Where Are My Kids?

Last Friday I told you that I was addicted to my awesome husband.  Let me tell you what made him such a good husband and daddy last week...

I've done really well with this transition to being a mommy of 3 I think.  I've had less emotional breakdowns after this delivery than with my other 2.  In fact I've only cried a couple of times since Micaiah was born...hey, that's really good for me:)  

Well, my sleep-deprived emotions caught up with me last Wednesday and I just broke down and started crying, "I'm just so tired."  

Well, I had to run out to the grocery store and promised Josh I'd "be back so soon".  I wasn't ready to venture out to the store with all 3 kids yet.

Josh, being the sensitive man that he is, decided that he'd give me a break and took an adventure of his own.  While I was gone he got the kids breakfast and began packing a picnic lunch.  He got a bottle for Cai and loaded all 3 of the kids up in the car and took off for a park and the library for a daddy day!  He, not I, was the first to attempt an outing alone with all 3 kids!  I couldn't tell him thank you enough for the time to get caught up on things around the house and for just giving me a little "me time".

I know what you are thinking..."you've got it SO good"!  Don't you think that I already know that?!

It took a while to get used to our way of living.  Adjusting to my husband being at home, but not really at home, because he's working in the office.  Having more free time in the mornings and during the week but working ALL weekend, not to mention the night rehearsals and gigs and out of town trips we constantly take.  I'm not complaining...on the contrary...I love what we do.  I don't take it for granted for a minute.  I thank God all the time for allowing us to do what we do and we are constantly finding ways to take advantage of this time in our lives.  Ex:  Going to Chuck E Cheese on a Tuesday morning when NO ONE ELSE IS THERE...need I say more;)

It also makes me have a deeper respect for single mothers who do it "on their own" from day one.  It just makes me more thankful for the helpmate God has allowed me to have in Josh!

So, yes, that is just one reason why I love him so...

Fun Facts For Friday - Current Addictions

1- The new MuteMath album: Armistice

2- The TV series, Burn Notice.  Josh and I have been watching it on Hulu.  Besides some language and the fact that the female sidekick dresses terribly it is absolutely hilarious!

3- Naptime!  The time between 2:30(ish)pm-4:30pm I am absolutely kidLESS.  After Micaiah eats at 2 I put ALL 3 KIDS DOWN FOR A NAP!  I either get caught up on my own sleep at that time;) or get some office work done.

4- Pita Chips - All natural chips made from pita bread.  Delicious!

5- My husband!  I'll tell you why next week but I'll leave you with a hint...he is very brave and sensitive...

Deals Of The Day

First Stop:  Target

Total BEFORE coupons:  $42.44

Total AFTER coupons:  $19.91 (had a gift card)

TOTAL SAVINGS:  $22.53

Second Stop:  Harris Teeter

(Day 2 of Super Doubles)

Total BEFORE coupons:  $61.45

Total AFTER coupons:  $24.95

TOTAL SAVINGS:  $36.50

The best part about it is that I still have money left over in our grocery budget and I have 4 more packages of diapers to add to our Cai supply!

Back With A Bang - Super Doubles Day 1

Total BEFORE coupons: $127.20

Total AFTER coupons: $57.61

TOTAL SAVINGS:  $69.59

I took a couple of weeks off due to Micaiah making his entrance into the world, but boy did I pick the right time to jump in!  Harris Teeter is doing another week of Super Double Coupons. This means that they double ALL coupons up to $1.99 (only 20 coupons per day).  Above is a picture of what I got yesterday.  I have another 10-15 coupons to use today since I made the 20 coupon a day limit yesterday.

Just to tell you how good I didn't even have a coupon for any of the produce, the 2 OJ's, or the cheese.  That should tell you that the rest of the deals I got were either FREE or SUPER CHEAP!

You can click HERE and HERE to get a list of freebies or super cheap deals you can do if you have a Harris Teeter near you.  I'll show off my booty stash after I get back today=)

I Guess That One Won't Work Anymore

If you are around young kids for any time at all you know that you have to "sneak" food around if you don't want to share it with them, especially the kind with chocolate and sugar in it.  

Well, when I was pregnant I had the perfect excuse to eat or drink whatever I wanted to in front of the kids.  If one of them asked, "Mommy, what are you eating?" or "What do you have?" I would simply respond with "Oh, it's just something for the baby in my tummy."   After explaining one time that "the baby has to eat too" it just became normal to them when I'd snarf down a snickers or chow down on some other kind of yummy snack.

Well today, after snagging my usual CVS deals/freebies, I came back out to the car where Josh sat, waiting, with Areyna and Zeke.  I had gotten 2 Reese's packs for free, one for me and one for Josh.  I was needing my usual chocolate fix and started eating mine right away.  After inhaling my 2 peanut butter cups I placed the wrapper in the cup holder in eyesight of Zeke who was sitting in the backseat.  Without hesitation he asked "Mommy, what did you have?"  I automatically replied with my usual response "Oh, just something for the baby."  He looked at me out of the corner of his eye as if to say, "I know better than that" and said "What baby?"

I guess I'm going to have to come up with another excuse for indulging in my cravings...either that or start sneaking them again=)

Daddy Date

A Daddy Date was WAY overdue for Areyna and her daddy.  Josh had to take his guitar in to get some work done on it and he asked if he could take Areyna with him and then take her on a date.  I thought it was a GREAT idea!

First Stop:  Sonic's Happy Hour

2 Bucks, you can't beat that!

Second Stop:  Reedy Creek Park

Absolutely FREE!

Josh got the 'ol GPS out and did a search for "Parks" and this Nature Park came up really close to where they were so they thought they'd go check it out.  What a find!  It's got just a regular park, nature trails, hands-on exhibits and a nature center with nature and animal exhibits.  Areyna couldn't stop talking about it, she had a blast!

Areyna next to a stuffed dear.  

She didn't quite understand why some of the animals were dead and "frozen" but she loved seeing all the different kinds of animals.

Not ALL the animals were "frozen":)

Checking out one of the exhibits with binoculars.

They even got a cool map that showed them where to go.

Areyna was the guide and pretty proud of it!

Josh said he mapped out how far they walked today and they went about 2.5 miles.  Let's just say that I didn't hear a peep from the kids after we shut the door to put them in bed tonight=)

Nothing Big

There isn't much to blog about today.  Just a catch-up day.  I've had a few things to get done in the office so I've been busy trying to get those things checked off my list.  Josh just took Areyna on a "Daddy Date" so it's just been me and the boys this afternoon.

I am going to go get a peaceful shower AND I have accomplished eating all of my meals so far so I suppose it has been a productive day=)

What have you done this Monday?

Fun Facts For Friday

It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

1- Kissing my 2-week-old's chubby baby cheeks

2- Cuddling with my growing 3-year old boy

3- Watching my 4-year-old daughter being such a HUGE helper with my other 2 kids

4- Full body hugs with my hubby, my baby bump no longer getting in the way:)

5- Taking more dates in the past 2 weeks than in the whole past 2 months combined!

(Thank you Nonnie & G-Daddy and Meme & Poppie)

Breastfeeding 101

My kids have taken quite the interest in observing...and asking LOTS of questions...while I feed Micaiah.  It is quite the experience for them=)

Here are some interesting things that have come from our Q&A sessions:

Areyna:  "Mommy, I want to feed Micaiah."

Me:  "Well baby, I don't have a bottle ready for you to feed him this time."

Areyna:  "No I mean from my boobies."

I then had to explain that God didn't give her milk in her boobies yet.  She has to have a baby first=)

Zeke:  "Mommy, do you have any cookies in there for Micaiah?"

Clearly cookies and milk are supposed to go together!

Pumping has been an interesting phenomenon for them as well.  They look on, wide-eyed every time I get the contraption out.  

Areyna cheers me on every ounce of the way.  She must know that pumping doesn't come so easy for every mommy=) 

Zeke just watches in wonder and curiosity.  He also says things like "Why are you doing that to your belly button?"  Yeah, he gets those 2 body parts confused sometimes=)

Have you had any "fun" experiences with siblings like this?