She is Here

And she's scared out of her mind.  We're giving her space.  Andi is demonstrating for her how to go potty -- in a pink princess potty chair -- let's hope both the dog and Andi come out of this adventure potty trained. Win-win! 

Annual Tree Hunt, Grumpy Gnomes and Santa's Spy

This past week Dave took a day off work and we went tree hunting.  Not only did we find a nice tree for our living room, we found an angry little bah-humbug gnome running through the tree farm.  The only noise it made was high pitched screaming.

Decorating the tree, Andi had a great smile on her face.  I was the one who turned into a bah humbug gnome after Andi broke an ornament and started pulling things off the tree and out of boxes faster than  I could keep up with.

Dave and I looked at each other and reminded each other why our tree only had 10 ornaments on it the years the twins were 1 and 2 yrs old.

I have twice found Andi opening her presents from under the tree, which is why I have introduced the Elf on the  Shelf.  The girls love looking for the little elf every morning and after she disappeared suddenly (by falling behind the bed), the girls are certain she IS real and that she DOES fly back to Santa every night and tell him if they were naughty or nice.

I hope she stays all year.

Our Elf on the Shelf named "Holly June"

Mr. Mom and the Kids

This past week was my first official week working as a crisis triage clinician.  I've been in training the past 7 weeks -- there's a lot to learn about all the technology -- dealing with suicidal clients or people needing in patient treatment is the least of my worries and was not the focus of training.  It was learning all the damn computer systems and the ins and outs of managed care (still not a big fan and prefer to stick with working directly with the crisis calls and EAP counseling calls -- so I'm actively avoiding doing the managed care work for as long as possible). 

I'm not complaining, though. It's fast paced, fun, and you never know what you are going to get.  Most of the clinicians on the team are highly seasoned and, honestly, intimidating as far as their knowledge goes.  Last week, one of the most experienced and revered clinicians came over to the other newbie and I -- we are both in our 30's -- he is pushing 70, and asked us to come help him.  We sat there and stared at him, certain there was nothing we could help with.  Turns out he wanted one of our young bodies to climb under his desk and get a plug.  :)

Anyway, while I'm juggling mental health crisis at work, Dave is at home with the girls.  Today Dave took the twins to gymnastics.  While they waited for the girls class to end Andi looked at him and said, "I want you to go to work and Mommy stay home."  H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S  She followed up with, "I like mommy," in case he didn't get the message.

Before they went to gymnastics, I encouraged Dave to make oatmeal for a heartier breakfast.  And it's the real stuff....not the instant stuff in a little package that tastes like sugar and preservatives, but real oatmeal made on the stovetop. I make  it a few times a week and the girls eat it up. It's quick and easy, and healthier.
So why not? 

I'll tell you why not...apparently it's not easy -- for Dave -- who just admitted that he made the oatmeal and the uniform response from the girls was, "YUCK!"

I really do hope, though, that they all adjust because I like going to work and having my own time. Nearly doubling our household income has taken a lot of pressure off our shoulders.  The 45 minute break I get allows me to workout in the gym.  And it's nice to be using the clinical skills I developed but had been laying dormant for most of the last five years.

I had been feeling lost lately.  I began wondering if I was having an early mid-life crisis because I was feeling pretty stagnant.  I had a life plan as a teenager...to go to college, get married, go to grad school, buy a home, get a good job, have kids, and be a career mom...and I'm just realizing that I'm (finally) doing all that. I feel lucky to have gotten to stay home with the girls, but that was really hard, isolating work, and for right now, this feels really nice.

Status of Things

Yes.  Dave has warmed up to the idea of a foster dog joining us and we are now set to meet her on Monday (providing we pass the home visit).  The girls are on the edges of their seats waiting to meet her.  They understand she may have some issues with socialization and may lack skills that other dogs lack due to her rough start in life, but they are on board for teaching her how to be a part of the family.  They also understand we are not her "forever home" and are learning the concepts of fostering and adoption -- which is good, because Dave and I have considered fostering children when our own kids are a bit older.

Dave is used to this sort of thing.  My parents probably should have warned him that I have a bit of a habit of taking in stray dogs, though while I was in grad school -- and 6 months into our marriage -- Dave learned that I was a bit -- enthusiastic -- about rescuing dogs when he saw me running down the middle of one of the busiest streets in Columbia, MO trying to catch a limping chihuahua.  I hopped out of my brand new CR-V, leaving it parked with it's flashers on.  Dave sat stunned in the passenger seat for a moment before he hopped out yelling, "What are you doing?" 

I called back, annoyed at his distracting me from the task at hand, "I'm trying to save this dog before she gets run over!"

"YOU'RE GOING TO GET RUN OVER!" he had shouted back at me. 

Eventually I caught up with the dog at the entrance to a hospital, and Dave caught up to me with the car.  It was a turning point in our relationship -- one in which he knew I was just a little off kilter -- and one in which I knew he'd be there anyway and eventually.  We brought the dog home, finding her a home just days before we moved to MN for Dave to start law school. 

Game On: Bleeding Heart vs. The Husband

The girls want a dog.
I'm not ready for the committment of actually owning another dog, but I do like them...if they are small and cute.
I spend time at work while waiting for the next crisis call looking at petfinder.org; giggling with a co-worker about how cute some of the dogs are.
The option of fostering a dog entered my mind during these browsing sessions.
Dave said, "no."
But that was after I already applied and was accepted and  kind of sort of might have committed to taking in a 5 yr old pomeranian just rescued from a puppy-mill who is in need of fostering when she is discharged from the veterinary hospital this upcoming Friday.
The girls have already named her "Maggie."
Dave has asked me to quit acting like I'm a telethon host and to give him space to think about it.

I am giving him space, it's the twins who are asking now.

I really hope his decision positively aligns with the timing of the dog's arrival to our home on Friday.

This could get ugly.  Please stand-by.

The situation is reminiscent of the time when I was 13 or so years-old and I signed my family up to host a foreign exchange student.  Mom was not happy about that....

I just can't help myself. 

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

The Target employee walked by Andi and smiled at her.  Andi was trailing behind me and I turned around to see what her reaction was to the friendly gesture by the man in the red shirt and khaki pants.  Her reaction -- while it probably shouldn't have -- caught me off guard...She first let out a growl, then lunging at him, she swiped at him with an oversized candycane ornament and then -- like a cherry on top of the assault -- spit at him.

For a moment I was dumbstruck, but then came to my "I better nip this behavior in the bud before she turns 16 and lands in juve" senses and stooped down to her level and quietly told her it is not very nice to try to hit others with candy canes and spit at them.  Realizing what I had just said, I quickly turned around and smiled to myself.  I have said a lot of things to my kids like "Stop running with the scissors!"  and "Don't hold your baby sister up by one arm!" but I have never had the opportunity to ask them not to hit others with a symbol of joy and merriment. 

Andi has stopped her major screaming fits, but as is so often the case, a bad habit that is eradicated is often replaced by other behaviors. 

The behaviors that have replaced the screaming include:  throwing her shoes at mommy and Best Buy employees who talk to her, growling, spitting (especially at "Big Bad Daddy" as she calls Dave), and last, but certainly not least, barricading herself under the chair in the pediatrician's office requiring removal of the chair -- twice -- so she could be extracated for an exam, and later for a strep test and blood work. 

This tiny two-year-old terror loves me and I love her and all of her naughty quirks.  I know she loves me because in a moment of deep philosophical thought she announced to Dave, "I love Mommy.  I love Sophia.  I love Ella."

Dave asked, "and do you love daddy, too?"  Her response was a silent pause and then, "I love mommy."  And then she sauntered away to go do her own thing, leaving Dave to shrug his shoulders and surrender to the fact that I am more popular than he is with our children. 

Thanksgiving 2012

What in the world?  It's already Thanksgiving?  Sophia made a homemade pumpkin pie (yes, of course we used real pumpkins -- not canned pumpkin.  And yes, of course we made the pastry for it, too).  Sophia and daddy LOVE their pumpkin pie.  For the non-pumpkin pie eaters in the house, Ella made a white cake with chocolate frosting. 

We actually did all of our baking the day before Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving Day was very laid back.  We made a gingerbread village.  It was 50 degrees or so, so the 8 pound chicken (we don't do turkey) roasted on the grill outside.  Inside we made candied yams, homemade mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, fresh fruit salad, cornbread, gravy, and stuffing.  Aside from Andi not eating -- she'd been sick and running a fever of 101 all week which finally broke on Friday -- everyone loved their dinner. 

Ella said she was thankful for her house and her family.  Sophia said she was thankful for Andi...and when pressed, for Ella, too.  Andi said she was thankful for Sophia...and when pressed, for Ella, too. Mommy echoed their sentiments and felt grateful for everything that is going well right now -- good health, good jobs, a home to live in and food on the table.  That's a lot to ask for in these hard times, and I'm so glad we have it all. 

Ella and daddy making gingerbread village

Sophia shows us her work

Andi's work -- she had a little help

Sophia's work

Ella's work

Mommy's work -- I'm particularly happy with the landscaping of mini jaw breaker stepping stones and gum drop landscape rocks.

Last, but not least, Daddy's chalet.