allergies have to bring their own food.  I'm not holding my breath, but he was given goldfish crackers unbeknownst to us two times this summer and had ZERO reaction.  There is a chance he could grow out of his gluten intollerance...it would be so great if he did.

Rosebud is two going on twelve.  Wow, she is giving us a hard time.  But when she's behaving, she has this smile that totally gets us and is a ton of fun.  I feel like she is wearing me down one moment at a time though. I got her three free princess (ok, one is Tinkerbell, and she's not a princess) dress up dresses this week.  I love free stuff.  The former owner warned me they were not in great shape...but I washed them on delicate and they look great.

Can't even think of her blog name it has been so long...ah.  Sweet Pea.  She's more and more mobile by the day.  She's starting to walk around furniture and I've caught her standing without holding on a couple of times.  I tried eating wheat again and she blistered out big time so that is a no-go.  She's still nursing well and although she's not huge by any imagination, she's growing and doing well.  I have 593 oz of frozen milk in our freezer.  My goal is 600 oz.  It sounds like a lot, but it is really only one month worth.  She's never had a bottle yet and I don't plan on ever giving her one.  My hope is she'll get the frozen milk via sippy cup at some later date.

Draycare started back up last week.  I'm so thankful for a new little guy here.  He's only part time and I'm ok with that.  I like to spend as much time as possible with my kids, my housework, and my husband.  When I'm running the daycare I don't feel I do well at any of the aforementioned three.

While nursing I've been playing Words with Friends and Hanging With Friends.  What could be more addictive?  Oh well, at least I'm looking forward to the time instead of wishing she'd hurry up  :)

So many pictures to post, but I'll put up a picture from my cousin's wedding and my kids with their only first cousin (nearly three weeks ago).  I just uploaded them today, so I haven't been able to choose the ones I really want to post...first day of school pictures coming soon!

The Farm!

We celebrated Snug's birthday the day before with our Ohio family, and later with our Michigan family, so on his actual birthday we had no festivities planned.  However, I certainly wasn't going to just let the day go by unnoticed!  We packed up and headed out with our good friends to a 1800's working farm that we love and try to visit at least once a summer.  

Everybody had to use the potty and wash their hands and gather for a group picture before we went in.  

First up was the blacksmith shop where they got a demonstration of how steel bends when heated and about the coal they use to keep the fire going.

Somebody was all about the horses.  That's my girl!

I'm hoping to be able to go back for Draft Horse Days where they have plowing competitions.

Horse lover in training.

Snug and his gal pal have been friends for a long time and I hope that friendship continues even as they get older and have more distain for the opposite sex.  They are just good buddies and I love it.

I don't know how old this lamb was, but I'd say just a few days at most.

The kids enjoyed trying to walk on stilts.

Thankfully one of the adults was mature enough not to just be snapping pictures of everything and took the time to help the children.  Geesh.

Sweet Pea was along too (of course) but rode in the baby backpack 99% of the time.

The handwashing flats challenge gave me a whole new respect for a washtub and board.

The homemade marble run is always a hit.  I was a little disappointed there wasn't anyone working in the kitchen that day as there usually is.  However, that meant that the house was practically ours for quite awhile and the kids were able to play and I could nurse and sit down for awhile.

Checkers on the front porch.

Neither one had a clue what to do from what I could tell, but as they are also good buddies they had a good time trying.

There is a creek bed on the farm that the kids can go down and throw rocks in and look for crawdads.  It was pretty low this summer as we haven't had much rain.

Ok, she is seriously SO cute!

And a good time was had by all.

We're currently in Michigan for a softball tournament and my cousin's wedding.  I'll post more next week when things slow down a bit (you know with Draycare and school starting).  Have a good one!

Snug is 6...Sweet Pea is 8 months!

Wow.  Six years goes by fast.  Snug had his sixth birthday and we celebrated over the weekend.  He had a LEGO theme.  

 Thank you Pinterest for easy decorating ideas!

 His cake was the easiest one I've made in years.  I wanted to make it look like a Lego brick.  The dots are 1/2 of the GIANT marshmallows they sell (I think they are called 'roasters').

 I took cardstock and made circles on them to look like LEGO bricks down the center of the table...can't really tell in my picture though.

 I do believe she is yelling "CAKE"!

 He was thrilled.  The yellow "Legos" are gluten free cupcakes that have 1/2 a regular marshmallow on them.  The only thing I hated was how much food coloring I used.  I'm not into artificial colors, but this was the look I wanted.  I guess they really don't get them often.

 Opening presents.

 This was Snug's gift from #1's parents.  I had to include this picture of LMM as he went whizzing by.

 Snug caught on right away.  I was both surprised and pleased.

 He looked so old.  You know, minus the Diego knee and elbow pads  :o)

 Just being silly.

 We gave Snug a bike.  He can't ride it, and might not be able to until next summer...it is even a little too big along with not having training wheels.  That's ok, he can grow into it.  He is growing so fast we were afraid that he'd outgrow an 18" before he learned to ride it.

 This past weekend Sweet Pea turned eight months old.  She got her first solids unexpectedly at a wedding when we were trying to keep her quiet during the toasts.  I gave her tiny pieces of melon (not our traditional first food for sure) and it indeed kept her quiet.  She was so excited I decided the time has probably come.

 Being in the high chair is not her favorite thing for sure.

 And she wasn't so sure about having a spoon shoved in her mouth.

 She wasn't sure at first about the advacado (our first choice in introductory food).

 The next bite was eagerly accepted.

 After that she fought daddy for not only the next bite but also for control of the spoon.

 She won.  We gave her the spoon and let her go at it.  She only got maybe 1.5 tablespoons.  We'll keep her intake very low so that her milk intake doesn't decrease.

Yup, this eating thing agrees with her. I've made lots of baby food and it is in cubes awaiting her in the freezer.  As organic produce comes on sale at the grocery (or ripe in our garden!) I puree it, freeze it in ice cube trays, and then freeze it.

At six years old Snug is 48" tall and weighs 50 lbs.
At eight months Sweet Pea is 26.5" and weighs 14 lbs 10 oz