The Satisfaction of Productivity

I am definitely a mother because i felt the need to blog about the crazy productive afternoon I had...why? Because it is UNHEARD OF. lol we had a very rough morning, with some sleepy,whiney, clingy kids, so i was sure today would end as sour as yesterday did, but as soon as those little heads hit their pillows for naps, I got to work and haven't stopped since! The list of accomplishments:

1. All but one load of laundry is done and put away
2. Floors mopped
3. Dog's room cleaned ( and can I get an EEEEW for that one :P)
4. sheets changed in every room ( obviously that was after naps )
5. all rooms picked up/cleaned
6. Dishes done
7. Bathroom cleaned, along with a total soak and scrub down of the tub with some oxy clean
8. Oven was sprayed and thoroughly cleaned...and the next one will be in another year LOL
9.Kids bathed
10. Dinner is cooked, served, and Mama is THRILLED!

Thank you LORD for days like today where i feel like i actually accomplished something! Thank you for letting the kids sleep, for providing me with energy, and for ample time to get it all done in! I know it will all be destroyed by 10 AM tomorrow, but i'm savoring every minute of it now!! Now i can go one night without stressing about the 50 million things i need to do, and enjoy hanging out with my wonderful family...(and only worry about the 25 million things i need to do tomorrow. :) ) Ahhh... goooood feeling....must enjoy it while it lasts... lol hope you all had a wonderful day!!

Just Another Manic Monday.

HELLO MONDAY!! you have yet to fail at being the worst day of the week! :P We did have a nice break, but come Saturday Kyleigh came down with a bug, Landon has been OVERLY cranky and moody, and Hayden has upped her eating schedule to ever 2 1/2 hours for the past two weeks so i started of my week a little irritable. But i did try and get up this morning at 5:40 to do my devotions, the only way i keep my sanity during the week, and of course my boys also decided it was time to get up,and the dogs had once again peed in the house. Cici also decided she was going to give me attitude today and refuse to go outside. That all should have been a sign for the day! today wasnt even a matter of the moods, well, despite Landon's. It was just non-stop.
          I made an appointment this morning to take Landon in to check out an infection on his foot, and once i got home from that it was all down hill. Landon came in screaming from outside, but being Landon, he cries hysterically if his cup falls, so i never really think anything of it. I picked him up and sat him in his highchair for lunch. 5 minutes later, i realize his eye is swollen and there is a nice cut above his eyelid...talk about feeling guilty :P this is why kids shouldnt "cry wolf", then mommy never knows when its legit! Then I went to put all the kids to bed, and hear a bang in one of the rooms, followed by a screaming Hayden...yep, my daughter decided to roll for the first time today, and it was off of my bed. Before you judge, i have had four kids, i KNOW this happens even if they arent rolling, so i did plan ahead and put her closer to the middle of the bed, i still have no idea how she managed to roll all the way off, but regardless, the guilt is still there! she now has a nice bruise on her forehead and i feel like i should win the worst mother award for the day! im also scared to go out into public with them because at the moment it looks like i beat my children. :P Since then, ive had a bottle of seasoned salt spill all over the counter, my lysol bottle lid was unscrewed ( one guess on who did that) so when i went to pick it up it spilled all over the floor, and Landon ripped three of the leaves on our "Thanksgiving tree" ( where everyone wrote what they were thankful for) completely to shreds. while cleaning up the lysol i started laughing, and Kyleigh asked "Mommy, why are you laughing?" I said "So i dont cry!" lol Oh Lord, only You know why we have days like this...if its to test our patience, please help me pass the test soon so i can avoid these days! If its something else, please give me money to load up on Starbucks!! :D sigh, tomorrow is another day... On the upside, i have 4 healthy babies with LOTS of energy that never leave me bored or without excitement in my day! :) Hope everyone has a wonderful night!

You're not Alone

Ever wonder if its just your kids that are nuts? Or why no one else seems to be dealing with the same craziness as you throughout the day?? I felt this way for a long time...I would write my posts on facebook, but never really saw anyone else share the same ventures. Or when I'm out, and other mothers appear offended by my children, or in a store and my kids are the ones crying and running down the aisles..."Am i really the only one that deals with this?? is there something wrong with me??" But after a while I soon discovered ( through observation) that no, I am most certainly not alone, but for some reason no one ever feels they can share their experiences with the world. If you know me well enough, you know I'm an open book. I really don't feel there is a whole lot that needs to be kept hidden. Life's too short, and people want honesty and raw reality. So what you see is what you get. I post my things on facebook as a means of venting ( so i dont explode (or cry), and to provide entertainment of course, but also just to show others that hey, you are not alone, my kids  are off the wall too...and this is with me TRYING.  Women act like the church does most of the time, where we are all too scared to be honest about how we are feeling, or whats going on in our lives because we don't want anyone to make judgments about us. But I have a secret for you....NO ONE is perfect, we all make mistakes, we all have problems, we all struggle to work through this or that, ITS NORMAL. Actually....there's this great guy named Jesus Christ who died for that very reason! amazing isnt it?? :) I hear so many of my friends apologize for sharing their feelings, or as they put it "complaining", every time they express their struggles, or when they are having a bad day. If you can't feel comfortable enough to do that with your friends, who can you do it with?? Who cares what people think! quite honestly, most people will love the fact that you are real, who knows whose heart you are touching by just letting them know you have problems too... that we dont have it all together after all! What a relief to know we can just be ourselves... tired, frustrated and in need of some serious support when it comes to being a wife and mother, and juggling the many many roles we have. Its hard work, and that's ok! Yes, my kids drive me absolutely CRAZY most days, and many times i genuinely just don't like them very much, but they are the joy of my heart and i would be lost without them. I think most mothers feel this way, but cant bring themselves to say it out loud. Well, for those of you that do hesitate, im letting you know, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! :) God is faithful and He will get us all through it, we just need to continue seeking His will, strength, and wisdom and we will be just fine. My heart and prayers go out to all you wonderful ladies, know that I sympathize! :)

Advice

I'm not a big advocate for offering up advice for parenting unless first asked because its super annoying, however I'm going to make an exception today. my best advice for new mothers is this: "IGNORE WHAT EVERYONE ELSE SAYS, INCLUDING YOUR DOCTOR!" Obviously this doesnt apply in EVERY case, but over-all, I stand by it. I'm no pro by any means, i vouge for that... but i have had four babies, and i can say with complete assurance that all kids are DIFFERENT. No one knows their child better than the mother.

You think its necessary to have them sleep on their backs?? the risks are there no matter how you put them to sleep, just monitor them. once my kids could sleep on their tummies, they slept through the night... so this time around i did it right off the bat, and guess what, Hayden sleeps through the night. most adults like to sleep on their bellies, so why wouldnt a baby?? now, there are exceptions, some babies prefer their backs, or their sides.... let your baby choose!

Pacifiers: one of mine hated them, two loved the big fat straight ones, and Hayden loves nuks... again all kids are different.

Swings ( and the like): I stressed and stressed about getting a swing this time around because it was a life saver for my first three...guess what, i now have a swing sitting in my living room that is only used when landon tries to get in it. Hayden hates it!

swaddling:  none of mine liked it! they always fussed until they were free, but some babies do...again, let them "tell" you.

Diapers.... cloth or disposable: personally, im all for convenience, but everyone is different... do what works best for you. The whole saving money thing, im still not so sure i agree... i spend about $410 a YEAR for two kids, it would have cost me about $900 to buy USED cloth diapers to last until potty training...2 years, so in this particular case, i'm spending less for disposable. its all about what YOU want and what works best for you and your baby.

Caffeine: its perfectly FINE.  i drank it a few times a day with all my kids... so much for low birth weight since mine were all over 8lbs.

and most importantly, If your baby is acting like something is wrong, and you feel that they need to be seen, odds are, they do. Im pretty anal about not going to the doc unless absolutely necessary, especially for rashes and stuff because so many things can cause them. But landon had one a few months back that i knew was more than just a typical rash, so i took him in. Before even saying hello, the doctor walks in and says " We dont know what causes them, its hard to tell, theres nothing we can do." I was pretty annoyed, so i lifted up his shirt and said, "well can you tell me what THIS is?" and she immediately shuts her mouth, looks it over, and says, " oh... wow, well that would be a skin infection." I rest my case... I've had this happen on a few different occasions, so go with YOUR gut, not anyone else's.

A few of my friends have asked me for advice on things, and i always tell them what worked for mine, but end it with, " every kid is different, you just have to see what works for yours." seriously, stop stressing, your baby will let you know what he/she wants and how they want it. All you need to do is ignore everyone else, stay in tune with your kiddo, and you'll be just fine! :)

Advice

I'm not a big advocate for offering up advice for parenting unless first asked because its super annoying, however I'm going to make an exception today. my best advice for new mothers is this: "IGNORE WHAT EVERYONE ELSE SAYS, INCLUDING YOUR DOCTOR!" Obviously this doesnt apply in EVERY case, but over-all, I stand by it. I'm no pro by any means, i vouge for that... but i have had four babies, and i can say with complete assurance that all kids are DIFFERENT. Know one knows their child better than the mother. You think its necessary to have them sleep on their backs?? the risks are there no matter how you put them to sleep, just monitor them. once my kids could sleep on their tummies, they slept through the night... so this time around i did it right off the bat, and guess what, Hayden sleeps through the night. most adults like to sleep on their backs, so why wouldnt a baby?? now, there are exceptions, some babies prefer their backs, or their sides.... let your baby choose! same with pacifiers, one of mine hated them, two loved the big fat straight ones, and Hayden loves nuks... again all kids are different. swings?? I stressed and stressed about getting a swing this time around because it was a life saver for my first three...guess what, i now have a swing sitting in my living room that is only used when landon tries to get in it. Hayden hates it! swaddling... none of mine liked it! they always fussed until they were free, but some babies do...again, let them "tell" you. diapers.... cloth or disposable: personally, im all for convenience, but everyone is different... do what works best for you. The whole saving money thing, im still not so sure i agree... i spend about $410 a YEAR for two kids, it would have cost me about $900 to buy USED cloth diapers to last until potty training...2 years, so in this particular case, i'm spending less for disposable. its all about what YOU want and what works best for you and your baby.  No caffeine?? i drank it a few times a day with all my kids... so much for low birth weight since mine were all over 8lbs. If your baby is acting like something is wrong, and you feel that they need to be seen, odds are, they do. Im pretty anal about not going to the doc unless absoltely necessary, especially for rashes and stuff because so many things can cause them. But landon had one a few months back that i knew was more than just a typical rash,

Repetitiveness

Something we aren't properly prepared to endure during parenthood is the EXCESSIVE repetitiveness that occurs on a day to day basis. Kid's are very routine and also have one track minds. If they make a request, and you don't immediately answer it, it will be asked over and over and over and over until its met. "Mom, can i have a snack?" "I'll let you know when its time." 2 minutes later "Mom, can I have a snack?" or "Mom, can I play with the puppies?" "when they are done eating, honey." 2 minutes later "Mom, can I play with the puppies?" You get my drift? That would drive anyone up the wall, but imagine having 3 of them doing it to you...all...day...long. As I am writing this, D.J. just came in the room and asks for me to get his cars from the living room...my getting up out of my chair and walking to the living room wasn't enough to show i was getting them apparently, so he managed to repeat the question another 6 times before i said "I AM!" The repetitiveness is not just centered on questions, but also in the things they do throughout the day. I can guarantee my kids will wake up every morning with Kyleigh wanting a movie on, D.J. immediately asking for breakfast, and Landon screaming his head off. when breakfast is over, a snack will immediately be asked for, of which i will say for the millionth time, "its not snack time yet." I will hear that question another 5 times before it really is snack time. Then snack time will come, and Kyleigh will ask for her usual cucumbers and ranch, D.J. for his pudding, and Landon will stand at the gate, attempting to shake it down, and walk into the kitchen, pointing and whining towards the cabinet with the lollipops.  I could go on and on, but i promise you, it is the same routine every day.  This honestly would be an amazing thing, if they would just repeat the good things! Lol If i didn't have to repeat the same "no" answers, which they already know, but hey... i suppose any routine is better than nothing. I just find it fascinating. even at a young age, heck, as young as Hayden, they develop a consistent routine automatically, and its almost impossible to break, at least not without it being a huge ordeal. I definitely wasn't expecting that when I became a parent, and being the youngest of four siblings, I'm not used to the annoyances of little people all day long, I guess this is my payback for my brothers and sister? :) ahhhh kids... the most annoying yet lovable creatures in God's creation lol

Its one of those weeks

Ok, so its Wednesday hump day, and thank goodness! This week started off rough and hasn't seemed to ease up yet! Today is no exception...My hubby accidently turned the alarm off so we woke up about 20 minutes before he had to leave. I went to shut Kyleigh's door and she woke up and came right out. She literally followed me wherever i went...kind of annoying at 6:30 in the morning without any coffee in your system. :P then she argued with me about putting Dave's food in his lunch box because SHE wanted to do it. once we got Dave off, D.J. woke up... I attempted to sit down and do my devotions despite the two of them being up. They both saw me sit down to read and immediately went to grab their books and markers to color with me. Cute, right? that's what I thought too, but as soon as their little butts hit the bench they were fighting...loudly. Then Kyleigh started singing...loudly...in an attempt to drown out her brother who was making annoying sounds.....loudly. After my calmly asking them to be quiet about 7 times, i sent them out of the kitchen so i could finish, considering i had read the same line about 20 times at this point. Then D.J. demands, "MOM! I WANT MY BREAKFAST!" Did that just make you wince? yeah, not ok in my book either! I said, " Buddy, you need to ask me nicely, and i will get it for you in 5 minutes." What does he do? starts throwing a fit by grunting, then gets louder and throws an all out fit on the ground because I'm not responding. I continue to ignore him, and he  just keeps at it for another 5 minutes. all of a sudden, he stops and sits down in front of me quietly...ahhh, love when that works. ;) Then they start fighting again, and Hayden wakes up to eat. Ok, so much for devotions this morning! Randomly, Kyleigh says, "Mommy, I'm going to do something nice for you." Really?? My kids must be bi-polar lol So she goes and grabs the step ladder and begins emptying the dishwasher... love it :) But of course, the peace lasts for about 5 minutes, then they are fighting again, and Kyleigh hits D.J. with the towel, and lo and behold you would have thought she just drove a knife through him! That was it, they were separated and told to stay away from each other until I gave the go-ahead. So here i am, writing my morning events, and its only 8:00... Jonas just arrived and the kids are all three downstairs playing, nicely for the time being. I am going to attempt to clean up the kitchen, make breakfast, and head off to fix my orange hair... ( yes, this week has been rough as I said ;) ) Quick prayer for patience and endurance, and I'm off! have a wonderful day everyone, and be sure to use birth control!

Overwhelmed yet blessed

Oh the things I go through on daily basis... I think God designed my life and those in it to provide comic relief. On Wednesday, I was giving the kiddos a bath and I walked away for a minute to get something, and came back to the floor and walls covered in water because my two big kids had decided to throw around a sopping wet sponge. Then, I was leaning over the tub to wash my boys, and Kyleigh decides to turn on the shower...causing the boys to both jump out of the water and leaving me soaked. Landon also managed to get ahold of my laundry detergent and poured half a bottle all over the floor. That was a fun clean up, its still slick there. the upside was I got to watch his feet scrammble as he tried to stand up, and fall on his butt about six times before i finally got him out. Yes, i took pleasure in it...wouldnt you? LOL Yesterday consisted of me getting kicked in the head and slapped in the face by DJ., as well as my finger being shut in the door by Landon. (He also ripped a page in his Daddy's Bible). The best moment this week though was after D.J. hit Kyleigh in the face so hard that she was bleeding from her nose and mouth, so I told him he would be getting a spanking when we got home. I get the kids unloaded and in the house and find that Kyleigh had laid the paddle on his bed for me. LOL She was pretty upset! This is just a brief overview of some of the endeavors we have experienced this week... which brings me to my point, I feel overwhelmed!! I finally watched a couple episodes of the Dugger family, and between that and my Created to Be His Help Meet book I feel like the goal of control and order is impossible! How on earth does Michelle Dugger stay so calm?? I have 4 kids and my nerves are in a permanent state of being SHOT! She is always so reserved and pleasant, and I know i must look like a woman on the verge of a mental breakdown lol ANd then my book does nothing but emphasize how my home should be running, how my kids should be behaving, what they should be learning, and overall...how im FAILING! My kids are by far NOT the worst kids out there, they arent even necessarily bad, they are just BUSY. The things they do are spurned from some beautiful personality and character traits that just need some molding. My thing is, how on earth do I mold them! I work with one, and the others are wreaking havoc, I work with all three and I will end up in a padded room. Then my house.... ive managed to create a fairly good rhythm down to where its at least clean on the surface for when my hubby comes home, and i manage to get dinner ready every day, though not always when I'd like to!  But the rest of it, I mean the author of my book says we need to be learning out to fix things around the house, and be organized, and plan ahead, etc etc etc. I think she must be on drugs to believe its all possible. LOL Sigh... I say this all with a smile on my face, because though it is very overwhelming and i generally feel like i've only successfully reached a quarter of the goal each day, I am so incredibly blessed because I at least have four beautiful happy (crazy) kids, and an amazingly hard working, smart, and loving husband. so though i may not fit the "perfect" description of a true help meet, I have no problem continuing the attempt to perfect my role and I love serving my family. :) With that said, it is now 7:30 and I my day is beginning....stay tuned for the chaotic details of my Friday this afternoon! haha Have a wonderful day all!