Opinions

Opinions are like assholes...everyone has one.

Seriously one of my all time favorite sayings because it is so true.  What frustrates me about opinions is that so many people think that their opinion is right and will never take off those blinders they wear and see the big picture.  I know opinions are formed by your point of views and beliefs on how things work on life and we live in a place that you may express those opinions, but seriously people think before you speak!  So many people do not think and just spew out word vomit and look like complete inconsiderate assholes.  Sure you think that your view is the right one and that everyone should come to your side and believe what you think, but guess what more than likely you have someone on the opposed side of your view and they are going to throw their beliefs right back at you.  It is constant bickering of who is right and wrong.

Honestly I like to question people when they express an opinion.  It is not that I don't agree with them, but it is so that they can talk further about what they think is right and see if it truly stems from an experience or if it is just because it is a generational view.  You know those opinions that carry on from generation to generation that it so far fetched that you would still believe, but you still do because that is what great, great grandpa believed.  Now don't get me wrong some great values are passed on from generation to generation, but it is the top of derogatory opinions that get me worked up.  Oh and sometimes I let people go off on a tangent on expressing their opinion when it is such an appalling topic just so that they look even more ignorant.  I know that this is bad on my part, but don't worry I always think of a witty jab at the end.  Although, this may be wrong on my part because guess what this is my opinion and even though I feel my view/opinion is right, how am I any better than the nimrod running their mouth about ridiculous stuff?

I guess there is a happy medium that I have learned over the years.  It is important to stick up for what you believe in and share your opinions in an appropriate manner.  However, one has to remember to agree to disagree.  You cannot change peoples opinions or views, even if you give them all the documentation in the world to support they may be incorrect.  I see so many people get so frustrated when they say here is the proof what you are saying is incorrect, and the opposing party still will not budge.  Let me tell you something, they probably never will.  People hold opinions so close and are passionate about them because they are one thing they can call their own.  Like freedom of speech, that is one thing that people love to exercise as a right, but let me tell you it sure would be nice if they could get a ticket and be suspended from speaking sometimes:)

Now I know I have quite a few debaters in my life.  One being 3 1/2 and her support of her opinions are "because".  However, she isn't too far off on some of the other folks I have heard spewing out opinions.

I think what has inspired me lately to bring up this topic is the fact that I have been seeing so many breastfeeding and co-sleeping articles.  Seriously people....I just don't care about what you think is best (opinion right?).  Okay maybe that came across rude, and it is not that I don't care, but I think my frustration comes into play that we are wasting our time posting this information.  Honestly I feel that the only people that read those articles that you post are the people who do those things.  Maybe my frustration is coming out because I have read all those articles and wasted time on stuff I already know.  For example, I nursed both my kiddos and still am nursing my toddler as I cannot get him to ween (totally another post for the blog).  However with that being said, I do not need to be reading about if I should cover or not, or even the benefits of breastfeeding, because I already have the experience.  Keep posting those things folks, as I know if makes you feel better to share with the ignorant, but guess what those crazies aren't reading those articles, it's the folks that are doing those things already that read it.  I know it sounds harsh, but I just think that we have this false hope that you can get across to all the folks who disagree.  You can't, however you may have helped change one person's view, you know that person that is on the fence about the opinion, which means you got across to someone.  This is great, but right now I am looking at things from my perspective and I want to change the world so I always feel disappointed when I haven't changed every one's view.

Hear is the ultimate deal....we all have opinions.  We need to respect others and realize some people do not change.  It is better to just agree to disagree than to allow for you to look like a crazy fool along side with your opposing opinion buddy.

What is that on your face?

At this point in Ayden's life, I feel I have become callused to the things people say about his Port Wine Stain.  Most the time it is a simple question out of curiosity and I feel I would rather have questions than stares or obnoxious comments made as they feel I am out of ear shot.  Yet after this being said, I think that there is a way to ask appropriately.  Lets be reasonable here, you don't blatantly ask what is that on his face or try to diagnose what is on his face.  I don't come over to you and ask you if your out-of-control child has a learning disability.  I know it sounds harsh, but I just cannot help but get defensive as a mom and frustrated with inconsiderate folks.  I think the most alarming thing I have heard so far, and realize Ayden is only 20 months old so there is plenty of time for this one to be trumped, is a mom told her children that she was so grateful that they had perfect skin.  Really lady, I am just an aisle over in the grocery store and Ayden is perfect regardless if he has a birthmark on the side of his face.

Okay, now that I have had my rant, I truly do not mind questions about Ayden's PWS.  I do question where they learned how to ask strangers such blunt questions.  I have learned that the most gentle and honest questions come from children.  I normally hear the most questions after Ayden has had a treatment and is swollen and bruised.  It has been almost two weeks since his treatment, but he is still bruised so when Ayden went with me to help out at preschool the other day, many kids noticed his PWS.  They were great questions.  Why is his skin a different color on his one cheek?  Is he in pain?  Can I touch his face to see if it feels like mine? (This one was a little interesting, but I understood where they were coming from.)  These kids asked their questions and were excited about Ayden's difference.  They were seriously busting out birthmarks and moles and trying to trump what he had. It was a serious competition to be the most unique or different.

I love how innocent and accepting little kids are.  What happens by the time people become adults? 

I know I need to put my big girl panties and not let the questions and comments get under my skin, but it is hard not to as I know my son will deal with this his entire life.  It breaks my heart at times that he will experience bullying for something that makes him stand out and be unique as an individual, but I also know that we are getting him treatment to lighten the stain to help make it as noticeable as it was at birth.  I know he was given this "obstacle" or difference in life from God for a reason, and with his personality and his defensive big sister he will be just fine, but the momma bear in me just wants me to protect him from the cruelty of the world. 

Coffee

Are there any of you out there that share the same obsession with coffee as me?  I seriously look forward to bed so that I can a) finally get some peace, but mostly b) I can have coffee.  Yes the already high strung lady loves coffee! 

I used to be really bad with coffee and drink a pot a morning to get me through morning at school.  Not that I needed the caffeine for the sake of staying awake, but because I needed the energy to keep up with the 50 million different directions my mind and body was being pulled when teaching grades 4-6 at the same time.  However, with my blood pressure, drinking a pot of coffee a day was not the best health choice for me or the fact that I had to get someone to cover for me or take class trips to the hallway so I could pee. 

Now I am down to two cups a day, but boy could I drink it all day long!  I think I tried that one time and well did not sleep worth a lick so I learned quickly that I had to drink coffee before 2 pm or I was going to mess up my sleep.  No one wants to see me with less than seven hours of sleep, I am just not a nice person.

In the morning I normally do not get to my cup of coffee until I have drank water, showered, and ate breakfast.  I read somewhere that you normally don't want to drink to gain the benefits of caffeine until at least an hour of waking up because your body is naturally making those awake hormones for the first hour.  However, what is the problem with kicking those hormones into high gear, right?  I need all the energy I can get most days, so I try to take advantage of the natural awake hormone and then continue with my caffeine burst to try and get me through to nap time for the kids.

I don't know if I am a complete bear without my coffee, but I do think I am a better person after my coffee.  It may be all psychological of why I think coffee makes me a better person in the morning, but I am going to keep drinking coffee to ensure those around me are not allowed to see me unleash the non coffee momma.

When it comes to coffee I am not too picky, but I have found that I cannot drink coffee black.  Maybe that makes me not a true coffee expert, but all I know is I like the smell and the taste as long as I can get some good creamer for the coffee.  I have even gone to the extreme of getting only sugar free creamer and it is not too bad.  However, someone who is out to sabotage my weight loss created a Somoa Girl Scout Cookie creamer and it is to die for!  Like this is almost as good as that stupid pin I saw on Pinterest about pairing Girl Scout Cookies with wine.  MMMMmmm...wine, that could be an entire different blog, as that is yet another guilty pleasure of mine.

Now as I finish my writing and make that first cup of coffee, I am going to savor every last drop of goodness, regardless if there is a tornado going on around me and someone took someone else's book.  Cheers my friends, to a nice hot cup of joe!

Competition

For those of you who know me well, you know that I am a very competitive person.  Like it gets a little crazy sometimes.  If I don't think I can win something or be successful at it, I won't try it because I have this crazy desire to win.  I know I have a problem, but I am trying to work on it. I know it may seem a little unhealthy on how I can be competitive, but I think it is only a way I can set goals and obtain them.  Notice I am trying to convince myself that my competition issue is okay and there is a rational explanation.  Lets face it, I need to let go and realize I just need to give it my best effort at this point.

Recently I have been seeing a lot of blogs, letters, and links about competition between the stay at home mom and the working mom.  It's like everyone has an opinion on what is right.  I don't know why I bother reading half the things I do online, but I get drawn in to see what others have to say on certain topics and it just sends me into an upsetting frenzy.  Like the articles about breastfeeding in public...OMG who cares if someone covers or doesn't...seriously just do your own thing and mind your own business!

Honestly people, who is to say one view is right from another?  I feel that lately many folks are deciding that their opinion is the most important or that what they do is better than another person, but in all reality we are all the same.

I have been a working mom and it is hard, and I am currently a stay at home mom and it is hard!  I think that there are perks to both being a working mom and one that stays at home, but guess what they are both hard and both moms love their kids equally as much!  No one is better and there is no way anyone can argue otherwise.  Sure we could all state our opinions as to why staying at home or working is best for their family, but here is the deal, it is what is best for your family!

I think we as a society are so quick to judge that what another is doing that is not in the norm is wrong.  We have to quit that folks because we really do not have the right to judge.  I don't care if you have a doctorates degree or a high school diploma, as moms we know what is right for our family and it is so important that we as moms remember that and don't get our noses bent out of shape when someone says something that hurts our view or how we are living our lives.  It's no one's business but our own and we really need to stop trying to use that last bit of energy up on defending ourselves, when in all reality that last bit of energy should be spent on our kids!

Now I do need to take my own advice that I just spewed out, as I find that I constantly need to defend or justify my choices, but no more! I am doing what I do because it is what is best for our family, but you better believe I will be the best at making sure it works too.  :)

I challenge you today, to embrace who you are and love it!  There is only one of you out there in the world, so make sure that person is the best that you can be!

Just can't seem to shake that competitiveness.

This illness lasts FOR -EV-ER!!!

Okay so I know kids get sick, but I am ready for this all to be over.  We are now onto the cold stage.  The disgusting, croupy sounding cough that involves a ton of snot to creep out of the nose.  I know I apologize for the visual, but it has been my life for the past twelve days!  Audrey appears to be on the mend, but Ayden still has that horrible cough and is draining from his nose like a faucet.  We have been fever free for about three days, so I did take the kids out for a small period of time the other day, and if only you could have seen the looks I got from people when Ayden coughed.  It sounds horrible, but he is seriously okay.

Crazy mom here decided I better take both of the kids into the doctor and he basically laughed at me for hauling in two kids for a cold.  How was I to know it was just a virus?  Seriously, the nurse chewed me out for waiting to long, and the doctor laughed at me for being overly cautious.  Damned if you do and damned if you don't right!

Now onto the craziness of how I am feeling.  I have been locked up in this house for what seems like years.  I just want the kids to go play, burn off some steam, but I am trying to be kind and not expose everyone to our cold.  However, we are at that point where I know it is almost over, but when is it acceptable to take your kiddos out with a cold?  I know many don't think about this too often, but for my sanity I need out, but I don't wish this virus upon anyone.  Doctor was not concerned about me keeping the kids at home, in fact I did not even get the make sure they are getting rest speech.  He just gave me the you can give them Tylenol if you want for the fever and honey for the cough, but no lecture on liquids and rest, which I am doing.

So am I just making it out that my kids are worse than they really are?  I truly want to be considerate of others, but even if the doctor feels they are fine, I guess they are, right?

Audrey will go to her physical therapy appointment and Ayden will have to tag along because we do not have any other choice.  However Audrey really wants to go to painting at the library afterwards and even though she is seriously over the illness, what do I do with Ayden?  I think I am going to try and take both to the library, but allow Audrey to paint and read with Ayden so he is not around everyone.  Although that may be easier said than done because well it is Ayden and he loves to paint, and it's with waffles this week, so since it involves food and painting, it will be so hard to keep him out of the activity.

I think the hardest part of having a sick kid is that you feel completely helpless.  There is only so much you can do and then it just needs to run its course.  The waiting part kills me though.  I need out of this house...the walls are beginning to close in on me!

So mommas out there...how long do you wait before taking your kid out and about with a cold or sickness?  Am I being crazy and over thinking all this?

Being Grateful

It sure is hard showing young children how to be grateful.  Especially when they constantly see you getting them everything they need and provide for them.  I struggled with this concept before Christmas time when I saw how spoiled my children were becoming with the presents.  Also the fact that Audrey's Christmas list continued to get ten feet long!  Seriously we would go into the store and she would see something she needed and say, "Oh, I better put that on my Christmas list!"  She still is putting things on her Christmas list, even though her birthday is July.  The scary thing is I think she believes she will be getting everything on her list, so I knew I needed to intervene.

I have read books, articles, and attended trainings on how to help my child's behavior improve.  But I have never found one method that is the end all be all for my family's lifestyle, so I always combined ideas that I know will work for my kiddos and I give them a try.  There was an article out there on Facebook awhile back talking about children being ungrateful and earning things that they took for granted, and it really made an impression on me.  I came to the conclusion that I was going to reward my children for simple things, like a drama free bedtime or cleaning up after themselves.  This is kinda out there because well kids should just do these things, however at a young age they need lots of practice and what better way to help them than with some positive reinforcement.  When I catch my kiddos doing these things I give them a ticket.  They then have the choice to use the ticket instantly or save it for later.  The ticket is either 10 minutes on the iPad or tv time or can be used as $0.50.  Since my children love television and the iPad, this is what the tickets are mainly used for.  They want to watch a Bubble Guppy show, they will both share the cost of watching a show and give me two tickets.

I was a little skeptical that this was going to work, but it certainly has and I find that we are all a little more happier in the house.  Now Audrey still asks for things and gets upset when she does not get her way, but when explained she hasn't earned something, she is beginning to understand that connection.  I try not to reward for the same things daily, as I noticed that Audrey will key into those things and try to do them over so she can earn extra tickets.  Smart kid, but little does she know she is conditioned to do the things without tickets now...hehe.

So maybe I will shoot myself in the foot for this approach with my kiddos, but it is working for now and even though we are still a little materialistic, at least we are showing some gratitude and even sharing is becoming as natural as it can for a 20 month old and a 3 1/2 year old.

Naps

It is such a bittersweet ending when one of your kiddos decides to no longer nap.  Okay who am I kidding... when your kid decides to quit napping it is as if your one saving grace in the day is totally ripped out from under you!  I loved nap time, especially when I could get both kids down at the same time.  It was time for me to recharge my batteries and get a little "me" time.  Most the time I spent cleaning up messes, but it was uninterrupted time to get those things done.

About four months ago, Audrey decided she was done napping, and honestly it was beginning to mess up her bed time schedule as well, so I guess it was about time.  However, the time from about 5-7:45 is normally a rough time in the Evans' household. That is the time Audrey becomes very tired, irritable, and highly emotional. 

It is almost a double edge sword because I know she could use a nap, however if she does nap she is up until 10:30 pm and that is not a good thing for tired mom and dad.  Therefore, giving up nap is the smartest choice, but I find myself being crazy and irritable during this 5-7:45 time frame as well.  I find my patience is shot and I become a crazy mom.  I do surprisingly well up until this point of keeping my cool, even when major disasters and drama occurs, but it is almost as soon as my husband gets home from work, I am ready to "tap" out of being a mom and I just want a half hour to just get my composure.  Although this never happens because we are in the full swing of dinner and then bath time or bed time routines.  So I become a crazy lunatic, my husband attempts to help and our evening becomes a living hell until the kids are asleep.  This really isn't healthy.

I guess what I need to be doing is drinking a bottle of wine while I cook dinner to try and calm my nerves until Tyler gets home, but this would get pricey and well it is quite a few calories.  However I could manage just a glass, which would then save on wine, money, and calories.  I also think that I need to be planning a craft or activity for Tyler to do with the kids after dinner so I can get that thirty minutes of "me" time.  It may sound selfish, but honestly I am becoming a crazy mom by evening and I am not liking the results that it has on my blood pressure or the way the kiddos look at me.  Talk about mom guilt there!

Regardless of what I decide to do, something needs to change and I have to help Audrey get through the cranky stage of the evening.  Things probably are not getting better, as I am modeling some crazy behavior for her, so I guess if I want her behavior to improve I better start working on mine.  So this evening I will be opening up a bottle of wine and pouring myself a glass, celebrating the small victory of getting through the day.  I will stay calm and cool as Audrey becomes an emotional roller coaster and Ayden feeds off her emotion.  If I am ambitious I will create a craft for Tyler to do with the kids and I will go upstairs and fold laundry or read so that I can have a few moments to myself and recharge before I become a professional book reader for the bed time routine.  I am not doing all of this for me, but rather for my husband and kids because a happy momma is one to keep around!

No Fear

Why is it that some children are born with no fear?  And better yet, why did God feel I needed one of those children?  Now I am not saying I am ungrateful for Ayden in my life, but boy this kid is a dare devil.  He seriously wants to do everything himself and surpasses Audrey when it comes to physical activity.

Yesterday we went to Bounce U with Audrey's preschool.  The kids have gone once before and they enjoyed themselves, however trip number two the place was no longer new and Ayden took full advantage of understanding what to do there.  I feel bad a little as I kinda abandoned Audrey, but I really needed her to try things on her own and play with her friends on this trip.  The first twenty minutes she just wanted me to dance with her...I can do that at home chica and I'm not sure everyone could have handled the moves I have. :)   She was told to go play and of course it sent her over the edge and the tears began to fall.  I literally looked like the meanest mom ever and she got attention and hugs from both her teachers, but eventually even Audrey was playing, climbing, and jumping...big step for my little princess!

Okay so back to Ayden.  The kid was seriously climbing up the steps and sliding down the slides like he's been doing this his entire life.  I even took him into the one bounce house that had a ball and even though he was plowed in the head multiple times, he kept going back for more.  Not sure if that is a sign of having fun or lack of intelligence...only time will tell on that one.  At one point he was climbing the largest slides and obstacle courses and squealing in delight.  He was proud of himself and I had other parents impressed that a 20 month old was having more fun than some of the 3 year olds.  I on the other hand was having a few anxiety attacks as he decided to literally climb mountains, but at least I know he is very capable physically.

Now this is only a brief example of his lack of fear, but recently it is showing up everywhere.  He stands on tables and chairs like he has the balance of a tight rope walker, and he feels he can master the stairs all by himself.  Now I am trying to allow for him to do the stairs by himself, but the whole standing on table thing has got to stop.  Either that or we will have a similar chandelier breaking scenario that my brother attempted as a four or five year old.  (Ever want to know that story, just ask Troy!)

I think that it may not just be a boy thing though, it may be a second child thing as well.  I think being a second child and a boy are just bigger factors for the situation of no fear.  Either way...I will continue to worry about Ayden's next dare devil trick and I will hopefully be there to catch him.  If not, well lets hope he learns from his mistake, but I can guarantee he will be having to make mistakes a couple times before it sinks in.  Sigh...the joys of having a child with NO FEAR!

Play Dates

Okay so I guess I am a little late to this band wagon, but play dates are the BEST IDEA EVER!!!

Last week I put together with a couple of moms from Audrey's preschool a play date at our house.  We needed to get things together for the kids' Valentines Party, so why not make a play date out of the ordeal.  The moment I sent the text and told Audrey the countdown began!  The play date was yesterday and the text was sent last Thursday, so you can only imagine the conversations with my chatty little girl.

Every morning Audrey asked how many more days and the joy and excitement only grew.  Audrey even was well behaved because she would hate to lose the privilege of having friends over.  (Why didn't I arrange this earlier?)  Tyler had asked Audrey what everyone was going to play and she explained they would play princes and princesses.  Ayden would have to be a princess though because there were going to be so many boys.  When yesterday finally came, she literally woke up at the butt crack of dawn and it was the longest four hours ever to get the kids here. 

Everyone arrived and the kids had a blast.  Even Ayden stayed well behaved and attempted to share!  I don't think too many prince and princesses were played with, but they all took advantage of all the toys!  The kids all had fun and Audrey was very sad to see everyone leave the house.  In fact she was planning the next play date the moment they pulled out of the driveway! 

Needless to say there will be more play dates in our future and I am very excited for this.  I love the fact that Audrey and Ayden have each other, but it sure is important for them to have friends as well.  Talk about getting that life lesson taught early...mommy wins!  However, mommies need the play dates as much as the kids because we actually can have an adult conversation, which I crave daily because you can only talk about princesses and trains for so long! 

Here are to many more play dates in my kids' future. 

Why Blog?

So I have really been getting into the whole blogging scene.  In fact I crave writing nowadays and I am so glad I do have some down time to do this.  You know that quiet time after the children are asleep if I am not utterly exhausted, during the weekend, or even now I have found that Audrey will work quietly on handwriting activities while I write during Ayden's nap.  Now I am not sure why this writing is giving me such pleasure, but it is a hobby and an outlet and I am going to keep going with it.  In fact one day I wish to have my blog in other places than just Facebook, but I need to research further how to do this.  If anyone knows...please do not hold the information back.  I also hope to compile some of these experiences that I have posted to create a book.  Maybe that is a far fetched idea, but I guess everyone needs long term goals too, right?

Now onto the reason for blogging.  So it makes me feel good and it gives me an outlet, but it also allows for me to get things out.  After reading a very inspiring book for moms, The Artist's Daughter by Alexandra Kuykendall, I realized that I could not move on with my life and find my happiness until I let the baggage go.  Even if I didn't think it was bothering me, digging deep down and discovering how crazy my life was last year and that it was okay to feel overwhelmed was important to me.  I still have quite a bit to work through, but I have begun believing in myself again and realizing that even though I may not be working, I still can inspire children, and bonus the kids are my own.  Now yes, being a stay at home mom is hard work, I mean you never get a break and you are never able to call in sick, but boy is it worth it! (Although I still miss being a teacher and having my own time as well...such a torn feeling.)

I suggest that if you have time to read the book, you should, especially if you are going through some transitional situations or you are just looking for a little inspiration that what you do is important as a mom.

Boys will be boys...sigh

All I have to say is that having a boy has changed my life and respect for those mommas who have more than one!  Honestly how do you raise this breed and not pull out all of your hair?

It amazes me how busy boys are.  Seriously they are content playing with a car, and then in 2.2 seconds they go into complete destruction mode.  I feel that I am never able to put my guard down with Ayden, and the way they are wired is a tough one for me to understand.

Lately Ayden loves to find different ways to get people's attention.  I give the kid credit for his efforts, but it sure does add a little embarrassment on my end.  Last weekend we decided at the last minute to go out to lunch.  The kids were enjoying themselves, eating away, when Ayden decided his carrot stick was a great way to whack the waitresses and get their attention.  Really Ayden?  I think there is a better way to get the girls besides hitting them with vegetables, but the girls all smiled and swooned over him, so in his mind, vegetable whacking is the best way to get the ladies!

I took the kids to the grocery store for a milk run, and Ayden got a wild hair up his butt and decided he was going to attempt to eat people as they walked by.  Now he did not bite anyone, but as each person walked by the cart, he made the obnoxious crunching/biting noise.  You should have seen the crazy looks he got.  A guy even took his chance and was waving at Ayden and got a little too close and nearly got the dinosaur claws and growl that came with it.  He laughed, but I continuously apologized and turned red in the face.

Now at home it is just as bad, but at least it is in the privacy of our own home.  Ayden loves to attack Audrey.  He pretends to be a monster and tries to "eat" her.  Literally slinking across the floor and chomping like a rabid dog.  Audrey runs and screams and this only fuels the fire for Ayden to attack more.  Ayden did this recently and to aid in a better visual, think about the creepy creature from the movie The Grudge.  Now needless to say I never let him "get" Audrey, but it is his new favorite game and the more Audrey freaks out the better it is for Ayden.

I could definitely point out a few more things that boys do, but I am going to stop here, as I am just exhausted from this little explanation.   Don't get me wrong, I love Ayden to death and appreciate him and his creative ways, but boy I have to work out every day just to obtain the energy to keep up with this kiddo and he is only 20 months!  So mothers with boys and that are still sane...I tip my hat to you and give you more credit than anyone feels you deserve.  You DESERVE that CREDIT...believe me!

Weekend Mishap

It has been awhile since I have had a weekend mishap to report, so I knew I was due to get a crazy event in the house.

Picture this....Audrey is lunch and makes that announcement that she has to pee.  I am still confused why she makes this announcement every time, but I simply tell her to go and that is when the chaos began.  I was getting ready to prep my own lunch when there was the whimper from the bathroom.  When I asked Audrey what was wrong she frantically explained she was peeing.  So I opened the door of the bathroom to take note she was indeed peeing, but not in the toilet.  Audrey had waited too long, and indeed was peeing on the floor because she couldn't get her pants off fast enough.  Now I yell to Tyler to get me a towel, and he hands me two paper towels.  Really?  Are two paper towels going to take care of a pool of urine that is the size of Lake Michigan that is beginning to form another Great Lake around the toilet?  I finally get snarly and ask to get some of our old towels to wipe up the mess, and I am dumbfounded why this is even a hard concept to deliver on.

I get Audrey out of her saturated bottoms, dry her off, and tell her to just go sit in the tub upstairs and I would be up there soon.  I then proceed to clean up the mess and start the laundry.  As I begin to walk upstairs to bathe Audrey I find her sitting on the stairs.  Confused why she is not in the bath, she informed me I was taking too long and she thought I was not okay so she was coming to check on me.  Sorry Audrey I did not run upstairs immediately, but I kinda had a mess to clean up.  I get her in the tub to clean up, and ask her what she learned from all this.  Her response, "Peeing on the floor isn't a good idea."  Seriously, what about lets not hold it to the last minute?  So after explaining how she needs to not hold her pee until the last minute, she was running to the bathroom a lot that day.  I didn't have the energy to get mad at Audrey, and honestly I couldn't get mad because we did learn a lesson, but dealing with pee was not on my lunch time agenda.

I guess there is never a dull moment in our house, and pee will happen.