Sometimes A Communication Problem Is A Good Thing

I mentioned that Oldest Boy's school has some issues with communication. OK. A LOT of issues. Tuesday was no exception, but in this case it was probably best that I didn't exactly know what was going on at the time.

As I made the turn towards his school from the main road, I noticed that there was a firetruck parked at the corner. No big deal, really, because they do this about once a month when they flush the hydrants or whatever. As I turned down the side road, I noticed more firetrucks very close to the school...in about the same area they are when they're doing whatever routine fire fighter business they do periodically. But. I got in the car-pool line and I noticed that the principal came out alone and stood in the parking lot. This is strange but no cause for alarm. Yet. The cars started pulling in to pick up the children...but the children were still inside. Under normal circumstances, the kids all stand in the parking lot "holding" area - rain, snow, sleet, freezing temps, whatever. On this particular day they were releasing the kids one.at.a.time. Directly into the care of the principal and then into the waiting vehicle. No one said a word as to why. Now, I'm trying not to assume the worst (think bomb threat or crazed gunman) but I have no idea what the "best" would be. Maybe they're trying something new? Trying to decrease wait time? Who knows? Of course, a kindergartener has no pertinent information...

The next moring, I check the local news website to be Absolutely! Certain! that there is no delay or cancellation. The top video? A suicidal gunman had killed himself in his home A FRICKIN' BLOCK AND A HALF FROM MY SON'S SCHOOL!!! He had locked himself in his room at his parents home (he was 22 years old and home from college) with a loaded shotgun DURING SCHOOL HOURS. Pardon the language but FUCK! Why was my son's school not LOCKED DOWN during this period?!?! Yes, I do occasionally over-react. But THIS? Seems to me a good time to over-react. This is MY KID'S LIFE you're talking about here!!! I understand that they believed the situation was under control. The house was surrrounded, they knew he was inside, blah, blah, blah. I AM NOT BUYING IT! The guy was obviously nuts and there is no way you can predict what a suicidal person is capable of. I'm sorry that it ended tragically for this young man and his family. Truly. But it could have been so much worse.

I know in my heart that when my children are away from me the only thing I can do to keep them safe is to pray. And I do. But isn't it the school's responsibility to keep him safe when he's under their supervision? As I mentioned, it was best for everyone that I didn't know at the time. What would I have done? Well, that's an answer we'll never have, but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have involved waiting patiently and obliviously in my minivan while they calmly released him into a wide open parking lot and then into my care. Home schooling is looking better and better...

Communication Problem: Part II

Seriously. This school thing is getting out of control. I mentioned in passing that I missed a two-hour school delay causing my Oldest Boy undue amounts of angst. Then. Then yesterday there was another two-hour delay. I knew about it. I now check the internet site before waking him up. I also have two, count 'em TWO, back-up means...namely my Grandma and my mother, who call and wake up Mr. MOTH (because I'm usually in the shower - I LOVE this part) when there's a delay and/or cancellation. On a normal school day (what's that?), Mr. MOTH drops Oldest Boy off at school on his way into work. When there is a delay, I then have to get the younger kids fed and dressed in proper winter attire and make the trek to the school, 25 miles away, which is a 1 hour round-trip! Since it's not EVERY day - it just seems like it - it's not a big deal.

Yesterday we all loaded up the space shuttle and headed off to school. I was playing chicken with the gas tank just so we could get there on time. We pull down the road and there's no one else there. I mean NO ONE. I'm sitting at the stop sign and I call Mr. MOTH at work and make him check all of the usual sources. Not one mentions a school cancellation. I pull up to the front door and there is my "announcement"...an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of yellow paper - hand-written - saying "School's Cancelled". WTF?!?! I mean really, in this age of multi-media forms of communication that's the BEST they could do?!?! There better be some form of explanation in my folder this afternoon or LOOK OUT at the next PTG meeting! The Mommy is NOT happy. Although Oldest Boy said, "It's like we just went for a little ride!" At least someone sees the humor in it...

Dear Old Man Winter,

GO AWAY! I am absolutely sick and tired of being sick and tired. You have cursed us this year, old man, and I want you to make way for spring. NOW! Youngest Boy is the latest to succumb to your cruel and evil ways and I want it to stop! He had a belly ache all day which resulted in him puking his little guts out shortly after dinner time. I told him that explained it, he just had a bug. He said, "Did that get the bug out?" I was not prepared! Everyone else simply had a fever and chills! Can you please cut us a break?!?!

And oh, the snow has to stop. It has caused me to permanently scar Oldest Boy, potentially for life, when I missed a two-hour school delay. Mr. MOTH drove him to school only to be told by some passer-by that there had been a delay. Why? Because the temperature was in the single digits!!! The next week he was at school a little bit earlier than normal and his teacher had gotten the bug and wasn't there at all. He walked in his classroom and ran screaming back to the door, tears flowing, trying to get to his daddy. The substitute caught him and calmed him down, gave Mr. MOTH the thumbs up and I didn't get a call. On the way home he told me he thought there was another two-hour delay...And Bad Mommy of the Year goes to....yours truly. However, I blame you, Old Man Winter. Damn you!

I'm off to research plane fares to Florida...

Top Tens

I feel more than a little bit guilty that I haven't been posting about this pregnancy more often. Part of me kept saying, "Just let me get through the holidays..." and then, "Just let me get through the birthdays..." and now, well, I don't have any more excuses. Right now, the best I'm able to come up with are a couple of top ten lists. Here we go...

Top Ten Things I Hate About Being Pregnant:
10. Being tired all of the time
9. Guilt that we get to have another baby and some don't.
8. Sciatica - 'nuf said
7. Constant anxiety and worrying - Will this baby be OK? Am I getting enough vitamins/protein/exercise? Will we ever decide on a name(s)?
6. Having complete strangers (and most of our relatives) tell me that I'm going to have my hands full. No sh*t.
5. Going to the doctor's office and having to pee in a cup when I can't see what I'm doing. Use your imagination to get the results...
4. Feeling more unattractive than I've ever felt in my entire life...and that includes the awkward teen years.
3. Having less patience than normal (and this is saying something since I'm not normally the most patient person to begin with).
2. Varicose veins. Good lord, my leg looks like a road map of southern Florida and don't even get me started on the parts further up. Yikes!
1. Not being able to play with my kids in the way that they're used to (ya know, rough-housing, piggy back rides, running around the house like super heroes).

And, to be fair, Top Ten Things I Love About Being Pregnant:
10. I get to go to bed at 8:30PM when the kids do and no one questions it.
9. When I lose my temper I can blame it on the hormones.
8. Ditto for crying every thirty seconds.
7. I can eat chocolate at midnight without guilt.
6. If I don't get on the treadmill every day, I have a decent excuse.
5. Ice cream is one of the four food groups for pregnant women (at least in my book)
4. Gaining a pound a week is considered a "good" thing. (although I've been so sick for the last two weeks that I actually LOST 3 pounds, dagnabbit).
3. I can sit down and put my feet up and not feel guilty about it (something I never do when I'm not pregnant).
2. I can eat real mayonnaise. (Did you know you were supposed to increase your cholesterol intake when you're pregnant?!?! Why didn't someone tell me this during my last three pregnancies?!?!)
1. Two words - Bigger Boobs.

What Is Romantic?

We had Oldest Boy's "kids only" birthday party yesterday. It went off pretty well (the only minor hitch was one boy coming down with an earache, poor kid) and I think everyone had a good time, including the parents who hung around and helped out. The games were fun and we ended up only doing two of the six I had planned because they played so nicely together. For those of you who don't have boys, this is an anomaly. Boys are usually rough-housing, carousing, running, screaming heathens - but they were actually quietly reading some books or playing for over half an hour. Strange, but welcome.

Most everyone was gone by 3:30, with one dad and his son hanging out until closer to 4 (but he was nice and entertaining so it wasn't exactly a hardship). My sister-in-law and her DH stayed for awhile, too, but they didn't get to our place until well after 2:30 and it was nice to visit with them and have some quiet time.

Now for the romance...Mr. MOTH and I have never exactly been the overly romantic types. He brings me flowers 3 times a year - my birthday, our anniversary, and Valentine's Day. I love flowers, so I will never, ever tell him that it's not necessary. Ever. This year was no exception and they were proudly displayed during Saturday's festivities. Planning and preparing for said festivities would have worn me out during the best of times. This past week was hardly the best of times. I spent the entire day Monday down and out with the flu/fever. Tuesday was better but I was far from operating on all cylinders. Wednesday Mr. MOTH freaked out because we were going to have so many people in our house (which is NOT small by any standards, but it is, uh, "under construction") and told me I was going to have to do everything myself because he wasn't helping. Oh, and I'm six months pregnant. Fun times. But Saturday after the party, my kitchen was magically set to rights by a few kind friends and family but MOSTLY by my husband. I was absolutely 100% exhausted. I could barely lift a finger. Yet somehow I didn't have to. He saw what needed to be done and he did it. That, dear readers, is romance when you've been married for seven years! Too bad I was so tired...

Birthdays

This past weekend we celebrated Baby Girl's second birthday and Oldest Boy's sixth birthday with family. We survived the "celebration"...but just barely. I always make a fuss over the kids' birthdays on the actual birthday, separate from their birthday party (unless they happen to fall on the same day). I want them to feel that totally special feeling that comes from having a day be all theirs. This year I made chocolate cream-filled cupcakes for Baby Girl (she loves chocolate) and we lit a couple of candles and sang to her. Shortly after those festivites Mr. MOTH headed to the basement to clean up the aftermath of the drywall and I gave the kids their baths. Except Oldest Boy passed out on his bed from a fever before he got to the actual bathing part. Poor kid.

He was feverish the entire next day, including during the party, and it continued until Sunday evening. At least he gets to have his "kids only" party this weekend, so I hope he doesn't feel like he missed out on too much. The great part about this? He shared it with ME! I started with the fever Sunday evening and it seems to be gone now. Of course, I totally panicked and called my OB because I've never had a fever and chills while pregnant before. I just know it's not.good. She just recommended Tylenol (whoopdeedoo - this is like telling me to put a band-aid on a gun-shot wound) and told me not to worry. Luckily, the baby must like Tylenol because s/he has been active more than normal the last two days.

If I hadn't had some help yesterday (thank God for Aunt Jo), I'm pretty sure my kids would have had to survive on dry cereal and goldfish crackers because I wouldn't have been able to make them anything else! I can't remember when I've been so sick. Actually, that's not true. I remember the Flu of '04 like it happened yesterday...I just don't like to think about it. So, now I'm down an entire day. I have to "help" Oldest Boy make a Valentine's Day box for school and fill out 28(!) teeny, tiny Valentine's cards, clean my entire house, order a cake, figure out a menu for a houseful of grown-ups who I've never met (I forgot about this part, but most people don't want to leave their 5-year-old with strangers for 2 1/2 hours), and then start preparing the gift bags. Oh, and I have to find some way that I'm going to amuse said 5-year-olds for that period of time. How long do you think I can get by with Valentine bingo?

Some photos:

Cleaning House

Literally and figuratively, I'm cleaning house. There are quite a few things going on around here these days but none of them really warrant their own post, so I'm just going to throw it all out there.

Baby Girl will turn two-years-old on Friday. Oldest Boy will turn six-years-old on the 14th (that's Valentine's day). We're having a family party for both of them combined on the 7th, which means that the literal part of cleaning should be in full swing. Refer to the following information as to why it's not. I'm also having a kids-only party for Oldest Boy on the 14th. I invited all of the little boys from his class (plus a close friend of the family) which bring our total to 14 boys - not including my two. Yes, I'm insane. The biggest problem with this whole scenario is that everyone is getting presents and cakes and attention...except Youngest Boy. He's already the "middle" child (so far) and now he has to endure being left out for a whole day. Don't worry, I made sure to explain the whole thing to him and we also got him a gift of his own, but I still feel bad, like somehow it's my fault he was born in a different month. OK. I guess it IS my fault, but still.
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The drywall is almost finished in the basement (this is why cleaning cannot be completed. Dude tracks in more mud than my kids. And, oh, the dust). I'm starting to get excited but I'm trying to contain it lest Mr. MOTH think I'm pressuring him into getting it finished NOW! NOW! NOW! I really can't wait. I'm so tired of having a room that looks like a storage shed as the first thing people see when they walk into our home. It's been that way for over a year now. And because it's so close I can almost taste it, I'm starting to get impatient. We are getting ready to start picking out paint colors, though. This will be a HUGE deal. Mr. MOTH is of the "everything should be white" school of thought and I like color. I mean C-O-L-O-R. I want to paint the new bathroom brick red. He almost fell out of his chair laughing until he realized I was serious. I almost have him convinced. I think the rest of the basement is going to be some shade of green, so I'm reconsidering doing the bathroom in hunter, but I haven't decided yet. And Oldest Boy wants to paint the rest of the basement "Black and Gold". I love that kid!
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Baby Girl got a life-like (but not scary life-like) baby doll for Christmas from one of my closest friends. Because the box was labeled for "Ages 3 and up", I wanted to be there to play with it for the first time so that I could understand why (you know, small parts, too much violence, etc.). So, the baby has remained in the box on our living room floor since Christmas. Monday she started pushing the box around yelling, "Baby OUT!" until I finally obliged. Oh.my.God. I wish I knew how to load video onto the computer because it was frickin' amazing. Baby Girl IS my baby, so she's never seen me care for one, but somehow she instinctively KNEW what to do with it! She held her up on her shoulder and patted it. She fed her a bottle (which she took over the the fridge and pretended to "fill" from our water dispenser), she used the spoon to feed her and then wiped her mouth with a cloth. And then. And then. She brought me to tears. I told her it was time for the baby to go to sleep. She laid her down gently on the floor, covered her up, kissed her and said, "Night-night sweet. I love you, sissy. I be right here if you need me." This is what I say to her every night. It made me feel like I'm at least doing something right. {SIGH} I think she'll be just fine as a big sister.

Super Bowl Hangover

My God, I feel like I spent the night drinkin’! (I didn’t, which doesn’t seem fair. I could have used a beer or two last night)! What a game! It’s a lot more fun to watch when your team is up by 40 points or so at halftime, but if you didn’t care which team won, it was a great game to watch!

If you are a Steelers fan, however, it was a nail-biting, knuckle-cracking, Terrible Towel wringing kind of game. I watched the entire fourth quarter with my head buried in our Terrible Towel. Seriously. I had to watch every play as a replay because I couldn’t stand to watch it the first time around. When Big Ben scored that first touchdown (and screw you, Mr. Referee, that was a touchdown), I took a shot to the eye with the Terrible Towel (known in our house as the “bad” towel) while Oldest Boy was swinging it with all of his might. The kids enjoyed the game until halftime when Mr. MOTH and I sprinted up the stairs, brushed their teeth at lightning speed, and literally tossed them into bed (they call it “flying” in. Whatever.).

And then the stress began. Couldn’t they just make it EASY?!?! Nope. But I have to admit, it’s more fun this way. No matter what those durn Cardinal’s players say, the game was not “theirs to lose”. Did they forget that they were only ahead for like two minutes TOTAL?!?! The Steelers played an awesome football game and they deserve the title of Champion. Six-burgh has a sweeeeet ring to it (pun intended)!