Junk Drawer 2/15/2013

Matters of the Heart

Yesterday was Valentine's Day and for some people it's a really important holiday, it's even the measuring stick by which they judge the success of their relationships.  Some people are disgusted with it and feel it's a holiday created by Hallmark and wouldn't dare lower themselves to indulge in the chocolate-y decadence.

For me it was always more important to me when I had no one.  A day to be sad and miserable and for throwing pity parties, crying that I wasn't special enough to have someone to spend the holiday with.  Now that I'm in a wonderful relationship it's not nearly as important to me.  I do enjoy that we have an extra day each year to use as an excuse to get a babysitter and have some alone time but even if that doesn't happen every year it's more than enough that I have that special someone with me every day.

We didn't celebrate this year in the traditional Hallmark way.  No flowers, some candy, no romantic candlelit dinner but the focus of the day was still on the heart and the heart of the family.

How fitting is it that my dad had heart surgery on Valentine's Day?  Sure it was a little rough on the nerves as we waited but we were so thankful that he was finally having the surgery and getting that infection cleared up so he can get on the road to healing and a complete recovery.  And he started on Valentine's Day.

He pulled through like a champ and we were treated to dinner by my brother and sister in law at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants and stood as the example for all the mushy couples imbibing on a Thursday night with their partner of choice for the evening.  A table for 9 complete with THREE highchairs.  This is what you're in for lovers.  Of course our babies were on their best behavior even though they were Two, Sick and Teething.  So I don't think we really scared anybody off of their intended course for the evening.

Speaking of Two, Sick and Teething

Toddlers are disgusting.  But they don't know they are.  In fact God probably created them to be as gross and nasty as possible in order to help develop their immune systems.  So in a way they're functioning perfectly when they dip their hands in the toilet bowl cause you said they needed to wash their hands.  !!!!  They aren't misfiring or have a screw loose…we should probably be encouraging this type of behavior more often so that they'll never be sick as adults.  I think I'll start serving Jimmy's meals on the floor…the one I rarely mop. 

Sometimes though they take advantage of your failures as a mom (parent) to be even more disgusting than they normally would have been on their own.  I left the thermometer I used to check Joey's temp (you know, where the sun don't shine) on the end table.  I should have known that it would be the most interesting thing on the table this morning when I sat Jimmy on the couch to watch Dora while we finished running around like chickens with no heads.

Daddy came to put his jacket on him and, yep, he was holding it.  In his mouth.  Like a lot.  Daddy almost puked and my heart sank.  First of all it's disgusting to even think about.  Second, my faint hope that Jimmy wouldn't get sick with the stomach bug Joey has was shot dead.  It's almost a guarantee now.  Unless, possibly he's already done so many disgusting things in his two years, that I probably don't even know about, that his immune system is already so strong that sucking on his brother's rectal thermometer means nothing to him.  But as my brother likes to point out Jimmy is a Virgo and as a Virgo Jimmy is the cleanest little disgusting toddler I know. So he's probably gonna get sick.  Maybe I'll get to sleep next year.

Baby Daniel is teething and so is Joey.  It's one reason I thought Joey's stomach bug wasn't a stomach bug for 24 hours or so.  Teething brings on some wonky symptoms/side effects.  But while teething isn't fun for anyone to endure you're unbelievably proud of those pieces of enamel that finally poke through.

So to recap:

Jimmy is Two and unwittingly disgusting – just the way God made him.

Joey is Sick and Teething and the best little sick baby ever.

Daniel is Teething and a doll.

Pudding

I know this is at the end and the picture is at the top but I just had to share.  Jimmy fed himself a cup of pudding and only dropped a tiny bit on his clothes.  Of course his face and hair was a different story.  He was so proud of himself and we just had to capture the moment.