Saturday, May 31, 2008

Heat

I don't like heat. I just spent 4 hour outside in 90º temps helping out at Pete's school's spring festival. I loved it. Now I'm going to go lie down until HG and the girls get home.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Lulu's potty chart tracker has been replaced...

Looking Forward

Next fall, Pete moves from the Primary classroom she's been in for 2 years to a Lower Elementary classroom that will hopefully be her class for the next 3 years. Last night, Husbandguy and I went to a meeting with the lower el teachers all about the lower el classroom and what it will be like for our Pete (and other kindergartners) to be in the first grade. It was Very Informative. I am Super Excited. We had the chance to meet the teachers and look at some of the activities Pete will be working with and hear about what the classroom is typically like on a normal day.

The teachers seem wonderful. They are all very excited about their classroom communities and seem to have good senses of humor. They seemed more nurturing than Pete's current teacher, which is a good thing. We don't get a real say in which teacher Pete will have, and I'm totally cool with that because the principal knows them better than I do and it's her job to put the right student with the right teacher. But she encourages us to send her a note about our child to help her make the right choice for them, and you better believe she's getting one from me.

Pete will use a lot of the same tools in lower el that she used in primary, but in more expansive ways. Like right now, when she uses the Hundred Board, it is strictly for linear counting (1, 2, 3,...98, 99, 100). She has counted to 1600, 1-100 at a time, in the 2 years she's been in this class. That is really cool. How surprised is she going to be when her teacher next year shows her all the other cool stuff you can do with the Hundred Board, like what-number-is-missing?-type stuff and I don't know what else! I'm excited. I hope she will be too.

The main concern that a lot of the other parents who were there last night have about the lower el classes was the noise level. Apparently it's higher in the lower el class than in the "Peaceful Primary Classroom." We're not worried. Pete's class this year has been far from peaceful, and I didn't think it was particularly peaceful last year either. They got off to a bad start this year. Things got better once they moved a couple of kids to other classes and hired an assistant, but high-noise-level is not something new for Pete. The difference next year will be, it sounds, that her teacher will be expecting it and will know better how to regulate it. Also, apparently, the "hum" or "chatter" is more productive than disruptive; the students are talking about their work and about current events and sharing experiences related to their work, for the most part. I've got to say that the glimpses I've had into lower el classes from the hallway don't cause me any great concern. They actually make me hopeful.

Apparently this post is about me... I'm looking forward to next fall. I'm looking forward to the change (I'm looking forward to it so much that, in 2 years when Lulu starts there, I'm going to specifically request that she be placed with a teacher other than Pete's current teacher - the policy is to place siblings with the same teacher as long as the first sibling has moved up and the parents don't specifically request otherwise, which I'll be doing - but that's another post).

Let me talk to Pete, and then I'll tell you what she's thinking too.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Lulu Update

By the time that Pete and HG left for Pete's swimming lesson last night, I was pretty concerned about Lulu because she hadn't eaten anything in about 30 hours and had only had 4 to 5 ounces of diluted apple juice so I told her that she needed to drink something or I was going to get the medicine "squirter" and feed her juice. Then I offered her a lollipop (I'm not a bad mom) and she said yes. Somehow, the threat and the lollipop convinced her to try the juice I had put in a Bojangles cup to make it more fun, and from there it was just a big wave of Feeling Better. She ate a piece of cheese. And then another piece of cheese. Then she tried some mashed potatoes, but they were too hot so she had yogurt instead. Then she tried the potatoes again, and they were okay. Then she wanted more, but I was afraid she'd get sick so I said, "Let's take a break," and she agreed. Not the healthiest dinner, but at least she was eating! She was still drooling like a champ (do champs drool?) and talking like her tongue hurt, but she was clearly feeling better. Whew!

This morning she's eating Cheerios and berry smoothie and not freaking out every time she puts something near her mouth. She still won't let me look, but I'm sure she'll have a fit about something later because she's Almost 2, and I'll just take a peek then.

Fish for Breakfast

This was an accident, but my girls thought it was funny so I'm sharing it with you.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

I thought you might appreciate this, TG...

Lulu cannot eat because it hurts. She is refusing to take anything by mouth (which worries me a little because she won't even drink), but the part I find interesting and think might also make The Grandpa go "Hmmm..." is that she insists on feeding HG and me and gets mad when we're done eating whatever she thinks we should be eating. She's Eating by Proxy, I think!

Called the Nurse

I called the nurse. She thinks it's actually oral thrush with a virus too. I'm not sure I agree because of the blister and fever and pain, but Lulu won't let me look in her mouth much, and what I saw when I was holding her down and she was screaming apparently sounded to the nurse like thrush. I don't know. I'm going to call HG.

HFMD Revisited?

There's a chance that we're revisiting Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease with Lulu. She had pineapple with her dinner on Monday and woke up all night long crying. In the morning yesterday I discovered that her little tongue had sores and a blister. Pineapple has done that to me so I assumed it was from that, but she refused to eat anything from nap time on (not even ice cream!) and by bedtime she had a little temperature to go along with it (101º) and was up all night last night too. Poor kid.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

The Art of Smalltalk

We were all sitting outside with Husbandguy yesterday, waiting for him to finish grilling our yummy, no-leftovers chicken. Lulu was sitting in the tiny, pink, princess chair, just lounging back, resting. She kind of nodded her head a little and said conversationally, "It's windy today." Silly kid! Not-yet-2, making smalltalk about the weather with her parents.

I like her a lot!

Monday, May 26, 2008

Two Days With No Movement

I'm sorry. This post is about poopoo. You don't have to read it...

I've heard about this problem with kids who are learning to use the potty, but fortunately we didn't have to go through it with Pete. Lulu, however... Rather than break the no-poopoo-in-the-Pull-Up rule or go poopoo in the potty, she has decided to just not go. We put her in a diaper for napping and nighttime. I hoped it would inspire her to get that taken care of when she could, but she just didn't. I don't like that. When she was teeny tiny, an itty bitty baby, just weeks old, she wouldn't poop for like 3 days. A movement was always cause for celebration. My friends thought I was nuts because I actually got excited about changing the dirty diapers (wet was no big deal). So I'm not enjoying this withholding. It makes me nervous.

On the other hand, it's only day 3 of the Training in Earnest, and she broke the no-poopoo-etc. rule today. And we celebrated by changing a stinky Pull-Up and not talking about the rule.

Family's Home Today

Maybe I'll have something interesting to post later. Right now the girls are trying to talk their dad into getting them donuts for breakfast. I think I'll go help them...

Remind me to tell you about the problem with Potty Training in Earnest.

Happy birthday, Meme and PSP. We hope you both have Wonderful Days!!

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Mommy Summer Camp

Mommy Summer Camp starts for Lulu on Tuesday. Her last day of preschool this year was Friday. I'm not sure she gets it yet, but she does know that now is summer, no-more-diapers time.

I don't know how we're going to fill our days this summer. Pete has agreed to read to me a lot (our own private reading buddies), and I think we're going to do a sort of cooking exchange camp thing with a friend of hers and her mom. I'm sure we'll go to the library and the park and hopefully the pool. I'd like for my girls to start school next fall smarter than they are at the start of Mommy Summer Camp, though, so we'll definitely be doing lots of fun, creative, learning play - crafts and games and whatever.

Well, looking at what I've written, I think we can handle it. But any suggestions you guys have, let us know! We're always looking for new ideas.

Oh, and TG and Meme, we're planning on coming and playing at your pool sometime soon. Let us know when it's open...

Saturday, May 24, 2008

LL Says:

The other day, Lulu was doing one of her favorite things, climbing in and out of a laundry basket. During one of the transitions into or out of the basket, the basket started to tip. Lulu, looking alarmed, reached out her tiny hand to her daddy and said, "Help me! I'm not having any fun!"

Friday, May 23, 2008

Payback. HA!

You may or not remember this. It's okay if you don't. Go ahead and read it. I'll wait...

So remember, they made me cry? It broke my big sappy heart to open that bag. But I got them back! Wednesday was our teachers' end-of-year appreciation luncheon, and we could give them gifts if we wanted to so I made them each a card with a photo of Lulu on her first day and a little poem that said:

My first day you welcomed me
And made me feel at home.
All year long you've cherished me
And taught me as I've grown.
Thank you for your gentle care
And the fun things that we did.
Thank you for my First School Year
And for helping me grow big!

and a photo that I took of Lulu last week. It was adorable. I should write greeting cards (pbbllttt!). But, HA! Both of Lulu's teachers said it made them cry. In a good way, though. See? Payback!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Fits and Starts

So this morning I got all excited because Lulu started to pee in her Pull Up but stopped herself and told me, "I needa get this thing off so I can sit on the potty." Then she finished peeing in the potty. Woo-hoo!! She gets it!

But getting it doesn't mean she's going to do it. Darn it! Since then, we've had several non-successes (not failures), and she's currently wearing a diaper (she's napping).

You know how parents (and grandparents, TG) always know that their kids can walk before the kids believe they can? Apparently pottying is that way for us. Come on Lulu! Just do it!!

Blech

I'm not sure why it didn't occur to me that ridding my body of 3 days of steroids would be more difficult that recovering from the monthly 1-day dose I've been doing, but boy do I feel YUCK! And the carseats in HG's car are getting some use...

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

A Potty Victory

On Monday, Lulu was in distress. I found her in the bathroom, with Husbandguy, looking panicked. I don't know if I've mentioned that the rule for Pull Ups is no poopoo in them. It's okay to poop in the potty and in your diaper, but no poopoo in the Pull Ups. On Monday, my Lulu needed to go poopoo. She was wearing a Pull Up. I felt bad because it was not my intention to cause distress, but at the same time I felt proud because my little sweetie did not go poopoo in her Pull Up. She squeezed her little bumbum together and held it in and found her way to the potty (HG might have helped with that part) and in the end, she went poopoo in the potty! And she got a jellybean and the poopoo-in-the-potty dance as reward. Also, she got the pride of not pooping in her Pull Up. Tuesday, we bought Elmo panties.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

I'm Tempted

Husbandguy is totally willing to pick Pete up this afternoon and take her to her piano lessons. I think I'm only supposed to have him do that if coming off my steroids causes me to feel like I shouldn't drive, as it does frequently. The problem is this: I don't usually realize that I feel like I shouldn't drive until I am actually driving, at which time today it would be too late. So since Lulu was up last night for 3+ hours for no reason and I am currently feeling groggy and nauseated, I am tempted to ask HG to handle the piano lesson. Pete will be thrilled, and there's nothing going on today that I need to be there for. Plus, I wouldn't have to wake Lulu from her nap before she's finished. I already had to wake her up one time today so she could get around and come to the doctor with me. Poor sleepy kiddo. But HG is most probably going to have to leave work early tomorrow and take Pete to swimming because I am 98% certain that I won't be up for driving tomorrow, and I don't want to take advantage of him. But I am tempted...

Monday, May 19, 2008

Lulu and the Potty

This is Lulu's last week of school. She and I have decided to go this weekend and get her some big girl panties to commemorate it and maybe try them out next week. I think we might have more success if we don't wait to start the real training until Pete is also home with us full time. She (Lulu) seems excited about it. She already knows that summer means no more diapers, and she's so ready; I think she might just need a jump start, and a week in panties might be the thing. And hey, if not, we'll try something else. She's not quite 2 yet. We've got time.

Pete was potty trained right before she turned 2, but that's Pete. She's not Lulu.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Yeah. I Forgave Him.

But I know it will happen again. All I want is for him to call when he's on his way out with his friends, but he'll think, just like he did this time, that he won't really be that long, and time will get away from him, like it always does, and I'll be checking the traffic cameras for his car in a wreck when the phone rings so he can almost apologize. Unfortunately for him, even though he's not in trouble, I still don't feel like he has quite gotten the message, and day 2 of my steroid treatments, which is today, is always very chatty for me so he'll probably have to hear about what his plan should be when he's going out with his friends unexpectedly all day long. He brought it on himself by not listening the many other times I've had to ask him to think about the fact that his wife is a worrier and just call, even if he doesn't think it's necessary, in the past.

Update, 6:25PM: I found out this afternoon that they actually went there for lunch and just never left. Jeez! But now I understand a little more about why he didn't call on his way. He assumed they'd have lunch and go back to work. He finally got home at 11:30.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Check This Out

http://mommy411.wordpress.com/

How cool am I?

Thanks, Dana, for letting me contribute!

Lonely

Todd Parr's The Feelings Book, which Lulu has commandeered from Pete, has a little sad fish who sometimes feels lonely. That lucky little fish gets a kiss (or 3) from Lulu every time his page is opened.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Talk About Being In Trouble!

Oh! That MAN! Husbandguy is SOOOOOOO in the dog house right now. If we had a dog house, he'd actually be sleeping there tonight. I am Super Angry. And it's all over something stupid. That has happened before. And that he promised would never happen again.

He went to a club, a girly club (you know), with some of the guys from work as a send off for one of them whose last day was today. That's not the part I'm mad about. I'm glad he went out with "the guys," and I honestly couldn't care less where they went (except maybe if they went to a brothel I might mind) (teehee, I said "brothel" like I'm 80 or something). What I am mad about, and remember this has happened before, more than once, HE DIDN'T BOTHER TO CALL FIRST! So the girls and I were waiting, thinking he might be home a little early like he often is on Friday and maybe we could go out for dinner since the whole medicine thing got in the way of me going grocery shopping. I tried calling his cell phone about 15 minutes after his normal get-home time, not even the early time, and when he didn't answer I made French toast for us all. US ALL (I should probably put his in the fridge). Half-an-hour went by, still no sign of him so Pete called his cell phone again and left a message. After 20 more minutes of waiting, I called his phone 4 or 5 times in a row, thinking at first that maybe he couldn't hear it and calling it more would increase the chances of that, and then thinking eventually that if he was laying somewhere and needed help, his phone ringing and ringing might increase his chances of someone finding him. All the while I watched out the front for his car... or a police car... I almost called Moomie, but what could she do, really, except worry with me? At some point I left him a message. "Hey. It's getting late. Call me when you get this. Okay?" Because I'm a worrier and will always be a worrier.

6:55. Nearly an hour and a half after his get-home time. My cell phone rings. Him: I'm at a club. Me: You're in really big trouble. Him: I'm not in that much trouble, let me explain... Me: You are too in VERY BIG TROUBLE. Him: No. I called. Me: [Doofus]* it is nearly 7:00! I don't care where you are. You should have called. Him: I did. Me: Before now! I was really worried. Doofus: No, you weren't.

What an idiot. Does he think I'm going to tell him not to go? Really? Is that why he doesn't call? Because I've told him I don't care and he seemed to understand. I've told him my only issue is not knowing where he is and he seemed to understand. Does he forget that he can't hear his phone ring in those places? What an idiot.

He promised it wouldn't happen again. Several times. He keeps promises almost as well as Pete. Now I know where she learned it.

*Not his real name.

Turns Out I Don't Like Worms

Thank you, guys. And sorry. I had a really crappy Thursday and was feeling all "poor me" but you were there and I do appreciate it. But what's the purpose of my Itsy Bitsy Pedestal if not to throw myself a pity party once in a while.

I mean aside from sharing the brilliance that is (are) my babies. Geniuses and Prodigies, both. Aren't we lucky to know them!

Why Can't They Be More Clear?

We got a form from the school district yesterday about Pete's eligibility to ride the bus next year. I skimmed it and then handed it off to Husbandguy to confirm that we didn't need to do anything, since the info was all correct. I didn't see anywhere in there where it said so. He looked it over and I said, "Right? We don't need to do anything?" and he nodded and I said, "Shouldn't they actually say in there 'If your info is correct, you do not need to respond to this letter'? Because everyone might not be able to figure that out," and he said, "You mean like right here?" and read me a sentence from the letter that said just that and I said, "Oh. I just skimmed it. I must have missed that," and he said, "It's bold and underlined!" Well obviously I didn't read the emphasized part. That's the same as parenthesis, isn't it? They never put anything important in the bold, underlined text. Oops.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Guess I'll go eat worms.

Here I am. Posting a Thursday 4-for (a 5-fer) now, and nobody is reading. What a sucky Thursday.

discouraged

Remember, when you were in school, how all the really smart or very privileged or super "popular" kids didn't have any common sense? Isn't it nice for us that they all grew up to become DOCTORS?

Quick PSA: Don't get a debilitating chronic illness unless your life has a pause button.

Husbandguy might get to take Pete to the ballet this weekend. The only one happy about that will be Pete.

I Told Him!

Stupid medicine. When my doctor called yesterday to set up a steroid treatment for some MS stuff that's happening right now, I started to say that since it was getting close to the weekend and it might be hard to schedule the nurse and stuff, maybe I should just take the oral steroids, even though the IV work better and are easier to recover from, and he interrupted me and said they would have someone come out today so I agreed to it. But the nurse's office just called and they can't come until SATURDAY and they have to set up delivery of the medicine anyway. Pete and I have the ballet on SATURDAY AFTERNOON so if they can't come before 11, something won't work. Grrr! This sucks. I could be TAKING the oral steroids TODAY. Plus, my doctor had me schedule an appointment with his office on Tuesday, thinking that would be several days after I finished the medicine, but this way it will only be THE NEXT day and (although it will be easier for me to drive there because I should still have it in my system and won't be all crashed) that kind of negates the "give the medicine time to work before we see you" part of his plan. I'm sure I should call him, but I think I'm too upset to make any sense and not blubber, and it is probably too late to cancel the IV stuff anyway. But the wool leg warmer feeling in my legs is really kind of uncomfortable, and I wish I didn't have to wait until Saturday. Actually Sunday before I'll notice a difference. This sucks.

In a minute I'll be calmer and call the doctor. Then you'll get another post later after they call and tell me there's nothing they can do.

LL Says:



LL: Look! Holes! For shoppin'!

For Pete from Moomie

In Charlotte a young lady lived
Who perfomed for the Piano Guild
She played song after song
(and some were quite long)
And all of the people were thrilled.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

A Puzzler

Today, when I picked Lulu up at school, I peeked in the door and her teacher was quizzing her on her colors, which she got all right, and when she was finished I said, "Who's the smartest baby ever?" and she said, "My mommy!!" and ran over to me. After we got done giggling about the fact that her mommy is not the smartest baby ever, her teachers told me that she didn't eat any of her lunch. Not one bite. They said it was because she pooped outside and got REALLY MAD. ??! They'd never seen her so mad, and all because she pooped. Outside. Huh? She was wearing a diaper.

Suspicions Confirmed: She's Brilliant!

Get this, Pete got her Guild audition report card at her lesson yesterday, and she got a Superior+ rating. I'm pretty sure that's the highest rating they give. The way they grade is this: they give C's for "Special Commendation," meaning that you've done that thing particularly well and A's for things that "Need Attention" and leave a skill blank if you do what you're supposed to be able to do at your level, no more and no less. So a person would expect to get all blanks, at least, but it's a big deal to get a few C's and it's a Really Big Deal to get 23, especially when you only get 1 A! Pete hasn't even been taking lessons for a whole year yet, and she's only 6, and this was her first audition (Guild) and she chose (she chose) to do a full audition of 10 pieces. Ear training, transposing, and sight reading count at 1 piece each. She got C's for each of those, and her sight reading "was perfect!" which I suspected. She's marching around now all proud of herself, as she should be, and Husbandguy brought home McDonald's for dinner because that's what she wanted.

And I a little bit wish I did the Guild audition this year too.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Waiting for News

So yesterday, after Pete's bus dropped her off, it was involved in an accident. At the second to last stop, a little girl who had been riding her bike in the street got pinned under the bus. She is currently in the hospital in either critical or serious condition (the reports are mixed). The bus driver has been suspended pending the investigation. With pay. I like this bus driver. She made a point of telling me that Pete was having trouble sitting on the bus and that she didn't want to write her up but would have to if it didn't improve and so we've been working together with Pete and haven't had any trouble in weeks (months?). We ran into her at a restaurant once and chatted a little. She just seems really nice. I am seriously hoping the investigation doesn't change my opinion. But nobody knows anything! The principal called everyone last night (not personally - they have this cool automated recorded message thing) and sent an email too, and she sounded really upset in her message. It was difficult for me to listen to. She knew just a little more than the local news seemed to know, and that's all the info we have still. I'm not sure why it's so important to me to know everything. It's terrible that it happened, but we don't know the little girl - she doesn't even go to Pete's school. Normally I'd be a little interested if I heard something but wouldn't think twice about it after a while, but for some reason I'm waiting for every detail on this one. I don't have anything to say about it really. I guess I just needed to get it out. I hope everyone comes out of this okay.

Since we didn't know the little girl, we decided not to bring it up with Pete but we're prepared to answer questions after school today because I'm sure she'll hear, and it is her bus driver. She doesn't take the bus on Tuesday, though, so maybe tomorrow...

Flip Flap Jack

I need to ask Mother Goose who sings the version of "Flip Flap Jack" she plays for us at story time sometimes because Lulu really likes it (me too - and Pete) and it'd be fun to get it for Lulu for her birthday. One time we got to story time a little early and ran into Mother Goose and she said, "We've got a lot of fun stuff planned today, stories and songs," and since Lulu had asked about "Flip Flap Jack" that morning, I asked if we were going to sing it, and Mother Goose said, "Well, no... I hadn't planned to... It doesn't really fit with the theme today, and I don't have my flannel board or the music... Sure! Okay! We'll sing that today!!" and she went and got her flannel board for Lulu. I like Mother Goose.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Overnight!

Lulu came back from Nana's older. It's weird, but she's a different kid than she was when they left. You don't realize that the growing happens so quickly until you're away from it for a while. Even just for one night...

Sunday, May 11, 2008

When the Mice Are Away

Last night I stopped at DQ on my way home after Husbandguy picked up the girls at my friend's house. I had Really Bad for Me dinner at 4:00, and then put on my pajamas and bought "Enchanted" on PPV, and just sat around all night. Now, it's lunchtime and I'm still in my pajamas. I woke up at 9:00 this morning (after not even a particularly late night last night) and didn't feel like I'd slept too much. That hasn't happened in forever. So I drank too much coffee and watched an old Sally Field movie, and now I'm doing laundry and considering getting around so I can go to the library before The Family gets home from Nana's Mother's Day celebration. I was thinking for a minute that it's a good thing I'm not single without kids because I'd be a waste, but then I realized that not having Momstuff to do wouldn't necessarily mean I'd eat cheeseburgers and milkshakes and watch movies and sleep late all the time. 'Cause if I could do that all the time, it wouldn't be novel and I'd probably have a terrible headache if I did anyway.

I miss my family, but this was nice. We should do it more often.

Last night, Pete and Lulu called to tell me good night and that Nana said I should be there too (whatever). Pete was all excited because she was in her pajamas sitting outside on the back deck, which did sound very cool and fun, and she was annoyed that I watched "Enchanted" without her. Then Lulu got on the phone and she said, "Hi, Mommy. I POOPED!" Aw! She's so sweet!! Only a little sorry I missed that...

And when they get home, I think I've still got a little more M-Day special treatment coming. What a nice weekend.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Guild Audition

Hey, guess what! Pete did AWESOME at her Guild audition this morning. I could hear her playing from the hall, and you better believe I listened. She stumbled and whatever a couple of times, but she is only 6 and hasn't been playing piano for even a whole year and it was her first Guild audition. I can't wait to see her report card. Hopefully we'll get it on Tuesday at her lesson. But listen to this: one of the skills she had to demonstrate was sight-reading, and she read that piece like she'd been practicing it for months! I know because she played a piece I'd never heard before and she didn't miss a note (as far as I could tell from the hall). My kid is an amazing sight-reader. She's so cool! I asked her if she was nervous while she was in there and she said, "No," and I totally believe her even though she told me before we got there that she was scared. You've got to hear her play the piano!

Is It Wrong?

Is it wrong that my desire not to spend my Mother's Day with my in-laws slightly outweighs my desire to spend the whole day with my children? Only slightly. But enough, apparently...

Friday, May 9, 2008

More Loss

The Second

She left with three where two should be.
She came home with two and a smile new.

Mother's Day (really long!)

Warning: I'm about to BIG whine complain because I am passive aggressive and don't know how to ask for what I want without sounding whiny needy dumb, but maybe writing it down will make it easier.

When I worked in Big Bank Land and other places where they actually paid me with more than Job Satisfaction, once a year there was a holiday to celebrate me and all that I did, and for the most part my bosses did a good job with the recognition. PSP got celebrated this year, big time (note to PSP, I wasn't sure which of your posts to link to so here's a plug for the whole shebang)! Even though my job description has changed, it's cool because there is still a day to celebrate me and all that I do for no money (not complaining - room and board is cool), and now it's way more important to me because now I do my job 24/7, and I'm pretty good at it (could be tidier, but the kids aren't stinky suffering).

Okay, so my first Mothers' Day six years ago (I know I should just get over this, but you need to know, and I didn't post about it last year because I was still doing that whole boss 1/boss 2 thing), Husbandguy dropped the ball. It sucked. His fabulous plan for my Very First Mothers' Day was to invite his parents to spend the day with us and for him take me shopping for a hairdryer (with his parents), but he didn't tell me about the shopping and I didn't want to have to buy my own hairdryer anyway if it was going to be called a present. So when everyone was getting ready to go out to do something I didn't think I wanted to do (I don't remember what he said it was going to be), I was thinking HG just hadn't bothered to do anything to celebrate me on my day, and I asked to be left behind. I tried to hurry them out the door before I cried, but HG hung around and saw me. It sucked. I felt selfish and stupid and sorry for myself which made me feel more selfish and stupid. I was even more disappointed because I had already set HG's Very First Fathers' Day gift in motion (I took Pete to have portraits made as a surprise), and also, my "present" from his parents was a coupon that I had to spend $50 to use (I wouldn't have cared too much if they hadn't said it was a "present").

HG has done better with the last 4 M-Day's. For the last couple of years, we've gone to the farmers' market and he and Pete have let me pick out hanging planters for the front porch. I love that!

This year, though, I don't have high hopes. Our plan... Well... We're going to celebrate his mom. She's a mom too and deserves to be celebrated and it's fine, but HG's parents don't really seem to care to celebrate me (I still maintain that they put my name on HG's Christmas present so they could claim they got me something* too) and I want to be celebrated. There. I said it. And I don't care only care a little don't care if you think I'm selfish. This is my job, and I love my job, and I want someone to tell me I'm doing a good job, and she's not my mom or even particularly mom-like to me most of the time, and even so, it's not all about her, like our plan would make it. We are planning to get up Super Early on M-Day and drive to their house and have breakfast with them (probably have to buy it) and then spend the whole day at their house. whee. And come home after dinner and get the girls to bed late even though they have school the next day (causing the potential for Tired-Child Issues for me to deal with). Well, I told HG that we needed to be at home for dinner because the girls will need their hair washed and they really should go to bed on time, and now he's all, "I don't know what to do." I had originally said I didn't want to spend the night before there. I don't rest well there. I don't have fun there usually. It was too much. But I told HG that maybe we could go up and spend the night (why? why did I say that?!) since we had to cut Sunday short. But he's still all, "I don't know what to do" because I want to go see a friend and her kids (who we haven't seen in forever and who have experienced divorce and dad-moving-out in that time and I really want to see them) on Saturday after Pete's Guild audition and to go to his parents' house from her house adds a whole hour-and-a-half to our trip. I don't know either. I don't want to go at all.

I want to sleep in and have pancakes brought to me by my girls in bed and get pretty little homemade cards and take a leisurely shower before we head off to the farmers' market to pick out my flowers and a quart of pretty strawberries and something to plant. Barring that, I want a day to lie around all day and watch an old movie and eat whatever and bake something yummy and maybe be taken out for dinner.

HG complained because I haven't given him much of a wish list for what I'd like for a present, and then he got mad when I said I didn't really want a present, I just wanted to be celebrated, and I didn't want to talk about it and left the room.

I'm being selfish. I don't care if you think that. I'm thinking about suggesting I not go to his parents. I took steroids today and will probably be cranky on Sunday anyway. Then they can go whenever and I can do whatever and everything will be fine. They still need to be home for dinner, though.


*If they were really giving us both something, we would have a range that you don't have to tell the oven to turn on 6 times before it actually does, only to heat up to 25º less than you requested, and that doesn't reset the timer if you need to adjust the temperature, and that doesn't try to reset the clock or set a timed bake cycle once you almost convince it to almost let you set the timer. Same price - maybe less - something we needed and I wanted.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Lulu's Annual Review

Lulu's annual review is early next month, and she's started planning for it. She is telling everyone (her sister, the mom of the boy who has piano lessons after Pete, total strangers, EVERYONE!) that she's going to have a "Candy Party" with candy cupcakes and JELLYBEANS! Sounds simple enough. Still, I'd like to know where she got the idea...

Also, there was some heated discussion about whether Meme's birthday comes before Lulu's. Lulu still insists that hers is first, even though I assured her that Meme's is first by just a few days. It doesn't matter, apparently. Lulu's is first. Pick your battles, right?

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Updates

Pete's tooth still hasn't fallen out, but we expect it to be out any day now, it's all sticking up and crooked and whatever. She doesn't even mind that we call her Snaggletooth (although it's way cuter than that implies).

Yesterday morning, Pete announced from the bathroom where she was brushing her hair, "The Bad Hair Day has finally ended." Whew! Thank goodness for that!! It looked really cute this morning, too.

It looks like the upside down tomato isn't going to happen this year. We needed Husbandguy to figure out how to hang it because a shepherd's crook pole thingy wouldn't be strong enough, but I think he's forgotten (I had!) and now it's kind of too late to plant. Our tomato in the planter is doing well, though, especially since I covered the dirt with rocks to keep the cat from pooping in it. Ew!

Still send me Tupperware, okay? HG bought those sticky traps because he didn't want to put poison in the pantry (smart guy, that HG!), but we haven't caught anything. On the other hand, we also haven't had any new poop in there since I SCRUBBED and SANITIZED everything. But still send Tupperware (it's just cool to have).

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

LL Says:


Lulu says: When my grow up, my have vote!

Please Send Me Tupperware!

Apparently while we were away this weekend we had a little visitor in our pantry who chewed through several of our packages of pasta (now discarded) and also snagged a Hershey's Kiss (?!) and left tiny, gross um... evidences of its visit everywhere (also now discarded) (and scrubbed) (and sanitized). Ew! Husbandguy has been tagged to get rid of our freeloader. I probably ought to care how he does it, but really I only want to know if I need to keep my kids away from anything and beyond that he's got free reign. I would now like to repackage everything left in the pantry that is untainted before we are visited again. So if you would, please send me canisters, cereal thingies, whatever, as long as it has a tight seal. Overnight, if you can spare the expense.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Bad Hair Day

My 6 year-old was just miserable this morning because no matter what she did to her hair, brush it, dampen it, glare at it in the mirror, it always went back to what she described as "bed head." I thought it looked cute, if a little mussy, and I thought dampening it made a big difference. She has great hair, very thick and wavy but soft and shiny when it's clean like it is today, and most of the time it is a battle to get her to even brush it. I think she maybe brushed it one time this past weekend. She always has bed head and never seems to care. Until today. So we talked about "bad hair days" and not letting it get us down all day.

And I'm pretty sure that as soon as she got on the bus she stopped caring that her hair is a little more fluffy than she'd like for it to be today. What a terrible problem to have!

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Guest Poet (four days late)

The Grandpa complained that I didn't make a big deal about his response to my challenge. He has recently revised his work, and I'd like to post it for you here.

Nobody
Nada
Net zero
No way

Should have been there
Yesterday

Not a chance
Nor Circumstance

Nobody
Nada


Thank you to the two guest poets who bothered to take my challenge. If a day or two late...

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Pete's Tooth

Okay. This is the first time I've had a child who is getting grown-up teeth so forgive me if you think I overreacted, but listen to this!

On Monday, Pete came home and said, "Mom! My grown-up teeth are coming in! I can feel two of them!" Okay, but Pete, you've only lost one of your baby teeth. What are you talking about? Pete showed me, then. Her empty space was indeed getting a tooth, and also the tooth next to it was coming in, too, right behind her baby tooth!! Nuh-uh! That's not right! So I called the dentist, and the lady who answered the phone (using the dentist's new name and momentarily confusing me) didn't know what to tell me so we made an appointment for Wednesday. It meant that I would have to take Pete out of school in the middle of the day and cut short my reading buddy time, but if it would help us to avoid embarrassment and braces for Pete, it was totally worth it. My fear was that the dentist was going to say that the baby tooth would have to be extracted. My hope was that he had some special trick he would do to pluck the baby tooth out of Pete's mouth without her noticing so the tooth fairy could come. What happened was that he said, "She's normal. Don't worry," and didn't charge us for taking up his time (one advantage of marrying/being born into Husbandguy's family dentist of 30+ years). Also, Pete didn't think it was funny when I suggested that maybe she's turning into a shark...

But how proud of me am I! I didn't mention once to Pete until after the appointment that the dentist might have to cut out her tooth so she wasn't scared or worried at all when we went for her appointment. Yay me for not scaring my daughter!!

Oh, and the class didn't get shortchanged on the reading buddy thing because someone else's mom showed up and took over when I had to leave. It was convenient!

Friday, May 2, 2008

Mother Goose

This week at story time, since it was National Mother Goose day, our special guest storyteller was Mother Goose! Lulu was apprehensive, at first, because Mother Goose looked a lot like our regular story time lady with an enormous bonnet on and a basket with a stuffed goose in it. She seemed to be thinking, "Something's not right," my Lulu. When Mother Goose took off her bonnet because she couldn't see with it on, Lulu relaxed, though, and really started to enjoy herself. Except, here's the thing: Lulu enjoying herself at story time doesn't look like you might expect it to look. She sits perfectly still in my lap, no clapping or singing or "yay!"-ing or smiling. If I try to get her to join in, she tells me no. But afterward, she always thanks Mother Goose and gets her stamp(s) on her hand(s), and then she talks about it and about her little friend (who she doesn't speak to at story time at all) and about Mother Goose (that's what I'm calling the regular story time lady now) for the rest of the week right up until we actually get there. When Moomie took her a couple of weeks ago, she commented that she thought maybe Lulu was uncertain since she was with Moomie and not me because she just sat in Moomie's lap and didn't want to participate, but I told Moomie that was not the case. She always acts like that. Silly Lulu!

But she did have fun! You just wouldn't know it to look at her...

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Pete

By the Way

Happy National Mother Goose Day!

Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs, downstairs, in his nightgown,
Peeping through the keyhole,
Calling through the lock,
"Are your children safe in bed?
It's nearly ten o'clock!"

Check out tomorrow's post about NMGD at storytime today!

Overheard at Preschool

Dad to crying daughter: "Well... We'll ask Mommy about that. She'll make it right."
Related Posts with Thumbnails