What a Wake Up Call! *** Warning: Poop Alert!!! ***

Our mornings have been a bit crazy this week. Daddy's car had to go to the garage to have it's "boo-boo" fix (and it was a big one - transmission!) so we've had to drive him to work for the past two days. Then to add to it, Bruiser had an appointment each of those days - in the morning! Well, if you don't know by now, we are not morning people...so it has been a challenge!

Yesterday, Daddy and I got up and started getting things together before the children were awake. I checked my email, hopped in the shower, got halfway dressed...and then I walked by Bruiser's closed bedroom door. I sniffed...then I sniffed again. I groaned...he must have pooped during the night and boy, did it stink! So I finished getting dressed (big mistake!) and opened his door. The stench that hit me was indescribable! It smelled like a sewer...sorry, but its true!

As I forced myself to walk in the room, I noticed the dirty sheets. Great, the diaper leaked. I grabbed wipes and opened a window...in the best interest of all involved! Through this all, Bruiser sat on his bed, not moving, with his "momas" blanket on his lap. I approached and lifted the blanket. I. Almost. Died! Bruiser was sitting in a pile of poop! I had never seen anything like it! I didn't even know where to begin!

So, smart mommy that I am, I lifted him up by the arms, carried him (dripping!) to the bathroom, and stuck him in the shower...clothes and all...with Daddy! Yes, I did! I let him handle that! Then I stripped the bed, wiped all the surfaces with Lysol wipes, and started my first load of laundry for the day.

So, we spent the day with the windows open wide and the fresh air clearing our sinuses! Bruiser was fine, went to school for the morning, and had nice little nap ... in Tater's clean bed!

Here is the kicker of it all...at bedtime, I went into his room to make his bed and I noticed it still had a lingering odor. I figured it just needed more air until I picked up his pillow to put the pillow cases on it. The mess had leaked through two pillow cases and stained the actual pillow with stench! Bye-bye, pillow! Thank God it was trash night!

P.S. We woke up poop-free this morning!

Wordless Wednesday - Bruiser Style!

*** Update! In view of the subsequent post, that is chocolate on his face ... not what was the topic in the next post! ***

Introducing...Miss Wiggles!

G-Baby was named G-Baby for lack of a better name! Now as she has grown and we have gotten to know her a bit better, it's time to change her bloggy name! She has become the queen of wiggles, so she will now be known as "Miss Wiggles"!

Here is a video of her wiggling away for Daddy!

Splish, Splash!

While at Papa and Mimi's house, we took a day trip to visit the cousins and spent an awesome afternoon splashing away at a local pool!

Look For a Bit of Humor...

A couple of months ago, I posted about the "good-byes" we had pending at the end of our summer. At the time, I never thought they would get here so quickly! We have spent the last three Sundays saying goodbye to our minister and her family. Not only has she led us spiritually, supported us through the births of all three children, and provided us prayer through all their many health problems, but she (and her family!) has been our friend. We have shared good books, glasses of wine, scrapbooking, parenting trials and tribulations, and our growing and evolving faith. It has always been her that has made me feel better about the crazy things my children do - because hers are equally (if not more!) wild and crazy!

So even though we have another few days of them close by and we already have a "moms' weekend" in Chicago planned for the spring, saying goodbye has been so hard! I have shed enough tears to last me for the year...and there are more to come! We wish them well on their new adventure, which we can't wait to hear about thanks to the wonders of technology! Now, if only they start a blog...

So in light of these good-byes and the ones that are pending, we have been trying to catch little rays of sunshine as they sneak through! Here's a Bruiser moment (and I know you are all anticipating a good laugh!).

This evening Bruiser and G-Baby were playing (aka arguing over toys) on the floor. Bruiser has a bit of an obsession with Taggie blankets. He thinks he owns then all, even the pink princess ones that Tater and G-Baby claim. He grabs a tag and puts his thumb in and settles down wherever he is for a quiet moment. It actually can be really sweet!

Well, tonight, he decided that G-Baby's Taggie book was his and she was not too pleased about it! When I insisted he return it to her, he laughed his evil (but cute), "the devil's in me" laugh and began to run. Usually he runs circles through the entry way, down the hall, into the kitchen, through the dining room and back to the laundry room. Well, tonight he ventured off the typical path and ran into the mud room. When I caught up with him (he's fast!), he was hiding behind the curtains on the door and giggling. All I could see were his little legs and chunky feet poking out the bottom! And then I did what no Mom should do when they are trying to punish a child ... I laughed! I laughed so hard I cried (for about the 100th time today!). But these were good tears! I laughed so hard, Daddy came to see what was happening...and he laughed too! So much for a teachable moment! Now we just have to figure out where he learned that trick...

That's the Life!

Papa and the kids watching "Een" and having breakfast!

Life...as always!...has been crazy around here! We got back from visiting Papa and Mimi, sent them and Tater home from their week with us, Bruiser got a fever, and I headed off on a mom-cation to sunny (and HOT) Florida! Nothing stops around here!

All seemed to be going well as I prepared to leave Daddy, Bruiser, and G-Baby and trek off to Florida for a few days of kid-free relaxation. But who was I kidding? That's not how things work in The House of Sprout! We woke Sunday morning to Bruiser with a temperature of 102. Daddy opted to stay home from church and let me go. It was our minister's almost-last Sunday and the celebration of her family's commitment to our ministry. So G-Baby and I headed off for a tear-soaked service and skipped the picnic celebration to come home and check on Bruiser.

By 4pm, his temp reached 104. Motrin, a luke-warm bath, and Popsicles helped a bit, but I began to worry if I should even be leaving. Daddy reassured me that he could handle it and I reluctantly packed my bags and headed off early the next morning after a short night of sleep. Daddy woke to Bruiser still sporting a high temp and quickly made an appointment with the pediatrician. Diagnosis? It was a virus with a high fever that lasts for five days and is still contagious for 24 hours after the fever ends. Poor Bruiser and poor Daddy.

Oh, and it gets worse! But Tuesday, G-Baby had the fever! And where was Mommy? A 4-hour plane ride away! I did feel terrible - no Mommy wants to be away from her sick little ones! But Daddy did great! The kids were medicated, entertained, and fed. He even spent most of one night up with G-Baby - something he hasn't done since Tater was an infant!

I arrived home to two almost-healthy children, a tired Daddy, and an amazingly straightened-up house. Hmmm...maybe I should go away more often!

So, as I return to bloggy world, here are a few shots of G-Baby to bring smiles to your faces! Enjoy as I venture into attempting to bring normalcy back to our house...just in time to head to Mimi and Papa's again next week!

G-Baby snacking and sporting her first hair bow!
Legs propped up!

Can't even stand that smile!