PROJECT FOR JANUARY-COMPLETE

SO--this may not seem like a very big project to most of you, but you know what--it totally was!!  I had stuff in this pantry that I've had since I got married (for those of you just joining us, that was 2002)--PROBABLY TIME TO PURGE!! :)  I just kept cramming stuff in, and I never took anything out.  I got it so clean, that I had to go downstairs to the "reserve" and bring stuff up, which is wonderful because now I see what I have instead of overbuying every week and thinking "shoot, I knew I had some of that!"

In addition to the pantry, I also got all of the bottles and formula off the counter, and cleaned out all of Camden's cups.  I kept a couple out with tops on them--just in case we are on the go, but for the most part he drinks out of the same cups we do (only smaller versions of them)!!

Let's see--this has been the first weekend I've had without people surrounding me--it started out really depressing!  However, my girlfriend Gi'Gi' (she's southern--Waycross, not french) came up on Saturday and spent the day with me.  It was nice catching up with her and just getting to have some adult conversation (this conversation did not really take place until dinner when we recruited mom to babysit, but it happened all the same)!!!  The weeks seem to fly  by, but the weekends are long.  I try to have something to do so we aren't sitting at home remembering that daddy is far away!  Camden has really begun asking about when Daddy will be home, and is he coming home tomorrow.  I'm going to make this picture for Daddy to see when he comes home.  .  .It will get you every time, but I am just sure to tell him that Daddy is doing an important job and will be home before his birthday.  Not that he grasps that amount of time in his 3 year old head, but I don't know how to put it in terms that he will understand, nor do I think he would understand it anyway.   

It's sort of comical the things that you will put off because they were typically your spouse's duty!  For instance--the trash.  .  .yep, I find myself cramming stuff in that trash can, and just waiting on someone to take it out--and then I realize it's now my job to take out the trash.  .  .Gi'Gi' did point out to me that the positive side to that was no one can complain about me not taking out the trash!  She's right!!  Since we are all over the place, and looking at positive things today--I read in my "Week by Week Guide to your Baby's First Year" that we might be very close to sleeping through the night!!  Obviously I'm trying not to get too excited, but it does make me feel better that I might soon be sleeping a little bit longer at night!  Another positive thing to all of this--I don't have to cook much!  I cook about once a week, and eat off of it pretty much all week.  It's sort of a waste to plan a meal every night that my 3 year old will turn his nose up at--therefore, I just make one meal to feed him ALL WEEK and towards the end of the week he has learned new words like--hamburger noodle casserole, and bow tie pasta :).  

(i.e.--"I don't want hamburger noodle cassewole, I don't yike it")

Okay, that's it for now, I hear the pitter patter of 3 year old feet that should be napping, and it's time to make another bottle.  

A slight retraction

So I just want to say that I was in no way trying to say that Jason tries to tell me what to do or is constantly offering his advice to me when we talk.  I was just saying that on a day to day basis when we are talking (like we normally would) and when/if he makes suggestions (like he normally would) my first reaction is that he's not here so what does he know.  .  .

I'm not mad or irritated with him--so honey, I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to say that you are doing anything wrong! :)  I love you!

Getting into the swing of things

We have smiles!!!  Excuse the chin folks--he comes by it honestly!!  See he looks a little like me! :)

Camden's first day of his new school!

Well--it's been almost 2 weeks since Jason left and we are slowly but surely getting into the swing of things here on our own.  It hasn't been easy, in fact, there's moments I've wanted to throw in the towel and hand my kids over to anyone who was willing to take them.  .  .okay--maybe I wouldn't go that far, but we've definitely had our challenges.  I'm sure as time goes on, there will be many more to come, that's just life.  

Camden has had almost 2 full weeks of his school and he LOVES it!!  I started carpool today (which basically means I sit in my car and they come and get him and bring him to me)--I wasn't going to do this, but it's a lot of work getting Evan and Camden out of the car, walking him to class and then going back to the car and getting everyone situated back in.  Don't you judge me-- :)--my back hurts people, those carriers are not meant  for babies to be carried in them!  Anyway, he thought that was the neatest thing ever today when they came and got him out of the car, and then brought him to me this afternoon!  He is also trying my patience, although, it's been much less this week than it was last week.  I'm learning to choose my battles, and to remember that I'm the adult so yelling back isn't necessarily the way to go.  

Evan is doing pretty well!!  He's giving me a solid 5-6 hr block of sleep at night, and this week I've started slightly stretching out times between feedings, and putting him down for naps in his crib!  There's been a lot less unscheduled crying this week than we had last week!  Don't get me wrong, he still has his moments--but for the most part I can predict it, typically between 7-9pm and if I hold him, he'll quit!  

The hardest part about all this is just learning to cope with everything on my own.  I'm such a talker, when I have a problem I usually vent about it with Jason and then together we figure out how to fix it.  .  .we still talk, but now I just get defensive if he offers advice--HOW WOULD HE KNOW HE'S NOT HERE!!  It's lonely not having your partner around, even if we did just sit in silence and watch TV--at least I had someone to fight with over the remote control, or to talk to about if dinner was good or not (I can't even get Camden to try anything)!  I've been able to talk to him almost every day, so that helps--although I know as he gets deeper into training and then heads out to wherever it is they are sending him these conversations will be less and less frequent.  

GOALS. . .everybody's making them

So back to those goals I spoke about in my last post! I really am going to make some, and just to be sure I stay on track I will list them here for all to see. . . :)--just don't hold me to them!

#1--get on a workout schedule, I seriously have not worked out since Camden was born, or really since before Camden was born b/c I didn't do much working out when I was pregnant--EVERYTHING jiggles (YUCK)
#2--start getting myself more organized, most of the time I feel so scattered I can't think straight, hopefully this will help me to start being on time more!
#3--start a new project every month--PROJECT FOR JANUARY: CLEAN OUT PANTRY, and CABINETS in kitchen (eventually this goal will lead up to me cleaning my closet, I would look for this to happen later, when I've had a chance to implement #1)
#4--learn to have more patience and take the time to enjoy my blessings
#5--be more positive
#6--floss my teeth more, for some reason this chore always gets pushed to last--I need to be better about it :)
#7--start baby books--I've never even done one for Camden, I'll admit I've never actually seen the one my mom did for me-so Camden and Evan probably won't be begging to see theirs either

Lucky #7--that will be enough for now, I can add more later if I want!

While we are on this topic--Camden has made some goals for himself as well (OKAY OKAY--I helped, but he said okay so I'm going to document them as well!)

#1--learn to eat more things than pb&j, spaghettios, and ckn nuggets from "Old McDonald"
#2--learn to do what mommy says the first time so she doesn't have to raise her voice :)
#3--learn to bathe myself--this one will come with time, but we are already working on it

Evan's goals are to sleep through the night, and just not cry so much! :)

So it sounds like we will all be pretty busy while Daddy is away! Hopefully that will make it all FLY BY!!

Day 2 of a very long journey

Well, I figure it's time for me to try to pick this thing up again!! I really enjoy reading my friends' blogs and keeping up with where they are and seeing their families grow! Since we have so much changing in our lives right now, I thought I would try to pick my blog back up! As many of you know, and some of you don't know--my husband Jason has been called up to be deployed and began active duty a few days ago (I'm sure none of these terms are correct, but whatever, you'll soon learn that I do not come from a military background and I'm feeling my way through all of this the best that I can!). We also just recently added to our family with another son! We have Camden 3, Evan 6 weeks, and of course Penny-dog 5!

I have several reasons for this blog. One is to keep family and friends updated on what is going on with us, and to let them know how Jason is doing (although those updates will be very vague b/c I won't know much), another reason is to get my feelings out there rather than keeping things bottled up!! This is also a good way to record my boys day to day lives (if I get to it day to day :))!!

While Jason is gone I have many goals for myself, I find this significant because I've never been a real goal setter. . .or maybe I have and I've just never documented them! Jason and I have been together since I was 18 years old, I've never really been without him, so my way of getting through all of this is to hopefully just keep busy! I quit my job to take care of the boys (SCARY), and I'm sure they will occupy most of my time--but I'm hoping I will have some time to meet my personal goals as well!


Wish me luck!!