Sisters say the strangest things...

...and, sometimes, come up with some pretty amazing ideas in the process.

I was on a 3-way call with my sisters last night (which was great!) and I realized that we say some of the strangest things. We are all getting closer to the big 4-0 and were discussing some of the exciting transitions and new experiences that happen for women at that age. You know, wonderful things like mammograms.

Now, the key point here is that the conversation was taking place at night...late at night. I am no longer used to staying up into the wee hours of the morning and I tend to get a little loopy the closer it gets to midnight. (I'm starting to see the reason for Cinderella's curfew.) My sisters were apparently experiencing the same beginnings of loopiness because we started planning mammogram parties and laughing about squished boobs. One of them even came up with a name for our little group - Mammy Maids!

Then, the idea came that we could join the annual Susan G. Komen 3-day walk that takes place in the Seattle area every September. (Actually, it takes place many times throughout the year and in many places across the country; but, my younger sister lives in Seattle, so this location is important to the story.)

For those who don't know what this is, it's a fund-raising walk that covers 60 miles in 3 days. The proceeds go to breast cancer research - thus the correlation to our conversation about mammograms. My younger sister participated in the walk in 2009 and loved the experience.

AND...we are doing it! The plan so far is that we'll shoot for September 2013 (which happens to be a month after I turn 40 *gulp*) so we'll have plenty of time to train and so that those who are in school now will be finished. I get to talk them both about this part a little more, but we talked about setting up a facebook page, getting a logo and making this an "official" group.

So, sisters do say some of the strangest things, but we also come up with some pretty cool things from them, too.

(Watch for more info on the Mammy Maids...coming soon!)

Gross things little boys do...

As Aaron gets older he learns new skills and becomes more adventurous. I've recently started to realize how many things he does that just plain gross me out. I don't know whether or not any or all of these things are only related to what little boys do, but I don't recall seeing little girls with the same behaviors.

One of the many examples happened when we were at my older sister's house last Sunday. Her oldest daughter came upstairs carrying Aaron in a rather odd way. She explained that she had found him in the basement getting into the cat litter of all things. Apparently, he had gotten it everywhere. I took him from her and brought him outside to dust off as much as I could get out of his hair when I saw a bunch of small clumps around his mouth and realized...HE'D EATEN IT!!! Eeewww!!!

Luckily, my sister had gotten some all-natural, corn-based litter and it had just been cleaned recently. Also, her cats are the outdoor type and don't use the litter box very often. I was grateful that the only side effect was a little bit of constipation later that day and the next. Still, that's just GROSS!

He also has an insatiable fascination with toilets, toilet brushes and plungers. I cringe every time I catch him playing in the toilet water and feel my stomach churn whenever he reaches for the toilet brush or plunger. Again, eeewww!!!

I don't know why the interest is there and I don't know how to steer him away from being fascinated by them. I just get to watch him very carefully and do everything I can to keep all bathroom doors closed. (This could make potty-training very interesting.)

This one I know is common among little boys because I've had conversations with many other mothers of little boys about it. I am referring to him playing with his penis -- every chance he gets. This one is not so much stomach churning or being worried about whether or not to rush him to the hospital, but it is still something I am not exactly thrilled with seeing him do. Why are boys (of both the big and the little variety) so fascinated with that part of their body?

With all the gross things Aaron has done, I am still very grateful that I have not walked in "poop wall art" or the "open diaper dinner". Blech!!!