Interesting day...

Whew, it's been a humdinger around here today! Talk about stressed out! However, the details will remain mum, and I'll leave it at the fact that I no longer have a part time job. I feel a mix of relief and a tinge of regret at the same time. But such is the way of life. On another note, my blog is no longer anonymous, as my sister has discovered me (Hello , Benny, and yes, now I'll have to censor because of you, you bitty!- Ha, just kidding- you know I love ya! Thankfully I didn't have to edit anything about you-yet- hurray!)
The boys had some friends over to play this morning, and when Jackson came into my room at 7 this morning, he immediately said
"Mom, I wanna go down and wait for Connow to come and pway."
"Jack, it's too early."
(Sam) "Wook, Mommy, it's mownin time outside!" (Pulling up the blinds they are not supposed to touch)
I ended up calling my poor neighbor at 8:30 and saying "How soon can you get here? They're driving me crazy. I mean, no pressure or anything. But seriously, get over here NOW!"
After their playdate and naptime, they spent the afternoon entertaining themselves and cramming packets of fruit snacks down their gullets while I spent the afternoon dealing with my work "minicrisis." They so know to take advantage of me on the fruit snack issue while I'm on the phone because they know to keep them quiet so I can hear I'll just keep the tooth rot flowing! Sneaky kids!
Oh, and this bit of cuteness from Livi. Yesterday while she snuggled in bed with us during the first light of morning, she started pushing her pacifier toward Ryan and laughing. So we would prod her and say "Where's Daddy's paci? Can he have it? Will you share?" And she would push it towards him again and giggle. We were convinced for a few moments that these were just the first glimpses of her obvious genius, when we started to think maybe she was just reacting to our smiles and not really understanding our request, being that she turned only 7 months old yesterday.
BUT today, and in the presence of a witness (my neighbor), I asked her to share a puzzle piece with me that she was holding and playing with and she immediately offered it up with a big toothless grin. So, officially she's gorgeous AND smart. Of course. Heehee.
Thank goodness I'm headed out for drinks tomorrow night. I NEEEEEEED it!
Hogknobber (this is a test!)

Many unrelated thoughts/events

So, has it really been over a week since I last posted here? YIKES! Here's the latest:
We had Sam's Nemo birthday party on Saturday here at the house- went very well, will post pics when I get them. He loved it all and the kids had a blast- mostly he wanted cake, and he made that clear from the get-go!
I am still working at my small part time job, although I tried to call and quit Friday and my weenie self ended up working on Sunday. The owner called today and basically said I can make my own schedule and offered me a pay increase, so now I'm even more weenied out so my friends are going to get me liquored up this weekend so I can find the inner strength to quit ;-)
In other news, Jackson had a great day at school today, and Mrs. Ray said he was especially good during "circle time." I have absolutely no idea what that means, and Jackson claims they read a story about "Clibbord, the big red dog and sledding," but I have no clue. Sammy has been his usual boisterous self and the boys have taken to teaming up against me at naptime, causing my blood pressure to rise to unsafe levels and my poor mommy head to bang uncontrollably. Olivia, however, continues to be the absolute epitomy of perfect baby, and couldn't be sweeter if she tried. Aaah, girls. Looks like they really are easier at THIS age than boys. We'll see in a few years when I am forced to eat those words.

I was wondering...

We hit the ol' faithful Chick-fil-A for dinner last night to use up some coupons before they expire. As we were getting out of the van, I heard Jackson say to Ryan,
"Dad, I was wonderin about sompin last night."
Ryan couldn't remember by the time I asked him inside what exactly Jackson had been wondering about, but I'm sure I'll never forget hearing him say it.
Suddenly we had a 12 year old, instead of a 3 year old.

Ma Ma

Livi said her first OFFICIAL words today- MAMA, as it should be. Now she has been saying Mama for some time now, but today I confirmed she was actually calling for me and she did it in front of me this afternoon and in front of hubby this evening during her bath. I can't believe she's old enough for that, but at the same time it seems like she's been around forever and I can't believe she's not 30 or so. Wonder what words will follow...I'm guessing perhaps "eat," and then "No," or "Stop" projected at Sam. We'll see- always an adventure!
On another note, we introduced the boys to "Chutes and Ladders" after dinner, but as we discussed the game choice while we ate, it went something like this:
Jackson: I wanna pway a game aftew dinnew.
Me: Okay, you wanna play Chutes and Ladders?
Jackson: Yeah, chutes and wetters.
Me: No, it's chutes and LADders.
Jackson: Yeah, chutes and wetters.
Me: No, chutes and LADDERS.
Jackson: Chutes and letters.
Me: No, CHUTES and LADDERS.
Ryan: Jackson, say LAD.......DERS.
Jackson: Chutes and labbers.
Me and Ryan: No, CHUTES AND LADDERS.
Jackson: Yeah, Let's play chutes and letters! Woohoo!
Me: Sigh (puckering my lips and swallowing more delicious wine)
Sammy: HAHAHAHAHAHA! Jashon so siddy! Yah! Wets pway a game!

The heartbreak of the drop-off line

So Connor didn't go to school today. And that means I had to take Jackson to school myself. And of course it was the first morning I had decided to just stay in my Pjs until after Tammy picked him up, and then take a luxurious shower while Livi took her morning nap and Sam watched tv. Not so much.
Instead, I spent the morning running around like a crazy person trying to get myself and all three kids ready to go in about a 45 minute window. Showering, dressing myself and the kids, making breakfast and them actually eating it, feeding baby sister, packing Jack's bag, and getting all 3 kids loaded into "the silver rocket" just isn't intended to occur in 45 minutes. But we made it, and no one suffered too greatly. (Nevermind the fact that Livi rode in the car in baby food covered pjs again. So much for good intentions!)
Jack warned me on the way that he was planning to cry, and he delivered. I almost wish he would just throw a good old fashioned tantrum so I could drive away thinking "Ha, those sucker teachers have to deal with him this morning! See you in three hours! Hahahaha!"
Unfortunately, he just does this sad tearful eye thing while he watches me drive away and I glimpse big tears spilling over and splashing on his cold, pink cheeks in my rear view mirror. Ouch. Good thing I stayed up all night to get him in next year, seeing how much he loves it and all. Heh.

Recovering from insanity, preschool style, '08

So I did my second annual all-nighter to secure a spot in preschool on Sunday night. Yep, I am one of "those Moms" now, and there's just no hiding from it anymore. I thought I had turned over my soul with the minivan, but apparently that was just the tip of the iceberg. Now I am so crazy about the PREschool I will allow my kids to attend that I will stay up all night in freezing cold weather to secure a spot for my precious spawn. What has the world come to? My friend Em and I arrived at 12:15 am for the 7:30 am registration, mugs of Wawa hot chocolate in hand, determined to "GO BIG" and be the first moms there. HA! We're such suckers. Wanna know what number I was? THIRTEEN! That's right, folks...there were 12 parents ahead of me, arriving as early as 9 pm the night before to sit outside of a dark locked building in freezing weather for 10 hours for a spot in preschool. Bottom line, I got the spots I wanted so there was no need for life threats or bloodshed. And really at the end of the day, I mean night, all I really lost was my dignity! I'm a true soccer mom now, baby, and there's no turning back.
On a sweeter note, I did FINALLY give Livi finger foods today (at least if Gerber wagons wheels actually qualify as food and not just a styrofoam-turning to paste-like substance we feed our babies). And I did take pictures and camcord. And okay, as a confession it was really only because she had a rare fussy afternoon and after trying everything else, I really needed to make dinner and she was having none of it. So I gave her finger foods. We'll call it an appetizer. Anywhoodle, once the camcorder came out, the attention competition I predicted between the boys began, and I managed to capture the world's cutest renditions of the "ABC's" by Jackson and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" by Sam. I know someday when they leave for college I will be clutching their Lambie and Bear, watching the videos of those songs while I sob and rock back and forth on the couch. At least they provided some comic relief at the end when they tried to outsing each other with their own songs and the fighting began. Sigh. Love them, mean it!

Apologies to Olivia and any children that may follow

My sweet baby girl Olivia,
I saw you sit up for the first time yesterday. Completely by yourself. And there is no documented evidence of the big event. AND I AM SORRY!
When Jackson was a baby, we have hours of DVD time of him just laying in his activity mat, or babbling, or slobbering. But now, time is limited and getting out the camera (with the crappy battery) means getting out the bag, opening it, taking out the camera and all the cords, plugging the cords in to both the camera and the wall, fighting with your brothers over filming them and letting them watch themselves in the LCD screen while I camcord things I can't even see, and most of the time it just sounds too exhausting to even consider.
And I'm dying for you to try finger foods, but I am determined to take a picture of it, but the camera keeps being in the car and I just haven't managed to get out there to get it so I can document your first "snack;" therefore, you haven't had any finger foods yet.
And so many times you don't make it out of your pjs. You have a closet FULL of adorable baby clothes, and I somehow justify keeping you in your pjs even when we are leaving the house. "Oh, she'll be more comfortable," I'll say. Or, "It's so cold out, her pjs will keep her warm." But really I'm just avoiding the whole clothes change because I have two other people to dress completely besides myself, and I also hope to avoid the extra laundry.
Now, make no mistake, my beautiful princess. None of this is a reflection of how we feel about you, because we adore you, think you are about the best baby on earth, and love staring into those huge blue eyes and deep, gorgeous dimples. But we are SOOOO busy with the three of you, that some things just don't happen like they should. I hope to do better...but if I don't, at least you'll know why! Love you, angel!

Conversation with my three year old son

Jackson, entering the bathroom while I pee: Mommy, why you have a gina?
Me: Well, because I'm a girl.
Jackson : (laughing) No, you have a PENIS! Hahaha!
Me: No I don't, you silly boy.
Jackson: What's that?
Me: It's hair.
Jackson: Why you got hair?
Me: Because I'm a grown up. All grown ups have hair there. You'll get some someday too!
Jackson: (beaming) Oh! Thanks Mom!
(as if I was the pubic hair fairy, waving my magic wand and granting him grown up pubic hair!)

To Sam, my beloved two year old baby boy

Sammy,
You are two now, although today at the doctor's office you said you were five, then three, then finally admitted to being only two. I see glimpses every now and then of the boy and man you will someday become, but your chubby legs and sometimes unintelligible talk remind me that you are still only a baby after all. You LOOOOVE to eat, and had your first Klondike bar yesterday for dessert after dinner. You oohed and aaahed, and especially MMmmmed and kept saying things like "mmmm, thats derishus," and "mmmm, I RIKE chokrat," and "mmmm, Daddy, you rike chokrat, too," and "chokrat is my faybrit!" Daddy and I laughed at how intensely you enjoyed your treat. And that's not the only cause for celebration! The mere mention of "candy" can cause such jubiliation that you cannot help but throw your waving hands in the air as you call out "Yah, CANDY," and run in the direction from which it is being offered. You adore your baby sister and constantly snuggle up to her, all the while forgetting that at 35 pounds and 38 inches, you are off the charts in comparison to other two years olds, and just a bit too big to lay on top of her.
Jackson is your best friend by a longshot, and I love to watch the two of you interact. Sometimes you are more than happy to allow Jack to lead, to drive the car for you, to tell you where to put your toys, to instruct you on how to play with nearly everything. But then the rebellious Sammy pops out and you decide you want to do things your own way and will fight tooth and nail to make that happen. You bring Jack to tears just by saying "No" to him, and you certainly say it ALOT! But you can be so sweet to each other when you want to be. Today when we showed Jackson your birthday invitations when he woke up after you from his nap, you said "Wook, Jashon, my birday pahty....YAH!!!...you wanna come, Jashon...do you?" And whenever someone asks you if they can come to your Nemo birthday party you say..."Yesh, you may," which always throws them off guard because they said CAN and you correctly responded with MAY! And tonight when you got out of the bathtub and Daddy was dressing you in your PJs you said you wanted Jackson's lambie. And Daddy told you not to get your hopes up because he might say no, but you responded confidently, "He will say YESH." And he did- kind of! He said you couldn't have his HOLE lambie, but you could have NEW lambie!
You LOVE to have friends over, and you can be as rough and tumble as any of the older boys on the street. And sharing food with friends; well, it just doesn't get much sweeter than that in the book of Sam.
You know all your colors, shapes, animal sounds, foods, and even some letters and numbers. Your memory is so sharp your father and I marvel at all your observations and declarations.
Spiderman is a big thing for you, and you have been declaring yourself Spiderman for quite some time now. I am usually the "Gween Gobwin." But you are unselfish in your love of toys and spiderman, and even food. Sharing is almost never an issue with you.
But my how you try me in other ways, Sammy. I hope someday your firm resistance and desire to test people will serve you well in properous and ambitious ways because you are one hard headed two year old! You are quick to apologize sometimes, and other times will refuse despite repeated punishments and time outs. I don't know if you refuse based on principle or simply because you enjoy a challenge, but you ARE a challenge.
You make me laugh every day and cause me to smile every time I think of you. I love you baby and I'm so proud to be your Mommy.

My two cowboys

Here are my two guys, my sweet little cowboys. It's clear that little brother looks up to the big guy, and that the big guy is outgrowing his baby fat. Not so much for my Sammy. I think he will have some sweet baby fat forever- at least the Momma in me hopes so!

Olivia Ann at 5 months

This is Olivia Ann at 5 months old. Look at those stunning blue eyes and those sweet chubby cheeks! And don't even get me started on those squishy little arms! She couldn't be a more pleasant baby, and we are sooooooo lucky that she's low maintenance. Now I fully expect that to change as she grows into a little princess, but for now, I'll take low maintenance for sure!