Finding moments of Grace

There are some moments in my life as a mom that make me stop in my tracks. Some of those moments are sad, some are funny, and some are just plain silly. But, amidst the craziness of any given day, they are the moments that you remember.

My oldest daugther, Grace, has had more moments that have caught me, mostly because she is the most verbal of my children. She's the one who will comfort a total stranger child by crouching down and rubbing their backs. She's the one who will say "Are you okay?" when I stumble over the rug in our living room for the thousandth time. She's the one who will always ask "Why?" to the point where it's both irritating and intriguing because I don't always know the answer behind that question.

Tonight at dinner, Grace looked at me and said "Mommy, will you get me up tonight for some special time?" I looked up from feeding the baby and said "Gracie, tonight Mommy has to mop the floor." "Oh, okay." She answered.

Now, it's just past nine my time, and Gracie just barely feel asleep. I'm waiting for a bit longer and then I will wake her up for some special time. I know that, one day, when Gracie is a mommy herself, her little one will ask her the same question and it will tug at her heart in the same way that it just did mine.

We all need our moments of Grace sometimes. :)

Getting ready to exhale...at least for a little bit!

Phew! This summer was CRAZY BUSY!

The kids and I spent pretty much the whole month of August in Colorado Springs, Colorado, visiting B as he was finishing up his project at work. We were able to spend some great quality time with good friends; and while B was working, the kids and I were able to explore one beautiful state.



On the way home, B and I hooked up our tent trailer and we CAMPED on the way home. Yes, you read that correctly- CAMPED. In Colorado AND Utah. Did we survive? Obviously. Did we like it? YES! The kids, husband and I LOVED it!!



Then, as if we didn't already have enough fun, we went to San Diego for a couple of days with my sister and her boys. The attraction we went to see? Sea World, of course!



....and THEN, after we came home, the girls started ballet up again. Well, Grace started it up again. Dani went for the first time!



This fall won't seem to slow down at all, either, as we are moving in November. Oh well- lots of fun memories to make!

Boom!

Everyone has those moments in their lives that they can distinctly remember, as if a bomb went off in their lives as they knew it.

We had one of those moments at 7:38 p.m. last Monday.

I had just bathed the kids and put them to bed. I was holding the baby and was getting ready to bathe him, and I walked past the computer. I casually check my e-mail, hoping to get an e-mail from B about how his day was going. I see an e-mail from him with the Re: line as "Assignment in Houston."

Hmmm, I thought. This had to be the "gentle letdown" that the Air Force gives to those who DON'T get jobs that they want. We hadn't heard about this job in Houston for almost two months...there is no way that this could be good news.

I open it. The line from my husband is "FYI."

Okay...definitely didn't get it.

I let my eyes wander down the page and see a word that I didn't expect to see: "Congratulations."

HUH?!

Yup. You guessed it: we are MOVING TO TEXAS!!

These last few days have been a flurry of activity; but as of now, it's true: yes, we are moving to Houston, Texas sometime this fall. We are very sad to leave our friends here in Los Angeles, but we are also excited to be able to find a bigger house and have more land for the kids to run on. Texas seems very kid-friendly, so that's a definitely plus!

Giddy on up!!

California Dreamin'

Yesterday, I had a surreal experience. As I was making dinner, the kids started screaming "Daddy's Car! Daddy's Car!" I laughed. "Girls, that's not Daddy's car. I miss him, too. But that's not his car."
What I didn't say was that Daddy's car doesn't make noise. It's a PRIUS. lol.
Anyways, the girls kept yelling. Then they ran to the screen door, and my gaze followed. Just then, I saw it: B's boss' car, an incredible Mustang GT. Brent and my dream car.
They somehow knew THAT car!
The car turns around, and pulls in front of our house. Brent's boss jumps out, tells me that he is sorry but he has to catch a flight, and leaves me something that I didn't think I would hold for a long time: the keys to his car!
Mustangs have been on our "dream sheet" for, well, forever. Brent and my very first conversation EVER was about classic Mustangs. Seriously. He was impressed that I knew that I wanted a 1967 Mustang Fastback someday. I was impressed that he seemed to like how I knew what I wanted in a car. From that point on, I knew what I wanted in a man: him.
It may not be ours, but it's nice to dream.
But, for now, I'm happy to have this beautiful car sitting in front of my house. The girls are, too! ;)

Wait for it...

I am pretty sure that feeding your babies their first vegetables is nature's way of giving parents a good laugh.
Since this was my third time around, I knew to have my camera ready. Will, of course, liked the peas after about four bites. I will love these photos forever!

Bad to the Bone

Dani's clothes du jour....she is sporting biker chic fashion.

Reasons Why I Haven't Blogged Much This Week

1.) B came back for a few more days (YAY!)
2.) The weather was BBBBBEAAAUTIFUL outside. So, I wasn't inside much.
3.) We have had lots of guests and playdates, soooo...
4.) ..needless to say, I was too tired at the end of the day to blog. Sorry!

In the Trenches

..and now for the least fun part of parenting: illness.

It totally stinks to see your little ones ill. It is the closest that I have come to almost physically feeling my heart break! You realize just how vulnerable these little people who were entrusted to you, a mere human, can be. When their little eyes look up to you for answers, and you don't necessarily have them, it's tough. Really tough.

Especially when you have two other kids to tend to, and a husband who is traveling.

When Danielle got sick for the first time on Wednesday night, my mind raced. She had a fever a few days prior, but she seemed to have gotten over that. Until that point, there were no other symptoms of illness aside from the fever. Now, two days after the fever broke, I was holding poor Danielle's hair as she hovered over the toliet. This first bout lasted for about three hours. I am pretty sure that she and I only slept for about an hour and a half of that whole night.

I made an appointment the next morning for Dani to see our main family doctor. He checked her out, and after reviewing her file and seeing that she wasn't running a fever, I was given the typical prognosis: a virus. Keep giving her Pedialyte, watered down Gatorade, the BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) diet, and give her baths throughout the day to keep bacteria from getting into areas that I didn't want it to be.

I left, knowing that I had a feeling that Danielle was battling something more. But she didn't have a fever...so I was clearly being a mommy hypochondriac. Or so I thought.

Thursday night- around 10:00, Danielle woke up again. Same thing. Ugh. Another long night.

Friday- Danielle kept repeating "OW, OW, OW...". Okay, Danielle is usually my no-drama-mama when it comes to illness. She's my silent sufferer. So, if she's saying that something hurts, then..well, IT DOES! Brent happened to come home today for the weekend (which, is AWESOME and the topic for a future post), so once he got home, I called and got a referral for Dani to go to an Urgent Care.

This time, I had a plan in mind. I was GOING to have her urine tested. I didn't CARE that she didn't have a fever that was high enough- I knew that she had a urinary tract infection. I took her in, and as soon as I saw the nurse, I laid out my suspicions. She asked if Danielle could pee in a hat, and I said yes. I had made sure that she had drunk plenty of fluids before coming in. Danielle gave me a little sample to send to a lab; and sure enough, I was RIGHT!!!

Boo-YAH!

So, even though the doctor was suprised at the results because she didn't have ALL of the typical symptoms, I am so glad that I pushed the envelope and defended my "mommy gut." We now have her on antibiotics. Dani did get sick again tonight, but after the antibiotics, it was MUCH less intense than the previous nights' bouts. I am confident that she's on the road to recovery; and her "OW's" have greatly subsided already.

I am convinced that, while medical professionals are wonderful, "mommy guts" are NEEDED! If it weren't for those, I am no longer entirely convinced that we would have survived as a species!

Breakthrough!

Will's newest "thing" he does is quite funny: He likes to take the toe from one foot, fit it in the little spot between the last snap and the footie on his opposing leg, and then flip his toe up until he breaks through the snap, therefore releasing his little naked leg into the world.

He gets this little "hehehe" look on his face every time he does it!

Now, since I only tend to notice him doing this BEFORE I have time to get the camera out, I took photos of him trying to break the other leg free.

He's too funny, and waaayyy too smart for his 4 months of age! If he's already managing to break out of his clothes at this age, I have a feeling that I will have quite the time keeping him contained as a toddler!

Hi Fashion

While the cookies were baking, I had the kids play in the backyard. Dani's new "thing" is to always wear a hat outside (which I will not complain about!). Today, she happened to grab one that didn't exactly match her outfit; but it did happen to look VERY COOL on camera.

Again, Dani the trendsetter...I think that she is very wise beyond her two years when it comes to knowing what translates on film!

Baking Time!

Today, Aunt Liz came over for some "help" in making their Uncle Pat some cookies. Anyone who has baked with kids knows how much fun this is, and how messy it can be! Oh well- the girls had a lot of fun measuring out flour and sugar, and they LOVED eating the products of their hard work after Aunt Liz pulled the goodies out of the oven!

Princess Play

I just had to post some cute photos of my girls, as they were just too cute when they dressed up in thier Disney Princess costumes today. The costumes du jour were Princess Aurora, and Snow White.
Sorry I don't have a longer post to share today- I am TIRED and I want to catch up on The Bachelorette a bit!
'Night, all!

Grace and God

As we were saying our prayers tonight, the kids and I did our typical runthrough of names of whom we bless daily: "God bless Mommy, Daddy, Gracie, Dani, Will, Meemas, Peepas, Aunties, Uncles and Cousins."
Tonight, I added "...and God, please bless Grandma S, who needs your comfort."
Grace, noticing the add-on, asked "Mommy, what's wrong with Grandma S?"
"Oh, honey, she's sick. She needs our prayers for her comfort."
"Why? Does she have a cold?"
"No, honey...she has something called cancer, and it's not good. She may be meeting God and seeing Great Grandpa S soon."
"Oh, what's cancer?"
"It's something that can make you really sick. Sometimes it means that you will be meeting God soon."
"Oh. Well, that's good that she will be meeting God soon. That way she will feel better. I don't want her to be sick and hurt anymore."
Whoa.
Out of the mouths of babes.

The BEST Surprise

Last week, we got the best news that we have had in awhile: Daddy was coming home for a couple of days!!

I intentionally didn't tell the kids. After all, as a miltary spouse, or MilSpouse, I know all-too-well how plans can change in the blink of an eye. I could not imagine the disappoinment that would reflect in my kids' eyes if I told them that Daddy was coming home, and then things changed. Honestly, after his being gone for seven weeks, THAT would be too much to handle. Crazy days, got it. Kids screaming for what seem like hours on end... got that, too. But disappoinment...nope, that was unacceptable.

Wednesday was a blur. We woke up, and I kept the kids busy with playing, activities, and fun shows to watch on TV. I cleaned. A lot. I didn't want Daddy to come home to a dirty house (not that my house is dirty, but I am kind-of a perfectionist when it comes to arriving home to a clean house. I try to extend the "clean house" courtesy to Daddy). The afternoon consisted of a play date, and then I taught the Sunset Stroller Strides class in Hermosa. The kids played at the park for a bit, and then I fed them dinner. Then it was just a waiting game.

After a bit of a delay, I was thrilled to hear the good news: he LANDED! He was on our sweet, but slightly polluted with LA smog, SOIL! YES!! I don't know how I didn't completely blow the surprise with my sheer elation, but somehow I didn't. I piled the kids in the truck, and off we went to LAX. Daddy called and told me that he was waiting as passenger pickup before I drove from the house- perfect timing!

...and wouldn't you know it? As we drove to the airport, Dani softly said "Daddy? Home?"

My response: "I don't knoooowwww....."

The kids saw him before I did. "DADDY!!!" they shreiked. I could not wait to give him a homecoming hug and kiss; but alas, I was driving and needed to steer the car away from crazy Wednesday night pickup traffic at the airport. I am pretty sure that there may have been other celebrities at the airport that night; but in our eyes, DADDY was the rockstar.

The three full days that Daddy was home went by in a total blur. He had to work one of them, but that was worth it. We were just so happy to have him home. Surprisingly, Will even seemed to have a positive reaction: he slept through the night for the FIRST TIME since Daddy left seven weeks ago. Seriously. Maybe he felt me relax a bit, allowing him to sleep more? I don't know.

We dropped Daddy off at LAX this morning. It wasn't fun. The kids had a rough day today, clearly missing his sweet presence again. I was asked before he arrived for this trip whether I would want to handle the fallout of the kids missing him again. My answer: ABSOLUTELY! The rough day is a worthy price to pay for three wonderful days as a family again.

If You Can't Say Anything Nice...

...okay, so- this is a personal gripe of mine that a good friend happened to touch on yesterday. She was in a conversation with another stay-at-home (SAH) mom who found out that she (my friend) could no longer breastfeed her baby. Instead of listening and understanding my friend's reasons, the woman chided my friend and made her feel like a less-than-perfect mommy because her baby recieves formula, as opposed to breastmilk.
Really, fellow moms? Really?!
Motherhood is the hardest job in the world. Honestly. I have worked a fast-paced job for Congress in my "past" life; and seriously, the intensity level and 24-hour commitment to mommyhood FAR surpasses what I experienced in D.C. You tend to question and overanalyze every single little thing you do for and with your children from the moment they are born. You beat youself up for everything that you do that can or may somehow impact your children in the immediate and far future. We ask our spouses or partners, friends and parents for advice, always seeking to make sure that we can feel confident in our decisions.
You can't just send your child a memo explaining the day-to-day decisions that you make, like I could when I worked for Congress. It just doesn't work that way.
Motherhood is a sorority of sorts, with an initiation occurring at the moment of birth, when the baby is placed on your belly. When pregnant,you still feel the sense of responsibility; however, I specificially remember the feeling of overwhelming commitment to my babies once I could physically see, touch, and kiss them. We go to each other for affirmation and support; not judgment.
This blog is not about the importance of breastfeeding. Honestly, I would assume that most (if not everyone) agrees that "breast is best," and I would say that ninety percent of my friends have at least attempted to breastfeed their children for as long as they could. But, until you HAVE a baby or are IN a specific situation, you don't know how hard breastfeeding can be or how you can have complications, like mastitis. There are support networks; however, moms who do have problems can feel even more isolated (even WITH support from lactation consultants, etc.) when their probems go beyond the norms. I had a friend who literally went into postpartdom depression after she tried to breasfeed her baby for weeks with little success. She felt like she was a "lesser" mommy because she could not perform what was supposed to be a normal bodily and womanly function. She was even told that pumping was a less viable option because it reduced bonding time with her child.
I told her to find another consultant. Seriously. I have and do exclusively pump, and I can tell you, my kids and I have bonded just fine. Just THINKING about another mom telling me that my kids aren't as loved as theirs just because they breastfed from the boob makes me want to mentally shoot eye darts at them.
The same goes for any other "mommy" issue...unless it comes to safety. Then it's important to say something. Like if, at Stroller Strides, I notice a baby in its carrier that's not properly attached to the stroller. Then I have to say something because I would never be able to forgive myself if something happened. I look at that as a responsibility, and not an opinion.
Bottom line: Mommies, PLEASE support one another. Judgment and little comments can and really do affect each other. In a day where there is SO MUCH information "out there," it is super important to really listen to each other, and not just hear them and spit out your opinions without listening for the reasons of the other mommy. If you want to help them, LISTEN to them, and then THINK about how you would feel if you were in the other person's shoes. When it comes to "hot topic" issues, such as breastfeeding, please remember that EVERYONE has been inundated with information on the subject, and if someone has decided not to breastfeed, there may be a very viable reason for them to not have done so (in my friend's case, it was medical...seriously, she almost killed herself in attempting to breastfeed because she ended up with a massive infection...if anyone tried, it's her). Remember how it feels to have been judged as a mommy or parent, because everyone has been there.
No one is perfect. There are no perfect parents, because we are just human beings. We just have to support one another through these crazy things we call parenting and life, because you never know when you will be the one who will need the support.

Ikey-Pikey

One of the kids' favorite parts of my parents visting is that they bring their DOGS! Yes, both of them- Ike, a loveable 80-pound Boxer; and Tini, a 5-pound black-and-tan Chihuahua.
Ike used to be ours. Brent gave him to me as my wedding gift back in 2006. I was so excited to have him...I LOVE that dog. He's obedient and gentle with kids. He's a spaz at times; however, he loves to cuddle at the end of the day.
We did well with Ike when we lived in North Dakota because he had 2.5 acres to run on, and another dog (Fanny, our Springer Spaniel) to play with. But, after we found out that we were moving to California, we gave our Springer to another hunting family because we didn't think it was fair to take Fanny out of her hunting element. We also moved away from our home with a HUGE yard. Poor Ike's world shrunk dramatically.
Then we had Danielle, and my time for playing with him was cut even more short because I was juggling two kids under two years old, and our postage stamp-sized backyard was just too small for him to run in. I felt like all I was doing was escorting poor Ike from the kennel to the backyard, with little interaction inbetween. My heart broke for that poor dog, and I felt helpless as a doggie parent because I was so strapped for time and energy.
From the very beginning, my dad had a strong bong with Ike. He would always offer to take Ike if we needed to give him up; Brent and I used to blow it off as a joke. "We've got it, Dad," we used to say. But, soon we began to question whether or not he was serious about it...
One day, I asked my dad if he would take Ike. "Sure thing!" he said. But then there was hesitation. Ike is a big dog, and my parents already had two dogs at the time. They had just lost Odie, my dad's yellow lab buddy, and soon realized that by only having little dogs, they were still able to travel. My dad was considering when to retire, and traveling was a viable issue to deal with. But then again, he wanted another big dog to have around.
So, in his hesitation, we asked neigbors and friends. No one. We didn't want to give him to a shelter, so we held out a bit. Again, did I say that I love this dog?!
Then, one day, I got a phone call: Dad and Mom wanted IKE! We were so happy- it was the best of all worlds: Dad got another big dog that was trained, and he could still stay in our lives. My parents spoil that dog, in a good way, by letting him play in their 1/2-acre backyard and taking him on lots of walks. He even gets along well with my parents' Chihuahua, who is VERY picky as to who she is friendly with.
So, now, whenever my parents come to visit, so does Ike and Tini. The dogs are very much "at home" here in LA, and in Yuma, where they go to see my sister and her family. They just put the dogs in their kennels in the back of their BMW station wagon (and, believe it or not, it all fits!).
..and Gracie still considers "Ikey-Pikey" her best friend. ;)

Happy Fathers' Day

This weekend was a special one- my parents came to visit! The kids ALWAYS love to see their "Meema and Peepa," and it was VERY NICE to be able to enjoy some downtime with the kids and some extra help!
It was very nice to be able to have my dad here for Father's Day. He is the best dad I could ever ask for- his honesty, integrity, steadfastness and humor made him an incredible father and an even more incredible grandfather. It set the bar high for what I expect out of myself as a parent! He and my mom raised four kids, with all of us doing well in school, graduating college, and we are all now doing well in our personal and professional lives. We never had any problems with attitudes, drugs, drinking, etc., etc....my dad never expected anything less.
In other words, my dad somehow raised us in a way that we never wanted to disappoint him. And I don't think we have. We have all entered (or married into) fields of service, just like him (he is a retired police officer, my mom is a teacher). The two out of four of us who have kids and husbands laugh sometimes at how the "dad" comes out in us sometimes, too. ;)
I love you, Dad, and I'm glad you are my father. You have made us better people, and everyone who comes in contact with you is affected by the humble, yet strong, way you live your life. The world is a better place because you are in it.
Happy Fathers' Day.

This is HOW I Roll.

As I'm busy juggling three kids under four in the grocery store today, I get a question that I'm now all-to-used to hearing: "WOW! Three little ones?! How do you do it?!"
My usual response is "GRACE! Don't pull that down!", followed by "Oh, I have a routine. It's busy, but I love it."
It's true. I DO have a routine, it IS busy, and I DO love it. Every moment of it, even when I want to pull my hair out. I would not trade the job of being a mommy to my three babies for the world.
I belong to a special club of, um, overachieving and apparently fertile mommies who had three children in three years, more or less. My oldest, Grace, was three years and two months old (to the day) when Will, our baby, was born.
Did we PLAN it this way? Um, well...no. Not exactly. But we are happy that God interviened in our plans.
The purpose of this post is to help other mommies with three young kids to understand how I get through my day. I am, by no means, a mommy expert; however, since people ask, I will tell.
Question:
What kind of stroller do you use for all three kids?
Answer:
I use the Valco Twin Tri Mode with the toddler seat. I also have the hood; however, since it tend to end up being used as a play toy by one of the children, I usually end up putting a hat on the child in front, unless it's a very sunny day.
I also have a BOB Duallie Revolution that I use when I only have two kids with me (which is NOT very often at all). I used that exclusively before we had Will, and I will go back to it once Grace starts preschool. Honestly, the Valco gets me around and helps me exercise; however, I still LOVE my BOB.
Question:
Do you work?
Answer:
Well, yes- I do. Part-time. Extremely part-time. I am a AFAA- and Stroller Strides- certified group fitness instructor for Stroller Strides, a mommy-based fitness program. I teach fitness classes WITH my kids, who stay in their stroller until the end of class. Then they are able to play..a win-win for all of us.
Question:
How do you keep your kids IN the stroller?
Answer:
I hate to say this, but they are used to it. Honestly. They have been coming to Stroller Strides with me since Dani was 6 weeks old. Their friends are at Stroller Strides, and they know that they get to play afterward. Do they have bad days? YES! While I'm teaching! Oh, YES!! But you know what? I'm a mom, and my kids are, well, kids. They scream, but for the most part, they are good.
Question:
How do you handle bathtime with all three kids while your husband travels?
Answer:
I usually feed the girls and Will at the same time. Then it's time for vitamins, Claritin for Dani, and then I have Grace help me get diapers and pajamas ready and on their beds. I put Will in his exersaucer or bounce chair right by the bathroom door (it's a tiny bathroom), and put the girls in the tub and bathe them relatively quickly. Will is usually happy being entertained by our songs or the toys on the exersaucer. Then I brush the girls' teeth, get them dry, and then reposition Will so that I can get Dani ready for bed with her allergy routine (Vanicream, etc.). Grace gets herself dressed, and I do an inspection to make sure that she put her pull-ups on correctly, etc. Finally, I pull Will out of his exersaucer, read all of the kids their story together, prayers, a round of "Twinkle, Twinkle", and then it's kisses and lights out. Phew!
Then I bathe Will separately, feed him his last bottle, cuddle him and then put him to bed.
Question:
How to you have time to take photos and Blog?!
Answer:
I always keep my camera at the ready in my kitchen. Blogging occurs after the kids are napping or in bed for the night. I like to blog and review my photos at the end of the day b/c I personally like the satisfaction of knowing that I accomplished something for ME at the end of my day. There are days, though, that I am so tired that I just sit and watch TV.
Question:
Do you ever have time to clean your house?
Answer:
Yes, after the kids to go sleep. I am one of those "cluttered house, cluttered mind" people; therefore, I have to make sure that I have a clean house to go to sleep in and wake up to. Do I go crazy cleaning every night? NO. But I do want the toys off the floor, the kitchen cleaned, and the dishes out of the sink. I alternate nights for floor mopping, bathroom cleaning, etc.
Question:
Do you send your oldest to preschool?
Answer:
No, not now. She's right on the cusp, age-wise, to start. If we started her this year, she would need to either go to two years of preschool or would need to be pushed ahead..neither one of which we can afford (for preschool) or really want to deal with (the pushing ahead thing). I teach her the basics here at home through LOTS of songs, repetition, and pointing out objects/colors/letters/things in "real life." My kids also get a lot of social interaction through ballet class, lots of playgroups, and Stroller Strides.
Question:
How do you grocery shop?
Answer:
Very carefully and patiently. I have Will in the basket of the cart in his infant carrier, Dani buckled into the seat, and Grace walks. I cannot make big trips to the store, and I always utilize the rail under the cart. It's often crazy and requires most of my daily patience; however, with a husband in the military who constantly travels, I HAVE to do it this way.
If I need to get diapers, I check out the prices at Diapers.com before I put my kids in the truck to shop for baby items. Often times, it's easier to have the diapers shipped to me than it is to wrangle three kids and two cases of diapers through a store.
Any more questions?! Send 'em my way!

Random Conversation Between my 2- and 3-Year-Olds..

In the craziness of getting ready every morning, there are often little conversations that I overhear between Grace and Dani that really make me smile. Here's the one that made me laugh today:
Grace: "Sis, do you want a bow for your hair today?"
(I was digging for hair ties in the cabinet where we keep them)
Dani: "Hair?"
Grace: "Yes! Do you want one to look beautiful?"
Dani: "Head?"
Grace: "Yes! What color do you want? MOMMY! Sissy wants a PINK ONE!"
Me: "Grace, Sissy didn't tell me what color she wanted yet."
Dani: "Hair? Head?"
Grace: "Yes, she wants the pink one."

We LOVE Stroller Strides

This evening, the kids and I decided to go to the "Sunset" Stroller Strides class in Hermosa Beach. It's funny- the girls are usually REALLY good at this class, whereas they are usually NOT so good during the morning classes. Will, on the other hand, sleeps during the morning classes and cries during the "Sunset" class.

Go figure.

Since I taught this morning, I enjoyed being able to get a workout in for myself between Will's yelps. Regardless, I LOVED being able to get out with the kids a bit for the evening and wrapping up yet another beautiful SoCal day.

The light was INCREDIBLE after class today...I had a feeling it would be based on how nice it had been this afternoon (no, I don't normally bring my camera with me to class, but there have been MANY times that I wish I had!). So, while the girls were still in their stroller, I snapped a few photos. Since Will had been crying, I took some of him on my workout mat after he calmed down a bit.

Little Boy, Here's Something Called Food

This weekend, Will officially turned 4 months old. Since he was about three months and one week old, he started to give me the "hungry" look every time I ate in front of him. He smacked his lips like a little fish; and about a week ago (as soon as he found his hands), he even started grabbing at any food nearby. I really don't think I remember the girls ever being this excited to start eating solids.

But, then again, he's my little man. Men like FOOD.

So, now that he's four months old, I have started him on rice cereal. He only "took" about four spoonfuls, but he did well. He didn't immediately thrust the cereal out, and he really seemed to "chew" it, which is a good thing. No gagging, just rice cereal-ly (is that a word? If not, I just invented it) cuteness.

"Mommy, Can you hear me?!"

Today, after a 45-minute long power nap (haha...ugh.), Danielle woke up grumpy. After waking up, she yelled (never a good sign), and then I heard her little feet "thump" as they hit the floor. Then came the pitter-patter of toddler feet to the door, where I saw the following sight:


You moms out there know how much little visions like this tend to burn into your memory. You may not remember the sound of the whine behind those feet, but you will always remember how those dirty little toes wiggled under the door.

Since I had my camera ready to go on the counter, I grabbed it and laid on the floor to snap the picture above. I think she heard the snap of the shutter, because the next sound I heard was of the door creaking open.

So, I had my lens follow my eye and here was the next thing I saw:



You can almost hear her saying "MOOMMMMYY??"

Little did she know at that moment that I was lying on the ground below her.

I WISH that I was able to have my shutter speed reflecting the "HOLY CRAP!" response that ran across her little face when she realized where I was.

I guess some memories will have to stay in my head, haha! Oh well.

He Found his HANDS!!

Today, while in his exersaucer, Will found the most amazing thing: HIS HANDS! It was so funny and cute how, in the matter of moments, his hands went from being chewtoys for his aching, teething mouth to the object of his fascination.

He even used them to play with some toys!!! Goodness Gracious!!!

I am one proud Mama.

On another Will-related note, I cannot BELIEVE that he will be 4 months old on Saturday. Where did the time go? The crazy thing is, one year ago today, I found out that I was pregnant with him. Geez. Before I know it he will be heading off to college.

Okay, now I am going to cry.

For now, I am happy that he's fascinated with his hands. I hope he stays like that for awhile. :)

Mouthwatering Macaroni

I am all about making the foods that kids typically eat healthier. I try to have my kids eat healthy food; however, with juggling three kids, working part-time, and trying to keep everyone sane, I am all about easy food, too. Especially when we are running behind on naptime.

My kids love Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. It's "Sissy-Safe", and it's, well, orange. My kids love things that are orange. I've tried other healthy and organic brands, and...well...let's just say that the kids weren't as enthusiastic.

So, here's how I make Kraft Mac and Cheese a bit easier for me, as a mom, to swallow.

Instead of adding 4 tablespoons of butter to the mix, totaling 404 EXTRA calories per box, I add 4 tablespoons of light sour cream, bringing the total added calories to 80.

It makes the consistency a bit creamier than the original; however, my kids really like it. And it makes me feel a bit better, too.

Future Fashionista?

Okay, so, anyone who knows Danielle knows how much she LOVES fashion. Shoes, purses, dresses...you name it, she's into it. When other kids grab simple books to help learn how to spot things like cars, balls, and oranges, Dani has always grabbed fashion magazines. The more expensive, the better.

I know. Brent and I are in TROUBLE!

Today was all about headbands.

It was just too bad that she didn't know how to wear it.

Never one to blend into a crowd, Dani proudly rocked the headband today, even if it wasn't in the traditional sense.

Maybe her style will catch on? Well, maybe it would if everyone looked as cute as she did in it!

Sissy's Shortbread

Okay, people! Here's a fun recipe for anyone to enjoy! This recipe is not exactly a healthy snack; however, it serves as a good cookie recipe for anyone whose kids have egg allergies. Anyone who has a kid with allergies knows "the face" they put on when they realize that they can't enjoy the same treats that other, non-allergy, kids can. So, here's my fallback:

Sissy's Shortbread:

1 1/4 C. Flour
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 C.(1 stick) butter. REAL butter. Don't try to substitute..not good!
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate chips to your liking.

Oven temp: 325 degrees
Bake time: approx. 25 minutes (until golden brown)

Add dry ingredients together. Cut in butter until the butter is in small chunks, then (after washing hands!) blend until smooth. Add vanilla and blend in, also. Finally, add chocolate chips and then pat mixture into a ball.

Grease a flat baking pan, and then add mixture on top. Roll until the dough is about 1/2-inch thick. Cut shortbread into rows BEFORE putting in oven, or else you will end up with a HUGE sheet cookie.

Bake until golden brown on top. Enjoy!