Try To Stay With The Class

Mommy: We’re taking Daddy’s car to the car doctor
Sammy: Why?
Mommy: It needs a check-up, like when Mommy went to Dr. Tota-Thurn when you guys were with me (That is another entry entirely!!)
Sammy: Do the four.
Mommy: exaggerated pause of confusion
Mommy: pause continues...
Mommy: silent AHA!!!
Conversation continues:
Mommy: You want to know who were all four of the people that came into the room at the doctor's office?
Sammy: yes!
Mommy: There was the nurse who weighed me and took my temperature. There was...
Sammy: The tooth was the Tota-Thurn.
Mommy: again exaggerated pause of confusion, during which I am also stiffling a giggle b/c he doesn't like my doctor b/c she busted him picking on his brother when my back was turned.
Yes, the second one was Dr. Tota-Thurn. And then Gina’s friend (who works in the office), Leisel and...
Sammy: Oh I remember. She was like the Bubbulla’s teacher Jackie.
Mommy: The nurse’s name was Jackie?
Sammy: No. She was like her.
Mommy: Did she look like her?
Sammy: Yes. Who was the last one?
Mommy: The nurse that gave me the shot.
Sammy: Oh. Do the four again.

Send Me Your White Light!

I have this friend from college who was always among the more metphysical people I've known. "Send the white light" was her "Break a Leg" "Good Luck" "Knock 'em Dead!"

Well readers....if there are any....SEND ME YOUR WHITE LIGHT!

If you know me, you know that I've got a home-based business that I've been diligently working at for the past 3+ years. I've decided that this is the year it really goes someplace. And whether or not I make the incentive trip to Cancun, I'm working this thing like crazy b/c I really believe it can be huge. I'm mean I believe in it. I believe in the company. I believe in the products. I really, truly believe that I can do it.

Faith is one thing, but as a business person, I also *know* that it takes above the average amount of work to make that happen. Tomorrow, I'm jumping off the average cliff. Hold on to your hats: I'm hanging flyers. Now before you click through to see what Google says the next blogger needs, I'm hanging about 40 of them as far as a tank of gas can carry me and Aidan and Noah will allow while being dragged in tow. Now what I'm doing isn't a risk, but it is labor intensive. It's going far beyond what I have done and just by geography it can really make things happen.

For me, for what I've been doing with the business, for where I'd like it to go, this is a big deal. It is one of several initiatives I've got planned for the next few months with the hope of promoting to Director by our national conference. Promoting to Director gets me a chair with my name on it (I love things with my name on them!!) and it gets me a job that allows me to continue my most important and favorite job as Mommy.

So send me your white light and I'll send it back to all of you who are following your heart and doing the right thing.

Single Parents

The single parent has the most difficult job on the planet. I am eternally grateful that I am part of a happy, loving couple in which we support each other, communicate and overall partner in this endeavor we call parenting.

Scott has been in Philadelphia since yesterday morning.

He happily told me that he was going away for "a day". Which really means he'll only be gone for "a night". Which reaallly means that I've been alone with my dear sweet children since yesterday morning.

About the single parenting comment, with all my being I believe that there is a special place in heaven reserved for single parents. Now, I know that like having twins, single parenting isn't something that you get a vote on. My reverence for single parents is built on my respect for the challenges and keeping the balance, not the goofy "wow! how do you do it?".

I have come to believe that the 24 hour, constant, no-break part of it would do me in! After 48 hours of dressing, feeding, playing, changing, reading, disciplining, loving and negotiating, I'm cooked. And in said 48 hours, both my mom and Betty were here for about 2 hours each so I wasn't even unsupported! What put me over the edge was having to bring all three kids to my annual physical. I thought, "it won't be that bad. Sammy's a really good boy and he'll be fine for a few minutes." He was so wound up that the doctor, a really cool woman who has young kids, called him on poking Noah so hard it made him cry! She had to take my blood pressure twice to make sure it wasn't really that high.

By the end of the night, everyone was in bed at 6:20 because they were all so tired and it was just the kind thing to do for Sam who did the exact opposite of absolutely everything he should have beendoing. I told him that I loved him very very much and he is a good boy. He quickly added "but I've made lots of bad decisions today".

OK. Good Night. We'll try again tomorrow. Thankfully Scott will be home by then.

John Popper and me

For years, I've been huge Blues Traveler fan. While I'm not alone, I stand as a tiny minority among people I know. I can remember hearing my first BT song, predictably "But Anyway". I was in a bar while in NYC for the first time, after shooting the worm and earning myself a T-shirt for the efforts. I've got a far and away favorite from every album [chronologically: Alone, All In The Groove, Trina Magna, Regarding Steven, Price to Pay, Psycho Joe, Girl Inside My Head, Sweet and Broken, tba) and have an association with each album about the time and phase in my life it's tied to. Oddly there is always one song from each album that I skip through but otherwise love the whole package. I think John Popper's writing is brilliant.

The third H.O.R.D.E. tour was easily the best concert of my life - Big Head Todd & Sheryl Crow (waaay before Lance). I crossed my fingers for the band's future when JP went solo and boycotted by not buying the album. I lost it when I was told that "somebody from Blues Traveler died" and was certain that it was him. I weep everytime I hear "Pretty Angry". (if you haven't heard it, it is sheer genius through grief). Happy for the weight loss. That new keyboarder made me nervous. And far from what I hope is the end of the story, Bastarditos is keeping the love affair alive and well.

This is a very roundabout way of telling you about the very proud moment of Sammy trying to play his harmonica along with John Popper this morning! Absolutely adorable, and so satisfying that I finally have a kindred spirit outside of concert throngs and cyberspace. Plus Scott hates BT so this is karmic retribution for making me ever listen to The Bobs.

Leah Needs.....

Type in your first name and the word “needs” into Google. Post the first 10 results.

1. Leah needs to shed the pounds and the sooner the better. (ouch!)

2. Sheboygan and Sheboygan Falls Wisconsin real estate listings

3. Leah Fraser Weblog - Wallasey Conservatives

4. Leah needs the final copies by July 8 in order to get them bound and distributedon time.

5. Call Leah and Victor today to discuss all of your real estate needs! (Leah seems to be quite the real estate maven)

6. Leah Needs Love Awww glad youse liek it!! Sorreh its solate ive only (Apparently she also needs typing lessons)

7. Amazon.com: Autumn World: Books: Joan Marie Verba,Tess Meara ...After discovering Leah, captive among the troops she decides that Leah needsrescuing from them.

8. Leah needs funding from the Senate Planning on a “senior program”

9. Leah needs to feel free to voice concerns/ask for proposals to be rephrased.

10. Leah needs lots of play, social time (now we're talking!!!)

I think this is where I call one of you out. I'd love to hear Bridget & Gina's takes on this one!

Meet Abu

We went to the zoo last week. The boys walked the entire zoo, chased after the sea lions, growled to the polar bears, followed the rocky mountain big horn sheep, roared and the tigers, hopped like the walaroo and held hands with each other the entire time. Sammy needed to know what they all ate and directed the entire agenda. Aidan and Noah were really interested for the first time.

They got so tired and we were ready to go. Except Sam remembered the new baby giraffe. I couldn't tell him the little white lie that would have gotten us in the car a half hour sooner. He announced that we'd forgotten to go see the giraffe while Noah was absolutely fried and Aidan was starting to lose it. I just couldn't say no.

Meet Abu! He was born Septebmer 23. At his ripe old age of 3 1/2 months is over 8 feet tall!
The boys were mesmerized and everyone their energy back very quickly!! This isn't a great picture; it's just their web picture. He's so cute and wobbles around, snuggling with his mom.

By the way, Abu means "first born son"

The Gifts That Keep Giving

It is 21 days past Christmas. The tree is gone. The paper is put away. Tape has gone back to serving me only to patch up the books the boys fight over. The porch is dark again. The decorations are down, if not yet packed away.

Yet Sammy's stocking still hangs, full.

He sort of knows it's there. He'll walk by it and ask slyly, "Daddy, what' that?". Or drop A slippery, "Mommy, I have a stocking." He has made no attempt to get it down (and he has a stool and knows what to do with it). He hasn't asked for it.

What the hell?!?!

We took it down tonight and presented it to him, no holds barred, at the kitchen table. He was far more committed to getting the train away from his brother than getting to the bottom of the stocking. We were pushing the stocking though and forcing him to empty it. His interest in his stocking was as follows:

• deck of Crazy Eights cards he thought they were more Go Fish cards
• tiny Mickey Mouse playing cards no response
• kazoo just holding up the harmonica
• harmonica king of Who Gives a Crap Hill
• balsam wood glider the Bertie Bus equivalent, in other words we could have started and finished with this alone

Scott and I are now eating his Hershey's Kisses and trying to find the right place to hide the rest of the goods to be doled out as You're Extra Special Today goodies. You know what they say; YOU SNOOZE, YOU LOSE!

Potty Watch - Day 12

One more "accidental" pee by Aidan. I'm remembering my biggest, very challenging difficulty with potty training. There's really no hurdling this one. Here it is:

I cannot control my excitement whenever he pees. I freak out. Congratulating him. Hugging. Kissing. Followed by me throwing M&Ms at him.

In the end I think I scare the crap out of him.

But, it did work for Sam so here we go again!

Finger Painting

Sam hates finger paints. He always has. Once in a blue moon I can get him to use the finger paints we have -- with a brush. Finally a few weeks ago, he told me why he doesn't finger paint. Simple: it's sticky.

fine. logical. does not prevent development. does not inhibit in anyway. finger paints are out.

Regularly, he also decides to pass on projects at school. No reason given.

As they say, admission is the first step to recovery. Yesterday. I picked him up from school when he excitedly told me that he finger painted "with these two fingers." I said, "these two [ring and pinky]?".
"No. These two [pointer middle]."
"These two [pointer middle, holding up both hands]?
"No Mommy. Not four fingers. Just two."



ps - it was white paint that they got to sprinkle blue glitter on to and glitter sticks to your fingers, but you don't eat it.

Potty Watch - Day 10

We've got M&Ms!!!

We love the potty!!!

So much gross

This is just the beginning of the end of anything pretty in my life. Here's the top five reasons why:

5. Sammy said, "I tooted loud in my bed at naptime. Did you hear it?"

4. Puked on 2x in the past week.

3. The dog probably has the same stomach bug as the boys.

2. All three boys simultaneously played "see food" with their snacks today.

1. really really gross - Aidan had a bubble come out of his cold-affected nose and Noah reached over and popped it.

Potty Training - Day 6

This has not been the "consistent" effort that every book will tell you is essential to potty training. We're starting with the basics: the bathroom is not a forbidden place and the first point of attraction should not be throwing your hands *into* the potty (the big OR the little one).

My ultimate hope for potty training lies on Sam (sorry for the pressure, kid). What Sam does, the boys do. I figure that this is one department that I should maximize this fact. Well we were in the middle of our bathtime routine tonight and Sam was taking care of business. Aidan wasn't taking that lying down. He needed is diaper OFF! Then proceeded to brush his teeth on the potty. Not to be outdone, Noah had his turn and upped the ante by announcing, "PEE".

He should have follow it with "PSYCH!"

Happy Birthday to John

Christmas is over. Sam can no longer be bothered. He wanted to know when his birthday was coming. We went through the upcoming holidays, including Valentine's Day and John's birthday among others. Well he jumped on John having a birthday next week and announced that John needs a crown.

That was yesterday. Today we talked about what should go on the crown. Winnie the Pooh sounded like a good idea. Then he said, "and he needs muffins" "A Muffin?", I affirmed. "No. Two muffins," he corrected. "Two muffins," he repeated while patting his ears, "right here. And one in the back".

I'm only publishing this because I know John doesn't read blogs and the rest of you are sworn to secrecy since the image of John wearing his Pooh/muffin crown will be best when he is totally surprised by it.

Spoiled

We always said that we were spoiled by what a good kid Sam's been. We really haven't any idea how the other side lived, until Aidan & Noah.

• Sam ate, and ate, and ate. Everything. The twins throw food, regardless of how hungry they are or what they are being served.
• Sam had his first fit about two months ago. Because he saw Aidan do it.
• Sam is relatively easily broken. Aidan has my will. He made no fewer that a dozen passes at strolling through the house eating his bagel over the course of 90 minutes. He absolutely refused to forget that the bagel was at the table and he was not.
• Sam is mild-mannered. Aidan and Noah have wrestled each other to the ground over a book.
• Sam never bit. Aidan and Noah snack on each other.

I know that in the grand scheme of things, Aidan and Noah are wonderful boys and very, very, normal. Probably more so than Sam was. Living with it 24/7, I need the public affirmation to put it into perspective.

A vacation from the vacation

Could not wait for Scott's vacation days!! They fell over the week between the holidays. YAY! Lazing about, over indulging, playing games, just hanging around together.mmmmm.

reality? Everyone still needed to be fed and cleaned up after. The boys all have colds. Noah had an unfortunate bout with the stomach bug, which teased everyone else, but didn't hit anyone else too hard. Scott laid in bed sick for a whole day. I never exercised once.

I did love that Scott had the week off but next year I want a housekeeper and a cook.

As for now, I'm happy to get back to regular life.

PEE!!!

I'm not even going to gloss this over: Aidan peed on the potty today for the first time!!!!

We brought the potty out three days ago!!!!

The only mini-yucky: most of it went on the floor.

SO WHAT!!! 19 MONTHS AND THERE WAS PEE ON THE POTTY!!!!!