All the normal

There's nothing super exciting going on here this week. A big week of "normal." What is "normal" for us? What do we do all day every day??
Good question.

Well, every morning we get up sometime around 6. If it's 6:30 it's a GREAT day. This week on Tuesday Emma had her 3 year old check up. I find these appointments SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO annoying. Why do we take perfectly healthy children to the doctors office where they can mingle with other sick children to see a doctor (most likely one they've never met in our case- military health care and all) and have them ask you a bunch of questions about what they eat, sleep, eat just so they can make some dots on a growth chart and tell you they're doing great??? Why do we do this? I'm the kids mom- I've been with her every day of her life. Okay, that's not true: I did go to Disney World for 3 days without her when she was 10 months old and I did go to Philly last May without her but I only didn't actually see her 2 days (since I saw her the day I left and returned). Back to my rant. I've seen her her whole life. I've worried, fed, nursed, researched, and read. Why do I need a guy with an M.D. after his name to tell me she's okay? I've got something too...a M.O.M. after my name. I am SO grateful to take my kids to the dcotor when they're sick....but when they're healthy? Isn't that really just a waste of all of our time?

So, the morning of her check up Mike was home to watch Andrew. He got up with the kids and I got to sleep until 7:15. I can't remember the last time I did this and it was so magical I almost have tears in my eyes just remembering it. You know how some people dream about going on trips without their kids or getting pedicures? Yeah...I just dream about sleeping all night. No big head of curly hair coming in my room (EVERY BLOODY NIGHT) No tiny blonde boy calling me awake when it is still BLACK outside. Just a night of sleep....fantasy.

I digress. Again.

I took Emma to her appointment. Yeah...it was on Thursday and I showed up on Tuesday. Hmmmm. Did I do that? Really? Surely it was a computer mistake because I am far too organized to have made such a mistake. Only when I got home it was written on my calendar for Thursday. Well, you can't win them all. However, this move inspired me to not just be a girl with rants but to completely boycott healthy child check ups unless I have issues I would like to discuss with an M.D. No more just being a mom with a chip on my shoulder about the well child check up. Now I'm just a mom who doesn't go to them. I have principles.

So aside from showing up to the Dr. on the wrong day we've been very busy doing other normal things this week. We have played in the "light garden" in our complex a few times after dark. It's a tiny (1/8 acre) garden decorated with Christmas lights the kids LOVE to play in it. It's okay, there are walkways. No plants are being harmed in their frolicing.

We got our first 2 Christmas cards this week and it reminded me that mine are still sitting on our entry way table waiting to be sent. Oops. I really must mail those out tomorrow.

We enjoyed a nice sunny plesant day outside yesterday. The kids rode their bikes and collected leaves. They loved it. Everyone screamed when it was time to go in. Andrew quite enjoyed just pushing his bike around and grabbing any second he could to sit on Emma's bike when she wasn't looking.


We made some really cute reindeer hats. They love them and they look so cute in them! I love handprint antlers.

As beautiful as yesterday was today was equally yucky. Rain, rain, rain. We are not so fond of rainy days here. Plus, for some reason (rain) I thought I might just lose my mind today. When I looked at the clock in total exhaustion and it said only 3:30 this afternoon I thought if I clicked my heels together three times and wished hard enough I might be able to disappear for just a couple of hours (until bedtime?) I took the kids to Barnes and Noble where we read lots of books and played with lots of trains. I heard a mom of a two year old say to her son "we have to go to school next" and I found myself longing for such a place to take my own children to. School........but not really.
Later however I heard the same mom (sipping her coffee and reading her People magazine) say to her son when he brought her a book to read "no, I'm not reading to you we have books at home- go play with the trains."

So, even though I felt like a crappy mom today because I didn't really WANT to do all the things I was doing...at least I was doing them and I felt better knowing that right here in Chesapeake with me was a mom who was even crappier. (Thanks, crappy mom I needed that) That same little boy brought me a book to read to him when he realized I was reading to my own kids....poor little guy. I felt bad for him and sad that maybe my own grumpiness might have rubbed off on my kids too.

Truth be told, I was THRILLED when bedtime arrived tonight. I rolled out the Pilates mat and stretched and toned. I felt a little better. After the shower I'm about to take I'm sure I'll be ready to do the puzzles, and the games (Boggle Jr. anyone?)and the books over and over and over again tomorrow. But, even if I'm not ready I'll do it anyway.