Twin Orbs of Evil (to be Trademarked)

Wanted: An illustrator who would like to work with me on a comic strip. The series is to be title, "Twin Orbs of Evil." The characters are my ovaries. In my head they look like (chicken/grocery store) eggs with stick arms and legs and Daisy Duck-ish high heels. They each wear a cape and have an insignia on their chests. One has a "R" (for right ovary) and one has a "L" (obviously for left ovary). They also either wear Zorro-ish masks or cat eye sunglasses. One wears purple and one wears pink (cape, heels, glasses/mask and insignia).

And no, I am not joking. Seriously seeking inquiries.

Happy Birthday, Augustine!

I can't believe my godson is 13 today! Sniff, tear.

The Puzzle Master

I am beyond amazed at my baby's ability to complete puzzles, and I give full credit to his Granna for not only introducing him to puzzles but also for teaching him great puzzle strategy. The great things about puzzles are that they help build higher order thinking skills (and patience!), they are activities that we can do with him or he can do alone, and they are a quiet activity! We do like variety in our puzzles, so we have bought quite a few lately. Good thing Fred's and Dollar Tree both have great inexpensive -- and superhero! -- options! Though, I have to confess the best puzzle selection I have found is at Target. Here he is proudly showing off two 100-piece puzzles (age 5+). He soon after got a Spiderman one that is very similar, and for the first time this weekend he put that bad boy together all by himself!

He rocks.

Wishing and Hoping

Wishing and hoping
and thinking and praying,
planning and dreaming...

...Just wishing and hoping
and thinking and praying,
and planning and dreaming...

...Just wishing and hoping
and thinking and praying,
planning and dreaming.....

Reduce ~ Reuse ~ Recycle

This morning while attacking the revulsion that was my kitchen, I took the time to wash a pretzel bucket and a coffee bucket. The pretzel bucket for cars and other little boy whatnots, and the coffee bucket for paint. Not only was I born with an old soul, but I was also born into 1/2 of a thrifty family. My mom is one of 8 children of a farmer and a homemaker...thrifty was a necessity. A few Sundays ago I reached into a cabinet at my grandmother's house, and it was days before I realized that the entire drawer of "Tupperware" had been whipped topping, cottage cheese and butter tubs. It took me days to realize it because it's completely normal to me. There was a time early in my marriage when I refused to keep such containers. But now, ever since all my real Tupperware has walked off at the hands of Douglas, I am once again embracing these practices. And why not? Why should I unnecessarily use money from my extremely tight budget while throwing away plastic tubs into a landfill? My new found cheapness is a few more steps toward saving the planet. Excuse me while I go hug a tree.

Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I'll Love ME, Tomorrow!

Every day I tell myself that today is the day I'm going to go home from work and exercise. And then when I choose being lazy over being active, I assure myself that tomorrow morning I start anew.

Self-discipline is when you tell yourself to do something and you don't talk back.
-- W. K. Hope

I'm putting myself in timeout.

It's only a day a-way!...To-MORROW!

Phillip's Perspective on...Respect

Always respect your elders.

After all, she is not only older, she outweighs me by like 10 pounds.

Air Raid Siren

I've got it! I need an air rade siren installed in my house, and every time I make a fatal parenting mistake, it will start wailing at me. Like last Monday night (a week and a half ago). That was the 2nd night (not consecutively) that Elliott had complained of stomach pain and what I assume is nausea ("I think I'm gonna throw up!"). He requested the throw up bowl, the wet rag, he looked peaked, the whole enchilada. Yes, he had just had the stomach virus a few weeks before, so yes the fear of throwing up was very clear in his mind. I thought he was about to embark on round 2 of the stomach bug. So, being terribly afraid choking in all forms and having just heard a story about my cousin's child vomiting in her sleep, I put him in our bed that night. I KNOW! I KNOW! MISTAKE!

So, now the stomach aches appear by all intents and purposes to be anxiety-induced. They are like clockwork: at bedtime and before school/daycare. Oh wait, and for some strange reason, in restaurants. Now, the other two I get. But I cannot figure out why the child who previously LOVED to go out to eat is now crying to go home. Mystery!

Me: What am I going to do with this child?
Erica: Just love him and hug him...
Me: ...and fill him full of Tums.

Happy rainy Thursday to you all!

Preparation

I think a lot about the different paths we take to become parents. One of my favorite quotes about adoption is (paraphrased and source temporarily forgotten), "Adoptive families are not better or worse, but we are different." Some times people in my life, with the best intentions, try to minimize this fact. But I embrace it. I believe, as does adoption research, that embracing our differences, in lieu of cover up, is vitally important.

I don't, however, always so easily embrace the difference in preparation. I know that when you are planning to become pregnant you take a lot of steps physically, even going to the dentist to prevent against gum disease and early labor (that still amazes me). But have you ever calculated your net worth as a preparation for your next child?

http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/networth/networth.html

This is a step Doug and I have to take in our family planning. Odd, isn't it?

Tonight we are going to sit in on an adoption webinar. We're a long way from starting paperwork still, but we are researching! Gotta start somewhere!

Update

So, I've now been two entire months (March & April) without making a single (not 1!) charge to my credit card or any other kind of credit-based account. And February only sorta counts as the one charge I made was to pick up something for my mom, which she reimbursed me for and I paid right off. Still, I wish even that had not been necessary due to the leanness of the checking account. So, the last "Failure to plan is planning to fail" charges occurred in January. Those ridiculous charges included an oil change, a pharmacy pickup, and a textbook, to the tune of $172.75 total. Bleck. But, small progress is still progress. Baby steps forward as I continue to struggle with the monthly budget...

Remember that in these same months Doug has started a new (higher paying!) job, we have also made a large payment on said credit card, and we set up the emergency fund. And I'm starting to really dislike that emergency fund. Sitting there all smurky that I can't touch it. "Ooh, lookee here, I'm $1000 you cannot use!" Stupid emergency fund. And NO, that is not code for the universe to smack me with an emergency!

If you are driving out of state anytime soon, how about picking me up a lottery ticket?

Pity Party Plea

Ok, so I know that I have SO MUCH to be thankful for. I do, I realize it. But can I have a few minutes for what will seem like a trivial pity party? Please? Ok, thank you.

Elliott has been complaining of stomach pain for over a week now. We've been to the clinic once, I've talked to the doc on the phone twice (once he was at home, bless him), and we have our 2nd prescription being called in now. It could very well be anxiety. Could be nothing. But this mom is a major worrier. You would be going "AHA!" right about now if he was burdened with my genetics. Related, quite possibly, is the fact that he is once again -- after the nicest of reprieves -- crying about going to daycare again. S-I-G-H. So, that is how my week kicked off. Plus, today was teacher request day for 4k at "big school." Jero called me 2x before I ever even made it there. Once to tell me he didn't know two of the names on the sheet, and once to tell me that the monthly cost had doubled. D-O-U-B-L-E-D. No, it's not a horrendous amount. However, I have been tiding myself over/giving myself hope/not letting myself jump off a cliff by telling myself over and over again, "I'll have $200/month extra this fall..."

Was this a morning of epic disaster? No. Did it start my day off gripey? Yes. Is it normal stuff people deal with all the time? Yes. However, for now, I am indulging in a little pity party for one. I do look splendid in my pink feather boa, after all, and therefore should wear it every chance I get.

Judgy-Wudgy Was a Bear

Last night was the end of year program at daycare.
Elliott, Dalton and Corgan's class performed to some Tiki Tiki song.

Where are Elliott and Dalton you may ask?

Aha!

Elliott wasn't feeling much like performing,
and the only reason he made it down the aisle to the stage
is because Ms. Terri carried him.

But it appears last night was an off night
as even Mr. Social himself (Dalton) was not in the spirit.

I know very well what was wrong with Elliott. He did not want to wear his swim trunks. But we made him because we get so tired of his dressing quirks. Well, MISTAKE. It ruined his whole night. He cried when we left him in his room before the program, and for the first time out of 5 programs he didn't participate. And I usually do not force him to do things that I don't think are overly important. He never wants to do dress up day at school. Ok, no big deal. But I think part of my subconscious thought last night was that other people think we aren't tough enough. You know, those people who think "you are the boss, parents, just make him." Well guess what. He's MY child, and I know best. Is it worth it to make a child so self-conscious/uncomfortable just because he is supposed to wear a certain costume? I think not.

Beware of this mama bear!

Here are pictures from last year's program for comparison.

HAS ANYONE SEEN MY PATIENCE?!?

I seem to have lost it...oh wait, I never had it.

Kung Fu Panda

Elliott (said authoritatively): Corgan, do you know what pandas eat?

Corgan: What?

Elliott: Kung poo!

Corgan: POO?!?

Elliott (needing clarification): Mami, what do pandas eat?

Me (giggling and missing the point): Um, leaves and berries.

Doug (catching on): No, Elliott, pandas eat BAMBOO.

Me: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Take a Journey with Me & My Family

Referral photo - Received December 9, 2005

(Elliott ~2 weeks old)

First update photos received - December 2005

Second update photos received - February 2006
(Photos taken January 22, 2006, 1 day after my birthday; Elliott 2 months old)

Third update photos received - Early April 2006

Arrived home in the US - May 5, 2006

Four years later...what a journey! So many blessings!

Chalk Another One Up to Weird Humor

I know. That looks sick and twisted, right?

Let me say that this started out as an innocent project. A project that after 4 children had thoroughly enjoyed themselves playing, they were running out of concrete.

Here is the full picture:

I seriously amuse myself.