Last weekend I went out with some of my girlfriends for a bachlorette party. The bride decided that it would be a classy night out at the “martini” bar. Being that I don’t generally drink I was dreading the pressure but gave myself permission to have one drink. I have great self control when it comes to drinking because I do not like the feeling of being out of control of my senses.
I got gussied up and met the girls. The place we went to felt like a playboy’s mansion. It was swanky and classy with a hint of sleezy. Recipe for a crazy night. I ordered a Cosmo because everyone did and it sounded good. When it arrived it was in a large martini glass. Two martini’s would have fit in this fish bowl. I sipped slowly through the next 45 minutes while we all giggled and laughed over memories of the bride. I had to find the bathroom but felt a bit disoriented. I went to stand up and then it hit me like a load of bricks….BOOM…I felt as if I could swagger…not walk to the restroom. I know I’m a lightweight BUT MERCY I had no clue that one Cosmo would put me in a state of giddiness, and buzzed beyond belief. I ended up calling a cab for myself later on which ran me 45.00.
I have made a new rule for myself after dancing with an ugly cowboy….NEVER I REPEAT NEVER order a Cosmo that looks like fish could live happy and content in its bowl. It’s expensive and painful.

I keep trying to convince HB that naps are good for HIM. He’s not easily convinced. Actually they are good for mommy and mommy’s sanity. So…it is the truth. Because if mama’s not happy….no one is.

If you give a kid some water they will first take a swallow, take the rest outside and and make mud pies.
If they make mud pies then they will get the brilliant idea to wash the house with mud
If they wash the house with mud they will decide that one cup full of water just is not enough and turn on the hose
If they turn on the hose they will completely flood out the mulch under the trampoline and make a wading pool for everyone
If they make a wading pool for everyone they will decide to open a HUGE car wash and wash more cars with mud
If they wash more cars with mud they will decide to open a restaurant and create more mud pies
If they make more mud pies they will in fact be thirsty
If they are thirsty they will come inside for a glass of water!

OY the cycles continues.

I have had the time of my life teaching my children to do their chores after being a little slack. I have been to say I have been pretty consistant but the last year (since January) I have not been. They have always had responsibilities because I believe firmly in that but as far as helping me out with everything I have severely slacked off. Restarting that engine has been a hard grind. Although I have noticed that even though they complain endlessly about it, they still do what they need to do.
This summer I have taught them both new chores. Neither child is happy with their new chore list. HG explained how she did not feel it was fair that I taught her to do her own laundry and now it just piles up and she has nothing to wear. Oh pity. All of these years she carelessly threw anything she did not want to pick up in the laundry. She’s learning that it is cyclical. It comes back to haunt you when you least expect it! Her other chores are cleaning the bathrooms help with breakfast lunch and dinner 2 days a week and of course her room. HB has complained that he feels that dusting, wiping down the back window, feeding the dog and cat, unloading the silverware, putting his laundry away and picking up his room is just too much for him to handle.
I think that HB needs to have the same responsibilities as HG has just at his level. A 5 year old chore list compared to a 10 year old list is vastly different. All of the chores she has been doing (the dusting…etc) have now been passed down to HB. She feels that he has it easy. OH VEY! I think that the boys need to learn to do as much as the girls. He needs to know and appreciate the work it takes to run a home and keep it in order. I feel I would be doing his future wife a disservice if I did not teach him the respect for a working or at home wife and mother. I want him to be able to see how to pitch in and help. HG may get married and have children and a home of her own to run. If I don’t instill it in her now…I know I will be doing her family a disservice.
I have known some that feel that I have them do too much in a day. I say….NO…ABSOLUTELY NO. It takes them may be 45 minutes to complete everything in a day. When school starts there will be a scaled down version and a daily schedule of what has to be accomplished.
Honestly, I was rebellious and did not learn what I needed to. I chose to discount everything my mother taught me and fought it tooth and nail. I felt we were there only to clean her house and to cook dinner. I realize now how wrong I really was. I did not learn how to manage a household. I’ve had to learn on my own. Not an easy task. Why is it that I had to do everything the hard way? I can not let that happen to my children. Hopefully by having them help out it teaches them how to work hard and stay consistant.
So for now I will keep gently reminding them of the things they have to do until they become habit. I wish habit would come sooner than later!A

I did my first “on call” weekend for the hospital for lactation consulting. I waited with baited breath to see if I would get a call. I did. I got two.
The first one I went to her home. Her little one was having trouble latching on. First time moms are so wonderfully sensitive and open for help. Her little one was 2 weeks old. She was frustrated because he had decided to not latch on and sat and screamed when she tried to nurse him. I asked the routine questions about if she supplemented him…etc. She sheepishy said that she had been giving him the bottle sometimes because she felt he was not getting enough. It was like she expected hell fire and damnation to fall on her. I at that moment realized that the position I was in could in a sense make or brake her attempts. I knew I had to be supportive, explaining what I could. He was definately hungry when I came but it was a clear case of nipple confusion. He wanted the easy one. Before I left he was content and nursing. She was in tears. She told me that if I had not have come she would have given up and just done bottles. I explained that if nursing was what she wanted to do then I could help her with that. She said that she had been worried that I would judge her for supplimenting her baby and giving him a bottle. Why would I do that?
After I left I realized that she had been told all along that bottles were wrong by influential people around her. I on the other hand just sat with her, encouraged her and in the end she was successful. I realized then that my role was not to force my opinion but merely encouragement and support.
The second call today was a woman with her 5th born newborn. She explained that all of her other children just took to nursing right away. This one screamed every time she started. I watched as she attempted to nurse her and sure enough she would latch on and then scream like crazy. I wondered if there was something wrong with the babies mouth. I looked in and sure enough there was something definately wrong. It looked as if she had thrush. The lady immediately took her to the hospital and sure enough the baby has thrush.
As for a first day on the official job it was a busy one but I laid in bed last night knowing that two ladies were encouraged today. Encouraging and support is definately my job not judging and pushing. I felt satisfied at the end of a long day.

For those of you that are my regular readers you know that back a while there was a situation that happened with 5 boys. As of tonight I have an update.

The oldest is enjoying his foster home. I see him almost every Sunday that we are at church. He is a joy. He is loving the environment that they have in their home. He told me that they might raise their voices to their children (especially when they aren’t listening) but they NEVER hit them in the face. He said that one of their children was fighting with another and the parents stepped in and raised their voice. It made him nervous. Then he saw that they made up, said they were sorry and went on. No blood, no fits of despair, no anger….just love and concern. He is doing summer school to make up for missing 62 days of school. Now how in HE** do you miss 62 days of school. He said he was taking care of his brothers. I honestly believe him. That woman.
The next one (9) is still in a temp foster home. He is doing ok. He is a very different and dark child. His foster home seems to be good but they are having trouble finding him a permanent foster home. He is working with a child therapist. He feels guilty for the baby’s death. I don’t know how he took that on himself. I honestly don’t know much more than that on him
#3 is one year older now and LOVED his birthday with the foster family he is with. He’s happy and healthy. Not much more on him.
The last one is doing better. His arm has healed nicely. He likes to pretend it’s still hurt. (silly boy) I think he liked the attention the cast gave him. The bad news is that the original break they had to go back and reset. (OUCH) The growth plate in his arm was touched but not severly damaged. I guess we will know more in the coming years.
The baby of course as most of you know passed away. He was buried in an unmarked grave somewhere. I can not for the life of me remember the wording they used to describe the name of the area but it made me shudder a bit. Wherever he is, I know that he is more peaceful now than when he was here.
That is the update on the boys. I know I have had a ton of requests trying to know what happened. This is the last news as of last night.

The Genuine kiddos spent the night last night. This meant that HB had younger kiddos to play with and all of the accesories of a 1 year old. According to HB…diapers make great hats…just sayin’.

There are moments as a mom when I see my children that I have to step back into the shadows and catch my breath. Those precious moments when they are playing school in their room and HG has HB writing his name 10 times for not listening in class or watching her dance so freely in her room to her cd’s. Then there are those moments when I have to choke back the tears of knowing the they are indeed growing up and before I know it they will have flown the nest to discover the life that was intended for them.
At the kid’s birthday party this weekend there was a moment when I looked at HG playing with the other children and before my eyes it seemed as if she was growing up. Her body is starting through some of the slight changes as well as her mannerisms. After she went to bed I went into her room and sat looking at her. I then slipped into the covers beside her. Immediately she felt my presence and migrated into my arms. “Hi mommy. I had a fun day. I love you.” she said as she snuggled into her favorite spot in my arms and fell back asleep. What kind of woman will she be? She is growing ever so much but what is intended for her? At this moment she is intended to be our daughter and the wonderful person she is. I can not help but think of the future and imagine her as one of the many things she may want to be. I know she is intended for greatness. Whether that be with saving lives one day or minding a family of her own she will be wonderful at whatever she sets out to do.
The great effect she had on my life from the second we found out we were pregnant to the moment her fuzzy head made its appearance to just moments ago when I left her sleeping in her bed she touches the most tender part of my heart.
Happy Birthday Bug. You are indeed my growing up lady bug.

Dear HB,
God must have known that I needed a ray of sunshine in my days. From the moment you could wiggle inside you had energy and a zest for life. I know that sometimes it is that very thing that gets you into a little mischief. There are so many things I love about you that a simple note could not begin to do justice.
We were told that you would never be. Doctors told us that after all of my difficulties with keeping pregnancies that we had to prepare for you not to come. I found out about you on the same day I found out about your sister…just 5 years apart. Your due dates were the same. She told me then that you were her birthday present.
Sissy kept saying that she wanted a brother or a sister. She prayed every night that she would have one. Just like us she felt her life was not complete without a sibling. In my darkest moments she had the faith that I lacked. She knew that daddy and I needed to have patience. The day we found out about you I knew that you had a purpose. If not for your place in the world but a purpose to teach me patience!
Then on this day 5 years ago you finally made your appearance. You were 7 pound 7 oz of sheer energy. From the moment you could laugh and smile you did. You had and still are the happiest child I know.
I wonder what you will be when you grow up. Personally, it does not matter. The hope I have for you is that you are a strong, honest, loving man that still has that adventurous streak with a strong sense of humor. My hope is that you are a leader in your home as well as in your life. Being a doctor or a lawyer is not my dream for you. Being whatever you were intended for is the my hope.
I love you HB. On your golden birthday (he’s 5 today on the 5th) my prayer is that you keep on smiling, keep on loving and keep on enjoying life to its fullest.
With love
Mommy

We are gearing up for birthday week. On the 5th our precious boy will celebrate his golden birthday (turning 5) and on the 10th out darling daughter will celebrate her golden birthday (turning10).
It seems to me as if they should be just babies in my arms not the wiggly, goofy occasionally obnoxious kids they are.
This week you are going to get sick of seeing them. I will try to post a picture of them each day. (if my flipping blog will allow the upload)
We are doing a party for them. We do a big party every year due to the fact that since they are together…why not? It’s an excuse to get the family and friends together in one spot.
If I can not get my blog to upload….look at my flick’r. It will be updated.