Post trip

Well, there are 975 photos to comb through and catalog, so I am afraid not many will be coming soon to a blog near you.  There are 3 birthdays in the next 2 weeks, a house to refinance and I'm dealing with an 8 hour daylight savings jump- and while not immobilizing, it's slowing me down to a snails pace at 3pm and 8pm respectively- by far our busiest time of the day.  Groceries are bought, laundry is sorted (but not done) and the trip seems like a  dream.  

In hindsight, here is what I feel like I learned from this trip:

1- Mom's house feels like home no matter where it is.  She could be stationed on Mars for all I care, but my mom manages to make whatever space she's in feel like home.  She is a great cook and a great home manager- everything for all the meals was planned out and was flawless.  It may have helped that she has had visitors 3 times in the last 2 months.  Coming from a time in my life when I sometimes start thinking about dinner at 5pm and barely get the spaghetti sauce heated before adding it to the noodles, a week of grown-up meals that came together so nicely and quickly (amazing what you can do without 1,300 interruptions from little people!) was one of the best parts of this trip!

2- My parents are a great team.  From packing lunches to navigating Scotland's roundabouts, my parents are really amazing to watch together.

3- Stephen and I are still a great team.  I was a little disappointed at first that this trip wasn't more romantic- we were visiting these amazingly beautiful ruins, but this was a family trip after all and even in London it felt more like a rat race and a survival mode stay at a credit card rewards hotel (read bare minimum amenities).  But we had this amazing 10 days to bond over all these adventures and amazing places.  Sometimes when you're in the daily grind and you don't see each other much and you're the one putting the kids to bed by yourself night after night, you start to feel like it's you and kids on a team and dad's playing solo over there, sometimes trying to get in on the action.  But 10 days together makes me feel like we've reset the buttons and we have each other's back.  (Regular dates could also probably help with this!)

4- My kids are far more independent than I gave them credit for.  The kids did so well at Grandma and Grandpa's- I was almost a little let down at how little they seemed to miss/need me.  But mostly, I was over the moon that they were self-assured enough not to need us.  Franklin never cried for us at all according to report.  That doesn't even happen in 24 hours here.  He was so happy to go to all the aunts and uncles and play with everyone that came into his path.  It helped if they brought a car or truck onto that path with them.  He ate meals, learned more words and happily charmed all those that came near.

5- Nothing will fall apart if I am not here to catch it.  See #4.   The kids can do more, the church can run by itself, Stephen learned that work will plod on without him.  It just gives a lot of perspective to the daily race we put ourselves through.  We've both come back a little more determined to no take everything quite so seriously.

Post trip let-down is mediated by my impending birthday and a trip back to Boise to welcome my parents home in a month.  After that, well maybe I will feel let down . . . . lol

Pesky little brother

We've been reading the Little House on the Prairie books and Ada was asking me some details about leeches, which features in one of the books.
Ada:  So, how would an animal get leeches off of them?
Me:  Well, they would use their hind legs I guess.
Ada:  They would need a human to get them off.
Me:  I guess, maybe.
Ada:  What would happen if they don't come off?
Me:  I don't know, I guess they would live there a long time.  They live off the animal they're attached to.  It's like a . . . . (thinking) . . . symbiotic relationship.
Ada:  No, that's not right.
Me:  You're right, a symbiotic relationship is where both creatures get something from each other, it's a parasitic relationship.  The leech is a parasite because it just takes from the host and doesn't give anything back.
Ada:  (lighting up suddenly)  Like Franklin!!

At dinner one night (without Stephen) Franklin was causing an unusual amount of ruckus and howling over not wanting to eat dinner.
Odessa had been very animated, telling us a story but eventually could not talk above Franklin's howling.
Odessa:  It's impossible to CONVERSATE at this table with him!!!

Domino affect

Note:  this blog is of a sensitive nature- about my weight and self esteem.  You were warned.
So I never really lost all of the baby weight after Franklin was born, in fact it yo-yoed down and then back up I would have to say.  I am sure people started to wonder if baby #4 was making a quick debut.  I kept wishing I was secretly pregnant and didn't know it!  Just to explain away the bulge.
I hated the way I looked and kept up the viscous cycle of eating to feel better and then being guilty when I never lost any weight or put more on.  I'm a Dietitian, which made it worse because I SHOULD KNOW BETTER.  I saw every little rationalization and excuse for what it was and that made me feel even worse.

A year ago, I took a first step and bought some new clothes in my correct size that made me feel better about myself.  I started paying more attention to my skin and make-up, getting ready on days I didn't have to be anywhere- this also boosted my self esteem.  About a month ago another mom from school brought me a sample of a skin care product she sells.  I have been amazed- you know all those products that claim you will have smaller pores, your scars will be less visible, you skin will look younger and be more clear?  Well, this is the first product I have ever used where those claims actually came true for me.  I think everyone's skin is so different and often the game of "try one and see" goes on for years and years.

I'll even post a notoriously bad web-cam photo to show you

Anyway, I love this stuff - it's called Nerium.  But what was most interesting is that having my skin clear up and look and feel so much better was a catalyst to my starting to exercise every day.  FINALLY!  After almost 2 years and trying and failing, I am finally on schedule to exercise daily.  And now that I am exercising, I don't want to mess that up by eating bad, so I am watching what I eat a lot more closely.  I am so happy!  I have not magically slimmed down in one week, but I am so happy I am finally turning the corner for taking care of myself.   I think one small step is often what we need to get us on the path of prioritizing our needs.  Take care of yourself.

Odessa's big weekend

Odessa, Ada and 2 of their friends participated in the school talent show last Friday.  The friends were working on a play, Odessa wanted to do her hula hoop routine from the church talent show, Ada just wanted to be in it.  The friend's mom and I married the 2 ideas, my friend cut the music for us and this little act was born.  Sorry, it's blurry.

The kids were all on cloud nine the rest of the night.
Then the next day, I took Odessa to get some of her long hair cut- it had gotten damaged and unruly.  I said she needed to get at least 2 inches off.  She sat down at the salon and looked at some magazines until she found a haircut she liked.

She spent the rest of the weekend raving about her hair and combing it.  Doesn't miss the long hair at all, big surprise to me.

My trip looms in about 1 month from now.  I actually wish it would always stay 1 month away.  Close enough I can admire it at arms length, not so close that I am running around packing like a chicken with it's head cut off.  I am afraid if it gets any closer though, I will blink and it will be here and blink again and it will be over.  Then I will be SO SAD.

T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

Me:  "That's a BIG mess, did you make that big mess?"
Franklin:  "I, little boy.  You, big mommy, (pointing) big mess."

Me:  "Are you poopy?"
Franklin:  "No, I not poopy"
Me:  (checking) "Oh, you're right, you're not poopy.  You're a smart boy."
Franklin:  "No, I little boy."

Franklin:  "Milk.  Please."
Me:  "You have to wait a minute."
Franklin:  "Milk!  Please!"
Me:  "Just a minute.  You're going to have to wait."
Franklin:  "Milk!  Please!"
Me:  "YOU. ARE. GOING. TO. HAVE. TO. WAIT. A. MINUTE!"
Franklin:  "NO! MILK! RIGHT! NOW!"


F-R-A-N-K-L-I-N is how we spell trouble around here.

Appropriate, isn't it?  Thinks he's in the driver's (or pilot's) seat

When the girls found out we were having a boy, they said "now we'll have our prince to dance with!"  He's finally big enough, but he's the one wearing their ballet shoes . . . . 

Franklin loves to sing several songs in "staccato", Twinkle, Twinkle is his favorite

Long weekend

Stephen and the girls had a four day weekend, so we tried to make the most of it without actually going out of town.  It's much nicer to sleep in our own beds at night we've decided while Franklin is so little.
See the Picasa Web Album HERE.  I actually took 307 photos over the 4 days, so be happy the web album only has 44 . . .
We took the ferry and drove to Sequim and walked along the Dungeness Spit for a little while.

 Then drove up Hurricane Ridge which was amazing and just the burst of sunlight we were craving.

  Had some good seafood before heading home.

Saturday Stephen fixed some plumbing problems we've had for going on 2 years.  Hip hip hooray for not having to call a plumber!!!
Monday we finally used a voucher to go to the Museum of Flight- Stephen is such a plane nut, he knows them all!  The kids loved it and Odessa wants to have her 8th birthday there now.  Who knew?

What I heard this week

I must have done something that I was pleased with and said "yay" or something because Franklin responded with:   "Good job. (pause)   Good job mommy, good job."

We have to be creative at keeping Franklin at the table- he never eats dinner . . . 

Ada forgot the snack she fixed for herself inside the house.  I had reminded her once and I am trying not to remind my kids of everything 15 times- it drives me insane and I don't think it really helps them remember . . . So as I was pulling out of the driveway, I was calmly telling Ada that remembering her snack was her responsibility, not mine.
Me:  (seeing the neighbor's house)  "Oh crap, I forgot Brenda's thank you notes"  (pulling back into the driveway)
Ada:  (without missing a beat) "Well, remembering the cards was YOUR responsibility.    While you are in the house, you can get my snack!"

The girls like to have us quiz them with simple addition and subtraction problems, Odessa is practicing for Math in a minute tests at school.  So a lot of meals are spent doing math.  This morning:
Me:  (to Odessa)  "What is 7 minus 4?"
Franklin:  "Free!"
We all laughed and laughed.
Stephen counts with Franklin when he wants him to wait (like while getting his diaper changed).  So through repetition  he knows some numbers.  The following happened while getting shoes on for school.
Ada:  "what's 1 plus 1?"
Franklin "One!"
Ada:  "No, what comes after 1?"
Franklin: "Twoooo!"
Ada:  "So what's 1 plus 1?"
Franklin:  "Twooooo!"
Ada:  "What's 1 plus 2?"
Franklin: "Twooooo!"
Ada:  "No, what comes after 2?"
Franklin:  "Freeee!"
Ada:  "So what's 2 plus 1?"
Franklin:  "Freeeee!"
Ada:  "What's 3 plus 1?"
Franklin:  "Freeee!"
Ada:  "No, what comes after 3?"
Franklin:  "Freeeeeee!"

And they were stuck at "freee" until we headed out the door.