SoCal

I made it!  I did it!  I survived a week long trip to California by myself with two kids.  Ok, ok, I had some help along the way (THANK YOU SARA AND WADE!), but I still survived...barely. It was a blast, and E and D played their little hearts out.  M was also pretty good.  And I even got to see a college friend who graciously drove up from San Diego to see us.  Thanks June!

Opening birthday presents a little early

Checking out his new Thomas book

Eating doughnuts after Sunday school

Bath time!

At the beach on Balboa Island

First trip to the beach (with Sara)

E and M were super good for me during our flights and really the whole week.  They are definitely good travelers!  It was a challenge for me to do by myself, and I am sort of proud that I was able to do it.  I know it is silly, but I really am still figuring out the logistics of this two kiddo thingy. So to fly half way across the country alone was a big step.  Next time though, Tony is going with me! Ha! 

FLU SHOT!

So, E and I got a flu shot on Tuesday and since then I haven't been feeling right at all.  I have been alternating between hot and cold, achy, and my nose has been a little bit drippy.  But no fever... weird, huh? I've never, EVER had a reaction to the vaccine like this before, so it is sort of freaking me out.  Am I about to come down hard with the flu?  The scientist in me (if I can still call myself that after 5 years out of the lab) knows that there is no way I can actually get the flu from the flu vaccine.  But, there is part of me that is wondering a little bit.... I mean sheesh can I feel better already.  We are flying to California in 4 days (!!) and I sort of need to be feeling better. 

But the real purpose of this post is to brag that I took a 2.5 hour nap yesterday!  Me... a nap.... it was AWESOME!  I don't think I have taken a nap since M was born.  And after pushing myself to the brink of exhaustion last week, I really needed it.  The best part was I closed the door to my bedroom, crawled into bed, and pulled the covers over my head.  I was out, people, and it was fantastic.

So here's hoping that I start feeling better and that I can rest a bit this week before we travel.  Being a mom is soooo hard and when you are feeling like crap, it is even harder.  Three cheers for us moms! And if you have a chance, get a flu shot... but maybe not from CVS minute clinic.  Sheesh!

E keeps me on my toys, but is mostly my partner in crime.

The reasons I am so tired all the time!

Still here!

Finally sitting down to update the blog.  It has been awhile, a looong while since I posted last, and it is time to update with some pics and what's been going on in the Lee Clan life.

September is in full swing already with TCU football season (yes I know they lost and yes that game hurt), cooler temps (FINALLY!), and our trip to California fast approaching.  The kids are getting bigger and bigger everyday too. 

M, especially, is growing so fast. These days he is getting closer to the crawling stage.  He is at the point where he will lean waaayy over from a sitting position to reach something and then end up on all fours and just sort of rock back and forth.  He doesn't stay still for long that is for sure, and when he starts crawling, boy am I in trouble.  We have already started the process of moving E's little toys into her room.

Reason why E's toys need to be moved... M loves barbies

7 months old (almost 1 month ago!)

Swinging for the first time by himself! (with big sister too)

Trying to pull up in the crib and talking LOUD!

M is also talking A LOT!  He is so vocal with his baby sounds.  And he says "da-da" and I think "uh-oh", but no mama yet.  E has informed me that she wants M to call her "sister".  I want M to call her "noona", which is Korean for big sister.  But M will call his big sister whatever he wants, so we will just have to wait and see on that one.

Speaking of E, we have a busy fall planned for her.  She is signed up for dance classes, soccer, and starts nature school next week.  Whew!  And her 5th (5th!) birthday is fast approaching, with a princess party in the works that is sure to be fun.  E is also starting to read.  She can recognize a few words, and can even read a couple of her books now.  What a big girl she is!  Definitely a kid now!  I really can't believe she is so big already.  And this is really my last year with her before she starts public school. How did that happen so fast!

My almost 5 year old with the feather in her hair.

Playing "fashion show".  This requires lots of accessories.

Our lives are busy as ever, and although it is crazy and hard and overwhelming, it is also fun.  I am so blessed to be able to stay home and watch my kids grow up. And to be honest, I really wouldn't have it any other way!  Hope your fall is going great so far! And by the way....

GO FROGS!!

The saga of a 4 year old

I'm in tears right now. 

Tears!

Tears because my four year old is refusing to get dressed for the 1 MILLIONTH TIME!!!  And I just don't have the energy or will to fight her anymore.  I just can't. Everytime we need to go somewhere it is a fight with me yelling and her yelling and finally time-out and toys taken away.  My patience is gone people!

This morning I wanted to take her to story-time at our local library and return a few books.  But does she want to get dressed for that?  No!  Yesterday, she went to school at our church.  Did she want to get ready for that?  No!  It is always a fight with her to get dressed, brush her teeth, and comb her hair, which usually results in us being late wherever we go (even though we start about an hour ahead of time).  And I am just done.

Done. Done. Done.

I love her to death, but this phase we are in right now where she has to fight me every step of the way is getting old.  My patience is gone, and I hope someday it will return.  Maybe that will be the day E stops fighting me and starts getting ready on her own... when she is like 16.

Breastfeeding and Me

In a few days M will be 6 months old.  That totally blows my mind!  But what really blows my mind is that I have breastfed him for 6 months. 

6 MONTHS! 

Woohoo! 

I made it.

I really didn't think I was going to make it to 6 months this time.  See, I haven't really enjoyed the breastfeeding thing this time around.  I have felt more tired, more emotional and just more trapped with it this time.  When E was a newborn,  I remember how hard it was to even get the breastfeeding down.  How I cried and cried for two weeks after she was born, because she had jaundice and just wouldn't wake up to feed.  But once she got over it, she was great.  I was great.  She breastfed for 13 months.

With M, it was easy in the beginning.  He was a pro at it and his jaundice was much easier to handle.  It was/is me that is the problem. I don't know what it is about this breastfeeding experience that I am not enjoying.  I really think, and this is me being truly honest, that I just feel so tied down with it.  I feel like I can't leave and go have some alone time without worrying if M is going to scream his little head off because he wants the boob.  Sigh...

I know I should be thankful that it has been easy for me, and that I have the milk to even do it.  And I know that he is getting lots of good antibodies from me.  But I am REALLY ready to stop.  And I would, except that I have a crazy, irrational fear of him getting sick (which is a whole different blog post), and it is FREE! 

Sigh....

So, I am going to celebrate that I made it to the 6 month mark again.  And I am going to keep at it, because I know the breastfeeding process will only get easier as he starts to eat more solid food. I hope that I can start to enjoy it more.

E at 6 weeks old

M at 1 month

Grandparents

When I was growing up, my brother and I spent a lot of time at my grandparents' house in Dalworthington Gardens.  It was a beautiful house on a big lot... and I mean big!  The backyard was enormous and proved to be a great place for the imaginations of young children.  I have such fond memories of those years at their house and all the wonderful things my grandparents did for us.  They really were wonderful to us!  

I remember how my Grandma used to french-braid my hair (or try to) and make us milkshakes using vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup (that we never had at home by the way).  I remember cutting out biscuits for breakfast from the handmade dough, and how she used to sneak candy and drinks for us in her giant purse when she took us to the movies.  I remember her old station wagon and how we used to play in the back of the huge trunk (or on top of the car....cough, cough Andrew).  

I remember Granddad's office, playing with his printing calculator and rolling around in his "business" chair.  I  remember helping my granddad clean the fish he had just caught, blood and guts and all on the tailgateof his white chevy truck, and how he always using an electric knife. I remember listening to his old country albums in the gameroom and playing on the old 1960's pinball machine. 

It was an exciting time for us kids, being at the "Grands" house, and I am so thankful that I had that time with them.  

As I type this, E is spending the night with my mom and step-dad, aka "Grammy" and "Pawpaw".  E ADORES my mom and step-dad.  She usually can't wait to see them and always has such stories to tell when she comes home.  I am so glad she is making these memories with her "Grands".  I know they will have a lasting impression on her as she grows up.  My hope is that, like me, she will grow up and look back on the times she spent with Grammy and Pawpaw and remember them as fondly as I remember my childhood adventures.  

Grandparents are awesome!  And I am so glad that my children have THREE sets to make memories with.  What a blessing!  

  

(Side note:  My grandparents are still alive and E and M are currently making memories with their great-grandparents as well!)

This blogging thing

This morning I have been reading some of the other family blogs out on this lovely Internet thingy (while breastfeeding M I might add, cause I got to multi-task people!)  While reading these blogs, I am realizing that 1) my blog sucks and 2) I am not that great of a writer.  Now I am not saying these things to get sympathy or anything, it is just a realization on my part.  The "not being a great writer" part is ironic to me actually.  See, I tutor (or did before M) in English, SAT, and writing.  I've been doing it for 7 years or so, and I always thought I was doing a good job.  But after reading some other blogs, I'm not feeling that so much.  

I have always considered myself an o.k. writer.  I mean, I did well in my English classes in school and on the verbal part of the SAT.  So maybe it is the mechanics of writing that I am good at???  I don't know.  I DO know that I don't want my blog to suck, and I hope that you guys reading this don't judge my writing style/grammatical errors. 

Anyway, that being said, there are some wonderful blogs out there, by some wonderfully fun mamas.  When I figure out how to link them to my blog, I will share. (Do I just copy and paste?)  Until then, I hope you will stick with me as I navigate this new world of blogging.  And, hopefully my writing will get better!

Please leave me a comment!  I would love to hear your thoughts (good or bad).
  

Sleep part 2

So I guess I should have been more specific when I wrote my previous post on sleep.  M is a great sleeper AT NIGHT.  During the day... not so much.  He is a cat napper... booo!  He will be very fussy and go to sleep, but only sleep for about 30 mins, sometimes only 10.  This, of course, makes it VERY hard for me to get anything accomplished.  I barely have time to take a shower these days.  Hopefully, this is just a phase and he will grow into a longer morning/afternoon nap.  Or he will be like E and be a horrible napper.  And speaking of E, I feel the worst for her.  She is the poor, attention starved child who must suffer, while I try to get M to sleep so many times during the day.  Bless her!  She is such a good child.  She will play by herself or watch t.v. or read books.  But I still feel guilty that a lot of my time is spent getting M to sleep. 

What a difference two kids makes!  You feel guilty no matter what you do that one of your children is not getting the attention they deserve.  But I wouldn't go back at all!  I love my little M and my big girl E!  Our family is definitely complete as four and I will figure out how to balance all of this.

Friends

Some of our good friends, the Crows, came in for a visit this past week.  We had lots of fun going to fossil rim, the ranger game, and fort worth science and history museum.  It was so awesome to see them, and I was very sad to see Sara and D go home (sorry we missed you this time Wade!).  They live in California, and I keep trying to convince Tony that we should move there.  But alas we can't afford it, as Tony keeps reminding me.  Plus, my mom would kill me if we moved away (maybe you can just come too mom???) 

E and D make faces at Fossil Rim

M takes it all in

Ummm Zebra in the car!

D playing peek-a-boo

Ranger Game with Sara and D 

I only have a few close friends, and I am so happy that despite the long distance Sara and I have remained friends.  In fact, I think our friendship is closer now than when she lived in Dallas.  Miss you girl!  See you in Sept!  (In the meantime, I will keep trying to convince Tony to move to California! :)  )

This Life

My life has been crazy this past week. Tony has been having back problems, which has basically meant he can't help me as much as he usually does.  And let me just say that putting two kids to bed by yourself is HARD! (Especially when the baby doesn't like to be put down and basically only wants mommy!) At times I really feel like my world is spinning out of control...ok...ok  MOST of the time I feel that way.  My house is a wreck, my flowerbeds are a wreck, the car needs work, and most importantly my sanity is almost at its breaking point. I know this is just a stage that our family is in. Adding a new baby to the mix makes everything hard simply because they require so much of your time. I just wish I could have some control of my life back. Our pediatrician said something to me yesterday at M's 4 month well visit that was really helpful. When I told her that I feel like I can't get anything accomplished during the day, she said I WAS accomplishing something.  I am raising my children, and that is an accomplishment.  And I guess she is right. I am just trying REALLY hard to remember that.  To remember that household chores and day to day errands are not as important as creating well-adjusted, compassionate, intelligent adults. I mean, that is why I signed up for this job right?

For now I will just try to take it day by day and keep perspective on what is really important about this life I am living at the moment. My kids will only be little for a short time. Hopefully, I can look back on this time, remembering  the fun things we did, and not how the clean laundry sat on the living room floor for a week waiting to be folded and put away. :)

Sleep

 It is funny how much I took sleep for granted before I had children.  I mean, seriously, why didn't I sleep more or at least nap more?  Of course now that I have added children to the mix, getting a good night's sleep is like winning the sleep lottery.  

When E was a baby (and well through most of her first year), she was a horrible sleeper.  I used to cry and cry out of frustration because she wouldn't take a nap, or wouldn't go to bed, or wouldn't go back to sleep in the middle of the night.  Ask my mom, she knows.  I am sure she got tired of those phone calls where I would ball into the phone because E was screaming in her crib instead of sleeping. Ask Tony, he knows. I am sure he remembers how I used to go into the garage, so I couldn't hear her crying in the crib while we tried to "sleep train" her (yeah right!).  It just broke my heart to hear her cry, but it made me so dang tired to be up all night with her too.  It wasn't until she was a little over 1 year old before she slept through the night... and by this I mean not waking up more than twice to nurse.  

Now with M at 4 months old, we have won that sleep lottery.  Finally!!!  The last month or so he has been sleeping 5,6 or 7 hour stretches at night, usually only nursing once. Not to brag, but it has been heaven!  And see how funny it is that I consider a 5 hour stretch of sleep heaven!  I am definitely taking my sleep for granted, and hopefully M will be consistent and continue to sleep well for us.  Or he won't. :)

P.S. Happy 4 months old to little M!  How fast time flies!

Second Child Syndrome

I have been feeling guilty lately. Guilty for not playing with M.  I try to find time to put him on his floor gym and play, and E and I talk to him a lot.  But most of the time he is either in the car seat or bouncer or attached to me.  I just have too much going on with house work, E's classes, and errands.  I remember sitting and reading to E when she was a baby, playing and talking to her too.  M is going to be okay, right?  I mean look at his cute face!

He loves us and we love him, and he will still be a smarty pants right?  Right?  I guess I just need to give myself a break and realize I have TWO children now.  Two children with very different needs. And as long as they are fed, dressed and alive, I am doing my job!

 

First Post

So after contemplating for several months, I have decided to start a family blog. My life has changed big time going from one kid to two, and I think I just really need some sort of outlet to express my emotions and to document the day to day craziness that is the Lee Clan. So follow us and enjoy the ups and downs that come with raising young children. It sure has been one hell of a ride so far! 

Here we are!

Tony, E, M, and me!