to Blogger. Thanks for bearing with me as I tried out WordPress, which is really a great site, but it is not for me. I hope you will follow me back home. I thank you all for your support! But Blogger is really the place for me!
Feeling Wishy Washy…
Not so sure I am really happy over here at WordPress. I kinda miss my old Blogger ways. Neither site is perfect, and this one is not so bad that I want to jump ship, but every now and then I have a feeling of longing… it’s like homesickness… as though I am not sure sure I belong here. And would it be so completely wishy-washy to drag all of you all the way back to the old site? You all think I am mad. A blog is a blog is a blog. But it ain’t so. For example, I wanted to show you all this amazing picture that Alexander drew the other day.
It’s his first decipherable picture. It was the first thing he has produced that was not scribbles. It was a picture of his father and he was just so proud especially because it was anatomically correct! (Not sure where the arms are though! And could that be chest hair just beneath his neck?)
So at Blogger I could have easily embedded this image directly from Picassa or uploaded it from my computer. But I can’t here and I am so maddened and frustrated. Anyhow if you click on the link below you will see my little Picasso!
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qpva5-yjzqnwVzaandVspQ?feat=directlink
Parenting with a sense of humor
The only way I can communicate with Don during the day is via email or text messaging. He can not be on the phone while in the OR. Earlier I sent him a text asking if he would be home in time for me to take Becca to skating so that I would not have to drag the boys and risk a 5 or 6pm nap from Alexander. I then went on to tell him that the kids were driving me bonkers. I am overtired and really need more of a break than the two hours a week I get. I went on to explain that I would have driven them to school in this… or in an ice storm just to get them the hell away. Sadly, this is not one of those I-am-so-overjoyed-to-have-the-kids-around-all-over-and-on-top-of-me snow days. It’s one of those I may break-into-school-and-deposit-the-kids-there kind-of days. Don’t gasp. If you haven’t had one you are either The Greatest Mother in The World, or you are inhuman. Or you are lying. A big fat LIAR!
So after whining over a text message this is what Don told me to do!
Under my desk on the right are pre-paid FedEx bar code stickers.
Firmly attach one sticker to each child then dial 1-800-GoFedEx for ground service pickup.
My fabulous husband…
was here when my shiny new laptop arrived via FedEx yesterday morning. (I was out battling Alexander every step of the way down every aisle of Super Stop & Shop and as a result my simple shopping took me nearly 2 hours and cost me $238.)
I was a bit surprised that he was still home. These days he is out long before the kids are up. He was greeted by my whining about Alexander the Terrible as all signs indicated that we were going to have a long terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day and that I really, really wanted to run from him all the way to Australia. Don helped me with the groceries. And helped himself to the new jar of Planter’s Dry Roasted peanuts that were on sale — and why you should not shop while a) hungry, b) undercaffeinated and c) with 3 year old Troublemaker who insists on pulling everything off the shelves. As I unpacked the pears and bananas and apples (and plastic bottle of cinnamon sugar resembling a little blond boy I know; I never saw that go in to my cart!) Don’s standing by the counter chomping on peanuts by the handful and smiling, rather smirking away. I haven’t asked him why he is still home as I figured he was dealing with paperwork. And he’s still there eating, leaning, smiling, smirking… and then I see IT! My brand new sparkly-shiny gorgeous sexy new stainless and black new laptop! It was not due to arrive for another week but IT came, somehow or other it came just the same! It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages boxes, or bags! (Ok, so that’s not really true!)
And my beautiful wonderful (when he wants to be!) husband spent the morning getting it all ready for me!
noisenoisenoise
Rebecca was grounded this afternoon. Basically because, well, she’s a slob! I keep finding dirty clothes wadded up in her drawers and have had numerous discussions with her that dirty clothes go in the hamper and clean clothes go in her drawers. Blame it partially on laziness and partially on Tween Distraction. We were meeting the Girl Scouts in town for a private screening of The Kit Kittredge Movie and I was trying to be helpful and pick out a couple of outfits for her that I thought she would like. It’s amazing how difficult getting dressed is these days. So as I was in her drawers I thought I would do a little straightening. But when I found dirty, really dirty clothes in there I started to get annoyed. Had this been th first time I would have dismissed it. Even the second time. Even the third time. You get the idea.
So I called Rebecca up to her room and sent her to the laundry room with all her clothes. I had her place them in the washing machine and add the detergent. After this was done I told her that her friend could not come over this afternoon. Since she added yet another load of laundry to my Everest of Laundry Piles she would spend the afternoon helping me separate the folded laundry and she would put her own away… properly. (I did let her go to the movie this morning.)
She was clearly overwhelmed by all that there was. As was I. She helped me fold and sort and she put hers away. Without complaint. I was impressed and I think that she understands now, how much laundry is genererated by this family and how time consuming it really is.
When Cindeerella was done withher chores she went off to play with her brothers and I crawled into my bed to try to nap. Try. OMG were they loud. But they were not fighting. For the first time in ages they were all playing together and having fun. Yes, making a racket, but getting along! And no noise is so wonderful as the noise of children getting along and having fun.
When they were done playing we all went into the kitchen and did some painting. Rebecca painted some large wooden letters — initials that will hang over her bed, and a heart-shaped mirror for her dresser. Christopher painted a model airplane that he had previously put together and I helped Alexander put together a wooden model truck. The beauty of the day was that no one even thought about asking for television until recently, after a nice, easy dinner of pb&j!
Apparently the noisenoisenoise was too much for their father who at one point called up to them to be quiet and stop having fun!
show of hands if you think it is OK to wash three year old’s mouth out with soap!
Seriously, this kid has a problem. He might look all cute and preppy but boy oh boy does this kid have a sailor’s mouth! Incessant bickering from older brother and sister does not help matters. I have tried to get to the root of the problem (siblings) and scold them for saying unkind words that younger brother should not be repeating. But I know that the minute I walk out of the room they are hurling insulting words at each other behind my back. So really, I should not be surprised at what does come out of Alexander’s mouth. And yet, it never ceases to amaze me.
Yesterday we were in the kitchen getting Rebecca’s Birthday dinner ready while she was out at ice skating with Grandma, Grandpa and Dad. Alexander was a bit overtired and giddy and fresh.
Me: Alexander stop doing that, please?
Alex: No.
Me: Please, I wish you would stop. You are going to break it. (Refering to my aerolatte frother.)
Alex: No you big Jerk. You are an idiot! (I know exactly where he picked this up from.)
Me: Alexander, that is a terrible thing to say. We don’t say words like that and you know it.
Alex: But Becca and Griffie do.
Me: But they shouldn’t and neither should you.
Alex: You big Jerk!
Me: I should wash your mouth out with soap, young man.
Alexander is quiet as he is clearly trying to visualize how I would do this.
Me: You want me to?
Alex: Yes!
Me: You had better watch it or I will, Mister!
A few minutes pass and he does something else he shouldn’t have and I reprimand him again. He gets off his stool and gives me a kiss.
Me: I don’t want your kisses, Alexander. I want an appology. You are not being a very nice boy right now.
Alex: But Mommy, kisses make everything better!
I swear, if he wasn’t so darned cute…
hello CUPCAKE!
Because my large derriere was not planted in front of the computer screen yesterday I was able to be productive! I made these slumbering children cupcakes with Rebecca yesterday. I am so happy (as is Rebecca) with the end result. Hours of work will be devoured in a minute or two!
I got the idea from the book Hello Cupcake. If you love to bake and have children this book is an absolute MUST have in your cook book collection.
I will not be blogging tomorrow, January 21st as it is Rebecca’s 10th Birthday and we will be spending the day, celebrating together!
(I thank Mrs. B for letting Miss C. interrupt class to take this picture… and Miss C. thanks for taking them and emailing them to me since my computer is down!)
let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
I haven’t seen this much snow in a winter in a very long time. Quite possibly ever. I love it! And because it never really seems to stop everything is white. The trees and lawns are white. Rooftops are white. And there doesn’t seem to be too much, if any old grey, slushy snow. I know many of you are done with this weather. Have been done for months now. But not me.I love it. It brings out the kid in me. It makes me happy. I like nothing better than to snuggle up inside on the couch, in front of a warm fire if possible, and watch the snow fall. Outside the floor light is on. I’ll go upstairs and watch the snow sashay down from the sky, falling slowly sometimes and quicker at others. The branches on the trees outside my window are wrapped in thick white blankets. The stark white set against the black sky is spectacular. And in the early morning hours before the sun dares to rise, and late in the afternoon just before she is ready for her slumber everything outside my window is blue… in varying shades of blue. Blue is my favorite color. She is soothing and relaxing, especially Periwinkle. If I was a crayon I would be Periwinkle. I love a nice periwinkle evening in winter when I have no where to be.
Winter in New England without snow is grey, ho-hum-boring,dismal and boring. The kids don’t want to be outside. They end up with terrible cases of cabin fever and end up driving us all bonkers! But they love the snow. What fun! And nice to get some exercise and come in all cold and rosy cheeked and sip some warm cocoa. I’ll take a snowy day over a grey day any day!
I really could go on and on but this old Dino can not keep up with my fingers and I am getting so terribly frustrated. So, I wil head to bed and get ready for another work week and try to shift in to fast pace gears and I won’t have as much time to stop and watch the snow fall. And most likely I won’t be on here much tomorrow. I will have to be productive again. Not so much fun! I will keep my fingers crossed that we do not have a delayed start. I need Alexander to be in school all morning. I have some presents to wrap and prefer not to do so under the watchful eyes of a three year old with a very large mouth. Tomorrow is the last time I will ever have a Nine Year Old daughter. Wow!
toast
My computer died on me yesterday. I knew it was coming. I saw the signs and yet I chose to ignore them. Stupid, I know but I could not bare to be without my laptop. While yes, I have a car and a phone, my computer, to me, is an important tie to my outside world. I can drop a quick email versus spending hours chatting on the phone. I can see what my friends are up to on Facebook –my latest addiction. And I can blog. Without my computer I am toast. A lost soul looking for somewhere to go. I get it now when my kids say they are bored. I hate that term and I get upset every time they use it. No one in this family should be bored. We have more than enough to keep everyone busy. And there are always chores, laundry, vacuuming, etc… But my kids don’t want to do chores and neither do I! Don is watching football and the kids are all packed in for the night. I am not sleepy as somehow I managed to sneak in a two and a half hour nap today! (I went up to watch a little television with Alexander in my room. Five minutes later there were four of us on the bed. Two hours later it was dark out and I was the only one up there!) Right now I would love to just grab my laptop and join Don in the family room. But I can’t. I am bored. So I have snuck on to his because I have this insane urge to be on a computer! I can’t unplug his laptop because he’s been on it unplugged. (Booking a trip to Disney, but shhh! Don’t tell the kids!)
A new laptop has been ordered and I will get mine fixed. Because I never listen. I know I am supposed to save stuff. But I haven’t. Five year’s worth of stuff is on there. Photos of the kids. Stories that Rebecca used to create. Cards they have created, and a bunch of other useful and useless information that means a lot to me. My Dell has served me well. It will be 5 years old on Valentine’s Day. (What a romantic, eh?!) It’ll be restored and the kids will have it. It’s far better than their old Dinosaur that operates on Windows 98 and actually starts off in DOS! Whether they use it for Club Penguin, Webkinz or book reports, biographies and science projects it will serve them well. I’m not so happy that I get a new computer, because really I am fine with my Dell, but I am thrilled that I will no longer have to share mine. With anyone! Ever again!!! (Can you hear my wicked and evil laugh?!)
He tried to fix it for me temporarily. He really tried. I think he saw the color drain from me when the screen went permanently black. I lost focus of everything else. I just wanted my computer. I mean, how completely freaking lame is that!?
Tomorrow I have to decorate some cupcakes for Rebecca’s class party. And take Christopher to a play date. And, I suppose because I will have limited access to a computer I will also do the following:
Laundry… wash, fold and put away. (We will have about 5 heaping baskets by tomorrow)
Run and empty dishwasher… for some reason I LOATHE this more than any other thing in the house
Buy ingredients for Rebecca’s cupcakes
Bake and decorate cupkaes for 4th grade class
Take Christopher to a play date and pick up a friend along the way
Take down Xmas tree in LR… yes it is still up and I have been ignoring it in hopes that it would somehow magically disrobe itself
Clean up mess from tree
Take Rebecca to skating
and get ready for another school week…
And somehow try to get some wrapping done. Rebecca’s 10th is on Wednesday!
And, of course, I will try to sneak on here a couple of times, I am sure!
Please, pretty please with sugar on top? I love you Mommy Goddammit!
Kids say the darndest things don’t they? These exact words were uttered by my quite precocious three year old last night as he was trying to get me to change my mind about something!
The Entertaining House 