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In other news, the kids and dog are sick. Everyone is miserable.

Sixteen days until this blog moves. I hope Tim can do it. I just reminded him of it now, even though I had given him a month and half of warning. I hope it's painless.

I have a headache. I have had it all day and pain killers have only made it background noise instead of eliminating it altogether. I feel like I might be coming down with something, or maybe fighting something off? Hm. This past weekend we went to Tim's parent's house. Morella was super excited to spend time with her grandparents and was looking forward to it all weekend. An extra bonus was that Tim's sister Sarah and her family was there so Morella got to play with her cousins all weekend. The drawback to that is that they were potential plague bearers...am I coming down with something? Time will tell I suppose.

Saturday morning I went downstairs to hear Tim and his Mom talking about me going to Appleton. I told them I had already looked into it and it was too long of a drive from Manitowoc and impratical. Tim told me that he would just borrow his Mom's car and I could take our car and go visit my friend Sarah. I borrowed MIL's GPS system and within two hours, Neeners and I were on our way for a Mommy and Baby adventure. I stopped in Stockbridge first for coffee, a snack, and a little post card writing while Athena played on a rug with some toys in front of a fireplace. Heaven!

After that I met up with Sarah, had a nice chat while Nick took his morning nap and Ruth flitted about doing typical toddler stuff (snack, dancing, TV, playing with the baby, crying) -- really it's amazing the range of emotions that young children go through in the span of an hour. Inwardly, I was glad to let someone else experience Morella's range for a morning, while I got to spend quality time with Neeners. Afterwards we headed to Neenah to have lunch at The Mom and Pop Place, which was completley not what I expected. It was better than expectations and made me wonder why Madison doesn't have such a place...in fact it made me wonder enough to see if it would be worth filling that niche.

Truth be told, I have often thought of opening a business, but I could never really figure out "what" to sell. Now I have a pretty good idea, but even entertaining the idea and researching it fills me a ton of emotions. I wish I could talk to someone who started their own business, and more importantly, talk to someone who did it with young children. Meanwhile, I guess I will keep working on letting the idea float around in my head. I kind of wish I knew someone who would be interested in exploring this option with me. Anyway. That is what I am currently consumed by.

After lunch, we went back to Sarah's for a leisurely afternoon of quiet time before I headed back to the in laws for dinner. Athena howled for a bit before bedtime (I blame the mexican hot chocolate -- and it's dairy content) but once down stayed that way all night. The sucky thing about that was that I ended up going to bed at 8:30. I didn't mean to, it just happened and when I woke up at 10:30 I found that everyone else had gone to bed too! I got a drink of water, took out my contacts, peeked into to see that Morella and Tim were sharing a bed for the moment (she switched back and forth from her toddler bed to the guest bed five times throughout the night) and then went back to bed myself.

Sunday we went to church, had a nice lunch with the gang and then went home. The girls for the most part slept the entire way and I had a brownie.

I am going to try and not eat any real sweets for two weeks. I probably ruined it today by having two sweet and salty granola bars and a small handful of chocolate covered raisins. I didn't even realize what I had done until the end of the day. I think I am addicted! We'll do better tomorrow.

Other tidbits from today.

---I thought of this one while nursing -- stone babies or lithopedion -- they are just so... tragic and weird and ... sad. As soon as I got Athena down I went online to read more about them.

--We were watching Max and Ruby. Max was playing with his shadow by the fence when his neighbor looked up and over and said "Hello Max, are you playing with your shadow?"

Tim added "Says the creepy perv"
Morella then points to the TV and says "Da Da!"
I then started laughing for a good ten minutes.

---Athena woke up from her afternoon nap first and sat next to me and played for about a 40 minutes before becoming bored. I think this is the first time I actively noticed her being bored and wanting a different change of scene. Luckily by then, Morella was up. My baby's brain is getting big!

--Athena said her first word today. "Da da!" Can they talk at 6 1/2 months? Can you have a first word then or is this a complete accident? Morella didn't say anything understandable for a long time. Athena has also had a language explosion and has been constant-ing all over the place.

--Speaking of language explosion, Morella is now onto three or four word sentences. This is just astounding considering that three months ago she barely talked at all. Okay fine, she probably talked but nothing like this. Now we have real communication. Now we have "This is Weh Weh's doll." and "This is mine." Though, sometimes she says it like "This is .... mine." You can just hear the thought process in action. My other favorite is, "What's that .... sound?"

-- We have to watch our mouth though. I realized today I missed the March 1st deadline for discounted CSA for the new place we want to try and said "Oh Shit" out loud. From the bedroom getting her a diaper change repeated Morella "Oh shit." Thankfully it didn't seem to keep and was changed to "Oh Toots!" which Tim and I have now been saying with gusto.

Oh these kids, I love them so. But if I start a business will I damage them? How will they feel about spending a lot of time in place other than home? Where will they nap? I guess I could put a bed in the office area (if there is one)? Is having them at work with me doable? What would I do if they were sick? See, all of these questions make me feel like there must be a partner or someone else involved.

Ugh I am tired. I think this cold is kicking it up a notch. I hope I don't get sick. Maybe if I go to bed at a decent hour, it will be gone by tomorrow. I did get a nap in today too, even it was only an hour.

oh yeah and AG ... uh... I'll work on it. Here are three more:

--I am grateful for eye sight technology and that I can see with my horrible vision with the aid of glasses and contacts.
--I am grateful that I can walk, dance, move, ride bike, carry my kids, etc thanks to the four inch steel plate in my back (though I wasn't so grateful for that when I was in labor with Athena and denied an epidural).
--I am grateful for my vaccinations.

Wii Fit Quest Day 6 -- Success via the Sun Prairie Target. I had called right after story time and she said she had several, but that they have a no hold policy. I quickly got everyone ready and headed over. I haven't been to this one before so it was a pleasant surprise to enter a clean, large, everything in it's place Target (our current target is undergoing changes). While I was getting the kids into the car Morella kept saying "Eat? Store eat? Weh Weh eat?" And she would nod. Weh weh is the best way I can think of how to spell how she says her name. I said sure, because thankfully Target's have Starbucks and a cafe. :D

I got there and got me Wii Fit Plus! I noticed though that they had no Wii's, so it's a good thing I got mine yesterday at Best Buy. There were two after mine and as I checked out I mentioned that I had been calling every day. The check out clerk said he believed it and if people knew they had them now they would be out in minutes. Well, I am pretty sure they are out now because I know I was not the only one calling every day.

Anyway, so that is complete. It was much quicker than Tim though it would take. Since I was the one doing the calling I felt it was plenty long enough.

Attitude of Gratitude Day 6:

--Having lunch at Target with an adorable little girl dressed in red, charming the pants off the other Mom's son (Justin, age 3 almost four in one month and is going to have a Clone party, he informed me). Athena was of course adorable.

--Athena sitting in and actually enjoying be carried forward facing in the Ergo carrier. That thing cost enough! Also, it was more comfortable to wear her that way and she felt way more stable. I should practice with her in it more often to get her ready for the spring and summer.

--The two hours I had to cuddle and play with Athena in bed while Morella was sleeping, and fat flakes of snow fell outside.

Okay, gonna play a little more Wii -- it's new so it's fun.

I think I am fighting something off. My eyes feel like I've pulled an all nighter -- all day. They felt a little better after my massive 2 1/2 hour nap that I took with the girls this afternoon, but it's back now. I am also really tired...a bummer because ....

WII Fit Plus Quest #5

Shopko - Sorry Sir, we don't, (You suck!)
Walmart Supercenter - We do not Ma'am. (thank you!)
Target East and Sunprairie - Unfortunately we do not. (almost verbatim)
Best Buy - We don't have the Wii fit, but we did get a bunch of Wii's in today and the fit follows pretty closely.

Hm.

I call Tim "Hey tim they have a bunch of Wii's and say that it might come soon.
Tim replies "Maybe we should get the Wii while they have it."
"What?" I ask "You mean the Wii Fit Plus doesn't come with a Wii?"
"Uh no," he answered. "It only comes with the game and board."
"I thought a $100 bucks was kind of cheap for that!" I said. "Well, I should go and get a Wii since everyone seems to be out of that too."
"Okay," he said.

So, my friends. We have a Wii now. I went over to Sigrid's to borrow Boomblocks this evening while Tim set it up.

AG#5

--Matt's Meatloaf brownies
--Kathleen's butterscotch oatmeal cookies
--Wii

Wii Fit Plus Quest Day 4:

Okay, so in short everyone said no, but here is the interesting thing. Walmart Supercenter had gotten in four an hour and a half after I had called. Yes, FOUR -- and 20 Wii's. All of which were sold out in a matter of hours. When I called Target they assured me that their deliveries come over night and are restocked then instead of the middle of the day--- all willy nilly.

AG#5

--My friend Sigrid coming to visit for the afternoon and bringing Monty's Blue Plate food.

--Getting a hot shower in with the door closed this morning.

--No fuss bedtimes.

I got some crocheting to do tonight and I don't want to be up late. I went to bed at 1 last night, up at 6:30 ... and I'm tired. Today's bedtime is 11:00.

Wii Fit Quest Day #3:

Costco (thanks for the suggestion!) - "Sold out."
Walmart Supercenter: "No, we didn't any in."
Best Buy: "We don't, I'm sorry."
Target Sunprairie: "No, unfortunately we don't have any of those in stock."
Shopko: I asked "Electronics please,"
"Is this for getting a wii?"
"Yes" I replied.
"Sorry, we don't have any."

AG Day 4:

--Tim running out to get dinner because the one I was making (hamburger hotdish) was going to be too late (he got Arby's. Morella didn't eat the roast beef because she said it smelled like "Bart" aka fart, but she did eat the broccoli I made her and Athena). Now we have dinner for tomorrow too, and lunch.

--I know how to read.
-I know how to write.

Those last two are two skills I consider to be two of my most valuable possessions.

Anyway. I bundled up the kids and hauled them up to the Capitol for Winterfest this morning. Tim stayed home to do some laundry, pick up and look through old receipts and reliving our pacific northwest vacation. I get there, park in the public ramp, haul out the double stroller, pack in Morella, scoop out Athena from the carseat and then realize I forgot her snowsuit. :(

I bundled her up in blankets and headed out anyway. At the same time was another couple with children almost the same age as Morella and Athena. In fact, their little boy was quite interested in getting into the double stroller with Athena because his mother said they had one very similar. I mentioned to them that I heard that this event sucked, but I had hoped it wasn't the case. We chatted a bit and then headed off...to a great big pile of suck.

There were five midget ice sculptures, three snow sculptures and the "fun kids snow sculpting area" made the snow banks alongside our driveway look like the Rocky Mountains. There were about five kids scrambling around that sorry little pile of slush that just made my heart cry. Here you can see the two little piles in the background.



I shouldered on. On the road around the square was a bunch of trucked in snow that was made into obstacles, and various ski type things. There was a Scion dealer giving out cheap sunglasses, hand warmers and some kind of head thing I have yet to check out, and a turbo tubing "hill". Judge for yourselves.



To be fair, Morella might have enjoyed going down this little bunny hop, but there was no way I could ditch Athena in her throne of blankets to haul Morella up there for a little ride down. Since it was the only thing that was worth doing for kids there was a line. I finished walking around the square and texted Tim about the lameness of it all and decided to just go home. I would say that the girls agreed...



I ran into the parking lot couple who decided to call it quits as well. We chatted up to the car, wished each other well and started to pack up the kids. I kept thinking "ask them if they want to playdate...do it...do it..." and so I did. We'll see how it goes. It would be great for Athena to have a kid her age to play with later on. Plus, you know it's nice to meet new people. I go through phases were I make a big effort to expand my base of friends every other year -- I guess I am in one of those phases right now.

Wii Fit Plus Quest day 2

Target East - No.
Walmart Supercenter - No, but they get shipments on Sunday's it seems.
Best Buy - Sorry, nope.
Shopko - Nope.

AG Day 3:

--Athena's big chubby cheeks
--Good Health Insurance
--Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea

-----------------

10 Things you Probably didn't know about me -- the Eating Edition

1. I can't eat mushrooms, broccoli, yellow squash, sunchokes, or burdock root without experiencing great intestinal discomfort.

2. I usually will eat food that has fallen on the floor after a quick visual inspection to make sure there is nothing obviously icky on it. And if it's my house, I just pick off the dog or cat hair and blow on it, before eating it.

3. I have a strong gag reflex and can't eat gristle, or fatty things. Ugh, just thinking about it has me looking for paper napkin.

4. My preference of ordering food is: chicken, veggie, beef and the pork (because of said gag reflex).

[Edit...my computer shut down because of low battery and I panicked and restarted the whole thing and thank goodness this post is still here....whew! That is an AG #4, me thinks.]

5. The first time I ever took myself out to eat was to Taco Bell when I was 17.

6. I don't like really spicy food.

7. I hate the taste of hard alcohol (with a few rare exceptions in which I can't taste it, like Soco in apple cider) to the point of not liking desserts
like tiramisu.

8. I am lactose intolerant.

9. I have a very strong sweet tooth -- particularly for pastries.

10. I love bread. I could just eat a dinner of bread with a some butter or a little oil.

There, that wasn't so hard.

I watched Alien Versus Predator: Requeim tonight in continuing with my Alien themed weekend. Oy. It was kind of boring -- and I ended up spending most of it on the computer putzing around.

Oh my god, we went shoe shopping this evening for Tim. He needed some new all purpose black shoes and we ended up at Famous Footwear. Morella wandered about near me, climbing benches and looking around while I tried on clearance shoes one footed while balancing a baby. Suddenly, I noticed that Morella was holding up a boot to me with a big grin on her face. Soon she has a pile of boots and discarded shoe wrappings around. The boots in question? Princess boots.



She has perfectly awesome Oshkosh BGosh boots, but these garish boots are what ended up on her feet. I am just amazed at how she found these boots among so many other cool shoes. Okay, so obviously we aren't going to let her get these as winter is almost over (I hope). No, no, instead we let her get the next pair of shoes she glommed onto.



The sparkle, they light up when she walks, they are covered in shiny things and most importantly, they have princesses, which include her favorite - Belle. This is the first pair of shoes that Morella has ever picked out for herself. I think we were so enamored by the cuteness of it, that she got away with it. So much for classy shoes that we can pass onto Athena. These things will be so trashed by that time...at least we have plenty of other thoughtfully picked out nice shoes that are hand me downs waiting.

Morella was so proud that she walked out of the store wearing them. I should also note that she hasn't seen any of these movies (we tried Cinderella but it was too scary) and she has never seen Beauty and the Beast so we have no idea while Belle is her favorite. But you know, I am glad that is the case because she has brown hair. :P

Afterward we stopped at Old Navy to get Morella some more grip socks. I had put her in a pair of non skid ones tonight (all I could find) and she skidded on the hardwood floor and landed hard on her butt. Hard enough to complain about not wanting to walk and I'm certain there will be a big bruise ... but hopefully nothing is broken. I also got Athena three outfits on clearance. The total number of new clothes that I have bought for Athena is now 6 total. She is at a strange stage right now because she is 9-12 month, and Morella was in summer clothes at that point.

Ugh. Going through gobs of baby clothes is such a pain, but I guess a pain that I am grateful (AG#5 -- I'm on fire!) for considering most of them are from friends.

Athena cries and it's late (ended this post at 12:04A)

I found the snippet in Elle's January issue:

Develop the Gratitude Attitude
Listing three things that you're grateful for or three events that have gone well over the past week can significantly increase your level of happiness for about a month, make you more optimistic, and improve your physical health.

There we have it.

AG Day 2:

--Getting tagged in Homemaker's "Musings from the Big Pink" (a very funny blog telling the story of child raising from a SAHD's perspective) for the "10 Things" meme. It's good to feel included. :)

--District 9 [I love a good science fiction tale, and this one will keep my noggin thinking for days]

--Dance parties with Morella and Athena

Today was a pretty good day. We all slept in until 7:00 (thanks Neener, we have a new early riser). Morella had gotten up at 4:00 with ridiculous demands which Tim almost feel for because he was tired. But when he went to use the bathroom, I went in there and laid down the law. She stayed in her bed. Tim went to his own bed, Neener's went into her cosleeper and all were happy.

I bundled up Athena and went to a financial meeting at our credit union with an adviser. I have been wondering if we should be doing something with a portion of our savings, or if there are any glaring financial opportunities that we aren't taking advantage of, so I agreed to a meeting. After all, it's free and Tim was around to wrangle Morella. Turns out there is nothing more to be done than what we are doing and to check in a few years when interest rates are different and we have more defined goals. Well that was good to know.

Afterward I picked up Tim and Morella at the local park (they were the only ones there playing in the snow), broke car by going to fast in a huge divot, made worse by ice, and went to go buy a Wii Fit Plus. Our scale is now broken thanks to a 22 1/2 pound toddler jumping on it to watch the numbers bounce. Either that, or I gained 20 pounds over the week. So yeah, a quick trip to the store and we would spend the evening playing around with it after the kids went to bed.

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Yeah. I don't know what we were thinking. You know, I guess I thought that the demand was greatly reduced and that stores would actually have them, especially since hey had reduced the price. However, Shopko, Target and Best Buy did not have any, and we were told there were none in the great state of Wisconsin. Not only that they but don't believe in wait lists (neither does online) and that the magic delivery truck tells no one it's schedule. We came home and looked online and found several places willing to sell you one with a $30-50 markup. It's a matter of principle -- we will not pay more than the orginal price.

So, I am going to be adding a new section to this every day blogging. It's called "Who will have the Wii Fit Plus first?" Every morning as a part of my morning routine, I will call each of these three establishments to inquire whether or not any were delivered overnight. Target had said that their last shipment was three weeks ago so I feel like one might be due. Then again, I was the 11th person by noon to ask about it - so even with great demand, apparently Nintendo and Target aren't in any actual hurry to sell any machines.

Okay, I'll think of 10 Things the average Joe probably doesn't know about me for tomorrow.