Five!

My number five turns five today. He is a strange little flake. He sings, constantly, in a tunless gibberish way. He has no interest in any academic undertaking. He just says he can't and puts down the pencil. On the other hand, he is very sweet and loving. He has a real tendency to hug middle aged and older women, causing them to think he is sweet. I'm not sure if he really is sweet or has a lifetime of preying on hapless women ahead of him. I think I'll prefer the sweet interpretation. He was a firmly breech baby (despite headstands on my part). I went into the hospital five years ago today expecting a c-section. An hour before the surgery I felt an amazing twist in there and the monitor I was hooked up to went beserk. He flipped head down (at the last minute) bless his heart. I was already dialated to three anyway so I strongly urged the doc to start pit before he flipped back. They started pit about 11:00 am and he was born about 4:00pm. A longer labor than most of mine but he was worth it.
We had cake on Sunday.

As you can see he made sure there were no leftovers

Imitrex

A new soldier in my war with migraine has arrived. The daring knight on the shiny steed is called Imitrex. It works. It also makes my lips feel numb and my chest to feel like the knight (and his steed) are standing on it. Oh well, nothing's perfect.

Tonight is the school carnival, which I tried valiantly to avoid, but dd got frickin' free tickets for a poster. Gee, thanks. I think I'll leave Mel home with E (who at 13 wouldn't be caught dead at a PTO school carnival.) I'm not sure what C will do and I suspect S who is 12, will also feel it is beneath his dignity and stay home. Even if S and C come I can just release them into the wild and round them up when I want to leave. Think of me as I stand by the ring toss, sucker tree and ducky swim. Oh yippy. Why don't they have margarita booths at these things.

Spring?

Mmm, well on the bright side I could be living in Nebraska! It is obvious, however, that meterological spring bears no resemblence to climatic spring.

I've been on a decluttering mission. How can a normal, non pack ratty family have SO MUCH STUFF! I've taken two van loads (that's a 15 passenger van) to Goodwill. That doesn't count the cr*p I threw away. Is it possible it is a genetic defect? Visions of my parents garage kept flashing before my eyes. On to the upstairs closets next.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Thank you John O'Callaghan (who promptly changed his name to Smith) for making the voyage, marrying a nice German girl and ending up with a descendant like me.

She does have on green hair ties.


A middle school take on wearing green.


Our newest spectacle wearer.

Good Bye 1976

To be honest, when we moved 5 years ago it wasn't for the house, it was for the land. The house had been "done" in 1976 and it showed. Mike, Carol and the rest of the bunch could have moved in and felt at home. Finally, after many other changes, I have redone the green shag in the living room.

Ignore the sleeping kid, just note the crappy carpet.


Disgusting "pet stained" sub floor. *Note, it wasn't our pets, or even our kids.


Not decorated yet, but a huge improvement.

Unthinking, Unwanted, Unneeded Comments

Chiming in on the big family topic late here, because I've been doing that home improvment thing. Pictures coming later. At any rate this week's topic are the comments others make concerning family size. Let me start this by saying that I communicate with lots of families with 10 or more kids. I don't really think six is that big. I am in the minority on that.
In no particular order of aggravation:

Don't you know what causes that?
Why yes, I do, and I have received some very nice compliments in that area thank you.

You need a hobby, TV, cable, etc.
My what original comments. You must have plumbed your encyclopedia of witty comments/small talk for those.

I'd kill myself.
Be quiet in front of my kids or I may do the job for you.

You must be insane or alternately You must be a saint.
Yes, yes I am.

Are they all yours?
No, I've collected strays.

How do you afford/feed/care for them ALL!
With great care and effort.

I can't handle my two.
No one could without a whip and chair.

I'm sure glad it's not me.
So am I, and I'm sure my kids will agree.

Are you having more?
This really translates into Are you going to have unprotected sex and lots of it? I think that is way TMI for you.

I'd like to say I hold myself above base comments, but, sadly I often blurt out the first smarta** thing that comes to mind.
If I'm feeling mellow and pleasant I'l just answer them all with the truth. I like kids. They sometimes even grow into interesting adults. Whose parents taught them not to make rude comments.

Why Do I Live In Indiana?

So Saturday, after the big race, it was lovely outside. Forty degrees and sunny so dh and I and the three youngest went to the park. The kids ran and ran and ran. Then they climbed and ran some more. I had the distinct feeling spring might actually show up. Sunday was a frosty morning, but I still had hope. I took the kids swimming Sunday afternoon and when we came out of the college it was a freakin' snow storm! Argh! Today has been a lovely snow/sleet/rain mix. The weather is of course attributed to the fact that it is high school sectional time. (For those of you who are not Hoosiers, that means basketball sectionals, there are no other sectionals, lol.) It always snows for sectionals, everyone KNOWS that. Sigh, I'm ready for spring. Some daffodils, some robins, some warmth! They tell me it will be warm again by Wednesday. We'll see.

My own race car owner.


Amazing who they'll let be an official


Do you think she's seen down dog too many times?


See what cool stuff you can find at the park!

Hail Mr Hoover

The one who made my carpet shampooer, not Herbert. The kids have had some kind of virus that only seems to cause them to vomit after they are alseep. The next day all seems fine, then the next night a repeat. It seems to be working it's way through the youngest four. I have cleaned the little girls carpet three times and the stairs two. Yuck!!! Let me just say that as much as I love the shampooer, it doesn't clean "solids". That is still a manual job.
On a happier note, yesterday was dh's birthday. We won't celebrate until the weekend since he's working. He did go to the optometrist and got a new prescription for glasses. I wouldn't have spent $386 for a birthday present, but I guess he has to see to work, so we'll let him have the glasses. Happy Birthday Honey!