A Rundown & Tooth Fairy Markings (Swear)

My apologies for the sparse posting. Kinda some big things happening around here (or not) depending on how it all works out.

Don't you hate it when people write things like that---sooo mysterious.

So I won't do that. After all my talk about not moving, we might be moving. An opprotunity has presented itself to us. We are more than halfway there, but until they sign and we sign and someone hands me the freakin' keys I refuse to get my hopes up. I told Chip the other night, buying and selling a home is making me batty. A constant swing of emotions and the unknown is pushing me to my breaking point. Like an untrustworthy teenage boyfriend who says he will pick you up at 7pm for the movies, so you spend like 4 1/2 hours getting your bangs just right and trying on your entire closet twice, only to have him call at 6:59 to tell you that he is actually going to go hang out with his guy friends and play video games or some crap like that.

Confused yet? See...Emotionally. Unstable.

Anyways, in the midst of the chaos, life carries on. MLK weekend we spent in Seattle for a miniature person hockey tournament for Caleb. My parents graciously offered to keep Kearyn, which made things so much easier to navigate, but it was our first time leaving her overnight. So that also means I'm done nursing her, which means I am done nursing babes forever. I am confused about how I feel about this. On one hand I think it was time, on the other it seems like the end of an era (a tad melodramatic? maybe).

And she really doesn't seem to mind. She is taking the bottle like a champ. Grubbin' on more and more real food (despite only rocking the same 2 teeth for the past several months). From the pace of her crawling she seems to be training for something big. Pulling herself up on everything in sight. Attempting to stand unassited (not working out so well just yet). Waves and makes a sound that sounds very similar to "Hi-yee." Yells at her brothers. 9 months next week already. Where has the year gone?

While at the previously mentioned hockey tournament, Drayson fell into the pool without his wings on, so I did my best impression of Pamela Anderson Lee (or was she Lee Anderson then?) ala Baywatch and launched myself into the pool after him. Except for I was fully clothed, did not execute a mid-wave dive, and am not nearly as "endowed," eh hem. And as I walked my soggy-wet cat-self back to the room he had the nerve to ask me "why you not put your swimsuit on go swimming mama?" And since he was totally fine it's actually mostly humorous now.

Now on to these 'tooth fairy markings.' I'm sure you're dying to know (maybe you even scrolled all the way down to find out? or not. I'm going with not). Remember, Caleb lost his first tooth on New Years day. So we did the whole put your tooth under your pillow for the tooth fairy bit. In the morning Caleb woke to find a crisp $20 bill under his pillow (whoa you say. me too. I was informed that this is very reasonable for a first tooth. I disagreed, but Great Grandpa Bob got on board with it and pitched in the $20 bucks. I was thinking more like $5. Grandparents are cool like that). Anyways, along with the dinero, Caleb also noticed some whiteish markings on his navy blue sheets near his pillow. And with total sincerity he says to us "Look! Tooth Fairy Markings! She must have left these when she was here last night!"

Call it what you want. I'm calling it what it is: Drool. But who am I to say?.

So yesterday Caleb wakes up and says "More tooth fairy markings, she must have been here last night checking on my loose tooth." And Drayson freaks and yells "someone was in our room last night!" and starts looking in the closet. I was dying. One of those times you wished you had on tape. I figure journaling it would be second best. But it just seems to lose a little something in translation.

In other news. Remember back when I was delerious with Pregnancy? and I wrote the post lamenting about how I thought I had lost my humor? Read here to be reminded. Well I think it has been slowly returning. Or maybe that's just my other personality telling me lies. See again? Truly. Unstable.

What Say You, 2011...

...should we make it the best one yet?

Not saying I didn't have a good 2010. But let's just say I could do without quite as many challenges this year. Who am I kidding? We all know they will just be different challenges than the previous year. Instead of baking & birthing a babe, while rearing 2 others, I will be rearing 3 this year. (Now all of you other rockstar mamas with more than 3 babes are thinking "if only I just had 3, 3 would easy-peasy, she has no idea" just like I think of everyone with less than 3). But that's life for ya. Hindsight's 20/20 right.

At least there will be no 15 hour labor followed by a C-section, followed by anemia, followed by pure and utter exhaustion, followed by baby blues, followed by lack of sleep, followed by me questioning myself as a mother. Ok, maybe there will still be exhaustion & lack of sleep (but maybe not quite as much--insert crossed fingers). And I think I will always have times when I question myself as a mother.

But this past 2010 has taught me something.
That I can do more than I ever thought possible or gave myself credit for.

Even though I will always be hard on myself. Thinking I could have done better. When I look back on some of the things I have done, I'm pretty freaking proud of myself. I'm kinda awesome.

Maybe some people don't think it's a feat to get 3 kids to and from the grocery store without raising my voice, but I do. Preparing a nice meal and doing 5 loads of laundry?, check. Coaching 40+ high school girls while also mentally preparing the week's meal prep?, done and done. I'm going to celebrate the small battles. The everyday stuff. The stuff my kids take for granted, but hopefully one day appreciate.

I'm going to high-five people when my kid scores a goal. I'm going to post a ridiculous amount of pictures of my own kids to Facebook and shamelessly brag about how beautiful they are. I'm going to thank my Mom for going above and beyond and tell my Dad I love him. I'm going to teach my kids to be kind to others even when they might not be kind back. I'm not going to get caught up in bigger, better, best--I'm going to be happy right where God has put me. I'm going to go on more dates with my husband and smooch him in public. I'm going to pass around babies with my friends. I'm going to apologize quickly when I make a mistake. Swallow my pride and keep a handle on my mouth. I'm going to forgive myself and others and keep remembering tomorrow is a new day.

So if you see me in Winco patting myself on the back--well, you'll know.

Watch out 2011. I'm taking names and kicking ass.

Because I don't want to end up on an episode of Hoarders..

No, it's not really that severe. But I have been hanging on to a few items, that we don't use anymore. You know the items, too nice to give away or sell in a yard sale to the haggler for .75 cents?. I decided to post them to Craigslist, but wanted to give ya a chance here (that's assuming that people actually read my blog).

Dolby Digital portable DVD player with 2 screens. New 3 yrs ago. Our new car has one built in. $50 bucks OBO

Seven for All Mankind Designer maternity jeans. Size 25/short (yes I am a gnome). Loved these!! But alas, Kearyn was my final babe. These were so good to me as "in between jeans" as well. Only wore em for 4 months. Originally purchased at a Pea in the Pod for 180 (insert Gasp here, but they fit me like a glove). Asking 75.

These next 3 kinda do make me seem like a hoarder. 2 coach bags and a Dooney & Bourke. Good condition with some normal wear. Have been hanging out in my closet since I got a new one a year and a half ago. What can I say, my MIL knows how much I love them! $50/each OBO.

Classic C's, brown, medium size, hardly used, strap extends.

Smaller sized bag. Classic C's, black.
Perfect size. I loved this bag.

Figured someone else could get some love out of them. And if I'm good I'll take my earned $ and get some organizing items (and not buy another purse)! I figure this can start my New Year off right. Declutter & Organize 2011!!

Leave me a comment of email me at EvyQ612@hotmail.com.

I'm Here...Somewhere beneath all the toys & wrapping paper

So it looks like Toys R us had a little too much Egg Nog at Target's Christmas party and threw up on our house.

Literally.

Good thing this little lady started crawling this week. At least she'll be able to get out from under it all.

The boys made out like bandits as always. Even though we only got them 2 gifts a piece and Santa kicked in one. The grandmas just can't seem to control themselves. And you know, when I'm a grandma, I probably won't be able to either.

Love this one of all my most special people. I always knew he'd be a great daddy, but he just keeps proving it over and over again.

Speaking of good dads...I think we've got one in the making. At least he is feeding Dolly the bottle in this pic--there was a little confusion (and a lot of hilarity) when he pulled up his shirt to nurse her...


I crafted my butt off this year. And these couldn't have been a bigger hit with the grandparents. And it's a good thing because do you have any idea how long it takes to cut out one of those heads (x3 kids, x5 sets of grand/great-grands).

Lots of snuggles with family. Love this one of my mama and girlie.

and this one of my mister and our princess


And my oldest baby--who is far from it and more of a little man.


Hard to beleive last year she was kicking me in the ribs. Can't imagine our family without this sweet gal. She is starting to develop her own personality. Loves to laugh, smile, wave, clap and eat!


And after all was said and done. A good family photo--and everyone is smiling.
It really is a Christmas Miracle!

And now I'm going to go wade through the mess to find myself a sugar cookie.

Crap. I Might Just Be Turning Into 'that' Mom

I feel that I must admit something.

When I watch my little guy play hockey (well, anything for that matter), I get all boastful inside (even though I know that's a sin ;). Like I am almost intoxicated by watching him; reveling in his awesomeness. I honestly just think he is so great. How hard he works, and how excited he gets, and all his quirky little things he does that he has picked up from watching "the big guys play." I become that parent. We all know the one--the one that thinks their kid is the next coming. The good news is I am smart enough and *classy* enough to keep these thoughts on the inside (until now. but this is my online journal and I promised to keep it real. I just hope you won't judge me too hard--remember that is also a sin ;).

I bottle it all up until I can spew it onto someone who won't think I'm crazy (and who doesn't have a kid on the team). Mostly Chip, maybe the grandparents, sometimes an unsuspecting family friend. Chip and my Dad obviously are a little biased, so they always agree with me, which only fuels my prideful fire.

Now, I don't want you all to get the wrong idea about me. I do not think my kid is the best kid on the team. And I am most definitely not the parent who talks crap about other kids. I'm no hater (especially of 6 & 7 year olds). I love it when the other kids do something great. I high five the mom whose kid just scored his first goal (yup, I high fived her and I'd do it again. But I draw the line at forming the human-parent-arch for the kids to run through (thankfully I don't think they do that in hockey). I love to see all their little beaming faces when they are learning and having a good time. When they accomplish something they have been working hard to achieve.

But what I really love the most?

This Guy.

Who may or may not have slept with the game puck that the coach awarded him with after the game.

Whose Mama & Daddy may or may not have stayed up late gushing about when they should have been sleeping.

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Do you think this is what Wayne Gretzky's mom thought about him when he was 6?