Wednesday:
11:00 Decides that after 3 days, Elia no longer has a fever. Back to a Healthy Household.
11:30a Decide to go Shopping in Sidney. Hire a sitter. Go get sitter. Leave house with baby & hubby.
12:30p Decide hubby is coming down with a cold. Go to store for DayQuil.
1:30p Shop while hubby sits in the corner
4:30p Return home with bags to unload
4:40p Find massive amount of dog diarrhea
4:41p Continue to unload car
5:00p Unload bags into organized piles
6:00p Make Supper
6:30p Hockey Time - Eat Pizza in front of TV
7:00p Bath time
7:25p Brush teeth - PJs on - Into Bed - Stories - Pray
8:00p Lights Out
8:01p Clean up kitchen
8:10p Finish watching hockey game
8:50p Lars asleep across my lap, baby asleep at the breast, hubby asleep on couch next to me
9:00p Back into Eden's room to turn lights out again - put baby down
9:05p Lars wants to rock
9:15p Lars in bed
9:18p out the door. COLD.
10:30p Return home to sick hubby - dig out Vaporizer - put hubby to bed
11:00p Clean up massive amount of dog diarrhea.
11:30p Shower
11:35p Feed baby again
11:50p Baby in crib
11:52p Mommy in bed
12:15a Lars crying for Mommy in hallway
12:16a Rocking Lars
12:28a Everybody in bed
12:30a Rocking Lars again
12:45a Everybody in bed
12:50a Pacing the living room with Lars
1:00a Lars coughs, then spews vomit in a 360 degree radius as Mommy runs him to bathroom
1:10a Lars back in bed
1:15a Mommy doing laundry - refill hubby's vaporizer
1:20a Baby coughs - Mom stays up 'just in case'
1:30 Mommy contemplates writing or going back to bed....thinking,
"This, Too, Shall Pass??"
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Family
Google defines 'family' as a social unit living together, people descended from a common ancestor, a person having kinship with others, an association of people who share common beliefs or activities, or, (my personal favorite) a loose affiliation of gangsters in charge of organized criminal activities.
I say this not because you are inept but, rather, because I needed to define it for myself. It's hard getting back 'home' to Michigan to see our 'family', parents & grandparents, my siblings, aunts and uncles, as often as we would like, and less feasible with each new child.
After being in Western Nebraska for almost four years now, we've begun to establish a family of sorts out here. You know, the people you can call any time of the day or night (and believe me, WE HAVE!)? They'll drop what they're doing, (or at least finish up quickly) to give you a hand, bring you a ladder, help you tear apart a car, pick up potatoes from the grocery store for you, babysit on a moment's notice, stop by to chat or take you to lunch when you need a break, drive the ambulance for you at all hours. You know, the usual stuff!
With all the wonderful people in the world, we are so blessed to have landed in a town that's full of them. People who have embraced us, helped us, welcomed us, and continue to care for us. So this post is to you, our adopted family in the town my children all know as home.
Thank you.
I say this not because you are inept but, rather, because I needed to define it for myself. It's hard getting back 'home' to Michigan to see our 'family', parents & grandparents, my siblings, aunts and uncles, as often as we would like, and less feasible with each new child.
After being in Western Nebraska for almost four years now, we've begun to establish a family of sorts out here. You know, the people you can call any time of the day or night (and believe me, WE HAVE!)? They'll drop what they're doing, (or at least finish up quickly) to give you a hand, bring you a ladder, help you tear apart a car, pick up potatoes from the grocery store for you, babysit on a moment's notice, stop by to chat or take you to lunch when you need a break, drive the ambulance for you at all hours. You know, the usual stuff!
With all the wonderful people in the world, we are so blessed to have landed in a town that's full of them. People who have embraced us, helped us, welcomed us, and continue to care for us. So this post is to you, our adopted family in the town my children all know as home.
Thank you.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Education on "The System"
Ok, so I'm parked along side the sheriff's office slash county jail yesterday afternoon, debating whether or not to leave the kids in the car (because it's a pain to get three of them out of car seats and back into them), leave the car running (because it's 30 degrees out) and lock the door (because we have a key pad entry and I can do that). OR, take them in (because we're 25 feet from the barbed wire fence where the prisoners are playing ring around the rosies in the bird yard).
While I'm debating, Eden says, "Why are we sitting here?"
"Because, I need to run in and grab some paperwork."
pause, long wait...
"Why aren't you going in?"
"Because, my regular parking place is being taken up by an older model suburban driven by an elderly woman who is taking up three spots and I'm debating whether or not to leave you in the car over here or come back later without you"
"Oh." pause "What is this place over here?"
"This is the jail side"
"Oh." pause "It looks like a brick house with a tall fence. What's a jail?"
"It's a place where people have to go when they've been really naughty and broken the law. Sometimes, it's just for a night to sober up and then they get bonded out, or sometimes a judge sentences them to stay for a longer time because they are dangerous."
"Oh." pause. "I can make a sentence. Who lives in this brick house?"
"Nobody lives here, it's a jail. Well, some people live here for up to a year, and some of the workers feel like they live here, but they really don't. It's a county owned building."
"What's 'sober up' mean?"
"It means that somebody has had too much to drink today and it's not safe that they drive home by themselves."
"Sometimes I drink a lot too, don't I mommy. When I'm really thirsty."
pause
"what's 'bonded out' mean?"
"Eden, honestly, I'm thinking. Just sit quiet for a minute please."
"Can I go to jail too?"
"No, Eden, you can't go to jail until you're an adult. This is where Cheree works and Aunt Meegan used to work at a really big jail in Michigan. And Milo brings people to this jail, too, and he's going to be the new Sheriff, so he'll work here after Christmas."
"Wow, I know lots of people who get to go to jail! What's a judge?"
"A judge is somebody who sits on a big bench in a room and hears a case and decides whether or not the person should go to jail or go home and how much money it will cost to let him go home. It's called a court of law."
"Oh." pause "Did you know what? God has laws too. But only a couple. I think, like, 6 or 10 or something like that, but I don't know 'em all."
"Yes. I think that lady is moving her car, let's drive around front and I'll run right in."
We drive around front, and the lady backs the Suburban up, over the curb, just missing the cruiser behind it, staring at me as I drive by slowly, hoping she was going to pull away. I circle the block and end up right back where I started.
Lars joins in now, "Can I go to jail too?"
Eden, "NO, I asked first and I'm bigger than you are anyway!"
Ok, time to go.
By now, I could have taken them all out of the car seats, given them a cell tour, introducing all the inmates, got my paperwork, and had them back in their car seats.
I'll come back later.
While I'm debating, Eden says, "Why are we sitting here?"
"Because, I need to run in and grab some paperwork."
pause, long wait...
"Why aren't you going in?"
"Because, my regular parking place is being taken up by an older model suburban driven by an elderly woman who is taking up three spots and I'm debating whether or not to leave you in the car over here or come back later without you"
"Oh." pause "What is this place over here?"
"This is the jail side"
"Oh." pause "It looks like a brick house with a tall fence. What's a jail?"
"It's a place where people have to go when they've been really naughty and broken the law. Sometimes, it's just for a night to sober up and then they get bonded out, or sometimes a judge sentences them to stay for a longer time because they are dangerous."
"Oh." pause. "I can make a sentence. Who lives in this brick house?"
"Nobody lives here, it's a jail. Well, some people live here for up to a year, and some of the workers feel like they live here, but they really don't. It's a county owned building."
"What's 'sober up' mean?"
"It means that somebody has had too much to drink today and it's not safe that they drive home by themselves."
"Sometimes I drink a lot too, don't I mommy. When I'm really thirsty."
pause
"what's 'bonded out' mean?"
"Eden, honestly, I'm thinking. Just sit quiet for a minute please."
"Can I go to jail too?"
"No, Eden, you can't go to jail until you're an adult. This is where Cheree works and Aunt Meegan used to work at a really big jail in Michigan. And Milo brings people to this jail, too, and he's going to be the new Sheriff, so he'll work here after Christmas."
"Wow, I know lots of people who get to go to jail! What's a judge?"
"A judge is somebody who sits on a big bench in a room and hears a case and decides whether or not the person should go to jail or go home and how much money it will cost to let him go home. It's called a court of law."
"Oh." pause "Did you know what? God has laws too. But only a couple. I think, like, 6 or 10 or something like that, but I don't know 'em all."
"Yes. I think that lady is moving her car, let's drive around front and I'll run right in."
We drive around front, and the lady backs the Suburban up, over the curb, just missing the cruiser behind it, staring at me as I drive by slowly, hoping she was going to pull away. I circle the block and end up right back where I started.
Lars joins in now, "Can I go to jail too?"
Eden, "NO, I asked first and I'm bigger than you are anyway!"
Ok, time to go.
By now, I could have taken them all out of the car seats, given them a cell tour, introducing all the inmates, got my paperwork, and had them back in their car seats.
I'll come back later.
Thursday, December 09, 2010
Once Upon a Time
At our son's second birthday, he had a vocabulary of nothing. The two words that he'd had, had settled someplace unreachable in his brain. A year later, with help from the speech therapist, he had a vocab of roughly 400 words. Now, three months after that, he's beginning to use those words in a way that makes sense and is fun to listen to. I should also point out that the boy has a memory that trumps mine, and a heart of gold, with only a sliver of coal in it.
Which is why yesterday, when I found where he'd wandered off to, I decided that the following exchange was worthy of a post for all of our fans.
I found him in the rocking chair in his old room (the one he keeps wanting back), with a Disney Pixar Cars book in his hands and his stuffed Tigger sitting next to him. He took the book and, looking at the front cover said to Tigger, "Cars Cars Book".
Opening the book to the last page he read aloud,
"Once upon a time, there was Ramone"
turns one page back
"Once upon a time, there was Guido"
turns one page back
"Once upon a time, there was Doc"
turns one page back
"Once upon a time, there was Sheriff"
turns one page back
"Once upon a time, there was Sarge"
turns one page back
"Once upon a time, there was Sally"
turns one page back
"Once upon a time, there was McQueen."
shuts book
"Theeeee End"
turning to Tigger
"Tigger, you listen to the book?"
Then, looking over to Eden's doll house,
"Oh no! The furniture is tip over. I need to fix it."
On his knees in front of the doll house now, he moves into another world of pretend.
"Pretend this plant goes here."
"Pretend this table goes here."
"Pretend this chair goes here."
"Pretend this rug goes here."
By now I had taken over the big rocking chair and, with Elia on my lap, watched and listened with a smile.
He continued with that exact phrase until everything in the house had a place to pretend to be. When he was all done, he looked up at me and yelled, "No Mommy, I wasn't talking to you!"
As I walked off down the hall, he called after me, "Wait Mommy, I need a snack!"
And off we went...
Which is why yesterday, when I found where he'd wandered off to, I decided that the following exchange was worthy of a post for all of our fans.
I found him in the rocking chair in his old room (the one he keeps wanting back), with a Disney Pixar Cars book in his hands and his stuffed Tigger sitting next to him. He took the book and, looking at the front cover said to Tigger, "Cars Cars Book".
Opening the book to the last page he read aloud,
"Once upon a time, there was Ramone"
turns one page back
"Once upon a time, there was Guido"
turns one page back
"Once upon a time, there was Doc"
turns one page back
"Once upon a time, there was Sheriff"
turns one page back
"Once upon a time, there was Sarge"
turns one page back
"Once upon a time, there was Sally"
turns one page back
"Once upon a time, there was McQueen."
shuts book
"Theeeee End"
turning to Tigger
"Tigger, you listen to the book?"
Then, looking over to Eden's doll house,
"Oh no! The furniture is tip over. I need to fix it."
On his knees in front of the doll house now, he moves into another world of pretend.
"Pretend this plant goes here."
"Pretend this table goes here."
"Pretend this chair goes here."
"Pretend this rug goes here."
By now I had taken over the big rocking chair and, with Elia on my lap, watched and listened with a smile.
He continued with that exact phrase until everything in the house had a place to pretend to be. When he was all done, he looked up at me and yelled, "No Mommy, I wasn't talking to you!"
As I walked off down the hall, he called after me, "Wait Mommy, I need a snack!"
And off we went...
Saturday, December 04, 2010
What clean floor?
At 0630 yesterday morning, I realized that we weren't going to be getting much sleep that night. The reasons are no longer important, I just knew that it wasn't going to happen.
After some time enjoying the company of our dear children, Allen left for work and the oldest two began some much needed sibling bickering. One thing led to another, and the next thing I know, the house is a wreck and the baby is crying.
Off to the bench for coats, hats, mittens and boots. After chasing them into these said items and sending them out to the swing set, I sat down to feed Elia and put her for a nap. Then the door opened and the 'freezing' children came back in, took their outer garments off, and promptly dropped them on the floor, requesting a snack.
Time for some warm muffins on this cold day. Unfortunately, the batter ended up on the floor. Which hasn't been washed since the day before yesterday, when Red Gatorade ended up in a 6 foot splashed circle on the linoleum. However the floor does need to be scrubbed because yesterday before breakfast, I opened the cupboard door and dropped a bowl onto Al's 15 year old beer mug. The really heavy thick one that he got on his trip to Maine. The one that was my favorite. It hit a bunch of dirty dishes that were soaking in the crock pot and everything smashed to pieces. Millions of pieces. Pieces for me. Millions of pieces. Pieces for free.
He didn't seem to be too upset with me. Most probably because he's the one who put the bowl away on the top shelf that fell when I opened the door. He did make a point to tell me that those bowls down stack right, though. Anyway, we decided then and there we needed to take a trip to Maine. So, we have the beginnings to our 10 year anniversary trip planned. A trip to the Brew Pub in Bar Harbor, to pick up a new beer glass.
Anyway, back to the muffins. While they are cooling on the rack, Eden says, "Mommy, did you know that blueberry muffins have blueberries in them?"
"Really?" I say, "How do you know that?"
"Because", replies my super absorbent 5 year old, "Goldie told me so!"
Goldie is one of her teachers at Head Start, and I have to say, I don't know how Eden made it this far in life without the woman. It's really very cute when she starts out a sentence with, "Mommy, do you know what Goldie told me today?" And I reply, "No, tell me." I know I'm about to become very educated.
Just this morning she told me that there are many different colors of blue. And last week, she taught me all about the germs on our hands and how to wash them away, and did I know that our teeth were full of germs, too, and that we should brush them after we eat? Not only that, she tells me, but when everybody helps pick up, the job gets done faster. And do I know what happens when we use our nice words with our friends and how, when we share, everybody gets a turn? Wow, who'd thought? And, by the way, I had no idea that fruit was so healthy. And even though she doesn't eat it, she knows that her friends are eating healthy and that's a very good thing to do. Profound.
At bedtime on Friday, when we were reflecting on all the wonderful things of the day, she informed me that she thought she would like to be as nice as Mary when she was a grown up Mommy and, since Mary let her bring home one of the Christmas cards out of the scrap box, could she make Mary a card, too? Or would Goldie think she should make one for everybody? Hmm, it was a tough question and I told her she'd better sleep on it.
Having children, I find, is the most mentally and physically exhausting job I've ever had. I don't remember my last night's sleep. Yet, it's one of the best positions I've ever held. And I guess I'm locked into a lifetime contract, so I'd better continue to embrace the challenge and enjoy it immensely.
Besides, the pay is great and the benefits are out of this world.
After some time enjoying the company of our dear children, Allen left for work and the oldest two began some much needed sibling bickering. One thing led to another, and the next thing I know, the house is a wreck and the baby is crying.
Off to the bench for coats, hats, mittens and boots. After chasing them into these said items and sending them out to the swing set, I sat down to feed Elia and put her for a nap. Then the door opened and the 'freezing' children came back in, took their outer garments off, and promptly dropped them on the floor, requesting a snack.
Time for some warm muffins on this cold day. Unfortunately, the batter ended up on the floor. Which hasn't been washed since the day before yesterday, when Red Gatorade ended up in a 6 foot splashed circle on the linoleum. However the floor does need to be scrubbed because yesterday before breakfast, I opened the cupboard door and dropped a bowl onto Al's 15 year old beer mug. The really heavy thick one that he got on his trip to Maine. The one that was my favorite. It hit a bunch of dirty dishes that were soaking in the crock pot and everything smashed to pieces. Millions of pieces. Pieces for me. Millions of pieces. Pieces for free.
He didn't seem to be too upset with me. Most probably because he's the one who put the bowl away on the top shelf that fell when I opened the door. He did make a point to tell me that those bowls down stack right, though. Anyway, we decided then and there we needed to take a trip to Maine. So, we have the beginnings to our 10 year anniversary trip planned. A trip to the Brew Pub in Bar Harbor, to pick up a new beer glass.
Anyway, back to the muffins. While they are cooling on the rack, Eden says, "Mommy, did you know that blueberry muffins have blueberries in them?"
"Really?" I say, "How do you know that?"
"Because", replies my super absorbent 5 year old, "Goldie told me so!"
Goldie is one of her teachers at Head Start, and I have to say, I don't know how Eden made it this far in life without the woman. It's really very cute when she starts out a sentence with, "Mommy, do you know what Goldie told me today?" And I reply, "No, tell me." I know I'm about to become very educated.
Just this morning she told me that there are many different colors of blue. And last week, she taught me all about the germs on our hands and how to wash them away, and did I know that our teeth were full of germs, too, and that we should brush them after we eat? Not only that, she tells me, but when everybody helps pick up, the job gets done faster. And do I know what happens when we use our nice words with our friends and how, when we share, everybody gets a turn? Wow, who'd thought? And, by the way, I had no idea that fruit was so healthy. And even though she doesn't eat it, she knows that her friends are eating healthy and that's a very good thing to do. Profound.
At bedtime on Friday, when we were reflecting on all the wonderful things of the day, she informed me that she thought she would like to be as nice as Mary when she was a grown up Mommy and, since Mary let her bring home one of the Christmas cards out of the scrap box, could she make Mary a card, too? Or would Goldie think she should make one for everybody? Hmm, it was a tough question and I told her she'd better sleep on it.
Having children, I find, is the most mentally and physically exhausting job I've ever had. I don't remember my last night's sleep. Yet, it's one of the best positions I've ever held. And I guess I'm locked into a lifetime contract, so I'd better continue to embrace the challenge and enjoy it immensely.
Besides, the pay is great and the benefits are out of this world.
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