It is Halloween and the Wee Ladies and I have been busy today, hence the late blog. There is much to do to prepare for the craziness that comes with tricks and treats.

EvieG is a princess. She is using the Cinderella dress she has had for 3 years now. This is its first Halloween debut. Spark Plug is Tinkerbell. She makes a perfect fairy. Petite with her blond highlights that women would kill for. The Destroyer gets the shaft and is wearing Spark Plug's Winnie the Pooh costume from last year. There will be a day when she accepts no more hand-me-downs, but for now, she couldn't care less.

We carved our pumpkins this afternoon. This was interesting because I was trying to keep the place impeccably neat and tidy in preparation for 2 showings that occurred today. I am telling you, this house has never been so spotless. I think the last time it was this clean was when we moved in and cleaned it from top to bottom. Good thing I went through the 'nesting' phase too when I was pregnant. It is amazing how every nook and cranny had to be beyond clean. The car included. We went and had it detailed prior to each baby's arrival. I cleaned out every cupboard and closet with a very potent cleaner as I prepared for each Wee Lady. I reorganized everything. So this most recent de-cluttering was not too strenuous.

I made a huge mistake and went out and bought candy before today. I bought Halloween bags of Twizzlers and Smarties as requested by EvieG. I threw in a bag of assorted mini chocolate bars for good measure. Why do I do this to myself? With the whole moving thing and all that I am thinking about right now, why would I go out and buy this stuff when I know that I am going to eat it? All of it. It is all gone. We have nothing for any trick or treaters if they come by.

I turn the lights off at our house. We live on a fairly busy street and find that the kids hang out in the neighbourhood behind us. So there is no point in my sticking around to hand out another candy to kids who already have a full pillow case full when I can watch my 3 Wee Ladies trick or treat. That is far more exciting. Call me selfish.

My MIL and FIL are coming over any time for pizza and beer. They do this every year so they can see the Wee Ladies in their costumes. We eat, drink, and take pictures. And then we hit the hood and pound on doors for some good loot.

Remember the days when you used to get apples and Cola? I mean real Cola. That's what was on the can. Did you ever get the soda where you had to use a can opener to access the fizzy goodness? Did you ever get anything shady? Now it is anything made in China. And these are the gummy candies of all shapes and sizes. Gummy vampire teeth, gummy pizza, gummy bugs, etc. There is so much gummy material out there for the picking at the local dollar store.

I know one girl whose favourite Halloween candy was and probably still is Arachides. Have you ever had these before? She was obsessed with the Arachides and called them that for years. And then when she was about 14, she realized that all those years Arachides were nothing more than Glosette Peanuts. She finally realized that there was an English side of the box and a French.

Happy Halloween!

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS. My favourite part is sorting the candy when we get home. One for EvieG, one for me. One for Spark Plug, 2 for me. One for The Destroyer, 3 for me. Why is it that The Destroyer always gets the shaft?

Labels: Family, Fun

We have big changes going on right now. None of which I have blogged about before. But now I can!

We are preparing to move. We are heading north to a town 4 hours away.

Hubby is transferring to another office with the bank he works with. He is an Investment Advisor. We are thrilled about the opportunities the area has to offer. He starts in January.

This town we are going to is a big tourist/ski/retirement/beachy destination. It is beautiful, hilly, welcoming, and very community oriented. There are lots of people who live there full time and many who visit on the weekends. It is a progressive and happening place to be.

I grew up in the area and have some family up there. We also have very dear friends who live there. So we are going to a place where we are comfortable and know people. Hubby is moving somewhere new for the first time in his life. He is excited about starting fresh in a place that has a lot of growth, progress, and opportunity.

We are de-cluttering the house right now to get it ready for showings. We listed the house with a realtor yesterday. There is a sign on our front lawn. It is weird to see it there. There is no more squalor to be found in this house. I am going to have to be a tidy freak.

EvieG asked, "What is that sign doing on our lawn?"

Hubby and I reminded her of the fun she had here over the summer. She was so excited when she realized that she will be moving to a very large playground. She also had a few moments of sadness when she understood she would be leaving some family, friends, her bedroom, and house behind. But we made her understand that change is good, exciting, and fun. That there is a whole new world waiting for her to explore. She liked the sounds of that.

Kids are adaptable and resilient. The Wee Ladies are young enough to just go with it. They will meet new people and learn new things. They will be exposed to things like skiing and many other outdoor activities. It is a very active place to live. And we are active.

This is something we have talked about over time. The door has opened for Hubby to move within his company and we are all over it. We have to go where we will thrive. As someone we know has said, the move has been executed. We are taking the plunge, making it happen, going for it. We are assuming risk and jumping in with both feet. You never know until you try. And so we are going to try.

We will be heading up to find a place to live. We need to get acquainted with the area. We need to find EvieG a school.

We are so happy about what the future holds as we embark on this new phase in our life. We will be back to visit lots and will only be a 4 hour drive away.

There is lots to digest at the moment. It is not easy leaving behind loved ones.

We have to do what we have to do. And we feel that this is a very positive move all around.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS I will keep the blog updated of all new happenings and events.

Labels: Announcements, Family

As I have been running errands I have noticed something. The Destroyer is the friendliest wee kid in town.

As we travel through the stores, she is shouting 'hi' to every passing individual. She is capturing their attention. They stop, they say hi in return, coo at her, and compliment her.

She is loving all the attention she is getting from the general public and of course, this makes her want even more.

So she breaks out the wave. She takes it up a notch. She waves to ensure she grabs the people's attention. Some look and smile, some wave back, and most stop. Men and women.

I love that she shows personality. I love that she is friendly and willing to start a conversation. She shows real initiative. This is fantastic.

Here is what I don't want to see....I don't want to be walking along Queen Street West in Toronto one day 15 years from now and find my wee girl sitting on the corner with her guitar chatting to all the passersby.

And of course I do not want her feeling that it is okay to talk to strangers. That will need to be discussed when she is old enough to understand that whole issue.

But for now, I will watch and laugh as she stops everyone in their tracks, demanding a hello from every single one of them.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: The Destroyer

Competitive travel sports for small children leaves me wondering about lots of things. It is something we will choose to avoid at all costs for our kids. These activities require so much time, energy, and money. And the part that gets me is the pressure that the kids are sometimes put under to win, to be the best, to be a champ.

A champion. Really? In what way, I ask?

Travel teams are at another level compared to their house league counterparts. There are practices-all the time. And games-all the time. And matching uniforms. If there are monogrammed water bottles, well then, you are in the big leagues for sure.

There are expectations and pressure to win. The parents are right in there. There is even yelling, and lots of it. Yelling at the kids from the coach and from the parents who don't always act like adults. I have even seen the cops intervene to break up fighting parents. There are gestures thrown, swearing, spit. You can see the steam coming out of their noses. The referee gets a lot of the curses thrown in their direction. This is the same kind of fight you would see out in the parking lot after last call. But then after, everyone makes up over a sausage, or hot dog.

Time is taken off of school to travel out of town for games or competitions. Time is taken from work to drive to these places. The money that is spent is too much for me. Gas, food, lodging, equipment, Tim Horton's, booze for the hotel room...often more than one weekend a month.

I have a good friend whose 8 year old son plays travel hockey. And the coach is a real prize, from what I understand. He yells at the kids and belittles them, and has even lost his s#*t on them. He centers them out and then benches them. And sometimes over things that couldn't be helped. Like a missed pass that was air bound. He, and I quote, is "a very competitive and intense person and I expect 100 % effort from myself for everything I do. Well some of the competitive and intense nature is carrying over to what I expect from the team." A spectator told him to, "lighten up and just let the team play as they are only 8 year kids and that I may be surprised at what they can actually do when I'm not screaming at them."

This guy clearly is drooling to claim an Ontario Champion trophy for 'his' team. He wants it shining brightly in the case at the arena for all to see because 'he' wants the title. Badly. He goes on to say that, "I have seen over the past 6 weeks what this team is capable of and felt that today was not that 100% effort that I expect. And I guess it showed in my actions and words. I honestly believe that this team has the potential to be a Ontario Champion if I can find a way to get them to give 100% effort each and every game."

Who found this guy?

He wants the kids to be open with him by asking questions. If there is something they are not feeling confident about or if they have any concerns, he asks that the parents encourage their kids to ask him. Ya, right. Like any kid who gets yelled at will speak up. Especially in front of the rest of the team. What a putz.

He wants them to listen too. To give their 100% all the time. To watch and learn. To not get distracted. He feels that 8 year old kids get too distracted and he feels his screaming would reduce if they just listened. All the time.

I guess he feels intimidation is the best method for coaching.

He gave his team some homework. He "challenged each player after the game to take 10 minutes too ask themselves if they thought they were a champion and if so why. If they didn't think they were why not, and let me know at practice on Tuesday."

It boggles my mind to think that this guy is even coaching. That he is asking kids these kinds of questions. And teaching them that it is all about the win and not all of the other things like teamwork, skill, positive attitudes, etc. And that he is such an issue so early in the season.

My friend is in a bind. Her son wants to play hockey. His dad wants him to play. She feels it wouldn't do any good for the kid to pull him out. He just wants to play. She is making sure that he knows that this is a game and the important thing is to do your best and have fun.

It is a hard situation, I am sure, to watch your kid be coached by such an idiot.

She is hoping that he wants to play junior sports at school next year. If that is the case, she has already told her son that it will be house league hockey only. She has her fingers crossed.

I told her I was going to come and watch one of these games. I have to see this guy in the flesh. Live. In action. And I will with a Tim Horton's in one hand and a sausage dog in the other.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: Battle, Responsibility

Last night....

EvieG: We are going to do everything together. We are going to eat together, play together, sing together, run and jump together, sleep together....

DDM: Who, you and Spark Plug?

EvieG: No! Me and Frank.

DDM: Who's Frank?

EvieG: My balloon!

DDM: Right, your balloon. That's great, honey! I hope you have fun.

EvieG: I am going to go and tuck him in. I am going to take care of him. Forever.

DDM: Thinking to myself....Until it deflates. Then it will be an emotional blitz as she mourns the loss of her new soul mate.

Hubby: EvieG is really embracing Spark Plug, eh?

DDM: No, she wasn't talking about her sister. She was referring to devoting her life to her new best friend, Frank.

Hubby: Who's Frank?

DDM: Her balloon. She is tucking him into her bed right now.

Hubby: Oh. I was hoping we didn't have to worry about that for a while.... You know, she is going to be the girl who wants to rescue and take care of everybody. She is going to be the girl who brings home the losers who 'are having a rough time right now.' Spark Plug is going to pull the heartstrings of all the guys and then dump them on their asses. I hope The Destroyer likes girls.

EvieG: Shhhh! Frank is asleep. He's tired and I had to put him to bed.

Around 4:00 am, EvieG comes down to our bedroom....

EvieG: I lost Frank! He's gone! I can't find him!

DDM: It won't be the last time, honey. Go back to sleep.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: DDM, EvieG, Hubby

This is why I don't invest a lot of money in clothing...

Because everything I wear is a giant napkin for the Wee Ladies. That is one of my many t-shirts with cookie smeared at the shoulder thanks to The Destroyer. I picked her up to wash her off and she cleaned herself first.

Here is the wrist of my sweater....

I don't know who's snarf this is. I always wipe my nose on the other sleeve.

Missing is the semi-used Kleenex that sticks out of the end of my sleeve. Like my Grade 1 teacher used to do.

We ran out of wipes in the van. Much to my horror, I found myself acting as a damp napkin today. It is picture re-take day for EvieG. And Spark Plug was out this morning playing too.

As I let each one out of the van, I noticed slight breakfast face. Having no wipes left, I resorted to the one thing I hated as a kid. The slobber-wipe. Remember when you were a kid and your mom licked her thumb to clean your face off? Yep. I did that today. And it was like a slow motion trip back to 1979 while I simultaneously saw the wincing of the Wee Ladies as I licked my thumb and brought it to their chins. They both did the same thing. They pursed their mouths, scrunched their eyes, and stiffened as they became covered with saliva.

I guess I could have just let them go wearing their breakfast face. And I considered doing that. I have done it before. But they looked really cute today. And it would have reduced their cuteness factor by 10 fold if I let them go looking like slobs.

It's on my list. Wipes. Must get the Wipes.

Being a human napkin is not one of those things I want to be regularly. Trust me.

At least I didn't actually lick them. Even though it would have been much quicker and more efficient.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS Have a fun weekend! I will return on Monday with more!

Labels: DDM, Family, Fun

Not too long ago, I wrote about our Sport Rack on top of the van. We used this to travel north in August and for some reason after we returned home, it managed to become a permanent fixture up there. People could spot our van among the millions of others. Now we have chameleoned back into a regular van. We blend in. We are back to boring. All because Hubby finally took the Sport Rack off.

I am so proud that he got this job done.

There is nothing like the sight of a hot man and his drill.

It only took 2 months. That is not too bad.

People were getting used to seeing the Sport Rack in all its glory up there. And then one day, one of EvieG's friends saw the van drive by. His mom told him that we had just gone by. He refused to believe it. He said, "No that's not them mommy! That van didn't have that thing on the top! That was someone else!"

Now we have to clear out the squalor that is our garage so we can get the van in. The cold weather is here and it is easier if I don't have to scrape the windshield while trying to mind the Wee Ladies. Although they love watching the scraper clear their windows off. Just like they love watching the windows get sprayed with the psychedelic soaps at the drive-thru car wash and then rinsed off. It is a real trip. A guaranteed few moments of silence. I highly recommend that trip if you are having a bad day with the kids.

At least I didn't get too used to having the Sport Rack on top of the van. If it had really become a permanent fixture, I would have lost it while trying to drive the van into the garage.

It is definitely not the same damage as running into a curb.

Or leaving your coffee on top of the van, only to drive away with it still there.

And then having to take the kids to the drive-thru car wash. Again.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: Family, Fun, Hubby

I ended yesterday's blog with a comment about my Consumer's Distributing dollhouse. About how it wasn't the dream house I was expecting from Santa. I was 6 years old and I still remember that feeling of excitement with a slight pang of disappointment. I enjoyed playing with my dollhouse and have often thought about how the Wee Ladies would love it too. Well, now they can!

We were over at my mom's this morning and she spent all of yesterday cleaning out her basement. So told me over the phone that she had some things for me to take home, but didn't mention the dollhouse. I heard about my old trunk and my grandmother's bread maker.

When I got to my mom's and saw the pile, I was over the moon. Elated. EvieG was equally as thrilled. The house was sitting in a box in parts, covered with a thick layer of dust that I am sure has been accumulating since 1983. We are without accessories, but after this rare find, I believe there is still hope; that the other bits and bobs are elsewhere in the basement. I thought this house was long gone. I didn't know she still had it hidden among the Space Lego and Tonka trucks and front loaders.

Here it is! All washed and assembled!
I am missing a few parts. Gone is the front door, balcony, and chimney. But at least my cardboard pictures are still glued on the walls. They were actually record covers I mistook for pictures. Western Tunes, Jazz Songs, and Sing Along Tunes. Notice the bay window in the living room! Do they make dollhouses with bay windows anymore? Probably not. That would be too much work and too expensive.

The interior is very much a step back into an era where bright blue and lime green dominated decorating trends. The furniture that accompanied these rooms matched perfectly. The stand up shower with its plastic door was even green.

You can see the reddish brown kitchen floor that echoes a nice parquet floor. There is also an area of imitation slate. When I was a kid, I lifted this piece off and used the pit below as a makeshift swimming pool for my Glamour Gals.

That's right. Glamour Gals. The 80's version of Bratz. The description of a Glamour Gal is as follows:

Glamour Gals were made by Kenner in 1980-1982. They were 4.25 inch fashion dolls, that all came in a specific themed outfit. There were over 70 individual dolls/outfits, and guys for them. There were playsets, including a house (Party Place) a beauty salon, a wedding playset (with exclusive groom doll), and a car (the Fancy Firebird).

Why my mom even allowed them is a mystery to me. We weren't heavy into this kind of doll. I was more of a Strawberry Shortcake/Barbapapa kind of kid.
The Glamour Gals were Farrah Fawcett/Charlie's Angels looking dolls. They were sold wearing the latest 80's fashions. I had many of these gals and I remember playing with them in the back of our chocolate brown wood paneled station wagon with the rumble seat.

How do I feel about my Wee Ladies playing with these dolls? Whatever. I cannot stop them from playing with BPA laden plastics. But I can say that I think they are lead free. I love that they can get a quick glimpse back into my play days. And if they want to go out shopping for a shimmery silver off the shoulder number, well, I will just tell them to wait until the economy is booming again. I will highly encourage the salmon ensemble.

Check out these iconic beauties. And click here for a retro commercial advertising the carrying case that I had.

Why is it that blondes represent that majority with these kinds of dolls? But it's the outfits! The silver strapless top shimmering against the grey slacks with matching pointed booties. And then the salmon jumpsuit next to the the velvet mauve vest with carefully coordinated trousers and poofy long sleeve blouse. The candy striper fourth in line is a real vision in her wedges. The last gal with her low cut banana yellow blouse is missing her long pencil jean skirt. My brother probably stole it so he could get a look at her girlie parts.

I am happy that the Wee Ladies have something of mine from childhood to play with. It makes me happy and it brings back so many memories.

Next on the list? Pulling out the Dr. Suess and P.D. Eastman classic library that was purchased like the Columbia House cassette club. Get 10 for nothing and then buy 10 more at regular price. Giving my mom a year to fulfill her obligation to the Time Life book club. I think we got free Cat in the Hat shaped book ends thrown in there too.

I can't wait to teach EvieG to read Go Dog Go, Wacky Wednesday, and Are You My Mother? Those books are way better than some of the stories they are using to improve their reading skills with today.

I wonder if there are still copies of Mr. Mugs or Flipper the Dolphin out there?

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: DDM, EvieG, Family, Fun

When Hubby took EvieG out to the pet store to replace our Betta fish, Goldie, they were gone an awfully long time. They said they were heading to the pet store and then to the grocery store to pick up bananas. An hour and a half later, I thought they were bringing the menagerie home for sure.

As I anxiously awaited the new addition to our house, I put the younger Wee Ladies down for a nap, blogged, and then surfed celebrity gossip sites. What were they going to bring home? You never know when you send Hubby out on a mission.

The door finally opened. EvieG barreled in empty-handed. Hubby followed with several bags from Home Depot. No fish, no bananas, but a whole lot of bathroom accessories.

It was just like when I send him to the grocery store. He ends up bringing home a bunch of stuff not even remotely close to what was on the list. He'll bring home things like wasabi and Parmesan cheese.

I asked EvieG where the fish was. She matter-of-factly stated that they had decided to wait.

Hmmm. Wait for what? Was this Hubby's way of ending the fish saga? For good?

Nope.

Hubby then piped up and said that they thought it might be a good idea to ask Santa for an aquarium.

What the?

An aquarium. A big glass box filled with water, heaters, pebbles, fake plants, a backdrop displaying a lovely freshwater aquatic scene, algae eaters, and perhaps the odd guppy.

At this point I could see the expenses rising and rising some more.

And then I envisioned myself up to my armpits in sludge as I slaved to keep the box clean and the fish alive. I had a hard enough time keeping one Betta fish going. Having an aquarium is one big, constant trip to the pet store to replace fallen guppies or angel fish. The only ones that ever seem to survive are the algae eaters and the Neons.

Where did they decide this aquarium would be situated? They did agree that EvieG's dresser would be a good spot. Obviously forgetting that The Destroyer climbs onto the dresser from her crib now. We have had to move the crib into the middle of the floor because she climbs onto and grabs anything she can.

There is no way. It is not going to happen. No aquariums allowed. This mom is putting her foot down. I do so knowing I would be the one pretty much responsible for its upkeep.

Santa will just have to send a brand new Betta tank and fish. He will have to chince out a little bit like he did the year I asked for a human size, wooden, accessorized doll house and ended up with the small, plastic retro one from Consumer's Distributing.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: Chores, EvieG, Family, Hubby, The Destroyer

We lost our Betta fish, Goldie over the weekend (see post below). So I thought I would write more about our fish saga today. There is a bit of fish history with our family that I thought I would share.

Back when EvieG was 3 we went for a play date to dear friends of ours who have 2 girls. One is EvieG's age and the other is a couple of years older.

Each girl had their own Betta fish on their night table. We couldn't do that. EVER. And I will explain why.

EvieG has a fast and furious response time. She can swipe a slimy frog, moving crayfish, or scoop a swimming minnow from a bucket in mere milliseconds. She loves catching nature's creatures.

While my girlfriend and I were chatting, we heard a loud and piercing scream from upstairs. Thinking someone had seriously injured themselves or seen David Hasselhoff cross the TV screen, we bolted to see what had traumatized the child.

My friend's oldest daughter was in a full on spaz. She was freaking in epic proportions. We could not understand what she was trying to tell us. My friend calmed her down to a level where she could interpret some of her speech. Like the teacher from Charlie Brown, this kid was incomprehensible. Except for the word fish.

And then we saw it.

EvieG came out of the bedroom with clasped hands. I knew. My kid was a mortal version of an angel taking the fish to the great pond in the sky. With angelic blue eyes, she looked at us, startled. She was alarmed by the panic of the other child. She clearly had no idea what the problem was.

I raced over to EvieG. I noticed a little tail sticking out of the side of her hand. I opened them up only to see a little red Betta fish struggling to survive. Hanging on by a thread, we dumped the fish back into its mixed up and murky tank. We then noticed a trail of pebbles leading to the playroom.

The two younger girls had taken the fish out of the tank, along with the tank's stones and made an oxygen filled tank in the toy kitchen sink. EvieG was holding the fish when we found them, but who knows how long the fish had been out of its water?

When we asked EvieG why they had taken the fish out of the tank, all she said was, "We want to play wif it." Of course. Another playmate.

I was stunned by her speed and accuracy in catching the fish with her bare hands.

I was crushed that she had accidentally sent this fish to another world before its time. And I was mortified that the little girl had lost her pet fish.

EvieG felt badly too once she realized what had really happened. We went out and bought the little girl a tank accessory as an apology gift. It was a sign on a post that read No Fishing. We thought it was fitting. And EvieG would know never to go near her tank again.

Hubby and I decided to get EvieG her own Betta fish and tank. We wanted to teach her how fish live and how to properly care for it. We took her to pick everything out herself. We thought that instilling this responsibility in her would teach her that fish are for looking at, not playing with.

We got the fish set up in its new digs. We put it on EvieG's dresser in her room. We asked EvieG what she would like to name the new fish.

She declared it be called, Squash.

Somewhere in the ranting and rambling of the shocked little girl, she told EvieG not to squash her fish. Obviously this reaction affected EvieG.

Squash didn't last too long. Like we predicted, Squash was caught with swift hands and taken into bed to be read to. I found EvieG's hands full of a gasping fish and saw scales on her pillow.

We then made the bathroom the place for any wet pets.

I can think of worse ways to go.

There's nothing like a solid good night, lights out story.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: DDM, EvieG, Guilt, Responsibility

Hubby is on his way to the pet store with EvieG on a quest to replace Goldie. One would obviously think Goldie was a goldfish but this is not the case with our Goldie. Goldie was a bright blue Betta fish. Also known as a Siamese fighting fish.

He had a pretty little tank to himself. Because they can only live alone. They would kill anything else that invaded their space. EvieG fed him some days when I would remind her. Otherwise he was just another fixture in our upstairs bathroom, like the toothbrushes, hair clips, and towel rack.

When Hubby and I departed on Friday, I noticed that Goldie was swimming on his side. I knew he was coming to the end. I put some more food into his tank and ordered him to enjoy his last supper. I had a feeling my MIL would spot him floating, or laying on the bottom. But instead, we got home and Hubby found him. And he hadn't even enjoyed his last meal. It was still floating on the surface. He flushed him and cleaned the water in his tank. And moved stuff around in what I perceived to be an attempt to hide the fact that Goldie was missing. Arguably, he could have told EvieG that Goldie was playing a good old fashioned game of hide and go seek with her. And avoid the whole death thing. To which she would say, "But Daddy, where is he? I can't see him!" And then what? She would be mortified and scarred for the rest of her life. The demise of her first pet.

I told Hubby that EvieG needed to mourn the loss of Goldie properly.

What next? How does one go about breaking such news to an emotional, sensitive, 5 year old girl?

By simply stating, "EvieG. When Mommy and Daddy were away, Goldie took a trip to heav-."

I couldn't even get the sentence out before she bolted from the bathroom and down the hall, through our bedroom, and into the ensuite, where she curled herself up in the corner, bawling. Crap.

Spark Plug and The Destroyer didn't even realize we had a fish, even though they looked at him several times a day. And occasionally stuck their hands in the tank.

I took her into our bed and discussed the new home for Goldie. I told her that he is playing with all the other fishes and that he is much happier now that he has more friends to play with.

She asked me who came to take him to heaven.

I stared at her blankly. In my head I was picturing all these little Betta fish swimming in the big pond of heaven, frolicking about, laughing, all with the big Pearly gates behind them. And then thought that realistically they would all be playing a great game Russian Roulette in an attempt to win and become the sole inhabitant of Heaven's Great Lake.

I then pushed that thought out and envisioned cherubs, floral headpieces, and chubby legs.

I replied with, "The cute little angels."

Crap. What am I getting myself into?

She then asked, "Did they come into the house at night and carry him away? Did Grandma hear them come into the house in the night?"

I told her no and that it is kind of like when Santa comes in. It is magic. And I felt myself getting deeper and deeper into this religious/philosophical/fictional/exaggerated story as I tried to make it comprehensible for her.

Hubby then came to change the subject and encouraged her to start thinking about what else we could get to replace Goldie. We heard everything from lizards to spiders to mice to rabbits to another fish that would all take shelter in the bathroom. Where Goldie used to live.

If she had her way, I would become the keeper of the real life menagerie. Never mind the glass one. And then be up to my neck in animal dung.

We left her by asking her to take some time to think about what to get next. If that is what she wanted to do.

And then I forgot to remove the tank from the bathroom last night.

First thing this morning, EvieG was brushing her teeth and her eyes welled up. Crap, again. She asked to go to the pet store to get another fish today. All I said was sure. Here we go again. Round three. For us. Round two for her.

She doesn't know that the first Goldie kicked the bucket and was secretly replaced once before.

I know I am going to be struck by lightning soon.

Maybe this time she will get a bright red Betta fish and name him Noir.

All's I'm sayins all.

Labels: DDM, EvieG, Family, Guilt, Hubby

Today Hubby and I are going away for a night without kids.

We celebrated our 7th anniversary this past Monday. So our parents have agreed to watch the Wee Ladies for a night while we spend some time together.

Thanks to my mom and MIL!

I will be posting over the weekend to make up for today's lack of a proper post. Promise.

You can bet your Minty Chocolate Girl Guide cookies that we will make it longer than Madonna and Guy Ritchie.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: DDM, Hubby

Staring at Spark Plug as she loses her index finger up her nostril...

DDM: Hey, do you have boogies in there? Do you need a Kleenex?

Spark Plug: Nnnnnoooooo! I diggin' for goad!

And then she put it in her mouth, looked at me, smiled and said,

Mmmmmmm, yummy goad!

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: Spark Plug

Nap time is bliss. And when there is a toddler in the house who no longer requires an afternoon nap, I say, crap.

I like nap time because I can get stuff done. I can have some time to myself. I can tidy, blog, do things that I have been putting off for months, cook, and e-mail. But when there are little people demanding my attention all day, some days, I am ready to throw them all into bed at 6 pm. And then throw myself off a cliff. Yesterday was one of those days.

EvieG was home for the day. She only goes to school every other day. Spark Plug no longer wants to nap. By the time dinner was cleaned up (at 5:15), I was ready for them to go to bed. We did everything from Halloween decorating to baking to a multitude of Halloween crafts. I was pooped. I'm telling you- days like this are more tiring than when I worked full time.

I will almost always put Spark Plug up in her room for a little while. The problem with this is that it is far from being quiet. First she will tear her room apart. She takes apart the closet, the underwear drawer, and the bookshelf. And then she proceeds to sit at the door and either play with the door stopper or simply pound the door shouting at the top of her lungs, "Mommy! Mommy! I'm all done! Mooooooommmmmmmyyyyyyy!" This is an issue because The Destroyer's room is right next door. The door stopper is actually opposite one of her walls.

So what to do? It is less of a problem just to keep her up. I can throw her in front of the TV for a minute. She might watch some television and then be at my side again, hitting the keys of the play piano right behind me. I just try to find things that will keep her occupied for a little while. She and EvieG can amuse each other for a little bit, which will almost inevitably turn into a loud disagreement.

Right now she is up in her room and I can hear things being pounded.....

She is also potty training. She doesn't want to wear Pull Ups or diapers anymore. Yay for us because it is one less expense and yay for her that she is wanting to move on. This means that keeping her in her room is a risk. She is now likely to take off her nap time Pull Up and put on some underwear. This is fine, but the longer I leave her in the room, the more risk there is for an accident.

I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that there will never be peace and quiet again for a long, long time. I am coming to terms with the fact that it will be years before I can send them on their merry way with their friends. I am realizing that my quiet time will begin around 8:30 pm each day.

No wonder people resort to alcohol consumption.

It will be fine. Once The Destroyer drops her nap, we will be able to be more mobile. This I look forward to. I can't wait to get out for day trips. I can't wait to be able to take them all for a whole day together. That will be tons of fun. This I think far outweighs the loss of nap time peace and quiet. I will love to spend time with them all together, all the time. That is, if they want to. And then I will mourn that loss once they don't want to hang out with me anymore. At least right now, they want to be with me all the time. This is a good thing, albeit frustrating. And it doesn't change the fact that I want them in bed some days at 6:00.

I just need to mourn my current loss of silence. It is a process.

I can hear her screaming for me right now. I will go up there, only to be greeted by a disaster zone and Spark Plug proudly showing off her mess with her sock mitten covered hands.

I'll just pour myself a shot, deal with it, and move on.

Bottoms up!

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS There will be days that the blog is waaaaayyyy shorter that others. Please forgive me.

Labels: Battle, EvieG, Guilt, Spark Plug, The Destroyer

It is always hard dealing with sick kids. But when they have things going on, places to be, and people to hang out with, when is it time to put the brakes on and declare a Recuperation Day?

A friend of mine has her kids in a toddler music class. And they are now all burdened with colds. The colds came from the music class last week. There was a kid there who was hacking occasionally and breathing snot bubbles. At one point, the healthy kid picked up one of the toys or instruments laying on the floor and put it in her mouth. It was at this precise moment my friend knew it was game over.

Sure enough over the weekend, they all went down like dominoes. Now they are all infected.

The irritating thing about this is that the mom of the sick kid announced to all the other moms that the child had already been sick for several days and should 'no longer be contagious.' Yeah, right.

I hate it when moms do that. When they say that the child is past the passing point, that really means, I-really-wanted-my-kid-to-come-so-they-wouldn't-miss-out-and-I-really-needed-to-get-out-myself. At the expense of all the other moms and kids.

Take a walk. Go to the park where they can keep their distance. STAY HOME.

It's this kind of stupidity that irritates me. No one wants to get sick. And let's be clear. Kids get runny noses. No big deal and it is kind of hard to avoid that. It is the coughing and sneezing and wiping and de-gooping that is the issue.

Why can't some moms use some common sense and think about if it were themselves on the receiving end? The old, put yourself in someone else's shoes. Because you can bet your Minty Chocolate Girl Guide cookies that you would be right pissed off if someone else brought a sick kid to the play program.

To me it is easy. If you know you wouldn't appreciate a sick child infecting everyone around them at a playgroup or class, then use some common courtesy and keep your own kid away from these places until they are all better. People will appreciate your consideration.

And it's no big deal in the grand scheme of things if the kid misses a class. They aren't going to get a bad grade for being absent. People will thank you for it. You will have saved a room full of moms and kids 10 days or more of an annoying virus...depending on how many people are in the house.

I don't think it's too much to ask.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: Responsibility

I come from a long line of back-scratch addicts. My dad was one, his dad, and I am guessing many ancestors before them. My baby brother and I have inherited this gene and if we had it our way, we would have our backs scratched every night until we fell asleep. Now I am lucky if Hubby scratches my back for 30 seconds. It just doesn't happen. I am happy to report that I regularly receive back scratches again. By the Wee Ladies.

Before the marriage contract was signed, I used to get back scratches all the time. It was like this was Hubby's way of reeling me in. Some people put-out to reel their partner in. I got back scratches and I was hooked. I always said I would marry the guy who could give me scratches until I fell asleep. Some people look for the guy who puts his jacket over a puddle, or who says 'Bless you,' when you sneeze, like Bridget Fonda's character in the 1992 film, Singles. There was one night when Hubby did give me back scratches until I fell asleep. That is when I knew he was the one. Then we signed. And it never happened again.

I had to be resourceful. I love scratches every now and then. Then there was the moment of realization. The moment during TV one night when I realized that I have 3 back-scratchers. 2 of whom can do the job. 1 who is especially good. And gullible.

EvieG has also inherited the back-scratch gene. She loves scratches. And EvieG willingly gives me scratches. She gets tired quickly though. She is only 5. So now we take turns.

Sometimes though her time limit is not enough for me. So I have turned it into a game. That game every girl used to play at slumber party with her friends. And if you say you didn't play this game, you're lying. The game where you draw on each other's backs and try and figure out the word, letter, number, or picture. This is a fail safe way to get scratches. EvieG's repertoire of words is very slim. So she spells out the usual-her name, her sister's names, mommy, daddy, cat- you know, all the basics. Sometimes I pretend I don't know what she has spelled. And she has to repeat her writing.

Yesterday she made up a pattern for the game. She gets 2 turns and I get two turns. So at first I started with both Spark Plug and EvieG giving me scratches and it then moved into the Guess-What-I'm-Spelling game. It was awesome. And I kept pretending I didn't know what she was spelling, and she kept up with the scratches.

Do I feel guilty for my dishonesty? My selfish desires? No.

It is extra phonics and spelling practice.

We love our cuddle time where she gets plenty-o'-scratches. On her back, her legs, her arms, her hands, her hair, and her favourite, her tummy. It relaxes her. And she gives me great back scratches. There are just some days when I'd like some more. So what's wrong with being creative and finding other methods for this relaxation?

You can turn anything into a game with kids. And they are none the wiser. I've got them so snowed.

I just have to get Hubby on the bandwagon to give me scratches all the time again. But for some reason I think he has other ideas for what satisfaction, relaxation, and fun games should be. He thinks that he and I should be doing something else besides giving back scratches.

I say that was something that was also cast aside after the contract was signed.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: DDM, EvieG, Fun, Guilt, Hubby, Spark Plug

This coming weekend we Canadians are celebrating Thanksgiving. Yesterday Nenny with Twins went to her parent's house for weekend. Apparently she entered into what would be something similar to, Thanksgiving with the Griswold's, starring Chevy Chase.

Labels: DDM, Family, Fun, Nenny with Twins

Last night when I picked EvieG up from Sparks we were greeted by Sparkle.

She announced, "Don't forget to take a case of cookies with you!"

I looked over to the wall and saw about 20 boxes of chocolate mint Girl Guide cookies staring at me.

Sparkle then said, "Take an envelope with you for the money. Remember that you are responsible for returning any cash collected and any remaining unsold boxes. Or just the cash."

Or just the cash.

Well, to me this means, You eat, you pay.

I have a case of 12 boxes of cookies. Each case is $4.00. I am already one box less. And it's only midday.

Am I going to eat $48.00 worth of cookies?

They are killing me! Why do they test my will power like this?

I am going to have EvieG pounding pavement this weekend selling these fat traps off. And I am going to follow as I burn the minty goodness away.

After we are done, we will be sure to come home for some milk and cookies.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: DDM, EvieG, Fun, Guilt

The Destroyer is exactly like that kid Justin in the 1989 movie Parenthood, starring Steve Martin. She does things that kid would do. And we let her do it all. And we laugh the whole time. We like to see what she is going to try next and watch her follow through until she falls or decides that it was a silly idea in the first place.

Last night she took the little pail from the bedroom and put it on her head. I was sitting at the opposite end of the hall watching her stumble towards me like a drunken kid performing some stupid stunt. It was like I was watching Parenthood when Justin the toddler ran around with the bucket on his head repeatedly banging himself into the wall. Similar to this, The Destroyer walked right by me and swerved towards our bed. I was giggling as she banged head first into the bed. Not hard, but enough to send her back onto her backside. I was dying laughing. Hey, she has to learn that without eyes, she will eventually hit something. And live and learn, she did. She was mad. Mad that it didn't end the way she thought it would.

She likes Hubby to spin her around. And then she really likes the after buzz. She wanders around the backyard, again, like a drunken teenager looking for a place to pee and pass out. She giggles at the dizzy sensation, falls and tries to get up, and then goes back to Hubby for more. In the end she could keep going and Hubby feels nauseous from all the turning.

Today I caught her sucking the pom poms off of EvieG's art work. She was sucking the glue off. She is going to be like that kid in my Grade 2 class who sat beside me and told me to look at him. When I turned my head, all I remember seeing is him putting a huge glob of white glue on his tongue and eating it. It was so gross. Well, that is my daughter. Not to that extreme, but she was using her index finger to swipe the wet glue off the page to eat.

She is like a mild, younger version of Johnny Knoxville. Everyday she pulls another prank. She is daring, brave, and curious. She likes getting a rise out of people. She likes to be the center of attention. Like a jester.

From swinging on the BBQ to hanging from the banister to running into the kitchen cupboards with a debit card in her mouth, I know we are going to have to continue to keep an eye on her. Because she is going to be the kid who accepts all the dares. Willingly.

I just hope she doesn't get her kicks out of attempting crazy stunts that will hurt her and give her parents a heart attack in the process.

Give her time. I am sure she will pull some real doozies. She will probably be a regular on YouTube.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS The underlined words are are some funny clips for you to watch.

Labels: Hubby, The Destroyer

I am convinced that every woman should have a gay man in her life. I am more than ecstatic to say that I have the privilege to have an incredible gay man in mine. And this past weekend at my brother's wedding, I most definitely got my gay on. Similar to getting your freak on, getting your gay on means openly expressing yourself through dress, dance, and talk. With the gay man beside you providing encouragement the whole time. We did this. And it was a blast.

One of Uncle Paul's best friends is gay. He lives in Manhattan and is chic and gorgeous. He is also fun and down to earth. I am this gay's biggest fan and I told him so at the wedding. I love being with him. Here is a picture of us during the reception.
He was a groomsman and delivered a fabulous and touching speech. He is honest, straight forward, and is not scared to use emotion. He was involved in every aspect of the festivities, including skeet shooting (see below post). This kind of living is not completely foreign to him, and he fit in well. This is a perfect picture of a gay man and his gun. He holds it with style. Look at his stance!
When in the presence of a hot gay man, I find myself wanting to look good. More so than any other time I am out. I usually care less. But for some strange reason, when I know a gay man, especially this one, is around, I plan my outfits right down to the accessory. I have more than one option. I blow the dust off of and bring fun shoes out to wear. I pay attention to my hair and make up. You know they are looking at how well put together you are. And he did. He told me he liked my hot pink Steve Madden pumps. I blushed.

In dance, it is a free for all. We bust out the moves and even dance with our arms above our heads. We can dance close together. So close that we don't care if we are sweating. Because it is all about getting your gay on. It's about letting loose and having fun. We don't care who is watching or what they may think of our dancing. Getting your gay on is when all of the defenses tumble down.

In my experience, talking with a gay man is like talking to a shrink. He will know my life story in about 10 minutes. He listens, validates, asks questions, and leaves the judgment at the door, or just in his head. No topic is off limits with my gay guy. Everything from love to world headlines to fashion and celebrities to romance is discussed. And in depth too. In a way that I wouldn't even talk with my girlfriends. There is an open honesty and truth to how he talks to you. It is all laid out in a way that you can learn and respect.

There is no girl judgment with a gay man. Sometimes with women, we get that feeling like we are being picked apart, criticized, and talked about. And not always in a good way. I don't like this and I choose to stay away from women I feel are like this. We can sometimes feel like there is an unspoken competition with other women. Who looks better, who is a better mom, fitter, and who is more socially active. With a gay man, none of this matters. We are on the same team. We are out to have fun and spend quality time together. We are out to laugh and party. There is no threat that you will outdo each other.

I cannot wait until I can return to New York to get my gay on again. I was there in 2005 with some girlfriends. Our gay pal took us out and treated us like gold. He was hospitable and taught us the ways of gay bar hopping. It was a time I will never forget and I can easily say that it was one of the best party nights I have ever had.

Hubby always makes me feel beautiful and special. But a gay man can always make you feel like a superstar.

I love you! (You know I'm talking to you).

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: DDM, Fun

We had a fantastic weekend away at my brother Paul's wedding, after escaping the crazy that was our Friday (see post below). He married a great girl named Nancy. We call them Uncle Paul and Aunt Nancy. How original, I know. Everything worked out well and EvieG was super cute as a flower girl. Spark Plug and The Destroyer stayed at home with my MIL which we are thankful for, otherwise it would have been chaos. Hubby had a great time with the boys and I with the girls. We got all gussied up.
There was quite a crowd. My brother lives and works in the financial industry in Toronto. There were a few people from that world there. He also has a deep relationship with our rural roots. Those from our hometown area represented the guest list well. Aunt Nancy is from the area we grew up in. They are often back north visiting and playing.

To put it bluntly- the parking lot occupied everything from Range Rovers, Porsche, Mercedes, Lexus, and BMW to every kind of Ford, GMC, and Dodge pick up truck ranging from 2 doors to 4 doors. We were part of the pick up crew. There were a few with mud splattered all over from off-roading and back road cruising. My brother's souped up lime green Mustang was the ride for the bride in groom to and from the wedding site. Here is a picture of the groomsmen taking a pretend leak on my brother's baby... if they tried that for real, they would be splattered with mud themselves. It was more than enough to tie cans to the back of the car and tape on a Just Married sign for after the service. The rule was no tape allowed on the paint. It is the most expensive Mustang in history, I think.
I am surprised they even had their feet up on the bumper.

The original plan was for the boys to go golfing before the wedding. But staying true to his roots, Uncle Paul took his boys skeet shooting in the Back 40 over a pond. They sent the clay pigeons into the sky and shot them. With rifles. This was a first for some of the guys who have barely been out of the city. They all had a blast, but I am surprised they all came out alive. Hubby said at one point towards the end, when they all became cocky and confident, he backed away to the shed in fear that he might accidentally get in the line of fire, as 6 guns were all shooting at one poor clay pigeon all at once.
That just looks scary.

The girls spent the day pampering. Aunt Nancy treated us to a new hair-do and make up. It was something this DDM never does. We were all able to pick our own dress as birdesmaids. The only factor was that it had to be black. I found a vintage dress in Toronto with Auntie Missy. I love vintage. I even wore an emerald necklace and earrings of my grandmother's from the 1930's. I had my hair down and dramatic make up- fake lashes and the whole bit. Here is a picture of Uncle Jeff and I.
EvieG had an adorable dress and a cape that my MIL made for her. She had a basket of leaves that she spread down before Aunt Nancy came down the aisle. She did a super job and was so excited about being a part of the whole deal. She held out well and even stayed up later than usual. We did hire a babysitter for a few hours, but Hubby and I were impressed by her staying power.

The ceremony went well and was beautiful. It was at the top of a valley overlooking a hillside of fall colours. The guests sat on hay bales which was perfect for the setting.

The reception was fun and the speeches were hilarious. There was dancing. Serious dancing. It takes a little alcohol and usually some Madonna to get me going. But I was out in fine form blowing everyone away with my well choreographed moves. I pulled out everything from the sprinkler to lawn mower to the curler (I swept and the MC threw the rock) to the grocery cart (putting the food in the cart). Hubby was proud and not at all embarassed as he shook his head at me from the side of the dance floor. I should be on tour with someone huge for sure.

The bride and groom ended dinner with very moving words. They are very much in love.
We wish them well as they start their new life together. They make a lovely couple and will take good care of one another.

I just hope Aunt Nancy is okay with having me as a sister-in-law. She just won't ever want to dance with me out in public. I'll just give her a few cocktails first and then we can cut some serious rug. I hope we do.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Labels: DDM, EvieG, Family, Fun, Hubby

My baby brother is getting married tomorrow. Hubby, EvieG, and I are leaving to drive 4 hours to the wedding location after lunch today. I am a bridesmaid and EvieG is a flower girl. My MIL so lovingly offered to mind the other 2 Wee Ladies this weekend. Bless her.

Life would be too easy if the Wee Ladies could amuse themselves while I pack and prepare for the trip. But, oh no. I had to go ahead and call Poison Control this morning.

I am trying to sort out all the things I need to accomplish before our departure. As we were all getting mobile this morning, I noticed that Spark Plug had gone into the bathroom. She usually does this in the morning. She plays with the hair clips and tries to brush her teeth. After a few seconds, I went to see how much fun she was having with her morning ritual. I walked in and noticed that the child proof cupboard was open and she was holding an empty 24 mL bottle of Infant Tylenol. She looked at me with sticky whitish goo around her lips and told me, "All gone!"

What? What? What?

I looked in the sink, bathtub, and toilet for any debris. Nothing. I studied her mouth and even smelled her. A nice scent of dye free Cherry Burst filled my nostrils. Crap. My kid just ODed on Tylenol. We are the reason they have pulled Infant Dimetapp from the shelf. And I scoffed at the fact that people couldn't measure properly. Look who the a-hole is now.

I called Poison Control and talked to my new best friend. A lady who was very calm and understanding. I know they are trained to be my best friend, but I like to think she really thought I was nice. Not a loser mom that just let her baby girl chug a bottle of acetaminophen like it was a nice cold beer on a hot summer day. I gave her Spark Plug's weight. She did the math. I am glad she did because I was certainly in no frame of mind to calculate anything except how many mL's she consumed. And there was none left, so that math was simple.

She told me that Spark Plug hardly had enough to properly freak out. She gave me the numbers and explained that the worst thing that could happen is that she gets a tummy ache and then vomits all over my Scotch Guarded chair in the living room.

It reminded me of my baby brother who is about to walk down the aisle tomorrow. When he was 3, he pulled a chair over and climbed up onto the kitchen counter. He opened the cupboard and stole a bottle of our mom's prescription cough medicine from the top shelf. He drank most of it because it tasted like canned peaches. I remember playing with him and then all of a sudden him passing out on the floor. He was unresponsive. I ran to get my mom and the next thing I knew she had him in the car on the way out the driveway as our neighbour was walking up to the door to mind Uncle Jeff and I. He had to have his stomach pumped and stayed in the hospital overnight. Lucky for him my mom got him there in time. There was no 911 back then.

It is amazing how fast things can happen.

Thanks to Tylenol for only selling small bottles of medication. Otherwise, Spark Plug might have had to go and have her stomach pumped too. Like her Uncle Paul.

I only have to deal with possible projectile barf, but probably just a Tylenol buzz. She is sitting on the couch with her plenty-o-liquids watching TV right now.

Now I can pack.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS I will take lots of pictures this weekend and post some wedding shots next week! Have a fun weekend! Keep your kids AWAY from the medicine cabinet.

PPS My new Who's DDM? should be up today or sometime over the weekend. Come back to check it out. I am rather sarcastic this month as I had a screech and howl contest going on behind me at the time I was writing it.

Labels: DDM, Spark Plug

I had some solid bonding time with EvieG last night. I went with her Sparks troop to the apple orchard to pick apples. I totally jetted back into my own childhood for a brief hour. EvieG and I were both 5 again.

It started out with a gathering in front of the orchard store. This is the same orchard we go to regularly during apple season and EvieG knows it well. All she wanted to do was play with the barn kittens. But she knew when it was time to listen to Sparkle.

Sparkle summoned them all together. Before taking the tractor ride into the orchard, she had to make it perfectly clear that all the girls understood where they were. She asked, "Where are we today?" With this, EvieG shot her arm up like a rocket being launched straight up into the sky. And she kept it there. She stood in silence. Still, straight, and strong. She knew the answer. She was standing to the side of Sparkle and slightly behind a couple of taller girls.

Her pin straight arm went unnoticed.

I started to feel anxious on her behalf. I can be a bit of a nerd. I like to be efficient and ask lots of questions. I like to talk and I think I added an extra five minutes to the orchard trip because I kept asking the orchard owner questions about the whole apple farming process. I was this way in elementary school and then I hit high school and it all went to the crapper. But anyway, I am back to my I-know-the-answer-and-want-to-share-and-ask-questions nerdy self. I wanted EvieG to be picked. She wanted to be picked.

Some kid blurted out, "We're at the farm!"

Sparkle verified that fact and asked for more specifics. EvieG's arm and hand stretched further into the air. Like a tower, her hand was obviously up. Why did no one notice this? I actually felt myself shift my weight from foot to foot. I was getting antsy. I was a thin line away from spouting out, "EvieG has her hand up and she knows the right answer. Pick her!"

Then another kid exclaimed, "We're going to pick apples!"

Sparkle agreed and said, "That's right! We are at the apple orchard to pick apples!"

Both EvieG and I dropped our shoulders. EvieG's arm came down like a soft piece of spaghetti. It lost all of its vertical might and fell down in disappointment. I just stood there and felt badly that she did not have the opportunity to share her knowledge.

We continued on our way into the orchard. She had a great time and kept to herself. I saw that she is not the most social of characters. She could care less that there were half a dozen other girls her age there. She picked her apples, looked for planes in the sky, and upon returning to the orchard store, she found and played with the kittens, refused a drink of apple cider, and opted to go home.

I was impressed by her self-control. Because I was ready to shout out like the other little kids when questions were asked. Being letdown did not get to her like it did me. She carried on without looking back. She didn't complain or whine.

In my head I was thinking about how she will have many disappointments in learning situations. She won't answer all the questions, even though she knows the answer. But she will also have lots of opportunity too. I was just being proud. Proud that she pays attention and proud that she knows stuff. I hate seeing missed opportunity.

But we had the opportunity to learn more about apples and the orchard. And most importantly, we had the opportunity to spend that quality time together. I guess that is way better than not being recognized for the right answers.

What can I say? I am just another mom who thinks her kid is wonderful.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS I will have a new Who's DDM? and picture up soon for the month of October. Keep checking back!

Labels: DDM, EvieG

It's easy to forget. To forget how easy it is. How easy it is with one kid to take care of.

EvieG is out this morning at her little I Can Do Fitness class for a couple of hours. Spark Plug is playing this morning too for a couple hours. All I have is the baby of the family, The Destroyer. And it is bliss. I am not ashamed to admit it.

I can go places with one. The world is at my fingertips with one. I am not at the mercy of the demands of the 3 Wee Ladies all at the same time. I can take my time as I run errands, as opposed to running in and out in seconds.

My senses are temporarily altered. They wake up. I can look around at my surroundings a little more. I can hear things instead of constantly listening for the whereabouts of the Wee Ladies. I can take time to smell what is around me. I can take some more time.

When you have one baby, you think, how do people do it with more than one? Well, I still ask myself that all the time. I don't know the answer either. Having one to worry about is a day at the beach. And I really realized this today as I am mucking about with The Destroyer.

This doesn't happen very often. It sure is a different feeling. I just feel my shoulders and heart rate lower all at once. It is way more relaxing with one. There is no commotion or conflict behind me right now. Peace.

And I get to blog in the morning today!

I got lots done this morning. But I can't wait to go and pick up the other 2 in a few minutes. I love the serenity of one, but am at home with all three. In every sense.

All's I'm sayin's all.

PS Guess what? Uncle Jeff is coming to visit today!! We are so excited around here. We have to make cookies, load up on OJ, and Lactose Free milk. We need to prepare ourselves from the whirlwind of the uncle's visit. EvieG said this morning, "Uncle Jeff is coming? Yay!! You know what he does when he comes to visit, Mommy? He asks me to pull his finger and then he toots!" This is what we remember best about Uncle Jeff. His visits are one of life's stinky highlights for the Wee Ladies. And for us too.

Labels: Announcements, DDM