Baby Love

Who doesn't love a brand new baby?  Okay maybe if that baby is crying and pooping all the time it's not your favorite thing to deal with - but this baby... my brand new nephew was the quietest, best baby of the day (and there were some noisy kids in church in yesterday!!!) :P

Carin's challenge this month is to capture love and as you can see, there were many who held Mckay or who looked on in adoration.  (and many didn't get a chance to hold him because of the baby hogs!!! just kidding)

Welcome to the world baby Mckay.  You are surrounded by lots of love already!!!

Pretty As A Princess

When you have 4 boys and a husband you often feel overwhelmed with with the testosterone in the house and the fighting, boy games, trucks, cars, Yu Gi Oh this, Pokemon that, Bakugan battles etc. etc.  There are no Barbies, no necklaces (well that's not entirely true... Grandma got them shark tooth necklaces from Kauai)  no My Little Pony or Strawberry Shortcake, no cute skirts or socks to dress them in, no cute princess dress-up clothes or tiaras, wands, wings, purses or bracelets to wear... sigh. 

So when we went to my brother-in-law's house after his baby boy's blessing and saw an ADORABLE princess chair I JUST COULDN'T HELP MYSELF!!!!!  

Needless to say Smiley did argue with me about sitting in it at first... "but it's a princess chair!!"  

me:  "I know.  just sit down"

Smiley "but it's a PRINCESS chair!!!!!"

me:  "I know.  just sit down."

I won.  And he even smiled.

And don't we all have to build up a good stock-pile of blackmail pictures of our kids anyways??

Mom Wha's On Yur Mouf?

Last night at the dinner table Sheriff and Wannabe were rating in order who they thought the funniest family members were.  Sheriff told Wannabe that Wannabe was top on his list as the funniest in the family but interestingly enough mom and dad did not even qualify to get on his list as being funny.  I guess that makes sense because as you get older your parents just aren't funny... they are annoying and let's face it... dad's teasing makes dad laugh, kids cry and mom mad.  As for me... very few people have EVER found me funny.  

That's not entirely true.  I am not the ORIGIN of humor... I am the OBJECT of humor or the target so to speak.  When growing up my siblings who ARE funny by nature would target me for their antics, jokes etc. and I was fair game.  I was and still am very gullible which is fodder for many a joke.  I also don't understand many jokes which keeps the laughter going when a joke is told and my blank stare and two minutes later I say "I don't get it" has everyone busting up all over again.  The only person who has ever told me they thought me funny was a mission companion named Tania Rands.  It was so nice to actually have one person tell me "you are sooo funny Sister Holt".  Then I got home from my mission and I would try to tell a joke to my family and it would fall flat and my sister (Sheri) would say to me "I bet Sister Rands would have laughed at that." haha very funny.

So I was actually pleased when Wannabe rated me higher than dad saying "I think mom is funnier than dad".  This inspired me to try and get a laugh out of my boys at the dinner table.  We were eating fish sticks, fries and salad which included ketchup and ranch dressing.  Each time I took a bite I dabbed either ketchup or ranch on my lips.  I wanted to see if I could get a smile out of one of the boys or how long it would take one of them to say something.  (keep in mind Smiley was NOT at the table at this point... he was in time out having hurt one of his brothers during the hand-washing process).  I keep adding to my lips all the while keeping up conversation and three boys are looking at me frequently- not a smile crosses their lips or a word about what is on my mouth.  This is what I looked like when Smiley came to dinner from time out....

As soon as Smiley (who is 3 years old) sat down he said "Mom, wha's on yur mouf?" at which point I do the whole routine of "is there something on my mouth?" etc. etc.  The older boys even admitted that they saw it but chose not to say anything because they didn't want to.

But seriously!!!  It was on my face for a good 5 minutes! not a smile... nothing! 

I bet Sister Rands would have laughed at that.  

I Like Her but My Brain Doesn't

Usually it is Giggles giving me a run for my money so to speak but this week it is Wannabe who is putting me to the test.  We have had some challenges with him this week and this morning after handing his second apology note to his teacher for his "sticky fingers" his teacher informed me that he has also been writing notes recently to kids in the class along the lines of "I hate you".

Nice.

So I get a call from the school at 2:00 pm - it was Wannabe with a sore throat saying he couldn't stay any longer - could I please come get him.  Which I did but not before doing a pocket check and finding a snake in his pocket (he said his friend gave it to him .... I told him to tell his friend "thank you but my mom says I can't keep it"  - really it was a test to see if the friend really gave it or if it was another "sticky fingers" moment).

We get home and have a talk about his "hate mail".  

Me:  Your teacher tells me you have been writing "I hate you" notes to people.

Wannabe:  yeah.  To Mia.

Me:  Who is Mia.

Wannabe: I don't know (with a shrug).

Me:  Is Mia in your class?

Wannabe:  Yeah.

Me:  Why are you writing I hate you to Mia?

Wannabe:  She's a girl.  I LIKE Mia....but my brain doesn't.

(What the what??????)

Me:  You like Mia but your brain doesn't?  

Wannabe:  Yep.

Insert lecture on older brother who has friends that are boys and friends that are girls... need to say and write kind things.... don't hurt people's feelings.... how would you feel if.... yada yada yada...

Man I wish I could use that excuse for things.  In fact Brett should have used that excuse the other day come to think of it.  

I'm sorry officer I WANTED to go the speed limit but my brain didn't want to and it MADE me accelerate.  

I WANTED to get the laundry caught up, the dishes done, the bathrooms cleaned, the bills paid and my vacuuming done but my brain MADE me write this post instead.  

Nose healing now for my next surgery.....

I successfully navigated my way through church without incident.  My husband's plan of attack went off without a hitch (although leaving before the prayer had me squirming a little - hahahaha).  

I can't tell you the number of times I asked my husband how many hours were left before my doctor's appointment to get the nose stints out.  The were driving me insane!!! and I was sure that once they were out I would feel immediate relief in my nose and the tingling and numbness in my mouth would be gone.  I would be able to blow and wipe my nose again, we would have world peace and the economy would be back in order ... oh and my dvr would no longer be on the fritz - in essence all would be right with the world.  Okay so not everything would be fixed but a girl can hope right???

I had to bring Smiley and Giggles with me to my appointment.  -groan-  Giggles had already started out on the wrong foot and had been read the riot act before we got to the doctor's office.  It didn't work.  Why do I bother???

So after an infinitely long wait in the waiting area we get into the exam room.  Here's the tray of tools to be used on my nose....

And when I asked my boys if they were going to watch the doctor work on my nose this is how they said they were going to watch...

What they actually did was glance briefly, ask if it hurt and when I said it didn't (which wasn't entirely true.... I just didn't want to freak them out) they lost interest and started entertaining each other by grabbing each other's heads multiple times, poking each other, sliding off their chairs, hanging upside down on their chairs, getting in each others' faces etc, etc.  Each time the doctor turned around to dip his suction and probe utensils in solution I was turning and snapping my fingers or telling them to stop or giving my best "knock it off glare" and quickly turning back to get more steri-strip bandage drilled out of my nose (I say drilled because that's exactly what is sounded and felt like... ouch!!!)

After having the nose stints removed (by the way I WISH my stints looked like the ones in the video on my blog .... mine were thicker and harder) ... the pressure in my nose was relieved somewhat but it's funny how it still feels like there is stuff up my nose.  Probably because of having so much of my turbenates cut off.  My doctor says I still have to be careful with my nose for 6 weeks.  Yikes!!!  I tried blowing my nose and didn't do very well with it because I can't wipe very well.  Oh well.  with time I suppose.  If my nose is shiny at the end you'll know why.  try not to laugh too hard.    At least the hard part is over.  

Now I have a new problem.  Well, not really a new problem actually... it's an old problem that I'm wondering if surgery can correct it too....

You see - I'm dessert challenged.  Once I made a cake and forgot to add the eggs.  When I made a Mrs. Field's Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter cookie recipe and divided the dough - I baked half the dough and the cookies turned out hard and crunchy and the other lady baked the other half and they turned out great.  If we are asked to make cookies for something, we are better off if Brett makes them or using the school frozen dough because if I make them from scratch... not good.  I believe I'm cursed when it comes to desserts.  I wanted to make some cupcakes because it was my friend's birthday so here was a mix I made the other day for chocolate cake that I made into cupcakes...

Brett spit it into the sink it was so bad.  I decided that I cared too much about my friend to take her these cupcakes and let the giftcard stand alone.  The kids ate them and thought they were good.  (so does that mean I don't care enough about my kids cause I let THEM eat them? hahahahaha) poor kids have no discrimination apparently.

Can this dessert problem be taken care of surgically???

Brett's Plan of Attack

I promised I would tell you Brett's plan of attack for my forray to church tomorrow.  Because I'm not bright enough to get someone to replace me in teaching Gospel Doctrine tomorrow I must go myself and teach.  So we were in bed the other night and I told Brett that I was worried about being in the halls and getting my nose bumped while I'm still recovering from surgery.  I said that I was thinking of wearing my gauze moustache to church so that people would know to be careful around me and give me some space (I would take it off during my lesson ... because hey... who can take me seriously with that thing on???).  

No sooner had I finished telling him what I was thinking when I felt the waves of horror and embarassment (for him not me) flooding off him in the dark.  

sidebar:  once years ago when I had a really bad knee and we were going to the CN Tower and the line was freakishly long the suggestion was made that perhaps we could get a wheel-chair for me because there was no way I could stand in that long line with my knee.  Brett said that he would DIE of embarassment if he had to push me in a wheel-chair.  I was out of luck.  I when I get old.... I mean really older than I am now.... I hope that I don't become an invalid in a wheel-chair because I wouldn't want to be an embarassment to my husband.  

back to our night-time conversation:  Brett quickly outlined his plan... I would get up and leave sacrament meeting before it ended ..... whoa there!!!! before it ends?????  me??? get up and leave before the prayer???? now waves of horror were coming off of me!!!!  

The halls would be empty.... (who are we kidding?  what about all the people that hang out in the hall with their kids and sit on the couches because we all KNOW the couches are WAY more comfortable than the pews.)  

Then I would be in the Relief Society room before the mad rush after the closing prayer.  I could stay there until the end of church (what about my pee break??? that's just inhumane) and I would wait in the Relief Society room for an extra 15 minutes until the halls are clear and I can make a break for the car.  (isn't there another ward after us???)

I don't know about this plan.... I'm seriously considering the gauze moustache.  Remember I'm color coordinating it now.  I'm thinking red for tomorrow.....

p.s. as much as my gauze moustache may cause him some embarassment (come to think of it he hasn't appeared in public with me wearing it) Brett has been awesome!!! He could outdo Mr.Mom anyday!!! This past week he has done anything and everything to make our family and household run smooth.  kudos Brett!!!! 

It Was NOT a Pick!!!!

I know! I know! I'm STILL talking about my nose!!! But if you had the stomach and the nerve to watch the clip on my site and saw what is UP my nose you will understand what I am living with 24/7 and you will understand why I can't STOP thinking about my nose.  When I watched that video just moments ago I realized why I have been telling everyone it feels like I have gigantic glasses being pushed down on my nose and I can't take them off.  Now after seeing what nose stints look like I think a better analogy is that I have an alien creature inside my nose trying to push it's way out!!!  Yikes!!!

At first after the surgery there was just the horrible pain.  Then gradually that has subsided to constant pressure.  Gee, I wonder why.  So I've told you that I have this blowing my nose issue where I'm not allowed to blow my nose right?  But my nose is filled with mucus all the time and dripping.  Fortunately I have this convenient gauze moustache to catch the blood, fluids and boogers that come down.  But boogers/mucus are not always accommodating and sit just inside your nose to drive you stark raving mad.  Regularly a good blow into a Kleenex can take care of this problem.  I'm not allowed to bend over either so I can't even do that to encourage drips to come out faster onto the gauze moustache.  drat!!!  What's a person to do???  Q-tips!!! (cue Halleluia chorus and rays from heaven).  It was when I was  Q-tipping and sighing with relief that I felt the nose stint just inside my nose at the bottom.  I freaked out!!! I thought the stints were high up inside my nose.  I don't know why I thought this... I just did.  I tap it again with the Q-tip to be sure... yep.  It's a foreign object in my nose.

I must digress for a moment before I get to the It Was Not a Pick part...

So yesterday I take my son to his doctor's office and I think... great... another public outing with my gauze moustache.  At the doctor's office I have to deal with the receptionist, two nurses, and the doctor.  None of whom say ANYTHING about my gauze moustache.  Is that odd?  Not a joke, comment, question, glance.  Nada.  Now perhaps they are just used to gauze working at a doctor's office and all... or perhaps I chanced upon 4 people who by nature have no curiosity or compassion in them.  As for me.... if I see someone with a black eye you know I'm going to say something like "who won?" or "fall out of bed again" or if they have criss-crossing bandages on their face "get run over by a train"? (that one was used on me many years ago so I feel obligated to pass it on).  

My sister called me chicken and I don't normally respond to dares.  I even took it two steps further and took these pictures without makeup and doing my hair.  But I figure if I can take my kids to school with this gauze, go to doctor's appointments, shop at Walmart etc. I can post my picture.  So here goes...

If you combine the two you have the full view.

I did have a very important meeting this morning to try to get Smiley into a special pre-school so I thought I would color coordinate my gauze moustache for the occasion....

Back to my story.  On the way home from the doctor's office last night I couldn't stop thinking about the stints in my nose (because I can't stop feeling the sensation of them.)  So I wondered how close to the opening of my nose they really were.  And the only way to really tell.... do you see where I'm going with this???? yep... I stuck my finger in my nose to feel where the stint was.  And sure enough I touched it!!! Freaky!!!!  But worse than that I realized that I was on Redwood Road with cars all around me with my finger up my nose!!!!   You're dumb as a what?? (a saying from my MIL)  I quickly snatch my finger out of my nose but was it too late?  Did someone see me?  Worse yet did someone I know see me and now forever after I will be dubbed as a nosepicker when really I'm not!!! It was not a pick!!!! It was a touch!!!! I was just touching my stint!!!!  Do you have any idea what is up my nose????  -sigh-  I can't wait until Monday when these things come out.

In bed last night I told my husband that I wanted to google nose stints.  He says "I don't want to look at it... I'll throw up and pass out."  My hero.  I don't think he is going to play the video.  What do you think?  If he does I hope his desk at work doesn't have any sharp corners.   I better call his mom and have her place some pillows on the floor around his chair.  (his office is in her basement).  

Well, Monday I get these babies out.  Can't wait.  I'll tell you tomorrow about Brett's game plan for my trip to church when I told him I was thinking of wearing my gauze moustache to make sure my nose doesn't get bumped.