I never would have thought.

that Tori Spelling and I have something in common.

but we do!!! we so do!!!

ok. you all know by now that I have a sweet new baby. along with a baby comes the FUN of feeding every 3 or so hours. so while feeding her I always hideout in my bedroom so that a) if anyone drops by unannounced I won't be embarrased. and b) so that I can watch tv while feeding the little (ok not so little... more info. on that later) peanut.

alright so you do the math: that is a lot of tv watching. seriously. I tried reading because I am sure that's much more productive... but I hate it. reading is like homework to me. so I dedicated myself to HGTV. UNTIL I COULDN'T STAND TO WATCH ONE MORE re-decorated/re-painted/re-furbished/re-EVERYTHINGED house...... so I went channel surfing. I ran into this little gem on the Oxygen channel: "Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood." Yes, it is a reality show following Tori Spelling, her husband Dean something (I think he might be famous?) and their son Liam.

I am hooked. It is basically hilarious. I mean, these people are for REAL and yet the whole time I keep thinking "these people can't be for real." ANYWAY........ in a recent episode, Liam starts swimming lessons. Everytime he put his little face in the water, Tori gasps. Huge annoying (but totally not on purpose!) gasps. She then follows the footage with the commentary that she is a huge gasper. If anything could possibly endanger her child -- she gasps. OH MY GOSH!!! THIS IS ME!!! I am a gasper. It is so embarrasing, but I seriously can't help it.

Take for example, just the other day on Hailey's last day of swimming lessons she was going off the low dive. Now keep in mind Hailey can't swim. This is her first year of lessons. She did great -- but is not even CLOSE to swimming. Every time her instructor had her try to swim to him she would sink. So -- I am a little paranoid that my child is going off the low dive with her only life saving device being the noodle they tied around her waist. Sure there was a lifeguard in the pool... but there are also roughly a million other children.... So just as she is going off the diving board for the 3rd or 4th time -- I express to my husband (again!) how nervous it makes me. And then it happened! Her noodle came off. GAAAAAAAASP!!!!!!! I am sure that people thought that I was having a heart attack. OK, so I sort of was!!! HELLO -- my little girl -- ON HER BIRTHDAY -- is going to DROWN!!!!!! I literally jumped of the bleachers and ran marathon style to the other end of the pool, gasping gasping gasping the whole way. I couldn't even get words out. Just huge gasps and me pointing at the deep end.

The funny thing: Hailey didn't panic. At all. She calmly grabbed the edge of her noodle and kicked her way to the side.

Now talk about feeling foolish. I should have taken a bow at that point -- don't you think? But I mean, seriously, it scared me half to death.

Do any of you do this? Are you an over-panicker and a gasper just like myself and Tori Spelling?

So I guess I should say: Tori Spelling (I KNOW you read my blog!!! come on -- I watch your show...) since we seem to have something in common, if you are ever in the area -- give me a call, let's do a playdate. We can totally gasp the day away.

firecrackas.

Tyler: matching shirts!!! LAME.

Paige: I am SO bored.

Hailey: just keep smiling. just keep smiling.

when is the 4th of July?

Tyler: "when is the 4th of July?"

Mom: the trying to contain laughter noise

Tyler: "oh."

2/3

this one's for you Nancy.

we are all adjusting to life with Paige here.  in fact, I can't really remember life before she arrived.  funny how that happens.  she is a great baby.  she doesn't cry much. . . her preferred "sound" is grunting.  it's kind of an odd sound.  I guess we are used to it but I get some strange looks when out and about with her.  she definitely goes with the flow -- which is a HUGE blessing because there is a lot of "flow" round here.  we are out and about much of the day running to school (Hai), soccer camp (Ty), swimming lessons(Hai & Ty), T-ball (Ty), etc etc etc. and for the most part little Paigers just sleeps the whole time peacefully in her car seat. (with the exception of an occasional grunt....)  it is something new to me because Hailey so didn't go with the flow.  she hated being in her car seat.  in fact, she hated just about everything.  it is so nice to have a SWEET, PERFECT little baby.

now here is where I am struggling.  it's this crazy little fraction: 2/3.  and if any of you know me, I mean really really know me, then you can guess what this little fraction relates to.  got it?  yes, it is about my crazy obsession with keeping a clean, organized house.  

you see, my house is multi-level.  3 levels to be exact.  and everyday I can get 2/3 of the levels clean.  the upper-upstairs (bedrooms/bathroom) always gets cleaned: beds made, bathroom shiny, everything picked up and in it's proper place (I even maintain the closets... I just have to.  OCD I know...)  upstairs (aka main level) -- also gets clean: although a little trickier b/c it is the kitchen level, I manage to stay on top of dishes and keep this level clean and put together (yes, even my cupboards are lovely... remember-- OCD here!)  NOW for the 1/3 that doesn't get done... the 1/3 that is weighin' me down: THE BASEMENT!!!  yikes.  ok, to be honest, our basement family room generally is clean -- this is where the kids have all their toys and they are little champs about cleaning up on a daily basis.  (see job charts on previous post).  the laundry room is ok... I do ALL laundry on Mondays so on Mondays it's a zoo in there.... but the rest of the week it's just fine.  the R*E*A*L problem is the EXTRA BEDROOM (insert evil howling noises).  it has gotten out of hand.  ever since little Paige joined us -- I have literally been throwing things in that room.  stuff that I don't want to deal with.  papers that need to be filed.  kids stuff for their save boxes.  stuff we are getting rid of.  JUST STUFF EVERYWHERE.  I should take a picture but I am too embarrased... it is just not like me to be so... MESSY!!!  I know the solution seems easy: just ignore the other 2/3 for a day and focus on the 1/3... BUT I JUST CAN'T RIGHT NOW.  I get too much satisfaction from pretty beds and a clean kitchen.  but let me tell you that 1/3 is seriously eating away at me... always in the back of my head... I mean, what if -- HEAVEN FORBID: someone were to SEE IT?  

so faithful blog readers, let's cut this girl some slack and give her a little peace of mind: promise me that if you should happen to swing by for a visit, you will not, under any circumstance, go to the 1/3 or, more specifically, the extra bedroom.  it has just got to be messy for now.

this is where we are headed.

yes, that is Hailey.

yes, this is exactly where Paige is headed... straight towards Squishydom.

don't get me wrong -- I like my babies squishy. Just wanted to warn the rest of you so that you aren't alarmed when you see CHUB ROLLS like you've never seen before. I mean -- LOOK at that leg!!!!! JUST LOOK AT IT!!! that's got to be some kind of record!

love you Hailey... and Paigey... and all your sweet little rolls...

Paigey Paigey...

ok... for those of you that knew "Squishy" as a baby -- aren't we looking at "Squishy II" here? we LOVE to kiss those cheeks Paigey Paigey!!!

oh, so cute!

THANKS STEPH!!!

to get your own:

www.thisnthatboutique.blogspot.com