Growing Up

"Young boys should never be sent to bed... they always wake up a day older." --J.M. Barrie

That's how I've been feeling lately.

Hard Week

Last week was really hard. I was so glad when Sunday came around because it was that hard, I usually don't  wish my life away but I couldn't wait till last week ended. Motherhood can be really hard, and last week was a good example why motherhood is hard, and what's funny is now I can't remember everything that happened, another thing that I think happens in motherhood, forgetting the bad parts; that's why we give birth more than once.

I think part of the reason it was hard was because I started my online art class, while working on art commissions, and last minute someone asked me to substitute teach Relief Society (which I have never done before)  so I was trying get that stuff done at night when it seemed like almost every night some type of disaster happened. 

To give you an idea, one night Thomas was throwing up, luckily Dustin took care of that one because I'm usually feeding Oliver at nights. This past week Oliver has been waking up more and not going back to sleep so that makes long nights. One night when the missionaries were over, and I was so tired that night, Thomas twisted his ankle so he was crying and limping while I was trying to get dinner done, than he asked if I would put "superman" on his foot, which is just lavender oil, I've been using that whenever he got ant bites and we have called it "superman" for some reason, and he wanted to hold the bottle, so not thinking about it I let him hold it, and next thing I knew he open it and spilled it all over him and the couch, so again, not thinking, I took the empty bottle and was trying to finish dinner and left him and a few minutes later he was screaming in pain and I quickly realized he rubbed his eyes with his hand that had a bunch of oil on it, so I was rushing him in the bathroom trying to get it washed out, and had Dustin and the missionaries finish the dinner. 

Last week Dustin worked all closing shifts, so I would make dinner and put the kids to bed by myself, and clean up, and I have to time it just right before the melt downs happen, and the boys seem to like to have them at the same time. So that wore me out, and I would want to relax afterwards but had to work on the stuff I mentioned earlier. And Dustin's day off he helped someone in our ward half the day with their yard, which I'm grateful to have an amazing husband that does that, but I do cherish his days off because I can get a little break, and this last week I didn't. 

Anyway, that wasn't half of what happened this week, but like I said I can't remember everything but it seemed everyday something dramatic happened with the kids, and I remember Dustin and I traded taking care of the kids a lot so one person could take a half hour nap so we could function for the rest of the day. 

Anyway, I feel like I'm complaining, but really it was a hard week and hopefully this week will go smoother, but here are some snapshots of some good times this past week:

Thoughts of a Mother of Two

O the joys of motherhood...

Don't get me wrong, I love being a mother, but there are some days better than others. 

For the most part the transition of having one child to two has been pretty easy. 

But there are some days I wonder why I signed up for this.

Here are just a few of my thoughts:

I swear every time I'm nursing Thomas is in some type of disaster, gets hurt, or needs me that exact moment.

When I go to the grocery store I feel like I need two carts because about time two kids are in the cart and 2 boxes of diapers my cart is pretty much full.

Why do they cry at the same time?

With just Thomas, things just took longer to get done, now I feel like I get nothing done.

It took my three days to finally post this blog post. 

Between feeding both kids, changing diapers I have already put an eight hour day.

Oliver wakes up at sunrise that when I finally put him down again that's when Thomas wakes up- Every time

I haven't had a stretch of sleep more than 2 hours at a time for 6 weeks now. If Oliver has a long stretch of feeding {5hours} Thomas wakes up crying during that time.

Oliver  likes to be held all the time so nothing gets done, but I really don't mind holding him.

I don't know how many iron mans, lions, wolverines, trains I have had to draw for Thomas.

I still haven't lost the last 15 pounds, and I'm getting a little frustrated. So all you more than one time moms how did you lose it? With Thomas  I lost all the weight the first week, than lost additional ten pounds with doing nothing. I just started exercising this week so hopefully things start moving a long. 

Trying to lose the weight, but I'm always hungry and I don't want to eat less for fear of losing my milk supply, especially now I'm exercising. I probably don't need to worry the way I have been going, the freezer is full of extra milk at the moment. 

Feeling guilty all the time. I feel guilty that I don't get to spend as much time with Thomas, I feel like I'm always feeding Oliver. Feeling guilty getting after Thomas more, sometimes I feel like I'm being too hard on him, but than other times I feel like I need to step it up and raise him to be a decent grown up one day. Wondering if he is just being a typical 2 year old and throwing tantrums, or me lacking at my parental skills.

Loving the smiles and cooing from Oliver, and the random hugs from Thomas.

Hearing Thomas saying his prayers. 

Seeing Thomas taking care of Oliver.

Playing dinosaurs and Avengers with Thomas.

Cuddling with Oliver.

Being exhausted at the end of the day, knowing that have been productive.

Knowing that this is the greatest work, and these days will pass and I will miss it. 

I love my two boys even though there are times I want to pull my hair out, I'm so grateful for them!

Oh the Joys of Parenthood...

Oh the joys of being a parent....

Enough said. 

My disclaimer to these pictures before you think I'm a horrible mom, is that he wasn't hurt or anything, he was just throwing a fit, and I usually let him cry it out and not reward him for that behavior but this time I so happen to have my camera and thought I couldn't miss out on a kodak moment, or blackmail for later ;) Ok, maybe I am a horrible mom. 

Yes, those tears are really do make me sad though, looking at these pictures I feel bad for the poor boy. 

As a parent you learn that your kid is ok, and that when they realize the act is not going to work, they stop. 

As you can see here, he's already stopping, still a sad face but no more tears.

Than he gets distracted. 

Than you have one happy boy again doing his own thing. 

Simple Pleasures in Life

Life has many simple pleasures,  and one of them is:

NUTELLA!!!

  

This boy of mine LOVES Nutella! Just like his mommy. We all have been sick this last week and Thomas wouldn't eat that much, it would be hard to get him to eat anything, but he never said no to Nutella on bread. So I've been a bad mother for feeding him mainly Nutella and bread for a few days, but I rather him eat something than nothing. He's feeling a lot better now so I have been able to get more food in him but this is what he looked like the other day that we couldn't help but take a few shots of the crazy mess!

Trying to clean him up, I wasn't thinking, both of us wearing white shirts, NOT SMART!

Who Needs a Binky?

Who needs a Binky? When you have a Tylenol bottle to suck on. 

I love my silly boy!

Not that look?

So the other day, I was giving Thomas a bath thinking life was all good... than I see that look of concentration, o no, not that look, I know that look, his face gets a little red from working on something really hard, and than that smile of relief... if you are a parent you know the rest of the story... let's just say something was floating in the water, so in seconds I pulled Thomas out and did some major cleaning.

The joys of parenthood...