in which madison learns about alcohol

The kids have been swimming a ton lately.  It never fails that we get cases of swimmers ear over at the Rich house.  I looked up a natural solution and made my own ear drops.  1/2 tsp of vinegar and 1/2 tsp of rubbing alcohol and put it in a little dropper.  Naturally, the kids would be obsessed with this bottle and trying to steal it from what ever shelf I might put it on.  Something different from the norm I guess.  I caught Coulson playing with it and had to confiscate it.  Then there was Nolan.  He grabbed the bottle and was threatening Madison that he was going to dump it on her head.  In effort to dump it on her head, he ended up squirting some into her mouth.  The first thing I noticed was Madison crying.  She's over the cry every time something happens stage of her life.  I wish that was the case with the rest of them.  Anyway, Maddi is crying and she tells me what happens. "Nolan was playing with that bottle and squirted some in my mouth and it burns!"  It was a very traumatic moment for her. My response "Oh my gosh!!  Hurry and rinse your mouth out!!! That had alcohol in it!!!!"  She was so upset.  Later, after the the commotion had settled she came to me all sad.  She says "I can't believe that was the first time I drank alcohol and I'm only 9 years old!"  Now, inside  I'm thinking this conversation could go two ways...I could say "oh, sweetie, don't worry, it was just rubbing alcohol and that's different from the kind that people drink."  but I went for the latter...
Me "It was pretty gross wasn't it?"
Maddi "yes, it was so disgusting, I don't know how people would want to drink that"
Me "exactly.  I'm so glad you're smarter than all of those people"
A few minutes later I hear her telling Nolan in his room  "Nolan, I drank alcohol for the first time and it was so disgusting.  You should never try it."

Mission accomplished my friends.  Mission Accomplished.

Its time

I've been really missing something in my life lately and I've had a hard time putting my finger on what it might be.  The answer came to me today, and its weird how I already feel a little lighter!  I'm going to start writing in my blog again.  I was reading through old posts and just laughing and crying and realizing how much I miss it!  And maybe more crying was going on because I realized how many wonderful and fun moments that have happened that I don't even have record of! Like this one that happened this morning...  I'm going to be really real here for a moment and share a funny story.  I've been struggling a lot with my self image lately.  Things (2 things in particular) have gone south since nursing 4 babies.  My husband and I had the talk and he is totally against me getting them fixed.  So I went the cheap, temporary route.  I got these little gel inserts that I put in my bathing suit and sometimes my sports bra (shh).  So, yes I'm stuffing my bra like I'm 12.  Don't judge.  Anyway, this morning I look into the kitchen and Coulson is holding my inserts up to his chest and he's dancing around moving his hips and singing.  He sees me laughing at him so he brings them to me and says "Here you go mom.  Here are your things that go over your big nipples."  For the record, my nipples are not big.  And I have no idea how he know's what those things are for!!  That kid is the source of all of my entertainment and all of my stress at the same time.  I love him.  I'm happy to be back.