Can't a mom poop?!

Sorry. Was that TMI? I couldn't think of a better title.
Today was going well. Really well. My kids were getting along, I hit the gym for my new favorite class, then I picked up Alli's friend from her preschool to keep her for the afternoon. We hit McD's on the way home and I splurged on 3 happy meals....which only reminds me why I don't (the kids hardly touched their chicken nuggets) and I let them play. Forever. Kaitlyn was sleeping in my arms so I let them play to their hearts' content. They met some other girls there and became BFF's in an instant. Suddenly, I got the urge...you know, nature called. But I wasn't about to take care of it there. I had 4 kids and no stroller, and I wasn't going to have a party in the bathroom. After hearing the other moms announce they were leaving soon, I added my 5 minute notice that we were leaving. We loaded up and headed home so I could take care of business. The kids begged to play in the front yard but I made them come in just while mom could use the bathroom. I put up the gate, checked the floor for chokables, put Kaitlyn on the playroom floor in front of a dollhouse, propped open the playroom door so she wasn't trapped, and locked myself in the bathroom right around the corner for some alone time.....I mean, can't a mom have a quiet moment to use the bathroom? The older kids ran into the garage to play with chalk. I guess Kaitlyn wanted to go too. I heard her coming out of the playroom and starting to climb over the little Dora couch that happened to be blocking her path. I remember there were some of Alli's school papers on the Dora couch so I could tell she was attempting to climb over it. Then, I heard it. That horrible sound of head hitting tile....or so I realized a few moments later. I heard her cry a hurt cry. Not quite finished, I opened the door, and I could only see her little rump and I could tell she was flat on her stomach. I tapped on the door frame to get her attention and let her know I was in the bathroom (thanks to my long go-go-gadget arms), telling her to come to me . The cry changed. It was a different cry than I'd ever heard. And she wasn't coming, so I hopped off the toilet (pants at my ankles) and saw blood coming from her nose and mouth and drops of blood on the tile. I was surprisingly calm. I picked her up and grabbed some toilet paper, wet it down and started wiping her face and hands, trying to see exactly where the blood was coming from. Her eyes were closed and she kept tilting her head back in pain. I was afraid she'd faint, or throw up. All the while, I was trying to pull up my pants one handed so as not to startle anyone coming in....and to cure the draft. The left nostril was the first culprit. But her mouth, her poor mouth. I was checking to see why it was bleeding and the worry set in when I thought her new little baby teeth on top had been jammed up into her gums. Come to find out, her top lip was swollen so it only appeared that her teeth were recessed, but they weren't. Her teeth must had just cut into her lip. I finally got her to drink some water to clear out her mouth and held her on the couch until she calmed down. I was so relieved it wasn't worse. We have a new rule after today to keep those little couches on the carpet.....they make for good catapults...or bad ones.
And so I've realized, that yes, a mom has to put her kids' needs first...even sometimes at inopportune times. And I've decided that's okay.

Sitting in the yard on a Sunday afternoon

We were chillin in the yard..... just waiting for the sun to go down. It was me and the kids and the baby a climbin' on the ground, on a Sunday afternoon.

This is my little poser. I all her my zig zag child because she is always covered in a mix match of clothes and accessories. We also call her the bag lady because she can most often be found carrying a backpack or purse, stuffed with toys and markers and who knows what else. She's my eclectic Alli.
And Cole...not so willing to pose here... when he's in a good mood, which is most of the time, he looks like a little charmer. But when he gets in that grumpy mood, the humphs come out. He folds his arms tight, and "HUMPH!" It makes it worse when we laugh...which we almost always do. It's just followed by, "Hmmm.....humph!.....hm."
As for now, the darling vibes just come naturally from this one...

Marci's Shower

Nani knits a sweater, blanket and booties for each of her grand babies....they are true keepsakes.
My contribution to the decor...a diaper cake!
Tasty deliciousness...let's not talk about how many calories are in a slice.

Girls just have it in them...they dream of this day from such a young age.
Marci's mom Sharon, Gina (Marci's sister), and Nani
Kari, and the game show host
Marci's friends and co-workers were the most generous people I've met. Marci is so set up now for this baby to come. We can't wait for Nani's namesake to arrive....little Shirley May!
(I just had to add this sweet picture here at the end....Dan brought the kids over after a day at McDonalds...where else).

She's a third child

What? It keeps things efficient. Naps in the high chair mean less changing of the crib sheets...right?