Jack's 1st meal

I fed Jack rice cereal for the 1st time this morning. He did good!

I've done the math

So one night recently while I was rocking the baby to sleep I started doing some math in my head. I was trying to figure out how much "alone" or "kid-free" time I get each day.

I get up at 5:30am so I can be ready to go before the kids are up at 6ish so that is 30 m of "me time" - which as a side note shouldn't really count... nor should cleaning alone... doing laundry alone... or grocery shopping w/o kids - those are all part of "the job". Anyway, so then the kids are around me all day, etc... The older boys are asleep by 8pm & the baby usually by 8:30pm. So if I head to bed at 9:30 that is 1 hour. So we are at 1 hour, 30 m. Now - lets subtract the two times I get out of bed to tend to the baby at about 45m each for a grand total of zero. Now before you argue that naps should count, it is a rare day that all three are sleeping at the same time & if that occurs I am most likely cleaning, doing laundry, or cooking and we already talked about that... beside I added shower time to my alone time so I'm taking naps as a wash. Oh, and before you say I'm shorted because of Darren's travel schedule please note that my schedule is the same regardless of what city he is in at the time. So this math is for all you stay at home moms. So we left at a total of ZERO me time. This scenario has been about the same for the past 4 1/2 years & will not change until Jack, our youngest goes to preschool in another 4 years. For a total of 8 1/2 years.

Now I think it is reasonable for all people to expect 1 hour a day of time for themselves w/o little kids crawling all over them. That is 365 hours a year, or 22.8 days (assuming 16 waking hours in a day). Multiply that by my 8 1/2 years above and you get 193 DAYS or 6 1/2 months.

Now before you get all preachy on me I'm not saying I don't LOVE my "job" because I so so so do. Or that my husband doesn't help enough (he is an awesome hubby & dad and helps more than most). I'm just saying that stay at home moms get a tad shorted on the mommy time. And this blog is all in good humor so if you are feeling yourself being offended or upset I'm sorry.... go have a drink it sounds like you could use one.

To conclude, now that I've done the math, I'll be saving up my 6 1/2 months of alone time and will take it at some point in the future - maybe on a cruise around the world... although I'd get bored w/o Darren. So more realistically, I'll divide it up in weekly chunks starting when Jack starts preschool. I'll be expecting all the other stay at home moms to join me on my weekly luncheons that we are due. Tell your husbands we've earned our lunches.... and show them the math if neccessary.

Mark your calenders... for 4 years from this sept.

Recent activity at the Lewis house

Darren's b-day was last weekend. The boys had fun w/ the party hats....

We went to the zoo this week (first time I took all three kids) w/ our friends the Bailly's

The big highlight this week has been an overnight trip for the two older boys to Grandma & Grandpa's house. Here are some shots of that...

While they were there, I took Jack berry picking... yes that is a stoller & starbucks cup in the midst of the berrys.

And of course Granny came over to play!

And I'll leave you w/ a wiggles dance!

Hi-n-tight

The boys got thier summer hair cuts this am...

Father's Day BBQ

Beer, babies & friends.... can't go wrong w/ that.

Play w/ the Bailly's

Here are some shot of our playdate this am. The kids always have so much fun together.... almost as much fun as Jen & I do.

The Park

This isn't "our park" but it is close by. The boys have a blast every time we go.

Pumpkin Ridge Gardens

Week 3!!

Pumpkin Ridge Gardens... Week 2

Salad or stir fry anyone? And Darren is traveling this week too!

Home Depot Morning

Home Depot has "projects" for you to do w/ your kids. It was super fun....

3 months & so cute

Yes that is me singing....my friend Jen taught the boys this song during one of our playdates. How cute is Jack? He is 3 months now!!

Thumb.... Pacifier... Nothing?

So Oscar wouldn't take a pacifier, bottle or suck his thumb. He had blankies. Calvin - exact same thing. Jack doesn't take a pacifier but DOES take a bottle (thank goodness) and .... it would appear that he has found his thumb.... and likes it. Is that good or bad?

CSA

I joined a local farm: Pumpkin Ridge Gardens in an effort to have my family eat better & support local farmer. We get a "share" of the farms crops each week for a year. So we'll get little baskets of mostly root vegitables, etc in Dec & tons of corn, tomatoes, etc in July. You get the drift. I have been waiting - not so patiently for our first basket to arrive. Today it did!! Here is a shot of what came today. I'm so excited to get cooking!!

Memorial Day Holiday

We were invited to spend memorial day weekend w/ my mom & dad at thier Cannon Beach condo. It was a fantastic time. Thanks mom & dad!!

Here we are starting the road trip. (Yes that is a diaper on Oscar's teddy bear)

This is the view from the condo. Can't beat that!!

This was the view inside the condo.... can't beat that either! Everyone is smiling!

Here are some shots of the family at the beach...

Morning walks...

Tidepools....

And Darren's secret talent of shadow puppets....

The bigger boys.... (it was too windy for Jack)

Cannon beach has a fantastic park downtown. Here are mom & dad having fun. I love to see this!!

Oscar learned to go down a fireman pole.

Brothers....

plus daddy...We had to stop for ice cream.....

The boys love to look for the resident bunnies on the walk to downtown from the condo.

We had a great time!!

Hippity Hopping & play time

So we have hippity hops for the boys. We even have a "guest hippity hop" for when friends come over. They boys will hop around the loop in our house over & over & over again. Here is a clip of that.


And here is a typical day... all the little boys playing together!