I know I Know

it's no excuse - but working full time is kicking my ass in terms of having any extra time for frivelous things like blogging! You would think that I'd be able to fit in some time for it - but I really am just that busy and loving every second of it! It's been a busy few weeks and I will post pics of the kids but first, I wanted to share some of the amazing views I had while in Grenada last week for a wedding for an old friend. To say it was amazing would be an understatement. it's no excuse - but working full time is kicking my ass in terms of having any extra time for frivelous things like blogging! You would think that I'd be able to fit in some time for it - but I really am just that busy and loving every second of it! It's been a busy few weeks and I will post pics of the kids but first, I wanted to share some of the amazing views I had while in Grenada last week for a wedding for an old friend. To say it was amazing would be an understatement. it's no excuse - but working full time is kicking my ass in terms of having any extra time for frivelous things like blogging! You would think that I'd be able to fit in some time for it - but I really am just that busy and loving every second of it! It's been a busy few weeks and I will post pics of the kids but first, I wanted to share some of the amazing views I had while in Grenada last week for a wedding for an old friend. To say it was amazing would be an understatement.

I literally spent 4 days meeting and talking with her friends from all over the world - eating relaxed, casual meals with the beach as my backdrop for every second except for when I was sleeping at night.

It is not a place that I ever in a million years would have thought of going to, and had I arrived alone, without knowing anyone I might have stayed in my hotel room because I am a sheltered american and the roads are not much to look at. (kind of intimidating) There are a lot of Americans (St. Georges university is a big med school down there) and Europeans who vacation there.

But, after being reassured it was completely safe, I was able to explore and walk around and it was totally safe, people were TOTALLY nice and welcoming and I had the best 4 days of my life.

I don't think I've ever been more relaxed. It's not too busy - it's not touristy - and people leave you alone for the most part.

There was a fair amount of drinking being done, but I only indulged one night as I didn't want to waste any precious time and I'm really glad I did.

The hotel I stayed in had a kitchen so I was able to make myself coffee every morning and heat up or cook foods if I wanted. There was a grocery store within 5 minutes walk and 2 beaches each within 5 - 20 minutes walk.

I went to some amazing bars where the tables you sat at were literally in the sand and we swam in the ocean both day and night.

The wedding was GORGEOUS and the company was amazing and all in all it was exactly what I needed.

Poor Dave was stuck at home with 2 cranky(ish) kids - one of which is hitting her 3's with a vengeance and pushing every button she can multiple times a day - so he had a much rougher time than me and I am grateful I got to go.

I was able to skype with the kids almost every day and my in-laws came to help Dave out - so everyone had a good time.

Next posting will be pics of the kids since I know that's all you guys really want;)

Cake!!!

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY

BEN, BENNY, BEN BEN, BUGGY

You just started sleeping through the night.

You love climbing up the stairs and on top of Thomas the Train and the plastic yellow chairs but you REFUSE to try to walk by yourself.

You love the TV remotes and get very angry when we take them away from you and balk when we give you one to play with that has no batteries.

You have started waving goodbye, and blowing kisses and if you we are lucky you will give us hugs and kisses too.

You don't have any favorite toys but recently you started playing with balls and will carry them around as long as you can. If we are helping you walk, you will kick at them too.

You love eating - black beans for some reason are a favorite of yours right now.

You love cheesy poofs and drink water like a pro from a sippy cup.

You LOVE Mickey Mouse and your favorite part of the show is when they do the opening song and when they end with the hot dog dance.

You love your sister and daddy is totally your favorite .
You are our 'sick child' and get colds and runny noses and all kinds of stuff all the time. But you are usually still in a very good mood despite that!




You learned how to make coffee with me, you try to play with Katie's princesses ALL THE TIME.
You won't sit for more than 40 seconds with one toy. (40 might be pushing it)

You love paper and shoes and we have to keep both out of your mouth all the time (still)

And today, you are 1 - it went so fast and you grew so much and we love you more than you'll ever know - even though we just started getting regular sleep like, last week ;)

AND even though you destroyed mommy's thyroid while you were in my belly!!! It's ok - there's medicine for that!:)

Happy Birthday Benny - today you get some cupcake and presents and we get to go to daddy's first 5K race and next week we will celebrate with your grandparents:)

Lets see... Katie turned 3 - Ben is days away from walking all on his own. (although he's a bit lazy so I am not sure he's in much of a rush) and we are all doing just fine:)

Katie had an awesome birthday party and got a big girl bed all in the same month. (we've been busy since Christmas)

We then took Katie's crib and put it in Ben's room because we think he's gonna be a climber and we just knew that he would have been able to climb out of the crib we had bought for him (it's much shorter than katie's crib)

He is Absolutely in love with Katie's Thomas the Train ride on/push toy - it's kind of hysterical how obsessed he is and if you put him on it, you better be prepared to push him around for at least 20 minutes. He's learning sign language (well, his version of sign language) but he can ask to eat, and knows how to ask for more. He isn't showing too much interest in talking yet - says the standard, ba ba ba ba ma ma ma and he likes to growl a lot like the animals in his fisher price zoo! He still doesn't sleep through the night - and is awake at least once in the middle of the night and then usually is up for the day around 5 am. (I keep holding out hope that turning 2 will cure him of his AWFUL sleep habits)

Katie is doing a GREAT job in Pre-school. She does all the projects, and is showing lots of improvement in things like coloring, drawing, letter recognition, etc.... I'm starting to freak out because she is going to have to re-peat pre-k 3 since she started a year early - which didn't bother me when we signed her u - but now that she has friends, etc... I feel like she's gonna wonder why she's the only one that isn't going to pre-k 4 come September... It's gonna suck for a few weeks I'm sure - but the alternative would have been that she be in the toddler room right now and she is literally miles away from where those kids are developmentally - some of them are literally just starting to put 2 words together - so I think this was the better scenario for her in the long run - I'm just starting to worry about her feelings being hurt, etc.

She has completely given up napping. (even though she's the youngest kid in class) and just "rests" instead - Dave and I are still holding out hope that maybe, just maybe we will get napping back sometime soon at least occasionally on the weekends so we can have some down time - cause she is EXHAUSTING and smart and manipulative without really knowing it and it's VERY hard to win any argument, debate with her.

Case in point - last night
Katie, "mommy I want cupcakes"
Me, "Katie's are you crazy? You've been eating cupcakes all week in school for birthdays and it's dinner time - and besides - we don't have any cupcakes."
Katie, " Well, we could make some"

Dave bought Katie a special order personalized Fortune Cookie for Valentines day and gave it today and she is SUPER in love with it! She shared it with us but not Benny, "cause he's too little"

We're doing well, just crazy, insanely busy as you can imagine with kids the ages they are. They keep us on our toes and occupy every minute of our day until they go to sleep at night - so Dave and I get to chat here and there during the week. To be honest, our best conversations are the ones we get to have during the day when we call during work because we can talk for 5 minutes uninterrupted:)

So, we're happy, mostly healthy (besides colds that won't go away) and excited for a VERY busy month of March including Ben's 1st birthday (I can't FREAKING believe he's gonna be 1), lots of baby celebrations, and a potential visit from Grandma from Puerto Rico.
Being a grown up is exhausting

BUT - if anyone is counting... I STILL have not gotten peed on - swear on my wedding rings (which are my favorite pieces of jewelry on the planet) He has pooped in the tub on me, but I have NEVER been peed on or sprayed

It's called, I. Win!

p.s. I still haven't gotten peed on!!!