Doug's Message

Doug is having a hard time sleeping. Since he did not nap today I doubt it is from over-sleeping last night. Perhaps the children's cold medication is causing sleeplessness.
Anyway, here is a message from Doug.
"I like to play Thomas games on the computer. I love Thomas's friends. Thomas's friends are cool. I'm getting really good with my mouse skills and I'm practicing racing game for Sir Topham Hat."

Get'r Done

We made progress today. Got some shopping done, Jim fixed the light kit on the fan in the den, made some decisions about things and I even worked on my paper a little bit. The down side of the day has been incredibly whiny children. All three of them have colds (I'm sure everyone is glad that we stayed home for Labor Day weekend rather then exposing them to our virus) and Doug was short of sleep because he was so restless during last night and then couldn't fall asleep for a nap. Jim is already feeling much better and we are hoping they all had the same cold so that everyone else will get better quickly also.

I also hung the cuckoo clock yesterday. It has been sitting on the piano for a loooooong time and I had honestly forgotten it until Andy started playing with it. So fortunately it still works. When I first hung it up it's cuckoo sounded a little sick and when I was setting it to the correct time all of the hours that it sounded had an extra cuckoo. However, it seems to sound better now and not be adding extra cuckoos.
Doug & Andy don't remember it from out old house, so of course they are all really fascinated by it. When Andy hears it go off he say "I heard it. Did you hear it?"
I hung it REALLY high up so that at least Jo can't reach the chains. And now, an added benefit, I can tell them that they need to do xyz before the next cuckoo.

New Olympics

As I was rushing across campus with Jo in a stroller, trying to get some errands done before I had to pick up the boys from preschool, I saw a couple of people wearing track and field shirts. I was thinking about how the historic track and field events were based on skills that people needed for living. I think it is time they updated the events for modern living.
I suggest:

• The 50m stroller dash
• The three flight of steps carrying a rear facing car seat
• The dash for the plane carrying all your luggage (or for the class that already started and you're carrying your backpack)
  
• The car push for when your starter has gone out and you need to pop start your car

Altered States

Each of my children were not in the state that they wanted to be...
Doug- got up at 6am and said that he wanted to watch TV. I told him it was too early and cuddled up with him. He must have found a good position because he was asleep in seconds and continued to sleep for another almost 2 hours and I had to wake him up.
Jo- proceeded to nap after the boys went to preschool.
Andy- came in and said that he didn't get enough rest and he wanted to sleep with me. I was already getting dressed so he ended up going to watch TV rather than going to sleep like he wanted.

Possibly Misconstrued...

Jim and I went and worked out at the Student Rec center today. We actually investigated the "Family Changing Room" and decided to use it because it was neater than the unisex changing rooms and we could talk.
So if you had been standing outside the door as we were getting dressed afterwards, you might have heard a conversation that went something like this:
Jim: Their really uneven
Me: They are?
Jim: Yeah...the one on the left is higher
Me: Well, let me fix them...is that better
Jim: I don't know. Let me look at you from the front. The one on the right is higher now.
Me: Ok, how about now?
Jim: That looks better

No...get your mind out of the gutter. We were talking about the pig-tails in my hair.

How Rude

I was walking into a coffee shop today with the three kids and as I passed a bench a man looked at me. Then he said "bless your heart" (a VERY Southern phrase) and "you have your hands full."
Now I am used to all of these comments and usually just say yes, or smile, or say "only what God gave me" or something like that and usually that ends it.
BUT then he said "You need food stamps."
Now, I have nothing against food stamps and people who qualify for food stamps and don't get me started on the conflict between people saying they are a Christian but who wants to cut funding for programs that help "the least of these" as the Bible says.
However, I am trying to figure out why this man seems to think that having three children close in age qualifies me for food stamps (and him not even knowing for sure that they were all mine...Doug and Andy could definitely pass for friends rather than twin brothers at first glance). For all he knows I could have been the CEO of a major company, a doctor out with my children, an heiress to a million dollar fortune, etc.
I am not quite sure why his comment has me so pissed off. I wish I could say that I put him in his place, but I walked on in disbelief that someone would utter such a thing without knowing anything about me.

I'm lucky

This morning was the first day they have had the morning drop-off line at preschool. The boys did just fine. Doug did tell me that he was going to stay and do work with me, but he went just fine. So we have had three days without tears. My guys have always been flexible enough to not be too upset about me leaving them with someone else. Don't get me wrong...we have had our moments, and currently Josie is in a phase where she is upset when she realizes that I am leaving. However, I was feeling lucky to have such independent kids (even if sometimes that makes them a handful). The children in at least the two cars in front of me had to be torn physically from their mothers and were carried in kicking and screaming. My two just held the teacher's hand and walked in the door with hardly a glance back at me.

It's tough

It's tough to get motivated to do things when it is so rainy and drizzly outside.
It's also tough to get motivated to do actual work when there are so many household things screaming at me to be done.
Doug and Andy are at their second day of preschool and Jo is nappnig. Apparently Doug missed me yesterday afternoon while I was on campus, but they were so excited about preschool when I picked them up. They were in bed before I got home so I am looking forward to seeing them today.

Run run run

Today has been a busy day...or at least it has felt busy for all of the rushing around.

Doug & Andy started preschool this morning. I snapped a quick picture before we headed out the door...but I left the camera on the floor of the car so I will have to post it later.

Ben, our baby-sitter, was going to be here to pick the kids up and to take care of them while I had my first day of co-teaching an intro to education course.
However, Ben's grandfather is dieing. He had to go help with his younger sister while his parents were shuttling back and forth because his grandfather is close to dieing.
So my Monday got a lot more complicated.
I dropped the boys off at their first day of preschool. Jo and I went to the parent orientation session.
I shoved Jo through the door at a friend's house and assured her that Jo would stop crying when she couldn't see me anymore (I'm hoping this was accurate).
I drove and parked and made it to the first class only about 5 minutes late.
I mostly sat through the first class and then we had to meet with the person who oversees the various education programs and certification and such.
I had to excuse myself before the meeting was over.
I rushed to pick up Jo while missing every single traffic light, wishing I had time to eat, go to the bathroom, and wishing that it would stop raining because I was soaking wet.
I picked up the boys at preschool. I should have parked and walked in to get them because by the time I waited in the car rider line, then had to pull over to do up their buckles (they can do some but not all of it), I barely had time to rush home and drop off the kids with Jim (who graciously took a half day so that I could be at the first day of class), go to the bathroom, quickly eat not quite warm yet Spaghetti-O's, and then rush off to class again.
Hopefully the child care arrangements worked out ok for the rest of the day. I won't really know until 9pm tonight because that is when I get out of my own class.
I envy people who live close enough to relatives who are willing and have the time to watch their children.

The longest 90 minutes of my life...

Today we went to visit a church that was honoring Jim's school. I have no idea whether there was a nursery (no one mentioned one to me and I didn't see any signs) and there wasn't any children's church for the kids to go to half way through the service. So for the entire service Jim and I had to contain all three kids. Keep in mind that at our church the kids only spend about 30ish minutes in the service.
They did ok at first. Then we hit the Children's Sermon (which was the longest one I think I have ever heard). Doug ran down the isle and back. Andy followed later, and Josie just does what her brothers do. I ended up squatting in front of the modesty rail giving the "evil eye" to my children to keep their behinds glued to the step.
Fortunately there was a little girl, who was probably about third grade, who was fascinated by the kids and "adopted" Doug (who spent much of the service with his head in her lap and her telling him fairy tales). Mercifully, Jim managed to get Josie to fall asleep for the last half of the service, but after about the first hour I waffled between trying to keep Andy from wrinkling every single offertory envelope, keeping him off the floor, keeping him from kicking the pew in front, keeping children from talking too loud, and wanting to sink into the pew because I was afraid of what people were thinking about the behavior of my children.
Then, to prove that there really is a God....I found out after the service that the little girl dancing and singing in the isle during the entire service...she was the daughter of the minister.
I feel much better.

I remember the days...

Last night Jim and I went on a date. We had dinner and ended up going to hang out at Barnes & Noble. It was nice to talk because it has been a busy week where we haven't really seen each other very much. While we were at the bookstore we saw a couple come in with month old boy-girl twins. Apparently their twins had been in the NICU for two weeks so when I though about it later I realized they had only had babies at home for about two weeks. I was impressed that they were out and about and I remember the days of the big double stroller.

Recently

Recently I have been thinking back about what I was doing a year ago, two years ago, etc. Most of the time those reflections are accompanied by "Wow! I can't believe...."

Last year

• I was living in an RV
• I was still moving things from a storage unit in one town to a storage unit in our new town
• We might have just found out that there was an offer on our house (though that could have been sometime in the next couple of weeks also)
• Jo was only 3 months old and had already lived in three different locations
• I was madly trying to figure out child care options for the boys (ended up with our baby-sitter)
• I was trying to figure out which classes I should take versus what classes I needed to take (I ended up with what I should do)

Two years ago

• I was just discovering that I was pregnant with Jo
• I was just really getting into my PhD program

Three years ago

• I was just in my first month back teaching school
• Jim was staying home with the boys
• We had survived (with much help) the first three months with twins

Time flies.

Fabulous day

We had some rough patches this morning, and Doug and I had a major battle of wills (I hate the term "strong willed child" but today that definitely applied) mid-day, but it is turning into a good day.

• I got a positive phone call about something I have been praying about for a long time
• I actually went and worked out for the second time this week. This time it was by myself and I only had a limited time but I did it
• I took the kids on campus with me to run an errand and we had a good time because they behaved (partially due to the fact that they were confined to a wagon) and also because we went and visited some people I know who work on campus
• I met with my professor about the paper that I was supposed to finish during the summer and it was a brief meeting that went well and I actually feel like I am on track
• I came home to find all the children napping so maybe I can get some work done (which is why I am blogging....)

Jim has PTA open house tonight so I am in charge of kids and dinner. I hate to say it but I am going to take the easy way out and order pizza because I like it!

Famine to Feast

To preface all of these developments in the last few days let me explain something...we moved our family to our current town of residence so that I could be a full time GA on campus with teaching duties. I was told that to determine whether I really wanted to be a professor I should experience what it was like. Ten years ago I was a research GA so I felt like I had already experienced that portion. Last year I was a bit disappointed to learn that I was going to do strictly research and no actual college level teaching. My research GA position was a little different in that I did more editing to my professors' work because I have more skills and knowledge than I did ten years ago. I did end up "co-teaching" a course but it amounted to me sitting in the class most of the time. I told them that I was disappointed and was promised a class in the Spring of 2009.
SO.....
Yesterday I discovered that I have the opportunity to co-teach a course with another graduate student and I said yes. Today I learned that I will be supervising the Internship course for gifted and talented teachers. So I went from no teaching responsibilities to a whole bunch.
In addition, after finding out that I would not be on one professor's grant I met up with my other professor and she said she has research money she would like to spend on me.
Woohoo!
Now I just have to find time for all of these hours.

My Little Pacifist

Today the kids watched some equestrian events while I showered. When I came out the programing had changed to men's saber fencing. I tried to explain it to the boys...that it was a game where each person tried to touch the other person with their sword.
Andy said: They shouldn't hit...they should talk.

Rosy Josie

I used to be known in my family for writing limericks. I don't know if that counts as a dubious distinction or not, but tonight as I was watching Josie stuff down her third...no maybe it was fourth or fifth helping of food while Jim put the "no nap twins" to bed, I realized it had been a very long time since I had composed a limerick. So of course I had to make one up.

I once knew a girl named Josie.
Her disposition was sunny and rosy.
She would eat a ton,
For energy to run,
For in her brothers' concerns she was nosy.

Perhaps not a perfect specimen of the limerick meter but hey, it's been awhile.

And he slept through it all...

We had a company come put more insulation in our attic and Andy slept through the whole thing. We had the 1948 recommended amount (or something just under it) and there were several areas without insulation even though the house has tons of other storage space. We couldn't quite afford the DOE recommended amount for our area but we were hoping for more than what builders typically put in these days. So we told them to blow in whatever we can get for X amount which was about half way in between. I think we have felt a difference already.
Last week we had the gutters cleaned (they took out at least 10 gallons worth of stuff and that was WITH having gutter guards on the gutters).
So that is probably it for this semesters worth of actual improvements to the house. Everything else (except for perhaps changing out all of the locks) has been fixing rather than "improvements" to the house. Jim did get the lights put back up in the basement over the weekend...it turns out that the light fixture that fell was a different brand or model or something from the rest and it was REALLY heavy and only being held in with screws that went about half an inch into the ceiling beams. When it fell it ripped down half of the next light that was connected to it. Jim used drywall screws so that sucker ain't moving.

Well maybe....

Surprising things around here today.
Andy counted to ten reliably (he built a Lego tower and we were counting the levels...it eventually got to 23 and then together we established the idea of a big base being stable and built a tower with 50 levels which was almost but not quite taller than the boys).
Doug informed me that the wants triceratops glasses, dinosaur shoes, and that I can't wear the barrette I got today until the dinosaurs come back (I'm not holding my breath).
And the biggest surprise of all...after working with potty training with the boys Josie wanted to sit on the potty too. So I stripped off her diaper and set her up there. She looked at me and peed!
I thought that might be a fluke so we tried later but she was already poopy when I went to try. But from her stomach muscles it looked like she was actually trying to pee. So I think if she indicates that she wants to sit on the potty I will keep letting her. It certainly can't hurt and for all I know she may potty train with or before the boys. She certainly seems more interested in it than they are.

I'm a Humanitarian

Your result for The Perception Personality Image Test...

HFPS - The Humanitarian

Humanity, Foreground, Big Picture, and Shape

You perceive the world with particular attention to humanity. You focus on what's in front of you (the foreground) and how that fits into the larger picture. You are also particularly drawn towards the shapes around you. Because of the value you place on humanity, you tend to seek out other people and get energized by being around others. You like to deal directly with whatever comes your way without dealing with speculating possibilities or outcomes you can't control. You are in tune with all that is around you and understand your life as part of a larger whole. You prefer a structured environment within which to live and you like things to be predictable.

The Perception Personality Types:

Take The Perception Personality Image Test at HelloQuizzy

Things that make you go hmmm...

So originally I saw a related cake on Cake Wrecks. I followed the links to the original Flickr post, only to discover that I know exactly where the store is that made that cake. While the post was done awhile ago, the Fred Meyer in question is the one at the bottom of the hill from my undergraduate college Lewis & Clark. I am pretty darn sure that if this cake had been spotted by Andrea and I that we would have found a darn good excuse to buy it and have a party.

Dr. Brown can view, can you?

So Jo had her 15 month appointment today.
Dr. Brown (our ped) said nothing about us not coming in for a weigh check in June (it might have been a touchy subject because basically Jim got pissed at the office staff and refused to reschedule). She didn't say any thing about Jo's pacifier (our old pediatrician was adamant about the boys getting rid of theirs at this age).
Jo did just fine. She got two shots (she cried some but not terribly). We were still about the same 70% height and above average on head circumference, but the weight had gone from 25% to 35% so I was told she was doing fine (which I knew all along).
I had to laugh when she was going through the "checklist" for development because it was things like:

• Has 5-10 words (Josie has more like 25-30)
• Follows simple instructions (I can tell the child to go get her brothers for dinner and she will try to do it, and she regularly gets not only her shoes but her brothers' shoes also)
• And then Dr. Brown had me put Jo down so she could view her walking (I was thinking...she's been walking since about 10 and a half months and she runs these days).

So we passed and we get to go back for the ones vaccine they had a shortage on and a flu vaccine so we sort of get a bonus check-up at 18 months that we didn't get with the boys...and yes I did ask the important question...it is covered by insurance.

Perhaps I shouldn't have...

I have been enjoying the Olympics and have been enjoying showing the boys all of the different sports that are out there. Today, Doug was enjoying the cycling (remember we are watching much of it on DVR so we are sometimes a bit behind on what we are watching). They weren't big on basketball (too long I think). Water polo has been a hit. Andy likes gymnastics and Doug particularly likes swimming. The rowing was of great interest today, and beach volleyball is cool but not indoor volleyball (though I really think it is unfair that the women beach volleyball players wear skimpy bikinis while the men where loose fitting shirts and shorts...shouldn't they at least pretend that they are in swim suits?). Anyway, perhaps I shouldn't have let them watch the synchronized diving....it has caused me to have to deal out punishment for "diving" off various things around the house.

Just strap them in...

Today has been a better day (perhaps yesterday's issue was that most of those things happened really close together). We got outside for about 40 minutes and the kids slept really late this morning (by late I mean they all slept until 8am...so by toddler time that is really late).
I did get a little fed up with them in the afternoon so before we headed to church I strapped them in the car (they can't really get at each other so much there) and we drove to the car wash. Doug kept telling me he was scared of the car wash (which he is...he doesn't like the noise), but as I hoped he and Jo both fell asleep before we got there (I'm not exactly sure how Jo will do with a car wash because I haven't actually been through one while she was awake yet). So Andy, who WANTED to go to the car wash, got to see it. I got a clean car on the outside and a mostly clean car on the instead because I purposefully went to one with a free vacuum. I sort of ran out of time to vacuum every square inch of the car. Since I hadn't really planned ahead I was vacuuming by pushing aside junk instead of cleaning it out, and since 2 out of 3 where asleep I didn't get to vacuum car seats, but it seems fabulous to actually have a cleaner car. The place actually had a machine to clean car mats that we didn't have time to try out so next time I am definitely planning on that.

Can I have a do-over

I probably should just post a video link or something because I am a pretty negative today. Hormone, rain, and even when I go to bed early I never seem to have enough sleep (and when I do I have had the strangest dreams lately) probably don't help.
So anyway

• We went to the "Scottish Food Place" (or as Andy calls it "Donalds with the fire truck") place for lunch. Now, don't get me wrong, I actually like the food. Today, however, I didn't bring in the diaper bag because it was only me with the kids and the thought of managing 3 kids in a McD's bathroom while changing diapers is just ewww, and usually they poop right before we are close to leaving anyway. However, despite earlier poop, 2 out of 3 became stinky almost immediately and we only ended up staying to play for about 20 minutes (I was hoping to wear them out).
• Josie bit me today while I was getting her a snack (perhaps I wasn't moving fast enough?)
• I heard a crash downstairs and went down to find out that 2 of the light fixtures in the workroom had fallen. So now on top of having a window to fix from the break-in, having a broken garbage disposal, needing to fix the panel on the screen door, and numerous other preexisting house projects that need to done there is yet one more thing on the long list of "to-do" projects for the short list of money available. Sometimes I think we need to do some sort of exorcism to get out bad house spirits or maybe some Fung shui or something to that effect.
• We are going to a Neighborhood watch family dinner and despite Jim's best efforts the pie (not homemade) burned on the crust. I was going to just saw off the burnt parts and put whip cream around the edge, but we are out of spray whip cream and when I tried to pick up the pie it was sticking to the tray so much that now the bottom of the aluminum pie pan won't sit flat. So since I was going to have to go to the store to get whip cream anyway I might as well just buy a new dessert instead.

I am thinking despite all of the numerous things I probably should do tonight that wallowing in self-pity and doing comfort activities is all I really want to do tonight.

Copy Cat

Doug is such a copy cat. He sees things and he has to try it.
I had noticed that when he races around our "race track" in the house that he makes the motion of shifting before he goes.
Tonight, while we were watching Olympic swimming Doug started adjusting his "goggles", putting on his "swim cap", and was "swimming" across the carpet.

2 outa 3 ain't bad unless...

Well...Doug & Andy woke Jo up from her nap after only about 30 minutes.
So...
We went out to run a couple errands in the hope that Jo would knock back out on the "snooze cruise."
Of course when we got back home Doug & Andy were asleep and Jo was not.
Go figure.

Big D

Wednesday when we got the kids from the church nursery the baby-sitter was concerned because she said that Andy had gotten mad a couple times and kept saying "Big D--- It! Big D--- It!"
I was a little horrified and also was trying to figure out where he would have heard that. I will admit that I have let the occasional swear word slip out of my mouth but that is not the word that usually comes out. Similarly Jim has his moments but that is not his word of choice.
Well, a few days later it finally dawned on me what Andy was actually saying. On a construction site (Andy's favorite topic) you can have "Big Damage."
I asked Andy if that was what he was talking about on Wednesday and sure enough it was.
And thus my three year old retains his innocence.

Manamana

I found this video when I was checking out some other things on YouTube (see the post about wasting time). Some of my friends know that I like the song used in this video. It is originally a song from the Muppets. I also like Star Wars, so I found this a bit humorous.

Pick them up...

The boys actually helped me clean up the toys in the playroom today. They do sometimes but today they helped for longer than normal. In fact they really wanted to keep cleaning up when we had a to take a break for dinner....perhaps it was the threat of taking away their favorite toys for a week.

M-I-C-K-E-Y...

I have been growing out my hair. I don't want it as long as it was when I donated it to "Locks of Love" but I would like it long enough to perhaps pull it up and to make it so that I don't HAVE to take a shower first thing in the morning to get it under control (when it is short it looks like a lion's mane).
Prior to moving I pretty much got rid of ALL of my hair things...barrettes, rubber bands, etc. So yesterday I decided that my hair, which hasn't been cut since last February, was perhaps finally long enough to eek out two tiny pig tails that might be cooler than having it on my neck. So I purchased some new hair bands and decided I would try it this morning.
I put it up. Managed to get most of the hair in one or the other of the bands and called it good (added a little gel just for safe measure).
Then I picked up Doug and he informed me that, with my two tiny slightly curled pig tails, I was "Mickey Mouse". I suppose from a three year old I could consider that a compliment?

Online fun

It was one of those days. Doug & Andy at least were considerate enough to swap out who was being the whiny one today, and hopefully Josie didn't ingest too much of the inked stamp she was sucking on before I caught her.
So this afternoon I found some websites with toddler computer games and happily the boys, for the first time, could actually play the games fairly independently. This was really the first time they could work the mouse and except for a little prompting from me and the occasional reading they were able to play a bunch of different games. So if you need a little sanity time I recommend Baby Games Online.
I also have to admit that last night I got a really good laugh from some websites that Midlife Motherhood recently linked. I particularly liked the Cake Wrecks blog and the last cake from the August 4th posting for an Anniversary with FedEx.

UFO Pies

So I have definitely decided that Doug is going to be the child in the family with the wild imagination. I suppose Josie might top him when she gets beyond her 20-30 word vocabulary that mostly consists of variations in vowel sound on the word "dat."
I really should actually start writing his ideas down (though I would have to constantly carry a notebook because sometimes they come out in the most unexpected of places).
He has the usual things where he tells me he wants things (according to him he needs more Thomas characters for the train table, he saw a hamster in a book and said he wanted one, etc), but he told me the other day that it was a giant's birthday and that we needed to make a giant birthday cake. He informed me, at a different time, that he was going to have paper airplanes for his birthday (which is months and months away and I am still trying to figure out where he has encountered paper airplanes). He told me he wanted Spaceship pies...which I suppose I could actually do since pies are sort of UFO shaped....

And sometimes things are decided for you...

Well, you know how I mentioned that I was going to have to decide how many classes to take and how I was taking on more hours as a Grad Assistant...
Now the person who was doing the other half (who the prof asked first so therefore she gets first dibs) has decided to do a full time GA position so therefore there isn't another partial one for me. I guess it makes the decision easier for me as far as how many classes I should take, and I guess it is a good thing that it wasn't something that we were counting on originally. The other person will have a stressful year because she will need to work the 20 hours plus teach full time (she teaches gifted in a public school) and she will most likely take two classes. But! I wish her well because she is a sweet person and I am only partially admitting that I am a little disappointed that it didn't work out for me.

Ready Set

It's been a long day. One of those days when Doug was whiny for no apparent reason (unless it was the early rise he did) and I am just thankful to have made it through. I will say there were some funny moments. After dinner the kids were racing around "the track" and pausing in the kitchen for Jim and I to say "Ready, Set, Go."
Jim started messing with Andy and said "Ready, Set, Tickle your nose."
And you know sure enough Andy with no pause or questions started tickling his nose.

Princess Doug

This evening we went to the mall.
We almost never go to the mall, but Jim was looking for glasses because Josie broke his (snapped them right in half).
The kids were very excited to see the fountain at the mall because it is one of those that the water does different "choreographed" things. And of course the boys noticed all of the coins at the bottom of the fountain.
So I explained about making a wish and throwing in your penny, gave a few examples of what you might wish for (a new book, friends to come visit...I was trying to keep it realistic for something mommy and daddy could afford), and found some pennies in my purse.
Now, I realize some people say not to share your wish...but I am a little nosy so I asked what everyone wished for:
Mommy-the boys would be fully potty trained soon
Andy- Nana and Pop come for a visit
Doug- to be Princess Mia?????
....
Uh...
Well, to preface this Doug and I watched the last half of "The Princess Diaries 2" on TV while I was folding laundry this afternoon. We came in about the point in the movie where she is having a sleep-over with other princesses and does the mattress sliding down the steps.
So the conversation in the car went something like this:
Mommy: So Doug, what was it that you wished for at the fountain?
Doug: be Princess Mia
Mommy: Umm, to meet Princess Mia or to be Princess Mia...
Doug: to be Princess Mia
Daddy: Um, what about Doug?
Doug: Princess Douglas
Daddy: Princesses are girls and Princes are boys...do you want to be a prince
Doug: yeah, sure (I don't think he really cared...I think he just wanted to have and do the cool stuff she does in the movie).
..
Unfortunately, this really fits in with his personality. We had one hand-me-down bib when the boys were small that said "Little Prince" and one of our baby-sitters commented that she just couldn't put that bib on Andy because it fit Doug so well.

Bumps and scraps and falling down the stairs

As far as I can figure Andy was trying to bring the new buckets we got for storing toys upstairs. These buckets (there are two) are large enough to actually hold one of the boys, and possibly two if they were really in a friendly mood. Well, as far as I can figure out Andy was trying to bring both of the buckets upstairs. According to him he made it almost to the top.
..
All I heard was a thump, thump, thump, (and maybe more thumps) waaaahhhhh.
..
Yep, Andy fell down the stairs.
...
He was getting up to get to me by the time I got to the bottom of the steps. No broken arms or legs. He said his head hurt so I checked to make sure his pupils looked ok and worked correctly. Then I noticed that there was a tiny bit of blood on my hand so I looked in his mouth and it appeared that he had bitten his tongue. So I gave him some motrin and an ice pack and was thankful there wasn't more.
..
Then, maybe 30 minutes later, we went to have lunch. He started to bit into a crosoint and said it hurt. So I looked at his teeth and thought...well, perhaps they are chipped. So I tried to compare them to Doug's teeth (handy to have a twin around for just such occassions) but Doug decided to be stubborn and wouldn't open his mouth. So I finally decided that Andy had chipped the corner off one tooth and chipped the top of another (it was concave rather than flat or convex).
..
So I called the dentist.
..
We ended up with an afternoon apointment to check them out. Of course right after I hung up I started kicking myself that I hadn't asked if there was anything I could do to desensitized them and of course all I got was a busy signal when I tried calling back about umpteen zillion times.
..
So what do you do for lunch for a child with sensitive teeth?
..
I couldn't convince him to try biting anything else. So he had grapes (you can stick them past the front teeth), and noodles (slurp those things right on by), and a chocolate milk shake (uh...I was thinking a straw would get it past the teeth and there was no biting but huge calories involved...I didn't really think about the cold sugar and if there had been exposed roots). He enjoyed lunch.
..
Jim came home and took him to the dentist (which apparently Andy and Jim both napped during the wait). The dentist said everything was fine, they were chipped but it wasn't a problem, that we did the right thing, and that unless Andy starts complaining in a few days that things should be ok.
..
phew!

Things that make you go ...hmmmmm

Well, summer is rapidly coming to a close here in the Southeast where school starts very, very early. Reflecting on my summer is interesting. It has been a mixed bag.
Bad: We came back from our impromptu trip to get the car fixed to find that someone broke into the house. They only took two things, but still a bit disturbing and now we have a basement window to fix on top of any other house repairs we have been contemplating.
Good: Over the weekend I also gained an additional Grad Assistant position so I will be officially .75 employed
Bad: Since I am .75 employed I have to decide whether to apply for permission to take three classes as I had planned or to just take the recommended two classes (how insane am I)
Good: The car fix wasn't bad and certainly was better priced than if we had gone here to the dealership (even if we drove 5 hours to my in-laws to get there)
Bad: Of the goals I had for over the summer, I have finished exactly one...yes...just a single, lonely, solo one goal of all that I had. I have applied for student financial aid. The boys are not potty trained (despite what the ped suggested and made me feel guilty for not having already done it but heck...they really don't appear that ready and from what I can find out about half of the kids who are of the male persuasion are not ready at age 3), I didn't get unpacked the rest of the way, I did not finish the paper I was working on from last Fall (yes that is some serious procrastination), and I did not play Everquest bunches during the summer.
Good: I did talk with the professor I want to have chair my dissertation committee
Bad: I probably should have sounded her out before I asked her, but well...I think her ideas are good for me even if they are not the "easy" way to get through the program (I don't know if that makes this a good thing or a bad thing).
Good: I did do a lot of reading for enjoyment this summer (probably part of the reason I didn't work on my paper...) and I haven't done that for a long, long time.

Proving you can waste a lot of time on YouTube...

My sister sent me this link to some Muppet shorts that were made for YouTube. If you are a muppet fan enjoy. My family used to watch the muppet show as we ate pizza and it was one of the rare times we got to eat in front of the TV. I have to say that I still like them and am delighted that my kids seem to find them funny too.