Lists

I seriously do not get all the hype over 100 rules for moms of boys or 101 things every dad should do for their girls. I mean don’t get me wrong I read them and for the most part I shake my head and agree with the ideas but I don’t understand why they have to be for moms & sons and daughters & dads. I find myself reading the lists and tilting my head to the side and wondering why is this list for just me and my son why wouldn’t I do these same things with my daughter? The lists are hypocritical to me. They are defining gender roles but at the same time saying we should combat them. A woman should teach her son to do laundry. Why can’t my husband teach my son to do laundry? Isn’t me being the one to teach him just cementing the fact that it is a woman’s job? Why is it a dad’s job to teach his daughter about money? Do only men know how to handle finances? Why can’t I teach her that? While reading the list I just feel like there are all fine and dandy lists but I think instead of separate lists why not just make one list. What parents should do for their children. So here is my list for our family. I am sure I will continue to modify it over the years.



1. Tell your kids you love them every day a million times. You can never be told you are loved too much.

2. Be affectionate.

3. Be an example.

4. Make them a priority.

5. Be positive and laugh often.

6. Let your kids see you as a human and a super hero.

7. Be the parent when you need to but don’t be afraid to let the kid inside come out to play once in a while.

8. Sometimes you need to let go but be on the sidelines ready to pick them up.

9. Cheer them on and let them know how proud you are of them on a regular basis.

10. Be present.

She is back

Eve has always been a fairly good kid.  She has had her moments but overall she has always been well behaved.  I never had to deal with tatrums or attitude.  Simply giving her an explanation was enough 99% of the time.  After the first 3 months of her life (where she never slept) she has been a cake walk to have as a daughter.  I have been soooooo lucky and blessed to have such a sweet little lady in my life. 

Then she turned 5 and I seriously thought we might have fast forwarded 10 year and we were at age 15 instead.  She got a huge attitude and knew to test my patience like no one else.  I seriously wasn't sure how we were going to make it through the next 15 years if this is how we were going to start. 

She was testing all of my limits and I there were times I felt like I was disciplining her more than talking and playing with her.  It really broke my heart.  We were having a major power struggle.  I had a huge conflict withine myself of how to set boundries with her yet give her the attention she needed.

I went away on a work trip and the whole week before she became super clingy.  She has never been clingy a day in her life. 

First she wanted to be completely independent and it drove me crazy.  Then she became completely clingy and it drove me crazy.  I just couldn't win.

Then I came back from my work trip to a totally different child.  She found balance while I was gone.  I don't know what happened but this new version of Eve is AMAZING. 

I am writing this so when we get back to the rough patch (because I am sure we will one day) I can remember although there might be some rough patches we will also have some amazing patches too. 

The dentist.

Eve went to the dentist for the first time.  I was totally nervous that we were going to get yelled at because we waited so long to take her because we never had dental insurance until now.  I also thought we would get yelled at because I thought she had a cavity in every tooth.  Her mouth looked like a mess even though we brush everyday and most days we brush at least twice.  Well she only has one real cavity and one that is really close to being a cavity because of some decay so they are going to scrap part of the tooth and fill it with a sealant.  I know that sounds horrible but in reality the dr. said that he was surprised there wasn't more damage.  Eve has a really tiny mouth and her teeth are really crammed in there and because of this she is going to be prone to tooth decay.  We have to brush and floss 3 times a day and they said we can expect to go see an orthodontist as soon as her permanent teeth come in.  Milo gets to go with her for her next appointment.  That should be interesting since he can't stand people like Dr. touching him.

Eve loved the dentist and is already looking forward to going back.  I am happy she enjoyed it.  I am nervous that when she goes back on Sept 10 for her filling though because she will need to be put under.  For some reason it freaks me out.

10 random facts.

1.  When I was little my mom thought I went missing in the middle of the night but really I was playing in the dark basement.

2.  I fell asleep in a hotel bathtub and flooded my room.

3.  My husband is my life. 

4.  I get touched out easily and need my space.  For some reason when I get like this my husband and kids can not keep their hands off of me.  I think they really just want to see me have a nervous breakdown one day.

5.  I tell my family I have a secret about every five minutes.  The secret is always that I love them. 

6.  I feel like there is often two sides of me and that I am constantly struggling to let both sides show.  I have a crazy fun side and a totally reserved side.  There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of middle ground.

7.  I finally got someone to cut my hair how I wanted it cut.  It is a really dramatic bob cut.  I refer to it as the woman's mullet.  Because if you see me from the front it looks normal and if you see me from the side it looks crazy.  So I am business in the front and party in the back.  It fits my personality.

8.  I feel like I talk about myself a lot when I am around others.  For me it is to let them know I relate to them but sometimes I feel like they think all I think about is me.  This is one of my biggest social fears because really I am much more concerned about others than myself.

9.  I love reggaeton music.

10.  I had a bunch of random jobs growing up.  I sold souvenirs for the Brewers, was a cab dispatcher, worked as a server at a 4 star restaurant, worked on a farm, was a summer camp counselor, and worked in a daycare.  I love the diverse experiences I got growing up and loved that my parents never forced me to get a job so that I could take whatever random job suited my interest at the time.

I was lost and now am found.

I was going to write this huge series of posts about how I was feeling really lost and just riding along in life and then finally I feel like in the last 3 months I have slowly been coming out of my haze and getting back into life but it was long and I am not sure it made any sense so here were some main ideas that tell you how I feel.

I went to an amazing work training.
I like my new school.
I love and adore my husband.
I love and appreciate my kids.
I am living in nirvana.
Life is grand.

A boy who needs some help.

My prayers are with this family as they are on a very difficult journey.

If you would like to help them out check out babyrabies website for a wonderful fundraiser.

Happy Easter

Life had been crazy & good.

It feels like forever since I have had enough time to even think lately.  We have been busy working opposite shifts, carting Eve to soccer practice, games, CCD classes, and a bunch of playdates.  We are also in the slow process of getting ready to move but like I said it is going SLOW.
We took both kids to the Dr. on Friday and Eve was 33lbs and 40.5 inches and Milo was 19 lbs. 30.5 inches.  I can't believe how big they are getting.  Milo is already wearing 24 month clothes and has 5 teeth.  Eve has been getting so smart and writing lots of words and is just full of questions. 

I really couldn't be happier at the moment unless I could quit my job (which is the only thing causing me true stress right now.) and spending more time with Adam.  Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder because goodness gracious do I miss him like crazy.  My weekends can't come fast enough and stay long enough to spend quality time with him.

It's been awhile.

I don't know why I haven't been posting.  Life has just been busy.  Adam switched to working nights which is nice because it he gets more money for working nights but it sucks because pretty much only see him on the weekends.  I miss him like crazy but know for right now this is what we need to do.  He had an interview this week to change the job from a temporary position to a permanent job.   

Adam sent me on  scavenger hunt for my birthday gift even though my birthday isn't until the end of this month.  He got me a new computer and I love it.  He had to give it to me early because he had 30 days to return it if I didn't like it.  I love it and it is not going anywhere.

Both Eve and Milo have a sinus infection and an ear infection.  We kept Eve out of school all week and she still sounds kind of crappy.  Milo is on the mend.  My children are so different.  Eve is constantly asking for more medicine I have never seen a kid who loves medicine even the kinds that don't taste good.  Milo freaks out every time I pull out the dropper.  They are on the exact same medicine and their reactions are so different.

We started cloth diapering Milo.  Adam was really opposed but I said I didn't care and was going to get some anyway.  I found a program where I could return them within 30 days if I wasn't happy so I figured I could try it and if I didn't like it I could get my money back.  Adam is now officially on board.  Now I just need to get my mom on board and we will be good to go with getting rid of disposables for good.  I will probably make a separate post about it at a later time if anyone is interested. 

 Eve was supposed to have her first soccer game this week but they had to cancel because the fields have been so wet since we have had a ton of rain.  As long as it doesn't keep raining she will have her first practice on Tuesday and then her first game next Saturday.  We are all so excited.

I started an after school tutoring program for the 9th graders at our school.  I had 75 9th graders volunteer to come for an hour after school twice a week.  I am so excited about it but since I have to track all the students it has meant more paper work for me so I have been extra busy at work with it.

So pretty much we have just been busy and by the time I get on the computer each night I am exhausted and can't put a coherent thought together.  We are starting to get a routine down so hopefully life gets a little less hectic.

Blogger Issues & New Years

I have been having issues with my blog formating since Christmas so that is why it is taking me forever to post anything because honestly I started the Christmas post probably 15 times before I posted it and it still didn't turn out how I wanted.  I am not sure what the dealio is but whatever. 

 

New Years Resolutions:

• Lose 30 pounds
• Work less and play more
• Save money for a real vacation

Pictures of my lovely family hanging out on New Years Day.

Christmas 2009

Polar Express & St. Nick

Christmas Card Photos

Here is a preview of some of the great shots we got of the kiddos in our attempt to get a shot for the Christmas card. Yes we currently have 2 trees up. We have a 3rd one too but no where to put it but there will soon be a 4 foot pink tree since I know a little girl who wants one.

Thankful

In honor of the big day here is my list.

An adoring husband who puts up with all my craziness and is always there to support me 100%.

My 2 beautiful, sweet, silly children that fill everyday with lots of laughs, hugs, kisses, giggles, and happiness.

Our families. We may have our ups and downs but I love them all and am thankful that they are in my life because without them I wouldn't be the person I am today.

My job. I get to work with amazing people everyday doing an amazing job helping mold our future. Even though there are many days I feel beat down by everything going on in education but in the end I love my job and I love my students.

Our good fortune. We have been lucky to be fairly healthy this last year and even though we hit some rough patches financially we have stayed afloat.

I love my life and even though things don't always go exactly as I want I know I have it really good and I am thankful for all the love in my life.

Last Week

Last week we went to the park for our friend's birthday. The kids had a blast and Milo went swinging in the real swing for the first time. He loved it. Eve finally enjoyed the swings too. (She has taken longer than most kids to build up the courage to try out the toys at the park.)

Life as we know it

Life has been crazy busy lately. Adam got a temporary job that could last for at least 10 months which means he will keep looking for a new job so hopefully we will be good come next year. This job offers a ton of overtime. He can work 12 hour days and 8 hours on Saturday and this week he could even have worked on Sunday. They had to do mandatory 10 hours of overtime this week. So Adam is putting in mad amounts of overtime which pretty much means my days are filled with work and then taking care of both kids all night. Usually they are both in bed by the time he gets home. I miss spending time with him but at the same time like the idea of building our savings back up more quickly.

A day.

After school we got the news I had been expecting for some time now. They are, contemplating, meaning they are going to close our school. We will get transferred to other schools if there are openings. I feel bad for our students because they are closing our school basically the parents won't stand up and fight for them like the more affluent schools in our district even though they have way lower enrollment than us. I don't like that I probably won't know until May where I might be. I hope I don't end up getting split between schools. I also will most likely not get to teach the 7th grade accelerated students if I end up at a Junior High and I really don't have the desire to teach 7th or 8th general anymore. I wonder if I will get to move to the high school which would be my preferred choice. I really wonder where I will go and would like to make that decision sooner than later so I can prepare my move. I am not looking forward to all the conversations I will need to have with my students as they struggle to make sense of what is going to happen next year. I just want to teach and be there for my students but there are some days I feel like there are so many obstacles I just can't do what I need to.

Usually a day like would lead to a lot of whining on my part but I am to the point of just embracing what is happening and trying to make the best of the situation.

A new outlook.

I know I have been so mopey lately and I don't like it. I finally got my reality check today. When I was dropping Eve off I overheard one of her teachers talk about how she is really struggling raising her 2 teenage sons because she is a widow and they really need a male in their lives so she has been trying to get men from her church to kind of step up to help her show her sons how men should live a moral life. After I drop Eve off everyday I drive the rest of the way to work and pray/think to myself. As I was driving I saw a woman at a bus stop who had her whole side of her face bruised. I realized I need to get over all the crap and realize what I have to be thankful for.

I have 2 beautiful children.

Milo's smile lights up the whole room. Every time I look at him he smiles at me...even when he is whining.

Eve is so funny. Her curiosity kills me. I love how she says words wrong. Like shade-o instead of shadow. She is so sweet and I love that she is so loving to her family.

Adam is amazing. He is the most giving man in the world. He takes such good care of the kids and me. I can't put into words how much I love him. I like that we are always on the same page. Sometimes I think we are the same person. Like tonight when we were talking about dinner we both had a new idea of how to prepare the roll for our meatball subs. It was the exact same idea of making the roll into garlic bread first before adding the meatballs.

I am thankful for my parents because they always make time for us.

I am thankful for my students because they always know how to make me smile/laugh even if we had a rough day.

I am thankful that my coworkers take the time to tell me good things they hear about me in class because it makes my day.

Halloween.

Milo is 6 months!

Milo had his 6 month Dr. appointment today he was 28 inches and 16 lbs 15.5 oz. He dropped from the 75th to 50th percent for weight but they don't seemed too concerned. 6 months is when Eve started to drop off the weight charts and it only took 4 years to get back on the chart at the 10th percent which is better than the below 3% she was at. Milo is in the 95th percentile for height so we still have a pretty big baby. I am actually surprised he has only grown an inch in 2 months because he seems extra long. He toughed out his shots with hardly a cry. He has a slight problem with his circumcision where the Dr. had to re-break part of it and the poor baby didn't handle that well at all. He is a mess every time we change his diaper. Plus tooth # 2 is coming in.