The Party is Here!!!

Saturday we had a birthday party for Drew, she is turning 5 on June 1st. She chose a butterfly theme, and thank the lord, the $ tree came thru for me on this one. We made a beautiful butterfly cake with lots of sprinkles, and made butterfly neclaces out of clothes pins, yarn, tissue paper, googly eyes, and pipe cleaners. We hunted for "butterflies" with our butterfly nets, while wearing butterfly wings. It was a blast! I could see in her face she was having so much fun. She is just growing so fast. She is such a beautiful girl. She has transformed right before my eyes, just like a butterfly! Everyone feasted on hamburgers, hotdogs, and watermelon/cherry koolaid! This in the one time when I break down and make that nasty stuff. The kids gobble it down. I bought bright colored icecream, which turned out to be 'Superman' icecream, it was yellow, blue, and red. It was also horrible. I will stick to rainbow sherbert from now on.
She made out on the bucks, I think a total of 47.00. Most all to put toward a wonderful bank account my Mom and Dad created for each of the kids. She made out on the toys too. A cali horse, fairytopia butterfly, 'pirate bratz', bratz scooter, dora candyland, the cranium balloon lagoon game, the little mermaid color book and sparkly colored pencils, a butterfly sleeping back/back pack, baby bratz twins, lipgloss, goggles, candy, etc. She loves all of it. And today, with 5.00 of her birthday money, she plans to buy a cali Ken, and cali Barbie doll to ride the cali horse, ofcourse. She was able to have a cousin which she hasn't seen in some time, stay the weekend for her party, and they have had alot of fun together. 1 party down, 2 to go!

Full-time Nurse vs. Stay at home Mom

Me and my husband have been talking and trying to figure out the pros and cons of my returning to work with 5 children in our care now. I was feeling the pressure from him in some ways to have to return, when I was feeling I wanted to be home with the babies, and older children. When in all actuality, he was waiting for my decline to return, thus I put myself back to work for June, only 2-3 days/week. He said, "I am not going to tell you to give up your job, I know you like your work." So, then I just gave up. As much as I do love what I do, I cannot bear to know my children are being bounced around, with so much stress being put on all of us. It would be selfish. Not to mention, paying a sitter is an average of 9-11.00/hour depending of how many of the 4 youngest are there at a time. Each baby is 3.00/hour, then Drew is also 3.00/hour, and Grace another 2.00/hour. With summer coming quickly, I would have them all in care for about 4 hours. This would not be everyday, but an average of 2 days/week give or take a little ,which =44.00/day. If they went 2d/week, every week, then we are looking at almost 400.00/month. Not only that, I would be missing my babies so much! Why bring into this world these tiny little poeple, then leave them with someone else? I have done it with fewer children, to better our family by going to school and becoming a nurse. But, now it is not fathomable. And, as my parents emphasized, I am not going to lose my education. I will still be a nurse, and still have that license. But, I will just take a break, and give these little people the best head start I can give them. I will not feel regret, or anger, or resentment. I will feel love, and accomplishment. I will not be stressed to get babies fed, or bathed, or dressed by 1:30pm. I will have no time restrictions put on me to care for these children now. I will enjoy this.

Leah, Leah, Leah

Leah, she is one stubborn mule. I am trying like mad to get that girl to take the bottle vs. booby. She sure knows when it's coming at her, she starts sticking out that stinkin' tongue and pushes it away so fast I don't even get a chance to get it in her mouth. I am waiting until she's slept an hour or so and wakes hungry, then I have a bottle ready first to get her to start getting used to it. She usually just screams and screams until she sees the booby pop out, but today, unlike any other day, she took 2 of the 2 oz. bottles I prepared. One at noon time, the other in the evening. This is with the highly suggested use of the playtex nursers. I tried once more for bedtime, but nope, she wasn't gonna buy it. BEDTIME=BOOBY, it's a tried and true equation. But, this we will work on, since for Mommy to go back to work, the equation must become: BEDTIME=BOTTLE

Kisses

Tonight the boy was ready for bed, whining for a ba-ba, walking to the fridge. I started warming his milk as I had him on my hip, he always holds the nipple while I do this, and puts the cap back on the gallon for me. Before I had the milk put back into the fridge, he just wrapped his arms around me, and gave me a great big, sloppy, open mouthed kiss on my cheek. It was so wonderful! From that point he proceeded to kiss, kiss, kiss everyone around. Grace, Drew, Leah...I just love it! That boy is something...something amazing! "You are my sunshine"...you know the song...

The boy's first haircut

Saturday we made a trip to downtown Corvallis, and while we were there we decided to get handsome a haircut at the barber shop my Dad goes to. He actually sat there all still, no screaming, no crying. He did try to escape a couple times, but was easily redirected. I could not believe how much hair they cut off. I didn't think it was that long. But, once it was all over, my boy looked so big. There is no sign of the baby he was. He is a big boy now. So handsome.

My beautiful babies

Last night I put the baby on the couch next to me facing out on her belly. She laid there with her head up just talking and looking around. The boy came up, stinky binky in his mouth as it ALWAYS is, and started making noises through the binky as if he were resonding to her little coos, and smiles, putting his face up to hers and giving her kisses with binky in mouth. It was so adorable, and so priceless. If only I had the video camera ready to go. This will teach me a lesson. Camera battery always on charger from this point on!

Doctor Day

I took the 3/5 kids to the doctor today. Grace for a wart she has had on her hand what seems forever. Beau for a quick check on the progress in healing of his ear infection, and Leah for her first set of shots. Come to find out that all I have to do for the wart is put duct tape on it continuously until it dissappears, which is supposed to be pretty quick according to Ginger, our beloved nurse practitioner. So, I paid a copay to hear this, made me a little hot, since Grace said, "OH YEAH, my friend did that and her wart is gone now." Where was I when this became a new treatement for a wart? Simple old duct tape that's laying around everyone's house?
Beau's ear is looking sooooo much better, and at the time he was seen this morning, had not had a reaction to the antibiotics. However, by this afternoon, he awoke from his nap with his left calf, thigh, and entire cheek welted. I quickly got on the phone with the doctor, stopped the medication, and gave him benadryl. He is allergic to amoxicillin. Good news, his ear is healed enough to do without it.
Leah is up to what I felt to be a 'whopping' 11lb 13oz. However, I am in the wrong in thinking this was a substantial weight gain. Seems she was supposed to have gained 2lb per month of age, putting her at what should be 13 lb right now. So...I have been instructed to supplement her with formula. Hmmm...this is seemingly impossible considering she WON'T TAKE THE BOTTLE! Ginger instructed me to purchase playtex nursers, they are the most successful with babies that will not wean from breastfeeding willingly. I made a trip to Target to get one, got it home, tried it, and...not really much more success. 1 oz. then she screams for booby. "Give me my booby back, booby back, booby back, PLEEEAAAAAAASE, booby back Mommy!" I have no idea what is gonna make this girl take a bottle! Any suggestions welcome.
She got 3 shots today, has been slightly warm this evening, but I have given her tylenol as often as possible, and she is resting quite peacefully. Poor thing, I'm taking away her boobies, and poking her in her legs at the same time!

Sleep, I NEED SLEEP...

Beau does indeed have an ear infection we found out yesterday from the doctor, and he is now on amoxicillin TID, (three times a day). He takes it like candy, thank the lord. He woke almost every hour last night though, opposite of Leah, so I did not get more than 3 hours of straight sleep, and that did not come until 5am then Leah woke at 8am. The boy is still down, wonder why...So, I am sitting here drinking my Kalhua Cafe from a christmas coffee mug, in my pajamas, half falling asleep with a baby on my boob, and typing over her.
Drew, my 4 year old, was extremely cheery as I entered into the kitchen this morning, too cheery for me. But, she had this adorable little grin, and said, "I was just watchin the gems this moring, they were so bootiful. I was just thinkin, do you have a birthday mom?...I'm gonna get you one of those gems for your birthday. But, you gotta order it from TV, and they didn't give a number so I don't know how to call them. They're chocolate, chocolate rings with all lots of bootiful gems on them. They were soooo pritty!" ( I did not mis-spell, this is how she talks!)
I was so stunned by her excitement relaying how 'bootiful' the gems were, but also confused about what she thinks she saw, that I had to say, "Well, the next time you see it honey, you'll have to come get Mommy to look at them." It was too cute. And to think of ME to give one to, not herself. I will take it all in and bask in it!

Poor Handsome

We made a trip to WA this weekend (to Grandma's house, my MIL), and this morning the boy woke up very fussy, clingy, picky, and running a fever. He fell back to sleep after taking 1/2 dose of tylenol, that is all I could get down him. He then woke up seemingly better, ready to eat something, but still not quite the normal boy. We made the trip home, and he slept all the way. Once home, he became extremelty fussy again, the baby crying for a boob, and him crying for me to hold him at the same time. I felt so bad, and of course they BOTH want mommy, and only mommy. So had to call in grandma (my mom), the next best thing to mommy. Sometimes even better than mommy. I realized I had no motrin as I thought I did, so grandma picked some up. I am having to alternate tylenol/motrin every 3 hours, per the on call Dr. Irvin. Even though I may be a nurse, I had to make a call to the on call to make sure I was in the right mind set with what to do. And, I was, YAY! Grandma also brought in some ear ache drops, never tried anything like it before, didn't even know they made such a thing. So, we got him medicated, calm, and to bed he went, nemo jammies, and all. He is still there, almost midnight, and the baby just finally went to sleep. If it's not one, it's the other, or BOTH. I better get to bed, lord knows I won't be so nice if I don't get atleast a few hours straight sleep.

Free Time? Could it be?

This morning I was greeted with the neighbor asking to take the girls on a trip to the park for an hour or more with her kids, the babies both laid down for a nap at the SAME time moments before that! I am at a loss with what to do...

The ultimate OODP!

Oh, today was a doozy. We got up and around, (late) for storytime. My 9 year old is home today, no school, and ofcourse she didn't want to go. She's too mature, you know. But, she finally started having fun, helping the boy to enjoy the puppet show, letting him sit on her lap to see better, and she got her own library card. They gave her a choice "would you like key ring style, or credit card style?", oooohhhhh, "credit card style", she says. She pulled our her wallet, opened it, then as she ran her fingers down the inside, she said,"Look, that is why I have this loooovely credit card holder." OH GEESE! She moved on to check out her own books.
I went back to the childrens area, the boy wandering all over the place, Leah was continuing to sleep away so I decided I better change her diaper to wake her up and nurse her before I had to leave. I did that, then I sat down to feed her, after one boob I felt something warm on my leg, and sure enough, even though I had just changed her diaper, there came the ultimate OODP. I quickly put her blanket between her and my leg to prevent any further saturation of my shorts. I was stunned, what to do? I decided I had to get up, had to leave, urine soaked shorts and all. I contemplated going to my moms to change into something of hers so we could still stay in town, but then, Leah had poop all over inside of her clothes, and she had nothing to be changed into. I had to go home, NO park, NO grocery run. I might have to start bringing along both of our closets, just in case! NO, better yet, keep spares at my moms house.
On the way home the 4 year old turned into crybaby, crybaby. Everything you could say was making her upset, and start to cry. We got home, Grace made, mac&cheese, and chocolate milk. (Hey, I don't let them eat like this all the time!) And Drew started crying because she didn't get the bowl she wanted, then starts crying because Grace gave her plain milk, so she added some nestle quik to it, and THEN Drew starts whining because "it's gross". So, I have come the conclusion that this girl is WAY overtired and she is going to visit the sandman early today. NAPTIME!

Scream anyone?

The boy, I swear is going through his terrible two's already, at less than 16 months of age. Today, all he has done is scream. Scream for food, scream for attention, scream for a toy, scream for fun, scream, scream, scream! He found it funny to sit in his carseat as I made a trip into town for milk, all the way, giggle, SCREAM, giggle, giggle, SCREEEEAAAAM...I thought I was going to go insane! He had not been compliant with naptime for a number of days now, and as we were driving home he fell asleep in the car about 3 minutes from the house, so I got all excited, got him out of the car first and laid him down in his crib and he was seemingly staying asleep. Lord knows he needs it. However, he is now standing in the crib screaming some more, and will not stop. My precious angel boy has turned into a little screaming demon!

My Mother's Day

Well, the day started out with me, and the babies, Heather sleeping, Darrin sleeping since he got off from his 2nd graveyard shift sunday morning. I got around, got the babies ready, and went to pick up the girls from my MIL (mother in law), and then we stopped at fred meyer so that I could pick up some annuals for my whiskey barrel, which I got for last mothers day. While browsing at flowers, my 9 year old ran inside to get something for Grandma for mothers day, and by this time I had not yet heard "HAPPY MOTHERS DAY", no card, nothing! So, I pick out some flowers, go inside to find Grace, Drew is pushing Beau in the stroller, Leah is in the cart with the flowers, and we go past the toy isle. Big Mistake! Drew see's a fairytopia barbie playset, she has to have, and starts begging and throwing a fit right in front of another family. It's mothers day you know, how could I handle this with the least bit of criticism in front of these people? I just tell her "NO, you are gonna have a birthday, you need to wait", oh lord, you'd have thought the end of the world was right around the corner, she became hysterical, I just told her "NO, stop, I'm not buying any toys." She kept on, with major attitude all the way out of the store.
We took a gift to my mom, and ofcourse she reports to Grandma how mean mommy is. Grace gave my mom a candle she had bought for her, and me some really pretty tealight candles, and the proceeds to say, "It was so cheap, I only spent 4.99, those were buy one get one free so I got a real good deal!" I said to her, "You don't tell people that!" We visited with my mom for awhile, the boy spent the time watching "PA" mow the lawn, he was so intrigued.
When we got home my husband had beed up for a few hours, he slept from 8am -noon, as he does after each of his last graveyards. The kitchen was a mess of dishes, Heather was just in her room as always. The boy started screaming, throwing a fit, the baby was screaming to eat. I know Darrin could hear all this going on, but he was glued to the couch, had to be, cause he did not get up. I laid the boy down, fed Leah, STILL, no "HAPPY MOTHERS DAY", no card, no nothing. The boy never went to sleep, just kept screaming down the hall, then laughing when you went to tell him to hush and lay down. So, he got up.
Darrin made some comment, I honestly don't remember what it was, but it tipped me over the edge, and I just finally said, "FINE, when fathers day rolls around, I'm gonna remember this, no big breakfast, no acknowledgement whatsoever, just like you are doing to me today!" He asked the girls if they told me 'happy mothers day', Grace says yes and that she got me candles, Drew says, "I can't get her anything." My husband asks her why. She says, "'Cause she's mean." Within 1/2 and hour, he is showered, and says, "I'm gonna go get some beer." Whatever.
He returns home in over an hour, it does not take that long to get beer. And, while he was gone, Leah screamed, Beau screamed, Grace argued, and Drew fought. What did I do to deserve this?
When he returns, he then has a gift for me. I ignore it for awhile, what is this anyway? An after thought? Do I really have to say something to get acknowledged? He finally asks if I'm going to open it. I said "I didn't need for you to go buy something. That's not it. It's that nobody said anything." He then apologized, he's tired, "when have I had time to think about it, or go shopping?" Granted, however, is what I do so insignificant, that it deserves NO mention? I spend most of the average day with the boy in and out of the highchair, Drew demanding books, games, crafts, and the baby on my boob nonstop. Truly not a single moment is mine and mine alone. How about, 'Honey, it's mothers day, I'll keep the kids so you can go to lunch with your mom', or just do anything without the kids. Anyhoo...that was my mothers day.

Baby sleeping already???????

Leah did her wonderful little cluster feeding from about 5pm till 9:30 pm, and now she is out. Cold. I am amazed. Why can't this happen every night?
Poor little Beau was standing in the kitchen waiting for his heated ba-ba, and he slipped into a splits position, he started balling, and I just know it hurt something terrible. I got him binky, ba-ba, and he calmed, and went to bed easy. Poor handsome.
The girls just keep fighting about who's watching TV, and what show, how long, when is bedtime, who gets what bowl for popcorn, etc. I am ready to plug their mouths with a poopy diaper!

PMS?

I think I may be experiencing my first bout of PMS in almost 2 years, (since I was pregnant 2x consecutively.) My husband may not even want to come home in the morning. I wouldn't doubt if he decides to sleep in his truck in the mill parking lot since he has to work tomorrow anyway. No, really, it wasn't that bad. He did kiss me goodbye. I'm just so fed up with the obvious not being noticed. I fed the baby, she started squirting, so to prevent another OODP (out-of-diaper-poop) I quickly laid her down so that I could make lunch for the 2 other children screaming for food. As I was making them lunch, and myself something to eat, and mind you my husband had already fed his face, I hear the baby screaming and screaming. I finally go out there to see if he had her or not, she was still in her bed, him on our bed ignoring her. I could feel the heat rising in me like an old fashioned mercury thermometer. After I changed her poopy diaper, I just said, "I do not understand why, when you know I am making the kids lunch, and you have already eaten, why YOU are lying there on the bed doing NOTHING when you know the reason she is screaming is because of a poopy diaper?" Yeah, they day was like this. He is oblivious to the obvious needs that present themselves multiple times throughout the day. Why be here if you aren't really here? I just don't understand why he doesn't see the things that need helped with. Does it somehow appear to him that I have 8 arms like an octopus? Even though I know it's not under control, why and how does he interpret that it is? I'm sure this is a question on every womans mind when it comes to raising kids with the caveman we choose to marry. Thank god I have this blog to vent, or I might blow like a volcano!

What a day!

Okay, today was...a nightmare! I woke, tried to get coffee, and get the boy fed, but the baby woke before I could even make the coffee, so I asked Grace to feed Beau his oatmeal while I fed the baby. She still had 45 minutes before the bus came. She came to me after 1 try to say he didn't want the oatmeal. Okay, try once more I told her, and he still shook his head no. I finished breastfeeding the baby, then I had to get on the computer to check a problem we were having after the teenager used it, and got that fixed. Got into the shower, letting the baby scream, she was fed and dry. Beau in the crib with a bottle to sustain him long enough for me to shower. Then got dressed, got Beau dressed, we planned to go to storytime again. After Beau was dressed I set him free, the 4 year old demanded I do her hair, since it wasn't "sitting down right". I got that done, my hair still soaking wet, baby once again screaming, and I walked through the kitchen to my room to get the baby so I could dress her, and there on the carpet was Beau. He was feeding himself the oatmeal that Grace had apparently left on the dining room chair (2 hours earlier), which I was obviously NOT aware of, oatmeal all over the carpet, in his hair, on his shirt, pants, socks...everywhere! And I had JUST gotten him dressed, this is 9:45, storytime at 10:30 in town. I was furious! I stood him up, stripped him naked, redressed him, then dealt with the baby, my hair...Had to leave the kitchen a mess of dishes, and oatmeal. I wanted to cry. But, I didn't we went to storytime anyway, had fun, he played and once again went around kissing fellow toddlers to death, lost his binky twice, and exit seeked at least 5x. Oh, and lets not forget pooped his pants in the middle of me trying to feed Leah during storytime. The bathrooms there, though they may have a baby changing table, are smaller than my closet, so the double stroller both blocked anyone from coming in, and anyone from getting OUT! It was fun. Challenging, but fun. I had to go to my 6 week Dr. apptmt at 1:30, we left the library finally at 12:45, so I drove home to feed them, Beau fell asleep in the car, as did Leah, so I (and this is the only time) left the babies in the car sleeping in the driveway as I ran inside to make 2 quick sandwiches for myself and Drew, knowing I had to leave again in 15 minutes, anyway. I'd have had to load them all up again, ugh!
I get to my Dr. appmt. and the nurse asked about how the breastfeeding is going. I told her about the baby being so awake and eating nonstop from about 7-midnight. She says to me, and I don't like what she says, "Oh, she's cluster feeding." I'm thinking, okay, I gotta change this. Well, the take on changing this cluster feeding is that you CAN'T. And there is no specific age that you can expect it to stop. I am so bothered by this. I need sleep, lots of it. I crave it, like chocolate. There has to be an answer, a solution, and you can bet I will find it!

NO sleep again

Last night the baby went to sleep, amazingly at 8:00pm, I was so thrilled, hopped into bed by 9pm, tried to get to sleep but Darrin kept watching his show, some crab fishing thing, and would not turn out the lights. I covered my head up and was almost asleep then he comes to bed, lights out finally, and starts putting his arm around my waist, then tickles me as I am almost in a deep sleep, I slapped his hand off, "STOP, I'm trying to sleep!" He was offended I think, but come on, when was the last time I was able to get to sleep that early. So then I start to drift off again, and he starts in again with you know what. He was counting down the weeks I'm sure. I finally get to sleep by 11, Leah wakes up at midnight, I feed her, Beau wakes at 2:30, I get him back to sleep then Leah wakes again at 3:30am, then Beau again at 4:45...it never ended.
This morning the boy was up for 2 hours, then he was ready for a nap, he layed down, quiet, Leah ate, then fell asleep, as she layed down, Beau could be heard screaming down the hall, so I went to see why, as I opened his door there he was with 2 legs through the crib rails and arms through as well trying like mad to reach his binky which had fallen to the floor. It was too funny, I wish I'd had the camera in hand. He was really trying to get it himself. He is now up running around with a hotwheel in hand. There is no a moment that boy is awake when he doesn't have a car in hand going 'vroom vroom'. Instead of a dotted line tracking his path, it's hotwheel cars, and trucks.

Our afternoon

Darrin got home with Drew, and she had to show me 2 fish she "caught". She didn't really catch them, but she thinks I think she did. A nice lady fishing near them gave them to Drew to tell Mommy she caught them. She sure acted proud about them though. After they were home awhile Darrin asked me to go to town for a UFC movie for him, I hate those things! While I was gone he hooked up the sprinkler for the kids, and he says Beau ran up, as he ran up to it the water sprayed directly into his face, Darrin was expecting a crying fit, but Beau just let out what Darrin calls, "a devilish squeal", and started giggling. The boy is a fish, I say. He played in the sprinkler the whole time I was gone. I am so angry I missed this moment!
At 6:30 I had to go to Drew's kindergarten orientation night, so I took Leah along. We got there, sat down, she was sleeping, then she woke up and within seconds began making some unbelievable sounds into her diaper. I swear everyone there could hear her filling it up. I was expecting to pick her up and have poo drip out of her pantlegs. Luckily, it was mostly air. Hallelujah!
Grace came home with a request to go to safety camp mid June, they will learn bike/water/fire safety, go swimming everyday, go on a field trip mid week, and get fed each day, popscicles too. I think we'll send her. She needs someone else to reiterate what we try to remind her about safety each day. At age 9, going on 30, she knows everything there is to know you know.

A 4 year olds protest

The hub took the 4 year old fishing from the bridge at Green Peter today. She asked if she could go along, was gung ho about it all morning, then when it was time to turn off the TV and realize she had to give up all of her opportunities to play PS2, nintendo, etc, and get dressed by 10am, she freaked. This girl is so dramatic! She balled and balled, "I don't wanna go, why dusn't Beau have to go?" I tried to explain to her that he is not old enough ,and he would run around then might fall and drown in the water if Daddy took him. She kept protesting, "I wanna watch my TV, why do I have to go, you can't make me go..." A few sporadic screams inbetween words to let me know how serious she was about not going, so I just kept repeating how important it is for her to do these things with Daddy, and I packed her 'little mermaid' lunch box with snacks, filled the thermos with 1/2 water 1/2 grape juice to take along. Daddy got her 'kid' fishing pole all ready for her. And suddenly by the time he said "let's go!" she was calm and ready to go. No more protest. If we did not make this girl do anything, she would never have any life experiences outside of watching TV!
The boy stayed behind, but not happy about it. He screamed as Daddy left and shut the door, then screamed more as Daddy's truck started, and backed out. Poor handsome! Soon enough, soon enough, then it will be Mommy crying as my only boy goes off to spend all his time with Daddy and Mommy is no more important to how he spends him time.

So tired...

This evening we all went outside, and did quite a bit more weeding. We are now 80% done. The boy was all over the place, kinda like in the comic 'Family Circle' when they have one once in awhile that shows with dotted lines the path the children take from the moment they get out of bed. He is the energizer bunny!! The 9 year old kept him busy for us while we weeded by making a picnic of sorts, she brought out a blanket, layed it out and they ate "fishies".
The girls were playing basketball in the front this evening, and Grace threw the ball at/to Drew, not sure which, but Drew ofcourse took it as a 'throw at', and hammered Grace in the back with her fist. That girl has a temper from H-E-double hockey sticks. I emmediately got onto her, "Drew! How would you like it if I came over and hit you like that?" She said,"Grace hit me first!" We cleared it up that Grace was only passing her the ball, and let her know that her hands must not hit Grace, EVER!
I am so tired tonight. The baby was very wakeful last night, and the boy woke 1x, had to have a baba to go back to sleep. I got him a couple new binky's, and they look different in that they have open areas where the others have very small breather holes. So he looks at them funny, hands them back and shakes his head NO. All because they are different. Crazy boy!
The baby has been awake more tonight than usual, and as I was holding her she was looking at me, cooing, and smiling a big smile, and then all the sudden I felt something warm on my leg. She had pooped, a huge poop, so huge, and liquid that it oozed out the back of her diaper and all the way up her back, plus soaked through 2 layers of onesie/gown onto my pajama pants. It was so horrid! She is still awake now and it is 10:30...please Leah, go to sleep!

Hub getting groceries

Today I woke at 7am with the baby, had a little time with just her, an hour or so, before the boy woke up. He woke whiny, and clingy, lucky for him the baby was ready to lie down for a nap, so I was able to cuddle him a bit. Before long he got over it, and started running around wild, as is his usual anymore. He settled into the high chair, pointing at the counter, after a few tries to figure out what he wanted, he shook his head 'YES' to bagels. So, for breakfast today, he ate 1/4 bagel, refused his oatmeal, and had string cheese instead. The appetites of toddlers! I was able to put together and bake a banana bread loaf while he ate. Usually I add 1 tsp of cinnamon, and a capful of vanilla to my recipe, I was lacking chocolate chips to add, so I thought, Hmmm...what if I add 2 tbsp cocoa? I tried it, and it turned out very tasty. The kids love it. I think the hub thought it was burned, since it turned out dark brown due to the cocoa, so he hasn't tried it yet.
I was going to make a trip to the grocery store today, but by golly, the hub offered to do it for me! I said,"Are you sure? You'll get all the things I need?" He said to just write it all down for him, and I said "Are you gonna get my tampons for me?" He said, "Sure, they're gonna know it's not for me!" I laughed. This is the first time he's agreed to make a purchase of this kind.
I sat down with the 4 year old while the babies were napping today, and we worked on her writing her name so she could help write out her own birthday invitations. She got down to the last 4 cards, and started to get in a hurry, she messed up on her name 2x, and started to cry. She really got upset, I had to tell her just to slow down, and look at her name on another card to remember which letter comes next. I could not believe how much that upset her. She decided upon who she would like to invite, so we wrote out the envelopes. She couldn't wait to put stickers on them. She chose a butterfly party.
The boy woke up from his nap ready to go. He went out to my bedroom, peeking onto my bed, ( looking for baby), he wandered to the other side, then he finally, said "MA!", then started peeking into the bassinet, saying "ba, oh!" And then the baby woke from his noise, and shaking of the bassinet. He just loves her, it's so cute.
We are burning the garden today. Gotta get the planting started. Sure hope it grows better this year than last.
The boy is now trying his hardest to pull Daddy's guitar out from under our bed. He's gonna play it like Daddy!