Sickness, be gone!

I now deem this Christmas season, "the Sickest Christmas EVER". This even tops our first Christmas together when I was keeled over pregnant sick.

I haven't seen Cster this sick since he slept for 3 days straight after having an allergic reaction. Our throats still hurt. We still take daily medicine for the headaches. I can't count how many kleenex boxes we've gone through.

Seriously. We're done..

A fun 2 weeks

Its been hectic.

Its been fun.

Its been snot filled.

Its been full of massive glands and soar throats to make the strongest cry in pain.

Its been full of presents.

Its been full of family.

Its been full of sweets that nobody's really felt up to eating.

Its been full of caroling and the Christmas story.

Its been full of laughs.

Its been full of food.

Its been full of giddy children in elves jammies.

Its been full of duplicate gifts (oops).

Its been full of games.

Its been full of Christmas lights.

Its been full of a new haircut.

Its been full of surprises.

Lster update

For my own record here is the boring sleeping update.

Lster cried at 8:30 (I went in since we had company and it was bothering them). He also cried at 12:44 - I did not go in and he eventually stopped but he cried a long time. Cster told me Lster also woke up at 11pm and cried but I didn't hear that one.

Mster woke up twice too and decided to battle me about her water cup both times.

I'm ready to check into a hotel.

Oh Lster, get thee to bed

Lster has decided he doesn't need to sleep...period. No naps. Not at night. He's just going to stay up all the time and ask me to play wii and watch Dora. I'm not really liking this idea. Last night he was up between 2 and 4. At 3AM I finally decided this was the last night of comforting and that tomorrow there would be crying (probably lots and lots of crying). I did it with Mster and she's a great sleeper and healthy and she still loves me. (so much so that she would throw a snowball at me in a snowball fight because she's only going to throw one at the people she loves). And so last night (it being the last night) and Cster was still sick and I wanted him to sleep and not hear the crying I brought Lster into our room at 3AM and let him sleep with me. He then proceeded to "hang out" for an hour. I pretended to sleep and steal glances at him. Everytime he had his eyes wide open just lying there. And this isn't the first time we've had a 2-4AM incident.

What the...? Doesn't this boy need to sleep? I'm baffled. And most people know me as the Sleep Queen (A self-proclaimed title) I'm at a lost. Bring on the crying.

PS - Star picture coming. I can only take it at night because of window glare and I seem to forget once the sun goes down. Maybe it has something to do with the lack of sleep.

Trick Question

Just when I think she's the smartest girl on the planet.

Mster: How many days until seven (7) days?
Me: seven
Mster: Oh

My Farewell Words

Last week was a sad week. We lost a dear friend. I wasn't ready for it to go. I wasn't prepared. I hadn't said goodbye. One day it just up and disappeared out of our life forever. Whenever I try to bring it back all I get is tears. Sad sobbing tears. Frantic tears. All varieties of tears. I will miss it greatly. It had such a calming effect on the house. It broke up the day. It gave me and Mster some special alone time. And so it is with ultimate sadness that I've finally come to terms with the fact that Lster is no longer napping. I'm still in shock. Honestly, some days I forget and think I'm missing something and I can just do the one magical thing and he will start napping again. But I'm wrong. He's only 2. He's barely 2. I'm trying to look on the bright side of things but right now I'm just trying to find fun things to fill the 12:30-2pm hour (he never napped long to begin with) so that we don't go crazy.

The Star on our Tree

The angel on our tree was little suicidal and no matter how much coaching we gave her she just seemed to always be on the verge of making the jump.



So...I thought it would be fun for Mster and me to make a star. It worked and the star is at the top and Msters pretty proud of her achievement and I'm pretty proud she stuck it out and finished it without whining or getting bored.

Christmas Tree - 2nd attempt

Here are pics.

Lster Loved IT!!!



Mster Loved it until she fell down and broke a nail (seriously) and then cried and pouted and went into the car.



Here's the tree in our living room.

The 5 pies!

Snow Cones are a Hit

Lster called this "treat" ice cream. Eat all the ice cream you want my children. Eat away.

Christmas Trees Rock

Cster really wanted a real Christmas tree this year. I secretly did too but thought it slightly frivolous since we weren't even going to be here for Christmas. All our issues were answered when I was talking to my friends and they started discussing cutting down there own tree. I was hooked.

I convinced Cster (hahaha - convincing Cster to do something Christmassy when it also involves a real Christmas tree is hardly convincing) and after going with his parents to a lot to get theirs I wanted a tree RIGHT NOW.

So the first day of cutting season (monday), I got our permit, and off we drove to the mountains. It was a bit chilly so we bundled the kids up, borrowed and sled and were on our way.



Sadly we couldn't find anything and were getting a little worried about being in the woods (with no one in sight) with 2 young children as the sun was quickly making its descent. So we decided to come back another day. That day was yesterday. It was beautiful. We left earlier and we found out tree. I will not go into details on taking a minivan on a four wheel drive path. (I was thinking we are totally going to be those people in the headlines that people say "why are people so stupid")But we have a tree. Its in our stand. Its in out living room. Its watered. Its our tree and I love it. I will post some pics once we decorate it.

I love Christmas.

Thanksgiving

I'm not so impressed with Black Friday deals. Maybe its because we don't need anything. I've been looking at ads for hours and hours now and I just can't really plot it out. I don't want to do it. And finally I realized we don't need anything. For this I am thankful. We are good. We have everything we need. I keep looking at ads and saying "that's not a bad deal, but we don't need that." What a great thanksgiving blessing. I have an awesome family. We have our health (pretty much). We have a job. We have! What a great blessing.

On the other hand, we do really want an elliptical machine and I'm slightly frustrated at trying to find a good deal on one of those. The kind of deal that gives us a really great machine that won't chop off our children's fingers, be super, uber loud and creaky, hold up Cster, but not cost the total of a gym membership for 4 years for both Cster and me. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so.

Moboodis

I love verification words and I sure love moboodis. My boodies like so boodilicious.

Sorry Mav that's all I could come with.

Sickness and pain is jumping from body to body and has left the kids and moved to the adults but I already had something 2 weeks ago that I'm still dealing with residuals so I don't think its fair that round 2 hit. There should be sick rules. 2 weeks after sickness you should be able to run from a house 3 doors down without hacking up a lung for 2 minutes.

Cster's making 5 pies tonight. I think right now he may be thinking he chose to make 5 pies too many. :) Of course they will be delicious and come tomorrow afternoon we will all be grovelling at his feet for his amazing feat. And I'm really really craving stuffing and I can't wait any longer. HURRY UP tomorrow.

I've finished 3 baby shower gifts to be sold tomorrow. I will take pictures when there's more light. All I can say is I've solved the unisex problem. I am a genius. I will never make a yellow or green something something again. (unless of course someone really really wants it). I love doing baby shower gifts. People need to have more babies so people will ask me to make more stuff for them. HURRY UP people.

Our good friend was here last night stopping over on his way out west to live and be far away from us. I like friends who you wish you could see all the time but even if you don't you can just pick up where you left off and play wii tennis all night long or at least until 8:30 if your me and lame and can't stay up late. And if he's reading this you left really early. Like 4:20AM really early. Did the mice keep you up?

And I'm thankful for lots of things which I may or may not say in a post tomorrow depending on how the whole day goes since I won't be home.

And I'm really mad at mean shoppers. I WAS IN LINE FIRST. My daughter (who is 4) may be small but it still counts if she's standing in line while I run off to get my son who thinks playing hide and seek in the fabric aisle is the coolest. Now I have to wait until your done (buying the entire fabric department) with 2 kids at the checkout counter full of grabable items because you budded. Grr...

Too Much Info

Me: Hey Mster, Are you going to throw up? Do you need a bowl?
Mster: Well...I threw up a little and I swallowed it so it will probably come back later so, yeah, bring me a bowl.

Some of this, Some of that

I sold another 70 or so clips to the store I've been working with. I'm thinking of looking for another store but the idea terrifies me. I can't believe I have one already. Its very scary to walk in and talk to somebody about buying clips.

We've been sick. Lster's got it now. Mster and I are STILL coughing after a week and a half of the stupid cold. Lster even threw up today. He threw up all over Mster's pants that were on the ground waiting for her to get out of the bath. She burst into tears. He thought it was hilarious. "Stop laughing (Lster), its not funny"

By the end of the week I will have gone to 3 social events this week. I'm ready for my night in tomorrow night. But I'll post pics of the fun crafts I did tonight with some friends.

I'm done one out of three baby shower presents somebody is buying from me.

And the list goes on. How did life get busy? Hmmm...

Butt Splashing

Just to let everyone know I have made a new rule in our house. There will be NO MORE BUTT SPLASHING.

Butt Splashing = getting up on your hands and feet in a bath and then crashing your butt into the water to see how much splash you can make.

Lster has already figured out that if he puts his feet on the ledge and then butt splashes he gets a much bigger splash.

I'm ready for the Christmas Season

There isn't much more to say. I'm just excited for it this year. The kids are so fun and love it all.

I never know what to do

I just sent out a mass email to everybody I know to promote my etsy site. I never feel quite right doing it but I can't think of any better way to spread the message other than writing people individually and sadly I just don't have the time. I hope it is received well.

Mster's a Jokester

Mster just told me I had something on my shirt. I looked down and she flicked my chin. Let me remind everybody, she's 4.

Selling Machine.

Today I sold 37 flower clips to a store. Outright, not consignment. Then, they ordered 18 more and said if I could make a certain kind they would buy those too. They also told me they would love a whole line of hair bows made with ribbon.

Today is a good day.

I've Done It

I've finally put my stuff online in an official selling capacity.

Check it out at: www.valentineknits.etsy.com

Hats with clips are coming. I just wanted to get started somewhere.

The week got away from me.

Cster gave me his laptop which allowed for much more computer use. The fan busted and is at a relatives getting fixed.

Our house is apparently invaded by mice and maybe carpet beetles but considering the amount of traps we have out you'd think we'd kill at least one. I still continue to pick up poop.

ValentineKnits is coming to a store near me. A local woman's assessories shop is going to sell my flower clips.

I'm running 3.5 miles numerous times a week with some friends.

And that is the reason for no posts. Hopefully more to come and a big Etsy introduction.

Teaching Social Skills

Me: what are you going to have for lunch today?
Mster well, maybe we could have peanut butter and jelly. It could be peanut butter and jelly and candy.
Me: how about peanut butter and jelly and boogers?
Mster: well I like boogers but I don't like jelly so how about peanut butter and boogers?
Me: you know you aren't supposed to actually eat boogers.
Mster: I didn't know that? Not ever, ever?
Me: no not ever.
Mster: huh.

The answer to the poll

Sadly the answer is that I don't really want to know how many mice are in my house. I called my friend the other day because her husband is manager of a pest control company Orkin and I thought they might have some good spare traps. He came to our house last night (I thought to drop them off) but he stayed and "inspected" our house. He put oodles and oodles of traps out. He found where they had pulled out our insulation. Its just too gross. Thanks to him goes out though. I really just wanted to know what traps to use and he went above and beyond. I'm a little nervous because he put traps eveywhere and I can't remember where he put them all. "how will I know they're dead if I miss a trap to check?" "you'll smell them", he said. Ugh...are you serious. That's disgusting. I hate mice.

My muscles

Cster has indoctrinated our children to say that my muscles are weak sauce. But today I proved them all wrong. I carried all our books (3 bookshelves full) from the basement to our bedroom (on the second floor). I rock. And for those that think we live in a paperback world, this included all of Cster's lawbooks. My muscles are totally not weak sauce.

Oh Lster snap out of it

For the past week Lster has woken up from his nap crying, yelling and in a general crappy mood. Its horrible. Today, I tried to comfort him but I refuse to carry him around the house, which is what he wants me to do. I will however sit down and cuddle with him on my lap just not carry him. He's heavy and I don't want to promote the baby attitude. But its not working. Today Lster got so mad at me he punched me in the face while I was trying to sit with him. I put him in his room to have a time out and calm down and he proceeded to scream and yell for 20 minutes (I had opened his door after 3 minutes to tell him his timeout was over and he could come out when he stopped crying).

So far I've found the only thing that works is:

1) picking him up
2) giving him chocolate
3) letting him watch tv

I need to figure something else out because we can't promote that behavior.

He's going to bed early tonight. That's all I have to say.

What are you doing these days?

I've been working on a new thing for ValentineKnits. Check it out. I'm hoping to get it up on Etsy.com soon and to try and get it into some children's boutiques in the area.

Mster's First Field Trip Day

I didn't even realize Lster was showing off a leaf.

Halloween Pics

I love being a parent

Tonight was our halloween party held at our church. Mster was a pumpkin and Lster was superman.

Lster's a pretty shy guy but he ran up to every car, held out his pumpkin and quitely said "teat" every time. My heart almost burst it was so cute. Mster was equally adorable in her outfit and she was actually old enough to understand exactly what was going on. She got her face painted. She threw bean bags. She fished. She had the time of her life.

Christmas is going to be very good this year. Oh and so is the real halloween. I can't believe we get to do it again.

(One of Cster's friends told Mster "don't let your dad eat any of your candy". Mster took it very seriously. Mster ran right to her room to hide her candy when she got home. It took some explaining as to why I wouldn't allow a huge pile of candy to be in her room. I can only imagine the pile of wrappers I would have found tomorrow)

pics to come.

My own litte princess

If you think this was a post about Mster, you were wrong. That princess changed her mind yesterday and is going to be a pumpkin for halloween. She's very excited. We are very shocked.

Lster has been quite onery lately. With Cster gone for days on end, its getting old really fast. I was supposed to go run errands sans children this afternoon but Cster had to work later. So Lster woke up from his nap and we HAD to go. (halloween party's require candy) and he would not stop whining and crying. I finally said they could watch a show to try and calm him down quickly so we could go. He originally picked Thomas. Not 5 minutes in he got mad at Thomas and demanded we switch it to a princess movie.

Hurry up Cster.

A new Christening

I'm thinking of calling myself Baba Cakes.

Lster's Birthday

She likes her some bones

Mster: I wonder who will die first in our family?
Me: Nobody knows. Why do you want to know?
Mster: Well, I want to see their skeleton.
Me: You know you don't actually see skeletons when people die.
Mster: Why?
Me: Because
Mster: Because why?
Me: Because when you die your body goes into the ground and you don't see it again until your ressurected.
Mster: Well you see it in museums.
Me: You see some skeletons in museums but not our family's skeletons.
Mster: (silence)

My very own police brigade

Today on the way home from dropping Mster off at preschool I was folllowed by 20 or so police cars and motorcycles. I also appreciated that they filled every intersection with police officers to stop traffic so only my lane could go through. I loved it. I think I'd like to be escorted home everyday.

And it was for me right? Just cause Sarah Palin's here today and just happens to be in the same spot as me, I know its cause they wanted to make sure I got home safe and 2 minutes earlier than normal.

Have you noticed a surge of posts?

I don't know why but I've been really into blogging again. It all coincided with getting Cster's old laptop and some new and exciting stuff I'm doing with ValentineKnits that I alluded to earlier. And I can't stop posting.

Now I'm wondering how many people are actually reading this after so much hiatus. So here is my plea for comments. You don't have to be witty or clever or tell me how great I am. I just want to know how many of you are out there.

When Daddy's away, the kiddies will play.

Its 5pm and the kids are hungry and I don't want to cook and we are on day one of Cster being gone for a week. The really gone, gone. Not the sort of gone, gone that he's been doing this past week.

So we are eating cereal for dinner. All you can eat cereal and ants on a log. And if I don't get into the kitchen right now and make it I think Mster might compeletly take control of the house in an attempt to be as bad as she possibly can while he's gone.

Oh and Lsters used his little potty twice so far. Way to go Big Guy!

1 more hour

I've got one more hour left to blog about Lster's birthday on his birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LSTER!! You're 2!!!

You are my favorite little guy. You laugh and laugh and laugh. You stick your tongue out ALL THE TIME and will take pictures with your dad for 30 minutes with your tongues out and still laugh and beg for more. You love chocolate and fruit snacks. You love them more than you pacifier. And I bribe you everyday after your nap and everyday it works. You love the moon, dogs, Daddee, throwing the football, green blanket, Yell (Mster), singing silly songs, singing any song silly, mac n cheese, your elmo shirt (which I've packed away and haven't told you yet hoping you will just forget about it), Diego (Gaygo), running, running around in circles, walking in parking lots, walking in stores, playing hide n seek in stores, ripping clothes off hangers in stores, books, balloons, coloring, coloring on the wall, coloring on any surface other than paper, princesses (shh, don't tell), playing outside, doing anything outside, warm weather, water, splashing, climbing, climbing into sinks, climbing into sinks and splashing, hugs, real kisses, being a goofball.

We Love You Buddy!

Its 10:50pm, do you know where Cster is?

Cster is at work. Its friday. Cster will be at work all day tomorrow and then he will leave on Sunday after church and not return until thursday. At least I think its thursday. You never know with those trials. They like to sneak up on you and take your husband away, only to give him back at odd hours with a glazed look in his eyes.

Public Service Announcement

this is pretty cool.

I wonder who Lster would vote for - kindred spirit?

Where are my sunglasses? This day is looking brighter.

Rocks Part 1

At 5:10pm after 5 hours of crying and whining Mster told me her stomach hurt ("you think"?). It just happened to be dinnertime for the kiddies (special solo dinner for them since I was going out for the night) and so she came up and looked at her dinner and looked at me and said "my head hurts too. I'm just going to go to bed." So off she went to bed.

The other side of the crappy day story is that Lster wouldn't nap for me (I think he needs to go down later in the day now) and so by 5pm he was too tired to eat and only wanted saltines and apples. On any other day I probably would have said "of course you can have saltines and apples. Just get something in your belly and you'll feel better and we'll put you to bed. But after fighting with Mster for 5 hours and building my "I won't cave no matter what cause I'm the mom and you must do what I say" wall he was going to eat his dinner or eat nothing. He chose nothing and continued to whine until 5:50pm when I thought my head might pop right off of my head. I called Cster to find out where exactly on his commute home he was so I could get my shoes on and be already out the door ready for my night out only to find out he was hoping to leave the office in another 10 minutes. The cherry was on top.

All kids were immediately sent to bed. Luckily Mster was already in there. Well she was in a semi state of undress and asking for songs and other bedtime routine necesseties.

By the time Cster got home both kids were in bed so he got NOTHING of the drama of the day and a nice peaceful night in all by himself. He's set to work a real lawyers work week this week (65+ hours) so I guess he deserved it too.

Mster woke me up bright and early this morning and I just didn't have the heart to immediately send her right the basement. I also didn't have the immediate mental capacity to deal with the whining and crying. So I let her do puzzles and eat breakfast until sunrise. "Once the sun is up you're going down there".

The sun rose must faster this morning in Mster's eyes and not 10 minutes had past when I heard my name a dozen times and whining had commenced (no crying yet). After about 15 minutes had past the crying began.

This could not be happening. I struggled to help her figure out a way for the job to be not so mountainous. I know she just looked at the basement and was overwhelmed and her little 4 year old brain couldn't wrap itself around and actual finished project. Cster and I had already moved all the toys out of the way and put a little brush and dustpan for her but it wasn't working. After numerous talkings to from Cster (which sounded an aweful lot like the conversations that I had with her the day before) I thought and I thought and I thought and finally the inspiration came. Armed with masking tape I sectioned off part of the room in squares. I told her to pick up the rocks in each ssquare and that she could take the tape off once she was done a section. When she was done all the sections I would come down and make more sections for her. This was the answer.

It became a game and she did the whole basement in about a 1/2 an hour. I'm calling this a victory. I picked up a total of 0 rocks. I win.

Not my favorite day

I invited a friend of Mster's to come over the other day so that her mom could run and pick up her siblings since the 2 of them were playing so well together. I went down to the basement a 1/2 later only to find that Mster and this girl had dumped our books onto the floor. We own a lot of books. I immediately called the girls mom (who had been long home but I told her to just leave her girl play for awhile) and said I'm sorry but Msters in BIG trouble.

I guilted Mster. I yelled. I did all things disciplinary and then I put Cster's law books back up and made Mster put all the other books up herself. She was a speedster and cleaned up faster than I thought imaginable. She thought it was the GREATEST mom and daughter activity ever. I only put the law books up because I was worried they would get wrecked if Mster attempted. The fall down probably wasn't any good for them. And I didn't want one to crash on her head while she was putting them back.

Cster came home and claimed the rest of the week a "no friend over week" except for the time I already agreed to babysit a friends kids who happen to be Mster's best friends. All seemed to be well.

Then another friend called me yesterday morning. She needed a place for her daughter to take her nap. I thought "well, a nap isn't having a friend over. I want to help. I should say yes). So I agreed.

The girl came over and played with Lster for 20 minutes until naptime. She slept and woke up but her parents weren't home yet so Mster and her went down into the basement to play. They were playing well and I let them be. Her dad finally came to pick her up 40 minutes later and they came upstairs. We had some things to do and left the house soon after only to arrive home in time for dinner and bed. Later that night I went downstairs to work on my computer and almost died of a heartattack. These 2 girls had transported hundreds and thousands of little rocks into the basement. A fully finished basement. I was so mad. Cster wasn't home and I almost went upstairs to wake Mster up to yell at her.

The next morning I talked to her about it without yelling. I told her she had preschool in the morning but that when she came home she would get lunch and need to head directly downstairs to clean up the rocks. That was over 3 hours ago. There has been tears. There has been yelling. There has been apologies. There has been whining. There has been hurt feelings and still NO ROCKS HAVE BEEN PICKED UP. Her friends mom offered to have her come over before dance class to play for a few minutes and take them both to dance. There has been no friends. There has been no dance class. There has been more tears. And still NO ROCKS HAVE BEEN PICKED UP.

The thing I find most frustrating about the whole situation is that Mster has dissapointed me twice. The first was trashing our basement. The second is her defiance in cleaning it up. What a crappy afternoon. I hate listening to her cry. I hate the whining. I hate telling her to get in the basement. I hate having to hear her cry that she "hates to be alone" and that "she wishes somebody would just come down and be with her". But I can't cave in.

If I go down there what will she do to my basement tomorrow?

Lster's List of Words

For my own benefit I will now list all of Lster's words so I can take it with my to the doctors appt.

Mama
Daddee
Grandma
Grandpa
Milk - Gak
Oatmeal - Oh eal
Please - peas
Diego - Gaygo
Light - (I don't even know how to type it)
Walk - Gak
Ball
Remote - Mope
Car
Blue
Black
Purple
Eight
Two
Most of the letter of the alphabet
No
Yes
Good
Poop
Shoes
Rock
Hi
Bye
TV
Book - Gook
Belle - (yes the princess)
Cinderella - (see light)
Elmo
Juice
nose
eye
mouth
knee
ear
arm
head
hair
duck
truck
boat
help
up
in
out

That's all I got for now but I'm pretty impressed that all of this has happened in the last 2 weeks. I taught him to say Daddee and all of a sudden he won't stop talking. Its awesome. We are having so much fun.

Fire, Fire, Fire

In an attempt to find the perfect 2 year old bday present for Lster I let my kids play at their friends house instead of dragging them to a bunch of stores. While there Mster apparently went up to the mother and said:

"There's a fire in the basement. I don't know who lit it. It was either friend A or friend B."

The fire was the blue light in the furnace.

More Dead Cow

Today Mster and I were role playing with puppets. I like to do this to teach invaluable lessons while Mster thinks we are just playing. In an intermittent moment between lessons my lamb puppet asked Mster's cow what she was having for dinner. The responded:

Well...people drink my milk but I think I'm going to have steak. Now steak comes from cows so I'll have to eat a different cow.

The Future

I'm working on something to add to ValentineKnits. Its taking longer than I had hoped but hopefully I can make a nice BIG announcement by the end of the week. The kind of announcement that doesn't involve picking baby names.

When in Rome...

We were invited to go to Focus on the Family today. They have a kids playground area so I thought it would be fun. (It was actually pretty awesome.)

I almost died laughing when Mster picked out what she would wear today. For her own safety I asked her to change her shirt.

Suggestions

Suggestions on how to tell Lster that even if he wants everything Mster has he can't put princess elastics in his hair?

2 Words

Today Lster said 2 words in a row.

I asked him if he wanted Rice Krispies and he said. "No. Oatmeal."

This is big. Big as a bush.

Its going to be BIG

Me: What are you going to get Daddy for his birthday.
Mster: I'm thinking about it. But its going to be BIG. Big. BIG. Big. Big as a Bush.
Mster: Maybe he needs a bike.
Me: He already owns a bike that he doesn't ride.
Mster: That's why he needs a new bike.

And for Cster's benefit he can't ride it because of his knee.

No Comment

Why does Lster's stomach smell like Febreeze? Uh...No comment.

Did I see Lster in a pink raincoat the other day? Uh...No comment.

Why say words when you can just spell them out?

Lster has decided to jump that whole learning words part and decided to instead learn his letters. As documented earlier he's learned all the letters over the past few months but the past few weeks he's been working on saying all the letters. He can say all the letters in OBAMA. I have to admit its pretty cute.

Oh and he is getting a few more words they just aren't super clear.

"Oh-eel" - Oatmeal (the kids eat cold oatmeal in milk every morning by their request. I add nothing else to it and they often ask for seconds. And we have other cereal in the house)

"I wah" - I want

"Pee" - Please

"Mama" - Mama or Dad

"Meh" - Milk

And I'm trying hard to catch other ones too. I finally realized he's saying stuff this past week. Its just not super clear.

I want

I watched some kids today for an hour. The boy found a popsicle wrapper in the trash.

Boy: I want a popsicle.
Me: We don't have any popsicles.
Boy: I want a popsicle.
Me: That popsicle was given to us by somebody else. We don't have any other ones here.
Boy: I want a popsicle.
Me: Uh...

5 dollars

Mster offered me 5 dollars the other day to have another baby.

Hello Bandwagon. May I Jump On?

I think at least 80% of the women I know are reading, or have read, the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer. Even though I have 4 great books (so I'm told) sitting on my nightstand I can not muster the enthusiasm to open them up and actually start reading. Yet, I have the urge to read.

And so I decided to try out Ms Meyer's work. I had been warned of its addicting tendencies and worried myself slightly over its sucking powers (no pun intended) but, I was drawn to a book that so many people couldn't put down.

Today I got my first book (borrowed from a friend because I am 168th on the library list for the copy) and I just so happened to get the worst headache of the year. After 2 aspirins with codeines and 2 exedrin migraines and a frantic call to Cster to get home ASAP before our children die from abandonment I was in no position to introduce myself to Bella and Edward. But once the children were asleep and the headache dulled I opened it up and I have to say I'm intrigued. Sadly its midnight and I'm now in my medicated state where I can't think straight, I'm wide awake and I'm dreading my day tomorrow and contemplating whether I should just go get the book and keep reading (which is what I really want to do) worried that it will keep me up later than the drugs.

So instead I decide to stay up late and blog about the addicting power of the book that will keep me up all night instead of actually reading the book all night. Productive.

But tomorrow has to be better. There are children who need feeding, bathing, teaching, nurturing, you know all that mothering stuff.

Ding Dong the Mouse is Dead

I AM SO EXCITED!!!! I can't stop changing the words to songs I know to incorporate dead mice.

I pulled out everything in the kitchen on Saturday and cleaned way too much mouse turd for my liking. Then after I pulled everything out with Cster's brother (Cster was playing mud football in the rain) my in-laws came over to check out the chaos (actually to pick up the brother) and I was embarrassed but I didn't care. And then I took a 4 hour break to visit a friend at the hospital (nickels can get lodged in 4 year olds throats and require surgery). And then I finished the kitchen and moved onto the laundry room to try and fix my dryer and make way for the new washing machine that was scheduled to arrive between 5:30-7:30pm on a Saturday. So my laundry room got scrubbed. The dryer didn't get fixed and I decidedt o leave with the kids at 6pm to keep them away from delivery men carrying major appliances. When we got back I had a new washing machine that was cleaning clothes at that moment. Cster had set up the hotel mouse trap and life was looking good.

And then I woke up this morning and IT WAS DEAD!!! I can't believe it. We've had mouse traps up for 2 months with no mouse. I bought the hotel traps over a week ago but we never set them up. ONE NIGHT of 1 hotel trap and its dead.

Life is good.

(any body want crappy mouse traps that don't work).

Nothing

Mster: Is Tutu my Grandma?
Me: Yes.
Mster: Okay, then I will swim with Tutu, Grandma, and Uncle D but not with you because you are nothing to me.

The Smartest Mouse EVER!!!

We are living with the smartest mouse EVER!!!!

It all started MONTHS ago. Cster heard a mouse under our couch. We bought old school traps and filled them with peanut butter. Inevitably everytime we checked the traps they were empty (of both peanut butter and mice). And yet with the tiny touch of the trigger they would go off. He/she ate everything off of every single trap and somehow magically escaped.

So we decided to buy different traps. Still no luck. We actually figured he had left us since we hadn't heard from him in awhile and found an open door to go live happily with his family 3 houses down. Sadly he/she must have realized that his family is now gone (that house has killed 15 mice with their traps) and has returned to live with us.

And really why wouldn't he/she. No matter how hard I try he has an endless supply of cereal and crackers from my children who feel the need to spread their snack love moments after I vacuum EVERY SINGLE TIME. Clearly he/she's brilliant because on top of all the cheerios and goldfish he/she could imagine he's getting some free peanut butter protein.

This is a smart mouse. I couldn't find the poop forever but now I'm finding it in all sorts of different places. But not a lot in those places. He's a mover. I always clean it out right away and put a trap there and off he goes to his new locale to poop there.

I just heard him while typing in the dark in the kitchen behind my fridge* and low and behold I found more mouse turd. I've decided to trick the little rodent. I left everything as much the way as I could (including the turd) and put a trap there. A sticky trap that apperently once he steps on it will force him to stay there until Cster takes him out (because if anybody thinks I will do it they are sorely mistaken). I'm wondering what will happen if he ever does walk in on one of these sticky ones. I'm sure he won't go out without a battle. Will he squeal and yell that he's stuck in the hopes that one of his family was really on vacation and not lying dead in a heap of trash in the bin and will be able to come pull him off. I'm feeling this might get ugly. It better not happen when Cster isn't here. I can honestly say I would call him at work and tell him to come home.

And so I've written more about this stupid (but really really smart) mouse than I have about my kids. Stupid mouse.


*the mouse was behind the fridge, not me typing on my computer (in case you were confused)

Heat Transference

Cster taught Mster about heat transference a few weeks ago. Yesterday we had 2 girls over to play with Mster. They were sitting around the little table when Mster breaks out in a physics lecture.

Mster: Do you girls know about heat transference?
S: (oblivious to anything but her bowl of mac n cheese)
E: No?
Mster: Well, its like this. You take a drink of milk and you eat hot mac n cheese and the milk makes the mac n cheese not so hot. that's heat transference.
E: Yeah.

Lster Loves Letters

Its not just a great alliteration, its the truth. I noticed it a few months ago when he would point out letters on shirts and in books. I started telling him the letters and just recently we realized he was listening. This works great when we are caught in lines. I look for signs with words and point out all the different letters.

Let's try again: Me, Me, Me

She makes her Daddy proud.

After telling my mother that she doesn't like the rice she cooked.

Mom: So what do you like to eat.
Mster: Princesses
Mom: No EAT. What do you like to EAT?
Mster: Oh, dead cow!

Me, Me, Me.

Lster's Sexist

Lster will not let me do ANYTHING to my hair except keep it hanging down beside my face. A ponytail and he yells until I take it out. I pull my hair back with my hands to take it off my neck for a minute and he yells until I put it back in exactly the same spot. I pull my hair to one side and he yells.

Cster, on the other hand can apparently do whatever he wants. Cster SHAVED HIS ENTIRE HEAD (another story in itself) and Lster didn't even blink an eye.

Happy Fathers Day

Here's a video of our friends singing Happy Father's Day to their dad who's deployed to Afghanistan. I tried to teach them the song and this is my attempt at giving it to them since all other venues (other than a disk) have been exhausted.

Msters Dictionary

Appitode - Attitude
Mehrote - Remote

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner...out of tupperware

On another eating note, Mster would probably eat anything as long as I didn't plate it and just kept it in the tupperware container it was put in. She thinks leftovers are the BEST when not eaten on a plate or bowl.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner...on a Stick

Lster is OBSESSED with eating meals with a toothpick. He thinks its the greatest thing EVER.

It all started when Mster ate something with a toothpick and he HAD to do the same. And now, he requests toothpicks routinely. In fact, I can get him to eat pretty much anything as long as I put a toothpick on his tray too.

Now I 'm sure someone will point out the pointyness of toothpicks and the danger that may pose to my 20 month old should his still developing dexterity cause him to poke himself but to them I would say, it hasn't happened yet. It hasn't happened yet and since the toothpick introduction to our utensils there has actually been less injury while eating. Lster uses spoons and forks but inevitably about 1/2 way through the meal he gives up and switches to his hands and inevitabley one of his tiny little fingers will get in the way of his chomping teeth and he will scream in agony that he bit his fingers.

My first attempt at going political

I've never really gone political here at Squishy Burrito but this comment by Hillary Clinton today made me upset.

"Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18 million cracks in it...The light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time."

Hilary Clinton did not win because she was a woman. I'm a woman and I wouldn't vote for her not because she is a woman but because I didn't want her to be president.

Don't play that card.

Stupid ABC

Dear ABC executives:

I recently viewed a commercial for a new reality series to find a new cast member for High School Musical: Another Movie. I can not tell you the excitement I felt at this news. I LOVE HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL (although I have to admit I did not LOVE #2) I think high school kids singing and dancing to the theme of unrequited love is the best thing ever. Yes, I do own both movies.

My excitement was shattered when after 30 seconds of pure advertising bliss you told me that it would be on Sunday nights. I don't watch TV on sunday nights. This is not a good thing. I mean that the show is on Sunday not that I don't watch tv on Sunday.

You may tell me that I can watch it later with limited commercial interuptions at abc.com but its not the same thing. I watched the entire season of The Big Give, got attached to it and it didn't get renewed, I think, in partial, to the fact that I watched it online and my viewership wasn't counted.

I don't want to watch it online. I want to watch it on our big 42 in. tv where I can fully experience HSM in HD glory. I don't want to hook up the computer to the big tv because then I have to remember to take it all apart again before the kids wake up and dance for glee at the thought of pulling every cord imaginable placed in front of them.

Come on...change it. You can pick any other night, come on.!!!!

Sincerely Squishy.

PS - I will accept free shipped dvd's of the show after each one is aired in lieu of moving the date.

Zoo Quips

1. Nothing else will EVER be remembered at a zoo trip by children if the Gorilla throws up and eats it in front of them.

2. I got this email from the zoo this past week. Does anybody else see something a little bit off with it.

"Meet Emmitt and Digger, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s two male grizzly bears! Part of the new Rocky Mountain Wild exhibit, these two are frequently seen enjoying their pool. (Emmitt seems to prefer the water more than Digger.) Keepers have been using positive reinforcement to train these two to exhibit natural behaviors as they would in the wild, such as splashing the water, which is how bears fish. The bears are even learning to take directions from keepers; the keeper points to a location and the bears walk to that area. At the ring of a cow bell, both Emmitt and Digger know its time to come inside. "

I'm just wondering how many other animals have been "trained" to act like animals. Are Far Side comics true?

Lster's Quirks

If a plane goes by Lster MUST yell at the top of his lungs and continue yelling until you acknowledge him by also yelling "AIRPLANE" at the top of your lungs.

If Lster passes the TV he will yell and point repeatedly until you tell him he can't watch tv and then he will whine and complain until you distract him. (our tv is in a VERY frequented location)

2 lbs of blueberries eaten by 2 kids in 1 day is not the smartest thing a parent can do for their children's bodies even if the blueberries were ridiculously cheap and the children didn't eat a single cracker all day. Those were some messy diapers.

Ice Cream Novelties

Cster and I were in the frozen food section of our grocery store. Cster saw a sign for Ice Cream and Ice Cream Novelties. "Ooh...Ice Cream Novelties. I want to see that?"

So we walk over to the ice cream section. "Where are the novelties?" asks Cster? Me: "Uh right there. The cones. The popsicles. Ice Cream Bars." Cster: "Really. I was hoping for gnomes eating ice cream or something. You know...a REAL novelty."

Mster - You're KILLING Us!!!

As if the hair fiasco of last weekend wasn't shocking enough, Mster has had a week of misbehaving, not listening and direct disobediance. I don't know what to do. I have some thoughts on what is going on but I can't pinpoint it. We skipped the terrible twos so maybe this is payback.

Last night Cster walked into our main floor bathroom and asked "what happened here?" "I don't know" replied I. "What's going on?"

What's going on is that Mster decided to rip down the wallpaper edging that divides the two coloured walls. WHAT THE HECK? She was still up trying to sleep in her room at this point (it was 9pm for those that know our sleeping schedule) and I was so mad I told Cster to go up and bring her right down. He rationally (thankfully) decided we should deal with it this morning. So this morning we take her into the bathroom to ask her what her brain was thinking and she told us that Lster did it. He didn't. So Mster got to spend an hour in her room by herself. The worst punishment for a girl who needs to be constantly talking and needs constant attention ALL THE TIME.

Seriously...tell me this is a phase.

The Pile

HE SPEAKS

The Lster has spoken.

Lster enjoys grunting. He's mastered tone and intonation down and he's shown no sign of actual consenants or vowels. I've heard too much advice. I've tried to listen to too much advice.

But in the last week we've gotten 4 words:

No. Cracker. Car. Ma

SCORE 3 for Lster. No can mean many things. It can mean No. It can mean Yes. It can mean give me what I really want or this could turn ugly really fast. But its a word and I've watched many a toddler say no to cake, candy, tv and chocolate. Cracker is Gahger and has been confirmed by me, Cster and Mster. We've all heard it used in context. Car is most recent and only heard once but I'm counting it. Ma has been going on for a few weeks now. It is most often spoken at the top or bottom of the stairs and means. "Mom I'm at the top/bottom of the stairs and I don't care if I can get down/up faster than you can get up/down and get me you must get me right this instant or I will keep screaming 'Ma' until you do"

Take that pediatrician.

My child would never do that...

Mster cut her hair.

We've been home from our vacation/wedding craziness a week now and the kids have been having a slightly rough time settling back into the old routine. Mster, my normally angelic child, has been defiant, disobediant and in her own little world where she will do whatever she wants regardless of my suggestions or commands.

By friday I had had enough. I took the kids to the zoo. While there we found out that we would be having guests over that night and the house was in no way decent for house guests. Even if these houseguests rock and wouldn't care if every item we owned was in our living room floor or the guest room where they would stay (which they almost were). So we came home and tidying ensued.

Mster decided to do her part by giving her horse a haircut and leaving all the hair clippings on the floor. I thought about making a comment about not cutting stuffed animals hair but I decided to follow the usual advice of "pick your battles". I turned around to finish what I was doing, turned around again and found her cutting her hair with the scissors pointed upward into her pony tail. I yelled in surprize. She cried. She told me she wasn't my friend anymore and ran away.

After calming myself down and phoning Cster to COME HOME NOW!! I assessed the hair situation and determined that she needed professional help. So, off we went to the hair salon. She now has bangs. (sigh) She now has layers. And there is a heap of horse and Mster hair in our trash.

Once I figure out my camera and take the time upload the pictures I'll post one of the pile o' beautiful locks and maybe one of the stylish new Mster.

I Love You

Another conversation about the book.

Mster: Why doesn't the princess want to marry the wizard?
Me: Because she doesn't love him.
Mster: Why does the princess want to marry the prince?
Me: Because she loves him.
Mster: Why does she love him?
Me: Well...why do you love me?
Mster: Because you have a great smile.
Me: Do you know why I love you?
Mster: (wide eyed) why?
Me: Because you make me laugh
Mster: You like my jokes. Lets tell jokes. Knock Knock.
Me: Who's there?
Mster: Nose.
Me: Nose who?
Mster: Nose hair.

Don't judge a book by its cover

Mster has been OBSESSED with weddings ever since her uncle's wedding a total of 4 days ago. Today we went to the library and I picked up a bunch of books I thought she would like. She decided to pick her own book. It was an odd choice*. She usually doesn't like any books with odd looking drawings. And she can't read so it's really the picture that captures her attention. The book is an Indian Folklore about a princess who is locked away in a palace by a mean wizard and jointly helps a prince rescue her. Mster LOVES it. Who knew with that cover that it would hold all the most important things in Mster's life right now. Weddings. Prince. Princess.

Mster: Why doesn't the princess want to marry the wizard?
Me: Because he's mean.
Mster: Why does the princess want to marry the prince?
Me: Because he's nice and you should always marry a nice person.
Mster: (wide eyed) But what if there isn't any nice people?
Me: Then you shouldn't get married and you can stay with me and Daddy.
Mster: As a grownup?
Me: Yup.
Mster: But what about when you die? I'll be all alone...
Me: Um...you're 3...lets not worry about this right now.


*odd choice = no pictures of cartoon animals, fairies, princesses, smiling faces, fuzzy bunnies, etc.

Earth Week

Because our society has turned every single event/holiday/celebration day into at least a week of merchandising and sales opportunities I've decided to share my "Earth Week" adventures.

Realistically, it started a month ago when I saw Campbell's chicken noodle soup with Earth day labels and thought to myself "really?".

I spent the actually earth day at my local whole foods type grocery store (the one I never buy groceries in because I refuse to pay 3 X as much for anything. I bought 6 lbs of Buffalo. I felt this pretty "earthy" of me. I mean its all about the circle of life. That's nature, right? Nature = Earth.
I also bought bananas there because bananas are my impulse buy at every store that sells them and they were actually the same price as anywhere else. No big sign on them that said they were organic, picked by migrants workers who have health insurance or picked locally but I'm still counting it.

This week I saw a news peice about unplugging electrical cords when you aren't using the appliance. Cster immediately called the fridge and so I was stuck figuring out how to unplug the built in microwave. But, all kidding aside, I have been unplugging stuff for 3 weeks now and Earth week was week 2.

Saturday I finally remembered to attempt to unclog the drain in our bathtub. I use a lot of baking soda in my cleaning and I heard you could build a volcano science project over the drain and mix vinegar and baking soda and magically the clog would disappear. I didn't have time or resources to paper mache me a volcano so just dumped a bunch of baking soda down the drain and then dumped a bunch more vinegar down. I've never seen Cster so excited to watch me clean the house before. I'm sad to report that this was not an Earth Week success. The drain is still clogged. I'm giving it one more try and actually researching amounts to put in but this fails, I'm getting Drano.

As you may have read in previous posts my kids have been under the weather so I decided to celebrate Earth Week by not bathing them. I wonder how many points that is on the Earth Week "I love the Earth this much" reader?

I wonder what we'll do for next year. I'm already anticipating it will be promoted to Earth Month.

104

Mster had a fever of 104 this week. If you are trying to imagine what a kid with a fever of 104 looks like imagine a girl, with stringy sweaty hair, complaining of being hot (eminating heat) wrapped in her pink princess blanket (by her choice), mouth open, eyes watering, and not wanting to eat popsicles because they are too cold.

For those that don't know, Mster will eat popsicles in -40 weather, while sitting outside in barefeet and a t-shirt. She also complains that bathes are "too hot" if you turn the dial past the middle to fill up the bathtub and she ran through the sprinklers last weekend in her pajamas in 65 degree weather and stayed outside for another 1/2 hour refusing to take off her wet clothes.

Hmm...come to think of it maybe that's why she got a temperature of 104. Oops...although I seriously doubt it because the fever came 4 days later. Don't call Family Services. We're fine.

My momma says...

I think of the phrases my children will remember for saying repeatedly is:

"Do I look like a trash can?"

They will not stop handing me garbage. When will they be trained to go to the trash can before me?

It worries me a little bit when I saw a 12 year old boy giving his mom garbage when he was out in public.

It also worries when Mster answers "yes" to my rhetorical question.

Taking a deep breathe

I don't even know where to begin.

It probably started at around 6:30 last night when Lster threw up all over his bed. I just happened to go in there to try and calm him down so Mster could sleep (I've been letting him cry again) and it was a good thing I did because it was a mess. So I got him new bedding and then proceeded to listen to him cough and wake himself up every hour throughout the whole night. I have to admit the hours between 2 and 3 were quite annoying as I couldn't fall back asleep, the coughing seemed to be worse and the Tylenol (for me) hadn't quite kicked in yet.

So the morning arrived and Mster woke up with stomache issues and a fever and a slight cough. Lster was still coughing and I felt like Crapola (yes thats a capital 'C'). I cancelled my last day of coop preschool and the morning was off to a great start.

I finally decided to hop in the shower at about 10AM after cleaning up throw up and other bodily fluids my children decided to emit. Lster came and visited me and so I hurried. I got out only to find he wasn't there anymore and when I went on a hunt for him I found him with a dark blue magic marker. He had decorated himself, Mster's dollhouse, Mster's bed, Mster's chalkboard and 4 separate spots on the carpet of at least 1-2 feet each. I almost died. I grabbed the marker from him and ran for my carpet cleaner. Nothing was working. I pushed and turned that cleaner. I pretreated the carpet. I post treated the carpet. Finally at 11:30 (cleaning the entire time only the carpet) I packed my sick kids into the car to head on over to our hardware conglomerate to find serious carpet cleaners. I couldn't find what I wanted but settled, got home, threw food in Lster's mouth, ran upstairs to spray the carpet (yet again) and finally got Lster down only to scrub some more.

So now I'm taking a break. I'm sick of the fumes. I already had a headache. I was already sick with something (and by something I mean it may be allergies) and there is still a pale blue colouring on our carpet in the kids rooms. I can't cover it up. Its in the most perfectly awkward spot for that. And so I'm going to wait a bit longer and keep attacking. I will not fail.

Children please don't throw up in the meantime. Please.

Oh and if somebody has some Ben and Jerry's feel free to drop it off my way. Its one of THOSE days.

In case you were wondering

I am teaching in a Coop preschool. The kids are at least a year older than Mster but most are turning six this year. Its been interesting.

Today while they were making worm puppets they got into a discussion on full names. They asked Mster her full name. Her response.

"Mster Jster Burrito, nickname Sir"

Super funny.

We've hit the boys and girls phase of Mster's life. The phase where its easier to play with girls than boys. The phase where other boys don't really want to play with her. The phase where she doesn't understand why all the boys around her just want to play x-men and kill each other. (more about 5 year olds playing x-men in another post). :)


So this made me laugh. A lot. I couldn't figure out how to get the video directly into my post nor did I really want to take the time to do so. :)

The blog is authored by a girl that I worked with as a missionary in DC area. Actually, she made me the missionary that I was able to become.

I'm scared of birds

This story reminds me of my previous experience with a bird at the zoo and my experience on friday at the zoo. I was attacked by a peacock. Big birds that roam free scare me. They petrify me. I took the kids to the zoo on friday and there was a peacock wandering around. Mster got excited and asked to check it out. I told her to go ahead and see it. Its difficult to describe in words where the bird was in relation to me but it was on a switchback just below us. I refused to get close but I really dont want my kids to adopt my phobias. Just as she was walking towards it (but not close to it at all) the peacock decided to jump or fly or whatever it can do right into my face. I screamed. EVERYBODY around me laughed and roared in amusement. I grabbed both kids and ran away (full sprint) to the next exhibit.

DUDE...What if the peacock had jumped at Mster and scratched up her face with its huge talons? We did not provoke this peacock. We did not get into its face. We didnt touch it. And I will continue to be phobia scared of peacocks and all other big roaming birds.

Harry Potter Lives

Lster tried to walk off the bottom stair yesterday and fell into the vacuum. Now he is sporting a sweet, yet suspicious, mark on his forehead.

Into the mind of Mster

I was telling Mster something that I can't even remember now and I finished it by saying..."so what do you think about that?" Her response was "you never know what I'm thinking."

and at a different time. Mster was sitting on my bed while I folded laundry.

Mster: Do you know what I'm thinking?
Me: I don't. What are you thinking?
Mster: PILLOWFIGHT

(FTR we do not pillow fight at all. I think we may have done it over the summer but I can't even remember the last time we had one)

Very random.

Where's Mster

So Mster has been replaced by a princess. This princess does not respond well to being called Mster. She responds very well to being called "Princess", "Princess Mster" or "Cinderella". In fact I got "Cinderella" to clean 3 toilets and put away her clothes yesterday when I told her she couldn't go to the ball until her chores were done. (Yes, that's right...she cleaned my toilets).
Cinderella was with us shopping yesterday and she even took a few minutes out of her busy princess life to shoot a round of golf.

Easter Pics

I have to admit...my kids are cute.

The window guys.

Son of a Sea Biscuit

What am I? A retard?

You idiot.

You've gotta be joking.

I gotta idea.

A few weeks ago we had 4 windows replaced that were part of our buying agreement. The guys came and gave me and Lster a colourful hour of sayings I'm going to share with you now. Luckily Mster was at a friends house.

I'll be waiting...so don't be hatin'

That's the good stuff.

I'm going to jack-t-off

Did I mention I was scared of heights?

Life is Beautiful.

You are going to have to call 911 quick if you make me laugh.

Don't be so sour dude.

I'm not ready for this.

A few days Mster had a friend come over. Said friend was "the mean girl". There have been many updates, not blogged about, on the mean girl situation. The gist is...mean girl became too much for Mster to handle...Mster decided to never play with Mean Girl again...I decided to get involve and call Mean Girl's mommy...Mean girl and Mster had a lunch date at a neutral location with both mommies included so Mean girl could show Mster that she wasn't mean anymore...Mster agreed to play with Mean Girl again.

So Monday was the first day back in Mean Girl/Mster bff-land. I smiled to myself as they both walked downstairs and Mean girl said "I am NOT going to be mean to you Mster". Things were going well.

And then...

I was feeding Lster upstairs when I heard some discussion about kissing coming from downstairs. I immediately decided to investigate only to learn that Mean girl was instigating a game of boyfriend/girlfriend which involved kissing. Kissing dolls (who were their boyfriends) and I think, but can't confirm, kissing each other. I immediately stopped the game to ask what was going on and Mster told me it was a secret. I looked at her and told her we don't keep secrets which was apparently enough for her to spill the beans on the boyfriend/girlfriend activity. I distracted them into playing something else and we all moved on.

The mother called shortly after and said she was coming to pick her up. I mentioned the pretend play situation and she laughed and said "oh yeah, that's what her older siblings are playing so she's picking up on it"

I was so sad. Mster's my oldest and doesn't have older siblings to corrupt her 3 year old mind and bring her in the teenage years much faster than she should. I heard that 10 year olds were the new teenagers but I couldn't believe it. Now I do.

The Drama Queen

Oh No!! It's Begun.

Mster was playing and soon a tug of war ensued with Lster over a truck.

Mster: YOU'RE WRECKING MY LIFE!!!

The last post

Just to clarify the vomit was not my own.

Our Weekend

If I had to some up the weekend in one word I'd have to pick....


Vomit.

The Question of the Day

Mster: Mom, when is Lster taking a nap?
Me: If you ask me one more time when Lster is taking a nap you will not get to watch your show when he goes down. Do you understand?
Mster: yes...Mom, how long is Lster going to be awake for?

Having a bad day!!!

You know your day may not turn out how you had hoped when your 16 month old wakes up at 4:30 and never really goes back to sleep. You realize your children are filthy and instead of putting clothes on them they really should take a bath and its only 6:15AM. Your daughter decides to wait for the water to "get deep" while your son splashes like a madman in 1/4 inch water. Your daughter must have some sixth sense cause your son proceeds to dirty the water and you have to clean it up, clean the tub, and refill the water now with 2 naked and cold children at 6:20AM.

What the Heck?

So we've doing TV on DVD lately and so put in Disc 6 of Season 3 Veronica Mars only to find it was "extras" crap!!! HELLO!!!! You didn't finish the story. You didn't end the season. I knew this was the last season but I didn't realize they didn't even finish it.

CRAPPY. VERY CRAPPY.

I blame all the people who got me hooked on the show. You know who you are.

How to use Google Reader

More about Google Reader.

It allows you to check all the webpages that you routinely check for updates in one conveniant location.

There are a lot of different places to do this but if you already use gmail this is your easiest choice.

To set it up and use:

At the top of your gmail screen - select "more", then "reader". (Google frequently changes the layout of their main page so Reader may already be a choice in the top panel.

Once at the Reader page type in the urls of webpages you want to know when they update. This will "subscribe" you to their page. It does not necessarily need to be a blog.

After you have added your pages, check as often as you like in one location to see if all your favorite websites have added any updates.

Google Reader

I looked myself up and discovered that only 2 people subscribe to my blog. I know there are more than 2 people that read my blog. People, you NEED to use Google Reader. Most of you use gmail so its one click more. Just do it. Feeds free up so much more of your time and I know how busy some of you are so like I've already mentioned. Just do it!

Questions, Questions, Questions!

Mster has this (somewhat annoying) habit of asking questions without thinking first or looking first.

Mster: Mom, is my MacNCheeze done - when I'm at the stove dumping in macaroni.

So yesterday in my fit of hating the world I told her she wasn't allowed to ask me any questions she already knew the answer too. If she could look and find the answer or think and come up with the answer she couldn't ask it. Anything to stop the insessant question asking.

Here's what immediately happened.

Mster: Mom, Can I ask a question I don't have the answer to?
Me: Okay
Mster: How long will it take for Lster to bite through all the cups in the house?

Immediately after that question...

Mster: Mom, Can I ask a another question I don't have the answer to?
Me: I guess
Mster: How long until I can use knives.

So that backfired...

Where's Daddy

The other day I told the kids it was time to wake up Cster. Lster immediatley ran to the garage door and started yelling like a madman and punding with his little fists.

Yesterday!

Yesterday I did not like my kids. I had a bad headache and they whined, cried, and screamed and fought all day long.

Today I like my kids. Today I can remember all the great things that they do and are that make me so happy to be their mom.

Today I love that Mster looks out for her younger brother and SCREAMS as loud as she can to tell me that he's put something in his mouth.

Today I loved that the kids took turns with their books instead of YELLING to have their book read with Lster slamming Mster's book shut everytime we tried to read it.

Today I love that my kids were happy to eat whatever I put in front of them instead of insisting that I find the hidden Valentine's treats. Lster has a sixth sense as to where all things sweet are hidden.

Today I love that Lster can show me his belly button, clap his hands, put his hands up in the air when you ask him how big he is, give kisses, give hugs, smile, laugh, sign, play games, get books, come to me when I call, get his own diapers and wipes, find everybody's shoes when we are going somewhere, yell at the garage door whenever we say the name "Daddy" and even say a few words (albeit it is just the first syllable)

Today I love that Mster is learning how to colour within the lines, write her numbers, sing songs she makes up, read stories to Lster (memorized stories), play pretend, give tight hugs, do her "homework".

Today I love that Mster is so inquisitive and asks questions about everything.

Yesterday was a different story.

Another statement not used by me or Cster

Me: Can you draw me a dog?
Mster: Have I ever steered you wrong?

Lster loves shoes

Lster has a shoe fetish. He wants to wear any shoe/boot/dress up princess heels/etc that's his, mine or Mster.

You can see him most days parading around the room in his shoes or else walking towards me with shoes in hand asking for me to put them on.

Last post update

I didn't realize the picture came out so small so the link to see the full size is here.

I suggest you check it out to truly appreciate our conversation.

Mster's Political Discussion

Mster saw this picture while I was on the computer.

Mster: What's going on?

Me: Looks like that lady's getting bit in the butt.

Mster: Well...how will it stop?

Me: Only if the dog stops biting.

Ode to the Heater

A new creation

Check out my new creation.

Part pattern, part my idea.

Who am I to Argue?

Yesterday Mster told me I was a genius. It came out of the blue after I answered one of her many questions.

I've never used the word with her before and I have no idea where she got it from. But I will accept the compliment.

Dear Beth

I was going through old posts and realized I never responded to Beths request for our address.

I then realized that I don't have Beth's email address so if she would kindly email it to me we can communicate more freely.

Who Knew?

This was the funniest post I've read in a while.

It was very timely for the Burrito household because just yesterday we had less than an hour till our company arrived and I had not yet showered and we realized that a not-so-lovely foul odor was coming from Mster. What else was there to do but have a quick combined shower. Of course Lster couldn't miss out on the fun so he ran around the room area (its all one big room (bedroom/bathroom) trying to find something he sould tear, break or put in his mouth while Mster and I were somewhat occupied.

At one point I had Mster prancing around the shower (with me in it) singing songs about rain and squealing with delight while trying to stop Lster from throwing my clothing into the shower as he so helpfully kept "handing" it to me. Nothing like getting your bra tossed into the shower while you are trying to not get bumped by a prancing 3 year old and attempting to catch a few drips of water so as to get somewhat clean for our company.

Yes Ma'am

Me: I need to you pick up your dishes from last night that you left on the table.
Mster: Aye Aye Captain.

Lster Eats

Lster is finally eating. Hallelujah. Its only been a couple of days but he's inhaling food like its no tomorrow. This pleases me. I have severely restricted snacking. We have scheduled snacktime and if they don't eat at that time they have to wait till dinner. I'm amazed at Mster's ability to eat too. The past 2 nights she ate tons of food and stuff she normally won't touch. If I can only get past the whining and crying to eat 1 hour before dinner, we are going to make it and Lster will get above the 25% in his height category.

Funny Mster story.

I am the chorister for the kids part of church. All the kids aged 3-11 come to a kids thing for 2 hours and I do a 2 -20 minute singing time for the junior and senior groups. In January all the 3 year olds come in to start the new year so Msters an eager participant. I can't just have them sing songs for 20 minutes, I need to make a game out of it and have them learn something so there's some lesson too. During last Sunday's lesson I was talking about how one way which we can get information is to use our mouths and talk to people. There is usually some smart alec in the class who makes ridiculous comments. I just didn't realize it was my daughter.

Mster: But...some people don't have mouths.

Huh...

I realize lots of background for a short punchline but where did she get that from.

I also enjoyed the singing in the bathtub yesterday. It involved a song that went something like this.

Mster: Oh we will be so happy when Lster dies before us because than we will die and we will all be happy together.

Huh...

All I want for Christmas

All Mster wanted for Christmas was a dress that she could fit in for church, a jack in the box (who knows where that came from) and cardboard. We got a lot of shipped boxes in the days preceding Christmas and both kids spent lots of time playing with them.

So Christmas came...

Mster got a dress that fits her perfectly.

Me: Isn't great how Grandma knew you wanted a dress and she got you one for Christmas.
Mster: Yeah...but she didn't get me cardboard.