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fake fish but the closest we have to pets

diy pea pod necklace

yay! suburban is back

proof that 1 out of 3 slept in the crib

baby girl has 8 toofers

baby jail

in desperate need of a dentist

soooo big, feet hang

pukefest 2013, you kicked my a$$ and made me cry

For some reason, it is always a bit difficult waking you kids up on the mornings you
 have school. For some reason, it's not a problem for you kids to wake up before the
sun rises on the mornings you do NOT have school. Go figure.
This particular Saturday was no different. Ellie was the first to wake up, around 5:30

and Pooh woke up shortly afterwards.  You both were excited because later in the
afternoon we were going to go to a friend's birthday party and there would be a
bounce house. I was still in bed when Ellie walked into the room and woke me up,
letting me know that she had just thrown up once but that she was alright and 
could still go to the birthday party. Bounce house!! I quickly got up, felt her head,
no fever. Walked into the kitchen and noticed that she had indeed thrown up 
once but had kept walking when she was throwing up. So, there were at least 
three vomit "stations". I cleaned it up, disinfected the area, then steam mopped it up.
What? I have a toddler that crawls.

I inform Ellie that, no…no, we will not be going to the birthday party. That I'm
afraid she may have the stomach virus that is going around. She, of course, gets
all dramatic. That she had been coughing and that the cough made her throw up,
that she felt better. As I start to think that maybe she's not coming down with
anything, I find out that the baby had thrown up all over my bed. 

Strip the sheets and start the laundry. Inform Ellie that no, no….we're not going
to the birthday party. She, of course is very upset to have to miss it and that I just suck.
Really?

And as she goes on insisting that she's fine, her face starts to get pale and her
eyes get glassy. She lays down on the couch, then abruptly rises up with this look.
A look a mother knows only too well. I run and grab a large bowl and just make it to
her in time as she hurls into it. I attempt to pull back her hair but it's no use. We
walk towards the shower and clean her up. She looks at me and says,

"I feel all better now" she really wants to go. But no…no, we're not going to the birthday
 party. I get her dressed and throw towels across the couch, lay her down, and place
another bowl near her. Within minutes of doing this, Pooh had complained that
 his stomach was hurting. I inquire if he feels sick or if he has to go potty. Potty. 

As I'm comforting a fussy baby, a naked Pooh walks into the living room, holding
an iPad. He's gotten into the habit of "borrowing" it whenever he goes potty.
He walks up to me, handing the iPad over, explaining that he just "drew up on da iPad".
Which do I take care of first? Sick son? Vomit on the iPad? Vomit on the floor??
I set Evie down and I clean the iPad. As I'm walking from room to room, a crying
baby is crawling behind me. Oh! and daddy has already left for work

prior to Ellie getting sick. So, I'm doing this solo. I console Pooh, start the
shower for him and run to clean up the vomit from the bathroom as I see
Evie crawling from the bathroom, looking for me, trailing vomit behind her. Yup.
She crawled through Pooh's puke. I cried. Scoop her up and quickly undress her
and stick her in the shower with Pooh and clean them both up. 

All three kids are showered and dressed in clean cozy clothes. I tackle the bathroom
and gag thru the whole thing. All this and it wasn't even noon yet. AND that was
only round one. Kids ended up vomiting thru out the day, followed by the
dreaded D. Ellie laid comatose on the couch, Pooh and Evie wanted to cling to me
and I wanted them on the other side of the room. I just did not want to get sick.
Because moms don't get sick days! 

 By the end of the evening, I had started feeling light headed, my stomach felt funny,
my joints ached…heck my flesh ached and all I wanted to do was pass out. 

I'm not sick

I'm just going to rest but I'm not sick

poor Pooh

a cold washcloth seemed to help

view from my death bed

Pukefest lasted 'till Tuesday night, with Evie barfing down my back 

(missing the couch).  Fun times.

hhhha-vier

Ellie, Ellie, Ellie. I remember the first time the topic of getting married and

having children came up. You were in the back of the suburban, asking

how daddy and I met, "and then you got married? And then you had me?"

"Yes, yes," I explained how we met. How long we dated. How daddy

asked me to marry him and why I said yes. I started to explain the type of 

qualities you want to look for in a man. But before I could even begin,

you stopped me dead in my tracks with your, "I'm NOT going to get

married. And I'm not going to have a baby." This topic would arise

from time to time over the past two years. Always the same response,

you are NOT going to get married and you are NOT going to have

children. 

You are six years old and in kindergarten. You've been making

new friends and are constantly talking about them, one in 

particular. Javier. At first, I joked to daddy, when I mentioned

this "Javier" that "his name is probably Billy and she decided 

that Javier sounded better." I would hear how you two 

would play during recess and what a good friend he is.

About a week before Christmas, you and I bumped into

Javier and his mom. He was all dressed up and getting his

Christmas picture taken. You introduced your mother to him,

all proud. He acted shy. You were a little forward. I was

a little concerned. You made me giggle. I teased you on 

the way home, "sooooo, HHHHHavier, huh? He's

a little cutie. Is he nice?"

"MOMMMMM! (you sound a little irritated) He's my friend.

 He's nice to me and I'm nice to him."

Remembering what you had said to a friend (about

kissing a certain boy), I decided to remind you

that you are way too young to have a boyfriend

and no hugging or kissing. You became embarrassed

and had to remind me that you are NOT getting married

or having children. Ever. To which, I quickly asked,

"not even if HHHHHavier were to ask you???"

"Alright, alright….maaaayybe if Javier asked me."

I died.

On the first day back, after your Christmas break, I'm 

waiting for you to come out. As you walk towards me,

I notice that your coat is not zipped all the way and that it's

slightly open. You stop, right in front of me, with the biggest

smile on your face and you gush out, "mama, look what

Javier gave me-for being a really good friend."

And I see a necklace. I'm a little surprised.

"oh, my!" I say, "what a beautiful necklace. Does his

mother know he gave this to you??? Maybe it belongs to

her and he just took it?? Perhaps, you better ask him? Perhaps,

I should ask her??" 

"mommmmm, he made me this necklace (getting a better look, I can

see it's a little charm on streatchy string), you state as you

take my hand and walk towards the suburban. 

As I get behind the wheel, you also inform me that 

this summer, you are suppose to meet Jake at the 

Children's Museum.

Is it starting already? This being interested in boys?

You're only six…not sixteen. And I'm

not ready. I want to encourage you to

always come to me and talk about

EVERYTHING and ANYTHING. But I'm not

ready for you to talk about crushes. Thankfully, I

don't think we're quite there, yet. But

I continue to ask 100 questions because I'm curious and

you're my little girl and a boy gave you a 

necklace. And I can mentally see myself questioning this six

year old boy: "So, Javier….what are your intentions???"

Daddy giggled and acted quite surprised. Tita asked, when

I phoned her, if he was Mexican because…well, there

aren't many up here.

I'm giggling also because, whether you know it or

not…you're not going to be dating until your way

over thirty.

this is one of my favorite pictures of you
I can start to see the little lady you are
becoming

no clue

In what I'm doing, that is, regarding photoshop.

I had my friend Christy come over to give me a 

"lesson" and I just sat there, waiting for that 

AHA! moment. It never happened. Instead,

I sat with, what could only have been, a 

DUH…can you repeat that?? look.

before

after, Christy's magic. I probably should
have had her talk me thru it. I'm more of
a hands on learner.

before
this looks SO much better BEFORE I
got my paws on it. :(

her skin tone…just does not look right,
here and I made her eyes darker.
she had snacked on a baby cookie before
hand and had dry crumbs around her
nostrils. I TRIED to erase or blend it
 in…instead, I made it into a big yellow
 spot. maybe, I'll say this is the before
 and the top one is the after??

lazy day

Well, the world did not end but 2012 did. Because all three kids 

were getting over colds, we had cancelled our New Year's Eve

plans. No biggie. Instead, we rented movies, and picked up some 

take out. Kids were in bed by 8PM. Chris and I cuddled on

the couch and watched the latest of the Bourne movies.

Today marks the end of our Winter break, kids go back to

school tomorrow. Back to our regular 7PM bedtime and

early morning wake up calls. I always "look forward to those".

So, today was a stay in our jammies and play all

day with transformers, make a couple of pipe cleaner

fairies, and watch a couple of Little Einstein movies.

Lazy day. 

he just loves playing with his Rescue Bots
and Transformers

he has quite the imagination

I think the best part was playing with daddy,
because they are best buddies, don't you know?

love this boy of mine

and love this little girl

she decided that playing with some
Rescue Bots looked like fun

ahhh, he didn't think so. not much
of a sharer, this one.

not so sure if she is fully aware that
she's going back to school tomorrow
:D