Wow, that was quick!

I've already been a SAHM for a month now! Wooohoooo! I have to say I feel pretty good about the progress I've made with Qee too! Yeah she's only gone poop in the potty once or twice, she still calls me "Daddy", and she has complete diva moments, but... well I guess I haven't made much progress with her! We DID have a moment in the Super Target the other day where it appeared she was actually listening to me :) I pray for more breakthroughs with her, especially since we spend so much time together. I also pray she starts sleeping in her own bed again. For some reason shes ended every night these last two weeks in our bed. And Qee is not a great bed mate, in fact shes quite pushy.

I was much more successful to establishing a schedule for the family. I have explored several breakfasts with the kiddos including chocolate and banana pancakes, a recipe I haven't actually perfected yet ;) This month we also CONSISTENTLY had dinner served by 6:40!!! Yay me! The children were in bed by 8:30 EVERY weeknight!!! And my laundry pile is still a mile high!!! LOL, I suppose I should work on organization this next month. I would LOVE to throw away all the laundry and start from scratch. Never mind how unrealistic that is, especially on one income. I just feel like if it were already folded or on a hanger it would make its way to it's home easier. That is until the children need to find something... or heaven forbid wear something. Perhaps during my tenure as a SAHM I can invent some USEFUL machine that washes, folds, AND puts away laundry!!!

Speaking of machines, Jibrael continues to create these elaborate paper "machines" that all specialize in about a hundred things. He puts them everywhere, on the refrigerator, dinning room and living room tables, my bathroom, his bathroom, every bed in the house. I'm not sure what to do with these inventions, I feel bad for throwing them away and it only seems to encourage him to build more. What am I going to do with him? Trying to enable him to use his imagination AND save trees for my grandchildren just doesn't seem possible! He's also planning this extravagant costume party for his classmates. Even the bully girl got invited, which does not make Mommie happy! These party plans sound so expensive and I keep trying to remind him that we only have one person in this house with a job and we should go over everything with Daddy. I suppose that statement would be more helpful if Daddy agreed with it :/

Muhammad has been very busy with work. His adventures in social media networking have put him on the Googles top page. And I'm very proud of him! He went to Canada this month and over all seems very pleased with the new life we have here. The funny thing is five years ago when we were buying a house I never would have thought I'd be able to get him to leave Ohio, now I just know we are getting closer to the BIG move out of the Midwest.... one day!

As for me, I've had my ups and downs this month. It's really hard trying to become a nicer, more patient person. I have made strides with being more patient with the children, not working has helped a lot with that. But EVERYONE ELSE really pisses me off still! It's a good thing I have another 11 months to improve LOL. But if this year goes by as quickly as the last month, I'm gonna have to try harder to get everything done.

Just a side note

Today I feel compelled to mention that I am married to the greatest guy ever! He didn't do anything that he doesn't always do. No new jewelry, or flowers, or even a sappy card. the only thing my husband did last week, and again today was wake up and get himself ready for work. He went and dealt with, well I don't REALLY know what he does at work. LOL, But he does it EVERYDAY and doesn't complain. This he does for ME, for our family. He goes in early and comes home late so that I don't have to. And THAT means everything to me. The other day I had a moment of selfish questioning, which I feel we are all entitled to, and my husband told me his goal is to keep me happy. He's such a thoughtful man, and I have to remember that in my day to day task.

My older sister recently got married, and I am so pleased that she has someone who she can spend forever with. IF there was one thing I could tell her it would be to maintain the same goals. In my seven years of marriage I have been at the very top and near with I thought was the end. And, even though I probably would have been easier to give up, we made it through because we adjusted our focus on to each other. In a world that says because my parents got divorced I'm more likely to get divorced, I'm trying my hardest to disprove those statistics.

So even though I may not say it nearly enough, I love my husband and I'm truly blessed to have him in my life.

This is just how we do it :)

Last night my little cousin spent the night. He only lives around the corner, but honestly we hardly see him. When I was working it just wasn't possible, we were always trying to just make the most of the free time we had to spend with OUR children. So my aunt and uncle went to the playoff game and he came over. We had a great time, I made spaghetti and salad and garlic bread and we sat down @ the table and served and ate. After dinner the kids played I cleaned the kitchen, it really wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Ok, well actually the kids were up until like midnight and that's NOT normal. But it was fun. This morning we had our bi-monthly Sunday brunch. It's always a TON of food :) It's also a ton of fun, fills us up and makes us quite drowsy.

Just after sitting down to chow down my cousin said, "it so quiet in here, my house is crazy and we hardly every sit down at a table and eat together." My cousin is the only child of two VERY busy people. But at that moment it made me feel like I was making the EXACT difference in my kids childhood that I set out to make. They may not have all the toys, and electronics, and vacations that I would be able to give them if I had continued with my career. They may not have their own bedrooms, or a huge house and backyard. But, I AM giving them the attention they need at the dinner table. Over a nutritious meal and with their parents who love and adore them. I am fortunate enough to be giving them something that will far outlast all of the material things that money can buy.

I felt so appreciated when my husband replied to my cousin, "we eat together everyday." I know that we are both on the same page for giving the brownsuga babies everything they need to make them successful in life. I added to my husbands response, "that's just how we do it."

In the running for best mom of the year! ( ok week :p)

After the week we've had I totally took the award for best mom of the week! And the BrownSuga Babies have each taken the gold for the weeks best son and daughter. I won't lie, it's been rough. Jibrael is still working my nerves with the whinnying, but I think I'm mastering the ignore option. Or at least ensuring when he actually NEEDS me and when he needs a nap :) He has had his share of really needing me this week, and I came to the rescue!

He had a bully situation at school, and as much as the thought of little kids teasing my one and only SONshine pissed me off I didn't handle it by going to the school and spanking the kids! After one of the little girls threw a toy at my sons head and called him a girl I called the teacher. Jibrael had been telling us stories of teasing and we honestly wanted him to work it out on his own. AND when enough was enough Mommy to the rescue!

Jibrael also did some shoe tying and time telling on his own! I'm so proud of him, he has really set his mind to doing well.

Aqeelah went pee pee in the potty! Not just once, shes been going all week. And as icing on the cake she wore the same pull up all the way to grandma's house in Ohio and then back home! She's amazing just like her Mommie!!! I am so blessed to have them, it makes being the best mommie I can be so much easier!

Today was slightly less productive, we didn't even leave the house until after 4. Jibrael and his phony coughing persuaded me to keep him home from school today. Something I will NEVER do again. Not really certain when he became an expert whinner... but he's totally there. And putting Qee through the rapid course to join him.

The day didn't start out that bad though, I decided to be very creative with left over brownie batter and combined it with this mornings pancake mix. It gave us a slightly fudgey pancake that both the kids enjoyed. I am so happy to be at home and in the kitchen again, it's really giving me a chance to have that family life I dreamed of as a kid. When both parents are working and dinner is an after thought, it really leaves the kids to fend for themselves. My mother didn't have a choice in the matter really, I do and so I want our kids to know what I think is a normal childhood.

Just me and Qee...

Tomorrow will be the close of my very first week as a SAHM. Well, technically that's not accurate, since I was at home the last two weeks of my retail career, but who's counting! I promised myself, my husband, and Qee that I would potty train her. Three weeks into the task and we really aren't any closer to being diaperless than day one. Thinking back I didn't do that great of a job potty training Jay either. He didn't REALLY grasp the concept for at least a year, and with my new found budgeting efforts and determination I will not have that same issue with Qee.

Obvious to anyone who Qee speaks to is her love for her Daddy. EVERYONE is "Daddy" and having a c-section and 10 months of breast feeding doesn't make me exempt from that. I was expecting that I would become plan ole "Mommy" since we are spending so much one on one time. So far that hypothesis is yet to be proven. I try to correct her, and it seems to catch for about thirty seconds. Then its more of the usual and "Daddy" this or "Daddy juice". I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't jealous!

Nevertheless, our first week together with the men at work and school has been interesting. We've both had meltdowns and mood swings. I am finding out that she is more than my mirror in appearance, she owns my attitude also. I have found out what my mother meant when she said "you'll see when you have a daughter." Those words are somewhat of a curse. As if to say that all the women of my bloodline will be emotionally unstable and prone to violent sprees. I will not let my daughter repeat my mistakes! Some how my guidance will prevent that I just know it!