3 Kids + 2 Jobs + 1 Dog = One Tired Mama

If we dont' get a hand on it soon, it could take over her little head.

So we break out the bow-bow box (what my kids call the box they keep all their hair pretties in) and we get to work. Tools for the job: Hairdryer, two brushes, hot iron, tea tree oil and lots and lots of patience and maybe a tissue or two for when she starts to cry after I have burned her ear or the back of the neck. I know it sounds like cruel and unusual punishment, but it is all worth it when this happens...

See that long, luxurious, beautiful red hair? Yep, that's the same kid!

Don't hate her cuz she's beautiful!

Yep, there it is. Hello my dear sweet friend.

And see that long list there to the left of the cup. Well that page is the first of five pages, typed. And it is my to-do list for today. Guess I should be workin on that instead of this here blog huh? Ok, right after I go add more sugar to my coffee. Not quite sweet enough this morning!

So this is my avatar. The one I made on Yahoo messenger. Remember the lovely little messenger I was telling you about here that allows you to hide your messenger within email? Anyhoo, my sister and I have become addicted to instant messaging eachother which has been really cool because we can remember to tell eachother all the goofy and sweet and silly things our families do throughout the day. And oh yeah, I get to vent to someone about the ninkempoops I work with. My sister and I even make over eachother's avatar's. Geeks, I know. So this is the latest avatar I created. Because I am a football nut. And because it is wildcard weekend. My boyfriend and I will watch hours upon hours of football and eat copious amounts of junk food and hopefully, luckily, amazingly the Steelers will win the playoffs so that said boyfriend will not be in a foul mood for the next 5 months. To get to the actual point of this rambling - I made this avatar and my sister said "Your avatar really looks like you". Its true I suppose. I do have brown hair and I do wear black framed glasses. And I have been known to rock a football jersey or two. I also tend to hold my arms like that for no reason. Okay I am kidding about that part but what I am not kidding about is... I would SO have that football field rug in my living room. I would ...shamelessly. But still that is not the point of the post. The point is... I think my eerily similiar avatar is way cuter and way thinner. All the plus size options they offer for the avatars are kinda goofy and not anything that I would wear. So though I may have cute black glasses and brown hair and green eyes and hoop earrings.... I am not as thin as that dagon avatar! That is my disclaimer.

This is my middle daughter. Her name is Corina Jane - Cori for short. She was born in February. On a saturday. She is quiet and a loner. She is the middle child. She doesn't get special attention for being the oldest, or extra attention for being the youngest. And she never ever complains when her sisters get to open birthday presents just 2 weeks apart in November and she has to wait all the way until February. She just kind of is. And that stinks I think. I worry about her as the one in the middle. Do i give her enough attention? Does she get enough love. This is my favorite picture of her. It was taken recently in my kitchen. She was wearing a robe given to her by a friend of mine. With a scarf for a belt. She could not find the belt that goes to it so she improvised. That's what she does. My youngest would have cried, my oldest would have pouted. But Cori? She just said, hmm this scarf will work just as well. She takes care of herself. Alot. And for that i hope she does not resent her mother. My new year's resolution is to show each daughter more time, more love and individual attention. My start is with Cori. I dedicate today's entry to her and the wonderful things that make her....her.                                         

My 20 Favorite things about Cori:

1. She wakes up every morning with a smile.

2. She still sucks her thumb when she cuddles with her mommy.

3. She loves to sing and dance like no one is watching.

4. She takes up for her big sister when the mean girls in second grade make her cry.

5. She loves animals.

6. She has a very cute laugh from deep in her belly.

7. She looks like my sister.

8. She acts like a 6 year old, not a 6 year old going on 16.

9. Her favorite Christmas present? A big rig full of matchbox cars. Ahh a girl after my own heart. (I did not own a single    doll as a child)

10. She is named after my very very favorite movie (Corrina, Corrina with Whoopi Goldberg)

11. She always takes out the garbage.

12. She is thoughtful.

13. She loves, loves, loves to spend time with her great grandparents - which makes them feel very special.

14. She gets very excited about the small things in life.

15. She would rather eat fresh fruit than candy any day.

16. She sneaks in my bed in the middle of the night.

17. She pushes her baby sister on the swing at the park - for as long as she wants her to.

18. She is quarky like her mother. If she's tired? Why, she'll just lay down. Even if it happens to be in the middle of the kitchen floor, or the sidewalk, or the landing at the top of the steps.

19. She always always plays with the blind boy at her school at recess because she says no one else will play with him and she does not want him to be sad - "after all mama, he is just like me, his eyes just don't work" (I know, I got teary too)

20. She calls me mama.