Dancing Fool

What can I say, the girl's a dancin' fool!

This morning with the boy

Baba said to me this morning, "I was thinking, Mom. When we get our new house we should have 3 dogs."

I said, "3 dogs?"

Baba said, "Yes. I was thinking about 4, but then I thought that might be too many. So I need a little black dog named 'Toto' and a dog to be a friend for Toto. And dad needs a hunting dog. So we need 3 dogs."

"Talk to your father," I replied.

After the dog discussion, Baba was climbing over to my lap to finish my cereal. He had only eaten one bowl of cereal and one jelly sandwich, so I could see how he was still hungry. He bumped his knee and said, "Oh! I hurt my patella. I need you to read the Star Wars cookbook to me, that will make me feel better."

Dude, you are getting a Dell!

My yearning for a new computer has been upgraded from a want to a need. I was just going to get another laptop for portability reasons (I like to drive 14 hours for a weekend of playing the Sims in peace), but there is a HUGE problem in that plan.

Sims 3 comes out June 2 and Diablo III comes out sometime in the near future (no release date that I can find has been set). Both will be slow to play on a laptop. Neither game is really built for a laptop.

Now, I just can't decide what to get.

Excuses, excuses

As of today, it has been 2 weeks since Zippy's children started getting sick (they are my children when they are healthy, well-behaved, and cute). Since then, I have been to the doctor's office 5 times, filled 4 prescriptions, and 1 child got a shot of some sort of penicillin. The kids have had strep throat, an ear infection, stomach flu, diarrhea, and Rudy has almost been hospitalized (twice!) for dehydration. As in the doctor saying, "She should probably be in the hospital, but if you'd rather keep her home, I'm okay with waiting another 12 hours to see if she improves."


During this time, I also costumed 33 characters (most with at least one costume change, 2 with seven costumes changes) and planned a Star Wars birthday party extravaganza for a very happy 4 year old. Last week, I had over 20 hours of rehearsal. This week, thankfully, we only had 5 hours. We open tomorrow night.

I have been pooped on, puked on, and watched Care Bears until I thought I was going to personally maul those freakin' bears! Baba's record tempature was 102, Rudy has a very low body temp due to dehydration (her extremities are like ice cubes and are a brilliant shade of purple). I am half tempted to take a picture of her for prosperity, but she just looks too pathetic.

But, for whatever reason, neither Zippy or I have gotten whatever it is these little germ factories are producing. I've done at least 3 loads of pukey/poopy laundry a day for the past 2 weeks (you do the math) and my hands are cracked from washing them every ten minutes.

I need a stiff drink and a nap.

I think the little people are getting better. Baba has been a trouper through all the trips to the doctor (for him and his sister), but now they are to the stage where they don't feel well enough to play like they usually do, but don't feel sick enough to lay on the couch all day. All we need now is for Rudy to slow down on the current defecating schedule so she can rehydrate and stay out of the hospital. At least her doctor is on call this weekend and Rudy's doc gave me her cell phone number in case I need anything. I think she felt sorry for me.

As well she should. I feel sorry for me. :-)

One less thing to worry about....

We were watching the scene in Attach of the Clones (or Re-tach of the Cones, depending on who you are talking to) where Anakin returns after killing the Tusken Raiders and is talking to Padme.

Baba says, "Mom! Is Anakin so angry that he can't eat his breakfast."

I say, "I guess so."

In the million times I have seen that movie, I have NEVER noticed Anakin misses a meal.

Baba says, "I could never be a dark jedi. I could never be angry enough to miss breakfast."

Good to know.

When Baba was little, I bought a tunnel for him to play in. I thought it was to crawl through. Apparently, I was wrong.

Apparently, its to wear.

What are they so afraid of?

At Target, I overheard a dad telling his son he couldn't go down the doll aisle because that was just for "girls." I've heard dad's tell their sons that they can't have a kitchen set, a baby doll, or a play vacuum because they are just for "girls."

I let Baba play with my Barbies. I read him American Girl books. He loves to cook with me. I don't really see this as a problem. Growing up, I loved playing with my actions figures as much as I liked my Barbies. I loved building with my legos more than I liked baking with my easy bake oven. I always wanted to be a boy scout, not a girl scout. I played with what I was interested in, not what I was "supposed" to play with.

So why do I get the "I can't believe you are letting your son play with Barbies" and/or "I can't believe you are reading him American Girl books" when I mention these things? I am trying to let him explore all his interests, not just the ones that are "acceptable" for his gender. He pranced around preschool one day wearing a pink party dress while playing dress up with some girls. Not only did I not care that he was wearing a dress, I encouraged it because it was making the other mom's around uncomfortable.

I often get asked how my husband feels about all of this. I usually asked, "All of what?" I don't believe that letting my son play with dolls and/or dresses is going to make him any more or any less gay then he may or may not be. I truly believe that he cannot choose or control his sexuality. All I care is he ends up with a nice person (be it man or woman) and provides me with grandkids because that is the ONLY reason why I had these kids in the first place - to be a grandma.

I never cease to be amazed at how closed minded people can be. You can judge me all you want, but please don't ruin something my son loves because you feel that its not "gender" appropriate. There is so little time to explore interests with uninfluenced passion, please don't ruin that for him.

'Tar Wars 'Tuff

We brought home one blue plastic storage bin (3 more remain at my parents house) of my Star Wars stuff because Baba is SO into 'Tar Wars right now. We watch at least 2 'Tar Wars movies a day. He's seen them all except Revenge of the Sith. Zippy and I think he needs to be a little older because its the darkest of all of them (and Anakin becomes Darth Vader) but Baba keeps trying to to "trick" us into watching it.

Baba wanted to play 'tar Wars. Zippy got the plastic storage bin down and asked me if there was anything in there that Baba couldn't play with. I said that everything in there was okay, thinking that Zippy would pull out the Star Wars stamp markers and my Millenium Falcon scissors. My mistake. Never assume.

Baba played happily for a long time until I noticed he was quiet. Too quiet.

At least he only wrote on his hands.

Mom! My socks are stuck!

My baby's in Trouble!

I was in the bathroom brushing my hair this morning when I heard Baba yell, "Mom!!! My baby's in trouble!"

Since I didn't hear Rudy crying and my house is perfectly child proofed (and adult proofed - the locks on my hutch are a bizatch to get into), I wasn't too worried. But, being the good Mom I am, I went down the hall to Baba's room to investigate.

Me: What's wrong, Baba?

Baba: She's 'tanding!

I look and see that Rudy is 'tanding in the middle of the boy's room. Not quite sure how she got into a 'tanding position because there was nothing to pull up any where around her.....

Me: That's okay. She's practising standing.

Baba: I don't like it. She could fall and get hurt.

What is he going to do when "his" baby is ready for school?

On the coldest day in 5 years....

Generally, it is an up hill battle to get Baba out of his pajamas. He is just not interested in getting his pajama's off because pj's are so comfy, cozy, and other things among his 9,574 other excuses for not getting dressed.

I was eating my Kix and Reece's Puffs mix for breakfast this morning (I highly recommend mixing cereal. Yum!) and I turned around. The boy was darn near naked. I laughed so hard cereal almost came out of nose.

I said, "Why are you naked?"
Baba said, "I'm not naked. I have my undies and socks on."

I said, "Why are you in your undies and socks."
Baba said, "Because my pj's came off!"


Its the coldest day of the year and my child is running around in his under-roos. He says he's not cold because he is a polar bear, but he did mention the chair was cold when he stole my cereal and sat down to eat it.

PS I brought down clothes for him to wear and have been nagging him to get dressed for the past 30 minutes or so. Now his clothes are missing and he isn't sure where they went. I can only conclude his clothes have a mind of their own.

Sinner!

Yesterday afternoon my phone rang with an unknown number. I usually don't pick up if I don't recognize the number, but it was a local area code and River City Theater has about 14 different phone numbers they call me from, so I answered thinking that our rehearsal location/date/production had been changed. Again.

It wasn't River City Theater.

It was our pastor. My first that was, "Oh crap! He's going to ask why we haven't been in church since Christmas Eve. Really!? I can't miss a few Sundays without the pastor giving me a call!? What's up with that? I'm sorry we ever started going to that church."

He was actually calling to remind me that registration for Grandma's Marathon opens today. We spoke for a few minutes with no comment on our spotty church attendance, just a pleasant conversation on the joys of training for a marathon. He said he was filling out his registration and thought of me and how busy you are with little kids and thought I might have forgotten that registration opened today. I thanked him for thinking of me. All in all, it was a pleasant conversation. Although, I think he muttered, "sinner" under his breath when he hung up.

5 pieces of bread

There were 5 pieces of bread consumed at my house this morning. I had none, the girl had 1, and the boy had 4. Yes, 4. Two toasted with jelly, two without toasted but with jelly.

So, to the dude at the food store with his snide comment of "Like bread, do you?" upon seeing the 6 loaves of bread in my cart. No, I don't really like bread, but my kids do. And as an FYI the 2 gallons of milk I bought, sir, will last about a week.

Baba Babysits

Rudy is obsessed with the steps and is a quick little bugger so you have to watch her constantly. You turn your back for 2 seconds and she's halfway up. Baba is obsessed with "watching" his baby and loves volunteering to "watch" her so I can go to the bathroom, start supper, make a snack, etc.

Baba wanted a snack this afternoon and volunteered to watch his sister while I fixed his 87th snack of the day. I said okay, but to let me know if she started on the steps. He agreed.

I fixed his snack and came around the corner. "Where's your sister?" I asked.

"On the 'teps!" Baba yelled.

I said, "I thought you were watching her."

He said, "I was. But I needed a break."

He had been "watching" her for about 30 seconds.

I rescued Rudy from the steps and they happily went back to playing with the cat toy (which I got on clearance at Target for 29 cents. Next year, Santa is bringing boxes, cat toys, and more boxes).

Grocery Store Math

Now I remember what I was really going to blog about.....

I was at the grocery store today and came across this math problem:

128 ounces of OJ for 2.99

OR

64 ounces of OJ on sale for 2 for $6

Do I need to slow down? Should I repeat the question? It was a tough choice. I had to call my dad.

Someday....(insert lyrics from your fav song with someday in it)

To quote ZennieZou, "I've a bad blog keeper-upper guyer (I'm adding guyer because that's what the boy would say)."

My poor neglected blog has taken a backseat to my new hobby, reading several books at once. For example, I'm reading: America, the book by Jon Stewart, Pollyanna by some lady, and Harry Pothead and the Half Blood Prince by another lady. America and 1/2 Blood by choice, Pollyanna because I'm auditioning next week and have very vague memories of the movie with Haley Mills.

I have really cute holiday pictures of the kids. Someday (July is looking pretty open) they'll get posted. Until then, wish me luck auditioning - here's hoping I don't get confused and start acting out scenes from Harry Potter.

Santa

Baba has been very concerned about everyone, not just him, getting presents lately. He was quite worried when, as of last Friday, there was NOTHING for me under the tree. Zippy took him shopping so he no longer has that to worry about.

But today at Target, he asked me what Santa was bringing me. I said I didn't know and asked what he thought Santa should bring me. He thought for a moment and said, "a new shirt without holes and new pants."

So, my three year old has noticed that my favorite sweatshirt has a hole in the sleeve. I was kind of embarrassed at first, but there's a good chance I won't stop wearing it. I really like it. I hope Baba isn't too disappointed when Santa brings me Season 2 of Ducktales instead of a new shirt.

Angry Boy

The boy was angry at me the other day. He glared at me and said, "MOMUA HAROLD!!"

I laughed.

To my dear friend, ZennieZou

My dearest ZennieZou,

If you EVER give me another Danielle Steel book to read I may have to stop being your friend. I really tried to like her because she came highly recommended from you, but I can't.

I read that one about the kids on the Titanic for you. By the end of the book, I had wished they had all gone down with the ship.

I am currently trying to read Sisters. I've had it for 3 years and I feel it is time to return it. The English major in me won't let me return a book I haven't read.

So far, it is harder for me to get into than when I read Canterbury Tales in Olde Englishe in college. By the second chapter, I was skipping paragraphs. By the third, I was skipping pages. By the fourth, I was hoping they would all get hit with an meteorite and then next 200 pages would be "The End" written over and over and over. No such luck.

I keep reading, however. I trust your judgement and am hoping by the end of the book it redeems itself (or they all die in horrible, bloody, gory, etc accidents that make me feel that reading it has worthwhile. Its like when you are stuck in traffic and think "Man, there better be a BIG accident to cause these delays.").

But, I really like being your friend so no more Danielle Steel, okay? Every other book you have ever sent me has been readable and enjoyable. If you send me more Danielle Steel, I may have to tell Dumbly you are not setting your thermostat within 10 degrees of the outside temperature.

Thanks,

ZarahZou

PS stupid snow. I'm really bummed about cancelling our play date. Wanna have a play date in Florida?

Same tree, same crap, I mean, same BEAUTIFUL stuff

A couple weekends ago, we decorated our parents Christmas tree. I do believe we out did ourselves this year.

We found the beautiful Styrofoam ball with three dots of glitter left that my mom always tries to hid from us. She said, "What until you have kids..." I have kids. One of whom made a beautiful blue glitter Styrofoam ball that he promptly dropped on the floor and got glitter in between my floor boards that I'll never get out. The ball is hanging on our tree and the boy is forbidden to touch it, to think about touching it, or look at it.

Even better than the Styrofoams ball (what says Christmas more than glittery Styrofoam?) was this yellow ornament I found in the box. Apparently, its actually a twist-tie, but it was in the box so it was fair game.

And this ornament I found in the box that my mom said, "Don't go in that box. There's just junk in there." Open invitation. If she really didn't want us in that box, she wouldn't have said anything about its contents.

My new concept in decorating - try the ornament out for the season, if you don't like it, take it back. Just leave it in the bag! As an added bonus, you'll never have to dust your ornaments, just shake the bag off at the end of the season.

After all our treasures where on the tree (my dad and uncle were going to contribute the yule beer cans later), we crawled under and screamed Silver Bells until Rudy cried. Ditty's friend from college even got to share in the family fun.