Happy Birthday Spike!

I want to keep this short on text and heavy on pictures.  So we took Spike to Rick's Bakery and the Springdale Aquatic Center today.  He went to town on the cupcake and ate the whole thing.  Everyone at Rick's loved watching him go at it.  We had never been to the aquatic center before but will go again.  It was fantastic for small kids.  I may have to change my wish of Springdale sinking into the earth now that it has something useful. 

Sweetie Boy

That is the nick name that my mom keeps trying to give Max.  Neither he nor I like it, but I can see why she calls him that.  Max is the sweetest boy I have ever known.  He has been adorably sweet to me the last few days as I have lain in bed.  He prays for me, gives me his stuffies for company and is constantly asking if I need anything.  His concern for my well being is so genuine, it's refreshing.  I won't say that he hasn't been struggling these last few weeks without preschool, he has.  (I have even been shocked and embrassed by his behavior at a few friends houses lately.)  So it has been nice to see the sweet side of him again.  It is a reminder to me of who he really is and that the other problems we have are just growing pains. 

Some Max Info.
He is currently into the Avengers.  That is his latest obsession, although he still likes Spiderman and the occasional Star Wars. 

He starts school August 1st.  (Year round all day kindergarten.)

His best friend is Andrew and we have to keep reminding him that if Andrew doesn't want to be hugged then don't hug him. 

He is a fairly good eater for a kid.  He eats more veggies then Jeff, and will usually try anything.

No he doesn't read, but this is cause I am a lazy parent.  But hey atleast I won't be annoying and talk about how bored he is in Kindergarten. 

We have a chore chart for him now and he can earn a dollar a week with the possibility of another for extra chores. 

He switches between saving up his money to visit grandma and grandpa Tobler on their farm and saving up for Lego Batman II  for the playstation.   

He always wants to talk to Grandma and Grandpa Tobler on the phone for a few min. then loses focus and hands the phone back to me.

He has this awful face he makes for pictures.  He does this weird eye squint thingy that reminds me of Chandler on the episode of Friends where they get their engagement pictures taken. 

When he draws any person he gives them a large circle in their center.  So I guess he sees everyone as potbellied. 

He always wants me to play with him, and yet he never wants to play with Mae.  He hates having her come into his room.  Their three year age difference is really starting to show.  I don't know if school will help or hurt this. 

He encourages me to exercise.  He always wants me to start the program but loses interest within two min.  He is good about coming in sporatically to tell me i'm doing a good job. 

He is a great first kid that spoiled us into thinking parenting is easy.   If it weren't so we wouldn't have had the others.

Checking In

Ooof what a week.  So the house is offically on the market.  Anyone need a house in Bella Vista?  We really just want to be done with it.  The stress of fixing the place up has been pretty nasty this past week.  Jeff has been a real trooper going over there every night and staining the deck in 90+ degree weather.  We decided that Wednesday night we would get a sitter and go out since we would be done and ready for a break.  Wednesday started out pretty good, I dropped Mae off at therapy and went running at the gym.  When we got home it was so hot I decided to skip lunch and since I was feeling so good I decided to do a weights workout.  Well one to many dead lifts did my back in and I pulled something.  Oh the pain.  It hurt to move at all, but luckily it didn't hurt to just lie competely still.  I couldn't move but I did have my cell phone within reach so called my friend Jill and had her get me a sitter pronto!  (This is the ONLY good thing about summer, lots of teenage girls around with nothing to do.)  The downside is that both of our regular sitters are out of town this week.  So Jill made it over about 40 min later with a sweet eleven year old girl, (I think this was her first sitting job.)  The kids did pretty well all things considered.  Luckily the only reason I did the weights was because Spike was napping and he only woke up about 15 min before Jill got there.  Jeff came home that night and poor guy took care of things.  He was really looking forward to a break.  I was in so much pain that I was screaming anytime I had to move.  Jeff found some old pain meds from having Spike and a heat pad which helped me sleep.  I was able to crawl with pain to and from the bathroom.  I was so worried that I would wake up in more pain, but luckily that was not the case.  I felt better and was able to sit with little pain.  We had a sitter come that morning and she was great.  Jeff stayed home that afternoon and took the kids out.  I was even able to shower that afternoon, cause if you noticed that was two workouts yesterday and no shower.  Ug.  I think that even bothered me more then the pain.  Oh yeah and did you notice that I mentioned no lunch on Wed?  Yeah well I was too embrassed to ask the young sitter to get me something to eat so I ended up not eating anything at all since my seven a.m. bowl of cereal til 5 when Jeff came home.  The hunger actually did work to distract me from my back pain.  Today I am up and about somewhat.  I can walk, but lifting and carrying Spike hurts a lot.  It doesn't help that he is extra fussy.  Anyway, I am grateful for my friends and as always for Jeff.  I am grateful that I didn't throw my pain meds away and grateful that I healed more quickly then anticipated.  I hope to be all better for Spikey's birthday tomorrow.  I have big plans and I plan to blog more this weekend and make the blogs a bit more positive.

well snap!

It would seem stress works for me.  I getting ready this morning and decided to do a little weigh in.  Five pounds gone in the last week and a half.  At first I assumed the scale needed to be zeroed, but nope.  That brings me to less then before Spike and almost to before Mae.  Not too shabby.  Now I just wish that I had watched what I ate more last week.  May was a bad month for my dieting between my birthday, mother's day, and the baby shower I threw.  Last week  I joined a gym near Mae's therapy so I get in some extra runs twice a week.  I also started the Chalean Weights again, and can I just say how much I love this program.  It feels great to do push ups and weights again.  Inspired by my cousin Joe and his wife, Teriney, Krista are going to do a Warrior Dash in Vegas for her birthday this October.  I am excited to run through mud and jump over fire.

It Was Just Her

So after taking a break from potty training at the end of last week and then starting it up again today I can say that it was the potty training that drove me over the edge last week.  I am not sure what exactly to do because she wants to sit on the potty but just isn't getting it.  No before I get any comments let me say that it is waaay more complicated then that but I don't want to spend the time typing the whole situation.  Basically yes, I have tried everything.  Jeff and I agree that at the point the only thing to do is just let her go if she wants to but just otherwise ignore it.  Easier said then done, and of course sends up a lot of sanitary flags.  But I am not gonna tell her not to go cause I know that would just come back to bite me.  The house is coming along slowly.  Anyone need a house in Bella Vista?  It is a really good price.  New carpet.  (Just love paying for new paint, carpet, deck stain, and gardening for someone else.)

Short Fuse

I do know what is wrong with me.  For the last four days I have been totally out of wack, quick to anger at the littlest, stupidest things.  Most of the last four days have been spent going from screaming at my kids for silly/minor infractions to lengthy internal debates of what my problem really is.  Am I depressed?  Do I need a break?  Churching up?  Medication?  I don't honestly know.  I do know I have had a nasty cough for the last week and am a bit stressed by Mae "potty training," as well as getting the house ready to sell.  But I don't really feel that these together constitute an excuse for the absolute awful way I have been treating my kids. I think the worst part is I don't see any end in sight or any way to make it stop.  Long prayers have done nothing.  I just feel stressed and desperate.

Happy Thoughts for the Weekend

Spike is working hard on solid foods, cups, and standing. 
Mae has moved up to her big girl bed.  She looks so small in such a big bed.  I love that she is using the same bedding my parents bought me in middle school. 
Max keeps referring to Mae as his nemesis.  We have started a chore chart for him and it seems to be helping his boredom.  He is saving up his money to go visit Grandma and Grandpa on the compound. 

Jeff started his new job this week and is loving it.  He is now at the Walmart Home Office instead of working in their Information Systems Department.  I picked him up to run an errand today and he pointed out the turnstiles.  I asked him if it made it feel more like Disneyland and he said yes.  I wonder how long that will last?  Jeff and I celebrate 9 years on Monday.  I can't believe it has been that long.  We will go out for a bit tomorrow, and then the rest of the weekend will be spent trying to get the other house ready to sell.

What gets up

can't get down.  Spikey decided to celebrate his 11 month mark by pulling himself up to standing.  He can't figure our how to get down yet.