Family Dinner

Where to even begin? So we all know that eating together as a family has benefits abound (eat healthier, connections as family, less chance of obesity, more talk as a family, lack of stress and tension) and my guess is that a lot of these benefits really come in to play later, but setting the standard and expectation for family dinners starts when our kids are young. And while I appreciate that, I can't help but laugh at our family dinner situation - and when you have a 1 and 3 year old, I guess a 15 minute family dinner is all you can expect!

So after work I pick up the kids and my husband heads home to start dinner. By the time we walk in at 5:30, dinner is almost ready, so we play outside (ideally) until it is ready. We are all hungry, so sometimes there is a bit of whining (and wanting snacks and such) but we are fairly consistent in cooking dinner each night (healther, as mentioned above, and way cheaper - though it is time intensive!). Finally when dinner is ready (and sometimes it can feel like an eternity) we get started. Lil C goes in her high chair and she cannot shovel in her food fast enough, but inevitably, that shoveling turns in to throwing food to the dog, knocking over her milk cup to the floor, and general whining to get out. In the meantime, we are trying to get B-man ready as well - and usually he looks at dinner and says, "I not like that." And our response is, that is fine, you don't have to like it or even eat it, but you do have to sit here with us. And often he will then take a few bites (but that is all we ever get most nights, just a few bites) though thankfully we usually can get him to at least try his vegetables and drink some of his milk (we do NOT believe in forcing our children to eat what they do not like, though do expect them to try it NOR will we ever force our children to sit at the table for hours on end - just not our parenting philosophy. If they don't eat, they don't eat. I also will give a snack later b/c dinner time and snack time are totally different to a child, regardless of if they ate or not!). We have taught B to ask to be excused when he is finished. Positive there!

Okay, so we get the kids set and are trying to sit down and eat ourselves, but then there is milk on the floor that needs cleaning up, someone wants more of something (if we are lucky), or someone else is having a fit about god knows what. FINALLY we sit down to eat, usually a good 5 minutes after the kids get started (not ideal though it just seems to be how it works out, no matter how prepared we are with everything we think we need!) and just when we get situated, they are both done, at different times of course. But them being done brings on new things, like wanting to be held, go outside, do this, do that, whatever... so normally I finish eating first (we always say, mom and dad are still eating so you either have to wait or you can join us) and then we head off to bath time.

Total dinner time - 15 minutes.

Huge gratitude to my husband who cooks and then starts the clean-up process, both which take much longer than the actual dinner. My hope is that we are creating a standard with our children that family dinners are important and someday someday we will actually all sit together for more than 5 minutes and enjoy each other's company.....not quite there yet.

One step behind...

Do you ever have times in your life when you just feel like you are always one step behind? Argh, that is totally where I am right now, and part of the reason this blog has gone unupdated for weeks and weeks (besides two really mini posts, nothing substantial!). Gosh, earlier this summer if you asked me how things were going, I would have replied - Great - all is well and we are just moving along in a great way. We are feeling good about life, family, work, etc.... But then things started moving to fast for this mama and I have yet to catch up. So let me complain just for a minute, and when I say complain, maybe it is more just about sharing so you can get an idea of the craziness.

So let me start with work - I love love love my job and I also love love love my friend Amanda, but goodness, when she went on maternity leave this summer, I got to do her job, which I also loved, but coupled with my job, it was a lot. That was the start of my downfall. Then we had our wonderful family vacation to Seaside - planned before I knew A was having a baby and unfortunately very poorly timed with work events - so off to Seaside we went (and my god, it was fantastic!) but coming back to work, I felt even more behind. Backing up to vacation was the start of a summer program and the continuation of my job, A's job, and school getting ready to start.... well, I am still just one step behind. Then to top it all off, the kids got sick. And i mean S-I-C-K! Fevers, coughs, runny noses, gooky eyes, and whining galore. Oh, and no sleep for any of us. So I took a few days off work (and thank goodness I have a fantastic husband who shared in the caretaking of sick kiddos) and we got them better. But then I got sick too. And slowly, very slowly I am recovering. Oh - and added to all of the above, my new volunteer responsibility with my sorority in which I am involved by being something called a RFM specialist (don't ask - confusing to explain - I'll just share this - RFM stands for Release Figure Method - and as a RFM specialist I am assigned to a college campus during recruitment and work with the Fraternity and Sorority Advisor on release/carry figures and quota - totally different than how most of us experienced those things in college recruitment).

I am starting to feel like catching up is on the horizon - though I just want to get thru this weekend for sure. Preschool started for B-man this week, though due to sickness we missed the first day, so today is his first day. I am SOOO excited for him to do this - I think he is just at a perfect age and needing a bit more structure and learning in his life. He still goes to daycare, but they take him to and from preschool a few mornings a week (OMG - how perfect is that?!). And this weekend my little man turns 3 - so we are having a HUGE party with friends this weekend - complete with a bounce house (borrowed from my great friend A, mentioned above), tie dying shirts, pizza, a Deigo cake, and sidewalk chalk! And then for the family portion of the party, B-man is jazzed to go to Chucky Cheese (get the Aleve ready!). After that, I have one more RFM campus and then I think life begins to slow down and we will be back in to a routine.

Maybe that is what was missing for the past couple of months - a routine. I don't do well when things feel chaotic in my life - it makes me feel chaotic and stressed. So, a routine will be good (and getting my house organized will help too - seriously, no quicker way to see my anxiety level rise than to have a messy house!).

Will post some pictures soon - but oh wait, my camera broke - big thanks again to A for sharing her old one with me until I can get a new one (or ask for a new one for Christmas from a generous mom or dad?!!!).

Okay - the McCool's are busy, but we are surviving.

Seaside Sneak Peak

Birthday party and more!

Yikes - I am far behind on blogging, but my stepmom isn't, check out her blog to see all sorts of fun things!
http://roganddeb.blogspot.com/

Though here are a few cute pics (some repeats from her blog probably!).

Wordless Wednesday - Fireworks

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

After starting labor at work on a Friday afternoon, I labored at home all night and in to the next day before heading to the hopsital with my husband, mom and doula. My doctor supported my desire for a VBAC and on into Saturday night I labored, very primaly in the tub (yes, lots of info, but this is the watered down version!). Finally I succumbed to needing an epidural and got a little rest. After pushing for hours (yes, hours), lil C finally emerged. Unfortunately she was taken to the NICU, but her lungs proved to be healthy and strong and we were soon united for a nursing session and mommy/baby bonding time. Brings tears to my eyes to think about it!

And oh how you've grown, changed, and developed. You are now a full fledged walker - no more crawling for you. You love food - no more baby food for you either. You love your am/pm nursing sessions. And you love your mommy (and daddy too of course!). You are the most smiley baby girl ever!

Lil C at about 6 weeks.

Today is my first birthday - and don't you love my cute dress and new shoes?!

Watch out world - I am on the move!

I LOVE my dog Tucker - I also love to pretend to bark!

Mommy is obsessed with getting up all the dog-hair and I want to help too!

My eyes may be closed, but I am happy helping and smiling as usual!

Touch a Truck

So we went to this really cool thing last Friday called TOUCH A TRUCK - it was sponsored by our local park system. I had wanted to take B-man last year but it didn't work out so when I heard about it this year, we made it work in to our schedule! WOW - it was great and we all had a great time despite the heat. We got there early to beat the crowds and the heat too! B LOVED all the big trucks that he could climb in and out of. Lil C got in on the action too!

Here B is checking out a racecar - he thought this was SOOOOO COOOL!

And here he is in the news truck. They had it set up so I could stand outside and he could see me on a monitor in the truck. He couldn't get over it! And he got a PRESS PASS!!! LOL!

Oh Mr Post-Man.....

Future Paramedics?

LOVING IT!

B-man driving a digger and LIl C trying to get in on the action!

After a great day at Touch a Truck we headed to a our friend's lakehouse to spend the weekend which was so fun! I thought B might not like the water, but he did great! He even went tubing with me (very slowly behind a pontoon boat) and loved it. My little daredevil. I wish I would have taken a picture of all of us - we appreciate the invite from Ryan and Jennie and cannot wait to go back!

Lil C eating her fishies on the boat.

Finally home Sunday afternoon - enjoying a quiet Father's Day. PJ wanted to just chill for the day and watch soccer and golf on the couch, so I took the kids out for dip in the pool. This is when the water was clean, but soon it was a sandy dirty mess, but they had FUN!

CHEESE!

B-man is getting ready for his big trip to STL to spend time alone with his grandparents - he cannot wait!