Pshaw! I did rather well I think.

**Note to my readers: I am not a Doctor, nor do I play one on TV or online**

Day 7 without Zoloft. I am feeling rather well. I know you ARE NOT supposed to quit cold turkey but it just sort of happened that way. Last week I forgot to take my 100mg dose. I didn't realize it until the next day and then I said, "SCREW IT" and decided to quit altogether. Some may say that is wasn't real smart on my part. But ~shrug~ you do what you think is best for you. Some may also say a woman going through PPD isn't rational enough to be thinking straight and shouldn't just QUIT her medication.

My only complaint has been the dizziness. I didn't notice it yesterday or today so I am guessing I am over that part.

I am trying to be positive and just take it day by day. So please don't just quit your meds if you are reading this post. What I did was probably stupid but it's done and over with at this point.

Yesterday I got out of the house and even had lunch with my Superdad. Well not my dad but my husband. He is "Superdad" now. I quit calling him HBG, HB and B1. Sorry for all the confusion. Reminds me of people that always change their email address. PEOPLE please stop changing your email address. It is really annoying and I don't have time to change my address book every time you want to make a change. HA HA!

I feel like a lazy bum. Here it is Wednesday and I still haven't picked up the house. The dust bunnies come out to play at night I believe. I sure wish that cleaning fairy would show up soon. Along with the laundry fairy and cooking fairy. While I am dreaming big, how about a taxi fairy as well.

I did hit Ingle's yesterday to buy my NON organic stuff. I haven't been in a month or longer. I needed to pick up tea bags, coffee, cleaning supplies, wipes and other unimportant things. Of course Lil O picked up several random things and added to the cart as well. She came home with a Diary that locks. What in the world does a three year old have to write in her diary that she wants no one else to see?

~Dear Diary,
I refused to use the potty today. Those adults are going to have to get over it and continue to wipe my butt for me.

~Dear Diary,
Why did they have my little sister? She pulls my hair, drools all over me and hogs the bed at night?

~Dear Diary,
Why does mommy always ask me, "did you hear me"? Does she think I am deaf. I am just ignoring her when she tells me to stop doing something. DUH!

Who wants to come over and crack open her diary lock and see what her secrets are?

I am working on Kid Friendly Asheville. I am trying to redo the header and such. There is so much I want to post on KFA this week. If you live in Asheville or planning a trip here soon please check back for daily updates! When voting starts I will also post that so you can vote for KFA!!!!!

Must get off butt and do something productive....

Tubs and Cricket

Since Baby M is getting adorably fat these days I have started calling her Tubs. So now when I look at my adorably fat baby I see a black man with his 80's jheri curl fighting crime in Miami. ~laughing~

I told Lil O she could be Crockett to go along with Tubs. She informed me that she was NOT Crockett that her name was LIL O. Then she said, "Daddy can be Cricket".

I laughed so much I could have wet my pants. Which I am glad I didn't. I already have 2 in diapers, 3 would make me insane.

Tubs and Cricket fighting big bad drug lords in Miami. Wearing linen suits and no socks. ~insert Miami Vice theme song here~

~hanging head~ I admit it!!! I used to watch Miami Vice all the time. I didn't watch the movie that came out years ago because I didn't want to ruin my Miami Vice memories.

I will say that Don Johnson got better with age!!! YUMMY!! Anyway....

While I am embarrassing myself admitting my love for Miami Vice I might as well mention my other faves. Love Boat. Fantasy Island. TJ Hooker. Sledgehammer. Who's the Boss. Growing Pains. 3's Company. 21 Jump Street. A-Team. Golden Girls. Green Acres. I could go on but I better not.

I am going to go surf the TV now. Maybe I can catch a Love Boat marathon!! Woohooo!!!!
Where's Julie when I need her?

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Need I say any more?? The heels. The purse. The pink hair bow!

Someone take my SUPERMOM card away!!!!

Since having Baby M I have become a crap mommy. Actually it started while I was pregnant with Baby M. In my defense I was awful sick, living off Zofran and Prevacid to make it through the day!! Toward the end I was the size of a whale and unable to get around much less do anything much around the house.

So here Baby M is 21 weeks old, as of yesterday, and legal to drool as Superdad says! HA HA! She is growing up so fast!! Baby M is starting to take a try at crawling. It is adorable. She will get up on hands and knees and rock!



That's my Superbaby!!! I think she has a new name to go along with Superdad. :)

Okay, back to losing my SUPERMOM card and cape. I have always ironed my kids clothes for school. I used to make a big pile on Sunday and iron for the week. UNTIL, I didn't give a damn anymore. Not because I like my kids looking like they slept in their clothes but because I don't have the energy anymore to fool with it. I have gotten to where I grab the clothes fresh out of the dryer instead of leaving them in it for DAYS which left them wrinkled to where I had to iron them. Voila! So I don't really iron anything unless it is a special event.

~I used to have a nightly routine where I would turn every ones bed down for them. Fluff their pillow and so forth. Not anymore. You can turn it down yourself and tidy it up in the morning. I feel guilt over this one! I may go in their room in the morning and tidy up the bed and pick up the dirty clothes and throw them on their bed for them to FIGURE it out themselves! The only time I really make their beds is when I change the sheets. Does this make me a slacker??

Since having my fourth baby, I think they should be making my bed for me! HA HA! JOKING!!!

~OMG, the laundry. I recently taught my 14 year old the difference between wearable again and dirty clothes. Just because you wear it to the mall for 2 hours does NOT make it dirty. Unless you spilled your lunch on it of course.

~My 3 year old is the same!!! She likes to change clothes 3-4 times a day!!!!!!!!! Seriously!!!!!

So yesterday I actually folded all the clothes, mopped, vacuumed, dusted and made an awesome dinner. Maybe I do deserve my SUPERMOM card and cape after all!

Who do I have to sleep with around here to get a NAP?!?!

That is what I would like to know. I haven't been sleeping well this past week. Either it is a headache, cranky teething baby or a 3 year old is kicking me in the head. Lack of sleep hit me today. After lunch I was sooooo tired I couldn't think. I am surprised I had enough energy to be able to breath. Know what I am talking about?

Baby M was asleep so I asked Lil O to take a rest with me. Ummm, it went down like this. Having a conversation with a 3 year old that is very stubborn is HARD. I rarely win.

Me- Lil O, lets turn the TV off and go rest in mommy's bed.

LO- No, I want to watch TV.

Me- You can bring a movie into the bedroom and watch on the baby TV. IE: The portable DVD player.

LO- No, I want to watch the big TV.

I turn the TV off and suggest taking a rest.

Let the screaming and kicking begin. Wahhhhhhhhhhhh! Wahhhhhhhhhh! I just walked away and crawled into my big comfy bed. Knowing she wasn't far behind me.

Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! You know her tantrum WOKE up the baby. Of course it would, it always works that way!

Me- Please get in the bed so I can rest. I am so tired Lil O.

LO- No!! Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Me- I am going to call your daddy if you don't get your butt up here NOW!

My voice is starting to rise!

LO- NOOOO, don't call daddy. You'd think she was afraid of him by her reaction. I am here to tell you that she isn't. She laughs at the face of authority!!!

Me- Do you want mommy to buy those Backyardigans tickets???

I brought out the big guns! The Backyardigans are coming to town in a few weeks and she is dying to see them!!

LO- I want to see the Backyardigans!! Wahhhhhhhh!!

Me- Then get in this bed and HUSH or I am not buying those tickets.

LO- Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! You are being mean mommy.

Moi???? No, I am not being mean. I am trying to take a NAP so I don't go insane. Now I know why some animals eat their young.......

She ended up in bed and asleep before her head hit the pillow. I overslept only to be woken up by the phone ringing. I was expecting a phone call about my new site! I was totally caught off guard and wasn't able to ask all I had planned on. I'll have to sit down and email him later.

Anyway, please check out my other site. Pass it around. I'd LOVE that!!!!

Kid Friendly Asheville

Potty Training Idea. I hope it works.

Potting training has been becoming a pain in the YOU KNOW WHAT!!!!!!

Lil O almost had it perfected until Baby M came along.

We have tried every freaking thing. PRAISE!! STICKERS!! BRIBERY!!!!

NOTHING IS WORKING. Frankly I am tired of changing POOPY DIAPERS!! I am already changing a baby and STILL A TODDLER!!!

I just want to scream. When we talk to Lil O about it she will tell us she already used the potty. I have tried to tell her over and over again that you have to use the POTTY EVERYDAY. That time you used it last week DOESN'T COUNT!!!!!!

I had an idea over the weekend and I put it to use Monday.

I cleaned out her DVD drawer of her favorite movies. If she pees or poops in the potty she gets ONE DVD back. To watch the DVD she has to poop or pee AGAIN in the potty. If there is an accident she LOSES the DVD AGAIN.

Monday--She peed in potty. She got her Backyardigans DVD back.

She peed in potty again. She got to watch the DVD.

She pooped in POTTY! I am really excited by this point thinking the plan was working.

Then she peed all over the play area! I even had to pick up the play kitchen to mop under.

DVD was taken AWAY!!!!

So, today is Thursday right? I haven't had to watch any movies so far if you get my drift!!!!

Any ideas?? Please share them with me!!!! I shouldn't have to be changing my 3 year old daughters poopy diapers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi my name is Michelle and I don't know what birth control is.

Hello there. We just got back in from a quick weekend getaway. We took the four kids + 1 niece to Charlotte, North Carolina. It was definitely an adventure.

Saturday we went to Discovery Place. The plan was for HB, H and B2 to watch the new Batman movie in the IMAX and I would take Lil O, Baby M and my niece to the museum to look around and enjoy. I love a museum. Good idea I thought. Well, I was wrong. THANK GOD they had this HUGE play area for them to play in. It was like walking into Toys R Us with every toy you can imagine to play with. Even a water part. The bad thing is that the play area is right when you ENTER the museum. I wonder how many children actually make it to the museum after entering the play area???? I doubt many.

In fact I had to pick Lil O up and carry her out to SEE the museum. UGH, she kept running off and crying for the play area. It was very frustrating!!!!!!! I ended up taking them back to the play area so they would HUSH. We sat there for an hour then I dragged them out for lunch. Then took them back to play for another hour. By this time the movie was over and we met up with everyone else. I get all annoyed again trying to remember details to type them up. ha ha



All in all the Discovery Place was a really exciting place to visit. I would recommend it to everyone. It is the only place you can see two rats play basketball I bet. I know what the catch is though. Both rats look exactly the same so you really don't know which rat belongs to your team and both rats can shoot at either goal. Pretty sneaky of them. Sadly, the kids didn't catch on to their trickery. ha ha



The title of my blog is based on how MANY looks I got over the weekend with 5 kids tagging along behind me. A 14 year old, 10 year old, 7 year old, 3 year old and a 3 month old. I had told a few friends that I was going to claim all 5 of them and say I was pregnant with twins. But, I was just tooo freaking tired to care. I felt like saying, "What haven't you seen kids before?". Anyway...

Charlotte was HOT!!! HOT!!! HOT!!!
We headed to the Marriott to check in and swim in the pool. Ahhh, sitting by the pool. Watching the kids play. While I surfed the Internet on my Blackberry. We pretty much stayed there until bedtime. Minus HB and H going to get Thai takeout and ordering room service for a few things. I really love staying at Marriott's. Down pillows and comforters. Ahh, just like home. Enough about them because this isn't a commercial.

Sunday morning after a nice breakfast at the hotel we head to Carowinds. I'd like to shout out a THANK YOU to all the lovely ladies at the restaurant. They took wonderful care of us. I had to correct them too about the 5 kids with me.



This is my niece standing on the North Carolina/South Carolina line. I have always thought that a neat fact about the park. Of course, we headed to the left side which led us to a Nickelodeon Themed area. EVERYTHING ON NICK WAS ON THIS SIDE. We even saw god-parents walking around!!!!!! I thought Wanda and Cosmo were cute! Lil O wouldn't even get near them. She has this thing with people dressed in costumes. I don't think she will like Halloween either. I could be wrong though. I doubt it. It's just a hunch.

The kids enjoyed all the rides. They weren't bothered by the hot sweaty weather. They didn't even notice all the people walking around in bathing suits that shouldn't be. ~innocent smile~



That's me and Lil O on the carousel. Don't we look cute? She is doing the wave!!! Practicing for when she is in a parade and will use it. Smile. Wave. Smile. Wave. Lil O loves a carousel! We rode it twice. I hate to admit but I love to ride them as much as she does!



I was impressed that she got on the swings!!!!!! You could hear her squeal in delight over the music!!! That's my girl!!!



H and Lil O with Jimmy! Ha Ha!!!



ALL the kids loved this coaster!



The look on their faces explains it ALL!!!! AWESOME!!! To enjoy something soooo much!



H and B2 were such good sports. They helped out with the two smaller girls so much!! Which meant they had to ride rides they really wouldn't be caught dead on! See how happy they are in the boats? HA HA! I think they want to disappear! Thanks you two! Cause my fat butt wouldn't fit in the boat!



I see a pilots license in the furture. Maybe she will become an astronaut! COOLNESS!!



Awww. They are with Velma posing for a picture. It was called the Scooby Doo Haunted Mansion I believe. This was the only ride Lil O cried on because it scared her! Riding the above coaster didn't but seeing monsters did. :(



Yes, they have a LOST KIDS place! I didn't have to go here ONCE during our stay! I was surprised by this! I thought for sure I would lose at least one child.



Baby M was perfect the whole time. See how she is chilling with her foot propped up? She was able to ride one ride. You ready to hear which one? She road the train for a DORA ADVENTURE!!! We caught stars and ran off Swiper!!!



She got her first taste of water!!!! I wanted to make sure she stayed hydrated since it was so freaking hot there!

At one point we saw Goth kids walking around. I thought that interesting. I find it hard to imagine one of them saying, "Hey guys, lets go to Carowinds today!". Don't you?

I want to warn you if you are planning a trip to Carowinds and this will be your first visit! There is one ride in particular. Upon entering you will see a sign that reads, "YOU WILL GET WET". Let me just say that B2 and Niece H were soaked even before they rode the ride!!!! Water would just dump on people as they wait in line!!!!!

See how happy they look!!!!

After:

**I am proud to say that NO ONE got sunburned!!!!!!! I think I deserve a medal for this one. Going to an amusement park in August with 5 kids and no one got burned!!!!! They were greased down several times. Wore hats and sunglasses!

After 5+ hours I was sooooo over Carowinds. The heat! The crowds! People wearing bathing suits that shouldn't be! I was dripping with sweat!!!! I was tired! I was thirsty! I was ready to come home!

Everyone had a great time and that made me happy. I hate that I missed the new Batman movie at the IMAX. I'll have to watch it when it comes to the APC. I also hated that I missed the Museum. One day I can go without kids. Hmmm. Would I look odd walking around a kids museum without kids?? Who cares? Not me! I was just glad to get the hell out of Charlotte and back to my house and MY BED! With only my 4 kids! :)

Max & Ruby annoy me.

Max & Ruby, Ruby & Max annoy me. Lil O likes to watch them. I think Ruby is an annoying BOSSY big sister. If she really is his sister.

I told my husband you never see their parents. Just the grandma.

I think Ruby had a child at a young age. But she tells Max he is her "younger brother".

You didn't hear it from me though.

My 3 year old makes me want to drink.

ALCOHOL! Joking. Well, no I am not.

Saturday we were at Target. Getting this and that. After my short list was checked off Lil O said she wanted a toy. No biggie. I'll let her get a small toy every once in awhile.

Big mistake! BIG mistake! Huge MISTAKE!

She cannot decide on a SMALL toy. Instead she wants this Barbie cash register. Umm, no. So, we both are trying to bargain with her. Nope, she wasn't having it. I suggest a movie. Let's go look at the movies and pick one out. No.

I head on up to the movies to take a look and pick out something for her.

Then I hear crying. It's getting closer. It sounds like Lil O.

She is being carried by her daddy. Screaming. Crying. People are looking at us like we are trying to abduct her. I am surprised someone didn't say anything to us. Kind of scares me now to think about it. Would a stranger step in to see why a child is screaming and crying????
Anyway...another topic for another day.

He drops her in the back of the cart. Not literally. She is still screaming and crying. Kicking. Making a HUGE scene.

To make a long story short. She wouldn't stop. HB gets the few things out of the cart to pay for them so I can just push the screaming Lil O out of the store. OMG, it was embarrassing. She wouldn't stop. She screamed and cried every step of the way out the door. Getting louder.

It didn't stop there. She screamed at the van. refusing to get out of the cart. I have Baby M in the wrap so I am unable to just grab her out of the cart. During this time I took a video and picture of her.

She is going to be famous. See how she blocks the paparazzi from taking her picture?



We finally got her in the van and strapped in the seat. She cried all the way home.

I am sure this has to do with losing her paci. The new baby. Etc........

Sooooo, after I get the kids to bed tonight....who's coming over for drinks?

So what if she likes grape jelly on her waffles.

~first posted Febuary 18, 2007~ It's a post about Lil O! Since she is growing up to such a lovely big girl, I wanted to post again.

Good Monday morning from my computer chair to yours. This blog is going to be all about my youngest daughter O. She will three years old in 23 days. Or there abouts. Not that I am counting them.

It is sad to think of my baby growing up. It seems like yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital. Then she turned 1, then 2 and now 3! She is such a big girl.

As she is running around the house now in her Dora nightgown with her ponytails all messy. Wearing her princess jewelry. Sucking on her paci. Yes, she still has it and we are okay with it. If you aren’t, then you come take it from her. lol

I think of how much I am in love with that little girl. ~And my other 2 children.~

I love it when she laughs and says, “Tickle me”. Tells me I am her best friend forever. And when we are all snuggled together she will wrap her arms around my neck and tell me she loves me with all of her heart.

Here recently you can ask her something and she will say, “Umm, no” or “Umm, yes”. Its cute.

Yesterday when her big brother locked her out of his room we heard her scream through the door, “BEN CALVIN”. lol She thought using his middle name would get that door open. It didn’t but we got a good laugh from it.

I love to hear all these new words she picks up. She has been talking for a long time. She started speaking complete sentences when she started talking it seems. Such a VAST vocabulary for someone so small. Well small in age I guess.

She is one tall girl. She got that from me. :) She has the most beautiful big brown eyes, from her daddy. Blond streaks in her hair where the sun has kissed it.

I like it how she always calls PINK things green. lol

I like to paint her toenails. She likes it too.I love it when we are in bed for our nap together and I make up a story for her. She will say after, “That was a great story”.

I like how she picks out her clothes and shoes for the day. We don’t argue much over her choices. lol

I like to watch her jump on the trampoline. Hair flying everywhere. Laughing. Just enjoying herself. Freedom.

It warms my heart when I come home from being away from her she will say, “I am so happy, I have missed you”.

I simply adore when we wake up in the morning and she will ask, “You sleep good mommy?”. Since she shares our bed, I get lots of snuggle time at bedtime and when we first wake up. On occasion I have felt a poke poke for me to get up that she is awake and ready to get up out of bed. lol

I like sharing my bath with her. Having her and bubbles at the same time is such a treat. We do this about every day.

There are so many things I have learned from all my children. They teach us what really is important in life. They are. They teach us to not be selfish and only think of ourselves. They teach us that love is really unconditional. I am still trying to get patience. I pray for that everyday. I hope that I am able to teach them as much as they have taught me.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful Monday. I will because I will be with Lil O enjoying her as much as I can. Learning from her. Laughing with her. Letting her be her, because that is what she does best.

No more cussing.

Lil O has had a clean mouth today UNTIL her daddy came home. Isn't that right honey? ~gentle smile~

I have been a cleaning mad woman today. Mopping. Dusting. Vacuuming. Laundry. I think when I get in a funk I obsess more about clean and things in their place.

It's all okay now. Tomorrow I will fold the 3 loads of laundry and start a grocery list.

I didn't feel like leaving the house today so I missed the Moms Supporting Moms meeting. I guess the depression kept me at home. Eh, I'll go next time.
Lil O is in her bed. She is still asking for her paci. Day 5 without it. Such a milestone for such a brave little girl. My brave little girl.

Baby M is right beside me in bed as I type up something quick. The bugs outside are deafening. Yet peaceful. But I won't miss them when they hush for winter. Wow. To think of winter already. I admit that I love wearing a warm sweater and crazy knee socks. It's a weakness of mine.

Again, thank you for all the kind words about my blog and be sure to visit Pepper. The link is down below. I'd post it again but I am on my Blackberry and haven't figured all this out yet.

I must turn in and wish for sweet dreams.

My 3 Year Old Said A Cuss Word.

~insert glare at my husband~

Tonight I was on the bed nursing the baby when Lil O comes in to ask me if I had her paci.

I told her I did not have it.

She SAID, "DAMMIT!!"!!

I calmly yelled for her daddy to come here. When he gets here she asks him if he has her paci. I start to hide my face with a pillow becuase I know what is coming next.

He told her he didn't have her paci.

She SAID, "DAMMIT!!"!!

He tooks at me as I am hiding my face trying not to laugh out loud.

I know we shouldn't make a big deal or she will say it MORE. But if she continues then I will start to correct her.

I have said SEVERAL times to watch what you SAY around her because she will PICK it up!!

Sleeping Like A Baby My Butt...

Who started this phrase anyway??

Because apparently they haven't met or heard about my fourth child. Baby M. I would never say I want to sleep like her. More like NOT sleep like her.

She is 13 weeks old and not really a sound sleeper. It's odd. I can vacuum in the room right beside her crib and it not even make her flinch. BUT someone can whisper across the house in a room with the door shut and it will wake her up!!!!

THAT IS JUST WRONG!!! WRONG!! WRONG!

For me to actually be able to do things around the house instead of sit on the couch/bed and hold her as she sleeps I have to use my wrap. She will just sleep in that. I sometimes wish I could do something like that. All snuggled up to my mamaw asleep as she rubs my back. Now that would be a good nights sleep for sure.

Baby M fell asleep in the swing for the first time this past week. I thought, "THIS IS HEAVEN!".



Sooo, for me, instead of saying, "I wish I could sleep like a baby".

I will say, "I wish I could sleep like a man after a Thanksgiving meal." Or any meal at that on a Sunday. :)

BTW, I came up with this post after reading another blog about the same topic. I am sorry but I forgot where I read it. Please if you are a reader of my blog yell at me and I will give you due credit for this post of mine! :)

Here is a picture of Lil O WITHOUT her paci sound asleep.



Last night was really hard for us. My HB said he was about to go to Walgreen's and buy her a new paci. She would tell us, "I miss my paci". "Please give it back." "I miss sucking it." Add lots of tears and crying--it broke our heart.

I know today will be better for her.

We almost cracked.

I am so glad there wasn't a paci in the house because we would have given it to Lil O tonight.

She was exhausted from playing at Fun Depot. Plus not getting a nap. Add a bath and a full belly. Sadly that equaled a fussy screaming 3 year old.

If I wasn't afraid of scaring her, we could have ripped the bear open and played Operation.