Snow Fun!

We went to Big Bear this weekend to play in the snow. Unfortunately there wasn't much snow. But that didn't stop us! We had a great time! Rhett had fun playing in the little bit of snow outside the cabin in the morning. Then we took him tubing! We had a blast!!! Rhett thought it was the greatest thing ever! We rode up the magic carpet to the top of the hill (can't beat that ride over hiking!) and tubed down the hill again and again. Rhett loved going fast, going over the bumps and riding with his Daddy.

Rhett and Sydney.

Dylan didn't feel well and isn't a big fan of the snow so he skipped out on tubing.

Things are looking up

We are starting our 4th week of the extra work and crazy schedule. I have been able to get some things taken care of and have most of the balls moving along in the right direction. Things are going to be up and down with this extra responsibility. I will still have meetings, days I need to cover when employees are out or the end of the month which for title and escrow is VERY busy etc. But we are managing and finding a new balance. Rhett and I were even able to escape to the park and the LA Zoo for a bit last week and enjoy this amazingly awesome weather! It was so nice to play with him.

Not my best day

Rhett is finally in bed and it is the end of a rough day. It was not my best day. I wasn't a good mommy today. Rhett had trouble listening today and I had trouble being patient today. He almost always takes a nap but today was dead set against it. I should know that means that he needs it more then ever but I wasn't up for a fight today so I let him not nap. That made it harder for me to work which made me even less patient. As much as I am glad today is over I wish I could do it again and do it better. I wish I would have played more with him and been in the moment with him. I did try, but wasn't very successful. I had too many other things on my brain . . . all those emails with people waiting for me to reply, for example.

A little background, I work a full time job from home. The position I hold is pretty flexible. I manage the database of outside vendors for a title and escrow company. Most of my job allows me to contact people via email, which means I can do it anytime of day or night. I do most of my phone calling during nap time. Occasionally I have a meeting or conference call that is during normal business hours and then Rhett has a play date or a sitter. Most of the time he and I are at home doing regular stay at home things. I work during the wee hours of the morning and during nap time and if I still have things to tie up, after bedtime. Recently, I have been given the responsibility of covering for someone while they are out for maternity leave. 12 weeks of maternity leave! That position is not so flexible. People need my attention during business hours, I need to answer phone calls and have meetings with people. This is MUCH harder with a 2 1/2 year old running around. Today he watched Toy Story while I had a 7am conference call with our sister company in India. This is our life for the next 10 1/2 weeks (but whose counting). It is quite a lot of juggling! None the less, I am grateful that my job is flexible, that I can work and financially contribute to my family as well as be at home with Rhett and play and watch him grow and develop. Some days are just better then others. Glad there is always a tomorrow to do better! Tomorrow we are calling in the re-enforcements (my mom)!:)

This is for me to reread at some point and remember just how crazy these days are. Hopefully one day I will be bored (it is seriously a dream of mine to be bored) and I can sit back, with my feet up (by a pool, on a hot summer day) and know that I earned it!

Goodbye Paci!

We all have rules in our heads about what we are and aren't going to do with our kids before we have them, right?! Well, pacifiers was one of mine. My kids were NOT going to have a pacifier. I do not like them. I do not think they are cute. I didn't want to start a habit I knew I was going to have to brake. I hate having to look for it and keep track of it. My sisters and I didn't have them growing up and so I thought it wasn't unreasonable to say, my kids weren't going to have them either. I did however put one caveat to this rule which was, if my kids start to suck their thumb I will give them a pacifier because I knew it would be easier to brake them of a paci habit then a thumb sucking habit.
Nonetheless, Rhett has had a paci for 2 1/2 years. He started sucking his thumb, I would pull it out and he would put it right back in. I gave him a paci. In hind sight I gave in too easy and should have worked at it a little bit longer before resorting to paci but, so be it.
After 2 1/2 years I would say that some of my dislikes for pacifiers still remain. I hate keeping track of them. I do not think they are cute and it wasn't a fun habit to break. However, I have come to find some positives. SLEEP!!!! Rhett has always been a great sleeper. You give him paci and blankie (known in our house as "mankie") and he reaches for his crib and never makes another peep. He has slept through the night since he was 2 months old and still to this day (most days) takes a 3 hour nap. I will take some credit for sleep training and he might have been this way all on his own but I do know that having his paci helps him relax. So, thank you paci for 2 1/2 years of wonderful sleep! :)
A couple of weeks ago, Randy and I decided it was time we said goodbye. I stocked up on treats and we broke the news to Rhett. We told him every time he went to bed with out paci, when he woke up he got a treat. He immediately handed his paci to Randy. If only every nap/bedtime could have gone this smoothly. For the next week it took him much longer to go to sleep, which often resulted in not as much sleep and a grumpy 2 year old! Nonetheless, it was not nearly as bad as it could have been.
When Rhett woke up the first morning after going to sleep with out paci and the first thing he said to me was "where's my present?" Later he would try to give the treats and presents back for paci but he eventually realized paci wasn't coming back and stopped asking for it and the treats too! :)

Rhett with his presents the first morning with out paci!

The things kids say .. . .

Mom: We have to go take a rest and when you wake up Dad will be here and we are going to go camping. Does that sound fun?
Rhett: That's fantastic!

Mom: Can you go get your shoes on?
Rhett: No mom, I want to have bear's feet.

Rhett: There is something on my back mom. It's hot!
Mom: It is just the sun.
Rhett: The sun isn't on my back. I don't see it.

Mom: It is a nice day today, isn't Rhett?
Rhett: Kind of. It is a little bit windy.

I love having Rhett as my little buddy. I love that we can have conversations. Some of them are so rational, others not so much. I love how his mind works! He makes me laugh.

Fun Week

We had a great week!
We went to Disneyland.

We met up with our friends.

The highlight of my day was randomly running into the Snow Family. RuthAnn was my Beehive leader and I babysat their 3 oldest girls on a regular basis. They are the most wonderful family, inspiring couple and have made such an impact on my life in so many ways. It was so great to see them even if it was just for a minute.

And we went Camping!

Rhett sitting by the fire. He said the fire was hot so he put his sun glasses on and said it felt better.

Thirty!

Happy 30th Birthday to me! Crazy to think I am 30 years old! I am totally okay with it. I am not 100% where I thought I would be at this age, but that is okay. I feel like I am where I am supposed to be. I feel like this is going to be a good year! Bring on the thirties! :)