To The Three Year Old Driving the Brick Delivery Truck

SHOULDER CHECK. I realize you're only 3 but come on. You've probably only got minimal driving experience. Most of which I'm sure is from driving your Tonka trucks in your back yard sand box, but for crying out loud You're driving a HUGE cube van with a national logo on the side. Take a little bit of time and effort to make sure that you don't hit me, the Mini-Van driver that was waving at you with ONE FINGER. It was NOT a happy wave, I assure you. In fact, I think you're pretty lucky that I was buckled into my seat. If you see a Mini-Van it usually means there are children inside, if not, a mother of children who are at home. So, it would not be in your best interest to harm me, or my van. Got it? I am short tempered. You cutting me off and almost killing me, did not make me happy. Fear me.

Uh..

Perhaps a smaller toybox would be a good idea?

Barney

The evil purple dinosaur that has entertained bazillions of children for the past 20 years has entered my house. My 9 month old is watching it with a passion I've only seen a handful of times. He's staring lovingly at the television set cooing and babbling to his dear Barney.

Well, my son, let me tell you something...today is the first and LAST day you'll have the great pleasure of watching this filth. I'll put on almost any cartoon at some point in the day for peace and quiet. However, Barney, is NOT an option. In fact, the only reason he was on was because I couldn't find the remote to change the channel fast enough.

In other news, last night I soaked Liam's head in baby oil in an attempt to combat his cradle cap issue. Well, after three hair washes and a good soak, his head is still slimy! I'm okay with this though, as his scalp seems to be nicely hydrated! There are no longer chunks of Liam Head on his shirt, so I suppose I did achieve my goal. And I have to say he looks flippen cute with his little Grease Lightning look!

Good Morning

This morning I was lucky enough to sleep in until ALMOST EIGHT AM! Amazing! Especially because I had an awful sleep last night! I hate when your mind is racing and you can't sleep. Drives me nuts! Ah well, not much you can do about it!

So this potty training business seems to be coming to a halt. I'm not giving up, but I don't want to push too hard and make Spencer resent the whole thing. He's had 4 accidents in the past 2 days and I don't know if it's because he's not wanting to do it anymore, or if I'm getting lazy and not paying enough attention to him. I guess I'm going to have to find another method to get him excited about the can again!! On another note, he's a master at blackmailing us at night with the " I NEEED TO PEEEEE" the second we close his bedroom door at night! What a kid!

This is why it's okay for him to wake me up at the crack of dawn!

Hello Mr. President!

Hello Mr. President!

I just want to take this opportunity to let you know that never in my life have I been more interested in politics, or more proud of what's happening. I am a Canadian and am very proud to be so, but yesterday while watching your Inauguartion, I felt a huge surge of pride. I'm so very excited for what you're going to do in your own Country, and around the world! You have a very large responsibility now, as I'm sure you already know, but I know that you're most certainly the man for the job. I'm a white girl, but am so exited and proud that FINALLY an African American is given the ultimate in equality! I'm excited to see what you're going to do regarding the war in Iraq. I mean lets face it, the Americans wore out their welcome a LONG time ago. In fact, I'm not sure they should have been there in the capacity that they have been in the first place. I realize the whole 9/11 thing really stirred things up, and yes, something had to be done about it. But what exactly is happening over there now? Many many soldiers have died, many innocent lives have been lost, and what's the purpose? Does anyone even know what they're fighting for anymore? I think it's a large waste of money and resources that could be better spent at home on American soil. But, I'm just a Canadian girl who doesn't know much about anything, so please don't take any advice from me.

I would like you to know that I'm watching you very closely and am so interested in how you're going to fix the mess that Mr. Georgey left in his wake. Again, I know you can do it. Heck, (no offence to you) but a monkey could have done a better job. You know it, and I know it so lets just keep that between us!

Anyhow, Mr. President, I know you're a busy man now, what with running an entire country and cleaning up EIGHT years of stupid decisions, so I'll let you get back to work. Make us all proud!

Sincerely
Michelle

Okay, there's a VOLUNTARY recall for crib brackets. Some people are getting extremely worried and scared and ordering new ones, where other people are taking a completely laid back attitude towards it. I am in the latter group. The recall is VOLUNTARY because there is only ONE recorded case of something going on. ONE. And there were hundreds of THOUSANDS of cribs sold. A small boy got a bruise on his leg when the bracket in the crib gave out. While that's awful that he was hurt. It was really a completely fluke accident. There's always the potential that something can go wrong with ANYTHING. Storkcraft is putting out this voluntary recall to avoid any sort of lawsuit, and yes, to give parents an option. I don't think it's a dire situation however. If your crib was put together correctly, and you regularly check for ware and tear like you're supposed to, you have nothing to worry about. This family of the small child who was hurt should have been able to see that the brackets were cracked if they had done their regular inspections of the crib. Now, that is one thing I do. I do regularly check for ware and tare. I will admit that only once have I tightened bolts and such, but honestly, it was the only time that the crib felt loose and needed a tightening. Period. I do care about my children's safety. It's paramount. But, I'm not going to panic and then insinuate that I'm a better mother because *I* went and got new brackets for my crib, and I will not take the chance. No, i won't take the chance. But i'm not going to run to the phone every time there's a VOLUNTARY recall. It's seriously not worth my time. On the same note, I'm not going to talk down or think less of a person who does go get the new brackets, or panic or whatever. You are your child's parent, and YOU make the decision. It's yours, and yours alone. Not mine, and not Joe Blow down the street. I just dont' think that I should be, or anyone else, should be scolded or frowned upon for their decision. Period.

MAMA

Liam has been waking up a little later than usual lately. Very nice for me!! Anyway, this morning at 7:34, I'm dead asleep. Then out of the baby monitor comes the clearest, LOUDEST, sweetest MAMA I have ever heard! So, I haul myself out of bed and down to Liam's room. He's standing there smiling his biggest brightest smile just waiting to be scooped out of bed!! The toothy grins I get from him every morning make it totally worth while to haul my tired sleepy self out of bed!

In other news, the potty training that started last Sunday is going SO WELL! We didn't have any accidents today, or yesterday! One small one on Saturday morning, though I think it was beyond Spencer's control!! We had an outting today and came home with dry pants, and we woke up from a nap today with dry pants!! I'm so proud of my little man!! And so incredibly excited that I only have one bum to change!!!

Anyway, nothing whitty or sarcastic for tonight. I have a date with my treadmill and the TV later! Hello Bachelor!!

Twenty Five Random Facts...

...About me!

1. I like to vacuum. Like LIIIIKKKKEEE to vacuum. Morning and night. If I'm stressed out, I vacuum. It's one chore that I can do quick and get instant gratification from. My house instantly looks cleaner, I feel better and all is right within the Thackeray House. Along with loveing to vacuum, I'm obessed with the Dyson vacuums. If my husband bought me one for valentines day, I can honestly say it'd be one of the best gifts ever! EVER!

2. Raisin Bran. I cannot control myself when it comes to this great cereal. After Liam was born, it was all I ate for a good two weeks. No lie. I went through about 6 of those super huge jumbo boxes of Raisin Bran. I then put myself into Raisin Bran Detox and quit it cold turkey for about 4 months. Long story short, I fell off the wagon and am back on the Bran. I can't help myself.

3. I have a problem with thinking we have too little or none of certain things in our household and continually buy these items until one day realising that no one on earth really needs 25 boxes of cereal in their pantry. Or 300 rolls of toilet paper...or almost 100 children's movies when really the only time they're watched is on long car rides...Or boxes of Kleenex. I don't know what it is, but those are the things that you can be guaranteed are in my shopping cart if I'm at Wal*Mart.

4. Wrapping paper is another weakness of mine. I currently have roughly 60+ rolls of Christmas Wrapping paper. I love this stuff. I love the colours and patterns and the glitter and sparkle! Every year I buy rediculous amounts of the stuff. This year we weren't actually able to use every single roll. Too much paper, too few gifts.

5. I really really really REALLY love my kids. Really. But I often find myself dreaming of the days before babies. Before sleepless nights, before incredible responsibility. I wouldn't change having my children for anything, but on the days where it's really stressfull and nothing is going right, I do think about the childless days. If for nothing else, than the fact that every weekend my husband and I slept in until ELEVEN in the morning. Can you believe that?

6. I love to read. I find an author I love and then read every single book they've ever written, and then get sad when I'm done and have to go searching for a new author. I'm anal about the treatment of my books and often won't lend them to anyone for fear of them being bent or having the cover cracked. I also never fully open my book when reading. You can hardly tell that any books on my bookshelf have ever been read because there's no creases or bends or anything saying they've ever been handled. My books are sacred!

7. I don't regret not going to post secondary school. My dream was always to get married and have babies. I saw no need then, nor do I now to have gone to school to learn how to birth and raise children. Maybe when my babes are older (and we close down the Thackeray baby factory) will I rethink my decision, but for now, I'm 1000% happy with the way my life has turned out!

8. I hate cleaning my kitchen. I will clean every bathroom, bedroom, and living room if I just don't have to clean the kitchen. On that note, I also hate having a messy kitchen, so that leaves me in a bit of a pickle.

9. I could sit all night and watch my babes sleep. I'm always sneaking into their rooms at night to take pictures and just drink them in. They look so peaceful and calm and perfect. Not to say that when they're awake they're not perfect, but there's something about a sleeping babe that takes my breath away.

10. I have very few friends, but the ones I have, I love to death. They mean the world to me. Most of my friends are people I grew up with. I don't make friends easily, but I hold on for dearlife to the friendships I have. I can count the number of friends I have on one hand, and that doesn't bother me one bit.

11. I hate being pregnant. I love babies, hate the incubation stage. I'm miserable from the time I find out I'm pregnant until the time I deliver. I hate being stretched out and uncomfortable. I hate the morning/noon/night sickness I get for the entire pregnancy. That being said, I do love feeling the little peanut move in my belly. Up until a certain point and then it just hurts and I go back to being annoyed! There really is no pleasing me. Period.

12. The smell of a newborn is my drug of choice. I could just breathe in their scent all day everyday. I get sad when they start to lose the 'newborn smell'.

13. Keeping with the baby theme...my favourtie part of a newborn baby is their ankles! I LOOOVE the scrawny little chicken ankles that babies have! I love the little folds of skin that gather and how big baby feet look on baby ankles!

14. I'm dying to have another baby...can you tell?

15. I'm terrified of Global Warming. It scares me to death to think that this earth is in jeopardy. I've become obsessed with recycling and reducing my 'carbon footprint'. I'm doing everything I can to make sure that my children are able to raise their children.

16. I have to syke myself up to take a shower. I hate it. I don't like getting wet, especially when it's cold out. I don't like standing there in the water. Showers aren't for me. Baths are all right, except that I can't wash my hair in a bathtub without half drowning myself. So again, in a pickle.

17. I need things to match. Or at least 'go together'. The furniture in my bedroom right now is mismatched, and it almost makes me twitch. I often lay in bed and imagine all my matching furniture and where I'd put it and what i'd fill it up with. I'm a bit of a loser.

18. I try to be frugal, or Cheap...it never seems to work out. I hardly ever buy name brand stuff. I try to buy what's on sale, and still my grocery bill, for example, is never under 200 dollars! Do we really eat that much?

19. Last year for Valentine's day, I asked my husband to buy me a label maker. Yup. That's right. I love it! I labeled my fridge (inside) I'm crazy about where things go in my fridge and this helped clear up a LOT of confusion, and a lot of stress for me!! I know, i stress about wierd things!

20. I stress out a lot. I have no coping skills for stress. My poor husband gets to hear my almost daily freak outs about something that's stressing me, or bothering me. He's developed wonderful coping mechanisms for my stress! Ha!

21. I have a thing for paint. I love to paint. I love how instantly things look new and alive again. I spent a lot of time and energy painting my children's bedrooms. I can't wait to paint my own bedroom. I want to paint my entire house, but I'm thinking I may need a teeny bit of help. I have 15 foot ceilings so even a ladder wouldn't help me out much! There's a huge cabinet in my garage FULL of paint and paint supplies. I think I could safely call it my 'hobby'.

22. If I could change one thing from my wedding, it'd be the cake. Anyone who knows me, knows that the cake really annoyed me. The whole process to get the cake annoyed me a lot too. It wasn't what I had ordered, it wasn't even the friggen flavour I wanted. It was LEMON...who eats LEMON cake?

23. My kids go to bed pretty early and I love it. I'd trade the sleep-ins for early bedtimes. Our house has 2 sleeping kids by 8pm. It's wonderful!

24. I thrive on routine. I'm not good with change. The hardest part about having kids, i've found, is the first 6-8 weeks when there's really no difference between day and night other than lightness and darkness. I have a hard time dealing with the chaos.

25. It has taken me almost all day to come up with 25 'random facts'. How sad is that?