Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas bells are ringing!
Merry Christmas everyone! We are all headed up to Ohio today to spend a week with my parents, hence the early post! Hopefully we will be on the road by 7, but all of you were on my mind last night and I wanted to send out Christmas greetings! I will email out our family pictures as soon as I get the chance. Merry Christmas!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Almost a month....
since my last post. I am so sorry for all of you that follow that I have been so inconsistent with my posts. I think about you guys all of the time. Things have just been so crazy around here lately!
So Ken and I are back on track, like nothing ever happened. Of course we were still in counseling, but then decided that all it was doing in the end was putting soooo much pressure on us to do the "right thing", that it was stressing us both out, and it outweighed the benefits of counseling. The option is always there of course. But for now, things are going great!
I have been very sick for the last week. A chest cold really, but it hit me hard. Getting sick with 4 kiddos isn't allowed to hit you as hard as it hit me! My mom came down to help and Ken stayed home a couple of days. I went to stay with my good friend Jessica who offered her spare room to me to recuperate until the antibiotics did their job to keep me from being "contagious". The doctor says that even though I am still hacking up a lung on a regular basis, I should be alright to be around the kids. All of us got the H1N1 vaccine. Violet got very sick a few days after. Of course we were very panicked about the whole thing, but after waiting 10 days to get the test results back (she felt better by then) we found out that she was just fine...no swine flu in this house! I am starting to feel better, but still a little under the weather.
I am so excited to be doing a portrait session tomorrow with a couple that I met through our Mommy and Me group. Their twins are the same age as Noah and Violet and they are getting their pictures taken for their Christmas cards. You would be surprised at just how much business comes about just for the mailing of Christmas greetings. Crazy! Anyhow, their two boys are like little Gerber babies. They really look like they could be in commercials. I will try and get a release form signed so that I can post them.
Gia has officially become the know-it-all of the house! She is spouting off more and more words...mostly very close imitations of what we say to her. It gets to be quite commical hearing her say "use your words" to her brothers and sister when they cry or when Katie puts on her shoes she says "one foot, two foot" as she puts them on her. (Yes, I am *that* mom that narrates every move to her children)
Jackson and I went for a run in the park this morning at 6 am because I couldn't get him back to sleep. We have a pretty regular schedule at our house and when something rocks that boat, it makes for a long day! So, I let Katie know where I was headed and started off to the park. Little did I know that there would be 500+ geese at the lake in the park, so of course there was no falling asleep then. To begin with they were pretty loud, but even if they hadn't been Jackson was so enthralled, sleeping was not going to happen. It was a nice little Jackson-Mommy outing. It is rare that I get time with one at a time until Ken gets home from work. Especially with the three youngest, because they always seem to get lumped into 1 group.
Gia is up and wants juice. Apparently the male species doesn't have thumbs that are capable of opening a juice box, so Mommy is on the way to save the day!
soli deo gloria
So Ken and I are back on track, like nothing ever happened. Of course we were still in counseling, but then decided that all it was doing in the end was putting soooo much pressure on us to do the "right thing", that it was stressing us both out, and it outweighed the benefits of counseling. The option is always there of course. But for now, things are going great!
I have been very sick for the last week. A chest cold really, but it hit me hard. Getting sick with 4 kiddos isn't allowed to hit you as hard as it hit me! My mom came down to help and Ken stayed home a couple of days. I went to stay with my good friend Jessica who offered her spare room to me to recuperate until the antibiotics did their job to keep me from being "contagious". The doctor says that even though I am still hacking up a lung on a regular basis, I should be alright to be around the kids. All of us got the H1N1 vaccine. Violet got very sick a few days after. Of course we were very panicked about the whole thing, but after waiting 10 days to get the test results back (she felt better by then) we found out that she was just fine...no swine flu in this house! I am starting to feel better, but still a little under the weather.
I am so excited to be doing a portrait session tomorrow with a couple that I met through our Mommy and Me group. Their twins are the same age as Noah and Violet and they are getting their pictures taken for their Christmas cards. You would be surprised at just how much business comes about just for the mailing of Christmas greetings. Crazy! Anyhow, their two boys are like little Gerber babies. They really look like they could be in commercials. I will try and get a release form signed so that I can post them.
Gia has officially become the know-it-all of the house! She is spouting off more and more words...mostly very close imitations of what we say to her. It gets to be quite commical hearing her say "use your words" to her brothers and sister when they cry or when Katie puts on her shoes she says "one foot, two foot" as she puts them on her. (Yes, I am *that* mom that narrates every move to her children)
Jackson and I went for a run in the park this morning at 6 am because I couldn't get him back to sleep. We have a pretty regular schedule at our house and when something rocks that boat, it makes for a long day! So, I let Katie know where I was headed and started off to the park. Little did I know that there would be 500+ geese at the lake in the park, so of course there was no falling asleep then. To begin with they were pretty loud, but even if they hadn't been Jackson was so enthralled, sleeping was not going to happen. It was a nice little Jackson-Mommy outing. It is rare that I get time with one at a time until Ken gets home from work. Especially with the three youngest, because they always seem to get lumped into 1 group.
Gia is up and wants juice. Apparently the male species doesn't have thumbs that are capable of opening a juice box, so Mommy is on the way to save the day!
soli deo gloria
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Walrus said to talk of many things...
Alice in Wonderland is the new favorite in our household. I could recite it by heart when I was a kid and now I do it as a mom. Oh how time flies!
We have been extremely busy the past few days. Oh I wish I could post the pictures from trick or treating on here. My camera got lost while we were out and about, so I am in the process of filing an insurance claim. Ugh, what a mess. We had a blast! There is a neighborhood in Old Louisville that goes ALL OUT for Halloween. Decorations galore and is always packed with trick or treaters. Why we chose to go there this year, I am not really very sure. We are hectic as a group to begin with...add hundreds of thousands of people all around us, and it is chaos. We managed to come home with all 4 kids (whew!) and candy to last us the rest of the year. Ken (yes, I have adjusted the settings on privacy that I feel comfortable with names now again) and I went as Zach and Kelly from Saved By the Bell. Our friends Matt and Michael have been together for 15 years and celebrated their anniversary with us by going trick or treating with the kiddos. They went as Mac and PC and got soooo many laughs! Too cute!
Gia went as Alice from Alice in Wonderland (of course), complete with the dress and black bow. Everything. Was so cute! Jackson went as a baseball player. His new favorite is watching TV with daddy and his eyes get really big when he watches baseball and the bat cracks with a hit. So funny! PS. We hate the Yankees in this household, so for some Phillies fans out there...GO PHILLIES!
Noah and Violet went as 2 pea pods. 2 peas in a pod kind of idea. They were darling, and the 4 of them flirted with every single person that came up to oooo and ahhh at them. It was a lot of fun. Maybe I will try and keep all the kiddos awake for a session in their costumes. It just seems wrong to dress them up after Halloween in them. Is that weird?
On Saturday, we hired a sitter and had Katie on call and Ken and I went to a real grown up function with alcohol and everything. Been a long time. I certainly felt a little out of my league. This time, I put on the tightest corset I could find and a pencil skirt with some fish nets and some big time costume jewelery and went as a 40's pin up girl, and Ken went as a mobster. It's funny, because last year, when we went, people were there until 4 in the morning. This year, everyone started leaving about midnight. Oh how things change in a year and it was certainly comforting to see that we aren't the only parents who don't have any stamina left after 9 pm.
Gia had a Halloween parade at preschool and all the mom's walked around the playground holding their hands to model their costumes. Cute idea. I felt kind of ridiculous, but Gia was hamming it up, so it was totally worth it.
I hear some fussing from the twins room. Should prolly hit the sack here soon myself. Hope everyone had a safe Halloween weekend!
We have been extremely busy the past few days. Oh I wish I could post the pictures from trick or treating on here. My camera got lost while we were out and about, so I am in the process of filing an insurance claim. Ugh, what a mess. We had a blast! There is a neighborhood in Old Louisville that goes ALL OUT for Halloween. Decorations galore and is always packed with trick or treaters. Why we chose to go there this year, I am not really very sure. We are hectic as a group to begin with...add hundreds of thousands of people all around us, and it is chaos. We managed to come home with all 4 kids (whew!) and candy to last us the rest of the year. Ken (yes, I have adjusted the settings on privacy that I feel comfortable with names now again) and I went as Zach and Kelly from Saved By the Bell. Our friends Matt and Michael have been together for 15 years and celebrated their anniversary with us by going trick or treating with the kiddos. They went as Mac and PC and got soooo many laughs! Too cute!
Gia went as Alice from Alice in Wonderland (of course), complete with the dress and black bow. Everything. Was so cute! Jackson went as a baseball player. His new favorite is watching TV with daddy and his eyes get really big when he watches baseball and the bat cracks with a hit. So funny! PS. We hate the Yankees in this household, so for some Phillies fans out there...GO PHILLIES!
Noah and Violet went as 2 pea pods. 2 peas in a pod kind of idea. They were darling, and the 4 of them flirted with every single person that came up to oooo and ahhh at them. It was a lot of fun. Maybe I will try and keep all the kiddos awake for a session in their costumes. It just seems wrong to dress them up after Halloween in them. Is that weird?
On Saturday, we hired a sitter and had Katie on call and Ken and I went to a real grown up function with alcohol and everything. Been a long time. I certainly felt a little out of my league. This time, I put on the tightest corset I could find and a pencil skirt with some fish nets and some big time costume jewelery and went as a 40's pin up girl, and Ken went as a mobster. It's funny, because last year, when we went, people were there until 4 in the morning. This year, everyone started leaving about midnight. Oh how things change in a year and it was certainly comforting to see that we aren't the only parents who don't have any stamina left after 9 pm.
Gia had a Halloween parade at preschool and all the mom's walked around the playground holding their hands to model their costumes. Cute idea. I felt kind of ridiculous, but Gia was hamming it up, so it was totally worth it.
I hear some fussing from the twins room. Should prolly hit the sack here soon myself. Hope everyone had a safe Halloween weekend!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Quick photo splash
I am running a bit behind in getting ready for a portrait session, but as promised, I wanted to post some of my pictures for everyone to see. I got permission from my couples and some of these are purely artistic of hometown landmarks.
K and I are somehow doing fantastic. He still won't really explain why he walked out that night, but none the less, we have moved past it with a weird feeling of ease.
"Work" (since it doesn't feel like work, I use quotation marks) is going really well and getting very busy! I got my first actually referral and request for me specifically as a photographer. Feels very cool. Anyhow, here are some pictures! Enjoy!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The time has come...
Everything is good...very good in fact, here. More later! I just wanted to quickly update to say things are back to normal here (if there is such a thing!). K is home!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Mommy of the Year Award
Well...in reading a blogger fiends post about the little "rules" that she breaks, I thought I would do my own. I related to MANY of the ones that she cited...and so many more.
Mom, Linda and Sarah....your grandchildren are safe I promise, even if this post suggests otherwise. :)
With having four children, all under the age of 2 (I can't say 1 anymore cause my little G is growing up so fast!) I have had numerous opportunities while juggling 3 infants to break a few "by the book" rules that only "bad mom's" break. I have come to terms with it though. I am almost always exhausted...imagine if I actually did everything by the book? It would be utterly exhausting with one (in my opinion) and certainly quadrupally (no idea if that can actually be made into a real word) exhausting with 4.
1) (this seems to be the most cited "mistake" other mom's make) Not strapping the kiddos in their swings.
2) We always have tons of leftovers that never get eaten, so instead of washing the dishes, I have thrown away a lot of our tupperware because, the idea of gagging at something other than baby poop is just horrifying to me.
3) I have put all 4 kids to bed very early so that I can crack open a bottle of wine and watch DVR'ed shows that I rarely get to watch.
4) I let all 4 of them nap wherever they fall asleep. I went through a phase of making sure they were all in bed when they napped, but I found it absoluetly miserable in every way to wake a sleeping baby and hope that it doesn't cry and wake up the brothers and sisters. G fell asleep on the bathroom floor while I bathed the other three and I left her there for a while until the guilt of being a bad mom was far too much to handle.
5) I shamefully get a little glee when any of the younger 3 cry in others arms, and then stop as soon as they are handed over to me.
6) I have used baby wipes instead of baths (I hate myself for this!)
7) When I’m feeling bad about myself, I load all of the kids in the car and go to Target. Then, I walk around until someone looks at the cart full of children and says, “Oh my, I don’t know how you do it!” I don’t even buy anything. I just go for a little validation and attention, and then come home.
8) When the twins were first born, I went almost a week without showering because I didn't have time!
9) I loooove taking showers, and probably subject my nanny to longer time of having the kids by herself than I need to because it is peace and quiet
10) (Being a former teacher I really should know better...)...When reading aloud to G, late at night because she won't go to bed, I skip pages on the "one more book" to get done sooner.
Many many more, but now I am feeling far too embarrassed. Haha... with that it IS shower time for Mommy while the kiddos are asleep.
sdg
Mom, Linda and Sarah....your grandchildren are safe I promise, even if this post suggests otherwise. :)
With having four children, all under the age of 2 (I can't say 1 anymore cause my little G is growing up so fast!) I have had numerous opportunities while juggling 3 infants to break a few "by the book" rules that only "bad mom's" break. I have come to terms with it though. I am almost always exhausted...imagine if I actually did everything by the book? It would be utterly exhausting with one (in my opinion) and certainly quadrupally (no idea if that can actually be made into a real word) exhausting with 4.
1) (this seems to be the most cited "mistake" other mom's make) Not strapping the kiddos in their swings.
2) We always have tons of leftovers that never get eaten, so instead of washing the dishes, I have thrown away a lot of our tupperware because, the idea of gagging at something other than baby poop is just horrifying to me.
3) I have put all 4 kids to bed very early so that I can crack open a bottle of wine and watch DVR'ed shows that I rarely get to watch.
4) I let all 4 of them nap wherever they fall asleep. I went through a phase of making sure they were all in bed when they napped, but I found it absoluetly miserable in every way to wake a sleeping baby and hope that it doesn't cry and wake up the brothers and sisters. G fell asleep on the bathroom floor while I bathed the other three and I left her there for a while until the guilt of being a bad mom was far too much to handle.
5) I shamefully get a little glee when any of the younger 3 cry in others arms, and then stop as soon as they are handed over to me.
6) I have used baby wipes instead of baths (I hate myself for this!)
7) When I’m feeling bad about myself, I load all of the kids in the car and go to Target. Then, I walk around until someone looks at the cart full of children and says, “Oh my, I don’t know how you do it!” I don’t even buy anything. I just go for a little validation and attention, and then come home.
8) When the twins were first born, I went almost a week without showering because I didn't have time!
9) I loooove taking showers, and probably subject my nanny to longer time of having the kids by herself than I need to because it is peace and quiet
10) (Being a former teacher I really should know better...)...When reading aloud to G, late at night because she won't go to bed, I skip pages on the "one more book" to get done sooner.
Many many more, but now I am feeling far too embarrassed. Haha... with that it IS shower time for Mommy while the kiddos are asleep.
sdg
Thursday, September 24, 2009
3 weeks later...
Almost too much to post to even know where to start. One topsy turvy month September has been. K and I are working on a temporary separation. He is living downtown in a hotel while I flounder between work and taking care of 4 kids. It has been nothing short of a nightmare. Ugh....almost too disappointing to even feel like posting. For those of you out there in the blog world...just know that we are all coping the best way we know how. We are back in counseling. It is a lot of yelling and a lot of crying on my part. More on that when I feel motivated to type.
I am working on getting a form made up to be able to post the pictures I take of weddings and portraits and things, so that you can all see what I have been up to professionally.
In other news, the twins are growing like crazy! Rolling over is a huge thing now. Of course J is about a month ahead of them, so he has been keeping me on my toes. He really really wants to start scooting across the floor, just can't muster the strength yet...but where there is a will, there is a way. I am sure it won't be long.
Construction has begun on our basement. This is something we have been planning for a very long time, and now the contractor finally has time to fit us in. Drywall, carpet and new stairs have been installed, as well as the plumbing for the bathroom. Despite K's absence, I have set up the pool table that I bought him for his birthday. Ugh. It has been great to see how fast they have been able to get it done, but very stressful, because I feel like the house is just filthy between construction boots being extremely muddy (TONS OF RAIN lately) and saw dust, it never seems to end. After the tile is installed in the bathroom and the paint is finished, we will have a game room (pool table/ping pong table) and a play room for the kiddos and kind of a suite downstairs for our nanny. So far so good.
N has been having severe breakdowns lately. Nothing seems to trigger them, just crying inconsolably. We have a doctors appointment tomorrow to get him checked out, because I can't figure out what is wrong with him!
I need sl;eep. Senior portrait shoot tomorrow afternoon and of course the workers will be here by 7. Hopefully we will have a restful night. I have had quiet 7 hour nights the last 10 nights in a row. AMAZING is all I have to say about that. Time for bed. More later, I promise...and hopefully not 3 weeks from now. :)
sdg
I am working on getting a form made up to be able to post the pictures I take of weddings and portraits and things, so that you can all see what I have been up to professionally.
In other news, the twins are growing like crazy! Rolling over is a huge thing now. Of course J is about a month ahead of them, so he has been keeping me on my toes. He really really wants to start scooting across the floor, just can't muster the strength yet...but where there is a will, there is a way. I am sure it won't be long.
Construction has begun on our basement. This is something we have been planning for a very long time, and now the contractor finally has time to fit us in. Drywall, carpet and new stairs have been installed, as well as the plumbing for the bathroom. Despite K's absence, I have set up the pool table that I bought him for his birthday. Ugh. It has been great to see how fast they have been able to get it done, but very stressful, because I feel like the house is just filthy between construction boots being extremely muddy (TONS OF RAIN lately) and saw dust, it never seems to end. After the tile is installed in the bathroom and the paint is finished, we will have a game room (pool table/ping pong table) and a play room for the kiddos and kind of a suite downstairs for our nanny. So far so good.
N has been having severe breakdowns lately. Nothing seems to trigger them, just crying inconsolably. We have a doctors appointment tomorrow to get him checked out, because I can't figure out what is wrong with him!
I need sl;eep. Senior portrait shoot tomorrow afternoon and of course the workers will be here by 7. Hopefully we will have a restful night. I have had quiet 7 hour nights the last 10 nights in a row. AMAZING is all I have to say about that. Time for bed. More later, I promise...and hopefully not 3 weeks from now. :)
sdg
Thursday, September 3, 2009
And then there were 5...
My post won't be all that long today. I am exhausted and frustrated and just plain sad. K left. No explanation, no nothing. Just a "sorry, I can't do this anymore..." and that was it. I have no idea what happened, nothing I can point to to explain his behavior. None of it makes sewnse. The counseling was going well. I felt like we had a rhythm in our routine with the kiddos and that was making things a little less hectic. I have been a mess for the last 3 days, not hearing from him at all. His family has all called me trying to figure out where he is and what is going on. It is so painful. KN has been hired back full time and my mom is here helping. Being sad and having 4 kids depending on you does not mix well.
G keeps asking for her daddy and then will come up to me and ask "ok, mommy? ok?" She is very worried....so am I. All the other kiddos seem somewhat oblivious, although J was really taking to K as far as who he prefers to rock him to sleep, feed him, etc. He has not been the happiest camper lately.
I truly am scared for the first time since we heard about V's heart about what the future will hold. It makes me furious sometimes and others I am just sad. I of course can't sleep when I should be sleeping when all of the hooligans are down, and so 2 sleepless nights have not been helpful in any aspect.
I shoot an engagement portrait session this afternoon and I don't even feel like going. Hard to capture the excitement of entering into marital bliss when my marital status is pending. Ugh. I need a shower and then off to pull some magic out of my camera bag in hopes that I can deliver what they are looking for. More soon.
SDG
G keeps asking for her daddy and then will come up to me and ask "ok, mommy? ok?" She is very worried....so am I. All the other kiddos seem somewhat oblivious, although J was really taking to K as far as who he prefers to rock him to sleep, feed him, etc. He has not been the happiest camper lately.
I truly am scared for the first time since we heard about V's heart about what the future will hold. It makes me furious sometimes and others I am just sad. I of course can't sleep when I should be sleeping when all of the hooligans are down, and so 2 sleepless nights have not been helpful in any aspect.
I shoot an engagement portrait session this afternoon and I don't even feel like going. Hard to capture the excitement of entering into marital bliss when my marital status is pending. Ugh. I need a shower and then off to pull some magic out of my camera bag in hopes that I can deliver what they are looking for. More soon.
SDG
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Shut the Front Door!!
We are finally home and setlled back into a routine of normalcy to some extent. We had a wonderful time with everyone and it was great to have the kiddos meet everyone. Even with a sick one and some interesting family drama, we had a wonderful time and can't wait for next year.
K and I are "finished" with marriage counseling. Things have been going really well, we have had a lot of breakthroughs in communication and it has really allowed me to understand him much more than I ever could have imagined. We are in a very good place right now. :)
G's schedule is so screwed up from vacation. She is still up and refuses to go to bed. She will lay in there and play with her stuffed animals, talk and "sing" to herself. I swear, this girl is the ultimate in attention seekers. I am sure it has a lot to do with having 2 brothers and a sister and having our attention split between them all. But she has really become a showboat in the last month or so.
Funny story...
My cousin Sara has a saying that she uses when she is about to swear. Instead of saying shut the f**** up, she says Shut the Front Door! So, at the Hamptons house, we were all sitting around the table, laughing, ( me: not) drinking wine and just relaxing. I was in the middle of a gulp of propel when G suddenly, without any provocation said "Shut the Front Door!" I spit out everything in my mouth I was laughing so hard and of course, the rest of the room was too. With that crazy reaction, what 1 year old wouldn't repeat it for that much attention. Favorite. Saying. Ever. now. Ugh. At the grocery, at church...it is insane. Luckily, without context and an adult saying it before, most people just laugh because it is such a random thing to say, not knowingthat it is a substitute for a word that would not be funny coming out of a one year olds mouth.
So, I got a job. Granted, it is part time, nothing too exciting, but it allows me a lot of flexibility and gives me a reason to invest in more things to take pictures of the kiddos. I am an official photographer for a studio here. They are a small company, mainly weddings and portraits, but are very reputable and well paid. The owners saw a picture of N and V that I entered into a local art show to benefit childrens cancer research, bought the photograph for 2,000 bucks (!!!) and then asked me to bring by a portfolio to discuss my hours and pay. 2,000 would be nice to have in the pocket right about now, but it felt really good to see that money going to such a great cause.
I did a wedding last weekend, and for a beginner, I am really pleased with how everything turned out. Pretty cool. And, even better, I choose what jobs I want, and I can work around when K can be home with the kiddos and KN.
I need to get a shower and head to bed. G finally went down...or atleast she is quiet. Night.
sdg
K and I are "finished" with marriage counseling. Things have been going really well, we have had a lot of breakthroughs in communication and it has really allowed me to understand him much more than I ever could have imagined. We are in a very good place right now. :)
G's schedule is so screwed up from vacation. She is still up and refuses to go to bed. She will lay in there and play with her stuffed animals, talk and "sing" to herself. I swear, this girl is the ultimate in attention seekers. I am sure it has a lot to do with having 2 brothers and a sister and having our attention split between them all. But she has really become a showboat in the last month or so.
Funny story...
My cousin Sara has a saying that she uses when she is about to swear. Instead of saying shut the f**** up, she says Shut the Front Door! So, at the Hamptons house, we were all sitting around the table, laughing, ( me: not) drinking wine and just relaxing. I was in the middle of a gulp of propel when G suddenly, without any provocation said "Shut the Front Door!" I spit out everything in my mouth I was laughing so hard and of course, the rest of the room was too. With that crazy reaction, what 1 year old wouldn't repeat it for that much attention. Favorite. Saying. Ever. now. Ugh. At the grocery, at church...it is insane. Luckily, without context and an adult saying it before, most people just laugh because it is such a random thing to say, not knowingthat it is a substitute for a word that would not be funny coming out of a one year olds mouth.
So, I got a job. Granted, it is part time, nothing too exciting, but it allows me a lot of flexibility and gives me a reason to invest in more things to take pictures of the kiddos. I am an official photographer for a studio here. They are a small company, mainly weddings and portraits, but are very reputable and well paid. The owners saw a picture of N and V that I entered into a local art show to benefit childrens cancer research, bought the photograph for 2,000 bucks (!!!) and then asked me to bring by a portfolio to discuss my hours and pay. 2,000 would be nice to have in the pocket right about now, but it felt really good to see that money going to such a great cause.
I did a wedding last weekend, and for a beginner, I am really pleased with how everything turned out. Pretty cool. And, even better, I choose what jobs I want, and I can work around when K can be home with the kiddos and KN.
I need to get a shower and head to bed. G finally went down...or atleast she is quiet. Night.
sdg
Monday, August 10, 2009
Vacation thus far...
Roseola...ugh. J is infected and it has been miserable. Hamptons are not equal to relaxation for the moment. It all started the night we got here with him developing a fever of 102. Scary! It made for a very long cranky night, which in turn turned into 4 cranky kids...not just one. We have quarantined J until his symptoms subside, because we certainly don't need 3 others sick in the week that we have left. He still has a pretty miserable looking rash, although his fever broke last night.
G is having a blast playing with her cousins and uncles and aunts in the sand and in the pool. It is so cute to watch her interact with everyone. She is a mama's girl through and through but she has really taken to my cousin Todd. They are buddies and he is so good to her. His wife Lora is expecting, due in November.
Kiddo's include G (1 year), J (4 mo), N&V (3 mo) and then cousins Ava (3 years), Ella (2 years), Blake (7 years), Hannah (6 mo), Tomas (18 mo), Luisa (4 years) and Gus and Benjamin are 5 year old twins. We have had a blast comparing multiples stories with Miles (cousin) and Savannah (his wife). It only seems to get crazier....is that even possible??
K and I have truly enjoyed the vacaton time, despite J being sick. Mom took him for a few hours this afternoon and we had some great couple time, cuddling in the hammock. I think we would both agree that we do miss the alone time that we used to get....but that we can't imagine our lives without our brood.
More vacation stories soon. Time for a walk.
sdg
G is having a blast playing with her cousins and uncles and aunts in the sand and in the pool. It is so cute to watch her interact with everyone. She is a mama's girl through and through but she has really taken to my cousin Todd. They are buddies and he is so good to her. His wife Lora is expecting, due in November.
Kiddo's include G (1 year), J (4 mo), N&V (3 mo) and then cousins Ava (3 years), Ella (2 years), Blake (7 years), Hannah (6 mo), Tomas (18 mo), Luisa (4 years) and Gus and Benjamin are 5 year old twins. We have had a blast comparing multiples stories with Miles (cousin) and Savannah (his wife). It only seems to get crazier....is that even possible??
K and I have truly enjoyed the vacaton time, despite J being sick. Mom took him for a few hours this afternoon and we had some great couple time, cuddling in the hammock. I think we would both agree that we do miss the alone time that we used to get....but that we can't imagine our lives without our brood.
More vacation stories soon. Time for a walk.
sdg
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Off to the Hamptons in t minus 2
Alright, so as of now, we are all packed and ready for vacation with the family. I am excited, nervous and a little scared for the next couple of weeks. And flying on a plane with 4....are we certifiably nuts!!??!! If it wasn't for 20 of us being on the same flight, we would have made the long drive "up north".
G turns 1 this week! Amazing how time flies!! She is jetting all over the house now, which is pretty hilarious to watch because the dogs don't know what to make of it at all! I am so proud of Max (our black cocker) because as she was "chasing" him around the house, she tottered a little and almost fell, only to grab onto his ear to steady herself. It was like it was in slow motion, because I have been worried about how the puppies would react to kiddos pulling at them, and he was absolutely fine. When she did finally plop down, Max went over and checked her out to be sure she was ok. Too cute! G officially has 3 words that she uses on a regular basis "goggy" (take a guess!) "light" and "dis one". "Light" came about because we have been searching for new fixtures for our guest bathroom. She suddenly ust said it in the middle of Home Depot. Of course, I started jumping up and down and acting like a lunatic, upon which I was starkly reminded by some weary looks that not everyone likes/has children. "Dis one" is purely a result of having 2 brothers and a sister. Everywhere we go, of course I look like a bag lady because I have to carry enough changes of clothes, diapers, juice and bottles and the like on my person, because the day that I don't is when I'll run out of wipes or have a screaming child who wants a specific toy. Yes, this is true...so I have come to terms with it. Anyhow...the conversation usually goes, "which blanky is (fill in a child of your choice here)" or "Which one is N's bottle?"...G is usually the one to help with these situations, because I really want her to understand ownership and sharing and things of that nature. So, usually she would point and I would say, yes, this one is _________'s bottle/blanky/toy etc. So now, she says "dis one" to EVERYTHING! She is really coming into her own as a big sister. So proud! I am sending out some of the pictures that I took of her for her 1 year pictures via the family email newsletter list.
J has become quite the clown in the last few days. His baby laughs are like bubbles! He has this hearty bellylaugh and a little giggle that just crack me up every time.
N and V are growing up so fast! They are very very aware of each other now. We finally put them in separate cribs just a few weeks ago, because they were keeping each other awake. Both are smiling and become more and more animated every day.
So we are officially looking for a bigger house. Just as we were finally getting situated in this one, we are feeling a litle cramped. I told K that we really need to wait until K the nanny moves out and then see how it is. He is just restless. There is a BEAUTIFUL horse farm just down the road from us that is for sale. Although we can afford it, it astonds me to think of spending that much on a house for the 6 of us. K is trying to reel me in with the prospect of having horses again. He knows my weaknesses. It also overlooks the river with a big wrap around front porch... I will include the link for the property in the newsletter email if I feel inspired to. I am trying to not get excited about the house because I am content here and I hate to think we have put in all this work to up and move just as we are finishing up.
Well, off to bed. N and V's Christening is tomorrow morning at church, and although I am aware that everyone knows that I am a mom of 4, I don't want them to ee it written on my tired face. Goodnight everyone.
sdg
G turns 1 this week! Amazing how time flies!! She is jetting all over the house now, which is pretty hilarious to watch because the dogs don't know what to make of it at all! I am so proud of Max (our black cocker) because as she was "chasing" him around the house, she tottered a little and almost fell, only to grab onto his ear to steady herself. It was like it was in slow motion, because I have been worried about how the puppies would react to kiddos pulling at them, and he was absolutely fine. When she did finally plop down, Max went over and checked her out to be sure she was ok. Too cute! G officially has 3 words that she uses on a regular basis "goggy" (take a guess!) "light" and "dis one". "Light" came about because we have been searching for new fixtures for our guest bathroom. She suddenly ust said it in the middle of Home Depot. Of course, I started jumping up and down and acting like a lunatic, upon which I was starkly reminded by some weary looks that not everyone likes/has children. "Dis one" is purely a result of having 2 brothers and a sister. Everywhere we go, of course I look like a bag lady because I have to carry enough changes of clothes, diapers, juice and bottles and the like on my person, because the day that I don't is when I'll run out of wipes or have a screaming child who wants a specific toy. Yes, this is true...so I have come to terms with it. Anyhow...the conversation usually goes, "which blanky is (fill in a child of your choice here)" or "Which one is N's bottle?"...G is usually the one to help with these situations, because I really want her to understand ownership and sharing and things of that nature. So, usually she would point and I would say, yes, this one is _________'s bottle/blanky/toy etc. So now, she says "dis one" to EVERYTHING! She is really coming into her own as a big sister. So proud! I am sending out some of the pictures that I took of her for her 1 year pictures via the family email newsletter list.
J has become quite the clown in the last few days. His baby laughs are like bubbles! He has this hearty bellylaugh and a little giggle that just crack me up every time.
N and V are growing up so fast! They are very very aware of each other now. We finally put them in separate cribs just a few weeks ago, because they were keeping each other awake. Both are smiling and become more and more animated every day.
So we are officially looking for a bigger house. Just as we were finally getting situated in this one, we are feeling a litle cramped. I told K that we really need to wait until K the nanny moves out and then see how it is. He is just restless. There is a BEAUTIFUL horse farm just down the road from us that is for sale. Although we can afford it, it astonds me to think of spending that much on a house for the 6 of us. K is trying to reel me in with the prospect of having horses again. He knows my weaknesses. It also overlooks the river with a big wrap around front porch... I will include the link for the property in the newsletter email if I feel inspired to. I am trying to not get excited about the house because I am content here and I hate to think we have put in all this work to up and move just as we are finishing up.
Well, off to bed. N and V's Christening is tomorrow morning at church, and although I am aware that everyone knows that I am a mom of 4, I don't want them to ee it written on my tired face. Goodnight everyone.
sdg
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Hiatus in a sense...
I have been a bad blogger for a while. I have been so busy...ugh. Lots of news to share and certainly when I have more time I will do a full update.
Outline:
1. Pediatrician visit a few days ago, twins got shots...it killed me.
2. G is walking like a pro now. Only a few days from her 1 year bday, we got pictures, I will send them via newsletter soon. (Jen, I still need your address...)
3. J went from our cool cat to a baby in misery...he is cutting teeth. I though G was bad...ugh.
4. Allergies suck, for a 1 year old, a mommy and a daddy. What a great gene to pass onto your children!
5. Grandparents from both sides are coming into town tomorrow. We will have a very full house. We thought 5 bedrooms would be enough. We don't even have a guest room...is it time for a move? We are looking...I will email links soon enough.
6. K the nanny has been reduced in hours to just morning and 3 nights a week. We are getting the hang of it I think, and it will be nice to eventually not have that expense.
7. We are taking a vacation with the whole family... I am talking 50+ people to the Hamptons. My great great grandparents, great grandparents, now my grandpa and soon us, will inherit a house on the beach. Amazing...think Great Gatsby meets Kennedy compound, meets the episode of Sex and the City at Richards house. I love it there. We spent summers there as kids...I can't wait to do this every year with our brood.
That's it for now...time to head to work...yes, that's other news. More about that later.
Love,
KKGJNV (that totally looks like a crazy mixed up name for a version of the Bible...lol.)
sdg
Outline:
1. Pediatrician visit a few days ago, twins got shots...it killed me.
2. G is walking like a pro now. Only a few days from her 1 year bday, we got pictures, I will send them via newsletter soon. (Jen, I still need your address...)
3. J went from our cool cat to a baby in misery...he is cutting teeth. I though G was bad...ugh.
4. Allergies suck, for a 1 year old, a mommy and a daddy. What a great gene to pass onto your children!
5. Grandparents from both sides are coming into town tomorrow. We will have a very full house. We thought 5 bedrooms would be enough. We don't even have a guest room...is it time for a move? We are looking...I will email links soon enough.
6. K the nanny has been reduced in hours to just morning and 3 nights a week. We are getting the hang of it I think, and it will be nice to eventually not have that expense.
7. We are taking a vacation with the whole family... I am talking 50+ people to the Hamptons. My great great grandparents, great grandparents, now my grandpa and soon us, will inherit a house on the beach. Amazing...think Great Gatsby meets Kennedy compound, meets the episode of Sex and the City at Richards house. I love it there. We spent summers there as kids...I can't wait to do this every year with our brood.
That's it for now...time to head to work...yes, that's other news. More about that later.
Love,
KKGJNV (that totally looks like a crazy mixed up name for a version of the Bible...lol.)
sdg
Sunday, July 5, 2009
4th of July weekend... and "walking"
Hmph. No fireworks this year...again...which bums me out. I know I shouldn't sulk...even being as pregnant as I was, I was able to watch Thunder, so technically, I got my dose. On the other hand, it seems like every year we have something else happen that makes us miss the show.
We got an additional sitter last night, as well as KN, so K and I went to some friends for dinner and some cards. We haven't done that in ages and it was really good for us I think. We ordered pizza, I had my first beer since being pregnant (pump and dump ladies! :) ) and played spades. A lot of fun, but I had the mommy separation anxiety a little bit. I called 7 times in the course of the 5 hours that we were there, so I felt like the biggest nerd in the universe, but seeing as G's ear infection is flaring up again, I was worried about her. The doctors are starting to think they need to give her tubes for a while so that it doesn't have an effect on her speech any further. The speech therapist that we saw said she is a little behind in what she should be doing at her age, which worries me even more. I may be over reacting, but who knows.
The twins have been so active lately, it is wearing me out. J is the cool cat of the family and is probably the easiest.baby.ever. Such a sweety. I definitely think V had her first smile a couple of days ago (which I got on film shockingly). It might have just been gas or something, but it was pretty darn cute. I was testing the light with a test picture and she smiled right up at KN. Super cute. AND drum roll please....
G took her first steps yesterday!! Lots of milestones lately. She kind of tottered back and forth between the three of us, with a lot of help and then on her 5th try to me, she took about 4 steps before collapsing in my arms. She was thrilled with herself and with the fact that we all went nuts about it! I was so proud.
N slept through the night last night amazingly! They shouldn't be doing that yet, in my opinion, but you won't hear me complain. Although, I checked on him numerous times to be sure he was still breathing and so forth. Why is it that I just couldn't simply enjoy the extra sleep...but instead was up every three hours anyway to check on him? Another milestone. My kiddos are all growing up so fast... maybe it seems faster when they are all doing the same things at the same time almost, being that they are all under 1 for another month.
Ok, so last night...
K and I got home at around 12:30, and headed to bed almost immediately. Kiddo's were all asleep and the new sitter left. KN was also in bed, so it was nice to just slip into pj's and get into freshly washed sheets (which is probably one of the best things in the world, other than baby smiles that is...) So I was looking forward to at least 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep, when K starts cuddling with me. Now, don't get me wrong, I am a girl, I like to cuddle, but when it involves being enveloped in someone's arms to the point of suffocation, I get a little claustrophobic! He was pretty much asleep, so to escape his arms wasn't an easy task. The fact that we had one less baby awake last night should have meant that I feel rested this morning, but instead of getting more sleep, I woke up this morning for church with the worst crick in my neck from finally having to give up on not being cuddled with all night. I know that sounds cruel, but really...being that it never really happens much (because we are not big cuddlers), there wasn't a comfy position going on.
Alright, enough complaining about something that should have been a really good thing because of the fact that we have had quite a bit of tension since the twins were born.
Time to get a shower while I have everyone in bed. We may go to the park after dinner... we'll see. More later!
We got an additional sitter last night, as well as KN, so K and I went to some friends for dinner and some cards. We haven't done that in ages and it was really good for us I think. We ordered pizza, I had my first beer since being pregnant (pump and dump ladies! :) ) and played spades. A lot of fun, but I had the mommy separation anxiety a little bit. I called 7 times in the course of the 5 hours that we were there, so I felt like the biggest nerd in the universe, but seeing as G's ear infection is flaring up again, I was worried about her. The doctors are starting to think they need to give her tubes for a while so that it doesn't have an effect on her speech any further. The speech therapist that we saw said she is a little behind in what she should be doing at her age, which worries me even more. I may be over reacting, but who knows.
The twins have been so active lately, it is wearing me out. J is the cool cat of the family and is probably the easiest.baby.ever. Such a sweety. I definitely think V had her first smile a couple of days ago (which I got on film shockingly). It might have just been gas or something, but it was pretty darn cute. I was testing the light with a test picture and she smiled right up at KN. Super cute. AND drum roll please....
G took her first steps yesterday!! Lots of milestones lately. She kind of tottered back and forth between the three of us, with a lot of help and then on her 5th try to me, she took about 4 steps before collapsing in my arms. She was thrilled with herself and with the fact that we all went nuts about it! I was so proud.
N slept through the night last night amazingly! They shouldn't be doing that yet, in my opinion, but you won't hear me complain. Although, I checked on him numerous times to be sure he was still breathing and so forth. Why is it that I just couldn't simply enjoy the extra sleep...but instead was up every three hours anyway to check on him? Another milestone. My kiddos are all growing up so fast... maybe it seems faster when they are all doing the same things at the same time almost, being that they are all under 1 for another month.
Ok, so last night...
K and I got home at around 12:30, and headed to bed almost immediately. Kiddo's were all asleep and the new sitter left. KN was also in bed, so it was nice to just slip into pj's and get into freshly washed sheets (which is probably one of the best things in the world, other than baby smiles that is...) So I was looking forward to at least 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep, when K starts cuddling with me. Now, don't get me wrong, I am a girl, I like to cuddle, but when it involves being enveloped in someone's arms to the point of suffocation, I get a little claustrophobic! He was pretty much asleep, so to escape his arms wasn't an easy task. The fact that we had one less baby awake last night should have meant that I feel rested this morning, but instead of getting more sleep, I woke up this morning for church with the worst crick in my neck from finally having to give up on not being cuddled with all night. I know that sounds cruel, but really...being that it never really happens much (because we are not big cuddlers), there wasn't a comfy position going on.
Alright, enough complaining about something that should have been a really good thing because of the fact that we have had quite a bit of tension since the twins were born.
Time to get a shower while I have everyone in bed. We may go to the park after dinner... we'll see. More later!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Oh and one more thing...
I am setting up an email list for those of you who want more details than I feel comfortable with sharing with the blog world, as well as for pictures! Send me your email and we will get you added.
After a bit of a hiatus...
My my. It has been a while. First off all, I want to congratulate another twin blogger mommy on her two little boys born on the 22nd! They are adorable Jennifer!
Routine has settled in here and it is SOOO nice to not have to guess as to when things will happen and so forth. With four, you realize how important structure is in family life! Today, all 6 of us went to the park. I had only driven by before, never actualy to the park and I was stunned. It is no more than a mile from our house and it is like entering a nature preserve. It is almost 10 acres with a large lake and a 3 mile walking path. There is a playground and numerous shelters around the lake with machines full of bird and fish food. There were probably a thousand geese (I am an exaggerator, but this is NOT an exaggeration! ) Tons of them! And there was a family with little fuzzy baby geese. K, G and I fed the turtles that would come to the surface when you walked on the docks out from the shore. The turtles were so cute! Needless to say, I was so impressed by the park, I took all 4 by myself today (crazy, I know!) and I actually wasn't overwhelmed. G will sit and just stare at the geese. She was enthralled. So funny, because they are all about twice as big as her! The other 3 slept the entire time. We have rigged up one of the fitness stroller deals to fit all 4 (not for long, but for now it works) and so I did a walk/run of the 3 mile trail. We stopped and ate lunch. G is so grown up, eating so many solids now, I am so proud of her. I nursed all 3 while we were there. Normally, I wouldn't do this in public without good reason (screaming bloody murder in the mall was a good reason last week!) but it was a nice day out and there weren't all that many people there that day. I covered up with a blanket and everything was great. Until, that is, I got CUSSED OUT (!!!) by a woman saying that I ws exposing myself and that it was public indecency and a lot of other garbage. I apologized, respectfully told her that I understood why it made her uncomfortable and left it at that. Well, she still was getting upset, then G got upset, and the J and then the twins and pretty soon I had 4 tired kiddos screaming because they knew mommy was upset. What a peaceful setting for a not so peaceful confrontation. Of course, after she left, then my hormones or something got the best of me and I started crying. It was probably a very sad scene to walk up on. Other than the little explosion, it was a pretty relaxing day and went fairly well for being by myself with all of them.
Tonight, we came home and Ken made me dinner (steaks on the grill with asparagus from the garden and baked potatoes) I was very impressed and so touched. Marriage counseling has done wonders. Still not perfect, but will it ever be? We have a daily "checklist" with a twist (Mom, and Linda, stop reading now!) where we have certain things that need done every day (whether it be feedings at 8, load of laundry, running the dishwasher...stuff like that) and whoever ends up with the most checks gets to choose one thing that they want the other person to do for them. Originally, our therapist was doing this to rekindle some sexual chemistry...but yesterday...I was not feeling it. I was exhausted and really just wanted to sleep. Ken asked me seductively what I wanted and I was like, will you vaccuum out my car? haha! I rolled over and fell asleep. Poor guy... lol. This mornin I woke up and owed him one, so because Katie agreed to take Tuesday and Thursday mornings, Ken and I et some Mommy and Daddy time to "sleep in" (ie. 8:30). Do you guys remember the days when sleeping in meant 11?
I should probably try and get some sleep. Oh wait....I can't. Our cat PEED on the bed tonight! I am IRATE! I am a pretty even keeled person, but smells are it for me. And cat pee is the WORST! So the sheets, comforter, mattress pad and everything are in the wash. I will probably be up for a couple of more hours while everything dries. Anyone have suggestions on how to prevent this from happening? She has done this 3 times this week! I am getting very sick of being a sleep deprived mom that can't go to sleep because of a cat! I slept on the couch last night and hated myself today for it. That kind of makes me feel old. To be sore from sleeping on a couch. hmm...
Alright, well I just heard a buzzer, which is my signal to switch everything over and to do the rounds on the kiddos. More soon.
sdg
Routine has settled in here and it is SOOO nice to not have to guess as to when things will happen and so forth. With four, you realize how important structure is in family life! Today, all 6 of us went to the park. I had only driven by before, never actualy to the park and I was stunned. It is no more than a mile from our house and it is like entering a nature preserve. It is almost 10 acres with a large lake and a 3 mile walking path. There is a playground and numerous shelters around the lake with machines full of bird and fish food. There were probably a thousand geese (I am an exaggerator, but this is NOT an exaggeration! ) Tons of them! And there was a family with little fuzzy baby geese. K, G and I fed the turtles that would come to the surface when you walked on the docks out from the shore. The turtles were so cute! Needless to say, I was so impressed by the park, I took all 4 by myself today (crazy, I know!) and I actually wasn't overwhelmed. G will sit and just stare at the geese. She was enthralled. So funny, because they are all about twice as big as her! The other 3 slept the entire time. We have rigged up one of the fitness stroller deals to fit all 4 (not for long, but for now it works) and so I did a walk/run of the 3 mile trail. We stopped and ate lunch. G is so grown up, eating so many solids now, I am so proud of her. I nursed all 3 while we were there. Normally, I wouldn't do this in public without good reason (screaming bloody murder in the mall was a good reason last week!) but it was a nice day out and there weren't all that many people there that day. I covered up with a blanket and everything was great. Until, that is, I got CUSSED OUT (!!!) by a woman saying that I ws exposing myself and that it was public indecency and a lot of other garbage. I apologized, respectfully told her that I understood why it made her uncomfortable and left it at that. Well, she still was getting upset, then G got upset, and the J and then the twins and pretty soon I had 4 tired kiddos screaming because they knew mommy was upset. What a peaceful setting for a not so peaceful confrontation. Of course, after she left, then my hormones or something got the best of me and I started crying. It was probably a very sad scene to walk up on. Other than the little explosion, it was a pretty relaxing day and went fairly well for being by myself with all of them.
Tonight, we came home and Ken made me dinner (steaks on the grill with asparagus from the garden and baked potatoes) I was very impressed and so touched. Marriage counseling has done wonders. Still not perfect, but will it ever be? We have a daily "checklist" with a twist (Mom, and Linda, stop reading now!) where we have certain things that need done every day (whether it be feedings at 8, load of laundry, running the dishwasher...stuff like that) and whoever ends up with the most checks gets to choose one thing that they want the other person to do for them. Originally, our therapist was doing this to rekindle some sexual chemistry...but yesterday...I was not feeling it. I was exhausted and really just wanted to sleep. Ken asked me seductively what I wanted and I was like, will you vaccuum out my car? haha! I rolled over and fell asleep. Poor guy... lol. This mornin I woke up and owed him one, so because Katie agreed to take Tuesday and Thursday mornings, Ken and I et some Mommy and Daddy time to "sleep in" (ie. 8:30). Do you guys remember the days when sleeping in meant 11?
I should probably try and get some sleep. Oh wait....I can't. Our cat PEED on the bed tonight! I am IRATE! I am a pretty even keeled person, but smells are it for me. And cat pee is the WORST! So the sheets, comforter, mattress pad and everything are in the wash. I will probably be up for a couple of more hours while everything dries. Anyone have suggestions on how to prevent this from happening? She has done this 3 times this week! I am getting very sick of being a sleep deprived mom that can't go to sleep because of a cat! I slept on the couch last night and hated myself today for it. That kind of makes me feel old. To be sore from sleeping on a couch. hmm...
Alright, well I just heard a buzzer, which is my signal to switch everything over and to do the rounds on the kiddos. More soon.
sdg
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Running, Responsibilities and Restful sleep
Well, I am sitting here bleaching my teeth for another 7 minutes, so I thought I would post. :)
G slept through the night last night for the first time in weeks!!!!! Amazing!
So, I am a big nerd and bought color coded monitors for the kiddos. Our bedroom looks like a security camera hub because the monitors all have video feeds. The twins light is yellow, G's is pinkish red and J's is blue. So, last night when J woke up and started fussing, both K and I sat up in bed, just waiting for G to start screaming, because we thought it was her waking up. We are both so blind without our contacts or glasses, that even with the color coded flashing lights, we both thought J was G. Anyhow, that was quite the adventure.
I wanted to assure all of you reading that you can still post comments on here. Now that the legal stuff is over, it really all comes down to the anonymity of it all. Just initials please! Thanks!
Marriage counseling went ok today. Kind of came to a big blow up at the end, in front of our therapist that we barely know. I was so embarrassed. I guess it is good to "get it all out", but I just couldn't help but feel a little self conscious about having a real fight in front of essentially a stranger. We are still having issues with the division of responsibilities bit. It is frustrating beyond belief for me to sit there and have EVERY RESPONSIBILITY shoved at me because I am not financially contributing. I pointed out to him today that the responsibilities that I take on as a stay at home mom are SAVING us money in the long run for childcare. Ugh.
I ran for the first time since last November today. I used to run about 3-5 miles a day without feeling too awfully bad, but after today, I seriously felt like passing out. I did 2 miles, thinking that would be a goodstarting point. I don't know if it was because I was pushing the stroller with 3 kiddos in it (G stayed home) or if it is because I am THAT far out of shape, but I could hardly climb the stairs today. Haha! We will see how this goes... Times up!
sdg
G slept through the night last night for the first time in weeks!!!!! Amazing!
So, I am a big nerd and bought color coded monitors for the kiddos. Our bedroom looks like a security camera hub because the monitors all have video feeds. The twins light is yellow, G's is pinkish red and J's is blue. So, last night when J woke up and started fussing, both K and I sat up in bed, just waiting for G to start screaming, because we thought it was her waking up. We are both so blind without our contacts or glasses, that even with the color coded flashing lights, we both thought J was G. Anyhow, that was quite the adventure.
I wanted to assure all of you reading that you can still post comments on here. Now that the legal stuff is over, it really all comes down to the anonymity of it all. Just initials please! Thanks!
Marriage counseling went ok today. Kind of came to a big blow up at the end, in front of our therapist that we barely know. I was so embarrassed. I guess it is good to "get it all out", but I just couldn't help but feel a little self conscious about having a real fight in front of essentially a stranger. We are still having issues with the division of responsibilities bit. It is frustrating beyond belief for me to sit there and have EVERY RESPONSIBILITY shoved at me because I am not financially contributing. I pointed out to him today that the responsibilities that I take on as a stay at home mom are SAVING us money in the long run for childcare. Ugh.
I ran for the first time since last November today. I used to run about 3-5 miles a day without feeling too awfully bad, but after today, I seriously felt like passing out. I did 2 miles, thinking that would be a goodstarting point. I don't know if it was because I was pushing the stroller with 3 kiddos in it (G stayed home) or if it is because I am THAT far out of shape, but I could hardly climb the stairs today. Haha! We will see how this goes... Times up!
sdg
Sunday, June 21, 2009
It's like starting all over...
After days of actually sleeping through the night (thank God for the amazing helpers in our lives) for the first time since we found out about the adoption thing, I am finally able to get back to "life as usual" here. The papers are signed, sealed, delivered and J is ours!
Last night we all traveled down to Evansville for the evening because the hubby and I registered to play in a cornhole tournament at the Freedom Festival. We got all the way to the finals and lost in the third game. It was a lot of fun and the kids got some time in the pool with friends and family. We gave Katie the day off, so as hectic as it was, it was a pretty good day. K and I are starting to think that after a few more months, we can reduce her hours a bit.
So addressing my title for this post...it actually does feel that way. All this time, I think we were kind of preparing ourselves to lose him, that we actually started distancing ourselves from him (I feel so incredibly guilty now! It is awful that happened...we didn't even realize it til this weekend!) After the weight lifted though, it really feels like we are at a fresh start. It makes me sad to think how we lost the friendship of M and B in this process, but, what's done is done.
G is still having night terrors and we are looking into different herbal "myths" to find out if there is anything that can help her. The doctors say they will pass...
Time to go check in on the kiddos and to get some sleep. Marriage counseling tomorrow, I will keep you updated. :)
sdg
Last night we all traveled down to Evansville for the evening because the hubby and I registered to play in a cornhole tournament at the Freedom Festival. We got all the way to the finals and lost in the third game. It was a lot of fun and the kids got some time in the pool with friends and family. We gave Katie the day off, so as hectic as it was, it was a pretty good day. K and I are starting to think that after a few more months, we can reduce her hours a bit.
So addressing my title for this post...it actually does feel that way. All this time, I think we were kind of preparing ourselves to lose him, that we actually started distancing ourselves from him (I feel so incredibly guilty now! It is awful that happened...we didn't even realize it til this weekend!) After the weight lifted though, it really feels like we are at a fresh start. It makes me sad to think how we lost the friendship of M and B in this process, but, what's done is done.
G is still having night terrors and we are looking into different herbal "myths" to find out if there is anything that can help her. The doctors say they will pass...
Time to go check in on the kiddos and to get some sleep. Marriage counseling tomorrow, I will keep you updated. :)
sdg
Thursday, June 18, 2009
What a miracle!
The nightmare is over...thanks to hard work on our legal team's part. We are keeping J!! Thanks for all your prayers. All I have time for this afternoon. Maybe more later! Time for Mommy to take a much needed nap while the house is quiet.
sdg
sdg
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Roses
Night terrors again last night. Completely overwhelming! I hate not being able to do anything for her... everything I have read says that they will pass and that there is nothing you can really do but ride them out. :(
K's step mom and Dad came today and took K the nanny (KN) and the 4 kiddos to the park. K and I for the first time in ages sat down and watched a movie, ate popcorn and chilled out. It was amazing. After the movie, we got to work, Ken mowed and weeded and I bathed the dogs and mopped the floors. Even with a housekeeper things get pretty filthy very quickly in this house. Afterwords, we both sat down on the couch and watched House reruns. I fell asleep and I woke up an hour later (When does a mom of 4 actually get to nap??) to the smell of roses.
Now, for those of you that just recently started following our story, K and I have known each other for 7 years. Every year that we have been together, he has given me a rose bush. When we got the house, I finally could take them out of their enormous pots and put them in the ground. We have a very pretty rose garden going. He went out this afternoon while I was napping and picked 4 roses (one for each of the kids) and put them in a bud vase next to where I was sleeping. Today was a much needed good day.
Update on court stuff: Not looking good, at all. J is scheduled to get on a plane at the end of next week unless we can miraculously pull something out of a hat. Still working on it, but our chances aren't looking very good for right now. After 72 hours of straight payment for a round the clock team, I was expecting a better report than, sorry, we are stuck as the answer.
Per request of a reader, I will details some of our marriage counseling letters that we are to write. The letter is basically to address a couple certain things. Everything must be an "I feel" or something of the equivalent. We are to tell about our insecurities, worries and issues with each other, then we are to write about one thing that would alleviate the pressure of one of those issues. And lastly, we are to rehash what we want out of our relationship, or family etc. Basically, the way she described it to us is to describe the fairy tale or the picket fence life from your perspective, but to absolutely not color it with the issues that we are having. So I couldn't say "Life would be a fairytale if you would help around the house" It is a more broad thing...like you are writing a happily ever after. It is a work in progress. We have a session tomorrow, so that will certainly be a good thing.
G just now went down...and hopefully stays asleep for more than a few hours. I probably should get rest too, just in case. Sad that it is 8:30 and I am about to put myself in bed. LOL, who would have thought.
K's step mom and Dad came today and took K the nanny (KN) and the 4 kiddos to the park. K and I for the first time in ages sat down and watched a movie, ate popcorn and chilled out. It was amazing. After the movie, we got to work, Ken mowed and weeded and I bathed the dogs and mopped the floors. Even with a housekeeper things get pretty filthy very quickly in this house. Afterwords, we both sat down on the couch and watched House reruns. I fell asleep and I woke up an hour later (When does a mom of 4 actually get to nap??) to the smell of roses.
Now, for those of you that just recently started following our story, K and I have known each other for 7 years. Every year that we have been together, he has given me a rose bush. When we got the house, I finally could take them out of their enormous pots and put them in the ground. We have a very pretty rose garden going. He went out this afternoon while I was napping and picked 4 roses (one for each of the kids) and put them in a bud vase next to where I was sleeping. Today was a much needed good day.
Update on court stuff: Not looking good, at all. J is scheduled to get on a plane at the end of next week unless we can miraculously pull something out of a hat. Still working on it, but our chances aren't looking very good for right now. After 72 hours of straight payment for a round the clock team, I was expecting a better report than, sorry, we are stuck as the answer.
Per request of a reader, I will details some of our marriage counseling letters that we are to write. The letter is basically to address a couple certain things. Everything must be an "I feel" or something of the equivalent. We are to tell about our insecurities, worries and issues with each other, then we are to write about one thing that would alleviate the pressure of one of those issues. And lastly, we are to rehash what we want out of our relationship, or family etc. Basically, the way she described it to us is to describe the fairy tale or the picket fence life from your perspective, but to absolutely not color it with the issues that we are having. So I couldn't say "Life would be a fairytale if you would help around the house" It is a more broad thing...like you are writing a happily ever after. It is a work in progress. We have a session tomorrow, so that will certainly be a good thing.
G just now went down...and hopefully stays asleep for more than a few hours. I probably should get rest too, just in case. Sad that it is 8:30 and I am about to put myself in bed. LOL, who would have thought.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Nightmares, Marriage, Puzzles and Pediatricians
Night terrors...ever heard of kids that have them? G started having them yesterday. At first, we just thought it was her ear ache (confirmed by the pediatrician...her second so far, they are scared about hearing difficulties delaying her speech etc. According to the Speech Pathologist we saw today, G is a little behind in her sound development.... that is another whole post for a later date)...but after doing a little reading and talking to other moms, I think we are dealing with night terrors. G's room is the closest to ours and yesterday, we woke up to this horrid screaming. She sounded terrified. Of course K and I run into her room to see what is wrong, expecting a crying awake child wanting her mommy and daddy. Rather, she was still asleep and her body was rigid (think barbie doll all straightened out) and when I went to get her out of her crib, we couldn't get her to wake up. It was a horrid sound. After about 15 minutes of this, we were finally able to wake her and it was like nothing ever happened. She came to, smiled at us and then was ready to play. It was awful and of course the reason that I am still awake at 2 in the morning. Another screaming episode tonight woke up the twins. Thank God for K! She swooped in to save us...what a God send of a nanny. She dealt with the twins while K and I were fretting over G.
So now, after draining myself dry from 3 hungry kids (sorry if that is TMI), I should be in bed, but instead I am awake at the computer worried sick about what she could even have to dream about that would make her so scared. We are very very careful not to fight in front of the kiddo's and they watch basically just Sesame Street, the Wiggles, Nemo, and Little Bear. Other than our nanny, no one else really watches her... I just have no idea what she would have to be that terrified of...
Oh, so we got the genetic testing results back for me and V. There is no link! Thank God! Her heart issues are just the one in a million thing that hardly ever happens. So, that is not only great, but now they have a better idea of how to treat V for her own condition. The doctors have warned me that surgery may have to be an option, but compared to everything else they were considering, that is great news!
Marriage counseling....so far so good....I think. You know the whole thing that Steve and Miranda goi through in the Sex and The City Movie? Where they meet on the Brooklyn bridge as a sign of a new start? (btw, totally made me bawl my eyes out!) That is something similar to what she has us doing. But instead it is a letter...anyhow... I am glad that we are working on things. It isn't a fairy tale yet by any means, but it is an improvement. K and I have a lot of other issues that we both throught were dead (trust being a main one) so hopefully at $150 bucks an hour, we will figure it out. And yes, if you are thinking that is outrageous...it is, but we are truly paying for what we are getting. She is great!
Today marks a sad anniversary for me...and as a part of my therapy and healing and all of that jazz, I have been told that if I have found a safe environment to share the story, that I should. Thanks to all the love and outpouring of people I have never met (but feel like I know so well!), this is the venue I have chosen.
So, on todays date, in 2003...
I was raped. I rarely use that word because it is still extremely painful, but in my "safe environment" (as my therapist refers to this as) it is an okay word to use. K and I had split up for a short time (even though we still talked on the phone every day...even told each other, however painful, about dates we went on) and so after being asked out by a guy that I met at a party at OSU, even though I didn't know him, I went ahead and accepted. He took me to a little podunk diner where we had blackberry cobbler and homemade ice cream. After, we went back to my dorm and watched "Catch Me if you Can". When the movie was over he suggested that we take a walk around campus, so we did. There is a path all the way across the campus that eventually leads to a church and a huge apple orchard. We walked all the way up, sat down in the orchard and talked until sunset. Just as I was starting to think it was time to leave, he kissed my hand, and then my neck and before I knew it, I was telling him to stop and he wasn't listening. After it was all over, he got up and walked back to campus, got into his car and drove off without a word. I followed him about a hundred yards back on the path, trying to run through things in my mind, trying to figure out what to do next... I didn't even know his last name.
Despite knowing better, I was getting ready to take an exam in all three of my classes that week, so I dug down deep and buried all of the turmoil as a survival method to get through the week. Because of that one decision, that one moment he was never caught, never brought to any kind of responsibility for his actions. I waited almost an entire week before telling anyone. I was a shell of a person and I needed a shoulder to vent to...not really to cxry on. I neededto let it out. I still did not have any intention of doing anything about this because a) I didn't even know much about him b) he paid for everything in cash, no credit trail c)I was embarrassed and d) I felt like it was too late anyway. Well, the person I told did the telling for me. After weeks of meeting with the cops and making statements and trying to identify him, the case went cold because of lack of evidence. Being at a Christian school, theyhad rules and a contract that you agreed to once admitted. Part of that contract was that you were not to have any premarital sex. Well, even though it wasn't by any means consentual, I was kicked out of school by the dean for breaking my contract. He was my first, he turned my life inside out and upside down, but looking back...what a different path I would be on if he hadn't been a part of my puzzle....
See, I see life as this great big puzzle, and when we are born, God dumps it out on the table of life and says "Put it together." One by one you turn over the pieces, and you will see dark colors, light colors, shadows and bright colors. They are all different and all are important to put the whole puzzle together. Well, this puzzle piece was a big gloomy dark shadowy one, but I know that is essential for the puzzle that God has given me to be complete. If that piece hadn't been turned over, the next piece would not have fit. As a result (the next piece), I transferred schools, got back together with Ken, got engaged, moved to Louisville, got married and have all these beautiful babies. And that is just a small part of what is great in my life that has a direct connection to that terrible night 6 years ago. And if you are reading this, your life would be different too. You wouldn't be sitting here, reliving this with me and you may not have ever read anything about me or even met me, because without my kids, this blog probably would never have come along. YOU are just another part of my story, another piece. Thanks for being part of my puzzle. :) With that...goodnight.
soli deo gloria
Only to God be the Glory
So now, after draining myself dry from 3 hungry kids (sorry if that is TMI), I should be in bed, but instead I am awake at the computer worried sick about what she could even have to dream about that would make her so scared. We are very very careful not to fight in front of the kiddo's and they watch basically just Sesame Street, the Wiggles, Nemo, and Little Bear. Other than our nanny, no one else really watches her... I just have no idea what she would have to be that terrified of...
Oh, so we got the genetic testing results back for me and V. There is no link! Thank God! Her heart issues are just the one in a million thing that hardly ever happens. So, that is not only great, but now they have a better idea of how to treat V for her own condition. The doctors have warned me that surgery may have to be an option, but compared to everything else they were considering, that is great news!
Marriage counseling....so far so good....I think. You know the whole thing that Steve and Miranda goi through in the Sex and The City Movie? Where they meet on the Brooklyn bridge as a sign of a new start? (btw, totally made me bawl my eyes out!) That is something similar to what she has us doing. But instead it is a letter...anyhow... I am glad that we are working on things. It isn't a fairy tale yet by any means, but it is an improvement. K and I have a lot of other issues that we both throught were dead (trust being a main one) so hopefully at $150 bucks an hour, we will figure it out. And yes, if you are thinking that is outrageous...it is, but we are truly paying for what we are getting. She is great!
Today marks a sad anniversary for me...and as a part of my therapy and healing and all of that jazz, I have been told that if I have found a safe environment to share the story, that I should. Thanks to all the love and outpouring of people I have never met (but feel like I know so well!), this is the venue I have chosen.
So, on todays date, in 2003...
I was raped. I rarely use that word because it is still extremely painful, but in my "safe environment" (as my therapist refers to this as) it is an okay word to use. K and I had split up for a short time (even though we still talked on the phone every day...even told each other, however painful, about dates we went on) and so after being asked out by a guy that I met at a party at OSU, even though I didn't know him, I went ahead and accepted. He took me to a little podunk diner where we had blackberry cobbler and homemade ice cream. After, we went back to my dorm and watched "Catch Me if you Can". When the movie was over he suggested that we take a walk around campus, so we did. There is a path all the way across the campus that eventually leads to a church and a huge apple orchard. We walked all the way up, sat down in the orchard and talked until sunset. Just as I was starting to think it was time to leave, he kissed my hand, and then my neck and before I knew it, I was telling him to stop and he wasn't listening. After it was all over, he got up and walked back to campus, got into his car and drove off without a word. I followed him about a hundred yards back on the path, trying to run through things in my mind, trying to figure out what to do next... I didn't even know his last name.
Despite knowing better, I was getting ready to take an exam in all three of my classes that week, so I dug down deep and buried all of the turmoil as a survival method to get through the week. Because of that one decision, that one moment he was never caught, never brought to any kind of responsibility for his actions. I waited almost an entire week before telling anyone. I was a shell of a person and I needed a shoulder to vent to...not really to cxry on. I neededto let it out. I still did not have any intention of doing anything about this because a) I didn't even know much about him b) he paid for everything in cash, no credit trail c)I was embarrassed and d) I felt like it was too late anyway. Well, the person I told did the telling for me. After weeks of meeting with the cops and making statements and trying to identify him, the case went cold because of lack of evidence. Being at a Christian school, theyhad rules and a contract that you agreed to once admitted. Part of that contract was that you were not to have any premarital sex. Well, even though it wasn't by any means consentual, I was kicked out of school by the dean for breaking my contract. He was my first, he turned my life inside out and upside down, but looking back...what a different path I would be on if he hadn't been a part of my puzzle....
See, I see life as this great big puzzle, and when we are born, God dumps it out on the table of life and says "Put it together." One by one you turn over the pieces, and you will see dark colors, light colors, shadows and bright colors. They are all different and all are important to put the whole puzzle together. Well, this puzzle piece was a big gloomy dark shadowy one, but I know that is essential for the puzzle that God has given me to be complete. If that piece hadn't been turned over, the next piece would not have fit. As a result (the next piece), I transferred schools, got back together with Ken, got engaged, moved to Louisville, got married and have all these beautiful babies. And that is just a small part of what is great in my life that has a direct connection to that terrible night 6 years ago. And if you are reading this, your life would be different too. You wouldn't be sitting here, reliving this with me and you may not have ever read anything about me or even met me, because without my kids, this blog probably would never have come along. YOU are just another part of my story, another piece. Thanks for being part of my puzzle. :) With that...goodnight.
soli deo gloria
Only to God be the Glory
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Legalitites...
So, in lieu of this very anonymous blog, it looks like I did a favor to myself by deleting the blog. Before hand, we printed all of the entries having to do with J and the adoption process, but deleting it made it so that M and B couldn't use anything I said against us in court. I can't say much else, other than the fact that the fact that I have so many kids will be the main defense that they have other than the papers have gone missing...
I think that since a public blog isn't really in my best interest, especially now, any updates about the case will have to be emailed.
The kids are officially up and at em, so I need to get off of here. Know that we are all doing as well as to be expected. Thank you so much for your prayers.
sdg
I think that since a public blog isn't really in my best interest, especially now, any updates about the case will have to be emailed.
The kids are officially up and at em, so I need to get off of here. Know that we are all doing as well as to be expected. Thank you so much for your prayers.
sdg
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Wow...starting over...
Well, we have had quite an eventful couple of days. I deleted my old blog because we had a stalker in our midst, mad about the adoption thing and making false accusations about the pictures of my kids and then somehow tracking us down and sending us hate emails, hate letters, threatening us... I will no longer be posting pictures or using mine or the kids names. Most of you following already know who I will be talking about and so there is no need to make this any more personal than it needs to be. I need to protect my family. More later about the craziness of our lives.
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