My Boys and Me

Here are a few pictures from Easter.  It was a GREAT day!  The boys were so cute.  Mikey watched in awe as Harley and Braeden searched for Easter eggs.  He will be right there running around with them next year.

At least I have one great smiler!

“I am SO close to being able to do this thing they call CRAWL”

Mikey’s newest achievement.  He started clapping and waving “bye bye” at the same time. I haven’t been able to get a shot of him waving yet, but check back.

Mikey’s first chocolate bunny

Braeden’s new favorite treat (and one of Mama’s favorite as a kid)- FUN DIP!

I promise I will “write” more soon.  Its another BUSY week.  I am babysitting everyday.  I did have Sat and Sunday of last weekend off, but now work M-Sat.  Looking forward to Sunday!

Gotta go, American Idol is on!

Mike, Braeden, Mikey and I hope you all have a wonderful Easter!  We are a little behind on the Easter cards/pictures, but expect them soon!

This picture is for you Jack…..(not sure if he looks like a bunny or an Indian with pink ears).

Its been a busy week.  More soon……

I hope you all have the luck of the Irish!

Looking at these two boys, I feel that I do!  

“I am enjoying this whole crawling thing……THIS minute anyway!”

It has been such a GREAT week (minus Mikey’s bowel issues)!  Last Saturday night I began a 4-day babysitting gig.  I was nannying/house-sitting while the parents went to a conference in CA.  It was for the regular family that I babysit for M/W (day) and Friday (evening).  It was actually a LOT of fun!  I felt guilty being paid (and a good amount of $) for a job that was virtually stress-free and one that I enjoyed so much.  The children Reeves (8) and Seth (3) are so well-behaved.  Holly (Mom) and I have very similar parenting techniques which makes things so much easier (on everyone).  Anyway, I was here until about 1am Wed morning and therefore didn’t have to babysit my regular Wed.  I was here Thursday instead, and now am back again.  I am realizing that Friday evenings while I am babysitting (after the kids have gone to bed) is the best time for me to write.  It’s also kind of a good time to recap the week.  Even though Friday is not technically the end of the work-week for me (or Mike who works 7 days straight!) I still love to think of it as the beginning of the weekend.  So, other than babysitting this week and changing about 10 diapers a day (just for Mikey), I didn’t do much else other than organize and go through my ENTIRE house to get ready for a garage sale my neighbor and I are having tomorrow morning.  I am not too excited about getting up at 6am, but that’s when the wheelers and dealers are on the prowl.  Poor Mikey, we are not sure if he has a tummy bug, is teething or is reacting to a cold he has had off and on all month, but he has had terrible diarrhea since Sunday.  Mike finally took him to the Dr. on Tuesday (since I was babysitting) and the Dr. said he was not too concerned and to expect it to hang around about 7-10 days!  Fortunately today is the first day I’ve noticed a slight change in his bm’s (again, so sorry to those of you who aren’t parents- this stuff really doesn’t phase you anymore once you’ve given Birth.  I mean, we’ve already exposed our entire body- me intestines and all- to a whole room of people, how much can talking about poo really bother us?) Anyway, his poor little bottom is so red and raw.  He is almost 10 months old and has NEVER had a diaper rash.  I feel so sorry for the little guy.  It really hasn’t seemed to phase him though.  He is still in great spirits and in fact has reached some cute milestones this week.  He is now clapping AND waving bye bye.  He is also scooting on his bottom when he wants to get to something.  Braeden is especially proud of his little brother’s accomplishments.  He is so enthusiastic and praises Mikey constantly whenever he does something new.  The two are even starting to play “Big Boy” stuff together.  Braeden gave Mikey his rubber sword today and they played Ninjas together.  It amazes me just how much Mikey idolizes Braeden.  When Braeden is around Mikey screams any time Braeden walks out of his sight (even for one second).  I am certain that this closeness will continue.  Harley and Braeden have almost the same difference in age as Mikey and Braeden and those two play together so well.  Speaking of playing, we are finally getting the boys a wooden swing-set/playhouse.  I LOVE for Braeden to play outside and I know that the swing-set will entice him to get out more.  I can remember all the fun make-believe that a swing-set brought to my childhood.

Mike and I have continued to go to the gym this week.  My Dad said on the phone the other day that if we can get past the first few weeks without quitting than we are on a good schedule (we are almost to the 2 week mark).  In the past, I never made it longer than a week before I would quit!  I actually had a good excuse NOT to exercise this week (with babysitting), BUT I didn’t succomb.  They have a treadmill here and you better believe I hopped on that sucker twice for 30 minutes!  Woo Hoo.  The best news and the perfect motivator is that I’VE LOST 3 POUNDS and one pant size.  About a month ago I  purposefully bought a pair of short TOO TIGHT so that it would encourage me to loose weight.  Well guess what…..I put those same shorts on this week and they are now TOO BIG! I honestly have not been so happy since giving birth to Mikey!   Working out, eating right and eating less DOES pay off.  Oh, and the spinning classes at the gym are the BEST way to get in shape (and you can do it with your husband).  Mike and I did the class together this week and watching him made me try harder!  Weight benefits aside, my true favorite that exercising has brought to my life is that I feel so much healthier and have so much more energy.  I actually WANT to run around and play with my boys (and the kids I babysit for).  Mikey must think I have lost my mind because when we are at home I turn up the music and I start dancing- and he laughs hysterically!  So, my exercising, gives me energy, which makes me dance, which makes my children happy, which makes ME even happier!

So, my body feels great, but my sinus’s not so much.  My allergies are terrible right now, and the greenish yellow stuff that is everywhere right now is the culprit.  I really enjoy spring (it means Summer is just around the corner), but hate the nasty pollen.  I LOVE the temperature right now (mid 70′s), but with it comes the nats (for those of you up North, nats are these tiny little bugs that you can hardly see that are so pesky and bite BAD).  Braeden’s baseball season just started and I know those nats are just going to make every night at the ball field miserable.  Big bummer since an evening watching kids play baseball is a delight to me (and also brings back fond memories of all the nights I spent PLAYING baseball as a child). 

In case you haven’t already developed a sense of fondness towards Braeden, let me share with you his latest piece of preciousness.  He came up to me today and said, “Mama, I lied about something.” OK, so I was already proud of him for being so forthcoming (we’ve taught him how withholding the truth or information is just the as bad as lying), but as he continued I truly felt GOD in this child’s heart- “When I was at Coastal Shores 4 year old preschool, I told Daddy that I had a good day when I wasn’t really a good boy that day!”  The very best part is when I had him call Mike to tell him (because I was in utter disbelief that he felt the need to tell me this), he was actually trembling as he told him (thinking he was in trouble for admitting to lying 2 YEARS AGO!).  What have I done to deserve this boy to be MY child?  Its kind of like the song I danced to with my Dad at my wedding- Butterfly Kisses- “…..Oh with all I’ve done wrong, I must have done something right, to deserve a hug in the morning and Butterfly kisses at night.” Oh how I love those hugs and kisses, but to have a child who strives to be so honest with his Mommy is truly an amazing blessing that I can only thank God for. 

Well, that’s about it for this week.  I hope you all have your own “Butterfly Kisses” moments this weekend and always!