Dusty and I made a big decision this week. Well, actually, the decision was finally made last week but we didn't start announcing it until this week. (Trust me, you don't even want to hear all the circles I talked myself into while we weighed the pros and cons.) As of March I will be staying home with my children full time!

To best summarize my feelings, I'm stealing a line from Armageddon (the movie).  "I got that 'excited/scared' feeling. Like 98% excited, 2% scared. Or maybe it's more - It could be two - it could be 98% scared, 2% excited but that's what makes it so intense..."

Some days I'm super excited. Like when we started telling people about it and all the great advice and encouragement came out. Then I start thinking about my kids and how comfortable they are at daycare, the friends they've made and the education they are getting there and I get scared that I can't compete. You don't have to reassure me, I'm doing fine. This is just who I am and my feelings will continue to fluctuate between excited and scared until we adjust to our new schedule, whatever that may be.

And to keep this post from getting to wordy and to also point out just what an amazing mother I am and will continue to be. Let's reflect on the last night's incident. Rory was playing with my phone and I went in the bathroom to start the bathtub and the kids followed me in. Rory followed me in without my phone. So I quick went to the living room to try to find it. After a couple minutes I located it and returned to the bathroom to find this:

Yes, that's right. I left my children unattended in the bathroom with the bathtub filling up. I am such a good mother! For the record, I've never claimed to be perfect. Amazing yes, perfect no.

Rory is hitting. When Max started hitting I would get so upset and had a hard time keeping my cool. I specifically remember a few times having to walk away because I took it so personally. It's so funny how much changes between one child and the other.

When Rory hits, I usually pick her up and remove her from the situation. While I'm not pleased that she has hit, I'm also not nearly as upset or shocked. When I put her down? She usually turns on me and starts hitting my leg/arm/face/whatever is nearest. If Max had done this? I would have had to run out of the room I'd be so angry. When Rory does it? I have to stop myself from laughing!

Don't get me wrong, it isn't that I'm holding higher standards for Max. It's just that Max has helped me relax a bit in my child rearing and has taught me how to recognize some of the stages that kids go through. (It comes with the territory of being the first born.) It also helps that when Max hits me, which he still does on occasion but very rarely, it hurts! So basically, when Rory hits me, she is so angry and wants to show me that anger by hurting me but the reality is that she couldn't even leave a red mark on my body if she tried. At least not at this age. So it's funny!

And that is where I get concerned. Max rarely hits when he is upset, and I have to believe that is because he sees that it is wrong and that it upsets me. Does this mean that Rory is going to see that I'm not upset, not even bored, but slightly amused? Will I have more of a struggle with teaching that hitting is unacceptable because I occasionally have to hide so she doesn't see me smiling? Now I may be biased being the oldest child myself, but I totally get why the younger kids are so much more messed up then us older ones!*

Hopefully we get this figured out before she can really start leaving a mark. I don't think I'd find that nearly as amusing as her little fits are right now.

*Yes, I'm being facetious here.

Sunday morning Dusty and Rory left us to get her throat swabbed and to pick up some medicine for her. Yes, that means the kids and I have all got strep throat in 5 days, fun! Max was not happy that we were stuck home while Daddy and Rory got to play and I had to get ready for a baby shower. So I did what any normal mother would do.

I flipped over a truck and made it comfy for little toes.

I gave him a makeup brush and some shiny bright blue eye shadow and I told him to go to town.

Doesn't he look so handsome with his bright blue unibrow?

I know, I'm going to be mother of the year if I keep this up! And I should point out, that I'm currently "the favorite" parent. I'm rarely in this position as they both are constantly changing their minds as to who they want to be with, but yesterday, it was me. Aren't we cute cuddling and watching the Packers win the Superbowl?

Love!

So today started out well. We all got up and got ready. Max was especially crabby this morning so I was pretty much covered in snot, drool, and tears by the time we got out the door. We get to daycare and I turn around to talk to Max but stop. His face is suddenly covered with a rash.

So I leave Max in the car, bring Rory in and tell them I'm taking Max to the doctor to investigate a rash. So I get back out to the car, call and get us an early appointment and we're off to the doctor. With Max singing, mind you, because besides the rash and a case of the crabby pants first thing this morning he doesn't seem to be ill at all.

So naturally he has a positive strep test.

I am reassured that I am not crazy and was correct in thinking the rash was a sign of strep even if he does not have a fever or seem to be bothered by the extremely large tonsils they found. Since we're already at the doctor's I get a quick appointment to the audiology department and Max and I fill his prescription and get some breakfast between the appointments. (I love that there is a cafe and a pharmacy all right there!) I end up having to send off my hearing aid because it is malfunctioning. Not the end of the world but I wish I didn't feel like an 80 year old woman because I have a hearing aid I need to take care of. I mean, I'm trying to take care of a 2 year old, 1 year old and hearing aids? That just isn't supposed to be happening at the same time.

Thankfully, Max did amazing at the doctor's! We were there for almost 2 hours when it was all said and done and outside of needing some reminders to not yell or climb on chairs? He really was very good. Oh, and I am that mom that lets my kid run around the waiting room. Especially when my appointment was supposed to start 15 minutes ago. The nice old lady that was sharing the waiting room with us? She didn't mind Max's energy and even scolded me for not letting Max climb on the chairs. "Oh, his boots should be dry enough from the carpeting!" Ha ha! I loved her!

Now I just wait for Rory to get it. Max and Rory shared dinner and a sippy cup last night so it isn't a question of if she'll get it, just when. Happy Friday to me!

We had a special treat this week as Max and I picked up a box of ice cream cones while shopping. Max held up his cone and yells "Cheers!" so naturally we all clinked our cones before eating them.

Did you notice Rory's upside-down cone? Yeah, she never turned it right side up and instead ate it from the point down. (Well until Dusty had to step in and eat the melting ice cream. Such a tough job for Daddy!)

I'm sure when the warm weather comes and the ice cream starts melting faster, she'll figure it out. For now? I'm just going to laugh at my girl who eats ice cream cones upside-down!

I skipped work today and instead got the pleasure of visiting our doctor's office, and subsequently the pharmacy, for my strep throat. Which I might add, I haven't had since high school or maybe even younger.

Any bets as to who in this household gets it next? Because you know it won't just stop with me. The first two weeks of January wiped out everyone but me so my guess is Dusty will avoid this bug but the kids will get infected. Just my luck. At least I don't leave for Miami this week, that gives me a little more time to get this family healthy.

This is going to be one of those "My son is the next Pablo Picasso" posts. Deal with it, I'm so proud!

My kids like to color. And I love to sit them down and have them color because it keeps them out of my way. Ahem.

While Lyla was over the kids were all coloring nicely and when they were done I had them put their art on the refrigerator. You could tell which one was Rory's because she is very dainty and just barely pushes the crayon so there are always faint marks of color. Lyla was very nice and helped color in Rory's papers with her own darker marks. Then there was Max. He had the Buzz Lightyear paper. Just take a look.

Do you see that? Do you see how he actively colored over the Buzz Lightyears instead of just scribbling on paper? When did he figure that out?! Did daycare teach him that or did he just start grasping this concept on his own? Don't you think this means he's going to be a genius?! Possibly the next Pablo Picasso?!

OK maybe I'm making a bigger deal about this than is necessary but seriously this just blows me away. I'm in awe at his growing intelligence and just so proud!