How we celebrated

If you saw yesterday's post, you realize it was a sort of holiday here. So how did we celebrate?

• Matthew threw up his breakfast and had to be bathed;


• Joseph tried to cut watermelon by himself and sliced his thumb (4 stitches);
• Matthew decided to wash his own hair and I found him walking down the hall, rubbing shampoo into his dry hair (it took forever to rinse it out and that could count as his 2nd bath- sink shower- of the day);


• I came in the bathroom and found that Matthew had taken off his diaper, climbed in the tub, pooped, climbed out, picked up his diaper and came downstairs (this is my supposition anyway since he had come down from his nap several hours before carrying his diaper and I can't figure out where it came from otherwise)- note this is a 3rd bath - waterless this time - of the day;


• I had to gather the garbage so I didn't forget garbage day like last week (which means it was overflowing);


• I gathered the laundry (one of those weeks where laundry didn't get sorted and put away before the next laundry day)
• I made a new brownie recipe and it was delicious!

A perfect celebration of what it means to be a mother. Of course for every trial a mother has, there is always a blessing (if only you look):

• Matthew was feeling sick all day (more fever and lethargy than stomachy). He took several naps, which left me time to get complete my cleaning to-do list. When he was awake, he didn't fuss, just climbed on my lap and cuddled. That left me time to finish the book I was reading (for which there wouldn't have been time otherwise). It was a very peaceful feeling to sit and rock my baby.


• When Joseph cut himself, Peter was able to come home immediately and stitch him up. While I sat (forcibly held) him on my lap, Peter expertly and swiftly numbed and stitched, and Joe and I talked about how this was Daddy's job: to help those that are hurt. It actually turned into a nice discussion of our gratitude for Daddy. As I held his head away from Peter's working and his unhurt hand down, stroking his cheek to keep him calm, he fell asleep in my lap.
• I caught Matthew with the shampoo right after it happened and before the shampoo dried and/or spread throughout the house.


• The garbage actually fit in the garbage can. This is near miraculous since we fill it up every week and this was two weeks worth!


• Gathering laundry only took one trip up and down the stairs (another near miraculous event!)


• There was nothing good about the poop in the tub, just nastiness. I guess it was good it somehow only stayed in the easy-to-clean tub instead of being stepped in and smudged all over the floors?
• We are trying to lose weight, so making a new brownie recipe works against our goal. Wait. Is that a blessing? Guess I got mixed up on this one, the blessing was at the top and the trial down below!

So my day of celebration was some of the best and worse of what being a mom is all about!