Tales of our travels

Last Tuesday Josh, Jenna, Peyton and I got into our car and headed to NJ. We decided to make a stop over in Richmond, VA where we spent the evening with our friends, Elizabeth, Sloan and Henry Phillips. The Phillips family welcomed us into their home, cooked us dinner, and gave us a place to stay for the night. I feel blessed to have great friends who open their home to wayward travelers as this was our first trip with Peyton. Jenna had her first sleep over with a boy as she slept in Henry's big boy bed. Henry was a gracious host as he shared not only his room, but also his toys and markers.

The next morning, we loaded up and headed the rest of the way to NJ. What a nightmare trip it was. We left at 10:40 am and didn't get through DC until almost 2 pm. That's over 3 hours for a leg that should have taken an hour. Josh and I truly believe that the folks working for the VA DOT should get a better handle on things. There is no need to have so many road projects in such a short span of Interstate. We finally got to NJ around 6ish and had a great dinner with Grandma Deb and Grandpa Pete.

Thursday, I was able to go to Aunt Linda's salon where Linda cut and did highlights on my hair. I have been teased that I have to go all the way to NJ to get my hair done, but you do what it takes. It's the only time I have help with both kids, plus I get the owner to style my hair. I am thinking we will head back every 3 months to not only see family but to get my hair done! Josh, Pete, Peyton, Jenna and I also took a walk up to the Reservoir and Jenna learned how to skip rocks.

Friday was low key during the day. Then while Jenna took her nap, Josh, Peyton, and I drove around the area so that Peyton would nap in her car seat and Josh and I just looked around. Later that evening the Cowley gang got together. Slim, aka Poppa Bear, aka Peter Cowley Sr. came for dinner but did not stay late. Jenna was too cute how she just ran up to him to give him a great big hug. She has become quite the social butterfly.

Jenna was so excited for "the party". She had the best time playing with her cousin Jared who colored with her and sang with her. One favorite quote from the night was when her cousin Andy squatted down and said "You know we're cousins." Jenna tilted her head and said "I love my cousins" and then gave him a big hug. She was so wound up that she didn't go to bed until 11 pm. It was so great seeing everyone and it makes Josh and I feel great that all of his aunts and uncles take/make the time to see us when we are back in town.

Here's a great picture I got of Gram holding Peyton. I just love how happy they both look in this picture.

Saturday we took Jenna over to McDonald's to play on the playground as it was rainy outside. We drove around for almost an hour looking for one that had a playground. Then that evening Uncle Bub joined us for another great dinner. Here's a cute shot of Peyton and Bub. Peyton definitely has the Cowley genes.

Sunday we got on the road and headed home. The girls did really well all things considered. Peyton did well for the first 8 hours and then was tired of being in her car seat. That made the last few hours a challenge as she fussed not wanting to be strapped in any longer and Jenna hadn't napped so she was fussy too. It was a long 9.5 hours but we made it. We have decided that we definitely need a bigger vehicle and I must admit I actually want a minivan now. I have to put the needs of my kids first and a minivan would make traveling so much easier. Especially since we want to started heading back to NJ more often.

She did it!!!

Jenna went poopie on the potty tonight for the first time. YEAH JENNA!!! Now of course she also peed in her undies two different times, but she finally got her poopie in the potty. Baby steps. Baby steps.

Jenna's day on the farm

So the last time Josh went out of town and left me with the girls, I enticed Jenna to be good by saying we could spend the next day helping Grandma and Grandpa on the llama farm. Surprisingly, it worked! The first thing she said when she woke up was, "Can we go now?"

Here's Jenna about to help Grandma Jan drive the gator down to the fields. You can tell this girl is about to have fun!

First Jenna had to help Grandma get hay for the boy llamas in the their fields. (You see boy llamas cannot be in the same fields as the females or there can be problems.) Jenna went straight to work without complaining. in fact, she told mommy that mommy could not help because Jenna could do it herself.

Once the boys had hay, they were fed grains. Jenna is still too young to do this on her own, but insists on helping her grandma do it. Jenna was allowed to help feed grain to the boys as they are not as pushy as the females.

Gotta take more hay to the next field of boys. Look at Jenna's muscles...her daddy would be so proud! Jenna is telling her Grandma that she can do it herself, not realizing that Grandma is doing most of the work.

Next they had to put fresh water in the buckets for the llamas.

Here we are almost done with our work. Jenna practices driving the gator, while Grandma finishes feeding the female llamas. A hard days work, which will be followed by lunch and a long nap!

Greatest husband ever

So last night, Josh agreed to take on all baby duty and let me sleep. So for the first time since Peyton was born, that's 10 weeks, I was able to sleep and not get out of bed once to settle a baby, change a baby, or feed a baby. Now I did have to wake him up the two times and tell him it was time to go help Peyton, but could then just roll over and go back to sleep.

IT WAS FABULOUS!!!

Shift 2 of the toughest job

So I have just finished another tough day on the job. Josh left this morning for Chicago on a business trip. Jenna was at daycare and Peyton and I had a great day together. I was fooled into thinking things would be easy because Peyton went to sleep at 7:30 last night. Well...

We got home from playing with Jenna's neighborhood friends after daycare and Peyton screamed until I settled her down long enough to give Jenna a bath.

Then Peyton fussed as Jenna and I made and ate dinner.

Dinner was finished so I fed Peyton a bottle while Jenna wined and then I had to let Peyton cry until she fell asleep in her swing since Jenna was still fussing too. What else could I do, it was just me.

Once Peyton was asleep, Jenna and I played and then I got her to sleep. As I was finishing up with Jenna, I heard Peyton fussing downstairs.

I got Peyton's bottle ready and took her upstairs to put her to bed. It took 30 minutes and a trip upstairs 15 minutes later, but I finally have both kids asleep in their beds and am preparing for a night on my own. Wish me luck...

Toughest job I've ever had!

I have to admit that being at home caring for two kids is the toughest job I have ever had. Last night I was up with Peyton 6 times. That's 6 times I had to wake up, climb the stairs, settle her down or feed a bottle, climb back down the stairs, and get back to sleep.

After her 6 am bottle, she settled back down long enough for me to climb back in bed. Then this is the conversation Josh and I had:
(Peyton makes a funny nasal noise)


Josh: "What is Peyton doing?"

Janell: "She's pooping."

(After she finally finishes and settles back down.)

Josh: "Are you going to go change her?"

Janell: "No."

Josh: "Do you think she should stay in that diaper?"
Janell: "Yes."

Josh: "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Janell: "Yes. I am not waking her up just to change her diaper."
(I never would have said that when Jenna was 9 weeks old, but I am a different mom now. )

By 7 I decide to get up since I know I need to wash bottles as I just fed Peyton out of the last clean one. As soon as I stood up from the bed, Jenna started fussing. When I got up to her room I discovered she had peed out of her diaper (Should I mention she is back in diapers at time as she is struggling with potty training now). So we cleaned her up and changed her sheets. Upon leaving her room, she wanted to turn out the light. Since she couldn't reach it, I turned it off for her which resulted in a crying tantrum. All of this happened before 7:20 am and I hadn't even had a cup of coffee yet!

So finally Jenna gets down stairs with help from Josh, bottles all get washed and then Peyton wakes up. I have spent the whole day juggling both of them, shutting down tantrums and crying spells from Jenna. I am now typing this entry with Peyton lying across my chest sleeping and listening to Jenna chit-chat in her room when she should be napping (She had better not be pulling out all of the clothes from her dresser drawers like she did on Saturday! I'd better check soon).

This is the toughest job as you do not get 15 minute breaks or lunch hours. You do not have adult conversations during the day. You have to have an extreme level of patience. You must be gentle in how you handle things as you are molding a life. You must be selfless as your kids need you since they cannot do things for themselves. You have to be prepared to do the same thing all day and all night, every day. I once thought 1 kid was tough, but I was wrong...2 kids are tough.

A rocky road but we're approaching a turn

Wow, what a rough road we have been traveling with our two kids. I never, ever expected things to be as challenging as they have been. With that being said I think we are making a turn toward the better with Peyton. At 2 months old, she is growing well and getting a sweet personality. She smiles now and will talk/coo to you. Her screaming fits have passed and she just cries when a normal baby would. We also have her sleeping in her crib upstairs now.

Monday night once both kids were in bed and Josh and I were sitting on the couch together, we laughed at how peaceful it felt. We were so relaxed because we didn't have to tiptoe around Peyton. I will say though that a master down home has its challenges when you have a newborn sleeping on the second floor. I think I ran up stairs 6 times last night to check on her. I am looking forward to the night when she sleeps through it!

Jenna is doing well but now faces new challenges. She has moved up at daycare to the Pre-2 classroom and is actually one of the bigger kids in the classroom. She really enjoys the days she goes to school as she gets to play with all of her friends. However, we have now entered the "Terrible Two's" phase as she is struggling through trying to have tantrums. Pair that with being jealous over her baby sister getting attention and that results in our challenges. When Peyton cries, Jenna cries. She also has digressed with her potty training so we are putting her in diapers again whenever she refuses to go on the potty and only wants to potty in her pull-up. My heart goes out to her that she doesn't get all of the attention she wants, but unfortunately that is life.

Recently, we spent the weekend at my folks house since my grandparents were visiting from Oregon and my Uncle Jim was also there one night. It was so nice getting to spend time with them. It amazes me that my grandparents still travel the way that they do. Grandma Esther was also a big help with Peyton as she helped feed Peyton and cuddle her through fussy phases.