Sleep...It's Overrated!

Well I understand that with a new baby in the house it is hard to actually get really good sleep because they wake up through the night to eat. And that is fine, I knew I was signing on for that when we decided to have another baby. However, I did not expect my other children to stop sleeping once the baby arrived. The other kids are 4 & 2 and have been sleeping through the night for a long time. Now that we have Blake at home the other kids have decided that sleep is overrated. They are wanting to stay up all night long. Ruby's philosophy is that as long as they are not up until midnight they are ok, (not that she can tell time) so of course every night it is 10-11pm before they want to finally give in. If that hasn't made them grouchy enough for the days to follow, now Luke has decided that he wants to start getting up around 3am and come into my room. It wouldn't be so bad if he would just go back to sleep, but he tosses and turns and can't get comfortable and then he wants me to rock him. So we get up, go to the rocking chair and rock until we both fall asleep in the chair. Then once he's asleep again, I haul him back to bed for him to get up a few hours later and do it again. Between this and Blake waking up to eat every 3 hours, my sleep is really diminishing fast! Luckily this morning they have all decided to sleep in, ironically enough, I can't sleep! :) Oh well, guess I'll have to try and convince everyone to take an afternoon nap!

Not to overlook my little Farmer

Reading back over my posts I realized that I really don't write about Lucas much. It is not because I love him any less, but Luke is 2 and at that age where he is usually in trouble for either fighting with his sister or messing up things he is not supposed to be in and I just don't feel like writing about how much trouble my kid is in. But being the typical boy that he is Luke loves farming! I don't really know why he loves it so much since we don't actually live on a farm, but I guess the exposure he gets to Phil's dads farm is enough for him to be so obsessed with it. So now, I am always tripping over trucks and trailers filled with farm animals that we are hauling around from farm to farm. When my kids are actually getting along and Ruby wants to play farm with Luke he I get tto listen to intersting conversations such as this:

Luke: Ruby you want to play farm?

Ruby: Ok, but only if I can drive the truck.

L: No, I need you to watch the gate like Uncle Larry does. (this would be Phil's uncle)

R: Fine, I'll watch the gate and not let the cows out.

L: Yeah, don't let them get out or they will cross the road. I will drive the loader tractor and try to keep them in.

R: I am going to take the truck and trailer and haul the steers to Chuck's.

L: I have to scoop up this cow and move her to the barn by the bull. That bull is really mean and I have to use the loader tractor so he doesn't get us.

R: Yeah Luke the bull is mean. You should kill him.

L: Yeah I will shoot him.

So there you have it. Don't mess with my kids, if you are mean they will want to take care of business! Farming is such a rough lifestyle. It's a good thing Lucas and Ruby don't farm together often. :)

A Thanksgiving to Remember...

So, I am doing my first Writer's Workshop from Mama Kat's writing assignment. I chose to write about a Thanksgiving to Remember...or more like a Thanksgiving I will never forget, here goes nothing!

It was Thanksgiving Day 1990, I was 8 years old and as usual we had laoded up and headed over to my grandma's for our traditional Thanksgiving day festivities. My brothers and I were particularly excited about this Thanksgiving because not only were we going to get spend the day with all of our cousins outside playing football and tag, but this year we were bringing our new four wheeler along. That's right, dad decided that since we had the new four wheeler, we would bring it over to Grandma's and we could take turns driving it around the yard (my dad was really proud of his new purchase and I am pretty sure he just wanted to take it to show it off, but we'll say it was for us kids!) 

The day started off as normal, we went to Grandma's that morning with the four wheeler in tow, we played outside. (Both of my parents come from large families, 10 siblings each, so family things are huge for us. This also makes the age range quite far. For example, my mom's youngest sister is only a year older than I am. A little odd I know, but pretty common for my generation in this area. Anyways, now that you have that little bit of info...)

Since the four wheeler was around, two of my aunts and I decided to take it for a ride. The oldest one drove, I sat in the middle and the aunt who is a year older than me sat behind me. It was a fun ride. We took a ride down the road, turned around and started coming back. As my dad was walking out the door to get us for Thanksgiving dinner the day took a turn for the worse! My aunt thought it would be fun to try to go off roading, as she took the four wheeler through the ditch, she lost control and we all went flying. She fell in front of the four wheeler, I fell to the side and my other aunt fell backwards. They were fine, neither of them hurt, however where I was thrown to the side there was a telephone pole of course which I collided with knocking me out.

Dad ran down the road to help us out, my uncle brought the truck and before I knew it I was lying across their laps on the way to the hospital with them tapping my shoulders and saying, "Stephanie, stay awake." But I just couldn't do it! The next thing I remember was waking up under bright lights in the operating room. When I finally came completely to I found that I had broken my jaw and they had wired it shut. So needless to say that meant NO THANKSGIVING DINNER for me! That was tough and therefore makes it a Thanksgiving I will never forget!

Random Thoughts

Well today I don't have much to talk about, so here are some random thoughts I have been having...

Shots:
What to do about flu shots? No parent wants there child to get or be sick, but how can we be sure that injecting them with a shot is going to help keep them more healthy? How do I know that this isn't just something that pharmecutical companies use to increase their sales of vaccines? Afterall, no shot is 100% effective and your kids can still get sick, right? Well if that is the case then why bother with the shot at all? To be totally honest, the only reason I am considering it is because Blake is so little I just really don't want him to get sick, so if I can keep the other 2 from getting sick it will help us all out. Otherwise, to me sickness makes us a litle stronger, sure it gets us down for a few days, but then as we recover we appreciate being healthy. Then there is the chicken pox for example. Now they make every kid take a chicken pox shot before going to school, why? Our parents all had the chicken pox, we had the chicken pox and we all survived. Sure it was a few uncomfortable days for everyone and you had to fight to keep from itching, but after it was all over it was no big deal. Now they want to try to prevent any of this from happening. What is the point? So schools don't see a decrease in enrollment for a few days from kids being sick, so they can keep their government funding up. I see their concern, but don't think it is means to mandate a shot for everyone. Afterall, there has to be some long term effects to injecting all these things into your bodies.

Weather:
I haven't been outside for the last several days, partially because of the new baby and partially because I have had 2 other sick kids, but I am so jealous that I missed the last week/weekend of nice days and now as I look out the window it looks like it is raining and cold and winter is really starting set on. I am not ready for cold raining weather yet. That means more staying inside, more bundling up when we have places to go and more possibilities of sickness!!  YUCK!

Christmas:
It seems that Halloween has just ended and yet Thanksgiving is right around the corner, but all that people can talk about is Christmas! Typically I don't like to think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, great food, lots of friends and NO PRESENTS!! Don't get me wrong, I like presents as much as the next person and I like giving people presents when I know what to give people and feel that a gift is just for them. But it seems like anymore Christmas gift giving has gotten harder each year, I don't know what to get people anymore, even my kids. Its not like they need for anything!  Yet, this year from some reason part of me is looking forward to Christmas. I look forward to having a snow filled (only on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) season, making everyone slow down and take a little more time to enjoy family and friends. I look forward to visiting with others I haven't seen in awhile and hearing my kids amusement while they look out the windows at all the pretty Christmas lights. Hearing them get so excited about the talk of Santa Claus and when he will be visiting. Decorating the house and baking cookies, Christmas caroling all has me very excited for the season, I can't wait! However, lucky for me it will be here before I know it!!

Sickness & Selfishness

Well, we are at home now for week two with Baby Blake. He is still doing really well which is great. I wish I could say the same for the other two kids. Luke started with a fever on Sunday and finally stopped today, however Ruby started with her fever today. I have felt pretty guilty the last few days (like I made him sick) for Luke because he looked miserable and I could tell he felt miserable and there wasn't anything I could do. Nothing but sit around with him and try to rock him when he would let me and get him something to eat or drink when he was hungry. Otherwise I just had to sit and watch. And now it is starting again with Ruby. Poor kid started with a fever this afternoon and has done nothing but sleep since. She is usually my chipper, go getter who refuses to rest and now she can barely keep her eyes open for a minute before she falls back asleep. So, it looks like we will start again and I can continue to feel guilty for something I may or may not have had control over, hoping that I can keep Blake from getting the same thing.

And then there is the BIG DECISION that I need to make, to get the flu & H1N1 shot or not? This shouldn't be a big deal right. Should be an easy decision, right? Well it isn't for me. I hate to put vaccines into our bodies and not know any long term effects, however I also do not want for everyone to be sick all winter long either, especially with the new baby in the house. We have not really been a sick family, rarely in the past has either of my other kids been sick and when they were it was fairly short lived. However, since it is only the beginning of November and we are already starting with sickness I am more inclined to consider the shots. Call me selfish, but I really don't want to spend all of my sick or vacation days at home with children and I really want to avoid putting the youngest in the hospital. I have started going stir crazy already at home and that is just for the few days I have been home with the new baby. Don't think I could stay at home all the time.

So, I guess that tomorrow we will be going to the Health Department to try and get an H1N1 shot for the family and Friday we will be getting the family flu shots. Then we will see how the winter goes and hope that it is not a sick one. Keep your fingers crossed for us, I know that the shots are not 100% and will not keep you from getting sick at all. Hopefully everyone else will have a healthy winter also!

My Little Sponge

So last night we are in the kitchen making supper and Ruby as usual is full of stories for Phil and I. As she is sitting on the counter Phil asks her for his kiss for the day, because she hasn't given him one yet since he's been home. She agrees and afterwards the following conversation takes place.

Ruby: Dad, theres this this thing on Lores's TV the other day that you can do and never have to shave again.

Phil: Oh really?

R: Yeah, its called smooth aways and its this flat thing and you can just rub it on and then  you will never have whiskers or have to shave again. (She is rubbing her arms as she says this.)

P: So you think I should get that so I don't have to shave anymore?

R: Yeah, you should get it and then you won't never ever have to shave again and you can just use smooth aways. When I get bigger if I have whiskers I am going to get smooth aways so I don't have to shave ever.

As I sat there listening to their conversation I couldn't help but laugh. Just shows me that they really do pick up on what they see & hear whether you think they are paying attention or not. But  on the brighter side, she keeps me informed on all the latest infomercial products! Afterall, never shaving again does sound tempting!! :)

Day One at Home

So, yesterday we finally made it home from the hospital and started to get settled in. Ruby was determined to help bring the baby home, so Grandma Kristy was kind enough to bring her up to the hospital right as we were getting to leave so she could ride home with us. Luke was still at Grandma Nancy's, but met us in Effingham later also. So from there we headed out to see how Blake was going to like his new home. All in all it was an enjoyable afternoon evening. My Grandma Linda had warned me to have patience with the older kids once we got the baby home because they would be so excited that it may not be long before they are driving me crazy. :) Well good thing that Grandma Kristy was thinking of us and she sent home some new puzzles and play dough with Ruby, so that kept the older kids occupied for awhile making the transition a little easier. Later that evening was a little more of a challenge when Luke wanted to run around and ride his bike. Sometimes he gets a little too hyper for his own good and makes it hard to have the baby around. But we survived. Blake slept fairly decent through the night, we did get up several times, however that is to be expected with a new born. Hopefully over the next few weeks we will get into a routine and only be up a couple of times. That is our goal, we will see how it goes. Wish us Luck!! :)

It's a BOY!!

Ok, Ok, so we knew that it was a boy already, but he is finally here. Blake Philip Westendorf was born Friday, November 6, 2009 at 9:27pm. He weighed 7 lbs. 10 oz. and was 21 inches long. His siblings are soooo excited that he is finally here they couldn't wait to meet him.

Phil brought the kids to the hospital yesterday to meet the new little guy and Ruby was such a proud big sister. Lucas really didn't know the difference yet. He was impressed with the new baby for about five minutes and then was much more impressed with all the other high tech equipment the hospital has to offer! :)

Ruby on the other hand was extremely excited and couldn't hold the baby enough, she even had to come back with daddy later that night and help put Blake to bed (and herself actually, she fell asleep in the hospital bed with me, it was so cute.)

Anyways, everyone is doing very well. Here are a couple of pictures and we will keep everyone posted. Thanks for all the well wishes, they worked wonderfully!

MIC-KEY M-O-U-S-E

Happy Halloween Everyone! This is our practice run of costumes this year! Thought that I would still dress the kids up like I wanted while I can until they get to start telling me what they want to be! :)

The Scariest Mom

With Halloween right around the corner, I thought this was a good topic that Jill from Scary Mommy had the idea for. After all, some days I consider myself a pretty scary mom.

I wake up at 5:30am everyday (I have come to realize that I really probably should be getting up earlier to get where I need to go ON TIME, however just can't get myself to do so) to rush throughout the house trying to get myself put together for work. Many days I skip the makeup, hope that my hair is tame enough that I can just run a brush through it and still look presentable, and fumble through the pile of laundry in the basket trying to find the outfit with the least amount of wrinkles to throw on. I look in the mirror and realize that Yes, I probably should put a little more effort into my look, however end up with more of a "its good enough for what its for" kind of attitude. This is my pretty scary mommy look.

After finally getting myself somewhat composed, I go into the caves to wake the bears. This is a pretty frightening task somedays, afterall the bears tend to stay up later than they are supposed to and therefore have a hard time waking from their hybernation. After trying to arouse the sleeping creatures as nicely as possible (because at this time I am really running late), I finally give in and just start getting them dressed while they sleep. This does not set well with the beasts and I hear a lot of growling. After begging and pleading for the sleepy critters to come downstairs and tell me what they want to bring along for breakfast I begin to lose patience (because at this time I am beyond late). This is when I bring out my scary mommy voice.

After a long day of work, I get in my car and enjoy a quiet ten minute drive to the sitter to pick up the ones that I have missed all day long. As I walk in the door, I hear their voices of joy as they are so excited to see me and I to see them. I am surrounded by little people all wanting my attention to tell me how and what they have done all day. And then there is always one...one who feels the need to be the tattler. The one who always wants to point out every little thing that your kids have done wrong throughout the day. Now don't get me wrong, I know that my kids are not perfect by any means, however I do not need to hear everything that they may do wrong. Especially seeing as some of things they are being tattled on for are things that were provoked by other children. (Not that I am trying to justify this, but sometimes I think it is more standing up for themselves, than anything.) This does not set well with me and that is when I want to break out my scary mommy attitude. My love for my children becomes overwhelming and the protectiveness in me comes out. That is when it is just best to leave.

Once we are home and all is well again we begin our nightly routine. The children play, I make supper and the trouble begins. Between arguments over toys, dragging out every toy imaginable to leave it lay throughout the house, and running around screaming like wild animals my nerves are worn pretty thin. The Mr. calls home to see how things are going and I in my ever so mild temper say, "just peachy, a typical evening", to which he knows my patience are about lost. So he will try to chat with the children and convince them to behave until he gets home, which works for a total of five minutes and then it is right back at it. By the time my other half finally arrives home for the evening, I typically feel totally overwhelmed and frustrated, throw my hands in the air and say, "Their yours!" Bring the loving husband that he is, he takes the kids into the next room and tries to give me some peace and quiet. God Bless him! I could not make it as a single parent or else I would be a VERY SCARY MOMMY, one with no outlet for those very exhausting days.

And then there is my final scary mommy moment of the day when it comes to the ever so fun bedtime. As I stated before, the little tikes really do not like to go to sleep at night. In fact they will think of about every excuse possible to get them out of it and finally just exhaust me to the point that I loose all control and throw them (not literally, although sometimes I feel like it) into bed, shut the door and listen to the screaming. "I DON'T WANT TO GO TO BED!" "I WANT MY DADDY!" "I AM SCARED!" All which break my heart as I listen to them in the next room sobbing because I had to once again be the scary mommy!

Terrible Twos

They call it the terrible two's...I don't know who coined this phrase, but I would like to know what they have to say about the three's. I have a two year old who is about to be three and a three year old who is about to be four. Right now I am in the debate of which is worse, the two's or the three's. My two year old seems to be getting more and more mischievious as he gets closer to three and my three year old seems to be getting more and more whiney the closer she gets to four. They both feed off of each other which makes both situations worse, so it really is a close call! Hopefully we will have a FABULOUS FOUR and a TERRIFIC THREE soon, but I'm not holding my breath!

5-4-3-2-1 The Countdown is on!!

It's official...I have finally started the countdown for my due date. The pregnancy of my third child has seemed to fly by a lot faster than with the first two, however I am now to the point where the countdown is on! At 35 weeks I am to that point of uncomfortable fatigue, the point where by the end of the day you find it hard to function. I have not been sleeping well at night and my ankles look like softballs. So, although I want everything to continue to go well and know that I have five more weeks of feeling this way, I still must say that I am ready for it to go by quickly. Not that I can complain because over all it has gone by quickly and before I know it I am sure the baby will be here and it will be time for the holidays. Then I will be wishing that time wasn't flying by so quickly! So I guess I'll just sit back and try to enjoy as much of this pregnancy that is left as I can and try to hold off on the countdown.

And they call him the streak!

What is the fascination with 2-3 year olds and being naked? My children, no matter how cold outside feel the need to strip off their clothes and run around naked. Its like nothing makes them happier than to be free! I finally decided it is not worth the battle to try to keep clothes on them and to just go with the flow. So now, they get their "naked" time (I do have the rule that they must keep their underwear on, for all of our sakes) each evening and I have one less battle to fight. I just hope this is only a phase!! The funny part is that the entire time Ruby runs around playing without her clothes, all she talks about are the pretty dresses she is wearing and how good she looks. You would think all the dress up clothes we have to play in would be more fun, but apparently its more fun to pretend!

Dibs on Top Bunk!

I had several family members that were camping for the weekend, so we took the kids and went to visit. It was a beautiful day out and we got to have a lot of fun with the kids. Since it was their first camping experience it was quite interesting. Ruby was very intrigued by the campers, once we arrived she had to get a tour right away. As my aunt was showing her around she looked in amazement and said, "you even brought your kitchen with you?" It was quite comical. Then she saw the bunk beds and that is where she wanted to be....top bunk. So for the rest of the day she begged me if she could spend the night so she could sleep on the top bunk. When it was time to leave I made sure she was really wanting to spend the night and she assured me she was, so we went home and left her with her new found friends. When she got home the next morning I asked her if she was able to sleep on the top bunk and she told me she had to sleep on the couch bed because Mikaela was crabby! :) You gotta love the things kids will say.

Finally the weekend!

I'm so glad that it is finally the weekend. Even though it is a sad weekend, the last major holiday weekend, signifying summer is over. However despite the sadness I will feel that the summer is gone and we are now going to be starting with shorter days and less light in the evenings, I am happy that we have quite the eventful weekend. Tonight we are going to watch Phil play softball in the National Tournament, tomorrow a wedding, sunday camping and then Monday catch up! It should be a weekend filled with fun time with the kids and ending the summer season with a bang!! I am really looking forward to it.

Please don't Pee your Pants!!

Have you ever had one of those moments where you really have to go to the bathroom, but you are on a mission and think I'll be fine. I just need to run and pick up this one item and then I'll hit the bathroom on the way back. So you are zooming through the store scanning for what you need, and suddenly you see aunt so and so. "Oh Hi, how's it going?" Only you really don't care how its going because by now you really, really have to pee and your calculating where to find the nearest rest room. So finally you wrap up your conversation with "well, I better let you get going" and your back on your way. At this point in time you are walking as briskly as possible without breaking into a run to get to the bathroom. YES, there it is, the big sign that reads restroom, you are almost feeling better already, when wait a minute, what is this......NNNOOOOOOO!!! They have the restrooms closed for cleaning! How can this be? One of the few times you actually need to use the facility and now they want to close it?? Luckily as you approach the janitor steps out of the bathroom and notices the panicked look on your face. He gives you one of those, you look like you really need in here looks and lets you in. GOD BLESS YOU MR. JANITOR!! Not only for keeping our restrooms clean, but mostly for taking a break so somebody doesn't pee their pants!