The Love, Blood, and Rhetoric School

I have had a good day.

Tuesday night was not so good. I woke up about 2 am sick as a dog. Nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, aches, the whole deal. Thankfully Robbie slept until 5am, which saved me from having to nurse while actively being sick. I called Bruce at work around 330 to whine, but forgot to ask for Sprite and Lipton soup. So poor guy had to go out for drinks when he got home at 8am.

Anyway,spent the day being miserable, sweating, shivering, nursing, putting on Sesame Streets for Katrina, napping when they napped, and reading Georgette Heyer. I also watched Peggy Sue Got Married, because for some reason I always watch that when I get sick. Bruce, of course, got the option to pick up a shift and was gone again by 130pm.

I managed to sleep last night, and only had to nurse once overnight at 4am. Then at 7am I brought Robbie into bed to nurse and doze since Bruce had fallen asleep on the couch watching Netflix. Bruce, being wonderful, got Katrina up and dressed and etc. and I slept until 830! Then he took her to Wawa for special Daddy breakfast treat and I had more soup.

I was dithering about going to work out, and decided that since I actually felt fantastic it was stupid not to. I have no idea what the 24-hour magic flu was about, but it's gonzo. So I went to the Y and worked out outside today. We did 2.5 miles at the park with frequent stops for squats and pushups.

(I went back to the Y last Tuesday and managed to get in a free small-group training thing they run sometimes. My group is me and one other woman and Jason the trainer, who is kickass. We're meeting 3x a week: Tuesday in the pool, Thursday outside, and Saturday in the gym. So far I'm sore but uninjured, which with my joints is an achievement, and I'm down three pounds. Woo-hoo!)

Then I picked up the critters, nursed Robbie, and we were off. I hit Pier One and Target for Easter basket things for next year. Target has great stuff, all 70% off. I got bunny socks, seasonal chapsticks, stickers, egg dyeing kits, and other bits and bobs. Katrina also got a pair of little white gloves for 30 cents. She's been wearing socks on her hands pretending to be like CInderella, so this seemed like a cheap thrill. So she gets them on and I say something to the effect of "You have gloves like Cinderella now." And she says "No, mummy. Like Goblin King."

That's right. Ladies and gentlemen, my three year-old daughter wants to grow up to be David Bowie.

Then we came home, critters went down for nap, and I went into overdrive. Four loads of laundry, butter chicken for supper, put all the pewter Dad gave me on my trip home up in a display on the built-in shelves in the dining room, unpacked three bags of random stuff I found in the coat closet (no clue where it came from), took my shower, ran and unpacked the dishwasher, and cleaned the kitchen. Mom called at some point, and asked if I was on my pain meds, I sounded so hyped up.

Just when great day is going great, the doorbell rings. My mother-in-law has sent her yard guys to unearth the back yard!!! I am so excited! Bruce does his best, but his schedule is crazy and he really doesn't like yard work. So I have minions to do my bidding and get that mess cleaned up.

I actually had to wake both of the kids up from their naps, which is unusual, but par for the day. Then Kat and I had butter chicken and peas and rice fro supper, and strawberries for dessert, and she watched a Sesame Street and had a bath and went to bed. Then Bruce woke up, and I nursed Robbie down, and now Bruce and I are watching Top Gear and I am, wonder of wonders, updating my lj.

sigh. Very good day. I would like to order the same for tomorrow.

Much better day today with potty training. I think something clicked somewhere, and I know I'm handling things in a Katrina-acceptable way now.

Instead of asking "do you have to go to the potty" (the answer is ALWAYS no), I've started asking if her undies are still dry. Then she gets a high five for keeping her big girl pants dry, but it still serves as a reminder. The other thing is, instead of insisting that she give it a try when I see the potty dance going on, to say "It looks like your body is trying to tell you you need to pee". Then it's not about me and what I want her to do. Small things, but it seems to make a difference.

Today she only had one accident, two attempts, and five successes. We actually left the house today too; once to go to the chiropractor (my hips were so off the baby flipped breech last night...thankfully he went vertex again after things were untwisted) and once to spend half and hour with the next door neighbors. I may actually get what passes for my life back in the next week!

I would also like to take this opportunity to apologize to all the parents I have ever known. At some point I have probably thought you were a bit weird to be so obssessed with your offsprings' elimination habits. I now understand. No matter how one goes about toilet training a child, at some time one will hit the point where for three days to a week pottying really is your first priority.

Katrina was three months yesterday! ( Details and pics... )x-posted to breastfeeding 

Hooray for nice weather! Today was in the low 70s and sunny for the first time in what seems like forever. And Chelyse, who really is a better friend than I deserve (she's pretty much better than anyone deserves, really), picked me and Kitkat up with her boys and an extra car seat and we went out this afternoon.

Lunch a Doumar's (yum), which was completely packed. It took way too long to get our food, but everyone was surprisingly patient. Joseph had his bottle and Joshua had a snack, and I nursed while we were waiting. I had a Limeaid for the first time since the Williamsburg Drug Store closed, about seven years ago. It was less fizzy than the ones Miss Patty used to get me when we worked at the quilt store on weekends, but still a very nice treat.

Then off to the botanical gardens, where we got this picture of me wearing a very sleepy Katrina in the Japanese garden.





We walked around for almost three hours, which isn't quite as impressive as it sounds since we were at toddler speed for some of it, and I had to stop and nurse twice. But great exercise, great company, and great weather!

I'm thinking about getting a membership for the Botanical Gardens. We only live about ten minutes away, and there's all sorts of walking paths and things to see. If you go five times in a year it pays for itself, so it might be a good move.