Broken toes and bee stings - just another summer weekend

Yeah, it was one of those weekends.
You know, the kind where nothing much happens but a couple things stand out.

Case in point - my broken toe(s).
Yeah, I think (know) I have at least one broken toe.
The 'baby' toe.
You know, that nubby little toe that really has no purpose in life other than to balance out your feet. That one.

A good rule of thumb - don't kick a door frame. Even if it was not on purpose.

I was minding my own business Friday night, just walking into my bedroom and then BAM! it happened. My foot met the business end of the door frame. I crumpled to the floor, screaming expletives the whole way down. It hurt so much I couldn't even cry. In fact, it hurt so much I almost laughed.

Which really makes no sense at all when you think about it.

By Saturday I couldn't walk without pain.
So I hobbled. And limped. And whined about how much it hurt.
And really, you can't do anything for broken 'baby' toe.
The toe won't bend. I can't put any weight on it.
So I wrapped my foot, thereby immobilizing the toe.
It didn't do much other than add to my already impressive limp.

I'm just happy that it's still flip flop season because no other shoes are getting on that foot.

Today at the pool I just sat in the shade, foot throbbing. There was no way I was going to swim near a bunch of people who could stomp on my foot at any given moment.

And then, Emma got stung by a yellow jacket.
Or maybe it was a bee.
She ran over to us, arm held high and said "Mommy! A little bug bit me and it hurts!"

I looked and didn't see anything and then she started to cry. It was that "I'm really in pain and somewhat scared" kind of cry. And then I saw it - a little raised spot under her arm, getting bigger as I stared at it. Emma said it was an 'orange and black' bug and it BIT HER! She was rather unhappy at the little critter. I'm quite certain if I had found the culprit I would have smashed him with my good foot (while wearing shoes, of course).

The pool had no 'bee sting' first aid, so the pool manager whipped up some baking soda paste. Thankfully the stinger wasn't in her arm. After some much needed hugs and a ring pop, the tears stopped and I told Emma that was her very first bee sting. She didn't seem very impressed.

And there you have it - we're the walking wounded over here with broken toes and bee stings. Ah, the joys of a summer weekend.

How was your weekend?

When a "sick day" isn't really a sick day

Today I took a sick day from The Job.

I wasn't sick.

In fact, I woke up feeling great because I knew I didn't have to go to The Office.
I felt wonderful.
I wasn't stressed.
The migraine I've been dealing with all week was gone.

I was, in a word, HAPPY.

And yet, I still e-mailed The Boss and said "I'm taking a sick day. Have a great weekend."

Do I feel guilty about taking a sick day when there wasn't anything wrong with me?
Nope.
Not even a little bit.

After all, I AM sick of my office and all the nonsense that has been happening there for months.
That counts, right?
My job makes me sick. :)

So how did I spend my non-sick sick day?

Well...
I took Olivia to her golf lesson and watched her practice her chipping skills.
I ran some errands with my sister.
And, I spent three hours at the pool with my family.
We had a great time swimming, hanging out, eating ice cream.

It was the perfect non-sick sick day.

Sunshine, pool time and pina coladas

After the longest, coldest, snowiest, most miserable winter (and spring) in memory...today's heat and humidity were actually a relief. Yes, it was probably about 95 degrees with 1,000% humidity, but I didn't care.

Why is it that this sudden onset of summer (skipping spring altogether) didn't bother me?

Let me count the ways....

1. I wasn't at work so that right there made it a good day.
2. I was with my family ... adds to the goodness of the day.
3. We spent most of the day at the pool .... where I spent most of the day in the shade. (Yes, I am anti-sun for the most part. I see no need to be tan).
4. While at the pool, I had a really yummy pina colada...at about 1:30 in the afternoon. Yeah, that's the life.

I did have a #mommyfail today - both kids are sunburned. I applied the SPF 50 over and over again today...but they are still sporting red cheeks, red noses, and in Emma's case, a sunburned lower back. [sigh] I feel like a bad, bad mommy.

I hope you all had a lovely Memorial Day with family and friends.

Here's to a great summer. :)

Poop! In the potty!

Yes, I'm once again writing about poop.

I make no apologies for this - I have two kids, one of whom is learning how to use the potty.

And today, we had a small success (but really, when it comes to potty training...any success is good!).

I found Emma standing the family room in what I like to call her "poop stance" - she stands very still with a look of sheer concentration on her face until she does the dirty deed.

"Emma, are you poopy?"

"No."

"Do you need to go potty?"

"Yes. Emma go on potty."

And so, I set Em on the potty and well....she pooped.

And I jumped up and down yelling "Yay Emma! You POOPED ON THE POTTY!"

My favorite moment: when we flushed and Emma said "bye bye poopy!!" while waving at the swirling toilet water.

I'm hoping this was the first of many potty training success.

Yay poop.

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Update 8:03 pm: So, I just changed yet another poopy diaper. So much for success.

Please don't pee in the pool!

We spend at least two or three days a week at the pool. While I'm not a big swimmer (and don't really get a kick out of laying in the sun), the girls are mermaids.

However, since Emma is not yet potty-trained (she's only 2 1/2...I'm working on it...don't judge me!)...she has to wear swim diapers in the kiddie pool (and is forbidden from swimming in the "big" pool because she's in swim diapers).

Let me throw this out there right now: swim diapers are THE WORST INVENTION EVER.

No, really. They are.

They do not hold in the pee. Sure, they don't explode like regular diapers do in water...but instead they sort of fill up with the pool water and hold it in. And therefore, the pee has nowhere to go. Except down the kid's legs and well....probably right into the pool.

Yeah, think about that for a few minutes. All those kids in the kiddie pool ... all wearing swim diapers ... that's a LOT of pee.

Heck, even when these things are bone dry they don't hold the liquid.

Honestly, I have NO idea why anyone invented them.

So..here's a question for all the moms out there ... have you found a good swim diaper or an alternative to swim diapers?

(Yes, that is Emma striking a pose!)