Where did you go?

I bet that's what you've been wondering huh? I'm completely exhausted and just plain worn out!

I'll just put it right out there and say... Yikes! This being a mom thing is kicking my butt and I haven't even made it to the teenage years yet!

You see I'm looking for this sweet little boy I had about 4 1/2 years ago... he used to look like this...

Now he is a "big boy" and looks like this....

However, if you could be a fly on our wall over the past couple months you may actually have thought you saw this....

I just don't know what to do with him anymore! He is one of those kids that just doesn't care! He really doesn't! I tried the emotional side... "that's hurts mommy and daddy's feelings" or "you disappointed us" -- Didn't work. I've tried spanking... he will cry but then is over it quickly and back to doing the exact same thing he was punished for OR NOW... he will be agressive back! I've tried sending him to his room, taking all his toys away, and not allowing him to go outside. I've tried hot sauce, soap, etc. -- no luck there either!
He just doesn't care! He has a smarter mouth than some teengagers I know and Matt and I are at our wits end with him!

I know... "you have to be consistent" or "he's testing you"... and to that I would like to say... I KNOW he is testing me and I AM consistent however that isn't solving any problems right now! In fact.. he is getting worse!  I tried to hold off on a psychologist after he was tested for anxiety and oppositional defiant disorder last year hoping that it was just circumstances he was in but now I don't think I have much choice. He has serious anger issues that need to be dealt with.

All that craziness aside... I haven't been posting because I'm tied up trying to be "consistent"  and making phone calls to different counseling places to find the cheapest one... because... that's right! Our insurance's mental health coverage is essentially non existent.


Please pray for Matt and I to continue to be patient and consistent and for Gavin's anger to subside and behavior to change!

Birthday Weekend Fun

As most of you know Matt and I have birthdays that are extremely close together! (5 days to be exact) This makes celebrating them pretty easy!

This past weekend my parents , Matt's brother and his family, and Matt's sister came to visit and celebrate with us! This was his sister's first time visiting us in North Carolina so we were excited!

On Saturday we took the boat out for the first time this season and then made kabobs for dinner. It was lots of fun! This was Megan and Aidan's first time on the boat and they did great! It was a little windy but it didn't stop the boys from getting out on the skis and freezing their butts off in the 68 degree water!

On Sunday afternoon we went to the Museum of Natural Sciences. The kids really enjoyed looking at all the animals... they even got to pet alligators! Unfortunately we forgot the memory card for our camera that day so we don't have any pictures.

It was a great time! Thanks to all of them for a fun birthday weekend!

Kevin and MacKenzie on the boat

Gigi and Gavin

Gavin

Megan

Sarah

Kevin, Sarah and Matt peeling shrimp for kabobs

Matt's dream come true!

Aidan realized she loves pineapple!

No more back!!

Now that Megan knows how to roll over from her back to her tummy, she NEVER wants to be on her back! In fact as soon as you put her down she is already trying to roll over. The other night Matt had just finished getting Gavin ready for bed and picked Megan up out of her bouncy seat to get her ready for a bath. He placed her on her back on the bed while he went to start her bath water. (I know... I already have told him several times not to put her on the bed anymore now that she can roll but that is another post in itself!) He walked to our bathroom door and turned around to see Megan had already rolled to her tummy! It took literally 5 seconds!! Needless to say... Megan refuses to stay on her back anymore. She has learned that when you keep rolling you can get places!

She really does think she is hot stuff!

Happy Birthday Matt!

Today is Matt's birthday! It has been an awesome day so far. The weather is beautiful! 75 degrees and sunny! Presents are waiting for daddy on the table (even though thanks to Gavin he knows where they came from!), shrimp has been steamed and sprinkled with Old Bay, and the teriyaki steak is ready for the grill! Happy 29th birthday to the most generous and loving daddy and husband a family could ask for!

We LOVE you!

Rollin.. rollin... rollin

Today Megan showed us how she can now roll over from her back to her tummy! Well actually... she showed us this morning she can roll from her tummy to her back and then this afternoon she rolled from her back to her tummy. She goes from not doing anything at all to doing it all in one day! She was actually trying to push with her feet too. If she would have figured out how to move her arms she would have been crawling! She is getting so big so fast!

Here is Megan rolling over...

"I don't want a girl"

Lately Gavin has been on this big kick about not sleeping by himself. He just can't really understand why mommy and daddy sleep in the same room but he has to sleep by himself. Tough for him to understand. (I offered to have daddy sleep with him but daddy protested)

Last night, when Matt was putting Gavin to bed he asked Matt the same question again but this time the conversation was a little different:

Gavin - Daddy, why do I have to sleep by myself?
Matt - We've been over this Gavin, when you get big and you get married to a nice girl then you can sleep with someone too!
Gavin - uhhhh... how do I know which girl daddy?
Matt - You'll just know, Gavin. Goodnight.
Gavin - Daddy?
Matt - What?
Gavin - I don't want a girl
Matt - Huh? Why? I thought you didn't want to sleep by yourself
Gavin - I changed my mind..cause I won't know which girl to pick... I'm just going to live with you and mommy forever... k daddy? Goodnight

Haha... that kid says some funny stuff. Not so sure how I feel about living with me forever but we got a long time before we have to start worrying about picking that "special girl" to sleep in your bed Gavin!

Jellybean poem

Gavin took a special bag of jellybeans with him to his class on Wednesday morning.  I think it is a great poem to remember when eating your jellybeans this Easter:

The attached poem was:

Green is for the grassy blade,

Yellow is for the sun God made.

Orange's for a flame so bright.

Black is for our sins not right.

Red is for the blood he gave

White is for Jesus' grace. He saved.

Purple is for the hours of sorrow

Pink is for a new tomorrow!

A bag of jellybeans, so colorful and sweet, is a promise, a prayer, and a loved one's treat!

Happy Easter!