I was playing some catch-up reading on my google reader, when I saw a post by my girlfriend. I so wanted to comment on her blog, but seeing as it is a week past posting it was just too lame. So I am doing a double post tonight (since I do not know when I will get the chance again).

Here is the link to her original post.
http://greggdigressions.blogspot.com/2008/09/moments-in-motherhood.html

My oldest child, after hearing the same speech before entering any store, has tried using this line on me many a time.
JT: Mom, I want (insert-any-annoying-uselesss-item-for-kids-here)!
ME: No, JT. I have already said that we are only getting (name-off-items-from-list) and nothing else.
JT: It isn't too big to fit in the cart!
ME: I don't have the money for it.
JT: Then just use your card-thingy! You always have money on that!

Oh the sweet, naive mind of babes........ money just comes from plastic!

Tuesday Tidings

It has been quite a while since I have had a chance to sit and write. How my girlfriend can do it almost daily, I am shocked. But as I have stated before, she is an excellent writer.

I should really be paying bills right now, but I cannot pass up the opportunity to get a few quotes from the mouths of my babes written down before they are lost and forgotten.

The first is from my daughter. It was a couple of Sundays ago, and I had invited Grandma and Grandpa to go to the zoo with me and the kids, while DH was supposed to get some work done (he worked at shopping that day, but he did come home with some awesome goodies and had mole made for us that night). Anyways, back on track. I was driving us back home and the kids are tired and fighting. So Grandma starts the "I Spy" game to keep them entertained. As we are playing along, it is one of Grandpa's turn.... and here is how it went:
GP: "I spy something gray."
KD: "It's Mommy's hair!"
(Thanks kid - and many of them are from you)

And now for my oldest. I snuck into his classroom a minute before the bell rang today to pick him up (since I was parked in the oval). His teacher had to stop me to let me know what my son did yesterday. My immediate thought: "Crap, what did he do now? Especially when he knew his daddy was getting him because I was at the hospital seeing my dad." But, here is what she told me:
TEACH: So yesterday, during free time, JT goes over to the table where there is a group of girls sitting. He leans one arm against the table and in his most suave voice says, "So, do any of you want to come to my house to see the movie Cinderella?"
ME: That has got to be the best Pre-K Pick-Up Line I have ever heard! I'm raising a little Casanova. (At least he knows what the Ladies like!)

My reality TV

I love my reality TV show. It is better than anything else in this world. Of course, I know that I may be a little bias about this subject, but you would have to agree that my reality TV is addictive. I can lay there all day and all night just staring at my show.

I'm serious. No joke. Early in the morning, in the middle of the night, when I am getting dressed and undressed, or even sometimes in the afternoon. It doesn't matter when. Whenever my TV is on - I am glued to it.

I got my "reality TV show" just last week. At least, that is what I call my new video baby monitor. We had to move the baby to his crib because he was outgrowing the cradle in our room, plus he was sleeping more through the night. However, I was not comfortable just letting him be in his room on his own hoping I would hear him if he cried in the middle of the night, so off for baby monitor shopping we went. We opted to pay more for the video baby monitor thinking that in the future we would move the camera upstairs to monitor our kids and their playing while we were downstairs. I know, I know. Smart Momma! But now I cannot help but stare at what I call my reality TV show. During the day, it is in color. At night, it is black and white. There is even sound too. I told you I was biased about my show. But if you were to see it in person, I am sure you would agree with me too.

Where's my driver?

I hate driving. I guess I just dislike the responsibility and stress of it all. This is ironic since I spend everyday of the week carpooling my two oldest to and from their pre-school programs. But as long as I am not driving, I can handle anything that goes on in a car. Yesterday made me understand this weakness in myself. As I was driving home from a wedding at 8pm with my two oldest fighting in the back row, I was wondering why this is such a drag? It couldn't have been because I'd been up since 6am helping my son get out the door with his daddy, then having to deal with soccer photos, OSU football game, and a wedding all in one day.

I love going on car rides. Long ones don't bother me in the least. Case-in-point, imagine 7 people in a suburban on a 7 1/2 hour car ride to Lincoln, NE. My DH and sister in the front seats (DH is driving), my 7 week old and 14-year-old niece are in the middle in their own captain's chairs (personal space), and I am squished in the back row inbetween my older two and their car seats. Yes, I could even nap in that position! I could have also lasted another 3 hours and made a trek like that to go to Colorado. I loved it!

Except for the trek up to OSU yesterday (I had my step-dad drive while I took care of the milk supply before the game), I had to drive everywhere. I felt exhausted, and my emotions (as well as the kids) were very high strung last night on that final leg home. In my state, I became nostalgic and recalled my teenage youth where I felt I could run all day and all night. I'd get up early and cap cokes for most of the day at the OU football games with my Rainbow sisters. Go home and get ready for the night out at some DeMolay installation where we would stay up until midnight dancing the night away. Giggling and gossiping on the car ride home with the girls about the night, as my mom dropped off all of my friends before taking us home. Finally getting home and crashing (if I didn't fall asleep in the car already). It seemed like no big deal then. I could do this all the time - so why can't I handle a simple day in my life as a mother carpooling my kids from point A, to point B, to point C? Then I understood. I hate driving.

The Loaner

Here it is - the loaner. Well, to quote my step-dad, "At least your ass isn't hitting the asphalt!" But then again if it did, my ass might be 1-2 inches smaller........ hmmmm The funny thing so far about this experience is my childrens' conversation with me this morning, since it would be the first time for them to be in the van. It went something like this....

KD: Oooh, mom.... it's so pretty! Thank you for buying this mommy!

Me: I didn't buy it sweetie, I am just borrowing it.

JT: Can I watch a movie?

Me: Sorry honey, there is no dvd player in this van.

JT: Man - why did you get it?
Me: I'm borrowing it, I didn't get to pick it out.

KD: It's so pretty mommy....... can we keep it?
Me (thinking): You have got to be kidding me!
JT: Hey, it smells like gymnastics in here! Don't you think it smells like gymnastics, Kady?
KD: Yep. We missed gymnastics this week.

Me (thinking again): Great....... smelly feet van.

Ouch my rear end!

Well, my worst fear has finally happened. I have been in a car wreck with my children. Yes - we are okay. Today has not gone as planned anyways, so this just adds to my crankiness.

First, I'm running late getting Kady to her preschool. Jarod and Kadence didn't wake up until 8:15am (yeah - quiet time for me!), but trying to get them showered, dressed, and fed in 1 hour, while feeding the baby, making Kady's lunch, and getting myself ready is a challenge. I did it with only being 2 minutes late to her school. However, Jarod didn't have shoes on because he couldn't find them and I wasn't waiting around any longer.

Then Jeff calls while I am driving the kids. He needs to me to come to the shop for a little bit to help him with something. What I helped him with, I don't know. The filing could have waited until tomorrow when I usually go in. I guess he just wanted company as he was paying his monthly bills for the business. So 1 1/2 hours later and a very bored Jarod, we head home to get him lunch and shoes.

This is where the shit really hits the fan. I decided since it was 11am, I would take him to McDonald's for lunch since he was good at his Daddy's shop and was very bored the whole time he waited on us. I was facing south on Ed Noble Parkway, as far to the left as I could go, with my turn signal on and getting ready to go forward when - WHAM!!! I was rear-ended. I have never flown out of my car so fast to check on the kids in the back. Both boys were crying and very shaken. But thankfully - okay.

We pull forward and park near the McDonald's. I page Jeff to come meet me and I hand the guy my insurance card. I cannot even speak to him because I am in such shock from everything. I have been thinking for the past several days to watch out more because I don't want to be in a wreck with the kids. I guess my premonition finally caught me.

I guess I can say that thankfully, I got hit by a guy in a company car - so I know he is covered. What sucks is trying to wait around for the claims specilist for the company to contact me so that I can get my van in, get a loaner, and get new car seats. Our insurance agent (and Jeff's father - retired fireman - also confirmed), that anytime there is a wreck and you have car seats, you need to replace them because it voids their warranty.

Jeff scored in that he got out of having to do any plumbing today which had put him in a sour mood this morning. Jarod got out of having to go to school because it was almost noon when we left McDonald's (and he still didn't have on any shoes). I am worried some about him because he went and laid down and took a nap on his own! My child has not had a nap where he volunteered to lay down since he was 3 years old. Usually he goes down kicking and screaming. I guess the stress of the wreck has really worn him out because he is sawing some heavy logs and I do not wish to disturb him. Ryland's schedule is messed up and he is a cranky boy now too. Thank goodness I didn't have my little princess with me - or she would have been in hysterics and I don't know if I could have handled all 3 of my babies in a car wreck.

Pray things get better today - I am so needing it!

Birthday boy

I couldn't sleep last night. Too many things were going through my head as to how my schedule would be for today - all the while making my boy feel extra special because he is 5 today. How is that possible? I know I was there when I gave birth to him, but it doesn't feel as if he has really been mine for 5 years. Is he really that old? Then my mind flashes forward to how my sister must feel with a 14 year old. Now I know why she worries so much. I have so many questions now. What will my boy look like at that age? What attitude will he have then? Will we have our early morning cuddles whenever he is the only one awake with me at 6am? I know the answer on that will be "no," but I can dream.

I also cannot believe I am still a mom. I never really cared if I was married, or had children, until the day I met my DH. I knew that day we met we would be together and have a family. Just like I knew my first child would be a boy. (Although I never told my DH this until after a year of dating.) But I guess I just don't feel as if I am OLD enough to be a mom. I guess I feel as if I have been playing a game so far in my life. There are many times I feel as if I am still a young teenager with a very extended babysitting gig. I get to play, relax, and not care if there are adult reponsibilities. Then reality crashes in and I realize I have to be the one to do the dishes, the laundry, the bathroom cleanings (although my kids do scrub the toilets very well for me), and the bill paying. I wonder - how did I get to this point? When did this game turn into the real, adult thing? I don't feel thirty-something. I'm really not a mom. I'm young. I'm energized. I'm ready to don my going-out clothes and hit the clubs dancing the night away. I'm................ what's that in the mirror???? Damn - reality sucks sometimes.

Shoo Fly.............. I mean, Flies

I hate living in the country. I like the area my DH has found, I really am beginning to like the house that he has built for his family, I just hate all of the BUGS! Especially the flies. I always know right when the weather is going to change in the summer, like if a storm is going to come in, because the flies in our house multiply by the hundreds. I know my DH killed 5 flies this morning, I have killed 7, and yet they are everywhere. It seems as if whenever I kill just 1 fly, it regenerates into 2 more. It is windy, rainy, and chilly today - unlike the 90-something degrees it was just 2 days ago. These flies will hopefully be shoo-ing themselves out my door by tomorrow as things start to warm up. I just hope I don't have so many in my house come this weekend as we celebrate my son's birthday.

At least we live close enough to the front of the addition that I do not have to deal with the other wonderful pets of nature, like some of my unfortunate neighbors have been experiencing lately. We had our HOA meeting last night and several of the neighbors that live by the back fields have been having problems with skunks, raccoons, and now snakes. One had a snake up in his car just a few days ago - now that would have sent my DH screaming. I personally like snakes - but I don't think even I would have handled the 4 footer in my minivan.

The only pests I have to live with is the damn delivery men that come to my door before 9am. I guess since we live in the country - they put us first on their deliveries. I cannot tell you how many delivery drivers I have "flashed" in the morning as I am carrying my milk supply from my bedroom to my kitchen. (I have a 2-month old that doesn't breastfeed, but doesn't like formula. I have to pump 5-6 times a day to feed my little chubba-whubba). This time, it wasn't the UPS or FedEx man - it was the guy delivering my trashbins. I finally broke down from having to haul the trash 3/4 mile to our city trash every other day and am now having pick-up service. Well - he sure got to know a lot of me - and I actually had a robe on this time, but it came untied as I was walking! Go figure - I guess it just satisfies any exhibition fantasies I have never had.

My new beginning .... or total ending???

Okay....... so my friend has had a blog for quite some time (check out www.greggdigressions.blogspot.com) and I have always envied her for her wonderful witicism, imagery, and everything. I want to be just like her in being able to blog about my life, but I find myself sorely lacking. For one, I find myself never near a computer whenever my "creativeness" overcomes me. Secondly, writing really is my worse nemesis in my so-called creative life. I fear that you, who are reading this, cannot hear the true tone of my voice in my words. Can you really understand the meanings I am trying to put behind things - or are they being misconstrued? Do you wonder - what do I look like? How do I truely sound? What am I wearing?

I do have a wicked sense of humor - must be why my DH loves me so much! But if you do not know me - you may not understand the meanings behind some of my words. Although blogging is hopefully going to be a new beginning in sharing my thoughts and views to my friends and family - to those who are just reading about me, you are going to be wondering - what is she wearing? I can hear my family and most of my friends thinking, "Ew!" Some friends are thinking "Ha, Ha!" The rest are going, "Hmmmm" I guess I will have to leave my profile pic off for a little while, so that I will let your imaginations roam.