Totally random thoughts here, folks.

I'm not totally over the top when it comes to "natural" stuff with my kiddos but definitely like to research and decide what our best options are. I was all about the epidural during my deliveries but used a midwife group (and loved them). I choose my own vaccination schedule for the boys and take the boys to the chiropractor before the pediatrician. So anyway, I'm always open to new ideas if it its more beneficial and potentially safer than "the norm". I read something tonight on this blog that I have absolutely never heard of before and am just so curious if any of you have ever heard about this: delayed cord clamping. So interesting and makes total sense! (And yes, if you're wondering...we are having another baby someday. Just don't ask Jon ;)
Anyway...Its just amazing to me the things that can be so beneficial (or harmful) that nobody ever talks about! We just don't think to question it! And why would we? I mean...they're the doctor for crying out loud. What do we know?? ;)

And just to prove me wrong...

Grouchy McGrouchers wasn't grouchy at all today (ok, aside from the hysterics during a diaper change and a 10 minute freakout waiting for his sweet potato to cool at dinner. And pretty much the entire evening was a loss. But I'll focus on the great morning we had! :). But getting out of the house for the entire morning definitely makes a world of difference for his demeanor. I was going to take them to Backyard Adventures (have I sung that place's praises on here before? I love that place as much as I love Chick-fil-A. Both places know how to cater to a mom and make it really easy to bring your kids. If only we could get a free-standing Chick-fil-A with a playplace around here, my life would be complete. Sorry...bunny trail.) Anyway, I thought of the zoo instead (What, the zoo isn't the first thing that comes to your mind on a 40 degree cloudy day?? :). I accomplished the amazing feat of leaving the house at 9:45 so we had plenty of time and we have a membership so it feels like its free (although the half hour drive probably cost me, what, $35 in gas??). Its fun to be there in the winter. There's plenty of stuff to look at inside and it just felt good to be out in the fresh air. Plus some of the animals are a lot more active than they are in the summer. Dawson was old enough to enjoy it this time, too. He growled at the lions and tigers.



And Emily Anderson, if you're out there, this next one's for you :)

How soon we forget...

I took the boys over to John and Judie's on Sunday afternoon because Jon was working all day and we were getting over the Rotavirus hump and I was so sick of being stuck at home with my wild boys. Bennett had Rotavirus when he was about 21 months old and was perfectly content to lay on our bed and watch Wonder Pets all week. Dawson...not so much. He wasn't happy unless I was holding him, and with Jon traveling all week, I was pooped (no pun intended). Like always, the boys were content immediately upon leaving the house (I try not to take it personally :) and we had a relaxing afternoon.
My first "how soon we forget" moment came when I went to put in a VHS movie for Bennett. I couldn't figure out why it started in the middle. I pressed stop twice and play again (was it somehow resuming "Memory Play"?). Still wasn't at the beginning. Ejected it, put it in again, still not at the beginning. What the??.....Oh yeah. We used to have to REWIND movies! Sheesh...had me totally stumped there for a minute. :)
The second "how soon we forget" moment came from Judie's mom, Laura (aka GG), who lives with them. GG's favorite pastime is Scrabble. Jon usually plays with her (hence the reason she's not shy in telling anyone he's her favorite grandson) but since he wasn't there, we decided to oblige and play a game with her. Right about when we started, Jon showed up so we assigned him "baby duty" so we could play Scrabble uninterrupted (ie: get it over with quickly!). Jon went down to the playroom with them. GG pipes up in her British accent, "its such a shame you're away from your boys." "Pardon me??", I ask. Did I hear that correctly? Is she low on sugar again?? But clear as day she says, "Its a shame you came over here and your boys are whisked away from you. I'm sure you hate to be away from them." I tried to suppress my laughter and spewed out something like, "Uh, no, that's the point of coming here! To get a break! Don't you remember needing a break every now and then?". And she says something like, "Oh, I hated to be away from my children. They meant the world to me". Wow. Will we get to that point someday? Will we forget how hard it is most days? Will we forget that our favorite times of the day are naptime and bedtime? (Admit it...you know yours is too. And if it isn't...you haven't had a two-year old yet). I hope that's true of all of us. I hope at the end of my life I'm filled with memories of the joy and laughter and pride my children brought me in those early years instead of the difficulty, frustration and occasional tears. I hope the good far outweighs the bad.

I'll be totally honest, I'm being tested as a parent. Sure, my life changed drastically when Bennett was born and those first 8 weeks of his life were some of the very hardest of my life but other than that (and a handful of weeks around when he turned two), I've felt confidence, pride and joy in my roll as his mother. He's always taken discipline pretty easily, he's very sensitive and his reaction to most things is to get sad, not mad. He didn't purposefully hurt a child until he was at least 2 and he didn't even yell or scream until he stared mimicking other kids around 2 or 2 1/2. It was still hard- he's always been a boy, destroying everything in his path and hated being cooped up at home. But I'm realizing now more than ever, that he's just never been difficult. My easiest time as a parent was when he was between 12 and 20 months old. He was just happy all the time. I just couldn't sympathize very well with people who had strong-willed children (and was so grateful for that!).
I knew Dawson would be different from the womb. Seriously. That boy moved so much more than Bennett and with such ferocity. I was really nervous, thinking that Bennett was already so wild. But I'm an eternal optimist so I just kept telling myself, how different can they really be? Oh glory. I had no idea. If we don't leave the house all day, It honestly seems like he's crying or whining the majority of the time he's awake. I have so much more sympathy for parents who had colicky babies. That's seriously what it feels like I'm dealing with. This was the easiest phase of Bennett's life and right now this is the hardest phase of Dawson's. How much worse is it going to be when he's turning 2 and 3?? I just get these moments of anxiety, wondering how in the heck we'll make it through. And the other day, I was praying, saying to God, "I just don't want things to be difficult with him his whole life! I don't want it to always be a struggle with Dawson!" Maybe that's a little melodramatic but that's what I fear. So moms out there of strong willed boys, (especially ones who have gone through it recently and actually remember how hard it was :) I need your advice and encouragement! I also need to start reading some books. Parenting Bennett has always come very naturally but I feel like I'm floundering with my second born. Love & Logic is on my list...I just haven't gotten it yet.
And so this post isn't too long any longer I'll do a different post of our happy morning (you guessed it...we did not stay at home today!)

Truths

This is a list floating around facebook right now, that my sister posted. I have no clue who originally wrote it but I don't think I've ever laughed out loud so much just from reading something. It deserves a blog post. Enjoy :)

• I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
• Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
• I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
• There is great need for a sarcasm font.
• How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
• Was learning cursive really necessary?
• Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
• Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
• I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
• Bad decisions make good stories.
• You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
• Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.
• I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.
• "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this - ever.
• I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dang it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voice mail. What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
• I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
• I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
• I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
• I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.
• Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it.*
• I would rather try to carry 10 over-loaded plastic bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
• The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.
• I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
• How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?
• I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!
• Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever. **
• Is it just me or do high school kids get dumber & dumber every year?
• There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
• Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from; this shouldn't be a problem....
• While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.
• Lol has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say"
• Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.
• As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate bicyclists.
• Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
• I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
• Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
• Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet my everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

*I must have been really naive or sheltered when I was little because this happens to me all the time. Hello, Gattica?? :)

**My husband proved this one once by wearing a pair of jeans for 65 days in a row. True story. What, that seems weird? You don't know my husband. :) He's also the only person on the continent of North America who's never been in an Old Navy.

shoo flu, don't bother me

Well, I seriously thought we'd escaped this winter without the boys getting more than a couple of colds. No luck. The sickies hit our house this week--hard. And lucky for Jon, all the vomiting and diarrhea happened (so far) when he wasn't home! He lucked out with a business trip. Especially with our parental agreement- I deal with the poop and he gets the vomit. (Sure, my end of the deal happens multiple times a day and his is only a couple times a year...but seriously, I gladly wipe those bums knowing I won't have to go near the puke!) So...he owes me one. Or 5. And if we're talking mathematical ratios here, I guess he would technically owe me about a half a year's worth of poopy diaper changes. Honey, I'll accept alternate payment in the form of Starbucks gift cards. ;)

I'm kinda thinking Dawson might have Rotavirus since he's on day 5 of this and his food is going in and out the other end in a matter of minutes. But honestly I don't see much point in taking him in, because when Bennett had it, they finally tested him for Rotavirus around day 7 (because I had no clue any kid would have flu symptoms that long) and said, "Yep. Its rotavirus. Keep watching him for dehydration." So yeah, not much I can do about it but wait it out!

Here are my little boys in their respective barf proof areas.

The only baby I've seen who prefers his Nuk upside down :)

This morning before Bennett had any symptoms he came running to me and said, "Mom, I'm gonna throw up". So I thought, oh, here we go. We rushed to the bathroom and Bennett proceeds to stick his head in the toilet. He sat there for a minute and did some fake coughs and said, "Its not working!" I thought it was just in his head because we were talking about it so much. Unfortunately a little while later it started working. All over the kitchen floor.

Post Vday Blues

Ok...that title is completely over dramatic. In fact, its not even true at all. But I have to admit, looking at people's facebook posts and reading all kinds of cute blogs left me feeling a little guilty (and maybe a teeny bit sad) that we didn't really make Valentine's day particularly special in our house. I mean, Jon and I had a lovely day together (a lunch date at Mojo's since he had to work that night. And then he brought home Cold Stone to eat while watching the Bachelor. And [tmi alert mom & dad!] there was also a hot tub and candles involved). So I really have no complaints because my hubby definitely made me feel loved.

But when I saw this and this and this (she puts every mom to shame) and THESE! I dunno...just made me feel that, "I'm-a-boring-mommy-who-doesn't-do-cute-and-crafty-things-with-my-kids-because-I'm-lazy-and-hate-cleaning-up-extra-messes" guilt.

That's the dang problem with the internet. You think you have it pretty good until you start comparing yourself with others! That just reminded me of a great verse I mulled over and chewed on recently:
Galatians 6:4 -5 Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. (The Message)

My creative best. Hmmm...not sure I'm coming close to that during this season of my life when I'm just focused on getting through the day without losing my patience. But the whole point here is to look at myself to determine whether or not I'm living up to my full potential as a mom; not to all those uber-talented bloggers out there. I'm pretty sure we were all better off without the internet. (Remember the days when you had to look something up in an Encyclopedia?? Weird. Sorry...tangent.)
Anyway, my sister and I get to go to this conference this Saturday in Minneapolis. We decided to go since we know everyone speaking there and half of them are close friends of ours. I'm pretty sure this is coming at the perfect time in my life. I just feel really open and ready for God to do a big remodel in my heart. I'm sure I'll have some thoughts to share when we get back.

Hope you all had a wonderful Vday--that lived up to your expectations! Off to bed...I don't know why in the heck I always stay up so late when my hubby's travelling!?

Life is Good

We've had a really fun few days around here. I feel refreshed and happy. Here's the series of events that got me to my happy place:

1. Last week my Mom took the boys for an afternoon and Jon suggested we go catch a matinee. There's something so luxurious as a mostly-stay-at-home-mom to go on a date in the middle of the day. We saw 127 Hours. Great movie (although I did have to close my eyes during the last half of "the scene" for fear of fainting right there in the theatre.)
2. Friday evening I squeezed in a mini shopping trip after work with my sister and blew through the rest of my Christmas money. Being at the mall with NO KIDS is always a mood booster :)
3. Saturday my mother-in-law hosted a lunch for all the past and present ladies from America's Family Coaches (where I work). 90% of the reason I love my job is the women I work with. A lot of them are some of my closest friends and it was great to catch up with a few I hadn't seen in a really long time. My MIL had a gorgeous girlie lunch for all of us and again...a few hours with NO KIDS does wonders for a young mom's soul!
4. Then that night, Judie offered to watch the boys for us so we could go out on a date! Holy moly. My weekend just kept getting better. Jon and I met up with some friends and went to Des Moines' improv group, Comedy Xperiment. They put on a hilarious show that's well worth the $10 ticket. Plus Jon's gone to so many that the entire cast and crew know him by name and they all love him (and will probably be asking him to join their troupe any day now).
5. Afterwards we picked up some awesome barbecue at Smokey D's in Ankeny and brought it home to eat while we snuggled in for some SNL. SNL has been hit or miss these days. We're still devoted fans as long as Kristen Wiig's on the cast but this season's been a bit of a let-down with the four new cast mates. Well Saturday night, they made a huge comeback. Dana Carvey hosted and it was so stinkin' hilarious. It was the perfect end to our Saturday night (ok, and Sunday night too since we always fall asleep before its over and have to watch the rest the next day :)
6. And of course to finish off the weekend with a bang...we got to watch the Super Bowl eat awesome food and chit-chat all night with a great group of friends. (No, I couldn't care less about the game. But any excuse to eat good food, and I'm there. Hello guacamole and sangrias!!). And to sweeten an already super sweet deal, we got to leave Dawson with Judie. Which means I got to enjoy myself! (Oops, did I say that out loud?)
7. The temperature is going to be in the 40's next weekend!! WOO HOO!! That's giving me a perma-grin for the rest of this miserably cold week!

This weekend was enough to get me up and out of the winter blues that were starting to sink in. I'm so thankful for all the laughing Jon and I got to do together this weekend. Man, its just refreshing to have so much time together doing fun stuff. With two kids now, I often find myself thinking of how amazing our years together will be after our kids are out of the house. I know, I know, live for the moment, enjoy these years because they go so fast, yada yada. But you know what? My husband is my best friend and I just really look forward to those years when its just the two of us again. (If you have no kids, or just one kid...I'm sorry to sound so cruel. You'll understand too, someday ;)

BUT...to make sure you all know that I love my sweet boys to death, here are a few of their most recent adorable/lovable/smoochable/squeezable moments:

Trying to escape, Mission Impossible style:

This boy loves his blueberries:

Dawson wearing Bennett's monster slippers. This boy is obsessed with wearing shoes and wants me to put different pairs on him all day long.

Cheap entertainment in the wintertime (Its even funnier with the big Dyson vacuum because I can get both of them on at the same time!):

And more cheap entertainment: