Staying Busy

Just a few days left till I go back to work. The kids and I have been trying to make the most of my full-time-mommy status by trying to do as many fun activities as time, energy and 2 kids will allow. Like the story hour at the library. I love that time with just Will so he and I have some special time together.

We've also gone out to Maumee Bay recently to play on that playground and visit some family camping out there.










While at the campgrounds, Will and I got to test out a bike trailor. I've been in the market for one for some time now and we've never actually tried one out. We loved it! I figured that's a smarter financial purchase than a double stroller. So last night, we finally ordered one and it should be in in a couple weeks. Hooray!

Last Sunday we went over to Kelly & Steve's for dinner and an "attempt" at swimming... the water was too cold... and Will felt the same way about her pool as he did about Aunt Lori's on the 4th. But I got to put Sophie in her little swimsuit for the first time!








Craig and I have taken the kids to a car show and to eat at Rayz Cafe. And we're also frequent flyers at the Big Dipper for ice cream. Mmm!


Today, Kelly & I took the kids to the zoo again. Since we were just there, we decided to do some different things this time around like the newly opened Nature's Neighborhood for children and also a train ride through the African Safari.

Will wanted to "feed the pandas" at the entrance. So he picked up some leaves and weeds and stuck them in it's mouth. :)




In Nature's Neighborhood, Will checked out the goats, rode down a slide, and stepped around in a little stream with Auny Kelly.




This is Louie the "baby" elephant. When he was born, he weighed 275#. How's that for a birth weight? Not too shabby! I remember the year he was born, the zoo had billboards up of him saying "He has his mother's nose." LOL


And the train ride!




It's weird how it feels like the summer is ending now that my leave is over. And yet, we're not even halfway through July yet. I feel like a school kid. Maybe I should go shopping for new "school" clothes?! Nah, better save my pennies for daycare.

The rest of the summer is probably going to fly by as I adjust, once again, to another new change in life.

A Typical Day

Awhile back, I was going to make a post about a "typical day with 2 under 2". But I couldn't find the time... imagine that. So my son turned 2 and now my post will need to be a typical day with a 2 year old and a 2 month old. Life is much more under control now than it was even a month ago. But I still have moments when they both need me at the same time that I feel like I'm going insane.

So here's a sample day:
4:30 a.m. - Sophie wakes to eat
5:00 a.m. - I go back upstairs to catch another hour and a half of sleep before Will wakes up
6:30 a.m. - Will's up and playing with his train table; change his diaper and get him dressed
7:00 a.m. - get Will's breakfast on the table (cereal, fruit and yogurt) and get him seated as Sophie's waking up again; get her and the Boppy pillow and feed her at the dining room table with Will while I eat MY bowl of cereal over her
7:20 a.m. - Will finishes and I'm still burping Sophie so I grab a washcloth and clean his hands and face with one hand; then diaper change and dress Sophie
7:45 a.m. - Will's either playing with toys or watching Kung Fu Panda, Sophie's under the play gym and I'm pumping more breastmilk for the freezer for when I go back to work (I do this every morning)
8:00 a.m. - I take Sophie upstairs with me while I get dressed and brush my teeth/ wash my face/ take a vitamin... and a birth control pill!!! (don't need anymore surprises in my already crazy life!)
8:20 a.m. - Sophie lays down again (she's on an approximately 2-3 hour cycle where she eats, plays, sleeps and repeats) and I take Will outside for some running around time (slide, bike, running in the driveway, bubbles, take bills out to the mailbox, etc.) with the baby monitor up as high as it goes in an open window
9:30 a.m. - back inside and get Will settled with some books or puzzles before Sophie wakes and I have to feed her again
9:35 a.m. - Will's bored of his puzzles and walks into Sophie's room asking "Mommy, hold you?" (NEVER fails as soon as I'm tending to her)

This sort of cycle repeats through the day.

Around 11 or so, Will starts to get crabby (read: tired) and no longer wants to entertain himself with any toy he owns so I entertain him with some fun "house games" like Swiffering the floors or helping dust or change the laundry

11:30 lunch time (hopefully Sophie is sleeping while he eats this time) and MAYBE I get to eat too - otherwise I eat later after Will's in bed
12:45 Will lays down for a nap - it's a 50/50 crap shoot whether or not he'll stay in bed and go right to sleep or get up 30 times and need to be put back in bed, which inevitably happens when I need to feed Sophie or she's fussing and he just KNOWS I am going to be inadequate at staying on top of getting him back to bed

The time Will wakes up completely varies because it all depends on when he actually FALLS ASLEEP. Could be 2:45... could be nearing 5 p.m. At some point, however, I have approximately one glorious hour where they are both asleep. And I have to make the huge choice of what to do. Do I get dinner prepped? Do I take a nap? (almost never) Do I get some cleaning done? OR Do I sit on my butt and do whatever I please? Tough call - I will probably regret whatever choice I make later that day when I feel like I didn't have a minute to myself or I'm in a mad rush to get dinner ready or I have to stay up later to get clean sheets on the bed. Ah well... what mother before me hasn't gone through the same thing, right?

Usually after nap, (or sometimes before lunch) we go for a walk. I love walking with the kids. It's both exercise and quiet time for me - both of which I desperately need. Other days, we go to the park or I take Will to story hour at the library or some sort of outing.

5:30 - Craig gets home
6:30 - dinner
7:00 - baths
8-ish - Will goes to bed
9:30 - feed Sophie, swaddle her and put her to bed for the night
10-ish - Will falls asleep (GRR!!! Damn these longer daylight hours! - just kidding); I go to bed while Craig stays up watching TV till he falls asleep

The evenings completely vary too when Craig goes somewhere or mows the lawn or I need to get to the store or whatever and everything shifts. Whatever - we make do.

One day. One day life will calm down and I will have more freedom... and wish they were little again.

Cora & Will

I'm putting these all in an entirely separate post because there are so many. I couldn't help myself. It was just so funny and I kept shooting. Cora is so photogenic and cute as a bug with her smiles and dimples. And Will looks entirely pissed off about the whole thing. At first it was because he had to share his pinwheel. But then having to be kissed by a girl while everyone laughs??!! Blech! :)

But truly, these two are good buddies. Molly and I try to get together as often as we can and now that they're a little older, it's cool to see Will and Cora play together too.
















She looks like she's telling him a secret.




And this one should be on the front of a funny greeting card. It's hysterical! Poor Will - this is NOT the most flattering picture of him. :)

Happy 4th of July!

We celebrated the 4th with my dad's side of the family, which always guarantees LOTS of GOOD FOOD! It was also the first family get together since Sophie, Mya and Stella were born. So it was cool have lots of kids around. I only wish Grandma and Grandpa could have been there. They would have been proud. July 4th was my grandpa's birthday too.

First, here are my kiddos on the morning of the 4th.




This one cracks me up.


And here's Will in his new life vest. He really had no interest in swimming - just had fun throwing pool toys into the pool. But he also has no concept of the pool being dangerous, so I'm watching him like a hawk.




"Happy Birthday, America!" A flag balloon from Nana.


Double-fisted now with a patriotic pinwheel.


Cornhole... of course!






Zach and Aaron are too cool for school.


Secret handshake to get warmed up for another round of "bags".


Mom and the party hostess, Aunt Lori.


The Rethman family looking very patriotic.


Is this really the only picture I have of Casey with her daughters? Shame on me... again.


The Three Stooges.


And a fun new photo op with all 5 great grandkids. My God-daughter Cora is on the far left.


Bethany is thrilled to have so many baby GIRL cousins around now.


Grillin' and chillin'


Our little "Sophinator"


Cora loves swinging!




My appologies to the later arrivals to the party. I got snap happy at the beginning and then got side-tracked and stopped taking pictures. Who me? Yep, sorry.

Happy 4th everyone!