Sick Days

When I was working full time, I didn't take many sick days, but when I did, it was a little slice of heaven, because my house was empty. Eldest and Rob would leave and I would lay in bed only to get up to shower or get more water. I would watch daytime TV and drift in and out of sleep until 5:00 when they got home.

Now, I don't have that luxury. When I get sick, there is not magical child care service that comes to take the kids away so I can suck on ice and make it through 5 hours of TV uninterruped. Rob has offered to stay home to help with the kids before, which is so wonderful of him, but it still means they're in the house, which means I can hear them, which means I am not relaxed.

Why bring this up? I'm sick. I've had a hacking cough for almost two weeks now, and at first I thought it was because of the four hours I spent in the smokey casino, but its turned into something more. I'm not stuffy, but last night I was very nauseated...normal while pregnant, but not in the second trimester (at least not for me). The cough is what kills me though, because (and I'm putting it straight here), if you've had a child you know that when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or vomit you pee (a little or a lot depending on the magnitude of the action). Its not been a very comfortable time for me. I got some great rest last night, and was feeling pretty well until around 4:00 when it all came back to haunt me again.

Tomorrow will be fine. Its not that I want to lay around in bed, and I'm not totally out of commision, but I would like to go to the doctor. A near impossability with both boys, and I really don't want to sacrafice naptime to go either.

So, I think there should be some kind of service set up, near my house, that allows moms like me to take a couple hours for themselse to go to the doctor, or take a nap when they're not feeling well, or even go grocery shopping without their kids. This seems like a reasonable idea...OK, no one steal this! I could be onto something here...

Only 133 Days to Go...

This is according to my little ticker to the right, there. That may seem like a very long time to most people, but to me...someone about to embark on having her 3rd baby, it seems like tomorrow.

We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! My cousin and her husband came up for the weekend and it was so fun. They don't have kids, but they love playing with ours, which is so nice. However, instead of taking it easy and taking advantage of the break, I went nuts with chores I hadn't been able to get to, and I decorated the house for Christmas. Each night I was spent by 10:00, but so were they. Kids are really a non-stop machine. Even when they're sleeping, you have this gnawing feeling in you that keeps you just the slightest bit awake because you "know" something will happen. Unless they are out of your house you really can't relax, but even then the phantom noises keep you up.

Rob says with 3 kids we'll be playing the Zone Defense. Not knowing much about football, I asked what that was and he told me that you're in charge of every kid within eye line instead of the one on one defense we have now. So, if all three are in the kitchen and I'm in the kitchen then I'm in charge of all three. I laughed and said, "so the goal is to never be in the same room as them then right?" He didn't think that was so funny.

What I'm craving most at the moment is complete and utter alone time. I suppose I'm getting some now while my cousin walks the kids around the neighborhood and Rob sleeps, but I still have that gnawing feeling something or someone is going to disturb me. At the end of December I'm visiting my younger sister alone, and although I am almost terrified of flying, I am looking forward to the trip because I will be alone in the airport without a million and one things to lug around, and I can actually bring my music player and listen to it with both ear phones instead of having one hanging out to listen for the kids needing something. Who knows, maybe I'll even sleep on the plane! I'm looking forward to this visit. She' pregnant with her first and has already informed me that my baby is at risk for spina-bifida because I didn't take my prenatals everyday (OK, so I didn't take them at all really) in the first trimester. I told her to stop reading the Internet. I've decided not to even bring up all the crazy mess she'll have to deal with. We all have stories of how crazy/hard/nutty our days are, she'll learn on her own what this is going to really be like! I'm going to visit her, and enjoy not having any kids around us at all, except for the ones in our bellies that will no doubt give us heart burn and make us pee a little when we laugh to hard.

I tell you, I'm going to blink and its going to be March. The good part is, I have something to look forward to in March! A trip to LA. We're going to visit Rob's sister down there. Its become a bit of a tradition when I have kids now. I took Harrison down there on my own before Logan was born and we went to Disney Land together. It was so fun. This year we'll all go down and enjoy the warm weather before coming home to practice our Zone Defense technique.

Well, I hear the back door opening. break time is over.

We found out....

Today we left for our ultrasound. I wasn't really sure what to think, I haven't had a feeling either way about whether we're having a boy or girl, but I'll tell you, my friends sure did. On the way there I told Rob that I was ready to see "penis" and even spouted out a few boy names I was thinking of. The girl name is already "picked", but I figured it would never actually be used.

We got right in, and the tech asked if we wanted to know the sex, and we both said "yes" at the same time. She started with my organs, and then went on the start measuring the baby. She began with the femur and I got some good looks between the legs and saw no penis, but that didn't mean anything. She then finally said "Well, nothing is 100% with these things, and I have to say that, but to me, it looks like you'll be having a girl!"

I was in shock! I teared up a bit, and I don't really know if it was part of being in shock, being overjoyed, or being a little scared of the "unknown". I know boys, I know what they are like and I like being able to say "well, they're boys" as an excuse for their primal behavior. Girls...this is brand new!

We've spread the word from Coast to Coast and everyone is beside themselves with excitment and surprise. Now, all we have to do is wait another 19 weeks before we can really confirm that we're having a girl...I'll always have a boy name ready though, just in case!

Go Elf Yourself!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I Love Having Company!

These past few days have been awesome. Our friends Kevin, Neil, and Elena have come in from VA and we've been non-stop since they arrived. We've gone on a Ferry boat, visited the quaint island of Bainbridge, went to Ye' Ole Curiosity Shop, toured the piers, climbed the Fremont Troll, seen the Space Needle, ridden the Monorail, and seen Pike's Market (where we bought a nice steel head for dinner tomorrow). However, by far, the most exciting part of their Seattle experience was the protest they got to participate in today.

The Seattle Monorail drops you off at Westlake Center, which is the end point for most marches/protest and today we got off the monorail and walked right into a HUGE crowd protesting Prop 8. It was amazing. I've lived in Seattle for 8 years now, almost 9 and have never seen a gathering of this size or energy. I felt like crying I was so proud of everyone there supporting their brothers and sisters rights to be in love and have a life long partner. Our friends were beyond THRILLED to be part of a real live protest, with meaning. You don't see that in Richmond, VA everyday, that's for sure!!

It was the second wind we all needed to get through the final lap of our city tour. After walking through the crowds and high fiving people we were ready to tackle the the market. It was a glorious day! Weather was perfect and the experience was one of a kind. Here are some photos from the protest and from Seattle in general for your enjoyment.

Yet Another Day of School Closures!

School is closed again today because of flooding. It was running just 2 hours late, but about fifteen minutes after I heard that, they called it for the day. I expected it, so it wasn't a total bummer like yesterday. Luckily our friends from VA will be here around the time school would have started, which will keep us busy this afternoon! Until then we'll be putzing around the house, and watching cartoons.

I remember fondly getting out of school for snow one winter for like 2 weeks, maybe longer. As a child, this is the BEST news you could hear, and now I wonder how my mom survived it. No one she let us play in the yard until it got dark! To bad playing in the rain isn't as fun!

We will travel to see the falls for ourselves today (if the bridges aren't washed out. They don't get that big very often, and its fun. Like going on a water ride at a theme park. You stand in the gazebo, overlooking the falls and get soaked from the spray.

Hope its sunny where you are!

The November Storm

its happened again, we had a break last year, but the weather has returned. Today, the Snoqualmie River is flooding and people are having to evacuate their homes. What's annoying is nothing is happening just 30 minutes from us in Seattle. There isn't even any rain!

Here is a video of the famous Snoqualmie Falls taken this afternoon.



Schools have been closed today and I'm sure they'll be closed tomorrow as well, as they don't think waters will recede until Friday. Its been raining since 2:00 AM, which, as some may think, doesn't seem like a long time for this area of the country, but this is one of those "November Storms" that packs on the rain.

I just hope the "December Storm" doesn't follow. The last time that happened we were without power for five days and ready to kill each other. Which reminds me, time to get a full container of gas for the generator and practice setting it up, so I'm not screwed when the power does go out while Rob is at work! God help me if that happens!

Boy, Do My Groceries Smell Good!

Today was Rob's day to sleep in. My boys aren't as helpful and cooperative around me in the morning, so I find it difficult to keep them quiet without the TV when its my turn to keep the house somewhat quiet. This morning I was organized enough to get dressed before leaving my room so I could take them grocery shopping with me to get out of the house and get this chore done. I love grocery shopping. I love going to the store, seeing the produce and new products. I really love it. Taking the boys isn't ideal, but I've devised a full proof strategy to keep them happy that involves a lot of sugar and juice. I was armed and ready.

We left the house around 8:00 AM. When we arrived at Safeway the kids picked out their favorite "car" cart and got in. Eldest HAD to have his seat belt on before we could move (always the safety police!) and once he finally hooked it in we were off. We take the same path each time we go starting with the produce and ending with the bread. I make sure not to stop in one spot for to long, so they don't start taking this off shelves, or getting the idea that its OK to get out of the cart. We came upon the cereal Isle and Eldest got out to pick his cereal, and asked if he could walk after that. He's 4, the store was almost empty, so I agreed. It was even fun!
He would put things in the cart for me and enjoyed the freedom. We went down the "beauty" isle and I picked up my shampoo and conditioner, and then we headed to the dairy isle to get cheese and yogurt. This is when Eldest started to get punchy. He threw a huge container of Country Crock into the cart and I gave it to him and told him to put it back. He put it back as ordered and when I started to walk I nearly fell after stepping on something slick. I thought it was yogurt and I quickly tried to shuffle my feet to get rid of it so I wouldn't continue to slip down the isle.

The three of us continued to shop, and made it through our list, slipping here and there. The employees were restocking, so I figured someone had spilled something (like yogurt) while wheeling the groceries around. When we got to the check-out though I realized it was me that was making this huge mess. I picked up my "Scooby Rogurt" and the box was slimy, I looked down and saw the shampoo upside down, lid off. The WHOLE BOTTLE was empty and had dripped through the entire cart. The folks working there were very sweet and wiped down what they could and got new boxes and items that were beyond repair. Most of the shampoo went into the diet coke 12 pack I had under the cart.

What a nightmare though. I was soapy and sticky taking the kids to the car, and they were BEYOND ready to go home. I told Rob that this would be my last outing with the kids for grocery shopping. I can't be sure the whole shampoo thing wouldn't have happened had they NOT been there, but I'm pretty sure the odds are good.

aaahhh, Star Wars

Last night was a big night for my husband. He and set up a play date for Eldest and a friend to watch Star Ward: Episode 4 for the first time. A momentus occasion for any nerdy father like him. He was getting Eldest ready all week, showing him the DVD, telling him about the movie. Friday came and we got some pizza and both boys were inhaling their food so they could start the movie. Rob had gotten each of them action figures that went with the film (Darth Vader and R2D2). He put the DVD in and that's where the night eneded for our son. He made it to the DVD Menu and said it was to scary and left the room. I gave him a bath and tried to convince him that the movie wasn't scary and daddy would keep him safe, but he wasn't having it. He chose instead to play by himself in his room with his Star Wars figures. His friend watched the movie with Rob and I and seemed to be enjoying it up until the Milenium Falcon was being sucked into the Death Star by the tractor beam. Then he asked he could go play with Harrison. They both had a GREAT time playing with the Star Wars figures and decided an episode of Clone Wars (cartoon) would be fun to watch together instead of the movie.



The cutest was his friend wore his Boba Fett costume over to watch the movie. So cute. We'll try again next year when the force will be stronger in each of them.

My New Favorite Picture

This is a photo of Eldest that I took on Halloween. He was looking out the front porch window at me, while I was outside taking pictures of our decorations. I love it when I capture true happiness in an instant. I'm sure shortly after snapping this he was destroying the room that I wasn't in!!

A New Look...

But it's still a work in progress. The main change is having 3 columns instead of 2! Thanks to my wonderful husband I was able to recover most of what I deleted (by accident) from my old template, and now I'm hoping to snazz it up a bit...maybe some glitter animations (yeah right!).

The Bus...

So, things were tense at our house last week. When Eldest goes through a growth spurt he's like the Hulk. He has HUGE mood swings (and you wouldn't like him when he's angry) and once those have passed, he eats everything he can get his hands on almost all day long. Its pretty amazing, except for the fact that I never seem to see them coming and get SO frustrated with him when he's in his sassy moods. I do not take sassing very well.

So, as you know, he's been riding the bus to school, and we both love this. On Monday after buckling him in next to his buddy, I noticed his buddy wasn't so nice...as I waved goodbye I saw that this "buddy" was hitting and pushing him around in his seat. Not a good thing to see as they drive away, but I figured they or the bus driver would work it out...I was right. The next day, before the bus came I decided he would sit behind his buddy and when I got on the bus, the driver also asked me to buckle his backpack on a different seat. Apprently buddy and Harrison had back pack wars and didn't listen the day before. GREAT!

That afternoon when I went to get him off the bus, the bus driver (a friend of mine) tells me that he isn't keeping his seatbelt on. I was horrified! He is in a regular seatbelt in our car and NEVER takes it off. Why would he do this on the bus? We had a stern talk about it, but he continued to do it on Wednesday afternoon and she put him in the 5 point harness to keep him still and in his seat. Oh I was embarrassed, but then I couldn't know just what embarrased really was until the following day.

The follwing day was Thursday and he had a barn dance at school. He went dressed as a cowboy. I suppose they must have done some kind of rodeo dance, this is the only explanation I have for his behaviour on the bus home. What did he do? Well, the usual, he took his seatbelt off, but he decided to take it one step further by being the "wild man" and taking his pants off and swirling them above his head like a lasso. Let me make it clear, my son is NOT the type of kid to come up with these schemes on his own. I couldn't believe it and I was so upset with him. I took his TV privlages away from him for the weekend (which I quickly regretted come Friday afternoon when I had no interest in playing with him and Logan was napping...ugh), and told him he would NOT ride the bus again if he kept pulling this crap.

I proceeded to share this story with friends and family, mad and upset that he would do something so out of character and the main response was total hilarity. They all laughed harder at this story than any one I had told before. After I heard the belly laughs for the third time I realized that it was kinda funny, and got over myself. I stuck with the TV take away, which wasn't easy, and by Sunday he was telling me that he needed to keep his seatbelt on when riding the bus, and we haven't had a problem with it since. I guess he's back to being "Bruce Banner".

Boys!!!

YES WE CAN!

Goodness, I never expected last night to go the way it did. Here on the West Coast we have the advantage of not having to stay up to late to hear poll results, but still, hearing the winner by 8:00 PM was a huge surprise. I was out to dinner with a friend and I heard cheering from the bar figuring they announced that our state went blue, but apparently it was when they announced Obama as the winner. I feel kinda silly knowing I wasn't "there" to see it happen, and instead was probably complaining about dirty diapers, and perfect moms that piss me off. However, dinner was wonderful and I was home in time to see Obama's wonderful speech.

The feeling I got could only be described as electric. During election years I tend to avoid listening to speeches and debates because I don't trust anything politicians say. I read up on each candidate and knew I would vote for Obama because I wanted a change, and I wanted to help make history and last night was the first time I've sat through one of his speeches and I cried...I admit it. I am SO excited for January to come. I in no way expect change to be instant, but just knowing it will be the dawn of a new era makes me elated.

If I still lived in VA, I would make the trek up to D.C. on January 20th with my kids so they could be part of history. I have NO doubt there will millions of people there to see it.

Go America!