This morning at breakfast, my 2 year old was crying. My daughter, in an effort to cheer him up, said, "We need to go to Disney World right now!"
"Why?" I asked.
"I've seen the commercials!" she replied. "Disney World made a baby boy learn to walk!!"
Disney World. The cure for all of life's maladies.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
By the numbers. . .
80+ items of laundry I washed and folded today
30 number of almonds my youngest dumped on the counter today
2 pieces of Halloween candy I consumed today (okay, I admit that is a lie. The truth is too painful to type).
1 number of times my youngest used the potty today (we're making progress!)6 number of times I said to myself, "Calgon, take me away!" today
Halloween horrors!
Last night. Two trunk and treats. EXTREME amounts of chocolate.
The children are hyper from all the sugar, and I think I have gained seven pounds already.
And just think - we will be getting more on Friday. . .!!
The children are hyper from all the sugar, and I think I have gained seven pounds already.
And just think - we will be getting more on Friday. . .!!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Junk art!
My daughter's class is going to make junk art projects today in school. They were told to bring in "junk". . .peanut butter lids/jars, toilet paper tubes, etc. We scrounged up a few items for her to take in.
Our daughter is a pack rat. Just last night, I was telling her about stories I have read of people who become trapped under their toppling piles of stuff. She thought it is was quite funny; I hoped it wasn't a vision of her future! Anyway - my husband and I were talking this morning and thought she should submit her entire room as her junk art assignment. I think she would win the grand prize!
Our daughter is a pack rat. Just last night, I was telling her about stories I have read of people who become trapped under their toppling piles of stuff. She thought it is was quite funny; I hoped it wasn't a vision of her future! Anyway - my husband and I were talking this morning and thought she should submit her entire room as her junk art assignment. I think she would win the grand prize!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A surefire way to attract the children
Yesterday, a friend called soon after we arrived home from school.
"It's so quiet at your house", my friend commented when I answered.
I said I was in another room. But I told her the solitude wouldn't last. My children have radar. They seem to intuitively know when I am on the phone, and quickly ambush me. It turns out I was correct. Within 30 seconds, two of the four were in my face demanding more snacks.
How does that saying go. . ."if you build it they will come"?
In our house it's. . ."if the phone is on your ear, they will come".
"It's so quiet at your house", my friend commented when I answered.
I said I was in another room. But I told her the solitude wouldn't last. My children have radar. They seem to intuitively know when I am on the phone, and quickly ambush me. It turns out I was correct. Within 30 seconds, two of the four were in my face demanding more snacks.
How does that saying go. . ."if you build it they will come"?
In our house it's. . ."if the phone is on your ear, they will come".
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Car seat woes
I have a love-hate relationship with car seats.
On the one hand, they do this little thing called protect-my-children. We completely enforce the law with car seats. Our children have never been in a moving vehicle without their seatbelts or safety straps securely fastened. (Well, okay, one time when my daughter was a baby, I unknowingly drove around the corner to the gas station without her straps buckled. I about had a heart attack and berated myself for hours over what could have been a horrible tragedy.)
When the kids were babies and screaming bloody murder on long car trips, we either powered through or we pulled over and let them wiggle. We sang songs, we tried white noise on the radio, anything to calm them down. I even tried nursing one of the kids while he was in his car seat. I do not recommend this, by the way.
My point being, we never (knowingly) fudge on the car seat law.
That being said, car seats make me crazy!! It takes my husband several tries to install the car seats (though he's been doing this for 8+ years, it is still impossibly difficult!). To get it it completely tight, he has to put his whole body weight into the seat, attach the little silver clip, wiggle it around to be sure it worked, sweat profusely, and pray fervently. Usually this is all done under severe time constraints, 100 degree heat or pouring rain. Forget the possibility of me installing one. I am not nearly strong enough, and when I try, my effort is laughable. The seat wiggles around so much you could actually fit one of the children behind the car seat.
The straps are also frustrating! Just today, I was buckling in my youngest, and his straps were all twisted. How does this happen? Each time we buckle him, we are careful to keep them straight. It's as if the seat has it in for us.
We will continue dutifully putting our kids in car seats and booster seats (I think our daughter will take her booster on her first date - she'll be 16 before she gets to the 80 lb. requirement!), but just because I love them, doesn't mean I can't hate them too. I'm a woman. I have the right to several conflicting opinions at once.
On the one hand, they do this little thing called protect-my-children. We completely enforce the law with car seats. Our children have never been in a moving vehicle without their seatbelts or safety straps securely fastened. (Well, okay, one time when my daughter was a baby, I unknowingly drove around the corner to the gas station without her straps buckled. I about had a heart attack and berated myself for hours over what could have been a horrible tragedy.)
When the kids were babies and screaming bloody murder on long car trips, we either powered through or we pulled over and let them wiggle. We sang songs, we tried white noise on the radio, anything to calm them down. I even tried nursing one of the kids while he was in his car seat. I do not recommend this, by the way.
My point being, we never (knowingly) fudge on the car seat law.
That being said, car seats make me crazy!! It takes my husband several tries to install the car seats (though he's been doing this for 8+ years, it is still impossibly difficult!). To get it it completely tight, he has to put his whole body weight into the seat, attach the little silver clip, wiggle it around to be sure it worked, sweat profusely, and pray fervently. Usually this is all done under severe time constraints, 100 degree heat or pouring rain. Forget the possibility of me installing one. I am not nearly strong enough, and when I try, my effort is laughable. The seat wiggles around so much you could actually fit one of the children behind the car seat.
The straps are also frustrating! Just today, I was buckling in my youngest, and his straps were all twisted. How does this happen? Each time we buckle him, we are careful to keep them straight. It's as if the seat has it in for us.
We will continue dutifully putting our kids in car seats and booster seats (I think our daughter will take her booster on her first date - she'll be 16 before she gets to the 80 lb. requirement!), but just because I love them, doesn't mean I can't hate them too. I'm a woman. I have the right to several conflicting opinions at once.
Monday, October 20, 2008
A poet who didn't know it!
My mom and I watched this little poem unfold during worship yesterday. My 7 year old son intensely worked on it for several minutes. I didn't know what a budding creative writer he was!
The winter is cold
the snow is fun
but most of all, the hot cocoa is best.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Bonus!
I sat down tonight to read, after all the kids were in bed. I am in the middle of a very intriguing book, so the TV was just supposed to provide some background noise.
Lo and behold, one of my favorite movies was on TV. You've Got Mail. I have seen this movie countless times, I own it, and I can recite most of it. Still, though I could watch it at any time, I was thrilled. This sweet romantic comedy is giving my gripping novel a run for its money.
Lo and behold, one of my favorite movies was on TV. You've Got Mail. I have seen this movie countless times, I own it, and I can recite most of it. Still, though I could watch it at any time, I was thrilled. This sweet romantic comedy is giving my gripping novel a run for its money.
A sure sign the dining room needs attention. . .
Our dining room has been taken over by my 7 year old son. The table is filled with Legos, in various stages of assembly. There are direction booklets everywhere, bricks scattered and finished products lying in the debris. We haven't dined on this table since his birthday (when he received many of these Legos) a month ago.
My four year old son wandered in there this afternoon. I called out, "Where are you going?"
He replied, "To the Lego room."
Maybe the time has come.
My four year old son wandered in there this afternoon. I called out, "Where are you going?"
He replied, "To the Lego room."
Maybe the time has come.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Gender bias?
"Mom," says my four year old, "I wanna get a Power Rangers video from the library."
"No," I replied. "They're too violent."
"But Mom, there's girls in it!"
"No," I replied. "They're too violent."
"But Mom, there's girls in it!"
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
MRI-i-i-i
This morning, my 4 year old son had an MRI. He routinely gets ultrasounds to check for the childhood cancers he is at risk for due to to his syndrome. Those are easy, a piece of cake.
Not so, the MRI.
He started out chipper, despite the fact tht he was denied all food and beverage this morning. We had a great time beforehand, and even the IV start wasn't too bad. A balloon man came around and made him a dog, a hat and a sword. He thoroughly enjoyed wielding the sword while we waited to go back (see yesterday's post, re: violence). He got numerous stickers and a sucker for after the procedure. He was pumped about going to sleep and getting his tummy's picture taken in the big machine.
When it was our turn to go back, he did great as they gave him the sedation drug in his IV. He drifted off, needing only 3/4 of the allowable dose. I waited outside, reading People (I seem to have a penchant for that magazine in waiting rooms). Soon they came out and said they had to readjust some of the equipment that had shaken loose when he coughed.
It was all downhill from there.
He was coming out of the sedation and trying to sit up. They gave him the last 1/4 of the dose, but to no avail. The remainder of the tests were not going to happen. We gave up and moved him to recovery. He immediately asked for his balloon sword and began fussing and crying. For the next forty-five minutes, he tried to sit up, stand, push me away, grouch and whine, all while brandishing the sword.
Right before they released us, he began begging to go school. By the time we were home, he was in full, hysterical tantrum mode. He screamed at a fevered pitch for another half hour. Finally, he passed out in my lap on the couch.
I wonder if I could snag some of that sedation drug. . .
Not so, the MRI.
He started out chipper, despite the fact tht he was denied all food and beverage this morning. We had a great time beforehand, and even the IV start wasn't too bad. A balloon man came around and made him a dog, a hat and a sword. He thoroughly enjoyed wielding the sword while we waited to go back (see yesterday's post, re: violence). He got numerous stickers and a sucker for after the procedure. He was pumped about going to sleep and getting his tummy's picture taken in the big machine.
When it was our turn to go back, he did great as they gave him the sedation drug in his IV. He drifted off, needing only 3/4 of the allowable dose. I waited outside, reading People (I seem to have a penchant for that magazine in waiting rooms). Soon they came out and said they had to readjust some of the equipment that had shaken loose when he coughed.
It was all downhill from there.
He was coming out of the sedation and trying to sit up. They gave him the last 1/4 of the dose, but to no avail. The remainder of the tests were not going to happen. We gave up and moved him to recovery. He immediately asked for his balloon sword and began fussing and crying. For the next forty-five minutes, he tried to sit up, stand, push me away, grouch and whine, all while brandishing the sword.
Right before they released us, he began begging to go school. By the time we were home, he was in full, hysterical tantrum mode. He screamed at a fevered pitch for another half hour. Finally, he passed out in my lap on the couch.
I wonder if I could snag some of that sedation drug. . .
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
A day in the life
Some snippets from today, a typical day in our house:
My husband gave me a hug after dinner. ALL of the children were somehow drawn to us like fish to water. Almost immediately, they were cramming to get in on the hug. Then, my four year old son starting doing karate chops. That's how it is around here. Too much love, things must go violent.
I am still drowning in the change-of-seasons clothes switcheroo. It seems to be a never ending job. It might have an ending, I must say, if I did not have two "helpers" today. Everything I put in a box was soon removed. My 2 year old liked to clomp around in much-too-large shoes, and my four year old was obsessed with jumping around on a bean bag on my bed. I had to put a stop to that, since going to the ER today wasn't really on my agenda.
I have spent countless minutes (possibly hours) nudging my 3rd grade daughter to get her long list of homework assignments done this evening. She is only in 3rd grade. Heaven help me in the years to come.
My 2 year old son broke a cup that had glitter in the inside chamber. He looked like he was ready to do a show on Broadway (as a girl). He (and the floor in a 5 foot radius) was covered in glitter. Sigh.
It is now 9:00. I think I can rest for a bit. Until tomorrow, when I get to do it all again!!
My husband gave me a hug after dinner. ALL of the children were somehow drawn to us like fish to water. Almost immediately, they were cramming to get in on the hug. Then, my four year old son starting doing karate chops. That's how it is around here. Too much love, things must go violent.
I am still drowning in the change-of-seasons clothes switcheroo. It seems to be a never ending job. It might have an ending, I must say, if I did not have two "helpers" today. Everything I put in a box was soon removed. My 2 year old liked to clomp around in much-too-large shoes, and my four year old was obsessed with jumping around on a bean bag on my bed. I had to put a stop to that, since going to the ER today wasn't really on my agenda.
I have spent countless minutes (possibly hours) nudging my 3rd grade daughter to get her long list of homework assignments done this evening. She is only in 3rd grade. Heaven help me in the years to come.
My 2 year old son broke a cup that had glitter in the inside chamber. He looked like he was ready to do a show on Broadway (as a girl). He (and the floor in a 5 foot radius) was covered in glitter. Sigh.
It is now 9:00. I think I can rest for a bit. Until tomorrow, when I get to do it all again!!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Word up!
My husband is quite good looking, in my opinion. I often think, "How did I get so lucky to have such a handsome guy?". Well, the other day, I found him even more attractive, I have to admit. You might be wondering, "Did he wear some new clothes? Get a new haircut? Try some new cologne?"
The answer is no, no and no. He used the word "synecdoche" in ordinary conversation.
I realize that this makes me sound like a geek. A nerd. A semantics-, linguistics- etymology-loving dork. That's okay. I was so enthralled by this new word that rolled off my husband's tongue that I immediately asked for a defintion and then scurried to the computer to learn more.
I told a friend about this exchange between me and my husband, and he came up with the example: "Schenectady is a synecdoche". If you're intrigued by this word and its example, I challenge you to look it up as well. If you do, maybe there's a bit of a word lover in you too!
The answer is no, no and no. He used the word "synecdoche" in ordinary conversation.
I realize that this makes me sound like a geek. A nerd. A semantics-, linguistics- etymology-loving dork. That's okay. I was so enthralled by this new word that rolled off my husband's tongue that I immediately asked for a defintion and then scurried to the computer to learn more.
I told a friend about this exchange between me and my husband, and he came up with the example: "Schenectady is a synecdoche". If you're intrigued by this word and its example, I challenge you to look it up as well. If you do, maybe there's a bit of a word lover in you too!
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