25 random facts about me

1. I am an extreme introvert.
2. I like to read really old books.  Some of them are considered children's books.
3. I am a huge geek and prefer tech over diamonds.
4. My favorite color is green.
5. I used to be a cheerleader, but I wasn't one for very long.  I hated it.
6. I've always liked to write.
7. As a teenager I had a teacher make me promise to never stop writing.  This is my attempt to keep that promise.
8. I originally wanted to have at least 4 children.
9. I hate carrying my purse around and wouldn't own one if it weren't for the fact I have to take so much stuff with me when I leave the house now.
10. When it comes down to it my all time favorite actor is Tom Hanks.
11. After I had my son I didn't want any daughters.  After the birth of my first daughter I wanted the rest of my children to be daughters.
12. My goal is to try as many kinds of cloth diapers as I possibly can.
13. I want to tell you how I feel about the diapers I try.
14. I want to start designing and sewing clothing for children.
15. I want to concentrate on girl clothing because some of this stuff is just way too complicated/frilly.
16. My daughter is my inspiration when it comes to my ideas for children's clothing.
17. I am clumsy.
18. I have asthma.
19. I'm absolutely terrified of celebrities.
20. I have more patience for children than I do adults.
21. I love gravy way more than I probably should.
22. I feel the same way about butter.
23. The best way to serve ribs is covered in BBQ sauce.  You might want to look away while I eat.  It's not going to be pretty.
24. I love to cook.
25. I love football.  My favorite team is the Baltimore Ravens.

Wordless Wednesday - Sisterly love

Planning my escape.

I am planning a break.  I'm making time for myself next year and I'm going to make a list of things that need to get done between now and then.  I'm taking a friend up on an offer to stay at her apartment for a week.  I already spoke with Greg about it and he's not only okay with it.  He thinks it's something I need to do for myself.

I'm super excited.  I haven't been away from the children for that long in years...or ever.  I'll be updating my progress toward the goal.  I want to save up at least $800 because I want to have some spending money when I get there.  I hope to be there during restaurant week.  I promise to make updates as much as possible.

When we first started planning this I got so excited that I started shaking.  I've not had a legitimate break in years.  I've spent years being aggravated with Greg because at least 9 days out of the year he gets a break.  He's trying to get deer for us to eat, but he loves to hunt.  Not only that, but I know he spends time talking to his family before he comes home.  Normally by the time he gets home he's so tired from all the walking he's done that all he wants to do is sleep.  Which is probably why some women call themselves Rifle Season Widows.  It's also why during Rifle Season one of the jewelry stores in this area has ads just to guilt men into buying jewelry for their wives to make up for it.

Either way here is the list of things that must be done.

Teach Greg which inserts go in which diaper
Teach Greg diaper washing routine
Help him figure out easy meals for him to cook that week
Possibly freeze some casseroles for him
Get a contact list
Figure out ticket prices
Plan for spending money budget
Put my guilt to bed because I need this
Get Greg a list of emergency contact numbers

I honestly can't think of anything else because I've never gone very far without Greg or the kids.  So, if you can think of anything else I should add to the list please let me know.

Asthma is no fun

I speak from personal experience when I say that asthma is no fun.  It's something I wouldn't wish on anyone.  I actually have multiple triggers and that makes it even more annoying.

This is not about me though, it's about my son.  He has asthma and I kind of knew right away that he did because as active as he is if he ran or got really excited he would cough.  He's a very active child and he was not at all lazy growing up.  He would just get winded very easily.  He also catches colds like I did as a child.  They just won't diagnose a child under a certain age with asthma just because he's wheezing.  They'll give you the Albuterol he needs, but they won't call it asthma.

He eventually had an actual asthma attack and I cried.  I felt bad for being right.

As of late he's been having more asthma attacks because one of his major triggers is weather.  He doesn't want to stand out in a state where people try to act tough in the winter.  Dedrick can't be the tough guy or he suffers for it.  The issue is explaining to a 7 year old who just wants to fit in with his friends.  I feel for the kid I really do.  I understand wanting to fit in, but I also don't want him to risk his health trying to do it.  So, we're going to sit down and talk about it.  Hopefully, I can get this through to him.

Do you have any experience with chronic illness?  How do you handle it if your child has it?

Sleep...what's that?

I've been dealing with sleep issues with the youngest.  We only have so many rooms and because of that she's been sharing her room with her older sister.  This causes me to worry about letting her cry even a little.  I worry that she'll wake up Lily.

I need to let her cry sometimes.  She went from a baby that slept through the night to a baby that I can't even put down at night.  She wants to sleep with me and half the time she wants to sleep on me.  I need my sleep back because with three children I can't sleep during the day.

I still feel bad for letting her cry, but she's safe in her crib.  There is nothing in her crib to hurt her.  I will check on her if she were to cry for too long.  I need to get her back to sleeping longer.  I can't keep waking up every two hours like this.  It's driving me crazy.

The amazing part to all of this is honestly Lily can sleep through most things.  It takes a lot to wake her up.  I can let Ella cry and Lily will be fine.

What issues do you have with your sleeping children?  How do you deal with them?

Wordless Wednesday with an old picture

Looking for the silver lining

Today was a long day.  Today there were fights and naps didn't get taken when they should have.

However, today we also had moments where my girls got along just like this.  It was definitely one of those, "You have to take the good with the bad." kind of days.

I know there will be more, but I hope 10 years from now I'll remember the good in the bad day rather than just the bad.