Addictions

It is a good thing that I never have tried drugs or tasted alcohol.  I am thinking that I would be an easy person to become addicted and an even harder person to kick the addiction.  Why do I say this?  Because of cookie dough and babysitters.  Weird, I know.
I am on a constant loose weight kick.  Not because I think that I am overly obese or have significant body issues (minor, maybe.  significant, no.) but because I refuse to buy new jeans and want to be a weight that I can fit into any pair of pants in my closet.  I usually do good for a while and then I start to realize nothing fits again and I have to jump back on the wagon.  I have been doing really well the last two weeks except for one thing.  Cookie dough.  In three days I have managed to consume almost an entire tube (not the small ones, the giant ones) of cookie dough.  I know that I have eaten it all too because Mack hates cookie dough.  I can't help it.  It is so good.  It calls my name at all times.  Oh well, soon enough the tube will be gone and then I can move on with my life.
But what do I think I am addicted to even more than cookie dough?  Babysitters.  Mack and I hired a babysitter for the first time ever this last Saturday night.  We have gone out only twice without kids since we had Brisbane.  Pathetic, we know.  Both of those times though the kids were watched by family or awesome friends.  But this time we hired a teenager that we had to pay.  Selecting a babysitter is hard work.  Then figuring out how much to pay them is even harder work.  But we bit the bullet.  Now I want to hire a babysitter every weekend.  It was an awesome feeling, to walk away from my house, know my kids were being taken care of, and do something that we wouldn't get to do if the kids tagged along...go to the movies.
I guess it really is the simple things in life, huh?  And if I have to have some addictions I would say that I could do a lot worse than cookie dough a babysitters.

Lofty Aspirations

This is a frequent conversation with Reese these days:
"Mom?"
"Yes?"
"Tomorrow, when I am bigger, I am going to drive a city bus and Jessenia is going to drive a school bus."
"Really?  Do you want to learn to drive a car like Mom and Dad?"
"No.  Just a bus.  I will drive a city bus and Jessenia will drive a school bus."
"Cool."
We are kind of hoping for some other career goals as he gets older.  Also, I am hoping that Jessenia is ok with already being pegged into her future career.  I can just envision the two of them driving around the town in their busses.  Weirdies!
This all stems from when Reese and Jessenia first moved in with us they referred to all busses as school busses.  For simplicities sake, I told them that only yellow busses are school busses and that the rest are city busses.  And so was born an obsession.  They must point out every bus.  Then classify it.  Then be sure that everyone in the car saw it and is aware of its proper classification.  It's pretty cute.
I suppose having a couple of bus drivers in the family wouldn't be so bad.  I was kind of hoping for a dentist, but whatever.

Let's Go Fly a Kite

When my parents were here in February (hence why some people have jackets on) my Dad and I took Reese and Jessenia to the park to fly kites while the workers were laying our patio.  Flying kites is one of those things that I get pretty excited about.  I don't do it that often anymore but I always love it.  My dad taught me how when I was little and I remember all of the other kids in the neighborhood were super jealous of my father and I and our kite flying abilities.  So in the spirit of passing on our skills, I mean passing on hours of fun and enjoyment, we took the kids to give it a shot.  I have to admit, Dad and I were a little rusty.  Plus the kids were not super cooperative.  And I don't think that they enjoyed it quite as much as I wanted them to (go figure).
Warning:  Once again, the pictures aren't the best.  I forgot to take my camera and was using my phone (aka no zoom).

 We had two kites.  A tiger and the fancy American flag one you see in this picture.  Dad and Jessenia were gracious enough to let Reese and I use the tiger (which was an infinitely better kite).

 There is Dad struggling to keep his kite in the air and two kids wrangled at the same time.

 Grandpa got the kite in the air and handed over the reins. 

 The kids were actually really good at it.

 But it does require a LOT of concentration.  Don't break eye contact, Reese.  Notice he is wearing my sunglasses. He couldn't see the kite which was distressing to him so I let him borrow my glasses.  Then he wouldn't give them back...stinker!

 Here are both kids flying the kites.  I am pretty sure at this point the strings are about to get tangled and the adults had to intervene.  

 Then when the kids were bored of kite flying they decided to hide in, under, around, and behind Grandpa's legs.  Grandpa doesn't seem to mind too much. :)

Maybe next year we will let Brisbane try his hand at kite flying.  We could teach all three of them to be kite fighters.  If only we knew how to teach that...

Glowing Children

My father works for a company that disposes of and contains nuclear waste.  When I was a young girl we claimed that he had a 'glowing personality' due to all of his exposure to radiation. 
His grandchildren also have 'glowing personalities' but for far different reasons.  They are just cute like that.
While my mother was here we decided to bust out some glow sticks for the Family Home Evening activity.  We thought it would last a few minutes and be moderately entertaining for the kids.  But boy were we wrong.

 An hour later, when Mack came home, we were all still cracking up from the kids' silly stunts in the dark.

The pictures are pretty terrible because it was dark and my camera is not so great.  But I promise, they were having a blast!

Boxes of Joy

Why do we buy toys?  I am convinced that the toys are to entertain the stay at home mom more than they are to entertain the child.  The child is perfectly happy with the box.
I had some empty bins that I had bought to store clothes in.  There were three bins and three kids.  We lined the bins up and Mack and I pulled them around the living room like a train.  The kids still ask me for bins sometimes.
A few weeks ago I was cleaning out some boxes in the garage and the kids played with them before I collapsed them for recycling.

Jessenia had to crawl into that box when it was on it's side.  She asked me to tip it up for her but didn't take into account that now she wouldn't be able to stand up.  I offered to help her sit up and she refused, so I had to take a picture.  Claustraphobia must have set in three seconds after this picture was taken because she started squirming and crying for rescue.

Then my brother sent me an awesome belated birthday present and the kids claimed the box as their own.



 They really wanted Brisbane to get in with them.  I find it totally adorable because when Reese and Jessenia first moved in they wanted nothing to do with playing with Brisbane.  Now Brisbane is the star of the show (unless the trains are out and he is demolishing them).

 This time Reese and Jessenia willingly got themselves in that position.  And there are much bigger smiles this time.  But that box is bursting at the seams (and did split the next day from 'rough play').



So what is the lesson to be learned from this?  Don't spend money on a gift for my children, just get them a ruddy old box from the garage.  Hours of entertainment will follow.

Four Monthiversary

It is four months today since we took physical custody of Reese and Jessenia.  And what an awesome four months it has been. 
So this is my four months in review.
Month 1:  Honeymoon Phase
It was all so new and exciting.  We were nervous.  We had no idea what we were doing.  They were adorable.  We loved them.  They were still learning the ropes and responded to direction pretty well.  This month went by way too fast.
Month 2:  Survival Mode
I just wanted to make it to the end of the day with everyone being alive.  Mack was incredibly busy at school and I felt like I was in the trenches day in and day out.  The honeymoon phase was over and there was a lot of crying around our house (a majority of it from me).  The kids were testing new boundaries and I was learning how to discipline.  Mack assures me that he doesn't remember anything from when he was two and three so I am hopeful that my kids will not hold me responsible for all of the mistakes I made during this month.
Month 3:  Frustration
This was the month where I said in my head repeatedly, "Now I know why people don't adopt sibling groups".  Getting two kids at the same time is HARD.  And two kids who have lived in multiple homes with multiple expectations before they came into your family is SUPER HARD.  It was an emotional month.  I love my kids but there were definately moments where they pushed me to my emotional and mental breaking point.  It truly was an accomplishment some days that I didn't run away from home from being so frustrated.  Frustrated that they couldn't fall asleep in the same room because they would keep each other awake until 10:30.  Frustrated that they would cry for thirty minutes every time they got a timeout.  Frustrated that the crying was usually mixed with high pitched screaming that woke up Brisbane and disrupted all of our lives.  I cried a lot this month, even more than Survival Mode Month.
Month 4:  I Love My Job
I love being a mom.  I have new perspective.  I don't know that much has changed with all of the things that used to frustrate me, but now it just doesn't matter.  Sure, the kids can still grate on my nerves but that is usually just small mundane things.  My perspective and ability to cope with my life is what has changed, not the kids.
Back in the Honeymoon Phase I remember telling people that I had the best job in the world.  I lost that glow somewhere in trying to survive and feeling totally inadequate as a mother, wife, and homemaker.  But it's back.  We have a new lease on life and fun around our house.  Mack is still crazy busy studying for boards but I am now enjoying the time until he comes home instead of counting down the minutes and whining. 
Motherhood is really hard.  I have given my mother far too little credit over the years for being such an amazing Mom.  And even though we still have hard moments.  They really are just moments.  They don't control our day and they certainly don't control our lives. 
I can't believe that it has already been four months.  And at the same time I can't believe that it has only been four months.  I suppose that is the beauty of knowing your kids will be yours eternally.  I wouldn't have it any other way and certainly not with any other kids.

Pool Time

Why oh why oh why do I live in Arizona?  It is something I have asked myself since my first summer here and I didn't have a sufficient answer until I married Mack.  That also meant that I had someone to blame for the idiocy of living somewhere where the temperature is over 90 degrees three fourths of the year (ok, maybe just two thirds...but a lot of it!).  I cannot wait to find out where our next adventure will take us after medical school.  That's right.  We have zero intention of remaining in Arizona (it is actually not even possible with the military residencies we will be applying to).So what does one do to beat the heat?  Stays trapped inside their house all day with three kids?  No!  Puts a pool on the back porch?  Yes!

 I will admit that the water was a little cold, since I just filled it up and they couldn't wait to jump in (they would have only needed to give it an hour...the sun would of had that water boiling).  Reese and Jessenia only wanted to walk around in it at first, but once they saw how much fun Brisbane was having sitting down, they joined it.

 Reeser loved it!  It is so funny to me that he rallied his siblings to play the exact same pool games that my brothers and I played in our backyard pool.  Surely every kids swims around the edge of hte pool as fast as they can in a circle to get the water spinning? 

 Look at that cute little beach baby!  If she doesn't get too negatively influneces by Reese's fear of water, she could be our little fish. 

 And what can I say!?  He was having the time of his LIFE!  He did get knocked over once by his brother, but didn't cry.  And as soon as I told the kids that they had ten more minutes, he decided to stick his face in the water repeatedly.

That inspired Reese and Jessenia to lay on their tummies and stick their faces in (well most of their face).  They decided it was worth it to get your face wet to blow bubbles in the water.
I am loving our little pool.  I am envisioning many hours spent out there this summer.  The kids may not like it as much when I infringe on their turf by dumping ice in the pool and laying in it to cool down.  Ice makes a good pool toy, right?

Go Cardinals!

It has been much too long of a hiatus.  I have been busy with family and illness.  My parents came into town two Mondays ago and Brisbane and I immediately got sick.  My mom left yesterday (we were all super sad) and even though I am in mourning, at least I have some fun things to write about from their visit.The excuse that my parents had for coming and visiting was that the St. Louis Cardinals were in town.  My dad comes every year for the series between the Diamondbacks and the Cardinals. Since he doesn't live in a town, I mean state, with a baseball team it is some much needed baseball therapy each year.  Last year we missed the series because Brisbane was only a few weeks old.  But this year we got to take along some kiddos, which was fun.
The first night Dad and I went alone.  The experience was very reminiscent of Daddy/Daughter dates to the ballpark when I was growing up.  Most people who know me moderately well know that I love baseball, and I do.  But why do I love baseball?  Because I love my dad.  When I was a little girl I wanted to be just like him.  He loved baseball.  And so naturally I wanted to as well.  It has been nice thoughout the years to have baseball as a way to connect even when we don't live close.
We had awesome seats that first night and got to watch the entire game with no interruptions.  And when I say awesome seats, I mean really awesome.  My father referred to them as 'posh'...which basically means right behind home plate and not in the nosebleed.  There were only four people on our row.  Dad and I sitting on one aisle and a couple sitting on the other aisle, twenty seats away.  (Diamondback fans, where were you?)
Then the next night we took Reese and Jessenia, it was pretty special.

 And what I mean by special is, "Look at those adorable kids!"
Much like the Spring Training game we took them to, they weren't really into the game all that much.  In the third inning Reese turned to me and asked, "Are we leaving yet?"  Not even close.  We failed to mention to them that our family does not leave baseball games early.  My father and I once sat through a game when the Cardinals were losing by more than 15 runs and a second string outfielder was pitching.  We. do. not. leave. early.

 But we learned a few things from our last baseball outing that served us well this time.

 Most importantly:  No matter how much fun Grandpa thinks cotton candy will be for the kids, it is a bad idea! 

 Kettle corn.  That is where it is at.  Much less messy.  Much easier to share.  And the kids like it WAY more!
Also, bring some baby wipes for those sticky fingers afterwards.

At the end of the game, the kiddos recieved compliments on how well behaved they were.  They talk about going to the baseball game all the time.  If you mention the words 'hot dog' they will immediately go into a five minute monologue about going to the baseball game.  It's pretty cute.
And for those who are wondering, Cardinals won both games.  GO CARDINALS!

"Mom, I'm sick..."

At dinner on Tuesday night I informed Reese that he was going to the doctor the next day.  It was just a well check, no big deal.  Reese just wanted to know if he was going to have to get a shot.  I told him no.  He seemed disappointed.  I asked if he wanted a shot and told him that I was sure I could arrange a flu shot if he wanted one.  He told me that he did not want a shot.
Then sweet little Jessenia spoke up, "Mom, I'm sick".  Yeah right!  This kid LOVES going to the doctor.  She wants to be prescribed medicine each and every time we go.  She gets devastated if we are not going to the doctor for her specifically.  I told her that she was not sick.  That she got to tag along at the doctor but that she just got to sit with me.  She was disappointed.
I don't get it.  Medicine must taste better than when I was a kid.  I hated (and still do) going to the doctor.
I hope Jessenia isn't too disappointed when Mack is a doctor and she rarely gets to go into the office when she is sick and will just be diagnosed at home.  I know I won't be sad.  Three kids at the doctor is a pain in the neck!

Sunday Morning Fun

One bright and hot Sunday morning the kids were running around the house after breakfast and before getting ready for church.  Mack and I were being generally lazy...which means the kids got into some mischief (aka good clean fun).  Brisbane got into the curling ribbon and got the whole game started.

 The other kids thought that was a pretty good time.

 Here they are scheming with one another about which parent to tie up first.  I think Mack's church shoe between them symbolizes that they selected him as their first victim.

 Reese was very proud of getting himself all tangled up.

 And what was Zippy doing all this time?  Cowering by the sofa, making sure we knew that she had nothing to do with this.

It's a good thing too.  Otherwise we might have blamed her when Reese tried to strangle Brisbane with the ribbon.  That brought a quick end to the game since the parents were tired of saving their children from potential harm.