Diaper in the sky

Airfare $1200
Snacks $4.50
Luggage check-in $60

Changing a standing two year olds drippy, poopy diaper in an airplane bathroom while he screams at the top of his lungs and bangs his head against the door and people outside pound on the door and shout are you OK, do you need help?

Priceless.

Yes, I know there is a changing table above the toilet in the airplane bathroom and if I had given birth to a premature baby in flight and changed that two pound baby’s diaper before we landed it might have been small enough to fit on that 10 inch table.

Ginger bread houses 2009

On Saturday night there was the analytical assembly of ginger bread houses by my husband the engineer. All cracker ends had to be inside the sides and they had to be placed vertically.

There were a couple of observers to the process.

Sunday the festivities began. The kids were so cute, during dinner they kept asking, "Can we start now, can we start now?"  and "If there is any candy leftover can we eat it?"

Even some of the big kids participated. Other big kids hid in their room because there were so many little kids. Alex said, "every year there are more kids in this family." Gee, he's right. There is certainly a lot of procreation going on.

Jameson was proud of his creation. Alex was very analytical much like his Uncle Don. He's only four but all his candy was placed in color coordinated rows.   Jameson was more into the layered effect.

Emma unlike her color coordinated, row making twin believed more was better and stuffed her house full of candy..

One of the smarter and more creative parents tried to hide in the kitchen and decorate a house in peace. (why does he leave his house every year? You're supposed to take them home. It's a rule)

But alas, the number of children building exceeded the number of chairs in the dining room and Kyle's secret decorating place became another busy spot.

The smallest "non-decorator" was little Lisa-Jean who was a great observer.

One post ginger bread house party observation. WHY would I clean my house BEFORE the party. That was just silly!

I'm 49 and what's new?

I'm 49 (my neice just informed me I am only 48 because her dad my brother is 49, BONUS) today, one two years away from 50, so what's new?

I always knew I was going to get married, go to college and have babies but never really thought about what I would do “after that.” Well, it’s “after that” and I’m married, finishing another dang blasted Master’s and raising babies. My fellow 50ish friends have all called me crazy, insane, nuts, a lunatic and various other adjectives. All this got me to thinking about why I really don’t mind raising another baby at my “advanced” maternal age. (Though I do sit in front of the hockey rink waiting for David watching the 60ish crowds go in to play racquet ball and swim and realize that when I am 60ish I will still be sitting in my car waiting for a kid to come out of the recreation center.


Why it is easier to raise a baby/toddler when your 40 or 50 then when your 20. Not necessarily in order:

1. Teenage and adult children living in the house who help take care of the toddler.

2. I am not poor

3. I am not living in a 12x60 mobile home

4. The toddler sleeps in a queen size bed, which means when I sleep with toddler I am comfortable.

5. Sippy cups that don’t spill

6. Drop in day care

7. Cool fold down toilet seats for toddlers

8. I don’t sweat the “baby stuff.” Five grown and almost grown kids have given me perspective. I’ve sat in a room and had half a dozen “professionals” tell me my child was mentally retarded and would always need “special help.” I’ve spent countless nights sleeping in hospital rooms with a seriously ill child. I’ve listened to half a dozen gastroenterologist give me their diagnosis of why my son is sick with pancreatitis. (They finally identified a guilty gene). I’ve gone to the police station at 2:00 a.m. on prom night to pick up my handcuffed daughter. I’ve seen a teenager through rehab. I’ve experienced family “intervention” night. I’ve had kids with hair dyed every color of the rainbow. I’ve been to awards ceremonies, basketball games, hockey games, debate tournaments and experienced the juvenile court system. I’d say as a parent I’m pretty well rounded. I know that the normal toddler things aren’t worth stressing over. I know that a baby who cries for hours will eventually quit crying. It doesn’t matter if a toddler insists on wearing the same shirt for two days in a row. (Even if it’s his sisters). Toddlers eventually get potty trained so why push it. Short of life or death, serious illness or injury or the court system it isn’t worth stressing about. (I do have to stress that someday Sean’s parents may try to regain custody! Hence, the court system).

9. I have a really supportive husband.

10. Did I mention not being poor!

Bonus or Gross?

Steph was in pre term labor AGAIN last night (hoping she goes to 35 weeks) so Nate spent the night at our house. I had a busy day planned so I took Nate and Sean to “drop in” daycare. I made a conscious decision to leave Nate’s ever present binkie at home. (He’s like Maggie from the Simpson’s) After daycare I was driving home and looked at the boys in the mirror and there sat Nate with a binkie in his mouth. Hmm, that’s peculiar I thought. I told Stephanie that Nate picked up a bonus binkie at daycare (bummer for the baby with the missing binkie). Steph thought it was gross. I thought that being poor college students they would be happy!


Sean hasn’t taken a binkie since he was three months old but since there were two he felt compelled to give it a try.

World's Largest Orange Display

 Hmm, if it had been the world's largest display of Kit Kat bars Sean might have been impressed. Oranges didn't do it for him. But, hey when something like this comes to town you have to take a picture. Not doing so would be equal to driving past the world's largest ball of yarn without stopping. When we got home I told Sean to tell Grandma what we had seen at the store and he showed her his candy bar and said "we saw candy." Obviously, the oranges made a tremendous impression.

Shortly before our journey to the grocery store for our photo opportunity Sean and I were walking in the snow with our hands in our pockets and Sean fell off the curb face first. I felt really bad and he was really sad. Hence the scraped up face.

Happy Birthday Aric

My little baby boy is 20! How can that be?Aric "AJ" has been a wonderful son. He made it through the teenage years without a hitch! How lucky am I?  Happy birthday son, I love you!