Hot Mama Club

If you take:

11 kids
1 babysitter
25,000 runners
Tempe, AZ
4.2 miles
4:30am wake up call
three strollers
Pink tank tops that say, "Hot Mama Club"

What do you get?

The Pat Tilman Race! This race is in behalf of an ASU and later AZ Cardinals football players who enlisted in the armed forces, to later be killed. It's an annual race that joins thousands of people to run, sweat and unite in memory of his legacy.

What did it mean to me? It was a lot of FUN! Granted it would've been better had Jared come along for the ride, but b/c I have good friends (and thanks to Dustin, the lone babysitter while the rest of ran), I was able to get out and not feel too overwhelmed with three in tote.

It took us getting up and out the door by 5am, to get to Tempe, AZ and registered for the race. Stress was a little high as we were trying to figure out where to go, where to park, how long could Isaac go without nursing, did we have enough treats and movies for the kids, how do we put on our numbers, and which corral to step into as we started up.

It was a low key race, but the emotions were high as we dogded lots of strollers, walkers, wheelchairs and runners pounding the pavement.

This was my first race and will not be my last. I am not a runner by any means, and 4.2 miles is an easy task for anybody...but, the thrill was to be alongside friends, packed in tight like sardines, and to have people shout out as we passed by, "go! Hot Mama Club!"

The kids did great, watching a movie in a parked car and eating treats as we ran. They even were able to participate in a "kids run" afterwards. There were so many people that you really had to keep an eye on your kids. I felt like I was running in the Battle of the Bulls in Spain.

We are signed up for one more last hoo-rah before Arianne and Bret leave us and move to TX. Scottsdale is doing a "night 5k" race, and we are all going to go do that for a double date. Now is the season in AZ to run, before the heat comes! Sniff sniff...I am so sad to see them leave us.

frazzled day

Been a rough day. When will Jared come home? Oh yeah, 3 more days...

Trying to keep my patience with my toddler and preschooler. I am finding relief in my yummy mini-cadbury eggs...the entire bag to be exact.

Somehow I made it the entire day without letting my boys give into a movie (seriously, is it worth the "my kids are not being creative" guilt that you feel when you let them watch a movie vs. just letting my conscience go and have a few stress-free hours to myself). So, they are now watching a 30 min. flick before the dreaded bedtime routine starts.

It would be so nice to have papa home right now to give them some entertainment, especially some wrestling time. They both have too much energy and mama has no more! (They look so skinny here! I promise that I do feed them...recently they have been more into "ejercicios" and flexing their "musculos.")

Maybe it was the fight over who could wear the Spiderman costume, maybe my limits are still being stretched by last nights events of more cold baths, not obeying my requests to stop talking and go to bed,etc. Maybe it was Wesley taking out all of my living room toss pillows out of their cases and throwing them around.

Maybe I am stressed out from the non stop whining that Austin does over anything Wesley will or will not do. Is it worth it Austin to cry over not being able to have a blue cup? It is worth it Wesley to get your mom frustrated when you throw Austin's shirt up into the ceiling fan? It is worth it Austin to push your mama's buttons when you refuse to eat your dinner...and an hour later I end up spoon feeding you anyway?

I do find relief in the fact that I did get my tile scrubbed clean today. Gotta get some of this built up tension out! And poor Isaac doesn't know what is coming tonight...no more feedings or binkie trips for me. I am too pooped to continue this madness. He is going to have to cry it out. I will be in the far end of the home, with earplugs and a prayer in my heart as my sweet tank cries his little heart out. Makes me sad just to think about it.

The best part of the day was when Wesley did come over and give me a hug and kiss. That made me just stop, count my blessings that I do get to raise these little monkeys and that these hugs and kisses won't last forever (nor will the spit wads that they threw into each other's hair today).

I feel so frazzled so often. I need to continue to take things day by day and not feel too overwhelmed by this large undertaking that I am doing. My heart goes out to single parents everywhere.

Let the madness continue...or at least until 7pm when it's "bedtime." (Although that schedule keeps sliding back to 8pm by the time my boys finally do fall asleep. What will it take for them to someday enjoy sleeping? Not getting up at 6am everyday???).

My tummy now hurts from all those cadbury eggs...darn it!

ps...we sold our car on Craigslist. We posted it on Saturday, had it sold by Monday. We are now buying another SUV on Ebay. Never even driven it, but it's red! Should arrive this next week. Until then, the boys and I are scrunched into a rental; a tiny mini silver bullet, as I call it. Let the fun times begin as we squeeze all into it!

My favorite part was picking it up at the rental place, nursing in the bright AZ sun (without tinted windows) in the car as people looked inside at us (since we are so far down to the ground). My boys are so close together that Wes and Austin are practically sitting on top of Isaac...which leads to more fighting and crying as Isaac gets the brunt of their "playing around" (sticking their fingers in his mouth, patting his head, poking ears, etc). I can't tell you how often I tell them to cross their arms and don't touch the baby!

Baby is crying....off I go to the rescue!

Growing up

So sad.

Isaac was in his 3-6 month clothing for two weeks.

He is now into 6-9 month clothing, at only 3 months old, a solid 15 lbs.

It seems like I washed his clothing, hung them up...only for them to go immediately back into the tub of storage. He wore them all just one time. So sad. He is growing up too quickly.

I am now putting his binkie in at night vs feeding b/c he is a tank! He is not a big fan of it, nor am I with my zombie-like walking at 3, 4, or 5 am.

His brothers continue to love on him like he is a toy and love to fight over holding him. Gone are the days when he would fall asleep on my chest, or cuddle up with me in the middle of the night. Nowadays he is all about standing up, throwing his head back, sucking on his fists and watching ceiling fans.His hair is slowly growing in and he can actually sit up for a bit in his bumbo now. He also is sqwaking like a bird when he is alone.

So cute.

But still so sad to see him growing up too quickly.

Comparison

Who do we have? Another Wesley or another Austin! Do let me know!

Here is Wesley at Three months (March 2004)



Here is Austin at three months old (December 2005):Isaac at three months old (April 2009):

Nursing

I don't think I will make it to the 12 month mark with Isaac. I nursed my other two boys until they were a year old. I already am thinking about wanting him to take a bottle so I can have my hands free to make dinner, fold laundry, drive or read a bedtime story. It is a lot harder to feed on demand when you have a single mother household to run! I could pump out the milk, problem is, is that I am always feeding him and so my milk supply doesn't allow for me to store the milk in between feedings.

The good thing about nursing, is that it forces me to take a minute to stop and enjoy my baby. Everything (including crying toddlers, boiling water, or appointments) are all put on hold as I cradle him and watch his little eyes dart back and forth.

The bad thing about nursing, is that it is very inconvenient! For example, this last race that I ran on Saturday...I was stuck nursing him before and after the race. Salty milk for him. I didn't have a bottle to leave for him, and so it gets stressful not knowing if you will be leaving your baby to cry with someone else, or if he might just make it until you get back. It's not my favorite to whip out the boob and feed in the car, in the park, at the gym, or at church. I would like the freedom to give him a bottle and then gage how much he is drinking at one session (versus just sucking away and hoping that he is getting enough).

For now, I am still the milk maid. Gotta do what you gotta do for your babies. When he is this darn cute though, how could any mama resist her hunk of love?

ps....Isaac is still not sleeping through the night. Feel like I have tried everything. Any advice? Should I just let him "soothe" himself (which eventually will mean he will suck his thumb or fingers?) vs. giving him his pacifier and nursing him throughout the night?

3 month old chunk + Easter

Happy Three Months Marc Isaac Wilson. 15lbs and 10 rolls of fat later...

Likes: Binkie, sleeping on his side with a blankie in between his legs, very warm water, milk, cat naps, gurgle sounds, swing, bouncy chair, a bottle every now and then, and his car seat (when out of Wesley's reach!)

Dislikes: brothers screaming in his face (go figure!), bumbo chair, cold lotion, tummy time, getting boogers pulled out with a Q-tip, being swaddled and the wind.

I have noticed that Isaac has formed his tear ducts b/c real tears come out now! I also have noticed how his cry is no longer sweet and high pitched like a lamb, but more like a wailing sound. He has had a stuffy nose and so it is hard for him to sleep. I have spent the last two nights nursing him so that he can relax and fall back asleep. I am ready for him to sleep longer stretches...although I do appreciate his 5-6 hour stretch (unfortunately, I am NOT asleep during that time). He tends to fall asleep from 8-12ish.

His brothers are still very obsessed with him and it is hard to keep him safe! Wesley loves to sing/shout in his face in the car, and Austin actually hit him the other day out of frustration. He is a tough baby. Here is my attempt to get a cute Easter Sunday picture of my boys. Isaac was not a happy camper. But, I do love Isaac's new suit and Wesley's bright orange shirt.

On a happier note... Easter was fun with the Wilson's here at our home. Jared came home from his first week in Cali and the two days passed by too quickly. I spent several days preparing my house so that we could receive our guests. I do enjoy being a hostess to visitors:) We had a yummy dinner and a super fun egg hunt in our yard. The little kids searched out back and the big boys had the front yard. My boys are at a great age to really enjoy the surprises and the excitement of finding eggs on top of cars, under rocks, in light posts and fences. Check out those eyelashes!!!













Our Easter fun was spent at Sprouts (b/c of the rain we didn't do anything outside). I was able to get the kids all dressed and fed, out the door by 7:45am to get to Sprouts. It was madness! How fun to find eggs in the aisles of pasta and canned goods. Wesley and Austin enjoyed getting some face paint from the clown; Wesley had a heart with wings and Austin had a skeleton. They couldn't wait to show Jared their "sorpresas" that night.

Wesley also WON a coloring contest for his age group! He was so excited:) A little goofy string, stuffed animal, chocolate bunny and basket went a long way for my sweet 5 year old. He won b/c of his creative faces he colored for the eggs (in the drawing above. Truth be told, he did those faces b/c he was tired of coloring and wanted to hurry and finish it up). "Yo gane!!"



Tia Mon Mon (my sista) also made an appearance. It is nice to be back in AZ with her.
Los primos!