Coloring eggs and surprises

Anyone else think that Easter Bunny may be overcompensating??? LOL! To be fair, that clever bunny stopped in Ohio on his way down and 95% of what is in the baskets and then some he brought down for Papa and Nai-Nai. Such a clever bunny and so nice too!!! Papa and NaiNai had no idea just how much they were helping this Mama out this year, it was so hard to find time to get out shopping to get the things I really wanted to get and Julia is getting pretty snoopy, was very hard to keep things hidden!

Egg hunt, soccer and a really bad day....

Day started off early we wanted to get to the Y early for an egg hunt before the soccer game yesterday. Started off okay, every body up, dressed and ready to go on time, early even, the girls had fun at the egg hunt and then we stuck around for the soccer game. We had snack this week and even remembered it. Then we went to leave.....one of the other mom's stopped me getting into the van and said "you have a flat tire" words I have been dreading for over 6 months, because of course I would have one when it's just me to deal with it. Thank God though that we were at the Y, lots of Dads and Grampas around to help.. once we found the spare (harder than it sounds! haha!) the mom and Grampa followed us to Walmart to make sure we got there on time. They had ONE tire in stock in the right size to replace it. So I took the girls to McDonald's in Walmart for lunch, picked up a few things and by then the van was ready. But wow, can't even tell you how much that all took out of me. Coloring eggs for the first time felt like work with my kids than fun, and that is something I always especially enjoy. Really with only a few weeks left on this deployment for the first time I was not only having a down day, I was having a seriously bad day and damn it just wanted my hubby home. That's not to say I don't want him home every day, but most days I think I cope pretty well with missing him, it's just part of life, then there are those days like yesterday where it just doesn't seem enough and I get angry at the whole situation.

Today is better and he will be home soon, holding on to that for all it's worth.

Oh and those adorable Easter Bunny pics?? Looking at them last night, Julia says "Mom, you know that's not really the Easter Bunny right? It's just someone dressed up in a costume" HUH? She is 4! Shouldn't I have at least one more year before that starts?! She is growing up entirely too fast for me!

Gulfarium playdate

Once the girls got over being sick we were able to get out and enjoy some of the fabulous spring break weather we were blessed with this past week! We met up with our good friends and checked out the Gulfarium. Now, I'm not going to say that the trainers aren't doing a great job with the sea life they work with, they totally are. But I do have to say that it was a little pricey for the couple of hours we spent there. Still.. worth going once and the kids thought the dolphins swimming up to the windows to check them out was very cool. ;)

And we did find a great place next door for lunch at Angler's grill. Kids eat for $1.99... not too shabby. And their fish sticks looked good!! LOL.

From there we headed home so that I could drop the kiddos off with the sitter and I headed out for some ME time. Went to see Remember Me and while I fully intended to go to the movie by myself, I have to admit being a bit surprised that I had the entire theater to myself! I have to admit it was kinda nice;) The movie was great, I suppose I should admit here to being a total Twilight fan, that being said, watching Rob Pattinson in this movie, I never once saw Edward Cullen, it was only Tyler and I loved the movie. Being as into it as I was, I have to also admit to not paying enough attention to see where it was going so the ending caught me completely off guard. I sat stunned as I realized what was happening. Anyway, for a little while I was in my own little world and after the week I had been having I really needed that. After the movie I went out and got the rest of the Easter shopping done to help that bunny out, it ended up being a late night after a very full day, but still a good day.

Wondering where we were?

Just a few random pics, Julia came home from school last Thursday, had friends over for just a bit and after they left she fell asleep on her little couch in the playroom. Not terribly unusual as she often is nodding off in the van after school for short little power naps, but a bit odd... yep, she woke up with a fever, that would not go away. Today is the first day that she has been fever free since then. Monday found us at the Dr's with both girls running a temperature (Devyn's started on Sunday) and starting to cough. Our pediatrician (who I have to say has an EXCELLENT memory, we aren't at the Drs often and she remembered Julia and what she had been there for at this time last year! Wow! even if she had gotten it from her chart, though she didn't act like she had because she wasn't certain, I'm impressed she took the time to look either way!) anyway, she felt that Bronchitis may be settling in, and checked for Strep as well, the initial test was negative for strep but she didn't seem entirely convinced. Either way they came home with antibiotics and cold medicine. Yesterday Devyn had already started to bounce back, though by 4 pm she was absolutely miserable tired and was doing her level best to make sure we were too. Today was better. No fever for either of them, coughs are a little better and Julia was up for soccer practice tonight. Whew. What a way to spend Spring break huh???

Our plan is tomorrow, as long as they are both still well, is to meet my friend and her kids at the Gulfarium for a bit of fun. Then coming home I have the sitter set up for tomorrow evening so that I can get a bit of a break, maybe (hopefully) see a movie and go pick up a few things for the Easter Bunny. I have to admit to really needing just a few hours this week. Neither of the girls was very sick this week but both of them just not feeling well, all of us cooped up together, well, let's just say I've had better times.

On a happier note, even with Devyn not feeling well, and the antibiotics having the usual effect on her, she has made it to the potty every single time. So proud of her (and hugely relieved!! ;) on that front. On the not so good, she has started trying the temper tantrums again, an almost instant reaction when she doesn't get her way right now is to throw herself on the floor and start to scream. She used to do this shortly after coming home last year but this past few months it seemed like we had made some headway and she was learning they didn't get her anything and had become more and more infrequent. Now I feel like we are starting from scratch again. I should mention she has a piercing scream. With all of us not feeling well this week (no I'm not sick but definitely suffering from exhaustion) it became increasingly important that in this small space we each take a short break from each other. As I mentioned earlier, 4 o'clock saw Devyn starting to get seriously whiney, trying to torment her sister and be tormented back in return, so that as I prepared dinner I told each of the girls to take a break from each other and play in their separate rooms. Neither was thrilled but Julia went understanding it wasn't a punishment just a much needed break (how could it punishment with the things they have in their rooms??) Devyn went, screaming, I went in behind her, pointed to her "toy corner" and told her she wasn't in trouble but that she and sissy needed a break from each other while Mama cooked dinner. She glanced at her toys and seemed okay with it I went back out, not five feet away from her room she was screaming at the top of her lungs again (honestly the neighbors have to be wondering what is going on over here!) when Julia and I went back in to check, she was literally face down on the floor, screeching at the top of her lungs, and kicking and pounding the floor with her fists?!?!! This was extreme, even for her, as I said she has not pulled this stuff in months. What could we do? we left her to work it out, she did. By the time I had dinner on the table she had calmed herself down, and before dinner apologized to both Julia and I. After dinner was a dip and dunk and you betcha she was in bed EARLY last night. Thankfully, she has been feeling better today, did take a nap and over all a bit better day. Let's just say that on the whole while I don't want to see either of my kids not feeling well, I would rather it was Julia any time. She just handles it better. Not to say she hasn't been moody this week as well, but just over all she is not as dramatic as Dev is. Devyn, God love her (and I know He does), lives life out loud. Very loud. This has been a huge adjustment for me, and not really an easy one, but I am beginning to appreciate the way she lives her life more and more. I never worry that Devyn won't speak up if someone is hurting her, or that she will be pushed around. I just don't see that as even a remote possibility at the moment. As rough as this makes being her Mom at two almost three years old, I know that as she grows she will live life on HER terms and no one else's. So someday I know that determination and stubbornness will serve her well. I just wish she had a tad bit less of it right this moment. LOL.

We are on the countdown to end of this deployment! Daddy will be home by Devyn's birthday, Papa and Nai-Nai are coming to visit and celebrate Dev's b-day with us and the week after we will be headed to Disney!! Speaking of, I guess that is what I will get back to tonight.. making some reservations for the extra fun stuff we want to do while there! Always on the go, that's us.

As you can see from the pics, it was a beautiful day today and the girls were feeling well enough to enjoy it fully! Hopefully Friday is just as nice and we can go hit the beach for a bit. I miss the beach, sometimes you would never know it was just 3 short miles away. Crazy huh??

Bubbles

Spending some time in the sunshine. What a beautiful afternoon we are having here. Couldn't resist Dev's request for bubbles. I think the pictures say it all. And that last one? That is Julia's "but I want her to stand with me" look and as you can tell little sister was having none of it at the time. She is still very cautious on the whole personal space issue and it very much has to be HER idea. Who am I kidding? Everything has to be HER idea, very independent is our Stitch. LOL

*A Much better Day*

The new friend was at school again today and I gather things went much better. I have a feeling that she may have been a little shy yesterday more than trying to single anyone out. I am still disturbed that Julia was so quick to think that because she is Chinese someone wouldn't want to play with her. But she was all smiles tonight and they all had a good day at school, followed by a play date with a couple of her classmates after school here at the house. We set up the bounce house and did our best to let them all wear themselves out. I think it worked. They had a great time and everyone left just before dinner which was followed by bath time here and bed. Truly a good day. I am just glad my little girl was smiling today and not worried that her hair was different than the other kids at school :)

an Up and Down day....

The good parts of today:

Dev went all day, even going out to soccer practice and shopping after in big girl panties with no accidents!

When talking to Dev about birthday parties this morning (we have one to go to this weekend) I asked her what she wanted to do for her party, as her B-day is coming up in May, thought it might be nice to know what she was wishing for. Her answer, Ariel (yes she is still all about Ariel, she loves the other princesses too but not like Ariel) and Daddy and Papa. Wow. Guess she's been listening more than we thought when I tell Julia that Daddy will be home before Dev's birthday. I thought that was a pretty awesome, all be it completely unexpected, answer from an almost 3 year old! Oh I do love her :)

The temps warmed up just enough that we weren't complete icicles on the soccer field this afternoon.

The not so good parts of today:

Julia informed me last night that I "sat on the plant box at school and broke it". Why does this upset me?? Yes, it's true I fell when it fell, but I did NOT sit on it, I am a grown woman that is well aware of how much I weigh. And her teacher has not once asked ME what happened or even if I am okay, so for her to tell my 4 year old that I broke something at her school without getting the facts first very much upsets me. Wrong on more levels than I can count. So while I found this out last night it contributes to my downs today in adding stress to an already stressful relationship for me. Made for a lousy nights sleep and just in general added to my bad mood today.

The weather was just damp, cold and cloudy. To me that is just depressing and I want my Sunny Spring back.

Then when I picked Julia up this afternoon, specifically not letting myself alone with her teacher lest I light into her. One of the girls in her morning class had stayed for the afternoon, not unheard of, but the first time for this particular child. Julia got in the van talking all about her and how much she liked her. Ok. Great. Well as soon we dropped Rhe off and headed home. Julia tells me. "Mom, I liked ......,but she didn't really like me. She only liked the beautiful girls, like Rhe and B."..... SAY WHAT?! I said "what makes you think you aren't beautiful?" she said "well she only likes the girls with lots of long hair and curls, she doesn't like straight black hair" I said "did she say that?" pause... "no, but she wouldn't swing with me, she only wanted to swing with them". So of course this prompted a long talk and highlighted to me that J is still having some serious self esteem issues and struggling with how different she is. I don't really think the girls were being particularly mean or even saying that Julia was different. I think SHE is one that perceives she is different and reacts to that. I was absolutely heart broken this afternoon. And even now am finding it hard to write this post. We talked about how you have to be beautiful inside before you can be beautiful outside and that God made each of us special and for a special reason. We had some smiles then but I know this is still nagging in her mind. I wish that her teacher and I were able to have a better relationship so I could have some help getting to the bottom of this, but honestly I have begun to wonder just how aware she is of what the kids do when they are playing. She really only has 5 kids in the afternoon, in my opinion she should be well aware of what is being said. But I am afraid at this point anything "I" say is only going to set her on the defensive and accomplish exactly nothing.

So feeling very frustrated tonight. I'm off to put it to good use, the goal for tonight, get at least one more load of laundry through and go to bed with a clean kitchen. :)