Accountability

There are a few things I need to change in my life and wanted to blog about it - I think accountability is BIG in reaching goals.  So hopefully at least some who read this will help and keep me accountable :-)

1. Fitness: I am needing to workout a lot more again.  This is usually the only time I get away from the kids on a weekly basis and at the same time help me shed the last 5 pounds of baby weight plus some more I'd like to lose.

2. Relationship with God: I am needing to have daily devotions.  I get so much out of them when I have devotions, yet those are always the first to go when things get busy or I have a hard night with the baby girl.  This needs to be top priority at all times

3. Grow my business: While pregnant with Lulu, I put Arbonne on the back burner.  Sickness, toddler, and life was just too much. While I am still over-whelmed, I want to start my business again and aim to succeed.  DH and I have a very very aggressive plan to pay off our debt within the year and I'd love to help with that and get even more paid off even faster! Arbonne can help me do that! So I am focusing again and getting back on track.  Want to help out? Host a show or a basket show for me AND earn rewards so you too can enjoy all Arbonne has to offer!!!

4. Budgeting: We are on strict cash system yet I still have a hard time with groceries each week and staying under my budget.  I need to buckle down even more and make it happen, while keeping meals healthy for the little guy.  I also need to drive less and be more aware of the activities I take part in that cost money

I think that's about it :-) Lot happening and I am excited to better my life in ALL aspects. 

A funny story: Someone taught Cy to say: "pray to Jesus".  Not sure who.  But it is the cutest thing EVER! Tonight we were leaving the park and he went up to 2 of my friends and said "Pray to Jesus?" - LOVE IT! I love that my sweet boy is thinking about Jesus in the middle of the park.  I love that he helps ME to remember my Jesus in the middle of the park! He asked 2 more times in the car before I realized: Why am I not praying to Jesus right now? I can still pray when I'm driving.  So right then and there we prayed and he was beaming! I am so proud of him and so thankful to whoever taught him that phrase.  Way to put mama on the spot baby boy - I love it!

Just a normal day at the store.... HA!

1st off - I woke up today, absolutely exhausted.  Cy has been waking up in the early early mornings and with Lulu still waking every 3-4 hours (She want 6 hours last night - yay!), It gets me tired.  DH has been working over a week straight and tomorrow has school all day - so it leaves for a lot of mama & kids alone time.  I was slightly crabby (I'm sure DH would kindly say that it was more than "slightly") this morning.  Cy was already fussy and exhausted from his "fun adventure 6 am morning" and I was not looking forward to the day with a fuss bucket.  Well, DH left and I sat there and thought: "WOW! How lucky am I to be able to have my fuss bucket home with me today.  I get to experience his moods, and hug his blues away.  I get to tuck him in for nap and take him shopping with me - letting him experience the world WITH me.  While at times this is the HARDEST job that I have ever had - it's also the BEST job! I would not change it for the world! I am so lucky to be sitting here, listening to him scream because soon he'll also be learning something new and I'll be the one to teach him!" I made this possible, DH made this possible.  DH works extremely hard and I know, if ever needed - would get 2 jobs just so I could stay home with the kids! And I make it possible with him but sacrificing SO much - shopping for clothes, new shoes, extreme budgets for food, gas, outings, vacations (ha those have become non-existent), concerts, sporting events, movies, cable, fast Internet (ha!), smart phones... ya, the list goes on.  We've cut down on a TON of things but it is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO worth it to be able to stay home with the kids! I am so blessed!... Exhausted, but blessed!

Anyway, Just a normal day at the grocery store:
- Crying reflux baby - CHECK
- Baby in wrap, trying to get out with head hanging out - CHECK
- Picking the ONE broken cart that pulls to the left and takes ALL my energy/strength & 2 hands to keep it straight - CHECK
- Hungry boy wanting every item I put in the cart - CHECK
- SCREAMING boy, begging for every item - CHECK
- Baby blow-out all over my shirt and wrap - CHECK CHECK
- Toddler needing to use the bathroom in the middle of grocery shopping - CHECK
- A broken egg in the carton dripping all over my feet and jeans - CHECK
- People in the aisles (that do NOT understand how hard it is to push a broken cart with a huge toddler, while looking at the grocery list and holding a screaming baby in a wrap) getting in my way every 2 seconds - CHECK
- Getting all done with shopping and being exhausted... only to find that you forgot the ONE main ingredient for all the dishes of the week and it's on the other end of the store - CHECK
- Finding 3 items in the cart that I did NOT place there (CYCY!!!) upon checking out - CHECK
- Carrying 15 bags, baby carrier, and holding the hand of a toddler who is lollygagging into the apartment quickly before you drop all 15 bags & baby carrier ON the toddler - CHECK


Yep! Just a normal day grocery shopping :-)



Yes, I know - she's the cutest little goober EVER! ;-)



Sometimes you just gotta LAUGH

The last 4 days have been tough with a baby who has been crying a lot more than usual and a toddler with a fever and sickness.  Today I had the opportunity to go to Cy-Fest with a dear friend and her daughter.  When I looked it up online, it said 4,000 people went last year so I knew I was in for a busy time.  Little did we know HOW busy it was going to be.  While the amount of people wasn't the problem - the lack of staff/booths/size was.  If they had 4 face painters instead of 2, it would have been perfect! If they had 2 or 3 petting zoos instead of 1 tiny one - perfect! If they had 2 toddler bounce houses instead of 1 - perfect! you get the point - they did not have enough activities to offer to all 4,000 people.  So we found ourselves standing in the heat, with 3 kids (2 cranky toddlers who just wanted to get their faces painted... well 20 minutes after standing in line - that's not gonna happen.  Then just wanted to pet animals... after seeing the mile long line in the heat - that's not gonna happen.).  Yes it was an experience! At least we got their pictures taken by some magazine - so maybe one of our kids will be popular from this whole experience! HA!

- Heat, 3 kids, stroller, Cy who is grabbing candy wrappers off the ground and licking the sugar off them (yes, nasty and YES I stopped him each time but he did sneak a couple past me)
- Long Lines EVERYWHERE
- 2 1/2 hours later we had successfully gotten their pictures taken and Cy had jumped in the bounce house. Time to go!
- Heading to the car, it starts raining.  Yep, just our luck! Speed walking with the kids ALL the way to the other end of the parking lot
- Start leaving... Oh what do you know - the entire festival also decided to leave, causing a ruckus of cars all trying to run out and get on with their Saturdays.
- I just LAUGH... sometimes you just gotta LAUGH at your bad luck and bad timing
- Drive to Chick-Fil-A so a 3 month old starving baby girl can eat - took a while.  Got there - JAMMED PACKED!
- Walk across the street to Wendy's for crappy food and a quiet atmosphere (you'll understand the "quiet" in a minute)
- Lulu proceeds to SCREAM the entire time I am ordering... Cy then tells mama "CYCY POOPOO", which I ask him to hold so I can get seating (He then walks around the restaurant holding his crotch and proclaiming to any who would listen: "cycy need pooooo poooo, cycy need poopoo.  Hold poopoo mama?")
- I just LAUGH... sometimes you just gotta LAUGH at your "too much information" toddler
- I take him to the bathroom and afterwards, he walks up to a table of teenage boys and tells them that "Cycy poopoo'ed in potty!" haha - poor guys! On the way to the table (mind you, Lulu has been crying this entire time and the whole restaurant now looks on in frustration, begging me with their eyes to shut the kid up!) - Cy RUNS into a chair with a man sitting in it (he wasn't watching where he was going) - bounces off the chair and hits the mini wall on the opposite end, ending his bouncing fun on the floor.  OH DEAR! He then proceeds to cry.  Mama throws baby down, puts bag down and picks up 40 pound 2 year old. 
- At this point I just sit at the table, baby crying, kid crying - and LAUGH... sometimes you just gotta LAUGH at the chaos
- We eat dry chicken, kids have apples and ketchup, and Lulu refuses to eat - only wants to scream while I try to feed her
- My friend and I then look at each other - and I tell her 'Laugh, it's the only way to make it through" and we proceed to laugh.  I'm sure the people looking on all thought we were crazy - and we were! We were crazy to go to a festival with 4,000 other people, to think Chick-Fil-A on a Saturday at lunch time would be empty, to think a baby would wait 40 minutes to eat... Yes, we are crazy - but you know what? I'd rather be the crazy laughing lady than the crazy CRYING lady... any day!

SO when you are stuck with a bad day - just laugh... it gets better and laughing is SOOOO much prettier than crying ;-)

Reading at the library, waiting to check out



Highlight of Cy's day - taking a picture next to a firetruck!



And of course, a picture of my sweet baby girl!

 

3 months Old, Steve Jobs, Sickness

This is such a crazy post.  I am just so overwhelmed with emotion this morning as I think on a few things. 

1. Steve Jobs passed away yesterday and I felt a sadness in my heart for the world losing such an amazing inventor, business man, and family man.  It is truly sad.  He went way too soon and yet, I am so moved and touched by his dedication to bettering everything he set his mind to.  How many men would co-found a company, get fired, and yet still invent something amazing (Pixar)?! What resilience! Then to come BACK to the company that fired you and make history there too? WOW! I cannot help but wonder what he would have created next, had he not passed and I can only hope that his death has stirred up fire within each of us to live to our potential and do what we can every day to make a difference in the world and in the lives of those who are in our life. 

2. Cy is sick today :-( I think the last time he got sick was over a year ago.  He has a very strong immune system but all kids get sick at some point.  I'm very sad for him - he is miserable.  I am also praying for my sweet baby girl so she doesn't get sick too.  That would be bad since she can't take any medicine and already has reflux to deal with.  So we are home bound until this nastiness goes away.  On a positive note, I could totally get used to cuddling on the couch and watching movies ;-)

3. BABY LULU is 3 months old today!!!!!! I left this for last because it is what I am soooooo excited for! I cannot believe my sweet mumpkin is already 3 months old! She has been such a blessing to us and changes my life daily.  Baby girl, you are so special to us and we love you more than you will ever know! You are still refluxing daily and had a HORRIBLE day yesterday - from 5 pm until about 10 pm you were crying almost non-stop.  I feel soooo bad for you when you cry and I see those tears coming down your cheeks.  If I could take away the pain - I really really would!

Despite your daily pains with reflux - you are the most happiest baby! You smile constantly at Daddy and Mama.  It is heart-warming! Cy smiled a lot too - I think we just make really happy babies (hehe).  You especially like to stare at Big Brother and smile at him... though, he is still warming up to you.  I know it'll come at it's own time and then he will love playing with you all the time! He does worry about you though when you are not around and when you cry - he tells everyone so we can get you, it's very sweet.  He definitely loves you.

You also coo ALLLLL the time! You talk at every chance you get.  Must get that from your mama.  I love listening to you!! Cy never coo'ed so this is a new and extremely fun stage for me! :-) You are a little sensitive - you get diaper rash easily, you are allergic to Huggies, you do not like tummy time, you like to be held (reflux), you do not like to stand on your feet, and cry at loud noises.  You also got a fever at your first set of shots and I only gave you 2 of the 4 that were needed... so I know to be super careful with shots for now on so you don't get fevers anymore. 

You are still waking at night, at least 2 times and sometimes 3.  I tried to wean you off the other night but you cried every 10 minutes for 2 hours until I finally gave in and fed you.  Little chubby monkey ;-) I weighed you last night and you weigh a healthy 17 pounds! You are wearing 3-6 month clothes and some of your 3 month clothes don't fit your torso so you are in 6 month onesies already.  I love you to pieces my sweet baby girl! You are my world!

Not the best picture but it's one of the only ones I've downloaded lately... I think today I'll be taking a bunch of 3 month pics of you ;-)

What do you do ALL day?!

"You are a stay-at-home-mom?!??! What do you do all day?" ... "You stay at home... and what? Just sit around?" Yes, I have had both of these asked of me quite a few times since beginning my journey of staying home ;-) It's hard to keep your head up at times as a SAHM when asked this in such a negative way from people.  SO, to let all know just how much I sit around - I would like to share what an average "sitting around" day at the Fouladi household looks like with a 2 year old and a 2 month old :-)

Let me start off by saying - My kids are genius and my house is a "magic" house.  I had the fairy godmother come in and make all my cleaning tools come to life! It has been a lifesaver!! I woke this morning... aw, who am I kidding - I don't "wake" to the morning anymore since I'm up on average every 2-3 hours anyway so technically, I never really "went to bed" ha.  Anyway, my day starts at 8 am to my sweet and amazing Lulu, at just a mere 2 months, walking over to eat.  She was able to nurse herself while I sat and chilled, unfazed by anything.  When I got up from that, to my expectations, my 2 year old had successfully pee'd and poo'd in the potty - BY HIMSELF, no assistance needed to get undressed, up on the toilet, wiped or down from toilet or redressed.  Yes - amazing, I know (This is something he does every 2 hours all day long! No help is needed at his 7-10 bathroom breaks lol)! He then proceeded to tell me "Mama, Cycy make breakfast for YOU - go sit around and wait" ;-) He made french toast with a berry sauce all the while holding his sister and rocking her the entire time and telling me to NOT break the blinds or to stop pulling the dogs tail.  WOW! He must have eyes in the back of his head! Breakfast made, I PRY myself off the couch, meander on over to the table and the food just pops onto my plate and Cy's.  Guess what?! They are already cut, dressed with berries, drinks prepared, silverware out, EVERYTHING! I eat while Cy feeds himself AND picks up his own droppings of food off the floor. 

We head to the park... BUT don't worry - I just "sat around" the entire time while Cy carried Lulu for me and fed her a bottle.  I sat around while Cy got out the lunch he had made himself and fed himself.  And when he fell and skinned his knee... no worries! I just sat there and let another stranger kiss his boo boo... My favorite part is how the kids got themselves packed up and in the car - stroller tucked away, seat belts on, and car started all on their own! It was a relief because that, if done by a mama, could be a very stressful series of events each and every trip taken... but since they do it all on their own - yay! Good thing because running 2 or 3 errands every day with them could get tiring if they didn't do it on their own! :-)

Nap time - EASY! The books open themselves and read to Cy, while he tickles his own back and a recording sings him a couple songs... all the while, Lulu is feeding herself and changing her own diaper (3rd one today).  Then when I walk out of his room - to my amusement, the vacuum is going off and cleaning the floor, the broom is focusing on the tile floors, and the sink is doing the dishes for me.  I proceed to sit and do nothing.  Then, I guess out of boredom, the mop gets out and mops the entire floor - TWICE! Because someone did finger paints the day before and painted more of the tile than the paper!
I find 4 loads of laundry already folded by Cinderella on my bed, bathrooms have been picked-up and clothes hung.  Lulu put herself to sleep after feeding herself - AGAIN and changing yet another one of her own diapers.  And all the while, I'm just sitting here - watching. 

Of course we can all infer what happens next - afternoon activity done all by Cy, I mean, who needs an adult to make slime for you or to pick up after it? Dinner made on its own and picked up after.  Kids fed, changed, bathed, lotioned up, ears cleaned, nails trimmed, books read, songs sang, kids tucked in - and all the while, I was sitting on my tushy on the couch! I KNOW! AMAZING! And at 11 pm, 2 am, 5 am, and 8 am - Lulu feeds herself, changes herself, and rocks herself back to sleep.  AWESOME!

Yes, by all means - I just sit around as a SAHM and do nothing.  :-) What about you?

Randomness

So I just have a bunch of random things to say that have been on my mind :-) ENJOY!

1. Why am I so obsessed with pintrest? I finally figured it out! It is one of the only things I can do with ONE hand while feeding (or rocking) Lulu :-) Since she refluxes a lot and especially at night - I get bored... enter pintrest! It's amazing! So I have finally solved my mystery of why I like that crazy website so much ;-)

2. I had a play date today... and I don't think we finished even one conversation.  With toddlers and newborns each, there was always something going on that would interrupt us and then who can remember what we were talking about right after pulling your son off the other kid or running to catch your son from MAYBE falling off the ladder or when confronted with the infamous "Pee pee!" from a potty-training toddler :-) Yes... the answer is - NO ONE! So, we probably started 6 or 7 different topics but did not finish any of them. You know your a mom when... you are doing dishes or folding laundry and you all the sudden remember what it was that you had wanted to tell your friend during the play date - ha! Better send a text because face-to-face chatting, while available, usually doesn't allow time to get your final say in when surrounded by toddlers and newborns :-)

3. DH told me the other day that I should start a blog about my driving.  I am serious - I notice EVERYTHING! You know that car 1/2 a mile away, the blue one that just cut off the red one and then slowed down?! YES! That one - I SAW THAT! And now I am frustrated and see the blue car coming towards me... so I switch lanes and slow down, just to teach him a lesson about kindness.  HA! So something that has bothered me this week :-D

             - When a car turns on their turn "right" signal and then proceeds to pass 10 places that he could have turned right... all the while, slowing down a tiny bit at a time... making YOU think that "Oh, this next right is his turn".  PSYCH! And then, when you start giving up hope that the car is ever going to turn, they SLAM on their breaks to a full 3 mph and turn.  AAAAHHHHH!!!!!
            

4. I am wanting to do a 30 days type thing... but cannot decide what to do.  Any ideas of what you would like to learn more about? I was going to do 30 days to mama sense (about sleeping, eating, poo'ing of kids), 30 days of Arbonne (telling the most amazing facts and products that Arbonne has!), 30 days of Slow-Cooker recipes (who doesn't need 30 recipes to save them from eating out when they are too tired to cook but suddenly remembered that they threw 4 ingredients into the slow cooker that morning?!)... yeah, I have a few ideas but if you have any - do share! I'd love to blog about it and help us all become better crazies ;-) (because lets face it - if you are a mom or dad - we will always be a little crazy no matter what!)

"Til 2013 do us part?"

I saw this title: Til 2013 do us part? and had to read! Here is the article for you to read as well.  Can I just say - WOW.  I am in shock.  This makes me so sad, and shows me just where the world is headed.  One person asked: "What ever happened to "til DEATH do us part"?? And I'd like to know the same thing! With divorce being at 50% in some places, I feel like it is too easy now days to get a divorce. 

Now before you go getting all "I AGREE" or "Wow that hurts because I'm divorced" - Let me clarify my position on this! I feel like there are very legitimate reasons to get a divorce! I also feel like it is not my place to judge any one's decisions.  For you without sin, cast the 1st stone... that is definitely NOT me.  But I do feel like it is getting easier to get a divorce.  And now it is getting even easier.  So sad.  Marriage is the hardest thing I've ever had to work through but it's also been the most rewarding.  I feel like some think marriage should be a walk in the park and all easy peasy.  It's not.  It takes work - a lot of work.  Some days - no work at all.  But it's hard and it's wonderful.  Just gotta take the bad with the good.  Work through it.  Now again - please, do not misread, I DO believe that in some instances - divorce was very necessary. I just think it's getting easier now and people do not respect marriage as being a "forever" type thing anymore.