Photo Challenge

My friend Rhonda introduced me to this project (that one of her friends started), to take a new photo each week of a different aspect of our life.  The main goal of these photos is to show what our life is really like.... this means no cleaning up, dressing children or wiping dirty faces before clicking away.  

Week five is an extra week!  The challenge for this week is to take a photo from a new angle of anything your kids do.

March Week Five -Cooking & a Baby

 
Hailey loves to get involved in the kitchen.  She pushes her stool over to the counter, climbs up and starts eating any pieces she can get from the ingredients I am using.  Pizza (or pizza buns today) is her favourite.  She eats so much of the cheese, ham and pineapple that she rarely will eat any more once we actually sit down to eat!

Quinn LOVES this baby!  It is super cute how excited she gets to hold it and squeeze it.  She loves it's fabric like hair (and hates the feel of real hair, or even the plastic fake stuff).  This is Hailey's doll... luckily she isn't too interested in her doll at the moment (except of course when Quinn has it).  I will be getting Quinn her own soft baby doll for her upcoming 1st birthday.  I can't believe my baby will be 1!!!!

Photo Challenge

My friend Rhonda introduced me to this project (that one of her friends started), to take a new photo each week of a different aspect of our life.  The main goal of these photos is to show what our life is really like.... this means no cleaning up, dressing children or wiping dirty faces before clicking away.  

The fourth week of each month is about the details

March Week Four - Favourite Character

We hear about Tinkerbell almost everyday at our house.... her favourite part is when Tinkerbell is teaching the baby bird to fly. Hailey runs around the house flapping her wings yelling 'flap em', flap em'. I get to look up at the ceiling and watch the pretend birds flying all day. This picture is in the midst of her baby bird 'flight training'.

They are mine...

and I love them!

A little understanding

I will begin this post by saying that NO I am definitely NOT pregnant right now (or looking to be so anytime soon).  A blog writer I follow wrote this post tonight and I wanted to share it with all of my readers....

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

She explains in detail about this pregnancy illness.  It is not morning sickness... it is not extreme morning sickness... it is beyond that.  This is what I had with both of my pregnancies.

With my first I was confined to my bed for at least 2 months and incapacitated for 3 full months.  I lost 20 lbs before I ever gained any pregnancy weight.  Like Sarah said it feels like you are at the brink of throwing up 24 hours a day, everyday for months.  It is the worst thing I have ever experienced.  I think all I ate for those 3 months was mini wheats and pears (they had to be peeled because I couldn't even eat the skin)... as for meat.... not a chance.  It was a very difficult time.  I had to stay overnight in the hospital to recieve fluids and antinausea medication just so I could eat.

Through the struggle there were a lot of tears and prayers.  My husband nursed me everyday.... even had to bathe me.  He laid beside me in bed and peeled pears!  He cleaned and tried to eat out often so there wouldn't be the smell of cooking food in the apartment.  He is amazing!

It returned with baby #2 but wasn't as severe as I started taking antinausea medication before I even felt sick at 6 weeks pregnant.  This time I had a 1 yr old to take care of.... Have you tried caring for a small child when you are at the brink of throwing up?!?  H-A-R-D!  Again Ian was amazing taking care of me and our small daughter. My Mom came out to help too when she could.  Hailey watched a lot of t.v for a few months and I laid on the couch crying.  I lost 10 lbs the second time around and was incapacitated for only 2 months (I was very grateful for this).

I felt through both pregnancies that a lot of people thought I was weak (most didn't say anything, but you can tell when someone thinks you are being overdramatic).  I even thought myself that "I must just be a big whimp because women have babies all the time and can still function normally while pregnant".  I wish I had had a better understanding of this illness before I became pregnant... and I want more people to understand what the experience is like for those of us who have hyperemesis.

It gives me anxiety thinking about the next baby (perhaps in 2 more years)....  You do forget some of the suffering (probably just enough to get pregnant again... and then it hits you).....  I hope when that time comes that I will have a handful of understanding and supportive people around me to jump in and help me care for my 2 girls and husband because I can't do it without you!

Photo Challenge

My friend Rhonda introduced me to this project (that one of her friends started), to take a new photo each week of a different aspect of our life.  The main goal of these photos is to show what our life is really like.... this means no cleaning up, dressing children or wiping dirty faces before clicking away.  

Week 3 of each month is seasonal or time of day

March Week Three - Storytime

Jillian Jiggs was my FAVOURITE book when I was little and now we have the whole series of them.  The girls love to hear them and I love to read them.... I admit that I tear up just a little bit in "Jillian Jiggs to the Rescue"...

"I'm scared of the monster," said her little sister.  Jillian held her and Jillian kissed her.

I think Hailey will take care of Quinn just like Jillian does for Rachel!

An extra hour!

I'm walking around my house this morning super confused as to why all my clocks are showing different times? Then it hits me that it is daylight savings.... the much anticipated 'Spring Ahead'!  Of course this is the day I am awake at 5 am unable to sleep.  I thought I still had another week until this joyous event.  My sweet husband must have changed the clocks last night after I went to bed (including my bedside clock and I had no idea).  Since I have at least 30 more minutes until my girls wake up I thought I would write a post!

Quinn woke up screaming at 5 am this morning but quickly settled back down after I went in.  It sure jolted me awake though and after that I couldn't sleep as I had already had 7 hours of straight sleep... not too bad :)  I lay in bed for another hour trying to go back to sleep but couldn't as my mind was racing with all the things that normally fill it.  Is this a mom curse?  A female curse, to not be able to turn our brains off?  If you have any tips about 'not thinking' and clearing your mind please let me know (it was especially bad when I was teaching).  This is what I usually think about when I should be sleeping...

Should I send Hailey to preschool in the fall?
How much longer is it going to take to wean Quinn?
How should I set up my craft room?
When will I ever get time to sit down and sew that carseat cover for Diana and Logan?
THERE IS SOMEONE IN MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW
Ian if you don't stop snoring right now I'm going to shove you off the bed!
I want to go back to work
I don't want to go back to work
I wish I was rich
What do I need to prepare for the next R.S. activity?
I'm really hungry but I don't want to have to brush my teeth again
REALLY, SOMEONE IS IN MY KITCHEN, I JUST HEARD THEM MOVE
My blankets are all wonky
What time is it?  Am I asleep yet?
I have to go to the bathroom......


and trust me it just keeps on going.  It is like I have Sleep ADHD!  I envy Ian who can fall asleep in 30 seconds.  That must be nice!

 Welcome to our Home... please proceed under the icicles of death to the front door :)

Photo Challenge

My friend Rhonda introduced me to this project (that one of her friends started), to take a new photo each week of a different aspect of our life.  The main goal of these photos is to show what our life is really like.... this means no cleaning up, dressing children or wiping dirty faces before clicking away.  

The second week of each month is about relationships.  This week is Siblings!

March Week Two - Siblings

My girls are so cute together... most of the time they are laughing and chasing each other around the house.  Hailey takes such good care of Quinn and is always willing to help get something she needs, clean up her toys or play with her.  Quinn just adores Hailey and watches everything she does.  She just started moving around (army crawl) and is just days away from figuring out how to actually crawl.  There will be nothing to keep them apart after that :)

In this picture Hailey was going in for a kiss... I'm very surprised they both look so serious as 'kisses' usually mean a lot of giggling.

baby Learning Curve

Now that I am a mother of two children I have come to realize there is a 'learning curve' (that point you reach when you feel like you can cope with a change of plans, take the child/children out at least twice in one day and actually get your hair and make up done to leave the house).

With Hailey I didn't get to that point until she was 10 months old!  Man was she a handful.  She cried a WHOLE LOT.  It was partially tummy problems (with a milk intolerance) but I have come to learn it is mostly personality.... she still cries a lot.  That feeling of 'having it all together' didn't last long as I was pregnant again just a few months later and so ill.... then along came Quinn and she is a happy girl, but a newborn is still very high maintenance.  If she had been my first child I am sure I would have had things together much sooner but I felt like a chicken with its head cut off until Quinn was 8 months old.

I think with the third child I should be able to be back on my feet by the 6 mth mark..... in another 2 years when Hailey is in Kindergarten!

How long did it take you to feel like you could go about daily life without an anxiety attack?

Public Discipline

Uhg…. It can’t be avoided right?!?  I hate to put my ‘mommy-face’ on in public when it involves discipline.  Now that doesn’t mean I won’t do it… I just don’t like people to see the process.  I feel so vulnerable as a parent when I have to show my ‘mean’ side (and I say ‘mean side’ lightly as I am MUCH nicer to my children in public than I am at home).

I have been pretty lucky so far with a very obedient little girl but Hailey is still a toddler and does, once in a while, require correction.

Today was one of those days!  I have been trying to get to the gym twice a week with the girls (I usually miss almost 50% of my bookings due to sick kids) but this morning we made it there.  The ladies at my gym’s child-care center are great, and they love me (aka – my kids).  I dropped the girls off, had a good workout and came back to pick them up.  Quinn was super hungry so I needed to feed her before we drove home.  While feeding Q, I noticed Hailey’s droopy diaper and I asked her to come over so I could check if she needed a change before we went home.  She didn’t listen (had I known it was going to be a battle of will I wouldn’t have bothered as it wasn’t a big deal, I would find out eventually if her diaper was dirty)…. The battle ensued and Hailey refused to come… I gave her the customary warning of an upcoming time out if she didn’t listen and she didn’t…. so hello TIME OUT in public.

It really wasn’t a big deal….. yes I had to drag her to a chair, there were tears, she got up once but sat back down after I told her to, and then she came over to talk to me when her time was up (she almost refused to apologize but finally did).  Phew, we survived it without a huge ordeal I just hate how it makes me feel…. So exposed, vulnerable, unsure….. Do we all feel that way as parents?  I hope I’m not the only one.

I just want to do what is best for my children AND I want them to learn important qualities like empathy, compassion, respect, obedience and responsibility…. Even if it makes me feel uncomfortable.

My baby girl is so big now... pig tails took away my baby :(

Today’s sweet moment:  I asked Hailey what she wants to be when she grows up (I’ve never asked her this before).  I said “a doctor?” (She was playing with her electronic Alphie robot and it was a card about professions).  She said “no, Hailey want to grow up and be Mommy”.  (Insert ‘awww’ here)  It was pretty cute!

Poor Quinn has maybe been read to 3 times in her 9 months of life.... she apparently LOVES books... the second child is so neglected!

Photo Challenge

My friend Rhonda introduced me to this project (that one of her friends started), to take a new photo each week of a different aspect of our life.  The main goal of these photos is to show what our life is really like.... this means no cleaning up, dressing children or wiping dirty faces before clicking away.  

I'm starting a couple months behind these ladies but I will start off with the March week one challenge. The first week of each month is to photograph a room in your home.

March - Week 1 - The Office

Here it is in it's current glory!!!!!!!!

One month ago we re-carpeted our whole basement and switched rooms around.  We are still working to complete all the trim in the basement and obviously I am still putting my new craft room in order.  I have purchased a couple furniture pieces (the expedit, and a set of drawers) but still need to get a small computer desk and a file drawer.  I have great plans for this space including a pegboard wall, hanging file folders, a wall bar with hanging cups for pencils, ect and a 'kids corner' with table/chairs and bulletin board.  I feel like it will take forever to complete it but it will be so awesome.  I made the photo black and white to hide my chosen colour combo for the room.  I look forward to surprising everyone when it is finished.