Welcome to the mad house!

Ever have one of those days where you fall in bed thinking that you've narrowly escaped total annihilation? I've had one of those weeks.

Monday started out slow. We took our usual nut-house trip to the grocery, and then I had to make a trip to my Dad's. My dear dad had asked me to help install his new LCD TV that was being delivered on Monday afternoon. I schlepped over there, all ready to move the humongous old TV onto the floor, install the new 37" model on the TV stand, vacuum the living room, and carry the humongous old TV to my car in payment. Turns out, he bought me a new LCD TV to take home. I think he's slipping. Still, COOL. I brought it home, dragged The Family out to the car, sang "Happy Birthday to You" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", and presented TV From Grandfather.

The Girl threw up dinner that night. All over the bathroom floor and in the sink. I'm telling you, it was spectacular. Pokemon mac-n-cheese, fruit snacks, salad, and the piece de resistance -- mint chocolate cookies. There's always that one item that almost makes a one-person vomiting incident into a two-person vomiting incident... Seriously, it was astonishing. I had to clean it out of the door hinge, shower curtain, the walls. It required an entire roll of paper towels. Phenomenal. Those little Pikachu noodles don't look nearly as cute the second time around. But at least I know the bathroom is clean now.

Tuesday morning, bright and early, we headed out to Target to get a birthday present, ran home, ate lunch, got to the birthday/pool party by 1:00. The Girl started fussing as soon as we got there. The fussing escalated into whining and then crying. She was inconsolable. I called for The Husband to come get her. (Dial office; no answer. Dial home; no answer. Dial cell phone; no answer. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Act surprised when Husband says he just got in.) The Boy only maimed one child at the party, and then pushed me in while I was collecting up our pool toys to go home. I had thought I had made my point about people getting hurt and not pushing in anyone who doesn't want to get in. But no. Damn. Soggy seats in the car again.

The boy vomited Tuesday night. I called the orthodontist early Wednesday, and he said, "No problem! Bring him in anyway!" I endured a couple of hours of "But whyyyyy can't I go to play group at the beach?" and it was time for lunch and then new braces at the orthodontist's. $1200 later, The Boy has two bands and four "brackets" glued on his teeth. The wire is held on with colored rubber rings -- one each: blue, gold, red, and green. We stopped and got soft, orthodontist-approved foods to eat at the grocery. He threw up on the way home from the grocery store. After two hours of whining and moaning, I finally beat the truth out of him: his throat hurt and his mouth tasted bad. I actually sat in front of the kid's bed and spooned tropical fruit sherbet into his pitiful mouth. Worked like a charm. ;) What a cutie!

Which can only lead to one thing -- spoiled child syndrome. He's so cute, and I'm feeding him like a teething baby. I haven't cut up canned peaches into little cubes in a long, long time, and it's kind of fun. Little half-inch cheeseburger bites for dinner with tiny, little watermelon pieces... My sweet, brave, little prince!

Then Thursday came. His bottom teeth were banging on the top braces, so it was back to the orthodontist to have the "bite blocks" made a little bigger. Nasty taste in the mouth again. Trip to the grocery again. Oy.

We made it home Thursday afternoon without incident, and collapsed. I finally set up the new TV, and it's SWEET! I called my dad to tell him so, and he recommended a screen guard for it. Five minutes later, my mom calls. "You know your father's mad at you." Heh? "He says you never thanked him for the TV." AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH! Someone release me!!

So, tomorrow? 8:00 psychiatrist appointment, and then a visit with the "thank you note" fairy. Wish me luck.

And ask me about my new curriculum! Two days before all heck broke loose, I actually went to a curriculum fair! Whee!