CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

I had this week’s post all planned out. I was going to post a side by side of all three boys because it’s amazing how similar they all are. I had everything planned out and it’s not going to happen right now. It’s been another rough week.

Bear is doing better with sleeping longer during the night. He’s growing like a weed and drinking 2-4 ounces every feeding. It’s so much fun to see how attentive Tigger is with Bear. He helped me clean all of the baby toys and is constantly trying to get Bear to play with them. If I put Bear down, Tigger will lay next to him and sing to him, talk to him, and rub his head. It’s so sweet.

On the other hand, I have been the one that seems to have issues this week. I can’t seem to figure out how to take care of the boys and myself at the same time. It has really given me a deep appreciation for those who have more than a couple of kids. I don’t know how you find time to take care of yourself and the rest of your family. My hat goes off to you.

Please don’t take this next part as complaining because it is what it is. This will just give you and idea of what I’ve been dealing with physically on top of everything. I’m sure I’m no one special in these things but it’s my first experience with it.

Earlier in the week I developed a breast infection and am now on meds for that. Friday I ended up throwing up all afternoon. I haven’t quite figured out what brought that one, but again, it is what it is. On top of all that, my milk seems to be drying up. In a way it okay because of the pain of the infection. At the same time I’m beginning to feel like I’m a failure in a way. On the other hand, I had trouble keeping up with Tigger and with the amount Bear is eating I highly doubt I’ll be able to keep up with him for much longer anyway. It’s just an interesting play of emotions.

Overall, we are very blessed. Bear is heathly. Tigger is healthy. It feels like Bear has been with our family for a lot longer than two and a half weeks. I love my family and all they’ve done to help. I know I haven’t been the best at answer my phone and I haven’t returned calls well. I apologize for that. We are all doing well. Thank you for all the love and support you give us. We are truly blessed.

FETCH by Adam Glendon Sidwell—Book Review/Giveaway

Fetch by Adam Glendon Sidwell

This is a delightful story about a place where dogs live. My three-year-old loved it. The pictures are beautifully done and the story is equal to it. I would highly recommend it to anyone who has children or anyone who loves a good picture book.

:) :) :) :) :) 

A story for anyone who s ever been loved by a dog or given one a home.

At least nine sunsets away, there is a place where dogs can do what they want. But they are not all the same, and when a special one has the courage to fly, he finds something unexpected beyond the tenth horizon.  

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Author Adam Glendon Sidwell:

In between books, Adam Glendon Sidwell uses the power of computers to make monsters, robots and zombies come to life for blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, King Kong, Pacific Rim, Transformers and Tron. After spending countless hours in front of a keyboard meticulously adjusting tentacles, calibrating hydraulics, and brushing monkey fur, he is delighted at the prospect of modifying his creations with the flick of a few deftly placed adjectives. He really enjoyed writing 81,854 less words in his new picture book FETCH than he wrote in his first EVERTASTER novel, and hopes that you will like the ones he picked. Besides, FETCH has pictures.

Adam has also been rightfully accused of writing the upcoming novel CHUM.

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Praise for the book:

“If you need & want a book for younger children that does not involve zombies, monsters, or overdone "superhero's", and just want a good old fashioned great story, perfect illustrations, and a captivating experience, then "Fetch" should be ordered quickly.”—Carol Anne Merrill Miller

“Simple, yet engaging, storyline appeals to readers of all ages and the illustrations glue your eyes to pages!” –Doodles

“The art work enchanted, enthralled, and grabbed me in ways paintings can and often do.” –Kindle Customer

Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/13/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

My emotions have been very much on the surface this week. Whether it’s hormones, lack of sleep, memories, whatever it is it’s been interesting to look back on. I’ve found that I’m a little overly worried on things. Every doctor that has looked at Bear has said he’s perfect, but I still worry. 

It’s been fun to see Tigger interact with Bear though. He’s so excited. “When’s he going to get big, Mom?” “When’s he going to walk? We can help him do it.” It’s so sweet to see Tigger’s enthusiasm. It’s also been neat to see how much he cares. 

We went to the doctor’s this week and Bear got newborn blood screening done. (I can’t remember what it is called.) Of course Bear cried and cried. It brought Tigger almost to tears. “I don’t want them to take his blood anymore. I don’t want him to cry. Let’s sing him a song.” So we did. Tigger rubbed Bear’s leg and we sang I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Now anytime Bear cries, Tigger is the first to run in, take his hand and remind us to sing him a song. What a good brother.

Along with that, it’s been interesting to see what has triggered different memories of Lion. Anything from a piece of clothing Lion wore or the spitting up or singing songs. I’ve had sweet moments when all my boys have been asleep in my room and I sit there and smile wishing Lion was there, knowing that he might possible sitting by me.

I am very blessed though. I have three wonderful boys and a fabulous Hubby. We have a roof over our heads, food to eat and family who is right by. We have wonderful neighbors and friends and I’m just very blessed. So minus the fact that we’ve been mixing up everyone’s names and looking for pictures thinking I didn't have any of Lion because all three boys look so much alike, it’s been a wonderful, sleep deprived week. And this is something you will never hear me say again, but I am very grateful for the little sleep that I have gotten this week. Never in my life did I think I’d be grateful for three hours of sleep. :)

TEEN WYTCHE SAGA by Ariella Moon—Book Review/Giveaway

The Teen Wytche Saga by Ariella Moon. I was somewhat surprised at how quickly I was able to get into this saga. I really enjoyed the first book and getting to know the different characters and seeing things from their . The second one moved right on in the story, but the third one I didn't quite think it fit with the saga. I see how it fits but to me it felt like a different series. This is a wonderful mix of magic and romance. I would recommend this saga to anyone who loves a good, clean, magical read.

:) :) :) :)

Think magic will solve your problems? Bring you love? Cure you? Protect you? Help you find someone who is lost? Think again. Magic tests friendships. It hisses, chirps, stinks up the room, backfires, and explodes. Magic forces you to make tough decisions. Shatter limitations. Discover your true self. When you use magic, expect results in the ultimate triple-un—unpredictable, uncontrollable, and so undeniable. And you thought navigating high school was tough.

Purchase on Amazon

     

Author Ariella Moon Ariella Moon is the author of the Teen Wytche Saga, a sweet Young Adult paranormal series. Ariella writes about magic, friendship, high school, secrets, and love in Spell Check, Spell Struck, and Spell Fire from Astraea Press. Ariella spent her childhood searching for a magical wardrobe that would transport her to Narnia. Extreme math anxiety, and taller students who mistook her for a leaning post, marred her youth. Despite these horrors, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of California at Davis. Ariella is a Reiki Master, author, and shaman. She lives a nearly normal life with her extraordinary daughter, two shamelessly spoiled dogs, and an enormous dragon.
    


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Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/7/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

We welcomed baby Spencer into our family on Tuesday. Weighing in at 8 lbs 5 oz and 20 1/4 inches long, he’s a big boy. From here on out, his name will be “Little Bear” or “Bear.” I thought about Squeaker for a while since he likes to squeak a lot, but Tigger put in his vote for “Little Bear” and I lost since Hubby’s vote was already for Bear. It fits though, don’t you think?

Anyway, there’s not much to say about things other than my OB began singing, “Do you want to have a baby?” (I’m sure you can guess the tune) as he was prepping. I couldn’t help but laugh, just one of the many reasons I really like having him as a doctor.

We are truly blessed to have Bear in our family. We all love him dearly. He’s already lifting his head and will be a launcher. I’ve already had to catch him once from flying off my lap. The ultimatum of not running until at least 9 months has been set. (That’s when Tigger began running, skipping right over the whole crawling/walking period.) Now we’ll have to see what Bear has in mind for all that. :)

CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

I thought for sure I’d be sharing pictures of our new little one today, but alas . . . I’m not. Apparently he’s too comfortable at the moment. :) Hopefully next time I will be posting pictures.

I’ve had several things happen this week. Some of have caught me off guard and others I have learned from. There are two that stand out though.

On Sunday, we decided to try an experiment as a family. The noise level in our house has just gotten extremely high. I’m sure the animals have nothing to do with it . . . ha, ha. Tigger seems to be ignoring both Hubby and I a lot and I haven’t been able to tell if he truly can’t hear us or if he’s choosing to ignore us. So to get his attention, both of us have raised our voices. Hence the noise level in our home.

I’m not sure where the idea came from, but we discussed as a family that we would talk more quietly in general. We wouldn’t raise our voices and we would speak to each other more softly. If we didn’t hear the other person then we would politely ask them to repeat what they said.

And so the experiment began.

It took a couple days of reminding each other to speak more quietly, but I’ve been amazed at how the week has gone for me. I’ve been able to stay calm. Tigger has responded more quickly. I haven’t gotten as frustrated with him or other things. In general, my stress level has gone down. It’s been amazing and I’ve really enjoyed the calmer atmosphere that has begun to permeate our home. So I would have to say that the experiment has been a success and we’ll continue working on it.

The second thing happened while I was going through boxes for the new baby. We got the pack and play set up in our room with the little bassinet. That brought back memories of doing the same for Lion the day he was born. I pulled out the bottles and clothes and other things that will be needed hopefully next week. Well, as those things came out and I saw things that were specifically for Lion, I found myself almost blindsided by the emotions that overwhelmed me. I wasn’t prepared for that.

Now, I’m doing my best to not let all the negative emotions consume me. I’m trying not to stress over the fact that last time I was in the hospital was with Lion. I’m trying not to think about all the things that could still go wrong. I’m trying not to listen to all the “what if’s” that fly through my mind.

Then as I’m trying to get those under control I begin to doubt my ability to really handle two children. I’m not sure I remember how to take care of a baby. I haven’t slept in so long am I going to make a mistake? What if I do something wrong? You know, all those questions that seem to fly through most women’s mind.

It’s just been interesting to sift through all those emotions again. So here’s to keeping a soft voice, a more peaceful home (hopefully), and to a new baby that I hope to be sharing with you next week.!

SON OF WAR, DAUGHTER OF CHAOS by Janette Rallison—Book Review/Giveaway

Son of War, Daughter of Chaos by Janette Rallison. I have loved Janette's books since I was introduced to her and this one is no exception. I found myself wondering which guy she would end up with since both made logical sense, even though I had my personal favorite. I loved the premise of the story and the new take on integrating Egyptian mythology. I would highly recommend this book to any and everyone who loves a great fantasy with some romance. I can't wait for the next one. 

:) :) :) :) :)

Aislynn is accustomed to watching for the enemy. Her parents instructed her from the time she was young to look for the signs: people with greater than normal strength, eyes that can glow green, and have the ability to jump long distances. Over the years, Aislynn has come to view her parents’ fears as quirks—things that get in the way of having a normal high school life. When Aislynn’s mother dies under suspicious conditions, her father doubles his restrictions. But all his precautions can’t stop the boy with glowing green eyes from finding Aislynn. She realizes too late she’s been drafted into an ancient Egyptian war, whether she’s prepared or not.  

 

AMAZON

Author Janette Rallison Janette Rallison is old. Don’t ask how old, because it isn’t polite. Let’s just say she’s older than she’d like to be and leave it at that. Janette lives in Chandler, Arizona with her husband, five children and enough cats to classify her as “an eccentric cat lady.” She did not do this on purpose. (The cats, that is; she had the children on purpose.) Every single one of the felines showed up on its own and refuses to leave. Not even the family’s fearless little Westie dog can drive them off. Since Janette has five children and deadlines to write books, she doesn’t have much time left over for hobbies. But since this is the internet and you can’t actually check up to see if anything on this site is true, let’s just say she enjoys dancing, scuba diving, horse back riding and long talks with Orlando Bloom. (Well, I never said he answers back.)

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Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 8/24/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

Since this week has been challenging in many different ways, I’ve decided to not end on a downer. Instead, here are many things that I am grateful for.

I’m extremely grateful for Hubby, his willingness to work and support our family.

I’m grateful that I don’t have to work, that I have the opportunity to stay home and if I do decide to work it’s for my sanity not out of necessity.

I’m grateful for children, Tigger and Lion and the new little guy. (Hubby says his nickname should be Bear, but I’m waiting to make judgement until I meet him.) I am grateful for the patience Tigger is teaching me. I’m grateful for the opportunity to help and watch him grow. I’m grateful for Lion and the time we had him and what he taught us in that short amount of time. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have a new little one join our family (hopefully sooner rather than later).

I’m grateful for my home. For some reason I’ve been into watching home renovation shows and things along those lines. It’s always interesting to watch but at the end of the day, I love my home. I love everything about it. And I’m grateful that we have a house to come home to.

I’m grateful that when we’re hungry we can go to the fridge, freezer, and/or pantry to get something to eat, even though I’m not a huge fan of food/eating. :)

I’m grateful to have family so close. I’m grateful for their influence on my kids, their willingness and ability to help, the examples they are to my and Hubby as well as our kids. We are very blessed to have them by us.

I’m grateful for the friends we have. They have helped us in so many ways. We are very blessed to have such wonderful friends and neighbors surrounding us.

This is a very short list, but it has also reminded me of what I have. Over the past week I’ve also learned of some other people’s trials and it has made me even more grateful for what I have. Everyone has trials. Everyone has issues and in a way it makes me even more thankful for the trials and issues we are learning from.

So, no matter what you’re going through, things can always be worse. If it doesn’t feel like it can be worse, take a moment to review what you have and what you’re grateful for. It has really helped me this week. :)