Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Bacon Grease

Last night was a night to remember.

Ben had group interviews with college students from 5:30 - 9:30, so I was solo-parenting it. Treefrog had been feeling rather yucky during the afternoon and at about 6:30 I noticed that he was fevered. 101.8 meant a dose of Ibuprophen. He likes taking medicine (especially since it is a rarity with him) and downed it in a flash saying, "Mmmm. That's good." While I was administering the medicine, Fish opened our childproofed frig (no longer duct taped, but an actual "child-lock" that he figured out within 2 minutes of installing), pulled out our grape juice (and our cup of congealed bacon grease which becomes important later in the evening), took the lid off the juice, and proceeded to attempt to take a drink from the container. The result? Juice all over the kitchen floor. At that point was when I turned to the best babysitter known: Veggie Tales.

After cleaning up the juice I decided to go ahead and throw both boys in the tub to help with Treefrog's fever, to keep them occupied, and to get them clean - three birds with one stone, go me!!! Fish was a wild-child in the tub and was soon bathed and out (so much for keeping him occupied/contained) since water was ending up all over the floor. I dried him, clothed him, and reinforced the child-locked frig (yes, duct tape was involved again) and turned my attention to Treefrog to get him bathed and out of the tub. 2 minutes people. That's tops of how long I was in the bathroom with Treefrog and without Fish. May I repeat: TWO MINUTES.

Treefrog and I walked out of the bathroom to Fish who had gotten the bacon grease cup off the counter (where I had stupidly put it instead of locking it into the frig). Apparently, he felt like the cup would make a pretty good shoe. And who wouldn't, really? So, my lovely fish had a foot all bacon greased up and had walked throughout the kitchen and dining rooms and into the carpeted hallway. Do you like the smell of cooked pig? Cause I'm pretty sure my house will now permanently smell like so.

Oh, wait, folks! That's not all. Both boys went to bed around 7:30. Ben got home at 10:00, and by 10:30, Treefrog was back up and feeling rather warm. A mere 104.2 temperature greeted us. A call to the advice nurse determined that we should monitor the temperature throughout the night and flip back and forth from Tylenol to Ibuprophen. So, my committed hubby slept on the pull out couch with our sick guy, checked his temp every two hours, and administered the meds. It was a bit of a flashback to our first days with Treefrog as he had a heart condition at birth that required around-the-clock meds for two years.

So, all in all, I'm trying to find the positive things in this:
1) Ben - amazing, loving husband who sacrifices so much for us!!
2) My wood floor is now more conditioned than any other product could have made it.
2a) Sliding around on the slippy floors with socks, oh yeah.
3) Spending time one-on-one with Fish as Treefrog sleeps away in our bed.
4) Sweet, sweet Treefrog snuggled down, wanting some hugs, a little juice, sleep, and nothing more.
5) It's a rainy spring day here in the Pacific Northwest, so at least we aren't inside on one of our rare sunny days.

My plan is to cling to these positives throughout the day (and the next two) as Ben leaves each morning, only to return around 5pm or so. Jesus, you are strong in our weakness!!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Sick Day; Plus: A Hippie Update!

Yesterday, I woke up feeling awful. Two nights in a row of little sleep (thank you, pregnant body for making it sooooo comfortable to sleep) plus caring for a sick Fish meant a Mama who was ready for a day off. Alas, that was not to be. So, I plugged through the day. It was definitely not my shining moment in parenthood. Poor Treefrog was constantly being told to go outside and play (granted, it was a gorgeous day and he should have been outside anyway!), and Fish was also feeling neglected as I was not in the mood to hold him as much as he wanted. Sick Fish = Clingy Fish = Cranky Mama.

Today is Ben's day to feel yucky. Treefrog was up four times last night (Ben took the first two shifts and I took the last two shifts). He slept in until 8, but that meant that Fish was up at the same time. Ben likes to start the mornings a little slower than Fish does, so he started out with a strike against him. Both boys are feeling pretty good today, so that meant a lot of energy being displayed right off the bat (strike number two). And the final strike? Me springing wanting to go to story time at our local coffee shop. Ben obliged, but the crankiness continues. To hopefully combat his mood, he is now at the seminary he attends "working." I assume he will work, but will also take some time for himself - which is not only needed, but warranted as well!!!

Hippie Update:
In my continued spurt of finding my inner-hippie, I have decided to go "no-poo" due to the fact that my hair is drying out from this hormonal pregnancy. Also, I just finished making my own facial cleanser. The jury is still out on the no-poo and facial cleanser, but I just got out of the shower having used a baking soda wash and vinegar rinse on my hair and homemade facial cleanser, and then applied my homemade deodorant and I have never felt more hippie-ish in my life. Here's to a squeaky clean hippie (is that possible?!)!!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Sometimes My Inner-Hippie Comes Out

I guess it is confession time. I have had an inner desire since my college days to be a full-fledged hippie. On several occasions I have researched/desired putting my hair into dreadlocks. I would love to repurpose my clothing instead of buying new. I have gone without shampooing my hair for six weeks (when I hiked in Wyoming with the CCO). I currently am in a bread co-op where all of the bread we consume is homemade and organic. I would love to feed myself and our children only raw cow's milk, raw cheese, and allow that nothing processed by anyone other than me cross our lips.

All this leads me to my latest venture into discovering/achieving my hippie-dome: Deodorant making. For some time now I have been using Tom's of Maine deodorant (unscented if anyone cares). With this latest pregnancy I have noted a definite increase in the smell generated by my body. Night sweating and morning inability to control my body temperature has made good ol' Tom's ineffective for my hormonal body. Thus, I tried my hand at making my own deodorant the other day. Here is my report: For three full days now (including my episodes of nighttime and morning-time sweats) I have been stink-free. This amazing recipe has solved all of my problems!! I have even talked Ben and two other friends into taking the plunge into the homemade deodorant realm:)

Now, if I could just convince my hair to dread, buy a new sewing machine that actually works, and throw out all my processed food I could finally achieve my goal of becoming a hippie. Sigh, someday.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

My Question Monster

So Treefrog has reached that age. The age everyone goes through and then promptly tries to forget. The age of questioning. It started off innocently enough. Heck, we even encouraged the little buggar to continue asking. Now, however, we realize we created a monster.

Exhibit A: Family Movie Night; watching Madagascar

Treefrog - Papa, where's the lion?

Papa - I think he went to sleep, buddy.

T - Papa, is the lion gonna eat the zebra?

P - I don't think so, buddy. They are friends.

T - Oh. Well, I think he may eat him. What is that?

P - A lemur.

T - What sound does he make?

P - I don't know.

T - Where's the hippo?

P - Just watch the movie!

Exibit B: Just before bedtime

Treefrog - Mama, the baby in your belly can't hear me.

Mama - Yes, honey, she can.

T - Is the baby going to sleep now too?

M - Well, eventually she will. She just sleeps whenever she wants to.

T - Does the baby have a bed in there?

M - No, God made it snuggly inside Mama so the baby is always nice and comfy.

T - Can the baby hear me?

M (finally catching on that this will never end) - Go to bed, Treefrog!

Lather, rinse, and repeat many times throughout a day. His questions usually revolve around two subjects - animals (mainly what sounds they make) and the new baby (usually whether or not she can hear us). It is super cute for the first 15 minutes in the mornings. Then I want to pull my hair out:)

Monday, February 2, 2009

Lions and Tigers and Bears

Oh my!

This was my morning, however. No, we did not go to the zoo. We simply walked upstairs, Treefrog, Fish, and I and entered the world of imagination. It was very fun to put on the dress up clothes we have for animals (nothing fits Mama, though, so I stayed dressed in my jeans and t-shirt), get down on all fours, and eat fish, beavers, zebras, and bears. Yes, apparently bears eat other bears in my son's animal kingdom.

By the time we came downstairs for snack, I was tuckered out. It doesn't take much these days:) The boys had peaches and peanut butter on bread while I looked longingly at the Dr. Pepper and Reese's Cups that Ben had surprised me with yesterday. There was no way I was sharing those treats, so I saved them until I could lock myself in the office and do some afternoon blogging.

I would say my priorities are just fine today: Play with kids, wait til their distracted, consume Dr. P and Reese's Cups. Yep, no worries there!