The things I cherish!

The things I have learned over the last 36ish hours is that I cherish my children to death. Being apart from them is really good for me. I am enjoying the heck out of getting to spend some quality one on one time with my Draypie! He is so darn funny, not that I didn't know that already! It is helping me rejuvinate and recharge for when they return home. It is helping me miss them and I will cherish the moments I get with them.

Everyone always says, man how do you do it with 3 kids, working nights part time and still have energy and everything. Well I will let you in on a little secret!! Having one child is just as draining as having 3. Not having Austin and Dalyce here, Drayper has needed more attention than ever! When the other 2 are here he is so entertained with them he doesn't need me to do that for him. I can sit and watch the 3 play for hours and not have to worry. As soon as the older 2 are gone, Drayper all of a sudden needs someone to play with, I guess thats me!! Having only him is bringing back memories of when I only had Austin! I remember how exhausted I would be with just him. Yes it is MUCH easier to go places and do things, but in all reality when you are at home, it is just as easy to have 3 little munchkins as it is to just have 1. I guess thats why I never go anywhere in the afternoon, only in the mornings.

It is quiet around here today, and I can imagine it will be the same tomorrow. It is really nice to be able to have a lot of me time and one on one time with Drayper. I will enjoy the quiet while its here but I kind of miss the noise! We will see how I feel about that when Austin and Dalyce arrive home tomorrow afternoon :)!

All in all, I think all of us are enjoying what we are currently doing. I realize that having 3 is just the same as having 1, well maybe! I understand why people think I have a hard time with all 3 but I really don't, well I guess sometimes I do! People also have to understand that I was not just thrown into this mix, I gradually added them and grew with them. It would be way different if I was given 3 all at once but I got one at a time so I learnt with them what that meant!

Austin and Dalyce blowing bubbles at Amma and Papas

Picking Zuchini out of Ammas garden

Drayper at the mall, squirting milk all over his face and thinking its hilarious

Hanging out on mommies lap

I love my life and would not change it for anything! I love my kids more than anything in this whole world and I have pride in knowing that what I have is exactly what I wanted! My husband is the most amazing father and husband, more than I ever wanted and expected! I am starting to learn to enjoy and be happy with what I have instead of always wanting more, bigger and better. Sometimes I take things for granted when things are hard or when they are really easy! I need to just relax and enjoy every little moment because they are the best and most memorable!!!

Milestones

There are milestones in your life that you hit when you realize...whoa, this is life! I hit one of those today. Now I have had 2 new vehicles before in my life so it wasnt that. This is the first vehicle I have actually owned and it is mine. It also happens to be a truck of all things. When I got the rav and the sienna it just wasn't the same. Today I feel like a big grown up and I have something to call my own and be so proud of! It is also a big, huge step in my life. We got a truck so we could tow a trailer, mostly. We needed a crew cab to tow all of our children, who are all still in car seats. I think I would've bought a crew cab anyways just so that they had a lot of room to grow in to. Although this big truck thing is mine I kind of feel like I am driving my dads truck or something because I never thought I was going to be a truck person, but driving it home today I realized I really am. I didn't like how far away the kids were in the van, it kind of made me nervous. I also had to pull over on the way to drop them off today to give them a big fat warning to stop being so loud and hitting each other. I don't think they took me seriously so I had to prove it! If I was in the truck when this happened I could've just reached around. I like being able to just reach and hand them something and reach and take something away from them. In the van this was not even close to possible.

I think I will miss the van immensly. I liked how roomy it was and everything but I think over time, as I get used to the truck and its capabilities, the van with not even enter my mind anymore. I do already though miss putting stuff in the back of the van and having it covered. We will need to get a cargo cover thingy ASAP.

Adult Time!

I have decided that when you are in a relationship with children you still need to make time for your spouse. Grant and I have been together for almost 6 years now and the first year was awesome because it was just me and him. Then Austin was born. From there on out we started caring more and more about Austin than each other I think. Not that we ever had problems we just started to become distant, not as close and affectionate as we used to be...then we had Dalyce, then Drayper.

After having just one weekend away we have rekindled what we used to be. I don't think we will ever be like we "used" to be because the kids are always here and we have to put them before ourselves, always! As the mother, I always have lots of things on my mind. How are the kids feeling, are they going to sleep through the night, is the kitchen clean, what am I going to make for supper tomorrow, how early do I have to get up tomorrow....all sorts of things that run through my head on a regular basis, and I don't think at any point in time were all of the things I think about done so I don't have to worry about them. Sometimes it's hard for me to enjoy Grants company when I have all these things going through my head and I can't relax. When we had our weekend away all we had to worry about was ourselves, it was very nice! I didn't have to worry about if the kids were going to wake up, I didn't have them. I didn't have to worry about the house being clean, I was staying in a hotel and someone else was going to clean it up. I didn't have to worry about what to make for dinner, we were going to go out for every meal and it didn't even matter where we went. I didn't have to worry about money because I saved up a bunch for our trip. All the things I worry about were being taken care of so I was able to enjoy and relax and rekindle the romance between me and Grant.

I think when you are in a relationship with Children you need your time away so you can be the best parent/spouse that you can possibly be. After going away to edmonton for a weekend I think we may have started something. I think we should take a trip away, even just for a weekend, somewhere at least once a year...problem is...who is going to watch our kids everytime?!?!? Miranda???

Weekend Away!

Well Grant and I had a fantastic time in Edmonton for our weekend getaway! We spent every minute together (just about) and enjoyed every second! We had a lot of fun reminiscing about the past and some talk about our future! It was some well needed mommy and daddy time alone! When we were first dating we did a lot of going out and spending a lot of time together, But we wanted children right away so we really only got a year and half of alone time! You forget sometimes that you need to regroup and spend some time with just your significant other before you lose your marbles! I love my children to death but a happy mommy is a happy family!

This was only the second time ever that I went away for the whole weekend and not just one night. The first time I hadn't seen Drayper for a whole day since he was born though! I was and wasnt ready to come home yet. I really wanted to see the kids but I could've spent a whole extra day doing nothing! I can't wait for our next vacation away, maybe flying somewhere next time! The only problem is that our kids are still so little no one wants to watch them for long periods of time!

Christmas Party!!

Grants annual christmas party is finally here. I have been waiting for this day for a while now. This will be our fourth year. The last 3 have been fun but it was what it was. So first off I want to explain how awesome the Hoover christmas parties are! I used to pick up my parents from previous ones as well so I know how they are! For the past 3 years and now this year the party has been at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino. The food is always so delicious and there is an open bar. There are always speeches, awards and the best part, prizes. I hope maybe we will win something super exciting this year!

So for the past 3 years I have been the DD. Not necessarily by choice. The first year I was pregnant with Dalyce, the second year it was that really bad snow storm and Dalyce was only 4 months old so I didn't trust a taxi to drive us home from south calgary and I had to go get Dalyce from my sisters house (which did not end up happening, we got stuck majorly in the snow). And last year I was pregnant with Drayper. Not that I would've liked to drink profusely but I would like to have the option I guess. This year is finally the year! I won't be tired and bored, sick of the music, and just want to go home and go to bed! This year I get to let loose and enjoy myself! The only thing is that the kids Christmas party is the very next day at 11 am so we have to be careful about how late we stay out!

The other reason why I have been so excited about today is I am getting my hair done! Cut and colored...which has only ever happened 3 times in my whole life! I get to go to the salon and enjoy 2 hours of getting my hair colored and cut and some quiet time! And Then....I get to wear my new outfit! From head to toe I bought a new outfit this year for the christmas party! I was bound and determined to find something this year because I have never bought anything for the party. I have always worn something I already have or borrowed something Miranda has. With the exception of the jewelery and a purse everything I wear tonight will be the first time...YAY!!!

I am also very excited about the kids Hoover Christmas party. I get to take the kids to see Santa and they get a present from him (which is usually a very awesome gift). And we get to do crafts and play games with them. This is going to be an awesome weekend!

Next weekend will be christmas and I dont know who is more excited, Me and Grant or the Kids! We get 3 very exciting gift opening events and time with family! The weekend after that will be New Years eve and then my christmas party (which should be eventful)! And Then.......

My whole weekend away without the kids with only Grant to get to do my favorite thing in the world....SHOPPING!!! This was my birthday present from my sister, brother-in-law and my parents! I have planned since October for this weekend and made sure I dont have to worry about how expensive those shoes are or how much that shirt costs!! I have never done it before so I will enjoy every minute of it! I get to do my favorite thing with my favorite adult!! Yay ME!!!!

So that is my next month of events!!

Christmas is a comin'

Everybody ready for Christmas?? I'm sure not!! I thought I was getting a good head start by getting on my christmas shopping in October but I'm still not any closer than if I had started in December...I think I'm just buying more!!
I started wrapping everything the other night and realized that the kids won't have the same amount of gifts to open. I know that is important in any household no matter what is in the gift. We got Austin something more expensive and so he doesnt have as many gifts to open....when they are this little they wont notice that we might have spent a little more on one than the others so I guess we'll have to find something else to get him. Dalyce has a whole bunch of stuff to open because all her gifts are inexpensive. We also need to figure out what Santa will be bringing them!! ;)
Now that the kids are a little older I understand how my mom felt every year. I know she was probably excited to watch us open our gifts and watch the excitement on our faces but I know she was missing the excitement of getting gifts herself. I know this comes with being a mom. Mom always thinks about everyone in the household except herself! As we got older my mom started getting gifts for herself to open because no one ever thought of her (except for the fact that we were too little to get her anything anyways)! Well I learnt from that! I wonder what Santa will be bringing me for christmas this year?!?!

Who believes in Santa?! As a child I never blieved in Santa. We were always told Santa is not real. My parents didnt blieve in making us believe in something that wasnt real just to break our hearts in the future. I was always set on doing the exact same thing and it took Grant about a year and a half to change my mind! I now make the kids believe in Santa because although he is not real, how exciting is it to believe in something magical who brings you presents? Eventually when they are old enough to ask the questions I will tell them the truth and I'm sure they will get over it very quickly because "Santa" will still bring them presents every year!!

Its funny how when you get married traditions blend together to make new ones for a new family. Grant and I were raised very similar so we are lucky that combining our traditions and beliefs is very easy. Some things are a little more difficult especially with how stubborn I am. No matter what I am usually right (whether I really am or not!). I am excited to begin a christmas season with our new traditions that the kids might actually start to remember!!

Parenthood

I am a little disappointed in myself this morning. I had a little meltdown and should have taken a timeout but instead I overreacted. Let me explain....

The kids decided to take out the reese puffs cereal this morning and start playing with it. It ended up all dumped on the carpet. This was at about 8:30, Which I then told them to clean it all up, it needed to now go in the garbage and we needed to go. I started to continue attending to my frustrating process of figuring out my email and facebook account as I needed to get a new email because my old one stopped working. I know I was already annoyed and frustrated so the kids mess did not help. I then realized what time it was (8:45) and needed to leave to take Austin to preschool. The mess was not only not cleaned up but way worse, as it was not all in one place but the kids proceeded to throw it around, at each other. I lost my temper. I was yelling and screaming at the kids to clean it up now, this was not acceptable and I was furious at them because we needed to leave or Austin was going to be late. It was agrivating because it needed to be cleaned up before we left because other wise the dogs would eat it and get very sick. The whole 5 minutes they were trying to clean it up I was yelling at them. I know I probably did not accomplish any learning from the experience techniques by my yelling. I now know I should've told them sternly to clean up the mess right now and left the room to calm myself down, a "timeout for mommy", but I didn't. I guess we learn from our mistakes.

I know that every once in a while everyone has their bad parenting moments and this was not my finest. Its very frustrating because I knew at the time I should've stopped myself from continuing but I just couldnt. I needed to get my anger out. I'm still very angry at the whole situation but now realize I'm not angry at the kids for making such a big mess but at myself for not supervising the first time I told them to clean it up. It also did not help that I was so annoyed with my email and facebook.

I know as time passes I grow. My patience for sure has gotten a lot stronger ever since Austin was born. Its a learning experience and I need to remember that. When your baby is born and you get to take it home, it does not come with an instruction manual and it should!! I'm glad though that all my children are still very young and probably will not remember this terrible mommy moment.