OCD Wannabe

Last night, I discovered that our closet really IS a walk-in closet, or at least now I know it CAN be. Of course, I had to go on an archeological dig to find it, but now it's so clean I could live in it if I had to! I thought I would take the time to share ten of the most random things that I found hidden among 6 1/2 years worth of "collectibles":

1 unopened letter containing a vehicle registration sticker which expired in 2003 (Oops!)
1 pair of men's tap shoes (I told Chris that if he made me keep them, I better see him tap!)
1 name tag w/pin from the Sealing Room (his), presumably from our wedding day
1 fortune that reads: "New financial resources will soon become available to you." (Ahem!)
1 pair of blue gym shorts with the gray felt initials "RS" ironed on (mine from 6th grade, and, yes, clean!)
1 post-surgical xray film
1 petticoat (never worn)
1 original piece of poetry (a priceless heirloom to be handed down to all of our posterity) written by Chris' mom about the kind of wife he was supposed to marry. Here's my favorite line: "Five foot eight, or six, or two, She'll stand much taller next to you." HA!
1 book, entitled "The Portable Therapist: Wise and Inspiring Answers to the Questions People in Therapy Ask Most..." (never read--think I'll add that to my shelf now!)

AND

1 very informative packet: "HOW TO ORGANIZE A CLOSET"

Future Spelling Bee Champ

This weekend, Zachary successfully learned how to spell his full name! That's pretty amazing, if you ask me, since people have always reassured me that he would probably figure it out by the time he hit the 5th grade. What should we work on next? Algebra?

Sick, but still sweet

Little Zachary is sick today, although he doesn't even seem to notice. He's slept most of the afternoon away which was the first sign I noticed. This kid doesn't nap...EVER. He has a fever of almost 102. I couldn't get an accurate reading, though, because he was getting upset that I was even trying to do that without apparent reason. He wouldn't keep the thermometer under his tongue, so I tried taking it under his arm, but he said, "My arm's fine." It's sort of scary when you know your kid is sick and he insists he isn't even though his cheeks are flushed with fever and his eyes are glassy. Makes me worry that he's just going to peacefully go to sleep and not wake up. (Yes, I'm feeling a bit paranoid.) So, I press lightly on his throat and ask if that hurts, since strep is going around. I ask if his ears hurt or his tummy. "No" to all of those things. "Are you tired?" There's one I'm sure he'll say "yes" to. But, no. He's totally well...except he isn't. He didn't drink his juice or eat his snack earlier, so I just tried to offer it to him again, "No thank you, Mommy." I bring his pillow and blanket, and his stuffed bunny is always welcome. "Do you want to watch something?" "Clifford's Pets, o' course." No matter that this is the 3rd (or is it the 4th?) time I've started this movie today and he's fallen asleep in it. And? He wants his Mommy to come sit with him.

No Paycheck Necessary

To the cutest, sweetest, most wonderful bosses I've ever had (or likely ever will): I love my job so much that I will do this one for free. You pay me in smiles, and I am filthy rich!

"Next up on the beam..."

Here's the Beef

Zachary: "Look, Mommy, what I'm eating! It's helfy for me!"


By the way, in case you can't tell, that's a huge wad of leftover lasagna noodles, cold, rubberized and straight out of the fridge. And just look at that smile across his face! The lasagna I spent 2 hours making the night before? He took one bite, said "Mommy, that's grrrrrrEAT!" And then he wouldn't touch another bite.

I think I'll take an early retirement from home-cooked meals. And would you like fries with that?!

Revelation

This morning, two hours earlier than my kids normally get up, I awoke to the sounds of Zachary sobbing in his room. I dragged myself out of bed and went to go check on him and asked if he'd had a bad dream, to which he just said, "I neeeeeed wooo!" I gave him a hug to comfort him, and then guess who should also start "crying". It was a pathetic little fake cry, because Ashley has to do everything that Zachary does. So, I got her out of her crib to offer some "fake" comfort to her (just kidding!) and then everyone was fine again. Suddenly, in a moment of sheer enlightenment, Zachary looked at Ashley, the two of them sitting happily side-by-side with their legs dangling over the side of the bed, and he exclaimed, "Hey! We're KIDS!!!" With that epiphany, my world is suddenly starting to make more sense to me!

(And, content with that simple explanation for why I had to sacrifice TWO FULL HOURS of sleep, I sent the kids on a hunt to find all of their warm, fuzzy blankets and then asked them to pile them all on top of me until I couldn't see (or breathe) anymore. It worked! I got another minute or two of much-needed sleep.)