Holding Pattern

I've been sick. Not horrible "Husband, I need you to stay home from work!" sick, but definitely not on top of the world. Kind of the side of the world actually. I was really dizzy last night.

So on Friday when I was sick and Her Nibs didn't have school, I put on jeans, but was still otherwise in my pajamas. Her Nibs stayed in pajamas, and frankly we don't change The Boy's clothes unless he's messed 'em up or had a bath. They might not have been pajamas, but I know he slept in them.

It was a movie day.

It was a reading day.

It was a holding day.

I don't think the TV was turned off all day, though Her Nibs was doing quite a bit of acrobatics on the exercise ball that has become a staple in our living room. Turtar sent me a random blog link which in 3 links connected me back to NieNie Dialogues. And that got me reading. First, I needed to catch up on her situation, so I read the articles on her recovery my sister sent me a few months ago. Then, I needed to catch up on her blog. I was inspired and encouraged. (I'm inspired by the joy she takes in life and her role as a wife and mother, and encouraged because I've been doing better that way myself, lately.) I cried. I missed my own sisters as I read about the service she has from her own. I added a NieNie button to my blog and then redecorated my blog to match my new button. And all the while I held The Boy. He doesn't sleep so well when I set him down. He only sleeps in his bed at night. Any other time I lay him down (even if he's sound asleep in my arms), he wakes up within 5 minutes. So I keep holding him... a small price to pay for the honor of being his mother.

Okay, I did set him down while I was redecorating my blog. But I paid for my squandered time. He woke up ready to eat and I still hadn't made the pizza dough for the pigs in blankets I promised Her Nibs for dinner, so I had to multi-task. I actually mixed up the pizza dough while nursing The Boy. (I closed the shades on the kitchen window first.)

Defeated

For at least a week and a half I've been trying to get on top of the dishes and the laundry. I made some progress before being kicked to the curb, but last night I was vanquished. Somehow, they combined forces to undermine, intimidate, and ultimately overcome me.

Dishes and laundry, please consider this the waving of the white flag of surrender.

Tired Ramblings

Here are some cute pictures of my kids. They are so precious. I'm such a lucky mom.

I'm reading a few books right now: Children Are From Heaven, with "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk" waiting patiently to be read next. So far, I'm loving my new parenting skills. Taking care of a baby is close to intuitive. Past that stage, parenting is not a natural skill, so I'm so thrilled to learn all of these positive parenting skills, and to give up threats and punishments.

My new obsession in the kitchen is The Sneaky Chef. It broke my heart when one of those got recalled at the library. *sniff* But I still have one of them, and I think some of our tax refund may go to buying those books and a food processor. Basically, I'm lying through my teeth about what is in the food I'm preparing for my family now, but it's healthier than ever and that make me feel really, really good. (because it's all about me, of course.) The big hits with Her Nibs have been the Fortified French Toast (secretly packing carrots and yams), hamburgers (with spinach and blueberries), True Freedom Fries and the Not His Mother's Meatloaf (with white beans and oats--also with tomato paste and onions, which Her Nibs despises). The Breakfast cookies were a success, along with some of the homemade breakfast ice creams and popsicles. My personal favorites are the chocolatey stuff, which pack in blueberries and spinach. I want to get a mini bundt cake pan so I can make these amazing chocolate muffins and pretend they are donuts. Turtar loved the Cold Sesame Noodles (secretly with cauliflower and zucchini) and Triple Baked Potatoes. I'm the only one who would eat the peanut butter cookies. Her Nibs is suspicious of PB in that form, and Turtar didn't go for the semi-sweet chips I put on top. Oh well.

I really need to cut my hair. It's looking so depressed.

My husband rocks. He gave me an amazing massage last night after I rocked The Boy (formerly Lizard Loaf) for nearly 2 hours to get him to sleep. (oh--and that had to be standing up. My kids can be really picky that way.)

Her Nibs is a reading pro. We're on lesson 36 of "Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons". She loves writing and I hear her sounding words out all the time--trying to read things around her, but also to analyze the words she is using. "Umbrella... Uhhm Buh Rrrr Ll uh" (not one she actually said, just an example of the way she's breaking down her own words to understand them better) When we went shopping yesterday, she had her note book with her and wrote down the stuff we were buying by copying labels. 

The Boy is just amazing. It surprises me how much he is the same as Her Nibs when she was a baby--refusing bottles (now that he's breast feeding), wanting to be held to go to sleep, being amazingly, stunningly beautiful (okay-that's no surprise). 

Okay. That's it for now. I need to meet Her Nibs at school for Chapel time. She's at this Baptist preschool, so sometimes I like to see what they teach, religion-wise... and she likes it when I come. I've also been really fabulous at doing FHE since she started school here.

Shout Out

Thanks to Simply Chic Blog Backgrounds for the sweet holiday background.

I'm online!

Okay, yes, I already have a few email addresses and a blog, but now I'm starting my own Etsy shop, too. Etsy.com is like a great online craft fair, with hand-made goods of all varieties available all the time.

Please visit my shop, Plainbellied Productions, at plainbellied.etsy.com.

I'm kicking things off with a one of a kind Valentine decoration, but there will be lots more items posted soon. Coming attractions include:

• Custom hanging letters so that you can personalize your child's room without breaking the bank. These are usually between $10 and $16 dollars a letter. Mine will be between $2 and $5 dollars a letter.
• Mommy Calling Cards. Even if you aren't working for a company outside the home, it's always handy to have stylin' cards with all of your contact information to pass out to friends and associates. These are especially handy when you meet a fellow mom after school or at the playground. And it shouldn't cost a lot! I will offer a huge variety of styles, and each of them will be available as customizable document. Give me your information, and I'll send you a pdf file so that you can print as many cards as you want whenever you want them.
• A variety of designs for cards and paper crafts that will all be available in pdf format so that you can print items as needed. By the end of this week, look for Valentine cards you can print for your kids to pass out at school.
• Fabric flowers made from modern fabrics. These will be available as hair clips and pins so you can add them to any outfit or upgrade your old handbags.
• Fabric scripture covers. You may have noticed that the compact quad is no longer sold with a snap closure. My original design takes care of that without bother of zippers and a separate case completely.

Thanks for visiting my store and have marvelous day!

Tagged--5 things

So, apparently January wasn't my month for blogging. It was my month for learning couponing and Sneaky Chefing, and starting an Etsy store, but we'll get to those another time. SumGreater tagged me, and that seems like a good way to get back into blogging. So, here goes:

5 things I was doing 10 years ago... was that really 1999?

~working at a blender factory with SumGreater (only 5 stitches from the whole summer, and picked up my first quasi-boyfriend)

~met my husband (I admired his smile and eyes right off, though we wouldn't start dating for another 2 years)

~contemplating changing my major from art (I did that through most of my college experience, but I never did change my major)

~was told by a local Salt Lake City girl that I "didn't seem quite like [I had] a star on my belly" -- the beginning of the 'plain bellied' experience

~dying my hair... probably... I dyed my hair a lot in college

5 things on my to do list today (and I even actually did all 5 of these things... if only my list were that short!

~call the water company

~pick up recycling bins

~dig for coupons in recycling bin

~get new blinds and shower head

~update my 'check' register

5 snacks that I Love

~chocolate chip pretzels

~cheetos

~caramel popcorn

~hot chocolate (even better with buttery toast!)

~bread, bread, and more fresh bread

5 things I would do if I were a billionaire

~pay off debts... mine, yours, everyones

~upgrade lifestyle: clothing, home, transportation (dare to dream: a 2 car family!!!) especially let my hottieface, Turtar, get his dream home theatre set up with millions of channels and TiVo, and do more for Her Nibs and The Boy--outings, museums, lessons, private schools, teams, parties, projects, play rooms, everything!

~get a regular babysitter--really a mother's helper--and a regular housekeeper to help me

~donate to personally significant charities: Down Syndrome groups, NORD (am I spelling it right?), which helped Mermaid with her medicines, March of Dimes, in honor of Geneva, PBS, because I watch it all the time

~travel more and eat out more (cruises, trips, gourmet foodie pleasures, etc.)

I'm not going to tag anyone, but I'll try and check up on all your blogs since I've been disconnected lately. Hope you've had a lovely January!