When we go to a restaurant, it feels appropriate to strategically place them around the table so they are properly boxed in somehow. A wall or window on one side, a parent on the other. I almost always sit on the outside. I don't think there will be any window seats for me until they are at least 10.

Because we had my In-Laws, that meant 4 adults to pigeon-hole them. Hubby and I both took the outsides. EvieG is great in a restaurant. She can amuse herself, read the menu, play quietly. Spark Plug has recently discovered a passion for colouring, so all in all she is fine too. But The Destroyer. She can only take it until her apple juice or chocolate milk is gone and then it is on to the next thing. She gets fidgety. She tries to climb under the table and come up for air on the other side. She makes friends with the neighbouring booth.

This time she found something else. She discovered the wrapped cutlery in the centre of the table. She reached over and was preoccupied with the fork and knife for a couple of minutes. She was also playing with the napkins. No big deal. Until she started trying to cut the kids' menu.

She was chewing. I couldn't see anything in her mouth and wasn't sure if she was grinding her teeth again. I opened her mouth and didn't see anything. She continued chewing. I opened it again and saw something white. Hubby asked me what it was. I told it it was probably just the napkin she had been playing with. I assumed it was a piece she has ripped off since she rips everything else in life and was playing with the fork and knife. I took out the tiny, wet piece and wiped it on my jeans. We carried on with our conversation.

Hubby noticed she was chewing something again! This time he removed it from her.

As The Destroyer was climbing from Hubby's lap to the floor and back up again, she had been munching on her own appetizer. She spotted the chewed gum stuck to the bottom of the table. It must have still smelled like strawberries or fruit blast because she had smoothly picked it off and was happily snacking on it.

What could we do? Remove it from her mouth and shrug. There was nothing we could say other than the fact that we weren't surprised and thank goodness we got her the H1N1 shot. We are sure she has the immune system of a superhuman given the amount of sand, dirt, and now crusty, chewed gum she has put in her mouth.

All's I'm sayin's all.

Have you tried this stuff? I feel like I am Speedy Gonzales. What a way to gain some instant energy. The ginseng and echinacea combined makes for a super duper sense of accomplishment. I was vacuuming tonight at 8:30. What is wrong with me?

As a preventative measure, I say take one of these a day and you'll be running a marathon by next spring. I am like the little engine that could.

I still have a cold. I can't smell or taste anything. I am coughing but mostly at night and am stuffed up in the sinuses. The sinuses have carried the brunt of this illness. So I went out and bought one of those teapots for snot.

Have you tried one of those before? What a weird feeling of relief! You lean forward tilt your head gently to the side, stick the spout of the teapot in a nostril let it pour into the sinus cavity and come out the other side. Don't lean back or you will feel like you just chugged part of the Gulf of Mexico. The first time I tried I did it twice just because it felt so cool. And then I realized my kitchen shutters were wide open for all the neighbours to see. Tea through her nose? That girl really is strange!

I can't wait to beat this thing. It has been one of the worst colds I have had in a very long time. At least I can take cold drugs now. I always hated that about pregnancy. It was like a death sentence when you were sick and were told that you had to stick it out. Like preparing us for what is to come with babies. A lesson in strength, stamina, perseverance. I cheated. I used to take Buckleys. Just like I still cheat and turn on the TV when I can't take anymore.

Here's stamina for you- TV and a Cold FX. You will have the entire house, cleaned, scrubbed, and dusted, all in minutes.

All's I'm sayin's all.

The Destroyer was addicted to her soothers. She had to have them on her at all times. So much so, that she even told me she would keep it in her pocket. She had to have it and got all bent out of shape when I took it or it was forgotten or she wasn't sure of its whereabouts. But like a squirrel, I am convinced she had them stashed away because she would leave the room with one and come back a few minutes later with another. And I never knew where she was finding them. She had her stash secretly placed.

Finally, after another rash formed around her mouth, I told Hubby that we needed to pull the chute on this soother thing. She will be 3 next April. There was no reason for it other than A) it was her sole comfort in life and B) well, it was just easier to put a cork in it.

I had been working on it for a couple of weeks with her. I told her it was time to give up the Soo Soo for the little babies who needed them. I told her that the Soo Soo Fairy would come, pick up the soothers, and then leave her presents. She looked at me square in the eye and said, "Pwesens? For me?" I replied with an excited and very convincing, "Yes! All for you! To thank you for helping the little babies!"

She never thought we'd go through with it.

I pulled the soother from her cold turkey. Just like that. I couldn't take it anymore watching her get all chaffed, her jaw structure changing as her teeth started moulding around it. She was so upset. I quickly found as many of the others as I could and got them out of her sight. I even found one behind the coat stand. Sly dog, she is.

I ran to the local Dollar Store and picked up a few items- some crayons, a little dolly, toy dinosaurs, a magic wand, and Life Savers gummy candies (which she carried around with her unopened the entire following morning). It was all assembled in a gift bag with a hand made card for Hers Truly and set out that night.

That night.

Withdrawal.

Putting her to bed without her soother was like trying to pull an addict from their prescription meds. There was the wailing, the cries of death, the fetal position, you name it. All I kept thinking was, I hope I am not going to have to rub her back like this as she hangs over the toilet bowl. Seriously... She moaned herself to sleep after an hour of going through hardcore withdrawal.

But what a pleasant little girl the next day! Addiction? What addiction? I don't have any clue what you are talking about! I never had a soother in my life! She was thrilled with her presents from the Soo Soo Fairy. She felt good about giving her soothers to the little babies. And who are these little babies anyway? I can picture handing over the bag of crusty soothers to another mom who gently accepts them with the tips of her index finger and thumb, all while sporting a half-smile, half-ewwwww look on her face. Hey, let's not be picky. At least it will cork the kid for a few moments of peace and quiet.

The Destroyer has only asked for it a couple of times since. And she has a hard time going to bed. Hubby has cuddled her a couple of times downstairs. Right now she is in our bed and then I will transfer her to her own bed.

Why not end one addiction and start another, right? Sleep aids. They help millions around the world.

Oh and what did I do with the soothers? I put them all in a poop and scoop bag and tossed them in my bathroom cupboard. I think I can pitch them now. Unless she finds the stash first.

All's I'm sayin's all.

1. They watch way too much Disney and Barbie.

2. Spark Plug has exorbitant amounts of estrogen pumping through her.

3. The Destroyer could marry the toaster and be perfectly happy.

Spark Plug used the princess play make-up that Grandma and Grandpa gave her to properly prepare her sister for her official send-off. Brushing her hair, putting on some rouge, smothering her eyelids in violet. Good thing there were no real products being applied, otherwise I would have covered her up with a scarf and brought her in for a bath.

It occurred to me that The Destroyer had no idea where the wedding was to take place and to who she was to accept as her partner for life. I decided to ask her myself.

DDM: So, what are you doing today?

TheD: I'm getting mayweed.

DDM: Oh! Sounds fun! Who are you marrying?

Pause.

As she turned around and faced me, she looked at me with her wide, gap-toothed grin and bright baby blues. She held out the hot pink princess...

TheD: Hair dwyer!

All's I'm sayin's all.

I find myself sometimes thinking about how I want the Wee Ladies to remember certain things in life. Making popcorn is one of those things I want to help shape a solid memory for. This memory I hope will be two-fold.

All you have to do is click and send me your name and email. In a week I will draw a name at random and contact you for more info!

I have some new reviews up to. So you can head on over to check it out!

All's I'm sayin's all.

Halloween was super fun. Hubby and I went to a great bash last Friday with friends. I was the outlet and he was the plug. It was hilarious. EvieG was the wicked witch of the west. Spark Plug was a scary ghost and The Destroyer was a big, fat pumpkin. Hubby dressed up as a ghost to go trick or treating with the Wee Ladies.

We have so much candy in this house, it is ridiculous. I have no willpower. Hubby went out and bought the box of Coffee Crisp/Smarties/Kit Kat/Aero for... ummm...no one. We didn't have trick or treaters here. If we did, we don't know because we took off for downtown. So here we are with 140 less about 50 mini chocolate bars at this point.

I have some work to catch up on. I have to get to this month's Who's DDM, and I still have a bunch of reviews to do. I just can't seem to get my shizzle together. I am off in a far away place these days and hoping that I am not dying of something horrible. I have another ultrasound scheduled.

My apologies for being so erratic and so-not-funny. I am having a hard time finding my funnies these days.

All's I'm sayin's all.