HOLY CRAP--it's gonna be a LOOOONNNNG summer!!

So I realized the other day that my house is NEVER quiet until about.  .  .8:30pm--do you have any idea what that does to a person?  WELL--for one, it makes them CRAZY! :)  To those of you who think Camden never talks let me just give you a little sample:

MOMMY--can I have 2 vitamins, MOMMY-can I have  yogurt and watch tv in yours room?  MOMMY-did you get my vitamin? Can I have cereal in a bag?  I am still hungry.  .  .MOMMY-I need to go potty.  .  .MOMMY-can I go potty in yours room?  Where are we going right now?  Who is coming to see us?  MOMMY-can I watch tv in yours room?  I am still hungry--I want a snack, not a food a snack.  .  .MOMMY-are we going to the gym?  can we go in the car?  i want to sit in my new seat?  when is daddy coming home?  can i see baby evan?  are we staying awake today? can i have lipstick?  do you remember when Chuck-E-Cheese came off the stage?  I like Chuck-E-Cheese, I love baby evan, mommmy does baby evan love me?  I love Penny-dog, I didn't mean to hit her.  Do you think we can see my friends today?  Ms. Amy and Ms. Kim they told me.  .  .(they told you what? this is me talking here)MOMMY-when i was at school yesterday they told me.  .  . 

DO YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE?  B/C this is like from 8-9am.  .  .and really only about 1/4 of the words spoken.  . .

This weekend my brother came up and spent Saturday with us.  .  .we had lunch, and packed up to explore a new park.  .  .We sort of got on the wrong trail and ended up walking almost 3.5 miles--which technically we ran for part of the way playing chase with Camden--needless to say, it was good that I took that extra bottle because we were there for 4 hours.  .  .OOPS! :)  Anyways, the original plan had been movie night so we headed back home, cleaned everyone up--okay wait--we headed back home Adam laid down on the sofa while I cleaned Camden and fixed his supper, Evan talked over in his activity gym (remember he's very vocal as well)--I walked into the den and noticed that Adam was on the couch rubbing his temples.  .  .NOW-he's on this crazy ass diet where he can only eat nuts and berries so my first assumption is that he's hungry and needs a beer--and he really can't do anything for either of those problems on this diet--so I said "Are you okay?" to which he responded "I'M NEVER HAVING KIDS!!  THESE 2 HAVEN'T STOPPED SINCE I WALKED IN THE DOOR"--my response--I just laughed!!  Am I tired--HELL YES!!  Stressed--OH YEA, WITHOUT A DOUBT!!  But you know what--when Camden looks at me and says "Mommy--you are nice, I love you" & Evan looks at me and grins that gummy grin and laughs at my silly attempts to get his attention--it truly makes it all worthwhile!!  Some days I want to cry, and some days I just feel like my "cup runneth over"!!  

IT'S STILL GOING TO BE A LONG-ASS SUMMER! :)

A Weekend Alone

Well, I'm officially  having my first weekend alone!!  Amazing how much I miss my boys!  Not really amazing, I knew I would miss them, but it never occurred to me that I would miss them BEFORE I dropped them off--geez!!

They are both growing up so fast!!  Evan is almost rolling over--he rolls up to his side, and then gets stuck because his arm is under him!  He can't quite sit up by himself, but he does hold that head up pretty well--I've pulled out the excersaucer and cleaned it up for him--he can turn himself around in the little seat and everything!!  I can't believe he's almost 4 months old--the time just flies by!!  

Camden is not changing quite as quickly--he's 3 so really he just "matures" more than anything!! :)  He's getting much better about trying new foods--he won't always do it, but I figure if I can get something new in him once a week or so we are doing good!!  He is very good to help with Evan--either getting his paci for him, or telling him "It's okay baby Evan, me and Mommy are here for you--it's okay" :)  Such a sweet boy he is!!  He should be starting T-ball soon, which will be quite an adventure for us both I'm sure!  After T-ball--swim lessons!  As you can see I'm constantly trying to keep us busy, it really helps the time pass.  I don't want to wish it away, but I don't want to wallow in loneliness either!  

Jason is in place.  .  .that's all I will say.  I heard from him once last week and that's pretty much it!!  I'm working on getting care packages ready to send--although the freaking customs paperwork is outrageous!  I have to list EVERY single item in the box, and the weight--seriously?? Come on, there must be an easier way!!  I know he is working hard, and we are so proud of him!  We miss him like crazy here at home, but hopefully the Spring and Summer months won't drag quite as much as the Winter ones did!!  

I have to hop in the shower now!  With the boys gone Kasey and Gina are taking me to a worry free lunch--no worries about when someone needs to be fed, go down for a nap, head to the potty, or what I need to do when I get home.  .  .You can't imagine how strange it feels to be able to go out just by myself and not have to worry about anything else!!  It's a good feeling, but also reminds me of how I would not trade my life for anything!!  I love all 3 of my boys and there is a hole in my heart when they are away!!  GOTTA RUN!!  (I wish it wasn't raining :(! )

A little inspiration. . .from Hannah Montana?

So for those of you who know me really well--you know that I love music, I love to dance, sing, etc (as long as it's not in public)!!  My girlfriends laugh because when everyone else is standing around talking, I may be joining in the conversation but my booty is typically moving.  .  .

I'm explaining all of this so you can sort of understand why I'm into "theme songs"!  Every so often I will hear a song that makes me feel good, or gives an inspirational message and sometimes even makes me cry.  My true true theme song in the soundtrack of my life is, and forever will be, "I Like Big Butts" by Sir Mix-A-Lot--thank you for making me love my big 'ol booty and making me feel like a "sista you can't resista"!!  That being said, there is alway room for a theme song that sort of goes with my life and gives me inspiration--There was one time when it was "I Will Survive" (all women at some point in their life adopt this one), more recently "Pocket Full of Sunshine", and currently "The Climb"--I don't know if you've heard this song, but it really is very inspirational:

"There's always gonna be another mountain, I'm always gonna want to have to move

Always gonna be an uphill battle, sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

It's not about how fast I get there, ain't about what's waiting on the other side.  .  .

It's the Climb"

When I heard this on the radio the other day I immediately turned it up, teared up a bit, and thought well there you go--that's what this is all about.  Then I found out it's a Hannah Montana song.  .  .NICE--I'm now being inspired by  16 year olds, I can only assume someone older and more experienced wrote the song--and that's what I'll tell myself because for the time being--this is my theme!  

WHAT'S YOUR THEME??  If you don't have one, I encourage you to let one find you.  Rarely do I go looking, it typically finds me!!  Start the soundtrack of your life--you'll feel better! :)

That's what I forgot...

.  .  .did you know that I rarely shower on a daily basis?  WHO KNEW!!  I'm in awe of the women who drop their kids off at pre-school and are already dressed for the day--where are they going?  If I shower, put on makeup, and dry my hair--I need to be going somewhere.  

I just never knew that I would be that girl who doesn't get to shower every day.  .  .

That's it, just thought I would share.  

Oh and just for giggles--Camden is walking around the house singing "HEAD SHOULDERS KNEES AND TOES, KNEES AND TOES!!"  He loves that song!

Expectations of my new life--boy was I way off!

So--as my life as a stay at home mom has really gotten underway, I realize that I really had some unrealistic expectations.  .  .

1--I just knew when I started staying home that my house would always be ready for visitors, no dust, no dog hair, no dishes in the sink, beds made up, and of course--no ring around the toilet.  .  .the whole idea of this is laughable--my house is more of a wreck now than it ever was, the only difference is now I really truly am constantly cleaning.  I must vacuum at least 2 times a week, I even sweep now--it doesn't help.  The dust isn't quite as thick, but it's still there.  The dishes--don't even get me started, I should probably just move my bed in the kitchen b/c I'm there pretty much 85% of my day--WHO KNEW.  I stopped even bothering making up Camden's bed, he's got so many toys and things in there if I move one he comes and asks what I've done with it "Mommy, where is my piece of ripped notebook paper that was underneath the covers 1/2 way down the bed? "  REALLY?  

2--I thought I would have more time.  I really don't have more time, I mean I do in the sense that I'm not driving 2 hours a day and rushing home to throw dinner together and then it's off to bath and bed.  .  .but I don't just have time to sit and do nothing (or work on baby books)--I'm even starting to have trouble finding time to blog.  .  .

3--I thought I would be in better shape by now.  .  .that's just all I'm going to say

I know there's more, I talk about this all the time to my friends, but I guess everyone starting new chapters have expectations that aren't really realistic!  You just never know until you start that new chapter!

Other than these expectations that aren't being met--life is pretty good right now.  We've been able to talk to Jason often (Camden included) and this really helps fill a void for all of us.  I pretty much put the phone on speaker and we all just talk, like we were sitting together at the kitchen table or something.  Camden asks about his daddy all the time, and it's getting harder and harder to see the look of disappointment on his face when I tell him that it's not time for daddy to come home yet--it's equally as hard to hear Jason's voice crack every time Camden asks him when he is coming home or tells him he can "come home to play with him.  .  .if he wants to"--this will only get harder, but I am so relieved that Camden is asking and does miss his Daddy.  

I do have to take a minute to mention that Camden and I seem to have gotten over our period of adjustment that we were having.  It was a struggle there for a while, but it seems he is back to his old self again!!  We are really enjoying each other again!!  It was tough for a few weeks there, but it seems we are back on the right track!!

Evan is doing very well--speaking of expectations--he is really coming through for me on the ones I've had for him!!  We are sleeping--and we are sleeping quite well!!  I hesitate to even write it here, but.  .  . We've gone completely through the night since Wednesday--I'm talking from about 8 or 9- to about 7 or 8!!  In fact he's pushing his last bottle up himself--he took it at 7:30 tonight and was konked out by 8, thus giving me the opportunity to read stories and rub a back without hearing someone crying in the background!!  I know he won't sleep this long tonight since I have written it here--he's stubborn like that--but I did want to share!! :)  

We really are doing well overall, I feel like I can start breathing again as the weight on my shoulders is easing up a bit!!  Our biggest issue right now is missing Daddy!!  Hopefully this will continue to be our biggest issue until he returns safely home to us!!  As always, thank you so much for your prayers, words of encouragement, and all of the help I get from everyone!!  I'm signing off to go watch Apprentice or Brother's and Sisters--I just can't decide!!

I'll post some pics later!! :)