What Not to Wear

(Donatella Versace was hurt in the making of this post.)

It's a date

Our internet has been down, off and on, for the past several days. If you have tried to reach me and have not been able to do so I don't really care. I'm far more concerned about me and my mental health without internet access. I mean, I did live and breathe before email and blogs, right? Sometimes I'm not so sure. Nonetheless, I'm taking advantage of this rare opportunity of functioning technology to let you back into my little corner of the world.

Greg and I recently instituted date night with our children. Once a month we each alternate taking one of the kids on their own, one on one, multiple hours long, DATE. Dane hasn't really been included yet because honestly, he's just as happy if he has your full attention while he empties the crayon box onto the floor. Soon though baby Dane, soon.

This month I went out with Nathan and Greg with Aubrey. Nathan picked the activities. We started at the mall and he got to walk. That alone was reason enough to be joyful. No stroller, no holding my hand. Then we took the escalator. Saints be with us, was there enough room in his heart for such joy?? We played for an hour at the mall's enormous play area (ball pits, air hockey, multiple basketball hoops, scooters, etc.) and ended with grilled cheese sandwiches, apple slices, and lemonade at Red Robin. These dates are awesome, for all of us. The kids revel in the attention and Greg and I revel at the opportunity to just enjoy our babies. No discipline, no competition, no teaching ABCs. Just playing and loving.

Greg and Aubrey had an extra special date. They went to their first Father/Daughter Dance. The local Kiwanis club hosts it and they had about 230 people there this year. They looked awesome (see pictures). I loved how dressed up Greg was, just for his little girl. They started their evening at Red Robin (are you noticing a dining trend?) and made it to the dance around 7. Aubrey got a corsage and was smitten with the refreshment table. They did get out and shake a leg for a while but the loud music and commotion proved a bit much for our girl. So, to end the night on a major high note, Greg took her to the store to let her pick out a treat. Her choice? Lucky Charms. I think that was the highlight of her whole night. She came home beaming and her daddy looked just as pleased. Date days rock! (End note. Greg reported that she spent a good portion of her time at the dance dabbing her lips and nose with the chap stick and tissues we packed in her purse. Precious, I know.)

And, because I hate to leave my baby out, Dane got his first haircut. As you long time blog followers may recall, Nathan's first haircut was a nightmare. A screaming, flailing, hysterical fit that ended with me sweating profusely and Nathan's eyes swelled, red, and puffy. Dane was 100% the opposite. He sat as though made of stone. I couldn't coax eye contact out of him, let alone a smile. He stared straight ahead, solemn, serious, and unnaturally still for a 13 month old. Once he was down he just lifted his arms up to me and put his head on my shoulder. I think he had some post traumatic distress. Still, the results were worth it. Bye bye mullet and over ear wings!

Mommy Mojo

I have had it today. I have been a wealth of fun activities, educational adventures, and undivided attention. Lest you think I'm bragging, I have also spent entire days interrupting time with my kids to check my email for the 16th time and dreaming of spa treatments. Today though has been a good day.

For inquiring minds: It is 2:30 p.m. and I have swept four times today. Breakfast, after making cupcakes, after we put sprinkles on the cupcakes, and lunch. It's a wonder I get another darn thing done.

Also, the following pictures happened over SEVERAL DAYS, not just today. I'm not that good!Dane, playing with rice. Mix uncooked rice with funnels and cups and spoons and you get an uninterrupted hour of play time. And rice in places you never dreamed.
All the kiddos, playing together and being nice. Wonders never cease.
Aubrey and our third son. Look at that dumb cat, he thinks he is a reincarnated Egyptian prince.
NOBODY can resist that smile.
Dane took right to the basketball brainwashing that goes on around here.
There is no wrong time to shoot a hoop.
He might as well have conquered Everest for all the pride he felt in this accomplishment.
Dane's first painting. Only a few tastes of paint were consumed.
In case he ever loses use of his arms.
Aubrey, showing off all the puzzles she put together by herself. She is getting too darn big!

Do as I say, not as I do

If you were to call me and say, "Hey Sara, I think my kid has croup, do you have any advice?", I'd have all sorts of things to say. I would ask about your child's color, whether or not they were having retractions while breathing, have you taken them outside in the cold air, have you given them a steam bath, and I would probably end by saying, "Croup is scary but it sounds like you are doing the right things and I'm sure they will be fine. Just keep an eye on them." I would say these things to you to because, let's be honest here, it's your baby, not mine. And while I love your kid I don't love them as much as I love mine. Plus, it is easy to be calm and collected from 100 miles away while your own children cheerfully, and healthily, scribble on your walls. Besides, you are probably just over reacting.

OR, I could ask myself all the reasons why I shouldn't panic with my own croupy kid. First of all Sara, you are a nurse and are supposed to have a clue about such things. Get it together and act educated for half a second. Secondly, this is your third child, you've been through this before, you know what to do, ACT LIKE IT. Or thirdly, go ahead and panic. After all, this is YOUR baby we are talking about and you are way to emotionally invested to be objective and he looks terrible and why aren't you in the car taking him to the ER already?!?!?!

Which is what I did. At 5:30 a.m. this morning. Because our sweet baby Dane went from healthy last night at bedtime to a struggling for air, feverish, baby this morning. It was when I laid him down to change him and his chest was sucking in with every breath that Greg looked at me and we both said, "We are going!"

He is fine now. By the time we made it to the ER the cold air and calming down had eased his laborious breathing. Which I knew it would because I know what makes croup better, and worse. But still, even if you know these things with your head your heart doesn't have a clue when your baby is struggling over each breath. Plus, I was surrounded by nurses and doctors and oximeters and delicious prescriptions for prednisone and that alone was worth the $100 co-pay. Which, again, I already knew.

Sins and not sins

While my brother-in-law disagrees (he is a purist), my sister KayLynn and I think the following may be a sin.  Greg has been eating for breakfast a bowl of oatmeal with a very runny egg and a banana smashed in it.  What do you think?  How bad is that crime?  (P.S.  He has also lost almost 20 pounds, got new glasses, grew a goatee, and is smoking hot.  It almost compensates for that horror of a breakfast.)

While one member of our home is committing sins against cuisine (KayLynn said that if God wouldn't eat it than it can't possibly be okay) another small member of this home is sitting in God's palm.  We always pray at night with the kids but Aubrey has started doing the praying herself.  Her prayers are one of the best parts of my day.  They are simple and truthful and beautiful.  It's mostly one thank you after another and she thinks of all the small conversations we have during the day.  Tonight she asked me if her friend Sarah would be at bible study tomorrow (she was home sick last week.)  I told her I thought so and that was the end of it.  Tonight at prayers though she said, unprompted, "Thank you for making my friend Sarah well so that I can see her tomorrow.  Thank you that she is my friend.  And thank you that I get to see Grandma Julie and Grandpa Wayne in FOUR DAYS!"

God, thank you for my kids.  

Things that make me want to write someone a letter

1. I bought Aubrey a cute pair of jeans from Old Navy called "The Girlfriend." Really?? The Girlfriend? Come one, they are a size 5 here and trust me, she ain't nobody's girlfriend.

2. Watching a BABY drink pop out of a bottle. If you have ever done this I don't apologize, it's horrendous. I thought about it from a non-judgmental stand point and couldn't come up with one good reason not to judge. There's no excuse other than ignorance. Give the kid water for heaven's sake. It's cheaper and far less damaging.

3. Emissions testing. Once you have spent a certain amount of money, whether or not you have fixed the problem, then you pass emissions. However, you get called up to be tested again the following year, where the original problem probably still hasn't been fixed. We have spent gobs of money on our car to not fix the problem. That's because no one can seem to identify the problem other than some random computer code. Plus, we must still be polluting the environment. Which I don't even think is the point. I think the emissions testers and Nissan are part of the same mafia.

Believe it or now, I'm actually in a good mood. I just kept running into things the past two days that made me think, "REALLY?!?!?!?!"