Journal Entry / letter to my kids -

I haven't just typed my thoughts in a while, but I need some therapy and this is cheaper than a medical facility, a shrink, or even a gym membership!!! Since this is my baby book / journal I figure my kids need to see this some day.

Dear Kyla, Kade & Jack;
*There is something to cloning.
*I need to be cloned so each of you can have one of me - I am only 1 person and I can not magically be in three places at one time. Do not decide that you need me ONLY when one of your siblings has made it abundantly clear that they in-fact do need me.

*Your dad can do everything I can do - sometimes even better. I know what your thinking, but he just needs a little push sometimes. When I say: "mom's not home right now" That means go ask your dad.
*If you need me or want me for something, WALK up to me and ask me for what you need. DO NOT yell MMMMMMMMMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM from 4 rooms away and expect me to give you something that is 2 feet away from you. I will not do it. You"ll realize this soon I hope.
*You go to bed, EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. This will not change tomorrow, or the next day, or the next day, or even next week. It was the same yesterday and the day before and last year. It doesn't hurt you, and trust me you don't miss out on anything after you have gone to bed because you go to bed so late, 99% of the time, your daddy and I are asleep ( if he isn't already sleeping! ) withing 5-10 minutes anyway.
*Do not say you hate each other, that you are not each other's friend, that you will not play with each other, and you do not want each other in your individual rooms. The fact that you have each other will get you through life. You'll find no greater love, connection, or friendship than the one you have together. You have built in play-mates - PLAY and enjoy!!! And no Kyla, I will not tell you how to spell; hate, do not want, or friend so you can give Kade a mean letter and think I wont know about it!
*If you liked brocolli yesterday, you should still like it today.
*When I leave the house, I WILL always come back. There is no need to cry like that.
*Whining is not an effective form of communication, you should know that by how it doesn't work to get you what you want.
*I do not love any one of you more than the other. I will however sometimes sit next to, play with, load into the car first, give something to them to carry, provide them with the first choice, the one that isn't screaming, throwing, hitting, yelling, or otherwise making me tense at that moment.
*Because your 2,3, & 4 - thats why - when you are older we'll talk about it.
*Meme would punish you if you did that at her house too - stop calling for her to "save" you when you are upset for being put in your room or in time out.
*Just don't hit and everything will be fine.
*I will not let you go play at that tree that is 100 feet away even though I can see you - and someday you will understand why.
*All forks, plates, cups, straws and spoons work the same. Trust me, they really do.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
With that said;
*Please keep snuggling into my neck
*Please keep telling me you missed me when I only leave the house for 4 minutes
*I will forever hear your laughter, smell your scent, feel your soft skin and your cuddles, and keep every single good and difficult memory close to my heart for as long as I am breathing.

Love,
Mom.

SO proud!!

I'm not even going to try to hide the fact that I'm about to do some bragging!!! (o:

My mom works so hard with all of her kids, and it pays off SO much!!

My kids really do go to preschool with the added benefit of having MeMe be the teacher. I'm so blessed by this. After seeing what Kyla does through out her day at her "real preschool" it makes me so proud to know that my kids do the same if not more already. It's complete with circle time, letter's of the week, colors, shapes, alphabet books, and on and on.

Kyla's teachers tell me everytime I see them that she's such a "big girl" and that she needs a pack to lead as she is a natural leader. I completely realize that this is also a nice way of saying she's a tad bossy and knows what she wants - but hey - if we can make sure we work on the bossy part of that, I'm totally cool with the rest!

My Jackie can count to 20, knows most all of his ABC's by sight, all of his colors, shapes ( even octagon and hexagon) can put puzzels together like a champ, and is starting to draw his own shapes now too! Oh and he keeps asking to go on the potty, but nothing is happening. I can't wait for summer because potty training in flip flops is much easier than tennis shoes!

Kade has been writing letters for awhile now using "ant tracks" but now he can write his own name with no help at all!!! He's much more bored than Kyla is at the learning stuff - but it only takes a short time for him to absorb what you are teaching him. And he sure can hit a baseball (slow pitch) we've lost a few over the roofs of the next door neighbors. Hopefully his attitude will improve so we can actually sign him up on a real team.

Here is a picture of his name:

I can't believe I'm only a couple of months away from them turning 3, 4, & 5! WOW time flies!

Aidens opening day!!

Aiden played his first t-ball game in this league on Saturday morning. There was a mix up with the booking of the field, but they worked it out and they were able to get in 2 innings! He is doing so good with it!

Kade as you can see is completely mesmerized with it, however I am sticking to my plan that he can not play baseball until he stops whining and throwing fits whenever something happens that he doesn't like. I am trying everything possible to get him to think before he acts - maybe if we keep going to games it will work!

girls night out!

A few girls went to Claim Jumper on Saturday night and we had so much fun!

Kyla even got to come this time because my mom offerred to bring her home after dinner.... she's always so hurt that I don't take her out to my monthly coffee date because she know's it's "just girls" so she was really excited to be there this time!

5 of us actually made it passed 11!! Check us out!!

Thank you guys for making it such a wonderful night for me, I enjoyed your company more than you'll ever know!!

( lots of repetitive pictures, but I love them all and it's from 2 cameras )

Improptu party and Jack's abandonment issues (o:

Friday night my friend Anissa, her son Eli and her boyfriend Cary joined TJ, Serina, Aiden and Gavin at our house for a little get together. See Anissa makes these things called Burger Balls and TJ has been begging her to make them since Super Bowl Sunday! She was off Friday so we all just stayed and had so much fun!!

We have always had problems when either Robert or I have to leave the house. Either 1 or 3 of the kids FREAK out and want to come with us.

If one of them gets to go it's absolutely tramatizing for the other 2 that don't get to go.

Jack has eyes like an eagle and notices as soon as anyone even picks up their keys or puts shoes on that weren't previously on. At this point he runs and gets his shoes and gets ready for whomever is deciding to depart!

When he doesn't get to go, he sits on the porch for about 5 minutes waiting for the return of the missing parent. After that doesn't happen, he proceeds to walk onto the yard as if he's leaving. I tried to get a picture of him on the porch, but he got mad and started to walk away. He just sits there with his arms folded until we pick him up kicking and screaming into the horrible torture chamber that is his house!

A conversation with Kade

Last night Kade was really giving me a hard time - so he spent a lot of time in his room. It's his big giant time-out room. It's impossible to use a "spot" with him.

Anyway - He gets pissed when he gets in trouble and throws things around his room, which just delays his exit even more because he has to pick up everything he threw before he can leave. Last night he got put in his room for his mouthiness. He locked the door!

Me: Kade, unlock the door. We don't lock doors.
Kade: No I don't want to, I don't want anyone in my room.
Me: Kade, unlock the door now, or I will take the door off.
Kade: How do you think you are going to do that?
Me: With daddy's tools.Kade: go ahead, I want to see you do it.
Me: Kade you better unlock this door now, or I will have to give you a spanking.
Kade: Now how are you going to do that with the door locked mom?

I couldn't stop laughing at that point and had to walk away and get Robert.

I'm trying to laugh about the little funny times now, but my difficult, emotional, dramatic Kade is really wearing on my patience and ability as a mother lately. I know he is going to grow up with the same mental anquish his daddy has / had and I just want to do the right thing and make his child-hood better than Robert's was because no one addressed his issues. This is weighing very heavy on me and I feel like it's all on my shoulders.

Sorry, I'm emotional, sensitive and over-analyzing everything today.

Valentines Day

Robert had to work on Valentines day, so the kids and I made cupcakes before he got home and then we all spent the evening watching movies and eating snacks.

Jack had been doubled over in pain for about 4 days of sleepless nights - so I took him to the Doctors on Friday and they gave him medicine for gasritis (sp?) He's been so much better.

These are my valentines cards from the kids, and the last of the cupcakes that they decorated

Jack has been such a ham for the camera lately.... it was so nice to see him smiling after him being so miserable for so many days.

Robert and I went out to PF Changs for our Valentines Day dinner - but we waited and went on Sunday instead. It was still SO packed!

These pictures are mostly taken by Kyla. She was being quite the photographer. After each picture would turn out she would congratulate herself with a proud: "YES!"

I did something to my back on Saturday too - I pinched a nerve or pulled a muscle or something, because I was laid out flat on muscle relaxers and motrin! This is what happens when mommy doesn't follow you around and clean up after you. We'll be making a game out of "clean up" tonight for sure!! ( I can't believe I'm posting these )

This is Kade playing hide & seek!