Right Now ...

I should be cleaning up my messy messy -- God, if someone other than a family member walked in right now I'd crawl into a hole and die -- house.

Truly. It's kind of disgusting.

But, I had to race out the door as soon as I put Landon to bed so that I could get my grocery shopping done before they closed. Then, of course, I had to watch American Idol, which I DVR'd. And now, if I'm going to stay up until midnight, it sure as heck isn't going to be cleaning. You know what I'm saying?

Really, I'm not as terrible of a housekeeper as I sound. Or am I?? Frankly, I don't even care. All I know is that spring has SPRUNG!! We made it through winter (I think)! Tanner has a slight sunburn on his face from being outside ALL. DAY. LONG. My windows are open and my house smells like sunshine and fresh air.

And I feel like a new woman.

AMEN. I'm goin' to bed.

Couponing and the Couch Potato

I'm very disappointed in my blogging as of late.

However ... instead of taking responsibility for it, I'm just going to blame it all on Shelby. That's right ... it's completely her fault. You see, she wrote this awesome tutorial on super-couponing a few weeks back and ever since I've been spending most of my "computer" time pouring over these money-saving websites:

Hip2Save
Totally Target
Mashup Mom
Krazy Coupon Lady

And even though, I'm not as good at all of this as Shelby, I'm pretty proud of all the money I've been saving lately! I saved $125 on my grocery bill just this week! Just to warn you -- I hope it's not too late -- do NOT visit Hip2Save unless you want to become an addict just like me. I'm such a STALKER!!!


Anyways ... I have been doing other things besides stalking deal websites.

I've been watching American Idol.

And Dancing with the Stars.

And Modern Family.

And Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice.

Oh ... and Season 1 of Big Love from Netflix.

Can I blame all of that on Shelby, too? Hmm ... probably not.



Still, I PROMISE that I haven't been just sitting in front of the computer or television all day long. We've been playing outside and spending lots of time with friends. Tanner is still blossoming in school. He loves it and I am always so excited to pick him up and see his smiling face. He has really been behaving well at home lately and I am so thankful. He is such a fantastic big brother to Landon. I just can't get over how kind he is to him and how often he includes him in his play. Landon is a lucky guy, that's for sure!



Speaking of the little guy ... he turns one in just two days. I can't believe it! Where has the year gone? I remember going into labor and delivering him just like it was yesterday. What a complete joy he's been in my life! He still isn't walking, but moves around so FAST and is into anything that could possibly make a mess or be dangerous. He's so rough and tumble and completely fearless. He really reminds me a lot of his Uncle Pat in personality and action. I can't wait until the two of them can meet!

Well, I'm off to relax a little bit (in front of the tv) before I head off to bed. Here's a little video to help you start your weekend with a smile. He's such a stinker.

Heat Wave

Oh yes, you read that correctly.

It's been almost 60 degrees here for the past few days and we are finally starting to thaw out! There are toys strewn about the backyard and we have already spent a few afternoons at the park and even had a picnic. Never mind that it's supposed to snow again this weekend! Our windows were open for most of the day yesterday, and even though it was a tad chilly inside, the fresh air felt and smelled amazing. We can't wait until the warm weather is here to stay!

My mission is to get this little guy walking before then,

and to stock up on plenty of "bubble juice" to keep this guy happy for the summer.

Oh, and a fabulous bikini body for me would be nice, too.
But, I'm not going to hold my breath.

Thank Goodness ...

... for preschool teachers!!

Especially the ones who already have 4 kids at home, are pregnant with their fifth, and are still excited to welcome my little tornado into their classroom twice a week.

This class has truly been a godsend for the whole family. Tanner's happy to have something of his own to do. I'm happy because I feel much less stressed knowing I have a few hours each week to run some errands and do things that wouldn't otherwise be possible. Jon's happy to come home to a cheerful wife once again. And Landon's happy ... well, he's pretty much always happy.

Tanner and I are getting along famously these days. This may have a lot to do with the fact that he's sleeping better since we've gone back to locking his bedroom door at night and nap-time. Which, in turn, means that I'm getting better sleep, too! Just a little over a week ago, I couldn't WAIT to put him to bed each night. These days, I'm really enjoying that special time together. We talk, laugh, sing ... he showers me with hugs and kisses, then says "Goodnight, Mama!" as I shut the door. I'm completely aware that this could be related to the whole preschool/sleeping better thing ... or not. We could just be on a high right now, coming off of a super-long low. Parenting has those, too, you know, just like marriage does. Or, this all could be the result of Grammy's prayers -- that's what she says, anyways. And we know one thing ... Grammy is usually right!

Did I mention that Landon has been sleeping all the way until 6:30 or 7:00 each morning as well?? I know, I know -- that only took 11 months, right??!! Geez! This guy has really upped his game against me this past week. He is ALL OVER THE PLACE!!! Such a little monkey -- climbing on everything. We're still not sure how he got all the way up here:

and I have a feeling he's not going to tell us, either.

He's become SUPER cuddly after his nap each afternoon and I'm just soaking up every moment of it. If you've ever met Landon, you know that cuddly is one thing he's NOT. He's a mover and a shaker and doesn't like to be restricted to anyone's arms or lap. So, I'm totally lovin' all this unexpected lovin'! Especially since I know that as soon as big brother wakes up I'm chopped liver. I keep asking myself -- "How is it that he's already turning ONE??" What a bright spot he's been in my days this past year!

So glad to be back in a place where I'm lovin' time with my boys again! Thank you so much for all the encouragement! And keep the prayers comin', Grammy!

Progress Report

TUESDAY:
First day of school! Tanner was upset when he saw the bus drive by our house. He still thought he was going to be riding that thing to school!! When we got there, we waited with the rest of the kids and their parents outside of the classroom. As soon as the teacher opened the door, he ran right in and started playing. He barely even gave me a kiss goodbye -- I practically had to go in and beg for one! When I picked him up, the teacher told me he did great. She said it was like he'd always been a part of the class. YAY, Tanner!!




WEDNESDAY:
We had MOPS at church. Tanner whined all the way home:

"I don't WANT to go home! Take me to my class at SCHOOL!!! I want to go to my class!!"

"Sorry, honey. No school today!"

"Take me to McDonalds!!!"

Oh, geez ...




THURSDAY:
Second day of school.

"I don't WANT to go to school! I want to stay home!!!"

We arrive at school and Tanner slumps down in the hallway and won't go into the classroom. Goodness grief. I pick him up and take him into the classroom. We do a puzzle together.

"Okay, Mom. You leave. Gotta go to your own class."

Hmpff!

He receives another glowing report from his teacher upon pickup. I take the boys to McDonald's on the way home. The only one between school and home has a playplace, but it's new and clean, so I think it will probably be okay. (Why am I so stupid??)

Tanner climbs all the way to the very top. He sits on a platform at the top, whining for about 15 minutes that he's stuck. I ask a little girl if she would mind climbing up there to help him down. She helps him. He immediately climbs right back up to the same platform. Yes ... by now it's a full-blown scene. I strap Landon into his stroller, climb up that playplace holding my breath that there is no weight limit, and drag him down, kicking and screaming.

I try to put him down for a nap when we get home. After about an hour, he is still awake, so I go up to get him. He has destroyed the special Bible that Grammy got him for his baby dedication. I say a quick prayer for him, hoping he can still get into heaven.

Fortunately, our day improves from there. After all ... he did get a good report from his teacher, so I can't hold a grudge.

I Always Tell People ...

One of the best things about having my boys close together is that they truly seem to enjoy each others' company. I know this isn't always the case, so I consider myself pretty lucky in this area. Tanner has definitely had some, err, moments, during this crazy year of being two, but I have to say ... he is the BEST big brother a kid could ask for. When it comes to Landon, he is super gentle, sensitive, playful, protective, and loving. As soon as he sees his "little guy" he grins from ear to ear. (Okay, okay! I do, too! I can't help it!) At this stage in life, I can honestly say, they are the BEST of friends. And I pray every night that they'll continue to love each other this much!

They came up with this little game all on their own the other night:

What I'm Thinking ...

First of all, because he called all the way from Afghanistan this morning just to beg for more pictures, these are for you, Uncle Pat. We can't wait until you get home.

Now, are you ready for some rambling?

It has been quite a week. Last week just kind of stunk, actually. Tanner and I pretty much butted heads all day, everyday. I was irritable. He wasn't obeying. A recipe for disaster, I guess you could say. On Wednesday morning, he was up at 4:55 am. For. The. Day. By 9:00, we had eaten breakfast, cooked together, had a few timeouts, done a few projects, watched a few shows, had some snacks. And he was still whining at me. Finally, at 9:15, I locked myself in the laundry room and turned the dryer on to block out the noise. Tanner sat outside where the light switches are and flipped them on and off. Nice. I prayed. It went a little something like this:

"Are you there, God? It's me, Rachel. Here I am with my cup of coffee, which I've already had to microwave 16 times this morning. You've gotta help me here. Is it ALWAYS going to be like this?


Will he EVER obey me? I'm trying so hard. Please help me to be a good mom. You wanna know my worst fear? I mean ... you already know, but I'm gonna say it anyway. My worst fear is that he'll be the naughty kid in school. I KNOW ... it's so stupid! But I just hated the naughty kids in school and I don't want him to be one of them! Can you help me out here? Please? Otherwise, I just might stay in here all day, which wouldn't be good because Landon is climbing up onto TABLES and things now, and I don't want him to hurt himself. Okay, thanks. AMEN."



It turns out I had a playdate scheduled with another family at a children's museum nearby ... which was good, because it forced me to come out of the laundry room, get sippy cups and diapers together, wrestle socks, shoes, and coats on my kids, and leave the house.

God must have been listening to me because something good happened at the museum. I ran into another good friend who was picking her son up from the preschool that is housed in the same building. He goes to a special class for 2 and 3 year-olds. It's a drop-off program where kids aren't required to be potty trained. It's just 2 hours, 2 days a week. She had told me about the program several times before, but I have always dismissed it. Even though a lot of my friends send their children to programs like this, I've been very resistant towards it. I've always felt that the best place for Tanner was home with me. And I honestly think it was ... until about 3 weeks ago. And sadly, I think that now he needs something more. In some ways, that makes me excited for him. And in others, it makes me feel like a total failure.



I guess I had this vision that my home would be like a little classroom for my kids. Like a little preschool where we were always reading, singing, playing games, doing crafts and artwork. And as hard as I tried, between the mountains of laundry, all the nursing and diapers, cooking 3 meals a day and then cleaning them up, I just couldn't make it happen like that.

Anyways, this friend asked how we were doing, and I told her. She really encouraged me to look into this program. And I did. Tomorrow is officially Tanner's first day at "school." Since I signed him up at the end of last week, I have felt such a RELIEF. We have been getting along so much better. I have been appreciating him so much more. And I've been carefully planning what I'm going to do with TWO WHOLE HOURS and just one child.


Tanner, on the other hand, has been a little concerned about how he's going to be delivered to school. The bus stops right in front of our house each morning and he's always loved watching the kids get on. He's very worried right now that he is going to have to ride the bus to school and that he's going to fall and hit his head in the process. He wants to make sure that I hold him on the bus, that Daddy drives the bus, and that Daddy holds Landon ... while he's driving. Did you get all that? I keep reassuring him that Mommy is going to take him to school in her VAN, but he's not really getting it. Hopefully after tomorrow, he'll feel better about the transportation situation.




Are you still reading this? Wanna know what else is going on?

1) The other night during bathtime, little brother pulled the little lever that starts the shower. And the water hit big brother right between the eyes. Now big brother is freaked out during bathtime and constantly trying to jump out of the tub ... "NO!!! It's gonna RAIN!! It's gonna RAIN!!"

2) Little brother has watched big brother jump out of the bathtub so often that he wants to do it, too. So, he lifts his little fat leg up just high enough to propel him over the edge. He's like a little greased pig and it's all I can do to catch him before he hits the floor. Between the two of them, I'm constantly tossing SOMEONE back into the bathtub.


3) I had to start giving Landon formula about two weeks ago, which was kind of a bummer. Only because I made it 10.5 months and I really only had 6 weeks to go. But, I couldn't let him starve, so formula it is! And, I actually think he prefers the bottle. He even drinks it cold! He's so independent that I think he likes feeding himself instead of having to involve me in the whole process.

4) We've had enough of the early morning wake-ups from Tanner. His door is back to being locked at night now, and the whole family (Tanner included) is sleeping much better. My mom told me to tell him that the doctor said he had to have his door locked until he turned 4. I totally laughed at her when she said that ... "Ummm ... okay, Mom. Like THAT's going to work?" But, it did. I'll totally be using THAT trick again! Just wait until he knows what a POLICE OFFICER is ... then I'll really have some leverage!

Are you sick of scrolling down? Because I'm tired of writing. And I need to get to bed. After all ... tomorrow is a big day ... the first day of SCHOOL!!!