Clearly Delirious: April 2007 Archives

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April 29, 2007

At least she's honest!

"We're going to the park for a picnic."

"We should drive."

"Why do we need to drive?"

"Because it's far, and I'm going to complain."

Posted by me at 9:41 PM | Comments (0)

April 27, 2007

Best of the set, and the only one that was effortless

Posted by me at 8:41 PM | Comments (6)

Thank goodness the questions ended there

"Do mommies and daddies start out as little babies?"

Posted by me at 3:17 PM | Comments (0)

April 26, 2007

Still looking at houses like I'm going to buy one

Every so often I go through the house flyers we pick up while wandering around town, looking for which ones are still for sale and which ones have dropped in price. We keep the ones that are only moderately out of our price range, just in case they take forever to sell and we think we can lowball them.

I'm not sure why I still keep the flyers. Hell, we're still picking up new ones. All this *after* we've made the decision to rent for a year, just in case a miracle happens and Rex can wrangle a transfer to Austin.

I still get excited over some of the houses, at least on paper. There's one section of a particular subdivision that has big, beautiful houses on larger lots. Most of the houses are way out of our price range, but one was just moderately so. They lowered the price to something that we can negotiate from. AND it's pretty and with a big, beautiful kitchen. Unfortunately, it's one of a small section of houses in that subdivision that's in a completely different school district, one that we aren't impressed with. And while there is a convenient elementary school located within walking distance, my kids wouldn't be able to go there.

Dammit, I just found another one in the same section. This one is a new build, and it's even cheaper!

There's another house, in a different subdivision. Awesome section, and they've just lowered the price for the second time. The layout of the house is familiar, since a good friend of mine lives in one a lot like it. The difference is hers has enough bedrooms, and the one we found is one room short.

This finding-everything-I-want-in-one-package thing is going to be much harder than I thought.

Posted by me at 10:37 PM | Comments (0)

What happens when I'm allowed to wander a bookstore at my leisure

Posted by me at 8:38 PM | Comments (0)

April 25, 2007

Today is the one year anniversary

Of our move to Texas.

We got to the house around dinner time today. I had stopped at our realtor's house to pick up the keys, and the girls and I headed over to check out the house and see if it was as awesome as I remembered it.

The girls and I scouted the house. Katie climbed the stairs for the first time, and Jamie ran through the bedrooms and picked one for herself. I took all sorts of "before" pictures, as in before all our crap got piled in.

Rex showed up a while later with the cats and the Penske truck. We got the cats settled in the master bath, and then had to leave and spend the night at my in-laws. It was so hard to leave, even for one more night. We were so excited to start living there.

So much has changed since then. We sold my dream house. Rex got his dream job. We're living in this less than permanent home, looking for another temporary house. It will be over a year before we get settled, and I'm still not sure where we'll be when that happens.

I try every day to create a life here. I haven't been all that successful. The lack of permanence gives me little motivation to dig in. It also gives me little motivation to wake up and greet the day with enthusiasm. I'm trying, though. Trying to give my girls a purpose, and trying to find purpose in my girls. Some days go better than others. Today was a good one.

But I still wish I could go back.

Posted by me at 9:18 PM | Comments (0)

Daydreamer

Posted by me at 8:28 PM | Comments (0)

April 24, 2007

And he's never heard me fart

Is it odd that I regularly pee in front of two kids and three cats, but I can't even stand to have my husband close enough to hear me go, after 8 years together?

Posted by me at 8:16 PM | Comments (1)

What we had for dinner tonight

Posted by me at 8:15 PM | Comments (0)

April 23, 2007

Manic

Some really good things are happening here.

Some really bad ones are happening, too.

Let's start with the good, shall we?

Almost two weeks ago, I became an aunt! Rex's brother and his wife had twin boys, four weeks early but healthy. Kaden went home a week ago, while Kartson is spending some time being fattened up before he can go home.

Rex graduates in less than three weeks! After somewhere around 9 years of active schooling, Rex will be a college graduate. He's worked hard for this, given up a lot of free time, some sleep and some sanity, and he's EARNED this degree.

Jamie is about to earn her first orange stripe in Tae Kwon Do. I'm really proud of her for her persistence and hard work.

Katie is about to turn two. She's incredibly stubborn, but cute as a button!

And now the bad.

A couple weeks ago, my grandfather went to the doctor for severe jaundice. The jaundice was caused by a blocked bile duct, which was easily unblocked. The cause of the blockage, however, was a tumor. Stage 3 pancreatic cancer. I hadn't heard a prognosis, aside from not good, since they were still doing some tests.

Today, my mom called and told me that he's been admitted to the hospital for pneumonia and heart failure. While the fluid buildup seems to be clearing up, the doctor thinks it's unlikely my grandfather will be leaving the hospital.

I'm glad that I got to see him recently, and that our whole family, excepting Rex, were gathered together. At the time, I had no idea it was likely the last time I would see him, but that made the visit so much less sad than if we did it now.

A good friend of mine has a child with intense special needs. She and her husband wanted more children, but were concerned that there may have been a genetic component to their son's condition. After years of debate, they had a second son, and they have been thrilled with each new milestone he reaches within the proper timeframe. Almost two weeks ago, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. This isn't a death sentence, it's manageable, it's livable. But it's one more stress that she just didn't need. And from this far away, there isn't a lot I can do to help her.

Posted by me at 9:57 PM | Comments (0)

Just woke up

This one is My Best Shot Monday!

Posted by me at 6:27 AM | Comments (7)

April 21, 2007

Coming from a woman who grew up around pig farms

Oh. My. Goodness.

I noticed that my cat Pookie has been smelling a bit like poo. The first time, I figured it he must have just come from making a deposit. But he kept hanging around while I was putting the kids to bed, and the smell did not fade. I checked for a dingleberry, and it took me a minute to find it. Because it was 6 inches from his butt, yet still attached by what I think may have been a piece of Easter grass.

And then...

And THEN...

I had to pull really hard to get the string out.

Gross.

Posted by me at 8:27 PM | Comments (3)

April 20, 2007

Too frustrated for words, and at a loss for action

I gave Jamie a real in-your-face kind of lecture today. Because she got Katie a napkin.

It wasn't *really* because she got her a napkin. I mean, that would be a good thing, right? But she did it minutes after I told her that Katie didn't need a napkin, no one did, because they were eating Goldfish, a napkin-free snack.

My kids are good kids, but I swear to god, sometimes think they're missing a key piece of anatomy required for hearing. I'm so sick of saying the same thing over and over. And I'm even more sick of saying them over and over, and still not being obeyed.

"Can I do this?"

"[Unequivocal] No."

"But I want to do this."

"I said no."

"Well, I really want to do this."

How the hell do you reply to that? I mean, by the third time I'm losing my patience. I didn't waffle, I didn't quiver. I'm not shy with the word, and I don't ever back down.

Or how about:

"Go downstairs, Katie"

"."

"Go downstairs, Katie"

"."

"Go downstairs, Katie!"

"."

Hi. Welcome to me.

Posted by me at 9:03 PM | Comments (0)

Not really an outhouse

Posted by me at 8:16 PM | Comments (0)

Apparently not listening to me is a new national pasttime.

Posted by me at 4:12 PM | Comments (0)

April 19, 2007

At least balloons are cheap!

*all wrapped up in a blanket*

"I'm pretending I'm going to marry someone. With a balloon!"

Posted by me at 9:33 PM | Comments (0)

Lord knows what she'll pick up in preschool

Jamie's Tae Kwon Do class has gown by leaps and bounds. I think there may be 7 or 8 kids now, if they all came at the same time. Every last one of them is more rambunctious than Jamie, although a couple of them are close to her level. Several of them are so hyper they make Jack Russell terriers look laid back.

I remember when Jamie was the only student in the class, I told the teacher that one of the reasons we signed up was so that Jamie would get exposure to other kids. You know, learn the things you learn from other kids, like sharing and taking turns and standing in line. Those first, solo lessons were nice, though. Peaceful, educational. Then a few more kids joined, and things were slightly less peaceful, but still educational. And she had to take turns!

Then the real trouble joined. They are so hyper that they have to be constantly reprimanded. They distract. Several of them often arrive a couple minutes late, breaking into class. Their parents rarely stay to help crack the whip. I, on the other hand, am losing my shyness about yelling at other people's kids. And while Jamie is learning to handle herself around all kinds of kids, she's also picking up some of their less desirable behaviors.

I understand that one of the reasons parents put their kids into a class like this is to learn discipline and control. It's one of the reasons I put Jamie in the class, although her lacks in those areas manifest differently, and are less pronounced. I sometimes wonder, though, if these kids are chipping away at the discipline and control she already has.

There are still a lot of plusses to her attending. She's learning a skill. She's learning to deal with groups of kids, many very different from herself. She's getting exercise and out of the house. And I think she genuinely likes it.

And so we go.

Posted by me at 9:11 PM | Comments (0)

Really big vertebra

Posted by me at 7:54 PM | Comments (0)

April 18, 2007

I get a flower every time we go outside

Posted by me at 9:58 PM | Comments (0)

A little too reminiscent of Groundhog Day

I haven't had much to say this week.

My kids, on the other hand, are full of no. Not only will Jamie argue you into the ground, but now she'll instantly and strenuously contradict you while she's at it. In fact, when you tell her not to contradict you or she's going right to bed, she'll yell NO! I was impressed with Rex this evening, when she did that he had her off to her room so fast I hadn't even registered what she'd done before they were gone.

More frustrating to me, probably because it's been going on longer and both kids do it consistently, is the not doing it the first time. I repeat the same things over and over, day after day. I say it nicely, I lose my temper, sometimes I yell. It makes no difference, I still have to say it again.

I got so frustrated today I actually sent myself to my room. I was coming down too hard, getting irrationally angry. I mean, I certainly had excuses, but they weren't enough to justify my reaction.

I did manage not to yell at Jamie when she elbowed my in the lip at bedtime. And luckily Rex was here to tell Katie to stop crying and go to sleep the third time, because I don't think I could have done it again without losing my cool.

Now I'm going to go to bed, so I can wake up and try to do it again a little better tomorrow.

Posted by me at 9:54 PM | Comments (0)

April 17, 2007

Ol' One Eye

Posted by me at 8:18 PM | Comments (0)

April 16, 2007

Technically, not a bad picture. But why does she look...puffy?

Posted by me at 8:04 PM | Comments (0)

April 13, 2007

I think we have a climber

Posted by me at 10:05 PM | Comments (7)

Litter box update

I know you're all dying to hear about how the cats have adjusted to the new litter box.

The good news is that two of the cats have adjusted well.

The bad news is that the cat I expected to take to the new box the best, the one that isn't scared of her own shadow, still poops on the floor of our bathroom every day. She'll at least make an effort to pee in the box, but in spite of our careful instructions, she won't turn around and stick her head out the hole. Instead, she climbs in the box and pees out the entrance onto the step.

Every.

Single.

Time.

And yet, life is still less gross than three cats using a single box in our bathroom. Less work. Less scooping. Less stink.

Posted by me at 8:21 PM | Comments (0)

April 12, 2007

Or maybe it's just me

I took the girls to Central Market yesterday, mostly because they have a nifty play area and it was a nice day. And, we needed millk and eggs.

We walked through the store to get to the play area, picking up two balloons and slowing us down considerably. I did spot the half price Cadbury Creme Eggs on the way, so it was worth it.

We finally made it outside, where I got to spend 10 minutes corralling balloons and figuring out a way to attach them to my purse. There was a church playgroup with stuff on most of the tables, which was fine, because we didn't need a table. I stuck my purse on the ground and hiked off to make sure Katie didn't plummet to her death on the climby thing.

One of the playgroup boys was almost instantly attracted to the balloons. I was a little occupied with my billy goat, and I was keeping an eye on him to make sure he wasn't a clepto, so I didn't make a big deal about it. Eventually, one of the mother's saw her kid, pried him off my purse, and then put it up on a table so he couldn't get to it anymore. Then she informed me, very nicely but with perhaps a hint of reproach that I put my purse in a place where children could reach it, that she moved my bag because her son was pulling things out of the pockets because of the attractive balloons.

How sad is it that the woman chose to move a stranger's purse rather than just tell her kid to leave it alone?

Posted by me at 9:34 PM | Comments (3)

Making herself at home

Posted by me at 8:34 PM | Comments (0)

April 11, 2007

Cadbury eggs

Easter is the season of Cadbury Mini Eggs. My love for the mini egg has surpassed even my love for Cadbury's other famed egg, the Creme egg.

Every year, I eat way too many. They are so delicious, so addicting that I can't stop eating when I'm full, when my tongue is sore from rubbing the candy coating around, when I don't even *want* to like them any more.

I ate a pound of the little suckers in the 48 hours surrounding Easter.

Not martha has done a comparison of Mini Eggs from different countries, with US eggs coming in last. As amazing as I think the American eggs are, I can't imagine how many Canadian or UK eggs I would consume. I'd like to find out, though!

When I think of a defining smell around my mother, it's a particular perfume that she only wore on special occassions.

My kids will remember the scent of the chocolate cloud that surrounds me always.

Posted by me at 8:46 PM | Comments (0)

After the storm

Posted by me at 8:44 PM | Comments (0)

April 10, 2007

I really need to RTFM

I haven't gotten any comments since I did the upgrade.

At least, I thought I hadn't gotten any. As it turns out, they just aren't getting emailed to me any more. I discovered this tonight, when I tried a test comment, just to be sure.

There were 20 or so comments, two-thirds of which were spam. There were some very nice comments though, and I feel bad that I didn't see them and respond in some way.

I know I keep saying this, but I *will* get better, I swear.

And thank you!

Posted by me at 10:44 PM | Comments (0)

Ziploc must be making a killing

I'm all for airline safety. I happily wear slip-on shoes, even though it seems ridiculous to check every pair of shoes because one fool tried to blow his up. I have removed all sharp objects from my purse, even though I bet I could kill someone faster with a mechanical pencil, or even just a sharp wooden pencil, a lot faster than I could with nail clippers. If I have to check luggage anyway, I put everything I can in the suitcase so I have less to put through security.

Then they took my sample size lotion, one of maybe six things I had in my purse. Now I'm mad.

The lotion was basically worthless, a free sample from somewhere, I think. I almost never use it, I just keep it in my purse for the odd instances of super itchy dry skin. I only packed it in the purse I took because I figured the drying effects of sunburn and airplanes might trigger a case.

Anyway, I made it through security in Dallas/Ft. Worth. I used to get searched about every time I traveled, including when I was 6 months pregnant. I guess I've been looking more trustworthy lately, because I haven't had anyone riffle through my dirty underwear in a while. We were surprised by security in Cozumel, though. They x-rayed bags like usual, but we got to keep our shoes on! I got wanded, and that was it. It wasn't until we went to board the plane that my purse got searched. And not just mine, they searched everyone's bags.

The chick next to me was given a baggie to put all her makeup in. When the security guy found the lotion in my bag, he asked if I had a baggie to put it in. Then he asked me if it was important. When I said no, he took it.

I'm peeved for a number of reasons. It was wasteful to throw it away. Putting it in a baggie would be pointless. I have one thing, it would obviously fit in. As far as I know, there's no rule that says the items have to stay bagged on the plane, so the instant I left him I would have taken it back out.

So what was the point of confiscating it?

Posted by me at 8:56 PM | Comments (0)

Now I know...

The reason we'll keep putting the girls to bed together?

This morning, they got up (at two 7's), went into the living room, and played quietly for almost half an hour, until Rex went out to get breakfast.

You can't buy that kind of love.

Posted by me at 8:30 PM | Comments (0)

Easter, delayed

Posted by me at 8:29 PM | Comments (0)

April 9, 2007

Sleeping together

For the entire two weeks the girls were in Maryland, they slept together. First in a double bed, then in a tent, and then back in the bed. They were amazingly great at it. No one had to lay with them until they fell asleep, they didn't stay up half the night chattering, and after a little talk, whoever woke up first didn't wake up the other. I was honestly shocked at how well it went.

When they came home, we figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to continue the habit. Jamie has a big bed in her room already, so we just pushed it up against the wall to keep Katie from falling out.

The first night they got home, Jamie didn't want Katie to sleep with her. I don't Katie was interested either. I think they were excited about the concept of their own rooms.

The second night, Jamie was ready, but Katie didn't want to sleep with Jamie. Jamie cried.

Third night, Katie refused again. At least this time there was no crying.

The fourth night, Katie agreed. There was some crying and fussing before bedtime, a crisis over teeth brushing on Katie's part. I put them down together, and then Katie cried every time I said goodnight. It was almost an hour, and Rex had to lay with them til they fell asleep, but they did sleep in til 7.

The fifth night, they slept together again. There was some chattering and giggling, and I think we went in once to tell them to quiet down, but otherwise all went well. Easter morning, I heard them up at 6:40, which is early for them these days. I opened the door to see Katie laying sideways across her pillow, gently poking Jamie in the ear with her foot. Jamie was giggling.

last night, Jamie was having some big fits. I think a couple nights with less sleep were catching up with her, and she got sent to bed early. Katie got to stay up, and we decided to put them to bed separately in the hopes that they would both get a good night's sleep. Why they won't just sleep in later in the morning when they're tired is beyond me. In any case, Katie started throwing a fit because she *couldn't* sleep with Jamie.

I'm not sure where to go from here. On the one hand, there's no need for them to sleep together. I think they get more rest alone, but maybe that's something they would adjust to. On the other, it's cute. It's a good skill for them to have when we travel. And Jamie keeps Katie in bed til two 7's.

Did I mention it's cute?

Posted by me at 3:03 PM | Comments (1)

Mama says relax

Posted by me at 3:00 PM | Comments (3)

April 7, 2007

Snow flurries. On April 7. What are you doing to me, Texas?

Posted by me at 3:48 PM | Comments (0)

April 5, 2007

Still playing catch-up

I have lots of stuff swirling around in my head, but I have a hard time writing it out in words. And this is why I'll never be a writer.

I also still have state taxes to do, and the woman who's website I handle has sent me a ton of stuff in the last couple weeks, some of which requires some graphics work. I figured out just enough to get her site up in the first place, now I have to go back and relearn that, and then try to match it up with what I already have. I'm considering a site redesign, but I'm short on ideas. I'm not particularly creative, either.

I'm starting to wonder why I blog and manage websites, since it seems I lack both natural ability, education, and time.

Posted by me at 2:01 PM | Comments (0)

Rex's culinary icon

Posted by me at 1:58 PM | Comments (0)

April 4, 2007

Welcome home, girls!

I knew there would be an adjustment period when the girls came back from Maryland. I figured there would be some grumpiness, some tiredness, and a whole lot of clinginess. I was right on the qualities, but a little off on the proportions.

Katie is an incredibly stubborn kid, and there are a lot of things that have to be done on her schedule, or you can't get them done at all. Even her tantrums aren't done until she says they're done, even if the crying phase has come to it's conclusion. That can be a little mortifying if you're, say, in the doctor's tiny, echoing exam room. I'm pretty sure other patients thought Katie was being tortured, and it wasn't even her day to see the doctor! Oh, and the reason for the tantrum? I wouldn't let her lick the doctor's floor.

Aside from the crying, though, tired worked out in my favor. Both girls took extra long naps today. I kept thinking back to that peaceful time when Jamie flipped out because the receipt from Fry's didn't magically and instantly go from the cashier's hand to hers. And when Katie freaked out because Grandpa (I think she meant Daddy) wasn't the one who buckled her into her carseat on the way home.

The loud has been balanced by lots of unexpected hugs, a few Mama pile-ons, and one very sweet and touching choke-hold.