Sleep is under valued

You know how you read tricks and tips about how to loose weight in magazines all the time.  Every once in a while they will throw in get enough sleep.  The main reason sited, I have found, is when you are well rested your more appt to exercise and eat right.  Let me put that into easier terms to understand.
When you are living off of 5 hours a night or less cookies look better than carrots.  Making a healthy meal takes more energy than grabing a 5$ pizza for dinner.  Your dog is your annoying sidekick that you want to kick because she keeps getting underfoot instead of being your motivation and workout buddy.  Your children stressing you out is an opportunity to crack open your stash of chocolate chips instead of using your yoga breathing techniques.  The resistance training you are willing to do is dig around a quart of moose tracks ice cream with a spoon looking for the chocolate chunks and peanut butter cups.  So, the next time you are feeling cranky and fat take a nap first, then workout.  You'll thank me.

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Its a conspiracy

Why is it that all baby equipment takes different batteries? ??  Case in point:  I go buy AA, AAA, and D batteries.  Thinking I have everything covered I come home.  I open up his bouncy seat vibration thing and see the need for two batteries... C batteries.  Curses!  By the way, why are there no B batteries in exsistence?  Was that size inconvenient? 

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I am a traitor

Today was Charlie's two month check up.  After the usual weight and height business came the immunizations.  I am not a crier and have never felt like crying when my kids get shots.  Today was different.The nurse came into the room and had everything ready.  I held Charlie in my arms, turned him to one side, and pulled up the pant leg on his outfit.  I did not watch as they gave him the shot but kept my eyes on his face and talked to him.  The pain registered.  His mouth became a cartoonish frown and his eyes spoke to me.  As they welled up with tears there was only one word in them: traitor.  I held my little man as he cried in betrayal and pain and almost apologized.

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I am a soccer mom!

And I love it!  Being the crazy mom that I am I signed Frank up for soccer this season and volunteered to be team mom.  Our team is amazing!  These kids play so hard and have a great time. Our first game was last Saturday.  Although we aren't suppose to keep score let's just say our team won.  I am of a slightly competitive nature so it was only natural for me to keep track of who scored goals.  Best play of the game: Frankie scored a goal.  He got a break away at mid field.  He took the ball down and kicked it into the goal.  Everyone cheered!  I was sitting down nursing.  I am sure I was quite a site yelling "go Frankie!  Go!  Shoot it! Yea!!!!!!"  He was so stoked!  "Mom, did you see that?" He yelled.  "You bet I did buddy!  Way to go dude!"  So, yea, good game.  I am super excited for the rest of the season.

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Gems from my first grader

From the mouth of babes comes truth, at least what seems to be logical and true in their eyes.  Recently, my son Frank, has given me some gems to remember.  Here are a few of our conversations as of late.

One morning Frank and I were sitting at the breakfast table.  Charlie was still sleeping so I decided to hurry and get ready before I didn't get a chance to and ended up in my pjs all day.

Mom: I have to go get ready.
Frank: Yea, you need to put make up on. (ouch)
Mom: Why, do I need make up?
Frank: Yes, you need it to be pretty. (ouch, ouch)
Mom: So I don't look pretty without it?
Frank: No... yes... no... you need make up to be prettier. (nice save son)

Frankie started first grade this year.  He absolutely LOVES his teacher and talks about her all the time.  Mrs. Rice is a bit silly, which is what every first grade teacher should be.  The kids listen better to a little silliness.

Frank: Mom, Mrs. Rice (his teacher), can't have cocoa puffs.  Not a single one!
Mom: Oh, why is that?  Does she have diabetes?
Frank: No, she's old!
(I am so telling Mrs. Rice)

This last conversation was between Ollie and Frankie.  They were sitting at the table today eating a snack discussing juke boxes.  I have no idea how the subject came up but it did.  Frank was trying to explain to Ollie what the turn table did and what it played.

Ollie: Where does the music come from?
Frank: From these things called records that spin around.  That's what they use to call cds in the old days... records.

Oh how I wish I could carry around a recorder so I could capture all the nonsense.  I love it and know I will miss it when it is gone.

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You are stressing me out!

Quote of the day up there.  There are some days that is all I feel is stress.  I stress about getting the boys to school, stress about if my baby is getting enough to eat, stress about my photography business I left hanging etc.  I have learned how to let alot of that go but sometimes it creeps up on me.  Today I woke up to a baby with a snotty nose, diarrea and a fever.  All Charlie wants is to be held.  Awake or asleep, he must be held.  My boys are home all day and tomorrow and my hubby won't be back from shift till Tuesday.  As I type, my poor, sick little man is working it out in his crib because my arms and back are worn out.  He's not screaming bloody murder but no mom likes to hear a distress call from a sick child.  Five minutes kiddo.  Please, just give me five minutes.  I have noticed that when I am sleep deprived and stressed I eat.  If there are cookies in the house don't worry there won't be soon.  I walk by and instantly need that sweet uplift and energy boost (translation: sugar rush) that a cookie will bring me.  Most of the time I can resist the urge.  On a good day I'll consume one or two treats and usually it is after my kids go to bed.  It is my time to unwind and since I don't drink, I indulge.  On a not so good day, I snack on said treats rationalizing it is the only thing that I can grab quickly. (Charlie stopped crying... yay!) On a day like today... let's just say I have lost count of how many "rewards" I have given myself.  Stress eating is not something I am proud of and there are plenty of solutions that I can apply and have successfully done so.  There are just some days that I have to throw in the towel, grab two fists full of cookies and acknowledge that I will be back for more. (Ok, now he is just jabbering away between coughs.  Did I mention the nose??  Another round of saline for him)  Thank goodness tomorrow will be better. (He's crying again)  Mostly because I am going to go eat the last cookie we have so I can remove all temptation.

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