A late Easter Post

Here is the worst Easter Sunday photo ever. We had just been through over a month of sickness including (but not limited to) ear infections, sore throat, fever, flu, coughing, coughing, coughing, snotty noses, and what was in the process of turning into croup. Needless to say, Tucker looks like walking death and Cameron was pale as a ghost. In the background, you will notice the house is trashed as well, but we made it to church and almost on time. This is just another poor attempt at the perfect Easter photo of the kids. Notice the matching shades of Springtime fabrics? I really wanted this photo. Tucker had other ideas. He just wanted a nap. Of course Cameron could be on her death bed and still pose for a shot.

This was a few days before Easter. We went to the egg hunt at the Sunbridge Nursing Home on the bench and it was wonderful. As you can see by the baskets there were more than enough eggs to go around and they were full of "real" candy, not just cheap tootsie rolls and jelly beans...perhaps that's where my four pounds came from that I managed to gain this month.....Damn Easter Bunny anyways.

This was Cameron dyeing eggs. You'd never know it from this shot, but she is actually running a temperature of 103.8 right here. I had just got off the phone with a gal we know that is an RN because I could not get the temperature to break. But, we had to get those eggs dyed....so we did. Actually, she was calm and took her time. Maybe we should always dye eggs when she's running a temp.....

So, despite the fevers and sickness, it was a nice time afterall. The weather was good. We had my side of the family over for dinner. We went to Matt's parents house for a great egg hunt earlier in the afternoon, and I got to spend time with my family dyeing eggs and looking through easter baskets. Hopefully next year I'll have a better Easter morning shot to share.

Approaching the TERRIBLE Twos...again.

I think my angel boy is edging closer and closer to the terrible twos....this morning I went to get him out of his crib and I asked him if he wanted to go rock in the chair and he yelled no at me. Then I went to take a shower and he drew on himself with markers. We went to the island and he threw a huge fit while we walked....Tucker never throws fits. And he's just looking more and more like a Holy Terror every day. A cute Holy Terror, but one none the less. Of course here is one picture of Cameron where she is looking quite angelic. It's so cool that she helps cook dinner, sets the table and hangs out at the bar while I work. I can still remember sitting at the bar while my Mom cooked and visiting with her about my day at school. I hope Cameron does the same....She's actually counting quarters to see if we have "enough" to go to McDonalds and have a Happy Meal. I hope we do.....

And here's the two of them in the bath together. It looks like Tucker is actually bigger than Cameron in this one, and he can finally hold his own, which is great because the two of them play and I get to sit and read a magazine in the bathroom. Yay! No more holding on to wet babies! Notice the faded Cinderella tatoo on Cameron's tummy? It's the only place I'll let her put them because they look so tacky, but she loves them. Someday when she comes home with a real one, I will probably wish I was a little less indulgent.

Funny Vintage Art

Poop in a Bucket

It's Saturday and it's the day before Easter. I have a busy day ahead of me. I am hosting Easter dinner for my side tomorrow so I have to clean bathrooms and dust and mop...then I have to take Cameron to her Dance Camp at 10 and rush to the store for a few dozen eggs to boil and cool while she's gone. Then, while the eggs are boiling, I will be stuffing plastic eggs with Candy for the Rabbit to leave in the morning. I will also be wrapping new Easter presents and stuffing baskets and ironing clothes for church in the morning. Somewhere in there, I still have to pick up a winter's worth of dog poop in the yard so we can indeed hunt for these eggs and plan a grocery list for Costco.

At 12, I pick up Cameron and watch their "performance" to Hairspray. Last week when I walked in, she ran to me and was "too tired" to go back out and finish dancing, which means, I will be hiding inconspicuously somewhere so she can't see me and will actually perform and make it worth my time and $25 to get her there.

We will them proceed to get lunch and run to Costco where every other mad woman and man will be planning for Easter. This of course, will be right during Tucker's nap time, so I'm banking on it not being a very peaceful browse through the book tables (which is the main reason I go to Costco in the first place).

I will then come home, try to get the dog poop finished up because really, how much can one dog poop in a winter? Would you like to see for yourself? Come look in my yard! I started on it the other day and the kids are fascinated with the sight of poop in a bucket. I had a trail of two of my own and two neighbor kids following behind like ducks in a row. Every time I would scoop and toss, they would all proceed to yell "Ewwwww!!!" and then get real close to the bucket and say how stinky it was. This is cheap afternoon entertainment for all neighborhood children. I'm not sure if that makes me the cool mom or the weird mom who puts poop in a bucket, but I guess I'll have to embrace this until they are all old enough to hand them a shovel and a bucket and say, "Ya wanna play in my yard, kid? Then grab a shovel and show me some poop!"

Oprah on Motherhood

Last night I was trying not to puke (I am not pregnant, just have the flu that that the kids have had) and thanking God that I was not pregnant again. I was also catching up on some TiVo'd shows, as Matt took the kids and dealt with bedtime so I could go rest. It was faaabulous. I should "get the flu" more often.... Anyways, back to the shows. I had tivo'd Oprah's Secret Life of Mom's show that aired Monday.

First of all, I love how Oprah thinks that she knows what it's like to be a Mom, because she has all the money in the world and a few dogs. And she has watched Gayle (her bff) be a mom. But anyways, she had all of these confessions of mothers about what they do to "get through". I realize, I am not the only one who feels like I never get ahead. Like my kids have sucked me dry of any intellect. Like I am never going to look attractive or take more than 30 minutes to do my hair and makeup again...not even on a holiday or for some other special occasion. I could truly relate to the moms who said they have left their kids to scream in their cribs while they sit on the couch and drink wine. I've been there, I know EXACTLY what they're talking about. But what I did not agree with is the fact that not one mother on that show said anything positive about being a Mom! Not one! The negative is few and far between the rewarding moments and I was really frusterated that they didn't mention that!

Motherhood is hard, but there are ways to make it pleasant. Bitching on a blog about getting puked on is just one of those ways. There are also outlets such as playgroup and/or other groups of mom's in which you realize that you are not alone. And also, there is always the reward of getting through the day when your daughter is finally in bed and she calls you in one more time and you're ready to scream because she has water, the closet door is closed, she has her animals, she's gone pee, what could she POSSIBLY want, but to tell you that she loves you. It's all worth it. And if none of that works, a $5 bottle of wine will really help take the edge off your day while cooking dinner.

My little scrapbooker

I finally figured out how to use up all of my impulse buy scrapbook paper that I have lost interest in, or just need to get rid of, because i know I"ll never use it. Cameron! Lately, when I scrapbook, she sits beside me and makes "scrapbooks", which are usually smaller than 1X1 pieces of confetti. She is also good at watercoloring cardboard boxes to keep her "Scrapbooks" in. I'm not sure if she's going to be detail oriented, because at this point, it's kind of a mad crazed confetti haze behind me, but hey, she's using up paper, I don't have to feel guilty by throwing it out, and she's quiet...except for the incessant questions of 3 and a 1/2 year olds...such as........

"Mom, why did Dumbo fly down in that bag in the sky?" (hmmmm....)
"Mom, what week are we going to use these stickers?" (whenever I get to them)
"Mom, is it a "play outside" day?" (not if I have go get out of this chair)
"Mom, what are you doing?" (wondering how long until I can get away with a glass of wine)
"Mom, will the window break if I hit it with scissors?" (Hmmmmm.....good question)
"Mom, can we go swimming?" (It's April)
"Mom, I have a special delivery for you.....what's a special delivery?" (Wait, now I'm confused)
"Mom, can I buy a happy meal with Dad tomorrow?"
"Mom, why is Hello Kitty not Cinderella?"

So yes, Cameron and I love scrapbook time....although for some reason, I always have a headache when we're finished. I'll have to post some pictures of her work.