The Random Musings Of a Half Baked Mom

That title doesn't sound right, does it? Let me start by assuring you that I don't mean that I'm "baked" in the 1960's sense, just in the frazzled and tired way. Now, all of the people who assured me that having four children was no different than having three - that I'd hardly feel it as a bump in the road - I'm pretty certain they were baked that other way. And not just "Half Baked", either.

Things are all pretty much as I last left them, nothing terribly chaotic has happened - I think I've just started to feel the strain of having too many balls in the air I'm trying to juggle at once. Between Eli's "Welcome Home, we're going to poke and prod you everyplace" barage of medical appointments, and playing the simultaneous roles of full time teacher, Mom, wife, accountant, cook, housekeeper, administrative assistant, and newly appointed hairdresser (see frightened children above) - I've suddenly found that my batteries are running low. In fact, I can hear them making that ominous "beep . . . beep . . . beep . . . " like a cordless phone in its death throes - or the machines in hospital rooms that monitor your vitals, if you want a darker analogy :)! I've decided I'd better do something about that, lest the whole operation go belly up. I need something . . . like a book club, or a girl's night out, or a month in the Cayman Islands. Ok, I'm stretching it with that last one, I know! I've decided that at least once a month, I'm going to have to find some "Me Time" somewhere in our schedule. I hate that term "Me Time" because it sounds so humanistic and self absorbed. But it's shorter than saying "Must-Leave-House-Without-Children-Or-Fly-Into-Psychotic-Rage Time". Stay tuned . . .

Okay, I've had my cry out, now I'll update you on the kiddos (whom I really do still love with all of my heart)!

Our newest news is that Emma is going to start ballet classes (be still my heart!!). I can't say which of us is more excited! This is something I've dreamed of since the ultrasound annouced "It's a Girl", and Emma has wanted to do since she was about two years old, but I wanted her to be a bit older. Well, then life happened, and two adoptions in three years made our finances a bit . . . ahem . . . "skinnier" than they'd previously been. Can you say Rinnie to the rescue? My Mom, aka Rinnie, has offered to pay for her lessons. She will be reporting to class, complete with powder pink leotard and specially fitted toe shoes this coming Friday. I'll post pictures of her first class, if I manage to get some decent ones. I want all of my children to find their special nitch, but I confess I've got all of my fingers and toes crossed that this might just be Emma's nitch. I'll let you be the judge, here is a video of Emma and Eli doing their best Astaire and Rogers impression! What do you think? Clearly a natural, right? By the way, that is Havila sitting on the couch in the video, isn't she a darling? I watch her three days a week, which I realize adds to my hectic schedule, but just look at her . . . could you quit that little angel?