Rick's Latest Project

I tell you, it is a lot of work thinking up things for Rick to do!

Here are some pictures of the project he just finished in Katie's room. The first picture is a before picture.

He added the shelves and the window seats which have drawers under them.

I am so proud of little Ricky! He did a great job and Katie loves her new space! I'm glad she likes it because she spends a lot of time in her room with the door shut to keep Micah out of all the little things in there.

I discovered another basic truth about children recently. There is a major difference between little children and older children in their willingness to share self-incriminating information. I wonder when the ability to discern which things are good to share with parents and which things aren't advisable to share develops. It hasn't developed in Katie!

Today, for instance, we are getting out of the car after coming home from a swimming birthday party she had with about 10 kids and she tells me, "Mom - I had to pee pee in the pool today, 2 TIMES!" (hee hee hee) Now, what in the heck am I supposed to do with that information? It's a little late to call everyone out of the pool due to a toxic spill. Also, she knows that's not cool and that I'm going to scold her for it! Why tell me now?

Another episode occurred a couple weeks ago. When we were saying prayers at bedtime, I asked her to think of things to thank God for. Then I asked her if there was anything she should tell God she was sorry for and ask him to help her not do again. After some prompting, she remembered that she had kicked her brother that day, just out of spite, and infortunately for her, right in front of me. So she prays, "....and God, please forgive me for kicking my brother today. (Mom - I really kicked him 2 times when you weren't looking) Please help me not to kick him again...." So what do I do now? Do priests impose penalties on their confessors when they find out what they have done? She was asking forgiveness and so if God forgives her, I guess I have to also!

Good grief. Kids are so funny! I dread Katie losing her lack of inhibition! We will be much less entertained!

The Last First Day of Preschool...

...for Katie was today! She started back at the same school she has gone to for the last 2 years and she was very excited.
It was so cute to hear the greetings between friends! Katie's favorite is "Hey, Girrrrrrrl!"

I can already tell that Micah misses Katie! He fears less for his life, and we both enjoy the quiet, but she is a breath (or sometimes a tornado) of fresh air and I can't wait to pick her up and see how her day was! This time next year.... Well, we just won't go there! Happy Monday!

One of the blogs I check periodically had an entry that discussed who the best bloggers were and his conclusion was stay-at-home moms. Why exactly, I don't remember, but I guess I blow that theory. Sure, technically I have time to blog - the kids nap for a couple hours a day - but those hours are crammed with all the things I find difficult to accomplish during waking hours. Such as...

Micah's absolute fascination with the inside of the dishwasher! Wow. Never seen anything quite like it. He can be at the other end of the house, totally occupied and content, and he hears the tiny click of the dishwasher opening and he's there as fast as his little knees can squeak across the wood floor. So, naps are for doing dishes.

Likewise, there is a distinct fascination with the inside of the dryer, which is usually hot and not a baby-friendly environment.

And then there is the vaccuum. Kids typically fall into 2 categories when it comes to the vaccuum, and both are represented at my house. There is the mortal fear/extreme stress, related to the racket of it, which results in crying and fleeing (Katie). The other type is the "wonder-what-that-noise-is-and-if-I-can-crawl-under-it" - Micah. Both make vaccuuming difficult during waking hours. Another chore for naptime.

The mopping - water in free availability. You know...

Etc.

So, all that to say, I am a poor blogger, but for good reason. There are moments when the kids are awake that I can sneak off to the computer, and I do. However, if discovered, Katie begins the interogation (ie. What are you doing? Can I play Sesame Street? Can I have a princess fruit snack? When are we going somewhere? Why can't we have a dog? What part of the cow did my burger come from? etc.) Her loud, squeaky little voice attracks Micah to the scene, who promptly reaches for whatever he can reach on the computer desk. So, my screen begins to read 33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333 You get the idea!

Sorry. I'd love to fill your day with laughs and delight. But it probably won't happen on a regular basis here in cyberworld. You'll just have to come visit for that! My kiddos are great for that these days! Katie is dying to go back-riding (on a horse) and loves the flowers Rick bought me for our anniversary today, which she calls raviolas. Micah still only talks about cookies, but he is sure funny to get love from. He has the stereotypical (wow, long word to spell this late) slobbery kiss that folks without kids are grossed out by, but moms and dads get a kick out of. He is also so close to walking that life is pretty action-packed lately! We are also watching to see him finally take Katie down - there are some paybacks due and he is getting close to being stronger that she is. Shoot - couple more weeks and he'll be able to take us out.

Rick and I did get to go on a date this weekend for our anniversary - #11! And the best part was, Micah didn't even have a fit while we were gone. Wish I had known that while I was flying through dinner, stressed that our friends the Akers, who had the kids, wouldn't talk to us anymore after they had put up with him screaming for 2 hours! Micah is still loving me a little too much! I'm trying to enjoy it. It goes so fast.... yada yada yada.

Well, that's about all my sleep deprived brain can hold, so I'm done! I'll try to come up with more deep and profound, or at least somewhat entertaining things to post. Happy Saturday!