Entries from June 2008

Hands-Free? Yeah Right!

June 30, 2008 · 3 Comments

So usually this is all about my kids and their silly antics, but tonight I am a bit peeved. You see I live in California and as of midnight, it will be illegal to hold your cell phone to your ear and drive at the same time. How many freaking studies will it take for the idiots in charge to realize that crappy driving has more to do with talking period, rather than with holding the darn phone in your hand?

I am seriously more afraid of crashing my ~BRAND NEW MINIVAN~ while trying to figure out the damn Bluetooth than I am of crashing my car because I am holding the phone with one hand. I am pretty technologically savvy. I can figure out most computer programs, electrical products and cameras with relative ease. But the freaking Bluetooth is eluding my brain’s miniscule capabilities.

I get the dumb thing “paired,” then call myself using the house phone. I answer it and feel a bit smug that it was so easy. Then I tried to turn the Bluetooth off. I pressed and held the power button for about three seconds. I release the power button and suddenly the house phone rings. My damn cell phone is calling the house phone. CRAP!

So I hang up and try again. This time I hold the power button for about five seconds. CRAP AGAIN! Same result.

So the third time, I figure I’ll just hold the damn power button until it shuts off. After about 8 seconds the blue light starts flashing rapidly and I figure EUREKA! I figured it out. It is going to shut off. Then what happened? The damn house phone starts ringing. Just as I am about to throw the Bluetooth through the nearest window, the talking caller ID on the house phone declares that it’s my cousin, Jay, calling. {actually it said “private caller” but it was my cousin} So Jay, Aunt Susie thanks you for calling and saving the kitchen window. {Yes, we are still visiting the parental unit}

And yes, the damn thing finally shut off.

So tomorrow if you call me and after we hang up, I call you back 18 times. I’m sorry. I am just not smart enough to figure out how to turn off the Bluetooth.

I’m not the only one who’s not onboard with this crazy law. These people did actual research to prove their point.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/bottleneck/2008/06/what-might-the.html

http://smallbizthoughts.blogspot.com/2008/06/new-cell-phone-law-dont-be-stupid.html

Categories: Minivan · Uncategorized
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Well I Did It…

June 30, 2008 · 10 Comments

On Saturday night I did it. I did the one thing that I said I would NEVER do. With the Husband by my side, we did it together. I am still a bit shocked that we did it, but the proof is right there in front of my face.

We traded in my Jeep and bought a minivan. Yes, that’s right, we bough a mom-mobile, I said I would never drive one, but damnit the thing is practical and really nice to drive. I cannot believe that I just wrote that.

You see my mom had one of the first ever created minivans when I was in Junior High. She would drive me to school in the hideous, faux-wood paneled gold Caravan. I vowed from those early days to never drive a minivan.

I don’t know exactly what happened in my brain. Well I suppose it was the fact that gas for my 14-MPG Jeep costs about a jillion dollars each month. And that every other week I cuss and yell as I try to load up all of the junk that we take down to San Diego when we visit. {Not to mention the nails that I invariably break while trying to pack said stuff in the Jeep}.

The Husband’s been trying to convince me to get another Mazda5 like he drives. Yes, the 26-MPG is inviting. The problem with the Mazda5 is that it’s a bit small when it comes to the distance between the Big One’s feet and the back of the passenger seat. Her incessant kicking drives me batty.

The minivan solves most of our problems. It’s got cargo space up the wazoo, the Big One’s legs don’t reach the back of the passenger seat {yes I know they will someday, but I’m not ready for it yet}. It’s supposed to get about 17 and 23 MPG, so that helps a little bit. And honestly it’s about 800 times more comfortable than the Jeep. So yes, we did it.

By the way, we got a 2008 Toyota Sienna. Now all I need to do is go get a DVD player installed {another thing I said I would never do} and then maybe the 3.5 hour drive to San Diego won’t seem to painful. I love visiting the family, but man that’s a long drive with my kids.

Categories: Minivan · Uncategorized
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Easy Bruisers…

June 27, 2008 · 3 Comments

One thing both girls definitely inherited from me in their tendency to bruise easily. The slightest bump leaves black and blue marks on their little bodies. Quite frequently, when the Husband comes home from work he jokingly asks if I was beating the kids that day because of bruised shins, or scraped knees.

So today, the Little One and I met our fabulous friend, Karen, and her little girl for some play time a at local café that has an indoor play area. Of course the Little One didn’t want to be left in the play area, instead she wanted to play with the diaper bag and the chair I was sitting in.

While reaching for a dropped graham cracker, the Little One lost her balance and crashed face first into the chair I was sitting on. It was one of those double bumps, she first hit her forehead and then her cheek bounced off the chair. Needless to say she’s got a nice bruise on her check to remember this play date.

I called the Husband and left him a message on his voicemail saying that I had a witness today, I did not beat the Little One, she did it all on her own.

Shortly after I left the message, the Husband called me and the conversation went like this:

FIXITMOMMY: Hello
HUSBAND: Okay, I just have to say, I did NOT beat the Big One, she did it all on her own.

Touché.

Apparently both my girls have had rough days. The Big One was eating her snack at camp, lost her balance and toppled over backwards off a bench, bonking her head. At least with her bump, her hair will cover the mark!

Anyone got any ice? Or tips for covering the bruises?

Categories: The Big One · The Little One · Uncategorized
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I Need Directions! How do You Remove the Puked on Clothes?

June 26, 2008 · 5 Comments

I know the Big One is three years old and I should know how to do this by now, but I guess I have been fortunate in the kid puking department. So, yes I am a bit lost. {yes, I can count the number of times my kids have thrown up on one hand}

So tonight the bone-head Husband decided that the Little One needed to try his Diet Dr. Pepper. Why, he decided this, I’ll never know. But what I do know is that her tummy didn’t appreciate this little taste. So she spit up a bit on her jammies. It was really more like a wet burp, that actual spit up, but either way it smelled yucky.

Without really thinking I pulled off her pajama top and changed her shirt. As we rocked a bit before bedtime, I noticed her little head smelled like barf. There really wasn’t that much on her shirt, so I am honestly surprised at how bad her head smelled. So as I sat there rocking her and trying to avoid contact with her stinky little head {bad mom I know I should have at least gotten a wipe to try and get the smell off, but I was tired!} I contemplated what I would have done differently to remove the offending shirt.

Honest to goodness I couldn’t come up with anything better than plopping her back in the bath tub with her jammies on, or getting a pair of scissors and ruining the pajamas. Again, I was tired so those were not options.

When the Big Kid has puked all over her clothes or jammies, I never really had this dilemna, it was obvious that she was going in the bath tub. So I am wondering when there is just a bit if puke, how do you remove the offending clothing while keeping the kid clean? Is it possible? I don’t think so, so please enlighten me if you know the magic answer.

Categories: The Little One · puke
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So Easy With One

June 24, 2008 · 2 Comments

When the Big One was little, I used to dread taking her to the store, mall or to run errands. I used to think it was difficult to take her places. Then I had the Little One. Having two munchkins in tow added a whole new dimension to the shopping and errand-running adventures. I guess over the last year or so I have gotten used to the noise, whining and constant begging for something to hold.

This week the Big One is in Day Camp all day long so it’s just me and the Little One. Today while we were out running errands I realized how amazingly easy it is to just have one to go shopping with. The Little One was perfectly content to ride in her stroller all over the store. She chatted with everyone we passed. She waited patiently as I shopped for my mom’s birthday present. She just chilled while I tried to find the perfect birthday card. She even sat there perfectly quiet while I tried in tennis shoes. She was a rock star.

It’s amazing to me how easy it was to just have the one. I can’t believe that I used to complain about taking just one of them out in public. I love them both dearly, but I’d choose to just take one out at a time any day over taking them both out together.

Categories: The Little One · Uncategorized
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The Worst Road Trip … So Far

June 21, 2008 · 2 Comments

So as we become expert road trippers, I assume the adventures will just get better and better, but up to this point yesterday’s was the worst so far.

It started off regularly enough, me by myself, loading the car with all the gear, both kids whining and the Husband calling to see if we are on the road yet. We pulled out of the driveway at about 9:30 a.m., not too bad considering my goal is 9 a.m. We don’t get very far when I realized that I forgot the sunscreen. So we turn around and I run in, get the sunscreen and we actually hit the road closer to about 9:40 a.m.

The traffic isn’t bad so, we were cruising along except for the 7 mile stretch that we were in the “no passing zone” stuck behind three motorcycle going about 45 mph. Once we get to the 15 we are free and clear.  Somewhere around Corona the Little One starts wailing like she hadn’t eaten in five days. Since the Big One is so picky, I start praying that we can make it about 4 more miles to the Carl’s Jr. {apparently chicken stars are the only real acceptable form of chicken.}

We get to Carl’s and by the grace of God find parking spot in the shade. Considering it was 105 degrees outside, I was eternally grateful for the fully shaded spot. We order our food, sit down and wait for it to be delivered. The Big One starts to complain that her tummy hurt. Normally when she is hungry she confuses it with a tummy ache. So I assume that it’s just that she is hungry and once she gets some chicken in her she will be fine.

The Big One eats a chicken star and drinks some water. She tells me again that her tummy hurts. I figure she is tired, whining, it’s 105 degrees outside and we’ve already been in the car for almost two hours. I assume she is tired and crabby and the tummy ache will pass. The Little One and I finish up our lunch and I ask the Big One if she wants to go potty before we get back in the car. She says yes, so I clean up our trash and pick the Little One up from the high chair when the Big One announces, “I’m gonna get sick.” Seeing as how the Carls’ Jr. is now full of people, I grabbed her by the arm and make a bee line for the bathroom.

She says again and again that she is going to get sick. Yes, we were sitting as far away from the bathrooms as possible so it was a long journey. Again the good Lord above was smiling at us and the big stall was open. {the bathroom is only a two seater and considering the number of people in the restaurant it is a miracle that it was empty.}

I tell the Big One to go ahead and get sick in the toilet. She starts crying, “I don’t want to get sick…. I don’t want to get sick.” Meanwhile I am trying to calm her down and reassure her it will be okay and she will feel better once she throws up. {just a side note, the child has puked four times in her entire life… once in the car and the other three in bed.}

She will not have any of this, she is freaked out by the prospect of puking in the toilet, so I reach for the little plastic bag in the feminine hygiene trash can in the stall. Miracle number three, the bag is clean and empty. So I hold the bag over the toilet and she throws up in the bag.

By now you should be wondering what was the Little One doing at this point? Well, I’ll tell you, she was foraging through my purse for food. She found the box with the leftover chicken stars, opened the box and was systematically taking a chicken star out, eating one bite, and placing it on the bathroom floor. Once she got through the stars in the box she started at the beginning picking them up off the bathroom floor taking a bite and placing it back on the floor.

So while the Big One is puking in the little bag over the toilet, the Little One is eating off the bathroom floor and I can hear at least four people waiting in line for the bathroom. Yes, we had a great time at the Carl’s Jr. on Temescal Canyon Road.

To group of lovely young ladies who were waiting in line, I am terribly sorry. And to your future husbands who wanted to have children, I am terribly sorry that your wives will no longer want children.

 

Categories: Potty Training · The Big One · The Little One · Uncategorized
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A Little Slow?

June 18, 2008 · 2 Comments

I have often heard that the second child is typically a little quicker to hit major milestones than their older siblings. The theory being they want to keep up with their older siblings so they walk earlier and talk earlier.

Well the Little One is definitely not in that camp. It could be that the Big One talks non-stop from the moment her eyes open until she finally talks herself to sleep, so it’s nearly impossible for the Little One {or anyone for that matter} to get a word in edge wise. I totally get why she doesn’t talk. And quite frankly I am a bit relieved because I know that when that switch finally goes on, she will be like her sister and talk non-stop.

At 14 months, the Little One is also not walking yet. She will walk with someone holding her fingers. You know that wobbly, eager, lunging walk that they do. It’s awesome to watch and be a part of. To see her eyes light up on and the grin on her face as she realizes that she is making forward progress, and it’s not on her knees is a sight to behold.

But once you let go of her fingers she is off to the races on her knees. She doesn’t typically do a normal crawl. Instead she usually crawls on one knee with the other foot scooting her along. Sometimes she does put both knees down and this is where we run into problems.

She gets herself going so fast that she gets all tangled up in her arms and legs. You’ve all seen a kid do it. They are crawling along, increasing the speed with which they propel forward and then suddenly they collapse. The knees catch up with the hands and they can’t control the motion so they belly flop onto the ground.

Normally the Little One laughs a little, shakes it off and gets back up on her knees again. Normally she gets her chest down first so there is no harm or foul when she collapses on the floor. Normally she is on the carpet chasing her sister when it happens so she has a nice softer spot to land on.

The other day was not so normal. The Little One was on the tile when she collapsed. She didn’t get her chest down first and she definitely didn’t laugh when she collapsed face first into the tile.

In case you are wondering, lips bleed…. And they bleed a lot. Her front teeth cut part way through her upper lip. You know that little spot that attaches your upper lip to your gums? That spots bleeds a lot too.

So, no it doesn’t bother me {or worry me} that the Little One isn’t talking. It really doesn’t worry me too much that she isn’t walking. However, I am not a fan of blood so I wish she would let go and start walking. After all watching them take their first steps unassisted is a hundred times more awesome than the finger-holding walk that comes first.

Categories: The Little One · Uncategorized
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Meet My Friend … Karma

June 13, 2008 · 2 Comments

Our Air Force friends will probably get the irony of this much quicker than those civilians who read this uber-entertaining blog, but I had to share it nonetheless.

Photobucket

Here’s a link to an interesting little article about our buddies, {FORMER}Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne, left, and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley.
Lovely article link

Why is this so bittersweet for us? Click here to find out.

I hope you and my friend, Karma, have a great day!

ETA: I figure I should add this little tidbit that further added to the sting of being RIF’d. Here’s a link to an article where Wynne said that the drawdown {force shaping} was not going to continue because it was “not working.” That was a nice slap in the face to those of us who had already been cut.

Categories: Uncategorized
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The Big Questions #3 ~ Rotten Bananas

June 12, 2008 · 2 Comments

Ok, so I have some questions that I need some input on. Here is the third one:

This is a quickie… How is it possible for rotten bananas to smell so horrific, yet when you bake them into banana the result is so yummy?

I am trying a new banana bread recipe today and thought of this as I was gagging and mashing the bananas. Here’s the new recipe I am trying today:

Chocolate Banana Bread

I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Categories: The Big Questions · Uncategorized
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Me and My Big Mouth

June 10, 2008 · 3 Comments

So now I know to not brag about the Big One’s bladder holding prowess. Yes, she apparently can hold the pee for a while, the poop not so much.

She just announced, “Mommy, I just pooping.” As I scooped her up and raced toward the potty, the smell told me clearly that it was too late. So while she can announce that she has to pee and wait a while. I know now that we need some serious work on the pooping and recognizing when we need to go.

Note to Self: Do NOT leave the Big One and the Little One alone in the potty even if it’s just to run upstairs and get some more flushable wipes. I know this rule all too well. I guess it was my desire to escape the smell of the poop filled panties that clouded my judgment.

Since she was on the potty, the Big One peed. And as usual she celebrated by running around downstairs announcing that she peed. This of course leaves the Little One alone in the bathroom with a pee-filled potty that’s just the right size for her little hand to reach into. I’ll stop there; I know you can imagine the rest.

Categories: Potty Training · The Big One · The Little One
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