My 3 Year Old Insomniac

Kenna Rarely sleeps.


She doesn't nap often
She stays up late
She wakes up several times a night
She wakes up early in the morning.
We take pictures of her sleeping to prove to ourselves that it actually occurs.
(If you will notice in these pictures,
it is never night time and she is never in her bed.)


Last night was extreme.
Even for Kenna.
She fell asleep early,
but then woke up screaming several times.
She would sit up, then lay down, then sit up.
Whimper and then turn over.
Ryan and I were at our whits end.

She mumbled once about her ear hurting,
then turned over.
So I got her some tylenol and told her if she didn't lay still
and go to sleep that she had to go back to her bed.
On and on this went until about 6am.
She FINALLY fell asleep.


I called the doctor to take her in just in case
she actually did have an ear infection,
and if she didn't, then I needed some serious advice
on getting a 3 yr old to go to sleep and sleep all night long.
I was wiped out.


We were in the office waiting for the doctor to come in
and I grabbed my brush out of my purse to brush Kenna's hair.
It kept getting stuck in tangles in the side of her head.
I pulled it back to look
and her ear and neck were crusted along with her hair.
Puss and blood.

So I am probably the worst mom in the world.
My daughters ear drum ruptured
from having such a bad ear infection,
and was draining nastiness all over her neck,
And at the time all I wanted was for her to be quiet and SLEEP!
The doctor said it probably ruptured around 6,
when she finally fell asleep because there was some relief
from the pressure.

I SUCK!
My pediatrician (who is awesome) said
"You probably wouldn't have been able to sleep either
if your ear hurt this bad."
AHHHHHH!!!!
I am a HORRIBLE MOTHER!
Ryan felt pretty bad too
for abandoning ship and going to sleep on the couch.

Sorry about the no actual pictures thing.
(I know you wanted to see the crusty gunk)
I will try to add some later.
My camera, as previously mentioned,
took a hiatus from actually taking pictures.
The Geek Squad
at Best Buy is trying to beat it back into submission.

DIY Handi Andi Style (with the remarkable talents of JRP and Holly Doll assisting in the Dirty Work)

So I read the Blog This Young House
and I love it.
And Today, they had a link to another blog
That is all about redecorating and renovating.
And on this blog,
There was a post about


Habitat for Humanity Re-Stores
My curiosity was immediately piqued.

These are stores with overstock, odd-lot,
or gently used building products, and greatly used products
that are sold for CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP.
Seriously cheap.

If you know me,
then you know
I CANNOT PASS UP STEALS OF DEALS
and if you read this blog then you know
I have been trying to piece by piece
actually decorate this house
I have been living in for 6 years.


What if they had the coolest thing ever there...
For Cheap?
They only have ONE in all of Utah.
I thought...GREAT its going to be in Salt Lake.
NOPE.
PROVO.
YEAH!


and all of the proceeds from sales
go to build houses for habitat for humanity.
So its a good cause!

I was so excited!
Except,
Ryan was at a Church activity
I called Holly, she didn't answer,
Called Caitlin, sick baby, at the doctor,
Called Rachel, didn't answer,
then called back, but had a baby shower and some errands.
Called Amy, baby napping, can't go.
AHHHH!
Holly called back,
and like the awesome friend and sidekick that she is,
she said, "When are we leaving?"

I have to admit,
it was a little junkier than I thought it would be.
But really, they had some cool stuff.
I was looking for a new vanity and sink for my half bath off the kitchen.
Hated the current one.


I circled the store about five times.
Decided to make one more pass,
and found this thing

I called Holly over and asked her what she thought.
"I think its hideous" she said calmly.
"I know, I said, "but try to see it with black paint,
new faucet and knobs in brushed nickel."
She gave me the look.
"Its that bad?" I pleaded.
"Yes" she said.
and then like the champ she is, she continued.
"Right now its that bad, but...
If you will go today and get the paint and faucet,
and fix it today, I will help you."
But you cannot buy it
if it is just going to sit in your garage for 6 months.
JRP, my fabulous husband, said, Ummm...sure.

Sold.

Got the paint, got the faucet.

Holly gifted me the darling knobs.

Ryan did the demo of the old sink.

We got to work.



We sanded it.
We painted it.

We distressed it.
Ryan and Holly redid the faucet.

Ryan had perhaps the hardest, and most important job.
Since we were painting in the kitchen
He had to keep the kids out of the kitchen.
No easy task.

He had to lay down with them on the couch
In order to get them to stay there.



It was MADE for my little bathroom.
A quarter inch bigger in any direction would not have worked.
And the little bit of turn to the sink adds character
and makes the bathroom a little roomier.

I LOVE IT.
LOVE IT.


I keep going into the bathroom and looking at it.
So do the kids.
And all done in about four hours.

This sounds a little narcisistic, but,
I would like to give a little shout out
to MYSELF,
For having faith in a poor, lonely, UGLY, vanity,
and for the creativity it took to see promise in it.
Also shout outs to Ryan and Holly
who are often roped into my hair brained schemes
and usually make sure that the vision becomes the reality
when I can't figure out the steps in the middle.
I love you both.
(and I love my new vanity)

Sorry the pictures are tiny and crappy.
My camera decided to be stupid today and wouldn't take pictures.
These are courtesy of my cell phone.

Inspiration

Do you ever feel inspired?

You read a little note,

You are reading some one's blog,

You are sharing a chat with a friend,

And suddenly, something just rings true for you,

your heart sighs a little,

or speeds up

because the pieces of the scattered puzzle just came together,

and you are Excited!

Or peace just moves through you like swirling water,

slow and calming and comforting.

There have been several moments for me like that this week.

And I'm not going to lie, I needed the boost.

I got up early to go to work,

and after getting the kids from Holly,

instead of putting them down for naps

I turned on some random cartoon

and snuggled with my kids on the couch.

We all fell asleep.

All of us, in this big messy pile.

I stress about not working as much (smaller paychecks)

and I stress that as a mother I am not doing enough.

Today I felt good enough.

I felt snuggled, and needed, and important, and warm.

I felt in my soul

instead of just knowing in my head,

How sacred my mission is,

as I held my sleeping children.

When I got my children from Holly today,

I caught sight of Princess B.

Who took a header on the concrete yesterday.

Her poor face is all scraped up.

My heart hurt for her hurt,

and I realized how lucky I am to have her.

She isn't mine, but I kind of consider her mine,

Part of the crew, one of my gang,

an addition to the family.

More daughter than niece.

The girl has puked on me and peed on my carpet

about as often as my own children have.

I feel like I have the right to claim her.

I am blessed to know this little girl.

Her life and health are a miracle.

I have witnessed miracles, because I know her.

Thank you Holly for sharing.

I have great sisters.

More like best friends than sisters.

We are so alike, but very very different.

My sisters are smart women.

Rachel just did a lesson in church on self reliance.

She referenced this talk by James E Talmage.

I liked the quote at the end

"Sometimes our desires to become independent

and more self reliant are so strong

that we begin to act negatively

toward any kind of authority over us."

Reading this was one of those moments

mentioned at the beginning.

I don't generally see myself as acting negatively towards God,

but,

Sometimes I am trying too hard to do everything right,

and everything by myself,

to prove something,

to someone, or everyone,

that I forget,

that I am not alone,

I don't have to do it myself,

it doesn't have to be perfect,

I just have to do the best I can.

I often feel like stomping my feet in frustration

when I feel like things just aren't going right.

I don't often stop to recall if I asked for help,

Did I ask Heavenly Father for things to go differently?

or ask for guidance?

Or did I just get mad when it wasn't my way.

I need to remember the divine purpose I have here on earth.

And live my life according to that.

Not according to the pressure I feel

to be perfect and independent.

Then I was reading my Dad's Blog.

He talked about a funeral he attended.

How the family of the deceased woman was fighting,

and seemed bitter,

and not united.

To this my dad said,

"It is my fondest desire that all are to be found busily engaged in the value laden work of teaching the gospel in their homes and living it to the best of their ability. One’s family is similar to the parable of the talents. To your mother and I were given children; the worth of which was great. Our task was to multiply that which had been given. The measure of success is found in the extent to which each life is lived in keeping with the commandments and ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.When one is laid in one’s casket it is too late to consider what should have been done along the way. Each day presents a new vista of opportunity to do well and be good."

Am I multiplying the talents that I was given?

Is this evident in the way that I choose to live my life?

In the way that I am teaching and molding the lives of my children?

Am I choosing every day to do what is right, to do well, and be good?

Because I can choose that.

I can.

What a mind altering thought.

It clicked.

It inspired me.

It helped me make better choices.

My step mom Becky wrote me a note about 3 years ago,

right before I had Kenna.

Its on a pink post it note, stuck on my fridge.

Every time I read it I am uplifted.

The last couple of lines say

"Be sure and tell yourself what a great job you are doing.

Being a mother, working in and out of the home,

a wife, and a sister in the gospel.

You simply must be fair to yourself

for all the good you add to this world."

Are you fair to yourself?

Amidst the stress and guilt,

do you give yourself credit for the good that you add to this world?

I need to frame this little post it note.

Because it has altered my mood

and made me feel validated and appreciated

weekly, and sometimes daily, since she sent it to me.

It inspires me to live up to her belief in me

and my goodness.

The funny thing is,

since I have started thinking

about all these things that inspire me,

I keep remembering more and more things that I love,

that are important,

that make me happy,

that make me whole.

What inspires you this week?

Spring? Sunshine? Laughter? Love? Kids?

I think if I could narrow all these words down to one,

my inspiration this week would be

Choices.

I can choose.

My actions, my reactions, my words, my deeds.

I need to get to work on those choices.

Feliz Cumpleanos a mi!

So it was my 29th Birthday.

Directly after Toddler Gym
Holly, Cait, and Rachel took me out to lunch at the Olive Garden


This is what a table looks like when 4 Adults and 6 Kids eat there.
It was so good.
And what is a birthday at a restaurant
without the embarrassing chorus of waiters singing to you.


At least they brought Black Tie Mousse Cake.
I have learned in my old age,
not to tell people not to tell the restaurant,
because they are going to anyway.
And my birthday is only once a year right?
Why shouldn't I smile and enjoy it when random people sing to me?

We went to Kohls directly after Olive Garden
because I wanted to get this headband
that I saw on the Cardigan Empire blog.


Five bucks.
Awesome. Couldn't pass it up.
And remember, my birthday, so why should I?

I took the kids potty 3, yes 3 times while we were in Kohls.
After the second bathroom trip
I couldn't find Kenna.
Holly dragged her up to me
and said "Happy Birthday to you,"
"Kenna pooped in her panties."
Well, according to Kenna, "the poops just fell out"
But regardless, this put a damper on the celebratory mood.
Kenna refused to walk, because,
"the poops would fall out on her shoes"
and she refused to sit, because,
"the poops would squish on her bum"
I refused to carry her
because I didn't want the poops squished on my shirt.


This was her solution.
She held herself up in the stroller so that her bum didn't touch.
And when her arms got tired,


She switched to this. Side sitting.
That was not a nice thing to do to her mother on her birthday.


When we got home Holly made me this
ROCKIN' Fruit Pizza
for my Birthday Cake.
It tasted just as awesome as it looked.
Yep, it was delicious.
Thank you to everyone that came over and hung out.
I had a great day,
well,minus the poop,
It was a great day.

And the winner is...

So I can't tell you how I have been dreading this post.

I've put it off till Monday I am dreading it so much.
See, so many of you answered
And I can't afford
To make a free apron for all of you.

But I want to.
Because it made me SOOO HAPPY that you guys commented.
(Really, almost as happy as the hutch, made me happy.)
Even Ryan would check to see the comment count
He would come find me and announce...
"Honey, its up to 12!"
"There are 14 now."
"Holy Cow, there are 19!"
"19!" I screech "Yeah!"
(and I did a little happy dance)
I hate myself a little for only giving out one.
Really, hate myself.

So I put it off, and put it off,
But today is the day of reckoning.
And I wanted to be totally fair,


so
I subtracted those of you who already have an apron
(or are shortly getting one when I make it to the post office.)
and gave you all a number according to order


and put those numbers in my lucky St. Patrick's Day Bowl

and the winner is...

#8 Randi Gardner

So Randi,
if you would like to go to the apron shop
and pick out the fabric that you like,
then tell me in a comment,
I will get started on your apron today.

The rest of you.
Please keep commenting.
I promise to comment on your blogs.
And,
since I hated doing just one


I promise I will give another apron away soon.
Keep Checking.

Pre-Birthday Celebration and a Reminder

First,
Today is your last chance to comment if you want to win an apron.

Second.
Wednesday was my birthday.

It was a rockin' good time.

But we must do this in two parts.
First, Tuesday, the day before the big day.

I got the hutch.
Oh yes I did.


That man of mine delivered.
It got dropped off Tuesday night,
And I LLLOOOOVVVEEE it.
I knew I would.

Tuesday Holly and I went on an adventure
to find the perfect piece of Red Glass to add to the collection.
Holly's gift to me.


Isn't she a gem?
And we were even still friends
after driving around for TWO HOURS
trying to find the stupid antique mall.
Four kids, whining and screaming, for approximately 1.75 of these two hours.
Her iphone hates me and had me driving all over Mapleton
when the stupid store was right off the freeway
In SPRINGVILLE.
Whatever.

We found, as expected, some prime Red Glass.
And we escaped it all without breaking anything.
This was my fear
since some of the pieces there cost more than my life is worth.


Holly is an amazing finder.
You want something?
Give that girl a mission.
She delivers.
I could walk right by a booth and see nothing
and she would call me back and hold up a whole stack of Cape Cod plates.
Seriously.
Its a gift.


I want to go back.
Just to peruse the merchandise and dream.
hmmm...

It was a lovely pre birthday day.
And I bought lots of red glass.
So did Holly
Who sneakily was getting it on the sly for my gift


from the MIL
(mother in law, that is how she signs her cards, the MIL, I love it.)

And it was even still the day before my birthday!
I am a lucky, lucky girl.

Incentive

Hey You!
Yes You!
You who are reading my blog!

Why don't you ever leave comments?
Sometimes I wonder who you are.
Sometimes I wonder why you care what I write.
Sometimes I don't care. (Most of the time I do.)

Are you looking at the pictures?
Are you lured here by my comic genius?
(haha- laughing at myself over this)
Are you in disbelief that my kids are so naughty?
(I don't make this up folks)
Are you my long lost friend or neighbor?
Are you my family?
( if you are then you are doubly in trouble for not leaving comments)
Did you stumble across my blog by accident?
Are you groovin to my eclectic playlist?

I have to say I am pretty curious by nature.
I want to know who you are.
I want to know what you think
(I don't know if I would change anything,
even if you thought it was bad)
But I still want to know what you think.

And I want to know who some of you are
so I can surf your blogs too.
But how can I surf your blog
If I don't know who you are?
and
IF YOU DON"T LEAVE COMMENTS?

Do you need incentive? Hmmm?
How about this.
Leave me a comment.
Say hi.
Tell me what your blog is.
Tell me why you read my blog.
Say any old darn thing.
And I will pick one of you,
and give you an apron
from the apron shop.

Now. To all of you who comment, and comment often,
I LOVE YOU!
You all are excluded from the scolding of above.
Holly, Caitlin, Rachie Coray, Brittany, Kasi, Trilby, Ruth, Kim,
Ambyr, Cami, Kristi, Randi and Kristy
You guys are fabulous.
And although you guys comment often, you too can enter to win the prize.
Except Holly, she will be helping me make the prize (Sorry Doll :-) )

You want it?
You better comment then!
By Friday March 20
(Which is Kristi Kubik's B-day).

I am telling you now that I will be very sad
if the only people who comment are the ones mentioned above.
You will be sad, because you won't have a chance to win the apron.
And you want to win the apron.

Miscommunication

So, I think I was given the amazing gift of
speaking in tongues.

Because
Whenever I say something to my children
something gets lost in translation.

Like for instance

"We only color on paper!"
Cohen somehow translates that to mean

"Please color on your arm."

and when I am yelling
"NO NO NO, DO NOT COLOR ON YOUR ARM!"

It somehow turns into


"Please, please please..."
"Color on your face."

I wonder what
"Time out, time out, time out!"
will turn into.

Maybe,
"Please scribble on the TV with a Sharpie Marker!"

Oh wait,
that came before "We only color on paper".
When I said "You cannot have Sharpies Ever!"

Caden vs The Rocking Chair

The kids were doing some pretty interesting Ballet moves
to the Land Before Time theme song

when the rocking chair

got directly in the way of Caden's spin move.

Poor guy was spitting blood everywhere,

Ryan was even lucky enough to get sprayed on the neck and face

and on his t shirt

Ryan got him cleaned up was holding him on the couch

when he requested

"Ice in a baggy with some water,

and some towels so it doesn't pee on me."

I brought him a cold pack, but it was quickly rejected

"I told you I wanted ice in a baggy with some waters, and some towels!"

Right. Got it.

He let me lift up his lip one time to see.

Then promptly shoved me away and freaked out.

Ow.

The fat lip on the outside looked painful,

the cut up bruised mess on the inside looked worse.

Poor little man.

He took it well for how much it must have hurt.

And all for the love of dancing in the living room.

Day by Day, Hour by hour, minute by minute

My house is a wreck.


its always a wreck,
but not usually this bad.

Three days ago it was immaculate,
but it just can't seem to recover from Cohen's Party.


And today, the couch cushions almost sent me over the edge.
Do anybody else's kids do this?
Is it just mine?
Every dang time I turn around
all the pillows and cushions are off the couch.
"You can't jump as good with them all on there,"
I have been informed by Caden.
"They fall over and then you can't go as high."
Oh, right.



Two minutes.
My efforts never last more than two minutes.
My house is never clean all at the same time.
If the downstairs is clean,
the upstairs is wrecked
because I made the kids go up there while I cleaned downstairs
and vice versa.

I pick the dang cushions up 50 million times a day.
I carry armloads of toys upstairs 30 million times a day.


I say put your clothes on 20 million times a day.


I have a headache from thinking of how messy my house is.
I think I might go lay on the pile of pillows on the floor
Not to take a nap mind you,
because the second I dozed off
my kids would start jumping on my head.
I'm going to lay there
Just to avoid for one more hour
The mess that is my life.



P.S. Right before I posted this Ryan got home from work.
In his hand he had a box of cookies from Dippidee, the dessert place.
MMmmm...I love him.



P.P.S.-right after that Holly got here to pick up Bryn,
in her hand she had a fountain Dr. Pepper.
FOR ME.
MMmmm... I love her

See, no more complaining.
My life isn't so bad.
How could it be with Dippidee and Dr. Pepper
all within minutes of each other.

I'm still going to go lay on the pillows though.

Yeah, thats right, He's Turning 2!

The Cokester, the CoCo chub, the Chubba, the Coco butter

AKA my baby.

Turned 2 today.

He's been saying he is two for weeks.

"How old are you Cohen?"

"I tee-u"
Well today its official.

How does a 2 year old spend his special day?
(Mostly without pants on... but beyond that.)

He watches a few cartoons

He insists on helping to make his own birthday cake

He cheeses a few for me.

He blows out the candle.

He eats cupcake.

He opens a few presents.

Then he plays and plays and plays
to his little hearts content
(he only freaks out a few times because other kids are touching his new toys.)
Its his birthday right?
I am firm believer
in the belief that you can be a little bit selfish on your birthday
After all, it is all about you, right?