Sleep deprived Christmastime post

RAWR 4AM!!!

This is day four of Seth waking up at 4am, so this is being written by a frustrated, exhausted mother who is thinking her child is not really THAT cute anymore.

We are of the school that it's quite alright to show your children who is boss. So, for the first 3 days I decided "You, 18 month old, do not dictate our lives and 4am isn't appropriate because I say so." Had to move Isaac into our bed and move myself to the couch in order to let Seth know he isn't getting up no matter what he says. This used to mean that he would whine, cry a bit, and within 20 minutes be back asleep. NOT ANYMORE. He proceeded to yell, cry, jump on his bed, and repeat "Mommy!!!" incessantly. Luckily for Isaac and Kevin they sleep through anything and slept right through the racket, until 6:30 when Kevin's alarm went off for work. I had been sitting awake since 4, because who sleeps through that?!

So this morning, a defeated woman, I hear Seth yell at 3:57am and just give in. Okay, I'm up, and apparently this is my new wake up time. Lovely, especially when finals week is NEXT WEEK. RAWR, 4AM!!!

I swear this post was really supposed to be about Christmas. So, here it is!

We got the tree up, and most importantly:

THE TRAIN!! Isaac has made this Christmas season so special for us. He is SO excited that he started asking me on December 1st, "Mom, it's Christmastime.. where is our tree??" He was a huge help decorating, and asks me daily about Santa just to make sure he has all of his facts straight. We'll have to take them to the mall soon to meet Santa. (Sidenote: it seems like quite the social commentary that we as Americans expect to meet Santa at our haven of consumerism.) We get a rundown of his wishlist, daily. It goes a little something like this:

Isaac's Christmas List:

1. Stinky the Garbage Truck (Garbage truck that sings and dances. Yah.)
2. A Nintendo DS. Not just any, but the, "special anniversary Mario one." (Thank you, commercials.)
3. Lego Racers.
4. Nerf guns
5. Hot Wheels Criss Cross Crash

I must be forgetting some, but those are the main ones that we hear about every day and I'm pretty sure he is getting all of them from one family member or another. 

I love seeing his little eyes light up when we drive down a street with decorated houses. We put some lights up in our window and he said, "Now we have a Christmas house too!!" Love that boy. 

Finally... pictures from Isaac's Halloween school parade

Mario&Luigi! Luigi's name is A.J.   =)

This picture is SO Isaac. Don't you also love the Lego costume and how into character the Ninja is??

The whole class! Mrs. Lacey as the ringleader.

We went to visit Grandpa after the parade. 

Thanksgiving/Poopgate 2010

I started off Thanksgiving being extremely thankful for my whole, healthy family. Seth didn't make Thanksgiving last year because he had just gotten out of the hospital, so I was thrilled we would all be there this year. We make it to my Dad's, and after about an hour there it becomes apparent Seth is sick. Red eyes, feeling warm, and lazy. I hated to do it, but he had to go home. My wonderful husband took Seth home so Isaac and I could stay and have the Thanksgiving dinner. It was great (as always), but I was missing half of my fam.

I got home to a crying baby and vomit on the floor.. apparently I have great timing and arrived 10 seconds after the puke explosion. This was closely followed by a poop explosion, which I'm pretty sure was the original cause of this mess (I'll explain later). His fever was 102-103 and he was miserable, so he only slept that night if he was sleeping on me. Which means I got barely any sleep, and the sleep I got was in the form of the occasional nod off in the rocking chair. The fever finally let up on Saturday, and we knew he was feeling better when he started a pillow fight with Kevin.

Maybe now I should explain why I said a poop explosion may be the cause of all of this. Rewind to Monday: Kevin is at work, Seth just wakes up from a nap. I'm vacuuming, so Isaac runs up to open the door and say hi to Seth. Then I hear, "MOOOOM! SETH POOPED AND HE TOOK HIS DIAPER OFF AND IT IS ALL EVERYWHERE!!"
...
..
...
Great. So I run up, throw Seth on the toilet after stripping him down and scolding him, strip the bed and throw all of the sheets in the washing machine while he is crying on the toilet. It's everywhere, and I mean everywhere. His hands, feet, cup, crib... UGH.

Moral of the story - boys are gross and sometimes play with their poop, which could definitely lead to extreme intestinal sickness. Moms and Dads are awesome and clean up their poop and then take care of them when they are sick as a result of their grossness.

I feel sorry for those of you reading this that do not yet have children... I promise it's not ALL gross,but it is definitely part gross.

I started this post saying I was thankful for my whole, healthy family and that never changed. I am still thankful that Seth got through this without a respiratory flare up, and as far as I'm concerned that means he is HEALTHY. Two day fevers are serious, but I'll take it over respiratory issues any day.

And I am thankful that Isaac continues to be his extremely healthy, cute, smart self. We have decided today we need to write Santa a letter and send it to the North Pole. He figured out how to spell "Lego Racer" and he is doing SO well with his reading. Christmas is going to be extra fun this year with him. :)

Here is a picture we got on Thanksgiving, BEFORE Seth got sick... it's tough getting 2 kids to cooperate with a family picture!

POTTY!!

Okay, I know it's been too long. It's end of semester for me (a.k.a. crunch time), so school has taken over my life. Between my schoolwork and Isaac's schoolwork, I have no time leftover for anything. Yes, they have homework in Kindergarten now. I'm also helping out in his class every Wednesday, while Mona is the best Auntie/sister ever and watches Seth for me. He loves when I'm there helping out, so I will enjoy that while I can. In a few years I'm sure he won't be so anxious to have me around all of his friends.

I shouldn't say I don't have time for anything else, because I'm actually insane and am potty training Seth. Yes, Seth, at 18 months old. I swear he is ready, because he has been taking his diaper off before peeing and then pees on the ground. Figured I might as well teach him where it goes if he insists on running around naked. I'm loosely following this method and he has actually made huge progress today. He has initiated twice, and gone without first peeing on the floor. WOOHOO!

I'm sure he will appreciate me talking about his peeing on the floor in 10 years :)

Halloween!!

We made our annual trek out to Tracy for trick or treating with the Ericksons! Isaac, Nick, and Seth were Super Mario characters (Mario, Luigi, and Toad, respectively). Ashley was a witch with a cool light up costume, and Natalie was Ariel. I couldn't get a picture of Natalie because she never stays in one place, but I promise she was adorable!

We had a great time, and I wish we could have stayed longer. I had an essay due that night by 10pm - school is always such a downer, huh? We went with Chrystal's friends so there were about 10 kids. Isaac ran ahead with the pack of kids and we barely saw him during trick or treat time. He made out with tons of candy. Seth, on the other hand, was not in the Halloween spirit haha. He HATED his costume and only wore it for the pictures. We pushed him in the stroller while trick or treating, and he seemed thoroughly unimpressed by it all. Hopefully he'll be old enough next year to understand the concept of CANDY, which is usually a good motivator for kids. 

I'll try and upload some pictures from Isaac's school parade soon. If only I could find the camera....    :\

Slide at Grandpa's :)

PILLOW FIGHT

My Little Handsome.

Pumpkin patch field trip!! Isaac was sick of smiling by this point, but it's still a cute picture. :)

As promised, an Isaac-as-ringbearer picture. Look at that handsome boy.. he used to hate pictures and now he is posing!!

One more Isaac note: this morning he woke up and told me, "I was so sleeping, then I woke up and my pillow was all wet with grossy drool."  Haha... so much like his father. ;)

I know everybody thinks their kids are cute, but Isaac is so damn handsome I can't believe it. I've taken to calling him My Little Handsome. If that doesn't give him an overinflated ego, I don't know what will. I can't help it though.... mama loves that face! 

Been awhile!

It's been awhile, but only because we've been busy with preparation for the awesome party that took place on 10/10/10. What party, you ask? My dad's wedding!! My dad and Peggy (finally) tied that knot and now "Grandma Peg" is a Coleman!! Check her out in her GORGEOUS dress (during prep time at the house):

Mona and I were bridesmaids, along with Peggy's daughter Valerie. Isaac was the ring-bearer and looked so, so handsome. The colors were black and red, so Isaac wore all black with a red bow tie. I'll post more pictures when I get them. It was perfect weather, and a perfect Coleman party. The bride and groom wrote their own vows, and their unity drink was a shot of jack with some beer. Peggy sang a beautiful rendition of "At Last," and good food, drinks, and music were enjoyed by all.

Seth and Isaac had a fantastic time and Isaac was one of the big kids! He was helping keep the little ones in line, while being a maniac himself. He was so grown up, he got a plate of food from the buffet without any help from us. Definitely becoming more independent since he started Kindergarten.

We're heading out to the pumpkin patch today for a field trip with his class. This is the first year he's actually been excited about Halloween and it makes it more exciting for everyone. We got him a Mario costume, and he cannot wait to wear it. Cousin Nick is going to be Luigi, which makes it even more awesome to Isaac. Can't wait to get those little rascals dressed up and get some pictures.

So many teeth.

I don't know how I pulled it off.

1. Seth had his first dentist appointment today! Both of my kids got their teeth extremely early, and they said because he has 10 teeth already, he should start regular check ups/cleanings. He was the youngest patient they ever had, and did SO GOOD. He let them polish all of his teeth and put the fluoride on. 

2. Once he was done, I got MY teeth cleaned. I thought they were insane to suggest we have appointments at the same time, because Seth's attention span is about 5 minutes max. They turned on a Thomas movie for the boys, he sat in his stroller eating goldfish, and I actually got through my appointment. The boys started fight at one point toward the end, but I turned my "mom voice" on and they cut it out. The dentist was impressed and how quickly I can switch into mom mode. ;)

If anyone is looking for a good family dentist in the area, I highly recommend Dublin Family Dentistry. We go to Dr. Chen, and the atmosphere is so welcoming it makes going to the dentist not so bad (which is hard for me!). They have great hours so you'll be able to go without taking time off of work. Check them out on Yelp . 

Test, test!

Got a sweet blogger app on my android (old school G1). Seems to be working :)

MAMA

I swear Seth said it yesterday, but it was only once and he won't do it again. Did I trick myself, or is he really playing a cruel game with me?

FIRST SCHOOL PICTURE!!!

Progress!

Much like me when I was his age, Isaac is very reserved and quiet in new situations. This has been the case in Kindergarten, so I've been keeping in touch with his teacher about his progress. I just got this email from her today:


Hello!
Wow, no worries because Isaac is coming out of his shell! Sometimes, I 
have to ask him to quiet down on the carpet! 
It was so cute.......I asked him to write his letters with his group
and the other kids made a big deal cuz he wrote some!
Mrs. L

Had to laugh, because now she'll realize it's harder to get him to quiet down than it is to get him to talk!  

Family update

For the first time ever, Kevin and I are BOTH in school! I have a full-time schedule, and Kevin is starting off with 2 online classes. We are about a month into the semester, and are handling it well. I am so, so grateful for his support. I honestly couldn't do it without him, and the motivation our kids give me to provide the best I can for them.

Kevin works 40+ hours a week while I stay home with the boys, and I go to school Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. Last Friday was my last day watching Anaiyah (a.k.a Queen Princess Anaiyah). I wish I could have continued, but it was really too much for me once school started. I found a great replacement daycare for her, so I hope today goes smoothly for her AND Khahiliah. We all know it is harder on the moms.. :)

Here is the little mama on her last day with me. Khahiliah made sure to dress her in all pink for me. The boys will truly miss her, and so will I.

To pick up the slack for the lost income, I've started working every Saturday at Zac's Cafe. I just got the news that I'll be taking over Sundays too, starting mid-October! I love working there, especially since I'll work with my sister every day I'm there.

Love to all. <3

Hand me downs! The curse of the younger sibling.

This was my FAVORITE shirt of Isaac's, and I squeezed him into it for far too long. It now fits Seth!! Call it narcissism, but I am entirely too excited about this haha.

In other news, Isaac is doing well in Kindergarten! He has made friends with "the kid with the Mario backpack," who I later found out was Jayden. They now play Super Mario and Super Luigi, and jump around at recess (Isaac is Mario, of course). He also is settled into the routine of me dropping him off and Kevin picking him up, and gets offended when I tell him that I have to pick him up sometimes. He acts like it is a grave injustice that is all my fault. If only daddy weren't SO cool...   :)

Goof!

Seth is a HAM. He is always putting on a show, trying to make people smile. His favorite place to put stickers is his nose, probably because it gets the most laughs from people. He also sticks his finger as far up it as he can because that always ensures a laugh from somebody.

He is an all around pistol. If he isn't hamming it up looking for laughs, he is throwing himself on the ground with tantrums. He started this around 12 months, which the doctor assures me is very advanced socially. Way to excel, Seth. :P

NOTE

Just read through the blog for some reminiscing, and realized how desperate I sound about Seth saying Mommy. I promise to drop the subject, and will only mention it again when it happens!

:)

Life is good. Love my three boys.

KINDERGARTEN UPDATE

We are done with week 1 of Kindergarten, and so far, so good! He is acting like it's no big deal and like he does it all the time. When I picked him up the first day the kids were slowly coming outside looking for their parents, and then melting into their parent's arms looking overwhelmed. Isaac comes out, sees me, says "Hey Mom," takes my hand starts walking away. He is way too cool haha.

So proud of him. I walk him to school and see him with his backpack on, running around like a maniac, and it just blows my mind. Such a KID now. My little shy, handsome baby is a big boy (cue tears).

FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN!!

Today was Isaac's first day of kindergarten!! He is there RIGHT NOW, and I can't believe how time flies. My little boy is not so little anymore. He was so ready and so excited, it rubbed off on me and I didn't even cry!

Kevin took the day off and we all walked over (school is right across the street) with my nifty double stroller. (Side note: I watch a 5 month old full time now, hence the need for the double stroller.)We walked up, took some pictures, and then saw Isaac's best friend from preschool walking up! We asked Kellen what class he was in, and it just so happened to be Isaac's class!

I can't wait until we pick him up and are able to hear about how his day went.

Teacher: Mrs. Lacey

School: Valley View

Time: 11:30-2:50

Seth's vocab

Currently:

1. Daddy (DAA-EEEEE!!)
2. Isaac (ISA!)
3. Goldfish (GOGEEE!)
4. Doggy (DOG-EEE!)
5. YEAH!/YES!
6. GO
7. BED
8. JUICE
9. BABY
10. BYE
11. HEY/HI

I know I'm missing some, but I didn't forget MOMMY. He refuses to say it.

He is ridiculously clingy though, so I can't be too upset about his refusal to say Mommy. He obviously loves me. :)

Go, Go, Go!

The title of this post is not only about how ridiculously busy our lives are, but also Seth's new favorite phrase. We've started to let him crawl/walk up the stairs (with assistance), and he says "go, go, go, go" the whole time. He now even refers to the stairs as "go."

Isaac and Seth are starting to play together more... it's sweet and scary haha. Scary because Seth is still only 13 months old and a bit unsteady on his feet. Isaac doesn't quite get the limitations of this, so there are A LOT of injuries. I guess I should get used to it.. having 2 boys will bring many more injuries, I'm sure.

I'm enjoying my summer off of school, though I wish I didn't actually have the summer off. Because of the ridiculous cuts California has made to education, I couldn't get into ANY summer classes. I can't wait to be done with school, so I can get a good job and we can move to a house.. the boys can have their own rooms, and we can get them a dog...

Firsts

SOME RECENT FIRSTS:

• This past weekend, a friend knocked on the door and asked if Isaac could play. Her name is Hannah, and she lives in our apartment complex. He is getting SO BIG, he is making friends whenever we play outside.
• Last night the boys were being loud in their room after bedtime, so we went to check up on them and try to see what the problem was. I open the door and Isaac says, "We're just playing!" and Seth looks at me with a big grin on his face. So sweet. I apologized for interrupting, and let them get back to playing.
• Seth now calls Auntie Mona "TieMo," and still refuses to say "mommy."

My birthday

It was my birthday yesterday, and my mom watched the boys so Kevin and I could go out. Isaac, as always, was super excited to go to Grandma and Opa's house:

Isaac: "Mom, I'm gonna go to Grandma and Opa's house, and you're going to stay home."

Me: "Yes, I'll stay home."

Isaac: "And I'm going to sleep here, and then come home to the number 10 door and give you a hug and I so love you."

Me: "That sounds like the perfect plan buddy."

So heart-meltingly sweet.

Side note: we live in apartment 10, hence the coming home to the number 10 door.

LOVE.

I've been SLACKING!!

How has it been 7 months since I've updated?! Oh, that's right.. I have 5 and 1 year old boys and am going to school. That must be how, but it doesn't make me feel any less like a slacker! SO much has happened in the past 7 months, so I'll try and update you on it all..

1. Seth is WALKING and TALKING. He started walking at 9 months, probably because he wants so badly to be wherever Isaac is. He is now running and climbing, and wearing me out! He says a few words.. "Daddy," "Isaa" (Isaac), "hey," "bye," and "pudgy." Yes, pudgy, which is what Kevin calls him. Hopefully we aren't giving him a complex haha. He of course doesn't say Mommy because I want him to so badly.

2. Isaac starts KINDERGARTEN in September, and he is so ready. He has started to read a few words, including "start" and "time is up." Why? Because of Super Mario. I guess video games can be educational after all. He loves Mario now and calls himself Mario, Kevin is Luigi, I'm Princess Peach, and Seth is Toad.

3. We've had 2 birthdays - Isaac turned 5 and Seth turned 1 in the first week of May. We had a combined party at the park and Isaac's friends from Pre-K came.

4. I just realized I haven't updated at all since Seth got sick. When Seth was almost 6 months old we took him to the Dr because he had a lingering cough after we had all gotten colds. He was diagnosed with asthma, and put on breathing treatments every 4 hours at home. A week later he woke up in the middle of the night wheezing and I rushed him to the ER. He was blue by the time we got there, and they immediately started IV and nebulized medications. He spent 4 days in the hospital... it was an extremely difficult time for the whole family, to say the least. He was still smiling the whole time, and the nurses fell in love with him. After 5 months, countless doctors, and a specialist from UCSF, he finally is symptom free. He was on steroids for most of the 5 months, which means none of us got any sleep. We are so grateful the ordeal seems to be over, and that it hasn't held him back at all. He is such a fighter..

Other than Seth's respiratory problems, things have been going pretty well for us. The boys get along and are starting to play together. I'm going to school and have been able to keep my grades up, and Kevin is starting school in the Fall. It is crazy and stressful going to school while having two young children, but I know that in 10 years it will be SO worth it. I can't wait to own a home for the kids... for them to have a backyard to play in, their own rooms, and a dog.

I promise to update more!