Monday, September 27, 2010

Miss Liddy Marie...growing up so quickly

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Still his favorite place

Titan 11 months old.
Titan 4 years 10 months.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Where Have I Been?!

I just clicked on my blog tonight and I am kicking myself for not recording more of the memories that have been happening. I can’t believe it has been over two months since I last wrote anything. Looking back over the blog, I realized that I need to get my butt in gear. Everyday memories are just too precious not to record. So much has happened over the past two months, so many changes, loss, sadness, joy and heartbreak, new beginnings and sad goodbyes. Even some new purchases! Hopefully, I will be able to find the time to sit and catch up on my blog very soon.  To my kids, who hopefully will be reading this 50 years from now, I am sorry its not that the past two months weren't worth talking about because believe me they were, I just didn't get around to it..I will try not to let it happen again!

Monday, June 21, 2010

The Trophy

T-Ball has come to an end.  The moment Titan had been waiting for all season, the trophy. 
Here is Titan showing off his trophy to his dad.  I have to admit, I had a little tear in my eye. 
Titan's last time up to bat for the season.  He was so happy that he "hit it in the air."                             Yes, I think he was out, but hey it is T-Ball no one is keeping score...officially.
Running back to the dugout.

Titan was a little disappointed that both teams received trophies.  He thought only the winning team should.  I have to admit I agree, however, I am sad to say that his team would not have been the winning team this year!  He decided that his team's trophies were bigger, therefore they won.  I couldn't bring myself to tell him that no, in fact both teams trophies were exactly the same size.  How did my baby boy get so big so fast, I don't want this to happen!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Liddy's 6 month well check (okay, well 7 month well check)

Liddy went to the doctor yesterday. She officially weighs 16lbs. 12oz. and is 28 ¼ inches long. I thought I miss understood the doctor, but after clarifying, she is in the 80 percentile for her height and the 50th percentile for her weight. Now to get Travis to quit saying she is short and cubby!

She showed off for the doctor jabbering away, tried to crawl off the table, and stole his keys.  This time however, she didn't do so well with the shots.  Poor little girl screamed her head off!  I thought Titan might also cry as the nurse stuck her with the needle.  I hope he is always as caring and protective of his sister. 

Monday, May 17, 2010

Liddy's Big Week!

It has been busy in our household, from family pictures to T-Ball games to birthday parties it seems like we haven’t been home for a second. The busiest hands down has been Liddy. She is now sitting up all by herself and we officially have forward motion! Yes, instead of just going backwards she can move forward, but just a little and I don’t think it could be considered out and out crawling but more like stretching and pulling herself forward. I am sure it won’t be long till we can officially call it crawling! It makes me sad and happy at the same time. Where did my newborn go? Maybe most impressive, and a little disappointing, is she is now saying da da da, once I swear it was a full Daddy! Why is it always dada, not mama?! I mean really we are the ones who carry them for 9 months and give birth you think at least we could be their first word!



And last, but not least, Liddy attended her very first birthday party yesterday. Chloe turned one. Happy Birthday Chloe! It was the first time that Chloe, Bell, and Liddy had all been together at the same time so we decided to try and get a picture of the three of them. Well, let’s just say that it was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. I am not sure which was more funny the babies or the adults trying to get the babies to look at the camera and smile! I would love to post some pictures BUT, I lost my camera somewhere! So fingers crossed in the near future I will find it and post some adorable pictures of those 3 sweet little girls!

Monday, May 3, 2010

My Sleeping Boy

Somedays I feel like all I do is yell at him:
  Stop running in the house.
Be quite, you are going to wake up your sister. 
Pick up your toys,
your clothes,
your shoes...
Sit up!
Stand up!
Sit down!
Hurry up!
Be good!
Don't do that!
Eat your supper!
Get in the bathtub!
Then I see this sweet little sleeping face and I wish I would have said:






I love you!
You are wonderful!
You make me smile!
You are my world.
Goodnight my sweet boy!




Saturday, May 1, 2010

“Did our cows win?”

Today I watched the Derby with my three favorite people. Right before the race we each picked our horses. Titan picked two one for him and one for Liddy. Titan was excited and watched very closely. When it was over he asked Travis, “Daddy, did our cows win?” I was about to lose it…yes my little farm boy didn’t know the difference between a horse and a cow! After we finished laughing Travis explained to him that they were horses not cows, he said. “I know that!” Our cows, or horses, did not win. It is a good thing we weren’t betting on the race, because we would have lost everything!

Monday, April 26, 2010

Green Beans!

Tonight was our first attempt at baby food. I say “our” because Grandma Benna already fed her yogurt and Mamaw Connie a gummy bear and a marshmallow bunny.

(Dear future grandchildren: I promise to not feed you anything before your mommy and daddy have and I promise not to give you junk food. You may not like me for it, but someday you will understand.)
So needless to say Liddy wasn’t real thrilled with the idea of eating green beans!
(I really can’t say that I blame her.)


She was all about it at first, she almost came out of the seat!


But then she tasted it.  I really can't say for sure how much she actually ate.  I am pretty sure she had more on the bib, her clothes, the seat and the counter than she actually kept in her mouth. 

Maybe we will try again tomorrow night.  I did notice that Travis didn't attempt to eat the left over food.  Which is something he tried to do with Titan.  Even he, "Mr. I can't let it go to waste" couldn't eat the baby food!  You know it must be bad if that is the case.

Friday, April 23, 2010

I learned a lesson, but he didn’t

So the story starts a few weeks back when I called Travis on the phone and asked him to pick up some windshield wipers for my car on his way home from work. He didn’t. He said that he needed the car to be able to do it. Well, I knew better than that but I went along with it even though that voice in my head said to just do it yourself. “I’ll take the car up Saturday and get new ones.” He said. Well Saturday came and went and I still had no windshield wipers on my car. Luckily it hadn’t rained and I hadn’t thought about it again. That was until Thursday morning. After driving to drop the kids off at the babysitter’s, on the worst road in the county, in the pouring rain, I not only had remembered the windshield wipers but was furious that he hadn’t changed them. After a slight argument with myself where I was torn between you should have just taken care of it yourself and NO WAY, he should have to be responsible for SOMETHING! I dialed Travis’s work phone,



Me: “Put the keys in your car, I am trading you cars.”


Travis: “Okay, Why?”


Me: “Because you didn’t change the windshield wipers and I can’t see a thing.”


Travis: “Okay”


Me: (Okay?! No, I’m sorry, I forgot, no nothing….) “Okay”

After telling me where he parked the car I got off the phone. That’s where I start to realize that my plan wasn’t such a good idea. You see in the moment I thought, I’ll show him, but really the only person who got “showed” was me.


Here I am, already late for work, pulling into his work to switch cars. It is still raining, and I have 2 bags in the car to transfer over to his. There were no other parking spots so I had to pull his car out and then pull mine into the same spot. Needless to say after this ordeal I was slightly wet and getting madder by the second. (knowing he was just inside that building with not a care in the world)


Settled in his car, and once again on my way to work, I realized what a pain it is to drive a car that someone else has been driving. Nothing is in the right place and everything on his car is opposite mine, so when I was trying to turn the windshield wipers on I was turning the turn signal on and so on. The seat isn’t where I would have it etc. etc. So I turned up the radio and tried to forget the message that was creeping up in my head. “You should have done it yourself and you aren’t hurting anyone but yourself”


Pulling into the parking lot at work another fact hits me…I left my keys to the building in my car! UGH! This little exercise was supposed to be a lesson to Travis not a hardship on me! So the rain is still coming down and now I have to walk twice as far to the front door since I don’t have my key. Soaking wet, mad and feeling defeated I learned my lesson. Just do it yourself and don’t try to prove a point. It just makes it harder on you.


To pour salt into the wound I called Travis at the end of the day to remind him I had a hair appointment and I wouldn’t be home till later. He asks me, “Did you switch me cars today?” “Yes,” I said. Clearly, my switching cars did not bother him for one single second. I learned a lesson, but he didn’t.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

"She looks like a boy."

So today I dressed Liddy in what I thought was a very cute outfit. It was blue and white. Tonight when she was sitting in her blue bouncy seat that was a hand-me-down from Titan, Travis and Titan both said, “She looks like a boy.” Really?! I thought, the blue and white outfit had butterflies and bows on it! I would have taken a picture so you could judge for yourself, but before I could grab my camera, Liddy did what Liddy does. Made a mess of the clothes she was wearing. Since there is already one picture of my daughter in poopy pants on the internet (Life By The Mill) I decided to not post another! And let’s just say that might have been the first and the last time she wears her “boy” outfit. I must admit however, at a glance from across the room, with no bow in her hair, she did look just like Titan! 

Liddy's Moving!

She's moving!  I put her on the mat...she ended up with one leg under the couch, in less than two minutes.  I almost panicked when I walked into the room and she wasn't still on her mat!

I can't believe how big she is getting!  Looking just like her daddy! (slobbers and all!)

Monday, April 19, 2010

Farming

Farming season has begun.  This means that we will now be late to everything we attend, if we make it there at all, and I will be playing single mom for the next few months.  For the past couple of years Travis has been helping my dad, farm.  I really can't complain because he is helping my dad but it does get old quick.  So from now till all the crops are in the ground, Travis will be in the field every night that it isn't raining and every weekend.  Here is how the first weekend went.

Saturday I woke up to Titan and Travis arguing about the size of Titan’s shoes. Titan is saying, “But daddy they are too small, they hurt my toes.” And Travis says, “But those are your farming shoes the ones you can walk in the mud in.” Titan, “But they are too small.” So out of bed I go, into Titan’s room to find him a pair of shoes. Where are you going I ask, I get two responses from Travis, “to the field.” From Titan, “to Pa Hauger’s” I wondered who was going to win that battle?  Travis and Titan always go to the field but somehow Titan always ends up at my dad's.  Sure enough later that day I had to go pick him up at dad's. 

That night we decided to try to take Titan to Thunder over Louisville. This would be his first trip. There is something about Thunder over Louisville and small children that just doesn't seem to appealing to me. However, Titan is older now and we thought he could handle it. But because it is now farming season, Travis was gone all day, and yes we were running late. 

I had explained to Titan that Liddy was to little and the sound of the fireworks might scare her so she was going to stay at Grandma's.  He wasn't real thrilled about this.  I would like to think that it was because he loves his sister and didn't want to go without her but something tells me it might just be that he was a little jealous of her getting to stay at Grandma's. 

Anyway, we made it down to Jeffersonville in time to get a bite to eat and find a place to park.  By accident we found a small open field where several cars were pulled off.  We decided to follow suit.  Instead of fighting the crowd and the cold we decided this might be our best option.  I snapped a picture of Titan while we were waiting for the fireworks to begin.  He just looks like he is up to something, doesn't he?



Next time we try Thunder we won't watch from the car.  It just isn't the same.  It is just one of those things that if you are going to do it you have to be all in or stay home.  Of course about half way throught the fireworks Travis had to hit the road, to avoid the traffic.  Both Titan and I were a little disappointed but we did miss all the traffic. Titan was asleep about a mile into the drive, but before he drifted off he said, "Liddy could have come, it wasn't to loud."  Maybe he does love his sister. 












Sunday was more farming, suprise, suprise.  This time Liddy and I were asked to participate.  We took the boys to the field to move the equipment. You know when your are driving 10 miles an hour there isn't much to do so I took this photograph.  Notice the tractor in the mirror, that would be the boys. 



















 (I don't even remember signing up for this job, I guess you could count this as one of those "How Did I get Here?" kind of moments I was talking about.)





Thursday, April 15, 2010

How did I get here?

Driving home today I had one of those, “How did I get here?” kind of moments. I’m not talking about the, “I know I just drove home and I don’t remember it moments”, but rather a kind of moment where you stop and say, “I never saw this path for my life and I am not even sure how this all happened.” If you haven’t had one of the moments then maybe I am just crazy. I am not sure if it is because how fast time flies or just some other reason, but it seems that sometimes life just catches up with me and I have this overwhelming feeling of awe at how things happen. Regardless of how it happened, or my lack of vision of it, I am glad I am here. Glad I am living this life, with my kids and my husband.

Just my deep thought for the day (Maybe it is the lack of sleep catching up with me! Between my fussy baby, my snoring husband, and my overwhelming urge to drink caffeine right before bed, I haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep all week!)

Monday, April 12, 2010

"Ferty!"

On the way home tonight Titan asked what number he had to count to so that we would be home. I said 100. Titan has been able to count to 100 for some time now, however, he has had one little issue. The number 30 and the number 40 were both pronounced forty. So when counting it sounded like he went from 29 to 40. Then you would hear 47, 48, 49, 40! So a few days ago Travis and I tried to teach him how to say thirty. On the way home tonight it went something like this. Twenty nine, ferty, ferty one, ferty two, ferty three, ferty four, ferty five, ferty six, ferty seven, ferty eight, ferty nine, FORTY! I wonder if I could get him referred for speech therapy now?!

“WE ARE NOT HAPPY!”

One of the things I should have learned from being married to Travis for nearly 6 years is that we think in vastly different ways. But yet, I still have those “what were you thinking” kinds of moments. When it comes to Titan, and I am sure Liddy one day, I pick my battles, I avoid known controversy. Travis doesn’t. Here is one example.

Friday night we were driving past a fast food restaurant. At the last second Travis decided that he would pull in and go through the drive thru. Titan immediately said, “I want chicken nuggets, french fries, ketchup, and a juice box!” I really didn’t want anything anyway but as I was checking out the menu, thinking I might get something Travis proceeded to order. He ordered 5 things off the dollar menu. None of which were chicken nuggets or a juice box. As Titan proceeded to come to a near meltdown in the backseat, seemingly out of nowhere Travis says, “I am just trying to make everybody happy.” Titan immediately says, “WE ARE NOT HAPPY!” I probably should have been a good mom and punished him for talking to his father that way but I couldn’t help it, I had to laugh, and agree! How he thought that going through a drive thru and not ordering what Titan wanted would make him happy is beyond me.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

I forgot...again!

So I won’t be receiving the “Mother of The Year” award this year. (or ever) Titan had preschool today and I left his backpack and folder at home. Oops! I guess you could consider this good since it is April and it’s the first time I have forgotten the backpack. I said “could” because if you factor in all the other things I have forgotten, it is not good. Let’s see, a quick rundown of things I have forgotten for Titan this year: Socks, underwear, pants, shirts, shoes. That’s just clothes. (So glad Jaxson and Titan are the same size, I don’t know what poor Liddy is going to do!) I also forgot that it was umbrella day at preschool, for the day they learned the letter U. Luckily Carri stepped up and gave him a beautiful pink umbrella to take. I am so glad it is just preschool and the kids haven’t figured out how to make fun of him for having a pink umbrella…yet. These are just the things I can remember that I forgot. I am sure there are many more that I will never even know about!

When I asked Titan tonight if he forgot his backpack today he said, “No, you did!” I said, “I know buddy, I am sorry.” He said, “It’s okay mommy I don’t need a backpack.” I think his reassurance made me feel even worse as I pictured him walking into preschool with the IU reusable bag that I pack the kids stuff in to take to Carri’s. Poor kid. I guess it’s time to teach Titan to get his own things ready. He would probably have a better chance of having what he needs that way!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

The Easter Egg Hunt

   

Shopping for Easter

I spent the morning shopping for the kids Easter baskets. This proved more difficult than I expected. First, I went to Walmart. You would have thought it was Christmas Eve! Nuts! I couldn’t decide what to get them, you see the grandparents in our lives go slightly overboard when it comes to holiday gifts. Since some of them will be reading this blog, I will leave it at that. ;)

For gifts for any holiday I try to focus on something they need. The problem, they don’t need anything. Next, I focus on something cheap this is due to the questioning I will receive when I return. The first question is always, “How much did that cost?” Now it comes from not one but two, Travis and Titan! The next obstacle is finding cheap stuff that is somewhat meaningful and doesn’t look to cheap.

So here is how it started. I found Liddy a teething ring. It met my criteria:


1. Need. Check.

2. Cheap. I found one for $1, slightly concerned about the fact it was made in China but…Check

3. Meaningful. Check.


Next came Liddy’s formula. This almost made the criteria. She needed it, but it wasn’t cheap. However we were going to have to buy it anyway so why not pass it off as a gift. I mean if it was good enough for Santa Claus it should be good enough for the Easter Bunny!

Right now Titan is all about John Deere Tractors and T-ball. Since I know that we must own every John Deere Tractor ever made I decided to focus on the T-Ball. I found the baseball section and picked up a few T-ball’s for him. I just recently learned that there is a special ball for T-ball. I wonder if there truly is a need for a different ball or just a way for the baseball manufactures to make more money? My guess is money!

Here is where I didn’t live up to my criteria. Cutting down an aisle to get to the egg dye section I came across a stuffed animal section. This is absolutely something that neither of my kids need. Titan already has: bear, puppy, doggie, lamie, baby and blanky to gather up before bed! But that’s when the designer in me came out. I saw an adorable black and white striped bear that would look perfect in Liddy’s room! As I picked it up, putting it into the cart something caught my eye. It was the color green, not just any green, but the color green that has been in my head, the color green I was in search for! Except it wasn’t sheets, it was a stuffed frog! Dumb, Dumb, Dumb, I thought to myself, knowing that if I bought this frog, it would be one more stuffed animal that I would have to track down before Titan would go to bed at night. I walked away. But, then I walked back. So tonight the Easter Bunny will leave Titan a stuffed frog and from now till the time Titan gets big enough to think sleeping with stuffed animals is un-cool, every night at bedtime I will be cursing the day I bought this frog!

Liddy is Five Months Old!

I need a pause button! Liddy is 5 months old today! I can’t believe it. She is growing so fast and time is flying by. Over the past week I have seen 3 newborn babies. I thought Liddy was still a newborn until I saw them. How do they grow so quick?!


Tuesday, March 30, 2010

First T-Ball Practice

Tonight was Titan’s first official T-ball practice. I know everyone always says this but it really is true. They grow up so fast! As I wrestled with Liddy on the sidelines I watched as my baby boy ran the bases, stepped up to bat, and stood in the outfield. He looked so big out there. He was also one of the tallest, something that seems to be a reoccurring situation.

I couldn’t help but smile when it was his turn to bat and he was searching for his batting helmet. He found it, put it on his head and then proceeded to slap the top of it, just like Travis did when he helped him put it on for the first time.

He has, however, taken a couple of things a little too seriously. One is “keep your eye on the ball,” well he does, and instead of taking a full swing at the ball it is like he is trying to swat it down. The other thing we have told him that he totally took to heart was, “don’t run all over the field to get the ball, only get the ones that come in your area.” (one of the funniest things is watching 15 4 year olds run straight to the ball no matter where it lands, then watching them fight over it) Well on Titan’s team there will only be 14 kids doing this, because he will be planted firmly on the weed the coach told him to stand on, unless that ball comes right at him. I swear one time he gave the rest of the kids on the field his “Travis look” the half smirk, half rolled eye, head shake. The one that says, “Are you kidding me, or how could you be that dumb.” Or in Titan’s case it was probably, “your mommy and daddy are going to be so mad at you.”

Well my son might not be the most aggressive kid on the team, but I am at least thankful he participated and was not playing in the dirt, like I had feared. My favorite quote from the night, the coach asked all the kids if they were ready to play some baseball, Titan replied, “I’m not, I’m ready to play some T-Ball!”

On the way home Titan asked if he was good. Thinking back to the swing and the refusal to go after the ball I replied, “You did really good, but you still need to practice and get better.” He said, “No, was I a good boy?” Oh, okay, my bad. It wasn’t if he was good at the game it was if he acted like a good boy. I am pretty sure if I would have looked back at him in the car seat I would have seen another, “Travis look.”

Monday, March 29, 2010

Indoor Baseball Practice

A little look at what is going on at my house right now!  Oh my!




Liddy in the dugout!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

"That's what it is all about"

My week of playing stay at home mom has come to an end. Spring break is over and tomorrow it is back to work. I wish I had some wonderful story involving the beach, a sunburn, or something else equally interesting, but I don’t. No, I will go back to work tomorrow the same pasty white color I was when I left! I did however have a wonderful week with my kids. We were busy, yet at the same time it doesn’t seem like we accomplished much.

Friday the kids and I picked up my grandfather and took him to lunch. Titan picked the place, yes it was McDonald’s. While in line ordering I sat Liddy down, in her car seat. An older man asked if he could “take a look at her.” “Sure”, I said. Liddy gazed up at him flashing her very cute grin. As I looked back at the man, he had tears in his eyes. “That’s what it is all about,” he said. Now, with tears in my eyes, I said nothing, afraid if I did the tears may cut lose. He walked off and I couldn’t help but agree with him. That, my baby girl and her beautiful smile, is what it is all about.

New Blog

I started my blog “The Story of Four” a few weeks ago. I have been humbled and inspired by the messages from those who are reading. My first thoughts of starting a blog were to document my day to day events for the main purpose of having a record of our lives to share someday with my children. So the fact that so many of you are reading and have taken the time to commented on the blog, sent me messages, and “harassed” my husband in public (his words not mine) I thank you very much.


One thing I mentioned in my opening blog is that you may hear a political rant from me from time to time. Well, over the past few weeks watching and reading about the healthcare debate, listening to all the misinformation out there and knowing people who fight day and night for healthcare coverage I have decided to start a second blog. The intent, mainly therapy for myself to have a venue to vent, the goal, to always seek the truth, the facts, to put things into perspective, and to “be the change I wish to see in the world.”

Here is the beginning for those of you who wish to read. 
 
 http://memyselfandpolitics.blogspot.com/

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Birthday

My 30th birthday started about 5am this morning. Miss Liddy was fussing in her bed. I laid there for a second or two wondering if she would just go back to bed. She didn’t. So I got up, stumbled down the hallway, literally. Once in her room I immediately understood why she was crying. Let’s just say she left mommy a present and it required new sheets and all. Cleaning up her and the mess I finally made her a bottle and settled down on the couch to feed her, hoping she would decide she was as tired as I was and go back to sleep. Luckily she did. Although I was sleepy and 5am on a morning I don’t have to go to work does feel like the middle of the night, I still enjoyed the darkness of the house, the quietness and the alone time with my baby girl. When she started sleeping all night it was bittersweet. Obviously, I was thrilled to sleep again, however those middle the night moments when we were the only two awake in what seemed like the entire world, were and are so precious.

I wish I could say that once I put Liddy back to bed I cleaned the house, did laundry and now my house is immaculate. No, that’s not what happened. I crawled right back under the covers and tried to sleep. By this time Travis was now up and making all kinds of noise around the house. While grateful I now had the whole bed to myself I was counting down the seconds till the rumbling in the kitchen stopped so I could finally go back to bed. Each morning the front door opens and slams, yes slams, shut two times, once as Travis goes out to start the car and the second time when he goes out to leave for work for the day. On days I work this serves as my alarm clock and the snooze button, but on days I don’t it serves as the source of my fury! Today however, on the second slam Liddy let out a little squeal. Probably scared by the sudden noise but in my mind she was thinking the same thing I was..REALLY are you kidding me? MUST you slam the door shut so loud! Luckily she didn’t stay awake or my fury over the door may have resulted in out and out rage!

The next thing I knew my door swung open slamming into the closet door making all kinds of noise. Like father like son! Titan says with much more excitement than I could have over my birthday, “It’s your birthday you are 29!” Laughing, I tried to explain to him that I was really 30. Yesterday jokingly I had said that once you turn 30 your birthdays start going backwards. Titan took me completely seriously and is now convinced that is a fact! Sometimes I forget that Titan listens to everything I say and NEVER forgets a thing!

For lunch we went over to my dad’s house. Pulling in the driveway I was excited to see my grandfather’s truck. Liddy and I had walked over to his house the night before and he was telling us how he just didn’t feel good anymore. It breaks my heart to think we may not have many years left with him. I was joking with my dad, saying that he must be old to have a daughter that is 30 years old. My papaw chimed in, “yeah and that makes me REALLY old.”

So on my birthday, I am feeling very blessed. I have two beautiful children and a wonderful husband. Travis and I are surrounded by wonderful family and friends. Life is good, maybe even great!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Mr. Direct TV Guy

My day started with a phone call from Direct TV telling me that a technician would be arriving at my house between 8am and 10am. Thanks for narrowing that down I thought to myself. Originally the time was from 8am-12pm. Then not 15 minutes later I get another phone call saying the technician would be arriving within 30 minutes. (just come on, I know you are coming, quit making me find the phone!) I then set to work making sure my house was at least a little presentable. I dusted the box they would be replacing and cleaned up 3 ladybugs that had managed to find their way to my floor overnight. Then I found the air freshener. I do have 2 kids and lots of poopy diapers these days so I thought it couldn’t hurt. Then a knock at the door, in came the technician. Why did I bother with the air freshener?! In comes a walking ashtray. Wonderful. Mr. Direct TV guy spent most of the day with us. I hate that. Now we have a new HD box and a DVR. I have to admit I don’t see much difference between HD and regular, probably because I need glasses. It seems that the cost of these new TV’s continue to snowball!



After Travis got home from work we went to Home Depot to get materials for my new TV cabinet Travis says he is going to make. It has been awhile since we have had a house project to do. Walking through the store I realized how much I missed having a house to remodel. Travis and I have pretty much gutted two houses now. We fought through every second of it but after it was over I know we both missed working on them together. So tomorrow I will draw up the plans for the shelving because that is what I do. Sometime in the near future Travis will try to build the shelves his way, because that is what he does. We will see how the finished project turns out and more importantly who wins!

Monday, March 22, 2010

Liddy's 4 Month Well Check

Miss Liddy had her 4 month well check today. Yes, she is almost 5 months old, add this to the con side of being a working mom, I am always behind on the kid’s doctor appointments. She is 14lbs 4 oz and 25 ¾” long. The nurse said she was the prettiest baby that comes in there, I am sure every baby is the prettiest but I happen to agree. She had to get 3 shots, poor girl, but she took it like a champ. I thought Titan was going to cry watching her get stuck with those needles. He wasn’t very happy about it.

Before the doctor’s appointment I took the kids to Tumbleweed. Titan hardly ever sits into a booster seat but today the waitress asked if he wanted one and he said yes. She helped him in it and scooted him up to the table. He said, “Mom look at me, I’m like 10!” Every time we are in a public place Titan has to go to the bathroom, I am convinced he is obsessed with public restrooms! He had to go and wanted to go by himself in the boy’s bathroom. I first said no and then the thought of dragging Liddy and all of our stuff into the bathroom was more than I wanted to do. We were sitting right next to the bathrooms so I said okay. As soon as he got out of my sight panic set in. So I snatched up Liddy and headed after him. I rounded the corner as I saw the men’s restroom door closing. Liddy and I stood right at the door, trying to listen, right as I was about to barge right in, the door opened and out came my little boy with a huge smile on his face, “I did it all by myself Mommy!” “You sure did honey.” As my stomach settled from being panicked that something might have happened to him!

After we ate, Titan spotted the stack of booster seats, he picked up the seat he had been using and ran off to add it to the stack. Why can’t he do that at home? On the way out the door the hostess told us to have a good day. Titan said “Thank you!” “That was nice”, I said. “Mommy if you don’t say thank you you don’t get to come back!” I was cracking up. That is something that I am sure has come straight from Travis.

After Tumbleweed we went to Target. I am in search of green sheets. Not just any green but the green color that is in my head! I still haven’t figured out why people can’t see what I see! I want to re-do Titan’s room and I have found a grey colored comforter and I want green sheets. No place has them, they have every other shade of green except for the perfect shade that can only, apparently, be seen in my head! While we were in there Titan wanted to look at DVD’s he found one he wanted. “The Sandlot” it’s a baseball movie. He carried it around in the store and said, “Daddy is going to LOVE this!” I was thinking more along the lines of daddy is going to kill mommy for buying you a movie. Thankfully, it was only $5.00. Surely, Travis will think this is a good deal and would have bought it too. You see, Travis will buy ANYTHING if it’s a “good deal!”

Sunday, March 21, 2010

“That’s not fair.”

WARNING: Political Story!



All day I have been glued to the TV watching the house debate the healthcare bill. Travis said to me, “You better not blog about this.” "I won’t." I promised. Well, he is sleeping and I lied! I had to share this story because for one, it is absolutely true and it is about my favorite little boy in the whole wide world as I tell him almost daily!


Titan, was up later than usual tonight. I am on Spring Break this week and I told him he could stay up until I went to bed. I was watching the votes being cast for the healthcare bill. Titan looked at the TV and asked what they were doing. Quickly thinking of how I could explain this to my son the only thing I could think to say is that these people want to make sure that everybody in the United States can go to the doctor. “Like Liddy does tomorrow he says.” “ Yes”, I say. “Why,” he asks. I said, “Right now not everybody gets to go to the doctor if they need to.” He said, “That’s not fair.” This statement is usually something that REALLY gets under my skin, but this time, his “that’s not fair” was exactly right and exactly fitting. “You are right I said, but President Obama will make sure that will change,” I said. With that he laid his head down on my lap and within 30 seconds was asleep. Sitting there watching him sleep, watching the votes being cast. I felt tears welling up in my eyes, thankful in knowing that he may never know the term pre-existing conditions or caps or limits on healthcare coverage, and he will forever know the term doughnut holes as those things he eats at Pa Hauger's house. Hoping he will never be tied to his job with the fear of losing his healthcare coverage…and hoping more than anything else, that he never has to worry about healthcare a day in his life. After watching C-Span all day I think the most profound thing I heard all day was from my 4 year old. “That’s not fair.”

Shopping with 4

Yesterday the four of us when on a shopping trip! This doesn’t happen very often. Usually I find it much easier to take both kids by myself, or find a babysitter so Travis and I can go together, adding my wonderful husband to the mix of 2 kids and a store is usually a recipe for disaster! Part of this probably stems from my assumption that that we will now be playing one on one defense instead of me just playing zone! In actuality, it now becomes 3 on 1 and I usually lose! However on this trip we were going to be shopping for all of Titan’s gear for T-Ball. I figured this might be something that Travis would want to be a part of and probably had a little more expertise than I. To my surprise it went great! (Well great might be a tad of an overstatement, but considering the possibilities it when great!)

I never realized how expensive everything could be, of course, we didn’t get the $179 bat, we got the $20 bat. We did not get the $60 batting helmet, we got the $20 one and so on. Yes, my son gets the cheapest version of everything I guess he best get used to it now! Still yet we spent $103.00. Travis had 2 coupons for $10 off $50. He handed both to the cashier. He was told he could only use one. Travis’s response, “Well take it all back, ring it up separate, and then let me use both of them.” The cashier looked at him like he might punch him in the face, but did exactly as he asked. Liddy and I decided to take a walk, from a safe distance I looked back to see Titan’s excited face watching the man put all his new gear into the sack. It was so sweet and made me smile. Walking out of the store, Travis obviously very proud of himself announced that “I showed him didn’t I, I got $103 worth of stuff for $83. I scored.” Slightly annoyed but yet somewhat proud of him, I responded by, “You sure did, honey.”

After the T-Ball shopping was over we decided to go TV shopping. A week ago Travis turned the TV on and it had a rainbow of green and pink on it. With it being ‘March Madness” and all this was unacceptable to Travis. I have to admit it was a little annoying watching a game when each player had one pink and one green shadow of themselves following them around. Once in the store the boys got a little sidetracked watching the new 3D version of Monsters vs. Aliens. I am really not sure who enjoyed it more.

Poor Liddy was carried around the store in her car seat for nearly 2 hours.  After trying to put the stroller in the trunk at the first stop Travis decided it was too much of a pain and he would just carry her. After about 2 hours in HH gregg I think he was reconsidering. We came home with not one but two T.V.'s. I'm still not sure how that happened, but I am seeing a new house project in the works, I am thinking shelving to hold the TV and all my books! 

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Trees

Okay so one week ago tomorrow I came home to an awful sight. I know that most people reading this will think I am crazy and maybe I am but I would like to think that it is more heartbroken than crazy! You see when the hurricane, yes hurricane, came through Indiana last year a limb was broken out of our huge maple tree in the front yard. Since then it has been hanging, more like dangling from the tree. So after looking at it for more than a year and keeping Titan out from under it, scared that it might decide to fall as the exact moment he walked under it. Travis decided it was time to do something about it. This scared me, you see, Travis with a chainsaw in hand means that no tree is safe! To make a very long story short we decided to have all three of our Maple tree’s trimmed professionally. This was a win-win or so I thought. My trees would be safe from Travis’s chainsaw and I could have someone trim the limbs that were hanging down to low making it hard to mow. Well was I ever wrong! A friend of Travis’s was going to do the work. He came out and looked at all three trees. I watched with Liddy out the window as Travis took him around the yard. I have to admit it “looked” like he explained what we wanted. He gave us a quote and we were good to go. Last Wednesday I pulled into the driveway and my trees looked like this…




I was/am heartbroken. I looked through all my pictures and have yet to find a picture of all three trees when they were beautiful! I am sure that the guy did a very good job of trimming our trees. He and I just have a very different definition of trimming. To say I am sick is an understatement. I don’t cry about much but I admit, I have shed a few tears over my trees. I know, I know, they are trees. My kids are safe, my husband is okay, my family and friends are healthy and happy, life is good. But, my trees are gone and I have this sick feeling in my stomach. My grandmother planted them over 40 years ago. They were beautiful. Everyone keeps telling me they will grow back, and I know that they will but they won’t be beautiful this spring, or this summer, and maybe not for many springs and summers to come. My favorite quote so far is “Maple trees grow fast, like 3 feet a year.” That’s what I was told as I was looking at the 20+ foot limb that was lying at my feet. My response, “You are NOT helping!”


One last note, before posting this I read it aloud to Travis. His response, “Why didn’t you add in the part where you were ranting and raving.” Well, I just did, and it is true, it wasn’t my finest moment!

Pictures Together

Today was one of those days where I should have said to myself:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; The courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.

I usually do okay with this until you get to the part where it says the wisdom to know the difference.  Feeling a little defeated today after work I was looking forward to spending sometime with my kids.  As soon as I walked in the door Titan greeted me with a question.  "Can I go to Pa Hauger's?"  Humm, nice to see you too!

My day did take a turn for the better, here is a little look:

You see Titan isn't really big on taking pictures with his sister.  Liddy looks scared, as she should, in the beginning.  Then we get somewhat of a smile from both kids.  Soon after however, Titan is contemplating his exit strategy.  Then, yes, she is down...but thankfully safely on the couch, not the floor!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

"I know Already!"

Saturday was another boys go with boys and girls go with girls day. This has become pretty common in our household. Titan has become daddy’s boy. He wants to go everywhere with Travis. He wants Travis to give him a bath, to tuck him in at night, and to get him snacks and juice. This is just fine with me. I have had all of those duties for most of his life.

As Liddy and I left, Travis and Titan were in the yard picking up all the limbs from the trees. (More to come on this topic, I am heartbroken over my trees!) Knowing that Travis would be using the chainsaw I was a little concerned about leaving Titan. I told Titan that he had to be very careful and stay far away from Daddy when he was using the chainsaw. I went on and on about not getting to close. Finally Titan looks at me and says, “I know already!” I guess I got my message across.

Liddy and I did some shopping with mom and then had a nice lunch with my aunt. Liddy was pretty much over the car seat and shopping by the time we sat down for lunch so she was a little fussy. But despite a fussy baby we had a nice time.

Later, Travis and I attempted a date night. We love this little hole in the wall restaurant that is a knock off of Olive Garden. Anytime we don’t have the kids this is usually the place we end up. We parked the car, got out, walked all the way to the front door, and it wasn’t till then that we noticed that our favorite little restaurant is now a takeout pizza place! Ugh! So we went to Walmart instead…

Sunday has been another lazy day, my favorite kind. The house got about ½ clean and the laundry and dishes are done. The kids bags are packed for Carri’s tomorrow and we are ready to start another work week.

My Look-a-Like

Friday was my stepmother’s birthday. For all birthdays I have Titan make his own card to give. So Friday after work we got hard to work on making her card. With age and practice Titan has gotten pretty good at making his cards. Since there was no way that Liddy could make her own card I purchased one for her. Titan signed her name to it. The Y in Liddy was above the rest of the letters but he did make a good effort.

As I was putting the card inside the envelope I hear a frantic WAIT! What I asked. Titan says very sternly “Birthday cards have to have money in them!” Could this be a clear sign that this boy is spoiled?! It is true that almost every birthday card he has opened in his life has had money in it. I tried to explain to him that birthday cards didn’t have to have money in them but he was already running off to his room. Soon he came back with a stack of money. Thankfully, it was his “Old McDonald” (McDonald’s) play money. He proudly picked out a $20 bill and placed it inside the card.

We loaded up the kids and headed to my dad’s house to deliver the cards. My birthday is still a couple of weeks away but I did receive an early gift. My stepmother made me a scrapbook. In it were pictures of me and my dad from the day I was born on. The very last page was a picture of my dad with both Titan and Liddy. I couldn’t help it, I had tears in my eyes. It was a very special gift and one I will cherish for the rest of my life.

One picture in particular peeked my interest. It was a picture of me about Titan’s age. He looks just like me! I showed it to Titan and asked him who is was. His response, “Am I am girl?” I guess he thought it looked like him to. Now I am just a little concerned that he thinks he might be a girl!

    
     

Friday, March 12, 2010

Boys!

This is what happens when you leave 2 boys alone with my baby girl. Yes, it is a diaper on her head! Poor girl.


Thursday, March 11, 2010

Facing Unemployment

I am starting to see a pattern forming that I am not very happy about. It goes something like this: I get a job. Governor Daniels tries to take it away. President Obama gives it back. Governor Daniels takes it away. You see, I am in year two of my new teaching career. Last year due to budget cuts I received a RIF notice, the teaching term for a layoff. I left school last year not knowing if I would have a job or not. In early July I received a phone call saying that funds had come into the corporation from the stimulus package and that my job was safe. Then, in December, Governor Daniels declared that all schools K-12 must reduce their budgets. Therefore, once again, being at the bottom of the seniority list my job is on the line. This time so are 9 of my fellow teachers and 10 members of our support staff.

Anyone who has read my previous post knows that I am very conflicted about my job. I do love it very much but I love my kids more. I am looking at this as being a blessing either way. If I am called back I will be blessed to have a job when so many others do not. However, if I am not called back I will also feel blessed to be able to spend time at home being a mom to my kids.

My heart breaks for my fellow coworkers who depend on this job for their health insurance, their income, and in some cases their livelihood. Luckily, my kids won’t go hungry, we won’t lose our health insurance, and my identity is not defined by my job title.

In my opinion, the most important priorities in our country should be the health and safety of our citizens and the education of our children. All of which have taken a major hit in the last several years. Here’s hoping that Mitch Daniels finishes out his term in office and enjoys his retirement and congress gets their act together and starts doing something productive. Count this as political rant number 1!

Monday, March 8, 2010

Morning Greetings

As I said in my first post, my working mom “pro” and “con” list is equally full. I added a few more to that list today!

The first “con” comes at about 6:15 each morning. That is when I get my kids up to take them to Carri’s. I absolutely hate the thought of waking my sleeping babies and dragging them out into the cold. (Although, it is getting warmer outside, hooray for that!) Once I do go into Liddy’s room I am quickly faced with a beautiful “pro”. I lift her out of bed and she stretches her arms above her head, already grinning. Then she opens her big blue eyes and gives me the most beautiful smile. It melts my heart. She is such a happy baby!

Then, it’s on to Titan’s room to get my little monster out of bed! No, I can’t say that Titan’s morning greeting is quite as sweet as Liddy’s!

This seems to be the reoccurring theme:


Titan: “Where are we going today?”

Me: “Jaxson’s”

Titan: “I want to go to Pa Hauger’s” (this is what he calls my dad)

Me: “Not today”

 
Titan: “You never let me go” (He and Travis visit nearly daily!)

 
Me: Silence….I have learned not to argue with him.

At this point we are usually at the car. Then he tells me: “Mommy, don’t forget to turn off the light, it costs money and Daddy will be mad.” (Did I mention he is just like Travis?!)

Nearly every morning when I hand off my kids to Carri, Titan says in his sweet little voice, “Bye Mommy” and my heart melts all over again! Then starts my mad dash to work, because you see, I am almost always running late!

Check out Carri’s blog post today entitled Friends. This added another pro to my working list!


My kids are building friendships that will hopefully last a lifetime. This time next year I bet Laney will have her very own tag-a-long, named Liddy.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Secret

Today the four of us attended a dinner in support of a friend of ours who is running for re-election. I was reminded of something I have always known. There are good people trying to do what is best for our community. Although, he is firmly on the right of the political spectrum and I firmly on the left, I know that his motives are true and his leadership is needed in our community.

While we were at the dinner today, I was telling Titan to sit up, sit still, and be quite. Then, he told me he needed to tell me a secret. I admit, I was a little annoyed but leaned down to listen to his secret. His secret was, “I love you.” Nothing like your 4 year old making you feel incredibly guilty, but it was also so sweet.

On another note, one thing I have been trying to work on is not wishing my life away. Not wishing it was Friday and the end of the work week. In turn, I also am trying not to waste my Sunday evenings wishing I didn’t have to go to work the next day. Probably, by the mere fact that I am discussing this on my blog on a Sunday evening is a clear indication I still have a lot of work to do!

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Boys Go With Boys, Girls Go With Girls.

Today was a boys go with boys, girls go with girls kind of day. Travis and Titan woke up early and were out the door. Not, however, before Titan could tell me, “Today, boys go with boys and girls go with girls, you are staying home with Liddy.” It’s nice when a 4 year old sets the agenda for the day! Little Miss Liddy slept until almost 10:00. Then we enjoyed the beautiful sunshine! She laughed and cooed as I took her and her bouncy seat around the house so I could wash windows and do laundry. I love seeing the sunshine come in a perfectly clean window! I could still see two mounds of snow, now we are down to one. Hopefully the sun will melt that away tomorrow! I can’t wait for warm weather.

My grandfather stopped by today. He lives right next door to us and yet we don’t see him nearly enough. He adores Liddy, and Titan too, but for some reason his eyes light up when he sees her. I felt bad that she was asleep when he got here. Luckily, she woke up on her own before he left. It is so neat to have my newborn baby girl and my 90 year old grandfather in the same room.

After Travis and Titan returned Liddy had another first. We sat out on the back porch and watched the boys play in the yard. I realized that in her 4 months of life it was the first time she had been outside for longer than to get in and out of a car. Thank goodness for the sunshine!

Later, I looked out my back door to see this!



Yes, at first I wasn’t sure whether to call the fire department or not, but quickly realized it was just the boys doing what they do best. Making messes and starting fires! I wondered if Travis thought about that fence row full of trees that leads right back to our house before he lit the limbs on fire, my guess is probably not! (I can't wait till this view includes green grass and green leaves!) After deciding it was probably best not to watch I went back to playing with Liddy and doing laundry. Then, another sound peeked my interest, going again to the back door. I watched as Titan was driving the four wheeler by himself.  Yes, my 4 year old son, driving the four wheeler by himself. As if the playing with fire wasn’t bad enough! I think we can also rule out Titan being an Olympian, considering after he stopped the fourwheeler and jumped off he fell flat on his face, he can’t stick a landing.  (Before someone calls CPS, Travis was walking along side of him!)  
Liddy and I enjoyed the day in our pajama's, no makeup or hairbows for us today.  I love Saturdays like this especially after a busy work week! 

Thursday, March 4, 2010

A Little Background

After reading my friend’s blog I was inspired to start my own. If for no other reason I hope it helps to put daily life into perspective and help to remember those everyday occurrences that are so easily forgotten.

Some things you will probably learn pretty quickly about me. I love my kids with all my heart and soul. They have truly made my life worth every minute. My husband and I have a great life, we are very lucky. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me, aside from my kids. I constantly struggle with the work/family balance. I feel guilty when I am working and I feel guilty when I am not. One more thing I might as well warn you about now, you will probably hear a political rant or two every now and then...I have many opinion’s and not all are popular.

Just some background….

Travis and I have been married for 5 and ½ years. We have a great relationship, by great I do not mean perfect. We fight, we argue, he infuriates me to no end. But then, just when I think to myself what was I thinking I realize that he is pretty wonderful. He supports me and all my crazy ideas. He isn’t afraid to question my motives and strengthen my arguments. He really does bring out the best, and only sometimes, the worst in me. I know I am a better person because of him. Most importantly, I love him with everything I am and thanks to him I am blessed with two beautiful children.

Four years ago, my son Titan arrived. He has been a stinker from the start. He changed our lives forever and in the most wonderful way. He is so much like his daddy it is scary. I am either told he looks just like my husband or just like my brother. I have to admit he resembles both. It is amazing watching him learn and grow.

Liddy, our sweet baby girl, is four months old. She has been such a good baby. I have been told over and over I will pay for this later, probably when she is a teenager! Fingers crossed she will stay as sweet as she is now forever. (no, I am not really that naive!)

I am a working mom, this makes me feel proud and feel extremely guilty at the same time. I constantly question if I am making the right decision. My pro and cons list is equally full! I want to teach my son that he can be whatever he wants to be but it is important to be responsible and take care of his family one day. Yet, I want to teach my daughter that she can also be anything she wants to be and to never depend on anyone else to take care of her. It’s a double standard I know.

It is my life and it’s a good life, maybe even a great life. It is not extraordinary, maybe not even interesting but it is mine and I am happy to have it.