Earwig Sync

Watched Tangled again today with Willow.  We bought it with Birthday Money--figured she had several Rapunzel dolls now...and the repeated showings have begun.  It was a cold and rainy day, so it was actually nice to snuggle up with her and watch.  I like this movie and find her one of the least annoying Dis*ney Pr*in*ces*ses around.  We actually went to the theater to see it originally--I think Willow was not quite as impressed.  Now it has struck her.

This song is stuck in my head:

Seven A.M., the usual morning line-up
Start on the chores, and sweep 'til the floor's all clean
Polish and wax, do laundry and mop and shine up
Sweep again
And by then
It's, like, seven-fifteen

And so I'll read a book
Or maybe two or three
I'll add a few new paintings
To my gallery
I'll play guitar and knit and cook
And basic'ly
Just wonder, when will my life begin

Then, after lunch, it's puzzles, and darts,and baking...
Paper-mache, a bit of ballet, and chess....
Pottery and ventriloquy, candle-making...
Then I'll stretch
Maybe sketch
[From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/t/tangled-lyrics/when-will-my-life-begin-lyrics.html ]
Take a climb
Sew a dress

And I'll re-read the books
If I have time to spare
I'll paint the wall some more
I'm sure there's room somewhere
And then I'll brush, and brush
And brush, and brush my hair
Stuck in the same place I've always been
And I'll keep wond'ring
And wond'ring
And wond'ring
And wond'ring
When will my life begin.....

I think it kinda syncs into how I feel about my life right now.  We are stuck in a bit of a rut...well, especially me...I am stuck in a rut.  I have been unemployed for almost a year now.  I have taken advantage of this time (mostly).  And I have been pretty successful in getting my resume out there and getting interviews.  I have just not landed a job YET.   And I am wondering when the rest of my life can begin again...

Sounds kind of pathetic when I say that but it is true.  I am definitely not defined by my job.  And I can tell you that I have genuinely enjoyed having this extra time with the kids.  BUT.  I am not a person who likes to be idle.  I am not a person who likes to be without a firm plan.  Being unemployed causes both those things.  Not to mention the financial burden or the fact that without the extra money home improvements are out.  Or that we are going to need a newer car eventually....or the million other things running in my head.

Basically, I am to the point that I have run out of things to do...now I want my life to get back on track again.

Water Works

She is in the bathroom.  I am sure she is done and is washing her hands.  Then I kinda just tune her out, getting distracted with other things.  I realize she is still in there and that I did just notice her coming out and getting a few dolls/animals...and she is back in the bathroom.

I come into the bathroom and see the water is still flowing into the sink.  She has learned to close the sink drain.  A waterfall of water is overflowing over the sink onto the floor.  I have to laugh...as I tell her in as stern a tone as I can...to please don't bathe her toys in the bathroom sink. (She had just had a bath a few hours before!)

The next day, she was proud to tell us that her stuffed puppy dog Jack was doing well at potty training! (Yep, Jack was potty training and then fell into the toilet).

A Very Willow Birthday Party...

On Sunday we had a Fourth Birthday party for Willow (whose Birthday is today).  We invited a few children from Preschool, family and friends.  Everybody came!

It was pretty chaotic, plenty of food, tokens and running around.  It was a lot of fun!

On the hot chocolate ride!

The purple girls!

Getting a crown and now blowing out the candles!  The cake was YUMMY!

Grabbing flying tickets with a friend!  She has over 700 tickets...

Activity time!  Big brother helps.

Dancing with Chuck.

Again with the hot chocolate ride--a favorite!

A Mad Time

Busy day started off by going to Boston Comic Con and going to see the Mad Magazine Panel.  We got to hear stories from Al Feldstein, Al Jaffee, and Paul Coker, Jr.

It was amazing to see and hear these guys talk about something that has been so influential to our family.

Michael started finding my old Mad Magazines when he was about eleven years old.  One of his presents for his twelfth birthday I got him a subscription of his own, which I renewed this year.

Michael brought the latest issue with him to the Con and he was able to get Paul Coker, Jr. and Al Feldstein to sign it.

Then he went up to the panel (before it was started) to talk to Al Jaffee.  I really don't know what he talked to him about, but he really felt it important to talk to him and not bother him to get his signature.

(He has a signature of Al Jaffee on a Mad book that his dad got him from NYC Con).


It was a very exciting way to start the day!

Willow also got a signed Paul Coker, Jr.--he also drew Frosty the Snowman; so, we received a print with Frosty wishing her a Happy Birthday from Frosty and Mr. Coker.

Four Years

Four years ago a long-awaited wish was about to come true.  In less than a week,  I was about to finally have that sibling for my son.  I was about to meet my only daughter.  I was so proud of how hard we had fought to get to that point.

Now...I am in total wonder at the darling little girl I see growing up in front of me.

She is full of energy and curiosity.    Her personality is developing and emerging and it is so wonderful to watch.

A glimpse at Willow on the verge of being FOUR:

• Recently the "whys" have begun.  Questions come quickly and with thought as to how the world works and why.  It is exasperating sometimes but it is rewarding to see how she is learning about her world.

• She loves to make up songs about almost anything.  

• She is a bit frustrated because she is not quite able to draw her letters, but we are working on it and her sense of accomplishment when she does it is incredible.  Her counting is a bit better--although she likes to throw in the occasional letter into the mix "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, R, 10, 11, W"    (btw, "W" is for Willow!)

• Favorite phrases: "...just joking!"; "...how about that, isn't that a great idea?"; "...oh, that is beautiful!"; "How about I play the baby and you be the mommy?"

• She has a sly grin and charming ways to get things she wants: another round of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse; some Dunkin Donuts; "just two more minutes"

• Her sense of style, with her love of shoes and tutus, dresses and barrettes.  Her love of pretty things in general.

• Our influences on her are evident in her love of zombies and monsters (especially werewolves).

• She loves her brother--has already says she wants to marry him when she grows up.

• Loves getting tickled, loves playing hide and seek and loves playing with the cats.

• She is very friendly.  She will come up to complete strangers to say "hi" and to ask where the bathroom is.  She is a little go-getter.

• She seems to have a love/hate relationship with bugs.  We recently tried to address this by letting her keep a beetle in a jar for a bit--to get her on board with the fact that bugs are a part of the outdoors life..she loved the beetle to pieces--but our cats also wanted to "love" the beetle, so we had her send it "home" in a patch of leaves outdoors.

• She loves climbing and swinging and running and dancing.  Sometimes all at once.

There is so much I wish I could capture about Willow here.  But my words are inadequate.  Spending time with her can be exhausting (I call her Whirlwind Willow).  Those times when she does slow down, I hold her in my arms, brush aside her hair from her ear.  That ear that I saw so long ago in an ultrasound...I cannot imagine our world without her.

Patriot's Day Weekend

Near North Bridge

This was a beautiful weekend to enjoy not only nature but history.  The weekend before April 19th (Patriot's Day) is full of activities.  We saw re-enactors on horses along Battle Road, we talked to a re-enactor who, as a British surgeon, showed us all the tools of his trade.

We did not see any of the battle re-enactments...mainly cuz Willow is not the long-haul traveler type that Michael was/is.  Half-way to anywhere she demands to be "uppy uppy" and she is just getting too old to be carried for any length of time by anyone...so we made our walks short but they were still interesting.

Today we went to Concord and took dandelions and dropped them from the North Bridge.  We watched them float down the river.

To enjoy the nature, the activity and to have the family together and relaxed.  It was a great weekend.

100 Years

Lyrics and Song Sample from HERE.

 the rich folks decided to take a trip on the finest ship that was ever built. the captain persuaded the people to think that the titanic too safe to sink


 chorus: out on the o-o-o-ocean the great wide o-o-o-ocean the titanic, out on the ocean, sinking down! 


the ship left the harbor at a rapid speed, carrying everything that people need. she sailed six-hundred miles away, met an iceberg in her way. 


 chorus: out on the o-o-o-ocean the great wide o-o-o-ocean the titanic, out on the ocean, sinking down! 


 the ship left the harbor, was running fast. it was her first trip and her last. way out on that ocean wide an iceberg ripped her in the side. 


 chorus: out on the o-o-o-ocean the great wide o-o-o-ocean the titanic, out on the ocean, sinking down! 


 up comes bill from the bottom floor said the water was running in the boiler door. go back bill, and shut your mouth, we got forty-eight pumps to keep the water out! 


 chorus: out on the o-o-o-ocean the great wide o-o-o-ocean the titanic, out on the ocean, sinking down! 

 just about then the captain looked around, he saw the titanic was sinking down. he gave orders to the men around: "get your life-boats and let them down" 


 chorus: out on the o-o-o-ocean the great wide o-o-o-ocean the titanic, out on the ocean, sinking down! 


 the men standing around like heroes brave, nothing but the women and the children to save; the women and the children are wiping their eyes, kissing their husbands and friends good-bye. 


 chorus: out on the o-o-o-ocean the great wide o-o-o-ocean the titanic, out on the ocean, sinking down! 


 on the fifteenth day of may nineteen-twelve, the ship wrecked by an iceberg ocean dwell. the people were thinking of jesus of nazarene, while the band played "nearer my god to thee." 


 chorus: out on the o-o-o-ocean the great wide o-o-o-ocean the titanic, out on the ocean, sinking down!

Checking out the Clarinet...

Last month we went to the Boston Symphony Orchestra's Family Music Day.  The concert was really well done (although towards the end, all the children were fidgety).

Before the concert, they had an Instrument Playground, where kids could try out different instruments...and even though Michael has one at home, and even though there was a long line...they wanted to try out the clarinet.

Back to Normal

Chewy came home Monday, has to check his white blood levels on Friday. My mom is moved in, but has lots of unpacking to do. I had a good interview and Michael missed his Social Skills class because of it. Yesterday, Chewy worked from home and rested. Today he goes in. And this morning I woke up with a sore throat.

Visitors

Lunch time and we walk to the cafeteria.  He sits with her (she has "helped' him with his IV cart) while me and the boy get food.  This time there is chicken with corn and green beans.  Enough for everyone!  And I pick up a burger (as requested by the patient) and two things of pudding (chocolate and vanilla).

We sit down and eat our food.  Everyone has their share, and he enjoys the food even more so (liquid diets are not fun!)  I almost forget we are at hospital and not just at some cafe at a museum.

We go back to his room and we turn on television to amuse ourselves in the cramped room.  "Sound of Music" is on...she sits on his lap and has a glass of ginger ale with him (they "clink" plastic cups).

We sit and enjoy watching her watch for the first time.  (If only there were not commercials...)

We are family.  We are happy.

19th Anniversary Dinner and Trips to the ER...

As my little description says on this blog--life is messy and chaotic.  And boy, the last few days have totally lived up to that!

So, April 3rd was our 19th Wedding Anniversary.  My mother is staying at our house until her furniture/stuff gets here, so she offered to watch the kids while we went out.  

Chewy took this opportunity to get all romantic-like.  He mysteriously had me meet him at Lexington Green (we were married in Lexington).  And then he took over driving (something that usually makes me motion sick). Not only was he driving, but he had me blindfolded too.  We arrived in Arlington, and I had a guess where we might be going...

See, we like to sometimes tell people we eloped...because essentially, we did in a lot of ways.  We had just moved 800 miles away from family and friends.  Young college graduates with no money.  Our families were not going to be able to give us a wedding (either there or where we were located).  So, we took upon ourselves.  We arranged the Justice of the Peace and the reception.  Which was at a Chinese restaurant in Arlington....which is where I thought we were going....

But as I started to steer us towards that place, my husband said: "Oh no, we are not going there...." and he took me to a nice romantic Argentian restaurant.

We had a romantic time...so much so that we decided not to go to the movie afterwards, but just hang out and walk together in the cool night air.

And then...well, midnight til about 9 a.m. Chewy was not feeling too good.  Abdominal pain and other fun (no up chuckn' tho).  

So, I postponed my job interview the next day to spend the day with him in the ER.  By 2 p.m. they had no idea what was up...and the pain medications seemed to be doing the trick....so we went home.

By 10 p.m. that evening, he had a fever of 102.4 and was delirious.  Soooo...back to the ER.  Where they ran several more tests (adding to the stomach CTScan of the afternoon, he had a head CTScan and more blood drawn).  By 4 a.m. they knew he had an infection and they knew that the antibiotics were seeming to work...but they had no idea WHAT was causing the infection.

Flash forward to today.  Chewy has been admitted to the hospital since Thursday and he has had a lumbar punction, a heart ultrasound and blood cultures drawn.  The antibiotics have been doing the trick but they STILL have no idea what caused his illness.  So, they want to keep him there for a few more days to make sure that he doesn't have another fever and to check out the blood cultures.

Yesterday, the kids and I visited him for lunch; today we will do the same.  I talked to him this morning and he is feeling fine and is BORED silly.

We are both still worried about the fact that they don't know what caused his infection.  However, we both acknowledge that his work schedule the past 2 weeks probably did not help.

Hopefully, he will be back home on Monday.

Meanwhile...I guess we won't be going back to that restaurant for a while...the associations are too strong.

Middle School Wisdom...

The Strong Spartans

By Michael 

Sources From: www.ancientgreece.com

The usual disgusting meal in Sparta was black broth.

It probably tasted worse than green moths.

Their women were freer than most.

But they weren't allowed to boast.

They played a key role in defending Greece.

But they never wanted peace.

In the Middle-Ages the Greeks admired them most.

They probably feared them as if they were ghosts.

They believed they descended from Hercules.

They were definitely not scared of bees.

They conquered Messenia for their materials.

If it was a movie it'd be a hundred year serial.

By 800 BC they had a lot of land of Greece's.

But they still needed a few more pieces.

They put most of their culture into the art of war.

They were definitely not a bore.

The Gerousia was a council of elders.

They must have had a lot of weapon welders.

All Spartans had the same amount of money.

No matter what you say they sure weren't funny.

The Wise Athenians

By Michael 

Sources From: www.ancientgreece.com

In Athens boys started school at age six.

They didn't have pencils they used pointy sticks.

The boys finished school at age 18.

Their people didn't have any jeans.

The men were the ones who did the shopping.

They didn't have any rabbits hopping.

In 600 B.C. it would be ruled by land owning nobles.

These people were admired by all the locals.

They didn't have any running water.

So some people got hotter and hotter.

Almost every household had a slave.

The people didn't have normal names like Dave.

During Dionysus's festival men performed songs.

They drummed their drums and gonged their gongs.

They used strigils to get dirt off their body.

Sort of shaped like a stick for playing hockey.

It's polis was 2,500 square kilometers.

At night it was cold because they had no heaters.

They had the best known acropolis in Greece.

I don't think their houses had a lease.

Overwhelmed

Lots of things happening right now that are overwhelming me.

• I have a renewed interest going on in the job hunt area.  A lot of calls, some interviews are being arranged or have been arranged, including a second interview on Monday

• Trying to start the loooong process of de-cluttering, organizing and cleaning up our house so that perhaps we can sell it at some point in the (near?) future.

• Being without a job means the improvements we would like to do on the house for the above--are kinda hard (there are not a lot of improvements needed--but still, the money is not there)

• My mother has moved to Massachusetts from Indiana--and the chaos that is ensuing with changing her over (the fact that her furniture and stuff has not arrived YET, having to get her a bank account, etc.)  has hit right at an already chaotic time in my household.

• Chewy is on a HUGE deadline, so he is working constantly, leaving me to try to control the chaos...

• Oh, and someone is going to be FOUR soon and she is letting me know that daily!

Growing Up...

I am sure I am going to jinx it, but we have four nights in a row of no pull ups at night and no wet bed in the morning.

I bought some sippy plugs and sippy yesterday...I think the last ones we will have to buy.

She is now in 4T clothing and we are less than a month away from her Fourth Birthday.

In many ways a toddler, many ways a preschooler...all the signs are there--she is growing up!

Basket Memory

I don't even know where the basket came from.  I think I remembered when Chewy found it this weekend, but now I have forgotten.

Memory has been on my mind lately.   I am not sure if this is why this morning it struck me so deeply.

She found the basket.  I had set it aside to re-purpose (I have no idea for what).  She placed blocks in it (moving them from their proper and totally fine box).  She also put necklaces and an empty checkbox into the basket.

And the memory struck me as she pulled these items out of the basket.  The memory of a somewhat bigger basket.  Just as handcrafted and sturdy. That held toys.  That I played with at my Grammie's house.  I don't even know what the basket had been for originally (I am not even sure that my memory is correct when I say that I had plastic dinosaurs in the basket).  I just remember it was always brought out when I came over to play.

But I do know that the memory made me warm and happy.  I guess the little basket has already found its purpose.

Cat Love

The cats have been so cute and cuddly lately.  Early this morning, Kif came into bed, begging to be petted.  I vaguely have recall of him snuggling up to me, his paw near my face as I petted him as I fell back to sleep.  (Regretfully, Chewy woke up early and when he got up...off went Kif).

Gabby and Kif hanging out...

Wasting Time

We have 70 mins while we wait for his social skills group to finish.  Often it is a chore to fill this time up.  But not today.

The weather is wonderfully warm and spring is in the air.  She and I walk down the charming city streets of Lexington and she finds new discoveries at every turn.  For the first time in a while, I feel myself relaxing and not making myself fill the spare time with thoughts or errands.  We are just enjoying the warmth, the walk, the time together.

I am not trying to teach her anything (well, at a certain point, when she decides she must stomp on ALL bugs in her path, I do inform her that bugs make up a healthy diet for the birds that she was enjoying just a few feet away).  Earlier in the day, we had went to the Y and played in a class together.

But now...I am not trying to squeeze meaning out of this time.

She sees a shop and we go in and enjoy a cookie.  We start to walk back and we notice some dogs.  I noticed  how her eyes crinkle when she laughs.

Nothing extraordinary happened.

But it was my favorite part of today.

Passage

"Monotony collapses time; novelty unfolds it.  You can exercise daily and eat healthily and live a long life, while experiencing a short one.  If you spend your life sitting in a cubicle and passing papers, one day is bound to blend unmemorably into the next--and disappear.  That's why it's important to change routines regularly, and take vacations to exotic locales, and have as many new experiences as possible that can serve to anchor memories.  Creating new memories stretches out psychological time, and lengthens our perception of our lives."  --Joshua Foer "Moonwalking with Einstein"

Reading this book has been very interesting...it is about memory and our brain and how it functions.  I am amazed at how much we still do not understand about our brain.

When I got to the above passage, however, it struck me how I have always always felt about my life and time--how often I seek to find something new, some new experience. Some times it is the yearly gaming convention, or summer at Cape Cod.  This coming Saturday we are going to a symphony concert (Willow's first time).  I realized how much I am grasping at something one cannot hold onto for long, how time slips through even when you are having fun (hey, sometimes I feel time goes faster when my weekends are full of these experiences...).

Life is full and fun and a one time thing.  So why do I let myself get into a rut?  I guess sometimes I need to be reminded.  And now I am off to spend some time with my nieces...cuz, they are growing so fast (damn, that time thing again!)

Looking Up to...

Michael's homework tonight was to brain-storm a list to help him with a long composition essay he will have to do for the state testing later this month.  The subject has to be on someone he looks up to.  He picked his dad (yeah, I do feel a little like chopped liver here...)

Michael has a great imagination, but is not always able to convert that creativity to his homework.  For homework and school work he tends to be quite literal.  So some of this list he made was quite literal...but some of this list was very insightful....here is a bit of his list:

*he's very smart

*his job is being a computer engineer

*he wears glasses, has long black hair, a beard and mustache

*he's tall and strong

*knows how to fix a lot of things

*he's kind and funny

*he plays role-playing games, board games, and video games

*he went to the colleges, Michigan State and MIT

*he's from Detroit, Michigan

*his birthday is July 5th, the same as his younger brother

*has one brother and one sister

*teaches me about computers and other things

*makes pancakes on weekend mornings

*bad driver

*good navigator

*likes "Star Trek" and "Star Wars"

*favorite movie is The Godfather

*has a couple of teeth missing

*likes to take naps

*has ADHD

*likes to read a lot

*broken toes

*went to Japan when he was 16

*went to Romania last year

*beaten up, old car

*likes Bar-B-Q

*likes horror movies

*likes chili and sushi

*leaves clothes and cups all over the place

*forgets to do the dishes a lot

*can't see the color purple

*bad singer

I am really hope I get to see the finished essay...

Total Con 2012 Wrap Up

It was a near perfect year this year...everything was packed and ready, we got there on time...I was able to get an early check in, Willow and I were able to go to the grocery store and pick up snacks, etc.  (We had a junior suite, so we had a kitchenette).

We actually had ALL the games we registered for (Pre-reg online worked this year!)

Both children behaved extremely well and we all enjoyed the time away.

Highlights: 

• Andre's games are always so much fun!  Chewy and I played the same set-up different nights (it is a 7 p.m. - 3 a.m. game).  We did not realize it, but we both played the same character! (He did a great job--I am not as good at Role Playing, but I am getting better--I think I pulled off a couple of good lines!)

• Michael got to play an Andre game with Chewy!

• Met up with some friends and got to enjoy some good food.

• Willow got to have lots of pool time!!

• Face painting!

• New Board Games!

• Ghost Rider Sentinal (and I was She Hulk!)