Better day & Tony B: Your Weird!

Just in case you were worried, today has been a better day at our house. Our sweet friend, Megan Jeter, helped me get the kids out and we went to Target for a little Halloween shopping. I love all holidays that give out free candy, but Halloween is my favorite. I think this holiday has the BEST candy! Anyway, thanks for all of your comments on my "Confession" blog. Jana and Erin called me almost immediatly after I posted that yesterday! They were both worried about me! Not to worry though. I just wanted to share how I was feeling publicly.

Tony Bedard, your comment cracked me up, but also scares me a little after hearing what you did this past weekend to Patrick! ha ha ha! I won't divulge any more, so we can keep that image in the family! I'm so thrilled that Cacde will grow up with you in his life, but I'm also kind of frightened!!!!!! The first time (and hopefully the only time) he goes streaking across campus with his friends you will be getting a phone call!!!! Remember, you've already taught him how to beat himself in the head with a plastic bottle! He LOVES his Uncle Tony! (And please keep your clothes on at my house this weekend... at ALL times!)

ACU Homecoming is this weekend. Go Cats! Love to all.

Isn't this where you keep your football?

Confession

I try to catch up on reading my friends blogs as much as I can (when I get the chance), and lately it seems like when I read some of them I get the feeling that everyone is in Happy Land and they are perfect and their kids are perfect and nothing goes wrong during the day. I'm sure my own blogging has given out that impression too. Now don't get me wrong, everyone wants to share the good times and the cute pictures of the kids and all the happy moments. No one wants to stop and take a picture during the tantrums, right? (BTW, the picture you see of Cade crying was taken a week ago by my sister! I don't remember why he's crying, and I'm not sure why there's a picture of it, but man, isn't he mad!) 

Well, let me confess something right now... we are not in Happy Land here at the Bedard house! Cade is asleep and that is why I'm able to write this, but before he went to sleep it was WWIII at our house.  I've already said, "Cade, don't poke your sister (in the soft spot/eye). Cade don't shake your sister while she's in her bouncy chair. Cade, don't smack your sister in the head. Cade don't drop that truck on your sister" more than I ever thought I would at this point!!!!! Today he has had 4 time-outs, the 4th one finally  got his attention!  This happens in between the tantrums for no reason, or the fits of rage because teeth are coming in (he usually gets 2 at a time or more) or because he isn't getting his way at that moment. I'm pretty sure we've hit the "strong willed" 2's already. He thinks throwing his food is a good way to tell me he's finished eating. I'm trying to teach him some sign language so he can communicate with me, but that is not going well. He just stares at me like I'm an idiot. I know most of this will resolve itself when he is able to talk more. I know sometimes he's just frustrated because he's trying to tell me something and I'm not getting it. I know when Parker is able to play with him some of this will get better and then some new problems will arise. (Please, no advice! I know, I know!!!) All I'm saying is, it's just one of those days today and I want to tell everyone about it instead of keeping up the "I'm so perfect and my family is perfect" wall.

Let's be honest, ladies, the day-to-day with the little ones can sometimes get to us, and to add to that, sometimes our husbands can get on our nerves too. It's been one of those days in the marriage department as well. I don't get mad at many things, but today I've been so mad about something that happened yesterday that I can't hardly speak. Now, I know, I know, please don't lecture me or judge me. I know we are not supposed to let the sun go down on our anger. Well, we did, and it will all be okay. We plan on taking our 2 mile walk around ACU and discussing what happened. Keep in mind that Chris is going to be a marriage and family therapist, so we will be talking ALL about our feelings and this and that, so on and so on!!! Don't worry about us. I'm just trying to make the point that today I've almost reached my breaking point with the stress level and I think we, as moms and wives, need to confess that to each other. Again, I don't need any advice on this... I have a great group of women I call on when I need support. My friend, Jana, who is also busy wife and mom (and also lives close enough to visit when we both need to get out of the house and vent to each other), Erin, in Virginia, always gets an ear FULL of venting when (and if) we get the chance to talk, and the 2 that go without saying (but will say anyway) my mom and sister. There are more who get to hear my venting, but these 4 get it more than most!! Sorry y'all, but thanks for listening! 

Yes, you will still see cute pictures of the kids on this blog, but for today I just wanted to confess that not everything is so cute! I am not the perfect wife/mom, my kids are not perfect, and my marriage is not perfect. Why can't we publicly talk about that sometimes? I'd like to be real about that every once-in-a-while, so PLEASE don't think I'm complaining. My kids and my marriage are Heaven sent. I count my blessings every day, and sometimes every minute (seriously). I remember what it's like to not have either in my life, and believe me, my life is better off with them. 

There's more on my mind, but that's all I have time for now. Keep it real, ladies...

and a shout out to all you wives and moms who have these kinds of days too! If you don't have these days, well, your probably from another planet and I don't want to be your friend! ha ha!

luv, mindy

Parker Pics

Parker is doing well. She is still sleeping through the night and smiles all the time when she's awake! Her eyes get real big when she hears Cade. It's very cute! Not much to say about her, other than she's adorable and we love her! Enjoy the pictures. The one with the black hat makes her look like a ban k robber! It has a face of a kitty cat on it, but you can't see it from the picture. The two little girls you may not recognize are my nieces, Madison (6) and Sidney (almost 2). They came to Grapevine for my dad's birthday last weekend. We had a blast and stayed up way to late every night! Cade LOVES Madison, and the girls could not get enough of holding and feeding Parker. They were so sweet with her, and it was so much fun to see all the cousins together. We all thought Parker looked so much like them they could all be sisters!

No Longer A Baby!

He's all little boy now! He's into dirt, throwing the football, rocks, sometimes touching his sister's face with his foot and, yes, this is true, he giggles when he toots! I love this age!

Been A Little Busy!

So, as you can imagine, we've all been a little busy! This blog will have to be very short, but I just wanted to tell you all how we are doing. 

Cade is walking EVERYWHERE! It's been a huge help to us too. He walks himself to the car and we can get everyone into the car and go somewhere easier now. His ankles aren't looking as fat too b/c he's getting more exercise!!!!! He STILL gets mad in the car, but if it wasn't for Elmo videos we wouldn't go any where. (Thank you to the Gulick's for the DVD player! I am forever in your debt! And thank you to MiMi for all the Elmo videos!) Those videos are the only thing that keep him from crying and carrying on, however, Parker is starting to cry in the car now! Yup! It's true! I don't know what it is about my kids and this car seat, but I have another car seat I'm going to try out to see if it works better for her. 

Speaking of Parker, she is five weeks old! It really does go by so fast! She smiles and tries so hard to coo and "talk" a little. She looks so much like me (mostly like my niece, Sidney) it's weird to look at myself! She sleeps thru the night, believe it or not! Normally, she has her last bottle at midnight and then she'll sleep until 6 a.m. or 7 a.m. It's great! We were going to have pictures made of her last week, but she got the baby acne, so we are waiting until those go away. 

As far as Chris and me. Same 'ol, same 'ol! Chris still loves school and tells me everything he is learning even though I don't understand some of the big words he uses now! I drink a lot of caffeine, but still stay tired some how!!!! 

Need to run for now, she is crying.

love to all who still read this!!!!