O is for organization!

I have come to the conclusion that my house is completely inefficient due to a surplus of stuff.  That it has been this way for quite some time.  And it is the major source of stress in my life (aka filling my heart with rage every time I open a closet and things fall out on me).  I've spent the last few months complaining to my husband, complaining to myself (because, really, I'm not sure how often my husband listens to me), trying to figure to get this house in order, and how we ended up with so much superfluous stuff (really, five vegetable peelers, why do we have five vegetable peelers!?).  Last week I downloaded a guide to get your house organized in 30 days in only 5 minutes a day.  Even though I haven't actually used the guide (I definitely need more than five minutes a day), it did give the necessary kick in the pants to get up and get organizing.

I've decided to tackle the house in a West to East orientation.  That way I get some of the hard stuff done first (kitchen) but also start with the easy stuff (living/dining room) and save the master bedroom for last (the worst room in the house, this is where junk goes to die).  Yesterday I completed the first half of the house -- kitchen, living, dining, family, and entry way.  Yay for me!  Unfortunately, the house is actually looking a little worse because I have the dining room table piled with stuff to get rid of at a garage sale.  At least before everything was hiding in the closets/cupboards. However, if you were to open my closets or cupboards, the neatness would blow your socks off!  Which I would then have you pick up and put back on because we wouldn't want to clutter up my nice clean house. :)

Organizing is a challenge with Sig in the house.  Mr. Busybody wants to help.  "No, mommy does not need you to stand on the step ladder with her.  She already fell off once and she doesn't need you to help her break her neck.  She's more than klutzy enough to accomplish that on her own."  I did enlist my dad to come up one morning and play with Sig while I cleaned out the entry way closet, which is when I fell off the step ladder and, thankfully, came out of the situation unscathed.   I was just glad I had another adult in the house at the time.  I've since restricted myself to only using the step ladder when Mike is home because it's always good planning to have someone available to take you to the emergency room.

The rest of the house (except the master bedroom) shouldn't take me too long.  Mike went through the garage and set out some boxes I need to go through.  The nursery is well organized and I need to get out the next size clothes for Thor anyways.  Man, I can't believe he's moving into size 9 months already!  He'll be 4 months on Friday and is a little moose!  Sig's room is also pretty good since we cleaned it out this winter to move him into it.   My goal is to have the house clean by middle of next week.  I also told my mom that I'd come down and go through the rest of my belongings at their house.  I'm not sure why I offered to do that.  Maybe I have a brain fever that was induced by too much cleaning.  I guess since I've got the cleaning bug, I might as well make the best of it.

And a 6.7 from the Russian judge

There are good days.  And then there are days.  I don't want to say the days are bad.  I'm trying to be positive.  We have had some good times today: waking up to smiling faces, sitting on the sofa reading Dr. Suess, Sig going potty on his potty.  But those moments seemed to be buried under what seems like non-stop crying.  Standing in the family room holding a screaming infant while my toddler sobbed against my leg I was pretty near the point of selling both my children to the gypsies.  Then, for whatever reason, the thought popped in my head that the kids were competing against each other in some sort of Olympics of tears and I was a judge.  Sig got points for being most pathetic and style (he does have two years worth of practice).  Thor got points for volume and pitch.  It was declared a tie.

Thor has been crying more, as of late.  I don't know if it just part of him getting over his ear infection, if the medicine he's taking is upsetting his stomach, or if it just a phase he's going through.  I sure wish I could figure out what was causing his tears so I could figure out if they could be avoided.  Both kids are still suffering from colds, though Sig's snot does seem to be abating.  Thor sounds congested at times, though it is usually after one of his scream-fests.  Everyone is still sleeping well, eating well, and except for the crying, seem to be their normal, chipper selves.

iPhone snapshots

We've made it to Thursday!  Tomorrow is Mike's day off, so we have Daddy home for three full days!  Yay!  The sun shone for the past two days, though we're back to rain and clouds today.  Thor has his first ear infection, so he's been a little extra cranky with that for the past couple days, but he also had his first fit of giggles last night.  He's always been very vocal and has squealed with delight since he started smiling.  But last night was the first time I could really say that he laughed.  Big, hearty, baby belly laughs!  Sig enjoyed the nicer weather and played outside in his sandbox whenever we'd let him.  He also loved blowing bubbles and playing doggie games with Charlie.  He and Charlie have several games they play, but most include Charlie knocking Sig down and Sig laughing hysterically.

It seems that the camera I use to take most of the photos of my kids is my iPhone.  What can I say, it is usually handy and I don't really worry about Sig destroying it unlike the fancy Nikon Mike got me for my birthday.  I plug my phone into the computer about twice a month and today happened to be one of those times.  I got tickled looking at the pictures that were downloaded off my phone, so I've decided to share them with you. 

 Tummy time

 Charlie in the sun

 Easter (Grandma had a special outfit for Thor)

 Sig on an egg hunt

 Self portrait by Sig

 Enjoying our lovely spring weather

 Playing with his sand table

Monday, Monday

Mondays are the worst! I think we get used to having Daddy around all weekend and we all have to adjust when it's just me. Everyone is fussy, I didn't sleep well, we're all getting over our colds, and it's raining! Whine! Whine! Whine!

It took Sig forever to go down for his nap. Thor won't let me put him down so he's sleeping against my chest. I'm typing this with one finger on my iPad. I'm at that lovely postpartum stage where all your hair falls out. My clothes don't want to fit right and I hate this nursing bra. In fact, I hate all my nursing bras! And it's still raining! Whine! Whine! Whine!

I did get the laundry done. Maybe if I wish really hard the clothes will fold themselves. The dishwasher has been emptied. The blue circles someone drew on the walls add a nice splash of color. We are having sourdough pancakes for dinner. There's one less terrorist in the world. So, I guess I should stop with the whining.

But it is still raining.

If I were king, dilly-dilly

All right, my obsession with the royal wedding has to stop.  I don't even know where it came from.  I was wishy-washy on Thursday as to whether or not I'd watch it at all.  I mean, I have babies.  I have responsibilities.  I value the few hours of sleep I get at night and do I really want to waste them watching complete strangers getting married?  Plus, I was getting sick, not really the best time to be up all night.  But come Thursday at 11 p.m., I'm making myself a nice little bed on the sofa, Thor's pack'n'play pulled close to the couch, and my iPhone alarm set to go off at 1 a.m.  I figured, what the hey, I'll be one of those insane people who watch it, but I'll keep my cool.  I'll watch it with irony.  Yeah, irony and sarcasm.  I even set my iPhone alarm to play church bells.

One a.m. arrives.  I groggily turn the t.v. on.  My throat hurts.  I sit there for an hour watching the Today show and their boring coverage of the guests arriving at the wedding.  Shoot.  I should have slept until 2.  What the heck am I doing up at all?  I'm sick.  Why am I watching this stupid wedding?  Thor sounds a little congested but is snoozing peacefully in his crib.  Should I just go back to sleep?  Oh wait, there's David Beckham.  Really, what am I doing up watching this wedding?  It's not ironic that I'm up watching this circus, it's just stupid.

Two a.m.  Here come the princes.  Ok, now it is suddenly getting a little more interesting.  I feel my irony slipping.  And some of the hats are just down right gorgeous.  The important people are arriving.  They keep showing David Beckham, too.  And really, I think that would be my policy too.  When things get boring, broadcast Beckham.  Royals are arriving.  Here's the Queen looking very proper and sweet in her yellow outfit.  Very English granny.  Trying to be sarcastic about the Queen.  Can't come up with anything.  Then the lady of the hour: Kate.  Irony and sarcasm slip into oblivion.  Look at the pretty bride!  She's a princess now!  Squeal!!!     

Three a.m.  Watched half the ceremony.  Made it through the vows and a couple songs.  Discovered what my wedding was missing: little boys in livery.  How cute!  Decided that I'd watched the important stuff and I could catch whatever I missed on the internet.  Grab my baby and head to bed. 

Later on Friday I did watch the processional and balcony scene.  Sig came in while I was watching Wills and Kate on the balcony.  He waved back at them, which I thought was cute.  I'm sure my husband was rolling his eyes.  I've also caught myself reading articles on the internet about the hats, honeymoon, and other particulars.  I really do need to stop.  But maybe just one People magazine, with lots of pictures.  Just one, I swear!