DIAPER WOES, MILK RUNS, AND FURBALLS

For the past few nights, Her Highness II has been waking up soaked to the gills. Going through her pj's, sheets and blankets. This phenomenon has coincided with the opening of a new box of diapers. Has anyone else noticed how thin the diapers are getting? Instead of calling them Supreme Fit or Cruisers or whatever...they should be called Wafer Thins. They certainly don't make 'em like they used to. 20 years ago, after a couple of pees, the suckers would balloon up to gigantic proportions, making the babies look like little Michelin Men. They also rendered 1 out of every 4 children bow-legged for life....but they worked great!

And what's up with those little space-aged gel spheres left behind on our babies' nether-regions after a diaper change? Hmmm? Just what is the material inside the diapers? I probably don't want to know. But I bet all diapers are manufactured at the Scott's Turf Builder plant in Ohio. I'm told that it is totally harmless...afterall 3 out of 4 Dentists recommend them.

I've decided that if we were to have another baby in the house, I'd go au natural (oh you'll need a French accent to read that last phrase) with cloth diapers. Man have they come a long way. They're nothing like the original cloth diapers that were used on me, back in the day when mothers would take an entire flannel sheet and attach it to their baby with rusty old pins. Geez 2/3 of the kids in my kindergarten class has some scar from a diapering accident that they could use for show and tell. The new and improved versions are soft and absorbent, anything but dangerous, with their wide velcro sides and extra inserts for nighttime use. Yup, I'd go cloth!

Okay, back to the story....it all begins at 4:12 this morning. Usually by this time, I'm on my second dizzying descent down the back stairs to the main floor to retrieve a milk for Her Highness II....but not this morning. This morning, I was awakened by that all too familiar sound of our cat horking up a furball. You know the sound - a cough, sneeze and gag all rolled into one. And the fun part was that Isaac was at the bottom of the bed, laying across Big Daddy's feet! I guess Big Daddy was wakened by the sound too because he tried to gently put the sweet little putty tat onto the floor - yeah with one swift taekwondo kick. Ahhh but His Furness was not to be moved so easily. Well, we get some light on in the room (shhh don't wake the baby). Enough light that I could do a little clean up. Everyone goes back to bed. 20 minutes later Big Daddy says "What's that smell"? and then "My feet are wet"! Oh oh!! Poor little cat must have strained himself because he had peed on the bed, through the duvet and sheets right onto Lyle's feet. Oh and he also left us an extra little present!
Back up again with a little bit of light (shhh don't wake the baby)stripping the bed. I made up a nice little makeshift nest for us with just odds and sods that even Martha Stewart would be proud of...with one exception. The only sheet I could find to put on top of us was a "fitted" one.

You can always find a silver lining to any situation if you try hard enough....well, due to the cat's incident, I think I stumbled across the greatest invention. If you're a bed-wiggler like me, you know how your top sheet usually ends up around your waist during the night. Well not with the "fitted" sheet on top. I just hooked that sucker over my shoulder and it stayed in place for the remainder of the morning. However, it will leave an unsightly elastic mark across your neck, so I'll have to account for that in my first prototype. So I'm lying there dreaming about my new business venture when Big Daddy decides to open the window. Ahhhh nature! Did you know that every bird in the county congregates in my backyard at precisely 4:45 am? What a racket....well no more sleep for Mama now.

Next thing I know it's 5:37 am and Her Highness II is ordering her usual - a piping hot milk to go - and a clean diaper....afterall, she was soaked to the gills.

FARMER BEN GETS A MAKEOVER

This must happen to all farmers.....one minute you're playing dress-up, next minute you have to check on your tomato plants...
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FARMER BEN & FARMER JOE

Once upon a time there was a very cute little redhead (yup, me), nicknamed Carrott, who was the apple of her Auntie Frannie's eye. Everywhere that Auntie Frannie went, little Carrott was sure to follow...especially if it was to the garden. Couldn't keep little Carrott out of the pea patch.

Now, I have cute little pea patch raiders of my own to teach about gardening....

The little farmers have the peas:

All in a neat row...until Mom takes the picture:

Our turn:

Clean up time with the hose:

LET THEM EAT CAKE...AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN SIGHT

Well, it all started last Thursday when the first of the 3 birthday cakes was unveiled...and we basically didn't stop eating until Sunday!

Lao Lao had a, let's just say, SIGNIFICANT birthday on Thursday and for the first time in 5 years had her little family all together. My sister Bev arrived Tuesday from Alberta. My brother Mike, along with his wife Lana and his 2 girls Michelle and Sarah arrived in the wee hours of the morning on Wednesday from Alberta. We all had a great time catching up...oh and did I mention eating! First it was Mom's birthday, then we celebrated Mike's 50th birthday, then just when we thought we were on icing overload, Rylee picked out a Scooby Doo I Love You birthday cake for Bev...who turns 48 in a couple of weeks! I am officially caked-out!

Mom and her 4 grandkids

GLOWY NEEDS NEW BATTERIES

I guess Little Piddle's "glowy" toy wasn't singing loud enough because she just got up, walked to the drawer where I keep the battery stash, reached in and grabbed the screwdriver and a new pack of batteries. She knew what she needed to do the job....

What next....she runs off with my car keys?!

JAYME TURNS 18 MONTHS OLD TODAY

A day in the life of an 18 month old cutie....

Show off my first ponytail....

Read a good book....

Smooch with my best pal....

Help with the housework....

Colour with Rylee....

Fix my hair and get ready for bed....

It's a tough life....but someone's gotta do it!

$8 HOTDOG

THE WINNER

Okay, so now it is safe to spill the beans....several weeks ago I was cruising through my ever-growing list of favourite blogs, when Stefanie from http://wheneastmeetssouth.blogspot.com/ was asking for help in naming her new blog. Go and check out this amazing family right now. I'll wait.......

Told you they are amazing!!! And did you see their new son Shepherd? Stefanie is waiting ever so patiently to travel once again to China for the sweetest little fella. Okay, so she wanted help naming Shepherd's blog. It was in the middle of the night, during a milk run for Little Piddle, when the name "Shepherd's Crossing" came to me. Wouldn't yah know it....they picked the name! Wahoo! This is what Stefanie sent us for being the winner.....

Yup, it's a Dora DVD done in Mandarin! Well, Rylee is crazy with a capital C over this thing. Talk about funny. We all get a good giggle when we watch it. It's called Hic Boom Ohh. Thanks again Stefanie! Safe travels to receive little Shepherd! We'll be following your journey!

SIX MONTHS

Yesterday marked six months to the day that Jayme was placed in my arms! She makes my heart melt every time I look at her!! She truly is the sweetest little soul that God put on this earth and I catch myself wondering where she would be...if she hadn't come home with me.

I've rocked you, snuggled into me with your blankie, all safe and warm, loved and content.

And I wonder...where would you be?

I read your books to you and your eyes light up with excitement.

And I wonder...where would you be?

I've held you upright all through the night while you were sick so you could breathe easier.

And I wonder...where would you be?

You wrap your little arms around me and look up at me with those dark brown eyes.

And that's when it hits me...where would I be?

HAIRDRESSING 101

.....and when I caught Her Highness, with scissors in hand, removing Dora's trademark bangs, she says with extreme sincerity "it was an accident". Uh huh!! I'm just hoping this isn't a warm up to a repeat of the catastrophe last year.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

THE CAKE SAYS IT ALL

I couldn't stop laughing....I thought the "s" in best was an "a". That's exactly how I felt too! lol

BREAD DAY

These just came out of the oven....getting ready to dip hot buttered slices into maple syrup! The littles are circling my feet like hungry little sharks!! lol

GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES

1) Rylee actually slept in her own bed in her own room all by herself last night.
2) I got to sleep in my own bed with Big Daddy for 8 whole hours.
3) Little Piddle slept through the night without a milk run.

Yeah, I'm strutting around here this morning like I was given a pretty black jeep for Mother's Day or something!! lol A good night's sleep does wonders for an old gal like me!!!

RYLEE FUNNIES

Rylee was having herself a little melt-down last week...

Rylee: (unintelligible screeching rant)

Mommy: Calm down! Calm down!

Rylee: I can't calm up!

We were sitting around the supper table when Rylee starts with the negotiations...

Rylee: Eat 2 more suppers.

Mommy: NO, you can eat 5 more spoonfuls then you can have dessert.

Rylee: Eat 4 more suppers.

Mommy: Okay, 4 more.

After she finishes, she then remembers that we were supposed to have peach pie for dessert.

Rylee: See the peach pie.

Mommy: Sorry Ry, I didn't get time to make the peach pie.

She sits back, looking rather perturbed, then...

Rylee: Guess I'll have to have ice cream then!

Lao Lao was here yesterday....

Lao Lao: Ry do you think we should put Jayme in the stroller and take Belle for a walk?

Rylee: Yup, and Mommy can hide in the bushes.

I sent Rylee upstairs to get some warmer clothes on. I specifically asked for jeans and a sweater. Ten minutes later, she waltzes down the stairs in this get-up.

Mommy: Oh my goodness!!

Rylee: I know, I'm so beautiful.

Yes, she has on a long sleeved orange shirt, blue leotards, frilly blue shorts and a pink/white summer dress that is on backwards. That's my girl!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Yup, it was 8 years ago today that my sweetie and I became husband and wife!!

Our day was truly magical....huge church wedding with 350 guests, 8 attendants, horse drawn carriage, I had the material for my gown flown in from France.....UM NOT! LOL

So how did we create the perfect wedding? Total secrecy and 2 tickets to Las Vegas! We had a great time! We only told one couple what our plans were and wouldn't yah know it....they decided to come with us and get married too! Waaay too funny! First, we had to tell a little white lie to my mother so she'd take care of our puppy for the weekend. Next, we met up with our friends and headed to the airport - giggling uncontrollably the whole way! So we board the flight and wouldn't yah know it...Lyle gets to sit beside the best looking gal on the plane....and proceeds to chat her up the whole way there. I couldn't believe it!!

The next day, the four of us got our finest on and headed down to the chapel at the Flamingo Hotel. Lyle and I got ourselves hitched right by the waterfall, we took some pictures and then headed over to Rhonda and Claude's chapel of choice. Again, we giggled the entire way. Wedding #2 took place, we again took some pictures and then....this dark windowed limo pulls up and whoever was in there was definitely waiting for us to clear the premises before heading inside to get married. (on the news the next day, it was reported that Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton were married at Rhonda and Claude's chapel, so we decided that it was them waiting in the limo)

In the afternoon we sat around the pool at the hotel and sipped on (okay gulped a few first) very tall and fruity drinks served up in a tall plastic flamingo glass. Then it was time....yes, time to ride the 7 ft. plastic flamingos they had all over the property. It took some fancy footwork, especially after a few of those tall flamingo drinks, but Claude and I were up to the challenge...did I mention, giggling the whole time! What a hoot! We all took a breather and then headed out for dinner. Then the best part of the wedding took place....yup, Lyle and I got to watch playoff hockey. It was Philadelphia vs Pittsburgh and they went into 3 or was it 5 overtime periods?!

So the rest of the weekend, we gambled a tad, took a river raft ride in the canyon and just hung out. It was the best wedding ever!!! And how did we break the news? Well, at the exact hour we were married, we had a package delivered to my mom's house with champagne and a note telling her exactly where we were and what we were doing! Too fun!

And to top off the fun-filled wedding adventure....on the flight home, Lyle got to sit beside a verrrry large, verrry sweaty, verrrry drunk, and verrrry obnoxious woman! And you know what? God and I laughed all the way home!

Happy 8th Anniversary to my best friend in the whole wide world!!