Let’s Play Catch Up

Here’s a snapshot – or few – of all the happenings at the Fleming household lately.

Our little boy turned one.  He will demolish this cake very soon!

We took a trip to the zoo to celebrate.  Here we are looking at the lions – or, to be exact, The Lion King!  B just saw the movie the previous day so she was pumped to see ‘Simba.’

After we settled in from celebrating West’s bday, it was Blakely’s turn.  We spent her day at the park with her favorite family and friends.  Fun and cupcakes were had by all!  My little darling is 3 – WOW!

We followed that up with a Snow White themed party with Blakely’s family and cousins.  Couldn’t you just eat this girl up?  (…and also the cake on the table?! 

Blakely and I took a girls-only trip to Charleston.  Here we are in our big hotel bed!  B hoped it was going to be purple, but no luck!  We had so much fun watching movies in the dark (Tinkerbell), visiting the aquarium, seeing old friends and eating huge ice cream cones!

He missed his mommy.

Look who’s walking!  Such a big boy.

Mother’s Day spent with 2 of the best mommies I know!

West is 1

As I write this, I am slightly ashamed that it’s been nearly 4 months since my last post.  Since I’m pretty sure all of my 5 previous readers have abandoned me – for good reason – my apology will just have to fall on deaf ears.  If I think about it too long, it kinda depresses me that I missed writing about so much that has happened in these last few months; but on the flip side, I’ve been busy living my life and loving my family so in that respect, I’ve really loved every minute of my life since my last post and the fact that I didn’t visit here is quite alright.    I’ll try to be better.  Only for the sake of recording our memories and documenting our lives so that one day we will look back and remember how awesome it all was. 

Speaking of, this week is defnitely one to remember.  Tomorrow is West’s 1st birthday!  It’s so hard to believe that he’ll be one.  It does make me a bit sad that this day is already here…he’s my little guy, my baby boy and I kinda don’t want him to grow up.  He’s a wonderful little boy and loves his mommy a lot!  Maybe it’s wrong, but it makes my heart happy that he’s such a mama’s boy…that when someone he doesn’t know too well approaches him,  his hold on me gets tighter and he puts his head on my shoulder.  He’s such a happy little guy and his smile seems to stretch from ear to ear.  I love the way he adores his big sister and how fast he can crawl across the room to play with something she is playing with (she doesn’t quite love this about him).  In short, he brings so much happiness to me and joy to our family and there is no way we would be complete without him.  We didn’t know it a year ago, but he was the piece of our family that we were missing and life is so much better with him around. 

We’re going to have a great day tomorrow celebrating West.  Blakely is pumped up about our trip to the zoo and can’t wait to show him all the animals!  She was pretty excited about his birthday cake and his presents too…if you can imagine. 

Soon I’ll share some pictures from our weekend and try to catch up on the exciting times that we’re living!

Checking In

Has it really be really been a month since my last post?  Gracious!  Well, things are just dandy around here.  West will be 8 months old in two days and is a ball of energy.  The difference between girls and boys are more evident to me everyday.  West is not at all content to sit still for half a second.  He has to be exploring, putting things in his mouth, and scooting all over the house.  He’s so close to crawling…right now he’s got a fast and furious army crawl going on.  He just needs to get off his belly and he’ll be off.  A few days ago, I went into his room in the morning and he was standing up in his crib!  It’s his favorite new thing to do and it’s fun for me to watch him try to get down.  I can see his little mind working…him wondering what will happen if he lets go of the railing. 

Now that he’s so active, he’s starting to invade Blakely’s space and it’s something she has to get used to.  It’s not uncommon for me to hear…”Mommy, he’s got my doggie!  Mommy, he’s trying to eat my puzzle!  Mommy, West won’t let go of my book!”  But they do play nice together too.  Blakely likes to show him how things work…that is until he tries to eat the toy!  They’re sweet though and it’s neat to watch them interact with each other. 

As for Miss B, she continues to be the coolest girl on the planet.    Last week, she read (recited) an entire book to me and Jarred word for word.  It was the craziest thing we’ve ever seen.  It’s amazing the things that she knows and learns everyday.  Our conversations can be pretty hilarious…and she’s got some facial expressions that will leave you speechless!  She had a major breakthrough in potty training about a month ago and is doing so great, with only a few accidents.  No more pullups for us except during nap time and bedtime!  I’ve also come to terms that I’m losing the nap wars as she usually does not want to take them anymore.  I knew the day would come, but I wasn’t ready for it.  Now I tell her she has to have quiet time and if she doesn’t want to sleep, she can play quietly in her room.  She will nap about 2-3x a week, but mostly she plays…and it’s usually not quiet.  As I listen to her, I’m waiting for the floor to cave in with all the noise she makes!  She has done better at night with her big-girl bed, with no night-time wakings, so that’s good. 

Now we’re getting ready for Christmas and are looking forward to sharing it with our two sweeties.  Blakely helped me decorate the tree…I occansionly had to rearrange the ornaments clustered on the bottom branches, but she was actually a big help.  We’re having fun shopping for them and anticipating all the fun things we’ll get to do during the holiday!

Mission Accomplished

I said here that I wanted to do it, and I’m proud to say I completed my first half marathon this weekend!!!  It wasn’t easy at times and the hills and non-stop rain certainly didn’t help, but I finished and I’m so glad I took on this challenge.  I started running again 2 months after I gave birth to West.  When I started, I couldn’t run to the end of our road (which is not far at all) and I couldn’t imagine running 13 miles…but that was then and this is now!  It’s a great feeling to accomplish something you set out to do; especially something that seemed so far out of my reach just a few months ago. 

When Did This Happen?!

As I was running this morning (my last run before the half marathon on Saturday!), I had a truly insane thought and wondered to myself if anyone might see me run and think to themselves, “Shouldn’t that girl be in school right now?”  I warned you it was crazy and I’m certainly not fooling anybody.  I’m nowhere near school-age anymore, at least in the tradional sense, but sometimes I still think of myself like that… a girl instead of a woman…’woman’ sounds so old.  Never mind the fact that I’m married, 30 years old with two children.  When did this happen?  When did I get this old, with all this responsibility?  It doesn’t help that sometimes I have dreams that put me back in high school, going to class or playing basketball (I don’t miss a shot by the way:).  I mean, I’m closer to 40 now than 18.  Let’s not think about that too much…how depressing. 

Anyway, although this whole age thing and adulthood sometimes seems to have snuck on me, I am more comfortable now in my own skin than I ever have been.  I don’t know how I got to where I am so fast, but I am glad to be here.  Under no circumstances do I wish I were 18 or in college again…I’m perfectly happy – elated really – to be a wife to Jarred and a mom to Blakely and West.  All I’m saying (or trying to) is that it’s weird to realize I’m a grown-up when half the time I don’t feel qualified. 

And those are my deep thoughts this morning! 

A Camping We Will Go

This past weekend, we took Blakely on her first camping experience.  It was no frills…we pitched the tents, cooked over a fire and had zero bathrooms around us!  We truly roughed it and we all had a great time.  It turns out that B likes to wander around in the woods…off the beaten path.  She discovered that they are great for playing hide and seek – lots of trees to hide behind!  She’s a trooper, that girl.  West also had a big weekend.  He finally got to spend the night all by himself at Grammy and G’s house! 

      

…and, I’m back!

Big whoop, I know.  Honestly I’m trying to be a better blogger…it’s nestled in there somewhere behind being a better person, better wife, better mommy, etc.  I don’t even know where to pick up here, so let’s try this:  here’s a list of excuses of why I’ve been MIA – or at least, these are the things I’m blaming my blogging lapse on.  I don’t suspect what’s left of my 5 readers will care much, but here we go.

1.  In the past month or two, I’ve been sucked into the Twilight saga.  Yes, those crazy books about vampires and werewolves have totally taken over my life.  I’m finished now, so I’m being re-introduced to society and my family for the time I was away with my nose in a book.

2.  I’m training for a half marathon.  I said I was going to do it, and I’m in week 9 of 12 and one month away from the run.  So far, I’ve run 8 miles.  I’m scared, but if I have to crawl over the finish line (likely), I’ll finish.  Plus I’ve already actually paid real money to do it, so I’ll be there.

3.  I was on vacation.  Well only for a week and a half, but by the time you add the preparation of packing literally everything but the kitchen sink, like a month has gone by.  We had a great time though and it was much needed.

4.  I’ve been a tad stressed and my mind is in a million places.  To be more specific, Jarred started working only 2-3 days a week this summer due to there not being enough work.   Now he hasn’t worked in over a month and he and I are in a competition to see who can find a job first….  it’s the classic battle -  him:  civil engineering vs. me:  whatever you want to pay me to do.    Money doesn’t grow on trees people, so you might guess that it can be slightly stressful at times.  However, we believe that God will take care of us as He always has and that the pieces will fall together in His timing.   UPDATE:  Jarred was offered and accepted a job on Friday of last week!!!!!!  Darn, guess he wins our little competition.  This opportunity for him was not even on his radar as far as something he would ever apply for…it was so obviously a God thing and proof that He takes care of us and rewards our faithfulness!!!

5.  I have two kids.  You knew this was coming, but two kids really does equal twice the work.  No it’s not work to take care of my children, but there’s a lot to do during the day.  I still haven’t quite managed the art of getting them to consistently nap at the same time…and it really is an art…so down-time doesn’t usually come until their bedtime at 8.

6.  I’m sleepy.  You probably knew this was coming too.  We finally got West to start sleeping all night – he’s a champ, 8pm – 8am most nights.  And what do we do…?  we put Blakely in a big-girl bed!   I was a very strict believer in not doing it too early before she was ready, but the morning came when I went to get her and she had crawled out of her crib.  I asked her to show me how she did it, but stopped her when it became obvious that it was a miracle she didn’t get hurt doing it the first time.  So we converted her crib to a big-girl bed and the sleepless nights came again.  It was awful the first week…getting out of bed/crying for up to 4 hours at a time, but she’s finding her groove now and getting used to the concept.  However she doesn’t quite grasp how much I hate it when she takes all her clothes out of her drawers and re-arranges everything in her room while she’s in there.  I can’t have it all I guess!

7.  I’m having too much fun.  I say it often, but man is it true.  There is absolutely no where I’d rather be than where I am, with my awesome husband and two amazing kids.  Along with Jarred, those two little people bring me so much joy and I just love watching them grow up.  Every day brings something new to the table.  I can’t get enough of Blakely’s crazy ideas and words that she says to me, I can’t turn away when she’s singing and dancing to the same video over and over.  I can’t ignore West when he babbles at me or laughs at something his sister did, and I can’t not watch him learn to sit up, roll over on his tummy, grab his toys, and master the art of eating mushy baby food.  It’s all too good!

Don’t Call it a Comeback…

…but it is what it is.  I plan on being more of a regular around here.  Stay tuned.

These are the Days of Our Lives

Yeah, yeah.  You’re tired of hearing how busy I am, so I won’t bring it up.  Actually we’re starting to hit our stride after 4 months of chaos.  West is now 4 months old and he’s starting to fall into some semblance of a schedule.  We’re currently working on his sleeping/napping (isn’t that always the case?) and helping him to learn to fall asleep on his own.  It can be challenging at times, to say the least.  He’s seen the last of his swaddling blankets and is adjusting to being a free man.    He’s also getting ready to start rice cereal and he’s thiiis close to rolling over – from his back to his tummy! 

Blakely is busy being a little monkey!  She continues to delight and surprise us with the things she says.  She’s becoming more independent, but also showing hesitancy when she comes across new things.  We’ve learned she’s not especially fond of fireworks and is a little skittish whenever she hears loud or abrupt noises.  Discipline is starting to become a regular with her…we’re still trying to find out what works best, but time-out usually does the trick.  She’s all about testing her limits and seeing just how many times she can do something we ask her not to do, before we take action.  We’re also in full-on potty training mode.  It’s going pretty well, but she still doesn’t tell us often when she has to go…she tells us as she’s in the process or just after.  She’s a tricky one, that girl!

To speed up this little update, how about some pictures?!  OKAY!

We’re finally using both swings on the swing set!  Seems just a few days ago when Blakely was too small for the ‘big girl swing.’  My,my…sniff,sniff.

 

Over-stimulated by the exersacuer!

 

Watching Barney!  Blakely showing him the motions of “Wheels on the Bus.”

 

Playing in the pool.  Hope he doesn’t miss!

 

My little guy soaking up some rays.

 

Good times in the little backyard pool!

 

West goofing off in his crib.

A Glimpse

That’s what this blog is all about…a glimpse of my life.  I sure wish I had the time and energy to post more often, but as of right now I don’t. Currently, the glimpse is of me and my two young children, ages 26 months and 3 months to be exact.  Later it will be a glimpse of my life with two school aged children, two preteens, two teenagers (God help me).  It’s busy around here and I don’t always have time to catch my breath, but here a few random glimpses into our daily lives through pictures, quotes, recollections, etc…whatever I can use to get tell the story!

*What’s going on right now?  The kids are napping.  Blakely is upstairs in her room and West is 2 feet away swinging in his swing, making little sweet baby noises…while sweet, I sure hope they don’t wake him up.   

*Today when I picked up B from school, her teacher told me that’s the cutest thing when B picks up a book and reads it.  “She is so smart, “  said my new favorite teacher.  I agree.  I know she’s mine and I have to say that, but she really is.  As we walked to the car, she told me about her day (“Emma take a nap in her stroller.  I share me toys with Caden.”)  and pointed out her friends’ mothers…”That’s Patrick’s mommy.”  She has a memory like a computer and always has something to say.  She will talk about things that happened months ago.

*Here’s a picture of West and Blakely from yesterday.  Awww, you might say…B is helping W sit in his Bumbo (or Dumbo as B calls it).  Nah, she just wants him to get out so she can sit in it.

Yes, Blakely has on ‘Thomas jammers.’  They’re her favorite.  They may not be the most fashionable sleepwear you’ve ever seen or ones you might think would be suitable for a little girl, but she loves them and who in the world cares what you sleep in when you’re two?  Not this mommy.

*Let’s look closer at these two kids’ eyelashes.  Those didn’t come from mommy, but from daddy, who hates them because “they fall in his eyes.”  Oh, imagine the horror.  Blakely was born with them, but West’s (say that 5 times fast:) have been steadily growing over the past 3 months.  Ridiculous!

*Reality check:  I’m a little exhausted right now.  Can one be ‘a little exhausted?”  Sure they can and I’m living proof.  West is still struggling (as are his parents) with sleeping through the night.  First he would only sleep when swaddled and rocked to sleep, then we began trying to lose the swaddling with one arm out of his blanket.  He did good with that…and looked liked he was at the rodeo at the same time (picture it)!  Now we’ve got all arms out and he’s starting to fall asleep on his own.  Sometimes.  While crying for the ten minutes we allow him before we intervene.  He’s still young, so hope is certainly not lost.  But getting up every 2-5 hours takes a toll after 3 months.  We cherish the random times he sleeps 6+ hours and hope they start coming more frequently. 

*Blakely is now awake!  She’s whining “Mommmeeeee, mommmeee.”  It could be slightly annoying if I weren’t her mommy and didn’t love her so much!  Now I’ll go upstairs, ask her to use the potty (she’s doing really well and could probably be completely potty trained if I had a weekend to focus on just that), change her diaper (I’m betting it’s a stinker , give her a snack, and go play in the backyard.  We’ll put the monitor on West while he sleeps.  I’m thinking we’ll go swimming in her blow-up pool since it’s sunny!