Via must be growing, because despite the baby food, she is still wanting a bottle in the middle of the night. And I don't know what's going on with Lucas. He's so sporadic. One night he will be up at 2 am, the next he's up at 5 am, and then some nights he sleeps just fine. Like the other night, when his cousins were over: all the kids were being watched by Levi's mom while he and I and his brother and his wife went to the temple. They all passed out on the couch that night. Lucas rolled off the couch and onto the floor. We heard him scream, but he went right back to sleep. He slept like that all night. On the floor. Other nights he just wakes up screaming from his crib. Must be nightmares or something :( I can imagine things are still pretty new and chaotic to him. And then we'll get to do it all again in October when we move again. Yay :S
For the most part we've all just been chillin' at home for the past month or so. I'm going insane... I have hardly any motivation to do anything. Today has been okay, though. Levi started with a temp agency for the time being. We are still waiting to hear something, anything from a "real" job. He keeps applying. We keep waiting. But we all finally got sick of being home all day every day haha! I'm pretty sure I was getting on Levi's nerves, too, so he signed up to do temp. I've been a grumpy mama lately :(
It was so easy at first, being patient. Not so much anymore. I don't know if it's that I just lack the faith or what. I really do believe that things will happen in the Lord's time, it's just that I needed something to happen. We've been waiting three weeks to hear back from an interview, and it just got to the point that I didn't care whether he got the job or not, I just wanted to hear something! Make sense?? If he has to do temp for a while, fine. If he has to go to Wendy's for a while, fine. If we both have to work for a while, fine. I put off re-evaluating for some benefits because I had no idea what was going on. I hate having to apply for benefits, so I was waiting to see what our next step would be.
Anyway, Levi went on a job this morning for the agency, and I have been forced to watch the kids this morning haha! Levi has been getting up with them in the mornings - since I am sooo not a morning person - and I've been sleeping in until like 10. Yuck. (I am usually the one to get up with them in the night, though, so I justified it that way ;) And I've been sick. Double yuck.)
I have been getting things done today, though. Laundry at least. Man, I had a mountain to fold! I don't know what it is about folding... probably that it always becomes unfolded. Here's the problem: I have to usually fold when the kids are asleep so they don't knock it all over (except I don't know why I didn't think of folding on the bed until today. Duh.) Anyway, when I fold when they are asleep I plan on putting them away when they wake up. But then they wake up and I either forget or just don't care anymore. So they get unfolded haha! And nothing of Levi's stays folded for very long even when it is put away ;) I'm still not sure I get the point of folding... or ironing. I never iron. Just throw it in the drying with a damp rag. That's the greatest technique, I believe. They still get washed...
Rambling. I tend to do that. Sorry. It's a rambling sort of day. The kids are napping and there is nothing good on Tv. I just heard the dryer stop. I've been waiting forever for that batch to dry. Yeah. I folded like 4 batches of laundry (previously washed and left sitting for a few days), and now I have like 4 more to wash aaaaand fold. I'm on a roll (since I actually had to get up and do something this morning), so I might as well take advantage. Until 2 pm. Then Family Feud comes on, and we will be watching.
If I'm being brutally honest, I am so scared of being a stay-at-home mom (SAHM). It is sooo tedious and... patience-requireing, which is something I'm obviously not good at yet right now. I got pregnant right before I started college. School/husband/kids is all I've known. I'm not sure what I will do after my externship if I'm not working, too. I just keep telling myself I will have to be super organized and schedule out my days. Otherwise it will not be pretty. People would always say, "OMGosh I can't believe you are going to school with two kids!" or "I don't know how you do it!!" No. That was the easy part. It was easy because is wasn't so monotonous. I got breaks from each thing. I have no idea how I'm going to be at home all day every day with these kids. (Sorry kids, but you drive me up the wall sometimes.) Is it the ages?? The terrible 2-year-old with a curious, mobile 9-month-old? I can't get Lucas to do anything consistently for more than a few minutes. Do you know how many activities that is in one day?? And Via just chews on everything. Actually, shoes, mostly. Lucas's shoes. Yum. If she's not chewing, she is standing up to something. And then she falls. And she's not as tough as Lucas was. She's definitely a girl ;)
I really do love my kids. But they are kids. And kids are hard. They are easy at first. All they do is eat and poop and sleep and cry. Then they get older... and they scream and bite and want things and yell if they don't get them and they say "no" to everything and take their diaper off and poop on anything. Someone please tell me it gets better... at least for a little bit before the teenage years. I feel so sad for these kids having kids. I'm afraid they think, "Awww babies!! Babies are cute, toddlers are so cute!!" Yeah, that's why they're not dead yet. Seriously. Once they outgrow those 9 month clothes (or smaller in our case), you're going to lose it at least a few times (I can't be the only one). People wonder how you could ever shake a baby. I wondered how anyone could shake a baby. Then I had babies. They don't call them The Terrible Twos just because they thought it sounded cool. So I feel sad for these young girls that have no idea what they are getting themselves into. Even in a good, stable marriage it isn't easy. I can't imagine raising kids without the support system I have.
I saw this the other day... (on Pinterest, of course)
Definitely not feelin' this one these days. Sad, I know. And then I see this one and just think, "Aw, crap."
Well, I suppose that's enough complaining for one post. I need to work on that too apparently ;) So, I'm gonna get up, get the laundry going again, make lunch for the kids when Lucas wakes up, and then we are going to have some fun with baking soda, vinegar and food coloring. Wish us luck!
Wow Shaeli, I think you just voiced what SO many of us moms feel! I'm going to inundate you with some suggestions just because I've totally "been there, done that" but feel free to totally ignore me! I know you're a good mom because you take the time to come up with cute, creative things to do with your kids. Good job.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, I was a school teacher before I had my first kiddo, and I stopped abruptly when she was born. The first few weeks were heaven and then I remember thinking (a lot) "This is b-o-r-i-n-g!" A change in a productive schedule can totally do that to a formerly busy woman! So, this is what I did. Made a schedule. It's so easy to just sit at home and let life happen, instead I decided to view it as a new job and make it a productive, fulfilling assignment.
I divide up my major chores and do them throughout the week, that way I'm not always looking around going, "Gosh, I really need to _____" because I know I'm going to get to that particular chore soon. For example, I do laundry and bills on Monday, take out the trash and clean bathrooms Tuesday, Vacuum and mop on Wednesday (that actually happens more often if needed - especially with crawlers), Lawn and garden on Thursday and menu planning and grocery shopping on Friday. When I only have one or two "big" chores a day, I try to get them done fairly early in the day so I can move on to more fun things! (I don't assign chores on the weekend because I want to hang out with my family as much as possible. The kids also have chores every weekday but not really on the weekends - we share the things that need done like emptying the trash or unloading the dishwasher).
I also have a menu for the week so that I know what I need to do earlier in the day to get ready for dinner (thaw chicken, etc. .) We eat better and healthier when I have a plan.
Now, here is what makes this new "job" much more exciting - make plans that get you out of the house. I know it can be a pain to drag the little ones about, but it does wonders for mom's mood! Some easy, cheap suggestions: story time at the library, see if your ward has a playgroup, if not - start one! Scout out great parks in the area and put one on your calendar each week (I like to vary the day) and invite everyone in the ward or neighborhood to come along. Great venting time and the kids get out a lot of energy! Google "free things to do in ________" and see what comes up. We have free days at the art museum, chldren's museum and zoo occasionally (crowded, but free!) Invite a friend over, go to relief society activities! Other ideas that might cost a little money but might be worth it: join a gym - good ones have free childcare included and classes that you can go to for no additional charge. What a great way to blow off some steam and not worry about the kids! Silly idea, but we like Chuck E Cheese once in awhile. Not to eat - just to play! It's the best priced kids games and rides place ever as far as tokens go. Look for coupons for token deals, they're great!
Establish a regular date night. Get out! We trade with friends and go out ealier in the evenings so it's not too much past bedtime when we pick the kids up. Free and I trust adults better with my little ones anyhow. Then we do something as simple as going on a walk or hike, picking up a redbox movie and watching it at home without the kids. . .etc. . .
SO, there's my unsolicited advice. I feel your pain! I know what you're going through! So hopefully you'll see some of this as helpful and not condesending! Love you cute cuz! good luck! It's the hardest job you'll ever love (most of the time!)