Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Wordless Wednesday




Happy Halloween!


Sunday, October 28, 2007

All about me

I have been tagged by Painted Maypole for the "7 random things" meme. Yeah! This is my first tag, and I feel honored that it was she who tagged me. Thank you!
Ok, here it goes:

1- I love vegetables, but I can't eat any of them cooked. It must be a texture thing, I just can't stomach them. Fresh, forget about it. I'm all over it. Love fresh peas! Asparagus! Mmmm. Carrots, red peppers, you name it. Love 'em! Cook them up for me, and I'm puking. Which is actually ok because they loose some of their vitamins if you cook them, right? Right?

2- In my early 20's I was in 4 or 5 musicals/plays a year in one of the theater companies in the area. It was a great passion of mine. I love singing, dancing, and acting, although my acting is not as good as my singing and dancing. That is probably why I always got the romantic lead, not the more difficult roles. I always wanted to play the prostitute, the bad girl, the antagonist, but no. Ah well. My dream role would be Fantine in Les Mis. Ohhhh. Anyway, even though I was constantly on stage, my husband has never seen me in a show. I did all of that before I met him. He has seen me sing on stage, but not in a play or musical. I am vowing that someday when I have more free time (or any) I'll be in another show.

3- Our little bathroom remodel project is STILL going on after 5 weeks. That is all I'm going to say about that.

4- I love little baby bodies. From the tiny dimples on their hands and elbows, the nape of their neck so soft and kissable, to little round tummies. Love 'em. My favorite part? The teeny, tiny toes on the ittle, wittle feet. And not just any feet. Stinky little piggy feet. How can a baby have such stinky, sour pigs? It isn't as if they just got back from a long run, or working out at the gym. Why such stinkies? I don't care. I love 'em. Wanna bite the sassy little stinky feet.

5- I have never understood people who want to be famous. Being famous has never appealed to me. I would hate to be followed, stalked, and have my every move watched. I love my anonymity. Plus, having lots of money would make me nervous. I would never feel as if I was giving enough. I couldn't live in a huge mansion when I know there are children who don't even have a meal to eat. I struggle with that now, and I am FAR from rich.

6- When I was very little and someone would ask what I wanted to be when I got older I would always say, "I want to be a mom". I am so lucky. :)

7- I am really not that interesting. This meme has taken for FOREVER!

The first seven people who comment can consider themselves tagged. No pressure. If you want to do it great, if not that is fine too. I know almost everyone has already done this at least once.
**********************************
I've decided to try my hand at the Monday Mission that The Flying Mum has posted. I am a Superstar and this is what the tabloids are saying about me:

Surely this will be the last time the Academy recognizes Kathryn for her work as it is her third straight Oscar win and she has yet to attend the award show. Kathryn was noticeably absent from last night's show just as she said she would be. The star released a statement a week before the show saying, "While I appreciate being nominated by the Academy I am choosing to stay home from the ceremony to spend time with my family. It is nice to be recognized, but in truth, I feel ridiculous receiving an award for getting to play 'make believe' for a living. Awards should be given out to people who are searching for ways to cure cancer, to single moms working to support their families, to people who stand for 10 hours in a row while working factory jobs, to parents who take care of children with disabilities or terminal illnesses and for spouses who lovingly take care of their soul mates who have Alzheimer's. Again, thank you for noticing my work, but really it is not necessary. Oh, and I'll still take the goody bag. Thank you."

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Working Triage

People have often asked me how I manage three young children when all of them are clamoring for my attention at the same time. My answer is simple. I'm working triage.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines triage like so:

A process for sorting injured people into groups based on their need for or likely benefit from immediate medical treatment. Triage is used in hospital emergency rooms, on battlefields, and at disaster sites when limited medical resources must be allocated.
A system used to allocate a scarce commodity, such as food, only to those capable of deriving the greatest benefit from it.
A process in which things are ranked in terms of importance or priority: “For millions of Americans, each week becomes a stressful triage between work and home that leaves them feeling guilty, exhausted and angry” (Jill Smolowe).


 
I have watched enough medical TV (ER, Grey's Anatomy, Birth Stories, Plastic Surgery Before and After, Dr. 90210, Medical Incredible, Mystery Diagnosis, anything I can get my hands on, really) to know what triage means. I've seen it in action on the tube, and yes, here in my home.

It usually goes something like this.

I am in the middle of doing laundry (as usual) and Joey approaches. His face is drooping, liquid falling from his eyes. First, I assess the situation. The boy is clutching his stomach, complaining of pain, AND it is 11:01 A.M. Aha! The 4 year old is starving. Starving, I tell you! It must be serious hunger to warrant tears, yes? Nevermind that mid-morning snack he finished just an hour ago, he must have a sandwich immediately or he will surely perish. It is a definite Priority 1.

As I walk into the kitchen the baby starts whining. Again, I assess the situation. A quick scan reveals no injuries. Lift baby and sniff butt cheeks. Yep. Poopy diaper. This is now the new Priority 1.
As I sit down on the floor to change Ben, Tommy comes dancing up to me. Assess the situation. He is grabbing his penis and jumping up and down. His face is scrunched. Uh-oh. He has to go pee-pee!!!! This is the emergency that overrides all other emergencies and is ALWAYS Priority 1 as he is only 2 and has limited bodily fluid control.

Grab Ben and Tommy and race upstairs (no bathroom on the 1st floor) to unload bladder. Wash hands. Run back downstairs where the diaper supplies (and seriously starving 4 year old) await our return. Quickly and efficiently change poopy diaper.

But what is this????? Poopy diaper has leaked! Poopy diaper has leaked! Situation has now turned Code Red!

Carry baby and half removed diaper with pooped-up onsie back upstairs to bathroom and remove diaper over the bathtub. Once diaper is removed and poops are wiped off Ben's back, carefully and slooowly remove poopy onsie over the head of now enraged baby WITHOUT getting more poop on said baby. Quickly rinse baby, while trying to keep 4 year old and 2 year old from stepping in, on, or around poopy diaper and poopy clothes. Wash hands. Dry baby and redress in warm fresh clothes.

Carry baby back down the stairs, set him in his bouncer and FINALLY make the starving boy his sandwich.

Are we done yet? Of course not. As I am getting the desired ingredients for the starving 4 year old's sandwich Tommy again approaches. This time there is no need for an assessment. "I have to go poo-poo so bad." A quick glance over at Joe and I know he is close to the brink and will probably not make it through another 5 minutes of waiting. Thinking quickly, I tell Tommy to start his way up the stairs while I run to the fridge and grab some string cheese, toss it over to Joe, grab the baby and catch up to Tommy on the stairs. I set Tommy on the pot and try not to ask him, "Are you done yet? Any more? Are you done, now?" every ten seconds.

Finally, wipe the boy, wash the hands, grab the baby and back down the stairs we go. The starving 4 year old is finished with his string cheese and is now nibbling on the plain bread that I had set on the counter. I finish making the sandwich, pour the milk, and a thankful smile spreads across his face.

Seeing his brother happily eating his sandwich reminds Tommy that he is hungry as well, and so the routine goes on, and on.

I always said I would have a career in the medical field, and in a way, I do.

Monday, October 22, 2007

MMMmmm, Cookies


To cure our rainy day boredom the boys and I made cookies. It worked. These are my White Chocolate Chip and Macadamia Nut cookies. Soooo good. I usually don't share recipes (cuz I'm a greedy hoarder who wants to be the only genius baker) so you should take advantage while you can.
WCCMN
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Mix together
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup soft butter flavored shortening
2 tsp vanilla
Stir in
2 rounded cups of flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
Lastly add
1/2 cup Macadamia Nuts
3/4 cup White Chocolate Chips
Scoop out small rounded balls of dough and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Place in oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 2-3 dozen cookies depending on size of rounded balls (i hope i don't get any creepy Googlers cuz i keep saying "rounded balls").
Enjoy!

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Sleep, blessed sleep!

The boys slept awesome last night. Actually, they are still sleeping. Todd and I went out to dinner last night and the boys stayed with his mom and dad. I don't know what they did to the boys, but they slept great!
They have been good sleepers for quite a while now, so we really can't complain. But even though they have all been sleeping through the night for a couple months (Ben just mastered it in August, the other boys since they were babies) that doesn't mean they always sleep through the night. It seems that one of them is always up in the middle of the night for something. Either Joey is sick, Tommy has to go potty, one of them has a nightmare, Ben has teeth coming in, something is always going on.
But last night. Last night was heaven. I think I actually got over 8 hours of steady, dreamy sleep!
Weeeehooooo!!!

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Thank heavens for baby monitors

Joey and Tommy share a room and we still have a baby monitor in it to hear if Tommy has to go potty, or to listen for any horsing around after they are put to bed. The following is another reason we are thankful we have left the monitor up for so long.
Conversation overheard last night:

Joey: Ya know, Tommy, Jesus' mother was Mary.
Tommy: Uh-huh.
Joey: And Jesus' daddy was Joseph.
Tommy: Uh-huh
Joey: My name is Joseph. I wonder if I am Jesus' daddy.
Tommy: Nooo!
Joey: No. Ya know, Tommy, I am so thankful to Jesus.
Tommy: I'm thankful to Jesus too.
Joey: Yeah.
Joey: Goodnight, Jesus!
Tommy: I love you, Jesus!

Ahh. Be still my heart!

Wordless Wednesday











Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Rainy days and Mondays, and Tuesdays...

always get meeeee down. Ah, the Carpenters.

It is a rainy icky day for the third day in a row, and the boys are getting antsy. There is only so much havoc they can reek inside the house. They need to get outside. I've tried to make the days as fun as possible, baking cookies together, making forts out of blankets, reading books, and watching favorite movies, but there is only so much I can do. The weather is making them cranky, and in turn I get cranky.

It doesn't help that our basement bathroom remodel is STILL going on. We are just getting the walls up now. ??? AH! So frustrating. The basement is a total disaster zone, and the whole house is covered in dust. I just can't wait until this is over and I can have my house back.

On top of that poor little Ben still has his cold. It is really just a runny/stuffy nose, but it is enough to bother him and give him a hard time sleeping. I just hope it doesn't turn into an ear infection. Poor little poopsie. I just wish the little feller could blow his nose. Is there anything more disgusting than the booger squeezer? Ok, that is not the actual name, I do realize, but you know what I mean. Those green bulb suctioner thingies they give you at the hospital? You know, right? So awful. You stick the pointy end into his little nosey and it sounds like you are sucking his brains out. The poor little sweetie gags and coughs, but really tries to be so pleasant. I can't imagine how uncomfortable that must feel. Such a trooper. I just really want him to feel better now.

Ok, you have listened to me ramble and complain long enough. Now it is your turn. What is your gripe today?

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Life with boys

Things that are currently hilarious in my house:

Farts. Hilarious! Is there anything funnier than smelly gases noisily being emitted from one's bootie? My boys think not. They have been enjoying farts from very little on. When Tommy was not even two years old he would fart and say, "fard. scooz me." and then laugh and laugh. It is getting more difficult to get them to say "excuse me", what with all the insane laughter, but they still manage to squeak it out.

Burping. Joey has learned (where he learned it I will never know) how to make himself burp. Loudly. Tommy thinks this is way funny and spends all of his time copying Joey by making fake burping noises. Not nearly as funny, but Joey laughs anyway.

Poop. Not necessarily the act of pooping. Just the word. Poop. Very funny. "You like poop! I smell POOP! You're gonna eat poop!" See how funny that is?

Vomit. Again, not so much when they actually vomit, which of course they don't like, but fake vomiting. "I'm going to vomit on you! Blaaahhhh" HA HA HA

Silly faces. Apparently I am awesome at this. Especially when I cross my eyes, and stick out my tongue and say, "I knnnnoooooww!"  It gets them every time. And I do it pretty much nonstop to keep them from talking about farting, burping, pooping, and vomiting.

So far this behavior has been saved for our house only, thank heavens. I can only pray (and of course the usual nagging and scolding sometimes helps) that they do not think to behave like this at other peoples' homes, at school, or at church.

Life with boys. What's a mother to do?

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Wordless Wednesday- kind of



In support of the Great Virtual Breast Fest going on today I posted a pic of me feeding baby Ben. For more info on the GVBF you can click on the YouTube video on the side.

Monday, October 8, 2007

Too hot

Yipes! It is hot outside. Too hot to write anything swoony or funny. I'm just too hot. Our air conditioning isn't working because of the basement bathroom remodel gone awry, so I'm really sweating it here. Wasn't it me who just said that this summer went too fast? Ha ha. That will teach me to complain, cuz now I'm HOT. And it is soooo hot in this house because we have soooo many south and west-facing windows that this place heats up like an oven. Does not make for good sleeping at night. Add to that the fact that all the boys (husband included) have colds, and you can see where I am going with this. Blah.

So, for your viewing pleasure I will include swoony and funny pics instead of me attempting to be swoony and funny and failing miserably.

Kind of swoony and kind of funny.

Very swoony. Ben's 1st bath in the big tub.
Very funny. This is the "scrunchy face" Ben makes when he wants to make me laugh. It works.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

It's heeeerrreee!

That's right folks, cold and flu season is back and it is hitting close to home. Friends and relatives kept telling me about the sore throats, runny noses, and generally grogginess going around. I knew it was coming. Plus with Joey starting school again, it really was just a matter of time.

Sure enough, this morning I hear Tommy sniffing. I sloooowly turn my head in his general direction and I see it. Runny nose. Wipe, wipe, wipe. Bite of cereal. Wipe, wipe, wipe. Bite of cereal. Ah-choo! Cereal and snot fly all over the counter. Wipe, wipe, wipe.

I can almost feel the pure exhaustion already. One kid gets it and just when he is recovering another gets it. And so it goes for the rest of the fall/winter/spring year. Time to stock up on the Children's Tylenol Cold and Vicks Vapor Rub, and Vapor Plugs. Mmmm. Gotta love that smell.

I really shouldn't complain. We have been free of illness in this house for almost 2 months. That is a LONG time with 3 little ones. And it could always be worse right? I always try to remember that when I am up all night with sick kiddies. There are some moms and dads out there who are taking care of terminally ill kids, so what the crap am I complaining about? What is a little lost sleep? Big deal! I can handle it. Suck it up, mumma!

Oops! Gotta go. I hear sneezing.

Stay healthy, all!

Words To Live By

Be grateful for each new day.
A new day that you have never lived before.
Twenty-four new, fresh, unexplored hours to use usefully and profitably.
We can squander, neglect, or use them.
Life will be richer or poorer by the way we use today.
Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could;
some blunders and absurdities crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day.
You shall begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be
encumbered with your old nonsense.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson