Where is My Head?

Wow, April 5th is the last time I blogged? Where is my head? I can't believe I have neglected my blog! I have absolutely nothing else going on, how could I have let it go? JUST KIDDING! I really love to write but it's an afterthought in this busy life I live and love!

What's going on with The Browns you ask? I thought I heard you ask....if you didn't, I'm gonna tell you anyway! Neely has moved up to the Baby 2 room at our child care center. My very last baby has been promoted from the infant room and has made her move to the BIG baby room. She will now make the rounds like her big bro and sis have. She is also walking. I should have posted a blog just about that, my LAST baby learned to walk. She started taking her first steps just before she turned 9 months. By 10 months, she was walking all over with no trouble at all. It's so cute to see such a short person walking around this house trying to keep up with the big kids!


Colin had his Pre-K graduation ceremony in late May and it was really great! Colin didn't have a starring role but he made it through his lines just fine. He said, "My name is Colin......My name is Colin Davis Brown and I can count to ten...1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Oops he forgot ten as he rushed back to his safe chair on the stage. Then, during his next scene he said, "Do you want to go on a spooky walk?" just before the kids performed a Halloween hand clapping number. For him, that was a HUGE step. He isn't shy at all when it comes to sports but he doesn't like to be on display and be in the spot light. He gets very embarrassed. He was very uncomfortable and fidgety but so brave on that stage, and SO handsome all dressed up I might add.
 

Olivia...well what can I say about that child? She is just different. I am going to have to be sure to remind myself as she gets older how much more attention she needs. I think she may always need a little more than Colin or Neely. If I don't take special care of her, I think she and I will go round and round when she is a teenager. She is just a different kind of personality and I think she always will be. She is emotional, extra needy but extra loving, and very, very sensitive. She is a complete angel for her teachers at school and for grandparents when she stays with them. But for her Mama, Olivia shows her true colors! Olivia will be moving up to the K3 room at the child care center in about six weeks. She has really grown tall and slim and has lost almost all her baby fat. She is a "big" girl now and wants to do EVERYTHING by herself. If you asked her, she could drive herself to school and she doesn't need her parents at all, until she does need them and then if you aren't there for her, watch out! Gosh I love her.

The grown up's that live here have put the house on the market, just over a month ago. It's been shown once and it's going to be a long road to get this house sold. I don't expect it to be any longer a road than most other sellers are traveling these days, but long none-the-less. I have mixed feelings about selling the house. Jason and I found this house before our wedding and found it in time to pick out everything for the interior. We closed on it just a few days after we returned from our honeymoon. At one point in time, you could find us doing some sort of home improvement project nearly every weekend. We love our house. We brought all three children home here. This is the only home we have shared as a married couple and it's so special to us. The day we hand over the keys will be a very sad day, bittersweet, I should say. It's going to be an even longer road to get to where we want to go. To build the house we want to build, it's going to mean about a year living in a small four room apartment, if you call them rooms, to save all living expenses. People keep telling us we can't do it, that it will affect our marriage living in close quarters with three young children. Well I refuse to settle for less than what we want and for the space we need in a house. I want the children to have plenty of space to spread out in now, and especially when they get older. Our next house will be our home until we are ready to retire and downsize and I am quite determined, I have heard. So you know what I say to people who tell me I can't do something...WATCH ME!

Check out our house:
http://www.trulia.com/property/3051541301-322-Laurelwood-Dr-Boiling-Springs-SC-29316

Womanless Beauty Pageant

Tonight we went to our local Wild Wings restaurant to a Womanless Beauty Pageant. A family who has a set of twins at my children's daycare puts on this event to raise money for the March of Dimes. At first we were a little frustrated because we couldn't get a table and we knew the kids were going to get hungry and we were afraid the situation would take a turn for the worse, lots of people, three very small kids, and no way to get any food. But soon enough our two oldest children connected with some of their friends and the last thing on their mind was food! They had a great time! They danced while these men came out dressed as women. They jumped up and down and clapped and had a great time! I wasn't sure if Colin, who is 4, knew if they were men or not. I don't know if anyone told him but he ended up telling me, "Mama those are men dressed like women!" It was funny to me that he knew that, I wasn't going to tell him. I'm not sure Olivia had a clue! This was a great event for a great charity that I personally support as well. If you are reading you can donate to my MOD webpage and fund raising effort at: http://www.marchforbabies.org/ColinsMama. Next year, we won't bring the kids or we will get there early! On the way home, it was already after 9 so I started preparing the kids before we got home for what was going to happen. First we were going to take a shower, then we were going to put our PJ's on, brush our teeth, and go to bed. We just went to the dentist today and admitted that we were lazy about brushing the kids teeth at night, we got a "talkin to" from the dentist about that one. So...Colin said to me in the van, "It's going to be too late to do all that when we get home so you need to take one of those things out". He has a bad gag reflex and really hates to have his teeth brushed...so guess which one of those things he wanted us to strike from the list?

Rocking my Last Baby...

Last night Neely, my 8 month old, was unusually fussy when we tried to lay her down to sleep. She's had some trouble with ear infections recently and has been rubbing her ears for several days. She's also drooling and has a runny nose. I keep thinking maybe she has another infection but no fever so without that, I hate to take her to the pediatrician and get sent home with the "it's a cold, let it run it's course"speech. It could also be teething, hence the drool  - so not sure why she's messing with her ears. Typically, she doesn't want to be rocked to sleep, she just likes to be laid in her crib and she likes to roll around and put herself to sleep, with her paci and her lullaby of course. But last night she refused to go to sleep so after about 15 minutes of crying I went in and held my big baby girl and rocked and swayed with her. I was standing up because our glider has long ago been removed from the nursery to make room for play kitchens and other toys that belong to Olivia. (WE NEED A BIGGER HOUSE - thought I'd throw that in there). Neely was very still and quiet in my arms just staring at my face. She's so heavy now and it hurt my back but I was determined to rock her until she fell asleep. She was so sweet looking up at me with her big, round eyes. She put her chubby, clammy hands on my face and played with my lips. I kissed her little baby hands and short little fingers. Just when I thought she couldn't get much sweeter she took my chin and forcefully pushed it in the other direction and then giggled very quietly...yep, she's her Mother's child; only just so sweet! I was thinking while I was rocking her that she is my last baby that I'll get to rock to sleep. After Olivia was born, I knew I wasn't finished having children. I wanted one more. It took some convincing to get my husband on board...OK A LOT of convincing but if Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy...so he gave in. I shouldn't say that because my first two made me the happiest that any Mother could be, BUT...a woman just has that feeling about having children I think, only she knows when she's done. After Neely was born, I finally had the feeling of completeness, wholeness, the feeling that I had the family I had always wanted. Instead of being somewhat envious of pregnant ladies...I felt bad for them! I felt sorry that they had to go through the trials and tribulations associated with pregnancy, birth, and the first few months of a child's life. Those first few months are rough! All worth it in the end of course, but very tough. I'm SO happy that I won't ever be pregnant again - this was the feeling I was looking for - the "DONE" feeling. So even though I was just a tiny bit sad that I was rocking my last baby to sleep last night, I was felt so fulfilled and happy. I am so lucky to have all that I have. She is my last baby but even when she's six or sixteen, she will STILL be my baby.

My husband is in Vegas but he better not STAY in Vegas

So I've always considered myself to be a strong person...well maybe not always. There were those years, close to six, that I spent in a relationship that made me feel very weak! Then one day I had one of Oprah's "Ah-Ha!" moments and realized I was too good for all that nonsense and walked out the door, never to look back. I left him, finished my under grad education, went on to obtain my Master's, had a little fun being single (ok a lot of fun), and when I was better on the inside, I met someone better. That man is the love of my life and that man is in Vegas and has left me home with our three kids four and under for four days! Thus the title of this post! The past eight months or so have probably been the most stressful time in my life. I had my third child, was promoted before I even returned from maternity leave, returned to work to take on new responsibilities, begin to supervise two people, and at year end which is an extremely busy time where I work. Then of course personally we had Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, oh it's always something! With three kids in daycare, there is always a party or event to prepare for. But I don't dare mess up any of those, I send what they need because I know how important those things are to a child. I only thought I juggled a lot before last July when baby Neely was born. So then my husband decides to go and win a trip to Vegas, how dare he? He owns a car care shop with his brother and they are both there. They won the trip from one of their suppliers. He left Thursday morning and will be back Sunday evening. It's now Saturday evening as I write. I've managed pretty well. My son, Colin, had a ball game Friday night so I lugged all three kiddos out to the ball field. Fortunate for me, three of the Grandparents showed up to help wrangle them all! I hate his Dad couldn't be there. Dad's need to be at ballgames, they just do! I know it's not always possible but it's important for a boy to look back and remember his Father being there. I know that Colin will remember it that way because his Dad is very "there". The rain squashed the game today. Of course, that only happened after I got myself and three kids dressed, packed up, and in the van, all strapped in car seats...then the email came over on my phone to cancel the game. Ah...thus is life!. Colin left late this afternoon to spend the night with my Dad so we had a quiet girls evening here at home! I complain a lot to my husband. But him being away has been a good way to remind me how much he does help, even if I feel like he doesn't all the time. When I tell him he isn't doing enough he often likes to tell me how many men don't do as much as he does. I tell him that if I had wanted a man like that, I'd have married the first one who proposed to me! There is a reason I made that life choice. Well right now tonight, I really miss him. I've really been too busy until now to miss him. Good thing he's coming home tomorrow. And on Monday, his second shop (franchise) is scheduled to open....oh bring on the stress! I think I've conditioned myself to be one of those folks that just can't stop moving...if I stop, I'll crash! I wouldn't trade my life for anything, even on the bad days!

Poop in my pants, Poop in my pants, feelin' like a fool with poop in my pants

So....the latest challenge we have faced in child rearing is a poop challenge with our four year old son. This boy has so much confidence in himself when it comes to things he feels is worthy of his time such as Godzilla, Legos, sports, etc. Why then does he insist he cant dress himself or wipe his own hind end? We have really been working with him to encourage him to dress himself (he will be five in three months mind you) as well as wipe himself. We are VERY slowly making progress. With the dressing, we have to threaten to send him to school in his night tshirt or PJs...more like a promise because we already have his preschool teacher on board and will do it if we have to. With the hind end issue, at first he would sit on the toilet and cry until we wiped him...we transitioned him into at least trying it but we had to be in the bathroom with him....now he will wipe but we have to come check him before he will pull up his pants and leave the bathroom. Now...he is pooping in his pants at school and not telling his teacher. Why? Well...in his words, "I don't like pooping at school! If I feel it coming I jump up and down to keep it from coming out. I don't want Ms Debbie to wipe me". What? You don't want your teacher to wipe you so you go in your pants and wear it! Gross...geez I don't get four year old logic! From the time he started potty training he has held it until he got home so he just likes to poop at home, like so many other people. In suppose his bowels have always cooperated with this schedule...until now!

Let Me Introduce Ourselves...

I guess I should start off my very first ever in my life post by saying that I'm not sure what I'm getting into with this blogging thing. I've heard about it, seen folks on Oprah who reached fame and fortune by doing it, but haven't ever done much blog reading myself. I've always been a writer. Even if no one ever reads my words, it's theraputic for me to put them out here...out there...wherever they go.

The title of this post is "Let Me Introduce Ourselves". I decided this blog will be about me and my family. For me, it doesn't feel that there is an "I" any longer. And like any proud parent, I want to talk endlessly about myself and my children, and my wonderful life, but who wants to actually hear that? So I type...I'm a working Mother of three and a wife so I am now "we". Maybe that's why I feel the need to have a blog, to have a way to express "myself" as an individual.

So here is what my family looks like.

Jessica (Me)
Mom, Wife, Full Time Employee, hobbies are scrapbooking, photography, cake decorating, home improvement, gardening. I work in Human Resources and love my job for the most part, since I do have to have one!

Jason
Dad, Husband, Small Business Owner, hobbies are golf, movies, fantasy sports, grilling. He ownes two Meineke Franchises and a small pressure cleaning business. He loves his job because he is his own boss.

Colin
Son, currently 4 years old, first born, only son, wild, VERY active, smart, homebody, good at just about everything he puts his mind to, Mama's boy!

Olivia
Daughter, currently 2 years old, second born, little sister and big sister, sensitive and sweet, VERY independent, determined, needs a lot of love and attention, sometimes a little shy, Mama's girl!

Neely
Daughter, currently 7 months old, third and last of the crew, baby sister, happy baby, growing too fast, also very determined, loves her big brother and sister, looks like her brother, Daddy's girl!

Lexi
Dog, West Highland White Terrior, 8 years old

Odessa
Cat, Gray with White Socks, 15 years old