COMING OUT FROM BOTH ENDS

...only carpet (of course) in the house and than the other child would be having diarrhea and not be able to make it to the potty?? Seriously, this has been a challenging and non-rewarding week and a half. In fact, it's been heart breaking to say the least. But alas I think it is over...

TIME FLIES!

...

1) it really does fly - if you aren't careful, it's easy to go an entire month without taking a picture of your children
2) the relationship always suffers - I recently went to a comedy club and discovered what I have been missing the last while: laughter. What a relief that I found it again!
3) the children keep growing - whether you believe it or not, your child will be starting school within the next 5 years!
4) friendships - luckily they are there still while time is going on, but you must make time for them, they are one of the most important things us Mom's have...

There's so much more, but I'm being called right now to do something or another. Have a wonderful Valentine's and remember laughter and love go hand-in-hand:-)

2 BOYS, RENOS, & SELLING THE FARM

...in a couple of weeks. I should technically be doing one of those jobs as I write, but it's not often a Mom gets an hour to herself during the day:-) What I need right now is one of those de-Clutter shows to come into my house and do a miracle in a week, but I guess it'll have to be me. Finding homes for stuff is actually really challenging, I'm feeling a purge coming on. As some of my friends know, I've been purging for almost a year! Where did all this stuff come from anyways??? Well, my hour is up, I hear the baby awake and we have 1/2 to pick the toddler up from preschool. Sigh. It's a beautiful sunny day and there is a lot to be thankful for. Maybe it'll happen, maybe not!

NOT TOILET PAPER??!!

shit, I’m going to take her to drop-in gymnastics. We get there and I notice, after I paid, that there are 5 classes going on as well which is ridiculous. So I let Claire go out on the floor and an instructor comes sprinting over, like we have done something bad, I say to him I’m right here because they get upset if you’re not. He goes oh no you have to wait until 9:30am. I look down at my watch which reads 9:29am and look back at him. He goes you know what go ahead we just have to follow the main clock. Then he comes back to me 5 mins later to explain how the class works (I’ve been there about 5 times before). As he is talking Claire peels off and cuts in front of these kids to jump on the little trampoline. Well the mom with the kids gave me the dirtiest look, like Claire had committed the most horrible act in the world. I, the tired miserable mom in me, almost lost it but didn’t and said nothing. So by this point I’m not the happiest camper on the block. Then we go to do an activity with the whole class. All the kids are sitting nicely and listening and Claire is getting up every minute and changing who she is sitting by, stepping on kids’ hands and feet etc. So then I decide it is time for a break, I need to use the washroom. So I take my toddler and my 71/2 month pregnant body into the tiniest stall. After we are finished Claire decides that she wants to get the soap all on her own which she can’t reach and climbs on the counter to get it. At this point I’ve decided that it is time for me to go home. So we leave the washroom and I walk past all the parents who are sitting watching their children and this lady comes sprinting up to me, I’m thinking not again, now what!!! She goes to me; you have a toilet paper trail coming out of your pants!!!! And I’m not talking a little bit; I’m talking the longest piece of toilet paper possible. I say thank you to her kindly, grab my toilet paper and keep walking.

Ah, good times!

HYLAND'S TEETHING GEL - THE BEST (continued)

...also use the Teething tablets. I have been able to find it at select "Alive" stores so far, but being organic, I'm sure it can also be found in other natural stores. It's not cheap, but it lasts forever!

PRESCHOOL

...that my son going to preschool was going to be such an adjustment for the entire family, but I did manage to do some prereading and prepping with my son in two ways: 1) both his parents are teachers so that helps and 2) I searched out books for him to read and found one that hits the nail on the hammer and I highly recomment it: "What to Expect at Preschool" by Heidi Murkoff (ISBN#0-06-052920-2. You can pick it up on Amazon for cheap cheap (http://www.amazon.ca/What-Expect-Preschool-Heidi-Murkoff/dp/0694013269) or go to your local bookstore. I got it at Black Bond Book.