Last, But Not Least

It just so happened that there were a lot of "blog moments" at our house this week. First, Ruby's bad cold, then Daphne's cute musings, and finally a spontaneous zoo trip. Now, I could take many angles in writing about the zoo experience. But for sake of my dishes piled up and a cousin Jill on her way to visit - I better take the fast route. Maybe if I am good, you will still get the jist (sp?) of this memorable day.

Demanding piggy tails in Maisie's hair. Cost - Many more gray, make that white hairs for mom.

McDonalds lunch on the way to the zoo. Cost - 10.00

Zoo tickets/parking. Cost - 25.00

Double Stroller Rental, because on arrival to zoo, Maisie noticed we left the front wheel on OUR double stroller at home. Cost - 9.00

One stuffed dog. Cost for Daphne - 7.00 of quarters and dimes out of piggy bank toted along.

Cotton Candy - Cost - 3.00 (worth it!)

Two kid sized Burgerville milkshakes and one fry on drive home - 5.00

Wonderful, exhausting memories made and trick for parenting Maisie learned - PRICELESS

(Parenting Lesson being, just put a certain 3 year old in piggy tails and all her tricks just slide off my back a little easier, because of the "cute factor". Seriously, for the first time in a long time she was my easiest child...Daphne didn't want to walk, Ruby didn't want to ride, and Maisie was content to ride, walk, and loved the animals the most!)

My Reflective Child

On Monday, Ruby was still running a fever, so we were going on the third day in a row of being at home. Fortunately for us the weather was on our side. While Ruby took a long morning nap, the girls and I took the easel outside, along with some other fun toys to play with at the outside table.

Maisie was painting, Daphne was playing quietly at the table, and I was sitting across from her, working on filling in my calendar. Daphne says, "So...I'm still having some problems with life." Just like that...bam...a reflective, not burdened feeling in her voice. Thus, I say, "What problems are those honey?", just dying to hear the rest of this conversation. She says very matter-a-factly, "Well, you know problems with jealousy....and you know what I mean about that." ( I do. Nothing huge, just has a hard time when Maisie gets to do things she doesn't etc - we're working through it when it comes up.) I nodded my head, tickled inside that she is recognizing the error in her way - I mean gosh darn it, when she cries because Maisie is spending the afternoon with Grandma Julie ALONE - - why should I have to remind her that she got to go to Disneyland for 4 days ALONE with mom and Grandma Pam just weeks ago.

Then, I said, "what other problems Daphne?" And she said, "Well, quitting sucking my thumb." Once again, nothing new to my ears..she is mightily stressed about having to do this. So, I say, okay, anything else..?" To that she replies, "Nope, just two things." Pause. "Just two things left to solve."

Right away, it made me think how all of us "big kids" are still trying to overcome our own jealousies...and letting go of certain comfortsin our lives, when they are no longer good for us. And don't we go about our days knowing in the back of our heads that there are still some things left to solve?!!!

I think Daphne may have a head start on solving some of them or maybe she will be like her mother, super conscienteous, almost to a fault. But regardless I would rather have her worrying about being a better person than not caring at all.

Ruby's First Bad Cold

As I thought about it and wrote that title, I am feeling so blessed that Ruby has been so darn healthy. If my memory serves me right, she just experienced her first really bad cold this last weekend. It was a doozy too. She had a 103 temp all day Saturday and that was with tylenol and ibuprofen in her system at full dose. She laid on me and we rocked pretty much the whole afternoon and evening. I even made myself a bed by her crib that night (I used Daphne's mattress, and Daphne slept with Mike). I slept there keeping watch the whole night. She was coughing so much and I knew I would have to keep up her meds all night anyway. She alternated the night in her crib and laying on me ...it reminded me of the newborn days.

Early in the day, I couldn't help but enjoy the fact that she only wanted me and that meant I had to stay in my rocker most of the day watching movies. But by the evening I was definitely beside myself with worry as she just lay there in my arms, burning up and breathing so hard. I don't care how many babies this mom has - - I still felt led to call the on-call doctor. It's probably because luckily, my kids have been super healthy and I forget the rules about when to come in etc ...and maybe it's just me.

We ALL skipped church the next am and laid around recuperating from the big tiring night of rallying around our Ruby girl. And then spent even the next two days at home resting her.

I have to say that those days of playing nurse to our children can be some of the most intimate and memorable ones. I feel like my LOVE gauge for them jumps up a few notches and gives me the extra energy needed.

Not a REAL post, BUT...

I'm headed to bed now, following watching the Finale of American IDOL, and then a must grocery store run for more apple juice (which turned into an 80.00 grocery run - might as well, while you're there!)

And I am too tired to do some of the posts that are floating around in my mommy head - especially our zoo trip today. So instead, I leave you with this funny question...because it just begs to be asked!

Ok. Two questions:

1. Why did they have to show bikini girl again? So our husbands can see a woman barely clothed and even better, now improved (sarcasm) with fake boobs?

2. Do you think Kara stooped to her level by flashing?! I wanted to be on her side, especially as she seemed so embarassed by it afterward. But, the charity bribe to me was a dumb excuse...they could give to charity any day of the week. It just seemed silly to me.

Please comment and then stay tuned for a better publication.

My Life As a Mother 2009

This year I got to thinking that I am doing a good job of recording my kids' lives in terms of the big stuff - you know the milestones, the celebrations, the pictures of them growing. But someday I want to look back and remember all the "snipets" too - the everyday stuff.

So from now on, at least on every Mother's Day, I will try to record and capture some of the stuff occuring in our household on that weekend. Here goes:

Maisie's love of watercolors.
Daphne's picture of her and I, and her ability to write her name

using lowercase letters - finally!

Maisie's "elections" (collections)...rocks on windowsill, ponies, ponies, ponies...
Not a set up...just the regular messes that I clean up daily...

My new table runner - a Mother's Day/Birthday present to myself.

The night before Mother's Day - Mike and I baking oodles

of treats for all the ladies at church.

Trying to bake too many at a time and having them ooze out all over our oven and setting off the smoke alarm at 11pm? We didn't go to sleep until 12:30pm...

A special something to remember forever:

This job is the hardest I have ever taken on - but obviously the dearest to my heart.

For Me

Someday I'll look back at these tiny snapshots of video and I will have forgotten what their little voices sounded like, the funny things they say, the magic in their eyes.

These little moments are for me:

*Dedicated to my nephew, Tobin, who is going in a couple weeks, and whose favorite princesses are Ariel and Jasmine (because they show off their belly buttons!) Have fun buddy!