Come visit! Bring wine...

Well, Mike leaves for his golf retreat today... For the next 4 days, I'll be doing the parent thing all alone!  I have big plans to get things done around the house.  I have a birthday cake to make for my cousin's daughter's birthday party.  I would like to get some work done outside.  I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to do all of this without any whining, crying, fighting, or pouting from my two sidekicks!  Is it gonna happen?  Doubt it.  But, I'm going to try my best and hopefully still have a shred of sanity come Sunday evening when he returns :-)

My "Mike's on vacay and I'm insanely jealous so I have to keep myself busy for every single second" To-Do List:

1. Get my summer clothes into my closet and the winter clothes out.
2. Put the girls' winter clothes up in the attic.
3. Re-arrange Jaden's bedroom.
4. Start and finish the craft project I have been dying to do for like, FOREVER!
5. Dig up the garden.
6. Finish editing wedding pics.
7. Bake Raegan's birthday cake.
8. Start the entryway re-do.
9. Feed the cat (I know I'll forget to do this).
10. Breathe.

Jaden recently made charts for herself and her sister.  The chart looks like a giant staircase that takes up a whole piece of paper.  They live on the fridge and when the girls do something that I feel is chart-worthy, they get to move a little magnet up a step.  If they crywhinepoutfight, they move down a step.  When Taylor gets to the top, she wants to get a new baby that licks an ice cream cone.  When Jaden gets to the top of her steps, she wants to get a new bike.  It's been working wonderfully the past couple of days! "Stop fighting or you'll move down a step!"  Genius.  My goal for the next four days is to have the girls actually be on a higher step than they were when Mike left.  High goals, I tell ya!

Advice?  Suggestions?  My girls are wonderful, but there are two of them, and only one of me! :-)

Jaden's 6th Birthday - Part 1

Jaden celebrated her 6th birthday last month!  She was so excited to wake up and open her present from Mike and me.

She thought we just got her a new bag, until she opened the bag...

She FINALLY got a Nintendo DS!!  Maybe just a tad bit excited :-)

She also got a couple of games to get her started.

J was SO excited to have her Dad show her how to play her new games :-)

More celebrations to come!  Happy birthday, Miss!

Straight from the Parenting Manual

I've been a mom for six years; a mom to two for 3½ of those years.  I've just realized that I've been going at it all wrong.

I don't know about that... I'm afraid Taylor would bully Jaden too much...

TO BE CONTINUED...

Why I don't deserve Sunday...

I feel horrible today.  I feel ashamed of myself.

We've had some very trying times lately. I'm sure other moms can relate... The crying, the whining, the fighting, the pouting... It is HARD stuff being a parent!  I try as hard as I possibly can to be a good mother to my girls.  I try to listen to them, I try to reason with them.  When that doesn't work, I try to fairly discipline.  I really try.  I try to be present, fair, fun, and comforting.  I TRY.

We all have our breaking point.  You know, that very second where you absolutely can't take ONE. MORE. THING.  I broke.  I said something that shouldn't have been said.  I hurt feelings. I failed.

Last night was horrible.  Taylor is a very tricky little thing when it comes to bedtime.  If she is in bed too early, she can't fall asleep, gets mad and throws a fit.  If she goes to bed too late, she is overly tired and super fussy. She cries, throws a fit, and is just stand-off-ish.  Between 7:30 and 8:00 is her golden time.  As long as she's in bed sometime within that half-hour, we are pretty good!  Last night was the overly tired scenario.  It was almost 8:30 and she had already started crying.  She cried because she wanted to get rid of a doll.  She cried because I wouldn't let her get rid of said doll.  She cried because I asked her to be quiet so I could hear Jaden's story.  She cried because her cookie broke.  She cried because she had to go upstairs.  She cried, as Jaden would tell you, "Because the sky is blue."  At bedtime, she just refused to lay down and go to bed.  She would scream if I left the room, but wouldn't listen to me when I stayed.  We can't just let her cry because Jaden is also in bed.  Jaden goes to bed great!  She has school in the morning.  It is not fair to her to be kept up late because her sister is crying.  I stayed in her room until at least 9:30.  Mike came up and took over.  He didn't come down until almost 10:00.  She was out and we were both on edge and exhausted.  It's the dumbest thing.  I hate going through this.

Taylor woke up on her own this morning.  She was walking a really fine line between good mood and bad.  She tipped to the good side and was laughing and playing around.  It was refreshing after the night we had.  Then, she fell into the bad mood side.  She had come downstairs for breakfast. Jaden got to the table before she did and sat in my chair.  Normally, Taylor sits in my chair and Jaden sits in her own.  Not for any reason, just because.  Breakfast is typically a free-for-all when it comes to seats.  But today, it made Taylor mad.  She would not get in her seat and eat her strawberries.  I warned her that we were leaving soon. I knew that when it was time to go, if she still had strawberries left, we'd have WWIII on our hands.  When she finally did get into her seat, she didn't think she had enough strawberries.  It was just one thing after another.  I was already at the end of my rope.  I just walked away, sighing and said to myself, "I'm so tired of being your mom."  I did not mean for it to be heard.  I did not mean what I said.  When I came back into the kitchen, the look on Jaden's face broke my heart.  Her eyes were glassed over and when she found her words, her voice cracked, "You don't want to be our mommy anymore?"  Oh boy.  I hugged her so hard and reassured her that, of course I want to be their mommy!  I told her that sometimes it just gets hard and that mommies need breaks sometimes.  I felt like the worst mom in the world.  I have been banned from the basement all week as the girls get their Mother's Day surprises ready.  How could those words have come out of my mouth?  Why did I say that?  Being their mom is the best thing that has ever happened to me!  Jaden was totally fine by the time we left, but I still felt like crap.  This mom doesn't deserve anything this Sunday.  This mom failed.  UPDATE: I had a wonderful Mother's Day :-) Pity party is over!

Why I Smile Everyday

Jaden Claire,

My goodness gracious, girlfriend! How is it that you are six years old already?

I feel like I can literally remember each and every single day of these past six years.

 

You continue to amaze me each and every day.

Your artistic ability and your creative writing makes me smile with pride.

I love the little notes you write to me... I've kept every single one.

 

You are a goofy booger!

The dances you come up with... No words for those :-)

I love the way you can make yourself crack up.

 

 

I have never met anyone as caring as you.

You have an old soul.

 

 

So much of your great-grandma Ina shows in you.

You have her smile and her way of making quirky noises.

She would be so proud of you.

You tell us daily that she is sitting on the puffiest cloud in the sky watching over you.

I have no doubt.

 

 

Taylor looks up to you so much!

I know it annoys you that she wants to be just like you.

She is smart. I wish parts of me were more like parts of you, too.

 

 

Your dad and I talk about your future a lot.

You are a smart cookie!

We want only the best for you.

You can be whatever you want!

 

 

I never knew a kindergartner could be so trendy :o)

I think it is adorable how you love peace signs, hearts, and sparkles.

You definitely have your own likes!

 

One thing I could do without at times is that attitude.

I know you try hard and I appreciate it.

You are a true red-head!

 

 

Jaden, you have made me proud to be your mom.

You are smart, funny, caring, creative, everything I ever dreamed you would be.

You make my life enjoyable.

 

I love you more than the universe!

Happy birthday, sweet girl!

Cute for a Cause

Miss Jaden has been growing her hair out for a whole year.  She got it cut off last year around her birthday.

April 12, 2012

Since then, she had decided that her goal was to get her hair to her butt and then get it all cut off to donate to Locks of Love.  Well, the day came.  Her hair wasn't yet at her butt, but it was past the middle of her back.  I made her an appointment and last night, she went for a cut!

BEFORE

She had to have her hair braided for donation.

Then, the braids were cut right off!

She is so excited to send her hair in to be made into wigs for kids without hair!

Next, She had her first ever salon washing.

After a little touch up and shaping...

...and some drying and styling...

AFTER

She was good to go!

This morning, we got it stacked in the back and styled for her birthday celebration at school!

SUPER cute!

I'm so proud of her for wanting to do this. It was all Jaden's idea to donate her hair. Such a sweet girl :-)