Cute Baby Saturday

Beautiful day!

New pool to enjoy!

 Snack'in while Daddy is hard at work on a new patio!

(Don't ask about the bib... Abby insisted and I wasn't gonna fight this battle)

 Someone got a new sword...

 ... and then continued to check out his shadow all afternoon!

Friday Night Leftovers (The "Done-Done" and Ultimate Reward Edition)

Oh Friday... you have no idea how good it is to see you!

• My recent M.Ed class is officially "done-done"!  I just turned in my final paper and it feels oh so good!  Now I feel like I can press on to my HUGE to-do list that has just been growing in size for the last few weeks.
• First on my list is to clean out the office - with a trash can and with packing boxes.  My goal is to have that room cleaned out in the coming days so that it can be emptied soon and we can start moving baby things in.  Along with that... I need to start washing baby clothes because at this moment... nothing is ready for Marilyn Jane to wear.
• My hubby's patio project is still underway but it looks incredible.  I'm sure there will be a blog entry (complete with pictures) later this weekend when he finishes it up.
• Abby has another ear infection.  However, the magic of medicine is wonderful.  After just one day of being on meds... she is already feeling like herself.
• Thomas has seriously rocked the house this week with sleeping in his bed all night long (see stickers picture below).  As an incentive and a reward, we agreed to let him spend the night at Grannie and Grandpop's house tonight solo (without his baby sister) and just enjoy being spoiled by them.  We are super proud of him and super excited that Mommy and Daddy are both getting more sleep.

• Actually, its a lie to say that I'm getting more sleep.  I'm getting so much less sleep due to the numerous potty breaks I need throughout the middle of the night.  On top of bathroom visits, I've also had a few wake ups from painful leg cramps.  Auuughhhh!
• I'm definately swollen.  I've had to take my wedding rings off.  My toes look like mini-sausages.  I'm sure the next step is "cankles".  I hope not, but I won't be surprised if it happens.

Truthful Tuesday - Downside to "A"

I've never hidden the fact that I have a Type "A" personality. I like control and order in my life.  I feel like there needs to be a plan.  I think that things should all have a place (in terms of organization).  Don't get me wrong... I'm not OCD, but I like things the way I like things.  It's who I am.  It's how I am.  Granted, having kids has definitely forced me to let go of some of the control and order and "go with the flow" a bit more.

There are downsides to everything.  Admittedly, having a Type "A" personality has some negatives too.  Case in point:

• Asking for help.  I do not do it very often.  Matter of fact, I either need to be up a creek with no paddle (and you know what I mean), facing a crucial deadline with a gazillion things on my plate that all needed to be done yesterday, or facing an emotional meltdown (and that has happened a few times recently with all of these hormones running wild). 
• With that said, I will only ask for help from people that I know I can count on.  If someone has given me reason not to trust them, or that they didn't come through for me in the past, or they basically stress me out when it comes to their "help"... I just don't ask for help.
• The person I can count on the most is my husband.  Always!  Granted, we handle life's situations and even crisises differently... he always comes through for me.  The other person that always comes through for me is my sister.  Always!  Granted, she is a crazy-busy person who has enough on her plate for 10 people to deal with... yet she too always come through for me. 
• Recently, we hired a very reliable, highly recommended lady to clean our house 1x per week.  This was a huge step for me (and my hubby) not only because we like to handle our own business (the control thing), but we also didn't want an extra bill each week.  However, I'm late in my pregnancy and I work a long day teaching and frankly... I'm just exhausted and can't physically do everything at this point.  So... being the thoughtful hubby he is (and fearing that I will fall apart emotionally if he didn't take action), Brian hired her on weekly.  Anyone else, would gladly give up the reins and let someone clean their house top to bottom.  Oh contrare mon frair!  Michelle has asked her to NOT do certain things (the control thing).  I told her not to change bed linens, towels, empty the dishwasher or fold the clothes.  Sound insane?  Well, believe it or not, those are things that are easy for me to do daily if not weekly and I find comfort and even solitude in doing those things.  Maybe "joy" is a bit of a strong word, but doing those things gives me control over several things in the house... an important feeling for a Type-A'er.  I asked her to just do the "cleaning"... the sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, cleaning of appliances, kitchen, bathrooms and the dusting.  All the crap I hate to do and don't have time to do.

Having this feeling to want to control things in my life is a need.  I just prefer to do most things myself (or with my husband's help) because I know it will get done the way I want it to be done.  If something doesn't meet my expectations and it has to do with me or my kids or my stuff, I often feel the need to redo it and fix it so it is "right."  I know, sounds crazy doesn't it?  Again, these are the downsides to having a Type "A" personality.  This really is just the truth about me.

Happy Easter - One last hunt and a new friend

Easter Sunday ended with dinner at Grannie & Grandpop's house and one final egg hunt.

I'm pretty sure that this kind of thing never gets too old (at least for toddlers and preschoolers) because Thomas & Abbigail had a blast! 

 Yes, that is indeed a chocolate face from eating Easter candy...

 When we got home tonight, Daddy found a new friend hanging out at our house.

You tell just by the facial expressions how much fun they had with this new fellow...

 And although he wasn't the bunny they might have been hoping for,

being up close and personal with their new friend the frog was just as exciting and fun!

And yes, we washed our hands when we were all done!

Happy Easter - In the Pool

After brunch, we headed over to Nana's house for a dip in the pool. 

You would never know that it is only our 2nd trip to the pool this season (if you count our time at Disney as the first)... Thomas hasn't skipped a beat with swimming and playing, while Abby has proven wholeheartedly to Mommy & Daddy that she means business and is going to be our dare devil in the pool.

Lord gives us the strength to keep up with her...

After an afternoon with no nap + lots of sun + pool time = asleep before we are even out of town!

Happy Easter - On the docks

Happy Easter!

We had a beautiful day to enjoy that started with brunch at the Soundside Club with all of our favorites...

Nana, Grannie, Grandpop, Aunt Jen and Uncle Ash

 Nothing better than a short stroll on the docks after eating...

What a Wonderful Easter Morning

Happy Easter to all...
First and foremost, Thomas slept ALL night long in his bed.  What a glorious way to wake up on Easter morning!  He is well rested & refreshed and possibly even on a new positive sleep schedule.  Of course, yesterday was a rough day for him with many a consequences:

• We have had to resort to no TV... that means NO cartoons & movies.  Yesterday was a rude awakening for him.  Although on the flip side, we played a lot outside and enjoyed lots of toys instead.
• Because he has not been getting a true full nights sleep, he has been whiny and moody for quite some time.  Yesterday, we had enough.  There were many timeouts along with his toy swords, knives and guns being taken away because he just would not listen to what was inappropriate with them.

However, I digress.  Today is a new day and has started off wonderfully.  He has even gotten to watch his favorite morning cartoons.  I'm very positive (and hopeful) that today will be a very Happy Easter in the Heck household.

On a similar note, Abby woke this morning around 5:45.  I got up and scooped her out of her crib.  With the house still dark from the early morning hour, we rocked and cuddled for a few minutes.  Before I knew it we were laying together on the couch and she was snuggled in the crook of my arms and chest half awake & asleep.  This is not something that Abby is usually a fan of.  After about half an hour on the couch, we sat outside on the back porch listening to the morning birds and talking.

Shortly after 6:30, Thomas awoke and joined us outside.  After coming in - they realized that the Easter Bunny had visited us in the night and there were baskets to raid and enjoy.  Daddy was woken next by the Easter commotion.  The rest is history... Easter baskets were opened, snacks eaten and new books and toys played with.  What a good start to a beautiful Easter Sunday.

The Really Big Easter Egg

Two little Picassos ready with their paint.

 The canvas for their really big Easter Egg

 Very abstract.

Very colorful.

Sometimes with fingers, sometimes with brushes.

 They giggled at times, yet they were so serious about painting...

 ... their really big Easter Egg this afternoon!