Holidays Over...Mom Procrastinating

Happens every year.  The holidays are over and my anxiety hits overload.  Too many Christmas gifts to put away, have to unpack from traveling and then there is the insanity of putting away all the Christmas decorations.  Every year, it makes me anxious and puts my OCD into overdrive.  This year, I was a little better.  I told myself I could wait until the kids went back to school after Christmas break to put away the decorations.  All my friends laughed at me...full knowing that I would never last that long.  I didn't and everything was put away after a couple of days of us returning from Indiana.  I didn't stress quite as bad this year because I didn't put the pressure on myself that I normally do.  But I have procrastinated.  I've not written here in over a month.  There is a lot of stuff going on in my mind.  Some of it, I don't want to deal with so if I don't blog about then I don't have to think about it.  Some of it is just hard to get back into the routine of things after the holidays and the extra days the kids have had off with snow.  Yuck...snow!

So, I guess I'll start today with the holidays.  The kids and I headed to Indiana a little before my husband and stayed a couple of days after he headed home.  Jason had to work so the kids and I spent a little extra time with the grandparents, nieces and nephews (and the aunts and uncles).  I always love watching the kids with their cousins.  It never matters how long it has been since they have seen one another...they immediately pick up right where they left off...never skipping a beat.  The boys received everything on their Santa list so no complaints there.  Hailey was funny.  She opened her own gifts. If it was a book, she needed to leaf through it.  If it was an outfit, she would hold it up to her body and say "pitty".  If it was a toy, she tried to open it.  I truly believe she would have been content with only 2 or 3 presents.  She unwrapped each gift very slowly.  Almost as if she was afraid of ripping the paper. 

As always, the time with family flew by.  We returned the Sunday after Christmas on Jason and I's 12th anniversary.  A few days later we spent New Year's Eve at home.  The first time in 8 years that Jason didn't have to work.  We spent a few hours with our neighbors and then watched the ball drop with all three children snoozing in their beds. 

2013 was good to us.  We had ups and downs (who doesn't).   We stay busy with the kids, but we like it that way.  I'm hoping for an uneventful 2014 (fingers crossed!!)

Hailey checking out her stocking.  Note the Pringles in her right hand...she swiped them from her brother's stocking :-)

Apparently, she is stealing Brayden's new helmet.

Hello...someone please help me with this!

Hailey let Aunt Staci curl her hair.

These 3 spell trouble.  Hailey is a little over a year older than both the boys. 

Hailey is not quite sure of this Santa.

Waiting patiently to open her presents.

Surprise...a Doc doll

I think she is telling Daddy "help" :-)

No Longer My Babies

All of the sudden, time around me seems to be flying by.  My oldest is only 10, but recently he seems to much older.  He "knows" more than us and would rather spend time with his friends than his parents.  My middle child has always been an old soul.  He's a 50 year old man trapped in a 6 year old body.   I think some of it has to him being number 2, but oh heavens, some of the comments out of  that child's mouth make me speechless.  Wise beyond his years and so quick witted.  I'm positive I will lose many arguments with that child as he gets older because he is so much quicker than me.

Then there is my baby.  The little girl that changed our lives.  Her first year was such a mental struggle.  It seemed to the be year that wouldn't end (doctor appointments, therapy sessions, navigating what seemed so scary).  Now she is approaching 3...she's not quite the baby anymore.  She's growing so fast and learning so much.  We are in the middle of transitioning her to preschool.  It hit me like a ton of bricks.  All of my babies will be at school.  Yes, Hailey will only be there half days, but it will be 4 half days.  I've had a child with me every day since we moved here 7 1/2 years ago.  It's strange territory for me.  It makes me sad.    It makes me want to slow down time because I'm afraid I'm going to miss something.  Afraid I will forget something.  Seriously, I still can't believe it...how can we be two months away from Miss Hailey's 3rd birthday?!?!?!?

I'm very excited for the holidays this year.  Brayden is on the verge of "knowing", but we aren't confirming it just yet.  Ian is more excited this year than ever.  He loves checking the mail for Christmas cards.  He helped bake and make candy.  He looks for our elf "Bernard" every morning and can't wait to tell me where he was. He can't wait for Santa to come and spend time with his families.  Hailey seems more aware of the holidays this year.  She spots presents every day, she loves the tree (and unfortunately, the ornaments), and plays Christmas music on a couple of snowmen.  We let the kids exchange gifts among themselves last night and Hailey didn't quite know what to think.  The first gift she opened and then tried to rewrap and give it back to Ian.  By the third one, she was tossing the paper to admire the gift. 

I guess that there are some good things about them growing up.  We will live in the moment and enjoy them while we can!

The boys let her do whatever she wants.

She's a mess!

She still thinks if she can't see you, you can't see her.  It makes me laugh!

No toys this year...just cups :-)

The first one got "re-wrapped"

There goes the paper!

Apparently his brother and sister knew exactly what he wanted!

Happy big brother

Life with our 2 year old...in pictures

I seem to get into a blog lull after October and writing for 31 days.  We've had a lot going on, just can't seem to make myself sit down and write about it.  I have a ton of things to write about but for tonight, I'll just fill in what we've been up to because a few of the items need an entire post to work through.

The week of Thanksgiving, we had our first meeting with the school district's preschool.  If she qualifies (Ds does not automatically qualify you for services), she will be in a classroom that is half typical and half atypical.  She will only get pulled out for physical therapy to work on stairs.  OT and Speech will happen in the classroom.  Hailey has her evaluation for OT and Speech on Monday, weather permitting (silly Ohio weather).

Thanksgiving was just the 5 of us.  My husband worked during the day.  Unfortunately working for the hospitality industry, he works when most people are on holiday or vacations.  That evening we had our Thanksgiving celebration with enough food to feed 3 additional families.  I was able to sneak out after dinner to hit a few sales while the kids hung out with Dad.

Since then we have been busy with the boys' schedules.  Hailey's has cleared now that our session of Kindermusik is over and we finished our last speech therapy set.  Both boys play basketball and seem to have lots of homework recently.  We are ready for Christmas.  Hailey will tell you that Santa says "Wo, Wo, Wo" and loves to sign tree.  She likes to remove the occasional stocking from the fireplace and random Mickey's from the tree (we have one tree with just Disney ornaments and she loves Mickey).  We currently have a window sill that is housing all the "Hailey has gotten" ornaments... we need a tube of superglue.

I'm looking forward to watching Hailey this Christmas.  The first Christmas she was little and didn't seem to care about any of it.  Last Christmas she only wanted boxes and paper.  I'm hoping this year she will get into it a little more.  Or...it might overwhelm her.  You never know what's going on inside the mind of a 2 year old!

Here are a lot of pics that shows what Hailey has been doing the past couple of weeks.....

 Lounging around....

Stealing big brother's snacks

Examining toys

Helping with Thanksgiving dinner

Sneaking a few bites here and there.

Drawing pictures of what we are thankful for

Climbing on the couch just so we can yell "I'm stuck, I'm stuck"

Stealing the remote control to try to find Doc McStuffins

Stealing the ipad to work on her Christmas list.

Cleaning the neighbor's house.

 

Loving on the neighbor's cat

Flashing those dimples and getting excited

 

Wrestling with her brothers

Working on her dance moves

Enjoying lunch dates with mom and dad.

Lastly, enjoying this snowy weather