The Ramblings of a Stressed-Out Mom

If you've noticed, I have been slacking a bit on the blog entries. Every morning I wake up and think "Today, something profound will happen and I will have a good story to write about." At the end of each day, it's the same thing. A messy house, laundry piling up, running kids to and from practice, a work-a-holic husband whom no one has seen since Sunday, back talking teenagers, a sassy 2 year old who also refuses to poop until I threaten her with an enema (A.K.A. bucket medicine), and a cranky baby who wants to be held all day and has decided that he doesn't like to eat food, which is very bad, since he is already too skinny. Most of the above leave me feeling guilty and inadequate. I should be able to keep up with the laundry, and I should be able to keep my house clean. I should be able to drive to Shaker Heights to watch a track meet in the rain today. My punishments should be consistent when my kids are mouthy and disrespectful. Who knows where I went wrong with the pooping problems, and I attribute Nicholas' underweight body to the fact that I did not breastfeed him.

When my kids have had a bad day, I always tell them that tomorrow will be a better day. This has been a yucky week. I just have to remind myself that next week will be better! In the meantime, here is a glimpse of the growth I have had attached to my leg for the last several days. (Please ignore the sheep pajamas.)

There is Hope......

Tuesday morning Shea informed me that she could not find her Ipod Touch. She was certain that she had put it in her front pocket of her book bag after school but when she got home from Track practice it was gone. Shea is notorious for being POSITIVE about putting something in one place or another, and I always find it somewhere completely different. By yesterday morning, it still had not shown up. I was starting to get more worried and more perturbed. I told her to take everything out of her locker and make sure it wasn't buried at the bottom, and I searched her bedroom to make sure that it wasn't buried under a heap of dirty clothes. This morning we were convinced that it was lost. I told her to check with the office at school to see if maybe someone turned it in. The chances of someone turning in a $300 Ipod are slim, but it was worth a shot. Low and behold - it was in the office waiting for someone to claim it. I was speechless! I just stared at her with my mouth gaping. She couldn't understand why I was so impressed. (That must mean that she is pretty honest too if the thought never crossed her mind that someone would keep it rather than turn it in.) I told her to go back to the office and ask who turned it in, because that kid deserves a medal. At the very least, a very big thank you.

Our New Rasta-Man

Is this adorable?? The girls bought this hat for Nicholas on their cruise. We might start a trend in babybwear.

My Funny Kid

For four years, I have been wishing that we had installed an intercom system in our house. When the girls are upstairs in their rooms, with the music on and their doors closed, they cannot hear me when I call them. I have to stand in the living room and yell their names several times until either they hear me or I am forced to walk upstairs and knock on their doors. Shea is the biggest offender because she plays her music the loudest.

When she got her cell phone, I discovered that all I had to do was send her a quick text and she would come down. It works perfectly!

Last night, I made chocolate chip cookies for dessert so I sent her a text and told her that if she wasn't downstairs in 10 seconds, she was not going to get a cookie. This was her reply:

"Aight dog. Lemme fix mah herr."

I laughed so hard, and it made my night!

Is This Kid a Hillbilly or What!

Last Weekend Birthday Celebrations

We started the weekend by celebrating Nick and Nicholas' birthdays. Nicholas was originally going to have his party on Valentines Day, but it was postponed. So we joined the 2 Nicks together. Unfortunately, my mother-in-law was sick, so they were not able to come. And Paige developed a fever on the way to our house and spent the entire time in our bed sleeping.

My camera was not cooperating with me, so excuse the picture quality. I am not happy with any of the picture that I took all weekend. I chose the best I could find.

Then on Sunday we celebrated Chloe's birthday. The weather was fairly nice, so the kids went outside and decorated Easter eggs.

Happy Birthday Chloe!

Isabella is Potty Trained!!!

SING IT WITH ME PEOPLE!!

Happy Birthday Nick!

I met Nick one month after my divorce was final in 1998. He was the manager of the restaurant that I was interviewing for. That was a very hard time of my life. My opinion on men could not have been any lower. I was mad at life that I had no job, no higher education and had to figure out how to raise my two small children on my own. We sat across the table from each other at the interview and I remember thinking "hmm" there is something about this guy. I was hired for the job, and over the next year and a half we became friends. I had no interest in dating, but I really enjoyed talking to him. I am not really sure when it happened but we started casually dating. I absolutely did not want anything more. But then I found myself thinking about him ALL the time. I wanted to be with him constantly. It was really freaking me out. I finally laid it on the line and said that I wanted more from him, but was prepared to never see him again. Shockingly, he agreed. And 2 1/2 years later, we were married.

When have been through it all in almost 7 years of marriage....the turmoil of a blended family (much harder than you could ever imagine!), miscarriages, building a house, sick parents, and economical ups and downs. We have grown together and each event that comes our way, we tackle it head on and learn from the experience. I can't imagine experiencing life with anyone else.

My Husband! I love you so much!

Shea's First Track Meet

Starting the 400 Yard Run......

And finishing FIRST PLACE in the 400. (Yes I am bragging, but I don't care!)

Less is More (Or Not)

Isabella asked me to do her hair and insisted that I use every clip she could find. Here is the final product. If you look closely you can see my attempt at french braiding her VERY fine, silky hair. Not an easy task!

She reminds me of another girl I know.