Tired. Daughter not sleeping. Mom not happy about that. Awake at 2am. Not happy about that either. Can count the number of hours of sleep I’ve gotten in the last 72hrs on 1.5hands. Not happy about that either. Maybe tomorrow some Target will make it better.
Filed under: McSassy
My Little Mac,
It seems impossible that you are six months old already. Time can be so unfair that way- it drags when you don’t want it to, and goes too fast when you wish it would just slow the heck down.
You are the happiest of babies. Its funny how little I remember of Nathan at this age- I really don’t remember him being nearly as happy and bubbly and smiley as you. You flash your gummy smile at anyone who makes eye contact. Everyone who spends any amount of time with you comments on what a great baby you are. You are always happy, you never fuss- you’re my little happy go lucky.
You are all about rolling over onto your tummy and then promptly get stuck. I’d say that you love your swing but its probably more of a “bloom where you’re planted” type sentiment. Its really your only safe zone downstairs and subsequently you get plopped in there a lot. You like to suck on your toes and stick anything within reach in your mouth. This weekend you were all upset when I took away the animal cracker bag you were so fervently chewing on.
You’ve sampled sweet potatoes (both purple and orange), peas, and pears. We’re having a bit of trouble getting you to keep your thumb out of your mouth while eating. Im not sure if it helps you swallow to be sucking your thumb or if you’re just really really dang tired at dinnertime. Either way, you give me big smiles in between bites so it must not be too bad.
You are still a terrible, no-good-very-bad napper. This is your weakness. Part of this is due to the fact that we always have places to go and people to see so there isn’t a lot of consistency in your routine. However, even on the days when we are home I can rock you to sleep and you will be dead to the world only to wake up 18 minutes later thinking you’re fully recharged (and you’re not BTW). On the upside, this has made you a fairly good sleeper at night, waking only once, sometimes twice.
You have the biggest most beautiful blue eyes and Im confident they are staying that way. You have lashes that most people would kill for and your hair which was jet black the day you were born is turning lighter and lighter. You have some unusually long wispy hairs…..your “in utero” hairs if you will, that have stuck around. And I know you’d look so much better if I just trimmed them so you looked a little more, um, even, but I cant quite bare to do it yet.
I was flipping through Nathan’s baby book yesterday looking at what he was doing at 5, 6, and 7 months. Evidently he was sitting on his own at this age, but then again, I had all the time in the world to sit with him. I also know there is a part of me that isn’t in any hurry for you to reach your milestones. I want you to stay little for as long as you can.
I’d like to say you recognize your name ‘Mackenzie’ but we call you so many other things that we may have you thoroughly confused. Whenever I do my sing-songy “Oh little Maaaaac” you get a huge grin. We still call you Kiki and Ma-kiki and Sugar and Sweet girl. Your dad calls you “her pinkness” because, well, somedays you have on a lot of pink.
This past weekend we went to a party where one of your Dad’s co-workers came to pick you up. Every time we see him he fawns all over you (he loves kids) and you happily go to him. For whatever reason, maybe you were too tired or maybe “BDC” (big daddy chocolate as he’s called around the office) was a little too much that night but you just started screaming (screaming) and had this terrified look on your face when he got too close. He picked you up and you just looked at me and screamed. While I never want you to be scared I have to tell you its the best feeling in the world to take you back in my arms and know Im the one who comforts you because Im your mom. I know how moms just make everything better, and that they can do it in a way that dad’s just can’t. There are still days that I’d still like my own mom to make everything better. Moms are the greatest thing on Earth, and Im so lucky to be yours.
I love you sweet girl,
Mom
Filed under: Nate the Great
This morning Nathan spillled his piggy bank out and was carrying his change around. I told him what our plan for the day was going to be, “first, we’re going to go get coffee and then we have to go to mom’s work. Where do you think we should get coffee today?”
Nathan then tells me, “I will buy you coffee today mom- I have lots of money.” I told him what a sweet offer that was and told him he should keep his money. “No, I will buy you coffee mommy because I have money….. (pause, pensive look)…..does this mean I can drive?”
Filed under: Smile and Nod
The flea market is really deserving of its own post. We seem to end up going every few months mostly to offload kids clothes that have been out grown but lately I’ve been trying to pare down the amount of ‘stuff’ we have in our lives. Of course if we had a basement or a garage (imagine!) I’d probably be less inclined to pitch and sort.
There are two types of flea marketers over here: 1) The Professional flea marketer and 2) your average run-of-the-mill family who is either moving or just looking to get rid of the overflow in their lives. If you are a professional you are generally a vietnam-era retired military male. And generally you are fairly out of touch with what is ‘in’ and subsequently have a large pile, of what amounts to trash, spilling out from your trunk. And by trash I mean old light fixtures, a crapped out shop vac, a lone captains chair from a fishing boat, perhaps some old records etc. And over the course of the flea market you sell a few items (which boggles the mind) but you aren’t raking in a huge profit. Im fairly sure that a large portion of what the professionals come to sell is stuff they find on the curb on trash day and then go try and pawn it off to the Japanese.
The gates open for “set up” one hour before the flea market starts. The problem is that its not a very efficient set-up and it took us 45 minutes just to get through the line and I HATE when we dont have time to set up. There are a few flea market trolls that come right up to your car as you pull up. No exaggeration- yesterday as I opened our trunk a lady came up and started unloading bags out of the back pawing through them. She started pulling out baby clothes and asking how much and I told her everything was $3. She scoffed at that and I reminded her that the gates hadn’t opened yet and we haven’t even unloaded…..$3 take it or leave it. She took it.
The flea markets are a big deal for the Japanese because they can get American goods (which they like) and brands for a fraction of what they would pay. The scene on the other side of the fence reminds me of what the US Embassy in Vietnam looked like at the end of the war….faces pressed up against the fence, clogs of people…..and then when the gates open all hell breaks loose. Im surprised no one has ever been trampled because they sprint through the gates the way people do on Black Friday at Wal-Mart. Its insane. Im guessing flea markets in the US are not like this Bethtastic?
When we went this weekend it was mostly clothes that we got rid of. And I used to make my pricing all complicated (onesies are one price, dresses another, a complete outfit another etc.) and now it was just 200Y per item and in the long run it would all even out. And usually the “professional” flea market shoppers wear me down by standing in my face haggling over and over and over until I finally just give in. Not this time. It was 200Y per item or I just took the stack from them and threw it back in the pile. Take that.
I’m also HIGHLY amused by the things the Japanese find interesting. I’m mildly embarrassed to admit that I took Nathan’s old underpants. NOW WAIT- in my defense he had never had ANY ACCIDENTS in them. Some of them were just extras that I kept at his school in the event a change was needed. It was also my plan to just throw them away but I lumped them in the pile anyway. And the Japanese grabbed them right up. I didn’t charge people for them if they were buying other things (they were “dozo’s”) and the one lady who bought just one pair– I only charged 10 cents. Coffee mugs were a big deal, stuffed animals, any type of electronic, pens, an ugly cloth bag I’d gotten for free, half used bottles of perfume…..look, before you judge me understand that it PAINS me to be wasteful. I HATE throwing things away so if some nice Japanese lady wants the second half of my bottle of perfume, thats better than the landfill getting it.
All totaled we made about $360….we plan to use that to buy a patio set. An overpriced patio set at the BX that, in Okinawa, is just going to get all rusted out from the salty air in about two weeks anyway. And then we’ll take that to the flea market and the cycle will just continue….
Filed under: Uncategorized
Worms: false alarm. I guess thats what happens when you get your MD from Google skool of medicine.
House: Under contract. A. Men.
Baby: Napping, also: 6 months old today.
Needing: haircut.
Weekend Plans: Flea market; Mackenzie’s room can’t be accessible by a 2 foot wide path forever.
Filed under: Uncategorized
The ER was going to be about a 4 hour wait so the boys came home without being seen last night. I took Nathan to the Dr. this morning and it was, meh, inconclusive. The only “definitive” test that can be done is a tape test (its exactly what you are thinking it is) and the “sample” needs to be collected at night. The doctor gave us the medicine anyway and… so, yeah. Problem solved. Hopefully.
I went about washing all of our sheets today, scrubbed bathrooms, and sprayed down every door knob, handle, and light switch. Needless to say Im tired. Also: Clorox hard surface spray is my BFF.
The real zinger of the day is that we sold our house. This is such a huge relief, wheew. In this market I was afraid it was going to be months and we sold it in less than 30 days. C-Ya mortgage, C-Ya worms.
Filed under: its not just good-its just good enough, Nate the Great, someday you'll look back at this and laugh...someday
(Alternative Title: Katie, help.)
Well, I’m not real sure where I should start….should I start with a little background on my germophobia or should I start with how my birthday has gone? Because the end result is still the same: PC is on his way to the ER with Nathan.
We’ll go with good news first. I still dont really feel like the next time someone asks my age I will have to say “thhhhhh-irty” but Im sure I’ll get used to it. I went running (walking) with the kiddos this morning and then we got coffee with the Starbucks gift card sitting on my pillow this morning. I missed any and all calls today because the Air Force (in their defense, this is something Congress has mandated, for reasons I can’t even begin to understand) decided to screw everyone over by changing our phones to Verizon and Guess! What!? They don’t work. Verizon sucks enough in the US, Im so glad someone deemed them worthy enough to handle international calls for the military. I could write you a novel on the wonderful ways your tax dollars are wasted put to use. But thats a story for another day.
When I went to drop Nathan off at school I saw a familiar face waiting there for me asking if I wanted to go to lunch. I told him I just had breakfast…..why didn’t he call me? I wouldn’t have eaten breakfast if he had called me and told me! To which he promptly reminded me that WE HAVE NO EFFING PHONE SERVICE, REMEMBER? (PC made it his sole mission today to make sure that the Air Force was well aware of how colossally stupid this choice was). So, I couldn’t really blame him for not giving me a heads up for his lunch plans and we went anyway. I came home and worked on some sewing projects, folded a mountain of laundry, enjoyed the quiet. Nothing out of the ordinary, but thats ok too.
PC said he was going to come home early and make dinner. He made an excellent grilled vegetable medley using local potatoes, carrots, and green beans, and then made steaks on the grill. We were going to have Banana’s Foster for dessert, but, this is where the story stops.
I’ve been pretty clear about my extreme fear of vomit on this blog. Its sort of been reaching critical mass lately and PC has suggested I might want to think about going to talk to someone about it because honestly, its starting to interfere a bit with daily life. Aside from vomit I can deal with most illness, but Im a little obsessive about germ spreading and hand washing and sharing cups and whatnot. I just hate sickness. Well thats not true, I can handle snot nose, cough, ear infection, and strep fine and Im pretty ok with fever but thats where my comfort level ends.
So you can imagine how thrilled I was when I self diagnosed my son with Pinworms while PC was making dinner. Oh, I know, you’re thinking dissss-guuuuuus-tiiiing. Go ahead, Google it, no, let me. Im right there with you, but when you come to this blog its because you want the real story. And so here it is. About 2 or 3 nights ago Nathan was about to get in the tub and started telling us his butt itched. We attributed it to a case of “notwiped” and moved on. He did it the next night so we put some good ‘ole fashioned diaper cream on it. And then today as we were coming home from school he let out this sort of shrieky whine telling me, “I CANNOT SCRATCH MY BUTT because I’m buckled in this carseat.” So, as much as I did NOT want to have to take him to the doctor for a case of scratchy ass I figured I better start consulting Dr. Google. And because we’re all about full disclosure here I was having a bit of trouble figuring out just WHAT to Google. “Child with scratchy butt?” “Child itching butt?” “Causes of anal itching in children?” Aside from diaper rash the number one cause of scratch ass in kids? Pinworms. Out-effing-standing.
You know, I don’t think I could ever be someone who homeschools their kids but let me tell you, the amount of childhood illness and NASTY that is out there and shared in a school environment is a compelling reason to consider it.
We are like a textbook case of pinworms. Its most common in preschool age children. Its highly contagious in close environments such as schools. It is easily transferred by toys. Its more likely in children who bite nails or suck their thumbs. Check check check.
Folks, this is going to be like lice. Its not going to kill us, its not even going to make us sick, but its going to be a bitch to get rid of. Dr. Google says ALL family members must be treated. Lest we become the itchy-ass family (seriously- how embarrassing?) And then my head starts swirling thinking about breastmilk safety, treating my sweet baby girl with worm pills (is it even safe for her?) and, my personal favorite, cleaning the toilet seat after EACH USE, AND washing all bedding and towels DAILY. Oh yeah, its a birthday wish come true.
I was actually just thinking the other day that I wish that someday I could find a way to stop being a nail biter. This may just do the trick. Here is what happens: child touches contaminated surface and gets pinworm eggs under his finger nails. Child then ingests them by not washing hands before eating or sucking thumb. Eggs take up residence in small intestine and hatch in about 3 weeks. Female pinworm makes her way through the intestine and then at night makes her way to her exit and lays eggs at night in that special spot….up to 10,000 at a time. The egg laying creates severe itching. Infected child itches egg laden bottom and then touches something where the eggs can survive on a surface for 2-3 weeks. New person touches that surface and the cycle continues.
I told PC I’d take Nathan to the doctor tomorrow and PC felt that since Nathan was uncomfortable we should start medicine sooner rather than later (and being in the military, medical care is free, trips to the ER are free, so whatev). So, no dessert, no curling up watching a movie together. Like I said, its not how I envisioned my 30th birthday panning out, but if nothing else it will certainly be a memorable birthday.
PS- Mackenzie was due for a bath tonight, and she really could of used it but, HA, there is no way Im putting my BABY in that tub until I have figured out how to completely. disinfect. it. And by completely disinfect it I mean its going to probably be a really, really……really really long time before she’s in that tub. I still contend this is preferable to the stomach flu though.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Mackenzie got her first taste of Ube (purple sweet potatoes).
Whatever color they are….the jury is still out on those.
Filed under: Grace in Small Things
1) Woke up this morning with an offer on our house. Fingers crossed….let this go through.
2) Starbucks gift card…in the amount of 30.
3) Lotion that Nathan picked out on his own
4) Sweet card from my husband
5) Big smiles from a baby girl
Filed under: Grace in Small Things
1) Hot Stone Massages. 60 minute ones.
2) Having my husband home, for weeks at a time…we’re almost up to an entire month.
3) Movies that make me laugh- hard.
4) Getting an afternoon all to myself.
5) The average, run of the mill, daily musings of a 3.5 year old; wonderful creatures they are.
