mental meanderings

A New Home...

jamma — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:55:49 -0400

Cynthia, from over at Webwurkz has done an amazing job of switching all of Mental Meanderings over to it's new home at Jam Side Up!

So, all two of you readers (ha!) and (hi Mom!) should switch your bookmarks to http://jamsideup.ca/blog/. Cuz we are finally saying farewell to Blogware!

What brings small children to their knees in gratitude?

jamma — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:24:36 -0400

Three cubic yards of sand in a giant 8 foot by 10 foot sandbox. That's what.

I think we'd better plan on having bath night every night for the next little while!

((more pics of sandy hooligans to come!))

Legacy

jamma — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 22:31:08 -0400

In the past five weeks we have lost two very close members of our family and extended family. The first one was the man who owned our house, the man who we saw every day, the man who taught my kids how to milk a cow. The second one was my Gramma, and that is who this post is about.

My Gramma was tiny, maybe 4′ 9″ at best, but she was ferocious. She led an interesting life, one that I wish I had have taken more time to ask her about. She lived all over the world, traveling with my Grampa who died nearly 20 years ago now.

She was the ultimate in craftsperson. She was an artist. She knit, she crocheted, she embroidered, she did needlepoint, she made the most beautiful pottery, she sewed, she designed her own clothing, she was a weaver. Most of all, she was a Gramma who was so involved in our lives. She was at every birthday, every graduation, every bad music or dance recital. She reveled in all of us, and adored to be with her great grandkids. She was proud of me, and I knew it without her saying so.

It was from my Gramma that I found my love for creating. My Mom is left handed, and that made it hard for her to teach me things. Gramma would put the basics down there, and then Mom could help me tweak it when Gramma wasn’t around.

She patiently sat by me and taught me to crochet when I was 8 or 9. She oooed and aaaahed over my first raggy attempt at a crochet block. She cut out dresses and skirts and showed me how to sew them. She was particular and made me a bit crazy with her attention to detail, but now I can see how important that is.

Not long after our son Ephraim was born, Gramma brought me some needles, some yarn, and taught me to knit. She had attempted it many years ago, but at the time I wasn’t interested. I remember her patience, I remember her explaining the difference between a knit and a purl stitch. I remember her showing me how to tuck the long straight needle under my arm to keep it steady.

Many many years ago, she was so excited to finally get a serger. It was the ultimate in sewing, and she set it up, learned how to use it by herself, and then subsequently taught me. I always loved her serger. I’m not sure if I loved it because of what it could do, or because of the memories of her teaching me to use it.

And now? On my sewing table…

Whenever I use it, I think of her. A little bit of Gramma comes through in everything that I sew. The hours and hours and years of usage, the idea that my hands are creating where her hands once did, it’s a bond that connects us over time.

There is a legacy that I’ve been left through my Gramma. In remembering her, I will teach my children to do all of the things that she taught me. And they will pass it to their children. She will live on through those things, through the useful teachings, through her handiwork.

I miss her, and I can’t wait to see her again one day.

Weather

jamma — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:15:56 -0400

I have always loved weather. Where we are now, up on a hill on top of the world, you can see weather coming from miles away. It will be storming and raining in the city, and we'll be in the middle of sunshine.

This is the view from our door. The sky seem so BIG today. Like it goes on forever.

There was a wee little patch of blue looking the other way,

But it has since been swallowed up by the clouds.

It looks like there's some more blue sky coming from the other side of the city.

But not so much from this angle. (That's our tree lined driveway there, and our front yard.) ((No, you can't move in.))

Oooo, another patch of blue beyond the garden... but look at the wind whipping that walnut tree. It's a good thing those beasts are sturdy.

I love it out here. I love that we can see forever. I love that we can see everything coming at us. I feel the peace out here. The peace of the Lord, the peace that He has generously given to me. Sometimes I need to go outside and just look, just be, just to feel Him... just to remember. Sometimes, I simply need to be still. Even when nothing around me is. With the wind rushing, and the trees blowing, and sometimes a child hollering for a drink, I still need to take that moment of stillness, just to remember.

"Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

Joy

jamma — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:37:57 -0400

This, this is joy.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. Psalm 28:7

The Moo Song

jamma — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:08:40 -0400

In our house we have 'moo' and we have 'milka'. There is definitely a difference between the two seeing as how one comes from Momma, and one comes from a 'dow'.

With that, I give you, the moo song. Which is sung to me whenever moo is desired.

Withdrawal

jamma — Mon, 26 May 2008 08:17:59 -0400

I've been taking 'crazy pills' now for... oh, almost two years. I was put on them back when I was just three months pregnant with Talya.

It was a good decision at the time. I honestly could hardly cope for a long time WHILE being pumped full of their feel good medicinal qualities. I have a history of post partum depression, with the last two kids, and once the warning signs hit, my doctor lost no time in getting the drugs into my system before it got really bad.

And you know what? It was worse this time... and yet it was better too. Ja understood more. We knew what to expect. Our support level before the baby was born was through the roof. Some days I simply cried... and he simply held me.

We are so incredibly blessed that Ja, also known as Wonderhusband, was able to take about ten months off of work for parental leave. Ah, how I love living in Ontario! Having him home was wonderful at first. He really got a taste for how it is to be home all the time. He looked at me one day after he had been home for about a week and said, "How do you do this ALL. THE. TIME." It was a good moment for me!

In the past month or so I've felt that the drugs that I'm on, Wellbutrin, weren't doing their job anymore. It seemed to me that I had a worse time coping, a worse time with being high up and then low down when I took them than when I didn't. I was only on the crazy pills for about a year after Ephraim was born, and this time I was in absolutely no hurry to get off them. I was afraid to go off them.

Now I know it's time. I started weaning off by taking one pill every other day, then just expanding the time between taking the pills. I thought I was doing so great, this weekend was the one week marker of no drugs, and I was feeling pretty good. Ja and I talked about it, and even he said I seemed steadier. We were both pretty happy with the decision, ready to move on, although always keeping an eye out for the clouds that could smother the family at any moment.

And then Saturday happened.

It started out okay. We were going seed planting. We went, bought some seeds, and I was going to get some gardening gloves. No troubles, right? Ja suggested we wait til we stopped at his store for the gloves, because he can get them at slightly above cost. That's all good. I knew I was starting to feel a bit panicky... I'm not sure why. Well, three kids in a small and cramped seed store is never a good thing, I suppose.

We got to Ja's store, and he made me go in, even though I just wanted to wait in the van with the kids. Then they didn't have any gardening gloves. And I quietly said I was going to take the baby back to the van and wait. I got back to the van and lost it. I don't know why I was so hurt that he thought I wanted the expensive gloves in the first place, or why it bothered me so much that they didn't have any gardening gloves at his store, but it seemed to strike me to the core.

The rest of the day simply didn't go well. I lost it when we were trying to plant the vegetable garden because it was so not ready. I lost it when the baby would not leave me alone. I lost it when... well, there were a lot of times. And the stupidest thing? Didn't even realize it was probably withdrawal going on until late that afternoon. Like after dinner.

Poor Ja. He didn't think of it either. Just thought that his wife was some kind of crazy loon, I think.

We did turn the day around a little. Went for a walk to the creek, had a little splash. Snuggled with the kids. As soon as I realized that it was the withdrawal going on, it was like I could keep a handle on it.

Yesterday was better.

Today will be better still.

I will beat this. WE will beat this.

There's something about family...

jamma — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:30:10 -0400

There's something about family that makes you need their approval. That need for approval is also what makes that little piece in you die a little when they don't seem to care about your life. That little piece that gets hard when you aren't included in a gathering, when joy isn't shown for something that makes you incredibly joyful. When sorrow isn't shared.

It hardens a person, makes them wonder why they bother making any effort at all. Makes them wonder why God blessed them with such trials to make such relationships work. Why He made us so differently in the first place.

In my family, when there's conflict or when plans change, it's simply ignored. I am certainly not informed of things if people think it might make me angry. Which is odd, in a way... because I just get more angry that I haven't been informed of something changing in the first place. It makes me feel as if I'm not worthwhile, not worth being clued in. That my time isn't worth anything compared to their time. That it's okay for me to sit around and wait for that email or that phone call, and it doesn't matter that I maybe could have done something else instead. It makes me feel like an outsider.

I understand that sometimes things happen. Sometimes things need to change, even last minute. I totally get that. Yes, I may be disappointed, annoyed even, but I would get over it. I have three kids, it happens to us pretty much on an hourly basis.

Apologies never happen in my family. Unless it's an "I'm sorry, but... ((really it's all your fault))." That has been a really difficult aspect for me to 'unlearn'. I don't want my kids to avoid things when they screw up. I don't want to avoid things continually when I screw up. Ja and I make a concerted effort to apologize to our children (and others, as the case may be) when we do screw up. Believe me, there are a lot of apologies flying through our house at any given time.

Sadly, we are all human. We all screw up. We can learn from those mistakes, but we need to acknowledge that mistakes were made in the first place. That is certainly not an easy thing to do.

I have screwed up plenty on my own with my family. It is very easy to fall into the 'no confrontation' trap. It's what I grew up with. It's what I KNOW. It's relearning an entire way to live.

But you know what? It's worth it. It's worth it to be able to learn from mistakes that I've made. It's worth it to know that I am not passing on a lack of personal responsibility to my children. It's worth it to know that while I can't make a difference in some way, with some people, I can impact my own small family in ways that can impact the world.

And while our extended families may exclude us, may not inform us of special things, may avoid confrontation at all costs, what matters right here and right now is us. Ja, Keyzia, Ephraim, Talya, and Jamie. I am worth it. My children's and my husband's smiles and love tell me that every day.

Arrived...

jamma — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:20:43 -0400

Whoops! What is this here thang that I've been ignoring for about a month now? Oh yah, it's a blog!

Moving sucked. Sucked big time. There were multiple melt downs in the last two weeks before m-day... and the kids were out of sorts too.

But! We are here! In the country! With the cows! And It. Is. AWESOME.

It is so quiet. My chidlren ARE the noise around here, not competing with the noise. I would be sleeping at night, but for the smallest hooligan who thinks that Momma should get up two or three times a night.

We have SPACE. We can run, there is dirt, there is a creek. There are cows to watch. It's raining today, but when it isn't raining I hardly see the children, they are outside all. the. time.

Our landlord is truly a gift from God. He is super sweet, takes the hooligans for rides on the tractor. Teaches them how to do chores. He's awesome.

So, we're here, and the biggest downfall is that we now have dial up internet 'access'.

Which means no pictures.

Which means no blog surfing for me.

Which means that I don't get half the emails sent to me.

2 months til wireless...

See you...

jamma — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 07:34:21 -0400

...on the flip side.

It's moving day, and we will be without internet OR phone for about a week.

We all blow you a kiss until we connect again!

Only a TRUE Canadian...

jamma — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:22:54 -0400

... will shovel ice, snow and slush for his wife...

In his shorts, boots and toque.

((He totally get bonus points for posing for me when I said I was going to blog this!))

(((Damn, he sure is hot!)))

((((I totally married him for his legs.))))

Colours

jamma — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:41:24 -0400

The lovely OMSH has decided to do another colouring un-contest!

So, I was waiting patiently until I could get downtown to get some more black ink for the printer, and it just never happened. Well, I made it down there, but forgot the ink cartridge and was foiled! It's unfortunate, because these contests usually occupy the children for at least five minutes allowing me to go pee by myself.

So, the story in pictures.

Keyzia and Ephraim got right down to work. This is serious stuff, you know, a colouring contest.

Talya is at that age that she MUST be included in every. single. thing. Or there is screaming. Much screaming.

She lost interest fairly quickly.

"Tummy!"

I've always thought that the feel of nice waxy crayons on my tummy was soothing.

The finished product. Note the fake smile and the name scrawled in the corner. Also note how every last bit of the paper is coloured.

More of the fake smile, along with Eph's insistance that he colour the back of the page too.

Another fake smile, and very carefully chosen colours. Zi took the longest and the most care to finish. She's very particular about this kind of thing. She also wanted it to be known that she will be six in 12 days, so it's okay with her if she goes in the six year old category.

Oh yah, that fake smile is MUCH better.

Talya wasn't interested in posing with her picture at all.

In fact, after this shot, I believe she threw her picture on the floor, sat on it, and took a bite out of the crayon.

Heather, I'm not terribly sure that she DESERVES to win.

Bulls

jamma — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:55:50 -0400

"Bulls will kill us."
"Oh?"
"Mmhmm, if we pull on their fur, and then they chase us and knock us down, and then they kill us."
"Really?"
"Yup. And then they eat us."

I had no idea that we were moving to a place with human eating bulls...

Oh right... education...

jamma — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:07:47 -0400

Gee, ya know those buncha kids I have? Ya know how I said I was going to educate them at home? Well yah, we're still doing that.

I will admit that it's been a tad waylaid what with the big stupid move and all, but we actually take a pretty laid back approach anyway. We don't want to bring the school to the house, we want to educate at home. No need for strict textbooks and etc...

I've been reading Jessica over at Kerflop for years now, and she has recently been rambling around with the homeschool decision. Much in the same way that we did last year.

She also started herself up a new blog that I've been intrigued to read. It's great to see someone follow their train of thought through the whole homeschool/public school/private school debate. I'm not sure that I ever really documented the wavering, the talking to people, the MASSIVE amount of research that we did. I don't think that home education is anything that people walk into lightly. Parents who are serious about it have agonized for hours, looked at the statistics, weighed the pros and cons, the whole bit. It's a big decision, one that will affect your children for years and years to come.

I love Jessica's description of her own public school experience, and this thought is something that I tell people who ask me about the 'socialization' aspect... although I'm pretty sure I've never worded it as well as she has.

The public school experience is touted as something that will prepare us for the real world. Yet, I often wonder where else in the real world are you organized by age, grouped into classrooms, and asked to sit for hours on end with 20 other individuals who happen to share your birth year?

I love that my kids play really well with kids of all ages. Now, I'm not saying that public school kids CAN'T play with kids not their own age, but mine have no trouble with finding common ground with kids of any age. They've never really, other than Sunday school, soccer and ballet, been grouped with kids their own age. I love that part of it.

I love that they can 'socialize' with anyone anywhere. I love that they have this incredible joy for learning. I can't believe the other week I actually said, "you are NOT doing any math until this living room is cleaned up!"

I had a hard time in school. I was smart, reasonably well adjusted, but socially I was inept and immature. I wanted to play with dolls when the other kids had boyfriends. I never had the 'right' clothes, never really knew what to say, never really fit in. I was teased mercilessly in public school. For years I held my hand over my face when I smiled or laughed so that people wouldn't see the teeth that I got teased about on a daily basis.

School is ferocious. Survival skills are necessary, and I think that that aspect of it so detracts from kids being able to focus their whole being on learning that they don't learn as well.

Teachers are often stuck teaching in the way that the majority of the children learn. I love that I can teach my kids in the way that they learn best. One is a visual learner? No problem. We'll have a blackboard. One is an auditory learner? Easy, we do a lot of talking things out. Teachers simply don't have the time or the freedom to be able to do that on a daily basis for 35 or more kids at a time.

For now, homeschool is what we plan to do. Homeschool is working for us. I don't know how long the Lord will keep us homeschooling, nor do I know how He is going to provide for us to do so. I simply trust that He will make it clear if and when it's time for us to stop.

Now, I just have to get over trying to validate the decision that WE made for OUR children. I have to stop saying, 'we homeschool, but Keyzia is a year ahead of where she should be!' I don't need to tell people that. Just because we are homeschooling, doesn't mean that I think everyone should, and I certainly hope that people who send their children to school don't feel that they can impose that decision on us and our family either.

Drowning

jamma — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:12:25 -0400

We are moving in 17 days. 2 1/2 weeks. And I. Am. Freaking. Out.

It is ridiculously difficult to prepare for a move while making sure that the resident hooligans of the house are fed/loved/cuddled/kissed/educated.

What do we pack? What do we leave til the last minute? Can I just pack the children now? Cuz that would make things a heck of a lot easier. ((Now now, I would leave HOLES in the boxes for them to breathe, yeesh.))

Currently we live in subsidized housing here in town, and the neighbourhood isn't so great. Unfortunately we are surrounded by people who see nothing wrong with swearing at their kids, fighting in broad daylight in the common area, and just in general being neglectful and not very nice to be around.

The past couple of years it hasn't been such a big deal. The hooligans were small enough that they stayed in the yard, and were carefully supervised when other children came in. Unfortunately, they are quickly outgrowing the confines of such a tiny backyard, which means that contact with some of the other children is getting harder to control.

I'm not saying that they shouldn't ever play with these children, just that I would like to limit the contact as much as possible. Some of the kids that live around here are very sweet. Some of them are not. Ja and I take very seriously our job of protecting our kids, and we KNOW that it is time to move on from this place.

And off we go to the country in 17 days! Thus far it's looking like we'll be living in a farmhouse, on a farm, with the run of about 85 acres. We have thought long and hard about this place, there are a few things that aren't 'ideal', but I think we can make it work. Not to mention that we have absolutely no other options. We were praying for clarity, for a positive note that this is where God wants us to be, and voila! There have been no appropriate listings for us since we saw this house.

It's weird though, knowing that we're leaving this place in a couple of weeks. I feel like I am stuck here. Like I can't impliment any new kind of structure or organization. Like I have to just abide for a while... unfortunately, I also feel like this house is drowning me. I'm deluding myself into thinking it will be 'so much better' in the new place. Because of course a new house will mean that we will pick up toys when we are done with them, wash dishes right after a meal, and put away laundry as soon as it's dried.

Location, location, location, right?

Melt my heart

jamma — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:56:48 -0500

We have had a rough few days in our house.

It started out with Keyzia and puking... and more puking... and Talya puking... and more puking...

Then it was Ephraim's turn. Zi is a real trooper when she's sick. She pukes, says she's done, rolls over and goes back to sleep... Eph has a much harder time. He cries, and his tummy cramps. He runs a wicked fever and is almost inconcolable. He never hits the bowl either... sigh.

So, last night, after the chaos of being sick seemed to be ebbing I found him adorably snuggled up to his new doll.

Before he went to sleep he told me to make sure it was him I kissed, and not 'Little E'.

My boy is going to be a good daddy. I can see it already.

If he can stop smashing things. Details... details...

Finished

jamma — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:48:00 -0500

There's something about a finished project. There's something about the satisfaction of seeing something that you've started with yarn and a few sticks, and it becomes completely functional and beautiful.

I've been working on the Pinwheel Sweater for a while now... and by working on, I mean that I started it, was completely enchanted by the pattern, and especially by the yarn (it's absolutely mesmerizing to watch the colour change in Uberknits gradient yarn!), got to the outer edge, cast off, and put it in the knitting basket for months.

Why would I do that if it was so enchanting? So beguiling? (gee, can I think up any more descriptive words??) It's because I got to the sleeves, I knew that I would have to count, pick up stitches, keep track of rows. Be bored be the tedious K1 P1 ribbing for 8 solid inches on EACH arm.

But, I finally did it. I picked it up, carefully undid the alternate arm hole, used my sweet knitpicks needles to count off the rows until the decreases. Knit 16 solid inches of K1 P1 ribbing. Counted rows to make sure the sleeves and trim were both the same length.

It was so worth it. My very first sweater. I've knit probably 100 pairs of pants, but never done a sweater. It was glorious to finally put it on her, see that it fit, feel the joy of the blocking.

Oh yah. I'll totally be doing this again.

Oh Yes... I will...

jamma — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:36:10 -0500

I will shamelessly promote myself on this here blog!

I've been part of a Hyena Cart Congo for a long time, and today we are changing things up!

Cynthia over at Webwurkz has completely redesigned the congo, and it is absolutely beautiful.

We have all also posted little blurbs about what inspires us to create the things that we do. Have a peak and see...

What was once Diva Designs, is now Inspired!

Another Contest!

jamma — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 08:35:59 -0500

Ooooeee!

www.thebabymarketplace.com - a great online spot for Baby Clothing, Shoes, Toys, Gifts and Cloth Diapers is hosting the Pippalily Baby Slings Give-Away @ mommyknows.com go on over and comment and be entered to Win one of two Pippalily Baby Slings! There are also 13 pairs of Bical Grippers up for grabs. Don’t miss out!

Momma's Little Sweat Shop

jamma — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:14:34 -0500

So, I started this rag quilt LONG LONG time ago. Probably a year ago?? It's for Ephraim, and has been sitting in the bucket on my shelf for so long.

So, today I finished cutting out the squares, and had the kids finish putting together the "sandwiches" (jean square, small jean square in the middle, and then flannel).

Then Keyzia asked if she could help me sew, and I taught her how to do the X's on the machine. Which means that here I am on my butt on the computer!

This counts as homeschool, right?

My mother in law gave me five boxes of jean squares that she had cut over the years BY HAND with NO rotary cutter. Seriously, five big boxes. That's why I'm using the smaller squares as stuffing instead of buying that warm and whatever it is!

I love that the kids are helping with this project. The beaming on their faces was beyond amazing when they realized that they could do something so big... and so practical.

Heather, over at OMSH had a post on this a while ago, although that woman posts so often, I don't have a chance in heck of finding it!

It's so important for kids to be able to do things for themselves. It gives them such confidence... such a sense of importance. I always try to remember that we are raising adults here, not children. We, my husband and I, want our kids to grow to be self sufficient productive members of society, and us doing every single thing for them is not going to make that happen.

If we did not teach them how to do laundry, dishes, sew, clean up after themselves, then how could anyone expect them to do those things when they're grown? It is crippling to do every single thing for your child. Absolutely crippling.

Anyway, it gives my heart great joy to listen to my kids humming and taking obvious joy in their tasks. THIS is what makes it all worth it.

Why no, we don't get dressed on Wednesdays, thanks for asking!

And yes, I do have a counter full of dirty dishes to do!

OOOO! A contest!

jamma — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:23:16 -0500

Kim the owner of thebabymarketplace.com - a great online spot for Baby Clothing, Shoes, Toys, Gifts and Cloth Diapers is hosting the December JuJuBe Diaper Bag Give-Away @ mommyknows.com go on over and comment and be entered to Win one of two great JuJuBe MiniBe Diaper Bags!

Peek!

jamma — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:34:43 -0500

Okay, so I may suck at getting birthday posts up about my poor neglected third child, but video? Come on, I'm rocking the video!

Snow Day

jamma — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 17:32:16 -0500

((I know, I know, Talya's birthday was what, a week and a half ago, and still no birthday post?))

We were supposed to have a big storm today. The biggest since the 1940's!! Something huge! Stock up on food and water!

Whatever.

The kids still had fun though!

The big guy said he didn't have ANY fun at all. (ha!)

(Isn't he hunky??)

I so love the red cheeks when they come in, the messed up hair... the ability to sit still for ten minutes...

(Oh yah, I still think he's hunky...)

((You can find the whole set here))

Quote of the Day

jamma — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 12:48:06 -0500

If you are self employed, then theoretically you are the boss. (Note that this is not true if you have small children. Then you are not master of your own days no matter who employs you. If you have little kids then the success or failure of your day hinges on the whims of beings who are very small and yet very powerful beyond their means... Sort of like skunks.)

Yarn Harlot

A One Act Play

jamma — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 08:00:50 -0500

The mother enters the bedroom to tuck her children in for the night. The four year old son is cozy on the top bunk, and the five year old daughter is in the process of getting cozy on the bottom bunk.

daughter: Momma, tomorrow I'm going to be an elephant.

The mother gives a blank incomprehensible stare.

daughter: Cuz I really like peanuts!!

*end scene*

She walks!

jamma — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 11:19:31 -0500

So this was taken about three weeks ago... So I'm behind. I have three kids, give me a break, wouldja??

Honestly

jamma — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:35:44 -0500

Is there a reason that between living room re-arranging sessions that I forget how freaking long it takes to do it? It's kind of like child birth... only, I am a staunch believer that women don't FORGET the pain, they just kind of... think that maybe it was worth it or something stupid like that.

ANYWAY, back to the living room. I really liked the way I had it before. No, I didn't take a picture before, and no, I am NOT putting it back just so that I can take a picture. Unfortunately, the way it WAS had the couch situated cozily right on top of the only heating vent in the room.

It's been getting cold.

Which means that the furnace has been turned on.

Hence, the living room stayed cold, which meant that I was cold, which in turn meant that I had the genius idea to change the damn thing around. Again.

And do I make it easy on myself? ((and by myself, I of course mean Jason.))

Short answer? No, I don't.

I decide that the giant heavy ass tv stand must be moved!

sigh.

Remind me to read this post the next time I get the urge for a change, wouldja?

Boy Bits

jamma — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 09:54:32 -0400

A conversation that my girlfriend had with one of my godsons.

((no I wasn't there, although she has seen me naked!!))

I was in the shower on, I believe, a Saturday morning (although that's not relavent to the story) and I can hear Aidan poking around in the bathroom. Now that he can undress and redress himself, when any of us are in the shower, he just gets naked and hops in with us. He has this facination with my, ahem, chest, but this day the topic of conversation turned to boy bits and pieces. (Breast-fed child! Feels the need to point out to every female that he's comfortable with that they have 'boobs." Other stories, another time!)
Aidan - Mommy, I have a penis. (Anyone who has heard the child speak may insert his little lisp that he seems to ha ve with his "Aidan accent.")
Me - Why yes, Aidan, you do. (Anyone who has heard me speak may insert slightly cheeky undertone to conversation.)
Aidan - My daddy has a penis.
Me - Yes, daddy has a penis. (Mental note to self - the birds and the bees questions with boy number three will likely come before I would like it.)
Aidan - And my brothers have a penis. (Like they share one between the two?)
Me - Yes, Bug and Newt have penises. (Just in case he didn't know that they each have their own?!)
Aidan - Mommy, you don't have a penis. (Telling me something that he thought I apparently didn't know . . . )
Me - No, Aidan, I don't have one. (Hard to have a conversation at this point as I was stiffling laughter.)
Aidan - Mommy, you need to buy one. (Insert all jokes here!)

Conveyer Belts and Tubes

jamma — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:43:10 -0400

Eph: Momma, where does your boob milk* come from?

Me: Where do you think it comes from?

Eph: Well. ((very seriously)) First I think when you drink some milk, the milk goes into your tummy. Then it goes on a conveyer belt, then it goes on another conveyer belt. Then it goes in a pool, then in a tube, then in Talya's tummy, then out Talya's bum!

He's going to be a doctor, I tell ya.

*yes we do call breast milk 'boob milk'. Gotta problem with that?

Snork. Hack. Cough. Burn.

jamma — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 10:32:22 -0400

Bah.

I am sick. The baby is sick AGAIN. I am tired because did I mention that I am sick AND the baby is sick AGAIN???

I tell ya, I've been coughing so hard that I think one of these days my lung is actually going to come up and fly across the living room. And then I get hot. Really hot.

and the baby is coughing too, and wants to nurse, but doesn't want to nurse, and wants to be picked up, and wants to be put down, and wants to be picked up, and wants to nurse, and doesn't want to nurse, and wants to be put down.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

Thankfully, Ja took the older two to church so that I could wallow at home in my misery.

sniff.

snork.