Chocolate fixes everything

Today, I ruined Princess #2's life and broke her heart.  At least that's what she told me when I informed her that she could not wear her sparkly slip-on shoes out to dinner because there is still ice on the ground and her 38 week waddling pregnant mama did not want to risk what was sure to be a spectacular fall.  Hello, they're not called "SLIP-ON" for no reason!  Fortunately at age 4, a ruined life and broken heart are not irreparable.  Nothing a little chocolate brownie and ice cream for dessert won't fix.  

Good birth control

Princess #3 has been sick with a cold for the last week or so.  The first couple of days were the "nice" sick days, where she had a little fever and was all cuddly and just wanted to snuggle with Mama.  The last 3-4 days have been the aftermath.  The "I'm not feeling well and I'm going to make everyone pay for it" sick days.  Combine this with the fact that she's closing in on her second birthday and learning OH SO MUCH about temper tantrums and the like from her big sisters and well, you've got some major drama to deal with.

Yesterday we were in the midst of one of Princess #3's dramatic shows (complete with rolling and  writhing on the floor whilst screaming in protest over whatever happened to be the latest wrongdoing to befall her) when Princess #1 came to me with hands over her ears.  And with more wisdom and discernment than you'd expect from a 6 year old who's been know to throw a few doozies herself, she said to me:  "And THAT'S why I'm not having kids!"

Hide and Seek

Earlier this week I discovered a sippy cup full of (old) milk in the cabinet above the toilet in our bathroom...

Not quite as humorous as when I found one hiding in the Princesses' play kitchen refrigerator, but amusing nonetheless...

Top 5 things I'll miss blaming on pregnancy

In honor of reaching my 35th week of pregnancy, instead of focusing on the excruciating pain I get when Princess #4 crams her hiney into my ribs, or the circus act I've become where I actually defy gravity with the current extension of my belly, I thought I'd try my hardest to reach deep and reflect on the "good things" about being pregnant.  I tried to get all warm and fuzzy and coo about feeling the babe move, or talk about the natural "glow" (don't be fooled, it's really just sweat from being a human incubator).  But let's be honest here.  At this point in the game (a mere 5 weeks out), my turkey timer is done and there's not much warm and fuzzy left (there's not much room left either).   SO, after much thought I've decided that the best "good thing" about pregnancy is for 9 months things that would be normally attributed to growing older or growing irrational can be reassigned to the "Oh, I'm just pregnant" category.  Truly, there is not much better than having 9 months of no responsibility to claim for your behavior.  I encourage all woman to embrace this "good thing" in their current or future pregnancies.  It's nature's way of making it all worth it.

So here it is, the top 5 things I'll miss blaming on pregnancy:

1.  Forgetting EVERYTHING.  See a couple posts down.  Every last brain cell has been sucked from my body. 

2.  Crying at commercials.  Hallmark has it in for me big time.  

3.  Random aches and pains.  For now I can just pretend that carrying an extra human inside me is the reason that I don't spring up from a sitting position anymore.  For now...

4.  Insomnia.  Surely the fact that I have to literally get on my hands and knees to simply roll over in bed is enough to wake me several times a night.  

5.  General crankiness.  'Nuff said.

School does a mama good

Ah, the first day back at school after a 3 week Christmas break.  Can we say bliss?  Your Majesty cheerfully got out of bed this morning to get the Princesses ready to usher out the door at 8:30am.  And what followed was amazing:

Peace.  Quiet.  Calm.

And you know what I realized?  You know those mothers who devote themselves to being stay at home moms while their children are little, with the determination to go back to work once their kids are in school?  Well, I am not one of those mothers.  I realized that I NEED this time, while the girls are in school, not to devote to an employer, but to devote to my family.  Precious hours I can spend on laundry, vacuuming, cleaning, errand running, etc. without taking that time away from my girls.  

And even though I spent these 5 hours today quite busy around the house (no soap operas and bonbons for me!), I picked up Princess #2 and #3 from preschool feeling so refreshed and rejuvenated, ready to just be a Mommy.  The laundry is caught up (mostly), the dishes are done, the floor is vacuumed.  And I get to just hang out with my girls tonight without thinking about those things.  And that makes mama very, very happy.