Lesson #148 - Days Go By Too Fast

As discussed last week in Lesson #143, some of the most beneficial outcomes come from difficult decisions.

I was recently offered an amazing opportunity - and really I just happened to be in the right place, at the right time, and impressed members of senior management. I am really excited to get back to work, but I am not excited at all to leave the kiddos. I get to wear my suits and look professional again. Finally my MAC makeup will be used on a regular basis. Time will be carved out every morning {at or around 5am} for me to shower...in peace...alone. Yes, this job does come with perks...but I still feel like a bad mommy for leaving the kiddos every day.

I have been trying to do all I can to make the most of my last week with Lulu and Bubba...

We've wrastled around on the floor:

We had our first taste of an Icee:

We've walked through the mud in nice shoes:

We made a trip to the beloved Halloween store:

We've played with Tupperware on the kitchen floor:

We shared Fruit Loops out of play kitchen ware:

No matter how much time I've spent with them...I still don't want to leave the two cutest faces EVER!

 

I hope they will realize that mommy is doing this for their own good...to be able to afford the extra things they deserve!

CouponCabin’s Crazy Dayz of Giveawayz

Coupon Cabin is sponsoring a HUGE giveaway in November, and I'm going to take part!  Simply Stacie, Makobi Scribe and Sassy Mama in LA are hosting the giveaway set for November 1-25th.

There are fantastic prizes to be won, like a MacBook Air, iPad2, and Gift Cards!  The total value of prizes from Coupon Cabin is $4,300!!  In addition to these great prizes, over 200 bloggers (like me) have signed up and will be having giveaways during the same time! This is a great opportunity to win a ton of free stuff, right before the holidays!

Don't think that bloggers are being left out of the winning! The same exact prizes are being given to all of you out there as well! For a small, $5 Administrative Fee, you can take part in this event and host your own Giveaway with the exposure of over 200 other blogs!  It's a great way to get some traffic to your site, for only $5 and a giveaway!  Plus, for every blogger you refer, you get a $20 Target Gift Card!  Sign up here and tell them that Working Mommy at Lessons Learned referred you!

If you are a company and want to sponsor my giveaway, please contact me at workingmommy@ichalkeditup.com

I'm so excited to be a part of this great opportunity and I hope you're excited to win! I will be posting updates once the date gets closer! Good Luck!

{Wordless Wednesday - Hello Lover}

I was never a watcher of Sex and The City...I don't know why. I do know of Carrie, though, and he love of shoes - which makes her my best imaginary friend. So, in honor of my imaginary friend...I give you my most recent shoe purchase..."Hello Lover"

I love them (the heels, not the flops - though I do love the flops as well)!! Comfy and neutral - they will go with just about anything in my wardrobe. I bought them at TJ Maxx - for - wait for it - $14.95 (clearance)...definitely too cute not to buy!!

Lesson #147 - Church Brings Families Together

I was raised Catholic, but I wouldn't consider myself to be OVERLY Catholic. I try to go to church as much as possible, but I usually only make it out on holidays. It is rough with two kids because they tend to not sit still and cause a scene...so I avoid the drama all together!

It was important to me to get Lulu baptized as a Catholic...and it was equally as important to get Bubba baptized as well. There was no Hail Mary play during this event (sigh of relief) - both of Bubba's Godparents showed up because they are married and there is no way my bestie would be late. My Godparents were able to come up for the big day, so that made me super happy!!

Unfortunately that day was a little more hectic than I was planning for (isn't it always) so we weren't able to get as many pictures in the Church as I had wanted. Thankfully, I was able to take some shot of Bubba in his adorable suit while at my parents' house the other day...isn't he just the cutest little fella EVER?! No, really...isn't he?!

The day Bubba was baptized, The Man's grandfather (who is in declining health) decided that he wanted to get back into Church and requested a new member packet be sent to him. I have never been so proud. I am happy to have been a small part of him getting back into his faith.

Lesson #146 - You CAN Do More With Less (Guest Post)

I am always in such awe of those who come up with great DIY projects - and then are able to complete them! Tammy is one of those people who can look at something like a small silver trash can and turn it into a beautiful pink receptacle for your pooch's dinner! I wish I could complete even 1/10th of the awesomeness that Tammy has done!!


First of all, I am greatly honored to be asked to share with you some of my projects here on Lessons Learned.


My name is Tammy and I am the author of Not Just Paper and Glue. I am also a wife and mother living on a small farm in the heart of Texas where life is never dull! Not Just Paper and Glue is a place where you'll find everything from scrapbooking to cheesemaking, handmade cards to homemade soap, wild flowers to tame sunsets and cool crafts to fresh hot bread - because life is not just about paper and glue; it's a whole lot more!

I have always loved to create things and I have always loved to homeschool. Combining these two passions just seemed to be a natural blend.

Some of the “cons” of homeschooling is becoming a one income family. For us, that meant “cut backs” and “sacrifices” needed to be made. For each homeschooling family those sacrifices are made in different areas. For us, it meant we would become a one vehicle family and we would try to “do more with less”.

We started out on a small 3 acre farm and began raising dairy goats. This taught us how to make many different items from scratch and my boys were learning things they might have never learned in a regular school setting.

We learned to apply the subjects we studied to every day life. Think about some of these subjects and how they apply; you might come up with a few more that we didn’t consider.

White Butter





                           Chevre Cheese                                    {Utterly Divine} Sweet Chevre Dessert

Best Biscuit Mix                                                            Fresh Biscuits

Since we were relying on only one vehicle I could no longer jump into the car and go pick up what I needed. This helped my creativity grow since I needed to use things that I already had. It gave me the chance to look at things “differently” and create beautiful items for my home from some unlikely sources.

Lampshade to Bucket

Magazine File Holder Makeover and Ice Cream Buckets Transformed

This Blog Has Gone to the Dogs

Message Center

Thank you so much for having me over today! You can find more projects by visiting my blog, Not Just Paper and Glue.

(My Award - Kreativ Blogger)

Leila at Leila *Mommy* Business Woman surprised me with the Kreativ Blogger Award! Leila is a great writer and has only been blogging for a few weeks...she seems to be getting the hang of things just fine! I am very excited and grateful to Leila for passing this to me!

The rules of the award state: Thank the person who gave you the award, share 7 things about yourself, and give the award to 7 blogs!

So... here are 7 things about me:

1. I was scared to death the day I found out I was pregnant with Lulu...I had only known The Man for 3 weeks!

2. After having an easy labor with Lulu, I was expecting an even easier time with Bubba...but that was not the case.

3. I have always wanted a large family, but it looks like Lulu and Bubba will be our only chitlins.

4. I always wanted an older brother (to date his friends) and a younger sister (to dress up like a doll).

5. I recently accepted a position with a national hotel chain, but I am so nervous about leaving the kids and go back to work.

6. The Man and I are saving money to be able to open our own restaurant once the kiddos get older...it is our retirement plan.

7. I never thought I could love someone as much as I love The Man, Lulu and Bubba...they are my life and I wouldn't be the same without them!


Now for the blogs I feel deserve the Kreativ Blogger Award...EVERYONE!! If you'd like to participate, please grab the picture of the award and create your own post! I think all of us as bloggers are creative in our own respect and should be recognized! I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday!

Lesson #145 - My Mom Is A Sucker

...and by sucker, I mean the fruitiest most colorful kind of sucker there is out in candy stores! Oh, and full of sugary goodness...not the Splenda kind, either!

The reason I say this is because ever since Lulu was born, my mom has been wrapped around her little finger - and it is a little finger alright! Lulu could cry or whine as a baby and my mom would jump right up (while I would let her sit there for a minute) and cater to her every need or desire. My mom is one of Lulu's loyal subjects...and will buy her almost everything.

For her first birthday, my parents threatened to buy her a pony - that would be kept at their house, of course. Then, for her second birthday, my parents paid for a face-painter to come in for 3 hours to paint a myriad of squirming children - and me! I'm almost scared to see what will happen at her third birthday party!!

So, off to Target we went - my mom, Lulu, Bubba and me - to pick up a few things. Lulu took my mom's arm and pulled her right to the toy aisle...its like kids have a toy radar built into their brains or something. I went off with Bubba to find the provisions we needed while the ladies played with dolls and plastic shopping carts.

I come back to find Lulu pushing around a plastic cart full of fake food. As I bend over to take the cart away, she starts to yell...loudly...similar to one being torn apart limb from limb - or at least what I would imagine it would sound like. My mom decided to buy her the cart just to keep her quiet...awesome! Now she is pushing that cart around the house everywhere.

A $24 shopping cart is contributing to my little Lulu being a "terrible two"...thanks mom!!

Lesson #144 - Pre-Early Education Is A Nightmare

Holy wow...have any of you done research on school these days?! Not public school - because that is free (thank goodness)...I'm talking about nursery/preschool. Nevermind how HIGH the cost is for some of them (those of you without kids might reconsider having them after seeing these numbers) but the rules are out of control. Here are just a few - from some nationally acclaimed and a few local schools - for your viewing pleasure:


"Birthdays are important to children, and they enjoy sharing them with their friends at school. We normally celebrate children’s birthdays at snack time. Parents are welcome to attend. Please notify your child’s teacher or Principal if you plan to bring a snack for your child’s special day. Parents may bring only commercially prepared foods for birthday or holiday celebrations."

Seriously?! When I was a kid, my mom used to send me to school (or bring) cupcakes for all my classmates...that she made herself...the night before. There is a lot to be said about heartfelt snacks instead of ones purchased from a stop-n-shop the morning of school.

"A popular way to celebrate birthdays is with a new book donation to the school library. A bookplate is placed in the donated book with the child’s name and birth date, and the book is put into circulation for all students to enjoy. Your Principal may suggest titles for donations, if you prefer."

I am already paying you $xx a month for my child to attend - and she isn't the only kid here...are you seriously telling me there isn't money in the budget for new books every year?? If that is the case, then you can hire me to balance your books - because that is just absurd! You should have a stockpile of new books and allow each birthday child to pick one to "donate" to the school's library each year...THAT is how it should go!


Costs:

Option 1: Primary Extended Care = $8.800/year (this one isn't THAT hard to swallow)
Option 2: Extended Care 5 day program = $14,861.50/year (oh come on...you couldn't just forget the $.50 or round up to the next dollar?!)
Option 3: Junior Kindergarten = $25,650/year; iPad 2 User Fee = $350 (*I'm sorry, what?! What if I provide one for her...do I still have to pay this fee every year??)



It sounds more and more like I will be going back to work to pay for school - or sending her to college 16 years early for that price! What do you pay for your child's preschool or day care?? Is it anything close to these fees??

{Wordless Wednesday - Wrastlin' Around}

I keep trying to explain to Lulu that she is going to be VERY sorry she ever messed with her Bubba once he gets older...but she doesn't quite understand that yet (sorry for the fuzzy pics, but they were really moving quick!).

Yeah...she is going to be sooooooooo sorry she ever messed with her Bubba!

Lesson #143 - Some Choices Aren't Easy

Recently I was presented with a unique opportunity...to do what?! you ask...to re-enter the workforce, my lovely pupils!!

Now, as much as I love staying home with the kiddos, going to the park to play, walking in the rain, plastering chalk graffiti all over the neighborhood and taking late afternoon naps - it just doesn't pay the bills (which is a total crock, if you ask me)!

Going back to work presents a unique set of different circumstances. My potential work day would be from 8a (which means I'd have to leave around 7a to arrive on time - 15 miles from home) until 5p...and that is on a good day. Granted, I would have weekends off but I just don't know how I feel about this deal.

I am exhausted as it is now and I already have an altered schedule from most people. The Man doesn't wake up until 10a because of his work schedule, so that is the same schedule the kids are on...and thankfully we can stick to it most of the time.

In addition to retraining myself on a more "normal" working person's schedule, comes the challenges of child care. The Man's parents watched both kids while I was working part-time - which was only 1, maybe 2, days a week - but 5 days is a huge jump for 2 older adults who aren't in the best health.

As much as I'd love to get back into the workforce, I worry about my in-laws having the chitlins for such a long period of time during the day - especially both of them together. They both play get, but should I look for another option - preschool for Lulu or daycare for Bubba - and separate them to make it easier? Would the one not at home feel like an outcast because s/he was being sent somewhere else for the day? Maybe it would be better to send them both out to their respective schools, but on alternating days?

I'd love to hear your thoughts - those of you in bloggy land...do you think either Lulu or Bubba would feel like an outcast being sent off to school/day care while the other gets to stay home with my in-laws?

Why can't the government just pay me for raising my children to be an integral part of society?! Not enough parents are doing that these days - shouldn't it count for something??

{Giveaway} The ZoneFast Weight Loss Program - Retail $179

Well, folks - the post you've all been waiting for is finally here!

After 2 weeks on The Zone Diet I have lost a total of 8 (yes, I said EIGHT) pounds! The food tastes awesome and having it already portioned made life so much easier. Between chasing children up the stairs, off the couch and down the hall I could pluck something from the fridge and my meal was almost done. The only things that took a little longer to prepare were the pizzas and the pastas. Everything else - the breads, sandwiches, granola for breakfast and snacks - were really just grab and go pretty much.

Lunch is no problem with a bowl of veggie soup and croutons:

Dinner one night consisted of browned tilapia, snow peas and a plain bagel as my roll (I only ate a small bit of the fish - as allowed by the diet - and my kids ate the rest):

Some days I moved my meals up a few hours and ate my snack as dessert (seriously, I wish I could have like 5 of these a day...they are so good):

So now, the giveaway you've all been waiting for!! Three - yes, THREE - lucky winners will get the same 2-week plan that I reviewed (here and here) to try for themselves. While not required, I would LOVE to hear how things go for those who get the plan...so I will be featuring each one - if they agree - in a blog post to hear their opinions about the food and anything else they'd like to share. I can't wait to see who wins!

Lesson #142 - Poop Is A Hot Topic (Guest Post)

If you've never been over to Jessica's little web space - I highly suggest that you stop over. She is honest, hysterical and straight forward. I mean, how else could anyone make it through the day with all those fellas in the house?!





Hi, I'm Jessica from Boys, toys, chaos, & joys. I am a mom to three boys 3 and under so my days are usually filled with chaos and fun. My blog is a basically a collection of my life with kids, trying to stay on a budget, recipes, and anything else that may cross my mind. I'm so excited to have the chance to do a guest post for Working Mommy, now on with the post...

So I remember in college some of my male friends had a chart on their door where you could write down what time you pooped, what type it was,etc... I'm sure you get the picture. I found the whole thing very disgusting, but little did I know less then 10 years later would be filling out a very similar chart of my own for a very cute little baby. Before I became a mom I never thought I would have so many conversations about poop in my life, but for some reason it always seems to be a hot topic. I've somehow had conversations with moms I barely know just about our children's poop. If you don't have kids you may think I'm crazy, but just wait and see once you have kids this will be an everyday conversation with someone.

When we brought our first son Liam home it was so great to be home as a family of three after a week in the hospital, but now we were on our own as new parents. One of my funniest memories is the second day we were home with Liam, my husband (Jack) was changing his diaper on the pack and play in our dinning room when Liam peed all over him. Very common for a new little boy, but since Liam was all wet and so were his clothes Jack decided to carry him upstairs and I was following to help. When on the way up the stairs little Liam decided he needed to poop and proceeded to go all over the place. While Jack and I were both confused about what to do (go up, down,or stay here) and I'm pretty sure I was probably screaming. We finally decided to put him in the tub so we could clean him off. Then we had to clean off the stairs, floor, and ourselves. Why we decided to carry a naked baby upstairs is beyond me, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. I always wonder when you see those cute little newborn pictures where they're posed and naked except for maybe a cute little hat if this situation ever happens.

Then at about 1.5 Liam started having constipation problems, so poop was once again always a daily subject of did he poop or when. Now at 3.5 years old most of the poop conversations come from him, while laughing hysterically. I do also have a 1.5 and almost 5 month old, so it still does feel like I am changing a diaper or wiping a butt too many times then I would like to count in one day.

The funniest thing was I started this post a couple of days ago, then today we went to the Arboretum where they have a huge children's garden for kids to play. I was sitting down feeding the baby while my husband was watching the boys play, and it's been forever since Liam has had an accident, so even though my husband saw him do his poo dance (I know there are other moms out here who know what I'm talking about) he asked if he needed to go, but Liam said no and he believed him. **Important note to new or soon to be parents: kids will usually always say no or wait till the absolute last second to go especially if they are having fun, so you just have to make them. So Jack thought he was fine, and let him play. Then Liam decided to climb this huge rock wall and got to the top looking like he had a very important announcement to make and that's when he screamed "I pooed my pants", to all the moms and children below. All the moms started cracking up, and my poor little guy was upset because he went in his pants and I was trying not to laugh myself especially since I was feeding the baby and it was my husband who had to deal with it (yay me).

Ahhh, so what did we do? Our spare clothes were in the car which isn't much help, so we just took his underwear off and threw it out and went on with our day. Because accidents do happen, and when all the other moms are looking and thinking I'm glad that's not my kid I know they too will have one of these moments in store for them in the near future.

Have any of you had an exciting poop moment with your children...or even yourself?? No need to be shy here - sit on down and share your story!

{Magical Moments}

Call me late to the party, if you will...but at least I'm here, right?!

I am sharing my Magic Moments with Shell:

 All ready to talk to mommy...Lulu - 2 days old

 Sleeping in his sister's old swing...Bubba - 3 days old

 Loving on her Lil Bubba...Christmas Day 2010

Time has gone too fast...Lulu - 26 months; Bubba - 9 months

Lesson #141 - Happiness Is A Package On My Doorstep

If you have followed me for any length of time, you know that I am a HUGE fan of Halloween...I mean HUGE people!! Nothing makes me more happy than decorating the casa for Halloween, picking out themed costumes for the entire family and dragging indulging everyone in a trip around the neighborhood to acquire fabulous bits of chocolate covered happiness.

Another thing I am a fan of - getting things, mostly packages, in the mail as long as it isn't a bill or collection notice. SO, I have decided to put them both together. This event is NOT a giveaway...rather, a gift swap!



This is how it will work:

1) Put your information into the SWEET linky below...see...right there...at the bottom of the post. Sign-ups will take place from today, September 16, 2011, through 11:59 pm est October 10, 2011. That is three weeks to get as many people to participate as possible...should be easy, right?! I sure hope so!!

2) On October 11, I will take all of the information and make a spread sheet of names, blogs and email addresses. Once that list is complete, I am going to pair everyone up as best I can so that each person has a gift buddy.

3) On October 12, I will send out the list of buddies to everyone. Once received, I ask that you make contact with your buddy - via a blog post or an email - and find out as much as you can about each other. The point of this part is to come up with a list of possible gifts to get each other. To be fair - please limit your gift box to $30 (not including shipping).

4) Mail your gift swap package no later than October 20, to leave ample time for your buddy to receive the goodies you send!

5) Create a blog post with pictures, descriptions and any other information you'd like to write. This post should go live on October 31st to celebrate Halloween - and all your cool things!! I will have another linky posted here on the 31st for everyone to come and share!


Feel free to Tweet, post a Facebook status or write a blog post about this swap...and if you are so compelled, you could also yell it from your roof! There is a SWEET little button to grab too...over there to the right -----> This swap is limited to the US and Canada.

Lesson #140 - A Fresh Coat Of Paint Does WONDERS

Hedy-ho bloggy buddies (not that any of you are easy, or anything)!!! *cricket, *cricket, *cricket...no, didn't catch the joke. Hmmm...oh well! Your loss - and my comedic awesomeness ;)

SO...

WHAT DO YOU THINK?!?!

My new digs are pretty awesome - aren't they?!?!

I'd love to say that I did it myself...but I am far too blonde to pull of something like this, my friends! No, for a massive transformation such as this one, I had to rely on the awesome Amber over at Zany Dezines! Not only did she put up with my tens hundreds of emails, but she was super responsive when it came to answering questions and tweaking the little things. Well, little things to her but big things to me. Either way, she was great throughout the whole process. There are a ton of new features and I'm so excited to see how much better this blog will operate once everything settles down. I seriously can't thank Amber enough!!

In addition to the new design, I even got my own .com address...look, look, look (points up)...pretty fabulous, huh?!

Also, I reached (over) 500 blog followers, so I decided to give something away...click on over to my fan appreciation giveaway for your chance at a pair of pearl earrings from Helzberg Diamonds!!

Big things are coming down the road - I hope you all are as excited as I am!!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

{Giveaway} Helzberg Pearl Earrings

WOW!

Look what happens when I work my a$$ off to comment and blog hop and join every mother loving site as often as I can am not paying attention!

So, I've gotten to 500 (503 to be exact) followers...I'm not sure what you all see in my little old blog - but I LOVE YOU FOR IT!!!

In celebration of all of you - my wonderful bloggy buddies - I am giving away a pair of pearl earrings from Helzberg Diamonds...why?! Because I think you all are the most fabulous peeps EVER! Come on over and fill out the Rafflecopter info below...I will pick a winner on October 1st and announce on October 3rd.

I love you all!!

Lesson #139 - Monsers Are Everywhere

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

"Moooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!"

"Mommy, quick...mommy, quick."

*Mommy running up the THUMP stairs as fast as knee into wall humanly possible without elbow into door frame getting injured.

"Whats wrong baby? Are you okay?!"

My little Lulu was standing in her crib - tears running down her face - half naked because she likes to undress before going to sleep - and shivering like a frightened chihuahua.

I had never seen her like that before. Even though Bubba was also awake - and probably quite hungry - I scooped Lulu up into my arms and rocked her, trying to calm her down as best as I could at the time. After a minute she had finally stopped crying and her red face was more of a pink color.

"What happened little Lu? Why were you crying?"

"Monsers, mommy...there are monsers in the house"

"You mean monsters, baby? Where are the monsters?"

"Everywhere...Bubba saw monsers too!"

At the end of all this, I'm still not sure if Lulu saw an actual monster or if one of our attic friends came out to play. Maybe she had a napmare and that was her only way to communicate how/why she was scared. I wanted to hold her for the rest of the day and reassure her that there are no monsers.

I can't do that, though, because there are monsters out there in the world. Kiddie bullies attack other kids at school - adult bullies demean other adults and put them down - bloggy bullies attack others online.

Yes, monsters are everywhere unfortunately. Why can't I just put my babies in a bubble of  happiness forever?!

{Pour Your Heart Out - Dear The Man}

I really don't want to "go there"...but I feel it is necessary. This post could be considered graphic (no pictures, and not in a sexual way) and may offend some people...turn back now if you want.

Dear The Man,

I really can't count the ways that I love you - there are too many to list. You are an upstanding citizen and a loving person - I respect you for who you are and who you make me. After the other night, though, my respect for you has diminished a tad - and this is why.

I don't mind you playing video games - in fact, I have purchased quite a few for you in the past. It is a way for you to release some of your work tension and relax...which is fine by me. It doesn't interfere with family time and you never chose gaming over personal hygiene, which is, again, fine by me. This night in particular, though, your actions made me nauseous - so much so that I, in fact, vomited in our bathroom after running up the stairs.

You said you had a new game that you wanted to play - one that was borrowed from a co-worker. I thought nothing of it and decided to actually watch you play for once while simultaneously reading blog posts in the background. Then the moment came, it was at the beginning of the game, where everything about the plot was described in detail.

A man was minding his own business until a group of thugs came into his home and kidnapped him. This man was put on a bus - after being kicked down some stairs while blindfolded. While on the bus, the man witnessed others lined up on the sidewalk - with bags over their heads. They were being beaten - almost to death - while begging for their lives. As the bus continued down the road, I saw something that no one should EVER have to see. At first I heard a child crying and thought it could be one of our own...but it wasn't...no, the cries I heard were coming from the game itself. In front of 2 gunmen, a man stood against a wall with his hands tied behind him...begging for his life. To the right of one gunman stood a child - no more than 4 or 5 - crying and screaming. Then - just like that - 2 shots and the man against the wall fell to the ground. The cries which came from that small boy after seeing his father hit the ground were so real...so painful...so infuriating. I had no choice but to jump from the couch - barely ripping the computer cord from the wall - and run up the stairs and to our bathroom.

As I walked quickly away I kept repeating that I would be going upstairs and how I couldn't believe you were able to watch something like that. Your only response was, "It is only a video game...its not real." Have we as a society really become so numb that things like this don't bother us anymore?? No wonder why our children are threatened by gunmen at school!!

It took me a good 15 minutes to stop vomiting...and another 15 to stop crying...and even after a full 3 hours I still have not regained my composure. Call me crazy - call me emotional - call me what you wish...but honestly, I didn't ever want to see anything like that - animated or not.

I am not naive to reality and am fully aware this kind of behavior does occur in some parts of the world - but why would you feel so compelled as to bring it into our home? Is it really so much to ask that this kind of thing be kept away from the only true sanctuary we have on this Earth?! Couldn't you have at least WARNED me that something of that nature COULD happen and maybe I should leave the room?! I would have gone willingly...and respected you more for giving me a heads up. Now I'm sickened at the thought of you enjoying to play such trash...because that is what it is to me now...trash.


With a Lower Respect for You,
Wifey



I am linking up with Shell today:

{Wordless Wednesday - Caged Animal}

I don't know why, but Lulu is quite enthralled with the cage for my parents' dog. This past trip we made, she decided that the cage was no place for a pup...but that it was now "her cage" (she kept saying, "my cage, my cage") and she found her way into it most of the weekend.

 See her pulling the door shut behind her?

 She had to hold it shut...

 ...and kept yelling at me to lock it!

 Bubba to the rescue!

Then I heard "go away" and realize she was hiding from Bubba!

My kids are really a riot!!

Lesson #138 - Do Not Feed The Animals

...and by animals, I mean my children...and by children, I really mean Bubba.

I don't know what is going on with him...but he is gaining weight faster than I can keep up!! Since Lulu was - and is still - so small (she still wears some 12-18 month clothes at 26 months), I guess I'm just not used to the normal growth of a child...maybe?!

Whatever it is, I think I need to stop feeding him.

As of right now, he eats whatever the family eats - in addition to his 4 8oz bottles of formula - at mealtime...talk about a little (fat) piglet! The only reason I started giving him table food is because if I don't then he SCREAMS - it is THE most ear piercing noise you have ever heard (I will post a vlog on this soon). I mean, don't get me wrong - he is a cutie pie!! It just seems like every picture I have of him, is of him eating something...

 Chewing on a goldfish (while sporting his sister's new hat)

 Sucking down some formula

Munching on a butter cookie

Stealing cheese curls from his sister

He even goes after the dog's food!!

Bubba has gotten so big that his chubby legs get caught between the slats of his bed and he can't get them unstuck. I have finally begun to realize what all the screaming is about after the first 5 minutes of nap time - which is more like sibling-talk-time-therapy. I have to go back into the room and get fatty's leg out from the slats before he can go to sleep.

I have a crib bumper up and I always try to put him down on the opposite side of the crib from where he gets stuck. Nothing works though.

Do any of you moms out there have - or maybe have had - this issue with your chitlin?? Is there any good solution to keep his legs from getting stuck in the slats??