The MomGate MG1

A very Merry Christmas to all of those who celebrate it... and even to those who do not. I do hope that whichever holiday you celebrate this time of year, it is a wonderful one =) We all need some happiness in our lives.

So anyway, I know I havent posted in a while, part of it is just my exhaustion, and part of it is trying to keep everything running at home. It's been rough, I sucuumbed to the flu not too long ago and I was laid up for 5 days... not bad considering Shawn has been sick for almost 2 weeks now. I dont get sick like I used to (thank goodness because Mommy's dont get any sick time)

But tonight's post is going to be on Christmas and something that really bothers me...

So my hubby isnt a big family guy, he was an only child to a mother that, to put it bluntly, likes to smother. I think she is a wonderful person, but I am not really a chatter when I cant follow the tangents a conversation goes. And that is the easiest way to describe my MIL. I love her dearly, but I agree on the assessment by the priest that married me, "She is like a deer caught in headlights"

Anyway... past couple of years, since Gabe was born, we have invited her and my FIL down to my parent's house for Christmas. Mainly because schlepping the kids around the state on such a busy day is just not good for any of us. But secondly, because my sister (and usually my brother) are in town. I dont get to see my siblings very much and when they are in town I try to see them a little at least.

My MIL was an only child, my husband is an only child, so I do not think they understand the bond between siblings. My brother-in-law Ted doesnt like to leave home for long, to put it mildly - so they never stay very long. Usually the day after Christmas sees them on their way back to Maine as soon as they eat breakfast. So I kinda have to be at my parent's house if I want to see my sister at all! MIL however freaks out every year, maybe she thinks that I dont want her to see her grandkids on Christmas, or maybe she is just lonely... but I really want to see my sister any chance I get.

Shawn couldnt care less where we go, he would actually rather just staying home and avoiding all family no matter the day. Thats his perogative, but honestly I miss my siblings a lot. Luckily facebook helps lessen that.

Anyway I digress...

MIL gets weepy every year... in fact last year she ruined my birthday about this topic... sigh. Next year we will spend the Christmas day with her... and I will hope that since Christmas falls on a Saturday my BIL will decide to stay until Sunday... I can dream right?

So I know that kids like repetition. Not only is it good for their development, it drives parents crazy!

Past week Gabe has decided all he wants to watch during TV time is Ice Age; Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Which was fine the first 4 times... now I am getting tired of it. I was able to swap up by putting in the original Ice Age, which Gabe was okay with. But yikes, and I thought listening to the movie Cars in the car was bad enough!

Well he also has a favorite bedtime story, as do most kids his age. His is If you Give a Cat a Cupcake. It really is a cute book, and the way Gabe asks for it is just as cute. You ask him which book he wants to read and he says 'Cat Cake!' How can you say no to that =) Occasionally daddy can sneak in a different book, but usually it is Cat Cake. Granted the cat in the book looks like one of our felines, Spaz.

He also thrives on his routine, he knows when Daddy comes home from work it is usually time for a bath and a nap. The bath is just a fun way to play with his sister (who also LOVES the bath) but some bonding time without Mommy. It gives me a short window of time to pay bills and do little tasks.

If it keeps the house in order... I guess I will be watching Ice Age until he finds something else to latch onto... could be worse I suspect!

Alright, so I am going to admit something that everyone knows already. I am addicted to World of Warcraft. No surprise. However, I get addicted to things like this and then my interest wanes and move on to something else. Funny thing is, computer games are the only addiction people make a fuss about with me.

In highschool I got addicted to my pysanky. And I do mean addicted. I spent every free moment hunched over an egg, burning my fingers, getting wax on everything. Heck my hands were permanently stained for months from handling all the hot dyes. No one thought that was unhealthy.

In College(and this still happens on occasion...) I got readdicted to my store of books. I pretty much didnt leave my dorm room except for classes and a random meal or two while I sat and read and reread books over and over. Put it this way, in my recollection, I have read the Children of the Earth Series (minus the last book which is a more recent publication) 5 times. THose are no skinny mini books. But I have also read Tamora Pierce's novels at least 10 times (Granted those are quick reads that I started reading back in Jr High) Mercedes Lackey - I have read her entire Valdamer series twice, with reading certain triolgy multiple times. The books I am currently chewing through, E.E. Knight's Age of Fire series... well this is the 4th time through them. Dont even get me started on Anne McCaffery's series which is waiting to be reread once I recollect all the books from my parents...

Needless to say, I go through phases, and as any of my Highschool and College friends know, I randomly drop off the face of the earth for months at a time. I get caught up in my addictions and once the novelty has worn off... or I remember myself, I come back often chagrined. I dont do this on purpose for the most part, but I lead a very solitary life outside my kids. and honestly, my WoW Addiction stems mainly from being incredibly lonely.

I do not make friends in the real world easily. I've been hurt so many times by friends that I tend to shy away from really opening up, because honestly, once I decide you are friend, I will fight tooth and nail for you. Even now I still get burned by friends and I still take it very personal. The thing is, on WoW I have quite a few people I call friends. Yes some of them haveburned me, but it doesnt feel as painful for the most part. But online I know there are people who really care about me. WoW is my only true social outlet. And I dont even pay for it... at least not for a couple more months.

See last year for Christmas, a pair of very dear friends sent me a years subscription. They know how tight our money situation is, and didnt want to see me give WoW up after Caitlynn was born. So I savor every moment. Am I addicted? Yes I am. There is no denying it, but I am addicted to having people ask about me, talk to me, be concerned for my welfare. I am addicted to being a shoulder for these virtual friends, to give them advice, or even just a friendly ear to listen. Apparently this is a crime. Should I spend less time online, probably. Yet the majority of my time is spent in the evening and night.

I am an insomniac. I rarely get a lot of sleep even if I try to go to bed early. I lay in bed for hours and hours... and I hate being idle. So I play on the computer. Of course with Dragon's Age coming out, I am sure I will spend more and more time on that. When Shawn isn't playing it that is. I bought the game as an early birthday present to myself, but I have to share it with my husband who is as easily addicted to games as I am. Granted, he doesnt see his addiction as the problem mine is... Pot, meet kettle.

alright... here is a mommyhood rant. S

Shawn has been working late the past week (late meaning he gets home after noon =p) and his usual routine is to come home and give the kidlets their bath before naptime. Granted usually we go upstairs at noon because Caitlynn is demanding a nap, Gabe isnt quite there yet but I cant leave him unattended while I put his sister down for a nap. Shawn gets home and gets Gabe out of his room for a bath (just in case he poops which he has been lately) and then tries to convince the kid to go to sleep. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt.

Well today... for the first time in months he walks into the bedroom, strips, and then walks out to start the bathwater. But he drops his pants on the floor with all his change/keys/wallet etc in his pockets onto hardwood. So it makes a noise. Cait's eyes pop open and hey look at that, no more nap. Granted I am not feeling 100% and I really could have used some extra sleep. On top of that, he WAKES GABE UP to give him a bath. You NEVER wake Gabe up if you can help it... he is worse when you wake him up then when he doesnt sleep at all.

And of course Gabe will not go back to sleep. So now I have two wicked crabby kids and Shawn has shut the bedroom door and is taking HIS nap. SOmetimes I really think he does this on purpose ><

And to make matters worse, my farking social worker hasnt emptied her inbox in 3 days and I REALLY need to get intouch with her. Not a big surprise considering it took me 3 months to get in touch with her LAST time, but at least I could leave a message on her voicemail. So I am having one helluva shitty day.

On the plus side, Dragon's Age: Origins is awesome. More about that later =)

So last night was the first time I got to take a new role in WoW... that of a main tank. I leveled Chaly to 80 last week and have been chaining heroics since then... but last night 9 friends and I stepped into Naxxramas and I got to tank. I think we did rather well, minus some issues I had to learn to deal with, like the Safety Dance... and moving Grobby. it went very smoothly actually. I was happy, of course we had some very experienced players backing me up too!

My first time as a melee in a raid... and I liked it. i dont think I'll be giving up Maube anytime soon but I really enjoyed the change of rolls as a tank. I've healed, I've DPSed on various chars, but last night I tanked. And we did so well I think Naxx will only be a couple of weeks mainly for badges and whatnot before we head over to Ulduar and try to 10man that again. My last 10man failed mainly because we didnt have tanks that were reliable. Although through no fault of their own. Just like my 25man had trouble because we were out healers AND tanks. Funny thing is... Verissi and myself seem to always mirror the same roll because the raid needs it. We were mage DPS together, healers together and now tanks together. I think he just likes to keep me buffered ;)

Anyway... now that Dragon Age:Origins is uncrypted... time to go lose myself in a new game ::grins::

Well we make concessions in life to make everything go smoother... and I have made a rather silly one lately.

As any regular reader of my blog knows, Caitlynn has been having sleeping issues lately. Mostly revolving around teething and the need to practice crawling. Yet for the time being I have found a method that is helping her sleep better, not only at night, but during naptime as well. Oh and this is in her Packnplay as well.

Like her mommy, Caitlynn has a love of textures, specifically soft fuzzy ones. And my blanket is a VERY nice and soft blanket called Cashmina. Believe me when I say this.... it is the comfiest cozyiest blanket I have ever had... okay it's really a comforter but it is my blanket! So Caitlynn likes to take this blanket and rub her hands on it, and pull it against her face to feel the softness as she falls asleep. Something I like to do as well mind you. So lately I have been putting half the blanket in her Packnplay with half of it on the bed. Even when she is put in there awake, as long as she can play with my blanket she is usually content. WHen she starts to fuss, I just have to reach in, pop a pacifier in her mouth and she drifts off. I think I might have to buy myself a new blanket soon... when we move her into Gabe's room I might have to buy a little Cashmina blanket, and sleep with it so it smells like me.

Hey if it works right?

It is usually not a good thing...

I learned this with Gabe a while back, the trouble he has gotten into when I thought he was playing quietly... from opening christmas presents, to eating an entire quart of blueberries, to trying to open juice boxes himself... the list goes on. But yesterday was the first time that applied to Caitlynn.

She was having a rough day since she was overtired. Little devil decided she didnt want to nap unless I was laying next to her, and my knee was hurting so bad I couldn't stay in bed. So eventually I got tired of her kicking and trying to bite me, so I put her on the floor to practice crawling. She wasn't happy and was fussing and crying. Then it got quiet. I figured she found the pile of cheerios I put on the floor for her.

I was wrong.

Out of the blue Gabe starts screaming bloody murder. Ask him what is wrong all he is saying is 'Noodles!' Okay hun your noodles are right the.... CAITLYNN! There was Caitlynn her grubby hands in Gabe's bowl of noodles with streams of them from her mouth to the floor. Little shit wiggled to where Gabe was eating his dinner and proceeded to help herself.

When it comes to food, Cait is not shy at all.