A Plague O' Both Your Houses...

Since we had nothing better to do this weekend, we thought perhaps we'd share a flu bug with our good friends the Kuf's. In retrospect, this was a *bad* idea, a VERY bad idea, because between the two families, we've had six sick kids, two sick husbands, and two sick mommas. EVERYONE knows that when momma is sick, there's trouble and boy oh boy was there trouble this week.

I am fairly certain we've done more laundry in the last week than we do in a month, Geo and I have missed more work this week than in many many months (I haven't missed two days of work since starting in July) and Gabe has missed two days of school, possibly three, depending on how he feels in the morning.

The last time we got sick was right around this time in 2008. Why would I remember that? Only because the kids got horribly sick, Geo got horribly sick, and I did not. No, no, momma did NOT get the flu bug, instead she ended up with emergency surgery in the middle of a blizzard...that was fun...or not :P

We are all on the up and up now, looking forward to not getting a flu bug again for another two years, which will be too soon, but at least we're safe for a while.

Hope you're all healthy and NOT getting over the plague like we are...whew...

What Does This Say?

Gabriel is an emergent reader; he recognizes all of his sight words (all 41 of them) and he's reading quite a few small books on his own. It's an amazing process to see. I've gotten to watch him going from just spelling the letters out, to sounding the letters out one by one, to sounding out syllables, to saying the beginning sound quietly to himself, and finally by just looking at the word and *knowing* it. It's so much fun to see him reading and really enjoying himself. He's an excellent reader already; he understands how to use context clues, he's got great comprehension skills, and he really ENJOYS reading.

A few years ago, my mom gave him Robinson Crusoe for his birthday, it's been patiently sitting on the shelf waiting for him to be big enough to enjoy the story. A few days ago at breakfast (which is where Gabe and I do the first of our three daily reading together times) we decided to start it. We're three chapters in, Robinson has just been captured by pirates, and he is in LOVE with this book. Today, he and Bits are sick. Bits has a stomach bug and a fever, Gabe has the cough that came with the prize...both are miserable, but making the best of it. I just came downstairs and Gabe ran up to me with the book, so excited. He said "mom, I just read all the chapter numbers and look at these pictures (he flips to pages) I know these words" and he proceeded to read captions on pictures.

*GRINS* I was so thrilled, I mean, honest-to-God thrilled. I am a huge reader (currently on my 26th book of the new year) and to see him gobbling up books makes me so happy...but more importantly, it makes HIM happy, and really, what else can you want for your kids but for them to be happy? *sigh* if you need me, I'll be on the couch with Gabe, finding out if Robinson escapes from the pirates or not...

Mommas Helping Mommas

Not too long ago, eight months ago, maybe, I was lamenting the fact that it was hard being an outsider in the middle of nowhere, especially since Geo and I are not "main stream" parents (We're more the barefoot, breastfeeding, co sleeping liberal parents lol)

Children are the great equalizer, though, and we've made some pretty good friends out here, friends who don't think it's weird that I nursed Bits until she was nearly two, friends who have children who sleep in their beds, the whole bit. It's great not being the odd balls :)

A dear friend of ours is pregnant and, like most of us, doesn't have a whole lot of money. It's been amazing to see how quickly our little group of girlfriends has been able to pull together maternity clothes, cloth diapers, baby clothes, and all sorts of things she's going to need in the next few months (years even!)

A friend recently blogged about mothers tearing each other apart on the internet (and in "real" life as well) and it so true. A lot of us (myself included, I'm ashamed to admit) take out our insecurities on other mommas. Formula vs breastmilk, cribs vs co sleeping, cloth vs disposable, heck even naming your child can turn into a major battle.

I'm so thankful that I'm part of a group of wonderful mommas, who rather than cut down or ridicule one another for our parenting choices, root each other on and help each other; we're all of the "village" mindset and have no qualms about asking for help when we need it, whether it's a sitter for the morning (thank you Tiff and Miranda) or a shoulder to lean on when we're having a particularly rough day (thanks Steph) or maybe it's maternity clothes and a reassuring email saying that NO you're not fat, you are a gorgeous momma-to-be.

Women can be their own worst enemies; I'm glad to be part of a group of mommas who don't behave that way...here's to you, ladies!

Oh So Silly

Two very quick tidBits...

SarahAnne walked up to me with a Kleenex and said to me "Mom, take this sneezer, will you?" It makes sense, we sneeze into Kleenex...two year old logic works

After eating a particularly messy snack, SarahAnne asked me to wash her hands. I refused until she would dance with me a little bit. She looked at me and VERY sternly said "My hands are FILTHY and I cannot DANCE with filthy hands, PLEASE wash them"...and then the little snot wouldn't dance with me after having her filthy hands cleaned either...

Oh Bitsy girl, you crack me up!

Happy Birthday to You...

A very very happy birthday to our favorite Great Grandpa in the whole wide world :)Have a wonderful day today...love you!

Out, Out Damned Spot!

I have a persistent black spot on the end of my bed. As a general rule, the spot is right near my feet, though sometimes it migrates to Geo's side of the bed. It's a huge black spot; I'd say about 14 pounds :P In case you hadn't guessed it, my black spot has four huge paws, a long twitching tail, and purrs like a motor. Since getting Cicero, Boni has had to mark his territory (so to speak) by sleeping at our feet. As a general rule, he prefers to sleep on Gabe's bed, but Cicero stole that spot. For about two weeks now, I've been trying to figure out how to sleep with a giant cat on my end of the bed and last night I figured it out: If I slide my feet under him two things happen: One, my feet get incredibly warm (definitely a good thing) and two, the cat generally moves over to Geo's side of the bed to get away from my feet. It's a win-win situation for me-warm feet AND he goes and annoys Geo :P Also, if he's on Geo's side of the bed, I don't have to deal with the inevitable 4 a.m. cat fight on my feet. The last cat fight involved claws and (my)toes being bitten, it was unpleasant to say the least and now Geo gets to deal with it...he he.


It should be noted that Boni does NOT approve of this post and would like me to tell you that he only weighs 12 pounds and does NOT bite toes. His hope is that by looking at his picture, your soul will become his, as all of ours have...don't say I didn't warn you...

Time Out!

Apparently, if you are naughty when Daddy is in charge*, you are put in time out. You are put where ever you will do the least harm too :P


Yes, Bits is sitting in the entertainment center, I have NO clue how she got in there; all I know is I came down from a nap to find this picture on my camera. I think the kids have a bit too much fun with dad :)

One more of Bits...I'm trying very hard to get a picture of Gabriel, but he's in a very anti paparazzi phase right now and the only pictures I've managed to get of him lately are either half his face or one eye closed and his mouth set in a line, not exactly flattering :)






*This is obviously a joke*

Great Blog

I stumbled upon a fabulous blog the other day called "To The Max" It's a blog about a little boy with CP. I am absolutely loving reading about Max and his adventures, and thought you might as well.

Love That Max

I hope you enjoy this blog as much as I do :)

The Tooth Fairy

The tooth fairy made an appearance at our house last night, leaving a charming little note and two dollars for Gabriel's SECOND lost tooth. Gabe doesn't quite grasp the concept of the tooth fairy yet and Grandpa's picture of the tooth fairy confused him further.


Apparently, Gabe did NOT like the idea of this guy coming in and taking his tooth. I assured him that picture was a joke and that the tooth fairy looked like Tinkerbell. As soon as the word Tinkerbell was out of my mouth little miss me too was at my side asking when HER teeth would come out and if she could SEE the Tinkerbell tooth fairy. *shakes head* silly girl.

Gabe's tooth had been loose for a few days, he was patient with it, not wiggling like crazy, just occasionally moving it with his tongue. Yesterday the kids wanted a "poison" apple to snack on and not thinking, I handed them both a whole apple. About five minutes later Gabe came down the stairs and said "oh here, have this tooth" and handed me an itty bitty tooth with blood dribbling down his chin. He rinsed his mouth and went on with the business of eating his apple. He is so nonchalant about these sorts of things which is how I imagine his father was when it came to losing teeth.

I tried to get a picture of the gap but he refused to allow me, apparently getting a picture of the FIRST missing tooth was quite enough for him. It's so odd to see him with an adult tooth; so odd to think that here he is, almost six and he has a tooth in his mouth that he'll have for the rest of his life. It makes me feel so old that he's big enough to have ADULT teeth already, but that's life, right??

Now onto our next adventure...

"My Baby Rides the Short Bus"

I know some of you know this, but many of you don't. This fall I was published in a book for the first time. I am pretty pleased about it but haven't been screaming it (too loudly) from the rooftop. The book is called "My Baby Rides the Short Bus" and it's an anthology (think "Chicken Soup for the Soul" but with profanity, lesbians, and special needs kids)written by not so mainstream parents who have special needs kids. In case you hadn't guessed it before, Geo and I are not mainstream parents and it was awesome to read a book written for us by us, if you know what I mean.

The stories in this book were heartbreaking, hysterical, maddening, and most of all REAL. These people "get it" I laughed so hard in some spots that I cried because it was like the authors knew how it was to be me and other stories hit so close to home I cried for Gabe and myself and all of these other families who deal with the same things we do, day in and day out.

I am so honored to be among the chosen authors and part of such an awesome book. Go out and buy it, rent it from the library, borrow one of my copies...just read it. It's eye opening and amazing and so so real.

You can find the book on Amazon and even take a sneak peak at the book here Let me know what you think of the book...

Overheard From the Living Room

A Bitsy voice: "but Gabe, come on, marry me I'm a princess!"
Unintelligible mumbles in a Gabe voice
A Bitsy voice: "Come on! I'm wearing a princess dress, we HAVE to get married, you are a prince!"
More mumbles in a Gabe voice and footsteps...
A Bitsy voice "Come back here and marry me, Gabe. I'm a princess, I'm wearing a princess dress, you HAVE to marry me"
In a clear loud Gabe voice "I said no, let's go play cars"
The last Bitsy voice "Okay, let's go, you got some cars then?"

What a goofy goofy goofy girl.

A Bitsy Post

My little SarahAnne, my little bitsy girl...my little screaming, won't sleep, doesn't want to eat, only likes to say no MONSTER will be three in March. Where in the world did the time go??

She's so independent, she rarely needs Geo or I for anything anymore. It's amazing the personality differences between Gabe and SarahAnne. I know that no two children are alike, but I am fairly certain that every personality trait Gabe has, SarahAnne does not and vice versa. She is loud and boisterous, she thinks the cats are her living dolls, and she is fairly certain SHE is the boss of the house-going so far as to make the "grocery list" each week. This last week her grocery list consisted of oranges, nail polish remover, and cheese. *shakes head* She keeps us on her toes, that is for sure.

Yesterday Gabe went to a friends' house, by himself. She is finally used to him going to school and now has to deal with him going places without her. She was NOT pleased and spent the afternoon in "train wreck" mode as Geo and I are fond of calling it. She looked forlornly out the window every few minutes for her bruhby, she sniffled at the mere mention of his name, and had full on meltdowns when you dared ask her to step away from the window. She ended up eating half a dozen snacks (cheese and oranges of course!) and taking a nap, much to my relief. Good God, I dread the day he goes off to college!

When we first got Cicero, he was a bit of a pistol (ok, who am I kidding? He still is, he's six months old lol) One day I walked up to Bitsy's room (which is currently being painted Tinkerbell green and pink-gag me)in time to hear her say to Boni "Your friend Cicero is NOT nice, if he can't be nice he cannot come to our house anymore. Tell him to be nice, ok?" I stifled a laugh and watched Boni stroll out of her room, twitching his tail as he went and looking up at me as if to say "How much do I get paid to deal with her?" I've noticed Boni is a bit plump lately-I guess the cat treats she's been smuggling to him for the last week or so are his "payment" huh?

And now it's off to the kitchen with my mini Julia Child to make guacamole, or as she calls it "Abacados"

Mama Bits hard at work on her shopping list

Happy New Year!!

We're back :) We had a month long hiatus, a much needed break from the internet, however I'm back online now and will start posting regularly again. Just a quick entry, surely longer ones will follow in the days to come. A few new pics, a little recap--all that jazz :)

Christmas was so nice; we had company and had a wonderful time (even if the power kept going out and taking the heat with it) We added a new furry family member whom the kids adore. We've been playing in the snow, baking cookies, and have watched ALL of the Harry Potter movies-we're all hooked and Geo is now setting out to read all of the books before the next movie comes out in November-we'll see how that goes. Without further ado, meet Cicero (aka Derf) our new furry baby; he's six months old and was found in an abandoned barn with his brother and TWO rottweilers. It's amazing how quickly he's gone from a feral kitten to a pampered house cat laying on our bed soaking up the sun.


And one of my two not-so-furry children in the snow: