Sleep would be wonderful, please.

I love my daughter. I adore her-every single bit of her but, at *almost* 17 months isn't it about time she start sleeping through the night? She has nights where she'll sleep 8 hours straight, sometimes 5 hours but, on a normal night we're still up on an average of 3-5 times a night. Yes, at *almost* 17 months old.

I've never had to sleep train, never knew you could. Abigail slept with my parents until we moved in with Joe, then she slept with me. Once Joe & I got married she was old enough to understand that she had to sleep in her bed, by herself. Elijah was 2, I think, before he slept all night. Katie? The past couple of months have been good with her sleeping & she's almost 4 years old.

We tried CIO. That was going great until somehow Joe messed that up & we got back into the habit of rocking/feeding/patting her to sleep. I bought NCSS but, there's just so much information in that book and I really have no idea where to start.

I need to sit down & think about what's important for her sleeping well. My sanity and her wellbeing are high up there. I just want a not so cranky baby (& mommy).

I just want sleep.

Our Indepence Day (in picutres)!

We had a wonderful time with family & friends on July 4th. We went to a cook-out at my parents house where we were joined with 5 of my 7 siblings & some cousins & 2nd cousins. My older brother, George, has a thing for explosives. Being a Marine does that to him! LOL He spent wwwaaaayyy too much on fireworks & we all "enjoyed" them on the front lawn. I loathe fireworks. If I'm too close to them, I feel as if they may fall from the sky & hit me or something. A piece of one did fly by my 17 year old 2nd cousin's face while she was sitting in a lawn chair, watching them. That was great! LOL After that I went to the backyard. LMAO.


Here's some pictures! Enjoy!







Uncle George teaching Lijah some survival skills...how to survive on grasshoppers. lol



2 of my girls! They love each other so very much! ♥

My brother, George with Logan. ♥ He's one of the reason my children can celebrate their freedom. :)

My handsome little boy showing off the dragonfly he smacked down from the air. LOL

My poor middle brother. LOL He's such a good sport though!

This is my "oldest" sister & baby brother...along with my beautiful girls!

I should write more!

Abigail left for her daddy's yesterday. :( She'll be gone for a week! Dennis, Sandi, & I sat & had a very long talk yesterday before they left & I'm crossing my fingers that he realizes where I am coming from. I'd hate to make it so that Abbie doesn't go over there anymore.

I miss her! :( It's going to be a very long week!

A Mommy's work is never done!

There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day for me to get everythign I "need" to get done, done! I need to find more time for housework, schoolwork, a workout. I need more time with the girls & with the older two also. I need more time with Joe. I just cannot fit all these things into one day & it drives me nuts! Why can't I make it happen?!

I started Weight Watchers again on the 5th. I am in love with this lifestyle change. I do so wonderful on it & find it pretty simple to follow once you get used to the points & how they work. As of today, I am down 3lbs. That makes me so stinkin' excited! The first time I was on WW (in Jan), I lost 13lbs in about a month or so. I would love to do that again. I know I can. I just need to find time for that workout & the energy to walk 60 minutes or more a day. :)

Today is Joe's 27th birthday. It's hard to believe we've been together since we were in our very early 20's. <3

The baby woke up at 2am & I had to wake up Joe. She just would not go back to sleep. I was a walking zombie go back & forth to her. He didn't fuss or huff. He just got up & tried his best to put her back to sleep until I told him I could handle her again. I am so very lucky to have him in my life. <3

Only one person.

I feel so stretched latly. It feels like I have so many people who need so much from me & I'm only one person.

My children need me. Of course they need me. I'm their mommy. I'm the one they should be able to turn for anything & everything.

Joe needs me. He's a big, fat baby sometimes & can't seem to find his work uniform without my help these days. I may as well have 5 kids, instead of 4.

My furbabies need me. Without me, they wouldn't be fed.

I have dishes piled up in the kitchen. Clothes waiting to go into the wash in the hallway. The bathroom smells like mildew for some God awful reason. The kid's rooms? Let's not even go there! LOL. I'll get around to them one of these days. I have homework that's due & I do not feel like doing it.

I just feel pulled in 10 different directions all at the same time.

Thankful Thursday- 4/30/2009

This week has flown by for me. I have no idea where it went or what I accomplished in the past few days. I haven't done anything really. It's been a lazy week so far. =)

The things I'm thankful for are:

1. my beautiful children. Without them I would be nothing. <3
2. my husband. He's the butter to my bread. <3
3. sleep. Now that I'm not getting much of it (my fault, as well as a little of Ladybug) it's one of the most beautiful words I have ever heard.
4. My TMP girls. I have no idea what I'd do without them or what I did before them. <3
5. The word "mama". It sounds so sweet coming out of a 13 month old little girl's mouth after waiting to hear it for over a year. <3

There are plenty more things I'm thankful for, of course. But, we got a "way too early" start this morning at 2am. :( My brain just isn't working right. :p

PS
I'll post pictures later. :)

Wayback Wednesday.

Date: Summer 2007
Ages: Cody (14), Lucas (15), Samantha (19), Becca (17), George (23)

Date: Summer 2008
Ages: Elijah (4), Abbie (6), Katie (2), Logan (3 months)

This is what I am thankful for this holiday season. Need I say more?!