No More Naps For Me

I already had it engraved in my head that I wouldn't get any sleep for at least the next 5 years. After that I thought I would have about another 6 or so years where I can get some decent volume of sleep in before the kids hit the teenage years, then back to no sleep. This is my reality , of that I am aware, but naps are out of the question now too.

Saturday I had the migraine from hell, it was a beautiful day but just a mere glimpse of the sunlight was agonizing. John was off with a client and so the kids and I were in my bed. Watching TV, and they seemed to be about to doze off with me. I eventually fell asleep. I woke up 20 minutes later with only Bella by my side! They took off on me, I figured they were in the play room, but I was wrong.

I ran downstairs and no sight of the kids. Finally I see them in the backyard. (thankfully they decided on the back yard which is fenced in, rather than front with the cars and such!) There they stood, my first sight was Gen with her hair uncombed, and her skinny tiny legs in her sneakers which were on backwards. Then there was Tyler, with his T Shirt on inside out. I thought for a moment how cute they were to have dressed themselves and was just relieved they were OK. I felt overwhelmingly guilty for falling asleep. Little sneaky brats! Then I take a closer look.........Tyler was holding Max!

Let me back track a moment......We went to the reptile show last month and got a baby chameleon. The kids are begging for a dog and we all want one but right now we do not have the time to give a dog the attention they so deserve so we opted for a low maintenance pet. The little dude is pretty cute actually. Tyler named him Maxameleon. Nope not Maximilian, Maxameleon, to sound like chameleon.

Anyway, they took him out of the cage and took him outside! I raise my voice and Tyler quickly pleads his case, "but Mommy I am being careful". And he most certainly was, he took him out of the cage and placed him in a plastic tub for the walk outside so that he wouldn't have a fall. I understand Tyler but he can run away I explain. "Mommy, Max needs some sunshine and he loves to be in a real environment." Wow. All I could muster up was, OK, well put him back and lets get inside. Left me speechless.

This is one of those stories that are so cute in hindsight and are great memories but in the moment, it wasn't so amusing. Oh yeah, and want to know what they used to pry him out of the cage since they couldn't reach Max? A lollipop shaped like a penis that was a gag gift.......aww the joys of parenting, absolutely no more naps for me.

Congrats Rachel!

This is a picture of Rachel with her little sister Rebecca. Aren't they just too cute!? Rachel is a faithful blog reader and sweet friend who just finished her first year at NC State! I am so proud of you Rachel. Flew by didn't it? Now Rachel is back home and will be working here with me for the summer, she starts tomorrow, I am so excited! I am so happy she is back and just cant wait to have her around the office for a while. (Not to mention I am so happy to have her assistance!!) Rachel, I hope you are ready, Ryan already has a huge stack for ya! Way to go, and see you soon!

Love ya,
V

Mothers Day 2008

This year I had my first x3 Mothers Day! It was quite special. We had dinner at Mimi's and it was nice family time. Tyler made me a very sweet gift at school, with cute wrapping and card to boot. I will have to add pictures of that to this blog soon. The kids made me a little something with their hand prints on it with my mom (thanks mom!!) that was the sweetest thing I received! I cant believe that Mom took her time to make that with them for me even when she was so sore. Pretty thoughtful, I have the best Mommy and Mimi in the world!

SOME THOUGHTS ON MOTHERHOOD:

• "No one is poor who had a godly mother" -- Abraham Lincoln (16th President of U.S.A.)

• "Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you." -- Robert Fulghum"

• "If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them, and half as much money." -- Abigail Van Buren ('Dear Abby')

• "All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his." -- Oscar Wilde

• "To be in your children's memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today." -- Barbara Johnson

FOR MY MOMMY:

• "A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts." -- Washington Irving (1783-1859)

• "Life began with waking up and loving my mother's face." -- George Eliot

• "Youth fades; love droops, the leaves of friendship fall; A mother's secret hope outlives them all." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

FOR MY CHILDREN:

• "Before you were conceived I wanted you. Before you were born I loved you. Before you were here an hour I would die for you. This is the miracle of life." -- Maureen Hawkins

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY... to every Mother on every day of the year!

Update on the Hip

Well the appointment wasn't great, but no where near bad either. I wish she was all fixed but not quite yet. At least we are hoping she is on her way. The doctor has decided that he will wait another three months to see what her little hip decides too.

X-ray revealed that while it isn't perfect just yet, it is better. Since it has shown some improvement he feels we need to wait and see if it continues on that path the next 12 weeks. Thought is that these upcoming weeks will be critical to her development as she will begin to put weight on her hip when she sits up and when she begins to crawl and/or cruise. Then the hip should begin to settle in more, which way it goes is the question, although he feels it is on the right track. Worst case if it doesn't get better or worse next 12 weeks in that she will then wear a brace just to sleep. That I can deal with, of course we hope we don't even have to go there.

So now we wait for another 3 months. That will drive me nuts, but it could have been worse. Thanks again for all the caring calls and texts and emails!!!!

The Hip

Today is Isabella's appointment at the Orthopedics Office. I am so nervous to hear what is going on. I barely got any sleep thinking about the what ifs........cast? surgery? on and on my mind went. I am trying to stay positive but I am just so anxious I don't even know what to think anymore. I realize the situation hales in comparison to all the things that can possibly go wrong but the thought of her in a cast when she is getting so active is really daunting. A cast would fix the problem but getting there would be tough. For starters I think I would have to quit my job to care for her. Hopefully after today we wont even have to go there! The appointment is at 4PM wish us all luck.

Gulp.

Amazing

With Mother's Day fast approaching I couldn't help but post this awesome picture I came across. Being a mother is the biggest gift and blessing I have ever received. It is an honor to be a woman and be able to be a part of the miracle of life. Takes my breath away a little bit to think that my children were inside my body just like that such a short time ago. Isn't it incredible? Definitely nothing short of amazing!

Baby Bullets

• Bella's results came in and apparantly the findings were that what they removed was called a Lymphangioma. Scary word I know, but the results were benign so that was great great news! One thing I can remove from the worry list. Now my worries will be geared towards her hip appointment on 05/08/2008.
  
• Isabella had her 5 month anniversary on 4/29/2008. My how time is flying!


• Bella can now turn around in her crib.


• She is currently enjoying her Baby Einstein videos and her Jumperoo. She is absolutely adorable in it. I will post some pics of her in it really soon.
• I love the Motherlove products but the supplements to increase breat milk didnt really make much of an impact. John called the OB for me though, (what a great hubby huh) and I got a prescribtion which is really working wonders!! Thank goodness, I am so happy about that. Breastfeeding has been really important to me with the first two and I didnt want Bella to be any different. We are on the right track. Got Milk?
• Isabella Grace is currently very happy, smiling, cooing little baby girl. She is so loved!


• Life is good.


• .......really good.....