Family Time

This is why I like to blog - documenting two fun kiddos who are GROWING UP WAY TOO FAST! When big sis was a baby we documented through a billion photographs. I look back on those pictures now and remember all the little moments we spent together.

I don't know how many times I have heard "I wish I had just slowed down and enjoyed the kids more when they were young . . ." So I try to keep a balance between work and home (and obviously that isn't happening this semester). But when I post the simple little things we do during the week and the ways that we make time for each other even when we are busy - it reminds me how much we actually do together as a family.

I keep reminding myself that no family lifestyle is perfect. It is difficult to create balance as a mom if you work full time or part time or stay at home - each scenario has its own set of pros and cons. I just don't want to look back on this spring and only remember that "school took a lot of time" - I want to remember all the family time as well. Even if it is just a picnic dinner on the living room floor with a couple of silly kids knocking over their drinks, stealing food, stepping on their plates, and laughing up a storm!

I keep forgetting . . .

I kept forgetting to document that we registered big sis for pre-K at the "big kid school" this week (thanks for the reminder to post everyone!). It was such a big deal that we have been planning for months with tours, decisions, paperwork. But when it was all said and done it was pretty anti-climatic. We waited in line with a bunch of people who thought it was first come first serve (just a lottery). But I needed to go the first day and take care of it early because of my own anxiety issues (and I really didn't have another day this week I could get away from work). Thankfully Stew puts up with my random anxieties and he was kind enough to endure the long wait with me. Truthfully, by the time we realized just how long we might have to wait we were 2 feet from the door.

Fingers crossed that we get our first choice and big sis will get to go to the neighborhood school with peanut. But I would be excited about our second choice as well so she could join Luc and Nate.

I can't believe how fast this little girl is growing up!

Painting

Prepping for the adventure

Big sis' masterpiece

Little man IS the masterpiece!

Weekend

This weekend was filled with painting, a picnic in the living room, the zoo, and hiking at the Delta Rivers Nature Center. The Delta Rivers Nature Center was pretty cool for our kiddos because the trail was paved and there were lots of spots to stop and observe the turtles (the only wildlife that didn't flee from stomping feet!). Our kiddos pretty much just ran at top speed or pushed the strollers around - fun for the toddler/preK crowd! The actual center was small but filled with things like animals, cotton, cypress knees, an airplane, cotton, and FISH. Highly recommend this area for those non-mosquito times of the year b/c standing water everywhere.


I will post pictures of our painting adventure later this week . . . for now just a short clip of the crew pushing strollers along the trail. :)

Barbies and Babies

Despite the recent onslaught of wooden tools, cars, and all things blue into this household at Christmas, little man is obsessed with big sis' barbies and baby dolls. It is causing a bit of angst in big sis because they are HER toys. So guess who is getting his own baby doll for his second birthday in May?

Career Choice

On the way to school yesterday we passed a firetruck and ambulance parked at a local restaurant. As usual big sis and I talked about the vehicles, lights, and individuals serving others. I'm an emotional sap so I got a bit teary eyed during the discussion (too tired to explain). And then all of a sudden big sis yelled out with great enthusiasm "When I grow up I want to save people!" I was proud of her assessment of the work being done and it was too sweet - so I had to document.

Simple Pleasures

Little man was in a fabulous mood eating natural Cheetos and sitting on our front porch while we waited for big sis to finish her dance lessons. It was fun watching the cars pass by us. We even got to see the firetruck drive by today!

Winding Roads

I love to drive. I don't get to drive just for the sake of driving much anymore. But it used to be my way to unwind when I was stressed or frustrated. And lately I feel stressed and frustrated . . . I don't know how I could think I was busy in college because that doesn't even compare to classes/work/kiddos this time around.

So me and big sis and little man loaded up and drove the winding roads to gaga's house this morning. My sporty little hatch back, which has been stuck in the city for quite some time now, knew just how to handle all of the curves and hills along the way. Big sis, little man, and gaga played while I studied. And then we took all those winding roads back home again. I can't say that driving fixed anything but it was a good break and gave me some time to think.

It is time to admit that I can't keep up. After only 2 weeks of class, illness, and life in general I am way behind on my problem sets and reading. And life at home has not been easy. Graduate school, again, is one road I did not anticipate going down a second time.

While we try to muddle through this spring I am just going to keep thing simple and only post pictures and short videos if I can. Recently a friend took a blogging break which might be the next step for us if things don't get easier. I've already given up just about everything else. Fingers crossed that week 3 will be better!

Music Night

Can anyone say cabin fever? Between the recent cold weather and all of our continued battles with cold/tummy bugs this winter we are seriously looking for more to do! And I really want to have more play time with the kiddos when I am actually at home (as noted in new year's resolutions this year).

So this week we gave big sis the choice of art night or music night. Monday she chose art night - which wasn't really all that interesting this time. We were going to practice her scissor skills and cut out fun shapes but then she found some old coloring sheets lying around and insisted that was what she wanted to do for art night . . . until bedtime when she remembered about the cool scissors. Next time.

Tonight was music night and we really just pulled out all the instruments we owned and everyone tested them out. Little man loved "tuning" Disco's guitar. And big sis played the harmonica like nobody's business. There was a bit of marching and follow the leader throughout the house. And they both loved Disco's saxophone and exploring the sounds it would make.

If I get creative we might make our own instruments on art night for our music night adventure. But who am I kidding - that would take more planning and organization than I have time for this spring. For now, at least we are finding some activities everyone can do as a family!

The Curse of the Tummy

Poor Aunt K. Every time she sees us lately she risks acquiring random bugs the kiddos pick up from school. We called her yesterday because we were bored and turns out she was sitting at home bored at that moment too. So she headed our way - all of us unaware that little man would be up all night puking. Sigh . . . I won't blame her if she avoids us because we carry THE PLAGUE this fall and winter. I can't remember a time when we haven't been sick every two weeks - maybe 2005 BEFORE we started this process called "building our family".

Little man is doing a bit better this morning. I love him! He has been playing on the couch next to me for 30 minutes while I take care of some work issues. It is wonderful when little things like the clutter covering our couch can be so entertaining. Soon he will be getting tired and need some more cuddle time. But for now we are just enjoying the company while we each complete our "tasks" (he reminds me every once in a while that his are more important).

We love you Aunt K! Sorry we exposed you, once again, to the curse of the tummy!

Dancin' Queen

Friday nights we usually cut loose and relax. So we went to Chik-fil-a first for some food and fun on the indoor playground. Little man was hesitant to climb up but once he did we couldn't get him down! Then we hit the mall to walk around and burn off some more energy since it is so COLD. Once we arrived home it was time for Friday Night Dance Night. Big sis was really strutting her stuff. Our favorite part was her ending pose. Enjoy!

Awake Early/To Bed Late

Little man woke up at 5 am this morning. That is quite a bit earlier than usual! At first I was groggy and grumpy but he was in such a good mood and so playful that it was quite fun. Today was my first day of class this semester and I knew I would be home late. The extra play time this morning turned out to be our only interaction until I made it home for bedtime.

Sigh . . . on the outside I am trying to keep a good attitude about classes this semester. But on the inside I am stressed. And everyone in my class tonight was shocked that I was taking 3 classes and working full time with a family; which fed more into my growing doubts about this semester. So I am creating a list tonight to point out why this is possible and will work out in the long run:

1) I have a very supportive and encouraging boss who is willing to work with my schedule through all of this.

2) I have plenty of vacation time if I need it to study. I also have 2 hours each night after the kiddos go to bed to study as well.

3) This crazy schedule is only until May (5 months - about the same amount of time I was puking with big sis and I survived that too).

4) This will be the only semester that I will take this many classes.

5) Disco is very supportive and gets some alone time with the kiddos each week which I think will be good for everyone.

6) Big sis looks forward to spending Thursday afternoons with Disco's parents and little man really enjoys it too.

7) I only have to take one "weekend warrior" class this summer so I will have a BIG break before next fall.

8) I am doing this now so that I can have a more flexible schedule when the kiddos enter the public schools.

9) After I finish this degree I might even be able to scale back to a 30 hour schedule.

10) Someone told me this would be difficult and I am stubborn so I have to prove to myself I can do this (how is that for a silly reason??).

At any rate, I hope to keep this list in mind as I work through this semester. Thankfully we don't have too many weekend activities scheduled for this spring so there will be a lot of one on one time with the kiddos then!!!

Snow Day???

We woke up this morning to a light dusting of snow. Disco and I didn't even think about checking the school closings until we were ready to load the kiddos up for school. And then we were shocked to learn everything in our school district was closed (including our daycare). Gotta love living in the south. It was really a non-event as far as snow goes but it was nice to have some extra time with the kiddos.

Big sis LOVED her adventure at my office. She adores my co-workers and shared her energy with everyone in the office. Little man just enjoyed the extra mommy and daddy time.

It was little man's first snow experience that he could appreciate at any level. Unfortunately the clip below shows his one and only interaction with the "accumulation" in our yard. After that he was pretty much done.

ABC's

Big sis has been begging me to make more videos. So when I asked her what she would like to sing for the video she picked her ABCs. She was hamming it up so much that it took her 3 tries to get all the way through the song (she broke down with the sillies the first two times and would just wave bye bye at the camera after "F" or "G"). Our favorite part of the song is "2 R S" and of course the milk-stash adds a certain level of sophistication to her production.