Weekend Overload

Sometimes I miss my kids so much during the workweek that I kind of smother them on the weekends. I'll admit it. I'm that mom who's kissing all over her kids and wants all three of them sitting in my lap and wants to play with their hair and whisper in their ear and have tickle fights. And I call them all my babies, no matter where we are or who can hear. And more often than not, by the time Sunday evening rolls around both they and I are sometimes more than ready for me to go back to work on Monday because I've smothered them to the point of us all being a little bit irritated with one another. The girls get irritated with each other, are tired of sharing toys, one wants to go outside while the other wants to stay in... They get irritated that Mom is holding Jackson and all she wants to do is play with him on the ottoman or on the floor (in between loads of laundry, while the dishwasher is running)... Jack gets irritated with me holding him when he really wants to wiggle around on a blanket on the floor and try to eat his toys without my camera in his face because I just want to capture "ONE MORE grin!"... and I get irritated that everyone's getting crabby from too much togetherness. But I can't help it! I miss out on 50+ hours a week with them, when you factor in my work week plus all the driving time in the mornings and afternoons. By the time we get home there's usually only 3 hours left in the day before bedtime. THREE HOURS. Over 5 days that's 15 hours. So you best bet I'm going to spend my weekends smothering my kids.

I know, I know... half of you are thinking "Why don't you just stay home then?" Believe me, I've tried to figure out how to make that work. One day, that might be a possibility. But in our stage of life currently, its just not something we're financially capable of. More than that, I'm not sure that I am capable of it. I love my kids, but I love my job too. I love the satisfaction I get from completing the work week and knowing that I got things accomplished and made a positive contribution to my team. I love the interaction I have with my coworkers: people from other walks of life that I would have never crossed paths with if I didn't have my job. I love working for a wonderful company! I love that my job not only provides a paycheck for my family, but also health insurance (among other benefits), stock options, a great retirement plan, and who can forget about the Walmart Associate Discount?! Not this girl! Over the last three years that little card has saved us $2200 on general merchandise! That's a good chunk of change to be given back just for being an associate! (That also means that we've spent $22K at Walmart in the last three years... Oy.)

My kids have learned so much from spending their days with other people besides just me! The benefits of having them learn from others is truly priceless. They've gotten quality time with their great-grandparents that is absolutely precious, and that is something that most people NEVER get! Jailyn has participated in a couple of Mother's Day Out programs at a couple of local churches, and will soon begin the Pre-K program at ABC Happy Kids in Bentonville, to get ready for Kindergarten which is just a little over a year away (Did you hear that thud? That was me falling out of my chair at the realization that my child is almost going into kindergarten.) and I know that because of the time she has spent with her great-grandparents and wonderful babysitter Miss Lyndsey, she's more than ready to enter this program. Once she's into kindergarten, Jordyn will start the preschool program, and in turn Jackson will when he's close to the age of 4.

Anyway, back to my original point--

So some weekends I smother my kids. And we're all a little preturbed with one another and ready for Monday once it rolls around again. But NOT this past weekend. This past weekend was bliss! Quite possibly because I had to do hair on Saturday for a few special occasions so the kiddos got about 5 hours of quality bonding time with their Naynay and Poppop, and I got to roll up my sleeves and get elbow deep in some hair and makeup, my true passion. Also quite possibly because it was Mother's Day weekend and my kids somehow knew that Sunday was a special day just for celebrating Mommy. (Maybe Jaret had a little influence over that?)

We played a lot, and watched some movies, and cooked dinner together. We all laid on the floor and tried to coax Jackson into rolling over. (It didn't work but we had fun trying.) We blew bubbles and chased them around the front yard. We had extra goodnight hugs and kisses. For Mother's Day we went bowling, and out to dinner so I didn't have to cook. Jordyn told me "Happy Mother's Day" about 1,537 times throughout the day. I could listen to that sweet little voice all day long!

I'm a blessed momma.

Here's a little bit of cuteness for your Tuesday. It sure is making mine MUCH more enjoyable to relive my weekend through these pics!



Big Boy at his 4 month checkup on Thursday. Almost 14 lbs!




Love that hair!




JACK ATTACK!!
This is how Jack gives kisses. Can't get enough of them!!





Jailyn and her Miss Lyndsey
She loves her so much that she NEVER wants to come home!





All the kiddos with their Great-Grandma Shirley.



These little bedheads woke me up on Sunday morning :)

A little Mother's Day bowling!
Jordyn was obsessed with the "hole" that the ball would come out of.



The lady I celebrate on Mother's Day... my sweet momma!

 Until next time!