My poor, sick monkey

My poor little monkey, Jacob, is sick. He has been running a fever, which even got up to 104 degrees. Momma was of course, freaking out... I hate when one of my boys is sick!! :-( I feel so helpless! The pediatrician couldn't squeeze him in, so we went to Urgent Care which was..........NOT URGENT!! It took 4 hours total and the little man slept on me for most of it. His body heat made me sweat like a pig. Attractive, huh? ;-) Hey, I didn't mind, I just wanted him to feel better! That dr. said is was bronchitis, maybe pneumonia. Then, I got news that a child at his preschool had the swine flu. When I got that news (after leaving the urgent care....) I FREAKED OUT!! I got him in today to see his regular pediatrician. Chris took him and the dr. said it was just a plain old viral infection. WHATEVER!! The boy is coughing up a lung like he's been smoking for 50 years! The breathing treatments help, but at this point, it is painful to even listen to him try to sleep (try being the operative word). You know the boy is exhausted when I asked him if he was ready for bed... and he said, "Momma, I don't think we should read stories... I'm super tired!" WTF! That boy usually wants to read at least 10 stories!!! Poor monkey!! So now, we are just waiting for his little body to fight the infection. I am thankful it's nothing THAT serious (flu, etc.) but still upset he isn't feeling well.... On another note, Michael is a TASMANIAN DEVIL!! That boy is fearless and looks for trouble! He is TRULY a monkey and tries to climb on every single thing. Warning- do not turn your back to him or let him out of sight!! :-) Off to sleep.. hopefully none of the other peeps here get sick... xoxo

Life

Totally great picture of Michale and Jacob running around in the grass... LOOK AT MICHAEL'S HAIR!!! LOL!!!!! :-)


Wow. Life is crazy. I love my life... just experiencing many emotions now. My grandmother is passing away.... She has been sick though... so it is not unexpected. It is still very hard though. I went to visit her today, and I am emotionally drained. So many great memories from my childhood. Trips to the Grand Canyon and river rafting.. her tickling my back and my face to fall asleep at night, and singing songs. It was so good to see her, but... it wasn't really 'HER'. I still gazed into her eyes, massaged her hands, and told her I love her. I'm glad I went and will go back tomorrow. The tears just kept streaming out...it makes me realize how precious life is and that one day, I will be laying there. I know... totally a morbid thought. Gosh, I sure do love my boys. They cheered me up tonight. I got to feed them, bathe them, and draw and color with Jacob. I cherish every single moment. They are my everything.

Ahhh... FALL!!

Playing on the porch.....


Michael eating, I mean, EXPLORING with sand.


What I see on a daily basis... PICK ME UP, MOMMA!!


My sweet Jake


Hello there! LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG TIME, NO blog posts!! Yikes!!! What a "bad" little blogger I am! Just kidding... life is just too darn busy lately and I've really had to prioritize my time. Unfortunately, posting has went to the way side. You know the scenario, just feeling pulled in a million and one directions and trying to make my family a priority. Besides trying to take a few minute for myself each night to unwind, relax, and spend time with the hubby, nights are spent having family dinners, enjoying playing in the bath, coloring pictures with Jacob, and reading bedtime stories. It's wonderful. Seriously!! I love my life!!! Jacob is such a sweet boy. He is loving his new preschool and is THRIVING!! They are so kind and I am so thankful that I have a place that I trust takes care of him and teaches not only academic skills, but how to be a good human being. He asked me last night to color a picture with him and of course I said YES! He said, "Momma, you color SO NICELY... how do you do it?" My heart melted. I told him he colored just as nice as me!! He already writes his name (I didn't force him to learn it.. he just loves to write and draw!) Michael is great... CRAZY like a monkey, but wonderful! Babbling and running around, and his little, or shall I say BIG personality is shining through! He has quite the sense of humor and loves his big brother. He idolizes him. He's a good eater and although he's teething and getting his molars, which has caused him a lot of pain, I love him dearly. Michael loves being outdoors and I found him eating sand the other day. So is the life of a toddler... LOL. Chris's birthday is this weekend...21 again. ;-) Just kidding... he said the sweetest thing the other night. I told him I wanted to get him something to make him feel special and let him know how much I love him. He told me, "Rachel, every day is like my birthday. I love my life and you make me feel loved every day." Music to my ears.... :-) I have much gratitude for my life. I am learning every day and cherish every single moment I get. It goes by way too fast... Hope everyone else is just as happy and well. Lots of love.

1 year old!

Michael trying to feed Dada some cake!


Michael in his silly birthday hat!


Opening presents!



Wow. It's hard to believe that Michael is one year old today! Honestly, when I analyze it, it seems like the first 6 months went by slowly... but the last 6 months have zoomed right by. I look at Michael and don't see a "baby" any more. I know EVERYONE says it, but time flies too fast! I think every day of my life, "Cherish each and every moment with them".

This month has been somewhat difficult because I have had to go back to work and work longer hours. I miss my boys. I want to see every milestone. I want to see their funny personalities. I want to be their everything. But I also know, in my heart, that it isn't possible. I try to have gratitude for everything lately. This week, I had the experience of meeting a 5 year old boy, who is in a wheelchair, and can't walk. He is paralyzed from the chest down and although he is cognitively "normal", he has so many physical needs, that it brought tears to my eyes for the appreciation that I have for having such happy, healthy, active boys. I love them so much.
We had a birthday party for Michael last weekend with all the close family members. We had delicious sandwiches, snacks, and yummy cupcakes! It was awesome.

Endings and Beginnings....

My 2 little monkeys in the bath!


Michael "feeding" himself...I wonder how much gets in his TUMMY!!

The end is near....

The end of my month long vacation that is.... I am kind of tired of people saying to me, "Didn't this month fly by? Are you ready for work? Are you "happy" to be going back? Did you have a fun time being off? Must be nice..."

Yeah, I'm pretty sick of sarcastic comments. Oh well. Such is life. By the way, NO, this month didn't fly by. No, I am not ready for work, I'm not REALLY ready to go back, and YES, I had fun!" This month was relaxing, productive, fun, reflective, loving, memory-making, a little bit scary (not in a life threatening way), and one I won't forget. Is anyone ready to go back to work after a month of vacation? I think not... but that's okay. I will take life as it comes. I know this is the next step.

I have made some good, healthy life decisions and have integrated activity into my life. I have been doing yoga, pilates, dance classes, and basically, getting my ass MOVING!! It feels awesome and I love it! Part of me is scared as to how it will all play out when I am doing the full-time mom and work thing, but I know that I can and will make it work. No stress. I am committed to enjoying every moment. I guess I just feel REVIVED. Which is a good thing... I was feeling a little burnt out before. I guess I just have to have faith that everything happens for a reason.

I found a few quotes tonight that really struck a chord with me. I thought I would share.

No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power.
P. J. O'Rourke

But suppose God is black? What if we go to Heaven and we, all our lives, have treated the Negro as an inferior, and God is there, and we look up and He is not white? What then is our response?
Robert Kennedy

Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.
Mother Teresa

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
Mother Teresa

Love doesn't make the word go 'round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.
Franklin P. Jones

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
Lao Tzu

Hope all is well in your world. All is well in mine. Much love.
xoxo

SUMMER VACATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jake, Drew, and Grandma 'Princess'


Michael doing his latest "trick" when he's done eating... LOL


Hello all!!! I'm on SUMMER VACATION!! Notice from the capital letters that I'm super excited about this!!! :-) :-) :-)

The past week and a half I have to admit.........I've been quite selfish. My days have been consumed by not much... let's see... going to the gym (which I've been trying to all these different types of classes.. pilates, zumba dance, hip hop, etc), nail appts, hair appts, cleaning, and well, spending time with my precious monkeys!!! Let's just say it's been........wonderful!! I feel a little guilty since Chris is still at work....but I have enjoyed the time to myself. It feels weird to be a little "selfish" and take time for myself. It's funny... pre-kids, I would have been napping the time away, but not now. I have taken a few naps here and there, but NOTHING like I would have before. I am enjoying going to the gym, working out, eating well, and picking the boys up early. I have been spoiling Jacob with slurpee trips, ice cream, and just plain-old mommy time. I love it. Gosh... wouldn't it be great to earn this paycheck and be able to stay home! Yeah right... I don't see that coming any time soon.

Michael is taking his first steps... walking!! I can't believe how fast the time flies by. I will post a video soon (as soon as we get another camera that takes video!!) Michael was so excited by the fireworks on the 4th of July, that he threw the camera down and broke it. :-( The screen is obliterated and we are in the process of getting a new one. This was the first 4th of July that Jake actually was 'IN' to it. It was great. We swam the whole day, visited with family, and enjoyed fireworks once it got dark. Gosh, I never would have imagined that a day/night like that would bring so much joy. Before kids, it was filled with WAY too much drinking and partying.... not that I remember all of it. Yikes. Better times now.....thank God. These boys are amazing to me. I cherish every single minute with them. They make me a better person and I truly feel like my heart is walking around on the outside of my body. It is wonderful, yet painful (in a good way, of course).

Jacob is moving rooms in his preschool.... to the "Big Boy" room and he is so excited, yet momma is so nervous for him. It tears my heart out to leave him every day.... gosh, it really changes my perspective on life, my job, and all those kids that I am "charge" of every day. This tiny, tiny part of me wishes I could have another child, but I know that isn't happening... I just look at these joyful human beings and how I have created them and it's bittersweet. They are so much work, bring me so much joy... but I just don't think I could do another child justice with working full-time....as you can see, I still struggle with these thoughts....Overall, I feel happiness though... I thank God for my blessings.

Hope all is well with everybody else.
xoxo

Oh, how the time flies...

Michael "pretending" to help us empty the dishwasher... LOL


Life has been busy, as can be expected.. I am working "summer hours" right now, which means 5:30 am till about 12:3o pm... not such a bad gig considering I get off from work so early... here's the thing though... I HATE MORNINGs!! In order for me to get out the door, I have to set the alarm for 4:20 am.... yes, that, my friends, is still considered the middle of the night (for me). My goal is to SNEAK out the door before the monkeys wake up.... which really is a double edged sword

. I mean, if I'm able to get ready and sneak out before they wake up, then I don't get to see them, which totally sucks. However, if they do wake up (which I don't mind), then it adds 20 - 30 minutes on... How can I possibly leave when Jake is begging me to cuddle? Hey, priorities now!! :-)

Chris has been incredible. He hasn't complained once about having to get both of those boys ready, dropping them both off, and dealing with the chaos. He is so calm about the whole thing (me, I would be totally stressing..)

Okay, so 2 more days of work, then, I'm OFF FOR A WHOLE MONTH!!! WOO HOO!! (Can you sense my excitement??!)

Update on the boys: Michael is crazy...but in a good way...babbling NONSTOP, cruising around, and into everything! The boy is going to walk soon! He is mesmerized by his brother and wants all of his toys. This however, has created a problem, because Jake is now VERY territorial and doesn't want Michael touching a toy. Needless to say, the time-out chair has been utilized (and it's not pretty).

Jake has a cough and is wheezing. The dr. has told us to give "breathing treatments" every 4 hours, which he just loves (yeah right) and we keep monitoring his cough and wheezing. I absolutely hate hearing him wheeze.... it breaks my heart. They think it is probabloy aggrivated by his "illness" but I still want it to go away! It tears my heart out!! :-(

Chris and I went out on a date tonight and we had a blast. I love, love. love spending time with him. Even though we were both tired, it was so good to be together, just us. All right, off to bed.... gotta wake up soon. xoxo

STUFF

Michael riding on daddy's shoulder's at the park


Jake playing at the park


Fun at the water park!!!


Michael "reading" (Jake's library books.. which didn't go over so well when Jake found out... LOL)

Well, I may have jumped the gun and said that I would make the blog private too soon... who knows... I'm still contemplating it.... I hate to do that, but I am also a little weirded out by a private e-mail someone sent me. I hate to make it private because I have learned so much from reading other peoples' blogs and learning about their life lessons. It is what inspired me to create mine. I know that there are a handful of sites that I read daily and those people don't know who I am.....(I certainly don't creep them out either and send them weird messages...) Anyways, as you can see, I'm torn....

We had a great weekend! Got all of our "chores" done... you know, the usual stuff that needs to be accomplished. Michael has turned into a crazy, possessed, TEETHING devil (with the fangs to prove it!) He cried and cried and cried and cried on Saturday... until Chris and I almost lost it. Whew... it was draining...It hurts so much to not be able to take away the pain of my child. He was better today. I know he just HURTS and can't help it, but gosh, he's just so darn fussy, irritalbe, cranky, and nothing makes him happy. THIS TOO SHALL PASS is the phrase that keeps repeating over and over in my head.

The rest of the weekend was filled with going to the gym, weighing in (YEAH- I lost another 6 pounds for a total now of 30.8 lbs!!!), swimming, grocery shopping, cleaning, playing at the water park, more cleaning, playing in the sand box, laundry, and cuddling.
:-) See, a nice combo of productiveness and family-fun.

I am working "summer hours" which means waking up at the butt-crack of dawn. God bless coffee. Anyone who knows me KNOWS I am NOT a morning person. Having to be at work before 6 am is CRAZY for me!! Atleast I'm getting off early though....

I'm off to shower and prepare my stuff for the morning. The lord knows it takes all I have to even brush my teeth and get dressed. ;-)

Privacy

Hello!
Well, I've come to the conclusion that I need to make my blog private now...
I'm so NOT cool with weirdos sending me freaky e-mails. So, if you would like to continue reading my blog (who knows who actually reads it!!), please shoot me an e-mail and let me know, so I can add your name to the "invite" list. I will keep the blog open to all for another week or so to give time for people to respond... Thank you so much to all my friends and family for being interested in all of the crazy things (and sometimes boring things... LOL) going on in my life.
Lots of love!

It's Been Awhile...

It's been a few weeks since I've posted.... life has been busy... not with anything in particular... just busy... Preschool, Work, A teething baby, Bedtime stories, Cleaning house, Bonding time, Family adventures.... gosh, I wonder why I feel so exhausted!! :-)
Things are good. In fact, things are wonderful!! Just busy... I crash at the end of each night with barely enough energy to kiss my loving, handsome husband. School is over (well, technically) even though I work the rest of June. This summer promises to bring great things... we are planning a family vacation to the beach and I am looking forward to spending time with "the boys".
I'm tired. Off to bed. Long day. Long day... not that I'm complaining....
xoxo

Stress

Gosh, I felt so stressed today, which I hate. I mean, HELLO, it's Saturday!! It's the weekend!! We had a great morning... we packed up the family and headed out to a group walking event sponsored by Corporate Challenge through Chris's work. The walk took place at a park and we walked with the mayor. Registration began at 8:30 am and he finally arrived about 9:20 am (I swear it was 90 degrees by then!!) Michael drank a bottle and passed out and believe it or not, Jake was very patient. It was awfully hot during the walk and this nice lady from Chris's work carried Michael for a majority of the way. That chunky monkey is heavy!! He had a cute little hat on to protect his head from the sun. Jake rode on the back of the stroller most of the way... making the walk a little more strenuous to say the least.. LOL!! Overall, it was a fun morning. When we got back to the house, Chris worked on random house fixer-upper things (painting, patching spots on the walls, etc.) and I cleaned. We thought for SURE, that Jake would nap due to the outing in the morning.. but NOPE!1 That boy ate like a pig (which is normal lately) and terrorized his brother. My mom came over so I could help her with her resume. It was a productive day.

I guess I just always feel like there is a million things to do and not enough time. It seems like during the week I just GO, GO, GO, and then Saturday comes and I have to keep GOING!! I love my children, my husband, and my house... and I love spending time with them. I wish I didn't have to keep up on the laundry, cleaning, and all the other "stuff" that I don't have time for during the week. I don't mean to sound like a big ole' cry baby. I know my anxiety and stress is self-induced.... LOL... I guess I just want everything to be perfect and I feel like it is my job to make it that way. I also realize that there is no easier solution than to just be PRESENT in my life. I know that being a stay-at-home mom isn't the answer. My husband is wonderful and truly gives 110% to our kids and keeping up the house. I know that the house will never be clean enough and the laundry will always wait. I don't want to look back on my life and wish I spent more time with my family.

Anyways, update on the boys....
Michael is getting his top two teeth in... poor baby. He is teething like a crazy man and will eat ANYTHING and everything. Hence the "bite" he gave to my thigh today. It wasn't hard, but boy, it sure did surprise me!! He's growing so big and strong, I swear, the boy will be in size 18 months in the next month!! (He's only 9 months old!)

Jake is known as Dr. Jeckyl Mr. Jake lately. So sweet, so smart, so funny... but so controlling and tempermental! Yikes!! Terrible two's are NOTHING!! Mr. Independent loves us, but hates us. Love his brother, but wants to antagonize him. Wants to do every single task himself, but refuses to ask for help, even if he knows he needs it. AHHHHH (that's me breathing....) None the less, he IS feeling better now after the surgery, which is good.

School is coming to a close, which is a nice thing. I'm so looking forward to having the month of July off. We are planning a little family vacation..... don't know details yet... but still excited!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Look at those smiling faces!!!

Having a relaxing, lazy day at home with the boys. It's nice. We are heading over to Chris's dad's house for a little family get-together this afternoon. It's been awhile since we've seen everyone.

We went out for dinner and drinks last night (to celebrate my birthday, but we couldn't go out last weekend because Jake was still recovering from surgery). It was awesome! I picked a new restaurant that we've never eaten at before called "Tao" at the Venetian. The atmosphere in the restaurant is incredible!! Then we headed over to the restaurant where my brother works called "Sushi Samba" which is at the Palazzo. He got us some free drinks (sweet!) and we hung out for a bit. It was great to spend a night with my husband. I love talking with him and it makes me remember all the reasons why I feel in love with him in the first place.

I know it's Mother's Day and all, but I truly couldn't be the mother I am without him being the father he is. We are such a team. He makes me a better person. I feel so blessed to have created these boys with him. Chris was sweet and let me sleep in today. He knows that is the BEST present ever. ;-)

Goodbye Tonsils

The night before Jake had surgery, we had a "Goodbye Tonsils" celebration with a cake and everything! (the only candle I could find was a big number 1, so hence the big ole' candle!!!) It was an oreo cake... Mmmmmmm!!! Jake's favorite! He only likes the frosting though, so he only ate the top half.

We read a book about having surgery that had a similar situation, so I "stole" the idea from the book.... I don't know if it really helped. If anything, it got him all excited and now he thinks we are all crazy. Like, "Why the hell did we celebrate when I feel like sh*t???" Well, we are crazy, but in a good way. ;-)

Hopefully it was the thought that counted...

Birthday Blessings

Hello! This weekend was my birthday..... A whopping 32 years under my belt!

I actually had to go to the DMV to renew my license. Damn. I liked my last picture, too. And now a days (gosh, that made me sound old!) the DMV doesn't even give the license to you right then. They mail it! So, I don't know if the new picture is decent. We didn't get a chance to celebrate this weekend due to Jacob still recovering from his surgery. He is very needy at this point and neither one of us wanted to leave him yet. That's okay though! That means we'll get to celebrate TWICE! :-) I still haven't chosen where I would like to go to dinner.... I need to decide if I want one of the places we usually go, or venture out to a new restaurant. I'm not really picky, but I'm leaning towards a new place.

I received many wonderful gifts from my family this year, but the greatest blessings I already had. A loving, sensitive, supportive (and handsome, dare I say...) husband who loves me and my crazy ways unconditionally; two adorable boys who think I am a Goddess (or a princess.... he he..see previous post); a supportive, caring, active family that is involved with the boys; I am so thankful of the people in my life that love me.

When I think about all of the changes that have occurred in my life over the past few years.... I am in awe. The one that has changed me most is becoming a mother. I am truly learning to surrender myself and have faith that God only gives me as much as I can handle and I am learning not to "over-think" each change and situation that I encounter.

I look forward to another incredible year with much more learning, love, and memories!!

The Incredible Hulk is Recovering

The Incredible Jake!!

Yesterday, Jake had surgery. He had his tonsils and adenoids removed, as well as tubes put in his ears.

Over the past year, Chris and I were very concerned about his snoring and sleep apnea at night time. It continued to get louder and louder and he cocked his head back at a 90 degree angle so he could breath. Jake has never been a good sleeper.... he has always woken up, a lot of the time crying, and when he got a cold, it was even worse. Ear infections happened often and one dr. even said that he had a slight hearing loss due to the amount of fluid in his ears.

After seeing a trusted and well-recommended doctor, we chose to go ahead with the surgery. The night before we had a tiny celebration with a "Good bye Tonsils" cake and even got a book to read about the surgery. I don't think he knew what was coming though.... he wasn't scared, which was good and was cooperative (for the most part) before hand.

The worst part was seeing him right after the surgery, coming out of the anesthesia. He turned into THE INCREDIBLE HULK!!! That boy became so strong! He was disoriented, pissed off, and was not having any of it!! I tried to hold him and that lasted for about 20 seconds, until I had Chris take over. Even Chris had a difficult time and that man is strong!! The nurses had to sedate him and gave him Demerol. He was knocked out for awhile, but we couldn't leave until he showed that he could keep down some liquids. Watching him like that was one of the hardest things I've had to do... I felt so HELPLESS!!! I really wish the nurses would have warned us about how he might be!!

Eventually, he sipped some apple juice. He kept reaching for me, so I laid on the bed next to him. Sweet angel. It was weird though, because it brought back this 'deja vu" moment where I remembered laying next to my dad when he was in hospice and passing away. I didn't say anything at the time, but it was a very hard moment.

We are now at home, trying to persuade him to eat and drink anything. I am offering up anything and everything!! Ice cream, popsicles, slurpees, milkshakes... anything to get some fluids in him!

Jake just looks at me, with these big, brown puppy dog eyes and doesn't want to. We had to force him to take his medication this morning. I know he will get better with each passing day and that the surgery was for the best. But it is still a difficult process to go through. If the boy would actually take some tylenol with coedine, I'm SURE he'd feel a little better!! Heck, can I have some??? he he j/k

All right, I'm off to play nurse. :-)

Words can not express....

Words can not express how absolutely IN LOVE I am with my Jake!! His little personality is shining through and I am amazed at his sense of humor and how much he brightens my day!! He is so silly, so smart, so sweet, and I am so scared for his surgery coming up this next week. On Wednesday, he will have his tonsils and adenoids removed as well as tubes put into his ears. I know that it is the best decision in the long run, but the recovery is going to put me through hell. I HATE seeing him in pain. It literally feels like someone is tearing my heart out!

One day, he will kill me for posting this picture of him. Nice undies, huh? That boy loves to be naked (takes after his daddy)!!

He also walks around in my shoes..... at least I didn't post a picture of him in my heels!! He he he...

Princess of the Mountain!!!

PRINCESS OF THE MOUNTAIN!!! (me)

I have such an adorable story..........

The other night, after I read Jake some bed time stories, we were laying in his bed chatting. At his school, they must have discussed "Take your child to work day" because Jake was talking about coming to my work with me and asking me questions.

I asked him, "Do you know where Momma works?" and Jake replied "On the mountain!" (like I work at the test site or something... LOL) My school, for those of you who don't know, is right next to a HUGE mountain... so he must think I am working ON the mountain. I explained that my school is right next to the mountain at the bottom.........

So, then, I asked Jake, "Do you know what Momma does for a job?" (I have mentioned before that I used to be a teacher, and now I am an assistant principal... not that he really knows what that is.)

Jake pauses and slowly says.........."Momma, you are a prin....prin...prin.......PRINCESS!" HA HA HA!! How cute is that?

So now, my official title is 'Princess of the Mountain'!!

I'm going to put it on my business cards.... ;-) Or maybe it's my new Indian name.

Just had to share that cute story.....

BUSY BUSY!

He he he... I thought this cartoon was funny.... it's so true!!!


Gosh, it seems like forever since I've posted......life has just been busy! Let's see.... Chris is busy working on the backyard (I am so excited to have a space outside to relax and enjoy!!), we did some reorganizing of Jake's room and the new play room (How many toys can we possibly own??), took Jake to a carnival by the house on Sunday, and jhave ust been busy with everyday life activities.

We found out that Jake has to have surgery on the 29th of April to have his tonsils and adenoids removed and have tubes put in his ears. It is going to help with his breathing, which is NOT good at night. He snores really bad and sometimes has sleep apnea. He sounds like he always has a cold and is congested. The dr. said he has fluid in his ears, hence the tubes. Momma is kind of scared, but I know it's for the best. We haven't really talked to him yet about the procedure because he doesn't have a concept of time yet (everything is yesterday or tomorrow). Soon.......
I think I am more worried about the recovery stage because I know he can't have his favorite drink of ALL time (chocolate milk) and he won't/can't eat. He will be home for at least one week to recover from the surgery with momma and daddy spoiling him rotten. The dr. we are going to comes very highly recommended... but you know that "momma worry" which is always there. The way I see it though is that I constantly worry about it now anyways, so we might as well go ahead and get it done.

The carnival was a blast! Scary people work those things though. YIKES! Jake was so brave on the rides! He and I went on a few rides together and his favorite ride was this simple airplane one. Then, he made me go on the "scrambler" ride and we both almost puked. Not good. LOL
He went on the roller coaster all by himself and he looked like a little raga-muffin doll! I thought he would start crying, but he didn't. Daddy and Michael watched mostly, but it was still fun!

Michael will NOT eat baby food. I guess he just wants to pass through that stage! HA HA! He only wants to chew on people food. He is teething and becomes very possessed! Seriously! ARGHGHGHG!! He likes pizza crust, toasted bagels (with a little jelly), french fries, and graham crackers.

The sibling rivalry has already begun. Jake thinks that Michael is stealing every single toy and gets upset. I keep telling him that Michael wants to be "just like him" and Jake just looks at me. Oh boy... I can see this conversation occuring repeatedly over the next 15 years! :-)

The weather is getting warmer... almost 90 degrees today. Whew. I'm bracing myself for it all of the sudden to be a scalding hot 115 degrees. Hey, at least I won't be pregnant this summer.

I'm off to do a little reading before bed.

Lots of love, Rachel

Memories

Jake searching for eggs at Grandma's house


Michael chowing on some food


Jake coloring eggs (pardon the undies!!)


Momma and Michael hanging at Grandma's house

Happy Easter "for real"!!!

So many memories were created this weekend......

We got to celebrate with Easter fun last weekend, and this weekend. Today was a wonderful day. Last night, Chris and I snuck around and hid eggs all over the house. I laid out face "bunny prints" from the front door and sprinkled that fake grass all over the bunny print trail. The look on Jake's face was amazing. He was in awe. I sure hope I can continue to amaze him like that for a long time... I can't describe the feeling inside me when I watch him experience new things. I know it sounds cheesy, but watching him as he searched for the eggs, added them to his basket, and discovered treats inside the eggs made me feel so peaceful and loving inside.

I love creating family traditions. I love to see the innocence in his eyes. I love to see the excitement wash over his little face. When he finally discovered his Easter basket, he was in love with the new Spiderman shoes and that he got. He kept saying, "This is the best present!" Jake got to go on another egg hunt at his grandma's house this afternoon. We spent the afternoon with the family, chatting, hanging out, and enjoying each other's company.

I am truly blessed with a loving mother-in-law and I appreciate her always hosting the family over her house. My mom stopped by also, which was nice. It feels good to have everyone together (gosh, I feel old when I say that! Ha ha!) :-)

Chris and I went out on a date last night to a delicous steak dinner. It was nice to relax and sit and talk with him. I sure do like and love that man. Pardon me bragging, but he is so damn handsome. And he makes me laugh. And he "gets" me. And he puts up with all of my insecurities and stuff. I love him with every fiber of my body.

My mom babysat the boys last night and they had a great time. I love it because Jake looks forward to grandma coming over. He always tells me what a good time they have. No money in the world could ever buy a babysitter like that. I appreciate her.

Another small moment that happened to me tonight that brought me peace. I went in the shower when we got home. A nice hot shower is what I needed to relax ... so I got out and laid down on the bed for a few minutes and I could overhear Chris playing a new Sponge Bob "Memory" game with Jake. Just listening to the way he interacts with him, so excited, showing him how to play and having so much fun brought me to happiness. Michael was sitting in his highchair, knawing on a cracker, and for some reason, there was this overwhelming sense of love running throughout me. I don't know how to explain it... just peaceful and appreciative of my family.

All right, I'm off to prepare myself for work tomorrow. Having a week off is wonderful for the soul and body, but it's sure hard to go back.

Hope everyone feels as happy as I do.
xoxo

A break....

Up above - me this week!! :-)

This week, I was off from work for Spring Break! It was fantastic!!! It flew by, as can be expected. I had a bunch of dr. appointments to take care of (you know, the stuff that you never have to time to do during "regular" life).

I did some spring cleaning like shampooing the couch and the table chairs, tried to catch up on laundry (do the piles ever end??) and relaxed a little bit. It was nice. I sent the boys to the preschool/babysitter each day, but picked them up early so I could spend some extra time with them.

Life is good. I am feeling relaxed and positive.
A tiny part of me wishes I could still make my same salary but stay home. Yeah right.. in my dreams, baby. Shoot, mothers should get paid. They work hard, too!!

Easter Egg Hunt

Michael exploring the eggs...


Daddy and Michael, the bunny


Daddy and Michael hanging out


How adorable is Jake!!?

Today, we went on our 3rd annual Easter Egg hunt sponsored by Chris' work. This is the first year that Jake actually understood what to do. He was sooooooooo excited! And what do you know... the boy asked to go to the bathroom, and when he was gone, they did the egg hunt.
Darn. I was so disappointed.

He got back and asked me, with a sad look, "Momma, where did all the eggs go?" I told him that we'd go and see if there were any left... So, we walked around, but we didn't see any... Until, two other people saw the sad look on Jake's face (and I'm sure the horrified look on mine...) and these SWEET people took some of their eggs, which they had already gathered, and threw them out in the grass for Jake!!!

I was in awe and shock at their generosity!! Jake screamed in delight and ran over and collected the newly "laid" eggs. I am so forever grateful to those people who made my son's day. (It renews my belief that there are kind, good hearted people out there.....)

The rest of the morning was awesome. We sat down on a blanket and relaxed for a little bit, while enjoying the beautiful weather. There was a slight breeze, but nothing too bad. Jake opened all of his eggs and found the little gifts inside.

Afterwards, we stopped by Jake's preschool for their "Spring Fling" party. We got to walk around and play games, go in the jumpy house, enjoy a snow cone, and mingle. Jake's favorite game was this pretend "fishing" game.

Gosh, all this Easter fun, and Easter isn't even till next weekend! I guess we get to celebrate double! I can't wait to make the boys' Easter baskets this week while I am off of work for Spring Break. All of our family memories are so much fun because Jake actually "gets" what is going on now.

Happy early Easter!

Sweet boy

Michael is getting so big... he's moved on to the "big boy" bath tub (and hates it, by the way... LOL) He's not used to taking a bath in the bathroom. The spoiled boy has always taken a bath in the kitchen and LOVED IT. Well, not now. He cries and cries... Jake and I finally got him to stop by singing to him, but he still made this moaning sound like, "I'm not happy!!!" Sweet boy.
This video is one of the last times I've bathed him in the kitchen. He is laughing and goes a little "spastic" when I squeeze water on his belly. I love his laugh.
I can't believe my baby is getting so old. Gosh, he's going to be a year old before I know.
Time flies when you are having fun...

Trucks, trucks, and more trucks!!

Jake and daddy in a big rig (Jake was scared...)


Momma, Jake, and Drew (my nephew) in the fire engine


Jake in front of the cop car


Jake hanging on the back of the fire engine!!
Take me to the fire!!


Jake and Momma in a bus

Today, we visited the annual "Touch a Truck" event. We went last year and Jake loved it, but this year was even better!!! Last year, I was pregnant with Michael and didn't feel well. I was hot, irritable, and didn't feel like walking around. My stomach hurt and well, let's just say that a porta-potty wasn't cuttin' it. I know, TMI.

This year was a million times better. The weather was absolutely beautiful- 72 degrees, a light breeze, and heck... I WASN'T PREGNANT AND MISERABLE!! Ha ha! ;-)

Michael had fun, too, people watching (except when the garbage truck's horn blew and scared the pants off of him!!!) Heck, I was scared, too!

We got to see such a variety of big trucks.... ambulances, garbage trucks, buses, police cars, milk trucks, hot air balloons (not a truck, but whatever... LOL), and the most important... the fire engine!!! Jake was ecstatic!! We stood in line so that he could spray the big fire hose, but he chickened out once we got up to the hose. He gets so darn shy! Maybe next year...

We got there early, because we knew the crowds would pour in the later it got in the day. It was truly, another wonderful family outing. I have to say, I'm addicted to making happy family memories. It makes my heart smile.

We had a relaxing Saturday night. Chris worked in the yard and my mom came over to eat dinner. We chatted, caught up on life, and just hung out. What a nice night. The house is almost clean.. just a few more loads of laundry to do tomorrow. Jake and I have to also make our weekly trip to the library. We have so much fun getting books.

Lots of love...

The Best Invention

The other day, I came into the room, to find Jake sitting in Michael's highchair. Mind you, it's really HIS highchair... but still! He looks like a grown man! I don't even know how he squeezed his way in. I burst out laughing and had to take his picture.... Too funny...


Okay, I am going to sound so dorky, but seriously, the public library has become our favorite place to go lately! We go at least every 2 weeks, but lately, it's been closer to weekly.

Now, let me tell ya, we have a TON of books in our house.... I have books from when I had my own classroom and built up my personal library for my kids (ranging from kindergarten level to novels, not that Jake is readying novels yet.. although I'm sure Chris will be happy once they are done taking up space in the garage). Plus, we have bought hundreds of book since Jake was born. Everywhere I look, there are books. He begs us to read to him "More books, Momma" "More books, Dada" at night time. How could one possibly ignore that request?? No way....The boy screams for joy when we enter a book store. One time, at Barnes and Noble, he said, "Momma, I love this place... it's the best!" I couldn't stop grinning.... and then I saw the 20 books he threw in the stroller and though to myself, "There is no way we have enough money to pay for all those books!!" I am smitten with the fact that Jake loves to read. He has his favorites that he begs to read repeatedly (and that I know the words to in my sleep) and that's okay.

However, now that a new public library just opened up less than 3 minutes from our house.... we are in absolute joy!!!! There are rows and rows and rows of great books!! Small board books, thicker, classic stories, books about fire engines, garbage trucks, Thomas the Train, Dora, Blue's Clues, the Backyardigans... you name it, they got it! We carry a basket and Jake can't stop adding books. My arm starts to go numb by the time we leave. Not only can you check out books, but they have children's DVD's!! Woo hoo! Now I don't have to watch the same ole' Bob the Builder for the 100th time!!! The limit is up to 50 books. The first week I don't think we checked out more than 15 or so..then the next time it was like 20, then 25 and today, we checked out 33. I feel that we will soon meet our 50 book limit next time we check out. And, another wonderful feature is the self "electronic" check-out. I have trained Jake and he checks out the books himself! He knows how to scan the books and I just pack them out! Great team work!!
Maybe one day, I'll be able to go the library by myself and actually browse the adult section.... I'm sure there are some good books there, too!
Happy Reading!!
:-)

p.s.- Reminder to self: ALWAYS HIDE THE MARKERS!!! I went to rock Michael to sleep... and came back to GIGANTIC letter "J"'s all over the couch.... that's right, made with a red, permanent sharpee marker. I will keep breathing.... I mean, yeah, I'm happy he knows how to write the first letter of his name, BUT NOT ON MY COUCH!!!!!!

Meet our Fearless Leader

The beautiful waterfall we were searching for...

Jake and Momma


Daddy feeding the little monkey


Our fearless LEADER, Jake!


Momma carrying the monkey on the way up!



Daddy carrying the monkey on the way down....


Hello! We are so lucky that the weather in Las Vegas is warming up beautifully this week. Chris and I decided that it would be a perfect time to take Jake on his first hike. We decided to go to a place called the Children's Discovery hike... and let me tell you, it was not as simple as we thought it would be!!
On the way up, I strapped Michael to me in a baby carrier (a whole extra 20+ pounds to carry!!) and he was so content. He was screaming in joy and laughing the whole way. I had him facing outward, so I'm sure it seemed to him, like he was actually walking. I had a cute little hat to protect his head from the sunshine. Chris carried the backpack with all the supplies, and well, Jake declared to us that he was the LEADER! He had an adorable Sponge Bob backpack on (with the essentials of fruit snacks, carmex, and cheetohs, of course) and sun glasses.
It truly is a memory ingrained in my brain and heart forever. The hike had some huge rocks and steep inclines. Jake navigated the entire way ... at some points, he used Chris's grip to help him get up. I was pleasantly surprised at what an amazing hiker he was and how much bravery he showed. At the furthest point in the hike, there is a beautiful waterfall. It's tiny, but still amazing. Chris fed Michael on a blanket while Jake and I creeped to the very back to get a closer look at the waterfall. There was some shade, which was nice, and we all enjoyed a snack.
On the hike back, Chris strapped Michael to HIM this time (which I was pleasantly surprised again! What a great daddy and husband). Jake led the way back, but he kept saying, "Momma, let's hold hands and do it together, like team work!". My heart just melted every time he said it. Afterwards, we stopped for lunch and ate a delicious, well deserved lunch. It was a perfect day.
I feel so blessed to have my family. We are making many happy memories together. :-)
I see many more adventures in our future...