Craft time with the moms!

So last night was craft night for the Northeast Wake mommies! We had a quaint little group of 5 awesome mamas. We made jars for Thanksgiving, to put little slips of paper in it, writing on them what we are thankful for, to be read at Thanksgiving dinner.

This was actually my first time utilizing a hot glue gun! Yes, me, the one who has worked in child care for almost 20 years has never touched one! I may have to go get myself one! Luckily, the hostess of our craft night gave me a 50% off coupon, and said there is one there for $2.00!

I was quite proud of my little jar!!

I even made a little bag to put the cards in!!!

This was a fun way to get out of the house and have some mommy interaction and to bring out my creative side!!

Pondering...

Three years ago July, we uprooted our family from Delmar, NY, to move to Morrisville, NC. We left on a Saturday morning, around 5am, and got to our new house on Sunday, around 5pm. We stayed in a hotel one night in Richmond, VA. It was raining the whole way from NY to NC. Luckily, when we finally pulled the truck in front of our new home, the rain stopped. The kids did wonderful all the way down, and I was newly pregnant with Wyatt.

I also joined Triangle Mommies before moving here, so I could make some friends and learn my way around. In fact, I think in the last 3 years, I have traveled around the Triangle 98% more then Chris has!

Chris's new boss brought some people to help us unpack the truck, and it was done in record time! The setting up, however, seemed to take years! (Ok days, but still!) The new house looked so nice!! When we decided to go to dinner, we somehow found the Red Robin in Raleigh. I went here once before, a long time ago...not this location, but a Red Robin none the less...so we stopped here. We were quite pleased!

A few weeks went by, and we went to the beach here for the first time, at Falls Lake. It was so nice to sit and watch Chris swim with the kids...and to also go in myself! It was hotter and muggier then what we were used to, but we loved it! We went once more when Chris's parents came to visit a week or so later...for some reason, that was the last time we went! (That was August 2006) I am not sure why exactly!

Our first Halloween came and the kids had a blast. I stayed home and handed out candy...we got A LOT of kids! We got a lot in NY as well, so I was prepared! Nick was Darth Vader and Michele was Dora. We went to our first Triangle Mommies playdate/Halloween party.

Four months later, Nick became a big brother...again...and Michele a big sister. Chris was telling me that Michele kept asking "is he here yet" over and over...so excited to meet her new baby brother, Wyatt! They finally met him, and loved him from the very second they saw him! (Nick DID lol, but alas he is MY son!)

We first visited NY in August of 2008. We made the drive starting at 4am, and got in about 6pm that night. The kids, once again, did awesome....even Wyatt at all of 18 months old!!! We stayed one week, though it went way too fast! We also went one day to Albany, to see old friends. We stayed at the cabin...we LOVE the cabin, and Nick loves to fish and ride the paddle boat. It really is a beautiful place to stay!

The kids enjoyed the trip to the Albany area, which was, technically, Wyatt's first trip there! Nick and Michele were SO happy to see their old friends!

The kids enjoyed seeing grandparents and their Uncle Jason. My grandparents had not seen Wyatt since he was 3 months old, and Chris's grandmother was meeting him for the first time.

It was also Wyatt's first time meeting Uncle Jason!

A little while after we got home from our trip, Michele started kindergarten! I could not believe my little baby girl was starting kindergarten!! She loved school from the start! She did very well, though she was, and still is, one of the quietest kids in the class! (Too bad they can't see her at home!!) I can not believe she is already in first grade, on the honor roll, and one of the smartest kids in her class! (ya mama brag there lol)

In October, we found out I was pregnant with #4. This was a total surprise, but very welcome, of course! Towards the end of the year, in March 2009, we moved to a new house. This was in Raleigh, about 40 minutes from our old house in Morrisville.  The kids loved all the room they had to play and the yard.

Three months after we moved, our 4th baby arrived. Evan Michael was born on June 23, 2009. All 3 of the kids were very excited to meet him. Even Wyatt, no matter that he was the baby for only 28 months! He loves his baby brother very much!!!

Now here it is, 3 years and 4 months after we trekked  from the state of  New York, where Chris, myself, Nick, and Michele were born, to the state of  North Carolina, where Wyatt and Evan were born. And now, we have a decision to make. On the 12th of November, we may have to make that decision. I am so torn, between friends and family in NY and friends made here in NC. Between school stability, and my kids being reassigned every couple years. Just to name a couple.

This time 3 years ago if I had to make this decision, it would have been simple! But now, it is not as simple. My heart and my mind are at a conflict as to what I really want. I guess we will see what happens in a week and 2 days.

Winner of the Weil Baby Giveaway!

At the beginning of the month, I had a Weil Baby giveaway, including 2 bottles and some coupons! Well, I put the 4 names in a hat, and my 2 year old picked the winner!

The winner is Andrea! Check out her blog here! Congratulations Andrea, and I will get your items to you shortly!

Helping your older child aviod "accidents"

Over at Mamapedia there are always great questions asked by many concerned parents. I found this one interesting, since it hits close to home for me! My daughter, who is the same age as the poster, also still has accidents, luckily, they are subsiding, as a result of the goal reward system.

At this age, after all medical venues have been exhausted, accidents usually are caused by the child not wanting to stop what they are doing, or perhaps feel they will get in trouble for asking, to go to the bathroom. A good thing to try, is to set a timer. From what others have said, as well as my own experience, a 2 hour timer works well, for the most part. Everytime the timer goes off, take your child to the bathroom. Working on rewards is good, but also work on taking things away. If they go to the bathroom when the timer goes off, put a sticker on a chart, that is working towards something the child wants (a toy, a special outing, a movie, etc...). But if they refuse or have an accident between that time, as a result of not letting you know they needed to go, put something they like to play with in a "time out." The length of the time out depends on you and what you feel would have the most effect on your child. Also, take off one sticker everytime, making the goal that much farther away.

Though this may not work for everyone, it will work for most kids. Rewards in and of themselves may lose effect over time, but reaching a goal is a lot different from a reward...something to look forward to!

Another great thing to add to this, is to talk it up. Constantly remind your child that they are a big kid, and talk up slumber parties (which could also be a goal reward), trips to big parks with friends, etc... The more you emphasize the positive, the more willing they will be to use the bathroom when they need to, and stop what they are doing!

Of course, this will not work for all children, and will not work right away, but it may have some positive effect and the results that you want for your child!

If you have anything to add or your own experiences to share, remember to share at www.myfourblessings.com!

Happy 10th birthday to my oldest!!!

I can not believe that my baby is 10 today! It seems like yesterday he was just a tiny baby, no older then my 4 month old!!! He is such an awesome little man, and we are SO very proud of him! He is excelling in school, is in the academically gifted program, and last tested, scored a 140 on his IQ test! He is so very smart, sweet, and a very polite child. Ok so he is not a child anymore, young man? Wow I can not believe I have a pre teen!!!!

Here he is in October 1999



And here he is just a few days ago, October 2009




I can only imagine how handsome my little boy will be in another 10 years! Happy birthday buddy!

Love,

Mom, Dad, Michele, Wyatt, and Evan

Flat Princessey reads! And meets a friend!

We ended up getting another Stanley while Princessey was visiting. So they will be going out together! We have had the sickies here, so we are a little behind!

But Princessey had fun reading with the kids

And she enjoyed meeting another Stanley friend!

Later today we are going to the fair, so they may just join us before being sent to their new destination!

Wordless Wednesday==Imagination Movers!

Flat Princessey Visits Raleigh

Flat Princessey arrived here last week! We were very excited to welcome her into our home!

She loved meeting Wyatt...

And he even gave her a ride on Thomas

We took her to the Imagination Movers Concert, but she was too shy to come out, but she had fun anyway lol

We should have one more post with our cute little visitor soon!

pregnancy and infant loss remembrance day

I am posting this for all my friends who have had a pregnancy loss, or lost their child in infancy. I am thinking of you all today, as well as my own little angel!