Sweety

I asked Mel if I could have some of his Skittles (don't JUDGE! He was an angel in the grocery store, so...). Anyway, he immediately said "sure, you can have the red ones", to which I replied "Oh, you don't like the red ones?!" and he said "Yeah, I like 'em, but red's YOUR favorite color, Mommy!"

What a doll!

What God Knows

Heard out of the mouth of F-bomb when things apparently started going her way (sans whining):

"Mommy, I thought God could only hear the WORDS in your head, not the PICTURES too!!!"



If so, then right now, I'm picturing a 3yo and 6yo who can relieve themselves without my assistance or the occurrence of a major catastrophy requiring the use of yellow "caution" tape and hazmat specialists to be called in. Seriously, how much toilet tissue does one tiny little hiny require?

Things

I just bought this sign 'cause it sooooo says what I believe. It's this rough wooden plank that says "The best things in life aren't things". I knew I had to have it up in our new home somewhere, and I wanted it to be where I could put a collage of some of those "best things" with it. So I put these in two floating frames side by side with my sign over it:

Yummy!

I love you more than...

Melson and I play this sweet game at bedtime. It started when he was only two, and after hearing me say "I love you to pieces" so many times, he started telling me "love you pieces!" at bedtime. Well, this evolved into "I love you more than..." and we go back and forth filling in the blank.
Tonight it went like this: (imagine a dark room with huge shiny dark eyes staring at me, nose to nose, smelling like lavendar and baby)

Mel: I love you more than chocolate

me: I love you more than milkshakes

Mel: I love you more than a lamp

me: I love you more than the moon

Mel: I love you more than a bed...(pause)...a comfy bed...(pause)...with ME in it with you here talking to me!

>melt<

p.s. - I just bought him a sign today for his room that says "love you more"

Funny F-bomb!

Some recent F-bomb stuff I don't want to forget.

1. She has missed SJ so terribly this week - pitiful to the max. Has fought nearly non-stop w/ Mel, until today (of course the END of the time SJ is going to be gone) when they really figured out how to play together, and had a roarin' good time till we pulled the plug at 2130 tonight.

2. This morning, as I'm walking through the room, she comes over to me and says, semi-urgently "ooh, Mommy, um,...!"
Just then something on TV caught her full, dull-eyed, gape-mouthed attention. I get tired of standing in suspense and say "F - what did you need to tell me?"
F's eyes come back to the land of the living as she turns back to me and stares for a second before giving an exasperated AAAAAAAH!, while smacking her forehead in the "shoulda hadda V8" fashion, then says "just a second, I gotta get the thinks back in my head!!!!"

3. I was told by Oui, that on their camping trip together to Joe Wheeler State Park, F caught the attention of a little boy from Clarksville, and that by the end of the weekend, he had come up and given her a little smooch on the cheek. She said that F-bomb, not possesing a flirtacious bone in her body, seemed quite underwhelmed.
So I decided to confront her about said kiss at the dinner table tonight (in front of her Daddy). The response: that classic F-bomb "uuuuuh" forced frustratedly through her teeth, then "He DID kiss me, and I was not planning on THAT!!!"

The kid cracks me up.

So neglected

Don't have a way to explain all that's been happenin' to keep this blog from flourishing, but, so that I will remember later, here's a brief, albeit terse, rundown:

1. Had to meet May trunk show orders deadline - sewing, sewing, sewing!

2. Kept driving back and forth to O-town and the lake for fun, and because J.M. was at Jumpmaster School (way to go honey, you did it!)

3. WAIT!!! Has it seriously only been 2 1/2 weeks since I posted? I swear that last post happened about 2 months ago!

4. Christie here for almost a week (yay!) which included another trip to the lake.

5. Aunt Jen died near the end of Christie's visit. To south GA for funeral.

6. As soon as back from funeral, time to take SJ to Birmingham to link up with Zia for their DC trip.

7. Launched Etsy shop, listed many items, all the while sewing existing orders.

8. Heading to the lake again tomorrow to rendezvous with Zia to get SJ and enjoy the lake for the 4th of July weekend.

>yawn<>

Add to all that another Strep week for SJ, and a yuk cold that made its rounds one-by-one through the herd.

Gotta love those brats!

From the back of the van yesterday as I was driving a hard-to-come-by-in-these-parts fellow Army brat (6) and F (5) home from camp:

F-bomb: Where were you born?

B(other kid): In Georgia - but not THIS Georgia, the other Georgia! Oh, and when I was little, we moved, and had to live in a cottage, 'cause all the other houses had people in them already.

pregnant pause...

F-bomb: Was it the one the seven dwarves lived in?

My little man

Walking downtown, early this morning (just strolling along, he's not even holding my hand).

Melson: "Are you finking what I'm finking?"

Me: "I don't know - what are you thinking?"

Melson: "I'm finking about YOU si-yeeee!!!!!(silly)".

I love that kid!!!

Tuesday Clothes...

The scene when I am "doing my 'rounds" this morning after dropping the girls off at school and walk into the girls' room:

SJ's side: bed crisply made, special blanket folded neat and tight, one stuffed animal (small) placed just so on pillow. On top of the bookshelf by her bed is an alarm clock, one picture (of herself in the lake), and a small pixel chix house. Books on shelf beside bed all matching heights/depths, cheetah sleep mask with pink "princess" embroidered on it laying on top of secret journal beside bed, PJ's for tonight neatly folded at end of bed, an oufit neatly folded beside the PJ's, with a handwritten sign that says "tusday cloths! don't play whith!!!!" (She has a drama performance next Tuesday that she has to wear certain clothes in). This is on top of the fact that her alarm is already set for tomorrow morning, and she came down the steps this morning dressed to the shoes, hair brushed, backpack on - just as I'm rolling out of bed!

F's side: bed completely destroyed from the night before, drawer beside bed gaping open. Animals, blankets, pillows in every direction. PJ's from last night crumpled on floor beside bed. At the foot of the bed is a basket overflowing with "stuff" that still needs to be put away. Books on shelf jumbled (but used - yay!) with the bottom shelf taken up completely by an art set - on top of the shelf by the bed: lots of rocks (all ordinary, gray) a crumpled dollar bill, lots of small torn-out notebook papers with special things written/drawn on them, a used Claire's gift card, a multi-colored-ink pen, and a baby picture of her mama. This is on top of the fact that I had to literally drag her out of bed 20 minutes after the alarm gave up, at which point she began to cry that she wasn't getting to wear a skirt (because she didn't lay out her clothes last night, unlike SJ!), then followed up by another cry that she feared she would hurt my feelings if she didn't want to wear what I had picked out for her.

What a picture, especially since the beds are matched beside each other, with the bookshelf between them. It is so strikingly obvious the differences between these two. And I SOOOOO love every little nuance and difference in each!

p.s. SJ even has a written schedule of what things they will play on which days, "Play house, Monday. Play office, Tuesday. Play school, Wednesday..." And guess who is constantly "bucking the system" and wanting to play rescue hero on Monday?

Tomorrow, next month, same thing, right?

So tomorrow turned into a full month later. After two weeks of waffling, the elbow was officially deemed "not broken". Of course, that was after ER took xrays, said "no fracture, but call us if it still hurts tomorrow". Which it did. So I called the ER for Radiologists "read" of the Xray from the night before - "no break, but follow up with your GP". More pain, so follow up with GP, then more Xrays, then "diagnosis supracondylar fracture" (totally the kind you don't want in a pediatric patient, OF COURSE!) and a referral to orthopedic doc. At this point she was doing cartwheels on the thing, and not wearing her sling. Ortho visit went well, still no placement of splint or adherance to sling rules - he ordered a CT scan for a detailed look (took almost a full week more to get that appt., then results). And finally, "no fracture". Well, YEAH, now that it's had time to completely heal! Is this normal, or are we dealing with "rural medicine" here?

The business took off with a bang, I have registered my trademark, gotten my business license, moved my work space to the office, started a preliminary business website (ie, blog about my business), bought a domain name, drafted drawings and a NEW price list for the NEW business website, gotten and passed business cards, gotten clothing labels, sewn ALOT (Easter rush) and taken more orders than I expected - it is WONDERFUL. Oh, and I upped the sitter's hours as much as she could spare, and hired a maid. The last two were unexpected necessities of a very-quickly growing business! This thing has really taken off! Oh, and I have my first trunk show next month - YAY!

So much funny stuff has happened lately - mainly the F bomb doing her thing. We've done a lot of travelling over the past week (me and the kids, that is, J.M. is working hard while we "play"), and in 24 hours time, F walked full-force into two different sliding-glass doors - seriously, fully witnessed by rooms-full of people. She is beginning to feel embarrassed when these things happen, and she'll silently tear up, hide her face, then run out of the room. Poor baby, I love her so much - she provides endless entertainment. And to be such a sweety all the time, she cuts that little bro NO SLACK! He's gotta get it from somewhere! SJ and he are growing like weeds right now, and after a full week of them home with me, I have deemed them "the locusts". They are in a room 7 minutes - tops - and everything consumable is gone! How will I keep them fed this summer?! Of course, SJ always does this right before summer, then burns it off in the heat and activities by week two of summer vacation. She is getting so grown-up, and is totally in love with her Daddy, which is so endearing. Everything has to pass through the "Daddy filter" before it is acceptable to her, from how big/strong her muscles look, to what she should wear, to how her artwork looks, to how to handle friend situations. I can't even handle the thought of the next deployment and how her heart will ache. Just with his busy schedule now, she can't get enough of him - he is truly her hero. Cool news - she was selected for Level III competitive team at gymnastics! She has been in a Level II class (non-competing), but was tested to see her level, and not only passed to the next level, but received an invitation to join team! She'll spend 4 hours a week in the gym through the Summer, then we'll see in the Fall if she is willing and able to keep up that pace and more, balancing that and school. I don't know where that leaves her love for drama/theater, but I hope she does not have to give up one for the other.

Speaking of gymnastics - F-bomb also tested and was invited to join a special team in her age category for exceptional strength and agility, to focus more on tougher skills than the regular classes can. She was so pumped about this - they are non-competitive at her age, but will do exhibits and performances at different events throughout the year. Her main focus right now, though, is her best friend from pre-K, and wishing every morning that she had woken up in the Fall of '08 and it was time to go to Kindergarten! She can hardly wait. She's reading and writing up a storm now, and you can always find her with crayons or markers, drawing pictures and writing notes to us all.

And then there's big M. He is so sweet-natured and fun. Such a clown - will do anything for a laugh, and LOVES his sisters. The girls' room is so big, they all want to sleep together in there! You would think the girls would want him out, but they don't seem to mind. He and SJ always snuggle up together, as F doesn't care to share her ACTUAL covers or space. She has even been making noise about how neat it would be to have her own room - maybe we can manage that the next move... He IS sleeping in his own bed tonight, though, with no complaints. All the travel and "sharing" over the last week probably helped with that! Oh, and he is definitely IN LOVE with music, all kinds. He is always doing something musical - singing, playing air guitar, dancing, playing his instruments. I love it. Oh, and he also does this thing now where he gives you a winning smile and a thumbs-up when finishing a conversation, leaving a room, or obeying or disobeying - like Daddy he plays the "cute" card to see if he can get by with stuff. We've been to the lake a couple of times already this Spring (it's full!!!) and he thinks he is supposed to drive the boat. He spends 100% of the ride sitting in Deedo's lap, watching the water for obstacles, hands on the wheel. He takes it pretty seriously, and even on longer rides, doesn't get bored or lose focus. So funny! He is so lovable, and I am taking every bit of that sugar I can until the mournful day he finds it "uncool" to love your mama so much.

I've got great kids - they all make me so proud.

The F bomb

So, I'm about to head to the ER with F - (I know, right) - for what may be ANOTHER broken elbow. Poor neighbors - first day of their trampoline being up, and it's been Fletcherized! At least it's the OTHER elbow this time. Good photo op, I'll get to try out that new camera phone - I'll try to post pics tomorrow!

Tookies is up and running!

OK, so this blog won't turn into "As the Bobbin Turns", I've created a new blog for my work:
www.tookiesbytrish.blogspot.com . Check it out and tell me what you think! There will be TONS more pics posted, as I am working on lots of new stuff right now...

I Just Can't Stop!

I took the last dress, and worked a new design to make a "twirl shirt" set - I LOVE this one! The only problem is, I THOUGTH I had the girls' Easter stuff decided on and made, but now I'm not so sure!

J.M. is jumping into FL today (taking the students to the next phase of Ranger School) and so while I am supposed to be packing and cleaning house, I am sewing "just one last thing" - it's like I'm addicted or something! We will be heading out this evening for O town to celebrate Maggie's B-day (J.M.'s grandmother), then on to B'ham to visit with Dr. Zia and Boo. Gonna try to do some hiking there, if weather permits, and see the Jordans - miss them!

Another new design

Happy Valentine's Day - my Valentine has been on the mountain since before light this morning, and won't be home till midnight or after :( Oh, and I feel like I've been hit by a truck (my love WAS home long enough in the past two weeks to give me his cold!) But on the bright side, I tried a new design I've been twirling around in my head, and it turned out really cute! Let me know what you think.

Oh yeah, is second grade too young to think "Luke is HOT, Mommy!" I'm pretty sure I'm not OK with that - SJ changed her phrasing for her elderly mother when she saw the look on my face after the first comment. I can handle "He's really cute" with so much more grace! Now I just have to check and see if her assessment is accurate.

And F, to no one's surprise, is THE girl all the boys want to marry in her Pre-K class. Again, too young for these thoughts I think, but SHE is completely oblivious. But her teacher assures me that the one F "picked" is the cream of the crop. Even F told me she likes him because he's a good boy, sweet, and "not wild and crazy-acting like all the other boys".

Cupid sure is a pesky booger...

We're SOOOOO Doing That AGAIN!!!!

Sunday was a dedicated "we're spending on-purpose time together as a family" day. J.M.'s been very busy with work, leaving before the kids get up and getting home long after they've gone to bed (me too, for that matter!) We decided to take the kids hiking on some trails up at Camp Merrill (parts of the Appalachian Trail are J.M.'s office - he loves telling people that!) I really didn't know what to expect from the kids or the trails. I figured maybe they could handle some mild inclines for about an hour. IT WAS AMAZING!!!!! I would put the experience in the top three times we've had together as a family. Everything we saw was gorgeous, and the kids were so good - they loved it. As we were starting out, SJ and F asked "so this is where Daddy works - what are we going to see?" to which I replied, "just wait, you won't believe it - Daddy is magic!" We spent an hour getting to the magic spot - which was this beautiful waterfall in the middle of nowhere (down a very steep dropoff from our trail, I might add!) When we got to the creek and waterfall, SJ was so overcome with it, she said "this is the most awesome thing I have ever seen, EVEN in my whole LIFE!!! Daddy IS magic!" I love these years. Then we passed the waterfall and came to a place where a huge tree had fallen across the creek (about 10-15 feet over the water). SJ and J.M. had some major bonding time as she crossed it with him. She really is such a little adventurer. Of course, upon seeing this, and doing the math, F immediately was ready to head back and go home, fearing that we may ask her to try to cross the river. Maybe one day...

All in all, we hiked about 2 hours. I think there may have been some magic on that mountain - watching the kids full of wonder at every stick, leaf, sound, and smell, and hearing them enjoying the freedom of running wild with the confidence that Daddy knew this place like the back of his hand was MY magic! I can't wait to go back and explore some more.

More of What's Keeping Me Busy

Still busy sewing, loving it! Also have a neat idea for a project for over my bed (no sewing involved - inspired by my Mom-in-law and the sweet last neighbors we had who had to endure our silliness!) PLUS I'm working on a "sentimental" Valentine for my sweety this year - don't usually do that, but I'm feeling inspired.

I'm a Sewing....Machine! Heh, Heh

The first two are the dresses I completed today for a couple of ladies at F's school. Then, of course, my cute girls in their February best! I hope to post a new style I've been working on soon - cutest yet, I think. Let me know what you think! On a side note, I just loved SJ walking into school (the announcements had already started, so she was "fashionably late") with her little "bad" skulls just beggin' somebody to say something! She is so tough with her pink bow in her hair...

Love Stinks 2

I just made this yesterday for SJ...she LOVES it! The reason it is #2, is that the original design had pink/brown camo as the main fabric, but it didn't look right with those particular skulls. I think I'm gonna rename #1 "Can't Find Me Love", since I've found a cuter skull fabric with pink and brown. I'll be making #1 (name to be determined) in the next week or so...

What's it called?

My sweet, adorable, two-year-old son. We are in the midst of potty training, so we are spending lots of "personal" time together, me on his level, eye-to-eye, you know. So I'm wearing a new blouse he hasn't seen on me before. It's smooth and silky and while he's sitting on the potty facing me he notices it, and starts rubbing my arms saying "oooooooo". His hands make it to the front of me, and stop dead-still, as he looks in my eyes and grins impishly. Hands on Mom's tata's, he says "I like your penis!", to which I reply "those are my breasts", and then his response - "you have cool breasts!"

Why, thank you. I think? I have come a long way in 5 years. When SJ was his age, she was in the bathtub and noticed hers, asking me about them. I said "yep, you'll have some like Mommy's one day". My daughter's response - "yeah, but mine won't be long like yours, Mommy".

Where did I put that number to the plastic surgeon?
There is no pride nor shame allowed in motherhood.

Anyone Goin' Back to Cali?

Just as the snowball hit her!

Rugged Winter Man

Just got back from southern California. I enjoyed a week there with my friend, Christie. She just had a baby boy on the 3rd - too cute! I am so sad her hubby has to deploy tomorrow. He made me so proud - totally took the reigns as a new papa. And he was even beginning to master the ever-difficult task of "anticipating needs" (of the baby AND his wifey!) Godspeed, Brian, and we can't wait till you get back, really.
That baby boy was a dream the whole time I was there - with Christie as the Mama, there is NO other way! My kids are so excited to see him and Claire (hopefully soon).

They were also very happy to see me, as I was them. But let me tell you, after being away from them for a week, in lovely Cali weather, in the ultra quiet household I was visiting - coming home was a total culture shock to all my senses. I got off the plane in blustery-cold Atlanta yesterday (did I mention it was completely gray in ATL?) then drove in INSANE Atlanta traffic, entered my loud, physically busy house just in time to shoo the girls off to gymnastics. It then started snowing, fully insuring my "full immersion" method of getting used to things, as this meant a snow day on my first full day home. I have accomplished absolutely nothing today. I'm trying to live in the moment and not go completely insane. It's 4 p.m., I haven't had a shower, breakfast remnants are still on the table, there is no plan in place for dinner, there is now a TON more laundry than when I woke up (Damn that weak GA snow - can't even stay cold enough to not make it a mud slushy to play in) and something really smells bad in this house. Oh, also, I have two dress orders to make by tomorrow morning, and I haven't unpacked my sewing machine from the move yet. There is no way having "older kids" is not easier! Everybody wants a piece of me all the time - either to tell me something, to tell on someone, or to get them something, or to ask me if they can have/do/smell/touch/sit on/get out/eat/drink whatever.

Sally did the cutest thing while I was gone to sum up her time with them, and I hope she'll make it a new tradition, of sorts, anytime she's around them for extended periods.
Excerpts:

" 'Deep subjects' that were discussed...
-smoking
-rednecks (what's that?!)
-what it would be like to have Hannah Montana as a sister

Things I learned...
-never turn your back on a two year old
-don't take kids to Wal-Mart
-I've never given myself enough credit for surviving motherhood with both kids "intact"
-I just THOUGHT that I remembered that the teen years are worse!!

Things that drove me to the wall...
-clothes, clothes, clothes - - - all over the floor ALL the time!!! (is this clean or dirty?)
-[hearing] That's gross!! Yucky!! That's not how that goes! We don't do it that way!!

The best question I answered...
"Ma'am, I've seen you here everyday - would you like to have a cot set up in the back?" (check-out clerk at Wal-Mart)

My favorite most frequently heard sounds...
-'I love you, Oui!'
-'Oui, you're the BEST!'
-the garage door opening in the evening
-'nite, Oui' "

That Oui sure is something!

I am off to the basement to dig out the sewing machine (read: ignore the remnants of the tornado that apparently whirled through my house today). I miss my friends and their peaceful home, oh, and The Office marathon.