7 Quick Takes

1. My kids have slept in for the last few days until 8:30-9. I know. It would be great, except...

2. The older boy has discovered that if he a) wakes in the middle of the night and doesn't feel like sleeping anymore, b) stumbles through his dark bedroom to a toy bin and upturns it, and c) drags the now empty bin over to the door, he can use it to turn on the light! At 2 in the morning! Which is definitely reason to gleefully yell for me and his father, to share in the joy! [Getting him back to bed and asleep, with all other potential "ladders" confiscated, can take anywhere from 10-60 minutes. Yeesh. So now you know why he's sleeping in.)

3. Last night before dinner, Gabriel was eating a snack. He arrived in the kitchen and very concernedly asked for more while I was preparing the meal. "Dinner's almost ready, honey," I explained. He looked stricken. "But... Mama.... more?" My firstborn has huge brown eyes and pouty, fishy lips and when he whips out the 'stricken' look, it takes every ounce of my self-control to not squeeze him too hard and/or give in and let him eat a few candy bars. I was strong, though, and he escaped Mommy-squeezing and I eluded a 3-hour long toddler sugar-high. But we did end up giggling like idiots on the kitchen floor and now I can't think of the reason. It was GREAT.

4. The family in the house behind ours is clearing their backyard. They've spent the majority of the week sawing down everything in sight. Some people might be annoyed by a chainsaw revving at eight in the morning, but I like it: My father was one of those men who eyed fallen trees the way other men ogle luxury cars. We had lots of wood-splitting parties as a kid, so the sound of a chainsaw makes me think of those times and how I thought my dad was Superman and anyone who tried to kidnap me would be convinced otherwise with a Husquavarna.

5. My baby's 1st birthday party is next Saturday! I have arrived at the moment without losing my mind. Last minute RSVP's from family the next state over have got me scrambling to make sure the house is presentable, though (the party will be at a local park, but they'll be coming by beforehand.) Today, I WILL CLEAN the laundry room out. See, every time I have people over I'll clean 99% of the house until it glimmers but I'll leave the laundry room. It's downstairs, it's out of the way- who's going to be poking around there, right? Somehow or other, however, I found a member of the latest group of guests standing in the darkened doorway of the room, speechless/aghast/horrified? at the piles of laundry and lint towers. Lesson learned.

6. I have some military friends who are being relocated back to my beloved California. There are many things to love about California, but being wrapped up in pregnancy-craving-mania, I'm fixated on all the fabulous food they'll get to consume. Can you say, 'In-N-Out burgers'?! Gah!

7. My secret craving that I have not indulged -yet...- is Fluffernutters. Mm.... [By the way, I was humored when I googled it and saw there was a Wikipedia page on it. Seriously? They even have a picture of a "completed Fluffernutter."]

**7 Quick Takes is hosted at Conversion Diary! Go check it out!**