Shoe shopping

Shoe shopping for the kids is one of the few things I still want assistance from a knowledgable expert around. I think this is because my kiddos have wide and extra wide feet!

Sunday we ventured out to get everyone measured and stocked up. I thought it was Ellie who desperately needed new shoes, but turns out it was Clair who had outgrown her four month old shoes by a full size and a half!!!! She's a size 7 extra wide at 15 months old! My little big foot. 

Ellie managed to win though. She convinced me to buy her princess pink light up shows just for fun! David thinks I'm a sucker. I guess I am. I thought these were a better compromise then those silly sparkly sketchers the girls are wearing these days

After shoe shopping we had lunch. Max was determined to hold Clair still for a photo of the three of them. It was his idea honest!

Treasure hunt

Saturday was a rough day of cleaning like mad men due to the flea warning given by the vet at lady greys check up. 

Ellie worked much if the day preparing a treasure hunt for us. Finally at bedtime we took the time to find the treasure. She was so cute. She had drawn a very detailed map. At the end of the hint she placed a shoebox full of all the jewels and jewelry boxes she had found. She was so  cute. 

She had put this together all on her own. She is so good and coming up with an idea and implementing it well. I need to remind myself she is only 6! What a girl. 

Vacation Days sure have changed

When I graduated college my eyes were opened to the amazing places that exist in out world to visit, the number of cool things there are to experience and just all that I truly enjoy. Since I started work I've been the kind of person to assure I use all my vacation days each year. It isn't always a easy but it's imperative to life!

This year, since going back to world with three little kids, I've managed to use my vacation days quicker then ever. But the difference is that I have not had a single new adventure or visited any place new. Instead my vacation days have been spent running chores, changing diapers, fighting with children and when I'm lucky visiting a local park for a play with the kids. What a different life I live these days!

I surely wouldn't trade it for the world. I do long for. Week of travel and lack of worries. However, I wouldn't give trade my children and the responsibilities they bring for anything in the world. They are my new experience. They are the new adventure. Going new places I see a familiar place new again. 

My prayer is that I find more grace and patience with my children. I want them to know how special they are. 

Today I had to take a vacation day because Sarah is off. Today I totted Ellie and a friend to ice skate camp, followed by a long trip through walmart with Max and Clair, and a short visit to a neighborhood park. We have spent the last 45 mins sitting in the car while Clair slept. What a vacation day! 

I love my children and I love their nap times

I really do love spending time with my kids. But I also love the quiet afternoons that naptime provides. Sometimes, I find myself wanting to extend it a bit longer than I should. For example today, I really should have woken Max a half hour ago. However, Claire just fell asleep what he five minutes ago. So I am using a little quiet time to catch up on chores and do things like write my blogs.

David just took Ellie to a play date and I have a quiet house. It is priceless and Rare. I like a quiet house while they are sleeping. However, I would hate a quiet house if they were gone and not here. I love them dearly.

This would be one of those things that makes me wonder, "am I a bad mom?"

I know that generally I am not. But I also should be taking advantage of this time to wake Mac sup and play something special with him.

Will go wake my boy now. Maybe we can find something fun to do quietly until clear wakes and Ellie and David return.

Ellie is a sponge

Ellie absolutely loves to learn things. She is especially interested in nature. Last night at a restaurant she was playing with this plan, and I explained that plants provide the oxygen she breathed. I told her that they say keeping it is the best air cleaner that is around. 

She did not believe me at first. But once she did, she started sniffing and nearly licking this plant very close. 

She cracks me up sometimes.

Max time

My little boy is needy. I am not sure if this is his nature, a result of my lack of time, the age or a combination of things. I should add that I LOVE that he wants me and my time. Nothin pleases me more then when he approaches me, looks up and says, "I want a snuggle mamma." Or "read me a story mamma" or "play with me mamma."

I often feel I can not respond by providing all the time and attention he desires and deserves. As a full time working mom, there is not enough time in the day. This is my sad reality. I wish I could change it but I can not figure out how. So I try my best. 

Yesterday was a great day. It started with Max waking up snuggling us as he slept in our bed as a special treat. When I looked for volunteers to go with me to church, Max gladly volunteered! We enjoyed church together and he is such great company- especially one on one. After lunch we went swimming and enjoyed some time to play there too. The evening was spent around the house doing the normal evening activities. I got to read stories. I got to tuck him in. 

I hope these good days are the ones he will remember when he is grown up, instead of the busy ones where I feel like such a failure. 

I will always try my boy. 

Home sweet home

I know for sure that Clair and I were very happy to be home from this years beach vacation. It was hard being away and keeping her safe, rested, and even mildly happy. Sure the beach was nice, but she got bright red after being outside for 15 minutes. She had to be kept inside and protected. 

When we arrived home Thursday night, she was asleep. I got her out of her car seat, and she started to wine. Then, she looked up and realized we were home, and she let out a giggle of delight. She was thrilled. She couldn't dive into her bed quick enough! She slept so well. 

The joy of watching Clair totter freely around the house for the past two days since we arrived home has been fantastic! She is so happy to be free and I'm happy for her to be free. I'm thrilled to have spent 10 days taking care of her and being her full time care provider. She is exhausting at times, but that's her job at 14 months old. 

She's so lovely! She's full of energy and full of opinion. Since we arrived home she requires a horsey ride each time we get to the top of the stairs!

Blueberry eyes

This week Tom was feeding Clair her beloved fresh blueberries and said they look just like her eyes. That has stuck with me all week. She does have the most beautiful blueberry eyes. I love them so much! And she loves blueberries so much! 

Our fair skinned little blueberry eyed girl has had a long week. Being away from her safe zone of the house has been really hard or her ( and mommy).  I will be thankful to wake up tomorrow morning in our house with her and allow her to roam safely. She has been a trooper. I hope that she appreciates the intended yearly track to the beach as she ages. 

Here she is sitting at dinner last night.

Vacation day 3

At the end of day three, I would like to report it has also been relaxing day. Here are a few highlights from our day.

1- We made it to the water park! 

2- Clair hates the jets. In fact, tonight she bit me as one flew overhead.

3- Max learned to enjoy jumping waves, whilst in the wave pool, because he is petrified of the ocean. I think I've figured out he is scared of sharks. 

4- Ellie on the other hand, is quite the big girl who loves the ocean and being in the water. She has no fear!

5- we did enjoy a nice morning walk down the boardwalk, to get my Starbucks!

6- we ended the day with a relaxing time playing on the hill outside the hotel enjoying out favorite time of day at the beach. The kids enjoyed playing corn hole and tag with some other kids. Clair was busy being Clair. 

7- David is envious of those who are sitting at the bar having a drink. After three nights, the kids were zonked enough for us to sneak out on our ocean front balcony for a drink!

Here's to another great day tomorrow! 

Take Two

After last nights blog I feel obligated to report today was a much nicer day. In fact, I did get a chance to relax some. I enjoyed playing in the ocean with all three kids. I enjoyed a relaxing afternoon while they all napped. I enjoyed a lovely dinner at my favorite local restaraunt. We ended the night with a lovely family visit. It was a great vacation day. The kids had fun and me too. 

Good night. 

Vacation confession

The family vacation is the holy grail of memories and bonding, except why does it feel so damn challenging all the time. Honestly, I don't know why it has to be so hard. Perhaps it's me. I hate the sound of a tired baby. This means I'm counting minutes until naptime, in a hotel, that is noises, whilst missing seeing the older ones who actually can play at the beach enjoy it. 

I remember the days of getting my toes in the sand before ever getting to my destination. What happened to me?

Right now I'm sitting on a nasty sofa bed in an ugly hotel in the dark trying not to breath too hard and praying if I keeping starring at my phone Clair will doze off and catch a few zzzzs. It ain't gonna happen though. So it's just a matter of how long I want to sit here in the dark pretending before picking her up, going out into the hotel world and wrestling my one year old baby alligator through a meal that will no doubt be non nutritional, over priced, fried yuck whilst telling myself at least I fed them. All this followed by a parade if more sandy, wet, tired children needing baths and bed. Followed by a fantasy of enjoying a glass of wine on the balcony with my husband but instead being more toeture whilst I attempt again to put the kids to bed in this place and fail miserably. Ugg

Day 1 vacation has not been a vacation. Instead a disappointment. Too much build up for something so damn stressful. 

Confession of reality feels great. Now, can I possibly look up. We shall see.