Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

This morning I dropped Eloise off at ballet and Cordelia and I took a stroll. It is beautiful out--snow on the ground, sun high in the sky, a warm balmy 40 degrees. I was taking in all the beauty when a woman turns the corner.

She's so interested in my baby. It turns out she has a little one just 3 days older than Cordelia. Wow. Lots in common. We share stories about feeding, sleeping, etc, and then we had this exchange:

Nice Woman: "I'm ____. Nice to meet you."

She reaches out to shake my hand.

Me: "I'm Emily, great to meet you too."

Nice Woman: "I apologize I haven't brushed my hair."

Me: "Ha, ha. I can totally understand! Don't ask me the last time I took a shower. Ha!"

And we connected. Two moms with newborns. Sleepless nights for about 3 months now. Sponge brains. Clothes not fitting quite right. No time alone. Poop on our shirts. You know how it is.

But in the back of my mind. I did NOT have this thought. When was the last time I showered? No, not me. I would never actually not know when I showered last. Now that's embarrassing.

I know it's tough with 2 kids. Busy weekend with my super fun friend Maury. My husband hasn't had a real day off in about 2 weeks and worked almost every night last week. Lame excuses. I would NOT forget when I showered last. Was it Friday, Thursday,....yikes!

Just call me European, I guess. Dirty is sexy, right? Italians are so beautiful. That's it. Showering is not cool. Maybe I'll continue to not shower. Hahaha. Or, maybe I should go shower right now! (-:

Happy Weekend

Fix It Friday

The site I HEART FACES hosts a Fix it Friday game. They post an original and you get to play with it. Then people can share and collaborate on their site. It's my first time playing but I'll keep it up. It's fun practice.

Check out their site and see other entries.

ORIGINAL

MY FIX

Most Kids

Most kids don't fall asleep while playing with their toys, but this one does. What a doll baby! We love her to bits.

Thursday

So I've been sick, but after a nap yesterday afternoon and turning in at 8pm last night, I feel like a new woman today. There's nothing 11 hours of sleep can't fix.

So I went to the Minute Clinic yesterday hoping for a positive strep test. Eloise had it, my throat was screaming, so I must have it too. Unfortunately I didn't. No drugs for me. She said, "you either have a bad virus or you're pregnant." HA! I laughed pretty good at that one. Irish twins anyone? And since when did a screaming throat indicate pregnancy? I guess pregnancy is always an option.

My illness isn't getting anyone else down, though. Thankfully everyone else seems spiffy. Just check out Eloise:

"Watch out below!!!" - Our Evel Knievel

This is a test. *Failed*

I've learned how to make bigger photos on my blog! Yea! This is a test.

Now I have to decide if I like being so big...

Update:: I did not like being big. Neither did my sister. So we're back to normal. Thanks for indulging me.

This test is over.::

Sick Sick Sick

Wow, I'm more than just "man sick." I'm really sick. So sick I'm going to the doctor. That never happens. I have a feeling I got Eloise's strep throat. It's an easy symptom to detect--my throat is on FIRE! AHH! I guess it serves me right for posting the video. (Have you watched it? It is really funny...)

Here's Eloise playing Cinderella at her ballet class. She LOVES to dance!

ANTS

Automatic Negative Thoughts

I recently heard of an elementary child going through a seminar called ANTS. Learning how to fight Automatic Negative Thoughts.

The mother thought it was neat that the children were learning how to fight negative thoughts at such a young age. If only we had such a seminar, we wouldn’t have negative thoughts today, she reasoned.

DON’T THINK SO!

We will always have Automatic Negative Thoughts. They will never go away. No techniques we learn will rid us of them. You might argue that we can help at least make them better, maybe.

The INTERESTING part of the seminar is that little children need the ANTS seminar. Yes, folks, it’s true. We were born broken. We were born unhappy, unfulfilled, self-critical, judgmental, you name it. Elementary age children have ANTS and so do I.

So what do I do about my ANTS? I recognize that I’m not perfect. That I can’t cure myself of ANTS and that Jesus understands my ANTS. I understand Jesus suffered for my ANTS and he suffers with me now. And I’m thankful Jesus meets me where I am.

Not My Husband!

For all the strong women out there!

Prayer for Haiti

God of the living and the dead, we wail in grief at the pain and loss and horror and distress of our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

We do not understand your ways–that those who already suffer the most, now suffer so much more.

Where people are still breathing under collapsed buildings, give them air and hope and courageous searchers.

Where children are injured or orphaned, find them trusted friends and generous caregivers.

Where despair is infectious and disease or looting spreads, bring patience and forbearance and healing and strength to conquer temptation.

And when others look with compassion from afar, release resources, empower expertise, shape political will, and bring deliverance for your people in their distress.

Through him who was crushed and bruised for us, in the comfort of your Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Sam Well, Dean of Duke Chapel

I found this at Moxie. Check out her intellectual wit and perfect musical taste at her blog, listed on the right side bar, of course.

This Weekend

This is what the neighborhood sees as we walk to the store to get a cupcake.



Cordelia is growing like mad.

Not Me Monday

First things first,I would never steal money from my daughter's "treasure box" (piggy bank) of "treasure" (coins) to pay the parking meters. Who me? You might be asking yourself, why would this crazy lady give her almost 3 yr old money in the first place. Might sound crazy, but really, it's a fun game we've been playing. Pirates have treasure boxes, why shouldn't Eloise? Anywho, I would never take her treasure. No!

And then fail to feed the meter enough to return to the car with the parking attendant writing me a ticket. I would never beg, plead shamelessly to get out of a ticket. And then use my precious daughters in the plot. "Oh woe is me, officer. I'm such a frantic Mommy. A good citizen really. So good that I stole the coins out of my daughter's bank to pay this meter. I know it wasn't quite enough, but really, look now the baby is crying. Okay. Okay. Let me put the babies in the car then you can give me the ticket. There, there, Cordelia, don't cry. Everything will be okay."

Meanwhile, Eloise keeps asking "Who's this guy, Mommy? Who's this guy?" (If you've heard her say that in real life, it's really funny. I laugh every time she does it. So you can imagine how difficult it was to keep a straight face at this point. And if you know me, you know how hard it is for me to keep a straight face at all! One time we had an old girl friend over for dinner. Half way through, Eloise looks at me, points at my friend, and says, "who's this guy?" Oh man, her timing is perfect (perfectly awful.)

I put the girls in the car. Return to the man. I ask for my ticket. He's having a real internal dilemma. He says, "there was no money in the meter." I say, "There was. Believe me. I stole it from my daughter." He tisked me. Really. Tisk, tisk. Just like that. And got back in to the car and drove off. No ticket!

How Sweet It Is

Ramblings

*Thank you Willa J., D, and Lauren for commenting yesterday. I was thrilled to learn you wonderful ladies read my blog--love it! Thanks! And don't be shy fellow lurkers, I'd love to know you're out there.

*It's Friday. Our Saturday. Cordelia is napping (what's new?), Alex and Eloise are playing play doh. I'm working on my 10 year reunion. We're gathering emails and addresses right now. A tedious job. Can't imagine doing this without Facebook!

*Eloise and I are going to the dentist today. I'm getting my night guard (YEA!!) to alleviate my grinding and locked jaw. I pray this works. AND, I'm bringing Eloise with me. She has some funky teeth stuff. The Dr. will look at it and hopefully say, no big deal!

*I just learned Alex and Eloise share a love--they love the way new plastic smells. Yuck.

*Some photos I've been playing with. Suggestions always welcomed. Keep them coming, Molly!

Lurk Much?

Good Golly Miss Molly!

Anyone notice that I put a counter on the bottom of my blog? Probably not. And I don't blame you. It's way way down there....keep scrolling....wait for it....wait for it...yes at the very bottom. It reads 1219 as I type this. I put it on there at 1pm Tuesday. I set it at 1000 and was more than VERY curious as to how many visitors I get on the blog. And, Good Golly, can you believe it? 219 in less than 2 days. Surely you can do the math. That's averaging more than 100 a day.

I had no idea.

Who the heck are you guys?

I know...my Mom probably hits the blog up umpteen times a day. My Dad does his fair share, and so do Neena, Pops, the aunties, the uncles, my 5 faithful followers, and my dear husband. Oh, and me, I have to subtract probably 20 of those because I've been obsessively clicking to see the new total of visitors. Okay, that makes 209.

Who else is out there?

No shame in lurking. I do it ALL the time, and not just on my own blog. On friends' blogs, friends of friends, and complete strangers. I'm a lurker. Are you?