A Life After Babies

As I stated in a blog post prior about how life is chugging along, I sit here typing in the wee hours of the night after failed attempts of getting back to sleep. I'm pretty sure I know this is a side affect of my ADHD medication, but hoping its not going to be a regular occurrence.

So blog post it is!

At the same age give or take, Alden has been weaned. The same behavior issues were resulting as like his brother....and this momma was now over this bonding experience.

........And I have to say.....I am not really missing it. Yes, I just said that. Three and a half years of my life were given to trying to ensure they could get the most health benefit from the liquid gold.

So now what?

Why, a whole new lifestyle that is!

I can now shop for tops/sweaters and not have to test it for how easy I could whip a boob out while not flashing whatever bystander was near. The girls get to 'move up' to a new position post with the help of underwire! No more having to re click the nursing bra back after wrestling a baby and toddler on my lap.

THE BAR IS CLOSED!

Nolan frequently refers to my boobs as 'mommies milk', and has been obsessed with them since day one. After having weaned him for 15 months, one day after being incredibly tired of fighting him off while nursing his brother, said, "Fine....go ahead!"

He latched and nursed as if those last 15 months were only but a skipped day.

But the latch of a near three year old is not the same as the one of a six month old.

Yep.....this ain't going to continue.

I'm not stuck holding a baby to feed or rock to sleep and can go and reinvest in my previous hobbies/passions which had to sit off to the side most of the time except for a few brief moments I was able to indulge myself with a personal project.


In the last few days, I've looked on at the family as my three are sitting on the couch with Gram while she reads a few more stories before her soon to be here flight home.....

This life stage is actually pretty enjoyable. Yes, my last baby is no longer a baby and pushing his independence and curiosity for life further each day.....but so much about everyday life is very much exciting to him. I've noticed how he'll roll a train car over my curves, jumping it from fat mound to leg and back to fat mound like Evil Knievel ramps. *sigh*

Nolan will be overheard playing with one of the boys I watch during the day and reenacting with his Rescue Bots along with Optimus Prime trying to save each other. Just his own fantasy role playing that Eliza didn't get very big into

....And my big five year old, bus riding kindergartener. Her new abilities she's developing from improving her speech, learning to read and even following step by step visual directions to put together a Lego Friends set pieces.

My kids love each other....most of the time....and love their parents.....most of the time.....

I really am blessed.

We may have a giant hole in the ceiling, a kitchen that can't be kept clean, one car we have to share between a career/kids/appointments/life, bitten off more than we might possibly be able to chew....

But blessed :)

Spin Cycle

Life has been everything thrown into the washer and humming like clock work around these parts. This kinda explains the lack of blogging as of late. But trust me....the desire has been there....but, soooo many projects have been buzzing in this head of mine.

It constantly plays tug-o-war with my adult responsibilities.

My mother has made her annual trip out east to stay with us for a month or so. Accompanied by this, has been my uncle and aunt from the Gallagher side, followed with my soon to be in laws for Columbus day weekend. A long overdue family portrait is scheduled this time around to include Alden on the wall.

As much as I've enjoyed having this extra family visiting, not to mention two....yes TWO date nights Matt and I've been blessed to go on.....it brings on a different kind of work/stress when entertaining. Not the bad sorts, but just more activity than we are accustomed to.

Eliza is in school during the day (unless we have the pleasure of discovering lice), two extra boys come off the bus to my house for childcare, MOPS has started up again and Alden is becoming more and more a toddler. Speaking of that, He had a recent doctor's appointment. His stats for 15 months are as follows:

Height: 33 in (92nd %)
Weight: 23 lbs 11 oz (36th %)
Head: (96th %)

He loves to be outside playing, climbing and eating sand from the sandbox. Anything with wheels are always enjoyed. And language is emerging more. Something I am not use to from prior experience with the older two and speech delays. Mama, dada, dueweek (drink) ut oh, bye bye....


We are still waiting on getting a bid back on the upstairs bathroom from Nolan flooding it. One of the hold ups is finding asbestos on the underside of the bathroom flooring. If we can try and remove it ourselves as to totally legal in NY state and use the insurance money to cover the remodel...this would be the best situation....especially if you've ever had to experience a shower or function in it.

The ceiling still has to be torn out and instal drywall.

The livingroom floors have original red oak flooring! Now its a matter of getting it repaired in a few places and then refinished. The hardest part with this is having to be out of the house for 3 days! No easy feat!


Weather here has been mild. Just today I went outside in a short and shorts while the boys played and I worked on deconstructing pallets. I wonder how long I'll be able to work out in the shed for cutting scrap lumber until it requires snow boots and a parka, ha!

I installed some leftbehind gutters over our side door entrance and along the carport last week, but will eventually need something more efficient and covering more around the outside roof sides. Yet, it was free and I just barely managed with a painter's stool getting the brackets screwed in.

New curtains in the living room to replace the previous owners love affair with puke green everything!

Still need to sew the boy's window curtains....and having to force myself to just do it when the bolt of fabric sits in the basement. It seems no matter how....even if you make them yourself....it still will cost you an arm/leg and first born!

Who needs the gym when you have a house to work on?!