breaking up with nursing.

When I set out on my nursing journey with Sabrina, I said I was going to quit on or before her first birthday. No way, no how was I nursing beyond that.

Around the 10 month mark, I was so done. I got selfish, and was ready to have my body back. Sabrina had never had a bottle {she refused it}, and wasn't even willing to try a sippy cup at this point. So, I decided I didn't really have a choice when she successfully went 12+ hours with zero liquid. I realize with those delicious thighs, she wasn't in real danger...but she showed she wasn't ready for us to break up with nursing just yet.

I decided I needed to put away my expectations, and keep on nursing until Sabrina was ready for us to break up. You know what that meant? I nursed after her first birthday. Gasp! I wonder when I will learn to never say never...

I cut out feedings, she learned to use a sippy cup, but she still wanted to nurse. I got it down to just feedings in the middle of the night, and first thing in the morning. Even though I wanted to some day sleep through the night, it was working.

Right around the time Savannah started school, Sabrina started sleeping through the night. That meant she cut out 2 more feeding times on her own. Depending on what time she was waking up, we would just nurse in the morning. Finally something just clicked, and we went 2 days, then 3 days, and then a week with zero nursing.

I could tell that Sabrina was missing our nursing time, and I would scoop her up and rock for a few minutes...then she would be on her way.

I do love sleeping through the night, I mean, duh...who doesn't. I love having my body back, and hopefully my appetite won't be as big. What I didn't expect is to kind of miss it. I am so glad that nursing worked for us, and it was easy. I had the thought more than once, I am happy that I had to take the time out of my day to sit and hold Sabrina to feed her. Things were hectic with a 2 year old, and a new baby...but I always had to make time to have that one on one with her.

Feeling sad it is over, now that it is. I am proud of what we accomplished together. Love that Bina baby of ours.

giving you a high five.

I have noticed all of your awesome this week, and I'm impressed. A big high five.

High five for Paul because...

one of his 12 hour work days was converting this.

He went to Idaho on Monday, had a hellish work day...and survived. He thought he may just die from a toothache, and still managed to work on Tuesday. Wednesday he had a tooth pulled, and a impacted wisdom tooth removed. Thursday he worked another 12 hour work day, because someone has to pay the bills. Today he is busy working, swollen cheek and all. 

High five for Savannah because...

She has had the best attitude waking up early every day. It helps with my morning attitude when I don't have to fight to wake her up.

High five for Devin because...

Well, he was naughty for most of the week. I guess I could give him a high five for not hurting himself while he practices his flying skills, like Buzz Light Year. I don't really need another medical bill. He did thank me for the new toy, so I guess I could give him credit for that too.

High five for Bina because...

She has slept through the night every night since Savannah started school. It may have taken her over a year to figure it out, but it was good timing for her to get it.

Since I can't really give myself a high five, I am giving myself a pat on the back because...

I cooked dinner every night this week. Yep, that isn't a typo. I went grocery shopping with all the kids, by myself. I survived without Paul a lot, and I don't do that well. It has gotten easier for me to wake up super early, probably why I gave Sabrina and Savannah high fives. I didn't burn down the house when I baked, it was a close call. 

Hoping to have some giveaways up next week. They will be worth the wait. 

it's the freakin' weekend.

Unlike some of my friends, I just have one child that goes to school. It doesn't make as big of a difference when she is gone, because my 2 hardest kids are still home.

I had big plans of cleaning, taking long naps, eating at home, yada, yada, yada. You know what is coming next!? My house isn't any cleaner, I still am eating out, and my kids haven't gotten good naps...and neither have I. Eh, maybe next week is what I am tellin' myself.

One day I was super productive, running all of my errands before Savannah had to be picked up. One day we went to a birthday party at Jungle Jim's with all the neighborhood boys Devin's age. One day we had to go to Scheel's to buy something, and I decided to take all the kids for a good time. We have spent every night doing homework, and way too much time sitting in carpool. {People forgot how to pick up kids during the Summer, boggles my mind!}

This week really did run smooth. Savannah is loving school, and is waking up easily. Devin and Sabrina have taken turns waking up in the morning, so I don't have to deal with all 3 before 8. We have juggled everything nicely, and while I want to say I wish every week could/would run this nicely...I know that would jinx myself.

I am ready for a long weekend, and hopefully we don't forget come next Tuesday how to do this school thing. :)

1st day of 3rd grade.

I will admit I cry easily. I really try not to, but I am the one holding back tears at back to school night, dropping Van off the first day of school, and her performing in an assembly about does me in. There is just something about watching your child blossom, make goals, enjoy new things, and change from a child to a young lady. It really is special. 

At the Open House meeting her new teacher

I don't get nervous to send Savannah off to school. She is social, a teacher's pet, and excels in this type of environment. I don't have to fight her to do homework, it is the first thing she wants to do when she gets home. When I go to Parent/Teacher Conference they always tell me the same things..."Savannah is a perfectionist, a social butterfly, sensitive." I got lucky with this kid, I really did.

We didn't know much about her teacher this year, but after today she declared her to be the nicest teacher ever! She came home with that spark she only gets from going to school, and it made me happy.

Something about 3rd grade for me is different. Maybe because that is when I really started to remember my school experiences. I hope she makes really good memories, finds awesome new friends, and I think she is most excited about learning cursive. 

As always I am excited to see what the new year brings. It is fun to see how far she has come, and I am so proud of this girl of ours.

Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade

good things must come to an end.

I think we are finally ready to get back to our school routine, and leave behind our Summer of 2013. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I wasn't ready for this yet. I remember spending a lot of time at the end of May thinking about how I wanted our Summer to go, and I even wrote about it. Being the girl with awesome intentions, and poor follow through...I am impressed with everything we accomplished this Summer.

I asked Savannah what we haven't done that she was hoping to still do. When I got the answer of "We did everything!"...it did make me happy! I put my best effort in, and it didn't go unnoticed. We played hard, we created the best of memories, and it was fun.

Savannah's favorite list of things she did...

Girl Scout camp
Seven Peaks
Non-Lemonade Stand
Bridal Veil Falls
Geocaching
Park City weekend
Cupcake Wars play date
Hokulia Shave Ice
and my personal favorite thing she said being with my family!

I would ask my other kids what they liked the most, but they would probably tell you the bubbles we just did 2 seconds ago. 
  
Even if Savannah won't admit it, she is ready to go to school. We have had mostly good days this Summer, but I know she likes getting away from us. Something about an annoying little brother, and a Mom that makes you clean...school sounds better some days.

I am already trying to come up with a bunch of new and different things to do for next year. I am hopeful it will be way more fun, because Sabrina and Devin will be a little older to enjoy it too!

Waving goodbye wildly...thanks for being good to us Summer of 2013.

Tracy Aviary Play Group.

We decided to do one last Summer play group that Savannah could go to. I plan to continue these play groups, but they will mostly be for Devin. Occasionally I want to plan something on a Friday afternoon so Savannah can feel apart of the fun. We will see how the school year goes first. After school is always hectic for us, and I will probably really limit what we do with others.

Devin had it in his head that we were going to see Dinosaur's, and pouted/whined in the stroller for the majority of our trip. Sabrina decided that she couldn't see well enough from the stroller, and wanted to be held. Savannah complained about everything. So, as you can see, my kids were fun to be around. {Read that with heavy sarcasm!} After this play group I will be surprised if we can get anyone to come again. :)

I always remember going to the bird shows at Tracy Aviary as a kid, and so we all went to one while we were there. It was much shorter than I remember, but Savannah and Devin really loved it. I do want to take them back when they are in a good mood, and maybe we can have a better overall experience.

some of our group! I think I figured out we had 27 total, which was crazy fun!

Thank you to all of our friends that came. I really do enjoy meeting up with everyone, even if my kids don't always cooperate.

Seven Peaks + Grove Market & Deli

We wanted to hit up Seven Peaks one last time before Summer is officially over. Honestly, I am a little over Seven Peaks, but my kids aren't. Shocker.

I didn't tell the kids that we were going until we woke up Monday morning. Which was initially a fabulous idea, until we couldn't find Savannah's swimsuit...and I almost scratched the whole plan. Good thing Paul helped find that darn swimsuit, and we were on our way. I was only slightly frazzled.

The water park was pretty dead, and we got to do a few things that the kids always avoid because it is too busy. We only stayed a little over an hour, but the kids were still happy with that. I didn't feel bad, because this was our second time in a week. It has been fun having the Pass of All Passes this Summer, and I have enjoyed watching our kids start to really love the water.

I made a list of different/fun places I wanted to take the kids for lunch while we were on our adventures for the week. Our lunch spot for this day was Grove Market and Deli. I use to go here all of the time, but haven't ever taken my kids. 

It is kind of an odd little place for lunch, and Savannah was skeptical at how good it was going to be. Of course, she loved it...mostly because it is the biggest sandwich she has ever eaten! It was an added bonus that I bought their brownies, because they were delicious! Who knew!

Bina slept through lunch, swimming always wears her out.

It ended up being a really good day, even though it didn't start off the best with the missing swimsuit...

Look at Devin's face, you can clearly tell this is a good sandwich. Right?