crash boom bang...

post in which i complain because i can. this is my blog. welcome.

i used to love the sound of rain. the coolness of the air and the "drip drop" sound that it makes upon my roof.

(or in a tent...i love the sound of light rain in a tent...light rain...not the type of rain that makes you wish that you had placed 4 tarps below and 5 tarps above...)

it used to make(s) me want to snuggle up in my bed with a book or lie on my couch with a flannel quilt watching a sappy love story.

the thunder and lighting used to remind me that this world is huge and i'm just a very small part of it. it made me feel grounded in a way.

now...i know that belly has an irrational fear of thunder and lightning and the potential for tornadoes.

and all i can sit here and think about is...when is she going to wake up screaming my name? and therefore, i don't rest...even though i've been neglecting my rest lately. it's amazing how the world is not really about me anymore.

first days...

back to work. it's hard to get back to work after having a summer off.
we've had so much fun...
i've so enjoyed the extended time that i've been able to share with my girly-girls. i love that coconut saved her new skills of walking and talking for summer days for mommy to enjoy. i've met new babies and saw old friends. i was able to share adventures of camping with family. we hiked and biked and found rocks on beaches. i didn't do as much on my to-do-list as i had hoped to accomplish. but, i don't regret it...

i have missed my "kiddos" at work too...
i'm excited to see them again and see how they are doing. i hope that they know they were missed. i'm excited to share what i've done with them. i'm excited to find out how they spent their time. (and...i hope they didn't do all of the homework i sent home.) i hope they spent more of their time with family and friends and put speech on the back burner for awhile. i hope that their parents read with them and learned with them in a more functional and less academic way. i hope that their parents talked with them and communicated with them and learned more about their children than they knew before.

i have hopes and dreams for the year...
i hope to connect with parents and help them help their children. i hope that the children will own some of the goals we've set forth and will expend energy learning and gaining. i hope that i can help my kiddos and be a positive guide for them. i hope to see my kiddos make gains that at one time, we only hoped for. i hope that i can help them learn beyond articulation and language. i hope that i continue to be able to balance my life and my career. i hope that i am not letting my own children down, by helping others. i hope that they can see their mommy succeed and grow helping and teaching...and it pushes them to do the same in whatever they choose to do someday. i hope they all love themselves, in the end.

climb with me...

love is...

knowing each other fully,

communicating without words,

taking the time to use words to help each other understand,

understanding each other's peaks and valleys,

watching each other grow as parents,

laughing at the silliness surrounding us,

remembering to be silly,

hovering "i love yous",

grasping for each other when we are together,

wishing for each other when we are apart,

holding each other up when we fall,

carrying the other when we are weak,

walking side by side,

stepping ahead to navigate the path,

seeing the beauty that comes from love,

knowing that our children couldn't have been possible without it,

pushing each other to become and do great things,

helping each other realize that mediocrity is ok too,

embracing our differences,

realizing that those differences make up who we are,

being comfortable during the easy times

and

climbing over the rough patches while holding hands.

happy anniversary to the love of my life. without you, i wouldn't be who i am today. i love you for everything that you have given to me and i love you for who you are.

these six years have had ups and downs. but...we can accomplish anything standing side by side, holding hands. let's never forget that. look at what we've been able to create so far...

i love you.

i vow.

6 years.

we will be celebrating 6 years of marriage on august 24th. wow.

do you remember our vows? i remember the jist of them...but was thrown back into how strong my love for you was, when i happened upon them recently...

6 years ago today...i'm sure i was reading and re-reading them...

trying to memorize them just a little as i prepared for our wedding day.

here they are.

from this day, i choose you.

to be my beloved.

to live with you and laugh with you.

to stand by your side and sleep in your arms.

to be joy to your heart and food to your soul.

to bring out the best in you always

and, for you, to be the most that i can.

to laugh with you in the good times.

to struggle with you in the bad.

to solace you when you are downhearted.

to wipe your tears with my hands.

to comfort you with my body.

to mirror you with my soul.

to share all of my riches and honors.

to never take you for granted.

but always give thanks for your presence.

and to play with you as much as i can

until we grow old and still loving

each other sweetly and gladly

our lives here on earth shall come to an end.

my love for you is still strong. it has changed and grown. but it is still strong.

i think it should be YOUR birth...

so...
belly's favorite tv show right now...is baby story. she calls it "having babies".

please don't get all higher than thou with me right now. i know that it isn't the most "appropriate" show for a child to watch. she is the type of child that is ALWAYS learning. she wants to KNOW things. not just be TOLD things. we watch it in a very open manner. she's allowed to ask questions. i answer them. what can i say...i like to see babies being born too! and i really think it made her less-scared when i was at the hospital with coconut. she kinda knew what was happening...anyhoo...

she's watching this "having babies" this morning. and i am absolutely offended by the doctor on the show this morning. the mother wished to have a natural childbirth. the doctor was CONSTANTLY throwing interventions at her. i know i'm not a doc. i know that i didn't know the full circumstances. but it seems to me that offering pitocin just because she is 3 cm and should hurry up is asking for it. (she denied it...good girl) then offering pitocin again when she's 9 1/2 cm! that's bound to stall labor, isn't it? yes, she was able to rest...but 9 1/2 cm?? wouldn't she have just made it through in a relatively short amount of time?? then of course...she was offered an epidural at that point. (which she took). and the doc mentioned something about...if that's how she's planning on pushing (prior to the epi)...she'll just be ineffective. what kind of a doc talks to you like that?? wouldn't you be a wee bit more supportive and encouraging??

what the hell...isn't this HER birth?? not the docs?? who gets to make the decisions?

a few others have been writing their birth stories lately...i think it's about time that i share too.

soon...my dear reader(s)...soon.

woof, meow, squawk...we are the forgotten ones...

woof. ok...more like, sniff sniff. jump, jump. wag, wag. whatev. i don't bark.

hey all...we here in the coconutbelly house have decided to hijack this crazy contraption while "mom" is away signing up "belly" for dance classes.

and why in the world does she call herself "mom" to us anyways? it's not liked she birthed a zoo-full of kittens, a puppy and hatched a bird egg. she happened to give birth to the 2 hooligans that are the so-called *STARS* of this here bloggy-thing. they are ALL she ever talks about. except for when we irritate her...hellllllllloooooo...negative attention....we need SOMETHING!

and...oh yeah...you did read that right..."mom" took belly to sign her up for a dance class. crazy little girl just dances around the house anyways. we all feel that "mom" could have spent a few bucks on a new CD (get with the times, "mom"...an ipod is where IT'S at...), turned it up and let the chick dance on the ottoman some more. then she could have spent her money wisely...on bones, pig ears and catnip. but, i guess we have minimal access to the decision making around here. figures. if we get crabby about something that they overindulged on...we just puke on it. serves them right.

well...back to our original plan. we took over this blog, in order to introduce ourselves. we figured we ought to get a few minutes of fame out of this blog while it lasts. god knows, "mom" has a few other unfinished projects laying around. a few of us were actually here before the *stars* made their grand entrances. we deserve to get talked about a little. and since "mom" isn't owning up to our existence...we're taking things into our own hands. so here goes...feel free to comment...add a few head pats and butt scratches in there too if you must..."mom" won't know what hit her.

me...skye-dog...i'm typing. i don't know why. i guess, 'cause i'm the biggest. and...i have a way with words...yo. this is me.

minus, the funnel head that i've been sporting lately. "mom/dad" like to tease that it was a really expensive bug bite. ha. little do they know...i got in a rough and tumble fight with some tom cat big dog mountain lion. happened right down there in the valley. shoulda been more careful, i shoulda. i saw him comin'...but i was too busy protecting my grateful dead dancing bears collar my pride my master's children from harm. yep. i'm kind of a guard dog, if you will. but, you knew that when you looked at my picture. "mom" tells everyone that's why she wanted a dog. and i guess i just fit the bill. it's pretty obvious why i'm around. i let the hooligans climb all over me...just so that people "think" i'm a great dog. really...i'm a guarding machine. by the way..."mom" calls that picture up there...my snowy skye picture. she thinks she's funny. i just wanted her to let me in the damn house.


hi y'all. that's me...jazzy...there on stage right. (left side of the picture to you non-drama folk.) i'm a sweet lil' thing. first mammal in this house. "mom" found me and thought i was the spitfire calico of the litter. stole me right out of the barn. i heard her mention once that my actual mom's name was "ugly orange mama cat" or something like that. she rarely talks about my siblings...other than the time she said something to the extent of, "poor little thing...you are so lucky to be alive...all your brothers and sisters got so sick after i stole you..." OMG (oh my goodness)...does that mean. oh no. woe is me! boo hoo...boo hoo...

hi. i'm jet. jet-man. i'm the black kitty on the right side of your screen. i'm a little shy. don't make any sudden movements. i get scared easily. one time...when a service man came to our house...i found a really good hiding spot. i don't think he noticed me hiding in the white bathroom sink. i might be a big cat...but i have very little nerve and sharp sharp claws...stop moving...you're scrolling down to fast...i'm outta here.

over here...over here....come and talk to me...please...please...come over here. right here...that's me in the middle. yep...that's me. i'm between jazz and jet. that's me. i'm white with a little bit of color here and there. oh wait...i have to go and chew on a barbie. i'm back...do you see me? can you see me? my name is rain. rainy. rain-man. sometimes they call me monster or damn cat or little shit. i have lots of names! i'm so lucky! i like to do all kinds of things. currently...i'm practicing turning on the printer at night. i'm trying really hard to open it and make a photocopy of my butt. i think that would be really funny. would you all like to see me do that trick? oh wait...i'll be back...first i have to chase jazzy and jet and scare the crap out of the kids that are trying to fall asleep. ok...i'm back. what was i saying. oh yeah...i'm learning to do all sorts of tricks. mommy swears that she's gonna sell me on ebay...but then she sees me sleeping and remembers how maternal and hormonal she was when she was pregnant and saw me and heard my story about how my real mommy didn't take care of me and i had to be bottle fed and stuff. so she took me home. and now i make her life so much fun! i like to help her get up in the morning...i like to follow her around while she does everything. i always use the litterbox right after she cleans it...i'm such a good boy! i like to...

SQUAWK. shut up cat. SQUAWK. this is me. the first-hatched. tequila. "mom" got me when she was in college. SQUAWK. can you tell by my name? SQUAWK. guess what beverage "mom" spent too much money on during school. SQUAWK.
SQUAWK. apparently first-"borns" are supposed to have the most pictures. SQUAWK. i've been around since before the digital camera. SQUAWK. they have no digital pictures of me. SQUAWK. i look like this. SQUAWK. thanks google. SQUAWK.

SQUAWK.

'sup? skye here again. i hear the key in the front door. shhh...we've gotta run. out.

sum...sum...summertime

5 minutes for mom is having a summer photo contest...

they requested pictures that depict what summer fun is for you...



i instantly thought back on this picture that i have of belly having fun with our sprinkler ball last summer. she was donning her goggles and attempting to drink the water that was squirting at her from all directions. truly summer fun in action, around our house! it was absolutely hilarious and i think that the pictures exactly captured the fun that she was having (and allow me to remember that day perfectly...you know...mommy brain...).

what does your summer fun look like?

enjoy glimpsing at ours...and head on over there to see how you can get entered too!



i had to include two more close-ups! it's amazing to see how much she's changed over the last year. look at those faces! and to think...we are still enjoying this sprinkler ball...fun AND functional...you can play and water the lawn at the same time!

home

we're home.

coconut and i traveled all the way to salt lake city to see my best(est) friend and her relatively new baby. like i've mentioned previously...husband's job allows us to fly for practically nothing...but also means that we have virtually no idea if we will make it on a flight. with baby in tow...that's terrifying. but...

we made it! on both of our flights!!!! in fact on the first flight, we sat first class! yes, you heard that right...FIRST CLASS with a one year old!

and this is where i'm going to mention the jerk that sat behind me. coconut was a little scared. airplanes and the look of them, and my nervousness was causing her to be a little scared. a little crying, testing her boundaries, wanting to look out the window, moving all around. this guy nudges (well...i didn't see that...but i'm assuming given the tone) the guy next to him and says, "i thought they made you check THAT kind of baggage at the gate...ha ha ha." i, literally, had to stop myself from turning around and indicating that i HAD heard that comment and that i thought it was highly inconsiderate (although, at the time...not in such nice words). i had to remind myself that i was not a "revenue" customer...and that we were sitting in FIRST CLASS. poor jerk...he had to PAY for that ticket. and i promised myself i could just blog about his action later...payback, sucker.

i absolutely love being with my best(est) friend. i remember buying her a card that read, "peas. pod. us." a while back...and i think that epitomizes our friendship. we lead this parallel life in which we have similar experiences and can help each other sort through them. we can spend weeks, months, years apart and come together like we haven't been separated. i think we calculated that we have been friends for 23 years this september.

i distinctly remember meeting just after the first day of school (after i moved into the neighborhood), drinking lemonade and eating popcorn on my family's screened in porch. we were inseparable. she moved just before 9th grade...but we always remarked that we were just a plane ride or a telephone call away.

we still are.

we had so much fun visiting and just being together. THAT was ultimately worth any potential hassle that could have arisen during flying.

this morning, coconut and i were able to (rather seamlessly) board another plane and come back home. the "rather seamlessly" involves a carry-on (containing all toys and distraction techniques) on which the zipper broke. thankfully, i found a store with a scissors and cut it open prior to boarding. and then...coconut slept the entire flight - no distractions necessary. (don't worry...i'm not complaining. it was lovely. several people commented on what a great traveler she is/was.)

and this is where i'm going to thank another passenger that whispered "good luck" to me as i walked past her aisle. i love when other mothers genuinely wish you luck with something that they have had to endure. even if they just give you that..."i've been there" look, to let you know that it's been done before...and there is someone on your side. thank you. your well wishes gave me a reason to smile and take a deep breath and relax. you helped me, and i didn't get a chance to thank you in person.

and now. home.

belly is a little "off". not sure if she's mad about missing out on some fun (although from the sounds of it...she had more fun than us!) not sure if she's just making me work for it. not sure if she's re-testing the boundaries. not sure if i could make it to bedtime tonight.

but we did.

i'm so thankful for so many things right now. my girly-girls, my best(est) friend and her family, smooth travels, (scissors in the airport), and my pillow. good night.