Fast food, oops.

So I'm torn...being a stay-at-home mom is a balance...you've got to find out the right amount of getting out of the house and chillin' at home for your pack of hoodlums. It isn't an easy formula to just apply to your life...you've got to test it out and unfortunately, it probably changes depending on various other life factors (teething, getting sick, not sleeping well, etc.). So I'm working that out. I'm a better mom if I'm out of the house some. But I'm more laid back and "fun" if we're just hanging out at home. The kids get cabin fever if we stay home too much, but they get over-stimulated, exhausted, cranky, "out of whack" if we go out too much. So we'll see if we ever find the right balance.
Today, Wednesday...
1. Marshmallow Mateys for bfast
2. Lots of morning PBS on TV
3. At the suggestion of my awesome neighbor, we went to the library for Toddler Time story hour - today's theme, Birthdays. It went surprisingly well. Thank goodness Early Bird slept the entire time.
4. I rewarded myself for surviving a trip to the library with all 3 kids - we went to the Taco Bell drive thru...and I enjoyed the entire 10 minutes I had to wait in the drive thru lane, relative peace and quiet.
5. Eating the tacos at home.
6. Rest Time for Mealyworm. Quiet Time for Bug. Nursing/burping/crying time for Early Bird. (This part of the day is the worst. I really wanted to lay down with Mealyworm and take a rest, but EB wouldn't have it.)
7. Watched about 1/2 of AirBud, played with LEGOs, colored w/ markers.
8. Played outside in the front of the house.
9. Went to the park behind our house.
10. Watched the rest of AirBud until T-Dad got home.

Whew, another day down. I have a hard time imagining my life like this for the next 5 years. I guess we just take it one day at a time.

Day 2 - Much better

Okay so yesterday, my first day as a stay-at-home mom, went...not so well. I got some weird virus, from T-Dad who was violently vomiting Friday night, and felt like total crap. I asked T-Dad to leave work early and come home, in other words, I had to call in the reserves. But Day 2...much better.
1. French Toast for breakfast
(several hours of PBS cartoons...I'm working on that, I swear)
2. A trip (with all 3 children) to the new Meijer - Impressive, I know.
3. Lunch - Hot dogs, cottage cheese and grapes.
4. Naps - all around, I actually convinced Bug to nap, it took some work. But I am going to try to get him to actually sleep on Tues/Thurs so that he can stay up a little later. T-Dad works late on Tues.
5. Craft Time - painting (painting is a special treat because its such a pain...but today I used it as a reward for being so good at Meijer)
(and another 45 min of PBS cartoons)
6. Washing the LEGOs - 2 kids, double sink, warm soapy water, LOTS of sticky LEGOs
7. Trip to the Park behind our house
8. Dinner - Pasta, bananas and raw veggies w/ dip
9. Play with the clean LEGOs and watch AirBud, the movie

Finally T-Dad is home...7:30pm. Whew. I survived.

Early Bird Update

Everyone is enjoying the sunshine this week. :)

Big Yawn.

Life is Good

I love all the 'Life is Good' clothing, mugs, bags, etc. Combining a positive, non-religious, non-drug condemning/condoning message on comfortable,casual clothes. Perfect. I wish I would have thought of that idea because I'd be rich. The weather is warming up, I have one more week at home with just the baby and me...and then it gets even better...albeit a little more challenging...but then my "big kids" get to stay home too! I'm really excited and very nervous...I actually went to Mrs. B's School Supplies teacher store (the one by Yours, Mine & Ours) last week to buy some incentive charts and stickers, etc. And I want to come up with a daily schedule and try to stick with it (that's hard for me, I like to "switch things up regularly"). I'm thinking something like this might be good for starters...
Wake Up
Get out of bed, Make Bed
Put Clothes On.
Eat Breakfast
Play Outside/Craft Time
Eat Lunch
Nap/Quiet Time
Play Outside/Craft Time
Snack/Movie Time (while I make dinner)
Dinner
um, okay..I don't know when to start the timeline. Do I let the kids sleep in as late as they want or do I wake them up at a certain time? Do we get clothes on right away or do we hang out in our pajamas for a few hours? Do I actually cook breakfast (because I'm home and all) or do we eat cold cereal and bananas? So many ways this could go...I just want it to be a positive experience for them and for me. Not an experience we all regret because Mommy turns into a screaming banshee and the small children become replicas of Dennis the Menace.

Life Goes On

While I've been busy...lots of things have been going on in the world...and in my friends' lives. I'm so behind. I hope that my friend has a good surgery today. And I hope that my other friend is perserving on her healthy eating plan. And I hope that my friend training for the half-marathon is staying on track. And I hope that I can get caught up with all my friends soon.