How I Got a Day Off

There have been so many times that I have wished for a day off to just “do nothing!” And I believe that if you keep wishing for something hard enough, eventually it comes true. But I had to have surgery just to get a day off. Maybe next time I should be more specific with my wish, like pain-free.

But really, I have been sick since October off and on. I thought I was getting the flu-like once a month. It would only last a day, but it was excruciating. The vomiting and the back pain. It got so intense at times I could barely see or breath. And for the first 3 or so months, I just kept thinking, “Man, really?! The flu again?!” But then it would be over by the next day and I would forget about it…until it happened again. I knew I wasn’t pregnant, so I figured it had to be the flu.

I don’t know why I put off going to the doctor for so long. I guess it might be a mom thing. I get busy and just forget. It didn’t even really occur to me to go to the doctor because it would go away and then I would carry on with my life. It was my mom who finally said, “I don’t think you are getting the flu every single month for this long. You should call the doctor.”

So I finally did. They told me I had to have my gall bladder removed. My gall bladder? I forgot I even had an organ with such a name, let alone to know what it did or what the heck it is for. But since I have had it and I mention it to someone, they are all like, “Oh, yea. I had to have mine removed too” or “Oh, my daughter just had hers removed last year.” Like this is a common thing. Who knew.

But surgery is still surgery, even if it is outpatient and laparoscopic, it still sucks. It’s so weird thinking that something in me isn’t working right and they can just “fix” it by removing it. It is so weird thinking of my body sprawled out on an operating table and allowing another human being to take something from inside my body. Just weird. Like, what do they do with it? What did it look like? Was it hard to get out? Did they have to yank and pull? Or was it “lasered” out? I try not to think of myself out cold on a slab like a specimen and something is being taken from inside my body. Glad I didn’t wake up to aliens.

But I’m also so thankful that I could be fixed. Thank you modern medicine. Because I am really tired of being sick. There were so many days hovering over the toilet bowel, heaving my guts out. I couldn’t even take care of my kids, who would be barging in the bathroom, “Hi, mom! Ewwww…ewwww…” but still staring because that seems to be what my lil’ weird toddlers do. Smarten up kids, mommy’s puking. Run the other way. Nobody wants to witness this.

Today is the first day since my surgery that I’m starting to feel like myself again. I can move without feeling like my insides are going to slide out of the incision on my belly button. The pain isn’t as bad and I can finally move again, although bending is still a little difficult.

So since I had some “recovery” time I have been laying around burning through the books, which is exactly what I have always wanted to do with “a day off to do nothing.” I have been putting my feet up, reading and napping. Oh, and immensely enjoying the TOTAL and COMPLETE silence. I can go all day without even turning on the tv and it is wonderful! I absolutely love it.

I have been on so many adventures these last couple of days. I started reading James Patterson’s “Maximum Ride” series. I am addicted! It’s totally a young adult book and it’s totally an awesome read- a thrill ride. The pages fly by like the hybrid mutant bird kids that I have come to love so much.

I’m almost done with the third book. I have been averaging a book a day, gobbling them up and snapping through them like guzzling down a pack of Pop Rocks. These books are soooo my new favorite candy. They rock!

So I gotta go join my “flock” now and see what kind of butt we can kick tonight! We are off to France.

xxx

Every Book

It was quiet after dinner. WAY to quiet. The babies were toddling around the living room, looking adorable as usual. “Where are the boys?” I asked Brad. “Upstairs,” he replied.

Hmmm… I wonder what they are doing. It may not be good with all that silence. What am I saying? It is usually never good with all that silence!  (Unless they are sleeping.)

They play loud. They argue loud. Unless they are watching a movie it probably means they are going to be in trouble, and even that doesn’t stop them.

But I was pleasantly surprised.

I walked up the stairs and right around the corner two cute boys sat next to each other. Collin was holding, “If You Give a Pig a Pancake,” and Bradley was flipping through a book about Blue Tongued Skinks. Bradley would say, “Hey, Collin! Look at this.” And they would both stick their tongues out – “Blah!” they would say in unison over the picture.

I am a proud momma. I have been reading to them FOREVER and CONSTANTLY and it just makes me proud when I see them reading without me. I mean, seriously, I have been brainwashing them to love reading since they were in the womb.

Maybe next time they wont drag out EVERY SINGLE book off the bookshelf though. That was a mess. Oh well… anything for reading.

These are some of the moments that I love, but easily forgotten with time. This is my way of remembering.

xxx

Friday Favorites: Naptime

Collin, March 2011

I haven’t seen the sun in two days. The clouds blanket my thoughts and the wind blows sweet kisses that hit my cheek. The rain drops stick to the screen and try to sneak their way in to sit on the ledge and watch this peaceful scene. How can things be more perfect and peaceful than this?

Mallie & Elsie, April 15, 2011

I love naptime. First I rush around to get everything done; dishes, laundry, floors swept. Bradley and I watch for his bus on the front porch as Collin tries to climb and peek over the window ledge. 

We can hear the bus as it turns the corner two blocks down the street. I kiss his forehead, “Have a good day,” and wave to his little face framed by the bus window. There goes the big orange, carrying my baby away. I wave and wave until the last second, then I blow him a kiss right before his face disappears down the road…and he catches it.

Then I get all the babies down for their nap and then it is my time. I sit and read, blog, or surf the web…and sometimes I sneak in a nap too, if I’m lucky. Other times, I catch up on cleaning or organizing.

Today I am reading and blogging. It is the perfect gray day to curl up with my Kindle and my favorite granny made afghan. I listen to the wind and warm myself with homemade chai tea latte and the dog, Murphy, curled up by my legs.

Soon, Brad will walk through the door. Then Bradley’s bus will return him. Collin will be yelling and shaking his baby gate. The twins will take turns crying in stereo. I love the chaos, but enjoy the peace when I can get it.

I hope you are enjoying your rainy day, too.

xxx

Sweet Mornings…and Cockroaches

Mornings are hectic around here. They usually start at 4 am. I pad into the kitchen, blindly groping for a bottle and formula. I take it out of the microwave, then try to shake my head of the sleepies…and then take the bottle out of the fridge. What in the world…wake up! *Yawn.*

I feed one baby, burp, and get a new diaper. Then to the next baby. Back up the stairs and back down. Bottle, formula…burp, diaper. *Ya-awn.*

When we are finished I lay them on the couch, lined up like little pieces of bacon, sizzling and squirming. They look up at me like little rays of sunshine and sprinkle rainbow babble at me . “You’re cute, but it’s too early,” I tell them. “Let’s go back to bed.”

And I just keep my toes crossed, bury my head under the covers, and hope they get bored of their mobile and fall back asleep. But it’s never that easy. I’m usually up a couple more times, tucking back in or popping a pacifier in a mouth. 

I do manage to get an hour and a half to two hours of sleep before I hear Bradley and Collin up and restless, banging on the baby gate. Collin will keep pushing until he finds a weak spot and squeeze through, which forces me out of bed.  Bradley will usually just scale it, but that sets Collin off…”Arhhhhh!!!” like he escaped and I didn’t.  And of course, the dog is jumping and running up and down the stairs, just as restless as the kids.

“I’m up.”

Cheerios. Corn Chex. Cinnamon Raisin Toast. Bananas. Eggs. Oatmeal. What do you want for breakfast?

Collin, Elsie, and Bradley (Mallie slept in that day, lucky girl.)

Today I let the boys eat on their little tables they got the other day. And since we were comfy on the floor, we read some books. Bradley picked out his cockroach book he checked out at school. He insisted on telling me, in between bites of cereal, that “they eat old food and dead people, Mom. They came to my school and showed ’em to us.” I’m sure they were probably Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, which by the way are pretty fascinating.

We also learned they have wings and cerci, which senses danger. Then

Bradley decided to stand up before moving away from his little table…so Murphy got some breakfast too.

Murphy helps clean up. What a good dog!

What a morning. Corn chex and cockroaches.

But it was a fun morning. I love reading to the kids.

And by the time we are finished, the babies are ready to eat again. Cycles and routines. We are getting them down.

All of this by 8:30 am.

Have a great day!

xxx

Worms Need Love, too…and Good Literature

Bradley ready to dig up the worms in the farm.

What a busy day. I think my favorite part about having our worm farm, besides there is little to no care for them, is listening to Bradley and all the things he says and thinks about worms. Worms smile, sing, play, and worms need love too, right mom? Of course. 🙂 He even made a worm dance. The worm dance consists of “Stretch and wiggle…stretch and wiggle…” across my kitchen floor.

We did have a little worm accident this morning when we were excavating them. They kind of went for a little ride, darn dog. Who knew worms could fly? Check it out in the video below.

OOOPS! We did manage to find all of them but one. I guess he has returned to his natural habitat.

Our next try at a video went better.

Some things we learned about worms from our observations and books:

1. They like to be read to.

2. They are nocturnal, or come out at night.  a.k.a. night crawlers. 

3. When the soil is hard, a worm will take a few bites of it so it can dig and tunnel its way down into the dirt. Dirt, yum! It’s a balanced meal for a worm.

4. Worms do have a head and tail. The tail end is flatter and more blunted, and the front is pointy. Never knew that!

5. The smooth ring that circles the worm’s body is called a saddle, and only grown up worms have them. But you can’t ride them. hee hee

Source:  “Natures Children: Worms”  by Jen Green

*note* I love seeing Bradley soak up all this information and new vocabulary…then try to use it. So cute!

This is also one of my favorite activities because we put the worms on a little lid and Bradley and the worms entertain each other for an hour or two!

Hope you had a great day on our worm farm, we did. See ya next time!

xxx

Below are extra videos. Thanks for reading and watching 🙂  And feel free to leave comments. They make my day.