Blue & Mellow Yellow Monday - Party Painting

This weekend we were invited to a dear friend's daughter's 1st birthday party. The kids were so excited because last year they went to their son's birthday and it was a really fun Mad Science Party. They were hoping for the same of course but I informed them it was a 1st birthday party and Science would probably not be the theme.

When the clown walked in the door, I wasn't sure what my kids would think but they loved it. He couldn't come at a better time. Handsome was struggling to fight back some tears after having his drink spilled on him accidentally. He was so embarrassed because his shirt got wet. The tears quickly sucked back into his lids and all was well.

The clown performed a magic show and eventually got to the face and arm painting.

Remembering Sally's Blue Monday, I had to grab a few photos.

After his second episode of fighting those tears that threatened to cascade down his sweet face (a friend decide his balloon hat was better than their hat and claimed it as their own), you can see he had an awesome time.

Ahhh if you are wondering what the heck he and all the boys ended up as; I had to ask the clown myself. They are army vampires. Ahhh....umm....OK then.

It's A Good Day When......

The bubbles in your cup show up as a heart!!

Now, I can hear you guys out there. Half are saying, awwww...and the other half which will include Clary are saying, 'You're so stupid". By the way, she is saying it with a big thick Bronx accent and she will make sure to tell me in person too.

Oddly enough, my husband accidently cut his foot two weeks ago on the kitchen floor and the blood mark was in the shape of a heart too! I cleaned it up and was quietly wishing I could get my camera but was worried about his foot. He made a statement later that he was surprised I hadn't gotten the camera to blog it. Damn! Wish I had because it would make this pre-valentine, heart post, so much better.

Shadow Shot - Ice Cold Heart

Having trouble with new computer. Can't include a photo. Grr....So...without further ado, here is my Shadow Shot for today.

I took my wood heart wall hanger outside and grabbed a Shadow Shot for Harriet's weekly meme.

Here is my snowy heart shot.

New Product Alert - Kid-E-Cover - A Safe, Easy Alternative to Those Outlet Covers

Please allow me to introduce you to a company created by single dad of two, Mitchell  who created a product to protect his daughters.  Elicole, LLC sent me a product called Kid-E-Cover and I am so happy to show it to you.

 

When I was about 3 months pregnant with my son back in 2003, safety in the home was a top priority. Long before Handsome even made an appearance in the house, we got outlet plugs, door latches, and those locks for the window blind cords.

Everything was easy to use and gave me the confidence I needed when my little guys started to toddle. However, outlet covers were often a problem. Not only was my son protect and couldn't remove them (great), but I also couldn't remove them (not so great).  I found myself getting things that I could wedge underneath to pry them off. Grr...how annoying!

Hoodwinked on Blu-ray And DVD on February 15th

I liked the movie and appreciate the character styles and pop culture references. Goddess and I watched it three times in a week, so obviously she liked it too! Not your typical cartoon. Very well done. Witty and very well voiced. My favorite character was the Andy Dick voiced Bunny while my 5 year old love Twitchy.

Personally, I liked it better the 3rd time I watched it. The first two times, I felt there was too much down time and less laughs than I expected.

Good for the whole family and everyone will have a favorite character and enjoy their character's take on what happened.

Valentine's Day IS it About Love, Or Our Love Of Chocolate?

I am torn! I love the idea of a day dedicated to LOVE! There is nothing better than our ability to love. Not sure about the rest of you but I can literally LOVE everybody. Last night I watched my girlfriend's baby and while putting her to bed, told her "I love you!" and I TOTALLY meant it.

But.....there is something about Valentine's Day that gives us the get out of jail free card on chocolate eating. In my twenties, I thought nothing of eating a whole huge, thing of chocolate from a velvet shaped heart that a boyfriend got me and felt no guilt about it. 

That is why I am so happy to host this giveaway. Who doesn't love chocolate? Well, my son! He doesn't like it one bit. Not a problem for the rest of us because we have no problem taking it off his hands.

Color Carnival - Valentine Craft

Finally, I have something to add to Color Carnival.

This is a craft I did with the kids last weekend. I will post the completed product in a how to post very soon but for now.....

Dinosaur Train PJs - So Cute!

We recently were able to review the new Dinosaur Train™ Striped Footed Pajamas available at Kohl's. These are perfect for this winter which has been one of the coldest and snowiest ever.  The dinosaur appliques and striped pattern on these footed pajamas offer timeless touches, and the footed design keep toes toasty. SRP is $26.00, available in sizes 2T-5T.  I really wish they were available in bigger sizes.  Handsome begs to try on Goddess' size 5T. They are big on her and he is sure they will fit. He is a size 8 or 10 depending on the clothing. When I asked Goddess what she would want people to know about the PJ's, here is what she had to say. "I like the colors" "They are very, very warm and soft" "My favorite part is that Buddy is on my feet. He is so cute!" The PJs are very warm. She loves putting them on when she gets out of the bath because she "warms up quicker."

Holy Crap I Am On A Conference Call With Katherine Heigl

I am currently on a phone call with 15 other bloggers talking through a moderator to Katherine Heigl. Can you imagine!?

We are talking about motherhood, parenting, family and juggling life!

How cool!

Journaling My Medical Drama of 2010 - Warning, Graphically Detailed-PART 3

Part 1

Part 2

So, when we last left off, I was on the commode with an audience.

The next day, I awoke to a kiss on my cheek. It was Clary who had been given a pass to visit by Teach. She was good until I sat up to hug her. Then she stared crying telling me that she had assured herself that she would be able to hold it together. We visited. She got to watch me pee (we are soooo much closer now) and at least I had someone there to shut the door for me.

When my roommate left for a rehab center (poor thing cried that she just wanted to go home but in your 90's you cannot just do what you want, it's like being a kid again) I asked to be moved to the more private bed.

My view

I stopped the morphine on day 3 after noticing that my blood pressure was as low as 85. No reason for that! Move on. I am not a big believer in pain killers. I think they mask a lot of what is going on and you won't be able to moniter yourself. This is not to say I am a big believer in PAIN. If you are in unbearable pain, you NEED relief. But how would I know what I need, if I were constantly masking it?

They removed my stomach drain on day 4. I was on the phone with Teach 20 minutes later and felt very, very nauseous. He told me to buzz a nurse. I clicked off my Blackberry as I pressed the buzzer for a nurse, barely getting out, that I felt like I was going to throw up. Opened my commode and noisily throw up, while holding my stitched and stapled stomach. On my first hurl, I noticed my friend Sandra standing in the doorway. She asked if I had called a nurse, stepped in and motherly started moving my hair away and handing me tissues for my face. Such good friends!

Here is the tree, the flowers and a balloon that latested until last week when it blew out the back door as Goddess and I watched it go over the mountain were from my Daddy!

The nurse came, all was cleaned and I felt fine. Sandra had brought me the cutest little Christmas Tree for my hospital room. It was decorated with red beads, red ribbons and had two little mittens on it. She said, "there are two for your two babies." Awww...always knowing what to say. Then she proceed to hang up my cards and things I brought with me,(from her and a teacher aid at the school, pictures of the kids, art work from the kids). I love my friends.

It is hard to see the kids at the hospital but they did come to see me. They were informed by Teach not to touch mommy, I showed them why they had to be careful. Handsome was very interested "What did they do? Will it be like that forever"?. Goddess, not so much, "it looks like it hurts!"

Clary and Teach came to see me on the same day which was wonderful. I felt like I had people with me and loved my foot massage (thanks Clary). Only a good friend could put on exfoliating gloves, and rub cream into your feet with your husband sitting next to you.

On this particular day I was pissed off for a good part of the morning. During the early morning, I received a new roommate who was really unhappy about being moved from her private room. Can't say I blame her but hear me out.

My little make shift dressing area

This particular morning, I decided to finally get out of my hospital gown. I made a little makeshift dressing room and got a basin of warm water, soap, wash cloth, towels and new pajamas that I had purchased for my time at the hospital. I took a bath (well, you get the idea), put on my new PJ's and sprayed some Dove Body Spray, on. Just a light raspberry. The nurse came in and said, "don't you look nice? It smells so good in here."

I went for a walk, met Clarissa in the hallway, walked back and forth with her. That is what you do in the hospital. Met Teach in the hallway, and we walked back to my room.

We were there about 10 minutes when the nurse came over and whispered. "What did you spray? Your roommate says it is bothering her and I have to ask you not to use it again" Ok, this would not be such a big problem if....I hadn't been smelling "ASS" for the past few hours. Literallly, my roommate and her husband smelled like "ASS". I never complained to the nurse however, my nose was offended for two days! There were times, I had to literally put my hand cream up to my nose to smell something other than ass, because when you are not eating, and your nausesous from your meds, you cannot smell unpleasant things without feeling more SICK!

Here is my Facebook post on that day:

IVs suck. no veins left anddd it smells like ass in here. imagine? my name roommate came at 5am complaining all morn. complain to my nurse about the Dove body spray smell. too much for her. its so not strong and was pissed at her rudeness. however everytime she passes my bed or her hub or she moves it smells like ASS! now I know why It was too much for her. she is not used to smelling something good. fah!

Than:


My nose is 100% offended. the smell of ass is overpowering. should I complain or just hand her some ass wipes?

Facebook kept me going. That comment sparked some funny comments from my friends who had all kinds of suggestions on how to deal with the "ass" family.
Fortunately, by day 6 I received my very first meal for my new intestine!

I drank about half of it! There is my commode! It was very good to me. I got rid of it that day and eventually used the bathroom which I was able to get into with my IV being outside the door.

Then I received a few more containers of liquid! When you have abdominal surgery, you are actually scared to eat. I can tell you that that first bit of soup I had, I felt where it was in my digestive track the entire time. I knew when it was entering my stomach, small intestines and than large intestine! Weirdness.

For dinner that night I received....Fried Chicken and Mashed Potatoes! Really??? There was no work up to it...soup, ginger ale, italian ice, then...this.

I ate about 70% of it and it took me an hour to eat because I fed myself like I was feeding a 10 month old.
For breakfast the next day, December 21st, I received this...

It was delicious and I ate everything except the orange juice. I was afraid it would upset my stomach.

On the 21st, my doctor made his rounds by 9:00 a.m. and I got to post this message on Facebook:

Being released from my prison cell today! now if they would only remove the handcuffs!!!


I was beyond happy and called Teach right away. He came to the hospital at 12:30. My IV was disconnected and I was released a half hour later. I was excited but hesitant; no antibiotics? Ummm...OK, I guess I was ready. The doctor knows best.
 
I was wheeled out by a 6.5 foot, 65 year old volunteer as the nurses said, "good-bye Maria". They knew how important it was for me to be home by Christmas. It was the 21st and I was heading home.
 
Teach met me at the door with the car and I got it feeling soooo happy.
 
He went to pick the kids up at the normal time and hearing them come through the door was music to my ears.
 
He was awesome, bringing me my drinks and cooking my meals, taking care of the kids. My man, was awesome. I walked up and down the hall way every 25 minutes about 10 times each way....feeling like I was on the mend.
 
Until.............................................................
 
Part 4, the final chapter coming!

Pocoyo Squeeze and Play Plush Toy

Last month, I was mailed a box containing a Squeeze and Play Plush of the wildly popular Pocoyo.

Why Don't You Need A License to Parent?!

The word "license", according to Wikipedia, means to give permission.  We need a license or need to take a class for everything, driving a car, getting married, selling houses, etc.  Yet, for one of the most challenging, rewarding, hardest jobs on the planet, we don't. Anyone schmuck can have a child, thus making them a parent.  Why are people not forced to take a class before they can become parents?

We head into parenting without any knowledge, hauling our own baggage, histories of our own parents mistakes, fears, phobias, idiosyncrasies, yet we are allowed to shape, mold and teach the next generation.  It is just plain scary!

I had my first child at 36 years old. The positive side of having children older is I got to watch many friends and family make mistakes along the way.  We all parent differently, and while I don't judge anyone's parenting style, (mostly because I understand the second paragraph of this post) it is sometimes harder not to judge when I see some life altering mistakes being made.

Last week my niece, who has always been extremely sensitive (the kid used to tear up when she was 2 years old during Hallmark commercials or when she was talking about something sad), posted something on her Facebook wall that worried me and I just had to call her.  I noticed messages from friends who were saying they were sorry about what had happened during the day. She is 15, what could have happened during the day?

When I called, I asked are you physically OK? I know that at 15 to ask if you are OK would be crazy. No one at 15 is OK. They maybe alright but there is a lot going on at 15 hormonally and mentally.  When she told me she was physically OK I asked if it was about a boy. It was! Surprise, surprise.

She, wanting to be honest with her parents had gone to them and asked if it was OK for her and this boy to get together, watch movies, hang out with each other. Her parents, being like the rest of us, people who didn't need an education to be a parent told her that this boy, who is older than her, is trying to get in her pants, and will eventually go to college and leave her.

Ummm...OK...while I get the wanting to be an adult and warn this young teen of the makings of a typical guys head and how it works, I think they missed an opportunity.

What they taught her, was to lie. Go behind their backs for the things she is passionate about.  Most teenage girls (not the girls on Maury) at this age, in case anyone has forgotten, which her mother obviously has, are not thinking about sex.  The act of sex is scary. They are romanticizing holding hands, calling someone a boyfriend, hugging and kissing a boy. To even put that thought in her head makes her think about it. Try to keep them apart and she will do what she has to in order to get him/keep him.

What she and this 17 year old boy were asking to do, was watch a movie and hang out. These are things that if my daughter had asked me, I would hope that I would say, "Yes, he can come over here when Daddy and I are home. You can watch a movie in the living room with us. We would love to meet him."

Then I would make sure that The Teach and I were home. There would be rules. They would not be allowed to go to her bedroom unless they kept the door open. Allowing them the time to be together without being alone would show her that I trust her to make the right decisions for herself, under my supervision of course.

If this boy were pressuring her to go further than she wants, I would trust that she is smart enough to know what her boundaries are. The only way to do that, is to talk openly about making the positive choices without scaring her. There would be plenty of time to have the "he's trying to get into your pants talk."

Shutting the door on this relationship, as her parents have, creates a bigger problem. She wants to be with this person. She will eventually lie to do so. Teens who are kept apart will find a way to be together. Plus, this will affect everything for her. Why? Because she is passionate and feels she knows what she wants. They are not even giving her the chance to see if this isn't what she wants. Maybe by spending time with him, she will see he is not the person for her and move on.

In no way, am I advocating that she and this boy date. She is 15 but, this first relationship, positive or negative will affect the way she deals with all others.

My suggestion to her was, try not to bring this up. Your parents, are not going to wake up tomorrow morning and tell you they have changed their minds.  Try to show them that you are the smart girl, I know you to be and that you can handle this. By acting like the angsty teen they think you are, they feel they made the right decision for you. Put this away for a week or two, busy yourself with friends, school, and crew and revisit it again telling them that you would like them to reconsider and invite him over for dinner and a movie with your family.

Kids grow up so fast, parents need to make sure they are doing the best they can without being selfish or judgmental. You cannot tell someone how they feel. If your teen says, this boy is perfect or the guys worth fighting for, that is how they feel!  Telling them how you think they feel, is not the answer! Don't close the door on your teens feelings or honesty because you are uncomfortable with the conversation. The only way to get through the teen years, is to be open and allow your teen the room to be their own person. In the long run, it is the only way to have a lasting, loving, relationship with them.