Is this really necessary?

My 7 1/2 year old son has mastered the fine art of the rude armpit noise.

As if we don't have enough of the real thing going on over here.

Home again, home again

Well, we're back from our travels this summer. We enjoyed camping in the Wisconsin Dells and attended a wedding in the "Northwoods" of Wisconsin. After that, friends of ours from college visited for a couple days.

Now, we are home for the duration. My c-section being only three weeks away, safety rules dictate I must stay close to home. This is a good thing, since I really need to nest (read: work feverishly to get ready for this baby's arrival). I have done literally nothing to prepare for the baby's birth, and now I must turn my attention fully to the task at hand.

In other news, my third child's 5th birthday was yesterday (as well as his baptismal birthday). As we do every year, with every child, we reminisced about his birth. What a joy he is, with his constant contagious smile and cuddly nature. We certainly can't imagine our lives without him. Thank God for 5 years!

A scensible purchase?

The other day, I was shopping at Walmart and I passed a display of room fresheners. I admit I was walking pretty quickly (for a large pregnant lady, that is), but I am reasonably sure that I saw one that was scented "Moroccan Bazaar".

I have never been to a Moroccan Bazaar, but I'm willing to bet that I would not enjoy it if my house smelled like one.

On second thought, I do have many boys. . .maybe a Moroccan Bazaar would be an improvement.

About a week ago, two friends of ours from church/school, offered to watch our children so we could have an evening out.

All of our children.

Overnight.

For those of you who have met my children, you know there are four of them, and they can be a rowdy crew. Yet these two selfless gals seemed happy to take them so we could go out to dinner and have a night "off" so to speak. Our evening was quite wonderful - good food, good conversation, and an oh-so-quiet house. In our nine years of parenting, we have never been in our house without the children overnight. It was oddly silent.

The generosity of these two friends was hard for me to accept. I think they wanted to do this for us since our new baby is coming soon, and they knew it would be awhile before we were able to be alone again. Regardless, such a gift was hard to accept. These gals both have children of their own and probably do not get out alone with their husbands too often either. Yet they were willing to give of their time and energy for us.

It made us realize how blessed we are, to have friends who are so kind to us. It made me want to be that kind of friend to others.

I think the kids might need glasses. . .

My husband and I have noticed a strange phenomenon in our house. When the children need something (help, questions answered, bottoms wiped, juice poured, fights broken up. . .), they come to me. Not my husband.

My husband could be standing directly next to the child in need. I could be on the phone in the complete opposite end of the house. I could be up to my eyeballs in laundry. I could be (heaven forbid!) attempting to use the bathroom by myself. Doesn't matter. They will seek me out, completely ignore whatever I am doing, and begin their litany of needs. They will walk right by him to find me.

Why is this? It's not as if my husband is a deadbeat or a moron or ignorant father. He is, in fact, quite the opposite. He, in all probability, could help them more thoroughly than I ever could. Is it because I carried them for 9+ months in my womb? Because I am a stay-at-home mom? We are baffled. And I, for one, am questioned-out!

Does this happen at your house, too?