I realized this afternoon that I had forgotten to post something that I had written last week. I had saved it because someone came to the door but I forgot to go back and publish it. Oops. You can see it here. The fact that I figured out how to make a link to that all by myself has me very impressed with myself. I rock.
Yesterday there was no school on account of President's Day. I had spent the weekend on the couch, um, "relaxing" and so I didn't get a lot done, so yesterday was jam packed. Emily and I had dentist appointments at 7:50--A.M.! I was clearly smoking something when I scheduled that. Anyhoo, after that I went grocery shopping at Wal-mart for 2 hours, which is always a good time. I came home, put the groceries away, grabbed lunch and went to the orthodontist with.....Noah. Yes, for those of you keeping count this is child #3 with orthodontia. He got braces on his top teeth and some wire doohicky called a TPA. I'll have to explain the reasons for his braces in another post--it's way too long a story. So, I came home from the ortho and pruned the rose bushes in the front of the house in between spurts of rain. I got all of the trimmings to the curb for bulk trash pick up and then had to head inside to make dinner because my parents, who arrived in town yesterday, were coming over. In the middle of making it I discovered that I did not have an ingredient and so I had to run to the store. The first store, of course didn't have it, so I had to go somewhere else. I came home, finished making dinner and then greeted my parents. My friend Velma dropped her baby Jackson off for us to babysit as well. (He is so cute and I am his favorite "aunt" and so I am willing to babysit him even at the end of an exhausting day!) We had dinner with my parents and then got the kids in bed after they left. I finished cleaning up the kitchen and then made muffins for the kids breakfast just to show what a great mom I am. Actually, it was because I have a breakfast menu that I made for them in an attempt to control the morning chaos and muffins was on it for today. Instead of rearranging the menu I figured I'd just bite the bullet and make the muffins. Don't be too impressed, it was a box mix. Then after a conversation during which we both were working to keep our eyes open, Sam and I fell asleep on the living room couches. I woke up around 11 and went to bed.
Man, I'm tired just typing all of that. I was like some kind of superhero housewife. It was the pruning of the rose bushes that pushed it over into the superhero category. I have never pruned a rose bush or any other shrubbery in my entire life. Just call me Pruner Woman. On second thought, don't. Mega Mom will do. Or Your Majesty. You pick.
I'll try to remember to post a picture later of Toothless Tommy. But the story can't wait.
This morning I came downstairs for breakfast and Tommy greeted me with his second front tooth missing. And a huge toothless grin. I was very surprised because I was not aware it was loose enough to be pulled. So, I mentioned this.
"Oh, it was really hard to get out," says Noah.
"And it REALLY hurt!" says Tommy.
"NOAH? Why did you keep trying to pull it out then????" I said it the most controlled voice I could manage.
"Because he wanted me to."
"I did!" says Mr. I Can't Stop Grinning.
Apparently there were large quantities of blood as well. I am just glad I didn't come down in the middle of the torture chamber style extraction.
Apparently we need to have a conversation with Tommy about letting things happen in their own time. That tooth was seriously NOT that loose and I would NEVER in a million years have suggested that it be pulled. The really sad thing is that the same thing has happened with the other teeth he's lost. And not surprisingly the same extractionist was employed. I just hope he doesn't suggest that Noah take his tonsils out.
Rachel is 9 today. Weird. I say it every time one of the kids has a birthday, but how did she get to be 9??
She had 10 friends over yesterday for a craft party. They made crafts from the moment they got here until the moment their parents disappointed them by picking them up when they weren't finished with something. It seems no matter what time you arrive to pick your kid up from a birthday party it is always too early.
It just occurred to me that we forgot to take her to Joe's BBQ for her free meal. Shhhh. Don't say anything, maybe she won't remember. Sam did take her out for a donut at Safeway this morning since we are still a Krispy Kreme-free state.
She spent most of the day commenting on how she couldn't wait to open her presents. And she thoroughly enjoyed that process to be sure. She went to bed planning out what she would play with when and in what order. She got a CD player and a pillow with speakers in it and so she went to sleep with a CD playing in her ear. I'm sure she's dreaming about what she will buy with the money her aunts sent her. The only thing she has said for sure she's going to buy is a Stoudemire Suns jersey. She is sooooo not a girly girl. Although she's not 100% tomboy either. She plays with the girls during the morning recess and then she plays basketball with the boys during the afternoon recess. She's got it all figured out. And the Stoudemire thing was funny too. She says that "everyone else has Nash, but I like to be different." That I can confirm wholeheartedly.
Her meal request was heavy on the carbs (they all seem to be). She wanted a tortellini/chicken/broccoli ready to make frozen meal that I get at Costco (it truly doesn't get much easier than that), white cheddar shell pasta, and broccoli. I convinced her to switch the broccoli to peas since there was already broccoli in the tortellini. But there was no point in mentioning that two kinds of pasta with sauces seemed like overkill. Those were her favorites. So, that was dinner. It was incredibly easy to make though. So, I was very thankful for that. For dessert we had a yummy oreo/pudding/cool whip dessert thing. Thankfully my kids have gotten away from wanting cake and so we get a nice variety of desserts for their birthday dinners.
One of her gifts was a Radio Disney CD that has dance songs on it. So we cranked it up and the kids were doing the Cha Cha Slide and the Macarena as well as jamming to Who Let the Dogs Out. Do we know how to throw a party or what? The neighbors probably thought we had lost our minds since we had to open the windows to cool the room off with 5 sweaty children jumping around.
Now all that's left for me is to clean up the wrapping paper, do the dishes, and get 24 ice cream sandwiches for her to have at school with her classmates tomorrow. Birthdays last much longer for moms than they do for kids. I just want to know one thing: when is my mom going to come and pick me up?????
So, the good news is that I am fully recovered from my stint with the first graders who may someday be seen on COPS and/or America's Most Wanted. I ended up taking a two hour nap that evening. Wow. Their teacher must collapse at the end of each day. And she goes home to 4 children of her own. I hope they are very quiet children.
An unanticipated consequence of me substitute teaching is that my children are now wishing illness upon their teachers! Katya came home yesterday with a gleam in her eye and announced that her teacher was losing her voice. I expressed concern (silly me) and Katya had to point out the obvious upside being the possibility of having me sub in her class. Ohhh. What was I thinking?
I don't think they are hoping for any long term, serious illnesses (hopefully)--as they really like their teachers--but a little flu or a back problem or something that would keep them home for a day would thrill the kids to no end.
But, they love me and like to be with me. They just happen to be communicating that in an odd, twisted, wishing-illness-upon-others way. What great kids.
I am currently numb. Exhausted and numb. I had my first day of substituting today. First grade (not Tommy's class though). This class was unbelievable. They didn't stop talking. Literally. I would get their attention for maybe 20 seconds and it would start back up again. And there were several boys in there that made Tommy look like he was sitting still. By lunch time I knew all of the kids names. ALL of them! That is practically unheard of when you are substituting. You only get to know the kids names when you have to constantly get their attention to tell them to stop doing something. Hence, I knew them all. Including 2 Kyles, 2 Cadens and 2 Ethans. One little boy didn't do a thing I told him to. He did what he wanted, when he wanted, where he wanted. I knew his name within seconds. I may have nightmares about him.
First grade teachers have my undying respect at this point. I didn't stop moving from one place to another all day. They truly earn their money.
The upside was that I got several hugs from kids as they left. One girl even told me I was a good substitute. So, I've got that going for me. :-)
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