children, gratitude, happiness, life in pictures, mommyhood

Never Gonna Happen

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Baby D

My sister’s trip is winding down and I am sad. To top it off, Mad Dog left at the crack of dawn on a work trip. It was hard to get out of bed with my usual chipper attitude (not true, I always have a bad, early morning attitude so at least I was consistent).

T.Puzzle’s third birthday was a lot of fun. Soccer Girl and Sparkle joined in the celebration and you will notice in the picture that Full Speed had a slightly sour demeanor (it’s tough having your little bro’ take center stage).

All day long T.Puzzle talked a big game about his cupcake with sprinkles but when it came right down to it, he cringed in fear when it was time to eat. Since he has an egg allergy most cakes and cookies are foreign to him. The irony was not lost on me that I would slave all morning in the kitchen only to have him turn his nose up at the final product. I did eventually coax him into trying it and then he pretty much inhaled it. I hope he enjoys the ones I sent to school with him. I’m curious to find out if he ate them or thought they were weird.

Full Speed turned up the energy for presents. He was super ‘helpful’ in opening and playing with all of his little brother’s new toys. T.Puzzle handled this ‘helpfulness’ well which was impressive.

The best present of course is the fact that we could all be together to share in the celebration. However, trying to explain that to a three year old, especially a three year old like T.Puzzle, is like asking him to poop on the potty (i.e.-never gonna happen!).

children, gratitude, happiness, kids, mommyhood

Frosted Cupcakes (Almost)

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Today is an exciting celebratory and busy, busy day. It is Mad Dog’s and my sixth anniversary and we are celebrating T.Puzzle’s third birthday. His birthday is technically the day after our anniversary but we need to take advantage of his aunt and cousins being here. When I went in to get him up this morning I said, “Who is celebrating their birthday today?”

T.Puzzle replied, “Thomas!” I didn’t have the heart to tell him that he isn’t in fact, a tank engine.

I would write more but my guilt of being a Mom of a kid with a food allergy is not affording me any extra time. T.Puzzle is allergic to eggs so I have spent my morning making dozens of eggless cupcakes (I want him to have a bunch to take to school tomorrow on his actual birthday). They still needed to be frosted and sprinkled and frankly, I don’t want to spend the remainder of my sister’s visit attached to the computer or stuck in the kitchen. I also need to put my sister to work. Hope she’s a good cupcake froster!

children, gratitude, happiness, mommyhood, Uncategorized

Christmas Wishes

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Mad Dog’s car is finally fixed. It was a bum battery. It was a lengthy process but eventually he has a new battery free of charge because of his vehicle’s warranty. I’m so glad it was the battery and not operator error. I never would have lived it down if I had in any way caused harm to his beloved convertible.

While Mad Dog was tackling the car problem, I took Skee, my nieces, Soccer Girl and Sparkle, along with Baby D to the spa for some mani/pedis. The girls were so, so cute and Baby D was surprisingly cooperative. He sat on Skee’s lap while she had her pedicure and was an angel. I’m glad it was such a success and that the girls seemed happy with their freshly painted nails.

To cap off the day, when we picked up the boys from school, we headed to the same studio where we had our recent family portrait sitting. There was a Christmas special where Santa comes and has a personal visit with your family for pictures and stuff. Up to this point, Baby D has been very attached to Skee and cries whenever I hold him (he has since warmed up to me considerably). However, when Santa came, Baby D sat in awe and smiled like a champ. He was completely mesmerized by the man in the red suit. It was the cutest thing and yet, it hurt my ego just a tad. He won’t let his dear old aunt hold him but a stranger with a pot-belly and white beard is perfectly acceptable. Oh, well.

When it was Full Speed’s turn to tell Santa his Christmas wishes it went something like this: guns and swords. You know, peace on earth and all that.

I am having a wonderful time with my sister and her family. Seems like Santa already cared for my wish.

bad day, children, mommyhood

When It Rains, It Pours

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We had done it. My sister and I devised a plan to see each other before Christmas. My heart was smiling as I set off to Super Target to stock my house with baby supplies (for my littlest nephew) and food for my impending guests (my two nieces were coming along as well). As you know from yesterday’s post, once I returned to the convertible and had it completely packed full, the engine was entirely unresponsive. A panicked phone call later to Mad Dog and I had brought my perishables back in the store to be held in the deli locker while T.Puzzle and I waited for a car service man to come and rescue us. T.Puzzle could tell I was on edge so naturally he had to have a level 8 meltdown in the café. Once his behavior had stabilized (threats and an embarrassingly loud time-out did the trick), he actually was quite pleasant and heartily enjoyed his hot dog. For the most part, after my initial panic, I had rallied and was calm awaiting the next tenets of our Thursday morning adventure.

Surprisingly, the service man was timely (less than twenty minutes from time of Mad Dog’s initial call for roadside assistance) and jumped the car battery without a hitch. I ran back in, grab my refrigerated goods and hit the road as quickly as possible.

Now, I was told to keep the car running for thirty minutes from the time of the jump to make sure the car battery had properly recharged. So, when I pull in my driveway, I roll the windows down (because heaven forbid I lock the keys in a running vehicle) and keep it running. When I have it all unloaded, I run and grab the keys feeling confident all is well as enough time has passed. I realize that the windows are still down. I put the key back in the ignition and guess what? The car is as dead as a door nail. I can’t roll up the windows and it is cloudy with a distinct possibility of rain.

I make a few calls and soon Grandma will be on her way with something that might work just as I am about to run to my neighbor’s to get a tarp. I am literally seconds from the door when T.Puzzle announces that he’s pooped. He goes to where our pak-n-play normally is because he is old enough to climb up on it to be changed. It’s not there having been relocated up to the guest room for my baby nephew’s sleeping comfort. To make do, he goes and lays down on the area rug by our computer near the family room. Bad move.

He has had a ridiculous explosive poop that has crept up his back and is all over his clothes and is now all over my rug. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I strip him down, wipe him up as best I can and throw him in our downstairs shower as I clean up the poop carnage. This is right when Grandma arrives. After he is cleaned up, she offers to stay with him (thank you!) while I run to grab the tarp. Between what Grandma has brought, some towels, garbage bags and the tarp, I think we have the car covered.

And wouldn’t you know, for the remainder of the day the sky was crystal clear with nary a drop of rain in sight.

children, mommyhood, rock and a hard place

Oh, Stupid Day!

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I had every intent of writing a hilarious and detailed account of the boys adventures from yesterday. However, I was sidetracked because Mad Dog’s car, which I am driving today, decided to quit working while it was parked at the Super Target loaded to the gills with groceries and goods.

Tomorrow, I will give you all the deets on a day that seems to get more stupid as it proceeds. On the plus side, Mad Dog is an amazingly cool problem-solver, I had fun with T.Puzzle in the Target café’ and my sister, Skee, comes in for a visit. The only way is up!