Catching up...

A LOT has been going on at my house lately. Nothing too exciting mind you, but it's sure been busy with the regular old everyday things. Valentines was fun. We went to a ward party because it was free dinner AND babysitting! Wahoo! (I know, we're lame.) It was nice though, and dinner was really great. WE were able to get the girls to bed early and watch some episodes of our latest obsession Prison Break. Good times:) The girls and Caleb each got a big cookie that I ordered from the young women's in our ward. They did a good job. Adi was thrilled and mostly just made a huge mess of the frosting!
Emersyn was thrilled too, but mostly just because mommy was smiling and talking to her. I just wanted a picture of her with it. Then I ate it. Cruel huh?

On Friday this last week we decided to finally get going on the potty training thing with Adelynn. We've been off and on for several months now, but never really pushing it. She has been ready for quite a while, but I've been putting it off for one reason or another(I know, bad). But Friday when she jumped out of the bath to grab her own diaper and go "poopy" I realized I better get a go on it. My first impressions were "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" I thought it was going to be a nightmare. But seriously, I've lucked out in the kid department. She went straight from a crib to bed no problem, she has always slept so well with naps and through the night, and now potty-training has been a breeze. The pull-ups weren't a great thing for her, so she just went straight to panties, and she LOVED picking those out. She's had a total of 2 accidents. 1 was at my sister-in-law's Bec's house, and I think that was because she was playing hard with cousins, and she didn't know to tell Bec. The second one was just an accident here at the house, and she was devastated when it happened, big crocodile tears and all. The poopy thing had her nervous, and I had to give her a pedi-lax and just sit her on the potty to help her out after 3 days of holding it in because she was so scared, but since then she has been very excited and proud to be a big girl! She goes by herself all the time, and will then come get us and tell us how excited she is. She even has been waking herself up at night if she has to go. She's staying dry through naps and all night etc. We stopped by Bec's house the other night, and she was off with Brand-man playing. Then she came and got Bec and said "Bec, I went pee-pee." And sure enough she'd just walked into the bathroom like a big girl and gone! I'm so proud of her. She's doing great! One funny thing is the other day before nap she had gone, and then when I was laying her down she said "I need to go again." So I told her OK, and then she looked at me very seriously and said "I'm going to need a book for this one!" HAHAHA, she makes me laugh! I snuck a picture because it was so cute.

We've decided that we are going to leave both girls for our trip to Cancun. I am nervous about this...very nervous, but I am also VERY EXCITED! Caleb and I away together? Are you serious? AH! So wonderful! I am pumping right now to save as much milk as possible, and then I will continue to pump while I am down there. My friend Christi that I was telling you about, she thinks that Emersyn won't have a problem taking me back because she will be 7 months old, and very aware of the difference between a bottle and her mommy. I hope she's right. I decided to try cereal again though, in hopes that she will start liking other things besides just milk while I am gone, and make it a little easier on those that will be helping. Here are the results...
She loved it! She got mad at me when it was all gone, and I had to make more. Look at those cheeks though, you can tell she's not a light eater! :)

Another Sunday as a single parent...

Caleb is the Manager of CSK in Rexburg, and unfortunately, they are open 7 days a week. It SUCKS! He gets to take some Sunday's off, but being totally fair, and the AWESOME manager that he is, he works quite a few too. On the Sunday's that he works, it is really hard to take the two girls to church by myself. I do anyway, because I know it is the right place to be. Some Sunday's it goes great, others I just want to jump off a cliff. A few of you may know the story of when Adi was being a terror, and I got up to leave, and to my horror I was de-skirted...? Crystal got to see that one up close and personal...lucky Crystal. Anyway...yeah, that was a jump off the cliff day!
Well, today was no exception. Don't get me wrong though, let me clarify. I love my children 101% of the time. They are great. I love the rewards of being a Mother, and have found no greater joy in my life. I feel so incredibly blessed that my Heavenly Father has found me fit to take care of these two amazing joys in my life. But, lets be honest...it is NOT always easy!
It started with the fact that it is a FREEZING day today, and we had to park in freaking tim-buck-two, and then treck through a foot of snow to even get in the building! We got in and sat down on the chairs...and I don't know if you agree, but for me...they are never easy. At least with a bench I can usually keep them trapped in. Adi was already complaining of being cold-with good cause of course. So, after sitting for about 2 minutes, I noticed a bench was open. I didn't hesitate at all. I moved. It was only 3 steps away. But apparently this was the wrong decision. Enter fit #1. Luckily Emersyn is still sleeping in the carseat. Fit #1 is handled with efficiency.
Sacrament starts and Adi wants a sucker. I tell her to wait until after the bread and water. She's okay with this for 2 seconds...then to be heard throughout the whole church, "Adi wants a sucker Please!" Again the assurance that it will come and a reminder to PLEASE WHISPER, and again it lasts 2 more seconds. This goes on until fit #2 enters. She is promptly taken out this time, and surprisingly handles the encouragement to be reverent well. We come back in, even folding our arms. Emersyn is still sleeping, and I am confident the mess is over.
Wrong! The entire meeting I felt as if I wanted to pull my hair out, throw MYSELF down on the floor, and start screaming too! Emersyn woke up and wanted out, but of course Adelynn had to scream that it is HER sister, and she wants her. In the process no surprise that she wacks her head on the bench and in Enters fit #3!
Honestly I don't know how many more times I had to tell her to be quiet, urge her to be reverent, or tell her to "come back here"! It was a nightmare for sure. I felt as if everyone was looking at me and thinking that I was a terrible ill-equipped Mother.
At the End of the meeting I rushed the children out and we trecked through more snow to get to the car. Poor Adelynn slipped and fell in the snow getting her hands wet and freezing cold. Of course this called for fit # who knows what!
I felt bad for her, I did. But at this point I had reached the end of my rope. In the car on the way home she screamed, and screamed, and screamed. I got her out of the car, and she was pleading "hold you, hold you!" Which means she wants to be held. I told her I couldn't because I had to get Emersyn. So I got Emi, and dragged Adi, and we finally made it into the house.
I put Emersyn down and (I am embarassed to say this) I yelled at Adelynn. I told her I needed her to be quiet, and give me a second. I told her I couldn't hold her yet, and she needed to go sit in front of the fireplace to get warm. At this point her fit turned to a complete and total devastated cry and plea for me to hold her.
I felt Terreible. I picked her up and rocked her. She was so sad. She told me to wrap my arms around her, and hold her, and to not put her down. So I listened. And after 5 minutes of her intently staring into my eyes, and burning a whole through my soul, she asked to go to bed. She said "Adi sleep in big girl bed, mommy lay Adi down, Adi so tired." So I did. I listened.
She sweetly lay down in bed, curled up, and said Goodnight. I told her I loved her, and that I was sorry. She eventually forgave me, and said she loved me too.
And now here I sit, writing my story. I started out feeling so bad for myself thinking "Why do I have to deal with this? I know this is where I am suppose to be. I know this is where you want me Lord. So why is it so difficult?"
And now I feel so differently. As hard as today was, and as much as I don't want another Sunday to go like today, I feel so grateful that I was able to listen to Adelynn. To realize my faults as a person and as a mother, and see that anger and frustration is not the key to resolving things. To open my heart to her, and apologize for hurting her feelings as I did. I truly hope that I can be to my children, the Mother they deserve.