The TRUTH about motherhood

Did anyone read the book I’m reffering to in my title?

When I was in my teens I used to be quite rebellious towards adults and their view of life.  I couldn’t stand when they would tell me what life is about and how to live it, i wanted to experience it myyself.

I think the area I rebelled in the most was religion. I read a lot about it and always questioned the blind faith mentality they were trying to force upon us at the Catholic school and church. I remember when our local priest came to talk to us about our confirmation in grade 8. A friend and I were able to debate with him on every point the came up with. After about half an hour of this he got so angry at us he just stormed out of the classroom. I mean it was pretty unheard of to argue with a Catholic priest on the finer points of religion.

Our teacher ended up yelling at us for another half hour and asked us to opt out of confirmation if we had such issues with the catholic religion. The point there with me wasn’t that I didn’t believe in it. I was just looking for something more. I think that when one starts questioning their religion and faith it is actually growing and maturing. I was just ready for something more than bible stories and parables.

No one offered to help expand my faith and I grew to resent the Catholic church. I stopped going to mass every Sunday and I spent the rest of my life disproving church myths and traditions. I think a lot of it has to do with that particular priest. He refused to marry an interracial couple even though they were both Catholic. He refused confession to someone who was living common law. He gave single mothers lectures on how he doesn’t care that they have to work two jobs they still need to get to church on time. I even witnessed him asking a mother to leave mass because her baby was crying. It was just all so contradictory to me with what the bible had to say on these topics.

I know not all priests are like that but those experiences left such a sour taste in my mouth that I just couldn’t bother. To be honest it was easier that way for me as well. I could sleep in on Sundays and could push back guilt for my many sins.

Now as I get older I find myself wanting to try again. I have started calling on my faith and God lately during hard times. I didn’t even realise how much that has been helping me until recently. There are still things I do not agree with in the Catholic church itself but I think we’d both be willing to make a compromise.

Last night while channel surfing I stumbled upon a documentry that has had an enormous affect on me and my view of humanity.  I am an avid documentary watcher but I haven’t seen something so shocking and heart breaking in quite some time.  It was most difficult to watch since I am a mother now.  I ask anyone who reads this blog to set aside an hour and a half today and watch it…then do something to help these children…or any children that you may know of that are suffering, and we all know too well that there are children suffering everywhere in the world.

I will warn you that the documentary is graphic and very hard to watch but it amazes me that places like these exist and I am glad someone is calling attention to it.

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=944239315372248151&q=bulgaria%27s+abandoned+children&total=12&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

 If the link doesn’t work please just search for Bulgaria’s Abandoned Children on google video.

Here’s a quick video my sister took of me during the Bon Jovi concert

http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c187/mapleleafsgirl/?action=view&current=deadoralive.flv

I haven’t written in a while and for good reason.  But you can’t know the reason yet because I don’t want to jinx it.  If everything goes as planned my biggest dream in life will come true soon.  And wouldn’t I look stupid if I told you and it fell through…

…that Mikey’s 2 year old toddler tummy is unable to digest playdough?

How did I figure this out you might ask…

Think about it…ewww

So Tasha posted about apple dumplings on her blog the other day.  they seemed easy enough to make, even for someone as culinary-ly challenged as me.  I made them today and well…ummm.  I didn’t bother taking a picture of them because they looked NOTHING like they should have.  I do know where I went wrong and I might try making them some other day.

I baked them way too long.  I put on too much cinnamon which totally threw off the colour and instead of checking if the top was crispy I assumed it wasn’t.  Secondly, I didn’t put in enough mountain dew.  They didn’t taste AWFUL, but I expected them to be just a bit better.

In other news, I finally picked up my Bon Jovi tickets.  I’m very excited.  Not because I like Bon Jovi, it was the husband’s dream to go, but because I can get out of the house for half the night kid free I’ll sit through anything. 

The husband was just peering over my shoulder and asked me if I’m writing about what a wonderful husband he is.  So for his sake I will write about our little outing to the walk in clinic last night.  

A few days ago as I was vigorously brushing my teeth I somehow did something that made the toothbrush slip and I hit my gum, hard.  The next day my gum was sore but I didn’t think much of it.  Fast forward to yesterday and I thought I was going to die.  My gum hurt so much, it felt like someone was drilling my teeth.  I couldn’t talk let alone eat.  So off we go to see a doctor, who was nice enough to tell me to take some Tylenol and wait it out.  I wanted to kill him.  Tylenol??? I’ve been taking so many of those for the pain that they probably weren’t working anymore!

By the time we get out of there my head is throbbing and I can barley see through the pain.  The husband is walking a bit ahead of me towards the car and starts heading towards the passenger door.  I’m shocked and amazed thinking “He’s so sweet, he’s going to open the car door for me”  Something he hasn’t done since our wedding day mind you.  I come closer, look up and see that he’s wiping off the side mirror.  He finishes and goes and sits down in the driver’s side while I’m still standing there in front of a closed door.  My husband…so sweet, thoughtful and romantic.

TreeHouse TV - A channel here in Canada that runs children’s programing 24/7.

They rearranged the schedule!!!! They replaced Diego and Dora, can you believe it?! Two of the most popular shows for some very baby focused new shows.  They’re trying to keep up with the competition from Baby TV but why they would replace Dora and Diego is beyond me.  D was part of our routine and so was Dora.  Mikey would be hypnotised by Diego while I shoveled lunch into him.  He usually would be so engrossed by Diego’s new adventure that he wouldn’t notice the vegetables I was giving him.

Dora was part of the afternoon routine.  The kids would sit on the couch and yell at me to hurry up and give them the snack.  They would get a bowl of fruit and crackers and happily much away while Dora did SOMETHING/ANYTHING.  I need to get new DVDs..

Mikey has three shows that he absolutely loves. 

1.  DORA THE EXPLORER

I have a love/hate relationship with Dora.  It’s on right now as I’m writing this.  Dora is one of three shows that Mikey watches faithfully and will sit through the whole half hour mesmerized.  That is why i like it.  I can get anything I need done…but i don’t really do anything productive at this time.

I hate Dora because I watch it (or listen to it) two times a day EVERYDAY.  Now that they rearranged the Tree House Schedule I’m not sure if it will be on in the afternoon but that’s what DVDs are for.  It’s such a repetitive show that sometimes I just can’t help but make snide remarks at the TV.

THE MAP:  I know where to find blueberry hill

ME: Is there anything you DON’T know?!

2.  GO DIEGO GO

Very similar to Dora but a boy version.  Much to my husband’s dismay Mikey prefers Dora.  This is one of the three shows that Mikey will sit through but it’s usually a hit or miss depending on the episode.  I like Diego better than Dora and I’m not sure why. 

3.  BO ON THE GO

I’m not sure if this is a Canadian show but it’s Mikey’s new favourite.  I cannot stand it but it’s not really up to me now is it?  It’s a blend of Dora and Diego.  I like it because it really encourages kids to move around but Mikey will have nothing of it and just sits there staring.  I don’t like it because its confusing.  It has a weird dragon type thing, animoves (where she moves like animals) which have nothing to do with the actual story line and weird doors and creatures.

I feel I should also mention my all time most disliked kids TV show…

THE WONDER PETS

Whoever created this show should be fired.  The use of grammar and language in that show is enough to drive me crazy.  What kind of research did the producers of this show do that made them think its okay to teach children to talk like that???  Fishes instead of fish, wondra instead of wonder and other horrible things that escape my mind at the moment.  Also musical numbers that make no sense and have no rhyme or reason to them. 

I can’t even see straight this morning….that’s how drunk I got last night.

I’m totally kidding!!! Though sometimes I wish it was true.  But the truthful part of that statement was the fact that I can barley see straight, that’s how tired I am.  I got in around 1:30am from a babysitting favour at my sister’s.  For some reason I could not fall asleep once I got home.  I passed out around 3am and that’s when Mikey decides to play a 3 month old and wake me up every half an hour.

It didn’t seem like anything was bothering him like teething or a tummy ache.  I think that since I wasn’t the one who put him down at bed time, he was just checking to see if I came back.  Once he saw I was back he decided to check every half hour to make sure I didn’t leave again.

So needless to say, I’m cranky due to lack of sleep and so is he…great combination!  He’s on his 3rd episode of Dora already and it’s only 10am…it’s going to be a loooooong day.

I desperately need to clean.  Mikey’s new favourite activity is play dough, which is now everywhere.  I keep finding those annoying dried up little snot looking balls everywhere.  I need to do some serious vacuuming but I think I’ll be a bad mother and housewife today.  I will let my son watch cartoons all day, I will not clean and I think I’ll go wild and order pizza for dinner.  And I’m taking a nap when he is! Mother of the year award right here!!!!

Right around the time Mikey threw a fit over me putting in the wrong movie for him to watch and me spilling coffee all over my laptop  mouse I realised it’s Monday.  Now it all makes perfect sense. 

So Mikey’s tantrums seemed to have repearred for reasons unknown to me.  I’m soooo happy about that!!! <—- Sarcasm intended!

Saturday morning he had the worst tantrum EVER.  We took him to get his  haircut and once we came home I wanted to give him a bath to get the hair off that kept sticking to his neck and under his shirt.  Obviosuly Mikey had different plans and he decided to show me his distaste for baths by kicking the door as hard as he can, screamimg like a wild animal and gagging.  He also pulled out the big guns and did the whole limp like a noddle fall on the floor while hitting it with his fists and legs trick.  I wish I had my camera with me so you all could see what an angel of a child I have.  —> insert eye roll here <—-  The only plus side to his tantrums is if he has them right before nap time or bed.  He gets so tired out he actually sleeps!   

I have this friend whose daughter is one and she keeps saying how she can’t wait until she’s a toddler.  Why in the world would you WANT a toddler?  I made the mistake of wishing for that too.  A toddler, at least a few of the ones I know, is like a little Tasmanian devil.  They can destroy a room in 2.5 seconds, they bite, and they start their animal like behaviour for no apparent reasons.  I’m officially stopping the ” I can’t wait until he is 4, or 8 or whatever”  He will be that age eventually, that wonderful age where he will have his own friends and his own life and hopefully so will I again. I can dream  little on a Monday morning can’t I?

On Saturday we had Mikey’s and Ella’s Birthday party.  Since they’re only 1.5 mos apart in age we always do it somewhere in the middle between the two birthdays.  It saves hassle and money.  Surprisingly, after the show he put on in the morning he was a complete angel during the party.  He was so good I kept losing him at the playground.  Usually I can tell where he is by following the screaming and crying, but not this day.

Here are a few pictures.  I would put in more but my mouse still won’t work and this is my first time using the stupid touch pad on the lap top and its taking me forever to do anything. 

Birthday Boy

Birthday Girl

It wouldn’t be a birthday without Mikey sticking his hand in the cake

I’m off to clean, do laundry, and deal with many tantrums….all together now M O N D A Y  S U C K S ~

You have to love my original title right?

Mikey has been working on his last two molars and it hasn’t been a fun couple of weeks.  Completely unexpected tantrums and ZERO appetite had lead to one stressed out mother.  Oh yeah, I’m sure he was somewhat miserable as well.

I hope I’m not getting too ahead of myself but I think the teeth finally broke through and we’re back on the road to having 8 not 14 tantrums daily.

He hasn’t eaten dinner for the past two weeks.  I’m not even exaggarating, not even one bite of ANYTHING.  Welll last night my mother suggested I give it to him earlier than usual and I did, an hour ealier and he ate ALL of it!

It could have been a combination of a few things,

1.  He’s done teething so his appetite is back

2.  Eveveryone else was actually eating

3.  There were beets, he’s crazy over beets (Like you Fabs hehe)

Whatever it was I just hope it will be a repeat from now on.

 I’m looking forward to Vanessa coming over today.  She has a day off from school and will most likley spend it with us.  I know this sounds horrible but I basically get a day off when she is here.  Aside from meals and diaper changes she takes care of Mikey and keeps him entertained.  What  a nice way to start the weekend…

Here are a few pictures of them together.  Hope everyone has a great weekend!