Happy Mothers' Day

So, here I am, at 12:23 am, deeply contemplating motherhood and thoughts on life. . . O.K not really. I actually just finished cleaning up strawberry milkshake vomit from Paige's bed and I have a load of pillows going just now. I had to stay up long enough to make sure that they spin right in the washing machine, you know instead of going off balance and rocking the washing machine to death. It was either this, or gag through tomorrow's laundry and hope the stains come out. I opted for the late night.

So, here's to all you mothers and caregivers out there who clean up puke, empty containers of smelly 4-week old food from the fridge, deal with messy diapers, spray'n'wash loads and loads of dirty laundry with only a prayer that those nasty stains with come out, scrub at hard water stains in your shower stall until your hands are pruny, completely wipe down your kitchen table and chairs after every messy meal, make attempt after attempt to pull nightly meal ideas out of thin air, scrub globs of dried up toothpaste from your kids' bathroom sink, cabinets and walls, clean out very ripe banana leftovers from the bathroom garbage and, last but not least, pick gum from the pockets of church pants after they have been through the dryer.

What I'm trying to say is. . . Here's to you MOM! If you did it and survived, surely I can do it too! I'm amazed that I can clean up strawberry milkshake puke and do 2 loads of laundry at 1 o'clock in the morning with nothing but empathy in my heart for the sick little girl on the couch. I'm so glad to be her mom.

Oh, I better go! The washing machine is about to break through the wall to the garage. I love you MOM! Thanks for giving us a great example to follow!

They're growing up!

Paige has been insisting for the last week that she needed to get her ears "peered." We figured that we would explain to her what happened during the ear "peering" and she would back down. NOPE! Saturday we headed to the mall for the big event, and when we entered Claire's she hopped up in the chair and said "I'm here to get my ears pierced!" (By that time we had corrected her and she knew all of the correct lingo!) We had to wait for a few minutes and Paige kept saying, "when are we going to do this?" She picked out pink earrings, of course, and everything went smoothly. We could see the shock on her face after the first one, but she claims that, "It didn't hurt, not one bit!" Even after the second piercing when the gun wouldn't come off of the earring, she still claimed that it felt good. I can't believe how big she is! I thought it was so cute to watch her walk around in the store afterward like she was completely in her element of glitz and glam.

Tyler has more recently taken up golfing with Shane. He played his first official round a couple of weeks ago with Shane and they WALKED 18 holes! I couldn't believe it! Shane said he didn't even complain once. He even bogied a couple of holes. Saturday after we took Paige to the mall, we headed out to the driving range. Paige and I watched as they showed off their skills. Shane figured out that I could take continuous shots with my camera and had me photographing his shot so that he could evaluate it and improve the angles and yada yada yada. . . . I just have fun whenever the camera is involved! Tyler is all business out there on the putting green. . . just like his dad!

Paige's new room

She's as happy as can be about pink pink pink!

My first modge podge project. I think it turned out well.

The reasons the kids love to visit Grandma Barbs and Grandpa Har

1. playing with Lucy (we using "playing" as a figure of speech since she's blind and deaf)

2. sitting in the hot tub

3. picking fresh tomatoes

4. playing with the blocks

5. going to the beach

6. feeding the Coyfish and Lucy

7. playing badminton and croquet

8. seeing the bunnies in the yard

9. riding in Grandma's beetle

We had such a great visit! Thanks for the easter treats and for 3 1/2 days of fun!

We drove in late Thursday night and Friday we spent the day golfing, shopping, visiting Bates Nut Farm, and picking out new toys for Grandma and Grandpa's toy chest.

Saturday, Barbs packed us a great picnic, and we headed to the train station to hop a train to San Diego for the day. We LOVED the tour of the USS Midway and we had plenty of delicious fresh seafood at the Fish Market.

Sunday we went dressed up for church and then came home to hunt easter eggs. The kids are getting so big and I think the easter egg hunt lasted a total of 3 minutes. They gorged themselves on candy while Barbs started on easter brunch. What a great meal! After brunch we played a very competive game of croquet in the front yard. So far, Barbs is undefeated.

Somehow, every time we visit, we manage to pack in the fun! Thanks again!

A meltdown

WARNING: this post may contain graphic details of naughty naughty children (one to be exact)

I just though I should warn you that this blog entry is not the normal sappy cutsie story of obedient disciplined children. Since I use this blog as somewhat of a journal I figured I should post the good and the bad. Yesterday was definitely the bad.

It started out fine with ideas of a "Kids" day since it was, after all, the first day of spring break. The plan was to get ready and head to the mall to meet a friend for lunch and let the kids play in the play area. All was going as planned. We met said friend and sat down to a nutritious lunch of hot dog on a stick and panda express. Lunch went well.

Now on to the playland. All was going as planned. The kids were running and playing and said friend and I were carrying on casual conversation. After a good amount of playtime she mentioned the time and decided she better head toward home. We gave the kids their 5 minute warning, and got their shoes ready. Here comes Abby with full cooperation in mind. Here comes Tyler with full cooperation in mind. There goes Paige yelling, I DON'T WANT TO GO HOME! No panicking yet. I am used to this kind of reaction from her. She finally came, but was crying the whole time I put on her shoes. I tried reasoning calmly. She had apparantly passed the point where this was going to work. Crying turned to screaming. Screaming turned to repetitive screaming, " I STILL WANT TO PLAY! I STILL WANT TO PLAY! I STILL WANT TO PLAY!" Screaming led to planting her feet firmly outside the play area. She is big. I can't carry her. I'm at a loss and patience is running low. Meanwhile, the whole playland crew is staring at us . . . like their angel children have never stepped out of line. (Mostly they were probably noticing the pregnant state that I'm in and wondering why I chose to further reproduce with such a child already on hand. I have to admit, I was thinking the same thing. )

I proceed to drag her from the playland halfway through the mall to the entrance where cute little two-year-old Abby is watching Paige with eyes wide open. Then, as I thought we were in the clear with the entrance in full view, Abby, to my horror, starts copying Paige. It was the last straw for me. Poor little Abby may now be permanently corrupt. I'm so sorry. I continued to drag Paige through the parking lot to the car with barely a goodbye to my dear friend. This is where it gets graphic.

I LOST IT! I remember planting her in her seat and roughly strapping her in. I got in and shut my door and then the storm began! I don't think I've ever yelled like that before. I have to admit, I'm ashamed. Mothers aren't supposed to act like that. We're supposed to remain calm and patient at all times. I vaguely remember the drive home while Paige was bawling and I was bawling, and Tyler was surely afraid to move a muscle. She went straight to her room and I went straight to mine. Later we apologized. She really is sweet after a nap has taken off the edge.

I just thought you all should know that days are sometimes bad. I'm still excited to have another girl.

The future

A conversation today

Me (to Paige) : So, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Paige: um. . . . . a doctor! So I can wear cute dentist shirts! (scrubs)
Me: Cool! What kind of a doctor?
Paige: I think a eye doctor who wears a heart thumper around their neck.
(Maybe in the future eye doctors will wear stethoscopes, who knows!)
Paige: Or, . . . I could be a baby doctor and get one of those pens that sees the baby inside! How does that thing see that baby anyway?
Me: The pen makes a sound and it goes through my skin and touches the baby and then bounces off of the baby and comes to the tv. It's called ultrasound. Like a sound that turns into a picture. cool, huh!
Paige: (after a long thoughtful pause) Oh. . . . Yeah, I think I'm going to be a baby doctor. . . but, only if I get to wear a pink dentist shirt. Don't you think I'm old (enough) to be a baby doctor.
Me: Well, maybe when you are a little older.
Paige: Like, when I'm five!
Me: Maybe when you're twenty five.
Paige: (Another long pause) OH, ok. Mom, can we get a movie tonight?

I wish you could have seen her big blue eyes trying to imagine herself being 25 years old in those pink scrubs. I guess 25 just seemed to far off to imagine.
We'll just focus on tonight for now.
I love movie night!