How is life with two?

I was asked on Sunday by my sister in law, "How is life with two kids?" My immediate reaction was typical of any new parent of two. I'm tired. I'm getting used to the differences of figuring out how best to shop with two, what order I should get them in and out of the car, how much longer it takes to get ready and so forth. Since then, I have been thinking about this question in any spare moment I have. Usually while laying in bed before closing my eyes after a long day. The more I think about it the more positive and beautiful my response becomes. Here is what I would say now if I were asked the same question again...

Wow! I love being a mom of two. It is the most amazing thing to see my four year old love someone else as much as she does. She is growing up just by having him around. She is learning that the world doesn't necessarily revolve around her. In that realization she is learning patience, understanding, empathy, joy, and love on a whole new level. I can't express in words how truly awesome it is to watch her interact with Joshua.
Joshua has taught me that it is possible to love two children at the same time. He made me realize that in loving him I am able to love my daughter not more or less, but definitely differently. He has brought the joy of little things back into the house and that is something that I had forgotten. His smiles consume me and I just can't squeeze him tight enough. He is allowing me to look into the future and see a brother who stands up for his sister and protects her with his everything, even though she is four years older than him. They are that close already and I know it will only grow. He has helped rekindle that spark between my husband and I that sometimes gets pushed to the background when you have kids running around. We just look at our children and remember what this is all about. Our love then grows stronger.
I can't go into every little detail that has occurred by growing our family from one to two, but I can tell you life is wonderful. Yes, there are times I am ready to fall apart. Yes, there are times I just need to close my eyes for a minute and replenish my energy. I wouldn't trade any thing in the world for my two amazing children. They are a precious gift from God and I am so ready to see what the future holds.

Thanks to Claudia for asking this question that allowed me to ponder this idea. I think we all should take time to think about it. I know I never had.

I love this picture so much! We NEVER get this good of a shot. Everyone actually smiling and not in pj's yet! Hooray!

Family picture taken on the day of Leah's baptism. Sr. Bernanrd Mary and Sr. Clare were actually able to make it too. Very good day!

MIA

Sorry I haven't posted to this blog in forever. We have been getting adjusted to beinga family of four. Little Joshua will be six weeks old on Tuesday. I can't believe how much we have done since his birth, including a week long trip to my home state of Iowa just a week after his birth. He is a super good baby. He sleeps really well and is a pretty good nurser. He loves being carried in my Sleepy Wrap. I am so happy that he likes it because it makes life a little easier for me. Philomena is, well, let's just say, still getting adjusted. Today I found her trying to climb in his bassinet with him. Ahhh! She loves him so much and it shows. She almost smooshes him daily! She is almost four years old and thinks she is his little mother. Any tips on how to deal with older siblings and a new baby, I would gladly take into consideration. Here are a few recent pictures...

Our Backyard Campfire

Here are a few pictures of our little family having a campfire in our own backyard. 

Play Planet Park

We went to this park for the first time today.  It was awesome!!!!!!!!  So HUGE and so many fun things for Mena (and Momma and Daddy) to play on.  It is called Play Planet and it is well worth our 20 minute drive!  Mena has been asking to go back since we pulled away. 

Disney on Ice

Many thanks to my dear friend Sharon who won free tickets to Disney on Ice that she couldn't use.  We were more than happy to help her with her predicament!  Dom, Myself, Mena, and her Cia Cia Clare got to go see the show in Auburn Hills.  It was wonderful!  We had so much fun!  Here are a few pictures...

Mena wouldn't sit in my lap except for that one picture.  I was a little sad, had to remind myself that this is typical preschooler behavior.  She wants nothing to do with me when other options are available.  Especially someone as cool as her Godmother!

The show was fantastic and had skating skits from many different Disney movies.  My favorite were the toy soldiers from Toy Story and the whole It's a Small World skate.  Very well done and I would defintily take her again someday.  Thanks so much Sharon!

AHHHH! I am losing it!

This is the absolute hardest part about having a husband that is a teacher. My daughter and I get so used to having him around every day during the summer that when he goes back all hell breaks loose. Mena is a basket case! She won't let Dom look at her, talk to her, or touch her without literally screaming at him or telling him "no". She has been yelling and screaming for me whenever I ask him to help me with something pertaining to her, ie get her bathed, fed, in bed, take her to the potty. Anything. I am the only one she wants right now and she will let us and all the neighbors know it. I have never heard such a high pitched scream. I don't know what to do. I have tried talking to her and giving her spankens but nothing seems to work. She has said horrible things to her dad and it breaks my heart. I don't know if this is because he went back to work or this is an age thing or what, but I have just about had it. Where is my sweet little girl...I want her back. I think I am going to make Dom spend time with her with out me around everyday after work. Maybe that will help and she will feel like she has some special time with her daddy again. Ahhhhhh! Has anyone else been through this? Do you have any suggestions?

My family picture with Grandma

My immediate family with my Grandma (Mom's Mom) All five of the kids are three and under. Oren had just turned three the previous Saturday. So, just barely three and under! Oh and one on the way in my sister Marie's belly!

Fourth of July

Here are a few pics from Mena doing sparklers in are yard on the Fourth. Fun stuff. We also had a fire in the backyard and Mena got to eat her first marshmallow. Lets just say she LOVED it!

Family pic

Isn't this a nice family picture? I love it!

Honk, Honk! Beep, Beep!

Today we took a trip to the nearby library parking lot to see some big trucks and cars and have a chance to check them out from the inside! What a cool experience for little Mena (and Mom and Dad too)! There was a street sweeper, road truck that fixes stop lights, dump truck, fire truck, mail truck, and police car all available for climbing up into and pretending to drive. So much fun. Mena loved sitting on daddy's lap and beeping the horns. She pretended to talk on the walkie talkie things and even got some candy while in the mail truck. They also had someone there to paint faces. Mena wouldn't have any thing to do with it so after waiting in line for 10 minutes I thought I better get my hand painted and Mena may change her mind. This didn't change her mind one bit. Oh well. I have a nice sun on my hand to show for it! Here are a few pictures from the day...

Wedding

Here are some pictures from my cousins wedding. It was a beautiful place to hold a reception. Mena loved it outside and she really enjoyed running around the place with her cousins!

Arch Nemisis...laundry!

Laundry is my arch-nemisis! I hate doing laundry. Every part of it...especially the folding. It seems that when I get around to folding everything is wrinkled and it never fails that I find a stain on my favorite shirt that has been DRIED! Ahh. I wish I could stay on top of the laundry. I mean, there's only three of us in the house and sometimes I wear the same clothes for two days. Shhhhh! Don't tell! That only happens on days when I don't go out.
Anyway, I have to get all the laundry done this week so that I can start packing for our trip to Iowa. I am so excited! My family and friends are in Iowa, not to mention all my memories. I can't wait to go home. My husband always says it helps him love me even more when he spends time with my family. Lets hope he still loves me after he realizes all his clothes are wrinkled and our iron BROKE!

Fantastic Catholic CD's

Dominic and I went to a Catholic Family conference in Chicago area last summer. We were inspired to join as representatives for a ministry called Lighthouse Catholic Media. It is an affiliate of St. Joseph Communications. This ministry produces and distributes inspiring talks by Catholic speakers on a variety of topics such as marriage and family, the sacraments, and other Church teachings. I am so impressed with the quality of these talks. Every month I get the new title in the mail and I think to myself, "this can't possibly be better than the previous talk I heard." I am always blown away.

Anyway, I wanted to let you all know about the program.
Each month you can receive a new title by subscribing to our CD of the Month Club for only $5. Try it for a month and see if you like it. You can cancel at any time! You can subscribe now at https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.com/p/cdclub/?cmd=refer;promo_code=1740
A subscription also makes a great gift. (hint, hint!)

I also have the link in my sidebar.