Lately

I really haven't been in the mood to blog lately. I've had a lot going on and just felt blogging wasn't as important. I wasn't going to even bring this up on here, but since this is my journal, and my feelings, I wouldn't be speaking the truth if I didn't. 

I don't have my blog set to private (even though sometimes Darrin wishes I did) simply because I read a ton of other blogs, people I know or people whom I have never even met. I love to read blogs. Sometimes I am inspired, sometimes I can relate, sometimes I feel I am not alone, etc. There are so many positive things someone's blog can do for a person. I read all the time about others dealing with a three year old, dealing with two kids, realizing I am not the only one away from family, motherhood, recipes, crafts for kids the things I have stumbled across or the stories I have read are endless. So, if anyone stumbles across my blog and can relate or take anything from it like I do, then great. However, I am not blind to the fact that leaving my blog open to anyone to read allows for judgement to be made, but this is our life, our happenings and we are doing what makes us happy.

Someone messaged me one time and said, "Looks like everything is going great, but I'm sure you wouldn't say on your blog!" And I know they didn't mean a thing by it, but it did make me stop and think, "do I make it seem like everything is perfect? Do I only write about the good things? Do I seem like I am being completely honesty and open?"

Just know that our lives are not perfect and I don't ever want it to come across that way. We of course have issues amongst or families, our kids, just life in general, but we know without a doubt, we are very blessed. 

With that being said we had just had a rough week or so. Reagan got sick last Monday and is still sick. She had a low grade fever all week, we took her to the doctor last Friday and he said she had a ear infection. I couldn't believe it, she never once mentioned her ear hurting. But along with her ear infection she also has a nasty cough and a runny nose. Add all that to a sleepy, not feeling well, three year old who doesn't want to eat and you get a rough week.

Not to mention a 7 1/2 month baby who is teething and now has a fever, and you get even more of a rough week. 

Add that to a Momma who hasn't gotten out all week, a Daddy who has worked 60+ hours and also on the verge of getting sick and you have a loooong week in the Snider home.
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Here are a few updates anyways of what else has been going on. 

Grayson is really starting to teeth. In no time I'm sure he will pop a bottom tooth or two. 

He is starting to sleep through the night more often. He had been sleeping in a pack in play, sounds kinda bad but he loved it, but recently last week we moved him back to his bed. He seems to love his bed even more now. 

He is a eating machine! He has baby food 3 times a day, breakfast lunch and dinner with a bottle in between. And at night sometimes he has 2 jars! (and no bottle) I wanted to start making some of his food now that he has mastered eating, or at least blending some of the foods we eat, but I have tired and he just won't eat it. We go through 21-28 jars of food a week! 

(such a great helper when she wants to be)

He still loves his walker, he runs all over the place in it.  

He has started to reach for people and I think it's so sweet. I makes me remember when Reagan started reaching and I loved it. When I rock him to sleep he grabs onto my face or rubs it, it's the sweetest thing. I refuse to let this kid get my ear, not doing that again!

And last week he, with help, got up on all fours. 

Reagan knows all her letters. I took a couple videos last week of her reciting her letters, she stumbled a few times, but I have no doubt she knows them now. However, we haven't been doing the letter of the week as much. I have to admit, I lost steam and with her knowing them already, she (and I) got kind of bored with it. She loves to do crafts, so we still do a letter a day and make letter crafts.

She can almost count to 20, but doesn't recognize the number. So we have started working more with numbers.

We are also working on writing. She can write a few letters, I'm sure I will get a video soon, but it's still new. 

And last but not least, we are in those famous "trying times" as a three year old. I know it's a phase, I know it will pass, but for the time being it can be hard. In three years she has never been picky and all of a sudden these past 2 weeks, it's like pulling teeth to get her to eat. I know some of it has to do with her being sick, but the other part is her "trying times." She also is continuing to learn her boundaries and continuing to overstep them and I have to continue to remind her who is boss. And it ain't her.

(thinks he's so big standing up all by himself)

If you don't already follow or read Kelle Hampton's blog you should. She is an amazing writer and she couldn't have said it better. Her latest blog say's it all too perfectly, everyone should read it. 

"Here's the thing: Fitting it all in is like putting a square peg in a round hole. And I like to assume that everyone is doing the very best they can. That everyone loves their kids. That everyone chooses to prioritize in a way that works best for them."

Letter C

I am so far behind on letter blogs. We have done C, E, F and are almost finished with G! Reagan is moving right along so we are only doing a letter a week right now instead of each for 2 weeks. 

I cut out a C and let her paint circles on them.

We made Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

Ate Cherrios and had coffee for breakfast.

She wasn't really a fan of the Cheerios (I don't blame her) so she switched to CoCo Puffs. 

We did a lot of playing with clothes pins. We counted, sorted, made patterns. 

She glued ate Cheerios on a cut out C.

Chinola is a fruit that is grown here, it is like a passion fruit. We drink it all the time, it is seriously so good. So I had Reagan help Maria make some so she would see how it was done. Now every time she makes it Reagan wants to help.

Grayson attacked Reagan's flip flop.

And there she sits. Right next to the big 'ole jar of sun dried tomatoes that I will never use all of. 

She colored a caterpillar. 

And because she feels cool when she uses a pen, she traced the letter C, with a pen.

I cut out the circles and let her place them on construction paper to make a caterpillar in the shape of a C. 

I had her colored caterpillar page beside her as a guide. She started off pretty good,

But then got a little confused. I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell her where she should put them to make the C or just let her put them where she wanted. So many times I want to tell her, but then I think, "no I will just let her make her own design. She will figure it out later."

So I just sit back and let her do it how she wants. 

She made a letter C crab.

And colored at least 5 crab masks, she loved them!

She even made sure that the backside was colored. 

As she was coloring she said, "look Mommy, I made our letter!" See her little black C?

We made tons, and tons and tons of cards. She saw a Valentine's Day Mickey Mouse and wanted to make cards like Minnie. 

(I didn't even realize until looking at these pictures how much of a mess her hair was. I guess you see, at craft time anything goes!)

She worked on her clock.

She made a C chameleon. At first when I saw this word I thought, "what in the world is a chh-mel-ion and of all the things why are we making this for toddlers?" Ha, then when I realized what the world was I felt real smart. :)

And since we were out of the Chocolate Chunk Cookies, we made more cookies, this time Chocolate Chip.

We did lots of playing with her cash register, but for some reason I only got this picture. 

It seems we did a few other things with the letter C that I am missing, but that 'bout sums it up.