Baby Names

If we ever have another kid, (not likely unless and until Jacob stops screaming all day long) I've decided that I have a new requirement for picking the name. It must be the top option on my blog category listing for it's respective letter. It is just really convenient when I "file" them by tags that "Ben" "Maddie" and "Jacob" come up first. For instance if I push "M" Maddie is the first option. If I want to file under "Brian" I must type all the way to the I in his name to find him. Otherwise I might end up with it filed under Ben, Birthday, Blessings, Blogging or Bragging. See how rough life can be sometimes. I am thinking this is a pretty important rule to stick to as we choose names if that ever becomes and issue again. That is a problem because we really like "Courtney" which falls below cake decorating, camp, canning, cherry blossoms, christmas, church, cleaning, clothes, computer, consignment, cooking, couponing and finally...courtney. Our boy choice isn't quite as bad, Joshua. Jacob is the only other "J" right now. I suppose I could consider typing two letters without too much whining. Gonna have to talk to Brian and either choose a new name or get my tubes tied. UPDATE: No, this is not an announcement! More than one person has asked now. What, do you think I'm nuts? I already can't get over that I have three kids five and under. Suppose it could be "worse," right Cath? Five kids under four (almost)?? Wink, wink. We're not all as amazing as the Arveseths.

Maddie Mae Tonight

Running into kitchen crying after wrestling wtih Ben. "Mom!" wimper, wimper, wimper. "I hurt my forehead." Slight pause and a smile breaks out. "I mean I hurt my three head cause I'm three." She was totally serious. Ben calls from the other room, "Maddie, I have a five head?" Maddie, "No. You have a forehead." Mom finishes clearing the food from the kitchen table and goes to give the kids a five minute warning that we will be having baths tonight. Maddie Mae says, "Okay Mom, but not the Kristie way." I smile and ask why not. "Cause she dumps the water all over my head and it goes in my eyes and my mouth and then I cry, cry, cry."

Maddie Mae Today

Maddie Mae has had some trouble having any affections for anyone of the opposite gender. She even says she doesn't like Daddy, Ben or Jacob. All boys are mean and she doesn't like anyone of them. Today she told me, "I like you. And I like Dad. And I like boys a little bit now." Progress. When we went to the Hyatts today I knocked at the front door and waited patiently for them to answer. Maddie waited all of ten seconds and then grabbed the handle and said, "I can do it Mom." It was as if she thought I didn't know how to open the door. Kind of cute. I guess we know she's comfortable at the Hyatt's home. Finally, Maddie Mae asked this morning, "Is it a trick-or-treat day today?" I told her not today, we had to wait five more days. With some concern, she then probed, "Is it a lunch or a dinner day then?" Guess she was worried about starving to death. We got that all squared away. I promised that she could eat today.

"I'm About Super-ed Out"

Though there were many a quote offered by Mitch Miles, that one is my favorite. Marti was doing the Super Saturday craft extravaganza in 2006 and had stuff all over the entire main floor of the house for weeks on end. Mitch remained silent. Until he was asked about it one day when we were over for dinner. With a very tight lip, he simply responded, "I'm about Super-ed Out."

That's how I feel right now. I'm completely super-ed out tonight. I did it solo in 2007 and it about killed me. Hundreds of dollars of widgets and junk were purchased so that everyone could have a great evening of fun together. I worked endless hours until the middle of the night often. My back and my body hurt. I made countless trips to Wal-Mart, AC Moore and Michaels buying and returning, using coupons and the like to save everyone money. The night turned out great. I made a mental "lessons learned" list and filed the experience away in the far corners of my mind. The only thing I remembered for sure was DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN! Way too much for one person to do.

Last year the gal in charge of the women's group delivered a baby about four weeks before I had put it on the calendar. She was wiser than I and cancelled it for the year. This September I was put back in the womens group and started to wonder if maybe I should consider doing it again, the old memories started to come back. When I was released from my job with the youth, I felt very much directed to stop all the extra stuff in my life and focus on my family. I made a firm decision to NOT get involved and to never suggest it to anyone.

We finally got a new leader for the enrichment committee (or whatever we are calling it these days). First item of business was a request from our president that we...have Super Saturday. And get this. Have it in four and a half weeks. Eeeekkkkk!!! Super Saturdays take two months minimum to get ready. But like a good little girl..."I will go...I will do...a super saturday" Isn't that the way the children's song goes? Anyway, here I am again. And I'm all super-ed out.

But since the work is already mostly put together and done, here is what we're doing.

Handmade cards $4 for 10

Personalized Hand Soap Dispensers (or Antibacterial Stuff) $3

Beaded Bookmarks $6

Nativity Story Cube $10

www.sayitonthewall.com

(roll the 4" cube, teach kids about part of the story that comes up)

Don't forget to sign up and come. Hopefully in three weeks I'll be recovered enough to enjoy crafting again.

Coming Soon - Maddie's New Look

Yep. Maddie Mae needs glasses. At least I didn't cry this time like I did when Ben needed them. When the doctor told me he would need glasses, I cried a deep, bottom of your soul, broken heart sort of cry for a couple nights in a row. Sadness consumed my thoughts. It was mostly because I feared for him. I was teased about my glasses and they were a large ingredient in my self esteem issues and they fed the ever present depression I struggled with as a child and adolescent. I just didn't want any of that for him. My heart broke because I want him to be happy. To feel good inside and out. To never be teased or put down for something he can't change. I want him to have a picture perfect life I guess. I didn't cry over Maddie Mae. It wasn't because I love her less. It still hurt. I still don't like it. I still want her perfect little baby face to be unblemished by signs of imperfection. I just was more prepared to accept it with a stiff upper lip I guess. I still gaze at her gorgeous profile and mourn the loss of it that is soon to come.

We went to the eye doctor last week for a Maddie check. I hadn't had any real signs she might need glasses, but I didn't really feel like there were signs with Ben until about a month or two before he got them. Then, I didn't want to see the signs I kind of knew I was noticing. He just seemed to get more clumsy. Since the visit only cost us $5 after insurance, I figured we ought to get Maddie checked in time to budget glasses if we needed to buy them next year with our flex spending and it's almost time to pick that magic number for 2010. If we did have trouble, I didn't want to wait another year until her pediatrician told me I had to go see an eye doctor.

Since Ben already has glasses and she always wants to have some too, I figured it would be an easy appointment. I worked for days to get her all excited about it. The morning of the appointment we played the spoon game, covering one eye and telling what we can see with the other. We guessed what color the doctors spoon would be. Turns out it was white. Once we got there, I had to do the paperwork. In the 60 seconds it took me to write her name and birthday on the paper she clammed up completely. Not good. She crawled under my chair. I had zero success at coercing her out happily.

When we went in the exam room, there was NO WAY she was sitting in the chair with or without me. For almost fifteen minutes she laid on the floor. Neither of us could get her to look in the magic glasses to see the floating butterfly or anything else. It was so frustrating. Then the office phone rang. The doc is a one man show. No secretary or anything, so I told him he might as well answer. He said he'd give us a minute to see if I could make any progress. The instant the exam room door clicked shut she perked up. Like we flipped on the happy switch.

Maddie started asking what is this and what is that and how many phones does the doctor have and what does that button do. After a few calm minutes I probed what was wrong with the big chair if she sat on my lap. I told her how she always makes good choices and this one could be a good choice too if she let the doctor see her pretty eyes. She got sad and looked at the floor as she explained that she makes bad choices and it makes mommy sad. I reasurred that she was a good girl and made good choices. She corrected me, "No I don't! I poop in my diaper." After some heart to heart talking I realized that she was feeling bad about herself because she poops in her diaper and it makes mommy sad. I asked if she wanted to poop in her diaper right now. She looked up and told me with a huge smile, "Yes!" I granted permission. She didn't actually do it, but knowing she could totally changed her mood. No problems the rest of the visit. I also promised her lollipops if she cooperated. As far as the doctor knows, that did the trick. I didn't know exactly how to explain the real root cause of her trouble. That was just a little bit too weird for me.

After a few minutes of looking in her eyes I was dying to know what he was finding. Is it okay? Are her eyes perfect? No glasses, right? I had a zillion questions running through my head. It took every ounce of self restraint to not ask what he was finding as he was examining her. I was only able to hold my tongue in fear of freaking Maddie out or distracting her from looking where he needed her to look and having the whole thing blow up in my face. Eventually, it was obvious to me, even through the iron curtain of denial I was facing in my heart. If her eyes were fine, he would have finished his inspections a long time ago. We had a problem. Finally, after eons of time, he confirmed, "Well, she has the Zufelt eyes." My reply was simple. "No. She has Robinson eyes. Zufelt eyes are better than perfect."

He did his best guess at a prescription based on her reasonable cooperativity. Then we picked frames. Of course she wanted the pink ones. Her little head is so small they don't have them in both pink AND bendy, indestructable, fold them in half then drive over them with a diesel truck style of frames more appropriate for the barely three year old that she is. Oh well. We got her a nice little pair all written up. I'll order them first of January. She is pretty excited. For now, she can wear the super stylish ones I made her of pipe cleaners in the picture. They make her pretty happy too. I'm sure there is a pink pair of glasses in our future not too many years down the road.

How To Eat A Giraffe

Jacob had a blast playing with the big girl giraffe today. Maddie would put her head down so the giraffe nose would bump Jacob's head and he would giggle and wiggle like a crazy person. It was adorable and so fun to see her having fun with her little brother. She is still exploring this whole scenario where she is the oldest one and can be the leader in the house. I think she likes it.

My Daughter Named Mary

Ben and Maddie played the nativity story last Christmas. Every so often they will put blankets on their heads and play again, but it isn't often. Ben used to be Joseph and Maddie was Mary. The last two weeks they have played house nonstop. Ben is a cat. Maddie is the mother. Her name is Mary. Ben calls her Mary in everyday life too. Lately, he says Mary more than he says Maddie. It's cute and she loves it. Sort of makes me want to change her name.