Anger Management

Have you ever had one of those days?

You feel like everyone is out to get you.

Even the little old lady in the car in front of you that refuses to drive anything more than fifteen below the speed limit?

Even those with supposed good intentions come off hypocritical and demonic?

The cutest little dog that craves attention seems sinister?

Fluffy kitty looks upset that it doesn't have opposable thumbs with which to attack you in a more constructive way?

Yesterday was one of those days. Steam actually escaped from my ears.

No joke.

I

was

angry.

At what?

It seemed like everything. One of those days that I should have stayed in bed. I wish that I had that luxury sometimes. But alas, I don't. No sick days. No personal days. No 'just because I don't want to' days.

I wish I could have yesterday back. To do over. I don't feel I was a productive person. Or a good mom. The only thing I did right was not take any frustration out on the girls - no excessive time outs or removal of beloved toys. Just an out of tune mom who couldn't seem to get on track all day long.

Thankfully, today was a new day.

Sleep did me good.

I left most of my anger in yesterday's memories.

Each day is a fresh start. A clean slate to screw up however I choose.

Babble Flabble

Still lying in her crib, she babbles away. Mostly nonsensical musings, which I am sure means something to her, just not to the rest of the human race.

Songs about num nums.

Songs about meow meows.

Songs about Mama, Dada, Emma...

Who knows what it all means.

I have been waiting for her to suddenly open her mouth and speak in a language that we'll understand. Then I think, are we going to want to hear what she has to say? All those times we said 'oops, shouldn't have said that. oh wait, no biggie, Olivia isn't talking yet'. I wonder how much of that will come back to haunt us.

Perhaps those cute little songs we all smile about and enjoy are really laden with profanity and mock judgements.

I couldn't be more proud.

Trapped Like Rats

After much anticipation and planning and spending of money, it is here.

Well, most of it at least. This weekend was productive in putting 95% of the fence up. We still need to install a gate and a small section of the fence. We have a temporary barricade set up - what I am referring to as the 'redneck' fencing. It is comprised of partial sections of fence, laid on their sides, supported by bags of rock and bordered by the kids playhouse (unfortunately it didn't make it into the picture). The kids love it - they climb through the playhouse windows and out the door to get around it.

A few more cuts, nails and swearing and it will be done.

The dogs are getting used to it. At first they just walked out there and stared at it like 'what the hell'. I can understand - after two years of free roaming, suddenly their wandering area was greatly reduced. Hard to get used to, maybe. But oh well. I am loving the idea of the entire back yard being poop free and totally available for the girls to run through without having to check their shoes.

As you can see, it was a long weekend for everyone. It's hard work but someones got to do it.


Thank you to Grandpa Butchie, Daddy & Jeremy for all of their hard work. We appreciate it - even if you can't tell from our obvious enthusiasm.

Sniffles & Sickies

Yesterday was the longest day ever. Jason wasn't feeling well when he came home from work. He sat at the table for about two minutes before promptly retiring to the bedroom for the rest of the night. Entering into long day.

After feeding the girls, doing homework with Emma and giving her a bath, I at least got her to bed on time. Olivia followed shortly after that, but not before staying up and making more noise than should be humanly possible for one small person - an attempt to let Emma know that she was still up I'm guessing.

This morning, both of them woke up with some sniffles. Upon trying to capture evidence of the sort, Olivia responded appropriately.

Trying to seek shelter behind the Leapster. Worked pretty well I suppose.

Tired today - no big surprise. I'll just pray that Jason feels better tonight and I can seek shelter from the storm of snot that I'm sure will be brewing all day.

Milestone

It's hard to believe it. This is the 100th post!

When I started doing this, I didn't really think much of it. I just thought it would be fun to share with our family and friends since we don't live close to everyone we know and love.

But this has become fun. Sometimes I'm not quite sure what to say or if I really have anything to share. Sometimes I've been too lazy to take or download pictures. Or sometimes, I just don't have the time to sit down and focus for two minutes.

I'll try to keep up as best as I can.

The other reason to celebrate today - it is GD's birthday! She is 59 years young. Dinner, pie and presents tonight. This morning - breakfast at Panera's - that's right, BC got a Panera Bread! Happy Birthday!!

Bird Sanctuary Trip

The Kellogg Bird Sanctuary was the perfect start to the weekend. With Jason taking Friday off, we were a little more free with our time. After scooping Emma up from school and a quick stop for some grub, we were off.

The girls loved going last year. We fed the birds. We watched them keeping their eggs warm. We watched the little chicks after hatching. We watched them grow up all summer long. It rocked.

This year will be the same. We purchased our own membership this year - no more sponging off of GD's (thanks for letting us use it).

We started on our way, with buckets of corn in hand.










We saw all sorts of Canadian Geese, Swans & Ducks. Some even had nests with eggs - the girls thought it was pretty cool. Olivia likes to feed them their 'num nums'. Her method of putting one piece of corn through the fence at a time seems a little laborious, but what can you do.

Topped off with ice cream, the girls happily road home. Emma road her bike forever and Olivia did what we all hoped she would.

Friday Bliss

As I sit here typing, I am smelling the glorious breakfast that Jason is busy preparing. He is home today. His dad is in town and since he had today free, Jason decided to actually take a day off - I now believe that miracles can happen.

We almost kept Emma home from school so that we could get an early start off to Grand Rapids. Then we realized that she is 'too honest' and would surely spill the beans on Monday. 'I wasn't sick - I spent the day at the gardens!'. And that would begin a long road of 'why can't I stay home from school today' discussions that I am just not prepared to have.

Help Get Funding for the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act

I watched a DVR Oprah today - I think it aired yesterday.

I was so deeply disturbed by what I saw and heard.

I don't think I will ever allow the girls to use the computer. Own a cell phone. Leave the house unsupervised.

Or grow up. Period.

Please help.

It's easy.

Painless.

And think of how good you'll feel. Knowing that you helped protect innocent children.

Go here. Do it. Please.

Oprah

No Sleepy

Much to my disappointment, Olivia boycotted nap time today. It happens occasionally. I suppose she feels like these mini coups are her way of saying 'I am two - hear me wail'.

Solution.

Take to bookstore. Open trap and pour liberal amount of chocolate milk in. Release into the wild. Unsuspecting shoppers are appalled. Mother sits peacefully, clutching her Starbucks, pretending it's not hers.

Tomorrow, we try again. Success will be mine.

Madness of the Momdom

Today was one of those days that I would like a re-do.

Or maybe if I had one those 'easy' buttons like on the Staples commercials. That certainly would have made today more manageable.

It started off innocently enough. Emma actually left for school on time. Everyone was fed. Dressed. Cocoa was had. Even though it was raining, I thought it would be a great day to head out and get some supplies for a project I am going to attempt. May mention it at sometime if it doesn't completely go south. Given my negative talent at anything artistic I am not holding out a whole lot of hope right now.

Anyhow, Olivia and I started our day at Michaels. After locating everything I needed, with some, but minimal resistance from her, we made our way for the car. Entering implosion zone.

Upon entering the car, she promptly made her way for Emma's seat. After getting her to move away from that, she decided the driver's seat was much more her taste. I climbed into the van and hauled her out of it and plopped her in seat, sputtering the whole time as my butt was getting rained on. Cue screaming child. Might as well have been abducting her because that's what it sounded like. Closed the door, still sputtering. Got into the car, sputtering, trying to block out the screaming. Escalating.

Got behind some ancient bitty in a small truck. Proceeded with extreme caution through the light at 5 mph. Sputtering. Politely passed, sputtering, on my way to Sam's. Removed (still) screaming child from car. Broke down - handed over the paci.

Once the bipolar kicked in, she returned to sweet child. Remained in such state until after lunch. Played with sister for a while. Asked them to clean up so that we could go get Jason from the car dealer. Entered room in time to witness older child standing on Leapfrog Music Table, grasping the crib with one hand, and sticking one leg out to the side. Promptly issued her out of the room and into the corner in the hall. Sputtering returned.

Exemplary -read sarcasm here -behavior returned upon entering the flooring store. Somehow we managed to escape with both children in tow and stuffed monkeys to boot. How is it that we acquire cute little stuffed things when our not so cute things are being obnoxious poster children for abstinence?

Now that the sputtering has disappeared, I am breathing deep and taking my own time out. I hooked up the printer to test it out, only to be greeted by smoke billowing out when it printed the test page. Don't think it's a good thing, but for now, I'll just convince myself that it's cool to have a printer at home again. As long as I don't burn the house down, all is good.

Off to see about my project.

Sputtering is sure to return.

Easter Egg Hunt - Saturday, the Forgotten Day

So in my haste to be cozy last night and to get to the grocery store this morning, I forgot about our Saturday.

We decided to give the girls their Easter baskets and egg hunt on Saturday since we wanted to leave the house before noon on Sunday. They were greeted by the baskets on the kitchen table - even Jason had one (blue). After quickly plowing through those, they took said baskets, freshly emptied, and began their egg hunt.


Being the first time we have tried this tactic, Olivia was super thrilled. I have never seen such enthusiasm - every time an egg was found you would think she just discovered parent repellent - popular among kids her age. She had to sit down and open each one to empty out the piece of candy before she could proceed to another egg.
There were eggs placed up higher for Emma to grab and low lying fruit for Olivia to snag. They really enjoyed themselves. It did our hearts good to see them smiling and laughing so early in the day. It really set the precedence for the day.

The rest of the day went so well I almost thought I was dreaming.

Too Quiet

As I sit here this morning, half listening to Sesame Street and watching Olivia play with our new candles, I realize just how eerily quiet it is around here. No Emma=eerie silence.

Don't get me wrong, Olivia certainly can create enough noise to make you think we have a pack of feral children living in our house. But when you take Emma out of the equation, the level of chaos and noise drops significantly.

It's not just the noise factor. It's her general presence that can be felt when she's here. There's this huge void that seems to appear when she isn't here. Jason and I have discussed it practically every time she spends the night somewhere. Even when she's sleeping she emits a kind of vibe that lets you know she's still in the house. It's like a piece of the puzzle is missing.

We will survive, though. It's not like she won't be back here in a few hours after school. I just kind of got used to having her here last week and I miss having her here.

Off to grocery shopping with the two year old.

God help me.

Easter Sunday

A great way to end the week and Emma's Spring Break. We dressed the girls in their pretty dresses, loaded up the van and headed out to Allen Park for lunch with family. We all had a really good time. Even though Olivia was about as warm as a frozen cod upon first arriving, she eventually thawed out and became slightly more sociable. Emma became the poster child for early authors - many a book was penned by her today. She almost outdid herself.

As always, good food, good company and lots of laughs. Emma self-invited herself to return and spend the night - I'm sure Carol won't mind.

Missed the brother and his family as they are currently cruising to the Bahamas and other ports. Lucky...perhaps. The girls would have loved to have some playmates, though. They see their cousins so little that any time we get with them seems precious.

The ride home was smooth and easier than I thought it would be. Especially since Olivia nodded off before we reached the freeway.
Emma occupied her time by reading books. Love that she can do that now. With only an occasional blip about being hungry, she was content the whole way home.
Safely tucked in bed, they are sleeping soundly now. Back to school for Emma tomorrow. Back to work goes Jason tomorrow. Back to the usual weekly events.

Midweek

Here it is. Wednesday already. Normally, I would feel like this.


But Emma's spring break is quickly flying by. And I'm not sure that we've done all we could.

This week just hasn't quite gone as I originally thought it would. Thanks to the snow - stupid snow in April - on Monday, my initial thoughts had to be tabled. Weather, unfortunately, does have a say in where we go. I had hoped to make it to the Frederik Meijer Gardens to see the butterflies, but haven't yet. The exhibit is only there until the end of April. Must make it one weekend.

I had intended to go to Kids N Stuff. Didn't make it there yet either.

Today, however, I did make it one place I had planned on taking the girls. Chuck E Cheese. It was jam packed with lots of other kids whose parents thought it would be a good idea to take them there during spring break week. Idiot. Had I really put any thought into it, I would have realized what a pit of kids would be there. It's hard to keep track of Olivia when everyone else around her towers over her like the Empire State Building. Nevertheless, the girls had a good time. Olivia kept a respectable distance from Chuck when he made his rounds. Emma took pictures of herself. All and all, it was good.

Egg-a-licious

The fruits of their labor.

Last night, the eggs were colored. With love. And care. And a little bit of fun tossed in.It was their first time doing the whole egg dying thing. The eggs really turned out well. Olivia did the first cross-dying, attempting to color the egg with a few colors. She thought it was pretty cool.
A good Sunday activity. A good follow up to picking up new puppies for the MIL.

Going Commando

The day has come.

I think Olivia is ready for potty training.

This morning, as I was washing my hands, getting ready to go and change her, she came waltzing into the bathroom with a clean diaper in one hand and her wet diaper in the other.

I think she was trying to tell me something.

She's been showing signs of being ready for a little while now. I was hoping to get to maybe summer first, not sure why, but I just thought it would be easier then. Doesn't make sense, does it?

I was also hoping for a little more speech. She has been doing better but I'd like a little more so that she can really communicate when she needs to go. Guess it will be a learning curve.

So It's April Fools...

I don't get what the big deal is about today. Stupid people try stupid pranks. What makes today any different than any other day? I bet that when we wake up tomorrow, there will still be stupid people out there. It's not like they only come out once a year and promptly go back into hiding.

They are always out there.
Lurking.
Doing 50 mph in the fast lane on the freeway.
Looking perplexed at the self checkout lane.
Not turning on red when there is no traffic in sight.
Thinking Dr. Pepper is anything like Cherry Coke (J will get it).

Common sense eludes many people on a daily basis.

Why should today be any different.