Zoo Day! Hooray!

We went to the zoo on Monday.

We had a great time.

I love being a wife and mother and having this life.

And now...pictures!

Charlie and Will on the Carousel. The guy let them ride twice, she loved it!

Benjamin has an awesome belly laugh. Yes, he's getting his diaper changed. I put this one on here because it's one the few where you can actually see him:)

I really wanted a picture of them together. Didn't turn out the best.

Charlie struggles with taking normal pictures (looking at the camera and smiling) so we did a lot of her posing. This is her with a skull...

Brand new baby giraffe!

He keeps getting his thumb in his mouth. It's too cute.
As soon as they got down this lady came on the intercom and said that no one should be climbing on rocks....oops!

Charlie and a lion.

I'll post more later about the goings on in our lives. Love you all :)

Teeth?!

It's been awhile so I wanted to update everyone with what's been going on at the Spaid's house. We're doing great, fabulous and wonderful! Really! We've finally got into a routine with Will's night schedule...we are two months into the three months...but I'm thinking positive and I know that him working days again will be a breeze. I would say my only complaint these days is the state of the house. I honestly thought that once I was a "grown up" and had a husband, kids, etc. that my house wouldn't look like this. Well, think again ladies and gentlemen. Most of the time I don't mind the clutter (probably why it rarely goes away) but it's just frustrating that we do usually spend one day a week really straightening things up.......and it gets all messed up again. I need to work out some system to keep stuff under control. Like: no Mt. Dew until these chores are done. We'll see how that goes.

Benjamin is getting his two bottom teeth. This is not a drill, folks. We can actually see them through the gums and he's in love with his pacifier (he chomps on it all day). It's exciting because he's a baby who is getting his first teeth but it's sad because he's my baby and he's growing up so fast. It seems like a blur. I can only imagine that as we have more it will only get faster. Anyway, he's almost 16 lbs. and getting quite chunky. It's fun to see him fill out is clothes that were once so big on him. He still has only rolled over one time (complete accident I think) and it's kind of starting to worry me. Except I'm trying not to worry so mostly I don't think about it. He is getting very close to sitting up on his own though. A few more weeks and he should be good to go.

Charlotte is also growing up fast. Sometimes I literally have to remind myself that she is only two years old still. (Almost three, but you know). Her vocabulary and insight into everything really blow my mind. She has this way of asking for things...she'll come up to you talking and nodding her head and shaking her hands in earnest. You just want to tell her yes. The other day I getting ready and she comes up to me, "Mom, it's okay if I got this pink thing out because I got this pink thing out and it's okay, right?" It was the birth certificate for her cabbage patch doll. She just wills you to say yes. It's the best.

Will is still working the 14 hour days. He plays W.O.W. in his free time and helps me the rest. He's really just a wonderful husband. I told him today that I think I would be miserable if I weren't married. He just makes life better.

I'm still applying for jobs. Something, someday will work out. And if it does I'll probably have to stay up all night to get our house clean to meet them!

Superbowl Sunday

Okay...so I've never put pictures on here...so I didn't know that the last one I picked would go on first...just know that I did not intentionally put the picture of the purse ahead of the pictures of my kids. This is just a random post to get some pictures up (had some time - kids are sleeping:))

This is a picture of my diaper bag for this summer. (I think I'll start to use it as soon as it gets a little warm!) It was regularly $108....I got it for $30 - with tax! I was waaaay excited! (Obviously, excited enough to put a picture of it on my blog...or take a picture for that matter.)
Charlie and Ben celebrating the Steelers victory. (They care so much.)

I had Ben up on my knees and he was sticking out his little neck so far I just wanted to take a picture. It's hard to tell how cute it was, his little head is so round:)

Snoozing in the swing. I loved the hat over the eyes, such a guy!

Big boy pajamas!

He really does like cereal...

...see?

Playing outside in the snow. Weird smiles are pretty much all we get these days.

So anyway, nothing much is new with us. Will's working tonight (an extra night). He traded with someone so he'll only have to work three days next week. In a couple of months he might be going to 9 hour shifts...we are so excited! I feel like on the days he works we never see each other. Granted, most of his awake time is spent with his other wife W.O.W. (that was only kind of a joke...)

I've had a couple email me back about jobs. It's kind of funny...like negative reinforcement. I whined about no one replying on my blog...and then I get three emails the next few days! The first one said "thanks for replying, we aren't interested." I'm still talking to the other two. One is full time and the other is two days a week. We'll see. Even if neither work out it's still encouraging.

Stay-at-home-mom

I've been looking for a job...for a little while now. Pretty much since I got used to having two kids...at least a little bit used to it! I'm trying to find a child to watch at home or someone that wants me to come to their home with my children to watch theirs. I'm not sure if I have the skills needed for other kinds of stay-at-home jobs.

I think it's just too much to ask...yes, I'll watch your child(ren) but I need to bring my two kids along. I know that it could work but there are just too many people out there looking for jobs that don't have to bring their kids too. I've sent out so many e-mails just asking people to meet with me to see if we could work something out (I worded it so much more professionally though!) and only person has even responded. It's so frustrating! I guess I'm venting. Will wants me to get licensed and be a "real" daycare, but I just don't feel like I have the space for something like that here. Actually, I know I don't.

I don't know, I don't need a job so badly...ends are meeting. It would just be nice to pay some extra on bills....maybe set some $$ aside for when our transmission goes out, who knows?! :) And it's so worth it being with Ben and Charlie everyday, I know I definitely don't want to do anything else. Like I said, I'm just frustrated...and I don't really have anyone who understands so I thought I'd just put it out there into cyberspace.

Actually, I do have someOne who understands...and I have been praying about it. I just sent out two more emails today....so maybe someone will be interested!

The Terrible Two's

So...Charlie will be three in April. I italicized it because I honestly can't believe it. I remember being pregnant with her...having her...being with her when she was tiny like it was yesterday! There are two sides to it though, I just told my mom the othere day "I don't know what I did before I had her." It's so true. She adds so much to my life. She's hilarious and original and, boy, she is a TALKER. The other night we were in bed and trying to go to sleep (yes she was in my bed, yes I know that's not good) and she's like, "You're my sexy mommy." I almost died from laughing (so of course she said it like six more times). I was like, where did you hear that?! (No, Will doesn't say things like that, if he did I wouldn't wonder where she heard it:)) Anyway, this is not the point.
The point.
She is two. And she obviously doesn't have a full grasp on how to control emotions/etc. So she's been throwing fits lately. And honestly I'm at my wits end as to what to do. She just loses it completely...and usually over nothing at all.
So I told her this week we are staying home all week to work on this. I'm tired of being in the Target parking lot and wrestling my (large) two-year-old in her carseat. I said we're staying home: you're sleeping in your own bed, you're getting up at a decent time, you're taking regular naps at a good time, and you're goine to bed on time. I said we're not arguing anymore, if I say something and you don't like it -- to your room you go.
Today (obviously) is the first day of this. It's not going well. :)
Checklist:

• stay home (check)
• sleep in own bed (not even close...on the floor in our room for most of the night, our bed for the rest)
• get up on time (check)
• nap @ good time (it was okay...half-check)
• bed on time (not even close again...actually fell asleep on the couch and is still there...)
• arguing (I don't know?)

She did throw one fit (went to her room) and argue some. I think she was kind of bored. We're still staying home but I'm going to try to do more with her tomorrow. Well Ben woke up so I'm typing one-handed. I'll let you know how it goes...please feel free to give advice.