... and then there were 4

A Walk Along Memory Lane

I was blessed to become part of Thing 1's life when she was one. She turned me into a mom, dropped me in the deep end and I've been there ever since. I love her even though we struggle. And we struggle because she is my mini me from looks to attitude - and everything in between. She is enough of her father to keep us both guessing - and she is 100% her own person at the same time.

Thing 2 is a spitfire. From the time he could babble, he commanded attention and amazed everyone around him. He makes a new friend wherever we go - whether they want to be friendly or not. He can tell you everything you never needed to know about a million topics and their videos on YouTube. He has a temper and a stubborn streak a mile wide. He also has a huge heart and really loves his family.

Milly Meltdown was our tie-breaker. She is a happy little soul that can turn angry or sad in a split second. She wears her heart on her sleeve and forgives as easily as she gets angry. We are very lucky to have this little being as the third part of our quartet of growing littles. The family dynamic would not be the same without her, and I can't imagine life without seeing it through her eyes whenever I need a pick-me-up. 

Here we are now.

Bitty Bear was the exact opposite of his older siblings. As a baby, none of the tried and true methods worked to calm him - with the exception of the Gummy Bear Song (Thank you, Youtube). He is unique and strong-willed, yet has a heart-stopping smile for those who least expect it. He has been figuring out how things work since before he could walk, and he is biding his time until he can blow us away with the way he thinks and experiences life.

Four amazing little beings, filled with personality, sarcasm and hints of both of us, mixed with whatever it is that determines their own personal perspective.

 I adore these little faces and I am so honored to be mom.

Some days, I can only hope they love me half as much as I love them.

When they grow up, I hope they understand the bad days and appreciate the good ones so much more. 

A moment with Bitty Bear

When it comes to having children, there are stages of development. We all recognize that. However, I have not always caught those times when the baby is truly becoming an aware little person.
I didn't miss that moment this morning. Bitty Bear is seven months old now. Last night, he was waving to me and to daddy.
This morning, he didn't want to lay on the blanket, did not want to sit in the bouncer chair. I was holding him and he was balancing his weight on his own two feet, almost not needing mommy to help him stay up. Luckily, it doesn't last for too long. But his time in his jumper and exersaucer are definitely being put to good use, strengthening his little legs so he'll be toddling around on them in no time.
I looked into his eyes, and his little face was lit up with joy that he was standing, mommy was right there and his world was beyond awesome. I stopped and thought, my baby boy is growing up.
He knows all of us now, recognizes voices and even the sound of his siblings entering a room (it is hard to mistake the sound for anything else, other than the stampede of a herd of elephants). He likes eating with a spoon and the other night was much more receptive to a bottle of water. Before now, he was not interested in these things.
He considers everything so carefully, from his little hand to anything that can fit in it. If he can't reach something, he studies it like he is plotting a way.
I am so glad I had that moment with him this morning. Maybe this time I won't suddenly stop and think, where did my baby go? Because I am catching the moments when he is changing.

When Desperation Breeds Innovation - MomStyle

As a mom and freelancer (hence Scribble Mama), I all too often run up on deadline and am not even close to done with the project. That is largely because I have no self-discipline and I am a dedicated procrastinator - and partly because I have two gremlins at home all day demanding attention and four wreaking havoc in the evening hours.

Today was another one of those days. With one project done and the other hopeless anyway, I thought I would take a moment to share my creative burst this morning when I should have been writing.

Milly Meltdown is in a superhero phase. As in, she thinks she is one. She regularly requests having a blanket (her baby blanket that she still has. cue the awwws) tied around her neck so she can go zooming around the house saving people and animals from the ever-present bad guys.

The other day, I saw a link. And no, I was not on Pinterest. However, it was a Pinterest-worthy idea and I am sure it has been shared there many times already. That link came to mind this morning when Milly Meltdown made her first request to have the blanket tied, and I knew it would be followed by 10 more, all while I am attempting to form coherent sentences and craft a piece worthy of making money (not much, but still it's money).

Enter, the T-Shirt Cape:

I am now "the best mom ever" that she is going to "cuddle with every day." There was a lot of super zooming through the house, enough to get one project done. 

I even completed two more capes, because obviously this will become a very coveted item once the other gremlins burst through the door at 3:30 p.m. I even have ambitious plans for a cape for Bitty Bear, although there is no concrete benefit from that endeavor. We shall see if I complete that plan or not. 

If you want to do one too, head to Pinterest. It took me longer to try to find the website that inspired me than it did to make the three capes. Note, mine are no sew, no velcro. Hint: Use a t-shirt and keep the neck of the t-shirt intact. 

My Version of NaNoWriMo

So, November is National Novel Writing Month. My intention this year, as it has been for roughly four of the last 10 Novembers, was to write a novel. I was going to have an idea, be more organized and write so many words per day to actually accomplish my goal.
I found the Snowflake Method of organizing an idea for a novel and expanding it to the point where a first draft could - theoretically - be written in the 30 days of November. I was excited. I was determined. I was ... destined to fail.

Not really. I mean, it isn't failure to get an opportunity to make more money to help the family financially. It is even less of a failure when you get two opportunities, and then find another great-sounding job that would mean good money. So, I was not destined for failure. However, life has a way of throwing logs into the path of my determined little Harley Davidson Sportster on the path of life [hey, laugh all you want. At least I am cool in my own analogy on life].

So, I had a couple opportunities. One didn't work out because of minion-related factors and Numero Uno's own job opportunities. One didn't work because, yet again, my writing style "did not fit their needs at this time." This is a mystery I need to unravel to get more freelance work. But I digress.

I have other projects that I'm working on to make money this month. However, with all of these potentials and realities and a teething Bitty Bear and a bout with a cold that gave me nausea and vertigo for two days - all sorts of fun and games - I am adjusting my hope and dream for this particular NaNoWriMo. Instead of a novel whose idea didn't get fleshed out, despite my high hopes for the Snowflake Method, I'm going to make a post a day on this blog about the family. Obviously, we are on November 11th

(Happy Veterans Day! POW-MIA Never Forgotten)

My goal is to write two posts a day until I can catch up. Then, I am going to keep writing one until November is over. Then, I'll see how I do with posting every other day or 3 times a week.

Oh, and a big part of this is posting the links to my FB at least once a week. I have a lot of blogs started that I didn't share, therefore mostly losing the point of writing in the first place. 

Wish me luck. 

Signs of Thing 2's recovery

You know when Thing 2 is sick. He talks less and sleeps more. He is very confused when he does wake up.
All of these behaviors have disappeared today. Consider the following evidence:

Scribble Mama comes downstairs.
Thing 2: "Mom, you've lost weight."
Scribble Mama pauses in surprise, considers the options for a moment and buries the questions that she has.
"Thank you, Thing 2."
Scribble Mama walks into the kitchen.
Thing 2 follows.
"Well, yesterday you had a belly out to hear (demonstrates with hand gestures) and today your belly is shorter."
Scribble Mama says, "Well, Thing 2, it is smaller, not shorter. If something is big, it gets smaller. If something is tall, it gets shorter. And thank you." [Not up for explaining that weight loss does not occur overnight, as nice as that would be.]

Five minutes later:
Scribble Mama is typing on computer at kitchen table.
Thing 2 climbs into a chair nearby.
"Mama, Jacob gets to go to a hotel with Remi."
Scribble Mama says, "And who is Remi?"
Thing 2 says, "This girl at school that is always really nice to me."
Scribble Mama says, "And why are they going to a hotel?"
Thing 2 says, "I don't know. Jacob says his mom told him they just get to go to a hotel together."
Scribble Mama patiently says, "Are they going on vacation together?"
Thing 2 says, "Yeah, they are going on bay-cation and won't be able to get back to school from the hotel."
Scribble Mama nods.
End of conversation.

And it wasn't even 11 o'clock yet, people.
Thing 2 is most definitely going to school tomorrow. He is sad that he missed out on being line leader today, which is a significant disappointment in Kindergarten. Hopefully, he can recover fully.

Bitty Bear @ 4 a.m.

So, we all know infants go through stages and develop habits and leave them behind just as quickly. Bitty Bear has a new activity for 4 a.m., and while it is adorable, I hope it ends soon.
He wakes up calmly and begins to growl. This can go on for several minutes, no yelling or crying in distress. There is just a continual growling sound from the bassinet in the pack and play. If you happen to be curious about this phenomenon, as parents and dedicated researchers tend to be, and you go look over the side of the pack and play, you will see a tiny fist, which promptly flexes and the fingers stretch to their absolute limits. The hand turns, first one way and then the other. Then, the fingers tighten into a fist again, which waves wildly through the air. This process repeats roughly for the same duration that the growling continues.

Now, it can be disconcerting. This became apparent this a.m., as Thing 2 woke up and in a panic asked, "What is that sound?!"
Scribble Mama, "What Sound?"
Thing 2 says, "The one coming from the bassinet."
Scribble Mama says, "Well Thing 2, if it is coming from the bassinet, what do you think it is?"
Thing 2 mutters "Bitty Bear," rolls over and goes back to sleep.
We are all crashing in the living room, since Thing 2 had a day and night of throwing up and was still waking up regularly last night to blow his nose and ask random questions. Hopefully tonight we can migrate back to our regular sleeping stations.

... and so it begins

Dear Diary,

Forget sending the search party. I have been eaten by wolves. 

Just kidding. No wolves, although sometimes they fit the description of a hungry pack, stalking their unwary prey. Well, that's how I feel while I'm trying to make dinner anyway. 

Today is Day 1 of once again being a trucker's family. The life has its ups and downs. It is a lot of sacrifice for Numero Uno, since he is the one doing all the work and away from our smiling faces for such long stretches. [Shhh, no need to tell them they aren't nearly as smiley when he isn't around.] Still, we make it work. The kids find reasons to be excited, even the thrown together chicken and biscuits wannabe dinner that Scribble Mama makes, or watching their favorite show on TV [current is Teen Titans; I've dealt with worse].

That's right, I'm Scribble Mama. The rest of the clan rolls out as follows:

Numero Uno - Truck drivin' hubby that loves to scare Scribble Mama

Scribble Mama - Writer, cook, dishwasher, laundress and semi-failure at housekeeper. Oh and caretaker for four minions that test every nerve on a daily basis. 

Resident Minors:*

Thing 1 - 7, soon to be 8. Thinks she is a teenager and knows soo much more than any adult

Thing 2 - 5. Brainiac that is either the biggest surprise (when he does not stop talking and doesn't seem to breathe) or the smallest burning supernova of fury you have ever met. No middle ground here. 

Milly Meltdown - 3. Sweet and endearing one moment and mad at you about ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING the next. Hey, she is three. 

Bitty Bear - almost 7 months. Breastfed bulldozer of a baby, this munchkin has an opinion and lets you know it. Mind you, he has very little interest in moving unless he can jump and bounce like a pogo stick. 

In the spirit of 'Kids say the darndest things' meets 'Convoy', my hope is to give Numero Uno a place to read what he misses and to entertain any family and friends that are interested in following this chronicle of humorous chaos. 

Happy Reading. 

 *Names are a work in progress (all names, who knows what I'll come up with as a theme)