blog is a funny word

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

Vascular is almost done. Just tomorrow (Sunday) and then... CT surg. Which better be better. I have had a headache for the past 2 days straight, and no amount of caffeine has touched it. I feel like I'm coming down with something, but then I can't. That is what sucks so much. I can't get sick, because there's no "backup plan". TV only goes so far. And then of course there's the lovely "donuts for dad" at the preschool, where the dads come in to have doughnuts with their precious little 3 year olds. And it is "before work! So the dads can go into work just a half hour late or so!" (This is said by the perky preschool director.) Except that strangely, donuts for dads isn't held from 4 am to 430 am, which would be what it would take for DH to make it in. Do dads in the DC area seriously go to work at 9 am??? I doubt it. Most dads just take time off. So I get to be dad on donuts for dad day. WAAAAAA. Sux for Luke. I'm not very nice to Mac about it, because I'm tapped out. I said, "guess you can't go to donuts for dad, because you're a loser dad". Yes, I'm that wife.

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

It's been a few days. But it's felt like more! Nothing really exciting has happened- Kate's team lost their 2nd soccer game. The most interesting moment of that was when she kicked the ball all the way to the opponent's goal box, and then stopped. She didn't try to actually kick the ball IN to the net. She told me that she didn't know that she could do that, and that when she got to the goal box (the big one) she thought she had to stop and let the goalie take the ball. *Sigh* Then, yesterday I dragged her to an acting class. She didn't want to go, and so the whole way she whined... "why do you make me do this, why don't you just leave me alone, I wanted to stay in my room and call Chris". I was already wiped out, so I was ready just to turn the car around and forget about my $50 deposit. But I persevered, and she ended up having a good time! She even smiled when we left, and said good-bye to a couple of girls! The instructor told me that she was impressed at Kate's "mature expression". So I'm glad that she has something "artistic" going on. I am a bit worried about school. I don't think she knows that she needs to study for exams and actually work her hardest on them. She got a couple of "Cs" last week on quizzes, but apparently they have some type of retesting mechanism which I don't understand. Probably some unintended consequence of "no inane idea that hinders the natural educational process left behind".

So, now I am getting ready for tomorrow and preschool day 3. He thought we were going to preschool today, and started crying about it. I'm getting really tired of the whining. And most of it is coming from ME! I am seriously in a bad mood these days. Why? I don't know. Things are settling down after the back to school rush, Mac started a new rotation which is supposed to be really good hours-wise, and the weather is cooling down which means maybe those damned crickets will shut up. I should be feeling pretty good, but I'm just not. I keep on stressing about whether or not we'll have another baby. I don't want the kids to be too far apart, but I don't want to have too much to deal with either. We are planning on getting a puppy (I don't know why or how this transpired, but and now everyone is all excited.) So I'm going to be dealing with a puppy and all the stress that entails, and I just can't imagine being pregnant in the middle of that. But last month we did *try*, and didn't succeed. So then I felt relief, and the guilt over the relief, and now I'm going through the same internal debate about timing and what not. Why do I even feel an urge for another baby? I don't get it. I have very little support system out here, and Mac's schedule is not going to ever be delightful, and our house is pretty much filled to capacity. And then there's the issue of being tired from pregnancy, exhausted from infanthood, and stressed about the illnesses and troubles of the first year especially. Not to mention separation anxiety, potty training, and the rest of it. But then every cycle I get all hormonal and think that I should have another one. Someone stop me please! And then I don't want to join the gym because what if I join and pay the big fee and then get pregnant? I know I'll have no energy to work out.

It is really too much to think about. It stresses me no end. After my last miscarriage, I thought that perhaps I was supposed to just let it go and be happy with my "perfect" family as is. (Everyone says, "oh, you have 2 boys and 2 girls- that's Perfect!") But then I was also really devastated by the miscarriage, which made me think that apparently somewhere inside me I actually wanted to try again. After the miscarriage, I remember saying that I would try again. But I don't know if I can handle another miscarriage, either. This is so frustrating- why do I feel like my biological clock is ticking when I'm only 31? Ugh.

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

Preschool day 3 was... OK. Luke cried on the way over, but then went into class like a trooper and I thought he was even... excited??? He smiled at the teachers, which was a good sign I think. And then I went home and hung up 3 pictures (I know I know, it doesn't sound like much but... I've been waiting to hang them for about 3 months, even though they are only tiny 5x7s ) and I also fixed a broken basket which required the use of a glue gun (this is about as "handy" as I get). Then it was time to go back and get Luke. He was OK when I picked him up, but ever since then it's been whine and whine and it's just been awful. Blah. He and I get along really well, and he is super affectionate and just a total love. But when I take him somewhere and drop him off I feel like he feels betrayed, and then he "punishes" me...

So, I need to remind myself to not let him... watch TV after rest time (which makes it impossible to get him into the car to go pick up everyone from school), bring his 'baby' into the Suburban (which makes it impossible to get him OUT of the suburban wherever we are), and go to 'rest time' without going potty first (because he always gets up right away to go potty where he sits there for like 20 minutes, and then refuses to go back to rest time anyhow...) Then maybe next time will go more smoothly.

I made soup today, which is stupid b/c it's so hot. But I soaked the beans for the soup yesterday, so I felt sort of "tricked into it". And then I made chicken enchiladas which took forever, so I "cooked" for like 1 hour straight! I never do that. Never never ever. I am just not a "cooker" as Izzy likes to say. And then of course nobody likes what I make except for DH and it's a crapshoot if he'll be home or not. Now I'm going to freeze the soup and wait for when it's actually cold outside! Like in the morning! Oy! (Fall is tricky!)

I read these posts in my blog and I just feel like my life is so pathetic. Or maybe it's just life...

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

I'm so excited! And it's so dumb, but it sounds fun to me! There was an urgent email from Kate's school about needing chaperones for the "halloween" dance (they don't call it halloween, and I think no costumes are allowed), but anyway my mom is in town then and so I signed Mac and me up to chaperone! He may not make it there at the start b/c of work and traffic, but anyway. It would be so fun to go to a middle school dance with my husband! Not to mention to see what's going on at these dances these days- and how different it is from when I was there. Hopefully we won't have to break up too much "bumping and grinding". Yuk. Kate will, of course, be mortified, but c'est la vie.

Kate also found a babysitter for us, should we ever decide to do anything. Our standard date night for the past... 6 years has been to bring takeout in, and to watch a video. Now, of course, Kate wants to be part of our "date", so we are ordering take-out for 3 (because she'll eat our food otherwise) and we're renting "kid friendly" movies, which DH usually doesn't like. So, Mac will watch about 30 minutes of the movie, and then he'll get up to go study. As soon as he gets up, Kate races over and sits in his seat. So date night has turned into mother/daughter time, which is great, really, and I'm thrilled that she seems thrilled to hang with me, but I think I need to hang with Mac sometime too. Anyway, the babysitter is an 8th grader at Kate's school, and is part of the magnet program. They are really responsible kids, and have taken all the classes and have the certifications. I'm a little bit worried about leaving Kate and the 8th grader in "charge". I think that we will have to make it very clear to Kate that the 8th grader is in charge, even in Kate's house... A bit strange- usually our sitters are adults, but we can't do adult sitters regularly because they have their own kids. Anyway, I think we'll give it a try.

Luke and I have been butting heads lately. Stubborn stubborn... It's so frustrating. I don't understand how I haven't figured out yet how to get a 3 year old into the car and out of the car. Without the tantrums, the obsessions, the "I want to shut the door", the "I want to go out that door", etc., etc. And if I give in to him just so that we can move along in our day, well, it just makes it worse next time. Honestly I am not going to circle the suburban opening up every single door until "master Luke" (that is seriously his nickname, I'm not even joking) decides which door to use. I just get tired of the scream! Gaaahhhh...

Mac took Steven to the cub scouts meeting last night. He went ahead and signed up, not knowing the small details such as, when they meet. Oh, and by the way, you can't drop your "scout" off to the meeting, a parent has to be there. :thud: Ummm, and he already paid and Steven is really excited, etc., etc. So, what exactly, doctor husband, am I supposed to do when the meeting falls on a day when Daddy is not available because of work??? I guess I'll have to hire that sitter, or else I'll have to drag the other kids with me to a scouts meeting, which I'm pretty sure is not what the "den master" meant when he said a parent was supposed to stay with the scout the whole meeting. Details, details, details. I get a little fustrated that he can't manage small details of family scheduling while he can keep track of 15 complex cases in the hospital. And he can just call in little details on those guys when it strikes his fancy, but the family details are beyond him.

Not to mention that it strikes me as poignant the difference between the Girl Scouts and the Boy Scouts. Isabel goes to "daisies" which meets during the afternoon, is run by moms, has childcare provided for younger siblings of the leaders, and has a full schedule already printed out for the entire year. And it costs $41 including the tunic, which the leader is going to pick up for everyone and bring to the next meeting. The leader is also going to bring an iron to the meeting to fuse the "daisy petals" on right there during the meetings, because she knows how hard it is for moms to get around to the endless patches that the kids have for uniforms.

The boy scouts had the informational meeting last night, where basically Mac just signed Steven up. There were kids running around everywhere, and a race track was set up to entertain them. The "den master" (I don't know the proper lingo- sorry to those scout pros out there) said that someone would contact us by email with the meeting time and place. And he also told Mac about the parent attendance policy. And then I guess they talked about... weeds? sports? Anyway, he gave Mac a really helpful handout that has basically no practical information, but it does tell us to be sure to get our uniforms for our scout before the next meeting, and that it may cost $50 or so. And the places where the uniforms are sold are in Northern Virginia and Bethesda, with really crappy hours. These places are about 30 to 40 minutes away for me, depending on traffic. And it cost $65 for the first semester of the class. Mac didn't even think about it, or ask about the parent attendance policy, or anything!!! And I guess that's just how guys "roll", vs the girl scouts which were oh so much more organized and realistic!!!

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

My dream home... for now... is on sale close by, in a good high school cluster, but not so hot elementary. It is gorgeous, historical, nice neighborhood, 5 bedrooms, and affordable to us. But, we'd have to sell current home, pack current stuff, and move. Which isn't happening...

Mac was the one who told me to go to realtor.com! Why? Why did he do this to me??? Is this some kind of retribution for my being at times a teeny bit less than understanding? Argh. He said for planning purposes, for maybe 2 years down the line. The house does have some flaws: no garage, basement isn't completely finished, the bathrooms are small because it is an old house. But, I drove by it today because I just wanted to show myself that it's really "too good to be true", and it is in a gorgeous neighborhood. Granted, it's the only detached home, the rest are townhomes, but still... Waaaa for me! I just know that in 2 years things will be really expensive again, and then maybe I won't want to buy a new home because then we'd be here only 3 more years, and that's not the smartest investment move we could make.

I should never have gone on to realtor.com. I was just *asking* for trouble.

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

To continue my rant I started not so successfully in the parenting thread...

As a side note, I think it is completely indicative of how my week is going that last night I was in the midst of ranting and I was interrupted by the child about whom I was ranting to pick her up from her school (25 minutes away) because she didn't "get" how to use the activity buses. *Sigh*

Anyway, the problem with Kate is that we think she should be really smart. She always scores in the 99th percentile for the standardized tests, and last year they had to make a reading program just for her because she tested out of the school's reading curricula during the middle of 4th grade. (That means, for 5th she had nothing to do. Which could account for the straight A's). But we have had so much trouble with her- seriously more trouble getting her to bring home papers than for the twins, and they are barely in first grade (and trust me, there are a lot of papers the first graders bring home...) So, now that she is in middle school, and in a program that's more challenging (a center for the highly gifted- a title that I think is so presumptious but whatever) we thought that she may get her groove on. But, no... She talks about boys constantly, and all her new friends, and how she thinks she's "popular" but she doesn't know, etc., etc. This is all fine and dandy for a while, but then when I ask her about homework, it's always "I did it in class". They have this program for parents to check up on their kids' homework on line. It's called edline. And so yesterday I go to check it, just because. (Mother's sixth sense.) And she has good grades... on the papers she bothered to turn in. She has in 2 different classes an "E" for just plain not turning in something. Where you get full credit for just "turning it in". So I go through and make this grand scheme outline (I did tell you that when stressed, I make lists!) and entered in it all her tests, etc. It is DHs job to take my little outline which I will update (of course) and have him go through her homework and impending projects, tests, etc. We'll see if this helps. She is so damned LAZY. Classic symptoms of an underachiever which I just can not even fathom! I was not so naturally "smart" as she, but I turned in everything, and asked for Extra Credit assignments just for the added comfort of it. I did procrastinate on studying for exams, but my homework helped there.... This child is just. so. frustrating...

Not to mention the sheer ridiculousness of the amount of time I've spent driving little people around lately... And then Mac threw an absolute little boy fit in CHURCH of all places. He actually refused to stand up for the singing part!!! I was ripping into him that morning about how he comes into the house and starts just yelling at the kids to get them moving. But to them, it sounds like random yelling- with not much warning. So I told him that he should just handle the big things (like Kate's disrespect of me, for instance) and let me get them out the door since that's apparently what I went to college to learn how to do. My "field of expertise". I said that his job makes his role not as the leader of the family, or the leader of the schedule, but more like my supporting cast member called in to take over briefly when I have a meltdown or what not. Or to put a lid on Kate's incredibly disrespectful comments (because my response is like, Oh yeah- well you're grounded FOREVER!!!! and things pretty much go downhill from there :fight: ). So apparently that hurt the little baby's feelings. He pouted the whole time there, and then during the opening part he stayed sitting down and said "I just don't feel like it- I can't turn it off like you can!" Humph. Whatever. Big Baby. I told him he was acting like a child. That went over well. We're trying out a new church, and clearly we need something. I think it leaves a nice impression when the "grown up male" of the family throws a tissy. :tsk:

Anyway, then on Monday Mac took call, so I had to drag all the kids to drama class, race home for baths, get back to drama to pick up Kate, and then to bed. They got to bed over 2 hours later than normal, which means hell to pay for the rest of the week... For some reason, 2nd and 4th weeks are killer. And I'm still mad at DH. Such a baby... And when I ask him to help me stop the disrespect from the kids, he says, but you told me to not discipline so much. You told me I yell too much... OK, then, just sit there and listen to me take abuse.

Oh yeah- as a great topper! The twins decided to take crap out of the "treasure box" in their class. That's some kind of an incentive program where the first graders, if they are *perfect* all week get to take a wonderful item out of the treasure box which sits there in the classroom for them all to stare at, all week. So, logically, Steven and Isabel decide that they most likely will not be perfect all week, so their best option is stealing. Now, they didn't put it into words like that, but... It's like, here we go again... DeJaVu all over.

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

So I feel like I have been a little bit hard on Mac, at least in my blog here. I haven't really been as bad as I seem in real life. I did chew him out on Sunday morning, and that was wrong. I just feel so *frustrated* and I feel like he's the one who should understand. But really, he's not the one who would understand, because his day is completely different from my day. Completely. He has to deal with asshat surgeons all day, and I have to deal with uncooperative and mostly ungrateful children of different ages and stages. Different worlds...

Anyway, I thought that for my own guilt factor I should list some things I do like about DH:

1. He does the dishes. He prefers to do them in the morning, but knows that I can not sleep with a dirty kitchen, so he does it at night instead.

2. He doesn't try to micromanage my day. He only tries to discipline the kids in his own special way when he thinks he is "trying to help me out", and not to "do it the right way". He trusts me a lot in this area.

3. He never complains about the house being dirty. Ever. He always loads on the compliments when I clean, so I know he likes it and he notices it, but he never asks me why I'm not cleaning.

4. He moves furniture for me. He's very strong! He also carries laundry up and down the 3 flights of stairs upon request. Even not so nice requests. I wish I could train him to do it automatically, but...

5. He will hold a picture up for as long as I need so that I can get it in just the "right spot" on the wall, and then he'll hang it up. Then if it's not actually just in the right spot, he will move it again. With only minimal rolling of eyes.

6. He prefers to be with me and the kids on an outing. He really wants me there, not so that I can help with crowd control, but because he likes to be with me and he likes the family "together".

7. The man, seriously, has the patience of an almost-saint. He understands how I'm wired, and that I blow my top on occassion. He just lets me vent and then acts like it never even happened.

8. He always tells me I'm beautiful and that I have a great bod. I know this is a lie, seriously. I have gained about 25 lbs since we were dating and they are all in the wrong places. Every blessed pound. The wrong place. But it's nice that he says it.

9. He appreciates me.

10. Then the physical: he is, as I mentioned above, very strong which is not only helpful when it comes to moving furniture. He has a lot of muscle mass, and his chest is huge, and so while he may never make his ARMY weigh in he is substantial enough that I will always feel a little "petite" next to him. Which is nice. I'm not sure why it's nice, but it is. And after 8 years of marriage, we really do get along well in the bedroom. Nuff said on that front. That's about as racy as I get!

Now I feel better. A productive list for once- usually mine are written from such a different place.

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

My irritation with my family is growing. I can feel it bubbling inside me. They never call, or respond to emails, and when I call them I get the answering machine. I never know what's going on, and that's usually OK (Mac said yesterday, "It's kind of good that you don't know everything, don't you think?") but sometimes I would like to know about major things.

For instance, I was never told about:

My Grandma needing surgery,
My Grandpa getting admitted to the hospital after nearly dying,
My Dad's war with my SIL via very nasty emails,
and now,
My Dad's possible sale of his practice to??? still not sure.

And so, he mentioned the "sale" briefly in one of his 10-word emails that I am blessed to receive every 5 weeks or so, the assumption being that I knew all about it, which of course I didn't. So then I called, got the machine, left a 2-minute message asking "whatup", to which I received the phone call I hate to receive more than any. The one Dad makes while sitting at my favorite restaurant waiting for their food. And of course, before he even told me about his clinic, the food showed up and that's it. Conversation over... This was over a week ago, so I guess it's "symphony week" or something which means I can call, but I won't get an answer and Mom won't pick up b/c she's too busy rehearsing or entertaining her symphony buddies.

Anyway, I'm just a little out of the loop, and I wish I could say it is a geographical thing, but I know better. When I had the twins, my family came over to see them about 6 times the entire first year. And they lived all of 2 miles away. I just couldn't schlep all my stuff to their house, with my huge nursing pillow, etc., etc. And I thought that the fam might want to make an effort to come to MY house to help me... Anyway, since moving across the country I have seen my parents way more than I ever did when living in the same city. That's just the way it is, and it bugs me sometimes, but... "Such as life" to quote of Mom's more annoying sayings.

Beyond that irritation, I have been extremely irritated at my own kids. Blech. This week has been one to... forget.

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

I called my family last night. Just to check in. I was right- it was symphony week. And now they are off to Europe on Wednesday. Mom was tired from taking my nephew to the fair. I guess my sister didn't want to take him! My mom hates the fair- she rarely took us as kids. I actually would like to plan a vacation in September out to my hometown to go to the fair! The fair here is in August! Yuk! It's always so hot that we are all just hovering over the a/c. I can not imagine going to the fair in that heat- I can't even get motivated to go to the pool! Anyway, so I was talking to them a little bit, and then it was time for them to eat, and so that was it! Oh well. Still have no idea what's going on with dad's clinic, but I guess that will wait until when they are visiting. Mom is coming later this month to help with Halloween stuff, and they both are coming for a few days over the Thanksgiving holiday. They also have to go up to the Albany, NY area to visit my Grandma. Grandpa has alzheimers and he's not doing well, but he's been hanging on. He pretty much stays in bed all the time. He was the most vibrant and active person before. Alzheimers is just horrible. Grandma is a compulsive complainer- she has been her whole life. It gets to be a downer for my parents. But she has dealt with *so much* in her life. And now she pretty much has made herself into a shut in. We would visit more, but she doesn't really enjoy anyone's visits but my dad's. We seem to bring stress raining down on her. Maybe if we stay in a hotel? :huh: Even though she has an entire unoccupied top floor complete with a kitchen, that just may be the way to go.

Anyway, the reality of bringing home a puppy is starting to stress me out. We have 26 days to go! I have no idea what I'm doing. I've read more "puppy prep" books than parenting books, I swear. Last night I saw an ad for a dog dressed up as a panda bear for halloween. And then the big boxer with a skeleton costume on. Mac and I are not the type of people to dress up our dogs, but I guess it takes all kinds. I did feel sorry for the boxer. He looked humiliated.

I haven't been up to posting much for a while. I am feeling so very negative and stressed now. Kate is driving me insane. She is too moody! Damn hormones... And then we have been on the wild real estate roller coaster ride. We even went to look at a house. It was empty, which was good, since we had the kids with us. We would never take the troop to an occupied house, but they loved it. They thought the house was huge. The best thing about it is the basement, and the location. The master's bedroom would take a lot of serious work, which is a tad bit depressing since our master bedroom took a lot of work, and still needs a new shower, but other than that it's not bad. I have found that it is hard on my psyche to deal with construction in my very own bedroom. We could technically afford the new house, if we sold ours for a decent price. But then we'd be on a very tight budget for a couple more years, and I just don't know if it's worth it. It is stressful though, and I've spent too much time on Excel lately crunching numbers. Unfortunately numbers don't lie... And here I thought Mac was a doctor! (Of course, his per hour wage is something like 50 cents...)

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

My blog is looking so boring. I will have to add some pictures soon...

Yesterday I took Luke to a park that we haven't tried before. It's in an expensive neighborhood, and there were lots of people there talking about their horses, etc. Their were also a couple of nannies. I think that people assume that I am a nanny when I'm at a park like that. I don't dress like I "belong", because I just don't have money for shopping and why bother since I watch kids all the time. I don't wear sweats or anything, just jeans and normal shirts. And my Birks, of course... Anyway, so I was playing "Nanny" until Luke blew my cover by calling me "Mommy". Then, other people started talking to me about the horses, and their kids, and how they spend hours at the stables, and how they had kids that were so close together that they felt like they had twins... (I hear this comment a lot. And there is NOTHING like having twins except perhaps having triplets or one of the other multiples!) And then there were two nannies. One was African, and the other I believe Salvadorean. Both spoke broken English at best. The Salvadorean was very in tune with the twins that she was a nanny for, and she tried to be happy and excited to push them on the swing (which incidentally horrified me because she had them back to back on a toddler swing with the 4 leg holes! That is not how they are supposed to be used. The twins kept bumping their heads on each other.) But, as sweet as she was, I could tell that she was just doing a job. She didn't really love those kids. It made me feel better about being a SAHM. Whom would I want to hire to oversee my little kids? To handle Kate's sassiness and the twins endless homework assignments and LUke's insecurities? I think I am the most fit for that job...

And so the whole experience at the ritzy park gave me peace about being a SAHM. And that is JUST what I need.

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

We had an intensely bad week with Kate, again... So very frustrating. She is up and down in her moods all day long. Then Mac comes home with all of his energy, and tries to boss everyone around. I am so bad- the other night he was on call, so I sat in his chair and imitated him. The kids all got it right away, but... I feel guilty. I shouldn't make fun like that!

We had my friend's two girls over yesterday afternoon while she did her Bible class. It was fine. Her 4 year old is so smart and calm. I love it when she is over- she and Isabel play so well! (The other child is also named Isabel incidentally! They call each other by their first and last names when they are together!) The kids got me to play the chasing game with them. I don't think the girls get chased or tickled much at their house; they always looked so shocked when my kids get me to chase them around. So I was the "bear" and they were trying to come into my "bear cave" which is our main floor. And when they went up the stairs they were safe, but when they came down to my floor, look out. So we played that for 45 minutes! I was so tired. When my friend came to pick up her girls my face was beet red. I really need to exercise! My word, it's pathetic. After all that, you'd think Luke would sleep like a log, but something was bugging him and he was up about 3 times last night. I had to go in to sooth him- Mac was on call...

Then today Izzy had a birthday party to go to at ChuckECheese. We RSVPd a week ago, and Mac took her and the boys there. He was going to sit with the boys while Izzy went to her party and I took Kate to the soccer game. Good plan- except... the party never happened. It was so strange! They never showed up at all. We didn't get any phone messages or emails or anything that the party was canceled. The twins said that the birthday girl was sick, and had missed school, but of course they didn't mention that juicy little tidbit until after they all came home from Chuck E Cheese. So now, what do I do with the present? So strange.

But at least I didn't have to go to Chuck E Cheese, so I really can't complain. I'm pretty sure that that was exactly what Mac wanted to do post call. That and answer about 15 pages from the nurses who "forget" every single time to take him off as the "on call doc" after he's off. It keeps him busy...

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

Well, I am just the airhead blond. Isabel's party was canceled, it turns out. The party girl had a bad virus, and there was a notice sent home in Izzy's homework folder from school. I usually wait until Sunday to check it, and didn't even think about it. The party has been rescheduled, so it looks like Mac just may get to go to Chuck E Cheese with the boys on a Saturday afternoon again! What Bliss! Kate has a soccer game, so maybe I'll hit the ChuckECheese a little bit late! Anyway, it's better this way. Now I have a chance to properly prep Izzy on birthday etiquette. The last birthday party she went to, Izzy snuck up behind the birthday girl during Happy Birthday and blew out the candles before the poor girl had a chance. It was bad... It's not that Izzy is a bad person, she just really. really. REALLY loves a party. She is hilarious about parties. She gets so excited, regardless of whose birthday it is.

Today Mac took Steven to yet another Tiger Scouts thing. It is amazing, but Steven has had 4 Tiger Scout meetings and Mac has made it to every single one. He is the man! This won't last long, but it's so nice that I don't have to go there with all the crew... Today Steven was selling popcorn outside of a grocery store. I told Mac which one to go to and at which location. Idiot me, I told him to NOT go to the other brand store at the other location. (OK- too confusing, I said go to the Flower Hill Giant NOT the Goshen Safeway, and so he went to the Goshen Giant...) Then he calls me on the cell phone- you said to come here, and there's no one here, blah blah... I said, you're at the wrong place... Sometimes I wish that he would use his "doctor brain" for family schedule stuff, since I'm pretty sure that if he doesn't listen carefully at work he's gonna get seriously chewed out. If he applies himself, apparently he can be a slave to details. But... I don't know how to get him to apply himself to MY details. Lost cause, apparently.

Here is a picture of my little Tiger Scout:



That adorable uniform cost $96 including the socks, and so he had better stick with Scouts until he's outgrown EVERYTHING...

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

Yesterday was strange... Busy and strange. Luke and I did laundry, since we missed our catch up day on Monday. Monday was Columbus Day, so Mac had the day off. Federal workers, military, ??? but not school gets Columbus day off. It is so strange. We went to the Home Depot and then Mac worked on our deck, except he got sidetracked by something, leaving the deck somewhat finished. It still hasn't been stained, which was of course the original project to be done, before all of the more fun sidetracking things involving power tools. We also cut Luke's hair, which is a HUGE deal. He is very sensitive to hair cuts, but he is also sensitive to the hair hanging down over his ears. I got all the stuff ready for Mac to cut Luke's hair while I restrain the little guy (he really really doesn't like hair cuts), and then Mac decided to clean out the shaver since all his black, wiry hairs were clogging it up. After about 15 minutes of that (meanwhile Luke was running around naked waiting for the haircut to start), Mac said, You know, I bet that the shaver was hurting him last time because his hairs kept getting snagged in the razor. Great... That explains the psychosis. Poor guy. He started out the haircut hysterical (Mommy, NOOOOO!) and then after about 2 minutes he settled into crying quietly and sucking on my arm, since last time he tried to suck his thumb and ended up with a mouthful of hair. Did I mention that he doesn't forget anything? Ever? Anyway... let's see if Mac cleans out his stuff better now, since the clean shaver seemed to be less painful to Luke. Mac obsessively shaves his head, which is a crime against humanity because he has the *nicest* hair ever. It is a little bit curly/wavy, jet black, and now has a few grays in there. But I haven't seen it longer since pre-military...

Luke Before:



Luke after:




Anyway, yesterday felt like a Monday, which meant "Laundry Galore". It never ends, but I try... Anyway, in the process, the powder detergent got dumped out all over the floor (mea culpa) while Luke was "helping" me, and so he "helped" me sweep it all up, which was a tad bit counterproductive. But I think he felt very important. Later, we did our after school stuff: homework, soccer, dinner, then Steven had a Tiger Scouts meeting. Except it was canceled, and no one let us know, and so... It sucked. I was so tired... Then after Steven and Mac came home from the canceled meeting, we had to get everyone to bed, and then start Kate's "review" session for her math test today, where she swore that in her math class average doesn't mean what it means in our "stupid college math". Apparently for her it means: mode, mean, and median. That all together, somehow, means average. :banghead: I have no idea what she is thinking, or what she misunderstood from class, but we have been going over average calculations with her for... about 3 years. I don't know why it's so hard!

Then last night I had the most realistic, strange dream. Basically I dreamed that Mac had died somehow, and the kids and I were still living here in this same house, and we were all about the same age. I woke up feeling very sad and melancholy. And one of the first things I worried about? His life insurance plan. I kid you not. (I am not responsible for anything I think before 7 am!) Anyway, he's still alive. All is well. I hate those realistic creepy dreams. I sometimes have them where I think he's cheating, and I have in the past woken him up and asked him about it. I think he thinks I'm a bit *crazy*...

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

I told Mac about my dream, and he said that I should look into an extra insurance plan for him. I asked him what I was covered for, I thought it was something like 250K, but he thought more like 15K. Good luck finding someone to do my job for 15K for 2 months! I wouldn't take that gig... Anyway, maybe we'll have to look into it for the both of us.

Then he said that I must have had a "premonition" or something and started to get all supersticious, to which I said, so then I guess there's something to the uber-realistic dreams I have where you are cheating on me? That shut him up. It's just a dream, probably a result of watching some TV drama. That is seriously why I stopped watching Law and Order. I started seeing random strangers as twisted and evil. I think I get a little too invested...

I have decided to limit myself to 1 hour of TV plus a little of my local news a night. I can't go without my local news! Their witty banter... and useless weather forcasts.

Dragging the kids out of bed in the morning is getting hard. Today was chilly, and it is still dark when we get up (not pitch black, but it's getting darker). A couple of weeks ago we had sunrises to look at and pink skies... Now it's the dusky pre-dawn...

I took Kate out to a youth group last night. It is at someone's house, because the church we just started attending is moving to a new building, and isn't set up for youth group at the new building yet. I think she had a good time. Everyone liked her shoes, so that's a plus. They are Converse High-tops with a skulls and crossbone pattern, reminiscent of this past summer's obsession with all things Pirates. Now she is considering Goth for the next obsession. She has a friend who is "goth", but apparently doesn't wear black lipstick or heavy eyeliner, but she does wear all black. And this friend tells Kate that she's so lucky to be so pale, she could really pull off the goth look. Hmmmmmm. No. I don't think so darling. No Goth for you.

She is, of course, allowed to get a tattoo just like all of my other kids. There is a stipulation. She has to be at least 17, and the tattoo has to be on her upper arm, very large, and say: I love my mom. That's it! If the tattoo isn't exactly like the one I design... well then I guess said child is ready for complete emancipation.

(BTW, I have nothing per se against tattoos- I think they can be cute actually, but I don't trust my kid's and their friends to know to go to an official, licensed and clean place. So I am going to do what I can to dissuade bodily mutilation!)

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: blog is a funny word

A house that I really like just dropped in price by 30K. Not that we are ready to make an offer or to put our own house on the market, but I just like to torture myself. I don't think this house is a good fit for our family right now, but it is still a beautiful, restored, historic home. It gives me an idea of what I might like to live in someday! Mac is fixated on a garage and square footage, though...

Kate's school may be changing her bus stop to within walking distance of our house, which would mean that I wouldn't have to get the kids up 30 minutes earlier than normal. But, for her to walk in the early morning, I'd want her to have a cell phone. This should be good news, right? She's been hounding us for a phone for about 2 years... Anyway, I mentioned that she may need a cell phone, primarily to call me and tell me that she's at the stop and what not. We live in a safe neighborhood, and there are lots of middle schoolers heading to the bus stops, but just to be safe... She said, "Like I'd call you."

*sigh* *deep breath* OK, so then I said, there would be rules with the phone, like no using the phone to go on line and download songs and ringtones, and if you want to text, you have to pay for the package and the taxes.

"But MOM, you PROMISED me I could have all that stuff. You said I could go on line and get my own ringtones."

*lamaze breathing* Why would I say something like that Kate? I never would ever say anything remotely like that? Why would we want to pay your *roaming* internet charges to have new ringtones downloaded every 5 minutes???

"You just don't remember. You and Dad always forget what you tell me. You always do this to me."

*red faced* Forget it. Clearly you're not ready for the responsibility. I know what I said, and what my opinions are about kids and cell phones, and if we think it's necessary I guess we'll get one of the kiddy ones that have 1 number programed in and that's all you can use the phone for. By the way, you're grounded from internet, TV etc for the next 2 days...

Why can't she just shut her trap and say "Thank you" and then work her way up to more privileges? I wish she wouldn't shoot herself in the foot all the time... It just sucks. And since our cycles have aligned, I know her hormonal phase and it's not at the bitch-fest time quite yet...

So, while having this pleasant exchange with Kate, I also had my friend's 2 girls in the car because I was watching them for her (this is my last Friday for a long time- I told her that with a new puppy in the house it may not be safe or healthy for all involved-- too much stress for a little pup, and there's no way I could keep the girls from being bitten/scratched/whatever). Anyway, the older one is a total doll. I love her. I want to adopt her. Except she doesn't clean up after herself and doesn't say "may I please be excused" after snack time, but besides that, she is great. (I could fix those problems lickety split, I think.) But the younger! Oh man. Somedays she tries my patience. She is 3, and has taught Luke all sorts of new tricks. Today I finally sent them outside, even though it was cold and she was weariing her summer clothes, and she totally flipped out, screaming, crying... She was scared of a butterfly. Oh my... We had to gently remove him from the scene, and then she finally settled down... Only to come in and out about a gazillion times (without ever shutting the door after her). Later, they were watching TV- ONE cartoon. Well, she decided she wanted another one. Luke doesn't care for TV much, and so he turned it off on cue. She went over to him a hit him. Then, I told her that we don't need any more TV, and that her mom would be there soon. So she said "Shut Up".

I so need a break! Friday afternoons suck... I may have to get a new puppy frequently to have a ready excuse because I'm too much of a weanie to tell my friend that I just can't handle 6 kids and all the added drama.