Maybe It's All the Veggie Tales They've Been Watching

 

Let the court documents show that Child B does, in fact, eat vegetables, as shown here in Exhibit A. 

Let the record also show that Child A did attempt a bite of the corn, but it was so VERY FAST that the (VERY SLOW MALE)* legal guardian of Child A could not take the picture fast enough. Child A would not re-enact the gesture for further documentation.

*Let the court strike from the record the VERY SLOW MALE part, as it is slanderous and slightly inaccurate, since it was the picture taking apparatus' fault, not the male legal guardian's. 

ARE YOU READY TO RUMMMMBBBBLLLLEEEEE?

I can now add "Referee" to my resume.

My boys have been fighting over E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. Cars, trucks, toothbrushes, food...you name it, they've probably fought over it. 

I was told these days were coming. I'd get the "Oh, you just wait" or "You ain't seen nothin' yet" comments from mothers of boys, and I took those warnings in stride.  I'd smile and say, "Oh yes, I've heard" and would silently laugh to myself. Much like the thoughts one has when getting ready for the birth of a first child.

I will be prepared. I will be able to handle it.

I am exhausted.

They are constantly at each other's throats. They're 4 and 2, so I imagine this will go on for quite some time. 

I'm already waving the white flag. I give up.

Any mom's out there with some constructive advice? What did you do?

In other news, Tyler (my 2 year old) has expressed interest in the potty, and has actually peed in the potty three times now! I can't tell you how happy it makes me. I struggled with potty training Cody (my 4 year old) and thought he'd be wearing a diaper until he was a teenager...but he finally did it. Thankfully, Tyler has been watching his big brother, and am hoping that this means he will be MUCH easier to potty train. 

For What It's Worth

So I just finished watching my DVR'd episode of the Jon & Kate Plus 8 Season Premiere...and I am SO SAD. Yes, I've read all the tabloid gossip about them (and am a little bit ashamed for it) and had seen the previews for this season, so I'm not surprised to know they've been having problems. You always wonder what's true and what isn't, but to actually watch them during the confession time of the premier saying that they weren't sure their marriage would make it actually made my stomach hurt. To see a REAL marriage dissolving on television is heartbreaking, especially when there are 8 precious children involved. 

I know this begs the question...why am I so wrapped up in this "reality" TV show?

For starters, I've watched this show from the very first episode. Their sextuplets are only a year older than my oldest, Cody, so it has been fascinating to watch them grow and develop. It was fun for me to see how Kate handled all 8 of her kids, knowing that I would soon be experiencing some of the same things, albeit on a singular level. Whenever I got overwhelmed with something, like changing diapers, I would literally say to myself, "Well if Kate can do it with eight, then I can sure do it with one (and after I had Tyler, two)!".

The other thing about Jon & Kate that has resonated with me from the very beginning is their faith. They chose not to "reduce" when they were first told of their being pregnant with septuplets (if you didn't know, the 7th did not fully mature, so they ended up with sextuplets naturally). Do I know them personally? No. I can't be sure that either one of them is saved, but I'm pretty sure they profess to be Christians. They actively talked about God on their show, were shown taking their kids to church, and even wore clothing printed with scripture verses. For me, to see this Christian marriage headed for divorce is even more devastating.

The thing that struck me as the most odd, is both of them saying, "I'm here for my kids" over and over again. Yes, we get it. Clearly, their children are their first priority. But should they be? I understand that they are trying to protect their kids from the media, and from the painfulness of this situation. But shouldn't EACH OTHER be their first priority? It's pretty clear that one or both of them has checked out on the marriage, and that is what's sad to me.

I've always thought (and this is just my opinion here, so take it or leave it) that any time you put your child(ren)'s needs before the needs of your spouse you are walking in dangerous territory. I'm not saying it doesn't happen. Are there times when your child(ren)'s needs will come before your spouse's? Of course, just ask any mother of a newborn :). However, when this becomes the norm, be careful! 

That's just my two cents for the evening...for what it's worth. I'm hoping/praying that Jon & Kate can salvage their marriage!

In Action

He'll probably kill me for posting this, but I just couldn't resist. 

How cute is the guy in this picture? Okay, maybe it's just the back of his head, but that is a great looking neck. 

The real reason I'm posting this is because I VERY RARELY get to see pictures of my husband in action, doing what he loves...sports videography. I'm so blessed to be married to such a multi-talented man. If you've never seen his work, you're missing out. Click here and take a little peek.

Love you, babe!

Happiness Is...

Being third row to see Coldplay in concert! Mike and I had an AMAZING time this past Sunday night, thanks to our fantastic babysitter and our beautiful cousin Seannin, who watched our kids after the babysitter had to go home. We met two of the nicest guys who stood in front of us. One of them was taking some awesome pictures, and he agreed to email them to us, since most of our pictures weren't turning out. Here are some favorites: 

Hi, My Name is Beth...and I'm a BIG, FAT, FAILURE

No Coke Day 1: 

I totally blew it. 

The kids wanted to go to Chick-fil-A for lunch (really, it was the KIDS' idea!). The whole car ride there I was psyching myself up. They have Diet Lemonade, Unsweet Tea....I don't need Coke, I'll be fine. 

The minute I walked in the door I was SO NOT FINE.

I ordered the kids' meals and then mine, and when the lady asked me, "What would you like to drink with that?" I said, "A BIG COKE!". Ugh.

I called Mike to see if he was on his lunch break too, because I felt the need to confess right away. I said, "Hi Honey, we're at Chick-fil-A, and guess what I ordered to drink?" Without missing a beat he said, "Hmmm...a Coke?". Grrrr. How does he know me so well!?

I think in my defense I should say that the last time I was able to successfully stop drinking Coke was when I had Tyler. I had cut back while I was pregnant with him, but didn't completely stop until I was in the hospital after I had him. I believe I was able to do this because I was VERY HEAVILY MEDICATED and couldn't feel the headaches (that hurt so bad they make my actual teeth ache).

Good news is, tomorrow's a new day and I can try again. And if it doesn't work? Well then, I guess I'll just have to get pregnant again...hee hee.

Hi, My Name is Beth...and I'm a Coke Addict

Yesterday was rough. And I have to be honest, this morning didn't start off well either. My dog threw up (A LOT) all over my house. Yu-uck.

When I have a couple of days like this, I immediately start craving comfort foods (this might say something about my eating habits, but so be it). I want bacon. I want doughnuts. I want EVERYTHING my Mom makes. I want her Chicken Curry, Chicken and Dumplings, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Beef Stroganoff...and her Heart Attack rolls (they get their name from the fact that she melts a full stick of butter and COVERS the rolls in it before she puts them in the oven). Comfort foods...and COKE.

You see, I made this deal with myself that I wouldn't keep Coke in the house, because it was too much of a temptation. Many members of my family suffer from diabetes, so I felt like this was the responsible thing to do. I don't feel like I eat that much sugary stuff, but I do love my Coke.

So what did I do today? I threw the kids in the truck and drove all the way to McDonald's just to get a large coke. Yeah, I know, it's wrong...but it feels sooooo right.

So I can't believe I'm actually going to write this, but I think it's necessary. INTERNET, I NEED YOU TO HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE. 

My goal is to not drink Coke for a whole day, starting tomorrow. I know you may think this goal is too small, but for an addict like me, trust me, IT'S NOT. If I can make it through tomorrow, then I'll take the next day, and the next, and the next. I need encouragement. I need prayer. I want to be healthier.

This is my first step.

He Watched

My four year old, Cody, had his wellness checkup with the doctor today. He had to have a vision screening, hearing screening, finger prick for blood work, and four shots . He did great up until it was time for the needles. Round one was the finger prick. He began to whimper. Round two was the first set of shots. He screamed so loud and so high that I'm quite sure every dog within a 5 mile radius started barking. And then came round three, the second set of shots. I still can't hear anything out of my right ear.

It's times like these when being a Mom is tough. 

Like most parents, when my children were born I vowed to protect them from danger. For my husband and I, this meant having them vaccinated. While I realize this route is not for everyone, it was the best choice for our family. However, having to physically restrain my child while someone jabs sharp objects into him goes against EVERY FIBER of my being. When I say EVERY FIBER, I mean I literally had to remind myself not to punch the nurse in the face!

Driving home from the doctor's office, I looked into my rearview mirror at my little boy, eyes still red from crying. It struck me that the way I was feeling must have paled in comparison to what God felt when He sent His only Son to die for the sins of the world. 

He watched as the crowds shouted at Him (Mark 15:13-14).

He watched as the soldiers beat Him (Mark 15:15) and forced a crown of thorns onto His head (Mark 15:17)

He watched as His only Son breathed His last breath (Mark 15:37).

For you.

For me.

The next time you wipe a tear from your child's cheek or kiss away the pain - remember that you have a Heavenly Father who loves you so much...that He watched.

The NEW Blog

Hey all you crazy kids,

When I started this whole blog thing I was pretty clueless...and admittedly, I still am. I began blogging at Wordpress, which was fine for a while, but then I wanted more options. As you can see, I've moved on to Blogger, and I'm LOVING it. So you'll have to find me here from now on, as I will no longer post to the Wordpress site. I will make one final post there to redirect anyone else who might wander over there by mistake. And I apologize to you dear ones who left precious comments on each of my Wordpress blogs. Somehow in the transfer I lost them, so please, feel free to make new ones and keep reading!!

Love,

Beth

Update: I'm a genius...so I just realized that I had set up this blog to moderate (be able to approve or reject) comments. So all I had to do was approve them, and POOF, they're there now! Yea!

A bit of nostalgia

I was on a website this morning called Momversation.com that is basically a community of blogging mothers. Every couple of days they pose a question about motherhood, and today's question was: How do you prepare for a second child?

It reminded me of an article I wrote after I had my youngest, Tyler, and was struggling to find my footing as a new mom of two. I decided to go ahead and share it here. I was hoping to send it in to be published in a magazine somewhere, but never quite got around to it. If you read it, I'd love your feedback, especially if you are a mother (or father) of more than one child!

Making It Through Number Two…and I Don’t Mean Potty Training

By Beth Mann

And So It Begins

You’ve probably heard that once you’ve had two children, adding more siblings is a breeze. That would lead one to assume that the transition from one child to two is anything but. I just recently had my second child, and I would agree, tricky indeed. That’s right, I’ve gone from masterful (or so I thought) mother of one toddler, to the upside-down, barely getting sleep, never getting out, mother of a toddler and an infant. 

Don’t get me wrong, I was sleep deprived and sequestered when I had my first baby - there is no paranoia like having your first child, but I have never felt such a need for help in my life! I’m sure there are some mothers out there who are reading this saying, “What’s so hard about it? I did it just fine.” Well, I’m calling your bluff. You must have had help. 

Perhaps you were blessed to have a mom, grandma, sister, or best friend nearby that came to your aid while you were adjusting. (Note: I’m not saying husbands can’t be helpful too, but in most cases, they’re just as clueless as we are.) And I’m not talking about for just that first week or two either. I’m talking about those loooong months after the helpful family member or friend leaves, or your spouse goes back to work. 

My husband and I found out we were pregnant with our second after just moving a whole state away from our entire family. My naiveté and ridiculous “glass half full” optimism allowed me to convince myself that we wouldn’t need help. I was wrong. 

If you insist that you didn’t have, want, or need help making the jump from one child to two, then you truly are a gifted mother and I have much to learn from your expertise. (Ok, that’s not true. I really want to put a stinky diaper in your car that you won’t be able to find for days, but that’s just my own insecurity talking.) For those of you mommies who can relate to my stupor, allow me to elaborate. 

The Ignorant Bliss

Remember with me the perfection of those first couple of days of secondary motherhood. You’re lying there in the hospital bed, numerous guests coming in and out of your room claiming how “radiant” and “fantastic” you look, even though you’ve just pushed a watermelon out of you. So what if they’re lying, you choose to believe them for the time being. 

You look over at the tiny new life next to you with satisfaction and dream about how well this new baby is going to play with your firstborn when he’s a little older - how they’ll probably share bunk beds and every toy in the closet. The visitors begin to slowly taper off as the evening approaches. (Or the charge nurse tells them to get out…and you love her for it.) 

Nighttime arrives, but you don’t panic. You have multiple nurses ready and eager at the press of a button to take the baby to the nursery and allow you some precious sleep. (In my case, that saint of a woman called the Lactation Specialist who comes to your aid when the baby won’t stop crying at three in the morning and wants to take it out on your nipples!) You live in this, often medicated, state of bliss for a few days, and then…you’re sent packing.

The Rude Awakening

Back home. Reality. It hurts worse then your delivery (alright, maybe that’s an exaggeration). You’re still healing, and if you had a c-section like I did, you’re still supposed to be bedridden. How is it possible to be bedridden with a toddler? It’s not. So, up and down you go: making breakfast, changing diapers, holding your pillow to cough in between, and feeding the baby every two to three hours.

I should empathize with you fathers out there as well. More often than not, my husband would come home to a screaming duet in the midst of what I like to call “the bewitching hour”. It usually falls somewhere between five and seven o’clock in the evening.

The children finally calm down, and you manage to re-warm the casserole your gracious neighbor brought over, even though it seems like you’ve been eating it for days - at least you didn’t have to make it, right? Your husband bathes your toddler, and gets him into his bed. Did I mention that toddlers develop interesting new traits when forced to reckon with a new sibling? Mine developed the delightful habit of “the baby sleeps with mommy and daddy and so will I”. Every night, around two in the morning, we had a visitor. 

You finally manage to climb into bed after topping off the baby and swaddling him so tightly you might never get him unwrapped. And then, though it seems like you’ve only been asleep for mere minutes, the baby’s up and ready to eat again. You feed baby, and in marches toddler, ready for the middle-of-the-night switcheroo. This goes on for a couple of months, except without the casseroles…those puppies only last about two weeks!

The Shift

I can’t quite explain it, but it happened with my first baby too. Somewhere around your infant’s three-month birthday, everything clicks. You begin to understand the cries and what they mean. Your toddler (hopefully) understands that he doesn’t have to scream, “Mommy, the baby’s crying!” for the nine hundredth time - as if you were completely unaware of the fact. 

Your other child also begins to recognize that the baby is not a threat to them, that they are still a welcome part of the family, and that they are not going to be voted off the island. Hopefully, they will prove it to you and begin sleeping in their own bed again. You may also discover, as I did, that child labor is entirely misunderstood. Put your toddler to work! My two year old learned where the diapers and wipes were kept, and would fetch them when asked. He also knows how to put baby’s pacifier back in when he loses it. 

He has also realized that he can make his little brother laugh, and to hear the two of them doing that – as opposed to screaming – is as close to heaven as a mother can be. Daddy still comes home during the bewitching hour, but even Daddy has discovered how to tame the wild beasts. 

 All’s Not Lost

I suppose what I’m trying to say is… it gets easier with time. The time with your little ones goes by really fast. I only have to look at how huge my oldest looks standing next to my baby to realize that. So, drink it in! Embrace the fact that you can only do what you can do, and the rest doesn’t matter. 

If you’re blessed with people in your life who want to help, let them! Take each day at a time, and give yourself credit for the small things. Did you manage to blow dry your hair? Good for you! Did you change the baby’s diaper and teach your toddler how to count at the same time? Fantastic! 

Speaking of diapers…my toddler has just pointed out that he wants to go pee-pee on the potty. If I can get through this, then potty training shouldn’t be too hard, right? 

 

Some Advice About Garage Sales...

If you value your marriage...don't have one. :) 

Just Kidding! (sort of...hee hee) We had our garage sale this Saturday, and it went great. We sold a lot of crap that I can't believe we held onto for so long, like my size 8 jeans that I was saving to try and get back into after having a baby and then realized that there's something that happens to your hips when you birth two children that is somewhat irreversible and that I will never fit into them again stuff and I feel so much better about being rid of it all!

Cody was a big helper to Daddy, and sat outside with him and welcomed all the bargain hunters. Although, it was a bit traumatic for him, since he was watching other kids pull up with their parents and leave with HIS toys. I don't know what was harder for him, parting with his toys, or realizing that the kids were not, in fact, there to play with him.

The weather cooperated just long enough to finish up the sale. As we were loading all of the things we didn't sell into the truck to be donated, it began pouring rain.

Tonight, we are celebrating our hard work by.....GOING TO SEE COLDPLAY!!! I could not be more excited...unless I was talking about our upcoming trip to California without the kids...and then the whole sentence would have to be in caps :)

Who doesn't want to be Queen for a day?

So I was nominated by my life-long bloggerific friend, Jessica, for this fantastic award. I believe I can pinpoint the age that Jessica herself became the Queen of Awe-Sum; it was the ripe old age of 5. It all started in the backyard of her mom's house with making mud pies and her bossing me around in her make-believe play kitchen ;). Since that time she has blossomed into an incredible wife and mother :) Thank you for making my day, Jess!

As Queen, it is my duty to:

1) List 7 things that make me Awe-Sum

2) Pass the award on to 7 bloggers

3) Tag the 7 bloggers and let them know they are Queens also

4) Link back to the one who tagged me

7 Things that make me Awe-Sum

- The fact that I have friends that tell me I am. Ha.

- I found these chairs in the trash! I'm sorry, I'm still really excited about them.

- I can make a mean floral arrangement, however

- I kill every living thing I try to plant in the ground.

- I stalked my husband before I married him.

- I have a crooked right hand ring finger from a flag-football injury.

- I have successfully potty trained one boy (I think that should count for like, 100 awesome points).

My 7 5 Bloggers to Tag:

Mrs. Pec

Pec (okay, he's a dude, but he's still the Queen of Awe-sum to me)

Sarah

Katie

Sherrie (and little Miss Sophie!)

One Man's Trash...

Is another man's crazy-dumpster-diving wife's treasure!



Aren't they precious?! Real wood adirondack chairs!

I couldn't believe I found them on the side of the road. Someone threw them out for bulk pick up and I just so happened to stumble upon them while driving with the boys home from dinner. I have wanted wood adirondack chairs since we bought our new picnic table, but they aren't cheap. The only thing wrong with them is that one or two of the boards are loose and that they need a new coat of paint.

You should have seen me trying to load them by myself. The boys were watching me in complete silence as if to say "If we're quiet, maybe no one will notice that that's our insane mother out there trying to load heavy, broken chairs into the back of our truck". I had to drive home very slowly, because I couldn't close the back gate of the truck.

Don't worry, I only had to drive up a VERY LARGE HILL.

Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs

Cody's last day of preschool is today.

I remember struggling with the decision to put him in preschool in the first place. I wrestled with feelings of anxiety...would he be ready, would this be too much for him, was I even ready to let my baby go? Mike talked me down from my cliff and helped me realize that it would be good for him, and for me too. I remember freaking out in the parking lot when I dropped him off on his first day. He had no trouble at all, not a single tear, except from me! He has blown me away with how much he has learned and accomplished this year, and I couldn't be more proud.

So as if you couldn't tell...I'm kind of emotional. I found myself staring at Tyler -  who was elbow deep in a peanut butter smeared bagel - this morning, and I was choking back tears. (Have I mentioned that he's sleeping all night? Do you have any idea how glorious this is? I have waited FOUR YEARS to be able to get a good night's sleep. He's been sleeping all night for the past two weeks, and it has been nothing short of heavenly.)

So I'm looking at Tyler, and his hair is completely out of control. Most days I don't even bother to brush it because it goes right back to being unruly. Mike refuses to let me have it cut, because it's curly and he loves it long. I secretly love it too, because he's my baby, and I feel like if I cut his hair off it will be even more apparent that he is no longer, in fact, a baby. He's two. My baby is two. It's not like he just turned two, his (and Cody's) birthday was in April. This morning, however, it hit me like a ton of bricks.

They are growing up.

Fast.

This leads me to only one irrational conclusion.

I want to have another baby. 

Honey, if you're reading this...call me when you come back to consciousness :)

Slow Motion

I can't get it together today.

I have a mound of laundry staring me in the face, countless toys on the floor just waiting for my (3 month post-op from knee surgery) husband to come home and trip over, and a stack of dishes in the sink that would put any table service restaurant to shame. 

I woke up with good intentions to clean and get organized for our neighborhood garage sale that is THIS WEEKEND. I decided I would much rather wrestle with my kids until they have hives from laughing so hard...and wrestle we did. Now I'm on to mindlessly perusing the internet and eating grilled cheese while Tyler naps and Cody watches a Veggie Tales movie. I think I'll paint my toenails next. I'm sure I'll get around to cleaning at some point this afternoon, but not right now.

Hello, I'm Captain Procrastination. Nice to meet you.

He's In No Mood...

Clearly.

Anglophile

My hubby brought home this yummy little treasure chest (made in the U.K.!) a few days before Mother's Day. He knows this girl loves a good bubble bath.



It's called Soap and Glory. The best part is...you can get it at TARGET! :) It has a DELICIOUS smell that isn't too overwhelming.

What It Means To Be a Mother

So I'm waking up this morning very, very, VERY grateful.

This Mother's Day weekend could have been a disaster. If you read my previous post  you would know that it started with a sick little boy with a double ear infection. Having a sick child is no fun, especially when that sick little one only wants to be held by YOU. ALL. DAY. when he doesn't feel good (Okay, now I know I should count my blessings here, and realize that someday I will miss the fact that my baby only wants to be held by me when he's sick...consider them counted :) ). However, after a horrific Friday, Tyler woke up Saturday morning like there was ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong with him. He was happy, energetic, and ready to have some fun.

We decided to go grab some bagels for breakfast, and on the way there Cody started complaining that his tummy hurt. Hmmm. We got bagels, but he refused to eat one. Hmmm. He sat in my lap with his head on the table, and began looking so pathetic that we decided to head home. On the way home, he threw up. In the truck. Yeah. 

One child gets well. The other one gets sick. Such is life.

He actually only threw up that one time, and when we got home he took a really long nap. When he woke up, he was feeling much better. Mike let me go out shopping Saturday night at my favorite store, H&M, and I got a couple of really cute t-shirts and a funky new ring. I also got to see a movie...which was a nice treat :)

Sunday, he took the boys and got doughnuts so I could sleep in (BEST PRESENT EVER. SLEEP!).

It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and both boys seemed to be feeling 100% better, so we took them to get lunch and to play in the fountains at Suwanee Town Center Park.















I sat there watching my babies splash around in the water and it struck me how very blessed I am. Sick or not, I have two of the best little boys in the world, and a husband who loves me and supports me every day.

So I am grateful. Very, very, VERY grateful :)

Happiness Is...

This song.

Okay, so I might be ridiculed a little bit for this, since I'm admitting that I like this Taylor Swift song...but I LOVE the piano/cello/percussion arrangement this guy did. He blends Taylor Swift's Love Story with Coldplay's Viva La Vida. I mean, come on...who doesn't LOVE a cellist?

LOVE STORY (Taylor Swift) meets VIVA LA VIDA (Coldplay) 

No Swine Flu here

Yesterday started badly (see previous post). And as I predicted, it only got worse. 

Cody's school was having a Mother's Day celebration and I was so looking forward to it. However, my youngest, Tyler, was in NO mood to be taken out of the house. He cried the ENTIRE morning, and did not want me to put him down. So held him I did.

I held him while I brushed my teeth.

I held him while I brushed my hair.

I held him while I dressed myself,

for he WOULD NOT SIT IN THE FREAKING CHAIR (I love Dr. Seuss).

Anyway, I finally got out the door and on my way to Cody's school. When I got there, Cody was in no mood to socialize with Mommy. He barely said two words to me when I walked in the door. Now, I know I'm probably expecting a little too much from him - he was at school surrounded by all of his friends after all - but what I really wanted to do was snatch him up and say, "Is it too much trouble for you to KISS THE WOMAN WHO LABORED WITH YOU FOR TWELVE HOURS when she walks in the door?" But I didn't. Maybe I'll wait till middle school.

So, he pretty much didn't want anything to do with me, but he did make me some really special art projects for the day. We ate strawberry shortcake, and by "ate" I mean I let Tyler smear the whipped cream all over me. Cody took one bite of it and said, "Mommy, this is yucky." Add that to the list of Delicious, Sugary, Sweet Things That My Child Won't Eat. When it was time to leave he threw a HUGE fit, not realizing that all of his friends were also leaving school. I can only hope that he will be that excited to stay at school when he's a teenager.

We got home and I fed them lunch, and Tyler wouldn't touch his food. I picked him up to take him upstairs for his nap and realized he felt like he was on fire. I took his temperature (rectally, which I normally don't do since I can barely even change his diaper he squirms so much, but he was REALLY hot and I wanted to get a good reading) and it was 103.7.

Now, I don't know about you, but if your kid has a high fever and won't eat, you generally think he might have a touch of the...say it with me...FLU. But of course, it couldn't be just your normal flu! Thank you mainstream media for making me FREAK OUT and think that my kid might have SWINE FLU. 

I resolved myself to see how he did that night before I called the doctor, since he really didn't have any other symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea. I told Mike about the fever, and without my knowledge he promptly FREAKED OUT TOO and called the doctor and made him an appointment (God bless the germaphobic husband). Side Note: That sweet husband of mine also took both boys when he got home from work and went to get us dinner so that I could have some quiet time. Have I mentioned I love him? I love him. I. LOVE. HIM.

We did the doctor thing this morning, and though he does not (PRAISE JESUS) have Swine Flu, he does have a double ear infection. Bring on the antibiotics (with a side of Prozac for Mommy :) ).

Bad Omen

I dumped my entire large coke over in my truck this morning. For me, that's like walking under a ladder or seeing a black cat. This is NOT going to be a good day.

That's weird, when did I move to Kansas?

So all of northern Georgia is under a tornado watch right now.

Tornado. Watch.

This is such an accurate description, since that is exactly what I do when we're under such circumstances; I sit at my window and watch. For tornadoes. 

My Georgia friends laugh when I tell them I'm scared of tornadoes. They say things like, "Oh, we've never had a tornado come close to us!" or "It's not like they're the F5 tornadoes out in Kansas or anything, they're just little ones." I didn't know there was such a thing as a "little" tornado. Like it's going to knock your house down, you know, just a "little".

I don't remember there ever being this many tornadic type storms when we first moved here (which will be 3 years ago in July!). I'm used to hurricanes - being blissfully unaware what is going on outside because the windows are boarded up with plywood and I'm too busy stuffing my face with all the "non-perishables" that my mom bought at the grocery store for hurricane preparedness. I put "__" on non-perishables, because in our house that meant Cheez Doodles and Nutty Bars, not cans of soup and powdered milk. Gosh, I miss my mom.

Anyway, so I had a good little scare about a month ago when the sky turned wicked dark and it started to hail.





We were under a tornado warning, and a few tornadoes came a bit too close to our neck of the woods. No damage here, but enough to scare the pants off of this former-Florida girl. Plus, that mother of mine - the one who bought steak instead of Spam for the hurricane - she has ruined me for life when it comes to tornadoes. You know the power of suggestion, right? Well this is what I heard from my mom all the time as a kid. "THE SKY IS TURNING GREEN! THAT SKY IS GREEN, STAN (my dad). I SWEAR IT LOOKS LIKE A TORNADO OUT THERE." Did any of you know that the sky turns green when there's a tornado? Well, it does.

And so I sit, and I watch. For green skies. And tornadoes.

Baby Ryder is Here!

My sweet friend Kelly just had her THIRD! baby boy, Ryder Harrison Chandley. He weighs 8lbs. 12oz. and is 20 inches long! He joins his big brothers Ryan and Reed. Congrats Chandley family!

Pictures will follow when I can get some!

Update: Here's the most recent pic...look at those cheeks!! :)

Behold! I have found something Wonderful!

So I'm sitting in the office this morning going over some emails, updating my calendar, and checking out the latest celebrity gossip, when my sweet angel of a child (and I shall henceforth refer to him as angel child because he now sleeps through the night! woo hoo!), Tyler, starts climbing the stairs shouting, "WOOK MOMMY, WOOOOK!". Most of the time when he begins his ascent with these words it's because he's discovered a new toy (or a toy he hasn't seen in a while) and he wants to show someone...anyone!..his newfound treasure. 

He comes running at me in the office proudly displaying his bounty as I scoop him up into my arms and say, "What is it honey? What did you find?!" Only then does the smell hit me. The foul, rotten, garbage, stink bomb smell. I peer down into my cherubic child's chubby fist, and lo and behold....HE HAS FOUND POOOOP! (insert choir of angels sound here). Apparently, my devil dog (who shall henceforth be referred to as such, UNTIL SHE STOPS CRAPPING IN MY HOUSE!) decided to take a dump at the bottom of the stairs, even though I JUST LET HER OUT 10 MINUTES AGO.

Here's where I have to explain that I am usually AWESOME when dealing with a crisis....blood, bruises, skinned knees...no problem. But when it comes to poop...I am not a rational parent. A rational parent would react calmly and take the child to the bathroom to clean up the mess. Since I make no such claims of rationality when poop is involved, I did what I do best....FREAKED. OUT. I ran around in circles holding Tyler, with the poop still firmly in his grasp, not knowing which way to go first. I was screaming out loud, "POOP. AHHH! YOU HAVE POOP IN YOUR HAND! DOG POOP! GAHHHH!"

I finally managed to come to my senses and went into the bathroom, pried the poop from his little hand, and threw it in the toilet. I promptly threw him in the bathtub and scrubbed him until his skin came off (not really, don't call child services on me).

Why do I have a feeling this is only the beginning?

On Going to California

Mike and I were talking the other day about our upcoming trip to California at the end of June. We are SO excited because this is our first really long vacation WITHOUT kids. We'll be there for 5 days and are SO excited. We've both said "I can't wait for California" every day for the past three months, because we're REALLY EXCITED. People with children who don't get vacations alone totally understand, right? In case I haven't mentioned it, WE'RE SO FREAKING EXCITED. So this is how our conversation went the other day.

Mike: "I'm really excited about California."

Me: "I know, I can't believe it'll be here so soon."

Mike: "We should definitely start planning out what we want to do. What do you think you want to do?"

Me: "Sleep." 

Mike: "Very funny."

Me: "Yeah, I'm totally kidding (sort of :) ). I don't know...the possibilities are endless!"

Mike: "You know they've had a lot of cases of swine flu there, since they're so close to Mexico. Do you think it'll be okay for us to go then?"

Me: "I don't care if THE BLACK PLAGUE is there, WE'RE GOING."

Alone in my car

I heard that Sara Bareilles - Love Song song on the radio in the car the other day, and couldn't help but sing along calmly belt it out at the top of my lungs. I just love that Love Song. Yes, I'm one of those people who sings in the car really, really, loud when they're by themselves. Here are a few of my other favorites to massacre.

Fergie Fergalicious

U2 - Beautiful Day

Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love

Beyoncé - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)

Coldplay - Viva La Vida

"Apologize" One Republic

Do you have a favorite song to destroy?