The Disaster Within

I am trying VERY hard to get organized, and it's just NOT happening. My sisters house is very tidy and organized, and she's given me some good ideas, but I simply cannot seem to GET IT DONE--what with 3 kids and all. My goal is to do something soon, but I'm not sure what. Maybe I'll just bomb the house and collect the insurance money.

I do know that mealtimes around here are a bear. I just get started cooking when Nate decides he needs to EAT NOW, as does the Divine Miss M. I run the risk of traumatizing 2 children for life, or burning my dinner, neither of which are good options. So, what I'm thinking of doing is following the lead of a friend of mine and making enough meals for a month..kind of like those places you go to. I've checked out www.30daygourmet.com and have found a few recipes.

Now to get organized and buy the stuff and plan a nice Sunday afternoon sans children but embracing a nice bottle of Cabernet while playing Julia Child for a while. I think it would make mealtimes go smoothly, don't you?

Fairy Godmother--Part Deux

Today was my favorite niece's baptism...She's in the middle there. Isn't she cute? And, not to change the subject, but notice me in the snazzy(and slimming) black dress I borrowed from aforementioned friend proudly wearing my mother's day strand of pearls and matching earrings???

I am Brooke's Godmother, something I don't take lightly. My brother (to my right) is Godfather Number 1, and My sister's brother in law (to my left) is Godfather Number 2.

Being godmother means I get to do cool stuff for Miss B, not the least of which is by her fun, educational and NOISY toys (gotta have a little payback after 3 years). I have decided I will be Brookes Fairy Godmother...she and Maddie are going to be best buds...like sisters.

Being her Fairy Godmother means she may just get random mailings of chocolate to cheer her up...maybe after her first broken heart, maybe during finals week. Who knows?

What I do know is holidays are going to be a blast with 2 boys and 2 girls now in the family. Toys R US never saw Oma and Opa Coming!!! And I promise you dear Brooke, I will be a VERY good Fairy Godmother, and you won't have to share any sweets with your dad, or your Barbie's and Purple stuff with your mom. I promise!!!

The Best of Friends

I am truly truly blessed. I am lucky enough to have friends who love me enough to arrange their entire day around helping me create baptism invitations for The Divine Miss M. In spite of what SHE had to do that day, which I'm sure could have been better spent. For this reason, she is Miss M's Godmother...We call her Super Nurse. She delivered all 3 of my children, and is like a personal therapist. I only wish I could be a better friend for her....

I am also lucky enough to have a friend who gives me all of her kids clothes, just because she's done with them. And when I asked for a snazzy something to wear to my nieces baptism today, she cleaned her closests to help me out. What a blessing to have 2 friends who would go to the ends of the earth for you...I hope they both know I'd do the same.

Thank you thank you thank you god for letting me share my life and memories with such wonderful women....

My Fairy Godmother

I'd like to begin this blog with a short story. Bear with me if you will...

A Coworker, and good friend of mine once commented on how another coworker is her Fairy Godmother, and it's true. Said coworker takes care of other coworker in a most positvely wonderful way. One day I went into work for a regular Physical Therapy appointment while pregnant, and I noticed the Fairy Godmother giving my good friend a dark chocolate Dove Candy Bar. I exclaimed "Wow...Mary really is your fairy godmother."

At my next weekly appointment, Mary presented me with a Dove dark chocolate candy bar, "because she felt bad that she gave one to my friend and not me". By the way, Dove bars are delish, if you're wondering.

That being said, last week was a rough week at home. I was with the kids from 4:30 a.m. until about 7 p.m. Long days. Until I received the following in the mail.....

Yup, you guessed it, It was a package of dark chocolate m&m's from MY newly adopted fairy godmother. My friend is not happy that I've adopted Mary as such, but that's okay. Everyone needs a fairy godmother to give them a pick me up, and mine seemed to know just when, and how much I needed. She is wonderful, and I am so lucky!!!

The M&M's are quite yummy by the way. I have hiddent them, and they are officially MY candy stash. Keep out ye heathens!!!

The Saddest Thing To See

Nate has breathing issues. Last week, I knew we need to refill our script for nebulizer meds and we went to the Doc. He wound up with ear infections in both ears and needing to be nebulized 3 times a day as needed. My mom and bro came over because I made some homemade soup and mom (Oma) had to help the little guy out.

Just looking at his face breaks your heart, but look at Oma...you can tell how loved the poor little guy is. I hate having to do it to him, but it helps.

I guess the easiest thing about parenting can be teaching them right from wrong, if you're consistent. Playing with them isn't so hard either. To me the hardest thing is "hurting" them, or making them uncomfortable "for their own good". How can making your child miserable be in their best interest, even if it is only for 8 minutes a pop? It is the saddest thing to have to go through...at least for now. Who knows what the future has in store????

Fun with Videos

I should be baking for my nieces baptism tomorrow, but instead I'm doing this crap. Check it out gang...I wish all my treadmill sessions were so fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NINJQ5LRh-0

On Death, In General

Here folks are some interesting facts to check out:
http://www.discover.com/issues/sep-06/departments/20thingsdeath/

Makes you want a "green burial". And Jill, I know you KNOW what I'm talking about!!! I think Sub conciously my little Nate may be named after the character. What tv and pop culture has done to mush up my brain!!!

Just Wondering

I love top 10 lists. I don't know why, I just do. So, for today, I have a top 10 list of things that have just popped into my head. Things I'm just wondering about.

1. How the heck can "Flavor Of Love" on VH1 be considered reality tv? It's more like a comedy than anything.

2. How can any of the women on that show find Flava Flave anywhere near attractive?

3. How do my children know the exact second I get on the phone to have an important conversation, or the exact second I hit REM sleep? That is when they decide they need something.

4. Will Meredith choose the guy who was Robin when Val Kilmer was Batman, or the dude that was a dork in all those 80's Teen movies?

5. Why does everyone think he's McDreamy anyway? He's a little bit of McGeeky, and McI Can't make up my mind because I'm a guy. Figure your crap out already dude.

6. Why is Rachel Ray always so damn perky? Does she EVER have a bad day? Or a cold?

7. Why are kids clothes so expensive? Less than 1/2 the material is used for kids clothes than adult ones and they're pretty much the same price sometimes. I don't get it.

8. Why are SOME of the elderly so crabby? Their kids are grown, they've got pensions to live on so they're not working...They get senior discounts everywhere...They can live it up now.

9. What's Patrick Swayze up to these days?

10. When will I finish all the crap I need to get done?

Isn't she sweet?

When I took my training to be an infant massage instructor, our trainer said that there is no such thing as a good baby or a bad baby. It's just that some babies are easier than others, and others are more difficult. Nate will go down as the easiest baby in history, hands down, but Ms. M isn't too difficult either. She has a fussy period everynight, but is asleep before 10, and she only wakes up once in the middle of the night.

She still looks up at me with her eyes that are her father's eyes that still have "what the hell is going on here" written all over them, and I get a little nervous because I can't answer those questions she's going to have. In fact, sometimes I think she knows more about this life than I do.

I can't wait to put her in ballet and watch her do all the things I used to do, hopefully with more confidence and self-esteem. I'm not big on shopping but maybe we'll have fun doing other stuff instead, what I'm not sure. I seriously never thought I'd have a girl.

Life's full of surprises, isn't it?

Fun With Apples

Welcome to a photo journey of our 4th annual trip to a local apple orchard. Even Maddie got into the action, sort of. Next year is going to be tons of fun. The two little ones are going to be a blast to watch. For now though, I'll enjoy them being little and cute and innocent.


Ahhh...the taste test. How are ALL those apples Sir? Welcome to the funnest apple orchard in the midwest...full of all you can eat entertainment. And then, when you're done tasting, you can just throw the apple to the ground for fertilizer. Just be careful not to hit any other people, esp. those girl scouts we ran into!
Okay, Nate is a cheater. The kid has a sparkling personality, but he's a klepto and a cheater. Here he is picking apples at the orchard with the family...but not off the trees. He got them off the ground. Less work and more to eat, since you can taste test as many apples as you want. The hardes part was keeping him away from apples that had already been tasted. Nice.


Isn't this a great photo of the boys???!! Dad worked hard pulling the wagon and doing a majority of the picking. I worked hard with the baby in the bjorn carrier and taking pictures. We wound up with a 1/2 bushel of apples. It was a beautiful day to be out and about, and now we have apples coming out of our ears. So much fun! I almost can't wait until next year, what beautiful family time!

Naughty Boys Need Love too...

Get your minds out of the gutters people! Jack had school today. Upon picking him up, I asked how school went. He promptly informed me that he was not listening and had to sit next to the teacher, so I ran back in the building to find out what he did. Bad behavior is not tolerated, but the teachers looked at me like I was crazy...Like, hello earth to you lady...he's 3 and was doing 3 year old things. We had a discussion about it later, and he kept asking if I was upset because he's a naughty boy. How do you stress that you still love them, naughtyness and all?

On another note...anyone read anything good lately? I'm almost done with my latest Barbara Kingsolver installment. Please don't suggest any sordid romances...I'd rather eat a pigs liver (and you all know how much I love pork!) I need a good book to read at 2 a.m. during the hour of life called "Fun with Nursing in the middle of the Night". The sad part is, Ms. Maddie is not bad. It's the boys who are up 2 and 3 times a night that's killing us. My 2007 new years resolution (aside from not getting pregnant) will be to sleep through the night once a month.

Oh, and since I'm into posting links lately, check this one out. It will be my boys in a couple of years I am sure... Cracks me up everytime.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKXFqGUGdTk

The Mommy Link

If you are a mom, check this link out. Check it out even if you're contemplating motherhood and/or grandmotherhood. It hits home, especially since I've been home for an hour from a playdate and Jack has not stopped talking to me since we pulled in the driveway.

Talking about nothing. Just talking talking talking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qnAK-ZVfvA

Grandma's 1 Liners

This is me with my grandma's at my Baby Girl shower. One grandma is in her mid 70's, the other in her mid 80's.

They both have these sayings from years ago that crack me up, especially the ones my gram from Kentucky comes up with. It makes me sad to realize that when she's gone, a wealth of polite language that people never use with each other anymore will also disappear. For instance, if we don't talk for a couple of weeks she'll phone and say "I haven't heard from you in a month of Sunday's". It's a nice way of saying "I'm old, you're a shit, get off your duff and call me."

My dad's mom cracks me up with her sayings too, but for a different reason. The woman raised 9 kids and I honestly don't know how the hell she did it. I can't even handle three. My favorite one liner from Grandma came when I was complaining about all the "stuff" women/mom's have to do. I do not remember the exact way she put it, but she said something along the lines of how she used to say she had so much to do and "If you shove a broom up my ass I can sweep the floors while I'm doing everything else around here."

How true is that? I feel I live life running between my laundry room, and the kitchen with the cooking and cleaning, and you know what? If I shoved a broom up my ass, the floors WOULD get clean in the process.

Someday, these women will not be around to give me such sage advice and I am going to regret not listening to them more. I really need to start paying better attention to the lessons they're teaching me, even when they're not intending to. Between the two of them they raised 14 kids, so they should know what they're talking about, right?

Right.

PS Isn't that the coolest shirt I'm wearing (Gram would call it a blouse. No one calls dress shirts blouses anymore. Why?) I bought it for $1 at Old Navy. Swear to God. I love that blouse.

The Ta-Ta's

Part of me thinks it may be in bad taste. Part of me loves the idea of this site:
www.savethetatas.com

Breast cancer runs in my family, on both sides, so I am a fanatical about it. I think I would get the shirt "My Ta-ta's are survivors". It would make people curious, and for a good cause. For now, I'm contemplating the "save the tatas" shirt. I want to get it, probably not while I'm breastfeeding though...I don't want people to get the wrong idea.

Hmmmmm....

Action Figures Need Not Apply

I'm kinda on a warpath here, but I can't succumb to it fully, because we've only had 1 official day of school, and I can't be "That Mom" yet.

Jack gets to celebrate his summer birthday at school in a couple of weeks. He gets to bring in a favorite book, or toy, which means his Spider-Man, Batman, or Superman dolls. All of the above are considered "Action Figures", and unfortunately for little boys, they are not allowed on school grounds.

The unfairness comes in because presumably, girls can bring in Barbie, or Strawberry shortcake, or whatever without it being considered an "action figure". I was considering why this is possible, or how it can be even close to being remedied.

After all, if the issue is "Boys toys promote violence", let's consider little Suzy who's parents do nothing but fight aggressively. Then Ken could seemingly become a violent, bitch slapping, eunich asshole who is promoting violence in the home (If little Suzy decides to act out what's happening at home).

Guns, I can see not bringing them in. But Batman and SuperMan...heroes of the future??? The double standard just pisses me off!!

Everyone Should Have a Top 10

Last week I saw Lance Armstrong's ex-wife on Oprah. I got to watch about 2.5 minutes of the show with the little ones screaming, but what I did catch I thought was great. She said that before her divorce, her only identity was her husband...for example if you asked her for a list of 10 things she loved or enjoyed, the 10 items would center around her husband. She would say, "oh, I love how I married such a great dad" or whatever. Now, her top 10 is all about her. So, I decided to write my top ten loves that have nothing to do with my family, subject to change without notice or warning. Of course I love these guys, but they're not my ENTIRE identity.


So, here goes. And, oh yeah, I'm not writing corny things like "I love romantic walks at sunset." Everyone loves romantic walks at sunset if you can get them. These are more like, everyday things.

10. I love intense t.v., like 6 Feet Under and the X-Files. I do not love the Emmy committee that snubbed all things 6 Feet Under, it was seriously one of the best shows on t.v. I also despise anything on the WB, or what is now the CW. I find it insulting that Fran Dresher is still considered funny enough to have her own show again.

9. I love oreo blizzards from DQ with a sprinkling of cookie dough in it. YUM!

8. I LOVE a good red wine, preferably a Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon, thank you.

7. I love brownies so much I could eat an entire pan if I didn't control myself.

6. I love a good book, preferably one about a culture I know nothing about. For example, I loved the "Kite Runner", "Snowflower and the Secret Fan" and also "Sky Burial". I thoroughly enjoyed "Cane River" as well.

5. I love Pop culture. I love watching "I Love the 70's, 80's and 90's" all on VH1. I love reading Us Weekly when it's not about American Idol people (I hate reality tv). I love the People magazine crossword when I'm in the OB's office with nothing to do while I'm sitting with a paper towel covering me from the hips down. This crossword if very Pop Culture friendly.

4. I love Fondue. All kinds, but mostly the dessert. Mmmmmmm.....

3. I love to smell good. Lotions, soaps, perfumes... anything not flowery, but clean. I love my house to smell good too...hence candles and homemade cooking.

2. I love alternative music and the punk bands of old like Violent Femmes. Euraser, and the Ramones. I hate 80's bubble gum pop, but enjoyed the rap and rock from that decade immensely, until of course Eddie Vedder and the Grunge movement took hold. Forget Cobain though, too overrated, like the Beatles.

1. I love my girlfriends. I wish we could hang out more without kids and talk like grownups do. But then, what do we talk about when we're together but our kids anyway.

This is just a sampling of my favorite things. I'd love to hear from other gals about their top tens!!!

The Hook-ups

It has now happened to me twice in less than a year. My first Mommy Hook up came at the library. I have since made many invaluable friends since that hook up.

Today, it happened again, only at the new park. After the Dr. appt., I took the kids to play and kind of crashed another playgroup, but met lots of pregnant women with kids around the age of my boys. One mom asked for my number and e-mail so that we could play with them. I've officially been "picked up" mommy style.

Julz was right...we used to go to bars to get guys, now we go to parks to get moms. Oh, how life takes us in directions we never expected it to, but learn to love anyway.

Flying Solo

I am on DAY 2 of flying solo with 3 kids, and so far so good. Granted, I'm exhausted, but at least in a few years they'll all be out of the house and in school, right?

Yesterday was Jack's first day of school, or rather a meet and greet the teacher for 1/2 an hour. It was awesome! He had been saying he didn't want to go, but once there, he was so excited to play in the room, and he didn't want to leave. Rock on! Now we'll see how it goes when I'm not there tomorrow, but if Tues. was any indication, we'll be all right.

Today Maddie had a Dr. appt. In 2 and 1/2 weeks, she's gained almost 2 lbs, and grown almost 2 inches. Apparently Breast Milk agrees with her. Fabulous.

Now, to get the kids fed and napped all at the same time. After that is accomplished, everyone may as well call me "Super Mom", but I'm not holding my breath!!

Clean Your Mess up!

Today we went to my parent's house for a cook-out. It was a nice family event...I brought brownies, my sister brought corn, my brother worked the grill, dad ate about 5 Italian sausages and heaps of some Polish potato salad, Grandma met Madilynn, and mom fried up some zucchini.

The ride home was pleasantly quiet because Jack is into the Mulan II cd lately. Great. When we got home we unloaded the car for the most part, got the kids their baths, and got Nate to bed. I was feeding Maddie when I heard the crash. Instantly I knew that the lid to my 8 x 8 Corningware dish toting said brownies had somehow met its death via driveway black top.

Then, out of the mouth of a wee babe I hear in the sweetest clearest way possible, "You made a mess dad."

Yes Jack, I know, I made a mess.

"You better clean that mess up dad. You made the mess, so now you gotta clean it up. It's your job."

For anyone who does not have a 3 year old, this may not be a big deal. For anyone trying to teach their kids how to clean up after themselves, this is a riot. So, while upstairs nursing, I giggled, and then a moment of panic hit. What if it wasn't just the LID of the pan, but the whole pan with extra uneaten brownies lying on my driveway? Crap! Those would've been good for breakfast tomorrow!!

Gloriously enough, when I went downstairs, I discovered the pan intact, with John ouside sweeping up his mess, and Jack holding the flashlight in place, presumably supervising the glass lid removal.

Of course, at that moment, I had to make sure the brownies were still okay, and I must say they are quite delish. Fantastic!!

The Belly of the Beast

I think I am officially stuck with this belly and I am mortified. Before Maddie was known to have been conceived, I was doing great at the gym, even starting to get some AB-definition. Now, I go to the gym, and get about a 20 minute workout in before they have to page me to come get my screaming 1 year old from the babysitting room. What is the deal with this kid anyway? He cries at church, he cries at the gym, he cries when I am not in his sight. I realize developmentally it's a phase, but wake up buster, you've got a sister to contend and vie for my attention with.

Being sleep deprieved does not help for my moods either. Crabby Mom may come out to play and soon if I don't start seeing some bodily improvement. Maybe it's just my postpartem depression thingy...PPD is equivalent to bad self-image and self-esteem, right? I have a goal to get into size 8's again by the end of the month.

Wish me luck!!!