We are home, Sweet Home.

We went to Mike's parents place for what was supposed to be overnight and turned into a three day tour. We got in the door here at 2:23 am. It was an adventure. I'll share all the wonderful details of our visit in a few hours, right now I am exhausted.

Sadness

We all have ups and downs. Today is a down for me. There are a million and one reasons, at least 5 of them pretty darn good ones. But who really wants to hear it? I know I don't feel any better for telling the why of it all. The what is a better subject.

I was a depressed mess for much of my teen years, most teens get that way I think. I just didn't realize til I moved out that I was sadder than most and it lasted longer than average. I have a great life, a wonderful family and a shining happy outlook for the majority... but sometimes I feel like I still have to be sad. Call it what you will - an outlet, a vent, down time, or keeping the balance even. I read Post Secrets, Little Women (Beth should have lived, dammit) and Where the Heart Is. I watch my children play and think of a future time where I will no longer hear the padding of little feet and hear childish giggles when they think they are sneaking up on me. I let myself get sad, I cry til my eyes get red, I hug my kids extra tight, I tell my DH I didn't know what happiness really was before I knew him, I call my mom twice in the same week and give her no reason other than "just because". Then I take a deep breath and go back to into the sunshine.

Perhaps it may be completely wrong in the case of others, but in my own little corner of the world, I've learned there is nothing lasting without balance. I can be sad without falling apart, happiness doesn't have to be absolute and always. Light creates shadows, rain brings life and I can be blue once in a while.
Maybe it sounds nuts. Perhaps you figured this out long ago and good for you, I hope it made you free. Sometimes, however, intelligent people can be a little slow.
I still hate not feeling in control of it every time the tears fall, but for the most part, I've accepted it and I feel open, clear and more honest.
This may have been one of those occasions when I am the only one who understand, perhaps better kept to myself. I might even delete this later on. But for the moment, I felt like talking. I never used to have such a clear view of the subject.
This new approach I have to the balance of feelings came while talking to my son. He had done something he wasn't supposed to and when I told him he was in trouble, he began to cry and then sob, then screech loudly and painfully. I put my hands on his cheeks and said his name until he focused and calmed down, and I said something I have told him all of his 5 years.
"You can feel sad, that's ok, but you can't scream at me." Doesn't seem all that inspiring, right?
He told me he wanted to be sad, went to his room to cry and feel sorry for himself, think things over and come to terms with it. Then he, as usual, comes out for a snuggle and hug and to talk. One of those times, he laughed through his tears and his smile was so bright.... it was like a smack upside the head and I suddenly had new insight on myself.
I would say a light bulb or a flash of understanding, but it really was like being hit in the head. A sharp and unexpected shock, a moment or two of numbness, followed by the certain and almost always painful realization of the truth. I wish it had been more reminiscent of heroine from a classic novel, romantic and perfectly timed, but it wasn't.


You know what? I already feel happier. I think I'll leave the dramatics and histrionics to the fictional ladies from years ago. I am perfectly satisfied crying once in a while and living the rest of the time in a happy, uneventful, non-dramatic life.

does BRRRRR cover it?

Mike and I talked casually about how unseasonably warm and clear it was for the beginning of December, it was 25-30 degrees in the day and though we had a couple of light snowfall, it never stayed around. That all changed.
First there was a dramatic drop in temperature. Over a few days, it was getting to the single digits at night and freezing solid, but no precipitation. Then the snow came. And came. And came some more.
We had so much snow that we actually started worrying about getting out of the driveway again. Chains went on, the shovel made and appearance and the windows in the house were covered in weather-proofing plastic. The front door is iffy about latching and the cold pours from it like molasses in the winter, so we had decided in summer that when the cold hits, we're locking it, sealing it off and then hanging a blanket over it to stem the flow of chill. Looks dumb, but works.
The dogs are getting used to being inside again, as well. All spring and summer they only come in if the weather is too much... but winter here is one entire season of "too much". It's not an easy transition from being out all the time to only being out three times a day, but we're learning to live in a small space together again. lol. D'Oji loves to sleep against that cold front door, so he pays his way by helping with the heating costs. Foxy helps out the boys. We took away the bed frame since they 1- kept rolling off in the night and 2-were jumping on it and getting hurt. The arrangement has worked out well til the cold weather. Now the nights are freezing and the old girl curls up with the boys and becomes a living hot water bottle.
Yesterday I was watching our digital thermometer and while the temp in our house has stayed a cozy 71, outside it reached a high of 8, a low of -4. It dropped from 8 to 2 in two hours and all the moisture on our windows from washing clothes, washing dishes and washing ourselves - it froze. Solid. We had a whole inch thick seal of ice around the windows. I'm pleased to say that today it reached a balmy high of 11 degrees and the frost is gone.
Mike may have loved the snow piling up on the porch last year because it seemed like a giant igloo or snow tunnel and the inner child digs a good snow fort... but this year he started shoveling the porch to prevent it if possible.
hmm. Good effort, but I don't think it'll work. The wind blows that snow around like flour in a fan and it takes only a moment to erase all traces of his clean porch.
Tonight we're supposed to go shopping. You know, food and such. Kind of need that. I'm not looking forward to it. I am not normally the most hardy of drivers even in good weather. In this sort of condition, I am at best labeled "stoic" at worst.... well, nevermind.

The SWAP is here, the SWAP is here!!!!

It was delivered late because I thought I sent money for postage and ... well, didn't. then it was sent to my Nanny's house because I was going to be there for a long time. BUT since it was late shipping, we left Sunday it got there Monday. Oh, and I gave the sender the wrong address. Oops.
Nanny opened it to slip in a lovely card with holiday money for the entire family, re labeled it and off it went. It got here today. And as usual, I ran out to greet the mailman in something entirely inappropriate. This time it was a short robe and a hair tie, nothing else. Not even my contacts. It's no one's fault that baby's nap time coincides perfectly with my address on their route. I think I've become a post office joke, they are already laughing before I get out there most times and they never leave a "come get it at the post office because I was too lazy to deliver it" note anymore.
EDITED to ADD - you have to click on the picture, it's too large to fit and I am too dumb to know how to fix it. Thank you.
Edited again to say I'm not too dumb after all! I fixed it. Go me.
I opened it SO excitedly and with good reason - the ladies at Granola Chicks are one talented and creative group. I got

1)a set of vanilla cinnamon white chocolate spoons that I am dying to open and use immediately. I love you.
2) chocolate caramel Ghirardelli Cafe (have I ever mentioned how much I love coffee? and chocolate?) mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
3)an Italian herb mix that makes me drool at visions of melted cheese, tomato sauce and bread sticks dancing in my head. I keep opening it to sniff and drool a little more.
4)sinus relief bath salts with lavender, eucalyptus, and mint (who doesn't need THAT this time of year) they are lightly scented, so nice!
5)Garden Fresh Scrubbie soap, made with goats milk, rosemary, basil, peppermint and coffee grounds. Can you imagine the scent? Mmmmmm. I adore hand made soap. It's a sickness. Someday it will be my downfall.
6)a baby mitten sachet, it has the scented beads (I am assuming) inside and it sewn shut with a piece of elastic on the cuff for hanging. It's adorable and went straight on my door, I had to go get it back for the picture. It reminds me of clean laundry, summer flowers and fresh air.
7) A beautiful bracelet with green crystals surrounding these tan M&M shaped and sized beads (looks like agate to me) and couple of silver beads and a silver lobster clasp. I am not doing it justice, it really is gorgeous.
8)The cutest pincushion EVER. It's a glass bottle with a brown cloth cover, cloth measuring tape around the top, random unique buttons sewn on the cover and a felt cushion stuffed in it with bright shiny colored pins already in place. I love it so. The best pincushion I've ever had, hands down.

I made caramel popcorn and chocolate truffles as my addition to the swap. I think they were all waiting on me to get my package before we all shared what we got - and I was late. Really late.
And though there is no chance of her reading this, thank you so much Nanny!!! The kids will love getting to go to the store and buy something with their own money. I do too, because there is no wrapping paper to clean up after and I get all mushy inside watching them add up the purchases and buy it all by themselves at the cash register. Like tiny little men.

If you're reading this...

Naw, I'm still kicking. This is the first day I've felt human enough to post. Sick. Rattling cough, stuffed head, lost my voice to a sore throat.. you know the drill. I only had a fever for two days though, so there's an upside. Right now I'm trudging my way through the last-of-being-sick congestion. In the beginning you FEEL the worst but still look ok, then you get super sick and forget most of the middle, but the end... ugh. Feel well enough that you are getting antsy to get out of bed, but you look and sound like you might still die. Thankfully, we had a WalMart nearby when we embarked on this mucus-fest.
While thinking on it, THANK YOU to the people who thought up Puffs with Lotion, Vick's VapoRub, Halls cough drops, DayQuil, NyQuil, ChloraSeptic, antiviral tissues, and medicine delivery tools like oral syringe and the dosing spoon.
Really, it wasn't that much, I was exaggerating.
We always get a small box of Puffs with Lotion when the kids get runny noses because they get SO raw and start screaming and thrashing wildly when they see a tissue coming at 'em... and when the reason we're coming at 'em is because they're covered in snot, that's not so great. Think Hooch. You know, from Turner and Hooch. Am I that old?
The antiviral tissues were because we were staying at an elderly and infirm relative's house. These tissues killed a couple of different rhino-virus within 15 minutes.
I always have Vick's with me because the kids and I get stuffy when we have to go over mountain passes (which we do to even go grocery shopping or pick Daddy up from work) and be hit with heaters in the van and then freezing cold outside. Just pays to keep it handy.
elevation at home - 4505 ft.
elevation at Nanny's house - 1890 ft.
elevation at Mike's office - 3623 ft.
The dosing tools keep the mess to a minimum if we do end up having to give them something, but normally we don't.
The kids got over it fast, but Mike and I both got steadily worse on our drive home and the next day we called in sick. Since I work IN the home, this was much easier for me... I yelled down the hall "You get Ritz crackers and whatever fruit you can get from the fridge."
My oldest boy loves to take charge, a real Mr.Mom thing. He also loves to clean and adores babies. This makes it possible for me to be sick sometimes. He does not wet nurse or change diapers though... so I do need to get up once in a while, fever or not. Poor me.
My middle child is pretty oblivious to anything I say or do anyway, well or sick, so there isn't much change for him.
My youngest child is independent to the core. If he needs to nurse, get changed, or gets sleepy, he comes and climbs up on my bed to leave me in no doubt of the exact nature of his needs. Ever had a baby latch on sitting in a squatted position while you were asleep? No? ok, then, sit on your head with a poopy cotton diaper?
not that either, huh... how about a 1 year old pushing a kitchen chair to your bedroom door, climbing up to twist the knob, then shutting the door to climb into bed?
Tell ya what, that one freaked me out a little. I was still utterly sure that my 13 month old baby needed me. Looks like he doesn't. My older two boys weaned themselves, my oldest potty trained himself for the most part, my middle child learned to poop and wipe without my help. The baby is supposed to stay a baby. Right? Right? damn.
All of us are glad to be home to our own beds and two bathrooms. Most of us are glad to feel better. Here's a couple of pictures of the visit.

My youngest with his cousin, she's 3 months younger and just as tall. And has a lot more hair, lol.

A GORGEOUS flattering shot of me and the baby.

Mt. Hood, we were just outside of Hood River at the time of the picture.

and a beautiful pic of my Dandad and my youngest. He loves his great grandpa.

OH, I love my friends!!!

I got a package from Sock Dreams about 4 days ago... I am so in love. I thought this was my treat and I would savor it for a long time, but I was surprised by my friends.
Jen was really patient with me and when I finally got my act together, she sent me my GORGEOUS skirts. I took no pictures because I was wearing them the instant I unwrapped them. I have 6 of them now and sadly, this means I have to stop - that was what I thought til my darling husband said these were the prettiest yet and I could order some for gifts. OOOH OOOH! I'm gonna have to DO that. Smart man. In the package of skirts was such a sweet little gift... a couple of handmade soaps that smell just wonderful, some tea that I sat sniffing most of an hour, a couple of spotted wash cloths (have I mentioned how I adore spots?) a panty liner that's too cute made by Tina at Sunshine Wishes, and a gift certificate for $5 at Closet on Queen Creek.
It was like my own little Very Merry UnBirthday. I think I made Mike admire everything twice.
I counted myself as the luckiest girl on the block and was again planning to make it last with savoring :)
We are packing to go see My Kirsten and then go see family, running in and out packing suitcases, checking fluids, yadda yadda yadda and Mike came in the house long enough for his glasses to fog and tell me that our single neighbor was having trouble unloading her propane tanks. When he came back in he announces "I have a package for you Sweetheart!"
Snort. Once the giggling stopped, I saw the name was my very own George and I racked my brain to remember what I could possibly be expecting from her... nothing came to mind. I opened it to find a note (I love you too George) along with YARN. It deserves caps and it's own punctuated sentence. Such a beautiful color!!! I will have hours of fun figuring out what to make with it.
She also packed a pretty mug.. I adore coffee mugs, I collect them... candy in the mug YUM, hot cocoa mix which my children promptly stole and were pretending burned them.
Look the word hot, OUCH, it burns me! You hold it.
OUCH!
I'm proud.

The best thing yet was a gem sweater. I can't even begin to go into the back ground on the conversation George and I shared about Gem Sweaters, but I will share this. It may help you understand. Leslie Hall, if you read this, I love you.

What leads me to you

I think it's a lyric, but my poor brain is too Swiss cheesed to remember for sure. I was talking to my GC friends and getting giddy that I have a new follower. Does anyone else feel slighty cult-leaderish when saying that aloud?
No? Just me, then. Moving on. I feel like rambling, so I'll say whatever comes to mind.

I am thinking of degrees of separation... sort of. Mentally I wander through my experiences til I reach a memory that reminds me of a nearly unrelated memory and I laugh.
The person standing with me doesn't get it. Mostly because I didn't say anything aloud, I simply chuckled. Usually during a solemn silence or about two beats after it would have been appropriate. Being me, I have to explain and then it gets even worse because there are just too many degrees of separation between my Memory Moment and where I actually am. I can't help myself either, I HAVE to explain it all in much greater detail than anyone wants.
This is the reason Mike refuses to let me talk to cops. My darling husband gives me this same speech every time we get ready to drive a long distance.
"IF we get pulled over, you are to say NOTHING. You don't look the officer in the eye, you don't open your mouth. Leave it to me. If for some reason you are speaking to the officer, you answer his questions exactly, be economical with words. Nod or shake your head if you can get away with it. Do you fully understand what I am saying to you? Good. I expect you to honor your word. I mean it."
Please don't think he's a mean spirited man or a controlling husband because he isn't. He's loving and kind and puts up with my weirdness. But I make that hard. how do I put this? hmmm.
Ever seen the movie Liar Liar? That scene when Jim Carrey gets pulled over... k, that's me. I am unable to lie. I can fudge or bend or omit on occasion if I am not started at for more than 4 seconds straight and I'm not asked any pointed and specific questions. But I can't lie. I can't play poker and I hate when cops go under cover on my favorite shows.

My first job interview was a disaster. Oh, you're imagining it now, aren't you? I showed up sweaty and late, I knocked over the stuff on a table, I shook, and I believe I even cried. Some of the phrases that I uttered ~
I have no experience in this field.
I don't drive
Since I hate the bus I might be late to work often.
I'm only applying here til I find a better job.
and my all time fave-
I am not good with people.
Then I called every day for a week til they told me bluntly they hired someone else. I cried again.
I truly love meeting new people and I am afraid sometimes I am a shock to their poor, polite systems. I write the way I talk, I talk the way I think and I think like a perfect combo of my mother and father. Which makes me seem bonkers.
During labor i remember singing Blues Clues. Also, I think I told someone I felt pretty. No drugs, all me.

I love romantic classics
nearly nothing offends me
I hate the colors orange (because of monkeys)
I am easily distracted by shiny noisy or colorful things
I love odd socks
I have to sniff everything and if what I sniff is soft, I have to touch it to my lips. The first two weeks after my baby's arrival, I had chapped lips.
Every season is wonderful
Family is the only thing that really matters to me
I have never been as happy in life as I have the last 8 years.
the term "mechanically separated chicken" will forever make me think of my uncle Mike and and his limerick.
I love most what I am least talented at.
I have a low self esteem, but I always assume people love me and I'm hurt when they don't. Why is that?
I not-so-secretly think my kids are the best people in the world.
My left half responds faster than my right.
I'll be back later.

I scared the mail man

and mail woman. They deliver packages (two people in the same car) at about 11 am most of the time and I make sure to be up and dressed so that I can run out and grab it as soon as they honk. If I don't, they leave and I have to wait days to get the thing delivered or I have to drive Mike to work then load the kids up and go to town, then go pick Mike up after work. Either way, it bites.
Today at 9:24 am I was awake, but wearing only a thigh high nightgown and I hadn't done anything but drink coffee... no hair brush, no socks. Nada.
They came early.

Split second decision - do I maintain my modesty and miss the delivery, causing much more work later, or do I sacrifice modesty, become the crazy lady who answers the door in the rough, but get the package on time?
I am hosting a fall swap and this was a package for said swap, so my choice was made.
Since we closed off the front door at the first snow because of sealing issues I had to go around back, across the boardwalk and around the side of the house. I was running late from all that thinking I had done and so I had to jog.


Take a moment and try to imagine this. I am a big woman. I was in complete disarray. I was wearing a short sleeved, above the knee cotton nighty that's pink with gray kittens and stars all over it. I came running around the back of the house in the snow with no shoes.
This is when I realized, oh, the no shoes thing.. snow is bad enough, but I forgot the patch of wet dirt (rained earlier) then crushed rock. So now I had to slow down and do that weird walk people do when they have tender soft feet and are walking on rocks.
My mail woman did a double take and giggled before catching herself. To cover the moment, she then said "Oh."
I said, "um, yeah"
she said, "how are you doing?"
I looked down, looked at her and said, "I'm a little cold".
I got the package and as I reached for it I was thinking, I hope my nighty is long enough to cover what it needs to when I lift my arms.
There was an actual gale of laughter as they left my driveway.
Next time I am remembering to wear underwear.
Or shoes.

Update time

It's been 6 days and feels MUCH longer.
So, I'm still sick as a dog. My dogs never seem sick (other than that one time... shudder) Funny enough, I was thinking of that particular time last night. I was getting my nightly Migraine from Hell and I thought to myself " I wonder if it's a sign of how low I've come that I am tempted to take the dog's anti-nausea meds?"
Mike says "Yes, yes it is. Leave them alone."


Oh. I think I may have thought my thought aloud. Whoopsie. That would be a side of myself I just adore people peeking at. I should have remembered from my hospital visits that I talk while in pain.


My list of complaints -
nausea
headaches
cramps
both extremes in the poo department
rash
coughing, hacking, sneezing
ears clogged
ears draining each night in an itchy, insane way
feet and hands swollen each night and each morning
rash. How could I forget the rash that makes me scratch private places in public places. Sure, my arms and belly aren't too bad, but who decided the patch of skin between my boobs was a good place for an itch?
sleeplessness
followed by fatigue and sleepiness

The upside-
I'm losing weight (face it, if you've seen me you know this is a good thing)
I have no energy to yell, which makes the kids and husband happy, and saves my throat. It's already damaged from the perpetual coughing.
I can feel 8.5 of my toes again.
My clothing and shoes are getting nearly no wear and tear put on them.
my brain still works.
I found a neat reaction to share with the kids when I take my cough medicine. full body shudders and a face that could make strangers use me as an example to their kids of how "it got stuck that way".
My brother-in-law just said "hey, do that again" giggle. Riiiiiight.

Children Unite

Do you ever wonder if they have secret meetings to plan this sort of behavior?
4 out of the 5 of us have been sick so now I am so far behind it'll take a week of dedicated attention to get back. I am trying to catch up on my schedule and it's a miserable failure so far. Why? Mason has been waking at 2 am and staying up til 4 or 5. So guess who gets to take care of him? Yup, bingo, right in one.
Me. Of course, it's because I don't have to be up at a designated hour and drive to work. I understand it, I agree with it, but it still ticks me off to no end that I always have to get up with him.

Upon waking I get myself cleaned up and toss on my robe. I plan to make toast and start the dishes. In attempting to complete ONE chore, any chore, I am stopped several times for absolutely nothing. I start out nice but by the 5th time in 4 minutes (YES I timed it) I was getting so frustrated I was losing the ability to make words.

Maybe it would be better to switch chores for a bit. Nope.
One of the children has discovered the fun of the clothes dryer. Nothing has been melted yet, so I have to assume it's one of the younger two. What I DO have is an extra large load of clothes that got stopped in order to add three dirty dish clothes. I went to pull out my clean dry laundry and got cold wet mildew in the face.


I send them to their room to read a book. They start fighting over the book. I think to myself 'breathe in, breathe out, calm yourself'. Right then is when the wailing and screeching reaches a pinnacle that could be mistaken for an animal caught in a snare. I go in to make sure I'm not ignoring real pain and find them on either side of the room crying. Why? I ask.

Both talk at once, relating all the horrors committed... he touched the book I was reading... well he sat too close to me... and then he dropped a blanket on my head...
I leave them wisdom 'if you don't want it done to you, don't do it to him!'

Fuming a little, I go BACK to the dishes that I SWEAR I asked a husband to do a day ago. There is short person in the dishwasher. No, really, IN it. I can only see a pair of pants. Since I only have three and the two older~
A) know better
B) outgrew it
C) are in the room being children

I felt safe assuming this is the toddler. I say HEY! in a sharp voice. This startles him into turning around - causing the steak knife that was in his hand to fly across the room in an arc and stick in the linoleum at my feet.
I need coffee and a break.
I start the coffee amidst the heartbroken crying of the baby who was deprived of his dishwasher and the slightly more angry squealings coming from the older boys room.
I pour my cup, head to the computer, where I am suddenly and abruptly converged on my all three. Demands are made regarding computer games and their individual rights as children. The oldest will NOT stop talking long enough to let me answer even though I'm trying, the middle child repeats everything the first says, only louder and the third is alternating between smacking my thighs and pinching the soft skin inside my elbow while yelling like the Stain on that commercial. You know the one.
QUIET! Oldest son, what do you have to say?
Now, I warn you moms never to ask this question of a smart child. There are infinite possibilities to such an open ended query and his brain slowed to a crawl to process all of them.
I... w a n t e d u m ...............d i d w e .... U h .... I f.....
Meanwhile, near my knee the middle son has started screaming NO BABY! in a voice swiftly rising to dog-only status.The baby has turned on the middle child with a heavy soup spoon. I assume it's booty from his earlier dishwasher-diving trip. WHY do they do this? *lightbulb*
Maybe they're like this because they're hungry?
Do you want grilled cheese?
YES! two voices yell in joy. They third says, um.......
OK, then, what do you want?
I want a sandwich on two slices of bread, peanut butter on the left side, a little bit of jelly not too much to squish out on the right piece. I want to watch you make it, then i want to put the right and left together to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. With no beans and no broccolli.
OK, grilled cheese it is.
As I grill, they're quiet. I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
I cut the sandwiches - diagonal twice for Oldest, vertical and horizontal for Middle, and into 5 fingers for Baby. I call them to the table, chiding them to remember it may be hot in places. I feel warm and fuzzy.
Walking into the living room, I am praising myself for being such an astute mom. Horror and a dash of anger surge in to replace the fuzzy self-congratulations when I see the yarn spun around the living room like a giant, tangled, expensive web 1 foot off the ground. There is a tub of yogurt that was snuck from the fridge while I cooked (I assume, since I don't generally leave it in the living room) the remote is lost and there is an entire load of clean laundry tossed willy-nilly.
OK, let's take it one step at a time.

Where is the remote?
I dunno.
I HATE watching Spongebob, get me the remote this instant!
I didn't use it.
How .... I .... find it. You used it, you lost it, you find it. Capiche?
But MAAAA-uhm, I just pushed the buttons.
oh, boy, did you ever.

the remote is found. Covered in peanut butter. I never served them peanut butter, I have no idea where it came from, but I'm not going to ask. I know I won't like the answer.
Still wearing a robe. Still haven't done the dishes. While I was busy with the living room caper, the younger two migrate to the bathroom.
I get my lunch break. NOW.
The Dear Husband has taken over while I am on break. I sit here writing it all out and the conversation behind me is priceless.
dad-Are you hungry? Is that why you're acting so nutso? I'll make waffles.
kids-Yes, we're hungry!
dad-How many waffles should I make you?
oldest-U h hh .... um.... how about.....
dad-How many would mom have made you?
oldest-Several.
middle-Lots!
baby-DAH!!!!
OK, how about we start with one each?
No honey, that's your brother's waffle. No, don't, I AM making more!
what? OK, lets try TALKING ... I know it's new, but your internal dialogue doesn't help me.
Oh... Oh, god above, what IS that SMELL!?!

Time has passed. I heard that last sentence from Dear Husband and turned to see the baby on the steps coming to get me... he gets me every time he poops. He could be sitting on his daddy's lap and will still ask to get down, come to me, and ask to be changed because of the poo. This time, he squatted. I ran a bath while Daddy cleaned the floor and steps. Then daddy took off the diaper and tossed it in the toilet to be sprayed off while I turned the shower head on the legs and butt of baby. THEN he got to get in the bath tub.

The things we teach our children

We don't cuss in our house. Well, we try not to, we use interesting and unique phrases or words instead.
Mase is a year old and collecting these words and phrases with a single minded attention. He's also pushing the boundaries of his little world every day. Sometimes that toddler pushes his world into mine. That makes it his and my poor world is shrinking and has the privacy of a fishbowl. Tonight was a VERY good example to Daddy dear of what I deal with several times a day.

Mike went to the bathroom.
Mase followed.
mike locked the door.
Mase hit the door like a pinata.
dad- "No! Don't hit, no."
baby- "DAD! Dad dad dad dad dad. Door!"
dad- "no, door stays shut."
baby- "Dad dad, dad dad dad dad. DOOR!"
dad- "NO"
baby "Dad, door! Dad, DOOR dad door dad door."
dad- silence.
baby- "aw, bug 'em." walks away.

New Blog!

Don't you love it when you hear about a new blog that gives things away? Reviewer blogs always catch *my* attention, anyway. I won something once. Just once. Still have to try, lol.
A friend on SweetPeace (a forum for moms/friends)shared this link to her friend's blog. She's giving away a $50 gift certificate to Fuzzi Bunz!!! I know there is about zero chance I'll get it, but I have to try. It's not a bad way to encourage cloth diapering as well and that is something I will always be good for :)
So go look already, she has some interesting and cute stuff on her blog.

Jamie's Precious Peas

It's nice to feel appreciated

The kids asked me for water because I was busy and forgot to give them a drink with dinner. I found this message on the table. I laughed... though I felt just a bit like a scroogy jailer. If they were that excited about water, what would they do if I gave them a crust of bread, I wonder?

How cool!

If you know me at all, then you know I cloth diaper. I am also a baby-wearing, non-vaxxing, breastfeeding, sewing, knitting, crocheting, home baking, homeschooling mom. Yeah, I know, crazy, right? Anyway, back to diapers. My youngest, 11 months old now, has outgrown his diapers and my older boys... either in cahoots or on the sly broke my only working sewing machine. I have two more broken ones in the pit of no return.... er, the garage and a serger who's manual had been spirited off by those self-same boys. As this isn't enough, toss in having only $7 to last the week before payday and then spice it up with a dead fridge. Bam. You have a good mess.
Basically, I was boned.
I got the sweetest thing in the mail... a wonderful and very very thoughtful friend knew I was broke and the machine was broke and the darn inconsiderate child kept GROWING as if I was made of diapers... so when she saw a deal on some pre-loved diapers in his size, she got them and sent them to me!!!! Oh, happy day!
It's enough for an entire stash, unless he develops Super Poo and it dissolves the diapers, we're set. And even cooler, they all have snaps. He has recently discovered velcro and that bites because I made allllll of his diapers with velcro fasteners and most of his covers.
Look at that backside. I'm so happy!

AWWWWWWWW

Some days, kids make the awful week just disappear. My 5 year old just "delivered" this to me after lunch.





The cute sketch is actually a drawing of said lunch, chicken nuggets and fries. He was unsure of how to spell the word "are", he crossed it out... uh, hmmm. so let me help you a little.
The envelope says For Mommy, the front of the card say Mommy love, the inside reads "Mommy, the chicken nuggets and fries are good. Love Mommy" No I didn't address it to myself, I think he means he loves me. And the back of the card says Good Day! I can't tell if he's being British, Australian, or just telling me off. I said Good Day!

There is a matching envelope and card waiting on the shelf for Daddy when he arrives home. I'm not touching it, I swear. Not even thinking about it.