Giving up the toddler beds

My oldest daughter, Aryianna got new bedding for Christmas and got a new bedroom in January. At the time we took down her day bed, stored it in the garage to put her new loft bed up. At the time I was not prepared to let go of the toddler beds in the younger girls room, so they stayed.

Now six months later, my daughter Akayla-Joy was outgrowing her toddler bed and I realized it was time. This past Saturday I got up the energy to not only clean and organize their room but pulled out the day bed, put it together and pulled out the toddler beds to the garage this time.

If your like me, your sentimental. I hang on to things that have meaning. I love the little things and hate change. I wanted my girls to have their toddler beds for as long as they could because it's the last time I will have toddler beds in the house. But as they all grown and I see the changes and have time to accept them, I realize the next faze is just as great as the one previously.

I am in love with their room now. Though Alaya is only going to be 3 in June and they are both small for their new "big girl" bed, it's perfect for them to share. As they grow up we have a trundle so they can add a mattress. But again, lets not jump ahead...one step at a time for me! LOLEvery day I'm reminded in something little that the kids are getting bigger. The school year is ending which means they are now entering the next grade, they say something I don't expect or I notice they are taller when their pants are all of a sudden too short!

I just have to take a deep breathe and embrace the changes as they come!

Mother's Day

I really enjoyed my Mother's Day this year. We didn't do anything extravagant, my kids didn't get me any big present. I got the best gift, a day spent with my family. My oldest daughter woke me up and made me breakfast in bed; scrambled eggs and English muffins! So sweet.

The week before they were all bringing home gifts from church and school of things that they had made, asking if they could show me. I kept telling them to wait, I wanted to be surprised on Mother's Day. So finally the day came and they were all so excited running to their rooms to get all their goodies and bring them to me.

My oldest daughter had made me cards, she loves to make cards. She has gotten the scrap booking bug from her mom! Jaylen made a growing flower with his photo and a caterpillar magnet. Jayden gave me a silver box and sang me a song; If I had a box to put my mommy in...it was super cute. Inside he was so excited for me to get an oreo cookie (he knows mommy loves chocolate!) He also made me flowers (ones that will never die, haha). Akayla-Joy made me a poster with her hands and a flower magnet. Even Alaya had made me a card with the help of her big sister. (Sorry the picture is sideways, it's not on my computer but turns when uploaded!)

They are the best gifts, ones that took time to make and thought put into them.

We spent the day at my in-laws hanging out. My favorite thing, hanging with family. I'm so proud to be a mommy of five. I am asked all the time how do you do it? And I think...I couldn't imagine my life any other way.

My Family

My mom, from Arizona and my sister, from Georgia came to visit me this past week. I had not seen my mom in about a year and half or my sister in about 5 years. My sister and me grew up together and the first time we were separated was when I moved away after I graduated from High School. Since then we've only seen each other 6 times in a 14 year time span. And those 6 times vary from 20 minutes in an airport layover on my way through to another destination to 6 days.

It's hard to hear about how some families live in the same town and never see each other or that having family functions are so much work. What I wouldn't give to have the opportunity to see my family or everyone get together at least once a year!

Growing up I didn't have a big family and we didn't live near extended family either. So the thought of having a big family was my dream. Thus why I wanted more than a few children!

I have gotten used to not seeing my family or being around them on a regular basis since I was a kid. It is what it is. It's never been easy and now as a mom, it only seems harder. When you finally get together the time goes way to fast and saying good-bye is way too hard because you don't know when the next time will be. My son Jaylen cried the entire car ride home because he had to say good-bye. He's just like his mama!

It is hard to imagine my children growing up and moving away from me. I can't bear to think of it now. Yet if God calls them somewhere else, I know I will have to let them go. Times like this past week with my family help remind me how important family is and to make the most of every moment. Make them count. Enjoy each others company. One day they will all be grown and out of the house and I will miss the noise, and maybe even the messes they make to show that they are here. I want to make memories with them to remember for tomorrow!

Oh, those 2 year olds!

Have you ever tried to put a two year old to bed? Now I have 5 kids and each one has had their turn of trying to get out of bed and stay up late. Some still do even as they have gotten older. Then I have the few that actually fall asleep as soon as their head hits the pillow and they don't get up til morning.

NOT my two year old. I think it's part of the two year old phase. I love babies. They are so cute, fun to hold, dress. I love watching them learn all new things, smiling, rolling, walking. But I also love the two year old stage when they are so little and talk so much, learning new words and copying everyone. Like little people.

But I do not like putting a two year old to bed. I always hated transitioning from a play pin/crib to a toddler bed. When they are in a play pin or crib they are stuck. They can cry but eventually they realize I might as well go to bed. Once they hit that toddler bed, they are free!

Just when I think I have a routine down, my two year old decides to change it on me. Especially if you change your schedule, stay out late or no nap. So many factors can make a big difference in a two year olds life.

It amazes me how much you can love your little child but also how utterly frustrating such a task as bed time can be! I will get so upset and see her melting from exhaustion and finally pick her up and let her lay in my lap and she is out in two seconds.

As I stare at her face my frustration melts turns my love boils to the surface. It's amazing how peaceful they look when they are asleep. I see how big she has gotten, how fast she is growing and realize she is the baby getting so big and one day I will not be able to hold her like this. I kiss her on her face, watch her crinkle her nose and enjoy her for a moment. One day the "terrible two's" will be gone and new "frustrations" will take the place of bed time. But the one thing that will always stay the same is that it is all worth it!

One of Those Days!

True Story...

The other day my 2 year old daughter came up to me to tell me that she went "poo poo". She is in the transition stage of potty training but I have not yet taken the task on to graduate her from diapers to big girl underwear. I asked her to get me a diaper and took her to the bathroom. I knew that we were out of wipes so my thought was to wet down some toilet paper. Great idea!

As I pulled down her pants I discovered that at some point she had taken off her diaper, put on one of her 4 year old sisters underwear and got her pants back on without me ever seeing her do it! So, of course no diaper means it was all in her underwear.

As I attempt to "wipe off" her bottom with wet toilet paper, I realize this task is getting a little out of control. I decide plan on a plan "B". I sat her up so that I can pick her up and she steps in her underwear. So now we have a dirty bottom and a dirty foot! I hurry to get her to the sink to wash her off and knock her head on the door frame. Now, I have a crying 2 year old sitting with a dirty bottom and foot in the sink in the bathroom, trying to wash her clean!

Have you just had one of those moments or maybe one of those days. It almost feels like your in a comedy show, rather than really living this moment out. I couldn't help but laugh as I cleaned her up, helped her stop crying and dried her tears. When we were all done I had a great story to tell her when she got older and one less pair of underwear. (I was not about to take that task on, I choose my battles and that was not one!)

Sometimes we have to remember to take a deep breath in and blow it out and take the time to laugh!

No motivation

I don't know about you but as I sit here I look around me and my house is a disaster. There are quite a few projects I "could" start, or finish even. Then there are the daily "chores". When I start to pick up, I begin to ask myself; "When did that happen? I didn't do that, I didn't eat that, I didn't use that! So, why am I supposed to clean it?" I begin to feel like my children and think to myself; "But I don't wanna"!

For instance; It took me weeks to start transitioning my daughters closet. One of those projects that I know takes time. Both girls are out growing their clothes, so I need to pull out the new and box up the old. I finally started and at this point it's in the "looks worse than when I started stage". Now that I've started it I have to finish because I have company coming in just a few days. I have motivation pushing me to get there for this particular project but that isn't always the case.

On other days I can't seem to find that motivation. There are dishes that pile up, laundry that sits in the hall to be washed and dusting that I never seem to get to. The daily grind of house keeping that I just want to give up on. With seven people living in the house, it can get tiring picking up after all of them!

I look around me and can't help but sometimes compare myself with other moms. There are the mom's that are stylish and put together, I drop my kids off at school in my jammies. Then the creative mom, always working on projects or creating things. There is the mom that has a house always in order, while I am frantic if I hear someone is dropping by. There are also the mom's with the most well behaved kids, I have had many times trying to shop with a screaming kid in the store or my children running crazy in the church (where we of course are supposed to "look" together!). I begin to wonder what type of mom others see in me. I feel many times I'm none of the ones I listed above.

I many times finish a day feeling like I accomplished nothing, I failed in some way or could have done better some how. I would hope that I am not alone in these feelings, as a mom.

But then we have to ask ourselves "By what and who's standards are we comparing ourselves to? Who are we supposed to be living for?" God gave me these children, He entrusted their lives to me. I was chosen to be their mother for a reason. I need to mirror Him for them. And when I fall short run back to His feet to be renewed. Get up and begin again.

I still have my days where I feel so accomplished, others days where I come up short but most of all I have learned to give myself a break. Still I wonder, What gets or keeps you motivated?

Give Credit Where Credit is Due

It was recently brought to my attention that I had not mentioned my husband, Stephen in my previous blogs and it wasn't until then that I realized how true that was. So I immediately was reminded of a few videos I had seen a while back by Anita Renfroe about Moms and Dads. I thought it fit perfectly. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I still do!





Now, all kidding aside... My husband has been a meat cutter at BelAir for almost 10 years now! And his job is the main reason that I was and still am able to stay home with my children.

My husband has worked hard for 9 years, starting as a clerk working his way up to a meat cutter and he continues to work hard each and every day. I am truly proud of him. The last few months have been a little rough but he has come out of it with great character! He is a great provider for our family.

Our children adore him and love spending every moment that they can with him. With his job comes odd hours but he gets good time in with the kids, even if it's just to pick them up in his jeep! (They usually have to keep track of who's turn it is because there is only enough room for 3 at a time).

God knew I needed Stephen in my life. We are complete opposites in so many ways. Yet there are other ways we are completely on the same page. And one of them is our commitment to this family and our children! We were talking the other day about how you never know what the future holds and so crazy to see 9 years after we were married the life we have now! I would "yes" all over again!