Mr. Doodles - The Final Chapter

So.  I guess with a title like that you can tell the outcome of this story.

Saige was at her dad's last weekend and when I put the babies to bed I realized the guinea pig wasn't really very spry.  (Yes. Mr. Doodles is a girl.  What?  Miss Doodles is a stupid name.)  I sent downstairs and told Mike the critter wasn't doing well.  We really had no solution since I am both unwilling to handfeed the thing canned pumpkin and spend 300 bucks at an exotic pet vet.
When I went up the next morning she wasn't moving at all.  I called Saigie at her dad's and broke the news because I didn't want her to return home to a missing critter. 
There was much crying, gnashing of the teeth and garment tearing.  Then I did what had to be done and prepared to pick the cage up and move it outside, so Shaby would stop trying to feed it.  That was the extent of my plans because The Coach is in charge of dead things.  (I am in charge of throw up.) 
When I went to pick up the cage Mr. Doodle's head turned toward me and she shuddered.  So of course dropped the cage and went running and screaming, "Zombie Guinea Pig!!!" all through the house. Finally I called a friend who distracted me while I threw a blanket over the cage, put it in the back yard and then locked the door.
I called The Coach and told him it was his problem and when he got home he had to put the thing out of its misery and never tell me how it was done.  Also he could not scar the body because Saige wanted a burial.  Sigh.
By the time he got home the critter had the decency to die on its own.  We perserved the body and buried it Monday after school.  She was heartbroken.
Her brothers were so sweet to her.  At different times throughout the day I saw both of them walk by and pat her on the shoulder.  That is pretty nice for them. They usually walk by and pull her hair or take something from her.
I knew the inevitable was a request for a NEW pet.  It finally came last night when she ask if she could have a parrot!!
Saige - (still crying) Can I have a parrot?
Me - (shocked) Why in the HELL would you want a parrot?
Saige - So I could have someone to talk to.
Me - You have FOUR brothers and sisters. Talk to them.
Saige - (wailing)  None of them caaaaaarrrrreeeee.
Me. - I'll pay them to care!!

Can you just imagine what a parrot would say at my house?
"What's for supper? Squawk!"
"Squack.  He touched me!!!!!!!"

What would your parrot say?

(p.s.  Without my knowledge Saige made an old picture of Mr. Doodles the screensaver on our computer.  Now everytime I logged on I am eye to eye with his beady little stare.  Creepy guinea pig zombie!)

Oh The Joy!!

There are many truly joyful times in a parent's life. 
The first time a baby says, "mommy" or gives a kiss.
A good grade or a kind gesture.
Watching siblings play together (right up till the fight.)

I think it is safe to say potty training is NOT one of these joys.  I will say for myself it has bever been a huge deal.  Of course I have probably forgotten some of the hassle since a little time has passed.  Shaye is refreshing my memory.
If I had to pick out some of the joys of potty training in my search for the silver lining they would be
~Going to the bathroom thirty times a day to only witness any results about three times a day.  (Obviously some of this list is going to be facetious.)
~Listening to Shaye try to say "panties".
~Having all the laundry clean due to multiple "accident" loads.
~The exercise I get sprinting with a twenty three pound two year old under my arm.
~ Having someone in the bathroom with me to cheer for me when I go successfully.
~Alternatively laughing and getting frustrated when she insists on dressing and undressing herself.
~Hanging out with Shaye alone in the bathroom singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider". 
And finally
~The amazement that came from realizing Shaye had successfully flushed an entire pair of panties while I was trying to find the wipes!  (Who thinks this is going to end in a call to the plumber?)

This marks a first.....a celebratory "THE LAST".  I was a bit sad when breast feeding ended.  I may have been a bit sad at THE LAST first word, first steps, first birthday.  But this last is a relief...THE LAST potty training!!  And soon............THE LAST diaper!! 

Of course there will be grandkids, but I am certain Ty will listen to me and wait until Shaye is out of the house before he has any.  Because I said so. Right?

Crickets and Mosquito Bait

Crickets because that is all you have been hearing from this blog lately. 
We are having a great time here and doing lots as usual.  There are just many things going on here and it turns out there is only a limited number of things I can do well, or even mediocre at one time.  Plus every time I think of a writing a blog I feel like I should explain my absence and it isn't inspiring to come up with excuses, so let's just skip it.

I love Texas.  I consider myself a native Houstonian having moved where when I was four.  I heard other parts of the world have four actual seasons, but I have never experienced that so I am pretty good with the two we have here.  Summer and not summer.   This past summer was brutal.  It was HOT.  Many weather related records were broken like - earliest day over 100, latest day over 100, and most consecutive days over 100.  Add to that extreme drought.  (Expected to be the worst on record here in the history of EVER!)
Things are going up in flames here left and right.  I think over 1600 houses have been burned down in wildfires.

Because I hate, hate, hate the cold.  I try to roll with these desert-like conditions.  This summer I tried to get the kids outside as much as possible, but since it was still 100 degrees at 9:00pm that was difficult.  Maybe I should have taught the kids to sleep walk.  I usually ended up whisking them to the park at the crack of 7:00 am and toughing it out outdoors until about 8:30, by which time it was sweltering and we escaped into the air conditioning.

The good part of the heat and drought though was that there were way less mosquitoes this summer.  Last summer we about got carried off by them despite my BIL's mosquito killing concoction of Windex and fabric softener.  (??) 

It has rained twice in the last decade in the last month and now the skeeters are back with a vengeance.  I tried to take the babies outside to play last night and had to wonder once again, "What makes Tayte so delicious to mosquitoes?"  I have never seen anything like it.  You can almost see the swarm of bloodsuckers heading his way when he leaves the house.  Are they just hanging around waiting for my juicy baby to venture outdoors??  At one point he even had his very own repellent fan we clipped to his shirt.  That was in addition to the later of OFF we applied and the citronella candle we forced him to carry.  (Just thought of a new invention......citronella scented outdoor toys like Frisbees and balls!)
Does he smell good to mosquitoes?
Is it his infectious smile?

Maybe they are attracted to the luminescent skin.  (Which I have witnessed sunburning outside for fifteen minutes in FEBRUARY!  Maybe this kid just isn't cut out for Texas.)

(Don't ask why he is sideways.........I just wanted to complete a darn post! I don't have time for obstacles.)

The good news..............as long as I stick close to Tayte I never get a bite?

Look at him.  You wanna bite him too don't ya?

Do you have a delicious person in your family?

Got any solutions?