Been Caught Stealin'

So, yesterday morning, we do our normal weekly shopping trip. I take my own reusable bags, so we went through the self checkout, as usual. Atley got a piece of candy because he had written his name all by himself the night before, and he had to get his K shots yesterday. We get out to the car, and someone was parked close next to us, so I was watching the girls get in so they didn't ding the doors. I saw Melodie toss something on the seat. I knew she hadn't taken anything in the store with her. I went to see what it was, and saw a jumbo pack of Juicy-Fruit on the seat!

I was furious! I still am. And disappointed. I marched her right back in to the store and made her give it back and apologize to the manager, who talked to her. (although, not nearly as sternly as I had hoped.) I'm going to have my uncle (a detective with the Highway Patrol) have a talk with her, too. After the boys had their shots, we went to Twistee Freeze for ice cream, and she had to sit and watch. (Dan says I'm messed up.) She also will not be participating in cake and ice cream, goody bags, or party games at my cousin's son's b-day party this weekend. Dan says I was being too harsh to keep her home completely. (Which really surprises me, because he's usually slightly stricter than me. I figured he'd say I wasn't doing enough! go figure!)

Today, poor Charlie seems pretty miserable. They wanted to give him 5 shots. One of them, we're deferring, but I still didn't want him to have 4, so we split them up. Thank goodness! I can't imagine how miserable he'd be if he'd had 2 more! Atley is fine. Now that the shots are over. My goodness, I didn't know the little weasel was that strong! It took me and the 2 nurses to contain him enough to get the shots. He still squirmed a little much, and they had a hard time getting 2 of them to stop bleeding. He has made a full recovery and shows no ill effects, though! :0)

I know, I still need to get those fabric pics up. I am battling this sweater. I've got about 1-2 more rows of ribbing, BO, and seam! Then, I can put pics of everything up!

Lots O' Progress

Well, we had a very productive last couple of days! Charlie can now go forward in his walker, as opposed to just backwards. He's loving any kind of food he can sink his 5 teeth into. He also got his 9 month shots yesterday...poor little guy. I was thinking on the way there, I'd have to get Atley's kindergarten boosters soon. Then I realized, it would be the next appointment! They register kindergarten in April, and that is when Charlie's birthday is. Then, I started bawling at the thought of not having my sweet Atley with me all the time. He said he doesn't want to go to kindergarten, that he wants to be homeschooled because he loves me and he wants to be with me and he wants me to make him food. (The way to a man's heart...)

Atley also got a new fish yesterday. Bocco bit the dust about a week and a half ago. He got a black Gobi. He named him "Bocco the black." (Keep in mind, I'm taking liberties with the actual spelling of Bocco since Atley can't spell yet, but this is the way he pronounces it, at least.) He was so exited. There was a lady at the end of the aisle after we got it, and he said "Hi! I got a new fish! He's got big eyes, and his name is Bocco!" Then, as soon as the girls got in the car after school, he told them. He said "He has big eyes." Ari said, "Oh, does it have big eyes like this *Ari making circles with her hands*?" Atley, "Yes." Ari, "Is it a big fish?" Atley, "No, he's a small fish, just with big eyes." He had also told the lady at the health department about Bocco when we went to get Charlie's shots. It's a cute little fish. It zips all around the tank. Allison James and Hermione (the girls' fish) just kind of float. I think we'll have to get Charlie a fish, so Bocco can have an active friend.

I cleaned! YaY!! My living room is on the verge of being nice. Now, if only we can keep it this way...again. Every time I clean, the kids (and Dan) trash it.

I also finished a test crochet bonnet yesterday. It's cute! Dan would kill me if he saw Charlie with a bonnet, though! lol Oh well. I like it.

I got Sway's capelet done. I'm turning in my homework for the House Cup today. Here is a half-ass picture of my spaz of a dog who never sits still for pictures. This is me holding her and Atley baiting her with an apple:

And, here is my Arithmancy homework. It's a DPN holder I crocheted in stripes corresponding with my numerology numbers:

It is DONE!!!

I did it! I FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY did it!! The train sweater is done. 100% complete. C'est fini! I finished it last night. Without any further ado, here it is! (Sorry for the crappy pictures, but it was 10:00 at night and my new camera's batteries died on me, so I had to use the old crappy one.)

Yesterday was a very productive day. We got groceries, then Charlie had his shots. :0( He did great, though! The first one, he didn't even cry, and only for about 5 seconds on the other one! He was a little sore in the afternoon because it was the DTap, but he seems to have slept it off and be his happy self this morning! Atley and I made fudge. We also made Dan his sweet potato pie he's been wanting, and we made Charlie some baby food. We did peas yesterday. Atley fell. He was standing on his stool watching me, and it slipped out from under him and he bumped his chin on the counter. I've always hated having the stools in the kitchen for that reason and the fact that I trip over them all.the.time! So, we now have a strict no stool rule, and if they want to help, they can use my little step stool because it has nonskid feet. (Yes, I'm short, and I need a stool to get most things out of my cabinets. I have seriously thought about getting one of those stools from Little People, Big World!)

I also started on Charlie's Christmas vest last night. I asked Dan what he thought, and he was like wow, that looks awesome. What's it going to be? So I told him. No, absolutely not, it's too girly. I thought you were making my mom's hat or something. grrr Oh well, if I get it done, he's wearing it! Dan never goes with me to get the pictures taken, so neener neener to him. He can't stop me! ;0)

Grandparent's Day

Today is Grandparent's Day at school. My mom will be joining the girls for snacks, crafts, begging for books from the book fair, and lunch at school. Then, instead of being able to take them home after lunch and a small program, she will have to drop them off at school, and they will be required to learn for 2 more hours. This new principal sure is no-nonsense! What kid is going to be able to concentrate after they've just played with grandma and / or grandpa for 2 hours?

Charlie will get his 6 month shots today, too. They've got him on a slightly different schedule because since we do homebirth, he doesn't get the first hepatitis B right at birth. I usually wait a couple weeks to take them in for that, and that throws other things off, so they rearrange his schedule where he can do the combined shots more since the hep B throws things off. If only they could have done this for Ari and Atley, too. Those poor kids got so many needles. I know the nurse isn't happy with me because I decline the hepatitis A (Sorry, a new shot? Not trying it out on my baby, thanks!) or the Rotavirus (I'm well aware of the signs of dehydration, none of my other kids have ever had rotavirus, and I work at home so he's not around hordes of other children to get it from, plus it's given by mouth. I don't want chemicals or dead or live viruses or whatever it is going down my baby's throat!)

I'm proud to say that Melodie is the only child that has ever had antibiotics, and that was for 1 ear infection and 2 UTI's. My other children have had no other medications except Motrin and/or Tylenol, other than a few homeopathics and herbal remedies we have tried. Plus, it is really hard to find medicines without red dye for Ari.

Hairgate 2008

The saga continues.......

So, we're getting ready for school this morning. I let Melodie get in the tub first today so she has a snowball's chance in hell to ride up front. (My new ploy to get the kids moving in the morning, first one completely ready gets to ride in the much coveted front seat.) Ari has won every day. Anyway, I instruct Melodie to get moving as fast as she can because I have to take Charlie for his 4 mo shots at 9 this morning. Usually the shot clinics are on Tuesdays (my day off) and you can go between 2-4 (so I can go as soon as I pick the girls up from school.) Of course, this month they changed the day to not my day off and the only time was 9-11 because the nurses were at a conference the first half of the week. Well, Melodie gets out of the tub and comes in with wet hair asking for clothes. I do "the sniff test." (thank god for heavily, nasty scented children's hair products!) Her hair most certainly lacked the scent of dragonfruit. So, she had to get back in the tub because the worst thing you can do for baby fine, thin hair is get it wet and not wash it! We made it to school with about 30 seconds to spare.

Then, the boys and I rush off to get poor Charlie his shots. Atley was more traumatized than Charlie was. Thankfully he only had to get 1 shot today! They were out of the Prevnar, and they came up with a new combination shot like the Pediarix that has Hib instead of hep B, so he got that and didn't need extra shots...yay! He weighed 16 lb 6 oz, which means my mom's scale is off...which means I'm 2 pounds lighter too! woohoo!

I had feedback from my first right handed test knitter on "Cash." She's already done, blocking, and hopes to get me a picture today! I'm so excited! I'm so hoping that this is my take-off and I can get a craft business started. Even if it just gives me enough money to buy the kids' birthday and/or Christmas presents or pay for my own crafting, I'd be happy. In my dreams, I'd love to make it my full time business. We shall see what happens!