I vow to... Wait didn't I do this already?

I've said it a hundred times... I've started something and I was all excited about it but my energy level was just not there and I slacked and I stopped doing what I was doing and became disappointed in myself.  I had become a slacker and instead of getting motivated to start doing it again, I got upset and slacked even more.    My energy level has deminished this few months, yeah I've been exercising but I still have no energy I'm exhausted all the time I literally have to force myself just to get out of bed to do anything.  I just want to sleep all day!  I wonder if it is just a lack of sleep, if its caught up with me, but then I wonder is there something wrong with me?  Seriously?  There is no way someone can feel this kind of exhaustion and weakness and not have something wrong with them!  Okay it sounds like I am having an pity party and getting ahead of myself, but I'm not so please bear with me..  So today I made an appointment, I will get checked tomorrow, I am going to find out what the hell is wrong with me and start working to fix it and get some damn energy!

With the way that I am feeling I feel like I am failing as a parent, seriously I do!  Don't be mistaken I am taking care of my kids, I feed them, I bath them and they are well cared for but there is so much more that I can do for them.  I could play with them, do activities with them.  We can learn new things and take trips places.  But right now, these things are not happening.  I do have to say that to me a child doesn't need to be occupied by thier parent all the time, they do need to be able to entertain themselfs and play with thier toys and thier siblings without thinking that thier parent should be there playing with them constantly.  But sadly I don't do much with them right now because my energy levels are so low, I'm lucky that I even exercise once a day.  But I don't want to be like that anymore! Its time to take action! and that is what I am doing.  I have an almost 5 year old that needs to learn new things before entering kindergarten in the fall and while she has learned things in preschool I want to teach her more!  I have a 2 year old that needs to be potty trained and weened from her pacifier and taught new things.  I have an infant that while theres not much more we can do right now, she will be ready to start learning things eventually. And well I have a 7 year old that I just need to spend more time with in general.  Our relationship is slacking (thats a whole other post in itself!).  I have a house that constantly needs to be straightened up and laundry that constantly needs to be done.  Breakfasts, lunches, and dinners that need to be made.  And while all this does get done, some of it takes a while for me to get it done.  Because I am so tired I spend most of my day lying around, this just can't be normal thing... Can it?
Since I spent a few days in the hospital with Carly I was broken from my somewhat routine (which I really didn't have one), So today I get back into the swing of things,  I slacked on eating right in the hospital but then again I was more concerned about Carly then loosing weight.  Today I start back.  Time to begin exercising again so obviously I just added 3 more days onto the end of my 12 weeks transformation (which I don't mind).  But again I have no energy... I didn't sleep much in the hospital because Carly didn't sleep much. So I have to try to catch up on that as well.  :)

Have an Oh So Wonderful Day!
Catrina

Television is the Devil!?

This is probably going to get a lot of people talking, but I have to address the issue that I have been hearing about so much, and while this is purely my opinion its also what I have experienced with my own children.

Yes its the topic of children and the television. There is a lot of argument out there about the effects that television has on children. Obviously the experts say that you shouldn't let your children watch TV at all, and if your one of those parents who never let your kids watch TV, well you know what? Good for you! I commend you for that. But for me (maybe its not good to admit) my kids love TV but... Most of the shows that they watch have some kind of education to it. Most of the time my kiddos watch Nick Jr (or for some parents they prefer the Disney channel). My kiddos watch shows like Dora the explorer, and Team Umizoomi, Ni Hao,Kai-Lan and The Fresh Beat Band. They get some kind of education from each of these programs. Such as learning their colors, alphabet, Spanish, Chinese, and to get up and move. No I don't expect the television to teach my children everything, I spend time with them teaching them as well but they do learn a lot from the programs that they watch.

I'll give you a prime example, When Brooke was 3 and went to her 3 year check up (for preschool) they did and eye exam, before they did the exam the nurse asked her what the shapes were on the chart, they came to a crescent moon shape and while I would have told the nurse it was a moon, my 3 year old told her it was a crescent, I was shocked to hear Brooke say this, and you know were she learned that from? Yep the television!



Yes obviously if your child is watching show that have no teaching element to it all the time like Spongebob Square Pants or iCarly, they are not going to learn much of anything (which yes my kids like to watch those shows too).

I guess I bring this up because I watched a video on MSN.com and while I can see their argument why they don't think The Your Baby Can Read program doesn't work, I have seen it for my own eyes that it is working on my children. They say that your children aren't learning to read they are just memorizing, but isn't ready some form of memorizing? Not to mention the fact that if it was for sure just my kids memorizing the words from the program then they would be able to identify them all the time, but that's not the case, they do struggle with the words sometimes and that is when I step in and help them sound out the words. The Hubby made a good suggestion about the program, he believes that your kiddo should at least know their alphabet before you attempt to let them watch the program and I agree. Oh and guess what? Brooke learned her alphabet from another video (with my help), She watched the letter factory and was able to learn to identify her alphabet and she also knows the sounds (because that is what it teaches you). Now of course I don't believe you should just set your children in front of the TV and just let them go and never work with them. You have to find time to also help them to learn these things as well. No you can't rely on television to babysit or teach your children everything.
But I get so irritated with people saying that the television is nothing but a something that kills brains cells because they watch television. Okay it may not be put that way necessarily but you know what I mean, I'm sure you've heard it before too, or you may be someone who doesn't like television.
All I'm saying is not all programs are bad.

Have an Oh So Wonderful Day!
Catrina

Randomnes is my life!

I'm feeling good today, well for the most part except I'm tired (like always) and I had a horrible dream last night that has me all upset now. Does that ever happen to you? You have a bad dream (whatever it may be) and then your whole day is thrown off. Thats me today, Now I'm exhausted because I had trouble falling back to sleep after said dream pissed me off and woke me up.
Thankfully today is my day off from exercising because I just don't have the energy or motivation to do them today. But I do need to go to the grocery store and get some food, I have ran out of things for smoothies and lunch stuff for the kids and we have no milk...(don't worry we just ran out last night, we have formula and things for the baby, but the big kids need stuff as well).
The kiddos do need to watch thier Your Baby Can Read video and review thier cards & Book.. Brooke needs to do her "Homework".
But I am just so darn tired! All of a sudden (now that Devin is home) the house has gotten loud. How is it that if only 1 or 2 are together its quite but you add one more and it gets really loud? They seem to just all of a sudden go straight into fighting. But I guess that is the life when you have 4 girls (such drama queens!).
Carly had her shots yesterday and she is not having a good day today. She is running a little fever and is slightly crabby, she has been sleeping alot today. I hope this does not last for to long, this is the first time since she was born that she hasn't even been slightly sick (other then her acid reflux).
Well I guess that is the Randomness of my day...

Have an Oh So Wonderful Day!
Catrina

Can Your Baby Read?

I began having Brooke and Kara watch You Baby Can Read on Monday the 3rd. We started with Section 1, we watched the DVD and reviewed the cards and the book. We did the same thing on Tuesday as well.

But you know what happen on Tuesday? By Tuesday my girls were reading! Brooke was able to read the words Arms Up, Arms Down, Dog/s, Cat/s, & Hi I was so excited and proud of Brooke!

But then something extremely amazing happen!
It was Kara's turn to review the cards and book. Guess What? Kara read a Word!

She read the word Mouth! I was so proud of her! She's only 2 years old and learning to read!

I am very proud of both of my girls of course, but amazed that my 2 year old is already beginning to learn to read!

So I guess I can be a Your Baby Can Read Success story, well not fully because we just started but after only 2 days my girls are already beginning to learn to read!

I am trying to get Carly to watch but of course she is only 5 months old and you can't keep her attention for very long....

Well I must be going, its almost time to review the cards and book with Kara (since she is currently watching the DVD, Brooke is in school if you were wondering). Then I have many other things to do, such as exercising :)

Have an Oh So Wonderful Day!
Catrina