Things I miss before I had children...

a different topic today than normal... I decided to write about the things I miss that I did.. before I had the children

1. Being able to finish a book in a day.......... and they said rome was built in a day (not if you have 2 toddlers)

2. Going out when I feel like it (have to pre-plan, sitter, and pack the kids bag)

3. Eating a Hot meal..... My kids eat before I do and by the time i get to it.. it is cold and yucky.. and then i warm it up in the mircowave... and someone falls.......... there goes the dinner. 

4. a clean house.. in all areas... at all times. (it looks like a war zone much of the time.. with toys waiting to be set off and blast your ear with loud music.. and they wonder why kids are going deaf) 

5. Taking a shower... and a long one.  

6. going food shopping without having children present/or begging for food

7. watching a entire movie without falling asleep....... yep.. I get so exhausted i can't even finish a movie. 

8. having a house full of food.... longer.. my almost 3 year old boy begs for snacks almost hourly now.. he is like a garbage disoposal that cannot stop eating.  

9. not having to feel vibrations to make sure that my kids are behaving... and checking on them a lot.. more often than not.. they are wrestling (yes my kids wrestle now) or fighting over a toy they just cannot share.. and when it gets really quiet then they are having too much fun and doing something that is a no no.

10.  sitting on the couch in a total clean house and proud of my work and feel great it can stay clean for a while... doesn't happen when you have children.  

11. again, reading a book in one or so day.. It takes me weeks now to finish a book........... man. 


Don't get me wrong.. this isn't complaining about my kids at all... I just have certain things that I miss.. before I had my children... but my life is much fuller now because of them... Every morning I get to get up to see the 2 most beautiful faces on this earth. I get to play (most of the day) with my kids and be The cool silly mommy and make my kids laugh.. even though i can't hear them laugh, I see the smile reach up to their eyes and they (esp vincent) yells Mommy you funny!!!!!!! Nothing makes my heart sing than my ability to make my kids giggle.  I hurt when my kids hurt.. I hate telling them no and seeing them cry but I know in the long run it will make them a stronger person.   My favorite part of the day-- is when I get to sit on the couch with both of them and watch some t.v. and we all snuggle.. sometimes its a movie and we get to eat popcorn.  Every night I put them to bed... and I silently sing Hallejuah because I get to spend some  ME time finally but.. I'm always thankful that I am THEIR mommy.  Life isn't so bad when you have two hearts to love and love forever.  Not so bad after all. :) 

the bed time trick

Bed Times are my favorite part of the night- MY KIDS finally go to bed!  and leave me alone for several hours. Hallejuah!!! haha.  don't get me wrong. I love them to pieces.. but when i am reading a good book or seeing a good show on Net flix that I can't wait to see the next show of.. Or finish the book and so on. :)  

the other night I tricked Vincent into going to bed early.... and I told my friend I just earned the worst mom of the year award but it was pretty funny.   Haha.  OK.. well, I JUST recently moved the box of books upstairs so now Vince and I.. and eventually Victoria and I will snuggle in their beds and read bed time stories. :)  Part of this now, is learning how to listen to mommy read and not reading other books and just relaxing and listening to the stories.  Vincent is a hyper little 2 year old at 9:30 at night this particular night.. I started reading a book... and he was reading other books and jumping around and pretty much not listening to me... I finally glanced at him and said.. Hey bud? you want me to leave right? and Vince said Yeah.  I was like Ok, I guess Story time is over and I picked up all the books and put them back in the box.. and said I guess its time for bed now since you don't want to listen to mommy read you some stories.  Vincent at this point started freaking out and crying and being like I really want to finish the books and i'll listen im sorry... and I was like.. No you were playing anyway.. and not listening and you wanted me to leave, so I'll leave.. maybe you'll learn to listen next time.. and he was STILL crying ( obviously tired out) and I said nighty- night buddy.. I'll see you in the morning I love you.. and hes like (cries) i love you too... ( ibet he was thinking I was a horrible mean mommy for doing that to him ) 
I later texted a friend that night.. saying ha-ha! i earned the worst mom of the year award tonight.. but it was pretty funny to me.  

Vincent-im glad to say now all  i have to say is? You want me to stop and leave??? and he knows.. he's like ok i'll lay down and listen.  It is so hard for him to do at almost 3 years old but he is learning.  He Throughly enjoys the hungry caterpillar. I can't wait until he is a little older so we can do a caterpillar project so he learns more about what caterpillars do and how they become a butterfly. :) way cool.

 

Toddler Speak

Most of you already know that Vincent was having or is having difficulty in speaking english.  Haha.  I just wanted to update you that he has been really trying harder now to talk more and it has gotten hilarious to just see the things he has to say.  As a deaf mom- i'm proud that he signs... but I want him to also function in the hearing world like I do.. speaking, writing, reading... it will take him far in life.  It has been really interesting to see the things he has to really say and what is on his mind.

Vincent is very self centered now......... everything begins with ME, or I.  

he also yells............. ME WANT PLAY OUTSIDE!!!!
ME TIRED! I WANT EAT FOOD...ME hungry.  

It is so funny to see the language he is picking up and how he spends hours giggling over the smallest thing.  Tonight i was telling him good night and giving him hugs and kisses.. and (yes at 3) he doesn't like the kisses anymore and wipes them off his cheeks.. BUT he asks for more and laughs... so  I think he still likes it but is making a game out of it.  He has really begun a language explosion the last few months where he is picking up so many signs/words.. and also with me letting him watch signing Tv shows (blue clues, signing time) he has been really learning more.  I have never been prouder of him.  

I think there is some speech delay though... the key will be to find out to what degree and how to help him catch up with his peers.  Hopefully he won't hate us for all the work we will have to do with him. :)  I had speech thearpy as a kid and I hated it........ I guess I never thought about how it would be like from a hearing kid point of view- they should speak english fine and shouldn't need the help..... so I hope I can make vincent feel ok about having to go and that he gets the extra help now while he still is little.  It is hard.. so many worries.. so much love and life.

I have to share though: Victoria said Mama tonight. :) she was looking at me and going MMMMMMMMMM, Mama! little tiny voice she has. :)  I'm just thrilled because vincent said dada first before mama. (but he did sign mama before dada)  Victoria isn't really into signing at all.. she knows what signs are and what are the same repetive signs we use daily.  Time will tell in the next few months if she will really ever pick up ASL like her brother has.  I was also cleaning up the house tonight... and Vincent got his animals and pooh blankie and said good night to his dad and basically put himself up in bed by himself.. I was like you are getting so big that you know you are supposed to be going to bed.. Wow.  :( My babies are growing up.. the next I know.. i will be blogging about all the activities they do and how much time I spend texting/driving.. Haha. 

Easter Egg Hunt

The promise of Easter is finally here.... Easter.  Easter is a time for us to get together and finally get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine and really enjoy being with our family... after being rudely shut in all winter! 

This year held special meaning to me... as most.. Ok, ALL of you know, I had Victoria the day before easter- and that is when my family does Easter.. so I missed out, and I missed out on Krause Clan festivities last year as well as Steiner's. I have been looking foward to easter since christmas mainly just because I can eat the food and actually paricipate in the fun rather than being in a hositpal bed wincing in pain.

We went to my mom's hosue for Easter this year.......... it was actually a lot of fun.. lots of chattering, eating, and giggling for hours.  This year, since I got out of cooking food- food duty.. I decided to allow ( with my mom and stepdad's permission of course) all 6 grandkids to go outside and do a easter egg hunt with 84 plastic eggs... Haha. 84 divided by 6 came to 14 eggs per grandkid! Grandpa G went outside to hide all the eggs.. It was pretty funny watching my Nephew try to sneak and see if he could see where Grandpa was hiding all the eggs.  :) Once all of the kids arrived.. ( I love how this happens) one of the kids ran up to the other and said.. Grandma's letting us easter egg hunt!! and there's Candy in them.... then all the kids bubbled up with exictement and started chattering madly and peeking out the window and yelling I see one..... Oooh i see another.  Grandma was like we aren't doing that until after everyone's ate and is done! (kids mumble and whine a bit)  Kids rush through meal while the adults take our sweet time eating and chattering........... (kids come up the stairs and ask about 20 times when we are going to do it.)  (giggles)  Vincent was really a little too young to really get it.

The Easter Egg hunt:
we told the kids 14 eggs each, once u get all 14 you stop but if you see somoene else that is still looking for eggs, then you can help if you want.  All of the kids found eggs pretty quickly- amazed me how fast they found 'em.  we had trouble finding 6 eggs..  I guess Grandpa must have hid them really good!!! we did find them... if there was one or two i am sure Grandpa will find them when he mows the lawn. haha.

the adults spent the rest of the day on the deck yakking for hours and visited with Tori who slept most of the time. poor baby she was really tired.

Sunday we spent the day with the krause clan....... easter egg hunt.. and the kids found eggs too.. vincent having done this the day before caught on really quick.. when we told him to look for something in this spefic area.. he found them! I think it helps too to have BRIGHT colored eggs ( which i think we will do next year at Mom's) this year we had pastel and I think that was harder for vincent for some reason.  and we all sat around and laughed at the kids and chatted.... they all really liked seeing Victoria and vincent. Vincent threw a HUGE fit at the end because he was so tired from all the craziness and he told andy.. I not fall asleep on ride home. i Promise. I not tired. andy is like you are tired and i thnk u will fall asleep.. he said no daddy i not tired i not fall asleep.. and on the way home he was desperately trying to stay awake........... and he made it to De Pere........about 3 blocks away from home.... he fell asleep. and we laughed.......... I not tired!! Andy put him to bed and vincent tried to convince him to let him not nap... I was like, No buddy mom says u need to nap.... pitting one parent at the other already!!  tori was completely exhausted and very happy to nap :)  after all that....... so were we!

Lauren

Good Bye Crib

Tonight, Fondly and happily- we bid farewell to a old friend of the family. Mr. Crib.  Mr Crib has been a member of our family since before Vince was born.  I still remember the antipication of bringing Vincent home from the hositpal.. and Andy and I decided that we could trust vincent alone in his big (small) bedroom and let him sleep without mommy or daddy nearby.  I was going to be going in there every 2-3 hours to feed him anyway. He would be fine.  The first night, he snuggled down happily... and I lowered my arms to put him in it and Andy wrapped him in his crib the way they showed us how at the hostipal due to SIDS prevention.  I remember looking at him and worrying about him being all alone in such a BIG crib and all by himself (after all 2 days ago he was in my belly waiting to be born!)  Andy looked at me and smiled, and said Lauren-- he will be fine.. you will be back in here in 2 hours and we have the baby monitor.  grudingly I left my sweet baby boy.... 

Almost 3 years later.......................

Vincent is almost 3 and we finally decided he was big enough to sleep in his own big boy bed and that he could choose what he wanted for his big boy bed.  He chose toy story, Although every night he still sleeps with his Pooh and his Tigger and his blanky.  These are his must haves EVERY single night.  It still feels unreal to me as a mom.. that overnight it seems like Vincent grew up much too quickly for me.  He does not want to be momma's baby anymore and wanting to be more independent.  It has been 3 weeks since we moved Vincent and no real big issues at all.. He stays in his bed most nights unless he is a little wounded up for bed.  Most nights because he does not take a nap-- he is pretty much ready for bed when he goes to bed.  Thank god we haven't had too many issues except for wanting to wake up Victoria when he is supposed to be sleeping.  :) He is really happy about sleeping in his big boy bed and Loves to show people his big boy bed and big boy room.  We are so proud of him but for me as a mom.. I am so proud of him but at the same time I miss him being a little tiny vincent.  It all went by so fast.  But I sure am glad he is not jumping in his crib anymore.. there were many nights i was afraid he would jump so hard he would break the crib- they made that crib unbreakable! lol  

Good bye Crib- good bye old friend.. thank you for protecting our sweet little baby.

Everybody poops

This is a conversation Vince and I had over lunch while Victoria was napping... I shall call it everybody poops...

I was looking at diapers online to determine what was the cheapest cost of buying diapers and pull ups... Vince asked what I was doing, and i showed him. He said the baby wears diapers and I wear pull ups now because Im a big boy (really he just said I big boy) 

We were talking about going pee and poop in the potty and that mommy wasn't going to get any more diapers for Vince because he can go pee pee in the potty.  Vince then says I can go poop in the potty BIG BOY! I am like Yes, You can! He says..... Momma, Lady goes poop??? I was like yes- outside because it is very stinky! Momma, does the Kitty go poop? Yes, in a big box full of litter.  Momma Monkey poop?? Yes monkey poops in a jungle (what else am i supposed to tell him....) Momma, bear poop too? I was like Yes.. bear poops......somewhere in the woods..... (the things that make you think... how come I never stepped in bear poop?) Momma-froggy poops too right? Yep in the pond... little poops u can't see because it goes right in the water just like the fishies- Vince goes quiet and is eating his lunch........ then he is like....... I gotta go poop.......... like a frog....

(sitting on the potty) Momma- I be pooping like a bear!! 

(um.... Yeah......guess that is all you got out of the life lesson buddy) LOL 

going night nighty!

In our house..... when it is night-nighty time it tends to get a little crazy.. or a little crazy... I have decided to put vincent in a big boy bed due to a lot of issues with my wrist (and amazingly- my wrist has improved/feeling better since we don't put vince in the crib anymore!) and the fact we are potty training him now, and He feels like he is a big boy- as we often tell him you are a Big Boy. 
With two kids now... it gets harder to put both of them to bed.  Vince has decided that since he is bigger than his sister- he should go to bed later than she does (even if it is 5 minutes after she does LOL)  brothers.  :)  Usually it is either Bath,book bed for both kids depending on what night it is or its just Bottle, sippy cup, book and Bed. Both kids do great..

The night Andy and I were dreading finally arrived.... Vincent went to grandma's house the night before and got all hyped up and we picked him up and he went to sleep here (late) because he missed us.......well the next am he woke up early with me, and went food shopping with me (that boy LOVES shopping-when he is 13 and complains about shopping for jeans- I will happily remind him he never objected to shopping with momma. :) )  He was so tired out from Driving the cart and helping mommy pick stuff out at the store (or so he thinks) and he needed a nap..... Well...... He should have gone down for a nap at 2pm but he took one at 4pm and wouldn't wake up until 6pm.  I knew he was going to be up........... LATE.  I blamed this on andy since he let vince take a nap at 4pm- i said put him to bed at 7pm. instead...... No............ Well......I put vincent to bed at 10... cleaned up the living room...... and this sweet blond hair boy sneaked downstairs by Daddy and Andy laughed because he did not look sleepy.. so we checked him for a fever... Then I was like I suppose he can stay up and watch a little spongebob with me.. we both thought he would fall asleep on the couch hanging out..... Nope.  He was JUMPING all over the couch and acting like it was a PARTY..... Seesh, I was so tired.  I kept glancing at him hoping he would somehow fall over and fall asleep.  11:30 came... I was like arent u tired yet? he is like Nope and spongebob is ON again! Ohhhhh............. great kid.  great... so I said OK, one more spongebob then u have to go to bed because it is VERY late in Kid-World. midnight came.... and I put vincent to bed thinking he would fall asleep.  I went back downstairs to clean... 5 ish minutes later.. Andy walked into the kitchen and said Vincent got up and walked into the babys room and said HI baby hi baby..... and woke up the baby.. Andy was like vincent you can't wake up the baby when she is sleeping. You know that.  tucked the baby back into bed and walked vincent back into bed and said time for bed now.  Andy goes back downstairs laughing and reports this to me, then I laughed.  about 10 minutes later, Andy walks back upstairs... sees the light on under the door... Vincent heard andy coming and ran to turn off the light before Andy could Yell.. and jumped back into bed and pretended to be sleeping.  Andy opened the door and was like I know you want to play but its night-nighty time, time to go to sleep. you can play tomorrow.  love you NOW GO TO SLEEP!!!


5-10 minutes later......... all was quiet.............


ahh, I can't wait to see what else Vince has in store for me. :)


Me.