The jedi and I went to a meetup at an indoor play area that we haven't been to since his birthday--with his little best bud who is now a Texan. It was jam-packed with kids. He ran away from me and climbed on things and said "hi" and "peekaboo" to other kids and their moms (!) and smiled at people and had a wonderful time. He didn't play with anyone for real, but he climbed next to kids and didn't let them stop him from doing things. The Princess lured many a mama my way with her amazing beauty. For reals, yo. I know I'm biased, but every single mom was drawn to her and said the same thing "Wow, she's so beautiful." She sat and looked at people and smiled and crawled toward me and was perfectly fine. I made the obligatory small talk and tried to not be myself. On the way home SkyWalker said he had fun and "we makin' friends. I say hi."
I think I've reassessed what I want out of these things. I don't want friends for me. I don't even necessarily want friends for him--not real ones anyway. He'll make his friends once he gets to school. Right now what I want to do is just expose him to a bunch of different kids so that he's comfortable in social settings (unlike his parents). I don't want him to hide--physically or mentally--when he gets in with a group of kids. We're not looking for best friends. I think we're just looking for acquaintances really. We have our weekly playdates with our old friends and that's going well. It doesn't even matter if the boys become friends--each will have a familiar face on that first day of kindergarten.
The Princess is officially crawling. No more belly flopping halfway there... let the games begin! Maybe now Vader will do something about a real gate at the bottom of the stairs. One that SkyWalker can open but the Princess cannot.
It is wicked busy at the library tonight. I got blindsided when Bee went on dinner and now I'm in here pumping. I hope it has slowed down some and she's not overwhelmed. I'm actually been working in addition to the reference! So there, it happens people. Sometimes I work.
LOST starts in one hour. Sigh. I hope the DVR doesn't mess up.
The tap is dry. I'm running out of milk. The Princess is more interested in waffles and peas (what the dilly-o?) and everything but mama. Either that or she is just wicked efficient... which could be the case. She was always quicker. In the beginning she would nurse for 10 minutes but she was awake and actively nursing the entire time. Now she's down to 3-4 minutes. 5 if I'm lucky. I know she's getting something because I can feel it and she's swallowing... but can she really get what she needs in 5 minutes? She hasn't been finishing her bedtime bottle when I'm at work but I've been feeding her more often because she's so quick... so maybe she's just snacking now. Taking 2 or 3 ounces here and there instead of the 5-7 she used to do. She is getting 6 ounces mixed in with her cereal everyday... as much as I love breastfeeding I hate the insecurity and doubt that goes along with it.
SkyWalker came in the bathroom today as I was taking care of some ahem, feminine issues... He looked at the maxipad and said "what that is?" I decided to bombard him with information to make him go away so I started by saying "Well, Mommy has her period..." and I kid you not, his "I'm a male and don't want to hear it DNA" kicked in and he said "Okay" and ran out saying "I'm a piggy bank" and hitting the top of his head like he was putting a penny in it.
And now... back to work.
Sunday night we gave the Princess her last dose of amoxicillin. Or immoxicillan as my dumbass husband spelled it. It was a long 8 1/2 months and I am glad it's over. I'm sure that her next ultrasound will be great and we won't have to put her back on it. And I'll bet anything that if she ever gets an ear infection she won't be given amoxicillin!
Today she pushed herself up into sitting. And she balanced herself on the little ride on car thingy and pushed with her feet and loved every second, especially when big brother started pushing her. She's just growing so quickly. I'm sure having a big brother who is so loving and devoted and hands-on helps. He loves to sit and play with her and will do things that she can do--he gives her a ring and then lays down next to her and takes one himself and shakes it like she does. He always makes sure that she has whatever he has--except for things that she might choke on (in his opinion--so large puzzle pieces that he just doesn't want her to eat are a choking hazard).
I have been ambushed by a bunch of boy scouts. I hope they are gone by the time I leave the room.
More funny things SkyWalker has been saying: "Yes, that is a problem." "Let's see here" and OH---
SkyWalker: "What these are?"
Mommy: tee-hee "Those are your testicles"
SkyWalker: "NO!" laughs
Mommy: "Yes. You can call them your balls." giggle
SkyWalker: "I'm gonna kick these balls."
Mommy: "That might hurt."
SkyWalker: "I'm going put these balls on your nose!"
Mommy: "Uh... no."
SkyWalker: "I'm gonna put these balls on your eyes!!"
Mommy: "That's just weird... no... tee-hee... no"
I just got back (a little while ago) from my court date for that speeding ticket I got back in October. I walk into the village court and ... it's a hallway. It was so funny. I met with the police officer who asked me if I was hoping for a reduction (um, yeah) and he immediately changed it to a parking ticket. No points on my license. No insurance problems. No surcharge. Just a $75 fine. Oh yeah. I'm glad that's over with!
I've gotten up by 6 every day this week. I've managed to pump, eat, and shower before the 7 am wake up call. I've momentarily thought about exercising as well, but then laughed it off. I would love a treadmill. I think that's the only thing I could really do that early in the morning. There was a time when I used to get up at 5 and go to the gym. A long time ago...
SkyWalker is back to normal. Vader spent all day Sunday with us and then on Monday he played with SkyWalker ALL DAY while I cleaned the house. I think it's no coincidence that he's pooping like crazy again and telling me how happy he is. I understand that Vader needed to be with his parents, but he also has a tendency to stay late at work or go to work on the weekends. And doing BOTH pretty much left us all alone and SkyWalker must have felt it too. All day Monday he kept saying "You going to work? You staying home?!" to his Daddy.
My dishwasher is coming tomorrow. Yay! It was over $800. Boo!
The Princess took a lovely 2 hour nap this morning. She did wake up part way through and talked to herself but she never cried and went back to sleep. And then she took another nap in the afternoon for an hour and 40 minutes! So did SkyWalker! Unfortunately I was too busy getting ready for work to really enjoy it. But it was nice anyway.
The Princess is so close to crawling. She tries SO hard. She did make a couple of forward movements today instead of just going backwards, so I think she'll be there soon. SkyWalker did everything later, but quicker. He was 9 months when he sat up without support, but he went from that to crawling in just a couple of weeks. The Princess has been earlier, sitting at 6 months, but slower. Of course when you have a big brother who runs to hand you toys... although he has told me not to pick her up when she's on her tummy because she "needs to figure out how to push herself up". Yes, that is what he said.
Which brings me to the latest edition of cute things he's saying: "figure out", "do me a favor," "what you thinking about?". The Princess has been saying: "Mom-mom" "ga-nu-na" and "wha??"
She's also been exploring my face a lot. She loves to stare at me with her face just inches from mine and "caress" my cheeks and stick her fingers in my mouth or up my nose. It is equally hilarious, sweet, and annoying.
I need me some snack foods in this office! Hear that people? Snack foods. Get on top of that will ya?
Funerals suck.
The last time we all went to the in-laws was a couple of weekends ago. We did not go last weekend when MIL made the decision to stop the fluids because Vader didn't think SkyWalker should go. And until Haze stops letting him watch TV she's not babysitting which means if SkyWalker doesn't go, I don't go. Last night I did one of the hardest things I ever had to do. Despite an oncoming migraine, when I left work I went to my in-laws and I said goodbye to my FIL.
I did not get up at 6. But I did get up at 6:35 yesterday and was able to pump and have a cup of tea. And today I got up at 6:30 and was able to pump, have tea and cheerios AND brush my teeth and get my contacts in. I did hear SkyWalker up but he didn't bother me.
He has spent the last 2 days sending the poop back. Usually when he doesn't feel like pooping we just get him to pee and then he inevitably poops. This time was different. He was really holding it in. I can only guess that it was his response to all the stress and tension and I did mention on Sunday that FIL was sick and that's why he couldn't go over there. He was in agony until he finally couldn't hold it anymore. I had to physically restrain him on the potty, he screamed and cried and it just came out. And then he pooped again in his underwear but I didn't care about that! He told me he was sending the poop back--he said that around Christmas time but it was relatively easy to get him to just pee and then he pooped. This was HORRIBLE. I hope that it's over now.
We've been having family reading time after nap (I got a nice long nap out of both of them yesterday!). SkyWalker looks at books and sometimes reads to the Princess. The Princess looks at her baby faces books and eats them. I read my own book and then we all read a book together.
During the nice long nap yesterday I did not do dishes. I did do a little laundry--but only moving from the washing machine to the dryer. I made a few CDs I had to make, and read. And it was lovely. Already I just feel a little lighter. Which is good because this has been the week from hell.
We got our estimate back for the pipes--$6k. We had another plumber out today and should hear from him soon. I keep saying that having to fix each leak will run us $500 here and there so we might as well just shell it all out at once, but man that is a lot of money. But not a lot of monkey like I just typed.
I did not eat much of a dinner and now my head is starting to hurt.
SkyWalker was so backed up with his poop that he couldn't even move to be bad in the car today. We went to the post office and Target and a book store and I hoped he would walk around and get the poop out, but he just stayed in the stroller. And this is the worst--he immediately got in his carseat without screwing around. So you know what I did? Three times, THREE TIMES, I just got in the car and put the key in and he said "Mommy! You need to belt me!". I just didn't think. I'm so used to having to battle to get him in the seat... luckily he is such a good responsible boy that he knew he needed to be belted in and told me so. I don't think I would have really driven away, but man. Eeps.
If anyone has recommendations for dishwashers--let me know. We're going this weekend to look. If we want to use the coupon Sears gave us for not being able to fix it, we need to use it by next week.
My sister called yesterday with some bad news... at first I thought it was going to be worse. She asked if my mom or my sister-in-law had called which made me think something had happened with my brother. Turns out my 23 year old cousin was found dead in his bed. They're doing an autopsy but he had been on medication and drinking and the two don't mix... his sister found him. Because my FIL is literally on his deathbed (any day now) we can't go down for the funeral or even just to be with the family. I'm still just in shock. When you have a kid yourself you look at death a little differently--he wasn't just my cousin. He was my Aunt and Uncle's Son. He was a brother. He was a Dad too--he had a 2 year old daughter her left behind. It is just so so horrible.
I have no idea what that means. It's something Vader used to say all the time so naturally I picked it up and say it more than he does now. I know what it means--something that's particularly sucky--but I don't know where it comes from.
Are weird.
We went to the mall to a tiny play area that I would never let my kid play in on a regular day and sat there while he said "I want to play with YOU Mommy." Yeah, um, we're here so you can STOP playing with me and maybe I won't wind up with a broken back from the millionth time you jump on me from behind. Anyway, SkyWalker played with no one else, BUT he walked away from me a couple of times and he did climb on some things that other kids were on. He did not run screaming away or want to just go home. And he was very well behaved, as usual. The Princess was her normally charming self, smiling at everybody, thrilled to be near other people despite the fact that it was interrupting her nap AND a feeding (which actually saddened me a little--can't she at least pretend she still wants my boobs and not a damn waffle??). And SkyWalker was his normal loving big brother self and a couple of the moms commented on how gentle he was with her. I managed to talk to people and even did the "walk" to the toy store across the way that followed the play area meet up and I got a laugh out of them as we were leaving and you know I'm happy if someone laughs at me. In a good way. And get this--I was reading the message board component of this particular meetup and guess what they want to do? They want to start doing crafts and stuff centered around a LETTER OF THE WEEK. That's right Daddy-O. I am so ahead of them. Now that I have met a few (some on my side of the river even) I will be more inclined to say yes to a house meetup knowing that they are not in fact serial killers.
I am eating fries (ala the kindness of Bee) and they are wonderful. As is she. For many reasons.
This writer's strike really sucks. I have not watched new TV in a wicked long time and I need me some diversion damnit.
I got my invitation to a friend's wedding and I think I am looking forward to this almost as much as Christmas with the kids this year. I will get to see many of my closest friends there. And the children are invited! I don't have to worry about babysitters! How lovely is that??? But don't worry( slytherinlibrarian ), we all know my high standards for my children's behavior--so there shall be no crying or whining or annoying children. ;-) We do have to worry about dogsitters but it's so close (Massachusetts) that Vader and the kids can come for just the night of the wedding and go home the next morning. I think I may go out by myself the day before the wedding to engage in the pre-wedding hijinks. Of course this is all provided my FIL doesn't choose that week to leave us.
The tap has stopped flowing. Back to the grind that is my job.
