Camping in Prescott

It all started with a new tent from Costco...then some cots....and sleeping bags...and excited little boys...

Is 5 weeks too young to take camping? Most definitely.

We rolled into Prescott camp after 9pm, so it was dark setting up the tent. By the time we got firewood from circle K, breakfast food from Safeway, found the Lynx Lake campsite...it was late! Jared was the IDEAL boy scout as he used his flashlight to set up the tent and was very resourceful with all the set up. He taught the boys about what it really means to be a boy scout! I just stood around feeling useless.

Not too late for s'mores. I was worried about Isaac falling into the fire...and keeping him potty trained in the woods.

Despite Jared and my lack of sleep that night, we had a great time in the woods with our boys. I ended up sleeping in the CAR (a total of 2 hours of sleep) b/c Levi refused to sleep in the bag with me propped on my chest, as I had hoped. I kept on waking up the entire campground, so out of courtesy to them...I retreated in the cold to my upright chair. Jared had to deal with Isaac who kept rolling around and getting disoriented.

We enjoyed a nature hike, found a dead butterfly and met some nice fellow hikers. We stopped by Cynthia Patience's house too (who moved here from Virginia this last month).

I look forward to more adventures with the boys!

Stressful New Mama

the boys like to sit together when watching tv....all snuggled up...
Army boys, "sir, yes sir!" Austin got out the matching PJ's from when he and Wes wore them.
Austin grabbed my camera one morning. He is very into lego's right now and very proud of them. If only younger brother Isaac wouldn't destroy them.
Naptime with papa.
Austin is very good at getting Levi to fall asleep. He is very gentle and loving.
Isaac's favorite shirt and book. My book! Superman!
First day of school. My two toothless boys. Grades 1 and 2.
Ms. Ashton Hall.
Mrs. Amie Lee.

Just gotta get some feelings out before I forget what my day was like yesterday:

I am doing ALL I possibly can to help out financially now that I am not working full time as a teacher. I promised Jared that I would do all I can to make it work since it's a huge sacrifice to be at home with my babies. This includes teaching piano and Spanish at night time, and now doing "Special Projects" for my admin. team at Arizona Charter Academy (where I worked last year).

The morning was crazy getting Wes and Austin out the door by 7:20am. This was after a long night of nursing every 2 hours. Depending on when Levi last nurses, I can either get out the door earlier (7:45am) or later (8:30). He is definitely NOT on any routine throughout the night, which makes it hard to plan!

I dropped off Levi and Isaac to the babysitter, which included potty training instructions and a bottle for Levi (which is also tricky b/c that meant that I would miss a feeding and need to pump to make up for it).

Raced off to meet my principal at 9am for our monthly meeting. She gave me lots of little projects, phone calls, emails and things to organize/print out. All good things! But, it was stressful throughout the day as I was trying to organize my thoughts and get the projects done amidst a fussy newborn and a toddler who refused to go potty when I needed him to! Isaac is obsessed with characters (Lightening McQueen, Buzz lightyear, Woody, etc)...and he refuses to wear undies if he already has a pull up on...but, then that conflicts with my potty training. See my stress?

Work steadily at the school for 2+ hours, until I was feeling super "full" and needed to get back. Trying to be professional as I walked around the school and got things done, and happy to NOT be back in the classroom! Happy to just DRIVE away!

Get the boys. Pump. Lunch with fishsticks and left over Olive Garden breadsticks. Feed Levi again. Get Isaac down for a nap (including a bedtime story, changing back into pj's and loves). Fall asleep for 20 min. holding Levi.

2:45pm, time to get the boys. Isaac is up and crying (which he does everyday). Wants me to put Levi down, but I am nursing him (again). Get our sweaty butts into the car, with Isaac screaming about wanting his shoes on and does NOT want to try to go potty.

3:15, drop off onery Isaac with Ms. Hall (Austin's 1st grade teacher), put Levi under the front office desk, and get back to work on the school computer. Race over to meet with the HR lady to talk about vendor relations, and then I am getting paged by my principal! She was babysitting my boys Isaac and Levi b/c everyone else had gone home. Embarrassing! Not professional.

4:30. Drop Wesley off for piano. Teach Piano. Marinate some chicken for baking dinner. Nurse a screaming Levi during lessons.

5:30 Dinner is on the table, Jared is out the door. Kids are crazy (when Jared is gone, they always are more wild and obnoxious). Eat. Monitor. Discipline. Eat. Clean up.

6:30. Kids are in full motion!!!!!!!!!!! Try to clean up dinner, find my sanity, change diapers. Checking backpacks for homework. Sweating in my warm kitchen.

7:00 Nurse Levi again. Read sight words out of a book with Austin. Wesley is finally in his room reading on his own (vs. doing karate with Austin). Isaac is melting down b/c he wants the books all for himself. Starts screaming, "NO!" and hitting.

7:15 In comes my Knight in Shining Armor. Papa! Back from his meeting. Gives Isaac a good swat on his bum for yelling at mama and corrects him. We finish reading, do an abreviated FHE that lasts 5 min. give kisses, and lights out...for now.

8:00 Finish up some ACA paperwork.

10:30 Nurse Levi. Watch him grunt his way to fall asleep.

Up. Every. Two. Hours. Nursing.

2am. Wesley has leg cramps; needs medicine, love and heating pads. I was up already with Levi, so it was not a problem.

Today. Same crazy routine....but, it included a NASTY poop accident at Chick Fil A. Details? Isaac pooped in his already-too-big-and-stretched-out-undies in the play land. We were enjoying a free breakfast with friends when this ODOR came out, following Isaac. Out plopped a ball of poop on the floor. Are you serious? I took him to the bathroom where I literally gave him a bath in the SINK of the restroom. Gross. I was embarrassed as the employees walked in and out and saw me bathing my naked son in THEIR sanitary station. Thank goodness I had someone to hold Levi (who was also poopy and needing to be nursed) and I had an extra size 5 diaper to help Isaac!

We loaded up into the car so I could nurse and change Levi. Hit up Sprouts on the way home. Gave Levi another bedtime snack so I could work on line for a few...and here we are now... Levi has only been asleep for 30 min...crying again...surely he can't be hungry??? Newborns are needy!


Time to go get boys from school.

Big boy Isaac

Is there ever a good time to potty train? In my mind, no, there is not.

Reasons why we have been delayed on getting Isaac into big boy undies:
Working full time
No downtime at home
Having adenoids/tonsils removed surgically
Having baby Levi
Mastitis
School starting
....

Which puts us to NOW. TODAY.

Isaac is getting potty trained, starting with the first day of school for Wes and Austin. Why wait any longer for this?

We are in Day #2 and he has had ZERO accidents and actually pooped too in the potty! Can I start doing the happy dance now???

I have done nothing different. I am giving him lots of liquids and asking him every 5 min. for "potty?" If he says no, I leave it alone. I have had a lot of patience, which went along with at least 10 pairs of undies yesterday when he had accident after accident. I have dedicated myself SOLELY to Isaac (and occasional feedings for Levi) and being with him 100%. We have not left the house in two days, which was convenient for my head cold.

I am wondering how he will do in public? The gym? He sure does love his batman undies (even though they are Austin's!). Is this just a great streak of success? I will take it. And hope for more.

I am only day #2 into my "new routine" of being a homemaker again. After this goal is accomplished, what else will I work on?

Don't get lazy Adrienne.

Happy Bithday and Blessing

Happy 32nd Birthday to me! Jared did a great job setting up a big group date with my best friends. It was the same day that Levi got circumsized, so I was a bit frazzled from the exhausting and emotional day. We met up at our house, ate some great Greek food (the Hummus is always such a tasty treat) and then went back for Leslie's amazing Caramel Brownies at our house. I was gifted a great Lululemon exercise outfit from everyone, complete with Arianne and Bret Pearce on Skype for the entertainment!

I don't feel any older, maybe more sleep deprived with my newborn, but very blessed.

The next day, August 7th, we were able to bless Levi Ross Wilson at church. Lots of friends and family showed up for the event and we hosted a big BBQ (30 people!) at our house afterwards. It was 108 degrees for pictures and cooking hot dogs, not ideal, but worth it.

My mom made a peach/dulce de leche birthday cake for Levi and I. I enjoyed having everyone around to sing to me on my birthday, and of course I loved snuggling up on my baby. He looked so handsome in his three piece suit, handkerchief and all.

Happy birthday and Happy blessing.