Tuesday, January 29, 2013

I shared this because it is something I need to remember. 



Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Double Shot of Cuteness

My cousin's wife had her twins today! 

Aren't they adorable?


I'm going to need a recording of crying to go off every 2 hours to make this sudden onset of baby fever go away!

My sister in law is due any day now too...all these babies are giving me a bad case wanting another bundle to cuddle.

Add in My Husband coming home from deployment this Spring...Yep gotta kick the baby fever before then.



If You Can't Make Fun of Yourself...

I am a special kind of stupid. 

Bill Engval owes me a sign.

Stupid is as Stupid does...and I do Stupid well

I'm not even sure how I have made it this far in life...I'm shattering Darwin's theories daily.

A couple weeks ago I decided to start wearing my contacts again.  I had taken a break from them because my eyes felt really dry and the lenses weren't feeling/fitting comfortable.  I figured after one of the many allergy seasons I suffer from I would start again.  I dug through the drawer in the bathroom and put in a pair that had been marinating in solution for longer than necessary.  Popped them in and immediately my left eye was bugging me.  They were old so I tossed both contacts and opened up a new pair...new as in expired in December 2012, but previously unopened.

Expiration dates are just suggestions anyway right? Besides it was only January, I put them in and both eyes were watering, but I figured it had been a while since I wore contacts my eyes probably just had to get used to wearing them again.  I squirted some solution in each eye and was out the door for work.  By the time I got to work my eyes were stinging slightly and getting red.  Especially my right eye, I went home for lunch, took them out and scrubbed them and tried again.  Before my work day had ended I went into the bathroom and took both out and threw them away.  My eyes were stinging and kept watering.  When I got home my cheeks were red too. Were the solution had spilled over onto each cheek, it hurt to touch.  It felt kinda like a sunburn.  After 3 days the redness left, but I began to notice my right eye was having trouble focusing.  It felt like something was in my eye and my vision felt blurry.

Beginning of last week I decided to make an eye appointment.  I did some math and realized I hadn't had my vision checked since before I was married.  April will mark 4 years of matrimony...making it already 4 years since my last eye exam.  The Big D has broke both pairs of glasses, so I was feeling fortunate I legally don't need corrective lenses...but maybe I do.  It has been awhile.  I also decided since all eye related things I own were old that maybe the solution had evaporated and was more concentrated.  A glance over the ingredients contains boric acid.  Maybe that caused the stinging/burning?

So I described to the eye doctor who squeezed me in for a limited exam, that it felt like something was in my eye. Like there was a film over my vision on the right, how it had felt like a contact does when it slides off your eye and is stuck, and then how just before my appointment I had rubbed my eye and all the sudden my vision seemed to improve.  It still seemed a little blurry/filmy and my eye felt really dry.  All I could say is it felt like something was in there, but it didn't hurt.

Guess what?  There was something in there.....a contact.

Apparently it had been there a while.  It was not a good fit for my eye, it had tons of buildup on it and was misshapen. The buildup then got on my eye and made my eye and contact stick together.

How else can you describe it other than a special kind of stupid to forget a contact in your eye? To tell people for almost a week how it felt like a contact was in your eye....and not actually realize you had a contact in? I still am not sure how long it was in there.  A good chance it has been in since September.  Might have been the issue with putting a new pair in also. What with trying to double up in one eye.  Now I get to put drops in my eyes every couple hours for a week or two to clear all the gunk off my eye.

Hubby, are you sure it is a good call that I am the one at home raising our children?

I am of course deflecting blame and working on a plausible excuse.  So far my all I have for my story  is that I'm trying to function through insomnia, needy children, and attempting (apparently not well) to survive on a day to day basis.  Can we throw in a fake stroke too?



Sunday, January 20, 2013

Photo Bomb 38

Dear Hubby,

This week has gone by fast, which is surprising as many seem to drag on.  Things have been busy at work with year end stuff and just various things.  I went to the eye doctor to have my right eye looked at.  Met up with my BIL for lunch and got to check out the new house. My sister asked how my lunch date with her husband was and then paused and then said that sounded bad.  I told her it could sound worse, after all her husband took me home with him after our lunch date.  Haha, yep, that sounds worse. They lost some overall square footage, most noticeably in the kitchen, but it should be a nice little spot until they build.

The boys were a handful this week, I keep finding more and more objects and places they got with the marker, and the general never ending messes.  The Toddler told me a couple nights ago while I was rocking him and reading a book before bedtime. "Momma, look at this mess!  You need to clean this all up before you can go to bed.  What a mess, clean up all this marker of the rocking chair."  At that point I realized both arms on the chair are all marker-ed up, with the stain on the wood I'm going to do some research online before I try and clean it up.

We had a lot of fun playing games and reading books though.  The Big D is finally able to hold still long enough to sit through a book. Your Aunt and Uncle watched the boys Wednesday night during the safety meeting and as near as I can tell everyone had a blast.  God bless them, they have been a great help for us while you have been gone...well, and before too.  I gained some awesome people in my family when I married you.

My Sister's fam was planning on making the big move to their new house Saturday, so I volunteered to bring snacks, make lunch, and watch kiddos during the move.  They were anticipating a couple trips back and forth.  I had decided to make cakeballs as a snack...however the boys got into and decimated the cake.  So I picked up doughnuts, chips and dip, and veggie tray and brought everything I needed to make my Taco Casserole. I failed to think through the fact that they were moving and may not have all their kitchen stuff moved already.  It all turned out there was no can-opener.

PS-did you know that cans can be opened with determination and a dull steak knife?

PPS-No pictures, I was watching 7 children, getting lunch ready, and helping move boxes to the basement.  The camera stayed in the car.  But I will Photo Crash their house and give you a virtual tour on our next visit.


Watching Football and Eating Snacks

They could care less about the game, but did enjoy the snacks.


Bob the Builder taking a break.



Let them eat cake?

What me?  I know nothing about this mess.
Just kidding, I was in on the whole thing.

Busted
Take a picture of all the crumbs for Daddy!


The Big D's big discovery?
If no one wants to play hide-n-seek with you, you can still always count and hide by yourself!

Ready
Set
Fish


Friday, January 18, 2013

Writings on the Wall


"The hand writing on the wall" (or "the handwriting on the wall" or "the writing is on the wall" or "Mene Mene"), is an idiom for "imminent doom or misfortune" and for "the future is predetermined".
The expression originates from the book of Daniel Chapter 5 from the handwriting on the wall that was witnessed at a banquet hosted by king Belshazzar. As those at the feast profaned the sacred vessels pillaged from the Jerusalem Temple, a disembodied hand appeared and wrote on the palace wall the words, "Mene, Mene, Tekel, u-Pharsin." The prophet Daniel was summoned and interpreted this message as the imminent end for the Babylonian kingdom. That night, Belshazzar was killed and the Persians sacked the capital city.[1]
source: wikipedia

How literal do I take this? The acceptable penalty for writing on the wall is death? Sounds somewhat reasonable to me...not so sure about the pillaging.

A couple nights ago two friends came over armed with two motorized snow shovels and cleared out my driveway and sidewalks.  I stepped out to thank them, the Toddler (sans pants) grabbed his snowboots and wanted to come too.  I said no, so he opened and closed the door over and over until he discovered for himself it really was too cold. I had made supper and it was on the table already.  The Big D was buckled in his high chair during all of this.  When I came back inside, the Toddler was sitting nicely and eating at the table as well.

Toddler: It reawy cold outside, so I stay inside and eat like a big boy
Me:  Goodjob honey, you are eating so nice.
Big D: Sippy? Drink! Drink!
Me: I'll go grab your sippy, is it in your room?
Big D: ya
Toddler: He said ya it is in his woom (room)
Me: &$*%#($&%^!(@#$*%^!@*#$%(!$@#&%^(@#$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me: WHERE IS THE MARKER!
Toddler: Well, I put it away
Me:  Where did you put it?
Toddler: Well, I just put it away.
Me: Where did you put the marker?
Toddler: (pointing somewhere) I put there
Me: Where did you put it?
Toddler: (pointing somewhere) there 
Me: I don't see it 
Toddler: Well, I guess its just lost then.
Big D: All done! Down! Down!
At this point I am already fuming, but I unbuckle the baby, clean him up, and let him loose.  Did a quick search through the bathroom cupboard and came up short in my search for rubbing alcohol (I have heard multiple times that gets marker off).  Skunked, couldn't find any and I was out of magic eraser,  my go-to-magical-cleaning-tool.

When I walk back into the kitchen the Big D is armed with the sharpie and has drawn on the refrigerator and our Daddy's Deployment Wall, including a good chunk of effort of the map I bought.

Why can a 19 month old find a marker and I cant? How the heck did they get the marker in the first place? Didn't I put it away in the wall mail sorter? Why have I not figured out how to childproof my own home yet? Mysteries of the world caliber questions.

More screaming and yelling, more NOOOOOO!  The Big D startles, drops the cap of the marker and giggles. Then proceeds to turn around and try to scribble on me.  I disarmed my attacker and did some more yelling. Mothering 101: when I doubt - yell!







I went back to the boys room and noticed the wooden toy bench also bore graffiti.  Then I wrote a quick blip on Facebook for advice on cleaning marker off various surfaces...walking by the purple crayon on the hallway that has been there for about a week.  Before all the advice came pouring in I was scouring the house for cleaners and found a bottle of rubbing alcohol.  Good news, it took the marker completely off the vinyl dry erase map and off the kitchen wall and fridge.  Easy Peasy.

I have no logical reason why crayon bothers me less than marker.

The Bad News: the boys' room was a different story.  Some came of the wooden bench, but most parts were extremely resistant and faded was the best I could do.  As I scrubbed on the wall paint was coming off along with the marker, revealing the color underneath.  I have a mural in the room, and it was taking off the layers.  I gave up at the point that looking from the door the marks are faded enough not to be too horribly noticeable.  Up close the marks are obvious.  I will be repainting/touching up.



Thursday, January 17, 2013

The Hiding and the Seeking

Last weekend I judged the final round of Classical Duo for Speech and Drama, during which the boys had a play date with the neighbor kids.  I did a little bit of S&D in high school, as did my sister.  The difference?  She was awesome, I liked watching all the other skits.  I never made it very far, but some of my classmates won at state.  I was looking forward to being at a meet again...because I still like watching the skits.

It was a nice change of pace for all of us.  Getting out of the house, out of the rut, and socializing.  We had the neighbors over for supper that evening in return and the kids got more time to play together. Fortunately they all seem to get along great.  Mainly what I learned though, the Toddler doesn't grasp Hide-n-Seek very well. I guess technically I caught on to that over the holidays as it was the same MO at grandmas house.

What is better?  The hiding?  Or the seeking? It really is hard to pick, after all the next turn is more enticing than the current activity.

The Big D puts his hands over his face with his fingers spread wide so he can see, and walks around counting the best he can, then giggles frantically.  Not really hiding or seeking, just trying to follow the action.
1-2-3-4-3-4-3-2
The Toddler shouts at the end of each round (which ends either when he is found, or finds the first person...regardless of the number of people playing) "Now it my turn to count/hide".  As soon as he hears the words "ready or not here I come" he is leaping out of his hiding place shouting "You Find Me!".

Which is irritating because while I am competitive at games and want to win, he likes to hide in the same spot over and over....and leap out before anyone even gets a chance to seek.  I keep needing to remind myself that he is Three. He wanted me to help instead of visit, so I tucked him behind the livingroom curtain, and it was a wonderful spot.  Really, you couldn't see him at all!  After that I became the designated kid hider for each round...regardless of whose turn it was.  Can you hide me now? After placing the neighbor boy in the pop up tent, he had a hiding place for the rest of the night.  The Toddler still wanted my help, yet refused all my ideas.  This is when I looked at the clock and realized it was bedtime.

Hide-n-Seek has became one of our pre-bedtime rituals.  No TV, dinner in our tummy's  a couple books for wind down, but fast bouts of hide-n-seek to burn off some energy.  It works for us. Once the tantrums start, its time for bed.


 YOU FIND ME!!!
HIDING...heeheehee
Where oh where could he possibly be?


Monday, January 14, 2013

Photo Bomb 37

Dear Hubby,

This week was another hard one. The closer Spring gets, the further away it seems. The weather got cold and I miss having you around. Typically winter is when I see you more, due to the shorter working days at the farm. The boys have really been missing you too. They actually had a full out war over the FlatDaddy with the ensuing argument of whose daddy you were. They didn't want to accept the answer of you being both of their daddies.

I think I forgot to do a post on it, but awhile back we turned the kitchen wall into a "All About Daddy's Deployment" Wall. I ordered a peel and stick, dry erase world map to help show the boys where you were.  "Far away in Ass-gan-stan" was just a repeated phrase...I also refer to grandma and grandpas as far away. You see where they were struggling with the concept.  We have a rough estimate countdown, a framed picture of you, occasionally the FlatDaddy - though that gets packed around and can live in any room of the house, some of your framed awards and certificates, and a framed flag poster. It seems to help the boys when they want to talk about you.  The Big D gives one of your pictures a hug and kiss every morning.  Its part of his routine, "Hi Daddy-mwhuahh!"

Anyway, this week can be summed up by it was cold and we missed you....and one of the boys turned off the heater before bed and we woke up to a house in the 50s.  I'm still trying to get warm.  Sending you warm and merry wishes You might want to return the favor, we could use them too :)





 The Toddler being pretty proud of himself for putting on his hat, gloves, and snow boots all by himself!

Practicing counting on the IPad.


The Big D listening to Daddy read him a book.

Everyone's got a little Cap'n in them







The boys hugging "Daddy" and hanging out.
(I have a lot of cute boys in my life)



Introducing Lightening McQueen to Daddy

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Toddler Tidbits

You don't really know yourself until you have seen yourself through the eyes of a child.

The little stinkers do pay attention to what you are saying and doing.  You might not think they are, but they take it all in...and throw it back in your face. I am not proud to say, but everything about myself I hoped I wouldn't pass on to my children I have.  
The impatience, the wanting to do-it-yourself, not being able to explain properly that when you ask for help you want the least amount of help as possible and occasionally want all of it  done for you, the attitude, turning a "no" into "I'll show you", a touch of OCD in the midst of chaos, talking nonstop especially when its time for bed. *Sigh* (That too...the sighing! Arghh, it drives me insane.)
The Big D's favorite word is NO...I probably use it too much. Poor kid, it’s about all he hears.
Climbing on the table/desk/ file cabinet/kitchen cabinet/bookshelf/balancing-toys-atop-each-other-for-higher-reach/belly flopping off the card table onto the couch/sliding behind the couch and wall: No, No, No , No!, No!, No!, NO!, FOR THE EVER LIVING LOVE OF GOD NO!!!! 

The Toddler ends almost everything thing with "That will be fun mamma?" or "Now won't that be fun?"
  • Not always no....our ideas of fun can vary to an amazing degree. (See how I'm using the N-Word again?)
He also has started imitating his Uncle D, who when children are being deviant has a patented hand motion to go along with a  "let's have a talk".

The Toddler says one of 3 things when he doesn't get his way
1) Come here, we need talk (Thanks Uncle D)
2) I want my Daddy sooo much, throw in some tears (manipulation of Mommy - I'm on to you!)
3) I said no! I too busy for this! (self-reflection moment=parenting fail)

The Big D's responses
1) throwing himself to the ground or hiding his face with his hands (I'm too angry to even look at you!)
2) Trying to take a swing at you while saying "No no no!" (disclaimer: I really don't hit my children)
3) Peeease?! (I am constantly asking Big Brother, what do you need to say? At least one of them has caught on)

The Big D and the Toddler got to talk to Daddy the other morning on the IPad.  Being excited meant the Toddler was talking a mile a minute and most of it was hard for me to translate, so I'm guessing the Hubby was clueless as well.  He told him about the Circus, Concert, our rocking chair, something he did with one of the kids in daycare.

The Big D went from happy and excited "hi hi hi daddy daddy daddy" with multiple kisses to the screen up until he decided he wanted to be held by daddy....then tantrum time.  Daddy up, Daddy up he kept swiping and grabbing at the screen...then in frustration got fussy and decided he only wanted the real deal.

I wish I could blame the tantrums on someone else...but between their two parents



Friday, January 11, 2013

A Gentle Blizzard


Me:  What is the weather like?  It sounds bad and I heard the roads aren't very good. Like taking 2 1/2 hrs at 45mph bad.
Sister: I'd love you see you, but I don't want you coming and risking an accident. 
Me: It's snowing here, but we haven't got anything like they predicted so far. It was warm yesterday though so everything is pretty icy.  I heard you guys had 6 inches by this morning and it hasn't stopped coming down?
Sister: Ok, I wanted to say we have like a foot but didn't want to sound like I was exaggerating.  I was about to tell you it was a raging blizzard, but I just went outside and its more of a light breeze. 
Me:  So its a gentle blizzard? I mean as opposed to raging.
Sister: Yeah, I'd say that fits. 

PS - They are naming Winter Storms now days.  So officially I will refer to this one as Gandolf, the Gentle Blizzard. 


Thursday, January 10, 2013

The Meaning of Love: from a 3 year old

Aren't boys supposed to be afraid of cooties? That's an unwritten rule somewhere right?

Not my little Romeo...aka, the Toddler.  He is a flirt and I fear he may fancy himself to be somewhat of a ladies man.

We have the little neighbor girl , who he liked to bring flowers to this summer and this past week decided he wanted her to stay at our house and live with us FOREVER.  She was game for the new living arrangement too, she wanted to stay with her "Joshy". The two together may or may not have been an additional reason for a fenced in back yard.

We have two cute blonde sisters from daycare.  The Toddler falls in-between them in age.  First he told the youngest that he loved her and tried to steal a kiss, a quick hand by the fair maiden pushed his head into a door.  Now he loves the older sister.  He tells me he misses her when they aren't at daycare, because he just loves her sooo much. (He does NOT love younger sister anymore though, apparently he doesn't handle rejection well...and he says she screams at him a lot)

Also at our current daycare is a sweet little girl who we have a bit of a history with.  They were in daycare together when we first moved to town before they turned the big ONE and together until shortly after their 2nd birthdays.  They have had a bit of a love/hate relationship, but many mornings now give each other hugs and walk around holding hands.

Because daycare and being babysat is thee way to meet girls we also have another little girl in the Toddler's life.  She is a few months older than the toddler with long dark hair and big eyes.  Put together, those two little turkeys like hugging and require ninja like moves/reflexes from their mommas to keep them from kissing.  Last time we were over the Toddler was invited to stay and live with her, and he seemed to think that sounded like a  pretty good idea.

He plays nicely with the other next door neighbor girls as well, but so far has designated them as his sisters/friends. Apparently he can only have so many irons in the fire.

I hold the role of mommy so there for I must always hold his heart...after all I am reminded daily that he loves me most  because I am the "Best Finder" and a "Great Helper".  The way to a man's heart isn't his stomach girls, it's keeping track of all his crap!

Which is also why his father loves me so much -  I really am a great crap/stuff finder :)