It's All Happiness...

2010-04-26T14:12:00.004-04:00

You all are lucky there is no real photo for this one. Of course we all know it's not ALL happiness ALL the time, but maybe it's a gift to be able to see the humor in things. I'm going to head this one under the read-this-after-you-have-your-own-kids category to my girls 'cause maybe it'll help you some day.

In an effort to eek out one more fun family activity for the end of Spring Break, we packed up and went to the YMCA pool yesterday afternoon. Lots of swimming practice, learning to tread water, and 4 soaking kids later, I head to the locker room with the 4 girls. (Of course there is someone in the family locker room and I have a shivering baby and 2 that have to pee, so I go it alone).

I had decided earlier that it would be a great idea to shower everyone after swimming so we wouldn't have to do baths at home later since we were having family over for Aunt Joanna's birthday cake. The showering actually went marginally well - it only took a couple minutes of whining to convince them to get into the water (why you won't shower when you have JUST come out of a public pool I will never understand.) I ended up with 4 pretty clean kids, except that the smallest was still shivering afterwards and then I realized that all the clean dry diapers were in the car. (sigh) Plus you have to imagine the constant chatter, me telling people to stand still and look at the ceiling repeatedly, screams after errant sprays with the shower hose attachment, a pile of wet bathing suits, and a soaking wet swim towel that got left on the floor. I should probably feel bad for the other people who were in the locker room at the time but I am pretty much beyond such things at this point.

SO, we all make it out of the shower and to our pile of clothes in a corner of the changing area where they all proceed to stand and shiver while I pass out underwear and instruct them to PUT IT ON. (really my teeth were not clenched while I said that) I dress the still shivering small one and leave on the wet swim diaper and perch her on the bench, then proceed to remove my wet swimsuit.

Let me just pause to say that I have decided that while being modest, I feel pretty strongly that it's important not to make a big deal out of whatever shape my body might be in since I want my girls to have positive body images themselves. I would describe it as a work in progress at this point. :)

I manage to pull on my underwear quickly and undetected, but the tankini top while soaking wet proves to be a bit of a struggle and as I pull it off over my head,

I realize I am surrounded by four staring small people who then dissolve in a fit of GIGGLES.

Yes, even Piccina, not yet 2 who has turned into a mimic with crowd mentality and will laugh for the sake of laughing just because everyone else is doing it.

So, (sigh) there was nothing I could do but also giggle, because darn it, they are so stinkin' cute, and I will admit after 4 babies and countless times of breastfeeding they probably do look pretty darn funny.

winter

2010-03-01T16:32:00.004-05:00

It's soon over, right? Please? I really can almost not take anymore being stuck in the house with lots of kids any one of which could be crying, whining, melting, or mess-making at any time.

We have had TWO days of sun in a row and it is staying lighter longer which is helping my inertia slightly.

Certain small things have been threatening my sanity lately and I'm not sure what the solution is yet. Move faster? Wait for my 18month-old to grow out of the phase where she enjoys emptying out a drawer and climbing inside it? This as we are trying to get out the door to drop two off at preschool so I was zipping three other zippers!

Or perhaps taking the two seconds to put the chocolate mix away before going to put the baby down for a nap since the 3 year old promised to stay in room but did this instead...

And then she said, "That's what children do when you leave chocolate milk out." She was eating it with a spoon!!

I am prescribing 20 minutes of sunlight, afternoon caffeine, and a huge dose of humor for myself...

Tomorrow is a new day with new messes to clean

2009-08-31T22:31:00.004-04:00

CAMPING - Cowanesque Lake 2009.

2009-03-24T10:50:00.004-04:00

What I really want for my birthday is... a bullhorn!

It's true - not because I want to yell at my kids (or my husband) but because with 4 girls I am pretty much always trying to be heard over 2 or 3 or even 4 people! Ok, so I guess I can't really count Piccina, but she does babble (dada, of course) and occasionally cry. I just think it would be SO handy when I have to yell from the porch to the backyard,

"Stop standing on the ice",

"Don't run with a stick",

"GET OFF HER HEAD!"

PLUS, it has that cool buzzer sound that I could use for questions that I just don't want to answer or requests that I don't want to fill,

"If you said it was the warmest part of the day, how come I can't wear shorts outside to play?" (39 degrees yesterday) - press bullhorn buzzer while smiling

"I need you to pour the milk out of the green cup into the pink cup because I'm not Tinker Bell today, I'm Rosetta" (makes perfect sense right?) - press bullhorn buzzer while smiling

"If you say I can't have dessert I'll just freak out again like I did about the high heels" (please, no!) -press bullhorn buzzer while smiling

Seriously, this could be THE new baby shower and gift registry item.

But, they are kind of big and bulky and I do mostly have a baby on my hip...

So I will be more than happy with the usual:

crazy pink lipstick and very red nail polish with glitter picked out by my girls

my mom bringing over dinner so I won't have to cook ;)

my husband watching the kids on Saturday while I go get a facial

AND sitting in front of the fire while the baby is sleeping and everyone else is at school - online shopping anyone? :)

BABY HAIR

2009-03-10T11:15:00.006-04:00

Round head with hat

Hair after hat

Uncle Alex with the same hairline, right? :)

2009-03-05T09:51:00.004-05:00

What happens when you live in a flat neighborhood, have 4 kids with cabin fever, and feel desperate to take advantage of one sort of warm day after a thaw?

A note to my girls for when you say that I NEVER let you do anything: I let you do this even though it cost me giving 3 showers and a load of pre-rinse in the tub laundry afterwards (when I was supposed to be getting ready to go to a cocktail party for once!) and even though Migi didn't go out in the mudpit, but you thought it would be funny to touch her with your muddy, monster hands!

And what was our Piccina doing? She is so sweet!

Updates...

2009-02-15T22:13:00.009-05:00

July 25, 2008
3 months old

Ok, so kind of hard to update for a whole year - so I will have to just start over with 2009.

Firstly, girl number 4 is a wonderful addition. She is happy, smiley, drooly, loves peek-a-boo, and at almost 7 months now, little S is showing her desire to keep up with all her sisters by crawling! Also, she has an adorable left cheek dimple which no one else has. Pretty much the perfect baby.

Everyone else has decided they need a baby to take care of, too, although this is optional for them - sometimes theirs come to the mall with us or stay home by themselves for a nap, sometimes they need "mommy milk" and sometimes they get to eat plastic peas. Theirs never cry (we've removed all batteries) and they always wear the same outfit.

Doesn't really work the same way for mine (hmmm)

Happiness?

2008-02-20T14:27:00.004-05:00

I was seriously considering changing the name of my blog - it was just seeming too optimistic at a time when I really wasn't. A dark dreary winter, morning sickness, lots of colds, and a really gross stomach flu were really bringing me down. These are not ALL happiness surely! But here's why I didn't...

The saying started when A (the oldest) was about 2 and had recently discovered chewing gum - the pink kind, not the spicy kind, as cinnamon and spearmint are known around here. She would get really excited about it and one day upon learning that one of her Aunts was in possession of said pink gum declared, "That is such happiness!"

Children have a way of finding joy in the smallest things that I think adults sometimes skip over while thinking about their next step. And so I'm keeping the name as a reminder to myself to find the little tiny bits of happiness and appreciation in my day (there should be lots because it feels like a REAL long day!)

I leave you with some tiny bits: sitting in the sun, little girl giggling, "wuv you, mommy", kids who eat pretty much anything most of the time

And one big bit (break-dancing?) because my hubby is a really good sport, loves being the center of attention, and knows that everyone needs a good laugh sometimes... love you DPC!!

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-02-11T21:22:00.001-05:00

Why my blog went blank...

2008-02-08T14:17:00.000-05:00

Baby number 4 is on board! Hopefully this won't be a big shock to most of you - I'm pretty sure the large family grapevine has done it's job by now.

I realize it's not really an excuse for not blogging or checking my email or doing laundry or exercising (the list is long) but after a couple months of 24 hour "morning sickness" some things went way down on the priority list. After being pregnant a few times with varying degrees of "morning sickness", I'm pretty sure the term was coined by a man because it's really not just the MORNING - oh, if only!

Anyway, feeling better now at 16 weeks and trying to get back on track - just in time for Lent (more on that later probably.)

The photo was taken at 12 weeks - an ulstrasound ordered by the midwife because I told her I could feel the baby moving and she told me, "No way," and that I must be further along. I admit, I was really hoping that due date would get moved up, but no such luck. She was wrong, I was right. For those of you familiar with looking at ultrasound photos, doesn't it look like the baby has a diaper on already?!

SO, due date is July 25 and we will not be finding out if it's a boy or girl. The name game is ON! So far, in the front running for a boy - Groundhog- affectionately chosen by your sisters (man will you be in trouble) and for a girl - Daphne - also by your sisters who are in a weird obsessive stage of Scooby Doo (a bad habit formed in the throes of morning sickness).

Anyway, that's the update - I may attempt a slide show of the past couple months -wish me luck!!

How to...

2007-11-15T21:28:00.000-05:00

get a squirrel out of your ceiling.

"Mom - you can use my little broom and poke it up to the ceiling really hard a lot of times to make a hole. And then you can use my bug tweezers to get in the hole and pull the stinkin' squirrel right out!"

Thanks, E. Might be worth a try.

Happy Halloween

2007-11-04T21:47:00.000-05:00

Halloween was much like any other day in that it involved multiple outfit changes.

And a little different with a trip to Nana's first grade classroom, a parade, and a visiting chihuahua dressed like a pumpkin.
It was a long exciting day, culminating with the best outfit change of all - everyone getting into their pajamas - including me!

Events

2007-10-30T21:21:00.000-04:00

I was thinking I would begin my blog with the "event" of Halloween and then realized that many things in our everyday lives are turned into events anyway - such as, Checking the Mail. The way the girls act, this is on par with getting a birthday gift. Upon returning home from school A immediately jumps out of the car with E yelling for her to wait and Ami chanting "mail, mail, mail" in the way only an 18month old can. Then, this happens

and I have to go out and help pick up the pieces, while number 3, very patiently, does this.

This "event" occurs daily with slight variants - when raining, boots and umbrellas are involved (this takes much longer), and when Aunt "Besh" visits there is dog walking involved which takes MUCH longer due to arguing over who gets to hold the leash and then waiting for the dog to go.

It's good to have help!

ALSO, I love that Ami has found her own cup holder...