The Week and What I Learned

Really, another week went by. And all week I kept looking for the right mood to help me post, but I just couldn't find it. Tonight I made myself post something, anything. Here's what I've learned or done this past week.

~Note. I learned more than I thought. Long post ahead.~

I wanted to attend the Blog Party of 2008 even more than I first thought I did.
Last Saturday there was a big blog party with my many blogging friends from all over meeting in UT during the weekend of Women's Conference. I really wanted to make it to the party last year but with the pregnancy sickness it just didn't happen. I was really looking forward to going this year. I was going no matter what it took and all of that was with Milo's blessing, he knew I really wanted to go. He said he'd take the time off and take over mom duties for me to have a getaway (so nice). But as the time got closer, it just didn't feel right or practical with a 4 month old. And with the party going until 2 am, it wasn't. I'm getting Milo to commit to next year even if it takes months of convincing. And it might take that because next year it will involve mom duties for all 4 kids, ha.

I'm scared of my shadow.
Our computer sits in a dark corner of our living room. Right by Kathryn's door. One night I was typing away (or blog snooping, I'm not really sure) and I heard some noises in Kat's room. I ignored them thinking she was just getting back into bed and it was no thing. But a little while later, I heard them again. So this time, I open her door. But instead of looking right in front of me, I'm looking past the open door to her bed and it's empty. Then in a panic, I saw her right in front of me and I SCREAMED really loud. Loud enough, I scared her to tears. It was awful and so sad, I mean all she was doing was waking up to go potty and I make her jump our of her skin by screaming right in her face. My heart was pounding so bad and all I have in the other room is Milo laughing at me. I gave Kathryn hugs and sent her back to bed while my heart was still beating double time. All Milo could say was, 'Seriously Mel, you are even scared of your shadow!!' This is an example of him laughing at me, not with me, ha! I'm afraid I'll never get over being so jumpy, even in my own house!

I'm a mechanic's dream and a husband's nightmare.
Monday I was driving the kids to school and I always take the back way even though it involves a dirt road. It has had some major ruts from winter but when we turned the corner on Mon, the graders were working on it and smoothing it out. Lucky (or in hindsight unlucky) for us they were working on the other side. I noticed there was a small pile of weeds and filler (?) down the center of the lane but saw that it was small enough for me to drive with it between my tires. But half way down the pile of rocks and weed filler multiplied. And as we drove over it with the pile between my tires we were scraping the top off and I'm sure ruining the bottom of the van.

So for the next couple days every time we went over a big bump, rocks would go flying out and I just kept thinking, good, only 100 more bumps and we'll get rid of all the rocks in our tires, ha! Yesterday, Nathan was on the ground near the van and said, 'mom I see sticks and weeds under the van. I know what's making all the noise.' I went inside and didn't think it was that big of deal until he came in and kept bugging me to come out and see what he had gotten out of the van. I thought he would pull out one stick and a couple rocks. Wrong! THIS is what he made me come and see. He was so proud of this pile (it actually was bigger than it looks). I could NOT believe he did this just by pulling out that small patch of weeds. I hope my van forgives me.

Maternal Guilt is not fun.
Last Sat we bought the 2 big kids new bikes. It seems they have been out growing their bikes every year. We were going to buy them one a little too big but remembered the crash from last year and decided new bikes for the next year or so were worth it over crashing. So Dane's new bike came as a hand me down from Nate. He was thrilled with it but it didn't have training wheels on it anymore. Dane's old bike had training wheels but were so bent up he didn't really even use them so I convinced him to try riding the new one as a two wheeler. I know, I know not a good idea but I didn't have to ask more than twice and I didn't have him in tears trying it so I figured he was fine. We started out with me holding the seat while he pedaled away. He was doing great and actually started riding so fast that I was running next to him. I decided to lightly let go and keep running next to him but it startled him and he lost all balance. Right when he fell, I thought, this isn't going to be good and it's all my fault. And I was right!

He was crying over and over, 'Why did you make me ride that 2 wheeler?'....'I'm never riding a 2 wheeler again.'....'My finger hurts so bad, I can't use it.' It was awful and this is where the maternal guilt sets in because all of it was my idea. We almost took him in that night because I was afraid it was his wrist or hand but he started using it so we figured it wasn't broken. But the next day his ring finger was really swollen and very bruised. We knew they wouldn't do anything for a broken finger but wanted to make sure that his hand was fine. The hand was fine and he did break the ring finger. The tip of his finger bone split into a V. Doesn't that just make your finger hurt? They gave him a metal finger splint and he came home and told me how brave he was. I was so proud. And that he told me he wont ever try 2 wheels again. Oh the guilt.

I have a fabulous cousin named Becky.
Milo is working in Becky's little town right now about 25 minutes from where we live. When I told her he would be able to swing by and visit my family since I never do she didn't skip a beat and offered him lunch the very next day. Then she called and said, why don't you send Dane to work with Milo and he can play here with the 2 kids she still has at home (3 are gone at school. That's right, she has 5!) I didn't accept right away, I felt guilty. But she talked me into it. There were so many presents from it too. Apparently Dane is the early morning offender in the boys room cause Nathan slept until 7:25 and usually they are up by 7. So Nate sleeping in was a gift, thanks Becky!

After I took big kids to school and only had Reed I was thinking how your perspective can change with stages of life (duh). When I only had Nathan I was tired and worried and felt busy every day. But now that I have 4, looking back, that was a cake walk. When I only have one now, I'm almost lost looking around for the others. But then I remember I only have one and enjoy it. It was nice to chill here in a quiet house for a bit. It's pretty rare.

Oh and one more thing about Becky. She has a serious talent for wearing kids out. Especially my kids. Before Milo could even get out of her little (really little) town, Dane was crashed out asleep. And he still went to bed on time. Thanks again Becky!

Reed meets Emma and their mommies get lunch.

Finally, Reed has met all 4 cousins his age. Emma (6.5 months), Leisha and Richard have made it home from college for the summer and we plan to hang out lots. So far the babies smile and coo at each other and Emma wants a piece of Reed's face or hands or shirt or.... Yeah, she likes to grab and it's cute! Since my fabulous cousin had Dane for the day and I only had one kid (one !) I called up Leisha to see if she would be up for hanging out. Yeah, she said she was. So I finished getting ready and we took off to have lunch with Marion and Grammie. We had a great visit in the car, a yummy lunch and the babies were great. That is until we picked up the big kids from school and they started tandem screaming all the way home. And on the way there, we hit every red light in town! No kidding it took us forever to get to Marion's and this town is small. Emma had the after sobs she was so mad. She smiled at me today so I think all is forgiven for having that crying baby right next to her in the van.

My Brother turns 30!

Happy Birthday Kyle! You are a great brother, son, husband, daddy, teacher, example and friend. I hope you had a great day with your wife making your favorite meal and no party. As Heidi says, just the way you like it. Love you!

Getting ready to 'serve' my Grandma has been funny and the jokes abound.
On Saturday of this week we are taking part in what my brother calls 'Extreme Home Makeover at Grandma's House.' The jokes have been hilarious as we prep for this day but the stress of getting it done has not. Not stress really, more the build up of family dynamics. (Is that a nice way to put it family?) The jokes are not to make fun of anyone but more to 'keep our sense of humor' when much work will be done. Anyway, I'm sure there will be plenty of blogging fodder after this weekend and I hope my fabulous cousin Becky (I really had to say it that many times cause how nice was she to take Daner for the whole day?) blogs about it cause she is dang funny!