Thursday, July 12, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Cameron's Video
Hello to all of Cameron's friends and relatives! I am happy to host his internet debut! He is a beautiful boy. Karen and Jim are so lucky, and I know that Owen is going to be an awesome big brother!!!
Without further ado:
(Make sure you leave a comment to tell his Mama how gorgeous she looks - no woman should look that great so soon after having a baby!)
Y'all come back, now, y'hear?
Without further ado:
(Make sure you leave a comment to tell his Mama how gorgeous she looks - no woman should look that great so soon after having a baby!)
Y'all come back, now, y'hear?
An Almost Perfect Day
It was so beautiful here today. One of those days that makes me glad that I live here, because we get about half a dozen of these days a year, so not only do we get to enjoy them, we appreciate them!
We had lunch with BJ, and I left my purse at the restaurant. I didn't realize it until a good 45 minutes later. Cash, prescription meds, digital camera, all my credit cards, all my work credit cards... basically my entire life was left on the back of a random chair in Qdoba. I called. They had it. I raced back. Every single thing was still in there.
I love it here. I don't ever want to move.
After nap, we went to the big park that has the zoo and the train and the playground. We did everything twice. MG was so good. Claire slept a lot. I even got to read some of my book. I remembered to put sunscreen on everyone. No one cried when we had to leave. Wow.
On the way home we saw a car accident on the 4 lane, divided highway that goes through town. I didn't think it looked too bad, until I saw the toddler seat in the median. It had been ejected from one of the cars. I don't know if there was a toddler in it at the time or not.
So do me a favor, if you have a kid in a car seat, and take your car to the local police or fire department, or to AAA, and have it checked to make sure your car seat is installed correctly, ok? I mean, the sight of that seat just made me sick to my stomach. It was thrown almost all the way into the opposing lane of traffic. Just a couple more feet and it could've been squashed by the next car to come along.
I hope there was no kid in the car seat, but if there was, I hope he or she is ok.
Otherwise, though, it was a perfect day. We broke our bad-day streak!
We had lunch with BJ, and I left my purse at the restaurant. I didn't realize it until a good 45 minutes later. Cash, prescription meds, digital camera, all my credit cards, all my work credit cards... basically my entire life was left on the back of a random chair in Qdoba. I called. They had it. I raced back. Every single thing was still in there.
I love it here. I don't ever want to move.
After nap, we went to the big park that has the zoo and the train and the playground. We did everything twice. MG was so good. Claire slept a lot. I even got to read some of my book. I remembered to put sunscreen on everyone. No one cried when we had to leave. Wow.On the way home we saw a car accident on the 4 lane, divided highway that goes through town. I didn't think it looked too bad, until I saw the toddler seat in the median. It had been ejected from one of the cars. I don't know if there was a toddler in it at the time or not.
So do me a favor, if you have a kid in a car seat, and take your car to the local police or fire department, or to AAA, and have it checked to make sure your car seat is installed correctly, ok? I mean, the sight of that seat just made me sick to my stomach. It was thrown almost all the way into the opposing lane of traffic. Just a couple more feet and it could've been squashed by the next car to come along.
I hope there was no kid in the car seat, but if there was, I hope he or she is ok.
Otherwise, though, it was a perfect day. We broke our bad-day streak!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
WFMW - Improvise a Changing Table
When Mary Grace was little, I only changed diapers upstairs - figuring that going up 13 stairs to the changing table several times a day was good exercise. However, when I was "great with" Claire (BJ would argue that I'm not at all "great" when pregnant, but that's another post), I decided that I didn't want to haul my gigantic carcass up and down the stairs to the "real" changing table every time my first child needed a clean diaper.
On the other hand, I also didn't want the changing table downstairs (there's no room, for one thing), and the thought of changing diapers on the dining room table just sent me into a germophobic tailspin.
Enter the WFMW tip - the changing table on the washing machine! I got one of these, and popped it upon the top of the washer (note the raised sides). It doesn't weigh anything, so taking it off to throw in a load of clothes is a piece of cake. I have a box on top of the dryer that holds diapers (in two sizes, lucky me!), wipes, powder, butt paste, etc. There's plenty of room for a Diaper Genie in our laundry room, too, so it doesn't stink (at least I don't think it does - and if my house ever does get diaper or pet stink, I am counting on you to tell me!).
Added bonus #1 - the older kid loves to play with the knobs and buttons on the washer while getting changed, which prevents her from sticking her hands into the dirty diaper.
Added bonus #2 - the younger kid has been known to fall asleep if left too long on the washer during the spin cycle (it was totally a controlled experiment and I was right there the whole time - don't get your "delicates" in a twist!).
Added bonus #3 - it doesn't take up any additional space in my house, or cause any additional mess. WFMW
This would be an ideal solution for new parents in a small house, who don't want a traditional changing table. Works for me!!
On the other hand, I also didn't want the changing table downstairs (there's no room, for one thing), and the thought of changing diapers on the dining room table just sent me into a germophobic tailspin.
Enter the WFMW tip - the changing table on the washing machine! I got one of these, and popped it upon the top of the washer (note the raised sides). It doesn't weigh anything, so taking it off to throw in a load of clothes is a piece of cake. I have a box on top of the dryer that holds diapers (in two sizes, lucky me!), wipes, powder, butt paste, etc. There's plenty of room for a Diaper Genie in our laundry room, too, so it doesn't stink (at least I don't think it does - and if my house ever does get diaper or pet stink, I am counting on you to tell me!).
Added bonus #1 - the older kid loves to play with the knobs and buttons on the washer while getting changed, which prevents her from sticking her hands into the dirty diaper.
Added bonus #2 - the younger kid has been known to fall asleep if left too long on the washer during the spin cycle (it was totally a controlled experiment and I was right there the whole time - don't get your "delicates" in a twist!).
Added bonus #3 - it doesn't take up any additional space in my house, or cause any additional mess. WFMW
This would be an ideal solution for new parents in a small house, who don't want a traditional changing table. Works for me!!
Single Mom
BJ is still at the conference (he'll be home tonight, so all of you serial killers, baby stealers, and burglars have totally missed your opportunity, neener neener neener!). As far as I'm concerned, he can't get here soon enough.
Last week was a really busy week for him at work. More than once he didn't come home until well past midnight. That was the primary reason for our extended trip to Grammaland - I figured, if I was going to be home alone, anyway, I might as well not be home.
I feel like I haven't seen him in months, and I'm worried that the kids won't recognize him when he does get home. And, I have to admit, I'm jealous that he can leave for a few days, while I can't be away from Claire for more than an hour, and MG would freak right out if I tried to leave for much more than that. It has made me think a lot about single parents.
How on earth do you do it? This has been one of the hardest weeks of my parenting life. It's psychologically so different to know that there's no one coming home soon. Yesterday was interminable. I felt like it lasted for at least 47 hours. It wasn't because we just sat in the house whining at each other all day, either, although it felt like we did that for a large percentage of the day... We actually managed to get to the hospital to see Karen's new baby, Nameless, who is the smallest baby I have ever seen in real life - 5 pounds, 15 ounces. He made Claire look huge.
I can't imagine what it would be like to do this alone - to not have another adult to empty the Diaper Genie once in a while, or to open the sippy cup full of milk that accidentally got left in the toy room for a week, or to fool into changing the really horrible diapers. After one week of it, I am ready to lose my tiny mind. I find myself lacking patience, snapping at MG, letting Claire cry longer than I normally would... The house is a mess. I have no motivation to change that fact. And we've been eating complete crap. What's the point of cooking something when the only other person here to eat thinks that buttered noodles with Parmesan cheese are the height of culinary perfection?
I've always respected single parents, but I never had any idea just how hard it was. My hat is off to all of you who have done this alone. I honestly have no idea how you manage(d) it.
Last week was a really busy week for him at work. More than once he didn't come home until well past midnight. That was the primary reason for our extended trip to Grammaland - I figured, if I was going to be home alone, anyway, I might as well not be home.
I feel like I haven't seen him in months, and I'm worried that the kids won't recognize him when he does get home. And, I have to admit, I'm jealous that he can leave for a few days, while I can't be away from Claire for more than an hour, and MG would freak right out if I tried to leave for much more than that. It has made me think a lot about single parents.
How on earth do you do it? This has been one of the hardest weeks of my parenting life. It's psychologically so different to know that there's no one coming home soon. Yesterday was interminable. I felt like it lasted for at least 47 hours. It wasn't because we just sat in the house whining at each other all day, either, although it felt like we did that for a large percentage of the day... We actually managed to get to the hospital to see Karen's new baby, Nameless, who is the smallest baby I have ever seen in real life - 5 pounds, 15 ounces. He made Claire look huge.
I can't imagine what it would be like to do this alone - to not have another adult to empty the Diaper Genie once in a while, or to open the sippy cup full of milk that accidentally got left in the toy room for a week, or to fool into changing the really horrible diapers. After one week of it, I am ready to lose my tiny mind. I find myself lacking patience, snapping at MG, letting Claire cry longer than I normally would... The house is a mess. I have no motivation to change that fact. And we've been eating complete crap. What's the point of cooking something when the only other person here to eat thinks that buttered noodles with Parmesan cheese are the height of culinary perfection?
I've always respected single parents, but I never had any idea just how hard it was. My hat is off to all of you who have done this alone. I honestly have no idea how you manage(d) it.
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