With the cuteness comes the terror!

My son? A terror? Yes! He now has the ability to turn evil in the blink of an eye. The past few days he's suddenly had tantrums. Thankfully, it's only one a day but "my gosh!" It's that crying and screaming business for no reason that I can define -- just that we're not doing what he wants to do.

Yesterday's incident occurred when we were leaving Bed Bath & Beyond. He had just been flirting it up with the cashier and we exited. I stop the stroller to check the weather. I made a decision to walk down the sidewalk to the Starbucks to grab a latte. Out of the blue the boy suddenly goes rigid in the stroller and crying. What the heck? He made his body straight and he wanted OUT! Well, there goes the nice stroll down to the Starbucks! Dang, dang, dang! I walk calmly to the car with the crying child. I struggled to get him into the carseat. I had to put my elbow in between his legs so he couldn't get his body straight. I had to wrestle with him to get him in there! I got the stroller loaded and got in. Yes, he was still having a fit. His crying lasted the entire drive -- about 10 minutes. But those 10 minutes seemed to last an eternity!

Even though this rampaging tyke can come out, I believe my Bear is the cutest little boy in the world. He's a solid piece of muscle with a quick smile (for strangers) that contains a chip on his front left tooth. He'll flash a grin when we meet up with people - especially ladies. It's too adorable to resist! The ladies at the administration office at the Princess' preschool always want to "chat" with him when we're coming and going. The times when my Bear has been asleep (while I struggle to hold his dead weight comfortably), they've been bummed because they've missed an opportunity to talk to him. He says "Bye" to folks when we leave any store too.

The past two days he's been fascinated with a toy that I dug out of a box. It's a Clifford dog about 8 inches tall that's got wheels attached to it and a string attached to its neck. My Bear has been leading that dog all around the house. He'll walk backwards so he can watch it following him. When the string has gotten caught around the dog he struggles to get it untangled. When the dog falls over, the Bear cracks up laughing. Then he carefully puts it back on its wheels.

Then last night he came up with a new move. Actually, last Friday at his Movers&Shakers class the instructors had the kids hop like frogs across the mat. Of course, it was mostly the mommies doing the hopping. The Bear tried but couldn't really do it. All of a sudden last night he did it! He hopped once and I said to him "Are you a frog? Ribbit, ribbit." Then he kept on doing it. Seriously, he's only turning 21 months in a few days. He squated then hopped - without using his hands to push off. He's got some STRONG legs, but I've known that for ages. A few months ago he squated in Gymboree class and stood up. The instructor said "He's got some strong legs!" She expected him to use his hands to push off on the ground to get up...but no! My boy just used those strong knees and solid thigh muscles to get his body up.

My parents are coming! My parents are coming!

Found out from my sister *D* last Monday that my parents are flying in to visit us this coming Friday. Woohoo! Hopefully they bring their checkbook so they can put money down on a house. What? You don't believe me? My hubby was the one who made that joke to me. You see, I fully want them to move out here. The standard of living is so much easier than in Southern California. They'll be near my kids. This place has a small town feel (read that as country). A much different environment than they're used to but it would be a refreshing change for them. I'd call it a new beginning really. I've even got the floorplans on the subdivisions near ours all printed out.

We're having them stay in the master bedroom. This way they'll be in the BIG bed and have the bathroom all to themselves. Today I went out and bought a shower curtain & rings for the extra bathroom, which my hubby, the kids and I will use. Why did I have to buy that you ask? Because the two kiddos take a bath so we've never bought a shower curtain for that bathroom. But if my hubby and I are going to use it then we need a curtain. I also bought some good coffee filters. I've got a four cup coffee maker that came with one of those gold reuseable filters. Well, that sucker leaks grinds into the decanter all the time. So I went and bought filters so my folks won't have to deal with the grinds.

I'm really excited for them to come and see the kiddos. But they're only going to be here from Friday night (8pm) until noon on Sunday. It's not going to be a long visit since my Mom still works. Yes, my Mom still works! She's such a workaholic -- I guess that's where I get it from. But she also wants to make it to some point (I don't know what it is really) that she receives full retirement benefits. So there she goes at 66 years old still working.

Anyway, I'll tell you more about their visit by Monday. Cross your fingers so they move out here!

4 yr appointment

This morning my daughter had her 4-year pediatric check-up.

Let me tell you that when she was born she was a long and lanky baby. She was 19 1/2 inches long and only 5 lb 9 oz. She is STILL a long and lanky child! She's now 41 1/4 inches tall (75%) and weights 31 1/2 lbs (25%).

After the nurse got those measurements, she got another piece of equipment out. Can you believe they had a kid size blood pressure monitor? It was too cute. Of course, the Princess remembers when I was pregnant with the Bear. So I said "This is just what Mommy always had done when she had the Bear in her tummy. Remember?" She said "Yes, I do Mommy!" So she wasn't intimidated at all by this thing, which I think the nurse was being cautious about. I guess some kids freak out when the band tightens up on their arm.

They tested her vision. How did they do that? The nurse showed her a card with some shapes on it and asked her what each one was called (circle, square, house, apple). The nurse then brought her into a room and had her stand up against the door. She had the Princess cover one eye and then showed her a line of shapes. She pointed to each shape and had the Princess tell her what shape it was. The Princess did one line and then did an additional line with smaller shapes. She did the right eye first. Then the nurse had her cover the other eye and the nurse went to a different board of shapes (no copying). Turns out she's got 20/25 vision. I'm hoping the Princess keeps this good vision as I've got the WORST vision in the world.

They did a hearing test as well. They put a little headset on her. They asked her to raise her hand when she heard a sound. The first time she heard the sound she didn't do anything. The nurse had to ask her if she heard something and then she raised her hand. Once she got the hang of it she blew through the test with no problems. Woohoo!

We then waited in the examination room for the pediatrician. He came in and we chatted with me for a couple of minutes.

"Is she taking any medication?" No, she isn't on any medication.

"Is she allergic to anything? to any medication?" The only thing she's ever reacted to was oatmeal when she was a baby. But she's over that. She loves oatmeal. She's never had any reaction to any kind of medication.

"Is she typically a healthy child?" Yes, she's very healthy. She rarely gets sick.

"Has she ever had any surgery or hospital stays?" No, she's never stayed in the hospital, but has had an MRI. She has an extra dimple on her bottom. They were checking her spine.

"Do you have any firearms in the house?" No

"Has she ever been to a dentist?" Yes she has. She actually has an extra front tooth that's up in her gums still.

"Is she at home all the time?" No, she goes to preschool three days a week.

"Do you have any concerns about your daughter?" She still wears a pull-up at night.

"Do you have any family medical history that you're concerned with?" My father & my hubby's grandmother have adult on-set diabetes. My father has glaucoma & used to have high blood pressure.

"How is her behavior?" Typical. It's usually challenging when the two don't want anything to do with each other.

Then he focused his attention on the Princess.

"Do you enjoy preschool?" Yes!

"Do you brush your teeth?" Yes...then Mommy & Daddy do it.

"Do you ride in a carseat?" Yes

"Do you sleep well?" Yes

"Do you eat your fruits & vegetables?" Sometimes

"What's your favorite food?" Macaroni & cheese

"How many fingers do I have up?" Three

"How many now?" Five (she giggled & gave him a look like "obviously!")

"An oven is hot. An ice cube is..." Cold!

"An elephant is big. A mouse is..." Tiny! (note that she didn't say small...but tiny)

Then he had her look at a paper with shapes on it. He pointed to a shape & asked her what it was. "A circle!" Then he had her draw it. Then he pointed to another shape & asked her what it was. "A cross!" Then he had her draw it. Then he pointed to another shape & asked her what it was. "A square!" Then he had her draw it. He then looked at me and said that most kids her age don't usually draw a square that well unless they have it demonstrated to them first. Hmmm....

He then had her sit on the exam table to check her heart and her lungs. He then her lay down to check her belly. He then sat her back up to check her ears, her nose, & her mouth. He then had her hold her arms to her sides at shoulder length. He pressed down on them and told her to push up against him. He pushed up on them and told her to push her arms down. He had her squeeze his finger with each hand. He had her extend her legs while he held them and asked her to pull her legs towards her bottom. He then had her legs hang while he put his hands against her shins and asked her to push her legs up.

Then he got her on the ground. He asked her to lift her left leg and balance on the right (he did it with her). He counted to 10. He then asked her to right leg and balance on the left (he again did it with her) and he counted to 10. She didn't lose her balance at all! He had her walk on the tippy-toes and then on her heels. He even had her squat and walk like a duck!

He told me that she just passed tests that he'd normally ask a 5 or 6 year old. He said she follows directions really well. She did great and I'm just so glad she's developed into such a healthy girl!

200 things

Got this Meme from The Mommy Blog ...what I've done is bolded...

01. Bought everyone in the pub a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula.
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Done a striptease
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long, and watch the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars
21. Changed a baby's diaper
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne
25. Given more than you can afford to charity
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse
30. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip
38. Taken an ice cold bath
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse
41. Ridden a roller coaster
42. Hit a home run
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
48. Had two hard drives for your computer
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job for all accounts
51. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
53. Had amazing friends
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
55. Watched wild whales
56. Stolen a sign
57. Backpacked in Europe
58. Taken a road-trip
59. Rock climbing
60. Lied to foreign government's official in that country to avoid notice
61. Midnight walk on the beach
62. Sky diving
63. Visited Ireland
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
66. Visited Japan
67. Benchpressed your own weight
68. Milked a cow
69. Alphabetized your records
70. Pretended to be a superhero
71. Sung karaoke
72. Lounged around in bed all day
73. Posed nude in front of strangers
74. Scuba diving
75. Got it on to "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye
76. Kissed in the rain
77. Played in the mud
78. Played in the rain
79. Gone to a drive-in theater
80. Done something you should regret, but don't regret it
81. Visited the Great Wall of China
82. Discovered that someone who's not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog
83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better
84. Started a business
85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
86. Toured ancient sites
87. Taken a martial arts class
88. Swordfought for the honor of a woman
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
90. Gotten married
91. Been in a movie
92. Crashed a party
93. Loved someone you shouldn't have
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy
95. Gotten divorced
96. Had sex at the office
97. Gone without food for 5 days
98. Made cookies from scratch
99. Won first prize in a costume contest
100. Ridden a gondola in Venice
101. Gotten a tattoo
102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on
103. Rafted the Snake River
104. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
105. Got flowers for no reason
106. Masturbated in a public place
107. Got so drunk you don't remember anything
108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug
109. Performed on stage
110. Been to Las Vegas
111. Recorded music
112. Eaten shark
113. Had a one-night stand
114. Gone to Thailand
115. Seen Siouxsie live
116. Bought a house
117. Been in a combat zone
118. Buried one/both of your parents
119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off
120. Been on a cruise ship
121. Spoken more than one language fluently
122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
123. Bounced a check
124. Performed in Rocky Horror (at the movie theater)
125. Read - and understood - your credit report
126. Raised children (still in process, so this is a grey area)
127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
129. Created and named your own constellation of stars
130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
132. Called or written your Congress person
133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
134. ...more than once? - More than thrice?
135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
137. Had an abortion or your female partner did (but NOT as a method of birth control)
138. Had plastic surgery
139. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived.
140. Wrote articles for a large publication
141. Lost over 100 pounds
142. Held someone while they were having a flashback
143. Piloted an airplane (a biplane, but only for a few minutes!)
144. Petted a stingray
145. Broken someone's heart
146. Helped an animal give birth
147. Been fired or laid off from a job
148. Won money on a T.V. game show
149. Broken a bone
150. Killed a human being
151. Gone on an African photo safari
152. Ridden a motorcycle
153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100mph
154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
157. Ridden a horse
158. Had major surgery
159. Had sex on a moving train
160. Had a snake as a pet
161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
165. Visited all 7 continents
166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
167. Eaten kangaroo meat
168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground
169. Been a sperm or egg donor
170. Eaten sushi
171. Had your picture in the newspaper
172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime
173. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
174. Gotten someone fired for their actions
175. Gone back to school
176. Parasailed
177. Changed your name
178. Petted a cockroach
179. Eaten fried green tomatoes
180. Read The Iliad (not by choice though!)
181. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read,
182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them
183. ...and gotten 86'ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you
184. Taught yourself an art from scratch
185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
187. Skipped all your school reunions
188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
189. Been elected to public office
190. Written your own computer language
191. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
193. Built your own PC from parts
194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
195. Had a booth at a street fair
196: Dyed your hair
197: Been a DJ
198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal
199: Written your own role playing game
200: Been arrested

What's wrong with these people?

Saturday we drove up to spend the night at my ILs house. NO, it wasn't my idea. It was something that just had to happen. The Princess was scheduled to spend the night at my BIL & his girlfriend's house -- she was having "special alone time" with them. My hubby and I were schedule to watch a movie and then attend a college football game. This left the Bear with my ILs.

A few things happened that irritated me:

At the football game, my SIL took the other seat. I had nothing really to talk to her about, so I just didn't say anything. Luckily my hubby sat between us, so I wasn't forced to speak to her. Plus she came late and left early. Why'd she come?

What do you do when you have visitors? I've mentioned it before, but what is it with the towels? We got back to my ILs house about 11:30pm, so they were asleep. She didn't leave us any towels or face towels to clean up. My hubby had to find some towels for us to use after we showered. Luckily, I brought my own face towel from home so I could wash my face. Now, how can you forget to lay out some towels for your guests?

Then when we were having the birthday party at my BILs house, they were all clustered around the television watching the Bears play. What? We're celebrating a party here, couldn't you just tape the damn game and be festive? Who was playing with the kids? Me. My BIL girlfriend. My hubby's cousin's wife. Who was around the tv? My hubby. My BIL. My FIL. My SIL. My MIL. You getting the picture here? Then we decided it was time to open the gifts. I said "Honey, come on in here (we were in the living room) so we can open the gifts" My hubby frowned at me and I just looked at him like "Get your ASS in here!" They all reluctantly pulled their butts away from the television and came over to watch her open gifts. Excuse me for making you celebrate the Princess' birthday people! So sorry you couldn't watch that crappy team play!

Have you ever experienced it when your kids act like angels around other people? It happens to everyone I'm sure. Well, this happened with my Bear. Apparently he was just wonderful with my ILs. My MIL said to me "The Bear sure acts different around you two (meaning my hubby and me). He was so easy with us." What was that? "You can leave him with us any time. He's so different when you two are not around." What again? You would be proud of me though. I just did a half smile and turned away from her. I didn't slap her (even though I felt my hand just wanting to). Let me say that my son is "easy" if you just plop in front of the television. He's "easy" when he's not tired (he had a 2 hour nap in the car before we arrived). He's "easy" when he's not trying to irritate/play with his sister. He's "easy" when you give him sweets that he's not supposed to have. I wanted to say that if she wanted she could have both kids for the entire weekend alone if she wanted...let's see how easy they are then!

---

It just amazes me that people can be so disconnected. Can't they see how stupid they act? Can they think before they speak? Do they realize that one day I'm not going to turn the other cheek and end up smacking someone? or thoroughly throwing in the towel and start giving them the insults they deserve? Hold me back! Hold me back!

Birthday girl day

The Princess had a good birthday.

Since Friday was a school day, we ordered some cupcakes for the kids. This way everyone could help celebrate the day. My hubby picked them up from the store at 7:30am. The bakery told me they'd be baking the cupcakes the night before and putting them into the freezer overnight. I got my hubby to pick them up early so the cupcakes could defrost a bit before 10:30am snacktime. We drove by my hubby's work (which is on the way to school) to pick up the cupcakes and so that he could give the Princess a birthday kiss. Then we dropped the Princess off at school. The director, Michelle, and her assistant, Helen, saw us walk into the office and both said "Happy Birthday Princess!" That made her smile. Then when she walked into her class, a couple other girls in class came up and wished her a happy birthday. She was all smiles when we left.

When we picked her up at noon, I found out that they all sang to her when it was snacktime. She was able to pick her cupcake (chocolate) and she saved the decoration (a Princess ring) to bring home. I went thru McDonald's drive-thru and got her some nuggets (her favorite meal) and an apple pie. She was ecstatic to eat some dessert for her snack!

We had a quiet afternoon at home. My hubby had to work late, so I made macaroni and cheese with a side of sliced nectarines for dinner. The Princess loves mac'n'cheese so she felt terrific. My hubby finally came home. Then around 7pm we got her presents out and had her open them. She got six simple gifts. She's already put together her puzzles! Her couch is prominently and safely tucked away in her bedroom (so the Bear won't get to it). She's using it to lounge when she's "reading" her books and putting her puzzles together.

We had a family birthday party this year, since she doesn't know that many kids here. I know that next year I'll be doing something more festive than this year. We'll be in our house and we'll have had time to establish more friendships. But that's how the day went. Really simple but good.

The Forgotten

Please don't read this if you plan on watching The Forgotten....

My hubby and I enjoyed watching this movie today. When there's a movie coming out that I know I really want to watch I don't watch ANY of the commercials in the fear that they'll divulge too much of the plot. I also don't ready ANY reviews either so I'm not tainted with another person's opinion. This is exactly what I did after I saw the first commercial for The Forgotten. I came into the theater just knowing that Julianne Moore was in it.

First of all, was the theater having a problem or were some of the camera shots intentionally shaky? Anyone help me on this? Was it supposed to give the movie a "there's someone watching" feel to it? Hmmmm....

Why were they able to remove info from newspapers (printed & stored info) along with photographs, but unable to "erase" the painted walls in Ash's apartment?

When Anthony Edward's character forgot about Telly, then why did Alfre Woodard still have a case? Wasn't he the one looking for her? If he forgot her then why wasn't Alfre's case closed?

Why was Alfre's character remembering that Telly was remembering & looking for her child? Even Anthony Edward's didn't know he had a kid.

Then was Alfre looking for Telly because she trashed Ash's apartment? But Ash was now on the run with Telly, so wouldn't his complaint be dropped?

Why did Gary Sinise remember everything? They didn't remove his memory also as a part of the experiment? Why not?

When everything was "returned", what time period did they return to? The past before the kids went on the plane? The current - after the kids went on their trip?

It just made us go "hmmmm...." but at least my hubby liked the movie!

Remembering her birth...

My Princess turns four today...

I cannot believe the time has flown by so quickly. It seems just yesterday that she was a tiny little baby. But alas, time marches forward and she is now four years now.

I recall that Friday night when the contractions started. My hubby was just going to bed when I mentioned that I thought I was starting to have contractions. I slept as much as I could that night as I continued to have contractions about 20-25 minutes apart.

Saturday morning I figured that I'd eat lightly. They say you shouldn't eat anything heavy when you're in labor, so I had a bagel with cream cheese. I then ate some soup for lunch. My contractions got closer together. Once they became 10 minutes apart, it was about 4pm. We went to the hospital so I could get checked. As we drove to the hospital my stomach felt like it was in knots. We got to the triage area and they got me in a gown. Can you believe that I was only 2cm dilated? They hooked me up to a machine to check my contractions. As I lay there my stomach started to get more and more irritated. I had "to go" and I had "to go" really fast. My hubby tracked down a nurse to unhook me and I ran as fast as I could to a bathroom. I barely made it! My body was in overdrive and I couldn't control it. It was horrible! Once they got a good tracking of my contractions, they sent me home. I spent another restless night dealing with contractions.

Sunday we stayed home and watched football. Actually, my hubby watched football and I tried to stay relaxed. About 4pm, I told him we were going to the hospital again. My contractions seemed stronger and were consistently staying at about 7 minutes. We got to the triage area, got me gowned and hooked up to a monitor. When the nurse came around to check me, she found that I was 3cm. What the hell? I had only progressed 1cm? I was about to strangle someone when I felt a "pop" and a sudden onslaught of wetness. She had accidentally broken my bag of water. Horray! What am I cheering about? It's because they couldn't send me home now!

I got situated into my labor & delivery room pretty quickly. I opted for the epidural right off the bat. They got me hooked up to the monitors to check my contractions and to monitor the baby. I wasn't there too long when my OB showed up. He gave me a once over - checked how I was feeling, looked at the strength of my contractions, and then checked the baby's monitor. He told me that I was only 3.5cm and that I was starting to show signs of preclampsia. Uh-oh! Then it turns out the baby wasn't doing so hot. She wasn't really reacting when I had contractions. Usually, when a Mom has contractions the baby's heart rate will decrease. Once the Mom's contractions stop the baby's heart rate will increase. So with all that information, I told him to go ahead and do a c-section. I had a feeling that was coming. My Mom had c-sections with all us four girls. My sister had 3 c-sections. My black sheep sister though had 3 vaginal births (go figure!).

Anyway, I was prepared for the possibility of a c-section. My hubby and I had already discussed what he would do in the event that were to happen. He'd stay with the baby because he knew my OB was a very capable guy. We didn't want her to be alone after she was born. So they prepared me for my c-section. They did it FAST too. Once they know a baby needs to come out, they move at lightening speed! All of a sudden I found myself being rolled into the operating room. They had given me something stronger so I felt drunk and disoriented. They actually wanted me to scoot myself from the gurney to the operating table. I kind of looked at them like "what?" but I tried to get up. Yeah! I had gained 55 pounds during the pregnancy and they wanted me to shift my "drunken" pregnant body from one place to another? Thankfully they took mercy on me and grabbed the sheet that was under me and pulled me across to the operating table. They strapped me down and put the drape (curtain) up so I couldn't see anything. Then they got my hubby into the room - he made a point of staying behind the curtain. We both agreed that he couldn't handle seeing anything messy "down there".

My OB started the procedure. I could tell that he was doing stuff because I could feel pulling and tugging. Of course, I was feeling NO pain! You know the weirdest thing? I knew exactly when they pulled her out of me (at 9:28pm). All of a sudden there was no pressure up against my lungs. I actually felt like I couldn't get enough air! I had to put the oxygen mask on. I think my lungs couldn't handle that suddenly there was all this space after all those months of being cramped up. They whisked my girl out of there with my hubby trailing. They sewed me back up as I lay there learning how to breath again. Then came the wild ride into the recovery room. Whoever had the gurney was driving it WAY too fast. I felt like I was in a race car! I suddenly felt nauseated. I raised my hand and mumbled "I'm feeling sick!" They grabbed one of those little dishes and I lost it. My body was out of control again!

They rolled me into the recovery room and there they were. My daughter and my husband. She was so tiny! Only 5lb 9oz. Turns out that the placenta was smaller than it should have been, so that's why she was so tiny. I gained all that weight and she was an itty-bitty! What I remember when I first held her was these large soulful brown eyes starring right back at me. I was a Mommy!

Oh my Princess, how I love and adore you. Your curiosity challenges my patience and makes me view this world in a new way. The joy you have within you makes my soul smile. Your frowns make my heart sad. Your fears make me want to hug and protect you. Your giggles make my insides warm. It's been a wonderful journey these last four years my Princess. The bad moments I've had with you have seemed long and difficult, but there have been so many more happy moments that make those trying times all worth while. I am sure we'll continue to battle it out as you continue to grow and learn more about the world and learn to assert yourself. But I want you to learn to stand up for yourself. Challenge the world. Be a strong Princess!

Kitchen related questions

I still need to stimulate my brain with some coffee...but here's something to start the day with!

Here are questions about your kitchen:

1. Hand wash or dishwasher?
2. Do you have tile, linoleum, or hardwood flooring in the kitchen?
3. Stainless steel, white, or black appliances?
4. Do you have an eat-in kitchen? or do you eat in the dining room?
5. Side-by-side, freezer on top, or freezer on bottom?
6. Gas or electric stove/oven?
7. Do you keep all your small appliances out (blender, toaster) or tucked in cabinets?
8. Trashcan in cabinet or out on floor?
9. Do you have an island?
10. Do you keep emergency candles & flashlight in the kitchen?

As I'm in temporary housing right now I'll be answering these questions for this temporary place and for our new house place, which won't be done now until February! Crap! Crap! Crap! But that's another story...

1. handwash Hopefully I'll be using the dishwasher!
2. linoleum tile
3. All white All stainless
4. We eat in the kitchen We'll have a nook in the kitchen
5. Freezer on top Don't know what we'll end up with
6. Electric stove/oven Gas stove/oven
7. Toaster & coffee maker stay out It'll be the same
8. out out
9. I've got one Won't have one
10. I have a spote for it (not that my DH remembers!) Yes, I'll pick out a spot for them

Birthday photos

We ventured out to Sears Portrait Studio to get some photos of the Princess. Her 4th birthday is tomorrow so we always send out a photos to family & friends. Yeah, I'm a member of their Smile Savers club, but did I remember to grab a coupon? Nope! I ended up spending more than $50! But let me tell you that the shots that this guy "Eric" took were awesome! He took a lot of time with her. He really thought about different ways to pose her too. Usually at Sears we get these standard poses, but Eric took photos that were more unique & interesting. One shot was a closeup of the Princess' face as she was lay on her tummy with her head on top of her folded hangs. Another shot had her legs wrapped around an old tin vase with flowers in it. She held the tallest flower down and she was sniffing it. The most amazing shot involved her sitting with her left side to us while she was looking in a mirror. The photo captured her face as a reflection in the mirror with the white netting around her. Let me just say Eric was fantastic and that's the only reason I spent SO much $$$$. I can't wait to get the photos back in 3 weeks!

1000 hits!

Yes, it's a weird thing to cheer about but that means people are out there are reading my blog!

Woohoo! [Doing the happy dance]

The Amazing Race Finale!!! [Update]

Heads up folks! Tonight is the Amazing Race Finale!

Don't forget to set your VCR/TiVo/whatever if you're not going to be home.

Be forewarned....It's going to be a two hour episode -- so it starts an hour earlier than normal!

Go Bowling Moms!

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I'm so happy for Chip & Kim! They totally deserve to win that race.

I can't believe Colin's guard wasn't up until the last minute. He was relishing on his laurels & kicking back at the hotel. Then they thought that they had it made and boxed up their extra stuff to be checked. That really was their undoing.

What I found amusing is that the non-winning teams kept on trying to tell other people "But this is for a million dollars!" Then when things weren't going their way "We just lost a million dollars" There was such desperation and anxiety. Very good for tv ratings!

What I couldn't believe is when the airline staff told the other two teams that other passengers were being moved so that they could be accommodated. What the heck is THAT all about? That really got me burned up. Now would that actually happen if those teams weren't playing for a million? What if they were just regular travelers (without a camera crew)?

Now where were the cops when Colin&Christie's driver was speeding in the EMERGENCY lane like a bat outta hell? I wonder what the camera guy was thinking on that one. Plus, how'd they find this driver? Oh yeah! Christie was Miss Texas!

But I must watch my tape today. I missed the first hour because of the kiddos. I want to see how the Bowling Moms got ousted. I really wanted them to win. If they didn't win though I wanted C&K to...and they did!

Brrrr,,,

It seems as though the weather has turned.

Remember the storm that blew through here on Saturday? Well, this morning finds the temperature chilly. Yes, chilly! Yesterday I put the Princess & the Bear in a long sleeve t-shirts. I think today I'm going to put some jeans on my girl for preschool instead of the shorts I pre-selected last night.

I checked the high for today and it's supposed to be 87 degrees! Go ahead and mock me! Yeah, yeah, yeah...87 degrees! That's chilly for here! The low tonight is only supposed to be 61 degrees! Brrr....

Pirate in the house!

Wasn't it Talk Like a Pirate Day earlier this week?

I have to tell you that I've got a pirate in the house! What? A pirate you say? Yes!

I've explained that the Bear can jump, right? Well, he's been doing an unusual variation to his jumping. Stay with me now as I try to explain. He keeps his left leg straight. He lands on his left heel and hops onto his right foot. He'll bend his right leg and push off with that right foot then land on his left heel once more. It's really quick too. It's like he's hobbling along on a wooden leg. Come on! Try it!

He started doing this "Pirate Hop" yesterday at Gymboree. It's so funny because he's continued to do it. I mentioned it to my hubby last night as we were laying in bed talking. I couldn't help but go into a giggle-fest because I could picture my Bear performing in front of me. My hubby just mumbled "You're so mean to your son." Hey! The kid made it up on his own! Well this evening the Bear started doing it and my hubby saw him. All my hubby could do was shake his head. I think he thinks my Bear is a nut.

Food related preferences

Anyone want to answer these?

1. Tea or coffee? Usually coffee but I do like "Origin Chai Latte Tea"
2. Coffee...sugar or no sugar? Sugar
3. Coffee...black or with cream? Cream
4. Creamer...plain or flavored? Flavored -- vanilla caramel is awesome
5. Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts coffee? Starbucks Caramel Macchiato
6. Bagel or donut? Boston Creme please
7. Jam or jelly? JAM
8. Natural Peanut Butter or Skippys? Laura Scudder's Natural PB
9. Fruit on the bottom or mixed yogurt? Mixed
10. Whole, 2%, 1%, or non-fat milk? 1%

I just wanted to see if anyone is out there! Give me a holler!

Book update

My library card is burning!

I've been hitting the library about once every 1 to 2 weeks & picking up between 4 to 6 books. Here's what I just finished:

"The Dim Sum of All Things" by Kim Wong Keltner

This book was strangely funny. It's basically about how a young Chinese girl tries to get through the dating scene while living with her Grandmother. It's interesting to read how this American born Chinese girl (who doesn't speak any dialect from China) struggles to find a balance in her life. I cracked up with the "Chinglish" [Chinese mixed with English] conversations. Those of you born here or were brought up by Asian parents will relate to this book!

"Name Dropping" by Jane Heller

I know that no one has my name, as I've got a hyphenated last name. Even my maiden name is pretty unique. My Dad was the only son born to his little branch of the family tree. But what about you folks with more typical names? James Brown. Robert Smith. Susan Johnson. This book centers around how one woman deals with having the same name as another woman. This other woman happens to move into the first woman's apartment building. This other woman happens to live a glamorous life. How would you deal?

"Dear Stranger, Dearest Friend" by Laney Katz Becker

This book was written in a style much different than I'm used to. But that's what this book is about. It's about the unusual relationship that develops between two women over the internet - or should I say via email. When I first started reading the book I thought I would have a difficult time following it because of the manner in which it was written. But it was easy to follow. I enjoyed this book the most out of the three I've mentioned. It shows how women deal with struggles in their lives. It shows how women feel better just talking things out when they come across an obstacle. It shows that women can support each other even when they don't live near one another.

What books have you read recently? I should be headed back to the library sometime next week, so I'd appreciate any recommendations!

And the rain rain rain came down down down

Yes, I took a few minutes to change the look. Not too different but a change. I'm one who likes to move things about every once and a while, so it was time for my blog to get updated.

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As I sit here the rain is falling from the sky. I hear the soft pitter-pat as the drops hit the roof and the windows. I can tell when the wind gusts a bit as the rain gets harder for several seconds and then drops off to its normal lull. I can also hear the water running off the roof. It's a louder crashing sound against the rocks below. I hear the distant thunder rolling. I like it much better that way. Not 20 mintues ago there were loud claps of thunder as the lightening hit close to the townhouse. You can tell the sound will come crashing when you see the brightness of the lightening through the windows.

As the storm rolls on outside, the Bear is passed out in the middle of my bed. Quite an anomaly. He's always slept in his crib but not this afternoon. As I put him down for the 3rd try today, the storm started. He was frightened by the loud rolling thunder. He cried so loud that I knew I had to hold him until he succumbed to sleep. He was so tired that he was beside himself. I picked him up and sat in the glider. I held his head close to my chest and wrapped his blanket around him. He reached up and twisted my hair between his fingers as I rubbed his little head with my index finger. He finally let go not 5 minutes after I picked him up. It took some maneuvering but I managed to lie down on my bed and extricate myself from his sleeping grasp. Now he's motionless and slumbering -- so tired!

Sometime last night we experienced another storm. I awoke when I heard the thunder. I knew that the thunder would only get louder as I noticed the rain becoming more intense. I knew the Princess would wake up, so I rolled out of bed and made my way to her room. A loud clap of thunder hit as I walked through the house. When I reached her bed, she was sitting up rubbing her eyes. I reached into her closet and grabbed a blanket and lay beside her. No words were spoken. I cuddled up beside her as we listened to the rain come in waves as the thunder continued to pound around us. She finally fell asleep about 30 minutes later.

Now what do you do when it's storming outside? Do your kids wake up? Do they come and sleep in your bed? or do you go to them?

Some Friday stuff...

I had my first parent-teacher conference this morning at 8:30am (before class started at 9am). Miss Becky wants to make one-on-one time with the parent(s) of each child since there have been so many changes these last couple of weeks. I explained to her how the Princess goes about things. She doesn't barrel in on the other kids. She'll sit quietly and observe and then chime in when she feels comfortable. Miss Becky confirmed my assessment of the Princess. She said that the Princess is laid back and very thoughtful and "a pleasure to have in the classroom."

My warm-fuzzy feelings about Miss Becky were right on! She's a very nice lady and I think she's already made a huge improvement in the class. She made a lounging area for when the kids "read" books - she got a couple pillows, bean bag chairs, & one of those small sofas (you like from Target). She's put up lots of their art pieces all over the place. It's the same room but it feels different.

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The Bear attended his first Movers & Shakers class this morning. We missed the first class last week because the Princess was ill, so I was anxious to get to class. The class is through the Parks & Recs department so I wasn't sure how many other kids would be signed up. Turns out there are about twenty kids - all between 18 to 24 months. Fortunately, it was held in the gymnastics room of one of the park facilities.

The three instructors did a couple of group activities. They did a couple songs in the beginning. They did some mat work - they did different movements across the gymnastics floor area. They had the kids walk across a couple balance beams. They had an open play time. They had parachute time. Then finished up with bubble time.

The Bear had a blast running full tilt across the gymnastics floor area. He practically kept up with the teacher! He really excelled at walking across the balance beam. He showed no hesitation. The instructor asked me if he'd done it before and when I replied "no" she said that "he's a natural!" During the open play time, the Bear showed off his throwing ability. He also displayed his passion for collecting balls! Oy! Then he rode inside the parachute like a champ. By bubble time, he was tuckered out!

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As for me? I've just finished "Red Rabbit" by Tom Clancy. Another installment of the exploits of Jack Ryan. This was the one serious book I checked out this last visit to the library. I'm going to have to get out there again tomorrow as I've finished the books I want to read. Now when you check out books from the library, do you read them all? Do you sometimes find that a book isn't exactly what you want once you start it? Do you continue to plow through it? or do you close it up and return it unread? Sometimes I can't get into the characters. Sometimes the style of the writing doesn't grab me. Sometimes it's the general storyline that I don't enjoy. Of the six books I checked out this last time, I'm returning two unread.

Amazing Race 5 update

Now are you convinced he's a jerk?

"My ox is broken!"
"Oh my God...I hate you!"

Don't these quotes sound like they're coming from a spoiled brat? When things don't go his "golden boy" ways he just gets pissed off.

I can't believe he was shocked that Chip&Kim yielded them. It's only 5 minutes guys! Colin&Christie would gloat when they are so far ahead. They can't deal with a 5 minute delay? Remember when C&C got that earlier flight that would get them into Manila that evening? Colin said, "We'll be finished with our leg before they even land!"

I hope that Chip&Kim have eyes behind their heads now since C&C weren't eliminated. I wonder how uncomfortable that pitstop was for all the teams, eh? I wonder if it comes out that Nic&Brandon also wanted to yield C&C?

But let me just say how proud I was of the Bowling Moms. They definitely worked it this leg. Putting those decorative features on the car was like nothing to them! Woohoo! They've got great attitudes and I hope they win!

The beginning of the end?

How am I supposed to go about gracefully?

My heart feels heavy. My lungs feel like I'm not getting enough air. My stomach feels full of acid. My mind is tired. I feel like I can't keep my shoulders up. It's slipping away. It feels like my marriage is going down hill. It feels like I'm the only who's trying to keep this thing afloat.

Shouldn't he be feeling at a loss? Is he so callous that he's just going to let this happen? Isn't he going to try to apologize? To offer the olive branch, for once?

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I'm going to ramble on a bit here and there about stuff that is mulling about in my head about last night...

"How was your day honey?" : Do you really listen to the answer? Each night I ask him what his plans are for the next day. Usually this'll get him talking about stuff. When he comes home after work, I'll ask what happened based upon what he told me the previous evening. I'll ask about how his co-workers are doing. I'll ask about his computer system, which he has had issues with since he started. When he gives me an answer I ask him additional questions regarding his response. It's my job to be interested in what he's been doing. Right? Sure, he'll ask the question but will go on with what he's doing. I'll give him the short version. He never seems to delve in any deeper than that though. It's like he's asking because he has to ask, not because he's really interested. It's like he's only asking because he feels obligated to do so...not because he's interested. I would think he'd at least get more information on the kids' day. But I end up telling him their antics...after I've given him enough time to ask on his own (I'll usually wait until after the kids are in bed at 8pm).

Lack of affection: How could you forget to give your spouse a good-bye kiss? I've mentioned it before. Sometimes he'll just head out of the house and not give me a peck on the head as I lay there still sleeping. Then we've somehow lost the "good night" kisses along the way. I don't get the huge hugs that I used to get each morning and each night. When did those stop?

Mumbling: I come from a family of mumblers. Not when we talk to someone! When we're upset we'll mumble to ourselves under our breath. It's a way to get the negative stuff out of our system. He knows that I mumble when I'm ticked. A couple times I've been doing it when he was in the adjoining room and he's said "Enough" or something else. Last night I finished up my dinner and I got the Bear out of his highchair (as he was also finished) and took him into the livingroom. Then I hear him mumbling to himself as he's moving around the kitchen. I said "What did you say?" No response. I let some time go on and I hear him again. I say "What are you saying?" He says "I'm reminding myself what I need to do at work tomorrow." Yeah-right! I think he was bitching about how he was having to clean up after dinner. How many fricking times a day do I have to clean up?

The "D" Word: We were watching TV with the kiddos last night. He said something that I can't recall but I responded with "I'll just move back to California. Just be ready to pay alimony and child support." He said "Well, I have to win the lotto first."

He basically stopped talking to me after this brief conversation. He ended up having to put hand soap fluid in the container in our bathroom. I've done this a million and one times and haven't said a word to him. He walks to the kitchen, gets the fluid, walks back to the bathroom, refills the container, walks back to the kitchen, then puts the fluid container back. Wasted motion? Yes! He's notorious for that. I would have brought the container over to the kitchen & filled it there & then returned to the bathroom. Not only does he do this bit of wasted motion but he moves in slow motion, especially when he doesn't really want to be doing something (like wash the dishes). It takes him a half hour to wash the dishes sometimes -- he doesn't even sweep the floor and wipe the counters. It's just washing the stuff I used to prepare dinner! And it's not like he dries the dishes either. They airdry on the plastic tray. Oh yeah! Then he had to replace the batteries in the mouse. I could hear him banging the mouse on the table. Then I saw him walk (again) to the kitchen and grab some batteries. Umm... aren't you even thankful that I bought a slew of batteries when they were on sale?

The Lamp: The day before yesterday I told him that I was going to move the lamp to his side of the bed. This way it's associated with the light switch next to our bedroom door. Since we've moved here, the lamp (yes, we've only got one for our bedroom) has been on my nightstand. I don't know why because even though it's closest to the door it's also close to the bathroom sink (there's no door separating). So all the lighting is focused on one side of the room. Anyway, yesterday after he got home I moved the lamp onto his nightstand. He seemed irritated that I'd moved the thing. Why?

What're you eating?: Every evening he drinks about 6 ounces of milk before he turns in. Some nights he'll grab a cookie to go with his milk. I'll usually say "What're you eating?" He'll say "A cookie. YOu want a bite?" Last night was one of those nights. He sat down on the couch as I was watching The Amazing Race. I asked "What're you eating?" He didn't even look at me. "You can see what I'm eating." What the fuck was that response? Couldn't you see I was asking that as a way to start a conversation?

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Alas...I am tired and need to get some things done. The Bear needs to eat some lunch, then I need to pick up the Princess from preschool.

Can anyone give me any advice? Words of encouragement? I'm on the verge of tears. But I can't because I have to be strong for the kiddos. Any help would be great. Thanks all for reading.

Upheaval at preschool...

Yes, we've had more drama at the school.

No, it doesn't have to do with any of the kids. It has to do with the staff.

The Princess started the school year with Miss Karen (lead) and Miss Liz (assistant). Originally, I had thought my daughter would have Miss Susan for her teacher, but this lady now works at a private preschool at a church just down the road. I guess there was some conflict with renewing her contract. She was a GREAT teacher too. The Princess had her at the end of last term (May-July) and really enjoyed her. So I was really surprised to find out who her teachers were that first day of class.

Anyway, it's the first year that both of these ladies worked at my daughter's preschool. Miss Liz just moved down here in May. Miss Karen is from Germany and had previously worked with underprivileged kids in a different part of town. I didn't have the best impression about Miss Karen but I was going to give it some time. Turns out a lot of the other Moms had their own reservations about this teacher. They didn't feel that she was "warm" enough with the kids and that she was a bit unorganized. Well, last week I heard a rumor that Miss Karen was no longer going teach at the school. I'm not sure if she decided to leave on her own or if she was being asked to leave.

Today, I grabbed a load of info from the Princess' cubby. It was a letter from her NEW teacher, Miss Becky. It introduced herself and her assistant, Miss Rafaela. These two ladies were the teachers of the 2.5 - 3 year old class. This young class didn't have much of a turn-out -- only one little boy as of last week. So the director decided to combine the class, since the little boy just turned 3 and my daughter's class is a mixed 3 to 4 year old class. Miss Liz will continue with the class so the ratio of teachers to kids will be a lot smaller. That just means more individual time with each child!Miss Becky stated that she'll be distributing weekly newsletters on the subjects, the books, & the songs they'll cover each week, along with any highlights we should be aware of.

It seems that she's a little more on the ball and I can already tell it's going to be a good change for this class. When I was dropping off the Princess, they had all the tables set up with activities for the kids (the tables were always being set up in the past as the kids got there) and each assistant was at a table ready for the kids with Miss Becky at the door to greet us. It had a good feeling to it.

The funniest sight today so far...

In walks my Bear into my bedroom as I click away on the computer. He stops by my side of the bed. He then slowly walks out. Why so slowly? He's put on my slippers, which look like moccasins. He's dragging them along so they don't fall off his size 6.5 feet!

What's the funniest sight you've seen today?

What I took away from that day...

Kindness - Extend kindness to all those around you. It doesn't have to be anything big. Hold the door open for the next person coming through a doorway. Smile as you walk by a harried parent with a child. Look directly in the eyes of the person helping you out at the store, the library, the drive-thru so they know you SEE them. Kindness can be shown in so many ways and can make another person's day brighter.

Friendship - Be sure to cultivate the friendships you have. Listen to your friends - don't just think about what you're going to say - really listen! Make time for each important person in your life. A 5 minute phone call just to check on them. Having them over for coffee, tea, or dessert! Send them a hand written note or card telling them you're thinking about them. A little effort makes everyone feel special.

Hugs - The human touch is something that heals. Many people in our society don't get enough affection from those around them. I've heard that a hug has a calming affect on most. The breathing gets more relaxed...the heart rate slows down... Don't be afraid to hug your friends and family members. Not one of those one second hugs either. A substantial hug that conveys your warmth and love for them. I'm sure everyone would love more hugs!

Kisses - Kisses can become so routine. You kiss good-bye in the morning. You kiss hi at the end of the day. You kiss at bedtime. All routine. But what about those spontaneous kisses? Kisses that you give not because you want something. Those kisses just to say "I love you" The Bear will all of a sudden come up to me and grab me around my head and kiss me right on the lips. Then he's off running and playing with his sister. It's like he couldn't walk by without showing me how much he cares. Gotta love that!

Love - Show those around you that you love them. Not by purchasing them a new shirt or CD. Just spend time together. Go to the park and play on the swings. Sit next to each other on the couch & read a book. Lay outside on the grass and look up at the sky and just breathe. Showing your love isn't about anything physical...it's about being together just because....

Sickie in the house!

Yup! I've got a sick kiddo here in the house today.

The Princess woke up not feeling well. Actually, she woke up crying! I was in the Bear's room cuddling with him, as he had just woke up 5 minutes earlier, when I heard her start wailing.

What the heck?

I put the Bear down and ran across the hall to the Princess' room. She was lying in bed crying like she was scared. I thought she was just surprised out of sleep because the trash men were next door at the Lutheran church emptying their bin -- it's pretty loud.

Anyway, I scoop her into my arms and say "It's okay, it's okay. I've got you. You're okay."

She looks at me and says "Mommy, my tummy hurts. I don't feel good."

I thought maybe she was copying me from yesterday. I had a stomach ache and I made myself some hot tea to settle my stomach. I thought I'd tread lightly because I wasn't sure if her ailment was real or made up.

I carried her into the kitchen and plopped her onto her barstool. I got her some milk and poured her some cereal. She barely ate it. She mostly just drank her milk. Hmmmm... not too surprising as some mornings she'll barely eat.

Well, she finished and I got her into some lightweight jammies and put a DVD on. I asked her if she was feeling any better and she said her stomach still hurt. Just to be on the safe side I got the bucket we use for when she's ill. I put it on the side table next to where she was lounging. Luckily I did that because not 5 minutes later she was vomiting.

It's only 8:45am and she's vomited one more time. She's still sitting on the couch with the bucket on the table next to her. I'm pretty sure it's one of those viral things. She doesn't have a fever. She's not cold and clammy. She feels okay once she's vomited. It's just coming in waves. I'm sure now that she's in school she's being exposed to a whole heck of a lot more germs than she was over the summer.

I've called her school to let them know she's ill. I wanted to be sure to let them know (even if it's only a preschool) so they aren't wondering where she is. Also, I wanted to inform them in case other kids are sick. Then they'd know it (whatever IT is) was being spread around the school so they can forewarn the other parents.

Anyone else dealing with a sick kid today?

Four bites to none

Am I talking about fishing?

Nope!

I've got four HUGE bites on my legs! From what? I don't know! I'm thinking these are spider bites but I'll never know.

How'd I get them? It happened yesterday -- most likely when I was in the backyard when the kids were playing. Thankfully, neither of the kids has a bite on them. But me? I've got the four welts!

I noticed my legs were itchy after lunch yesterday. I didn't think anything of it. But I could not ignore the insane need to scratch last night about 2:30am. Yes, I awoke with the deep NEED to scratch. I checked my legs out today and the bites are very red and much larger than a mosquito bite -- therefore my conclusion of an ant bite.

I've got two of them right behind my left knee...one located right where the skin folds. The third is lower on the back middle left of my calf. The fourth is on the lower right part of my right knee. I'm thinking this happened when I was sitting on the lawn chair. So I'm surmising that it attached itself to my left leg when I sat down. I usually sit with my left leg crossed over my right. Then it crossed over to my right knee. Then transferred down to my left calf. Go ahead...sit down on a chair and figure it out. You think it's a logical flow of events?

I have got to get my hubby to drop by the drug store and get some Calamine lotion. These things are bugging me something awful!

Anyone else dealing with any bites?

Observations from today

The Princess smiled up to me weakly when she finished vomiting in her bucket and said "I feel better now Mommy."

The Princess working the sickness and asking to watch "Clifford's Big Movie" THREE times today. Twice when the Bear was taking his nap! Yeah, I let her watch the darn thing. I had just rented it yesterday so she'd never watched it.

The Princess adores playing drive-thru. Today I was manning the window at Mickey D's and she was the one driving through. Yesterday, she was the worker and I was the Mommy going thru with my kids (by the way, I was sitting in my car -- the laundry basket).

The Princess seems to be more empathetic to the Bear when she's not feeling well. He did something wrong today and I talked to him sternly. Of course, he started to cry. She came over and hugged him from behind and said "Oh, it's okay Sweetie!"

The Princess cleaned up all the toys in her room tonight without being asked to do so. I gave her a thumbs-up for being so on the ball.

The Bear running back and forth from one far wall to another while shaking his head left and right. Yup, he's trying to make himself dizzy while he's running!

The Bear likes to jump. I've mentioned this before. He can now jump forward. You know that lopping jump where you land on each foot separately?

The Bear loves to play "Ring 'round the Rosie"... What he loves best is when "we all fall down!" He does this so dramatically. He carefully gets down on his bottom and rolls back so his head doesn't get bomped and then his legs fly up towards his head. It's like a slow moving Rolly-Polly!

The Bear peering cautiously around the corner into the Princess' open bedroom door, as he knows she'll be bolting out of there any second (and he doesn't want to get run over). He's checking if he can look in there to see what she's doing.

The Bear running as fast as little legs can carry him (which is totally fast for a 20 month old - I dare say) and flying into the bottom U of the sectional couch. Both he and the Princess do this -- this explains the bruises on the front of their shins!

The Bear now says "UH-oh!" when things fall down or get dropped. He's been doing this for about a week now but my hubby just noticed it tonight.

Remember how I mentioned how the Bear cheers? Well, it's so pronounced now. He'll see some sport on tv and he'll stop. He'll raise his hands above his head and say "Go!" When he's saying it he'll scrunch up his nose and smile.

The kids both run at the door when they hear my hubby giggling the locks. "Daddy!"

Both kiddos wanted to go with Daddy when they saw him grabbing his sunglasses and his keys. Where was he going? He was just going to pick up some take-out! This gave me 10 minutes of quiet!

Why does my hubby have a cell phone if he never answers it when I call him? Then for some reason his phone never registers the voicemails I send him. Is he telling me the truth on this or is he just too lazy to check the voicemails????? Hmmmm.....

And how did YOUR day turn out? Any good or not so good observations on the day?

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This is a note to my hubby which he'll never read: Honey, can you use your brain? I called you and told you I had 4 spider bites. I asked you to go to the drug store and get me some Calamine lotion. Okay, I didn't realize that Calamine lotion was for poison ivy & poison oak. But you were at the drug store and could have read the specific uses for the ointments! Now I know I should have said Calahist or something like that. ARGH! Use your brain honey!

Clean laundry

It feels so good to have NOTHING in the laundry baskets!

I know, I know...that won't last long. Tonight we'll have stuff in the baskets. But for now? It's all clear!

At least I know if I do the laundry deligently for day then I know it'll all get done. I even put everything away! Yes, all the hanging stuff is on hangers in the correct closet. The rest of the stuff is folded and in drawers and closets. I used to drag it out and only do a load a day, but doing it all in about four hours is a lot better. Then I don't feel like I'm constantly doing laundry. We all know that feeling, right?

You know what's cute? The Bear likes to help me out when I'm doing the laundry. When the wash cycle is finished, he likes to stand in front of the dryer and put the stuff in. I get the stuff out of the washer and hand it to him. He takes it, sniffs it, and then throws it in. Sniffs it? Yes, he does! I guess he likes the cool wet smell of it fresh out of the washer.

We did almost have a mishap though. There was a stray red crayon in someone's clothes. I happened to notice two small pieces when I took the load out of the washer. Before starting the dryer I did take everything out again and inspect each article of clothing. I happend upon one tiny piece in the dryer. There would have been hell to pay if that thing had gone through the dryer cycle! My hubby's new (& expensive) work shirt was in that load. He would have had a fit!

So what day do you do the laundry? Or do you do one load a day?

No pain!

I managed to get out of the dentists office without any pain. Can you believe that I only needed a cleaning. A cleaning? Yes, that's all that I needed. They took full x-rays and saw nothing that needed attention. The guy was 65 years old so he comes from the old school of "if it ain't broke then don't fix it". He didn't want to do anything but the cleaning since the x-rays were clear.

Dentist: "So do you floss?"

Me: "I'm not the best at it. I should be like my hubby and do it every night." Of course I had to answer him truthfully because a dentist or hygenist can usually tell if you're not flossing!

Dentist: "Well, your gums and teeth look good."

He said my teeth looked really clean. That he didn't have to do a lot to get them "dentist clean" so I knew that he was telling me the truth.

Let me tell you that I'm pretty shocked that I didn't need a filling or a root canal. I haven't seen a dentist in 2 1/2 years! I thought I'd need something done! But the "Teeth God" shined upon me and I came away unscathed. Best thing is that I only had to pay $12 for the visit. Woohoo!

Is he suddenly huge?

It was a Gymboree Day today! Woohoo!

Today we're back to our weekly visits to Gymboree Music & Play. Now my Bear has some social time with kids his age! Granted, these classes are a bit pricey but I find them well worth it. It's a break from time in the house. It's a break from running errands with Mommy. It's a break from being alone. It's a time to make friends. It's a time for the parents to commisserate (sp?) with one another. It's a time to act silly in a huge playroom!

I do find that the kids tend to grativate to the people they trust. My Princess felt comfortable with the instructor & just a few Moms when she was little. I ended up being really good friend with these ladies & their kids until we moved. The Bear seems very comfortable with the one Dad that always comes to class. Each class the Bear will find a ball and throw it at this Dad. The Dad will catch it and give it back to the Bear. Then the Bear runs off and does other things. It's like the Bear has this ritual with man -- it's too funny because the Dad expects him now.

Today the class was VERY full. In the past there were about 8 kids at most in the class. Today there were about 15 kids! Plus, most of them were new to this particular time/date. Most of the kids were younger than the Bear and the other kids who've been in the class. The one Mom came up to me about halfway through class and said "Do our kids suddenly seem like giants?" I told her that since it was a new session that some kids from the younger class probably "graduated" to this one. Ahh! The one little guy I saw playing was only 15 months old. He seemed so young! But that's the age that I got the Bear into the class. It's all a matter of perspective.

When did you realize that your little one wasn't so little anymore?

The Duggar Family

I happened to be channel surfing last night and came upon an interesting show "14 Children & Pregnant Again". The show was about the Duggar Family. They have 14 children & were expecting their 15th. I'm sure Discovery Health Channel will be repeating this show but check your local listings.

This family only has two sets of twins, so she's had 11 singletons! Her oldest is only 16 years old. Can you believe that she had one c-section when she had her first set of twins (her 2nd pregnancy) and had another c-section with this 15th baby? I'm amazed that she was able to have vaginal births for the rest of them! I believe that she used a mid-wife with this last pregnancy, so maybe she used a mid-wife for her other pregnancies as well -- thus having vaginal birth experiences in such a short time-frame.

I'm amazed by the fact that this family lives in less than 2500 sq ft. In this day and age that is practically unheard of here in the United States. Of course, they did show that they were building a 7000 sq ft home. I didn't say that they were having it built...I said they were building it. Yes! The family was building this 7000 sq ft (one story) home by themselves. Their oldest son keeps on mentioning to his Dad that they should have professionals do certain steps, but his Dad ropes him into the job and it gets done. They put the steel beams up themselves. They put the roof on themselves. Even the girls helped put the flexible piping down on the slab so they could have radiant heat come up through the floor.

What was interesting was watching them shop for food. They just waited patiently as their Mom went through the list. These kids picked up some heavy canned foods and shoved them into the carts by themselves. It wasn't just the boys doing the work either. The girls were hauling the stuff too! Then there was their visit to a local restaurant. How'd they afford it? It was Kids' Night! It was only $0.49 for each child (it included their drink). The gal at the restaurant said that the first time they went into the restaurant, she thought that they had rounded up some kids from the neighborhood. Ha! Now she's prepared when they come in. She says that the Mom always has a list of what everyone wants and they just go down the list.

It really was a different way of life. A different way of defining a family. Much more work than I would be able to handle!

Duggar Family => Here's a link to Discovery Health

Another Perspective => Here's someone else's perspective on the same show

Oh the pain of it all!!!

Tomorrow morning I have a dentist appointment. I'm going to drop the Princess off at preschool & she'll be staying that extra hour for Lunch Bunch (whew!). I'll then drop off the Bear at my hubby's office. Then I'll be off to the dentist. I'm already dreading it. I haven't been to the dentist in 2 1/2 years. I probably will be MIA & not on the web tomorrow. I'll be a chipmunk-cheeked Mom trying to make it through the rest of the day with two kiddos running around.

I already can hear what they're going to say.

"Hhhhmmm....According to these X-rays, it looks like you've got some teeth that need attention."

"What do you want to get done first? The regular fillings? Or do you want to get started on those root canals?"

"Let's see, how much is your yearly allowance for dental?"

I'm dreading it all!

MIL irritations

Having listed a bunch of things that happened on Saturday, I have to say that my MIL has trumped up in my mind again. The reasons why my MIL irritates me are numerous. Some reasons are large, while others are quite small.

Here's a few things:

She hates mushrooms. We all know this. Yet, when there are mushrooms served, she always says "Oh, I hate mushrooms!" Excuse me, but my FIL, myself, and my BILs girlfriend all like mushrooms (and she knows this)!

She thinks it's okay to put her purse & whatever else she's brought onto the kitchen counters. Excuse me? Why don't you put that stuff near the closet or the front door?

Constantly states that she needs to lose weight but doesn't really get into anything physical. Granted, she walks but doesn't break a sweat. She thinks that quicker is better. I've given her articles stating that she should dedicate more time each session to burn more calories...thus losing some weight.

Along this weight issue, she always drinks some sort of flavored juice with her meals. It's not like orange or apple juice either. She'll have one of those fruit blends that they stock on the shelves so it's not a natural fruit drink. Then she's always got lots of chips & cookies & ice cream in her house. Plus, she'll bake a cake when we'll be over for dinner. How about cutting the sweet stuff out of your diet lady if you want to lose a couple pounds?

When we're watching a movie on television, she always talks. "Lady! We're trying to listen to the movie here!"

She seems proud of the fact that she nags my FIL do death until he gives in to whatever she wants.

The last two new cars my ILs bought went to my MIL. My FIL got her old one. How fair is that?

Talks about the "married in" girls (I'm one of those) of the family when she's heard that they've done something that doesn't seem right. But when a blood relative does the same type of thing (or something similar) there's no comment.

Doesn't listen when I have an opinion different than her own. What's interesting is the one time I stated my opinion. She looked at me. Then continued talking like I hadn't said anything. Then my SIL said the same thing that I did. My MIL looked at her and then discussed my SILs statement. Yes... I was still sitting there near them when this happened too!

She seems most animated when she's complaining about something. My hubby says "she's happiest when she's miserable."

She buys the ugliest clothes for the kids! It's 2004 -- not 1970! For the Princess' birthday (at the end of this month), I gave them some ideas on where they could find slender items. I gave them item #s for some of the pants I thought would be good for the Princess. My MIL told me "I didn't like those pants you told me about, so I didn't get her those." Uh, why'd you need to tell me that? I think the stuff I buy my daughter is comfortable, easily matches the rest of her clothes, and is very cute on her. Does she want me to tell her that what she buys my daughter looks like crap?

Plus she doesn't buy the size that I know will fit the Princess. My girl needs a 4S for the bottoms -- not a regular 4 -- she needs SLENDER! No matter how many times I try to let her know she gets the wrong size. So the bottoms either get returned or stay in the closet.

A few months ago we all spent the night at her house (me, my hubby & the two kiddos). My hubby and I went out to dinner and a movie so she and my FIL could spend the afternoon with the kids alone. We got back to their house about 10pm. You know what? She didn't leave out any towels or face towels for us to use to get washed up. When you have guests, don't you lay out some towels in the bathroom or in their room for them to use? Don't you also lay out some bedding for them (we were sleeping on the floor) so they don't have to ask for it?

I'll never forget when my daughter got baptized at 9 months. There we were in the church and I noticed that my MIL brought in one of those huge insulated coffee mugs with a straw in it. Did she have coffee in it? NO! She had water in it! She couldn't last through an hour service without bringing that crappy looking thing in? Additionally, did she bother to sing when hymns were being sung? No! She stood there with a frowny face with her arms crossed -- like it was such a bother to be there. When I've gone to Catholic services with them (weddings, funerals, baptisms, etc), I've been polite and tried to get into the feel of the service even though it wasn't the religion I was brought up in. Now how rude was her behavior?

Okay....okay...okay... enough ranting and raving! I had to get it out! Yeah, Saturday's visit really irked me! My hubby didn't want to hear me spewing about his Mom again. You know what he said to me? "Don't even go there right now" So I came in here!

Do you have an irritating MIL? What's she done/said to you? What's the most irritating tale you can tell? Come on.... let me hear ya!