scrunchie-nose!

Mama M.’s 5 Question Friday

1. If you could be a fly on any wall, which wall would you choose?  This is tough – I definitely know when my kiddos are older I’d like to be a fly on the wall of whatever room they are in!!  Right now I’d like to be the fly on my niece and nephew’s shoulders – just to see what goes on in their worlds every second of every day =)

2. Do you budget your Christmas shopping or just get it done without budgeting? definitely budget – except we always go over!!  We have the budget figured out for this year and are going to try our darndest to stick to it.. except the new Toys.R.Us catalog coming in the mail has now extended Gav’s list from 4 items to 4 pages of items =)

3. What is the craziest fad diet you have ever done?  I tried to eat only fruit for a week.. only lasted a couple of days.  Who am I kidding, I love food.. any fad diet would never ever work for me!

4. Is there a TV show that you have seen every episode/season of?  FULL HOUSE!!!  Love, love, love that show and I have no doubt I have seen every single episode at least 10 times.  I still watch it.  I’m pretty sure I’ve seen all of the 90210 episodes too (the original series).  I even had a purple 90210 lunchbox when I was younger.

 

5. What one song always pulls at your heart?  Oh my, there are a lot, I can’t pick just one.. ‘My Wish’ – Rascal Flatts, ‘Me & You’ – Kenny Chesney, ‘Live Like You Were Dying’ – Tim McGraw, ‘I Can Only Imagine’ – Mercy Me – just to name a few!

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My mother-in-law watched Big G and Middle G today while Steven and I took Little G to the doctor for a checkup.  He now weighs 8 lbs 13 oz and is 21 inches long.  I have a feeling the nurse measured him incorrectly at birth and he was closer to 20 – 20 1/4 inches then but oh well!  Dr. Scott said he looks wonderful and healthy.  We go back in 2 weeks for a weight check and shots then back again when he is 2 months old.  I was a happy camper when we were able to schedule his 2 month check up and Gabby’s 1 year checkup back to back!!  (the receptionist got a little chuckle out of this!)  After the doctor I ran to babies.r.us to look for a Halloween outfit for Gage since he is still in newborn clothes and the stuff we have is 0-3 months.  When we were leaving I tried to unlock and open the wrong mini-van.. OPPS!!!  I’ve never done that before but this van looked identical to ours.. I stood there for a minute trying to figure out why the doors wouldn’t open.. then I look in the window a little more closely and realized there was no base there for a carseat – that’s when I quickly scooted away as discretely as possible – hopefully no one saw me =)

Here are a few shots of my cutie-pies!

Gabby’s famous scrunchie-nose face =)

LOVE & BLESSINGS!

I love you muchermostest Mom!

My mother is amazing.. that’s all there is to it.  It’s safe to say things haven’t turned out quite the way I wish they would have for her but she is incredibly strong, displays such selflessness in each breath and somehow, always knows exactly what to say to make things better.  The following paragraph was in an email I received from her, right after I wrote my debbie downer post.  This is exactly what I want to be.. exactly what I want to feel and do.  Mom, thank you, thank you for your powerful words of wisdom, thank you for your prayers, thank you for your gifts and for your help and for your love.. you’re the best!

I told you that God planned this for you, and I know that with all my heart.   And, more importantly, He knows what He's doing, and He knows you can handle this.  He didn't trust anyone else with these dear little souls.....He has chosen YOU and He will help you through the challenges.  You have to give up the desire to be perfect....and just BE.  BE in the moment...BE in the littlest words, the softest whispers, the meaningful smiles, the reassuring hugs, the rare quiet moments.....just BE Mommy and know THAT is THE most important thing in the world.....forever and forever.    You certainly don't have to become Mother Earth, BUT, don't worry if the house isn't as clean as you'd like.  It's a child's home now.....it's a world of comfort and safety and nurturing.  As the days and weeks go by, you'll sift through what's really essential and what doesn't really matter.   And, YOUR affirmation now comes from a whole new place.  IT COMES FROM WITHIN YOU.....so let God shine through you.  Get up in the morning, (or whenever), comb your hair, put on some lip gloss so you feel pretty, and throw your arms upward.....not knowing what the day will bring, but knowing you will find the good and the happy in the hours ahead.  Look for the joy and marvel in the amazing, staggering beauty of your children.  And, just flow with the day. I know it sounds easy...and I know it's not.  But don't make it more difficult than it is by berating yourself and always wishing you were doing more.  Take each moment as a new breath. 

it’s okay, I cried too =)

take a hike Miss Debbie Downer

I am so sorry – my last couple posts have been pretty negative – just call me Negative Nancy I guess!  I really am a happy, optimistic, loving person but man, not by the way my posts have read lately.  I apologize!!  Yesterday after my truthful tuesday post I read another post on a blog I follow and it was so inspiring, so uplifting, so spiritual.. then there was my bummer of a post.  I don’t want to be a debbie downer, I want to be inspirational, I want to show Jesus’ love through my blog, I want to spread joy and hope and love to anyone who reads this blog.. so, from now on no more negative nancy! 

Okay, let’s be real, I am sure there will be some ‘tough stuff’ posts but I promise there will always be joy and happiness in each post as well =)

All that being said, take a look at my cutie-pie kiddos – they bring me more joy than I ever could have dreamed.  Even though I am completely exhausted and would love.love.love. to sleep for more than 3 hours at a time I would not trade this amazing bunch for anything.  Thank You Jesus!

(I know it’s always photo overload but I have a lot of family that reads this and they are always asking for more photos!)

PS: Here is the tattoo I want to get – I am thinking on my right wrist – that way I can cover it up with a watch, some makeup or a bracelet if I ever need to.. What do you think?! I think it will be small, black and fairly thin – definitely not red!

Love & blessings!

truthful tuesday.

lots of truths to be told.. sorry if it’s TMI but like I said, it’s ‘truthful tuesday’

- I stress about $ all the time.. but always find myself out shopping.. this is a problem.

- My milk is still coming in and it’s starting to really tick me off.  I am tired of wearing sports bras.. sports bras remind me of running and I can’t run right now so I don’t want to be wearing a sports bra.

- Gavin has started to poop in his underwear and I don’t know what to do about it. [not full-fledged poops but enough]  I honestly can’t remember when it started but it’s definitely become more frequent now that Gage is home.  Obviously there is some connection there, but like I said, I’m at a loss about what to do.

- I miss my husband and our alone time together.. and not necessarily *that kind of alone time together.. but normal adult alone time.. it never happens anymore and I know it probably won’t happen for a long time, but I still miss him.  We could really use a dinner and a movie night – and several people have offered to babysit for us, it’s just a lot to ask someone to watch all 3 kiddos.

- I miss my girlfriends.. to be honest I don’t really have many.. but I sure could use a good night out with just the girls.. carefree, fun and silly.

- I hate my body right now.  I’m only down about 10 lbs from Gage’s birth, which is frustrating considering he weighed 8 lbs, the placenta had to weigh a couple of pounds and I would have sworn I lost about 10 gallons of fluid during delivery.  I am not allowed to exercise for another 4 weeks so now I can only be mindful of what I eat, which has proved to be very tough the past 2 weeks.

- My house looks like a tornado passed through four or five times.  I feel much better when my house is clean and organized but I think we have a new normal around here now.  I know, I guess I could be cleaning now instead of blogging but to an extent there is no point in cleaning when Gavin and Gabby are going to destroy everything again anyway.

- I still haven’t unpacked everything from my hospital bags.. and I still haven’t put away many of the gifts Gage got at the hospital.. and I still haven’t put away 90% of the toys Gav got for his birthday.

- I am already freaking out about going back to work and how working full time is going to flow with 3 little ones at home.  I don’t go back until January 3rd so I have some time but I don’t want to spend my whole leave worrying about this.

- I am disappointed I didn’t have my niece video tape Gage’s birth.  I didn’t tape any of my children’s births but now that his is over and I know I won’t ever have that experience again I wish I would have taped it.

Okay, that’s enough for now! I’ve made it to lunch time, gotta go feed the kiddos and get them down for a nap.  Then it’s mommy/Gage time =)

rough one..

I failed.. today is definitely not the day I win the shiny gold star for being a good mommy or a good wife.  I’m so disappointed in myself.  I had been hanging on and doing really well, at least I thought, and this morning.. bang.. I was the Mrs. hormonal, tired, sore, grouchy bitch I had been so trying so hard to avoid.  I know I had a baby 13 days ago and this is to be expected but it’s not okay in my book.. especially when these emotions are taken out on your children and your hubby in a not.so.pretty way.  I am sorry to my hubby and my Big G, Middle G and Little G.  Hopefully after they all wake up from nap I can pretend like this morning never happened and make the best of the rest of the evening.. please Lord give me strength!

PS: my little sweet potato is getting her first tooth on the top!

And just because I think they are oh.so.cute.

mommy time.

Steven had to go to work early tonight so I’ve been on kiddo patrol by myself since 5:30 this evening.  Surprisingly it was not as bad as I thought it would be so I am rewarding myself with a little blog time =)  [although I know I should be sleeping!]
I decided to participate in Mama M’s 5 Question Friday, even though it’s not really Friday yet!  I’ve done this a few times before but not for a while so I thought it would be fun!!  You should do it too =)
1. Who is the better cook, you or your spouse?  - this is easy!  My hubbs is by far a better cook than me.  I hate to cook, mainly because I am terrible at it and am such a picky eater.  My poor hubbs and I always have issues when it comes to food.. I know it’s a pain, and I hate being a picky eater and a horrible cook.. one day it will get better.. maybe.. I hope!
2. How often do you talk to your mom?  - I’d say we talk on the phone every other day, sometimes every day..  I love my mom very very much and don’t like to go too long without chatting with her.  I wish we lived closer so I could see her even more often.  Love you muchermostest mom!
3. Are you adventurous in the kitchen or do you stick to the recipe?  - I always always always stick to the recipe.  (that is, if I am the one cooking!)  I wouldn’t have any idea how to be adventurous..
4. Is your second toe longer than your big toe?  - nope, my second toe is smaller than my big toe – super small actually – I have short, fat, stubby toes =)
5. Do you dress up for Halloween? (What will you be this year?)  -  I haven’t dressed up for Halloween in over a decade.. which actually makes me a little sad.  Last year some relatives of ours, Patty and Bryan, dressed up as Shrek and Fiona and they looked so cute.. I wish I were that clever!!
Okay, Gage is starting to whimper and I still need to let the doggies out before heading up to bed so my mommy time has come to an end!

another photo [over]load!

completely random order, no time to change it!  and just so everyone is clear, big brother does not enjoy having his photo taken, that’s why I have 2, a whole 2, photos of him =(