Snow Day

Yesterday the snow started coming down around 1030-11am. It melted soon as it hit the ground. However, it snowed all day and all night and by morning there was about 4-5" on the ground. Kids piled on some clothes--3 layers of shirts and 2 layers of pants, socks on Andrew's hands since we don't have gloves, and then we took them outside. They loved it, it was incredibly exciting for them. However when Andrew or Aidan fell down they would start screaming b/c the snow was too cold and they didn't want to put their hands down to help themselves get back up. And of course I had to take a picture of them screaming and crying.

The Self Sufficient Husband?

Nope, he doesn't live here. Over the past several months I have realized that Edward no longer knows how to do anything for himself-if he ever did.
The Evidence:
1. He doesn't know how to cook, unless you count scrambled eggs and sandwiches. I don't think he has ever made a meal for the kids that didn't involve chicken nuggets, PB sandwiches, or Mcdonalds. If I want them to have something nutritious, which I do!, then I have to prepare it myself and plate it up and put it in the fridge for later. That is if I am going out, which rarely ever happens.
2. When he loses something, he doesn't know how to look for it. Moves a few things around and tells me he can't find it. Doesn't seem to realize that you must move things in a specific way to look under papers, in baskets, etc. Somehow I always find said missing item within a few minutes.
3. He somehow thinks the counter is the trashcan, or his pockets. I am constantly finding cheese wrappers or Dr Pepper cans littering the countertops. Why? I guess those extra 2 feet to the trash can are too tiresome.
4. A few months back he came home from work and asked me if we had an iron. No, we don't, we have no room for an ironing board and I don't own clothes that need it. His response? We might need to get one, the boss said my clothes were too wrinkly today so you might need to start ironing my uniform. Umm? Excuse me? Those are not my clothes and I'm not ironing them, I have no time! Oh and then I got this gem, "when you wash and dry my clothes, can you make sure to hang up my uniform immediately?" Umm, yea sure. Which made me realize that he no longer does laundry, never really did other than putting something in the washing machine a few times a week or the dryer if I asked him to.
5. Dirty clothes belong on the bathroom floor apparantly as the basket 5 feet away is too far. Oh and stepping onto the actual bathroom rug when done showering? Hmm, apparantly that is too much work as well. Can't tell you how many times I have gone into our bathroom after his shower and step in a pile of water on the floor. Too much work to dry off while standing in the bath/shower and too much work to stand on the actual bathrug.
6. His truck is STILL registered to Texas. He has lived in Louisiana now for 4 years. Why is it not registered here? B/c he doesn't have the title. So he hasn't called the bank who had the title to find out how he can get it--whether or not it was transferred somewhere else during his bankruptcy or what, we don't know, but you have to actually call to find out about that. Oh and he doesn't have a current inspection sticker either. Why? B/c you have to have the registration to do that, and he doesn't have that b/c he doesn't have the title. I've stopped mentioning it to him about 18 mths ago, if he hasn't done it by now, what makes me think he will ever do it? Plus, as late as it is, who knows how much it will cost?! I had set aside 500$ 3 1/2 yrs ago so he could get it taken care of-was really hoping it wouldn't cost that much but we needed to be prepared just in case, however, the money sat there for several months and he told me to send it to a credit card bill as he didn't have time to take care of it yet.

So yes, this is a rant about me being tired of said things. I get it, he works, I don't get paid for my work as a mom/chauffeur/cook/bill payer/cleaner/dog walker/language teacher to Aidan. I understand that the bulk of household/child responsibilities fall on me, but that does not mean that said person can't do some simple things to make my job a little easier-like putting your dirty clothes in the basket, actually using the bathroom rug after showering, and throwing trash away in the trash can.

So, in order to compensate myself for my grievances, I have decided to no longer do his laundry. Which means I am not picking his dirty clothes off of the bedroom/bathroom floor. If he puts it in the basket(he has a choice of two) then I will wash/dry them, but again, I'm not folding/hanging them up. This has been going on about a week now and I'm not sure he has noticed. He did get out of the shower the other day and went to get underwear, poked his head out and said "my underwear aren't in the drawer, where are they?!" Did he look in the basket that houses the clean clothes, nope. Didn't even occur to him. I haven't said anything about me not doing his laundry, I'm hoping he will figure it out himself , but alas, men can be rather dense about this sort of thing and need a lotof direction in every step they need to take. So I will give him one more week to figure it out and if he doesn't get it by then, I will tell him that he needs to take care of his pile of laundry himself from now on.

Oh and to add one last tidbit, I am glad that my husband is able to work, and I can stay with the kids for now. I know he works 12 hr shifts 5 days some weeks and 2 days other weeks, so yes, I know it isn't feesible for him to do all of his laundry on a day that he works, I'm just asking for a little help such as putting his clothes in a basket so I can then wash them and he can fold them. I don't think it is too much to ask. If I was working I can guarantee I would be doing the same things I am now plus work.

Height and Weight charts of the kids

Got them all measured today, and it is as follows:
Andrew
Birth: 7 lbs5oz-32%, 21"-87%
2 months: 11 lbs0oz-35%, 23"-56%
3 months: 11lbs5oz-11%, 25"-85%
4 months: 13lbs0oz-16%, 26.5"-94%
5 months: 15lbs0oz-30%, 26.5"-78%
6 months: 16lbs8oz-33%, 27"-75%
7 months: 18lbs0oz-40%, 29"-95%
8 months: 17lbs0oz-11%, 29.5"-95%
9 months: 18lbs80z-20%, 30"-94%
11 months: 20lbs0oz-20%, 30"-72%
12 months: 21lbs7oz-30%, 31"-84%
13 months: 21lbs7oz-24%, 31"-77%
14 months: 22lbs0z-22%, 31.5"-75%
15 months: 22lbs0oz-18%, 32"-77%
17 months: 221bs8oz-15%, 32.25"-61%

As you can tell-low percentiles for weight and high for height-so tall and skinny for the moment.

Aidan:
Birth: 9lbs2oz-87%, 19.5"-42%
2 months: 12lbs0oz-57%, 21.5"-50%
3 months: 13lbs0z-46%, 25"-85%
18 months: 25lbsoz-39%, 31.75-33%
20 months: 26lbs0z-42%, 32"-23%
24 months: 28lbs0o-58%, 35.35"-78%
30 months: 31lbs4oz-67%, 35.5"-30 %

Aidan is average for weight and on the shorter side. I have more of his measurements but not on me, so maybe I will update them when I get a free moment.

Alex:
Birth: 7lbs15oz-50 %, 21"-87%
2 months: 10lbs3oz-19%, 22.5"-38%
4 months: 14lbs4oz-74%, 24.5"-71%
4 years: 41lbs0oz-61%, 42"-42%
I would have to really dig to get most of his, but since I have his baby book beside me, I can add some of the earlier ones and then his current one.

Our 2010 goals

I rarely make New Years Resolutions, just not my style. However this year I am making a few goals that I would like to be realized by the end of next year(2011). I would like to get this family healthy--mainly myself--I'd like to lose 30 lbs by September, I'd like Alex to try more good for you foods, and I'd like Edward to try to eat a little healthier as well. Not sure I can pull off the last one as he hasn't changed in 30+ years. I also hope to get Aidan pottytrained by the end of the summer, hoping I can also work with Andrew as well. Our next big goal for the year is to get as much debt paid off as possible, we are currently sitting at about 5000$ in credit card debt and 6000$ in medical debt(no interest), not that bad but if it is paid off we can clear up a lot of money to start saving for a house one day. We have been doing the Dave Ramsey Plan for a while and paying down a ton of debt, however dental bills have kept us from really making a dent in it, hopefully by the end of 2011 it will all be gone.

Christmas with the Weavers

We all had a wonderful Christmas here. We spent Christmas Eve with my dad and family. Had gumbo and crawfish pie and all sorts of other goodies for dinner, a Louisiana Christmas :) It was nice, not too much fighting between the kids. We made cookies Christmas Eve, which was a blast!



Then we sprinkled reindeer food for Santa's reindeer outside and set a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies out for Santa alongside some cold milk. And then bed, which Alex and Aidan didn't manage to fall asleep until 10pm nearly.
I woke up at 5am to Alex in the room, wildly exclaiming that Santa had came and left tons of presents and filled
his stocking! Convinced him to go back to sleep with me for a while and then we all got out of bed at 8am.
Everything was a hit, Alex especially loves his Nintendo DSi, Aidan is digging his playdoh creativity set, and Andrew is loving his Little People minivan and LeapFrog Tad.
The tree filled with presents on Christmas Eve:

Aidan tearing into his stocking:

Alex digging in to his stocking:

And Andrew checking his stocking out as well:


Present opening:
They got Spike the Dinosaur










Oh, and all of these pictures were taken on MY CHRISTMAS PRESENT, the Canon Rebel XS! My camera has been losing function for a good year now and we finally were able to get a new one with our Christmas money!

Andrew's First Haircut

Andrew got his first haircut while we were in Dallas.

Before:


After:

Christmas in Dallas

We had an early Christmas in Dallas since Edward had his 2 week vacation. Had a wonderful time, kids enjoyed seeing family and playing with their new toys, as did Mommy and Daddy.
Opening presents:









We also went to the Children's Musuem with Alex and Aidan: