Chitter Chatter

It's almost 9:30pm. Hopefully Douglas will be home soon. This is the third night in a row that he has had late things going on and I am sorta sick of it. He will have two night classes (until 9:30pm) back to back next term, so I better get used to it.

I have been so tired the last few days. I would go to bed right now, but I will need to feed the baby in about an hour and so I wait...I have been surfing the web with no particular destination, just the goal not to think.

I have been playing Words with Friends which is sort of like scrabble, but online. My brain hurts from thinking of words and fitting them into spaces on the board. I am so competitive that I can't just go with the easy word I think of right away. I have to try out every possible option. My brain hurts.

Paige is loving her dance class. It is combo tap and ballet. She is actually quite coordinated. She loves it so much and it is cute to see her take it all so seriously. There is no messing around for her. She puts her heart and soul into the class. Jackson gets to play his DS the whole time. He puts his heart and soul into that too.

I cut Benny off with night feedings last night. He still woke at 5am, I gave him his pacifier and he slept till 6am. I gave it to him again and I had to wake him at 7:30am. This may be the beginning of a good thing. Certainly with his size he doesn't need to be eating during the night. I take him in next Tuesday. I can't wait to see how he has grown. He has become such a squirrley eater and it is such a chore to nurse him sometimes. Not to mention, inconvenient since his afternoon feeding falls right between Paige's preschool and picking Jackson up from school. I get to nurse him in the car which isn't very fun. If I try to do it at home, though, I will be late to get J from school.

Our Realtor in Saint Louis has started sending us home listings. It is fun to look and imagine. It will be here before I know it. That is one thing I know about life. Things seem so far away and then all of a sudden they are upon you.

I am photographing twins tomorrow and I am really nervous. This is my first, real, newborn session since we moved here... two babies and in the evening. I am very nervous about it. I still go back and forth about what to do with my business when we move. Part of me loves it and part of me doesn't want to deal with it. I am hoping to find a home with a good place to set up a studio. That will make it much easier. The money will definitely be helpful so for that reason I imagine I will still do it.

Sometimes I wonder how much money a person has to make before you feel like you have "extra" or money to spare. Don't get me wrong, Douglas has a great job and will make good money but after you pay bills, savings, retirement, tithing, mortgage, clothing kids, kids activities, insurance, student loans etc. there won't be much to spare. I am just excited to be going toward the positive end of things. This semester has and is VERY tight financially. I admit that I should have budgeted better in the semesters past, but it is what it is (my kids use that phrase on me all the time now...I guess I say it a lot). I am proud of myself though. I have really been frugal the past month and a half and after a lot of fasting and praying (on Douglas' part...I'm nursing), I have already scheduled three photo sessions with two or three more possible before the semester ends. That was a major answer to prayers.

Then we had to replace our tires and brakes. Haha!! Isn't that always how it goes?

Douglas was telling me that Jackson's teacher was telling him that she references Jackson often in her PhD writings (she is currently working on a PhD). She references him for good reasons (thankfully) and mainly because he understands how to learn so well. Now, I don't want to be one of "those" moms that thinks there kid is a genius, but Jackson really is a very bright kid. I get to help in his class on occasion and I am always amazed by him. He comes to work on whatever they are doing and has it done, with no help, in a matter of minutes (or less than a minute). All the other kids, even the bright ones, need help and guidance. Mrs. Seals tells me that he remembers everything and has an answer for everything that is usually correct (where in the world does that trait come from ;)) There you go...bragging about my kid. He really is a smart cookie.

Benny has started laughing. Cutest. think. ever. How did I forget how cute it is?? He lights up all of our lives. The kids adore him. I adore him. I love how I will wake him in the morning and once he has stretched his little arms his little mouth curls into a huge smile. Melt my heart.

Jackson has started having night terrors again. We went a few years without, but since he had his stomach bug last month, he has waken up every night with one. So frustrating.

I am loving the TV show Downton Abbey. Douglas and I are watching together and having such a fun time talking about it after. Such a great show.

Well, Douglas is home and I guess I will be responsible and fold some laundry before bed. Sounds boring.

Oh, and one more thing, I am working so very hard to eat better and have actually been doing well. I just hope it shows when I step on the scale. I still fit into none of my pre-pregnancy clothing. I have been running as much as I can as well. I haven't baked all week and limit any sweet that I might eat after dinner. I greatly dislike trying to lose weight!