Early Risers

Agnes isn’t sleeping through the night just yet, so I’m catching broken hours of sleep when I can. This morning she was up at midnight and right around 5:30 a.m. Usually it is just Agnes and I downstairs during the night and early hours, but this morning I had to put my mommy multi-tasking skills to the test.

Right at 6:00 a.m. when Agnes was blissfully eating her bottle, I could hear Dylan crying and running through the hallway upstairs. I knew something was up, and poor Dylan had an evil bloody nose. I stopped feeding Agnes, and put her in her papasan chair, and went upstairs to get Dylan. He was very upset, which made the bleeding even worse.

I got him downstairs and on the couch, I then picked up Agnes to finish her feeding. So I’ve got one hand pinching Dylan’s nose, so the bleeding will stop, and the other hand I’ve got Agnes eating from her bottle again. Then I hear Thade….

Thade had noticed the blood on the floor from Dylan’s nose, and he started screaming, “someone’s been attacked!!!!!” Not having a free hand at the moment, I holler up “it’s just Dylan’s icky nose, I’ll be up to get you in a minute.” Then Thade said “why does Dylan have to get a bloody nose at 3:00 a.m., I want to sleep!” It was 6:00 a.m., but that one cracked me up.

It started off to be one of those mornings, and I’ve got a whole bunch of extra chores added to the list before 7:00 a.m. I now have beds to strip, and hardwood floors to clean up. Maybe the early risers will crash out by mid-afternoon. It definitely looks like it is going to be a multiple pot of coffee day for this mommy.

Filed under Nico | Comments (2)

Boredom Busters from MOPS

Today was MOPS, and we had several speakers on the topic of Boredom Busters, or how to keep your kids happy in the car during holiday travel. I was the last to speak at the meeting, and I thought I would share my tips for keeping the kids happy in the car with all of you too.

If you find yourself spending extra time in the car, and the kiddos are getting restless, here are a few tips that have helped be out.

• Pack along a small tote or small back-pack filled with your child’s favorite toys, and rotate the stockpile of toys often. You can purchase a small plastic container to keep in the car at all times inexpensively at your favorite store. We like to bring along picture books, travel sized magna doodle, and travel sized aqua doodle. All of these items store well, and aren’t too messy either.
• If your child has a favorite noisy toy that they insist on bringing along, locate the speaker on the toy, and cover it with painter’s tape. The tape is low tack, and won’t leave a sticky residue on the toy, but it will muffle the sound.
• The car is also a great place to practice learning colors and spotting letters. We like to play “I Spy” while waiting in the car. Dylan likes to look for something orange, and something that starts with the letter B. The game keeps kids busy in the car, and enjoying the scenery too.
• Bring small snacks and juice boxes for your car trip. Taking the time to pack healthy snacks for the kiddos will save you time, money, and a trip through the drive-thru.
• If a long car trip is on the horizon, I like to use Google Maps or Map Quest to help plan the fastest route of the trip, and also spot some much needed rest stops along the way.
• If the weather is nice visit a park that you haven’t been to before, and have the kids pick up some leaves for a craft project. Making sure that the kiddos get out of the car often to stretch their legs will make for a happier car ride, and the fresh air just might bring on a much needed nap too.
• If your kids are older let them be the “navigator” of your car ride. Print off an extra map for them, and let them help with the directions.
• Bring your camera and extra batteries, so you don’t miss out on any photos of your adventure.
• Don’t forget the music. Pack along some of your favorite cd’s and your kiddos too. Let them sing along, and play “car-trip Karaoke”
• Always plan for the unexpected… If your kiddos are anything like mine, and car rides can bring on some tummy troubles, you need to be prepared. Pack an extra change of clothes (or two) for each of your kids, along with plenty of diapers and wipes too. I also keep a small trash can lined with plenty of plastic bags (just in case), and a roll of paper towels in the car too. You never know when you are going to need them.
• Have your child bring along a favorite stuffed animal or blanket for the car ride too. Having their favorite bear might just calm their little worries.
• If the weather is going to turn cold, I bring along a few extra blankets, just in case there is car trouble. I also like to keep an emergency kit in the trunk during the winter months. Always make sure and have your cell phone charged and ready just in case their is an emergency.
• Don’t forget to remind Grandma, or whomever you are visiting to put away the breakables and baby-proof if you have small children that are crawling or toddling.

I hope these tips make your holiday travel a little more peaceful this holiday season.

Filed under Homemaker's Journal | Comments (3)

Got Nothing….

The sleep deprivation is getting to me, and cabin fever too. I’ve just got nothing to write about today. I could write about the 5 loads of laundry to put away, and the 6 that need washed, and the shopping list, but instead I’ll leave you with some of my favorite pictures of places that I’m missing…

I love to snap random pictures wherever I go.

How I wish this one was local, but it was from a visit to K.C.

This one too. I hope to visit my brother in K.C., as soon as I can…

I also hope to visit the Day Spa again…

My favorite place to bowl.

Richardson’s Candy House makes the list too. They have the best chocolate dipped caramels.

All I need is a picture of our bed, I really miss sleep right now…

Filed under Nico | Comments (2)

Coffee, This Mom’s Best Friend

Yesterday I had a terrible migraine, it was so bad that I had James bring home dinner. I also drank 2 pots of coffee to try and rid my noggin of the evil ache. Last night I only got 3 hours of sleep, thanks to 3 kiddos that just wouldn’t sleep. Today looks like it is going to be another coffee filled day for Nico. My head is still hurting, but I’m blaming the lack of sleep. Hopefully tonight will go better, and maybe I’ll get 5 hours of sleep. I just can’t seem to function on 3.

Filed under Nico | Comment (1)