Solo-parenting

Well as of 7am this morning, B is on reserve duty and I am taking on the kiddos alone. Jackson assured me several times that he will take care of me while daddy is gone. And I am starting to think that simply means he wants to sleep on Brandon's side of the bed at night. Little stinker is always ahead of the game. Honestly, it is not a big change for me to be with the kids all day and take care of the household tasks, but I am telling you that from 5pm on it gets pretty rough. Baths, bedtime, and simply keeping two munchkins with crazy energy under control at the end of the day is INTENSE...especially when I am quite prego and limited in things I can do (like bending down or picking them up). Oh well, they will have to hold out until B comes home to play chase and just deal with what I can offer for now. I think we can manage. It did help that we went to a birthday party at inflatable wonderland today. Talk about wearing everyone out so we can go to bed early. Speaking of which...I am heading that way now. Monday morning here we come!

Gearing up.

Can you believe I am 34 weeks prego? I thought my pregnancy with Charlotte was short because I thought I was 13 weeks and was really 20 weeks at my first appointment, but this one seems to have gone by just as fast. I guess with two little ones running around and life happening, the weeks just move by and all the details of pregnancy become a blur. Alas, here we are with 6 weeks (or less) to go, and once again I am feeling a bit nervous. I was sad just before Charlotte was born because I was so used to my little world where Jackson took regular naps and we spent all our time together. It seemed like a tornado was bearing down on our peaceful existence. And now (as usual) Charlotte is a precious part of that peaceful little world and given her personality, she really never caused much disturbance. But of course I feel some of the same anxiety with number 3 entering the scene so soon because once again we have reached a somewhat (very relative) peaceful routine where both kids sleep, eat what we eat, and play together well. I don't think I will ever rid myself of the desire to have my life be predictable and manageable, but God sure likes to shake things up for our little family to remind me that He is faithful and will provide what I need (energy, patience, sanity...you name it). This brings me to another topic that has been on my mind lately: planning.

If I am honest with myself, I have to admit that I am a planner at heart. But ever since my dad died, I just don't have the same desire to plan things out that I once did. That feeling of the rug being pulled out from under your world does something to you...changes you really. Suddenly it is exhausting to try to think through and plan everything which in my case has been a good thing because I would be a very frustrated individual if I depended too much on my plans for my life, family, etc. When people ask me what our plan is for kids, vacations, or really anything, I find myself sincerely saying that I don't have one because I don't. I am sure with the way our first 4 years of marriage have gone, you would never guess that this is the case. :)

Ok, now onto the rest of this crazy crew. Brandon has a two week reserve duty coming up and although it will be hard to take on the munchkins by myself, I am grateful that he can go before I have the baby rather than after. At least I can still contain the kids with my two hands instead of being completely outnumbered. The kids will miss him though, of that I can be sure. Their favorite game at the moment is tag with Daddy (where he is perpetually "it" of course). I just like to watch from the couch because quite frankly nothing makes me laugh more than Charlotte running at full speed...adorable. She is no longer the quiet little lady that she once was. She plays by herself really well, but she lets her opinion be known and can defend herself from Jackson as if she was his age. He of course is 100% in older brother mode...very protective, trying to teach her about everything, and teasing her when he can. But it warms my heart to see how much they love each other...I will soak that up while it lasts because it is oh so sweet.

I may start blogging what Jackson says to me more regularly as well because a) he is a talker and b) he has the most hilarious take on life and things around him. Sometimes I think I am talking to a teenager in a 3 year old body. Our latest discussion was about where the baby will sleep when she is born. Jackson goes to sleep in his room every night but Brandon has a little pallet set up in our room "just in case J gets scared" and he ends up there every morning around 5 or 6am. Now I told him that he will have to stay in his room when the baby arrives because I will be up and down with her and cannot be having the whole family sleeping in our room. His suggestion? Well, he thinks the baby should sleep on the pallet with him and that I can simply take her into the other room to feed her during the night and promptly return her to his pallet when I am done. Right, Jackson...that is going to happen. His next option was for her to sleep in the closet. Nice. Anything to ensure he doesn't lose his pallet privileges. When I have these discussions with him, all I can think about is how much he is like Brandon. Charlotte just wants to cuddle and read books...much more like me. Wonder what #3 will be like??

2010 Catch Up

Inspecting Santa's cookies

After Santa Came

he couldn't wait to start

Charlotte was in disbelief

my little soccer player!

Charlotte loves to rock. :)

new shades...what he asked for from Santa

Char ate my muffin...sneaky girl.

Christmas at Nini's

finally a family picture...it has been over a year!

I love these munchkins

ready to ride

cheese!

Sweet boy!

Grandmommie came for Thanksgiving

Daddy's girl

Ready for Thanksgiving turkey

grooming the goats at the zoo

Char wanted to help

Our visit with Rita and little Max in Gruene.

Fall is here...finally!

Firemen 2010
Jack and Jackson hitting the trick or treating scene!

Well, it has been quite a while since I have gotten on here, but here is the latest and greatest. We blew through September and October has not been much different. Brandon and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary with a great dinner in SA. Sometimes the simplest celebrations are the best.
We hit the Devine Pumpkin Patch and had a great time out there. And of this past weekend was busy but fun with Cooper's birthday party and Halloween. The kids got to wear their costumes several times which is always the highlight of the month for them. Now I just have to keep them off of them long enough to wash everything...easier said then done.
Pam and Gerald came to visit in mid-October and that was fun as usual. We always love getting to spend time with them and the kids count down the days between visits. The day they arrived, I had a sonogram and although it was a little iffy, it looks as if Jackson and Charlotte will have a little SISTER in March!! We are very excited to say the least. I am beginning to think that Charlotte needs a partner if she is going to keep pace with her crazy brother. So we are preparing for another addition to our little family and we are half way there because I am now 20 weeks!
The weather is finally cooling down, and we are embracing fall with open arms. I see a few more trips to various farms and perhaps Gruene Hall for market days in our future, but we will see!

Look at that pinata hitting form.

Chars found the silly string.

juice in hand...standard

little help from his hand with bobbing for apples

playing at Cooper's 1st birthday party

Taking on the basket of balls

Our fireman and garden gnome

she is such a cute gnome

Pumpkin Patch 2010

this is a pumpkin

Slide!!

Alligator train

fast learner

Freedom at last. :)

the hay maze

he can carry a big pumpkin

excellent squatting form

my two punkins with pumpkins

modeling

Farmer Charlotte

Ducks are always fun

sweet girl

And Farmer Jackson

Little Stud

Windblown

Little doll