Christmas Card Chaos

If I thought getting the kids to sit still for a Christmas card was hard LAST year, well, I didn't know what I was in store for THIS year....

I KNEW that it would not be easy, but I didn't think that it would be THAT hard. However, I must have had a lapse in memory and did not recall that Mallory likes to roll and crawl this way and that. Faith and Cameron are little comedians that do not want to cooperate. Faith just does what Faith wants to do. Put those three together...and...well...you might as well throw your hands up and forget the Christmas cards.

We tried for two nights...and this is what we got....be amused....

So, I started with the chairs covered with this throw. While we were getting Faith and Mallory dressed in their pjs, Cameron went ahead and struck a pose. I was super excited that he was eager to have his picture made...good sign, right? YEAH...WHATEVER!

So, here we go...Faith is entertaining from the beginning. You can see that Cameron finds her HILARIOUS (which only makes matters worse). The funny thing is that Faith decided to pose in picture after picture with her hands up on her cheeks, making the "I'm so surprised face."

...here it is again...

...and again...

...AND AGAIN! AHHHH!

Then, the rolling on the floor began.

...and the "We're not sitting in our chairs!!!"

Needless to say, I went to plan b for the Christmas cards...simply use other pictures. Do they really have to be in Christmas gear, anyway??? I'm just glad that I didn't pay someone to take their Christmas pics.....and trust me...I DON'T think we will be heading to see Santa this year ;)

On another note, I did get some really sweet ones....

As much as they put me through, boy, do I love them!





Carhartts, Ponies, Binoculars, and the Ball Pit

....Not a creative title, I know....haha.

I must be honest in saying that I have NOT been taking many (or any) pictures during my Thanksgiving break. There isn't much time to snap any and with potty training, colds, and other tummy issues it seems that this week has consisted of mopping urine off of the floor, wiping snotty noses, consoling sick little ones, and changing diaper after diaper...WHEW!

So, I have chosen some pics to share that have been taken over the course of the last couple of weeks...

Cody went shopping a couple of weekends ago. He decided that Faith and Cameron were in much need of Carhartt overalls. Me? Well, I think that they were an expense that we could have been spared, but, OH MY GOODENSS...THEY ARE SO CUTE! We could never get them to be still, so I had to take them in action with them on. 

Another favorite pastime of the kiddos lately is looking out the window for deer. I could care less about hunting and wildlife, but the kids get a kick out of seeing deer out of our back window...and I guess that it IS pretty cool. Cody keeps binoculars on our kitchen table at all times just in case.  Anyway, Cameron found this double Mega Block and put it to use....He said, "Deer, deer."

Faith and Cameron do not play with many of their toys in the conventional way....check them out on their ponies.

Mallory is becoming quite the adventurer. She can speed across the house after Faith and Cameron (which they find amusing) and has even taken a dive into the ball pit. Yep, she can get in there all by herself!

My children...busy little bees. Mommy and Daddy....forever tired!

Locked Out

My first day off with the kiddos has been quite a busy day. I was off with Cameron to the doctor early in the a.m. Thankfully, everything turned out great with our visit to the urologist. Cameron was such a big boy and I am very proud!

Last weekend, I also began to potty train Mr. Cameron. I am sure many of you would ask, "Why on Earth are your training your BOY first. Everyone knows that girls are easier to train!" Well, obviously, you have not met my Faith. The girl that has a mind of her very own. Cameron has taken an interest in the potty, and, it is clear that he should be the one trained FIRST. I thought about training them at the same time, but, Faith's attitude towards the potty was a clear indicator that I should give her some more time. She will defiantly pull her pants up and shout, "No!" if introduced to the potty. Anyway, trying to potty train an almost two year old while keeping watch over another almost two year old AND an eight month old (is that a run-on sentence or what?) does NOT make for a restful Thanksgiving break. I am proud of the job Cameron is doing, but he is yet to be able to tell you BEFORE he uses it in his pants. However, he will say in a rather pitiful tone AFTER he has used it, "Potty." So, atleast he gets the idea....we will keep working. Faith can not seem to understand that Cameron gets treats when he potties...she gets all upset. She has, however, decided that she might just try the potty thing out to get a treat. It's quite amusing. She goes in the bathroom, perches herself of the potty for two seconds, and expects a treat. That girl, THAT GIRL!!!

We did get to play outside today since the weather is so warm. The kids loved that and it passed the time away in the afternoon. Being in the house all day can make the day VERY LONG. I am very thankful for the weather this week....but I hope that it will not mean storms!

I am SO loving staying at home. I am getting to see many things that I am missing at work. For example, Faith actually spouted off two words in her "Opposites" book while she was "reading." Cameron sneaks into our room each morning around 7am. Mallory is pulling up to her knees on low objects. It has been great to see them doing new things each day.

Of course, it wouldn't be a typical day without some sort of trick or catastrophe....yep...today, those little boogers locked me out of the laundry room. How did they do this since there is no lock??? Well, they shut the door, pulled open a drawer, and the door was wedged. Cameron got a kick out of it...I can imagine him laughing while my arm is frantically reaching inside the door.  Luckily, I was able to squeeze my way through.

Sorry, no pictures today. It's been rather hectic...I'll try to do better tomorrow.

Doesn't Get Much Sweeter Than This

When Fath and Cameron were little bitty babies, we began a bedtime routine. It consisted of a bottle and a Bible story. As they got older, a sippy cup replaced the bottle, and, unfortunately, Dora replaced the Bible story. They DO love books, but, only when they WANT to read, AND it does not help that they are not allowed to touch their Bible.

Anyway, we have been talking about trying the Bible stories again. Although we have NOT, we DID begin prayers at bedtime. Surprisingly, the kiddos took right to it. They LOVE to say their prayers. In fact, this was a picture that Cody shot as he came into the living room. Faith is already on her knees ready to pray. I LOVE it. They will say, "Pray, Pray, Pray," and, although it may not be a convenient time, who is to tell them NOT to pray???  These kids teach me something each and every day.

Christmas Comes EARLY

Okay, Okay. Just the other day, I was complaining about people putting out Christmas decorations too early. I've always been the one to put out decorations NO EARLIER than the day after Thanksgiving.....BUT...oh, how I got it in my brain to put up the Christmas tree TODAY, November 19th. I thought of every reason to do it..."The kids will love it." "We are not doing anything else today." I am going to be way too tired any other time." I was determined, and, despite protests from Cody, I won...yay me.

While the babies were asleep, we assembled the tree. When they woke up, they helped decorate! I am super proud of them. They were very helpful and sweet. They really enjoyed it. Faith had a specific spot on the tree that she liked to hang her ornaments....it doesn't get any cuter than this!

Mallory wasn't able to help, but she sure was a sweetheart!....she had mommy's brush!

Sleepy Time=Sneaky Time

Faith doesn't do naps...well...sometimes she does. Let's just put it this way: Faith does naps when she wants to do naps. Some days, she talks to herself for the duration of nap time, never falling to sleep. On other days, she screams and cries until you come and get her...HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES. Then, there are those days that she falls asleep like a good little girl.  Well, on this particular day, she wasn't doing ANY of the above....

MISCHIEF...that is what Faith was up to on this particular day. I was at work and Granny B had routinely put the kiddos to bed for their naps. After some time, there was noise coming from Faith's room. The kind of noise that let's you know that someone is trying to do something sneaky from inside.  Granny B was shocked at what she found when she opened the door (although, at this point, I am not sure why she would be surprised by anything).

Let me explain. These are words hanging on Faith's wall.  At one point, there were cute little butterflies surrounding these words. You can see the tacks in which the butterflies were hanging. To get to one of these words, Faith had to stand on her bed. Okay, not a BIG shock. To get to the other word, however, Faith had to climb the changing table and stand on the top shelf....and this is exactly where Granny B found Faith....standing on the top shelf of the changing table.  Butterflies were scattered all over the room. Diapers and lotions were everywhere!

Needless to say, we've had to threaten to put Faith back in a crib if she does something like this again. The look on her face after she was told this was priceless....she hasn't tried this trick again. PROOF that these almost two-year-olds know EXACTLY what you say and EXACTLY what you mean.

Road Rage and Monster Truck/Car

I am so happy that Faith and Cameron are finally getting some use out of their little cars, but they are everywhere with these things. When they really get fired up, they are little speed demons, swerving and crashing into walls and everything else. Cameron gets very tickled by driving as fast as he can and stopping just inches away from the entertainment center...he knows that it drives me nuts. Every time, I yell, "Don't crash into the furniture!!!" He cracks up laughing....my children are just like their daddy...haha.

Just a few days ago, they decided to take a dive into the ball pit...with the cars.  For whatever reason, this was quality entertainment...until the BOTH of them could not fit.  Faith became rather upset...well...infuriated.  Cameron just sat there looking like, "Please momma, make her stop."  The next day, Cameron decided to make the car into a monster truck...who said a princess car can't climb???  Poor Mallory's toy was the selected ramp. He did this repeatedly that day...I am hoping that he has forgotten about it!

A Week in Review

It's been a rather quiet week at the Patrick house...well...come to think of it, I don't think that I should EVER describe my house as quiet....lol!  Not too many funny stories, but I do have some cute pictures!

For whatever reason, Faith and Cameron have not realized that they can crawl under the beds...not until this week, at least!  They have climbed up, over, and under anything and everything else in the house, but the beds were not of interest.  As I was cleaning dishes a couple of nights ago, Cody called for me to "find" the Faith and Cameron.  The two were quiet as little mice....BUT I could see their little heads sticking out from under Cameron's bed.  They soon found it very funny and burst into giggles.

I'm so nervous they are going to get stuck!

The twins are also very much into skyping. They love to see themselves on the computer along with Pat, YaYa, or Aunt Rachel. Just look at their faces!



Mallory, is becoming QUITE the adventurer....and she is QUICK. I caught her trying to pull up on the hearth (not on her knees but REALLY reaching). She is even beginning to try to play with Faith and Cameron...all three were inside the tunnel this week, and, boy, did they have fun!!!

Issues

I have a BIG issue....well...it's not life-threatening or anything and I doubt anyone would find it the least bit concerning....BUT...it is an issue to ME, nonetheless.  This problem may even sound petty or unimportant, but, trust me, I count my blessings each and every day. However, I always fall back to the same old pity party.

Have you guessed what my BIG issue is, yet? Well, I am having the most difficult time leaving the kids at home and heading off to work each day. It is something that has always been hard for me, but it has become increasingly hard. Sometimes I think that I am on the brink of an emotional breakdown.  It's not that I dislike my job (although it can be VERY trying), it's just that I am leaving the cutest kids behind at home.

Okay, okay I know that I am completely fortunate. YES. unlike many jobs, I get the holidays and summers off with the kids. YES, I have a job while millions of Americans do not. My job is what helps us provide things for my family that some families are struggling to provide in these difficult times. So, YES, I know that I am fortunate.

I simply feel frustrated and saddened by the whole situation. There are so many reasons why I would like to stay at home. It seems like my children are growing up and I haven't the time or the energy to notice.  I treat 52 children each day with the utmost patience, respect, and love that I can possibly give. Many of these kids need those three things because they lack it at home. However, at the end of the day, I find it extremely difficult to provide the same patience and energy.  I must admit, I am irritable at home....very. much. so.  I have a short time with the kids each afternoon before cooking (although, trust me, it's not a four course meal) and preparing for the next day begins. This leaves Cody to play with the kids for quite some time. I have very little quality time with them. No wonder they often prefer their daddy over their momma....who is the one that they spend more time with (and for Cody's help I am truly thankful)??? 

We are also struggling with some behavior issues with the twins.  I feel like two different methods of discipline and expectations are a HUGE contributing factor to these issues(speaking of us and the sitter). Yes, I know Faith and Cameron are only 2 (almost), but to my parents' recollection I NEVER had the terrible twos, and, personally, I really don't believe in that.  If anything, the twos are terrible because it is an age where they are into everything and highly self-centered....NOT blatantly disobedient.  So, staying at home, I KNOW, would alleviate some of these issues....end of story.

I am really at my breaking point with all of this, although there is really nothing that I can do about it. I have a meltdown AT LEAST once or twice a week, whether it be in my car on the way to work or Sunday night.  I have also developed a bit of insomnia. I may fall asleep fine, but wake up at all parts of the nights stressing about something that I need to do or forgot to do....which then leads me to the thought that I have a bit too much on my plate....staying at home would fix that, right? The sleeplessness makes everything that much worse.

OKAY, I know that this is a HUGE pity party!  I don't even know why I am typing it all except that it feels nice to let it all out :)  I give each thanks each day for a job and the wonderful sitter that we have at home. I am also in prayer that I can come to peace with this and I may have the strength to overcome all of the negativity that I have.  Lord knows that I need it!

I do apologize for being such a downer!  Bear with me, I promise to post a funny kid story next time!

Picture Perfect, Perfect Pictures

So, here are a few promised pictures from the photo session that we had last week. I am SO. VERY. PROUD of them. I never tire of looking at them....I truly wish I can hang every single one of them in my house.

If you would like to see the entire photo shoot (and I PROMISE it is worth your time!), simply go to http://handmphotography.com/ , click on order online, then our photo session. You can use your own personal email address but use the password patrick1030. These photos will be up until November 11th. 

Ahhhh....now, how am I gonna' choose which ones I like best???!!!

Milestone after Milestone

Oh, how my Mallory is growing up! Many parents are sad to see the infant days disappear, but I LOVE the age that Mallory is at! Each day, I look forward to the something new that she is doing!

For a couple of weeks, Mallory has tried very hard to scoot across the floor. She has been fairly successful with the"army crawl," but, today, she took off! She is yet to get on her hands and knees, but she army crawled from the living room into the kitchen. She is becoming a rather fast crawler, too!

She is also beginning to play pat-a-cake! Usually, I clap my hands and she copies. However, today I asked her to play pat-a-cake, and she immediately began to do it! I snapped some pictures....I am SO PROUD!!!

 Playing pat-a-cake

Making her way into the kitchen..she is so proud...like me!



Destined for Greatness and First Name Basis

Ahhh...I don't know exactly WHY I am surprised by ANYTHING that my children do...but I am....Faith and Cameron particularly. Although I am SURE that Mallory will be up to mischief (as you will see in a later post), she isn't quite up to the level of mischievousness that "the twins" (as they have come to be known) are at.  If I could rate their level 1-10, it would definitely be a 10+.

ANYWAY, funny story for the day...

As I was playing with Mallory on the floor. I turn to see Cameron looking like this....

Yep, that's what WE call the "booger sucker!!!" I am super pumped that Cameron (Faith and Mallory, too) LOVE the booger sucker. Most kids kick and scream by the sight of the thing, but my kids think that it is hilarious (although you wouldn't be able to tell it by this picture)! I am positive that my "Little Booger Sucker named Cameron is destined for greatness BECAUSE....



...not only is he interested in sucking his own boogers, he is interested in sucking the boogers of others!!! He came after me AND Faith. Obviously the child is interested in the medical field. I am convinced that we have a doctor on our hands! HaHa!

Now, we have one child destined for greatness while Faith's new thing is being on a first name basis with her daddy...meaning...she calls her daddy Cody. At first, it was rather cute and she would only do it on occasion. When she consistently referred to her daddy as Cody tonight at dinner...well...that was enough. Of course, Cody claims that it is all my fault since I call his name constantly to do this and that...and...I must admit that when Faith says Cody's name it often sounds like, "Co-deeeee!" I am guilty of calling of him in the hustle and bustle of dinner, preparation for the next day, and bedtime routine. If anyone has advice as how to stop Faith's new "thing," please let me know!