November, Day 20

Oh what a day it has been ...

This morning we were at a local middle school at 9am for the Annual Tae Kwon Do (TKD) tournament that our school hosts. The kids were scheduled for events at 9:30 (forms) and 10:30 (board breaking). My oldest nephew was also in the board breaking while the two nieces were hanging out with me in the bleachers.

My kids did pretty well, Q got a 2nd place trophy for forms and a 1st for boards. The Bee got a 1st place for forms and a 2nd place for boards. If you are a first place winner, you then qualify for Grand Champion of that competition, going up against all the other winners for age/belt rank.

I am thankful for my children's willingness to try, and to do their best, and to be a good sport even though they did not bring home the six foot trophy that they were aiming for. I am proud of them, because they have something that I will never have, and that is the lack of fear to stand up in front of everyone and to compete.

So, for Q and The Bee, know that Mommy loves you and I am proud of you trophy or no trophy, because you tried and you did your best, and that is all I can ask of you.

November, Day 1

Today I am thankful for warm not-so-little bodies that snuggle up to me on the couch, even when they're sick. I don't like the sick part, but I'll take snuggling up on the couch anyday. He's not going to let me do this for much longer, so I better get it while I can.

when the volunteer form comes around

remind me NOT to fill it out, please?

I do enjoy helping out at the kids school, it's one of the ways I can stay involved and aware of what is happening. It also frees up the teachers time so that she can actually teach.

Tomorrow is the Valentine's Day party for the 2nd grade. They are decorating picture frames. Picture frames that needed to be painted white. There are 21 students in my sons class. If you were interested, this is what 21 drying picture frames look like.

My washing machine, Drying Surface Number One

My ironing board, Drying Surface Number Two

My clothes rack, an actual drying surface, Drying Surface Number Three

Tomorrow will be a long and busy day, followed up by a much needed Moms Night Out with some of the other Mom's.

I would just like my house back, please.

One Tired Girl

I think The Bee is growing.

It's that or she's got something wrong. And as the daughter of a lifelong diabetic (Mom was diagnosed at age 13), who has heard for her entire life questions of "are you sure?" regarding early signs of diabetes ... I don't like her sleeping this much. I know it's probably nothing, but you can't just "undo" years of questioning.

This is where I found her yesterday at 4:00 in the afternoon.

You'll have to excuse the after school mess, and I'm not sure why snow pants were in the dining room, but hey ... that's how it works around here.

You can see Q at the table doing his homework, like it's an everyday occurrence to do your homework while your sister is taking a nap on the floor under the kitchen table.

Let's just hope it's nothing.

had a thought

I had quite the craptastic morning, complete with yelling (me) and crying (The Bee).

Not pretty, not good.

She was whiny, has been for a while, and I don't tolerate whine. Drink it, yes, otherwise, no.

So I yelled. She cried. I felt like crying.

We apologized, several times over, and all seems to be well.

So, after all of this, while heading to the Land of Plastic & Batteries (aka Toys R Us), I had a thought:

Running through the flower field with my hippy dippy dress is not easy.

Huh?

Yep - running through the flower field with my hippy dippy dress is not easy.

I try to be one of "those" parents - the one that doesn't yell, doesn't hit, ya ya ya ... we try to talk about what was done wrong, explain options and so on ... for the most part it works. It's tough, and believe me, there are some days when it would be so much easier to be the parent that yells, offers no explanations or discussion and leaves it at that. And yes, we occasionally do have those days.

In the mainstream world (you know, the world to my right, the one that I skirt the edges of) I would be that hippy dippy parent - I cloth diapered, made baby food, breastfed for over a year, co-slept - although I generally don't wear broomstick skirts and Birks.

I have Birks, but no broomstick skirt.

So yes, the type of parenting we have chosen, me, more than The Husband, since I'm with them all the time, is tough. It's worth it, definitely, but it's tough. I get criticized and have been made fun of.

So yes, todays jaunt through my hippy dippy field of flowers with my hippy dippy broomstick skirt was a rough one. But, for now, it looks like we're back on track.

This is good.

more political talk

So, as Q is sitting here having a snack before bed, he's talking politics again.

Q: Who is the old president, I forget his name
Me: George Bush is president until January when Barack Obama moves to the White House and becomes President.
Q: Oh, that's right.
Me: Yes, because right now Barack Obama lives in Chicago, then he will move to Washington, DC
Q: Yes, even if I'm an artist, I can be president
Me: Yes, you can ...
Q: I'll be an artist in the morning, and then when they call me in the afternoon, I'll drive there. But I won't move to Chicago. I won't take all my stuff, just a few things that I need. You don't want to bring all your stuff.

So there you have it ... my son the lightly traveling, future Artist President. Both are evidently going to be part time jobs too. You think that'll fly?

results

The results of the election are in, and Barack Obama has won. He will be going to the White House and John McCain will be going back to the Senate.

Q is six years old, and in First Grade. Both at home and at school, we have been discussing the election and the voting process, on his level.

This is what he did to last weeks Time Magazine cover.

Do you see the word "helps" over John McCain, with the arrow pointing to Barack Obama?

I think he gets it.

Why is it?

Why is it that the toy you remember playing so fondly as a child is so much louder now that you're a parent?

A few weeks ago I wandered through an antique/thrift store, looking for a few specific things - some fabric to make produce bags, cloth handkerchiefs for the upcoming winter season, anything that might make Halloween costumes a bit easier to assemble.

On my way out, I stepped into the kids/game aisle. Much to my surprise, I found Hungry Hungry Hippos, the 80's version - not the snap together version, but the all in one, big piece of plastic version. Woo Hoo - let's relive my childhood! I had been looking for this, because I wanted the kids to have the solid piece version of the game. And, even better, it was 50% off the yellow tags, so I got it for $1.50!

So, now as my kids play this on a fairly regular basis, why do I find the noise so loud and irritating? I don't remember the game being this loud when I was eagerly attempting to eat marbles in the early 1980's. I just remember the joy from watching marble roll into the catch basin ...

Ah well ... they're having fun, and I've got Tylenol.

quiet

So, I'm sitting here, eating my lunch, uninterrupted, after having a hot, from start to finish, cup of coffee.

Why do I feel so uncomfortable with this?

This morning, The Husband took The Bee to preschool, and then I loaded Q into the bike trailer and we pedaled over to First Grade. I was home, in my strangely quiet house, at 8:18 am.

This was the first day I've had to myself, with no plans, in 6 1/2 years. Sure, the kids have been gone before, but I've either been sick, had a migraine or had some sort of project that I needed the house empty for. This is just a Friday. Nothing special about it, outside of my sisters 23rd Birthday.

I'm heading out at 1:00 to get the oil changed, and then over to pick up the kids, and then take them for hair cuts. So, the afternoon will by typical, but this morning just feels odd.

So, I'm off to finish a project - I've already finished two minor sewing projects - and to toss a load of laundry in the machine. Woo hoo, how's that for excitement.

I miss my kids.

care to take a trip?

So ... you may be wondering why I would be sharing a picture of my very messy living room today. No, it's not to make anyone feel better, but if it does that too, then good. My house is trashed, yours is trashed, we've probably both got kids, and it'll only be clean again after they move out. Then, though, we'll be wishing for just one more mess, and just one more run through the house with dirty, sandy feet, yelling "Moooooooooom!"

The actual reason for the picture of my very - messy living room is to show what my kids did this morning. Trash the living room - yes. But, while they were doing that, they actually made a ship. Technically, it's an airplane, underwater ship that also has the ability to turn into a train.

This morning, Q sat on the big bendy cushion on the floor, The Bee sat behind him as the co-pilot, and I sat to her right, under the red blanket. The two big rectangle pillows on the floor are the wings. You can stand on them if you need to, and it won't break your plane.

We went to Arizona, then to Minnesota. While we were in Minnesota, we traveled under water, and then converted to a train. And, because my son may have watched too much Star Wars, we had to defend ourselves from the bad guys as they were attacking our train. Good thing for us, we survived, and managed to get away and make it back home.

So, while my living room may look like a cyclone hit, their imaginations were in full gear this morning, and we had a bit of an adventure without having to get dressed or leave our living room.

Goings On

The kids have been enjoying their summer so far ... we're still having a bit of a goofy time, and they are definitely in some "I don't feel the need to listen to my Mom, and I will do exactly what she is telling me NOT to do while she is standing right here"

It is a daily reminder in our house to not jump on The Bee's bed. I tell them to stop. They do. I walk away. They jump. Rinse. Lather. Repeat.

Today Niece Number 1 was over, and at some point I had wandered upstairs and noticed that the shelf above The Bee's bed was hanging by only one hook - not how it usually hangs. So, I asked Q and The Bee what happened. Of course, she pointed left and he pointed right.

She said that he threw his lion and it smashed the shelf down.
He said that he didn't know.

So, I said I would have to talk to Daddy when he got home to see how we were going to deal with this.

Tonight, I replayed the above to The Husband, and then he called The Bee into her room, where we were sitting. He asked her what happened.

She said that Q did a kick punch and knocked the shelf down.

Us: What were you doing?

Bee: Jumping.

Us: Are you supposed to be jumping?

Bee: I tried to stop, but my brakes didn't work (holds up her left foot). I need to get a new foot because my brake didn't work, so I couldn't stop jumping.

Us: Oh.

Bee: Yeah, my foot is broken.

I don't remember much after that point because I think I was holding my breath hard from trying not to laugh that I may have suffered a mini blackout type of thing or something.

It turns out that Q did knock the shelf down, but it was an accident. However, they were jumping on the bed. The shelf was able to be re-hung with minimal effort, although I wanted to exaggerate my efforts in re-hanging it, but I didn't.

We'll see what the rest of the week brings.

milestones

While at the dinner table tonight, Q mentioned that his tooth hurt. He said something about biting a white cup (styrofoam ?) at school and now it was hurting. Well, just a few minutes ago, while brushing teeth, he mentioned it again. So, I checked, and sure enough, it's loose.

When his little mini-chicklet tooth wiggled, my heart sped up and then it dropped. Seriously.

He, on the other hand, jumped up and down and squealed (literally, squealed) with delight.

We came downstairs and told Daddy, who is of course, duly excited.

In the whole scheme of things, it's only a tooth. But it's my sons tooth - my first child has his first loose tooth and I feel like crying. He is upstairs right now, singing the joys of his loose tooth. His words, getting in to bed tonight, "Oh, I can't wait to tell everyone about my tooth. Well, except people that don't know me." He's so excited, and I feel awful for feeling awful.

He is convinced that his tooth will fall out by the time he turns six, which is in about six weeks.

We'll see how it goes. I may need somebody to hand me a kleenex.

quoteables

Our kids spent the night at a friends house last night, and when I called to check in this morning, this is what Q told his Dad:

"Daddy, I know you miss me, but don't worry, I'll be home soon."

This is one of the best things about being a parent - not the away for the night, although I will admit, it is kind of nice to have some down time and be able to sleep past 6am on occasion, but the love that they send back your way.

Awesome.

things heard around our house lately

It's been another busy few weeks, and here are a few things that we've heard at our house:

Mommy, where's my penis? (This being said by the girl child)

Mommy, you're the best driver thruer ever. (This being said in response to picking up juice boxes and hash browns at McDs)

Are you going to die? (This being said by the boy child, pretty much out of nowhere)

When I die, I want them to bury me next to you. Make sure they draw my picture too. (Part of the previous conversation. The drawing is because the kids have seen my Mom's headstone (weeks ago) and we have pictures of her and my StepDad (still living) on there)

Mimi, where's your Dick? (This being asked of my MIL, who has been married to my FIL Dick for 37 years, who happened to leave through a different exit of the hospital)

Sister, you're the best draw-er ever (from the boy child to the girl child)

Hi my cute wife (from The Husband to Me)

It's like having mini stand up comics for kids some days ...

They've been Simpsonized

I've seen quite a bit of people on the internet lately with their alter, Simpson images.

Here are my kids: