March 20, 2012

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  Once again time has really gotten away from me.  Since my last post Presley Jo (aka…Baby Happy Jo) is closing in on 6 months old.  Rosie turned 6 and Weston turned 4.  I feel like I am always one step behind.  5 kids has definitely taken it’s toll on my sanity and I have officially reached my limit.  It’s a good thing we have such good kids. 

  We blessed PJ in November the weekend after Thanksgiving.  My parents, a few of Gary’s clan, the Andersons here in Vegas, and Grandpa and Grandma Gee were all in attendance.  It was a beautiful day.  Some of the highlights of her blessing included:  Health, Long life, a spiritual disposition, to follow the direction of the church, happiness and joy in life and from talents, career, education, and spouse, and to look to heritage and find strength in family.  It was a beautiful blessing and one I will never forget.  Presley is such a happy baby.  She brings such joy to our home.  Even at 5 months old she adds an element that I would certainly miss if it were taken.  She is very smiley from sun up to sun down.  Very rarely do we have an unhappy Jo.  She rolls to the side and can go from her tummy to her back.  She is getting more stable at sitting and I suspect that by 6 months she will be pretty proficient.  We have started feeding her cereal and baby foods and she is reluctant but taking it.  The best part about her is her sleeping habits.  A month ago I moved her into the crib in the master closet.  She has been sleeping through the night consistently since she was 5 weeks old.  She sleeps even better now that she is in a quiet space all her own.  Now if I could just get the other kids to stay down all night long!

  Charlie is a full blown terrible two.  We just shake our head at this little minx.  She is so funny and sweet, yet the independent streak in her is loud and tumultuous.  When Weston (especially) pushes the right button (which he delights in doing)  the walls shake with her shrieks.  She is LOUD! and don’t try to talk to her until she gets it out of her system.  She plays really well independently and with the other kids most of the time though.  She loves to build castles with the blocks and to draw.  She especially likes me to draw pictures of her, the kids, and various animals for her to color.  She loves to pray and even when it’s someone else’s turn she just goes ahead and says one right along with them.  She also loves to be outside.  The weather has been great this winter and she plays in the backyard for long stretches even on her own.  She has a bit of a reputation with the crews at Community Ambulance.  It’s like a badge of honor for someone to get a smile or giggle out of her.  Everyone loves Charlie.  On the potty training…with the other girls I pushed the issue at 2.5 years.  She is ready but there is her independent thing that gets a little in the way.  She feels like being a big girl about half the time.  I guess I just have to relax a little with it and let her do this on her own terms. 

  Weston.  Oh Weston.  We are still struggling with the poop thing but I have high hopes after this morning.  He has been promised camping with Dad if he can jump this hurdle.  He is so excited about the prospect of sleeping in a tent, fishing, and camping with Dad that he talks about it every day.  We forgot to put a diaper on him last night (We both thought the other one did it) and he went to bed in underwear.  He got up in the night and took care of business on his own.  This is a good sign.  We are going to move forward with this and keep focusing on the positive reward for these milestones and hopefully he will overcome his anxiety of sitting on the pot.  He is such a sweet boy (not smelling usually though) and my life will improve by leaps and bounds once he gets past this.  With both he and Charlie we are finding that we get further with making a big deal about the good things that happen.  So here is to only 1 kid in diapers by June!  (Dare I have a goal on this matter?)

  Rosie is quite amazing.  I have read to her often and I knew she was doing well in school but she brought me a book on Sunday and started reading it to me.  She was throwing out words like beautiful and princess with very little effort.  She is pretty pleased with herself.  She also has been learning multiplication and understands the concept which amazes me.  She will try to trick us with math questions.  As she gets older the tantrums which defined her just a few years ago are fewer and far between.  It’s a lovely thing.  She laments she has to share a room with the little girls but alas it is the lot of being in the middle. 

  Serra is once again struggling with kids at school.  She is so sweet and has no problem with kids at church so we are a little at a loss at what to do about school.  She seems to be a target for being mocked and made fun of.  She doesn’t know how to deal with it on the spot and just takes it I’m afraid.  There are a lot of tears and her teacher is clueless.  Kids steal her lunch, her school supplies etc., and her teacher tells her not to tattle tale.  There are also not enough desks for the kids to sit in so she has to sit on the floor most of the day.  I have addressed these things with her teacher and am not getting anywhere.  We are just encouraging her to stick it out for the few months remaining and are trying to make things good at home for her.  She has commandeered Brian’s old iPhone which has no phone service.  We have been able to add some apps that allows her to call and text us as long as she has wifi service.  She feels pretty cool.  She has been great for babysitting.  We leave her with the kids (minus the baby) for 1-2 hours at a time and she does a great job.  She is able to keep in contact with us with the phone.  Brian and I go on short dates for lunch or dinner with the baby now and then and she keeps things peaceful at home and even puts the kids to bed.  We reward her with one on one dates with Brian or me to her favorite frozen yogurt place, Red Mango. 

  I have been able to keep up with Etsy and it has treated me well.  I love having the extra cash to spend on the (as my sister Serra puts it) the unessential essentials.  Just last week Brian took Wes to Nascar for the afternoon so I took all the girls to the outlet mall and we spent about $100 on trinkets and treats.  The clearance section at Claires Boutique is like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  Rosie especially is so thrilled with her new trinkets.  The girls like to take the money they have earned as well and spend it on something.  I remember doing that as a kid and it was really fun. 

  I have changed my Etsy name to Silk Inspirations to encompass a new endeavor.  Silk Purses.  I only have one listed and am working on a few more.  I don’t imagine I will sell a lot of them right away until I find the style and price range that folks like but I really enjoy making them.  It’s a creative outlet that helps me to keep a little of myself during this time in life when it is so easy to lose track of that. 

  Last Saturday was the St. Rose annual Mardi Gras Gala.  I have spent the past month or so getting ready for it with the dress, purse, shoes, mask, etc.  It all came together for less than Brian’s tux rental.  We are so buying one for him next year.  It’s lame to rent a tux for $140 every year.  I felt very glam and it was fun to get mani/pedied and dressed up for the occasion.  The event was pretty awesome this year with great food and entertainment.  Kevin Eubanks and the Tonight Show Band played most the evening, a magician, and Frankie Moreno as well.  It is definitely a perk of Community Ambulance that we get to go to this. Because it fell on our wedding anniversary weekend we decided we will celebrate #14 next weekend.  We have a babysitter planned, dinner, and then the Las Vegas Philharmonic at the new Smith Center downtown.  We are getting dressed up again and each have things planned for the other.  It should be fun.

  I am working on getting pictures together and updated hopefully before another 5 months pass. 

   

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