Ribs

Yesterday, we were out running some errands and I had a hankerin' for some ribs. I had a gift card to Chili's, so I figured that was the place to go. In recent months, Jr. has discovered that he is also a fan of ribs. Luckily, Chili's had a kids rib special, which he ordered. His was a half rack and mine was a full rack. Once he got it, he dug in and had polished off all of his ribs, discarded them in the bone pile and started asking me for some of mine, before I had barely eaten 3. There was BBQ sauce all over the place, but he was as happy as could be. I guess he really is my son. I am proud of the boy. I wish I had a picture, but unfortunately we did not have the camera with us.

A Very Merry Christmas!

Way back before we were married, my college roommates and I talked G into taking us in his Jeep to buy a real Christmas tree (in Utah). It turns out he was furious about that (because we got his beloved Jeep dirty) but was so madly in love with me, he couldn't turn us down. Once we got married he pulled the old bait and switch and has REFUSED to let me have a real tree since. It's taken me ten years, but I finally talked him into it. A really good friend was doing a fundraiser selling trees and Buddy really wanted one too. It turns out a 4-year old is a lot more persuasive than an old wife. It wasn't a beautiful tree by any means, but I loved it. We have several sentimental ornaments which Buddy so nicely put all in one place on the lower back area of the tree. (And yes, he notices if I try to move one around. "Hey! I didn't put that there!!!")

Here's Buddy decorating the tree and my sweet boys tonight in their new Christmas PJ's:

Today is my 31st Birthday. This is the first year I've thought to myself, "Oh no. Not ANOTHER Birthday." All the other years it's come around and I've been excited. But although I don't look a day older than 16, I'm starting to feel, well, like I'm in my 30's and I don't like it. Anyway, I bring up the old bday just so I can share my treasured gift from G this year. He got me some Vans, and a sweater and this lovely trophy:

I have a bad habit of telling G, "I really deserve an award for that" when I do something I think is great. Well, by golly he got the hint and had this trophy made and engraved with my name and "World's Greatest Wife." Of course for the past several days he's been anxious for me to open my presents and honestly, this is not what I expected. But I'll tell you, I laughed so hard I literally had tears running down my face.

Never a dull moment or birthday with G and Buddy around. I think I'm the LUCKIEST wife in the world!

Compliments

It's a good thing my self-esteem isn't based on how Buddy feels about me. A few weeks ago I was stressed so I was just planning on staying home all day and doing housework. I did take a shower, but after that I went to the gym and I never did my hair or makeup or anything. Halfway through the day, Buddy looked at me and said, "Mom have you showered today?" I don't really look any too great on a good day, but gosh, that's pretty bad when your son can tell when you haven't gotten ready for the day.

And then today, he asked me, "When did your sweatshirt get too small for you?"

In his defense, he just grew out of his clothes, so I've said that to him a few times lately. But again, that's not good at all when your son notices you're also hitting a growth spurt.

Life as Normal?

Now that we have the baby and we are trying to get into a routine, everything should be getting back to normal, right? Yet for some reason, I have more to do at work, M has more to do at home, and we don't remember the last time we spent an evening together. Despite how crazy things are, we do intend to keep up with the blog and contribute. M will probably continue to make crazy-long entries and I will continue with the same sort of jackassery that you would expect. For all 3 of you who read our blog, keep checking in. We will keep updating.

Welcome Pee-Wee to Our Blog

Since we pretty much only have 4 readers and you all know about Pee-Wee's birth, we thought we'd spare a repeat of the details. Instead, enjoy a few adorable pictures.

Pee-Wee, we love you more than words can say. You have already brought us so much joy and peace to our family. We are so glad you finally arrived!!!!!

Priorities II

I fear that my post is really going to showcase the different levels of maturity of M and me. While she was having all of these great experiences in Las Vegas, it is now my turn to tell what I did. When M decided to go to Las Vegas to visit her friend and see Jr’s birthmom, I though that it would be a great opportunity to get my cousin to come out and keep me company while she was gone. My cousin and I have always been close. We are similar enough in personality that we get along great and different enough in our tastes to keep it interesting. When he got here, I told him that my goal was to make it so that he could hardly stay awake at work when he got back. I think that I accomplished this, but it also had the same affect on me.

The evening my cousin flew in, we decided to go to happy hour at Stanfords. I'd always heard about happy hour, but since I don't drink, I had never had occasion to go. When the appetizers are at most $3 and we could eat a ton of food for not a whole lot of money, I now realize what I've been missing. It was great.

The next day we got up and drove to Multnomah Falls. My cousin wanted to hike to the top of the falls, so that's what we did. As it turns out, I was in a little better shape than him (sorry dude, it's true). We hiked back down and drove to Hood River. We had lunch there and then drove up Mt. Hood to look at some of the local ski resorts. We didn't get a real early start because we were out late the night before, so by the time we got back into Portland, it was getting kinda late. However, because it was later, we decided to hit another happy hour. This time we ate at McCormick & Schmicks. Again another fabulous meal of appetizers for not a whole lot of money.









Saturday we got up late, once again and headed on down to Saturday's Market. It was fun to see all of the crazies out. After hanging out there and eating, we got on the max and went to Pioneer Courthouse Square. Again, we saw more crazies. After a while we got bored and then drove up to the Rose Gardens. We still had some time to kill and since I have been contemplating replacing our Honda in a year or so, we hit the Acura dealership and I test drove a new Acura TL Type-S. It was awesome. I need to make a lot more money than I do in order to afford it. Later that night we met up with some friends and after we realized that our "free" tickets to a comedy club were not really free, we ended up at Vill.age Inn. We went back over to our friends' house for some Nintendo Wii.

The next day was our coast tour. We drove out to the Tillamook Cheese Factory (one of my absolute favorite places) and sampled some cheese and got some food. Then we drove to Pacific City and hung out at the beach for a little while. When we drove to Lincoln City and messed around there for a while. We had dinner at Moe's and then started back to Portland. My cousin and I had an ongoing bet to see who could go the longest without diarrhea while he was here. Unfortunately for me, around Sheridan, I lost and had to drive into town to find a bathroom. We made it back home and hung out for a bit. Then in one more last effort to go to happy hour, we went back to Stanfords for dessert.





Monday finally came and we didn't get up any too early. Finally we got ready, went to lunch and then drove out to Woodburn. After that we had to stop by the house to get his stuff and we were off to the airport. I dropped him off and then went back to the office. That evening, M and Jr. got back from LV and we resumed life together again.

Patience

I promise our little baby boy will be born by the end of the week. I know I’ve been saying that for a month now, but trust me – you’re not the only one that is losing patience. Our birth mom has been in the hospital since last Wednesday and her doctors are just trying to balance her health and well-being with the baby’s lung development. Today she got an amnio and his lungs were phenomenal. Much better than they expected, so they’re going to start the induction process at midnight with a pill in her uterus. Then they’ll start the drip tomorrow morning. If she’s a “normal” first delivery, she might have the baby Wednesday morning. Her caseworker is leaving out of town on Friday afternoon. We are almost desperate to have him be there for the placement. It’s critical for her AND us. So, could you please keep this situation in your prayers? It would be best if the delivery could happen easily and quickly for many reasons – but especially so we can have placement Friday morning. If we could have our wish, we’d hope that he’d be born tomorrow (Tuesday).

***

I do a co-op preschool with Buddy and three of his friends. It’s really fun, the kids love it, and the curriculum is perfect for these little boys. Last month we learned all about nursery rhymes and Mother Goose and the boys LOVED it. We didn’t want to buy the curriculum for the whole month of December because of Christmas and the baby and everything. So, for the next few weeks we’re just going to teach what we want and let the kids play the rest of the time. So today I taught the kids about Christmas. We read a bunch of books and since we’re all the same religion, I didn’t have to be pc. It was fun to teach them the real story of Christmas. We have a Little People nativity set that is just adorable and I was using that to tell the story. I got to the three wise men part and showed them the little figures and asked them who they were. The kids guessed kings, knights, princes. I said no and gave them the hint: “Three…” Immediately three of the four boys got excited and shouted in unison: “Three Blind Mice!!!!!!!!!”

It would have been hilarious if one boy said that, but the fact that three of them thought of it all at the same time… priceless.

***

Saturday G and Buddy were driving around town doing some errands. Our windshield wipers have been acting up and one had gotten a little loose (sp?) and was making a strange sound. But at first G didn’t know what the sound was coming from, so he was asking Buddy if he could tell what it was. Buddy insisted it was just the radio, but G said it wasn’t. They argued over the sound for a bit until Buddy said, “Dad-You’re freaking out!” (Knowing G, he probably was!)

***

Buddy had his nose cauterized a few weeks ago because he’s been getting frequent nosebleeds for about a year. He was really brave and it seems to have worked! He hasn’t had a problem since. Anyway, when he was getting checked over by the ENT before the procedure, Buddy was curious about his tools and instruments. A few weeks ago Buddy got to test out his uncle Luke’s stethoscope, so when the doctor pulled his out, Buddy asked why he had one (Luke isn’t a doctor, he’s in nursing school). The doctor of course explained that if Buddy goes to medical school, he can have one too. Nine out of ten kids would be thrilled by that response, but not Buddy. He has a trademark look he gives people when he’s giving something a lot of thought, when he’s confused or not convinced – we call it his ‘owl eyes.’ He gave the doctor the owl eyes, and said, “Well, did YOU go to medical school?”

The doctor laughed a little and the more I thought about that later, I just couldn’t help but wonder how if that doctor had ever been asked for his credentials by a three year-old.

And then it happened again. We were at Buddy’s 4-year check-up this time and the nurse brought out the stethoscope to check his bl.ood pressure. Before she could begin, Buddy confronted her: “What are you doing? Are you a doctor?”

Like before, she laughed and again the poor nurse had to explain to a 4 year-old that she WAS qualified, even if she wasn’t a board certified physician.

***

And one more story because I’m on a role. Buddy is pretty typical to our family in that he has NO patience. He finishes his meals and then insists I dismiss him from the table right that second. Today I was typing an email and he had food all over creation, so I told him “just a second.” In about 30 seconds, he repeated about 100 times that he was done, done, done, done, done, done, done! I finally got up and told him that he needed to learn some patience. Without missing a beat, he said, “Well, maybe I’ll learn some patience when I’ve five.”

If he’s anything like the rest of us, I doubt it. Please pray for a baby tomorrow.

Priorities

We're alive and well. We've had so many, "we HAVE to blog about that" moments over the last few weeks, but literally we've been so busy it's not even funny. Usually blogging is somewhat of a priority, and I've felt terribly sad and guilty that it's gone by the wayside. Hopefully you'll be reading more from us very soon.

So, I'm going to have to do another boring update. No, our baby hasn't been born yet. We've been saying for the past three weeks, "He could be born anytime!" But he's still incubating and that is a very big blessing. Our wonderful birth mom is 35weeks and healthwise, she seems to be doing better actually. We had a period of a couple weeks of intense stress and worry. How early would the baby come... would she be ready... would WE be ready... how was her emotional state... would we at least be able to celebrate Buddy's birthday... But we are calm now. Which is why I'm finally able post an update.

Let's see-Buddy and I went to Las Vegas a few weeks ago to visit a very dear friend, Jackie. She was a great hostess and an absolute angel to both Buddy and I. Our visit happened to fall during the time of stress and being away from home certainly didn't help my anxiety (or Buddy's). Both of us were a little on edge the whole time we were gone but we had a wonderful time despite that. I felt it was important for Buddy and I to have one more bonding experience before Buddy no longer is the center of the universe. That's another post for another day...

While in Vegas we went to the Shark Reef, we did some shopping of course, we ate yummy food (including In n Out, and Cafe Rio), Buddy went to preschool with Jackie's little boy, we took our boys to a movie, we went to an airshow, and Buddy introduced Jackie's boys to the world of dressing up in capes. Plus, Jackie took me "out on the town" one evening. We had dinner, walked around the Bell.agio, and as we were watching the water show, we even got solicited. With the cost of an adoption plus Christmas right around the corner, maybe I should have considered the offer.

My favorite band at the moment is the Killers. I really am in love with them, especially after going to their show a few months ago. Anyway, about a mile or so from Jackie's house is a ca.sino and trailor park called "Sam's Town," the name of the Killer's second album. Oh my... I about had a heart attack when I saw it and then Jackie informed me that her husband actually LIVED there when he was kid and his family was waiting for their home to be built. I mean, seriously, how cool is that?

And then on Sunday while we were there, Buddy and I drove up to see his birth mom and her new husband. I can't really find the words to explain what an incredible experience that was. I really wish G could have come because we had the time of our lives. We've seen her two previous times but every time we see her we just love her more and more. It's fun to show off how cool Buddy is, it's fun to see that her life is happy and full of purpose, it was fun to meet her amazing husband (wow-he far exceeded my expectations and she's told us countless times that he's great), and it was fun to swap stories with her parents about their other grandchildren. It's an experience I could never describe to anyone. Let's put it this way: in a way it motivates me to work hard to keep my covenants because if the afterlife feels as comfortable as *that* did, well then I want to be with my family and other people I love forever. Seeing her just opens my eyes to the grand scheme of things. I know, that makes absolutely no sense. But just imagine sitting down and talking with a group of people that intimately understand your child, who would do ANYTHING for your child, who share the same looks and personality as your child, who love your child more than life itself, and yet aren't as engrossed in the normal grind of life to forget who your child really is. It was really cool.

Oh, and would you believe me if I told you that we showed up and both Buddy and his birth mom were wearing the same exact black and white checkered Vans? I'm serious.

Obviously we have a very open relationship with her and an open adoption, but we still respect her privacy (and ours, which is why we use hokey aliases on this blog). So, I'm going to opt not to post a picture of our reunion, although I really want to. She's stunning and Buddy looks just like her. Her husband is handsome, and you can tell in the pictures how much they love Buddy. How great that he'll always know that.

Let's see. Buddy turned 4 last week! I can hardly believe it's been four years since he was born. I can't talk about Buddy's birth without saying he's brought more happiness (and frustration) to my life than I could ever have imagined. G and I adore him and are so happy he's a member of our family. I don't know who enjoys his birthday more -- us because it's so joyful to remember that day he was finally born -- or him because who doesn't love their own birthday (when you're 4... not so much when you're about to turn 31)!

Buddy was very specific in that he wanted a dragon/knight birthday party. This was his first party with friends and it was a huge success. We had a dragon pinata, and I'm no artist (really, I'm horrible at arts and crafts) but I made a really cool dragon cake, if I do say so myself. I found the pattern on the Internet. I'm not *that* cool to actually make it up. The kids thought it was incredible and stared at it like it was the most amazing work of art they'd ever seen in their lives. In a nutshell, that's precisely why I LOVE being a mommy.
To celebrate Buddy's birthday the three of us went to a kid's place in town. We had pizza then he chose to play mini-golf. First of all, we hadn't had that much fun or laughed so hard in months. Watching Buddy golf (he's not very athletic) was hysterical. And then watching G golf... well, let's put it this way, I beat him by five strokes. And this is what we got Buddy (I mean Captain Jack) for his birthday:

We also hosted Thanksgiving and painted the toy room. Both were also successful.

We have so very much to be thankful for: mostly a growing family, each other, our health, G's job, wonderful families and friends, and of course the gospel. I just love this time of year and it's about to get even better!

Radio vs Cell Phone

So I've blogged about my cell phone ringtones before. One of the best ones I have made is "Girls" from the Beastie Boys. M uses it for her ringtone for her best girlfriends. A little while ago we were in the car and the song came on the radio. M didn't realize that it was on the radio and started frantically searching for her cell phone. Just as she found I turned up the radio and she realized that it was the radio. I was dying laughing. It is probably one of those things that you had to be there for and is not quite as funny when I tell the story.

Sick as Dogs

We have had a real problem staying healthy in our house. In years past we've struggled to keep Buddy healthy with his asthma issues, but we finally found a great combo of meds for him back in the spring and he has been doing great ever since. Except for his frequent nosebleeds.

Anyway, G and I have been another story. I had a major outbreak of allergies two months ago. This was no ordinary case, either. First of all, last fall/winter was the first time I really had allergies, but this year was much worse. I had the worst cough and post-nasal drip EVER. I dealt with this for weeks. I went to my incompetent primary care doctor one day and she gave me some nose spray which did nothing to help. Several weeks into the allergy problem I came down with a sinus infection (which I've already blogged about). That lasted for three weeks. I picked a new primary care doctor and went in to see her and she prescribed me some legitimate allergy medication and an antibiotic, which I declined. I'd already been sick so long I figured the fun "infection" I'd get as a result was worse than than having the sinus problems a few more days. Anyway, what I really wanted was some meds to clear up the post-nasal drip, which was causing my problems in the first place.

Meanwhile, G got bronchitis* a couple weeks ago and has been on a whole host of meds for a few weeks including an antibiotic, a few inhalers, and a steroid (which he already blogged about).

*I don't believe G really had bronchitis. I think he had allergies too, like me. But what do I know.

So, I finally start feeling better this past weekend, just around the time G starts feeling bad. By Monday his cold had turned into a sinus infection and low and behold, I get a case of the stomach flu. He was horribly sick and stayed home two days from work, but still, he had to take care of me and Buddy because we all know you just can't function with the flu. Supposedly the flu should only last a day or so, but for some strange reason mine lasted for three days and even today I have no appetite and have bouts with nausea still. I just can't shake this queasy feeling. And G has progressively gotten worse, so he went into the doctor yet again today. And what do you know, he's on an antibiotic again.

G has a "whole medical team," as he puts it. He has three primary care doctors he regularly sees. This is all so hysterical, I told you our entire medical history just so I could tell you this next information about G.

G goes to Doctor #1 (my previous incompetent doctor) if he wants to be written a clean bill of health. For example: He's trying to get life insurance but has had some poor liver enzymes results twice now when they did the lab work to see if he'd qualify. It's been a royal pain the rear to get a decent rate on the insurance with those results, so he finally decided to make himself an appointment with Doctor #1. She promptly cleared his chart and said the results were "no problem." She deemed him perfectly healthy.

G goes to Doctor #2 if he wants to be put on meds. This doctor would be a addict's dream come true. This is the doctor that diagnosed G with bronchitis a few weeks ago and gave him about five different prescriptions to clear it up. Funny thing: at the time G didn't feel sick, hadn't missed a day of work and was still working out at the gym a few times a week.

G goes to Doctor #3 if he's legitimately sick like today and needs results so he can function and get back to work. Needless to say, this is my new primary care doctor.

Does anyone else find that SO funny?

Anyway, the truth of the matter is, I think there might be some wisdom in elliminating stress from our life to improve our immune systems.

***

In semi-related news: We had our dinner with our birth mom and it went really well. We all had a really good time, she enjoyed seeing the crib and all the baby clothes. And if I do say so myself, the roast was the best I've ever made! I'm so glad that's over. Have I mentioned the word STRESS yet in this blog? Buddy and Baby's room is all put together. I just need to hang some things on the walls. The play room is organized, but I still need to take everything out now that she's seen it -- so I can get some paint on the walls. That won't be hard, though.

In un-related news: Buddy went to Ch.uck e. Ch.eese today with a friend. Like any kid, he loves that place, but really hasn't been there since his birthday last year. So it was really exciting for him. Apparently he won a bunch of tickets and cashed them in for these fine "leopard seal teeth." (No, I already tried to remind him about Halloween-they are LEOPARD SEAL TEETH, he says!)



And one more question: Did anyone that reads this blog rake our leaves? We have a big tree out front that has dumped a very large amount of leaves all over the sidewalk and our lawn. Either someone raked them for us, or they blew away. I can't imagine either scenario, to be honest with you. There's still a few out there, but the majority are gone. So if you did rake them for us, THANK YOU! And fess up so I can return the favor.

Pumpkin Cookies

Why on earth would G rather have cookies from a tub... when there are currently warm pumpkin cookies on the counter? And why would Buddy rather have a treat from the "parade bag" (the bag of candy leftover from our small-town parade back in July) today when I bribed him to practice his songs and speaking part for the Primary program on Sunday.

I give up.

Updating

When I proposed the idea to M that we create a blog, it took her a little while to get sold on the idea. Now, she posts more than I do. She loves it. I was told by other bloggers that I would run out of stuff to say and that I wouldn't be able to update all that often. What I have come to find is that I have plenty to say, but I've been too lazy to update. Anyways, in the same vein as M, here are some random comments about things.

1. Vacation. As M mentioned, our trip to Idaho/Utah was fun. But, I do not understand the mentality of Idaho and Utah drivers. How can they drive so bad? Now I'm not saying that Oregonians are the world's greatest drivers. In fact most Oregonians are clueless to what is going on around them and the damn hippies will not speed. They seem to be in no hurry to get anywhere. However, most Oregonians are courteous on the road. In Idaho and Utah, they drive recklessly, pull stupid maneuvers, and refuse to let anyone in. They seem to want to fight with everyone on the road. Lame.

On a different note, I cannot tell you how proud I am of the boy for hanging on to the back of the quad while we climbed up mountains in Idaho, all the while with a huge smile on his face. The kid is a thrill seeker and it warms my heart.

2. TV. I like TV. Probably the best new show this season is Chuck. If you're not watching Chuck, you suck. 'Nuff said.

3. Cookies. I've begun to realize that as I get older, I tend to pay for convenience. I would have never have thought a few years ago that I would buy (or actually have Michelle buy) a tub of pre-made cookie dough because it is expensive and unnecessary. However, that is the point I have reached. I gotta tell ya that I am addicted to Nestle Toll House cookies coming right out of the tub and into the oven. They are so good. I believe I ate 6 the other night.

4. Medication. I went to the doctor a few weeks ago because I had an annoying cough that wouldn't go away. There are few things that I hate more than the sound of coughing, no matter who it is coming from. I was put on a steroid called Prednisone to open up my chest. I was warned that it may make me hyper and I have seen this effect on my son when he's been on it for asthma. The stuff made me super wired, shaky and gave me an insatiable appetite. I could not believe how hungry I was all the time. I couldn't pass a convenience store without stopping to get something to eat. Ultimately, the drug worked to get rid of my cough, but since my stomach got stretched out, I still get pretty hungry.

A Few Random Comments

I wish I had more time to Blog. I have a lot on my mind, so I have a lot to say... but just have no time. So, here are a few brief comments. Hopefully I'll get a chance to update something more enjoyable soon. In the meantime, please let me update for my journal's sake. (And for any of you that didn't appreciate how long my last post was, that was for my journal's sake as well. Heck, most of what I write here is. Sorry!)

First: How is it possible The Office just gets more and more clever each episode? I remember watching the first few episodes a few years ago and I even said to G, "This is hysterical, but how can they possibly keep this humor/awkwardness up more than just a few episodes." Oh my.... it gets funnier and funnier.

Second: I think I'm nesting. I've got about seven bags of stuff by the door to be donated to DI today. I've got paint swatches on the spare room wall. I'm going through baby clothes later today. I built a shelf and reorganized the spare room yesterday. I've got a list of things for G to accomplish tonight while I go to the temple, including moving the "big boy bed" into Buddy's room. I won't tell you where he's been sleeping up until this point... I hope Buddy's not mad when he grows up and realizes he didn't get moved to a big bed until he was almost four. Please don't anybody tell him!

The big plan: Buddy and Baby will sleep together eventually (Once Baby is sleeping through the night. Hopefully that's much sooner than later, if you get what I'm saying). All the toys and books will be in the "play room" (aka spare room).

All this has been happening. Meanwhile, our birth mom and her mom and step-dad are coming over for dinner to meet my parents on Sunday. SO, I've been trying to get the house in order (which is awfully hard when I'm moving stuff around and pulling bins and bins and bins from the attic). Her step-dad is an ultra clean freak (he irons his sheets), plus I want to make a good impression, so my own OCD is coming to the surface. I want the house to be perfect. I also want to show her the crib, some of our baby stuff, the paint choices, so I've got to have that organized as well.

Plus, I'm mildly worried about getting everything for the Baby in order so far ahead of time. This is an adoption, afterall, and lots of things could change. We didn't do anything to get ready for Buddy. I just couldn't. But, I'm doing this all for the birth mom. Hopefully she'll see how "prepared" and excited we are and that will make an impression. Not that I'm overly worried about her "changing her mind." Because I really think this is for real.

Then there's the meal we're serving. We're making my specialty meal: roast, gravy, G's famous mashed potatoes, roasted green beans, artisan bread, and peach/blueberry cobbler. Wouldn't that just figure that the bread won't rise (although my dad is bringing a second loaf) or the roast dries out. Ahhh... This better be good because I've been bragging to her a little bit about my love of cooking. Her and her mom love cooking too.

Third: Pirate music. Strykerlove asked what pirate music is. Buddy's friends are all really into pirates. Buddy likes pirates quite a bit (although not as much as knights and dragons) but he's completely OBSESSED with pirate MUSIC.

We have accumulated quite a little collection, including: Captain Boggs and Salty (Greg and Buddy went to one of their 'concerts' at a pirate festival about a month ago and heard them live. They're a local pirate band and sing some pretty clever kid songs. Buddy's first live show...). Buddy also likes the "Swashbuckling Sea Songs," which is music you hear at the Disn.ey.land ride, like "Yo Ho" and songs like that. His ultimate favorite, though, is the soundtrack from the first Pirates movie. We listen to it at least three times every day. And I have to admit, it isn't half bad. It's all instrumental, so Buddy acts out the movie while he listens. The coolest thing about that CD, though, is that the first time Buddy heard it, he knew exactly what was happening in the movie during each song on the CD. It was pretty incredible how well he remembers and internalizes music. G is hopeing that'll come in handy when he forms his own punk band some day.

Getting Together To Be Together

We just returned from a rare relaxing vacation. We got together with my family at a cabin in Idaho. We haven't been all together very much since I left home, but the few times we have, it's been a harried Christmas or somebody's wedding. So, it was me and G, my sister (Myndi) and her husband (Luke), my brother (Jordan) and his wife (Tahsha) and my parents -- and then Buddy, the lone kid in the group. Needless to say, Buddy got a LOT of attention. And was extremely pleasant to be around as a result.


We stayed at an old house in the very rural community of Mink Creek, Idaho (just north of Preston, home of Napoleon Dynomite). I can see why my sister has been suggesting a trip like this for a few years. Her husband's family owns the property -- several hundred acres in the most spectacular scenery I've seen in a long time. I'm not usually one to rave about Idaho (in fact, before Buddy was born there, I suggested we just knock it right out of the union. It would make the drive to Utah a lot more bearable). But, I've changed my mind. This part at least was gorgeous. The trees had all changed colors, but the leaves hadn't started to fall yet, so everywhere you looked were brilliant fall colors.


We had a really fun time together as a family too. No one fought, and even though about half of us were pretty sick, we were all in a really good mood. We talked, ate, and pretty much laughed the entire time. It made me so thankful for the great people I call family. And this trip made me realize where I got my charm and good sense of humor.


I thought I'd give you a few highlights and low-lights from the trip.

The Low-Lights:
* The drive to Utah and back. It's SO painfully long and boring. We even made it in pretty good time (12 hours there and 11.5 hours back -- a record for us). We didn't have any weather issues (unlike last Christmas when it took 16 hours of driving in a blizzard to get there) -- but still.
* What is the matter with Idaho/Utah drivers? They're almost too predicable to be for real. The exact moment we crossed the border from Oregon to Idaho (and the same thing when we were coming home) people began driving erratically. When I lived in Utah it always amazed me how inconsiderate and crazy people were on the road and every time I leave the good state of Oregon now, I'm reminded of that. Seriously, most of the people on the road were a danger. It was bad.
* Along the same lines, why is the road quality so poor in Idaho? Driving through Boise I thought I was having a seizure the road was so bumpy. And it was like that on and off pretty much the entire time.
* I had a sinus infection. I've been battling a wicked case of allergies for about two months now. First of all, who gets allergies at my age? I've never had them until last year. And who gets them this bad? Just like last year, my allergies led to a sinus infection. I wasn't feeling very well before we left, but I didn't really have much time to dwell on it. But the night before we left it hit me. Thankfully I never felt miserable on the trip. However, I have a feeling I made everyone else feel miserable -- since I was blowing my nose constantly. Sorry guys.
* The smell driving through Jerome, Idaho. Keep in mind, I had a raging sinus infection and it didn't in the least mask the horrific smell. Imagine the smell of outhouses while camping -- with a strong odor of rotten fish. That's what it was like for a good ten miles.
* We stopped to eat in Burley, Idaho. We've stopped there on previous trips and it just amazes me how that town seems to be stuck in a time warp. We ate at a fastfood joint and it was like being in the twilight zone. The woman who took our order had hair and makeup straight out of the 70's. I really wanted to take a picture because there is no way to describe it, but I thought that would be rude. There were three different families with children who had NO shoes or socks on. Is that bizarre to anyone else?
* But believe it or not, our return trip dinner was even worse. We stopped to eat in a town called Stanfield, Oregon. I've made the drive to Utah lots of times before and have never noticed this town before. First of all, there were only two fastfood joints to choose from (and they shared a building) and pretty much every farmer and trucker from around those parts were there for dinner. That's fine, but there were other characters there that made me, well, very uneasy. Let's put it this way: When Buddy announced that he had to go poop halfway through dinner, I was MORE than happy to be the one to take him. There was no way I was going to sit there alone at the table. It was THAT bad.
* We spent several hours down by the river one day. A few people went fishing, people rode the 4-wheeler, we built a big campfire and roasted marshmallows and hotdogs, and we took some walks. And Buddy had his first experiencing pooping on a log. Thankfully I had a few Kleenexes with me because of my infection. But still... It was a little traumatic for both of us.

The Highlights:
* I already mentioned how much fun it was to be with my family.
* While we were at the cabin we didn't have cell or Internet service, so G wasn't able to do any work. Now that's a vacation!
* Buddy is a fabulous roadtrip kid. He doesn't complain and is capable of occupying himself for hours in the car with stickers, DVD boxes, crayons, etc. It's so nice and I promise to never take that for granted. However, he talks a lot and so when we needed a break, I gave him my iPod and he listened to pirate music for hours. Thank goodness for technology.
* We had the bright idea of taking a family picture. My brother suggested we wear hoodies and jeans, since that's kind of our family's style. This should have been a low-stress experience. I mean, we were out in nature having a good time. No fancy clothes, no studio, no annoying photographer, no wrestling with hairdos. But still, something about taking a family picture sends people from happy to crabby in about two seconds. It didn't help that three out of the four cameras we had with us all had battery issues. Still, we had fun, and were able to laugh about the chaos after we were all done.


* I don't love being dirty, but I also am not a fan of getting ready in the morning. This trip was perfect -- we got a hot shower every morning, but didn't have to wear makeup. How great is that?
* There is few things as enjoyable as watching a little boy having so much fun. Buddy had a ball playing with everybody. He especially loved riding the 4-wheeler and helping Luke catch and gut a fish.


* Many hands make light work. That's especially true with my family. I think I've taken it for granted that every member of my family is a hard worker -- especially Luke. No one is lazy. No one stands around. It was amazing to see how quickly tasks got done. The morning we left the cabin, I hopped in the shower and in the 20 minutes it took me to bath myself and Noah and then get dressed, most of the cabin was packed and cleaned from top to bottom. We can thank mom for teaching us that -- and for making it so important that we all married hardworkers too.
* Why does Utah have so many cheap and delicious restaurants? Cafe Rio. Mmm... When G finished up law school and we finally moved from Utah, we took pictures of us in front of our favorite restaurants. I know, it sounds kind of lame. But if you've eaten at Cafe Rio and Stans and Tucanos, you realize how sad it was to leave them behind.
* The trip was so relaxing, we didn't need another vacation when we came home. Ahhh... can't wait to do it again.

Playing Dress-Up

I've been wanting to post some of these pictures for a long time. Buddy LOVES to dress up, as most kids his age do. His little female friends and his cousin, Aly, are all princesses. Buddy and his little boy friends are all pirates or superheroes. We really don't have many cool costumes at our house. Buddy will probably get some for his birthday here in a few months, but for now, he just makes do with whatever supplies he has on hand. His imagination is so incredible, it's almost sad that soon he'll have "real" costumes and won't have to invent his own. Let me show you what I mean:

When we took our road trip to Reno a little while ago, Buddy sat quiet and patient in the backseat dressed up like Captain Jack Sparrow the ENTIRE ride (10 hours there and 9.5 hours back). Notice the "dreadlocks," "earring," and hook. He stared at the papers from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" DVD boxes and apparently recounted the movies in his mind several times over. For any of you that know Buddy, he doesn't normally sit still (or sit quietly), so we were just amazed he -- or anyone -- would be able to experience the movies quietly in his mind.

While were in Reno, grandma tied a blue piece of fabric around his neck and that became his "cape." For the past month, he's worn it almost constantly. He "flies" all around the house and jumps off all the furniture. There are few things as funny as watching your little boy run as fast as he can, meanwhile looking backwards to watch his cape "flapping in the wind" behind him.

Apparently on this occasion Buddy couldn't decide if he was a pirate or a superhero. He's sporting the dreadlocks, earring, pirate belt, sword, hook, eye patch, AND the cape. What you can't see in the picture is the fine attitude that accompanies him when he's in character...

And then I got this turtle costume free a couple of weeks ago. It's been too hot to wear it until just recently. Buddy thinks it's really "cool," but he said it wouldn't work because it didn't have a "mask" with it. You know how Ninja Turtles have the masks over their eyes? So Buddy decided to make do with his rooster mask he made at preschool. Is it just me or that hilarious?

And one more anecdote: We were at the gym the other day and G finished up before I did. They have small TV monitors, so you can watch what's happening in the kids' area. The screens are so small you can barely find your own child, not to mention see what's actually happening. But, on this occasion, Buddy was pretty easy to spot. He was the kid running back and forth around the room with somebody's pink blanket tied around his neck like a cape. As soon as I finished my class, G told me to watch the monitor to see how long it would take to find Buddy. It took about two seconds. All the other kids are standing around... and then there was our little boy with a pink blanket trailing behind him -- criss-crossing the monitor so fast it almost became blurry. We asked him about it later and he swore up and down that he had "asked permission" before he confiscated the child's blanket.

I wished I'd thought to check the monitor for a poor little child sobbing in the corner because "Superman" had stole her blanket.

Questions

This is inappropriate but funny enough that I had to share. The other night, Jr was getting ready for bed. He came out of the bathroom to the living room buck naked where he was going to get his pajamas on. However, being the inquisitive kid that he his, he was inspecting his male body parts. Then he looked at M and I and asked, "Are there balls attached to my penis?" Of course we couldn't help but laugh hysterically. Then finally, not knowing how exactly to respond, I basically told him "yes."

Taking Candy From Strangers

Buddy is not typically shy. Never has been. However, we were in an elevator at the mall the other day and a large man started talking with Buddy. The man was talking really loud and aggressively. He was nice, but he was just a little much for Buddy. It was obvious Buddy was a little uneasy, so when we got off the elevator, he offered Buddy a piece of candy and then proceeded to unwrap it and hand it to him. Of course, Buddy took the candy and all shyness quickly vanished.

Seriously, was this man born yesterday? Who thinks it's OK to offer candy to kids? What.the.hell?

I went into panic-mode. I did NOT feel comfortable with my son taking candy from him, but I really couldn't think of a polite way of declining. So, I let him eat it. When we walked away I tried to explain that kids should never take candy from people they don't know.

Funny thing, moments before the man offered Buddy the candy, the two of us had been discussing Halloween costumes. You know, that holiday when you take candy from strangers. Seriously, I just can't win. I quickly backpedaled and tried to explain that normally we don't take candy from strangers. Except on Halloween OR when mommy is too shy to tell the stranger that they can keep their own darn candy.

What would you have done?

Recent Events

I suppose that given the last couple of posts by M that I should make a few comments. Very rarely do I get sentimental or emotional, etc. so this is one of those rare times. While there is a ton of things that could potentially go wrong with this adoption, so far we feel fortunate to have found someone with the love, maturity, and forethought to want her baby to have a better life with two parents and a brother who can take care of him. The whole situation has freaked me out and will likely continue to do so for many reasons. However, I have also felt a strange sense of calm. I am excited for the propects of having another son who will carry on the family name but will also be santized from my genes. I am also excited that M will have 3 people to take care of her (although in reality it will be her that will take care of all of us).

With respect to the support we have gotten, I want to thank all of you (whether you read and comment on the blog or not) who have done so much for us and more particularly so much for M. While words do not adequately express our gratitude, we are truely grateful for all of your love and support. I now raise my bottle of Thomas Kemper Vanilla Cream soda and toast all of you.

Thank You, Friends

G and I have the dearest, most wonderful friends and families. Everyone has been so overjoyed and so supportive of our exciting baby news. What a lucky little baby to have all these people so anxious for his arrival!

I've mentioned before how great my two friends, Shauna and Nicki, have been to support us. I'm sure it's not easy to be on the outside of this adoption chaos looking in. I hate the idea of people feeling like they have to walk on eggshells around us, hoping not to offend us with "too much" baby-talk as we've waited and worked hard to find another baby all these years. I'm sure I would be a terrible friend if I were them -- constantly worrying that I was saying or doing the wrong thing. These two friends have been, well, perfect. They've talked with me, prayed for me, made dinner for me, brought us treats, given me a massage, watched Buddy for hours on end while I've attended to adoption stuff, plus just been available for me to lean on. I can hardly wait to re-pay them.

We have other great friends too. Our families have their own problems, yet everyone has been so understanding and patient with us. My sister is pregnant and sick as a dog, yet she never says stupid comments like, "Just be glad you're not throwing up like me..." Instead, she is excited for me and includes me in all her pregnancy news, although I'm sure it's a little awkward for her at times. (By the way, she found out she was pregnant with this, her first baby, the same day we started talking with Pee-Wee's birth mom. I've thanked God several times that he spared me any jealousy. I can be genuinely happy for her because I have my own good news!) Our bishop has been remarkable. I better understand his role in my life now. We've had friends in the ward fast for us. I've got old friends who live in other states that have offered their help and support. I just am so overwhelmed with love and friendship. I hope I can be the kind of friend I've got.

We were out of town on Friday and Saturday. We can home to read this, from our long-time friends in Utah. I'm speechless for two reasons. I just can't believe how genuinely excited they are. How cool to be the topic of someone else's blog!

And... I can't believe how FAT Buddy was when he was a baby! Check out that link, if only to count his fat rolls. He's changed so much, I had almost forgotten how chubby he was. He was nine months old in that picture. It's a wonder he could even move!

September 12th

September 12, 2003
Four years ago today. On this day our dreams of becoming parents became a reality. The day before, G had learned that he had passed the Bar. To say that was a blessing and a relief would be an understatement. The next day we got "the call" from our caseworker. We met with him that night and he delivered the wonderful news that we had been chosen by a birth mother in Idaho. Our little baby boy was due in three months. We were overjoyed. He's grown up so quickly and I love my little boy more than I could have ever imagined.

September 12, 2007
Today. Today our dreams of another baby became a reality. We have been working with a wonderful birth mother for about six weeks now. We were cautiously hopeful that she was the one for us. After a long wait and a series of disappointments, we were really hesitant to make a deep connection with her. We knew she loved us, but we weren't convinced that this was right. Today I spent nine hours with her -- first during a prenatal appointment and ultrasound, and then while her perinatologist monitored her contractions, and then while they admitted her to labor and delivery tonight for further monitoring and testing. It was a long day, but we connected on such a deep level, words can not express the spiritual bond the two of us share. She invited G and Buddy to come visit her tonight too. When G arrived, she told us that for several weeks now she's wanted to tell us exactly how she feels about us. She got a little emotional and the things she told us were so tender and loving. It was the peace we've been waiting for.

He's a BOY and he's due in three months. I've got a couple copies of Pee-Wee's 3-D ultrasound pictures and let me just say, he's adorable. She's only 24 weeks, so if you can spare a prayer, she could use some to keep him in utero for a few more months. I woke up this morning hoping and praying I'd learn to love him like I did Buddy at this stage in the process. I think I do.

Buddy's Testimony

We've mentioned before how much Buddy loves music of all kinds. Well, the other day he wanted to watch the Sum 41 performance on Jay Leno that we have recorded. He begged G, then said, "I believe Sum 41 in my heart!"

We're so glad that all our hard work to teach him the gospel is paying off because his testimony of a rock band is sure going to get him far in life. Sheesh.

Water Sports

A few weeks ago we visited my parents in Reno. I grew up going to the lake and waterskiing, kneeboarding, wakeboarding, and tubing. Since it was summer time and the weather was nice, we spent a couple of days out at Pyramid Lake. It was wonderful. It had been 9 years since I've skied and boarded. It didn't take long to remember how much I enjoyed it. I also realized that my post-traumatic stress disorder blocked out some not so pleasant experiences.

For some reason, my dad had a knack for making me bleed at the lake. I remember the time when me and a buddy were on a ski bob (basically a two seat banana boat). My dad, unable to control himself, decided to give us a ride we wouldn't forget. He swerved the boat from side to side causing us to slide and bounce out of control. It felt like we were riding an angry bull. We were both bucked off and I fell into the ski rope which cut me on the side of the neck, the chin, and underneath my bottom lip. When I surfaced, I immediately saw all the blood in the water. Had there been sharks, I would have been eaten. I still have a scar.

Or another time, my dad, once again unable to contain himself, had my little sister and I on the tube. Again serving from side to side, we started to sling-shot across the water, the tube barely skimming the surface until it hit a small wave and pitched us like rag dolls. While we were tumbling and skipping across the water, my little sister's foot caught me on the side of the face and her toenail cut me down the side of my nose. Once again, when I surfaced there was blood in the water.

Surprisingly, this trip did not have any blood spilled from me. However, I did jump down out of boat, landed on a rock, and fractured my heel. But no blood.

We all had a great time. I also couldn't help but post a picture of my hot wife and adorable son.

Easy Things

I know you’re never supposed to compare children. It’s like the most often repeated phrase in the “What to Ex.pect” books. But I’m constantly seeing other kids do this or that and I can’t help but think, “I wish Buddy was that easy.” If you hadn’t yet noticed, I adore Buddy. He’s the great joy of my life. I love him just the way he is, but he just isn’t all that easy.

I hate to be a complainer, so I decided to compile a list of ways he does make life especially easy for us:

1. He slept eight hours at night at six weeks and all the way through the night at nine weeks. Now, why he can’t sleep through the night now is a big mystery, but for a good few years he was an incredible sleeper. (Anybody about there know why an almost 4-year old would not sleep well all of a sudden?)
2. He’s great about riding in the car. He never in all of his life has complained about long car rides. He sat happily and content the entire ride to Nevada a couple of weeks ago. (I’ll blog about that one of these days). And when we drove to Utah and got caught in a scary snow storm at Christmas time, he actually cried when we FINALLY arrived… at 2:00 in the morning… a mere 16.5 hours after we left our home… because he didn’t want to get out of the car. Gotta love a kid who loves road trips because I was ready to shoot myself.
3. He isn’t shy and never had separation anxiety. He loves people. He has a lot of talents, but his best gift is his ability to be-friend everybody. I wish I were more like that.
4. He’ll eat anything. And I mean anything. We went out to lunch this week and he was over-the-moon excited when he realized we were eating at a seafood restaurant. In fact, he not only downed most of the food on his plate, but he also ate the lemon (including the rind) that you’re supposed to squirt on the fish.
5. He loves vegetables. I’ve never heard of a toddler that’ll choose vegetables over anything else. But he will. A couple weeks ago we were shopping at the grocery store and I was picking out some fresh vegetables. Buddy saw the broccoli and begged me to buy some. He said, “If I’m a good boy while we’re shopping, can I have some broccoli when we get home?” Of course I was OK with that, but I just think that’s so strange that he’d want raw broccoli for a snack. Then the other night we had peas and sloppy joes for dinner. Buddy said, “If I eat all my dinner, can I have some more peas?” He did indeed eat all his dinner, so I gave him some more. He ate all those then he begged for some more, so I actually had to cook more because he wouldn’t take no for an answer. And don't get me started about how many cooked carrots he consumed tonight.
6. He’s easy on the eyes. He just about makes me crazy most days. He’ll be in the middle of a WWIII-style temper tantrum or arguing match and I’ll be on the verge of a meltdown myself. Then I look at him and think, “Thank goodness he’s so adorable.” Seriously, if he wasn’t so cute…

Drama

We certainly write a lot about Jr. He is the source of endless entertainment for M and I. Lately, he seems to be getting more dramatic. He's started to use the phrase "never" and sometimes "never ever." Here are a couple of examples.

A few weeks ago, we decided to go to the Washington County Fair. We were taking back roads and unfortunately, we started to get lost. This was extremely concerning to Jr, who was listening intently to our conversation on where to go. Finally, he said in desparation, "We'll never get to the fair!"

Another time we were at a fast food joint (this was previous to watching "Supersize Me." (oh who am I kidding, we still eat fast food)). We were waiting for our food and it was taking a long time. Jr was hungry and was listening to us complain about the wait. Finally, he'd had enough and marched up to the counter and exclaimed, "We'll never get our food!"

Needless to say, it is really funny to hear him be all dramatic. I've now incorporated the phrase into my own vocabulary and use it every chance I get. "I'll never finish this post!"

Baa, Baa Black Sheep, Have You Any Wool?

Buddy was born with a full head of dark hair, and unlike most babies, he never really lost any of his hair -- though his hair changed from dark to red and now it's light blond. We didn't have a digital camera when he was an infant, but here's the first digital photo we have of him. This is Buddy at eleven months with a full head of crazy hair. By this age, he had at least two haircuts.
Buddy got his first hair cut at eight months, though it certainly should have been cut a lot sooner than that. Everyone pestered me to cut it sooner because it was completely out of control, but I just couldn't bring myself to pay $25 for someone to cut my newborn's hair. And I had no idea how to cut a baby's hair, especially since he couldn't even sit up yet. Plus, he was a baby for crying out loud. So right before he was sealed to us, G and I gave him a trim. Since then he's had too many hair cuts to count. When he was one and too out of control to sit still, I paid a kid haircutter to do it, but $25 is a lot of money. I had a friend do it once and I'll publicly admit, that was the only time I ever thought he looked ugly. I'm almost embarrassed to post this on the Internet for fear of ridicule. (14 months)

We then bought some clippers from Co.stco and started doing it ourself for awhile. (16 months)

But he's capable of sitting still now, especially if he's eating a sucker, so we get him sheared at a regular barber now. She does an amazing job, we don't have to worry about the cleanup, and the price is right too.

We've been really, really busy lately and haven't had a spare minute, so it's been a whole two months since we last got his hair cut. I took before and after pictures, just to show how crazy his hair gets if it's not sheared regularly. In fact, the barber removed so much hair, I estimated we'd be able to make approximately three sweaters from the wool. Or at least fill "three bags full." This is only two months time:

I think I might have given him a complex, though because the morning I took him in he told me, "I'm not a sheep. I just look like one."

It's About Time for an Update and a Tribute to Good Friends

It's been a very long time since G or I updated. We have lots to blog about, but we've just been completely swamped. On a scale of one to ten, our stress levels have been hovering around a 15. We're still alive and life is good, even if a bit overwhelming lately... Here's a brief update:

1. We spent a fabulous week in Reno visiting G's parents. We went to the lake two different days. Maybe I can get G to tell more about that and how he's still got his waterskiing and wakeboarding skills, despite a 9-year break from water sports. Buddy had fun playing with his cousins and we ate some very yummy food, including In-n-Out Burger twice, and the best casino buffet EVER. If you ever visit Reno, please eat at the Atlantis buffet. Delicious! We always go and every time I think they'll soon be changing their "children under four eat for free" policy. Buddy is a big eater and every time we go, I expect them to see how much food he consumes and change that policy. So far, so good.

2. The day before we left for Reno, I got pulled over for going 43 mph in a 35 zone. I was heading to the gym to work out. (See my last post) As the police officer was approaching the car, Buddy asked, "Is the police officer going to put you in jail for making a poor choice?" No kidding, I had about five seconds to convince Buddy not to speak A WORD while the police officer talked to me. The problem was, he has never gone five seconds in his entire life without speaking. I told him I'd spank him if he said ANYTHING. How's that for good parenting? Luckily, he kept quiet, but after the fact, I realized that my threats could have back fired. What would have happened if he told the officer, "My mom said she'd spank me if I told you that she was making poor choices and needed to go to jail." Wouldn't that traumatize the poor boy if I did get hauled off to jail... Anyway, Buddy was quiet and I got let off with just a warning. However, wouldn't you know, when I picked Buddy up after working out, he was playing dress up. He was wearing a police officer costume. Seriously.

3. I have amazing friends. As I mentioned above, life has been crazy and we've been making all sorts of big decisions. The other night two dear friends planned a fabulous evening for for me to relax. The husbands were planning to watch movies and I was supposed to go to Nicki’s house with Buddy to do something with the wives. They told me that someone would watch Buddy (and all the kids) because they had a surprise for me. I arrived and they told me they had arranged for me to go get a massage at a new place in town. First of all, the massage was amazing! I love getting them… The staff was waiting for me and since it was so late (9:00 pm), I was the only client there. They all knew about the surprise and were so excited to hear what the occasion was. I just told them a little about my week and mostly kept saying, the occasion is... I have amazing friends! When I got back to Nicki's house around 10:00, all the kids were sound asleep and Shauna and Nicki had gotten a HUGE eclair and had it all ready to eat, plus they had sour patch kids for me and a couple other of my favorite treats too. We sat around and talked, watched the finale of "So You Think You Can Dance" (by the way, what am I going to do now that it's over? Go Sabra!!!!), and talked some more. Finally at 1:00 AM, we felt like we should probably break up the party, since our husbands had to go to work the next day. Words cannot express how nice it was… No kids, no phone, no husbands, no messy house, no stress. What a nice feeling to have friends who care and that are willing to just talk with me and listen and be excited and hopeful right along with me. It's been a few days and I still haven't come down from my high. I don't know if the massage and treats did more for my spirits, or if it was simply the generosity of my dear friends that has made such a dramatic change in my mood. Thanks again!!!!

Poor Choices

We make a lot of poor choices in our house. And when I say "we," I mean... Buddy.

One day a couple years ago Buddy was did something I objected to and I said, "Well, that was a poor choice!" I was trying to be a good parent and not criticize him, just his bad behavior. I also wanted him to realize he needed to control his own actions, and it was his choice how he behaved. Well, that little catch phrase stuck. It seems like every other thing out of my mouth, or every other thing that goes through my head is, "That was a poor a choice." But I'm not the only one. Buddy is awfully quick to point out poor choices, both mine and his.

He is constantly saying things like:

"I know you said I could have some blueberries, but my behavior has been bad."

While holding up his index finger, "My superhero stuff is in time out. If I make one more poor choice, it'll be in time out for a long time, right?"

"If I make a poor choice, I won't get to play with my pirate toys, right?"

"Do you remember when you forgot to bring my apples to church? That was a poor choice."

He obviously is aware of what is unacceptable behavior and what the consequences might be, but why on earth can't he JUST BEHAVE? That's a conversation for another post, though.

Tonight at dinner we had a lengthy discussion about what types of poor choices warrant being hauled off to jail. We saw a bunch of police officers the other night at the county fair. They brought a police car, a police dog that apparently was trained to kill (YIKES!), and they had some officers applying temporary tattoos to the kids' arms. All of these things interested Buddy, of course. SO, I told him that police officers take kids to jail if they make a lot of poor choices.

Oops... that was a poor choice. Because now he's really concerned he's going to jail. I already told him a few days ago that I was just kidding about that and they never take kids to jail. Still, he can't get that horrible thing I said out of his mind. Whenever I give him an answer that doesn't satisfy, he brings it up and over and over again until he gets an answer that does. Like his questions about breastfeeding and tampons. But those stories can wait until another post too.

So, tonight he brought the whole jail thing up again. "Do they take mommies to jail if they make poor choices?" I quickly tried to think of an age-appropriate answer for him, so I said, "No not usually."

He said, "They put things on a mommy's hands and put her in a police car on TV." OK, we never watch TV when he's awake (For reasons like this. Plus, you can't hear a darn thing when he's around because he talks so much. I love you, Tivo), so I have no idea where he saw that. So I said, "When mommies make very, very poor choices, they go to jail. If a mommy makes a little poor choice, then she just says 'sorry' and tries to be nice."

I continued, "Some mommies aren't nice to their kids. Good mommies love their kids, make their kids clean up their toys, and try to help their kids make good choices. So that's why police officers don't put any kids in jail and hardly ever put mommies in jail. Mommies are supposed to take care of their kids and if their kids make poor choices, the mommy is in charge, not the police officer. Mommies put kids in time out, not jail."

Then he said, "My mommy is a good mommy."

Ah, yes! I can not express how relieved I was that he said that. Hopefully the lesson about jail AND why mommies put kids in time out sticks.

Punk Rocker

This week was a particularly exciting week for me as the new Sum 41 album was released. M, being the wonderful wife that she is, went to the store, bought it for me, and then brought it to my work. I have listened to it multiple times and it gets better every time.

Jr and I have similar tastes in music for the most part but he tends to gravitate more toward female singers (not that I blame him, but he is only 3). However, he also shares my enthusiasm for Sum 41 even to a degree that I haven't seen from him. The other night they played on the Tonight Show and I recorded it. Now, Jr begs every night before he goes to bed to watch them perform "Walking Disaster." We have used this to our advantage and we tell him that he can watch it if he is obedient. He watches for a little while and then usually gets up to dance around like a madman.

On Saturday night, M and I decided to go out with some friends and we took advantage of our gym's "Parents Escape." Can't beat 4 hours of free time while the workers in the kid's area play with the boy. While we were driving there we were, of course, listening to Sum 41 in the car. Jr piped up and said that he was going to tell the teachers that he loves Sum 41. We laughed, but didn't think he would really do it. Much to our surprise, when we went to pick him up, he came out with a paper airplane that one of the workers made for him. The plane was adorned with "Sum 41" written all over it. We laughed all the way home imagining the reaction of one of the teenage girls playing with Jr and him telling her he loves Sum 41 and wanted it colored on his airplane. I'm proud of the boy.

Big Mac Attack

People have been telling M and I, for a while now, that we need to watch "Supersize Me." For the few who haven't seen it, it is a documentary where a guy decides to eat nothing but McDonald's food for a month. He gained 25 pounds, his cholestrol shot up dramatically and the doctors told him to stop about halfway through or he might die. The effects on his body were pretty extreme. The point was that fast food is really bad and you should not eat it.

However, for some reason, instead of being totally disgusted and wanting to avoid fast food, it seemed to have the opposite effect on me. To be honest, as soon as the movie was over, I was halfway in the car to go to McDonald's for a Big Mac. M stopped me, but my Big Mac cravings have not stopped. In fact, I think they are getting stronger. I will eat one, maybe tomorrow, despite knowing that it is really bad for me. Even typing this entry is making me hungry for a Big Mac.