well...

Well, summer is officially over for Michael and I and I'm sad. Sad to leave Oliver and Lennon. Sad I can't sleep in a bit. Sad for Mazzy. Sad I won't be carpooling with Michael anymore. Sad I don't get paid more to work with 4 year olds. Just sad. The summer went fast and we did NOTHING we said we would do. We said we'd paint the house (3 years and counting). We said we'd buy curtains. We said we'd finish he landscaping in the backyard. We said we'd finish Lennon's room. We said we'd go to Schlitterbahn. We said we'd go to Galveston. I said I'd meet a few friends for lunch. It always seems like you'll have lots of time, but before you know it August is here and school is starting. Life goes by so fast and I really need a pause button most days. Sometimes, it's 9:00 in the evening before I can sit, relax, and reflect. I just more time. More time in the day, more time in the week, more time in the year.

A few things that did happen though: Oliver just recently got the idea of potty training (seriously, he's just started to go potty everyday since this last Sunday - it's a MIRACLE), and Lennon rolled over and started to grab her tiny fat toes. That's something to celebrate.

So, next summer we plan to take a vacation, paint the house, do some landscaping, put curtains up, and have lunch with friends. I have enough time, right?

the endless summer...

Oh how I wish it was. One of the GREAT things about being a teacher: the summer vacation! The bad thing: having to go back to work and not being with my babies all day. Every August I get super sad and wish I could stay home. Oliver and Lennon drive me crazy sometimes, but I LOVE them dearly and love the time we spend together over the summer. Oliver becomes so attached to us and he really resists going to school or elsewhere. Today when Michael left for work, Oliver cried and told him"No work daddy!" Poor guy. Tomorrow I go back, but I am thankful that this year my kids will be watched by my mom and mother-in-law. I thought the older they got, the easier it would be to leave them - NOT TRUE! It's just as hard as the first day we had to leave Oliver in daycare. It broke our hearts and it still does. Guess I need to win the lotto...

three is the magic number...

Happy Birthday Oliver. I love you.

calgon, take me away...

Remember that commercial, long ago (I'm in my EARLY thirties, so maybe it was the 80's or 90's) for Calgon? The one where the woman says at the end, "Calgon, take me away"? Never got it until I became a mother. I was totally there today, except I imagined being taken away with an ice cold Corona on the beach in Mexico. Yum.

I decided to meet my gal pal and her kiddos at the mall today. Crappy day (never ending rain), but I wanted Kale and Oliver to play (they're good buddies) and I needed to visit with another adult other than my hubby. Oliver was even pretending to call Kale last night to discuss all the details. I'm getting ready this morning (I even tried to allow myself some extra time cause I'm ALWAYS late), but Lennon decided that she just couldn't bear to have me put her down and Oliver was taking advantage of that fact that all my attention was going to a crying and screaming baby (seriously, she was crying like she does when she gets shots). I'd pick her up and instantly she'd stop. Then I'd put her down to put mascara on, and there came the tears, crying, screaming, and choking. This went on for 45 minutes. Ugh! Lennon kept getting louder and louder and so did Oliver. Oliver was just running around the room doing everything in his power to annoy me and get in trouble and then run away laughing! I was hitting my boiling point..."THAT'S IT!"

Mike's been working these last two weeks at a rock-n-roll camp and let's just say it's been a challenge to be by myself with two kids. I've been a REAL stay-at-home mom these last two weeks. We're both teachers, so I'm used to him being around to help. I admire and appreciate all of my friends who are stay-at-home moms. I'm one of the few in the gang that's a working mom. It's hard to be a full time working mom (you're always tired and there's always a sense of guilt), but being a stay-at-home mom is just as hard. There's not the typical boss and paperwork, but it's ALWAYS CONSTANT ON-THE-GO. There's never a break, even when they're napping cause then you have housework to do (dishes, laundry, cleaning, blah, blah, blah). Of course, when it rains it pours. Why is it that both kids are hungry at the same time, both kids have poopies at the same time, and both kids are crying at the same time? Ugh!

By being working parents, we're giving Oliver and Lennon things that we didn't have. So I'll work as long as I have to, BUT I'd stay home in a heartbeat if I could. Don't ever under estimate a mom. We ALL work hard. It's the HARDEST job out there, but the MOST rewarding. Kids may drive you crazy, but we moms love EVERY minute of it.

But I'm still looking for a vacation...

baby o

My baby Oliver is turning 3 on Tuesday. I just can't believe how fast it's all gone (I know I say that ALOT, but it's true). Seems like yesterday he was in my tummy and we were calling him "Baby O" and wondering what he'd look like and what he'd be like. Well, he looks just like his Daddy and his personality is a combination of both of us. Oliver is funny, silly, wild, totally boy, gorgeous, hot tempered, independent, stubborn, sassy, smart, organized, a good brother, a performer, and all that we could have wanted in a little boy. I'm amazed everyday how much he has grown. He's a little sponge and he soaks up everything. The things he says, the things he does - it amazes both of us. We fell in love with that boy the first moment we laid eyes on him and we can't remember how life was before. As tired as we are sometimes, we just can't wait to see what the next day will bring us with Oliver. Oliver has brought us peace, love, happiness, frustration, sleepless nights, and TONS of laughs. I can't wait to see what kind of man he'll grown up to be (hopefully just like his daddy), but I also don't what him to grow up. Happy Birthday Oliver. We love you.

mrs. sailor potty mouth...

Those of you who know me, know I have a VERY BAD potty mouth. Seriously, I can probably out cuss a sailor and I'm working on out drinking a sailor these days too (hey, I was dry for 9 months). Some how I manage NOT to say the following while I'm at work (although, I know my kids had heard and said worse): fu*king, sh*t, c*nt, as*hole, piece of sh*t, mother fu*ker, holy sh*t, and Jesus Christ (just to name a few). I'm a mother of two now and trying really hard to set a good example (mind you, I'm only trying - sending your kids to therapy isn't that bad, right). So, these are the new words I'm working on. What do you think???
Instead of "Jesus Christ", I'm using "cheese and rice" (clever, I might say)
Instead of "Mother Fu*ker", I'm using "Mother F-er"
Instead of "Fu*k", I'm using "Fudge-a maroni"
Instead of "sh*t", I'm using "Holy mittens"
Instead of "as*hole", I'm using "bung-hol-e-o"
Instead of "c*nt", I'm using "vjay-jay or hoo-hoo" (doesn't have the same ring though when you're driving in traffic).

Why the sudden change? Well, Oliver is talking ALOT these days and he likes to repeat just about anything and everything he hears. Although, the other day we heard him say "darn-it and dang-it". Umm, hello! We don't even use those words in our house - they're not sailor enough. I don't know what Dora's been teaching him...

never say never...

Not sure if it's the post-partum blues or the fact that I'm getting OLDER (hate saying that), but I've been dying for a change in my appearance. I totally want to cut off my hair (Posh style), die it super blonde on top and keep it dark on bottom, get a super dark tan, get my nails done, and wax my eyebrows (seriously, they're starting to look like Mike's) and hoo-hoo. But all I do is dream, cause I'm a big chicken and getting cheap these days. Well, not that cheap cause I don't have a problem spending my money on cute clothes for the kids. Hello! Lennon's closet looks better than mine! Do all Mom's do this? Neglect themselves so their kids can look cute? I did this after Oliver was born too. I ended up cutting my hair super short with bangs (well, short for me) and cried for a week cause I hated it. I told Mike, promise me that you'll NEVER let me cut my hair short again or get bangs. He reminded me of the promise yesterday. Did I say never? Pregnancy does a number on you - emotionally and physically. I guess I just want to look 18 again, but I think that would involve Botox and a boob job. Hmm...