Sleepy Saturday

Sweet Dreams.

I'm not bragging..

8:30pm-11:00pm: Sleeping.
11:01-11:02pm: Woke up but put self back to sleep.
11:02pm-1:30am: Sleeping.
1:30-1:40am: Middle of the night snack.
1:40am-7am: Sleeping.

Yes, my dear friends. It was a night of rest in the O'viller household.

But I'm totally not bragging.

Only Child

At least for tonight. His brother and sister have the luxury of spending the night away. He tells me it's not fair and I gently remind him that it's his own fault for not wanting a bottle and choosing to get up at all hours of the night.

These conversations really do happen.

Really Good or Really Bad

That's how I feel about my biology test. Either I did really good or I did really bad. I was amazed at how much I did remember. And for the first 30-40 questions I was like, "I've got this". Then around question 50 I started thinking.. "What? Did we go over this? Seriously? The what gland? Am I in the right classroom?" Yeah... and then the last 25 questions or so I started feeling better. Hmm, so we'll see come Tuesday!

I need some prayers being said for my nephew, Jon Wesley. Poor little boy.. He had to go in and have immediate surgery this evening to have some staph infection removed. They took him to the doctor Monday, I believe, and the doctor put him on some antibiotics and said to bring him back if it didn't get better. Well, it didn't and the doctor told them to take him to the hospital to be admitted that it needed to be removed immediately. So please say some prayers for him.

Update: I just got through talking to my momma and she said they were able to get all of the staph and it had started to form another spot next to it and they were able to get that as well. So that is good news. He is going to have to stay over night, I guess for observation. She said when he woke up from the surgery that he was pulling at his IV. Hopefully they got it all and he is able to get some rest tonight. All prayers for him would be much appreciated.

Taking a brain break

Oh my.. does my brain hurt. I've been studying for my first biology test. It is tomorrow by the way.

Prayers are much appreciated.

Anywho, my teacher told us that the test would be no longer than 100 questions. So that was good to know. He also did a pretty good review, which I was thrilled about because I was told by a former student's mother that he didn't review for tests. But apparently he does now. While he was reviewing I was circling/marking all the same or similar type questions on my study guide or in my notes. I think I got the majority of them. So I've been studying those like mad. I'm just hoping I remember it all come tomorrow night.

Again, prayers are much appreciated!

Tonight in my Psychology class (which I still haven't gotten my test back that I took a week ago! UGH!!) I overheard two girls talking... One girl said she knew another girl who has been trying for the last 2 years to get into the nursing program and still hasn't been accepted. She said this time would be her third time trying to get in. That made me feel super.. not.

I've filled out all my nursing applications but haven't mailed them off. We're still waiting to hear back from South Carolina to know whether Kent got the job or not. If he doesn't get it, I'll just mail in the application. If he does get it, I'll finish out this semester and start looking at nursing schools in South Carolina. I really do hope he gets the job though. It would be HUGE for his career. Plus, there are nursing schools everywhere. So that wouldn't be a problem finding one up there.

Anyway, I've jabbered enough. Back to studying while my husband plays XBOX with all his nerdy XBOX friends from work(yeah.. I said it.. y'all are nerdy.. the nerd herd).

Am I the only one?

The last two days have produced great weather days. We spent a lot of time outside. So today, when it started raining and turning a lot colder, I declared it a cleaning day or rather a cleaning morning. I needed to do laundry, the carpets needed vacuuming and everything had a layer of dust on it. I told the kids that today was going to be a cleaning day and that after breakfast and school (coloring, doing pre-school workbook and reading) that they were on their own to play for the rest of the morning. They all agreed and that was that.

I start cleaning and it was all going well until... "Maaaaaaaamaaaaaaa! I need you to help me with this Spiderman game". Fine. I go in there help Jon Kent do something really quickly and remind him that I am cleaning and he will have to figure it out for himself next time. I go back to cleaning. A few minutes go by and I'm approached by Zoey. "Momma, can you play with me in my room now?" "No, momma is cleaning, remember? When I'm done then I will play in your room with you." I return back to cleaning and then it starts all over again. Jon Kent wants my help with his game, Zoey sees me talking to Jon Kent and asks if I can play with her in her room. This goes on a bunch of times. The whole time I'm reminding them that I really need to get this done. I then tell them that if they would leave me alone for 10 minutes I could get a lot more done and be able to play with them a lot sooner. I get blank stares. Completely over their heads. I think ask them if they want to leave with a dirty house that has bugs and germs in it. They both shake their heads and give grossed out expressions.

So the whole time this is going on I'm feeling frustrated and guilty. Granted the frustration is understandable. I want to get something done and am being delayed.. frustration. But the guilt is harder to understand. I feel guilty because my kids want me to play with them and I am putting them off and telling them no. Which if I were a neglectful mother and was putting them off to watch TV or surf the internet (endlessly for hours.. blogging doesn't count.. lol) then I should feel guilty. But I'm telling them no to take an hour or so to clean up the house. No reason to feel guilty for that. But I do... every single time I have a "cleaning day". And I only have a "cleaning day" once every two weeks, when I absolutely clean the house from top to bottom. Then once a week I have a "cleaning morning" (like today) where it's just a quick all over clean and vacuuming. I've come a LONG way from thinking the house had to be spotless every day. A LONG way!

So why the guilt? I wish I knew. I just feel like at the end of the day I have beat myself up all day. And that I've been pulled in a hundred directions.. clean the house, play with the kids, wash clothes, play with the kids, vacuum, play with the kids, etc.

Someone tell me I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Glasses

100 Things.. finally

Because you know you've always wanted to know.It only took me 8 days to finish this.

1. My name is Emily Elizabeth. I was named after my great grandmother.
2. I was born on Friday the 13th.
3. I share my birthday with my grandfather.
4. I'm left handed.
5. I bite my nails.
6. I don't like feet. Except my children's. Anyone else's and I gag.
7. I wrote in my diary in the 5th grade that I would someday marry Kent.
8. He later broke up with me.
9. It took us 5 years to get back together.
10. Kent literally asked me to be his girlfriend.. literally.
11. I still smile about it every time I think of it.
12. My daddy used to call me George when I was little.
13. It was because I wanted to wear a football jersey instead of a cheerleading outfit on college football Saturdays.
14. I still get teased about it to this day.
15. I come from a very sarcastic family.. or rather father.
16. I'm very sarcastic myself.
17. I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior on Nov. 11, 2003.
18. I want more children.
19. But I don't want more babies.
20. I'm not a fan of the newborn stage.
21. I am a fan of the 6 month up stage.
22. I told Kent I loved him after us "dating" for about a week.
23. He returned the gesture.
24. While it was immature love it was still very real.
25. I honestly believe Kent is my soul-mate.
26. He is the butter to my popcorn.
27. The cherry to my limeade.
28. I played t-Ball/softball from the age of 4 until I was 16.
29. I played soccer in the 10th, 11th, 12th grade.
30. I loved playing sports.
31. I was once going to try out for cheerleading but my daddy talked me out of it.
32. I'm glad he did.
33. I got a D on my report card in 2nd grade.
34. My brother still brings that up.
35. I've had two miscarriages.
36. I often wonder what the babies would have been like.
37. I'm thankful though for the babies I've gotten to "keep".
38. The first time I lost the baby I was pretty level headed.
39. The second time I was angry, hurt and very with drawn.
40. I think I slept a solid day after the second one.
41. We weren't supposed to be trying to get pregnant when we got pregnant with Jon Kent.
42. I was told I didn't ovulate that month so we figured it wouldn't hurt.
43. The date the OB gave me that he thought I conceived on "Feb. 25th" was the due date for the first baby we lost.
44. We got pregnant with Zoey while "celebrating" our 3rd wedding anniversary.
45. Zoey was a complete surprise.
46. I called Kent at work and told him and he said, "AGAIN?"
47. Jon Kent was 12 months and 17 days old when he became a big brother.
48. I thought Zoey would be our last.
49. So did Kent.
50. But God had other plans.
51. I found out Nathan was coming a day before Kent's 27th birthday.
52. I emailed Kent a picture of the pregnancy test and it was titled, "Please don't be mad".
53. He wasn't mad.. just shocked.
54. I can't stand clutter. 55. I want to be either an OB nurse or a Pediatric nurse.
56. I'm afraid of getting a rejection letter from nursing school.
57. I'm going to start filling out my nursing forms tomorrow.
58. I think it will be hard but so worth it to get my RN.
59. This is the first time in my life that I know what I want to do when "I grow up".
60. I've always wanted to have a son that was a Jr.
61. Jon Kent is a junior.. Jonathan Kent.. after his daddy.. Jonathan Kent.. lol.
62. I knew I wanted to name my first girl Zoey when I was in the 9th grade.
63. My first car was an '89 Honda Accord.
64. I thought I was the stuff.
65. Nathan was semi named after Kent.. JoNATHAN.
66. My toe next to my big toe is taller than all my other toes.
67. Kent reminds me of my toes often.. as they aren't "perfectly descending" like his.
68. So far, all the kids seem to have Kent's feet.
69. I am slightly disappointed in that fact.
70. I have naturally curly hair.
71. I, in the last few years, have just come to love the fact that I have curly hair.
72. I'm a morbid person. Like really morbid. I talk about death a lot. I mean we all are going to die some day.. See? Morbid.
73. Kent asked me to married him on June 9th, 2001. Less than a month after my high school graduation. 74. The way he did it was completely romantic and unique.. I plan on sharing the full details during my S.W.A.T challenge in Feb. 75. I always wanted to spell my name Emilee instead of Emily. 76. In kindergarten I once told my teacher that my parents had gotten a divorce (they hadn't) and my daddy had moved to Georgia. My daddy came in to school one day because I had forgotten my lunch money or snack money and my teacher kept getting in between him and me.. she thought he was coming to kidnap me or something. She later found out about my lie.77. That story still gets brought up from time to time. 78. I had braces when I was in the 7th grade.
79. My favorite place to vacation is the beach.
80. I've always wanted to have 5 children.
81. Considering I had two miscarriages (actually babies.. not masses of tissue) and now have my 3 babies here, that would be 5. So I guess in the end I got my 5 children.
82. I don't see the point in vacationing in the mountains when it is warm and there is no snow. I just don't get it.
83. I got my glasses today. I'm embarrassed when people notice.
84. I played trumpet from grades 6-12.
85. My husbands (lovingly.. eh) calls me a band nerd.
86. He must think band nerds (me) are sexy.
87. Hahaha
88. I love me some Auburn football!
89. I have a brother who is 4 years older than me.
90. No sisters.. and I've never really wanted one either. I like being the only girl.
91. I love Sunkist. And if it didn't make me bloated and fat I would drink it 24/7.
92. I've either been pregnant or breastfeeding 58 out of the last 65 months.
93. I like to think of myself as creative. But, lately, rarely find the time to get creative.94. I love Valentine's Day.
95. My favorite color when I was little was purple. Now it's more pink.. but I like most colors equally.
96. I has a poodle named Toby when I was little. He died when he was 15ish years old.
97. I found him dead by his water bowl.
98. I'm not a big pet person. I have enough poop to clean up as it is.
99. I like to drink milk with ice in it. It started when I was pregnant with Nathan. Before then I used to think it was gross.
100. I think you are an awesome reader if you got this far and actually read it all. Way to go you!

Such a sad day

I learned today how very important a mother is to her children.

I went to my cousin-in-law's funeral today. It was just a sad experience, as most funerals are.. but what broke my heart more than anything was watching the kids just hanging onto their daddy. You know they don't completely understand it all and it probably hasn't totally hit them as to what has really happened. Their mother is gone. And she is never coming back. It just completely broke my heart. I stood there and all I could do was look at those kids and see how easily it could be my kids. Granted, I'm morbid.. just ask my husband. But I think anyone who is a mother would have been thinking the same thing. The thought literally makes tears well up in my eyes and brings a knot to my stomach and a lump in my throat. Just so sad.

The exact cause of death I'm not too sure about. I've heard two or three different things it could have been. I do know that she has had a lot of health problems over the last year or so. She had just had gastric bypass surgery a few months back and she also had some breathing problems but I'm not sure if they were caused by her weight or something else.

Anyway, please continue to keep the family and especially the kids (girl and boy) in your prayers.

Just a few

I had started to load some pictures earlier this evening to here earlier but as I walked away from the computer to do something else, my wonderful, sweet, perfect, never doesn't anything wrong, 9 month old son pulled my disc from the drive and slobbered all over it. Yeah.. so I just gave up. But since I said I would be back with some pictures later.. here are a few.

Oh, and did y'all see the family sticker I made. Too cute!! I got the idea from Heather.

I'm around here somewhere

Things have just been.. busy. School, or rather Bio-201, is kicking my booty. Between the labs and the lectures and then coming home to study/go over my notes.. I'm just buried. We have started working on our first exam review and it is easily 400 questions long. It's 11 pages long. So I've been working on it at night after the kids are in bed. Needless to say I don't get much sleep and that's just from school.. not from Nathan. So I REALLY don't get much sleep. I think after the first test I'll kind of see how I do then I'll be able to adjust my way of studying and such. But for now I'm doing it all just to cover my bases.

My cousin's wife (or rather soon-to-be ex-wife) passed away early yesterday morning. It was a complete shock to everyone. She was in her early 30's and had two children 10 and under. I wasn't really close to her, but it was still just so sad. To imagine that her kids have to grow up without her. They are both still so young.. it's just really sad. It's been weighing heavily on my mind since I found out. I can't stand the thought of my kids not having me as they grow up. Please keep the family in your prayers.

I've been playing over at Shutterfly for the last few days. I've been trying to get some Valentine's cards made up. I just made a few to send to grandparents, great grandparents and a few close friends. I think it's sweet and even though it is very much a commerical holiday I still it's think sweet to emphasise love for a day. I know we can all show love to our spouses, kids, family etc. everyday of the year but to just have a day that it's exaggerated.. I just enjoy it. Anywho, I made up some cards and I think they turned out pretty cute.

I've taken a ton of pictures over the last few days but my camera is out in the car and I'm too lazy to go get it. Yeah...

Yesterday was such a pretty day around here. The temperature was around 65 degrees and it was just so nice to be outside. I took the kids to the park and they played for about an hour on the playground and then we went and fed the ducks. There were some HUGE ducks and Zoey was scared of them. They would waddle right up beside her and try to get the bread from her. So she ended up throwing a whole slice of bread to one of the ginormous ducks. Nathan was in his stroller and he was surrounded by at least 10-20 ducks and he thought it was the funniest thing. So cute.

Speaking of Nathan, he is sleeping better. Not great, but better. He isn't getting up 4-5 times a night currently. I think right now we are, on average, getting up 2 times. Sometimes he wakes Jon Kent up and sometimes Jon Kent makes it all night in there without waking up. Last night, though Jon Kent was in our bed. And while we have a king sized bed, you would have thought we were sharing a twin. That boy was everywhere. Feet here, head there, feet there, head here. All over. It was so funny though when he first got in the bed with us.. he pulled the covers up to his chin, smiled and left out a really loud satisfied sigh. He was in heaven.. lol. In other Nathan news, I am sure he is about to pop several teeth. His gums seem to be hurting him and he has several white spots right under his gums. So it shouldn't be long now.

Well, I do believe that is all for now. I hope to be back later with some pictures from the last few days.

Almost.. almost

Last night around 10:30pm Nathan started crying wanting to get up and eat. I had just fed him not two hours before and he ate a good supper, so I knew he wasn't hungry. I laid him back down, patted his back and he would nod off. A few minutes later he would be back up doing the same thing. I would do the same routine and he would lay back down but each time I did that it would be shorter amounts of "peacefulness". Jon Kent woke up during all this so I took him to my bed and let him sleep there. Finally Nathan went back to sleep. And if he woke up any during the night I didn't know it.. and he didn't nurse all night. THAT'S A FIRST! So maybe.. maybe.. we are getting close. I'm hoping soon that we can just lay both the boys down and both of them sleep through the night without waking the other.

Funny thing, once Nathan did get up for the day he nursed and nursed.. like he thought he was going to go forever without his milk supply. Silly boy.

Jon Kent seemed to enjoy being back in the bed with us. He nuzzled his head into my chest and made me wrap my arm around him. He quickly fell asleep that way. It was like old times...

A new day for history

Over the last 5 hours I have watched one president leave office and another take it. With each man handling the transition with grace. With a politeness. How I wish our whole country could do the same.

President Obama, you have just taken office to a country that is at it's lowest point. We are on the brink of shattering to a thousand pieces. Please, Mr. President do what is best for this country. Do what is right. Take the road less traveled. Please realize that one day, as we all will, you will stand before God Almighty and be judged by how you handled yourself. How you ran this race. Please, Mr. President don't allow any party's policies to cloud your sense of judgement.. to deafen the still small voice that is telling you what is right.

Mr. President you and your family will be in my prayers day in and day out. You will need them as you take this journey.

May God have mercy on our country. May His hand not leave us. God, please, bless America.

Batman in Training

Thank you, Mr. President

Tonight is the last night of President Bush being the president of the United States.

Tomorrow starts the phase of "Change".

On this last day, I just want to say Thank you, Mr. President for standing up for what you believed in. For standing up and giving a voice to those who didn't have one. I wish you well. I pray that you and your family will be blessed in your day to day lives. Thank you for your 8 years. Thank you for being willing to be unpopular. For being willing to stand against the popular vote. Just simply thank you.

As tomorrow comes and Obama is sworn in as our next president I will pray that he is given wisdom to lead our country. That he will surround himself with wise people. That he will be humbled by the office he holds and be willing to do things because they are right and not because they are popular.

Tomorrow will bring change. I pray it's a change that we can handle. I pray that somehow our country can come together and stand together.

Not Me! Monday

It's Monday, so that means it time for MckMama's weekly carnival of Not Me! Monday. So here is what I did not do, under any circumstance, no matter who tells you otherwise, this week.

I did not watch my beautiful, well mannered daughter pick Nathan's nose and then eat what she found.

I also did not laugh at it either.

I did not forget the camera, again, when heading to Jon Kent's basketball game. I am more organized than that!

I did not get giddy at the thought of having my bedroom back to being just my bedroom after moving Nathan to Jon Kent's room. That would be mean and unmotherly.

I did not have a mental breakdown while rearranging all the kids' room on Saturday. And since I did not have the breakdown I also did not sling toys around while proclaiming that they had too much junk and there were kids who had nothing and would love to have just one of the many of toys that they had.

I am not procrastinating filling out my nursing applications by doing this instead.

I am not procrastinating starting supper by doing this instead.

I am not procrastinating studying by doing this instead.

What? I'm not.

So.. what did you not do this week?

Last night in the O'viller house

Nathan had a bit of trouble going down last night. I had to go in several times to lay him back down and pat his back. He finally went to sleep around 8:30pm. He slept until 10:30pm woke up crying, I went in laid him back down and he slept until 12am. I went back in there and laid he down once again and he slept until 2am. I tried laying him down again but he wasn't having it so I fed him. He then slept until 6am. I did another quick feed and laid he back down and he slept until 7am. So all in all it was a lot better night than I thought it would be. I figured I would be up a lot more, but thankfully it went smoothly. I hoping, eventually, he will just sleep through the night once he learns that I'm not going to feed him every single time.

Jon Kent didn't want to sleep in Zoey's room. He wanted to sleep in his room with Nathan. He did well with it all. I think he only woke up once during the whole ordeal. So that was good. This morning he told me that he liked having Nathan in his room.. "it was like camping out with Nathan." Sweet.

Lastly, here are a few pictures of the kids and Kent I took this morning before church. Enjoy!

Nathan sharing his kisses with his daddy

2 Milestones

Last night at 11:24pm (yes, I actually looked at the clock) Nathan said "Ma-Ma". Kent heard it too, but will argue that it doesn't count because Nathan didn't "mean" it. He just "said" it. Whatever. The fact that he CAN say it means that soon he will put two and two together and he will say it alllll the time. If Nathan would have said "Da-Da" first you could bet your bottom dollar that Kent probably would have started his own blog just to proclaim the news. All I can say is this.. "3 for 3, baby!" ;o)

Well.. Nathan, for the first time in 9 months and 10 days, (besides when we were in the hospital after his birth and then again when I was in the hospital birthing my gallbladder) is not sleeping in our room. We finally got the room rearranged (with me having a meltdown about how much junk my kids have) and his crib put into his brother's room. He is asleep. How long? Who knows. But it's a start.

Here's hoping to sweet dreams.

Watch out NBA.. Jon Kent is coming!

OK, so firstly I must admit that I've been a bad mother. (Don't you dare think about taking away my mother of the year award though). Jon Kent has been playing basketball for our local rec league and I have yet to take a picture of any of his games. There have been two so far. *sigh* Thankfully my daddy took some pictures today and my sister-in-law took some from last week.

Watching the little kids play is hilarious. They haven't a clue what they are doing. They hardly dribble the ball, hardly pass the ball and hardly ring the hoop. But the comedy of all these little people running around trying to take the ball from each other.. too good.

Jon Kent is #14. Which I think is pretty cute because Kent was #14 when he was playing basketball. In fact, it was also my number in a lot of my sporting events in high school (but that was only because I was smitten with Kent and wanted to be the same as him). It was the number I drew one year when trying out for color guard/auxiliary and I ended up making the highest score that year and was the captain of the squad (ahh, memories). Anywho.. so #14 has been a good number to us O'villers. You better watch for it in the coming years when Jon Kent makes it big time in the pros. Y'all can say y'all knew him when...

Friday Favorites

We have been stuck inside all day because of the freezing temps. OK, so for some of y'all my freezing temps would be a heat wave.. but still.. it's cold for this southern gal! Anyway, I took a ton of pictures and a lot came out pretty well. Here are a few of my favorites.

Jon Kent took this.. Zoey showing her "good" side. LOL

Nathan jamming out!

The cutest smile ever. Finally showing his two little teeth.

Nate-Nate and yours truly

I just loved this one. The boys just look so sweet.

Nathan getting his chew on with one of his blocks

Mother of the Year Award

You know because I am like totally the perfect mother.

Is it getting deep in here?

Actually, Christy gave me this award. How very sweet of her to think of me. She had some nice things to say and I really appreciate her saying them. If some of you haven't went over to her blog you need to. She is a great mother who is currently doing it "solo" as her hubs is off fighting for our freedom. She has really inspired me to be more Godly in my mothering. I hope everyone who visits here will also visit her.

So anyway, there weren't any "rules" for me to pass this on.. but I do want to share some of the love. Don't we all have days where we wish someone would just recognize all the hard work we do to raise our kids? I know I do. So here.. I'm passing it on.. Here are just a few of the moms that I believe deserve this award.. and there are plenty more out there but I will just keep it to 5.

Karen. We share the love for the name Nathan. ;o) She has 2 little boys and is currently pregnant with #3. I, for one, am rooting for a little girl.. but that's just because I think it's only fair to have a little estrogen in the family. Anywho, she is a great mother to her little boys. And she is always giving me ideas for things to do with my own kids. Go over and check her out and tell her what a great job she is doing with her boys!

Brandi. I have know Brandi for over 4 years.. probably closer to 5 years. She is the mother to one little boy, Ryan with baby #2 on the way. She is super sweet and is always encouraging. She has done a wonderful job with Ryan, you can just tell by the way that little boy smiles! I know she will be just as great of mother to #2.. which we find out what #2 is in a week or so, right? Go on over and check her out!!

Kris. Kris is a mom to two BEAUTIFUL girls. I think she deserves this award solely because she knows what I am going through with sleepless nights. LOL. Nah.. she is also a great mother. She is always sharing some great pictures that she took of the girlies during the day and they always seem to be having a blast. She is also very encouraging when she sees I am at my wits end with my own sleepless nights. Everyone needs to head on over there and check her blog out! You won't regret it!

Stephanie. She is also a mom to two gorgeous girlies. She has currently been dealing with the sickies over at her house and has handled it quiet well. When my kids throw up I come on here and complain and gripe.. she just mentions it in passing and that is that. She certainly gets the "Mother of the Year" award for that! Did I mention she takes some great pictures of her girls? Well, she does! Go on over and check her out. And tell her I sent ya!

Amanda. Amanda is a mom to a little girl and a little boy. We have known each other for.. over 4 years.. probably closer to 5 years. We were pregnant with our boys (Jon Kent). She is a great mother who just wants the best for her kids. She is also a great wife to her husband. Her son was born early and just dealing with all that comes with being a mom to a preemie is enough for any "Mother of the Year" reward. If I had another award to give to her, I would. She really does handle it all with great compassion. I don't think you can actually visit her blog (it's private and all) but I still wanted to mention her because she really is a great mother!

And lastly.. yes I know I'm going over my "5".. I'm such a rebel..

I would like to give the "Mother of the Year" reward to my own mom. I know she still reads me. So here you go momma!! Thanks for being the world's greatest mom to the world's greatest daughter. Ahem.. what? I am!

Now pass on the love to other mothers you know who could use a little pat on the back!

I've been inspired

OK, firstly.. momma, daddy read at your own risk. Oh and any and all others who know me well and don't see me in this light.

I've just got through reading two very well written posts about marriage and strengthening ones marriage. Those two posts are here and here. Go ahead and read them.. I'll wait.

Back? OK. So I've already ordered the book For Women Only. I think it will be a great read for me to better understand my husband and what goes on in his mind. I think we have a pretty good marriage currently, but I also want it to grow and to be even better. I want to treat my marriage as a garden.. you need to water it, weed it, fertilize it to keep it healthy. Same in a marriage.

Sadly, of late, I know I haven't been doing the best of jobs in that department. With 3 kids to take care of, a house to keep running and then school to attend it puts my relationship with Kent to the back burner. And there are times that we can't focus solely on each other for long periods. But really any focusing will strengthen a marriage.

So, I'm taking two challenges and I already know my husband will approve. I hope you will join it too.

Challenge #1:


Challenge #2:

Blurry

My vision that is.. This is what it must be like to type a post up drunk. You know.. minus the being drunk part.

Anyway, I went to have my eye exam today. I haven't had my eyes checked since.. oh, 2002. So it was time, I suppose. But I hate.. hate.. hate anything close to my eye.. much less in my eye. Have you ever seen the episode of "Friends" where Rachel goes to the eye doctor? Yeah.. I'm Rachel. When the lady did the puff in each eye, I literally yelled out the first time. So not cool, lady.

Anyway, the final result was I am near sighted and have an astigmatism in my right eye. Which is what is contributing to my night vision, or lack thereof, and the glare problems that I have at night and while on the computer.

So I got fitted for some glasses and they should be back from being ordered in a few days. So yeah..

The doctor asked if I would like contacts instead of glasses.. I gave him the "are you crazy" look and he said that glasses would do just fine.

Yeah mister.. they will.

Explaining

Although I know no one is looking for an explanation...

I'm a do what works type parent. Not "soggy" and not "crunchy".. just me"y".. lol. Sorry had to do that. ANYWAY.. with Nathan we have tried everything. Feeding on demand (thusly is why I was up every 90 minutes last night), cosleeping (which he will tolerate for about 2 hours and then kick and kick until put back into his bed), rocking/swaying (again he will sometimes tolerate but mostly won't), Kent getting up with him (he will then scream bloody murder until yours truly comes to take him away and feed him), we've tried crying it out (although that's really hard to do when the baby is in the room with you). See we've tried it all. I've never had a baby of mine to not sleep through the night at least once by this time. And I think it has a lot to do with me feeding him on demand for this long. It's one thing (in my humble noncrunchy, nonsoggy opinion) to feed the baby on demand the first 3, 4 even 5 months along. But past 6.. eh.. See folks.. when it comes to my sleep I'm lazy. I will do the quickest thing that works to get back into my bed to sleep. I love sleep. I'm a sleep-o-holic. "Hi, my name is Emily and I'm a sleep-o-holic". There I said it. Anyway, I did it because it was the quickest and fastest way to get him back to sleep. Thusly making him rely on me to get him to sleep. Which I know he can put himself to sleep because he does for both of his naps and when he goes down at night for the first time. After that.. he needs me.. or at least thinks he needs me.. to go to sleep. I am truly at the end of my rope. I have been functioning on 4-6 hours of interrupted sleep for the last 4 months. I'm tired and by the end of the day (especially now that school has started) I'm done and so tired my head hurts. So when my pediatrician suggested the same thing we were considering to do anyway, I agreed and knew it was the next step we had to take. If in a week to ten days we are still in the same boat that we are currently in.. then I will jump off the nearest cliff.. no, no, no.. we will figure something else out.

Anyway, just felt the need to fully explain our situation. And to get it all out of my mind.

*Edited to add* I was feeding Nathan shortly after turning the computer off and getting into bed.. and was thinking about my post.. and how I stated a first how I was a "sleep-o-lic"... which I obviously meant.. "sleep-o-holic".. See? I need more sleep!

Nathan's 9 Month Stats

Nathan had his 9 month check-up today. All went well. He weighed 21 pounds, 2 ounces. He was 28 inches long. He got two shots and handled those well. His ears checked out fine, as did his breathing. I talked to his pediatrician about his lack of sleeping or rather my lack of sleeping.. She suggested that we move him out of our room. Which we were considering anyway. She said to move Jon Kent in with Zoey for a few nights so that we could "fight it out" with Nathan for about a week. She says that Nathan is just used to having me whenever he wants (so true) and that is what he expects. But he needs to be "retrained". So that's what we will be doing in the coming days. Hopefully by this time next week Nathan will be giving us more time to sleep. Hopefully.

The joys of motherhood

So today was a first for me.. let's start at the beginning.

Jon Kent was sitting on the couch drinking his apple juice when he declared that it stunk. I thought he was talking about his sippy cup. So I said come here and let me smell it (thinking it was his cup and that maybe the apple juice had a funny smell to it). I was on the computer at the time reading emails so I didn't really see him coming....

He stuck his finger against my nose.

It stunk.

I mean, oh my goodness what in the world died on your finger, stunk.

I jerk my head back and immediately started laughing because although it was happening to me it was still pretty funny to see the expression on Jon Kent's face.. he was down right proud.

I said why does your finger stink? To which he replies..

Wait for it.. wait...

It was in my butt. My butt itched.

Yes, my blogging friends that's what my child said. I about die.. from laughter and from the thought of butt crumbs on my nose.

He immediately was directed to wash him hands but before he could...

Zoey had to take a sniff.. and she did. My girl has no fear. She also jerked back and declared, "Momma it really does stink!"

Ya think?

Yeah.. I called Kent.. he laughed a great deal and was probably proud as he could be.. I mean that is "his boy".

So what lesson did I learn today?


Look before smelling.

Not Me! Monday (almost)

OK, so it's not officially Monday.. but time on Mondays is limited. Especially now that school is in full swing. So here is what I totally did not do this week..

*I did not want to throw away all the sheets, comforters and pillows after my son so graciously puked on all of them, just so I didn't have to wash them.

*I did not want to stomp my feet and yell at my husband after previously stated puking son puked allll in my bed after his father, my husband, put him there.

*I did not gladly go to school that same night so I could get away from the puke house.

*I did not feel a million years old for being back in college.

*I am not worried to death about not making it into the RN program.

*I did not let my youngest son, my baby, chew on the straps on the Target buggy because I thought, "Well he's already chewed on it what's the point in taking it away from him now"-and-"we already have to go to the doctor Tuesday for a check-up". And even if I did do that.. which you know.. I didn't.. I didn't let him do it so it meant he wouldn't cry because I forgot his pappy.

*I didn't secretly also enjoying going to school because it means 1-2.5 hours of adult conversations.

*I didn't throw away a toy this week because I was tired of picking up said toy a thousands times or asking for said toy to be picked up OR pulling said toy from baby O'viller's mouth.

There.. I feel better.

So what did you not do this week?

Grow Some Wings -or- How to get to Heaven

The kids and I were outside swinging. I was pushing Jon Kent and Zoey and they were just chatting randomly with me. Jon Kent says, "Don't push me so high that I go to heaven." Zoey chimes in, "Momma can you swing me to heaven?" "No, I say, you can't get to heaven by swinging, you have to ask Jesus to come live in your heart." "Oh. So God has to live in my, my, my, my, my heart and I can go to heaven?" "Yep, that's right sweetie", I say. So then she breaks out into a random song of God living in her heart and getting to go to heaven. She sang it for quite sometime. A few minutes went by and Kent's grandparents came to the house. We were all still outside swinging and Zoey told Granny that if she wanted to go to heaven that God (she hasn't quite got the concept of God and then God's Son Jesus.. They all are just God to her.. which technically is right.. but I don't think there is enough room to even try to explain the Trinity.. if I even could.. I digress...) had to live in her heart. Granny agreed and then Zoey said.. "And when God lives in your heart you can grow wings and go to heaven... but, but, but, but, but your pony also has to grow wings too so you can ride him to heaven."

I'm glad she cleared that up for us.
****
I think Nathan is no more than a month away from walking. *sigh* Yes, I do believe we are nearing that point. Today he would stand himself up and then let go (purposefully) to standing alone. He even at one point let go and tried his hardest to move his little, chubby legs. But plopped right down on his baby booty. And was he mad.. Oh my dear was he mad. You can tell he wants to do it so badly. He watches the kids and sees them walking on two legs and he just wants to do it. But so far.. nothing. In due time my son.. in due time.

But he is climbing. The other day I saw him standing on the kids' stool they use to stand on to reach the sink. He crawled his way up the stool and was just standing there holding onto the cabinet. I was like.. "what!?!!" And tonight we were at Kent's grandparents' house and they have a huge set of stairs.. and the little booger crawled all the way up them (with me right behind him). When he reached the top he crawled around, sat down and just smiled. He thought he was the stuff. And he was.

Nathan is definitely teething. When he is nursing he bites. And he only does this when he is teething. So yeah.. I have been bit numerous times over the last day or two. He gets his firm warnings and his nose "popped" (more like a tap) and then he gets unlatched. So he only does it a few times. Here's hoping the tooth comes in soon. Being bit isn't fun to begin with.. but being bit on the nipple.. hmm.. even less fun.

Well, I'm off to study.. got 3 more pages of notes to reread.. and try to retain. So far I'm finding some interesting things. I'm going back over the notes and then reading along in the book (which my instructor doesn't do.. we just do notes...) and I'm finding that I'm learning more that way. I hope to be able to keep doing it.. hopefully we won't get so far ahead in our notes that it becomes too hard for me to be able to go back over the notes with the book. We'll see!

Bio-201..

..will be the death of me. =X OK, so it wasn't that bad, but I can see many late nights in my future studying all the notes and just trying to get a grasp on it all. Tonight was the first time for this class and the instructor said it was an "easy night" for us. We only did 6 pages of notes. So yeah... But one good thing about it all is that there are a lot of "older" people in the class.. and they kept stopping the instructor so they could keep up.. so it helped me.. lol. There was one point that I felt really old (yeah.. I know 25 isn't old.. but it's older than 18) and it was when I saw two girls that were little girls when I was in high school and there I sat sharing a college classroom with them.

Break out the walker folks.. I felt old!

Anywho..

Hopefully I will do well.. it will take a lot of work and a lot of studying.. but I think once I get back into the swing of things I should be OK. Should.

First Day

OK, so after Jon Kent's vomiting, I wasn't thrilled to be leaving.. well I was thrilled to be leaving the possibility of cleaning up more throw-up but not thrilled with leaving my sick little boy. But he was actually a lot better by the time I left. Anyway, my class was actually pretty neat. I can see it turning into a pretty interesting class. Lots of adult conversations and discussions. I think it will be a refreshing time for me.

My next class is tomorrow at 4:05-6:20pm. Bio-201. I'm more worried about this class. Just because it's more doing and less talking. You know. At least in my psy class we will be discussing and talking things out. But in Bio.. not so much. But we'll see. It may turn out better than I expected.

But that's how I do things.. prepare for the worst. That way when it turns out better than I thought it makes things a lot easier.

So my first day back is behind me now.. whew!

Happy 9 Months, Nathan!

*sighs*

My baby is 9 months old today. It seems like yesterday he was 9 days old. But we are nearing the point where he has been outside the womb longer than he was inside the womb. How depressing... nonetheless...

He is 9 months old. And here is what he is doing these days:

• He still sleeps like a newborn. But yall already knew that from all my complaining.
• He is eating solids/table foods better. But he is still very much a breast baby. He rather have his milk straight from the tap.
• He still has two teeth, but oddly enough he is trying to cut one of his "fangs".
• He is letting go at times and standing on his own.
• He can push objects around and use them as his walking aid.
• He loves to follow his brother and sister around and get into all their toys.
• He claps and patty cakes.
• I swear he is either saying "Yay!" or "Hey!".
• He will have "grunt" conversations with you. He'll grunt at you. You grunt twice at him. He'll grunt twice back at you and so forth.
• After naps he loves to cuddle with me for about 5 minutes. And if we are in a hurry and he can't cuddle for those 5 minutes he is a grouch for the next hour. No joke.

It's hard to believe in 3 short months we will be celebrating my baby's.. my last's.. 1st birthday. Say it ain't so!

Pukefest '09

Let the good times roll.. or projectile.. whichever.

Jon Kent has decided to grace us with his bodily fluids today. Chunky bodily fluids. Gag. He did it in his bed and then in our bed. Lots of extra laundry to do around here today!

He said his tummy didn't hurt but his head did. After the 2nd round of puking he said his head felt better. So I haven't a clue. He also said he was hungry so I fixed him banana and toast for lunch. He just got off the couch and announced that he felt alll better. I sure hope so. We are out of clean sheets.

And of course all of this would have to happen today.. on my first day of school. Leaving a sick child at home while I go to school will be just lovely.

Well, I'm off to fold my millionth load of laundry.

Photo 4x4

I was tagged by Janis. You're supposed to go to your 4th folder and find the 4th picture. Here is what I came up with.

This was taken sometime in May of 2007. Look how little Jon Kent was. He would have been.. 2.5ish in this photo. Awww.. and Zoey's little fat baby legs.. so sweet. I miss those days.. But this summer I'll have THREE little and not so little ones sliding down that same slide into a little wading pool...

I know several of you have done this.. so if you haven't.. then do it and let me know!

Our Day (Random)

We all "slept" in today. Jon Kent, Zoey and myself got out of bed around 7:30am and Nathan got up a little after 8am. That's sleeping in for us. Once Nathan woke up he gave me an explosive diaper. Literally.. he had peed soooo much that he blew out the diaper and those little absorbent balls were EVERYWHERE!!! It was a mess. So I just peeled all his clothes off and gave him a bath. He thought it was the greatest thing. He was getting a bath first thing in the morning for the first time in his life. Anyway... We ate breakfast and then had "school". Jon Kent absolutely loves doing school.. as long as it's at home. If you even talk about going to school he will get this terrified look on his face and yell, "Noooooo!" After school we played and read books. Later I made lunch and Zoey was "helping". We got to talking about me going to school. And once I'm done with school how I will be a nurse and working. She looks up at me with these huge tears in her eyes and says, "Am I getting a new mommy? I want you to stay here forever." Broke my heart. I tried to explain to her the best I knew how that I wasn't going anywhere. That I would be here for her. But there would be times where I'm at work, but someone else would be here, like daddy or a grandparent to take good care of them while I was gone. She wasn't having any of that. I finally just changed the subject. After lunch and nap we got dressed and went to my aunt's house. She did have the books that I needed so that was awesome! No having to buy books for me!! Yay!! Right when I was pulling into my aunt's drive she was on the phone trying to get in touch with someone because her car wouldn't start. Thankfully, we came just in time. So she rode with us to the college (she needed to check on something for her classes) and I grabbed my test scores. I got a 93 for my reading, a 99 for my writing and a.. drum roll please.. 33 for my math. Can you believe that? It was horrible. Thankfully I have already taken my math classes. It's amazing how much you forget when you don't use it often. I believe I remember scoring in the high 80's when I took it back in 2001 (only EIGHT years ago.. boy do I feel old). Anyway, my reading is really all I needed, so that's good. After that I dropped my aunt off at her work and we came home. We played outside for a bit. Then we came home and I cooked some supper. Now the kids are playing with their Aunt Kerith and Tim (hopefully Uncle Tim in the future). They are wiring the kids up for us.. lovely. Well, tomorrow night is my first night back in school. I'm anxious but ready to start. I'm hoping my brain isn't completely fried from having 3 kids in less than 4 years. Speaking of having kids, tomorrow will be Nathan's 9 month birthday.. you'll have to wait for the post tomorrow.. later!

More details

I only had like a few minutes to really tell of my new beginnings this afternoon. But now I have some time on my hands...

My academic counselor was really nice. And helpful. She gave me the 411 on all the do's and don'ts and told me things that I wouldn't have otherwise known about. I was so relieved that she was so nice. After she got my classes together I went and had them put into the computer. And then went ahead and took my COMPASS test. I only really needed to take the reading part of it to get my score so I could go ahead and start filling out my nursing applications. So I took that. I think I either did good or fair on the reading and writing parts. Now math (Daddy skip this part!!! ;X) I probably got like a zero on it. I'm good at math.. or should I say I was good at math. I guess since getting out of school, some of it has slipped my mind. I figure with a few refresher hours (if I needed them) I would be back on my game.. but today.. notsomuch. I was sitting in that computer lab (thankfully all alone) talking to myself saying things like, "Are you kidding me? 3x-3y over 3x+2y= WHAT? My daddy would die of embarrassment if he knew it was taking me this long to do this. Are you serious? Am I really supposed to know this stuff? I swear all the kids took my brains cells when they came out of the womb." It would have been some funny stuff to anyone else in the room.. had anyone else been there. But it was soooo not funny to me. Thankfully, my math score doesn't matter because I've already taken all the math courses that I needed. WHEW!!

After that I came home did some chores, fed the kids, got them down for naps, went and searched out the books I needed and then waited for the kids to get up from their naps so I could go BACK to the college and get my schedule changed. Now Karen here is the answer to your question.. I could have gotten online to do my schedule if it weren't my first semester there. But since it is, I have to do all my scheduling in the office this time. But next time I can do it all online, thankfully. Because I think the ladies up there (they are nice and helpful) were just really frazzled today and were just trying to get people in and out.

Anyway, I went back up there and got it changed and my daddy came by and paid my tuition (thank you again!!!). I even may have gotten my daddy another teaching gig (LOL).

I start classes Wednesday. I have Psy-210 on MW from 6:30-7:45pm and then Bio-201 on TuThu from 4:05-6:20pm.

I have an aunt who has already taken these classes and if the books are the same is willing to leaned me her books. Which would be awesome. That way I wouldn't have to worry about buying books. So, hopefully that will work out.

Well there ya have it.. I'm going back to school. It's one thing I can check off my New Year's resolutions.

New Beginnings

Well folks.. I'm a college student once more. I went and registered today, took my COMPASS test and I am now enrolled for BIO-201 and PSY-200, although now that I see that.. I think they gave me the wrong PSY class because I've already taken 200. Bah! I'll just have to go back up there and change my schedule. Wonderful. ANYWAY, the main point is that I did it.. I took the first step. It wasn't nearly as bad as I made it out to me in my head. Whew!

Budding Photographers

My two budding photographers got their chance with the camera today.

I think it was so cute how they both wanted to take pictures of Nathan. And on Zoey's first shot Jon Kent looked at it and sighed and then said, "Zoey, you're not supposed to take pictures of the floor!". LOL. So funny.