2009 New Years Resolution!

Happy New Year! Well, I have done a really poor job of documenting this last year with the kids. While they are becoming more physically independent (potty, dressing, feeding themselves, etc) their dependence is growing in the mental and comfort arena. We traded one dependency for another.

So in keeping with the New Years theme, I have been thinking about what my New Years resolution is this year. Last year was to exercise regularly and with the help of my super cute new running partner, Dani, I kept up with that pretty well. Not running as much during the winter but have picked up swimming laps once a week and doing a pump class once a week for some resistance training. While I feel great, I think a flat stomach is not for me in this life. :-( This year I am going to focus on a mental attribute.

Here is where the kids come into play. I have a theory that your children amplify what you need to work on personally. Self control is an issue in my household. Unfortunately my children have inherited my emotional impetuousness.

So here it comes the New Years resolution #1: rather than saying what immediately comes to mind or what I feel at the moment, I am going to work on thinking before acting and get my children to do the same. Any advice in this arena is greatly appreciated. I'm not sure how to go about this process of learning self control. Yoga? Mind exercises? Signs all over the place reminding me to think before I act? Mmmmm, maybe a self help book is in order....or maybe it just has to become a focus. We will see as we explore this new years resolution and try different things to see what works.

We will keep you posted.

Bizarro World

Today we were outside playing with a neighbor kid who is an only child. So, I realize we can be overwhelming to the most patient of souls, but he was in constant freak out mode because one of my children was either playing with his toys "incorrectly" or not putting them back exactly right. I know, I know...obsessive compulsive, you say. I would say this kid is definitely heading down that road. LOL.

Anyway, the point...I blow these "freak outs" off because I secretly think its good for this child to be introduced into a little chaos, ie, the Tankersley Family, and no kid typically likes to share. It doesnt matter if they are an only child or not. My other neighbor happened to come over with her little girl and it really got on her nerves, the way this little boy wigged out all the time. She said he was making her nervous.

After thinking about this, it led me to think about how uptight everyone seems to be and the things that we do get uptight about. While the neighbor kid doesnt phase me a bit, I thought about how particular people get about certain things. My Dad is a great example. Likes complete cleanliness, order and labels everything. "A place for everything and everything in its place."

I have always thought he wasted HUGE amounts of time and resources cleaning things to the perfect degree. My philosophy growing up was to straighten my room when told, and when things stick to your feet sweep or run the vacuum. Dont get me wrong, I dont think slob is the right word for my cleaning habits, please, I do have some pride for heavens sake!

But, like a lot of other things in my life, I do what I have to do to pass basic inspection and move on to bigger and better things. Detail oriented personality will never be on my Meyers Briggs personality profile. Big picture...does it look OK in here if someone stops by? Then lets go outside and play!

So back to Bizarro World...my kids are in luck if my theory is true. My theory is that we tend to endeavor to be the opposite of our parents. Our parents never are good enough. I will tell you I appreciate my parents a whole hell of a lot more now that I am a parent than ever! Why do we search for Bizarro World? Were our childhoods so awful? Maybe the answer to that is yes for some, but I am thankful to say I had a really normal fairly healthy childhood. While I would say my parents were a bit uptight, they were loving, caring, well meaning people doing the best job they could with what the good Lord gave them. Thats all I try to do from day to day. So if we bring this full circle does this mean my kids will be clean freaks? I could only hope!

So what DOES make me uptight? My children getting out of control, screaming, being mean to each other, and teaching a class for the first time. Getting over scheduled makes me slightly uptight but it also gives me focus. People being mean/cruel to other people, backbiting, and not saying what they really mean rank up there as well. Oh, yeah, when I know someone is mad at me for a justified reason.

The list could go on but it would require more thought. The point of this installment is that if I do everything wrong as a parent, if our children are looking for bizarro world that means they will be great parents...right? :-)

Its Been Awhile!

Wow, its been almost a year since my last post! In the past year so much has happened its all a blur! My consulting/contracting business has taken off and is doing gang busters. Its about to go to another level if I secure this deal with a national project management company...will keep you posted.

Heath is in K4 and while we had a rocky start, he has settled in and had finally charmed his stalwart teacher. He will be making the move to public school next year so I am currently researching schools in the area and just met with the leading candidate today, Summit Drive Elementary. Love them! At the risk of sounding like a total redneck racist, I really didn't realize the extent of Hispanic migration to SC until I started visiting local public schools. Wow.

Heath continues to be extremely rough and tumble. We just signed him up for T-ball starting in March. Can anyone say "Bank Loan, Please" when it comes to children's sports?!?!? $110 bucks for a 4 year old to play T ball! Ouch! Doable now but what happens when we multiply that by 3 kids who want to do 3 sports...please remember me in your wills!

While he is a high energy kid, at bed time he still wants his yellow crocheted blanket and teddy bear and Mommy to lie down with him to talk about "things" I really have to remember that this is special time that I will long for later, rather than see it as an obstacle between me, my pj's and a good book.

Gwyn is officially passive aggressive which is really interesting to compare with the boys who are just plain aggressive. While she does have some mood swings (you got that from your Mama, Gwynnie-sorry!) she is in general a somewhat shy and sweet little girl (you did not get that from your mama, Gwynnie!) Unfortunately the boys are so demanding that G and I don't have long conversations. I do know that Joshie and Hannah are her "best friends" in school. She loves the color pink. Catherine, Emily and Amy are her babies that she carts around everywhere! She is a great and varied eater when she is hungry and when she is not hungry she just wont eat. She is a starch girl. G likes a pretty outfit to wear, loves dresses, shoes, and accessories, but she doesn't like for you to mess with her hair much.

Gwynnie gets along great with Heath, and can get along with Cooper if Heath isn't around. So that makes for an interesting household! Gwyn is definitely the 'Switzerland' of the Tankersley family. She doesn't want anyone left anywhere, and cries when Daddy acts like he is leaving Mommy at home when everyone else is in the car....while the boys are laughing hysterically and screaming "LEAVE HER!" (losers!)

Cooper is the bull in the china shop, pot stirrer, trouble maker, and general jack leg that likes to make absolutely sure there is no peace and quiet in the household. There is never a dull moment with Cooper in the house. He doesn't like a game unless you are moving, no tv except he can stand about 15 minutes of scooby doo and einsteins then he has to get up and go do something, and while he loves books, he wont look through a book unless you are leading him through it. Bryan often asks me how me and my shadow are doing as he follows me around the house and kitchen asking "What IS this?" about everything from wall paneling to potato peelers. He LOVEs to make a batch of Kool Aid and he also likes to unload the silverware from the dishwasher.

One thing about Coop is that he is the wiggliest lap dog you have ever met. The only way I can get his eye patch on him every morning ( has to wear it for an hour every morning b/c his eye's are crossing -ambliopia) is to hold him down and stick it on then kiss his face all over until he stops trying to pull it off. He is a lover and a fighter-its all about the attention in his book if he cant get it with loving then he will turn into the fighter to get the negative attention! Say a prayer for me when he goes through puberty he will be all over the map!

Lastly, Bryan is doing really well with Dark Corner Films. Visit darkcornerfilms.com to check out some of their work. He is really in his element with this business and their documentary is coming along nicely.

So now you have been caught up! I am planning on updating this MUCH more frequently with our hijinx and craziness so stay tuned!

Welcome 2007

Well, here we are in 2007 already! Go figure that I am now working for myself teaching at Greenville Tech and a few other places and training for a half marathon. Its amazing what you can get done when you have the TIME!

Christmas was fun, but glad its over. We were a bit over booked but it was nice getting together with friends, family and neighbors. The kids were a bit stunned by the whole Christmas thing.

January has sort of sucked because we have all been sick. Hopefully we are pulling out of it FINALLY!

New tricks? The twins are talking up a storm, and their newest trick is jumping...Up until now it has been the act of jumping but the feet never left the ground...Now when we start jumping up and down they do it too, but usually end up landing on their bottoms as some point. Cant believe they will be 2 in a month and a half!

Heath turns 4 in a couple of weeks. He is into monster trucks, (Bigfoot presents Meteor and his monster truck friends-show) and we went to see the real thing on Saturday. That sort of freaked him out at first...do you know how LOUD those things are? Good Lord! Thank my SIL, Leah who brought ear plugs or we wouldn't have been able to stay! Heath has really started pretending a lot lately. And his new saying is "I am not going to be your best friend" when we are making him do something he doesn't want to do. Its sad I cant stay his best friend, but I wouldn't be a good Mom if I did. He told me a week ago when we were lying on the couch that he wanted to marry me...how sweet is that? I wanted to stop time and keep him 3 years old forever.

Well the work on the house marches on...we are currently getting bids for a new front porch roof. The architect gave us the plans back and they look pretty good. Cant wait to get them done! Will let you know how that project is coming along!

Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet, Give Me a Job so We Can Eat!

So here we are in October for heaven's sake and the last time I posted was in June. Tsk Tsk where has the time gone, you ask? I mean what in the world could a working mother of 3 have to do all day long so as not post to her blog? Whatever...

Its hard to believe that the twins are 19 months and Heath is 3 and a HALF! Don't forget that half part or you will sorely be reminded that he is not just three but "Phree and a HALF" with unbelievable disgust in his voice that you would mistake him for a mere three year old!

Heath is working really hard on learning all the letters. This week he is on "G". So each Tuesday he is supposed to bring something that starts with the letter of the week, right, which he absolutely loves doing so much it almost makes up for my pure hatred of the teacher for making me remember yet one more thing to pack on Tuesday mornings. Along with lunch for three kids, my lunch, sweaters and jackets b/c its cool in the mornings now, and whatever crap I need to lug to work, I need to imprint in my brain that is more than full at this point that Heath needs to take something that starts with whatever letter we are on....and "be creative" she says. Wear me out. I am all about Heath learning his letters, but keep me out of it will ya? I am trying to keep up with the 20 loads of laundry each week and remembering to have sex with my husband at least once a week so he doesn't leave me with these three demons all by my self! LOL

I am just kidding of course, but correct me if I am wrong but you are required to check part of your memory in at the door when you go to the hospital to have a child! ITS NON EXISTENT after 3 kids. I digress...

Its hard to have a conversation about things that could possibly start with the letter of the week. I ask Heath, OK so what starts with G that you can take to school...."Well, Mom I could take my fire truck to school" Mmmmm, honey that starts with a "F" lets try to think of something else...."Mom, I could take my new fish game" Sweetpea that starts with an F too, where where these fabulous ideas last week? "Mom goat starts with g" You are so right, Heath! But we are fresh out of Goats this week, lets think of something else....and so it goes on. So we settled on a toy soldier gun that he loves and is going to carry for Halloween. We wake up the next morning and Bryan asks me why there is a toy gun on top of his keys and wallet and I tell him b/c Heath needs to take it to school for his G item. You would have thought that I was asking Bryan to carry a condom to school by the look on his face. "Christina", he says, "he can NOT take a gun to Bob Jones for show and tell!" "I can not believe you would even agree to that!" I was so thrilled that we finally found something with a G that we actually had to take in...it worked for me! Doesnt anyone play cowboys and indians any more!?!? I can't win.

On a totally different subject, I have to say that I am FINALLY making some friends in my newish (been there almost a year!) neighborhood. I will tread lightly here because I dont want to hurt anyones feelings but there are some rather duddish people that live around us. I mean are we 30 something with small kids or are we 80 years old staying at home 7 days a week? Or rushing out of community meeting so they can make it home in time for Gray's Anatomy....Get TIVO or Digital recording through your local cable company for heavens sake and lets go get a drink! Lets be practical, I am dressed-and not is sweat pants and a t shirt- I have lipstick on, my husband is at home with my sleeping children and we have an opportunity to go have a drink and get to know eachother and you want to go home to watch a TV show about a girl that is Ali McBeal in a Doctors setting rather than a Law office? Ugh, get a life.

Dont get me wrong, I love me some good television shows. I am hooked on Hero's, The 9, Brothers and Sisters-jury is still out on this one, Rome (HBO-starts back in jan), and Entourage (HBO-starts back in Jan), and the occasional old school star trek, Big Valley or Nanny 911 re runs, but the shows I care about are programed into my digital recording cable box and will be waiting for me when I am not figuring out what starts with a G that my kid can take to school or out having a Mojito with some friends!

Last on my list of things to vent about is my job. My last day is December 1st and it cant come soon enough in one respect and its scary in another. Most of you know that I went part time in late August and to do this I agreed to be a contract worker. The reasoning was that they couldnt offer part time to everyone so in order to be fair if I wasnt really an employe per se then it would be OK if I worked abbreviated hours. I went into this full well knowing that come October 31 when the contract trial time was up, I could be canned. So the good news is they extended the contract to Dec 1st but the bad news is they won't need me after then. Well let me rephrase that, they are opting out for the cheaper full time person than the experienced part time person.

Now I am in job hunting hell, where you send your resume to anyone and everyone who will have it and hope beyond hope that someone will email or call for an interview where you have to "sell" yourself. That is such bullshit and I am so over that. This time I am going to interview them just as much as they interview me and find the right opportunity that fits both of us. So neither one of us is disappointed! Wish me luck! Both with not killing anyone here in the remaining time I have left and in hunting for the perfect part time (hopefully!) job where I work for a nice person who is laid back yet driven enough to give me some motivation when I need it, at a company that needs me and is generous, stable and fun and the higher ups dont have their head so far up their ass they think its below them to say hello to anyone that is below officer level. Think its possible? Do those jobs exist?

Say MAMA!

Its official, the twins have started to talk. Before I go down that road, let me tell you that I had some beginning concerns that they might have some long lasting affects from being premature b/c they hadn't started saying ANYTHING yet. I know, I know, have I lost my mind? Encouraging two small children to talk and scream "Mama" every 5 minutes just doesn't seem like the smart thing to do. But like every other mother out there I am looking at the baby books saying "Children may start saying one or two syllable words as early as 8 months and as late as 18 months" and I am freaking out because mine are 15 months and they should be composing sentences by now if I was a good mother!

So its no surprise that Cooper's first word had to do with food..."Hot"...but he pronounces it like he is from the south side of London..."aught!" Gwyn being the feminine petite little flower that she is came out with "Uh Oh!" when she dropped her cup on the floor and thought it was hilarious that Heath and I ran around dropping/throwing things on the floor saying "Uh Oh!" to reinforce it! I am sure we looked like complete idiots! She has since picked up "Da Da" and every chance I get I over enunciate "MaaaaaMaaaaa" to her and she looks at me with a twinkle in her eye and says "DAAAAA DAAAAA!" I am just waiting for the word "dumbass" to come out of that little heart shaped mouth after we go through this routine! This morning she picked up word number 4 (she says "hot" too) which was "Buzz" -our dog. Nice, she learns the dogs name before mine...I would like to know where the hell Buzz was when she was in the NICU for 4 weeks, when she had those ear infections and was up all hours and when she is hungry and I slave over a stove to feed that little demon!

Bryan let the dogs in this morning because they have been sorely neglected this week while we have been going to Vacation Bible School right after work/school until 8pm. They need their social time too! Gwyn immediately lights up and wants to get out of her highchair and follows Buzz around saying "Ba Ba Ba Ba" then she points at Buzz and says "Bus!" Yeah, that's right, you little ungrateful turkey butt, that is Buzz, congratulations that is word number 4 for you of which your sainted mother's name is not a part...dramatic, I know, but work with my frustration here. Of course Bryan thinks its funny that she will say Da Da and not Mama, but who is going to get the last laugh when she comes to his tight wad self and wants a new car at 16, wants a fairytale (expensive) wedding at 27 and wants to attend Duke for 8 years so she can be a doctor?!??!?! Its scary how patient I can be isn't it? :-)

Summer's Here!

Well, I have been crazy busy since I last posted. Lets see since February we have completed our inside renovation, started on our outside renovations, completed a circular driveway, picked out external paint colors and windows for the house, went to Costa Rica at the end of April, had my 36th birthday on Mothers Day, and have lost 8 of the 10 lbs I committed to losing in Weight Watchers at work! Whew!

We are really looking forward to this summer, its going to be pivotal. The pool opens on Saturday and we are READY! Heath has been preparing himself by blowing bubbles underneath the water in the tub. I have a "pool bag" packed and ready to go, all we lack is the golfcart that Bryan refuses to buy. :-)

The kids are so fun now. Cooper and Gwyn are walking/running like pro's Heath is learning past and future tenses as a whole concept. He throws in words like "lasterday" and tries to talk us into things he wants to do by asking "...is that a good idea?" He is also learning to make choices about his behavior rather than immediately being reactive...a lesson we all need to work on! :-)

I just love talking to Heath and hearing about what's important in his world. Going to the "big" playground versus the baby playground at school is major, counting everything from how many bites of food are on his plate to how many ants he can step on (we will work on respecting nature later), being able to buckle his own seatbelt, getting pudding in his lunchbox at school and finding "H's" in books, newspapers, or signs are all top on the list. He has also found that he enjoys urinating outside much more than in the potty.

Speaking of that, Bryan is doing pretty well too. (ha ha ha) He has been out of town for several days for the last two weeks and I find that I get to work on time when Bryan isn't around...mmmm, and here I was blaming my tardiness on the children! He seems to be happy and has a new enthusiasm for his job(s) which is a good thing. He is very excited about his new driveway and now likes to mess around in the yard so he can admire it. :-) We can pay $6000 for a driveway, but we fight for months if we pay that for countertops that we use 3 times a day! Where is the justice?

I bought a new digital camera, as the old one "disappeared" so I can post some pictures now. The one above, most of you have probably already seen, its from Easter. Its the best we could do, everyone was squirmy and was over Nana taking pictures of them in their Easter outfits.

Take care!