What's the Worst That Could Happen?: October 2008

Candy, Candy, Candy, Candy

Sir Topham Hat, Thomas, James and Percy

Our Mickey-O-Lantern

Preschool Pics

I wasn't going to buy preschool pictures since I take lots and lots of photos myself now but then I saw this one. They suckered me in and I ended up with 7 sheets plus the class picture.

Another Tag

I have been tagged by another blogger (oops copy/pasted first time so I had last writer's info in original post)

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules.
2. Share 7 random or weird facts about yourself.
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and link to them.
4. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I ABSOLUTELY HATE HATE HATE Potty Training three two-year olds.

2. Chocolate is a weakness I have. Love it! Not milk chocolate though like in chocolate bunny's at Easter time - don't care for that too much.

3. I HATE being late. I used to never be late for anything. Now my kids slow me down. I want to be first wherever I go but now I can't seem to get it together especially to church.

4. I watch one soap opera - The Young and the Restless. I used to watch more but there's no time anymore. I'm a stay home mom. Ain't I suppose to watch this stuff?

5. I don't like people touching me. I'm not a big hugger except to my kids. I don't go up to friends and hug at greetings but if I'm hugged first I will hug back. Same goes for a massage. Can't handle a stranger touching me.

6. I am not a girly girl. I don't wear pink. I only own a few pairs of shoes. I'd rather wear jean shorts and a t-shirt and pull my hair back into a ponytail.

7. I love shopping when I have coupons. I organize coupons by categories in a binder and insert them into baseball card holders and plan my shopping trips by matching coupons to sale prices. I think we only go to restaurants that I have coupons for or kids eat free. I love finding ways to save money.

Tag to all readers that haven't done this before.

Melamine and Chinese Adoptees

I've been watching posts through Madelyn's orphanage, our adoption agency, and a few other groups I'm in and wasn't too concerned until recently about Melamine. There's been a few reports of girls older than Madelyn showing problems from Melamine so I decided to call our pediatrician yesterday.

When I first called, the receptionist didn't know what I was talking about so she took my name and number. I expected the nurse to call back but one of the doctor's did. At first she said she wasn't aware of the older girls being tested but just the newly adopted girls but would do some research and call me back. Today she called me back and informed me that Madelyn's blood work from her first visit did test for renal functions and she was normal. However, to be on the safe side, she should have a urinalysis done. I made an appointment later in November to take her for this plus all three toddlers for flu shots.

I don't think she's been affected by tainted formula but the fact that we don't know for sure what she drank while at the orphanage and definitely don't know what she had before that, we'd rather be on the safe side and make sure her kidneys are functioning correctly. Hopefully by November 18th, I'll have her using the potty more so we can get a urine sample from her while there. She's trying really hard to use the potty now but she still has accidents.

Why Three 2-year olds Should Not be in a 6-year old's Room

No bathroom breaks for me

As of today, I am no longer allowed a potty break before leaving home for preschool on Monday's and Wednesday's.

On preschool days I now take Logan to school instead of putting him on the bus. We were all ready to go out the door except for shoes so I run to make a pee break. In the short time I run to the bathroom, Nate and Madelyn decided to take off their sippy lids and pour milk all over the table, floor, carpet in the living room and all the way to the foyer. I had soaked kids and needed to get out the door. I was furious. I had already changed Andrew b/c while eating breakfast he either spit his milk out or had reflux so he need new shirt and pants. I can't leave a room with them in it and something not get spilled, broken, biten, or destroyed.

I ran late but wasn't late by the school to drop-off Logan. I later went to have lunch with Logan who spent most of lunch blaming me for why he got a warning at school. He said since he was late for school he didn't have enough time to finish his sentences. Everything is always my fault in his eyes. I'll from now on hold off on bathroom breaks until all kids are at school. Of course this is no guarantee something else will not go wrong.

Choo Choo

If Madelyn would play dress-up in girly clothes, she'd probably have lots and lots of cute dresses like fairies and princesses but she'd rather be like the boys and be a choo-choo train. These three decided themselves which one they'd be and there was no arguing. Nate said James from the beginning and Madelyn wanted Logan's old Thomas costume. Percy is new this year so finding that costume took a while but it looks so cute on Andrew. They were a big hit at church last night.

We trick-or-treated at trunk-a-treat last night.

Another Poop Story

I can laugh at it now but a few hours ago I was not laughing - almost the opposite.

I HATE potty training. I hate, hate, hate it!!!! I seriously think I'd hire a company that specifically went to people's homes and potty trained their kids if these such companies existed. I'm stingy with spending money too but I think I'd pay if these companies were successful, fast and guaranteed.

It started off with Madelyn having an accident #2. I take her to the potty downstairs since we're all downstairs anyway, get her training pants off and sit her on the potty and let her try there. She's unsuccessful but we get up and go through the routine anyway of wiping down, new panties, etc.

It's about nap time so I start scurrying up everyone to go upstairs to their bed. As we reach the top of the stairs I notice Andrew is squating. He's in underwear so I start yelling "No, let go to the potty" but we don't make it. #2 is out. So, that's two out of three toddlers now with poop in their pants. I get Andrew to the bathroom to start the same routine again with him, get him on the potty and he jumps off. Now I've got poop smeared all over the potty and all over his legs. He starts squatting again right there in the floor. #2 falls to the floor. ***Steam comes out of my ears.*** I pick him back up, back onto the potty and try to get him to stay while I pick it up off the floor. He jumps back off again while poo is still coming out. My head is about to explode now from frustration. I get him back up on the potty. He's managed to get both hands to his back side and smear it all over his fingers and chest and then he grabs me. I now have poop down both of my arms and my shirt. To make matters worse, Nate is in the background behind me repeating my words, commenting on "oh, yucky poop" and just running his mouth non-stop. When Andrew is finally done I throw him in the bathtub. It was just easier that way and then I started taking Clorox bleach wipes to everything. I cleaned my arms and hands the best I could but I got Andrew cleaned up first and got the boys to their room for a nap. I came down for a scrub down afterwards and change of clothes.

I don't think I've ever seen that much poop smeared all over one bathroom before. It was awful. Andrew even got sick from looking at it and was gagging and later puked in his room before he fell asleep and had to have another set of clothes.

A diaper day would have been so much easier. I hate potty training!!! I hate potty training three at a time even more.

Practicing for Christmas

I haven't touched my camera in a while so I thought I'd try a few shots of Madelyn dressed in a Christmas dress and threw up a black piece of cloth. Unfortunately my lighting is bad and she was not in a modeling mood today.

Our Tiger Cub Scout

Why Markers and Two-Year Olds Don't Go Together

Logan's drawing of him and his "girlfriend" on the coaster and me and her mom at the bottom. I'm not sure if I'm the picture taker or if she is.

Love Freebies

A friend of mine is teaching me the art of grocery shopping for freebies. I'm so psych'd about it that two mornings in a row I've been to two grocery stores at 6am waiting on the doors to open. In two days I've spent $45.75 and saved $102.62 in coupons (of course I also relied on sale items too). My spent would probably have been lower but I still needed milk, bread and splenda and even though I had a triple coupon for splenda, it's still outrageously expensive. My friend has such a stockpile now of items that she only spends money on meats and just goes to stores when items are free or under $1. That's my goal. I compared my savings to a paycheck received if I was working a minimum wage job and that would be an estimate of 14 hours I didn't have to work outside of home. It's stressful searching for all of the coupons with three sets of toddler hands wanting to "help" but it's so worth it. More money saved, more money to spend on them later.

Tony sent this to me this morning...too funny.

Nate's Recovery

Nate had his tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy this morning and he came through surgery fine. Unfortunately, he's been a horrible patient. He came out of anesthesia very, very irritable. OR staff only let one parent back and I was stuck with restraining him in my arms. They pushed me in a wheelchair to his room and I several times almost dropped him. He's tried very hard to pull out his IV. I can't talk to him without him yelling "No" over and over and fighting back. I haven't been able to go to the bathroom without him or keeping the door open and I've been walked in on once since there are no locks to the hospital rooms. We tried to take a wagon ride around the Children's wing and all b/c they put a security bracelet on him, he screamed the entire ride and about hurt himself trying to get that bracelet off. It's been a terrible day. He's staying overnight b/c risk of dehydration with toddlers is higher so they like to keep IV fluids in them after this procedure. Honestly, I'm glad we're here b/c I can't imagine dealing with this and the other three at home at the same time. He's been all I can handle today. Thankfully he's napping now but I dread when he wakes up b/c the painkillers will probably have worn off by then.