Valentines Day

First of all, I love Valentines Day. This definitely was the case growing up, because Mom and Dad would always leave really cool things on the kitchen table for us to find first thing in the morning. Then in high school "single awareness day" became the to-do thing to do, so naturally I "hated" it and threw decent anti-love parties. But now that I've found the love of my life and have children that think their life is the best, each and every holiday is so great. But for some reason or another I was especially excited for this year.

I've been blog-stalking strangers. At least they're mostly crafty blogs so it can't be that weird. I found a bag to make Mitchell Boyd out of old khaki pants (WHAT?! I was SO excited) and drove and got lost all the way to pipers just for their dr. seuss fabric, even though we don't really read or care about dr. seuss for the most part. Go Dog Go is a big hit, but that, friends, is P. D. Eastman. If P.D. Eastman fabric would exist, I would have most definitely gone with that.

I spent all spare minutes of 3 days making the dang thing. Broke my only safety pin trying to thread the cording through, which was more annoying than anything. Finished it before valentines day (which is a first something has been finished on time) and as a result just let him have it early since I didn't make or get anything for Ali anyway. Not that it should matter, and not that it makes any sense whatsoever, but it sort of does. I was going to make her a dress, but clothes scare the crap out of me and I hate buying patterns. Which is stupid because I actually need a pattern to make anything. They're ridiculously expensive and I can always envision it better in my head. Not that anything out of my head comes out coherent. Just ask my mother or mike. They will tell you how screwed up I am.

So Ali got nothing for valentines day. Sad huh? But she did get a whole lot of stuff for being born, and I didn't even buy Mitchell bed sheets, let alone matching nursery sets. I feel like it's all going to even out eventually, and they don't care anyway. At least right now.

And Mitchell is more fun right now anyway, since he understands what's happening. "oh, mom gave me a bag, how cool, I think this is perfect for my choo choo trains, and I will carry this with me where ever I may go. And mother, can I please have some m&m's to go inside? Because candy makes everything so much better, and you never know when I'm going to need a good bribe" But, of course he didn't actually say any of that. What came out was "mama!! oooohhhh shada scruda muhgrubbubber. Extractualer choo choo. ooooooooooohhhhh. sil nada shada fruu snaaaaaa? muh drug drugger." I just knew what he meant because I am mom and I am awesome.

So he spends the day with a cat in the hat bag on his back, choo-choo's and m&m's inside. And every time I see it, my head sings "cat. hat. in french chat chapeau. in spanish, el gato in a sombrero"

Though the m&m's are gone, because he did, in fact, need a good bribe.

Valentines day started on the right track. Mike and I were up for no good reason at 11:40 and mike decided to give me my valentines "20 mins. early" yeah, we stay up till midnight for pretty much every holiday, haha. In fact, I'm pretty sure every year we exchange christmas stockings at midnight then go to bed.

We never really do much, and always keep it simple and sweet. So we exchanged cards. I always make mine with the endless amount of scrapbooking supplies I've somehow acquired.... hmmm.... and Mike usually buys me a hallmark card "To my loving wife" {open} "Because stars twinkle and the moon shines. Because the ocean is blue and so are your eyes. Because the universe revolves around you. blah blah blah. Be mine forever love of mine" or something equally as cheesy and signs it......

wait for it....

"Love, Mike Taylor"

hahahah. NOT THIS YEAR FOLKS! This year, he pulled out the endless supplies of scrapbooking supplies as well, and made me a card!!!! It was so sweet, and so cute. He folded the paper in half, and made a heart. Twice, actually. One pink paper, one white smaller paper, taped together and written on. No pre-printed message, and I was so happy. Also, sees bridge mix. which might just be the best chocolate I have ever tasted ever.

I didn't even get him chocolates.

But, as an addition to the card I knew was eventually going to be handed to him at midnight, I did write things I love about mike on a bunch of hearts and was planning on leaving them around the house and in his car and lunch, etc. but failed because we did stay up till midnight and I was tired and fell asleep and forgot, so he just got the stack of those handed to him that night. And as he was reading, I was telling him where I was going to put it. He seriously has to love me and my cleverness gone wrong.

Mitch was running a fever the day prior, but woke up okay. And he never even acts sick even when he is. And he was totally fine and feverless on advil, so I decided to be a bad mother and take him to a movie. Which was Tangled. Which is by far the best movie of the season.

Then we get home and Mitch started shaking with chills I guess, and then I really felt like a bad mom, and I couldn't give him more advil, so I propped him up on the couch with a big blanket and let him watch mickey mouse clubhouse, and jake and the neverland pirates, which is my new favorite show. It is so nice to have a break from Mickey, since every time the hot dog song came on I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry myself to sleep. So now Jake and captain hook give us a much needed change, though Mickey is still a welcomed guest. And we probably watch way to much tv.

Going out to dinner on v-day is cliche and something I like actively avoiding so I made steak and a chocolate cake, as well as all the many side dishes you can possibly think of. I cooked my little heart away, and mitch slept on the couch.

All day.

Seriously. So I determined he was lethargic, and not eating. I figured popcorn in the theater didn't count. And then felt like a bad mother AGAIN for taking him to the theater. Okay, in my defense, I never take him anywhere when he's sick. I even go as far as to say parents that drag their kids all over sick is so wrong, and I feel so bad for those kids who just want to be in their bed sleeping and resting. And I hang my head in shame. Though, he did like the movie, and he wasn't *that* bad the morning of, and I thought we were nearing the end of whatever he had.

At this point, I've got steak marinating in the fridge, potatoes in the process of being peeled, 3 layers of chocolate cake waiting to be frosted, and strawberries just itching to be dipped in glorious chocolate. And half a pound of bridge mix gone.

It was also 5 o'clock.

So I call the doctor, for a second time this week. The first time this week was actually poison control when mitchell rubbed pepper in his eyes. Do not ask how he pulled a kitchen chair across the floor, to the spices, dumped the salt and pepper all over everywhere, and even in drawers which I was cleaning up for like 5 days,without me noticing anything. And then I thought the crying and excessive tears was from me getting SO mad. No. Mitchell does not care if I am mad, that should have been my first clue. No, minutes past when I realize he's actually rubbed salt and pepper in his eyes, and I try to rinse it out but he is still sobbing, at which point I'm freaking out that he's blind. Poison control by the way, wants you to hold him down over the sink pouring warmish water over his eyes with a cup for 15 MINS! it felt like a lifetime. My neighbors probably thought he was being tortured. I felt like I was being tortured. Mike got home (finally) at the end of the 15 whole minute torture session and I broke down and sobbed. When that happens, mike just sort of leads me to bed and offers to get me a diet coke from sonic. And I slept the rest of the night even though it was only 6.

But that's not my story. I call the pediatrician, after hours of course, because that is when these things happen, and it is an answering machine. "if this is an emergency, hang up, and dial 911" which, can I just say, if someone is smart enough to call the doctor, isn't he/she smart enough to determine what is an emergency? But thank you, for telling me to call 911 in an emergency. Like that wasn't drilled in my head during kindergarten. On that note, once I got a day planner, I was 10 or so, there was a line after the address/phone number information. "In case of an emergency please contact......." and I happily put "911" I know the answer to THAT question people.

Then the answering machine lady says "if you'd like to contact our after hours 'kidscare' the number is blah blah blah number number number number"

So I call that number which is also an answering service. "if you want to make an appointment, press one. If you would like medical advice, press two"

{pressing two}

"we can no longer give medical advice over the phone. (which is probably my fault because I am always calling the doctor. In fact, I'm sure this is my fault. sorry nurse on call, I'll take you off speed dial) If you need medical advice, please go to our website www.thisisthelamestthingever.com"

{rolls eyes}

{goes to website}

{rolls eyes again}

They have no medical advice whatsoever. I'm clicking and searching and finally just put "fever" in the search engine.

and this is what is said ...... actually, I just went there to copy and paste what I found, (yeah, it was that ridiculous I didn't even have to exaggerate) but there is clearly a symptom checker that I failed to find the first time. And I spent like 10 mins trying to navigate their website. Fine. Be lame. But basically I found the definition of a fever, and it was not helping at all.

So, I look at Mitchell, and say to him "do you want to go to the doctor?" and he gives me this really sad sick face that words cannot describe and says "no. night night" "....you...want to ....go to bed?" "uh huh....mama" oh man. So I hold him for awhile and he feels like a fire so I grab the thermometer and he's so weak he doesn't even fight it. I have never ever ever seen him so sick and weak. when he is clearly sick (i.e. throwing up, runny nose) he is laughing and jumping. The thermometer read over 102.

Scary. So I call and set an appointment and take him to the doctor.

The nurse asks about advil or whatever and he can't have it for another 30 mins, but she says it's fine a little early and comes back with a cup of medicine and an otter pop. "when you drink this you can have a Popsicle!" Like mitchell cares about otter pops and popsicles, the kid loves medicine. And then he wouldn't even try the blue otter pop and the nurse was clearly confused.

Ear infection. The first for mr. mitchell. I call mike after and he's home from work and we're just glad it wasn't anything more serious. I decide (since I'm full of making awesome decisions today) to drive to walgreens so I can sit in the car, go through the drive through, and make a large carbon footprint.

Walgreens is a 35 minute wait! Lame!

So I just drive home since there is nothing else I can do and waiting for 35 mins seemed like a dumb idea, and then I get home and sent mike to pick it up, well, he did offer. ha.

Mike came home with the prescription and mitchell was back to his old self the next morning. And the pink medicine is his favorite, so 10 days of that should be like a dream come true for him.

And we put the kids in bed and ate and mike's phone went off and I rolled my eyes for a third time that day because who on earth calls someone at 9pm on valentines?

Oh. That would be *my* dad, calling *mike's* phone. I'm still not sure why he doesn't call me.... but..... life is funny. My life is especially funny.

So now what's the next holiday? St. patricks day? FUN! Even carters had st. patricks day clothes!!! "Lets get them that mike!!!! They could match!!! Come on they could wear that....the....whole....month? week?? Nevermind. I want to MAKE THEM SOMETHING!!!!!"

I'm going crazy. I can literally feel myself turning into a stereotypical salt lake mormon mom and I'm not quite sure how to stop it. Do I even want to stop it? yes..... I've got to get rid of that mini van.

But I pathetically love old milly the purple van so much, I think I'll just search and search for the perfect swimsuit instead. Yes. That's a much better idea. I want a red, modest one piece, 50's style swimsuit that is not made by a mormon company that no one else in the state has. yes. definitely.

"Mike.... I found a....swimsuit.....um......I need it"

I can hear the crazy, can't you?