Saturday, January 30, 2010
I Love You Just As Much
Isn't it funny how differently you do things with your second child? With Gavin, I boiled cups, bottles, toys, etc. I vacuumed several times a day because I didn't want dog hair to get all over him. We steam cleaned the carpet every month or two. And I also felt like I held Gavin constantly. My poor Colin, on the other hand. If you only knew what was going on, you'd feel totally neglected. Boil? No, Sweetie...the dishwasher is just fine. And your toys? Unless there's gunk on them after they hit the floor, I just wipe them on my shirt and give them back. Your Mom-mom always said, "you have to eat a peck of dirt before you die." We have hardwood floors now, so I only vacuum the bedrooms about once a week. I swiffer the wood floors when the dog hair starts to accumulate in little piles. Even though you may have dog hair on your jammies, I promise, I pick them out of your mouth as soon as I see them. I'm sorry I don't hold you as much as I held Gavin. Unfortunately, a lot of times when I'm holding you, Gavin needs my help with something and I have to put you down. Or worse, Gavin wants to be held too. I'm 35 years old and my back just can't take 55 lbs. of kids at once. It can barely manage all 20 lbs. 7 oz. of you. I see you looking back at me from the Jumperoo right now. You're smiling and playing with its toys and you just started jumping and laughing out loud. :) You don't LOOK neglected. You are such a happy, loving, adorable, well-behaved, and sweet baby and Daddy, Gavin, and I are so glad you're here. I just wanted to make sure you knew that, even though your baby book is essentially blank (I still plan to get to that!), I love you just as much!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
A Little Piece of Wood
This morning, Gavin hit another milestone, if you can call it that. His first splinter. Poor guy. We went to the park yesterday with some mommy friends and their kids and he must have gotten it while playing on the picnic tables. Daddy got home from work this morning and we were tucking him in (something that Gavin loves to do) and he said that his "hand hut" (hurt). I looked and in the fleshy part of his palm just below his pointer finger, there was about a 2 mm splinter completely under the skin. It was a little red and I knew it would bother him if I tried to let it "work it's way out." It was a two-man job, so Andy got out of bed and we went into the bathroom. With a needle in hand, Daddy went to work on the splinter while I held, hugged, and restrained my kicking and crying 2 1/2 year old. That wasn't working as well as we'd hoped, so we had to lay him on the bed. I pinned him down and restrained his arm and Andy went at the splinter with the pin and tweezers. He screamed and cried and the whole time (which seemed longer than it really was) I told him what a good and brave boy he was being. :(
After Andy got the splinter out, Gavin immediately stopped crying and looked at it with interest. Daddy explained that this was the "little piece of wood" that was stuck in his hand. Andy then tried to put a Diego band aid on his boo-boo, but he wouldn't let Daddy near his hand. He did tell Daddy "tee-ko" (thank-you) for fixing his hand. Then he let me put the band aid on. :)
After Andy got the splinter out, Gavin immediately stopped crying and looked at it with interest. Daddy explained that this was the "little piece of wood" that was stuck in his hand. Andy then tried to put a Diego band aid on his boo-boo, but he wouldn't let Daddy near his hand. He did tell Daddy "tee-ko" (thank-you) for fixing his hand. Then he let me put the band aid on. :)
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Teephers
Well, my Colin officially has 2 teeth. He cut the first one on the 18th. That was the day he was miserable for Andy while I was at work. Andy had worked the night before and was up for about 36 hours while caring for the (sick) boys during the last 14. Colin wasn't feeling well, but had become inconsolable. Turns out, the little guy cut his first tooth. Go, Colin! He always reaches milestones when I'm at work. Isn't the benefit of being a SAHM supposed to be that I'M the one to witness the milestones??? He rolled over for the first time for daddy while I was grocery shopping. :( Anyway, he cut his second tooth today. They are so cute. The two middle bottom teeth are poking out about 1 mm each. I'm just waiting for him to bite me with them, but it hasn't happened yet. So, a dose of tylenol before bed and I'm hoping he'll sleep through the night.
So why am I not in bed myself, taking advantage of the quiet that is two sleeping boys??? I'm reading archive posts from my new favorite blog. The Frugal Zeitgeist. I love reading her posts. She's like an updated, less rural version of Amy Dacyczyn, who wrote The Complete Tightwad Gazette...my Bible. I'm only up to July of 2007, but I find her posts to be very empowering. It is frugality which afforded us the opportunity to pay off our bills, have kids, allow me to be a SAHM, and buy a wonderful new home to grow into for years to come. Now, reading this blog is reminding me that I really need to buckle down and use my frugality to step up our retirement and college fund savings. We also need to beef up our safety net savings account since moving into the new house. I have a meeting with my financial advisor next week. Stuart Cohen is from NJ and is my parents and my sister's financial advisor. He has clients in NJ, SC, and FL and offered to stop by our home in NC once a year as long as we didn't mind doing any other business with him by fax or phone. My mother and sister both swore by him, so he has been our advisor for the past 4 years or so. Meeting with him is always something I look forward to...finding out if we're still on track with our goals. I'll let you know how it goes. ;)
So why am I not in bed myself, taking advantage of the quiet that is two sleeping boys??? I'm reading archive posts from my new favorite blog. The Frugal Zeitgeist. I love reading her posts. She's like an updated, less rural version of Amy Dacyczyn, who wrote The Complete Tightwad Gazette...my Bible. I'm only up to July of 2007, but I find her posts to be very empowering. It is frugality which afforded us the opportunity to pay off our bills, have kids, allow me to be a SAHM, and buy a wonderful new home to grow into for years to come. Now, reading this blog is reminding me that I really need to buckle down and use my frugality to step up our retirement and college fund savings. We also need to beef up our safety net savings account since moving into the new house. I have a meeting with my financial advisor next week. Stuart Cohen is from NJ and is my parents and my sister's financial advisor. He has clients in NJ, SC, and FL and offered to stop by our home in NC once a year as long as we didn't mind doing any other business with him by fax or phone. My mother and sister both swore by him, so he has been our advisor for the past 4 years or so. Meeting with him is always something I look forward to...finding out if we're still on track with our goals. I'll let you know how it goes. ;)
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Ahhhh....
Well, today started out crappy. Both of the kids are sick and Colin was up every couple of hours, coughing, crying, and eating. Andy worked last night and was in bed asleep when I decided to get up with Colin at 0700. I was so happy that Gavin slept until 0830. Then I realized that Missy (our dog) was having issues. Suffice it to say that her butt hurt. It was way more gross than that...but anyway. I called the vet and they said that I could bring her in and drop her off and they'd see her when they had an open slot. Unfortunately, our vet is now 25 minutes from our new house. They closed at noon and it was already 0900. I was in PJ's and hadn't showered in days (if you're a mom, you understand.) Plus, it was only 33 degrees outside and I had two sick boys. They told me that if I let it go, it could get worse for Missy and way more costly for me. So, as much as I hated to do it, I woke up Andy. He had to work tonight, but I was just totally overwhelmed. I told him what was going on and he was so great about it. He offered to take Missy to the vet and drop her off. We're boarding her there until Monday while they figure out what's wrong with her and treat her. I got to stay home with my two sick and cranky boys. Andy got off easy.
Gavin had several melt-downs today. I think he got used to being spoiled while he was sick and now that he's got some energy back, it's just not going to fly. Colin was so pitiful...cranky, crying, and wanting to be held the whole day, poor thing. Amazingly, they took naps at the same time for TWO HOURS! That has never happened before. While they slept, I was able to make baby food (sweet potatoes, pears, and corn), put all of the 2009 files in a file box, and file the pile of 2010 paperwork that had started to accumulate while I was trying to find time to organize my filing cabinets. Then my awesome kids were both bathed and in bed by 2030. So I rewarded myself for my day's accomplishments with a long, hot bath in the spa tub with a glass of red wine. I feel so great and relaxed right now. I can't believe I was actually able to pencil in some "me" time.
Once I got out of the tub and ready for bed, I got onto the computer and lost track of time while checking WilmingtonMommies and facebook for the 8975934757th time today. I also started to research the how to efficiently use coupons for stockpiling during sales and double or triple coupon specials. Now I need to start a large coupon stash. If you have any access to coupons, but don't use them, please let me know. I'd love for you to mail them to me. :) Anyway...now I'm noticing that its almost 2330. Where did the time go? I really hope the boys both sleep all night. I'm off to bed. Good night, Moon!
Gavin had several melt-downs today. I think he got used to being spoiled while he was sick and now that he's got some energy back, it's just not going to fly. Colin was so pitiful...cranky, crying, and wanting to be held the whole day, poor thing. Amazingly, they took naps at the same time for TWO HOURS! That has never happened before. While they slept, I was able to make baby food (sweet potatoes, pears, and corn), put all of the 2009 files in a file box, and file the pile of 2010 paperwork that had started to accumulate while I was trying to find time to organize my filing cabinets. Then my awesome kids were both bathed and in bed by 2030. So I rewarded myself for my day's accomplishments with a long, hot bath in the spa tub with a glass of red wine. I feel so great and relaxed right now. I can't believe I was actually able to pencil in some "me" time.
Once I got out of the tub and ready for bed, I got onto the computer and lost track of time while checking WilmingtonMommies and facebook for the 8975934757th time today. I also started to research the how to efficiently use coupons for stockpiling during sales and double or triple coupon specials. Now I need to start a large coupon stash. If you have any access to coupons, but don't use them, please let me know. I'd love for you to mail them to me. :) Anyway...now I'm noticing that its almost 2330. Where did the time go? I really hope the boys both sleep all night. I'm off to bed. Good night, Moon!
So Hard, But So Worth It
It's Saturday again. It's been a week since Gavin got sick. Gavin is feeling a lot better, but he's still coughing, sneezing, and draining yellowish green. Pretty gross, I know, but at least he no longer has a fever and is acting normally and has been sleeping straight through for the last couple of nights. Of course, right as Gavin started getting better, Colin got sick. He's got watery eyes, sneezing with a constantly runny nose, a horrible cough and rattling when breathing, and an intermittent fever. Poor thing has been awake at night coughing for the last 3 nights.
It's horrible to watch my kids feel so badly and not be able to make them feel better. I haven't slept in a week because at least one kid has been sick at night every night. I'm exhausted and overwhelmed. It's so hard to be a SAHM, but I can't help wondering...how do working moms deal with this? My kids don't go to daycare and there's always a parent home to watch them. If we both worked and they were in daycare, we'd have to take time off every time they got sick, which, I assume, would be more frequently if they were in school. This is only Colin's first illness and Gavin's second (in 2 1/2 years...how awesome is that?) We'd still be up all night taking care of the boys, but then one of us would have to go to work with no sleep. I haven't showered in a couple of days and I'm still in pajamas, but at least I don't have anywhere to be. I'm sitting on the couch with my sick toddler next to me watching "Thomas", my sick infant in one arm, and I'm typing with the other.
As hard as it is being a SAHM, it is a blessing as well. I feel so lucky (and privileged) to be able to provide my children with the same type of childhood that I had growing up. I get to give them all the things my mother gave to me. Even though there are days I want to pull my hair out, I realize that I am fortunate just to have the option to stay home...by choice. Not everyone is so lucky.
It's horrible to watch my kids feel so badly and not be able to make them feel better. I haven't slept in a week because at least one kid has been sick at night every night. I'm exhausted and overwhelmed. It's so hard to be a SAHM, but I can't help wondering...how do working moms deal with this? My kids don't go to daycare and there's always a parent home to watch them. If we both worked and they were in daycare, we'd have to take time off every time they got sick, which, I assume, would be more frequently if they were in school. This is only Colin's first illness and Gavin's second (in 2 1/2 years...how awesome is that?) We'd still be up all night taking care of the boys, but then one of us would have to go to work with no sleep. I haven't showered in a couple of days and I'm still in pajamas, but at least I don't have anywhere to be. I'm sitting on the couch with my sick toddler next to me watching "Thomas", my sick infant in one arm, and I'm typing with the other.
As hard as it is being a SAHM, it is a blessing as well. I feel so lucky (and privileged) to be able to provide my children with the same type of childhood that I had growing up. I get to give them all the things my mother gave to me. Even though there are days I want to pull my hair out, I realize that I am fortunate just to have the option to stay home...by choice. Not everyone is so lucky.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Some of the things I love about Gavin...
- He calls his daddy "Nanny", even though he can say his "d's" now. When I try to prompt him by saying "d...d...daddy," he says "d...d...nanny."
- He runs around the house on his tippy toes...it's so cute! His cousin, Lexi, used to do the same thing. :)
- He calls his baby brother "Colie."
- When he calls his doggie, Missy, he says, "Miss-ay!" at the top of his lungs.
- His bedtime routine (with me) consists of changing into a "night-night" diaper, he pushes the play button on his CD player to play his lullaby CD, then he asks to "slow dance Mommy." I told him once that I was slow dancing with him just like I would on his wedding day...then I immediately started crying.
- If Gavin doesn't like when I'm (or anyone) is doing something, he'll say, "No-no, Mommy" and do his mad face.
- His facial expressions are exactly like mine...even if nothing else about him is.
- He is a budding artist and loves to do crafts and paint.
- He is so darn cute in his footie pajamas!
- He calls the heat and a/c registers "heat holes" and the heat pump intakes are the "big heat holes."
- He knows that Daddy flies in a helicopter. And when he says helicopter, it sounds like "hi-da-ho."
- His favorite characters right now are Lightning McQueen (Keen), Tow-Mater (Tow Mater), Thomas the Tank (Thomas), Curious George (George), and Mickey Mouse (Mi-he Mouse.) And he loves the Geotrax cartoons.
- The last thing he says to me every night is "Night-night, Mommy. Love you, Mommy."
- He runs around the house on his tippy toes...it's so cute! His cousin, Lexi, used to do the same thing. :)
- He calls his baby brother "Colie."
- When he calls his doggie, Missy, he says, "Miss-ay!" at the top of his lungs.
- His bedtime routine (with me) consists of changing into a "night-night" diaper, he pushes the play button on his CD player to play his lullaby CD, then he asks to "slow dance Mommy." I told him once that I was slow dancing with him just like I would on his wedding day...then I immediately started crying.
- If Gavin doesn't like when I'm (or anyone) is doing something, he'll say, "No-no, Mommy" and do his mad face.
- His facial expressions are exactly like mine...even if nothing else about him is.
- He is a budding artist and loves to do crafts and paint.
- He is so darn cute in his footie pajamas!
- He calls the heat and a/c registers "heat holes" and the heat pump intakes are the "big heat holes."
- He knows that Daddy flies in a helicopter. And when he says helicopter, it sounds like "hi-da-ho."
- His favorite characters right now are Lightning McQueen (Keen), Tow-Mater (Tow Mater), Thomas the Tank (Thomas), Curious George (George), and Mickey Mouse (Mi-he Mouse.) And he loves the Geotrax cartoons.
- The last thing he says to me every night is "Night-night, Mommy. Love you, Mommy."
What Was I Thinking?
Somewhere along the way, I came to believe that being a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM) would be relaxing. Where did I pick up this little tidbit of inaccurate information? I mean, I knew it would be tough to keep up with 2 kids, keep up with the household, and work part-time, but I thought since it would be on my terms, I'd be able to pencil in some "me" time. Boy, was I wrong! I've been doing better at juggling the boys and all of their needs, but the house has taken a back seat, that's for sure. But then yesterday slapped me in the face.
I had to work my one day/week, which is usually a welcome break from the SAHM routine. I woke up at 0430 and took a shower. I never thought I'd appreciate a shower as much as I do now that I don't always get a chance to take one when I want. Right as I was getting ready to leave for work at 0525, Gavin woke up crying and calling for me. I went in and got him and put him in bed with Daddy. Little did I know, he was getting sick. I went to work, only ran 2 calls, and had a great day with my friends. But then, it was time to come home. I got home at 1830, which was a blessing since I very rarely get off from work on time, only to find my poor 2 year old was sick with a head cold and a fever all day. He ate very little dinner and looked like he couldn't hold his eyes open, so Daddy gave him a bath and tried to put him to bed. Well, THAT didn't work. As it turned out, Andy slept in the spare bedroom and Gavin slept in bed with me. He was up at least every 2 hours and his crying woke up Colin. By 0900 this morning, I had 2 boys in bed with me, neither of whom were my husband, I had gotten MAYBE 2 hours of sleep total, and I was exhausted. I actually texted Andy in the other room with "Help, no sleep." He came in and got the kids, and let me sleep for 2 hours. It was very refreshing and just what I needed. I then washed the sheets and we made the bed just in time for Andy to take a nap before going into Airlink for night shift.
I put Gavin down for a nap, but that didn't happen. I gave him tylenol, a decongestant, and laid him on the couch hoping that he'd sleep there. Unfortunately for me, the tylenol kicked in and he got his second wind. Now, it's almost 1800 and I'm enjoying a moment of silence while Gavin watches "Cars" (again) and Colin plays on his play mat. The house is a mess and I have no idea what I'm making for dinner. Whoever thinks that SAHM's sit on their butts all day watching TV and eating bon-bons is DEAD WRONG.
I had to work my one day/week, which is usually a welcome break from the SAHM routine. I woke up at 0430 and took a shower. I never thought I'd appreciate a shower as much as I do now that I don't always get a chance to take one when I want. Right as I was getting ready to leave for work at 0525, Gavin woke up crying and calling for me. I went in and got him and put him in bed with Daddy. Little did I know, he was getting sick. I went to work, only ran 2 calls, and had a great day with my friends. But then, it was time to come home. I got home at 1830, which was a blessing since I very rarely get off from work on time, only to find my poor 2 year old was sick with a head cold and a fever all day. He ate very little dinner and looked like he couldn't hold his eyes open, so Daddy gave him a bath and tried to put him to bed. Well, THAT didn't work. As it turned out, Andy slept in the spare bedroom and Gavin slept in bed with me. He was up at least every 2 hours and his crying woke up Colin. By 0900 this morning, I had 2 boys in bed with me, neither of whom were my husband, I had gotten MAYBE 2 hours of sleep total, and I was exhausted. I actually texted Andy in the other room with "Help, no sleep." He came in and got the kids, and let me sleep for 2 hours. It was very refreshing and just what I needed. I then washed the sheets and we made the bed just in time for Andy to take a nap before going into Airlink for night shift.
I put Gavin down for a nap, but that didn't happen. I gave him tylenol, a decongestant, and laid him on the couch hoping that he'd sleep there. Unfortunately for me, the tylenol kicked in and he got his second wind. Now, it's almost 1800 and I'm enjoying a moment of silence while Gavin watches "Cars" (again) and Colin plays on his play mat. The house is a mess and I have no idea what I'm making for dinner. Whoever thinks that SAHM's sit on their butts all day watching TV and eating bon-bons is DEAD WRONG.
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