Memorial Day, Shoes and the Floating Playpen

Memorial day has always been a day of solemn remembrance in the McGyver household. Having Chester in harm's way this year gave the day an even greater meaning for us. We spoke to Chester this weekend which certainly helped but boy do I miss that kid. He is doing well and is bored. Bored! The whole time the boys were growing up I would shudder when they would utter that word. Now it brings joy to my heart. Stay bored the entire summer Chester. Please stay bored.

Reason 365,762 that I am certain the Lord matched us with the perfect little girl. Dreamsicle has started talking in her sleep. It is mostly baby babble but one word caught my ear that she kept repeating while I was listening to her through the baby monitor. She was happily exclaiming Shoes! in her sleep. Ahhh, I love that girl.

This weekend marked Dreamsicle's first time on the floating playpen. I have pictures to prove it but I can't find my blasted camera plug in thingy-ma-do to upload them to my computer so you will have to take my word for it until I find it or buy a new one. She was pretty timid at first but soon got her sea legs. She's not a big fan of the life jacket but does love her water shoes (imagine that). Anyway, we had a literal feast on the water with friends of ours. Shrimp scampi, ribs, corn on the cob~a great way to usher in the summer season. Let the fun begin!

Fun Interview

Sooo, my friend Susan picked me to interview. If you would like to get in on this, please do the following...

1. Leave me a comment saying "interview me"-yes all of you lurkers who never, never comment, this means you.
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions-but I get to pick the questions!
3. You will update your blog with the answers to those questions.
4. You have to include this explanation and the offer to interview others
5. When other people comment asking to be interviewed you will ask them five questions of your own choosing.

Now-on to the fun!

1. In the last 6 months what single purchase has been the most important in your life?

This one was easy-the airline tickets that flew us out to California so that we could see Chester off when he left for the sandbox.

2. Do you change your bedding/curtains with the season?

Are you kidding me? Do people really do that? McGyver is lucky if the bottom and top sheet match most days!

3. If a movie was made based on your life who would play you and your husband and why

This one took a little thinking but I would have to say the Meg Ryan would be me. Most of the characters she plays are a little quirky but flawed which is true of me in real life. Clint Eastwood would have to play McGyver. Remember when he uttered the phrase-"Go ahead-make my day"? Enough said.

4. A close friend of yours is getting ready to walk out the door and the outfit she has on is totally hideous and looks awful. Do you tell her or pretend she looks great?

I totally would tell her. That's what friends do. If I didn't tell her I would be afraid that Karma would come around and smack me in the face one day. Something would happen-like I would have something hanging out of my nose and she would let me walk around knowing that I had a waver.

5. If you were to take a week long car trip with your family or friends what complaint are you most likely to hear from your fellow travelers? What complaint are they most likey to hear from you?

If I was traveling with my family they would beg me not to drink any liquid since I tend to have to visit the restroom alot and my biggest complaint about them would be to stop passing gas!

Happy Mothers Day!

Cabela's -- Tailgator Gas-Powered Blender


I know that I should probably write about the significance of this day now that Dreamsicle is in our lives. I should say something heartfelt about her first mom and the incredible gift she gave us but it is still too new and too personal to share with everyone out in Blogistan.

Instead I wanted to share my gifts.

From X*Boy I received a very nice card and a half gallon of Moose Tracks Ice Cream (my fave)

From Chester I received a 5:00 am wake up call from the Sandbox wishing me a happy mother's day.

From U*Haul and Pixie I received a singing card that Dreamsicle insists on carrying around, opening up and getting her groove on to, a full length mirror and a hanging planter.

But Dreamsicle knew that her mommy needed just the right thing for the floating playpen and got me the gas powered blender shown at the top of this post. This babe knows her mommy well.

Not All Sunshine and Rainbows

We have had a fairly easy time with Dreamsicle and her transition into our family. We've hit our first major bump in the road and it is tearing my heart out. There have been some changes at her day care providers home and I think they have rocked her world. Her favorite friend had to have a tonsillectomy so she was gone for two weeks. The very first day her friend wasn't at day care a brand new baby was added to the daycare fold. Our Dreamsicle loves order and has a hard time with change. Being not yet two, I'm not sure what she processed when one day she went to daycare and her *friend wasn't there but there was a new baby in her place. Did it trigger something from her past? Since that time she has had a difficult time sleeping at night. She wakes up multiple times and cries big my -heart- is -breaking sobs which require me to actually pick her up and rock her to get her to calm down. She has also started to be too friendly. Which of course has me convinced that all of the work we have done to promote attachment has failed and I. am. the. worst. mother. in. the. world. therefore she cannot attach. The right side of my brain knows this is not the truth, she certainly knows who her parents are. Attachment is an ongoing process. It doesn't happen over night, or even over the course of months. But the left side of my brain cringes every time she waves hi at every stranger she sees, asks to be picked UP by random people in the grocery store and will blow kisses to anyone who looks her way. Dudes, that bothers the heck out of me. The two of us are hunkering down this weekend, spending a very low key weekend at home. We can just gaze dreamily into each other's eyes, have ticklefests and feed each other cheerios while reading books. And if that doesn't help her to feel more secure I just may **tie her arms to her side when out in public to help her resist the urge to want to please those she doesn't know.

*her friend came back to daycare last Wednesday

**no, I really don't intend to tie her arms down