Just another crazy day!

If all were calm and uneventful around here I think I wouldn't know what to do with myself. Today, after getting just a couple of hours of sleep, I got the kids off to school and came home to nap with Julianna until 11.

Then I had to get the girls from school due to early release. We ended up eating at Taco Bell for lunch where we ran into a friend. They immediately got all giddy and LOUD, and I had to laugh. It took me back to when I was in junior high and we would just go sit outside the mall watching people coming and going waiting for our ride, the whole time giggling out of control for no apparent reason. I suppose I am just thankful that for the most part they are happy girls! Even though my head hurt and my patience was thin due to the lack of sleep.

After lunch I left Taco Bell with just J, as Alexis was picked up by a friends mom to go play, and Megan went with our friend we bumped into and had lunch with. Since I was down to just one child I decided to go shopping for Megan's party and some much needed groceries. What a joy to shop with only one child!! I was in and out in a jiffy and went to pick up Francesco from school. He was so happy to see us and Julianna was delighted to have him back with us. Recently I have noticed that even though his loudness can make me cringe, Julianna finds it very amusing and he gets reactions out of her that I have never seen before. She was actually chuckeling at his monster noises. I have to admit it was fun to watch them playing together.

We headed home fed Julianna and hung out till the girls came back. Then we headed out to math night at the school. I tried to make sure I sat with each of the girls for at least one activity and I really had fun with them.

We got home about 7:40 and ate the dinner that I managed to get in the oven before we left. I thought it was pretty good but the kids didn't go for the mushrooms and onions they saw in the caserole dish with the pork chops. Oh well their loss.

After completing homework, and taking baths and showers everyone was in bed by 9pm. I would say it was a good day here. It could have been much more hectic if we had gone to soccer training and Tae Kwan Do, but due to math night I didn't want to make us crazy running non stop. Sometimes I enjoy the evenings when there is less to do and we can just relax a bit. Most days I feel like I run on Adrenaline!

Gummy Smiles

Today was a good day! Julianna rolled over from her belly to her back today for the first time. It was so much fun watching her lay on her tummy and pick up her head. Just yesterday she was not able to pick up her head so well and then all of a sudden she mastered it.

It really amazes me how much she changes day to day. She has come so far in the last 4 months. I remember not that long ago holding her little pulsh blue elephant in front of her to motivate her to reach for it. Then the next week she was reaching and actually making contact and ocassionally grapsing it in her hands. Now she can reach for grab and put her elephant and many other items in her mouth.

These days she is drooling all the time, fussing a bit and chewing on mama's fingers for some comfort. I had better get some pictures of her and her gummy smiles before she has a mouth full of teeth.

I truly feel so blessed to have Julianna. I never would have imagined having another child and now I go back and forth about wanting a fifth one that would be close in age to her. Doesn't she need a little buddy! Call me crazy but family is such a blessing and we are blessed beyond belief! God is good!

My Other three

Alexis, Megan, and Francesco are getting so big. Time really passes quickly before your eyes. Alexis is in fifth grade this year and Megan is right behind her in fourth. Francesco just turned five and he keeps us all on our toes.

Alexis is one of the most caring young ladies I know. She is always a help and her generosity makes me very proud! I love watching her sing and dance she sure can put a smile on my face most days. She is always there when mommy needs a hand to set the table or to hold her sister or just when things get hectic around here. Recently I overheard her reading something she had written and I realized she has a gift for writing. She is very intuitive as well and puts her thoughts on paper in a beautiful way. I also admire her commitment to the game of soccer. She has practice three nights a week and games on the weekends and she is there never missing a day. I don't think I would have that dedication to do what she does. I have watched her play soccer knowing her shins are all torn up from playing lots of games and being in shin gaurds all day and she just deals with it. Not every kid has that kind of dedication not to mention the desire to play goalie for her team. I am proud of her

Megan is also very caring and always looks after her family. She is always checking to make sure Daddy doesn't fall asleep without his mask (for fear of his sleep apnea), or checking on her sister when she wakes from a nap crying. Megan is a reader and she loves to curl up with a good book. Megan also loves doing Tae Kwan Do and has come along way. She and her sister are about to test for their green belts so don't mess with her! I love how Megan is so creative and thinks of things in ways I would never imagine. She is just so special and yes I am proud of her too!

Francesco is another story. This boy makes me laugh, yell, cover my eyes for fear of what I might see, smile, and just happy to be his mom. Just look at this picture I took of him skipping back from a pit stop while we were on the road this summer. I love how he is wearing a super man pajama shirt two sizes too small while out and about, to have that freedom! He is quite a character and yes boys really are different. I love listening to him tell a story with his gestures and his "well actually" phrases thrown in there. He is fearless and quite gifted athletically. Watching him play at the little gym or during Tae Kwan Do never fails to bring a smile to your face.

Thank you God for blessing me with such a beautiful family! I pray that I can honor you with the way in which I mother them.

No time to be the kind of mother I would like to be

"Go get in the car and buckle up, I will be right there". With that said, I raced around the house frantically turning off lights and putting away the gallon of milk that was left out on the table. As I raced out the door to shuttle my kids to Tae Kwan Do I approached my car and heard crying. My son came walking up the driveway with tears in his eyes. "What Happened" I asked as I hurriedly placed my daughter in the car. "If you would have listened to me and gotten in the car you wouldn't have gotten hurt"! Tears were streaming down his face, both knees had blood dripping from them and all I could do was strap him in his car seat and remind him that we didn't have time for this right now. We were running on a very tight schedule and if I didn't leave right then my daughter would be late for her class and after all this wouldn't have happened if he had just listened to me. As I threw the car in reverse I though to myself "this is crazy! I don't even have time to be the kind of mother I want to be". Just then my 9 year old said "MOM, don't you even care that he is hurt"! Sure I cared, how had I let myself get to this point that I was so tightly scheduled I didn't have time to console my son when he needed me.

Have any of you ever found yourselves running on such a tight schedule that you don't have time to stop and really be the kind of moms you want to be. I always said I wouldn't have over scheduled kids, that they would do one thing at a time and yet somehow with three children all participating in at least one activity each we are lucky somedays to have time to shovel something in our mouths for dinner before we run on to the next activity. I don't know how I got to this point or how I can change it right now but it's not always so crazy, some days are better then others.

Some cool places around Houston for Mothers and Children

Okay so I thought I would take a minute to share with you some cool places I have found for breastfeeding and cloth diapering supplies...

Merry go Round in Kingwood Texas
My little Juel
consignment shop for children's clothes
Medela Breast pump rental station
Offers Breastfeeding support and supplies

The Young and the Restless Consignment shop
great resource for cloth diapering supplies and just a neat place to check out whether breastfeeding or cloth diapering

The nurtured family in Northwest Houston
They have a complete line of cloth diapers (fuzzi bunz, blueberry's, swaddlebee's, and more! ) and all the supplies you will need to get started. They also have becco butterfly carriers (my favorite), Ergo baby carriers, slings, organic baby clothes, Britax car seats, Clek boosters, wonderful nursing bras, and so much more!

I have been to all of these places and have found everyone I met at each store to be very patient in answering questions and helping me to find what best fit my needs. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Cloth Diapering

Hello there! Recently I dicovered the world of cloth diapering and I am loving it! In a matter of 10 days I have gone from being completely iliterate to being in the know, or so I'd like to think.

I stated with 4 poppy pants AI2's and was not particularly thrilled but that was all I knew. I found them to be a bit pricy and the cute ruffles around the leg openings appear to wick to the outer cover. My daughter doesn't last long in these diapers, though, they are beautiful. Be prepared to change diapers each time or every other time baby wets. On a positive note they are beautifully sewn and if you are looking to make a fashion statement these are perfect! Also the idea of the AI2's is nice and I like having the ability to contain most of the stool to the insert rather then the entire diaper. I however want an absorbant diaper that will last a long time and not need chaning every hour, not to mention at $25 a piece plus an extra $6 for inserts they are very price and don't perform like they should.

After my poppy pants experience I went down to The Young and Restless consignment store where I bought a variety of fitteds, pockets, perfolds, and WAHM's. I was really surprised to find I enjoyed the fitted's as I didn't think I would like dealing with them and covers. I probably changed them sooner then I needed to but after using pockets lined with fleece that kept my daughter completely dry I was not used to her being surrounded by moisture. I did find that these worked really well and they make for good overnight diapers. I used the hempy hiney's, and kissaluvs both of which worked really well.

I think my favorite diapers so far are the Bum Genius 3.0's because they have not leaked and they are very absorbant. The fuzzi buns one size are also nice but I have found that the corner can fold by the inner thigh wicking to the outer clothing and though I prefer snaps the BG's seem to have a better fit.

I will let you know how the velcrow holds up but they are new right now so everything is working like a charm!