TGIF

It's been one of those weeks for me.

Titan started getting a stuffy nose this last week and went from sleeping really well to sleeping really irregular again. I'd been spoiled and I struggled adjusting back to the sleepless nights. He's doing much better and has been getting back to a more normal schedule now, although he must be going through a growth spurt cuz all that boy ever wants to do is eat! Now that I've transferred back to the Hurricane office I only work 2 1/2 miles from my house so I have been driving home to feed him so I wouldn't have to pump. With him wanting to eat so much, that's become an inconvenience so I finally broke down and took my pump with me to the office this week.

McKinlee is MISS INDEPENDENT. She doesn't want you to help her do ANYTHING!!! We're trying to potty train her and she always manages to let you know she "needs to go potty" after she's already gone potty in her princess panties. Grrr. We have made some breakthroughs this week and she has been telling us she "doesn't need to go potty" right before she goes potty a few times. Still lots of accidents, but she's making progress. The independence goes to dressing herself, "helping" me around the house, setting the table, getting her own juice, etc. I know it's important for her to learn and she's obviously expressing the desire, but I've been frustrated at all the clean up/extra time it takes to allow her to do it herself.

Tucker...PHEW...this kid has pushed my buttons this week and you can ask Yates about the power struggles that we get in sometimes. He is in his defiant stage and if he really doesn't want to do something you're going to be hard pressed to convince him otherwise. I sent him and McKinlee to bed early (around 7:45 pm...bedtime is usually 9:30 or so) this last week and they threw the biggest tantrums you would ever have believed small children could possibly throw! They got out of bed a half dozen times and got spanked twice. They finally stayed in their beds and SCREAMED at the top of their lungs off/on for at least 2 hours. When they calmed down, I went in and talked to them about why they were in there and that I was sorry it had been such a bad day. Tucker mentioned, "When you do this it makes me feel like you're a bad mom." That about did me in, but I stuck to my guns and told them we were going to have a better day the next morning. They wore out about 10:30 and I was surely frazzled. I hit the sack and we really did have a better day the next day.

Fast forward to yesterday...Yates has had Wednesdays and Thursdays off because he's not in the schools anymore, but back out on patrol and back to rotating shifts. ICK! Knowing Yates was going to be home on Thursday (yesterday) I scheduled Tucker's SEP testing, a Dr. Appt for myself, I was supposed to work and I had a volleyball game that night. Yates let me know Wednesday night that because of a marijuana grove that was found this week he was going to have to go help them take the grove apart on his day off (Thursday). He was excited to go, but it completely ruined all the stuff I'd planned. Yvonne had yesterday off thankfully and spent the day taking care of my kiddos while I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off. Tucker did AWESOME at his testing and will begin with word books instead of picture books. He did his adding/take aways well and has minor things to work on. I was so proud of him! He was proud of himself as well and it showed in his behavior. He'd worked so hard practicing his reading words I told him he deserved to go out to lunch. He chose McDonald's (shock and awe). On our way, he made sure he opened his sister's door (complete with, "Here you go ma'am.") and then ran around the car to open my door and then his own. He was an amazingly well behaved boy ALL DAY LONG! I praised him up and down, called Yates and left him a message about how good Tucker had been and he ate it up. He kept giving me hugs and telling me how much he loved me and made sure he pointed out that he'd done everything I'd asked him to do the first time asked. A picture perfect day (minus Yates being gone and Yvonne having to hold down the fort while I ran around).
Then today, Tucker's been naughty again. Just this afternoon. I was trying to be VERY patient because he'd been so good yesterday. I finally asked, "You were such a good boy yesterday. Why are you not minding today?" He very matter of fact answered, "I know! It's supposed to be like this...good day, bad day, good day, bad day. Tomorrow will be good." Phew, something to look forward to!

I got to play volleyball last night and I haven't played since I was a couple months along with Titan and I LOVE IT! It's just church ball, but so much fun. I stayed after with a few people and we scrimmaged against a team that needed to practice for a tournament they're in this weekend. I hyperextended my right elbow about 3 weeks ago while trying to catch myself as I tripped backward. :( It was healing pretty good, but it's tender again after playing last night. Also, after my Dr. Appt it's looking like I'm going to have to have my gallbladder removed. I have an ultrasound scheduled for Tuesday, but I've had about 8-9 gallbladder attacks since Titan was born (almost 1 a week) and the Dr. says that's too many in such a short amount of time. He said it's fairly common after giving birth and during pregnancy to start having problems. We'll see what happens!

Yates is working night shift right now. He likes being out at night, but it's been an adjustment for sleeping. There's going to be an opening on the Drug Task Force and he's hoping to have a decent shot at getting in, but you never know. He was gone all day yesterday and the kids always miss him when he's gone.

With weeks that are crazy like this one has been, I'm always glad for a new week and a husband who is so supportive at home! He loves our kids so much and is so involved that it makes it easy for me to get other things done around the house. It is so much fun to watch him wrestle with them, jump on the trampoline or play ball and then turn right around and play cards, read stories, cuddle with and love on them. I really do have a beautiful family...one that I DO realize I'm very fortunate to have! I could never have imagined how much work goes into raising children, but with that work comes so much joy! I'm making a goal to live in the moment more with my kids...play more, teach more, love more and let everything else go.