Kindergarten

Lana started Kindergarten today.  Immediately flashbacks of bringing her home snuggled in her carrier, then taking her back to the hospital for jaundice check, then our struggles with nursing, her first steps, first birthday, first time seeing Grayson and becoming a big sister, then her becoming a big sister again.  Oh the first's go on and on.  This is one more first in the book.  I survived. 

Lana has been wanting to do start school since she turned 4.  I kept telling her when she is 5, she will start school.  Well June 24 came and she turned 5.  One of the first things she asked me is "will I start school tomorrow?" 

She has been looking forward to this day for a long time and I have been dreading this day for a long time!  I worked that morning.  Left at lunch to go get her.  Lana had broccoli cheddar soup with a "bad egg" for lunch and was dressed in the most perfect dress, bloomer, and bow in hair.

We were ready.  I can do this.  We get to the school and all the parents are there early holding the hands of their littles they are getting ready to let go.  We take a picture together, followed by one more by the school sign.  Lana informs me that she is hot and ready to go to class. 

There is a little girl crying holding onto her mom.  Lana tells her that it will be ok and she will be her friend.  Man cue the mom tear's.  So proud to get to be this girls mom. 

We walk in.  Find her name on her little table.  Give her a kiss.  Tell her to have a great day. And that is it.  There sits my baby as I have to walk away.  As I approach the door, feeling proud that I have made it, I hear "mommy, I love you".  

I sit in the parking lot and cry for a while.  I know she is going to love it.  I have to head to the dentist and may have shed a few tears between flossing and polishing, but all I can think about is how much I cant wait to pick her up and hear about the amazing day she had. 

I am waiting in the car pick up line along 15 minutes early along with maybe 120 other parents who just experience another first day.  Finally the line is moving and I see her.  I want to explode with excitement and just squeeze her.  I ask her about her day maybe 7 times.  I am just so proud.

She is going to do great. Cant wait to see where this year takes us and watch her learn and grow. 

Always my baby girl! 

Typical Work Day

I know I will look back on this time and think how it went so fast or forget the challenges that came with being a working mom.  I know I will remember the good times, but I also want to remember what our daily routine was like.  I am not going to lie, it is not easy working.  It is even harder on the days Jayson works too because he is gone for 24 hours.  I promise I have a crazy amount of respect for single mom's.  However, on the other hand, I have a hard time being sympathetic to mom's that stay home, work reduced schedules, have their husbands home every night, dont have kids or only have one. I want to say you have no idea how easy you have it.  I know that is not the best attitude and I am working on it. I am working on understanding.  So.........here is what a typical day looks like:

5:15- Alarm goes off
5:15-5:40 Snooze
5:40-5:55 get ready. 
5:55-6:00 let dogs out, load car with pump, the kids 3 lunch pails, purse, my lunch, usually a game or makeup or baby doll that lana has set out specail to take, put their sippy cups in their chairs for them to have on the way to Jayson's parents
6:00-6:20 feed baby
6:20-6:25 3 trips in and out to load kids up, put dogs in, set alarm
6:40-6:45 3 trips in and out to take kids into Jayson's parents
7:05 ish work
8:30 pump
usually a morning meeting
10:00 call and check on babies
11:00 pump
11:30-12:30 lunch, nap if I am lucky
2:00 pump, call and check on babies
usually a meeting or two in the afternoon
4:50- leave work
5:15-get to Judy's.  Excited to see kids
5:20 load up.  Usually can get them all in 1 trip since they are more awake and will walk to car.
5:30- They are hungry. Want a sippy cup, snowcone, chick-fil-a, something. 
6:00- Home
6:00-6:05 many trips in and out to unload blankies, pump, 4 lunch pails, dinner, drink carrier, baby, mail.  i am not sure how many trips in and out I go.
6:05- baby is crying, dogs need to be let out, Lana and Grayson are fighting over a drink or something, They are ready to eat. I need to change out of my work clothes.  It is chaos.
6:05-6:25- Feed Jackson
6:30-7:15 Try to get everyone to the table, we all eat, empty dishwasher.
7:15-7:45 play
7:45-8:15 baths, warm towels, 3 sets of jammies, 2 diapers, line them up to lotion while one runs off, chase them down, finally have all jammies on
8:15-8:45 cartoons
8:45-9:00 gummies for Lana and Grayson, brush teeth, hunt down their blankies, need a sip of water, go potty, discover bandaids in the potty to fish out, read books, turn on the noise machines, baby is screaming. Put Grayson to bed first, but sing a song first.  Oh wait, where is the blankie, do you have lovie.  Lana is watching Jackson.  She wants her lamps on, can she read another book, do hand clap, lovins, she will shut her bathroom door, where is her blankie, sing me a song too. 
9:00-9:15- I am beat.  I just want to go to bed but I have to take a shower and feed Jackson.  He waits in his bouncer while I shower.  I talk to him, put my pj's on and feed him. 
10:00-Everyone in bed. 

Yes that is my day.  It is organized chaos as I like to say.  Never a dull moment and no I really wouldn't have it any other way. 

8 Years and the Pumpkin Patch

We had our 8th Anniversary this last week.  Wow.  I really cant believe we have been married 8 years.  In that time we have had 2 houses, 2 dogs, 3 kids, 1 miscarriage, and 1 masters degree.  I am so thankful to have him by myside through everything.  I would think the biggest thing I have learned from where we were 8 years ago is independence.  I know crazy huh!

I see so many couples so dependent on one another that they cant do anything on their own.  I guess part of my independence comes from Jayson's job.  I cant plan specific days or events on weekends around his work schedule.  I have to be able to do them on my own because his schedule is so random and has him gone for 24 hours at a time.

So, I actually took off work and had the most wonderful day!  Their is nothing that I love more than spending time as a family.  We went to the pumpkin patch, rode a train, hay ride, played on the playground and rode the merry go round.  The night ended with my first dinner without kids in 8 months.  Jayson and I went to our favorite restaurant and had a nice quiet dinner.  So thankful for my sweet family.  I seriously can't ask for anything more.

 

Oh the things kids say...

I just have to write these things down because I don't want to ever forget the funny things Lana and Grayson say. 

• Grayson calls his blankie his "dankie" and I tease him by saying "my dankie". 
• After baths one night and before jammies went on, Grayson was running around and ran up to me putting on Jackson's jammie and said "I toot on you".  Oh boys....
• When we ask Grayson his name he always says "I brother".
• Lana when looking at a book with a woodpecker calls it a "wood-pepper". 
• Lana has this thing about being so nosy when we are not talking to her.  The other day, I was in the car talking on the phone and she overheard me say hate.  After I got off the phone she tells me that "we dont say that word and that word and Scott wouldn't say hate"

It is just amazing seeing them explore and learn in this great big world!! 

Summer 2013 Pictures

I was probably a little crazy for scheduling these pictures when I did because it was so hot.  I left thinking it was a complete disaster, Lana left in her panties, and Jackson in his diaper.  Yeah, it was hot!  I am actually really surprised we got any good pics.  It is just really hard to get a 4 year old, 2 year old and 4 month to focus long much less all look at the camera at the same time!  Looking back I will be glad I did these pictures of the kids and I think they turned out really good considering the weather!

Summer Means....Outside, Water Hose, Dirt, Pool

I love that little booty cheek hanging out!!!

He is

All

Boy!

Two of my handsome boys! 

Grayson really loved the water this year.  He was a little fish!

Brothers

I don't think there is too many things better than having a brother.  Sure, Jeff and I had our highs and lows, but I wouldn't trade him for the world.  I am so thankful to be able to watch Grayson and Jackson share the title of brother's.  I hope they are good buddies as they get bigger and best of friends when they are grown.  

Training Wheels Off

Lana had been bugging us for a couple weeks to take off her training wheels.  I kept saying I was going to wait for Jeff to get home from Colorado, but she just couldn't wait and we knew she was ready.  She got it first try.  Jayson took her down a small hill in the grass 3 times then she was ready to head to the street!  She is really good at it!  She just had turned 4 which I think is crazy early to be riding a bike.  She was so proud of herself.  I got it all on video and may have even got a little choked up watching her.  We are so proud of her too!!  

2 Months

Jackson,

You are 2 months old.  You are the best baby and your brother and sister love you so much.

*  Weight:  14lbs 2oz (79%) You are as big as Lana and Grayson were at 4 months!
*  Height:  23 1/4 inches (43%)

*  You still haven't had a bottle.  You do just fine nursing and eat about every 3 hours during the day except in the evening you eat every 2 hours.
*  You sleep 8 hours at night from about 10:00/10:30-6:00/6:30.  It is awesome and such a change from your brother.
*  You are in 3-6 month clothes.  I call you my chunky hunk :)

*  You love baths and even taking them with Lana and Grayson.
*  You seem to like the action and want to be part of it if you are awake.
*  You started to smile and laugh.  Your first smile was at 5 weeks 6 days and laugh around 7 weeks.  You havent stopped since!
*  You love for mommy to hold you when you are fussy and dont really like daddy holding you when you are upset.  Mommy seems to have the magic touch to get you calmed down.
*   You are pretty laid back except when you are hungry or your tummy is hurting.

2 Years

Grayson,

You are two years old.  Wow.  It seriously seems like yesterday we were bringing you home from the hospital to our new home.  You are the funniest boy I have ever seen.  You love to make people laugh. We often say that there is not a serious bone in your body.  You are just that funny!

On your birthday we went to Pops.  It was a little road trip for something different.  You loved all the bottles on the wall and had your own rootbeer.  Here is a little of what you have been up over the past year.

*  Height:  35 inches (64%)
*  Weight:  26lbs 10oz (48%)
*  You go to bed around 9:00 and get up around 9:00 with a 2 hour nap.  It is funny because your naps are almost always 2 hours right on the dot.  Not 2 hours 5 minutes or 1 hour 55 minutes.  2 hours.
*  You are all boy.  Balls, tractors, trucks, motorcycles, dirt.  ALL BOY!
*  You love to play catch with balloons.  You will say "mommy/daddy catch" then throw the balloon to us.
*  You are talking like crazy.  Some of your famous phrases are "Sweet Heart", "Happy dirthday" "Welcome" (you say welcome instead of Thank you), "choo choo"  "daddy's truck",  "mail man", "oct-nots".
*  You love being outside and right by Lana's side.
*  You know how to stand your ground with Lana and have even bit her to get your way.  I am not for the biting, but you are learning.
*  You run everywhere.
*  You have became a big brother and are embracing that new role.  You are very protective of Jackson and it is clear you love him.
*  You are a huge daddy's boy and will even tell me that.  I will ask you if you are mommy's boy and you will always say "no, daddy's boy"

*  You got a mower for your birthday because you loved playing with your friends mower.  Now, you have to take it outside everytime daddy mows and you help him :)

*  You also look up to Uncle Jeff so much.  You have a green motorcycle he gave you a month or two before your birthday and you always know where that motorcycle is and did not let go of it for a week.
*  You love your pa-pa's too.  You always ask your ma's about them if they did not come with them.
*  We call you G, G-man, wild man, bubba, brother, blondie.

You are so funny and full of energy and life.  We love you so very much!!