God Help Me!

Major turned 10 weeks old yesterday. He is

getting so big and strong. His neck muscles are

getting stronger and he will be able to sit in one of those bumbo (?) seats before I know it. He has been sleeping well about every other night. We have developed a beautiful night-night ritual consisting of 4 oz of warm formula with 2 tsp of rice cereal, waves on the noise machine and the moodscapes music channel on the tv. Often times I am asleep before Major… ok, that is not unusually for the mother of a new born. But he does let me lay him down without him being completely asleep – you know, like all the professionals say you should do, but I haven’t done with the other two!

So, Michael is grounded for a week. I think it is more difficult on me than on him. Yesterday I took Major down to my dad and told the boys I would be right back. That is how they learn to stay by themselves, right? Little slots of time, building responsibility, right? As I am coming home, I see his silly little self dart across the street on his bike, going back to our house. That little $hit had not only left the house when I was not home, but he had crossed the street on his bike! He parked his bike on the front porch where he always does, and when I got in the house, he was sitting in a chair in the living room like nothing had happened. I walked in and asked “How stupid do you think I am?” He is driving me crazy! And I think I am learning more of a lesson then he is… spare the rod, spoil the child – no truer words!

Mavrick is officially girl crazy. We were watching TV and he said “I like this commercial cause you can see half of that woman’s boob.” WHAT! I promptly told him that was not appropriate talk for a seven year old. Then he said “J K mom.” That means just kidding. Then he said “Mom, you should never say J A.” I asked why not? “Because that means Jack A$$.”

Lord, please give me help with these boys!

Another week in our lives

I really had no idea that being a “stay at home mom” would keep me so busy! We don’t really have a crazy schedule, but it seems like we never have any down time. I’m not complaining, though. Lord knows I get cabin fever, and if I’m not over committed I’m not living, but having some time off has made me think about rearranging my priorities.

Today, the boys had their six month dental check up. Mavrick had a cavity last time, and came to me this morning and asked for “something healthy for breakfast”. After laughing, I asked him what he was talking about and he wanted something good for his teeth. I told him that the day of his appointment was too late to start worrying about it and gave him a honey bun (mom of the year ). On the way to our appointment, Mav wanted to say a prayer that he wouldn’t have to get a filling… funny that he wasn’t worried about it enough to brush his teeth more over the last six months. Anyway, Mav’s cavity had gotten worse and the dentist said that he wouldn’t lose that tooth for about five more years, so they put a crown on it. He was very brave and did better than I would have! Michael did real good and only needed sealant on his permanent teeth, but when they get fully in we will have to see an orthodontist because his mouth is going to be too small for all his teeth. This is a picture of Mavrick with the gas on his face.

Our Sunday afternoons have been taken over by golf. Mavrick became interested in golf last year and took a golf camp last summer. Then we got him a set of clubs and he has had a few lessons at various places, but we now have him signed up with the First Tee of Dallas. It appears to be a good program focused on golf, but also character building. He has been twice and loves it. We are going over to a course in Carrollton and he gets an hour-and-a-half lesson. He has now decided that when we decorate his bedroom he wants it to be golf.

Friday and Saturday consisted of working on the kid’s bedroom at my mom and dad’s house. Mom decided that she wanted a trundle bed for that room to give the kids more play room and Christy and I are painting and redecorating the room. We have decided to do sock monkeys and a “Five little monkey’s jumpin’ on the bed” theme. So, we stared painting on Friday. Mom and I found fabric for curtains last weekend, and I am going to make a quilt for the new bed. We also have a crib in there for the two newest members of the grandbaby club. I love doing things like this, so it is nice to have the use of their pocket book to make this happen.

Last week the big boys went to Vacation Bible School at our church. They had a great time, and one of Michael’s best school friends came too. Camden is so sweet and I was glad that Michael was able to see him. Cole went a few days with Mavrick. Mavrick was the only boy in his group for a few days and tried to make us think he saw that as a bad thing. He is the most girl crazy seven year old I have seen, so when he told us that “they made the group hold hands,” all we could do is laugh at him. The church affiliated with their school is having VBS at the end of July, and they always look forward to seeing their friends in the middle of summer.

Friday we also said “Good bye” to our little pug, Megan. She didn’t die or anything, but we gave her to a sweet family of five who lives in Frisco. They have three boys and an seven year old boy pug, so they know what they are getting into. Megan was sweet, but she was never a perfect fit for us. She was way hyper, even after we got her fixed. .

She had the boys freaked out that she would run off, so even coming in and out of the house had become a task. Last week she jumped up on my mom, who was holding Major, and scratched him. I knew it was just a sign of things to come. To be honest, I thought Mark would insist that we give her away when I told him I was pregnant. He didn’t though, and allowed me to come to it on my own terms in my own time. And I did. My sister, Christy, has a friend in her mom’s group who has a pug she adores, and asked her if she would like a sweet girl pug. She would and they picked her up on Friday. Her oldest son really liked Megan right off the bat, so I feel very good about the situation. Of course there was about two hours of drama with Michael and Mavrick, but they came to terms with it, and haven’t mentioned her today at all, and just a time or two yesterday. I will admit that it is strange not to see her, but I think this was for the best for all of us

Last Monday, Major had his two month check-up. He was great. His shoulder is healed and he looks great. He measured 22 inches long and weighed 11.2 lbs. The Dr said that for a baby his size he should be eating more at one time and that should get him sleeping longer during naps. Once his metabolism is reset he should be sleeping longer during the night too! He did good last night and gave me 5 hours in a row. He will be sleeping all night and rolling over before I know it!

Major in the Middle

I am finding that nothing warms my heart like looking at my children. Tonight the boys wanted to watch TV in my bed. Then they decided that they wanted Major in the middle. It was so sweet that they wanted to be all together. And the sight of it makes me feel wonderful!

I know some people think that the parent’s room is no place for the kids to gather. How could it be your retreat when it is full of kids? I understand all that. Maybe the reason I am such an advocate for the “family bed” is because I remember some of my best conversations with my parents, my mom especially, were in their room, sitting on their bed in the evening. It would always be after dinner and before bed, and would be the perfect time to share my thoughts and dreams. I can only hope and pray that my boys will spend time with me like that.

A Week of Firsts

The boys all spent the night with my mom & dad last Saturday. I think Michael was 9 months old when we finally left him over night, we could never leave Mavrick because he was too attached to me (literally!) and now we leave Major at 6 weeks! Ha!Ha! Guess all that stuff they say about the third child are true! Date night was wonderful. I drank a beer for the first time in a LONG time! It was so good! I slept till 9:00 on Sunday morning! Needless to say, I was a new woman.

Major got a new swing this week. Each day he gets a little better about staying in it. He is taking naps in it. We have also subscribed to the Baby First channel, that he watches in the evening. Well, I think that he hears the music and can see the bright lights in the dark. Anyway, it fascinates him.

On Friday, I took the boys to the water park. We all had a blast. We got really sunburned! We were there from 12 to 6, and came home exhausted. Major stayed the day with mom and dad. He is my dad’s little buddy. It is amazing. Daddy really is fearless with him.

On Saturday, we went to a wedding reception. Another first for Major. The boys were great. I have really got amazing kids. Some people could not take their kids places without a lot of supervision. My boys occupied themselves, talked with people, and to my knowledge, didn’t make any trouble. I am so blessed! I was able to visit with some old friends and didn’t have to worry about them.

I was telling a story about Mavrick being a charmer at school and having to try harder this last year. He was so funny! He said “Yeah, I don’t make a lot of A’s.” Then when we got home, he said “Don’t tell people that I am a charmer ever again.”

This morning we went to the park. The boys played and fed the ducks. Major was a little hard to settle, then he passed out. He has been doing that a lot lately. Anyway, here are some pictures from this morning, and a few more from this week!

I have to get better at this!

Gosh! I have been busy! Really! So, over the last two weeks what have we been doing? Well, Mavrick turned 7! Yes, he is 7! I can’t believe it either. We had a Webkinz party for Mav, which was interesting because we did it here at the house and invited neighborhood kids and school kids and we played games. We have never done the party game thing before. We guessed how many gumballs were in a jar, Operation Gumball. Then we played pin the tail on the donkey, had a water balloon toss, had a piñata and wrapped it up with a water balloon toss. The prizes for the winners and runners up were webkinz items. That part got a little expensive, but I justified it in my mind with “we took Michael to Disney World for his 7th birthday.” I think fun was had by all, so it was well worth the expense.

Julie and Stuart Birdseye came to the party and she (aka JeJe) brought the CD with the pics from the sitting with Major and the rest of us. They are amazing. I am so glad that we had them done early. The one of all 5 of us at the top of my blog are one of them. There were 165-ish in all. We are going to do his birth announcements with one as well. She even has one of their pictures on her new business cards. www.juliebirdseye.com

The boys got out of school for the summer on the 21st. It has been interesting getting used to having three kids at home. They are bored out of their heads because their friends don’t get out of school till the 5th. They are going to start staying at my mom & dad’s on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and I am going to try to get my life in order and decide what I want to be when I grow up. We may leave Major with Mom and Dad on Fridays and go to the water park. I am due back at work on July the 11th and I am having a hard time warming up to that idea, but the backup plan isn’t coming together too quickly, and COBRA will cost half of one of Marks paychecks… Last week I was telling Mark about my fears and hesitations and he said to me “God left you hear for something special. He as something wonderful waiting for you.” It briefly occurred to me that he was probably right, and something special and wonderful probably didn’t entail sitting behind a desk at the Town for 40 hours each week…

On Memorial Day, we went to my sister’s house. They had our family and Brian’s family over. They do that a lot and it is always fun. We took the kids to the neighborhood “splash pad” and then took the bigger kids to the pool. Major stayed at the house with my parents, and Mark had to work. We got sunburned, but we all are looking a little tan now. I have not bought a new swim suit this season and wasn’t going to swim. Christy had a swim suit that she never wore and talked me into going. The suit was a bit small. I felt like my butt was hanging out in the back and I had muffin boobs (you know when they hang out over the edge of your suit or bra), but it covered the important parts. Thing is that I now have tan lines, so I have to do some toning up so I can wear it this summer! How is that for motivation!
Major turned 6 weeks old on Wednesday. He is growing like crazy. He has decided that nursing isn’t really his thing, and my boobs have decided that they are going to dry up. Nuthin’ but dust in there now. Really. I try to pump and get about 2 oz a day! Yes, a DAY! Anyway, that child has the worst gas. He does really good some days, and some days, just to take a nap he needs to be held and patted the entire time. Who am I to tell him “no.” My mom has been after me about holding him too much and spoiling him…WHATEVER! My thought is that he is a miracle. All children are miracles, but this little man was conceived while I was on the pill. He is that 1 in 99% chance. And I could have died after I had him and never had the chance to hold him all day, so if I want to hold him till he is 7, I will.
On Wednesday, I had my 6 week check up and my Dr said everything was great. I look great. My blood pressure is great. My weight is great. It’s all great. So she released me back to my life. I really am feeling good now. Like a new mom. I am remembering how over rated sleep is, for more than 2 hours at a time anyway. This time I am really able to keep it in perspective how short this time really is. Major will be sleeping through the night soon enough… and rolling over, and sitting up, and walking, and talking, and potty trained, and turning 7!

On Thursday, Mark had a consultation for his vasectomy. It is scheduled for the 13th. The brought home this literature and it talks about how permanent it is. I know that we don’t need any more kids, but it still makes me kind of sad thinking that we will NOT be having anymore kids. We both agree that there are thousands of children that need to be adopted by a good family, and we could get the little girl we don’t have. So, Mark is getting spayed in a few weeks.

Tonight, Mark and I are going on a date. The first one in a long time. I am excited. My mom and dad have offered to let all the kids spend the night. I don’t know if she knows what she is volunteering for. Major really wakes and eats every two hours the last few days, but I guess that is even more reason to let him stay. I would probably be a new woman with 7 or 8 hours of sleep IN A ROW!

Another Week Has Flown By!

Four weeks old! Yesterday, Major was four weeks old! Time is flying! And he is growing so fast! Tuesday we had to move to size one diapers – no more new borns!


Julie Birdseye came last weekend and took pictures of the kids, and us. She has a few of them posted on her blog at http://birdseyephotography.blogspot.com/ on May the 6th, and they are awesome. She does fabulous work. Of course, her subjects weren’t too shabby!
It’s been a good week. I am finally feeling good. My blood pressure seems to be under control. I am getting up and staying up about 8-ish and I have been picking up the boys from school. It has been nice to feel like I will be myself again soon! But I have realized that I don’t have any pics of me with the baby boy, so here is one that I took myself!

Last weekend was mother’s day. Mom had us all over for lunch and wanted a picture with her kids and grandkids. For not being at all planned, it turned out pretty good. I can't believe I am a "NEW Mom" again!

This Week...

Over the weekend, Christy, Cooper and Isabella came over and stayed with Mom and Dad. They were able to come down to our house a few times and Mom finally got the two boys together. She and my dad have been playing nurse maid to me and Christy since we came home. Bless their hearts, they have been separated really every day since I came home, except for the day I found about my blood pressure. It was nice to have everyone in the same neighborhood for a while.

On Monday afternoon, Michael learned to ride his bike. It took about five minutes. He was obviously ready. And he has been getting after it ever since. We definitely have something new to restrict him from when he doesn’t behave. He is doing really good and now Mavrick has a new determination to be able to ride his bike by the end of the weekend.

Tuesday, I went back to my Dr. My blood pressure was really good, but I was so weak! My dad is still carting me around town and carrying the baby for me. Anyway, my Dr said to keep taking the meds and come back on Friday.

Wednesday, we went to Major’s 2 week check up. They said he looks perfect, when they weighed him he had only gotten back up to 7.10 from the 7.15 he was born at. The Dr told me to start feeding him every two hours! Really! Do I not look tired enough already? Daddy had to carry Major to be weighed because I was so weak I thought I would drop to the floor any second. So, we have started supplementing with a bottle. Major is doing fine and has not refused the breast yet. We just switch out every other feeding. He wanted us to come back on Friday.

On Thursday, we all (me, Major, Mom & Dad) went down to Medical City to see my GP. He ordered all types of blood work to be done as well as for me to have an echocardiogram done next week. He agreed with everything my OBGYN has me doing, but wanted to check a few things. He wasn’t concerned that I had lost 40 pounds, but is concerned as to WHY I have lost so much so fast. We discussed the blood transfusions and what that does and does not do to the body and when my own blood should replace what I lost. Anyway, he wants to be very through and check everything. My mom was very pleased, as was Mark when she relayed all the info to him.
Today is finally Friday! We saw my OBGYN this morning at 11:00. My BP was good and she wants me to cut back to taking 1 pill in the morning, 2 in the afternoon, and 1 in the evening. She is going to get in contact with my GP and has ok’ed me to drive. She wants me to take my BP next week and call it in to her and come back at 6 weeks postpartum. After my Dr, we went to IHOP to eat lunch. I had the Viva La French Toast! Loved It! We had Mavrick’s Reader’s Theater at 1:45 at his school. Daddy and Major stayed in the car and took a nap. After school we took Major to his Dr appointment to be weighed. He was 8.1 ½ , so he had gained 7.5 ounces. YEA!