I'm a mess

Its the first day of summer for us and what do we do? Put the kids in front of the t.v. so I can shower and get ready. It's already too hot to be outside for too long if you aren't in water.
The last two Sundays at church we have had lessons on being a good parent, being kind and teaching your kids good things. I love the lesson but it makes me feel a little guilty about getting upset and frustrated so easily. I know this lesson is directed for young mothers and I know I need it so I am trying to take things slowly and enjoy everything. Still my kids fight and I raise my voice and I'm not sure how to stop it. I know it will pass but I really want to remember to have fun with my kids and I hope that they remember me as playing with them when they are older.
Today I received a ton of help. Apprently I looked like a mess. I was lucky enough to have a lot of help and I am so appreciative of it. We went to Costco and I thought I would be able to fill up my cart quickly and get out before feeding Claire. We got almost everything done when she started throwing a fit. She was hungry. I couldn't get out of the store quick enough. I took her out of her carseat and held her as I pushed around a cart filled to the brim with groceries. There were little kids everywhere and they kept telling their moms that this baby (my baby) was crying. I think everyone in Costco could hear her. Siena was hanging off one side of the cart and Ben was in front of her squishing her just to make her mad. It was not helping me be a happy mom. We got in line and a very nice man emptied my cart for me. Then we checked out and another man walked my cart to my car and his at the same time. It was so nice. He offered to put my food in the car but I just couldn't let him do that. We made it home finally and I fed Claire. We all went to take naps and woke up much happier. The kids played nicely together and wore themselves out. Then at 7:30 there was a knock at the door. The Beehives came by with a full dinner for us for tomorrow night. Lasagna a salad and cookies. I am so excited I don't have to think about dinner for tomorrow. I am so excited about it. I hate planning dinners out. So this day will end a lot better than it started and hopefully tomorrow I won't yell at my kids.

Graduation

Siena has loved preschool. It has been so good for her. I am so happy with the preschool and with her teachers. It was a play based preschool so they didn't do a lot of worksheets and things. She came home with tons of art. She loved it. She is a very creative child. Her teachers were perfect for her. I mainly wanted her to go to preschool to have a teacher and learn things from other people rather than just me. So she can be prepared for Kindergarten. She really overcame her shyness and loved her teachers. She finally sung for the graduation program too. This preschool had a couple programs throughout the year and she would never sing for any of them. This one she finally participated. It was wonderful.

The happy graduate. The tassle is so cute. It says I graduated from Preschool. Her wonderful teachers. Mrs. Crawford and Mrs. Rawls.

receiving her certificate. They announced each child and they walked across the stage. Siena didn't know what to do after she got the certificate so she stuck around on the stage for a while. It was kind of funny.

participating in the program.

Lost photos

I finally downloaded my pictures from my phone onto the computer. So they aren't very good quality but sometimes I forgot my camera so I had to use my phone. We have done some fun things.

Butterfly exhibit at Hershey Gardens with cousins.

Right when we got there it started to rain. It made it so humid. Then it cleared up as we were leaving. Lucky us.

the gardens were beautiful. It reminded me of Thanksgiving Point where we had our wedding reception.

Siena graduated from Preschool. She was so excited and she finally sang during the program! big steps for her. I loved her teachers they were perfect for her.

Here is her friend Sarah and her. They couldn't get their graduation hats to stay on.

excited that it was food time

Siena is registered for Kindergarten. I don't know why I am being such a baby about it. It really makes me sad. I just think that now we have to be on a schedule and I just keep thinking about having her gone all day and hope that she makes good friends and on and on and on. She is super excited about it all. The orientation was very helpful for both of us.

daddy even got to attend with us. Siena will not ride the bus but everyone got to get on it and look around. I hope she won't be dissapointed that she won't ride it come school time.

It was nice to tour around the school. They took us around in little groups to all the different rooms. This was the music room. Siena was in heaven when we went to the art room. She just walked around the room not knowing where to look or where to go first. She is so excited for art class.
P.E. Siena made a new friend trying out all the fun things in the gym. She was so excited to find a hula hoop.

This is when we went to Hershey when Dave ditched us for a week over Easter.
Down at the duck pond.

The Easter bunny found us at Grandmas house. Easter baskets were delivered at the door Saturday afternoon and the Bunny left a cake too!

Grandma has the coolest basement. She has all the toys from when daddy was a kid. The grandkids love it. We went to check on Ben down in the basement to find him asleep next to the Legos.

Siena found a Belle dress. So cute.

For Easter Siena's preschool class put on a parade. The moms got to come in and help decorate hats for the girls and ties for the boys. It was so cute.

then they danced around to the Bunny Hop. It was so cute.

Claire when she was itty bitty.

my favorite newborn outfit.
my cute new family.

right after birth.

Claire 2 months

height 22in. weight 11lbs. 9 oz.

My baby is two months this week. She is such a good baby. She loves to nurse and is growing big and strong. She loves Siena and Ben but I think she knows when they are near because she always brings up her arms to her face and tries to protect herself whenever they come by. They love her so much. She still eats way too often. I don't want to let her cry it out yet. She is bigger than my other kids at this point probably because I just feed her if she is crying instead of letting her cry it out. She loves to eat. I am glad I have the bed in her room still so I can nurse her at night. We finally let her have tummy time the other night and to our surprise she rolled over. She can turn over from tummy to back. She smiles at everything and she is starting to coo. It is so cute I need to get it on video. She is bigger all around than our other kids. My kids are usually in the 20-30% for everything. Claire is in the 71% for weight. In head and height she is in the 30%.

Mothers Day

I love mothers day. Along with my birthday it is the best day of the year. The kids took good care of me. Dave always says I have to tell the kids what I want. They were really good at telling Dave what I wanted. First Friday night I went out with some girlfriends to get a pedicure and dessert. It was fun to stay out and talk and be at a restaraunt without kids. Then Saturday Dave took the kids out that evening to get some things for me. It was nice to have the house to myself. They came home so excited to give me their presents. They went straight down to the craft room and made me cards. It was so sweet Siena helped Ben write on his and they hid them till Sunday. Ben is still awful at keeping secrets and told me about everything they did. I was watching t.v. when they got home and a commercial for a twix bar came on and he wispered to me that is what I got you. He was so excited about it. Sure enough Sunday morning I got a Twix bar from him. I also got beautiful flowers and more of my favorite candy and a Cold Stone ice cream cake. It is heaven I love it so much. Dave got the big one so we are still enjoying it!
Siena making sure that her and Claire match.

Ben so excited about the cake

beautiful rainbow flowers.


Friday at Siena's preschool they had a mothers day program. I was so excited to go. She was way excited too. I love these cute things that they make. We went to this big room where all the kids stood in front of their moms and sang them songs. Siena refused to sing so it was just her standing there in front of me. It was funny how stubborn she was. She would not dance or sing. Then we went to the kids classrooms and had a light brunch. She made us tons of things.

a handprint placemat.

a card all about mommy. I don't think Siena really knows I have a name as she wrote my name as mom. We talk about how old I am all the time so I know she knows that. It was funny that she said I work at home and vacuum my house because that is the thing I hate doing the most, it's just what we had done the day before so I guess it was fresh on her mind. I love this card it makes me laugh.

Siena and her friend Sarah. It makes me laugh at how small Siena is. We got her class picture and she was the smallest girl in her class. This is when her class was singing to us.

My girls

I am trying to take pictures of Claire. Poor third child probably has 20 pictures of her whole 7 weeks on earth. She still sleeps a ton and loves to be held. She is pretty easy going and has slept a lot better lately. I have only had to get up with her one time during the night and she goes right back to sleep. She seems like she is getting bigger and is filling up her 3 month clothes. It makes me happy she is getting bigger because I am just nursing her and she seems to be putting on the pounds. She seems chunkier than the other kids. She doesn't have as much hair as the other two kids did. Siena loves playing dress up with her. She had a mothers day presentation at school Friday and Siena wanted to wear her dress and she made me promise to dress Claire in her matching dress. I love that she likes to match her sister.

our fun park

We finally have room for a playground. The weather has been so nice, not humid yet, so the kids have spent all day playing outside on it. We finally found the perfect playset after months of looking. When we asked the kids what they wanted on a playground they said a telescope. Apparently that is important to them. We found one with a telescope. It took forever for Dave to put together, Thank you Tyler for dedicating a Saturday to helping him. The kids were very anxious for him to put it together. Dave got all the sand in the lower sandbox right before Mothers day. So it is complete and the kids have enjoyed it. Last Sunday apparently Ben woke up early and was out playing on it in his pajamas. No one saw him so we don't know if he really did but I wouldn't put it past him. He is just crazy enough to do that.

Having a picnic with some friends under the umbrella.