the dripping faucett: Memorial Weekend and Summer Time!!

So, I had planned on posting after Memorial weekend and telling about all this stuff we had planned, going to the Aquarium, Stillwater and the park; but of course come Thursday before Jason's sinus infection had caused an ear infection and Thursday it became unbearable for him and he had to go to the clinic right after work; if he could have gone sooner he would have! Well, he gets home from seeing the doctor; he was so bad he had to have his parents drive him home, so when they all got here, we decided on dinner and they so graciously went and got dinner and get Jason's prescriptions. Well, everything was good, I was fine, taking care of Jason and Madison until after dinner; I don't know what caused it, but I got sick! So needless to say most of Memorial weekend Jason and I were pretty sick; to the point that we almost called the grandparents to take Madison and I think Saturday I really wish I had! Just so we could get some rest b/c neither of us got much sleep and luckily I was sick while Madison was sleeping but unfortunately when she was awake I was exhausted and Jason physically could not do much. Needless to say Madison managed to get taken care of. :) Well, Monday we were able to get around enough to go to Stillwater and even by Sunday afternoon I was eating better and started to get cabin fever! So by Monday I was ready to salvage what we could of the weekend! So Monday we went up to Eskimo Joe's and checked out the shops that were open and then pretty much came home; but it was nice to get out and do something all together!

The following weekend we did actually make it to the Oklahoma Aquarium and I was pretty excited. Of course it turned out that Madison was a little cranky, I don't think she got enough sleep. Some mornings when we get up to go somewhere or even sometimes when everyone else is up; so is she and when we got up around 6 or so; she was up too! Well the drive down there was okay and then when we have like 20 minutes or so left she was getting mad because she was ready to be out of her car seat! So we somehow manage to make it to Jenks with Madi getting pretty upset off and on in the last part of the drive and I know she's tired so I try to get her to see what all I think she might get the most excited about; instead of stopping at every single thing they have. We get her through and the shark area I was most excited about her seeing she was kind of like ehh, okay more fish, now let me down so I can get mobile. :) We get done with that, put her in her stroller and give her a few snacks and start making our way back through some of the stuff we wanted to see that we might have missed and shortly after the stroller ride put her to sleep. :) With the exception of lunch at Louie's (my first time; yummy!) she pretty much slept the whole way home; so did I! :) Kind of ironic too b/c that weekend we also had my sister's-in-law surprise party and that was pretty fun too! Too bad Memorial weekend couldn't have that weekend. :)

Well, since all the fun stuff I've pretty much started my summer job; I watch my nieces Monday thru Friday 8 to 5! I love it; I get to stay home with Madison and get to hang out with my nieces! It also helps that they are 51/2 and 7 because we can actually do a lot of stuff because they are able to help out a lot! Like today we went to Stars and Stripes park and even though I had a lot to take with us, I didn't have to carry much! Thanks girls! :) Plus, they get to have fun playing at a park and get their energy out and it was a nice enough day we got to have a picnic lunch too. Okay and as I'm thinking about the park today, I have to put in my little rant; being that it was a nice day there were lots of other moms and some dads out with the kids and in one group there was this little boy that was playing on one of the toys not too far from me and I notice he's pulling at his pants like he might pull them down. My first thought is to jump and say something, but to who, what do I really do? Well needless to say I'm thinking this and watching to see what he does; low and behold I hear him saying he needs to go potty. Yes folks, he pulls his shorts and underwear down picks out a pole to aim at and sure enough there's a stream! At the public park where everyone that's close enough could see what he was doing! Luckily there weren't really any other kids close enough to him to notice and if they walked by they didn't pay attention. Of course about that time my nieces come back toward me and I of course tell them not to go by that area so as to not get into it. :) Of course the 5 1/2 year old wants to pay more attention to it because I said something and is yelling across the park to her sister and I'm just like 'shhhhh!' :) Well, the funny thing is the little boy goes over to his group and tells them he pottied and they think he's telling them he needs to go and one of the ladies was going to take him to a tree and then the mom gets to talking to him and realizes he peed on or by the toy and the boy points out to her exactly where he peed. She just pulls him away so he doesn't sit in it or anything. I do understand that there wasn't much she could do after the fact and he's a kid and doesn't understand. Yes he's also a boy who has the fortune to be able to use a tree unlike the girls whom when they needed to and we find out the bathrooms are locked (why, who knows) we come back home. It was just baffling to me that he is possibly taught in some way that it's okay to do that where ever he is and who ever is around. Of course I also may not know the situation that he's just started doing that and they are trying to teach him not to; but frankly I was just caught off guard. Being a mom of a 1 year old girl, I don't know what to tell or say to my nieces but I feel like I handled it okay. Yes I probably should not have brought the attention to it that I did; but I'm human, when you see crazy stuff happening you can't help but stare even if you shouldn't! Although I literally did almost get up and go tell one of the moms of the group he was with what happened but by the time I got past the fact of what he was doing and dealing with the girls walking up, he was on his way over to tell them himself. :) Anyway, I just had to rant for a minute; sorry :) Hopefully if I have a boy I'll understand and maybe if I'm lucky my son won't do that. :)

Okay, so since my last post was on our little sleeping situation, I will say we've gotten better about a schedule now that we have a regular one and I think that might have been part of the problem is my days were not consistent and I did not put her on a schedule despite that. Well now that I'm realizing how much having a schedule helps a lot, I will do everything I can to stick to it! :) Unfortunately we have not gotten her bed here to start getting her used to and I don't know that she'll take to the port a crib so well, so she still sleeps with us. That of course is one of the main things. She is so comfortable and used to sleeping in our bed that I think it will be a much easier transition into her bed with a real mattress. I have also noticed she is getting better about trying to get herself to sleep but I think because of the times she wakes up, instead of trying to get herself back to sleep she waits for someone to come in there if someone isn't already. She basically needs someone there; we don't have to be touching her or anything, just be there. Of course knowing what I know, I would love to teach her that she can get herself back to sleep but being in our bed, which is on the floor (no frame) she can climb in and out of it, so I worry she'll get out of bed and sit at the door crying or otherwise. So, my goal is to bring her bed home this weekend; I meant to today but we were at the park for a while and when we were done, I was ready to rest at home and had actually forgotten about it. So, this weekend I plan on getting her bed here and getting her squared away in it! I will update to let you all know how it goes and please, if I don't get onto me b/c it may mean I still haven't brought it home and I NEED to! She needs it! Yes we need it and would love it too; but really she needs to learn! Maybe she'll sleep better without worrying us getting up and waking her up or disturbing her! I know I'll sleep better! :)

Okay, so sorry this was so long; I kept meaning to post so many days and it just didn't happen; I never have time because Madison loves getting under the computer desk where the plugs and lights and buttons are and so it is blocked off and by the time we get her to bed we usually just get on to check out a couple of things and get ready for the next day and then bed! So, I hope you enjoy reading my wonderful story! :) Until next time!

Ashley

PS here are some pictures from the past couple of weeks