My adventures with Mom...

So, y'all all know that I'm visiting my folks in ABQ for the 4th, right? It's been fun so far, with mom and I hanging with the boys during the day and coming home to play in the pool and take a nap late afternoon, early evening-ish. So today's adventure: Santa Fe. I wanted to get to the Oshkosh outlet store, which by the way was having a great sale, and get the boys some new clothes for this fall, etc. So we made the drive, and all was well... sorta. Mom and I have this idea that we each are better drivers than the other. So the whole way up we berated the others' driving and then forcefully took over driving everytime we stopped, which with a potty training 2 yr old is alot of times! We did finally make it to Santa Fe, had a great time, had a great meal, then started our journey back. I have to tell you though, the great meal was only AFTER mom tried to drive over several curbs, through several non-through-way parking lots, and made a U-ie over a median before admitting that I was right and that you couldn't get to the restaurant from that direction! She even tried to high-center my minivan while 4-wheeling in a dirt parking lot with a HUGE dip in it! But it was the journey back that really got us going...

Coming down I-25, Mom and I were both already sleepy, both had to pee fairly intensely, and both were so ready to get home that we didn't want to stop to pee. So, to complicate things, on the way home, there was a huge accident, and everyone starts to flood to the nearest exit to get off the freeway during rush hour. So we take the exit, try and go south, along with everyone else, and get caught in traffic. So for the next 20-40 minutes, we battled our way down different side streets, trying to get home, all the while both whining that we had to pee. Soon, mom's whining took on a different tune: "Oh Lord, won't you give me a place to pee... Make it fast, we got to hurrry..." (to the tune of "Oh Lord, won't you give me a mercedes benz"). About the time we hit south Broadway, I realize my minivan is slowly but surely losing power. Paying attention more closely, I realize it's because my gas tank is on EMPTY!!! Mom's song quickly switched to, "Oh Lord, won't you give me a urinal... My daughter's on empty and I am sure full!" We just laughed and laughed and laughed. That only compounded the problem! Then the thought of having to explain the ammonia smell to Matt by admitting that it was Mom and I, and not his potty training son, that had peed in the car, only made things worse!!! We did get gas, and quickly, and we did pee, but it was so funny that I just had to share.

Y'all have a good night!

Random little boy moments

I have to tell you all, Noah is potty training! Great! He's about got it down, with the slight detail that he's got to be naked to be successful... He runs around wtih only a shirt on, but when he needs to go, he always makes it to the bathroom. Put a pair of underpants on him and his success rate goes WAY down! So my mom is in town visiting, and Noah is doing an exceptional job, naked, of making it to the potty. Since Grandma is in town, Noah is also showing off a little. Okay, alot. He was standing next to the glass door, displaying his little boy-ness to the world, which is usually a no-no, when Matt made the stellar recommendation, "Hey Noah, turn around and put your bottom against the window, and moon the neighbors across the street!" When I glared at Matt, he justified it by saying, "They're always obnoxious to us..." Like that makes it all better! I had to try really hard not to laugh!

The next story is not so much a little boy story, and is not for the faint of heart either. Again wtih the potty though. Matt's is making me write this... so... beware. Matt and I have 2 bathrooms, one with a standard potty, adn one wtih a, uh, smaller, potty. To tell you our problem, we were laying in bed the other day, talking about putting an assortment of designer plungers in the guest bathroom with a sign... "If it is bigger than this: Don't think about it!" What do y'all think?! Maybe since we were already giddy with lack of sleep, it was funnier in bed! It makes it even funnier that it's our guest bathroom! You can't have guests over wtihout offering them decent bathrooms! Like I said, this was Matt's story. I obviously don't tell it very well!

Finally, updates on the littlest one... He would be walking, except that his feet aren't long enough to keep him upright! He holds onto both of my hands though and would walk non-stop if we'd let him! He also gets set up against something stationary and lets go of one of both of my hands without even being wary of falling!

"Mama Bear-ish"

HI y'all. Funny story. Ok, so if it had happened to you, you might not think it was funny, but it was me...

About an hour ago, I got a phone call from a younger woman in our church who's got a 1 year old son. She's also a woman I would have considered a casual friend, friendly acquaintance, etc. She called to explain, in no uncertain terms, that her son is sanitary.  Hehe!!!  Woohoo, that's funny! For all you moms out there, does anyone have a sanitary son, a 1 year old mind you, at home, try as you might...? Thought not.

Let me give you some background. Phillip is 7 months old (I'll update you on milestones here in a minute). At his 6 month checkup, the Dr. and I noticed, at about the same time, a red spotty looking thing on his pubic symphosis. We looked at each other and said, "I think that may be ring-worm." Ring worm is a contact fungus, very contagious and easily treatable, leaving no permanent aftereffect. It is also extrememly common. The Dr. told me it had most likely come out of the church nursery, since it is so common. I had to evaluate that statement though, since it could also have come off of any of our 2 dogs or 2 cats. So Matt and I examined every animal, no spot. We also scrutinized 2 year old Noah for any red spot, and while he's got some permanent diaper rash it seems, with his sensitive skin, no ring worm. And since he's all over the animals, and the rest of the house, all the time, if he doesn't have it, it's not coming from our house. Therefore, the only other place Phillip could have gotten ring worm was from the church nursery. Case closed.

Let's move on. We are having childcare for small group at our house this month, and I was informing the babysitter of Philip's condition, the treatment he needed, and advising her to wash her hands thoroughly, when the "event" happened. She laughed, because she's a carefree kinda girl, one after my own heart, and briefly mentioned, in passing, that her own nephew had had ring worm about 8 months ago. Who knew, 3 weeks later, that this nephew's mom would call to harangue me and convince me her child is sanitary?! But let's skip the foreshadowing...

Being what I consider a diligent parent, I told the church nursery coordinator about Phillip's condition, and that there may have been another case, so it may be going around. The nursery coordinator, doing her job, called this other mom to substantiate my story, but got a few of the details wrong, mainly the one about where the rumor originated from. Then, over the course of 1 hour, the nursery coordinator, then myself, and I'm sure my very excellent babysitter (and unfortunate sister of this mom), all got an angry earful as to how that story was incorrect, her child never had ring worm, and that he is in fact, sanitary! There are only 2 responses to that kind of behavior: be angry back (which I thought about), or laugh. It had too much potential as a xanga blog to let me be angry back, so I laughed. I hope y'all agree! I will, however, still be rolling my eyes about this for the next month, it's that dumb... I hope you all have a comment! Oh, and yesterday, I heard a new term for that kind of behavior, "being all mama-bear about it." I think that definitely applies!

Be assured, Phillip is treated and clean as a whistle, although he might not be for much longer because he's... CRAWLING! Now he'll be in whatever Noah's in, and that's not always a good thing! He's gone from barely able to sit alone to crawling in 4 weeks or less! Once he figured out that crawling made him mobile, he was all for it! And to him, crawling is only a "gimme" to us so that we will continue to help him walk (his favorite activity!). He's also gotten 2 teeth, just in the last 2 weeks! Matt and I nearly cried when the first one showed up, since that gummy grin is so precious and only there for a few short months. Anyway, we're all doing well. Let us know how things are with you!

Currently Watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Harry Potter 4) By Eric Sykes, Timothy Spall, David Tennant, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson (II) see related

Lots of News

This last month has been fast, as usual. It seems like an entire weeks go by that I really don't do anything but read books, color on the sidewalk, do laundry and dishes, and play with my boys.

So a girlfriend of mine and I have recently started a playgroup at the church that we attend. Our first meeting went smashingly. NOT. We had one other person show up besides us and our kids. It was pleasant enough, but being already prone to self examination and introspection, I was determined to think it was a flop because of something I had done. Today's playgroup was a huge boost of self esteem in that respect because we had several ladies come and all had a good time. We frosted and decorated cupcakes in red, white and blue to commemorate Memorial day. It was really fun, I hope it only gets better!

What I really wanted to write about: We've started potty training Noah. It's actually going really well, with the occasional liquid accidents because he's too into his toys or movie to walk to the potty. He's got the hang of it though, and he's really into the different underpants he gets to wear! He even asked to wear his underpants over his pull-up yesterday at nap-time and then again over his diaper at night. Needless to say we are really excited! On a down note, because Noah has been unintentionally marking his territory, our male cat has begun to mark his territory throughout the house as well. We're having a battle of urine. YUCK! I can smell ammonia everywhere, and one day went through the house frantically spraying Woolite's Pet Spray deodorizer to try and get rid of it. It's finally getting better. Then tonight, I really made Matt laugh when Thomas (the cat) snuggled up on the couch next to us and Matt made some comment about him not being allowed on the couch because he pees on everything. I told Matt that he pees on everything too, that's what boys do, and then I started singing "the wee wee song". Have you ever heard the "wee wee" song? Let me share it with you!

Quite frankly, it has a catchy tune, even if a semi questionable subject! And in my defense, I learned it from Matt when we found out we were having our first boy! I just found it rather amusing to remind Matt that there are some things that boys never outgrow... hehe. He may be editing this post at a later date!

Other things that my boys have been doing... Noah has taken to climbing into bed with Phillip, which while adorable is not always the best thing. Most often it ends in Noah waking Phillip up and all of us a little grumpier than when Noah was not in bed with Phillip. It is so sweet though, those first few minutes, when they are looking at each other and just giggling! I hope the tape recorder in my head can always replay those sounds because they are priceless. And I always want to remember those moments just before I have to tell Noah to leave his brother alone and not wake him up anymore...

Alright, gotta go! Have a great month, and leave lots of comments...

Currently Watching Monk - Season One see related

Is it that hard?

Alright, I'm sad. I shouldn't be, but I am. Today, I went and walked around the mall with a girlfriend of mine and her little boy, like I do several times a week. It was pleasant, and I've really enjoyed this friendship as it's developed, but I wnt it to become even more. Right now, it's just below superficial, and I want soul-baring! I do have some wonderfully close friends that I CAN share my heart with, but it sure would be nice to have someone like that in my own city, to hang out wtih whenever the whim comes upon me, and for my kids to hang out wtih her kids...

Anyway, I have really been working on having this kind of friendship with this gal, and this morning was saddened to hear that she does all kinds of stuff with another gal that I've also been trying to become friends with (without having much success, I might add). It just sounds like their friendship is coming along so much better and faster than ours, and I don't know what to do about it, if there is anything to do about it. I was struck by this sudden thought as we were walking, "Am I THAT hard to be friends with?" Don't asnwer that, unless your answer is STEEPED in love! I've heard that the best way to make new friends is to be a friend, so that's what I'm trying to do - I call, email, set up playdates, etc. And we always have a great time and say we should do it more often, and I expect that someday they'll call, or set up a playdate, or just come over and play games... but they haven't. They'd rather play with each other.

I guess I could handle it. After all I HAVE lived wtih myself for 26 years now and know what a bear I am at times, but I wish for my little boys' sakes that it wasn't this way. Noah is just old enough to be social, and being so much like his daddy, can capitivate the whole room in less than 5 minutes. So when I turn the car towards home, he cries, because he knows it's just us that's going to be there. Do you know how heartbreaking it is for my TWO YEAR OLD not to want to come home?! Maybe my mood is just because of the rain, but I doubt it.