Birthday fun

We had a lot of fun for my birthday last week. The homemade ice cream cake was very delicious and the Outdoor Challenge game for Wii is a lot of fun. It is a great form of exercise if only I find time to do it once a day I could actually start dropping some weight!

Matt was really sick last weekend. The boys cold at the beginning of the month caught up with him. Now he is feeling better and the boys are sneezing and coughing (not covering their mouths) once again. We still managed to get outside last week when the weather was nice (and not so nice for soccer practice). I had the boys playing in the backyard as the ground was pretty dry. James made a comment that it felt like we were playing in our very own park!

I have been recording Ace of Cakes on Thursday nights. The boys and I have really enjoyed watching that show. Now that John's birthday is around the corner the kid has a big imagination as to what he wants his cake to look like thanks to the show. He decided he wants a baseball themed cake (he has this every year and I think its cute). Today he was telling me how the cake needs to have a scoreboard. I made him sit down and draw what he thought this cake might look like - hoping he would not include stands for the fans. Luckily it did not. I found a new fondant recipe online and was thinking about using it but I am not sure if I can find all the ingredients in the regular grocery store because it is not everyday that I look for unflavored gelatin mix. I think I'm up for this challenge and then I think - when in the heck am I going to work on this? I'm also wondering when we are going to cut into the cake. John and James have their first soccer game on his birthday. Game time is at 6pm. Normally we would celebrate that evening but I'm thinking we will have to sing and eat cake on Monday because they also have a game on Wednesday. I hate to wait until Thursday or Friday until my parents (who may or may not be coming for Easter) arrive. He will definitely get his present on his birthday. I'm sure this will new Wii baseball game will be really fun after Matt plays it a few times and shows him how it works. Lucky for me James wants to have a Wiggles themed cake - just like last year. I'm going to have to think of something new for him and within my skill level!

The difference between Catholic school & public school

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

So Patrick thinks a new Irish saying should be Patrick Go Naked as he kept taking off his clothes and pull up this morning. Finally I put a diaper on him after he used the bathroom and that seemed to keep things a little less naked. I took the boys out to by ANOTHER cheap frame from Marcs so I could use the glass for an existing frame on my wall. The boys have now broke it twice. I bought two frames in case this happens again. We also picked up some doughnuts to have for our St. Patrick's Day party and then goofy pictures followed - the kind that makes my husband cringe. I'm sorry I don't have girls so I have to make the boys handsome and cute as I can while they are little. Check them out - www.flickr.com/photos/keopix

Who is Bugs Bunny? That is the question from John when I told him he was in the Cleveland St. Patrick's Day parade. Bugs isn't on Disney so I guess that is a fair question. It just makes me feel OLD.

We just got John off the bus a few minutes ago and the weather is pleasantly warm. Even before school it was still a bit chilly. I'm excited that I planned on cooking out on the grill tonight. I'm sure I will be anxious for the boys to go to bed so I can have a Guinness.

John has a lot on his mind

Lately John has been talking about death a lot. I'm not sure if Lent has something to do with it or not. He wants to know if you have to brush your teeth in heaven. He wants to know who I'm going to speak with when I get there. Apparently John Quincy Adams and Abraham Lincoln are high on his list. He sometimes says he wants to go there to find out. I told him I hope he doesn't because I want him to have a long and wonderful life.

John also asked me this evening if I liked the house we live in. I said yes don't you? He said no. I said what is your problem with it? He said its not like a Japan House. Not sure what that means or where that came from. I think this is where the comment came in "I'm losing my mind - it is so tired". No kidding you are overthinking things way to much!

The kids had cabin fever bad enough that they asked me to go outside after dinner. Apparently John didn't have today's weather by the hour memorized because he didn't say anything about it being cold until we went outside. We lasted maybe 10 minutes. John and James got a few swings in, Patrick had a few laps around the driveway, and Tommy walked around the driveway and backyard. What was nice about today was there wasn't that much mud so if the kids did go in the yard it wasn't much of a problem.

Oh - and the most funniest thing this week happened yesterday. I sent John and James to use the bathroom - I forget why but they both did as I asked. I got distracted by Patrick and Thomas and after a few minutes I'm thinking how long does it take two boys to relieve themselves standing up? Well John decided he had other business to attend to and James decided to stay and keep him company. I found them both reviewing the latest Target toy catalog that came in the mail. A few times I got lucky this week and Patrick pooped in the potty.

I'm hoping Tommy doesn't pick up every bad habit that Patrick shows him. Patrick likes to stand on toys so he can plant himself right in front of the TV in our living room. Tommy has quickly learned this trick. Patrick likes to wake up early (I'm talking 5:30am) Tommy for the past two days has been up between 5:35 and 5:45 - way too early for him. Yesterday I took the kids to the store so he could have about a 5 minute nap in the car. Today he started his nap around 12:30. He would have gone to 4pm but Patrick again woke him up.

Am I old?

Well on Saturday I was purchasing adult beverages for Matt and I at Giant Eagle. I was happy when the clerk asked to see my I.D. I even thanked her - which made her laugh. Today John was rambling on about basketball and saying that I need to show Dad how to play basketball because he never played when he was younger and that I used to play "back in the old days". I guess that means I'm coming of age like a fine wine that I can now talk about "back in the old days".

Matt and I have the kids colds and Patrick is sneezing a lot. Tommy seems to be much better which is good. I don't have much of a voice so the kids are choosing to ignore me when I ask them to do something or am telling them to stop.

I wish John would stop being petty about certain things - like who is first on the bus or off the bus. Today I made him and the neighbor boy stand on the porch until the bus was coming around the corner because it was raining. When they confirmed with me the bus was coming they both took off and John was using elbows. He was first on the bus. After school he got off the bus, crossed the street and started to cry because he wanted to be first. I told him everyone has to take turns at being first. I can't wait to talk about this with him when it is "back in the old days" for him!

James' First Day of School (sort of)

Well James had a great first day of school. He is in a class with two other girls. The girls are daughters of friends from high school. I was hoping the class would let James be more independent but the teacher didn't have a problem with my clan being in there. She even let them participate. Of course John enjoyed it and I think Patrick did too. James really had a good time. They colored a picture, did an art project, then talked about patterns, colors and counting, and had a matching game. The teacher had planned a story as well but they ran out of time. All that school wore Tommy out. He was out on the way home. After I got him out of his coat and shoes off I put him in the high chair because I was getting lunch together - he still was sleeping! After I wrestled Patrick into the house I decided that the boy could no longer nap because that would screw up my work time. I'm glad I pre-planned lunch and had it ready to go. Sometimes getting everyone from the car to the house and into the house can be a challenge. At least it is only once a week. I think I will sign James up for April and May. Hopefully the other girls will be in the class so there is enough to hold the class. I think they have to have 2 kids to hold the class. Patrick isn't old enough - he needs to be 2 1/2. Hopefully as the weather warms up we can pack a lunch and eat at the park and either come home or drop John off at school.

And back to the doctors we go!

So last Thursday night Tommy starts having a nice little cough. Still coughing Friday. Saturday his left eye on the bottom lid looks a little red, still coughing and during church he gets a fever. Sunday, still fevered, eye lid still a little tender but now his sneezes are more and plenty of wiping going on with each sneeze. Yesterday his eye lid is still red, nose still running. I was going to make an appointment but it didn't look that terrible. I thought is was related to the cold and the doctor would tell me that and that was that. Yesterday afternoon and last night he had trouble sleeping. When we was up in the middle of the night the area right below is eye was puffy. This morning still puffy. He looked like he was in the losing end of a fight. I made him a appointment thinking blocked duct, eye infection - who knows what else. The doctor said it was related to the cold - to put a cold compress on it (as he allows me too) and he gave me a prescription for amoxicillin. He didn't want whatever was going on to turn into cellulitis. I guess if Tommy gets that he would have to go to the hospital to be hooked up to an IV for treatment. That little fellow has been through enough that I'm glad we are going this route. The doctor was not comfortable with just leaving it go without anything even though he thinks it would go away on its own. I took all the boys with me to the doctors. We were lucky to have a great parking spot and Tommy sleep on the way to and from the office. I told the boys (especially James) that I would buy them lunch if they behaved and didn't mention they had something wrong with their tongue. I don't know why but James prays that his tongue feels better every night. James brings this up and John chimes in too. I said this is not the appointment to bring this up. They didn't and we had a great lunch from Wendy's. I was brave enough not even to use a stroller. I brought the umbrella stroller for Tommy but was thinking why bother - once we get into the doctors office he would be out of it. The main key was to hold onto Patrick's hand in the parking lot. He was good about holding John's until I got Tommy out of the car.

Patrick is potty training very well. Unfortunately he is a PITA about it some of the time. Every time I want one of the older boys to go he chimes in that he has to go. Then when I say its your turn he is no where to be found. He was on the potty this morning and John said he had to go. I said let me get Patrick off first then I realized he was pooping in the potty. That was great until I'm putting on his pull up and he tells me he has to pee. I will be relieved when all the boys are trained and no one is afraid to go to the basement to take care of business.

Tomorrow James is going to a "snapshot of preschool" class that is offered by our city. It meets once a week for an hour for the month. I hope he goes into class without much incident and likes it. I just don't want to have to sit there with the other boys. I'm hoping we can walk around the gym with the Senior Citizens. I think it will be too cold to walk outside around the park and I don't really want to leave James in case he does have a problem (like to go to the library down the street). James think he will talk about Dr. Seuss. John's class has been talking about it because it was Dr. Seuss' birthday on Monday.

John had his class picture today. I'm curious to see how many kids were looking at the camera and what goofy expressions they had on their face that they may regret someday.

Tonight I'm going to John's baseball meeting. I guess they are big into fundraising since the mayor didn't allow the leagues to raise the prices. I hope its not a waste of my time. Matt is going to his 25th reunion planning meeting tomorrow. I hope he enjoys himself.