The Little Gerbil Who Lost Her Tail

So we have this gerbil - her name is Nemo.  {Yes, I'm completely aware that the real 'Nemo' was a boy, but try telling that to the obstinate 2 year old Mini-Man was at the time.  Nemo it was.}  Nemo is a precious little thing, and much loved.  Recently, MM has been trying to play with her on his own.  Bad.  Idea.  He'd been in enough time outs for trying to handle her that we thought we had this problem fixed. 

{Really?  What imaginary world were we living in?}

So a few nights ago, MM was playing quietly in his room with his Lego's.  Or, so we thought. Au contraire!  {I have no idea how that's really spelled, but I like it and I'm hoping none of you are French and can tell me wrong.}  Anyway, BabyDaddy, Sunshine, and I are in the living room hanging out when we hear a bloodcurdling scream followed by the hysterical sobs of MiniMan.  He runs into the living room shrieking and holding his cupped hands out in front of him.  We can't understand a word he's saying at first....'Nemonemonemonemo!  ItcameoffItcameoffitcameoff!  IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!!!!'.  Oh crap, I'm thinking, he's squished Nemo.  BD finally got him to open up his little hands and inside...........was a tail.  A long, skinny, black Nemo-tail. 


I thought I was going to pass out.

Or puke.

Or both.

Then I saw a flash of black dart across MM's bedroom floor.  "AHHHH!  She's alive!!!!" I scream.

Commence the action sequence:  I'm screaming about how I'm going to throw up now or potentially hyperventilate {I really was, I swear}, BabyDaddy is yelling for everyone to be quiet, MiniMan is still holding that pitiful tail up in the air and sobbing, and Sunshine is screeching bloody murder and trying to crawl up my leg as I gag.  We went on in this manner for a while, until BD finally switched into emergency responder mode.  As I sat with my head between my knees, begging MiniMan to please get Nemo's tail away from my face with him crying, "She's dead!  She's dead!  I just KILLED HER AND I'M GOING TO GO TO JAIL!"  BD calmly scooped up a frantic, tail-less, but otherwise alive Nemo, and deposited her in her cage.  He pried the tail from MM's clenched fingers and detached Sunshine from my leg.  MiniMan was sent straight to bed with the punishment of an electronic-free weekend in front of him and Sunshine collapsed from sheer exhaustion soon after. 

BabyDaddy and I did some serious googling and discovered that this was a relatively common injury for gerbils, and most actually survived.  The skin over the tailbone is very thin, and apparently is sort of a defense mechanism like those crazy lizards whose tails fall off if you try to catch them.  The prescribed course of treatment was easy, all the websites claimed.  Just clip off any remaining piece of tailbone, clean and coat with Neosporin and the gerbil should be just fine.....ummmm, yeah.  You heard me right.  So of course, experienced medical technician that he is, BD says this will be a piece of cake.

He gets out his kit, gives me some latex gloves, and puts Nemo in my hands to 'keep her steady'.  So there I am, holding a squirming gerbil, trying not to retch, and craning my head away so I don't have to watch.

When I came to, {just kidding, I didn't actually faint-I think I just sort of blacked out for a few seconds}, Nemo was Neosporin-ed and bandaged and happily running about her cage and stuffing her cheeks with sunflower seeds.  And she's been fine ever since.  Every morning, MiniMan is so happy to see her.  :)

The things we do for our children.  {Like perform minor surgery on small mammals.}  I swear.....

Summer Lovin'...

I currently have a few things that make me go all warm and squishy inside, so I thought I'd share the love! 

Spin Pins

These things are fan-FLIPPING-tastic.  ADORATION/SINGING ANGELS/LITTLE HEARTS IN MY PUPILS.  What I don't adore, however, is that a pack of them {2 spin pins} is $6 bucks at your friendly neighborhood Wal-Mart.  But – these bad boys can do the work of about a dozen bobby pins AND they're a lot harder to lose.  It did take me some trial and error to figure out how to position them so that my hair didn't look all wonky, but it's been smooth sailin' since.  {They also make Spin Pin Minis that I want to try on some half-up/half-down styles…}  Run out.  Getcha some! 

The Iced Paci

Who wudda thunk it?  WHY did I never do this when MM was little?  Now this may be some sort of age-old Motherhood remedy, but I just had the epiphany a few weeks ago.  In washing Sunshine's 3,465 Mams pacies, I would always get annoyed that the soapy water stuck around – I had to keep sucking clean water into the nipple part of the thing until it rinsed out the soap.  One particularly fussy teething afternoon, I remembered that I used to freeze wet washcloths for MM to gnaw on when he was teething – so I plugged a few in the freezer.  Later, I was washing bottles and pacies when Sunshine began to fuss.  In my usual space cadet fashion, I put the wet pacies I had been washing down on the inside ledge of the freezer while I reached to the back for the cold rags. {And promptly forgot about them.}  About 3 hours later when I was trying to figure out what the heck I had done with all the pacies, I found them in the freezer.  TA-DA!  Word is born.  And let me tell you – a frozen paci for Sunshine is like crack-cocaine to the back-alley addict.  She just can't get enough.       

    

Nook Color

The best money I never spent.  {Catch that?}  This is hands-down my most favorite Christmas present of, like, all time.  Since December 25, the thing has been glued to my person in some form or fashion.  {Among other things, one of the primary factors that make you feel like my small suitcase purse is going to throw your back out if you pick it up.}  I read, surf the net, check email, get on Facebook.  Mini-Man has a whole set of activities too – kids books, math games, art pad, and his personal fave, Angry Birds.  J  Honestly, this thing does pretty much every fun thing that an iPad can do.  It's ah-MA-zing!  So if you're a reader that's on the fence about this thing– put this on your lust list for the next major holiday!

Chicken Helper {Lemon Herb Chicken and Honey Mustard Chicken }

Oh, Chicken Helper, where have you been my whole life?  I already know your brother, Hamburger Helper-in fact, we're pretty tight.  He's helped me out of many a hectic family dinner crisis!  But you, oh YOU, are stellar! 

Homemade fruit popsicles

2 cups strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar.  Blend/Puree/food processor.  Pour in popsicle molds.  Freeze.  Frozen love my friends, frozen love.  Take 'em outside and get your fingers sticky.  {Best enjoyed on a hot afternoon with children.}  If you don't have time/immediate access to fresh fruit, you can also just use canned fruit in light syrup/juice.  I've done this too! 

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Homemade sidewalk chalk/paint

Who doesn't love to paint on the sidewalk?  Especially if you have eager young ones who need an easy summer activity.  Mini-Man is a particular fan of sidewalk art.  We make roads for hot wheels, battle grounds for Lego dudes, and family portraits.  I've seen several recipes for this around the great wide web, but here is the one I used: 1 cup water, 1 cup corn starch, muffin tin to divide the colors, a few drops of food coloring, and paint brushes.  {The cheap-o foam brushes work okay, but break down pretty quickly on the concrete.  I use regular paint brushes instead.  Now get out there and make a masterpiece!

Impromptu road trips

It's crazy how just being in the car with BabyDaddy and the kids and driving somewhere that's NOT HERE will lift the spirits.  I can feel myself getting lighter with each mile we drive.  It doesn't have to be anywhere big or spectacular.  In fact, just a couple weekends ago we up and decided to tour some caves at a state park about an hour and a half down the road.  We did eat lunch at the park lodge, which was very good by the way, if anyone is ever near Carter Caves, and then went on a cave tour.  Mini-Man rebelled a bit at my holding his hand through the steep inclines and the attempts to stick his head  through the railing {with gaps just big enough to make any momma of a skinny 4 year old skip some heart beats}, but he was a trooper and was generally good.  Sunshine oogled through the first part of the tour, and then happily fell asleep.  It was a good day.  Road Trips, {even small ones} are good for the soul!

1)  Baby Legs

If   If you have a crawling baby, a soon-to-be crawling baby, or even a toddler, these things are a must have.  They have saved Sunshine's fat little knees!  You have to creep on their website a lot though, because they are a bit pricey - but I swear, every few months they will have a ridiculous clearance.  I got 9 pairs of Baby Legs for $20 when they had their winter clearance this past spring.  And even when she's done crawling, these will look super cute under some skirts this fall!!!! {Click on 'source' under the photo to hit up their website!} 

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Shhhh!

 Inspired by one of my fave bloggers – Ashley @ LMM , who has been talking about secrets lately in her corner of blog-dom…

Secrets -- everybody has 'em.  Sometimes it's good to let them out because once you say it out loud, it might spur you on to offer that apology, stop that bad habit, take a leap toward that dream, or get out of that situation.  So, in the interest of full partial disclosure {What?  Did you think I was going to fully open my personal Pandora's Box?  Nah, I'm just going to crack the lid a bit.} here are some of my secrets:

 Source

1)     

I   I wear my jeans more than once without washing them.  {I HATE those tight, uncomfortable, 'poured-in' feeling hours between the time jeans come out of the dryer and when they finally crack under all the pressure ease into a more 'relaxed' fit.}

 

2)      I would give my {put any non-vital organ name here} to be in a book club.  Yeah, I'm a nerd that way.  I love to read.  I love to talk.  I love to argue and discuss.  I would be a book club natural!  {So which one of you is going to start a book club with me?  Come on, any takers?}     Plus, who thinks a Saturday afternoon that includes chatting, coffee, snacks, and adult conversation doesn't sound like a teensy slice of heaven?  

3)      I get a tad anxious freak out about spending money on large purchases and HATE putting things on a credit card.  In fact, I refuse to have any. I cut up all of mine {and all but one of BabyDaddy's - I spared the one he uses for his business.}  I had to hand over some of our financials to BD because watching perfectly normal and necessary spending {like, um, groceries— *blush*} stack up each month made me physically ill and BD got tired of my psychotic panic sessions when things were just fine.  Money scares me to death.  We REALLY need to move into a bigger house, {it's totally time – it's BEEN time for a while now} but I am dragging my heels and offering excuse after excuse {TOTALLY making things up along the way} to BD about putting our home on the market in order to drag it out so that I don't have to deal with it.  Even though I know we will make a smart financial decision and ask for a million opinions from our families before we get CLOSE to signing on the dotted line, simply the idea of all the zero's involved in purchasing another home makes me feel like I'm going to hurl.  

4     The majority of the time that BabyDaddy isn't at home, I will LITERALLY not do one iota of housework.  I will play with the kids, and then after putting them to bed, read or catch up on TV to my heart's content.  I will let the trash overflow, throw my dishes onto the already existing pile in the sink, and ya'll already KNOW how I feel about some laundry.  {Obviously, this is no secret to BabyDaddy, as he calmly and patiently cleans up after me when he comes home.  Seriously, how did I end up with such a man?! *Squeal*}

5)   I don't make time for girlfriends.  I have some really awesome ones too.  They deserve for me to be a wonderful, considerate, thoughtful, PRESENT friend.  But I am HORRIBLE about friendship maintenance and these relationships usually chug along because of their efforts, not mine.  I am super jealous of my mom, who has this ultra-tight group of high school besties that do things together at least once a month.  They are RIDICULOUSLY close – they laugh together, brag about their kids/grandkids together, support each other, and protect each other.  To be fair, all of them are empty-nesters – no hyper toddlers or infants to be found.  BUT, that shouldn't keep me from making time to spend with my friends.  Heck, most of them have kids anyway, and the ones that don't have their own  love my kids like their own , so it shouldn't matter.  Sometimes I think I put friend activities off because I feel like we have to do something BIG and SCHEDULED.  When in reality, just about any time spent together – even if you're just letting your kids blow off steam at the park, or shopping at Wal-Mart – is good time.

6)   I want to lose weight, but I don't want to actually do anything about it.  I hate physical exertion.  I despise sweating.  I abhor taking up precious free time with something I don't love when there are plenty of things I DO love {reading, playing with kids, crafting, vegging on the couch with BD and the TV} that I could be doing instead.  I look at my post-baby body and feel like screaming at it.  So much for the metabolism of my youth, eh?  I know changes won't come unless I make the effort – and I will never be happy with my body again if I don't stop being such a lazy-pants couch potato queen.  Plus I love to eat.  CARBS – BEAUTIFUL CARBS…pasta, bread, cereals, sauces…..Yum.  THAT certainly doesn't help matters either.   

7   I worry constantly about being a good mom.  Am I pushing too hard?  Not hard enough?  Should Mini-Man be able to write his name now?  Should I panic because he hates even attempting to write anything?  Is he eating too much frozen pizza? {What the heck is IN frozen pizza anyway?  That crap can't be good for anyone…}  Am I a bad mom for not letting Sunshine cry-it-out at night?  Am I hindering her development because she can't "self-sooth"?  Will she be scarred forever because I'm not forcing her to drink from a sippy yet?  What will my kids say about me when they grow up and are asked about their childhood?  I could keep going you know….

8   I know BabyDaddy's passwords.  And I snoop his stuff.  Like, a lot.  But to be fair, he knows my passwords too.  And to be even more fair, I'm WAY better than I was a few years ago.  I now refrain from questioning him about every flipping person that sends him a friend request on Facebook.  I honestly just like to get on his FB now and then so I can find trash stay up to date on people that I know but don't have on my friends list. {Riiiiight.}  And I only look at his text messages every other day occasionally.  It sort of helps that BD is a pretty stand-up guy {bless him} and has never once given me anything legitimate to question him about.  :)

9)  

 I  I am scared to death of dying.  No pun intended.  Many of those who are of the evangelical Christian persuasion, of which I am, have the view that one should look forward to death, even long for it {in a purely un-suicidal way – ya'll know what I'm talking about here} so that we can go to heaven to be with our Father.  Do I wanna go to heaven?  Yep!  Do I wanna go like, right now?  Ummmm, not so much.  Sometimes, well, a LOT of times I feel like that makes me a bad Christian.  But I want to be HERE.  On crappy, mangey, dysfunctional, polluted Earth.  I want to be with my kids and my husband and my family.  And I don't want any of them to die either.  I think if my little brother hadn't passed away so young, it wouldn't bother me as much.  "That kind of tragic stuff just happens to other people", the me of before-he-died thought.  Then he died.  Just like that, he was gone.  And it made me realize that just like that it could be any of the people I love.  It could be me.  And then after Grampa died last year {there is no word big enough for how I felt about him—Adored? Loved beyond measure?} it sort of threw me under the bus.  I found myself having nightmares about dying.  About those close to me dying.  It's gotten better – after multiple pep talks and "What Will Be Will Be" speeches from my Momma, but I still have to keep it in check.  If I let myself start thinking about that sort of thing, I'll be a basket case in five shakes of a dog's tail. 

    So, what's the moral of the story?  

        Looking back over everything, I think it's to:

        get the nerve together to find some book club mamas, calm down about finances and realize that money can be a good thing just as easily as a bad thing, set up a play/coffee/gossip session with my girlfriends {and call those that live away from me}, make it a point to do at least one 'domestically necessary' chore a day, start really enjoying my kids while raising them in a healthy, loving home {and knowing that's what counts}, and stop wasting time worrying and live every day with no regrets. 

       {I have absolutely NO intentions of doing anything about the jeans or lurking on BDs Facebook page.  Those are purely for my own personal enjoyment....and a gal's gotta get her kicks somewhere right? }

The Sun Goes Up, the Sun Goes Down...

And once you have spawned a couple offspring, this all happens at, like, Mach 10.

I remember lazy afternoons curled up on the couch with my nose stuck in a book while MY mom worried about dinner, laundry, and bills.  {"Hey, Momma, will you bring me a glass of water please?  And have you washed my blue shirt yet?  And, can I borrow the car?"}  I remember lazy mornings when I would stretch, roll over, squint blearily out the teensy dorm window and decide that Philosophy 204 really wasn't THAT important today.  My goodness, who would want to philosophize at 8 AM anyway?  College classes shouldn't be legally permitted to begin until 9am AT. LEAST.  *Snort*  And then there were lazy evenings spent with my {nose in a book} big toe trailing through the grass under the hammock in my new backyard while BabyDaddy – who wasn't the Daddy of any babies yet, he was just a hot hubby back then—would be charring some burgers or hot dogs on the grill. 

Hours crawled by like sleepy little snails. 

Then……..

{BAM!}  Flash Forward…….

My cell phone vibrates and tinkly tunes of the Grey's Anatomy theme song break the silence.  I hit snooze.  {PleasePleasePlease another five minutes PLEASE.}  *Shuffle Shuffle*Cough *Groan*

I feel a big cold BabyDaddy foot search out my warm ankles and a little cold Mini-Man foot find the warm small of my back. {Yep, we sleep in our little bed like those circus clowns sit in their little car.  Don't hate.}  I'm not very warm anymore…  Then from the peanut gallery {aka the co-sleeper bassinet attached to the bed on my other side}

{Teeny claps from the chubby hands of an alert infant}  *PPPPffffftttt*  Razberries being blown…spit hits my right eye.  I slowly open my left eye to find a fat little sausage finger heading toward my pupil followed quite closely by a gummy, drooly smile.  Her finger hits my tear duct about the same time as her mouth lands on my jaw.  "MMMMMM-BAA!  MMMMM-BAA!"   {Miss Sunshine's kisses.}  I have slobber trails running down my cheeks now.  {If my eyes were open they would be rolling.}  She crawls up to the edge of the bassinet and starts rocking back and forth. 

"Galala, BAA!  PPffft!  OooofooooNa! DA-Da!"  {Translation: "Good morning Mother, delightful day out, isn't it?  Can you be a dear and send Father over here to change my nappy?}    Then she flips around and crawls up to the other side of the co-sleeper and starts pulling things off the nightstand.  Apparently, she considers it a toss-up as to whether my phone, the tv remote, or the framed wedding picture is the tastiest. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Me: Your turn.

BabyDaddy:  *Muffled grunt*

Me: It's your turn.

BabyDaddy: No way.  Too slee….*Snore*

Mini-Man: HellOOOO, I'm tryin' to SLEEP here okay?  Use your quiet voice Mommy……you're too loud.  {BabyDaddy rolls over, then Mini-Man.  They both put the covers over their respective heads.}

Sunshine: BabaDadaGA!  {Sausage fingers in my hair now.}

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I whip off the covers  and lean down over the co-sleeper.  Sunshine's monkey arms immediately wrap themselves around my neck.  MMM-BAA!  {Another wet kiss.} 

And I start my day. 

Change/feed/burp Sunshine.  Wash my slobbery face.  Scrub away yesterday's mascara.  Use a generous amount of concealer--blast you under-eye circles!  Put on clothes.  Put Sunshine in high chair to play with her toys.  Uh-oh.  Sunshine has a dark raincloud face and she bangs her hands angrily on her tray.  I put down the hair dryer and pick her up.  MMMM-BAA!  *Wet burp* {Ominous gurgling sounds from Sunshine's tummy.}  *Retch*  Take off clothes.  Put on new clothes.  Pull covers away from BabyDaddy.  Knee BabyDaddy in the small of his back.  Threaten.  Repeatedly threaten.  Get down in BabyDaddy's face and give fierce ultimatums about the next twenty years of his life.  Poke him in the eye.  Oh, yay!  He's up!  Hand over Sunshine.  *Kiss!  Kiss*  Out the door. 

Work all day – and although I love my job, by 4:30pm my brain is squiggly jello.  {Since I have a desk job BabyDaddy says I should be well-rested by the time I return home.  Riiiiight.}  

Start dinner.  Look at the laundry.  Take work clothes off and add to the pile.  Put on my bleached out t-shirt and yoga pants.  Serve dinner.  Look at the laundry again.  Clear away all things stainable, strip Sunshine to her diaper and feed her.  Look at the laundry.  Laugh at the laundry.  Scrape organic green beans out of my hair.  Make faces at the laundry.  Watch Mini-Man's new ninja moves.  Play a round of Xbox.    Bath/Lotion/Jammies/songs/bottle/bed for Sunshine.  Take a deep breath.  Bath/Jammies/Teeth brushing/bedtime story/prayers/bed for Mini-Man.  Yell at BabyDaddy to come inside darn it!  {He slunk out to the garage sometime between green beans and Jammies.}  Kick the laundry.  Fall on the couch.  *GASP* Remove heavily armed action figures from couch.  Collapse again.  Greedily devour as many pages of whatever book I am reading.  Forget the laundry.      

{Tick-Tock, Eleven O'Clock.}    

My head hits the pillow.  And then, before I think it humanly possible – {SURELY it cannot be possible} –Grey's Anatomy.  *Snooze* 

{REPEAT.}

Dear Muffin Mini-Man,

Hey!  I'm talking to you!  *Ahem*  Look over here please mister.  Yes, put down your lego dudes and come sit by me.  Have I told you how much I love you today?  Because I should say it every minute.  Let me tell you why I love you so.  You are my darling, my sweet  boy, my little wonder.  You are my firstborn – the one who changed my life forever.  I never knew how much fun this wide world was until I had you.  And you get better every day.  You're so BIG now.  You never cease to remind me of that fact.  Your favorite phrase, (besides that whole 'No' thing) is:

"Let's DO this!"

You love to dance.  And you make Daddy and I dance with you. {Which is good for our souls if not more than slightly embarrassing.}  You ask questions, you learn things, you form opinions.

You are a tough little pebble who will not budge once you have made up your mind.  {I think that might have come from Pa--->Nana--->Mommy straight down to you my little tree by the river.}  You SHALL NOT be moved. 

You are hilarious.  Your smile splits your face wide open and makes your eyes twinkle – when you smile, everyone smiles with you.  You love to play tricks.  Our house is peppered with your joyful shouts of, "HA!  Gotcha!" 

You love music, just like me.  We fight with Daddy in the car because we don't want to hear "his ol' country songs".  {We win every time!}  We like the tunes that make you wanna get up and MOVE.  And we do.  We love to car dance even when Daddy says people are looking at us funny in the next lane.  We just laugh – and keep on dancing.  J

You love to read, just like me.  {Are you seeing the pattern here?}  You constantly amaze me, and I love how you challenge yourself without anyone asking you too.  If you find a word you don't know, you sound it out.  If you still don't get it, you corner the nearest person and make them say it for you.  And then you ask, "So, what does that mean?"  And you never forget either.  {I don't know of any other four year olds that can tell you the meaning of the word 'sarcophagus'.  Heck, Daddy can't even SAY that word.  Sorry Daddy.}   

As much as you love everything we have already talked about, you ADORE yourself some electronics.  Laptops, iPods, video games…it never ends.  You had to show your Granny how to use her own iPhone when she first brought it home.  {"MMmm-Kay Granny, now you just swipe your finger right here.  All right, now YOU try it…"}  J  This is where you mesh with your Daddy.  You could sit on the couch and play Xbox with him until your eyeballs liquefied if someone would let you.  I can't tell you how many times I have watched you two and just giggled.  My favorite boys in the world – side-by-side in your underwear, hunched forward with your elbows planted on your kneecaps, controllers in hand, and giving some cartoon bad guy the what-for.   We've been striving to set reasonable limits, which you've gotten pretty good at… Well, we just take it a day at a time, right? 

You have the most sensitive spirit and you wear your heart on your sleeve. {Pity the fool who EVER thinks of breaking it…this momma will be breaking them!}  You love on your little sister like crazy, and you are already super protective of her.  In the car when she gets fussy, you reach over to pat her arm and whisper, {"It's okay.  I'm right here.  See my hand?  I'll never leave you."}  It makes Daddy and me look at each other in that way that always makes you drop your hand and say angrily, "Hey!  What?  What did I say?!"  Tough guy.  J  

You come from good stock little man.  {Yes, on your Daddy's side too.}  J  We are so lucky to have you.  I  am so lucky to have you.  We are peas and a pod, you and I.  I thank the Father everyday for giving you to me and ask that I always be worthy of the blessing that you are.  It's me and you against the world kid.  I am always on your side.  {And don't you forget it.}       

With ALL my heart,

Your Mommy

Honies, I'm home!

It's so very disappointing when people I cyber-stalk in the Land of Blog go AWOL. I mean, what are they doing anyway? Really, don't they know that I need crap to read? that my early-early morning, or early evening, or Sunday afternoon coffee time DEPENDS on their posting stuff for my pleasure? Hmpf.

Oh. Riiight. *blush*

So ya'll haven't forgotten me have you? Hello? Um, anyone? (Knocking on the computer screen.)

Well, I've had a case of the

"Gosh-going-back-to-work-full-time-really-zonks-you-out-after-being-able-to-couch-surf-all-day-lovin-long-snugglin-with-your-new-bebe-and-keeping-up-with-your-minor-hurricane-of-a-preschooler-and-sometimes-doing-useful-things-(other than like reading or Facebooking)-like-laundry-or-dinner-or-dishes-and-this-more-daylight-thing-means-more-time-to-d0-fun-stuff-like-fishing-playing-bike riding-trampoline jumping-creek wading-grass sitting-cookout having-ITIS".

{BREATH}

So here's what you've missed yesterday last week last month (CRAP-okay, a long stinking time ago) in my life:

My mini-man, who just turned four {FOUR! GASP!} and who I can no longer in good conscience refer to as the Muffin - cause he's like big and opinionated and stuff - has been registered for pre-school this fall. *Sniff* *Tear*

Where are my blasted tissues?

He is reading like crazy, which I love {He get it from his Mama}...On the first afternoon BabyDaddy went to investigate the alarming quiet and found him curled up on his bed with his library books, we realized our progeny's little gene pool MIGHT be filled with a few more bookish Mommy DNA curlie-Qs than the huntin/fishin/taxidermyin' rough and tough backwoods chromosomes that are flooding through BD's arteries.

{TOTALLY okay by me -- just FYI.}

The kid also loves to say NO. He ADORES saying "I don't want to" and "Did you hear me?" But, by far, his MOST favorite of all is to climb up on the couch so that he is eye-level with you and say, "I said No! I don't want to! DID YOU HEAR ME?!" Yep, he's a hot one.

Our little Miss Sunshine Happy-Face is now SEVEN months on planet Earth, and we have gushed over her just about as much as we can every milli-second of that time. BabyDaddy has a new girlfriend (and believe you me, he will guard her from boys like a rabid rottweiler), Mini-Man has a captive audience, and I have a dress-me-up babydoll.

{And BOY, do I take advantage of THAT.}

BabyDaddy finds it humorous that I show early symptoms of hyperventilation if we start to leave the house without a properly coordinated hair bow - strapped of course to a durable headband, cause ya'll would know that Miss Thang is just like Mini-Man used to be - slick bald.

{Her fat and ever-so-pinchable cheeks make up for the missing hair .}

She just sprouted what looks to be her first AND second tooth, she eats like a horse, and sleeps most of the time through the night. I could not have CUSTOM DESIGNED a better bebe'. Within the past few days, all heck broke loose as she began to crawl to her mother of course to the XBox controller.

{Please tell me that isn't a foretelling of the future? Please?!!}

She adores her big brother above everyone else, much to his delight/scorn - it really depends on the day - and will do her darndest to get as close as possible to him, including {but not limited to} gnawing on his shins, smacking his face, and drooling in his hair. Usually, Mini-Man responds with detached indifference.

"Um, Mommy, she's slobbering. Again. And it's running down my neck. May I change my shirt please?"

*SIGH*

Life is good ya'll. It really is. And now that I'm 'back in the saddle' as they say, you shouldn't have to wait 4 months for the next post. :)

FAIL.

In the interest of full disclosure--that's what this whole thing is about, yes?--I thought I might share some of my most recent 'Fails':

FAIL #1: I realized this evening that I hadn't brushed my teeth. Since Sunday morning.

FAIL #2: Out of pure curiosity--the only time I was aware of people actually using it was as a terrible aid for tanning--I put on baby oil after my shower. I was out of lotion and it clearly stated "24 hours of moisture". Nice! It DIDN'T say that it leaves you feeling like a greased pig. The Muffin tried to lay his head on my shoulder while I was reading him a bed time story and it slid right off! (However I do smell pleasant...)

Happy One Month Birthday SweetTart!

Our little SweetTart is now over a month old. I can't say I'm sad to see the first month behind us--if that makes me sound like a monster mom, so be it--but things are definitely a bit calmer now. Nursing has gotten so much smoother, I'd forgotten about the 'nipples of fire' that the first two weeks bring, and her sleeping schedule has gotten better and more uniform. In fact, she has now slept through the night three times! (I don't think the Muffin blessed us with a full night's sleep until he was closer to two or three months old.) If she doesn't sleep through the night, she usually goes down between 10pm and 11pm and then gets up at 3am and then 6 or 7am. The only complaint that I have, which really isn't a complaint, is that most nights after the 3am feeding she is awake. Not fussy,which is wonderful, but just AWAKE. So, either BabyDaddy or I will bring her into the living room and hang out until she gets tired or wants to nurse again. To be sure, I will be singing happy songs when she is consistently sleeping through the night, but having the Muffin's 'up every 2 hours' infant schedule to compare it to, I'm trying really hard not to call her dirty names when she wakes me up in the wee hours. :)

The Muffin is a wonderful big brother. He watches SweetTart like a hawk, and I do mean that in the most literal of forms. It's like a constant play-by-play:

"Mommy! I hear that squishy noise...I think she's pooping again!"
"Mommy! She's got the hiccups!
"Mommy! She just sneezed two times!
"Mommy! I think I see a booger in her nose!"
"Mommy! She's making sad faces!"

Another interesting thing to see is his reaction to breast feeding. At first, he was a little squeamish, until I explained that was how I fed him when he was a baby too. Then he started asking questions, my favorite of which was, "Does it come in chocolate too?" Nothing like an inquisitive kid, eh?

Other fun facts about SweetTart:
*She's still got those baby blues---in fact, I think they are even lightening up some.

*She is a talker! Unless she is in a really deep sleep, she is constantly grunting or chattering. Even the doctor commented on it. To be fair, if I had to choose between grunting or screaming, I'll gladly take the grunts!

*She is already rolling over onto her side. In fact, she does this pretty much every time you lay her down on her back. It makes for some very interesting diaper changes.

*She loves riding in the car, but it's almost like she has a motion sensor. Red light/traffic jam=SCREAMING FIT. Smooth and steady acceleration=SILENCE. PeePaw Jones in his caddy/tractor hauling 800 bales of hay=MINI APOCALYPSE. Continued speeds of 50 mph or higher=PEACE.

*She is finally fitting into her clothes better! Bless her ever-lovin' heart, for the first few weeks, everything but newborn sizes made her look like a homeless hobbit baby. We were NOT ready for that--the Muffin weighed only 4 oz more than SweetTart, but he could never fit into newborn clothes. He went straight into 0-3 months and was even up to 3-6 months by the time he was probably 8 or 9 weeks old. So at last, SweetTart is getting too big for her newborn outfits and is fitting snuggly into 0-3!

Ahhhh, the silence is shattered. The princess is calling!

I'm Back Ya'll!

So it's been what, like 6 months? Yep, I think that's about right. Let's catch up, shall we?

* Found out we were players on Team Pink--yes I spawned a female, much to the surprise of everyone on both sides of the family--and immediately ruffles and ribbons began creeping into our home.

*Got bigger.

*Enjoyed several short weekends away.

*Got bigger.

*Redecorated the kiddos' room.

*Got really stinking big.

*Enjoyed the state fair.

*

Okay, really? Can a uterus expand any more without exploding? (Apparently....yes.)

*And finally, after months and months of anticipation....I twisted my midwife's arm and got myself induced! (Take notice of the extreme air of excitement surrounding BabyDaddy's face.)

*She's here--Introducing the newest princess-in-residence, our little Sweet Tart!

As you can see, SweetTart is a little blond bombshell like her Daddy. It appears that she will have his blue eyes too...one can only hope that she inherits my cultural sense and aversion to dead animals. The Muffin has been getting better with her each day. In the beginning, he pretty much ignored her, except to say, "Um, Mommy? She's really loud and I can't sleep. Do you think you could feed her or something?" Bless his little golden heart. (I'm of course thinking, "Darling, if I wasn't nursing and your almost four-year-old little fingers could hold a bottle, and if it wasn't totally wrong, don't think for a SECOND that I wouldn't prop YOU up on the couch with her.) Ahhhh, infancy. I'll be happy when she's consistently sleeping through the night. She's done it twice now, and I'm praying the streak will continue!!!

And so the world spins....and our household expands!

I don't mind rainy, gray afternoons at all. Especially when those rainy afternoons just happen to fall on a weekend -- this means that I can sit on the couch in my pajamas and have an excuse not to move for a while. (But really, when have I ever needed an "excuse" not to move for a while? I'm a not-moving pro, as I'm sure BabyDaddy can attest.) The only problem is that I have a ridiculous sinus headache that is making me want to either snap off my nose or prize out my eyeballs --I'm an overly safe attempt-not-to-take-any-medication-unless-near-death pregnant person, so I am trying to tough it out. DISCLAIMER: I completely reserve the right to whine to my heart's content. I am making no attempts at curbing THAT. So pound away sinus pressure! I will whine you out! It's unfortunate that I have to follow BD around the house in order to have someone to listen to my angst. He keeps mysteriously migrating away from me. I have no idea why. Now he's out in the garage, and the door is curiously locked. Hmmmmmm. So, I've resorted to sitting on top of the dryer with my mouth pressed against the crack of the garage door trying to make sure my plaintive cries are heard over the hammering, sanding, and general racket taking place. Blast - he just turned on the radio. That devious man. Ah well, I guess it's back to the couch for me again. BD should be ashamed of himself. This is like, the majority of his married job!

Things have been relatively calm here for the past couple of weeks, which is always wonderful. No "practice" 911 calls, no near-disasters, no feeding foreign objects to the dogs, (I don't even think I mentioned that debacle...poor Miss Bug puked Fisher Price body parts for days). It's been good! I feel fabulous, other than the beginnings of some really random, hard to resist cravings -- like that box of donut holes. I do feel ever so bad about that on this side of things... I go back soon for my four month check up, and we'll get to schedule the 'big' ultrasound. Oh, to finally figure out what this kiddo is going to be! We're all looking forward to that; I despise not knowing things. Here are a few of my favorite things from the past couple of weeks:

Spring flowers -- I adore tulips! You can hardly look at them without feeling instantly happier.

Playing in the rain - everyone should do it!

Birthday cakes with several, well ---ahem---LOTS of candles. Happy Birthday BabyDaddy!

"Flying". (BD may be getting older, but he's still a kid at heart!)

Throwing rocks in the creek.

And last, but certainly not least...playing in the dirt! The Muffin has been so fascinated with dirt lately. I have decided that instead of spending money on a sand box, we should just have a dirt box instead. Much more economical!!