Be careful what you wish for.

This past week has been interesting to say the least. I learnt in a large way to be mighty careful what you wish for.

Last Friday a friend asked what my plans were for the weekend. In discussing weekend plans I said something like "What I'd REALLY love to do is lay on the couch, under a blanket with the remote control in my hand. It would be a major bonus if the house was quiet as well." Never in my wildest dreams did I expect that to come to fruition.

Friday evening the boys had their swimming lessons and we then went to Gramma's to enjoy some yummy stew. Trent ate copious amounts of this nice stew. Joseph was invited to spend the night at Grammas. Big Daddy and I get home and get Trent tucked into bed and settle for the night ourselves. Not suprisingly I hear Trent about 1:3am crying out. I head into his room with the mind set that he just wants some company since Joseph isn't there and plan to just sneak into bed beside him and continue into a deep slumber.

Thank the good Lord that Big Daddy and I somehow forgot to turn off the lamp in his room because right where I would have crawled into bed was a large pile of barf. UGH. So then started my weekend of laundry and sick toddler. However, at first I just chalk up this first barf to be a cough & gag incident and once Trent was all cleaned up I stuck him in bed with Big Daddy and headed off to strip and clean his bed. Rinsing a queen sized duvet in the bathtub at 3am, not such a pretty sight... nor a good idea. Do you know how much water a duvet can hold. But low and behold I just get my laundry organized and lay down on the couch for a moment of rest and I hear Big Daddy and Trent rushing into the bathroom. It then dawned on me that this was more than just an incident.

With Big Daddy having a list of term papers, midterms and assignments to finish with a few days of work scheduled in there too, I wasn't able to enlist him for an abundance of help. Therefore Trent and I rode out the five days of stomach flu on the couch. While I did absurd amounts of laundry. If any of you recall, laundry really isn't my forte since Big Daddy is our weekly laundryman. But I guess in the life of Motherhood you learn that the job description entails a little bit of anything and everything when the time arises...Much to our dismay.

However, I did get to spend the weekend on the couch under a blanket catching up on my daytime television with a quiet house since Joseph was off helping Big Daddy with his homework. Hmm, not what I had in mind when I spoke those words so I guess it is true. Be careful what you wish for.

The little man is finally starting to feel better and back to the land of the living. While every pharmacy in the near vicinity holds a large portion of my paychecks now..... You wouldn't believe how fast you can rack up a bill with necessities such as children's gravol, motrin, tylenol, pedialyte, gatorade, gingerale. But in those moments I must say I would pay dearly for a cure. It is so hard to see your children so lethargic and in pain.

In those days I just hoped that this flu would pass Joseph on by being as his 5th Birthday was a few days ago. He has had a really wonderful birthday thus far and received some really nice gifts and well wishes. Big Daddy and I are taking Joseph and his friends bowling tomorrow for his birthday party. It should be a lot of fun.

Through all of the haze is growing two little men. I can NOT believe that five years ago my water broke and I had to call Big Daddy at school to come and get me. I remember it all so vividly. I remember him rushing in to get me, gasping for breath as he had run up four flights of stairs and he had my hospital bag in his hand and he looked over at me and straight into my eyes and said "Are you ready for this?" .... Five years later I still don't think I am ready for it, but it sure has been one hell of a good ride.

Happy Birthday Joseph!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Red Cup... White Lid

So folks, what's it been?? Two weeks since we last rondeavouxed? I think a lot has gone on, a lot of little things that add up to one big thing we call life. Mixed in with a bit of toddler up at night syndrome. If only I could find the cure. That poor little man has the most tender stomach and the heartiest appetite for foods with a bit of BAM as Emril would like to refer to it as. I think I should investigate as to what age tums are an appropriate item.

I have also been enveloped in a game Mr. T started. I have named the two week adventure "Red Cup...White Lid". So in lieu of Mr. T's tender tummy and gas issues I have moved on from the traditional "leakproof" sippy cups (which were causing gas) to a tupperware spout type lid. Let it be clear these are a spout or more of a learning guide rather than a "sippy". You can tip the cup and contents swoosh out in a rapid manner.

Rules of the game Red Cup...White Lid are:

RULE 1:
Make sure Mama is engrossed in a task of some sort. Good examples would be say a)phone call from the bank b)phone call from old friend c)policeman on doorstep d) cleaning up poop of somekind e)mixing ground beef for burgers f) burning substance in the oven.

RULE 2:
Ask incessantly for a gass of moak or duce bucks. Translation: glass of milk or a juice box.

RULE 3:
When previous mentioned Mama hands you the liquid in the Red Cup with the White Lid... run, run like mad.

RULE 4:
Drink a large percentage of substance and proceed to hid the Red Cup with the White Lid somewhere that will take before mentioned Mama a good two weeks to find.

In the previously mentioned case of this game, the substance was milk and I had retired to the fact that I would one day be led to the Red Cup...White Lid by its mere stench. I tell you I looked in the oddest of places and checked the obvious locals more than 10 times. However in the quest for Red Cup...White Lid I did find a French fry in the bottom of one of the toy buckets. I guess that was a different game I forgot to play my half of.

But once again Mother with the eyes in the back of her head is tipped off somehow and defeats Mr. T in the battle of Red Cup....White Lid. I found it ever so gently perched in the depths of the pantry gingerly sitting on the edge of a reachable shelf, tipped and leaning against the wall. One massive bang would have toppled it down spilling all contents. Thankfully in this series of the game the contents were minimal as Mr. T had been thirsty and what was left in the cup was revolting, but easily cleaned with vinegar.

Big Daddy and I have discussed the rules of the game and figure that Joseph and Mr. T laid in bed together and night giggling at our confuzzlement as to the location of Red Cup...White Lid.

I however, don't recall if Big Daddy laughed so much when I ran upstairs near the hour of midnight shaking the Red Cup...White Lid in his face hollering "I found you SUCKA!!! The Mama always wins!!!"

Simply Amazing

My kids never cease to amaze me. They have innate abilities to do things. I continually find myself and Big Daddy sharing a look when we both find something humorous that one of the kids has done. Joseph's lately is reading, he is really learning to recognize words or spell them. Also some of his comments make me laugh, "oh dear" is the latest. Neither Big Daddy nor myself say "oh dear" so I attribute this to his teacher, Mrs. B. Joseph also says it at the funniest of times and with this look of real disappointment. "Oh Dear Trent, look at what you have done!"

Trent's recent ability is Gum. He likes to chew gum and will sniff it out of the woodwork. How he knows how to chew on it and not swallow it, a little beyond me. But it is funny to see this little two year old chomping away. The first time he asked for gum I thought I'd give him some mint stuff thinking it would deter him.... nope. He liked it and asks for it all the time now. At least the boy has some fresh breath.

But what is the most recent amazement which I still haven't an answer to, is the large puddle of pee I found on the floor... And no one had wet gitchies??? I even quizzed Big Daddy and he also swears it wasn't him. What a conundrum. How does one pee on the floor and not have wet underpants, or pants for that matter? I think it is one of those "Life's Little Mysteries" that only God and culprit really knows what happened.

A little self doubt never killed anyone... or did it?

Self doubt is one of those things that can so easily make you feel like you are about to have a stroke. I loath situations where I am instantly counted on to the Nth degree to perform like never before. I have to ooze confidence in the numbers I produce because if I screw up the fix is more work than the original task. Never mind the fact that I am being hovered over and what I would really like is to crawl under my desk and suck my thumb while dialing my mothers phone number, or at minimal have a moment to myself to work it out and collect my thoughts.

Everyone laughs at Joseph when you give him a few options for something he says he has to think and shuts his eyes, plugs his ears and really does just take a moment to think about it. That is what I feel I need to do in some situations. I need to shut out the world to let my mind do what it needs to. But I hate the pressure of someone watching me. I guess today when put in the limelight about something I had the epiphany that I hate being watched. I have such a complex I hate the simple fact that someone is looking at me or I might screw up or do something wrong and then I will forever be poked fun at about my shortcomings. I would rather produce the final product looking spit shined than people seeing the grunt work or oops' that happen during production.

For me things are like labour and delivery. I just want people to come and enjoy the final outcome... the baby. I don't want an audience while I am in the most el fresco of positions and situations. Who wants to see that??? Big Daddy saw it and that is bad enough. Maybe that is why home-birthing sounds so appealing to me, I could do it all in the privacy of my own home without anyone having to see it. In my sane moments of mind though, I do know that for me the hospital is the safer choice.

Or is this all simply a case of my own self complex taking over. I should not be so soft hearted and learn to not let my ass sweat at every little thing. I try to remember to not sweat the petty things nor to pet the sweaty things. But I let my heart take over and worry to much about what people think. How does one go about not having such a complex about themselves? New wave of thinking there must be some kind of pill or protien shake for a cure all... maybe a book something along the lines of "How to achieve thicker skin". But in the end do I really want thicker skin? Wouldn't that just be weight gain?

Running on E

I am fully aware that I haven't had many things to say here lately, I think my brain is on overdrive and ran out of gas. I am not feeling all that whitty these days and feel I have very little to share. But when all else fails post pics :D
Dosen't everyone like seeing new pictures? Or is it just as annoying as when I put my kids on the phone. I really try to save that for people who feel compelled to listen to Trent babble about "Toby Choo Choo".

So a little update. Joseph's finger has healed well. Getting the stitches out wasn't fun and I was a little worried about the gaping portion of the wound still at that point. But now it looks really great and is healing very nicely.
Here he is posing with his finger all dolled up. I have pictures of the actual wound and stitches, but I don't want to gross everyone out. I will save those for personal viewing.







So if you don't hear from us in the next little while, we are alive, just busy. Fall activities are starting and Big Daddy has taken on the roll of Joseph's soccer coach. Should be interesting... and believe me you I will be there with my camera. :)
Happy October everyone!