Friday, August 28, 2009

Rainy Days

Today is a rainy day. For some strange reason, I am so lethargic today. I'd very much like to lay back down in my comfy bed and tell my kids that the sun didn't come up so they must return to bed. I tried that, this morning at 6:45 when Alina knocked on my door. HAHA. She found it amusing. She simply wanted to snuggle -- or so she said.

By 7:15am, snuggling was done and she was both hungry and thirsty and wanted to watch bob and play video games with daddy and play with mommy's jewelry and inform me that Raziel was crying because he was hungry. Brent and I took turns pacifying their needs enough to crawl back in bed. Eventually, (by 8) we just gave up and got everyone up and ready for their day. Raziel downed a whole 8 oz bottle, 6 oz of juice and a huge pile of cheerios. Alina ate some chex and had juice, all the while asking for her "birthday cake" which in actuality was a marshmallow rope candy. Where she got birthday cake? I don't know.

Well, although I didn't have to leave home until 9:30 and Brent is off all day, we were wide awake at 8am. Brent opted to play the new Batman game and I did some laundry and tried on the dresses I was debating between for the premier. While it had been a crazy thing to find a sitter for the premier itself, I finally got one and have settled into preparing myself - what hairstyle, what dress, what shoes, etc. I am excited because I'm going to get ready with Gretchen, our producer friend's girlfriend, and she's a really sweet person. I just hope it doesn't pour rain on us tomorrow like it is pouring today.

I have sooo much to clean in the meantime. My life has been out of control lately between premier and festival and movie making and my brother's wedding and being exhausted because oh, yeah, in the meantime I'm growing a baby in here and gosh! wonder why I'm so tired all the time!!! I am totally gonna have my hands full when #3 comes around. I need to clean my kitchen and my master bedroom and bathroom, take trash to the dump, mop the whole house, and fix our hall bathroom toilet (which doesn't flush properly and clogs often and we still haven't figured it out though we've tried draino and other options along with the good old plunger).

And today? Am I at home working away on all these things? Nope. I'm putting in a good old 10-6 and sitting at my desk writing a senseless blog and playing games on Facebook. AAAHhh... the life.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Public Discipline

I read on my g/f's blog today about how a mom was yelling at her kid in the store and it got me thinking so much that I decided to share my thoughts in a whole blog... I commented on hers but lol saved her the time of writing all I had to say.

The amount of times I've been out in public and parents mistreat their kids in the name of discipline makes me angry. There's the good ol' saying they fall back on "spare the rod and spoil a child" and they state they are only doing what's best for their child but I protest. It is one thing to spank your child in correction - and an entirely different message is sent when you are angry and shouting and smacking the hell out of your kid.

It has always amazed me the way some people treat their kids. I admit, there have been occasions that I've raised my voice at Alina for a minute when she really gets on my nerves... and it's always followed by guilt and "honey, mommy loves you, come give me a kiss. I'm just worried about you. you need to obey mommy." But, my parents had a philosophy that I have done everything I can to use with my own kids. They said that they had decided to never spank their children while they were still angry with them. This would spare us from being mistreated. I've done everything possible to use the same with my kids.

Exhibit A: Alina was in my jewelry box on my night stand and decided she would take out my only diamond necklace. I used to have alot of fancy stuff - then our house was broken into. Brent has only bought me 2 necklaces since then - one was lost at a pool when the person I thought had it thought that I had it. The other was my last nice necklace - and Alina lost the pendant somewhere in my room. I was furious. But, I didn't spank her - I put her in time out. First of all, she didn't realize the severity of what made me so mad. She's two - she doesn't understand the cost difference of a juicy juicy and a diamond necklace. I had to remind myself she didn't understand when I got really mad. I'm proud to say, though, that I didn't smack her or yell at her over it, no matter how upset I was to have lost my last nice necklace. I'm sure I'll find it - and if I can't -- it was just a necklace. It's replaceable. My daughter's trust in me is not so easily replaced.

This is where I don't understand parents who hit their kids. Don't they realize they've effectively taught that child that when they disobey they're parent will hurt them? Parents, especially at grocery stores, make me sad. Many of them treat their kids as if they never wanted them - and maybe they didn't. I wish people were more responsible and viewed their kids as people and individuals with self esteem and feelings.

I have a friend at church named Tiffany who almost glowed when she told me the story of her oldest son (now 11, I think) asked her if the other kids were being trained like him. She asked what he was talking about and he basically wanted to know if other kids were disciplined and punished for doing things that they shouldn't have. It was the fact that he called it "training" that got her - and me- so excited. I wish every parent would get a hold on that like Tiffany has. It's training. You have to teach your child the proper way to act in public, or to ask for things, or to treat others. They don't come pre-programmed. A small child doesn't understand they can't have candy cause Mom can't afford it unless you explain it. They don't understand that they can't have it before dinner because it will make them sick. They don't understand they can only learn it if you TEACH it to them, not beat it into them. They seem to be denying a kid their rights to be a kid!

It's like when parents slap their kids on anti-hyper medication - maybe your kid is just... energetic! Now, I'm sure that some kids somewhere need it but most of them just need a good parent to pay attention and discipline.


Ok that's my rant for now. LOL I'm done.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Growing up


They get too big too fast.



Alina now requires a kid's meal when we go out to eat, and she finishes it. She's too big to share off of our plates anymore.


She also has learned to pretend. In this picture, she has informed me that this is not broccoli that she is holding, but Junior Asparagus. She goes on to carry a full conversation with him, giggling the whole time.


Raziel has learned that his walker actually helps him walk. Instead of sitting in it, he has figured out how to move around and chase his sister, the cat, Momma or Ne-ne. (please excuse the foot)


Alina has also developed "best friends" and "favorites." These are the primary best friends and favorites she has;

Elmo


Cookie Monster


and Dora


It amazes me that they are such people. I know that doesn't make sense, but it took me a while to realize that these are little people, you know? I just can't get over it.

Last night I was playing with the kids - both going in opposite directions at a million miles an hour as usual - and it just occurred to me that I've got another on the way and boy am I going to have my hands full!!

David and Sarah's Wedding

Well I've got a heck of an update but I've been too busy to really worry about it lately.

August 14-15 we went to SC for David and Sarah's wedding. We left at 4 am on Friday morning once the kids were fast asleep and Brent and I had snagged a few hours. It was a long drive but very enjoyable. Brent and I have had so little time where we are confined in a small space with nothing to do but talk - it was really wonderful. We talked the entire time. We arrived around 11am and hung out with my family who were all in a big bustle getting ready for the wedding. We just hung out. Around 4 we left for Summerville and the rehearsal. It was boring - the preacher talked for freaking EVER about two becoming one and becoming some freaky religious threesome with God. It was strange the way he referred to it as a threesome. No offense to Mr Preacher or anything but I just thought it was an awful thing to call it - a threesome.

Anyway, after the fact, (and after I was about to kill myself for wearing my irresistibly cute stiletto heels) we headed over and had home made bbq for dinner. It was both fun and awkward to see old friends and past potential boyfriends. I was super comfortable with some but others I just wasn't sure what to say or to talk about. It didn't get any better, either. I am just glad I married Brent and don't have to worry about all that drama. I'm sad, though, that things had to be so different... but I guess that just comes with change and growing up.

That night we stayed at Nancy's. My dad gave us the wrong key and as a result, we sat outside on the porch for about an hour while Dad tried to find the right key until Telma (Nancy's only-speaks-Spanish roomie/house keeper) decided that she'd see who was sitting on her porch at 11 at night. She let us in, I told her in broken Spanish that we were Nancy's friends and she knew who we were. She held Alina who was crying because she was so tired. She and Alina made fast friends while I set up the playpens. I was so glad she came to let us in, too, because Brent was about to loose his temper and go get a hotel. We slept SO well that night.



The wedding preparation was nice. I got to paint Sarah's nails and do my mom and sister's make up. My Auntee helped me squeeze into my dress and told me about the weddings she had been in when she was pregnant or just after baby. She seemed to be a pro at stuffing me into that dress. I remember buying too big for that very reason, but the ladies at David's bridal didn't mention that the dresses got stretched out when people tried them on, and I probably should've gotten the 10 (gasp) instead of the 8. I felt so far removed from when it was my wedding (2 1/2 babies ago) and they were taking in the 0 to make it fit. I wonder it the dresses are just different -- surely I haven't gained that many dress sizes! I've only gained about 25lbs since I was 18 and getting married. However, I do wonder how much the shifting of bone structure for the birth of children had to do with it.

The wedding itself was beautiful. Sarah was gorgeous! I remember walking in and seeing David so confident. But, by the time the doors closed right before Sarah's entrance, his eyes dropped to the floor and I could almost see the thoughts in his head "stay here, it's just Sarah" seemed to be all he was saying to himself. I was worried he was going to take off for a second - though when I'd asked about cold feet the week prior he laughed it off telling me he'd waited 8 years for this. I was not fooled, but I am very proud to say that there is now a Mr and Mrs David Griggs!


The reception was beautiful, too. Alina had a blast dancing and Raziel was passed from family member to family member. Raziel had a great time flirting with all the lovely people and eating all sorts of strange things. I have ALOT of pictures taken by my family of him eating leaves, corsages, etc. I found it interesting that they felt the need to take these pictures before taking the strange non-edible substance from my son.


Eating a leaf


Trying to get my mom's earrings so he can eat them


Chewing on a plastic cup (not as bad as the others)


Pulling up grass to eat

They had fun with Alina too-- she had about 5 pieces of wedding cake.

again, my family feeling the need to take a picture instead of worrying about the amount of sugar she'd had.

Alina also got the job of handing out birdseed to all the people for David and Sarah's fake exit (they weren't really leaving but wanted to leave for fun). She didn't understand that she was supposed to throw the birdseed at David and Sarah but she did come to realize everyone was throwing it everywhere and spent the next hour throwing every remaining bit of birdseed onto the lawn.








Brent ran around filming everything and I think he has everyone we know on camera (including Alina) saying something to the effect of "its about time!" Brent had too much to drink (lol), with the 2 beers at the reception and the mixed drink he had at Ruby Tuesdays after we left. He had a hard time walking to the car and I drove the first good leg of the return trip (we arrived home at like 5 am and HAD to take turns) He looked so nice in the makeshift suit we came up with. It looked like it went together and really it didn't come together, I just stuck it all together.



Best for last - this was my favorite of the whole night. The band dedicated some cute song to Alina and she danced away with Brent and I, giggling and twirling with not a care in the world!

Monday, August 10, 2009

The past few days

Sunday night we had a game night with another couple from our church. I was thrilled when Tamra texted and suggested the idea. You know how I've been longing for some friends up here!! I was soo excited!

I made spaghetti cheesy stuff that a lady from Brent's work made for us one time because she said we looked like the type of people that were too busy to make many homemade meals. You cook spaghetti noodles the normal way and grill chicken breast. Then you take a jar of spaghetti sauce and melt velveta cheese into it (A lb is plenty). You shred the chicken and mix it all together and it serves like a lot of people. If you use a whole can of spaghetti sauce and a whole lb of velveta you will need to make enough spaghetti noodles to serve 8-10 people. I store it and it re-heats really well. Anyway, that's what we had for dinner cause we have 3 people that are eating real food and she has a family of 5 so it was a lot of food that was needed.

They brought a salad -- the good kind with spinach and iceburg and cabbage and cheese and ranch dressing... and we put these little roasted almonds that had some sort of ranch powder on them and it was AMAZING.

Well after we ate I put Raziel down and then put on a movie for Alina and Tamra's kids and Brian and Tamra and Brent and I sat down and played Spades. I remember being small and my parents going to bridge night, or having friends over to play spades. I never got to play because its a game for 4 people and 4 people only. In fact, we were usually sent to go watch the movie. I felt like such a grown up -- there was a kids table and a grown up table at dinner. The kids watched a movie and the grown ups played a complicated card game. We had so much fun that we stayed up until midnight and would have kept playing if I didn't have to work early and their kids hadn't kept coming to ask for things. (I put Alina down way before that, though -- around 10)



Then last night, we took Alina to go and see the new Ice Age movie. We'd asked her if she wanted to go see it on Friday, but our Neon (2nd car) decided to quit, and won't brake, so we couldn't go because I got off too late to get home and take her. She was so disappointed. Brent had told her that we would wear glasses to watch it (it's a 3-d movie) and so every time she saw her sunglasses all weekend she'd say "i got my glasses lets go watch ice age!" Last night, we told her we could finally go. We went to a 7:20 showing (the car is still not fixed) and left Raziel with Jessie for the night. Alina was so excited to wear the glasses and see "Sid and Diego and the Mammoth and possums on the big TV." Brent and I were shocked -- we payed $24. No, they didn't charge us for Alina - it was $12 a ticket because the movie was in 3-D!!! I remember going to movies and paying $5.25 or $4.50 for a matinee. If we'd known it was going to be so much we would've gone to a theater that wasn't showing in 3-D.

She sat right on the edge of her little seat the whole time with her glasses. She took them on and off, and squirmed a little, but she enjoyed it alot. She cuddled up next to me when the dinosaurs jumped out at us, and when Diego was hunting. She shrieked with delight (much to Brent and I's dismay because of her sheer volume) when she recognized characters and realized the mammoth was having a baby "just like my mommy!" She referred to new characters by name, including "mommy dinosaur" and "Buck" and she chattered away while we walked to the car after the movie was done.

Which reminds me -- she wore her new princess shoes. Her ne-ne bought these for her and she insisted on wearing them both to the movie and to the sitter today. I snapped a picture because I thought she was so adorable. She actually walks really well in them, and hasn't fallen down a single time. She kicks them off in the car but walks around the house in them. She thinks they are real shoes.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Sweeeeet Sleep

So, I didn't clean or worry about my chi last night LOL

What did help though was switching the side of the bed with Brent. He had been sleeping on one side and now I'm sleeping on that side. Apparently, the fan in the window that was blowing on my face was waking me up repeatedly though the night. Brent said he thought I'd gone crazy cause I'd sit up and start slapping at my face 6 or 7 times a night. NO WONDER I WASN'T FEELING RESTED!!!

I noticed last night that the fan would blow my hair across my face and it felt like a fly was on my head. So, switching sides (and thus away from the fan) actually helped ALOT and I felt very rested this morning. Also, Brent has started working out in the mornings again, which is really nice in a few ways.

#1 -- I made him a man-cave with all his workout equipment and an old desktop for him to write on and all his manly action figures and every bit of media paraphernalia he owns. I spent an entire afternoon setting it up for him and him working out makes me feel very appreciated for that effort!

#2 -- I also am glad he's working out again because he's put on a bit of tummy weight and always complains about that and how tired he is. The exercise will help both of these aspects.

#3 -- since he's getting up earlier than he used to, he make Raziel his morning bottle. This cuts my prep time for the kids down by 10 minutes because I would get up and make a bottle and have to wait till he was done before I could really do anything else to prepare him for his day. This adds 10 minutes of restful waking up time to my morning and I LOVE it.

We'll see how long my rested feeling lasts -- hopefully a long time!!!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Sleep Resolutions

Well if you've read my facebook status or my blog at all in the last two or three months, you know that for some reason, I'm just not getting enough sleep. Today I have been researching different natural remedies to help improve sleep. I can't take anything drug-wise (though I probably wouldn't even if I wasn't pregnant) and I can't drink liquor as many have suggested (also due to pregnancy) so I've been intent on finding some other resolution. So, I've been reading online.

The first page I read was trans4mind.com -- their extensive article included exercise, eating well, and cutting caffeine. How helpful. The other things they included were strange, off the wall ideas -- like color therapy. They suggested that lighting and colors may make you more alert and less likely to fall asleep. Well, the problem isn't falling asleep or staying asleep -- its sleeping well and being rested.

The second was on Health.com -- their 8 Natural Remedies that Might Help you Sleep
this was stupid. 6 of the 10 were "natural" supplements that you buy at the drug store. I'm sorry but if I have to buy it as a pill I don't think it's all that natural. Their other two were yoga and aromatherapy. I used to do yoga some right after I had Raziel so I wonder if it would help now. I don't remember if it helped me sleep or not, but I may as well give it a go. As far as aromatherapy was concerned, I've tried all that and lavender doesn't put me under like most people.

So I went back to google and tried again -- this time I skipped down to one that promised to look better -- All about Natural Sleep. I particularly noticed that in the description it stated "how to sleep like a baby every night." It was as if Google had heard my thoughts!! (or else God... which is more likely, of course) www.sleep-aid.com Well some was quite ridiculous, actually. One suggestion in particular caught my attention and made me laugh aloud.
• Threaten yourself that “If I am not asleep within the next 10 minutes, I will get up and…” clean the oven, or clean the fridge….whatever you really hate doing… When your brain knows you really mean it - this will scare you to sleep to avoid a nasty chore!
Really? that's ridiculous! I'm not going to trick myself into sleeping so i don't clean. That is the silliest thing I've read so far.

I also read something about having the clutter cleaned out to enhance the flow of chi (some old chinese thing)... I wonder if that would actually make a difference or not. Those chinese people were crazy but always seemed to live for freaking ever...


Well -- thus far the search has been unhelpful. I will clean my room and do some yoga. Maybe I should just relax about my life a little and stop stressing out so much.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

My weekend with the kids

Saturday and Sunday I got to stay home with the kids. We went to some kind of native american remembrance festival with nene and jess and becca and nana and papa... that was alot of fun. By the end, we were all exhausted and the kids slept for 2 hours while i drove around in the car running errands simply to keep them in the car, sleeping.

It's nice, really, having kids crash out of exhaustion sometimes. They'll sleep wherever you are and stay asleep till you wake them. I loved being with them, looking at their beautiful faces, watching them breathe and sigh in their sleep without having to chase and correct and follow them and clean up after them.

I absolutely am in love with my little ones, and have been so fascinated by how much they're growing. Grown ups have told me for as long as I can remember that it goes by too fast and you'll suddenly find yourself at their graduation or wedding before you realize they're walking. I wonder if many parents really cherish this time like I am... I hardly want to leave them in case I miss a detail moment of their life.

I actually had a real conversation on the phone with Alina. She's always loved chattering on the phone, but last night she actually told me about how she and Daddy played in her house and watched ice age and ninja turtles and fed raziel and went to go visit nene and ca-ba (rebecca) and jessie. I was amazed that I understood the things she was saying, and that they made logical sense in my grown up brain.

I am so happy right now, thinking about them. As much as they stress me out sometimes, I can't help but be absolutely in love with my little darling babies. They will always be my babies, too, even when they're grown. For now, though, they're still babies and I am glad to be taking the time to soak it all in and I feel bad for the parents that miss they're kids growing up because they think there's more important things to worry about.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Things I love

I decided to share today about the things I love about my kids today.

1) The way Alina greets me in the morning. We leave her door closed at night, but she has a big girl bed so she usually gets up and plays before I wake up. She knocks on her door from the inside when she hears me up. This, I think, is adorable. Then, when I open the door, she acts surprised to see me and says "MOMMY!"

2) The way Raziel gets so excited when I fix him a bottle in the morning. It's almost like he hasn't eaten in days. I hold him on my hip and make him a bottle but he usually takes the top out of my hands before I'm done and chews on it until I have the formula mixed up.

3) The way they play together. They are so super adorable. Alina loves to tickle him and hug him and cuddle him. He laughs at her and watches everything that she does.

4) Alina's latest and greatest newest attitude display is so funny that there's hardly anything I can do to keep myself from laughing at her. She has taken it upon herself to be a mommy. The other night, she made dinner for me in her little microwave. She would cook it and then take it all the way from the kitchen (where I was with her microwave) to her room and her play fridge. She would point her finger at me and say "don't eat it yet, its too hot! Understand me?" and then march off to her room to cool it down in her fridge.

5) Alina's obsession with odd things. We made a play house for her out of a HUGE cardboard box. I cut windows and a door and everything for her, even put a roof on it. You know what the first thing she wanted to do was? Go potty. In her house. Not really, just for pretend. But the first thing she wanted to do was "go pee" in her very own bathroom. She won't go pee for me in the real bathroom when we try to potty train, but sure enough she wants to go pee for pretend in her own house.

6) Raziel's ability to keep me in shape. He has really started crawling and it's a disaster in 2 directions now. Alina's off and running one way and Raziel's crawling in the other. He wants to get into the strangest things -- DVD's, the VCR, candles, Becca's dialysis stuff, if it could hurt him or potentially be harmful, he's interested.

This morning they slept in a bit and I didn't wake them before I left. I miss them but I know they're having a blast with their daddy.