Keeping Busy

My nights and days are such a blur... the days are passing so quickly that I often think, "Wasn't that just yesterday?" only to look at the calendar and realize that a week has flown by.

I took and amazing girls trip with my mama up to Ikea (Cruz came too) and got some much needed shelving and inspiration. It was so much fun.

The kids got sick (again) so we did inside activities. This included the new art paper and scissors that I got at Ikea.

You can tell Ry isn't feeling so hot in this picture - but she had a great time using her new scissors.

And the new pens...

Kai had more fun decorating himself. But that's ok. He sure looked cute doing it. I think he has finally cut a new molar. I say "I think" because he won't let me feel in his mouch. But he was definitely NOT himself over the past few days. Finally today he is doing better and back to his sweet little self.

So Wednesday evening it was warm and the kids hadn't had a fever for more than 24 hours so we decided to go check out the pool. Our first trip to the pool as a family of 5. Wow... we took a lot of stuff!

Typical Ry... wouldn't look at the camera.

Kai Boy was afraid for some reason. I'm sure he'll be a little fish again in no time, but this moment... see his little hands holding onto Peter? I just had to capture those little hands. Too bad my P&S camera didn't have more zoom.

And here is Cruz. His first time at the pool. He did GREAT! He kicked and didn't fuss.

I'm totally excited and inspired to look toward the very near future... I have saved enough to rip out the carpet in the living room and put down wood. I just have to find the 'right' wood. I am pretty sure that I can make the living room look presentable and simple and actually have clients over.

I am hoping and prayingn and sending out vibes into the universe for Peter to get the TSA job he applied for. Once he gets it, I am going to put in an application to buy our house. Technically the house is my dad's... and it's on an interest only loan. I want it under my name and I want a 30yr fixed. The rates are so good right now. I HOPE it works. If it isn't the right time and we don't qualify, we still have time. But I am inspired.

I feel like such a busy person. Fortunately photography was good to me this month. What it holds for the future is always a guessing game, but I enjoy it so much. The kids have kept me crazy busy and I feel like I don't have enough attention units to provide to everyone. Sometimes I feel like I am on my very last nerve. Laundry suffers. Cleaning suffers. But I have spent some lovely time outside with them lately. I wouldn't trade that for anything!

Big

WOW. Cruz is so big. It's so funny that all three of my kids have stayed in the newborn stage for such a short time - actually they were all born big - so when I photograph a little 5 or 6 pounder it's like a foreign object to me.

Cruz will be 11 weeks old - not even 3 months - and I kid you not I put a 9 month old onesie on him today. The 6 monthers are all getting tight in the arms and crotch. I can't even believe how big he's getting so fast. We kid around that he'll be passing on clothes to Kai.

And it's not just Cruz either... Ryenne is on a spurt. Her 4t shorts are getting tight. Oh my! Healthy little growing eaters is what I got! But poor Kai.. he's still such a shrimp. A cute shrimp.

Ginger & Wendy

Me and the kids went to Gams and Pops' house this morning. As usual, we went hungry since we know that Gams cooks up some of the best breakfast on the planet. It was pretty comical while we were there, though. Kai threw up, made doo-doo, Cruz pooped on Gams, Ry had potty issues... it was funny for them to see my daily life of cleaning things that come out of both ends of my kids. Okay...sorry... too much info! haha

We also went over there to visit with Ginger and Wendy, the sweet cows that now live on the property. There are two new black cows now too, but they don't have names yet...

Couldn't have been a more gorgeous day!!

Wendy Cow

Kai Boy

I love this one!

Ry with Ginger & Wendy

Gams took Ry in the pasture to pet Ginger. It was SO COOL!!!

Gams held Kai Boy cause he wasn't feeling good :(

And lastly... Kupono the Pitt Bull who is in love with Ginger!

::Rain, Thunder::

Rain falls down and feeds the Earth
the smells fill my nose and tickle my senses
Rain feels of comfort and warmth and snuggling
the melody feeds my soul
Thunder shakes the walls around me
the sound brings hugs and comforting
Storms rumble through
to bring me back to serenity

the best medicine

In the past few hours I have:

~ heard Ryenne say, "G'morning mama. I love you"
~ gotten Kai out of his bed and received a giant bear hug from him
~ heard Cruz coo at me when I changed him
~ received a kiss from Kai just for giving him his favorite cereal

these little things truly are the very best medicine.

breakdown

Really rough day today. I don't know what's wrong with me... I am completely hormonal. The kids were really whiny today which helped push me over the edge. My face is totally breaking out in pimples and I hate it.

Cruz has grown out of every single newborn and 3 month outfit he has, so I went upstairs into my closet to check the bin of Kai's clothes to see what kind of jammies I could find for Cruz to wear. TOTALLY LOST IT. I was looking at the clothes and it just doesn't seem like that long ago that Kai was wearing them and I just started bawling right then and there. Like I'm not very sad, it was just a trigger to let go of everything I've been holding onto inside. Peter found me in the closet just totally loosing it. It felt good to cry like that. Maybe I'll do it again. I just feel so "off" today.

Swingset and Mother's Day

As promised... pictures of the kids on the new swingset! Only one of Ry. She had a meltdown and got sent on time-out.

Today is Mother's Day. I had a rough night last night with Cruz. I was hoping to sleep in, but Ryenne said, "Wake up Mama! I'm not going to tell you there's cards downstairs for you. And I'm not going to tell you the purple one is from me." She was so excited. How could I turn her down? So I got up.

I'll be perfectly honest and confess I was a bit miffed to wake up and see the table hadn't been wiped when it was my one request last night after I had done the dishes. So I cleaned that up and then sat down and opened a sweet card from each of the kids and from Peter. Ryenne made me a beautiful soap at school, too. I had to giggle because when I opened Peter's card, it was the same card that he got me last year. But really it's not what comes printed on the card that matters. It's what is hand written that is the most important to me.

I am having quite the morning though! Cruz has already thrown up on me, peed on me, pooped on me, and both Ry and Kai have each had a meltdown. 11am and I'm tired! Plus a little hormonal... my face has completely broken out in pimples and I want to hide under a rock.

It's up!

Today the swingset was completed!!! Kai gasped in awe when I showed him. He climbed up the rock wall and slid down the slide. Ryenne tried the monkey bars first. I took pictures... I'll post them up tomorrow.

Several people pitched in to make this project happen and I'll send emails individually to thank you. This will be the highlight of the summer!

at this moment...

Right now I am watching Kai put a blanket on his new baby brother. He is so gentle. He is giving him a kiss as he says "My baby." It is perhaps one of the sweetest things I have ever witnessed.

Big Boy

I took Cruz to his doctor today for his two month check up. He is HUGE. 13lbs, 6oz... falls into the 90th percentile. Height is on target at 50%. So I've got a little tubba-tubba boy. He sure is cute. He is cooing and gooing and smiling up a storm. He loves it when Peter holds his arms up and says, "I WANT CAKE!" - he thinks that's the funniest thing ever.

Small Kine Van Lust

I never, EVER, EVER thought I would say this:

I am having van lust. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Scion XB. It's sporty and cute and hip. BUT, I have 3 carseats crammed into the backseat and a stroller in the back. I went to go get Kai a basketball hoop today and I couldn't fit it in the car. I wish I could pick up mom and dad and we could all go cruise somewhere instead of having to take two cars. VAN LUST.

So I've run a few numbers. My *dream* van, the above Honda Odyssey Touring is just slightly out of budget (used of course). But a really nice, practically new Kia minivan with all the same features would actually be the exact same payment as I'm paying now for the Scion. Hmmmm.... lust, lust, lust.

Summer-ish!

The thermometer read 92 degrees today! Definitely popsicle weather! We headed into the backyard to enjoy some homemade popsicles and laugh and play.

Those eyes! Gah! I love her. She's got an inner and outer ear infection right now. She's not feelin' so hot.

Kai loves popsicles!

Cruz was smiling and enjoying being outside (for a while).

Then shortly after popsicle time and play I got to work making dinner. Cruz was hanging out in his carseat and the window light was PERFECT. Incredibly PERFECT. This has ZERO edits aside from resizing for the web.

And finally... dinner. It's my cheat day today so I can have whatever I want. So tonight was Linguine Alfredo! Homemade sauce. Pretty, huh?

Like Christmas Morning!!

My friend Katie and I are helping each other through a life change. We started about a week after Cruz was born and it's been fun and challenging to do this together. It's not a diet, it's not just weight loss, it's a total change for the better for our body and for our families. I've learned a lot about my threshold for what my body can take, what makes it feel good, and what is working.

The funny thing is that I thought life would get 100% more chaotic after Cruz was born. But actually, things have settled into more of a rhythm than before. Our new bedtime routine gives me enough time to concentrate on what my own body needs. Throughout the past 7 weeks, I have been doing walking, dancing, yoga, and cardio/weight training (all by DVD) while my monkeys sleep. My body is starting to change and it feels so good.

Friday's are our weigh in - just to see where we're at and to cheer each other on. This morning was like Christmas morning. I came in at under a weight that I haven't been at in YEARS. In fact, I'd venture to say that I could probably fit into my wedding dress... maybe I'll have to dig it out to check?

I'm also keeping an eye on my BMI - body mass index - It's still high, but coming down. I started at 40.8 and am now 37.6 (around 20 is considered healthy/normal).

Anyway, although I barely got any sleep last night, I am a happy camper this morning. I'm super excited to be feeling the way I do and to have a plan.

This is how we roll!

Oh boy! And it starts already...

Best friends Kai and Cruz ... just look at them! Cruz is already completely milk drunk - lost a sock already - and Kai is well on his way gulping down his purple rockstar milk bottle!

Talking!

The last few weeks Kai has been starting to express himself more and more with talking. But today took the cake! He was a talkative little boy today!

Today he said for the first time, "Juice Please" and I said "What?" and he said, "Juice Mama" of course it was in his little baby way that he said it but Peter heard it too. And he said, "Love you"... oh my heart melts!!!

Family of FIVE!!!

A couple weeks ago we met up with Christie, another photographer here in Austin. Christie and I had agreed on a trade and I photographed her beautiful family last year. I just got my disc in the mail today and enjoyed these images so very much. I have so few images of ME in them with the kids and with Peter. Such a beautiful treat!

It's refreshing to see my monkey's from someone elses point of view!

You ready for dorky??? I am so dorky!!!! Love it!!!!

all about Cruz

He is growing SO FAST!!!

I love it when he blows bubbles!

Peepers!!

POUTY FACE!!!!

Brothers & Sisters

This first photo is from about a week or so ago. We received a really nice box from our friends the Arakawa's back on Maui and they sent some clothes for each of the kids and some snacks. We left the kids alone in the living room for a few minutes and when we looked over the balcony, this is what we saw!!!

And this is what happens when two little boys have an older sister :) Check out that princess pillow case!!

Ry and Kai love taking a bath together. It's a night time ritual that they both love. I just love how they play together!

The Kai Boy face!!

Oh yeah!!!!

Day three of the new night time routine and it's going really well! YAY! I had a little resistance today but she caved and went right to sleep. YESSSSSS!!!! I hope I have a happy camper when she wakes up for school tomorrow!

Kai boy got a fever today. I've been giving him motrin but once it wears off it's back with a vengeance. I think he's staying home from school tomorrow. Poor boy. He has had his clothes in a plastic drawer thingy since he was born and today I bought him a big boy dresser. It's a lovely solid wood "manly" looking dresser - got it off Craigslist. It's really awesome.

Cruz is growing and eating, eating and growing. I need to take more pictures of him. His baby acne has totally cleared up and he's so alert! He is now smiling and he says "goo" when I'm really lucky.

It seems like my life is finally settling into a rythym. I have really been on a health kick since Cruz was born - an opportunity to change my body - and am learning to cook new things. It's been really fun. The kids are figuring out their rythyms of sleep time and play time (including Cruz) and I haven't been feeling AS sleep deprived (most days). Lots of fun is planned for this summer with the swingset in the backyard and we're planning on adding some Little Tykes play things back there - T-ball and basketball. Our little sanctuary where I don't have to worry about the kids running into the street.

Springtime is so beautiful in Austin. I just love that even on a trip to the grocery store I'm surrounded by amazing wildflowers and green trees. Certainly not the ocean, but lovely just the same.

A new routine

Two words to describe Ryenne: Drama Queen.

This child is soooo strong willed and she has started to get very manipulative. She uses my tiredness to get what she wants and I have decided to put a stop to this NOW.

One of her favorite things is to come downstairs after bath time and hang out with me and Peter. She loves this but she gets cranky when it's time to lay down. She also gets very annoying (overtired!) while she's downstairs with us. We've tried to make her go to bed early, but it's been so much drama that we've "let it go". I just can't do that anymore. She goes to bed so late that she's sleeping in until 9 or 10 in the morning and then it's hard to wake her up for school.

So last night we started the first night of our new routine. Bath time is at 7pm or so for Ry, Kai, and Cruz. It's a fun bath where they can actually play. After bath, we're all getting onto Ry's toddler bed and Ryenne and Kai each get to pick out a book and we read both. Previously, Kai went right to bed after bath and he's not gotten the benefit of hearing storybooks yet (bad mama!). After book time, it's bed time for Kai AND RYENNE.

Last night Kai wasn't interested in the books, but I read anyway. Ryenne always loves to hear stories. After we were done reading, I took Kai to his room and of course he went booty up right away (the boy loves to sleep!). Then I went back into my room where Ry's toddler bed is and I told her that it's bedtime and I tucked her in. I told her if she's quiet I'll leave the door open. I further explained that if she's fussy and noisy she still has to go to bed but I'll either spank her or kick her out of my room and make her sleep somewhere else.

You know what? She LISTENED. I was completely ready for a huge blow out fight with her trying to get her down. She was passed out by 8pm. I CANNOT BELIEVE IT!!! I'm sure it helped that Peter took Ry & Kai to play basketball for an hour before dinner but still... I was totally prepared for battle!

So Peter and I watched an episode of "V" off the DVR and then did a kick butt Jillian Michael's exercise DVD together. It was really great!!!