I know . . . she may look sweet, cute and innocent, but I've come to realize . . . it's just a cover. Take a good look at that picture - you can see it, that little twinkle in her eye, that little smirk. Man, did she have me snowed!!!
It has been a tough parenting week for me. It seems my children have switched roles - like the parent trap. My calm, well-behaved little girl has turned into my hyper, whiney little boy! The only difference is that my little boy hasn't really changed into the calm well-behaved little boy - so I basically lived this week with two Kadins. (oh yeah, I'd like to see you try it!)
It's no secret that Kadin has been the more challenging child thus far. It makes my life all the more interesting that way and up until now, I have enjoyed the complete differences in my two children. They make a complete set - BUT when that balance is swayed one way or the other - it makes life in our house a little tough to take.
These are the typical struggles I've encountered with Bella this week:
That's pretty much everything we do in a typical morning/evening.
I have to say that I really don't think this sudden change in Bella's attitude is just a phase. I think my kids got together and formed an alliance. I think the conversation went something like this:
Kadin: Bewwa, let's play a game. (sly grin with a quick glance over to Mom & Dad) Do you want to play a game?
Bella: Ya!
Kadin: Ok, you do everything I do. Ok . . . ok Bewwa? Bewwa!!
Bella: Ya!
Kadin: Ok, when Mommy & Daddy can't see me (another quick glance to Mom & Dad) . . . you do what I do ok?
Bella: Ya! (as she jumps up & down with excitement)
And so the game begins!
Every year, since our kids were able to appreciate it, my friend Laura and I have an egg hunt for Easter. Now, I really shouldn't say "Laura and I" because she really does all of the work. In fact, this is the first year I actually helped with anything!
Laura is great at coming up with unique ideas for the kids. In previous years, we were lucky enough to have nice weather and no snow so the kids were always able to search for their eggs and baskets in the yard. Well this year was slightly different. Because there was still a good 4 inches of snow on the ground we had to improvise a little . . .
It was a truly great time for the kids and a great time for the adults. I'm not sure who had more fun me or my kids. I am very thankful for those traditions that I hope my children will remember for years to come. What a blessing to have fun holiday traditions and great friends to share them with.Let me give you a little background before I begin this dialog:
Kadin adores these two girls that go to the same babysitter. Grace & Cameron only come on Fridays, and this year Grace is in school now so he actually only gets to see Cameron. So every week he looks forward to Fridays when he gets to see the girls.
Kadin: When will I get married?
Brian: Well, some day when you're older you'll find a girl that you want to marry.
Kadin: I think I'll marry Cameron.
Me: Oh, you want to marry Cameron?
Kadin: Yes, she's my special girlfriend.
Me: Oh really.
Kadin: Yes, I can't marry Grace because she's too old. She is going to be six and I'm only four. Cameron just turned four so she's a little young.
Me: So why do you think Cameron is your special girlfriend?
Kadin: When it was my birthday at Cinda's house we blew out candles and there was one candle left so Cinda told me I had a special girlfriend. Cameron wasn't special before, but now she is.
So, today at work I informed my co-worker (who happens to be Grace & Cameron's dad) that we are going to be in-laws.
1. I enjoy peeking in people's windows. Not in a creepy stalker way . . . One of my favorite things to do is take evening walks, when the sun is going down and people are tucked away in their houses with the lights on. I find my eyes gazing toward the windows to see if I can catch a glimpse of the inside - maybe I can see how they decorate or what they are doing or get a mental picture of how they must live.
2. I have an obsession with toe hair. My big toe on each foot has hair on it (I'm sure every toe does but because it's big I can see it). The fact that I can see it bugs me - so I choose to shave my big toes. I have nothing more to say about that!
3. I LOVE to organize things. I hate to admit this, but when my kids have their toys all over and the house is a mess, I enjoy putting things away. There is some strange satisfaction I get from putting things back in their places, and although I ask my kids to help because I want to teach them that they need to pitch in with things - secretly sometimes I like it when they don't.
4. I generally don't like the outdoors. I can find pretty much anything to complain about when I'm outside. It's too hot, too cold, too many bugs, too wet, to windy - you name it, I can come up with it. Now, this doesn't mean that my poor kids are deprived of any outdoor activities. We do spend a lot of time outside - I just don't like it - usually. In this picture Brian and I are at the Hoover Dam on our trip to Las Vegas. It was HOT - and you guessed it, I didn't like it.
5. I don't like to cook. I would pay any amount of money for a live-in chef. Oh, wait I have that for free! Thanks hunny! Seriously, if I have to cook two days in a row it's horrible. First, I am not very good at it and second, I simply do not enjoy it. Some people love experimenting with food and different tastes, not me. Give me a recipe and I can follow it, but I would rather just eat it than cook it.
6. On the other hand - I LOVE baking. In fact after I finish this post I am off to bake a batch of Easter cut-out cookies. I am the official pie baker for every given holiday in my family and I love it. This year I think I have actually perfected the pie crust - WooHoo! If I had the time I would love to open a cake business and do wedding cakes, birthday cakes - cakes for all occasions. (I'd obviously have to practice - alot) Here is a cake I made for Bella's birthday:
7. I use my hair as therapy. Whenever I get in a rut, or fell run down and blah - I change my hair. If it's long - I cut it, if it's already short - I go for a different style. It's amazing what a haircut can do for the soul. I leave the salon feeling rejuvenated and free.
At least that's what I keep telling myself these days.
Let me give you a little background first. Before I got pregnant with Kadin I was at my heaviest. I felt embarrassed about my size and was generally unhappy about the way I looked. I went for a yearly physical and found out that not only was I overweight (big surprise!) I had borderline high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Seeing as how we knew that we wanted to start trying to get pregnant, I made the decision to fix my eating habits and get healthy! Less than a year later I had dropped 25 lbs and had essentially fixed my cholesterol and high blood pressure - kudos to me!!
Fast forward to 2008 . . . two kids, no time and I have managed to pack on about 15 of the 25 lbs I had lost. BUMMER!!! So, once again I have vowed to make a change in my eating habits. This time around however, I have several things working against me:
On a positive note, Brian has been super supportive and allows me to take whatever time I need to go down to the dungeon whenever I want. In fact, he helped urge me to make a change. Supportive husbands are the best!!!
So, wish me luck on my quest for health and fitness. I'll keep you posted.
Now for Brian and I, we had very different reasons for being thrilled. I was thrilled because I longed for a little girl to play dollies with and Barbie's. I wanted to be able to buy all those cutesy frilly dresses and cutesy shoes. (I'm sorry, but girls have WAY better clothes than boys)
For Brian - it was all about the hair. Ok, maybe not all about the hair, but close. Ever since Bella was born almost two years ago he has wanted to style that girls' hair in the worst way. When she was really little it was little tiny barrettes, which almost always fell out. When she got a little older it was headbands, which she almost always pulled out. Now, he has moved on to these teeny, tiny rubberbands - and with those rubberbands he is determined to give her piggy tails!
Now, I want to paint this picture for all of you. These rubberbands are seriously an inch in diameter. It takes work just for Brian to get his big fingers inside the rubberband - so creating this was NOT easy.
The Back
The Front
I realize they are a little crooked, but take in all the factors:
I think he did a great job. Way to go Daddy!!
So, I'm sitting with Kadin and I notice that he is staring at my chest. Now, I'm not really sure what he's looking at, so I don't say anything . . . until . . .
Kadin: Mommy, what are those big things? (Yes, he did say BIG things)
Me: What are you talking about?
Kadin: Those things. (as he points to my chest)
Me: Those are mommy's breasts.
Kadin: Do I have bests?
Me: Umm . . . well you do, but they are different than mommy's.
Kadin: Why?
Me: Well, mommies use their breasts to feed their babies.
Kadin: Like Bella when she was in your tummy?
Me: No, babies only eat from their mommies when they come out of the tummy.
Kadin: So, Bella was in your tummy, was I in Daddy's tummy?
Me: No buddy. Remember when I told you that girls and boys have different parts? Well only girls can have babies in their tummies.
Kadin: Did Bella eat your big things?
Me: Oh, look I think I see Daddy!
Another fellow blogger had this great idea to make a list of all the things we take for granted as parents of healthy wonderful little kids.
Here is my list:
I could go on and on. Children are truly one of God's great miracles!
I love you Bella & Kadin!
So, I know you've all heard this before: "Kids change so fast. They grow up before you know it." Well in case you don't believe it . . .
Christmas 2006
Christmas 2007
I guess my baby girl isn't a baby anymore!
are like oil and water! Last weekend was my Grandpa-in-laws 80th birthday party.
Let me begin by saying that I just love getting together with my extended in-laws . . . what a great bunch of folks (and no I'm not just saying that in case they read this!).
Here's the one catch - the party was at a hotel. I know, you're thinking "oh what fun, the kids can swim!" Yeah . . . more like mom can have a heart attack while watching her children run around the pool on the slippery floor like it was the Daytona 500, watch them teeter on the edge of the pool while they throw the toys in for the big kids, all the while I'm thinking - One little slip and ploop - it's in the water.
Two daring saves later (yes, Bella successfully fell in the water) and I can honestly say it was the most stressful 4 hours of my life! Happy Birthday Grandpa, but next time - please keep the party near solid ground!
