Family Night Stitches

There's nothing like motherhood to remind you of your weaknesses.

John was sick yesterday and I have a 24 hour rule (they must be feeling well - not barfing, not fevering - for 24 hours before real life resumes.) so I stayed home from work today.

By 2pm we'd watched 8 million shows and needed to get out, but could go anywhere because of all the germs (SOOO many germs). So, we decided to go to the church parking lot to ride bikes.

Before leaving I made Tommy show me how he knows how to turn left, turn right, start and stop the bike. He did great. His bike has training wheels. He loves it and it was well past time for him to have one so he picked it up easily this week.

So I put both kids (and Tommy's new little bike) in the bike trailer. and rode around the corner to the church. He got out and started to ride, he was doing great and John was getting bored so I hopped back on my bike to ride in some circles around the parking lot too.

Tommy rode North and South, then slowly started heading East. Here's the thing about East around here - East is up. Always. And after East come West.

He turned around and started riding down, I reminded him to "pedal backwards, put on the brakes, STTTOOOOOOPPPP!!!!!" but I was too slow getting off my bike (with John) and across the parking lot to rescue him. He ran straight into the curb and flew off the bike smacking his chin on the sidewalk.

He screamed. But here's the thing about Tommy. He is good at screaming. So it didn't sound any different from his "John took the ball from me" scream. So I jogged slowly across the parking lot to assess.

But then I saw the pool of blood and ran.

I checked his mouth, his nose and his head (he was wearing a helmet) and couldn't find the source. But it was clearly still coming and had a handful of it in addition to the puddle on the sidewalk.

Then I saw it. Sortof.

Right under his chin, I could see the blood still coming.

In case you were wondering blood, needles, skin openings, all of it makes me woozy. Unreasonably so. I am the world's sissiest mom. 

I stuck my hand under his chin, and picked him up and asked if he was OK.

"I really really biffed it mom!!!!!" he howled.

I hauled him up to my bike where John was still sitting in the trailer enjoying his goldfish crackers and tried to put him in so we could ride home. He was having none of that.

So I got John out and carried/walked/dragged both kids back to my house dripping bits of blood along the way.

When we got home and cleaned it up enough to see, I immediately called my mom to see if he needed stitches. She had no idea, but she came over to look anyway.

The concern for me was the stuff coming out of the wound. The non blood stuff. The guts.

We called the nurse at my pediatricians office (3 cheers for Alpine Pediatrics - again!) who made and appointment for me to come in and get him stitched.

Fortunately (for me) Josh came home before the appointment and we all went together. We talked about what they'd say beforehand and what would happen and he was amazing. Unreasonably so. He jumped right up on the table and showed his "biffed it" to the nurse (who fell in love immediately...because who wouldn't really?) he giggled at her jokes and smiled while she got everything ready.

And he let her clean him up while I held his hand and he watched The Incredibles.

After a while we were just waiting for the numbing gel to do it's job because when the Dr. (Brian something I think? We were never properly introduced...) tried to shove the guts back in they wouldn't go and he needed to "apply more pressure".

There's something slightly horrifying about seeing a kid lay on a table like that.

It took some convincing (and distraction) for him to let dad hold his hand for the worst part (the putting those guts back in and stitching them closed) but fortunately (for me) he did and Josh watched with amazement as he always does with things that make my stomach turn.

Once the Dr. got out his tools, needles, cutting things, and the "sterile environment" stuff; my baby was covered with blue sheets and looked like he belonged in an operating room I tried harder to be distracted. I couldn't even see anything and I had to turn my body toward the door and play finger games with Little John just to stay conscious.

They gave him more shots in the chin, said something about a bad bruise, and kept asking him if that hurt - I never heard a response from him so I assume that means no.

Josh said he was amazing. He just laid there and nearly fell asleep.

Tommy got to choose some prizes afterward and made sure to choose one extra "for Little John" mysteriously Little John's broke first. Either way, Tommy came home bouncing with pride and joy and had an unreasonably good time.

Josh said it was totally different from watching them cut someone you don't know open. But he still thought it was cool.

And I have vowed never to do anything even remotely dangerous again, because guts spilling out of faces ought to be a once in a lifetime event.

My mom told me I have officially entered the mom club now. So...there's that.

7 Years

When Josh and I got married (you know, back when we had all the answers and knew how to make a marriage work) we made a pact that we would never have the "you forgot our anniversary" fight in our marriage. 

The solution? We were both responsible for it every year and instead of gifts we would give each other an experience. We'd go somewhere, or do something. And we'd plan it together.

So for our 1st anniversary we went to St. George. In July. Because we're idiots. 

2nd anniversary we went on an Alaskan Cruise which I blogged thoroughly. Because we're geniuses.

We spent our 3rd anniversary mini golfing in the middle of the day. Because pregnant girls don't waste vacation time on anniversaries. 

On our 4th anniversary we went camping. And I learned that post-baby there is no modesty between Josh and I.

I think we likely skipped our 5th anniversary. Though I did write some memories of our wedding day. 

And of course last year we went to San Diego.

Earlier this week I started to write the date and recognized the familiar numbers and nearly had a heart attack. I gasped audibly, immediately picked up the phone and called Josh to tell him we were about to forget our anniversary! (remember our deal?)

He told me to chill out and that he had it under control and that all I needed to do was show up on Friday at 3.

So I got off work early yesterday, for megadate because Josh had to work today (our real anniversary). He somehow bribed his younger siblings to come and take care of our kids. Pizza? It's amazing what people who love you will do for a pizza.

First he took me to get a pedicure at a swanky fancy pants salon - which was supposed to be our date of the month a few months ago, but we didn't use it because we suck at DOTM. (Not the best pedicure, but even the worst pedicure is better than a kick in the pants...and most other things too.)

Then, since it was a special occasion, we ate at Panda Express. wha wah waaaahhhhh...... (I do not love that place.) Though eating out without kids meant a Teeny Tiny Napkin Stack which is just about as fancy as I could ask for.

We saw a movie (Now You See Me - so cool).

We window shopped game stores and the mall. 

And finally Josh pulled up to a random Hotel. I didn't know we weren't going home, so I was surprised with the fancy room (most comfortable bed on the planet) a late night swim and a relaxed night. 

But the biggest surprise was that spending the night somewhere meant Josh took the day off work today - megadate was 2 WHOLE DAYS! (Can you imagine? Me niether...) 

We bummed around and wasted our whole morning watching tv (we never do that) and trying to decide if we wanted to go somewhere. Then we learned that John had been barfing all day so we got lunch and came home. 

It's nice to be "away" and irresponsible for a day. 

And today it was especially nice to feel so happy about who I married and our life together.

Things I love about being a working mom

I have a really great job – and it worked out in the only way that would have made me a working mom right now.

I work every afternoon, and I’m with a real estate investor as an assistant – doing a bit of everything. And I really love that. It seems unpopular to say this, but aside from loving the paycheck and the functions of my job, there are things I really do love about being a working mom.

1. Getting dressed. I’m not a girly girl. I am a jeans & t-shirt type, and I’m totally not into fashion. But a required shower & get ready kind of job is good for me. I like getting ready and going somewhere that yoga pants aren't appropriate.
2. Personal space. This might be the hardest part of motherhood for me. The little people touching me constantly. They want my lap, they want to see what happens when they touch my nose. They pull on my shirt to make me follow them. They insist on being carried from the bathroom to the bedroom. They poke my eyes, and head-butt me when I do it wrong. They want to help me stir, cut, & move the food. Wrestle-mania is their favorite part of the day. They can't read a book unless they are sitting on top of me. Both of them. I feel like I’m going to split in two because they’re always always pulling on me. And I hate that.
   But at work (the sun just came out as I typed this...appropriate), I typically go 5 straight hours with no physical contact at all. Occasionally there’s a handshake, but nobody touches my face or my clothes and nobody wants to sit in my chair and nobody breaths in my ears. And that is a thing of beauty.
3. Air conditioning. This summer  could easily be the death of me if I didn't get my 5 hour fix of cool dry air every day. Coming home to my soggy swamp cooler house reminds me just how much I love my comfortable office.
4. I think. At home it's all letters, numbers, colors & shapes. At work it's all accounting, marketing, operations & summaries. It's not that I don't know my preschool information (though when Tommy asks me what yellow & purple make I wonder....is "gross" the right answer? Because it feels right...), it's just that I'm much better at doing the work stuff than I am at teaching the preschool stuff. 
5. Driving alone. I'm learning new songs, I know what's happening "out there" because of the 30 second news breaks. I roll my windows down when I want to and blast the a/c when I feel like it. Nobody whines or kicks the back of my seat. Nobody tells me they want an ice cream cone (though I often stop for one anyway) and nobody expects anything of me. For 12 glorious minutes/day I rock the minivan alone.
6. Coming home. It's true. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. And though I never get to enjoy John's nap or get anything done around here, it's nice to come home having missed my boys.

A Class = Success

In June I was to find & register for a class.

I've been doing a lot of education-y stuff, and I registered for yet another small group class in June. So I'm calling it a success though it isn't anything like I pictured.

This class is something I am totally interested in, and something I definitely need. I have high hopes of learning all kinds of useful information. So hoorah for a success finally!

How does your garden grow?

We spend a lot of time outside looking at our garden area and thinking it looks so great - then we go somewhere (my parent's house) and see that our garden isn't growing quite as fast as we think it is.

BUT it is growing, and it had a later start (because it took me forever to plant things) and it has less than perfect conditions (crappy dirt, spotty water, etc.) and so I still think it's looking GOOOD.

Peppers

tomatoes

corn

Birthday Party

Last week Garret (Tommy's current favorite person) celebrated his 13th birthday.

We had Spiderman cupcakes and a helium balloon to help him celebrate.

Which launched Tommy into full-on birthday mode.

"It's going to be my party soon!" he told me.
"In October" I said.
"Yes. Tock-tober!"

Then he started telling me who would be on the guest list.

"Garret.....
Logzeroo.....
remember your friend about your sister called Sarah?
and Garret......"

He was fully satisfied with the list but wasn't at all satisfied at the thought that we'd wait until October to invite people. So we called and left a message for my sister to tell her that Garret & Logzeroo were invited.

Then he planned the rest of the party (priorities people) spiderman treats. And balloons. And cars and toys and CAKE!!!

So...there's that. Look at me planning things MONTHS before they happen.

Mommy loves Daddy

Tommy must have learned about writing letters lately.

The other day I came home from work and found this gem in an envelope on my desk.

Dear Santa,
Tommy is a great boy.
Mommy loves Daddy.
Dad loves Mommy, Tommy , Johnny.
Mommy loves everybody. 

Tommy now comes up to me multiple times/day with a scrap of paper and a pen and asks me to write a letter for him.

It usually follows the same format.
Dear somebody important
somebody loves somebody else usually a comprehensive list of people we've seen that day.
then a picture.

Little? John

When we go out in public and call him Little John people always smile and tell me how much they love that. They'll likely never know how much I love it. And that's OK. 

But the bigger he gets the more I wonder how long I'll be able to call him Little John. 

He insists that he's ready to graduate out of the high chair and sit at the table like the rest of us. 

He is talking a little more, but the words he knows are not at all important to his ability to communicate. Everybody knows what he wants all the time. 

My favorite is when his eyes light up because he knows something fun will happen. Typically this is because Garret helps him out of the car, and he knows they're going to ride the wiggle car down the street. Bless Garret and his desire to be cool for the kids. It's totally working. They love him. 

Lately John just seems so very large. He walks around everywhere we go, he knows what comes next and he loves to sit around reading books. He's intelligent and engaged in things. He's a far cry from the (adorably mushy) lump of baby we brought home from the hospital a year and a half ago. 

And while I love mushy baby lumps, I REALLY love this learning growing BEING that he is now.