Christmas is coming!!!

Well today we officially got into the Christmas spirit. We put up our tree, made some Christmas cookies, I made the kids some stockings( the others are at grandmas) and listen to some good old music all while smelling the wonderful vanilla and sugar cookie candles. The boys loved it and Addie, well she just wanted to grab everything. Go figure she is only 10.5 months :)We had a great day followed by some friends being over for a few drinks and letting the kids stay up late and play. Enjoy the pics :)

Just wait till they are older!

I have finally figured out why people have their kids so close together and while the first one is still young. I think it is because if they had a 4 or 5 year old they wouldn't have any more kids. Now I am somewhat kidding about this and somewhat not. I mean I look at Addie and how easy and lovable she is and I could totally go for a fourth. But then Alex has a bad day, with attitude, A LOT of attitude, and I want to get my tubes tied. When people have kids under the age of 3 they still have no idea what they are in for. We were the same way. Alex was a PERFECT 2 yr old and we got pregnant with Zach right after he turned 2 so we had no worries. But then he turned 3, then 4, now 5 and I am waiting for this phase to end. If he had hit this phase right at 2 we would have waited to have Zach because we probably would have been scared off.
These are the things no one ever tells you when you are pregnant or a new mom. So here's the honest truth. Motherhood is amazing. It will go by too fast. BUT some days you will want it to go by that fast. Some days you will wonder what happened to the cute little baby that babbled and ate his/her feet, and how the turned out like this. You will be excited when they start to talk, and then you will wish they would stop talking for just a minute because your ears are on fire. You will be excited when they take their first step, but sooo frustrated when they run from you.There will be nights that you want to wake your kid up to play because they are so adorable and you miss them while they sleep. And there will be days when bedtime can not come soon enough and you hope with everything that they sleep in tomorrow. There will be times when you are out without your kid and you miss them and want to go home. And there will be nights where you RUN out the door for a kid free night because you JUST.NEED.ADULT.TIME.
Don;t get me wrong, i LOVE being a mom. It is amazing to be able to carry a baby for 9 months, give birth ( or in my case have it cut out of you) and then watch this little thing grow and turn into a "real"person, and know you did it. To watch all their first and see the look in their eyes on Christmas morning, or when they learn something new, or just get a random hug,kiss or I love you for no reason at all. Melts my heart. But its not all rainbows and gumdrops. Motherhood is hard. It DOES NOT get easier. Kids WILL have attitudes. they will go through PHASES that you HATE!!!! You will question everything you have ever done with them or for them and you will blame yourself for how they act. But its normal, and it will pass, and their phases will come and go and in the end it is worth it. Would I do it all over again the same way????? Most days :)

Yes, it is a JOB!

I am really tired of the debate about working moms and stay at home moms. Yes, I might not work a "normal" 9-5 job, and no I do not make any money ( although I should) but I do have a JOB. I have done the 40 hours a week and the stay at home mom thing and staying home is more exhausting to me. I think all moms can agree that you NEVER have enough time to clean the whole house, or finsih all the laundry, and that some nights you do not care that there are toys are the floor. But just because I do not go to an office or anywhere else to collect a paycheck that does not mean I dont work.
I am up every morning feeding 3 children which I do throughout the day. I am wiping poopy butts and changing diapers. I am loading and unloading the diswasher, washing machine and dryer throughout the day. I am a nurse when my kids are sick or hurt. I am a shoulder to cry on when they are upset. I am always figuring out new crafts or outings for us to do. I am a coach/cheerleader when it comes to their sports. I am a teacher. I am an accountant. I am a chauffer. I am a maid. I am a listener ALL.DAY.LONG. ( news flash..once kids start talking they do not stop)I am the one that gives them baths. I am a personal shopper when they outgrow their clothes. I am a supervisor to make sure no one hurts themselves or someone else. I am a refree of their fights over toys.I am a stay at home mom.
This is my life and it is one I am blessed to have. I am very lucky that my husband makes enough to cover our mortgage and other bills so that I can stay home with our kids. But yes it is a job. It does have its perks like an other job. I get hugs and kisses throughout the day. I get to hang out at the park when it is nice. I get some quiet times when kids are napping, and sometimes I get to nap as well. I do not get a paycheck and I am okay with that. So for anyone that thinks this is easy and stay at home moms do nothing all day long I would love for you to take over for a week, I'll go on vacation, and then you tell me this is not a job.

Parenting

I can not handle these over protective super anal moms! You know the ones that are still following their kids every step at the park even though their child is 2 or older, or the ones that wipe their kids off every chance they get. Or are afraid to let their kids entertain themselves for a single minute because heaven forbid you do not spend every.single.second. with your child. Or the ones who refuse to go out on a date or leave their child overnight because "they will just miss them too much."
I'm sorry but last time I checked I thought parenting was something different. My goal is to raise well rounded independent indiviuals who when they go off into the "real world" they can handle things on their own. I was my kids to know it is okay to make a mistake, but try to learn from it. And if you fail at something pick yourself up and try again until you get it right. And you do not need me by your side every step of the way because it is okay to use your imagination and entertain yourself or try to figure something out on your own. I also do not want to push my views onto my children. I want them to grow up and be able to make a educated deciscion and own choices in life.
Don't get me wrong, I love playing with my kids, and hanging out with them, but I also love hanging out with my husband and other adults. I do not feel bad when I leave my kids with friends or our parents because I know they are having fun and are in good hands. And I know that they need a break from us like we need one from them. I love that at 2 and 5 my boys are already showing independce. They will go and play in their room or in the living room togehter and not have to have me there with them. They will run off to play in the sand or on the jungle gym when we go to a park and do not need me to hold there hand every step of the way. And when we go out for a "date night" or with friends they are fine giving us hugs and kisses and saying goodbye without freaking out.
But I also love that when they are hurt they want mom. When they are sick they want mom. When something good or bad happens they want to tell me first. And if Addie wakes up in the middle of the night she wants me and no one else. I know I have bonded with my kids, I know my kids are good people, are friendly and kind ( minus normal 2yr old crap)and I did it all without being obsessivly anal about every little thing they did, ate, watched ect.... I did it by letting them be kids and I will continue to let them be kids and find their way. And if they need help along the way I will be there for them to help when asked, and kiss boo boos when they are hurt, and give hugs and kisses, read stories, build puzzles, help with homework ect..but I will also be there by watching them grow and learn on their own. I just wish more parents would take a step back and realize that hovering over your children 24-7 is doing no good for anyone!

trick or treat

Well yesterday was Halloween and boy did we have some fun! Alex LOVED trick or treating this year... I mean loved it. The kid would have stayed out all night if he could have. Zach was also a fan.... anyone that will give that kid candy will make his day. And little Addie, well she sat in the stroller and got caried a little but she did enjoy the people watching. The only thing Zach man did not like was the "haunted" block that we went down. He refused to go in anyone of the scary tents to get candy and kept telling us it was scary. The kids filled their pumpkins up and after a couple hours we went out for osme pizza. All in all it was a fun day.