Goodbye 2011!

Time to reflect on the past year and move on to the next. 2011 was a year of challenges, blessings, and growth! 2011 was a beautiful one in that I got to see Parker grow fom a 2 week old to a 1 year old and that first year is always magical in it's own way. Not to say i havn't spent many nights up and down feeding a baby and days juggling 3 young kids, but overall it can't be matched as good things add up. I consider myself blessed to have been able to spend time with my kids.
Also, I spent the majority of the year (36 weeks out of 52) without matt. So i've spent a lot of time with just the 3 kiddos. It's not all bad though. For instance, I learned that I can mow the lawn with a baby strapped to my chest...bathe 3 kids at one time, put together an array of furniture and equipment, minor car care, loading a Christmas tree on the roof of a car myself, taking down said tree, cook while having a baby attached to my leg, and i also learned that when I'm in single mom mode i'm also not very tolerant of crappy customer service or people that treat me or my children with less than respect, so i've also told quite a few people off in the past year. Some may not see that as "growth", but i do. (and really, northern virginia is really dissapointing with it's lack of nice people in business places).
Also, thanks to good friends and family, I was able to train for and run a 1/2 marathon which was a much needed stress outlet and "me time" over the past year. I also was able to build upon my photography business a bit, and grow walk n roll. THat is until potomac mills decided to sign stroller strides at the end of december. But i digress.
Colin has grown so much in the past year. He thinks he's a little man now, and often tells me he is apart of the "grown up village" now. While I tell him that in fact he is still just a child, i can see why he may think so as I have depended upon him to do a few more things independantly this past year when i had my hands (or breasts) full with the other kid. Hes really good at feeding the dog and letting him in and out, getting his own drinks and snacks and sometimes breakfast, getting dressed by himself, and getting and grabbing random things i may need around the house (or in my car). He still LOVES his kid stuff though. Very big into everything imaginext and loves pretending with his little action figures. Especialy his castles, batcaves and space ships. lets not forget TV. Yes, he loves the tv what can i say. He even knows what channel he watches and how to get to it (no it's not MTV). I try to limit it when i can. In 2012 colin wants to do gymnastics "so that i can jump over laser beams, and flip over walls". But of course...that's usually why people want to do that right??
Andie has grown into her own fantasy world this year. She has QUITE the vocabulary and sass...but she also just loves to pretend she's surrounded by fairies and princesses and babies. I'd like to just live in her world for 1 minute. She LOOOVES her dance class. She started dance in September and she looks forward to it all week long, and i must say, she's pretty darn good at it for a young 3 year old! She loves all the girls in her class and her teacher.
Parker has gone from a tiny gassy, excema ridden newborn to a walking, babbling, sweet baby boy! He likes his baby toy, but LOVES his brother's toys much better. He likes to hold onto sticks and long spoons far more than any other toys, and second to that is colin's little imaginext figurines. I have a room full of fun, developemental, age appropriate toys for him, but he just wants a spoon and a batman and he's good to go.
We're looking forward to having matt back in 2012, and doing a ton of awesome family oriented things like Disney World in February, trips to the beach, "exploring in the woods" etc. Colin did say that he will be informing daddy that he will now be sleeping downstairs in the basement since I have adjusted to sleeping alone in the king sized bed. I can't say that i'm totally against that...i like where his head is at!
welcome 2012!

I"M NOT AN ELF!!!!!!!!!!

It's that time of year...the time when all for the joy of the children of thy womb I buy wooden pieces of crap that need to be put together with either 1 million screws, or wooden pieces that should "click" together.
Im beginning to think that the toy companies write the assembly directions either A) when they are highly intoxicated or B) just to play mind games with the consumer.
Tonight, Imaginarium has now stepped forward to win the spot for the WORST craftsmenship and assembly directions I have ever seen! They drilled holes too small, the screws were all stripped, the wood busted in parts, and the best part: Some instructions were written backwards! If it weren't for the picture of shear joy on my son's face playing in my head, i would have taken the 1 million pieces of ply wood, and punted it off an enbankment.

You know, i read all the time where parents sit down with a glass of wine before cracking into a box of assembly toys. Had i been drinking, it A) would have never gotten together and B) i would have decided to set it on fire.

I also put together a mellissa and Doug Grocery store stand. I will like to give a round of applause to that company for STURDY craftmenship, ease of directions and an astounding manual. Assemble time of grocer stand: 20 minutes Assemble time of Fire House/Police Station crack house... 2 hours, 14 minutes.

Tomorrow night on the schedule, is another imaginarium product, this time for andie...a doll house. I peaked inside. there are 2 full pages of full hardward materials listed.

The night of the 22nd, I will then begin the process of cutting, sawing, and unscrewing products from their boxes till my fingers bleed. On course: bat cave, pirate ship, baby doll, musical toys for parker, barbie dolls, and transformers. This is why who ever developed santa from ST. Nicholas, decided he HAS to have sla...i mean elves to do the work. Santa may be able to deliver 1 million toys in one night, be he sure as shit aint prepping them in 1 night!

don't piss off your trainer

It's December, and do you know what that means?!? It means everyone throws their fitness plans out the window and craps on their trainer because "i'm busy, it's the holiday season".

December is notoriously a TERRIBLE month for the fitness industry because it's the month where everyone eats like crazy, throws all ambition out the window because "i'll start that lose weight/fitness thing for a new year resolution". Well i have something to say:
GET TO THE GYM

top 5 things that piss off your personal trainer:

5) Don't kill me, i'm tired, it has been a long day.
YOU'VE HAD A LONG DAY!?!?!?! I was up at 12, 3:20, 5:00, 5:45, and finally 6:00 am took care of 3 kids all day, ran an exercise class, did some sit ups while feeding the baby lunch, and now i have to stick those 3 kids in a germ pit for an hour so that I can better your life, get you in shape. AND YOU TELL ME TO TAKE IT EASY ON YOU!?!? No, i will NOT take it easy on you because my job is to make you better, not allow your weakness to take over this hour of my day.

4)** 5 minutes before planned training session ** "I can't make it, i'm running late at work"

We all know that you aren't really running late at work. IT's more likely that you've decided that you don't FEEL like working out today. I've re-aranged my entire day to be here for YOU. I have a better idea than you missing your session...RUN HERE FROM WORK.

3) "my (insert boday part ie: back, calf, ankle, elbow, kidney, gall bladder) is hurting today,i think i pulled it knitting or something"
no you didn't. You aren't hurting, you're just hoping that you don't hurt when you leave here. YOU PAID ME TO WORK YOU OUT...let me do my job.

2) as they are sweating alcohol "yeah, i had a bit of a late night"
Make that THREE consecutive minutes of burpees...add on a few sprints...finish it off with 50 decline sit ups. I havn't had alcohol in about 3 months...i don't wish to recieve my only bit of alcohol in form of leaking out of your pours raunchy vapor. could you NOT drink your weight in liquor 5 hours before your training session?

1) THE NO SHOW
oh no you didn't! I could be doing 1 million different things at this time than to be at the gym waiting on someone that NEVER shows. that's my session now...click.

that's all! Merry Christmas!
Here's to new years resolutions! CHeers!

my baby parker!

So, this post was supposed to have happened on the 7th...but alas I have been crazy busy with kid life and am just getting to it.

This is all about Parker Jay Olsen!

In case not everyone knows...parker was a "we'll try for 1 month" baby. If it happened, it happened and if not we'd be happy with Colin and Andie. Well, as we all know along came Parker! This told me this child was really meant to be...so i knew he would be special!

Parker's first year has been unique for many reasons...but one that sticks out first is that 8 months of his first year it has just been me and the kids. When Parker was born i was instantly in love wth him. I had no baby blues, I had no apprehension it was just bliss. The other 2 kids loved him and I felt so lucky to be in my shoes. That being said...i'd be lieing if i didn't feel like i was drowning the first few weeks. Which brought me to the dreaded feeling of having to raise these 3 young kids without a husband for most of the year. What actually happened came to a surprise to me. Parker really saved me during these long months. He has brought such happiness and love and the time spent raising him has been the best thing for me during this time.

Parker is what i would call the "runt" of the kids...he has always been in he 50% for size when my other 2 were always so big for age. But this kid is FEISTY. He's feisty, he has a temper, and he has an amazing way of loving too. He likes to climb, leap, fall over, he does everything FULL FORCE. He also loves to be held, cuddled, and just be close. He absolutely LOVES his brother and sister and tries to replicate everything that they do...already. Andie can just walk into the room and parker's face lights up. He wants to follow them everywhere. He doesn't like it if they are playing somewhere that he can't get too. I'm having so much fun watching the relationship between the kids. It was so hard for me to imagine a 3rd when Colin and Andie seemed like the perfect kids...but now (as cliched as it sounds) I can't imagine our family without him. I'm loving every minute of time with parker as a 1 year old...if only i could freeze time :)

It has been an amazing year with him, and i can't wait to see what comes next!