More of the same

Here are pictures of me attempting to cut my daughter's hair. I thought it was adorable.

In another update: I mentioned to Brent that I was thinking about putting Nan in afternoon, and Brent replied he thought afternoon would be good too. I was surprised he had a opinion.

Morning or Afternoon

Its time to sign up for preschool for next fall, and I'm stressing myself out.  When I signed up my first, I made sure it Morning, so our lives could get started at a decent time.  Now with my second it doesn't matter, we have to be up for my son to go to 2nd grade next year.  (WHAT?! 2nd grade?!?! He gets baptized in 13 months.)
Anyway, I debating about putting her in afternoon preschool.  One year olds only take afternoon naps right? In which case if Nan wants to play with her brother during the day she needs to go to school in the afternoon. For some this might not matter, but Nan's world spins for the sole purpose of being with her family members. Plus afternoon has smaller classes, and, and, and....
Morning gives me time to run errands without her. I don't have to make sure we have to eat lunch on time.
Afternoon gives me my afternoons all to myself.
Even though she hasn't napped regularly in over a year, I wonder, will she be too tired in the afternoon.
What to do, what to do?
Right now morning is our first choice on the forms, because less people want afternoon, so you can always switch to afternoon, but you can't always switch to morning.
Overall they both have pluses and minuses, but overall I just want to pick what is best for her.  Since that is the whole reason she is preschool.
Any advice out there?


Update: While sitting in line waiting to pick up my son from school, I thought, this could work, she could do afternoon.

Curly Hair Faux Hawk Results

Turns out for me the faux hawk was easier than a normal haircut. I like to have a solid line to cut against.
Now after a year of begging me and an hour of YouTube study, I'm attempting my daughter's hair. Then I gave up. I knew it would be hard, but I forgot how hard. Her head is so little, and she has SO much fine thick hair. Plus, she has a shorter level of patience for me and I'm slower then a professional. It's a double whammy. I hopefully it looks like i just trimmed it, not quit a quarter the way through. I tried to blended it all together. Now it's shorter in the back, which is the way I like it. I planned on taking her in next week anyway.
This is also how cutting my son's hair when the first year of attempting anything. I would cut it for awhile, then give up, and my husband would buzz it all off.

Hair Cutting

About two or three years ago, I started to cut my son's hair.  I had been buzzing his and my husband's for years before that. Overall, I hate cutting hair.  I use to beg my husband to tell me to take J into great clips.  Sadly though, my son didn't want to go get a $10 hair cut, he wanted me to.  It was terrible, I hated every minute of it.  But then I would be done, and I would have ten extra dollars in my pocket.  It wasn't ever perfect, but in a few days, you couldn't tell the difference, and half the $10 hair cuts is probably worse than mine.  Over the years I've hated it less.  I still don't enjoy it, but I love saving the money, and I'm getting better.  Now after watching youtube videos how how to give Faux Hawks, I'm wondering why I haven't tried learning how to cut my daughter's hair. She desperately wants me to cut her hair. I use to cut her hair, then it got too thick and overwhelmed me. Plus my neighbor who was in hair school offered to do it for free.  But now we don't live there, and taking her to get her hair cut, overwhelms me.  What if its a bad cut?!  Plus two of my friends' cut their daughter's hair.  Who will teach me how to cut my daughter's hair?  And then cut mine! I live in dire fear of a crappy hair cut, I'm also extremely cheap! I guess youtube here we come, but I've had real life practice and tutorials for boys hair....

Dinner

Uh oh again. This boy is trying to join me while I cook dinner.

I sure do adore him.

Date Night

Last week, Brent's employment treated us to dinner.  It was wonderful, it was the second time we did this in two months.  Turns out it fun to dress up slightly nicer and eat an expensive dinner, especially since I'm not paying for the $20 a plate, plus dessert, hors d'oeuvres and salad. Its also lovely to leave my children with a babysitter.  I have a new friend that moved in a few months ago, with a 15 year old daughter who already has experience with small babies.  It makes me nervous to leave my small baby, but I like that she actually knows how to care for him.  The other teenagers that have held my baby seem rather incompetent. My other babies were only ever watched by family members.
Dinner was fantastic in my opinion.  I order a filet mignon, I bought a whole cow last year for my freezer, and its not the first time, but yet we never get filet mignon I guess, the butcher takes it as a finders fee. It was superb. For dessert, I got cheesecake, and my husband got chocolate mousse cake.  His was much better, which was fine because we shared and I ate the majority anyway.  Then I took the left over dessert home for the next day, they were huge pieces. I still dream about that chocolate mousse cake.
As far as company went, when we showed up we were by far the youngest couple in the room.  A few minutes later, this other couple walked in, I noticed out of the corner of my eye, the girl glaring at the guy in such a way that  said, those! those right there, I want to sit by the other young couple.  This couple was a few years younger than us.  I thought it was humorous, Brent asked the girl what she did, (he worked with the guy), then as social customs dictate, they asked what I did.  I said I stay home with three kids.  Their eyes sort of bugged out a bit, and the guy said, wow, three kids, I bet that is more than a full time job.  They were a fun couple to chat with. The dinner was quite lengthy, we left at 6:30 and didn't get home until after 10, but there could have been many more awkward pauses with other couples. As I was getting ready for bed, I thought I wish there was some way to politely say, I stay at home but because I want to--  I do have a degree in Political Science. A few days later Brent and I were reminiscing I guess, and I mentioned that. Brent said, you don't have to feel embarrassed that you stay home with three kids, not everyone can afford such luxuries   I realized Brent was right, plus the guy knew where we live, and we don't really live in the cheapest area, so to live in the expensive town and stay at home, is quite a luxury, even though I agree it is a full time job.
The girlfriend had a really cute outfit.  At one point when she stood up I thought why don't I have a pencil skirt like that.  (I'm never too happy with how mine fit.)  Then I noticed her pencil skirt was quite short, she had black tights on with it.  I then realize oh yes, that is why my pencil skirts don't fit like that, because 6 inches of white hanging out the bottom of a black skirt is not attractive.  Which is why I'm never too happy with how pencil skirts fit, I am so tall, that its hard to find one that fits in the right place.  I also know some people have long pencil skirts that go beyond their knees, but if its suppose to hit below the knee and it hits above mine, it also doesn't look right.  Her top was also super cute, and I admired it all night long.  When I was about to brush my teeth, I said to Brent, I was sort of jealous, her nice clothes weren't ten years old. (Staying home with my babies is a luxury, but I definitely make sacrifices, likes not buying expensive clothes.) Brent replied, of course they weren't 10 years ago, 10 years ago she was like 13.  Oh good point. Ah, to be young, carefree and in nice clothes.  I guess the positive thing is I can still fit in the nice clothes I bought 10 years ago. Also I don't THINK they look ten years old.
It was a fun evening.  Even though we went to two nice dinners in two months, I don't see anymore in the foreseeable future.  Too bad... Its been fun.  The second dinner was a much smaller affair, and a yummier dinner.  So it was really fun, but the first had fake gambling after dinner, so that was also fun.  Who knew I was such a pro at Roulette. Black jack on the other hand, apparently my tired mommy brain didn't care for counting to 21.

Flipping houses

Two house on my street, are currently being flipped. It slightly makes me jealous to see the new appliances, countertops and other such things go into through the garage. But my life will go on and all in due time it will be my turn for those things. After these houses are flipped, there will only be one more eye sore on the street. The 1989 dodge caravan, with the busted out back window covered in plastic. My husband is glad we don't have an active HOA, but I really wouldn't mind a bossy busybody to tell them to get rid of that beast.

Uh oh, we are in trouble

This morning what I was getting the older kids ready for school, I put my baby down on that gray polka dot blanket.  This is where I found him.  He didn't crawl, yet, he has just figured out how to roll and scoot to get things on the floor.
Speaking of which how in the world do you baby proof your house with a four year old and a seven year old? They are like tornadoes, I clean a room, and when I turn back around, you would have no idea.

I married into a family with freakishly mobile babies.  If there are any single girls out there reading this, this is something you should research before you commit.  Life is easier when you babies aren't mobile early.  I had no idea I should research such a thing, all I worried about was whether my future husband had a nice shaped  back of the head, not a freakishly huge head. I would one day have to birth on his offspring.  I did find a man with a nice average size head, but our first baby was head was 75% while his body was 25%.  So even research doesn't always work, but our second two babies, had nice small heads, so odds are in my favor.

But in blogging words, I digress.

We love our baby A because is a slow mover for us!  His brother was 3 months old when he did this, Baby A is 5.  Hooray for slow babies!  I think our daughter was 4 months, but I honestly can't remember.  She did it slower than her older brother, but she definitely wasn't as slow as baby A.  The best part about our daughter is she was mobile for two months before she realized she could crawl past the invisible fence of our area rug.  Baby A, apparently sees no such boundaries.  His older brother almost immediately figured out he could move rooms, once he started his mobile rolling, he was also crawling by this age, we figure its only a matter of weeks for baby A.  He pushes up and kicks/pushes his little legs as fast as they can go, then he gives up, and rolls to where he wants to go, and scoots around until his hands can reach.

I can only pray he doesn't walk at 10 months like his sister.  That isn't even early for my husband's family.

Oh, baby A, we love your slow body!

Adulthood

Would you like to know the pivotal moment when I realized I was an adult?
I was in college, and every time I would sweep the floor, I would noticed the broom was getting dirtier and dirtier.  I kept wondering when was it going to go away, growing up the broom did not get like this.  Finally one day it clicked, my mom was never going to show up sweep my floor and clean out all the hair and lint from the bristles, that was my job now.  I must admit, I felt a little deflated after such a revelation.   Adulthood would not be everything I thought it would be...
Adulthood was not ushered in by a big party or celebration, it was cleaning a broom.
I'm pretty sure this is how I felt.

For Valentine's Day

I have a story for all of you (ie my 10 faithful followers), since its less than a month until Valentine's day.  Oh like 20 months ago we (as in my husband and me) thought I was pregnant.  We weren't planning on being pregnant yet, but none the less, I know many people with surprises so I guess it could happen to us too. I was in denial, not really denial, I just don't like taking pregnancy test.  I think they are a waste of money, either you are pregnant or your not, nothing changes with a pregnancy test.  Instead of wasting my money I looked up when the the due date was.  It was terrible!  It was February it made me want to cry, I didn't think I could handle a third birthday, and a holiday all in the same month. Eventually my husband convinced me to waste my money, and I wasn't pregnant.  I was so relieved, I did not want another February birthday. I also had no interest in another December birthday. Have no fear my third baby was born in a much less busy month.  AUGUST!  Oh wait, no.  As far as I can tell December is the worst month for a birthday, ask anyone with a December birthday.  Then as far as our family goes February is pretty booked up, but back to school is about the third worst time for a baby.

Don't believe me, I am pretty sure I've never seen a picture of me looking more zoned out.  It was a lot to have a baby and get two kids started in school.  (And this lame picture makes me want to scream!  What the heck is wrong with blogger, they must be the only application that doesn't allow to rotate pictures.  On my computer is is rotated correctly, just not on STUPID blogger. @blogger you hear that, update your code so users can rotate pictures.  #bloggerneedstoallowpicturestorotate )

I have wonderful birthday months.  If I was good at planning my children's birthday months I would declare I will never again have a baby in February, August or December, because those are the worst months for birthdays.  But I have never had success in planning birthday months, I don't have high hopes in my abilities   All of my children have been planned, just not what month they were born.

$280

Many of you have seen the #firstworldproblem  if you haven't here is an introduction:
My stove works, but its ugly, and does not work wonderfully.  My father in law was kind of to check to see if my oven was level, it is, so now we know it just doesn't heat evenly.  It burns things in the back, before the front is fully cooked. Brownies and other such things, grow very bizarrely while cooking in my oven. They grow high in the back of the oven, and become concave in the front.
A month or so ago my husband told me he found a stove on clearance at Home Depot for like $280, it was even stainless steel, but the closest one was 40 minutes away so he ignored the sale.  He told me this about two weeks after the fact.  He warned me that he probably shouldn't have told me.  He was right he shouldn't have.  Ever since I've been morning the lost of the stove I never had.  I wish I had it.  #firstworldproblem Yeah, I know it would be a low quality stove, but I could handle that, because the heating element in a low quality stove is still new and working better than the heating element in a low quality OLD stove.  Plus, I'm not buying a high quality stove in the near future, that isn't even on the table.

On the plus side that is $280 less money I have to re-save for our short-term savings. One the plus side I probably hate my counter-tops and sink less with an ugly stove in the kitchen.  On the downside I really wish I had a new oven.  I love baking when I have a new oven, I don't otherwise.  On the downside, there is a good chance I'll have new counter-top by the end of the year, and then I will have an especially ugly stove without the ugly/stained/old counter-tops camouflaging it. On the plus side we really can't decided if we want a gas stove or a cooktop.
Sure you should get gas if you love to cook, but we really don't like cleaning, in which case cooktop is making a compelling argument.  If you want to can you should get a cooktop.  I don't want to can, my husband on the other hand.... my grandma has been canning on her cooktop for 20 years.

I'll get over myself.  Instead, I'll plan my family's dream vacation to Latin America/the beach/somewhere with really marine biology life.  My dream vacation, somewhere less than 5 hours on a plane. #firstworldproblem And by plan I mean, not get mad at my husband when he researches every detail.

Twins Two Years Apart

When I started having children I assumed we would like everyone else.  We would sit on the church pew with our children that looked like twins two years apart.  Well things never quite happen like I expect, and my children did not come two years apart, due various reasons. My first child looked quite a bit like both my husband and I, so I assumed all our children would be like that. My husband was born with a full head of hair, I was born with a full head of hair, and my first child was born with a full head of hair.  A little shy of three years later my second child was born.  She didn't look anything like the rest.  She was bald, she ended up being blonde, she had bright blue eyes, she didn't have my husband's eyes/son's eyes. None of us are blonde and blue eyed? Truly where did she come from? (I ignored the fact that the majority of our nieces and nephews on both sides of the family are blonde and blue eyed.  Then she grew into green eyes, like mine.)  Plus she cried incessantly for two years.  Why didn't I have my twins two years apart, like all those other families?
Well four years later, I didn't get my twins two years apart, but almost four years later, I did get my twins, four years apart.  Now the eldest child is the one that doesn't look anything like the rest.  Ok, to be fair I think my third is going to be the missing link between the first two. But it is fun, now to have my baby that is the spitting image of the older sibling, still I'm wondering how two people born with hair, are 2/3 for bald babies?

Breaking the Rules

When J was a baby, he was on an excellent sleep schedule.  He was a great napper and very consistent  I read lots of sleep books, and I did what worked best for us.  He always went down awake and always put himself to sleep.  (Which made him a nightmare at church because he wouldn't nap without a bed.)
Multiple things I read talked about how you have to want your baby asleep, and not actually want to be holding them.  Etc, etc.  At the time I couldn't fathom wanting to hold my baby when I should be sleeping, or even during the day while they should be sleeping. Then again J didn't like to cuddle and often wanted to chill next to me, instead of being held.  Even with Nan, I had no desire to see her during sleeping time.
Now its been 4-6 years since I've had those babies, and I finally understand what those books/articles were talking about.  Baby A nurses to sleep, and I just want to hold him.  He is only a baby for such a short time, why miss it.  Baby A will only be a baby for a short time so I have to soak it up, while the other two where babies for what seemed like an eternity, but now I realize it was a blink, but at the time it was in eternity. When Baby A is up past the other kids, he is the star of the show, my husband and clamoring to win his attention. The majority of the time he goes to bed at 7, but when he's up late, we let him.  I have no problem rocking him to sleep, in fact he has recently out grown being rocked to sleep, and I wonder what happened to my baby?  Yes, I'm atrocious, and I'm ok with that.
Although I sort of think Baby A, taught me to be atrocious, he doesn't play the sleeping game like my other kids did.  He refused not to be rocked to sleep for months.  He would never stop crying, if I was in the house, and would quickly slip off to slumberland in less than 5 minutes if I rocked him.  He can't be on the same schedule the other babies were on, because we are always carting some child to here and there and yonder.  His naps are often interrupted   With the other babies I was a prisoner in my own home, I stayed put during naptime, no one never napped on the go.  Not this baby, he gets his sleep when he can, because life goes on.

Funny

J: How do you know?
N: because she is a mom
N: moms know

New Year's Eve

I try to throw a bash for the kids when we are home, although we never stay up until midnight. I think the only year we stay up until midnight was the year Brent helped his brother with a plumbing issue until 11:45. The traditions we have gained over the years is drink smoothies and watch the world celebrate the new year via YouTube.