I totally forgot to tell this funny story!!

This happened at the end of September too, but I will just base the fact that I haven't told it yet on the fact that I was in the throes of my maternity leave and transition to Mommy of 3.

So, every year in my town, there is this HUGE Oktoberfest parade. Oktoberfest, otherwise known around here as "Notsoberfest" is a big drunken party where everyone is happy and friendly with everyone else, mostly thanks to the alcohol but also thanks to the fact that drinking and Wisconsin go hand in hand. After all, our unofficial tagline is, "Wisconsin: outdrinking your state since 1848." Oktoberfest spans 2 weekends so it's a pretty big deal.

Anyway, this year I decided to brave it and take all THREE kids to the parade by myself. The parade itself lasts about 3 hours. I met my mom down there (had the hubby drop us off because there's really nowhere to park in this sort of event).

We thoroughly enjoyed the parade, but when we got towards the end, Andrew (the 4-year-old) started saying, "Mom! I have to go poop!" Thank goodness my mom was with so she could watch the baby and the toddler (in the double stroller) so I took Andrew's hand and off we went to find a bathroom. There were some at the festgrounds which was a little bit of a hike, but not too bad. I get him in there and he sits on the throne and can't get anything out. I told him to keep trying but he said, "it's not coming out". So we go back to sit down. Ten minutes later, he says again, "Mom! Mom! I have to go poop!" This time my mom decided to take him and ten minutes later, she came back and shook her head, indicating he didn't go.

The parade was ending and I asked him one more time and he said he didn't have to go. I called the hubby and we arrange for a place for him to pick us up that isn't crowded. We decided on the post office. It was about a 10 minute walk but we high-tailed it and along the way, you guessed it, Andrew stated that he had to poop again. I told him to just wait because we were almost there.

We arrived at the post office and there are some big trees out front. I pulled over with the stroller and told Andrew that since there were no bathrooms, that we'd have to make do (literally and figuratively) under the tree. Here I was with Andrew and his pants around his ankles, squatting under the tree. When it was done, it really looked like a dog had taken a dump. Thankfully I had napkins in my diaper bag and I wiped him and tossed them in the direction of the pile. Five minutes later he had to go again so now there were 2 piles. At one point, a family walked by and I just kind-of waved it off, telling them nature was calling. They seemed to understand and even acted as though they had been there, done that.

So there you have it. My kid shit in front of the post office and if you don't think it could happen to you, just know that sometimes you are faced with a situation and have to make do. ;)

Coming up for some air!

Help!! I am swamped, both at work and at home. Well, to be fair, I will say that it's more work than home. I have so many different things that were added on to my position within the last year that I just don't have much free time. Then I go home and do all that I can with my kids while I clean up the day's worth of mess (so that it doesn't get so bad for me for the weekends). My family has also been sick (all of us) with some nasty virus, but thankfully we're all on the mend.

I will say, that there are some good things to focus on. As an idealist with realist tendencies, I tend to focus on the good. Here we go.

1. I am healthy and happy, as are my children.



2. It's 2012, and it's a new year with new things to look forward to (uh, spring?).



3. I love my job and am happy to be happily employed. I've been here 7 years and it's TRULY a great place to work. My boss even came to "rescue" me yesterday after my son locked both sets of keys in my car on lunch yesterday.



4. I have lost all of my postpartum weight and then some (new goal: focus on toning up some AND working out more often so I have more energy). Breastfeeding rawks, especially when you are tandem nursing and burning twice the calories.



5. My W-2 is in my hands as of yesterday, so that means tax time (which means GOOD things for poor folks like me who support a family of 5 on a not-so-high income).



6. I have been on a cleaning spurt, so my housework at home doesn't seem so bad. I cleaned my oldest's room yesterday and it no longer looks like tornado alley. THEN, I put together his train table and had fun putting on all the stickers as Andrew watched in anticipation. Thank you, Mom, for the coolest gift ever!



7. Winter is finally upon us, and while it means that the above-average temps we've had the past few weeks are probably gone for good, the snow is pretty and this is what Wisconsin is supposed to be like, so I can just suck it up and deal with it. And I have mad winter driving skills so am prepared to take on Mother Nature like a ninja. Fucking A! ;)

I hope 2012 finds you healthy. Keep things in perspective. If you feel down, always take a moment to redirect yourself because the sun is shining somewhere and it won't be long before it's shining on you.