Coming Home

After a stressful week (thanks to birds in the attic, a sick little boy, and a couple other minor things), Jared gave me a sweet treat...he suggested that I take the afternoon to myself.  It was only 2 1/2 hours, but it was great!  I realized when I went to Target that I did NOT have to park by the cart section because I didn't need to put two kids into it before I went into the store.  Sometimes it's the little things. :)  (I know that there are people who would love to be able to have children to put into carts and please know that I am not saying that it is a nuisance to do so...it's just like anything...sometimes it's nice to break from the norm.)

Anyway,  when I got home, I was greeted by Addi - who immediately started crying because she is going through a stage and decided she wanted mommy to feel horrible about leaving her - and Brogan - who was yelling, "Hold me, Mommy!"  Not to worry, they had a great time with their daddy..they adore him...but they missed me. I missed them.  It was good to get back to them, to have them within my reach.

Truth is, I liked being away for awhile, but I LOVED coming back home.

Paw-kit-killer

Brogan says, "Paw-kit-killer" a lot when he is outside.  He is looking for a caterpillar. ;)  I love how he says that.  Of course, I correct him because I always want Addi and him to try to pronounce words correctly, but it is so adorable!  We didn't see any paw-kit-killers outside today...maybe soon. :)

Misc Stuff

I am listening to Jared interact with our sweet kiddos and my heart is once again overwhelmed with such joy!  Jared is such a good daddy!  He is already teaching our daughter how she should be treated by men some day and is a great role model for our son.  I am so thankful for my Mr. Wonderful!!!

In other news...

Today as I was sweeping the entrance by our door, Brogan decided to help me.  Only his version of helping was to spread the dirt I was sweeping into one pile all around the floor.  It was cute (and kind-of gross and yes, I washed his hands).  It made me think about the times I attempt to "help" God when He is working.  Sometimes, I just make a huge mess in my attempts to help move things along.  He usually responds the way I did with Brogan...gently removes me from the situation while he picks up the mess.  I love how I can so often find lessons from God in things my children do.  I don't think that's by accident.  We serve a great God who cares about us enough to gently show us areas that we need to improve in.

Addi is getting super excited about her upcoming birthday party in a couple weeks.  I am getting excited, too...but am also getting a little teary-eyed thinking about the time that has already passed by so fast.  I was reading a book my sister made for Addi that contains posts about my pregnancy and sobbed my eyes out yesterday.  I was experiencing emotions while pregnant that I was so unfamiliar with (love that I didn't even know existed) and then when she was born that love compounded so much more.  It is SO bittersweet to watch her grow.  Breaks my heart, yet blesses it at the same time.  I can't explain the emotions, but yes, I'm already becoming a huge, sentimental sap and she won't be three until March 9th.  Geeze.

Today we went to the pet store and then to Old Navy.  Addi loves pets, but goodness, she loves clothes even more.  Everything was "cute!"  Brogan liked the pet store, but was not amused by Old Navy and kept screaming, "Get out!"  Which was my cue to leave as quickly as possible before every eye in the place turned in our direction. ;)  Later we took a walk around our neighborhood, and Addi exclaimed that some flowers smelled like "smelly, stinky yogurt".  Haha.  She loves yogurt...but apparently does not love the smell. :)

That pretty much sums up our world right now.  Not a ton of exciting things going on at the present moment, but each day is definitely an adventure! Blessed and thankful!

Snow!!

We had snow today!  This doesn't happen very often in our area and it really wasn't even that much.  It was, however, enough to stick to the ground.  This made Addi so happy because she was finally able to play in snow!   When it first started snowing she yelled, "It's Christmas!" ;)  Anyway, when we went outside we made a snowman, walked around in the snow, Addi made a snow angel, and after asking me to make one twice, I caved and together we laid in the snow and made more snow angels.  :)  Brogan was unable to play in it because he's sick, but he loved watching the snow fall.  He was mesmerized and kept saying, "Snow, Mommy! Snow!"  We brought a bowl full of snow in for Brogan to play with and he really enjoyed that.  :)  Anyway, it was a nice Saturday afternoon surprise for sure!  

The best part of my day today was at dinner.  One of the kids (I think it was Brogan) started singing, "Jesus Loves Me."  We all joined in and it was just so sweet to have our entire family singing such a precious song together.  

I tear up so often during the day at the sweet moments that I experience with my amazing family. God is so, so good to us and I am thankful that He allows me to notice that every single day (even on the days where my daughter whines incessantly and my son wakes me up three times a night). ;)

I Must Confess...

Brogan will be 21 months old on the 27th of this month.  I am lucky if he sleeps through the night more than 5 nights out of the month.  There is a part of me (at times) that loves getting up with my sweet boy and spending precious moments with him in the quiet and stillness of the night.  There are other times that I could cry because reality is that this mama is T-I-R-E-D.  It is almost 2:00 am and I am up with my little guy who is currently blabbering to his toys about trains going choo-choo.  It is cute.  He is cute.  Not sleeping is not cute.  I have not slept since 5:15 this morning.  I am grouchy.  If I put him in his crib, he screams.  Addi's room is right beside his and if I allow him to scream, he will wake her up.    If I put him in bed with Jared and me, he just decides to jump on the bed or hit Jared on the head.  The jumping is cute.  Hitting Jared on the head is cute (though I think Jared may disagree).  Since Jared works during the day, here I sit...typing.  I would hold my little man who is wide awake, but he doesn't want to be held.  He just wants to roam around.

I am tired, cranky and slightly annoyed that my sweet boy does not want to sleep...ever.  I have tried different methods.  I hate the cry-it-out method.  Detest it.  Did it some with Addi and Brogan both, but always felt guilty.  The theory makes sense, but hearing your child scream is not fun.  My children do not scream quietly...they scream really loud (thank God for good lungs!).  It rips my heart out to hear them scream.  We don't do co-sleeping either.  Not really for it, not really against it.  It didn't work out well for us because our children (at very early ages) loved to kick, jump, roll over 20 times, etc and hit Jared on the head (as I already mentioned...they both think that's fun in the bed...maybe because Jared wrestles with them???).

Part of Brogan's lack of sleep tonight might be that he is on steroids for croup.  Croup he got from a play date.  A mom conveniently "forgot" to mention that her child was sick before we got together. So I inadvertently exposed my children (Addi, who has recently recovered from pneumonia and Brogan, who was healthy as of two days ago).  I could punch that mom right now...mainly because I cannot stand to see my babies sick and also because I WANT to sleep.  I am not a violent person, but if Addi gets sick, too and if I don't sleep at all tonight....I may REALLY want to punch that mom.  The thought of this exhausted mommy hitting another mother just literally made me laugh out loud.  I think I am delirious. ;)  OK...not really, but hey, it's now after 2:00 so I feel I can write whatever I want.  I pity all of you who read this post.

I am now going to play the song below for Brogan for the 10th time tonight and hope this helps him get to sleep. I love that this is his favorite song and that the only version he wants to listen to is the extended version that our church does.  He knows every word to this song.  Pretty impressive for a one-year-old. :)  I also hope it helps with my attitude.  I shouldn't want to hit others (that would not be very Christ-like and would certainly take me out of the running for mommy of the year).  I shouldn't be annoyed because Brogan won't sleep.  I will miss this age, this phase when he is in college.  I will want these sweet moments back.  I also find some solace in knowing that one day - when he and his wife are taking care of me - I will get my payback.  I will scream out for him at all times of the night and I will make him stay up with me.  I will run around the living room yelling "choo-choo" and saying, "I want to sing Our God is Awesome!"...just like Brogan is doing at this very moment.  Thank you, God, for my adorable children.  You truly are AWESOME!!

What to do about whining?

Since Addi will be three in less than a month, I guess she has decided naps are overrated.  She refuses to sleep at nap time.  Her newest thing is to sit in her room during nap time and play quietly, "read" books and sing songs (which is fine, though I REALLY  wish she would nap because she gets so incredibly cranky later in the afternoon).  Funny sidenote: Somewhere during the course of this time, she also decides to undress herself...completely.  I don't know why she does this...her room is not hot, her clothes are clean and comfy...the girl just likes to be naked.  She would love it if we let her run around with no clothes on all the time.  

Anyway, back to the naps...so as I mentioned, she won't nap and then gets cranky.  The crankiness leads to whining.  MAJOR whining.  I guess if two is the year of tantrums, three must be the year of whining.  We have a 30+ minute drive to church.  Tonight, she literally whined herself to sleep on the way to church (constant, non-stop whining for at least 20 minutes).  I can handle tantrums, but I am clueless about what to do with a whiner.  If I try to ignore her, she just gets louder.  I know I shouldn't cave and give her what she wants while she whines because she will continue to do so.  I guess we could send her to time-out, but that doesn't seem to help with most other issues.  I AM CLUELESS and now that I look at this post, I guess I am doing what she does...I'm whining to you, my blog friends...oops. ;)  I said all of this to say, HELP!!! If anyone reading this knows what to do with a whiner, please email me (jennturner05 at gmail dot com) or comment on this post.  

Phew...parenting definitely keeps me on my knees...but I wouldn't have it any other way!!!

I fell into the tub...well, sort-of

It is no secret that at our house we love to play. :)  Playing induces so many smiles and giggles, and creates lasting memories.  Last night's play was one I'm pretty certain I will NEVER forget and may perhaps be one of Addi's first memories.  A lot of times when she gets a bath, she will ask me to get in the tub, too.  Considering I don't bathe with my children, I've never joined her.  I've allowed her to soak me and the bathroom a couple times by splashing me, but that's about it.  Her new thing is to pretend she's cooking in the bathtub, so last night she asked me if I would cook with her.  I sat by the tub and we prepared some food. ;)  Then she asked if I would get in the tub.  I told her no and then thought to myself, "She will LOVE it if I just do this."  So, while fully clothed (in a dress no less), I pretended to fall into the bathtub.  She absolutely cackled!!  She was so surprised!  I started to get out a couple times and would "accidentally" fall back in.  More laughter ensued.  She got to take a cup and pour water on my head and the look of joy on her face when she would soak my hair was so precious.  Needless to say, when Jared walked in to tell me something, he was quite surprised!  Haha!!  Anyway, for all you mamas out there, I HIGHLY recommend doing this at least once.  Refill the tub after and make sure you give your child a good bath (for germs sake) and you probably will want to take a quick shower yourself shortly after.  But, who cares.  Jump in, fully clothed and just have fun!!!  One of the last things Addi said before falling asleep last night was how I fell into the tub.  This morning, she had not been up for two minutes before she looked at me and started laughing and said, "You fell in the tub and your dress and hair were all wet!" :)  Her laughter and joy made it totally worth it, and yet, I somehow think I may have been the one who had the most fun.  I love making memories...small ones, big ones, random ones, wet ones and yes, inconvenient, but SO worth it ones!!

In other news...
Last night at dinner, the following conversation happened:
Brogan: Bed, Mommy!
Me:  Bed?  Are you sleepy?  Do you want to go to bed?
Brogan: No.  Bed!
Me:  Bed???
Brogan: No. Bed!
Me:  Bird?  Do you hear a bird?
Brogan: No. Bed!
Me: Bad?  Is something bad?
Brogan: No. Bed!
Me: Jared, Do you know what he is saying?
Jared: Sounds like bed to me.
Me:  Addi, What is Brogan saying?(Sometimes she knows better than we do)
Addi: Um, I think he wants a surprise.  (Haha...I think she was the one who wanted a surprise)
Me: Brogan, is it a surprise you want?  (I knew that wasn't it, but thought it was worth a shot...ha!)
Brogan: No. Bed!
Me:  I'm sorry, honey.  Say it one more time.  We don't know what you are saying.
Brogan: Bed!
Me: OK...one more time, please.
Brogan: Bed!
Me: Oh, BREAD!  Do you want some bread?
Brogan: Yes, bed!

He got his bread. :)  Jared and I commented though about how we both could learn a lesson on patience and perseverance from that conversation.  Brogan NEVER acted upset.  He did not grow impatient and just continued to tell us his message in a very calm manner until we understood what he was saying.  I wish I was a little more like my little guy. :)

I love how...

Instead of just saying, "mine" if Brogan really wants to hang on to something he says, "Mine now!"

If Addi really wants to do something, she asks Brogan if he wants to as well because she thinks she has a better chance of getting her way. :)

Third Post Tonight...

OK...apparently, I have a lot to say tonight. ;)  I just keep thinking of things to blog about and since everyone else in the house is asleep, now's a great time to act on those thoughts!

Conversation tonight at dinner:

Addi: "I'm a rockstar!"  (We started telling her this when she was potty-training and she now fully believes it!)
Jared and me (in unison): "Yes, you are!"
Brogan: "I a wock-star!"
Addi: "No, I'm a rockstar!"
Me: "You're both rockstars!"
Brogan: "No! Brogan wock-star!"
Addi: "No, Brogan! I'm a rockstar! You're a man!"
Brogan: "No! I a wock-star!"
Addi: "No, Brogan! I'm a rockstar! You're a man!"
(repeat the last two lines over and over again). :)

Jared and I calmed them down and told them they were both rockstars and we loved them very much.  Addi then looked at me and said, "You be the man and be daddy.  Daddy is now mommy."  So ended the rockstar argument.  We then explained that Daddy is always the daddy and Mommy is always the mommy and that is just the way it goes.

Love our crazy conversations with our crazy (in a good way) kids!!!

Oh...and things I thought about today that I never, ever want to forget and don't think I have blogged about:

For months (almost a year) Addi loved to fall asleep with me laying beside her crib / bed and holding her hand.
Brogan now loves to fall asleep knowing that Mommy is laying beside his bed.

Addi calls a sucker, "socker," which is just adorable.

I thought of more, but already forgot...oh well. :)

Goodbye "Old" Me!

Do you ever get tired of just being the same person day in and day out?  I'm not saying I wish I was someone else, I just wish that I was a better version of myself.  This is a large desire of mine as a Christian.  I want to make an impact - not so that people who know me will think I'm special, but so that I can go to bed at night knowing that I did what I needed to do for the day to glorify God.  We were created to glorify Him through the good and the bad, through the monotonous daily tasks (like laundry, dishes, etc) and the not so monotonous (like pulling your son off of the cable box for the television and wondering how he even climbed on to it). ;)  We were created to glorify Him in ALL things.  Sometimes  (OK, most times) that is so difficult for me to do.  Each day I try to aim to improve.

Tonight, I was told by a longtime friend that the "old" me would have laughed at something that was actually not that funny.  I was accused of not being able to see the humor and not being lighthearted about this situation.  It bothered me for a few minutes and then it made me think.  A year ago, I would have laughed...I would have thought it was hilarious, but I don't want to be the "old" me.  I like the "new" me better.  The one who is a little more compassionate, a little less judgmental...maybe, just maybe, even a little more Christ-like (though I am NOWHERE near where I should be).  Sure, I still laugh at things I shouldn't, I get worked up and judgmental (as my sister - who I know is reading this - can testify to after the call I made to her on Tuesday complaining about something), and I make a lion's share of mistakes every single day.  I'm not at the point in life - and probably will never be - where I hear bad news and say, "Well, let's praise God first!"  I wish I was...it sure would make my life easier. I don't even know if I am an improved version of myself because I am constantly finding more areas where I am seriously flawed.  However, by the grace of God, and because I have asked Him for His help, He is peeling back the layers, revealing more flaws and helping me to press on, just as Paul wrote in Philippians 3:12-14:

¹² Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

So, to the "old" me, I bid, "Adieu!"  Hopefully, I can say farewell to the "new" me of today in a few months and hello to a "newer," slightly improved me.  (I'm not sure if that statement will even make sense to anyone besides me...ha!)

Addi Makes Me Laugh

While taking a bath yesterday, Addi decided to sit on the side of the tub and play with her bath water and a cup.  She was pretending to make food. I told her it was time to get in the water so I could bathe her.  When she ignored my request, I picked her up and placed her in the water.  She yelled, "Oh no!  Mommy, Look!  Now I have food on my butt!"

Haha...she has quite the imagination. :)

All is better now

Favorite moment of this weekend:

Our family dancing to praise and worship music in the living room on Saturday night.  Our babies think Jared and I have great dance moves (we've already started discussing when they will realize that we cannot dance).  At one point, I looked at Addi and she was copying every move I made.  It was so sweet. She looked at me and said, "You're a princess!"  As I watched her and Brogan (who was so content dancing in his own unique way) and looked at Jared, I had to sit down for a minute as my emotions overwhelmed me.  I started to cry and quickly assured everyone my tears were happy tears.  There are moments that I still cannot believe all that God has blessed me with.  My husband adores me and treats me so well and my children are healthy and happy.  Addi thinks I'm a princess and daddy is a superhero (which she tells him every night now). :)  Brogan is just happy all the time (Except for when I'm cooking dinner and he suddenly thinks that I need to hold him right that moment.  This happens every night and he is not content if Jared tries to hold him.  It has to be me and I have to do it while standing in the kitchen.  I think he just wants to be close to the food.)   Life is good.

Anyway, as you can see, I feel much better about everything tonight than I did on Friday night.  Phew...parenting truly brings out the emotional roller coaster at times!

Here's to the week....expecting it to be a great one for all of you and for us!

Taking an Extended Break

So I am taking an extended break from Facebook, Pinterest and most blogs (except for one that is very important right now due to events that will be happening soon...Shannon). ;)  The main reason for my sabbatical...I am driving myself CRAZY comparing myself to other people, my children to other children, and our lives to others lives.  We are blessed...blessed beyond measure.  I know this.  We love deeply around here and have fun every single day.  Yet, I look at Facebook and think, "I wish Addi had that outfit.  I wish Brogan had that toy.  I wish we were going on a date.", etc.  It's getting ridiculous.  I look at Pinterest and feel guilty for not coming up with a new craft to do with the kids every day, for not creating my living room to look like something that should be in a magazine, for not being able to sew quilts and make four course gourmet dinners on a whim.  I read a lot of blogs - mommy blogs mostly that are very beneficial usually, but for some reason right now make me feel bad for not having more time for devotions, for not saving more money on my weekly grocery trip, etc.  I don't like this comparison phase I'm in.  Sure, we all compare ourselves to each other at times, but I've gone a bit crazy.  I realized this tonight as I was feverishly serving the internet for where Addi should be at academically by the time she is three all because a friend on Facebook said her two-year-old knows that the city they live in contains multiple stores and that  her grandparents live in the country which contains tractors and farms.  Addi doesn't know the difference between the city and the country, and it literally freaked me out.  She knows what state we live in, what state our relatives live in and even what country we live in (she also knows the name of the country our friends are adopting from).  Yet, I still freaked out.  I was in tears thinking about what I have failed to teach her so far.  I found a developmental chart...realized she knows everything on the chart (mentally and physically), but I was still worried.  While I was conducting my "research," Brogan was crying, yes crying because I had stopped playing cars with him to do this research.  Addi was watching television and talking, yes talking to the television show.  It hit me, I had my priorities ALL wrong.  When what my child is learning becomes more important than enjoying the hear and the now, I've got it all wrong.  When finding crafts for my children to do becomes more important than having fun with them while we simply color, write, paint, etc, I've got it all wrong.  When I would rather read status updates on Facebook than read a few verses in the Bible, I've got it all wrong.  When I would rather complain to my husband about not getting to go on a date because someone else got a date tonight than spend time with him while the kids are sleeping, I've got it all wrong.

Anyway, just thought I'd post this to hold myself accountable.  I plan on updating this blog...just not Facebook.  I think I'll aim for all of February.  We shall see how it goes.  ;)

Happy Weekend!!