wordless wednesday

here are a few pictures of the fourth of july fireworks that we enjoyed with our family...we messed around with camera settings and ended up with some pretty cool pictures.

trivia tuesday

theme: movie trivia



who said it? (and what movie)

1. "Inside this room, all of my dreams become realities, and some of my realities become dreams. And, almost everything you'll see is eatable, edible, I mean, you can eat almost everything." willy wonka, (the original) willy wonka and the chocolate factory 2. "Screws just fall out all the time, the world's an imperfect place." john bender, the breakfast club 3. "Well, someone's got to break the ice and it might as well be me, I mean, I'm used to being a hostess, it's part of my husband's work and it's always difficult when a group of new friends meet together for the first time to get aquatinted, though I'm perfectly prepared to start the ball rolling, I mean, I, I have absolutely no idea what we're doing here or what I'm doing here or what this place is about, but I am determined to enjoy myself, and very intrigued, and oh my this soup's delicious isn't it?" mrs. peacock, clue 4. "I love my dead, gay son." kurt's dad, heathers 5. "My brother John, from whom you are all descended, was bitten on the back of his neck by something that was half-animal, half-human. From that moment on he was hairy . . . all over." aunt kate, haunted honeymoon 6. "The popcorn you're eating has been pissed in. Film at eleven." newscaster, kentucky fried movie 7. "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die" inigo montoya, the princess bride 8. "Ladies and gentlemen, in order to achieve an "R" rating today, a motion picture must contain full frontal nudity, graphic violence, or an explicit reference to the sex act. Since this film has none of those, and since research has proven that R-rated films are by far the most popular with the moviegoing public, the producers of this motion picture have asked me to take this opportunity to say "Fuck you." announcer, student bodies 9. "Ohhh! Oww! Ouch! Well I've been at sea since I was one, how the hell would I know how to ride a horse? " frederic, the pirate movie 10. "they should name a gender after you, looking at you doesn't do it. staring is the only way that makes any since, trying not to blink so you dont miss anything. and all of that and you're you." john clasky, spanglish **************** you girls are so funny! great job to both of you. too bad no one else ever participates. s- you should link the new mommy to our trivia tuesdays. you girls tied again this week.

a conversation with captain adventure

in order to preserve what is left of my sanity, we decided to enroll our two older children in several summer activities. they were both required to take swimming lessons (much to their shegrin..."but i don't want to take swimming lessons. i don't want to jump in the water. i don't want to get water in my face." ) then they were allowed to choose a few other activities to be involved in.

one of the things that captain adventure chose was going to the camps offered at his school. each week they have a different theme and have educational activities that revolve around that theme. this week is pirate week. CA loves pirates, so this was a particularly fun week for him.

when i picked him up today, he seemed upset. here is the conversation that followed...

me: hi pirate! how was camp today?

CA: good. i'm not feeling so good today mom.

me: did something happen? is there a problem?

CA: yeah, there is a problem. i have a problem mom...(silence)

me: what's the problem?

CA: (sigh) people.

me: (what?! what 4 year old boy talks like this?) (hardly able to keep a straight face) what people are the problem?

CA: well, mom, people at my school. tommy threw two bottles at me today. a red one and a blue one. THEN i fell on the playground at recess. (head in hand) yeah. i fell.

me: i'm sorry you're having a bad day. do you want to go home and swing?

CA: yeah, i think swinging will help me feel better. want to see my lucky knees?

me: you have lucky knees?

CA: yeah. i fell on them today. they're my lucky knees.

they're his lucky knees.

hodgepodge

i've had an overactive brain lately and have been frozen in place trying to figure out where to start first. here are my recent thoughts in no particular order...



* pool safety: if you own a pool (and when i say pool, i don't mean the kind you blow up), in my humble opinion, it would behoove you to learn and be able to correctly execute CPR & first aid. especially if (but not limited to) you have young children or grandchildren who will be swimming in said pool. and specifically if any of said children are the fruit of my womb. although i know that (the general) you would never do anything to intentionally harm our children, please accept the fact that accidents do happen...even at your house...even when you don't mean for them to.



* customer service: if you work in some area of customer service (you'd be surprised how many people do), please remember that although the customer may not always be right, the customer is always the customer. learn how to say things with a smile (even when it is your 11th of a scheduled 12 hour shift of listening to people complain about ridiculous things that you have no control over). watch the tone of your voice. listen to how you talk to people and what you say to them. is it the way you would like to be treated? if not, either change your attitude or find a new job.



* general niceities: puh-leese say please and thank you. if you see someone in need, help them if you can...hold the door open for someone who has their arms full... smile at the mom/dad in the grocery store with their 4 kids who looks like they're going to pull their hair out...sometimes, if you're able, pay for the person behind you in line somewhere -- you'd be surprised how receiving a cup of coffee that a perfect stranger paid for could change their day...if you see someone on the side of the road stranded for God's sake, don't let them in your car, but call help for them...every once in a while, send out "thinking of you" cards or emails to let your friends and family know that you love them and you are thinking about them...volunteer (anywhere).



* etiquette: a friend of mine called to tell me a story about how they had recently had houseguests for a long weekend (5 days)...we'll call my friend "dorothy" for the sake of this story. so, dorothy, her husband and their kids hosted her husband's sister & her husband, and their dog...and their new baby. dorothy and her husband had really been looking forward to the visit...although they don't live far from each other (about 1/2 a day's drive), they don't see each other much. anyway, their guests arrived and all was well...for about the first day. their guests had lots of things they wanted to do...places to go...places to eat...places to shop...but, as you may know, everything costs money and the guests never seemed to be interested in paying. they also didn't seem to be very interested in taking care of their baby or dog. for example -- they were all out on the deck one night waiting for supper to cook on the grill when they heard the baby on the monitor waking up from his nap...but no one moved. then, dorothy's SIL asked if dorothy could go get the baby. now, of course, this isn't a lot to ask, but SIL was just sitting in a chair reading a book and drinking a beer. the in-laws didn't even pick up the dog poop while they were there...my friend and her family don't have a dog...so they don't have poop to pick up. the in-laws never even offered to help cook or do dishes. they went to visit and expected to be waited on hand and foot.

the moral of the story is...please be considerate of others...even if they invite you to their house...other people don't expect to be your personal servants while you visit their home. offer to help cook...or if you're not a good cook, offer to do the dishes. you're more likely to be invited back and your hosts are less likely to hate having you there. if you have a dog (or other pet), for crying out loud, pick up after them! be a good guest!



* gasoline: can anyone explain to me why when one of the futures guys on wallstreet even thinks that the price of oil might go up, the price of gas shoots up by 30 cents per gallon or more? but when the price of oil actually goes down, it takes almost a week for the price of gas to go down 25 cents per gallon? just wondering. i thought maybe someone out in internet-land might know the secret formula.



* swingsets: recently we brought our old swingset to where we live now so the kids can use it again. they LOVE it! i didn't realize how much they missed it until we brought it here. we've all been swinging on it. it is the swingset that my sisters and i had when we were little girls. my dad bought it from the parks department where we lived, so it is huge and sturdy. it's awesome! we had to buy sammysosa a new baby swing...the ropes on the other one were unraveling (i thought that might present a safety problem).

*voluntarily coaching young children in voluntary sports: ok, well, i would think that this would go without actually having to say it, but apparently not. if you are a coach of something (anything, really) and there are young children involved, please keep the following in mind:

• not all children are born with a mitt in their hands or leotards on their bodies
• treat each child as you would want your child to be treated
• you don't have to coddle them, but you don't have to be a complete sports psycho with them either...they're 7 & 4. give me (and them) a break...this isn't the olympics
• maybe the child you're looking at (with disdain and annoyance because she just did the exact same thing wrong even though you've already told her how to do it the right way 10 times already) mustered up every ounce of strength and courage she had to make herself try something new today...and maybe you're ruining it for her. maybe your'e ruining it for all of us
• maybe you should try to remember what it was like to be a child again...wanting to try new things (because the other kids are doing it and it looks like they're having fun), but being afraid of failing or looking silly

that's enough about that. i have to go have a piece of chocolate now. until later...

wordless wednesday

i wonder why we call her littlemotherhen...

trivia tuesday

ok, here are the rules:



you can answer by leaving a comment. i will keep them hidden and will post the correct answers along with the correct answerer no later than wednesday morning. please don't cheat...go by what you know, not by what the internet knows. no prizes now, but maybe somday. and, now, for today's trivia...





the theme: the human body



1. about how many bones are babies born with? 300



2. how many bones remain in an average adult? 206



3. on average, how many words to women say per day? 7,000



4. what about men? 2,000



5. what percentage of the world's population is left-handed? 10%



6. Laughing lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system.



How many times a day does the average six-year-old laugh ? 300



7. what about adults? 15-20 (sad, but apparently true)


8. when performing CPR, what is the current recommended compression-to-breathing ratio? currently it is 30:2


9. if you are caring for a child and you find said child unresponsive, not breathing, no heartbeat, what is currently the recommended FIRST thing you should do? sort of a tricky question...the first thing you should do is perform 2(ish) minutes of CPR followed by a call to 911 followed by continuing CPR until help arrives. if you were to find an adult unresponsive, not breathing, with no pulse, you would want to call 911 first. this is because in adults the problem is most likely cardiac...while in children the problem most likely was respiratory first. (children do not usually suffer from heart attacks, etc)



10. how often does the average human blink? every 4 seconds(ish)


**ok, we're going to call it a toss-up between the only two who played today. good job girls!

wordless wednesday

think it's a prank?

trivia tuesday

ok, here are the rules:


you can answer by leaving a comment. i will keep them hidden and will post the correct answers along with the correct answerer no later than wednesday morning. please don't cheat...go by what you know, not by what the internet knows. no prizes now, but maybe someday. and, now, for today's trivia...



The Theme: potpourri



1. what was madonna's biggest hit of 1990? vogue



2. in the movie "can't buy me love", what did "cindy" spill on her outfit at the party? red wine



3. in the movie, "uncle buck", what did "buck" use to flip pancakes? a shovel



4. in "saturday night fever" what job did john travolta's character have? he worked in a paint store



5. in what decade did the Miller Brewing Company introduce Lite beer to the world? 1970's



6. who pardoned Richard Nixon for any crimes he may have committed during "watergate"? Gerald Ford **crista, no, it wasn't my mom



7. what year was john lennon assassintaed? 1980



8. if you have a pool in your yard and my kids come over to swim, are they allowed to swim without an adult in the pool with them? not unless you never want to see them again



9. what is the #1 fruit in the Americas? bananas (seriously, no one thought of bananas?)



10. on average, how many chocolate bars will a human consume during a lifetime? 10, 354 (no shit)


that's it for today. thanks for playing.

**************************************************************

and the winner is..........sawa!!! (gratuitous punctuation) good job. thanks for playing girls. see you back here next tuesday!

unbelievable

Happy 7th Birthday Little Mother Hen!

age 1

age 2

age 3

age 4

age 5

age 6

age 7

dear little mother hen,

i cannot believe that 7 years ago today we met you for the first time. we had been waiting and waiting (and waiting) for you. here is the story of your birth...

i was due June 30 (at least that is what the doctor told us) and as you know, your birthday is july 11...tells you what the doctors know. towards the end of my pregnancy with you, i started to really feel crowded...i was sure that you had no room left to grow. i told our doctor this several times, but each time she reassured me that you were fine and that i just wasn't used to having a baby inside my body and that there was plenty of room.

so, you were a week overdue and we were becoming anxious about your birth...wondering if you would ever come out or not...when one night i was laying in bed with your dad (who was sleeping) and the contractions started to come...they never really hurt, but they were consistently becoming more frequent...after almost 2 hours, i woke your dad up and we went outside to walk. he walked with me at first, but pooped out after a while and i continued alone...i just walked up and down our road...he stayed outside with me and we talked. the contractions eventually slowed down after a few more hours and were completely gone just after 3am. i had a doctor's appointment later that day...our doctor was gone (of course) and i had to see her partner. i was having contractions again by this point and he checked me only to find that i was no more dilated than when i last saw our regular doctor. (poop!) so, we went on with business as usual...i would follow up with our doctor a few days from then.

we called momo and poppy to tell them what was going on...they packed up and came down to lafayette to camp out until you were born. momo drug me outside every chance she had to walk. we walked. and we walked. and we walked. all the while, i kept having contractions...but nothing that ever hurt or strong enough to get labor really moving. momo and poppy stayed for a few days, but then went back home when we realized that you weren't going to come out of my tummy willingly.

when we saw our doctor the next monday, we talked to her at great length...she decided to induce labor two days from then...on wednesday july 11, 2001. cool! i was so excited that i wasn't even scared! we called everyone to let them know the plan and they all began making their plans to come for your birth.

on the morning of your birth, we woke up very early. we had to be to the hospital by 6:45 so they could check us in and we could be in the maternity ward by 7:00. the lady that checked us in was very nice...she asked us about you and ourselves...she could tell that we were excitedly nervous and took great care to help us feel comfortable. when we were done, someone came to escort us to the labor and delivery unit.

i was shown where to change and what to put on (a lovely hospital gown, of course). your dad bugged the nurse and went through every cupboard and drawer while the nurse did my admission assessment. (poor girl) she was such a good nurse...kind and thoughtful...she took very good care of us during her shift. we also had a student nurse with us that day...i was the only one in the entire unit who would agree to have a male student follow us through the labor and delivery process. (everybody needs to learn.)

our doctor came shortly after 7 and broke my water. there was a lot of water.

we hadn't been there very long when momo and poppy arrived. they were just as excited as we were. nobody could wait to meet you! of course, momo made me start walking again...we walked and walked and walked. i was back in bed taking a little rest when mamaw, papaw, aunt jenny, and dylan arrived. we visited for a few minutes and then momo and i got back to walking. the nurses teased us about how fast we walked. a little later, aunt sara and aunt megan arrived...followed by mike, josh & kristi, sam, tammy & the girls...you were very popular!

just after lunch, the nurse and our doctor checked me and found that i was dilated to 3 cm. (we had 7 more to go) we talked to our doctor and she decided to hang a medicine called pitocin to help move labor along a little more. pitocin makes your uterus contract strongly...after about 2 1/2 hours, i couldn't stand it anymore and asked for an epidural. the pain was getting to be too much and i wanted to be comfortable and enjoy the labor and your birth. after they put the epidural in, i was not allowed out of bed. (too bad for momo!)

the afternoon continued with me having contractions and the nurses turning my pitocin up as high as they could...still i was not progressing. we all continued to visit off and on as i rested.

around supper time, our doctor came in and checked me...still 3 cm...i had been stuck at 3 all day! we talked a while with her and she offered to let me labor through the night...or have a cesarean section. your dad and i talked and we decided on a c-section. we figured that if i was 11 days overdue, had been laboring all day, wasn't dilated past 3...then there must be a reason.

the anesthesiologist who would care for us was away from the hospital for a few hours...when he got back, we were wheeled to the OR to have you! your daddy video taped your birth...he stood and watched the entire surgery. i couldn't believe it! i couldn't feel pain...just my body being tugged and rolled around. after what seemed like forever, you were finally out...when i heard you cry for the first time, i cried. i still cry every time i watch the video and hear you cry. your daddy told me you were a girl. a girl. we had a little girl. unbelievable!

i waited to hear your weight...i heard our doctor say you were big when she pulled you out. and then there it was. "10 lbs 15 ounces" (i'm sorry, what?!) i laughed and told our doctor that she wasn't a very good guesser of weights (she thought you'd be in the high 8 pound range).

you were the biggest baby in the nursery...there were 34 other babies that day (shocking, i know) you also had the most hair. you looked like dick the bruiser laying next to the other babies. it was too cute.

our families stayed to watch you have your first bath then they went home. they had a long drive back and it was late.

after i got to our room, they brought you in...you breastfed for the first time...you were an expert right away. your daddy stayed with us for that first night. our little family was growing before our eyes.

i can't believe that seven years have gone by since that night. i can still remember your birth like it was yesterday. you are growing and changing every day. you are a kind, thoughtful, loving, caring, smart little girl. we are so blessed to have you.

happy birthday peanut.


i love you,


mom

wordless wednesday

check this out...

frozen in grand central

cool!!!

the real story is all around you

lately, for a variety of reasons, i have been overly-frustrated with our kids. i am fully aware of my frustration and i am aware that not all of it has to do with them. however, it is what it is. now, i have never ever ever wished them away (except for maybe an afternoon here and there...to grandma's house or a play date). i love our kids. kids are frustrating. it's the nature of the beast. if you say up, they say down. if you say milk, they say juice. i don't want to have little robots, but i would like to have children who are respectful and are willing and able to follow directions.


sometimes i get caught up in our day-to-day battles over who hit first and whose turn it was to sit in the "front" (the middle, actually, but they call it the front since they're not allowed to actually sit in the real front)...and what everyone will or will not eat for lunch...how many times do i actually need to tell you to brush your teeth?...i don't want to wear those shoes...i could go on for days, but i won't -- because you probably hear it at your house too.


but, there's nothing like hearing someone else's story to put things into perspective. i read Three Weddings on a regular basis. debbie has a story to tell about her own little one, "peanut" who has DS. today, though, she has a link to another blog...Life with My Special Ks . there, you will read several days' postings about a little angel named kennedy. their story helped me to remember about how blessed and fortunate we really are.

thank you both for sharing your stories.