It's Official...

I am out of shape...

Sunday, Chris and I went out bike riding. This morning Rebekah and I dragged ourselves out of bed at 5:30AM for a ride. A time of day that I am accustomed to seeing these days, but I am usually nursing my sweet baby boy and then going back to sleep. Not today...we hit the pavement by 5:40 for a few mile ride.

Side note: I feel great...all the kids have had a bath and are mostly dressed, all the beds have been stripped and have clean sheets, laundry is going and I am showered and my hair is done...all before 9am. What a way to start the day. We plan on doing this every morning. A big thank you to our husbands who may have to get up for a crying baby while we go out. Although today, both babies and husbands slept the whole time we were gone :). P slept from 11:00 until 6:45am...almost 8 hours...how awesome is that? I was out of the shower and hair was done before he got up to nurse.

Why this sudden obsession with riding you ask????



In just three short months Rebekah and I will be participating in an eight mile mountain bike race called the Slush cup. It is a short version of the Ice Man Race that our boys did last year (and will again this year- their race is 28 miles). Remember THIS post from last years race. I am sure you are thinking 8 miles...that does not seem so bad, but when you are racing in November in Traverse City on two track trails and continuously climbing HUGE hills layered with sand, mud, tree roots and possibly snow, it is more work than one would think. A quote from the Iceman site...

"the Meijer Slush Cup course follows the Vasa 10 Kilometer trail out,
around and back. The Meijer Slush Cup course has moderate climbs,
some screamer downhills, and is all on forest two track roads."

My goal...finish the race (without dying), even if I have to walk my bike up the hills, which will most likely happen more than once. I look forward to the challenge and hoping I can meet it. So let the training begin!!!!

Sleep VS. No Sleep

Sleep (Parker) VS. No Sleep (the girls)

Round 1

Parker gets his final feeding for the night at 10:30, is put in his crib and sleeps until 6:30 this morning...7 1/2 hours of sleep straight (now if I only went to bed at 11 we would be all set :)

Vs.


The girls who were put to bed at 8:30 and at 11:15pm finally gave in to sleep.

PARKER WINS THIS ROUND!!!

Round 2

Parker is put in his crib awake and within 5-7 min is asleep (after some fussing)

Vs.

The girls who are put in their beds and can't seem to stay in them, if their lives depended on it take HOURS to go to sleep these days. Yesterday they had a very short nap, so I thought "good, it will be an easy night for bed" WRONG...3 hours later they finally are asleep.

PARKER WINS THIS ROUND!

ROUND 3

Parents
- trying every technique in the book

VS.

kids - staying up way to late and getting out of their beds

Kids WIN...

Why is it that our 7 week old little boy is sleeping better than his big sisters (3 1/2 and 1 1/2) There have been a lot of changes in our house in the last few months that have disrupted their sleep...moving into a big bed (Eva), the girls moving into the same room, staying light outside until 9:30, Parker being born, and three days ago saying bye bye to the passy. Eva was very attached to her "baba" and Melia has been wanting and trying to use one since P was born. Three days ago we said enough with the passy. Nap time without the passy has been great. Nighttime has been a little more challenging. We have found that the passy was the catilaist for calming Eva at night. Without it she just can't seem to relax in her bed. Over the last few weeks we have tried NUMEROUS things...taking toys when they get out of bed, sitting outside their door, spankings, talking and reasoning with them, putting them in different rooms, laying with them, and last nights technique, letting them play in their room until the ware themselves out (did not work, just in case your wondering)...nothing seems to work. We are frustrated and they are frustrated...it has to get better...RIGHT??? We will find what works and nights without the passy will get better, but in the meantime, if I am completely honest, it makes me feel like a failure as a parent. Last night we tried to play a game with friends (we did finish), but not without A LOT of interruptions because it took the girls so long to go to sleep...In and out of their beds, coming downstairs, playing with toys...All I could say was thanks for being so understanding and patient, while on the inside I am feeling completely embarressed, becasue we can't control our kids. In time we will re-gain control and tackle this bed time chaos. I have to keep reminding myself that there have been many changes and we are just finding a new normal around here. We have a good bedtime routine, we just need to stick with it and in time things will calm back down.

So right now P is winning the Sleep VS. No sleep fight...stay tuned for round 4.

Time Away

We had the opportunity to spend a few days with family in Bay Harbor, MI this weekend. My Aunt and Uncle w/ kids are in town from Massachusetts and during their stay in MI, they spend a week in Bay Harbor every year. Chris, Parker, and I along with my sis, brother-in-law, and niece drove up to spend a few days with them. The boys golfed during the day and the rest of us went into downtown Petoskey and Mackinac City to shop. My Uncle is a GREAT cook, so we ate, ate, and ate some more; homemade chicken parm, filet mingon, brie and bread, and tacos were a few things on the menu…YUM. It was unseasonably cool (50’s and low 60’s), but we made the best of it. I am thankful we watched the weather report and brought sweatshirts and jeans.

Here are some picts from our time away…I took 200+ picts yesterday. I was having a great time snapping everything and everyone.

The view from our room.

My sweet niece Sydney.

When the boys got back from golf they played croquet and whiffle ball, while Syd played with a life size chess board.

I tried out my new wrap. After watching Rebekah with hers, I ordered one and I LOVE it. P spent a lot of the weekend in it, and loved every second of it.

I love taking pictures of our baby boy. There was so much beautiful scenery as a backdrop.

Chris and P taking a break after a day of fun.

Uncle Dave and Aunt Louise were at a wedding this weekend at our hotel. How random is that? We spent some time hanging out with them.

In the evening we sat outside and watched the sunset, while cooking smores by a fire. Life does not get much better.

We were supposed to come home tonight, but my parents called and said they would keep the girls another night and to stay up here until Sunday. How GREAT are they? Thanks mom and dad…your the best.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

I had to wake the girls up from nap today, and I put Parker on my bed when I went to get the girls. I woke up Melia first. She heard Parker starting to fuss and when I walked in my room I saw her quietly laying next to P singing to him. I ran to grab the camera hoping I would make it back in time. The quality is not great (it was dark in my room), and you may have to turn up the volume, but it was one of the most precious things I have ever seen. (She did not know I was taking video until the floor creaked, but she kept on singing). She loves her brother and he loves her. If you listen close, you can hear him cooing back to her.

Parker 1 month photo shoot...and more

Parker turned 1 month old on Sunday...here are some picts of our big boy

I LOVE his feet

In a polo and hat...just like his daddy

While we were outside shooting picts...we had a picnic dinner and some pool fun

Eva is so proud of her big sister

Enjoying a snack in the pool

Melia..."I'm like you mom feeding Parker"

While we had our picnic dinner P did this