Let’s Go to the Movies… February 19, 2010

My husband, Gabe, and I are about to embark on an adventure.  For the next year, we will head to the theater once a month to sit through watch a Romantic Comedy.  Then we will blog all about it.  We will also be renting movies to watch at home between theater showings.

Reasons why this is nuts:

• We never go to movies.  In 2008 we saw Kung Fu Panda, Horton Hears a Who and Pineapple Express.  Last year we saw Hotel For Dogs, Monsters vs. Aliens, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and The Hangover.
• We never rent movies.  We actually forgot that we were subscribing to Netflix.  Movies have just never been a big priority–sure we say things like “Oh, we HAVE to see that!!” and then forget all about it 5 seconds later.
• We are not “Romantic Comedy” people.  Well, except for movies that are So Bad They Are Good we love those.  Oh, and Gabe’s world stops if Sweet Home Alabama or You’ve Got Mail are on.  And one utterance from Matthew McConaughey does more damage to me than a Wrackspurt.
• We don’t think of ourselves as “Romantic Comedy” people.
• Individually, we aren’t great at follow-through on non-essential things.  Together, we are rubbish. How we can do anything like this for a year I will never know.

Regardless, I am really looking forward to this little project.  Spending quality time with Gabe is always a plus–I love him and he cracks my shit up.  Plus, he’s got a knack for understanding things that blow my mind like plot, theme and other basic, sophomore English stuff.  I tend to take things for face value, which I tell myself is a gift in itself).

Our first movie will be a “rental”: Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, a movie I should have watched long ago.  I am infinitely excited to watch it tomorrow. Michael Cera kills me.

It Ain’t Easy Bein’ Green

Note: The post below talks about something a bit “churchy” but can apply to everyone–no matter where you fall on that scale and even if you inclined to want nothing to do with that scale.

So here we are, at the start of Lent–a time of fasting, penance and reflection.  Often, Lent is associated with giving up things that you “need”, like chocolate (I’m not one who actually needs chocolate but my offspring crave it like 45 year old women, so I get it).  I myself have sacrificed ice cream, soda and gum over the years (and I must say I was delighted to hear about the loophole–if you take out the Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Easter you then have forty days–thanks Stef!).  Many forgo meat on Fridays during Lent (if you know an adult who can’t go near a tuna fish sandwich or a fish stick, ask them about lent).   More recently, I hear of people focusing on taking up a discipline during this time (looks like I was way ahead of the game when I forced myself to eat tomatoes in sixth grade during Lent) like volunteering, bible study, good deeds, etc. which I must say makes a bit more sense than depriving yourself of chocolate.

No matter what your opinion on Lent, penance, or Christianity is, here is something everyone can do:  Go Green.  Between now and Easter pick one or more ways to be a bit more earth-friendly.  The world around us is a gift and we need to treat it better.

• Turn your thermostat down one degree.  You probably won’t notice the difference, but you will use less energy.
• Bring your own bags to the store.  You’ll create less waste and they really hold your groceries better.
• If it’s yellow, let it mellow.  Flush less and save water, people!  Unless your family eats a lot of asparagus it’s not nearly as disgusting as you might think.
• Shop local–using less gas is good for environment and the local economy and it saves you time.
• Use your own bottle for water.  Buying bottled water is expensive and all those plastic bottles create tons of waste–your local Tupperware Lady can probably get you a good deal, if needed.

Five easy, easy things to do.  Pick one and do it for 40 days (yes, you can use that “loophole”, if needed).  The Earth will rejoice.

Back in the Saddle Again June 9, 2009

Really? I’ve put this off for over a year?!?  That is so like me!  And it is too bad because it has been a wonderful year.

Simon has been a first grader in a combined 1/2 class with a very special teacher.  Mrs. N is one of those people whose love for learning is contagious, she seems to always look for the positive and is completely unflappable.  Our house is now filled with “chapter books” and artwork and reports done by Simon.  Many of them were on making pizza with his Grandpa Dan at his restaurant and most recently he did a report on blue jays (which I have learned say things like “jay! jay! jay!” or “quiludy, quiludy” or “thief! thief! thief!”).  He’s in his fifth and last year of “Dede Swimming Lessons” and is doing great, when he’s not being a smart alec.

Owen just turned two and for several days insisted that he was 14 (What does a toddler know about 14?)  A year ago he was still 3 months away from walking whereas now he runs everywhere and is quite athletic.  He’s also quite a talker; match that with his intensity and persistence and I can honestly say he never shuts up!  Look forward to me lamenting about how I don’t know what to do with a toddler who doesn’t listen and just generally does things he shouldn’t.  I will forever be saying, “Its a good thing he is cute.

Without the previous post I wouldn’t have realized how some things have also stayed the same.  Owen is still our little parrot: any thing you say will come back twice as loud and twice as much.  His monkey-see-monkey-do-ness means that he is doing lots of things Simon never got to do at this age like have a light-saber.  He’s right behind Simon in learning all about Star Wars (already knows as much as I do, seriously) to the point where he is Anakin and Simon is Luke Skywalker.  Daddy is Chewbacca.  Mommy tries to stay out of it.

Hear My Words that I Might Teach You May 27, 2008

SImon’s Kindergarten Class is doing an ABC Countdown–each of the last 26 days of school gets a letter (the day’s theme starts with that letter), with Z being the last day.

Today’s letter was N – New Word Day – and they were to introduce a word to the class that they may not have heard (I want to say that one of his friend’s words was gratitude…what a great word to teach kids!  I hope they all remember it).  Simon shared his dad’s favorite word: onomatopoeia.  Hopefully your seventh grade English comes rushing back to remind you that onomatopoeia is a word that imitates the sound it is describing:  zip, wham, ribbit, screech, plop, etc.  We’ve had fun all week coming up with examples and even Owen came up with a few like waaaah!!!  And of course he got in on the act because he is our little parrot, our mimic, our monkey-see-monkey-do.

Simon has quite the bump on his head from jumping up underneath the diving board (not once, but twice now) so when Gabe gave him a loving pat on the head and Owen followed up with a nice smack, it was not appreciated.  Last week, SImon was playing with Star Wars Legos and the Storm Troopers were moving in with lots of sound effects.  Owen had to get in on the act with an impressive “pshew, pshew” noise just like his big brother.  But my favorite imitation of the week was when his dad passed gas and Owen responded with “pbbbbbt!”  Now that’s onomatopoeia!

Friends are Friends Forever May 3, 2008

We just got back from a walk where we stopped at played at the neighborhood elementary school (which, incidentally, isn’t Simon’s school but that is another story). The weather was nice, the boys were having a great time and I was only a wee-bit stressed that Thing Two was brazenly crawling all over the bark and getting filthy. Simon was about this age the first time he actually got Dirty and it was not under my care (or Gabe’s, for that matter). Sure, kids get dirty but for the most part, mine don’t. Strike that. I will now say, “Mine didn’t,” because Owen is lost cause in such matters. How can he keep up with a big brother and hope to stay clean??? Anyway, things were just fine but then two families with a billion kids each (three) who weren’t all wearing shoes and several of which clearly had no sense of Things Going on Around Them came barreling into view and my mommy instinct told me we should go. It was only a matter of time before some dirty feet would come zooming down the slide and into Owen who was playing at the bottom. So I picked up the filthy little guy and told Simon we were done. He was disappointed but obeyed. As always.

On the way home there was a bit of a hill and I talked him into pushing the stroller up. It was touch-and-go for a stretch, but he is a trooper. We made it home, I stripped Owen down and got him occupied with some cupboard doors. Simon asked for some scissors and I hopped on the computer. A few minutes later Simon comes in with a Friendship Badge he had made. Goodness, that kid absolutely kills me sometimes. Even though we had to leave the park sooner than he wanted and he probably knew there was a fairly good chance he would be on “Brother Patrol” while I neglect my motherly duties and fool around on the computer, I was still deemed worthy.  That’s the great thing about being a mom.  It only takes one tiny, little thing to make all those Big Things (no sleep, stretch marks, T-Ball games) not at all important.  I hope I can remember that when I’m up with Owen at 3 am.

Let’s Hear It for the Boy May 1, 2008

A couple years ago I determined, without the help of Science even, that there is in fact a Loud Gene. I know this because Simon is loud, Gabe is loud, his brother is loud and even their dad can get loud. Get all four in a room and you’ll easily experience 80 decibels.

On Tuesday, Simon and I went to the local ceramics painting place so Simon could do some projects for his grandmas. I decided to paint a cute plaque and once it was all yellow, green and fabulous I realized I had to Put Something On It. Great. I could not think of anything clever or inspired–I even called Gabe who couldn’t be put on the spot (how could he be on the spot?? that’s where I was!). Simon and I discussed it for a while when I said I should write, “Boys Equal Noise.” He looked at me like I was the rudest woman in the world. So I painted four stick figures, put our last name on it and called it good.

But seriously, if I had a nickel for every time I asked a boy in this house to be quiet I could buy a lot of gumballs. And that’s not my usual tactic, I try to model the quieter behavior by talking just above a whisper but Simon doesn’t get it and I’m not really the boss of Gabe so I do what I can. It’s like my family suffers from Voice Immodulation Disorder.

Oh, and forget Owen. He is the loudest of them all. Just last night he was talking in the bath so loud that my ears hurt. We are becoming That Family at restaurants with the noisy kid. He sees food and just YELLS for it, takes a bite and YELLS about it, wants more and tells me so by YELLING. Currently he is banging a knitting needle against the metal baby gate and yelling about some social injustice (yes, I said knitting needle…he’ll be fine). But for now it is at least joyful yelling. God bless us when he learns to talk.

All We Need is Just a Little Patience April 23, 2008

I think I used to have patience.  Loads of it.  I could sit for hours and attend to the tiny details of sewing or knitting. I would give a book 100 pages before determining it wasn’t worth my time (and until recently, only one book didn’t make the cut: Insomnia by Stephen King). I could actually listen to someone as they chatted about something terribly mundane and keep eye contact, look interested and pay attention.

Maybe I used to be a better person?

Even after Simon was born I could do the above things.  His cousin, Lilly, really benefited from all that patience. Simon was Owen’s age when I made Lilly a quilt. That was followed by dresses, outfits, costumes and play clothes. Her sister, Brynn, does have an outfit and a poodle costume but my patience ran out by the time Ava came along.

It was sewing that made me notice this whole patience issue. This afternoon turned out to be nicer than expected and Gabe got new Nikes last night so the combination meant the boys were going for a walk. I stayed home to work on a skirt I want to wear Saturday. Halfway through cutting out the second piece (of four) I completely lost interest. The scissors were being stupid and I had no patience for it; I was frustrated and wanted to quit.  So I did. Here I was, with an empty house, no one to distract me and I couldn’t even bring myself to cut out a few hexagons.

I just quit reading a book because I didn’t have the patience for decoding Yiddish expressions and sounding out last names common to Eskimos.  A few years ago, that wouldn’t have stopped me.

I don’t even have the patience to think of a conclusion to all this.

If you’re happy and you know it April 21, 2008

For a few weeks now, Owen has been clapping. Excuse me, CLAPPING. Like everything else is his little world he claps with gusto, like its his job. Claps so hard he nearly falls over at times!

A few days ago I concluded that the world would be a much happier place if we all clapped after doing something. Strike that. After doing everything, just like Owen. Eat breakfast. <clap> Brush Teeth. <clap> Turn off the light. <clap> Stand up. <clap> The list could go on and on.

Then this morning as I was wrestling to get someone’s pants buttoned and had to resort to blowing raspberries on his neck for a little distraction (not Gabe’s…he’s out of town) I had another idea. Wouldn’t it be fun to spend a day treating others as you would a toddler? Get in the barrista’s face and say, “Mmmo-ka. Say mmmooo-kaaa. Mocha.” You don’t want your boss in your office? Just pick him up, put him on the floor with a graham cracker and shut the door. When someone at the grocery store is moving too slow give them a few “gooses” so they pick up the pace. If your waitress looks a little cranky, “get her under there” and tickle her neck.

Good times.

The Driver on the Bus Says… April 16, 2008

When I started working in November, Simon lost his status of a “Parent Pick-Up” kid four days a week.  A thirty-minute bus ride brings him about a block from our church.  He LOVES the bus, even when he’s squished between two girls, one of which is tickling him.

On cold days I will sometimes drive to the bus stop and wait in the car.  I get out when I see the bus so as to walk Simon across the street.  Yesterday I was watching the kids line-up in the aisle to leave when Bus Driver Barb sticks her arm out, stopping the line, and motions me to come to the door.  Gulp.  She tells me, “I just want you to know how good Simon is on the bus and how much I enjoy having him.”  I thank her and tell her how much Simon likes the bus (and then said a little prayer of thanks because even when your child spends most of their time being “good,” because you just never know).

This Barb the Bus Driver is a hoot.  She sings different songs that corresponds with each stop.  Simon gets off with the kiddos from Community Childcare Center so their song is a sailor went to CCC to see what he could CCC…  In addition to being funny she must be part saint as an hour of her day is spent will ALL KINDERGARTNERS on her bus. 

No Sleep ’till Brooklyn April 15, 2008

At Owen’s 9 month appointment, Dr. Mike made the comment, “There are those children who need less sleep than their parents…”

Owen didn’t take a nap today until after 1pm today and has never been happier. As a parent you tell yourself they aren’t doing it on purpose, but you can’t be 100% sure. Especially when they fall asleep in your arms for two whole minutes then their eyes POP open, they smile and promptly smack you on the face with a “love pat” as if to say, “You are a sucker, aren’t you??”

So tonight is THE NIGHT. A week ago the sleep deprived part of our brains talked us into buying a CD with a 90-day money-back guarantee to have Owen sleeping. I was a little mad that for 15 bucks I could have been getting a full night’s sleep months ago, but better late than never I suppose. The CD is nine lullabies with a heartbeat in the background and on our stereo it sounds like you are inside of someone. On the CD player in the boy’s room it is merely an off-beat bass drum. Either way, I hope it works.