Ode to Diet Coke

So my daughter has discovered Diet Coke. I really didn't introduce her to it on purpose...she found it all by herself. It all started with an almost empty bottle that she carried around and inhaled the vapors from. Then she found my glass and took her first sweet sip. She was a goner! She truly screamed at me when I took it away from her. Ahh the love. I knew I loved this girl with all my heart...this is just a little extra sweet icing on the top!!

Bad Blogger!

Okay, so I am a bad blogger! I can't believe it has been almost a month since I last posted. I guess it is a sign of how truly nuts life is right now.

Little Miss is thriving. Although we are sick AGAIN with green boogies and a horrible cough. This time the whole house has it, so I am biding my time before I put her back on antibiotics...we'll see if her body can kick it. We have an appointment with an ENT in a few weeks and I will be anxious to see where that takes us. I am guessing her adenoids need to come out. Won't that be fun! She is such a little trooper and just keeps on keepin on even when she doesn't feel great. I am a little nervous to think about how busy she might be when she feels 100%!

Her current loves are her brothers, the kitties, animal crackers, dancing, and carrying things around the house or the shop. We have settled into our days at the boutique. She is the resident greeter and welcomes everyone with a "hi". She is not shy, but is quick to return to my side if they start talking to her! She is so funny and is getting really good at displays (not nec. a positive thing!)

I am coping with four kids, a retail business in the midst of a recession, a big dirty house, and all the extra's that seem to fall onto my plate. I have found that getting up at 5:15 and walking for 45 min helps my outlook and as long as there is a steady stream of Diet Coke I can hold my own. I had totally forgotten how VERY busy this stage of parenting is. Yowzers. We were thinking about putting Meron in day care one day a week, but given how sick she gets, we may have to pass on that until fall. I just want her to have a healthy week or two, not on antibiotics! Not so much to ask I don't think!

Well, it is time to start the day...pack lunches, diapers, and the like and head off to work. I will try to post more often...I miss the chance to write about the inane and the wonderful!

Here are a few pics to tied you all over till I get back in the saddle!

Still Alive

Yes, I am still alive. Life has taken over...the computer is now pretty low on the priority list! I am moving my boutique to a new location and have spent the better part of the last few weeks running from dawn to dusk and collapsing into bed! Not to mention still being mom, zoo keeper, chief cook and bottle washer etc. I could use about 3 of me right now!

Miss Sassy Spice is 18 months old already. She is so incredibly wonderful, spunky, sparkly, challenging and wholly toddler! She is right on track developmentally and is now weighing in at 24 lbs and is 30 inches long. She is cruising through clothing sizes like crazy. My little peanut that fit into 6-9 month clothes is now busting out of her 18 month sizes! She is walking and starting to talk as well. She took her first big tumble the other night, off a dining room chair. She has a nice bruise and cut by her eye. Poor baby...but she was right back up on that chair the next morning...I think there may be a wee bit of stubborness in this girl! We are still dealing with sinus issues. She is fine if she is on meds, but off them for more than a week and we are back to green snot etc. We hope to get into the ENT soon and see what he says. We are praying it is not allergy related as the pet list now consists of 3 cats, 2 dogs, 7 hamsters (chubby hamsters can produce a lot of babies...amazing!) 2 gecko's and a fish. Yieks! Otherwise, this girl just continues to amaze me...she is soo loving and cuddly and just melts my heart (which is good up here in the north country!)

So there ya go. Life is good, full to overflowing, and random...but never dull!

Over Run by 11 year olds

As I sit here and type this, there is a Nerf Vulcan war being waged between the basement and the living room...it is 10 pm and I am not sure if there is sleep in my future or not. My baby is 11 today and we are having a slumber party for a few buddies. I think I am on the brink of a whole new style of parenting...the can we watch a PG 13 movie? Can I get the T rated video game? So big, and yet still so small! It is a little crazy to have two extremes going on in my house. One in diapers, the other needing deodorant...crazy to think about.

Tomorrow we get to start painting at the shop's new location. I am hoping for a little sleep so I can have some energy to paint tomorrow! Little one has a stuffy nose yet again. I am starting to fear it could be allergies, which in our household of critters could be bad news. Hopefully she will sleep tonight, but I guess if she does get up, we'll just send her down to the slumber party!

Okay, must get off the computer and make some pizza rolls and motz sticks. I am such a good momma!!

Too Cold to Go To School

You know it's bad when they cancel school the night before because it is going to be too cold to go to school in the morning. Yieks! We are already at -17 and headed to about -24 and that is straight temp without the windchill...that takes you down to about -40. Boy I sure do love living in Minnesota.

We have had quite a week. Miss Sunshine is cutting two bottom teeth and is quite a bear. Mom had the tummy flu for two days and was totally out of commission (and that is NEVER good) The shop closes on Sat so we can move to our new digs, it's finals week for hubby and my baby turns 11 on Friday. YIEKS and YIEKS once again. So a day of being home might not be all bad...the kids have had it pretty easy this week. School called early on Mon for a blizzard, late start Tuesday for the teachers...maganged to go all day today, now no school tomorrow...ahh the life of a student!

I "did" Sunshines hair for the first time tonight. She has such tight little curls that when I combed it out, I was amazed how much it has grown! She has 4 little puffs in. I tried to take a pic, but the camera died. If she hasn't figured out how to pull them out by tomorrow, I will post a pic. For now, I am heading to bed...fully dressed in my long johns, sweats, and socks with a down comforter, and an extra blanket or two. Then I may try to con at least one child to hop in as well as a dog and a kitten or two. It is WAY beyond a three dog night!!

Where is the time going?

Where did my baby go? Who is this little girl who is running around my house, chatting up a storm? How did she grow so much so fast? She truly amazes me, this little one. She has a spirit that just keeps giving, and a smile that can chase the clouds out of the darkest day. I just fall more and more in love!

She has been home almost 4 months and it feels like a lifetime. I can't imagine life without her. When I fall exhausted into bed at night, I marvel at how quiet and boring life was before her. (Okay, maybe not boring, but certainly missing this special little spark). I think she is realizing that this is all for real and that we are her family. I think she is doing some grieving in the wee small hours of the morning. We are getting lots and lots of tears at about 1 am and she wants full body contact, to be swaddled, and rocked and held tight. It was driving me crazy until I figured out that she must be doing her grieving. Now it makes sense and I am more than happy to love her through it.

I ache for her ET family. The days where her smile truly brings tears to my eyes, I ache that they don't know her. I ache that their memory of her is as a malnourished, frightened little baby. I ache that they do not see the sparkle in her eye or hear the music in her giggles. We just finished our 3 month post placement report. We sent pictures and the SW wrote a report. It reminded me of sending her her package, way back when we got her referral. I wanted to send so much love in those pictures and words. To let the staff in ET and hopefully her family know that she is thriving, that she is loved, and that she is happy.

I am blessed, blessed beyond measure...and thank God for this most amazing little gift.

Christmas Pics!

Whoo Hoo It's Christmas!

Dressed to the nine's and feeling a little sassy!

And this about says it all!