Little Rebel September 17, 2009

My pre-k kid spent computer class sitting in the office. That’s right, at the ripe old age of 4 Addison has already experienced her first trip to the office.

When I went to pick her up yesterday her teacher pulled me off to the side and told me she had a small problem with Addi. I assumed Addison had either peed her pants or had a major meltdown because something hadn’t gone her way. These are everyday occurrences in our house with Addison. She’s a pretty sensitive kid and tends to over react to things easily. But, she’s also a kid who is set in her ways and doesn’t let anyone push her around, which is what got her in trouble this time.

The “special” class of the day yesterday was Computers. She has made it perfectly clear on more than one occasion that she does not like this class, going so far as to tell me, in a very matter-of-fact voice, yesterday morning, “I’m NOT going to computer class today.” I should have sensed trouble right then.  They got into the classroom and Addison refused to sit at a computer, telling the computer teacher that she didn’t want to play on the computer. After much prodding the computer teacher finally gave her a choice, which I assume is what Addison was waiting for. See, last year she was in a Montessori setting. She THRIVED there, and I am starting to regret switching her to Holy Cross. But, that’s another story in itself.

Her choice? Either sit at the computer and play Kid Pix or sit in the office for the duration of computer class. Addison’s response? “I’d like to sit in the office.” She is so not MY kid.What kid doesn’t like Kid Pix? Addison, that’s who. She would rather sit with real markers, crayons, stamps, pencils, etc and create art. She’s a very hands on kid and I can respect her preference, but I’m trying to balance that with also teaching her that she needs to respect her teachers and at least try some new things at her new school.

I asked her why she chose to sit in the office and her rambling went something like this, ” All they wanted me to do was sit there and use colors and stamps and put trees on the screen.  And I only want to play games on the computer at home. And I only want YOU to learn me how to use the computer. And, in the office I can just sit there and relax.”

It took everything I had not to crack up. I walked back over and informed her teacher that she actually enjoyed her trip to the office. She chuckled a little and said, “Well, I guess we won’t be doing that again.” Great. Can’t wait to see what her next “punishment” will be.

Thumbs up, thumbs down. July 13, 2009

For our first family vacation we took a little road trip down to North Carolina to visit my aunt and cousin and for Steve’s sister’s wedding.  A little recap…

Thumbs up:

• Coming home with 2lbs of chocolate covered gummy bears
• Swapping plants with my aunt, that I’m sure to kill
• Noah learning how to clap, and now doing it everytime we say, “Yeah!”
• Noah blowing raspberries at me for the first time while trying to get a tsp of Motrin in his mouth.
• Lainey kissing a giraffe for her birthday
• Spending time with family we haven’t seen in over a year
• Noah playing peek a boo with his blanket on the way home.(the ONE cute moment of the entire car ride for him)
• Coming home with suitcases full of CLEAN laundry.
• Having time to read and entire Sookie Stackhouse book on the car ride home.
• Watching the girls dance at the reception. Addison suckered some woman into being her dance partner all.night.long.

Thumbs down:

• Noah having an ear infection for the whole trip.
• Paying $20 for a crappy pedicure that lasted 4 hours. Apparently they’ve never heard of using a top coat.
• Forgetting to bring Noah’s highchair
• Untangling a huge bunch of balloons when you realize you only have an hour and 15 minutes until the wedding you are attending starts.
• Finding every piece of food I thought Noah ate either under his bum or smooshed into the van floor.
• An odd rash Noah got on his legs after a day of sprinkler fun.
• North Carolina BBQ.  Bleck.

Jumping in feet first March 7, 2009

I spend entirely too much money on groceries.  I’m a compulsive shopper. If I see it and think it’s a good deal or if it just looks yummy, I buy it. I used to be a great shopper. I would spend $60 a week on groceries and have plenty of money left over to do fun things with the kids for the week. Lately though I’m dipping into Steve’s money more to do the things with the kids b/c I have no self control when I step into a grocery store!

A couple weeks ago one of the members of my Mothers and More group did a meeting topic on “shopping for free” I had been looking forward to this meeting for weeks. I’ve always been intrigued by people who can walk into CVS and walk out with more money than they went in with. I just didn’t GET it. Unfortunately, due to a completely horrid free pancake day at IHOP and a husband tied to work I wasn’t able to make my meeting. I did get my hands on a flier though and started out by typing on the first link I found on the paper, Money Saving Mom.  Never did I think I could be this excited about grocery shopping! I started printing coupons and thanks to Money Saving Mom I stumbled upon A Full Cup, where I learned to get some smokin’ deals at Target. I never in a million years thought I could walk into a Target and walk out spending less than $50. It’s NEVER happened before. This week I went into Target and spent $28.33 on $51.13 worth of groceries.

I’ll be back later to post what I got and the prices. It feels so good knowing how much I’m helping my family right now by making our money stretch a little further. So, thanks to all you fellow moms out there who put so much time and effort into posting deals, coupons, and tutorials on how to get started. I’ve been studying up and hope I’m half as good at the shopping gig someday!

I knew it had been awhile, but… February 9, 2009

2 MONTHS?? I haven’t blogged in 2 months? Seriously? Wow.  A lot has happened since December 2nd.

There’s the whole Christmas whirlwind. I might share some pics if I get brave enough to relive the madness of the day by searching through the folder for one or two that aren’t burry from the kids not sitting still for more than half a second.  The kids got entirely too much new crap and I still haven’t found some place to store most of it.

Addison turned 4 on December 30th and decided two days before her birthday that she wanted friends over for dinner ON her birthday. Usually I throw a party for her in mid January so we have more than 5 days to recover from Christmas.  I threw together a cake which looked positively hideous compared to most of the others I’ve done and then Bella ate 1/3 of it while Steve was “watching” the kids so I could run to the store. Apparently he can only watch the kids, not the dog too.

New Years Eve we went to the Second Annual Littell Family Party. The kids ran around the basement going bonkers while the grown ups played with James’ breathalyzer (he is a SB cop) and drank yummy drinks made by our own personal bartender, Michael LOL. Tracy is one lucky girl to have married a man that can mix up the best drinks in town.

The main reason I haven’t been around for a couple months is poor little Noey has been so sick. That kid just can’t catch a break. It all started about a week before Christmas with a cold. It turned into an ear infection. After antibiotics it still hadn’t cleared up all the way.  Long story short, he was exposed to dairy twice which threw him into 2 more ear infections. This last time the ear infection was accompanied by an upper and lower respiratory infection and possible bronchitis. He still has a cough, but he’s back to sleeping through the night and being my smiley happy baby.

More on the Noah front: He had his 6 month check up last week inbetween a couple sick visits (we’ve been to the dr. about 12 times in 2 months.) He was 21lbs and 29 inches. 98% for height, 94% for weight. He started sitting up around 5.5 months just like his big sister Lainey. I was wondering if he’d be more like Alaina or Addi, who didn’t sit up until she was 8 months! In the last couple days he’s been rolling all over the family room and getting into trouble. The girls are in for a rude awakening now.

He’s loving eating real food, and his favorites are pasta, chicken, bananas, and pears. Although, he will pretty much eat anything that is on a spoon on it’s way to his mouth. Except avocado, not a big fan which I can’t say I blame him, Yuck!

He’s been a little booger about nursing, and I’ve been exclusively pumping for about a month now. I’m finally getting him back to nursing a little which is a relief b/c as awesome as my (well, Amy’s) pump is I’m tired of being tied to it 4 times a day. I’d rather be tied to my baby.

A good husband post December 2, 2008

I find that the majority of the time I blog about Steve I’m usually venting or complaining about some random “man thing” he’s done, when in all actuallity he’s the best husband a girl could want. He’s great at doing little things to show me how much he loves me.

In the winter my hands get really chapped and red, especially if I’m doing dishes alot or not wearing gloves. Then they burn and itch and I can’t get them wet until they heal. Saturday we spent all of the late afternoon putting our Christmas lights up outside. It wasn’t terribly cold, but I couldn’t wear my gloves b/c they kept getting stuck on the lights. By the time we came in my hands were a mess. That night every lotion I put on them burned so I finally washed them and put on a layer of Lansinoh. By Sunday morning they were a little better, but still really hurting. I needed to take a bath and wash my hair, but I knew there was no way I could put my hands in water that long.  Steve came in and washed AND conditioned my hair for me so I didn’t have to get my hands wet. It was like my own little hair salon at home.  I told him I’m never washing my own hair again. He’s got himself a job for life.

Didn’t think this one through. December 1, 2008

If your kids are anything like mine they NEED everything they see on commercials. For the longest time I was able to get away with only turning on Noggin and The Disney Channel so I didn’t have to worry about them even seeing commercials. That all changed though when they discovered Scooby Doo and Spongebob.  Their Christmas lists are full of random things they’ve seen on commercials and most of the things I’ve just ignored, however when something makes it to the top of the “Santa” list. I have to take notice and actually contemplate whether or not Santa is going to bring it.

I have a dilema.

They’ve been watching an old VHS tape of Blue’s Clues episodes that my Aunt taped some 10 years ago. They love Blue’s Clues and this way they can watch it in their room which frees up the TV in the family room. I thought it was a great idea! However, on this tape are commercials. Do you see where this is headed?? Alaina has now added Bead Blast Barbie to her “Santa” list.  So, does Santa go on Ebay and pay $20 for a 10 year old Barbie Doll?

New Alaina pics October 29, 2008

Posing with her pumpkins

Cheesing it up with her new Aurora wand.

Test driving the Halloween Costume

A beautiful butterfly

Putting the finishing touches on Miss Scarecrow (who scares the bejeezus out of me every time I look out my front window.)

Lovin’ on her little bro. He’s completely addicting, even to a sassy 5 year old.

A fun first! Her first school field trip. We rode a school bus to the pumpkin patch which she thought was the greatest thing in the world. I had horrible elementary school flashbacks. We picked pumpkins, fed horses, tasted yummy raspberries and apples, and got to feel how warm an egg is RIGHT after a chicken laid it.

Decorating the yard with ghosties. She was mad because she didn’t get to hang all the “silly face” ones. If only that were my biggest complaint in life…

Both the girls hangin’ with Miss Scarecrow. Do you see why it freaks me out?

That’s what she’s been up to this fall! She’s doing awesome in school and loving every minute of it! She begs me to let her stay all day. I told her she doesn’t have enough money in her piggy bank for that to happen yet Maybe next year!

Addi and Noah updates coming soon!

I’ve sold my soul to the devil October 21, 2008

aka: Steve. Long story short. Last week I broke my camera at the Pumpkin Patch. After listening to me whine Steve agreed to let me get a cheap new one just so I didn’t miss any milestones with Noah. It seems I always have my camera attached to my hand, especially when my kids are babies. After agreeing to take better care of it than I do my children (I kid, I kid!) and be Steve’s slave for the next six months or so I walked out of Sears with the camera I’ve been drooling over since last Christmas. I was researching cameras to get my mom for a gift and fell in love with the Canon S5 IS. My new baby:

One of my new favorite pictures of my actual baby. Is he not the cutest?

Be prepared for way more picture posts now

Third time’s a charm October 2, 2008

I have thrush. Again. For the third time in 9 weeks. We’ve been using Gentian Violet and it took care of the problem the first two times, but I’m a little tired of having purple stained fingers and a child that looks like he’s losing oxygen b/c his lips have a constant purple hue to them. This time no such luck. I had my doctor call in some Diflucan for me and I’m crossing my fingers that by tomorrow the burning will disappear.

Noah doesn’t seem affected at all by the thrush. He’s his normal happy go lucky self, which could have something to do with the fact that he SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT THE LAST TWO NIGHTS! Woot!

Over Achiever September 3, 2008

Addison doesn’t like reading kids books. I mean, she’ll “read” them if that’s all that’s available to her at the moment, but she prefers to pick up my books and flip through them. A few of the books on her reading list lately are:

The Birth Book, Dr. Sears
Naturally Clean, A Guide to Safe and Healthy Cleaning
Breastfeeding, A Parents Guide

She just walked up to my desk and here’s the conversation we had:

Addi: Mommy, where’s the phone book?
Me: I’m not sure Ad, probably in the drawer under the microwave where it always is.
*goes to look*
A: Nope, it’s not there. Where is it?
M: Addi, I don’t know.
A: Find it Mommy!
M: Why do you need the phone book?
A: Because I want to read it.
M: The phone book??
A: Yes!
M: Ok, well in a little while I will call Daddy and see if he knows where it is.
A: Ok. *stands right next to me and won’t go away*
About 3 minutes later, I say, “Addi go play”
A: No mommy, call daddy! I need the phone book.

Thankfully Daddy saved the day and knew right where it was. In Noah’s bassinet in our room of all places. I went upstairs and got it for her. She got a huge smile on her face and said, “Oh, thank you SO much Mommy!!” She’s been sitting on the couch “reading” it for 20 minutes. She’s currently reading the “W’s”