Dear Grant

Dear Grant,

Please stop taking off your diaper and wearing other people's underwear. I know you're ready but I need a little more prep time. Please consider waiting for at least two more weeks to potty train.

Love,

MOM

Job Benefits

"Do you work?" is often the question.

Me: Yes, I just don't get paid. And the benefits aren't really great.

So Jordan's teacher surprised me today when she said, "actually there are great benefits. I'd like to be able to stay home."

That's when I felt bad. I admit, the job's hard and often it seems there are few breaks. I mean sometimes its hard to feel like you really get a good break. So I guess my typical reaction to "do you work?" needs a little revising. Its true: I do like to stay home, love it in fact. Sure its a sacrifice (money mostly comes to mind) but darn it I chose the job and I think its the job that makes me happiest. (Should I also mention that it brings out my miserable side--still working on that.) So next time someone asks me if I work I'll say, "I have the greatest job in the world and as long as I get a vacation every once in a while, I love it!"

Here are some of the benefits:

• hysterical, rolling on the ground laughing, seriously, who does that at their place of employment?
• Cute little chubby people toddling around (really only Grant is chubby now) I'm thinking cute little buns running from the bathtub.
• The look on kids faces when they've figured out something new
• playing ball, riding scooters, going for walks
• making and eating cookies
• listening to wild stories about Lego people and possible Playmobil scenarios
• kisses
• "i love you" for no reason
• hugs
• impromptu helping

Of course the list could go on and on but really who else gets so much entertainment (and I admit, misery at times) in a days work.

Another perfect party down

Alex's PERFECT party started with a perfectly rowdy game of FREEZE TAG HOT LAVA. Katie was in charge of the game which worked out perfectly for me.

Next Jordan led Team Lego Construction. This game was perfectly quiet. Yahoo!

Next we ate a perfectly lame cake. The kids thought the cupcake cake could be 1 flower in a pot, a balloon, a guitar--no, it was a light saber. I know pretty bad, huh. The nice thing is Alex loved it.

After cake and ice cream we had presents. It was perfectly noisy.

The most perfect part of the party was when the last one left at the very minute the party was supposed to be over. It was perfectly WONDERFUL.

a GOOD MOM day

As we walked home from taking dinner to a neighbor's house last night we saw our neighbor taking out the garbage.

Neighbor: "looks like you guys have had a lot of fun today."

Me: "every once in a while we have a really good day."

Neighbor: "I love my children (all grown and gone) but I miss my kids."

Me: "You know where to find mine if you need them."

The thing is it was a GREAT day. Why?

• I road scooters with the kids at two different times of the day.
• We read stories.
• I took a nap with Grant. Well I only slept for 10 minutes and he slept for an hour.
• I quilted while Grant and Alex had a bean bag toss that I initiated.
• I made dinner.
• I didn't yell at all even when Grant was hysterical about not wanting his hair washed. I draw the line at 3 weeks. You can go for 3 but no more without a hair washing.
• I talked nicely and tried t help the kids--sometimes its just too overwhelming to help.
• I sang and talked to the kids at bedtime about what they liked about the day.
• transmission is being rebuilt in my car so I've been without one for a few days.

Why not have this day every day?

• I need to take care of our failing MA house--so much to do.
• I drive myself too hard to get stuff done.
• I forget what makes me happy--being a good mom.
• lots of errands to run
• doing all my projects and still feeling like I haven't had any time to myself.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Its been a pretty great birthday week for Alex. To celebrate we ruined the transmission in the car so Alex would get to stay home from school all week (no bus for afternoon kindergarten). We're just hoping his friends show up for the party Friday despite the fact that Alex has been missing for a week.

Birthday menu:

Breakfast: flat eggs (fried) and sausage

Lunch: pears, fresh spinach and hot dogs

Dinner: Lasagna

Treat: Pumpkin Pie and Cake (I put my foot down on the cake--it will have to wait for tomorrow's party).

To celebrate we looked through the 2003 scrapbook, the year Alex was born. Grant was so funny. He kept saying excitedly, "Alex dats(that's) you. You coot (cute) Alex."


Jordan and Katie prepared gifts without any reminders. The top picture is Alex after opening Jordan's presents, all toys that used to be Jordan's. How nice to sacrifice some of his good stuff. Katie gave him this, which she painted a few weeks ago--way to look ahead.

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY ALEX!

"More Dim Dee Pease"

Carl has been a great influence on the kids where food is concerned. Because he makes Korean food at least a few times a year my kids love seaweed. Every single one of them. In fact, sometimes they take it in their school lunch. Grant will gobble it down like cookie monster. Though I can't stomach it I'm really glad my kids eat it, especially Grant who is generally very selective. When Carl makes a Korean dinner there is always Kim Chi--fermented cabbage with red pepper. Every time he brings it out (it always lasts a few weeks) to put it on his burrito, enchilada, salad etc. the kids say things like, "oh sick . . . don't put it there dad, its too close to my face . . . that stinks." Recently though, Jordan has tasted the stuff and loves it. Grant asked to try it last week (weird since it doesn't resemble chicken nuggets, ice cream or pizza) and he LOVED it. "More Dim Dee Mom," he kept asking in between gulps of water (the stuff is full of red pepper and pretty spicy).