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.

Time for a post

Hailey has become quite the 'imaginer'!  Tinkerbell is her favourite friend to play with.  She is currently running around the house teaching baby birds to fly... "flap your wings.... flap em... yes, your doing it"!  Even though she is pretending what she has seen in movies, she is playing instead of watching t.v.....

after Quinn was born Hailey was watching a little too much t.v. (I am hoping this is a normal occurance for most mom's with newborns and toddlers just around 2 yrs old).  It was the only way I could cope through the crazy first 6 months with 2 very young children with constant needs.

In the past few months the t.v. has been turned off (except a show while I make super) and Hailey doesn't even ask for it anymore.  A small victory, but I am pleased to see my little girl with a very active imagination playing with toys or pretending - instead of watching television.

I l

I love the look of joy on her face as she watches her imaginary birds flying away.... oh to be a kid again!

Carpet is in!!!!!

Yay, the carpet is in.... and fixed where it needed to be!

What is with 'contractor' types who get annoyed when you make them come back to fix a crappy job?!?  Seriously?  Do it right the first time and you won't have to come back to fix it!

In spite of the 'ill' feelings regarding the install, we are happy with our carpet and so excited to have everything set up and back to normal better than before.

down the stairs from the front door

This week we will be getting the trim in and hopefully moving furniture again to set the rooms back up!

Ian brought a surprise back with him after a quick business trip to Calgary....

family room, temporarily housing my craft shelf

my Expedit shelf for my new craft room!

I love it and am most excited about getting that space set up so I can start crafting again.

family room/fireplace

large hallway space that will house toys

other angle of hallway space

former craft room, will be our guest room

new craft room full of furniture to be moved back

and back up the stairs!