I can't believe it is almost the new year. We sure are keeping busy around here! We spend a good part of the day with the kids playing outside; Usually we try for at least one trip in the car somewhere- tomorrow it will be to the hardware store for some new doorknobs. Juliet and Colin are pretty demanding children. Like most parents, we try to keep the peace around here and if all the cards have fallen in the right order- we'll allow most of what they want. A specific flavor juice? Sure. The top up or down in the car, too much wind- not enough wind? Sure, whatever you ask- a certain meal, yep- ok again- So long as everything is peaceful, Politeness ensues, sign language communication- check, We'll abide. This morning Juliet wanted to watch Garfield the movie. We really enjoy this movie, and watch it often. Thats why this morning stood out a big differently for us- abiding parents that try to keep our kids happy and all that jazz- "I want to watch freaking Garfield!". WHAT? "I want to watch FREAKING Garfield!"- No please, yelling the order- but more importantly, its the closest thing that she has used to a swear in her mere 4 years of life. Freaking. Nice. The day rounded out well though. We grilled kielbasa and fresh cut french fries for lunch, the kids ate adult portions- it was nice to see them eat so well. For a treat we went to baskin robbins for ice cream cones in the afternoon. Juliet didn't want to go in the car, This isnt the first time this week either. 3 days ago we wanted to go to McDonalds for dinner, kinda a lazy day. "Juliet, lets get in the car to go to ba da ba ba ba!"- That is how Colin knows what he is in for. Nope- "I cant do it Mommy, I can't go to McDonalds- I just CANT do it!" replies Juliet. I guess I understand, The golden arches arent exactly a once a month treat for us- maybe a few times- so it wasnt a novelty. But more importantly, she was outside playing with kids. Lately, she gets more play time with the neighborhood children- and loves every second of it. Makes me feel a little bad that it took Daddy taking leave to get more outdoor time, but if you knew my children you'd understand that they are just a bit more than a small handful to manage outdoors.Off the point I guess. We took down the Christmas tree and outdoor decorations today. Juliet cried, which isn't a new thing. At least we have a lot to be thankful for, and hopeful for in 2006!

I made the mistake of assuming the day after Christmas business would be back in session, including pharmacy’s. I was wrong, of course. I am going on 12 hours without my allergy medicine- zyrtec. The pharmacy should have had my prescription ready yesterday but were closed- so I had to wait till after noon today- Hubby is there picking it up right now.I have an odd reaction to allergy meds- I might have said that wrong. If I dont take my next allergy pill at the 25th hour, right after the last pill has worn off, I have terrible reactions. Sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose- its really quite miserable. So, im suffering right now. I have a headache from blowing my nose so much, and my eyes are burning from watering. Its putting me in a crummy mood.Juliet is all tears today. We were playing with the neighbors outside, and she kept falling to pieces. It doesnt take much to make her cry usually, but silly things set her off today. Her tv show was ending, she didnt have enough cheetos, her brother walked in front of the tv- big tears and sobbing. I think she must feel poorly. I gave her a couple motrin because she told me she had a boo boo in her eyes, which makes me think headache. Id gladly take a nap if I could get her convinced to lay down, it might do her some good. I was sympathetic to it most of the morning, but now that I feel rotten its wearing on my nerves.I’m ready for Christmas to be over. I want to put away all of the decorations.

I'm in a grumpy bad attitude'y kinda mood this evening. Nothing I really want to delve into, except that I count the hours till leave starts and the Army gets put on hold.Today was fun! Insert sarcasm here...This morning I was moving the garbage pail from under the carport to the front of the house. I move it on Tuesdays so that when hubby gets home from work and pulls into the carport, I dont have to make him move it so I can get to the garbage can to pull it out to the side of the road. All doors were open when I was doing this- yet, my son- my dear dear dear son walks into the kitchen, pulls out 3 glasses (yes, made of glass) and brings them into the living room. Moments later, I come in and Juliet says "Colin made a mess"- Yep, sure did- Blood everywhere. Terrible red gushing awful (exaggeration here) blood. I call hubby, its 10:30am. I tell him I am out of bandaids, and the blood is just flowing off his hands- stitches? He heads home. We head up to the bath. Colin hates baths- hates getting cleaned whatsoever- Screams bloody murder as I pick him up and drag him kicking and screaming into a tub of warm bubbles. I had to see his hands cleaned of blood so I could find the cuts. While in the tub, bleeding stops. Call hubby- he is moments away from the house, so he comes regardless. Looks like Colin nicked his cuticles and tips of fingers, and an ankle on glass- he stacked the 3 glasses inside each other, and when he pulled them apart they shattered. Look at what happens when I walk to the carport for a whole of two minutes.So, we get dad home for an extended lunch- Colin sucks on his fingers till the bleeding stops, and the world moves on.Nope, not that easy.This afternoon I heard the kids making lots of noise upstairs, suspicious I head up. Nothing big- just jumping on the bed. So, as I turn to adjust the air conditioner in the bedroom and answer the phone, Juliet decides to lock the door. We turned Colin's doorknob around so that if we had to, we could lock his door at night to prevent night wandering. Works great- NOT! Gosh I just said "Not" lol...anyhoo---I am now locked in a bedroom with 2 children, hopped up on grilled cheese from lunch (damn bread sugar), jumping on beds and laughing at Mommy struggling frantically to get out of this bedroom. I was on the phone with my best girl friend from Florida who also found this incredibly humorous by the way.I have a bent clothes hangar, metal, that I have used in the past. Yes, this has happened maybe 4 times in the last month - you'd think I would have learned by now. Nope. So, I fiddle with the door lock- its one of those tiny holes that you dont really use keys for, but long pointy needle thingies. So, I shove the coat hangar into the door repeatedly (cue laughter of Juliet, who's answer to "What did you DO!?" was- "I locked the door Mommy" Duh)So, I am at it with this darn door for FORTY FIVE MINUTES!!! I am on the second floor, so climbing out the window was no option. I was a heartbeat away from calling hubby (again) to have him come home to rescue us. Luckily no one needed a potty break. I was finally able to get out, totally lost as to anything I was doing before being locked in the room.Tomorrow I am putting a screwdriver in the top of the closet so I can escape if need be- that coat hangar trick almost didnt work today.Can I go to bed now?

We took Colin to the barber today. We usually go once a month- it is never pleasant. He isn't old enough to really enjoy Keiki Kuts- where we take Juliet- so till he grows a bit, he's stuck with the barber.Well, so we thought.The biggest fit a kid could throw- going boneless, melting into a puddle- horrific screams, red faced, near vomiting fit...The poor lady couldnt cut his hair. It was AWFUL. We drove around to another several barbers, hoping we could bribe a hairdresser with heaps of money, just to try- We'd restrain him, and pay them really really well- Colin needed a haircut today, he looked like a member of The Beatles.No dice. All places had too many people that didnt throw fits to bother. We had to take the plunge.......we bought clippers.I held his limbs, Hubby did the cutting- Not bad. If you walked by my house- you would have assumed we were sawing his limbs off with a butter knife- it was awful.So, its not perfectly even, but he's less like a Beatle, and more like my little boy.You would have thought we were torturing him, I cant say enough how angry and miserable he was.Looks like he'll be getting home hair cuts for a while, Maybe we'll get better at doing it. At least we already did family portraits lol!

Last night we were delivered our family photos that we had taken at the beach. I need like 25 picture frames now, so that I can have them all up on the walls! We bought one of each pose we liked, instead of a package of different sizes of the same pose. We will have a wall of pictures though, thats for sure.My allergies are kicking my butt. I have always assumed I was allergic to seasonal blooming plants- A doctor suggested it once, without having formal allergy testing, and ive always gone with that. How I would love to have allergy testing done. What if im allergic to my dog, mustard, dirt? I wish I knew what caused me to react the way I did so that I could do something around the house to take care of it. Every day between 8 and 9pm I have to take allergy medicine. As the time approaches, I start sneezing- watery eyes, runny nose- Its awful! I thought for sure this was a mental thing- my mind making up the need to take a pill at the same time every day- surely this medicine lasts more than 24 hours right? Wrong- I have tried switching to taking the pill in the morning, and I just wake up sneezing and miserable- really doubt its mental these days.Back to work for hubby after a nice 4 day. Thanksgiving was nice, relaxing- and expensive. We have spent so much money decorating the outside of our house- it looks great though!Not much else going on I guess. Gearing up for Christmas, counting down to 3 weeks of upcoming leave for hubby (yay!). OH!In a week I have the BIG ultrasound! Please be a boy, Please be a boy!I am 17 weeks and 1 day today