Crying it out...

I know plenty of my thoughts and opinions will be shared via this blog, so with that in mind I figured I should add a few disclaimers. Yes, I’m very opinionated, but my goal and desire is to never be disrespectful or rude. My thoughts and opinions are my own, that doesn’t mean that they are better. What works for me doesn’t work for all.

With that said, my friend Lea posted linked this blog on Facebook. I read it and thought I’d share. Here’s the link.

Its comes as no surprise to anybody that I personally don’t believe in having a baby cry it out (CIO). I think babies cry for a reason, crying is their way of communicating. I don’t prescribe to the line of thinking that asserts babies cry to manipulate their caregivers. Evolutionarily speaking babies cry because they need something, whether its comfort, reassurance or nourishment, there is a perceived need that needs attention.

Yes, I think there is a difference between whining and actively crying. No, despite popular belief I don’t immediately pick up and console my child in response to every whiny cry, but if I did, that’s my choice too! ;)

Still Sick...

Yep...no words to share really, but I do have plenty of snot. Super GROSS, I know.

Scott made me homemade chicken soap for dinner. Did I mention he has the cold too? He's a keeper.

I'm sick...

I have nothing good to write about. I actually went to bed at 6:30 and I'm posting this at 3:30 in the morning. I slept wonderfully and now I'm wide awake. My throat hurts and my nose is runny. I'm like a walking advertisement for Nyquil....oh, and yay, Nyquil is something I can't take...sigh.


So, here's my cop out post. I must admit that I'm surprised that this blog has already more than 200 views we're only a couple of days into January. Am I really that interesting?


While I'm sniffly, sneezing and coughing, indulge me and comment, what is it that you want to see me blog about on here??

Irelyn & Ellie, the smack down!

I’ve always wanted a big family. I daydream about baking bread, growing green beans, raising chickens and having a gaggle of kids. Then I wake up, remember that I live in Orange County where green bean growing and chicken raising doesn’t really happen and remind myself of the real world I live in. I’ve always been realistic when it comes to family size. As much as I want a bunch of kids, the truth of the matter is that  having more than two really isn’t in the cards for Scott and I.

I think siblings are the best. My brother and I are almost seven years apart in age and while we’re very different people we are very close. He’s honestly one of my best friends. He understands me in a way nobody (not even my husband) can. He remembers the snotty whiny girl called Sissy and he loves me. After having Irelyn I just couldn’t imagine NOT giving her a sibling. When my mom is gone, I like to think I’ll still have my brother. If God forbid anything happens to Scott and me, I’ll take comfort knowing that my girls will always have each other.
I love watching my children interact with each other. The first person Irelyn wants to talk to every morning is Ellie. She’ll walk into the living room and squeal, “Hi Ellie!!!” and then Ellie’s face lights up. Irelyn gives Ellie a hug and Ellie gives her big wet open mouth kisses back. When Irelyn is away from Ellie for a couple of hours she’ll randomly look up at the adult she’s with and say, “I miss Baby Ellie” and then she’ll insist that its time to go home. She even said this to me when we were at Disneyland on date! I was like, “You want to leave Disneyland?!” She looked at me, shook her head and said, “Baby Ellie needs me and I miss by sister!” So um, yeah…we left and went home.

Earlier this evening I witnessed the funniest exchange. Ellie was in her jumper and Irelyn was listening to Johnny Cash on her cd player (what can I say, the kid has good taste). Irelyn walked over to Ellie and the next thing I know Ellie is SOBBING! I knew immediately that Irelyn had done something, but I wasn’t sure what. Irelyn looked at me with fear, runs over to her sister and starts kissing Ellie all over telling her, “I love you Baby Ellie! I love you! I’m sorry! I’m sorry, please don’t cry Baby Ellie!” Ellie stopped crying and starting cheering up. Irelyn was still tore up about it all though. I asked Irelyn what she did and she put her head and looked embarrassed. She then walked out of the living room and put herself into timeout!

She sat in her time out chair for about 5 minutes or so…got up and said she was all better now. I asked her if she did something to her sister, she said yes, but that she didn’t want to talk about it. I asked her if she was going to do it again, and she was like, “No, I don’t like to see Baby Ellie cry.” Later it came out that Irelyn swatted Ellie on the head. She says she didn’t think it would hurt Ellie and that she’s unsure why she did it in the first place. The look on Irelyn's face during all of this was priceless!

Oh, the joys of having kids! Made for good evening entertainment! =)

Just one of those days....

Looks like I may be coming home with a new car tomorrow. Scott and I went over to the Honda dealership earlier to look around and have them run our credit. I don't need a new car, but for a bunch of reasons (that I won't bore you with) getting out from under my current car loan and trading in Skate (my 2003 Jeep Liberty) is a good idea and advantageous for us in the long run. Soo....I have the details  and I'm going to sleep on it tonight and go from there.


In other exciting news it was a typical Sunday on the Trep Family front. Went to breakfast in the morning, had a Costco run and came home and were bums the rest of the day. I thought about cleaning...and I thought about going through a bunch of the girls' clothes that they've grown out of...but I didn't do any of it. I think sometimes you just need a lazy day, ya know?


I got to admit, I'm pretty surprised so many people are interested in reading this blog. I promise I'm really not all that interesting.


I had another blog idea earlier today, but with rain, needy children and my desire to actually bit a more articulate, that blog will need to wait for another day.

Till tomorrow....

Tangled Emotions

Today Irelyn and I went on a date and saw Tangled. She was excited and surprised that we were going out together, just me and her. We got sodas and popcorn and settled into the theater. As the movie started she looked up at me, puckered her lips and leaned in to kiss me. Its amazing how my children can make me feel like a million bucks!

Tangled is the fourth movie we’ve seen in the theater together and once again I found myself sitting in a kid’s movie with tears running down my face. The first time this happened it was in the first 10 minutes of Princess & the Frog. It was as if I could reach out and physically touch and feel the magical wonder Irelyn was experiencing enjoying her first theater experience. The second time was throughout watching Toy Story 3. The playback of an old movie of young Andy playing with his toys did me in. I know my kids are going to grow up, and I look forward to my girls maturing into young women, but in that moment it was if the world was moving at the speed of light. I cried knowing that these days of toys and make believe are so short and precious. And as crazy as it sounds at the end of Toy Story 3 I had a special grin on my face with the comfort knowing I took some of my toys to college with me.

Tangled hit a different nerve this time, an unexpected nerve at that. Rampunzel is a pure, vibrant and naïve character. The premise of the movie involves her being kidnapped as a baby and raised by an evil old lady. As the movie progressed I experienced it through the eyes of my three year old. She was excited, scared, happy and enthusiastic to see what happened next. Its moments like these that put everything in perspective. I went down that rabbit hole and imagined what life would be like if somebody kidnapped one of my girls and I couldn’t do it. I simply can’t imagine my life without either of them. I can’t quantify or express the lengths I would go to protect my daughters.

The date was a success, the kidlet got some special one on one time with mama and I enjoyed every precious moment!

Kinda how I feel about the world...

There Will Come Soft Rains

There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;

And frogs in the pool singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white;

Robins will wear their feathery fire,
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;

And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.

Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,
If mankind perished utterly;

And Spring herself when she woke at dawn
Would scarcely know that we were gone.

- Sara Teasdale