Monday, June 30, 2008

Ah, the Fabulous Age of Four

Isn't it so fun to go the birthday parties of your friends' children? The friends you've known since before any of you had even the slightest notion of motherhood? And you walk around the party and realize how much your life has changed in just a few short years; engagements and marriages (for them, of course, not me! *wink*), and then babies and even second babies.

And then all of a sudden your nostalgic bubble is broken by the sound of your four year old's meltdown about having to leave the party early. It never fails. No matter how hard I try to plan around my work schedule, we always have to leave something before it's over so that I can get to work on time. As you can imagine, my need to get to work in a timely fashion does not jive at all with his need to chase other small boys around someone's backyard for another 5 minutes 1hour for the rest of all eternity. Nothing in my bag of tricks could convince him to walk out the door without hysterics and loud string of "I'M SORRY'S". That's right, my sweet boy...never forget your good manners, even in a crisis situation!

This won't happen when he's twelve, right? Please keep reminding me that the day will come when he won't shove his whole fist in his mouth and start wailing at the words "It's time to go..."

Sunday, June 29, 2008

TGIF

Yeah...I know it's only Sunday...BUT I HAVE THE WHOLE NEXT WEEK OFF SO IT'S FRIDAY TO ME! Wahoooo! Uh...sorry, was that too loud? My fault...all that excitement is hard to contain, you know. And I need it, too. My home is a wreck. I need some industrial size trash bags and a pickup truck to set it right. Especially the basement...anybody need a dryer? Granted, the heating element doesn't work, but it still spins 'round and 'round! *wink* That spare (broken) dryer is one of many things that will find it's way to the dump this week. It will feel so much nicer when all the clutter is gone.

Anybody got any fun summer plans I could steal for my own? I took every other week off this summer to spend some quality summertime fun with the kid and now I need to fill all of those hours with stuff for us to do before we get on each other's nerves and I sell him to the ice cream man for a chocolate cone.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

I Suppose I Can Kiss my Grammy Dreams Goodbye...

I was driving Lucas to my Mom's house on the way to work today and I started to sing him "You Are My Sunshine". I wasn't through the first verse and I hear him "snoring" in the back seat. I thought, Oh, how sweet...he's pretending that my singing has lulled him to sleep, what a dear boy! Really, that's exactly what I thought...and then I said it out loud to him.

"Nope! I'm sleeping...so you don't have to sing anymore!"

Nice. Ungrateful kid...I bet there a millions of children in this world who would LOVE to have their mothers sing off key at the top of their lungs to them...MILLIONS I TELL YOU!

Monday, June 23, 2008

Little Punk

A Little Punk eating a Dora yogurt...'cause all little punks know that Dora yogurt tastes the best.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

I Shouldn't Have to Work When it's This Nice Out...


Strawberry Fields Forever


Twirling amongst the berries...

Because when I say stand still, I really mean spin around like a helicopter.



Yummmmmmmmm...
Double yum...you wanna know what made these even better?

The sugar biscuits and fresh whipped cream I put 'em on. I'd post a picture of that but it was all such a blur once it hit the plate...maybe next time. ;-)

Saturday, June 21, 2008

So Much for Our "Summer of Fitness"

Okay...so earlier in the year I decided that this summer would be the "Summer of Fitness" for me and the kid. This means we play outdoors from morning 'til night, we eat healthier foods and in general, we just get off our collective butts. Trust me...we could both use it. Riiiiight. That's going swimmingly, Lucas knows every episode of Spongebob by heart, and I have at least a few new dimples in my behind.

Which brings me to my point. I was at a scrub sale at a local hotel, and I pulled a pair of pants off the rack and saw that there appeared to be a pregnancy belly band where the draw string should be. I wondered out loud about how comfy these maternity pants would be and the saleslady came right over and told me, No, these were NEW! And NOT MATERNITY! I was so very excited that I bought them on the spot. Scrubs are not supposed to be form fitted anyway, so the fact that I now own a pair of baggy scrub pants with a stretchy waist band might be dangerous. Everyone hide your potato chips.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Oh Sure, I Can Laugh About it Now...

Let's start by saying that it certainly could have been worse. I was running a few errands yesterday and I had Lucas in the shopping cart. What, you say, Lucas can still fit in the shopping cart? Why yes, but just barely. So, our errands were done and I pushed our cart to the car. Our car that was parked on a bit of an incline. (You already know where this is going, right?) I parked him next to the car and turned around to unlock the door and turn the AC on high and I hear a frantic horn beeping. I pulled my head out of the car just in time to see my son flying across the parking lot with his drink still firmly clutched between his hands, screaming at the top of his lungs and veering dangerously close to a shiny, parked SUV. My cheap flip-flops have never moved so fast. I actually caught him within a few inches of the parked car he was about to topple into. I could really care less about the cart hitting the SUV...that's the sort of thing insurance is for. But I was panicked that the impact would send the cart flying and he'd get hurt. But he didn't. 'Cause I'm fast, even in flip-flops. I might never be able to move that fast again...it was that fast.

Of course, when I retell the story NOW, it's funny, but PHEW! That was a close one. One I'm not likely to forget anytime soon as he reminds every time we pass a shopping cart, that lovely boy.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Yummmmm...Ice Cream

We made some yummy homemade ice cream today using a recipe I found here. It was super fast and easy and I added fresh raspberries to mine, 'cause every kind of ice cream tastes better with some raspberries thrown in. I didn't have any rock salt, and for a brief moment I considered using what was left of our winter supply for the front walk (hey...it said rock salt on the bag...) but at the last minute I wondered if it just might kill us both dead so instead I dumped a good palm full of regular salt into the bag and it worked just fine. Yum yum yum yum yum. Not exactly Haagen Dazs, but still pretty darn good.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

My Pretty Little Babies...


I've done it! Me...with my little black thumb...has actually managed to grow something! AND IT'S EDIBLE! I KNOW! I'M EXCITED TOO! Oh, those pretty little tomatoes are going to taste so good in some pasta with a bit of fresh mozzarella...yummmmmm.

(And that storm we got that was supposed to be a tornado? It was certainly like nothing we ever get to see...but no tornado. It was, however, CREEPY and full of hail and clouds as solid as a brick wall. Weird...but no tornado.)

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

What the Heck?

We are smack dab in the middle of a tornado warning. We don't know anything about tornadoes up here in New England. Think good, tornado-free thoughts for me people. Also, I left my windows open at home. Oops.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Feels Like a Milestone to Me...

We got invited to go to the drive-in on Wednesday night. I was super excited just at the idea of going to the drive-in since I haven't been there in years. I mean, between working full time (and then some) and being a single mother of a baby (and then a toddler), when exactly do you get to do things like go to the drive-in? (Don't get me wrong...I did love his time as an infant...mostly.) But then after the invite, I started thinking. This is it. I've done it. I've made it through. The idea of going to the drive-in sounds like more fun than work. I'm over the hump of baby hood...and even over the hump of toddler hood. My child speaks in full sentences, uses the bathroom facilities appropriately, sleeps through the night, sings along to his favorite songs on the radio, rides a bike and loves to discuss the menu with our waitstaff when we go out to eat. If I could only get him to buckle his own seat belt, my job on this earth might be done. *wink*

The invite just got me excited, is all...we have some seriously fun things in store for us...now that he's no longer a baby...YEAH!

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Yum!

What's better than Ben & Jerry's ice cream? FREE Ben & Jerry's ice cream, that's what! We stopped at the plant on the way to an antique/consignment store yesterday in the pouring rain, and when I went to pay for all of our ice creamy goodness, the sweet little boy (full grown man in his early twenties?) behind the counter told me that the credit card machine was down, and so the ice cream was on the house! YUM! My strawberry cheesecake in a sugar cone was pure heaven, thanks to that kid.

And I drove all that way to the antique store and left empty handed...I'm very disappointed in myself. I can usually find a way to spend my money no matter where I go...must be losing my touch.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Week at a Glance

We have a very busy week planned, and if all the stars align just right, it won't rain every single day that I have off. It would be lovely to use that fancy new camera of mine...but I can't take it anywhere in a downpour. So we have the next five days or so filled with play dates, play dates, more play dates, company (Hi AUNT MARY!) and parties. I'm tired just thinking about it. But we'll have fun. We seem to have fun no matter where we go or who we're with...

And in a completely unrelated but very funny note...

(I am blushing even as I write this)

I was getting ready for work yesterday, fresh out of the shower to be exact, blow drying my hair bare nakey in front of the mirror when I realized my bestest friend was laughing her ass off at me from the bottom of the stairs. Lucky me that the front door is at the base of the stairs and the bathroom is located directly at the top! I never forget to lock the door before I go upstairs to hop in the shower because I know that Lucas, friendly little bugger that he is, will let in anyone that knocks. It just figures that the one day I forget we get company! Hehehehe! She got quite an eyeful, I'm sure...poor girl.

Monday, June 2, 2008

I Will Never Have to Put Him in Timeout

Lucas walked up to me today with his bottom lip stuck straight out, obviously upset but I wasn't sure why.

"Why so sad buddy?"

"I thought about biting you and that's not very nice."

"Really? But you don't ever bite...why did you want to bite me?"

"I don't know...but I thought about it...so I'll be in my room."

And he then he marched himself right upstairs and put himself in timeout. He was up there for a while. To be honest, I got watching a cheesy Lifetime movie and I sort of forgot he was up there, but when he came downstairs he was happy as can be and ready to play. This is not at all what I imagined raising a four year old might be like.