Moms and Help

While taking a rare opportunity to scroll through my Google reader today, I stumbled across this post. The comments just wowed me; blew me away.

Moms need help. And not just a few of us. Each of us have those needs.

Interestingly enough, I am one of those moms who tends to feed myself the familiar lie that I should be able to do it all. And when I can't I ask, "Why can't I?"

Today I made a concerted effort to live out some of my maternal goals. Don't sleep too late, even if I have the opportunity, spend time outside with kids, knock out a lot of laundry, do activities with the children, do housework -- just be plain productive.

There were still tasks that this day didn't find checked off at the end. I missed my opportunity for devotions and then promptly forgot to make it happen. I wasn't as patient as I should have been. There were still holes and imperfections in the fabric of this day.

And even on our best days, our flawed humanity prevents us from always keeping a perfect momentum. Life happens. Interruptions happen.

I wonder if all moms take inventory at the end of their day, like I seem to. What did I accomplish? What moments of laziness stole time from my day? What distractions should I prevent tomorrow? Did I look my children in the eyes enough today and not just bark out commands and directions? Did I hold them enough? Did I speak like I would have if others were listening, and not just little people who have to take whatever I feel like handing out today?

Sometimes the report card isn't pretty. Sometimes it seems like my self-analysis would put me well below a D average and sometimes I feel like I do alright. It's interesting to come across an entire list of mothers cowing to these same thoughts and feelings and flaws.

We all need help and grace. Those who have the help of their husband on a regular basis and those who don't. All of us. Each and every one.

So for tonight, even though honey's work hours have been long and his home-hours have been littered with work calls, I'm thankful for the little break I did have -- even if it was just a trip to Wal-Mart for milk and diapers -- and I'm going to try a little harder tomorrow to make sure I speak like Someone Else is listening.

Late

An appropriate title for many reasons! I find myself up late tonight with a little insomnia, so I figured I'd take the opportunity to update things a bit over here.

Well, if there's anyone who reads here but doesn't know already, then SURPRISE! We've got another baby on the way! ...and SURPRISE! It's a girl!!!

We are overjoyed about this new development in life... although it's not *that* new anymore. I'll be twenty-three weeks tomorrow! I'm planning to take a picture then so I'll try to put one up here.

Micah is enjoying the excitement of a baby coming. He talks to her frequently and he knows that "his sister" is in Mommy's tummy. She seems to like him quite a bit too. I know it sounds odd, but I'm convinced it's true. She stays so quiet and content when he's running around chattering, but if he's not with me or sleeping she jumps around all over the place. I can't help but believe she's looking for that hyper little boy-voice!

I hope to try to keep this a little more up-to-date... hopefully at least keep a photo blog going. I know some of my family would love that.

I hope everyone on blogger is doing well! Happy SPRING!

guess what we are doing...

Hey, aren't those...?

They look like...?

Is that...?

Are you...

POTTYTRAINING?

Well, perhaps you could say that. Perhaps not. Today we spent a good four hours or so exclusively in underwear and had no accidents. Naptime came and then it didn't go so well. He didn't even pee in the bed. He got up and peed in the floor! Ah, well. :) Still, he is grasping the concept. He's excited about his new "undaweah" and he aready has a favorite pair.

And what other theme could we possibly go with but "Cars." (have I ever mentioned that he has never sat through the movie, yet has a running obsession with the characters?)

We are using the actual toilet vs. a potty chair. Basically there are two or three reasons for this. One, he hasn't gravitated toward his potty chair. Two, when he has successfully urinated in it... it ends up on the floor, not in the chair (potty chairs are, apparently, for girls -- whether they have a "cup" or not). Three, it makes the whole thing much lower-maintenance. He will be able to use a toilet basically anywhere, but we can't carry a potty chair around and I really don't want to create a whole "safe toilet syndrome" thing.

The potty chair does, however, come in handy as a step-stool.

But apparently so does the regular toilet. Hmm.



Anyway, he's started telling me "Mama, I needa pee-pee!" And usually by the time he's announced this, he's standing with his underwear down. You know, to save time.

So then we dash to the bathroom.



I think he's a little proud of himself.



What do you think?

Thursday

Today is Thursday. The kids are asleep and will be for maybe another couple of hours (they just went down). Tomorrow MJ is going to his aunt and uncle's house and Saturday and Sunday going to his grandparents. I'll miss him being gone for that long but they are really, really wanting him to come visit. I have to admit it is nice to have those breaks sometimes. But gosh I miss that little dude when he's not here. I keep running around with a Kleenex looking for someone whose nose I can wipe.

Oh. That's not funny unless you know that Micah's allergies are acting up from the weather changes. Well they are. Insanely. So you can laugh at my funny joke now!

I'm trying to plan my childless Saturday. I'm hoping it will mean a haircut for me. I need one desperately. Does anyone remember The Layering of November? Well... I haven't had a haircut since then! My split ends are driving me nutso. NUTSO. Plus, my hair is plainly just longer than I like it. I mean, I like long-ish hair but I don't like dealing with it. It's about four inches longer than I like it to be. I'm about to take a knife to it. Imagine the results of that!

Yesterday Jesse was off work and Lexi and MJ had a blast with him. Lexi loves "Uncle Jesse."

The kids are doing well together. They've been a little bit cranky toward each other today and it's been a little funny... they aren't trying to kill each other by any means but hearing a couple of two year olds holler at each other over a toy is pretty stinkin' funny.

Here they are fighting over sharing Micah's little Huffy bike.

Oh, and for those of you who like creative, easy little ideas for kids' lunches, I made these today:

Take two small unbaked biscuits, flatten them, put about a quarter of a teaspoon of pizza sauce or something similar on one of them, add about a tablespoon and a half of your favorite cheeses, and one shredded pepperoni. Place second flattened biscuit over the top of the first, and squish the edges together. I placed a pepperoni on top to give the kids an idea of what is inside. Cook according to biscuit-making directions! They are basically homemade pizza rolls. They're quite yummy!

Well, if I'm going to accomplish anything else before nap time is over I should dash.

How is your Thursday going?

happy-to-me, babysitting, flirting, and peanut butter sandwiches

My long-awaited, highly-anticipated by so many of you... or not... happy-to-me news is...

My dead, dried up, and sadly broken coffee maker has been replaced! Yes, I know. We can all breathe a little easier now. You can all go back to your daily lives instead of wringing your hands and hoping that your children survive the terror that is A Fall And Winter In Which Candi Has No Coffee. You're welcome.

Today was the first day of babysitting Lexi. Because of a doctor's appointment for Nana, I also had Sami. Micah enjoyed the presence of two small women in the house.

Commence flirting... now.




They had a lot of fun.







Peanut butter sandwiches made a great mid-morning snack.



Although Micah thought they weren't flat enough.



This was Sami's just-woke-up face after a nice nappy. She slept on half of her face so she looked a little red and disheveled. :)

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In other news... have you ever had a splinter... that is a hair?!? I cut Jesse's hair the other day and apparently somehow one of his hairs were sharp enough to end up in my foot! Last night I discovered my foot felt really sore when I moved it certain ways and discovered the little bugger in left foot... how weird is that? Anyway I had to take a pin and get it out much like a splinter. Except flimsy and much more difficult to grab. I'm just really glad it wasn't embedded any deeper than it was. It doesn't really sound painful but it is.

So how about the weather -- is it as nice where you are as it is here? I am not really looking forward to the cold and the early nights but gosh I love the Fall!

Well, tomorrow is gonna come early and I need to be at my best for the two toddlers I'll be chasing. Hopefully with a good night's rest, a few prayers, and about four cups of COFFEE! I'll be good to go. :)

I hope your night is a great one!

Late?

It has been way too long since I updated this thing.

Since June 5th I:

- Found out I was expecting baby #2 on June 12th and also lost said baby in August, one week after my son's second birthday.

- Turned 22.

- Became incredibly ready for a vacation.

It has been a terribly difficult few months to say the least, but by God's grace we are making it one day at a time.

I've completely revamped this blog and I'm hoping to get more interactive with it. Any readers still out there? :)

Oh and p.s. - MJ is STILL not potty trained!

yooooou do it... yooooouuu use the poootttyyyyyy

I'm singing an Elmo song. Yeah, we watch a lot of Elmo around here and I just cannot get that CONFOUNDED song out of my head. :-/

MJ is at his grandparents tonight, tomorrow is grocery shopping and church, Sunday -- church (twice), and THEN... if all goes as planned we'll be going right into a rigorous week of intensely focused potty training. My sister will be here from Texas. I hope you like helping clean up "accidents," Mandi. :) Welcome to my home!!!

Anywho. I am seriously contemplating cloth-diapering our next child, whenever we receive that blessing. I know a lot of people who would say you. are. crazy. Well, no. Not really. When comparing the costs it's overwhelmingly tempting just for that reason alone. I also hear that CD'ing (look at me lingo'ing like a pro!) helps ease the potty-training transition since kids can immediately sense when they are wet in cloth diapers. Plus, some of the cloth diaper designs are just so darn CUTE!

Well listen to me. All absorbed in the possibilities of cloth diapering when I'm about to move out of diapers altogether! Ah well. :) Next time.