What I've Learned Thus Far



I can't believe that Lainey is going to be 3 months on Sunday already!  Time does fly when you become a Mommy, but when you become a Mommy to two kiddos, it flashes by and you feel like you've gone from birth to toddler overnight!  I'm not going to lie, the jump from one to two has been more than challenging.  Especially when one of them is an exceptionally needy, hyperactive toddler!  And although I wasn't prepared for these new parenting challenges, I'm more than happy to take them on everyday if it means I can stay home with my two sweet little girls.  Here are just a few things I've learned over these last three months:

1.  Showers are going to be few and far between.  (Sorry Doug!)  Unless I wake up before the girls do, it's just not going to happen.  Smelling fresh isn't as important to me as and extra hour of sleep!  That's what body spray is for!

2.  Naps are a necessity.  As hard as it may be, being A-type and slightly obsessive compulsive, from 1-3pm each day I have to leave the laundry in the basket, the toys on the floor and (gasp!) the blog entry unwritten , and lay down.  Even if I don't actually fall asleep, at least I'm in the supine position, without a child attached to my hip. 

3.  We run errands.  Even a trip to Kroger requires lots of effort and planning.  By the time I get Lulu strapped into the Bjorn and Bug buckled into the basket (with an overpriced toy that we picked up from aisle 8 that she's going to play with and probably chew on while I'm shopping and then I will discreetly place somewhere on the juice aisle before we check-out) you better believe that we're going to take our sweet time, and go up and down each aisle. 

4.  Preschool is going to be a lifesaver.  I used to think that 2 years old was a little early for Bug to start school.  But boy was I wrong!  We visited her classroom today and met her teacher, Ann, and she LOVED it!  There is no fathomable way that I will ever be able to devote 3 solid hours to just Buggy playtime. 

5.  Gigi and Babu are on lock down in Virginia until the girls are 18 years old.  There is no way I would still have my sanity if I couldn't drop the girls off at Camp Gigi and Babu's for a day of two (they're going there tomorrow even!).  I'm so thankful that Doug has such a great job, that allows me to stay home with the girls, but let's face it.  The hours suck!  Which means, I'm at home with the kids from sun-up to sun-down, with no help.  Granted, this is my dream, but it's also incredibly exhausting.  Which is why a night to myself every now and then is a must!

6.  I drink wine.  Depending on the day, I may have to fill up my wine glass more than once, after the girls go to bed.  It's my "mommy time" where I can relax with my vino (preferable red) and watch my trashy TV!

7.  I blog.  I'm so far behind on baby books, I don't even want to think about it.  But at least by blogging, I feel like a better parent because if needed, I can just use our blog books as baby books.  Plus, I've found myself consulting "Kinard Family Chronicles Volume I" to compare what Bug was up to when she was Lulu's age.  In general, Lainey is chubbier and more laid back!

8.  I've accepted the fact that I'm going to be fat.  At least for a few more months!  Even though I'm at my "Pre-Lainey" weight, I'm most certainly not at my "Pre-Lainey" figure!  My butt and hips have their own zip code, and nothing fits!  However, if I can't find enough time to take a shower each day, I'm definitely not going to find enough time to hit the gym daily!  Besides, chasing these two around is plenty enough exercise for me!

9.  Instead of having Snoop Dog and Lil' Jon songs stuck in my head all day, it's now going to be Dora the Explorer and Fresh Beat Band tunes. 

10.  Dinner is going to be a bowl of cereal or cold chicken nuggets, cheese and fruit leftover from Buggy's plate.  And it's not going to be consumed until after 8:30pm. 

11.  Fahira is a lifesaver!  Our housekeeper is an angel in disguise.  I've always been a neat freak.  And now that we live in a house with hardwood floors and live with a toddler with constant sticky fingers, my "cleanliness compulsiveness" had reached an all-time high.  I HATE HARDWOODS!  They're beautiful, but they are cold, and dirty.  Fahira keeps me from going crazy each week.  Plus, Buggy loves her and follows her around with her mini broom and dustpan.  She calls her "Sahira" and thinks she's such a big help when she comes on Thursdays. 

12.  It's almost impossible to be friends with anyone who doesn't have children.  Once you have kids, that's all you can talk about.  Plus, only fellow parents can understand how tired you are, or not get upset at you when you can't find a sitter, or if someone comes down with hand-foot-mouth.  (Only fellow parents will even know what hand-foot-mouth is!) 

13.  I thank God each and everyday for how much He has blessed our family.  I have the absolute most perfect "job" ever!  Can you name another career that will give you more job satisfaction than being a mommy?  Each day I can see how my "work skills" are benefiting these sweet girls.  Plus I get rewarded with sloppy, open mouth kisses, hugs and Crayola masterpieces! Doug has an excellent job and is an amazing provider for our family.  And we have such a strong marriage and we're madly in love (sorry Aunt Kelly!  Feel free to throw up in your mouth a little bit!) And most importantly, we have two, perfect little girls who love us with everything they have.  To me, it just doesn't get much better than that!

If you spent all day with these girls, you'd be just at thankful as I am!

Sisters!

Hailey was very excited about holding her baby sister!

But Lainey was not a fan of her yelling!

Hugs to make it all better!

Friends again!

Chubby Lulu at 3 months.

Play doh is Bug's second favorite activity.  Tasting play doh is her favorite!

Which is why Mommy got extra domestic and made homemade play doh so I didn't have to worry about her getting sick for her mid afternoon play doh snacks!

I think she likes it!

I'm not exactly sure why, but Buggy feels the need to color on her nose every time she colors with crayons now!

More nose (and face!) coloring!  Perhaps she is going to be a face painter, or a clown when she grows up!

Making Daddy a picture for his desk.



This masterpiece required extra concentration/finger sucking, and a special coloring pose!



Mastering the art of the spoon with a Dora yogurt! 

Putting a sticker on her sticker chart for eating all of her lunch nicely.

Lulu loves her new highchair!

And Buggy loves playing refrigerator peek-a-boo!

Sharing the Baby Einstein play mat.

It's been raining here for 3 days straight!

Next time Bug gets bored, I'm going to send her outside with an umbrella!  She was in hog heaven out there pointing at the raining and covering her head with the "bumbella!"

She's finally warmed up to the idea of a bubble bath, and now she requests bubbles every night!

There is no doubt about it.  We are blessed!

"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." ACTS 16:31