Cricket's Chirps

2008 is Almost Over

2008-12-11T11:26:00.000-08:00

I don't traditionally make New Year's resolutions but I am going to make one this year. I will blog at least once a week in the New Year. Oh joy - right ;-)

Isabel found him - Introducing Nemo!

2008-08-11T07:05:00.000-07:00

Isabel has introduced us to her new (imaginary) friend. Of course his name is Nemo! Why didn't I see this coming? The child is a mermaid herself and has acted out the opening scene to Nemo since she was barely two years old, including diving under the water trying to find her precious Nemo.

When we woke her up this morning she told us all about her night with Nemo. She and Nemo played all night last night but when she woke up he was gone. That is until she thought she spotted him outside, it was just an orange flower which she gave me for my hair.

Isabel & Nemo had a glorious night. They swam, played Candyland, made snow angles, played hide and seek, ate snacks and on and on and on and on.

The added bonus? Constant chitter chatter of her never tiring subject: Nemo.

Can I Outsource Potty Training to India?

2008-07-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

I do not understand why everything else can be outsourced but not potty training. I guess if I could afford a nanny then that would be outsourcing and since they go to daycare that is part time outsourcing.

Being that I like to be in control I have made some major mistakes when I hear Izzy tell me, "Mommy, I pooped my pants you change me now." First off, DUH, I know you pooped your pants because you made sure to position your stinky butt right in front of me as you did the deed, funny that you think I didn't notice. Secondly, if you are old enough to tell me you are old enough to do your business on the potty.

UGH! Kids are funny and annoying all at once.

So we have gone from holding in the poop, to pooping regularly to now being terrified of a toilet - yeah Daddy kind of told her that the poop goes all the way to the ocean where the monsters eat it. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?! Gee wonder why she doesn't like the toilet?

These days you would never believe me when I tell you that when she was two (pre-Ashton) she used to LOVE to sit on the potty with her basket of books, reading to herself for a long while, well after she had dropped the "kids int the pool." All of that was her choice.

So yes, new baby, new daycare with preschool and now we're in a power struggle BUT I think we are almost over a hurdle with this whole process. Pee training is done but the whole poop situation is a mess! Pun intended.

Two books are sitting on my doorstep right now waiting to be read and adored by a poop-in-the-potty-resistant 3 year old little girl!

Funny Kid Izz

2008-06-28T17:53:00.000-07:00

Izzy's top 3 funnies in the past 24 hours:

"Hm, I have an idea" drops trow and then proceeds to drop a deuce in a green sand bucket on the back patio, in broad daylight. Once done she proceeds to strip and run around the backyard like a crack monkey and dingle berries falling off left and right. I got out the house, bathtime should always be that easy!

I go into Isabel's room to find her awfully quiet, I ask her, "Did you poop your pants?" Izzy replies "No Mommy. You may leave now." Cool.

Proving competition will always exist between brother and sister my daughter was upset that her baby brother was peacefully sleeping in his car seat and she proclaims, "No fair! I want a nap too!!!!" And then fell asleep. Once I picked my jaw up I silently said thank you sweet Jesus! I can now make nap time a competition for compliance, WOO HOO!

Listen

2008-06-27T20:24:00.000-07:00

Do you hear that? That is the sweet sound of silence! I can hear myself think and form a complete thought, and maybe a counter thought or even better a continual thought chain!

I should be sleeping but instead I'm listening to my inner voice. Usually that voice is drowned out by the world, but tonight I am calm and listening to it say...........

You IDIOT! GO TO BED BEFORE THE BABY WAKES UP!!!!!!!!

My voice is right, nighty night!

The Earth Can Go Save Itself!

2008-06-02T13:22:00.000-07:00

OK, that is a snotty title, and said with a bit of sarcasm - OK A LOT of sarcasm - but seriously, why in the world does helping out others, or doing my bit for the Green Earth gig have to be so bleeping hard!?!?!

OK, I have wasted countless time looking for some recycling bins that Jeff fell in love with because they are the perfect size for the one area in his garage that he is willing to dedicate to my recycling cause. To top it off, my slightly OCD hubby LOVED that these bins came with lids and stack nicely on top of one another.

So, off to Lowes with a cranky 6 mo old (who is now almost 9mo old, I have been dealing with this for that long). Track down someone who wants to help a mom with said baby on a Sunday, after much head scratching I have been declared daft and that no such bin exists. OK, I have seen the bins I know they exist.

So, I look online similar bins are going for anywhere between $50 and $100+shipping. Bite me I'm not paying that to throw in what would have been trash.

OK, I now have the model# and model name (thanks Diane), Google it and viola, I can pick up 3 bins at Sears, after applying my gift card it will take me a few minutes of my time and I basically get these bad boys for free. Easy, right?

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, idiots at Sears promise what they don't have. After 30 minutes of sitting in the hot loading dock I am told they only have one. FINE, I'll take it.

I am not happy. I probably truly only need 2 but now I only have one, they are on clearance and no more are here in Wichita. I go back to my laptop and I can order one online but now I do not trust Sears' to have its crap straight.

Moral of the story, no good deed goes unpunished!

Driver please!

2008-04-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

Yeah, so today I realized I need a limousine. No, I don't want it to be seen about town. I only want it so I can have that window between my children and I. As I ponder this I realize this would be really cool and oh-so-helpful to have in my Saturn Vue.

Recently I have begun my 40 minutes of commuting per day in the company of my children, some days that is great but most I just want to jab my eardrums out with icepicks! If it isn't the 7mo old crying because he wants to be held, he loves me - who wouldn't? It is my 3 year old asking me to pick up whatever it is the princess has dropped, and if it doesn't happen NOW she'll scream, and I do mean scream and kick and become Queen of Brats everywhere! It is not nearly as fun or relaxing as my commutes were just 7 short weeks ago.

So, if anyone from Saturn is reading, please give my 2010 version of your 3 row passenger SUV flex fuel and a tinted mommy window, I want that sound proofed too please! Maybe give me a view panel so I can make sure no one is choking on a McNugget. And please, make that an option in emerald green.

Dream over! :)

Seriously?!

2008-01-21T11:43:00.000-08:00

OK, seriously!?! A month, 4 weeks, since I created this thinking, "I am going to do this, I am going to lose weight" and instead I gain 6lbs and neglect myself? Well no more!

Last week I had had enough. YMCA membership wasn't working, it is a 30 minute roundtrip to germfest and also involves dragging the kids along and disrupting our lives. Who wants to do that? Not me.

Our little local gym won't work as I refuse to pay $70ish/month for it.

So, Curves you win! But who's the real winner? Me, that's who.

As soon as I can bring myself to ask for my measurements I will post them, along with the "before" shot (with my head cropped out of the picture).

I will be happy to look at myself in the mirror by spring! If not, then I'm just going to break every mirror in the house and eat chocolate morning, noon, and night.

Weighty Issues

2007-12-25T09:52:00.000-08:00

It is time to create some accountability for myself. Fifteen weeks postpartum and the tight clothes apparently aren't enough to keep me from shoving anything with sugar or high fructose corn syrup into my mouth. I am starting this blog as a way to force myself to deal with the reality of the situation.

I don't "do" resolutions as I figure it is just a way to set myself up for failure, I like having the prerogative of changing my mind. But I did put wellness on my goals for 2008, I don't want my daughter to ever hear me say "I'm so fat," I don't recall my mother saying these things and I want to give her that same gift of not worrying about her body, she'll get enough of that in college - just like mommy did.