Karen Katz books

Recently I got wee one the 4 book set of Karen Katz flap books that she has really enjoyed. She already had the Grandpa one, but she had ripped all the flaps out about 1 year ago and I wanted to get the other members in this family series. So we have Grandpa and me make a pizza, Grandma visits and brings gifts, Dad and me use cool tools (a saw!), and Where is Mommy? The observation I have made after reading this series a few times us that Grandpa, Grandma, and Daddy all are doing neat things with baby and Mommy (noted on the 1st page if the book as to be playing hide and seek), is HIDING from her child. Hiding in her bed with the covers pulled up ....my dh jokes, "I just can't take it anymore!" Maybe I am just jaded....

I Think We're Done

One of my colleagues at work excited announced that he was expecting today. That's the most excited and happy I have ever seen him, and I was genuinely pleased to hear the good news. Also especially after he explained that they had been trying and suffered some losses in the process. I congratulated him and told him I had a lot of baby stuff to pass on as we were probably done. I paused after he left. Did I really say that out loud? Am I really done? Is that just me facing my deep subconscious thoughts that I was done having children? Of course, I guess either way you look at it...keep baby stuff for another baby or give stuff away to make room for new stuff (feng sui)...new baby...new stuff...more shopping!

JUICE!

My whole entire day (except for a few bathroom breaks and one mercifully taken naptime) has been devoted to watching juice being spilled/ thrown/ leaked all over my house. I have just finished mopping and putting wee one in her crib/ cage. How do you lecture (I did) a 2 1/2 year old on not WASTING food? I know I will look back on this later and be amused, but I am just at the end of my rope now. I know that most of this is limit testing and toddler experimentation with liquids and flow. It is just very difficult to watch it in real time. We did do a time out today (2nd one in her life) after she threw a cup of juice/ cherries/ etc at me in the kitchen in frustration. It was effective and she came out saying "SORRWY" and "What happened?" Those temper tantrums sure are rough on her.

Spent

This has been a hard week for me to get through. The flu visited our home and I so far am the only healthy one. Wee one is improving, but dh is still quite ill. I have been holding it together, going to work and coming home to take care of everyone, but tonight at about 9pm, I just didn't have any more energy, patience, or giving left in me. Wisely, I did escape to the shower and told everyone NOT to ask me for anything for about 1/2 an hour. I have noticed I have been eating a lot...emotional eating to cope with everyone being sick. I know this too shall pass...I keep saying to myself, next week will be better!

Drama Queen

Bedtime has become this great dramatic ordeal the last few weeks. Bath, then pajamas (which itself is an ordeal of nudity, negiotiation, and making sure the correct pajamas are chosen). Most nights she is in bed by 9pm (although I would prefer 8:30) and not really asleep until 10. Naps are only 1 1/2 to 2 hours long, early or mid afternoon. She likes to hop into our bed then hops out and asks for stories. We read in her room, change a diaper and get settled into bed. Sometimes there is crying, sometimes not. Lights out. Then every 5-10 minutes there is a
plea for something. Tonight began with complete disrobing, followed by request for milk, and the finale was diaper of smelly, smelly poo pellets, which mommy (who thought she was crying wolf) stuck her nose into and got a big Freaking whiff of. There has been poo the last THREE NIGHTS!!!

The Illness game

Home today with a sick child and menstrual cramps from he-double hockey sticks. I knew this was coming. 1. I was mentioning the other day to a friend that my child has never been on antibiotics before (and that I was lucky). 2. I missed last month's Aunt Flo and was hoping to be pregnant. Anyhoo...that's life. Wee one is better and is napping right now. I should be at work corralling all the sick people in my clinic (they just call and are getting OVERFLOW from the emergency room!), but I must take care of my own first. Thankfully, I have level-headed colleagues and its payback time for all the times I covered their butts.
Speaking of butts, I found my old bottle of glucophage and decided to take it again to ward off some of my PCOS, but I have had uncontrollably bad smelling gaseous emissions from my posterior since my ingesting of 1 pill at 1130 am today. So much for that plan. Thankfully, my dh is at work and I live in a big house.

Brain massage

Yesterday while our dh's were hitting little white balls around the local golf course, my friend and I went to the park with our kiddies and fed the ducks. It was a beautiful day...a little on the cool windy side, but blue skies and clear air otherwise. As a frequent watcher of Curious George on PBS, one of my favorite episodes is George feeding the ducks and the narrator comments that that activity was like getting a "brain massage." As enjoyable and relaxing as the ducks were, I enjoyed more watching the kids play together and frolic in and about the ducks and pigeons that had gathered around. We went to get some lunch and even got free ice cream! A wonderful day, after the nutty week I have experienced. The nice day was also meaningful as my friend will be moving away soon. I will miss her and I know she is moving on to better things. I am glad we could have this memorable day together.

Foodgasm/ Recurrent dreams

For those of you fortunate enough to live near a Chick-fil-a (usually in a mall but we have free standing ones here with awesome toddler playlands), go have one of their milkshakes. Pure bliss! I am going to get fat on them.

Went back to work this week and have been having recurrent dreams (last 2 nights) about getting lost/ being detained/ suffering emotional stress while trying to get to where wee one and dh are. I don't know what is going on in my subconscious. Perhaps all those days of togetherness during the holidays and then going back to work have made me worry about my time with my family. The 1st dream I found them in time, but wee one was older and bigger. Last night's dream, I called and only got the answering machine. The funny thing is that I have cut back on my work hours temporarily due to some organizational issues. Hmmmm....I really need a better nights sleep.