Disconnect

So I was reading something online the other day that pretty much said that 15 of the last 22 days around here have involved rain. It's damp when I get up, wet when I go out, drippy when I go to sleep. Throw in some general overcast gloominess that has me turning on the lights in the middle of the day and I feel like I'm frantically paddling to get my mood upstream at the moment.

This was not helped by landing in the hospital again last Friday/Saturday. Part of this was planned. During my last emergency visit in early May they left a stent behind. This endoscopic procedure was to remove the stent, and darn near everyone assured me I was going home. One of the first things to make it through my fluttery, coming-out-of-anesthesia brain was the little tidbit that they were keeping me until Saturday.

Apparently they found more pieces of the gallstone, did a balloon sweep to get those out, incisions to widen the duct further... all of which necessitated my sticking around to be watched. I remember just crumpling. It was suggested I treat it as a rest break, and I tried. But reality is sharing a room, sharing a bathroom, curling up in bed with an IV in my arm. I just wanted home and family.

Daniel seems to take these interruptions in stride. He asks after me, but they keep putting me up in the pediatric ward which has a toy room - which is quite naturally pretty interesting to a 3.5 year old.

I'm now home - bruised up and sore, but doing OK. No food/diet or activity restrictions. And so very ready to be done with this whole thing. Sunshine is coming, I know it is.

My Brain on Summer

Summer, feh! I've got no excuses, really. June has been cool to cold, and raining. I bought Daniel a Slip-N-Slide to try this year, but in the grand tradition of experiencing drought as soon as you buy a kid some rainboots we have yet to use it. Where is my summer???

My scattered summer brain has started and stopped a number of blog posts that couldn't seem to get beyond a "cliff's notes" stage. Like:

- Driver beware! At least in Massachusetts, the state police are pulling over cars to enforce the "move over" law. (If there are police, emergency personnel, etc. at the side of the road you are obligated to move to farther lanes.) I understand the law, but man did we fall into a ticket trap last week.

-Must find more activities for the 3.5 year old this summer! If we are leaving one activity, he wants to know where we are going next. I find him running laps of our tiny deck when we are at home. Any recommendations?

-Tickled to find the Retro TV Network on one of the random Comcast stations that I don't usually frequent. Magnum PI/vintage Tom Selleck has helped me wind down the past few nights after the kiddo is in bed. Anyone want to volunteer a favorite vintage TV show that you can't help but watch? Particularly one you haven't seen for awhile?

Tonight I am off to a Thirty-One purse party with the girls, and to perhaps drink a margarita. Hopefully to usher in SUMMER!

Relishing the Dirt

Some days I marvel, and wonder what would I do without the Internet. I can hop online and find the phone number for my mechanic (urrgh, yes, the car needs more fixing.). Or I can map out the route to that new bookstore that has a story hour that Daniel might like. A bit of information overload led to my finally discovering and (somewhat) mastering the art of using a feed reader to keep up with posts on my favorite blogs and stay a bit organized.

In an effort to keep my own little corner of the Internet organized, I have been keeping a separate blog at Relishing the Dirt. Accessible via the top tabs here, it is where you will find tips, advice, giveaways and reviews. I enjoy passing along fun products we've tried, like the Build-a-Bear Workshop or telling you about the new breadmaker I've been trying out. Or even giving you the heads-up about funky contests that have tickled my fancy - like guessing Mrs. Butterworth's first name. Recently I was contacted by AllChildrensFurniture.com about doing a product review. They sell items as varied as kids bedroom furniture, decor and a multitude of playthings. They look like a good spot to do some hunting for that perfect item for your kid. Stop by! I hope to have more good things soon!

Bits-o-Bliss

H has been setting me free for some bits of "me time" lately, and I must say that it has been kind of delicious. There was a night out with the Moms at the local pub, that involved many drinks, munchies and lots of laughs. Pamela and I spent another night feeding our girlie sci-fi geek selves by seeing the new Star Trek movie. (Go see it! Great action! Excellent cast!)

Hoping to grab some outdoor fun today. Perhaps the beaches of York, Maine again. Daniel loves to run on the sand, in the wind, jump the waves. I grew up by Michigan lakes, and love the water. While I find the Maine coast a bit cold for my taste (see: jumping into an ice bath) - I do enjoy strolling the beach and breathing in the salty spray.

Wishing you a Sunday - and a summer - chock full of your own blissful moments.

Feel the Burn

One of my favorite shows returns tonight, 9pm. Burn Notice features sexy, savvy characters, and lots of fun spy stuff mixed with a healthy dose of humor. It's actually shot in Miami, and the city itself lends lots of flavor to the show. If you haven't caught it already, check it out! I can't wait!

Rambling

I learned to type on a real, honest-to-goodness typewriter. I'm occasionally finding it a bit disconcerting as I watch my 3.5 year old zoom around Noggin.com playing computer games with Diego or the Backyardigans. He's become pretty adept with the mouse, and even remembers where to click off and on various pages and how to print! There are so many things that I grew up with, that my kid may never see (except for Mommy reminiscing): Real LPs (heck, even cassette tapes), VHS (remember your first VCR?). The list goes on. Just another of those Mommy Moments where I wonder: Where has my baby gone?

Reading: Just finished The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry. A mystery set in Salem, MA about a woman with a gift - a seer - and her unique family. I have a soft spot for books set in familiar places, and Salem is a wonderful place to visit.

Listening: Free* by Jim's Big Ego. Erin introduced me to Boston's folk music scene, and JBE is a long-time favorite. They used to do a big Halloween show every year at Club Passim where audience and band members alike showed up in costume. Great music with a quirky sense of humor. Great fun!

Watching: Many shows are gone for the summer (LOST, Heroes) or gone for good (Battlestar Galactica, Terminator:TSCC). I've recently been enjoying In Plain Sight, and Burn Notice is back in early June - Yay!

Hoping to see: Pamela, my sci-fi partner in crime, and I are trying to carve time out of our schedules to get out to see the new Star Trek. It looks fabulous!

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!

Picking my battles

I try hard these days to be choosy about my battles with my increasingly opinionated preschooler. Issues involving safety are non-negotiable. You must take my hand in this parking lot, and crossing the street! But I try to let go of the fact that he finds a total of three shirts acceptable for wearing at the moment...

We were poring through the library yesterday which always involves videos and kids books, and an occasional item for Mommy too. It was a little disconcerting to have him emerge from the stacks with a Star Wars novel that you might find me reading on the beach. No amount of discussion could sway him from his opinion that this was his Star Wars book. I shrugged my shoulders, figuring What the heck? and checked the thing out. I figure he can have fun looking at the soldier on the cover until our next trip to the library.

I did get an odd look from the children's librarian later when he proudly showed his book off to her.

Eagle Eye

The kid notices everything.

A few weeks ago we were out to dinner with some friends. We'd been seated sort of in the "pub" area, which was fine as smoking vs. non is no longer a consideration on these outings. Daniel started loudly voicing that he wanted to see Scooby-Doo. Glancing around the room, I realized that every other table or so came equipped with small screen TVs. (I suspect for Keno, but they played shows too...). We were under a large-screen TV that was blasting sports or news or somesuch... and across the room was a young family with Scooby on for their kids.

Today, H gave me the Mother's Day gift of time. He whisked Daniel away on a boys-only outing for a few hours, leaving me to do whatever I wished around the house. When they returned, H reported that Daniel, while driving through a town he had never been in before, piped up with: I think you work there.

When H turned his head, he realized that the building said: US Post Office. I can only guess that he must have spotted the emblem or something.

I'm going to scratch the kid's eyesight off my list of worries, that's for sure!

The Stones Strike Back

Where I've been. Let's see.

There was that little matter two years ago of finding out that my year and a half of intestinal distress was being caused by gallstones. I had them take that gallbladder out, surgery, recovery, and things have been trucking along mostly fine.

Flash forward two years and minor pain last Saturday plus major pain last Sunday equals one trip to the emergency room.

Did you know that you can have stones stuck in a duct, even minus your gallbladder? Yup, new one for me too.

There were tests, calls to the GI (No, your symptoms aren't consistent with a stone...) only to have a CAT Scan say that yup, indeedy I was carrying around a boulder and my body had had enough. The endoscopic procedure uncovered a stone large enough that the doctor was very surprised that I had had no trouble before now. They pretty much had to crush it up, and put in a stent to help keep everything cleaned out and moving.

I didn't get to eat or drink until Tuesday. Can I just say that you never see more food commercials on TV than when you can't have anything yourself?

I'm on the mend, and getting back into the swing of things. I'm due back in a few weeks to have the stent taken out, and hopefully that will be the end of my intestinal saga.

Just to make sure the weekend was very interesting, we got the phone call while I was in the hospital that my nephew was in a very serious car accident on Sunday, the same day that I was admitted. Please join us in prayers for his speedy and complete recovery.

It's the little things...

1. Cold iced tea.
2. While I'm scratching my head a bit over the fact that we seem to have skipped Spring (it's due to be 90-something here tomorrow) - I am enjoying this lovely warm weather.
3. The weight of my little man, heavy on my shoulder in the rocking chair.
4. Watching Suzanne's little man Owen delight in his new-found walking ability.
5. Listening to Daniel's animated stories of knights, and the birthday party that he and Daddy made for his cousin while I was away at a meeting this evening.

Zeroing in on those little spots of Grace in my life.

Yesterday, in a museum not far from here...

It was Star Wars Day! We went to the Higgins Armory Museum - heaven for a knight-crazy three year old. A glass and steel building, the place is plastered with suits of armor, swords, shields and all manner of weaponry. On Saturday the invasion force consisted of stormtroopers from the Emperor's 501st Legion and members of the Rebellion. They were closely followed by loads of Star Wars crazy kids. There was a battle demonstration between a Jedi Knight and a Sith Lord, many costumed characters roaming the hallways for photo opportunities, and Daniel and his cousin Nicholas were thrilled to try on stormtrooper helmets.

Star Wars touched off my journey towards loving science fiction and many things "fantastic." I'm tickled to see Daniel enjoying it too.

Grace-Full Monday

Read more: "Schmutzie.com: Grace In Small Things: A Challenge For All Of Us" - http://www.schmutzie.com/2008/11/grace-in-small-things.html#ixzz0DHLmI9MQ&A

I love the idea of gratitude journals. They seem like the perfect antidote to the sadness or overwhelm I sometimes feel when I allow myself to be inundated with the awful news we see so often. I'd like to start doing this regularly. A graceful start to the week, if you like. Five bits of grace from my recent days:

1. Vanilla Bean Edy's Ice Cream, sprinkled in chocolate chips.
2. Losing myself in a favorite TV show (Heroes), snuggled under the down comforter.
3. My 3 year old, arms stretched wide to hug his ailing Daddy - and H's delighted face as he scooped him up for a hug.
4. Hanging out with friends Kim and Pete on Sunday. A day full of visits to the Old North Bridge, a Concord cemetery and a local Italian restaurant. In the process we saw a Redcoat re-enactor (Patriot's Day), and Louisa May Alcott's grave. And I got to try some delicious eggplant Parmesan.
5. Watching Daniel and his best bud Marisa zip up and down the play space at a local McD's while I got to chat with Alex.

Always an Adventure

It was a Happy Easter Sunday! We got to church for a beautiful service, and stopped for a visit with my mother in law and Daniel's Aunt and Uncles and Cousin.

Then came Daniel's encounter with Uncle Bruce's cactus plant. Actually, he was a trooper. After screeching and sniffling and waving his fingers at me he sat and let his fingers be soaked. Then Dr. Mom went to work with a magnifying glass and tweezers. It was one of those dastardly plants where the spines are so thin and fine that they are almost fuzzy. Many TLC band aids later we seem to be on the mend. Hopefully no plant-phobias are going to result!

More Work? Less Work? About the Same?

I'm not sure if other stores have a similar program, but Daniel and I tried something a little different for our weekly Stop and Shop grocery run yesterday. Termed Scan It, you basically shop with a hand-held device, scanning your items and bagging as you go. Checking out then consists of handing over your scanner and coupons to the cashier, and paying while none of your items ever have to hit the belt in the checkout line.

I'm sort of undecided as to how I feel about the system.

Pros: The scanner keeps a running tally of items in your cart. Gone is estimating just how much money you are truly spending. Scan It-only discounts occasionally pop up on the device. (The loud Cha-Ching! when this happens had Daniel spinning, looking for the noise.) Once items are scanned and bagged, they are handled just the once and do not have to be unloaded at checkout.

Cons: The produce department is now unwieldy. If I'm buying a tomato, I have to weigh it, put it in a bag, print a sticker from the special scale, stick it to my tomato bag and then scan it. Luckily Daniel was in a mood to simply ride along that day. If he had decided to be contrary about something (anything) it would have been that much harder to focus my attention on the work I was doing. If I were a Mom with multiple kids in the store, forget it for the same reason.

I am willing to concede that I probably didn't pick the best day to try this system. It was a rainy Saturday just before Easter, and the store being chock-full with customers didn't help matters. For this reason, I'd like to try this again mid-week sometime. While it is nice to check out that much faster at the end, I'm not sure the trade-off with all the work I had to do up front made it worth it. We'll see.

Splash!

I wanna do it!

Don't help me!

Getting socks and shoes on to leave the house the other day turned into an adventure when Daniel had the socks upside down (thereby trying to jam his toes into the heel) and his frustration level was mounting. "Mom Help," is only acceptable on a case-by-case basis these days, and it turned out that this was not one of those.

We've been making some potty training strides which include shooing Mom out of the room so that he can take care of everything himself. I'm all for encouraging the I Can Do It attitude, but I suddenly heard a wail at the start of yesterday's pit stop. He'd forgotten the potty ring, and executed a perfect splashdown! I couldn't help chuckling as we got everything cleaned up. Ah, preschool independence!

I need some good news...

I am planning a moratorium on news-gathering for awhile. It seems everywhere I turn it's war and families imploding (and just plain killing themselves and each other.) Or it's information about the economy ("The sky is falling!") and it comes time for us to pay the bills and I start to hyperventilate a little...

I want to not complain and not be tired. Spring is here, and I want to concentrate on afternoons like yesterday when I got to run through the park and watch H push Daniel on the swings and help him throw rocks off the park bridge into the water below. I wish there was a store like BabyCakes just a little bit closer, so Daniel and I could take walks and stop in for a small treat. Goodness knows we all need more small treats these days.

Vortex

We can't seem to get away from the "sicknesses" at the moment. First it was the stomach bug that swept through the household. Now the 3.5 year old has a stuffy/runny nose with the associated horrid cough that is keeping him up nights. He's annoying the heck out of himself (and anyone within a decent radius) with the midnight coughing and periodic rising to bleat like a distressed baby goat every few hours. I feel badly that he's sick, and feeling miserable and all, but the lack of sleep is starting to take a toll. The only solution thus far has been a dose of Tylenol, and my crashing with him on the couch. Virtually guaranteeing that I'm next on the list for the runny nose/cough convention.

And in probably unrelated news. I cannot figure out how the remote control to our VCR has disappeared for MONTHS. We live in a condo. How many places could it be?? And I am now missing a library book. Not a skinny children's book, which always seems to slide under the sofa with amazing speed. This is one of mine, in the hundreds of pages. I just renewed it, so I've got two weeks to find and read the darn thing.

befuddled...

We have been doing a library story time on Fridays. I was a bit nervous at first, as my little guy is not one of those kids known for sitting still. But we've been trucking along steadily - it's a story, and the kids do a little craft related to the story of the day and they come out with their craft and a treat. He has a few friends that go, and there are Moms I like and can chat with and hang out with... We've signed up and done several sessions now.

So I was a bit befuddled last Friday when the childrens' librarian stopped to talk to me, and to his friend Marisa's Mom about their behavior during the story time. Short version is that Daniel won't leave Marisa alone, and eventually she starts to squirm and act out in response. As we don't do daycare or preschool, it's my first real experience getting a "report card" of sorts on my kid, and so I was feeling a bit unsure how to react. Everything has happened very nicely and with utmost consideration, don't get me wrong. Last Friday the librarian had Daniel come up to be her "page turner" during story time - separating him from his problem behavior, without making it really a negative event. I think the thing that has me scratching my head is that they say this has been going on for awhile, and I guess I would have hoped to hear about it sooner.

So I had a talk with Daniel on Friday. He kept insisting that he needed to tell Marisa something when I talked about sitting and listening to the story like the other kids. I plan to have another talk with him next Friday before story time. I may sit in to see what is going on, and if necessary remove him I suppose. I'm trying to keep to logical consequences, if he can't behave then he will either not come to story time at all, or he will have to come to a separate one from his friends. I'm struggling with how to direct my spirited kid...

Loads of Hope

In December, my area was hit by an ice storm. While there were many, many people hit worse than my family - I am still struck remembering the helpless feeling about how to get heating, cook meals, reach out for help... clean clothes certainly were out of the question. We had no idea when power was going to resume. We were lucky to get electricity back after some 13 hours. For some people it was days - not to mention the property damage, and other fallout.

P&G and Blogher are trying to get the word out about efforts to raise money via T-Shirt sales to support families that are affected by disaster in this one-of-a-kind program. The shirts are vintage-looking and support a great cause. Shirts can be purchased through this link: http://tidetshirts.pgvillage.com/c-9-show-all.aspx?_vsc=tide4

From Tide's Loads of Hope Website:

Tide Loads of Hope helps in the aftermath of a natural disaster by providing clean clothes and a sense of comfort to families in need. Partnering with Feeding America, we travel to disaster affected neighborhoods with the Tide Loads of Hope truck or vans, our free mobile laundry service.

Where it all started: In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the need for clean clothing became critical, and Tide found a way to help. So in November 2005, the Tide Loads of Hope truck headed to Camp Hope in the Metairie, LA area and cleaned over 10,000 loads of laundry. The spirit of this first venture informs and inspires everything Tide Loads of Hope program does.

Tide Loads of Hope truck:
- 32 high-efficiency washers and dryers stationed on the truck
- Can do 300 wash and dry cycles a day -equal to one year's worth of laundry for a single family
- Will wash about 9,000 loads of laundry over a four-week period
- Leveraged during massive disasters where electricity is unavailable in the region

Tide Loads of Hope vans:
- In partnership with a local laundromat, the Tide Loads of Hope vans provide free laundry service at the same load rate as the trucks
- Leveraged during disasters where neighboring communities still have a source of electricity

To date: Tide Loads of Hope has washed more than 35,000 loads of laundry for over 20,000 families. Most importantly, the Tide Loads of Hope program means we're equipped to take action whenever and wherever there is a need in our country.

Tide Loads of Hope Vintage Tees: Tide Loads of Hope can also be supported through the purchase of a Tide Vintage Tee. All profits go to support families affected by disaster.

Ick

There's a wicked virus making the rounds right now. It felled me over a week ago, and took several days to pass. I thought we were in the clear, and then I was strolling the aisles of Wal-mart with Daniel last Sunday when I heard the ominous: My tummy hurts.

Uh-oh.

The kid's, shall we say choosy palate was working against us in finding something his system could tolerate while sick. And the only liquid he was willing to down at all was a juice that, while I questioned its value at least kept him hydrated. All in all, he soldiered through his first real stomach bug fairly well, and I think we're finally seeing the other side.

H woke up this morning fairly green, and I'm trying to work out strategies to keep Daniel away from Daddy. I guess not having everyone sick at exactly the same time makes it a bit more manageable... but exhaustion is starting to set in. And I'm just praying that this is the same bug I started with, because if I have to have another go round of this I am really going to cry foul.

Kids and Recess

When I hit junior high and high school, there was a bit of a fiscal crunch going on. (Sound familiar?) The schools started trying new and creative ways to cut corners.

Our day began earlier, but eliminated one entire class period all together - if I remember right, we ended about 1:15pm. Study hall was gone. Many "electives" started going by the wayside, and even lunch got eliminated at one point. It was replaced by a "snack break." I don't really remember the duration of said break, but thankfully that was one change that didn't last long.

The NY Times has published a good article on the importance of recess. We are just starting our venture into this whole idea of school where Daniel is concerned. But I am seriously considering clipping this and filing it somewhere for easy access.

Interlude

The fever started Monday evening, he was uncomfortable and wanted into our bed, then back in his own bed - and we wound up falling asleep in the living room: me on the sofa, and him on his own Superman sofa - with the Noggin channel on for distraction. I dosed him with Tylenol, to which his response was: Mommy, you shouldn't do that. And we got through the evening.

He's my baby, my honey, my little Energizer Bunny, my little blond Tasmanian Devil. So seeing Daniel feverish, with no energy - just poured on the couch watching videos and napping and drowning his sorrows in juice is a bit of a change in routine.

Today he's more up and around. It's Mommy with the run-down appearance, the semi-sore throat and the cough. H's job has pretty much said that they are cracking down on anyone using their sick time. Can you believe it? I'm sure he's wishing for a hermetically sealed room for when he gets home this evening. Makes me want to sneak into the manager's office at his work and lick all the office supplies or something, I mean really!

Here's hoping this virus is as kind to parents as it seems to be to my kiddo so far...

Digging In

We've taken to calling Daniel "Badger" lately. He digs in his heels about everything. What to eat, what to wear, the potty, stalling bedtime... And invariably when I am occupied, say on the phone, is when he most wants my attention.

One item I decided to stop fighting about early on was using utensils at the table. I put out a spoon or a fork every time, and he dug in with his hands. We serve a lot of finger foods.

Both he and his Daddy are big on eating cereal. I've never had much of a problem with it, as we've mostly avoided the really sugary stuff: a lot of that baby-staple Cheerios, oatmeal, and Daddy's Honey Bunches of Oats. Badger has suddenly decided that his formerly-dry Honey Bunches of Oats should have milk, and he should be driving the spoon.

He's not arguing about sitting at the table for it, and all things considered he's doing a pretty good job. Now I have to find a solution for the multiple clothes changes due to milk spillage. Any ideas? Naked cereal eating? A rain poncho?

Spring - Loaded

H and I spent a lovely Saturday evening recently, eating dinner out with some friends, a couple we have been trying to connect with for months. We finally met up for dinner, courtesy of some babysitting from my parents/Grandma & Grandpa having driven in from Wisconsin for a visit.

They departed, and H and I were spending a quiet evening at the computer and curled up with a book respectively when:

BANG!

I remember feeling puzzled - peeking in on Daniel to see that everything was OK. I finally settled on feeling annoyed, assuming that one of our condo-neighbors had left late and inconsiderately slammed the door.

The next morning, H discovered that one of the massive springs that move the garage door up and down had broken. Sounding like a gunshot that shook the whole place! I'm certainly glad that I wasn't in the garage at the time. Who knew those things could go like that?

We've had a few warmer days here recently. Teasers of 50 degrees or so, that feel gorgeously like Springtime. While we have retreated again to colder temps, it's not quite as bitterly icy as before. I'm holding on to those wafting bits of warmer weather, coiled and waiting for Spring.

Out of Synch...

I love Fall. H and I married in October, with the crisp air and the falling leaves. Winter, I have to say, has been kicking my butt with increasing frequency every year. I'm always cold, and my thoughts turn to cuddling by a fire with a good book and a hot chocolate until the warm weather returns.

(And now, it seems our things are out to get us. We've been spinning with multiple car repairs, computer problems... at the moment I'm afraid to touch anything around here lest another problem rise up to bite me with an ugly chomp.)

My hibernating self is closeted with a three year old Energizer Bunny, and whoo! some days are an interesting tango of what to wear, what/when to eat, the potty struggle...

Today we went to my mother-in-law's place for a visit. It was the usual happy chaos of dogs, cats, Gram, aunts, uncles and cousins. At one point, Daniel came barrelling through the kitchen up to the gate penning in the dogs and shouted into the living room to us: I'm having fun with Nick-o! He then spun about, tearing back through the kitchen to the back bedrooms where he had been playing with his cousins. Leaving us all smiling.

I do love my stormy, passionate kid.

Details

Ugh, it's cold here. I can tolerate cold and snow up until Christmas, but then as far as I'm concerned it can all go away. Unfortunately the trend is to have nearly zip in the way of snow until January and then get socked for the next few months.

Just off a few days of immobility due to car repairs (yet again). H had mine for work, and so Daniel and I rattled around the house for a few days.

H is hopefully staying mobile, after a recent slip and fall on the job. Some folks are just not into shoveling and salting their drives/paths, I guess.

Computer having major hiccups/difficulties recently. We hadn't exactly budgeted for a new one at the moment, but it may be time. If I am absent for a smidge soon it won't be by choice, but will hopefully have the technical difficulties ironed out on the other side. Stay tuned!

A Treat

I love my little guy to pieces, but there are moments where my switch always being in Mom Mode just becomes a bit exhausting. H gifted me with a few hours of time to myself this afternoon by taking Daniel for a visit with his Gram and Uncle Bruce.

It was a delightful smorgasbord of things to do - some necessary like a load of laundry, but most were not and just completely my aimless wandering. A power nap, computer work without the guilt, nibbling a snack of avocado, reading a chapter of Driving Sideways while curled under the bedcovers, watching non-kid approved programs such as a documentary on Hollywood folks who escaped Nazi Germany, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, and Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives all at the same time. I also got the chance to sneakily wash Daniel's much-loved blankie while he was gone.

The boys returned, and we bustled about dinner. As is typical of late, Daniel was more interested in his robots and coloring and wrestling his father than eating. We all had hysterics when one of us exclaimed: Let me see Daniel! Preparing to scoop him up, only to have Daniel reply: Dam-el isn't ON right now! As though he were a TV show we were all happily watching. Then there were Curious George stories and bedtime.

Buzzing about at my own pace was refreshing. I must work at finding small concentrated moments to do this more often.

Mismatched and Freezing

I am always cold this time of year. Pretty much everyone who knows me, knows this and last time I really checked I had amassed what I thought was an impressive collection of slippers. Of course now, someone needs to explain to me why all I can find is what is in this photo.

Apparently organization needs to be on the list for 2009.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Bouncy Balls - Always trying to escape

We're in that stage of the "threes" where Daniel is arguing with me about everything. The food list is shrinking (Hello carbs!). He's too busy to use the potty, and no he really doesn't need a nap. The one plus to the recent ice storm and the current snowy weather is that he has finally stopped resisting the idea of long pants, long sleeves, coat and occasionally boots and a hat on his body.

No amount of coaxing, cajoling, redirecting (misdirecting) or smoke signals on my part seems to move us from an impasse on the other items however.

A recent tantrum on both our parts regarding the afternoon nap found me hoisting him under the arms, hauling him into his room and settling the two of us on the rocking chair in his room that has been sitting idle for awhile. I was a little amazed as the tension seeped away, and he laid his head on my shoulder and within ten minutes was asleep. We might have stayed longer, but my arms had started to ache holding up his 30+ pounds. I rolled him and his blankie onto the bed for his afternoon nap.

I resolve to make more space for "cuddle time" in 2009 and beyond.

It's All in the Attitude

Christmas Day, Daniel has just played the animatronic dancing bear, and dancing penguins for the umpteenth time while ping-ponging around the room in harmony with the music. His big cousin Robert managed to turn down the volume on the creatures in between songs.

Daniel, having noticed asked Robert to turn it up. After which we got this exchange:


Robert: Oh, I don't know how.

Daddy: Poor Daniel...

Daniel: No, I'm not! I'm happy!

*********************************************************
Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

Push Me, Pull You

Meals are something of a loosey-goosey affair around our house. H works very hard for long hours, meaning he is out a good portion of the time. All the physicality his job entails also means that when he gets home he is hungry. For me, left to my own devices I tend to subscribe to the eat when you're hungry, stop when you're not routine - one not governed so much by the clock.

Enter the three year old. The three year old who is currently surviving on crackers. He's steadily shrinking his list of acceptable foods, and it's driving me a bit battier than I already am to begin with. Days often start with a request for warm juice (not sure where the warm trend started for him, blech, but I'll run with it). Then it's a request for crackers. How about some peanut butter on those? Nope, just crackers. Crackers and cheese? Oh, Okay. Only to have me discover a plate full of cracker crumbs and a mound of cheese not long after.

I recently nixed a breakfast request for marshmallows.

And oh, the wailing and screeching at not getting his way! Well then, I'm not hungry and he marches away from the table.

And we all stage a repeat of this scene, center stage, at the next mealtime.

This tug-of-war is getting to me. Thank goodness for Flintstone's chewables!

Well, this has been fun...

H woke me around 4:30am last Friday to let me know that our power was out. Really out - as was the rest of the area. To further add to the complications he had left his car at the mechanic the night before to have it looked at... If he went to work I was facing no electricity (no heat, no cooking) and with no way to leave, having no car. With a three year old.

Needless to say, H called in to work and we drove out to find a town with power to grab something to eat. Stopped at Gram's to meet her new kitties, and headed back home. Rather disheartening to have the power still out when we arrived. You know those shows like Survivorman? Adventure expert gets dropped into the wilds with a Swiss Army Knife and is expected to make it out alive? I would so be toast.

The three of us were cuddled under a mound of blankets on the sofa, candles lit, listening to Christmas music on a battery-powered radio and musing about our limited dinner options when poof! Power back on. It had been a total of 12/13 hours for us. I'm very aware that we were pretty lucky and many people went much longer with no power. I'm saying many small prayers about the approaching snowstorm.

Following our no-electricity adventure very closely was my developing a rather nasty sinus infection. Antibiotics seem to be kicking in, and this is the first day that I feel like my head isn't going to come rolling off my shoulders anytime I bend over to do something. I have started to realize that there is a lot of bending involved in the daily life of chasing a three year old around.
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Stay tuned over at Relishing the Dirt for a giveaway!

Rewards

There are days where I'm still looking for the instruction manual for this Mom Gig. I mean, as soon as you start to feel you have it figured out, it changes up on you. First it's the sleep deprivation, and the breast feeding and the endless marching line of diapering while you try and figure out the wants and needs of this little being who is so totally dependent on you for everything. No sooner do you settle into a routine when...

It's walking and solid foods and talking up a storm and potty training. My formerly dependent little being has become a decidedly independent boy who has found his voice. And his opinion. On everything from what to wear and when - (He's now in his Fall coat. In December. At this rate the Winter coat should be on his body by mid-February or so...) to what to eat, and firm opinions on the decided injustice of having to take a nap when there is so much to do.

And there are the days where Mama wants a do-over and I have to remind myself that my boy is no longer just that cute, cuddly little thing that I brought home from the hospital and that maybe he is just having a do-over day too.

Then the bed time routine rolls around. These days it involves pajamas and story time with Daddy. I really don't mind, as it gives them a chance for some "boys time." He comes to say goodnight, and I get open arms and a Mwah (kiss), and an I wuv you.

I love you too, my baby boy.

Unraveling

It's finally happening. A week or so ago Daniel walked up and handed me a handful of yarn. When I asked where he'd gotten it, he gave me his impish grin - Blankie.

My Aunt Anne had made him a baby blankie, fleece, with a crocheted, sort of scalloped edge and whoosh, Daniel was in love. Blankie is our go-to-sleep item, calming-down-in-a-crisis item, snuggle on the couch, all-around cuddler. Luckily he hasn't needed to carry it everywhere a la Linus, but it has been a fixture at our house for quite some time now. If he's asleep, a corner of fringe is stuck in his mouth or the blankie is at least within arms reach.

I've been anticipating this moment, but not really sure what to do. My Aunt was kind enough to make a Blankie #2 awhile back - but with a shake of his head, Daniel dismisses it. It's not the real deal. Even today we came home from the library and he rolled onto his blankie on the floor, curling up and declaring how much he'd missed it. The look on his face when a clean, warm blankie emerges from the dryer is a thing to behold.

He couldn't have pulled this when his crafty Grandmother was in town a few weeks ago? I don't crochet. Some of the fringe is being held by safety pins at this point, while I hunt down a yarn/craft store that might point me in the direction of someone who could do some work on it. If Daniel lets it out of his hands that is. Wish us luck!

Hitting the Yellow Brick Road

We were in the mall recently, and making the rounds of our usual stores: The Disney Store, the food court to see the carousel... and stopped in the pet store to see the puppies. Daniel looked over at me and said: Grandpa has a puppy too. Grandpa has Sophie.

Yoinks.

I hmmd and agreed with him and quickly changed topics. I have yet to address the subject of loss to my three year old, and this one blindsided me a bit. Grandma and Grandpa are 1,200 miles away so it was easy to gloss over. But I can guarantee that this one is going to come around to bite me again. Anyone out there with some tried and true angles/methods/recommendations for talking to little ones about losing a pet?

Thankful Thursday

Part of living in so many places means that I have friends spread out all over the country, as well as overseas. Kim and I met in fourth grade - Mrs. Lindburgh's class, if I'm not mistaken. We went all through school together, mooning over 80s bands and listening to Duran Duran LPs in the sunroom of my house. Kim snuck me into basketball games with the band, and I dragged her into working on drama productions like Hello Dolly.

Even as I've bounced from Michigan to France to California to Massachusetts, Kim and I have kept up. Visits, phone calls, email... through six kids (yep, five of those are hers!) and countless ups and downs of life we've kept up with each other. She stood up in my wedding, and when I was trying to sleep train Daniel she was the one I called sobbing: I can't do this.

I haven't seen my friend in person in eight years. Ever have a friend that no matter how long it's been, the years just melt whenever you reach out to each other? Like you'd never been apart? Kim is one of those friends for me.

She emailed this week asking for prayers for her family. Her husband has been quite unexpectedly laid off. They have options, and they're doing OK. She is one of the most faith-full people I know. Friends are at the forefront of my thoughts of gratitude today, especially her.

Zoom Zoom

Drove my parents to Logan airport today. Daniel was a trooper in the car.

I've lived for many years in a separate state from my parents and brother. For the most part I do OK with it. We talk on the phone a lot, visit as often as we are able and last year even acquired a web cam to do some video calls (ain't technology wonderful?).

The hardest part was/is always the parting company at the end of a visit, whether it is us in Wisconsin, or the folks out here. And it's magnified a bit with Daniel thrown into the mix. We were climbing the stairs back at home when he asked: Where's Grandma? I imagine it will be tomorrow before it really sinks in that they've gone back to their home.

The speedy trips to the airport can actually make it a little easier on all of us to leave, as it is a screech to the curb, dump the bags as fast as possible, kisses and hugs all around and peeling out again to not block traffic. It will probably be tomorrow before their absence sinks in for me as well.

refreshing

Grandma and Grandpa are still in town, but are winding up their visit. It's just after our 8th anniversary, and so H and I took advantage of the babysitting to use a positively ancient gift certificate that I had to a very nice restaurant.

I love my little guy more than anything, and of course he was a big topic of conversation. But it is such a gear switch to have a leisurely meal with attentive waiters. Conversation without having to ask the three year old to get back into his chair or to stop mashing his potatoes between his fingers. And to take a browse through the local Borders bookstore - not to buy anything, just to look - without the constant refrain of "Where's Daniel?" pitter-pattering through my brain.

Wasn't there an old slogan - The pause that refreshes - for Coca Cola or something?

Tonight was a refreshing Mommy and Daddy pause. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

Right place, Right time

Growing up in the Midwest, lobster was always a real treat for our family. Several times I've had some packed to take with us when we visit Wisconsin. A visit from my parents often prompts a little look-around to see if there are any good deals out there. The local Stop and Shop got rid of their tank awhile back. The usual spot that H had picked out a lobster or two from was a Shaw's. After some shopping and driving, we were mightily disappointed to be greeted at Shaw's by an empty tank.

I started calling around, discovering that a local Hannaford's carried lobster - and so we headed in that direction. Mom chatted with the elderly gentleman in front of us about the best way to cook lobster. He handed the deli-guy a slip which I took to be some sort of rain check for his lobster. Dad took his place in line and requested four of the beasts from the large tub that had just been brought out for transfer to the tank. We continued with our shopping, and headed home.

Dad remarked on the way up to our place that the price seemed really reasonable for four lobsters and a few other assorted items. Upon closer inspection, we discovered that we had been given the elderly gentleman's "rain check" price of $4.99 a pound!

Sometimes the deals just find you!

I am off to take my butter/lobster-soaked self to bed.

Basking in the Balance

Days of butting heads, screaming tantrums, preschooler fish-flopping on the floor in frustration... me firmly securing my place in the boy's eyes as "Chief Squasher of Dreams."

Daniel: I want marshmallows for breakfast!

Me: No.

A visit from Grandma and Grandpa affords some much-needed breathing space. Daniel scooted me out of his room this afternoon because he and Grandma were reading a book. I happily went off to read a magazine.

And I quite enjoyed H's report of a smile on our little guy's face as he slept late last night. Sweet dreams my little one.

Thankful Thursday

Even though we currently do not have any pets, I have found myself thinking of past furry friends today. My parents are in town from Wisconsin for a long-weekend visit. It's a happy time, touched by the sad news that their German Shorthaired Pointer Sophie passed away just yesterday, apparently in her sleep.

Sophie started life as a bit of a mischief hound. Tales of the pup who was eating all the Handi-wipes out of the kitchen, and running out with a knife clamped between her jaws started filtering back to me from my parents home in Iowa. She was boisterous and headstrong and excitable - and an adorable thing. She went off to doggie boot camp, learned her manners (mostly) and became a working hunting dog accompanying my father on many an outing.

She had slowed some in recent years, but was never happier than seeing Dad pull out his hunting gear and knowing an excursion was in store. Or getting to ride in the tiny back of Dad's "cool car" green MG with the top down. And as bullish as she could sometimes still be, Sophie was gentle as anything with Daniel. A favorite spot was parking under the kitchen table in hopes of any dropped cheerios.

Goodbye "Ga-Ga" from all of us.

So tonight I'm thankful for God's many creatures. If you have a furry friend in your life, give them an extra squeeze and a pat from me today.

Bunny Hell

Our cable has been out for the past few days. Only on one of the two TVs, but it means there is NO WAY OUT. My Spiderman-obsessed, GI-Joe, Incredible Hulk, Darth Vader superhero action figure kid has discovered the bunnies Max and Ruby.

And Mommy has discovered what must be one of the newer circles of hell. It's an adorable cartoon, but we're on the eleventy-billionth viewing. Cable guy comes tomorrow, and we are high-tailing this one back to the library ASAP. Luckily bedtime went down without a hitch and I've gotten in some computer/quiet non-"Max and Ruvee" time this evening. Sanity to resume tomorrow.

Tired

A three year old boy and a Mommy with PMS makes for a twosome with short fuses today. This whole daylight savings time thing has messed the boy up a bit. We've been up at 6am every day, and absolutely positively refusing to take an afternoon nap. (Even though he could really use it. Come to think of it, so could I!)

It took me half an hour to get out of the house to vote this morning. Socks, shoes, whups not those socks, well OK those socks, THOSE shoes? On the plus side we could walk right in to the elementary school/polling place, and I was outta there in minutes. Waiting in line for any amount of time was SO not going to happen with the three year old in tow.

The school was running a bake sale, so Daniel scored a cookie out of the deal and we traveled on to a local park as it was a gorgeous day. Tearing around outside is always good for expending that preschooler energy. It's the arguing over every. single. thing once we step inside the front door that is wearing me into the ground today. I'm off for PJs and a drink of something warm and soothing. And bed before too long. New days in many ways tomorrow.

Mmmm... Chocolate

We're finally seeing some relief at the gas pumps. (I saw gas for $2.39 at one stop in town!!!) Grocery prices are still a pinch, as they are for so many people. There are some very talented ladies out there blogging about how to save on your grocery budget. Some current favorites are $5 Dinners and Money Saving Mom.

I'm cooking challenged, even without a picky preschooler. It's always a struggle to balance convenience and ease with creative cooking with fresh ingredients. Daniel is big on chocolate milk, and rather than replenish our supply of store-bought powder I remembered writing down this recipe for some make-your-own syrup/sauce. I ought to be chocolated out, this close to Halloween and all, but this sounded pretty good and certainly fits the "easy" requirement I have of recipes.

1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Mix cocoa and water in saucepan. Heat and stir until dissolved. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Boil exactly three minutes. Remove from burner. Add salt and vanilla. Keep in refrigerator.

I'll amend this post as soon as I can with the source citation, as well as a "taste test" report!

Nocturnal

When Daniel was tiny we fought the battles that many new parents fight regarding sleep. He wouldn't sleep except on one of us, then he wouldn't sleep unless he was in the swing. We tumbled backwards into co-sleeping for awhile, as it smoothed out some of the night-time routines with feedings and such.

Eventually, and with many tears, he was sleeping in his own crib in his own room. Our compromise being that one of us usually laid down with him until he was "out." If we tried the bedtime routine, and simply leaving he cried. Endlessly. If one of us laid down with him we could sometimes be out of there in 15 minutes with a minimum of fuss. Seemed like a fair trade off to me! Then, a few months ago, Daniel suddenly asked for lights out and asked us to leave. I guess we'd been dong this wrong, silly me!

Recently we've been getting night-time visits, however. It feels a bit like backsliding, but I'm trying not to make a big deal out of it and hoping it will pass. The funny thing is, as an infant Daniel woke up loud. We always heard babbling coming from his room well before he was really ready to be up. Now I roll over in the middle of the night only to discover my three year old curled up on the foot of the bed asleep. And I have no idea how long he's been there!

My Trooper

We've dressed Daniel up for Halloween before, but this was the first year that he "got" the whole trick or treat thing. Our usual Friday storytime at the library consisted of a trek down the street to the local town hall for some office trick or treating, a stop at the senior center, and a Halloween story once we got back to the library.

In the afternoon we hooked up with his buddy Marisa, and Alexis and we all trooped through the local mall for some additional treats. The Star Wars obsession continues, as he came to an immediate halt and stared when a Darth Vader passed us. That little boy got into the spirit when he turned to Daniel and said: "You're on MY side!" And Daniel is still talking about the two other stormtroopers we saw. (Well, and the Hulk, and Wonder Woman, and "the scary guy!") It was a bit of a zoo, but all in all a good trick or treating alternative. Otherwise we get zero kids coming by, or opportunities to go out as we live in a condo... My brother told me about an interesting variation. He said that where he lives they have "trunk or treating" - people park around a local church parking lot and have candy in the trunks of their cars.

The funny thing is - for a kid who loves his treats, he has eaten surprisingly little. There is a lot of "sorting" going on. My little pirate with his loot! It makes it a little harder to explain some "disappearances" though!

Stages

Okay, somehow, somewhere, somebody switched my sweet baby for a pod-person. It has been two days of: What is up with you? Then, I remember. I have a preschooler.

My local family network, a lifeline as I began this stay-at-home mom gig, recently held a parenting workshop titled: Why does my preschooler act this way? Do I need to mention that it was a pretty full house? One of the fliers cited a study which said that most 2, 3, and 4 year olds:

Pay no attention to what they are asked to do.

Say "no": refuse to do what is expected.

Are pokey: time wasting dressing and washing.

Leave tasks undone. They start, but don't finish.

Wriggle around. Don't sit still.

Laugh, squeal, jump around much of the time.

Refuse to share with other children.

Grab toys, shove, hit and attack others.

Ask for unnecessary help.

Cry easily, sulk.

Pick their nose.

Stay close to adults.

Seek attention by showing off.
Go to adults with criticisms of others.

Boss others.

Stay awake at naptime.

Refuse food.

Speak indisctinctly.

Are hard to reason with.

One-third to one-half:

Grumble and whine.

Chew objects, twist hair and suck their thumb.

Are shy and fear strangers.

Won't play with other children.

Are jealous.

More than one-fourth:

Bite nails, twitch, handle genitals.

Break toys, tear books and mark walls.

Have temper tantrums.

Wet self during the day.

Fear animals and loud noises.

Secretly take things that belong to others.

Of course, none of the 555 children did any of these things all of the time. But, all of the children did some of these things some of the time. Large percentages did some of them almost daily.

credit to: Exit., Agricultural & Home economics, University of Wisconsin.

Parents at the workshop were able to share tips and tricks that had worked for their families. In a big way it's simply reassuring to be able to think: It's not just me. The mom of a younger child recently asked me about things getting easier now that Daniel is 3 years old. I replied along the lines of: It's a new challenge every day.

Phew

Where to start? Serial illnesses, two colds (and counting) for me, one just starting for Daniel. H is running for cover.

Both cars came down with the same problem two weeks apart. After much expensive repair we seem to be back on the road. (On the plus side, if I had to break down, the car picked a perfect spot: in front of our mailbox. I called AAA, handed the tow truck driver the keys, popped Daniel out of his car seat and we walked home. The car went across the street and four doors down to my mechanic. Probably used up .008 of my allowable towing miles.) And in other car news H spent yesterday getting lost in Boston trying to get to court to fight a ticket. Success in the end, but I think they make it as difficult as possible hoping that you just won't bother.

Somewhere in the midst of this I found myself over at Blogher Boston, meeting and getting energized by some of the great people that can be found in the blogosphere. If you've never stopped by, you should check it out for some lively discussion. Stop by Relishing the Dirt to hear about my venture into candy-making, and see if you can help me with a sticky problem.

Mama needs a new pair of shoes...

A dear friend of H's got married this past weekend. It was a beautiful ceremony in a soaring cathedral, with a bustling reception at a local inn. They had a dance for all the married couples - you know the one - where they ask people married 10 years or less to exit the dance floor. Then 15 years, then 20 years. The goal being to get the couple married the longest to finish out the dance by themselves on the dance floor. The winners were the grandparents of the bride: they will celebrate their 62nd wedding anniversary this January. Incredible!

It was a fine night, unusual for H and I to actually get to dress up and have a night out and not to have to keep track of a highly active three year old. You know that thing where they warn pregnant women that their feet might get bigger? I thought I was doing OK as all my casual shoes fit just fine. Dressing up for the first time in a long time meant trying on heels. (Ouch!). Looks like I"m going to be going through the closet and sorting for the donation pile. Never thought that only a certain type of shoe would be a problem. Oh well! Luckily I had some flatter sandals that fit the bill with my dress.

We returned home that evening to find the three year old still up wearing out his Gram with his antics. A fun time was had by all.

Gremlins

We've finally been making strides with the potty training around our house.

Peeing on the potty. Check.
Pooping on the potty? Go away Mommy (while hiding out in his bedroom).



The thing is: all these behaviours are totally my idea.

Hey Daniel! It's time to use the potty!
OK!

But if Mommy shuts up about the subject he will happily pee in a Pull-up any time of the day or night. Any ideas as to how to transition to that "Tell me when you gotta go, OK?" stage?

My favorite was last week when the "potty gremlins" mixed it up with the "I don't want to go to bed gremlins," and he figured out that "using" the potty meant he didn't have to go to bed just then. I don't want to discourage any thoughts of using the potty, but that was just fooling around.