Shall we hibernate?

Staying at home each day with the girls is not the world's most EXCITING job on a day-to-day basis, so I try to go out and do things. I have the girls in school half a day on Tuesday/Thursday. We belong to a Moms Club and try to have playdate with other SAHMs. However, every time I try to do something nice with other people and have some semblance of social life, I often wind up wishing I could just crawl into a cave and hibernate with my crew.

When I go somewhere with just me and the girls, their behavior is usually stellar. I mean, seriously... I'm usually so proud of how well-behaved they are and how they listen. But SOMETHING about going in public with other people--be it friends, family, school--makes Amber act like a she-beast. I suppose I should chalk it up to shyness--but it seriously ruins my day. I already have my hands full watching 3 girls, but when she starts up, I just DON"T know what to do. Sometimes it's refusing to walk and sitting down in the middle of the ground/road/store. Sometimes it's being ugly and mean to anyone who tries to approach her. It drives me CRAZY because she really and truly is a sweet girl. She is just do damn inflexible! Any break to the "norm" makes her start acting out.

For example, if I go to her school for a party or special day, she melts down. It's so WEIRD! She is GREAT when I'm not there--the teacher is forever telling me what a sweet girl she is, how well she listens to directions, what a big help she is, etc. And she's such a good girl for me at home, doing most anything I ask of her and being so kind to her sisters. But when "school world" mixes with "mom world," she flips out. She wants to be carried. She rolls on the floor. She won't participate in the class activities. She cries and screams. It's so damn embarrassing!!!

I know, I shouldn't let a tantrum ruin my day, but it just makes me feel terrible, as I know I come off looking like one of the following:

1. Push-over mom: If I cater to her tantrum, then I look like a wishy-washy mom who lets her kids walk all over her. Which in turn would likely cause MORE tantrums. She looks like a spoiled brat that does this all the time to get her way. WHICH SHE DOESN'T DO AT HOME. But who would believe me?

2. Crazy mama: I have to get mean. This could be picking her up and fussing at her, threatening to leave, walk off while she's rolling on the floor in hopes she'll get up and follow me, etc. I don't want to come off as a crazy, screaming mom, but I find myself growling at her or fussing at her for acting like such a fool.

So after the tantrum is over, she goes about on her merry way, not letting it bother her in the least. And I am left stewing about what a bunch of crazy fools we look like. I know it shouldn't matter to me what anyone thinks we look like, but I feel like a jackass. I just don't know what to do with this girl!

Well, tomorrow is her class Halloween party. She swears she will be "extra super happy" if I come, and I have told her she better doggone well not act like a hooligan when I get there. I could opt not to go, but I don't want her to be the only child whose mother doesn't make all these little preschool events. So here's hoping for the best... but I know the whole time I'll be geared up worrying she'll erupt at any given moment.

Tomorrow I'll have to update with the "results" of the class party. If not, then you'll know I went into hibernation with my crew.

Big girl bed #2

We officially now have only one child left in a crib. Well, technically, that one has never slept in a crib yet, but she's the only one left. We had to put Miss Audrey in a her "big girl" toddler bed unexpectedly yesterday. When I went to get her out from her nap, she had so much leg and lower torso over the rail, I know for sure she could kamikaze out of there. And of course, I was immediately gripped by "The Fear," as so appropriately named by the ladies of Rants from Mommyland (a favorite blog I read.)

As defined on their blog: "The Fear: irrational, all-consuming anxiety that something awful may happen to the little terror suspects (or their father). Sex offenders, drunk drivers, and enemy combatants among those who inspire The Fear. Results in statements like; "No you may NOT walk to the mailbox without a grown-up. I don't care if you are in High School."

The Fear is basically the way that I am always scared poopless that something horrible is going to happen to my children. So of course, my great fear at this point was that leaving the crib up for one second longer would result in my child possibly falling out and breaking her neck and killing herself. Likely to happen--absolutely not. But will I worry about it incessantly and not be able to sleep if my child is in that crib one more time--you bet!

So within an hour, the crib was converted to toddler bed. I guess I should be glad we made 2 years and 3 months still in a crib! So far, no big issues except that when she wakes up, she gets up and begins beating on the door. No more letting her just play in there for a few minutes after waking. When she's up, she's out!

Now, if we could just get Stella to sleep longer than 3-hour intervals at this point, we could move her fanny to the crib....

Oh, they grow so fast...

Today was Amber's last day of school before her birthday on Sunday, so I offered to bring a special treat for the kids. So naturally, I was baking cookies and putting on frosting way past when I should have been in bed last night, but I digress...

When I woke her up this morning for school, I said "Good morning! Happy UNbirthday!" She sat up and stretched out her arms and said "WOW, Mama! Look at my arms how long they are! I grew FAST last night!" Playing into this, I told her to look at her pajama pants. The cuffs were pushed up around her mid-calves.

She looked down and saw how short they looked. When she looked back up at me, her eyes were wide with excitement! "Mama, I grew REALLY REALLY fast last night!"

The child was certain that because today was a "birthday" of sorts, she had grown overnight! She couldn't wait to run out and tell Jay to look at her and see how big she'd gotten. Then she proceeded to tell anyone who would listen how big she was now because she's growing so fast!

Oh, the sweet innocence... brings a smile to my face every time I think of it!

Theme Week

It appears we have a theme running around here this past week, and that theme has been "puke on mom" week. Lovely.

It started with Audrey climbing down the stairs on the swingset. She wanted me to hold her--how sweet! And then she puked all over me and herself. I stripped it down in the backyard and headed for the house. Hope none of the neighbors were watching but that was too nasty to stay in for one second longer.

The baby was coughing so much from her cold a few days later that she puked all over me and the couch at 2 AM. That was fun.

Then last night with the lights off I sat down in the recliner to rock the baby to sleep. My pants felt a little bit damp, so I wiped my hand back there to check it out. Doggie barf (which was identified by its Purina-rific smell). All over the butt of my pants (and the recliner!)

This morning Amber got up and threw up all over the floor. But I just feel a little left out here because it didn't ACTUALLY get on me, other than when I was washing her off in the tub. Just didn't quite hit that 100%. I'm a high achiever, I know...

But seriously--can we get some good health over here?!?! Since about 10 days ago, we've all had various combinations of the following: extreme diarrhea, vomiting, strep throat, ear infections, cold, and cough. My kitchen counter looks like a micro-Walgreens!

Living on the crazy train

So as brought to my attention today, it has been quite some time since I blogged on here. During part of that break, I was pretty much computer-less (unless you count the fossil in the back of the house which does not lend itself to blogging time with 3 children underfoot).

I guess when Stella was born, I stepped aboard the crazy train and that sucker hasn't made any stops yet!! Actually, I must have boarded when she was about 1 month old, and this is what life has been like in a nutshell..

1. Baby gets super fussy at 1 month old, and begin the reflux medication trials.
2. Husband has hemorrhoid surgery (and several followup visits)
3. Husband has second surgery because he didn't rest like he was supposed to after first surgery (cue major league aggravation and more followup visits)
4. Baby gets an upper GI, sees pediatric gastroenterologist.Yet another med.
5. Baby see second ped GI, and determination of milk protein intolerance is made.
6. Mama stops eating dairy foods. A little tricky, but good for the diet.
7. Husband goes to Virginia for 3 weeks. Takes laptop AKA lifeline to outside world.
8. Big girls start school and mama's guilt is through the roof every time they cry.
9. Whole family is sick with one or more of the following: Cold, cough, strep throat, chronic diarrhea, occasional vomiting. 3 doctor visits in 1.5 weeks.


And we're stuck at #9 right now. Good times. But whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right??

And I'm not meaning this as a complaining post--I really have to look at it more like humorous... and also so one day when I am totally blank on what happened in the first half of Stella's life, I can look back at this and say "OOOOH yeah! And I did it on no sleep, too, baby!"