Thursday, April 30, 2009

Cuteness Alert!!

This is the bunny that lives in our back yard. 

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Charlie's New Tricycle


I think he would look much tougher on his new bike without the pacifier (or the Elmo helmet). I'm just sayin'.

I LOVE ORANGES!!!!!!

Friday, April 24, 2009

FB

Facebook is a mixed blessing. I have honestly loved getting in touch with people I have not heard from in 10, 15 and even 20 years. It is comforting to see that the shy guy from college and the geek from high school (this one included) are happy and have come into their own.  And it is equally comforting to know that my instincts were right all along. I kept the right people around me and put the right fish back in the sea.  

In previous generations, people had to wait for the reunions to draw these conclusions. Not us. I can connect with anyone I have ever met in a matter of seconds. I can see pictures of their kids, random lists of their favorite things and catch glimpses of what makes up their everyday life. 

I recently got in contact again with two friends. One from college and one from my time in Minneapolis. One is waiting on a kidney and the other one just had a tumor removed from the base of her brain. I feel guilty that I did not know about either one. How could I have not known? How did that happen?

I feel very lucky in my life. Not only do I have good health, but so does my family. I have lifelong friends. I am still in contact with my roommate from college and my best friend from high school. I have wonderful friends that live nearby. There are probably 5 families in my neighborhood alone, who if we showed up at their door at 2 am, would take us in, or let us leave the kids, or feed us, or clothe us or just give us a hug. And we would do the same for them. 

And maybe that is why I am sitting here in tears. Because my friend from college and my friend from Minneapolis were both on that list at different times in my life. And at the time, I could never imagine it ever changing. 

But it does change. We move. We change careers. We get married. We get divorced. We have children. There are a million things and a million different factors that make up the current mosaic of our lives. There is no way that we could ever keep the same level of friendship with every single person we have ever met. It would be exhausting. So maybe it is important to remember that in matters like this, it is quality, not quantity that counts. 

My hope for my two friends is that they have a support network in place like I do. But just because they are no longer on my watch, does not mean I no longer care. And the beauty of FB is that now they can know that too. 


Thursday, April 23, 2009

Charlie's New Wheels



Charlie loves the little cars at school. When he is outside, that is what he plays with. 

So, I went to Target the other day and picked him up a Baby Einstein car. It has a bunch of buttons and levers. It beeps and talks and plays songs. But since he only uses it to get from the family room to the front hall, I didn't get the GPS option. 

And it has  a really big storage bin. Charlie likes to put things in there, close it and then open it to see if the stuff is still there. 'Cause that is what people his age do. Hours of entertainment. 

I also got him a little (and I mean TINY) tricycle for outside play. But I will wait for the weekend to break that out. 

Monday, April 20, 2009

The Sunday Doughnut

Most Sundays we go to the local coffee shop and AJ walks across the street to the grocery store and gets himself a doughnut. Yesterday he left with his money but came back a few minutes later and asked if he could get 2 doughnuts. We said sure.

So, he came back with a big bag and an evil grin.

 He said, "I decided to only get one doughnut instead".



Friday, April 17, 2009

The Waiting Game

Charlie has been to the doctor a lot lately. Nothing too serious, but we have been once a week for about the last month and we have more appointments coming up. 

I think the most challenging thing about going to the doctor is the waiting to be seen. Today we arrived 15 minutes early and were taken to the exam room right at our actual appointment time. I had high hopes. But the patient ahead of us went over his appointment time and Charlie and I were stuck in the exam room for about 25 minutes before the doctor got there.  

I expect to wait when I go to the doctors. And I do not begrudge other patients any extra time they need.  Really, I don't. But have you ever tried to keep a curious toddler occupied and safe in a room full of medical equipment and biohazard bins? It is exhausting and basically boils down to a series of mini heart attacks as you try to keep them from pulling the IV stand over, pounding on the ultrasound machine or licking the trash bin. 

And it wasn't like I didn't come prepared. We played blocks, cars, read books, drank juice and ate snacks.  And yes, I did strap him in his stroller when he didn't listen to my "NO! Don't touch that!"s But it was still nerve-racking. And that was just one little doctor's office.

Next month Charlie will be getting tubes in his ears at the actual hospital. I am really not that nervous about the procedure. But I break out into a sweat just thinking about the trouble he could get into in an entire building full of cords, medical equipment, biohazard bins and IV stands. I may need to bring my flask. 

Or maybe I will just hook myself up to my own special "IV". Do you think the guy a the liquor store could write me an Rx?

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Monday, April 13, 2009

Time Flies


I took this picture yesterday of AJ. It is at the park by Shawn's mom's house. 

Here he is at the same park, by the same tree about 3 years ago. 

Some Pictures From Easter

Charlie's Easter basket.


Finding eggs in the courtyard.

Shawn and his mom and the boys at Shawn's mom's house.

AJ playing in the fountain at the park.

Charlie slept through the whole egg hunt, but he liked his animal crackers and fig newtons. AJ had already gotten up at the crack of dawn to scope out the egg situation. So, there was no stopping him or waiting for sleeping baby brothers. 

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Easter Eve


The eggs have  been dyed.



The floors have been swept.

Directions have been posted.


The carrots have been laid out.

The gi-normous rabbit that AJ got when he was born has been placed to welcome the Easter Bunny.

And I have it on good authority that the eggs have been hid. 

Happy Easter!




Friday, April 10, 2009

Charlie on The Can

The coffee can that is. Get your mind out of the gutter!

Just in Case You Thought I Was Making This Up. . .

We had to go to the doctor again. So I made sure I parked by Owl Guy, and took a quick picture.  It is through my windshield, so the quality is not the best. 

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Teaching Honesty

I had the following conversation with AJ:

Me: I won $45 last night at my Bunko game!
AJ: Cool! What's Bunko?
Me: It's a dice game- kind of like Yahtzee.
AJ: Can I play?
Me: No, the group is only for girls.
AJ: (Eyes wide) It's illegal for boys to play?
Me: Yes.

In the interest of full disclosure, I did tell him the truth a few minutes later. However, he still does not know the truth about the 110 calorie Chocolate Mint Pria bars. (They taste just like Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies.) I told him a few years ago that they are special vitamins- only for mommies. 

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

A Formal Apology to the Car Gods

It has been an interesting month with regards to my car.

I had to get my windshield replaced. In classic "cable guy" fashion, the technician, after promising to show up between the hours of 1 and 5 pm, never did. It wouldn't have been so bad, but Shawn was out of town and Charlie was sick. So I was down one car and up one cranky baby. And stuck at home. Fun times. After rescheduling, it was finally replaced.

The other day, after picking Charlie up from daycare, I realized I had very little gas. But I knew I had enough to go home and get it the next day. And because Charlie and I were both tired, I went with that plan. The next morning, Shawn decides to take my car to go get us coffee. I forget completely about the gas tank. He comes home, parks the car and then realizes I have 3 miles worth of gas left in my tank. So he goes back out to fill it up. He made it to the gas station. Barely. 

Today I went out with two of my good friends to celebrate my friend Stacy's birthday. We had a really fun lunch and great food. I said goodbye to my friends, walked out to the car and could not find my keys. The car was locked, so I knew I had had the keys when I walked into the restaurant. I looked under the car, around the car, in the bushes next to the car. I went inside and looked on our table, under our table and around our table. I checked the bathroom, the front desk and left my business card with the manager. No keys. It was just plain weird. I called Shawn to come bring me another set of keys. While I waited I called Stacy (who had already gone home) to chat. She put her hand in **her** purse and pulled out my keys. Mystery solved.

So, obviously, my luck with cars has run out. And I am guessing that it is because I have offended the Car Gods with my earlier post about the guy with the fake owl on top of his car.  He was obviously some type of prophet. 

So, here it goes:

Dear Car Gods- Please forgive me for my offensive comments about Car Guys. 

I now know how fundamental they are to the circle of life.

 I will never take their name in vain again.

 I promise to wash my car more than 3 times a year. 

 I will use the squeegee on more than just the glass in front of the driver's seat.

 And I will feed her the good, expensive gas -every time.

I probably should have come up with this apology before my picture was snapped by the speed camera last night.

Monday, April 6, 2009

SPLAT!!!!!

Sorry, was that mean?

Don't worry, the bird was fine. I checked. 

Sunday, April 5, 2009

The First Soccer Game


You would think I would have some pictures of AJ since he was the one playing the game. But I don't.  I spent most of the game making sure Charlie didn't run on the field, steal the balls or trip up the ref. 

I would feel worse if this had been AJ's first game EVER. But, it was like the 10,000th. Or, at least it felt that way. In fact the kids had done this so many times they started, and lead their own stretching exercises before the game.

Shawn in the coach again, but we are in a new league. And 8 out of the 9 players were in the old league with us and on our team at one point throughout the years. It is actually kind of great. All the kids know each other and the parents, for the most part, get along OK. And as those of you in organized sports know, that can be the most important part of the equation. 

It was a good game. The teams were evenly matched and we ended up in a tie. 

And the snack mom brought oranges! 



Friday, April 3, 2009

Car Guy

I never really understood guys that were totally into their cars. I have never been in a relationship with a guy like that. I have never even dated one.  And when I was dating, the guys with the shiny sports cars made me run in the opposite direction- quickly. In my most honest moments, I am sure it has something to do with fearing the guy would be more into his car than into me.  And from what I know about car guys, that was a valid fear. 

I guess I get it on an intellectual level. But I still don't see the fascination. All that washing, waxing, buffing, and detailing,. Taking the time to put on the fancy hubcaps and spoilers. It just seems a little pointless to me when any car that runs will get you to the grocery store. Of course I have just spent the last 4 years of my life getting a degree so that I can make rooms pretty. So who am I to judge? 

But, I had do a double take today when I was walking by the reserved (and covered) doctor's parking today at Charlie's appointment.  And then I laughed and rolled my eyes.  I had just witnessed a new level of car guy-ness.

The car was a black and looked expensive. Even I could tell that. And its overprotective owner had place a large fake owl on the roof to scare away the birds.  It seemed to be working. The car was spotless. 'Cause who wants to do all that washing, waxing, buffing and detailing?

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Conversation With a 1st Grader

Her: How old are you?
Me: Almost 38
Her: Whoa