Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time, more than 5 years ago, I used to lament the fact that new moms had little in the way of private time. Often, I would share this frustation with other young, new mothers; and find the same issues. Showers, in this new stage of motherhood, were a rare luxury. After going a day or two without showering (not that it mattered, I wasn't going anywhere) I would resolve myself to allowing time for a short shower. I would tow either the baby monitor (if Brooklyn was sleeping) or the baby herself in a bouncy seat into the bathroom, so that she didn't have a single moment of need. Even at that, I would shower as quickly as possible, as to be able to meet her every demand, immediately. After all, the experts say that it is important to respond quickly to your baby, that will establish trust, and then they will cry less because they trust you to take care of them (ha, ha, those experts).
Five years later, I have learned this: kids cry. They will cry whether or not you respond. In fact, it is possible that too quick of a response will inicit more crying, because they learn that as soon as they make a peep, Mom jumps into action. So, this morning in the shower, I relished in the hot water as I overheard all three of my kids at the door. Whining, talking, asking questions, crying, etc. was all part of it. I did not feel guilty that the door was locked. It did not ruin my shower. I did not feel any pressure to shower more quickly (in fact, knowing what was awaiting me probably made me stay there longer). I figure, when all of them are at the door, at least I know where they are and what they are doing. I would probably be more worried and hurried if I didn't hear any noise outside the door.
Now, of course, this will all change within the next week, as I add a new baby to the mix. I'm certainly not trusting enough of the level of care that his siblings will/will not provide to leave a new baby unsupervised...but I might be able to still lock that door, take the baby inside the bathroom, and enjoy a shower (even if he wimpers or whines a bit). After all, every other second of my life is dedicated to them; a shower isn't much to ask (besides, Brooklyn and Ty are now old enough to tell me that I STINK!)

The Organ Piper

If you live here in Milwaukee, and you have been to The Organ Piper, this is SO Wisconsin. It's a little morbid...but talk about a way to go! (If you haven't been to The Organ Piper, it is a "cultural" experience on par with demolition derbys and the tour of Miller brewery.) It's even family-friendly...it's like Chuckee-Cheese, but less refined. It is the kind of place that you think would be great for the filming of a horror show. Basically, you sit in a huge room and eat pizza; while the organ player plays tunes at the front of the room. He can play about ANYTHING from memory, and all over the room are strange accessories to the organ (drums, dancing bears, wooden ducks, lights, extra pipes, bells, whistles etc.) that are played with the organ.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/82129637.html

Miss Sadie

I haven't posted pictures in a long time. Sorry about all the ranting and raving and serious lack of cute kid pictures. My camera is a bit out of commission. I was just looking for Christmas pictures to post, and apparently, we only got video. Bummer.
Miss Sadie loves the snow. As I get ready for a new baby, it is crazy to see that my "baby" Sadie is a real little girl. She officially graduated this week from 18-month clothes, which is actually a huge step for her. The past few months, she has actually had a bit of a growth spurt, I was just late in pulling out too-small clothes. She can still fit waist-wise, but her pants were capris. She is actually almost as tall as Ty, it's something that oddly snuck up on me and I hadn't realized. Yay!