Life With Two | ...back to the basics...

Slowing Down

May 16, 2013 by julie · 5 Comments

Lately, I feel like life is moving at a faster pace than what I really want it to.

I am forgetting things. I am not doing certain things 100% well 100% of the time (like cooking, cleaning, or organizing things around the house.) I am not as intentional. I am not as focused. I do things halfway. It’s survival mode here lately, and though I am ok with it, I just know I can do better.

It’s a busy time of year with Brandon in the field– working long hours (5am-10pm most nights), full weekends, beautiful weather, and just not enough hours in the day. I just keep saying “this is just a phase” but honestly, how long do phases really last? The toys are rarely picked up, and as long as the laundry is done and we are eating, I call it a win. We have spent time outside, running errands, and just staying busy so that we don’t notice that Brandon is gone as much. It’s tough on the kids, but that’s the nature of his work– and I just like that he LOVES what he is doing.

I can do better. I can do more. I can clean up toys and interact with my kids and shower daily and prepare meals. I can also choose my battles and grab a Happy Meal if need be. I can spend time searching for inspiration and reading and taking time for myself in the evenings since Brandon is working late. It’s refreshing. I can practice with my camera and take photos of my kids in their element and take the time to edit them and post-process them and share them. I can do it. I just have to do other things well so that I am not distracted.

I have had a burst of creative energy lately and I am loving it. I am not sure where this will lead, but I know it’s leading somewhere. Something big is around the corner–I have felt that way since October! I think I am on the verge of finding out.

For now, I will soak up my babies and do the things I love and try to be the best mom I can be. I will try to carve out some time for me, and invest everything I can in my kids. I will be more intentional as a wife, as a mother, and see this home as my domain and not as something that is just out to get me. I will figure out what the next big thing is, and embrace it.

Focus. Intentionality.

I can do this.

Filed Under: about me, family, farming, Kids, life as a mom, Life with two · Tagged With: focus, intentionality, motherhood

Project Playroom

April 23, 2013 by julie · 4 Comments

I have always longed for a basement or another bedroom just strictly for toys. I always hated how cluttered the living room felt, always scattered with toys–and I just wanted a place for everything and everything in it’s place! (yes– I know. Somedays it is impossible!)

We have a front room on our house that is just kind of awkward, and I wanted to make it a play room, but Brandon didn’t think the kids would like it. I decided to just try it out and see. So earlier this week, I moved the toys from the living room into the front room to make a playroom.

(ignore the mattress pad that my kiddos were using the play ghosts!)

It’s not perfect– there is a wall of windows and the other wall is short with the opening into the living room– but the toys are in their own place, its brighter in there, the kids LOVE looking outside, and I LOVE the clutter being out of the living room. Who knew that my stress level would go down by getting the living room toy free!

I know the toys may eventually make their way back into the living room–that’s just part of it. But having them organized is a BIG check mark on my to do list!

Filed Under: Brayden, Kenley, life as a mom, Life with two ·

You Just Have to Laugh

March 18, 2013 by julie · 2 Comments

If you follow me on Twitter, you know that last week, I was having quite a time with that spunky, sassy 17 month old that resides here. If you still aren’t sure who that is, her name starts with a K.

Oh my.

She was fighting naps, bedtime, crying more than she was NOT crying, being overly clingy, not playing at all– and I just could not figure it out. I blamed her 15 month shots, teeth, the time change– to no avail. No fever, no cough– no other possible warning signs.

To say I was losing it would be an understatement.

Now, to be fair, I haven’t struggled with anxiety this time around like I did after having Brayden, but after relentless crying for that long, I was at a breaking point. My shoulders, back, and neck ached from holding her and carrying her. My mind hurt from trying to figure her out. And physically, I was not a pretty version of myself.

Finally, I decided to call the dr. office again, just to talk to a nurse, see if I missed anything. They told me to bring her in so they could check for a possible ear infection or strep. And said they could see her in 45 min. I live an hour away. And both kids were napping.

So, naturally, I said we would be there.

(Thankfully, I remembered to put on a bra.)

I got the kids up, dressed, threw a few things in Kenley’s bag, and off we went.

And my car didn’t have enough gas. And then I flung gas all over my nice yoga pants and sweatshirt.

We were 15 minutes late but they still got us in, and could not find anything. Strep test came back negative, so our doctor ordered some blood work just to be safe, so make sure she didn’t have anything that could be making her this way.

I was a mess. A MESS.

My mother in law met me at the hospital and sat with Brayden in the car while I took Kenley in. Of course, I got a tech that couldn’t get it on the first try, and trying to pin Kenley down for THAT long was not an experience I care to repeat anytime soon. I held it together until I got back out to the car, and then proceeded to lose it again.

IS THIS REALLY MY LIFE RIGHT NOW? I just couldn’t believe how this day was turning out.

But, as we left the hospital, I just prayed. I thanked God that it was nothing serious with Kenley, that the blood draw was just a precaution. I prayed for strength. I prayed for my attitude. I prayed that my sweet girl would stop crying.

As I was texting a dear friend, she couldn’t believe everything I was telling her and said “you just have to laugh now!”. And laugh I did. It just all seemed SO ridiculous and HARD at the time, but at the end of the day, that’s just the life of a mom.

Never easy. Never ending. And I was able to find that I was blessed even in those tough moments.

(As is turns out, my mom had a terrible sore throat after all of this, and her strep test came back negative as well. Kenley broke out in a rash like she does at the end of all viruses, so I am assuming that she just had a bug of some sort. Her blood work came back fine.)

Filed Under: anxiety, Kenley, Kids, life as a mom, Life with two ·

Life with Toddlers

February 19, 2013 by julie · 6 Comments

Kenley is no longer a baby, but an official toddler. Tantrums have started, she’s starting to talk (saying momma, bye, more and yes just to name a few) and her and Brayden can actually play together for longer periods of time. What stops that, of course, is is generally because they start arguing or Kenley takes something away from Brayden–but hey, that’s toddlers, right? Brayden is very much 3 but he does well with Kenley–and I am thankful for that.

The way they interact for the most part, is good. Lately, I have been letting them try to work out some of their issues (stealing toys being the top one!) but sometimes I have no choice but to intervene. And sometimes, I just take more photos BEFORE intervening.

Their giggles fill the room and I can’t help but smile. Even on the days where I feel like I can not possibly do this for one more day, their smiles and laughter is all I need to snap me out of that funk. Motherhood is HARD- so hard, and some days are harder than others. But I am so blessed that the Lord has called me to do this, because honestly, I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Filed Under: about me, life as a mom, Life with two, toddlerhood ·

A House full of Sickies…

January 30, 2013 by julie · 8 Comments

Anywhere you look in this house lately, this is what you will see. A box of Kleenex, used Kleenex, water, cups, snacks, cozy blankets– we are hibernating and trying to get over our second round of the sickies.

It started again last week, when my mom commented on how Brayden’s cough sounded more wheezy–and after listening again, I agreed, so to the pediatrician he went. He has been fighting the cough since Christmas, but it was never bad enough to warrant a trip to the doctor. Until now.

His long term runny nose was the culprit, so he was put on Zithromax and breathing treatments through the weekend. I was hoping that this would be it.

Oh, I was wrong.

Saturday night, Kenley started coughing. And coughing. And more coughing. Sunday, she coughed, fought an on and off fever. I knew Sunday night that we would be making ANOTHER trip Monday.

Kenley has an upper respiratory infection and is also on Zithromax. She’s doing a bit better today, just crabby. Oh the whining, it never stops. Brayden is doing better, but still on breathing treatments twice a day through Friday. Did I mention that he does fine with them, but that Kenley is scared to death of the machine? Fun times.

Oh– and I somehow caught it again (probably by snuggling my sick ones!) and I am miserable. I went to the dr. yesterday and am also on Zithromax. I can’t hear, can’t talk– and my patience levels are sinking fast.

On top of that, I put baby Vapo-Rub on Kenley’s feet last night with socks to help with her cough. She was up 4 times in the middle of the night. I didn’t even think to take the socks off, but when I got her dressed this morning, I noticed she had a rash on her ankles. I am assuming that she has some sort of heat rash due to waking up with a fever, but I am sure that she was itching, too. Had I not taken NyQuil before bed, I probably would have been awake enough to realize that was bothering her. *sigh*

I am feeling like a giant mom fail today. GIANT.

But– this too, shall pass. I am thankful that I can be home loving on my kids while they recover, and just hoping the end is in sight!

Filed Under: Kids, life as a mom, Life with two · Tagged With: kids, mom, sick

Little Moments

January 11, 2013 by julie · 1 Comment

I will forever be astounded when my children hit new milestones, learn new things, and show me glimpses of their personalities.

Following simple instructions, pretending to read a book, being in an imaginary world– it is all SO fun to watch.

And as I sit back and try to capture these little moments with my camera, I know that so many more of them are captured in my memory.

And that is a beautiful thing.

Filed Under: Kids, Life with two, photography ·

All about the Kiddos…

December 26, 2012 by julie · 3 Comments

My kids have had me laughing so much lately–and sometimes they make me want to pull my hair out. I guess that is what happens when you have a 3 year old and an almost 15 month old on your hands. Sometimes I call it hilarious, sometimes I call it absolute insanity. Just depends on the day.

This little peanut–she has been giving us a run for our money. She is snuggly yet sassy, and if she isn’t getting her way right away? Be prepared to listen to some shrill noises. I guess I can respect a girl that knows what she wants, right? She has figured out that if her cup is empty, all she has to do is go start beating the refrigerator with it and she gets noticed. If she wants a cracker? She will go stomp her feet and squeal/scream by the cabinet. Girlfriend is SMART. Her after bathtime curly hair totally cracks me up, too. She is walking everywhere, almost running, sleeping great, cutting eye teeth, and is the funniest little girl I know.

And this one. Talking non-stop, loving preschool, loving trains and tractors, and testing my patience daily. He is the epitome of 3–asking a million questions, wanting to know how the world works. The things he says totally crack me up, and I know that his teachers feel the same way. (Also, he repeats everything, so that was an interesting conversation with his teacher AND his father.)

They do pretty well playing together, which is a nice change from the “please don’t do that to your sister, she is too little for that” or “please don’t try to wrestle with Kenley, you are 3 times her size”.

But nonetheless, each day is an adventure and I am blessed to be their mom.

Filed Under: Brayden, Kenley, Kids, Life with two · Tagged With: milestones, update

Life Lately

November 26, 2012 by julie · 7 Comments

SO– our Thanksgivings (all 3 of them) went really well. The kids were pretty well behaved and we had a good weekend. Sunday night? Both kids had meltdowns while my sister and brother in law and brother were over–so I think that was good birth control for them. Oy.

I have been trying to drop Brayden’s afternoon nap (yes, on purpose. yes, I am crazy!) because he was fighting us at bedtime so badly. Turns out, a few days of that plus lots of extra attention was just a recipe for disaster. Brandon and I are almost at a lost as to how to set firmer boundaries for him without listening to giant meltdowns all the time. He’s talking back (which I do not tolerate at ALL), not listening, not listening, and not listening.

My patience is very thin at the end of the day, and I just feel at a loss. Brandon too. A typical evening starts when Brandon gets home and Brayden instantly wants to play farm toys. That’s all good and fine, but sometimes we can’t play rightthatverysecond but when we say no or not right now but (insert time here) he is just SO persistent. And not listening. And it continues until we are both ready to flip out, and obviously, that’s not the right thing to do.

It’s a vicious cycle. Apparently being 3 is really rough.

I really do try my best to balance my time during the day to play with the kids, read, color with Brayden, do things he wants to do when Kenley is napping (which ALSO hasn’t been the best lately) and then also let them independently play while I do things around the house. He just seems so attention deprived and whiny about it–but I KNOW that can’t be it. Can it?

WHY are toddlers such finicky creatures? And why do I feel like a parent fail at the end of the day?

SO I am hoping that by being more intentional this week, I can see what he responds better to. And hopefully, my patience will soon be restored.

Filed Under: family, Kids, life as a mom, Life with two, toddlerhood · Tagged With: boundaries, patience, toddlers

5 Ways to Survive the Holidays with Toddlers

November 21, 2012 by julie · 3 Comments

As the holiday season approaches, I can’t help but love the magic and wonder that comes along with it. But also? It’s a LOT going everywhere to see everyone during the holidays. After Brayden was born, I had the WORST anxiety, so holidays are harder for me. But over the past few years, they have gotten slightly easier and more manageable– so here are my tip for surviving the holidays with toddlers.

ONE: Don’t set yourself up for failure.

Having gatherings that coincide with my kiddo’s normal schedule rarely happens– so just try to be prepared. Make arrangements as best as you can to fit their needs. I try to let the kids rest before we go anywhere, if we have to drive, we leave close to nap time so they can sleep on the way there, and I am sure to pack plenty of toys/games to hold their attention until it’s time to go. Early bedtimes are pretty frequent after holiday gatherings!

TWO: Pack food you KNOW they will eat.

Brayden is a super picky eater–hit or miss with this one! So, I always pack snacks for him to have in case he isn’t wanting to try any of the holiday food! (He HAS been branching out lately– so I am hoping he will do better this year!)

THREE: Involve the kids.

Nothing bothers me more than when the adults are sitting around lounging and the kids are getting ignored. Yes, we all want to escape and have adult conversation, but the kids will last much longer if they are engaged and involved with the adults. Let them pass out silverware (carefully), let them show you their new toyss, or help them with their meal. If they are getting restless, take them outside (weather permitting) for a few minutes to burn off some steam.

FOUR: Create Traditions

One of my favorite traditions that I started when Brayden was a baby was getting him new Christmas jammies to open on Christmas Eve. I have since continued that tradition with Kenley, and hopefully when they are a little older, it will be just as fun for them as it is for me. My favorite tradition as a kid was driving around one evening looking at all of the Christmas lights on people’s homes– maybe that will be something we start for our kids! Whatever it is, make it special and meaningful so they will look forward to it year after year.

FIVE: Be Flexible

As I was discussing this post with my dear friend Tricia, she included this prompt– be flexible. And I think this is probably this MOST important! Kids are unpredictable, amen? So be ready to roll with the punches, go with the flow, and be able to tend to their needs accordingly. One thing I learned when I was really struggling with my anxiety was that I was setting my expectations WAY too high for events, and then when it didn’t go exactly how I envisioned? It was almost crippling. Learning to lower my expectations and be more flexible helped me get through the holidays without working myself up!

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone! I hope your day is filled with family, food, and fellowship– we have so much to be thankful for.

Filed Under: babies, family, holidays, Kids, life as a mom, Life with two, toddlerhood · Tagged With: holidays, survival, toddlers

Halloween 2012

November 2, 2012 by julie · Leave a Comment

I couldn’t WAIT to dress Kenley up for Halloween, and decided 3 months ago that she was going to be an elephant. My mom found the Carter’s costume at Meijer–in a 6-9 month size–and bought it because the 12 month one looked too big.

She was spot on. That costume fit her PERFECT. Also? She is a peanut.

(Also YAY FOR NEW PHOTOGRAPHY BACKDROPS! AND KIDS THAT SIT STILL SO I CAN PRACTICE AND TRY TO GET IT RIGHT!) More light, yes, more light.

Anyhoo– I also had a Buzz Lightyear on my hands.

I don’t know what is up with that fake smile, but hey, it’s still cute!

And then I tried to get them in a photo together…

And Kenley was over it. She wanted to get to the good stuff! We just went to the grandparents and one friends house. Maybe next year we will go after more candy!

Filed Under: about me, Life with two ·

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