Schedules, School, Housework, and Oils

To anyone trying to get ahold of me or meet up, etc., I apologize. I've been feeling very overwhelmed between finally having the kids on a good schedule and school, keeping up with the house (I know, it's not always a priority), my dōTERRA business that's really starting to take off, and RoBrotz gone with the World Series (for those of you who don't know already, he works in TV and travels a lot). I'm certainly ready for the end of baseball season. But that doesn't end our (or his) busy season.

RoBrotz will still need to travel to winterize parks. We have Little Man's Mustache Bash to begin planning and hold. Then we have the holidays, which mean lots and lots of holiday vendor shows. And thank goodness I've almost completed my Christmas shopping.

Starting a business is hard enough. Throw in a traveling spouse and 3 small kids, and you have a recipe for exhaustion! Thank goodness I work with essential oils that are amazing and help me to relax a bit. And don't think I'm whining about it either. I absolutely LOVE my new business adventure and I believe 100 % in the products and helping others to learn how to take control of their own health.

Every once in a while, someone tells me, “well, why don't you just put the oils stuff on hold for a bit?” NO! It has become my hobby, as well as my passion. I need something that is mine. I enjoy going out, meeting new people, informing them about essential oils, and teaching them how to take control of their family's health and wellbeing.

Don't get me wrong; I adore my children! But some days, I need to still hold true to my individuality. My children will grow and become independent, God willing. Even now at preschool ages, they have their own personalities. They have likes and dislikes that are completely different than my own.

God has been blessing me in many different ways. I am so very thankful to Him and all His love. When I begin to feel overwhelmed, I will be remembering what Pastor Kevin said today at service, "When you are feeling down and in the valley, hold on to the promises that God has given you." I will hold on to the promises.

Picky Eaters: Part 1 - No More Snacks

The first thing I decided to do for my picky eaters was take away their snacks.  I'm not talking about starving them, but they really don't NEED cheerios on the ride home from preschool.  Besides, lunch is made as soon as we get home.  They don't need to eat pretzels and goldfish in our living room, casually munching all afternoon long.  They'd be snacking up until dinner.  Surprise surprise, they weren't hungry for dinner.  So, I did the unthinkable with a 3 year old and 2 year old. 

Day 1 was met with whining almost nonstop, all day long.  "Mama, I want goooooooldfiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish" "I neeeeeeeeeed pretzels" and my favorite "I'm huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuungry" which was uttered only 5 minutes after finishing lunch assuring me she was full.  By the time dinnertime rolled around, I was in full 'ignore the whine' mode.  I made an easy and simple dinner that I KNEW they both liked.  Oh, yea, that worked well. 

Bean Sprout happily devoured her entire dinner.  I was thrilled.  She was then allowed to eat her biscuits since she finished her dinner.  Peanut yelled and screamed at me.. for an hour.  My favorite line from the night was she wouldn't eat dinner because she was hungry.  I wish I could make this up.  She finally ate maybe a quarter of her dinner.  With that much eaten, she happily looked at me and asked for her biscuit.  The response was a big fat NO.  Que the waterworks.  I simply ignored her and took her food away.  We did our typical bath and bedtime routine.  Peanut begged for snacks, but I responded by saying that she had her chance to eat her dinner and she choose not to.  There would be no snacks before or in bed.

Day 2 went much better.  Peanut still asked for snacks more than I wanted.  But she knew I wasn't giving in with any snacks.  They ate a very large breakfast.  It's amazing how hungry you are when you refuse dinner.  I decided on an early lunch around 11, since we haven't gotten too used to going all morning without snacks.  I'll eventually shift that time back to 12:30 which will work much better with Peanut's school schedule.  Both girls ate everything that was on their plate.  By 2, they were once again whining.  I knew there was no way they were making it to 5 for dinner.  So I gave both a healthy serving of fruit.  Bean Sprout, once again, ate everything.  Peanut decided she didn't want grapes.  So once we got to dinner, Peanut ate over half of the 'chicken' I gave her.  Yea, it was pork, and she had no clue.  Bean Sprout only ate the rice, but she did try the 'chicken' several times.  She hasn't tasted it enough to like it yet.  No one asked for snacks at bedtime, surprisingly!

I am not allowing her to 'trade' her food once she's sitting in her chair.  Tomorrow, when I make our weekly meal plan, I will enlist the girls to help me make different lists.  We will make a different dish each night and they will always have something that I know they like/have eaten before.  Once we get into our routine of no snacking and eating the whole dinner, then we'll start introducing new foods.  Here's to hoping we can continue moving forward and the girls start being much better with food.  And for me to eat better!

Picky Eaters: Preview

I may have the pickiest eaters in the country.  Peanut won't even eat ice cream...  No, that's not an exaggeration either!  Hubby and I are exhausted every night after the dinner battle with her. She will eventually eat.  For instance, one night, I made plain pasta noodles.  Nothing else on them.  Bean Sprout devoured them almost immediately, but Peanut was still sitting over an hour later, picking at them.  At first, it was "I don't like pasta!"  Then, we heard the "but it's icky" and "I'm too full."  This kid would live on goldfish and cheerios if she could.  She'd also live on strawberries.  Too bad those aren't in season.

Unfortunately, Bean Sprout has begun picking up on her sister's antics.  She had loved rice.  All of a sudden, it was "No!  I don't like that!"  WHAT?!  How do you not like rice?  Then it hit me.  Neither did Peanut.  Facepalm.  I was not doing this again with child #2, and I refuse to have child #3 go down this road once he starts eating.  

I've always chalked Peanut's picky eating to how I was a kid.  I was so picky.  I still will choose chicken fingers and mozzarella sticks over a main entree at a restaurant!  So we're all going to change the way we eat in this household (that will include RoBrotz too, but he doesn't know it yet).  

I'm reading "French Kids Eat Everything" by Karen Le Billon.  I'm starting to look at food, and eating food with my kids in a whole new light.  Over the next few weeks or maybe even months, I'll be updating my blog with our eating habits.  I want to instill healthy eating habits in my children.  It will be a long process and take a lot of work on my end, but I truly believe that it will be worth it to have children who want to eat, and not just snack.

From French Kids Eat Everything

Happy New Year

Goals for this year, well, I have a lot.  I have ones for financial, fitness, cleaning/organization, the kids, and for my relationship with my wonderful hubby.  Last year got away from me, especially with the pregnancy.  Hubby and I went through a lot but we're stronger now than ever.  I still have things to work on because he deserves the very best of what I can give him.

Financial Goals include getting my budget to be as accurate as possible, including home/car maintenance, gifts, outings especially our trips to the cabin, clothing, exercise, and tithing.  We want to pay off the rest of our debt by the end of the year and I would really like to attend a Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University (luckily, our church will be holding it soon).  We will eventually need to move from our current home.  We also would like to take the kids to Disney in the next few years.  I don't want to break the bank and I'd like to have some extra cushions in case something happens.  I still need to get myself life insurance too.  And I'm not going to purchase any new yarn unless I absolutely need more for a project over on Brotz Creations.

Fitness Goals are to be able to run a 5K, though not necessarily doing one, make it to SLAG at least once a week for either Dumbell Diva or LeBarre (ideally, I'd like to get there twice a week for both classes, but sometimes with 3 kids that are under 4, it's near impossible), do at least 15-30 minutes of exercise a day, and possibly get certified in another class.  I'm already certified in LeBarre.  I also have Eating and Nutrition Goals which include eventually cutting out the need for candy and chips, eating out only twice per month, eat more fruit, keep my other blog (I Hate Healthy Food) updated with recipes we try and progress of getting the little ones to eat, to eat Breakfast daily and no coffee isn't breakfast, cutting out soda (I love my cherry cokes), and do a meal plan.  Making a meal plan will help the financial goals too since I seem to go over our food budget every week (partially due to all our food allergies).  And my other goal is to not care as much what the scale says.  My amazing hubby loves me the way that I am.  I'm very blessed that he loves my body even after I gained way too much while pregnant with Little Man!

Cleaning and Organizing goals are mostly to keep up with the house.  Laundry will need to be done daily until Little Man stops spitting up so much.  I have completed a binder to help me keep track of daily and weekly tasks.  My friend introduced me to Clean Mama.  I fell in love with her style and created my own task lists.  Don't forget, if you put your check lists inside those plastic sheet protectors, you can use a dry erase pen on it and wipe it off every week!  We will also get the kids' bedrooms cleaned out and organize.  Right now, Little Man's room is one big toysplosion.  Seriously, I shudder every time I walk past and my OCD goes nuts.  I also need to get my yarn reorganized!

As for my kids and hubby, well, I always need to be a better person.  I worry that I'll screw up my kids (isn't this every normal mom's worry).  I want to be better with consistency with discipline for them and keep my temper in check.  I want to spend more time teaching them to do things I enjoy (especially since Peanut's getting older and better with everything).  It's hard to divide my attention between the 3 to make sure they all feel like they're getting time with Mama in.  Not to mention making sure I have enough time and energy to devote to my husband.  There are days I know he looks forward to going back to work when all the kids are in meltdown mode and I haven't slept well the night before.  When I don't get my sleep, I know I can be a very cranky person.  Luckily, Little Man loves to sleep.  We need to have date nights, and I love being able to spend some time with my husband away from the kids.

Also, I want to be able to spend even more time in the Word.  God has blessed me so much even though I feel unworthy of His love and grace.  I have started praying daily, multiple times a day.  I say prayers of thanksgiving when everyone is behaved and we're all happy, when we make it out of the house without me yelling or any fighting from the kids, when we make it early to any place.  I pray for a lot of patience not to scream at my kids when I've had to ask for them to do something for the umpteenth time, when they fight or whine, or screech.  I will be doing a devotional study with my friends online.  These ladies are women that I met online when I was pregnant with Peanut.  We've known one another for over 4 years now and have become sounding boards of ideas and parenting techniques.  They are some of my closest friends I have.

I know that my goals seem like a ton.  They aren't resolutions but things that I already have started doing and want to continue.  I tend to get burnt out and bored easily, but I want to continue these items throughout the year.  Praise God that I will be able to do so!

Little Man's Grand Debut!

Baby boy has arrived!!!

I woke up having mild and not painful contractions. No big deal as I've had them for weeks without any progress. I had my 39 week check up so I figured we'd have no change. On my way there, I ended up having 3 contractions, one that I pulled over for. Once at the doctor's, I was checked and was told I was at 2 cm and now 50% effaced and baby's head was engaged. 

So hubby and I decided to hang out with our 2 little ladies at the park. I was still having contractions so we finally headed home around 12. Once home we managed to get both of the girls down for naps. I was getting contractions every 6 minutes for 40 seconds at a time around 3:30. Hubby told me to call the doctor, but I was still sure that nothing was happening. Well, the doctor told me to go head to the hospital.

Hubby and I checked into triage around 5. I was checked and still at 2-3 cm and 50%. But now my contractions were every 2 minutes for 45-60 seconds and getting more intense. I was checked again at 7 but again, only to 3 cm. Based on my pain level and consistency of contractions, they admitted me into my delivery room.

I was able to sit on the birthing ball for a while but the contractions were getting worse. All my contractions were in the back and around my lower abs. That sucked. Because I was fairly tired, I decided to get the stadol. I was checked before getting it and was around 4 cm. My doctor told the resident to check me in an hour and to call him as soon as I got to 5 cm. He didn't want to miss the birth considering he almost did with our second. Well, I was at 6 cm and 80% only an hour later.

Cue doctor being called to get in. By the time he arrived close to 11, I was now at 9 cm and 100% effaced. I was feeling the need to push, but baby was still a bit high. So my water was broken around 11:15, and I immediately felt a bit of relief from the pressure. Finally, at 11:30 I was ready to push, or at least, everyone else was ready for me to push.

I may have panicked a bit... But 4 pushes and 9 minutes later, our little baby boy was born. They attempted skin to skin contact with me, but I was in so much pain, I couldn't hold him. Thankfully, I didn't tear so no stitches were needed! Little man had a big noggin and they needed to vacuum him out (his heartrate also dropped when I pushed and they were afraid the cord was around his neck, luckily it wasn't). 

He was born at 11:39 pm on November 6, 2013. He weighed in at 7lbs 9oz and measured 20" long. He was extremely hungry. I was rolled to my room at about 2 am. Hubby went home to be with the girls and to get some much needed rest! Me on the other hand...

We are dealing with a bit of a scare, as he stopped breathing for 20 seconds at 3:30 and had his O2 drop twice after and again around 7:30. His blood sugar was low as well, so they fed him formula there to get his levels back up. They'll need to do several more feedings with formula to double check his sugars stabilize. They're taking him to be monitored more in the NICU. Bah. At least our wonderful nurse who helped with Peanut's delivery is my nurse right now. She's being a Godsend. And I know pur hospital has an amazing NICU so he's in good hands. Hubby will be here soon with coffee and we'll go check out little man then.

So, How Are You Feeling?

I can answer that the same way in one word every time.  Exhausted.  And now, I'm starting to panic.  Joy!  I didn't panic having one child, or when we had our second.  I knew it would be okay.  But I'm really starting to panic now that number 3 is on his way.  

I'm trying not to feel lazy when resting.  I hate that I cannot get up and down to play with the girls, though I completely remember being ecstatic the moment I got home from the hospital and could finally play with Peanut again after Bean arrived!  I've been getting winded going up a flight of stairs, so I usually take 5 minutes to go upstairs and end up having my 2 year old pass me.  It's always bad when my girls are dragging their feet and are STILL going faster than I am.

I've had a lot of friends and family tell me that they can't believe I'm still doing as much as I've been doing.  The problem is, if I don't, I feel lazy.  I am completely unmotivated.  It's like I either go 80 miles an hour or 0.  There's no in between with my motivation and it's aggravating.  I'm a bit OCD, but I've had to let a LOT go to keep my sanity.  But my house is a wreck.  I get excited when I vacuum now.  Thankfully, Peanut has started helping to pick up the toys that I cannot bend over anymore to get.  Granted, it might take me asking for over an hour, but consistency. 

Being a stay at home mom to a 2 year old (eep!  I can't believe Bean's 2 now) and a 3.5 year old is exhausting in and of itself, but add being almost 33 weeks pregnant.  Phew.  I've been told anything from "God bless you" to "wow, you must have your hands full" to "good luck".  Thankfully, I've had the "I've been there and we survived.  I don't really remember how, but we did.  You will too" and I'm holding onto that.  It's also difficult right now, because it's my hubby's busy season at work so he's traveling a lot.  Even when he's working in the office, he still has a 3 hour round trip commute assuming there's no traffic.  When he's home, he's been so great with the girls.  Peanut constantly wants to play games with him and help him with everything he does.  Bean loves to listen to him practice his music and will clap after every song and yell "YAY!"

Anyway, so if you're around me and I seem like I am suffering from ADHD, or maybe turrets, and am snappy or 'out of it', I'm sorry.  Just say an extra prayer for me.  I'm praying a lot these days.  I know these days will fly by and I'll miss them, so I'm trying to take the joy and positive from all these fun life experiences!  I have had a very uneventful pregnancy and I'm very excited to be carrying this little Nugget.  But I'm definitely ready for November to hurry up and get here.  I'm ready to meet my little boy, but I don't want him coming early.  God truly has blessed me, even if I'm exhausted, and I am thankful for all those blessings.