Potty Training

Well, we just started potty training yesterday...again...we've probably tried 10 times now. This time Soraya had some Elmo panties to wear as inspiration, a Christmas present from Grandma Marj. That combined with a treat of 2 crackers and getting to watch a movie everytime she successfully goes on the potty. Well it is going great this time! No accidents today and she has been in panties all day! So all in all it's been very sucessfull. She even went #2 once :) (tmi??) Anyway, I never thought I would ever talk about pee pee and poo poo as much as I have the past 2 days! But hopefully we are well on our way to a potty trained little toddler. We are going to keep going strong as Chad is here to help until Sunday.

Home after the holidays!

Well, we just returned home today after a 4 day Christmas Marathon with the family. We were supposed to leave first thing Christmas Eve morn in order to make it to my grandma's for a family dinner. However, Soraya got the flu the night before (so did half the children in our church I hear!) Thankfully she recovered very quickly and we were able to depart late that afternoon. We spent the evening with Mama Barb and Papa Gene. Soraya talked all the way home about playing with their toys :) Christmas morning Soraya loved opening presents. Then after breakfast we headed to Chad's aunt's house so they could all meet Jack. We didn't visit too long as we had to head back to Chad's folks to meet up with his brother and his wife. After a few more presents we headed to my Aunts for a big dinner. This dinner involved 8 children YOUNGER than Soraya who is 2! Talk about a crazy time! And somehow we got them all on the coach for a picture!
The next morning we packed up and moved 5 miles to stay at my parents house for the next 2 nights. We lounged and opened presents most of the day. Chad and JJ both got Wii's so really we just played Wii almost the rest of the trip!

So now we are home and settleing back into our normal routines. Chad is still on break which is wonderul...I am going to have a heck of a time getting used to him not being around!

Someone can't wait until Christmas!

What a day...

Not really. We didn't do too much today. But it was fun spending time with friends. Julie and her 7 month old Trevor stoped by and Raya loved playing with baby Trevor. She was very busy helping Julie clean out her diaper bag. Raya had the formula out and was shaking the "boggle" and everything. She plays very well with Trevor...why doesn't she do that with her brother...

Another friend and neighbor Amy stopped by today to see what we had done to the house. She hadn't seen it since we moved in. She is very artsy so I was glad that she was impressed :) She also dropped off a move for us to watch tonight. It is called The Lake House...it's a love story so I can't wait to watch it..Chad is hesitant but our last 3 movies have been gun movies so it's my turn!!

Oh, and we did make it to the library today. I got an issue of Mothering magazine to read (love that magazine!) Raya got some books and she got the Christmas Eve on Sesame Street DVD to watch with daddy when he gets home tonight to officially kick off his Christmas break.

A day in the life...

I always used to wonder what mom's did at home all day with there children. So I thought I would post a typical Ledley Household day...as I say this Soraya is still sleeping and it is 9 am! But that isn't typcial...so I will stick with what is...

7 am - Jack wakes up. We go downstairs where Chad is already studying and I turn on the Today show and feed him. Then he lays on the floor and talks to the Christmas tree while I sip coffee and watch the news.

8 am- Soraya wakes up. We get everyone dressed. Makes Beds. Eat Breakfast. And often do some laundry. If we are having a crockpot dinner, I make dinner.

9 am- Jack takes his first nap. Soraya watches 2 PBS Cartoons: Super Why and Clifford. I pay bills, make phone calls, check email/facebook, get everything around so when Jack wakes we can leave the house promptly

11 am- Jack wakes and eats and we normally go somewhere at this time. Typically: Monday-grocery store; Tuesday- YMCA, Wednesday- Library; Thursday-Raya goes to Willows or Willow comes here to play; Friday- Chiropractor

12:30- return home to eat lunch

1 pm- kids take naps and I take a break :)

3 pm- kids wake up and both have a snack.

3:30- Chad gets home from School. So he plays with the kids or if he has studying to do I will color, paint, read books, or play puzzles with Soraya.

4:30- Jack takes another nap. Chad plays with Soraya if he is done studying, if not Soraya will watch a movie and I start dinner

5:15- Jack wakes up. We eat dinner. Clean up dinner. Sometimes do a dual bath.

6:45- I feed Jack and put him to bed while Chad plays with Soraya

7:30- Chad reads books with Soraya and puts her to bed for the evening.

Chad then studies Sun- Wed nights. I go to bible studies on some Sundays and Tuesdays and have coffee with girlfriends som Wednesday nights.

Babies are weird

They really are! Jack is sleeping HORRIBLE at night! And you know why?? Because he likes to rollover. As funny as that sounds it is wrecking havoc on his sleep! He has been waking up around 6 times each night for the past 4 nights because he keeps rolling over in his sleep. He knows how to roll back over...but I guess in the middle of the night that thought doesn't even cross his mind :) So in a sleepy haze this morning I stuck the boppy in the crib to keep him from rolling and I slept like a dream from 4-7am! But I just keep telling myself he doesn't do these things to me on purpose...he has no idea that this is even considered sleeping bad...so that helps me to make light out of the situation.

My Job Description

As I colored with Soraya today for like half an hour I started thinking about my new job description. When we decided to start a family I agreed to take the time and effort to do all of the "little" things with the kids. I mean, who else is going to teach her to color? So now, as my day is full of coloring, painting, books and puzzles I just can't believe that this is it...this is what I do now. I used to work for the CEO of a large corporation...now I don't even get out of my sweat pants some days! But, despite some frustraging days here and there...I am very happy with the decision I made 2 years ago. I can't imagine missing all of the firsts and new words and new activities that I have been able to witness. So...for now...this is my job description.

Sunday Rainy Sunday

Well, it is a cold rainy day...not much to say. Jack slept in until 7:40 today! Can't say I've slept in that late in about 4 months! But then it was a mad dash to get everyone around and fed and out the door by 9:30 for church. We went early because I had coffee bar and it was Jack's nap time, so I put him down for his nap in the crib room (or the breastroom as Meg likes to call it). Soraya LOVES going to church. She just has sooo much funny. She asked if Baby Henry (her cousin that lives 2 hours away) would be there and was a bit disappointed when I said no. But when I told her Willow would be there she got very excited. So she had fun in nursery with her friends making bead braclets. Here is a photo of Raya and her friend Willow.

The rest of the day is just lounging around and finish up making Christmas presents while Chad studies...again! Then after the kids go to bed I'm off to ladies game night!

Bath Time Photos

Well, I supose if I'm going to claim to be a blogger I better do it atleast 2 days in a row :) Today was a busy day, like always. Chad had a lot of studying to do, which obviously goes better when the children are napping. So during Jack's first nap Soraya and I went to Home Depot (my stop) and Barnes & Nobles (her stop). She loves playing with the trains they have there and there are always a few other kids to play with. Today it was two young boys, she was intimidated at first but then just jumped right in and played with them. The dad was calling the youngest boy "dozer" short for bulldozer...that nickname really said a lot about his personality! We then went home, had Ben over for some Chili for lunch then it was naptime again! So when both kids went down for their naps, I went to Target to finish up my Christmas shopping. After dinner this evening we gave both kids baths at once. We took a lot of photos because we just hung up a picture frame in there that matched the bathroom great! But what other photos do you really want hanging in your bathroom? Kinda weird..so I decided kids in the bath was the best and cutest idea. And now Chad and Ben went to Blockbuster to get us a flick for the evening. It will probably be matcho...always is...I just can't get them to pick out a romantic comedy for once...and they wonder why I always fall asleep before its over!

Everyone's doin it...

Well, I've decided to start a blog. I have recently started reading some other blogs consistantly and have found them to be very interesting! So we will see how this goes!

How does this thing work?

I'm just trying to figure out how this thing works so we can post pictures of the kids for friends and family to see.