Man oh Man....

We have been crazy busy. Over the weekend LM had a runny nose so we did lay low for a few days but he is over it and it appears it was allergies or something of the sort. Miss G is continuing to grow at record pace and is so animated and cute. She blows bubbles and talks to you a lot. I have been walking with the kids and dogs a lot for exercise since figuring out how to strap G into the bike stroller. Yeah, no need to buy another one yet :) It has been so awesome to get out in this beautiful weather. Thank you Lord for the beautiful weather we are having here in WA. Since this is my 4th fall and winter here (that's right all you Spain ladies--I have been here 4 years) I am astounded at how beautiful September has been this year. And everyone keeps telling me this is typical and the last few years have been colder, wetter , earlier.

We'll see if that is true since I am able to stay for one more fall and winter until we leave here in 2010. Honestly, it's growing on me. The idea of returning to bugs(mosquitoes and roaches mostly), not being able to play outside and leave the doors and windows open for everyone to go in and out as they please because it's too hot so as not to let all the "bought air" out, humidity, fireants, did I mention roaches..all of that scares me? Seriously haven't seen nearly as many bugs --and come to think of it spiders and bees are the worst we have here and only in fall really. So, much to the chagrin of my Spain friends and those other Whidbey haters I guess I am coming around. The only downfall of living in smalltown WA is that it's so safe I have to keep in practice in keeping my kids under my wing and staying close. It's so easy living on a base and in a small town to forget that you have to keep them so close so I am practicing for when we move now and trying to enstill in LM that he must stay with me.

LM has been having fun and been in cahoots with BT again. The other day I hear "BT, get up you are going to get dog hair all over you." Too bad LM didn't know that BT is the one putting the dog hair there. I guess he hears that a lot since they are shedding like crazy. Then I see him with the calculator ....."BT , use your fingers to push the numbers , BT push the numbers" I remember these types of stories from Jennie and when T used to talk to Sam like that , specifically , Sam, talk to me, Sam, talk to me--Mommy Sam won't answer me. It's so cute !!

As you can tell from the photos I have put them both in the bike stroller as I mentioned and it's so much nicer than lugging around the 15 lbs of baby on my chest. My back is thanking me...but anyway as we are trucking down the street I hear, "G stay on your side" "stop trying to hold my hand G". Can you believe it's already starting? Poor G was just reaching for him and grabbed his hand, pants, whatever she could get. And as you can tell from the picture she adores her brother--she laughs and smiles at him ALL the time.

LM also reprimanded me the other day for reading at the dinner table. Let me clarify it was the first time I had sat down and was looking up some medical thing about G in the baby book.....okay , so he says "Mommy, put the book down and eat your dinner--it's dinnertime" :) Gotta love it when all these things come back and bite you in the butt every single day :)

Miss G is hanging in the exersaucer these days and seems to like it and is helping her get stronger --although LM calls it her "applesaucer".

Today we met up with some IA spouses at the local pottery place and LM painted a platter and we put his handprint and G's footprint on it so that was fun. He lasted a good 30 minutes or so but it's so hard corraling him in a place like that. He doesn't listen no matter what incentive I give or how much I praise. I am so mentally exhausted trying just to keep the peace when we go out. We stay busy but I spend most of my time when we are out trying to get him to behave which ends up exhausting me. Man, I can't wait for some backup or preschool one ;)

I am interested to see if he will respond to other people b/c right now he doesn't listen at ALL. I speak and ask him to do something and it's as if I don't exist. Dr. Tripp suggests spanking for this type of behavior and I do understand to an extent but it's a power struggle, pottying is a power struggle--it's all about control and I have to keep it otherwise it's chaos and since I am the only one here to enforce it I am always the bad guy--always and being the bad guy all the time sucks just so you know. I want to be carefree and have so much fun with him but he NEEDS structure or he runs all over me. I can't give him an inch or he takes a mile. I can tell now he will be that teenager on restriction a LOT. I guess I am ranting from Mommy guilt , exhaustion and frustration. I am and will be the primary caregiver to do it all for the next several years and that thought gets a little overwhelming at times. I love it don't get me wrong but just wish I could let go and let him do whatever sometimes but he doesn't know how to act in public and refuses to stay with me and stay close so a fit usually ensues and I am now that mom I swore I woul dnever be in public with a screaming child. The things he does like running away in a store or a parking lot are just dangerous and when I completely lose it on him. HE will look right at me and test me and stick one foot in the street with a car coming as I am trying to grab him. That daredevil streak he has just like his daddy may get him hurt and it's dangerous. He really doesn't care that it's dangerous and just wants to push my buttons. Okay, I have ranted and raged long enough about this....sorry if you are reading this but it was one of those days where he did ALL of the above........can't you tell ;) ??