Life

We have been really busy lately with a whole lot of nothing. It's amazing how much work goes into taking care of three active little kids. Judson isn't active per se, just very fussy and high-maintenance.

Lucy's really missing her friends and pre-school. She keeps asking about play dates and I keep scheduling them. We had three last week and two this week. Plus, we had lunch with Dave today. She got sick over the weekend and I took her to the Dr. Sunday afternoon (there's a pediatric after-hours Dr. right down the road) and she had strep. She loved going to the Dr. and getting medicine. Lucy loves the pink medicine and really thinks the Dr. prescribed it because her favorite color is pink, because having to drink a teaspoon of pink twice a day for ten days makes everyone feel better. She really is feeling much better now.

On Saturday morning we were getting ready to go downstairs for breakfast and Gus pulled down his pants and his diaper, letting it all hang out, and said, "POTTY!" I put him on the potty and he went! He's been going at least once every day since then, all on his own. I've been very hesitant about potty training him for a variety of reasons, but I guess it's about time.

Lucy primarily uses the upstairs hall bathroom. There's a little potty seat on the toilet and a step-stool so she can reach the sink. It's much easier to have only bathroom be kid friendly, rather than moving the seat and step-stool every time we need to go to the bathroom. The kids bathroom is the only one of the four that we have not re-done, and boy does it need it. The toilet is 23 years old, wobbles, and runs all the time. Then there's the sink that leaks onto the countertop. And we can't forget the rotting hardwood floors. The previous owners put them in, but didn't do such a great job. Plus, we have splashy bath kids. We try to close the curtain when they splash and cover the floor, but water always makes its way out of the tub. It's a nightmare waiting to happen, especially because the bathroom is directly above the kitchen table. Lucy is such a rule-follower, I'm okay with leaving her alone in there. I'm terrified of leaving Gus alone in that bathroom. He asks for privacy when he sits on the toilet, but really, that's not so safe. Especially when he puts his hand in the toilet, while he's sitting on it, to splash the water inside. I just picture him alone in the bathroom, clogging the toilet, and because it's not sealed properly (the floors and the toilet), it all coming down onto our food at dinner time. Ick! It gives me shivers down my spine just thinking about it. So we're re-doing the bathroom next week. Dave and I are ripping everything out this weekend. The tile gets installed on Tuesday and Wednesday. We're putting up vinyl wainscoting (it looks just like wood) Wednesday night and the new toilet goes in on Thursday. It should be sealed up tight so we won't ever have any leaks. Our fingers are crossed. When that's all done, we'll take Gus' potty-training a bit more seriously.

Judson still gets up once or twice between midnight and six. Occasionally, he'll go right back to sleep, but most of the time he's up for a good hour after he eats. Dave gives him a bottle at midnight so I can get at least four or five hours of straight sleep. I never thought in a million years that I would be able to consistently and happily function on four or five hours of sleep. He has his two-month appointment next Friday. I was a bit late in scheduling it and the Dr's office is booked with summer physicals. Judson FINALLY started to smile last Thursday. He is very, very, VERY stingy with his smiles. I get maybe one a day. Lucy gets at least two a day. Dave's gotten two, maybe three, total. Gus hasn't gotten any.

I'm getting much more brave with the kids. I've gone a few places, in public, with just Judson in the stroller, letting both Lucy and Gus walk. Gus is doing much better staying by me and obeying when it's just me in charge. I think he knows if he doesn't, we'll never leave the house again. Yesterday we went to the museum with my friend Karen and her four kids. Her oldest son is four and Judson is the youngest. The kids did great, all seven of them! I think it helps that they've known each other since they were babies. Gus loves hanging out with her boys. At one point I looked over and Gus was pushing the button on the water fountain so one of her boys could catch the water in his mouth (it was an outside water fountain). No one got hurt and everyone had a fabulous time.

Here's some random commentary from Lucy that has made us laugh:

"Mommy when our we going to get to the Homo Depot?" (We have NEVER called it that and corrected her immediately after she said it. It's still a bit funny, though).

"Daddy and Gus bought orange juice with zero therms (pulp). I don't like therms. I'm ALLERGIC to therms."

Lucy: "Daddy, there's a big, big spider in here."
Dave: "That's just a daddy long-legs."
Lucy: "I think it's a mommy long-legs."
*She's noticed the height difference.