Ramblings

1. A couple weeks ago Malcolm (Steven's old Irish friend) gave us tickets for the 'Robby Burns Dinner' that is held annually around here. The tickets are $40 a pop, and even though I just about threw up last year when I tried the Haggis, I was looking forward to going this year. Mainly just so I could go out with Steven! However, since we had sick kiddo's (mainly Grant) I'm staying home this evening while Steven is out having fun. I thought I'd use this time to decompress from the week I had (Grant is pretty unbearable when he's sick!). We'll see how far I get though, because Ella tends to think that the world will end if she's not being held (and/or fed) during the hours of 7:30 pm-10:00 pm. And it's kind of hard to write a blog post while nursing a baby and typing with one hand.

2. Speaking of Ella. She's decided that she really doesn't like her binky anymore. I'm pretty bummed, especially since she took it SO good up until now. I keep trying to get her to take it, but I'm becoming less and less successful. She really loves her thumb (so cute, but so annoying to know that eventually I'm going to have to break that habit, which is a lot harder to do than a binky!). She's just a-cooing away at me right now. She must know I'm talking about her. She is one happy and smiley baby. Anytime we make eye contact, or she even hears my voice she just starts smiling! SO CUTE!!3. I'm kind of worried that Grant is going to grow up to be really quirky. Like 'socially awkward in school' quirky. He is OBSESSED with Mr. Bean. The British comedian. I mean, it's a real obsession and addiction that I'm starting to think we might need to seek counseling for. He reenacts Mr. Bean episodes. He talks about Mr. Bean all the time. Demands to watch him on YouTube, and has even figured out how to turn it on ALL BY HIMSELF! And he's only 2!!! The other day he was sitting on the floor playing with a car and he was singing to himself 'Bean, where are you going? Upstairs to take a bath. Bean...' and just kept sing about Mr. Bean. I think it's pretty funny and cute, but what will his classmates say when he's in the first grade and everyone is wanting to play transformers or something and he's in the corner playing Mr. Bean all by himself. Like I said, we're considering counseling for his obsessive behaviors (he's also really obsessed with the song 'Steady as She Goes' preformed by the Raconteurs).

4. About a week or two ago we decided to go to Mary-Lou's Doughnuts for breakfast. It's a local doughnut shop that we had heard about, but never been to. Once we got in there, saw how huge their doughnuts were and how cheap they were, we couldn't contain ourselves, and by the time everyone had picked the ones they wanted to try, this is what our box ended up looking like. Well, this plus 4 glazed doughnuts, because we had all already eaten one. Needless to say, we ended up throwing a lot away a couple days later when we realized they were going stale and we couldn't possibly eat them all! They sure were good though, and I don't even like doughnuts very much.

5. Poor Grant has been pretty sick. He's the only kid I know who HATES to have snot running out of his nose and insists on having it wiped as soon as it starts dripping. There's no fighting to wipe this kids nose. The other day he literally told me just about every minute 'Mom, nose!!!' or 'Mom, tissue!!' or 'MOM! BUGGERS!!!' I was COVERED with snot by the end of the day! His fever got up to 103.7, which I think is the highest temp any of my kids have ever had.

6. I had a break down today. My kids room was a mess!! I dumped all my kids toys out (well, most of them were already dumped out!) and sorted them all. I was about to put them away when I realized that next week, I'd be doing this same thing. So, instead I boxed them all up and took them out to the garage. As of right now there is nothing in their room but their beds. I also put them on a weeks restriction of picking out their own clothes. Their clothes are all kept in our extra bedroom, and for some reason they feel the need to dump every piece of clothing out. They are no longer allowed in that room, and I'll be picking out their clothes from now on. (when they saw what I did to their room they didn't even ask about their toys. They were just excited to have all the space to run around in. The best part is that I didn't even lose my temper during it all. That was big for me!7. Steven had to work this morning, which I wasn't too happy about. But when he got home, he let me have 3 hours off. I left the four kids with him and headed out! I went to Panera for a lunch (ALL BY MYSELF!) and while there I wrote out my menu and grocery list for the next week. Then I headed out to Aldi. I was hoping to go to Sams and WalMart and Hobby Lobby and JoAnns, but I only made it to Aldi before Ella had to eat. But I was happy with that. It was so refreshing to go out BY MYSELF! A couple years ago, I never would have wanted to go to lunch by myself, but today it was my saving grace!