Hooligans without attitude

Yesterday was run around day and get some errands done. Amidst it all Trent and I had a lunch date. Just him and I. I miss my lunch dates... Joseph and I used to have them all the time. Well, yesterday it was Trent and I. We head into the fast food joint to spend some time together. As we sit there discussing things in toddler language I looked up and saw a table full of boys around the age of 13 i'd say. I guess my first thought was "hooligans". These days all you hear is how disrespectful young people are, with all the crime, theft, graffiti and miscellaneous incidents you tend to just see the bad things that they are up to these days. I have to wonder if we as a society are to blame that we don't spend more time as a whole praising their right doings, as we do punishing all of their wrong doings. Isn't that the oldest trick in the book, positive reinforcement? I too fail and assumed off the bat that this table full of young men were up to no good. But, people never cease to amaze me. As Trent and I were eating these young men piled up there trash and took it over to the garbage...That alone is impressive. But, one guy spilled his drink a little down the front of the garbage can and it puddled up on the floor. Most people, young and old would probably just walked away from thinking "they'll get that when they mop". But this young man walked all the way over to the condiment counter, got some napkins and returned to the trash bin to clean up the spill. I was impressed. He could have easily just left it and yuk yuked off with his friends. But he didn't. If I knew his mother i'd call her to praise him. I guess it was a reminder that there is some good in everyone.

The Cult of the Co-Sleeper

It is something I never had intentions of doing, I never thought I would do and yet night after night I do it. Co-Sleeping.... it is forced upon me. Don't get me wrong I love my little dudes but I would also love a good nights rest. To be truly honest I need one right about now. But I haven't the energy to put forth into walking a stubborn toddler kicking and screaming back to his own bed multiple times each night so, I cave. Night after night when he saunters into our room I reach over, grab on, and flop him in between myself and Big Daddy.

I am all for attachment parenting and I value it's importance and personally believe in the strengths of some items involved in attachment parenting, but I have to be honest and say that co-sleeping is one I do believe in but I do not execute it successfully.

Each night when the Cult leader toddles into our room I think "this will be ok" and I heave him into bed and get him tucked in, snuggle up close to him, smell his hair, get in a few sweet kisses and watch as he peacefully drifts back to sleep. But then I roll over. You see Trent won't share Big Daddy's side of the bed he claims "it's stinky"... can't really blame a guy for telling the truth now can we! So we end up sharing my half of the bed. Mathwizards... I now have 1/4 of the bed. An average queen sized bed is 60 inches half of that is 30 inches... shared with Trent I now have 15 inches of sleep space. If any of you have seen me lately I am far from a size 6X so I am little wider than 15 inches.

In all reality I could deal with 15 inches. But it has got to be the kicking that does me in. It never stops! Plus, in my condition now I sleep with my back towards Trent as he isn't that tall and his kicking is at abdomen level... not such a safe thing for growing fetus. To top it all off a new found source of comfort for Trent is my hair he rubs it between his fingers... that would be fine and dandy if I didn't have curly hair since curly hair knots easily he pretty much just pulls my hair all night long.

It is one of those things that makes me crazy and I wish it would stop so I could just get the rest I need.

I have to admit that there is the occasional night when Trent does stay in his own bed and I would thoroughly enjoy that if Murphy's Law didn't come into play and those happen to be the nights I am up all hours with morning sickness. Whoever named it "morning sickness" needs to give their head a shake.

I guess I should just enjoy it while it lasts because I know in a few short years I am the last person Trent is going to want to be seen with, much less cuddle in bed with. I know when I wake up in the middle of the night with Big Daddy sawing logs on his side with his back towards me I am going to wish I had my baby to snuggle up to. But why amidst mild sleep deprivation can't I savor these tender moments?

PS: I love you

I thought that I would give a little update on the swearing resolution. I have cut back and definitely notice a lot more when I do use bad words as those around me who know about my resolution point them out to me more now. But it is coming along fairly well in its own right.

However, the other night Big Daddy went off to play some poker with his buddies.... Really I think they do facials and manicures while watching Desperate Housewives and gossiping about anything and everything. Regardless, I got the boys into bed and asleep, that is a feat in itself some days. I went downstairs to throw in some laundry, tidy up, catch a tv show and then make Joseph's lunch for school the next day. It was close to 11pm and I was headed to bed, but our washing machine sometimes does not shut off, so I thought hot damn I will leave a note for Big Daddy telling him to make sure it turned off and isn't still spinning uncontrollably. I whip out my handy dandy stick it notes and jot down the note. I proceed to make Joseph's lunch and I reach into the top of the pantry for his lunch kit, the handle of the lunch bag catches on the plastic gum ball machine, which I had just refilled by the way ~ *CRASH* down comes the gum ball machine the plastic splits open and gum balls ROLL all over the kitchen floor. I have to now pat myself on the back for only thinking obscene words and not actually muttering them. But the biggest achievement was that the boys didn't wake up to all the racket. Nevertheless, I wasn't in the mood to pick up 999,999 gum balls from places that have more dirt than a sand box. It was all I could do to not calmly walk over to my sticky note and jot down a simple "PS: could you please pick up the gum balls"

I wonder how that would have went over?

I sucked it up, I bent over and picked up 999,980 gum balls. I am sure a few are missing as Trent is showing up with gum in his mouth that I never gave him. He must have thought he hit the gum ball goldmine.

The Bubble Cover

Bubbles create all kinds of innocence... Don't let it fool you, those really are our kids. Cute yes, but not really that innocent.

Like Mother... Like Son

I have had a few comments in the more recent on how much the boys are like me. Like I have said before, I see it only between myself, Trent and the hair. But some say its our eyes, some say its our mannerisms, some say it's the way we walk.

Whatever it is, I guess it simply denotes a Mother/Son similarity. I guess when looking at children I always see more of the same gender parent, simply because of that... They are the same gender. However, the other day I saw a Mother/Son similarity that made me burst out laughing. Big Daddy is his fathers son through and through there is no question there. But the other day Big Daddy and I were having a conversation about something in the kitchen and the topic veered to something that possibly wasn't that nice or not really necessarily meant for other ears and Big Daddy had one last statement on the topic and he stated "Between you, me and the fencepost". It was at that moment I saw his mother through and through. I think she is the only other person I have ever heard say that phrase. Like I said before, we were in the kitchen and there was no fencepost present but after that comment I sure thought my Mother in law was.

I swore I wouldn't

I think my blog has been taken over by alien life.... someone irrationally posted in here that I made some type of commitment to simmer down on the naughty language. Who in their right mind would make such a resolution?

Alright, I admit it was me. I am having trouble with it as Big Daddy so politely pointed out to me while cooking dinner today and the *F* word slipped right out.

I should really investigate into SAA (SwearAholicsAnnoynmous).

They.. Yes "they" the professionals, always say it takes 12 days to create a habit. That is great and all when you are trying something new for the first time ever, it encourages you to pursue whatever it is your doing for a minimum of 12 days.

But why is it whenever anyone uses that factoid do they forget that it takes a lifetime to overcome the bad habits?

Time for a resolution

It is hard to believe that the holidays are truly over... gone. *sigh* I guess once your kids hit the stage where they "get it" it becomes all about them and your so busy watching them prepare at school, make crafts, have concerts you wake up new years day and wonder if it really all happened.

Big Daddy and I have been in such a whirlwind with birthday's, Christmas, and New Years that we forgot to make some resolutions. But in all honesty why bother. I never keep them and end up getting really down about not keeping them.

However, today Joseph pointed out a fault that could direly use something more than help. We were in a discussion about something and I commented something along the lines of "it's crap" and Joseph's reply was "MOM, it is NOT a piece of SHIT!"
What!? Shit! I mean *DOH*

*sigh*

January 7, 2006
My new years resolution is to try to refrain from using foul language.

This is going to be harder than loosing weight... If I had that option this year I would rather take that then the swearing ban. I am going to have a really hard time controlling this!

Why is the only option for quitting swearing is cold turkey. There is no patch or pill. There is no diet.
Ok, stop having visions of duct tape... didn't you read "there is no patch".

I'll keep you updated on the progress. I think Joseph the swear monitor will be telling on me a lot.

Mind your manners

Teaching children proper manners is something that Big Daddy and I believe in greatly. We really encourage our children really to say an earnest "please" or "thank you". I believe that a bit of respect and politeness can really go a long way. I also have to admit it is so nice to hear when some complete stranger in public hears one of the boys using their social graces and compliments us on our polite children.

So the other day we were enjoy an artery clogging lunch at McDonald's and Joseph open his mouth and belches so loudly. I took the opportunity to let him know that all burps don't need to be loud and when in public we can close our mouths and have it be quiet and just say excuse me. So, he nods and says he understands and we continue on with lunch. A few moments later he says "excuse me" and I right away say "Joseph that was nice of you to burp quietly and be so polite" he says "No Mom! I farted!!"

I guess you can truly count on boys always being boys.

Happy New Year

Wanted to wish all our friends & family all the best for the New Year!
Hope you all rang it in, in style.