Elyse - 1,339 days old

Elyse is 3.5 years old. She is so much fun! I was looking back at some pictures of her when Claire and Leah were born and she looks so little. This is a picture of her when she went to see Mary Poppins with  her Nana, Granny, and Aunt Trish.

I remember when she came to the hospital the day after Claire and Leah were born Elyse looked at me and said, "Mommy, you are all done now so you can come home."  Little did we know how much time we would spend at the hospital.  

I can honestly say we have been so blessed by the way that Elyse has reacted to her sisters.  It was probably a blessing in some ways that we only brought one home at a time.  She is a great helper.  Recently she has become more motherly to them.  She likes to tell them, "no" and she carries her sisters around whenever they will let her.  I should add that Claire is only about 7 pounds smaller than Elyse.  Elyse is very concerned when they are crying and tries to comfort them.  

The girls and I recently took a trip the outlet mall.  To my surprise, we did not have a stroller.  Elyse said, "It's okay, we will walk."  Elyse held Claire's hand the whole time we were there.  She really is a great helper and very caring.    

Here is one of my favorite pictures of Elyse.  She loves dressing up, painting her nails and curling her hair.  I think she may love shoes already.

Our biggest prayer for Elyse is that she loves the Lord.  Nothing is more important.  We pray even now for God to mold her spirit and direct her life.  We pray that as her parents we do everything we can to point her in His direction.  

There are many days and nights that I feel guilty for how I spend my time.  This world has a way of making mommas feel like we are not good enough.  I often go to bed with this feeling of guilt.  I didn't spend enough time with Elyse, our house isn't clean enough, Elyse isn't as involved as other kids, we didn't do anything fun today, I said 'no' to her all day, why can't I be a better mother, I got angry quickly......you get the picture.  The list that runs through my head every night is long, exhausting, and WRONG.  

My guilt comes from comparing myself with what I believe to be the perfect mother.  You know the one?  The one that never looks like a train wreck, her house is clean, she has a perfect body, and all the time in the world for her self, her husband and for her kids.  Crazy right?  If you meet her, I am looking for some tips.  

My two year vacation from Blogging....

It is hard to believe that I have taken almost a two year break from blogging. To tell you the truth, the past two years are a little foggy. Here is what I know: I wrote the last time on November 5, 2010. At this time we knew we were expecting in May of 2011. However, January 7, 2011, that all changed. At 22 weeks, we found out we were expecting twins. (I went to the doctor at 8 weeks, and they found one heart beat with an echo) This could be one entire entry on its own. When a couple decides to have a baby, I don't think many people prepare for more than one. I still feel a small amount of shock even when I type this now and they are nearly 18 months old. A short 12 weeks later Claire and Leah were born. Leah had some complications and spent nearly three months in the NICU before being able to come home. Going from one child to three has been quite the challenge as well. The first year of their life is a complete blur. Honestly, I remember very little and when I see pictures it feels like I am looking at another family. Who knew you could operate on so little sleep? So that may sum up the past couple of years. Craziness. Limited Sleep. Endless stories of God's hand of protection and mercy. Sometime I will share Leah's story. I know God has great plans for her. More to come....soon

The Spoon

When we got married we naturally pick out new flatware. I can remember this very clearly because I felt overwhelmed my the hundreds of choices. I do not remember the exact name of the pattern or the type. However, I do remember that we got enough for 20 place settings.

You may be thinking, who needs that much silverware. WE DO! I hate when you load the dishwasher after a family meal and there is no silverware left in the drawer. Someone may need another spoon for their coffee or someone wants a new utensil for dessert. I like to have extra silverware.

On to the story about the spoon.

So approximately 2 years ago there was an accident with one of my 20 teaspoons. It was in the garbage disposal side of the sink when I scraped some plates, ran the water and turned on the garbage disposal. I quickly realized that the food would not be that loud and I turned the garbage disposal off to rescue my spoon.

At this point, I had a choice. I could throw the spoon in the trash or wash it. Thinking of my perfect set of 20 place settings, I threw the tattered spoon into the dishwasher.

I wish over the next two years I would have chronicled the number of times I would quickly open the silverware drawer and pull out a spoon for cereal or ice cream or coffee. I would then walk to my desired location and start eating or drinking. It only took one bite to recognize that it was 'The Spoon.' Back to the kitchen I would go to get a new spoon.

The weird part is that time and time again I made the choice to save the spoon. Each time I went back to the kitchen to exchange 'The Spoon' for a new one, I would put it in the dishwasher.

Well, this week was a big week.

I threw 'The Spoon' in the trash.

I am now the owner of 20 salad forks, 20 dinner forks, 20 knives, and 19 spoons.

Real Simple Essay Contest

Even though I was well aware of this contest for the last 4 months, I waited until the last day....AGAIN! I had great intentions of being well prepared and writing something sooner. However, this year it wasn't just procrastination. It was the topic. "I never thought I'd...."

I think I could write about almost everything I have ever done. Very few things are as I had imagined. I never thought I would be a teacher. I never thought I would be 30 and living in my hometown. The list could go on and on!

As of this morning, I wasn't even going to enter. Then at about 3:00 today, I decided to use the Marginal Mom's Club entry. I added a little bit to it and amazingly enough, I had a entry that I am semi-happy to send in for the contest. At least I can be proud of the fact that it is unique.

Here is what I sent:

The Marginal Mom’s Club

I never thought I’d be the President of the Marginal Mom’s Club.

After my daughter Elyse was born I quickly realized that it is IMPOSSIBLE to be a perfect mother. In the months leading up to her birth I thought that I had everything figured out about motherhood. I had great plans and dreams about what I thought it would be like to bring a baby home and then we would have a perfect little family. I read many books and perfect examples of motherhood seemed to be on TV and in movies. I thought if those people can do it, then I can too.

I had spent years watching other mothers. I saw things that seemed to be nearly unspeakable. I knew I would never be that mother. You know the moms that take their kids to Wal-mart late at night and scream at them the whole time. When in reality, the kids are just tired and they should probably be in bed fast asleep.

Needless to say my thoughts about being a perfect mother changed quickly. When I brought my bundle of joy home and she didn’t sleep through the night, I knew that there must be something wrong with her. When I thought my nipples might fall off, again, there must be something wrong with this process. I was aiming to be the perfect mother, so therefore, I had the perfect baby.

I realized that perfection, it is still a daily goal, is not realistic. It is easy to go to bed every night feeling terrible about all the things that have gone wrong that day. I started thinking, “Maybe I should have played with her more instead of cleaning the kitchen.” Or, “I really should have read her two more books before bedtime.”

I don't remember exactly how I came up with the idea or when it happened, but I needed something to make me realize that it is okay if I am not a 100% perfect mother.

I may have invented the club when I forgot the whole diaper bag when I was going to be away from home for 8+ hours. This is something that I have done two times. (FYI- larger diapers borrowed from someone else will work in a pinch and SAM’s club has diapers in a little dispenser in the women's restroom for $1 and it includes a few wipes)

Or I could have thought of the idea when we went on vacation to New England in July and I didn't take anything with long sleeves for Elyse. Needless to say she is wrapped in a blanket in many of the pictures. Or many other times that I haven't been the perfect mother.

There is something very freeing in being able to say, "It's okay because I am the president of the Marginal Mom's Club." Please don't get me wrong, I still feel bad for situations, but it is impossible to be 100% perfect all the time.
Elyse has started to use the potty. Being a Marginal Mom we have attempted the potty in places like some bushes outside of a school and a field parking lot as we were leaving a high school football game.

The club has become a great conversation for me and my friends. My sister-in-laws will even call me with stories of their Marginal Mom moments. Others will call and say, “I am the vice president after today.”

If you think you deserve a spot, I am sure that you do too. There is always room for one more!

DL

This is a post all about my drivers license. You may think that is a crazy topic, but it was recently misplaced my a little crazy peanut, Elyse.

My first drivers license, including my wallet, was taken from my high school locker. If I were guessing I would say that this happened in 1996. Then, that SAME license was returned to me in a plastic bag in 2002 by a man that works at the water treatment plant. Who knows where it as hiding all that time!

Like most of you, I have had some good license pictures and some not so good ones.

Right before I officially changed my last name to Day, I had gotten a new license. I have to say, it was one of my favorite pictures. Not that you can really have a great one, but this one was good. After I received my new social security card in the mail with my new last name I went to get a new license. I WRONGLY assumed that they would use the same picture since it was take weeks before. I went in after a nice long run. Hair plastered to my head. No make-up. GROSS! The lady looked at me like I was crazy as I sat down in the picture chair. Needless to say everyone who saw that picture did a double take. It was borderline embarrassing.

Last year I got a new license and I went well prepared for the picture. It was a good one and I was thankful.

However, yesterday I got it out of my wallet to enter my license number into the ODE website. In my haste I laid it down on my desk and did not immediately return it to my wallet. Elyse picked it up and was looking at it. Then my phone rang. Needless to say, I haven't seen it since.

I have looked everywhere. I have asked her about it. I have looked in her favorite spots to hide things.

She LOVES to put things in the sub-wolfer of our sound system. Since she discovered the hole in the front of it we take it apart often to find many treasures. My license was not there. I did find two plastic Easter Eggs after removing the 12 screws to get inside. Notice how the hole is the perfect size for a little arm. What were they thinking?

Elyse also likes to put things in the trash. After doing a quick search in the trash yesterday, I really dug through it tonight. NO LICENSE. I will spare you all the GROSS details about the trash. I think a picture will suffice.

So the search for the drivers license with the good pictures continues. I will let you know if I find it or if I have to break down and get a new one.

"I Poop"

No, well, let me explain.

For about the last week every time Elyse is doing 'something' in her diaper she yells, "I poop!" At first I tried to correct her and let her know that she did not poop. Then it was just funny and then I thought maybe she had gas. (I know, this may be more than you wanted to know. If you are saying that now then I give you permission to skip this post all together!)

Yesterday morning she yelled again and I quickly rushed her to the bathroom. I wasn't really expecting anything to happen once we got there. I just thought that I would try to help her connect the dots with what she was saying and what should happen in the bathroom.

I quickly removed her diaper and sat her down. THEN SHE DID IT. SHE WENT IN THE POTTY. I had no idea that such a small task would trigger such joy. She sat there smiling and I just laughed. The kind of laugh that you have with a little tear too. It was just so very exciting! I rewarded her with many kisses and some M&M's.

For the rest of the day she would yell, "I Poop" and I would rush her to the bathroom. We had many successful trips and a few accidents. Today was about the same. I am not sure how long this process will take, however, I am pleased with her progress. I can't wait to hear that little voice yell again tomorrow, "I poop!"


Also, the Real Simple Essay Contest is around the corner. This years topic is , "I never thought I'd..."

There are many ideas running around in my head, but I have until September 24th to write something! I will post my essay once it is written.

My Granny

When I was young I called her Mamaw. Then somehow over the years she grew into Granny. Most grandmothers would take offence to this name, but she loves it. My friends also call her Granny. The name has even caught on at work.

Speaking of work, she does not stop. You would think that by her age (which I will not mention) she would be retired and living the 'good' life. But, to my Granny, the 'good' life is working.

Tonight I am going to take you through a little work history of my Granny.

She grew up on a farm in Adams County, Ohio. She was the youngest of 5, three girls and two boys. Granny loved the farm and the outdoors. Her days were spent with the animals and in the fields, not in the house and not in the kitchen. (I still don't fully understand how she became such a great cook!) She stayed outside with the boys, making her quite the tomboy.

As she grew up, she became a beautiful young lady and met by grandfather. They got married shortly after high school and moved to the big city of Cincinnati. They both found jobs there.

Granny first worked for Phillip Carrie Manufacturing as a secretary. In this era of business dictation by secretaries was important. She worked for two bosses. One was very nice and the other was extremely intimidating. Granny told me that she wanted to crawl under her desk any time she heard his voice yell for her to come in to dictate.

My Grandparents left Cincinnati after a few years for a three reasons. My grandfather got a new job in Washington Court House. They were going to have a baby. They wanted to be closer to family. After my mother was born Granny stayed home with her for one year and then she went to work for Ohio Bell Telephone Company.

She describes this job as one of her favorites. Being a telephone operator was exciting and never boring. When my aunt was born 4 years later, Granny resigned from Ohio Bell to stay at home with her girls. For the next 14 years she was a stay at home mom.

When both girls were in junior high and high school Granny went back to work at NCR as an Order Entry Clerk. Soon after two strikes the company threatened to move if there was another strike. The third strike was quickly followed by the office closing. Another job change was welcomed as she entered the Agroco Chemical Company as a Sales Representative. Then she moved on to Meade Container Company for another 10 years. She describes this job as really dull.

Next she moved on to a temporary service where she bounced from Airborn, to Visadore and then to Mac Tools. She was eventually hired on full time at Mac Tools where she retired in May of 1996. I should use the word retired lightly. Granny has done nothing of the sort.

Shortly after her retirement she started delivering pharmaceuticals at night. She would drive all over at all hours of the night. Then they moved her to deliveries during the day. She still does this now. Granny loves this job. She drives to Indianapolis, or Cincinnati or anywhere else they can send her. She has driven to Tennessee and back in one day and to all corners of West Virginia. Currently she also dispatches pharmaceutical trucks from about 1am-4am. She does not stop.

Also, she is a saleswoman. At any given time during the aforementioned jobs, Granny was selling something. Here are a few of the items I can remember:

1. Swipe- This was a cleaning agent. She states that it sold really well and that she is going to ask around to see what happened to it. (Secretly, I am hoping she doesn't find out. Knowing Granny if she finds that Swipe is still around, she will want to sell it again.)
2. Healthy Food Products- We are not sure of the actual name of the company. However, I remember some really good, and obviously healthy hot chocolate that was part of the goods.
3. Coupon Books- The kind where you sell the spots in the coupon books and then you sell the books.
4. Phone Cards- Granny made a lot of money in phone cards. Phone cards were a great idea until someone invented cell phones. Once cell phone took over the phone card business was limited to international card sales and then to nothing.
5. Candy Machines- The candy machines were everywhere she sold the phone cards. So, she would drive to a small store or gas station and sell both items.
6. Insurance
7. Real Estate
8. Security Systems- These systems were nice and did not require wiring in your house. Basically you set the system and left your house or went to bed. They were activated by movement. So if you got up in the morning and forgot to run to the box to turn it off, you could guarantee loosing about 25% of your hearing. The piercing sound could make you fall to your knees. There was another personal security system that she sold as well. This was a small box that you could carry and then pull a pin out to activate the sound. Let's just put it this way, I am not so sure that this would be a security system as much as a system to burst ear dumbs and bring criminals to their sinces. The loud sound was very convincing to potential buyers.
9. Gold Sales (as in bricks)
10. Blue Green Algie and other vitamins.

I am sure that the above list is not exaustive. I know that she also has been incharge of a parent reading program at a local elementary school. She currently volunteers at the Junior High for 10 + hours per week. Ocasionally she babysits Elyse. When she is here, they are busy. They take big, hour long walks and play outside.

Granny is an inspiration to me with her endless energy. I hope she never slows down and that I can learn to keep up with her!