If you take a girl to the dentist

Gina Style

If you take a girl to the dentist, she will valiantly hold her mouth shut.  Since she did not open her mouth, you will have to set up another appointment in six months, in hopes for a better result.  Before going to the next appointment, you rave on about seeing the dentist. You even go to the extreme of buying a beautiful dancing shirt that she picked out. (She needs clothes for summer, but you won't give this shirt to her until she cooperates with the dentist.) Since you set up a second appointment, you take the girl to the dentist again.  On the way to the dentist office, the car ride goes something like this: Girl, "Yeah, we're going to the dentist! I'm going to do really good so I can take the tags off my new shirt."

Upon arriving at the dentist office, all is well!  However, once the hygienist brings the girl to the room, the girl forgets her desire to take the tags off her new shirt.  If you put a girl in a dentist room, she will see a pretty princess toothbrush that she really wants!  The hygienist tries to give it to her, but mom says, "Not unless she nicely lets you look at her teeth." and intercepts the toothbrush.  Because, if you take a girl to the dentist, mom gets really stubborn, too!

If you take a girl to the dentist and mom gets stubborn, she will hold the girl in her lap and pry her mouth open to let the dentist see the concerning spots on the girls teeth.  If a strong willed mom shows a dentist a reluctant girl's teeth, the dentist will recommend her to go to another dentist.  

In fear of girl chomping off his hand?

If you get recommended to another dentist you will have to make another appointment.  If you have to make another appointment, you will have to talk with a valiant girl about true courage and remind her about the pretty shirt she desperately wants to wear.  

If you set up an appointment with a new dentist (another male, yet unbeknown to girl), the girl will get sick with stomach flu in the wee hours of the morning on appointment day.  If the girl is sick, you will have to set up another appointment. This time the next available was with the wife of same recommended office. 

If you set up a fourth appointment, the girl will have more time to adjust to the idea of a dentist seeing her teeth.  Mom will be calling grandma to ask for prayers for stubborn girl to let the dentist see her teeth. Mom will talk it up again and pray all the way there, in hopes for a positive result.  

If you take a girl to the dentist, and it's a girl dentist, the little girl will do anything the girl dentist asks. You will wonder if this is the same child you struggled with for past visits to previous dentist. And  you will be happy to report to daughter's dad her thoughts, "I really like GIRL dentists!"  For that statement, dad thinks she should go back to the boy dentist.

If the girl likes a dentist, you will go back to that dentist to fix her teeth.  Mom will explain what is going to happen, and girl will say, "If it's at the girl dentist, I'll go!"

If you take a girl to get her teeth fixed, she will have a numb mouth.  

Since she had a numb mouth, she was able to get this shiny tooth!  

However, since she has a numb mouth, she might bite her cheek.  If she bites her cheek bad enough, she will have to eat soft foods.  If she has to eat soft foods, her mom will want to make her a smoothy for some sort of nutrition.  If mom goes to make a smoothy, the blender will break, and the motor will not operate.  If the motor does not work, mom will have to find a new blender.

If mom finds a new blender, she will taste her speedy concoction and have to call hubby to tell him how great it (the blender and the smoothy) is.  

The girl will be begging to have her smoothy back,

 and hubby will ask for a smoothy when he gets home.  

All because I took a girl to the dentist.  ;)

Vincent and the dancer wanted smoothy, too!

If YOU have to replace a blender, I highly recommend this one.  I've used it once, but the smoothy was made in seconds.  Smooth and Yummy!  If I change my mind, I'll let you know.
 

From the Pond...

Who Let the Frogs Out?

Frogs are awakening from Hibernation!

Kids are excited

Even kids at heart!

Dad says, "We might have to get some minnows to feed them."

  Gina says, "I want to go with you!"

Dad, "What do you think they would eat?"

Gina, "They'd eat what they like!"

The fine art of asking nicely...

Gina:  Gimme some milk. Gimme milk now.

Mom: I'm waiting for some nice words.

Gina: Please!

Mom:  Try, "May I have some milk please."

Gina: May you Gimme milk PLEASE!

Mom: May I have milk please.

Gina: May I (pause) Gimme milk please.

Mom: May I have milk please.

Gina: Will you gimme milk please, I asked nicely!

Mom: May I have milk please.

After a couple more tries...

Gina, in the sweetest voice: May I have milk please.

Mom: Oh, Yes, you asked so nicely!

Gina: Well, gimme it.

...is not so fine.  Yet.

Sigh...we'll keep practicing! 

Pool Day with a Rainforest in the Winterland!

This morning, Gina woke up and immediately put on her swimsuit.  She then proceeded to announce that we need to take her swimming!  I can't believe cabin fever is setting in already.  After about 7 hours of persistence, on this 'snowed in' day, I gave in to a pool party - in the tub.

She seemed to like the idea

Imaginative Play

And this is what I caught as I was busy on the main floor, cleaning up from Christmas festivities:

As I began to yell at them to clean up the mess, I asked what they were doing.

The answer:

"We're having a cereal fight! Like snowball, only we're using cereal!  See, like this!"

Is it really good to foster imagination?

Why do they have to be so innocent?

My response, "Ok, you can cereal fight for 5 more minutes, then you have to clean up."

That is some expensive snow!

Happy Bosses Day!

Do I need words?

Just for the record:

"I'm the boss of this family!"

coincidently spoken the evening before 'bosses day'

Do we need to do something for her?

Or have we already done too much??

In the blink of an eye

I just realized today is the 30th. The last day of September. I thought it just started...

So here is what I have learned in the blink of September:

-1-

I can still scream like a girl when surprised!

Some of you know, I don't get surprised by much, and I can't remember the last time my vocal cords let out a squeal because of something surprisingly gross-I'm referring to critters.

Daniel my boy who always has a bit of nature in his hands (from dirt to plants to critters) came into the house while I was on the couch half awake nursing Christopher. He showed me his net. This one to be exact:

And continued to ask me if I wanted to know what he had in it. Tiredly, I said, "Sure." He took his hand off the top, and a BIG BULLFROG jumped on my shoulder, just above Christopher's head.

Go ahead, scream with me!

AHHH!

Daniel was full of laughter, and so was I a few seconds later.

He tried it again, but to his surprise, I didn't scream anymore: I took the frog, reminded him that it belonged outside, and laughed some more!

-2-

Have I ever told you how much I like preschool helpers?

They make a mess

In a blink of an eye

And I love it!

Really, I do!

I wish I could join them!

And their innocence!

-3-

And then they grow up!

And I'm learning to love it.

Yes, Learning:

To understand

To teach

To let go

-4-

The race is on:

Last year, Luke was the fastest 4th grader in town!

This year, he had the honor of lighting the torch for the 4th grade 'fun run'.

-5-

Bracelets Anyone?

I told her she had to take them off before we went to the store, and she replied, "But they are pretty and soft!" I'm sure it would have brought a few chuckles at the store, but I just couldn't do it. She reluctantly took them off.

-6-

We've been in a 'No' Craze:

If I say "No" to one child, why do the others have to do/ask the exact same thing?

Just in case its ok for them?

It's making me craz-E:

Mom: "Didn't I just tell you, 'no'."

Kid: "No, you told ___ 'no'."

-7-

F.R.O.G

Fully Rely on God

He is always watching us. ;)

*may or may not be the frog mentioned in 1*

But isn't it cute peeking in the window?

I leave you with this:

"Pray, Hope and Don't Worry!"

-Padre Pio

September 23

And that folks, is our September in a blink of an eye!

Hopefully October will be a better blog month ;)

My Baby

I was feeding Christopher, and Vincent came over to sit on my lap. Gina took notice of this and states, "Mom, you have 2 babies."

I told her, "No, Vincent is a big boy now and Christopher is our baby."

She didn't seem to accept that answer and proceeded to confidently voice her opinion, "No, you have 2 babies, Vincent is your baby and Christopher is my baby!"

She then tried to take Christopher out of my arms. I stopped her and said he was eating.

She surprisingly pipes up, "He's eating THOOOSE?!"

She now knows where the food source is, and the next time Christopher began to cry, she came running over to me demanding, "Mom, feed him NOW-OW!"

I'm glad someone in this house knows what to do with a crying baby!

Gina and Christopher

"Mom, he's starting to cry, I'm done with him. You need to feed him."

Looks like he's done with you, too. ;)

note: I forgot how much fun it is to get "those" conditioned.

Sunscreen-Apply Generously

Let's take a vote:

Did Gina adequately apply enough sunscreen to her face and hands to avoid a sunburn?

*note: I used everything on her body to finish the rest of her body adequately!

Whose the Boss?

Gina and John Eating Breakfast:

J: "You're not the boss, Gina!"

G: "John, I am the boss. You a boy and I'm a girl, and girls are bosses."

J: about in tears, "Mo-om, Gina said she's the boss."

G: "I am the boss! Like Mom. Her's a girl and I a girl and girls are bosses."

J: No you're NOT!

Mom to Gina: "Gina you're not the boss!"

Mom quietly to John: "Let me tell you a secret, Dad's really the boss."

J: His smile was worth a thousand words!

Mom to self: But Mom,through prayer, can docilely turn the head of Dad in the right direction.

If the need arises... ;)

Wives, be submissive to your husbands as you are to the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your duty in the Lord. -Colossians 3:18-20

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol 1)

Let's see if I can figure this out, 7 Quick Takes Friday, that is. I got this idea from another blogger, so be sure to visit her!

--1--

Spring is here: so is soccer! We set up fields and practices have begun. You may catch me chirping this spring: sometimes beautifully, sometimes a bit aggressively, but I’m happy to join the birdies. According to my dad, they know everything! ("A little birdie told me!") At least one does. Not me!

What part of springtime are you?

--2--

Michael received the sacrament of healing, Anointing of the Sick Sunday. Fr. explained and administered this sacrament during Mass. After the explanation, Michael, 7, whispers in my ear, “Should I go up there, Mom?” I told him that was fine, and then he wanted me to go up with him. I was proud of him and his understanding of the sacrament. I also had the terrible thought go through my head, ‘let’s just ask Father to do it later, so people don’t start asking what’s going on with him.’ We went up. Maybe I was the one who should be receiving the sacrament of healing with my attitude? It was beautiful and probably more moving for his mother.

--3--

Gina (the 2 year old 28 pound princess) playing with Rudy (the 5 month old 58 pound puppy):

Gina was playing fetch with Rudy down the hallway. One time Rudy tried to take the toy out of Gina’s hand. She clonked him on the head and told him, “No!” Then, “Sit!” Next, she gave him a big hug, “You’re my best friend, Rudy!” We now know what it takes to be a friend to Gina – listen and do whatever she tells you. You’ll have a friend for life. We’ve got to work on this control thing – I mentioned to my husband that someone needs to inform her that she is not an only child. My husband piped up, “she is much more well adjusted than only child. She knows many different personalities and manipulates each and everyone to get what she wants!

--4--

Daniel: Monday, for the first time, after taking 2 weeks off school, he sat down and did his work right away without complaints. Schoolwork this day was too easy. I didn’t know what to do with my extra time. He gets to put 5 jellybeans in the jar for doing his best work this year! (he did great M,T,W-NOT Thur. O well, it was fun while it lasted!)

About the jelly beans:

We keep a jar and jelly beans in our prayer room during Lent. (Gina got into them once this season, they are ‘her’ jelly beans, ya know.) Everytime we catch the kids doing something good – helping out extra, being kind to a sibling, etc, they get to put a colorful jellybean into the jar. The white beans are set aside with me. The black jelly beans are for poor behavior. They hate getting black jelly beans. The goal is to have the jar filled by Easter. On Holy Saturday night, the white jelly beans replace the black ones as a reflection that Jesus died to take away our sins and make us white again so we can enter Heaven.

--5--

Midnight madness: NO, not basketball, though my kids do enjoy keeping track of who’s winning the games for the NCAA tournament! Luke doesn’t think he can sleep tonight due to Memphis and Duke losses yesterday. Poor boy.

Our midnight madness was a bit different. Chalk it up with the “joys” of parenting. Maybe after the fact, God was rejoicing, but definitely not during the incident: I’ll just say we had a lot of wake up calls but one not so pretty. It was one of those that I didn’t exactly handle well. One of our children was screaming, again. I went to the crying room to assess the situation. The child was on the floor, screaming. I could not calm this child with talking. I went to pick the child up and the blessing decided to pee all over and on the carpet. I too lost it, my temper that is. I was tired, I was mad. How could this child do such a thing? After aggressively taking off the wet pants through the continual screaming, the shirt came off by lifting the child slightly off the ground. I must be doing this too rough. I calmed down, made sure the blessing didn’t have to go anymore in the toilet and gently put the child back to bed with an I love you.

I too went back to bed again, and felt awful (clumped up once again). How could I have treated this child like that?

This Lent, our priest has been using Preface of Lent III for daily Mass. It has been moving for me. It was all I could think of when I got out of bed the next morning.

“…you ask us to express our thanks by self-denial. We are to master our sinfulness and conquer our pride. We are to show to those in need your goodness and mercy.”

So here I am, living it. As it said in the Magnificat that morning,

“By taking upon Himself all the shame of the nakedness and sin in Adam’s, and our place, Jesus once and for all brought it before the merciful eyes of His Father…and from this point on sinners should no longer hide; they have been reprieved from disgrace. So let them come to the light of Jesus’ cross…our own nakedness and sinfulness no longer has a reason for embarrassment or condemnation. It has become an opportunity for faith, faith that can arise even from a foolish self-confidence.”

May we have the “courage to humbly and gently gaze toward the bleeding face of the crucified Jesus” to gaze upon “the shame of Jesus who covers and hides ours.”

Yes, take courage: By God’s Mercy we are saved. How shall we thank Him?

--6--

All is well with Baby: After scheduling an ultrasound with the doctor, trying to change it because we found out the girls would have practice, and deciding to leave it alone and find a sitter for the rest of the crew; the doctor’s office called saying their machine was not working and we would have to reschedule. I called the sitter off, to only call her back a few hours later because the dr. office called back again saying they would be able to use a different machine and my appointment was back on. With all the variables, it ended up being a tricky planning day, but in the end, we got to see:

--7--

Gina: Mothering me on how to cut a pinapple. “No cut it that way. Be careful, don’t cut yourself! Be careful, Mommy! Now this piece. Are you being careful?” She then proceeded to put on Kathryn’s mascara which was left out on the island for some reason.

Where’s my ‘little’ girl?

----------

Have a great Weekend Everyone!

We will be celebrating with Kathryn. She is now old enough to get her permit to drive!

I repeat, "Where's my little girl?"

Tanning for Summer

Well, the bathroom floor got mopped up last night before I hit the bed, but here are 2 of Gina's footprints of make-up tracking through my carpet. She was supposed to be getting her jammies on, and Michael came down to tell me she was playing with the tan stuff in a bottle. As I investigated, she had applied the "tan stuff" all over her body. I guess she is ready for summer! Onto the next mess...

St Dominic, help me in my daily duties - "All for the glory of God"

A friend shared another post with me, a tribute to St. Joseph. With his feast day coming up in 9 days, if you want, here is a Novena to him, the foster father of Jesus, and patron of the Universal church, the dying, fathers, social justice, families and work!

St Joseph, pray for us!

NOVENA TO ST. JOSEPH
O glorious St. Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, to thee do we raise our hearts and hands to implore thy powerful intercession in obtaining
from the benign Heart of Jesus all the helps and graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special favor we now implore (state your petition).
O Guardian of the Word Incarnate, we have confidence that thy prayers on our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. Amen.
(Then say the following seven times in honor of the seven sorrows and joys of St. Joseph.)
V. O Glorious St. Joseph! Through thy love for Jesus Christ and for the glory of His Name,
R. Hear our prayers and obtain our petitions.
V. Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
R. Assist us!

Orange Juice, Anyone?

"I spiwled my orange juice, Mommy, but I'll clean it up for you!"

(yes, it IS juice!)

St. Frances of Rome:

"It is most laudable in a maried woman to be devout, but she must never forget that she is a housewife. And sometimes she must leave God at the alter to find Him in her housekeeping."

--Butler's Lives of the Saints

HAPPY MONDAY!