Ducky.

 

The other day Buzz, looked at me and said “I love you Ducky!”

I said “Am I Ducky?”

He replied “YES! You are my Ducky. I love you Ducky, love my Ducky. Hug Ducky!”

He did this in front of Blue, and he got a good laugh out of it. Asking him what it meant? Buzz said “It’s her name now. No more Mommy, she’s my Ducky, and I love her.”

It’s been a week, and I’m still called Ducky. Sometimes I call him Ducky back. He loves it. I have no idea where it came from, or why. I need not understand, but I will embrace his creativity to give me a nickname.

So at dinner last night Buzz says with his sweet boy voice “Love you my Ducky” and Blue said “What about me? What is my new name” And Buzz scrunched his face and said “Bad. Ducky.”

“I’ll stick with Daddy, thankyouverymuch” said Blue. And we all laughed. He’s started calling his sister Mimi, which she loves, and she’s called him Weaky (his baby nickname from her) and it’s cute. For Blue? We will probably stick with Daddy, till something better then Bad Ducky comes along.

JCat McGack aka Ducky

Baby Gap and the Thumb Bus.

Last week I took my Tink to a Pediatric Orthodontist to have her gap looked at. When she was first getting in her baby teeth, she had a HORRIBLE under bite (her and our boxers had matching smiles!

So we invested in a retainer like device that didn’t hurt, her teeth just grew along with it. She was only 3 1/2 when we got it. And this office was FLOORED at how much of a difference it made!

But now she’s got that gap… she needed to have a Frenectomy done. To cut the extra skin between her teeth. Within 40 minutes of walking through the door. She was examined. Goggles on, and lasered off! Now hoping when her baby teeth fall out, and her big teeth come in. A lesser of a gap. (braces are of coarse in her future) My baby is no longer a baby!

Now onto my baby boy… who like his big sister is growing too fast! While racking up a bill at the said dentist office, I had asked what to do about a 4 1/2 year olds thumb sucking issues. She said, it has to stop. It will be horrible for his teeth. Sigh, his regular dentist has told us this for YEARS. I asked if she had anything for it.
Sure. Mavala Stop, it’s about $14. We’ve got it up front.

Brought it home, and Blue and I thought we should try it out first. Painted our thumbs, let it dry, sucked away.
At first it was bitter. Like my coffee.
Then some sort of after taste hit me.
It was like bitter shit with sour eggs that wouldn’t go away.
I gagged, coughed, and tried to scrap the first layer off my tongue.
I was sad having to do this to my baby.
But I couldn’t hesitate, or I’d never do it. I painted it on that night. But had to take this picture first.

I feel as if I’m pushing away my baby. Making him a big boy. But at 4 1/2 he needs to stop sucking his thumb. This is the last time I saw him doing this.
He tried to do it once. And after a gag, cough, and sad face (that hurt me!) he said I don’t want it to taste bad.
Thankfully Tink chimed in with this. “You CAN NOT suck your thumb anymore. I mean when you go to Kindergarten, you will be riding the bus with ME. Sitting with ME. I will be a second grader. The boys on my bus DO NOT suck their thumbs. They are big boys”
With that said she stared at him. He replied “Oh… ok”

And magically, Tink’s speech has helped him understand why. I would have gone on about hurting his teeth, and struggling for some grown up speech. But her point was perfect. He understood that to ride the bus, and sit with his sister, no more thumb sucking.

He said to me a few days ago, that the special nail paint was helping.
It’s been 7 days and he has yet to put his thumb back into his mouth. We repaint his nails every other day. JUST to keep the thought away.

We are proud of both of our two. Taking these life issues, and dealing with them the best they can. As for me, I put on my brave Mommy face, and tell them it’s for the best. But the “This hurts me, more then it hurts you” couldn’t be more true right now.

Love you my babies,

Mom

This Girl.

Tink.

She’s all girly. As much as I try to make sure she has a bit of tomboy in her. She pushes for her skirts, accessories and more pink then I can handle.

 

I love her for her sassiness, for her quiet serious self. For her love of books, and learning. When she needs to get her Secret Reader and write and draw all about her day. (I’ve got to say thanks to Judy B. Jones books for that one)

She’s silly, goofy, and so many parts me. She’s not shy, she’s brave, she’s willing to take chances and put herself out there.

I’ve got to say she’s got her moments, where she retreats, keeps things to herself, and enjoys her alone time, like her dad, Blue does.

I love to watch her. To see what moment she’s like me, what moment she’s like Blue. And what moments she’s ALL Mia.

At 6 1/2 she’s getting SO big, so independent, and very much her own self. Being on the journey of being a parent is a.maz.ing. Thanks my Meha <3

Love,
Mom.
xoxo…

*Note her SUPER curly hair, after baths we put in the soft rollers overnight. She LOVES her dresses and skirts, and the last picture is her “PINK DAY!” OMG, she picked out ALL the pink she could find, and ROCKED it.

Because I can.

I put on my neon shoes today. Because I can.

I put on Sophie’s leader.
I put on her coat.

I put on my yoga pants. Hoodie. Hat.
I put on my P!nk and Nikki Minaj music.
I went for a walk.
I went for a jog.

I was sick this morning. I felt blah.

I pushed myself.

Because I can.

Because some people I know can’t put on their shoes.

Because some people I know can’t walk. Can’t jog.

Because some people don’t have their dogs anymore.

Because some people can’t hear.

Because some people my age are not here anymore. Gone too soon.

Because they can’t, is why I do.

They’d love to walk their dog one more time.

They’d love to put on their shoes.

They’d love to walk, or jog.

They’d love to hear music.

I can put on my shoes. I can walk. I can jog. I have my dog. I have my health. I have my hearing. I have the strength.

There is no excuse to NOT get outside. Enjoy the last day of warm weather before winter hits. To do what so many others would love to do again, or for the first time.

I can. I will.

JCatMcGack

In My Spare Time

Over the summer I was often caught saying “In my spare time” as if I had TONS of it. People would ask…

“When do you do your scrapbooking? Paint? Draw? Garden? and all the other organizing and fun projects you come up with?!”

I don’t come up with time. I don’t have a magic wand that creates me more then the 24/7 we all have. I just schedule my life differently then the average person does.

Now I’m not so irresponsible that I put off ALL things I need to do. BUT we do the minimal around here. So in the morning, Tink is off to school, and Buzz is fed, pets too. Dishes done, some basic picking up. If bills need to be paid, or the accounts balanced, phone calls made, I do it. Then instead of diving into laundry, cleaning, dusting, mopping, and other things I COULD do. I see what Buzz wants to do. At 4 1/2 I’ve got a very limited number of months before he’s off to school all day, and my play friend is whisked away learning and growing like his sister.

We usually go to the basement, where it’s 1/2 playroom and the other half is my art room. Play-doh, paints, or just drawing. Sometimes we are lazy and watch cartoons for a bit together. As of the last few months he’s TOTALLY into his Monster Fighter LEGO’s. (LEGO’s + Halloween) so we’ll play for a while. Maybe a Nerf gun shoot out, or just read stories. Recently (as of this week) he lets me read Shel Silverstein poems to him! That makes my heart so happy!

And when he’s tired of playing with Mommy, then I go off and I drink coffee, I blog, Pinterst, I microblog (Facebook, Twitter) read, doodle, play games. THEN, after a nice morning, I’ll get into the above adult jobs that need to be done. Now before I go much further, I need to tell you that I am a Stay At Home Mom. I do not have a 9-5 job. My kids and this house are my current job.

BUT. and that is a BIG but.
Understand that my life priorities are still the same, kids or not, 40 work hours a week or not. Fun, playing, and creative time, it’s all been a priority to me. So to say that because you work a job outside of the home, you can’t say you don’t have the time to do fun things, I’ve got to say I’m calling that bullshit right there.

I get that you may not get time for 3 hours of play time, on top of all the other jobs to do around the house, I get that. Working parents get just a few hours a day to fit in playtime, housework, and just a bit of me time. If you say “I just don’t have time because I work” THAT is your own fault.

I used to work 40+ hours a week, and I used to STILL have time to read, draw, paint, scrapbook. YES my time was limited, but I made the best of the time I had. Took a sketchbook, pictures to crop, or my book to work and when I had a 15 or 20 minute break, I’d enjoy a bit of ME time where ever I go.

I know having kids is a time suck, they take up SO much of your energy, you are always waiting on them, cleaning up after them… it’s HOW you choose to live this life with them. So sure, the first few years you are their maid, their chef… but even then I was able to just zone out. Then with my PPD the best I could do was watch the 24/7 Big Brother live feeds while the baby slept, but it was some me time. Not laundry, not dishes, just some zone out doodle on paper, read a blog time.

I’m at a point with my 6 1/2 and 4 1/2 year old that they can pick up after themselves, help with small jobs around the house (they have a chore list) and help me in the kitchen. So it’s ALL of us enjoying every moment instead of grumbling about doing it all myself.

Remember Mary Poppins and how she made cleaning the nursery room fun? It’s like that. Make fun of what you do. I don’t like dishes, so I time myself. Try to beat my old time. And play music. My family knows I get the MP3 player and rock out to some Linkin Park to get the dishes done. I also remind myself how much I don’t want to wake up to a nasty kitchen. (note I have yet to come up with a fun idea for laundry. I just suck at it. Period)

This year, and the whole “Simplify” theme is making house work simple. Do it, get it done, enjoy life. A few years back it was “Balance” and I needed to find the right amount of time to give to the house, and adult jobs and how to give enough time to the ME time that I needed with kids and husband time too.

This life of mine is all about finding out what works, changing things up when it doesn’t, and loving it when it does.

Happy Tuesday!JCat McGack
“Just remember that we are all given the same 24 hours in the same 7 days. What you do with your time is up to you. “

“Don’t take life to serious. No one get’s out alive.”

What Tomorrow Will Simply Bring

Tomorrow is 2013. A shiny brand new year. Something that we all look forward to. If 2012 was good, bad or ugly, moving on is always the best. I have yet to hear someone say “Man I wish it could be 2012 forever”

2012 in a summary? Yikes… it began with vacations, vacations and more vacations. Arizona, Disney World and Michigan (twice) All great trips. Memories for a life time.
It was the summer of unforgettable adventures.
Star Wars Day, Warrior Dash, and Chicago’s Pride Parade and that was just in June!

Attempting to jog in 5K’s was a thing for me this year. Swam in mud, jumped over fire in the Warrior Dash. Then in October I was COVERED in rainbow powder from the Color Run in Iowa with a great friend of mine!

I jumped head first into a local Art Council. The Three Rivers Art Council to be exact. Joining the board and being as hands on as I could with it. Meeting great new people and pushing the arts into the community!

I spent a great amount of time with my best friend. This was one of those years when I found out how much we both need each other. I couldn’t imagine either of us getting through such and emotional summer with out each other.

This fall was busy. Buzz started Preschool, and Tink went into the 1st grade. And I started thinking of the new year (yes in September)

I came up with one great idea for myself in 2013.

“Simplify”

To easy? No way. You’ve got to understand me, our house, and just the way I’m ‘organized’ in every way. I’m over organized, to many bins, binders, baskets, drawers… it’s all too much (Peter Walsh humor, anyone?)
I’ve spent the last few years following Fly Lady, she has inspired me everyday to strive to have a shiny sink, and hit those hot spots. I TRY. HARD. But I’m human, so there are piles of clothes, and my sink did stay shiny for over 2 weeks! (a record for me) but the mess always out weighs the clean.

The thing is I’ve tried to organize TOO much. So “Simplify” will be the theme of the year.
I get it stuck in my head, and I remember this question “Could this be simpler?” For everything. From how I store silverware, to the laundry process.
My biggest tackle this year was the kids toys. OMG. For two kids who have zero cousins… let’s just say the amount of toys they get is OVERWHELMING. I’m no help, I could be called a “Toy enabler” I love toys as much as the next kid. I love my kids to have them. It’s just organizing it. So there is a system to how they are stored, and played with. It’s been a LONG process, and it’s not even close to being done. But it’s a good start rolling into 2013 with a plan in motion.

I’m hoping that with this idea, our life just keeps getting better. Change is great. Simple life. Simple joys. Simple process. It’s what I’ve got for 2013.

Here’s to change, here’s to a new start, here’s to moving forward.
Happy 2013 everyone!

JCat McGack