When I let things get away...

from me, I can easily feel overwhelmed. The laundry isn't a daunting task when I do a load or two everyday, but take a couple days off and it gives me just a twinge of anxiety to look at the overflowing baskets. Yes I want clean clothes for us all, but I really don't want to have to tackle an all day project to get them; am I alone? Well, my blog is like that to me right now, and has been several times in the past. You see I love blogging and would do it everyday like I used too if only I had the time. But time these days is against me, and yet I've logged into my blogger several times and started a post, just to not finish it. And day in and day out, my kids are getting bigger, life's changing, I'm changing, and where are my posts to document our lives? I've said it before and I'll say it again, my memory is NOT the greatest, and so these posts help me look back and remember what could be construed as everyday life, but a life that I don't want to forget, and the moments that make this whole journey all the more beautiful.

Today I'm writing this post during a precious naptime where both my littles are sleeping. There's no music on, no TV, not even a running dishwasher going, and it's so peaceful. I was blessed to spend the morning playing with my kids and to get a walk to the library in with them where we worked on puzzles, picked out books and just enjoyed each others company. Life's been so busy and even when you intentionally slow it down and have some breather days like I did last week, I still was struggling to feel like I got to connect with the kids, or even with myself as a mom. Today was good for that.

And to ease my soul and my bad memory, I want to document who these precious little people are at this point in their lives...

Brayden, just about to turn 5, with so much to say. Ever the Momma's boy, even to a fault at times, but I'm so grateful for his heart. He's had to learn a level at patience at such a young age thanks to his strong willed and very vocal little sister that at 27, I don't quite have a grip on, yet he loves her the same, protects her, plays with her, shares with her, says sweet things about her and has admitted that while a lot of his friends have brothers, he's glad to have a sister. While he isn't quite as loud as his sister, he's every bit the talker, and these days, can be quite argumentative which can be hard for me to battle. He loves video games and the ipad, but loves even more when Mike and I sit down and play it with him. He still loves cars, but doesnt play with them quite as often, in fact' he's not much of a toy kid. He's really enjoying Tee-ball this year and I was surprised with how much he was taken with it from the get go, a much better fit for him than soccer. He's still super small for his age but within the averages for growth, just so cute to see his tiny little form along the rest of the kids! He really enjoys being outside, loves to watch River Monsters with Daddy, helps around with chores around the house like it's no big deal. Also really likes to ride his bike. He's very very sensitive and can take a bit of time to warm up to new situations. It's not hard for him to warm up to people neccessarily but if its something he hasn't tried before, or isn't used too he can be clingy and more reserved. He really can't wait to go to Camp this summer and even more can't wait for Kindergarten! I've told people this a bunch of time, but even if we have to work harder academically his Kindergarten year since he didn't do preschool, I'll be more than happy about the decision we made to keep him home with us this year. The time Mike and I have been able to spend with him and Paytin together has been priceless. We're so very grateful God entrusted us with these kids and school will get him the rest of his life! I selfishly wanted this time for the four of us as a family :).

Paytin Lily, ever the firecracker, ever the free spirit, ever the stubbornest little thing I've ever met. I understand the notion of your daughter being your best friend now that I have her, and I really could not imagine life without her. Though one day Mike and I might have one more kid, if we didn't my heart would be full with the two we have, and she really does complete our family. Paytin loves all things girly, and yet is the perfect juxtaposition of girly girl and rough and tumble in one little body. While I love my kids equally and far beyond measure, I really want everyone I know to meet this little girl. Her personality is huge and she's so different from any little person I've ever been around. She adores it when I paint her toenails, loves to have her hair done but never ever keeps it in for long, wants to change her shoes a million times a day, and gets very bossy if her and I disagree on what she's going to wear. She's Daddy's girl to a fault and I happily "blame" him for her rough and tumble personality. She melts him and he melts her and the two of them together is just as sweet as sweet can be. Paytin has what I call "the scrunch face" when she's going to tell you off, tell you what she thinks, or just flat out dissaprove. While I dont love the screaming or tantrums, the srunch face is downright one of the cutest things I've ever seen in my life. Right now Paytin has an ear infection and a yeast infection diaper rash, but you wouldn't know because she doesnt complain. Something really has to knock her down and drag her out for her to let on that she phyiscally isn't feeling well. She loves baby dolls, dressup, but most importantly, to be outside. Her jubilant little run, and the way her curly pigtails blow in the wind while she swings, she's an outside girl to a fault. Oh and her curls, wild and rambunctious, untameable and unruly just like her. I love them, totally love them. She's been cutting her 4 canine teeth for what seems to be like an eternity and I'm ready to just be done with teething already! She takes one nap a day and sleeps through the night like a champ. Like her brother, she loves her blankies, but isn't attached to one like he was/is. Her sippy cup is her safety thing. She loves music and can be caught mimicing singing a lot of the time, but dancing each and every time she hears a tune. She loves to be sang to, read to, and just flat out played with. She's not interested in toys unless played with. She loves baths, loves brushing her teeth, and loves loves loves being told how pretty she is.

That's all I have time for this post, and its an unorthodox hodge podge post at best, but now hopefully I'll feel like I tackled a basket of laundry and next time I'll be able to get more down about life, my thoughts, and all that good stuff! Till then XO!

Pay's 4mo Checkup

Ok, the stats are in! At Paytin's 4 month checkup she was 13 lbs 12.5 oz, 24 1/4 inches long, and head circumference at 16 1/4. Mike and I happened to be going through Brayden's baby book a little bit yesterday and noticed at 4 months Brayden was 13 lbs 13.5 oz, 25 inches long. And I didnt catch the head circumference. She's catching up and I have a feeling she'll have him beat by 6 months :). She's healthy and right on track! Did pretty good with her shots considering we had a practicing nurse student do them and it was her first time ever giving them to a baby! She was very sweet and I gave my permission for her to give them to Pay. The only bummer was when she stopped after 2 shots to ask a question before giving the 3rd, and I couldnt pick Pay up to comfort her and just had to wait. It wasn't excrutiatingly long or anything, but still a bummer to watch her in pain! Literally as soon as she felt my arms she stopped crying and was just minorly fussy with a low grade fever that night. Very happy with how things went! Paytin does have very very mild torticollis, which just means one side of her neck is slightly shorter than the other side. With some extra stretching, feeding positioning changes, and encouraging her to use the other side more, we should have it completely fixed by her 6 month check up!

When I have

a bad morning. When things just aren't going my way. When things aren't terribly wrong, just not perfectly right. When the to do list is a mile wide and growing by the second and it seems like I get one thing done and eight more pop up. When one kids crying, one kids whining, I have a headache and we're out of milk. When I feel overwhelmed and emotional and overdue for a nap myself. When it's just one of those Mondays. When its the first day of hopefully a "new" schedule and setting new goals for the week. When it's clear that its not going down like you had it perfectly pictured in your mind.

When it's just like that, I've reminded and thankful for this:



and, for kids that LOVE each other. One day they will have their sibling quarrels I am sure, but in moments liketoday, in times when I am so frustrated, I can just sit them in front of each other and let them play and talk and read and laugh to their heart's content. They are already the best of friends and the love they have for each other is huge and obviously very mutual.  I really can't think of a bigger blessing or a thing to be more thankful for than them having the sweet little bond that they do.

A family day gone Kincaid :)

Tis the season for Mike to work like crazy, and with this less-than-booming economy, we make the effort to praise God for the business of Mike's schedule as it just one way God is showing us His constant provision in our lives. However, that leaves family time few and far between these days. Seems like most of "family time" in our house lately has also been "sleeping time". Anyways, we had a day outing to Chico today to get some very much needed errands ran.  We started the day out by doing something fun, and taking the kids to the movies. Paytin is usually pretty easy going these days as long as she can nurse frequently, so I figured a movie wouldn't be bad since I could put on my coverlet and let her eat to her heart's content. Well, the poor Lilypie got a very upset stomach only 5 minutes into The Lion King, so I ended up going out with her to calm her down. Well, Mom fail, and I left my diaper bag in the theatre. Paytin would NOT calm down for two seconds, much less long enough for me to run in and grab the bag, so I "manned up" and asked one of the very nice gentlemen working at the theatre to run in and grab it from Mike which he did. After changing a poopy diaper, trying to nurse her, etc. I realized Paytin was being consoling and I took her out to the van. I laid her down on her tummy in the very back after I had turned the van on, and just sat next to her. In 2 minutes, she was OUT. So, I wrapped her up, and carried her back in and watched the rest of the movie from a solo seat at the side of the theatre (silently wishing that people hadn't sat right next to us so I could have watched the rest with Bray and Mike).  More importantly the boys had a great time and Brayden loved loved the movie. I really enjoyed being able to sit behind them and watch Mike whispering little tidbits to Bray throughout the movie and making Brayden smile.
Then we go to pickup our pictures from Sears that we got taken over two months ago. We just havent found the time to get to Chico to get them since then....well, long story short, they were HORRIBLE quality. I had gotten the CD and printed a couple from home, and my laserjet copies honestly were 10 times better then what I saw today. I nicely complained and we should be getting better quality ones within a few weeks. I'm just not going to get family photos at a studio again point blank. I know I have a wonderful camera and that my skills just aren't up to par with what kind of photos I would like to have of my kids yet, but I will still with local photographers or my own shots from here on out. I'm very much looking forward to getting our pics done from a friend hopefully next month, outside up here in the Basin while the leaves are changing colors :)

Anyways, we were able to get the kids a couple more fall clothing items, and I did get a few things for this crazy idea of an art project I am tackling, so all in all, not a complete failure, just another Khaotic Kincaid day ;)

3 and 3

Brayden and Paytin had Dr checkups today and here's the results:

Brayden is 30.5 lbs (slim for his age, I dont remember the percentage) and 38 inches tall (between the 65-75 %) He's got a big noggin, almost 18.5 inches.  He is doing great according to his pediatrician but still needs some work on his speech (which we figured). He is quite the talker and picks up new words quickly, he just has a hard time getting all the pronunciation out and slowing down enough to say all the words he needs too :) He was a ham during the appointment and especially loved when his dr. checked the reflexes in his knees and let him help out too :)

Paytin is a growing growing girl! She weighed in a 12 lbs 9 ounces!! She has officially (more than) doubled her birthweight! Way to go baby girl! She's also about 24 inches long (if I remember). She's quite the alert, active, talker little baby according to our doctor :). Unforunately our little Lily Poo has her first ear infection (probably left over from that flu bug we had) which hopefully explain the LACK of sleep her and Mommy have been getting this week. She just had her first dose of antibiotics which she is on for 10 days, so hopefully it will kick the ear infection's bootie and we can be on our merry way!

The doctor mentioned that we seem to make tall (which I think Brayden is actually pretty tiny for his age, but I guess the stats dont lie) lanky little kids because they are both around 75% in height, and less in weight, though you wouldn't know it by Paytin's CHUB everywhere! Paytin I think was in the 55% for weight this time around.

Yay for getting both kids to the doctor and getting out in one piece without Daddy there to help!

Pregnancy Week 37

Well, I'm not going to do a regular pregnancy post, but just kinda of a rambling about what's been going on lately. I had my 37 week check yesterday and found out that I am 3cm dilated and 20-30% effaced, with Paytin at a -1 station. My doctor was pretty surprised that much had changed since last time I was in and even moreso when he got to feel my stomach during one of my contractions. I dont think he really believed that I really was having a contraction till he felt it! I was super hopeful and prayerful that he would be open to setting up an induction for us. We live 45 minutes away from the hospital, and with the crazy weather, and Mike's super busy work schedule, I just didn't want to risk a multitude of things happening like having to drive myself, Mike missing her birth, etc. Because of how everything is progressing, he was happy to schedule an induction date for us for June 15th! Now, to keep her in until then! It's so funny that so many people can't wait to meet their babies and want them to come, come, come and here I am having trouble keeping my little ones in! I guess they are just too excited to meet us ;)! I write that as Paytin is going absolutely CRAZY in my belly at the moment! I took a TINY spill the day before yesterday, which we think is making my body kind of go into overdrive. I was giving Brayden a bath and trying to stand up and I just kind of teetered back onto my tailbone from about 6 inches off the ground. I'm sure that's not what caused me to dilate (or I would have been in much harder labor) but it has caused some nice pain in my hips and pelvis area that isn't helping our current situation ;)! I'm also typing this as it's raining/slushing outside, another huge reason that I pray Paytin waits 13 more days to make a break for it because I am hoping this weather STOPS! Anyways, there's my updates for now!!

A couple more

for memories sake, pregnancy differences

• Paytin continues to move MUCH more than her older brother. She's a pretty darn active little girl and unlike Brayden, where I constantly had to drink juice and lie flat to do kick counts, I dont even have to take time out of my day to feel her squirming around (like she is right now)
• I am considerably smaller this pregnancy. It's still strange to me, and no, I wont be worried about eating my words in my last 5 weeks of pregnancy, weight gain is all apart of the whole journey, but just my overall belly size and everything is just very different.
• I did not, ONCE feel Brayden up at my ribs when he was in utero, the kid was a low rider. Paytin on the other hand is much higher and I can occassionally feel a cute little footsie up in my lower ribs.
• Paytin LOVES being on my right side. I dont remember Brayden having a preference, but 90% of the time, you can look at my belly and see how much bigger it is on the right than the left. It's actually very very entertaining.
• I had one of those pregnancy belly lines with Brayden and don't even have the faintest one with Miss Paytin.

Ok....that's it for now!