Dec pics...

Jazzing around on the Piano with Daddy

"...Baby's got blue eyes..."

Tub time with sister...she's making sure he smiles for me.

Caden's broken elbow and a fake smile.

Decorating the kid's trees.

Each year the kids pick out an ornament of their liking for their own tree. This year, Caden picked a hockey ornament, while Sofia stuck to her traditional princess choice.

An ADD pose and my fat Buddha baby helping out.

My little hands at work.

Admiring the end product.

We were able to go on our very own local version of the Polar Express. A quick train ride with friends, a story read by an animated-kid friendly-jolly man, an appearance from Santa, a glimpse of the North Pole and all the elves, hot Coco and cookies...so fun!!! Sofie pulled Santa's beard.

The kids are enjoying an early Christmas gift in the pic below. I love Sy's hand on Sofie's back.

Caden, with his vivid imagination, used a helicopter and ruberband as feathers for a headpiece when he was pretending to be an Indian. An Indian with a gun. Note: Pocahontas in the background.

Women ARE from mars or Jersey.

I'm standing in a long line at LL Bean recently and observed a situation. I was last in line and behind me, approaching from two different directions, were 2 women...and this is how it began. One was a lone women with a large tote over her shoulder huffing and puffing her way along. The other was a women and man carrying a few smaller misc items in their arms. The women and man sideways glanced and caught the direction of the other women....she was headed for the line. The couple hustled and quick stepped while the other lady cut a corner, technically cheating, and arrived behind me first. The initial thought that struck my funny bone was that the winded women basically hurried along only to be first at being last in a very long line. A NANO second later the couple ascended on her. They began to assert body language...obviously annoyed that this women broke the "approaching a long line civilized" rule in the shopping code of conduct book. Their hands on their hips, lips pursed, shifting from one foot to the other. Then they huffed and moaned and whispered without using a whispering voice that "She was so rude!" and "Can you believe some people?". A few moments went by and the single women gathered he normal breathing pattern; she stared directly ahead. She looked past my nosey ease dropping and curious overt stares. She was rock solid still, gazing directly ahead at nothing with confidence. She had acquired her position in line. By George, SHE was not last, and SHE had won. The other couple began to shift their criticism's elsewhere, LL Bean was too be blamed. They felt there should be more personal. I envisioned line bouncers wearing all black and head sets. I set for a moment day dreaming and allowed my imagination and the background of their conversation to paint a picture...laughing to myself at their intensity and frustrations. Then without a warning everything changed. The couple somewhere in dialog had mentioned New Jersey in all it's splendor and basically, how the stores there are far superior to ours...pretty much saying Mainers cut lines and we suck. THEN the other women turns, relaxing her rigid "I'm the winner off the LL Bean line race!" stance. She says with a huge smile to the couple,"Are you's from Jersey???" They return the huge warm friendly smile and say with love and enthusiasm, "YES! Are you??". The warm chatter begins and I look desperately for something like an airplane bag to puke in. The women giggle and talk loudly while the man stands quietly staring ahead. I am certain, without a shadow of doubt, he is utterly confused. He says NOTHING. The two women are the best of friends by the time we reach the registers. They have exchanged emails and phone numbers. They know each others shoe size, what they have each bought at Freeport, the names of their children, and the year they all graduated for high school. They also have agreed that we, as Mainers, are screwballs, and that men are the hardest people to shop for and understand. How does this happen? Funny huh? Women....we are something else aren't we????

So here's a few from the past that still make me smile. My babies are growin up way to fast. I think Sofia and Silas look a lot alike. I really didn't notice it till' I saw these. This was Christmas 03' and Rich, Sofia and I were Joesph, Mary, and baby Jesus for two different churches. We had to turn down the offers this year due to Joseph's allergic reaction to the hay in 03'.

Fortunes and Vomit

My mind is slightly numb as it has been a whirlwind of excitement and events. Last week we spent WAY too much time at the Dr.'s and specialist for Caden's arm.
The Dr. settled on treating him with a cast, surprisingly he wasn't really hip on it. The specialist basically said it could be a couple of different things but all were treated with immobility. Whatever...

I thought that a week of stress could be helped by a weekend of fun! We decided to start the weekend with taking the kids to the Polar Express on Friday night. The kids get to wear their PJ's and go on a brief train ride to the "North Pole". SO neat!!! Before the train ride we decided to stop into Applebees for a quick bite with some friends and their children. About half way through the meal Caden begins to PUKE. It was very weird and kinda slow motionish. I looked over and he had that look that parents HATE to see when your miles away from a pot, bucket, bush, or toilet. Not the look that says, "I goota pee.". It's the green "I'm gonna puke!" look. Rich QUICKLY grabbed him and ran down the isle as he barfed...all the way to the bathroom where he continued to puke everywhere but the toilet. So we cleaned up and sorted out a few details, Sof and I went ahead to the Polar Express. Rich braved the next few hours with Caden. We think he had food poisoning. It was NOT the way we wanted to end a crazy week. Our life is really so exciting:>:>. Sat we skipped the other potentially fun activities we had planned. We opted for nothingness. Rich and I just needed a day. I was afraid to leave the house, scared someone may start vomiting everywhere, wherever we went. At that point I wasn't sure if it was food poisoning or the flu. Caden is doing much better now....well enough to be back to nonsense. He asked the other night what was going on with his luck lately. He said he felt like he had a plague. On Sat night we decided to get Chinese. Caden broke into his fortune cookie and it read, " you will find good health..." !!!! I looked for a map or compass in the take out bag, to assist us in the "finding" part, BUT didn't find a thing. Let's cross our fingers that he doesn't break his other arm looking for it. Soooo here's to hoping on his Chinese fortunes.

To Jeimy and Shannon and anyone else who has solicited me for any parenting advice...

So the story about the picture is evidence that I am in training still. I am really clinging to the verse about completing his good work in me...:>:>

I tried to fix Annie's mac-n-cheese and I got distracted and the noodles burned. THEN, I poured too much milk and it became soup. I just told the kids it was a new recipe. They looked concerned but ate it and too my surprise LOVED it and even had 3rds. The next week Caden asked for " the new yummy noodle soup" and it took me a bit to remember what he was talking about. Then he described it: "the noodles with little bits of black and lots of milk." and I remembered. HA! Good to know that not all of my mistakes will end in hours of future counseling or some adult onset post traumatic something or other disease/syndrome.

His attitude and the blackened pot reminded me that it's ok to screw up and mistakes are inevitable. That it's sometimes as simple as our choosing to change our outlook at a new normal or life's latest recipe; our willingness to take out the scouring sponge and scrub the dirty areas and begin again and again. We are Mom's and we are not superhuman. WE screw up and our children need us to be honest with ourselves and them, because that is how they learn by example to say "I am sorry." or " I was wrong." This is when they can be given the opportunity to say "You're forgiven." and "I still love you." We learn by living and we live by learning.

WITH enough said, hoping to encourage and motivate you all.......

My honest mother confessions and proof of failures:

-I giggle at the wrong times, like when they fall.

-My children have said suck and screw, NOT referring to candy and screwdrivers.

-I have let them stay up as late as possible just to see how long they would last.

-I have let my children go to bed dirty (just for you Shannon).

-I have locked myself in the bathroom and hoped for a stomach problem that would render me unavailable for longer than 15 minutes.

-I scream.

-I asked Richie if we could change the way we spell Sofia 6 months ago.

-The backseat of our van looks like a refrigerator exploded.(Richie here... amen to that... and I'm not cleaning it again).

-I beg at times.

-I am the worst side-line Mom! I yell and charge the field at all the wrong times.

-I have sat on the floor and had temper fits with my children.

-I believe in hand-me-downs and sharing.

-I am a sucker for humor and Caden knows it.

-I MAKE them watch Christmas movies starting in September even when they protest.

-I throw away artwork.

-I over do it with the photo journalism.

-I say "yes, honey" sometimes when I haven't a stinking clue what they have just asked.

-I pull band-aids off real fast.

-I have dipped things in Chocolate to make Sofia eat it.

-I forget how we spelled Sofia's middle name on her birth certificate.

-They have seen me have road rage. (You would not let me forget that Pam, right?)

-I teach there is always a loser and a winner and they should be the winner.

-I have tried to convince them that the burn marks on food makes things taste better.

-I have no idea when they first rolled over, spoke, ate real food, etc.....

-I have served ice cream for dinner.

-I say "Suck it up."

-My daughter has had worn, chipped, red polish on her fingernails in public.

-We've had cupcakes for breakfast.

-I forget how much they all weighed at birth.

-I replace, not repair.

-I have allowed them to color their bodies with Marker.

-Their socks don't always match.

-I am a horrible baker....the smell of fresh baked pie comes straight out of an airwick.

-Silas has worn a Hannaford bag and Caden's underwear as a diaper before.

-I try to convince them to let me tell about surprises before they happen.

-I keep forgetting to teach Caden how to tie his shoes because most of his shoes are slip on.

-I allow them to wear, in public, their Halloween costumes during the rest of the year.

-I don't knit, I tie knots.

-I tell them to "Go ask your Father."

-I have never sowed a button on.

-I forget to make them write Thank you cards.

I could go on and on......but I wont. We are all a work in progress and I pray that everyone has patience with me. I know that I love my babies...and they love me. We need one another to learn with and experience life together.

KIDISM'S

Caden after Thanksgiving: "I get so tired after I eat Turkey. Why does turkey make me tired?" Rich explains the science to him, stating basically that it's due to Triptophan, a hormone in the turkey meat. He's quiet for a minute. "So then... are turkeys always tired?"

Sofia had a very interesting conversation withe her Aunt Jeimy that is worthy of blogging but I must first issue a disclaimer or it may be taken the wrong way. The kids at various times in the past (and currently) have raised money for African children and missionaries in Africa. At our church a couple years ago, they discussed with the children that a lot of the drinking water in Africa is contaminated and they used a very good visual of dirty water to reach the sunday school kids. It really impacted my children and since then they seem to be fairly sensitive to problems in Africa. Their grandfather has also gone on a couple missions trips to Africa, bringing back pictures that the kids have seen. And most recently, they went and saw the African Children's Choir in Camden which raised money for their orphanage. Now, here in Maine, the population is predominately white. Other than her cousins and Aunt Jeimy who are Ecuadorian, the only other colored skin that she is familiar with is a new friend she has at church and a family that we have recently hung out with. Her ratial experience is nill. Soooo, sitting on her Aunt's lap she is looking at her skin and commenting that it is very different from hers. She is pondering this and then states "The black kids in Africa are very poor. They are poor and have no mommies, and yucky water." Jeimy "yes's" her and Sofia carries on. "and their water is black and that's why their skin is black. We all have to send them money for good water." Thankfully Aunt Jeimy with her brownish skin cleared a few things up for her.

Caden at bedtime after he hurt his arm: "Well I guess it was just part of God's plan that my arm's hurt." I say nothing. "I wonder why it wasn't God's plan for your arm to get hurt instead of mine?" I still say nothing.

Caden at bedtime: "Mom, during Pearl Harbor did the American birds fight with the Japanese birds?"

Sofia in the car: "Mommy, when is Silas gonna be born again?" Me: "I don't know Sofia, that's between him and God." Sofia: " Well, I sure hope it's soon because I sure liked that ice cream at the hospital." (Sofia had unlimited ice cream and juice when I was in labor.)

Caden at dinner: "I know how to spell puppies!" He begins to spell out loud "D-O-G..." Then looking perplexed he sounds out what he has spelled..."D--duh, O--ohhh, G--guh" and then looks at us and we all laugh.

Horse play is for Horses

It's been awhile but I do feel I have worthy reasons. Since Oct. 1 we have visited either the hospital or the Dr.'s 11 times in total. Yes, 11 times. Only once for Sofia. She's made of iron, I do believe. Most have been for normal to moderate fall sickies. Same-ol' same-ol'. The excitement did peak last night though. Caden and Sof were playing horsey; a pretty normal activity. Caden was a horse and Sofia/horse/turned wild dog, shifted to attack mode and it got a little crazy. I was busy cooking and peeked around the corner just in time to here a very real "OUCH". Caden suddenly jumped up and began running all over the house. I thought perhaps, he was still an untamed wild horse. Then I hear "ouch, ouCH, OUCH!!!!" and crying. I put my wooden spoon down to go and locate the ouchy hollars--he was still running but I quickly realized he was no longer a horse. I get Caden to stop bolting and gyrating about so I can take a look at him and figure out what the devil's going on. He won't move his arm and his screams are escalating. Sofia begins to cry because she is afraid she's in trouble and that "Caden's gonna die!".Silas begins to scream because he now doesnt know what the devil is going on and then Richie appears at the door about the same time I smell something burning. Oh Yeah! I grab my now black, smoldering, wooden spoon and submerge it into water and turn off the burners. We call the Dr.'s office and then we are instructed to go to the ER, and follow up with his primary in the am. The ER went relatively smoothly. In and out with no solid diagnosis. A night of restlessness later we show up at the Ped's to another Doc who isn't real sure what's wrong. Could be this, could be that routine. She sends us to a specialist who makes me wait an hour....UHG...and then tells me HE'S not sure what's wrong. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Meanwhile, poor Sy has been woken up all day to go either in or out of an office at each nap.

AT THE DR.'S: Sofia opened up the fish tank, was told to leave a candle alone, dragged out all the stickers, opened the office door and yelled "Hurry up." at the staff, bit her tongue so bad it bled, took the ped's stethascope and almost blew out Caden's ear drum. Silas sat still and smiled. Caden cried a lot. AT THE SPECIALIST:Sofia begged the Dr. for a cast like her friend, Addie Maddie, (these are 2 different girls she knows and Sof's never real sure which one's which.) grabbed all the bone displays, asked the receptionist to read her a book, asked receptionist where the potty was, asked receptionist for candy, asked 2 different nurses for candy, somehow spotted a huge jar of candy and informed the staff that they were wrong and DID have candy, helped a sippy cupp upside down and watched the water drip out, cried when she bit her tongue again, and got candy stuck in her hair. Later when the nurse had to X-Ray Caden again, Sofia timidly watched her prepare him for it. She saw a red laser beaming down on the tabel where Caden was going to have to sit. She began to cry and said "there's lasers, Caden's gonna be blind Momma!" I explained that he would be fine. Then the nurse asked her to step away while she shot the X-Ray and the Sofia screamed and cried "Oh no! There gonna shoot him, Momma!" I explained that he would be fine. Caden cried a lot and we left with a splint, a sling, and another follow up apt. Silas pooped and other than that he smiled. Life is good now because of Codeine. Pictures soon to come:>:>