Hey Bro!

Ella knows best!

At bedtime tonight, Benjamin asks "What does the Statue of Liberty look like" and before I could utter even a syllable - Ella blurts out "I know what the Tattoo of liberty looks like - she wears a nightgown and holds up a cup up like this"

Can you tell I'm numb?

Hopefully he will have better luck (and habits) with his permanent teeth - This is the first of two crowns he needs on his molars - I didn't even know that they did that for baby teeth but the dentist says he needs them until he is at least 12, so if he has cavities they could effect his permanent teeth. - He is rather enjoying himself - missing school, laughing gas, and now he is being pampered watching cartoons and laying on the sofa!

Hated to do it but...

I added word verification to the comments - I didn't want to add an extra step - I don't like the idea of slowing down or deterring family and friends from making comments (they make my day) but I HATE the onslaught of stupid spam comments. So now after you type your comment you will have to copy a hodgepodge of letters they have on the screen so that computer generated comments won't appear on my blog.
For the most part they were benign but tonight as soon as I posted the last time, there were immediately 3 about you-know-what enlargement! - Can't have that on my babies' blog! - What I always wonder about spam is who buys this crap? - I almost get more angry about the people who actually buy into this junk and perpetuate the cycle than the spam makers themselves - after all we are a capitalist society - so I suppose they have a right to try to sell their product - I just want to hunt down the idiots that keep them in business!!

PS. Random thought - I just spell checked and Blogger.com's spell checker flags the word "blog" - kind of funny:) - I wonder if it will ever actually get in a dictionary - I often have to explain it to people!

Start the movie, We're ready

(sorry about the red-eye, I'm experimenting with different flash settings on the camera - probably could have fixed it somehow but not enough time...)

I don't know about this...

Maiya's first medicine experience!

Oh joy ...

She is getting so big!

15 lbs. 3 oz.

Well Maiya and I have thrush. I have come to the conclusion that maybe nomadic tribes are on to something .. You know being naked all the time - The doctor said I have to make sure to 'air-dry' after each feeding - no problem I'll add that to my daily schedule! Now on top of everything else I have to sit with it all hanging out after each feeding as well as apply ointment for the next 10 days! What fun...

While I am frustrated I will complain about the pharmacy too - I really like that new commercial with the people getting crappy service then the tagline is "What happened to customer service?" FOR REAL !!!

At the pharmacy they said it would take a 1/2 hour,so for thirty minutes, I tried to keep all three kids occupied only to come back at my allotted time and be told that the insurance didn't have Maiya in their records so they didn't fill the prescription - I called the ins co. right there on my cell phone and they said no she was covered - the idiot working there had messed up Kyle SSN and while I was waiting I heard her mess it up twice more - after correcting her each time and waiting another 45 minutes I was 'fit to be tied' as my Me-maw would have said!!

Then on top of everything else ... Benjamin decided to start ignoring me while we were waiting so after the 4th time of asking him to stop doing something - I took away his dollar toy... well of course he lost total control - you know the kind of fit I'm talking about crying, begging, snot everywhere - I remained cool and stoic and calmly explained that no he is not getting the toy back and he'll lose TV time if he keeps it up - then this lady next to us - says "oh I feel so sorry for him - are you sure he can't have his toy" - I almost took something out of her cart "I am sorry mam, but you have just lost your snickers bar for being a meddling pain in the butt!!"

Besides I really didn't mind Benjamin's fit - I figured the louder he got maybe the quicker the pharmacy girl would be!!

Wipeout!

Benjamin is really getting into riding his bike - he goes pretty fast now and he has to ride back in circles around us as we walk so he doesn't go too far ahead. Tonight he shot straight out of the door and was way ahead in no time - I yelled at him to come back around and he cut it too fast and wiped out big time - I ran up to him and he wasn't crying, just laying flat on his back looking up into the air with his eyes as big as saucers - I stayed calm so he would too "well Benjamin you had your first real fall - how was it?" He says slowly without a single tear "Actually, It was miserable" His response caught me off guard and cracked me up! I helped him up and he was on his way again ... and yes Grandma and Nana he was wearing his helmet.

Issues

What to do... What to do? - I have long felt that I have the 'bad' kid at playdates, playgrounds, church etc. I don't think it is Benjamin's fault though - for one thing he is bigger and louder. Other mom's seem to automatically get defensive around him. - Its really frustrating, I can't tell you how many times I have seen other people's kids do something, then Ella do it, then Benjamin does the exact same thing and they go nuts! A specific example ... At the bus stop a neighbor has a kindergartener and a baby a few weeks older than Maiya - and we all know Benjamin LOVES babies so he always wants to say hi to her baby and try to make the baby laugh etc. But as soon as he gets near the stroller, she's like 'Not by the baby, don't touch, you have germs, (basically she starts lecturing him!) -- And then I don't know exactly what to do because I let him cuddle all he wants with Maiya. (Plus I can't help thinking to myself that if she breastfed her baby she wouldn't worry about germs so much!) So I explain to him that we don't touch other peoples' babies. THEN this morning we walk down everyone else is already there, the lady has her baby in the car seat sitting on the sidewalk, there are 3 girls - yes three - all around her baby, touching her hair, cheeks, one even lightly touched the baby's lips - and she says NOTHING then Benjamin tickles the babies toes and WHAM she is on Benjamin like white on rice lecturing about not touching her baby- I was really mad, but what can I do? Do they have personal ads for mothers - Married Mother of 3 seeks another mother without overprotective neurosis for playdates to let my larger-than-average for his age boy be just that -- a BOY!
Another general issue - somewhat related? - When in a group setting and the kids are doing something that is A-OK by you but all of sudden the other mom starts to reprimand her kid - do you stop yours too?
Uggh - this is what I don't like about school - If it was anything else we could just avoid the frustration - but can't avoid the bus stop!

For comparison

Tub pic of Maiya at 6 weeks

Guess who

Daddy at 6 weeks

3.5 months

3.5 months

Aaron 4 / 5 weeks

There is no denying your father Maiya - Even Ella said this morning that is a cute picture of Maiya! She also asked if Uncle Aaron was Benjamin.

Discovering her world

Benjamin gets the smiles!!
Brother is trying to get me to patty-cake
Holy crap there is a bear right there!

Sick of it!!

I have a major frustration with TV - I know its mostly crap and I try to keep it off more often than not. I try to pick half way decent things to watch but what ends up being the problem are commercials and previews - why do they insist on having gory, scary, immodest commercials on in every time slot? If the show isn't appropriate until after 9pm the content of their commercials should be the same. Benjamin doesn't pay a whole lot of attention but Ella sure does and should I have to explain a stabbing, dug up human bones, a woman faking an orgasm, and a morgue scene to a 3 year old after a few commercials. Don't even get me started on Movie rental places either, where on any shelf they have bloody images on all of the recent horror movies just a few spaces down from Barbie & the Unicorn! Maybe soon we can get TIVO or something like it and go commercial free or the opposite just go TV free!

Tried to catch a smile

I am trying to catch Maiya's newest skill on camera ... HUGE ear to ear toothless grins - Daddy is the best at getting her to do it. Every time I see one I hear that song in my head....

"I think to myself; what a wonderful world"

Can't get her to keep her head up no matter how many times I fix her, prop her up or change positions!

Notice sister posing next to her - I swear she could be a mile away and hear the click of the camera turning on!

Backfire

We have been trying to teach the kids about all the reasons you pray and that with prayer the Holy Ghost can help you and you will feel comforted and get help with your problems, etc. Well Benjamin got in big trouble yesterday and was in timeout and on the verge of losing major privileges when he says "Can I say a Prayer?" of course Benjamin. "Dear HF, please help my mom not to be so angry and let her forgive me so I don't have to go in timeout" --- I DON'T THINK SO!, sorry Benjamin but I am pulling rank here, prayer helps but it doesn't get you out of timeout!!

Look familiar?

Ella and pal

September 14, 2005

Mom: Not to single out one of my blog fans, but doesn't this picture look just like that one of me and a friend taken when we lived in Miami? If I had that photo album I would post them side by side because they are almost identical in my minds' eye!

I'll take both!

Some old baby pics of Benjamin and Ella... I'm not sure who Maiya looks like.

I told Ella to come and give me a hug - She said do you want a bear hug or a turtle hug? It cracked me up ... what is a turtle hug? A bear hug is a big hug and a turtle hug is a little hug!

Someone needs attention

I feel like I have to play my cards just right ... Ella is really pushing my buttons - I suppose this is her way of displaying frustration with Benjamin being in school. For the past 2 days she has been crying over the least little things (which isn't far from normal) but now she will cry forever! This morning she asked for gum and I said no because there are only a few pieces left - that was at 10:15 she is still crying about it almost an hour later. And its not just fussy crying its wailing/screaming crying! When Benjamin got home yesterday she kept picking on him, taking everything he set down and then not giving it back. Then with the baby she likes to 'help' but lately she wants to do it all by herself so there is Maiya naked on the couch mid diaper change and Ella refusing to give me the diaper because she wants to do it all by herself. And I have tried to get a couple pictures of the baby and Ella jumps beside her for every shot. (How dare I take a picture in this house and not include Ella - I swear I could go take pics of Zeke's poo and Ella would pose beside it) I want to handle this the right way though - I want' her to feel 'included' and 'respected' and all that psycho babble stuff but I also want to nip this crap in the bud! Or is middle child syndrome inevitable?

Happy Bday Daddy

We celebrated daddy's B-day tonight - cuz this is going to be a busy week and because he got a new fancy remote and the gadget to get our DVD play set up upstairs and mommy wanted it set-up ;) As of the time of this post Daddy is not having birthday luck his fantasy team is struggling - he just yelled at Peyton so loud it made the baby cry!

Mouths of Babes

Benjamin and Ella had a 'fun night' on Friday with their friends Kaitlyn and Jacob from church. Their mom asked them a bunch of questions - they gave hysterical answers ... here are a few

Benjamin:
So, what do you think of the time space continuum?
"Yeah, its very long"
What is love?
"My mom, and she plays with me?" ok yeah it made me feel good to hear that - there is a reason I am a penny pinching stay at home mom
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
(a blank stare) "huh? ummm I only eat eggs, not chickens"
What are you going to be when you grow up?
"A first grader!"

Ella:
So how about that hurricane Katrina?
"No, she is not my friend!"
Do you think Einstein was right when he said E=mc2?
"Nooo, E is not square, its like this .. thats sooo easy"
How much did your house cost?
"Umm, I dunno, maybe it was a lot like $5" (smiles)
What is the purpose of life?
"What? I am too little, I only have 3 lives"

Already?

Tonight as we were getting ready for bed Benjamin says "I don't think I want to be a big boy anymore" - I don't want to go to kindergarten anymore" - We talked things through and he is most intimidated by the school bus, the one thing I thought he would be fine with since he has done it for quite a while for speech therapy. But I think its being on there with so many kids in the morning then riding home on a different bus than he went on. So I assured him that the bus knows where he lives and that they won't let him off the bus unless I am there waiting for him. I felt better later because in his nighttime prayer he says "help me to be brave and remember that the bus lady knows where I live"
Another quick story, as they were getting ready for bed, Ella says to him "Pick up your dolls Ben" and he quickly corrects her "they are action figures - that's what you call dolls for boys"

Neat - O

We borrowed this groovy little seat from Ms. Margaret that helps Maiya sit-up, she is not quite ready but she looks adorable trying!

Yes or No

Patience is a virtue they say but mine can run low sometimes. When giving the kids choices, for instance, do you want ketchup on your nuggets? or do you want some milk? They tend to easily digress - just standing there murmuring umm no I want Ice cream... Ice cream? just give me a yes or no answer. "Ketchup YES OR NO" - Its gotten so bad that just about every question I ask I follow with yes or no. Tonight after the kids were in bed I was packing Kyle leftovers for lunch - I turned to him and asked "Do you want the peas too? YES OR NO?" He looked at me like I was crazy and I didn't even realize why - he slowly answers yes peas would be nice. All of a sudden I thought do I talk to everyone like they are 5 years old or younger? Have I done this in public? At the cash register..."Did you already give me the receipt? YES OR NO?" You know those elastic bands like the 'livestrong' ones that have become so popular in numerous colors. There should be one for mothers of multiple toddlers to forewarn people of your possible craziness.

Attn: Family!

My friend at church took some great pics of the kids on Sunday -- The two above are just a sample - she did a really good job and I have a lot of options - email me, and let me know what sizes you want and how many (approx) I can do 5x7, 4x6, wallet, and mini!

OK

Everything went just fine - He came off the bus very happy. He has a folder full of papers for mommy to fill out so no more bloggin today!

If the phone number rings...

I'm ready
Ella giving him instructions about school the whole way to the bus stop
Yes, He cut in line but the big kids let him
In the front seat

At breakfast this morning, Benjamin says rather seriously, "Mommy if the phone number rings and its Mrs. Mason, answer it because I will want you." - No worries Benjamin mommy will have the phone practically in her pocket all day.

Where will I sleep?

Cardboard Armor works for Benjamin but Mommy needs something stronger!

As you can see I have added a few things tonight - I am burning off nervous energy about B's first day of school tomorrow. Today was a nice day, we put air in the kids bike tires and went down to Mt Trashmore and went riding around the lake, then when we got home the pool was open for its last day this season so we all went for a swim (as you can see in the other post even Maiya got ready but it was actually too chilly for her to take a little dip), then we had a lazy afternoon. A few comments Benjamin made throughout the day pulled a little to hard on my heart strings. First thing this morning as Kyle was working on his bike he kept asking Why this Why that, then out of nowhere he says "I shouldn't ask why, my friend (name excluded) says I ask 'why' too much" then later he says "My friend says I talk funny" - Is it wrong for a protective mom to want to go beat up another kid? - The funny thing is though it didn't really seem to bother Benjamin at all. He was very matter of fact about it, and Kyle very eloquently said everybody does things differently, people look different, act different, and sound different. And then later to max out my emotions Benjamin (still matter of fact) comes and asks where will he sleep at school. Good lord, this poor child thinks I am sending him away to kindergarten to live? "no angel you will be back home right before lunch time - where as mommy's heart has officially taken up residence in her throat!

Sissy

So happy together...

Happy Labor Day

"Hey my sister may I borrow a copy of your 'Hey Soul' classsics?"

"No my friend, you have to go buy your own"

modified quote from my mommy's fav movie Say Anything!

Still waiting

I came home from late grocery shopping the other night - its too hard to do a big trip by myself anymore, I found poor Kyle comforting a fussy baby with Benjamin and Ella found as pictured waiting for their bedtime stories. Maiya wouldn't cooperate and apparently they couldn't wait anymore.

Compliment?

We had cheap ramen noodles for lunch - as you can see from the pics the kids enjoyed their lunch thoroughly. When they were done Ella says "mommy you are a good cooker" and then Benjamin says "yeah this is the best thing you have ever made"

Warning

If you decide to blog hop be warned they are not all in good taste!

Reverse discipline

First off I just want to say how grateful I am for all of the little blessings I take for granted. Watching the coverage of the hurricane in all its devastation is just awful. I just can't possibly imagine going through that with my family and its seems that victims of this hurricane will be going through it for quite some time.
I was blog hopping a little the other day - as you can see at the top of this you can jump to the next blog that blogger hosts. I went a few ahead and it was titled "Matthew's blog" and it was a blog of a family waiting for a heart transplant for their infant son. The hurricane already had me in a a somber mood and my heart just broke for these people.
It seems sometimes "pray for me" and "pray for these people" and "keep me in your prayers" can be over used and loses its meaning. But tonight these people truly will be in my prayers as well as intense gratitude for all the wonderful blessings in my life.
Now what initially prompted me to write was that as you can see I have been glued to the TV watching the hurricane coverage - I am not so much watching as just keeping it on to see any new developments. So about 5 minutes ago Benjamin gets up from playing, turns off the TV and with a half stern look says "Mommy I turned it off - you have watched way too much TV today."