Blank Park Zoo

Today, with Shane being out of town, I took the girls to the zoo.  It was a pretty uneventful day but something I've wanted to do since the elephants are only in town until early July.  I think the kids will agree that the new playground was the best part.  It is really BIG and really NICE!  Not a ton for a 16 month to do but since she thinks she's 4, she wasn't bored.  I just had to be in my "chase mode" so that she wouldn't try to get down places that she's really not old enough to go.  They even had an elephant show and Aftyn tried to be the center of attention but we had the "leash" on her so she couldn't go far.  We got plenty of looks with that but if THEY want to chase her, I'll be glad to take it off of her!!  I also got plenty of "where did you get that?  I need that for my ..."  So it goes both ways.  I've never needed one with the other girls but this one, we'll just say is a bit DIFFERENT!!  Wouldn't trade her for all the tea in China though.  The girls also enjoyed feeding the fish.  I was a nervous wreck, trying to take pictures and make sure Aftyn didn't go for a swim--Uugghh!!  It all worked out though.  Anyway, it was a good time with no major meltdowns.  Enough for now...-AS

Happy Birthday, Piper!!! ;-)

Today is Piper's ACTUAL Birthday.  It started out in the typical Piper fashion.  She didn't want to get out of bed but Chloe wanted to see her open her presents before she had to go to school so with much PRODDING ( I can't wait until she's 12!!) she finally arose out of bed.  She sauntered downstairs and finally made it to the table where her presents were waiting (except for the one that Taffy had already started tearing into).  She took her sweet ol' time opening her gifts and then we started singing "Happy Birthday" and then the fit started and she fell to the floor crying (see photo).  She has warned us for a month now that she didn't want us to sing to her but we tried anyway and she was NOT HAPPY!!  I didn't even try the breakfast in bed thing--I asked her last night and got a definite "NO!"  Other then that, the day was pretty normal and uneventful.  In the evening, we headed over to Jordan Creek Mall with Cael, Avery and Melissa (our neighbors and Cael is Piper's best friend).  We walked around the lake, ate supper, played at the play area and ended it with another walk around the lake.  Of course Piper through a FIT!!  She didn't take a nap today and she was tired and I wouldn't let her ride in the stroller (the seat was taken by Aftyn).  I told her that when she is 4, she can't ride in the stroller any more.  She's too big.  She was ok with that answer until it started getting late, then that wasn't acceptable to her anymore.  If any of you watch "Jon and Kate plus 8", pay attention to Madi--that's Piper to a T!!  VERY SCARY!  She's either really HAPPY and easy to please or a BEAR and can't not be reasoned with!!  Spanking doesn't even work when she's in that zone.  It's very FRUSTRATING so we watch Jon and Kate ALL THE TIME (our family's favorite show right now) to get pointers in how to deal with Piper.  So far, it's not working.   

A couple people called to wish Piper a Happy Birthday today including both of her grandma's--she wouldn't take the calls.  How RUDE is that??  She would have nothing of well wishers today.  So typical of her.  Yesterday she got a card from Aunt Pat--BIG HIT!!  She loves to get mail so way to go, Pat!!  She's either HOT or COLD and nothing in between.  Some people ask if I can believe she's 4 already and I must say with Piper, it's taken a LONG TIME for her to turn 4.  I say FINALLY she's 4!!  I'm waiting for her to grow out of her fits.  She would stay 2 forever if she could.  She likes to be "babied".  Teagan turning 5 took me by surprise (that went FAST) but Piper is so HIGH MAINTENANCE that is seems like FOREVER AGO that she was born!!  Enough for now...-AS

Piper's Birthday Party

Today we had an improptu party for Piper at the mall.  We happened to be at the mall when Tina called to see what we were up to.  Luke's baseball game (scheduled at 11) got postponed until 1 due to the weather, and then again until 4.  So we met up at the play area and then went to Champps where we all had lunch and Piper opened her gifts.  Tomorrow, we are also having another impromptu party at the Stowe family reunion in Cambridge.  Planning a real party over Memorial Weekend has always been a fiasco and no one can come on the same day so, sorry Piper but we are done trying for now. It's too frustrating and I'm not into open house weekends right now.  Another year and she'll start having friends over instead of family anyway.  Hopefully that will get a better turn out.  I'll post the pictures from the reunion tomorrow.  Enough for now...-AS

Congratulations Piper!!!

Today Piper had her last day in the Playschool Program at Westview.  I'm not sure how either her or Teagan will do next week when they have NO WHERE to go.  I think they will both miss school but they are both VERY EXCITED about moving on to the next level.  Piper was at closing ceremony but as you can see in the photos, didn't participate AT ALL!!  She's very UNpredictable and if she doesn't want to do it, SHE WON'T!!  I also included a picture of the outfit Teagan picked out for her last day.  I just let her wear it and show her TRUE COLORS!!  Enough for now, unless I can think of something else...-AS  ps. Notice Piper's jacket--it's her "security jacket".  She's very "safe" in it.  It took me a month to get her to wear it when I bought it last fall, now I can't get it off of her!!!  Teagan carries a blanket and sucks her thumb, Piper will be wearing a winter coat when it's 90 degrees--oh well, what do you do???

Congratulations Teagan!!!

Tonight Teagan had "Closing Ceremonies" at Preschool.  They sang songs and then they got a certificate for completing Preschool.  According to Miss Kris, (who was in favor of a "graduation") there are 6 or 8 kids coming back next year for the 4 day Pre-K program so they chose not to have a "graduation".  I think they should have anyway but they didn't ask me.  Piper has her "Closing Ceremonies" tomorrow morning at the end of her playschool day.  I'm guessing it will be similar to tonight's but shorter and with fewer kids.  I am SOOO READY to not have to be somewhere in the morning but I'm not sure I'm ready for them to be home FULL TIME!!  And then in another week and a half, Chloe's home full time.  Uugghh... I can already hear it--"I'M BORED!!  WHAT CAN WE DO??  WHERE ARE WE GOING TODAY?? WHAA WHAA WHAA!!" I have got to come up with a system of when we are going somewhere so they have something to look forward to and a reward system of some sort so they don't fight the whole summer.  It could be a LONG one!!

Going to Grandma and Grandpa's House

Saturday, Shane took the girls up to Fort Dodge so I could continue "nesting".  I'm only 16 months late with the nesting thing but it's better late then NEVER!!  I cleaned out the fridge, hung some of Chloe's pictures, found a place to put Aftyn's summer clothes (not a great place, but a place) since she has NO dresser!!  I was busy the whole day even though Shane probably didn't think I did much, I really got alot of "stupid stuff" done that I can't really do when the kids are here.  It was nice and I'm sure the kids enjoyed the time at their grandparents just as much as I enjoyed the free time.   

According to the kids, they planted flowers, went out to the farm and saw the ponies, Katie and Brownie (not completely sure about the names) and rode bikes.  Since we don't have enough toys in our garage (HA HA!!!), Shane brought back his bike he had as a kid so now we have 4 kids and 6 bikes, not including our 3 bikes or the many, many, many baby toys.  NICE!! We can't really get rid of anything because just as someone grows out of it, someone else will grow into it. 

With Piper's birthday coming up next Wednesday, they were asking what she wanted for her birthday.  She told them she doesn't want presents and Grandpa can have her gifts.  She doesn't want anyone to sing to her and she's not having a party.  All she wants is to eat cake all day (my kind of girl!!)  I asked her again this weekend and she told me the same thing and I asked if she wanted me to take her gift back and she said YES!  Sweet--that'll save me a boatload of money since I got her a Nintendo DS.  She doesn't even want breakfast in bed (unless it's cake, maybe??)   Enough for now, Teagan is having a playdate here right now with her "boyfriend", Tyler.  If he's as nice at 25 as he is at 5, I will let her marry him!!  He's very SWEET!!  -AS

Henry Doorly Zoo-Omaha

We took a family trip to Omaha this past weekend and went to the Zoo.  It's been a few years since we've been there.  ALOT has changed since we were there last and despite the weather being Icky, it was a nice trip...

The first exhibit we saw when we walked in was the Peacocks.  He was seducing the Peahen and boy was that a sight.  Chloe is probably traumatized for life.  "He is mean, Mom!"  Yes he is!!  As he was stomping on her back.  We hightailed it out of there before the real action started.  I wasn't in any position to explain THAT!

We, of course, only saw half the zoo so we will definately be back, hopefully yet this summer.  I hope we pick a better weekend as we got rained on and it was pretty chilly to start with anyway.  We were hoping the weatherman was wrong.  We did end up staying 5 hours anyway.  Enough for now...-AS

Date Night with Chloe

Last night, Chloe and I went on a date.  We do that sometimes and lately she's really been feeling left out since she's been at school when the other girls and I "have" to find something to do while the carpet people are here.  So when Shane got home, she and I went out to eat at the new Chinese place in town and then we went bowling.  It was a much needed date for both of us and it was nice to sit and have a conversation with out interruptions about school and friends and whatever else 9 year olds think about.  After we bowled, we then just ran errands: she wanted a new bike helmet and I needed to get a new frame for a picture I had made (I have a really cheap and good person for art work for kids rooms if you need anything) and Chloe, of course, wanted to go to the mall.  (A new thing for her is to go to the mall.)  She conned me out of a new Webkins--Uugghh, like 7 isn't enough???  And she also had to get some Ice Cream for dessert--I refrained as I need to lose weight before I start "Bootcamp" at the Y in June. Plus I had a cookie earlier in the day when Me and the little girls met Cael, Avery and Melissa at the mall.  Anyway, it was so nice to run errands without unbuckling car seats and fighting with kids to get back in the car seat.  It was just sooo fast to run in and out of the stores.  Anyway, I try to take the girls out individually on occasion.  Probably not often enough but I try.  It's nice to give them undivided attention.  Enough for now......-AS

Post Partum Depression

If any of you saw yesterday's Life section of the Register, I'm sure you saw my article.  It's true, it was me.  Maybe I divulged too much information about what happened after I had Piper and then Aftyn but if it helps just one person, it's worth it to me.  PPD is REAL and it SUCKS!!  And I had a pretty mild case to say the least.  We need public awareness and that should start at the OB office because, evidently, they aren't even equipped to deal with it.  At least my OB office wasn't, they pawned me off on someone else--Thanks for kicking me while I was already down!  This is something that not only affects a new mom but her whole family: kids, husband and even her job. It is miserable to say the least and more common than any of us know, myself included.  Next week, I am going to a support group, not that I have symptoms anymore, but to support those who may feel like they are alone with this "disease".  And actually I am curious to see how many people actually show up.  I may be the only one there, but I'll be there for anyone else who needs the support.   Enough for now...-AS 

Be Careful What You Wish For...

It's finally May and I've had "Spring Fever" for a couple of months now.  I've been wishing for things to get done: clean the basement, dust everything, mop under the washer and dryer, clean out everyone's room, you get the picture.  Some of these things came true by default.  If you've already read a previous post, you know that we are getting our basement cleaned out due to a leaking sump pump.  The rooms are getting cleaned out because we bought new carpet for the whole house and now, tonight, I mopped under the washer because somehow (I did get blamed for it) the hose that runs the washer water to the drain came out of the hole. (Now why in sam hill would I pull the hose out???)  I'm not always proactive about cleaning odd ball areas but I certainly don't create messes for myself!!!  So the floor under my washer is now CLEAN!!  Yeah!  i guess.  I guess I'm going to try not to wish for anything else because in order for it to come true, a semi-disaster has to happen first.  So far no one has been injured or worse, so I'll quit while I'm ahead!!  I'm not even going to wish that the fridge needs cleaned clear underneath the drawers because that would mean that a gallon of milk would need to spring a leak or worse, bar-b-que sauce that goes un-noticed for days.  Ick!!  So I'll just be quiet about that and find the time to wipe it out--hopefully before New Years' Day!! 

Tonight I was doing laundry like I do every Sunday and Shane says, "You're doing laundry again?"  "Uh Yea!  We do have 4 kids."  He has no idea how much laundry one family can produce!!  I only do it twice a week otherwise I could consume my WHOLE week with laundry and I really don't want to do that.  I actually don't mind laundry.  It feels good when it's done and with summer coming, it's only gonna get easier!!  Smaller clothes=less loads and Teagan only wears her swimsuit in the summer and that's easy to wash and if the clothes don't need hung up, I make the kids put them away!!  Easy for me!  And teaches responsibility.  Enough for now, I need to haul the laundry baskets up stairs...-AS