Excitement surrounds!

I woke up with this idea that I would surprise JR by moving everything out of storage and in to the new house before he got home from work....but then I remembered that I CAN'T. #1 I dont have a truck, although I could probably borrow my moms...#2 I have to have help for a lot of that stuff....although my sister should be home in a little while, and it wouldn't hurt to ASK my mom - but she wont be awake until later this afternoon....hmmmm. So I have decided to go and get as much of the little stuff as possible...and maybe I will ask to borrow my mom's truck - I guess we'll see about that one! I am so excited to be getting into the house...it is finally here, I feel like I have waited forever for this moment! LOL
JR had a job at 2 am this morning so when he got home last night he went to bed. He had to leave a little after midnight....my poor husband is going to be TIRED. He wont be getting home until around 5, so I really want to do something nice for him. I know that this is going to be hard on him but it is a little rough on me too! So hopefully, I too can get some rest!

Moving on and moving out!

AHHHHHH! so after posting my blog yesterday I decided to look up some ideas for getting Landry to take the bottle. I found a lot of different websites. So I showed JR one that said to try to get others to feed the bottle - a baby can smell its mother's scent from 20 ft. away. It also advises to leave the house because a baby can sense its mother's presence even if she is in the next room. So last night about 20 minutes before Landry's normal feeding time, I made a bottle handed it to JR and I left the house to run to the store to get Diet Coke for my mom. I was gone for about 15 - 20 minutes and when I walked through the door, JR was putting Landry to sleep. I saw the bottle on the night stand and checked it out. I made a 3 oz. bottle, and when I inspected it, there was about 2 7/8 oz. So, obviously, there was no success. But, at least she went down for the night at 9:30. Of course, she got up at 11:30 and again at 4:30 and again at 7:30....but hey count your blessings, right? Logan went to bed at 10:15!!!
Anyway, I decided to try some alternatives to the bottle. Today, I made the bottle, but left the top of and grabbed the the medicine dropper. I started off giving her some carrots, and then I decided that I should try the bottle one more time, so I got up and put the lid on and gave it a shot.....it only pissed her off. So I calmed her down, filled the syringe and slowly started to push it in to her mouth! She ate nearly 2 ounces of the 3 oz. bottle plus some carrots. when I could tell that she wouldn't eat any more, I put it away and we moved on. 20 minutes later I was nursing her and then she was OUT! I guess we will have to feed her from a syringe for a while and maybe the bottle wont seem so bad - then again she may just go strait to the sippy cup! I guess we will have to wait it out.
JR meets up with the owners of the house TODAY to get the keys. We are going to move some of the smaller stuff tomorrow and all the big stuff on Thursday. I am so excited to be almost in our new house! It is so close, and yet time seems to be crawling by! ughhhh....I can't wait!

another beautiful day

Well, it is another beautiful day. As soon as Landry wakes up, we will be heading to the park again! I guess it is becoming a thing for the Lucks! I just can't stand to think of a beautiful day wasted! I can't wait to get into the new house so that we can walk to the park...get some excercise! I can't wait for the summer months to roll around so I can take Logan to the river. I think he will have so much fun floating! I think I am going to buy him a tube in the next couple of weeks...and a new life jacket...he has outgrown his. My biggest concern is how cold the water is....not to mention him sitting still for several hours. My sister has been taking her kids for the last couple of years and they do fine, but I am not so sure. So, I have decided to give it a go and see how he does. I think I will most likely be buying a family season pass to Schlitterbahn! This way we can go to the kiddie pool, and he can have other things to do to stimulate him rather than just floating along! Anyway - I am excited of what this summer will bring. It gets hot here (hello, its Texas) but because the humidity isn't as bad - It isn't like Houston...plus, the mosquitos aren't as bad - or as big! We are going to take Logan to Sea World. I think he will really like it. We are also going to the Zoo and Natural Bridge Caverns and some wildlife ranches. I can't wait to embark on all the adventures! Another big event....camping! I can't wait!
Bottle - NO SUCCESS...I am going to keep giving it a try, but if I haven't had any more success by next week, I will probably just give up...You are supposed to start the sippy cup at 6 months (something I failed to do with Logan - he was 8 months) so, if all else fails, I will try to give her formula from a sippy cup! LOL - I guess we will just bypass the bottle all together! Who knows! I seriously, have never heard of a baby not taking a bottle...JR said he even tried to research it and came up with nothing...I may give it a go, right after I finish up here!
Sleep - Landry went down at about 10 last night...she slept until 7:00 this morning and then I was up for the day....I am dying for a nap! Logan went to bed around 11:00 and got up at 9:00. As of now, Landry has been asleep for nearly 2 hours! Go figure! Lol I am going to wake her up soon...Logan on the other hand is bouncing around and having a good time...I just put on Toy Story, so he is entertained for the moment!
Life is good, I can't wait for Thursday! I want in MY house and out of this one....my mom is off work today....She just woke up at 3:00 (in the afternoon) and started bitching....surprise, surprise! She went back to her room to take a "nap"! Really?

Beautiful weather!

Yesterday hit 80 degrees here in Wimberley....I sat around for a while, then took Logan outside to play. He was having a blast on the trampoline, so I figured I should try to get him to take a nap and then go to the park. It was a success! Imagine that...my son, took a nap, at the same time as Landry! HEAVEN! I realized that Logan's face was a little pink when we finally came inside...we were out there for about 45 minutes....I thought he may have just been hot, but when he got up from his nap he was still pink...ughhhh, the kid has my skin tone! So I made a mental note to put on sunscreen when we went to the park! Logan slept for 1 1/2 hours and Landry slept for 2! It was 4:30 when we left for the "big park". Logan played and played and played. At 6 I loaded them up and went in to San Marcos, so I could stop at Wal-Mart. It was my first Wal-Mart trip since being here in Wimberley...When I realized this I was shocked....considering I used to go at LEAST once a week. One of the irritants/blessings of small town living is that the closest Wal-mart is a good 30 minutes drive! Of course, Wimberley has a grocery store, but its very overpriced!! I have been putting off the trip, but decided I needed to go due to my dad being a little under the weather because of allergies, I wanted to do something nice for him, so I got him a little goody bag of some allergy medicine, powerade, a box of cleanex and a few other little items. I also picked up MORE bottles! I bought a gift box of playtex drop-ins. I bought the package because it was the only thing that had latex nipples. I have now officially bought EVERY type of bottle and nipple known to man! The gift set included 2 4oz. 3 8 - 10 oz bottles, a slow and fast flow silicone nipple, a slow and fast flow latex nipple, an orthodontic latex nipple, some drop in bags for each size bottle, and a pacifier. When I got home, I made the bottle...just 2 oz. and put on the latex nipple, HOPING and PRAYING that it would work...it did not....she playeind with the nipple, she bit the nipple, she did everything except suck on the darn thing! So I gave in after 15 minutes of screaming and gave her the boob! I tried again at her next feeding, which only led to more frustration on both ends! Once again, I gave her the boob! I also decided to give her the binky that came in the set. It is shaped like the bottle nipples, so my thinking was that maybe if I could get her used to the shape and texture, it would be easier for her to take a bottle. She will not allow me to put it in her mouth but she likes to hold it and gum on the sides of it...and finally this morning she started putting it in her mouth. Again, she is just playing with it, but I am hoping it will work! I am just going to have to keep at it, but man it is hard. I mean when you are pregnant, you read in all these books about not letting the baby have a bottle for the first 4 - 6 weeks because of "nipple confusion"....in my case its the same "nipple confusion" its just the other way around! I am really hoping that she gets it within the next two weeks, because at 6 months, I would really like to drop one feed. At 7 months I would like to drop 2. At 8 months, 3 feeds....So on until at a year old, I can completely ween her and have her start on milk. Plus, I would like for her to be able to take a bottle when we are out in public....I am to the point where I am tired of nursing with an audience! Of course, I am always covered up, but still. Not to mention, my parents will not babysit if she isn't on the bottle....well I should say my MOM wont. Not that we go out a lot, but it would be nice every once in a while! If this bottle thing doesn't work, I am moving on....to sippy cups! Hell, by the time I get her used to a bottle I will be taking it away....how aweful is that? I have decided that Landry is HIGH MAINTENANCE! LOL

I dont know if it was the coonstant battle, or all the crying, or the park, or whatever, but Landry went to bed at 9:30 - she woke up at 5:00 for a feed and went back to sleep. We got up at 8:30. Logan went to bed at nearly 11:00 and woke up at 9:30. Now, if I can keep Landry on this schedule, and just work on Logan's......ahhhhhh, I cant even think about how happy it would make me! I didn't go to bed until midnight, which was stupid, but I needed to unwind with a glass of wine! JR lefft yesterday morning at 7:00 am to go to Houston for his friend's bachelor party. We had discussed it, and come to the conclusion that because of the big move this week, it would be more financially responsible for him to only partake in the golf event. So he was supposed to go golfing and then head home. BUT, he called me at 5:00 to tell me that he decided he was going to stay, which meant going to eat at the steakhouse, then pokernight (they had a private room at this steak house and after dinner they had all this casino stuff set up). After the casino games they would be hitting the bars. I was not to happy with the decision he made, and I told him, but I also didn't give him a hard time...I mean, I did specifically ask that he tell me ahead of time if he was going to stay for the entire event....and he told me over and over that he was only going to golf. I asked him several times not to call me and tell me he changed his mind at the last minute and he swore he wouldn't. Somehow, because I know my husband better than he knows himself, I knew I would be getting that phone call. So I wasn't surprised...just irked that he didn't even ask about the kids, or if it was okay, or how my day was going. I am actually just jealous that he can go away for an entire weekend and not have to worry about feeding a baby or entertaining a 3 year old! The truth is I could have gone to Houston as well. Ashley invited me to stay with her, but I chose to stay here, because I wasn't looking forward to the drive...but even if I had gone....I still wouldn't have the luxury of going two days without the kids!

ON a funny note....Thursday night, I got Logan, Isabella, and Isaiah into the tub, and after I had scrubbed them all and gotten their pj's on and brushed Isabella's hair, I settled in to feed Landry. Isabella came down stairs and had her shirt pulled down and had her babydoll nestled up to her bare chest. She announced to the living room that she was feeding her baby just like I feed Landry!!! Hahahahaha.....The memory will keep me smiling for a while!
ONLY 4 more NIGHTS until I am in my OWN home!

To sleep or not to Sleep

Personally, I would choose sleep over just about anything! The night before last, Landry DID NOT sleep throught the night. She went down around 11, Logan went out at 11:30. Landry woke up at about 4:30 for a feeding, and then again at 7:30...but surprisingly went back to sleep and we got up at 9:00. Maybe it wasn't so rough because I had gotten a full night's sleep the night before, I dont know, but It wasn't that big of a deal and I didn't wake up craving the need for sleep. However, being on my period makes me somewhat drowsy, and all I want is to curl up and sleep. So at 4:00 JR had already gotten home, and I took a nap!
Last night, Landry DID sleep through the night....at least most of it....but getting her to sleep was a bitch! She went down at 9:15....I was very excited, but it didn't last long. She was up at 10:30 and didn't go back down until midnight....from there she slept until 7:30, went back down and we got up at 9:00. Not too bad! But the jumping all around is crazy! I just wish they would go to sleep at the same time EVERY night!
I dont know what the deal is....Logan was asleep at 11:30...I guess my kids are night owls like me...but I am going to keep trying. I guess at thins point that is all I can do is try!

Must have done something right!

Well, I got 8 consecutive hours of sleep last night! I dont know what happened or why, but last night was bath night, so my usual ritual of getting Logan to bed was a little interrupted...and I guess THIS TIME it didn't phase him because he was OUT at 9:00. I was like...what in the world??? Landry went to bed a little after 10:00...so it is getting better...the best part isn't when they went to bed....it is that Landry didn't get up until 7:00 this morning! No middle of the night feedings....just sleep! We left the fan on last night, so I dont know if it was the fan or I was just lucky, by why question a good thing, right?
I also had some success with the bottle last night! I made a three ounce bottle and used a rubber nipple instead of silicone....I was determined to get her to try! I tried and tried and it was a no go, so we took a break, and after 15 minutes I tried again....still no go, so I switched back to the orthodontic silicone nipple and tried that....nothing. We took another 15 minute break and then we had some suckage followed by some swallowing! She would only eat if I was standing (everytime I sat down she screamed her head off) and walking in circles, very slowly! LOL I guess she is particular. Anyway after nearly an hour from start to finish she had eaten 1 1/2 oz. So, I nursed her and she was a very happy baby.....maybe the formula had something to do with her sleeping .....who knows! All I know is that I will be going through this bottle process every time it is time to feed her, until I can pop it in her mouth and she automatically eats without hesitation! i am still not ready to stop breastfeeding completely, but I would like to have a break here and there! The funniest thing about this is that she is already holding her own bottle. I of course am holding it with her, because if she does it herself she just gums the darn nipple instead of swallowing, But I find it hilarious that she is already at that stage.
This is TMI so dont read if you are not interested...

Landry I 5 months 1 week and 3 days old....and I just got my period.....ughhh, I knew it would come eventually but I was PRAYING it never would! LOL I am having awful cramps...not really, they are actually just mild, but I haven't had them in well over a year...in fact in the past 4 years, due to pregnancy and the depo shot I have only had 5 periods.....ughhh! Please make it go away!

Off and On Schedules...and general mayhem.

So Landry and I are back on schedule, at least halfway....he have been getting up at our usual time....around 7:30, but on the other half of that, she hasn't been getting to bed until 10:20. But hey we are getting there. To think that ONE single event has her knocked off course for two weeks blows my mind! She isn't back to sleeping through the night, but last night at 2:30, when I picked her up to feed her, I realized I was really hot, and took notice to the fact that she felt clammy - so I am going to turn the fan on tonight....I just turned it off last weekend due to the weather being so cold. We will give it a go.
Logan on the other hand is still not liking the going to bed early so mommy and daddy can have time to ourselves...I realized quickly trying to make him go to bed when I wanted was going to end in an UGLY power struggle, so I started a routine...(yes, I realize that it is a little late in the game for STARTING a routine). And every night, I have started it 10 minutes earlier than the night before...things were going pretty well....Two nights ago, I had him asleep by 10:15....But then I hit a wall last night...He didn't pass out until 11:30! Geeeee. You would have thought he would be exhausted. We PLAYED all day. He and Isaiah ran around the house, then I took them to the park, then came home and they played on the trampoline and in the back of JR's truck, then we took them to the baseball game, in which they played, played, played....then came home, ate dinner and played some more....all of this and he only had a 20 minute nap in the car! Ughhhh....I am still going to start the routine 10 minutes earlier than I did last night...I am going to keep trucking along! Hopefully one day, both my kids will be asleep at 9:30, and JR and I will have an hour to ourselves.
This whole going to sleep at 11:45 and getting up at 2:30 to feed the baby, then again at 5:30 to feed the baby then again at 7:30 and not getting to go bed until 11:30 at night is KILLING me! I am getting about 6 1/2 hours of sleep and it isn't even consecutive hours!

General Mayhem: One word...my MOM! Surprise Surprise!
I am counting the days until I am not in this house anymore, the woman drives me crazy. She comes home in a horrible mood every night from work, and on her days off, she sleep until noon, gets on her computer for an hour, then goes back to sleep and sleeps until 4:00...the rest of the time she is on her phone, talking to a friend about her farmtown on facebook... She is seriously the most miserable person I know. 2 nights ago she came home from Lubbock...a 7+ hour drive, she walks through the door, throws her keys across the room and slams the door...we dont see her for 10 minutes, she comes out starts kicking stuff around, grabs her computer and starts her farming...never says a word to anyone - and of course no one wants to talk to her...JR goes to our bedroom, after a while I go to check on him, and he tells me he was uncomfortable being in the living room because of the tension. I was thoroughly embarrased. She is 46 years old....the days of throwing tantrums are over! Last night she comes home takes a shower and gets on her computer...I had tried putting Landry down at 9:30 usually she might cry a little but then fall asleep, if she is still crying after 3 minutes...I know she is not going to sleep! So I went outside with JR and Randi Beth...I was right outside the bedroom window so I could hear her, when my mom opens the front door and says, "You know the baby is crying?" Yes, mom I know, I am trying to get her to go down for the night. And she says, "Wow, great parenting Sara...." then slams the front door. Randi and JR told me not to go back in but I was FUMING mad...this is about the 6th time since being here that she has told me that I am not a good mother, I am not a good wife....basically I am not good enough EVER. I walked in the door stood in the living room, and said, "I would just like to say thank you so much for allowing us to stay here - I wish I could say you have tried to make it as easy as possible, but instead you have just reminded me of why I wanted out of here so badly growing up. Do NOT ever tell me that I am a bad mother again. I do things my way, and you can't stand it because you have no control over the situation. If at any time I do something wrong in my parenting skills or as a wife it is because of the horrible example that you gave me." My dad looked a little shocked....I apologized to him, told him that I know he raised me better than to speak back to my mom, but until he could get her to control herself, I would no longer hold my tongue and allow her to abuse me. I said, her only goal in life seems to tear people down and make them feel awful. Of course, she was sitting at the kitchen table shaking her head, so I looked at her and said, "If you are so miserable in life, do something about it, stop trying to make every one else as miserable as you are."
At her job she sometimes has to do suicide watch, which always cracks me up because I feel like if the people that were in the padded room could talk to her for just 30 minutes, they would probably find someway of completing their mission! LOL
Anyway, she later got on the phone with my little sister, and tore in to her, telling her that she never succeeds at anything. If you know Vanessa, she has always been self-conscious about her brain....she doesn't believe that she is smart...even though she is, so mom plays on the weakness. She kept telling her how stupid she was. That she was a spoiled little bitch...(ummmm...who spoiled her?) This all came about because Vanessa is not doing well in Spanish 3, which is a required course for her major. Vanessa had asked my mom after the 1st three weeks of class if she could drop the class and take it this summer, my mom said no....So know she is probably going to fail or make a D, which means she will have to repeat the course anyway. She even hired a tutor almost 2 months ago and it hasn't helped much. IF she fails the course it will be the first F she will recieve in her 3 years in college....Geez....really? She doesn't succeed? Really? I just dont get it. How can you be so horrible to people you are supposed to love unconditionally. Then she told Vanessa that if she didn't find a way to make a C in the class she would no longer pay her tuition! That is when I told my dad, he needed to get up and go stop her. It was getting ridiculous...he asked me what he was supposed to do....ummm, I dont know, he has been married to the crazy bitch for 22 years...has he not figured out how to deal with her.....yes, he has, he ignores her.....but come on, step in and help your daughter who is being bashed every which way. I guess that is just my mom's M.O. cut down and threaten you with what is importand to you. Sometimes, I really HATE her....I guess I dont Hate her personally I just hate the way she does things.
So sad - wish she could be better - I hope my children never think of me the way I think of her. She does these horrible things and yet, I am the bad mother for letting Landry cry for 4 minutes! Let's just say I am not taking ANY parenting tips from that woman!

3 wonderful years!

Three years ago, today, was a remarkable day. I remember it so clearly...well most of it anyway. JR and I were living off Nasa Rd. 1, we had to be at the hospital at 5:30 am., so we left the apartment at 4:30...just to be sure! We had some friends and family over the night before and didn't get to bed until after midnight. I couldn't even fathom sleeping so I showered and tried too lay down...I think I slept for about an hour, maybe two then I got up to straighten my hair and put on make-up....seems so silly in hindsight! The drive down to Galveston seems so long and so short all at the same time. I remember thinking JR looked terrified and excited all at the same time. I dont remember ever feeling panicked or scared, just so excited to meet my little boy. While I was pregnant with Logan I felt such a connection to him, it was as if I knew exactly who he was, I was so in love with him and couldn't wait to see him. There wasn't much that was said on that trip, I remember thinking, ARE WE EVER GOING TO GET THERE? I did ask JR if he had picked out a middle name yet. We only had a week to come up with a name and had quickly settled on Logan. It was JR's job to pick a middle name and it had come down to Parker or Conner. I remember pulling into the parking garage and suddenly thinking....oh my gosh...this is it! Then all of a sudden the trip seemed so short.
As we walked through the hospital we got to say a quick hello to JR's mom and sister Brittany before heading back to get prepped. While in the back, a nurse came in to tell me that a red headed women and a man were wanting to come say hello to me...they were claiming to be my parents. I laughed, and got very nervous! I asked that they not be allowed back, but still wanted to see them before going into surgery...just in case. My mom and I weren't exactly the best of friends at the time and I wasn't ready for the stress. So the nurse kindly told them it was against hospital policy but that I would see them before I went to the OR. I did, and it was fine.
I remember trying to lean over so I could get my spinal block - I remember laughing histerically - which is what I do when I am nervous. Once that was taken care of I kept asking about JR...it seemed like an eternity since I had seen him. They assured me that he was getting scrubs on and that he wouldn't miss a thing.
As they were performing the c-section, JR and I just stared at each other, I was tearing up, he kept asking if I was okay! Then he said, "I like the name Parker, I think it should be Logan Parker." I cried a little more. The doctor said to prepare, I would feel some pressure...what I felt was tugging! Then she announced that we a baby boy...and then I waited for what seemed like a lifetime to hear my baby cry. Finally, he did, and I lost all control. They quickly showed him to me then took him. They brought him back all bundled so that I could hold him and kiss him. I dont really remember looking at JR all that much, I couldn't take my eyes off my precious baby. Then they said they needed to take him to get him cleaned up. JR looked at me, I could tell he was confused as to what his role was at this point. I told him to go with the baby and that everything was fine. I laid there on that table while the doctors and nurses finished their job...I came in and out of the conversation at hand (which was where my doctor's son was planning on going to college). All I could think about was how happy I was.
I finally got to the recovery room and I waited and waited, but they never brought me my baby, I was then told he was having some trouble breathing and that if he improved, I would be able to see him in my room. Then I was taken to my hospital room where I would spend the next 9 hours waiting to see my son. JR went back and forth between me and the NICU. Constantly checking on the two of us. And, Finally when I could take it no longer, I told the nurse, that I was getting up to see my son and NO ONE was going to stop me. She brought me a wheel chair and was very kind to me. A little after 6:00, I was wheeled into the NICU and I got to see my little boy and hold him.....really hold him for the first time. At that point, I didn't care about the machines or the tubes or anything else...just my baby boy.
He stayed in NICU for 8 days before he was able to come home. I had to leave the hospital after four days so I stayed in Galveston with my Grandparents, who drove me to the hospital every morning at 7:30 and came back to pick me up around 3:30. Then I would wait for JR to get back from work and we would go back to the hospital at 7:00 and leave around 9:00. I did it every day until they released him. At 8 days old he finally came home.
The last three years really have been remarkable. I truly believe he is the reason I am who I am. My kids are my world....my entire life can be summed up in just three words...JR, Logan, and Landry.
He was born at 8:14am on March 23, 2007. He weighed 9 lbs. 6oz. and 22 inches long. Today, he weighs 34 lbs. 4oz. and is 41 inches long. He is still the joy of my life!

Irritated

So it is 10:15 and Landry and I are just getting up. This is unusual because we are usually up at 7:30 - 8:00 at the latest. The reason for this is that we were up all night long. I am pissed!
Yesterday, my sister went to pick up her kids from their dad. She dropped them off last Friday and went to pick them up yesterday....so she hasn't had them for an entire week due to spring break. She got home around three and said she was going to take them bowling and asked if Logan wanted to go to. I said that would be great - for yesterday he was being a little butt and I could use a small break. She got home at 7 and asked if I could watch her kids while she went out...actually she didn't ask she just said, "Hey since I took Logan bowling, I am going to let you watch the kids while I go out. I am about to leave, but I will be home by midnight." I was taken aback because at that point I realized she wasn't taking Logan bowling to give me a break, or because she thought he would have fun....she did it so that I would owe her. She left the house at 7:30. At 11:30 I was exhausted so I tried to get her kids in bed. NEITHER of them will sleep on their own - they have to sleep with an adult, which wouldn't have been so bad except that I have to be close to my daughter to hear her wake up so that I can feed her! So, I sent her a text message, in which she replies that she had gone to dinner and had just gotten to the bar. She said to tell her kids to get in her bed and put on a movie and she would be home before the movie was over. Ummmm....at this point I had already tried the whole...get in your moms bed and go to sleep thing...it didn't work. I called Randi Beth and she talked to Isabella, so when she got off the phone we went upstairs and I put on a movie for them and went and got in bed. But I can't sleep knowing that I have children under my supervision that are still awake. Which was fine, because 5 minutes later, Landry woke up to eat. So I took care of that and put her back down, then headed upstairs to check on the kids. They were still awake...ughhhh - at this point it is 1:15. I call Randi Beth...she says she is paying her tab and then heading home...
OH CRAP - OK THIS WILL MAKE MORE SENSE...I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT MY DAD IS OUT OF TOWN UNTIL SUNDAY AND MY MOM IS IN GALVESTON UNTIL MONDAY NIGHT! So it is just JR and I and he had to work today and tomorrow! So basically it is just me!
So at 1:15 I get in bed with Isabella and Isaiah, hoping that they will fall asleep and at 1:25 I hear Landry crying downstairs, so I get up to take care of her (she has some sort of allergies or a cold...runny nose, watery eyes, a cough that is keeping her up - BUT NO FEVER) I get her back to sleep pretty quickly and head back upstairs. By 2:30 neither of them is asleep but I keep nodding off, so I head to my room and wake up JR (who has to be up at 5:30}. I call Randi Beth and get no answer - she sends me a text back saying she wasn't in her car, she rode with a friend and will be leaving her friends house in about 10 minutes. I fell asleep before my head hit the pillow and JR came to the couch. He ended up falling asleep but at least he was close to the door so he could hear if one of the kids decided to walk out! Landry got up again around 3:45 and JR got up with Landry who didn't seem to want to go back to bed any time soon. At 4:30 I woke up hearing her cry so I fed her and called my sister again, she gave me this whole song and dance about not being able to find her keys or her bank card. I was like - um did you check the bar...I also here her saying "take a left here" so I know that she is in A car. She was like the bar is closed....no shit - its 4:30 they close at 2. So then she asks if I could drive to the Junction (a 15 minute drive) and pick her up. I was like how are you going to get to work tomorrow....she works in Austin which is a 45 minute drive and she has to be there by seven....do the math - she has to leave this house NO LATER than 6:15. So she says she is going back to Evelynn's to look for the key and card again and she will call back if she needs a ride. By the way, her kids ARE STILL WAITING FOR THEIR MOMMY and I have put on their 4th movie. After I get off the phone I realize that she was in a car and that she said she was going "back to Evelynn's" (Evelynn is the friend she rode with. So I start thinking.....If she is going BACK to Evelynn's where in the hell has she been??? Ughhhh I am so pissed. I go upstairs to check on the kids again. I turn off the movie and give them their gameboys...I tell them they have 10 minutes and then thats it...Its ridiculous that they are still awake. Isabella looks at me with tears in her eyes and says, " please leave the lamp on, I am afraid of Chucky***." Isaiah starts crying and says he just wants his mommy. My heart broke for them. So I left the door open and the hallway light on and went to be with Landry so JR could go back to bed. I put Landry down at about 5:00 and laid down. I heard Randi walk through the door at 5:28. I didn't say a word to her. She left this morning for work at about 10:00 - soooooooo she was late. Wonder what wild story she came up with for them. The thing is, she works 16 hour shifts on the weekends - so I have them all day today and all day tomorrow. I am so PISSED!

***SIDE NOTE - The reason Isabella said she was scared of Chucky is because her grandmother (her dad's mom) decided it would be a good idea to let her grandkids watch the movie Chucky - ummmm the oldest grandchild is 8 followed by Izzy who is 7....>REALLLY - now the child is terrified. Also, when they were at their father's this week....another BRILLIANT idea - they decided it would be great to let Izzy and Isaiah watch them catch a chicken, break its neck and pluck the feathers. UMMMMMMM REAAAAAAALLLY????
My heart breaks for those kids, I honestly dont know at this point if they even have a fighting chance in this world. I wish my parents would kick Randi out and file for custody of the kids themselves. I love Luis, he is a great dad - but he works ALL the time which would mean they would be at his mom's house - and anyone who thinks its a good idea to let a 7 and 4 year old watch chucky or the killing of animals probably doesn't need to be watching those kids.
I just fear that they will live a life always struggling - never go to college, maybe never finish high school....I am saddened by the thought of this, and I just dont understand it.

Photos of the inside

Here are some pics of the inside of the house...obviously the people that own the house are still living there, so you will have to wait to see what it looks like with OUR furniture...plus there are a few changes that need to be made as far as paint colors...the Kitchen has an orange wall, that HAS to be changed - it will clash with our red couches! I had hope to never have to paint again....but here I go!!! I forgot to get a picture of the other bedroom, which they use as an office, but will be Landry's room...which will also get painted!

Anniversary!

Yesterday was JE and my anniversary. It seems like forever ago that we were in Vegas, and yet just yesterday that we were getting married. Wierd! We left the kids with my sister and headed to Austin. We ate at Texas Land and Cattle each having waaaaay to much food and a bottle of wine. MMMMM it was delicious. Afterwards we went to the Austin Rodeo to drop off my sisters wallet and then down to sixth street where we stepped into a pub called "Logan's" and had some green beer. Then we headed home to put the kids to bed. I got JR a new set of irons, two trips to the golf course, golf shoes, and a golf shirt....this coming right after a GPS so he could find his way around Austin! I got a beautiful necklace a spa day and a shopping spree. I love my necklace, and the spa was wonderful, but I spent my shopping spree on the kids...Bought them both tons of new clothes! I am kicking myself now thinking, I should have just saved the money, but then I get my kids dressed in their adorable outfits and think....yeah, it was worth it! LOL

Also for our anniversary - we got a call from the realtor...we now have a house in Kyle, TX! We are both very excited. We move in April 3. I am ready to have my own space again. I am ready for the kids to have their own rooms, I am ready to have my own furniture and television programs. I cant wait to get into the house for so many different reasons! Above is a picture of the outside of it...It isn't the greatest picture because of the sun...but you get a general idea! I will post more once we get in!

New House

So, JR got to come and look at some houses yesterday and we picked one out and put in the application on it. I am hoping to have an answer by Wednesday! Its kind of funny though...we picked out 2 houses, and although we both liked each house, we each had a favorite - and it wasn't the same house! LOL We went with JR's favorite, but mostly because my favorite already had an application on it. It was the perfect house. It had EVERYTHING I wanted 1900 sq. ft. great floors, GREAT kitchen, new appliances, huge living area, GIGANTIC bedroom (seriously, you could easily fit 2 king size beds in there and still have plenty of room!) The master bath was perfect, stand alone shower, garden tub, double vanity, ENORMOUS closet. The kids rooms were great It had a LARGE half bath downstairs, and another bathroom upstairs. AND a brand new front loader washer and dryer! Large backyard, with a covered patio. Community park and pool right down the street. It was perfect...the moment I walked through the door, it was calling me!
JR's favorite (the one we put the application on) Is GORGEOUS on the outside. And to be honest, I really like the house...it just didn't speak to me! It is a beautiful home. It is 2 story, Huge living room, large very open kitchen (but very little counter space) we will have to buy a refrigerator and a washer and dryer...ughhh! It has a great backyard with a play set...which is awesome...it is also right down the street from the community pool and play ground! It is 3 bedrooms 2 1/2 baths and nearly 1800 sq. ft. The Master bedroom is very large, the master bath is large...but...it has a garden tub/ shower combo. I DID NOT like the closets...granted JR and I will each have our own, but the are SMALL. The carpet really needs to be cleaned...but people are still living there, so I am sure that will happen when they mve out. The kids rooms are small but maageable.
Anyway...that is the description for now...I may be able to post some pictures later!

Game ON!

Last Friday night JR, my sisters, and I took all the kids bowling. When we did this, we got Landry Bell off her schedule of going to bed at 9:00. It took several days, but FINALLY last night, I was able to put her to bed at 9:15 -thanks to the help of my mom! Although I was very excited to get her back on schedule, I wasn't prepared for what happened next. I crawled into bed about 10:30, she woke up at midnight. I fed her and put her back down. She woke up at 4:00, and I fed her and put her back down. She woke up at 7...I laid there until 7:15 then I got up with her. I have fed her and now I am just waiting for 8:15 and praying that Logan will stay asleep so that we can go back down, for I am sick sick sick. I have a fever of 102.8 and I am vomiting. My stomach is in knots, and I feel like someone took a stake and drove it through my right eye all the way to the back of my head and then another stake on the top of the right side of my head and drove it all the way down into my neck. Not to mention I had dry mouth last night, so between getting up to get water, going to the bathroom, and getting up with Landry - I did not get much sleep.
Landry is rolling over - which is part of the reason she is waking up so much...she rolls over and doesn't like it so then she starts crying. Ughhh...well I gotta go, I think I need to vomit again!

One week -

Well we have been here for ONE full week....well JR and Logan have been. I took a 3 day hiatus when I went to Galveston, but it feels like I have been here for a week...actually if truth be told it feels like I have been here a month. Grrrr! We are hoping to find a house and move on the weekend of the 27 - 28...so we have another 19 days to go! I am seriously ready to get out of this house and into my own space! When I was here 3 weeks ago looking at houses, I looked at about 15 houses....I checked the website yesterday, and only ONE new house has been posted since then! I am hopeing more houses become available SOON!
Landry is going to be 5 months old in one week, my anniversary is in 9 days, and Logan will be 3 in 15 days! Geez...so much going on! I just hope the time passes by quickly!

Lice

Oh....and to make things worse, I am going to have to ask JR to check my head for lice. No one told me that Isabella had lice, and I brushed her hair (using my brush) after getting her out of the bath a couple weeks ago....I am weird about my brush, so I always clean it out after each use, but my head has been itching like crazy for the past few days. It may just be because I am paranoid.....but there is a chance that I could have lice....it's freaking me out! I said something last night about my head itching and my dad says - maybe you got lice from Isabella....ummm that would have been nice to know! They have been treating the poor girl's head for a month now and cant get it to go away. Randi has taken her to the doctor and used prescribed meds for it, but it hasn't worked so far. It probably doesn't help that the child has more hair than anyone I have EVER known. She seriously has more hair than everyone in my family combined. Anyway - the whole idea is completely freaking me out! So please say a prayer that I DO NOT HAVE LICE!

ups and downs

Well, I stayed at my parents house for a week while looking for a house...didn't find one. I went back to my house and got the whole thing packed up, moved everything down to Kyle into storage, stayed at my parents for three days, drove to Galveston, stayed with my nanny for three days and drove back to my parents. I was home for a whole 4 hours before getting in to it with my mom. It took four hours for her to use the line, "As long as your under my roof..." I knew it would happen, I just didn't think it would happen so soon. She told me that everything I do and the way I do it is her business as long as I am here - I said, fine - I'll find a new place to live ASAP....as if I am not already doing that! I lived under her roof for 17 years, and it took about 7 years after that to get my head right again. This is the main reason I didn't want to be here. My mom and I have FINALLY gotten to a good place and I knew staying here would most likely mess that up. She doesn't understand that JR and I are married and have our own family. We make EVERY decision together...which she doesn't understand. JR and I might snip at each other, but at the end of the day we make our apologies and promise to do better the next day. I hate being here, the women seriously drives me crazy. I am happy to be living closer to her, but being in the same house is FAR TOO CLOSE! I hope that it gets better...I have decided that on the days she doesn't work, I will take the kids out of the house. She yelled at Logan yesterday over nothing. She criticizes me for the way I raise them, about my marriage. She takes every opportunity to make me feel like I am not good enough. Maybe she was just having a bad day...but I cant take that crap.
My great aunt Carolyn was moved into an assisted living home a couple of weeks ago. She was diagnosed with Alzheimers. It has progressed immensly since Christmas. She is resetting every 9 minutes, it is truly aweful. My grandmother is devastated. She lost her sister Jane about ten years ago, her sister Peggy passed last May, my grandfather passed in July, and now this with her sister Carolyn. I feel terrible for my Nanny. Carolyn only remembers her children some of the time. She calls my grandmother about 15 times a day, she calls my mom about 10 times a day, and no telling who else she calls and how many times. The place that she is living lets her stuff envelopes for them sometimes....and she believes she is "working at the hotel." She gets out at night and wanders the halls and gets lost and cant find her way back to her room. It's terrible. I dont think you can really understand the turmoils of this disease unless you actually see it first hand. She has always been my favorite of my grandmother's sisters. She was here when both of my children were born, even though her own grandkids were having children within a day of both of mine. I love this woman so much. I can't believe it is happening to someone who has always had such a great mind. I cant imagine what it must be like for her. I truly wish there was some sort of cure for this disease.

Phase I and II completed

Well Phase I - packing....is completed. Phase II - moving it all down here and putting it in storage.......completed. Unfortunately as we loaded a boxspring and mattress in the back of JR's truck yesterday to bring it back to my parents house, we encountered a down pour, so now we have to go buy a new mattress. Ughhh! This weekend has felt like an entire week. It has been so long. Our house in Spring is all tile, so after the movers loaded the uhaul it took another hour just getting the place swept and mopped! I started in the back of the house and byt the time I got to the dining room I passed the mop to JR! I have to go back to Galveston tomorrow. I plan on staying ith my grandmother tomorrow and wednesday and heading back here on Thursday. I can promise you that the minute I get back on Thursday - I will not be going ANYWHERE for quite some time, except to the spa on Saturday! I am ready to find a house but, my body will need a good rest, so I dont plan on going on the house hunt until next Monday! Wish me luck everyone!