I dont understand

I don't understand why people worry so much about what other people think about them. They worry so much to the point where they don't care if they hurt other people trying to make someone else happy. Whoever the "in" person is, that they have to impress. I've done it, and I know I have, but now that I stopped worrying so much I realize that it's a waste of time. If people don't like you for who you are, and without you changing anything about yourself, are they really worth being friends with? Do you really want friends that make you change into the person they want you to be? Why don't you try and make friends with people who are already like you so you don't have to change. Life is stressful enough without having to worry about what people think about you. Life would be a lot easier if people weren't afraid to be themselves and they stopped feeling like they had to prove themselves to other people.

Change

Change is a very scary thing, yet it brings good things with it. Being a military wife brought lots of changes so many times. I know a lot of people who are going through big changes in their lives, whether moves, having new babies, leaving friends behind that are holding them back....there are many different kinds of changes. I don't think any of them are bad. When God closes a door he opens a window. Life will bring more things, you may think it's bad and will never get better, but things do get better. There are so many opportunities you can do for your life. Things won't change unless you decide to let them, and when you finally do and open your hear to the change you're realize it was for the best. Moving so many times has been hard, I've left behind a lot of great friends, though we try to keep in touch through our busy lives, but it also has allowed me to see a lot of great places I probably never would have traveled to. And I met a lot of great people. Yes not all the times were great, and not all the friends were great friends, and not all the places we moved to we liked, but you have to look at the good side instead of always the bad. I don't know why people always look at change as a bad thing. Yes it's scary and it's hard leaving all the things you "know" in the past, but it's also an adventure and it really could end up being the greatest thing to happen. Like having a new baby. Nothing could change your life more, but it's one of the most amazing things that could ever happen to a person. It makes them see life a whole new way. Taking a new job is scary too, but it could be a great opportunity too. So I say we should embrace life's changes and see where they take us. Even if it turns out to be a mistake at least you tried right?

Memory

With my oldest coming up on his 5th birthday in a couple weeks I wanted to do a flashback of the day he was born. 7:00 am.....the morning of the 19th of April, the contractions start. They are just the braxton hicks contractions I kept telling myself. They'll go away. So I decide to take a bath. I know I'm crazy, but even if I can't see my legs I still want them shaved if I'm going into the doctors. My hubby has to help me out of the tub because I'm no longer capable of getting up by myself. So after getting contractions for 8 hours and they didn't stop we decided to go to the hospital. The contractions are about 4-5 minutes apart and they hurt so bad I can't move when they come. So I get to the hospital and they get me in a room. They settled me in and gave me an epidural. I was hurting so bad I knew I wanted one. (kudos for any woman who goes without one let me tell you that). They epidural guy joked that I could name the baby after him. An epidural is a miracle let me say that. I felt so relaxed and could actually enjoy labor. So they measured me and I was at 4. They told Steve he could go get some food or something because it would be a little while before I would be ready to push. So Steve left to go get himself some dinner. They checked me while he was gone, and it turned out that I was ready to push. So the minute he gets back there are doctors wandering around everywhere getting things ready. So he doesn't get to eat and 4 pushes later and little Sean pops out. It was actually so easy because they gave me the epidural strong because they thought it would be a while, but since it was so fast the epidural covered all the pain completely. I remember them giving me a shot in the leg after for some reason and I couldn't feel it at all. I remember Sean was so purple and slimy, but I thought he was the most beautiful baby in the world. The feeling of becoming a mom for the first time is something you will never forget. And when they wrapped him up and handed him to me I broke down and started crying. He was so tiny. Yet he was a big baby. 8 lbs .6 oz. I remember the doctors joking that he couldn't have been my first baby because I handled it like a champ, and made it look so easy. But I was in labor for 12 hours, if you count the contractions starting at 7 am, he was born a couple minutes before 8 pm. It was so amazing though. I don't think I slept a wink that night, I was so worried about him getting up to eat, and I was listening to him breathe the whole time, and I checked him to make sure he wasn't cold or too warm. I just kept thinking all night, I can't believe that beautiful baby just came out of me......I can't believe I'm a mom. Well the years went by fast, yet the days seemed slow. Restless nights full of feedings, and diaper changes. He didn't sleep through the night till he was over a year old, and by then I was expecting baby #2. But he was a great baby. Every day was entertaining with him. He's about to turn 5 now and I wonder where the time went. He's such a little grown man and he amazes me every day. He's got the new "I don't need my parents" attitude, and sometimes it's heartbreaking to see. He'll be grown and out on his own before I know it so for now I'm going to enjoy letting him be a kid.

Strangers

I recently had a conversation with my kids about strangers. I didn't really have a choice because I was in the other room and the kids were at the table eating lunch. All of a sudden I hear "Hello?" from some guy. I run into the other room and it's the apartment handyman to fix the window blinds. He told me that my oldest boy let him in. The door was locked with the dead bolt, but he opened it and just let him in. I didn't hear him knock. So we sat down that day and had a talk about strangers, and that you should never answer the door, they should just come and get mommy or daddy if they don't hear them knock. Well today I found out that it worked. I was in the other room getting dressed, I heard the knock, and then I heard footsteps running towards my room. They both ran to tell me that someone was at the door. It's a scary subject to talk to your kids about, that some people out there aren't good guys, and that not everyone is ok to talk to. But even though it's a scary subject for the kids it is important they know about it. Mine now know that when we are out in public it's not ok for them to be where they can't see us because someone could take them. I taught them what to do if someone does take them. It's better safe than sorry. My boys are smart boys and they caught on really fast with what they can and can't do. Strangers are a scary and serious subject.

A day in my life....

6:30 am.....baby wakes you up, he knows the Wiggles starts in a little bit so he's up and ready for the day. Usually he'll sit and play in his bed for a few minutes before he gets upset. 7:00 am....the Wiggles.....give the baby a bottle and he's happy for like 5 minutes, but then he'll want baby food. So feed him while he constantly shoves his hands in his mouth and makes a huge mess of baby food all over the place. 7:30 am....finish feeding him and clean him up, his high chair, and toss his outfit in the dirty clothes because it's probably covered in baby food. Hubby leaves for work. 8:00am...between now and 8:30 the other two kids wake up and the house is no longer quiet. 8:30 am....breakfast time......the kids change their minds 3 times what they want for breakfast, so just decide for them and then argue with them that they need to eat their breakfast. 8:45 am.....remind them 5 times to eat and not play. 8:50 am.....clean up something that was spilled because they were playing....usually their glass of milk. 9:00 am....walk down to the gym with the kids, they are actually really good there, they bring their video games and a few toys, and the baby likes the noise of the tredmill so he usually just sits and watches it. 9:30 am...walk home and put the baby down for his first nap. He usually sleeps till about 11:30 so the other two kids usually watch a movie so I can work on homework since I'm going to school full time. I also have to squeeze a shower in then or I won't get one till after hubby gets home from work, I have to throw laundry or dishes in, and pick up the house. 11:30 am....baby wakes up, the other two get hyper, and they play while I figure out lunch. Baby gets lunch first, then the older two. Sometimes I get to eat a few bites too in between getting more ketchup for one, or a drink for the other. 12:30 pm.........we go for a walk to get out of the house because the boys are so hyper being cooped up in the house is not an option. 1:00 pm-2:30 pm........different every day, some days we watch movies, or play, or color, or go swimming.....just whatever we feel like for the day. 2:30 pm......baby's second nap time. Boys watch another movie or on the rare occasion take a nap themselves. (usually like once or twice a month). Homework, chores, and look for what's going to be for dinner. 4:00 pm.....baby is up and it's off for another walk, this time to the mail box, and the sprinklers usually kick on so the kids play in those for a while. 4:30 pm.....start dinner. 5:00 pm......hubby gets home. Dinner time (first the baby, then the rest of us while he plays in his jumper). 6:00 pm........Either a trip to walmart, or we take the kids outside to play. 7:00 pm.......bath time........usually some of the water stays in the tub and doesn't end up on me or the floor. 7:30 pm.......calm down time. Hubby plays with the kids, I do dishes or pick up toys, or make beds and get them ready for bed. Pj's get on all the kids. 8:00 pm.....bedtime for the older two. Get them water, read them each a book, for the next half hour fight with them 3 or 4 times to get back in bed "no you can't have another glass of water," or "it's his video game, take turns......" 8:30 pm......little man goes to bed (a lot easier than the other two who are still awake and still finding excuses to come out of their rooms). 9:00 pm.......they are usually all fast asleep by now, and I've been folding laundry since 8:30, and finally got the dishes done. Then I have to decide homework, or sleep. Usually it's sleep. Average: 5 time outs a day 3 snacks 2 or 3 movies 1 broken toy 2 things spilled 6 fights over who's toy is who's. 10 kisses and hugs 100 smiles and laughs 20 "I Love You's" 10 Thank you's 5 crying fits 10 times where I have to yell at them to listen 30 bathroom trips 2 battles over who gets to brush their teeth first 3 "Please can I have a fruit snack?" 6 games of one sport or another Even though things are crazy, and usually stressful it makes it all worth it when you see those kids smiling and when they are finally sleeping and the end of the day you know you did a good job. We squeeze family time in and lots of fun things so I know the kids love us and they have a ton of fun every day. I might not do it the way other mom's do, but that's ok. My kids are happy and healthy. On a day like today with mommy sick I'm sure there will be more movies and tv than most mom's think is appropriate, but that's ok too.

A Good Mom

I've been giving it a lot of thought lately about what it takes to be a good mom. I hear people always arguing saying what a "bad" mom someone is, and I've heard people complimenting others saying they are a "good" mom. So are there real guidelines to being a "good" mom? Are you a "good" mom because you choose to stay at home with them, or because you go to work and provide for them? Is it because you put them to bed at a decent time, or because you let them stay up with you to watch that show they've been dying to see? Is it because you buy all the best organic foods and only give them the best, or because you let them pick out the cereal with the fun cartoons on the cover? Is there are real guideline? Or is being a good mom just a matter of opinion? Do you make them eat their veggies and 3 square meals a day, or do you make their faces light up once in a while and take them to McDonald's? Is it about safety and health, or fun and love? Or does it have to be a balance of all of it? Is it about spoiling them with lots of toys and activities? Or is it about teaching them the value of money and making them earn their toys? It's funny isn't it? Just because you raise your kids a certain way, and people call you a good mom, someone completely opposite of you could be raising their kids different and they are considered a good mom as well. Personally I think I'm a good mom, but I honestly couldn't tell you why. I just know that I love my kids and I do what I think is best for them and try to make sure they have a safe and happy childhood. So being a "good" mom is important, but the way we all be "good" at it is different, and that's fine. Our kids love us the same no matter what.

cookie

Things Kids say that you should give them a cookie for: 1.Mmmmm.....dinner is really good mommy. 2. I love you mommy. 3. I did it all by myself! 4. Mommy, can I PLEASE have a cookie. (hey they said please) And (my favorite) 5. Mommy.....Daddy messed up again....he was wrong. (you have to love kids, they're so honest)