Just Another Tuesday? Never!

#1 asked me the other day where the baby was going to sleep.  Probably after I told him we probably will be meeting baby in about 9 weeks.  

I had given it some thought, but not much.  I guess I hadn't gotten past the first 2-3 weeks where baby will sleep in a pack n play or a co-sleeper in our bed.  Past that...not much.

The plan, originally, was that when baby was a few weeks old he/she would get the crib and Rosebud would move into my old daybed that is up in her room.  I even got a side rail for $1 at a garage sale in the early spring.  Well, what I didn't know is just how small Rosebud would stay.  When she is up on the daybed it all but swallows her up.

I've had another crib offered to us, but I really don't want it.  I don't want more big furniture and I don't want two cribs that can't be sold or donated (both have side rails that move) on my hands in a few months.  We don't even have room for another full size crib.  

I didn't want to have to take down the daybed and trundle either as it is very difficult to disassemble and really, I don't feel like storing it...again.  But that may still happen, we'll see.

Anyway, I got online and started looking at small toddler beds. I found a few I liked.  I liked one from IKEA, but simply refuse to pay what they want for it.  I found one on Wal-Mart.com that I also liked, but still, more than I wanted to pay.  So of course, I turned to Craigslist.  

I found a pink bed that I liked, and called the number listed.  The girl assured me she still had the bed and would meet me at their house today at 10:00am.  They have some sort of family emergency and as of this very moment are supposed to be driving to Arizona, never to return again.  I told her I wanted to see the bed first, and she said that was fine.

So this morning #1 and I headed out to see the bed.  The address ended up being at a house(?) that had a sign(?) on the side saying it was an automotive shop office.  The automotive shop was next door, but didn't look to be in business.  House/sign/shop were not promising looking.  

We drove up and the front door was either open or missing, couldn't decide, and in its place was a broken baby gate shimmied to stand up and keep two small children from falling outside.  I'll let you use your imagination on how the entire scene looked from there.  

I could tell #1's cop-dar was going off full steam.  He wasn't pleased to be at the location.  About thirty seconds after we pulled up and were assessing the situation another mini van pulled up next to us.  A lady and little girl got out, and #1 asked her if she was the one selling the toddler bed.  She looked very confused and said she was there to buy the toddler bed.  I was also pretty sure she wasn't the one selling it as from her appearance she did not fit into the situation at all.

Hmmmm.  So both of us are there for the same bed.  At the same time (which we had BOTH confirmed with the seller) Nice.  I believe she even said to me "well, this is awkward".  It was.

So the woman selling the bed came to the "door" and asked us to come in.  I was hoping not to have to go in.  And then was even more dismayed when we had to walk to the back of the house and into a back bedroom. I was glad for my husband at my side and the other random woman/child combo.  At this point I was pretty sure I was not going to want to buy anything that had been in this household and trying to think of a gracious way to back out.  

But when we saw the bed, it was exactly what we wanted, and in decent shape (we learned it had only been bought 2 months ago...any longer and more than one thing would have had to be screwed back on...just a minor repair).  But I could tell it was exactly what the other lady wanted too.  

She told me that I could have it because I had arrived first.  But her daughter was twice the size of Rosebud, and clearly in need of a toddler bed before we were so I told her that I had time to keep looking as I didn't need it till Dec/January.  She looked at me kinda funny and said "Really?  I only need it till November!  Where do you live?"  Well we exchanged info (live within like 3 miles of each other) and in November when she gets her old daybed from her parents (funny, huh?) she has no need for the toddler bed.  So in November we'll get the bed and we don't have to store it!  Plus, I'm pretty sure from her immaculate-not-even-a-cheerio-on-the-floor-van that it will be well cleaned up.  

This is the bed.  Neither of us wanted the mattress.  But we both get to use the bed!

Tuesdays are always so interesting!

Just Another Tuesday? Never.

We're BAAAAAACK. Truth be told, we've been back, but I have had zero time to blog. The kids and I got back late on July 25th and since then our calendar has been packed with doctor's appointments, Monkey Man's therapy, and a camping trip with some friends from church. I will post pictures of all summer adventures...eventually.

But today I am blogging about our day with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. And I did say day.

I had the kids up, fed, clean and dressed so we could be at the BMV first thing this morning. I hate that place, and I wanted to be one of the first to arrive and then get out of there. No long lines for us. I even ran around tearing the house apart after I remembered to take my Social Security card. You must have two forms of ID to renew your driver's license. Because obviously if you already have a license it should be SUPER hard to get it renewed.

Searched the house, got my card, and had all children buckled into the van. I was pretty happy that we were leaving on time and arrived at the office shortly after 9am. Put Monkey Man in the stroller, Rosebud in my Gypsy Mama, and Snug was walking along singing happily. Upon opening the door I discovered that they had opened at 8am and we could have been there earlier, but no big deal, the line was short.

As I proudly placed my driver's license (expires next week on my b-day) and my SS card on the counter the lady asks why I am there. In a lovely tone. Hello, it is 9am, what on earth could have happened in the last hour to make her so thrilled to see us? I let it go and said that it was time for my license to be renewed and that along with that I needed our new address put on it. I should have said that I'd like her to take me and the children out for lunch and that she ensure that Monkey Man got an entree that was gluten-free. We would have had better success out of that. But it was shortly after 9am and we had just eaten a great breakfast, so I couldn't make that request.

She asked to see my two forms of ID and proof that I lived at the new address. At this point it would have been easier if I had just brought her to our home for lunch...because perhaps she would have believed that I indeed live here. The proof that I live at this new house is a utility or other "official" bill with my name on it that has been delivered to this address. Guess what. All the bills are in #1's name. This is a new law Ohio has recently passed. Hooray.

I asked if I could bring in a piece of mail with my name, she said "no". I asked if I could bring in a utility bill with my husband's name, she said "no". I asked if my husband brought in his driver's license (I knew he had updated our address for his license online when we moved) if that would work, she said "yes". So I tried to call. And there was zero reception in that building.

I dragged all three children (who by this time were on the antsy side) outside and phoned. Poor #1 drove up, took his "lunch break" (although for the record he usually doesn't even get one on his 12 hour shift...we were fortunate he wasn't on a call) and came in with us dragging a very reluctant Snug along. Snug did not want to go back in. He had already introduced himself and Monkey Man to every patron who cared to listen, and been snubbed by the BMV lady who really could care less about small boys and their smaller brothers.

After presenting his driver's license to the woman we were denied, yet again. Why? Because his license still has the old address on it. Yes, he updated it for them and yes they have it in their records...but that doesn't count. His license would have to physically say it on there in order for it to count. And it didn't.

And then an old man came up to him and stood like 6 inches from his badge and said "I wanted to see who you worked for. Cause you're on duty". #1 informed him that he was on his lunch break and the old dude said "At 10 in the morning??? What time did your shift start???" loudly. #1 told him and everyone who was watching our circus by this time that his shift started at 6am. The man seemed satisfied, so hopefully there will be no complaints filed against #1 for trying to help his wife drive legally.

Finally the woman at the desk told me that if I wanted to I could drive to the Social Security Administration building across town and ask for a "2 page print out". Otherwise I'd have to put in an official submission to the voter registration place (risking it taking more than a week and then my license would expire and then I'd get a fine) or change the utility or phone or whatever bills to be in my name and wait for another one to arrive at the house...again with the expired license problem. I chose option A and put all of the kids back in the van.

Over at the Social Security Admin. office I read the door sign. "No cell phones. No electronic toys. No food. No drink. Keep voice to a minimum. Keep children quiet. Do not enter if you have the flu or the following symptoms..."
Yeah.

So in we troop, it is now about 10:15am. As you first walk in there is a large wooden cabinet with a computer in it that you have to make options on the screen and then it prints you a ticked with a # on it. Basically it was an expensive way to get a number like you do at the deli. My tax dollars at work.

There are six windows at our SS office. One was open. I think if they had not gotten the computer in a cabinet, perhaps another window would have been available. There were 20 people in line ahead of us. There was a HUGE TV in the front of the waiting area that the rows of chairs (that had been zip tied together so they couldn't move) faced. The show on today for our entertainment was Dr. Phil. Across the bottom of the screen kept flashing a warning "Sexually Explicit Material. May not be appropriate for children". There was literally NO way to keep my kids from watching whatever was on because I couldn't even turn their chairs. And I couldn't bring them in a snack or their toys from the car (most of which sing or make noise). So there we sat with Dr. Phil and 20 of the county's finest.

I don't think the boys could really hear the program. Most everything inappropriate was being discussed, not demonstrated or anything Thank goodness for that. Snug continued to introduce himself and his brother to everyone sitting around us, this time whispering. Monkey Man did pretty well for the first 20 minutes or so. He only licked the back of his chair a few times and I only had to drag him off the floor once. I'm pretty sure everyone was watching the crazy lady who brought her three children to the SS office instead of Dr. Phil by this time.

After awhile I told Snug he could go to the super small space at the back of the chairs and give MM a ride in the stroller if he did so quietly. There was a security guard there who I guess had the job of making sure that no one violated the snack-noise-flu rules. Snug hit the side of the wooden computer cabinet with the wheel. When I say hit, I mean brushed. I was standing inches away. And the guard was all over him about it. I am telling you, we have now been there about a half hour and my kids have been SOOOOO quiet, sans Snug whispering his introductions to fellow waiting room people. I wanted to tell the guard where he could put his computer cabinet and then introduce him to the woman at the BMV, they would have been a match made in heaven.

Finally our number was called. The woman at the window was super cheerful and I really needed that right about then. She accepted Snug's introduction and smiled at Monkey Man and was sympathetic about the "2 page print out". She simply asked what our new address was, a few odd questions about birth and maiden names and then we were out of there! Back into the van. Back to the BMV.

Finally we got to the front, finally we got the paper work filled out. Then my picture taken. I am still wearing Rosebud at this point and the woman, I could see it on her face, almost asked me to take her off. But perhaps knowing that I might kill her if she asked, did not. Rosebud's head is not even visible. We were then told to wait over to the side as it might take a few minutes to print.

We had already witnessed several people waiting for their licenses to print and I knew it would take 4-5 minutes. By this time Rosebud is hungry and I sat down to nurse her. Not 30 seconds later it was printed and we were free to leave. Just as I had started nursing. So we sat there. My children played with everything they could get their hands on. I didn't say a word. It was now 11:40 and we should have been out of there by 9:30 at the latest.

I can't wait to go back in four years.

Just Another Tuesday? NEVER!

Tuesday can be such a "blah" day. Monday gets to be the day everyone dislikes because it marks the end of the weekend/beginning of the work week. Wednesday (for us) is library and church. Thursday #1 has off and we enjoy the evening together. Friday of course starts off the weekend. But what about Tuesday? Aren't Tuesdays just...forgotten?

Awhile back I had a post called "Just Another Tuesday? Never!" and whenever something 'interesting' happens on a Tuesday, that is what I call those posts. Because I feel bad for Tuesdays.

This week in preschool, Draycare style, we are doing the letters "v" and "w". To go along with the letter "v" I decided we should go visit a veterinarian. We happen to be living next door to a vet, in fact renting from a vet. I called them up to make arrangements and the secretary informed me that school children under 18 were not allowed to have field trips there due to the fact that they could get hurt. School children under 18??? How many are over 18 out there? I know there are some, but really...?

Ok, so I'm sure I could have called a few more vets, but I happen to know the vet in charge of our county animal control. I serve on a steering committee for our county parks and rec that manages/does fund raisers for our dog park, and he is also on the committee. I called them next. We were assured that we could visit, but they were not sure what all they had to offer. Being that we are 3 & 4 years old, I told her we were not expecting too much :o)

I also talked to Doc B. last Thursday about it and he seemed excited to have us come. He mentioned that the kids could pet some animals and listen to their heartbeats through a stethoscope...that sounded just our speed.

The kids were very excited to visit the vet, and we even had to make a quick stop at ALDI (more on that later) and we picked up a box of doggie biscuits. A little "thanks for having us". We pulled into the lot and we had our usual "be polite, be quiet, don't touch unless told it is ok" speech. Everyone was ready to go inside and see what a vet does. Oh my were they going to find out.

So we get in and a nice lady takes us back to pet a friendly kitty. We talk a bit about how these kittys don't all have homes and people will come adopt them. We talk about the litter boxes, water dishes, etc. Then in comes Doc B. He is excited.

We are here just in time he says, he has just put a dog to sleep. I about wet myself. The kids just stared at him. I should have taken a camera, but I forgot...and we really need to keep this blog G so pictures today...not to be posted if I had taken them. He then told the kids the dog was just sleeping, because he was going to have surgery *WHEW*! I was relieved beyond what you can imagine.

He said we could watch the surgery so we all trooped back into a small room where a Pomeranian was laying very dead like on the exam table. The smell was...not great. It was very warm. Doc then proceeded to tell us he was going to neuter this dog. Yep folks, my home daycare/preschool class got to witness firsthand a dog being neutered. Doc explained that this kept the dog from being able to produce more puppies that wouldn't have homes. The kids thought it was a good idea for all puppies to have homes, so he proceeded.

Before I tell you exactly what went on, I have to say I nearly fainted for what I can remember is the first time in my life. I've stood up too fast and blacked out...but this was different. This was everything going swimmy...gray....back to color...sweating like crazy...and thinking I might vomit. I had to leave the operating room and go sit down. I am not squeamish, but I think the heat, smell, and procedure which you will now read about got to this pregnant woman!

The kids watched him scrub in, shave the dog, got an explanation of sterilization of instruments, saw him CUT THE DOG OPEN, remove the testicles, and sew him back up. Then they were introduced to vaccinations (which were given), paperwork, and saw him be microchipped. Then the dog started to wake up and was put into a recovery kennel. I kid you not, that is what the vet had planned for our preschool group. So what did you do this Tuesday?


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On a totally unrelated subject we had not one but 2 doctor's appointments for Little Monkey Man yesterday. He does not have food allergies, but the second doctor isn't convinced that Celiac can be totally ruled out. Evidently the average person who is diagnosed with it isn't diagnosed for 9 years after the symptoms start. It just takes that long to get a positive test. He wants us to put him on a gluten-free diet (including corn products/soy/and oats) for a few weeks and see what happens. If nothing, well then keep looking for something. If his diarrhea clears up, we have an answer. He could just even be wheat intolerant but until we clear it TOTALLY out for awhile we won't know.

So we stopped by a couple of grocery stores (after I did research online along with reading all the doctor's paperwork) to see what he could have. At home we had eggs, bacon, raisins, apples, and carrots. Somehow I thought he needed a bit more in his diet.

This is what we bought. Wheat is in EVERYTHING. If he is lactose intolerant as we suspected before, he is in big trouble because a big part of a gluten-free diet is dairy related. So far no improvement today in diapers...but we know it will take a few days. If the GI doctor was right and his gut just needs to heal, this is also a high-fat, high-protein diet...and he is eating his probiotics daily. He is also back on PediaSure to ensure that he is getting enough calories. I never thought I'd be buying that stuff again. Oh well! Thanks for your prayers, we appreciate it-we know God has big plans for this boy!

Just Another Tuesday? Never.

Oh wow, life just gets busier and busier. I really want to do a carseat post that has been on my heart, but feel I need to have some specifics lined up first. It just hasn't happened yet. One of these days I will have extra time on my hands.

But for today I...
...put snow in the bathtub so the kids could play in it without having to get everyone all bundled up.

...enjoyed Little Monkey Man wearing pink sunglasses he stole from Little Miss E. It was so funny. #1 said he looked like that one super hero costume designer from The Incredibles. We couldn't remember her name.

...packed lots and lots more boxes. It really doesn't look like I've done much around here except trash the house. Oh well!

Just Another Tuesday? Never!

OOO I haven't done one of these in awhile. Tuesdays at my house seem to be a bit hairy. I never made a "label"* for "Just Another Tuesday?" posts...probably should have.


I tweeted earlier that Baby Kayleigh has passed away. I can't imagine what her family is going through, please be praying for her family and take a moment to leave them a comment on their blog. Their family is scheduled to be on "The Doctors" on Wednesday to share their family's story.

I did not do "Not Me! Monday" yesterday as Lindsley pointed out in my comments section...things were just too busy. I did post I ♥ Faces, if you scroll down you can see my entry. Not a photographer's dream entry, but I liked it. I love the looks on their faces and how good #1 is with his boys. He is the best daddy!
The guest judge is Ree Drummond who is so "perfect" she would never in a million years pick my photo anyway. I used to read her blog but I felt like the crummiest mom each time after I did, so I quit. Terrible, I know. If you want tons of cooking, photography, decorating, farming, (and many other topics) tips, she has them! She has one of the most put together blogs I have ever read.

So why was it "Just Another Tuesday?" Well... here is my schedule as it has unfolded thus far:

7:15 Little Miss E and 2 older siblings arrive
7:30 Baby J & Snug up
8:00 Mother Hen, her brother, and Little M arrive
8:05 Breakfast
8:30 2 kids to school
8:45 Mother Hen to preschool (where upon I discover she was supposed to have a sack lunch...)
9:00 Mother Hen's brother to school
9:10 Unexpected trip to the grocery (because I couldn't pack PB&J for above lunch)/gas station/bank
10:15 Quick stop at home to prepare lunch/pack for a picnic
10:40 Arrive at Mother Hen's preschool for field day and picnic
12:00 Finish the grocery shopping not completed earlier
1:15 Naps for everyone, put groceries away
1:30 Pack for trip to VA Beach
2:30 Blog
3:00 Everyone up from naps/snacks/outside play time
3:15 Big kids back from school
4:00 First pick-ups
4:30 Second pick ups
4:40 Take van for an oil change
6:00 Make dinner
6:30 Eat
7:30 Kid's Bedtime
8:00 relax Laundry, prep for tomorrow, clean house...

WHEW. So the grocery shopping was interesting. I had 4 kids for the first trip to Aldi. I needed 2 carts, each with a passenger. The kids were really really good. (I took 4 to the Children's museum by myself yesterday also...they were really really good then too!)

When I had dropped Mother Hen off there was a nice little sign that said "Set sack lunches here...please no peanut products". Um.... I think it probably went home in a news letter to the parents that this was going on (Mother Hen is not my own child, so I don't generally read her newsletters), but her mom is out of town and it probably didn't make the radar. It is a lovely preschool, Snug will probably attend there in fact, but they have so many "special" things it makes my head spin! Knowing that she would be the only one there without a lunch, and that I had nothing picnic-y that wasn't PB&J, we headed out shopping.

The parents were invited to attend the field day activities and lunch, so I packed up the troops and we all attended. Snug even got to play the games because they had uneven teams. I know every mom thinks that their child is super spectacular, (being a teacher we heard from each parent how their child was the smartest/fastest/wittiest/most adorable in the world) and I generally think of Snug as a pretty average little guy (although of course I beam with the best of them when he accomplishes something new). Until it comes to athletics. Although he is not so good at riding a tricycle (read: tears and tantrums) he is really good at throwing, dribbling, catching, batting, and shooting a ball. When the teacher had even teams and the event was shooting a playground ball into a hoop, I volunteered him. I'm sure they thought it was just cute, but when it was his turn in the relay race, he ran up, shot it in, and ran back faster than 90% of the other 4 & 5 year olds. They let him compete in the rest of the events. There was one event I had to assist him in, but if you are not tall enough to get on the chair containing a balloon and not heavy enough to even pop it with your tush...it is ok for your mommy to help :o)

The trip to Kroger was funny. I don't know you you mommies of 4+ do it everyday. I mean, I do it everyday from 7:30-4:30 roughly, but I have my evenings with just 2, and my weekends off. So props to you mommies who do it all the time. Kroger has a lovely cart that holds 4 children. 4!!!!! I should have taken a picture, but I was afraid to do anything but move quickly through the store. Poor Mother Hen had to all but run to keep up with us. The lovely lady at the bakery gave each of the children a free cookie...that was great until I noticed Little Miss E had fed most of hers to Baby J (they share a double seat in the cart)!!! Well, I guess he got some extra calories in, but I don't ever give him sweets.

Did you count the ins/outs for this trip? I'm pretty sure I counted 7. And all five children are in car seats. Yeah, you mommies of 4+, you are heroic.

Well, people are scheduled to be getting up from naps so I better go. I'll post pictures of Snug enjoying his very first field day later.

*Labels are tagged onto posts about the same subject...so since I do Alphabitty Moments every week, it has a label. You can click on my labels (found on the right hand side of my blog if you scroll down) if you are dying to read more of what I have written about that subject. Like for instance you just love my rantings on, oh....say...softball, then you click on "softball" and read everything I've ever written about it. But don't click on softball because I haven't written that much about it...yet...but don't worry we go to VA Beach, VA this weekend and I'm sure to post some pictures of/stories of the trip.