Confession #20 - My Helper

My littlest helper - Logan!

Confession: Some days, I don't know what I'd do without my helper.

He could be helping in ways like bringing a bag up the stairs for me, so I can carry Eleanor.

Or pushing the stroller when my hands are full.

Or helping me with the laundry.

He especially loves to take care of his baby Eleanor.

He loves his sister.

He reads her stories.

He would help me out by feeding her when she was a baby.

He just always loves to help.

Yesterday, I saw him hold the door open for someone, and he's a little 4-year-old boy.

I love my little sweet hearted baby.

I especially love his help in the kitchen!

I love my helper.

Confession #13 - Willow

Confession: I love the movie Willow.

I watched it as a kid, and I'm not a kid anymore and it's still awesome.

The sweetness of their family was so endearing - I love the tender moment when Kaiya found the baby, and then the baby loved Willow..... awhh just so many soft-hearted moments!

Also, the kids were pretty much the cutest.

Of course, even as a kid, I thought Val Kilmer aka: Madmartigan was so dashing.

I loved his stubborn stupidity that eventually lead to him being a sensitive hero.

And all-around good guy, Willow!

What's not to love?

Also, it helps that Warwick Davies is a genius.

(He's in everything!)

I loved that little curly redheaded baby Elora Danan.

Seriously. Babies, magic, adventure, love stories, good conquering evil, fairytale situations... this is the ultimate movie.

Except for the scary troll situation, and the troll that turned into that big gross scary thing.

(It's over a decade since I first saw that part and it still gives me nightmares.)

Hero! Willow! I loved that he was so brave.

And look at that baby. Elora Danan.

I love fairytales.

Willow had a computer game?

I love fairytales - movies, books, or otherwise.

I love Willow.

Confession #9 - Cute

This post is about CUTE things.

Confession: I love all things cute.

But....

I'm picky about cute things. I'm a little bit of a cute prude.

Take babies, for example.

I know there are people out there who think all babies are just the cutest widdel squishem facies evew.

Lies!

I have seen NOT CUTE babies. It is rare. But it happens.

This doesn't bother me, but I'm not a generalizationer. Is that a word? Probably not.

I'm biased, on thinking my kids are pretty much the cutest ever, but I'm aware of it. They are adorable to me, because they are my babies! And whatever anyone else could ever say, would have no weight on my feelings.

However...

The parents who push their children on everyone else as the cutest ever, when they're not, is just plain uncomfortable.

What do you do? Smile and nod?

Why do you need everyone else to tell you your baby is cute, if you think they're cute already?

I know you're a proud parent.

But please.

Don't ask me to validate your feelings!

Seriously. A baby monkey. I'm melting.

Peek - a - boo = cutest baby game.

Babies discovering everything = cutest.

Babies.

Penguin babies are cute!

Chow chow puppies!! Cutest. This one looks like a panda bear. What on earth made this duplex of awesome cuteness?

Kittens, of course. Cute.

Costumed kittens = eee!

Cute.

THINGS THAT DRIVE ME CRAZY

Okay, so this is really just about a few things that drive me crazy, not all of them.

I don't know if I have the breath in my soul to convince you of all the things that drive me crazy...

When my husband thinks he is helping, but is actually hindering, and I can't tell him he is hindering any process because then he will never help again and that means I will forever be enduring his hindering.

People who ride the bumper of my car and flip me off, while my "Baby on Board" sign hangs in the back, and you can clearly see the toys hanging from the car seat of my infant, next to my toddler in the back.

When said bumper rider then speeds around and cuts me off, slams on brakes, ends up at the same light as me, etc etc. What I wouldn't do for a flat tire on their car!!! Kharma, anyone??

People who walk in stores like they drive - right behind you, huffing about how slow you're going, making comments like you can't hear them. People who hit you with their cart because you're going too slow for them.
People who cut you off in a merge lane or an exit lane - I'm sorry, I wasn't exiting fast enough for you?! The ramp says 30 and I'm going 40, but you HAVE to be ahead of me going 50 or 60?

People who talk about you like you can't hear - I took my son to the quarterly trip to McDonald's, and a group of teenagers sits in the area next to us, and starts talking about toddlers and babies (I'm sitting right there) and was saying how gross they are, and how they're so messy, and look at those babies over there, and blah blah.

Shut your pre-pubescent mouths, you little identity-challenged brats! (Ok, maybe I'm overreacting)

Ok, so I'm not much older than them, but still. GROW UP, or shut your mouth. Pick one.

People who let their children do anything, anywhere, even if it's in someone else's home, or going to damage someone else's belongings. This entails a trip to Walmart, where someone has let their child push the cart, and they aren't watching, and their child rams into me, or my cart. Also, when they let their child run crazy through the store and they run into me or my cart, or right in front of me and just stand there. Also, this is when someone lets their child - at church, in the store, etc - come up and take my child's snack and start eating it.
What is up with that?
Most parents are watching, and most are appalled when I remove the snack from their child's hand and tell them NO, that is his snack. I don't let my children eat out of whereever! Why would you? I also did not come to feed the neighborhood! Your kid is hungry = bring snacks.

People who let their kids play with toys in the store, all through the store - teething babies who chew on the toy, little kids who are banging it on the cart - and then they put down the toy back in the store before they leave. You are going to drool up a toy, or dirty it, or break it, buy it!!! I know it's a novel concept, but maybe you should purchase something first! I don't go into someone's home and break things because I don't have to take them out with me afterwards! I don't shoplift!

People who don't put their carts back in the cart corrals. I make my babies come with me to return the cart - rain, sleet, snow - it's going back there, and it's going to teach my children to respect and to be responsible. And to not be lazy. I won't leave them in the car, so they come with me - instead of leaving the cart close to the car, in the guy's parking spot next to me or up by the nose end of the car. It takes five seconds, and my three year old thinks it's fun. Where's the negative side here?

Bugs. All bugs everywhere, ever. They are just disgusting. I don't care if spiders get rid of other bugs, they are the worst. I don't care if they help the planet thrive. They are gross.

Mean kids. Mean, rude, inconsiderate kids. Although I more pity them, and loathe the parents.

Parents who act like their children are so much better than yours, but they have super bratty kids who are spoiled.... I hate that! I know you are proud of your child. Bless your heart. I understand. But for peter's sake, you don't need to be boasting about how awesome your child is while in the background he is pulling books off the shelf and hitting my child with them. Seriously.

Dogs who stick their nose in your private areas.

Dogs who jump on you - with dirty feet, and if they're tiny scratchy dogs. One big jump from a big, cuddly friendly dog is fine with me. And I don't really like dogs, so that's saying something.

Cats who scratch you out of nowhere. What the heck, guy, I was just petting you and now you have your claws in my arm and you're trying to sink your fangy little teeth into my knuckle. See if I touch you again. Ever.

Poop. I hate poop. You hate to admit it, but seriously your life is about poop. Everyone's is. What you're going to make into poop, how it's going to end up...

and especially as a mom, I feel like everything in my life is worry about how everyone is pooping. And what it looks like. I SO hate poop.

Dora the Explorer. I wasn't going to go there, but I have to. Children's television is going downhill, and I know there are a lot of horrible tv shows out there, and really I have to say that Dora is a lot better than a lot of shows out there, but I .... I can't bring myself to listen to her voice without wanting to hit someone. Seriously. The - most - annoying - voice - ever.

Movies about zombies. Let it die, people, let it die.

This media obsession with vampires lately - movies, books, tv shows. Caaaaalm down, people.

You on a Diet - I'm reading it, and right now I can't decide if I'm mad at it, or grateful for it. It tells me something that makes me feel guilty, then something that makes me feel educated, then something that makes me feel inspired, and then the chapter always ends with "and in this book we will teach you..." but I'm already halfway through the book. I'm pretty sure the first 90% of the book is their way of trying to encourage you, by slurring together a hodge podge of motivational bad puns and examples, a lot of cartoony art, some severely scientific evidence on how things work, and then the last chapter has to be where the "Ok seriously, just do this" is at. Because honestly people.... get to the point.
(I'll let you know how this book turns out)
In the meantime, I have managed to stave off the insanity while reading this book while eating a few handfuls of chocolate chips at the same time. That usually does the trick.

The guts in a tomato. Way to ruin the tomato, guts! Bleh bleh bleh get it off my tongue.

Burnt orange colors in sweater form. NO, that's a BAD SWEATER. BAD.

Rants about things that drive me crazy. Oh wait.

Ok that means I'm done. I really really am done. Honestly.

(The wo-mullet... seriously. Why does every woman on Cops have a mullet? The woman mullet? You know what I'm talking about. What hairstylist out there honestly gives that haircut to someone and feels good about themselves? Do you feel like you've done your job? Letting them go into public like that? Way to go. Pathetic.)

Have you ever left your child alone in the car?

I opened my email today, and there was a link to BabyCenter - where I found a survey I just HAD to see the results of. It was titled "Have You Ever Left Your Child Alone in the Car?" and had a few questions.

82% of people said YES. 16% said NO.

8% said they ran into the store to run an errand. How would they know how long they would be gone? There is no way you can predict it will be a "quick" errand.

6% said they let their child finish their nap in the driveway. Alone. In the car.

3% of people said they were gone for 15-30 minutes (or MORE).

And the last question, Could you see your child from where you were?, 35% of people said NO.

I strongly disagree with some comments left on the survey about how being a single mom means it's impossible to NOT leave your child in the car a few times - if you can put them in the car to go somewhere, you can take them out once you get there. Your children are a responsibility. I never leave my kids in the car - not even to return a grocery cart.

They come with me.

Returning a cart with two kids, it doesn't matter. It's teaching them a lesson as well!

I have a 3 year old and a 4 month old, and it's not easy, but what would I do if something happened to them? They are relying on me. What if something happened to me and nobody knew they were in the car? I have heard too many stories about babies dying in hot cars and children being snatched to cover my eyes about the evil out in the world. I can't be ignorant to assume it could never happen to me - because that's what happens right before something DOES happen.

And that's my two cents for today.

Ah, Valentine's Day...

Ah.... Valentine's. The most romantic day ever. The most celebrated couples holiday.
FORGET IT!!!

I woke in the wee morning hours to tend to my 4 month old daughter, crawled into bed a few hours later when she was settled, only to awake again to tend to her once more. Just as she was content, and I was starting to drift off into some needed extra hours of rest, my 3 year old decides to start his day. SIGH - maybe a nap later on?
I hang on to hope, but.... puh-leeze!

Hey, a girl can dream!

Well after the morning has passed by, my husband tells me he's called his aunt, and we have a babysitter so we can go out - that's right! We can have a date on Valentine's! I'm so excited, I never go out, let alone on Valentine's Day. My first treat of the day? I get to go grocery shopping with no kids.

Bless Costco for stomping out what could have been an enjoyable experience! I get there and the parking lot is stuffed to the brim - also there is an extra dose of crabby-housewife-in-large-SUV driving around, and also in the store. One proceeds to hit me in my heel with her cart several times (apparantly shopping in Costco was THE most important thing EVER at that moment), before I whipped around and burned a hole through her oversized sunglasses with my most peircing "I-would-beat-you-with-this-cart-if-I-could-right-now-if-you-don't-lay-off" look.

Basically my trip ended in running through Costco grabbing what was on my list and jumping in the shortest line I could find, to get me home asap.

No worries! So I had a bad time at Costco... no biggie! I'll go home! We'll get ready, we'll have a fab night.

False!

I get home, my husband has decided that since it's Valentine's Day, he doesn't want to fight the crowds. And you don't want to fight the crowds too, right honey? I would say yes, but he feels guilty and will get angry like I'm guilt tripping him into taking me out. Then what fun would THAT be. So fine, we decide to stay home. ("we")

Instead, we could watch a movie! Let's do that. We can't agree on a movie. Ok no movie. Silence... and he picks something by himself. Hello? Do I live here?!
Time to do some dishes.
SOO glad I got to do something nice today.... oh wait, no. No I didn't.
:o