If it weren't for the fact that every single person in this family wants a piece of me (for their own various reasons) I would probably be ostracized for life at this point.

Tomorrow marks the great push of the campaign to save our clothes, linens, shoe laces, and remaining blinds. The notice is printed. It's sitting on top of my car keys lest I forget it in the mad rush to leave tomorrow morning. It's carefully worded and the pictures were calculated selections.

"MR. BILL NEEDS A NEW HOME!" is the title of the notice. It's going up on the announcement board at the vet clinic I've worked at for years.

Yes, after hundreds (a thousand?) of dollars worth of damage I have finally convinced Jason that the cat needs to go. True, Mr. Bill might be the coolest cat that we have ever (or will ever) own. But his dirty little habit is not compatible with rearing a houseful of children (what two year old can remember to close a bedroom door EVERY single time she goes thru it?). That cat has driven me to tears on more than one occasion because he has beaten me in the battle to protect my family's cotton possessions. Well, he may have won many battles but he will NOT win the war, my friends!

I have a dream that one day I will be able to hang a bra to dry in my laundry room and not have it rendered strapless.

I have a dream that one day I will be able to do buy curtains and be confident that they will not be chewed up and regurgitated onto the carpet or couch.

I have a dream that my four little children will be able to have shoelaces that are longer than the gnawed length of about 5 inches.

I have a dream.

(much apologies to Dr. King)

Shining Moments of Parenthood

Today, Hailey had a bit of trouble with "The Attitude" as she refers to it. She got a couple of spankings and was deprived of computer time because of her little blaze of rebellion.

While I was putting the girls to bed she asked me something and I told her "we will talk about it tomorrow " and she put this frowning, pouty face on (which I privately refer to as "The Brat Look") and put her hands on her hips. Very unacceptable behavior of course.

The inner Brat rose up in me. I copied her expression and her stance. Her eyes widened in horror and she started to cry. "Why are you copying me?!"

I swear I couldn't help my answer: "Just to show you how dumb you look!"

My Precious Hailey...

turns seven years old today and I can hardly believe it! My wonderful big girl who filled me up with love during her first year, challenged me beyond belief during her toddler years, and has amazed me with her creativity and kindness during her kid years is growing up way TOO FAST! She has been the child that has taught me to refrain from judging other parents too harshly ("MY child would never do that!"). The one who made me caused me to fall in love with nature all over again (bugs are FASCINATING!). She is the person who most dramatically motivated me to mature and slowly shed my selfishness. I am a much better person today than I was seven years ago because of her.

I see so much of both her Dad and I in her. She looks just like him, loves to test boundaries, doesn't need to follow the crowd, and is particular about her belongings (where they go, who touches them, etc). She is a bookworm, a night owl, and hates to be wrong--traits she most certainly gets from me. She can be the sweetest of children--her compassion occasionally amazes me--and then then she can display some of the most rigid, anal retentive behavior imaginable (just knock over her carefully arranged display of My Little Pony and see the total collapse of her self-control). Her independence is sometimes difficult for me to understand and to respect because I was the total opposite as a child (I was shy and so far none of my children have a shy bone in their bodies!).

Hailey has big plans for this year. Today we are taking her to get her ears pierced. She's been wanting this since last summer (we said she had to wait until she was seven) and no matter how many times I have asked her if she still wants to do it, her resolve has never changed. She has informed us that now that she is turning seven, "The Attitude" (as she refers to her ongoing struggle with being disrespectful--she's improving constantly though) is going to go away. She is very excited about her role as big sister to three younger siblings. She talks about the new baby almost every day and loves to feel my belly. She can't wait for the birth and I am excited for her to be able to watch yet another sibling be born. This will be a good year for her--for all of us.

I'm wrapping this up so I can sneak upstairs and take a look at my brand new seven year old--that is if I can even see her because she often sleeps completely underneath the covers!

Happy Birthday My Hailey! :)