Mostly. But I've been feeling under the weather for a few days. And then last night a really nasty stomach bug got me.
One of the joys of being pregnant is that a 24 hour bug doesn't just last 24 hours. You're truly sick for a day, but it takes about a week to really get back to normal.
*sigh*
Hopefully tomorrow won't kill me and I'll be back to regular updates.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Same As It Ever Was
Around this time last year we were discovering that Cole is prone to ear infections. Very prone.
Very, very prone.
Then in June he got tubes put in his ears. Hooray! No more ear infections!
Until a couple of weeks ago. And tonight.
Gosh dang it. I have a feeling Cole's pediatrician and I will be having a very long discussion about this boy and his ears tomorrow.
In the meantime, here's that Valentine's Day video I promised you yesterday. Enjoy.
Very, very prone.
Then in June he got tubes put in his ears. Hooray! No more ear infections!
Until a couple of weeks ago. And tonight.
Gosh dang it. I have a feeling Cole's pediatrician and I will be having a very long discussion about this boy and his ears tomorrow.
In the meantime, here's that Valentine's Day video I promised you yesterday. Enjoy.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Valentine's Day 2011
Valentine's Day is way more fun with kids. In fact, I think it should be more of a kid- and family-centered holiday. I'm not really into all that mushy romance stuff, mainly because I don't think we should have a specific day set aside just for that. Why do we have to have a day that tells us to be romantic? Quit telling me what to do! I'll be romantic when I dang well please, not when Hallmark wants me to! You're not the boss of me!
*ahem*
Anywho, every year we have a really romantic dinner with the kids - pizza and soda, followed by Valentine's candy. I know, tres chic.
You don't have to have fancy food to have a fancy dinner. Just seeing the little bit of extra effort in the decorations and such makes my kiddos very happy.
Notice the hearts from the chandelier? We made those for FHE one night.
I got the idea from here. I have to say, theirs looked a lot more like hearts than ours did, but whatever.
This year I decided to make monogrammed mugs for everyone. I got the original inspiration for the project at Design Mom. When I found a set of 12 porcelain mugs on clearance at the WalMarts for $2.50, I knew I had to make them!
I used the same Pabeo Porcelain pens for the mugs. And just like Design Mom, I had some issues with mine. In fact, I had major issues with the first set sent to me (I ordered them online), and had the site send me a second set. (Which they happily did for free. Hooray for customer service!)
So I decided to take the pens apart, get the paint out, and use brushes. I think they turned out pretty well, considering this was my first try. (And with 6 more mugs and lots of pain left over, I will definitely have to try some other designs.)
Who's the question mark? Well, I decided if I was making one for everyone in the family I had better make one for Madsen Mystery Baby #4, due to make her grand appearance on April 18th.
No, I will still not tell you her name. And no, it does not start with a C. I was just too lazy to take a picture of a blank mug. And no, I will not tell you the letter on her mug. You're not the boss of me!
Back to Valentine's Day. Here's what everyone's place settings looked like.
We give the kiddos books for Valentine's Day. This year I think I scored big. Spencer got his first set of chapter books, which he was really excited about. (It's the first 4 books of the Magic Treehouse series. No picture because he kept wandering off with them.)
Josh got an awesome dinosaur book. The child was in heaven.
In fact, I had set the table a little early because I had the spare time. He knew he couldn't open the book, and he knew he couldn't mess with anything on the table. I discovered him sitting at the table, staring longingly at that book, patiently waiting for dinner. It was 3:50pm. The child is four years old and has never sat still longer than 35.2 seconds. I gave in and let him open the book early.
There was much rejoicing.
At that point I knew I had to let the other boys open their books. That's when Spencer disappeared with his. Cole got a Sandra Boynton book about doggies.
He was pretty stoked.
*oof!*oof!*oof!*
The books kept them occupied and gave me a chance to make dinner. Mmmm... Papa Murphy's... how I love you. And your heart-shaped pizza.
But I love your Chicago Stuffed pizza even more...
This is ridiculous. My hormones are totally outta whack. I'm putting pictures of pizza on my blog for Valentine's Day. But they're so lovely, right...?
After dinner the boys decided to eat their candy. And by eat I mean scarf. Which is why I don't spend a lot on candy for them.
Cole got his very own first box of chocolates. Hilarity ensues.
Ummm... not that you would know, because YouTube is apparently broken right now. Well, some day I'll get the video up there. In the mean time, just imagine how funny a toddler with a box of chocolates could be.
Poor kid. His mother wasn't thinking clearly and allowed him to eat the chocolate caramel. Of course he stuffed it all into his mouth at once. He was quite happy about this.
Until the caramel got stuck to the roof of his mouth.
Momma paid penance and dug it out for him. Gross.
*ahem*
Anywho, every year we have a really romantic dinner with the kids - pizza and soda, followed by Valentine's candy. I know, tres chic.
You don't have to have fancy food to have a fancy dinner. Just seeing the little bit of extra effort in the decorations and such makes my kiddos very happy.
Notice the hearts from the chandelier? We made those for FHE one night.
I got the idea from here. I have to say, theirs looked a lot more like hearts than ours did, but whatever.
This year I decided to make monogrammed mugs for everyone. I got the original inspiration for the project at Design Mom. When I found a set of 12 porcelain mugs on clearance at the WalMarts for $2.50, I knew I had to make them!
I used the same Pabeo Porcelain pens for the mugs. And just like Design Mom, I had some issues with mine. In fact, I had major issues with the first set sent to me (I ordered them online), and had the site send me a second set. (Which they happily did for free. Hooray for customer service!)
So I decided to take the pens apart, get the paint out, and use brushes. I think they turned out pretty well, considering this was my first try. (And with 6 more mugs and lots of pain left over, I will definitely have to try some other designs.)
Who's the question mark? Well, I decided if I was making one for everyone in the family I had better make one for Madsen Mystery Baby #4, due to make her grand appearance on April 18th.
No, I will still not tell you her name. And no, it does not start with a C. I was just too lazy to take a picture of a blank mug. And no, I will not tell you the letter on her mug. You're not the boss of me!
Back to Valentine's Day. Here's what everyone's place settings looked like.
We give the kiddos books for Valentine's Day. This year I think I scored big. Spencer got his first set of chapter books, which he was really excited about. (It's the first 4 books of the Magic Treehouse series. No picture because he kept wandering off with them.)
Josh got an awesome dinosaur book. The child was in heaven.
In fact, I had set the table a little early because I had the spare time. He knew he couldn't open the book, and he knew he couldn't mess with anything on the table. I discovered him sitting at the table, staring longingly at that book, patiently waiting for dinner. It was 3:50pm. The child is four years old and has never sat still longer than 35.2 seconds. I gave in and let him open the book early.
There was much rejoicing.
At that point I knew I had to let the other boys open their books. That's when Spencer disappeared with his. Cole got a Sandra Boynton book about doggies.
He was pretty stoked.
*oof!*oof!*oof!*
The books kept them occupied and gave me a chance to make dinner. Mmmm... Papa Murphy's... how I love you. And your heart-shaped pizza.
But I love your Chicago Stuffed pizza even more...
This is ridiculous. My hormones are totally outta whack. I'm putting pictures of pizza on my blog for Valentine's Day. But they're so lovely, right...?
After dinner the boys decided to eat their candy. And by eat I mean scarf. Which is why I don't spend a lot on candy for them.
Cole got his very own first box of chocolates. Hilarity ensues.
Ummm... not that you would know, because YouTube is apparently broken right now. Well, some day I'll get the video up there. In the mean time, just imagine how funny a toddler with a box of chocolates could be.
Poor kid. His mother wasn't thinking clearly and allowed him to eat the chocolate caramel. Of course he stuffed it all into his mouth at once. He was quite happy about this.
Until the caramel got stuck to the roof of his mouth.
Momma paid penance and dug it out for him. Gross.
Kidisms
My kids have said some pretty interesting things lately. For example:
Spencer: Mommy, I'm hungry. Can I have a snack?
Me: Sorry, kiddo. It's almost dinner time. You can wait until dinner is ready.
Spencer (in righteous indignation): But I'm so hungry now!
Me: Nope. No snack.
Spencer whines and complains about this for several minutes. He finally realizes that I'm not going to change my mind.
Spencer: Fine then! Then I'm not going to eat dinner!
My Thoughts: I don't negotiate with terrorists. Especially when they're making stupid demands.
What I Actually Said: Hmmm... then I guess you will be extra hungry tonight.
Spencer: That's not fair!! *stomps off*
*****
Spencer (looking at his finger that he cut yesterday): I don't think I need a band aid. I don't hear it bleeding anymore.
Me: Hear it bleeding?
Spencer: Yeah. I can't hear it bleed. So it's better.
Me: Hear?
Spencer (clearly exasperated with his dullard Mother): Yes. Hear.
Me: Okay, okay...
*****
Josh: Mommy, someday can we go on a rocket?
Me: Umm... nope. There aren't any rockets for us to go on. Why do you want to go on a rocket?
Joshie: To get the balloon I lost. It's living on the moon.
Me: What balloon?
Joshie: The yellow one from the bug races. Hey maybe a space man will go up there and bring it back to me!
(It takes me a second to realize that he's talking about the balloon he got at Purdue's Springfest, nearly a year ago.)
Me: Umm...
Joshie: I know! I'll be a space man!
Me: Good idea.
*****
I'm walking around the house, putting groceries away. I'm over by the boys' bedrooms. Josh is eating lunch in the kitchen.
Josh (calling out to me): What are you carrying?
Me: These? New underpants for Spencer.
Josh: No. What is it? Let me see!
Me (realizing where his thought process is going): These are NOT candy, Josh. It's new underpants. In a bag.
Josh (running over to me): What?! It's candy!
Me: No! It's underpants!
Josh (clearly disappointed): Oh. It's underpants. I don't want underpants, I want candy!
Me: Sorry.
Josh: Can I have some candy?
Me: Nope. And these are Spencer's underpants.
Josh: Awwww maaaaaannnn...
Spencer: Mommy, I'm hungry. Can I have a snack?
Me: Sorry, kiddo. It's almost dinner time. You can wait until dinner is ready.
Spencer (in righteous indignation): But I'm so hungry now!
Me: Nope. No snack.
Spencer whines and complains about this for several minutes. He finally realizes that I'm not going to change my mind.
Spencer: Fine then! Then I'm not going to eat dinner!
My Thoughts: I don't negotiate with terrorists. Especially when they're making stupid demands.
What I Actually Said: Hmmm... then I guess you will be extra hungry tonight.
Spencer: That's not fair!! *stomps off*
*****
Spencer (looking at his finger that he cut yesterday): I don't think I need a band aid. I don't hear it bleeding anymore.
Me: Hear it bleeding?
Spencer: Yeah. I can't hear it bleed. So it's better.
Me: Hear?
Spencer (clearly exasperated with his dullard Mother): Yes. Hear.
Me: Okay, okay...
*****
Josh: Mommy, someday can we go on a rocket?
Me: Umm... nope. There aren't any rockets for us to go on. Why do you want to go on a rocket?
Joshie: To get the balloon I lost. It's living on the moon.
Me: What balloon?
Joshie: The yellow one from the bug races. Hey maybe a space man will go up there and bring it back to me!
(It takes me a second to realize that he's talking about the balloon he got at Purdue's Springfest, nearly a year ago.)
Me: Umm...
Joshie: I know! I'll be a space man!
Me: Good idea.
*****
I'm walking around the house, putting groceries away. I'm over by the boys' bedrooms. Josh is eating lunch in the kitchen.
Josh (calling out to me): What are you carrying?
Me: These? New underpants for Spencer.
Josh: No. What is it? Let me see!
Me (realizing where his thought process is going): These are NOT candy, Josh. It's new underpants. In a bag.
Josh (running over to me): What?! It's candy!
Me: No! It's underpants!
Josh (clearly disappointed): Oh. It's underpants. I don't want underpants, I want candy!
Me: Sorry.
Josh: Can I have some candy?
Me: Nope. And these are Spencer's underpants.
Josh: Awwww maaaaaannnn...
Monday, February 14, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Josh's Haircut
Last night at bedtime we discovered that some time during the day Josh had given himself a hair cut.
It's pretty darn close to his head. I'm impressed. He must have worked really hard with those scissors. His hair is generally fairly unruly, which is why I think it took us so long to notice it. Also, he must have known he did something wrong because I have yet to find any hair around the house.
I offered to fix it for him, in the form of a very short buzz cut. Josh refused. He wanted me to make the hair grow back.
I tried all of my magic spells, but nothing worked. His hair just wouldn't grow any longer. Bummer.
So he went to church like this today. Most people didn't notice until it was pointed out. I might just let him keep it like this for a while because 1) he really doesn't want a haircut and that's a fight I just don't feel like dealing with right now, and 2) we'd really have to cut his hair short to match where he cut. It's too cold for him to suddenly not have any hair on his head!
I'm actually kinda surprised this is the first time this has happened in our family. I was even thinking about kids cutting their own hair the other day as I was using some scissors. Auspicious, no?
By the way, I told him I wanted to take pictures of him brushing his teeth. If I had said I wanted pictures of his hair there's no way I would have gotten any!
It's pretty darn close to his head. I'm impressed. He must have worked really hard with those scissors. His hair is generally fairly unruly, which is why I think it took us so long to notice it. Also, he must have known he did something wrong because I have yet to find any hair around the house.
I offered to fix it for him, in the form of a very short buzz cut. Josh refused. He wanted me to make the hair grow back.
I tried all of my magic spells, but nothing worked. His hair just wouldn't grow any longer. Bummer.
So he went to church like this today. Most people didn't notice until it was pointed out. I might just let him keep it like this for a while because 1) he really doesn't want a haircut and that's a fight I just don't feel like dealing with right now, and 2) we'd really have to cut his hair short to match where he cut. It's too cold for him to suddenly not have any hair on his head!
I'm actually kinda surprised this is the first time this has happened in our family. I was even thinking about kids cutting their own hair the other day as I was using some scissors. Auspicious, no?
By the way, I told him I wanted to take pictures of him brushing his teeth. If I had said I wanted pictures of his hair there's no way I would have gotten any!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
How Valentine's Day Cookies Turn Me Into A Bad Mom
Yesterday I made our annual batch of Valentine's Day cookies. As per usual, I had more help than I needed, which is always a bit frustrating. I tried to be a patient mom, but the bad mom in me scolded probably a bit more than I should have. (I told Josh not to turn the mixer on yet!) Yep, lots of help - until the first cookies were completed and devoured. Then I had zero help. Then I was a bad mom again because even though I didn't want help making cookies, I certainly didn't want to have to frost them all myself. Sheesh.
As per usual I also made waaaay more cookies than needed.
So of course I had to help get rid of some of them.
Mmmmm... Valentiney... Being a bad mom means eating way more cookies than I would allow my children to eat. Which of course I did.
While I was frosting all the cookies Cole took a shining to a new dish towel of mine.
I have no idea why he loves this dish towel so much. Probably because it's so bright and pretty.
And soft.
He kept trying to put it on like a bib. I'm too cheap now to buy bibs at the store. Besides, my kids have always just pulled those off. But they can't pull off a dishtowel tied around their neck! (Does using dishtowels as bibs make me a bad mom?)
Then he decided it was time for his own cookie. Being the bad mother that I am, I of course let my toddler have a cookie. 30 minutes before dinner. Choices, choices... which one to choose?!
Chocolate, obviously.
By the time I should have been making dinner I was full of cookies. I didn't want to eat and I didn't want to cook anything. Besides, it's been nothing but a huge fight lately to get Spencer and Josh to eat anything I make for dinner. Spencer was at his school for a movie night and Lance knows how to make his own dinner. So I decided to be a bad mom again and just let Josh eat cookies for dinner, knowing that making anything else would just be a waste of food and energy.
The boy was in heaven. So maybe I'm not such a bad mom in all aspects.
I'm not a completely bad mom. I gave Cole a real dinner.
But in the end he still ate a few more cookies as well.
Bad mom. Deliciously bad.
As per usual I also made waaaay more cookies than needed.
So of course I had to help get rid of some of them.
Mmmmm... Valentiney... Being a bad mom means eating way more cookies than I would allow my children to eat. Which of course I did.
While I was frosting all the cookies Cole took a shining to a new dish towel of mine.
I have no idea why he loves this dish towel so much. Probably because it's so bright and pretty.
And soft.
He kept trying to put it on like a bib. I'm too cheap now to buy bibs at the store. Besides, my kids have always just pulled those off. But they can't pull off a dishtowel tied around their neck! (Does using dishtowels as bibs make me a bad mom?)
Then he decided it was time for his own cookie. Being the bad mother that I am, I of course let my toddler have a cookie. 30 minutes before dinner. Choices, choices... which one to choose?!
Chocolate, obviously.
By the time I should have been making dinner I was full of cookies. I didn't want to eat and I didn't want to cook anything. Besides, it's been nothing but a huge fight lately to get Spencer and Josh to eat anything I make for dinner. Spencer was at his school for a movie night and Lance knows how to make his own dinner. So I decided to be a bad mom again and just let Josh eat cookies for dinner, knowing that making anything else would just be a waste of food and energy.
The boy was in heaven. So maybe I'm not such a bad mom in all aspects.
I'm not a completely bad mom. I gave Cole a real dinner.
But in the end he still ate a few more cookies as well.
Bad mom. Deliciously bad.
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