Blog Betrayal

I have betrayed my blog. I don't update it near enough and I apologize for those of you who check my blog regularly only to find the same old pictures and boring monologues. I am making a new resolution to be a better blogger and hope you all will continue to send me your notes and messages. I love to hear from you more than I enjoy updating you on my ever so routine life. One of my good friends said she does not get an idea of what life is like for me from my blogs so here is the day in the life of Robyn:

6:30 am wake up- don't need an alarm, I wake up at 6:30 am on the dot every morning without fail. The first thought in my head is..."are the kids awake yet"..and I listen for Kaitlyn who usually is talking to Adam and making him giggle. Yep they sleep in the same room now and they sleep mostly through the night. WE DO NOT go get them if they cry, I am a firm believer in the "cry it out method". It has worked wonders for us. Anyways, I think it's funny how much my mood changes between when I put the kids down for bed and when I go to get them up in the morning. At night I can't wait to put them down and in the morning I can't wait to pick them up.....mothers are quick to forgive I have found.

7:00 am put on some sweats and feed the kids breakfast. It takes extra long b/c I still have to feed Adam his cereal. I can't wait till Adam feeds himself, although it will get messier so I guess I'm not sure about that. I usually always watch the news in the morning although, sometimes Kaitlyn watches Sesame Street. We are still teaching Kaitlyn not to throw her food on the floor when she is done, she is slowly getting it but usually every meal includes an intense pick up of Kaitlyns leftovers.

8:00 am Depends on the day, Most days it's time to get ready, other days it's time to veg on the couch while the kids play. It just depends...

Getting ready is fun with two babies. It used to be easy b/c I could put both kids in the shower with me every morning, which makes it easier b/c I know where they are and what they are doing. But it's been so cold here, that a shower every day makes their skin dry so lately I jump in the shower as quickly as possible and leave the kids in their room hoping that when I get out their dresser drawers aren't emptied all over the floor or that Kaitlyn is not sitting on Adams head. Then by this time Kaitlyn is mad that she can't play in the toilet or climb up the toilet to the sink and or get into my makeup and Adam is super upset that I am not holding him and or that he cant play with the cord from the heater. (He LOVES electrical cords) So I get ready while I listen to them cry and whine, every so often I try to find something to entertain them but for some reason at this time they have short attention spans and they just want Mommy so either I am able to finish getting ready or I give up and just make do.

9:00 Whew, I made it to Adam's first nap. He goes down and I give Kaitlyn her nebulizer treatment for asthma. She watches cartoons to distract her, usually Elmo's world and then it's time to play. Depending on my mood I will be creative with the kids or I will let them just wonder and play on their own which they are good at. Kaitlyn loves to get into the kitchen drawers and play with the utensils, we read books a lot and make forts with the kitchen table. We also love to put on music and dance. But I'll be honest, I usually have shows recorded on my DVR that I want to watch so sometimes I play with them sometimes I watch one of my shows. The shows I tape are, American Idol, Project Runway, Lost, Oprah, Supernanny, Biggest Loser...I am waiting for the new Top Chef..yay.

10:30 Snack Time...yes all of us get a snack. This is usually when I start getting excited b/c after snack time is NAP Time...yay! My favortie time of day, only b/c I cuddle Adam while he sleeps for like 2 hours. Just the most precious time of day. He is so cute and I love to just wrap my arms around him and watch him sleep. When he wakes up he smiles so big at me and we play a little bit. He is such a sweet heart. I sometimes take a nap with him but most of the time I watch T.V. while he sleeps. If I have "things to take care of" I'll set him down and get them done but to be honest, all my bills are on automatic bill pay, I don't have a lot going on that requires attention and my crafts I do at night so anyways, I don't have a lot of pressing issues to deal with. It's not necessarily a good thing, I like having stuff to do, so it's weird to not have a pressing to do list. I miss it.

11:00 Nap time....

1:00 Lunch Time....usually at this point I am thinking what can I do for the next 4 hours to get me through until Daddy get's home.

2:00 I battle myself, try NOT to turn on the T.V. I wish more then anything I could just take the kids outside but it's SOOOO Cold and we have only one car so usually I don't have transportation to go anywhere so I have to be creative at home. As of late Kaitlyn likes to stand on a chair at the sink and play with water, dance, bubbles, play upstairs in her room and look out the window, slide around on a blanket, jump on me, get into everything she's not suppost to, Play in her playhut, climb the stairs and read. Adam loves to just crawl around and find electric cords to chew on. He follows Kaitlyn around and usually gets squished by her.

3:00 Adam goes down for his last nap and I spend quality time with Kaitlyn. Lately by this time Kaitlyn is really "spirited" and so to calm her down and keep her from waking up Adam I'll put on a movie..her "FAVORITE" is Finding Nemo. She LOVES it.

4:00 Think about dinner and start it while Kaitlyn and Adam climb at your feet. It's a challenge to make dinner. If your smart you plan out strategically how each child will be entertained while you make it. Usually Kaitlyn is at the sink and Adam is having a bottle in his high chair. But often I am fighting to make dinner and keep from stepping on Kaitlyn who "needs me NOW".

5:00 Hope that Joseph is home and ready for dinner. He stays at school and studies so that when he get's home he can help put kids to bed and give me some attention. We eat dinner as a family which I love and then it's time to start the bedtime routine.

You know the routine....usually a bath, lotion, pj's and then we play with them until 7pm and then whew say our prayers and time for bed. Then I walk down the stairs, exhale and decide what I want to do with the rest of my night....Below are my options..

Clean
Food shopping
Craft store
Relief Society Activity
Internet Surfing and Blogging
Sewing ( I've been making these cool nursing covers for friends)
Little crafts
Watch T.V.
Talk on the Phone
Go see a friend

I usually get to bed by 10:30pm....I try to always read some scriptures and have been as of late reading a book called Temples and Cosmos by Hugh Nibley...

Well there you go my life in a nutshell. I do have fun...I have lots of good friends who help make life interesting. Joseph is so busy all the time but he still finds moments to make me laugh. My life has never been so routine but it also has never been so full of joy. Kids are awesome they just bring pure love into your life and teach you so many important things. I feel blessed that I can stay home with my kids and watch them grow up. I know it's a blessing and I feel like sometimes I fail to give them all they need. But I have watched myself grow as I have overcome challenges, found ways to be creative and learned how to be more patient. Maybe some of you can relate to my life...I hope this may comfort a few out their, just to know that they are not along in this world in the daily routine. I am here with you girls and we are doing it together. Yay for stay at home Mom's. I am excited for this next week..Joseph has a break so watch out world here I come...

Christmas 2007

We were so blessed to be able to fly home for Christmas. My sister Amanda flew over here to Iowa and helped me get ready to leave and then flew back to Oregon with the kids and I. Joseph stayed behind for a few weeks and finished school and then joined us just before Christmas. I feel so grateful for a family who is so supportive and caring...everyone pitched in to make our stay amazing. Joseph and I even got to get away for 3 days while family watched our kids. We went snowboarding and I got to go clothes shopping. Yay! It was so good to see friends and family and to just feel "at home" again. My sisters and I went to a spa and had massages, manicures and pedicures. I think every Mom deserves some pampering every once in a while. I felt like a new woman after four hours of pure relaxation. I love to be with my sisters too. They always make me feel good. Amanda is a Mom of three and makes sure she is deeply involved in all of her kids lives. She is always on the run, doing things for others and trying to better herself. She has this amazing ability to know what others are in need of and fulfilling it. She is always anxiously engaged in service for others. My other sister Trish just started Law School and survived her first trimester, way to go Trish! She is always there to add a fresh perspective on things and is so intelligent it makes me feel like we come from different gene pools. She has an amazing sense of fashion and keeps my sister and I young. Despite her sophistication Trish will always be the sweet little angel we all loved to cuddle when we were younger. She is so precious. I love my sisters to pieces. While were in Oregon my brother Tim and his wife had their first baby. He is so cute and they are besides themselves with joy. I am so happy for them. It was a long road of up's and down's but now looking back it all seems so right. Little Sam came at the perfect time. My other brother Mark and his family were finally able to move into their newly remodeled house (my parents old house) and are having lots of fun with all the extra space. My parents recently moved into a new condo in Lake Oswego. They love living in the city and have really found themselves a nice place to live. My parents work together doing Financial Planning and are super busy managing a Beneficial Life office there in Lake Oswego. I've never seen them so busy, but then again, I've never seen them so happy either. Well, there is an update on my family for those of you who know them. I love them so much and am so glad I got to be home for Christmas this year. Hope everyone's year has gotten off to a good start. We are excited to plow through this year and make it a good one. Here are some pictures of our Christmas Break...