Where has Amy Been?

I have had a few people ask where I have been in regard to my blogs. I was so excited that I was missed!! Things have been crazy with me having first a houseguest then, while she was here, the flu. It took me five days to really feel better. Then Carson got sick and Cullen got sick a few days later. Neither boy was very sick; just a littlee fever and lethargy. Everyone in this house but me got their flu shots so hopefully that will protect them against the nasty germs floating all around right now. We are also preparing our house to put it on the market! It is very exciting but a lot of work. We love so many things about this house but we need more space and will be moving to a bigger house in this area once this house sells. I will let everyone know when it is officially on the market. We are going to try to do For Sale by Owner and will ask all of our friends and family to spread the word about our home. It is rare to find a good yard like ours and we have tons of landscaping, as well as so many extra touches throughout the house. Hopefully we will find another family who likes it as much as we have!

Poop

Several times in the last few weeks I have pondered this thought... at what point in one's life does it no longer become impressive when you pee or poop? It is sometime between about age 4 and 5, but I am not sure when it happens. This morning Lila was a little constipated and when she was working at doing her business I cheered her on with great vehemence. I was one step short of whipping out pom poms and she really appreciated my encouragement (through her strained little grimaces and half smiles). Then I have a friend whose little boy is potty training and she is very excited when he goes on the toilet at his young age of 2.5; we all cheered him on as well. In addition, last year when one of my nieces went to the bathroom on the toilet another family member went as far as to e-mail a photo of the toilet bowl containing the evidence of this niece's efforts. It was a gross picture but I understood the excitement nonetheless.

So Lila gets cheers and congratulations when she does her business but no one else in the house is quite so lucky. When I was cheering her on this morning I could see the cat looking at me with a perplexed look thinking "Dang, woman, I made a ton of poop right there in that corner and all you did was spank me and yell at me". Then there are my boys. I have no complaints about Cullen in this area. Carson is a toilet neanderthal. We charge him money when he doesn't remember to flush (we have enough for his first year of college so far). It's $.25 for non-flushed pee and the fee doubles for unflushed poop. In addition, a new punishment plan starts today for when he doesn't lift the seat when he pees. I will take away whatever his favorite toy is that day. Then there is Kevin. Kevin is a good boy but I think these days he would pretty much have to win the lottery, clean the house from top to bottom (laundry included) or find the cure for some awful disease to get much attention around here; he is nowhere near getting any cheers for a properly functioning digestive system. Life just is not fair or nearly as much fun once you grow up.