The Morning Rush

Bottles
Baby Food
Lunch for work
Coffee ready
Lemons sliced
Toddler cup of milk filled
Morning bottle upstairs
Backpack by shoes
Day care bag by keys
Outfit for J
Outfit for Em
Outfit for me (on a good day)
Alarm on

And the alarm is going off way too soon. I hit snooze at least once. If I snooze more though its almost a guarantee that the kids will wake earlier then they should and something goes astray causing me to be later than normal.

Cries begin around 5:30. I run in the room quick to grab one before the other gets woken up. On a good day they sleep till I have to snuggle Em awake at 5:45 and J by 6:00. It is such a gentle balance, too early means less sleep and too much time for distractions that result in more reasons to make us late. To little time and we are just late...really late.

I head into their room with a smile and lots of patience. The rush is on.

Emmy gets her bottle first (on the good days). She serenades me with baby talk between drinks while I finish getting ready. Then we get J.

Fingers crossed its not a day that I have to battle him to go potty (how do you not have to go when you wake up? Oh that's right, his bed was soaking wet from going while sleeping)

I change Em (or bed sheets) while he goes potty. I bounce back and forth between her and him until they are both ready. J lets the dog out and we head downstairs.

I forgot something, I head back up.

J picks out a Nutragrain bar and tries to put his shoes on while I take the dog out. The dog takes forever, enough time for J to ask about three times for fruit snacks and Em to cry.

I get back to J and we switch his shoes to the other feet. Em in her carseat now....oh but without a sock. I retreat my steps in search of said sock. Time to fix my lemon water, put my lunch in my bag...time check...ok coffee.

Out the door by 6:25 was a great day.

This post is brought to you by THE LAST DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR! Good bye to this type of chaotic morning!

Emerson Marie - 9 Months

The day Emerson turned nine months the countdown app in my phone alerted me...three months till she turns one! I paused and stared at it for a minute. I have been counting up so excited for each milestone that she hit that I didn't take a moment to realize that meant she was getting closer to one, to not being a baby. Where has time gone!?!?

At eight months Emerson was a sitter, but she took some good tumbles reaching or trying to look back. Now at nine months she is sitting and reaching to a rocking position on all fours. She reaches again, gets to her tummy and tries to inch forward. She most always opts out of trying to army crawl and instead resorts to rolling each and every way to try and get where she wants. She definitely is never in the same spot as you left her any more.  I don't think it will be long before she is crawling because she is certainly very frustrated with being still. I also think she will be way happier once she can figure out how to go from laying to sitting. I don't think her brother is ready for her to do either of these though!!

She is a curious, active little one who is not taking to naps very well. She loves to laugh at her brother and play with all his Legos. The most mad I have seen her is when I take away a Lego from her that is too small or has separate pieces that she was so proud for just grabbing. I don't recall Jackson screaming with such anger so early when I took things away that he couldn't have. 

Emerson has loosened her strong desire to be held by Mommy all the time. Still, almost every morning that my parents come to watch her and J she smiles at them but when my mom or dad reach out to her while in my arms she reaches quick to grab me. After burying her head in my shoulder for a moment she looks up at them and smiles big. 

One look I never want to forget, and always hope to keep from her, is this complete look of awe that she has for me when I first come home or just finish getting ready for the day and pick her up. Propped up on my left hip she leans back so she can get a better angle to see me. Her eyes filled with wonder and joy, she doesn't release contact till I turn and talk to her. She sometimes grabs at my hair, always has a small smile. 

We love you Emmer!

Pirate Picnic

Finally getting around to posting this adorable event. After Jackson's first birthday I had said I would not have a kids party until he asked for one. Well, turning three, he asked.

Pirates, sword fights and Jake and Neverland have been favorites of Jackson's for more than the last six months. He also is a huge fan of the park and showing people his home. Trying to keep it simple I thought a Pirate Picnic would be perfect for him.

Needless to say, Jackson was SUPER excited that all his friends were coming over, and even more excited that he was going to get to show them "his" park.

Jackson helped me pack the lunches the day before; Pirates Booty, Goldfish crackers, alligator gummies and a juice box. Then the morning of I made PB&J sandwiches cut out in pirate shapes.

For an activity the kids went on a Treasure Hunt at the park. I (aka Captain Hook) made and left a treasure map to lead the kids to buried treasure!

These two and three year olds were at first confused then excited, puzzled and finally ecstatic about this hunt! We had to guide them a bit on reading the map. We pointed out the X was by trees, so they immediately tried to run to the tall skinny trees right next to them. With slightly more guidance they found another set of pine trees and the rest they did on their own.  

The treasure was a box marked well with an x that my husband hid under the tree. It was full of little foam pirate swords, pirate stickers, glow bracelets and ring pops. 

 Angelina spotted it first, alerting her friends, then Jackson helped "dig" it out.

The swords provided great park battles and the ring pops were great bribery to go home. 

Jackson truly had a great time! He was all smiles, said it was the best birthday ever, and ate way too much gummy alligators and skull and cross bones cookies.

This party was not hard to put together, but even if it was, the excitement in his eyes, his proud demeanor to show everything to his friends, and share his love for sword fights with others was more than worth it.

A Day in the Life

It's a school day, both for the kids and me. Everything is packed the night before....right? Oh no, my softball clothes were still wet, I fell asleep grading and those papers are still on the table, Emerson's bottle isn't upstairs aaaaaand Jackson doesn't have socks ready to go or milk poured. 

So were running late. 

I drop off the kids, attempt to go back for my papers, hit traffic though and turn around. Make it to a doctors appointment on time only to wait. It runs late and I am rushing back to work. The day goes way too quick with too much to do. Softball game, we win but it goes till practically the time limit so now I am running late to pick up the kids.

Post game speech cut quick, I run to the car. The Lee's are the last at school but with big smiles. Jackson's teacher gives him a muffin for the car (I can't thank her enough) and we get Em who is noticeably tired. 

Heading home? Oh no. Straight to Target. Why you ask. Well we have exactly 3 diapers in the house for Emerson and her school is requesting more too. Softball games the night before and tomorrow leave me no option. 

Of course Emerson falls asleep in the 3 minutes it takes to get to Target and Jackson is asking for food. We buy food only so we can eat it. Trying to be healthy we get dried mangos....and popcorn. Halfway through shopping Jackson proudly says he ate all the dried mangos. Emerson rallies enough to make it through the baby food isle enough without a melt down.

We check out and....head to Chick-Fil-A for some more substantial food. Home past their bed times Emerson is in beyond melt down mode. J hangs out eating dinner with dad while I give Em a bath and rock her to sleep. J is then out only an hour later than normal. 

Later, my head has only hit the pillow for about 90 minutes when Jackson wakes up. He is really upset, coughing, and breathing with a wheeze. Not good. 

We get him calm and back to sleep. After feeling more comfortable about his breathing we go back to bed, but he joins us for a slumber party in case it gets worse again. 

Jackson kicks and moves ALOT while sleeping I have learned.

Two hours later, more screaming cries on the monitor. Emerson can't find her pacifier but now she sees me. When she sees me to wants me to hold her. This won't end quickly unless....

Jackson has been breathing fine and is still sound a sleep, so time to swap kids. Carry J to his bed and crying Emmer to mine. She is out again almost instantly. 

It feels like I am asleep only for about 5 minutes before the alarm is blaring. 

Here we go again.