'SNOT' a whole lot to tell....

Get it?

I have a bad cold. So do all three of my boys. Even the baby, who has been to see "Dr. McDreamy" (um...our pediatrician) three times in the last two weeks because we're keeping an eye on a low grade fever and some fluid in his ear. Poor baby....only seven weeks old. Luckily, he's very good natured and he seems to be doing okay. He's gorgeous and wonderful and sweet and beautiful and perfect. Absolutely perfect. I mean, he spits up a lot....but other than that I wouldn' t change a thing.

Speaking of spitting-up, this kid has the wardrobe of a rock star, but sadly - it's usually covered up with a bib. Granted - I also have some adorable and stylish bibs (although not in this picture) but still - it isn't quite the same as the bib-free look. Regardless, I have to use them. If I didn't use bibs, I'd be changing his clothes 10 times a day instead of 2 or 3 times a day as I do now. Luckily for us, the spitting-up isn't a medical problem - it's a laundry problem. He's just about 12 pounds already, and is two inches longer - so we're doing okay with feeding. Did I mention that I'm completely in love with him? *sigh* So sad how they grow up and start treating you like the doormat and slave that you are. And when I say "you", I mean ME. And that brings me to this next little morsel:

We were all set to go to a birthday party on Saturday. A party that we were all looking forward to. It was for a little girl who went to preschool with BB for two years, and now goes to the same school for kindergarten. Her mom is really nice, the girl is a doll, and frankly - I had a lot of fun buying her present. I really love buying birthday presents for little girls!

Anyway, the boys were in rare form all morning. I mean *bad*. One thing after another - name calling, back talk, not listening, throwing things in the family room which has always been a NO but is a HUGE NO now that the baby is almost always in there either swinging, sleeping in his little bassinet or sitting in his bouncy seat. We warned and warned and warned them that if they didn't knock it off there would be hell to pay. LB had already been sent to his room three times and it was only 11AM. Then came the capper.......

BB and LB were eating a cheese stick. LB finished his and wanted another one. I told him that we were leaving soon, and that if he wanted something else to eat, it had to be some baby carrots or grapes. No more cheese. LB sneaks over and takes BB's last bite of cheese stick when he isn't looking and pops it into his mouth. BB loses his shit completely, and kicks LB hard in the shin, sending him to the floor. "Please God, don't let him choke on that cheese" I think to myself. Mental note: take a refresher course in CPR.

So......I go through the whole necessary song and dance.

To LB: "Why did you do that? It isn't okay to take things that aren't yours."

To BB: "He shouldn't have taken your cheese, but it's never okay to kick him like that. "

Crying, snot flying, screaming, all around.

BB then makes some particularly smart ass remark, and I tell him to get upstairs to his room for 5 minutes until he can calm down and apologize to me and his brother who now has a welt on his leg. He picks up the gnarled piece of cheese that LB spit out once he hit the ground, and THROWS IT AT ME.

Aaaaaaaaaand - game over.

Needless to say, we did NOT go to the party. OVER MY DEAD BODY were they getting rewarded with a birthday party. I felt a little bad for LB. This was less his fault than BB's - but oh well. The crappy thing is, after a couple of hours they couldn't have cared less. They have fun with each other. It's not like I can separate them or anything....you know...because we live in a tree house. Those of you who have been here (very few actual doors in this house) know exactly what I'm talking about!

Funny to have such a crappy day with BB, only to have his kindergarten teacher pull me aside on Monday to tell me what an absolute joy he is to have in class. So polite. So sweet. So helpful. Gets along with everyone.

Well good. At least he has inherited my ability to fake it in public.

The more I look at the picture of the big boys, the more I realize what a bad job I did with BB's hair today. Geez, so Rico Suave....what was I thinking? And check out the look on LB's face! Priceless. Such a charmer, that one. He has that nasty look on his face because I forced him to stand there for a picture. The nerve....