Sunny Side Up

OK - now that I've taken some time away from those icky feelings I was having...and read some truly lovely posts by several other people out there...I must say this:

I am sad that my BB's actions weren't enough for me.

I am sad that my dear friend had a really rough day yesterday.

I am sad that BB is winging his way to LAX to catch a connection to San Jose for business this week, and will be gone til Friday.

HOWEVER!

I am proud that rather than wallow in self-pity, I have now:

• cleaned out both of my freezers (the upright in the garage is defrosting as I type) and my fridge
• disposed of any burned or nasty food lurking in the far reaches of said appliances
• organized and cleaned my pantry
• washed 4 loads of laundry
• stripped and remade the kids' beds
• dusted and vacuumed Captain Chaos' bedroom
• scrubbed the kids' bathroom
• washed the baseboard molding along the upstairs hallway, the guest room, Capt's room and the kids' bathroom
• vacuumed guest room and hallway (Tiny Princess was sleeping, so hers will be done while the kids play after lunch)
• scrubbed my bathroom, including taking the shower doors off for a good scouring and disinfecting of the track and wheels
• washed my bathroom windows (which somehow escaped my notice) and disinfected the tracks
• stripped and remade my bed
• dusted my bedroom

This afternoon, while the children are napping, I plan to:

• wash the remaining baseboard molding throughout the house
• use all accessories on my vacuum to clean the upholstery on the couches and chairs, and along the walls
• dust all the furniture and nick-nacks scattered throughout the house
• wash my light in the entry way (although this requires the big ladder, and climbing up to about 12 feet)
• vacuum all the carpet
• scrub my kitchen floor (yes, as in with a brush and bucket a la Cinderella)
• disinfect my kitchen and powder room
• wash the 4 loads of clothes that are awaiting me in the laundry room
• dust, scrub and disinfect the laundry room
• change the cat litter and wash the pans out

On tomorrow's list:

• iron all of the clothes that need ironing
• pay bills/update financial records and file
• clean up the rest of my Mary Kay office (big order just arrived needing labels, and putting up)
• sort, organize and clean up toys in playroom
• sweep and vacuum basement, including the webs in the windows (ICK!)
• disinfect the kids' wading pool and put it into the shed for the next 3 weeks til the weather is truly warm enough for it to be filled
• bake cookies
• dinner at folks
  

Wednesday holds:

• grocery shopping
• library day
• shopping for "fun clothes" that are cheap for myself
• mow grass

Thursday includes:

• Moms' group at church
• laundry (yes, there'll be at least one load to do)
• buy seeds for my garden and mulch for my flower beds

Friday will be:

• dust and vacuum the upstairs (windows are open on any day above 60 this time of year)
• clean the bathrooms (yes, I'm anal that way!)
• change the kids' beds again (see below)
• BB gets home mid-afternoon

As for the changing of sheets more than once in the week? Well...Captain has been having this weird issue with his skin. Not truly a rash or breakout, not really skin that is simply dry, nor a reaction to animal hair, as the animals are verboten from the bedrooms in our house...he just gets this crazy situation where he's scratching like mad at his legs and the backs of his arms, so I'm attempting something along the lines of changing sheets twice a week, rather than once, and he'll be getting clean jammies each night. I'm also cutting back on detergent, and have switched back to Dre.ft...sigh...I've tried lotions, both medicated and otherwise, not using his J&J baby wash every time he gets a bath...I've tried not bathing him every day...we've added milk at meals, rather than just water or juice, hoping that perhaps some added fat to his diet would help...I've even resorted to using a little baby oil...all to no avail...I think he just has sensitive skin and he reacts to things like body oils and dirt as he is sleeping...

I did get a chuckle...one of my friends, who is a bit high-maintenance, and not "housework minded" in the least (her hubby does all the housework, inside and out) asked why I simply didn't turn the sheets around (as in head of bed to foot) and then inside out...as that is what she did when she was in college and only going home once a month...that way, she wouldn't have to actually wash her 2 sets of sheets on her own...

And, before you ask, yes, I was tempted to try at least the turning the head of bed to the foot, but he's too tall to do that...his calves and feet would be in the same place they are now!

And, no, I don't think I'm a bad mom for being tempted...much as I love the feel and scent of clean bedding, there are times that changing 3 beds each week gets tedious...I cannot wait til Captain is old enough to help make his own bed! I'm looking forward to those little milestones that now he's "big enough" to set the table, empty the bathroom trash and make his own bed...even though I know that as those milestones arrive, we leave behind more and more of my snuggly little boy...