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Friday Night:  Caleb gets hit with an aluminum bat at a b’day party…you guessed it, the pinata.  Doesn’t look crooked, just very swollen and black & blue.

Saturday Night:  Caleb is playing with friends at a party with a former neighbor.  He falls and hits his head on a brick garden wall.  Someone brings him to us with blood streaming down his face.  No stitches required…just a big gash and bump.

Monday Evening:  Caleb falls off his bike in the driveway and tears up his elbow.

Monday Late Night:  Caleb falls out of bed and hits his head.

Tuesday:  Derek shops for football helmets on-line.  Meredith buys a pre-paid debit card for local hospital and lots of frozen peas.

I’ve decided that living in a house full of boys isn’t so bad…because I get to be "queen".  It has its challenges though…for example, when you find things like this in your guest bathroom tub…

It’s called a "grow" shark.  It "grows" for 7 days in water.  Uhh…isn’t that a standing water hazard?! Anyone?!  Plus, is that really what we want to use to greet guests?

In other news:

Today I had a VERY special delivery from a local florist. 

My Uncle Robin and Aunt Debby got word of the sad demise of the ficus tree and sent this as a replacement.  What a thoughtful gesture!  I was so touched and excited.  Here’s hoping for 30 more years… 

And I’m enjoying the green-ness all around.

This is not an important post, but anything is better than that sob story from yesterday.  Let’s put the violins away and celebrate spring!

No, really, after I wrote yesterday’s post, I felt much better.  And then decided that I needed to do less complaining, and more of what this blog is supposed to be about…"counting your blessings".  I really have so much to be grateful for and am lucky to do this great job everyday. 

Plus, I had a little retail therapy, which always helps.  This weekend my mom and I went shopping.  I needed her expert consulting on my clothing choices.  My mantra was "Would Olivia wear this?" (my ultra-chic, hip, sophisticated and beautiful sister-in-law).  If the answer was yes, I bought it, NO, I left it on the rack.

Bought more pairs of shoes in the last 5 days than I normally do in one whole year.  But oh, boy, did I enjoy it.

Like these… (click on "these" and it will take you to a link)

And these… (Derek said these look like my grandma’s quilt, which explains why I love them, since I love quilts!)

And these…

Yes, I had fun.  Keep in mind, I’ve been couped up for almost a year now. 

I love this picture of the boys, even though it’s blurry.  Caleb is a speed demon on that bike and loves for Jacob to chase him.

So I was driving along today thinking that it sure would be nice to get some applause every now and again.  To stand on a stage, with my head held high and just have everyone clap for me for maybe 2-3 minutes. 

That would be nice. 

But I don’t want to have to work extra for it…I don’t want to have to sing for it, or act for it, or be famous or anything like that.  I just want it because of what I do everyday.  That may be asking too much.

Just a nice round of applause…for getting my dishwasher loaded and unloaded for the 3rd time in 3 days.  OR keeping my pantry stocked.  OR getting my sick child to a medical establishment in a timely manner.  You know…important things like that. 

I remember what it felt like to get applause…back in the day.  I used to be an athlete and people would cheer me on.  I used to get unexpected awards and people would clap for me.  I wish, sometimes, that I could have bottled it up and when I was having a week like this, I could open the lid, hear the applause…breathe it in, and then close it back up again.  I think I would appreciate it more now than I did then.  Although, I needed it then too… 

I KNOW that what I’m doing on a daily basis is important.  I KNOW it.  But sometimes when you’re in the trenches, it sure doesn’t feel important.  I’m tired.  And post-partum.  And have a messy house.  And dirty children.  And a baby who wants to be picked up.  And dinner that needs to be made, which will only create more of a mess in the already messy kitchen.  Wishing I had that bottle of applause right about now. 

So, clap for me, would you?  Go ahead.  I’ll hear it.

What a busy week it’s been!  The boys have had an especially fun time thanks to our extended family.  Without a Nana and a Pops, this week would have been nothing to write home about, that’s for sure.  Thank heaven for grandparents!

Here’s a summary:

Nana took the boys to the Aquarium on Tuesday.  I understand it was very crowded and humid inside.  My mom deserves an award for this trip!

                                                                                Caleb, is that a dugong or a manatee?!

Afterwards, they got to visit the 38th floor of Pops’ office building and sit at his desk pretending they were big-time lawyers.  They also got to have a fancy, shmancy lunch with real goblets (not the plastic kind with lids).

On Wednesday, the boys went to Derek’s work for a few hours.  Then had a guys night out…NO GIRLS ALLOWED.  They met up with Pops again and went to Dakotas (another fancy, schmancy dinner) and then the AUTO SHOW.  I asked Derek if he thought they would really enjoy it, he laughed at me and said, "Dear, they came out of the womb vrooming…of course they’ll like it."  They flirted with the ladies and acted cool, like all guys do at the car show.

Then Friday afternoon they went on a big bike ride with Derek to an old abandoned golf course.  They found petrified wood and all kinds of other treasures.  Samuel and I joined them that evening for a little fishing at their favorite local lake.

Sadly, for Samuel the week has ended with an ear infection.  He was inconsolable last night and this morning, so I took him to urgent care.  Poor little thing.  This picture was taken earlier in the week.  We’re not getting grins like this right now, but hopefully they’ll be back tomorrow.

Now, I’m ready for everyone to go back to school and work so I can get this place clean again!

This is how the boys looked when my mom brought them back on Tuesday…cracks me up.  I feel that way now!

This is a new experience for Caleb.  This role as "big brother".  And he is right at home in it…partly because Jacob is so good at it with him (usually).  I’m so impressed with the love that he has for Samuel…he won’t leave a room without running back to kiss the baby on the head.  Jacob is amazing with the baby as well, but Caleb gets to spend more time with him and will wait just a little longer for the smile or "coo" from Samuel.  And I’m convinced that Sam lights up more for him (and maybe me after he’s had a long nap) than anyone else.  I love to see it.  These pictures capture some of that.

When I was born, I got a gift from my Aunt Debby and Uncle Robin.  I don’t remember receiving it, of course, but am told that they brought it shortly after my birth.  It was a little, bitty ficus tree.  Would you believe that for 30 years that ficus tree has stayed alive…I remember it when I was little, in our many homes.  I remember that my dad got in when my parents were divorced.  He brought it to my wedding as a surprise for me.  It was a money tree for people to hang well wishes and cash on.  We used that cash for our honeymoon in Cabo San Lucas.  It became a Christmas tree on our first Christmas together.  We strung lights on it.  It went gang-busters in our first house after a good fertilizing treatment and a great window.  31 years it has been a fixture in my life…a treasured gift.

But it could not survive one thing…

BED REST.

It was upstairs in the gameroom…a place I was not allowed to visit from October thru December.  Caleb was responsible for its care.  And despite his best efforts, or lack their of, it did not make it.

We tried to save it in the last days.  A new pot.  Some good soil.  A fertilizer.  But it was too late.  It was already gone. 

I refuse to allow the tree to symbolize my life.  Or my marriage.  Because, if so, what would that mean?  But I will miss this tree that refused to give up and stood strong (although at times ugly) for so many years.  So, I say, goodbye old friend…

that this cold was a minor one?  I jest.

It knocked me down last night (hard swallow) and now I have the dilemma…sleep when the baby sleeps and let Caleb (cough) watch a movie?  OR, clean the house, do the laundry (sniff), pick up the piles of mail scattered throughout the house, etc. when the baby sleeps (and let Caleb watch a movie)?  It seems either way (sniff again), Caleb reaps the benefits. 🙂

The baby woke several times last night with little coughs and sneezes. Oh, no…say it with me, FIGHT baby FIGHT. 

This afternoon I let the boys spray Redi-Whip whipped cream into their mouths after school, but only after demonstrating it myself.  SCORE: +2 for me with that one.  Caleb exclaimed, "Mom, YOU’RE THE GIRL!"  A very generous alteration of his typical "You’re the man!" compliment.

a cold.  A mild one.  But it’s still no fun.  Especially with not a lot of sleep.  Bought the Baby Wise book this week…it’s supposed to help your baby sleep at night (not the book itself, but the technique taught!).  I’ll try anything!  4 hour jaunts are wearing me out.

Have some things to post about, but they’ll have to wait until I feel better.  For now, a funny blurb from Jacob last night.  He came down to the stair that looks out over the living room.  He and Caleb like to poke their faces out of the "cut-outs" at night to see us.  We can see their shadows on the catwalk so it never works.  Except for the time we found Jacob there at 11:00 pm once…he had been watching tv with us for over 2 hours without us knowing…that kid!

Anyway, he looked down and said,

"NO FAIR!  You guys get to stay up late AND eat ice cream!"

Cracked us up…adulthood does have its perks.