A New Award

I didn't watch the Oscars- in fact, I never watch any of those kinds of things. The closest I get is to look at msn.com's Undressed! pictures and laugh at the things some people think are fashionable (for example: http://movies.msn.com/movies/oscars2006/worstfashion/?photoidx=1).

However, as I was perusing these last few weeks of pictures, I started pondering another type of award: The Laziest Mom of the Year Award! I had been slipping up lately and was almost out of the running, but this month I have found myself as a serious contender again. Every now and then I do a few things that count against me toward earning this honor, but for the most part I just keep tallying up the score!



This one probably counted against me- Wyatt got a HUGE teddy bear for Valentine's Day. He'll be moving to his own room soon, so I wanted him to have a friend to take with him clear to the other end of the house. I worked the night before, so I got home in the morning, woke him up, and put this gigantic bear in his crib. At first he wasn't so sure...


...checking him out up close...


...yeah, I guess I like him.



He kept calling him Baby Bear. That made me laugh.



Some moms give their kids trendy clothes and fun, educational toys. My kids get whatever they can find. He's wearing Jana's headband like a necklace, and playing with a flashlight. He seemed to be enjoying himself, at least.



I'm not sure how this one goes. At least he's learning to economize space- why have a food bowl and a water bowl when you can combine them ALL in to one? (Maybe because the dog won't eat soggy water-logged kibbles?)



He woke up from his nap and I came in to find he organized his crib while he was waiting for me. I guess my chances of this prestigious award go down when you consider that the kid sings the Clean-up Song even when Mom's not around. Although sometimes I hear it like this:
Clean-up! Clean up! (*whump*) Everybody (*whump*) everywhere!
Clean-up! (*whump*) Clean-up! Everybody do your (*whump*) share!
This version means he's cleaned up the crib by throwing everything out of it.


This day really boosted my chances. My kids were playing in the front room while I went to read the beginning of Midnight Sun again. It got really quiet (this strikes terror into the heart of a mom), so I went to see what they were doing. Jana passed out on the floor-



-and Wyatt turned the swing on, climbed in, and went to sleep. Only the best of the lazy moms can get their kids to nap without any direction from the parent! Woo hoo!



A few days later. I bought them cute matching headrest pillows for Christmas, but Wyatt seems to prefer a blankie and Mickey in the laundry basket. Another remarkable point in my favor is that my 4 month-old totally watches tv. I didn't even think she could see the screen from more than a few feet yet. I think I'm winning!



I told Wyatt to go get in his highchair. I guess he thought I wouldn't notice the difference. Does it count against my earning my award that I did in fact notice it wasn't Wyatt?


Wyatt loves PB&J, but we only have it when I'm feeling up to cleaning it up afterwards. Just the best of us lazy moms dictate the menu by whether we want to clean. Go, Melody!



This has nothing to do with anything. I just wanted a picture of Skeeter. He got his teeth brushed with his favorite chicken-flavored dog toothpaste.



Do you think she knows it's not her mom playing with her but instead a plastic pumpkin bucket?


I hope you caught the tongue-in-cheek tenor of my posting. While I am kind of hard on myself sometimes, I also know it's foolish to try and make myself run faster than I have strength, or expect to be perfect all the time. The best I can do is try to be perfect sometimes and even if I never quite get it right, I am confident that I would still be a shoo-in for the Mom Who Loves Her Family More Than Anything award!

Busy busy busy

Sometimes I think I'm a really busy person. Sometimes I think that's self-inflicted.

Sometimes I think Wyatt is really busy, but he has a lot of important work to do and things to explore. Far be it for me or my ritualistic cleaning to get in the way.

Here's how being busy influenced us today...



I confess that I turn to these Homestyle Bakes on nights when I otherwise wouldn't cook at all. Jana has been really out of sorts today, and while I was busy not putting her down (she'd have none of that), I made an interesting discovery: these can be prepared and put in to bake with JUST ONE HAND! That's right, I made dinner without putting Jana down. So dear Homestyle Bakes, thank you.


Here Wyatt is busy throwing himself on the bed and laughing like a loon. Skeeter was busy keeping watch, as usual.



One item on his to-do list: knock over the hamper, empty it, and open the blinds.
Check.



Take random items out of several different drawers, leave where they can be stepped on.
Check.



Somehow manage to get frosting on toes.
Check.
(It was really funny to see him trying to lick it off, but I wasn't fast enough with the camera!)



Frost cookie. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Eat cookie.
Check.

Before it sounds like I'm complaining, I have to say that more often than not I laugh at his antics (except yesterday when he found a VHS and removed the tape and threaded it through the baby gate) and am pleased that he's discovering new things. And I laughed out loud after this conversation today:

Mom, putting a pan of cookies in the oven: "There go the cookies!"
Wyatt, looking through the oven window: "Bye, cookies! I love you!"

Having a Good Time!

I am happy to report that...I have nothing to report!


We are just cruising along, enjoying each day, enjoying the fun ages the kids are at now, and enjoying the time we have together. We have been working on a few little projects around the house (remember the pink fairy bedroom? Not pink any more! No more purple trim! No more fairies! YAY!), and I have been trying to keep up with the everyday things (I think it may be a lost cause, but I'll be darned if dirty dishes and piles of laundry get the better of me!). Lee is sweet and funny, Wyatt is busy and funny, Jana is sweet and over her flu, and Skeeter is furry and funny. And sweet.


We have a coven (?) of squirrels around here, so Skeeter spends a lot of his outside time barking. You can hear said barking in the house, and every so often Lee will translate the barks. Yesterday I was sitting in the front room feeding Jana, and I heard Lee let Skeeter out. As he walked back into the kitchen he started muttering the translation. I don't know if he knew I could hear him, which made the following little dialogue all the more funny.


Skeeter: Bark! Bark!
Lee, under his breath: My yard! Mine!
Skeeter: Bark bark bark!
Lee, quietly: Who are these strange creatures?
Skeeter: Bark! Bark bark bark!
Lee: I am master of this domain!
Skeeter: Bark bark bark bark!
Lee, softly: Get away from my yard! It's mine! I'll eat you!


I am so lucky to have found Lee, not only because he is wonderful and handsome and kind and hard-working, but also because he has my most favorite sense of humor, and I can't stay in a bad mood when I'm around him!


Now pictures.


I brought a balloon home the other day for Wyatt to play with, but it turned out Jana really liked it too! I love the look of total awe on her face.



She laughed and kicked and wiggled like crazy while she played with it.



The first time I heard Jana do a real belly laugh was while Wyatt was smacking the balloon she was holding. I'd heard it said, but now know how true it is that the sound of your children laughing together is pretty much the best sound in the world.

Finally, a solution to how to dress a tall boy with no hips or waist to speak of!

Man, he couldn't pry that thing open fast enough!

I walked in the front room and found Jana buried.

The cute little culprit wasn't far off. "Wyatt, we don't bury sis, ok?" "Ok!"

Wyatt really loves Mickey, and tends to his needs. When Wyatt is busy playing with something else, he puts Mickey in the swing and turns it on for him.

A handy Mickey-carrying case.

Skeeter loves the day the dog food bin gets refilled!

Wyatt has always been very interested in the camera, and lately he's decided that pictures must be better if you get as close to the lens as possible.

The sun was out and it was a little warmer yesterday (*snort*), so we all went for a walk.

Bundled up and ready to go!


If you say "walk" or anything that rhymes with it, you'd better be willing to follow through. He takes walks very seriously!


It's kind of sad how excited I was that it was warm enough to get the kids out. A whopping 28 degrees, and yet much warmer than it has been...


Man, that's a lot of snow!


So it's not swaying palm trees, but the cold does provide it's own kind of beauty.

Before you call me nuts, I feel compelled to explain why I feel winter walks are worth all the hassle of gathering blankets, hats, coats, gloves, a collar and a leash- these were taken 12 minutes after we got home (seriously, I watched the clock).

Walks totally rock.

I can't explain it, but it makes me laugh.

Hope you are all well and happy and avoiding the flu! Lots of love and delicious phat cow fudge!