Time out for mommy

Go figure that i'm finally getting around to writing up this post while i've locked myself away in my room for a mommy time out.  it's one of those moments where i've reached my limit of being sassed to, ignored relentlessly, or having things thrown at me in jest/anger (all of the above includes our little E).  it's funny cause i know people look at this blog because of the comments, but i never really think that anyone is reading/looking at my occasional rants.  Today i went to emma's school with jude and eli after naps.  We had a good time hanging out with emma's class for the last hour of school, but when it came time to leave my kids just melted into whining, crying messes.  Thankfully we were the very last to leave school so i didn't have to endure the stares of the women with the 3 loud crazy children.  We were also taking home one of emma's friends from school and she was just walking along as content and happy as can be.  Once we got into the car i looked back at B (emma's friend) and said, "Gee B, what's wrong with the Newbold's today? We're a mess!" at that point Emma lost it even more and dramatically wailed, "I'm sooooo sorry for whining, i'm sooooo sorry for being such a terrible chiiiiild!"  Well that just sent a knife through my heart.  I was horrified that such a horrible idea would even enter into her mind. I quietly and gently told Emma to look at me and reassured her that i was very proud of her and grateful that she was mine.

  It's funny how terrifying parenting can be.  You are sooo scared to get everything right, to not screw up your kids, to not pass down your own insecurities to these sweet innocent spirits.  But at least we try, right?  Ugh it's so hard to be a parent and be so, human!

  So, i guess to calm myself down i'll write a few things about those little monkey's who i adore and who have made me a better person.

  Emma, Emma, Emma.  You were meant to be a first born.  Large and in charge.  It's crazy when i stop to look at you and really see you and realize how you are not a baby anymore.  I'm pretty sure if i blink the next thing i know you'll be a young woman.   You try so hard to do what's right and are so hard on yourself when you've made a mistake.  You are an amazing artist and have a brilliant mind.  You are fearless in so many aspects and i admire you for your incredible strength.  (just yesterday after dance class, her teacher came up to me saying emma had some concerns about the costume for the recital.  The teacher said it had something to do with wearing a shirt with it.  I chuckled and explained that emma was worried about wearing the costume because it was spaghetti strap and how we've taught her what it means to dress modestly.  She was concerned that she would be allowed to wear a shirt under or over the costume to make it modest.  The teacher happens to be of our faith and so i didn't have to really explain too much to her to have her understand, but i was so proud of emma for standing up for something she believes like that.  It was a no brainer for her.) 

  Jude.  You are my sweet, tender hearted, mischievous little man.  You have energy to no end and always are in the mood to laugh and make others laugh.  Sometimes you go too far, but you are learning and trying.  you want so badly to be a big boy and play with the big kids.  You want to be independent and do everything on your own and i'm often surprised with how much you can do all on your own.  You are my cuddle bug and can easily melt my heart with the drop of a tear.  You are a fearless acrobat, which makes me anxious to see what you do the older you get.

  Eli.  You are our "Growly Bear."  You may be little but you are one tough tot that i don't want to mess with.  You have attitude and an opinion and you don't let your size slow you down.  You too have an inner strength that astounds me like your sister.  You also love to make people laugh and love messing around with jude to do just that.  

  For all the complaining i do about my kids, i wouldn't trade them for anything.  I can't even picture myself doing anything other than being a full time stay-with-the-kids mom.  They've taught me strength, confidence, love, love, love and how to forgive and forget.  What blessings they are and my cup runneth over. 

  Well that was therapeutic. 

a new camera

 So i've been wanting to get a new camera for quite a while now (even though i lack posting pics on my blog, i do take lots of pics at home).  When Brad saw me put some on my christmas list and heard me plead my cause, he made me promise him that if we got one, i would have to use it a lot and post more pics on our blog.  So here i am trying to prove myself worthy of a new camera.  I finally managed to upload pics.  Not sure why it wasn't letting me before, but i'm glad i'm able to, and with much greater ease : )

Eli invading Nate and Camille's cooler

Here's one from a while back.  We were making carmel apples with some family and friends, and we turn our backs on jude and a bowl of sprinkles for 2 seconds and this is what ensued.  Jude gorging himself on fistfuls of rainbow sprinkles.

Camille the child magnet ; )

Emma's first costume (cinderella)

Eli's first costume

Emma's third costume (She Hulk), the night before we went to a friends Halloween party where Jude was the Hulk and Emma had dressed up as a vampire, so she decided at the ward halloween party this is what she would be.  It's fitting ; )

This photo is a favorite of Brad's.  Eli decided to ditch the party and go wreak havoc in a classroom with Brad.  Plus Jude needed a place to rest since he had eaten too many sweets and earned himself a tummy ache. Surprise?

Jude's second costume (spiderman) you can see his nails are still painted green from his hulk costume, i'll post pics of that as soon as i get them from my friend.

Eli has learned fast that this is a world of survival of the fittest.  He may be small, but he can easily take down his siblings if he times it right. Here he's trying is darndest to get the lollipop from emma.

Eli's second costume (kangaroo) Emma wore this for her first Halloween, you can see how much they look alike by clicking here. Some people tell me my kids are clones.  What do you think?

I love getting into the Holidays with the kids.  So i was a vampire pirate on Halloween night and a Luchadora at the ward Halloween party.  Brad threw on nerd glasses and was Moby for our friends halloween party and then let me dye him green so he could go to the ward party as lizard man (spiderman's nemesis)  : )

Making cookies with friends and anxiously awaiting the results : )

First snow day, i LOVE the snow.  Eli didn't care for it and was more like randy from a christmas story stuck laying in the snow.

Eli looking like a little girl with pig tails

Eli proud of his accomplishment of fitting in this basket

Eli not so happy about his accomplishment 2 seconds later ;)

Playing nerds with daddy

Jude and i hanging out today : ) He's my sweet little cuddle bug...when he wants to be...

E

So we were leaving church today and we got stuck behind a slow old pickup truck who was headed down the same road we were. As we approached an entrance to a store Brad anxiously said out loud  "Turn, turn." Brad must have done something right today because that truck actually turned into the store (which was actually no longer open).  Well little miss E didn't miss a beat and exclaimed, "Wow dad you're like a wizard...A wizard of God!" Brad and i couldn't help ourselves and burst out laughing. We then asked her where that had come from, and she explained how after brad had commanded the truck to turn it turned.  Then she stated with a goofy mischievous grin, "And let the blood of your sins be remembered evermore." Who is this child?! And where in the heck did that come from?!  We all couldn't help cracking up.  I love my weird random children.  Wonder where they get it from ; )

kids say the darnest things

"Hey Dad look what i can do! (wierd quiet scream finished with a big goofy smile) i'm a falossaraptor!"~Jude

"Look at what i made! Mom put it on the emmatainment center"~Emma

gotta love em. here's some fun we had today : )

i love how eli is peeking around jude here, and i LOVE how emma was cracking Jude up : )

Her Mother's Daughter

I'm so sorry it takes me forever to get these things up.  I did try to upload some new pics with no success, but i uploaded this to YouTube and hope you enjoy it as much as i do : ) Emma started taking dance class and this was the first class we actually got to watch.  Emma is the one in pink, behold her glory!

My sweet little munchkins

So i've been deterred from blogging because every time i have attempted for some reason blogger will not upload my pics! i keep meaning to ask brad for help but only remember when he's not around.  Asi es! Anywho, i complain A LOT about my wild children to people, but i really do adore their sweet little faces.  I've been trying so hard this summer to really focus on being and playing with them.  staying in the moment.  When i do, it truly is magical.  They really are such beautiful and amazing creations.  i thought i'd jot down a couple of moments that i don't want to forget.
a couple of months ago (maybe less) we had a particularly chilly morning here.  Like most mornings we headed out to the playground right next to our apartment only to turn right back around and grab a jacket and cardigan (well...jude didn't, he was probably just wearing shorts ; )  Anywho, some friends of ours were out playing as well  and my friend decided to run back home to some jackets for her girls while i kept watch.  Emma seeing her friend shivering wrapped her arms around her friend and said, " I'll keep you warm Bailey!"  i couldn't help but smile at her sweetness, but her arms being too little to do much good, i decided to give up my cardigan to B until her mom came back.  Well once B's little sister saw she decided the cardigan must be hers so she ran over and tried to take it away.  Immediately i knew there would be problems as i saw emma get up to defend her friend from the wrath of the 2 year old little sister.  Quickly rushing over to diffuse the tense situation, i pulled emma aside to explain to her how cold B's little sister was and how she was just trying to get warm too.  I was relieved to see emma's stern scowl soften as she listened to me.  Then, to my surprise, she turned around took off her jacket and put it on B's little sister.  I was speechless (but only for a moment, let's face it, Risser blood runs thick in my veins ; ) i was so proud of her, especially cause i hadn't said anything about her giving up her jacket to B's little sister. I couldn't help but squeeze her tightly in a bear hug and cover her face in kisses till she smiled.  It was a proud moment for me.
It's fun too to hear emma and jude compliment each others art work with the enthusiasm of their mother.  They do love each other most of the time.
Jude is my wild child.  Just the other day (friday i believe) he was playing with a new friend who had dragged our plastic tricycle all the way up a steep hill right behind our play ground with the intentions of riding it down.  I was curious to see how it would all pan out, but luckily brad, being the more cautious parent, decided to intervene.  When he explained to jude that it wasn't a good idea because he could hurt his head, Jude in his fearless dare devil way confidently replied, "That's ok, i'll just get a new one.  oh how i love that little boy! His smile and the mischievous sparkle that always seems to shine in his eyes brings such joy and adventure into my life! (as well as many many MANY lessons on patience)
Eli is my cuddle bug.  He's walking and almost running to keep up with brother and sister.  He's almost always chattering away about something and definitely has an opinion about what you can and can't do with him.  Brad and i both agree that he is a blend of Emma's sass and Jude's joy.
well...it's getting harder to keep my eyelids open, so with that i shall bid adieu until next time...probably around halloween ; ) 
p.s. brad and i are doing good : )

A post

So i'm too tired to post any pics (much i'm sure to grandparents dismay...sorry) but while i'm waiting for jude to give up and go to bed, and i have brad's laptop to myself while he's gone at a training meeting, i figured i'd at least write something.  Believe it or not, not posting regularly on my blog is one of the many things that i feel guilty about.

Brad is doing good as far as i can tell.  I think we've both been in a bit of a hibernating mode and don't really feel like doing much even though there always seems like there's LOADS to be done.  He's still loving school and all that he's learning and it's fun for me when i can understand things he shares with me.  Like today in his isotopes lab, they're going to start looking at food.  He was telling me how often times products will say they're from the USA when they're not and you can tell by looking at their isotopes...ok the way i worded it it sounds boring, but when he said it it sounded interesting to me.  He's a great man that bradley andrew newbold.  I really do love him and any time i get to spend with him i relish.  He still teaching Sunday School and i love watching and learning from him.  Every Sunday he teaches i can't help but want to say, "Yeah...that's my husband...he's pretty hott." Hahahaha brad will roll his eyes when and if he ever reads that ; )

As for me...i'm doing great...some days ; ) But to be honest, right now i feel like i'm hanging by a thread.  Nevertheless, i'm a very blessed woman.  I love my 3 little munchkins so much!  The other day (after a particularly sleepless night) i was just so down and SO tired and Emma was freaking out over ranch and carrots (i hadn't given her enough), Jude was spitting water everywhere and banging his spoon on the table, Emma's bus would be here any minute, and Eli wasn't going down for his nap.  I finally lost it and snapped at emma, then at Jude and took his spoon away and then they started bawling, and then i felt like the biggest jerk for losing it and UGH!!! I just collapsed on the floor and started bawling myself.  In an instant Emma and Jude stopped crying and slowly walked over to me.  Emma grabbed a blanket and pulled it over me and crouched down on the floor next to me.  Then Jude climbed up on my back and put his arms around me and asked if i was ok.  Their instant tenderness when i had just yelled at them melted my heart and made me cry even more.  After saying sorry to them and giving them big hugs and "i love you's" i hurried outside so emma could catch the bus.  She was hesitant to get on, and kept a steady eye on me from her bus window to make sure i was gonna be ok.  She even tried her hardest to sign i love you.  I've got good kids and a good husband. Where i feel i lack in so many personal areas, i sure feel blessed with the family i've been given.

Emma is my big helper.  She is definitely one strong-willed little girl.  We recently visited with a child psychologist from her school and have learned that her crazy outbursts are probably more than just being strong willed.  I have yet to have a follow up visit, and it's nothing so severe that the therapist wanted to label it, but she said something to the effect that her mannerisms and characteristics could be classified as asperger's-like.  But it's not asperger's...yeah i'm a bit confused about that diagnosis (well, it wasn't really an official diagnosis).  However it did give me comfort in knowing that i'm gonna have to handle her differently because part of the reasons for her freakouts are for reasons beyond her control.  She's such a beautiful girl though.  She's a huge help to me in taking care of her younger brothers.  She's so smart too!  A couple of weeks ago i decided to take the kids to one of the museums on campus.  We had to park a good distance away and part of the route we took was our old walking group route.  It was the end of the day so there's college students walking around everywhere, and just like her mother, Emma has issues with volume control.  So she's reminiscing how we used to walk this way for walking group and then randomly says:

"Hey mom, i remember when you had to give me bum bum medicine so my poops would come out, remember that?  Yeah, that memory was just bouncing in my head!"

and then she laughs. Then on the other side of the street she see's a man walking his pit bull but she thinks it's a boxer and says:

"Hey mom, look he's got a puncher!"

Good times.  Then today i picked her up from school and was asking her how school was:

Emma:  Good. There was this guy who came to teach us how to brush our teeth with his puppet alligator.  And mom, he was really handsome, i want to marry him.

Me: But Emma i thought you didn't want to get married

Emma:  Yeah, i think he had a wife.  I was just kidding.

I love her.  I wish i could remember more of the silly things she's said.

Jude. Oh boy, i love that little boy.  He is into everything!  He was banned from markers up til today because he kept coloring himself (one time claiming he was spider man after he drew black stripes all over his face) and everything.  He does not like wearing clothes and if he must wear clothes he prefers his swim trunks and shirt.  He prefers being naked with a cape and boots even though our house is pretty cold.  He is such a cuddle bug and often climbs into bed with brad and i in the morning.  He too says some pretty funny stuff although i can't recall them off the top of my head, although the other day i told him he couldn't do something and he smacked his forehead with his hand and said, "Oh my gosh, you have got to to be kidding me." Oh how i love him!

Eli is our happy little man and we all love him so much!  All you need to do is look at him and say hello and he'll smile.  He's a talker too and loves to be talked to.  We just started physically therapy with him on friday to work on his torticollis (big head + thin neck = one side of his neck is weaker than the other).  Hopefully we'll have him upright in no time : )

Well...i've written a bunch and hopefully one of these days i'll get around to pics.  I really am sorry that i'm a slacker.   love you all! xo