Well that is good to know

the fire department in the town where we live has an excellent response time and they also have really hot medics and firemen...sorry it is true!! They were also great about loading all of the kids into the ambulance and taking us to the ER. Princess got to sit in the front seat and had a great time. She chatted that medic's ear off. At least he was used to it he has 9 children. Seriously? 9. they must own a vineyard somewhere.

Stinky had a febrile seizure yesterday. Those were some of the most terrifying moments ever. Granted it was a short episode but seeing your son unresponsive and shaking uncontrollably and then out of it for a while is scary.

He is fine now he was dehydrated and had an ear infection and a spot on his throat but all of that should clear up with some antibiotics.

He would not eat all day. He only had 2 pedialyte popsicles all day...which is not enough. Also getting any medicine in him is like wrestling an octopus. Even the er nurse had a hard time which made me feel a little better about the difficulty I had...she couldn't to it either..so he ended up with meds up his bum..which he also knows how to squeeze out. The poor RN had to sit there and hold it in while it dissolved.

My son was so brave. He was such a big boy with he got an IV. After 25occ of fluid and some tushie tylenol when we were leaving he was requesting 'nuggets, chench fries (french fries) and ketchup to make him happy' which he got and he ate.

The ER was great with the other kids. I had everyone with me (of course)...and Princess had a popsicle and shared with Peas.. When we were leaving they got ER swag. rubber ducks, stickers, and sunglasses...great now they want to go back,

there is nothing fun

about a houseful of sick kids. I say that a lot huh? well my kids are champions at catching stuff and they are very generous with germs. That may be the only thing that they share so readily.

Three sick kids the odd thing?? they all seem to have something different. Which if it is the case will make my house entertaining at the very least for a few weeks.

It also makes caring for them difficult. No one remedy for any of them. Princess has a hacking cough, stinky has chills and just doesn't feel good and Peas is a combination there of.

All of this leads me to question what I can do as a mother...I can't help them feel better I can't possibly help them all at the same time. Instead we camp out on the couch and turn on PBS. Not great mothering skills.

Hmm... that is ummm adorable

So what do you tell someone who buys your children clothes and as much as you appreciate the generosity...they do not have remotely the same taste as you and most likely the clothes will go unworn until you can find some unsuspecting person to pawn them off on or a garage sale at which to sell them to which ever poor soul will pay .25 for them?? How do I say please stop wasting your money...or if you want to to get them something...a gift card or something that is slightly non-fugly?

Over Commitment

I always do this. I seriously always do this. I should know better.

Why do I do it? I forget that I planned something or I feel bad if I say no and then I am sucked in...and in...and in....

Never to be let go.

So this weekend what am I doing?? About 10 things at the same time.

the name game

Some people know the saga with my MIL.. If you don't suffice it to say we have not always gotten along.. there was for a while out right animosity; which has now become just general uncomfortableness.

She wants me to call her 'Mom' or 'Mrs.Marriedlastname' I was very very confused by this. I was planning on being on a first name basis. That confused her. I have never called adults Mrs. or Mr. save for teachers. Especially now that we are both 'adults' calling someone Mrs. or Mr. seems particularly odd. Not to mention that I have the same last name as her from the same family so it would be calling someone Mrs. Mylastname. (even know no one calls me that, thank heavens) That to me just seems bizarre.

'Mom' presents a whole other basket of issues. My mother and father and I have quite a timultuous history. We have had to work hard to get where we are and without them I would not be the mom I am nor would I have survived me teen years. So calling her 'mom' in someway takes away from the meaning that is 'mom'. She is not my mom. She never will be my mom...it makes me uncomfortable to call her mom.

But she does not want to be called by her first name. What is a daughter-in-law to do?

March for Babies

Tomorrow is the March for Babies in Elk Grove Village that my family and I are walking in.
As all three of my children were preemies and because the research that aided their survival and recovery was courtesy of the March of Dimes.

Tomorrow we will walk to remember a remarkable little girl who touched so many lives in her short life. Whom I never met but who touched my life. Who's mother continually amazes me with strength.

Tomorrow we will walk to celebrate her.

Tomorrow we will walk to help guarantee that all babies have a healthy start. Have a healthy life.

If you have not already donated to this cause please please do.

Five Years? Seriously???

Princesses fifth birthday is rapidly approaching. Five years. FIVE! I can hardly believe that. I mean sersiously? I have been a mom for 5 years? Something must be wrong? Where has the time gone? So much has changed! Apartments, house, pets, husband... I can't believe that there has been time for all of it in five years. (especially when some days seem to drag on forever)

But here I am one month away from her fifth birthday. The year that signals she can start kindergarten...the year that starts so much more time away from home and me. That is frightening in away. I have always been there; not always actively but sometimes passively observing, watching her learn watching her challenges ready to step in when needed...but now I am needed less and less. I do not need to buckle her car seat, I do not need to get her dressed. I do not need to get her water...she can do it. and she does. I suppose part of mothering is mothering yourself right out of a job but it is so odd...especially when I so clearly remember taking her home from the NICU, her first cereal, her first steps, and ever since then she has continued growing and learning.

I am so thankful that I have her. She quite literally changed and maybe saved my life. My princess who will always be my baby girl.

Love for my son

As much as Stinky can drive me insane and question my decision to procreate I love him and he loves me and he needs me... sure his demands get tiresome and obnoxious but it means he loves me and he certainly does. No one else can snuggle him to sleep like me no one else can help cure an owie just mama will do.

Yes he drives me batty at times. But he sure does love me. I should focus on that instead of him bothering his sisters or the dogs. One day he may not need me so much and I may not be the person he comes running too when no one can make it right. I should cherish those moments of pure childhood love and adoration for me.

That is an all to real fear. One day he will not come running to me to tell me of his triumph in kicking a soccer ball or his frustration with his sisters..but I will always be there loving him watching him he will always be my baby. even when he no longer needs me to dry his tears over a choo-choo.

the smell of suncsreen

Is one of the unmistakable smells of summer. One that I seem to forget over the winter every year and then in the spring when it becomes necessary to begin sunscreen again the smell brings back a lot of the fun that we had in summers past. This year I remember so much more.
Putting up the fence with B and our families. Sealing the driveway. Enjoying the farmers market, taking the kids to the pool. All of the fun family times with the kids and B. So many times that we will never be able to recapture. The memories are priceless. And came back because of a bottle of sunscreen.

unexpected news

so last night I received some news that was the last thing I was expected. I have to adjust to the news and digest it. No idea what to do with it. So what am I supposed to do?Am I supposed to be happy/sad/confused/scared....so what? I have no idea. no idea what to do.

lonely in a croweded room

maybe not crowded but I definitely I am almost always being touched or talked at or commanded. But I feel lonely. More like alone. Like the I am trying to hold our family up..trying to get through the day to day feeding, cleaning, washing etc. I want someone to relieve me or share the burden. someone for me to talk to that uses pronouns correctly or at least tries.

so despite always being around people I am alone. Even when I am with other adults I feel like I am acting. Playing a role of a mother who just wants to sit and stare at a wall. I want to curl up inside myself and just be...or feel like I can talk and let down some defenses and maybe just maybe not hide.

This kind of goes a long with my bizarre inability to cry. Seriously. Why can I not cry. I have so much crap that I need to let out but am unable to. some people can sit and have a good cry and I can't. Sometimes I can cry sometimes. But not usually. and it does not mean I am not sad or angry or overloaded.. I just can't.

The Green Monster

Not the one at Fenway..this one is a lot less cool.

Jealousy.

I am struggling with it. A family member recently announced that she and her husband are expecting. I should be happy for them. I should be thrilled. (I am happy that they are having children I am sure that they will be fantastic parents) but I am jealous. Logically I should not be. Could I deal with a 4th child? Will I even get pregnant again? (an additional to that is the will I ever have sex again but that is neither here nor there).

I have had so many losses I do not know if could stomach getting pregnant again and losing the baby.

Isn't this a change from my younger self?? I did not want to get married. I did not want to have kids. I wanted none of that and now here I am mourning the potential end of my baby making days.

So how do I handle my jealousy of their blessing while respecting my feelings?

nothing new to add really

Peas can never get too much time on the swing

Chasing bubbles!!!
He likes older women
drama queen
but she is so pretty!!!
silly boy
Rune like the wind!!!!
boy in a tree..... now how does he get down???
Little diet coke theif
Stepping stones are serious work!!!
but fun pictures!!!

how do I know it was a good day??

It was a great day. Took the training wheels off of a certain princess's bike.. and proceeded to run up and down the street helping her balance with a baby strapped to my back...then with a certain Stinky following behind on his 'yeago' bike. which he does not pedal....just scoots on his feet. In addition to that I helped the Stinky one to pedal his big boy bike and pushed Peas around on her ride on toy.

If that was not enough we played in the garden went for a walk and played in the park then grilled hot dogs and helped them learn the sacred Chicago tradition of 'Chicago Style Hot-Dogs'.

But the real way I knew they had a good day?? when I put them in their bath...the water instantly turned a dingy brown as the dirt rinsed off to reveal very happy very tired children.

Fun in the sun

Remember a few weeks ago when I was wondering if it would ever warm up here in Chicago... well it did today. And it was fabulous. Seriously fantastic.

We went to the Arboretum with my dearest friends and their children who all remarkably get along...a miracle no? Beautiful weather, fantastic friends, great kids....

Well except Princess was showing where she got her nickname "Princess"....she was acting the part well complete with entitlement and tears. Wow. call that a challenge much?? The attention seeking behavior is hard...by giving her attention I am giving her what I want...but by reacting poorly I am not setting the kind of example I would like...quite the conundrum.

Anyway... stepping stones, water, frogs, food, tree houses.....what is not to love? My children were in heaven. running and chasing and all of the things that kids are supposed to do. Great day. I cannot wait for more consistent great weather.

Mutiny

There are some days when I am afraid of it. Some days I am concerned that if I take the kids out they will mutiny and I am out numbered. When it was just one kid or maybe even two the odds were more even..at least when I have one arm per kid I have a fighting chance. Now I am out manned and sometimes out gunned---it would not be appreciated for me to throw myself on the floor and stage my own little sit in protest or worse a full fledged counter attack so some days we stay home. How come it always seems to be the rainy icky days when I would actually like to take them out somewhere because outdoors is not do able that they channel their inner dictators??

See Princess is a leader- like Isabella of Spain she rallies people behind her...granted 'people' is being used to describe her siblings but she is typically leading the charge. She is also smart. Sometimes a bit too smart. With her skills at getting people together and her intelligence.. I should be concerned very concerned

apparently I drink wine a lot

I was sitting drinking a bottle of sparking water and enjoying it quite a bit..reading my kindle making sure that no children ran into the road when Stinky demanded I share with him. I said no (I was not in the mood for sharing); he responded that "oh mama has wine.' which is worse that he knows what wine is or that I just let him think that it was wine so he would not pester me about it??
So I guess I drink a lot of wine straight from the bottle...who knew?!??!

Wow that is a comfy wrap

Huge rave for Giselle at Slings I Love. I am one of those babywearing mama's who does not need motrin every 6 hours..mainly because the carriers I use are all so comfortable.

But this one takes the cake for wraps as far as I am concerned. Granted my wrap vocab and the number of them I have tried are pretty minimal. EllaRoo, Didymos, and Hopp but thanks to Giselle I have been introduced into the love that is Neobulle. The colorways are beautiful and the fabric is so supportive and so comfy. I may never use my EllaRoo again.

Peas loves it and I love it. Thanks Giselle and Slings I Love.

Yes I have more carriers than shoes.. they are this mamas version of fancy shoes or bags...
No none of my 'raves' are paid this mama doesn't roll (or wrap as the case maybe) that way. They are all just what I feel like. (someone asked if I was paid to review things..nope not here)

The Duchess

the film

I watched this last night. I am happy I was warned that it is not a happy chick flick or a Jane Austen type film. I would have been in for a surprise. Instead it is about the struggles of being a woman who is intelligent in a time when women were property and treated as such.

Georgiana Spencer was an active poliltical player in an era when even voting was closed to women. She had a loveless marriage in which her job was to bear sons..and a philandering husband among other personal tragedies.

The movie resonated with me because as a woman I often forget the struggles that those generations previous to me have had to get women to the point we are today...and take my rights for granted. Seeing a woman fantastically acted go through trials that were all to common to the Georgian era and continue today but yet have no recourse was powerful.

Historically speaking the Georgian era was a time of great change politically.

Anyway I really enjoyed this film and it made me very grateful for so many freedoms and rights that I take for granted

I am totally at a loss

I like to fool myself into thinking that I am pretty good at this parenting thing especially because I get to do so much of it on my own.

But I am at a loss. My son, Stinky, is making me insane. That is pretty general right???
But he is having a hard time sharing with his sister and it is shrieking and screaming and also being pretty mean...hitting and just being mean. Time outs do not seem to do anything, time ins also seem useless.

It is not only that. But sleeping is hard. He wants to be snuggled and cuddled and I need some boundaries.

Also the testing limits and pushing limits. at my wits end

Depression

As irritable-ness.

It is no secret that I am depressed. But I do not feel the typical depression. I do not lay about in bed all day (kids need to eat). But I am very irritable and crabby....is that a different manifestation of the same thing? I have heard different things.

So just because I can get out of bed, brush my teeth, and somehow feed the kids, but have reactions that are out of proportion to the circumstance and am irritable...what does that mean..aside from me just being bitchy?

What? other tv's actually work??

when playing Barney??
Barney 'breaks' my tv. conveniently he also annoys the pants off of me. the wiggles just do not work on my tv. Oddly enough. Caillou is banned. (the whining kills me)

I was surprised to learn that other people's tv's actually work on that stuff...as were my children. 'What? this TV doesn't break??? Mama..this tv can play Barney!!!' It was exclaimed. Hmmm they might be on to me soon. What should I do?

Pictures from adventures

I will add more pictures of Stinky later when I get around to uploading pictures!!! He did not want to cooperate in these.

I do not know what I am hoping to get out of writing this but something I read today got me thinking and that can be a very dangerous thing.

A friend of an acquaintance lost their baby-- tragically... unexpectedly. And they were planning on walking in the March for Babies with her.

I feel like I have too many friends who have had losses...babies, spouses, parents. too much death too much sadness to much loss.

There are people among them who have emerged stronger than they started from their struggles. With my own losses and struggles I am left not feeling stronger..but feeling beaten feeling.

This loss made me look at my children again and was think how thankful I am for them. Thankful for their health. Thankful for the people who are so dedicated to giving all babies a healthy start. Without the research of the March of Dimes I very ell may not have three healthy children.

My friends who have lost their children are stronger than I ever think I could be..they have so much courage and so much faith... and they are so generous. So giving of their spirit and so determined to help prevent another family from having to suffer through the loss that they have experienced. Judging by the feelings I experienced when Peas and Princess were in the NICU,..and when Stinky was in the PICU... I can only imagine that without them I would not know how to continue.

However- it is one thing to say it and quite another to live and breathe it. After B's injury that set off a cascade of events that changed so radically so many things about my life and my perception. After miscarrying again and again....that brought up so many things that i would preferred to keep buried. again i am stuck by the courage of my friends who have lost such a precious miracle to share their feelings and experiences with others so that maybe just maybe all babies can be given a healthy start. all of that again drives home my selfishness...keeping my crap close...unwilling to share. But thankful for those who do.

It is the small things...really

recently I had the opportunity to observe my father interacting with my children playing.... It was enlightening....to say the least.

My father and I when I was little were extremely close- to the point where my mother has said that she felt like the odd man out. However when I reached adolescence he and I were at odds constantly. "At odds" being an exceptionally light way of putting it. It was clash of the stubborn titans. Lots of things were said and done that hurt. Both of us. We needed to retreat for a while lick our wounds and come back. Now we do not talk about the 'bad time' it is not mentioned. What happened during those years is not discussed...ever. (good and bad because those are the years that I do not remember most of)

Anyway.. Watching my father play with the kids was so fantastic. To them he is king..Papa can do anything. He can fix anything. He is superman. They love him they love playing and he can make them light up to play like no one else. I am so glad that he can do that for him. When I was little my daddy was superman too. My daddy was the best. His lap was the most comfortable. He could fix anything. Make anything not scary. He was the strongest man in the world.

Even know after everything. My dad holds a place in my heart that cannot be touched. He will always be a man I look up to and respect and I am so pleased the kids can see him in the same light I did.

Bad-Ass Moms

(and dads) Ok fine parents.. Bad Ass Parents...(moms just sounds cooler).

We rock. yep we rock. We hang with the Baby Loves Disco..Arboretum and lots of other cool stuff.
these are the parents you can call when it is 11:00 am and you want to pull your hair out...or you have taught your 2 year old a new phrase involving words that make most adults blush... they are the ones who will bring wine or vodka.. and commiserate with you while you attempt not to end up on the 10:00 news.

They are the people whom you call when you want to 'Whore it up' for a night. Or can give you advice on adult toys. These are the parents whom a adore. They can rock it out with the best of them.

ClassicHusband Stories

Recently I had the pleasure of listening to several of my married friends discuss their husbands parenting prowess I and I was reminded of two classic stories of my husband.

Even at his peak B was never a great hands on parent. Seriously not his forte but here are two stories about his parenting that make me simultaneously annoyed and make me laugh.

1- The kids always preferred me to put them to bed. Nursing---rocking---singing--- what have you I was the preferred method of delivery...understandably I got a bit tired of being the kids version of Ambien. Occasionally I would ask that he take a turn and be the Sominex. Inevitably he would fall asleep usually with Stinky who would come downstairs and tell me he put dada to bed and we could snuggle now.

One night I was under a dog pile of children and I reached out and smacked my snoring husband and requested help. He took the 2 oldest back to bed; the youngest stayed with me. Again Daddy went to sleep with Stinky and he came back to bed with me and Princess came into bed with me because Daddy was making too much noise.

2- My husband had always been a wuss. Well to me at least. One day he was not feeling well..he was tired so he stayed home. After the kids and I had suffered through the stomach flu all week...he was not feeling well. Never mind that I was nursing, and tired and the stomach flu just put me over the edge. One day in particular I remember my stomach hurt so bad I could not stand up straight...I begged him to come home early or stay home no go. He asked if I would be ok that day....I answered to I have a choie... course not so I was even more annoyed for him asking... did he come home early to help? nope. he left dinner dishes for me to do...he left a mess in the den...he left a bowl full of screws in full grasp of the baby...and the next day...he felt yucky. FUCK HIM. Sorry.... but seriously. he felt gross? too bad. so did I..I got through it. I managed. Granted I had to drive 70 mph home one day but...I made it. So could he. I asked him to take something for his discomfort--- pepto-bismol or something. he replied... we did not have anything.....of course not....it was not going to jump into his hands.... looking for things was not his strong point.

sometimes a two for one deal is not all it is cracked up to be

Especially in the world of parenting. Because you know...I am one person.. One person who has bad days, feels yucky, looses temper, and cannot as much as she tries to do it all.

So please forgive me my loves that today I have not been the parent you deserve. You have been a parent who doesn't feel well, who is crabby and who as much as she regrets it took it out on you who were acting your ages...fantastic as they may be.

These are some of the worst days...when I am emotionally out of gas...have nothing left to give and there for less of a parent that I should be. I turn to PBS instead of outside. These are the days when I wish my husband was here to hand the proverbial baton off too.

Another way the kids are being short changed. There are somethings I have no idea how to do...powerwash, seal the driveway..... pee standing up, take training wheels off a bike...teach someone to ride a bike with two wheels and infinite other home projects that I have no idea how to do.

My son wants to use the bathroom standing..I get that. I understand but you see I have always had the mantra of 'remain seated for the entire performance' unless I am pretending to be a helicopter. ideas???

Princess wants to ride her bike without training wheels....how do I get those stinkers off??? I can't will them off. I can't yell them off... then once they are off I have no idea how to get her to learn to balance.

good deeds

as I was sipping my tea looking out at the nice day debating how much courage going outside will require. I received an email about the Duncan Donuts Iced Coffee day. I started thinking to the last time I stopped at a DD for coffee.. It was the day that Stinky was born. I had been discharged from the hospital for pre term labor...headed over for a quick ultrasound to track his growth, then I was supposed to be going home to bed rest instead I was going to work. I stopped at the DD to pick up some coffee.

little did I know that they did not take credit cards who carries cash these days??? to my shock and amazement a woman standing behind me offered to pay for my iced coffee..which incidentally I typically hate. anyway. that random good deed made my day--well until Stinky made his appearance a few hours later.

So thank you--- to that really nice person. 2 and a half years later I still remember her kindness

I figrured it out!!

After months of attempting to decipher my childrens behavior I get it!!

They are trying to get me to lose my mind entirely.

B thinks he is a mini magician and attempted to pull the table clothe out from under the breakfast dishes...that was a big fat FAIL! he ended up dumping bowls of cereal and milk literally on his head..why? just why?

You know on a popular childrens show they have a letter of the day and a number of the day....we have a word of the day...today it is "NO!" or "stop it"

No you may not stick your hand down the dogs throat. (I am thankful that the dogs are so patient but come one)

No you may not body check the baby

No the furniture is not a jungle gym.

no you may not play with the bat in the house.

No no no no no...

Arghhh

but with faces as cute as theirs how can you not adore them...



the biggest issue is I am trapped at home my car is getting repaired so I cannot even 'escape' the chaos for a change of scenery the arboretum or something somewhere else.

what do you do at night?

Nocturnal - awake live.. etc.
Diurnal- sleep...

if you live in my house you chase a dog.

Let the dogs out at 11 ish accidentally fell asleep let them back in at midnight...noticed I was missing a dog.

Swear a few times go put on a jacket and start to walk up and down and around the block calling her. Attempting to put the irritation out of my voice. Go back home...very cold..get heavier coat and glasses so I could actually see as I am wandering the neighborhood at midnight alone, check on the children open the door...there is the dog sitting on the stoop looking at me like I am a fool wondering if I was going to let her in.

Hawks

I am sitting here enjoying the invention that is PBS and Curious George. Looking out my window one of the benefits to living in the suburbs is that I have 'nature' all around. a family of squirrels have moved into the sparkly bird house that we put up.... and now there seems to be a family of hawks in the area too..

They are juvenile red tail hawks...how do I know this??? google of course. Yesterday I saw 4 separate hawks. even for suburbia I think that is a lot.

But today I have also seen some birds..a woodpecker, a few finches, and of course sparrows.. the pleasures of suburbia.

anyone know how I can attract more birds??

Also my back yard is a blank slate. any ideas on what I can do with it...point me in the right direction to get started. my goal this summer is to have something established in the yard instead of dirt.

Are we sure it is spring??

Chicago has interesting weather. Special really. It is the middle of April and it snowed the other night...not a little snow wither but enough to actually build a snowman with. Special really.

I have lived in the chicago area the vast majority of my life and we get the gamut: tornado's, ice, snow, crazy heat, freezing cold.... it is nothing if not interesting-you never know what you are going to get. like last night we had a severe thunderstorm watch....a day after a winter storm warning.

the only issue is that I am ready for summer--- or at least spring. I love winter...snowmen, sledding, skiing, ice skating are all great but I am ready for warm now.

The kids love it though. They are hardy. As long as it is not actively hailing they are asking or pleading or throwing themselves at the door begging to go out. Usually I let them. We are out in all of it..puddle walks, snowmen, sprinkler... there are activities for all weather.

Brian and I were the same way though when we were kids.... outside until someone made us go in....in the summer we were out until 10 pm or so playing...I want my children to have the same. That is the best part of childhood...
What kids are supposed to do..run in packs and have a fantastic time getting muddy and dirty and loving every minute of it.

Yes I am the mom who takes the kids out TOO play in the mud. I am the mom who lets them play in the stream even in chilly weather, I am the mom who a lot of other moms look at and are frustrated with because then their kids want to do what mine are doing.... But my kids have a fantastic time

Defeat

I am defeated. Whatever I do is not right, not good enough. Whatever I say is not right not good enough. I am tired of trying and tired of being wrong all the time...even when I am right. I am tired of it

Yes I am going to show off--- again

These pictures are from Carrie. She is incredible to work with. She managed to capture the kids authentically on a freezing day in Chicago...seriously it started to snow....

I cannot wait to book her for the arboretum soon
This has got to be my favorite picture ever of Princess.

Peas story

This is a cute albeit slightly odd story:

Tonight I made fillet of sole for dinner with oven roasted potatoes and veggies. The kids really enjoyed it...especially the potatoes.... they are an homage to my dads mom who had a knack for it that no one could match. (seriously we have all tried and failed to make this...even when she was living she would tell us how she did it but we could not recreate it)

anyway...
after dinner I give the dogs the left-overs typically I toss them right in their bowl and let them have at it. Tonight was no different set the leftovers on the ground..started clean up....but...i forgot to let the dogs in. so Peas was wandering around and noticed the food on the ground. she walked over to it and picked through the food to reveal the potatoes. She put one in her mouth and one in each hand and walked off giggling. She knew exactly what she wanted.

Before anyone gets a grossed out. I did clean the bowls before putting the food in. No dogs had eaten from them since being washed.

This is extra entertaining because I have an absurd love affair with potatoes. Very odd. Seriously I adore them except potato salad.. strange no?? but Peas is my daughter and the spud love is apparently genetic

Inspiration

I do not have it. At least not now. I need like a go to list of things to do when I just am not feeling the parenting thing... In good conscious I can not just turn on the TV and let them veg...(as much as I may want to)

what do you do when your lack of motivation becomes paralyzing??

shitastic day

Setting:

way to fucking early. 5 am central time- 1:00pm

Place:

suburbia

Characters:

Peas- vivacious peanut, full of personality
Princess- Beautiful 4 year old--- to smart for her own good
Stinky- 2 year old boy who is very very sweet
Momma- sexy, smart, woman who is a brilliant mom (I said it was a story so I can make myself however I want---nah)
The leapers- the dogs

Act One; Scene One

After a breakfast of french toast and fruit salad. the children start to disassemble the furniture to built a fortress from the invasion of the 'leapers' (dogs).
Princess was getting a bit demanding and a bit bossy so she was asked to remove her self to time out. Which mad her very mad ensuing dramatics

Act One; Scene Two

during the drama Princess wound up and hit momma- hard. Momma recoils in shock and takes a moment to collect herself so not to react in anger. Princess is placed in time out...momma deals.

Act One; Scene Three

Momma calms down and discusses the not nice behavior with Princess- resolution achieved.

Brief intermission for costume change

Act Two; Scene One

Kids are packed into car....Momma still annoyed coming of hitting incident.
Errands are run...target, jewel, Dominick's ...library. At some point my car was damaged fairly severly. It is new (to momma at least) this does not help bad mood. Momma and kids play outside in hopes to reverse icky-ness of day

for an encore:

make up explosion...followed by a deluge of bathwater
an upended cup at dinner
food flinging
as well as a hairball on the new drapes
and another on the living room rug.