On terrorism.

From Wikipedia

"Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion. Most common definitions of terrorism include only those acts which are intended to create fear (terror), are perpetrated for an ideological goal (as opposed to a lone attack), and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants. Some definitions also include acts of unlawful violence and war."

Why then, Sarah, is it not considered "terrorism", if those particular terror seekers are bombing say, an abortion clinic.

Oh, right. They support your agenda.



Just checkin'. *wink*

The low down.

*sigh*

Writing about the mundane, the daily grind, if you will, becomes rather stale after a couple of years. I've been at a loss for words, or rather, a loss of time for words. I even thought I might delete the blog all together because I just don't have time and all I seem to ever do is complain anyway. It's depressing that all I have to write about is the plight of motherhood. But that is the stuff that needs to be purged and left behind on a piece of paper, or a small byte in the internet universe.

I don't want this blech lurking on my sleeves; I want it gone. I want to write it out of my mind so I can move on to happier things. Like E's much anticipated entrance into the world of speech. Or A's delightful squeals as she scampers through the house in her walker. There's always the budding relationship between mother and tween daughter to nurture and admire. Those are the things that keep me here and not at some desk typing numbers.

I will keep my blog. Just pardon all the heavy banter. Forgive me of my reluctance to write anything at all. Know that I am here in spirit but the body is off changing a shitty diaper. Like three a day. And that's a slow day.

As far as the lately is concerned. Things have been crazy. Someone has been sick in our house for the past 7 weeks. For the first 4 or so it was DH. The last three it was the babies and me. E had pneumonia and A was teetering too close if you ask me. I got the cold and with that came a nasty ear and sinus infection. We are all starting to come out of the funk but it has been a long couple of months. A depressing couple of months.

A big problem that occurred as a result of all this was the sudden drop in milk supply. Ugh! A was suffering and was taking bottles; I thought it was going to be the end of our time together. Luckily I have been able to get back on track. But I'm not sure how long it will last. This seems to be a problem of mine after 4 or 5 months. I'm going to try and continue as long as we can. I really want to bf longer this time. It feels so important to me. I'm putting a few things on the back burner to help make it possible. One being the constant struggle to kick start my weight loss.

I'm so sick of dealing with the yo yo and decided to take it easy and let my body feed my baby first. I have the rest of my life to get strong and loose the baby weight. First things first, KWIM? I just can't concentrate on one without adding the stress to the other and it's worth it to stay a size whatever I am if it means that A and I get to nurse for as long as we want.

Other than that the world seems rather dull. It has been so consumed with sickness and Dr. visits (5 in one week), antibiotics and Mother's Milk Tea that I'm about to barf my fenugreek all over the floor. This weekend I'm going to take a breather and carve me a kick ass pumpkin with my kids. Or maybe it will just be three triangles and a mouth with a couple of teeth. But maybe well get crazy up in here and make circles instead of triangles. Or *gasp*squares..

Just another crazy Friday night at my house.

Europa is a very rare female first name

Very few female first names in the US are Europa

Be proud of your unique first name!

source: namestatistics.com

Sydney is the #1011 most common female first name

0.008% of females in the US are named Sydney.

Around 9800 US females are named Sydney!

source: namestatistics.com

Emily is the #99 most common female first name

0.208% of females in the US are named Emily.

Around 254800 US females are named Emily!

source: namestatistics.com

(they ain't got nothin' on mine though)

Abigail is the #520 most common female first name

0.025% of females in the US are named Abigail.

Around 30625 US females are named Abigail!

source: namestatistics.com

I'm curious to see what #1 is. Hmmmm....let's see....

Elizabeth is the #5 most common female first name

0.937% of females in the US are named Elizabeth.

Around 1147825 US females are named Elizabeth!

source: namestatistics.com

and coincidentally is Abby's middle name.

Close, but no cigar. I also got #8 with Susan, Julie was 52, Sarah 23, Nancy 12....now I'm tired of guessing names.

NEXT.


So maybe I searched just one more name. And VOILA

James is the #1 most common male first name

3.318% of males in the US are named James.

Around 4064550 US males are named James!

source: namestatistics.com

So I win.

Overwhelmed?

Are you kidding me? Overwhelmed, over stressed, over worked, under appreciated, sleep deprived are just a few words that describe most mothers. If you can't admit to any or all of these than you can add one more descriptor to your profile.

In denial.

Life happens and it can be so difficult with the pressures of reaching perfection and keeping up with the over achievers that we forget about the important things. Even more challenging is admitting to yourself when you just can't do it all.

Oprah's topic on her Wednesday's show was about exactly that. America's mothers are under an extreme amount of pressure to exceed in all aspects of life. Having the perfect career, being the perfect mother, being the best cook, the best wife, the Mrs. fix-it all and look good while doing it. This type of standard is insane to live up to. And I'm pissed about it.

What's the price for aiming too high? The woman who appeared on Oprah paid the price of her daughter's life. I can't even imagine or put myself in that place, but you know what? A time or two that could be me. Life is distracting. There is so much to do and so little time to do it all that sometimes your priorities slip a little bit. This kid has a poopy diaper and the door isn't locked and the curious one ends up on your front lawn, just feet away from a busy road before you scoop her up in your arms. Or you gently lift your baby out of her bath tub and by request you leave the water there for your oldest to play in and the toddler ends up in it face first. And she can't get out. And she can't breath and the only reason she is still around is because her sister was there to help her out.

I'm not even kidding. Both of these have happened to me.

My first reaction two years ago to someone losing their kid to negligence was a harsh judgement. What horrible parent would put their child in danger. My tune has since changed.

No parent wants that to be the one. No parent wants to be so busy they forget their baby is in the car but it happens.

The funny thing about the show for me was that I had a similar mental conversation with myself that morning. I was wondering how people do it. How do people create the perfect world and hold it all together while the souffle is in the oven? When does the souffle fall? Am I so inept at being a mother?

I have all I can handle at the moment with a household of three children, a husband working on his doctorate and a small daycare business on the side to make ends meet. And I have to tell you, it's tough. It is hard to keep the house clean, the laundry done, the dinners cooked and the husband satisfied all the while raising three kids. Two of whom are under two, another with nightly homework duties and a whole set of her own needs to be met. Add three more kids for daycare every afternoon and it's nothing short of exhausting. There really isn't time left for the extra's all the time.

There comes a time when you have to say enough is enough. Slow your roll a little bit mom because you're making the rest of us look like shit. Set some priorities. Say no once in a while. Go see a movie and eat buttered popcorn. Sit down and braid your daughters hair. That expense report will be there when you're done. That laundry will wait until able hands are ready to fold it.

Then maybe there will be less mistakes. Then our overwhelmed will be content. Then our over worked will be rested. Then our stress will become ease. And maybe then life can start to take on a different description.

Happy.

Isn't that what we're all trying so hard to accomplish anyway?

Just another day in the life of The Great Pumpkin

The Great Pumpkin is a big fat jerk. Sure, she may have created the awesomely wonderful pictures to your left and for that the children of the world are grateful. However, Oh Great Pumpkin, you are indeed now dubbed as a failure for slacking off when it comes to the children saying "Thank-You".

I'm not really sure how you could let this sort of thing slide Great Pumpkin. How could you let the children down? Don't you even think about the children? Because this morning the children were pissed that you could just ignore the creative prowess of these 8 year old girls who were clearly begging for just one more visit. If you could've only come more time they would be the happiest third graders on earth. I mean....didn't you see the effort!! The LOVE!!! THE HOPE in their hearts????









Take a good look Great Pumpkin. NO! YOU LOOK AT IT! See the tear stains? The tear stains that dripped from the weeping eyes of overly dramatic almost pre-teen princesses? You should be ashamed. Very, very ashamed.








Ahem.

Now you hear this you greedy little blood sucking leaches. You've bled The Great Pumpkin dry. You couldn't just be happy with your notes and your pictures. Oh, NOOOoooooooooOOOOOOOOOOO. You want to take every second of The Great Pumpkin's time and exhaust every tiny little morsel of "extra" that's left of The Great Pumpkin, which isn't a lot. Did you know that The Great Pumpkin had two babies in less that two years? Cuz she did. And she's tired and has barely enough time in her day to pluck what was once two separate eye brows. Now you take your little tear stained thank you notes and shove 'em where the sun doesn't shine. Got it?

Ahem.

Regrettably, The Great Pumpkin was eating milk and cookies while watching Criminal Minds and wasn't aware of the awaiting thank you notes.

She say's she's sorry.

What happens when mama is bored?

I stumbled upon a song as I watched over the slumbering author. She does this, you know. She's my writer, mostly songs, but other stuff too. I wasn't really doing much of anything. In fact I was down right bored since the husband was otherwise occupied with the dummy box television so I was looking for something to do.

Upon seeing that song, along with her colored pencils lying near by, an idea erupted and I decided to draw her a picture. The song was about Halloween so I thought it fitting to draw her a pumpkin and maybe a bat or something along those lines. Once the wheels start to turn I decided that this picture was going to be from The Great Pumpkin.

Pardon me parents for unthinkingly creating yet one more fictitious character to keep up with. As if the Tooth Fairy and Santa weren't busy enough, I had to go and add The Great friggen Pumpkin. Which, you know, would be fine if I didn't do daycare for other kids because instead of marveling at the wonder of The Great Pumpkin, they were pissed The Great Pumpkin didn't come and draw them a picture as well.

Stupid, stupid imagination. I will never use you again!!!

While waiting for the bus, the child that could write decided to leave a little note for The Great Pumpkin on my driveway in chalk.

"Oh Great Pumpkin, please, please, please will you come to road 99 Briggs Hill Road."

In response, "I don't get to dirt roads, sorry. Love, The Great Pumpkin."

But The Great Pumpkin forgot who she was writing her note to because this particular child does not take no for an answer. Fair is fair and The Great Pumpkin will answer to her for her negligence in not coming to HER house

A letter followed.

"Dear Great Pumpkin,
Dirt roads are not the only roads that get your car dirty. Paved roads also get your car dirty. And the only time your car gets really, really dirty is when it rains. Do you have a bat side-kick? Love, Child Who Will Not Take No For An Answer. P.S. Do girls draw better than boys? "

By this time The Great Pumpkin had already communicated to the Child Who Will Not Take No For An Answer's mother and informed her that The Great Pumpkin might want to draw her Child Who Will Not Take No For An Answer a picture. But this said child was going to leave her letter here to be sure The Great Pumpkin received it. So The Great Pumpkin told said child's mother that she was off the hook. The true Great Pumpkin would create fairness for other believers of The Great Pumpkin since her imagination got us into this mess in the first place.

And so The Great Pumpkin writes....

"Dear Child Who Will Not Take No For An Answer -
It is not the dirt that bothers me, it is the rocks that bruise my pretty pumpkin shell. Don't be sad, I am happy to draw you a picture and leave it here.......Love, The Great Pumpkin"

and so she did draw that picture and the Child Who Will Not Take No For An Answer was happy again. The Great Pumpkin learned her lesson and will never, under any circumstances, create another fictional character for her children. At least not as long as she is doing daycare.

The end.