Not Because of God

Tonight while Eliot and Naomi tore through their Halloween candy they were introduced to a ton of candy they've never seen before.

Eliot found some Laffy Taffy and asked me why it was made that way.

I paused before I answered and he took his own guess.

"Because of God?"

"Nope. Not because of God."

I said.

"Because of Willy Wonka."

Babushka!!!!!!!

Naomi fell in LOVE with wearing a babushka yesterday at Gramma and Grampa's house.

How many times in these two kids' lives do you think we'll manage a picture like this one? Naomi having her own personal party. Eliot in somber observance.

Mistake Photo Magic of the Century

Naomi

I Love This Picture

Eliot, Naomi and My Mistress Lake Superior

These Were Taken A Few Weeks Ago in Two Harbors MN

Thank Goodness You Don't Get Yearly Reviews As a Mom

Today was one of those days when the kids needed me to be extra special awesome. Naomi was feeling sick (she threw up in her bed last night and all over her blanket and didn't even seem to wake up and then barfed in the kitchen sink and all over me this morning) and Eliot had diarrhea. They had their first day of all day GROUP child care yesterday and didn't nap and I think felt pretty nervous and overwhelmed by the whole thing.

Today was one of those days when I needed to be sleeping all day. I have had a cold since Wednesday afternoon. I had such a sore throat on Thursday night that it seemed the better choice to drool all over my pillow than actually swallow down my raw esophagus (wasn't that just a fun image you had in your mind just now). I lost my voice over the weekend.

Diocesan convention was exhausting. I'm tired and sick.

Today was one of those days I had little to give to the kids.

If today was my yearly review kindergarten style it would go something like this.

PATIENCE score frowny face
notes: sighed in frustration so often Eliot started noticing, clapped at Eliot to get his attention, got so frustrated about putting clothes on kids to go outside had to give self a time-out.

COMMUNICATION score frowny face
notes: called Naomi butt under breath, raised voice once with Eliot (did apologize later for that), sighed in frustration multiple times, was stubborn and said no repeatedly

PLAYING score frowny face
notes: seemed to repeatedly duck for cover every time the couch and/or bed was near, spent most of day stealing 10 second naps

NAPPING score smiley face
notes: fell asleep within 30 seconds of the kid's naps beginning, slept so hard she drooled

Today was one of those days when I thought that saving for therapy is such a better idea than saving for college. You can get scholarships for college. You can't get health insurance until you're 30.

This weekend at Uncle Zach and Aunt Amanda's wedding (or rather while I was so lost driving there that I spent over 45 minutes on random roads and highways in Vermont) Naomi, Eliot and I had what might be called a conversation.

It went something like this.

Naomi: (With both of her index fingers up both of her nostrils) Mama. Mama. Mama.

Just try putting your fingers up your nose to the first digit and say that. You'll sound funny and be tempted to say it repeatedly for a loooooooooooooooong time.

Me: (With both hands responsibly at 10 and 2 on my steering wheel). Naomi. Naomi. Naomi. Naomi.

Naomi: Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama.

Me: laughter

Eliot: Mama why are you laughing?

Me: Because Naomi has her fingers up her nose.

Eliot: (With his fingers up his nose) My fingers are in my nose.

Me: Oh yeah. What is it like.

Eliot: Its gross. That's gross Naomi. Is it gross Naomi?

Naomi: (Still with fingers up her nose) No.

Eliot: It is gross. Mama Eliot has a booger on his finger.

Me: What are you going to do with it?

Eliot: Put it back in my nose.

Naomi: Mama. Mama. Mama.

A Birth Today

10 months ago today Eliot was diagnosed with Leukemia.

10 months.

That is the length of a pregnancy (for all of you out there who haven't been pregnant that is one of those things they don't tell you - its not 9 months - its 10 - that one shocked the hell out of me).

Today I feel like something was birthed.

Eliot and I went to the clinic and we were LESS anxious than most of the staff (a lot of their staff is at a conference and there are a lot of new people around - they were all a bit hyper).

We laughed A LOT there.

We even spent some time on the floor in the hallway laughing our butts off.

Then we went to McDonald's and sat in a booth and had lunch together and laughed and laughed.

10 months ago I was so shocked and heart-broken and terrified.

Now we have this relaxed, normal-ish, so-much-less-intense-I-can't-believe-it life.

Eliot has hair, enough to curl a little. He is so tall and kid-like its amazing. Naomi is walking and talking.

I rarely have to carry both of them at the same time anymore.

This past week 2 things happened that haven't happened since Eliot was diagnosed.

Eliot bumped his lip on the gate upstairs.

When that happened less than a week before he was diagnosed he got a huge blood blister.

I also went to the Oriental market in our neighborhood. Aron, the kids and I did that the Friday before Eliot was diagnosed.

It feels full-circle. It feels full. We're back to territory in life that 10 months ago I didn't know if I'd ever see again.

Oh My Goodness Could It Be????

Tonight at bath time Naomi sat on the potty and then ta da SO DID ELIOT!

We had little boy pee in our potty tonight.

Eliot just called me upstairs because he needed to pee a little more. He didn't want to pee in his diaper!!!!

I know this whole potty training thing can take a long time.

I know there might be months of this. Or not.

I'm so excited.

We could be a diaper free house by Christmas maybe.

Now THAT would be a GREAT Christmas present.

Tonight I bought diapers. Perhaps. If I'm really, really lucky. It might be the last time I buy them - at least for my own kids.

Imagine.

A grocery list, budget and garbage can without diapers.

I know. I know. I could have had that all along had I just done clothe diapers.

I didn't tho.

And now, perhaps, I could be without diapers in my life.

Oh beauty. Oh seeing the light at the end of the tunnel gloriousness.

We Have Lift Off

Naomi has been telling me when she needs to go potty lately by patting either the front or back of her diaper and saying 'poop'.

Everything that leaves her body and lands in her diaper is poop.

When she tells me I ask if she wants to sit on the potty. She says yes. She tears her pants and diaper off with reckless abandon. She sits on the toilet happy as could be and uses about a roll of toilet paper every time to wipe her perfectly clean parts.

Until today she would just sit there but not actually release anything.

Until today she just sat there for a while and then put her diaper back on and about 5 minutes later actually peed or poo'd in her diaper.

Not today.

Today while she sat there happy as could be I decided to turn the faucet in the sink on.

Shazam.

She peed.

Then wiped.

Then washer her hands.

She did that twice today.

I don't want to count my eggs before they hatch yet I still can't resist the urge to imagine that I might be back to changing just one kid's diapers soon.

Oh goodness. Could it be. Could it be. Could my daughter be potty training herself before she turns 2.

This is one break I'd be so happy to take.

Life. Written by Hollywood

Our weekend was like something out of Hollywood.

We made our own pasta on Friday. Eliot and Naomi 'helped' Aron mix the dough. We called all of our neighbors and invited them over for a spontaneous butternut squash ravioli feast and they came. And they're all diverse and cool and fun and young.

We had ravioli and wine and salad and cauliflower mashed potatoes and wine and venison and wine.

Yesterday before Aron went to work he and Eliot rolled out more pasta and made linguine and spaghetti.

Eliot was in charge of the pasta machine and it was incredibly cute. I don't know how Hollywood could have ever found a kid cuter. He was asking questions and just kept spinning and spinning that pasta maker.

Then last night Aron had a Blessing of the Animals and I took the kids.

It was a bright, warm night. The kids were adorable.

Naomi was smiling and running and trying to walk up and down steps and hanging from the hand railing and she was enchanting. She was so amazing and so serious and having so much fun I just couldn't help sit back and feel amazed and inspired by her.

Life in the slow lane can be pretty darn beautiful sometimes.

Mama Jesus

I just went upstairs for the 2nd time tonight to encourage the kids to actually fall asleep.

Naomi was saying geeshush. geeshush. geeshus.

I finally asked her if she was saying Jesus.

She said yesh.

Then she said, "Mama geeshush, Mama geeshush, Mama geeshush"

And Eliot said, "are you Jesus Mama."

What do you say to that one?

Nope Eliot. Mama isn't Jesus. Naomi just thinks I am.