The more I learn the less I know

I love how James knows when to tell me "I love you so much mommy," he's a pretty intuitive little boy.

It's funny how being a parent makes you a better parent. It's funny how before you have kids you kinda think you have an idea of how it all works. How you'll always be the picture of firm, yet loving, equability. And of course I am! ;)

I feel that having small kids is kinda like having manic depression, extreme highs and lows. The scary thing is how the ups and downs come in freakishly close succession-- seconds apart even. Right now is pretty high, Sally's chewing on my finger. Children are playing pleasantly. Laundry has a chance at getting finished. Much is right with the world.

As a parent you can never have too many bodily fluid stories

Around 3am this morning Isabelle crawled into our bed next to me. Around 5am she peed and got up and went over to Eric's side leaving me to roll into her puddle. . .hey, no fair! Eric left around 6am and I was awoken an hour later by the smell of poop. Somehow that smell always has the ability to jar me awake no matter how good the dream. Anyway, there was Max standing next to my bed with his exceedingly loaded diaper next to him on the floor. Thanks Max for letting me know! The third and final story also stars Max, who decided a good time to get on the table and pee all over it was when I was concurrently organizing our CD collection. I just looked at him and asked "why?'

Strict Constructionist

Today Eric said to Max, "you have to have pants to go outside." Max took this quite literally and went to his drawer and obediently took out pants (and a shirt!) and carrying them walked outside.

Naked.

Stuff my kids do

I'm thinking I'm going to start keeping track of the crazy things my kiddos do, I figured why not keep it here for the amusement of all. I'm trying to look at this list as therapy... perhaps it will keep me from losing my cool. :)

The latest escapade was a productive activity James and Max wanted do, which was to throw rocks off the porch. A seemingly harmless amusement until I realized their source for the rocks was my decorative hurricane glass that got smashed on the floor in order to empty it of its contents.

When questioned why, James pleaded that he only wanted to put the rocks in the garden.

Maybe I should actually call it "things my kids break."

To every season...

A couple of weeks ago we drove up into the Jemez to see the damage. It was damp from recent rain and still smelled like char. I was surprised to see what burned and how and oh so sad to see all the recovered aspens were gone. Yesterday I was talking to Wayne (he works for the county and was there fighting the fire) about the fire and he said he hadn't really thought that there was going to be a chance this time for the town. Weird to know that in retrospect. Alls well that ends well?

I had an EKG the other day. That was a new and exciting thing. I was surprised how quick it was; it took longer to hook me up then to perform the test. Turns out I am in supremely good health. I mean, I thought so, right? Always nice to have confirmation. The reason for this was my midwife thought I had a funny sounding heartbeat. Apparently the explanation for that is that sometimes young people just have extra beats in there. Who knew?

boring bullet list of my day

• Coffee
  
• Arranged flowers with the cool Church ladies.
• Packed vegetables with the cool foodnerds.
• Ate some of said vegetables at lunch with cool kiddos.
• Drank some more coffee.
• Cleaned repulsive looking kitchen.
• Processed beautiful cabbages, kale, and carrots to put up enormous keg'o'kraut.
• Made large vat of granola.
• Made wise decision to pick-up pizza.
  
• Tried to justify pizza eating by topping purchased pizza with a salad.
• Made white russians with Eric.
• Tried to justify white russian by making it with kefir.
• Just kidding!
  
• Cuddled with lots of children while watching "Honey I shrunk the Kids."
• Mused over feelings of nostalgia while watching "HISTK."
• Put a wittle baby to bed while Eric wrangled other children (the benefits of having boobs).
  
• Cuddled with Eric while watching embarrassingly bad movie... oh wait... that hasn't happened yet. . .
  

******************Goodnight!

A west wind, an atom of ocean

Some days are just designed for breakfast burritos and today was just such a day. Bacon, ham, sausage, redways, greenways, hash no hash? Take your pick. I went out to grab one for Eric and me to split. The morning was cool, misty, damp, thanks to recent rains. I felt light and unattached going out by myself; almost like a college student, certainly not like a parent of five.

I like being out while others are still sleeping, there was a quiet camaraderie amongst the few coffeehouse patrons as we clasped warm paper cups full of liquid energy. Chorizo, green, mmm.