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xoxo

Lord, help me.

MommyMommyMommyMommyMommyMommyMommyMommyMommyMommyMommyMommy! Tellhimtostop!  Ididn'tdoit!  Idon'tknowwhereitis!  She'schasingmeandIdon'twantherto!  Youweren'teatingthem!  StopitorI'mtelling!  Shehitme!  Hehitme!  It'smydaysoIgettochoose!  Youneedtoshare!  Ididsayplease!  MommyMommyMommyMommyMommyMommy!

It's 8:44am on the first day of the first week of summer.  How's your day going?

 

Smoooooooothies with a little magic

First day of summer and we've started it by eating smoothies with Magic Powder for breakfast.

It hasn't quite worked on the Grump that is Drew.  Not yet, anyway.

When you're two and left to eat a smoothie like the big kids, you end up looking like a drag queen in lipstick.

Two things:  The blanket they are sitting under is dryclean only.  I didn't realize it until I saw these pictures that they were even using this blanket.  And Magic Powder is... flax seed.  I know.  It's genius, right?

*The quality of my iPhone pics are horrid.  Sorry.

Summah, summah, summah time!

Today is the last day of school.  Last year I was dreading it.  Like dreading it.  In fact I remember my fb status update on this day said, "76 days 'til the first day of school."  Drew and William fought so terribly with each other at this time last year and with Lauren only being a year old I just didn't want them home all day with me.  Terrible?  Maybe.  Honest, yes.  This year it's not quite so... intense.  They still fight but William has manned up a bit and the fighting is more on an even level so it's not just Drew being a pest and William crying.  Now it goes both ways and I feel more comfortable in saying, "Figure it out, don't come to me" or "I don't want to hear it" or "Keep it up and I'm going to make you hug each other" or something like that usually ends it all or at least makes them take it in the other room.  And now that Lauren is 2+ she's capable of doing more and we aren't so tied down with those crazy two 3 hour naps a day thing.  

Anyway, in true Peters tradition, I took a picture of the kids in front of the tree on the last day of school and a picture of me with the kids.  We're also meeting a bunch of school friends for lunch to celebrate the beginning! of! summer! 

How do you feel about summer?  Is it dread?  Excitement?  A little of both, like me?  

First day of school in August

Last day of school in May

Yes, Chris has good dental with the fire department.  Yes, Drew is wearing a stripper glitter shirt.  And yes, William loves his mama.  Oh, and yes.  I'm absolutely overflowing with pride and love over them all.

Don't worry, friends.  You'll hear all about our summer.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.  I hope to hear about your summer, too!

You are who are are... if that's who you wanna be, that is.

I'm sure you've heard this story about the family who is raising their child not as a he or a she, but as a genderless being who can make his/her own choices as he/she gets older.  The parents have named the baby Storm and even the grandparents don't know the 4 month old's gender. 

Part of me wants to think that I get it, I see what they're saying and what they're doing but the other part of me thinks they are f'ing crazy parents are jacking that kid up!  I get the premise but I think it's terribly misguided.  As parents we encourage and support and guide.  Allowing a child to be completely without ideas and limits I believe can be confusing and difficult.  Plus?  Science is science.  Just because you have a particular body part doesn't mean you must adhere to certain social rules but it doesn't change the fact that you DO have that particular body part.  I don't know.  I just don't get where they're coming from.   

Drew is a girl.  She has a traditionally boy's name.  She only wants to wear skirts and ride bikes.  She wants to dig in the dirt and wear a sparkly necklace.  I don't care what she does.  She's a kid and I want her to be happy.  William is a boy who is sweet and sensitive and I think he'll love his mommy dearly til the day he dies.  He used to love to wear Drew's tutu and sing Broadway hits.  Now he loves trucks and the color blue.  He's said that he may want to be a black widow for Halloween because it's awesome that black widows are all girls.  I don't care what he does.  He's a kid and I want him to be happy.  There is no denying, however, that HE is a BOY and that SHE is a GIRL.  To make their gender an issue is an issue I believe.  And now, because this has been made such a big whooptie, that poor family - the parents, the two young siblings, and the genderless baby - are going to be sought after and I just can't imagine that's beneficial at all.

If you haven't seen the story, here it is:



What do you think about this?

BTW, I totally think it's a boy.

Baby Storm

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Pointless ramblings

* We bought the most gorgeous new front door.  It took a long time to find exactly what I wanted.  After months of looking, Chris ordered it for me on Mother's Day, a gift of sorts.  I was so excited.  It took more than 2 weeks to arrive which honestly seemed like forever.  It arrived and it's not correct.  There is a 2-inch perimeter around the door that is BRIGHT white composite.  The door is a cherry wood finish with wrought iron.  The white is like a H E L L O new door!  No stain or paint will adhere to it so it's going back.  And so we begin again.

* I went to the dentist for my 6-month cleaning which is something I look forward to.  My dentist is 45 minutes away and they have massaging chairs.  That means I get to drive for an hour and a half by myself in the car and I get to sit for nearly an hour in a massage chair.  Doesn't that sound heavenly?  Anyway, the dentist said, "I thought we put a crown on this wisdom tooth?"  as he flips through my records.  I said, "You did, back in February."  He looks again and says, "It's not there.  You don't remember it falling out?"  Um, no, I don't.  Since I've had a root canal there I don't feel anything and since it's my wisdom tooth it's so far back there I just didn't know.  He said, "You must have swallowed it."  I said, "Damn, that was one expensive meal."  I go back in a few weeks for another.

* The last day of school is on Friday.  The kids will be going to a different school next year and W will be in kindergarten and D will be in 1st grade.  Those are two huge things for me to adjust to and I'm resistant to both things happening.  As with all the other milestones thus far, I don't have a choice and I'll come around eventually.  This summer will be full of karate and swim lessons and bike riding and fighting and whining and complaining but I'm dreading it much less this year than I was last year.  Ages 2, 4, and 6 are by far the most challenging thus far but there are some advantages, too.  Last summer having a 1, 3, and 5 year old sucked pretty much all the way around.  This year we're ready to all have fun together.

~ What the Hell Wednesday ~

This product is for real.  It's called a Neck Float Ring. 

What the hell?  Who would use this?  Not only does it look painful, it looks dangerous, too.  It is advertised for ages 1 month to 18 months.  1 month?  Can you imagine putting this around your 1 month old and putting them in a pool?  Good Lord.  

Thanks to Melissa for passing this fabulous product along to me!

*I've missed the last two WTHW posts - 2 weeks ago was my anniversary and there is nothing WTH about that and last week I was in the hospital which is the biggest WTH ever but I couldn't post.  So this week, I resume...

A few things I love. What are some of yours?

My friend, Amanda, suggested this and since she and I are alike in a billion ways I just knew I'd love this, too.  If you don't have this yet for your dryer and you love a really clean fresh smell in your freshly laundered clothes, get this.  The only thing I've noticed is that it says it lasts for 4 months.  After 5 weeks I had to change mine.  Maybe that's an indicator of how insane my laundry routine is...

Just about every season I have a new candle recommendation for you.  I'm all about smells and it's important to me that I have something burning all the time in my house.  This is a great new one I've found.  It's fresh, not too sweet, and perfect for this warm spring/summer weather.

It's ok if you don't know what this is - I'll tell you.  It's what made my gall bladder pain in the E.R., the hours in the hospital before my surgery, and my post-surgery recovery so tolerable.  Dilaudid.  This is the structural formula for Dilaudid.  If you haven't had this pain killer before, ask for it if you ever need it.  It's fantastic.

I'm not a big make-up girl but I do like me a good eyeliner.  I just discovered this one and I love it.  It's soft and smudgey.  Since I'm so fair sometimes eyeliner looks like EYE LINER on me, you know?  This is soft and not too Goth-ish.

I hardly watch any television anymore and if I do it either has the words Real Housewives or Jersey in it.  It's shameful, I know.  In my recent days of spending a little more time on the couch I discovered so many amazing shows on the Nat Geo channel.  Where have you been, my friend??  There all along as I watch my shit tv, I'm afraid.  How embarrassing.  Today I watched a great program about Amish kids who escape from their communities and try and assimilate into the modern culture in a big city.  It really was so interesting.  I may start growing brain cells again as opposed to losing them while watching television.  Imagine that.

Any great finds you'd like to share??

Let me tell you about...

Superwoman I am not.  I have never aspired to be or claimed to be.  Having unexpected surgery kind of throws one into a position of letting others do everything or trying to do some while others help.  Chris, Mom and Chris's parents did everything in regards to laundry, meals, and the kids but there were places to go and things to do so I didn't sit home and rest as I probably should have.  I didn't have much responsibility which was a tremendous load off but I was still up and about.  That was a mistake.

Within 2 hours of being discharged from the hospital (15 hours after surgery) I was sitting at William's preschool graduation.  The next day was Drew's graduation with a trip to the ice cream shoppe after.  The day after that was a family lunch and a trip to Build-a-Bear in the mall.  I'm realizing now that I kind of saw this surgery on the same level as a root canal.  Hurts, pain in the ass, not something you plan for, keep Vicodin on-hand and you're fine to resume your life.  Ummm, not quite the case.  

Today, day 3, I am paying the price and quite heavily.  My body has clearly put out the memo:  "If you aren't going to take care of me, I'll lay you low so you don't have a choice."  Annnnnd, so here I lay.  I've been in bed almost all day.  Drew has brought me Ritz crackers and water and my mother-in-law brought me an iced skinny carmel machiatto.  I'm setting my alarm and keeping up with the pain killers and am napping off and on.  For the second time ever I've called Chris home from work now that all our parents are gone.  I thought I could do a few hours on my own but I just can't.  

So, lesson learned.  Gall bladder surgery isn't a major surgery but it's not a root canal either.  And as my friend Jay lovingly told me today, "Damnit Peters, it's just going to take longer to heal the more you dick around!" 

If you need me today or tomorrow (or the next day?) I'll be flat on my back with no mascara, no appetite, and no sense of humor.  Sounds fun, no? 

Build-a-$50-piece-of-cotton

William has finished preschool.  Drew has finished kindergarten.  They both had ceremonies at school the last couple nights.  Surprisingly I wasn't emotional.  Maybe it's because I was preoccupied a bit with the week's unexpected activities and I'm thinking maybe that's a good thing.  I tend to get stupid over milestones, as you know.  Anyway, as a celebration for both kids I decided we'd take them to Build-A-Bear.  Drew has asked in the past to make a Build-A-Bear and I've always said no.  Not because I'm mean and heartless but because a $50 teddy bear that she'll NEVER play with was just out of question.  Callmecrazy.  I know the process of making the bear is part of the fun so this was something a kept in my back pocket for a special treat.  Graduation was the right time to whip this baby out. 

Filling his bear before dressing him in his Jedi clothes

Giving life to the heart of her bear before putting it inside

Preschool grad and kindergarten grad

Exhibit A if we ever go to divorce court.

It was a good day.

Suprise attack

Oh, Lord.  I'll try not to bore you to death but since this blog is also printed as my family's diary I'm going to post about this.  I'll also do my best to be tothepoint and quick with the story, something Chris says I'm completely incapable of doing.

Monday night I went to bed feeling fine.  I woke up at 4am on Tuesday morning with the most insane pain right between my boobs.  It was unlike anything I'd ever felt before and after rocking back and forth and convincing myself I was in the throws of a heart attack, I woke Chris up and said, "What's right here?"  He said, "Your boobs."  I said, "No, right in between my boobs.  It hurts so badly I can't even lay down or take a deep breath."  He convinced me it wasn't a heart attack but since I knew something was wrong, I left him to completely rearrange his schedule and get the kids up and moving and to school while I threw on an old sweatshirt and drove myself to the E.R.

Within 3 minutes of walking in the door at the E.R. I was in a bed and was hooked up.  The pain increased and either my nurse was really nice or she was sick of listening to me but the doctor came in to see my fairly quickly.  He ordered an ultrasound, seemed pretty convinced it was my gall bladder, and gave me some pain meds.  After nearly 4 hours after I woke up in such pain, I was at ease a little bit.  

The ultrasound was finished and the results were easy to see - gall stones.  Plural.  Lots of them.  And one little one had fallen and was blocking a bile duct.  I was kept doped up for the most part, slept the day away in the E.R. and by 5pm was admitted to the hospital and had my own room.  

My friend, Tracy, is such a saint.  She came to sit with me and keep me company for the rest of the night in the hospital.  I called to see if my mom could come the following day, and I gave Chris permission to stay home and just keep children busy and happy.  My surgery was schedule for 3am on Wednesday so I had about 9 hours until then so I asked them to keep me on pain meds since the pain was getting worse and I took my 8th nap of the day.

3am rolled around and they came to get me.  As I was being wheeled into the O.R. I said, "How much does a gall bladder weigh?"  The nurse said, "I'm unsure, but a few ounces."  I said, "Damn, I was hoping to walk out of here a few pounds lighter."  I really was disappointed in that.  I remember being in the operating room and he told me to take some deep breaths and I thought after my 4th deep breath, "Shit, this stuff totally doesn't_____________"  Next thing I knew I was in recovery, sans gall bladder.

I slept until about 7:30am and was feeling super sore, but I wasn't in pain as I'd been for the last 23 hours so it was all good.  I had 4 incisions made, the one right above my belly button hurts the most but that's because some muscle was cut.  Turns out my gall bladder wasn't only riddled with stones but it was inflamed and infected.  Lovely, right?  So anyway, I'm glad I didn't go with Chris's diagnosis of that it was just my boobs.  I knew something was wrong.  

I was discharged from the hospital and honestly I didn't want to leave.  That may sound awful to some but for reals, I didn't want to leave.  I slept.  I was cared for.  I was waited on.  I could push a button and someone would come in and with a smile would say, "Do you need something Mrs. Peters?"  I mean, really?  I may have done this whole gall bladder thing earlier if I'd known the perks to being in the hospital were so awesome.

When I came home from the hospital it was about 2 hours before William's preschool end-of-the year performance/graduation.  My mom was here so I left Chris and mom to watch the kids ride bikes and make dinner while I took a shower.  I got dressed and ready to head to the graduation.  I was hobbling and was so sore but felt like it was completely doable.  I came home and went to bed and woke up in tears a few hours later.  The pain was worse than the original gall bladder pain.  Super mom I am NOT and it was crazy to think I could do all that.  I am paying the price today as I think I'm in more pain than I should be.  Vicodin will be my companion for the next few days, no doubt.  I'm all about comfort and no pain and have NO PROBLEM doing what I need to to ensure that. 

While I was in the hospital and in the 20 hours since I've been home, I've gotten more emails, texts, and phone calls of people offering to help with the kids, with meals, and with getting the kids to and from school for me.  The outreach of people has been overwhelming and I'm not exaggerating.  It's so nice to know that when something happens, there are people who rally around our family right away to help.  Thank you to every single person who contacted me in any way. 

Ok.  You knew this couldn't end without a few pictures.  Here they are:

This is a bit of, "I cant' believe this is happening" + "I am so not caught up on the laundry and Chris will never find anything for them to wear to school" + "I get to sleep and watch tv and be waited on for the next 24 hours" + "I can't believe this is happening" 

Yes, please.

I was asked my pain number probably a hundred times.  This was my chart. 

Is this gross?  Sorry if it is.  The top thing is my liver - see how healthy that is?  I was proud of that.  The thing underneath is my gall bladder.  It's bigger than it should be.  And now my liver doesn't have to share its space with anything anymore!

3 babies, a kidney stone, and now this.  I'm done for many, many years I hope.  Although I wouldn't mind staying in the hospital for a few nights here and there.  I'd rent a room there if I could.  Is that weird?

Peters Party of 5, updated!

Check out the new header!  It makes me look way more awesome than I really am all thanks to the amazing Jill Paddack of Jill Paddack Photography.  We met in the rain (Can you tell?  No?  See?!) and she snapped a handful of pictures and we were off again, it was that quick.  It would have been very easy for her to reschedule us given the diminishing weather but she knows the effort and energy put into having everyone together, clean, and ready.  She happily met us in the rain to get this done.  My brood was decently behaved and there were no bribes involved even though I was willing to pull out the big guns if necessary.  And by big guns I mean GUM. 

Thanks, Jill.  You're amazing and I will forever cherish this picture of my Peters Party of 5.

Dum Dum, rainbow, and idiots

See this girl here?  See how she's eating a Dut Dut (Dum Dum)? 

That's because she went pee in the potty!!  2 years, 2 months and today was the first time.  We've been having her be nakie off and on for a few months getting her used to how it feels to have to go, go without a diaper, and not like what happens.  I've started asking her more often lately if she has to go.  I sit her on the potty when she says she has to go but she's never really had to go.  She loves Dum Dums so I've been saying, "If you go pee in the potty you can have a Dum Dum!" and I've stopped giving them for any reason.  She asks for one and I say, "When you go pee on the potty, ok?"  Sooo... today she told me she had to go, we ran into the bathroom, I put her up on the potty and she started to go and clap her hands and screaming, "Dut Dut!  Dut Dut!"  (It reminded me of Her-ca-leez, Her-ca-leez!)  It was very exciting.  We'll see how this progresses.

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Tonight while cleaning up out front - you know, bikes, jackets, cones in the street, etc. - I noticed a rainbow.  The kids came out to see it and William asked if we could go chase it to find the gold.  Considering it was a solid hour before Lauren's bedtime and we had NOTHING to do we loaded up into the car to kill time chase the rainbow.

This is what it looked like near our house.  We drove that direction for about 15 minutes.  It faded or disappeared before we reached it which was so very disappointing but it wasn't for lack of effort.  The kids already had their gold spent so they were super bummed.  It was fun, though.  I've never chased a rainbow before.

The sky was amazing on our drive and gave the kids lots to look at and talk about.

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Planking.  Have you heard of this?  Holy hell.  Here's the definition:  Planking:  lying face down with arms to the sides in unusual public spaces.  Huh?  I know.  The pictures almost explain it better.  It's apparently a craze that is sweeping Australia and beginning to spread elsewhere. 

Idiots climb up on structures, plank, and their picture is taken.

See?  For reals.  There are thousands of pictures of people planking.  There is even a planking facebook page that more than 100,000 people "like". 

 Call me crazy but... I don't get it.  Do you?  Have you heard of it?  So now we need to tell our teenagers, "Don't drink, don't do drugs, don't have unprotected sex, and don't plank."  OMG.

Bloggy blog

Blogging. It's a relatively new way of keeping a diary or as some may see it, airing one's dirty laundry.  Mine is a little of both I suppose and I'm (obviously) completely comfortable with that. 

Two of my blogging mommy friends, Anne and Katrina, and I met for dinner a few nights ago. We talked about lots of things during our 2 and a half hour meal;  kids, school, marriage, poopy diapers, sleep, family, and... blogging.  It's funny how important blogging has become to all of us. We are all stay-at-home moms who previously had careers. We are all home bound for a few hours everyday with little ones who nap. We all have a great need for social interaction.  We all enjoy writing and find some kind of theraputic something in doing so.  We also have 10 kids ages 7 and under between the three of us and there's no way of getting around the fact that blogging is an escape of sorts, even if for 20 minutes. 

Blogging for me has become part of my day.  I have never ever ever not had something I wanted to write about.  I don't think so much about writing for an audience since I really don't know who my audience is.  I get comments, often from the same fabulous people, but I would assume that the others who read and don't ever comment are moms with kids, figuring it out and surviving with a smile (or trying to), just like I am. 

I don't have one friend whose husband has a normal 9-5 job.  Almost everyone commutes.  Kids don't always go to neighborhood schools anymore.  It's just different than it used to be and many interactions are kept up through online communication.  If this was one's only way of being connected to the outside world, that could be a problem.  For me, it's a maintenance thing.  We get together, either alone or with kids, and then for the next month or more we communicate, commiserate, and reciprocate through emails, blogs, and facebook.  It's a community, a bit of my life, and a huge support. 

Thanks for checking in with Peters Party of 5.  Thanks for the comments.  Thanks for those of you who have said I keep it real.  You are to me what I am to you and I thank you!

I encourage you to go check out The Abris 5 and The Adams Six-Pack!

Share a little love

When you have a husband who has a job with weird shift hours and also owns a business which is a full-time job in and of itself AND you have three kids it's not often that you get a chance to spend time one-on-one with each child.  I get lots of time alone with Lauren while the kids are at school but one-on-one with each of the big kids is kind of rare.  Important and rare. 

This morning Drew had a doctor's appointment.  Chris and Lauren were off to run errands, William was at school, and Drew and I went to the doctors.  We came out and it dawned on me that this was a great opportunity to spend some alone big-girl time together.  We headed to get some new shoes, rode up and down the escalator, went to the MAC counter and put on ridiculous lipstick, smelled candles, shopped for a pretty little skirt for Drew's school performance/graduation next week, and went to lunch.  It was lovely.  Important and lovely.

I haven't had Saltwaters in probably 30 years.  Am I too old for them?  I just hope I'm not going to walk around looking like the 50 year old woman in a mini skirt.  Ya know?  And aren't Drew's fuschia ones so cute?

Gap dressing room, trying on things for kindergarten graduation.  I have a feeling that the next graduation dress we shop for she may not want her old mom in the dressing room with her.  Taking advantage to the max.

Mums can do ka-rah-tay, too.

The kids' karate school had a Mum's day on the Saturday before Mother's Day.  The mums got to break a piece of wood and then we were presented with a flower from our kids.  It was something I've never done before and honestly I was a little scared.  But! I broke the wood on the first hit.  William and Drew were proud of me but not nearly as proud as I was (secretly) of myself.  It was so fun to get up and be involved in their karate.  I think this earned me a bit of street cred with them, too.  In case they ever were beginning to doubt, this was just a reminder.  Don't mess with Mommy.  She's the real deal.

Believe it or not, kids, I don't know it all.

I got a reminder today that as the mom they think I know everything.  I'm supposed to know everything, right?  I mean, if I don't know it, then who does?  Sometimes students think their teachers know everything, too.  I remember my first year of teaching and one of my kids asked me what a.m. and p.m. stood for.  I had no idea and said so.  He said to me, "What do you mean that you don't know?"  That always has stayed with  me because no one had ever before thought I knew it all.  What a powerful position it is we hold with kids.

Obviously, it's ok that we don't always have the answers and it's important that they know that we, too, have to seek out information to answer things sometimes.  We never stop learning or wanting to learn.

My knowledge of science-based things is almost equal to William's knowledge and that's no joke.  We drove by a solar panel on a rooftop this morning and he asked me what it was.  I said it was a solar panel.  He asked how it worked.  Ummmm.  I said, "It soaks up the sun's rays and turns it into energy."  He said, "I don't understand."  I said, "Neither do I.  We'll ask daddy."  I hate that.  I should know something like that, shouldn't I?

I can change a diaper in the complete dark.  I can do the hokey-pokey with a toddler while breastfeeding an infant.  I can recite verbatim chapters 11-17 of the 5th grade Social Studies book. I can sing all 50 states and capitals in alphabetic order in under 30 seconds.  And I can rock a grilled cheese sandwich with multi-grain bread and pull it off as being just wheat bread.  But please children.  Don't ask me about solar panels because I have no freaking clue and it's a little embarrassing.

Teach me how to dougie, t-teach me how to dougie

It doesn't matter what your political views are.  This is awesome any way you look at it.

I won the lottery 9 years ago today

Last year I wrote about our story. This year, I'll spare you.  You can click on that link if you're interested in reading it.

Happy 9th Anniversary to my Chris. 

photo by bycherry photography

Photo by bycherry photography

I'm not sure I'll ever get over the fact that he chose me.
xoxo

End of the year teacher gifts... and other stuff

I know what it's like as a teacher to receive gifts at the end of the year.  The kids, for the most part, are excited to give them and I was always excited to receive them.  There is, however, a limit as to how many certain somethings one person can have.  I definitely want my kids' teachers to know how much I appreciate them and value them but I'll spare them an apple notepad and try and show them in a more original way.  In years past I've given books and candles and plants.  I had nothing in mind this year but since I have the creativity of a coffee table, I was browsing online to find something unique.  I like to support those who are creative and Etsy is the perfect place to find unique things and creative people. 

I found Melinda from belleoftheball designs on Etsy and she has such cute personalized things for any occasion but so many of them are perfect for end of the year teacher gifts!  You can click on belleoftheball designs to browse her things.  I bought the acrylic tumblers for the kids' teachers so if you're a LNL mom - stay away from those!!  I got dibs!  She has so many other things, visit her and check them out!

See, aren't these cute?  And useful? 

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

I like Dr. Oz but I have a very hard time understanding him.  Am I the only one?  And no, it doesn't have anything to do with the terminology he uses.  He doesn't enunciate or something.  I listen to him in the car in the morning and I have now made a game of it.  If I can understand him during one segment, I get a point.  If I can't, Dr. Oz gets a point.  Unfortunately he usually wins.  Doesn't he have handlers who are supposed to tell him things like that?  Like, "Hey Dr. Oz, considering you are a radio personality, you should probably enunciate so your audience can understand you."

 I'm not sure why I keep listening.  I guess 'cause one day I hope to beat him at the game I've created. 

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Wind.  Allergies.  Drew.  A horrible combination.  Poor girl is suffering so terribly.  I did Claritin for kids for a week thinking it would just kick in or something.  I've recently switched to Allegra for kids which is worse, or less effective, than the Claritin.  I'm taking her to see an allergist on Friday morning and I'm hoping they'll discover something that will bring her some relief.  Poor girl.  I got allergy shots for a few years as a kid so I understand what it's like.  And, as I've mentioned before, because of Drew's strong-willed nature, when she is miserable it's kind of a trickle-down effect.  She's not the only one who suffers.  I just want her to stop itching, stop snorting, get some decent sound sleep, and cheer up.  That allergist has a tall order to fill, I'm afraid.

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Tonight we're going out for our 9 year anniversary dinner.  Not sure which has gone by faster, 9 years of marriage or 6 years of parenthood.  Both have been... fabulous.

Laaaaazy post but important nonetheless

Click here to go to today's post. 

I wrote it a year ago and published it here but instead of retyping it, I'm pulling a William.  By that I mean finding the easiest and laziest way possible around having to do any work today. 

 CLICK ME!

HMD!

Because of these three goonie kids, I am a member of the best club there is.

I'm so incredibly proud to be their mom.

And if they someday feel about me half of what I feel for my mom, my life will have been an absolute and complete success.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you.

And huge props to the dads who let us spend it how we want!

Who is running this show, anyway?

Drew is 6 and she's very much her own person.  That's good, right?  Right?  I see her becoming the next white NeNe.  You know, from Real Housewives of Atlanta and from Celebrity Apprentice?  She's tell-it-like-it-is, out to serve no one but herself, and has absolute definite ideas and opinions of how things should be. But the thing is, Drew is 6.  She doesn't pull it off with much grace at this point.  At this point it's nothing but her being contrary.  She has been this way since she was 2 so now I see my job is not to change all that, it's to refine it and put boundries on it that are socially acceptable.  Drew can also be very genuinely sweet and helpful and I adore spending time alone with her, she's a fun kid to be around.  Her strong-willed nature is a bit more dominant than her other qualities at this point. 

I've now put her in charge of certain things.  She wants to be a big girl, I'm going to give that to her.  I make her brush her hair every morning (I know, I'm soooo mean) but now she has to brush Lauren's, too.  This has given her great buy-in and she is doing a much better job at her own hair now.  (Drew sounds just like me as she sits Lauren down, "Sit still and stop moving or it'll hurt worse.")  If you see 3 Hawaiian flowers in Drew's hair with a brown headband that's cracked, just remember, I had nothing to do with it.  I've also put her in charge of getting us across the parking lot safely when we're out and heading to or from the car.  Drew pays absolutely no attention in parking lots and it scares me to death.  I have to watch her like I watch Lauren and hold on to both of them.  It's kind of ridiculous.  Now her job is to lead us all across safely.  Pray for us.  I've also given up picking out any clothes for her in the morning.  It's a battle I'm not willing to fight at all and as long as she doesn't look like a hoochy I don't care.  The only rules are it has to be clean and it has to be appropriate.  Keep this in mind if you ever see her, please.

I don't want to have a relationship with her where my main focus is making sure that SHE knows the I run the universe and not her.  Somedays it seems that's where it's headed.  I figure I'll save that for the teens.  Right now I am treading lightly in this new territory.  I've let her know though, although I may be treading lightly, I am wearing my steel-toed boots.  Bring it, my love.  I'm ready.

Reason # bajillion why I love that man

Chris on the phone from the firehouse:  What are you thinking you'd like to do on Mother's Day?

Me:  Honestly?  Not much.  Like, not much at home.  You know what I mean?

Chris:  Yes, I know what you mean.  But your not much and my not much are different.

Me:  Huh?

Chris:  How can I help facilitate you doing not much?

Me:  Send me away for the day and have the kids do a special something for me while I'm gone.  Like brainstorm what would make me happy like cleaning their rooms or planting some flowers in the front yard so that when I come home I can find a little something special that they have done for me.  But most importantly, I just want to get out for lots of hours in the afternoon.

Chris:  Consider it done.

And just so you don't actually think I'm the worst, I will be home for a family breakfast and a nice dinner out with my Party of 5.  It's just during the day I'm going to escape from any responsibility.