Juggling 5

And that is just the kids. While I am usually pretty comfortable in my parenting I am beginning to wonder what the heck I am supposed to do with a few of these kids.

Zayden is one of my more challenging kids. The others are touchy feely dorks like me and their dad, but Zayden just isn't the same. It surprises others when I tell them he is my most difficult to deal with. It is like he's too old for his age. While still constantly competing against Zachary. He acts completely annoyed that I am his mom. Like he would rather be parented by someone else. When Tony is around it is much more balanced but it isn't like Zayden is good for Tony either. I feel my little boy being completely different than what he used to be. I don't think there is a problem just that I feel like I miss him. He was such a cuddle bug and he loved to work but now he is like an angry, grumpy old man. I want him to enjoy and be excited for life while maintaining a routine. I need something to excite him. I am just to boring. 

Then there is Zander. He is different in a different at than Zayden. He frustrates me everyday. He is such a fun loving little guy demanding yet go with the flow of 3 big brothers. He is his daddy's boy. He gets the biggest light in his eyes for his daddy. While that isn't weird it is certainly different at our house. The army has been pretty demanding of Tony when the older 3 were younger toddler age. While loving his daddy so much is different it isn't where my concerns lie. Hope I am just worrying about nothing. 

fun out of the sun

Yesterday while the kids were driving me crazy my friend called and said she was at a little fest in McKenna the neighboring little town. She said it was pretty empty and that I should bring the kids out to play on the bouncy stuff. My original plan was to get shower but this sounded like more fun. We ended up staying a little over 4 hours where he kids had a blast. The weather was amazing overcast and    comfortable. The boys spent lots of time catching grasshoppers, running around and playing on the bouncy things. We then brought Zachary's friend home for a few hours.
Last night all but Zander slept in my room. It makes me sad that he will not sleep anywhere else but in his bed. I would love to get some toddler cuddling in at night. I don't need every night just a few nights here and there.
Zander made it through Sunday school without Zachary this morning. We will be going back tonight for iGnite. Can't get enough church. Lol.

Burning up

Oh my word has it been hot this week. It has been in the 90's this week which wouldn't be so bad if we had an a/c. I truly don't mind heat when there is a/c. We stayed home both days just going with the flow of the heat. Abbie was quite bothered by the heat and slept much of yesterday. Today is only supposed to be in the 80's so much more bearable. We are just having a relaxing Saturday at this point. I know I have to get them out to do something today as Zander is going crazy being stuck in the house for 2 whole days.
I am missing Tony quite a bit since he has only been getting on at night and I must sleep when the kids do so I haven't been getting to talk to him.
School starts in 2 1/2 weeks and I am excited for the big boys to go. I am not looking forward to all the work that comes with sending the kids to school everyday, homework, lunches, less time for them to do their chores. I am also excited for quiet afternoons. I have been having Abbie nap when Zander does so that when school starts they can nap so I can get stuff done or catch a nap. Whatever I need that day. I wish I was able to handle all the kids at home and home school them because I do love each of my children very much but I just can't stay on a schedule to get school stuff done. I wouldn't mind keeping one home and using the online public school here in Washington. Just not sure I could keep up with the non-computer stuff. Hopefully one day I'll be able to school some of my children.
However so many boys is just constant fighting. This has been the worst summer so far. I mean I do have a lot going on and am alone most of the time with all the kids.
I feel like I am running in a hamster wheel  doing the same thing all day everyday. I miss Tony's help with the little things like putting away laundry and helping with bedtime and dishes. Now that I am doing those chores too I am too exhausted to stay on top of all my heavy cleaning. I haven't fallen too behind but let's say there are some things in the house that need cleaning.
Today I have sent the boys outside to burn off some energy. They are going crazy. Not sure where we are going today but we'll be going out to do something.
I wish I had more friends shoot any friends would work. My friends I hung out with before Tony left one moved and the other just stopped talking to me. Not sure what happened there but whatever. I prefer keeping to myself just like an adult conversation once in a while would be nice.

Zander turns 2.

Today my precious little boy turned two. I am pretty sure he is my last boy baby to turn two but only God knows that for sure. He unfortunately had to spend his birthday going grocery shopping, but we did eat lunch out before heading home where he refused to nap because he fell asleep in the car. Iced our "ball" cupcakes and did some chores around the house. Then I made him dinner, meatball subs, rice and green beans which he did a nice job eating. Then we had cupcakes. He blew out the candle and I tried to have him lick the icing off the bottom of the candle, but instead he bit it off. So I had to make him spit that out. He then ate his baseball cupcake. After cupcakes was presents. He got a Thomas the Train (but I hear it's not Thomas) from Grandma Lisa and then for me and daddy and siblings he got 2 monster trucks and a soccer/hockey set with nets, balls, and sticks. He was a bit unsure about unwrapping them, but his big brothers held back nothing in helping him dive right in. He also picked out a soccer ball/basketball/football set at the store today. If you can't see the theme it is sport stuff. This little boy loves balls and would even sit and watch sports with daddy before he left. Hoping Zander will keep that interest.

Funny Zander

While Zander doesn't talk too much he does still do some funny stuff. He has excema and it's been flaring in his joints with the heat that we've had. He has a spot on the top of his left elbow that is becoming raw and bleeding. Tonight I decided that I would put some cream on it and then a bandaid since I usually won't treat it for fear of him eating/licking the cream off. I put the cream on and then a bandaid so that overnight hopefully the cream would clear it up. Then I said to him that he could just leave that on while he was sleeping and it would be all better in the morning. Well he then begins pointing at it and making snoring noises. He then kept pointing at it and snoring. I put a long sleeve shirt on him so that he wouldn't pick it off, but he was so funny with his snoring.
He does occasionally fake like he's sleeping and it's always with sound effects of him snoring.