Trying 3’s

My mom always told me that kids went through the ‘terrible 2’s’ (who hasn’t heard of that one…) and the ‘trying 3’s’.  I don’t remember much (ok, anything) about being 3, but G has been 3 for 11 days now and there are a many things I have learned about that. Don’t get me wrong, G is such a great kid and very energetic and active, which I LOVE. But all 3 year olds have their moments. Here they are, from G’s viewpoint:

1) When you are 3, you no longer have to turn around at the short tree a mere 50 feet from where mom is standing while riding my cool bike with training wheels (where I’m supposed to turn around). I may now venture to the end of the block and all the while listen to my funny, yelling mom scream, ‘G! Turn around now!’. 

2) When you turn 3, you are not a baby anymore. You don’t have to touch, wear, look at, or use anything baby-related anymore, no matter what your parents say. This includes night time underwear, some cups, some toys, some certain books,  and some clothes. This leaves my parents in quite a predicament. I like it.

3) When you turn 3, you are totally allowed to haul a$$ into your sister at any time, who is just perfecting her walking abilities. She is the perfect target; I don’t even have to run very far to launch her completely across the room into a crying heap. And I wonder why she smacks me sometimes….

4) When you turn 3, you are allowed to run around naked.  Anytime, anywhere. Indoors, outdoors, guests over, or while mom is on the phone. It all goes.

5) When you turn 3, you don’t have to go to bed at the pre-set time of 8:30pm anymore. If you play it right, you can last all the way up to 9:00pm, or even 10:00pm on a lucky night. Heck, I’ve even pulled a 10:30pm on a few occasions.

6) When you turn 3, climbing is the new thing. We’re not talking baby climbing stuff. Mom has recently caught me on (and removed me from) the dog house, the piano bench, the counter, the dryer, L’s crib, the outside porch, and the TV stand. I don’t know what the big deal is. I just want to be tall!

7) When you turn 3, water is the enemy. This includes all things relating to water: washing hands, bathing, showering, or swimming. I’d rather just roll in the sandbox.  And I will throw a fit if I have to do any of the above activities.

8) When you turn 3, it’s totally ok to unbuckle your own seat belt. Just the chest one, because my thumbs aren’t strong enough for the bottom one. But I only get to leave it undone for about 3 seconds until mom notices it. Then the car stops really fast, and we don’t get to go again until I re-buckle it. Why isn’t she proud of me for my newfound dexterity?!

9) When you turn 3, wrestling becomes your new favorite thing. I can wrestle anything–the neighbor kid, L, my parents, or a toy. Just watch. I’ll show ya how it’s done.

10) When you turn 3, Mom and Dad start thinking about preschool and how I’m growing up (blah, blah, blah), and that makes them sad. But I’m super excited to be 3!

🙂

Things I don’t do

When I became a mom, there were several things that I thought I would definitely do. Yes, as you have guessed, many (ok most) of those things have went by the wayside and I am discovering what true motherhood is. It’s defintely not glamorous, and it’s definitely not clean! But it sure is the most FUN and rewarding thing I have ever done in my life!  I read an interesting post once by a blogger that listed the things she didn’t spend money on, didn’t worry about, didn’t expect from motherhood etc. Here’s my version of that post, in a lighthearted way. Hope I’m not alone in some of these things and that you can laugh along with me!!

1) I don’t buy many things new. Yes, I am frugal, and very proud of it. 90% of my kids’ clothes come from kid’s consignment stores or garage sales. And I bet you can’t tell what days they wear the other 10% that is new. 😉  I love to peruse sales and vintage stuff. I like to find a great deal. I like to be creative. Try it, it’s kind of addictive.

2) I don’t ever feel completely rested. When did that stop, anyways? I never remember feeling tired as a kid!

3) I don’t get nearly as much done as I feel like I should. Is there ever an end to dishes?! Or laundry?! Or changing sheets?! (the worst!!)

4) I don’t always make my kids pick up their toys. Ok, it’s past their bedtime and I just don’t want to fight with a tired preschooler anymore. I’ll just pick them up myself after they are in bed!

5) I don’t deny the fact that hanging clothes on the line is enjoyable to me. Weird, yes I know. I think it just gives me time to think. And we save money by not having to run the clothes dryer!

6) I don’t workout or run with music. Jeremiah and I call ourselves ‘minimalist runners’. No iPod, no Garmin, no fancy tech devices. Who needs all that when you’ve got a navigator like our dog Ryder (RIP!).

7) I don’t like to stay up late. It’s currently 10:45pm and I really need to go to bed. Believe it or not, no matter what time I go to bed, those kids of ours still prefer to get up earlier than I want them to!  I function much better at 5am than midnight.

8) I don’t like to leave my kids. EVER. Yes, I do work outside of the home, and I truly enjoy and am passionate about my job. But, I REALLY miss my kids when I am away. And really, it does not get easier to leave them, whether it’s for 10 mins or 10 hrs. In my perfect world, I would never have to leave them.

9) I don’t miss church (very often).  Church is very important to our family. Our week does not seem complete if we don’t start Sunday morning ( or Saturday evening) at church. That is 1 hour a week that we set aside…..ok more like 3 or 4 after we finish talking to all our family and having lunch, visiting Grandma Elma, etc. 🙂

10) I don’t ever stop loving the time I have with my kids and husband. :) ‘Nuff said.

I see spots!!

In our ‘House of Costello’, things are never boring.  I’m sure many of you with young children feel the same way. Rarely in our home is it quiet, sparkling clean, calm, boring, or completely under control. I hope I am not alone in saying this, but sometimes these kids of ours sure throw me for a loop! Let me explain:

We had Gabriel’s 3rd birthday party on June 18th and had a blast! The night was complete with a 3D train cake, a new bike (of course with a helmet and bell!), lots of family, new water guns, and a fever. Wait?! A fever, you ask? Well, not for G, but for Lucy. It was only 99 degrees, but I knew it was the start of something bad.

The prior weekend we had attended the Costello Family Campout with a few (only 60 or so!) close Costello family members, including many little ones. We had a great weekend, and a lot of fun. By the end of the weekend, one of the wee ones running around had broken out in something that I can only describe as ‘spots’.  This sweet girl had spots on her hands, feet, legs, ears, face, and tushie. Ouch. The original diagnosis was chicken pox.  A day later, and after a trip to the pediatrician, the real diagnosis was hand, foot, and mouth disease (hfm).  My children had been exposed numerous times, and apparently there is a HUGE epidemic of hfm going around right now. Fabulous.

For all of you moms that work outside of the home, I think you know how I felt at this very moment. Now, mind you, I was VERY concerned about my children’s health. Our kids are the center of my world, and I would do anything to keep them well and safe. But, when my children are sick, they are not allowed to go to their 2 day per week sitter (and rightly so! we don’t want all the kids sick!!), and someone is not allowed to go to work in order to stay home with them.  This leaves us (ok really just me) in a huge state of panic. What if the kids can’t go to the sitter? Who will watch them during the day? Who in the world wants to watch 2 sick kids under the age of 3? How can I take off work in such short notice?  What will my/our employers do to cover our absence?

Lucy ended up with a fever on Monday and broke out in about 200 spots on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. She never itched the spots and really didn’t even notice they were there! She had a fever off and on, slept a lot, and was somewhat cranky. (**side note: she was also cutting a molar at the same time, which I am also contributing to her crankiness!)  Gabriel got a fever on Wednesday and got just a few spots, maybe 20 overall; he also had the same crankiness and tiredness.  Spots were located on tops of feet, back of wrist, lower legs, and groin (ouch!).

We are so very fortunate to have family and friends close by that are so willing to help us out in these situations. Neither Jeremiah or I had to take time off work, and the kids were well cared for.  I guess my freak out was a little too radical in this case. 

Poor kids!!!! They are feeling much better, and were able to return to their ‘regular’ routine today (as if there is ever a ‘regular’, as I mentioned before).  We are hoping to stay healthy for awhile now, as Lucy was still getting over an ear infection when the hfm hit.

Whew! Well, on other, more happier notes, we have had several good things happen lately in our House. 1)Jeremiah and I finished my second raised bed garden in our lower lawn; now just to plant it! 2)Jeremiah and I are now the proud owner of a Chevy Suburban! Not new by any means, but a fantastic deal that we could not pass up, as we have been looking for a bigger vehicle lately that can haul more people and things! 3)I found out that the Bennett Preschool has a 3 year old class! We are still debating whether or not to send G this fall. 4) Lucy is becoming braver with her walking and will walk on her own for 5-6 feet! 5) Found out that I will be getting another physical therapy student to accompany at my clinic in late July. I currently have a student that will leave in mid July, so I won’t be alone for long! I love having students, they are so fun and keep me on my toes! 6) I finished Hunger Games book 2. What a roller coaster!

Hope everyone is doing well and staying clear of hfm!  😉

Blessings,

The Saramiah’s

‘Mommy, ride the choo choo?’

‘Mommy, ride the choo choo?’ How many times do you think one little boy can utter this phrase in a short amount of time?  MANY.

About 6 weeks ago I bought tickets for our family to ride on the steam locomotive that the Durant Fire Department was sponsoring from Durant to West Liberty. It was (conveniently) taking place 1 day prior to Gabriel’s 3rd birthday, and I thought it would be a fun present for him. Gabriel was with me when I bought the tickets, and he thought that meant we were riding that train immediately. You know how kids’ sense of time is…….

So after weeks of Gabriel asking when we were going to ride the train, the day finally came. We had had a very eventful weekend and the kids slept up until the moment we needed to leave to board the train. Gabriel was a little terrified of the volume of noise that the train made when it blew it’s steam whistle at first, but he warmed up quickly. We boarded the train and walked back and forth on the train for what seemed like an eternity looking for a seat! Yes, apparently we were not the only ones who had such fabulous train plans!

The train left, stopped for a few minutes in Atalissa, and then arrived in West Liberty. We got off and did the typical things that everyone does with an old train…..take pictures of it! Now really, I have no interest in trains. None. But there is something about seeing one of these huge powerful machines that just kind of puts you in awe of its strength.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not that G needed any more excitement for the day, but he got to shoot a firehose and play on a train playground!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A glimpse into our day…..

Many days, I crawl into bed around 10:30pm and think to myself, ‘ wow, what a day.’  Sometimes I really can’t even remember what happened during the earlier part of the day. So today, on my Wednesday off, I decided to chronicle what it is that we actually DO all day. Keep in mind that I am currently working 4-10 hr days, so Wednesdays are precious days off for the kids and myself! GO!

6:30am- I awake to realize that Jeremiah has stealthily left for work without waking me (thank you, dear!) and also that Lucy is shrieking from her room across the hall. Before I can reach her in my sleepy stupor, Gabriel has also gotten out of bed. Downstairs we go, with G asking to watch ‘dora-dora’. I put it in and get the kids something to munch on. Normally we eat at the table, but today I was feeling especially groggy and tired, so we hung out on the couch.

7am-Lucy was quite clingy and fussy, as she has a recent ear infection. I give her amox and get her dressed, put her in Ergo carrier so I can get soemthing done with my hands! Got the rest of us dressed, fold clothes, put away clothes, change sheets and get the washer going.

8am- Lucy is so crabby I realize she might need an early nap. I lay her down and G and I venture outside as he can hardly stand seeing daylight and not being able to be outside. We play with trikes, venture up and down the sidewalk on our block at least 15 times pulling red wagon behind trike and me riding on back of trike. Color with sidewalk chalk, call bank, put together diapers, observe long grass that needs to be cut, put on to-do list.  Play in sandbox and answer call to ‘build me road, mom’. check email and fb on quick trip into house. Get G numerous snacks, put 4 loads of laundry on the line as they are done washing. Put dishes away from dish strainer.

10am- L wakes up much happier, venture outside to continue playing. Put 1 more load of laundry on the line, play in sandbox more.

10:45am- Administer nebulizer to Lucy for coughing. (this is a fairly frequent happening in our house, as everytime Lucy gets a cold she gets terrible chest congestion and coughing)

11:15am-Leave for Tipton.

11:30am- Arrive at Tipton library for Lunch Bunch, a weekly program for their summer reading program. (**Side note: I cannot say enough good things about the Tipton library.  They have fantastic programs, classes, movies, books, books on CD, and cake pans! The staff is fabulous and we are there weekly!)  Get free lunch, librarian reads 3 storybooks, complete scavenger hunt and bubble extravaganza.

12:30-Stop at grocery store and public health in Tipton, to get both kids tested for lead. (Gabriel has tested a little high 2 times and we continue to get them tested yearly)

1:30pm-Return home and lay Lucy down as she fell asleep in the car on the way home. Coax G upstairs for nap, after he first needs a drink, a snack, a toy for his bed. Toddlers…… 

1:45pm-G walks downstairs and declares ‘no mo night night’. Return G to his bed and insist he must take at least a rest, even if he doesn’t sleep. Make myself some lunch.

2pm-G comes downstairs again, seemingly fully awake and full of energy. I guess 30 mins of rest is enough today for him. Quiet time enforced as G watches ‘Charlotte’s Web’ curled up on the couch.  Write blog, wash dishes, talk to sister on phone, sort mail, sweep dining room, kitchen, bathroom. Mop. Think about starting dinner so it’s ready. Decide to sit on couch for a few minutes instead….. pick up living room and toys with kids’ help.

4:00pm- Decide I should probably do something about this dinner situation, so G helps me make 2 pans of enchiladas and homeade fruit snacks-new recipe. ( http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/06/homemade-jello-fruit-snacks-recipe.html ) gotta love pinterest!  G is not acting very well (thank you, no nap…) and we have several instances where I have to be the Enforcer between G & L, G & potty, G & manners, etc etc. He seems to have no concept of the potty if he is a) too tired or b)at home. But that’s another whole blog post in inself…..

5:00pm-L wakes up from her nap (*gasp* 3 1/2 hrs!!) Call J wondering when he will be home. He states it will be later than expected, he ran into some hangups at work.  Must continue to be the Enforcer to G…

5:30pm-Trying to get anything accomplished becomes quite the task, as G is having meltdowns and potty accidents left and right. L is still not too content, and wants to be held nonstop.  Behold, the Ergo carrier!!!

6:00pm-Enchiladas are done. G has meltdown about type of cup used for dinner. L and myself eat; G eats 2 bites and goes off and has another potty accident. *sigh*

6:30pm-G is in bed. Normal bedtime is 8:30pm; as you can see he was not doing too well in the behavior department.

6:40pm-G is asleep. What a bear.  L and I take 5 loads of clothes off the line, water flowers, play in the sandbox, pick up various children’s toys strewn about the yard from the day.

7:00pm-Get L ready for bed, medicine, clean up dinner.

7:30pm-J gets home, kisses L goodnight. I put L to bed, she is out almost instantly also, despite her 5 1/2 hr naps today. J eats, we talk about babysitting schedules, date nights (or lack of!), G’s behavior today, weekend, delicious enchiladas. 🙂 

8:00-J leaves to attend to moving our Mustang out of a relative’s machine shed. I fold laundry, laundry, and more laundry while catching a little ‘Modern Family’. Hilarious!

8:30pm-Put clothes away (or at least get the baskets close to designated room) and listen to little ones sleeping in beds. I miss them already 😦  Pack diaper bag, workout bag, lunch, lay out clothes for tomorrow morning (yes, I’m a planner).

9:00pm-Shower, eat much deserved ice cream (yum!!) Veg on couch for a short time. Watch a little ‘Duets’. Good show!

10:00pm-Go upstairs to bed, but wait, I still have to put sheets on.  Grr. One of my least favorite tasks. Unhappily put sheets on, read Parents magazine and Book 2 of Hunger Games.

10:20pm-Sleep

Sometime after 10:20pm- J returns home from moving car.

What a day!!!!

Ragnar-mania!

Who would want to spend 4 days with 12 women in 2 15-passenger vans running 200 miles? ME!!!

That’s exactly what I did this past weekend.  Our team of 12 (Team EIPT) started in Madison,WI and traveled to Chicago, IL ON FOOT.  That’s right, we all ran 3 legs of the relay, beginning at 8 am Friday morning, and ending 1:21pm Saturday afternoon.  Yes, we ran overnight. Yes, we all slept for less than 2 hrs.Yes, people got lost. Yes, there was a lot of sweaty people everywhere.  Yes, we had a GREAT time! It’s amazing how much you learn about people after running with them for 29 hrs straight.  I met some fabulous women over that weekend and had a lot of great laughs.  Will we be undertaking Ragnar 2013 in Minnesota? Time will tell……. 😉

Hello world!

Hello everyone and welcome to the Jeremiah and Sarah Costello family blog, dubbed ‘House of Costello’!

In our blog, we hope to chronicle our weekly trials, triumphs, and times in raising our young children and daily life in general.  We also hope to discuss some topics that are important to us and our family.

A little about our ‘House’:   Jeremiah and Sarah were married in July 2006 after dating for 7 years! Sarah then attended physical therapy school and Jeremiah worked and coached high school cross country. Sarah graduated from PT school and our first blessing was born 1 month later, in June 2009.  Gabriel is now almost 3 and a fantastic little man. He is very into trains, fire trucks, ‘bombines’, and being and doing everything like his dad.  Our 2nd miracle arrived in April 2011.  Lucy is now 1 and is a very sweet little girl, who loves to imitate her mom, explore the sandbox, and drag around her babies.  We feel very blessed to have the family that we do, and hope to be entrusted with raising several more children!  Jeremiah’s current endeavors include: 1) working at Pride of the Wapsi growing yummy produce 2) taking classes at St Ambrose University in hopes of becoming a high school teacher (graduation May 2013!!) 3) coaching high school cross country (starting his 10th season!) and 4) being super dad 🙂  Sarah is a full time physical therapist at Eastern Iowa Physical Therapy and is an aspiring domestic diva/crunchy mama extrordinaire! 

Some things about ‘Costello’s’: We enjoy the outdoors, running, being active, learning about and being active in our Catholic faith, spending time with our cherished families, working on our ‘5- and 10- year plans’, and spending as much time as we can with our children!

We hope you enjoy reading about our ‘House’!