Now I Know Where the Expression Comes From....

I've never had a baby become interested in the toilet. Until A.J. came along. On more than one occasion since he's become mobile, we've found him happily splashing in the frequently "yellow so it can mellow" water (although I'd love to claim a fanatical love of the environment as the reason, it's more my kids forgetting to flush). Thankfully, more often than not, it has been clean toilet water.

Right. As if toilet water is ever really "clean."

Knowing that he fancies an occasional splish-splash, I try to keep the toilet lid down or the bathroom door closed. As I mentioned though, it's hard for the bigger kids to remember to flush half the time. Getting them to put the lid down, well, that would take a small act of God.

This afternoon, I came in from getting the mail to hear Nora announce, "Mom, I'm going to go poop now." She always announces the impending arrival of her bowel movements to us. It's nice to be in the poop-loop, I suppose. A special privilege given to only a select few...

So off she goes, and apparently A.J. follows because I hear her yell, "Mom, A.J.'s in the bathroom with me."

I holler that I am on my way and make a bee-line down the hall. Not three strides in and Nora very calmly announces, "MOM. A.J. IS EATING MY POOP."

Shit.

Literally.

I sprint the remaining 10 feet to find Nora mid-wipe and A.J. laughing and grinning with not one, but two hands full and a definite and distinct smudge across him mouth.

No he didn't.

Yes, he did.

As I said, you just can't make this mothering stuff up.

And now I know exactly what a "shit eating grin" looks like.

Polly Update

Polly has a new home. She actually had a new home 72 hours after "the incident" occurred, but with the crashing computer, a baby with bronchitis and volunteering for the YMCA We Build People Campaign, not to mention the regular, run of the mill, mom-of-four-kids stuff, the announcement of her "re-homing" was pushed to the back-burner.

She is now with a lovely couple, no children, but two cats and a 75 pound black laboradoodle who goes by the name of Melissa. She could not have been placed in a more perfect home. They have professional pictures of their pets, framed and hung throughout their townhouse. Their neighborhood has more dogs than children. There are geese and squirrels (not to mention cats) to chase. I received emails noting that Polly was "being observed for signs of depression" which, thankfully, she displayed none. They invited the kids to come see her if they want, or bring her a Christmas present around the holidays.

To attest to how well she has adjusted to her new life, I've posted a picture of Polly (as a lion) and Melissa (as Snow White with a blond wig). They took the dogs out for Trick or Treating on Halloween. Seriously. I'm not sure what the cats were dressed up as....

The kids have asked about her occasionally. Still not a single tear has been shed over her. I did come close to tears the other day though, once I realized that I was sweeping the food from under the kitchen table for the 4th time and it was only 2 o'clock. She was good for something.

Houston, We Have A Problem

My computer crashed. Not only did it crash, but my hard drive burned up. No flames, but it did have a nasty burned electronics smell to it. The lovely gentleman, Jim, from TechWizards, was kind enough to explain to me that it was perfectly safe to toss my hard drive, as there was "no way in hell" anyone could get anything off of it. it's not that I have/had anything worthy of a security clearance on my computer, but it would have been nice to back up those last few sets of pictures I had downloaded. Including AJ's first birthday...

And my Christmas card address list and labels document.

December is going to be ugly in the Elms house trying to round up all that information again. If you don't get a card, you'll know why.

So now the question is...do I stay with a PC (as Jim recommended) or do I make the bold leap to a Mac (HA! there's a Mac commercial on in the background as I write this...coincidence??). Anyone out there with any suggestions on what to do, please send them my way....