Snow...again...seriously?

Boooooo to snow!! Do the weather gods want me to go CRAZY!!! Well, I am!! I AM SICK OF SNOW AND COLD!!!

We are one day away from May...this is no way to start the month!

The tandem Ryan ordered is here! The idea is to get Haley on the back of it...Morgan too, but she needs to grow a little bit taller. I have yet to see it...Ryan brings it home today! If the weather will ever improve they'll be able to take it out. I can't wait to see Haley on it...I really hope she likes it!!

My sweet little Piper.

Something about a baby sleeping on their belly...I love it! Their little feet curled up under their bottom...so cute!

So far, she is a dream baby.

*knocking on wood*

Quiet Time Failure

I'm at my wits end!

Almost...well, the majority of the time...my kids have quiet time at some point in the afternoon every day. Basically, it's when they each sit on their bed (they have a bunk bed) and read or rest. I set the timer for 30-40 minutes. It gives me a chance to take a nap.

They used to be good at it...they would even fall asleep sometimes! I award them stickers for their chart when they do a good job and stay quiet.

Well, quiet time is falling apart...and it's when I need it the most! I'm so tired...so tired. I even day dream about curling up on the sofa and sleeping throughout the day. Of course, not all days are this bad where I NEED sleep...sometimes I go with no nap at all. But today...oh, sleep, how I need you! And of course it's a day the girls are doing HORRIBLE!! If they start to get loud or act silly, or climb on each others bed, then I go in and add 5-10 minutes on the timer. That usually does the trick and they shape up pretty quick. Not today. I've gone into their room numerous times already...total time they've spent on their beds is now well over an hour. This last time I went in there I took the timer out and told them they would stay in there until I finally decide they've been quiet long enough, and then they may come out. I told them the way they're acting they'll probably be in there all day! Morgan's response (with a smirk on her face), "Okay, let's stay in here all day!". I slammed the door on them...now I'm blogging. Too mad to even attempt to sleep. Why? Why have they not been caring about any punishment this week?!! No matter what I do. And I pride myself at being consistent...and I am NOT a push over!! Why is everything a joke to them right now?! I have not been the nicest mom this afternoon...don't I scare them a little?! If I were them, I would be pretty freakin scared of me!! Can't they see the wrath in my eyes?!! My head is going to start spinning pretty soon if they don't cut it out!!

So frustrating...just utterly frustrating.
Need Sleeeeeeeeep...

Costco Nightmare

I went to Costco today with all three children...what a process! As soon as we arrived Haley had a fit in the parking lot because I wouldn't let her take precious Una (her stuffed unicorn) into the store. (I didn't want one more thing to keep track of...and honestly if Una was ever lost, I would also be in tears!) She kept yelling, "But Mommy, I LOVE HER...Please don't make me leave her!!!". So once she finally let it go, and put Una into the car...we were on our way into the store. I'm not sure what's with my children and how goofy they can become in a matter of seconds! Spinning in circles down the aisle nearly crashing into everyone and singing a little too loudly as they do it. Then of course the nightmare with the samples. They end of spilling the samples they get onto the floor...and what's the deal with Haley having to touch one sample, then put it back and take another?! She did that about every time!! I would be right behind her taking the first one she touched so no one would be too furious with us. Anyway, they were constantly running around, hanging off the cart, pushing the cart away while I was looking at something (not on purpose, but still). Then at one point Morgan shouts out, "I saw JESUS!!!". Haley yells out, "What?! You saw Jesus?! WHERE?!!". Morgan just keeps shouting out, "Jesus...he's over there!! Mommy, he's over there!!" pointing as she's shouting. I frantically try to get her to be quiet and get out of there! I'm assuming it wasn't actually Jesus, but just a man with a big beard. So anyway, my kids were like little ping pong balls bouncing all over the place, and I was constantly shouting at them. Luckily, Piper slept soundly the entire time!

So, flustered and angry we make it back to the car. I tell them I'm really disappointed with their behavior and that I was taking away their stuffed unicorns (Morgan has one too) for a week. I though, Ha...that will show them!! WRONG! Haley's reply, "I don't care!". Now, that's the worst for a parent!! You want your kids to be really sorry for what they did, and the punishment to really get to them...maybe even see them cry a little over the whole thing. But, an "I don't care!"...so frustrating!! So I tell her if she doesn't care then I will take all her stuffed animals away! Still, no reaction from her. Ooooh, she knows how to push my buttons!!!

So now I'm really angry! On the way home a lady pulled out in front of me as I was making a left turn (I had the green arrow). I honked at her. I held the horn down for a long time...boy, did that feel good!

And, by the way, I did end up taking ALL of her stuffed animals away...still...she didn't care.

Piper's Check-Up

Woke up to snow...ugh! Luckily, it didn't last! It's a good thing too...just when I'm on the brink of insanity the weather shifts! The sun is out now and the girls are busy riding bikes with the neighbor girls, and Piper is sleeping beside me. Ahhhhhhh...a peaceful house!

Took Piper to her 2 week check-up this morning. She's still a bit Jaundice, but nothing to serious...the doctor wasn't too worried and didn't even think it was necessary to check her billirubin. She's weighed in at 7 lbs 6 oz (back up to her birth weight) and she's grown 3/4 of an inch. Everything looked great!

I'm very anxious to start exercising...mainly taking walks on the river path. I can't stand wearing maternity clothes anymore!! The other day at Haley's bus stop one of the neighborhood boys asked if I had my baby! Say What?!! Didn't he notice that my ginormous belly wasn't as ginormous...I mean, come on...give me some kind of credit!! I know it was just a 10 year old...but still...ouch.

But she's so worth the jelly roll I now have for a waist!

Dreary Day

The weather matches my mood...dreary. I do love a good Spring rain...it just makes it a bit tougher to entertain two kids and take care of an infant. I haven't really found my groove yet. I feel like my older kids are getting less attention and have to fend for themselves lately. Luckily Haley is very good at entertaining herself...Morgan, not so much.

Over the weekend Haley says to me, "Mommy, why don't you take care of us anymore?" Kinda broke my heart. This happened when Ryan was doing pretty much everything for them. I told them that I just had a baby, and Daddy was helping me. Haley says back, "No Mommy...Daddy is helping US!".

Piper eats about every two hours, so I feel as though I nurse pretty much all day. Once I get going on something, Piper is hungry again. I'm falling behind. The girls will come into the living room and see me nursing, and they have a look on their face like, "Not again...that's all mom does these days...sit on the sofa!!". And I think the whole nursing thing confuses them. One morning while Haley was at school I tell Morgan I need to feed Piper. Morgan says, "Mommy, how do you feed her? Where's the bottle?". I tell her that I make my own milk for her. She of course asks how. I tell her just like animals do in the wild. Cows make milk for their calves...Dogs for their puppies...etc. That seemed to appease her, and she ran off to play. Then later that day, Haley asked the same question. Morgan didn't hesitate to explain. "Haley, Mommy feeds Piper like a cow!". Haley had a completely confused/slightly grossed out look on her face. "Oh" she says, and quickly leaves the room. I think this whole process is kinda hard on Haley. First she had to watch her mother's belly grow abnormally huge, and now the whole nursing thing. I can see the cogs turning in her head trying to figure this all out.

So I've been a bit frazzled lately, but I'll find my groove...eventually.

Grandparents Visit

On Friday the girls' grandparents from Sedona came to visit for the weekend. They came at a perfect time...temps in the 70's!! The blossoms are blooming...I just love it!

Piper with Grandma.

All the week the girls have been wanting to go to the Farm. We made the mistake of telling them they could go when their grandparents came into town...so we had to hear them asking again and again, "Is it today?! Can we go to the Farm today?!". For the hundredth time, "NOT YET!!". So when the day finally came they were beyond excited! I stayed home and enjoyed a very relaxing afternoon...just Piper and me.

Ever since we've been having some warmer weather the girls have been wanting to swim in their little pool. To me, they are crazy!! It's warm, but not that warm...plus the water is like ice!! But, they insisted, so Ryan set it up Sunday. So here they are enjoying a swim with the snow capped mountains in the background...brrrrrr!!

Loving Spring!

Wow...I need to get into some kind of routine soon. I feel as though all I'm doing is nursing and changing poopy diapers. Nursing a baby with two other kids is tough. I'm basically trying to parent from the sofa. "HALEY!! SHARE WITH YOUR SISTER!!"..."MORGAN, STOP BUGGING HALEY!!". "GIRLS...STOP FIGHTING!!!". "The phone is ringing...someone bring me the phone!!". And lately, I've gotten quite good at having to get up to grab something, or settle a dispute between the girls while I'm nursing at the same time. Luckily, little Piper doesn't mind a lot noise...she can nurse or sleep though anything! So far anyway...lets hope it lasts!

I'm just very thankful for the warmer temps!! The girls spend the entire afternoons outside making it a little more peaceful in the house.

The girls enjoying a picnic lunch.

My parents left yesterday to go back to CA. They'll be back next week thankfully! So yesterday was my first day with three children without them here. Granted, I still had Ryan in the morning to help get Haley ready for school, but after that...I was on my own! And I'm happy to report that I still had my sanity by the end of the day! I have not yet ventured out of the house with all three yet. In fact I haven't left the house since coming home from the hospital...and honestly I have no desire yet. I'm perfectly content in my little house! I may try a little walk today...we'll see. My in-laws are arriving today from AZ, so being on my own is short lived...which is nice!! Just because I survived one day doesn't mean I'm ready for more...I still need help!!!

Piper getting her first bath at home from Grandma.

Piper doing what she does best...that is, when she's

not pooping or eating.