Sunday, July 28, 2013

How did you do?

In some ways my experiment was harder than I thought it would be. Please don't think that I went around all the time calling people names. That's not the issue for me.  Although, today I called Leah a grumpy gills. Oops. The real issue surfaced on day two.

On day two I realized that I will say things like "can you believe so and so said this?" Or something like "this person did that?" I get annoyed by what people do or say, or don't do or don't say. It will bother me when people don't do things the way I would do them. It took me the whole seven days to realize that I have no control over the choices other people make. I can only control my reaction to them. And to be honest, that's hard sometimes!

The second half of my week long experiment was spent at a family reunion. I did this on purpose. Why? I'm still trying to figure that one out! All of us were in the same house sharing the same space. That is hard for me. I'm what you might call a 'controlling' personality, and to have no personal space and not enough hot water for a shower gets me in a rut.  Just to give you an idea, I had a list of things I needed to bring before leaving, and Steve truthfully added "a good attitude" to the bottom of my list. I had to make a conscious choice to look for the good in the people around me. Which is also hard for me. I hate to see people be disrespectful to my family or friends, but that doesn't mean I have to judge them in a critical way. I had an epiphany while there. Whatever I look for in others I will find.  I will always be able to see things that people do and how they annoy me or I how I don't agree with them. But, and this is a big but, I can always find something positive if I'm really looking for it.

I'm also trying to figure out how I can say something about someone without it coming across in a negative way. For example, on the third night of the experiment,  I was telling Steve about how the kid's swim lessons were going. I said that Tyler was a lazy swimmer. That has a negative tone to it, even though I didn't mean it as an insult. What I should have said was Tyler needs to work on improving his endurance to become a better swimmer. Make sense? I was mentally spent trying to use my words in a way that would remove the negative, but not only that, spin it in a positive way.

Am I glad I did this? Absolutely. Did I do as well as I wanted? Nope. But it was very good to help me reflect on my attitude and the choice I have when responding to those around me. I really did feel more conscious of what I was saying. So how did your week turn out?

Monday, July 8, 2013

Who's with me?

The subject of this post has been on my mind for weeks. I sort of hesitated to post it because it is quite telling of the person I am. But I am ultimately posting it because of the person I want to become. And by posting this, I am holding myself accountable. So here it goes!

I chatter, judge, and say things about other people that I probably wouldn't say if they were there. The more I think about it, the more I want to change this behavior. I want to be the kind of person that people know their name is safe with me. I am also doing this because I want to have more positive things in my life. Why say something negative about someone else? What good can possibly come from that? I often justify my behavior because what I'm saying is the truth. For instance, I saw a lady a few weeks ago with the worst case of "Utah hair" ever, and I just had to point out how bad it was to Steve. True or not, it should not come out of my mouth.

Therefore, I have decided to put myself to the test. I am not going to say anything negative about anyone, true or not, for one week. Seven days. That's 168 hours. Or 10,080 minutes. As I mentioned this to Steve, he said, "you know that includes yourself, right?" Curses! I am overly critical of myself, about my post baby body, habits, weaknesses, parenting fail moments...the list goes on. This might be harder than I thought. However, the week will force me to think about what comes out of my mouth.

By removing the negativity I create, I'm allowing room for positivity to flow in. In the recent months I have noticed just how negative the world is. I want to contribute to goodness. If I am not, who will? So, I ask, who's with me? Who is in for seven days of positive thinking and speaking? Who will join me in creating more goodness?

Starting Wednesday, July 17th until the 24th I am going to think before I speak. I'll post my thoughts and experience when the week is up. Who's with me?

Thursday, June 6, 2013

My how time flies!

What is the saying? Oh yeah, "time flies when you're having fun." In the past two months we've had a lot of fun, tears, late nights, early mornings, dance parties, school programs, breakfasts for dinner, dirty bathrooms, soccer games, birthdays, kisses, Uno games, snuggles, a ninth anniversary, and lots and lots of smiles.

Three kids has been an adventure so far. To be honest there are days where I wonder if I'm going to have any brains left by bedtime. But there were those days with just two kids. There are days when it's 11 in the morning and my patience is gone for the day. But there were those days with just two kids. For the most part, the adjustment to three has been relatively smooth. I can say that because I've had a lot of help from my husband, mom, and sister-in-law, Suzie. Thanks!

Leah is a pretty good baby. She's a great sleeper. I'll feed her at around 8:30 p.m. and she doesn't get up until 5:30 or 6 in the morning. She is a super smiler. It melts my heart every time! She is most comfortable snuggling right on my chest all curled up. Leah has chosen to not really take a pacifier. Grrr! Especially because she is super fussy for about 20-30 minutes every evening, usually starting just as we're sitting down for dinner. She's more of a crier than my other two babies. However, I find that all I do is kiss her cheeks all day long! Seriously, all day.

As of two months Leah's stats are:
Height: 23.5 inches, about 80%
Weight: 10 lbs. 12 oz., about 55% (which, incidentally, is how much Steve weighed when he was born!)
 
Hannah is really growing up. She is a wonderful helper. The other day Steve was out weeding with the kids. He told them he'd give them a penny per weed. Hannah got $2.50, while Tyler got $1. Yes, we had that many weeds! Hannah loves to kiss Leah's cheeks, read books, dress up like a princess, and be Tyler's shadow. She is a girl through and through!

Tyler graduated from Kindergarten and loved it. Didn't he just start? He's also been playing soccer and has had the time of his life...despite scoring two goals for the other team! He's super excited it is summer time. He wants to be outside exploring or practicing fishing in the back yard!














While times does seem to fly by, we're trying to make the most of it!

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Newborns 101

There are quite a few things you forget as your children get older. What do they call it again? Mom "amnesia?" You know what I'm talking about. All those little things you don't really think about when you say, "let's have another baby." I, for one, forgot how not fun contractions are. I remembered that they weren't pleasant, but didn't realize how much I dislike them! Here are a few things I've "remembered" since welcoming sweet Leah to our home.

1. You can literally be turning to throw away a dirty diaper, and they will fill the clean one you just put them in. I honestly think "there goes $.29!"

2. That getting 3.5 hours of consecutive sleep can make you feel so rested. What happened to those nights of sleeping nine hours? Oh yeah, kids. That's what happened!

3. How wonderful a frozen pack of peas can feel when your milk is coming in.

4. Nose suckers are torture to newborns. As are the hiccups, some diaper changes, and apparently baths. Leah thinks we are killing her every time we give her a bath. Someday she will love them!

5. What it is like planning out your day (and what feels like your life) in two to three hour increments. And how fast those three hours go by!

6. How staring at a baby for hours each day never gets old. Ever.

7. It is impossible not to talk in some form of the "baby voice" when talking to Leah.

8. That something so small can grab a hold of your heart!

9. The way you have to do most things with one hand while holding a baby. 

10. That the dishes, vacuuming and laundry can wait. Leah will only be little for such a short time.

11. Having a newborn must be a small taste of what heaven is like. There is only pure love for this sweet baby in our home.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Leah Grace Pulley

Our sweet Leah was born six days early on April 4, 2013 at 4:31 in the morning. She is my only baby to come early! I always love hearing about the birth story, so I'll share mine!

Wednesday, the 3rd, I woke up feeling energized and went on a nice long walk. Around 10 a.m. I had a contraction, but didn't think anything of it. I was going to take the kids to lunch and the zoo later that day, and thought it would be an uneventful day. All that morning and while at the zoo I had really random contractions. I still didn't think anything of it. I guess all that walking did something. From about 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. the contractions were about every 10-15 minutes apart. I even went to a friend's baby shower that night and everyone asked me if I was in labor. I still didn't think I was! The contractions weren't too strong and didn't seem to be getting much worse, so I took a Unisom at 10 and tried to get some rest. The key word...tried!

By 11 p.m. they were every 3-7 minutes apart. We called my mom just before midnight to come stay with the kids. Even as we were leaving for the hospital, I felt sure they were going to send me back home. However, that 20 minute drive to the hospital changed my mind. I had a few bad contractions that made me realize I was in labor. The hospital admitted me around 1 a.m., when the nurse checked and I was a 4+. I got my epidural at around 2:30 a.m. The super great nurse said my body was having enough contractions on my own that I didn't need to have pitocin. After checking me at 3:15 and being a 5+, the nurse said she'd be back in a few hours to check my progress and for me to get some sleep.

Steve instantly fell asleep and I listened to my relaxing music on my phone. Exactly a half hour later at 3:45 a.m., I felt the urge to push. The nurse came in, and sure enough I'd gone from a 5 to 10 in just 30 minutes. They called my doctor who was home sleeping, and he came into the hospital around 4:15. Once he got all set up, I only pushed for about seven minutes and Leah was born.

The moment they put her on my chest, I could tell she was so tiny. Both Tyler and Hannah were close to 8.5 pounds. Leah weighed 7 pounds even and was 21 inches long. Hearing her cry was the best sound in the world. A healthy baby is simply a miracle. I couldn't have asked for a smoother labor or delivery.













Since being home, Leah has been pretty calm and a good sleeper. She'll eat at night, and go back to sleep for about three hours. The kids have loved watching her and trying get her attention by showing her their toys and such! Tyler likes kissing her cheeks, and Hannah touches her face with her pointer finger! I am feeling pretty good, thanks to the help of family. I'm just trying to enjoy this time with a sweet little newborn!


Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Better late than never

I've been meaning to post about Tyler turning six for weeks now. Oh, well! Tyler has been looking forward to being six for quite some time. Since his birthday, he has said things like, "now that I'm six, it's not so heavy to carry, " or "I know better because now I'm six."

The morning of his birthday he requested the traditional "egg face" breakfast. After a spotlight in his school, we went to dinner and he loved the complimentary ice cream. He must be a Pulley, his birthday centered around good food! That night he opened presents, and was thrilled with new sunglasses, a batman watch, and a Dragonology book!







That weekend we had his first ever friend party. With a few friends from school and a few from the neighborhood, he was spoiled with gifts. I underestimated how much energy it takes keeping up with eight six year old boys. I was exhausted after the party, but Tyler was on cloud 9. He loved the crown, bowling, pizza with friends, and overall attention. As if a friend party during the days wasn't enough, we had a family party for him that night. We were all ready for bed after such a busy day.





I came to a realization after the week of birthday festivities. While it is a lot of work as a parent to throw a party and get everything ready, you do it because your child deserves to feel special. I remember thinking as a child that my birthday was paramount to Christmas. That is mostly because my mom made me feel special. More than the gifts, or treats, or balloons, I hope Tyler could feel how much he means to me and our family. He is a smart, sensitive, energetic, friendly boy who is going to make for one awesome six year old!

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Little things

More often than not, it is the little things in life that make it all worthwhile. That is true because the "big" things only come around every once in a while. Don't get me wrong, I love the big things too, but it is the small, simple, sweet things that keep a person (to be read: a mom) going. And, apparently I'm into lists my last few posts!

1. Helping Hands

I think there must be some law out there in the universe that a pregnant lady has to drop at least six things a day simply because it is hard to pick them up. Thankfully I have two small pairs of hands that will come when I call to help pick things up for me. Tyler also gathers all the garbage cans in the house each week and is sad when it isn't what he calls "chore day."  Hannah knows right where the dusters are and insists on helping. I am grateful for those helping hands even if they are the same hands that make the messes!

2. Castle

If you aren't watching this show, you should. Even though there is a murder at the beginning of each episode, it is not about the murder. Whether it is the witty banter between Castle and Beckett, or the dynamic between Ryan and Esposito, I am always smiling during the show. My Mondays are made because of this show.

3. An uninterrupted shower

I think any mom knows what I mean.

4. The feeling of being prepared

I'm a planner. For better or worse I am always thinking ahead and preparing for eventual situations. When packing for a trip I "foresee" what could happen, and what I "might" need. You get the idea. I'm a nerd! It has been a snowy winter here, and one of my favorite feelings is going to the store to "stock" up on things so that I won't have to go out for three or four days during the cold and snow. Even as I type this, the snow is falling and I love that I've got everything I need for meals for the next several days.

5. My Mom

Now she is one of the "big" things in my life, but it is all the little things she does for me that save my sanity.

6. Fruit Snacks

To whoever invented fruit snacks...thank you. When my kids are in quiet time, all it takes is me bringing them a pack of fruit snacks, and they'll stay in their rooms a little while longer. Or if I am driving in the car and the kids are getting crazy, pass them some fruit snacks and POOF, it is silent. I know it might not be the healthiest snack in the world, but they make my life easier.

7. Hiccups

Not my own, but baby sisters. She gets them daily, and it is a sweet reminder that she's there and healthy.

What little things keep you going each day?

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Careful, these are an expectant woman's thoughts!

I was gently reprimanded by my sister in law that I've been neglecting my blog. This isn't news to me. I felt like there wasn't much to post. I could post Christmas pictures, or write about my mothering woes and follies, but I figured most people had better things to do than hear about the mundane things in my life. And since I felt like nothing big was happening, I chose not to write at all.

I supposed those aren't valid excuses. Nonetheless, I guess I'll write about what I've been thinking about lately. These are in no particular order, as I am pregnant and my thoughts are all jumbled most of the time anyway! 

1. Depending on the day I am excited beyond words, or nervous and overwhelmed at the prospect of three kids and meeting sweet baby sister. I have to remind myself that there are going to be great days and days where I want to quit. I need to take things one day at a time. I am also having the hardest time deciding on a name for baby sister. The name I really like gets either a hot or cold reaction. She will probably be Baby Girl Pulley in the hospital for a while! (P.S. The name I really like is Nora.)

2. Tyler has his first two loose teeth. I don't think a child has ever been so excited to have loose teeth. He's told the pizza delivery guys, the clerks at the store, and all his friends at school. How did he grow up so much?  In a way I feel like I've blinked and all of the sudden he's almost six. Part of me wants my kids to stay young and innocent forever. The other part of me can't wait for them to grow up and make their own choices. I guess I'm learning to take the time to play Candy Land for the third time in a row, or I will miss this most important time.

3. Pregnancy is really hard on my self esteem. I'm just going to be honest, it's not my favorite. Now, don't think that pre-pregnancy I walked around feeling like I was hot stuff. But we all have those days where we look in the mirror and think "not bad!" I never have those days now.

4. I love my husband. He is my best friend. Steve supports me, loves me, compliments me, and forgives me. He works so hard that I truthfully think I'd lose myself if I worked as hard as he does. He is genuine, pure in heart, a good listener, confident, and makes time to play with the kids...all of these make him super hot in my book!

Now, there are many more things I could write about. For example, I could write about my love of the show Castle, how shaving your legs in the winter is pointless, or how much I love hearing my kids laugh (as long as it isn't when doing something they aren't supposed to), but I'll spare you! At least until my next post!