First Rate Date

This past weekend marked the inauguration of the much anticipated Babysitting Co-op Swap.

A few months ago, we were approached to see if we'd be interested in trading babysitting with two other couples. My sister, Leah, has long praised the benefits of such an arrangement. So we said, "YES!"

Every other Friday night, between 5:30-9 pm, each of the three couples takes a turn watching the 8 children involved. That means we get a date every other week and watch the kids once every six weeks.

Friday was the first night, and it also coincided with the Guster tickets Dan and I purchased months ago. Knowing it would be a late night involving the help of my parents for the kids' bedtime, we opted to leave Max with them instead of sending him with the others. We anticipate a bit of a freak out when he gets left and figured it would be better for everyone if the first experience didn't involve a baby screaming for 45 minutes (exactly what happened the last time we tried to leave him at the daycare at the gym).

So Luke and Ava played with friends, Grandma and Grandpa played with Max, Dan and I played together, and Guster played their music.

We went to dinner first and then drove into Dallas to the House of Blues. And there we were pleasantly surprised to find quite a diverse crowd. We didn't feel old until the concert ended at 12:15 am and we were totally exhausted.

I barely kept my eyes open on the way home, which is bad because I was the one driving. We slept at my parent's house at their kind suggestion, so that we could sleep in a little bit. That was a wonderful idea.

When we arrived home Saturday morning the kids were eating donuts and Max looked a little different!

Here is an approximation of how his crazy hair was pre-date:



And here he is post-date:



Apparently he didn't cry a peep, and now our little baby looks even more like a big boy. I just feel like screaming, "Make it stop!" I don't know what it is, I just don't want that little guy to grow up at all.

Ava said she'd like a haircut too, please. But she wants to wait until school is out so that people don't think she is a new girl.

So first Babysitting Co-op Swap = Success!

And we have one more date before it's our turn to do the sitting! I don't know what we'll do yet, but I'm pretty sure we'll have a self imposed curfew of midnight.




On a totally unrelated subject I have started another blog (wholehappyfamily.blogspot.com). I've done it under a separate profile so that random people who google "quinoa and millet soup" and find me there, won't be tempted to click on through to all this mushy stuff. Also, I know some of you super people are way ahead of me in this realm, so please feel free to share any wisdom. I don't know if I will ever have a recipe for quinoa and millet soup, but it's possible.

Welcome Visit and more Sickies

I mentioned in my last post, the glorious minutes on the trampoline with Max laid out on my chest. Unfortunately that episode was not just because my boy wanted to snuggle, but really because it was the beginning of an ugly battle with Rota-virus.

Diarrhea and puke, a plenty.

The best/worst part of the whole thing was that those tramp snuggles were just the beginning. Snuggles on the trampoline, I mean. Max had a crazy high fever that barely budged a tenth of a degree with medicine. He did not move of his own volition for 3 days.

For 3 days, he'd barely cry in his bed when he woke up, that is the few times we were actually able to put him down. He would sit on your lap, molded completely to your body and stare into the great yonder where I am sure he dreamed about not feeling pukey.

For 3 days, he laid,



and laid,




and laid.




And finally around the fourth day he started to get down, move around a little.

After the fever and the lethargy were over, the diarrhea remained. And if you were interested to know that, you will definitely be interested to hear about the unfortunate event where I heard his noisy pooping, saw the yellow stuff dripping down his leg, and in an effort to avoid a stain on the floor, picked him up so quick that diarrhea spilled like soup out the top of his diaper and all over the carpet which had been professionally cleaned just the week before.

With his sickness waning, and the much anticipated visit of Dan's parents on the horizon, things were looking up. I only had to clean and organize the house, which had suffered under the heavy weight of a 33 pound newborn-like child.

Then Ava came home from school, also with a crazy fever. She fell onto the couch moaning, and then crying, asking me "Hoooow will I even eat dinner? I can't even siiiiiit uuuuup!?" Memories of the month of February fled into my conscious and I did the only thing I could at that point.

I reached for a long proven, homeopathic solution, a home remedy cure-all.



And then I gave Ava some Ibuprofen, which once absorbed, had her running around saying, "I'm not sick anymore!!"

Grandma Linda and Grandpa Don came a couple of days later. Ava was back in school (at least for a day, before she threw up and got herself out of Friday).

We had a great visit. The kids were happy, and got healthier with each day. We were happy to share our house with them and do some fun things.

Don treated us all to a visit to the newly opened Legoland Discovery Center. It was pretty neat. A few rides, a big play structure, a room filled with a miniature replication of the entire city of Dallas made out of legos. My camera battery died while we were there, so these are courtesy of my phone (aka not very good quality).



Luke and Grandpa made a gigantic tower,



Ava made it really hard to guess her favorite animal,



And Max got carried around and enjoyed the views and his bottle.



We also took a trip to the Arboretum,




And enjoyed lunch at the fancy restaurant where the kids did surprisingly well.






We listened to conference, jumped on the trampoline,




and had a late birthday for Grandma Linda.



We were so sad to see them go and can't wait until this summer when we'll be together again.

White

Watch out world! If you get in my way, I might paint you white. Right along with everything else in this house.

Here is a peek at the kitchen.
Well, first here is the kitchen before we started this whole fiasco and it looks like I forgot to take a real "before". This one is not the best but I think it gives the idea.



Here is the kitchen with the wallpaper covered and the walls painted.






And here is the kitchen with the white cabinets.





The new hardware is in the mail, so that still has to be done, and I think that will help a lot. And the shelf still needs to be hung, which I painted white. I may have picked a creamier wall color had I known that I was going to paint the cabinets from the beginning. But overall I really like it.


And I painted the fireplace white. Kindly look past the chubber in the foreground for the "before",


To the "after"



And I painted this dresser white,

and added the legs.


I am sewing 337 (okay maybe just 50) little white ties for the curtains I am making, but don't worry the curtains are not all white.



This place is slowly coming together and I am getting happy. I am sure it will not be to everyone's taste, especially the previous owners of this home, but I am excited. To me it is so much more light and refreshing. And I feel like it is my house.

Something about our last house being brand new, or our first, almost paralyzed me in the decorating department. It was also so open that painting it seemed overwhelming because each wall just ran right into the next.

This time is different though and it's been fun.

Speaking of fun, I have been pleasantly surprised with our running lately. I am actually enjoying it and that is a first. I really have never liked running just for the sake of running before. Put a ball in my hands, give me a baby to chase, a frisbee to catch, but just running to run, it never did anything for me. Lately, though I have actually looked forward to it and it feels good. Sometimes Dan and I can go together and sometimes we go separately. I prefer to go with him but music makes it pretty good too.

I'm still not sure about scurrying under the barbed wire or running through tires, but I'm thinking I might survive the Warrior Dash afterall.

Max is cutting all four molars right now which is a drag except for the fact that he wants to snuggle so much. We spent a good 15 minutes out on the trampoline the other morning with him just laying on my chest. That is good stuff.

We also have been enjoying the most gorgeous spring weather. The kids play outside, jump on the trampoline, we even got out the water table a time or two.




Last night we had dinner on the back porch. These couple of months right around March and April are really Texas' bread and butter.

We did have to bid farewell to our orchid this week.


For our anniversary in December Dan brought this beauty home and I am really, really proud that it lasted this long.



Dan got it to February, when Mimi basically took over it's survival and then it hung on for a few more weeks.



It was good while it lasted. Which is just about all I can ask for!

Trampoline

Well, in case you missed it between the up and down, up and down, of my last silly post, I love my white cabinets. I don't, however, love the quality with which they were painted. I am still trying to get that remedied and when I do, there will be pictures!

And as far as that post goes, I would really love to pretend the whole thing didn't happen. But the fact that it is still in some of your Readers makes that impossible. I usually have no problem being brutally honest with what I write here, but for some reason that post left me feeling especially vulnerable. Too much crazy out of the bag at once. So I took it down.

My one last thought in regards to it is this: My little Ava has taught me something, many things, this is just one in particular. She has made me realize that what makes a courageous person is not being someone who is never afraid, but rather being someone who moves forward despite their fears. And in a similar sense that is all I aim to do as a mother. I may not be the kind of person who can always see the blissful moments or who always maintains that long range perspective. But I do hope and try to be someone who continues on even when I can't.

So, moving on.

We got a new trampoline! This maybe considered Dan's dog, we'll see. I do love animals, despite my poor record with Sophie. Dan has always maintained that he has never and will never want a dog. And if I choose to get one, he will not take an ounce of responsibility for it. I know my limits and at the moment we are functioning at max capacity. No doggie for us right now and honestly I am fine with that. Maybe when my babies are all grown up and I need something to cuddle.

Anyway, I have said from the beginning of our marriage that I have never and will never want a trampoline. I heard too many stories of broken bones and injuries. But over the years my stance has wavered and I am floating between concerned and excited. Which is a fairly good place to be considering it was delivered and set up today.




They could hardly wait.





The boys are already in love and Ava will be as soon as her little feet hit the mat after school.



I am looking forward to having a good place to send Luke and Ava when they want to play "crazy", but I'm thinking it best to absolve myself from all responsibility right now. I've been doing well at keeping my New Year's resolutions so far. You may recall "not break anymore of my kid's bones " was number two.

Trampolines don't poop in the yard, but dogs don't break arms.

Fingers double crossed that there won't be any injuries. But if there are, Dan did it!

Bye Bye Fwuit

The time had come. I was tired of looking at the half painted wall in the family room/kitchen which was the literal manifestation of The End of Nap Time; blue meets brown in the middle of the wall, accented by some random strokes to clean out my brush.


Here's a pretty good view,


And then there was the wallpaper in the kitchen. I had been informed by the neighbors that the removal process would be very unpleasant because the builder of these homes apparently attached the paper directly to the sheet rock. Sure you can remove the paper, and chunks of wall along with it.

So I called in the professionals. I told my guy Rolando to paint right over the paper. He said he would actually add a texture over the top, matching it perfectly with the family room.

So on Tuesday morning he showed up with his supplies and Luke and I bid our farewells to the wallpaper. Luke sat on my hip, looked up at the walls and said, "Bye, Bye fwuit."



I have never been so happy to say goodbye before. I knew the kitchen would be so much brighter, which aside from covering up the fruit border, was my main concern.

They worked well and quick and by that night they were done and I was happy. It was so much lighter and brighter!

As I looked and pondered, I couldn't help but think about what would make the kitchen even more light. And more bright.

Yes, the cabinets painted white. That would do it. I'm not sure where this project turned from painting over The End of Naptime into Extreme Makeover but I don't really care.

Rolando will be here in the morning and I am more excited than a kid on Christmas Eve!

Hello and Goodbye

Mimi went back to Kentucky this past week, and boy was it sure a good visit. All the kids loved having her around, but Ava particularly enjoyed it. She looked forward to Mimi being at our house when she got home from school, and on the days that didn't happen she was always so disappointed.

It's not hard to love Mimi. Mostly because she doesn't find it hard to love anyone else. She loves me and she loves you, even if you've never met. She tells me I am the sweetest, most precious thing and that she is so proud of me, almost every time we're in the same room. And she grabs me and kisses me, and pats me, and hugs me. What's not to love?

I was probably seven years old before I realized that not all grandmothers are as sweet as peaches 100% of the time like she is. She couldn't find your faults if you wore them around your neck. She finds a friend wherever she goes, literally. By the time we leave a store, the mall, the cleaners, church, the post office, she always has somebody saying some version of, "Oh Anne! It was so great to meet you! I loved talking with you! Have a great day and take care!" and usually they even say to those who accompany her, "She is just the sweetest lady!"



On that last afternoon before she left, Ava was lucky enough to find Mimi waiting on our sofa after school. She ran in the door and straight to her. "Mimi!"

Ava rested her head on Mimi's lap. I sat next to them and watched Ava's eyes close with pleasure as Mimi pet her hair over and over. And of course, Mimi told her how precious, and wonderful, and smart, and beautiful she was.

And there is just something about Mimi telling you those kinds of things, that even if you don't really feel smart and beautiful and wonderful, you sort of want to try a bit harder and look a bit closer because Mimi means what she says and it comes with such love, it is either true or you want to make it true.

I feel so happy that Ava will have these memories with her great grandmother. I'm going to miss her and her stories, and her hugs, and how she says, "yella" instead of "yellow".

It's hard when people get older and your visits are not so frequent. You can't help but hope that it's not the last time you'll see each other.


Today the missionaries moved into my parent's house. The experience should be interesting among other things. I was upstairs with my boys and my mom when all the guys and their furniture showed up.

I grabbed up Max and tried to get out of the way as quick as I could. We found ourselves standing in the stairway where Max was eye to eye with a collage of pictures of my brother Aaron who died 20 years ago this year.

Max pointed his chubby finger directly at Aaron's face and said with eyes absolutely beaming and smile spread wide, "Aaaaaaah! Aaaaah!"

Joy and happiness welled inside me. "That's Aaron," I said.

"Aaaaah!"

If he could talk I am certain he would have said, "Aaron! I know him!"

What a happy moment today, that I don't think I will ever forget. And what a reassuring reminder handed to me by my baby.


We knew each other before, we know each other now, and we will know each other again.

Boring stuff and a question

We paid off the van today, so that feels good. Three years early too. Now if we keep saving those payments to put towards the car we should be done with that loan pretty quick as well.

I am lucky that Dan is a good financial planner. And a good money earner. Because I would not be considered either. We won't even talk about my spotty job history. Actually maybe I should someday. It's kind of funny.

Max is still wheezing but definitely on the mend. He is walking pretty normal now, too.


I am feeling much better. Though I am starting to get slightly worried about a silly race Dan and I signed up for the second week of April.

The Warrior Dash.

Because including today, I have officially exercised zero times in the last 29 days. Zero.

I think I have a few medical excuses, but they won't really help much come race day. I need to get myself in gear, but I am struggling to find the motivation. Come on Motivation! I need you!


Not too long ago, Ava had her 100th day of school along with all the accompanying parties and projects. And if I thought the late nights to finish procrastinated school projects were over with my college diploma, I was sorely mistaken.

I forgot about my kids. We started this project about 10 minutes before bedtime. Just enough time for Ava to write the title and glue on a row.

100 PIEGES OF ME

Then I lovingly and painstakingly pasted on the other ninety pieges late into the night (like 11pm Ha! How everything is relative!). I am sure that is against the Mom Law of Teaching Responsibility, but when Mom lacks the responsibility to keep the dates of the kindergarten projects straight, I think it's only fair that Mom is the one who suffers the consequences. I was not willing, however, to punish myself enough to let my tired five year old stay up late with me to work with glue and tiny papers that had to be arranged with exactness. That would be a recipe for disaster.



But we think it turned out pretty cute, all things considered.


Finally, A question for those of you who have printed your blog or know somebody who has....What company did you use? Did you like it? Was the formatting simple? Please, please, please share your wisdom with me. I want to print out my first year or so, just to start with, but it is important to me that the pictures are all included with each post, in the same format in which they appear. You know what I mean?