Crafts!

I have to change craft preferences. It turns out all the crochet I've been doing and all the wool I've been handling have destroyed my skin. I've had dry, cracked skin all winter. Since I've got some fancy-pants cream from my Dr. and slowed down my crochet I have gotten better. My skin is still sensitive but it's not bleeding and cracking anymore.
This means I'm going to try working more with polymer clay. It's hard to work with clay and care for the little ones. Monkey tried to take off with my tools and a chunk of clay today. Thank god we don't have carpets. I'd have found pink goo smeared into it.

Babies, again

MIL has sent her sister to look after SIL. Auntie will be there until the babies are born so my services are not needed. MIL was just going to cancel her trip to Fla. but Auntie volunteered to take the role as caretaker. I'm more than a little relieved. I was very nervous about looking after a very pregnant, very stubborn woman who I had to keep in her bed 23 hours of the day. I also would have had to look after her 11y/o and my monkeys.

MIL didn't call in Auntie because she was worried about me looking after SIL. She was concerned about BIL. He was (is?) quite useless, disappearing for the day to do his own thing, hiding in the basement and generally being a man an not understanding pregnancy and bed rest.

I am hoping to visit before the boys are born. I think SIL would like some time with my girls before she is too busy with her own.

Babies!

Baby J is 6 months old today and Monkey is just over a week away from 2. I turn 27 (gasp) this weekend. Time needs to slow down. I cannot believe how quickly time passes as I get older. I swear J was only born a few weeks ago. They grow too quickly, but not quickly enough. I really wish Monkey would figure the potty thing out. My hands can't take anymore diapers.

SIL is officially on bedrest. I have offered to come look after her but BIL is due home Tuesday and she has her parents with her until then. I'm starting to wonder if she even needs me to come at all. I have a feeling she'll be in the hospital full time before my shift at her house.

Airing Complaints

Not having a good week. Kids aren't sleeping. Monkey has decided to be 2 a few weeks early. Baby J has started eating solid foods so she's adjusting to that change. Monkey has a nasty diaper rash. She screams every time I try to change her. I have to pin her down with my legs to change her. We've been potty training but no luck yet.
Daddy is working crazy hours. I have minimal help but at least I'm not totally alone. My biggest worry/complaint is that I have agreed to help out my SIL for 3 weeks in February. She's pregnant with triplets and is essentially on bed rest. Her husband is a marine engineer and is away for most of Feb. My in-laws, her parents, are helping her out now but they are going to Florida at the end of January for a month so they won't be able to look after SIL and her 11 y/old daughter.
I'm petrified that something will happen while I'm there. Daddy will be with us for part of the trip but for most of it it's just me. SIL has her in-laws nearby but word has it that she is not getting along with her MIL right now. Vi (my 11 y/o niece) is mostly able to look after herself by since SIL needs looking after too I will be there to help. Nana will be looking after Monkey for part of the visit but since J still hates bottles she will stay with me. In addition to worrying the SIL will go into labor I'm worried about how well we will get along. Being pregnant is hard on every body, but being pregnant with triplets and on bed rest would be extremely trying. I can only imagine how hard this is going to be on her and I am going to be there for part of it. I hope I can keep my patience with her and my girls.
Add to my problems an extremely messy house with piles of dishes and laundry and you have one stressed out Mommy Murple.

A British Motoring Show

I have a confession to make. It's a confession millions of people around the world could make. I am in love with TopGear. Not only that, I have passed this love on to my parents and my children.

I love TopGear because the blokes who host it manage to seem like the kind of guys with whom I would have a beer. They bullshit and entertain while seemingly showing us (gasp) useful information about cars. They make the kind of car show I would make if I had their budget. And writers. And time.

I love the fast shiny cars but not as much as I love the dynamic relationship between Jezza, Hamster and Capt. Slow. This show makes me and my husband want to go on "TopGear" adventures around our province. It makes me want to drive fast around tight curves and narrow highways.

Post-Christmas Recovery

We spent 2 weeks of the holiday away from home. My girls are a little off their schedules and taking a few days to recover. I was with my parents for a week and my in-laws for a week. I went a little crazy. I love both families but I missed my house and my stuff. It's unnerving being in someone else's space for so long.
Now that we're home I'm trying to organize all of the new toys and gadgets. We have so much stuff. I look and worry that it won't get played with bit my worries are mostly unfounded. At least I'm playing with my new toys.

Rock & Roll

My babies grow too fast. J rolled over today, for the first time. She looked so confused. I didn't think to write down my thoughts any time El achieved a movement milestone so I will try for J. She had been trying for some time to roll and I have been putting her on the floor to help her develop her muscles and to play with her sister and her toys. 
J was trying so hard this morning. While she was practicing rolling E was eating another crayon. I almost missed J's roll because I was getting chewed crayon out of her sister's mouth. "Don't eat that" has become a frequent refrain in my house. 
E sits in armchairs like a teenager. I can't believe she's almost 2. 

Crafts - if you are family you might spoil your surprise if you read this.

Wow, it's been a long time since I've wrtten about my crafts. I recently finished a trio of Teddy bears for my SIL's impending arrivals. Since we don'tknow the sexes of the babies each bear has 2 outfits. I made the patterns for the clothes myself and the bears are from Amigurumi World.
I have made Mom a gift and I'm trying to make her another. I am hoping to make a hooded shawl but we'll see. I might be over estimating my free time.
I'm also making Husband a gift. Haven't decided what it will be but it's videogame related.

Hair

I'm losing my hair again. This is the 3rd time and it is miserable. I have never been a vain person but hair loss is trying and hard.
The first time I lost my hair was in my last full time year of university. I had worked numerous jobs and as far as I could tell the hair loss was stress-related. It was a scary day when I first noticed that bald patch.
The second time I lost hair was when I was pregnant with my first child. That bout wasn't so bad since it wasn't unexpected and it was even so no nasty patches.
This time it feels like stress and hormones. I'm still breastfeeding Baby J and things are a little crazy around here. I am going to try to keep my hope up that I'm imagining most of the problems but if I find any bald spots I am going to the doctor.

Venting Frustration

I love my husband but he is driving me nuts today. I have spent the day cleaning shit. Both of the bathrooms have been cleaned, he hasn't had to change a single diaper and I've cleaned the cabinet were a rodent friend has been hiding. I don't want to hear shit about not putting the clean dish towels away. Sure, he was quite polite about it but still, when I spend a good chunk of the day doing the disgusting chores while he watches cartoons with the kids and plays video games I deserve a break for not getting the towels into the drawer.