I'll get back to you...or not

There are some things about myself that I probably should change, but probably won't.  I should be better at returning phone calls, text messages and email.  I am horrible when it comes to this.  It's not that I don't want to get back to you, I really do have every intention of doing it.  Then, I get busy, I forget or I can't think of what to say.  When I do, it's been so long that it seems pretty silly to return the message. 

I also have the bad habit of collecting voice mail.  I don't listen to my messages until I have about 10 of them.  Let me tell you, sometimes, that could take quite a while.  By the time I listen to them, I can just erase them all because they are no longer important. 

Call it what you will-bad manners, laziness, horrible social skills.  I know.  I wish I could change.  Maybe someday.

10 Thoughts Better Left Unsaid

1.  "I hope you're finished [having babies].  Don't you think you have enough [children]?"

      I don't understand why the number of children I have offends so many people.  Are you paying for college?  No?  Then why do you care if I have more babies?  Also, my baby is only 4 months old.  Why do I have to decide right now if we're going to have more?

2.  "They're getting so big.  Soon, they'll all be in school and you'll have to get a real job."

      Well, tell me what you really think about the job I do.  Why is managing a family of 6 not a real job?  It is not an easy job.  It is sometimes very taxing and it never ends.  Is lack of a paycheck the only thing that keeps it from being a real job or is there more?

3.  Don't refer to my baby as "it".

     There is never a situation where this is acceptable.  If you can't tell if the baby is a boy or girl, ask!  Even calling my baby girl him is a better, less offensive alternative to "it".  She is a tiny person, not a belonging!

4.  "I'm sorry you never got your boy."

     I suppose that there are people out there who are seriously put off by the sex of their child, but I can't imagine there are many.  Do I look like one of these people?  I love my children no matter what they do or who they are.  Why would you think I'd care if I have boys or girls?  Even if I am still holding out hope for a boy (which I'm not), there is still plenty of time.

5.  "You're a mother of 4?  I don't believe it.  Well, maybe I do."

      It has happened more than once that someone has told me that I don't look old enough to have 4 kids.  Then, they catch a glimpse of the size of my ass and seem to change their mind.  Yes, I know it's big.  It has to be.  I have 4 kids following behind me too closely and running into it all day long.

6.  "How does she (the baby) sleep at night?"

     I have a lot of problems with this question.  Does it really matter how she sleeps at night as long as we're getting enough rest every day?  If I say that she doesn't sleep well, will I get advice on how to "fix her"?  If I say that she sleeps great...with me, will I get a lecture on how unsafe and unwise that is?  I think a better question to ask a mom is "are you getting enough rest? how can I help?".

7.  "Whoa, you have your hands full."

      Yes, my hands, my car, my house, my bed and my heart.

8.  "None of your kids has ever had a shot?  Do you want them to get sick?  You know they can't go to school, right?"

     I especially hate this coming from medical professionals.  There have been times when my children have seen doctors other than their own and we have been lectured.  The obvious answer is NO, I do not want my children to get sick.  That is why I have spent so much time reading books and educating myself on vaccines, their ingredients, safety and statistics.  How many of your other patients can say that? 
Also, my children can go to school.  Our beliefs are protected by law.

9.  "You're pregnant again?  You know how that happens, right?"

     I'm not even sure what to say about this.  This is especially a favorite among old men.  I'm not sure I've ever had a woman say this to me.  What do you want me to say?  You mean, it's not in the water?  yuck yuck yuck...

10.  "Wouldn't she be more satisfied with formula?"

        I'm not going to lie, it took me four children to not let this one get to me.  With my first 3, I was naive enough to believe that she would.  Now, I know better.  Everyone knows that breastfeeding is best for the baby, so why so much discouragement?  Why not try saying "Isn't it wonderful that you get to spend all that extra time with the baby while you're nursing?". 

Separation

Georgia also started pre-k this week. 

She goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

We never questioned whether Corrina or Kennedy were ready.  We knew they were, but George?  There's a lot of doubt there. 

She's very needy and demanding and energetic. 

She's never spent any amount of time without a member of her family. 

She did well on the first day, though.  She may make it through the school year after all.  And if not?  At least we tried and I'll be happy to have her home.  I think she'll surprise us.  She usually does.

Small Town

The only thing missing from date night was ______________.

Ordinary Moments

My life

is one long string of ordinary moments

tied together

by extraordinary people

you can find more ordinary moments at

  



Excitement

Kennedy started pre-k this week. 

There's not too much to say about this except that she is so happy.

She goes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 

George goes on Tuesday and Thursday.  This means that I have extra time with Ken on those days!

A Fresh Start

It's been a busy week around here with school starting and soccer starting and ordinary routines begging not to be ignored. 
Corrina started the 2nd grade.  I can't seem to get over the fact that I am the mother of a second grader!  It doesn't seem that long ago that I was in the 2nd grade and starting a new school.  It just doesn't seem possible, but...it is. 
She has so many expectations for this school year and I can't help but be excited right along with her.  I hope her enthusiasm lasts for a while. 

My husband and I got to go on a date last week!  He took me to dinner, then we went to a church picnic for a while (i will not complain about this last part. it's hard though).  When it started to rain, we took refuge under the band tent where my husband kept crowding, breathing on and dripping beer on an old lady.  Last night, I walked in to the 2nd grade parent meeting and realized that lady is Corrina's teacher.  Excellent start to the school year.  Note to self:  Even though the children aren't around, you should probably still watch what you say and try not to talk like a sailor.  OOPS.

Last day of Summer Vacation

I am so ________________!

The Space Between

circa 2007

This morning, I was woken by the sound of Corrina giggling.  It was such a nice sound to hear, though kind of foreign these days.  It was a happy laugh, sincere.  It was 6:30.  I wanted to go see what was so funny so early in the morning, to join in the giggling, but I didn't.  I knew that the laughter would stop when I walked in the room.  I knew that when I left her room, she would probably be mad or crying or both and I would feel lost, confused and guilty.  It almost always ends that way these days. 

Georgia wrapped her arms around my neck and Stella grabbed my hand.  I remembered that it wasn't that long ago when Corrina knew that she needed me and wanted me.  It wasn't that long ago when I was sure what was best for her and knew that I would be able to give it to her.  It wasn't that long ago when this chasm between us was nonexistent.

What A Pair

Could these two be any more ____________?

Sweet Comfort

As an Infantino test Drive Mom, I was given the opportunity to try out their Comforting Play Collection.  Given that Stella is only 3 months old, I was doubtful that we would get much use out of it.  I was wrong, though.  It couldn't have arrived at a better time.  As it turns out, the things I turned my nose up at the most are Stella's favorites.  Even the baby likes to prove me wrong.  She absolutely loves the Hug & Tug Wooly Pal and the Soothing Hand Squeezies. 

I didn't think we'd get much use out of the Sweet Bee Scented Pal or the Tag Along Chimes.  They attach to a car seat or stroller and honestly, we hardly leave the house.  We did find use for them, though.  Stella likes to play with them when I attach them to the rings of the sling.

Th Ouchie Pal is a pooch filled with buckwheat and can be chilled in the refrigerator and applied to bumps and bruises.  Obviously, Stella does not need this, but I highly recommend it to any family who has a kid like George.  She gets hurt a lot and doesn't like to be comforted.  She loves it.

The whole collection is just so adorable, cuddly and gender neutral so it's perfect for a shower gift.  I love that the Sweet Serenade Crib toy is so simple.  It works only with a pull string.  There aren't lights or never ending music, sounds and motion.  You can't just turn it on and walk away, forgetting to interact with your baby.  Another thing I love is that the music box on the Soothing Cuddle Pup is removable so that it can be washed.

You can learn more about the Infantino Comforting Play Collection here.  You can also find Infantino on Twitter, Facebook and You Tube. 

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter or "like" me on Facebook.

I am a participant in a Mom Central Consulting campaign for Infantino and have received various Infantino products as part of my participation.

Precocious, Indeed

I have finally had to come to terms with something I've been avoiding for a while.  I've written before about things that are bothering Corrina and problems we've been experiencing.  It's time for me to accept the fact that my 7 year old is going through puberty and that this is most likely the underlying cause of everything that is going on with her.

What does this mean for us?  She'll see her doctor sometime in the next couple weeks and determine if she needs to see a specialist.  We need to make sure that there isn't a bigger medical issue causing it.  Then what?  I'm not sure.  There are drugs to take that can slow down the process, but I'm not sure how comfortable I am with that.  Is it my job to decide when her body is allowed to develop?  However, it is my job to protect her and educate her.  Educating isn't really the hard part.  It's not that hard to talk to her about periods and body parts because she isn't old enough to find it amusing or embarrassing.  The hard part is trying to figure out how to keep her from being singled out, being made an example of, and keeping her safe. 
It's hard for me to look at her sometimes and remember that she is only 7, so I'm sure that it's difficult for others too.  Her body is at least 3 years older than it should be. 

Oh, my, and the emotions are out of this world.  One minute she's fine, the next, no one understands her, the next, she hates everyone.  Sometimes, it's hard for me to think of anything but how hard this is for me to deal with.  I'm trying to keep things in perspective, though.  This isn't happening to me.  I can't even imagine how hard it is for her to deal with. 

Hopefully, we can get some answers soon.  I'm worried about how this will affect her in the long run.  If this is happening now, what happens when she's older and is supposed to be going through this?  She's always been tall, but will this affect her growth when she's older?  For now, though, we're just trying to get through the day with as few tears as possible.

Trying to Mend My Slacker Ways

It is becoming increasingly harder to get here and write.  I'm trying to, though.  I think I'll just have to suck it up and write more posts with one hand (like now) or actually make myself stay up past 9:00pm to write.  I do have a few things in the works.  I just need to find time to finish them. 

I can't believe summer is almost over.  We registered Corrina for school last night.  We have done absolutely nothing this summer.  I feel awful.  I keep telling myself it's only one summer and next year Stella will be older and we'll be able to do more.  This kind of feels like a cop out answer, though. 
Tomorrow, I will be buying plane tickets and booking a hotel for a trip I'm taking in September.  I am going to Florida to visit my mom with my mom's twin sister to celebrate their 50th birthday.  I'm very excited, but have to admit that the thought of 3 days away from home right now kind of puts my stomach in knots. 

I've also come to the conclusion that I need to do more to help others.  My mind is home to a vast expanse of knowledge, so I've decided to start a Q & A here on The Drunken Housewife.  That's right, folks.  You ask your questions and I will answer them to the best of my ability!  I know everyone has questions that they've been saving just in case they ever found a frazzled housewife who lives in the middle of nowhere.  So, go ahead, ask away!  Need advice on settling an argument with your neighbor?  Looking for a recipe or recommendations on what kind of booze to drink?    Want to break up with your boyfriend or deal with your pesky mother-in-law?  You can ask your questions on facebook or twitter.  You can also email me at drnknhousewife@gmail.com or just leave your question in the comments!