Ever feel like a single parent?

First off...let me just say that single parents have it tough. I was once once (only because my husband spent almost 18 month in Iraq) with only one child. It isn't an experience I ever want to do again. The above picture is of him in Iraq. Look how skinny he was! But anyway...

Do you ever feel like a single parent although you are not? This is honestly how I generally feel. Not because my husband doesn't ever help me, but because he works, and he works a lot. Long hours, tons of overtime, just so that I can stay home with our children. It has always been a priority for us to have me stay home with our children, especially after Jonathan. Who would take him to all his appointments? What about therapy? That in itself was a full time job. Anyway, Tony does work his fingers to the bone, it is a sacrifice. But one that does have its price. I generally have to do everything alone. Kids appointments, just me. Getting all three kids and myself out the door at 7:30 am Monday thru Friday, all me. Grocery shopping, laundry (although he really isn't allowed to do it...my choice) 90% of the housework, along with all the cooking, bathing, dressing, teaching, butt wiping, diaperchanging duties. It is me. I do feel like a single parent. He tries, but he can only do so much with his schedule. Until now...

HE IS HOME THIS MORNING! His schedule at work has FINALLY changed, and I have a little help. He was telling me this morning what he would like to accomplish today, and it includes heloping me! We are doing some spring cleaning! He is dropping Jonathan off at the bus stop! I will get to go grocery shopping today! I now have a partner in crime again! (he did used to have this schedule...until he changed employers...he is a power plant engineer and had to start over at the bottom...YUCK!)

So this is for all you single parents out there! I feel your pain! Now all you non-singles that feel that way...how do YOU do it???

I Heart Faces...BW photography

iheartfaces.blogspot.com/

Man I gotta learn how to do this right...anyway...my friend Ellen (lovethatmax.blogspot.com/) has this iheartfaces.blogspot.com/ on her blog today. I thought it would be fun, especially since I am really interested in photography and I love taking pictures of my kids. I just ordered my new DSLR camera, and I can't wait for it to come so I can start experimenting! There is a little contest I guess that happens every week, so go check it out!

Jakey is finally going to the Endo...

Ugh. There, I said it.

Jacob is small...he actually stopped growing for awhile, and on average only grows about an inch a year. Yes ladies and gentlemen, the boy is 3 1/2. He stretches to an amazing 35 inches. He is, on average, the size of a 2 year old. I have in recent weeks seen 20 month old children bigger than he is. It is frightening to see a child who speaks baby talk to be taller than your child that speaks in complete sentences and has done so for quite some time. He still has the round baby face, and the baby buda belly. My poor boy. I am so scared of the testing...and what about what they will find??? Will I have to give him daily injections of growth hormones (he has had one test at the age of 2 that showed low levels). Can you imagine giving your child a daily injection? Or if you do actually have to give an injection to your child, how do you do it without breaking down in tears every single day???

Thank goodness he has a larger than life personality. I hope someone is out there reading this that has been there done that...I know things can be worse...hell, I have gone through worse. Being told your newborn will never walk or talk was probably the worst thing I have ever experienced, but that is done and over. Jonathan is fine. I still get sad when I think of him and what he has overcome. But that is just it, he has overcome it. I don't have to think of it on a daily basis. Jakey on the other hand...if we do the injections...oh yucky. I am so not looking forward to this appointment.

How do we get rid of the sickies???

We have a sick house. Nothing terrible, just the constant cold be transferred from person to person. We did really well until about January, and since then we haven't been able to kick the sickies totally out of our house. Jonathan generally brings it home from school, or whatever function he may be going to. Birthday parties seem to really do him in...he has yet to go to one and not be sick 2 days later. Jacob, my dear boy Jacob, couldn't keep himself healthy if you paid him. He has a nose-picking habit that we are so desperately trying to break. His finger is CONSTANTLY up his nose. Even in his sleep...seriously. And poor Victoria is a victim of her brothers love...they like to smother her, and then transfer their germies. Lovely. Thank goodness I breastfeed! Who knows how sick she might be if I wasn't a nursing mother!

Currently I am working on sanitizing the house. They take their vitamins, and get probiotics along with some immune support supplements. What else can I do???

What do YOU do to keep the sickies at bay? Or what do YOU do to let them know they have overstayed their welcome and they need to leave? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!

How can something so sweet and innocent looking be driving me mental? That there is my beautiful baby girl. She is happy in that picture, but hasn't been so happy lately. And sleep, forget it. Maybe this is why she isn't so happy...or maybe why I am not so happy. Victoria has taken a liking to screaming at night. Loudly. I can't figure out quite why. She is teething, but she will still scream even loaded up with tylenol or motrin. Just not as much. But it is strange...she will nurse, fall asleep, and then wake in about 30 minutes bitching to move to the other side, or better yet, to lay on my chest. Even if there is still PLENTY of milk left on whatever side she is on, she doesn't want it. I must admit that I do love to have her sleeping on my chest. The boys gave up that habit at about 3 months...here she is at 8 monthsand still loving it. She still melts into me, and to sit and smell that baby smell (Tony thinks I am weird that I like to smell my kids!) as you sleep...there is nothing like it. More than 30 minutes of sleep at a time would be nice though.

So I am off with my tired self today to brave the Science Museum of Boston with my mother. I told myself that I wasn't going to do anything like this since it is February vacation week, but the kids are getting naughty and it is because they are bored. I would send them to a friends to play, but some are away, and whenever Jonathan visits anyone he seems to get sick. So dear ol' unemployed nurse mom will be at my side braving the crowds with me. She has no clue what she is getting into!

IIIIIMMMMMMMMM BBBBAAAAAAAACCCCCCKKKKKK!

So, um, after a 2 week hiatus, I am back! Not exactly sure what I was doing for those two weeks, but none the less, here I am! I have a lot to say, and a lot to share, so lets get this week started (who cares if I start my week on Wednesday!?!?!) with a giveaway!

Ever heard of the band Milkshake? If you have children, have watched PBS or Noggin, you have likely heard of them. Anyway, they are a GREAT childrens band, and maybe a good Mom band too...I must admit that I generally go around singing whatever my kids are listening to. At the moment, it is Milkshake. We will do it this way:
1. Leave me a comment and you will be entered.
2. Leave me a comment with a link to your blog, which you will then link my blog to yours telling people about this lovely giveaway and you will be entered twice.

Sound good? Do you wanna know what you are playing for??? The first thing is a Milkshake "Play" CD. And then the bonus DVD called "Screen Play" which is some if not all of their music videos.

So, lets get it started! Jacob will draw a name out of a hat next Wednesday February 25th.

This week will hopefully be full of posts. I have so much on my mind, plus some lovely WAHM products to tell you about, some craft chat, favorite recipes, vacations, and who knows what else!

Good luck to all that enter!