I think something is missing!

I simply cannot believe that my baby is old enough to have lost his very first tooth! Two nights ago, the toothfairy made her first visit to our house - the first of many - leaving behind 4 whole quarters. Alex was amazed that 'this little tooth' was worth that much. I suggested to him that we go ahead and pull out all of his teeth right now, explaining that he'd make a fortune. Fortunately, he didn't go for my idea :)

Doing a little dance :)

Maybe it was the mother driving down the street, honking her horn vigorously at us while shaking her fists in victory and whooping, or maybe it was the cheering from my fellow moms & neighbors, and hugging-all-around at the now empty bus stop that brought a smile to my face, but I do believe that I might have a little bit of an extra spring to my step this morning!

SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION....HALLELULAH!!!!!!

My oldest boarded the bus this morning, enroute to his 2nd first day of school - the 1st being last year's first day of kindergarten. With his fellow Yellowjackets (the school mascot), he greeted a smiling Mr. Dennis, the ever-faithful (and very loved & trusted) bus driver. As he passed us by on the way to the corner, the kiddos all started clapping & cheering when they saw his face behind that giant steering wheel. He greeted each child by name as they boarded, then took the names of the new kiddos just starting out this year. Alex and his 2 best buddies, Cameron & Kyle, found a seat for all 3 of their bottoms, then decided to switch to the seat directly across from the first. Alex reached up & opened the window so that he could yell out at us, waving as the bus drove off.

I'm sure my smile will eventually fade, but even now, my cheeks are cramping :)

*Dancing in my chair, bobbing my head to Kool & The Gang's Celebration.

Playing in the sand box

As I would expect most any other stay-at-home mommy would do, I look for the quiet moments in my day. I treasure them! I also use them to get as much done as I possibly can, whether it's cleaning, eating, reading or posting blogs, or sleeping. If there is a quiet moment to be found, I'll use it!

Of course, sometimes I find out that the quiet moments are simply the calm before the storm. In a house with 3 kiddos, it's bound to happen sooner or later, right?

Lately, I've been forcing my 3 children to play 'nicely' together. It is those times when I'm desperate for a moment of peace, or simply need to do something like say, use the bathroom, that I politely (most of the time) request that they keep their hands to themselves and head upstairs to the playroom. Alex, who will be 7 in December, is the designated babysitter. It is his job to ensure that no one does anything they aren't supposed to do (a job he takes very seriously, mind you). So, when there is a quiet moment, and I've sent them all upstairs, I would assume that the babysitter is doing his best to fulfill his duties, ensuring that his 2 younger siblings are upstairs with him, playing!

The other day, after about 30 blissful minutes of quiet, I went upstairs to see exactly what 'fun' my 3 monkies were having. I hadn't heard any screaming or yelling, no crying or sudden thuds, so I figured it would be safe to assume that they were all dead. Imagine my surprise when I reached the playroom and found only 2 of my 3 monkies quietly playing together. I quickly asked my oldest where exactly his younger brother was? Without flinching, he says, over his shoulder, "I don't know". Hmmm...what kind of babysitter are you? Oh wait! The almost 7 year old kind! So, I simply replied, "OK, would you mind helping me look for him?"

At that, we all went in different directions, me to the other bedrooms & bathroom upstairs (thinking that he was probably hiding in the bathroom, hands in the toilet splashing contentedly), Alex & Morgann downstairs to continue the search. About 10 seconds later I hear, "Oh my gosh! Moooommmmm!!!!!" Of course, that left me no other alternative than to dash down the stairs at break-neck speed (almost breaking my neck on the pile of toys at the bottom) to find out what would cause such a reaction. And then I saw it...my 23 month old, trouble-maker son, playing in the cat box! With a wild smile and sparkling eyes, he looked up at me and started laughing while throwing handfuls of sandy pebbles into the air. He seemed proud of the pile he'd made in the middle of the kitchen floor - the one I'd just finished sweeping less than 5 minutes before. I immediately start wondering what would possess him to do such a thing, then I remembered how much he loves to play in the sandbox at our favorite, family-friendly restaurant. So, after scooping him up, washing his hands (and face) with warm, soapy water, and sweeping the floor again, I squated down to his level and explained that the "kitty box is yuck! Don't touch! Yuck!!!" He smiled, repeated the word yuck, then toddled off.

I was satisfied with his response and assumed that he thoroughly understood what I was trying to say, and would never again do such a gross thing. Boy was I wrong! Now he apparently thinks it's a game...that we're supposed to play daily. I've found myself resorting to screaming each & every time I find a pile of kitty litter next to the box, regardless of whether or not Ian is anywhere nearby. I've started finding litter in some of the strangest places - the couch in the living room, my water glass sitting on a near-by table, the cats food & water dish, the toilet...it's never-ending! And, each & every time I go looking for him, he's got wads of litter in-hand, just waiting to toss up into the air as soon as I'm within his sight, but not yet close enough to grab before he let's go mid-throw. How do you get a 23 month old to understand "gross" and "yuck" when he loves to get dirty? He's such a boy!!!

So, for now, I'm simply hoping that we remember to clean the kitty litter box at least twice a day, praying that the kitten isn't carrying any funky diseases that can be passed to people, and keeping the broom & dustpan nearby for a quick clean up. Oh yeah...and buying several more bottles of anti-bacterial soap!

A Slight Detour

Well, we're down to the official '1 week' mark. I cannot believe that school will be back in session in just 7 short days - even though I've been counting down since last May! Alex will be returning to school on Wednesday the 16th, while Morgann & Ian will be starting Preschool (Tu & Th) & MDO (Th) the following day. Having all 3 kiddos in school means that I will have 1 whole day to myself, each & every week! I am very excited about this prospect, to say the least!!!

Last weekend was spent 'preparing' for back to school. Thankfully it was not necessary to spend hundreds of dollars filling their closets with clothes - they have plenty to finish out the warm weather months ahead - but we did have to get new backpacks and lunch boxes, as well as a nap mat for Ian. So, Friday night, we decided to embark on our search for the perfect new backpacks, making it a family outing. Little did we know that it would take us 3 1/2 hours that night, and about 3 hours the next day to complete this task!!! Ridiculously, we hit 4 different stores Friday night (one store twice), managing to get a backpack for each child, as well as a lunch box for Morgann. Alex & Ian were unable to find a suitable lunch box, which is why Alex & I headed back out the door on Saturday morning in hopes of making a purchase before lunch. I hate to say it, but we failed miserably. Not only did we have to stop for a lunch break mid-shopping, but we ended up leaving the mall with a kitten, rather than a lunch box!

It's a long story that I will not go into great detail over, but while searching almost every store for said lunch boxes, we happened upon a pet fair being hosted by the local SPCA. Alex & I both spotted a cute little Labrador puppy, so we headed over for a quick pat. While oohing & aahing over the cute animals, I spotted a precious little kitten in the arms of one of the volunteers and my heart melted. It didn't take me long to come to my senses, knowing that if I returned home with an animal, I'd be a single mother. So, I quickly passed the kitten back to the kind lady, and high-tailed it out of there. Feeling rather proud of myself, I called Michael to hypothetically ask him what he'd do if I went home with a kitten. After a few seconds of silence, he responded that he wouldn't mind having another cat, then said I could get it if I wanted to. Talk about a shocker!!! Well, I was quick to remind him that we didn't really have the money to purchase her and that it wouldn't be a smart purchase on our part. (Not to mention that if turned out that I bought her and she wasn't a good fit for the family, it would be my fault, yet again!). He just said to do whatever I wanted, but be sure to bring lunch home to him. Alex asked to talk to his daddy for a second, so I passed the phone off to him.

"Hi Daddy! Guess what? Mommy & I found this cute little kitten and we want to buy her. She's cheap!" Pause for a response from daddy. "Yeah, I would take extra good care of her. I'll clean up after her, feed her, pet her, sleep with her." Another pause. "Ok, bye!".

He hands the phone back to me and says, "Daddy said we could buy her!"

At that, he turns around and heads back toward the SPCA's adoption area. Well, alrighty then!

So, based on my previous entry, it's obvious that we now have a new member in our family. On Monday afternoon, we made a trip to the Veterinarian to have her checked out (the SPCA provided us with a courtesy health check certificate to be sure she was in good shape). Except for a slight 'kitty cold', she's healthy & happy, weighing in at 3 whole pounds! The kids are in love and she's adapted very well to all of them (including Ian who chases her around screaming "tiiiy" at the top of his lungs).

Needless to say, we never did find the lunch boxes, but in lieu of getting the kitten, Alex has agreed to keep using last year's lunch box, and will donate an older one to Ian. Such a sacrificial gesture, don't you think?!?

Welcome to the Family

Well, as of yesterday, we have a new member in our chaotic household. Surprisingly, she seems to have adjusted very well. Her feet have barely touched the floor since her arrival, and she has no lack of attention, even when it comes time to using the potty (poor baby has an audience almost every time)! Last night, however, we discovered that she does not like to be alone, which meant that she slept with us - well, on me is more like it! Thankfully she only weighs 2 pounds, so it was more of an inconvenience than anything.

Meet Squeaker (Squeak) - a name chosen because of the "noise" she makes when she tries to meow: