My baby started school

It's so strange... B started school. This is the beginning of when I start to loose control over my kids life. He will become more independent. He will make his own choices. He will have his own opinions. In my heart I know this is a good thing, but at the same time, it's just the beginning.

I worry about him holding back. C says he's a "monkey see, monkey do kind of kid" and he's right. He's been with J his whole three years of life and knows no other way. I want this to be his opportunity to learn to be B.... a B without a J.

Mortified Mommy Moment

On Tuesday I took the boys to the doctor to get a scrip for J's epi-pen. We had an appt with his new teacher and the school nurse the next day. Anyway, when you enter the building, you have a short hallway leading to a large lobby for the lab. As we're walking, we pass a man in a wheelchair and he has some obvious disabilities. Then J says (in a very loud voice in a very quiet lobby) "Oh boy, that man sure looks crazy!"

The statement just shocked me and I said "J!" and pulled him around the corner. I tried to explain that God makes everyone different and there's nothing wrong with being different, but when you say something about someone it can hurt their feelings, etc. I could see that he didn't really "get it". But I had him go back to apologize. I'm not sure if he knew what was happening or not, but the nurse with him did and said thank you.

After we were done and in the truck they were both asking questions. They just didn't understand. He wasn't trying to be mean or make fun, he was just speaking what he thought without realizing how it could make someone feel. So I tried to make it more personal and talked to him about how sometimes he sneezes and lots of snot comes out. Well, alot of people might think that's pretty gross and how would he feel if someone at school or the park said something about how yucky that is, even though it's something that he can't help. He said it would make him sad and I said that's how it makes other people feel when you say something about how different they look. At that point he actually got it and started to cry saying "I didn't mean to make him sad". I told him that I knew that and was talking to him about it so that he would learn that sometimes the things we say can hurt people so we have to be careful about our words.

Ugh! How embarassing though!

Look Ma!! No wheels!!

We took the training wheels off of Big J's bike today. I was truly amazed at how quickly he got it. Daddy just held up the bike while J climbed on, then he took off. Just like that! I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself. Here's a picture of my proud boy.

No pics yet...

Okay, so I promised pictures and then didn't deliver. But there's a good reason. What I actually promised was to post pics "when we're done". And the boy and Mr. OCD haven't finished the trim just yet. Yeah, I know, they're doing it back asswards. But don't even get me started... the two of them in a room with red paint was enough to drive me insane. A friend of mine suggested that OCD did some of the moronic things he did just to get out of having to paint another room. I think she's onto something... And if it's true, it worked... He's been banned.

However, the little boys room is nearly done. I have to match up the ceiling paint and touch up a couple spots. And OCD needs to take down the shelves he just put up and mount them where I told him to in the first freakin' place. On a positive note, I got to decorate their room which was totally fun for me since I never really did a nursery or anything when they were babies. I got everything in one day and I'm totally thrilled with my local finds!

Painting again

I really don't like painting. Although it's not the painting, per se. It's all the prep work involved. And the fact that when it's all said and done, it ends up looking like you did no prep work whatsoever.

We just finished the boys room... well, I guess it's not actually finished until we touch up where we hit the ceiling a few times. This weekend is the teenager's room. He picked red. I'm kinda scared.

I'll post pics as soon as we're done.

Home Sweet Home

Never in a gazillion years would I have believed I would be saying this...

I'm so glad to be back in Wisconsin!

Airplane chit chat

So I'm on the plane, on my way to California and start to engage in small talk with the woman next to me. Inevitably she asks, "are you going home or just visiting?"

I pause and respond, "Both".

Strange feeling...