Latex paint out of carpet

My mom thinks I am lazy. She thinks my laziness is why my house looks now the same way it did when we moved in 2 plus years ago. It's not laziness it is incompetency. No kidding. Often I will get inspired and try to do something but never fails, it always ends in disaster. Let me give you a recent example. As recent as today.

My inspiration came from my friend S. She was painting her child's room and I thought, you know, W needs a boy room. Something that looks pulled together. I should have stopped right there. Atleast I reduced the size of my dream. Originally I was going to paint his whole room and then I decided to just paint the inside of his bookshelves and start small. Baby steps, you know.

S gave me advice about where to go and how to paint, about the blue tape yada yada. The sheer amount of colors was overwhelming me. I picked one and it was heinous. Color is hard, especially blue. I was discouraged. Aunt Liz and Uncle Bob to the rescue. They helped me pick a color and I was back on track. Then the sweetest old man at the paint store, a customer, offered to help me. He pulled everything I needed for me and told me just what to do. I got home and realized after painting a section that the primer stunk and it was 5:30 in the afternoon and that there was no way W could sleep in there.

Incompetence. Should have done it in the morning. Ugh!

I couldn't clean the brush or the roller because it was oil based.

More incompetence.

I went back to the store today and got mineral spirits to clean the brush. Feeling better and ready to roll. I got upstairs. Shook up my paint, opened it....Ooooh! I need a wet rag for wiping up small mistakes (this tip I got from the sweet old man who told me I didn't need blue tape) so I ran to the bathroom to fetch my rag. I am feeling like a real painter at this point. I got back to

W's room and shook THE PAINT ALL OVER ME AND W'S NICE WALL-TO-WALL RUG! (forgot it was already open) I am screaming and Pman is just watching and Jessie, thank goodness she was here,came running up. There is blue EVERYWHERE!!!! I called S screaming! and we could have been a commercial for GOOGLE. Because she says, "Oh no! Google it!!!"

So I did and low and behold it worked. It took about an hour but you can barely tell what went down.

The total incompetence of it all just kills me. We're not a handy folk, my side of the family, but then again neither is J's. Anyway, this is how we cleaned up the mess.

(Actually, that wet washrag that the sweet old man told me to have handy, DID come in handy.)

1. blot, blot, blot with a ton of water. Blot from the outside in. DO NOT WIPE. Only blot. and get the carpet really wet.
2. Put dishwashing detergent in water and blot until you can't blot anymore. It can be sudsy. Don't worry.
3. Blot with a dry towel in between the blotting. It will pull up all of the moisture and the latex paint up with it. Be patient. It takes awhile.
4. Once it looks like you have gotten all of the paint up, vacuum. and continue blotting with a towel. It helps to blot with your feet..with shoes on.

So we are back on track. I have painted the first section of wall. and I still have 3 more to go. My only fear is that the whole cycle will begin again. Nothing is easy, for me anyway.

P.s. Don't tell J. There is no reason that he has to know.

Snoopy and Monkey

When I was 3 my great aunt Evelyn, gave me Snoopy. He was the love of my life. He was white and soft and a bean bag to boot. I still have Snoopy. He's been with me through thick and thin. My other friends used to hang him from my ceiling fan when I wasn't looking. They tortured him. Torturing Snoopy tortured me. But we made it through and we are the stronger for it.

Papa gave W Monkey when he was just a baby. I can only wish that W and Monkey have the same relationship that me and Snoopy have. Like Snoopy, Monkey rarely leaves the house. He's a house monkey if you will but he is someone for W to talk to and play with, sleep with and someone that W can just sit with. I noticed that Monkey and W have become a lot closer. W talks to him, a lot. Just the other day I saw him whispering in his ear. W saw that I saw and seemed a bit sheepish about the whole thing. I just smiled and I certainly didn't make him feel like it was wierd. because it's not. I know what it is like to have a friend in a stuffed animal. Like the Velveteen Rabbit-they are "real". Call me a nerd, call me silly, call me plain crazy but Snoopy will always have a special place in my heart.

I recently took Snoopy down from his high shelf to introduce him to W. I thought it was time. Horrors in the Deep! It looked like he had bugs burrowed down into him. I almost cried. I still can't figure if it's just dirt or what but I can't let him go. He has no ear, or eyes and a lot of beans coming out of him but to just throw him out......makes me sick to think about it. If he can just hold on a few more years, I know that he and Monkey will have a lot to talk about.

OPERATION 2010-still going strong

The first night of OPERATION 2010 went relatively well. I served up the boys' plates, put them on the table and called them for supper. W hopped right into his chair and began eating his french fries. He didn't whine. He didn't cry or complain. He didn't eat anything but the french fries, either, but the lack of negative attitude was a HUGE step.

Pman on the other hand was in a mood. He ended up falling off of his booster seat, busting his chin and lip and never attempting to eat. I didn't force the issue.

Day 2 of OPERATION 2010.
I almost gave in to pizza. It's J's birthday. Happy Birthday, sweet husband!
and he wanted tacos. Gotta love that. Easy and delicious but I wasn't sure the kids could wait for him to come home. But I broke up their taco shells, put some taco meat mixed with shredded cheese, guacamole and salsa on their plate along with a half of a banana and a half of a cheese stick. I didn't hear any complaining from either one. and W even ate more than Pman did although Master P at least tried the ground meat. My only fear is that they will waste away to nothing. They had a great snack of hummus and pita chips (they are so hard to figure out, I would have taken seasoned ground meat and cheese over hummus any day at their age) so at least tonight they had something substantial. and they topped it off with Red Velvet Cake I made for J's birthday.

Mom's New Year's Resolutions

It's a new year and with that comes resolutions. But this year my resolutions aren't about dieting or drinking less or working out more. (although all of those things will certainly be in the back of my mind). This year I have two resolutions.

1. To get my new blog website up and running while posting consistently with more focus.

and the most important resolution is #2.

2. OPERATION 2010

What is OPERATION 2010, you ask? Well, as a mom, I feel there are many times that you have to break your child of bad habits. Like pooping in their pants but we finally have that down. The bad habit on which I will focus is the bad habit of my children only eating crap. Yes, that's right. I will stand for it no more.

If you are a fan you know what my children eat. Any type of cracker (goldfish, chip etc.). French fries, pizza, chicken nuggets, veggie nuggets or grilled cheese. They do eat a smattering of healthy items like most fruits, yogurt and cheese but for the most part on any given day they eat crap. Not only crap but frozen crap. Which is a huge pain in the arse when you are trying to cook supper. It's my fault. I admit it. But I resolve to change today. I resolve to no longer be a short order cook. I resolve to cook one meal for everyone. I resolve to never ever ever give in to whining and tantrums over food.

If you too are a short order cook and think you may be able to make this resolution work for you. Join me, my friend. I would love the company. Strength in numbers, you know.

I have received some advice from my pediatrician. He tells me to cook dinner and in addition to what I have cooked to include something they like. For example a piece of cheese. Then if they want something supplemental after supper is over it is okay to give it to them. It's not okay to cook anything else but you may give then a pb&J, an apple, a banana, something that is healthy and easy.

So here we go team. tonight we are having turkey burgers (just patties), rice pilaf, green beans sauteed in garlic and olive oil and french fries. I thought I would be gentle the first night and make french fries which is the food they like. I'll fill you in on my results tomorrow.

Super Easy Beef Shortribs

NolaMom seems to be cookin' again! I am having the best time cooking new recipes. This is only my second one in a week but I forsee a future in cooking mania over here. Tonight I am doing a prototype of my Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve supper. The plan was to cook lamb shanks for Christmas Eve at the suggestion of Papa. I am not a huge fan of lamb shanks for some reason but I agreed to do it until I realized that it wasn't going to be super easy to find lamb shanks at the last minute. So I thought, why not perfect one dish and KEEP ON COOKIN'! So I am.

I am using Tyler Florence's Ultimate Short Rib recipe. As usual when I am cooking I am kind of skeptical until I taste the final product. The only reason I am a bit worried is that it was so freaking easy. It literally took me 20 minutes to do all the work and now here I sit blogging away while UH OH!

Sorry. I had the heat on too high. Like I was saying, here I sit while the ribs braise for the next 3 hours.

The rest of Tyler's menu included parsnip puree. Root vegetables are ok but I decided to substitute Giada's polenta instead. Hey, they're all family over there on the Food Network, right?

Now there are many beef short rib recipes around I am sure. My inspiration was a recipe I found in Bon Appetit, my new favorite magazine now that Gourmet is on the outs. But I didn't realize that it needed to chill over night and frankly I don't have the time to deal with a 2 day menu. If Tyler's Ultimate is just not the ultimate I may try the other one out for New Year's Eve.

Barefoot Contessa's chicken breasts with goat cheese

I've watched countless hours of Barefoot Contessa, a few while J was sneering at her from behind his laptop. He thinks her show is contrived. I love her. She makes cooking look effortless as opposed to Rachel Ray who makes me twice as anxious as I already am. Anyway, I have seen her roast the same chicken breasts stuffed with goat cheese a lot and I finally got around to trying it.

Uncle RaRa turned me on to the juiciest roast chicken breasts with the crispiest skin that I have ever had. Which is this:

You season the bone-in, skin on breasts as you wish and cook them at 500 degrees for a shorter period of time. All ovens differ and all breasts are different sizes so the time ranges from 20-30 minutes.

So I was skeptical when Ina's recipe called for cooking them at 325 degrees. I was sure that the skin would be limp. Oh, but the BC pulled through as always. The breasts were so juicy and the skin so crispy. Now, because I didn't put full faith into her (my mistake) I did turn up the heat to about 425 for 15 minutes because I wanted brown, crispy skin. The result was that the goat cheese oozed out of the skin. So follow the cooking temperature exactly. Don't try to go all renegade on her. I also didn't use herbed goat cheese because I'm not a fan. I just salt and peppered my little fellas and sprinkled some thyme on top. See below for the final picture. It wasn't as neat as Ina's but I know it was just as delicious.

Cafe Adelaide and Frosty the Snowman

Once again I have been remiss in posting and I hate it. I hate it because I feel like I am letting so many memories of the boys growing up slip away. Usually if I don't post I at least write down my thoughts in a notebook that they can read when they grow up but I haven't even been doing that. The pressure of Christmas has really gotten to me this year. For the first year W has his heart set on presents and he is in love with the lights and sounds of the holidays. He told me the other day that we forgot to put the lights on the outside of our house. No pressure.

and then there is the school application process. Kill me now.

So that is what I am focusing on right now while Pman is talking like a person in between all the whining and while they both are learning Frosty the Snowman without missing a beat. We listen to it continuously the second we get in the car until the second we get out. I'm not kidding. I only knew the words to the chorus until now.

Meanwhile Pman is a hellion at school. Getting put in timeout, almost twice so far. I think the teacher was shocked because she knows W. Well, Master P is no W. He's the Master of Terror.

W has totally come out of his shell. Talks to total strangers and talks to us nonstop. He is really into dribbling basketballs, we call him our Dribbling Fool and he begs to stay at school all day. My sweet baby is all grown up!

Anyway, the latest news is that Uncle RaRa got mentioned in the Lagniappe by Brett Anderson for his idiosyncratic taste and improving the wine list at Cafe Adelaide. Hooray to RaRa! and we got shafted out of going to eat there last night by the rainstorm. So if you get there before us give RaRa a high five because you will probably see him before we do since he's always working. and on a final note....

WHO DAT SAINTS!

stomach bugs, sweet boys and future wives

Big sigh.

It's been a long road. We are barely past our 3rd stomach virus of the year. Let me tell you how this last one played out. It was a cold Saturday morning and we were off to a birthday party at Kidsport. A fun time place for kids to run around with bounce houses and obstacle courses and trampolines. We got there 45 minutes late for two reasons. The first being that I thought it started at 10:30. Never mind that I had the invitation in my lap as we drove around Harahan in a lost frenzy which brings us to the other reason we were late. We were lost. Anyway, we got there and joined the party. Pman had pizza with the other kids and W played until it was cake cutting time at which point he sat down in the middle of the table and yelled, "I'm sick!". I thought he was whining because his nose was runny. Again, "AAaAaaah! I'm sick!". A bit aggravated I told J to get him up from the table. He did and the next thing I know he was hurling his breakfast all over the place, splattering chunks of blueberry muffins on the pile of purses and coats and shoes that were on the side of the room. I go to help and see a kid in slow motion running after a basketball and sliding into the vomit. I too am slipsliding around in my ballet flats on the slick puke laden floor. Fun times.

So we finally get us all home and in bed. and before you know it I am vomiting too. Blah. W was good after a day or two but I was down well into Tuesday night.

There are many good things that have come out of these awful stomach viruses. The first being that I have lost at least 10 pounds and I am doing my damndest to keep it off. The second being that I have truly seen a side of W that makes me cry when I think about it. During all of the illnesses both boys have bounced back sooner than me. Kids are resilient you know and they tend to shake it off quicker. During virus #2 he was home alone with me and had to fetch me a pot or slop bucket as I was laying on the couch and when J got home he made the kids dinner and heated himself up a can of soup, in a pot, and ate it from the pot. Typical male. W was worried that J had taken my slop bucket to eat his soup out of and came running to the den to make sure that I still had my pot and then he knelt down by the couch, took my hand, looked me in the eye and said, "Are you feeling better, Mommy?" and at that moment he looked so old and I caught a glimpse of the kind of man he was going to be. Sensitive and sweet and concerned. and I cried (remember I was 5 days into a 6 day stomach virus so I was a little punchy).

So to all you girls out there looking for a good catch....you will have to answer to W's mommy before I just hand him over to just anyone.

John Besh's Domenica

I have a new favorite restaurant. I have been trying to decide all morning if I was honestly able to give this distinction to John Besh's Domenica or not. You see, the atmosphere sucks. J said it better while were sitting there, "I feel like I am sitting in a Sheraton dining room." Exactly. But the food was undeniably delicious. The menu could be treated as a tapas menu. Although we did share an appetizer and a dessert among the four of us, we each got our own dishes. I started with a small portion of Burrata mozzarella. I can never pass it up. It's my hands down favorite cheese. and they served it appropriately, drizzled with olive oil and garlic rubbed bruschetta on the side. MMMMMMMM..........MMMMMMMMMMMM! I had another small plate for my entree and it was the right decision. The large plate would have been too much and too rich but if and when you go you HAVE to get the Stracci with the oxtail ragu and fried chicken livers. Tangy and rich. J got a prosciutto pizza and I can still taste the freshness. Oh my. Aunt Liz said that they supposedly have one of the only fancy Italian pizza ovens in the city. and if that's what made the pizza the way it was, I want to buy one. It was crispy and light but the dough didn't get soggy under its toppings.

It's been awhile since I have been able to say that I had a truly memorable meal at a restaurant. And it's saying a lot that the neither the poor atmosphere nor bad service clouded my judgement. Make a reservation, try it out and make sure to tell them you don't want to sit at the table by the side door.

Football

The only team we really root for around here is the Saints. J went to Dartmouth and well, where's the fun in rooting for them? and I went to Alabama but don't really have an allegiance to them although this football season seems like a good one to rally behind them. I am kind of sad for my kids that they won't feel the college football fever that LSU families have but I don't think anything can match WHO DAT NATION in full force. So we wait all week for the games and W checks out the football players in the sports sections everyday and even I am learning which teams we need to watch out for, who has a good running game (I sound like I know what I am talking about, don't I?) etc. and W wants to be Drew Brees everyday. I want to be Drew Brees everyday or any other NFL quarterback for that matter and make the coin that they make.

Anyway, I can't wait for Sunday and am ready to yell Who Dat! each and every time Drew starts his play (I'm superstitious. I have to do it).
and the boys are ready too!

R.E.S.P.E.C.T

Just recently I have noticed a new obsession of W's. At first I thought it was a passing comment. A week has now passed and the comments have not let up. Before going into more detail let me remind you that W is 4.

The first comment went something like this:
I was bending down to his level so I could hear what he was telling me and then out of the blue
W: I like those.
Me: You like what?
W: Those. as he taps both (clothed) boobs (which W calls bumpity bumps) with the flashlight he was holding.
Me: I was so shocked that I just ignored it and moved on.

The second comment wasn't really a comment. It was more of a drive by. You know the kind that teenage boys are known for doing in the movie theatre. They yawn and ever so discreetly put their arm around the girl and the hand, oops, lands on the bumpity bump. Well, he's 4, so he doesn't yet know of the yawn technique. We were all hanging out on my bed (again, fully clothed), Me, Pman and W. and out of nowhere I hear him whisper, " I want to touch those" as he simultaneously does.

Me: You can't touch that. and I swatted his hand away, quickly.

The next incident occurred at Swamp Fest. J was sitting right there and he just went for the gold. W's comment: I want to touch the bumpity bumps.

All I am asking is for a little respect. I mean, I know he is all innocence. My sweet boy is just curious. He notices something different and just wants to check it out but really?

After sharing my story around it seems that "bumpity bumps" are quite the obsession for boys and girls of this age so I feel a bit better about it. But couldn't someone have warned me?

NO NAP HELL, Have you heard of it?

Where have I been, you ask? I have been in NO NAP HELL! Can I be any clearer? I know so many of you have been in NNH longer than I have but I just never could imagine it. Well, now I don't have to. Don't get me wrong. I love the Little Buddy. He's my first baby and it probably could be a lot worse. I am just trying to adjust to this new phase in my life when I have one child not napping and another slumbering 2+ hours away. The first few weeks it was cake. I would put Pman down, turn on the tv for W (judge me, I don't care) and sit down to eat a late lunch, do my blogging, clean up around the house and read magazines. That has all changed since W has decided, how did he put it today? "I don't like tv anymore." No kidding. He simply follows me around asking me what I am doing? What are you doing now? Now, what are you going to do? Are you all done? Are you going to rest?

and today while I was in the shower I asked him to go play in his room.

"Are you almost done?" all in a whisper so we don't wake Pman .

I whispered back, "I still have to dry my hair. Why don't you go play in your room."
Still whispering, "I think I will just wait until you are done."
And all I can think about is that he is having nude images of his "could stand to lose a few" mother ingrained in his 4 year old mind! Like I told you...I am in NO NAP HELL! and I think he probably is too after watching me take a shower.

So I guess I just have to wait until we reach the next transition when Master P gives up his nap. and then what? DOUBLE NO NAP HELL!?!

P.S. Please know that this is all a little bit in jest. A little bit. W is an angel and it could be worse.
P.P.S. I took a risk today and bought A Taste of Thai Curry Paste that I found at Whole Foods. Sauteed some onions and shrimp and poured it all over rice and I was pleasantly surprised. Super spicy. Not for your taste bud sensitive kids but pretty good nonetheless, for a packed paste.

Who Dat Saints!

I haven't watched the Saints all season. and figured that today was the day. That I needed to show my Who Dat Spirit and watch. I promptly felll asleep after Miami started to whip the Saints a bit.
then I woke up and got W going and he said, "Who Dat Saints!" and truly the tides turned. The Saints beat Miami like nobody's business and it was all because of the way we clapped and the way W said Who Dat! I believe it.

Happy Birthday, Pman!

Happy Birthday, Pman! My sweet little baby. You are two years old today and I feel like you are 18. Really. Because you can do so many things that surprise me for a two year old. I may call you a holy terror and although I may mean it, it is said with more love than you can imagine.

I am sad that you are sick on your big day but hopefully you will be well for your party. Maybe your pookiness is contributing to your unenthused reaction to your new tricycle. I thought for sure you would giggle with delight.


But! You sure blew out your birthday candles like an old pro.


Here's to you, Master P, on your second birthday!
I love you, Mom

Playing Hooky!

What a fool! What a FOOL! I can't believe how easy it was to fool that woman, I call Mommy. I really have been sicky, don't get me wrong. I've got yucky sores on my tongue and when she checked my temperature in my ear 2 days ago I had a fever. But I have been good to go for awhile now. Yeah, my tongue still hurts a lot but I overheard Mr. doctor say that I wasn't contagious if I didn't have fever.

She's been a trooper I have to say. Pman throwed up in his bed Mondy night and slept in the bashgetti and meatballs he ate that night. Eeeeew! It was gross. So she had to deal with two sicky boys. But yesterday we were both much better and had a BALL! playing hooky. So I thought to myself, lets do it again! So I just played up my hurty tongue and told her I was sicky again. and snap! just like that she told Daddy that I was staying home. Hooooray! We went to Mimi and Papa's so she could do some excercising. I got to watch SuperWhy! and then we went to the new coffee house to get coffee and a cookie! Wahooooo! AND I got her all to myself. That Mommy. No Pman around to say "My Mommy!"

Between you and me I think she is catching on but what do I care. It's too late for her to send me to school so I am home free!!!!!!

Gotta go now. She doesn't know I can use the computer, much less type. So catch ya later!

Fighting brothers

The fighting going on around here is getting out of control. and I absolutely do not know how to handle it. It usually starts with 'MIIIINE!' and then it snowballs into a knock down drag out fight and crying fit between everyone. Oh, and it's over anything. a car, a block, a rubber band, a piece of sh$&. Anything. It's actually kind of funny when Pman starts it by taking the littlest thing, walking over to W, raising the object of desire into the air and shouting MINE! and mayhem ensues. Sometimes they are just being funny.
"My House!" as we are driving into the driveway.
"No, My House!"
"My House!"
back and forth forever. But the main source of contention is the Silly Top. What's a Silly Top, you ask? The Silly Top is a yellow plastic spinning top the the size of a silver dollar. One day W was throwing a major tantrum because Master P took it from him. and I was trying to explain to W that he was just taunting him. I also explained to him that it wasn't necessary to cry over it because it was just a "silly top" and that there were much better toys to play with.
"But I want to play with the Silly Top!", he wailed. and from then on the Silly Top has become the bane of my existence.
I am making it sound all lighthearted and such but it's not. It's crying all day, everyday over the stupidest things. and I have no idea what to do. For awhile I was taking anything they fought over and hiding it but it got to the point there was nothing to play with. A lot of times I just yell and scream right along with them. That's always a good scene. But lately I have just been trying to ignore it and let them go until they can't cry anymore.....they are still crying, ha!

So that's what I have been doing if you were wondering the reason for the lack of posting. I have been over here trying to referee the MINE! Wars.

Swine flu

Okay. I don't know if W had the swine flu or not. We had plans to go to the dr. this morning to get tested. I was bringing both of them since Pman has the same symptoms W had. Of course, W woke up with a spring in his step saying he felt " a wotta wotta better" and when we got to the doctor he hadn't had a fever in 48 hours and he looked like the picture of health. She saw no need to test him.

I was kind of hoping it was the Swine flu because he was almost through the sickness and didn't seem totally miserable. That way we would be less likely to catch it again. Now that it is most likely he didn't have the Swine flu I now have to start worrying from square one all over again.

Is it the Swine Flu?

This is going to be a quick post since we have other things to deal with around here but I thought some info that I just found out would be helpful. W is sick and we thought is was just a bad cold on Friday but yesterday afternoon he had a fever and all of the other symptoms of the swine flu. We won't know until tomorrow if that is what he has but someone was asking me what the incubation period was. I didn't know but found an article in the Washington Post that said it is the same as the regular flu, about 1-3 days. For more information see the whole article.

If W does indeed have the virus, it is a relatively mild case. He feels pretty pooky and sounds just awful. His throat hurts and you can see the sick in his eyes, if you know what I mean. He is still playing and singing and bugging Pman. Of course, he is very sensitive and cries a lot but he is not totally lethargic and non-responsive.

Anyway, I will update again after our doctor's visit tomorrow.

Picking squash and edamame

Oh my gosh! This is more for my mom than anything. Well, and for J who has to endure countless meals with squash as an accompaniment any time we are in North Carolina visiting my parents. My mom came from a southern small town so she's truly a small town girl at heart. You know, they love fresh veggies, greens, black eyed peas, okra, squash etc. She has a special fondness for squash. J hates it. and we have it with every meal. and I mean every meal. I have inherited my mom's love of homecooked veggies. If I had to pick a favorite, it would not be squash but I do love a mean squash casserole - one like my mom makes - with ham and breadcrumbs and cheese. Oh my!

BUT

my inspiration came for this post from Chocolate and Zucchini and her post about Patty Squash. What is Patty squash, you ask? Unbeknownst to me, we picked Patty squash this summer in North Carolina. I have a photo, see?


By the time we left my dad was way over the squash and was ready to throw the rest away but I am thinking perhaps they will be ready for another squash dinner by now. and Chocolate and Zucchini has a most mouth watering recipe.

By the way, we also picked fresh edamame. and they were oh so sweet and delicious and so fun to pick. It was easy for little hands and supposedly they grow prolifically so you get a ton off of one plant. Which makes me wonder if I can grow them myself. I did a bit of research, well I skimmed one or two blogs on the subject and found that they are easy to plant in containers so I might give it a go. Here are the boys picking our evening hors d'oeuvres.

First days of school

The Little Buddy's first day of school was Friday. I was excited and worried. Turns out he had a great day and after hearing that and seeing how happy he was when I picked him up, you would of thought that it was me who had a great day. Before I had kids I never would have believed that something good happening to my babies would make me feel so manic. It's a crazy feeling.

Pman screamed and cried when W went off on Friday morning. "Schooooooool!" and all I could think was, "Dude, your day is coming." I asked W if he thought P was going to have fun.

"No. He's going to cry."

Well, that day is here and drop off for Pman has come and gone. He was a champ. I was a bit worried as we were walking out the door. He totally got what was happening-the school bag, all of us leaving together....he's no dummy.


So J, W and I all piled into Pman's little classroom to tell him goodbye and that was that. He didn't cry and well, dare I say it....Neither did I!!!! (He had is eye on a phone another baby was carrying. If I have to guess there is going to be a slap upside the head to that poor child for the phone by the end of the day) I feel a bit guilty about my lack of tears since I was truly hyperventilating when I dropped W off for his first day 2 years ago. But frankly, I might as well have kicked them out the door. It's good for all of us to have a little time to ourselves. Wahoooo!

What will I do, you ask? Well, today I ran around the park twice, got my coffee, stamped and mailed some invitations, ate an after-exercise and now here I sit

ALL BY MYSELF!

I have an hour to take a shower and clean up before I have to go get the boys. and what a beautiful hour it will be.