Freedom or bust

Well, so far my "week of freedom" has been a complete bust. Monday the preschool called me to pick up Theo early because he had a fever, so I picked up both kids and monitored his fever which was alarmingly high - 102.8 - but was mostly gone by the next day. Then as I picked up B from school on Tuesday the teacher pointed out what I had already started to notice - the bumps on Bobby's face were back, plus the red, bloody crusty nose which I had attributed to allergies. I opted to take him to the doctor Weds rather than have him sent home. So yesterday it was mommy & Bobby day (first one ever) as Theo went to school and we spent the day at the doctor's office. Turns out he tested positive for strep. Got him antibiotics again. Then went for frozen yogurt and to buy a new end table.

Being alone with a four year old is awesome. You don't need a stroller, you can talk to them, they (mostly) listen and help you. Bobby is just starting to be easier as Theo is starting to be more difficult. I was sadly reminded of how much easier life would be with just one older child. But that's not the life I chose, is it?

Today, much to my chagrin, I am stuck at home with both kids and nothing to do as Bobby is not allowed back at school until tomorrow. They are alternately playing together nicely and then destroying everything, including each other. Only six more hours!

If all goes well, they can at last both be at school tomorrow and I can see a friend for lunch and then go shopping. At least I get one dream day, right???

Here is B playing with his science set and pouring water all over the kitchen floor, which I repeatedly have to mop up. *sigh*

Easter! The musical

How much better was this Easter than that one two years ago when I took two-year-old Bobby and newborn Theo to that horrid, packed Easter event downtown? Ummm...about a thousand times better. Just about everything other than the new baby snuggles is better in my life now than it was then. Which is good to remember.

The Boyfriend took great pleasure in shopping for, putting together, and then hiding eggs for our front yard hunt today. He used to do this with his ex and her teenaged kids and I could tell he really missed it. And it went really well. Bobby shared with his little brother and nobody stumbled in my sloped yard and poked an eye out on a succulent.

They enjoyed the elaborate dollar store Easter baskets I made: 

...and then after the BF went to work I took the kids on a lengthy outing to a canyon hike in Malibu. It was a gorgeous day and I just wanted to get as much of it as I could. 

Tomorrow Theo starts three day preschool. It is the first week in ages I don't have to prepare for taxes, birthday parties, random band stuff or Easter. I can finally focus on the (much neglected) business, finish up home stuff (sell furniture, paint walls, hang pictures), and heck, maybe even relax a little. Woo!

Four!

Young Master Bobby turns four tomorrow. It's hard to believe that four years ago tonight I was suffering day two of a horrible unwanted induction and right about now lost my shit and started screaming that somebody had better find me a doctor who could come up with a better plan than "let's just wait and see". Ahhhh, memories.

The last week has been a whirlwind of activity, between my sister visiting and Theo starting preschool and the boys' combo birthday party on Sunday. 

She made this cake:

...and this robot from recycling I'd been collecting for this purpose:

I booked an indoor play space for fear of rain which of course did not appear. It was considerably more expensive than our usual train museum, but I have to say I'm kind of sold on the indoor play space. They set up, break down, and decorate for you, you're in and out in two hours, the kids can safely run wild while the parents actually get to socialize, and you don't have to worry about rain. Mind you, I was still a calcified ball of stress leading up to it and the day of, but way less than our usual production. Tons of people canceled at the last minute, but still the place was packed:

It was an interesting mix of preschool parents I'd never met, dance people (many with no kids), and a lone SMC mom and her new baby. There are so many dance kids these days that at one point my friend and I looked at them in amazement and said how strange it was to think that even five years ago none of those kids existed! There for sure has been a massive baby boom in my community lately. Two of my dance friends just had their fourth!

Bobby and Theo had a blast:

...and I entertained myself with my carefully chosen Kraftwerk theme music even though you couldn't really hear it over the screaming. All in all a big success. 

In other news, the day before the party I suddenly got a bug up my ass and told The Boyfriend that I was very worried about his health - mainly his lack of health insurance and his smoking. He reacted defensively at first, but very quickly came around. He said that he hates that the boys see him smoke and it bothers him all the time. He said he's tried to quit many times and failed - but he also knows that you should "never quit quitting". He's been a heavy smoker for 35 years. It is not going to be an easy road. But he is willing to try. We immediately got him a vaporizer and he has cut down from a pack and a half a day to 6-7 a day, with the intention of stopping entirely eventually and then stopping vaping too. I am cautiously optimistic. 

Being cautiously optimistic, I booked us a trip to the big island (Hawaii) for my birthday/our anniversary this July, using mileage points and hotel points (so 100% free). Can I break my Hawaii curse and actually have a good trip this time? Will we break up before we even get to go? Will the kids get sick and I won't be able to go? Will he annoy the crap out of me the whole time? Or will it be awesome?

Only time will tell! 

Final day

Today is the final day of my full time mom extravaganza that began the day Bobby was born, March 24, 2012. Tomorrow Theo starts preschool two afternoons a week for two weeks and then three afternoons a week starting end of March. I don't even know what I'm going to do with myself, quite honestly. I'd like to think I'll do house and cooking projects and focus on the business...but honestly I will probably spend at least a few of those days drinking hot tea while watching documentaries.

Have I earned it? Yes, yes I think I have.

Theo turned two yesterday. Just like the day he was born, the air is full of sweet jasmine and blooming citrus flowers. Spring is springing and everything is alive with promise.

I had my taxes done on Saturday which officially puts my 2015 event to bed. I didn't end up owing...but I can kiss my dreams of a small 1/2 bathroom at the back of the house goodbye for the moment. Not complaining, mind you.

So far the boys sharing a room has been relatively painless. Bedtime has been a little fraught - but I think it would have been anyway at this age for Bobby. There's a lot of bargaining and begging. It's a work in progress.

Happy birthday, Theo!

Happy 2nd birthday to my final and always baby, Theo! I'm so glad I took that leap and decided to bring you into the world!

End of the tunnel

It is the first day of no more contractors coming over early in the morning. It is also the first day Theo has had a solid poop in a week and a half. And I am extremely grateful for both things.

Woke up Sunday to a lethargic, miserable baby, so me, the kids and The Boyfriend high tailed it to urgent care. After several days of on and off diarrhea, vomiting, and barely eating, of all things he tested positive for strep! The doctor couldn't say if the stomach issues were related to this or not, but we got him on antibiotics and I missed my gig that night to stay with him. 

The next day Bobby was sent home from school because of some suspicious red bumps under his nose that I had attributed to irritation or allergy; turns out this, too, was some kind of bacterial infection, possibly similar to the one T had. He now is also on antibiotics and had to stay home from school yesterday. Theo puked copiously all over the kitchen just as the wallpaperers rang the doorbell. Good times.

They were able to do only an accent wall in my bedroom - the rest of the 80 year old paper disintegrated before they could hang it up. But I actually kind of like having just one wall papered. I can paint the others.

While the cleaning lady was here I took the boys to buy myself a new bed. I ordered a Casper mattress which arrived right on time, and when the BF came over later he helped me "unfurl" it onto the bed. 

My old rickety bed had seen me through two pregnancies, two years of co-sleeping and nighttime feeds, countless spit-ups and diaper blowouts. And now it's in the trash. Sunrise, sunset, eh?

There are a few more details to attend to - turns out I'm going to need a much narrower night table, all new bedding, and I still have to sell several items of furniture and move the remaining pieces back to my bedroom. So we're far from done, and I feel like I'm hemorrhaging money. This all has been a very expensive proposition. But considering how many years we'll live in this configuration, well worth it.

I am down to 140 pounds. Let's see if I can keep this up another month and get down to the 130s and finally fit into the rest of my wardrobe.

1000th post!

It seems fitting that my 1000th post would be five years after my first. And what a difference five years makes! I have not gone back and re-read my early posts - I don't dare; I'm pretty embarrassed by how I was back then, seething with jealousy and resentment. But I think it's important to leave them there since they are true to my experience at the time. So, here I am, five years later, the mother of two boys. What?

Last night was a major landmark in our lives - the boys' first night in their new room, with Bobby in the top bunk and Theo in Bobby's toddler bed tucked underneath. I worked all day to set up their room and make my new room slightly less chaotic. And it all went great...except that Theo threw up all over everything. 

And I'm vaguely nauseated. So, I guess I had one good week and now we're back to - you guessed it - another stomach bug. This thing never fucking ends. And I have to sing all weekend and take The Boyfriend out for his birthday. Couldn't have come at a worse time!

Not knowing what else to do, I just cleaned him up and put the boys to bed, keeping an eye on them with the baby monitor. And they did just fine. Theo slept all night in his new big boy bed, as did Bobby. I barely slept as my attention was on the monitor all night. They did well in the morning, too.

Until Theo threw up all over everything again. And I cleaned it all up again. All I can say is my choice of hardwood floors over carpet was wise.

Other than wallpapering next week, ordering a new bed and mattress, and the massive task of cleaning out my former storage closet and switching things around, then hanging some pictures, and selling some furniture, the main work is done. I cannot wait until everything is organized and clean. But that's a ways away yet. And I have to kick some ass doing my taxes all week next week. 

But other than feeling nauseated and cleaning foul vomit off furniture and toys and floors, everything's pretty good at the moment. Very grateful for all the things the last five years have brought me!

Bobby "helping" put together his bed

My new room, pre-furniture and decoration