Takes her 4 kids (plus one in utero) to the liquor store for 2 boxes of wine and 2 cases of beer?
The kind of mother who is harried because her son’s First Communion is in a couple of days and she has many other errands to do, none of which are open past 9 p.m. like a lovely liquor store!
Then I tried to have Joel carry out one of the boxes of wine because I had Eva on my hip, but the chick who worked there told me that’s illegal. So we made a joke about him spending his First Communion in jail. I think jail sounds like a vacation with free food and all the books I can read, so why am I so damn straight-laced all the time?
I never used to WANT a drink, but lately I think a glass of champagne would be wonderful. Only, of course, I CAN’T. The liquor store chick and I also joked about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and how I have enough on my hands and don’t need a kid born with THAT … isn’t that sick?
I have to go read the blog called Mommy Needs a Cocktail now … (it's on my blogroll on the left).
Friday, May 22, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
I Feel Like a Bad-Ass When …
… I mow the grass with Eva (almost 1 ½) in the sling while I’m 4 months pregnant.
Stupid-sounding, I know. The neighbors think I’m nuts and tell their kids, “Her HUSBAND should be mowing.” But let me explain!
It was a Tuesday night and the grass was getting long. It was supposed to rain the next few days, and then Saturday was Joel’s First Communion, so we were going to have a lot of people over. But Aron couldn’t mow Tuesday night because he was being an angel by taking Joel to his religious education class. So I decided to strap on the baby and go for it. I did the whole backyard plus some of the front.
This is not foreign to me. When Aron used to be out of town all the time and I only had 3 kids, somebody had to mow the grass. Luckily, Callie was happy in the sling while the boys played and I mowed. To do the front yard, I waited until a friend or my mom came over to watch the boys play out front (to make sure they didn’t run into the busy traffic that runs on both sides of our house) and mowed with Callie on me. If I didn’t strap Callie onto me, she’d cry, and I hate that, so the sling was my solution.
Last summer when Aron was gone all the time, Eva was only between 6 and 9 months old, so sometimes she’d lounge in the bouncy seat while I mowed and sometimes I had to have someone watch her inside. A few times cheapskate me had to suck it up and pay Ellen’s twin boys to mow.
I guess I feel like a bad-ass because people who walk or drive by stare at me like I’m crazy, which strangely I’m getting used to. But to me, I’m just doing what is necessary for my family. Isn’t “field expedience” doing the best you can with the tools you have? Then I do that every day! Who doesn’t?
*FYI … I HATE lawn maintenance in general and think it’s a waste of money to fertilize it and water it, but it’s important to my husband so I try to play along.
Bonus post: to see what I'm up to in WriterMommy-Land, check out yesterday's post at Mother Writer.blogspot.com (or click on the link to the right) ... sorry, but I'm mouse-less today and can't get the "select" thingie to work so I can make a link.
Stupid-sounding, I know. The neighbors think I’m nuts and tell their kids, “Her HUSBAND should be mowing.” But let me explain!
It was a Tuesday night and the grass was getting long. It was supposed to rain the next few days, and then Saturday was Joel’s First Communion, so we were going to have a lot of people over. But Aron couldn’t mow Tuesday night because he was being an angel by taking Joel to his religious education class. So I decided to strap on the baby and go for it. I did the whole backyard plus some of the front.
This is not foreign to me. When Aron used to be out of town all the time and I only had 3 kids, somebody had to mow the grass. Luckily, Callie was happy in the sling while the boys played and I mowed. To do the front yard, I waited until a friend or my mom came over to watch the boys play out front (to make sure they didn’t run into the busy traffic that runs on both sides of our house) and mowed with Callie on me. If I didn’t strap Callie onto me, she’d cry, and I hate that, so the sling was my solution.
Last summer when Aron was gone all the time, Eva was only between 6 and 9 months old, so sometimes she’d lounge in the bouncy seat while I mowed and sometimes I had to have someone watch her inside. A few times cheapskate me had to suck it up and pay Ellen’s twin boys to mow.
I guess I feel like a bad-ass because people who walk or drive by stare at me like I’m crazy, which strangely I’m getting used to. But to me, I’m just doing what is necessary for my family. Isn’t “field expedience” doing the best you can with the tools you have? Then I do that every day! Who doesn’t?
*FYI … I HATE lawn maintenance in general and think it’s a waste of money to fertilize it and water it, but it’s important to my husband so I try to play along.
Bonus post: to see what I'm up to in WriterMommy-Land, check out yesterday's post at Mother Writer.blogspot.com (or click on the link to the right) ... sorry, but I'm mouse-less today and can't get the "select" thingie to work so I can make a link.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Walking School Bus
The world is so screwed up that kids shouldn’t even walk to school by themselves anymore. There’s a program our public school has started called the Walking School Bus. Basically an adult or two (with cool orange vests) accompany a group of kids to and from school every day to make sure they are safe. They all have to wait for each other just like waiting for a bus, then they all walk together and have different stops. Brilliant and safe, but also sad in a way that we have to worry about our kids so much.
I don’t remember walking to school much … my mom probably drove me on her way to work once she became a Working Mom again. But I definitely remember walking home FROM school because that’s when I got bullied by people bigger and smaller than myself and by people I thought were my friends. School was pretty cut-throat for a petite only child like myself who’d only had her friend Ambre to practice defending herself against (and Ambre was no Mike Tyson).
Here’s a picture Michael drew of a walking school bus because we get a kick out of the whole concept. And because he’s so literal. Sorry it’s cut off … that’s because I own a DELL printer/scanner/copier and it’s a piece of !@#$ that I’m about to pull an Office Space on (take it in a field and beat it to death with a baseball bat while “It’s Good to Be a Gangstah” plays in the background).
I don’t remember walking to school much … my mom probably drove me on her way to work once she became a Working Mom again. But I definitely remember walking home FROM school because that’s when I got bullied by people bigger and smaller than myself and by people I thought were my friends. School was pretty cut-throat for a petite only child like myself who’d only had her friend Ambre to practice defending herself against (and Ambre was no Mike Tyson).
Here’s a picture Michael drew of a walking school bus because we get a kick out of the whole concept. And because he’s so literal. Sorry it’s cut off … that’s because I own a DELL printer/scanner/copier and it’s a piece of !@#$ that I’m about to pull an Office Space on (take it in a field and beat it to death with a baseball bat while “It’s Good to Be a Gangstah” plays in the background).
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Soap Operas
The other day we were doing projects and picking up the house and homeschooling on our main level but accidentally left the TV on in the family room downstairs. Around noon, as I’m making lunch (canned ravioli since Aron wasn’t coming home), I heard the Days of Our Lives theme music coming from downstairs and I laughed.
I love the stereotype of the housewife sitting around watching her soap operas all day, or at least while the kids have a nap or quiet time or are at school.
When my first child was a baby, I got out of the house plenty, but I also sat on my butt nursing and holding my sleeping baby for many hours each day. I watched a lot of TV, read a lot of books and relaxed. I had zero desire to lay Joel down so I could get stuff done. I just held him all the time because I was 30 when I had him and was SOOOO ready to have kids.
My days are a little different from that these days. “Quiet time” is when the baby takes a nap on me. The other kids might watch TV while I read or journal or make a phone call. Sometimes they have a friend over or are playing outside, and I get to watch some of the shows Mom has taped for me (like Rescue Me, Celebrity Apprentice, Grey’s Anatomy, Brothers & Sisters). The less the baby naps, the less TV I watch and the books sit untouched, also.
I have a friend who watches Young and the Restless with her husband (a big, strong father of 5 boys) after the kids go to bed … isn’t that cute?! I love knowing cool stuff like that about marriages.
I love the stereotype of the housewife sitting around watching her soap operas all day, or at least while the kids have a nap or quiet time or are at school.
When my first child was a baby, I got out of the house plenty, but I also sat on my butt nursing and holding my sleeping baby for many hours each day. I watched a lot of TV, read a lot of books and relaxed. I had zero desire to lay Joel down so I could get stuff done. I just held him all the time because I was 30 when I had him and was SOOOO ready to have kids.
My days are a little different from that these days. “Quiet time” is when the baby takes a nap on me. The other kids might watch TV while I read or journal or make a phone call. Sometimes they have a friend over or are playing outside, and I get to watch some of the shows Mom has taped for me (like Rescue Me, Celebrity Apprentice, Grey’s Anatomy, Brothers & Sisters). The less the baby naps, the less TV I watch and the books sit untouched, also.
I have a friend who watches Young and the Restless with her husband (a big, strong father of 5 boys) after the kids go to bed … isn’t that cute?! I love knowing cool stuff like that about marriages.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Little Eva
She’s not even a year and a half yet, but here comes her personality!
She can say TACO. Of course, because she hears it at every diaper change.
When she’s hungry she stands by her chair, which contains her booster seat. Then she makes grunting or whining noises. She insists on feeding herself (Mom says it’s because she sees the other kids doing so), and tips the spoon upside-down as it gets to her mouth.
She eats Chapstick and chews on dog toys and is still somehow super healthy.
She kept taking out barrettes and ponytail holders, so I just cut her long front hair into bangs.
She likes to throw potatoes in the trash can, just like her siblings did when they were little.
I have to keep reminding myself that with every mess she makes, she is learning and her brain is growing. And I will certainly miss all this mess-making when it’s gone.
*The digital camera is still in Illinois being checked out. As soon as it returns I’ll be a picture-posting fool (instead of just a regular fool). I know you’re all dying to see the kids and my preggie belly. You know you wanna rub it for luck, but I’ll probably smack your hand away, so BACK OFF.
She can say TACO. Of course, because she hears it at every diaper change.
When she’s hungry she stands by her chair, which contains her booster seat. Then she makes grunting or whining noises. She insists on feeding herself (Mom says it’s because she sees the other kids doing so), and tips the spoon upside-down as it gets to her mouth.
She eats Chapstick and chews on dog toys and is still somehow super healthy.
She kept taking out barrettes and ponytail holders, so I just cut her long front hair into bangs.
She likes to throw potatoes in the trash can, just like her siblings did when they were little.
I have to keep reminding myself that with every mess she makes, she is learning and her brain is growing. And I will certainly miss all this mess-making when it’s gone.
*The digital camera is still in Illinois being checked out. As soon as it returns I’ll be a picture-posting fool (instead of just a regular fool). I know you’re all dying to see the kids and my preggie belly. You know you wanna rub it for luck, but I’ll probably smack your hand away, so BACK OFF.
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