Christmas Joys

Mike and his bear, which came all the way from Tennessee, thanks to Jenny Ausili's parents!

Nick and his giant penguin!

Jay with his new bow!
What a wonderful christmas we had. Even I was spoiled this year. My mom surprised my sister and I with UGG boots. We were thrilled but I still feel guilty my mother spent so much on us. The boys were spoiled rotten. Jay got a bow and arrow set, a car sketching kit with a light table and a new set of colored pencils. Nick got a giant penguin (he named him Jake), a remote control garbage truck and an airplane. Mike's parent bought us a Wii, which Jay LOVES. He boxed and played so much tennis yesterday that he complained his shoulders hurt this morning. An interactive game, truly one of the best gifts for a very active almost 8 year old boy!

I'm truly blessed this christmas. I have healthy, happy boys and Mike and I are both employed. It doesn't get much better than that!

My Dirty Job

There are times I seriously question why the lord thought it was a good idea to bless me with two boys. There are times I feel completely inadquate to mother them. Now before I go any further, let me say for the record I wouldn't trade my boys and I love them dearly but quite frankly, I don't like to do the things that they like to do which puts me at a serious disadvantage. Lately, it has really bothered me. I question if I'm giving them everything they need from me. Sure they get it from Mike but I am the mother the lord intended me to be for my boys? I've noticed it more with Jay than Nick. Nick is only 3 and clearly still "needs" me. But I can almost feel Jay gravitating more and more towards his dad which I realize is completely normal but as that natural transition happens, I don't want my relationship with Jay to grow apart.
I ran errands after work tonight so I didn't get home until late. I walked in the door and I heard a loud "Mommy" from one of the boys. I decided it must be Nick as I figured Jay would not have missed me. Around the corner, Jay runs to me with open arms and sweeps me up in a hug. It was exactly what I needed. Later in the evening he wanted me to watch the T.V. show, "Dirty Jobs" with him. It occurred to me that I spent so much time focusing on what I wasn't good at that I was ignoring the simple things I enjoy with the boys. I love watching "Dirty Jobs." Jay and I sat and watched the show tonight and we laughed over Mike Rowe sticking his hands into a cow's stomach. I guess I'm not as "girly" as I thought.

My Snow "Adventure"

When we woke up this morning we had snow on the ground, something that always excites the boys but makes me moan in agony! Almost immediately the boys started asking when we could take them outside. Normally this is Mike's job but he was busy working on our fireplace (and I didn't want to interrupt that) so I tried to put a smile on my face as I got the snow gear on me and the boys and out we went. Now before I proceed any further I'd like to point out that everything and I do mean everything I do with my boys turns into a major ordeal. How could a walk in the snow turn into an ordeal? The walk started out okay except Nick insisted on driving his John Deere tractor & Jay wanted to ride his bike. Not wanting to appear as cranky as I felt I agreed. We walked to the beach and the boys played on the ice. Everything up to that point went well. Then it went down hill. Jay wanted to walk all the way around the lake. Sometimes I feel like the boys have way more fun with their dad so not wanting to appear like the "dud" parent once again I agreed, choosing to ignore my gut feeling that it was a bad idea. Once we got out on a county road (which is part of the walk around the lake) Nick's tractor died and I had no cell phone to call Mike and have him pick us up. I admit, my crankiness was coming through at this point. Jay agreed to push the tractor up the hills for me but when he'd complain I was quick to say......"It was your bright idea to walk around the lake," of course sounding bitchy as ever. Nick then proceeded to lose his boot, not once but twice. He cried the second time because his sock got wet, all the while I was pushing his stinking tractor up and down hills, trying desperately to make it home without turning into the wicked witch of the west. Somehow we made it home but I walked pulling that tractor 30 minutes! I was hoping my rear end would be smaller when I got home but no such luck!

Nick & the Abominable Snowman

While in Disney one evening Nick sat down to watch Rudolph. Rudolph is a classic cartoon and most of us remember the Abominable Snowman who comes up from the ground beating his chest and making obnoxious noises. Nick was happily enthralled with Rudolph until Mr. Abominable appeared. He ordered my mom and I to turn the T.V. off because "that snowman scares me." When I didn't immediately comply, his order turned into a frantic plea. I turned the cartoon off but my mom and I shared a chuckle. I'm not use to my boys being afraid of anything, honestly. For example, Nick rode all kinds of rides in Disney that would have been scary to any other 3 year old. He rode adult rollar coasters, took a ride on splash mountain and went through the haunted mansion which is down right dark and creepy. Nick never made a peep on those rides to indicate he was the least bit scared. In fact, he jumped off of all the rides and promptly proclaimed, "I wanna do that again." But yet, he couldn't quite take the likes of the abominable snowman! Go figure!

Disney Pix

This picture is classic. This is Nick and his "mood" on Wednesday, our first day in Disney. However, to be fair to Nick.......he had been up for 18 hours at this point and he had had it! He was ready for bed.

Our Disney High-Lights

I'm back!!! We returned from our Disney trip today and what a trip it was. We truly enjoyed ourselves. The boys are napping as I write this blog as they are just as exhausted as I am. Here are a few high lights from our trip:

• One night my mom, Nick and I were on a boat to go to downtown Disney. Downtown Disney was new to my mom and she had no idea what to expect. I think I must have told her we were going to downtown Disney 5 different times. When we got on the boat she asked me (like an 80 year old woman)........"Where are we going, Amy, Gap-Town?" I busted out in laughter and wished my sister was there so we could make fun of mom together. Mom had a good laugh over it too and me writing this blog poking fun at her is all meant in good fun. I love ya mom and I'm so glad you joined us on this trip. My mom was also great to keep me company during the trip. Eighty-percent of the time Mike and Jay did their own thing so me, Nick and mom hung out a lot.
• Nick's reaction to Disney was mixed. As his mother I either wanted to strangle him or hug him. The first two days we were there he was kind of a royal pain and complained a lot. He expressed several times he just wanted to go home. But the last two days we were there he really came out of his shell and seemed to have a good time. He even rode his first "adult" rollar coaster and loved it. One night while riding home on the mono-rail, we struck up a conversation with gentleman and told him we were from Illinois. He asked Nick, "Do you have snow in Illinois?" Nick boomed back........"No, but we have tractors."
• Disney was a pure delight for Jay. He was the perfect age. He has his dad's stamina. He and Mike would be the first people at the parks when they opened and they usually wouldn't get home until 9:30 or 10:00. Jay is always the perfect child when he is doing exactly what he wants to do, however the "schedule" that he ran on did catch up with him. He was meaner than a snake today on the flight home. He's napping now and I can count on one hand how many times Jay has taken an afternoon nap since he was 3 so needless to say he was literally wiped out from all the Disney adventures. His favorite rides were: Rock 'n Roll Rollar Coaster (Mike's fav too), Space Mountain and Expedition Everest - all fast coasters. Jay also loved Epcot, something that surprised me. During the week days, Jay was continually asking me what he would be doing at school at that particular hour. It was a crack-up. He was glad to be away from school but yet it was still on his mind.
• My mom and I loved the ride "Soarin." A friend of mine had told me the that waiting in line was worth the wait and that proved to be true. It was an awesome experience. I could "sore" all day.
• My mom gave me something to laugh about but I also gave her something to laugh about. One night as we were leaving Magic Kingdom and I was exhausted (but happy) I commented to my mother in my most nieve tone......."Gee, mom, Disney is a whole lot different when you're going as a parent." My mom broke out in gales of laughter. What I meant by that comment was waiting in lines never bothered me when I went with Mike 10 years ago but the crowds and the lines bothered me more this time but probably because I had two little kids to contend with. My mom and I commented several times how nice it was to go in December as we didn't have the heat to deal with but yet it was still nice. We wore shorts most of our days.
• My final comment about Disney is the transportation system.......Buses & Scooters = Royal pain in the ass! Anyone reading who has been to Disney will know what I'm talking about.

I'll post pictures from the trip tomorrow night, stay tuned.

R.I.P. Kitty

It's official, Kitty died! Her suspicious behavior started late last week. By Saturday, Jay knew she wasn't feeling well but we were all hoping she would turn the corner.
When I checked on Kitty this morning (before I woke Jay up) it was evident she had passed during the night. I didn't want Jay to discover his turtle had died before he went to school so I positioned her her tank to look like she had been moving. To my advantage she died with one eye open and one shut so I made sure when I positioned her, her "good" eye was facing outward, towards Jay's room.
After work and school today I broke the bad news to Jay. He cried but handled it quite well. He and Mike dug a hole in the frozen ground tonight and buried her. Mike said Jay was very particular in how he wanted her positioned in the hole.
In trying to see the positive from all this...........she could have died while we were in Disney, making a "lovely" smell for us to come home to.

Rest in peace, Kitty!

Is she or Isn't she?

Kitty, Jay's russian box turtle has been a part of our family since September 2008. I have to be honest, Mike and I are not animal lovers but Mike's dad, Jay's Grandpa John is a huge animal lover which must be where Jay gets it from. Jay has been really good about feeding and watering her. Granted, I have to remind him but overall when I remind him he promptly feeds her. During the summer, he takes her outside to wander around the yard and frequently gives her baths. He included a picture of her this week when Jay was featured as the "Star of the Week." He truly does love his Kitty!

Last night, however, Mike and I became a little suspicious. First of all, Kitty hasn't eaten in 2 weeks. During the winter this isn't so unusual but 2 weeks is a little long, even for a cold blooded half hibernated turtle. When Jay was happily watching "Polar Express" last night I found Kitty sunny-side up and literally gasped. Turns out she was still alive but I didn't feel good about the situation. While Jay continued to watch his movie, Mike and I seized the opportunity to investigate. No matter what we did, Kitty continued to turn herself over on her back - Weird! I got up at 5:15 this morning and found Kitty on her back in her water bowl. My plan of attack is to wake Jay up this morning, distracting him from checking on Kitty then I will access the situation..................Stay tuned............if I have a turtle that has gone sunny side up, I'm going to have a very upset little boy.

Boys vs. Girls

My visit with good friend, Melissa, provided me with yet another topic for my blog. When we returned from our dinner, her mother was giving her two girls a bath. As we were walking upstairs to join her mom and see her girls, I heard her older daughter singing the cutest song about a zoo. I noticed I didn't hear any obnoxious yelling, no farting or burping, just a nice melody in a cute toddler voice! We got to the bathroom and Mel's mom commented to me that it must be different for me to see two girls taking a bath instead of two boys, meaning the anatomy is different! But it wasn't the anatomy that was so "different" to me especially since I give my niece plenty of baths but it was the undeniable fact that the girls weren't trying to drown each other, make obscene noises or have the bathroom so wet that it looked like the parting of the red sea. But I suppose the differences between boys and girls is what makes the world go around. Certainly, as an adult I appreciate the differnces between Mike and I. Children in general give their parents lots to smile, worry, laugh and stress about and that is something every parent can agree on whether they have boys or girls!

Old Friends are the best

On Saturday night I got together with my dear friend, Mary. My other dear friend, Jenny joined us. Spending an evening with them was just what the doctor ordered. The ironic part is both of these girls became my friends by accident. When I was getting ready for college in 1992 I had decided to be roommates with a girl named Brandi. However, we had an extra room in our apartment so Brandi suggested we add Mary to the mix. I knew who Mary was but had never formally met her. The rest of this story is history because Mary and I became fast friends and things with Brandi exploded in our faces. Brandi moved out and Mary and I lived together for two hilarious, fun-filled years. There is no one more genuine or kinder than Mary. She also introduced me to Mike and I remember the night she called me to tell me he was picking me up for our first blind date. My response to her was, "Is he ugly?" Turns out, he wasn't ugly. I found him quite adorable and I married him 4 years later.

Fast forward to 1994. I was crazy in love with Mike and Mike had a friend named Mike. Kind of confusing, I know. Mike was dating Jenny. Jenny and I hit it off immediately. While those crazy boyfriends of ours were hitting every fish store this side of the Mississippi, she and I were popping popcorn, drinking Pepsi and watching Melrose Place back on Orr Drive. Jenny is my friend who really gets me and our friendship has continued to grow through the years. When I need something done, she gets it done for me. From getting Brad Paisley tickets to getting stains out of my kids clothes, she delivers every time! She is super woman and a super friend.

Tonight, I had dinner with my oldest friend and I do mean oldest. Melissa and I have been friends since kindergarten. She spent summers with me. We rode our bikes to Holiday Pool, tennis lessons at BHS and I think one summer our mothers signed us up for summer school. Don't quote me on that. I like to block our any "unpleasant" summer experiences and summer school would certainly be one of them. Little did we know in our early elementary school days that I would be raising two boys and she would be raising two girls and our conversations would be filled with laughs around what our kids have said or done.
How very lucky am I to have these three women in my life? Pretty luck, I'd say.

Happy Thanksgiving

This year our entire family had something to be thankful for:

Nick: "I am thankful for my penguin family."
Jay: "I am thankful for my family and my friend, Reece."
Me: "I am thankful for so much it would take up the rest of this blog."
Mike - This is not a direct quote but I assume Mike is thankful he didn't have to start his day at 3:45 this morning!

My Morning Joy

There is something bittersweet about watching your youngest (and last) child grow. Watching Nick get older with each passing year is bittersweet. For the past 6 weeks I have had the joy of putting Nick on the school bus every morning. Who would think that such a task would truly fulfill my day but it does. I love it and don't ever want it to end. This is new for me because when Jay went to preschool, he too rode the bus but he went to the afternoon preschool so he was already at Christy's/daycare when the bus picked him up. I never once saw him get on that bus, kind of sad as I think about it now.
Every morning, Nick, Jay and I wait for the bus on a country road with several other children. When Nick sees the bus come over the hill, he gets in line with the other kids, with his hand out, waiting for me to hold it and accompany him on the bus. I walk him onto the bus and put him in the same seat and buckle his seat belt. And every morning he requests the same goodbye.......a hug, a kiss and a cuddle, which involves us rubbing cheeks. I promptly exit the bus and watch for his little hand to wave goodbye out the window as I watch the bus leave. No matter what kind of a morning I have had, those small, yet innocent requests of a hug, a kiss, a cuddle and a sweet wave goodbye always make my day!

What an experience

Today marked the last day of my developmental opportunity in Public Affairs. I head back to the wonderful world of workers' compensation on Monday. As my previous blogs reflected, I was never fully convinced the job in PA was right for me but that being said, I really enjoyed my time there and feel like I am leaving wearing my "writer's hat." I have discovered that writing is truly what I like to do (I just don't want to write speeches for executives). I also worked with a great group of people, especially the person who mentored me. He was truly one of the nicest guys I've ever met!
I am looking forward to returning to my "work comp family." They are people I've worked with more than 10 years. I can get back to talking about our boys with Kristi, talking with Jen about what clothes or shoes we want to buy and walking with Karen.

My Parenting Resume

Mike and I met with I.S.U. last night to discuss Jay's reading intervention program. We were really impressed (but we should be considering it cost us $400) and feel like the strategies they gave us will really help Jay. Lewis, the graduate student who worked with Jay, had so many positive things to say about him. He commented that he's very adaptive to change, dedicated and motivated to learn, all good things. I truly believe that given the right tools, any child (and adult for that matter) will succeed.
Yesterday I contacted Jay's teacher to discuss a display of math scores she has in her classroom. Every time a child passes a math test, they get a sticker on their "chart." Jay is the only child in the class who has 1 sticker on his chart. Several times during the last few weeks Jay has mentioned he feels stupid and told me the math chart bothers him. Several children in his class only have 2 stickers but Jay is the only one who has 1. I came to a resolution with the teacher (who I really like and Jay really likes) but it's one that I'm still not truly comfortable with. The charts are still up and Jay is still trying to move on to the next level to earn his sticker. Jay is fiercely competitive so perhaps this is a good learning lesson for him but to me, this is a fine line between a competitive learning lesson and just feeling down right bad. I'm monitoring the situation and we'll see what the next few weeks bring.
I'm discovering that when parenting a learning disabled child you wear several different hats: I think one day my resume might look like this:

• Excellent experience with school management/organization
• Outstanding communicator both in writing and verbally
• Demonstrates knowledge of child psychology
• Extremely resourceful
• Is able to multi-task

What I've found most challenging with Jay's learning is being able to distinguish when to parent with my heart or with my head. I never want to let Jay know I feel sorry for him or that he should feel sorry for him, in fact I don't feel sorry for him or myself, we just learn differently. This is why Mike and I make a good team. So many times I parent with my heart but Mike is good with parenting with his head. When it comes to determining the best strategies for Jay, sometimes using your head over your heart is the best solution.

Restroom Drama

Jay might have just taken 10 years off my life today. The two of us were at a gas station and I had to go to the bathroom. Of course I tell Jay he has to go with me. Once we get into the restroom, he says he doesn't have to go so I tell him I'm going to go into a stall (I hope I am spelling that right) and I give him my purse and my drink to hold. When I came back out of the stall my purse and drink were sitting on the floor but Jay was no where to be found! I literally start screaming his name. I immediately grabbed my purse and head out of the restroom and the minute I walk out of the restroom Jay is waiting for me outside the door, behind a chip rack. I was beyond words and Jay knew from my face his joke had gone sour.
Our 20 minute drive home was spent in silence, which sometimes with Jay speaks louder than words. I did however make it a point to paint a picture for him of all the horrible things that could have happened to him without scaring him half out of his mind but dang, I was mad! He insisted he didn't mean to scare me but that he didn't want to be in the women's restroom.
Long story made short, Jay was remorseful and once again his impulsivity got the best of him. He was in tears when the two of us sat down to talk when we got home, which means I got through to him. I explained to him he can NEVER EVER do that again.
I'm sure mothers of boys can relate to this blog. It is such a fine line with elementary age boys and restrooms. Jay is almost 8 but there is no way in hell I'm letting him go into a men's restroom by himself or leave him unattended in a gas station while I go to the restroom. Mike and I explained to him that although we understand why he's uncomfortable being in a women's restroom, when he's with me and Mike isn't along, I have no choice but to take him with me.
So the next time any of you see me and you notice more wrinkles around my eyes or some gray hairs here and there, you'll know why.

Conversations with Nick

Mike and I often joke that Nick narrates his life. Any thought he has comes out his mouth. I often tease Jay because physically he is like a pin ball on crack but Nick's brain is like a pin ball on crack. He is constantly processes thoughts and sometimes has trouble formulating what he wants to say because his brain is moving faster than his mouth.
The other night, I asked Nick how school was and what he learned. This is how our conversation went:
Me: "Nick, what did you learn today at school?"
Nick: "I like camoflouge."
Me:I thought I would be more specific, "Nick, what letter are you learning about today?"
Nick:"Did you know it's almost Christmas time?"
Me: "So, I take it you have nothing to share about school today?"
Nick:"Curse my brain." (Nick's response to everything when he gets frustrated)

My cousin's wedding

My youngest cousin, Adam, got married to Nicki last night. It was a long drive for us but we all had a really good time.

I was even able to get a smile out of Mike!

The four girl cousins.....Cora, Kim, Amber and me. Adam, the groom, is our other cousin and Max couldn't be there because he lives in Nebraska.

Mike and I just took Jay to the wedding and he had a ball. We were so happy to sit and chat and not have to chase after Nick. Plus, Nick is still getting over one nasty cold, he's still pretty cranky.

Kylee (far left) is Jay and Lauren's 2nd cousin. Lauren did great at the wedding. She loved following the kids around and being involved in everything that was going on!

Loving with Nana!!

All the wonderful attributes of Jay

Mike and I attended Jay's school conference tonight and although it was positive, it is always very clear to me what a long road Jay has ahead of him. I have to remind myself that Mike and I both had long roads ahead of us too and we made it through. What bothers me is how Jay feels about it. So many times I've heard him say, "I can't do anything right."
Jay, my dear boy, there are so many things you do right.

• You physically work harder than any 7 year old I know. Recently, you noticed your Aunt Mimi's yard needed raked and you offered to rake it for her (I need to get you over there to do that!) and remember this summer when you mowed her entire lawn, not to mention, you're always willing to help your dad out in any capacity when it comes to our yard.
• You can have a puzzle entirely put together while I'm still trying to figure out where the first piece goes.
• Everyone would agree but no one quite put it as perfectly as Christy did when she said one of your best qualities was your unsoliciated displays of affection. When you willingly reach out to a loved one to hug them or just put your arm around them, there is nothing more genuine or sweeter.
• You try hard and in life, this goes a long way. How many times have you heard me say, just give it your all and feel good about it?

Don't let school frustrate you, Jay. Keep on chugging along. Your dad and I will be your greatest champions. And some of the best advice I've heard from your nana (so I can't take credit for this advice) is, it's not how you start out that matters, it's how you finish.

Good times on Halloween

Jay dressed up as some Star Wars character that I can't spell! We all joked that if you got rid of the beard (on the mask), that his Star Wars character really did look a lot like Jay!

Nick was his favorite animal in the world, a penguin! He loved it and it was a warm costume too!

The boys all set to go. We met up with my friend, Christy and her family. We had a good time trick or treating!

Toothless Grin

Second grade appears to be the year for Jay to lose his teeth. He lost his first tooth the summer before first grade but lately, it seems he loses a tooth once a month. Jay officially lost his two front teeth last night. Since Christmas is around the corner, the song that comes to mind is, "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, my two front teeth, yeah, my two front teeth," although, Jay would be singing it with his lisp, due to his lack of teeth.
The picture above is right before Jay lost his tooth. As you can see, it's literally hanging there. Gross!

All smiles after it comes out! What a relief! Once Jay figures out a tooth is lose, he's bound and determined to get it out!

Pumpkin carving

The boys drew their own faces this year and Jay carved his pumpkin entirely by himself! Jay's pumpkin looked like a cheerful one to me.

Nick had some help but he said he wanted his pumpkin to be creepy. Notice the eyes........Nick's pumpkin looks like the lead singer of "Kiss."

Even Mike got in on the action and carved out a silly pumpkin.

Football

I took this picture of Mike and Jay a few weeks ago, right before one of Jay's football games. It is one of my all time favorite pictures of the two of them.
Yesterday, we wrapped up Jay's first season of football and what a great season of football we have had! Jay has played soccer, baseball and now football and hands down, football has been his favorite. It's been the first time where Jay has told me he's looking forward to playing again next year and I was able to see him progress through the season. He even scored a few touchdowns!
Jay played football for a church-run athletic team so I liked the religious focus he received both at practices and games. And although I don't think Jay could necessarily articulate this, I think he enjoyed playing with different boys (other than who he goes to school with). I think he could just be himself, without any pressure. Our good friend, Mike Ausili, coached the team and Jay got to play with Curtis, both positives. It was an all around good time and I'm looking forward to next year.

Nick's first day of Prek

Here is Nick giving off that smile that he is excited to get on the school bus with his brother and go to a big boy Prek.

Once the bus shows up, here is Nick's look, one of "I'm not so sure about this, mom." He did great though. No tears and according to his prek teacher, he had a good morning with no tears and he fit in great with the rest of the kids. I couldn't ask for more. Nick's transition to his new daycare and Prek has been a piece of cake.

The Verdict is in

I did not get the job I interviewed for, how it was communicated to me that I did not get it is "interesting" but that is not something I'm going to advertise on the internet. That being said, I knew deep down in my gut that perhaps it wasn't the right position for me. The lord works in mysterious ways. In the last 7 months I met some really wonderful people, I developed a skill and did something way out of my comfort zone, all things I can be really proud of. I will be heading back to the wonderful world of workers compensation in the next 5 weeks.
I kind of see this as the person who has had the same lover for 10 years and decides she wants to expand her wings and try someone new. When she does, she realizes that in fact, the lover she's had for 10 years suited her just fine and she returns to him and he greets her with open arms with the song, "I Told You So," by Carrie Underwood playing in the background.

What's going on?

I don't have anything insightful to write about tonight, other than what is going on with the Siebert crew. Mike continues to get up in "the middle of the night" to go to work. He gets up at 3:45 and is out the door by 4:15. He loves it, I would hate it. On days that he has to travel he is usually out the door by 3:00. Crazy!
I interviewed for a permanent position in the department where I started my developmental opportunity in April. This opportunity will be over at the end of November. All interviews concluded on Oct. 9 so we'll see. I don't think I'll get the position. I think that during the course of the interviews a better candidate probably presented themselves but I do know that sometimes the jobs you think you won't get, you end up getting.
Jay is fairly challenging these days. I remember we pretty much sailed through first grade. Sure, he had trouble learning but I don't remember clashing with him as much. There are so many days when he reminds me so much of Mike. He works physically hard, he's reserved and he likes the comfort of his immediate family, all very strong characteristics of Mike but there are days when he reminds me so much of myself when I was his age, especially the attitude he gives off. Part of it too, I think is just the fact that we are mother and son. I am certainly feeling that difference lately.
Nick started at a new daycare provider's house on Monday and he's doing great. He is transitioning much better than he did when he transitioned to the public daycare. It has been a relief for me. He will start Prek next week and will be taking the bus to school with Jay. It is working out well and we are all pleased.

Impulsivity

Lately, I feel like my blog has centered around Jay stories. He has provided me with a lot to write about lately and some of it, not so good but the whole reason for this blog is for me to document the growth and experiences my children have and my experiences with them.
Jay has always been impulsive but perhaps I may be at some fault for that. I was very impulsive growing up and Mike would say I was still fairly impulsive through my 20's. My impulsivity was something I was aware of, at least once I met Mike I was really aware of it and it's something I've really tried to improve upon. Turns out, Jay has the same "gene."
Picture this....I was dressed for church yesterday. My hair and make-up were freshly done. I was bent over the bath-tub giving Nick a bath when Jay walked by me and gave me a gentle push and I went face first into the bath tub. To say I was angry is an understatement. Jay and all his impulsivity thought it would be funny to push me face first into the tub, he just didn't think of how angry it would make me but I made that very clear once I was able to regain my composure. I know that Jay was just trying to be funny but his impulsivity gets him everytime.
This is a character trait of Jay's that Mike and I as his parents will continually try to improve upon and make him aware of. Again, I go back to my mother's words.........."Amy, they are still under construction, keep plugging away."

Sneaky

Jay's school had a "book-drive" this week. Kids could bring in their spare change and dump it in a tub in their classroom. At the end of the week, the money was to be collected and used to purchase new books for their brand new library.
I happily sent Jay with some spare change. That night, when I got home from work, Jay was waiting for me in the garage (not something I'm use to). I didn't even have a chance for my foot to hit the pavement and he was right up next to me confessing what he had done. He admitted that instead of putting all the change in the tub, he had taken some and kept it for himself. Obviously, I was disappointed and my first thought was why he was confessing this to me. Had he gotten caught by someone? I asked Jay if his dad had found out about his sneakiness and Jay said that Yes, his dad was aware of it. I told Jay I needed time to think about what the consequence would be.
After dinner, in private, I asked Mike how he had figured out what Jay had done. Mike said he didn't figure it out. He said as soon as school was out and Jay saw Mike, he confessed what he had done. Secretly, Mike and I high-fived each other over this accomplishment. Sure, what Jay did was wrong but he knew it was wrong and confessed it to the two people who love him most and are trying to shape him into the man we want him to be.
That night I asked Jay how he felt about what he had done and he said, "Bad." His consequence was to dig into his own money. The next morning I walked Jay into his classroom just to watch him dump the change into the tub. I told him what he had done was sneaky and I needed to see for myself he was delivering the money to its proper place but I also told him I was proud of him to being honest and telling the truth.

Brothers getting along

Mike and I have noticed in the last several weeks that the boys are getting along better. The picture above is proof! They posed for a picture without pinching each other. What progress!

Here is Nick walking around withhis hedge apples. He walked around with the two of them clutched to him so it looked like two big boobies.

Reading progress

What progress Jay is making with his reading. I've actually seen him start to enjoy it, which is so important. I don't care if he reads slower than anyone in his class and I don't care if it takes him 1 hour to read an entire chapter, I just want him to get some enjoyment from what he reads. Tonight, he grabbed his glasses, his "Frog and Toad" book and plopped himself in the laundry basket (again, wherever he is comfortable reading is fine with me) and started reading out loud to himself. What an accomplishment! Way to go, Jay, I'm so proud of you.

"Risky" Preschool

Recently, I had Nick "tested" for preschool program at our public school (The school Jay goes to). This is the same Pre-K program that Jay went through and I really liked it. The program is free but you have to be at "risk" to get into it. However, keep in mind, I live in a small town and this particular preschool program needs to have a full class to get their grant money from the state. Because I live in a small town, there are more openings for this program. My sister is always quick to point out to me that Jay and Nick would have never qualified for the preschool programs in her district, as it's a big district and there are plenty of kids who are truly at "risk".
My friend, Jenna and I did have a good laugh over this the other day at Jay's football game. I was telling her that Nick, just like his brother, qualified for the preschool program. I jokingly told her that I didn't know what it was about the Siebert boys that got them into this program. About that time we turned and Nick is on the side-lines dancing like Chris Farley when he danced and sang to "Maniac" in Tommy Boy. That picture was explanation enough.

Always Do Your Best

I've been in a developmental role in a new department for six months now, being a writer. I hope everyone has seen an improvement in my blog with my writing style. Ha. Today, I interviewed for a permanent position in the department. For about a week leading up to the interview I was a nervous wreck. I feel much today, knowing the interview is behind me. The rest is now up to the management, as to who they hire. My only goal was to walk out of the interview knowing I had done my best and I feel like I did. Could I have answered a few questions differently or even stronger, absolutely but what's done is done. Even Jay gave me great advice today. He asked me how the interview went, I told him I was just so glad it was over and that regardless of the outcome, I did my best. Jay said, "Yes mom, you just went in there, did your best and got it done." Those are Mike's words. He tells Jay all the time in regards to his homework to just do your best and get it done. But it was a good lesson for Jay to see that his mother did something way out of her comfort zone and was able to express to Jay that no matter what the outcome is, I know I did the best job that I could do.

Lunch time jokes

I remember when I had cold lunch as a kid. My mom would usually include a cute little note with her famous smiley face in my lunch box. I remember I always enjoyed reading them and was never embarassed. Last year, when Jay was in first grade, I too, sent "love" notes in his lunch box. Truthfully, in first grade he never complained too much but honestly, I was never convinced he read them either. This year, however, I had to get a little more creative because I knew Jay would not appreciate getting a "love" note from his mother in second grade. In place of a "love" note, I have started writing jokes for him. On days that I have written these famous jokes, I eagerly wait for his response at night. I never get it (he is so Mike Siebert's son!!!), so I ask Jay, "Jay, how did you like my joke today?" Just the other day, he burst my bubble and informed me my jokes are lame. Personally, I thought my joke about the elves (What do elves study in school? The elf-abet) was hysterical, but to Jay, not so much. Okay, maybe they are a little lame. Jay was quick to point out that his friend, Reece, loves my lunch time jokes and gets a good laugh from them. Today I was lucky enough to take a day off work. Nick and I joined Jay for lunch and sat with his friend Reece. I made it a point to ask Reece if he found my jokes funny. Reece's face broke out in a cute grin and admitted that he did enjoy my jokes, all the while, Jay was rolling in eyes. Someday, he'll appreciate and remember my attempt, pathetic it may be, to make him laugh with my lunch time jokes.

Oberservations of Parenthood

I've only been a mom for 7 years but in those 7 years I've come to a few conclusions about being a parent, specfically how it relates to my own 2 children and here is what I've learned

• It is the hardest, most demanding job. There is no other job that exhausts me more than parenting.
• I thought when Jay was little that as he aged, it would get easier, it doesn't. Once I added another child to the mix, it only gets harder. I don't mean that in a negative way but you get "bigger" issues to deal with as they age and you put school on top it (which takes an "organizational" specialist to handle that) and it's a lot to juggle.
• Simplify, Simplify, Simplify! I mean that in every aspect. My kid doesn't need to be in every sports activity, nor does he need every toy on the planet.
• Parenting requires lots of love, patience, organization and consistency (consistency is where I probably fall short on but I recognize it's importance)
• I've gotten use to questioning myself on a daily basis whether I'm making the right decisions for my children but always listen to your gut, it's usually right.
• My mom gave me a cute cartoon once that reminded all parents that kids are "under construction." I use this reminder daily to remember my children are not formed at ages 7 and 3

The rewards, at this point, are few and far between but when I catch a glimpse of them, I cherish them. Jay and Nick are both still "under construction" and I try to remember that when Jay is throwing attitude with me or Nick is being a typical 3 year old. But when Jay is concerned for someone else's well-being or when I don't have to remind Nick to use his please and thank-you's, those are times where I see my hard work paying off.

Morning Goodbye Waves

Every morning when I drop Nick off at preschool he waves to me from his classroom. It's a long walk down the hallway to the exit doors and the entire time I'm walking away from him, he is frantically waving at me. I turn around about 3 times during my exit walk to get a glimpse of his happy face. It makes my day every day!
It's funny because when I think back to when Jay was three, I feel like I have no memory. I kept a diary so when I read my diary, it rekindles my memory and what he was like. I'm even busier now and I know Nick is my last "baby." I feel like time is going way too fast and there are just certain things that he does at age 3 that I simply don't want to forget and this is one of them.

Forgetfulness

One of the first things I do when I get home from work is to go through Jay's back-pack. Yesterday I noticed his glasses weren't in his bag, nor had he turned in his homework and his reading log was missing. Jay and I concluded he might have lost his glasses at the bus stop but when we checked last night, no luck. This morning, when I put him on the bus, I'm going to talk to the bus driver to see if they were found and do a quick check of the bus myself.
Then, I pointed out to Jay that when he spends so much time doing his homework, it's important that he turn it in! And who knows where his reading log is. Today, I'm sending him to school with a list that consists of: FINDING HIS GLASSES, his reading log and turning in his homework. And I wouldn't tell him this but even if he does nothing else today but find his $230 pair of glasses, I'll be satisfied.

Penguins!

Nick is over the moon for penguins right now. He has a "family" of penguins that consists of a daddy (a.k.a. Emperor penguin), baby penguin, momma penguin (a.k.a. Jenny) and Mary penguin (his newest addition from Shedd). He takes his penguins with him everywhere!

And I do mean everywhere!!!!!!!

Weekend in Chicago

The one and only, Mary, with the boys. Mike and I "rented" an apartment in her building for the night. It worked out great. It was close to Shedd and Michigan Avenue. The boys loved it! Secretly, I think Jay has a crush on Mary!

The boys at Shedd. The only disappointment was the penguin exhibit was closed (which was the whole reason we went) but the boys dealt with that pretty well. I noticed that Jay really took a lot of time to look at the exhibits and there were fish he was telling me about, as I had no idea what some of the fish were. Nick did pretty well too, once he finally figured out that he had to hold his dad's hand. Ha.

After we left Shedd, we walked for 5 miles, with no stroller. Nick actually did great. Mike only had to carry him for about 1/2 mile. He was a trooper.

The "twosome," Mike and Nick walking on Michigan Ave. Again, once Nick figured out that he had no choice but to hold Mike's hand then he didn't complain. It was a good preview for Disney. Both boys did really well. We really enjoyed ourselves and the weather could not have been more perfect.

The Daddy Factor

When school started, Mike decided to go to work in the middle of the night (I consider anything before 4:30, the middle of the night, ha) so he could pick Jay up from school everyday. Mike leaves for work around 4:15 and days that he travels, he leaves around 3:30 and yet I still go to bed earlier than he does. It has really worked out well. Recently, my mom shared a cute story with me. She said her and Jay were driving in the car, just the two of them. My mom asked Jay how he liked having his dad pick him up from school. Jay responded by saying, "I like it, nana, I really, really like it." Cute! Then, one day this week, it worked out to where my mom picked him up from school. She said that when Jay saw her his eyes got big and it looked like he wanted to run to her and hug her but he restrained himself. I laughed about this with my mom because Jay won't hug me, let alone kiss me, when I get the opportunity to drop him off at school. Mike overheard this entire conversation and said that almost everyday Jay greets him with a running leap/hug. I guess Jay decided that it is socially acceptable to hug your dad in public but not your mom or nana. Oh well...........he will still greet me with hugs at home, as long as no one is looking!

What's not to like about Nick?

Nick started at a new daycare/preschool about 5 weeks ago. It was going okay until right after Labor Day. Since that time I've noticed that his teachers really don't have anything nice to say about him and it's starting to annoy me. I've also noticed that when I drop Nick off in the mornings, he's more clingy. In fact, if I linger too long, there could be tears but I know not to linger.
I am the kind of parent who doesn't want someone to sugar coat my children's behavior. However, that being said, there is a balance that one needs to meet. For example, it can't be good that everyday for the last 8 days I get a knot in my stomach when I walk in the doors at the end of the day because I know what's coming........more negativity. I wish his teachers could tell me about his behavior with the sandwich approach. Tell me something positive, something negative and finish it with a positive. I know Nick can be loud and to someone who doesn't love him, it can really get on your nerves but really.......these teachers haven't found one nice thing to say about him in 8 days. Things started off good with one particular teacher and she's the one who now just seems down right annoyed with Nick. That is probably the best way to summarize it. I get the impression that they don't like Nick and he annoys them.
I've been so irritated by how things have gone all week that I'm sending him to Mike's parents house on Friday. When I called John (Mike's dad) to ask if Nick could just come spend a day with them because I felt like he needed a day away from preschool and I also expressed to him that I didn't think Nick's teachers liked him. John's response was, "What, not like Nick, what's not to like about Nick?" Exactly my point. And like my mom always points out.....Nick may talk a lot but we can all be thankful that I have such an expressive 3 year old.

I Love...........

• Cuddling with the boys
• Nick's excitement over his stuffed animals
• Jay's excitement when he truly understands his school work
• Jay's enthusiam when he's doing physical work with his dad
• Nick's constant chatter
• Hanging out with my family
• Crop-dusters (Yes, crop dusters........I could watch them all day)
• Janet's cakes
• Spending the night in hotels with the boys....
• My husband
• That I am healthy and so is Mike and the boys
• How excited the boys get over hanging out in the RV with their grandparents
• Scrapbooking
• That Jay still loves hanging out with his nana and Mimi
• Drinking wine, especially when I'm drinking it with my girlfriends
• Long time friends that make me laugh
• Blogging!!!!!!!!! It rocks.

Prayer for my Children

Today, the boys and I are finally headed back to church. We took a long break this summer. There really is no excuse because Jesus certainly doesn't take a break from us. I just got lazy. I created a habit all summer so Jay is fighting me on going tooth and nail this morning. We will be attending church in a few weeks with our friends, the Ausili's, at Eastview. I am looking forward to that but until then the boys and I are headed to our small church in Danvers today.
The boys and I have a daily prayer that we say every weekday morning before we head off to work and school. Since Nick is only three, he still likes the prayer and actively participates. Jay will participate most mornings but it depends on his mood. I've told him that he doesn't have to say the words or even hold our hands for the prayer but he has to be quiet and respectful or I threaten him with getting out at the bus stop and hugging him in front of all of his friends. That is enough to make him be quiet and respectful during our prayer.
Our daily prayer goes like this: "Dear Lord, as we start our day to go out and play, let all we meet along the way see you in us and be by our side throughout our day. Amen." It's short and sweet and I like it!!

This & That

It isn't like me to go a full week without blogging. It's been a busy week! The picture above is of Jay helping me bake for our Labor Day cook-out. Yes, he's in his undies and all! I am having a "Thank-you" cook out for my family and Mike's parents for all the help they gave me this summer with the boys. I don't know what got into me but I decided to make each person their own dessert. This morning, Jay helped me make Mimi her S'more cheesecake.

This is me on the Seat Belt Convincer at the Farm Progress Show on Tuesday. I went to Decatur with a few of my co-workers in Public Affairs. State Farm purchased the convincer for the Illinois State Police and let me tell you.........it convinces you to wear your seat belt. The ride is only 5 miles an hour and you feel a jolt. I will make sure my boys ride it when they turn 16!

Jay is doing well at school. Mike and I got him signed up for a program at ISU that starts this week. He will go twice a week for 8 weeks and get one on one help with a doctoral student. In addition, when the program is over, ISU will give Mike and I a specialized program (so to speak) that is catered to his individual needs that we can take to his school/teacher to help him. The program isn't cheap and thankfully Mike is able to pick Jay up from school, otherwise I don't know how we would get him to these twice a week sessions. We'll see how it goes. The program itself came highly recommended. My hope is that when it's all said and done, Jay will be able to develop strategies to help him learn.

Nick is doing well also. It took three weeks but he finally adjusted to his new school/daycare. I am happy to report he went all week with no tears. He is talking about his two teachers a little more and talking about two kids in his class. The kids in his class are greeting him when he comes in the morning, all good signs.

I will have an interview soon so I can hopefully get a permanent position in my job that I took on as a developmental opportunity. I found out that 60 people applied so we'll see. I'm taking Mike's advice........"Plan for the worst, hope for the best."

King Nicholas

3 year old entertainment

I really don't have anything interesting to blog about today until I just realized that during the last 30 minutes Nick has provided me with plenty of entertainment.

Nick was trying to work on one of his trucks this morning and it wasn't going the way he wanted. Suddenly, I heard him yell...."Curse my Brain."
Then, the mama turkey made her appearance again this morning and I heard Nick say......."Mom, the big chicken is back."
Once Nick got his truck fixed he exclaimed..."This truck is indispensable!" This was quite hilarious hearing a 3 year old say the word indispensable and then to use it in the proper context.

This story won't be funny to some but people who truly know Nick know how obsessed he is with his "animals." He names all his animals after what they are....Example: penguin, dino, sheep, etc....Never once has he named his animals. This morning he got out of bed and told us that Dino #1 was named "Jack" and Dino #2 was named "Nicholas." How original!

Grapes - They can be dangerous

Yesterday was Jay's first day riding the bus. This year Jay will be riding the bus to school every day. Last night he came home and said there was a problem on the bus that morning. He said an older boy, who was eating grapes, hit Jay in the mouth with his bag of grapes. Now whether or not this was done intentionally I do not know. In these situations, my first question to Jay is always, "Did you do anything to provoke it?" Jay said he did not. In fact, he claims he was minding his own business (something Jay really hasn't perfected) talking to his buddy, Reece, when he got hit in the mouth with a bag of grapes. If I were to bet, I'd bet this kid was using some animation when he was talking, swinging his grapes around, and accidentally hit Jay. Jay said the kid continued to swing his grapes around and hit him a second time in the mouth. I suppose at that point Jay decided to take matters into his own hands and grabbed the bag of grapes and threw it out the bus window. Now, if this story is true then I say, Good for you Jay, way to take charge because Jay said that kid didn't bother him at all today. Go figure.

First day of second grade

I can hardly believe my 5 lbs. baby boy started second grade today. Jay was excited and so was I. It appears he has a great teacher and a brand new school! When I picked Jay up from school today he said, "Mom, we have air conditioning now." Big stuff since he hasn't had A/C since he started 4 years ago in the Pre-K program. Of course, Nick had to get his back-pack on and pretend he was a big kid too.

Mama Turkey

About two weeks ago, Nick and I got to witness a mama turkey and her five babies walking down our road. We got a big kick out of it and told Mike and Jay that night when they got home. The next day, when Mike and Nick were driving on our road, Nick exclaimed to Mike, "Dad, this is where we saw the big chicken." Anyway, we've discovered that the mama turkey is living in our timber. Our dining looks out into our backyard so on weekends when we sit down for breakfast we see the mama turkey and her five babies scurry across our yard. We've had a good time watching how much the babies have grown in two weeks.
I tried to get a picture this morning but mama turkey kind of blends into all the timber. You can barely see one of her babies (off to the right) following her.

One H*&^ of a Week

It's been a week! Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday. Jay is slowly recovering from surgery a week ago. Nick has his good days and bad days when it comes to dropping off at his new school/daycare. I got a small glimpse of what it would be like if I had a child who wasn't healthy. Jay got up every night this week crying and in pain. By the third night I wasn't sure I could take much more, not because I was exhausted but it's really hard to see your child in pain. It has made me thankful that my sons are healthy. Yesterday morning I had been up a lot during the night with Jay so I was exhausted (which never helps anything). Jay had finally gotten to sleep around 5am only to be woken back up at 6:30 so I could take him to his grandparents house so I could go to work. The entire drive he looked pathetic. He didn't feel well and was tired. Then when I got Nick to preschool, he cried. I know he just needs to get use to it but it doesn't make it any easier for me. I decided that if the boys would have stuck knives in my heart that morning it still wouldn't hurt as bad as the guilt I felt yesterday morning. But as any working mom knows, I put a smile on my face and was ready for my meeting by 8:30 that morning, trying to not think of my 7 year old, exhausted and in pain from his surgery and my 3 year old, crying and trying to adjust to a new school.
Today has been a better day, that's for sure. Jay seems to have turned a corner today and is actually spending the night with his grandparents. Nick still cried this morning but I was able to get him settled down so I left watching him getting settled to play. Can you say, TGIF?

Siebert Boys Update

Jay is recovering nicely from his surgery. He still isn't himself but he's eating and getting along pretty good. He has been a delight since his surgery and I'm not kidding. He hasn't whined or complained once and he would certainly be entitled to. He was up last night at 3am shaking from the amount of pain he was in but didn't cry. Once he gets his pain meds, he's good to go. Right now, his throat isn't bothering him at all, it's his jaw.
I am also happy to report that Nick did not cry this morning at drop-off. In fact, he told me to leave. I guess I lingered too long and he looked right at me and said, "You can go now." HUH? Over the weekend his preschool threw a grand reopening party so Nick and I attended. I think it really helped him. He could see his school is a place where you go to have fun!
I also found out today that Jay got Miss Snowden for 2nd grade. I know nothing about her, other than she's fresh out of college and she's impressed the heck out of our principal. Our prinicipal told me that Miss Snowden is one of those people who knew she wanted to teach since she was little, he said she was born to teach! School is undoubtly hard for Jay so I think having a teacher fresh out of school with a lot of energy will be good for him. I'm personally looking forward to 2nd grade.

A Sick Confession

I have a confession and it's an ugly one. I really enjoy it when Jay doesn't feel well. Before I go any further, let me first say I do not ever wish that he gets sick or have a painful procedure. But when Jay gets down he is the most polite, easy-going, loving child. He doesn't whine or complain, he just wants to hang out at home and be close to his family which really is part of his overall personality, it's just increased when he doesn't feel well. Since he had his tonsils out yesterday he is remaining true to his usual "sick" personality. He even hugged Nick this morning. He has been chatting with me all day. I accidentally dropped one of his new cars today and a piece broke off. I apologized right away and his response was, "That's okay, mom, it's no big deal." HUH???
I laugh because my mom said the same thing about me when I was a kid and I got sick. I was such an active kid that I never sat still which is exactly how Jay is. It's just nice to see him take a breath for a second and I can write that without any guilt because he hasn't experienced much pain, so far. He's taking his pain meds every four hours so we are staying on top of it. When he was a toddler and got sick, he would let me rock him. Jay didn't like to be rocked much past 8 months old so getting to rock him when he was a sick toddler was truly a rare treat.

The Patient

Jay had his tonsils and adnoids out today. Tonight, he is doing well but I hear days 2 and 3 are not pleasant so we'll see how he does tomorrow. He is taking his medicine and eating and drinking which is good! The only difficult part (today) was when he came out of anethesia. I'm sure that is tough for all kids. There were 3 little kids (including Jay) who had tonsil surgery and all 3 of them were howling in the recovery room when they came to. The only other "hurdle" was me almost fainting when Jay came out of surgery. He was upset which made me upset and I had not eaten breakfast. Before I knew it Mike was telling me I was white as a ghost and to sit down. Once I sat down and drank a Pepsi, I was fine.
We'll see how Jay progresses through the weekend. I'm hoping and praying it's smooth sailing for him.

Nick's new daycare setting

Nick started at his new daycare/preschool yesterday. Once we hit Veterans Pkwy today and yesterday he started telling me to turn back so he could go home. When he realized we weren't going home, he insisted I take him to his nana's house. Yesterday I was able to drop him off with no tears. He wasn't thrilled about it but he wore his frog shirt so he was showing his new teacher his frog shirt when I left. Today....things didn't go so smoothly. I left him in tears, kicking and screaming on the floor. It was a hard visual to go to work with. I did call later in the morning to check in and his teacher said he was having a rougher day but that was to be expected. He insisted to his teacher that he needed to call me because he had a question for me (this is typical of Nick, everything is........"I have a question"). The teacher told him they couldn't call me because the phone in the room could only receive calls, not dial them out. My sharp as a whip, Nickel Pickel, told his teacher to get some batteries in that phone so he could call his mom and ask her a question.
I'm hoping tomorrow goes smoother but if it doesn't, I'm patient. I know he'll eventually adjust. The nice thing about this new "setting" is it's so close to my work. However, with that goes a long drive to and from work with Nick. He's already been bossing me around as to when we listen to the radio, how long we listen to it, how loud it is and what we listen to. Ugh!

Nick's love of his stuffed animals

Sometimes the differences between my boys astound me. Jay never cared about stuffed animals. He was and still is rather attached to his "blankie." Nick has a blankie too but he doesn't discriminate. He loves his blankie and his animals equally. The top picture is of Nick and his animals. He buried Mike underneath a blanket and his animals. The bottom picture is a picture I took of Nick the other night before bed. He insisted on sleeping with all those animals in his bed. Notice the brown rabbit off the left of his bed. He wanted to make sure his rabbit or Wabbit as Nick calls her was covered up with his blankie for the night.

Growth Spurts

What a difference a year makes with 3 little kids. I would have to say Lauren has changed the most. Jay has gotten taller and Nick still has the same ornery look! These pictures were taken almost a year a part to the day.

Transitions

Today was Jay and Nick's last day at Kelson Kids. I knew back in April that Christy's last day would be Aug. 5. Even though the summer went fast, it's hard to believe an era of our life is over. I know Christy is thinking the same thing. Christy reads my blog so I simply want to tell her how much we will miss her and we wish her well. Thank you for everything you did for us!! Best of luck at Olympia and even though we won't see you everyday, we will remain in close contact and stay friends! And Christy, whenever you need a "Nickel-Pickel fix," just read my blog. Ha.
Nick will start at his new daycare/preschool on Monday. I think he'll do fine but he will have a transition period. It will be a transition for me too. I am use to dropping the boys at Christy's in Danvers and then having a good 20 minute drive by myself, listening to music. Now I will have Nick with me on my entire drive to and from work. And trust me, Nick is my motor mouth and doesn't understand what the quiet game is all about. Oh well, I'll get use to it. I'm sure he'll provide me with plenty of laughs on some of those drives and a good laugh is always a great way to start the day.
Jay is being shuffled between me, Mike, my mom, Kim and Mike's mom from now until Aug. 24, when he starts school. Next Thursday is his surgery date so I'll be home with him a few days for that. He was really nervous about it over the weekend but seems to have calmed down as the week goes on.

"Love" Notes

I had dinner with my good friend, Jenna tonight so when I left for work this morning, I left Mike a note that said........"Mike, the dishes in the dishwasher are clean." When I got home tonight, Mike had left me a note that said......"Thanks, you can empty it when you get home." Ahhh, the joys of marriage!

M&M's

I recently came to the conclusion that I have a problem (And to my friends who are reading this, Yes, I know there are several but I'm only addressing one of them in this blog) with M&M's but not just any M&M's, the peanut M&M's. It's like crack to me. Mike also likes them so I buy the enormous size bag at Sam's and tell my family that I bought it for daddy but secretly I know it's my opportunity to snarf them down at any given time. That is the problem with those things, they are so small (but yet oh, so good) that I seem to suck them down as fast as an elephant sucks peanuts and before I know it I've consumed 1000 calories in M&M's alone. So, if you notice I have a little more junk in my trunk, it's because of those blasted M&M's that I can't get enough of!
As a side note, Mike can sit down after 9:00 at night and probably consume well over 1000 calories in M&M's with a huge glass of milk and never feel the effects of it. Ticks me off.

Summer.....What Summer?

This has been the strangest summer I can ever remember. My kids but especially Jay have been sick a lot this summer with illnesses that ranged from strep throat to plantar warts back to strep throat and did I mention strep throat again? And the weather has been the strangest of all. It has been the coldest and rainest summer. The good news is I haven't had to run my AC much, the bad news is my tan (wait, what tan?) has suffered. I know that every summer I complain that it went by way too fast but this summer has passed me by with record speed.
Christy, my daycare provider, is starting a new job next week. So, I think I've been anticipating that event all summer which has also contributed to summer passing me by so quickly. Nick will start at a new facility/preschool on August 10. I know he will do just fine once he transitions but Christy is and has been one in a million to my family! And I'm anticipating Jay getting his tonsils out on Aug. 13 and then school starts and we go full swing! Ahhhh the month of August.....Let the fun begin.

Look Mom, I lost another tooth

Jay is losing teeth like crazy these days. He lost one of his bottom teeth last week and lost one of his top (2 front teeth) last night. Once he figures out that a tooth is lose, there is no stopping him. He will yank and pull until it comes out. One time he yanked and pulled so hard in bed that he got blood on his PJ's and his sheets. GROSS!

Jay seems to be feeling better tonight but is still running a low grade fever. Nick is much better. My dad is back at home but my aunt and I aren't feeling over confident about his ability to get around his apartment. My mom is still sick but overall, things are improving. What a weekend!

At the Siebert house, when it rains, it pours

Here is a preview of how my weekend started. When I got off work on Friday, I went to meet up with Mike and the boys. When I pick Nick up, he clearly has a fever. Jay just got over strep throat so I figure it's better to be safe than sorry so I run the boys across town so Nick can see the doctor. The doctor tells me his throat is fire engine red with puss all over it (gross) but the strep test came back negative. Meanwhile, I get a call from my dad's nurse and he can't move his legs so they are calling 9-1-1. My sister and take all three kids and meet the ambulance at his apartment. Our husbands are gone so Kim's mother in law agrees to watch all three kids, one of them being sick, while Kim and I go to the hospital. Once my aunt got there, my sister and I left for the evening.
At 5:30 this morning I heard Jay screaming from his bed. Turns out he had a raging headache with a fever. I gave him medicine and both boys slept until 9:30 this morning, something that NEVER happens. So, here I am at 1:30 on Saturday with two sick boys. Oh Yeah, the doctors office called this morning and Nick does have strep so thankfully he is being treated for that. My dad is still in the hospital and they don't really know what is wrong with him. He is having a procedure done this afternoon. And on top of this, my mom is really sick. I mean really sick. I can't remember a time when I've seen her this sick.
Hopefully, I'll have better news to report early next week.

And one last thing.........stay tuned, Jay has to have his tonsils out on August 13.