Toilet Warmer Upper.
Charlie sat upon the potty this afternoon and jumped off shrieking that it was too cold, he wouldn't go. What's a Mom to do?
I dutifully rubbed the toilet seat with my bare hands (thanking God that I clean it often...) until it was toasty warm for my dear darling's tender behind.
I imagine you're chuckling about this...
That's okay, I was laughing pretty hard about it myself.
After 4 Christmas's in Hawaii where Christmas trees are expensive and often foregone for a more tropically decorated palm tree - we have our first "real" and "real big" Christmas tree as a couple and as a family. This is an odd little piece of Herbert Family Trivia that I hadn't put together before now, but it struck me as I was decorating our lovely tree this afternoon. We've had small artificial trees, and teeny tiny potted trees - but never in 12 Christmas's have Paul and I had a big real Christmas tree. We do now!
Our lovely tree is 8 feet tall and holds every treasured ornament we own. And this year there is already one new extra special one. I finally mailed the ornament I picked out for my secret ornament swapper, so I allowed myself to open the one that arrived for me! It is the most entertaining ornament I've seen in a long time. I'll get a picture up shortly, but it is a clear glass ornament with a painted snowman on the outside. Inside are itsy bitsy pieces of round Styrofoam that stick to the sides of the glass by static - and look like snow! The boys love it and of course wanted to "bounce it," Mommy was a party pooper and declined their request with a little lesson about "no touch" ornaments and "okay to touch" ornaments. A big mahalo (a Hawaiian Thank You) to Aubrey and her beautiful family in Colorado, http://aubsfamfive.blogspot.com/
And lucky me, the boys picked out the tree themselves while I was at a special shopping event at Banana Republic. When I got home refreshed from a little independant outting, the tree was picked out driven home and set-up waiting for me to indudge in my favorite activity of putting on the lights and ornaments.
It's Christmas now, the ornaments are on the tree.
Ugh! My swappers ornament arrived today. I should be elated, but I feel horrible! So I'm not going to open it until I can fix the guilt.
But in case "Luevano" from Denver is peeking in to see if their package has been received - it has, it has! Thank you so much!
The whole family has had some awful "hit you once, think you're better, hit you twice" stomach bug. We tried to get out to Costco for diapers (very important with stomach bugs and children) and had to shorten our trip to the more costly but closer Target.
Mercifully, we seem to be better this afternoon and my goal is to get the ornament I have to give in the mail after the boys wake up from naps, or at the latest in the morning if they sleep past the post office hours.
Consider this my confession, and may the Ornament Swapper Fairies have mercy on my karma.
Babyhood is laid to rest.
If I didn't live in a house with 3 boys, if instead I lived with my dearest girlfriends - I would ball my eyes out and scream, "I'm not ready! This cannot be over yet."
But I do live with 3 boys, all of whom I love dearly. And for them, or because of them, the scream, the tantrum, will play out only in my heart.
So what's all this about?
My three year old got a fancy new lofted bed a couple weeks back. We placed his toddler bed underneath just in case he wasn't ready for the bigger bed. But today, just before naps, my two year old decided it was where he wanted to sleep. And just like that babyhood is laid to rest.
The crib that has been occupied everyday for over three and a half years is not getting use in my house anymore. And I'm pretty sure I wasn't ready.
Just last night my husband asked when we would move Macalan out of the crib and I replied, "Oh we're not even close, Charlie was over 2 and a half."
In my head though I was plotting how long I could keep him IN his crib. I was feeling the panic already only at the mention of being done with the crib. And now, just like that, it's been done.
My hope against hope is that babyhood is only napping. That this crib will be allowed to take up space in our house unused for a time, but to be occupied again...just one more time.
That is how long a brand new refrigerator in my house is capable of staying clean.
30 seconds.
I had to laugh.
Our new refrigerator was delivered today while the boys were napping. Macalan woke up just as they were completing installation. The men were out of the house no more than 30 seconds when Macalan decides to clean his wet sticky hands on the refrigerator.
Really?
Wouldn't a towel, or even my thighs have done a better job?
Green Piece - We recycled our refrigerator. Instead of having the instant gratification of a nice tidy kitchen, we let our old one sit and clutter our newly "spruced up by a shnazy new fridge" kitchen for 24 hours. Small price to pay. And how fun that WE actually made money in the deal. This company pays YOU $50 for "letting" them recyled your old inefficent fridge! Now...if I could get my hands on the information of what they actually do with these old refrigerators I'd feel much better about this ecological contribution.
I love busy days.
Today we had a fun (at least when you're in a family with 2 small boys) trip to the dump, then we were off to Charlie's first day of soccer. I don't think I stopped laughing and smiling the entire hour we were on the field. Imagine a pack of 3 year olds learning to play soccer. Too cute. I was actually impressed how well they followed directions. Charlie had a great time and has already named soccer as his favorite part of the day today. We even got him to pose, notice the shaka and the thumbs up. Soccer must be awesome to get both! And I'm only sharing this photo here, as I think this photo may be making it's way into some grandparent Christmas projects...but I had to share it somewhere - it's obviously a classic!
After soccer we then went to the park where Daddy plays volleyball. We had a picnic and learned the difference between acorns and pinecones.
And when the kiddos get up from naps we'll be off to the Harvest (Halloween) Festival at Charlie's Some Day School. That's what we call it for now when we drive by. It will be his school some day, 2 years from now. I'm sure that time will be here more quickly than I can guess.
This is our new playroom. I think I'm in love with the IKEA Fabler design, slightly circus, slightly magical, definitely fun. The walls were painted "Dusk" by Restoration Hardware, a bold move painting such a dark color, certainly the darkest I've ever used, but I really like it. Paul wanted something "not too kid." Well, at least that was achieved with the paint color, but the room (for now) is all kid! 
Not this family. We're generating lots of change, no waiting here. One big change we set in motion even had change in the title. Paul's Change of Charge Ceremony was January 18.
An hour of speeches under the sun with two little boys. . . I held my breath. Mercifully our good friend Jessica was in attendance with her nearly 3 year old, Patrick - a good friend of Charlie's. When the boys had given it their all but still had energy to spare, Jessica ushed the wiggle worms away. And after the ceremony the boys were beside themselves with the chance to "play" with Paul's ceremonial sword.
Macalan kept Mommy company through Paul's touching recount of his time as OIC and our time as a family in Hawaii. The pictures we received from the event were priceless.
Oh happy day! This morning our sample pack of gDiapers arrived. They are so darn cute and I've been thrilled by how easy to use and effective they are (two very important factors in diapering...). The boys took to them immediately and their cute little rumps made me think of our very own GG who calls the kids "happy bottoms" whenever she visits. And now...well, they really are happy bottoms. And I could swear I could hear the Earth give me a little applause this morning. These diapers biodegrade in 50-150 DAYS versus the 500 YEARS traditional diapers take. Not to mention the liners are flushable...so no more offensive diapers accumulating until trash day. I need to have another baby just so I can use these things longer - I love 'em!
And, I found a yoga class with child care! Namaste. I'm sure my children will be the ones to make them realize that $2 for an hour and a half of child care is unheard of for a reason - and I'd gladly pay more should they come to their senses. But for now I am a happy bottom myself. Not to mention I get the biggest kick out of the way Charlie's face can't seem to help but smile when he says, "purple yoga mat." Which he says each time I throw the mat in the car for a class. I tried out my first Ashtanga class Monday and I'll be sampling their Vinyasa Flow class tomorrow.
Christmas morning was quite the event. But then it must be pretty overwhelming to barely understand the ways of the world and wake up one morning to see wrapped packages have devoured your previously normal livingroom. The boys barely said a word all the way down the stairs, but there was lots of finger pointing, wide eyes and, "Ooo, Ooo's" to be heard.
The boys received 2 kites this year, the one pictured here was deemed better for napping on than for flying, it crashed well, but didn't fly so hot...but that's alright I suppose...the boys creative use made for a darling picture.
New Year's morning Paul and I each strapped one child to our backs and hiked up Diamond Head. We weren't sure if it would be enough entertainment for the boys, but as it turns out they had a pretty darn good time. Hopefully the family centric and healthy event sets a tone for the rest of the year.
