Lighten Up

So the past few weeks have been stressful and difficult.  But I'm thinking today that I really need to lighten up on myself, like a lot. 

My family is the majority of my stressors, unfortunately there is no way to avoid your family.  Unless I disappered or something, which I'm not going to do.  My Mom is about to move to Colorado and she is the only person who helps me out with the kids....so I think that's really bothering me even though I don't really let it show.  And when I say she helps with my kids, she does but only on rare occasions.

I was thinking about this the other day, Kyla is 4 in a week or so and in those 4 years, I've only ever been away from my kids for 5 nights and 2 of those I was in the hospital GIVING BIRTH to one of them.  Holy moly!  Can't a girl get a little help around here?  Apparently no.  Now that my Mom is moving I'm going to have to find someone to hire to help me for doctor's appointments and it would be really awesome if I could find someone I trusted to watch the kids so that my Husband and I could actually go out everyonce in a while and have a date!

I also heard from Hanger Prosthetics earlier this week that after being told that Kyla's prosthetic was going to be covered at 100% it is only covered at 80% so our out of pocket is approximately $1600.  I was pissed and really sad at the same time.  It blows my mind that all these people who don't really need benefits get benefits and Kyla who was born with 1/2 an arm doesn't get anything.  Makes sense right...and this $1600 prosthetic will only last a few years till she grows out of it.  Perfect.  But then lastnight I got a phone call from the prosthetist at almost 7 PM and he was saying that he doesn't want me to give up that there are lots of options for her to help pay for it, etc.  He's a pretty cool guy and like 5 minutes from our house, we don't have to travel!!  He seems to really care about my kid which is awesome. 

I spent 4 hours this morning watching a friend's kid in addition to my own 2 so I'm beat. 

I need to stop being so negative and focus on the good....  I'm 30, I've got two beautiful children, I've got a good, hard working Husband, we are coming up on our 7 year wedding anniversary in just a few weeks, I've got 12 years work experience with the Department of Energy, I've got an Associate's Degree and about a year away from a Bachelor's degree (that I don't plan to ever finish :)), we own 3 residences, two of which are rentals, 1 is our residence (which is large enough for our family and pretty nice), we have almost no debt (besides our homes and one credit card), CBC just posted on their website they are considering starting a Bachlor's in Diagnostic Ultrasound in 2015 (I'm there if they do...going to schedule an appt with counselor soon to be sure I'm ready to go the first year they start this program)............ my Husband is employed with 3 different companies, 1 of which is a City and another is a County, another is a friend's business....which are all very good jobs.  My Mom has just recently asked us to be the property manager for her property, which what she is paying us to do this will more than cover Kyla's monthly tuition for her Preschool (relieves some stress)...her Preschool isn't cheap.

Kids cost A LOT of money, be prepared people.  Oh yeah and kids are A LOT of work....  so glad I had my first when I was 26 and am not just now starting!!!

Since my Husband works so much I pretty much function as a single Mom.  I go nuts from time to time with no help, no breaks, running around town, doing errands, planning events, taking kids to doctor's appointments, etc.  but I'm doing it and I just need to focus on the good more and less on the bad and frustrating.

Oh and I've also applied for a business license and decided to actually pursue doing photography more.  I really do like doing it, it's fun.  I've always been artistic and so when I'm not doing it so much like I have been, I miss it.  I changed my business name, built myself a website and have two different people scheduled for this next month, so we will see....I'm ready to get out of this house more and do something.  Check it out if you want, www.portraitsbyamber.com view it on the web, the mobile version is not that pretty.

Adios!

Few Pics of me With Crazy Kyla

These are my stay at home mom hardly any makeup photos. LOL I hardly ever share photos so I figured I would post a few. 

Two Cutest Turds on the Planet

Sharing snacks, best buds. Love them!!!

Video & Photos

THE VERSE I PLAN TO TATTOO ON MY LEFT INSIDE ARM, RIGHT WHERE KYLA'S ENDS.  I LOVE THIS, JEREMIAH 1:5....SO PERFECT.  I PLAN TO HAVE ASHLEY AT SUPER GENIUS TATTOO IN SEATTLE DO THIS FOR ME SINCE I AM A TATTOO FREE GIRL (AS OF NOW) AND SUPER PICKY.  SHE SEEMS TO DO AMAZING WORK.

 

Recent Trips

We have been back from Seattle Children's visit for a few weeks now.  It went great but was cut short by Miss Emma and her attitude (tiredness).  We did get to spend a few hours at the event and Kyla got to attempt to climb a very tall rock wall.  There were no other kids there that were just like her (left arm below elbow amputation) but there were a lot of kids with prosthetic legs.  It was kinda odd and I was a bit surprised, but it was still good.  There was a police officer (male adult) who came to visit the kids who had an arm amputation and had quite a bit less of his arm than Kyla.  Kyla was pretty surprised by him and was kind of standoffish and rude (I tried to snap that out of her real quickly but she is 3 years old....I think that kinda comes with the age).  Overall the trip was worth it.  We did do a lot of driving, stayed at my Aunt and Uncle's newest built house in Tacoma and drove to Seattle to visit Woodland Park Zoo on Saturday which was a great zoo.  I also had never been to Kerry Park before and really wanted to go.  It was such an amazing view, I wish we could've spent some time there but we had 2 passed out kids in the back.

So I'm sure we will be making the trip to Seattle Children's annual Social an annual thing :)

Life has been so weird lately.  I find myself thinking a lot lately and that's never good.  :P  I bet those of you who have read this blog off and on from the start probably think I'm crazy.  I'm not really, I just analyze my life quite a bit.  So I'm going to try to keep analyzing a little bit more and hopefully figure some things out.  :)  I just think it's funny how everyone has a story and their stories don't always match up... everyone is always at constant stages of their lives and those stages are always changing.  I try to focus on the big picture and not get myself caught up with emotion because in all honesty my emotions don't matter so much, I got two little babies that are my most important.  I think hitting 30 was a bit of an eye opener for me. 

Speaking of those two little babies, this past Thursday I took Kyla to her first appointment at Hanger Prosthetics here in town.  She has asked for a new prosthetic and we are going to get her one.  I will be getting her registered for ballet classes soon and I want her to be able to do all of the arm formations just as everyone else.  I also talked to the guy about getting her a hand so that she can start to learn how to ride a big girl bike or scooter.  Kyla has been wearing her old prosthetic around the house quite a bit.  She likes it, which is a change from what it had been when she was younger.  The guy at Hanger described the prosthetic he will make her and it sounds like it will be so much better and easier and more functional than her infant one.  So that makes me pretty excited.

We spent this past weekend at a friend's cabin in the middle of no where, Hunters, WA.  It was fun to get out of town for a bit.  Kyla was hanging out with our friend's kids walking around shooting grasshoppers with BB guns, it was actually pretty cute, as cute as that can be.

We bought Kyla a trampoline yesterday, her and I have been hanging out on it today and last night.

I'll upload some pics from our Seattle trip and recent happenings.  Take care.

Amber