Apparently she likes 'it'....

I shouldn't embarrass her so much. But, I cannot help myself.  Samantha is the sweetest little girl. I really don't think she could hurt a fly. I don't think I ever seen her lay even a finger on her brother. (Yell at him yes, but usually because she is being overly sensitive.)

Her laugh is contagious.  Excuse the 'shaking' camera shot, I was laughing myself.

Fall and sweet things

FALL.  It's all the rage.  How do I know?  It's all over Facebook.  It's all over Pinterest.  Seriously, you all go crazy over fall!

There is something refreshing about Fall.  What is it that makes you love Fall?  And if you don't love fall, I would love to hear why not. I think its a great season!

Fall reminds me of:

• A reprieve from the heat of summer.  As a 'Southerner' who grew up a Northerner, I look forward to days of 85 degrees rather than 95.  And yes, 85 degrees can mean fall around these parts. Time for more outdoor activities (camping, hiking, pumpkin picking).  
• Kids cuddling with their Daddy for afternoon naps during football season.
• The real football (aka soccer) season.  Three of us are playing on teams this fall.
• Yummy, warm foods.  Time to break out the baking recipes, the pumpkin spice lattes and the crockpot for soups and chili.

Matthew enjoying the outdoors

Samantha wearing #9 (just like her mama)

Afternoon nap during Titans game after a night of camping!

Roller coaster rides

Science is a roller coaster.  Sometimes you want to scream but you don't want others to know how scared you are.  Other times you let it out because its thrilling!  Surviving the ride is dependent on your own actions, the actions of others and a lot of machinery.  AND it can take some encouragement to get on board and keep riding.

This has been a tough year. I am so excited about the progress that has been made in the lab yet its a challenge to be patient with the limitations. I love to see the people succeed around me yet when they fail to try or to get the job done its is a challenge not to just jump in and do it.  Yet, I have failed too.

I don't want to change my expectations, but are they too high. Is there such a thing?

When they aren't met how do I refocus?

This week I've felt like my science was the 4th child I bore but don't love as much.  I am okay with that. My children and my family will always come first!  But its hard to have that attitude with so many pressures and stresses each day at work.  Its hard to let go of those pressures when you get home for the day.  My kids always brighten my day and are my cheerleader reminding me I am good at what I do even if the work is hard and doesn't give us squeals of delight everyday.

Moments not to forget

AJ is our creative one. I know I am not supposed to label the kids like that. (I try not to do it in front of them at least.) I could be wrong. They could all be creative. So let me rephrase this.

AJ is very creative. I interact with him the most everyday because of our commute and his personality (He is a talker, a member of the Scott family, after all). He knows exactly how to push my buttons. Samantha is very logical and yet also very sensitive.  Matthew is starting to learn to be a charmer.  Hugs and kisses anyone?

If I am having a hard day, Samantha will be very logical about it and my own words usually come back to me. For example, "It will be okay. Tomorrow will be better." AJ on the other hand wants to jump to conclusions and come up with a new way to solve the problem.

This week was full of challenges.  Here were AJ's musings.

1. Broken down van.  Me: "AJ, when Daddy's away who's in charge?" AJ: "mommy" Me: "Then who makes the decisions in the house?" AJ: "Mommy".  Me: "Then why does your Daddy think he gets to drive his car to the airport (rhetorical question)?  What are we going to do if the van doesn't start?" AJ: "Well (dramatic pause), Mommy you are just going to have to use Daddy's tools to fix it."  Me: "AJ the problem is I don't know how." AJ (with enthusiasm): "Mommy, you just take the hammer and hit nails with it.  The screwdriver you use to turn the nails.  Oh, and Daddy has some pink scissors with his tools." Me: "What do you do with those?" AJ: "I don't know.  But, mommy you used one of Daddy's tools to fix my bike once".  Me: "That was the wrench. I know how to use a wrench" (OF COURSE, I know how to use a screwdriver and hammer and scissors too, but it was so great to hear him solving my problems) AJ: "Well, there you have it you can just use the wrench to fix the van"  Yes, the van did not start again. I did not fix it. I paid several hundred dollars to have it towed and fixed by a professional.  The other car was at the airport and thankfully several friends offered to help me get it and I was able to drive it around all week while the van was getting fixed.

2. Screaming baby in the car.  AJ: "Mommy, I think Matthew's ears hurt" Me: "I am sure they do, so maybe you can talk quieter."  AJ: "But he thinks its funny when I imitate him. I'll do that." Me: "Please don't." Matthew: " AAAAAHHHHH"  AJ (Louder); "AAAAAHHHH" Matthew, AJ, Matthew, AJ.  AJ (with hands covering his ears): "I am never having a baby when I get older, I cannot take it anymore!"
Remember the ear infection from early last week.  It didn't go away. Antibiotic #2 to the rescue.  Then a rash.  Then antibiotic #3 just incase the rash was from #2 when in reality the poor kiddo probably got a virus on top of the ear infection.

3. Bedtime exhaustion meltdown.  Me: "Samantha and AJ, Mommy's head is going to explode.  It hurts so bad. I must to go bed NOW!"  AJ: "Say prayers." Me: "We did." AJ: "Give me a hug and kiss" Me: "I did, but here is another for good measure. I love you." AJ: "Can you lay down with me?" Me : "No. [Insert repeat of first line]" AJ: "Don't leave. I don't like to be alone." Samantha: "AJ, I am right here you know!" AJ: "I don't like to sleep with kids only adults." Me: "This adult [insert first line]". I walk out the door.  AJ comes screaming out of his room, using both hands to very dramatically cry at me (inherited trait from his Aunt- you know which one), "BUT, I had a horrible day. I just need to be with SOMEONE.  No one wanted to play with me today. I just need YOU!"  And in my head I pray. Dear God, please don't let this headache be the death of me.  This boy needs me and I cannot even think or see straight. I go lay down with him for 10  minutes and then tell him I need to clean the kitchen because obviously the idea of momma going to bed doesn't work! (And yes, tired momma from sick, screaming baby and other 'broken' possessions).

4. Pop-pop's movie.  AJ asked me what Pop-pop's favorite movie was the other day. I wasn't sure, but I knew he really enjoyed and was touched by Avatar.  I made a mistake. I told Andrew a little about the movie. And the questions began; what did the creatures look like?  where do they live? how tall were they? tell me about the very beginning of the movie? what is a war? why would they do that? I gave very little details about the violence and focused more on the fact that it was pretend...after school he got in my car and it began again, AJ: "Mommy in that movie with the Avatars, what did the machine look like that the humans fell asleep in?  what color was it? were there buttons on it?"  You would have thought the kid was going to go draw up blueprints. Talking with him requires a lot of mental energy! Love him!

Bedtime rules

"The rules, the rules, the rules of the classroom", Mrs. Kirksey, Kindergarten teacher

"The Bear Family Politeness Plan", The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners

"Our Family Rules", the latest design trend available on etsy.com

Rules are everywhere around us. When our children hit age 3 or 4, we can use this to our advantage.  "No, you cannot take the whistle to school, its against the rules."  If your children are in a childcare/school setting they learn very quickly what the 'rules' are and what the 'penalty' will be when they don't follow the rules. (Not to say they don't test the boundries daily hourly). I have been considering one of those cute family rules signs for the house, but I do want it to be on the positive side, so you'll have to wait to see if I come up with something.  AJ loves the idea, especially after reading the Berenstain Bear's book with "The Bear Family Politeness Plan".  Until then, you'll have to be satisfied with AJ's night time rules.

Me: "Good night, AJ. I love you. [Hug and kiss] Now what are the rules?"

AJ:

• "No getting out of bed.
• No talking.
• No making noises.
• No making sounds.
• No kicking the walls.
• No throwing pillows or sleep toys out of bed.
• No picking ears or noses."

There you have it. I am pretty sure his father and I just gave him 3 of those. But, they all must be necessary!!

I wouldn't call it coming unravelled but...

frazzled?  

Maybe.  Solo parenting.  That's what its called when the father (or mother, I suppose) of your children isn't around to help out right? For some of us solo parenting happens daily for a few hours, or for a few days, or weeks or even months.  (God bless the military and their spouses who serve in this capacity!)

What solo parenting has taught me:
1. how to rely on others; people love us and love to help (keep lots of phone numbers handy!)
2. how to sleep with my contacts in
3. how to get all 3 of my kids to nap (or read quietly -Samantha) for at least 1 hour at the same time every day!
4. how to survive on 4 hours of sleep
5. to use 'express lane' shopping at Harris Teeter (its not a perfect system but it beats my behavior with 3 kids in tow at the grocery)
6. Murphy's law, Murphy's law, Murphy's law (any of them really)
7. I need to be more disciplined and GO TO BED earlier- I might get 4.5 hours of sleep that way!
8. My friends and family are there for me for moral support, even if they cannot be physically present or help. (and I love them for that!)
9. FaceTime freaks Matthew out, and makes him very angry at my iPAD.
10. Pray a lot and with the kids. Sing hymns. Remember, Matthew 6:34 , Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Reasons to love Memphis

The food?  The museums?  The zoo?  The botanical gardens? The music?

Did you know that Memphis gets its name-dropped in more songs than any other city on earth? The Rock'n'Soul museum keeps used to keep a running list of all of the songs that mention Memphis in the lyrics. In 2010, the count was at 969. (Yes, I couldn't find a more recent statistic.)

I cannot speak for these Memphis attractions because I am a not a tourist when we visit Memphis. We rarely leave my sister-in-law's house or my grandmother-in-laws house when we visit except to attend church. But its always a good time. This summer's trip was no exception. It was short...too short, but we enjoyed every minute.



Music is by Girlyman (Through to Sunrise) and Jesse Harris and The Ferdinandos (The Secret Sun)
I need to work on these photo slide shows.  It wasn't hard but I cannot pick the right music and there must be some way to fade in and out or something on the sound.

Quarterly update -late

For some reason we tend to divide the first year of a child's life into quarters...3 months, 6 months, 9 months.  Like, there is some overnight growth or development they are expected to hit at these exact milestones?

Matthew has made it to 9 months and beyond.  He takes after his brother and sister in his growth pattern.  He pretended he was going to be chunky.  We even had a few people say look how chunky he is...a few people and then it happened, again.  As predicable as a sunset, movement and lots of it.  Movement requires energy.  Energy eats up calories.  Calories that were about to give us chunk when right into ATP and muscle movement.  First there was rolling.  Then there was crawling and standing up, and now we are surfing.  Matthew, you can save being an over achiever for 8th grade or something. No need to walk before 10 months okay?  Please, do this for your momma. She isn't ready for you to be a toddler yet.

Matthew weighs in at 16lb and 12 oz (or he did 2 weeks ago at his well visit).  He was in the 4th percentile in weight?  Really, come on.  Where are these chunky babies?  They also told me he was in the 80th percentile in height. I made them remeasure. Computer error. New measurement...8th in height (I don't even remember how tall).  So he's proportional.  I admit since we got these stats, I've been trying to feed him more.  Nursing is still going well and when we're together, he feds about 5 times a day, plus he is up to 3 meals!  I don't know why I think I could defy his genes. Its not like David or I are big people.

He is babbling like crazy.  I am pretty sure he says Momma, Dadda, and AJ (Ah. Ja with sort of a gunt).  David isn't convinced.  But, it doesn't matter its just fun to listen to.

Last night I was treasuring a moment when Matthew was so tired he laid on my chest and fell asleep.  He is so full of movement right now that he's not much for cuddling.  I should have seen the writing on the wall the equation on the ceiling, cuddly, tired baby = sick baby.  This morning I thought he felt a little warm while he was nursing, but he seemed to cool off by the time he was done and in a clean diaper and fresh clothes, but 11 am rolled around and my office phone rang. 101 temp (axillary!) So I took him home for more cuddles, but try as I might, my pour Matthew was livid and would have nothing to do with horizontal positions laying down...diagnosis of course, ear infection.

So here is this working mom's thankful list today
1. So thankful for modern medicine and treatments.
2. So thankful he can fight this off and likely without complications.
3. Thankful David is in town.
4. Thankful for a new babysitter who took AJ to soccer so I didn't even have to leave the house with Matthew in this muggy heat.
5. Thankful for Samantha's first grade teacher.  She seems to adore her.
6. Thankful for understanding co-workers who don't mind that I will be working 'odd' hours while Matthew gets better.

Well, I hear a cry up in his room.  Might be time for some pain meds for this little guy.  Hopefully, I can be thankful for sleep tomorrow morning.