I’m done. I’ve cracked. I’m going to my mother’s house. Sometime soon. When I get my homework done, and the house clean and if by next week I’m still on the brink of meltdown. I think I’d rather be in solitary confinement than be here. I don’t know…do they let you have books in solitary? This decision has made me feel much better (even though in my opinion it pegs me as a weakling) and I’m cutting my hiatus short, because I write every day anyway, and there’s not really a reason some of that writing shouldn’t go on my blog. I was just feeling anti-social. You know, I've noticed that there are a lot of different kinds of blogs. My entries are often just a chronology of how the day went, which many people hate, but that's the kind of blog I like to read, so maybe that's why I write that way.
Today I cleaned marker and makeup off my couches, vacuumed up chips and eggshell from the living room floor, etc. It’s been one of those kinds of days.
Okay, I also picked up some books and a new wardrobe for Demetri today at yard sales. And several organizing bins- with drawers. I reorganized the bathroom closet, wrote a paper on parenting styles (ha ha), and managed to throw French fries and frozen burritos in the oven (we will ignore the fact that I burned them). We watched a Shirley Temple movie while I finished a Powerpoint presentation, which I’m proud of getting in before the due date because I’ve missed so many this week.
Today Teddy was busy singing “Oh MisMis Tree.” It’s so funny because he sings it over and over, and he even has the right tune. It has felt like the holiday season for the last month because we have this big book with Christmas songs (Winnie-the-Pooh style) and the buttons on the side that actually play the music to go with them. I can’t believe how quickly they’ve memorized all the songs. Shawn wonders if Deseret Book might have that kind of book for the primary songs. Teddy also has some sort of obsession with being a dancer. His two most common phrases (aside from “No, I Baby” whenever someone calls him Teddy) are “I goin’ to be a dancer when I gwow up” and “I LOVE to dance.” Funny kid. He got the whole idea from a Curious George book (his George book, which holds some sort of special status akin to the blanket he drags behind him all day) that has a page about occupations. All the boys picked occupations by finding their favorite picture, and Teddy’s was the dancer. So in his words, “Demetri’s goin’ to be a daddy, Olie’s goin’ to be a soldier, and I goin’ to be a dancer.”
Olie’s newest favorite idea probably comes from the book Guess How Much I Love You- although his statements don’t make quite as much sense. “Mommy I love you SOOOO much you can talk for 8 minutes.” “I love you SOOOOO much we can drive all the way to Grandma’s house.” Silly boy.
Demetri is busy being my helper. He’s learning how to cook (last night he only drained one of the four cans of soup because he thought there was going to be too much broth). He is helping me clean the entire house so I can leave in good conscience. He reads to his brothers. We went through clothes today and put away all the ones that are getting too small (including mine). He loves growing into new clothes.
Shawn is having the time of his life. I think it’s the first time since before we were married that he doesn’t call me every day that he hasn’t seen me (not counting basic training, because he wasn’t allowed to). He said he misses my cooking though, which is hilarious, because he generally just tolerates it. What he really misses is vegetables, especially fresh, raw ones. He tried scorpion, gets to go to lots of little and big marketplaces (any requests?), has been to the Imperial Palace—and lots of other significant places, and is happy with how much he’s learning just by being there.
