What's that smell?

For those of you who don't watch a Bear in the Big Blue House video every single day (multiple times, I confess...) you may not recognize this catchphrase. The Bear always starts the show with a sniff and then guesses what his viewers might smell of...pancakes? grass? clean pajamas?

If that Bear were to enter my house today he would say:
1 "Did your little boy just pee on you? Because your house smells like pee!"
2. "Did your little girl just do a poo in her nappy? Because your house smells lke poo!"
3. "Have you just been thrown up on? Because your house smells like baby puke!"
4. "Do you have a bucket of nappies waiting to be emptied? Because your house smells like 3 day old nappies!"

"No, wait..." (he'd say) "Do you have a dead bird in your chimney? Because your house SERIOUSLY smells of a dead rotting thing!"

"Or maybe you smell this bad all the time...

No screaming

The Boyo is finding his voice. When babies are new they don't make any noise but cry, then they start to make those lovely little coos and R2-D2 noises. and eventually they start to talk which is really cute. But in between there's an annoying stage where they shriek, not because they are upset, but just because they can. And we're at that stage.

That would be irritating on its own, but we already have one screamer in the house -- Bupsy. She screams primarily for one of 3 reasons:
1. She wants attention (because I am in the next room, or am talking to someone)
2. I am using a loud voice, like calling down the stairs to my husband, or getting frustrated about something (her screams are actually a good reminder for me to calm down and speak more quietly).
3. The Boyo is crying or screaming (which is like 1&2 combined -- she's not getting attention and there's a loud noise going on).
And as I said, there's a lot of #3 at the moment. So they are both screaming. A lot.

When the Bups screams (and let me be clear, this is not an "I'm hurt" scream) I either speak more quietly, ignore her, or get very close to her and say 'No screaming' in my Serious Mommy voice. But I thought it's not fair for her to get told off for screaming when he's doing it too. So I use the Serious Mommy voice on him, too. It feels very weird to be disciplining a not-quite 4 month old! In the name of fairness though, and rule-consistency, I do it. Of course, it doesn't make any difference. He keeps screaming.

So does she.

Sigh.

The Seven-Year Itch

Monday was our seven year wedding anniversary. We actually went out for a meal and to see a movie. Thank God (seriously!) for kids who are in bed by 7:30 and a babysitter who knows you don't necessarily have to pick up a baby who is making little whimpering noises. We had a really nice time.

I'm not feeling 'itchy' in my relationship with my husband at all. We spend a lot of time together-- we work together, and have done for the past 6 years -- so that means sometimes we don't have anything interesting to say to each other (what did you do today? That's right, I know, I was there). But we have a lot of laughs, he's so great with the kids, and I just love him! Not in that fluttery way I did when we first met, but in a really wonderful, solid way.

To commemorate 7 years, I tried to have a theme of 'seven' on Monday night -- order number 7 off the menu...well, that's as far as it went. But, here it is, seven great things about my husband:

1. That English accent. Still love it so much.
2. Every night, he makes sure all the doors are locked and turns off the lights.
3. He cooks. Not just defrosting chicken nuggets, or being the opposite, a guy who feels like he must make really fancy stuff. He makes pasta sauce and shepherd's pie and barbecue chicken -- in fact, he cooks most nights while I feed the baby.
4. He's a really good host whenever people come to our house, whether it's just for tea or to stay a few days.
5. He has a special song he sings to the kids when he puts them to bed.
6. He is the BEST driver I have ever been in the car with. Every other person (honestly) makes me feel carsick, but he is really good, and even tries to avoid the potholes for me.

And last but oh, so definitely not least ...
7. He empties the cloth nappy bucket (where they have been soaking for several days). If you have never been in close contact with one of these receptacles, you will just have to imagine how great he is for doing it every time. It is really stinkin' (literally!) great of him.

And that is why my husband is awesome. Do you hear me sweetheart? AWESOME!

Happy Birthday Bupsy!

Today The Bups is 2 years old!!! She is so funny and sweet and cute, and only had maybe two tantrums today (plus hit her brother once). So since she is such a big girl now, I am handing the computer over to her for her very own 'meme'...

3 Things that scare me:
The toilet in a public bathroom
The toilet in our house
The toilet in my Little People house
(should make potty training easy...)

3 People who make me laugh:
Mommy
Daddy
The Baby Einstein doggy (he's like a person becouse he wears glasses. And it's SO FUNNY!)

3 Things I hate:
Having my hair brushed
The flash on Daddy's camera
Loud noises, unless I am making them

3 Things don't understand:
Why Mommy and Daddy like that baby so much
Why that baby screams when I put my teeth into his head
Why Mommy and Daddy get so upset when I put my teeth into his head

3 Things on my floor:
A musical book with a dying battery so it sounds really creepy
A christmas puzzle book my Mommy keeps hiding but I find and throw the pieces everywhere!
A stack of clothes Mommy put in my drawer and I pulled out again

3 Things I am doing right now:
Asking to watch a video of myself
Turning the monitor off and on
Pretending the calculater is a phone

3 Things I want to do before I die:
Go up the slide the wrong way
Figure out the remote control
Have rice pudding for breakfast

3 Things I can do:
Eat with a fork
Count to 10
Find my belly button no matter what I'm wearing

3 Things I cannot do:
Eat without having a messy face
Have a bath without splashing
Walk down the street without touching every fence post

3 Favorite foods:
Cake
Apples
Ketchup

3 Beverages I drink regularly:
Ribena
Milk
Daddy's orange juice

3 Favorite books:
Peepo
First Book of Prayers
I'm a Big Sister Now!

3 Songs I sing:
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Karma Chameleon
The Bare Bottom Gang

3 Shows I watch:
Bear in the Big Blue House
Boogie Beebies
Balamory

3 Ways to describe my personality:
Silly Billy
Mucky Pup
Cuddle Bug

Driving Test

I just took my first European driving test yesterday. And obviously, since I'm describing it as my 'first', I failed it. Now, in America most people do not fail the driving test. That is because it is EASY in America. Here, hardly anyone passes it the first time. In fact, the test 'centre' (that's me being European) I went to only has a 44% pass rate. So when I went in I was more likely to fail than to pass.

But, here is the good news: I can still drive, without a licensed driver in the car. I can drive my kids around. In Ireland, since you have to wait such a long time for a driving test (I had to wait over a year between when I applied for a test and when I got an appointment) if you have been on a provisional (learner's) license for more than 2 years, you can drive unaccompanied. It doesn't matter if you've had any lessons, or how close you have come to passing the test, or if you've even applied to take one. So it really doesn't matter if you pass the test or not.

Which is good news for the 66% of us who don't. Isn't it weird that the test expects super-competency and is very difficult to pass, but the law doesn't actually require that level of competency to drive? Of course, failing people (so they have to re-book and take another test) does insure the testers will have a job to do in the future...

Fourth Trimester

Today the Boyo is 3 months old (and soooo cute, you should see those dimples!). So now what they call the'fourth trimester' is over, he has made the transition into this world and we're off! We are adjusting to each other, he sleeps at night (7:30 pm to 6:00 am, isn't that GREAT?!!!) and stays awake a little during the day, he recognizes me, his daddy, and his sister and smiles at us. It's much easier dealing with a baby than a newborn who has no schedule, cries and you don't know why, and doesn't give you any positive feedback.

On the other hand, I had been giving myself 3 months complete clearance to not start working on the weight, but now I had better start excercising and eating better. I do still have the 'feeding him myself' excuse (that's what they say here -- as opposed to getting a wet nurse, I suppose) to stuff my face, but those of us who have done this before know br**feeding doesn't make the weight 'fall off you' as promised. Oh well.

But now, it's much better. He smiles and coos, he sleeps at night and naps, and I love him to bits. And it will only keep getting better! However, next week the Bups turns 2...