Its been a looooonnnnnggggg time!

Yes, I know it has. Between not having time to blog with end of summer vacations, school starting and spending quality family time, blogging has taken a back seat for me. I apologize. My daughter is now in kindergarten, and loving it. I was sent a note home yesterday that I had to sign and return! She was being disruptive in class and bossing others. :( I just knew that I would get a note home -- was hoping it was going to be a little further down the road. Three days into the schoolyear means that it may be a long year with trips to the principal's office. (Three minor offenses, which this was classified as, equal one major offense.) We shall pray continually and look for "teachable moments" to guide her heart in the right direction. Maybe we will end up homeschooling afterall??? Ok. Not going there and getting myself all rialed up. She loves riding the bus, and says she's already invited one of her friends for a sleepover. (To which I had to remind her to ask me first.) She loves music class, but really gets "bothered and annoyed" with her friends copying her in class. I explained to her that it was because they liked her and they thought she was cool and they wanted to be like her and you should have seen her face light up! "It is! Wow! I didn't know that!" she said. Last evening, we spent about 2 1/2 hours at K*Mart doing school clothes shopping. It was stressful. Let me tell you! She has the know-it-all attitude of a teenager with none of the reasoning skills. I'm not being mean here, but that's the best way I can sum it up. For instance, when asked "do you like these jeans?" her response: "Well, what was your question again? Oh yeah do I like the jeans, right mom? Let me think....(meanwhile, I'm standing there still holding the jeans and another 30 seconds goes by, then) No. I don't. Well, yeah, I guess I do. But I like those ones you asked me about before, too." By this, she would be actually referring to ones she turned down 3 pairs previous; meaning we have to go through like 10 pair to find them. Am I making my point? I guess I gave her too many choices. I should've just gone myself and bought them for her. I know she adores the color pink and also princesses. Next year, I will do this. It's just plain easier. The papers the teacher sends home is going to surely drown me by Christmas. Its not homework, just what equals a lot of "bathroom reading material". Its the PTO and Open houses, support the football team and the soccer team, and its the book fairs, etc. You all with kids in school or graduated know what I mean. Its a bit intimidating, and I typically have had about 45 minutes of reading per night to stay caught up with the goings-on of the school!

Ok. DS#1 is still doing well on his Zantac and we have a checkup appt tomorrow with the gastroenterologist. His appetite seems to be quite supressed, so I will be addressing this issue. He is also getting better at computer games and asks frequently to play games on the "On-a-net" (internet). We do some of the Yahooligans games, and some of the Nick jr games. He is getting good at doing a CD ROM game that is Maurice Sendak's "Little Bear". He can find things and games I ask him about, and he doesn't realize he's learning. He is also talking tons more without sissy around interrupting and speaking for him. Last week, DH asked him if he wanted a dog and that if he gets one, he's gonna have to pick up the dog poo from the yard. To which DS replied "EEEEEWWWW! No! I do want a dog, though. And a ball. I will throw the ball and say 'go catch, boieeeeee!' " (that would be 'boy' with the y drawn out.)

And now for DS#2. He is already 14 months and 5 days old! Waaaaaaa! My baby is growing up. I know he's still a baby, but my hormones are out of whack as he is weaned now. He hasn't nursed since Monday at about 11am. It was time. He was only nursing twice a day, before nap and bedtime, but he wasn't nursing to get to sleep much at all. I am currently not feeling so good in the chest area -- painful. Its amazing how quickly you forget stuff like that! That will pass soon, though. The main push for weaning was my problem with eczema. Its only on my hands, but come November, I will have suffered with it for 2 years. It came about when I was about 2 months pregnant with DS#2, and I was told not much can be done because of him being nursed. It has spread to double the surface-area than the original outbreak, and is itchy and I get water-filled bubbles that are very painful. Not to mention that my skin cracks and bleeds at the joints. My goal was to nurse to 12 months, and then take it from there, so I feel satisfied for reaching that goal. I just told my DH he should be happy that I have the eczema to make me want to wean so I can take care of it because otherwise who knows how long I would nurse, knowing this is my last baby??? LOL! I wouldn't nurse him past probably 18 months, if even that long. Did I mention that when DS#2 was 9 months old, my doctor told me that he was fairly certain that my eczema could be cleared up with one weeks worth of steroids and he thought it had only a low chance of returning? Let me say for someone who is extremely pro-nursing that made me want to wean him and start the formula right then and there!!!! But, I had to do what was in the best interest for my baby. I chose to suffer and put him first, because for me, that's what motherhood is about. Me taking a backseat and letting my kids enjoy life. :) And most of the time, I'm happy to do it. :) Today, DS#2 was in the backpack carrier while I was preparing dinner (yes I still use the backpack carrier! He is the biggest momma's boy you'll ever meet -- ever challenging him for that title is his big brother, though!) Anyways, I realized that right behind me, I heard DS#2 singing 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'. No, I'm not kidding. And yes, I am bragging. :) Of course, he wasn't using the words, but he was saying "nana nana" to that distinct tune. What's more, is that I asked him if he was singing 'Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star' and he nodded yes with a big smile. I have been singing that to him lately to calm him before bed or during a diaper change when he just wants to get on with playing! Bragging about my kids is a decision I have made to go ahead and do on my blog. I have tried to be careful in past entries so as not to make people feel like I was saying "my kid is better than yours", but I decided that every parent feels like their own kid is the best kid, so I'm going ahead and doing it! Please don't take offense. It's nothing against your kids, I just love mine!!! :)