Back online

Whew! I didn't realize how much I relied on the internet until it was gone for a week! Kind of sad, I know, but when it's your only connection with the outside world at times, it's hard to be cut off. I know that Blues Clues and Max and Ruby are quality shows, but they just don't have any updates on current events (except for the fact that Blue now talks!!) so I have really missed my cnn.com escapes.

As I'm typing this, Juliana is sitting beside me "checking her email" on her Barbie computer. Have I passed my addiction on to my firstborn??? Landon is hard at work on his favorite past time...SLEEPING!

We are loving our new place and the big back yard. Juliana has rediscovered all of her outside toys and all of the dirt that goes with them. I have only seen one spider so far in the basement, and it makes the laundry more exciting to think I might have company down there. Juliana somehow picked up on the fact that I am terrified of spiders, and she now informs me every time we are down there that "Spiderman in there!" (Pointing to the laundry room).

Well, that's about all for now. One week from today we'll be headed back to NC!! God bless all of the people around us, and pray for sleepy kids!

Love and miss everyone. Here's a picture of a snuggle moment with mom.

Out of touch

Hey everyone! To all of you who are still plugged in to the world wide web, just wanted to give a disclaimer for why I've not answered emails or updated the blog lately. We don't have internet service at our new place just yet, but hope to be connected again sometime next week.

Juliana is destroying Bo's office while I'm here typing this, so guess I'd better make it short for now.

Can't wait to see everyone in a few weeks!!

-Brooke

Homeward Bound!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know that Juliana and Landon and I will be coming to NC for a visit on March 26th!! I am SOOOO excited....it's been way too long. Bo has an event in Albequerque, NM, from the 26th to the 31st, and I had to decide if it would be more exhausting to be on the plane by myself for four hours with two kids, OR be at home by myself for almost a week with two kids. I decided the better (and more fun) option would be to fly back while he's gone, so here I come!! I think I am certifiable to try to fly with a newborn and a 21/2 year old but we'll give it a shot. Just feel bad for the people around us...I may have to supply earplugs for the surrounding rows of passengers.

Can't wait to see everyone!!

love,
Brooke

True confessions of a mom

I swore I would never do it. I swore I would never become one of THOSE PEOPLE who neglect their house to the point of embarrassment, the kind of person who has to clear a path to the bed just to be able to sleep. I looked down my nose at those people who had the audacity to leave dirty dishes in the sink at night, and who let the laundry pile up on the floor until it was impossible to tell what was clean and what was dirty. Bo knew that my dream day involved an entire afternoon devoted to scrubbing, cleaning, dusting, and folding anything that wasn't tied down...an entire day to CLEAN THE HOUSE. Well, my blog-reading friends, that day is over. I have decided to come out of the fanatical cleaning closet and admit that my house is a mess. As a testament to those of you who still cannot believe it, I have posted a picture of the pile of laundry (clean, don't worry) that is currently resting beside the washing machine. The clothes are clean, yes, but by the time they actually make the leap from that pile to our bodies to be worn, they may be tragically soiled (Juliana has taken to using the pile as her personal daybed). I know that you may be thinking "What a strange picture to post on the blog! We wanted to see cute little cuddly pictures of the kids!". Those will come later, after I fold the laundry.

Well, maybe I'll post a few of the kids to distract you.

In other news, we have found a house to rent and will be moving in sometime next week. It is in a great section of town and has a big fenced in yard for Juliana to run around in. I am SO excited to finally be moving into a bigger space, and the yard is going to be so nice as the weather is getting better and better here. There's a full basement that we've already promised her will be a great home for all of her toys (her room looks like we're trying to compete with Toys R Us!). We feel really good about the decision to keep renting for now and not buy a house until we get a little more established.

Hope everyone is doing great!! I promise by the next posting I'll have that laundry folded...and I absolutely refuse to post a picture of my sink!!

Love ya.

Finally...and update!

Wondering where all the updates have been lately? Thinking that I must have fallen off the face of the earth? Wondering if four weeks of sleepless nights and countless poopy diapers have finally sent me over the edge of sanity? If so...you are right!!

Okay...confession time. Last night at 3 am I came back to bed after nursing Landon for the third time that night and promptly burst into tears. I also distinctly remember spouting off to Bo as I got up with the baby, "Guess I won't sleep tonight...I'll just stay up and feed Landon every hour." (My tone, by the way, was on the snippy side). Yes, it's true. Life with a newborn is H-A-R-D. At least this time around I know it will not last forever, even if it seems like it. (And it does). Wish I could say I woke up with a Cinderella-perfect attitude, smiling at the new day, but it just didn't happen. We did have a ton of fun at gymnastics this morning, though...Juliana makes me laugh every time she flips her little body down the trampoline.

In spite of all my whining, every minute I am still reminded of how blessed we really are to have two beautiful, healthy, wonderful kids, and it makes nights like last night seem not quite so awful (now if I can just remember that next time I'm up at 3:00!!!).

Bo's recovering from an event he had over the weekend. He managed two concerts after a rodeo Thursday and Friday night...Little Texas and Neal McCoy. Everything went really well and he was crazy busy - just how he likes to be!! We brought the whole family to the rodeo Saturday night and Juliana was glued to every event. She kept waving to the clown and trying to get his attention. Maybe aspiring to a future career? (Please, no!!) Landon slept through the noise, smells, and general chaos in his carseat. He was obviously not as impressed as big sister.

Love and miss everyone!! I'll try to update with some more pictures later this week...but don't hold your breath. :)

More pictures

Thank you to everyone who has sent cards, presents, and prayers in the last few weeks!! It has been a blessing to go to the mailbox and have a card from home every now and then. Thanks also to everyone who has sent things for Juliana - she was so used to seeing Landon get gifts from my shower that she almost didn't believe there might be a present for HER in that box, too!

She is adjusting pretty well to having a new little brother. She is WONDERFUL with him, always kissing on him and hugging him and trying to give him his pacy. (He actually looks a little offended when we try to give him the pacy...maybe that will mean less struggles later on trying to take it away?). The other day in the car Juliana was actually trying to make him cry, just so she could "Shush" him and make him feel better! It was hilarious. Her favorite thing to say when he's crying is "I know, little buddy, I know." Where does she get this stuff?

Here's some recent pictures. Juliana decided Landon needed a check-up, so she got out her doctor's kit and went to work. I told her to enjoy it now while he is still a captive prisoner to her ploys and ideas.

Weather update for those of you enjoying 60 degrees back home...IT IS 4 DEGREES AND SNOWING RIGHT NOW! The novelty of how pretty the snow looks is quickly wearing off and I am ready for spring and warmer weather. Maybe we'll at least get enough for snow cream today.

Hope everyone is doing well! We are trying to work out details for a trip back to NC and I can't WAIT!

New Reason to Smile

I just had to post these pictures from tonight...Landon seems to like the camera! These were after his bath (which he hated) and his nightly snuggle with mom (which I am going to say that he loves).

In the last week I have learned lots of things about life with two, most importantly:
1. Do not leave a 2 year old alone with a toothbrush and a tube of Desitin - it does NOT taste like toothpaste and it just makes her mad.
2. Do not assume that just because you need a nap means that everyone in the house is going to take a nap at the same time.
3. Just when you think you have enough time to a)run to the bathroom b)stuff a bite to eat in your mouth or c)return a phone call, little invisible sensors go off letting your children know that NOW is the time they need their mommy RIGHT AT THAT MOMEMT!!!
4. Life with two is twice as much work, twice as draining, and twice as fun as you thought it would be!

Love and miss everyone!

-Brooke