Jonathan is nothing if he's not honest. Like most kids his age, he just has not developed that filter on what he says (you could call it politeness, fakeness, dishonesty...) and sometimes he says the funniest things. This morning as I was walking him into school, he said, matter-of-fact, "My teachers are better than you, Mama." I asked him, "What do you mean?" And he shrugged, and said, "I don't know. They just are."
I think I am going to have to agree with him on this. They are always dressed neatly, with glowing smiles on their pretty faces, even bright and early in the morning. They are always happy and positive, every single one of them. The entire school. The entire time. It must be Jesus. Seriously.
They never screech at Jonathan about anything, they never nag him. Instead, they sing him songs and read books in a super animated and engaging way. They always act like they are completely thrilled to see him. Like they have just been waiting all morning for him to arrive and it just completes their day when he does! Jonathan never has to see them staggering towards the bathroom to pee in the morning, hair in disarray and eyes half swollen shut. They never ignore him so they can blog or play on Facebook. They never make him brush his teeth or eat dinner or wash his hair. They never clip his toenails or wash the sleep off his face in the morning. They never make him swallow any nasty medicine. It's hardly a fair contest.
To be honest, I like his teachers better than me. I would rather be around them than me.
I can totally see where he's coming from!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Monday's Quote of the Day
"CATS! If you get in a fight with that squirrel, I am NOT taking you to the vet!"
(shrieked at my cats at 9:45 AM this morning with neighbors in nearby yard watching as I tried to get back in my own house while my cats had a terrified squirrel trapped right over the threshold that I had to walk under)
(shrieked at my cats at 9:45 AM this morning with neighbors in nearby yard watching as I tried to get back in my own house while my cats had a terrified squirrel trapped right over the threshold that I had to walk under)
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Evidence of Brilliance
Okay, last post for the night. (I missed a couple of days! I had to catch up!) I just mentioned how brilliant my children are (which I really, honestly do attribute largely to my husband's side of the family. Go Dooleys!!!). And here is the evidence: Jonathan drew his first intentional picture the other day. Now, I don't want to hear any comments from anyone about what their kid can already draw and they are only 6 months old or something! My child is flippin' special and I won't hear otherwise! So he brought this to me the other day, and it was so clearly a penguin. I was so happy and he was like, wait, it needs the eyes, Mama. And he took it back and drew the two little circles for the eyes. Can you see the beak? Brilliant!
And on the very next morning (when we were SO late to school!) he woke up before Anna and I, and stayed in his room building Legos. I woke up at 8:30 (we have to be on Wickham, headed north by 8:45) and was totally distressed! I ran to his room, and there he was, sitting on the floor, building Legos. Hello, Mama, he said. I was just working on my Legos while you and Anna kept sleeping. And he had built, from the ground up, an awesome speedboat/ submarine with a fully operational gun! Just by looking at the picture on the front of the Lego box! Is anyone else shocked and awed??? I certainly am! Brilliant!
Isn't it ironic?
Yeah, I really do think.
Alanis Morissette, anyone? No? Yes?
Anyways, the irony is that we escaped any water and flood damage with Tropical Storm Fay. My laminate flooring, that is only about a year old, escaped unscathed. I was so relieved!
BUT we had an air conditioner leak (I don't understand it, something got clogged and Dave had to snake it. Was it something about condensation? I don't know.) and it leaked all under the flooring in the hallway and now they are all warped and ruined. Oh, well. Things fall apart.
Speaking of falling apart, in the last month, we have had an expensive traffic ticket (which will remain blameless and nameless) to pay, a kitchen faucet to replace, brakes and rotors (I think... I am so clueless about this stuff. It is such a luxury to have Dave) replaced in Dave's car, we had to purchase a new laptop ("had to" is a bit of a stretch, but our old one was dying and we had to get one sooner or later). We had the silverfish infestation, which led to the purchase of the new faucet to fix the leak and try to deter them, and we also bought caulking and bug spray for the outside of the house. Jonathan had to get new orthotics which aren't covered by insurance, and I am just praying that they don't come in on time this week, so we can pay for them next week, after pay Friday. Oh, and when we had that leak in the ac, the first snake broke and Dave had to go buy a new one. And my right turn signal on my car is broken (the actual stick won't push up for me to signal). I know this sounds silly, but I have been trying to turn left as much as possible and not change lanes at all unless necessary. It is funny how Dave is making more than ever and we have reduced our spending considerably (I have actually been giving some regard lately to that complicated spreadsheet he has been keeping every day for the last seven years) but we are more stressed than ever about money. I know, I know, everybody is stressed. I guess I just spent the first part of our marriage (or really, the first part of my life. Even though we were never well off, my parents always provided very well for me.) just taking stuff like food and gas for granted. But now I am getting nervous (well, I am always nervous, but now I am focusing it towards money more than ever) about things like having enough. I guess my stepdad keeps saying we are headed for a Depression (he might know, since he was actually THERE) and it is freaking me out a little! Having kids makes everything so much worse. I am so fearful that they will ever have to go without (not toys or cable TV, but food and medicine). I keep reviewing scenes from Cinderella Man in my head. An EXCELLENT movie, by the way. I wonder if I would ever be as good and as strong as the wife in that movie? I guess times like that, people just rose to the occasion because they had to. And more likely, the ones who just gave up and ran screaming down the street in despair did not have inspiring movies made about them. So anyways, what am I even talking about? Money. Worry. Bothersome repairs.
Oh, and something wierd. I have always thought I was a little, I don't want to use the word psychic, so I guess I will go with strongly intuitive. Last night I had a dream where I had a discussion with someone from nursery ministry where I was comforting her and praying for her and she was really, really in despair. She was upset because she could not make her nursery shift, and I was telling her not to worry about serving in nursery, she was more important to me than that. And.... I woke up this morning, and the phone rings, and I knew it was her! (I did not check caller ID. Our phone broke too! (HA!) So now we are using an old corded phone from probably 1989.) And sure enough, she was very upset, calling in that she could not make it to nursery, and I was telling her I was so sorry... (she had a personal tragedy). I even jumped out of bed early in anticipation that she would call me and so I was able to get to church on time just in case I had to replace her on the schedule. I think that is pretty wierd. Things like this happen pretty often to me though. I think it is some form of radioactive, co-dependency-on-steroids type of thing. I am always overly sensitive to other people's feelings. I had to quit going to my recovery group because I came home wanting to drink. I would hear about other people's lives and just feel so awful for them and it would upset me so much that I would want to drink. Isn't that awFUL??? If my Mom is really upset, my fibromyalgia pain will greatly intensify. Speaking of which, I am really in a lot of pain and discomfort lately. As long as I am complaining, let's just get it all out there! My SKIN hurts. All of my skin, esp. on my upper back just burns all the time. And it's more than just that. I sat down and wrote down a list of all my symptoms and complaints and it completely filled a piece of legal pad paper and went onto the backside. I am trying to figure this all out. How do I be the wife, mother, daughter, friend I want to be while I am in pain all the time? I am trying so hard not to be a whiner (I so want to be a shiner instead!) but it has been getting really hard lately. I don't want to be this sick, whiny, pathetic person but this condition seems to be engulfing my life more and more. I think when I went down to a half dose of the medicine (remember, because I thought I was going to lose my mind?) it helped me considerably with keeping my sanity, and all of the intolerable side effects subsided. But without the full dose, I am getting none of the pain relief. I am thinking I am going to have to look into some other treatments. But, enough complaining for the night (or week, really....). I have a loving husband, two gorgeous, brilliant (YES, brilliant, I am going to use that word!) children, and lots of wonderful friends and family. I love most everything about my life. I love everything external to the pain and problems in my own body. I am very grateful and blessed, but at the same time, I'm like, come ON! Enough already!
Alanis Morissette, anyone? No? Yes?
Anyways, the irony is that we escaped any water and flood damage with Tropical Storm Fay. My laminate flooring, that is only about a year old, escaped unscathed. I was so relieved!
BUT we had an air conditioner leak (I don't understand it, something got clogged and Dave had to snake it. Was it something about condensation? I don't know.) and it leaked all under the flooring in the hallway and now they are all warped and ruined. Oh, well. Things fall apart.
Speaking of falling apart, in the last month, we have had an expensive traffic ticket (which will remain blameless and nameless) to pay, a kitchen faucet to replace, brakes and rotors (I think... I am so clueless about this stuff. It is such a luxury to have Dave) replaced in Dave's car, we had to purchase a new laptop ("had to" is a bit of a stretch, but our old one was dying and we had to get one sooner or later). We had the silverfish infestation, which led to the purchase of the new faucet to fix the leak and try to deter them, and we also bought caulking and bug spray for the outside of the house. Jonathan had to get new orthotics which aren't covered by insurance, and I am just praying that they don't come in on time this week, so we can pay for them next week, after pay Friday. Oh, and when we had that leak in the ac, the first snake broke and Dave had to go buy a new one. And my right turn signal on my car is broken (the actual stick won't push up for me to signal). I know this sounds silly, but I have been trying to turn left as much as possible and not change lanes at all unless necessary. It is funny how Dave is making more than ever and we have reduced our spending considerably (I have actually been giving some regard lately to that complicated spreadsheet he has been keeping every day for the last seven years) but we are more stressed than ever about money. I know, I know, everybody is stressed. I guess I just spent the first part of our marriage (or really, the first part of my life. Even though we were never well off, my parents always provided very well for me.) just taking stuff like food and gas for granted. But now I am getting nervous (well, I am always nervous, but now I am focusing it towards money more than ever) about things like having enough. I guess my stepdad keeps saying we are headed for a Depression (he might know, since he was actually THERE) and it is freaking me out a little! Having kids makes everything so much worse. I am so fearful that they will ever have to go without (not toys or cable TV, but food and medicine). I keep reviewing scenes from Cinderella Man in my head. An EXCELLENT movie, by the way. I wonder if I would ever be as good and as strong as the wife in that movie? I guess times like that, people just rose to the occasion because they had to. And more likely, the ones who just gave up and ran screaming down the street in despair did not have inspiring movies made about them. So anyways, what am I even talking about? Money. Worry. Bothersome repairs.
Oh, and something wierd. I have always thought I was a little, I don't want to use the word psychic, so I guess I will go with strongly intuitive. Last night I had a dream where I had a discussion with someone from nursery ministry where I was comforting her and praying for her and she was really, really in despair. She was upset because she could not make her nursery shift, and I was telling her not to worry about serving in nursery, she was more important to me than that. And.... I woke up this morning, and the phone rings, and I knew it was her! (I did not check caller ID. Our phone broke too! (HA!) So now we are using an old corded phone from probably 1989.) And sure enough, she was very upset, calling in that she could not make it to nursery, and I was telling her I was so sorry... (she had a personal tragedy). I even jumped out of bed early in anticipation that she would call me and so I was able to get to church on time just in case I had to replace her on the schedule. I think that is pretty wierd. Things like this happen pretty often to me though. I think it is some form of radioactive, co-dependency-on-steroids type of thing. I am always overly sensitive to other people's feelings. I had to quit going to my recovery group because I came home wanting to drink. I would hear about other people's lives and just feel so awful for them and it would upset me so much that I would want to drink. Isn't that awFUL??? If my Mom is really upset, my fibromyalgia pain will greatly intensify. Speaking of which, I am really in a lot of pain and discomfort lately. As long as I am complaining, let's just get it all out there! My SKIN hurts. All of my skin, esp. on my upper back just burns all the time. And it's more than just that. I sat down and wrote down a list of all my symptoms and complaints and it completely filled a piece of legal pad paper and went onto the backside. I am trying to figure this all out. How do I be the wife, mother, daughter, friend I want to be while I am in pain all the time? I am trying so hard not to be a whiner (I so want to be a shiner instead!) but it has been getting really hard lately. I don't want to be this sick, whiny, pathetic person but this condition seems to be engulfing my life more and more. I think when I went down to a half dose of the medicine (remember, because I thought I was going to lose my mind?) it helped me considerably with keeping my sanity, and all of the intolerable side effects subsided. But without the full dose, I am getting none of the pain relief. I am thinking I am going to have to look into some other treatments. But, enough complaining for the night (or week, really....). I have a loving husband, two gorgeous, brilliant (YES, brilliant, I am going to use that word!) children, and lots of wonderful friends and family. I love most everything about my life. I love everything external to the pain and problems in my own body. I am very grateful and blessed, but at the same time, I'm like, come ON! Enough already!
Boy Day/ Girl Day
Yesterday we had Boy Day and Girl Day. Dave and Jonathan headed to Kennedy Space Center (Brevard County residents got in free!) and Anna and I went to the zoo for the morning. Jonathan had never been to the space center before, and judging from the pictures, I think they had a great time. Anna and I really enjoyed the zoo. I don't think I've ever been to the zoo with her alone. The otters were out and about, Anna got to feed a deer out of her hand (which took every bit of bravery in her little body!), and the weather was actually.... cool (sort of). Anna got her face painted for the first time: a rainbow. Jonathan was so excited when he came home he could barely get the words out to tell me about it! Both space shuttles were on the pads, which is a rare event. He was carrying the little map around and he pointed out different things they did. He is so much like his Daddy sometimes. They both have a wierd sense of memory about places and directions and maps. Whatever you call that. It's something I don't have.
Today I had a terrible headache and Anna was so sweet. She came and laid next to me on the bed and she kept patting my hand and arranging my ice pack for me. She was so quiet and gentle and she looked so concerned. It just about made me cry. Raising kids is like turning a wild little monkey chimp into a person. Parenting is no small feat, but the funny thing about it is that most of it falls on the kids. It seems regardless of what I may do or not do, they are both just racing towards adulthood and growing up. It takes so little effort on my part, in some ways. Even though every little thing can seem like a struggle sometimes, there are days when I just look around and think, Wow. When did this happen? They are both out of diapers, they are getting themselves dressed, they are getting themselves snacks and beverages. They are becoming more reasonable and rational by the day. I was so impresssed today that Anna actually knows how to be loving and to express concern. My kids are both at ages where they wake up every morning and just amaze me all day with the things they do and say. Overall, it was a good weekend.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The Office Season Premiere
The Office SPOILER ALERT!
All I have to say: most romantic proposal EVER! I love it! Sorry to those of you who DVRd it. But it was so awesome. Who knew that a rest stop would be so romantic?
Although, I do want to say one more thing (because I can never just say one thing):
I miss Pam's old hairdo. You know, the straight on top, crunchy-scrunchy curly on the bottom, half up with a barrette one? Her hair changed last season to soft ringlet waves (I think to signify her new happiness with Jim), and this season she is rocking an awesome ponytail (it is VERY cute). But I miss the old Pam hair. It made me like her so much. Oh, well.
I am so glad The Office is back! Best show ever!
And speaking of HAIRCUTS (Google Ads, are you taking note of this new subject: HAIR. HAIR! Not B*gs. Please give me a different ad!) I got a haircut on Monday. I basically went in and told Maura, a friend from church, who is FABULOUS at cutting hair, to just do whatever she thought. And I wound up with something kind of like the Rachel. You know, the Friends haircut from the 90s? It is shorter than I have ever had it. But very layered, so it still has the appearance of being medium-length. I really like it, and I washed it today and was able to get it to look decent with minimal effort. It also feels really nice and healthy. I am hoping it will help me at my Weight Watchers weigh-in tomorrow. I have been very unfocused this week. Maybe it was several ounces of hair. I can always hope!
Maura gave me the most detailed haircut ever. She cut it wet, and then she cut it again dry. It took her over an hour. She is a perfectionist, which is probably why my hair is behaving and lying the way it is supposed to for once. So if anyone wants her number, let me know! She is a genius!
It's 11:15 and Anna is still awake! Bedtime started at 8:00. Jonathan has already been asleep close to three hours. What is wrong??!! Normally she just goes right to sleep.
PS! How funny! After I posted this, my ad almost immediately changed from the one about b*gs ext**mination (I don't want to bring it back!) to one about beauty salons in the Orlando area! Love it!
All I have to say: most romantic proposal EVER! I love it! Sorry to those of you who DVRd it. But it was so awesome. Who knew that a rest stop would be so romantic?
Although, I do want to say one more thing (because I can never just say one thing):
I miss Pam's old hairdo. You know, the straight on top, crunchy-scrunchy curly on the bottom, half up with a barrette one? Her hair changed last season to soft ringlet waves (I think to signify her new happiness with Jim), and this season she is rocking an awesome ponytail (it is VERY cute). But I miss the old Pam hair. It made me like her so much. Oh, well.
I am so glad The Office is back! Best show ever!
And speaking of HAIRCUTS (Google Ads, are you taking note of this new subject: HAIR. HAIR! Not B*gs. Please give me a different ad!) I got a haircut on Monday. I basically went in and told Maura, a friend from church, who is FABULOUS at cutting hair, to just do whatever she thought. And I wound up with something kind of like the Rachel. You know, the Friends haircut from the 90s? It is shorter than I have ever had it. But very layered, so it still has the appearance of being medium-length. I really like it, and I washed it today and was able to get it to look decent with minimal effort. It also feels really nice and healthy. I am hoping it will help me at my Weight Watchers weigh-in tomorrow. I have been very unfocused this week. Maybe it was several ounces of hair. I can always hope!
Maura gave me the most detailed haircut ever. She cut it wet, and then she cut it again dry. It took her over an hour. She is a perfectionist, which is probably why my hair is behaving and lying the way it is supposed to for once. So if anyone wants her number, let me know! She is a genius!
It's 11:15 and Anna is still awake! Bedtime started at 8:00. Jonathan has already been asleep close to three hours. What is wrong??!! Normally she just goes right to sleep.
PS! How funny! After I posted this, my ad almost immediately changed from the one about b*gs ext**mination (I don't want to bring it back!) to one about beauty salons in the Orlando area! Love it!
Ads by Google
I recently added Ads by Google (Based on my estimates, I might make about 3 cents a year.) But the fun thing about it is that it changes the ads based on my blog content. It went from furniture for children last week, to LASIK eye surgery, and now, guess what it is? COCKAROACH EXTERMINATION! That's what I get for carrying on about roaches and bugs and silverfish so much! Serves me right!
Wierdness
I was thinking the other day about how wierd I am being about all of these bugs. I have not relaxed one minute since Sunday, and I am constantly scrutinizing all of the surfaces of our house for bugs. I still have not returned to my own bed, in spite of my two hour deep cleaning I did of our bedroom. I did find a Golden Oreo cookie under there (from about 6 weeks ago, courtesy of a bad day with Anna where she defeated me and I let her lie in our bed and eat cookies). So maybe now that I have removed all potential food sources...
Anyways, I was thinking of things that I would not describe as phobias, but more like severe aversions. Here's my list:
Pennies (I HATE them. I don't like touching them. I don't want them in my wallet. I've felt this way for a long time. They creep me out. Lara, do you remember when the girl at the cookie place tried to give me my change, and I acted like a freak about it? )
Wooden coffee stirrers. (If I even see one, I get the chills. They set my teeth on edge and make me feel like gagging. I know that it has been going on since August of 2004, when I got a coffee stirrer from Cin-fully Delicious down in Palm Bay. I was driving Dave back and forth to work (when he broke his ankle and both of our cars were manuals). Every since that day, I can't stand the things.
Hair products. Now this is wierd. I purchase them, because I am always trying to improve my hair. But I can't stand having them in my hair. I got my hair cut the other day and Maura asked me, do you want hairspray, and I was like NO! Then I had to explain that I can't stand hairspray. Whenever I have hairspray or other products in my hair, I can't stop thinking about them being in my hair, and it gives me a tension headache.
Bird feathers. This is fairly common. I am not alone in this aversion! I also sort of hate birds. I know they are supposed to be beautiful, but I really hate them. They scare me. I hate the way they fly and the way they have feathers.
Does anyone else have wierdness like this? Please share.
Anyways, I was thinking of things that I would not describe as phobias, but more like severe aversions. Here's my list:
Pennies (I HATE them. I don't like touching them. I don't want them in my wallet. I've felt this way for a long time. They creep me out. Lara, do you remember when the girl at the cookie place tried to give me my change, and I acted like a freak about it? )
Wooden coffee stirrers. (If I even see one, I get the chills. They set my teeth on edge and make me feel like gagging. I know that it has been going on since August of 2004, when I got a coffee stirrer from Cin-fully Delicious down in Palm Bay. I was driving Dave back and forth to work (when he broke his ankle and both of our cars were manuals). Every since that day, I can't stand the things.
Hair products. Now this is wierd. I purchase them, because I am always trying to improve my hair. But I can't stand having them in my hair. I got my hair cut the other day and Maura asked me, do you want hairspray, and I was like NO! Then I had to explain that I can't stand hairspray. Whenever I have hairspray or other products in my hair, I can't stop thinking about them being in my hair, and it gives me a tension headache.
Bird feathers. This is fairly common. I am not alone in this aversion! I also sort of hate birds. I know they are supposed to be beautiful, but I really hate them. They scare me. I hate the way they fly and the way they have feathers.
Does anyone else have wierdness like this? Please share.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
I think that bug followed me home...
It's 1:15 and I am still wide awake. I am exhausted and was almost asleep about 11:45 when I swear I saw a roach crawl across my portable DVD player. Now, granted it was dark in the room, and I tend to fall asleep and have these little hallucinations because I don't realize that I've fallen asleep while watching my "baby TV (as Anna calls it). I normally always drift off to sleep watching an episode of Seinfeld, Friends or The Office, with my glasses still on. But I really think I was awake this time, and I think I saw the silloheute of a roach crawl across the DVD player. I shrieked and Dave jumped up. He was very kind and got some paper towels and a flashlight and started taking the drawers out of the bedside table on a genuine search for this roach. Now many times in our marriage, I have woken him up with shrieking, thinking there is something frightening, thinking I am fully awake, and convinced that it is real. He has never once said, Shut up and go back to sleep. The night that I woke up with him laying beside me, facing me, and thought I saw a friggin' huge spider on him, I think he had his doubts when he jumped up and we never actually found this spider. But when he woke up with a nasty spider bite on his torso, I think he thought I was a little less crazy. So anyways, we never found this roach tonight. Dave helped me inspect my blanket and pillow carefully and moved me out to the couch. I changed clothes and swept and mopped all of the floors and did some other deep cleaning of the house. I wish I could get in that room and really do a deep clean of our bedroom. I also want to vacuum the kids' rooms right now. I am trying to have a drink to calm myself down. It has been a bad week with bugs for me, starting with the cockaroach pedicure I got on Friday, followed by the silverfish infestation of our kitchen, and now this. Of course, we normally NEVER have roaches (that I am aware of), so it is highly possible that I was having one of my wierd awake dreams. The silverfish problem led to our entire kitchen being cleared out, scoured down, re-caulked and then Dave replaced the faucet (which had been leaking for a good two years, trickling all down into the backsplash, creating the perfect conditions for these nasty little bugs to invade. I threw out my coffeepot because I was so disgusted. I knew I would never get any joy out of it again. I would have probably thrown the microwave and toaster oven out but Dave is calmer and smarter than me. I threw out all the open food in the kitchen and I am storing everything in the fridge. I really love our new faucet though. I am so tired I can't see straight! I need to go to sleep, but I keep thinking about bugs! I am not normally THIS crazy. If I had seen the roach in the bathroom or something, it might have been okay. But making its nasty little way across my bedside table which is right by my freaking head? NO! I don't know why mopping the floors in the living room seemed like a good way to get rid of the roach in the bedroom, but it just did. I also used eucalyptus oil in the mopwater and sprayed it all in the draperies because suppposedly bugs hate eucalyptus. So now I am exhausted, it smells like Vicks Vapo Rub in my house, and I am probably going to have bad dreams about bugs all night out here on the couch, while my husband snoozes peacefully in our comfy bed, secure in the knowledge that his wife is a little nuts and is simply freaked out over an imaginary bug.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Classic Jonathan
Monday:
I picked him up from preschool and asked him what he learned today. Our conversation went as follows:
Just space stuff.
What do you mean? Like what?
Just boring stuff about planets. Nuffin really.
Well, tell me one thing you learned about planets.
Sighing loudly with great exasperation and rolling his eyes (as in, here I go, humoring this lady yet again):
Like, that we live on planet Earth. And that Mars is very hot, because it is very close to the sun. And that Mars is red. Earth is not red. It is blue and green. And that Jupiter is so cold because it is very far away from the sun. Earth is a good temperature, but I want to live on Jupiter cuz I hate being hot and I just want to be cold all the time.
Well, alrighty then. That's a whole lot of something about 'nuffin!
Monday PM. I return home from small group with Anna. Jonathan stayed home to "help" Daddy install a new faucet in the kitchen sink (which actually wound up being true. He did have to help!)
What happened, Jonathan? Did you help put this new faucet in?
Yes, Mama. It was like a water park. There was water everywhere, sprayin' straight up. It was even hitting the walls and the curtains and the ceiling.
Why are you laughing, Mama? It was like a water park, it really was. I am being serious. It's the truth. That's what happened. I had to help Daddy cuz water was spraying all over the place.
Apparently, Dave did not turn the water off, and the faucet turned into a geyser. Jonathan had to help him because no one else was home and he needed another set of hands. Dave said Jonathan told him, Anna should have been here. Anna should of helped you because she has small hands. My hands are too big. Anna would have been better, Daddy.
So cute! He has such a precise, earnest way of saying everything, coupled with all of his little speech issues. It just makes everything he says so funny and cute!
I picked him up from preschool and asked him what he learned today. Our conversation went as follows:
Just space stuff.
What do you mean? Like what?
Just boring stuff about planets. Nuffin really.
Well, tell me one thing you learned about planets.
Sighing loudly with great exasperation and rolling his eyes (as in, here I go, humoring this lady yet again):
Like, that we live on planet Earth. And that Mars is very hot, because it is very close to the sun. And that Mars is red. Earth is not red. It is blue and green. And that Jupiter is so cold because it is very far away from the sun. Earth is a good temperature, but I want to live on Jupiter cuz I hate being hot and I just want to be cold all the time.
Well, alrighty then. That's a whole lot of something about 'nuffin!
Monday PM. I return home from small group with Anna. Jonathan stayed home to "help" Daddy install a new faucet in the kitchen sink (which actually wound up being true. He did have to help!)
What happened, Jonathan? Did you help put this new faucet in?
Yes, Mama. It was like a water park. There was water everywhere, sprayin' straight up. It was even hitting the walls and the curtains and the ceiling.
Why are you laughing, Mama? It was like a water park, it really was. I am being serious. It's the truth. That's what happened. I had to help Daddy cuz water was spraying all over the place.
Apparently, Dave did not turn the water off, and the faucet turned into a geyser. Jonathan had to help him because no one else was home and he needed another set of hands. Dave said Jonathan told him, Anna should have been here. Anna should of helped you because she has small hands. My hands are too big. Anna would have been better, Daddy.
So cute! He has such a precise, earnest way of saying everything, coupled with all of his little speech issues. It just makes everything he says so funny and cute!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
What's in Your Purse?
wallet
checkbook
anti-diarrhea meds (ALWAYS be prepared)
headache pills
today's church bulletin
notebook
journal
AVON order book and current catalogues
gym smartcard
church keys
planner/address book
mascara
2 lipglosses (I think this is the fewest I have ever had! I am trying to streamline lately.)
foundation compact
calculator
cell phone
2 purple pens
1 black pen
pacifier (not mine)
body butter (for moisture emergencies)
dental floss (I floss while driving. You just have to get your elbows involved and it's pretty easy.)
pile of letters/bills/notices (our cat is delinquent on her county tags. what a suprise.)
assorted Weight Watchers propaganda, including a Points finder and a membership booklet
3 hair scrunchies
1 claw clip for my hair
sunglasses
How about you? What's in YOUR purse?
Blessed Bliss
Last night was fantastic. We got a much needed break from the kids and got to spend some quality time with each other. We have not seen each other very much lately because of Dave's work and other obligations. Sometimes we just get going so much with everything that has to be done and we sort of forget that the other exists. Like we are part of the same machine but as long as the other part is functioning we don't think about each other very much. Not that we mean to take each other for granted, but it's just the nature of raising two small kids... And with the stress of my health (which is ironic, since I am technically very healthy) and with financial stress and everything else, these last months have been tough.
But every once in a while we get this break from it all, and it's just like, Oh, hi, it's you. And I am reminded every single time that there is no one I would rather be with for all of my happy times and all of my sad times. Everything else comes to a halt and I stop and focus and realize how much I really do love this man. I am so lucky, so blessed to be married to him. He makes me laugh, he listens to me, he really gets who I am am and he loves me so much. His love for me and our little family that we've created is tangible, it's visible in everything he does every day of his life. I really don't know how I got so lucky (or as my therapist would want me to say: how I made such a good choice) but I am so grateful. We just got pizza and made smores and watched Seinfeld reruns and we just had so much fun. We finally opened up the game of Risk that we got for a wedding present, but by the time we got it setup we decided against playing. Maybe in another six or seven years. We got to sleep in and have breakfast together, and when we went to pick up the kids, they were just so cute! I had forgotten how much I love my husband and my kids. And to remember, I needed more time with my husband and less time with my kids.
But every once in a while we get this break from it all, and it's just like, Oh, hi, it's you. And I am reminded every single time that there is no one I would rather be with for all of my happy times and all of my sad times. Everything else comes to a halt and I stop and focus and realize how much I really do love this man. I am so lucky, so blessed to be married to him. He makes me laugh, he listens to me, he really gets who I am am and he loves me so much. His love for me and our little family that we've created is tangible, it's visible in everything he does every day of his life. I really don't know how I got so lucky (or as my therapist would want me to say: how I made such a good choice) but I am so grateful. We just got pizza and made smores and watched Seinfeld reruns and we just had so much fun. We finally opened up the game of Risk that we got for a wedding present, but by the time we got it setup we decided against playing. Maybe in another six or seven years. We got to sleep in and have breakfast together, and when we went to pick up the kids, they were just so cute! I had forgotten how much I love my husband and my kids. And to remember, I needed more time with my husband and less time with my kids.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Pedicure: 23 dollars. Cockaroach: Free.
Okay! So, I was pretty stressed out yesterday. I am normally very content with staying at home. Since it is a choice I made that I am very grateful to have been able to make, I try not to whine. Life would be a lot harder if I had the kids in full-time daycare and I were working full-time. I try not to take for granted that my life is really not that difficult, and that I am really blessed. But yesterday was one of those days that made me lose all that perspective. I decided that maybe I have just been doing too much lately, and maybe I needed to give myself permission to just relax this morning and not spend my free time while the kids were both at preschool running from place to place trying to get stuff done. After my WW meeting, I went to Starbucks (JOY!) and then I decided to get a pedicure. I love to have my toes looking pretty, but I think that I normally can do a better job with them myself. Lately, my pain issues have kept me from being able to do them myself, and so I thought, why not? I used the money from my own account that I've earned from tutoring or selling AVON, so I really felt like I could go and not feel too guilty on my splurge. I went to Elegant Nails in north Melbourne. I have been to the one up at the Avenue in Viera, and this location is in a nice little shopping center (where my dentist and my gym are) so I figured it would be okay. Let me just say, first of all, that I have had pelvic exams/PAP smears that were less uncomfortable. Seriously. I was jumping all over the place. I could barely STAND it. I am guessing that I am more sensitive than the average person because of my fibromyalgia? I don't know. But I endured it, was almost done, just waiting for my toes to dry, when I saw it.
A ginormous, four-inch MINIMUM NOT INCLUDING the attenae, roach. Just sauntering out from under my station and crossing the tile in front of me. By sheer force of will, I made myself sit there calmly, but then I motioned to my pedicure girl that I needed to go. She took my toe separators out, and was trying to fix some smudges, and started making small talk with me. I was abrupt, and told her, I really need to leave. I got up and jumped away from the chair, my eyes darting this way and that, and I inspected my latte (which went in the trash; just being in the vicinity of this roach was enough to make it undrinkable!) and my bag to make sure he had not jumped on, hoping to hitchhike a ride out of there. She says to me, Is there a problem? And I was like, no, no, and rushed to get my credit card out of my purse. I just wanted to get the hey out of there! She says, what are you looking for? kind of defensively. I was worried she would think that I thought she had stolen something from me, so I leaned in and whispered, I saw a bug. She says, A BUG? And then the owner came rushing over. What kind bug? Did it fly? he asks me. I am embarassed at this point, because everyone in the place is focused on me. Um, not, it crawled on the ground. How big? he wants to know. After he gets a physical description, he started crawling around the floor, peering under the pedicure stations, on a hunt for this monster roach, and loudly exclaiming to his partner, Call the bug man! I was TRYING to be discreet, because I did not want them to lose more business (because Lord knows I will NEVER set foot in there again). The whole scene made me think that they are well aware of the roaches, that they may even charge them rent. The way they were acting made me really suspicious.
I was so horrified! I still keep getting chills. Dave and I are supposed to have a romantic evening because the kids are sleeping over at Grandma's. I am concerned that I will not be able to, um, be romantic. That roach was haunting. My Mom told me that she would pay me twenty-three dollars to stop talking about it. I am really bitter that I wasted money on a painful pedicure that does not even look that good (in my haste to get out of there I smudged two toes) and was totally non-hygenic.
A ginormous, four-inch MINIMUM NOT INCLUDING the attenae, roach. Just sauntering out from under my station and crossing the tile in front of me. By sheer force of will, I made myself sit there calmly, but then I motioned to my pedicure girl that I needed to go. She took my toe separators out, and was trying to fix some smudges, and started making small talk with me. I was abrupt, and told her, I really need to leave. I got up and jumped away from the chair, my eyes darting this way and that, and I inspected my latte (which went in the trash; just being in the vicinity of this roach was enough to make it undrinkable!) and my bag to make sure he had not jumped on, hoping to hitchhike a ride out of there. She says to me, Is there a problem? And I was like, no, no, and rushed to get my credit card out of my purse. I just wanted to get the hey out of there! She says, what are you looking for? kind of defensively. I was worried she would think that I thought she had stolen something from me, so I leaned in and whispered, I saw a bug. She says, A BUG? And then the owner came rushing over. What kind bug? Did it fly? he asks me. I am embarassed at this point, because everyone in the place is focused on me. Um, not, it crawled on the ground. How big? he wants to know. After he gets a physical description, he started crawling around the floor, peering under the pedicure stations, on a hunt for this monster roach, and loudly exclaiming to his partner, Call the bug man! I was TRYING to be discreet, because I did not want them to lose more business (because Lord knows I will NEVER set foot in there again). The whole scene made me think that they are well aware of the roaches, that they may even charge them rent. The way they were acting made me really suspicious.
I was so horrified! I still keep getting chills. Dave and I are supposed to have a romantic evening because the kids are sleeping over at Grandma's. I am concerned that I will not be able to, um, be romantic. That roach was haunting. My Mom told me that she would pay me twenty-three dollars to stop talking about it. I am really bitter that I wasted money on a painful pedicure that does not even look that good (in my haste to get out of there I smudged two toes) and was totally non-hygenic.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Today
Today was one of those days where I wish I had ripped open a bag of Doritos, thrown it in the middle of the floor and called it dinner. Instead I prepared a wholesome and nutritious meal that was barely eaten and much protested. Maybe Dave will appreciate it when he gets home from work to eat.
Today was one of those days where I wish I'd gone trailer park on my kids, laying on the couch, eating fudgsicles and reading tabloids while they ran around half naked with dirty faces. Instead I tried to meet their every need and want, tried to be a good mother, when, really, NOTHING is going to make them happy today, so I should have just quit and done the bare minimum. Instead I took them on an afternoon outing to the library that was rewarded with screaming and fighting kids since we got home.
Today was one of those days where I wish I'd just had the good sense (or maybe the nanny to make it a possibility?) to stay in bed. Instead I've been going for twelve hours already, trying to catch up on laundry and housework and be a mother to these two kids who I SWEAR aren't the same sweet ones I put to bed last night. It's like they woke up evil.
Today was one of those days where I wish I'd gone trailer park on my kids, laying on the couch, eating fudgsicles and reading tabloids while they ran around half naked with dirty faces. Instead I tried to meet their every need and want, tried to be a good mother, when, really, NOTHING is going to make them happy today, so I should have just quit and done the bare minimum. Instead I took them on an afternoon outing to the library that was rewarded with screaming and fighting kids since we got home.
Today was one of those days where I wish I'd just had the good sense (or maybe the nanny to make it a possibility?) to stay in bed. Instead I've been going for twelve hours already, trying to catch up on laundry and housework and be a mother to these two kids who I SWEAR aren't the same sweet ones I put to bed last night. It's like they woke up evil.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Where have you been all my life?
I have always thoroughly enjoyed picking my skin. I have been on a quest to rid myself of acne and blackheads for as long as I can remember, although, if I were to suddenly have perfect skin, I think it would take a lot of joy out of my daily life. I love a good blackhead. It's just so satisfying. As a teen, I had nearly perfect skin (not like now) but I would dig and pick at it until my one minute little blemish turned into a big, nasty mark that would eventually scar. I was VERY stressed out as a teenager (everything has been easier since I exited those years) so I spent a lot of time picking my skin. I would just zone out and kind of enter a trance-like state (sort of like I do now when I paint with my watercolors) and just dig and dig at my face.
Anyways. Maybe I need to start a second blog, just for me to talk about how disgusting AND neurotic I am. The posts about my kids are so much cuter, right?
So thanks to my wonderful new AVON products
(subtle sales pitch: go to my website at www. youravon.com/jamiedooley)
my skin has been looking pretty good lately. I especially like the Completely Clean Cleansing Cloths and the Ageless Results Nightly Nutrient Peel. Seriously, it is really good stuff, not just cause I sell it.
But, my point is! That I purchased an extractor today at Target. It is just that little metal tool that has one end for blackheads and the other end for whiteheads? Has anyone ever had a facial? Do you know what I am talking about? So I am just in heaven with this thing. I have always loved picking my face, but it's like now, I've got the tools to do it up right! (AVON does not sell extractors, so this entire post has not been a shameless plug). The only problem is, I don't know when to stop. If I could cause scarring with my hands, just imagine the damage I could do with stainless steel!
PS Dave went and got a laptop tonight! So now the Dooleys have THREE stinkin' computers and O cable tv! I am so going to miss The Office series premiere.
Anyways. Maybe I need to start a second blog, just for me to talk about how disgusting AND neurotic I am. The posts about my kids are so much cuter, right?
So thanks to my wonderful new AVON products
(subtle sales pitch: go to my website at www. youravon.com/jamiedooley)
my skin has been looking pretty good lately. I especially like the Completely Clean Cleansing Cloths and the Ageless Results Nightly Nutrient Peel. Seriously, it is really good stuff, not just cause I sell it.
But, my point is! That I purchased an extractor today at Target. It is just that little metal tool that has one end for blackheads and the other end for whiteheads? Has anyone ever had a facial? Do you know what I am talking about? So I am just in heaven with this thing. I have always loved picking my face, but it's like now, I've got the tools to do it up right! (AVON does not sell extractors, so this entire post has not been a shameless plug). The only problem is, I don't know when to stop. If I could cause scarring with my hands, just imagine the damage I could do with stainless steel!
PS Dave went and got a laptop tonight! So now the Dooleys have THREE stinkin' computers and O cable tv! I am so going to miss The Office series premiere.
Just in case you ever wondered...
Anna breastfed until she was two and a half. She would probably still be nursing if we had not been forced to quit because of her teeth. She was just talking to me about it, Remember when I used to drink milk from your boobies? I am like, of course, yes, how could I forget? It's practically all I did for over two years of my life! (I did not say this to her.)
I asked her, What did booby-milk taste like?
She thought for a minute, and said, Like strawberries!
Strawberries?? I've heard canteloupe before, but never strawberries. And then she said, Ummmm, and ice-cream too.
Man, that sounds pretty good. I wonder if she is just remembering it fondly, and inaccurately.
Am I grossing anyone out with this? I hope so.
I asked her, What did booby-milk taste like?
She thought for a minute, and said, Like strawberries!
Strawberries?? I've heard canteloupe before, but never strawberries. And then she said, Ummmm, and ice-cream too.
Man, that sounds pretty good. I wonder if she is just remembering it fondly, and inaccurately.
Am I grossing anyone out with this? I hope so.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Tuesday
I am ashamed to say I took Jonathan to school in my nightgown this morning. I threw a hoodie over it and some shorts under it, so technically I did have clothes on. But it was a gamble, because we were running way late, and if I had missed one or two green lights on the way, car loop drop off probably would have been over. Then I would have been forced to walk him into preschool in my blue Minnie Mouse nightgown, my pink shorts, my navy hoodie, flip-flops, and my bedtime hair (horribly unbrushed, frizzy, scary.) I made it, thank goodness! Seriously, I might have just turned around and gone home. All the other mommies seem to have their act together at his preschool, like with actual makeup (the makeup I slop on at red lights does not count) and fully dressed. Oh, well. I think he would have been mortified. Last night we gave the kids a bath and got them in their jammies, like we always do before Monday night small group. This way we can put them to bed straightaway when we get back home. When Jonathan heard that we were going to stop off and look at laptops at Circuit City, he staged a protest. He did not have a fit, but he just sat down on the floor and said, No! I am not going to the store in my pajamas! He was so embarrassed that people would see him. I guess it's okay to go to church in your jammies but not an electronics store. We were pretty heartless and we made him go in his pjs anyways. So I can imagine that Mama walking him to his classroom in her "bedtime clothes (as the kids call them)" would have been way uncool.
Anna and I came back home and I started a load of laundry. We were getting along pretty well. I was trying to give her some focused attention and trying to speak to her in a calm, soothing voice, no matter what loud, shrill tone she threw at me. (I am thinking we might need to get her hearing checked. The rest of us are so quiet!) But then I needed about five minutes of computer time (to actually do something, not just to facebook or blog), and she kept opening the disk drive and slapping it. This is not allowed. Our poor laptop is on its last leg anyway. After telling her to Stop it! a couple of times, I spanked her hand. She did not cry, but she folded her arms and stomped off to her bedroom, where she slammed the door. She reminds me of Tinkerbell so much. The way she pouts and sulks. I am thrilled when she shuts herself in her room. It does not punish me one bit! But then I heard her crying and calling for me, so of course I went to her room, to find that her door was locked and she was frantically trying to get it open. I was so upset! I tried to tell her how to unlock the door, and then I ran to the garage to grab an assortment of things I thought I might be able to pick the lock with. I was just going to call Dave to come home and I was almost in tears. None of my tools would work. I told Anna, Honey, just calm down.... And then I heard her say I did it! I was just about to tell her I was so proud of her for staying calm and getting the door unlocked, when she opened the door, and I saw the look of glee on her face. She had known the entire time how to unlock the door and was giggling hysterically at the funny joke she had played on Mama. Her crying was all an act. She said, "I tricked you, Mama! I know how to do that door!"
What a little skunk! I guess she got what she wanted, which was to sabotage my computer time.
Anna and I came back home and I started a load of laundry. We were getting along pretty well. I was trying to give her some focused attention and trying to speak to her in a calm, soothing voice, no matter what loud, shrill tone she threw at me. (I am thinking we might need to get her hearing checked. The rest of us are so quiet!) But then I needed about five minutes of computer time (to actually do something, not just to facebook or blog), and she kept opening the disk drive and slapping it. This is not allowed. Our poor laptop is on its last leg anyway. After telling her to Stop it! a couple of times, I spanked her hand. She did not cry, but she folded her arms and stomped off to her bedroom, where she slammed the door. She reminds me of Tinkerbell so much. The way she pouts and sulks. I am thrilled when she shuts herself in her room. It does not punish me one bit! But then I heard her crying and calling for me, so of course I went to her room, to find that her door was locked and she was frantically trying to get it open. I was so upset! I tried to tell her how to unlock the door, and then I ran to the garage to grab an assortment of things I thought I might be able to pick the lock with. I was just going to call Dave to come home and I was almost in tears. None of my tools would work. I told Anna, Honey, just calm down.... And then I heard her say I did it! I was just about to tell her I was so proud of her for staying calm and getting the door unlocked, when she opened the door, and I saw the look of glee on her face. She had known the entire time how to unlock the door and was giggling hysterically at the funny joke she had played on Mama. Her crying was all an act. She said, "I tricked you, Mama! I know how to do that door!"
What a little skunk! I guess she got what she wanted, which was to sabotage my computer time.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Sunday
Does everyone realize what a SWEET husband I have? Has everyone taken note of that? His 10 things list made me cry! His opinion matters to me more than anyone else and to hear him say those things.... He's given himself a little buffer zone. He could probably forget an anniversary or something at this point and I'd forgive him because that list was so sweet!
What's going on with the Dooleys:
1.) TV's STILL in the shop. Another weekend of no TV. It's a good thing Dave's not a football guy.
2.) Dave had to work yesterday, which was a bummer, and he missed a really fun moving party with our small group (really, it was actually fun. Maybe not for the friends we were helping to move, but I thought it was fun...)
3.) Anna is so loud and annoying that we actually searched Target for earplugs. For me. Cause I can't cope. She is not only loud, but so high-pitched. I think she is going to have her Grandma Jane's singing voice. We could not find the earplugs. I am going to keep looking. Our other Anna issue is that she is CONSTANTLY walking around with her hands shoved down her pants and in her butt. It is driving us CRAZY. I am having her wash her hands constantly.
4.) Both of our computers and our network drive are dying, so we (meaning Dave) are looking for laptops and trying to figure out a way to swing it financially.
5.) Interesting: We sold our play gym that we had on the porch on Ebay for 86 dollars this week. My brother fixed Dave's brakes today, and it cost 86 dollars. That was a happy coincidence!
6.) Jonathan played Tic Tac Toe today for the first time. Dave taught him how, and he won his second game. Jonathan also is suddenly able to color inside the lines. Both of these things happened when we were eating out at Duffy's for lunch. Good sweet potato fries.
7.) The kids were fighting over whose side of the car the moon would be on tonight when we were driving home. Every time we turned, the moon would switch sides and one of them would "win." Proof that they will fight over absolutely anything.
8.) We are excited about Jonathan's birthday (it's still a month away). Aunt Meredith will be flying in that day for a visit! Which makes it extra special.
9.) I am trying to help Jonathan with sight words, so lots of stuff in our house is labelled, with words like fridge and door and bathroom. It adds a certain flair to my decorating, in my opinion. Also, I have started scotch taping their finer work from school onto the walls by the fireplace.
I love my house. I had a revelation lately that this is MY house and I am in charge and who really gives a flip what anyone else thinks of it? It has brought much happiness. If my floors are dirty, I have no one to answer to but myself. If not a single thing matches, fine by me! If I want to have stuff for the kids' art projects and my hobbies piled all over a coffee table in the dining room wedged in next to the filing cabinet with the printer and a whole bunch of other junk on it, then that's my deal! I don't have to feel bad about it.
What's going on with the Dooleys:
1.) TV's STILL in the shop. Another weekend of no TV. It's a good thing Dave's not a football guy.
2.) Dave had to work yesterday, which was a bummer, and he missed a really fun moving party with our small group (really, it was actually fun. Maybe not for the friends we were helping to move, but I thought it was fun...)
3.) Anna is so loud and annoying that we actually searched Target for earplugs. For me. Cause I can't cope. She is not only loud, but so high-pitched. I think she is going to have her Grandma Jane's singing voice. We could not find the earplugs. I am going to keep looking. Our other Anna issue is that she is CONSTANTLY walking around with her hands shoved down her pants and in her butt. It is driving us CRAZY. I am having her wash her hands constantly.
4.) Both of our computers and our network drive are dying, so we (meaning Dave) are looking for laptops and trying to figure out a way to swing it financially.
5.) Interesting: We sold our play gym that we had on the porch on Ebay for 86 dollars this week. My brother fixed Dave's brakes today, and it cost 86 dollars. That was a happy coincidence!
6.) Jonathan played Tic Tac Toe today for the first time. Dave taught him how, and he won his second game. Jonathan also is suddenly able to color inside the lines. Both of these things happened when we were eating out at Duffy's for lunch. Good sweet potato fries.
7.) The kids were fighting over whose side of the car the moon would be on tonight when we were driving home. Every time we turned, the moon would switch sides and one of them would "win." Proof that they will fight over absolutely anything.
8.) We are excited about Jonathan's birthday (it's still a month away). Aunt Meredith will be flying in that day for a visit! Which makes it extra special.
9.) I am trying to help Jonathan with sight words, so lots of stuff in our house is labelled, with words like fridge and door and bathroom. It adds a certain flair to my decorating, in my opinion. Also, I have started scotch taping their finer work from school onto the walls by the fireplace.
I love my house. I had a revelation lately that this is MY house and I am in charge and who really gives a flip what anyone else thinks of it? It has brought much happiness. If my floors are dirty, I have no one to answer to but myself. If not a single thing matches, fine by me! If I want to have stuff for the kids' art projects and my hobbies piled all over a coffee table in the dining room wedged in next to the filing cabinet with the printer and a whole bunch of other junk on it, then that's my deal! I don't have to feel bad about it.
10 Things I Love About Jamie
The 7th aniversary of getting engaged is approaching (as is our 7th wedding anivesary). It's amazing how I loved Jamie so much when we got married, but I've grown to love her so much more each year since then. She has taught me so much that I look back on myself before I met her and am horrified at how childish I was.
1. Her smile.
2. The way she's always been a good mother. I feel like I'm constantly having to learn what it means to be a good dad, but being a good mother just seems to be her natural state.
3. Her hair.
4. Her nickname that I call her (which is too private to mention).
5. The way she fights when her pain returns, but she refuses to not do the things that she has promised to do. But also the way she isn't afraid of telling people when she can't do something.
6. The way family is so important to her.
7. The way people want to talk to her because she not only can easily empathize with other people, but she effectively communicates with them.
8. Her smokin' body.
9. The way she questions until she understands when I talk about engineering instead of just pretending like she understands.
10. Her patience with me while I worked/work through my issues.
I really don't know what I'd do without her anymore.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Feisty
I am feeling feisty tonight. I just told Dave that I am feeling evil and I don't think we should talk anymore tonight. I don't know what my problem is, but I just feel like slapping somebody. Dave went to get me takeout for dinner tonight because I came home starving. When he brought it home, I came out of my bedroom like a bear and said (very hostile), Where's my food? Dave just looked at me, and was like, It's on the table. I snatched it up and scampered back to my room, clutching my panini to my chest. (I think I am trying to evoke an image of a squirrel.)
I am feeling so cranky! I did not sleep well last night and had an insanely busy day today, and a slightly less insanely busy day yesterday. Thursday was also very busy... We have had no downtime this week at all. Dave had to work today, one of his hurricane makeup days, from our non-hurricane Faye.
I just feel evil! Maybe I should have titled this evil! Or cranky! Feisty seems a little too positive to describe what I feel right now.
I just heard Dave ask Anna if she wanted to go out in the garage with him to update the laundry. He said, Let's see... is there a racoon out here? Nope! No raccoons!
Like having to check for racoons is just a cheerful little game we play to make laundry day more exciting.
It's amazing what you can get used to. A year ago, I was blogging about the racoons, and just carrying on and so distressed about them. I was so scared of them that I felt trapped in my own house, and had to stand on a chair and peek out the window at the top of the door to see if they were out there. And now, it's like our two families have reached a peaceful agreement. We respect that they may choose to come on the porch to have supper (cat food), and they expect us to give them some warning and enter the porch cautiously, so that they have time to leave. They don't want to be interrupted during mealtime. I feel that way about food also.
I am feeling so cranky! I did not sleep well last night and had an insanely busy day today, and a slightly less insanely busy day yesterday. Thursday was also very busy... We have had no downtime this week at all. Dave had to work today, one of his hurricane makeup days, from our non-hurricane Faye.
I just feel evil! Maybe I should have titled this evil! Or cranky! Feisty seems a little too positive to describe what I feel right now.
I just heard Dave ask Anna if she wanted to go out in the garage with him to update the laundry. He said, Let's see... is there a racoon out here? Nope! No raccoons!
Like having to check for racoons is just a cheerful little game we play to make laundry day more exciting.
It's amazing what you can get used to. A year ago, I was blogging about the racoons, and just carrying on and so distressed about them. I was so scared of them that I felt trapped in my own house, and had to stand on a chair and peek out the window at the top of the door to see if they were out there. And now, it's like our two families have reached a peaceful agreement. We respect that they may choose to come on the porch to have supper (cat food), and they expect us to give them some warning and enter the porch cautiously, so that they have time to leave. They don't want to be interrupted during mealtime. I feel that way about food also.
September Pictures
Jonathan enjoying his second slice while Mama sneaks a hug.
Anna giving me a kiss over a pizza dinner.
Anna, flirting with Daddy with my sunglasses (which broke right after!)
Shorts on the head, shirt on the legs. His idea.
My handsome, almost 5 year old little man!
Jonathan's a little out of focus here, but I love his expression!
Anna had gotten into my hair product.
Anna taking care of Baby Hope.Friday, September 12, 2008
Jonathan's Bloody Nose
Last night Jonathan tripped and fell flat on his face. I heard him cry and he walked down the hallway towards me with blood coming out of his nose and mouth. Inside, I was flipping out! But I went into Mommy mode and started talking to him in a calm, soothing voice and trying to distract him, all the while trying to figure out what on earth had happened to him. Dave was in the room and he filled me in: he tripped, and fell flat on his face. No mystery there. Next came the fun game of trying to figure out if the blood was coming from his nose or his mouth or both... what was actually hurt? Jonathan was so cute during the whole thing... He whimpered and said, "I don't like blooding noses!" And "Will you just sit with me, Mama?" He did not want us to apply any pressure to his nose because it hurt, so we just had to sit and wait for his blood to clot up and stop on his own. I kept him home from school today, because if they were concerned about the green snot of Anna's on Wednesday, I can just imagine if Jonathan sneezed and blood flew everywhere (which did happen)! I used to get bloody noses all the time as a child, and I have one really bad memory from preschool. The teachers wanted me to tilt my head back so all the blood ran down into my stomach and I got super sick and I was hysterical and wanted my mother (which was pretty much the case whenever I was apart from my Mom anyways, bloody nose or not). It was also really embarrassing.
Today his nose started bleeding again, and he had it all down his shirt and it dripped on his toes. He looked down at his feet later on and said, "Oh, I don't like dried bleeding on me." I lOVE the way Jonathan talks. Instead of dried blood, it was dried bleeding. "I hate blooding noses," he says, instead of bloody noses. He's so funny.
I have been accused of favoring Anna, and maybe she is just a little more sparkly (and LOUD)and tends to grab my attention more, but I have to say, as far as Jonathan goes, that kid is my heart. I just love him so much. He is so completely himself in a way that he has always been, even as a newborn baby. He is just so special and so neat. I adore him and I love having conversations with him and I love watching him get smarter by the day. He is just the best.
Something I was thinking about just now.... I started to think about it when I mentioned my own bloody nose at Preschool. I was super close to my Mom as a kid. I loved her so much, she was the center of my whole world and I never wanted to be away from her (and I basically never was, until Kindergarten came, which was VERY traumatic for me; I was still freaking out by the time THIRD GRADE rolled around, crying every morning at drop off... it was a little nuts). I literally had anxiety when I was not near her. I was so worried about her.
Well, I was thinking about how I always question, do my kids love me enough? do they know I am their mother? Do I love my kids enough? Is our relationship close like it should be? Do I really act like their mother? Do they know I am their Mom? (I know, this sounds insane, who else would they think their mother would be?) Are we bonded appropriately???
This is something I have struggled with since the day Jonathan was born. He was always so easygoing and secure and never seemed to mind being away from me. And it freaked me out!
But I just realized that maybe my relationship with my kids has always been totally fine, even normal. They are just well-adjusted and independent. They feel safe being away from me. They have their own daily agendas, thoughts and ideas and motivations of their very own, and their world does not revolve around me (I spent MUCH of my childhood very focused on my Mom). They are already their own little people, and while I do have a responsiblity to guide them on their way, my life story and their life stories, while intertwined, are still separate stories, unique to each of us. And I think that's a good thing. Maybe I have always worried, do I love them enough, do they love me enough, because I have always been comparing it to my own relationship with my own Mom, which was good in many ways, but maybe a tad on the dysfunctional, too-close end of the spectrum of parent-child relationships. How in the world did I get on this tangent? This seems like something better discussed with my therapist than blogged about at close to midnight! I am so tired I am making sense to myself, but can't tell if I am making sense to anyone else. So, good night, those of you who have hung in there till the end of this ramble!
Today his nose started bleeding again, and he had it all down his shirt and it dripped on his toes. He looked down at his feet later on and said, "Oh, I don't like dried bleeding on me." I lOVE the way Jonathan talks. Instead of dried blood, it was dried bleeding. "I hate blooding noses," he says, instead of bloody noses. He's so funny.
I have been accused of favoring Anna, and maybe she is just a little more sparkly (and LOUD)and tends to grab my attention more, but I have to say, as far as Jonathan goes, that kid is my heart. I just love him so much. He is so completely himself in a way that he has always been, even as a newborn baby. He is just so special and so neat. I adore him and I love having conversations with him and I love watching him get smarter by the day. He is just the best.
Something I was thinking about just now.... I started to think about it when I mentioned my own bloody nose at Preschool. I was super close to my Mom as a kid. I loved her so much, she was the center of my whole world and I never wanted to be away from her (and I basically never was, until Kindergarten came, which was VERY traumatic for me; I was still freaking out by the time THIRD GRADE rolled around, crying every morning at drop off... it was a little nuts). I literally had anxiety when I was not near her. I was so worried about her.
Well, I was thinking about how I always question, do my kids love me enough? do they know I am their mother? Do I love my kids enough? Is our relationship close like it should be? Do I really act like their mother? Do they know I am their Mom? (I know, this sounds insane, who else would they think their mother would be?) Are we bonded appropriately???
This is something I have struggled with since the day Jonathan was born. He was always so easygoing and secure and never seemed to mind being away from me. And it freaked me out!
But I just realized that maybe my relationship with my kids has always been totally fine, even normal. They are just well-adjusted and independent. They feel safe being away from me. They have their own daily agendas, thoughts and ideas and motivations of their very own, and their world does not revolve around me (I spent MUCH of my childhood very focused on my Mom). They are already their own little people, and while I do have a responsiblity to guide them on their way, my life story and their life stories, while intertwined, are still separate stories, unique to each of us. And I think that's a good thing. Maybe I have always worried, do I love them enough, do they love me enough, because I have always been comparing it to my own relationship with my own Mom, which was good in many ways, but maybe a tad on the dysfunctional, too-close end of the spectrum of parent-child relationships. How in the world did I get on this tangent? This seems like something better discussed with my therapist than blogged about at close to midnight! I am so tired I am making sense to myself, but can't tell if I am making sense to anyone else. So, good night, those of you who have hung in there till the end of this ramble!
Lesson of the Day
Today I went to volunteer at the consignment sale, so that I could earn a higher percentage of sales from the items I consigned. It was a four hour shift, from 9-1.
I learned an important lesson today about how to treat volunteers. I never, ever want anyone who volunteers at the nursery ministry at our church (or any other ministry I am ever involved in) to feel the way I felt today. I walked in and got no greeting, no one told me where to sign in, and I had no instruction about what to do. I wandered around, feeling really stupid, and useless, and helpless, and finally went up to another volunteer (who had a nametag and a t-shirt) and asked what I should do. She sort of looked at me like, what are you asking me for? I was just about to leave (since they clearly did not seem to need my help) when a nice volunteer told me to go ask for a nametag and to get a shirt. But since the ladies running the sale had not offered me a shirt, I felt really uncomfortable taking one, so I just declined. So I got my nametag, and still no instruction. I wanted to help, but I had no idea what to do. It was just a bad feeling and I would definitely not want to volunteer there again. The nice volunteer gave me some pointers on what to do to fill up the time, and as it got busier, I felt just slightly more useful. I don't think anyone intended to make me feel so lost and unwelcome. They just knew what to do and where everything was and it seemed obvious to them. I think it was a good lesson for me to learn about how it is important to make volunteers feel welcome, and useful, and a part of the team, and also how I need to look at things through the eyes of a stranger. Just because I have spent lots of time in the nursery, I should not take for granted that anyone else will know where anything is or what to do. I really don't want anyone to feel the way I felt today.
The most help I was all day was that I plunged a clogged toilet filled to the brim with poopy-water. I was the only one there that had a strong enough stomach not to vomit while doing it, so the task fell to me. I felt sort of brave, and man-like, like Dave must feel when he kills spiders for me. I know that he hates the spiders and is just as scared as me, but since he is supposed to be less afraid (and therefore more manly: sometimes sexism really comes in handy) he goes ahead and does it anyways. I sort of felt sick when I was plunging the toilet, but also a little smug that I was the one doing it. Whatever, I'm so wierd.
I learned an important lesson today about how to treat volunteers. I never, ever want anyone who volunteers at the nursery ministry at our church (or any other ministry I am ever involved in) to feel the way I felt today. I walked in and got no greeting, no one told me where to sign in, and I had no instruction about what to do. I wandered around, feeling really stupid, and useless, and helpless, and finally went up to another volunteer (who had a nametag and a t-shirt) and asked what I should do. She sort of looked at me like, what are you asking me for? I was just about to leave (since they clearly did not seem to need my help) when a nice volunteer told me to go ask for a nametag and to get a shirt. But since the ladies running the sale had not offered me a shirt, I felt really uncomfortable taking one, so I just declined. So I got my nametag, and still no instruction. I wanted to help, but I had no idea what to do. It was just a bad feeling and I would definitely not want to volunteer there again. The nice volunteer gave me some pointers on what to do to fill up the time, and as it got busier, I felt just slightly more useful. I don't think anyone intended to make me feel so lost and unwelcome. They just knew what to do and where everything was and it seemed obvious to them. I think it was a good lesson for me to learn about how it is important to make volunteers feel welcome, and useful, and a part of the team, and also how I need to look at things through the eyes of a stranger. Just because I have spent lots of time in the nursery, I should not take for granted that anyone else will know where anything is or what to do. I really don't want anyone to feel the way I felt today.
The most help I was all day was that I plunged a clogged toilet filled to the brim with poopy-water. I was the only one there that had a strong enough stomach not to vomit while doing it, so the task fell to me. I felt sort of brave, and man-like, like Dave must feel when he kills spiders for me. I know that he hates the spiders and is just as scared as me, but since he is supposed to be less afraid (and therefore more manly: sometimes sexism really comes in handy) he goes ahead and does it anyways. I sort of felt sick when I was plunging the toilet, but also a little smug that I was the one doing it. Whatever, I'm so wierd.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
10 Things I Love About Dave
1.) His laugh
2.) His crinkly nose when he smiles
3.) The way his hair is super messed up when he's had a bad day at work (because he's literally been pulling his hair out over his computer!)
4.) The way he is humble, unassuming, and utterly incapable of deceit or pretense with me
5.) His integrity, his honest desire to do the right thing and to live a life that pleases God
6.) The way he loves our children and the way he really knows them and spends time with them and the way he takes care of our family; the way he always puts us first : his giving, selfless nature (that's more than one thing, but whatever).
7.) The way he makes me feel special and valued and cared for by being so thoughtful and considerate and kind; the way I never have to wonder where his heart is, because I know it's with me and our family.
8.) His deliberate, rock-steady approach to life, and the way he has his priorities in place.
9.) The way he drives that always makes me feel safe and I can just snooze on car trips because I know he is taking care of everything.
10.) The tidy way he lives in our house and the tidy way he lives in his life, leaving no messy trails or loose ends for others to pick up.
2.) His crinkly nose when he smiles
3.) The way his hair is super messed up when he's had a bad day at work (because he's literally been pulling his hair out over his computer!)
4.) The way he is humble, unassuming, and utterly incapable of deceit or pretense with me
5.) His integrity, his honest desire to do the right thing and to live a life that pleases God
6.) The way he loves our children and the way he really knows them and spends time with them and the way he takes care of our family; the way he always puts us first : his giving, selfless nature (that's more than one thing, but whatever).
7.) The way he makes me feel special and valued and cared for by being so thoughtful and considerate and kind; the way I never have to wonder where his heart is, because I know it's with me and our family.
8.) His deliberate, rock-steady approach to life, and the way he has his priorities in place.
9.) The way he drives that always makes me feel safe and I can just snooze on car trips because I know he is taking care of everything.
10.) The tidy way he lives in our house and the tidy way he lives in his life, leaving no messy trails or loose ends for others to pick up.
Mom-isms
Here's a list of some of the things my Mom says often, and used to say to me as a kid:
"Put a smile on your face and a song in your heart!"
"Be a shiner, not a whiner!"
"Be a hero, not a zero!"
"Go to bed! I want to see you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning!"
"The older you get, the bolder you get."
"You've gotta keep moving!"
"Sometimes you have to laugh, or you'll cry."
All in all, not bad advice.
"Put a smile on your face and a song in your heart!"
"Be a shiner, not a whiner!"
"Be a hero, not a zero!"
"Let's get a move on! Come on, what are we waiting for??"
"Take what you get and don't have a fit!""Go to bed! I want to see you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning!"
"The older you get, the bolder you get."
"You've gotta keep moving!"
"Sometimes you have to laugh, or you'll cry."
All in all, not bad advice.
What are you waiting for, Easter?
Jonathan and Anna had a fight over a boo today. Anna was pretending to be a baby (because baby Hope was here) and she found her old Winnie the Pooh pacifier. I guess Jonathan took it and she started throwing a fit. I yelled, JON-A-THAN!
And he came stomping out of his room, and said, It's ON THE FLOOR, Anna! What are you waiting for, Easter?
I just had to laugh. Where did he get this from? Is there a saying that goes, What are you waiting for, Christmas? That seems right to me, but maybe it is Easter. Does anyone know?
PS Dave did not get this post at all. Jonathan was being sarcastic, like, go ahead, have the stupid boo, it's right there on the floor, what are you waiting for, Easter or something? Maybe you just had to have been there.
And he came stomping out of his room, and said, It's ON THE FLOOR, Anna! What are you waiting for, Easter?
I just had to laugh. Where did he get this from? Is there a saying that goes, What are you waiting for, Christmas? That seems right to me, but maybe it is Easter. Does anyone know?
PS Dave did not get this post at all. Jonathan was being sarcastic, like, go ahead, have the stupid boo, it's right there on the floor, what are you waiting for, Easter or something? Maybe you just had to have been there.
Getting Ideas...
Today I am getting to watch the most beautiful and sweet baby, Hope, for our friend from New Hope. I had a MOPs meeting this morning, so Dave actually came home to watch her for the first hour or so. When I got home, Dave opened the door holding her, and it was like we had rewinded time about 2 and a half years! Hope looks like Anna did at this age, and she is wearing an outfit almost identical to one Anna used to wear. And Dave was holding her the same way he always held Anna, facing out and kind of balanced on his forearm (it's very safe, I'm probably not describing it right). He sure did look good with that baby in his arms! Made me start getting ideas...
But Hope will be picked up about 4:00 and I am sure after all day with three little ones, these ideas will not be acted upon. We asked Anna if she wanted a baby sister, and she said, no she wanted another big brother. 2 big bubbas she said! Hope is just sitting here in her bouncy seat, and she is completely fascinated by the two kids! Anna has not left her side all morning. So sweet!
But Hope will be picked up about 4:00 and I am sure after all day with three little ones, these ideas will not be acted upon. We asked Anna if she wanted a baby sister, and she said, no she wanted another big brother. 2 big bubbas she said! Hope is just sitting here in her bouncy seat, and she is completely fascinated by the two kids! Anna has not left her side all morning. So sweet!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Wednesday
So I dropped the kids off this morning at school. Anna has had the sniffles this week, but she woke up cheerful and her nose was clear last night, and she did not sneeze one time this morning before school! When I picked her up, her teacher came out to the car to tell me that her nose has been really green and yucchy and she has been sneezing profuse amounts of snot and she has been acting sick. Now I know that it really looks like I knew she was sick and dumped her off anyways, but I really did not! I would not want other kids to get sick, and really, really I would not want my precious girl to be at school when she is not feeling well.
Also, apparently Anna was very offended that they would bring a firefighter/truck to school and expect her to look at it! Jonathan got in the car and was thrilled and started telling me all about it, and she crossed her arms, and said, I NOT like that firetruck! Her teacher had circled back and was coming to tell me that Anna got really upset about the firetruck and they had to take her inside. I was really puzzled. Is she AFRAID of firetrucks? From what I could gather from Anna, she was upset because BOYS like to look at firetrucks, and she is a GIRL and she does NOT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT FIREMAN. I think her teacher thought it frightened her, which I think makes Anna look cuter and less bratty.
The kids are being really quiet right now, and they are in the bathroom, and they seem to be having a cooperative conversation. Now I hear water running. This can't be good. The only thing worse than when they fight is when they conspire together.
Also, apparently Anna was very offended that they would bring a firefighter/truck to school and expect her to look at it! Jonathan got in the car and was thrilled and started telling me all about it, and she crossed her arms, and said, I NOT like that firetruck! Her teacher had circled back and was coming to tell me that Anna got really upset about the firetruck and they had to take her inside. I was really puzzled. Is she AFRAID of firetrucks? From what I could gather from Anna, she was upset because BOYS like to look at firetrucks, and she is a GIRL and she does NOT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT FIREMAN. I think her teacher thought it frightened her, which I think makes Anna look cuter and less bratty.
The kids are being really quiet right now, and they are in the bathroom, and they seem to be having a cooperative conversation. Now I hear water running. This can't be good. The only thing worse than when they fight is when they conspire together.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Tuesday
What's going through my head tonight:
I am obsessively worrying about the CERN experiment taking place tomorrow. Since I am not smart enough to understand 6 out of every 10 words I read about it, it seems even scarier.
I can't stop biting my nails. I had stopped for about 6 weeks, but now I am gnawing them till they hurt again.
I wish my kids would just go to bed. I wish someone else were here to put them to bed. Dave's at practice.
I am upset that Anna took two permanent markers and wrote on my dining room table, but I am also glad that she chose pink, and not some ugly color I don't like.
I am happy that Jonathan's physical therapy is going so well. Just two sessions with ten days of at home exercises in between have made a huge difference.
I love my new watch that Dave got me. It's Hello Kitty, but not in an obvious way.
I am pleased that I started having the kids listen to books on CD in the car. I am really enjoying this, and since they are Magic Treehouse books (I got a huge set of them on loan from the library) I don't have to worry about them learning new cuss words. It makes our time in the car more pleasant.
I am dismayed that Jonathan allegedly used a new cuss word today that I did not know he knew. I am not sure this one could be blamed on me. I don't think I ever slip and say this one.
I am also not sure if that is really what he said. He is not an easy kid to understand. I am thinking he said something more like Stickhead. But I was not there, so I have to believe that Grandma heard what she thinks she heard. PS: I asked Jonathan after posting this, what was that bad word he said? And he said, I'm not 'pposed to say it again, Mama. And I told him, I just need to know what word you said, Just tell me. And he replies, real shamefully, and in a small voice, I said spikehead. So there you go, throw a speech problem in there with some silly made-up kid insult and you've got yourself a major misunderstanding!
I am proud that I stayed within my points for the day (I'm back on Weight Watchers).
I am looking forward to watching Baby Mama with Dave soon.
I am obsessively worrying about the CERN experiment taking place tomorrow. Since I am not smart enough to understand 6 out of every 10 words I read about it, it seems even scarier.
I can't stop biting my nails. I had stopped for about 6 weeks, but now I am gnawing them till they hurt again.
I wish my kids would just go to bed. I wish someone else were here to put them to bed. Dave's at practice.
I am upset that Anna took two permanent markers and wrote on my dining room table, but I am also glad that she chose pink, and not some ugly color I don't like.
I am happy that Jonathan's physical therapy is going so well. Just two sessions with ten days of at home exercises in between have made a huge difference.
I love my new watch that Dave got me. It's Hello Kitty, but not in an obvious way.
I am pleased that I started having the kids listen to books on CD in the car. I am really enjoying this, and since they are Magic Treehouse books (I got a huge set of them on loan from the library) I don't have to worry about them learning new cuss words. It makes our time in the car more pleasant.
I am dismayed that Jonathan allegedly used a new cuss word today that I did not know he knew. I am not sure this one could be blamed on me. I don't think I ever slip and say this one.
I am also not sure if that is really what he said. He is not an easy kid to understand. I am thinking he said something more like Stickhead. But I was not there, so I have to believe that Grandma heard what she thinks she heard. PS: I asked Jonathan after posting this, what was that bad word he said? And he said, I'm not 'pposed to say it again, Mama. And I told him, I just need to know what word you said, Just tell me. And he replies, real shamefully, and in a small voice, I said spikehead. So there you go, throw a speech problem in there with some silly made-up kid insult and you've got yourself a major misunderstanding!
I am proud that I stayed within my points for the day (I'm back on Weight Watchers).
I am looking forward to watching Baby Mama with Dave soon.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Jonathan
This morning I was struggling to put on my bra, and Jonathan walked up behind me in the bathroom. He said, "I can help you with that, Mama." I was not really paying attention, and I muttered, Oh, really? And he says, "Yeah, I've been practicing and learning." Then I'm like, Really? To which he replied, "Yeah, that bra you keep in the car, I've been practicing to do those snaps."
First of all, I am not sure I want my son to be adept at bras at any age, but really, really, not at 4. What is he, in training to be a lady's man?
And the other thing, I was not aware I even had a bra in the car! Sure enough, I looked in the backseat, and I did. People have probably been peering in my car at stoplights, watching this little boy in his booster seat fastening and unfastening a bra. They probably think he does not have any toys and has to amuse himself otherwise.
Jonathan has been doing great at school. He has this big red tub in his room, and every weekend he looks forward to what will be in it on Monday. They change the contents out every week. Anna has one in her room also. I kept talking to them about it, hyping it up, oh, I wonder what's going to be in your big red bucket this week? Jonathan looked at me with a cool stare the other night, and said, It's called a sensory tub, Mama.
Oh, okay. Clearly, that big red bucket full of uncooked rice or buttons or sand, it's a sensory tub.
So, last night at dinner, Jonathan was playing with his food, digging down deep and rifling through his pile of couscous with his hands. I was like, Child, have you lost your mind?! (This is one of those things I find myself saying, and I hate myself when I say it, but it keeps falling out of my mouth.)
He told me, This is my sensory tub, Mama. (Always the clever one!)
Um, yeah, that's not gonna fly, Buddy! (This is something that I say that is straight out of my own Mom's mouth.)
That's part of why the kids go to school. School provides them with messy sensory experiences, such as sandboxes and fingerpaints, lots of playtime out in the hot sunshine (I REALLY DO NOT LIKE TO BE OUTDOORS), opportunities to play noisy, headache-inducing instruments, and be amongst hordes of loud, screechy children.
There's a whole lot of annoying contained in the walls of that preschool, and I am SUPER grateful for that.
But, no, we are not going to excuse being up to your elbows in your dinner, Jonathan, just because you are trying to pass it off as a sensory learning experience.
First of all, I am not sure I want my son to be adept at bras at any age, but really, really, not at 4. What is he, in training to be a lady's man?
And the other thing, I was not aware I even had a bra in the car! Sure enough, I looked in the backseat, and I did. People have probably been peering in my car at stoplights, watching this little boy in his booster seat fastening and unfastening a bra. They probably think he does not have any toys and has to amuse himself otherwise.
Jonathan has been doing great at school. He has this big red tub in his room, and every weekend he looks forward to what will be in it on Monday. They change the contents out every week. Anna has one in her room also. I kept talking to them about it, hyping it up, oh, I wonder what's going to be in your big red bucket this week? Jonathan looked at me with a cool stare the other night, and said, It's called a sensory tub, Mama.
Oh, okay. Clearly, that big red bucket full of uncooked rice or buttons or sand, it's a sensory tub.
So, last night at dinner, Jonathan was playing with his food, digging down deep and rifling through his pile of couscous with his hands. I was like, Child, have you lost your mind?! (This is one of those things I find myself saying, and I hate myself when I say it, but it keeps falling out of my mouth.)
He told me, This is my sensory tub, Mama. (Always the clever one!)
Um, yeah, that's not gonna fly, Buddy! (This is something that I say that is straight out of my own Mom's mouth.)
That's part of why the kids go to school. School provides them with messy sensory experiences, such as sandboxes and fingerpaints, lots of playtime out in the hot sunshine (I REALLY DO NOT LIKE TO BE OUTDOORS), opportunities to play noisy, headache-inducing instruments, and be amongst hordes of loud, screechy children.
There's a whole lot of annoying contained in the walls of that preschool, and I am SUPER grateful for that.
But, no, we are not going to excuse being up to your elbows in your dinner, Jonathan, just because you are trying to pass it off as a sensory learning experience.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
5 Things About Us
5 Things About Jamie:
1.) Has never heard the song Amazing Grace without crying.
2.) Uses those address labels you get from charities in the mail ; has never once has made a donation in return.
3.) Sleeps with her glasses on, in case she needs to see something in the dark.
4.) Is sort of vain about her feet.
5.) Has a tattoo, and does not regret it.
5 Things About Dave:
1.) Eats ice-cream every morning for breakfast.
2.) Watches TV muted with closed captioning on.
3.) Loves NPR.
4.) Remember the plot of every movie he has ever seen and every book he has ever read.
5.) Hates to trim his toenails; only does it as a last resort (like when they are touching the ends of his shoes and frightening Jamie).
5 Things About Jonathan:
1.) Could live off of chocolate milk, peanut butter sandwiches, and baby carrots.
2.) Has never once wiped his own butt (we need to work on this before the big K next fall).
3.) Hates getting his hands dirty, even for fun.
4.) Loves his "alone time,"and requires solitude on a daily basis.
5.) Also hates having his toenails trimmed. Almost never happens, he just sort of lets them curl and peel off.
5 Things About Anna:
1.) Loves to chat on the phone.
2.) Is a bit of a daredevil.
3.) Hates toothpaste with a passion (no matter what kind).
4.) Loves the color yellow.
5.) Thinks "Poo-poo head" is the funniest joke ever.
1.) Has never heard the song Amazing Grace without crying.
2.) Uses those address labels you get from charities in the mail ; has never once has made a donation in return.
3.) Sleeps with her glasses on, in case she needs to see something in the dark.
4.) Is sort of vain about her feet.
5.) Has a tattoo, and does not regret it.
5 Things About Dave:
1.) Eats ice-cream every morning for breakfast.
2.) Watches TV muted with closed captioning on.
3.) Loves NPR.
4.) Remember the plot of every movie he has ever seen and every book he has ever read.
5.) Hates to trim his toenails; only does it as a last resort (like when they are touching the ends of his shoes and frightening Jamie).
5 Things About Jonathan:
1.) Could live off of chocolate milk, peanut butter sandwiches, and baby carrots.
2.) Has never once wiped his own butt (we need to work on this before the big K next fall).
3.) Hates getting his hands dirty, even for fun.
4.) Loves his "alone time,"and requires solitude on a daily basis.
5.) Also hates having his toenails trimmed. Almost never happens, he just sort of lets them curl and peel off.
5 Things About Anna:
1.) Loves to chat on the phone.
2.) Is a bit of a daredevil.
3.) Hates toothpaste with a passion (no matter what kind).
4.) Loves the color yellow.
5.) Thinks "Poo-poo head" is the funniest joke ever.
Saturday
My crop last night was fun, although I got nothing accomplished. I stayed up super late reading New Moon, and I think I changed my mind about the whole vampire vs. werewolf debate. I was leaning towards werewolf, but Edward Cullen came back and got awfully romantic at the end. So now I am thinking vampire. For Bella, not me. Just to clarify. I am very happy with my human husband and don't pine for mythical monsters. Anways!
Dave went to work this morning from 6-10. When he came home, we played the What do you want to do? I dunno, what do you wanna do? game for a while. Then we sort of gave up and let the kids decide on our outing. So it turned out we went to Mustard's Last Stand for hot dogs (Jonathan's pick) and then to the library (Anna's pick). The kids went and grabbed a table and sat at it patiently while we ordered at the counter. The food was delicious, as always, although a total sabatoge of my first day back on Weight Watchers. The library was fun. They put up this sign in the children's section, in real big, agressive font, PARENTS! CONTROL YOUR CHILDREN! If a sign like that ever helped anything, we should post them everywhere.
Jonathan got a Batman book, Anna pickout out Little Critter and Arthur books, I got a novel, and Dave got a Star Wars and some other sci-fi book. I felt like our family was so wholesome and literary. We still have no TV. I have forgotten what it's even like to own one. I could care less if it ever comes back, until The Office season premiere comes on (Sept. 25? I think?). Then we are just going to have to lug the old broken Sony out and plug it in to our new basic cable. But until then, we'll just wait, and wait, and wait some more. We've made progress. The TV has at least left our house and headed to the repair shop. But I sort of feel like the Samsung is already dead and buried. I just don't have any faith that TV will ever come back.
Dave's at the grocery store. I am wrapped up in a blanket, drinking hot tea. I have a sudden cold! I had one earlier this week and snapped out of it, but now it's returned, times two.
It looks like Ike won't be coming our way. I had sort of gotten a little excited about going to KY to evacuate. I am sure we might get another opportunity to evacuate. Maybe Josephine? Obviously, though, I really don't wish for the hurricanes to come here.
Dave went to work this morning from 6-10. When he came home, we played the What do you want to do? I dunno, what do you wanna do? game for a while. Then we sort of gave up and let the kids decide on our outing. So it turned out we went to Mustard's Last Stand for hot dogs (Jonathan's pick) and then to the library (Anna's pick). The kids went and grabbed a table and sat at it patiently while we ordered at the counter. The food was delicious, as always, although a total sabatoge of my first day back on Weight Watchers. The library was fun. They put up this sign in the children's section, in real big, agressive font, PARENTS! CONTROL YOUR CHILDREN! If a sign like that ever helped anything, we should post them everywhere.
Jonathan got a Batman book, Anna pickout out Little Critter and Arthur books, I got a novel, and Dave got a Star Wars and some other sci-fi book. I felt like our family was so wholesome and literary. We still have no TV. I have forgotten what it's even like to own one. I could care less if it ever comes back, until The Office season premiere comes on (Sept. 25? I think?). Then we are just going to have to lug the old broken Sony out and plug it in to our new basic cable. But until then, we'll just wait, and wait, and wait some more. We've made progress. The TV has at least left our house and headed to the repair shop. But I sort of feel like the Samsung is already dead and buried. I just don't have any faith that TV will ever come back.
Dave's at the grocery store. I am wrapped up in a blanket, drinking hot tea. I have a sudden cold! I had one earlier this week and snapped out of it, but now it's returned, times two.
It looks like Ike won't be coming our way. I had sort of gotten a little excited about going to KY to evacuate. I am sure we might get another opportunity to evacuate. Maybe Josephine? Obviously, though, I really don't wish for the hurricanes to come here.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Friday afternoon
What's going on:
I am making bbq chicken, sauteed onions, corn, and mac and cheese. Nothin' green.
The kids are playing nicely in their room after an afternoon of screeching and squabling. They are making nice now that Daddy is on his way home. Maybe they overheard me tell him on the phone that they were driving me nuts, and now they are conspiring to make me look crazy. Lately, I guess I have not needed any help in that area.
I sort of almost burnt the chicken and the kitchen was filled with smoke. So I opened the kitchen window and turned on the exhaust fan. Two things happened: Sprite came to the window and started bawling her head off (this cat does not meow, she cries!) and this petrified lizard that had been caught between the window and the screen for months (maybe a year?) fell out and into the kitchen sink. I have been avoiding that lizard for so long now, and then I was forced to deal with it. Couldn't just leave it in the kitchen sink. I've been cleaning all afternoon so I did not want something as unattractive as a sun-dried lizard in the sink when Dave came home.
We are watching Ike and wondering if we might be taking a trip to Grandma Jane's in KY this coming week. We'll have to wait and see. It seems that we will be likely to take a trip up there to escape a hurricane at some point this fall. We're always up for a road trip, but don't really want a hurricane to be the motivation for going.
I am headed out to a scrapbooking night tonight! Very much looking forward to that! I am going to scrapbook December of 2007, and I have some fantastic pink/green Christmas papers that I am going to use.
Anna is walking around chatting on the phone with her Uncle Coco (my bro. Cory). That girl loves to talk on the phone! She's just like her Nona Donna, she has to walk around the whole time she talks. Jonathan is in his room making some mad Lego creations. He is getting REALLY good! Not even 5, and he's already surpassed me.
After scrapbooking, I am going to come home and stay up late reading New Moon (the second Twilight series) book. I am halfway through and it has suddenly turned very suspenseful.
I keep thinking, if I were Bella, and if I had to choose between a vampire and a werewolf, who would I choose? The answer seems pretty obvious to me. Any out there read these books, and read this blog, and would like to tell me what you think?
Hope everyone has a fab. Friday evening!
I am making bbq chicken, sauteed onions, corn, and mac and cheese. Nothin' green.
The kids are playing nicely in their room after an afternoon of screeching and squabling. They are making nice now that Daddy is on his way home. Maybe they overheard me tell him on the phone that they were driving me nuts, and now they are conspiring to make me look crazy. Lately, I guess I have not needed any help in that area.
I sort of almost burnt the chicken and the kitchen was filled with smoke. So I opened the kitchen window and turned on the exhaust fan. Two things happened: Sprite came to the window and started bawling her head off (this cat does not meow, she cries!) and this petrified lizard that had been caught between the window and the screen for months (maybe a year?) fell out and into the kitchen sink. I have been avoiding that lizard for so long now, and then I was forced to deal with it. Couldn't just leave it in the kitchen sink. I've been cleaning all afternoon so I did not want something as unattractive as a sun-dried lizard in the sink when Dave came home.
We are watching Ike and wondering if we might be taking a trip to Grandma Jane's in KY this coming week. We'll have to wait and see. It seems that we will be likely to take a trip up there to escape a hurricane at some point this fall. We're always up for a road trip, but don't really want a hurricane to be the motivation for going.
I am headed out to a scrapbooking night tonight! Very much looking forward to that! I am going to scrapbook December of 2007, and I have some fantastic pink/green Christmas papers that I am going to use.
Anna is walking around chatting on the phone with her Uncle Coco (my bro. Cory). That girl loves to talk on the phone! She's just like her Nona Donna, she has to walk around the whole time she talks. Jonathan is in his room making some mad Lego creations. He is getting REALLY good! Not even 5, and he's already surpassed me.
After scrapbooking, I am going to come home and stay up late reading New Moon (the second Twilight series) book. I am halfway through and it has suddenly turned very suspenseful.
I keep thinking, if I were Bella, and if I had to choose between a vampire and a werewolf, who would I choose? The answer seems pretty obvious to me. Any out there read these books, and read this blog, and would like to tell me what you think?
Hope everyone has a fab. Friday evening!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
You might be crazy if...
Your therapist gets a new car and it almost makes you have a meltdown.
Explanation:
Okay, so those of you who are in the know (you poor, poor people!) and those of you who have just sensed the crazy lately, are aware that I have been sort of teetering on the brink. On the brink of what, I am not exactly sure, but I don't think I want to find out. Last week things got really bad. I went to the rheumatologist (the Dr. who put me on the medicine to help with my pain and other fibro. symptoms) to discuss my "issues." I won't go into details, but let me just say that I have dealt with some pretty yucky emotional stuff in the past, and I have never felt the way I felt last week. The word I could best use to describe it would be desperate. My medication, or my condition, one of the two, (to be determined) was giving me some pretty wicked side effects, or symptoms. My feet and hands were going numb and tingling like crazy, I had feeling of electric shocks going through my head, my right side of my face was numb, when I drank water I felt like my face was being shocked. Have any of you ever stuck your tongue on a nine-volt battery? Like that, but all over my face and zapping through my brain. On top of this, my blood pressure was quite high and my pulse up, from anxiety, or just my old hypertension creeping back in to the picture? In addition, if I moved my head from one side or the other, I would feel like I was going to blackout. I had to be careful to turn my head very, very slowly. My vision was constantly being obstructed by all my spots and visual disturbances. My mind was racing all the time, I could not complete my sentences and I was having a problem getting my hands to type the correct letters on the keyboard. (Lara can vouch for this!) When I walked, the room seemed to be turning, or I was listing to one side. By Thursday night, I was pretty sure I was having mini-strokes or maybe a brain tumor or something.
So was I anxious from feeling bad, or feeling bad from being anxious? I don't know. But I can tell you that my life has been very happy and blessed lately. I have an amazing husband, kids who bring me unspeakable joy, I feel like I have been growing in my faith lately so much, and I have been feeling an unprecedented level of contentment with my life. So all of these symptoms were not accompanied by my normal thoughts and feelings of anxiety. None of this was making any sense to me at all. I had to think it might be the medicine (or maybe one of the many medicines I have swung on and off all year in an effort to manage my fibro?) Anyways, I went to the Dr. He listened to my complaints with only very mild concern. I mean come on, I think I either sound like a lunatic or someone who is about to keel over! Don't these symptoms sound a little alarming to anyone else? Is it just me?? He took my blood pressure, and then he cut my medicine in half, gave me some blood pressure medicine, and gave me some anxiety medicine to help me relax and go to sleep. So I left the appointment very relieved that he did not seem too worried, but also very puzzled about what the hey is going on with me. But I made it through the weekend with increasingly fewer brain zaps and face shocks, and I seem to be getting better with the typing and the finishing of thoughts. My blood pressure is being effectively lowered, which is good, so I'm not walking around with 170/110 all the time. Woo-hoo.
So, I said I was going to explain about the car! I had an appointment with my therapist this morning, and I was swinging my car into the parking spot, when I realized, with sudden panic that her car was not there! I was freaking out! Where could she BE? Doesn't she know I NEED HER? What could possibly be more IMPORTANT THAN ME??? My mind raced with all of the possible scenarios: her car's broken, so she had to hitch a ride with a co-worker, her pet is seriously ill and had to be rushed to the animal hospital (I have absolutely no idea if she has a pet), maybe she fell on the floor, clutching her heart, and I just missed the ambulance! Oh NO! Wait, that would not work, because her car would still be here. I go in to the waiting room, and try to act nonchalant when I check in with the receptionist, who says, Hi! Jamie, I'll let her know you're here! I could have wept. She's here! I REALLY need my therapist right now. How much so, I did not realize until this morning.
So when I see her and she's escorting me down the hall, do I act normal? No! I say, (almost accusingly) Where is your car??? And she says, in a calm voice that is well accustomed to dealing with all sort of crazy, Well, I traded it in for a new one. And so on and so forth.
At the end of our session, as she was walking me out, I said, Hey, next time you're gonna do something like that, give me some notice first! Fill me in if there's gonna be a big change like that! She just laughed. She thinks I have a wonderful sense of humor. I really wasn't completely kidding.
So, here's the reality check for me: although I may be thinking I feel better, I am still not completely okay right now, if something like my therapist's car being absent from the parking lot can send me into a tailspin. Why do I even know what kind of car she drives? Why do I have to check for it compulsively everytime I pull in? I have an appointment, of course I should expect she will be there.
Explanation:
Okay, so those of you who are in the know (you poor, poor people!) and those of you who have just sensed the crazy lately, are aware that I have been sort of teetering on the brink. On the brink of what, I am not exactly sure, but I don't think I want to find out. Last week things got really bad. I went to the rheumatologist (the Dr. who put me on the medicine to help with my pain and other fibro. symptoms) to discuss my "issues." I won't go into details, but let me just say that I have dealt with some pretty yucky emotional stuff in the past, and I have never felt the way I felt last week. The word I could best use to describe it would be desperate. My medication, or my condition, one of the two, (to be determined) was giving me some pretty wicked side effects, or symptoms. My feet and hands were going numb and tingling like crazy, I had feeling of electric shocks going through my head, my right side of my face was numb, when I drank water I felt like my face was being shocked. Have any of you ever stuck your tongue on a nine-volt battery? Like that, but all over my face and zapping through my brain. On top of this, my blood pressure was quite high and my pulse up, from anxiety, or just my old hypertension creeping back in to the picture? In addition, if I moved my head from one side or the other, I would feel like I was going to blackout. I had to be careful to turn my head very, very slowly. My vision was constantly being obstructed by all my spots and visual disturbances. My mind was racing all the time, I could not complete my sentences and I was having a problem getting my hands to type the correct letters on the keyboard. (Lara can vouch for this!) When I walked, the room seemed to be turning, or I was listing to one side. By Thursday night, I was pretty sure I was having mini-strokes or maybe a brain tumor or something.
So was I anxious from feeling bad, or feeling bad from being anxious? I don't know. But I can tell you that my life has been very happy and blessed lately. I have an amazing husband, kids who bring me unspeakable joy, I feel like I have been growing in my faith lately so much, and I have been feeling an unprecedented level of contentment with my life. So all of these symptoms were not accompanied by my normal thoughts and feelings of anxiety. None of this was making any sense to me at all. I had to think it might be the medicine (or maybe one of the many medicines I have swung on and off all year in an effort to manage my fibro?) Anyways, I went to the Dr. He listened to my complaints with only very mild concern. I mean come on, I think I either sound like a lunatic or someone who is about to keel over! Don't these symptoms sound a little alarming to anyone else? Is it just me?? He took my blood pressure, and then he cut my medicine in half, gave me some blood pressure medicine, and gave me some anxiety medicine to help me relax and go to sleep. So I left the appointment very relieved that he did not seem too worried, but also very puzzled about what the hey is going on with me. But I made it through the weekend with increasingly fewer brain zaps and face shocks, and I seem to be getting better with the typing and the finishing of thoughts. My blood pressure is being effectively lowered, which is good, so I'm not walking around with 170/110 all the time. Woo-hoo.
So, I said I was going to explain about the car! I had an appointment with my therapist this morning, and I was swinging my car into the parking spot, when I realized, with sudden panic that her car was not there! I was freaking out! Where could she BE? Doesn't she know I NEED HER? What could possibly be more IMPORTANT THAN ME??? My mind raced with all of the possible scenarios: her car's broken, so she had to hitch a ride with a co-worker, her pet is seriously ill and had to be rushed to the animal hospital (I have absolutely no idea if she has a pet), maybe she fell on the floor, clutching her heart, and I just missed the ambulance! Oh NO! Wait, that would not work, because her car would still be here. I go in to the waiting room, and try to act nonchalant when I check in with the receptionist, who says, Hi! Jamie, I'll let her know you're here! I could have wept. She's here! I REALLY need my therapist right now. How much so, I did not realize until this morning.
So when I see her and she's escorting me down the hall, do I act normal? No! I say, (almost accusingly) Where is your car??? And she says, in a calm voice that is well accustomed to dealing with all sort of crazy, Well, I traded it in for a new one. And so on and so forth.
At the end of our session, as she was walking me out, I said, Hey, next time you're gonna do something like that, give me some notice first! Fill me in if there's gonna be a big change like that! She just laughed. She thinks I have a wonderful sense of humor. I really wasn't completely kidding.
So, here's the reality check for me: although I may be thinking I feel better, I am still not completely okay right now, if something like my therapist's car being absent from the parking lot can send me into a tailspin. Why do I even know what kind of car she drives? Why do I have to check for it compulsively everytime I pull in? I have an appointment, of course I should expect she will be there.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Anna
It seems like every time we drop Jonathan off at school, Anna and I wind up at Target. Target is my favorite place. I just like to walk around and soak up the atmosphere. I don't like SuperTarget for some reason. Just regular Target. It's one of the reasons I love where we live. So close to Target!
Anyways, Anna is so much fun to shop with! She loves going to Starbucks and getting vanilla milk or over to the snack bar to get an Icee. She is so impressed with their merchandising, and always notices if there are new cardboard cutouts hanging from the ceiling. And she NEVER has a fit about wanting a toy. Even if we go through the toy aisles, which is really puzzling.
Today when we were leaving she got all excited and pointed at a little Toyota parked in a handicapped spot. "That's a cool car, Mama!" I was a little baffled about why it was cool. It really did look the opposite of cool. I said, "Oh, you like that car?" And she said, "Yeah! It's so cool! It has TWO black guns on the back!"
She was talking about the wheelchair rack on the back! You can just tell she has a big brother!
Anyways, Anna is so much fun to shop with! She loves going to Starbucks and getting vanilla milk or over to the snack bar to get an Icee. She is so impressed with their merchandising, and always notices if there are new cardboard cutouts hanging from the ceiling. And she NEVER has a fit about wanting a toy. Even if we go through the toy aisles, which is really puzzling.
Today when we were leaving she got all excited and pointed at a little Toyota parked in a handicapped spot. "That's a cool car, Mama!" I was a little baffled about why it was cool. It really did look the opposite of cool. I said, "Oh, you like that car?" And she said, "Yeah! It's so cool! It has TWO black guns on the back!"
She was talking about the wheelchair rack on the back! You can just tell she has a big brother!
New Hope Church
Okay, so I personally think our worship at New Hope is awesome. And I don't think it is just because Dave's in the band. Yesterday he was not even up there, and I was just loving the music! I have never had music move me so much before. Literally! I am starting to loosen up a little. Normally I just stand straight and embarassed, barely singing and sort of mime-clapping (not actually making any noise, because I am so worried about being off the beat). But during one of Pastor Luke's sermons, he said that when he was at church, he was gonna sing "like a hyena on crack" because he was worshipping God. That really stuck with me, partially because it was so hysterical, but also because I have always had a problem where I feel like because I can't sing, I just shouldn't. But I've started to realize that sounding good and looking normal have nothing to do with praise and worship time at church.
Anyways, yesterday, I was really loving the music, and I was clapping and everything, not self-conscious for once (since it's not about me!) and... my bra flew open! Lord. It was one of those front clasp ones, and since all my other bras were in the wash, I was forced to wear this particular one, which not only has the funky front clasp, but is quite padded. So I had to get from the front of church all the way to the restroom with my actual boobs free and uncaged, and with my extra padded boobs flapping out to the sides under my shirt. I sort of kept my hands glued to my sides and walked penguin-style to the restroom. So when I say the music at New Hope is good, I mean it's so good, it might make your bra fly right open!
Anyways, yesterday, I was really loving the music, and I was clapping and everything, not self-conscious for once (since it's not about me!) and... my bra flew open! Lord. It was one of those front clasp ones, and since all my other bras were in the wash, I was forced to wear this particular one, which not only has the funky front clasp, but is quite padded. So I had to get from the front of church all the way to the restroom with my actual boobs free and uncaged, and with my extra padded boobs flapping out to the sides under my shirt. I sort of kept my hands glued to my sides and walked penguin-style to the restroom. So when I say the music at New Hope is good, I mean it's so good, it might make your bra fly right open!
"Like Harry Potter."
Yesterday I was in the car with just Jonathan. We were listening to the radio. There was an announcement about the need for foster and adoptive parents in the Orlando area. It was really sad, all about how some kids don't have anyone to provide them with happy childhood memories. I was listening to it, and remembering when my parents decided to open our home to foster children. I glanced in the rearview mirror, and Jonathan's face was so concerned! I realized he had actually been listening to the whole thing, so I turned off the radio and tried to explain why some kids don't have parents to take care of them, and what a foster home is, and so on and so forth. Jonathan let me ramble on for a while, and then he said, Like Harry Potter.
I practically screamed Yes! Exactly LIKE HARRY POTTER! and smacked the steering wheel. He sort of jumped and looked at me like I was crazy. I just get so excited when he makes connections like these! He probably saw Harry Potter one time, a really long time ago. I mean, it was not exactly like Harry Potter's situation. His parents were killed by a wizard (right?) and he was forced to live with a mean aunt and uncle, who kept his real identity a secret, while the children in foster care probably lose their parents to the court system and prison. If only I had just said, you know, like Harry Potter? to begin with. I could have spared us both the talk about how some mommies and daddies do bad things so the policemen have to come and take their kids away for a little while until they can learn to do the right things.... He will probably have anxiety about this for a long time now. Like if Mommy burns her hand and said the F word, will the police come and take us away?
I practically screamed Yes! Exactly LIKE HARRY POTTER! and smacked the steering wheel. He sort of jumped and looked at me like I was crazy. I just get so excited when he makes connections like these! He probably saw Harry Potter one time, a really long time ago. I mean, it was not exactly like Harry Potter's situation. His parents were killed by a wizard (right?) and he was forced to live with a mean aunt and uncle, who kept his real identity a secret, while the children in foster care probably lose their parents to the court system and prison. If only I had just said, you know, like Harry Potter? to begin with. I could have spared us both the talk about how some mommies and daddies do bad things so the policemen have to come and take their kids away for a little while until they can learn to do the right things.... He will probably have anxiety about this for a long time now. Like if Mommy burns her hand and said the F word, will the police come and take us away?
Monday, September 1, 2008
I wish I had a dog like that...
I was on Facebook just now looking at pictures of my friend's 9 week old boxer puppy. Her name's Bella, and she makes me want a dog the way a newborn makes me want a baby. Just for a minute, then I think about the sleepless nights, the potty-training, the messes and the extra work.
I told Jonathan I was looking at pictures of Charlie's new dog. He looked at the puppy's picture and said, "I wish I had a dog like that." Dave immediately said, "First we have to get rid of two cats." This is what he always says at any mention of a new pet. (Even fish! He is very serious about this.)
Jonathan replied, "I know how to get rid of two cats." Dave and I were a little scared of how he might go about offing two cats, so we asked him how. He shrugged, and said "You just sell them. You get someone here and you give them away." Phew! I was a little concerned he was going to say something sinister, and I would have yet another thing to worry about. Everyone knows a kid who harms animals is not good.
Dave can sell anything. Not like in a used car salesman way, but he is really good at selling stuff that has been deemed worthless and throwaway by me. I think it's because he really believes that his goods are actually worth something. He once sold a nasty old mattress set that had been in our garage being shed on and clawed by our two cats for 100 bucks. I was too embarassed to even come outside when the people came to look at it. I still wonder if they just felt sorry for us and that's why they whipped out the checkbook and carted the matresses away. So Jonathan thinks we can sell our 2 old flea-ridden, squirrel-killing cats and buy a dog.
If Dave could sell Sabrina and Sprite, then I really do believe he could sell anything.
I told Jonathan I was looking at pictures of Charlie's new dog. He looked at the puppy's picture and said, "I wish I had a dog like that." Dave immediately said, "First we have to get rid of two cats." This is what he always says at any mention of a new pet. (Even fish! He is very serious about this.)
Jonathan replied, "I know how to get rid of two cats." Dave and I were a little scared of how he might go about offing two cats, so we asked him how. He shrugged, and said "You just sell them. You get someone here and you give them away." Phew! I was a little concerned he was going to say something sinister, and I would have yet another thing to worry about. Everyone knows a kid who harms animals is not good.
Dave can sell anything. Not like in a used car salesman way, but he is really good at selling stuff that has been deemed worthless and throwaway by me. I think it's because he really believes that his goods are actually worth something. He once sold a nasty old mattress set that had been in our garage being shed on and clawed by our two cats for 100 bucks. I was too embarassed to even come outside when the people came to look at it. I still wonder if they just felt sorry for us and that's why they whipped out the checkbook and carted the matresses away. So Jonathan thinks we can sell our 2 old flea-ridden, squirrel-killing cats and buy a dog.
If Dave could sell Sabrina and Sprite, then I really do believe he could sell anything.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
