Oh, The Mama Drama

Hey kid, what's in your ear?

2009-06-17T21:03:00.000-05:00

I give T1 quite a bit of crap for not being able keep the house presentable while being home this summer with T4 (and sometimes T3). From what I remember last summer it was a breeze. Duh.

It seems that turning 2 has brought about quite a few changes in his "ability".

This evening T4 and I alone at home and in T3s bedrooms looking at his elementary yearbook. T4 said "be right back" and took off.

I guess I was kind of engrossed in the pictures and so it took me while to notice how quiet it was.

I went to find T4. I did. In my bathroom.

It's so weird, but I've never seen a kid fill his ears with toothpaste. And then cover his face and head with toothpaste.

So...

2009-06-17T21:02:00.000-05:00

There’s a NASCAR “season”?

I thought it wouldn’t get worse…

2009-06-17T21:00:00.001-05:00

But it did.

I got home last night and started getting T3 ready for VBS (yes nighttime VBS – awesome for working moms). As I was helping him get ready we somehow ended up in front of the window – in the clarifying sunlight and it was then that I saw the gum all over his face…8 hours after Gum-gate originally took place. I followed the trail of gum around his right cheek until it led me to his right ear. There I found the entire back of his ear covered in gum.Are you freakin’ kidding me?

I had to get an ice cube to try to ‘freeze off’ the gum from his back, cheeks, nose and right ear. That didn’t work so I ended up having to chew up my own piece of gum and then use that with the “lift-off” technique. Gross.

After we got most of it off I went out on the shaky limb to ask why there was gum behind his ear he said “Well, Daddy said that if you need to stick your gum somewhere to save it, behind your ear is safer than your back”.

T1s real age of 40
+T3s real age of 6
+ gum + sarcasm
– my real age of 37
= my 64 new gray hairs and the slow decomposition of my sanity.

Um, it’s time to engage

2009-06-17T20:58:00.001-05:00

I hear this a lot, but seems like I rarely get to say it.

Today I did. And the satisfaction I expected was not to be found.

Dangit.

This week T1 is home with both kids. Alone. (Picture my eyes the size of small dinner plates and we’re on the same page!)

Anyway, I had an appt Monday morning before work. My plan was to dress comfortably since I would need x-rays and then after the appointment I would stop back by the house and change clothes and then head to work – that should take 10 minutes…tops…

I walked in through the laundry room to find T1 and T3 at the computer desk rummaging through the bags of “get rid of” toys – picking out stuff they wanted to keep?!? Ahem, those are discards that we all agreed on. They wanted to keep so much that TWO full bags turned into ONE half bag. WTH?

I say my peace and leave off to find T4. He’s laying across the ottoman with gum in his fingers seeing if it will stick to the green chenille. Meanwhile, T3 heads upstairs and I get T4 into the kitchen on the “snack spot” with his gum – just in time for him to swallow it and ask for more.As I head upstairs to change (20 minutes into the 10 minute stop) I see T3 walking past the stairs with no shirt. I ask him where his shirt is and he replies “It sort of has gum on it”. WHAT, WHAT, WHAT?

On the way to yell at him I see gum on the hall wall (excellent). He brings me his shirt and there is gum on the back…inside. How the heck did you do that??? He walks away and there is gum all over his back. WTH?It turns out he had the gum (as recommended by his dentist) and then decided that he wanted some Cheezits. He *knew* that he would need the gum to chew again after eating the sticky Cheezits so he STUCK THE GUM TO HIS BACK TO SAVE IT JUST LIKE HE’D SEEN IT DONE IN WILLIE WONKA…

Why Lord? Oh because I was bad as a kid? Yes, I remember that. Okay thanks.

Down in front!

2009-06-17T20:56:00.001-05:00

Sometimes we give T3 the option to sit with us in ‘big church’ until kids time OR the whole time. Typically he chooses to leave for Sunday school but sometimes he likes to stay with us. And at 6 years he’s pretty good about sitting still.

So this past Sunday, we offered and T3 chose to stay with us the whole time.

He colored and drew for a bit and then started to get a little fidgety. He didn’t want to leave though.

I’m not sure what I was thinking or what came over me, but I pulled up Bejeweled on my phone, turned down the volume and gave it to T3 to play.

It was a hit! It was quiet and a 6 year old has to pay attention and there’s not much interaction that requires talking.

So T1 and I are listening to the sermon and our pastor starts to lead us in prayer. This is typically the congregational prayer that leads to the Lord’s Prayer so that point we are only listening to her reverent words asking the Lord for his mercy and grace. It’s quiet and solemn. We had almost forgotten that T3 was there with us and playing a video game. Almost. Until he evidently made a good move and the silence was shattered by the loud hiss of

“YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!”

Dear Lord,

Please forgive us

Sincerely,

Tracy

Boot.Camp

2009-06-17T20:53:00.002-05:00

Once upon a time there was a girl. When she was younger she didn’t really think about calorie consumption and exercise…primarily because she was young and healthy without much effort on her part. Then one day the girl got married and had a baby. That baby made her get so fat. J But eventually she was able to buckle down and lose that weight…vowing to either not have any more kids OR be more disciplined. On the VERY DAY she reached her lowest weight since that baby, she found out she was pregnant again. The hormones eventually took over and she went crazy and gained another 60 lbs. So now having broken both vows she tried to happily embrace her new ‘fuller’ figure. But one day she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror (not her own because that mirror made her look okay). She was sad and again vowed to lose weight. She signed up for a BOOT CAMP and excitedly counted down the days. Then on June 1st she got up bright and early and headed to boot camp! 5:30 a.m. sharp. And then she died.

~ The end ~

Okay, so she didn’t actually die in the literal sense BUT she was in such bad shape she got tendonitis in her Achilles tendon and can’t go back. The doctor recommended physical therapy – isn’t that a form of boot camp? :-)

He's got a way with words.

2009-03-24T21:38:00.002-05:00

TK likes to watch Phineas and Ferb. It's a pretty cute-ish cartoon about two kids that do the impossible and drive their sister crazy. Phineas is smaller and sort of the leader. Ferb doesn't talk much andwhen he does it's with a crazy British accent. I don't watch it much and I couldn't remember if Ferb actually talked or not. So I posed this question to TK.

"TK, does Ferb even talk?"

"Um, he can talk, but he's really more of an action man.".

"Ohhhhhhhhh."

Like a rowboat for the flood

2009-02-28T17:09:00.006-06:00

Captain's Log
Stardate: Saturday, Feb 28
The Mall

I got ambitious and took the kids to the mall Saturday. Alone. It had to be done. The big one needed soccer cleats and a new nosepad for his glasses and Todd was in Houston.

Soccer store: Success (if you don't count the little one screaming SOCCER SHOES, SOCCER SHOES, SOCCER SHOES until we handed him one to hold)

Lenscrafters: Success

Lunch: Er, well. The kids chose to have Sonic. Remember my Sonic post from back when? Well, they wanted Sonic and it seemed like that had matured enough to have Sonic cups :-). The first thing the big one does is poke a hole in his with the sample toothpick from Rollerz. While I'm getting a new cup the little one jams both thumbs through his Sonic cup. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

I tried to get him out of his stroller and the puddle of Watermelon slush the back-heavy stroller dumps over backwards and the slush puddle goes flying, the stoller crashes and my diaper bag lands with an ungraceful thud on the dirty mall floor. The lady sitting at the table next to us with her 5 (I'm not even kidding) clean kids, offers me a sympathetic smile and a napkin.

I get it.

Really, I do.

But from my sweaty point of view with the soaking baby on the hip it was so absurd that I couldn't even be gracious...

Thanks mall. We'll see you in about 10 years...

I'm okay!

2009-02-20T21:06:00.002-06:00

You'll have to excuse my shrill voice - concrete floors in the house will do that and you'll have to excuse the dim lighting. It's because it's SO DIM that Todd even allowed me to share this video.

Of course, I'm proud that the little one RIDES A SCOOTER at 22 months, but that's not the funny part. You have to suffer through watching the little one "throw" the soccer ball to hear Teeks in the background crash and yell afterwards. It's so funny that I die laughing every time I listen. Comedy genuis... Oh and the little one riding a scooter is pretty cool, too.

I'm Okay! on Vimeo.

2009-02-15T19:55:00.002-06:00

After I re-read "Hey Tracy" I realized that perhaps I came off all American Gothic and preachy - but I was raised in the South...and I am just partial to good manners. :-) AND I think that if a 6 year old calls me by my first name the boundaries of authority are somehow blurred...that's all.

Hey Tracy

2009-02-15T13:06:00.002-06:00

"Hey Tracy!"

Something I hear at least 20 times per day. And it doesn't phase me one bit. Unless the voice is pre-pubescent and coming from a child in TK's class or from our neighbor across the street.

The first time our 1st grade neighbor said "Hey Todd" we both fell out laughing...and then Todd said "Um, it would make me feel better if you said Mr. Todd or Mr. W. Would that be okay?" "Sure Todd."

I have never thought of myself as old-fashioned and I still don't think I am, but there's something about kids calling adults by their first names that really bugs me. Is it too much trouble for you to teach your kids to use respect when addressing adults? At age 6 you are not my peer...I've got a few years on you.

Things

2009-02-08T20:01:00.003-06:00

Just some things - in no particular order

If you aren't a coach, please don't wear coaching shorts. Especially if it's *obvious* you aren't a coach. Coaching shorts are barely acceptable for real coaches.
TK asked me last night what "government grants" were and "what did qualify mean and how do you do it". Time to turn the TV off, son.
I never went to sleep last night. Unfortunately, it wasn't because I was out having fun - it was because I took a Sudafed 24 hr at 11:00 pm. I'm still not tired.
I'm not surprised that my relatively new camera is broken and being held together with black duct tape. You might be a redneck...
I have a 6 year old. Last night I was watching the kids eat dinner with no assistance and I started crying. I think it's because they are growing up so fast. Todd quickly said "That's how my cousin ended up with 6 kids - you need to dry your tears, like right now - we don't have room for 6 kids" :-) He's right - but it's sad.
TK - my kindergartner has a school dance this Friday night. Yes, a dance. K-2 brings cookies, 3-5 brings drinks. I'm laughing just thinking about it. TK told me this morning to "watch his sweet dance moves" and proceeded to have what looked like some sort of seizure...

That's all for now. The drama happens around the clock here now so it's hard to figure out what's worth blogging about :-)

TTFN!

The negotiator

2009-01-28T20:19:00.003-06:00

I can't remember if that was the movie with Kevin Spacey or not, but that's not "The Negotiator" I'm referring to. No sir, I'm referring the littlest member of my family - whom I affectionately call "Bitty".

So, a few nights ago Todd was in Arlington and I was home alone with the boys. Bitty had his bath first and TK was in the playroom playing. Bitty heard TK in there and said "See Ty-luh" (we are working on two and three words together). So I said "Yes, you can go see TK for ONE MINUTE and then it's off to bed". He looked at me very seriously and said "Fi minits". I said "No, ONE MINUTE" to which he replied "NO FI MINITS".

I take issue with a 21 month old that negotiates time with me. He's growing up so much faster than TK did. I know it's because he has a big brother to watch - and copy - leading to the following...

He tells me to "Be ca-ful" when I get him out of the tub
He says "Nah" when you ask him to take medicine. As in - will you take your medicine? Nah
He rides a scoooter. Really. He pushes off with his left foot and balances on his right leg and rides - down the hill, up the hill, around the house, across the street - it's the only way to keep up with TK
He demands "Ee-me mac" if he's in the mood for Easy Mac
He can "buckadeen". That means he likes to buckle his own seatbelt.
And lastly he like to talk on the phone to anyone that will listen.

Todd and I like his independence, but sometimes a mama just wants her 21 month old baby to be a baby.

"Nah"

The computer is fixed

2009-01-28T18:01:00.001-06:00

I'm sure I have some stories to tell, but it's been so long I have probably forgotten them. Stay tuned.

Tree issue

2009-01-04T20:40:00.002-06:00

It was just a plug...

Todd originally thought it was a plug, but wasn't about to dig around in there. All those glass balls hovering over concrete floors...it was bad enough with the little one. I'm still vacuuming up glass from the rug.

I'm not totally happy about it. I was hoping it was catastrophic so that I could talk Todd in to a new white tree for next year.

Nope.

Oh well.

Tolerance in not in their vocabulary

2009-01-04T13:43:00.003-06:00

Todd, TK and the little one, that is. For some reason they don't like it when I sit on the computer and expect them to play nicely together in another room, without my attention and my adult supervision.

Todd, for some weird reason, doesn't like it when I get on the computer after the kids go to bed. I don't get it, but it's something about 'our only two hours of the day we get to spend together'?? Whatever.

So, because of my attempts to pacify their sensitivity I have been slow to update.

I will, though. I will.

Would you do this?

2008-12-20T15:02:00.001-06:00

Would you start repainting the interior of your house a mere 5 days before Christmas - knowing you wouldn't have a prayer of finishing before?

That's what I thought.

Tannenbaum update

2008-12-16T20:19:00.002-06:00

It still looks like that, but now I've grown to embrace and even love the tree's flaws. Much like Charlie Brown does with his tree. The tree is a good metaphor for my life. I thought and expected one thing, but another happened. And it's okay that way.

This year, it's just not about the tree for me. It's about so much more...

The BEST Christmas Album

2008-12-16T20:14:00.002-06:00

I don't have one. But I want one.

What's your FAVORITE - FAVORITE?

I like strong voices and traditional renditions. I like the actual carols and I'm okay with modern arrangements, but I don't like pop arrangements. I want something that feels like church and warms my house and makes me feel all Christmasy.

I DON'T like Frank Sinatra singing any Christmas song so if that's your favorite, then you don't need to let me know. I have Nat King Cole, but that's not the best. I want the best.

What's your favorite? Let me know so I can go out and buy it!

Only 8 days from tomorrow!

O Tannenbaum

2008-12-10T20:00:00.006-06:00

"O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum
"Wha-ha-ha the he-heck???"

My in-laws call me "Sweet Deal" because EVERYTHING I own has some sweet deal story behind it. And if you know me then you know that if you comment on anything I'm wearing or anything in my house the next thing you hear will be "Oh - I got at ____ for 65% off" or something similar. I get if from my mom - hands down the best-NEVER-pay-full-price shopper on the planet. And there's something really great about getting a good deal on something you really want/need. KWIM?

Okay - so back to the tree. Like everything else I own I got a GOOD DEAL! We moved to TX in late December 2002. And by late I mean 28th of December so we didn't have a tree that year. Just after Christmas we were shopping at Sears and my mom (of course) spied a 9ft pre-lit, multi-colored light tree - last year's model - for $99. I KNOW! We bought it. BUT, we don't care for multi-colored lights, so we bought eleventy-hundred boxes of tiny white lights and hand replaced every.single.one. Hand.replaced.every.single.light.on.the.9ft.tree. Thinking that it would be a lifetime tree. What we didn't anticipate is that makers of the tiny white lights would revamp the bulb design and the new tiny white lights don't fit our tree.

Bummer.

So, we now have this 9ft beauty in our living room window...with the front blinds closed.

Merry Christmas...

Work is tiring and high heels suck

2008-12-08T21:58:00.002-06:00

Okay - work is exhausting. Kids are exhausting too, but I never had to care for them in 4 inch heels.

I'm sure I'll have more to say after I make it through the first week.

TTFN.

Let's make it official

2008-12-06T09:07:00.003-06:00

I start a new job on Monday...

Wish me luck!

Repeat after me

2008-12-03T10:59:00.004-06:00

That's what you do when you are 19 months old. Much to the delight and dismay of your parents.

For example, it's delightful when I say "box" and you say "box". It's also delightful when I say "coffee" and you say "gahfee".

It's dismaying, though, when I say "hell" and you say "hell". Or when I say "crap" and you say "grap".

Thankfully you balanced that out last night by repeating me in your best voice when I said "Whatchu talk'n bout Willis???"

You did good Bitty. You must have known how much I needed a laugh like that one...!

I don't even have a catchy title in me...

2008-12-02T19:44:00.001-06:00

I'm just out of drama.

Actually the current drama is just so personal it's hard to find something else to think about.

I thought lemonade was only for the summer months...

Perhaps I'll have something in the next week or so :-) Don't give up.

Sorry Mickey D's. It's the meat.

2008-11-29T21:42:00.002-06:00

TK admitted today that what really "grosses him out" about McDonald's cheeseburgers is the meat...

Praise the LORD. We don't have to go back anymore!

Thankful?

2008-11-26T21:04:00.006-06:00

You bet. And then some.

Patrick Henry Reardon said "Suppose for a moment that God began taking from us the many things for which we have failed to give thanks. Which of our limbs and faculties would be left? Would I still have my hands and my mind? And what about loved ones? If God were to take from me all those persons and things for which I have not given thanks, who or what would be left of me?"

What indeed?

I have never thought about it quite that way...I don't believe I have ever given thanks that I have legs and am simply able to walk. Or that I have arms and am simply able to hug my children. Or that I have a beating heart and am simply able to live...and love.

Despite the challenges of the last year - and believe me there are many - I'm abundantly blessed and more thankful than I have words to express.

A few...

I'm thankful to have a husband to weather the challenges with. Both self-inflicted and accidental. :-) It's okay that not everyone gets us and it's okay that sometimes we don't even get us. But we "chose" and I will forever be thankful for that. I'm thankful to have my kids. That seems like a no-brainer but with the recent stuff in Nebraska it makes me realize that some people aren't. My two wild boys make my heart feel warm and whole. Sometimes when I look at them I can't believe I get to raise them. I'm thankful for my amazing parents. They will never know how lucky I feel to have them and to have a relationship with them. My children are blessed to have them for grandparents! I'm thankful for my in-laws. Despite the natural challenges with blending families, I'm grateful to have married into good people that have good hearts. I'm thankful for my extended family - for my grandmothers who keep on trucking, my amazing aunts, uncles and cousins. I'm thankful to be of sound mind and body. I'm thankful to have a roof over my head and food on the table.

...And mostly, I'm thankful to have a seat on God's train. I'm thankful to just be a passenger.

Duuuuuuuude

2008-11-25T22:27:00.004-06:00

This is so gross I shouldn't even post it, but then I wouldn't be being true to the purpose of this blog, right?

I have gotten notorious for not bringing my diaper bag into stores during routine errands. I take it to the mall and such, but grocery, Target, Walgreens, no. Too much hassle. Lately, though, I have been questioning this strategy. The little one poops like 7 times per day - not even joking - and it's not scheduled. It's totally random. I'm ALWAYS caught without diapers and thus have to buy diapers and wipes in EVERY store so I can run to the bathroom and change him in order to finish shopping. WHAT-EVER. Will I learn?

Maybe one day, yes, but not yesterday.

We were taking a spin through Toys R Us and the boys were playing on the ride ons and I smelled it.

So, like I always do, I walked over behind Bitty and pulled his pants away just a bit to see if I was right...

I was...and it was steaming.

Bleh.

P.S. Todd is still so confused as to why I come home with new diapers every single day and my mom and grandmother think I'm an idiot... ;-)

Mini-me

2008-11-25T20:13:00.002-06:00

And I'm not saying that in a good way...

I put the tree up this weekend. It's fake and it's freakin' huge so I take my time.

Anyhoo, I put the tree up and put the decoration totes next to it thinking I would do the decorating over the course of this week.

Today, Todd was sick and the little one was under the weather, too so they were both sleeping. TK and I were downstairs and he noticed the decorations.

"Mommy, let's decorate the tree. I'm going to help you. I'll put every hook on every decoration."

"Wow, TK - that's so nice. Thanks."

{5 minutes later}

"Mommy, turn off that TV and come over here and help me. I'm not doing this all by myself!!!"

Nice...

Big day tomorrow

2008-11-23T20:34:00.002-06:00

Todd and I both have interviews tomorrow morning. Pray, cross your fingers, "send good vibes" or whatever you do! Anything appreciated :-)

**The last time I worked it was hot outside so I actually had to go shopping for something appropriate to wear...AACK.

W-T-H?!

2008-11-20T16:50:00.004-06:00

FYI - I'm taking the word FOC_ off of my blog. Seriously - there are people landing on this blog looking for stuff that sho' nuff ain't here...

And for the record, the little one has improved his pronunciation to SHOCKS.

I totally LOVE TK

2008-11-16T22:32:00.004-06:00

He is so, so funny. He makes me laugh about 100x/day. Saturday was no exception. We had to visit the mall to get his glasses adjusted. The parking lot conversation between he and Todd went like this

"Tell mommy what song we heard in the car today."

"We heard KISS"

"No, remember...letters"

"Oh yeah, we heard ACDC. I love their song 'Dirty Deeds and the Dunder Jeep".

I still have not stopped laughing.

Best after church lunch ever...

2008-11-16T13:17:00.003-06:00

Is an "all the way" hotdog in my own kitchen. Perhaps what made it especially good today is that we found Gus and he's laying in the floor beside the table. It's a good day today.

A little drama goes a long way

2008-11-10T13:35:00.003-06:00

Yesterday it was pretty chilly when TK and I left for the movie theater. By afternoon it had warmed up considerably...enough to warrant changing into shorts.

"Mommy, can I change?"

"What?"

"Can I change from these cozy pants? I'm like, SWELTERING!!!!!"

Why couldn't he have just said "hot"?

Errrrrrtttttttttt!

2008-11-09T22:03:00.003-06:00

We finally put the brakes on a super busy weekend. I'm exhausted from all my volunteering - something that troubles me greatly should I need to re-enter the workforce any time soon. I don't know how I will survive working an 8 hour day. It's like my body forgot...

So, Friday was TK's school "Tigerthon". The kids train for months running and then get pledges and see how many laps they can run. I volunteered to mark shirts for the kindergarten portion and somehow ended up working the entire day!

Saturday we got up early and had breakfast out. I then went with my mom and grandmother to 'Neath the Wreath - lots of walking in bad shoes. As soon as I got home I changed and went back to TK's school for their carnival where once again I ended up in volunteer mode in their class booth. Today, TK and I went to see Madagascar and he had a playdate (at our house) from 3:30 -7:30.

And somehow after all of that, nobody but me is tired...WTH?

I'm conflicted...

2008-11-06T17:36:00.002-06:00

But I know the answer.

Got a call from a recruiter today to do a job that I was *MADE* for. It's a long term contract that will become permanent. For a GREAT company. For even GREATER money. Greater money than I've made in my almost 15 years of working. I don't have the job - as a matter of fact, we haven't even set an interview time with the HR manager since I'm out of pocket all day tomorrow. But it's exciting nonetheless. The potential is amazing and there's a BIG part of me that's ready to get back in the game for a while.

And then, the little one came up to me with his curly hair, too tight Cozumel t-shirt, rolled up jeans, holding a bag of Wheat Thins and said "cahgee". :-(

Because I want you to live...

2008-11-05T22:43:00.002-06:00

That's what I say to the little one in response to his tantrums lately. What are the tantrums from you ask?

Oh, not much really. Just the little one climbing on the cubes in front of the fireplace and eating the fake rocks and insulation that are necessary for a gas fireplace.

Move the cubes? Oh, yes, I hadn't thought of that. Actually, I did. And TC is smart enough to have figured out how to get them off of the couch and put them back in front of the fireplace. Cut the legs off you say? Yes, perhaps that's next. Or just throwing the cubes in the trash can. Along with candles, flower arrangements, picture frames and pretty much everything else decorative in our house.

But, for now I'll keep explaining to him that he can't eat fake rocks and insulation "because I want him to live..."

It's not that I'm too busy to blog...

2008-10-30T12:10:00.002-05:00

It's just that I'm spending all of my free time trying to make lemonade from this bucket of lemons I just got handed.

Be back in the saddle soon.

Aim high

2008-10-21T20:43:00.002-05:00

TK asked me yesterday if Kiss could play at his 6th birthday party.

I had to sadly tell him that they are no longer doing the 6th birthday party circuit.

Oh and that even if they said yes, we couldn't afford that. Forgot that small detail.

7 years ago today...

2008-10-20T19:03:00.002-05:00

Chinese fire drill when we got stuck on the drawbridge. Lucky for us our photographer was it the car behind us.

Unexpected intro...

He's in the 4th grade!!!!

2008-10-17T20:58:00.003-05:00

TK has a friend at school named Elizabeth. She's the cutest thing ever. She picks apart her ponytail holders and gives TK the beads. She also has a brother in 4th grade...yeah, uh oh.

So, TK comes home for the third time and says "Elizabeth's brother told me he was going to punch me in the stomach and the nuts if I don't leave Elizabeth alone." I was like, "REALLY? He said that to you?" and TK said "Yes and he balled up his fists at me. I was so scared my teeth were chattering." (I almost laughed at that one).

So after a lengthy discussion with the teacher and Tiki, Todd asks him if it's all square in his head - if he can go to school Monday and not have chattering teeth.

TK says "I guess, but HE'S IN THE 4TH GRADE!"

Todd said "Yeah, but there are people bigger than him"

TK was skeptical to say the least when he said "Yeah, but who?

Sad that I'm so old I can't remember when a 4th grader seemed scary...

5 going on retiree

2008-10-12T23:25:00.003-05:00

"So, TK, is this the park where you saw your buddy on Friday? What was his name? Cooper?"

"Yeah, Cooper. He was from my old school, HLC"

"That's cool"

"Yeah, daddy. And it felt really good to reconnect with an old friend"

Bu-wha?

Snazzy boots for a snazzy kid

2008-10-10T20:44:00.003-05:00

TK's annual boot pick. So cute with his little jeans and his big glasses...

Revenge of the grandparent

2008-10-10T20:33:00.003-05:00

Today in line at Cavender's I heard my dad trying to get Bitty to say "socks". Which, you know, from previous posts is pronounced **** (removed by TAW). I was all "Daaaaddddd".

Luckily the little one did not cooperate, but I knew from my dad's laugh that he wanted to try again. :-)

How can this be?

2008-10-09T22:53:00.001-05:00

There is nothing blogworthy in my life right now. Is that possible?

Actually there's quite a bit, but I'm holding out for the National Enquirer to pick up the story...

No. Not really.

You want a what?

2008-10-05T19:59:00.003-05:00

TK asked me this morning after seeing a dead mouse if he could have one. I said no, so he countered with a "rasupial rat" or a "thornkill".

Just to be on the safe side, I said "No".

And for the record, TK, it's mar-supial rat. But I love you for trying.

What's it like?

2008-10-02T16:38:00.003-05:00

Living in Stepford. That's probably what you are asking yourself when you read my blog.

Well, here's an example.

Brrrriiinnnngggg.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Tracy. Next door neighbor just called me. Is there a ticket on my car?"

"What? I don't know. I left the house several times today and didn't notice. Let me go check."

"You won't believe it. Yes, there was a non-moving violation on your windshield. A freakin' ticket on your car parked in FRONT OF OUR HOUSE."

"What for?"

"Parking against the flow of traffic."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

P.S. It was left at 2:36 pm. I was home. How about instead of stopping to unethically collect your $60, knock on my door and ask me to turn the car around. No?

"Y'all be careful!!!!"

2008-10-01T19:48:00.001-05:00

I bet I say this 10-20 times per day when Frick and Frack are home at the same time.

And every time I say "Y'all be careful!!!!", the next sound I hear is "WAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!".

All within 30 minutes

2008-09-30T22:52:00.005-05:00

The little one peed enough to leak through his diaper and form a small puddle in his car seat. Did not notice until AFTER I took him out of that car seat, put him in the stroller and made his sit through TK's 30 minute hair trim. I'm lucky he sticks around.
I SAT on - yes SAT ON a large Coke from Sonic in my seat. I still really can't talk about it without crying since I have sort of given up Coke and this was a treat to myself to cure my migraine. It was sad.
TK spilled his strawberry slush from Sonic into his seat. Actually, check that - he punched a hole in the bottom of the cup like he does EVERY SINGLE TIME HE HAS SONIC. ??????????????

And we all lived happily ever after with soaking wet butts on the drive home. It's like a dream that it happened to all 3 of us within a 30 minute time frame.

Dear "Lady"?:

2008-09-29T16:40:00.005-05:00

You know I'm talking to you. The big ole', tatted up, smoking pregnant mom at the fair...

It's not the "big ole', tatted up" part that I noticed - it was more the smoking and pregnant thing that got my attention.

I saw you and your family on the Kidway. That was me staring at you with the look of incredulation on my face. Remember me?

I just want to say that you totally deserve to have kids. Keep up the good work.

Love ya!

Sheesh and ****

2008-09-22T14:39:00.004-05:00

Vocabulary lesson courtesy of the little one.

"What are these Bitty? Are these shoes?"

"Sheesh"

"That's right, shoes. And if those are shoes, what are these?"

"****" (removed by TAW)

"Yes, socks. That's right. You can only say socks at home, okay?"

"**********************" (removed by TAW)

"Yep, I got it Bitty. Socks."

Update

2008-09-21T21:22:00.000-05:00

Even my garage stinks. It's permeated my freakin' garage.

Ode de Octogenerian

2008-09-21T21:10:00.002-05:00

Bath and Body Works.

I NEVER go there.

If I have their Antibacterial Soap it's because my mom bought them for me.

TK needed a birthday gift for his teacher and we finally found the time Sunday evening at 5:30. My mom suggested lotions, etc from Ulta. Should have listened to her. Instead I parked at the first store in the strip mall, Bath and Body Works.

I found a good candle (Caramel Pumpkin) for TK's teacher and kitchen/bathroom soap - 3 for $10 for me.

Then I crossed the blurry line. The one that sounds like "STICK WITH WHAT YOU KNOW. NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR BEING ADVENTUROUS. YOU ARE ALONE IN A SMELL STORE WITH TWO ORNERY LITTLE KIDS AND YOU AREN'T THINKING STRAIGHT."

But I ignored that and threw caution to the wind and for good measure I tossed in a room spray called "Sandalwood Vanilla". Ummmmm, right? Smelled so delish in the store. BUT, that could have been, and probably was, because it was mixed in with the other eleventy-hundred scents in the store, creating an illusion of Ummmmmmm.

I *somehow* and I really mean *somehow* accidentally sprayed a tiny drop of Sandalwood Vanilla in my cargo area...

My WHOLE car now stinks.

My car now stinks like "Ode de Mature Woman Wearing Some Estee Lauder Fragrance That Expired Like 5 Years Ago."

What's my point?

I don't recommend Sandalwood Vanilla as a way to freshen anything.

Can you use that in a sentence?

2008-09-19T21:07:00.004-05:00

Today my amazingly amazing 5 year old used the word perseverance. in a sentence. in context.

All we could do was smile. And then all I could think was "Slow down, sweet boy...slow down. I'm not ready yet."

I wonder if there's a hole in my stomach

2008-09-18T20:57:00.001-05:00

I was stuck yesterday with a heck of a migraine and nothing to take. I'm not on a daily med right now and had no medication to arrest the headache.

So, I'm just wondering if my homemade (read: desperation) remedy of One (1) 800 mg Ibuprofen, Two (2) Excedrin Migraine, Four (4) aspirin and One (1) Robaxin that Todd was prescribed for his shoulder, in addition to an aromatherapy bath - capped off by a freezing water head rinse and about a gallon of water to drink will have any lasting effects on me...?

Migraine

2008-09-18T20:57:00.000-05:00

Headache

And lastly...

2008-09-15T22:21:00.003-05:00

Dear Wealthy Retired Golfer and wife:

If you are in your personalized cart - in the school zone - during afternoon dismissal - and you see me in my big vehicle bearing down on you - while yelling at my 5 year old in the backseat - don't keep going and shake your head at me like I was wrong when I don't stop for you to cross the school driveway.

It won't be so funny after I've hit you.

P.S. School dismisses at 3:45 EACH WEEKDAY. I'm there all of them. My son gets daily notes so I'm likely to be repeating today's scene every day. Watch out for me.

Love ya!

Pictures of what keeps us busy

2008-09-15T21:58:00.002-05:00

TK's rock climbing universe tour...it'll work as long as that snappy belayer comes along...and continues to act like a bored 16 year old who loves her job.

See that chair behind me with the baby booster seat in it? Well at 18 months I think I'm too big to sit in that chair to eat so I will only sit in a big chair or I'll starve myself and throw all my food on the floor. Just making it easy for my parents.

It never gets old

2008-09-15T21:47:00.003-05:00

Holding a brand new baby, that is. (Please ignore my appearance and the bra strap that just won't be hidden) and look at the sweetest baby face since April 24, 2007. (That's the day the little one was born) :-)

New addition

2008-09-15T11:12:00.003-05:00

My newest nephew is here. Jackson arrived this morning weighing in at 7lb, 6oz and 19 3/4 inches long. Everyone is happy and healthy.

Our basketball team is almost complete with my 2 - ages 5.5 and 1.5 and now Brian's 2 - ages 2.5 and newborn.

Poor TK will always be Godzilla of the bunch, but these cousins love each other and have so much fun together.

Praise the Lord for his miracles.

And speaking of stealing...

2008-09-14T22:57:00.004-05:00

Today at Target I decided to buy a new bath puff - those meshy-sponge like things you can use in the shower. Obviously, that is an instant entertainment device for the little one in the cart.

Checkout was the TOTALLY AWESOME experience it always is and during that fun I got distracted and forgot to get the puff from the little one.

I realized this when I got to the car. Sweating (why me Lord?) and frustrated over what I like to call "checkout line begging 2.0" I look down to see the little one with the now stolen puff.

I was all "CRAP. I have frozen items. I'm not going back in."

Buuuuttttt, I can't take a stolen puff home with me either...Dilemma.

I finally decided to leave the puff in the cart and take the cart back inside. And if someone tries to stop me and tell me that I forgot my puff I'll fall back on my standard "Tracy no speaka English" and walk on. Luckily, nobody tried to stop me and end up with a dose of my dazzling Spanglish.

My rationale: Now, Target has the puff they think someone paid for and forgot and I'm off the hook for getting into Heaven later because I didn't *actually* steal and take the puff home. Downside of my rationale: I have to use my hands with my new body wash. Nice.

Bite, bite, bite, bite!

2008-09-14T22:48:00.003-05:00

Do you let your kids eat from the grocery cart while you are shopping? I don't mean fruit and stuff that is weighed, etc., because that would be stealing. :-)

No, I mean like crackers, etc.? I do and my grandmother doesn't really get that. She told me that her kids would have to wait until they got home. I was like "Wow, my mom and her brothers must have been good and well fed kids."

I took the little one to the grocery store with me this afternoon. Little one + shopping of any kind = me having a meltdown. He stands up in the cart, he yells, he grabs anything within 6 ft of the cart (long arms) and did I mention the yelling and standing?

Well, lately, he's also not been content to let ANYONE eat ANYTHING in his presence without yelling "BITE!, BITE!, BITE!" until he consumes every morsel of what you have/had.

This grocery visit was a new low for us. I ordered chicken from the deli and they always give you the sample. As soon as the little one saw the .1000 of an ounce of chicken he yelled "BITE!". So I gave him the bite.

Talk about awakening the beast...

The beast became so awakened that when I checked out I just scanned the empty bag...that once held 1/2 lb of deli chicken...

I think we're going to have to reevaluate the nickname "Bitty".

Dangit!

2008-09-13T21:36:00.002-05:00

I didn't get my weekly installment of "Who is getting beat by State this weekend?" up today and I caused them to lose...to Auburn...by one point.

Dangit.

Sorry State.

Are glue guns so 1997?

2008-09-10T21:06:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure.

I rediscovered and re-fell-in-love with my glue gun tonight when for the eleventy-hundredth time the kids ripped the rope trim off of the ottoman tray. Okay kids, it was funny the first few times, but now it's not so funny anymore.

Anyway, it occurred to me as I blew the 6-inch thick layer of dust off of my glue gun that they are damn handy and should not be relegated to the garage all of the time...

That's all.

The honeymoon is over

2008-09-10T18:31:00.003-05:00

It lasted almost 2.5 weeks though, so that's pretty good.

The letter went something like this...

Dear Parents of _______________:

TK has had a difficult week this week keeping his hands to himself....

And it went on from there to say that "he's a very sweet child", "does seem to be hitting playfully", "has been talked to repeatedly", "is not making good choices".

Phew.

I wrote a short dissertation back to her explaining that we would work on this. I love his teacher and so does he so that's a good place to start from.

This hitting thing - should be a piece of cake. Not counting the 4 times he hit or got rough with the little one in the 3 hours he's been home from school. I guess we'll start tomorrow. :-<

A riddle

2008-09-08T21:30:00.003-05:00

Q: What's tan and clear and sticky with red and purple dots and some white strips mixed in?

A: The PILE of popsicle sticks, popsicle wrappers and fruit-by-the-foot wrappers I found behind the TV cabinet and speakers when I was innocently cleaning yesterday.

Apparently - and don't quote me on this - it's easier to chuck the wrappers over and sticks the TV and speakers than it is to walk 6 feet the other way to the trash can. At least, that's the case if you are 5 and the TV is tuned to Transformers Animated.

Who ever told me parenting was easy is in for a serious butt-kicking because they totally lied!

Should naming children be a supervised activity?

2008-09-06T20:13:00.005-05:00

Dear laFamily:

I saw you today when I was driving my son to his school party. You were in the left lane and far enough ahead of me so that when we came to the stoplight I could see your "bragging" stickers on the back of your Suburban. You know the stickers that say "MHS Varsity Football - Caden", etc. The ones that most professionals say DON'T PUT ON YOUR CAR BECAUSE IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR PEDOPHILES TO GAIN YOUR CHILDREN'S TRUST IF THEY KNOW THEIR NAME AND WHAT THEIR INTERESTS ARE - but I digress. That's not what I'm writing to you about.

Actually, I wanted to comment on the amazing originality of your children's names. Believe me, I realize that all the good ones are taken and that you really have to struggle to be original.

I just want to say that I applaud your ingenuity. I salute your creative risk-taking. I commend you for going so far out on a limb.

I just hope that your lucky girls, LaKayla and LaChrista feel the same way...

Way to go LaMom. You LaRock!

Much love,

Let's try this again

2008-09-05T19:46:00.001-05:00

And now for the weekly installment of

"WHO IS GETTING BEAT BY STATE THIS WEEKEND?"

Game 2

Southeastern Lousiana v. MSU

GO STATE!!!

Dear Dierdra (yes, that's really the spelling)

2008-09-04T20:43:00.008-05:00

Dear Dierdra:

I can't tell exactly how old you are, but the white hair and nose-perched glasses make me think that your toe ring is probably a little too young for you.

I have a big favor to ask. If it's not too much trouble, please wait until you get home to take your Bath & Body Works receipt survey. Most of us are waiting for post surgery news about our loved ones and you yelling into the cell phone "those scents just scream "fall" to me" and "I love your candles, but not the 3-wick ones" is not really of interest to any of us.

And while I'm out on the favor limb, could you please just step into the hall when you call the local store to loudly inquire "HOW LONG ARE YOUR WALLFLOWERS ON 2 FOR 1 SPECIAL? WALLFLOWERS! YES, WALLFLOWERS!...OKAY, THANK YOU". I don't mean to judge, but you were waiting for news of someone being cut open under anesthesia. I'm just saying, the wallflowers sale at Bath & Body Works can wait. Really.

And lastly, Dierdra. Don't think I didn't see you get up and move when that doctor came out to update those two crazy ladies. I know he was loud. It's just ironic that the loudest person moves when someone else goes a little over the preferred decibel level. Oh Dierdra.

I appreciate you hearing me out Dierdra (and thanks for spelling your name 2 times - that was a bonus).

I know the hospital waiting room is boring, so thanks for understanding.

Love,

That's all it took

2008-09-03T21:17:00.003-05:00

This morning for the eleventy-hundredth time I heard "You really do love Bitty more than me. You really do care about Bitty more than me."

AAACCCKKK.

When will it end, I asked myself.

Shortly after that exchange, the little one started pulling the clothes off of a chair he wanted to get in. That was taking too long so he decided to pull the entire laundry basket off. Once that was all dumped on the floor, he kicked his way around it and started to climb into the chair. I went over and said "No, no Bitty." and jokingly tapped him on the diaper. The little one turned from the chair and went the other way.

When I turned around I saw TK laying on the bean bag taking it all in. A big smile came across his face and he happily said "OOOOHHH. I guess you really do love us both equally after all."

?????????????????

Sooo, just so I'm clear. It's not that I'm nicer to the little one, it's that I'm not as mean?

Is that good or bad?

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwuh!

2008-08-31T22:47:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we headed to Todd's grandmother's house for lunch. About 15 minutes into the trip TK asked if we were dropping him off at school. I told him school was closed on Saturday and Sunday and he was mad. And by mad I mean mad. Mad enough to say that closing school was the "stupidest idea in the world". I couldn't help but be a little envious of that enthusiasm... and a little sad knowing he will be just another jaded, cynical kid this time next year. :-)

Sooooo, that didn't go as planned

2008-08-30T21:57:00.003-05:00

State didn't exactly *win*, but I think it was planned. A calculated move. I think they were just throwing LaTech a bone since LaTech has 3 road games upcoming against BCS teams. You know, let them have a win - a feel-good gesture if you will . :-)

Game 1

2008-08-29T19:26:00.002-05:00

And now for the weekly installment of

"WHO IS GETTING BEAT BY STATE THIS WEEKEND?"

Game 1

MSU v. Louisiana Tech

GO STATE!!!

THAT was FUN!

2008-08-29T13:08:00.003-05:00

Today Todd asked me from the living room "Where is the best place to buy Dell accessories? I need an American power cord for this computer and I'm not sure where the best place is."

I said "How would I know, I'm a stay-at-home-mom".

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

It was awesome. Don't think I'm not living it up for a while - this staying home, wearing old t-shirts and watching House Hunters while the little one naps. Making mid-day runs to Wal-Mart - when it's only crowded with retirees and other stay-at-home-moms. Having "playdates" for babies at Chick-fil-A (um, whatever a playdate actually is...). Making Big Lots a part of my daily routine and actually getting to Tuesday Morning ON Tuesday Morning. Taking and picking TK up from Kindergarten (the BEST part of being home is that!). Going to the gym when nobody else is there and best of all - revisiting those days of having a newborn when everyone said "SLEEP WHEN THE BABY SLEEPS". Yeah - I love that part...

I'm sure that eventually I'll have "stay-at-home-mom" responsibilities that I never knew existed and when those rear their ugly heads I'll go back to being a work-outside-the-home mom - but for now I'm enjoying the bliss that is child-rearing. (hahaha)

Back to our regularly scheduled programming

2008-08-27T21:49:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow I'm going to blog about something other than the first week of kindergarten. Maybe about how the little one should count his lucky stars TK was born first. Otherwise...curtains.

I thought fickle was for girls...

2008-08-27T21:44:00.004-05:00

08/26/2008
"Mommy, I have a new friend and she's a girl. She has a 6 year old brother with a girlfriend! Can you believe a 6 year old has a girlfriend?"

08/27/2008
"The girl that's my friend, that I don't know her name, with a 6 year old brother with a girlfriend...she was tricking me about her brother having a girlfriend so I'm not her friend anymore."

At least he's got standards. I wouldn't settle for that kind of deceit either!!!!! :-)

Smackit brothers ~ disbanded

2008-08-25T21:07:00.003-05:00

"How was your new buddy - your Smackit brother buddy?"

"I'm not friends with him anymore - he kept hitting me."

Oooooooohhhhhhh. Hmm. Maybe you should have called yourselves something else...???????

Exactly what I hoped for...

2008-08-25T21:04:00.002-05:00

"How was the first day of school TK?!?!?!?!"

"IT WAS AWESOME! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SCHOOL WAS SO MUCH FUN? I WANT TO GO BACK THERE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!!!!!"

...Excellent. That is perfect since you are committed for at least the next 13 years. State law and all.

The Smackit Brothers

2008-08-23T22:45:00.002-05:00

That's the name TK and his new classmate came up with today at the Kindergarten Meet n Greet popsicle social. I guess it's their club...The Smackit Brothers...

Poor, poor teacher.

It's in my blood

2008-08-22T18:35:00.003-05:00

Mississippi that is. I was born and educated in Mississippi. Although I have not ever lived there otherwise, my family is still there and frequent enough visits keep me a Mississippi girl at heart. So I feel like I "get it". However, on a recent visit to see my favorite relatives, I encountered a wonderfully WT sight at the park.

I took the kids to a park in Columbus to give my grandmother a break from my hoodlums. There was only one other family there - what appeared to be a grandmother, her daughter and the daughter's two kids - a cute 2 year old tow headed little boy and a 6 month old girl.

While words cannot do the experience justice, this overheard should give you a sampling.

"WYATT! That is nawt yer drank. Put that drank day-own. Eef yew want a drank come over heere and git yer Mountain Dew! WYATT! Put that day-own and come git yer Mountain Dew! Raht nay-oh!"

And just to paint the whole picture the Mountain Dew was in a sippy cup...

and the family was from Florida.

Way to go family - way to taint Mississippi.

Meet the teacher!!!!

2008-08-22T00:10:00.002-05:00

...did not go *exactly* as planned.

Perhaps it was me. Perhaps I hyped it up too much in an effort to secure the excitement of starting kindergarten. Perhaps it was the crowd. Perhaps it was hunger. Perhaps it was during the *witching hour* for TK. Who knows? Who will ever know? What I DO know is that I will be praying extra hard for TK's teacher come Monday morning.

Some things that were said and overheard tonight...

"Mommy, CAN WE JUST GO HOME NOW?!?!?"

"I don't care where my cubby is"

"Mommy, CAN WE JUST GO HOME NOW?!?!?"

"I hate those t-shirts"

"Mommy, CAN WE JUST GO HOME NOW?!?!?"

"I want to go to the ice cream park right now. This is boring"

"Mommy, CAN WE JUST GO HOME NOW?!?!?"

"I hate tennis shoes. Why can't we wear flips to school?"

"Mommy, CAN WE JUST GO HOME NOW?!?!?"

And wouldn't you know, as soon as we were safely back in the comfort of our car on our way to dinner

"I'm going to LOVE schoool and I can't wait for it to start."

There it is people. PROOF that I will NEVER get it.

T minus 3 and counting

2008-08-19T21:27:00.002-05:00

In just 3 short days we will be gearing up for the first day of school! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! TK's teacher called today to introduce herself. I didn't speak with her, but Todd did and said she sounds nice, excited and competent. PERFECT. TK can suck that right out of her in the first week. KIDDING! Seriously, kidding :-)

Actually I went upstairs to tell him that we now *know* his teacher's name and he asked what it was and I told him "Mrs. ______". He pondered that and rolled it around his mouth for a second. Then repeated it and said "Well, I bet she's pretty."

I'm impressed that he got that from just her name...

The math...

2008-08-17T21:44:00.002-05:00

2 adults + 1 five year old + 1 sixteen month old + 10 hours ONE WAY in the car = 4 lucky to be alive people...

I'm changing the little one's name...

2008-08-17T21:41:00.003-05:00

I'm changing his name to "Stop It".

What is it about 16 months and the kitchen table?

2008-08-13T20:51:00.004-05:00

I ask because that's where we find the little one 99% of his awake time. He moves any and every chair, climbs up and dumps the salt and pepper out.

Exciting for me that I'm hitching a ride with my mom on her way to her 40th class reunion in Mississippi. While she's carousing with her high school buds, I'm going to stay with my grandmother with the kids...and no backup for the WHOLE DAY Saturday.

It's true that I invited myself to go along so I'm not complaining, I'm just saying that I'll be the one this weekend wearing running shoes and sweating...

TTTS

Don't you wish?

2008-08-12T21:15:00.002-05:00

Remember this post?

Don't you wish you could do it with the laundry, too?

This basket has a twin. All clean. But not quite folded. Just waiting for someone to give it the attention it deserves.

I.HATE.LAUNDRY.FOR.FOUR.

T minus 13 and counting

2008-08-11T20:49:00.002-05:00

13 days until TK is a kindergartner.

Well, I guess that's good to know...

2008-08-08T12:10:00.002-05:00

TK: Where are we going? I thought we were going home now?

ME: Well, we have to run to Wal-Mart to get some milk.

TK: Can we look at the toys?

ME: Um - maybe. We'll see. But I can tell you right now that we are NOT buying anything. It's too close to Christmas - it gets confusing for Santa when you start buying this close to Christmas. (I love August and beyond :-))

TK: Okay. Maybe we can just look.

ME: I think that sounds fine TK.

TK: And mommy, if you let me look at the toys and you say I can't buy one, that's fine. I won't slap or kick or hit or bite or even punch you. I will just say 'okay' and then leave.

???????????????????????????

Well. Phew. I guess. I had no idea that was even a possibility.

Luckily - I know what he meant and can laugh about it. It's from the drop-off-at-daycare ritual from when he was 3 and started biting again. I decided throw in every example of bad behavior lest I leave one out and have him say "You told me not to bite, but you didn't say not to punch" because he's smart enough to think that way. AACK.

I will close by saying "Thank you God for making every day an amazing experience" and by amazing I mean HELP!

TTFN

He puts the GEE in Genius

2008-08-06T20:17:00.008-05:00

The little one just cracks me up on a daily basis. He's at the fun age, i.e. anything beyond newborn and he starting to know what he wants and trying to figure out how to get you to understand him. The big thing now is working on creating words. He's really picked up some, like mama, daddy, di-ber (diaper), be-bee (baby), bobble (bottle), doggie, more, bite, hot, ball, banana, etc.

And then there are the GEE family of words that we are still working out...

Coo-gee. Pronounced Coo-GEE. It means cookie and that's can be anything from Cheezits to Nilla Wafers to Quakes. If they are small-ish and round-ish they are coo-GEEs. And there must be an air of desperation indicated when saying coo-GEE - like if someone doesn't deliver that cookie the world will END.

Naw-gee. Pronounced gnaw-GEE. Naw-gee is the official catch phrase for TC. Naw-gee might mean "Give me that burp cloth", or "I want to hold that toy", or "Please pick me up", "Please put me down", "Please make the dog let me sit on his back". It means everything that the above words can't be used for. And he must love the sound because he will say it over and over and over and over and over again. Like this, naw-GEE!, NAW-gee!, naw-gee!, NAW-GEE!, naw-GEE!, NAW-gee!, naw-gee!, NAW-GEE!, naw-GEE!, NAW-gee!, naw-gee!, NAW-GEE!,naw-GEE!, NAW-gee!, naw-gee!, NAW-GEE!

Wah-gee. Pronounced WAH-GEE. This means water, duh. But is used to indicate ANY wish for something liquid. If you can drink it and he wants it, it's called wah-GEE. What's funny about wah-gee is that it started out being WATER - clearly, WAH-TER...

I told Todd that it's the little one's subtle way of reminding me that he is indeed a GEEnius.

Living the dream...

2008-08-06T17:35:00.001-05:00

Lucky to be alive

2008-08-04T15:54:00.002-05:00

Hate the new placement of furniture. Todd asked me to give it 2 weeks I countered with 2 hours...

Will be moving the furniture back...by myself...ASAP...

What kind of girl did my mama raise?

2008-08-03T23:29:00.005-05:00

One that picked up the end of a couch and helped her husband carry it down the curved staircase. And then a chair. And then helped rearrange every piece of furniture downstairs, including two couches, two chairs, 4 or 5 tables and a freakin' piano. That's what kind.

I will admit that it was my idea and so I was sort of obligated to help...right? The adrenaline kicked in during the heavy lifting and now that it's worn off and the lactic acid is seeping in to my forearms, I'm in some serious pain. So much that I can't even lift the laundry basket to take it upstairs...

P.S. The lactic acid is not really responsible for my pain, I'm just not willing to fully admit that I overshot my muscular ability...by a lot.

I call it GENIUS!

2008-08-02T10:26:00.003-05:00

This morning the little one woke up around 7:30 and when I got him up I changed his night diaper (as usual). We came down for breakfast and while breakfast was cooking he wandered over to where I was sitting and I smelled him. This is also "as usual". EVERY morning I change his 50lb wet diaper and about 15 minutes later he poops. AACK. But I can't bear to leave him in that sodden diaper for any longer in the mornings - so we just waste a diaper.

Anyhoo, I made some comments about "Oh I smell Bitty. Time to change!". So I realized that the diaper bag was in the car in the garage so I just went there to get a diaper and wipes and he followed me and when he saw me opening the door he said "Di-ber, be-bee, di-ber" his words for diaper and baby. I said "Yes, it's time to change the diaper". So he goes walking off in front of me into the den and lays down on the rug and puts his feet up and just waits for me to catch up and change his diaper! I was all, "REALLY? You are a genius!"

That friends, is service with a smile!

This story makes me think the little one will grow up to have the next Stephen Hawking brain. I'm *SURE* your child has done something equally astounding - but please don't rain on my genius parade. Let me enjoy the amazing mind of my 15 month old for just a little longer :-)...until he's 5 and smarter than me...

Whatever, dude.

2008-07-31T17:08:00.005-05:00

Took the kids to the Science Museum today and it was totally awesome. Pictures when I recover from that outing.

I will go ahead and put this out there. 90% of parents and kids are annoying. I'm just saying. I'm sure I'm in someone else's 90% and I'm okay with that. But for real.

Just another day in paradise...

2008-07-25T22:47:00.008-05:00

This is what having a boy looks like. Genetically-programmed-to-get-as-dirty-as-possible boys...

Thank goodness for the last summer birthday!

2008-07-20T19:26:00.004-05:00

Seriously, thank goodness there was one boy in TKs class that has a summer birthday. I have not been to a classmate birthday party since March 2007 when I was put on bedrest for the little one. Since then Todd has been the attendee for all things 5 year old birthday related and I've been the one to stay home with the little one - either while he napped or because who wants a baby at their birthday. So yesterday TK was invited to our neighbor and soon to be kindergarten classmate's 6th birthday. It was at our neighborhood pool - walking distance for us and the perfect July-in-Texas summer party. The party started at 10:00 am so my mom came over to keep the little one because he's at that age where they just walk right in to the pool - without stopping. That and it was his morning nap time and Todd was gone.

So, I'm sure you are asking why do I say "thank goodness I sacrificed two hours of my life with screaming 5 year olds?"

Well, lately I have been stressed about TK going to kindergarten in just about a month. Not because "my baby is growing up" and not because I will know the difference being a working mom, but for other reasons. He's an AMAZING kid, but one that requires quite a bit of stimulation and activity. He likes to be going and doing and sharing his wonderful imagination with you 24/7. He's become so independent and lately filled with the vim and vigor attitude...more like a 5th grader than a 5 year old. I was filling out his profile for his teachers and when I finished and re-read I was like "Huh, I'm sure this teacher is going to get this profile and be like 'crap'..." So rather than taking the time to understand him and I have just been assuming that he's the only one like this...au contraire...

Sitting at the pool yesterday was EYE-OPENING! There was a good assortment of kids - kids with older siblings, kids with younger siblings (like TK), only children - you name it. And all of them were 5 or 6 and all of them were pure terrors! They didn't listen to their mothers, they dunked their friends, they ran when they weren't supposed to, they pitched royal tantrums and in general...acted 5.

I was purely giddy just seeing that it's widespread. 5 is magical in a really bad way - like "running through the fires of hell" magic. Now I know that it's not ideal that I'm like "Oh, phew, they are all bad" - and that's not it. It was more like "OOOOOOOOHHHHH, so it's just 5?????"

And then, just like I've come to expect, God plopped down an old friend that I had lost contact with, right next to me. She and I met when our "Ts" were 2 and 3 months old. She has a 9 year old and thankfully spent the next 2 hours reassuring me that if we could make it through 5 and 6 then we could be eligible to be the first women on the front lines of combat. She told me that she got notes every day for the first 6 weeks with her oldest and that the teachers still liked him (and her) despite that. She talked and comforted and made me feel better and better (all while yelling at her "T" and putting him in multiple timeouts, getting pizza, cake and applying sunblock).

I left there feeling better than I have in months AND I came home with a new perspective on TK. Instead of thinking about how hard it is for me, I'm thinking also about how hard it must be to be 5...

Love in real life...

2008-07-18T22:37:00.006-05:00

This is what it looks like...to me.

Any guesses?

2008-07-18T22:26:00.004-05:00

If you guessed "The number of times Tracy has heard 'you love bitty more than you love me' from TK" - you got it right!

Okay TK - let me just clarify - just because you get in trouble for knocking your 15 month old brother down with a sucker punch does NOT mean I love him more than you. I'm simply trying to make sure he lives. Are we clear?

Roll 'n Grow, Part Deux

2008-07-18T22:16:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I was in the kitchen while the little one was napping and TK was watching a "kid's show". A commercial came on and I heard TK say "Mommy, are you hearing this?"

I told him I was and he turned to look at me over the back of the couch...

"Well, do you want pretty flowers?"

"Sure I do"

"Do you want to have them attract butterflies?"

"Sure, that would be nice"

"Then you should just get the Roll 'n Grow mat. All you do is just roll, water and let mother nature do the rest. You'll end up with beautiful flowers in no time."

His pitch was so convincing I visited the website. But what I really want to know - and I've asked this before - why are those commercials on mid-day Nickelodeon?????

Worse than being dead?

2008-07-16T20:45:00.007-05:00

I don't even know where to begin with this one. Normally this would be an "overheard" but this one needs a little background for it to be as funny as it was...

So...overheard...with background.

Tonight I was making hamburgers for dinner. I was doctoring the meat up and TK walked by so I asked him to grab the meat container and put it in the trash. He only had one hand and when he grabbed the container it flipped up and some of the blood got on his wrist. He pulled his wrist in to sniff it and I said "CAREFUL that's blood!". His eyes got really big and he said "Real blood???"

I said "Yes, real blood. Put that in the trash and go wash your arm off."

On the way around the baby gates I could see him in the hall and he was sniffing his wrist again and said "What's the blood from?" I told him it was from the meat and he wanted to know what kind of meat. I said "The hamburger, the meat from the cow."

He finished washing his arm and came back out from the bathroom and all the way back around to the kitchen. When he got there he said "I bet that cow was FURIOUS!" and I said "The cow was furious...? Why would the cow be furious?"

"BECAUSE YOU TOOK IT'S MEAT!"

And then he walked off in the "DUH" huff.

I mean, I never would have thought about how angry the cow must be and it just seemed mean to tell him that the cow was probably more furious about having to be dead...

Stealing? or just borrowing because it's funny!

2008-07-14T21:59:00.006-05:00

I borrowed this from a site that I stalk. These are good for a rainy day...

1. I would love to have this sense of humor
2. Now I'll start looking for my own
3. If you love Photoshop, you'll love the this one

Just a little something to bookmark and go to when you run out of things to look at on the computer, but you don't want to fold the laundry either...