One therapy session for the desperate soccer mom, stat!

I guess I'm officially a "soccer mom", whatever that means. Morgan called me a soccer mom before, but only I was the one playing. Now my eldest has entered the sport and so, in all literal terms, I am now officially ONE OF THEM. :)

In all seriousness, Morgan started soccer today and can I just say that she was totally in her element? She LOVED every moment of it, and did fairly well for never having played before. I'm so glad I was there to watch her. She told me after it was over how much fun she had. Even despite the fact that it was already closing in on 100 degrees and it wasn't even noon yet.

The rest of my day was spent in the car. Ran back home for lunch before camp started. Ran Morgan back over to camp and then back home for Bennett's quick nap. Bennett's 15 month checkup (more on this in a moment) and then back to pick Morgan up from camp. Run to Target for a last minute thing and then back home until Lance got home from work. Then we headed out to dinner. I honestly felt like I spent the majority of my day in the car. And did I mention that it was at least 110 here today? Yeah....my AC doesn't crank hard enough to cool me off in the car. It's supposed to be just as hot tomorrow, too. Good times.


So, Bennett's 15 month checkup was interesting. The main topic of conversation? His tantrums and the fact that he's the most stubborn person I know. Before I left, the pediatrician actually offered to refer me to a psychologist. Now, I'm not sure if I came off as a desperate mom, or if he was just being compassionate to my situation, but nevertheless, he actually offered me THERAPY in the context of dealing with my son. He told me that it's going to be hard for another 3- 5 months or so and then again for his entire terrible twos, again after he enters Kindergarten, then first grade, eighth grade and again in eleventh grade. He says it's very predictable. I'm not sure if he's suggesting that I start stock piling money for the upcoming therapy sessions, or if he's just giving me a panoramic view of my future. He actually told me that he can tell that he's going to be a tough one - he can see it in his eyes. Wanna know what he told me he could see in Morgan's eyes when she was around Bennett's age? The fact that she would be very talkative. Yeah, so he's basically the horse whisperer of children. I listen to him!

Regardless, the fact of the matter is that HE AGREES WITH ME. My child is, in fact, the most stubborn child on the face of the planet. He didn't say it in those terms, but I know he meant it. He might also agree with me that he gets it from his father. We didn't go that far.

A quick shout out to my hubby

On this day, in a land far, far away (okay - not soooo far away); a little boy was being born. In a small hospital, in a small town, outside his even smaller town. He was the third child to be born to his parents, and thus the recollection of the actual birth is a bit foggy. But, my husband was born thirty five years ago. I thank God for this every day.

Happy Birthday, Babe! I love you!

Another good, productive day

Well, I've got the energy today! I guess my sloth-like behavior yesterday has paid off! I was up before the kids this morning, which is an unusual treat. I expected them to be up at 7 am like normal, so I was up at 6:30. Just enough time for me to spend a few minutes alone in silence, grab a cup of coffee, check email and pack my gym bag. Except they slept until almost 8! So, I was able to also prep their breakfasts, eat mine (in peace!), clean the bathrooms and replenish the toilet paper - all before they got up. That means that during nap time, I actually get to have a little down time. Woohoo!

After the sleepyheads finally got up and ate their breakfasts, I got our Roomba, Benson, started and we headed out to the tennis club. I made it in time for a 9 am spinning class. Let me start by saying that I have *never* done a spinning class before. I wasn't really too sure about it, but luckily I came into the class and my former boss was in there, so he kind of showed me the ropes of the equipment before the class started. This was an hour long, VERY intense class. I consider myself fairly fit, cardiovascularly speaking, and my heart rate was UP the whole class. The teacher was equally as intense and really pushed us. It felt really good and I really enjoyed the class. After the spinning was over, we did some stretching and then she ends the class with 100 push ups and a crap load of sit ups. A very good whole body workout!

I stayed a few minutes chatting with my former boss and also two other ladies that I know from the moms club and then I hit the showers for some kid-free showering and dressing. It's nice to not have to worry what they are doing when I'm getting ready!

Okay - I know this is off on a little tangent, but I *have* to say something about this. I understand that the women's locker room is for women only and therefore some women choose to prance around in either nothing or next to nothing. Now, maybe it's my southern roots showing (read: modest), but to the woman who was prancing around without anything on her bottom half -- I don't get it!!! You still had your top on -- both your bra and your shirt, but you insisted on taking off your shorts AND your UNDERWEAR. And then walking back and forth from your locker to the mirror. BEHIND ME. So, all I could see in the reflection of my mirror, where I'm innocently drying my hair is how you obviously don't wax your bikini area. Seriously? I don't understand why you insisted on taking off your PANTS but not your top. And then? After you'd showed your stuff to all the women who were trying desperately NOT too look, you prance off without any pants on, but with your top. And your water bottle. WHERE ARE YOU GOING?? I don't think I want the answer to that...

So after finishing up in the locker room, I head out and get the kids and then we go by the grocery store for a few things and get home just in time for an early-ish lunch. Morgan's camp starts at 12:30, so they needed to be fed and ready to walk out the door at quarter after noon. Done!

It was weird dropping Morgan off at camp. She's easily one of the younger ones, as it's for incoming K-2nd graders. I could tell when I left that she wasn't too sure about the whole thing. I just hope she warmed up to some of the camp helpers and they were able to get her engaged. Meanwhile, I have returned home to my to-do list already done. I put Bennett down for his nap and then did a few "catch up" items from when we were on vacation. Now I sit here, ready to enjoy some down time. Only what will I do? Nap? Read? Watch TV? Surf the web? Start writing that book that I told Lance I was going to write last night? Who knows. But I have a couple hours to myself and all my stuff is done. Including my exercise. It's a beautiful day!

After Bennett wakes up, I need to run to Big 5 and then we'll go pick up Morgan. We might go back to the tennis club for some pool time. It's super hot here today (high 90's) and I know Morgan will enjoy that. If she's not too cranky from not having a nap.

A good, albeit lazy, day

This morning was my morning to sleep in, but when the kids woke up around 8, I couldn't go back to sleep. Lance got up with them, but I lingered in bed. I let the day warm me up and opened my eyes slowly. I looked over to my nightstand and saw the remnants from the night before.

You see, I've been reading the book Maggie, by Charles Martin. It's the sequel to his book The Dead Don't Dance. The differences between the two books is startling. I would liken the first book to something written by Nicholas Sparks. Now, I really like these kind of books. They are typically rather introspective and tender. That's how The Dead Don't Dance was, for the most part. But his sequel, Maggie is like this tender romance, but also much more along the lines of a suspense novel. As I was reading, it seemed that the next thing that happens was always worse than the one before, and never expected. Put simply, it was just non-stop. I started the book last week and have really had a hard time putting it down. Even with my busy life. So, that says something right?

So, I peek over and see that I've got maybe like five chapters left. And all I want to do is finish it. I feign sleep, curl up in bed and finish my book. I haven't done this in YEARS, people. It was heavenly!

After finishing the book, I got up and got breakfast and got myself and Morgan showered. We headed off for church. After church, we had a "girls day" and went to lunch at this very cute Bistro downtown and then went to the movie theater across the street for a 1:30 showing of Kung Fu Panda. Morgan was cracking up most of the way through the movie, so I could tell she was enjoying herself. We didn't get home until 3:15 and then I plopped down on the couch, put my feet up and started checking email.

People - my house is a disaster!! Lance has been home for a solid three days now and the toys are strewn all about, the kitchen is a mess and -- here's how you KNOW I'm being lazy -- my bed is NOT MADE! :) Yep, I'm having a lazy, enjoyable day.

I need it before the crazy week ahead. Morgan has camp every day from 12:30-4:30, she starts soccer this week, it's Lance's birthday, our anniversary, etc. and etc. We're gonna be busy. This is just the calm before the storm. :)

Today's forecast? Clear skies with a chance of sarcasm

We were out last night at friend's party until close to midnight. Bennett slept a little at their house, but Morgan was up the whole time. So, imagine my happiness when my little party animals slept until 9:30 this morning!

That's when Morgan came in to advise us that there was a POISONOUS spider in the bathtub downstairs. When I asked her how she knew it was poisonous, she responded, very matter-of-factly, "Because it's body is RED!". You know, red=poison, apparently. I asked her why she was telling me about it. She just wanted to let me know that there was a POISONOUS spider downstairs, so I wouldn't get surprised. Also, she was letting Daddy, our family exterminator know, so he could think about how he'd like to get the spider.

I asked her how she thought he should get it. Lance offered that he could maybe put on a glove. This suggestion did not meet Morgan's approval since POISONOUS spiders are well known for biting through gloves. Her solution was to get some "pinchers" to pick it up with. She ever offered up her own. How very thoughtful of her. She insisted that Daddy must be the one to get the spider. Her reasoning? "He's the biggest". I replied, "Oh, so we can just sacrifice him?", which was met with a blank stare and then a question about what sacrifice meant. One of these days she's gonna catch on to the sarcasm. It might lose it's fun, just a little, when she does.

I *heart* ballet

After my free month is up, I will be joining this tennis club. If for no other reason than the class I took tonight. Core Fitness through Dance. It was a ballet class!! I haven't heard terms like rond de jambe, pas de bourree, glissade, and pique in YEARS. I know I wasn't the most graceful in there tonight, but I felt it all coming back to me. The posture. The grace. The joy!

Morgan begged me to take her with me to the club tonight, so I did. I picked her up from the Kids' Club and was grinning from ear to ear. She wanted to know how my class went and I told her that it was WONDERFUL and told her all about it. She was so cute. Apparently, my excitement and grinning were contagious, because she smiled all the way home and then we chasse, chasse, arabesque all across the living room floor when we got home.

I was sweating a ton during the class, so it's a good workout to boot!

Yippee!

Mop avoidance

You know how I know I hate mopping floors? Because I've just rearranged two drawers and three cabinets in my kitchen, all to avoid mopping the floor. But hey, I did something, right?

I'm sitting here on what's supposed to be a bar stool at a desktop computer that we have tucked away in an armourer in our guest room, squinting at the flat panel monitor that's a good two feet away from me. Now, I haven't used a desktop over a laptop in over five years. I don't really want to start now, but it seems I don't have many other options at the moment. Why, might you ask? Well, that's easy. BECAUSE MY HARD DRIVE CRASHED. I'm trying really hard not to freak out about it. We do have this computer plus, when I really need to lounge on the couch and get my "web-ing" on, I could always borrow Lance's laptop. But *my* laptop will be off until I receive my replacement hard drive from the manufacturer. Yesterday, as I was avoiding other mopping-like tasks, my computer locked up and I could not get it to free up or shut down. So, given no other choice, I just turned it off. You know, with that big power button that turns it off. Which, apparently you are NOT supposed to use unless directed so by the Operating System. Because when I did? It killed my laptop. Never to be seen again.

Now, you'd think having worked in high tech for the past, oh I dunno, ELEVEN years, I would do things like back up my hard drive regularly. Ha! Not me. I like to live on the edge. :) So, I've now likely lost what was on the hard drive.

The thing that I'm really trying to remember is what exactly was on there. I didn't have too much really important stuff on there, luckily, since I just got it for my birthday last year. The pictures I just downloaded from my camera while I was on vacation were on there, but I've uploaded them to my online photo sharing page, so I can get them to burn a DVD with the pictures on it. There are various documents that I use regularly that I'll either have to recreate or ask someone that I've given them to to email to me. I'll probably be missing an email address or two, but other than that, I'm not sure. What is that thing that I'm going to slap myself on the forehead about in a month and repeat to myself for the fourteenth time "you should have done a backup"? Guess who's going to have a new backup regimen? :)

Yes, I know this is a very exciting topic. Further evidence of the aforementioned stalling.

Oh, and just for the record, ibuprofen is a wonderful thing. Guess who's going to Core Training through Dance tonight?? :)

Keys Recap: Fun in the Sun Days 1-3

We all had lots of fun hanging out with our extended family. We were greeted each day with Morgan and Avery singing "He is Lord", which they learned at Vacation Bible School and which also happens to be one of those songs that you cannot get out of your head. We'd find ourselves singing it in their absence if that is any indication. The place where we were staying was a really interesting community. Mostly older people who have retired there. Lots of snowbirds that won't even be back until winter.

They had all sorts of rules, but our favorites come from the pool. They had rules like "No food or beverages in the pool area", "no one with diapers or an incontinence problem is permitted in the big pool", clearly saying CRAP IN THE TODDLER POOL ONLY! Or, my sister-in-law Amy's personal favorite. "No one with communicable diseases or open sores allowed in the pool". This was so important, that it was not only listed on the list of pool rules, but also had it's very own sign. Obviously, this has been an issue in the past.

Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable place to stay, with a place to dock the boat right behind the house and a pool within walking distance.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

On our first full day in the Keys, the guys went fishing while the ladies hung out with the kids, tried to figure out schedules, and took the girls to the pool. They didn't come back from fishing with too many fish, but they came back with tales of barracuda eating the fish off their lines as they were reeling them in!

*Please note: I have taken artistic license with this photo. There's one more guy on the boat than actually went out on the first day - my uncle, who happened to be down in the Keys and went out fishing with the guys one day. This wasn't actually taken on the first day of the trip. It was like the third or fourth day, but it fits with the description of the first day. So sue me. :)

The next day, we headed to Key West (about 25 minutes away) to take the kids to the aquarium there. It was really humid and hot, but the kids enjoyed watching the sharks get fed, seeing the iguana who has made it's home there, and seeing lots of other fish and animals. Bennett REALLY liked the iguana, but it didn't care for him too much. The other little girl in the picture with Morgan is her cousin, Avery.

After the aquarium, we had lunch and then ice cream and then walked back through Mallory Square, behind the aquarium on our way out. The picture on the right is of all four cousins: Bennett, Avery, Morgan and Miles.

After we got home and had naps, Amy and I took the girls down to the pool for some more swimming. There was a swimming area in the ocean, but the girls (and Moms!) preferred the pool.

Day three marked the exact halfway point between the girls' birthdays, so we picked that day to celebrate. The girls started out the morning by playing some Wii (please take note of the vast amount of large items blocking the TV from Bennett), hanging out on the porch outside the house, and then celebrating their birthday with a feast of their choosing (peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and macaroni and cheese). Followed, of course by cake, which everyone enjoyed!

This concludes your tour of the first half of our trip to the Keys. Tips are welcomed.

I'm just going to come out and say it...I have a problem!

It's bad. It's really bad. When I am having trouble SLEEPING because my arms are so fricking sore. When it hurts to just pick up a mug of coffee in the morning. When I'm complaining to my kids about going up and down the stairs because my BUTT muscles hurt so bad. Not to mention that I'm fearful of when I have to go to the bathroom. Fearful that I might not be able to get up. Yeah, all that's really bad.

But you know what's worse?

The fact that I'm sitting here with the club schedule trying to figure out what class I can take tonight.

I obviously didn't learn anything from last night's "low impact" water aerobics, which was definitely not as intense as the sculpting class, but also did have me doing a lot of resistance stuff with my ARMS. Which are already screaming at me. So, I tried not to drown as my face grimaced with every jumping jack we did. No, I obviously haven't learned.

But this club thing? It's all new to me. It really has this newness and appeal to me right now and I want to take advantage of that. When I'm there, I pretend that I'm some rich stay at home mom with nothing more than time on my hands for hanging out at the pool or in the hot tub. With my two incredibly well behaved children. In the nursery. :) Ahhh, my beautiful life.

I've actually structured my day to allow time for me to go to the club if I want. We got out of the house at a respectable 9:15 this morning and got our grocery shopping done and delivered back at home in an hour. I was a horrible Mom that left the kids in the car while I schlepped the groceries in the house and put them away frantically. I grabbed lunch stuff and we immediately left for playgroup, had lunch there and then ran over to the mall for more moisturizer, eye makeup remover and powder afterwards. Got home right at naptime (now) and instead of doing the handful of things I need to get done today, here I sit. Gazing at my options. But there isn't a class that I don't think will totally kill me. There's "summer challenge" at 5, but I'm guessing by the title that I'm not up for it. You know....the challenge. I would love to do the Vinyasa yoga at 7, but I have a board meeting tonight. My best bet is probably to walk the indoor track and swim. We are having leftovers for dinner tonight, so no need to be home until dinner time. :)

Stop the roller coaster - I want OFF!

I swear to you, I'm living with a child that is like Jekyll and Hyde. Yesterday? Yesterday, as if by some "I've turned five year old" miracle, the girl was like the poster child for sweet, polite, kind, helpful and just plain good. Today?? Oh my. Where do I even start?

Maybe I should start with me actually trying to leave the house and run errands today. I needed to go to Target to get soccer gear for Morgan (she starts soccer next week) and to Costco to buy bulk produce and other various groceries. Starting around 9, I was trying to get out of the house. Since Bennett is no longer napping in the mornings, it makes it a little more complicated. My plan was to get him busy with some toys, let Morgan watch one of her shows, and then run upstairs long enough to get dressed, brush my hair and teeth and throw on some powder, blush and mascara. 15 minutes tops. In that time, Bennett turned the TV off not once, not twice, but THREE times. I know this was frustrating to Morgan, but by the third time, I just couldn't justify running downstairs to reset everything and distract Bennett (obviously it wasn't working). So, I thought I'd just finish getting ready and then we'd deal with the TV situation when I got downstairs. Only she kept yelling. At me. At him. It was ridiculous. As soon as I was dressed, I came downstairs and suggested that we resume the TV show when it was a better time (trying to get out of the house).

I asked her to get her shoes on and while she was doing that, started folding some towels I had in the laundry basket. She proceeds to crawl around me, chasing Bennett around like she's a dog. I asked her again to get her shoes on and she just outright ignored me and continued doing what she was doing. I told her to get off her hands and knees and get her shoes on. Want to know what she does?? This is TOTALLY LANCE. She gets on her feet, squatting, and continues to follow Bennett around like she's a dog. And she actually said "I'm NOT on my hands and knees!" I lost it!

I can't remember how it went down, but somehow I managed to get her to put her shoes on. She's not very happy at this point, crossing her arms in front of her and giving me the stink eye. I remind her that she had a great day yesterday and not to ruin it today and she informs me that she's "already having a bad day". She tells me about how she cried when Daddy left this morning for work because she didn't want him to go. And that's why she doesn't have a good attitude. She starts crying. She says, "GREAT! Now I've cried TWICE!!". Oh my gosh - please don't laugh. I tell her that she needs to get control of herself. I remind her of her great day yesterday again and she just starts yelling at me again. I told her that if she couldn't stop, then we wouldn't be going anywhere (which prompted her to ask if that means she can't play soccer - this girl is no dummy!). She stands there and like a defiant 15 year old girl, screams at me that it's NOT FAIR! SHE WANTS TO GO! ONE MORE CHANCE! NOT FAIR!

So, she's sent to her room, to sit on her stool and think about how she's behaving. I un-shoe Bennett and we start playing in the living room. I can hear her screaming, sobbing, crying, sniffling and finally she's quiet for a bit. I go in to talk to her and she yanks the comforter off her bed and over her head so I can't see her. So, I leave again and continue playing with Bennett. About five minutes pass and I go back in. This time, it's a different girl. She's very somber and I can see the apologetic look on her face the minute I enter her room. I sit on her bed and ask her to sit next to me. We talk about her behavior and the things that I won't put up with and why. I tell her that she makes me angry when she yells at me like that because it's very disrespectful and that I will not put up with that. She nods her head; she understands. She tells me she's sorry. We hug. I ask her if there's anything else she'd like to say. She replies, "It makes me sad that you don't have time for me anymore" followed quickly by "we always have to deal with Bennett". With tears welling up in my eyes, I pull her onto my lap and give her a big hug. I tell her that I know what she means and that I can understand how she would feel that way. I tell her that's why the time we get to spend together alone is so special, because we have to work at it. And as for having time where we can't do stuff together because of Bennett, yeah, that's going to happen. That's part of being a family. I told her that what she told me made me sad, but that I understand how she feels and that I'm proud of her for telling me what she was feeling. I told her that I could hear it because she wasn't yelling it at me. So, I thanked her for saying it nicely. She nodded to all of this, understanding, agreeing, being heard.

Special moment, right?? Attitude changed, right??

UNTIL....

Not even an hour later, we are at Costco. Both kids are sitting in the buggy and they are both pushing their shoulders into each other. They are laughing at first, but we all know how this goes. I warned her that if she didn't stop, she wasn't going to get to have any of the samples there. She told me that she would not do it again and that she would behave. When she thought I wasn't looking, she totally shouldered him again. So, I told her that was it. OH MY GOSH! I THINK I MUST HAVE KILLED HER BABY KITTEN. She started crying and yelling at me that IT'S NOT FAIR!! GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE!! YOU NEVER GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE! I reminded her that I did, in fact, give her another chance when I warned her a mere two minutes before and that I couldn't take her word for it anymore because she told me she was going to behave. I told her that she would need to show me with her behavior. YOU NEED TO BELIEVE MY WORDS!

And then, the final words?? You ready for this?? Remember, she just turned five. Wait for it...




"When I grow up, I'm moving far, far away from YOU!


It took all my strength to not reply with "why wait?"

I had planned on taking the kids to the club with me this afternoon after naps, but changed my mind given her behavior (and Bennett's - he is tantruming like a two year old!). I decided to see if Lance could come home a little early so I could make a 6:30 water aerobics class. He did and I went. It was an hour and a half of pure whine free bliss. I did the class, and then hit the hot tub after to soothe my sore muscles. Showered and dried my hair and then came home at bedtime. I can see this becoming a habit. :)

Keys Recap: Road Trip with Kids

We took two days to drive down to the Keys. We thought it would be easiest for the kids, who aren't fond of sitting in one place for eight hours straight. I should have known how the trip was going to go when I found out that my Dad had broken the front gate of their neighborhood (they live in a gated community) with the boat that he was hauling down to the Keys for my brother.


We were only about 30 minutes late from the time that we had pick for our departure - naptime. Not too bad, but the kids were super cranky, ready to sleep and we are doing last minute packing and tying stuff down in the boat. And we are off! We get on the interstate (a VERY busy one at that) and all of the sudden, my Dad pulls over because, apparently, something had flown out of the boat. Into the middle of the interstate. And he was going to get it. I was really nervous and scared, but trying hard not to show it too much because I didn't want to scare the kids. He comes back, with a life jacket that had blown out of one of the compartments that had come open. Sweaty, panting, but not empty-handed! And we're off again!


Morgan immediately wants to watch a movie - Grandpa has a DVD player in the car and this is a luxury that we don't normally have. I told her that she could watch a movie after nap, so she proceeded to go right to sleep. Wish I could say the same for Bennett. We had missed The Window, and now he was overtired and cranky. The rest of the trip to Sunrise, FL was spent trying to get Bennett to go to sleep, asking Morgan to not talk so loud with her headphones on, and keeping a steady flow of snacks running through the car to keep the natives from getting too restless. About four hours after we started, we pull into the hotel parking lot and get checked in. My Dad has to find a place to park the boat and when we get out, we realize that one of the trailer tires is low! Needless to say, it had been a long day and we were wanting dinner and beds and dealing with a tire just didn't fit into that plan.


We went out to TGI Friday's for what might go down as Bennett's Worst Meal. I keep saying that he's at that age where you can't really take him out to restaraunts, but yet, I keep taking him! It's really my fault for bringing an overtired toddler who's been pent up in a car all day to a restaraunt, but needless to say, I really just wanted the food to be eaten and us to leave. I was all about a means to an end! After dinner, we headed back to the hotel and got the kids ready for bed.


Bennett was in a portable crib, and Morgan wanted to share a bed with Lance. I put Bennett down in the crib and tried to escape to the bathroom for a few moments of privacy. That's when I heard a loud *thump*. THUMP THUMP. I ran out of the bathroom, to find that Bennett was standing up, holding onto the crib railing and shaking it with all his strength. Against the wall. That we shared with another room. So, we moved him to the end of my bed and watched as he continued the show there. Morgan kept complaining that she couldn't go to sleep because Bennett was keeping her up. I was up and down, laying him down, wrapping him in a blanket, HOLDING HIM DOWN, anything to make him STOP! He continued and I was curled up in a ball, nearly in tears when Lance made a brilliant suggestion. IGNORE HIM. He will eventually stop. And he did.


Here's the little stinker, the next morning. Happy as a lark, acting as if he didn't keep us up all night. Loving up on Daddy.

The next day held a lot more promise. We were a mere 1 mile away from FLORIDA'S LARGEST MALL and the guys agreed to drop us off there after breakfast. After all, we couldn't check into the house until 3pm and the remainder of the drive was around 4 hours, so we had time to kill. When we walked out to the car, we took notice of the tire that was previously LOW and we realized that it was not low, it was FLAT. We were originally going to just take Bennett with us, and the guys were going to take Morgan with them geocaching, but the flat tire changed the plans a bit. We agreed to take the kids with us so we could still get our shop on and the guys were going to get the tire patched. We were dropped off at the mall a little before 10,when it opened, and instructed to meet them back at the drop off point at 11:30. We shopped our little hearts out and then headed back towards the pick up point around 11:15. That's when I got a phone call from my Dad letting me know that it was taking longer than they had thought. They would need another 10-15 minutes. They would call us. We didn't want to stray too far, so we hung around the stores closer to where they were going to be picking us up. 45 minutes later, we still hadn't heard from them. I called and confirmed that they were still working on the tire. Apparently they had accidentally lost their place in line and then when they were be attended to, finally, the guys at the tire place took the tire off my Dad's TRUCK instead of the trailer. Ha! Needless to say, the guys were a little perturbed at the whole situation, when they finally picked us up. And the kids were hungry. We stopped for gas and gas station goodies, as we were holding off for lunch in Islamorada Key, and then we were off again.

The drive down was somewhat uneventful, other than the bazillions of tolls that we encountered on the Florida turnpike. UNTIL we reached our lunch destination, the Bass Pro Shop, where they have a restaraunt out on a dock by the water. All ten of us were there at this point, my family, my parents and my brothers family and we decended on the restaraunt in need of highchairs and booster seats and milk/water for thirsty kids and snack for hungry ones too. There was a large aquarium inside the store where the kids could check out really large fish like tarpon and grouper. After eating, shopping and seeing, we headed back out to the car and I took one look at the boat trailer and realized that the OTHER tire on the same side of the boat trailer was low now. Not so bad that we couldn't keep driving, but we also didn't know where there would be a place to get the tired fixed when we got to the Key we were staying on, Cudjoe Key. We found a place, and while the kids slept in the running car, the tire was patched in just a few minutes while we waited.

After another hour or so, we were finally there! We got to the house and started unpacking everything. That's when we got a visit by the community security. Apparently they have a 6 person-per-house policy and we had 10 in our house. So, we ended up having to rent another house and move four of us there. My parents graciously agreed to stay with the kids while my brother, his wife, Lance and I slept at the other house. Not as we had planned, but it would have to work!

After getting settled in, we had to do some food shopping, so we made up our lists and my Mom, my sister-in-law, Amy, and I went to the grocery store, about 20 minutes from us. People, I've never SEEN shopping like THIS! We each had a cart. And it was full of groceries. It was like a grocery parade, coming out of that store! But, with six adults and four kids, it's what you need! It really was a funny sight. But you know what was even funnier? The expression on the guys' faces when we came back. With all those groceries. Ha!

Let the fun in the sun begin!

A letter from the heart, abs and quads

Dear Lisa,

I do realize that I've never actually *been* to a previous tone-sculpt-stretch class, but I also learned today that you don't normally teach this class, Katie does. Which leads me to the following thoughts:

• What did I do to you? Better yet, what did my triceps do to you? Did they wave at you inappropriately? They have a mind all their own...
• In general, when you are asking questions like "Is it burning?" or "How's everyone doing?" and you get no response, it really does speak for itself. WE CAN'T TALK AND DO THE CRAZY STUFF YOU ARE ASKING US TO DO!
• Do you realize that I have stairs at home? And a 22+ pound baby to haul around? I kind of need my arms and legs. And the fact that they are already giving out on me in my post-workout "high" is really not a good sign of things to come.
• Did you know that I walked into the class, a little timid but then quickly reassured when I saw the 80 year old woman that was bellied up to the free weights, picking her 5 pound weights? Did you also know that when I was huffing and puffing and giving my legs a rest, she kept going? Karma's a bitch.

I do not know how I will feel tomorrow, heck, I don't know how I'm going to be feeling tonight. But I do believe that I'll be trying a different class. Core fitness through dance sounds good. Unless you are the instructor. And then all bets are off!

Your thought-I-was-in-good-shape student,
Paige

I picked up the kids after my class and we swam for a little over an hour. Bennett had more fun in the toddler pool than I've ever seen him have. He was even trying to RUN into the 2 foot deep section and (insert panic attack), fell head-first into the water. I'm so glad I was being the overly-paranoid parent, shadowing his every move. He didn't even cry when I grabbed him up from the water. Boys!

Super Girl, it's a little early

I am woken up this morning at 6:15am to the giggles and pattering feet of Morgan and her best friend, Vincent, who spent the night last night after the party. A little early, yes, but it's so funny to listen to them "being quiet". Once they have woken up Bennett also, it's time for me to get up. I come downstairs and see Super Girl and her "husband" playing house. The costume is totally of her own doing. They say that kids imitate. I will state for the record now that I do not walk around my house with a Super Girl costume on. Wonder Woman is so much cooler. There's also other costumes strewn about the playroom - Snow White, Belle, and other various princesses. I looked at Vincent and he was lacking a costume, so I guess I'm gonna have to add some boy stuff to the collection.

Once Bennett was up, he became their "baby" or "kid" in their house (which was the playroom). They kept going out and buying toys for him to play with and taking turns watching him. I loved hearing them communicate back and forth to each other who was responsible for watching him. Equal opportunity parenting. We must be teaching these kids something right! :) Bennett was loving this, being the center of attention. He was happiest last night when he was in the thick of it all with all the big kids running around and playing around him. I must have another social butterfly on my hands.

Nevertheless, it's 8am and I'm ready to get a normal day rolling. It's been so long!

Happy birthday to my favorite girl!

At this moment five years ago, I was gazing into my new daughter's eyes, wondering about all of the things that lay ahead. I saw her face and could immediately see myself in it, as well as my husband's. But what would she be like? Will she be an easy baby, or difficult? When will she learn to walk? Talk? When will she fall in love for the first time? Will she love to read like I do? Will she like to dance or play sports more? How old will she be when she first rides a bike? Will her hair turn really blonde or will it fall out? Will she really be so "terrible" when she turns two? I just couldn't imagine it, because at that moment, my heart filled with so much love.

Having gone into labor early, we weren't the most prepared. We were keeping the gender a surprise, but from the moment my water broke, my father told me that he knew it must be a girl. Ten years before, to the date, my dear childhood friend has passed away at the age of 16 in a tragic car accident. You see, we knew that we had an angel looking out for us. One that was helping my new child make it's way into this world. We had already planned to name her after my friend, Becky. If she was a girl, her middle name would be Rebecca. This was set from the moment we found out we were pregnant. So, even though we still hadn't found out the sex, when my water broke, we sort of thought it would be a girl.

Imagine my joy and the unbelievable feelings when the doctor announced, "It's a girl!". I couldn't believe it and I knew it all along, all at the same time. And I looked at her, and I fell in love.

Now that little bundle of joy is over fourty pounds heavy. She's tall enough to reach the bathroom sink faucets, resourceful enough to get her own water out of the refrigerator and independant enough to get up, get dressed and make her bed, all before I'm awake. How did this happen? How did my tiny baby, all 7 pounds and 11 ounces of her, get so big that she didn't need me to do these things anymore? It happens without you realizing. All of the sudden, you stop one day and realize that she doesn't need you to wipe her bottom, put the toothpaste on her toothbrush, or pick out her clothes. And while you're glad that you are raising an self sufficient individual, you can't help but wonder when she grew up? Was it while I was sleeping? Did I miss it when I was checking my email the other day? Or maybe it was when I was busy mopping the floor.

Five years have passed since I met her. It was instant love, but as I've gotten to know her, know her personality and some of those initial questions have been answered, I love her more than ever. When you cut through all the four-year-old crap, she's a good kid with a good heart. She loves with wreckless abandon. If I had a dollar for every time she told me that she loved me, I'd be a very rich person. Who am I kidding? I don't need the dollars to be rich.

We've had quite the run so far and I'm looking forward to the next five years. Because I KNOW it's downhill after that. She's enough like me for me to know I've got my work cut out for me when she hits those pre-teen and teenage years. :) Until then, I promise to watch, enjoy and live in the moment. I promise to continue to tell her each night how much I love her and how lucky I am to have her. She's my favorite girl. These times are so special, but so fleeting.

Dancing Queen

Today was the day of Morgan's first dance recital. Before I get into the actual recital, can I please just talk about the preparation for just a moment? There isn't much that I've experienced that is as difficult and as frustrating as trying to put mascara on an almost-five-year-old. Look up. But not that far up. Look at me. DON'T LOOK DOWN. Don't blink! But, alas we got the makeup done and the bun with the bobby pins that hurt all done and she was dressed in her itchy costume on deposited at the theater on time.

The dance was quite funny and cute. Girls going every which way, sometimes keeping time, most of the time not. Lots of exclamations of "My Mom!" and lots of correcting wrong feet. Of course, I got all teary-eyed. I have lots of fond childhood memories of dance and recitals, specifically. The best was the moment that she realized that we were sitting there in the audience. She got this huge smile and wide-eyed expression on her face and started waving.

There were two performances and she had to stay at the theater ALL day, sans nap. Difficult, but she hung in there and made it the whole way through. After the second performance, during the grand finale (and the speech that went on forever), she was going crazy up on the stage, signing all kinds of stuff to me. Yep, that's my girl, signing "I Love You" to me. How can I NOT get teary-eyed?

We rewarded her long day of dancing without a nap with dinner at her restaurant of choice (she picked Chili's) and we even let her have chocolate milk with her dinner. Yeah....we REALLY cut loose! :) Plus, it's her pre-birthday dinner. Because tomorrow? She turns five. And, as some sort of offering to the birthday gods, she decided that she would like to bathe herself, including shampoo and conditioner in the shower tonight. And she did it all. By herself. Not even an ounce of help from me. My little girl is growing up!