Hurricane break...

So I feel guilty that I am sooooo glad there is no work tomorrow due to the hurricane. And hopefully, it's one of those times where the weathermen got a little over excited and things won't be as bad they're afraid they can be. It does sound like some people in some places are going to get hit pretty hard so as much as I'm thankful for my unplanned extended weekend, I pray everyone stays safe and escapes the storm with as little disruption to their lives as possible.  Quite honestly, between the two snowmageddons we've experienced here, Hurricane Irene last August, and that crazy derecho this past summer, I don't think anyone should take these storm threats lightly. In the meantime,  I'll enjoy my much needed day at home with my family, and pray others stay safe.

And why do I feel tomorrow is such a much needed day home. Because this working momma of two has found this year to be the exhausted, overwhelming experience I had such anxiety about last year when I went back to work in January. Why is it so bad this year? I think a couple things have contributed to it. One, was even though it was only January when I went back, it was only nine weeks or so to Spring Break and then that final countdown to summer, and I think that light at the end of the tunnel cheered me on. I now know what a HUGE help it was having Sarah at my house last year and not having to add time to my day with dropping and picking up at two different places (as always my kids are spending their days with great people but there really is a big added bonus  when the sitter is  at your home). Nate's also in the thick of this graduate program he started so he's busting his butt with a job that already demands a lot of extended hours on top of classes that are working him like it's the only thing he has going on in life, which leaves me single parenting it half the time. Work has just really rough this year, and I don't think I'm alone in this so I don't think it's just because I have small kids at home. Everyone just feels like we've been beaten down to the point that we typically feel in March but it's only October! And I just hate, hate how everyone else's kids suck all my patience and time out of me during the day that by the time I get home I'm too tired and impatient with my own children. I get them for a few short hours an evening, especially Kenz who goes to bed so early at 730. I'm always torn between rushing my kids to bed so I can wrap up the day's work and have a few minutes to relax or pushing back their bedtime. And even though it may be "bad parenting" for all those parents that are all about routime, but I usually judge it based on them. If they're happy and in good moods then I don't see the harm in pushing back their bedtime. But when they're driving me crazy after a long day of everyone else's kids on my last nerve, they're off to bed. As I told Nate, there just is NOT enough hours in the day. I think if the day was just a little longer, I wouldn't be so irritable about it all, which is why in the next year or so I'm hoping we can cut down the hours in my work day. I never thought I d really want to be a stay at home mom, but I have been looking into something, anything  that will give me an option to be less stressed and give more of myself to my kids. Just afraid by the time I figure that out my kids will all be in school. In the meantime,  it is what it is, and I know many other mamas are in the same boat so for now I suppose I just better suck it up and do it too! Can't change it right at this moment.

On the positive side, we've had some fun family weekends the last few weekends. We've been to the pumpkin patch, the parks, carved pumpkins, had a visit with Grandma, and celebrated Kenzi's first birthday! So it's been a busy last two weekends. I can't believe our second baby is going to be one already! She has been happier this second half of the year and I hope that continues to be the case. I don't know why, but I worry so much that her crankiness as a baby is a sign that she's going to be an unhappy person as she goes through life. I just want her to be happy and love life like the rest of our crazy family. Averi finished soccer, and I have to say Nate and I found it almost a painful experience. And Averi is not a fan. She actually ran to kick a ball in the game yesterday but when she saw another boy coming up beside her, she took off and ran the other way. Poor kid. It was too aggressive of an activity for her. She frequently tells us now how she likes dance and gymnastics better so I guess we'll stick with that for now. I'm hoping she likes Tball a lot better, which it's not a contact sport and she's pretty good at hitting and throwing the ball so hopefully it'll go a little better. But it wouldn't surprise me if she ends up being the first girly girl of the Williams bloodline. But no matter what she or Kenz do I'll be there to watch it all and enjoy it, even if it's something as awful as three year old soccer.
                                                               Love this big smile

                                                   She loved the birthday cake.

                                      One of the few happy pictures of her enjoying the park.

                                                               Our big girl.

                                                                  Our diva.

                                                          Playing in the pumpkin patch.

                                  Not so excited about digging out the inside of the pumpkin.

Going to enjoy tomorrow and probably Tuesday, as well, hanging with my girls. I love all those cuddle moments. Even Kenzi has become quite cuddly lately! I love it. Why do they have to grow so fast?! I always just want to squeeze them so hard when they let me hold them. Afraid I'm going to close my eyes and wake up to find them grown and not able to fit on my lap anymore.Stay safe East Coast.

October is here and fun is around the corner!

Kenz and I are at home taking a sick day today. This awful cold that's been taking people out left and right at work has been chasing people in my household for a good week or so now. Averi who always seems to be able to get rid of germs with a quick sneeze, coughed for a bit and of course now looks to be cured. Kenzi on the other hand is the opposite. This darn thing seems to have latched onto her and just won't let go. I have never seen so much snot come out of a kid's nose like I have with hers lately. Then I have the stuffy head and sore throat thing going on. I think I've had a slight fever too. That or maybe I'm going through early menopause. Hope not!

Aside from not very successfully avoiding the negative thing about Fall of being sick, we are enjoying Fall. It really is such a great time of the year. Averi is super excited about Halloween. Having little kids just makes this time of the year so exciting again! In so many ways it's like we get to be kids again. I can look forward to trick or treating again. And all that candy! We monitor Ave's sugar, junk food intake fairly well. The kid has a ridiculous amount of energy as it is; she does need anything else to fuel that engine of hers. But since there's still Halloween, Christmas, and Easter candy in our cabinet, obviously Nate and I aren't that big of candy eaters either. Those reese peanut butter cups and snicker bars won't last long though.

I always look forward to the cooler weather with open windows, sweaters and boots, and falling leaves. Then comes Thanksgiving and from there it's the Christmas season! Christmas with little kids is so magical. I will be so sad when my kids no longer believe in Santa Claus. It will break my heart all over again. And their Christmas lists just keep growing and growing. I think Mommy and Daddy see more things they want than they do themselves. That's always such a fun date for Nate and I anyway dinner and christmas shopping. Even though I want my kids to experience picking out a real Christmas tree we are not spending the astronomical amount we spent last year. If it's going to be that much again, our tree farm will be Lowes. Then last year we did not only get tricked into buying a very crooked almost $100 tree but it fell off our SUV on 695! So hoping for a better real tree experience this Christmas.

Aside from being sick the girls are doing great. Averi loves school, and she's learning so much. She can pretty much write her name now. As well as her letters up to E I think. She finally sings her ABCs with all of the ABCs. She likes dance but not soccer so much. She likes it when she's kicking a ball by herself but not so much when there are ten kids swarming around a ball, pushing and shoving each other to kick it. Aggressive sports may not be her forte, but she is only three so we'll check back in a few years.

 

Kenzi on the other hand is the school bully and may need to be in about five aggressive sports to manage her anger problem. That girl has spoken her mind since she was born. Now she torments her older sister at times as well as her poor BFF at daycare. I've said for months now that that girl is going to speak to her mind. I m hoping as she learns to talk and communicate in some other than screaming here sometime soon. But she is getting close to walking. Which even though I've been through this once and they say it only gets harder after they start walking, I'm ready for to be able to walk. And the Averi better watch out! But on the other hand considering their escapades with the crib and carseat, maybe Nate and I better watch out!