The Queen

It's a beautiful day. The sun is shining and that makes me happy. Laundry and other preparations for a long weekend of painting are being made. Tomorrow is the art hop in Kalamazoo (which should not be missed by ANYONE) and I will be featuring superheroes. The theme is X-men, and thanks to one of my high-school teachers, I even have a little soap-opera saga to go along with the characters. It's going to be fantastic. Art hop is 5-9 for all those who aren't aware. Zach Sutton will also be featuring a series that he worked tirelessly on! Come and see us in the Park Trades Center at 326 W Kalamazoo Ave. Lots of great stuff, also including an exhibit from the wonderful and talented Thom Peters. The third floor will be hoppin'. No pun intended.

The kids are well. I thought I should throw that in there, since they are the real reason that you keep coming back to this blog. They are, in fact, the reason I write it, so it's only fair, I suppose. :)

We finally picked up our adopted kitty earlier this week. We named her Molly after a train. I know that may shock you. I like to call her Molly the Trolley because that is what Zachary calls Molly the train, but he quickly informed me that her name is not Molly the Trolley, that it is just regular Molly. So there you have it.

Elaina has taken a real liking to her blankie. Zachary used to call his blankie his "bee-bit" (written about in previous blogs) and now Elaina is very attached to hers as well. It started with her screaming when we would get her out of her crib. She would whine and point, and had to have her blanket. It's to the point now that she will wake up, hand over the blanket AND the pillow before she gets out of the crib. Then you must carry all three items to the big comfy chair in the living room. Set down the pillow, plop her in and wrap the blanket around her. Then you must deliver a glass of milk and her "ee-yal" (cereal) so that she can have 45 minutes of un-interrupted cartoons before the waking of the beast. I like to call her Queenie because she thinks she runs the joint. Well, let's face it, she pretty much does, at least for those 45 minutes.

We are on day two of a fresh load of fruit and yogurt in the house and the children have already consumed half a bag of apples, an entire bag of clementines, two pears and about 12 yogurts. Insanity.

The Sandwich

Zachary decided to skip lunch today, or so I thought. I offered him ravioli and he declined. Apparently he wasn't hungry after the three yogurts and four pounds of fruit he consumed for breakfast. I didn't really think twice about it. About an hour later I saw him walking around with a sandwich. I wasn't sure where it came from, but it looked less than appetizing.

Me: What are you eating?
Zachary: My sandwich.
Me: Where did you get it?
Zachary: I made it.

He had gotten out two pieces of bread and spread half of a container of yogurt between them. Bam! Sandwich. And he ate the entire thing! I couldn't believe it. He won't eat ravioli, peanut butter and jelly, or virtually anything else I make, but he'll wolf down a yogurt sandwich? Nice.

A little bit ago he went to the bathroom. After about ten minutes I hear...

Zachary: MOMMMY!! I'M READY FOR YOU TO WIIIIIIPE MY BUUUTTTTTTTTTTTT!

When I went in, I saw a gigantic turd.

Me: Oh my gosh, Zachary. That is a big poop!
Zachary: I know! Thanks!
Me: Flush the potty.
Zachary: Don't I get a sticker for that?

The Mouse

I've scarred my son for live in an effort to make him sleep in his own bed without taking food down with him. He's only three and has already created the smell and grotesqueness that is a boy's bedroom. He is constantly bringing crackers, fruit snacks and apples down there to nosh on while he is playing his game in the evenings. I keep telling him, "NO FOOD IN THE BEDROOM!". He keeps not listening. Shocking, yes, I know. I find these little morsels in the (what seems to be) weekly gutting of his room. Crumbs and spills, and even a half-eaten yogurt at times. I can't stop the boy, as hard as I try. I've looked for a fridge lock, but can't seem to find one. Apparently the general public looks down on withholding food from small children. Who would have thought?

At any rate, I told him that he can have his snacks, but they need to be eaten AT THE TABLE.

Zachary: Why?
Me: Because this is a mess!
Zachary: But why do I have to eat at the table?
Me: Because if you don't, a mouse will come into your room!
Zachary: I don't want that to happen!
Me: Then STOP brining food into your room or one will come in during the night and bite you! They will come to eat the crumbs!

Sometime in the next week he came up from his bed. He went to the pantry and grabbed a fruit snack. He quietly brought it to the dining room and sat on the floor. Tim comes in...

Tim: Zachary, what are you doing?
Zachary: I am eating my snack.
Tim: Why don't you take it downstairs with you?
Zachary: Because I don't want a mouse to bite me!

Tim was completely confused because he hadn't been informed about the conversation of said mouse. All he knew at this point was that Zachary was scared of bringing food in his room because of being bitten.

Zachary WILL NOT STAY IN BED. This has been an ongoing battle and we have yet to win. That same night, Zachary kept coming upstairs...repeatedly...and finally...

Tim: GET IN YOUR BED!
Zachary: But I don't want to!
Tim: If you don't get in your bed, I am going to bring food down there!

HA! I'm pretty sure that he'll forever have a fear of mice. In our defense, sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures.

The River-Dancer

Happy new year to you all! It's been a great one thus far. I am enjoying every aspect of my life.

The kids are great. Elaina is quickly coming into her own and learning new words on a daily basis. I am glad that "no" hasn't entered the vocabulary as of yet. Mostly everything is "yeah" which I can totally handle. Currently topping the charts, we have "stinky", "uh-oh", "up" and "right there". As for "Mommy" and "Daddy", she is apparently saving them for a later date. Ugh.

My very wise three-year-old asked me how babies get in bellies the other day. I told him that God puts them there, and luckily that answer was satisfactory.

I did have a funny personal story happen to me that I thought you all may enjoy. After a day of working, I met up with some friends for some dinner. I have recently been on a diet plan that is helping me to lose weight, and in turn, my pants are becoming rather large. I got up from the table and realized that I had forgotten to put my belt on, which resulted in me walking around in pants that could fit two of me. Before we could go any further, I demanded that we go to Meijer where I could pick up a belt. I went in, got my belt, and immediately put it on. Relief! I wouldn't be hiking up my drawers all night. I went back outside where two people from our party were waiting in the car. The car pulled up to the front, where I figured they would be picking us up. I was so excited about my new belt that I did a little jig in front of the car. Dancing, kicking, leaping and looking (I'm sure) absolutely fabulous, like a regular River-Dancer. It was just then that I realized that it was NOT, in fact, my ride. Either way, I think I put on a great show and certainly got a good laugh out of it; I'm sure they did too.

On another note, Zachary is loving school. He every much enjoys going and getting away from me for a few hours. It's really the best thing that has happened to our relationship. It's so nice when your kids are excited to see you when you pick them up. Elaina is enjoying having some peaceful nap time while he is gone as well. It allows me to get some work done and for her to have silence. Whoever said silence is golden was an absolute genius.

Well, that's all for today. I know there was a funny Zachary story to be told, and unfortunately I can't think of it. When it comes to me, I will certainly make sure to share. Love to all. :)

The Reindeer

Oh, Christmas is almost here. I can't deny the fact that I love this time of year; I just wish that the snow would be gone the day after. Well, maybe until the first of the year, but that is pushing it.

I am really looking forward to seeing the faces of my children on Christmas morning. Zachary has been being particularly helpful in hopes that Santa will bring him some goodies. Tim threatens to call Santa, but I'm like...psh...yeah, right. You don't have Santa's number. I'm not saying that he doesn't have a phone, I'm just sayin' that he certainly wouldn't be giving out his number to the general public. The damn thing would be ringing off the hook and he'd never get anything done. DUH.

Now, I know that in a previous blog I told you about my mother hitting a deer with her car. Zachary hasn't mentioned anything about it for a while now, but he certainly has a mind like a steel trap.

Last night...

Me: (singing) Grandma got run over by a reindeer...
Zachary: (looks at me)
Me: Did Grandma get run over by a reindeer?
Zachary: No, but Mimi's car did.

I burst out laughing when he said this. I can't believe he remembers that! It was weeks ago at this point! This just goes to show you, be careful what you say in front of your three-year-old.

The Program

Life is changing all around us. Christmas is here, and the kids are now adjusting me working again. Finding a balance between cooking, cleaning, picking up and dropping off, working, being a wife and a successful business owner is proving to be harder than expected. Although so may call me a Jack-of-all-trades, it comes with it's costs.

I am exhausted and Elaina is having separation anxiety as of late. This falls somewhere between being one and having mommy back at work. Zachary is doing really well in school despite the fact that he is the youngest in his class. He did have quite a showing during his performance the other day.

It was the preschool Christmas program and the kids had learned a number of songs to share with all of the families. We all waited patiently for the kids to come into the room. They were all in a single-file line...until Zachary saw me. "MOMMY!!" And he came running full-force, plowed over sister and wrapped his arms around me. Now, I'm not saying I don't enjoy a great hug, but I was completely embarrassed by the fact that mine was the only child being unruly. I came to later realize that none of the parents were paying any attention, as they were all too enthralled in the likes of their own children, however, I remained red-cheeked.

Earlier in the day I had been changing Elaina's diaper when Zachary came over to check out the scene. He grabbed a wipe out of the dispenser and shoved it into his pocket.

Me: What are you doing?
Zachary: Saving this for later.
Me: Why?
Zachary: In case I need to wipe my nose.

After that, I had forgotten about the baby-wipe...until it made it's appearance. All of the preschoolers were lined up on the risers when the first song started. They all did the motions to the song, and sang. All but Zachary. Not a word. Not a peep, not a single sounds left his mouth. About a quarter of the way into the song he brought out the wipe. He started waving it around as though it was a flag. When it would get wrinkled up, he would put it down, and flatten it out for optimum flying potential. He continued to wave it around, high over his head for the duration of the program.

When all was said and done, I asked him...

Me: Why didn't you sing the songs?
Zachary: Because I was trying to listen to them.

And there you have it.

Later that day he decided to make a mess out of the cat food. Zachary love his cat. He loves that damn cat more than anything. The cat does not share the same appreciation for the boy, mostly because he is old, and Zachary squeezes him within an inch of his life so as not to let him "escape". The cat food was all over the floor when I said to him...

Me: Zachary, please clean up the cat food.
Zachary: Why?
Me: Because I don't want sister to eat it.
Zachary: Why?
Me: Because she isn't a cat.
Zachary: Oh yes, that is right. We are not cats, we are humans.

Later in the evening, Tim called. Unfortunately he had missed all of this excitement that I have been telling you about.

Tim: Hi, Zachary, what are you doing?
Zachary: Oh nothing. Just hanging out.

So I leave you with the age old question, where do they learn all of this?

The Tiger

All is well at the homestead. All except the fact that Zachary has recently decided that he is the boss.

Zachary: No!
Me: You are NOT the boss. Who is the boss?
Zachary: We all can be the boss.
Me: No sir, you may not be the boss.
Zachary: But I like to be the boss.
Me: Then you will like to sit in timeout.
Zachary: But I don't like to be the boss.

This is pretty much daily. I am glad, however, that he is actually glad to see me after school at this point. His combination of mania and crankiness has subsided. I think his sister is relieved as well, mostly because she doesn't have to dodge any flying backpacks or leftover snacks upon his arrival.

Business is good. I am thoroughly enjoying my new job, and Zachary is thoroughly enjoying getting temporary tattoos. He thinks he is very fancy. He does not enjoy getting his face painted, mostly because he has to hold still for that. We tried to paint him as a tiger when I first started, but it quickly went awry with his talking, laughing and moving. I had to make so many "fixes" on his face that he ended up looking like he had two black eyes.

Elaina is doing really well. We took her in for her 15 month appointment yesterday. She always does really well with her shots. What can I say? Girls are tougher than boys. She gets her shot and only screams for a second; the minute she sees her sucker she's silent. It's a beautiful thing.

I am really enjoying this early Spring that we are experiencing. I am hoping that God forgot about Winter altogether...I am sure there is no such luck.

Love!