Brendan's favorite foods:
sausage
hot dogs
sausage
hot dogs
bananas (which he calls band-aids, ew.)
yogurt covered raisins
dried bananas
dried cherries
fruit snacks
vitamins
cheese
sausage
maraschino cherries (which irks me to no end since it is very hard to find ones without high fructose corn syrup)
It's not exactly the well-rounded diet I'm striving for with him. He also does NOT like:
dessert (except Hershey bars)
honey (which he pretends he does like, like Tigger, and then he remembers he hates, like Tigger)
peas
tea (yes, I tried this when he had a cough)
pretty much most things not on the "favorite" list
Liam pretty much likes everything EXCEPT coconut and whipped cream (he gets that from me.) I still haven't taken good pictures of them from Halloween, but my friend's sister did so I need to get them from her. Also I am not beneath dressing them up in their costumes again to get a couple posed shots. They are adorable.
Eric and I saw the absolutely ONLY possible movie available on Friday night at it was Couples Vacation. It was not as bad as I was expecting. I was expecting very bad. But I love Vince Vaughn so right there it got a star, and then the setting was AMAZING so there's another star, and there were some funny moments, so there's a half star, so 2.5/5 stars. Also I haven't seen more than maybe 3 or 4 movies at the theatre this year so I'm pretty forgiving. I mean I purposefully try not to go to something which I know I will hate, which I never cared about before when I could and did see movies whenever I had the whim, which was often. Eric and I made the mistake of going to see The Women once, but realized our mistake literally 4 minutes into the film and relocated to Burn After Reading, which is the sort of evasive maneuver you have to do when using up the only 2 1/2 hour break you're going to have for 3 months. Anyway, I have noticed my standards slipping big time in my quest for pure unadultered escapism. But I'm ok with that. I think enough right now between kids and work and school that I'm ok taking a break from David Lynch. I wish there were a few more quality escape films, but I think I'd have to live in the 40s and 50s for that to be the case. Thank you Netflix.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Go Speedracer Go
Liam wants to be a racecar driver. He wants his racecar to have a fishtank in the back too. So it seemed only natural to take him to a real race. Last weekend we went to Elkhart Lake, WI with Eric's brother Andy and his girlfriend Erin. The resort was beautiful and the cars were very cool and even the Bears Packers game at the Wisonsin dive bar was fun. Unfortunately Brendan came down with a cold our second night there (and we didn't know it yet but Liam did too.) Vacations with kids are different. I personally like to go somewhere with little expectations, no itinerary and maybe only a vague idea of what I want to do. With Liam and Brando there's about 6 extra suitcases to bring and at least some preparation is vital. Unfortunately you never think of bringing humidifiers, do you? So, bedtime. Brendan was having a hard time falling asleep with the cold so Eric was in with him and I was watching a very strange show on the History channel about, you guessed it, the antichrist. It was a Nostradamus thing that normally I wouldn't have watched, but what roped me in was this weird teaser they kept offering that seemed to imply our president might be the "3rd and final" antichrist. They even went so far as to have an actor who slightly resembled the prez who they'd show every time they proposed their ominous questions, "Could this third and final antichrist be an intelligent, popular, charismatic man who leads a nation to glory just before he destroys the world forever?" It was so strange and filled with so much overt innuendo that I just had to keep watching to see how they were going to finish it. At this point either way would be bizarre. If they said "no it's definitely not our president" then why did they keep alluding to him as if he was, and really how could they say that with any authority since it's all a bunch of mumbo jumbo anyway. The conspiracy theorists would have a field day with that. If they said it is him or could be him that would be sooooo incredible it doesn't seem possible. So how would it end? I literally sat through 45 minutes of this show and then just when they were going to get to the bottom line, Brendan wakes up inconsolable and needing me and so I didn't get to watch the end. Unbelievable. Conspiracy, right?
So around midnight Brendan woke up with this 3-packs-of-Camels-a-Day cough, the likes of which I'd never heard before. Well, had we been at home I would have put on the humidifier and if it was bad I would have brought him into the bathroom with the hot shower arunnin. No humidifier, but I ran the hotel hot shower and sure enough he stopped coughing and fell back asleep. Eric went down to the front desk to get some extra pillows for Brando (didn't want to have them bring them up and knock on the door and wake everyone) and I asked him to leave the shower running so the noise would be in the background til he came back. Sure enough less than one minute after Eric left the fire alarm in our room goes off. We had a 3 bedroom setup with a kitchen and dining room and the three bedrooms were all clustered in the back. This insane blasting alarm would not shut off, and a minute later the front desk calls to see what's going on. I explain what happened and ask how to turn it off. "Just open the patio door" was their reply. Great idea, but all it did was cause dozens of worried hotel guests to start looking out their doors and windows wondering if the building was on fire. Erin and Andy came out of their bedroom and we all tried to make it shut off. Liam and Brendan somehow slept through it, in spite of it being a foot away from each of their open doors and it literally stayed on for 10 or 15 minutes. Finally Andy pulled it out of the ceiling. A minute later Eric came back, unaware of what had happened. Then the front desk tells us we have to put the smoke detector back in or the Fire Department's going to come. It was really a joyful experience, especially when after everyone was back to sleep Liam started crying at the top of his lungs because his cold finally set in and he felt awful but was so tired the only thing he could do was cry. I think Eric and I maybe got two hours of sleep that night, and we woke up before 7, packed up our stuff and left before Erin and Andy even got up.
Then I kept Liam home from his 4th and 5th days of preschool. On Thursday he seemed much better and I thought he was ready to go back. He definitely wanted to and I didn't think he seemed contagious (bear in mind that I ABHOR when people bring their sick kids anywhere near me or my kids, so I would not want to be a hypocrite but I really felt like he was ok.) I went to work and Eric called saying he wasn't sure if Liam should go. I'm like "I think he's fine and should go, but it's up to you." So based on my prodding Eric decided to send him. On the way back from dropping him off Eric calls to tell me that yes Liam went to school but the weird thing was that the class won't be going outside and they're canceling the ice cream social because there's an escaped convict on the loose in the neighborhood so the school's on lockdown. Well didn't I feel great for convincing Eric to let him go.
Alls well that ends well. I actually feel sort of sorry for the convict because he knew he was probably going to be sent to prison for the next decade plus, so when he saw an easy opportunity to escape he did it, and in all the time he was on the lam he didn't hurt anyone. I read someone saying he hopes he "goes to jail for the rest of his life" which I think is absurd, considering murderers don't even always go to jail for the rest of their lives. I think it's just a sad commentary on our penitentiary system, when the guys ends up in jail for nonviolent crime at age 18, and he just goes back and forth between jail and freedom for the rest of his life. Really isn't there any way we could help first offenders not end up back in jail? Of course some people won't be reformed, but our overcrowded prisons are probably the worst thing you could do for people gone astray. The whole system's a mess, that's my opinion. Anyway thank God everything ended peacefully and safely. And on a happier note, Liam sent his first text message today. Eric got a new phone after a wayward load of laundry did in his old and much beloved phone. This one has a keypad which intrigues Liam, and all on his own he texted me and my niece Kelly a message. He wanted to also text our babysitter but she's only 12 and doesn't have a cell phone. What was his message? "Liam" Succinct, just like he is.
So around midnight Brendan woke up with this 3-packs-of-Camels-a-Day cough, the likes of which I'd never heard before. Well, had we been at home I would have put on the humidifier and if it was bad I would have brought him into the bathroom with the hot shower arunnin. No humidifier, but I ran the hotel hot shower and sure enough he stopped coughing and fell back asleep. Eric went down to the front desk to get some extra pillows for Brando (didn't want to have them bring them up and knock on the door and wake everyone) and I asked him to leave the shower running so the noise would be in the background til he came back. Sure enough less than one minute after Eric left the fire alarm in our room goes off. We had a 3 bedroom setup with a kitchen and dining room and the three bedrooms were all clustered in the back. This insane blasting alarm would not shut off, and a minute later the front desk calls to see what's going on. I explain what happened and ask how to turn it off. "Just open the patio door" was their reply. Great idea, but all it did was cause dozens of worried hotel guests to start looking out their doors and windows wondering if the building was on fire. Erin and Andy came out of their bedroom and we all tried to make it shut off. Liam and Brendan somehow slept through it, in spite of it being a foot away from each of their open doors and it literally stayed on for 10 or 15 minutes. Finally Andy pulled it out of the ceiling. A minute later Eric came back, unaware of what had happened. Then the front desk tells us we have to put the smoke detector back in or the Fire Department's going to come. It was really a joyful experience, especially when after everyone was back to sleep Liam started crying at the top of his lungs because his cold finally set in and he felt awful but was so tired the only thing he could do was cry. I think Eric and I maybe got two hours of sleep that night, and we woke up before 7, packed up our stuff and left before Erin and Andy even got up.
Then I kept Liam home from his 4th and 5th days of preschool. On Thursday he seemed much better and I thought he was ready to go back. He definitely wanted to and I didn't think he seemed contagious (bear in mind that I ABHOR when people bring their sick kids anywhere near me or my kids, so I would not want to be a hypocrite but I really felt like he was ok.) I went to work and Eric called saying he wasn't sure if Liam should go. I'm like "I think he's fine and should go, but it's up to you." So based on my prodding Eric decided to send him. On the way back from dropping him off Eric calls to tell me that yes Liam went to school but the weird thing was that the class won't be going outside and they're canceling the ice cream social because there's an escaped convict on the loose in the neighborhood so the school's on lockdown. Well didn't I feel great for convincing Eric to let him go.
Alls well that ends well. I actually feel sort of sorry for the convict because he knew he was probably going to be sent to prison for the next decade plus, so when he saw an easy opportunity to escape he did it, and in all the time he was on the lam he didn't hurt anyone. I read someone saying he hopes he "goes to jail for the rest of his life" which I think is absurd, considering murderers don't even always go to jail for the rest of their lives. I think it's just a sad commentary on our penitentiary system, when the guys ends up in jail for nonviolent crime at age 18, and he just goes back and forth between jail and freedom for the rest of his life. Really isn't there any way we could help first offenders not end up back in jail? Of course some people won't be reformed, but our overcrowded prisons are probably the worst thing you could do for people gone astray. The whole system's a mess, that's my opinion. Anyway thank God everything ended peacefully and safely. And on a happier note, Liam sent his first text message today. Eric got a new phone after a wayward load of laundry did in his old and much beloved phone. This one has a keypad which intrigues Liam, and all on his own he texted me and my niece Kelly a message. He wanted to also text our babysitter but she's only 12 and doesn't have a cell phone. What was his message? "Liam" Succinct, just like he is.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Ouch, That Stings
Me: Good night, Liam, I love you.
(kiss, hug)
Liam: I love you too, Mommy.
Me: Good night, Brendan. I love you.
Brendan: Good night.
Me: Can you give Mommy a kiss, Brendan?
Brendan: No way, Elmo.
(kiss, hug)
Liam: I love you too, Mommy.
Me: Good night, Brendan. I love you.
Brendan: Good night.
Me: Can you give Mommy a kiss, Brendan?
Brendan: No way, Elmo.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
My City By the Lake
This weekend we hung out downtown. Among the highlights were taking a carriage ride, hanging out in the WGN/NBC plaza with the 3 story tall statue recreation of American Gothic (couldn't help but thing about Doing Time in Park Ridge of course) and the fountains, window shopping on Michigan Avenue, swimming in the 1920s pool at the Hotel Intercontinental, which looked like it was pulled straight out of the Hearst mansion, and taking a ride on the water taxi. We forgot to check out Buckingham fountain so we'll have to go back. Liam and Brendan were both amazingly good, and really enjoyed looking out the window of our room down at the lake and lighthouse and the city 22 stories below. When we first got there Eric thought the woman who checked us in said we were on the 2nd floor, so he asked if we could get something higher and she said no. It made sense when we realized it was the 22nd floor. The best testament to how well the trip went was that we didn't even open the bag of cars I brought to play with. Truly that's unheard of. Unfortunately somewhere in the middle of the night we awoke to Brendan saying "Pwease, pwease" only to find him standing next to his bed with his eyes still closed trying to get climb back in. Apparently he had fallen out or scooted off and it was too high for him to get back in. But other than that and the crazy traffic on the way home, it was a perfect trip.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
My New Eco-Friendly Water Bottle
It's sleek, it's pretty, it's stainless steel and very mod. Three things I don't like about it:
1. When I opened it (while sitting at the public service desk at work today) a huge stream of water flew out of it and onto and across my pants, so now I look like I wet my pants. It also gave me flashbacks to trying to change Liam's diaper at 2am.
2. When I drink from it, it makes a super-sonic screeching noise which reverberates throughout the library. At first I thought a security alarm was going off. It's so far from right I cannot even explain. And I am not joking.
3. My water tastes like metal.
So, I am going to have to reevaluate this $13 purchase. Much like I sadly mourn the loss of the $8 MORGAN embossed sippy cup that Brendan forced me to buy, which now has a big rip in the rubbery-plastic coating after Eric proceeded to wash in the dishwasher, against the advice of the large Hand Wash Only label, rendering it unusable.
1. When I opened it (while sitting at the public service desk at work today) a huge stream of water flew out of it and onto and across my pants, so now I look like I wet my pants. It also gave me flashbacks to trying to change Liam's diaper at 2am.
2. When I drink from it, it makes a super-sonic screeching noise which reverberates throughout the library. At first I thought a security alarm was going off. It's so far from right I cannot even explain. And I am not joking.
3. My water tastes like metal.
So, I am going to have to reevaluate this $13 purchase. Much like I sadly mourn the loss of the $8 MORGAN embossed sippy cup that Brendan forced me to buy, which now has a big rip in the rubbery-plastic coating after Eric proceeded to wash in the dishwasher, against the advice of the large Hand Wash Only label, rendering it unusable.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
LPZ
Here are some pics from a trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo. Always good times. I should actually write something but I'm just too lazy today.
Here is Brendan blissfully passed out after the adventure:
And here's a set of pics when I caught Liam and Brendan practicing for Brendan's 21st birthday. Fortunately they only had play cups, but I'm gonna keep an eye on these two...
Here is Brendan blissfully passed out after the adventure:
And here's a set of pics when I caught Liam and Brendan practicing for Brendan's 21st birthday. Fortunately they only had play cups, but I'm gonna keep an eye on these two...
Friday, June 26, 2009
True Ramblings
Well, at the expense of having any social life recently, Eric and I have been moving full steam ahead with working insane schedules and fixing up the house. I think the end is in sight, with the only big project left on the docket painting the cabinets in the kitchen and having the countertops installed. The painting part is a lot of work, and I will be SO happy when it is done. Ok, off to play chase with Brendan and Liam!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Maseratis, Aston Martins and Rick Bayless
Sequentially I should post my After pictures of the yard, but I want to wait til they finish the casings on the back windows first.
Yesterday /last night was awesome. In celebration of 8 years of marriage, we dropped dos bambinos at the grandparents for lunch, then Eric and I got a bunch of stuff done including (finally!) ordering new countertops (bye bye Brady Bunch, we won't miss you!) and other miscellaneous jazz (how romantic. We ran into an Action Ridge neighbor that afternoon and she said her husband NEVER took her to Home Depot to celebrate their anniversary, poor lady.) Then we went downtown for drinks at Fado and dinner at Frontera Grill. It was seriously the best food I've ever had in my life, and the margaritas were insanely good. We forced ourselves to eat almost everything we got because we had never had such an extraordinary meal, and no one else seemed to be taking doggie bags. :o) Eric was excited because there was a bevy of upscale cars outside to oogle as well. Like a little touch of L.A. on Clark. Dinner was at 9 and we thought about going to a midnight movie afterward, but decided to come home instead and SLEEP! G&G Z were having a sleepover with the grandkids, which meant we got to sleep in today AND do my favorite lazy thing ever, which is wake up, eat breakfast and then go BACK to bed. It was truly fantastical.
Tomorrow our itty bitty 3rd bedroom will be magically transformed into a itty bitty purple and green playroom. I'll try to post before and after pics, as I know you are just DYING to see the metamorphosis.
Oh, and now I certainly CANNOT get that Eagles song Life's Been Good out of my head. "My Maserati does 185, I lost my license, now I don't drive." That's been with me since I asked Eric last night, "So a Maerati's a really expensive car?" and he laughed in my face, realized I wasn't joking and as he tried to explain it to me I sang that lyric and he said, "Yes, exctally. It's what rockstars drive."
Oh, and on our way downtown Eric was trying to make a call on the OnStar and it misheard him: Eric's response: Dammit
Onstar: Now calling - Eric.
Ok, who wants to have the next sleepover with the kids? They were apparently quite good. Lemme know.
Yesterday /last night was awesome. In celebration of 8 years of marriage, we dropped dos bambinos at the grandparents for lunch, then Eric and I got a bunch of stuff done including (finally!) ordering new countertops (bye bye Brady Bunch, we won't miss you!) and other miscellaneous jazz (how romantic. We ran into an Action Ridge neighbor that afternoon and she said her husband NEVER took her to Home Depot to celebrate their anniversary, poor lady.) Then we went downtown for drinks at Fado and dinner at Frontera Grill. It was seriously the best food I've ever had in my life, and the margaritas were insanely good. We forced ourselves to eat almost everything we got because we had never had such an extraordinary meal, and no one else seemed to be taking doggie bags. :o) Eric was excited because there was a bevy of upscale cars outside to oogle as well. Like a little touch of L.A. on Clark. Dinner was at 9 and we thought about going to a midnight movie afterward, but decided to come home instead and SLEEP! G&G Z were having a sleepover with the grandkids, which meant we got to sleep in today AND do my favorite lazy thing ever, which is wake up, eat breakfast and then go BACK to bed. It was truly fantastical.
Tomorrow our itty bitty 3rd bedroom will be magically transformed into a itty bitty purple and green playroom. I'll try to post before and after pics, as I know you are just DYING to see the metamorphosis.
Oh, and now I certainly CANNOT get that Eagles song Life's Been Good out of my head. "My Maserati does 185, I lost my license, now I don't drive." That's been with me since I asked Eric last night, "So a Maerati's a really expensive car?" and he laughed in my face, realized I wasn't joking and as he tried to explain it to me I sang that lyric and he said, "Yes, exctally. It's what rockstars drive."
Oh, and on our way downtown Eric was trying to make a call on the OnStar and it misheard him: Eric's response: Dammit
Onstar: Now calling - Eric.
Ok, who wants to have the next sleepover with the kids? They were apparently quite good. Lemme know.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
So, we got new sod and a flat backyard! I will post pictures when Eric reconnects some mythical computer wires. I have to say it looks waaaaaay better and I want to be featured on one of those Home and Garden shows. Now we just need a patio and maybe a fence and we will have a kickin' backyard. (A very strange and unexpected crop of mushrooms has started popping up in the new sod. I am not sure if they are magical, but I hope they will quickly go away. Although they are kind of cute. In a weird way only mushrooms and pigs noses can be.)
I don't like how people at my work and nearby schools are getting swine flu. Not many people are dying of it, but it's still not something I want to contract. Also it isn't yet flu season, so that'll be the real test. Sometimes working in a public place is a germy thing to do. However, I cannot express how much I LOVE having an 8 minute commute, especially since I can get there faster walking than driving. That's pretty sweet. Eric and I are very eco-friendly when it comes to commuting.
I was talking today with our extra-stellar mailman, and he was lambasting the USPS, sort of. He said they now frown upon mailmen getting to know the people on their route, and everything is about doing it faster, but not better. He's a cool dude and more postmen should be like him. And always ring twice.
This week is turning out to be a very cute baby-ful week indeed. In addition to my own very cute babies (and in Ireland Liam still qualifies as an "Infant") I got to see one very cute little 6 month old girl on Tuesday and will hopefully get to see two very cute 2 month old twins on Friday. Liam is uber-excited, and based on his success with Mason has proposed teaching 2 month old Charlie to walk tomorrow.
Tomorrow we also are lining up our weekly babysitter AND getting the last of our new windows. And we (Eric) got a new faucet but (Eric)broke something so we need to get a plumber. And we are turning the 3rd bedroom into a playroom so we have a painter coming for that on Monday. And last but not least we will hopefully be getting new countertops sometime soon, and hopefully we will have finished painting out cabinets by then too. Though for a while we might have black cabinets and orange countertops, and nothing could be more rad. And on that note we will be celebrating our anniversary with a over-night away from the little guys and a good dinner by one of our favorite channel 11 chefs. After that I will need a four month vacation to recuperate.
I don't like how people at my work and nearby schools are getting swine flu. Not many people are dying of it, but it's still not something I want to contract. Also it isn't yet flu season, so that'll be the real test. Sometimes working in a public place is a germy thing to do. However, I cannot express how much I LOVE having an 8 minute commute, especially since I can get there faster walking than driving. That's pretty sweet. Eric and I are very eco-friendly when it comes to commuting.
I was talking today with our extra-stellar mailman, and he was lambasting the USPS, sort of. He said they now frown upon mailmen getting to know the people on their route, and everything is about doing it faster, but not better. He's a cool dude and more postmen should be like him. And always ring twice.
This week is turning out to be a very cute baby-ful week indeed. In addition to my own very cute babies (and in Ireland Liam still qualifies as an "Infant") I got to see one very cute little 6 month old girl on Tuesday and will hopefully get to see two very cute 2 month old twins on Friday. Liam is uber-excited, and based on his success with Mason has proposed teaching 2 month old Charlie to walk tomorrow.
Tomorrow we also are lining up our weekly babysitter AND getting the last of our new windows. And we (Eric) got a new faucet but (Eric)broke something so we need to get a plumber. And we are turning the 3rd bedroom into a playroom so we have a painter coming for that on Monday. And last but not least we will hopefully be getting new countertops sometime soon, and hopefully we will have finished painting out cabinets by then too. Though for a while we might have black cabinets and orange countertops, and nothing could be more rad. And on that note we will be celebrating our anniversary with a over-night away from the little guys and a good dinner by one of our favorite channel 11 chefs. After that I will need a four month vacation to recuperate.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Our Fav Restaurant from the Old Days
Somehow I happened upon the website for The Gypsy, which is the favorite restaurant Eric and I had in LA. Check out the Pictures on their site to get a feel for it. Man, set yourself at one of their outside tables for a gluttonous evening of beautiful weather, amazing hummus and shwarma, delicious flavored hookahs and people- and star- watching at the movie premiers at the Fox across the street. When we were there they still had 25 cent chocolate chip cookies and one dollar ice cream sandwiches at Diddy Reese just a couple stores down. We lived maybe 4 or 5 blocks from this oasis, which I was happy to leave but now remember wistfully. I wouldn't want to live in LA again, but there were some pretty gnarly things about it, Dude, that's for sure.
Much Ado
1. I finally got my grade from Use and Users of information. 98 out of a possible 100 points, baby! Now I just have to cross my fingers that scholarship people will call me in June. If I don't hear in June, well that is a bad sign. If I do that means I got it. Ooo, I can hardly handle the tension. 3 classes down, 7 to go!
2. Liam's friend is calling from upstairs, "Liam keeps turning off the piano," to which Liam calls down, "Because my baby needs to take a nap!" Seems reasonable to me.
3. Tomorrow: Stage One of our landscapping begins. They are going to flatten out the backyard, lay new sod, pull out the bushes behind our house, plant some newer, "cuter" bushes, cut down the trees that are growing into our garage and lay new sod on our parkway grasses. We still need to get a back patio and 1.7 million other things, but this is a good start. Why is everything so expensive? Just wondering.
4. Liam got a little stuffed Irish bear from Jon and Melissa when he was born. He told me a day ago the bear was named Brian Hamber. Eric and I were impressed because it sounds like a real name. So I said, oh, that's a cool name for him. How did you know that was his name? And he said, no, it's her, not him. Brian Hamber is a girl.
5. Kathy, I know what you're saying about the bogus celebrity exhaustion, but I would reaaallly like to go to one of the chic rehab hospitals for a week or two and have my own exhaustion recovery. It would be totally legit, I promise.
I had a LOT more SUPER RIVETING stuff to blog about, but I got basically no sleep last night because Brendan + teething + cold = BAAAAADDDD!!!!! so I can't remember what it was. This does not bode well for tonight, when I will be working.
2. Liam's friend is calling from upstairs, "Liam keeps turning off the piano," to which Liam calls down, "Because my baby needs to take a nap!" Seems reasonable to me.
3. Tomorrow: Stage One of our landscapping begins. They are going to flatten out the backyard, lay new sod, pull out the bushes behind our house, plant some newer, "cuter" bushes, cut down the trees that are growing into our garage and lay new sod on our parkway grasses. We still need to get a back patio and 1.7 million other things, but this is a good start. Why is everything so expensive? Just wondering.
4. Liam got a little stuffed Irish bear from Jon and Melissa when he was born. He told me a day ago the bear was named Brian Hamber. Eric and I were impressed because it sounds like a real name. So I said, oh, that's a cool name for him. How did you know that was his name? And he said, no, it's her, not him. Brian Hamber is a girl.
5. Kathy, I know what you're saying about the bogus celebrity exhaustion, but I would reaaallly like to go to one of the chic rehab hospitals for a week or two and have my own exhaustion recovery. It would be totally legit, I promise.
I had a LOT more SUPER RIVETING stuff to blog about, but I got basically no sleep last night because Brendan + teething + cold = BAAAAADDDD!!!!! so I can't remember what it was. This does not bode well for tonight, when I will be working.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Samurai Liamson
So we recently found out that not only is Liam inexplicably good at climbing trees, but his inner Zen warrior has been unleashed since he got a sword. Eric found some geeky website that said these nerf swords rock, and I must say they are quite excellent. And Liam has shown a fencing prowess that knows no fear. Eric came in tonight to share some choice quotes from the neighborhood swordfight that Liam was finally able to participate in.
"Ouch Liam, we're on the same team!"
"No Liam, Riley can only do that because he's my master." to which Liam replied, "I am your master!"
For real.
In other good news, after the big breakup with Salernos some months back, we had a brief fling with Mugs, but it turned out to only be ok. Then, after doing an entire semester about the demise of newspapers, I only now found out that my hometown does still have a newspaper, which is available online (thanks all who participated in the survey.) Anyway I found out that Moretti's has opened a ristorante here, and it delivers! I am beyond excited. Sad but true.
Tomorrow we have some landscapers coming to quote a price to get the back lawn torn up, leveled, re-sodded and maybe take out bushes and put in a patio. And in a couple weeks we will be getting our last three regular windows. Still no new countertops or upstairs bath or kitchen remodeling or basement finishing or addition, but it's something. I'm patient. Sort of. Not really. Sometimes. Not usually but, ok well, don't let your kids get teeth is my advice to you. It suuuuucks.
"Ouch Liam, we're on the same team!"
"No Liam, Riley can only do that because he's my master." to which Liam replied, "I am your master!"
For real.
In other good news, after the big breakup with Salernos some months back, we had a brief fling with Mugs, but it turned out to only be ok. Then, after doing an entire semester about the demise of newspapers, I only now found out that my hometown does still have a newspaper, which is available online (thanks all who participated in the survey.) Anyway I found out that Moretti's has opened a ristorante here, and it delivers! I am beyond excited. Sad but true.
Tomorrow we have some landscapers coming to quote a price to get the back lawn torn up, leveled, re-sodded and maybe take out bushes and put in a patio. And in a couple weeks we will be getting our last three regular windows. Still no new countertops or upstairs bath or kitchen remodeling or basement finishing or addition, but it's something. I'm patient. Sort of. Not really. Sometimes. Not usually but, ok well, don't let your kids get teeth is my advice to you. It suuuuucks.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Ruminations on Parenthood, Part 1
Ok, so someone says to you, here's the job:
Me: What are the hours?
God: Um, not sure.
Me: Like, how many hours a week?
God: Well, hmm, I can't say. Anywhere between 112 and close to 168.
Me: Wait, I have to work nights and weekends?
God: Yeah. In fact, you have to potentially work more on weekends then on weekdays.
Me: What's the salary?
God: (laughs, coughs, clears throat) No salary. It's actually going to cost you a boatload of money.
Me: Well how many sick days do I get?
God: None.
Me: None? What do I do when I'm sick?
God: Mostly likely take care of everyone else in your house because they will also be sick. And you can get puked on and sneezed on and coughed on, make meals and do laundry and take care of the pets and pay the bills and, you pickin up what I'm puttin down here?
Me: Is there a pension?
God: That depends on how smart and financially savvy and lucky your kids are, how much they like and respect you when they're adults, what kinds of ailments you have, how annoying you get, etc. Truthfully there's a good chance you'll be chin-deep in debt for the rest of your life, with at least two mortgages.
Me: When do I get to retire?
God: Never. Well, technically, when you die. Otherwise you're on call 24/7 for the rest of your life.
So, I ask you, who in their right mind would willingly take this on? And not only that, who would take it more then once?! Especially after you realize there ISN'T a nursery down the hall where you can send the kid when you're sick or exhausted or in need of a ten minute nap. Or after you realize it will literally be YEARS before you have the independence to walk out of your own house barefoot, hop in your car and go wherever you want for as long as you want. But here's the absolutely weird thing. Somehow, by some astounding, enigmatic biological widget God skillfully implanted in a hidden crevice in your brain, this whole unbelievably bizarre phenomena is AMAZING and totally, incomprehensibly AWESOME and even knowing many of the pitfalls and idiosyncrasies, I totally dig this parenthood thing. I can absolutely see how it's not for everyone, but personally I'm in. When Brendan asks, "Is this a booboo?" in the cutest, sweetest baby voice, pointing to a little scrape on his hand, a concerned, innocent look on his adorable fat face that I just want to eat, I could seriously see having 10 kids. On the other hand, it's 10:29pm and Liam's singing Weezer songs upstairs and asking Eric to come up and clip his nails, so I don't think I'll go that far. And have I mentioned how I have had MAYBE 4 full 8 hour nights of sleep in the last year and a half? That's not something I could keep up for the next decade, so...
Brendan face-planted off the neighbor's slide and the mud on his face was too funny-looking to clean off:
Me: What are the hours?
God: Um, not sure.
Me: Like, how many hours a week?
God: Well, hmm, I can't say. Anywhere between 112 and close to 168.
Me: Wait, I have to work nights and weekends?
God: Yeah. In fact, you have to potentially work more on weekends then on weekdays.
Me: What's the salary?
God: (laughs, coughs, clears throat) No salary. It's actually going to cost you a boatload of money.
Me: Well how many sick days do I get?
God: None.
Me: None? What do I do when I'm sick?
God: Mostly likely take care of everyone else in your house because they will also be sick. And you can get puked on and sneezed on and coughed on, make meals and do laundry and take care of the pets and pay the bills and, you pickin up what I'm puttin down here?
Me: Is there a pension?
God: That depends on how smart and financially savvy and lucky your kids are, how much they like and respect you when they're adults, what kinds of ailments you have, how annoying you get, etc. Truthfully there's a good chance you'll be chin-deep in debt for the rest of your life, with at least two mortgages.
Me: When do I get to retire?
God: Never. Well, technically, when you die. Otherwise you're on call 24/7 for the rest of your life.
So, I ask you, who in their right mind would willingly take this on? And not only that, who would take it more then once?! Especially after you realize there ISN'T a nursery down the hall where you can send the kid when you're sick or exhausted or in need of a ten minute nap. Or after you realize it will literally be YEARS before you have the independence to walk out of your own house barefoot, hop in your car and go wherever you want for as long as you want. But here's the absolutely weird thing. Somehow, by some astounding, enigmatic biological widget God skillfully implanted in a hidden crevice in your brain, this whole unbelievably bizarre phenomena is AMAZING and totally, incomprehensibly AWESOME and even knowing many of the pitfalls and idiosyncrasies, I totally dig this parenthood thing. I can absolutely see how it's not for everyone, but personally I'm in. When Brendan asks, "Is this a booboo?" in the cutest, sweetest baby voice, pointing to a little scrape on his hand, a concerned, innocent look on his adorable fat face that I just want to eat, I could seriously see having 10 kids. On the other hand, it's 10:29pm and Liam's singing Weezer songs upstairs and asking Eric to come up and clip his nails, so I don't think I'll go that far. And have I mentioned how I have had MAYBE 4 full 8 hour nights of sleep in the last year and a half? That's not something I could keep up for the next decade, so...
Brendan face-planted off the neighbor's slide and the mud on his face was too funny-looking to clean off:
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Latte won Kenobi
A few weeks ago, when the weather started getting better, we noticed that Brendan started saying, "Die, die, die, die" very excitedly. I'm not going to lie, it was disconcerting. Eric was the one who finally figured out the translation, "outside." Phew. Brendan, like most children, reallllllllllly loves to be outside. It makes me look with a whole new fondness toward our days in southern California. You literally could go out 365 days a year. Wow.
Today we got out and Liam got to play with a neighbor. Five hours later as he's taking his nap (and I'm trying to take one of my own in my bedroom down the hall) he calls out to me,
"Mom! Mommy! Have you ever heard of Starbucks?!"
"Yes," I answered.
"No, but not the Caribou Starbucks. Starbucks the movie. Have you heard of that?"
"No," I replied.
"It's where they're fighting, but it's not real. It's just pretend."
Then a lightbulb went off and I remembered the 4 year old neighbor.
"Do you mean Star Wars?" I shouted back.
"Yes, that's it," he said.
"Yes, I've heard of that. I'll tell you about it later."
"Ok."
Well, I'm off to write my last paper for Use and Users of Information. Woohoo!
Today we got out and Liam got to play with a neighbor. Five hours later as he's taking his nap (and I'm trying to take one of my own in my bedroom down the hall) he calls out to me,
"Mom! Mommy! Have you ever heard of Starbucks?!"
"Yes," I answered.
"No, but not the Caribou Starbucks. Starbucks the movie. Have you heard of that?"
"No," I replied.
"It's where they're fighting, but it's not real. It's just pretend."
Then a lightbulb went off and I remembered the 4 year old neighbor.
"Do you mean Star Wars?" I shouted back.
"Yes, that's it," he said.
"Yes, I've heard of that. I'll tell you about it later."
"Ok."
Well, I'm off to write my last paper for Use and Users of Information. Woohoo!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
8 and E vs. I
So there's been chatter in the house lately about the Myers Brigs tests after Eric and I finally took the ones Heather sent us on FB. Eric was 100% I, I was 88% E. (One thing that really struck me about the recap of my own test was that it said that I really need to be around people but yet even when I am around people I can feel lonely, because I have not developed one of my other letters. F? Well anyway it was totally right on. The descriptions about me and Eric were really very accurate.) Liam has shown many signs of "I" which I learned from Heather is not a bad thing :o) but also he's three so I don't know yet what he'll be. In hopes of gaining some insight into his leanings, I presented him with the following question:
Me: Liam, when you go to a party do you like to talk to a whole bunch of people or just one person
Liam: A whole bunch of people
Me: Say you were at a party and there was a big group of people talking and then in another room there was just one person. Would you want to go in the room with the big group and talk with them and have them all talk to you or would you want to go in the room with just one person?
Liam: The room with the whole big bunch of people.
(I'm sort of surprised with the answers at this point.)
Me: And you'd want all the people to be talking to you?
Liam: Yes...(pause) but Mom? You know what I really like about parties?
Me: What?
Liam: Cake.
Me: Cake?
Liam: Yes, definitely. Cake...(Pause) and hamburgers. But not lunch. I don't like lunch at parties. Unless it's hamburgers.
So you be the judge.
8 Things I Look Forward To
1. Getting full nights of sleep on a regular basis
2. Being done with grad school
3. Going somewhere on vacation this summer
4. Brendan being done teething
5. Going to a movie and dinner and a babysitter who doesn't ask us to be home early
6. Chicago Summer Events
7. The economy rebounding and my house being worth more that $17.28
8. Rae's wedding This Weekend!
8 Things I Did Yesterday
1. Played outside with the neighbors
2. Looked for the neighbor's cat with Liam
3. Prepaid 2 credit cards so I'll never be late again due to dumbness
4. Held Brendan like a baby
5. Watched our president on tv
6. Read more of Three Cups of Tea
7. Went to bed too late
8. Stressed out about refinancing and all the millions of project we have yet to do at our house.
8 Things I Wish I Could Do
1. Sleep
2. Read leisurely
3. Eat everything I love and be skinny
4. Live somewhere else but still be with all my family and friends
5. Have a maid
6. Stop worrying so much
7. Get a massage every day
8. Capitalize on the low interest rates
8 Shows I Watch
1. Check Please
2. Brothers and Sisters
3. Ballykissangel
4. Chicago Tonight
5. Tavis Smiley/ News Hour with Jim Lehrer/Nightly Business Report
6. Rick Steves/Rudy Maxa/Burt Wolf/some other travel show with different hosts who go to strange places and one host has bad teeth but I can't remember the name
7. Mexico One Plate at a Time
8. Craig Ferguson
I tag Kelly!
Me: Liam, when you go to a party do you like to talk to a whole bunch of people or just one person
Liam: A whole bunch of people
Me: Say you were at a party and there was a big group of people talking and then in another room there was just one person. Would you want to go in the room with the big group and talk with them and have them all talk to you or would you want to go in the room with just one person?
Liam: The room with the whole big bunch of people.
(I'm sort of surprised with the answers at this point.)
Me: And you'd want all the people to be talking to you?
Liam: Yes...(pause) but Mom? You know what I really like about parties?
Me: What?
Liam: Cake.
Me: Cake?
Liam: Yes, definitely. Cake...(Pause) and hamburgers. But not lunch. I don't like lunch at parties. Unless it's hamburgers.
So you be the judge.
8 Things I Look Forward To
1. Getting full nights of sleep on a regular basis
2. Being done with grad school
3. Going somewhere on vacation this summer
4. Brendan being done teething
5. Going to a movie and dinner and a babysitter who doesn't ask us to be home early
6. Chicago Summer Events
7. The economy rebounding and my house being worth more that $17.28
8. Rae's wedding This Weekend!
8 Things I Did Yesterday
1. Played outside with the neighbors
2. Looked for the neighbor's cat with Liam
3. Prepaid 2 credit cards so I'll never be late again due to dumbness
4. Held Brendan like a baby
5. Watched our president on tv
6. Read more of Three Cups of Tea
7. Went to bed too late
8. Stressed out about refinancing and all the millions of project we have yet to do at our house.
8 Things I Wish I Could Do
1. Sleep
2. Read leisurely
3. Eat everything I love and be skinny
4. Live somewhere else but still be with all my family and friends
5. Have a maid
6. Stop worrying so much
7. Get a massage every day
8. Capitalize on the low interest rates
8 Shows I Watch
1. Check Please
2. Brothers and Sisters
3. Ballykissangel
4. Chicago Tonight
5. Tavis Smiley/ News Hour with Jim Lehrer/Nightly Business Report
6. Rick Steves/Rudy Maxa/Burt Wolf/some other travel show with different hosts who go to strange places and one host has bad teeth but I can't remember the name
7. Mexico One Plate at a Time
8. Craig Ferguson
I tag Kelly!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
These Are Days
Brendan has been very unhappy about going to bed the last few days. Verrrrry unhappy about it. Liam had his own trouble with it a couple nights ago. Why do I always forget what's going on? You know what it is? Rapid development. Liam is growth spurting and Brendan is language spurting. I see it happening before my eyes but it always takes me awhile to remember what's going on. Another change Eric and I noticed is that Brendan, who oscillates between being very good and horrid has been much happier as of late. The rage has mellowed. Relatively. And it just dawned on me at work last night why. You guessed it - language. He has been frustrated for 18 months (1 1/2 years old yesterday!) with his inability to articulate his thoughts, dreams, hopes, whatever. Now there is an explosion of words and this makes him, and us, so happy! It doesn't make him much happier to sit in confined spaces like car seats and high chairs though, but beggars can't be choosers. Eric found him reading a book out loud this afternoon. Shakespeare, you know? No, really it was Let's Build but anyway it's just amazing to watch.
Yesterday Brendan Liam and I celebrated Brando's 1 1/2 year birthday with a candle in a moon pie. Brendan enjoyed us singing to him except every once in a while he'd get a concerned look and glance sideways at Liam in case we might actually be singing to him. But when it turned out we were really singing to Brendan he was very pleased. He doesn't like moon pies though.
Yesterday Brendan Liam and I celebrated Brando's 1 1/2 year birthday with a candle in a moon pie. Brendan enjoyed us singing to him except every once in a while he'd get a concerned look and glance sideways at Liam in case we might actually be singing to him. But when it turned out we were really singing to Brendan he was very pleased. He doesn't like moon pies though.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Letting the Days Go By
Liam's lunch.
Wednesday night Eric and I got a night on the town and visited a couple of the neighborhood food and spirits establishments. It wasn't as warm walking around as we thought it would be, even after drinks and appetizers and drinks and dinner. Unfortunately the youngins were still awake when we got home, so we were quickly brought back to reality at 9:15pm. (Also I discovered as I opened the back door that I left my purse back at the restaurant, so Eric ended up walking back after the kids went to bed.) Anyway, for some reason at 3am I woke up and could not get back to sleep. I believe it was 5:30 or 6 when I did. Waking up at 7:30 for work I realized how true it is that I am not a kid anymore. Not that I want to be a "kid" kid, but like they say you can never go home again, it's also hard to dabble sporadically in a life you lived in another era. Maybe we just need to get a regular babysitter and go out more.
Brendan has been doing the most adorable thing in the morning. I don't know what happened but somehow Eric and I produced an early riser. The odds were against it, but somehow it slipped through and we got Brando. He wakes up at 7/ 7:30. Liam is truly my child and could easily sleep in til 9:30. And they go to bed at the same time, but Liam just sits up there talking and singing for an hour or more til his brain winds down and he finally gives into sleep, where he dreams about Country Bugs. Don't ask, but it's not Flutterflies anymore and these things make noise. So when Liam wakes up we go into the bedroom to get him, and Brendan will take stuffed animals from his bed and bring them to Liam. It started because Liam really wanted Brando's snow tiger, but there was a bit of an altercation over it, and anyway the next morning Brendan, with no prompting from me, brought it to Liam. Now he does it every morning. He'll even bring stuffed animals from Liam's own bed that have shifted to the bottom so Liam can reach them. He loves helping. Helping unload the dishwasher, helping move furniture, helping clean up the large messes he makes. He's not really that good at helping, but it's funny, and sometimes scary, to watch him try.
In other news. Liam has gone from loving Ray Charles to loving Weezer (that's a little old news actually.) I hate ear buds and want headphones to come back in style. Liam doesn't wear diapers anymore. Brendan's teeth pains have returned - 2 year molars coming 6 months too soon. Brendan + teething = pistol. (As in, yep, he definitely is a redheaded Scorpio.) Rapid weightloss has not been a byproduct of weaning. It's been over a year now since we went to Dublin, and I really want to go back to Europe. This time I want to go to Italy. Unfortunately my bank account does not want that (I predict Eric will comment "What bank account? Why didn't you tell me we had a bank account?") This guy in my class sounds just like Anthony Hopkins and got way cuter in my on-campus day after he started talking. Mends and Binds might be the death of me. Warm weather, oh how I love ye!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
The Time Is Getting Late to Begin
Liam was born a little old man, that we all know. The first time I held him, I couldn't get over how much he looked like a scruffy Irish dockworker, with wise eyes that had seen much, and sideburns to boot. There's a passage in one of his Winnie the Pooh books that is truly profound. It reads,
"By the time it came to the edge of the Forest the stream had grown up, so that it was almost a river, and, being grown-up, it did not run and jump and sparkle along as it used to do when it was younger, but moved more slowly. For it knew where it was going, and it said to itself, 'There is no hurry. We shall get there some day.' But all the little streams higher up in the Forest went this way and that, quickly, eagerly, having so much to find out before it was too late."
Among many other things it reminds me of, that passage really sums up Liam and Brendan. Which is why it always catches me off guard when in the middle of a conversation Liam will say, "No, I don't quite understand," and I'll explain again and he'll look at me calmly and then say, "Blickly mlkcy gox box socks." Today that happened when he was talking on the phone to my mom. Fortunately she knows a lot about kids, otherwise that could have thrown her for a loop.
"By the time it came to the edge of the Forest the stream had grown up, so that it was almost a river, and, being grown-up, it did not run and jump and sparkle along as it used to do when it was younger, but moved more slowly. For it knew where it was going, and it said to itself, 'There is no hurry. We shall get there some day.' But all the little streams higher up in the Forest went this way and that, quickly, eagerly, having so much to find out before it was too late."
Among many other things it reminds me of, that passage really sums up Liam and Brendan. Which is why it always catches me off guard when in the middle of a conversation Liam will say, "No, I don't quite understand," and I'll explain again and he'll look at me calmly and then say, "Blickly mlkcy gox box socks." Today that happened when he was talking on the phone to my mom. Fortunately she knows a lot about kids, otherwise that could have thrown her for a loop.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
I Always Liked the Trib Better
To: circulation@pioneerlocal.com
Our Mount Prospect Times newspaper was unceremoniously cancelled a couple months ago, with no prior warning. No attempt was made to increase sales or circulation. Since I still had a remaining balance on the paper I sent in a slip to have the money refunded to me. I have never received this money back. Where is it?
Dear Donna
Thank you for contacting Pioneer Press.
We are currently processing your refund request. You should receive your refund within the next 10 business days.
If you require any further assistance, please contact customer service by phone at 1 (800) 680-2068 or by e-mail at custserv@suntimes.com.
Sincerely,
Cody V
Customer Service Department
Our Mount Prospect Times newspaper was unceremoniously cancelled a couple months ago, with no prior warning. No attempt was made to increase sales or circulation. Since I still had a remaining balance on the paper I sent in a slip to have the money refunded to me. I have never received this money back. Where is it?
Dear Donna
Thank you for contacting Pioneer Press.
We are currently processing your refund request. You should receive your refund within the next 10 business days.
If you require any further assistance, please contact customer service by phone at 1 (800) 680-2068 or by e-mail at custserv@suntimes.com.
Sincerely,
Cody V
Customer Service Department
Friday, April 10, 2009
At Least No Tears, or, Don't Tell Your Kids Bunnies Bite
Well, I may have done a very dumb thing. I know, it's shocking.
At Heather's wedding I had these rad earrings to go with my dress. Running late as usual I tried putting them on in the car, only to find out I could not get one in at all. Why one of my earring holes closed up but not the other I don't know, but apparently not wearing earrings for years can have this effect. So for Rae's wedding I decided to re-pierce my ears. On Wednesday I went to Claires, stood patiently in line behind a 13 year old and her mom, and finally got my chance to partake in what was coincidentally the last day of their big free* ear piercing day (*with purchase of $40 starter kit consisting of a miniature pair of earrings and bottle of antiseptic wash.) Anyway, I guess I seemed less than brave and the 18 year old ear piercer asked with concern, "Ok, are you ready for this?" Sure, I've given birth to two babies, but I'm still a giant wimp. I barely cried though. Right before she asked me to take a big breath, she asked if I wanted the holes where they had been before. To this I should have said "Yes", so that I wouldn't really have to start from scratch and more importantly so there would be no problem with me taking the earring out to put in the earrings for Rae's wedding, which was the purpose of this whole thing anyway. But the girl said my old holes were not even so should she even them up? It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I fear it was a mistake. Now in two weeks when I take the "new" earring out to put in Rae's, will there be a chance the hole won't be there? Also I'm not convinced the new holes are any better aligned than the previous ones. Oi vey. Truly.
Also, before we left I looked at Woodfield's website for the Easter Bunny info. It said the Easter Bunny would be there from some date in March until March 22, which makes no sense since Easter isn't until April 12. Weird, but I had no reason not to believe it. As we were leaving the mall, I noticed an Easter display and lo and behold who was in the thick of it but that abnormally large bunny we call The Easter Bunny. Liam was not very interested in getting a picture with the fellow. Last year he absolutely refused so we just had the picture with Brendan. This year he was a bit more open, but at the last minute he said, "Actually no, I don't want to." Why? I asked. "Well, because, remember, you said sometimes bunnies bite." For no apparent reason I decided to reveal that gem to Liam just that very morning. Brilliant! "Well no, Honey, though some bunnies bite those are just the regular small bunnies, not the Easter Bunny. The Easter Bunny never bites." So he consented to be in the picture but not to sit on The Bunny's lap or on the bench next to The Bunny. Unfortunately what this picture does not convey is that Brendan was not at all scared of The Bunny. He just kept trying to kiss The Bunny and was not interested in turning his head away from him to look at the camera. Instead, in the picture, he comes across as not happy. And my Very Brave Liam decided after the picture that he wanted to go up to the EB, with me in tow, to touch him and pet him and shake his hand and say Happy Easter and bye-bye. I was so proud of him, but again it's not the message the picture conveys. In fact at the end I think he rather liked The Bunny. "He was fun, I loved seeing that Easter Bunny," he told me. He's still a bit concerned about why the EB didn't talk though. He thinks he can talk but that he was just being shy. Liam says the Easter Bunny loves him and he loves him too. This is huge progress. Anyway it's a little better than the Christmas pic with Santa. And I really am having a hard time coming to grips with why I even have to convince Liam to engage with large weird costumed strangers. I mean, unless he's going on stage at a Flaming Lips concert.
At Heather's wedding I had these rad earrings to go with my dress. Running late as usual I tried putting them on in the car, only to find out I could not get one in at all. Why one of my earring holes closed up but not the other I don't know, but apparently not wearing earrings for years can have this effect. So for Rae's wedding I decided to re-pierce my ears. On Wednesday I went to Claires, stood patiently in line behind a 13 year old and her mom, and finally got my chance to partake in what was coincidentally the last day of their big free* ear piercing day (*with purchase of $40 starter kit consisting of a miniature pair of earrings and bottle of antiseptic wash.) Anyway, I guess I seemed less than brave and the 18 year old ear piercer asked with concern, "Ok, are you ready for this?" Sure, I've given birth to two babies, but I'm still a giant wimp. I barely cried though. Right before she asked me to take a big breath, she asked if I wanted the holes where they had been before. To this I should have said "Yes", so that I wouldn't really have to start from scratch and more importantly so there would be no problem with me taking the earring out to put in the earrings for Rae's wedding, which was the purpose of this whole thing anyway. But the girl said my old holes were not even so should she even them up? It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I fear it was a mistake. Now in two weeks when I take the "new" earring out to put in Rae's, will there be a chance the hole won't be there? Also I'm not convinced the new holes are any better aligned than the previous ones. Oi vey. Truly.
Also, before we left I looked at Woodfield's website for the Easter Bunny info. It said the Easter Bunny would be there from some date in March until March 22, which makes no sense since Easter isn't until April 12. Weird, but I had no reason not to believe it. As we were leaving the mall, I noticed an Easter display and lo and behold who was in the thick of it but that abnormally large bunny we call The Easter Bunny. Liam was not very interested in getting a picture with the fellow. Last year he absolutely refused so we just had the picture with Brendan. This year he was a bit more open, but at the last minute he said, "Actually no, I don't want to." Why? I asked. "Well, because, remember, you said sometimes bunnies bite." For no apparent reason I decided to reveal that gem to Liam just that very morning. Brilliant! "Well no, Honey, though some bunnies bite those are just the regular small bunnies, not the Easter Bunny. The Easter Bunny never bites." So he consented to be in the picture but not to sit on The Bunny's lap or on the bench next to The Bunny. Unfortunately what this picture does not convey is that Brendan was not at all scared of The Bunny. He just kept trying to kiss The Bunny and was not interested in turning his head away from him to look at the camera. Instead, in the picture, he comes across as not happy. And my Very Brave Liam decided after the picture that he wanted to go up to the EB, with me in tow, to touch him and pet him and shake his hand and say Happy Easter and bye-bye. I was so proud of him, but again it's not the message the picture conveys. In fact at the end I think he rather liked The Bunny. "He was fun, I loved seeing that Easter Bunny," he told me. He's still a bit concerned about why the EB didn't talk though. He thinks he can talk but that he was just being shy. Liam says the Easter Bunny loves him and he loves him too. This is huge progress. Anyway it's a little better than the Christmas pic with Santa. And I really am having a hard time coming to grips with why I even have to convince Liam to engage with large weird costumed strangers. I mean, unless he's going on stage at a Flaming Lips concert.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Imagine All the People
I was really disappointed when I read a week or so ago that President Obama is considering "working" with the Taliban to stabilize Afghanistan. I had to write him a letter last night because I was really feeling sick after reading about the young woman in Pakistan who was assaulted. I do realize the whole thing's a MESS and the administration has to make very difficult choices but please God do not let that group retain or regain legitimate or illegitimate power. Culturally insensitive as it might be for me to say, that organization is downright evil.. I'm literally sick about it all. Not that I have some great solution myself, but I pray that they'll find and chose another way to bring stability to Afghanistan. Probably they need to consult with Brian O. to get some good ideas. I should have mentioned that in my letter.
It seems trite now to mention how bummmmmmmed I was to get to the bridal shop to pick up my dress and find out they were closed. I went from Schaumburg, with my entourage in tow, some of whom randomly scream and cry on car rides, and it took 1 1/2 hours (with a stop at home to pick up Eric) one way. I guess it wasn't meant to be today.
It seems trite now to mention how bummmmmmmed I was to get to the bridal shop to pick up my dress and find out they were closed. I went from Schaumburg, with my entourage in tow, some of whom randomly scream and cry on car rides, and it took 1 1/2 hours (with a stop at home to pick up Eric) one way. I guess it wasn't meant to be today.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Oooo, That Stings...
Last month, for some reason which I cannot remember, I completely missed paying my credit card. Mind you I always pay my bills in full, on time, but lately strange things have begun to happen. It might have been because we didn't receive the bill (our mail delivery has been exceedingly bad lately) but whatever it was we (Eric, as I have now diagnosed myself with the help of Rae's wise sister as phoneaphobic) straightened it out and they reversed the late fee and the interest and all was well. Then, somehow, this month I put that particular bill aside from the regular bills for some COMPLETELY UNEXPLAINABLE REASON, and when I sat down to pay bills yesterday I came across it, felt my heart drop, opened it up and sure enough it was due four days prior. I have no idea how this happened. It's just a complete (probably $60) mind blank, as I have found myself doing at an alarming rate. I cannot even tell you how many times I've come to work, checked my mailbox and found something in there (Oh good, Mail!) that I meant to give to someone else but put in my own box instead (Oh darnit, Idiot!). Today my department head said, "Hi Donna!" and I responded, "Sure!" What??? Definitely sleep deprivation is a baaaad thing. (I'm not even going to mention how it is getting much better, since last time that jinxed it completely.)
In other news, I figured out some things about myself, now that 4 solid years of pregnancy and breastfeeding are over. One, I want to have more kids. Two, I'm not sure if I have the physical/mental stamina for more kids. Three, I have pregnancy cravings in reverse. In other words during the last 4 years I have basically eaten like a preschooler. Very simple, straightforward, mostly wholesome food (and desserts.) Now, I want the weird things I always use to want. (The following examples may not be for the easily queasy.) Cottage cheese slightly curdled by cherry peppers and their juice. Spicy V8 with sourdough, brown mustard and tomatoes. Lemon water with a ratio of one lemon to approx. 4 ounces of water. (pickle juice, pickles, of COURSE) and it just goes on from there. So strange. But mmmm, so delicious. The last four years it's almost as if I've been unable to taste flavors. So, onward and upward and backward I guess. Hopefully now I'll become, miraculously, skinny.
Well, now I have to work and try to not think about scheduling a root canal (two teeth) and my belief that the dental crown I have really is too big and shouldn't be hurting even though I went to another dentist and he said it's fine. Ouch. Oh, and now I am COLD-FREE, and LT seems to be too, but Eric and Brendan are pulling up the rear. Poor guys. Warm weather, I am soooo excited to see you soon. Ok? Ok.
In other news, I figured out some things about myself, now that 4 solid years of pregnancy and breastfeeding are over. One, I want to have more kids. Two, I'm not sure if I have the physical/mental stamina for more kids. Three, I have pregnancy cravings in reverse. In other words during the last 4 years I have basically eaten like a preschooler. Very simple, straightforward, mostly wholesome food (and desserts.) Now, I want the weird things I always use to want. (The following examples may not be for the easily queasy.) Cottage cheese slightly curdled by cherry peppers and their juice. Spicy V8 with sourdough, brown mustard and tomatoes. Lemon water with a ratio of one lemon to approx. 4 ounces of water. (pickle juice, pickles, of COURSE) and it just goes on from there. So strange. But mmmm, so delicious. The last four years it's almost as if I've been unable to taste flavors. So, onward and upward and backward I guess. Hopefully now I'll become, miraculously, skinny.
Well, now I have to work and try to not think about scheduling a root canal (two teeth) and my belief that the dental crown I have really is too big and shouldn't be hurting even though I went to another dentist and he said it's fine. Ouch. Oh, and now I am COLD-FREE, and LT seems to be too, but Eric and Brendan are pulling up the rear. Poor guys. Warm weather, I am soooo excited to see you soon. Ok? Ok.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Facebook, You'll Be the End of Me
So, Kathy, you were right. It's an addiction. Eric says he thinks we'll never talk again. I said to write me something on FB and I'll write back. Seriously though, what a fun game. Anyway, the weaning has gone well on Brendan's end, but my end not so much. Ugh. Well live and learn I guess. I guess I didn't really have anything to say but I felt bad cheating on blogger with Facebook, so I wanted to put something down here. Oh and I think I'll stop trying to singlehandedly save the Trib by subscribing to the print format because I NEVER read it in print form and I have no idea what to do with all these papers I have and it seems a waste of trees. Also where does all our garbage go? I mean I know a landfill, but where? And what about our recycling? How can EVERY WEEK EVERY HOUSE have a big bin of garbage and a big bin of recycling? That does not seem good. Ah, this planet.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Damn Ye Parking Meter!
This was such a fantastic story I read, including the comments at the end, that I had to share it. It comes from theexpiredmeter , linked off the Trib's site. You have to read the comments at the end. Who wouldn't want to do this and who doesn't love this man?
"Maybe he was broke and needed some change for the bus. Maybe he just got one too many parking tickets. Or maybe he really loathed and despised that particular parking meter."
That's what The Expired Meter has to say about a man who was arrested after attacking a parking meter with a concrete cinder block.
The incident happened March 14 on the 3300 block of N. Lincoln Ave. According to The Expired Meter, the man walked up to the meter with the cinder block and started hitting it. One by-stander asked if the meter had eaten his quarter. The man did not respond and kept assaulting the meter, soon taking off his shirt as he worked up a sweat.
Within 10 minutes, a Chicago police car arrived on the scene and the man fled into the Lakeview YMCA. Police pursued the man, removed him from the YMCA and placed him into a waiting police wagon.
Notes the Expired Meter, "The most incredible detail of the story is, despite 10 minutes of constant battering with a 30-pound rock, the parking meter did not break and continues to function normally at 15 minutes per quarter."
5 Comments
spudart | March 20, 2009 1:10 PM | Reply
what a great story of determination. both on the man and on the meter's part. Lesson learned: the meter will not bend. NEVER.
Told you so | March 20, 2009 2:19 PM | Reply
Im surprised he didnt go blind. Mama told me you would.
Rob | March 20, 2009 9:12 PM | Reply
I love it! He should have used his car! Next is those flipping red light cameras--need a ladder and a baseball bat for those!
JRPTOO | March 21, 2009 8:13 PM | Reply
A "Cool Man Luke" wannabe. He is my hero.
Redeye | March 23, 2009 8:58 AM | Reply
Not trying to give ideas, but could you use a pipe cutter on a meter and just cut it off, beating on it to your hearts content at home?
"Maybe he was broke and needed some change for the bus. Maybe he just got one too many parking tickets. Or maybe he really loathed and despised that particular parking meter."
That's what The Expired Meter has to say about a man who was arrested after attacking a parking meter with a concrete cinder block.
The incident happened March 14 on the 3300 block of N. Lincoln Ave. According to The Expired Meter, the man walked up to the meter with the cinder block and started hitting it. One by-stander asked if the meter had eaten his quarter. The man did not respond and kept assaulting the meter, soon taking off his shirt as he worked up a sweat.
Within 10 minutes, a Chicago police car arrived on the scene and the man fled into the Lakeview YMCA. Police pursued the man, removed him from the YMCA and placed him into a waiting police wagon.
Notes the Expired Meter, "The most incredible detail of the story is, despite 10 minutes of constant battering with a 30-pound rock, the parking meter did not break and continues to function normally at 15 minutes per quarter."
5 Comments
spudart | March 20, 2009 1:10 PM | Reply
what a great story of determination. both on the man and on the meter's part. Lesson learned: the meter will not bend. NEVER.
Told you so | March 20, 2009 2:19 PM | Reply
Im surprised he didnt go blind. Mama told me you would.
Rob | March 20, 2009 9:12 PM | Reply
I love it! He should have used his car! Next is those flipping red light cameras--need a ladder and a baseball bat for those!
JRPTOO | March 21, 2009 8:13 PM | Reply
A "Cool Man Luke" wannabe. He is my hero.
Redeye | March 23, 2009 8:58 AM | Reply
Not trying to give ideas, but could you use a pipe cutter on a meter and just cut it off, beating on it to your hearts content at home?
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Big Brother Is Watching You(r parking spot)!
First of all, congratulations to my friend Barbie, who just had twins a couple days ago! A boy and a girl - I can't wait to meet them!
The Trib ran a John Hilkevitch article January 12 detailing what's in store with the new leased-out parking meters. I literally sat here for like 25 minutes scrolling through my history looking for the article (and I never would have found it anyway because I started in February and I kept stopping my search to read old things I'd browsed before) before Eric told me I could do a search in my browser history. Damn it sucks to do dumb stuff. Anyway. Among things this article notes:
Over time, more sophisticated "smart meters" will appear citywide, replacing today's balky pay-station kiosks that require drivers to walk back to their vehicles to place a time-stamped payment stub inside the windshield.
You can of course bid a nostalgic farewell to the decades-old pole-mounted meters with coin slots and expiration flags, as a result of the almost $1.2 billion deal Mayor Richard Daley announced last month to outsource parking management in the city over the next 75 years to Chicago Parking Meters LLC.
In addition, motorists making use of electronic collection through personal ID numbers in their cell phones or other devices will not have to return to their vehicles to add time to meters. But drivers, beware: Technology is already available to close the gap on free parking and increase the odds of catching parking meter "scofflaws." The financial motivation to use it is strong.
Based on the experience elsewhere, the next generation of meters will probably be programmed to roll their clocks back to zero time left when a vehicle leaves a parking space, so the next driver cannot piggyback on a meter that was "over-fed."
Instead of pacing sidewalks checking each meter to meet their ticket-writing quotas, police and meter maids monitoring remote computers will be notified when a vehicle's time in a parking space has expired. Drivers may even get a text message on their mobile phones that they've been issued a fine. It's already happening in about 60 cities in France, where magnetic field technology at smart-meter parking spaces detects the presence of vehicles and alerts ticket-writing aides when meter time is expired.
So who knows if that's true, but if it is it sucks.
Also, today was Rae's shower. It was beautiful and what I loved most about it was that is was chic and stylish like Rae herself, but also warm and family/friend cozy, also like Rae. It definitely made me look even more forward to coming out of the cocoon of winter and spending more time with my friends.
And I would be remiss not to mention that Brendan has gone 2 full days without nursing, so I think we have turned a corner. He is KNOCK ON WOOD sleeping MUCH BETTER (please don't let that jinx it!) Part of me (the large sentimental, overly nostalgic part that probably borders on needing to be medicated) is very sad to end this chapter, but the other part of me (who enjoys multi-tasking, being able to hold a conversation, and desires my children not to be nursing when they have facial hair) is pleased about this. In fact, the last two days have marked the first time in over FOUR YEARS that I have not been pregnant or breastfeeding. Because I stopped nursing Liam when I found out I was pregnant with Brendan. Weird. Not as weird as the fact that my mom was pregnant for 100 months of her life, but still weird.
Ok, off to read The House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III...
ps. Liam quote of the day:
I said to Liam, "Hey, I went to Auntie Rachel's wedding shower today and everybody was talking about you!" And he asked, "Why?" And I said, "Because you're so cute. And funny. And wise." And he said, "Oh, but I'm not wise though." And I said, "You're not?" And he said, "No." And I said, "Well then, what are you?" He thought about it a moment, chewing his bottom lip in earnest concentration, and then said, "Precious." (but he said "pwecious" because he doesn't say the letter r very well.) I said, "Oh, precious, huh?" And he said, "Yes, but not wise."
The Trib ran a John Hilkevitch article January 12 detailing what's in store with the new leased-out parking meters. I literally sat here for like 25 minutes scrolling through my history looking for the article (and I never would have found it anyway because I started in February and I kept stopping my search to read old things I'd browsed before) before Eric told me I could do a search in my browser history. Damn it sucks to do dumb stuff. Anyway. Among things this article notes:
Over time, more sophisticated "smart meters" will appear citywide, replacing today's balky pay-station kiosks that require drivers to walk back to their vehicles to place a time-stamped payment stub inside the windshield.
You can of course bid a nostalgic farewell to the decades-old pole-mounted meters with coin slots and expiration flags, as a result of the almost $1.2 billion deal Mayor Richard Daley announced last month to outsource parking management in the city over the next 75 years to Chicago Parking Meters LLC.
In addition, motorists making use of electronic collection through personal ID numbers in their cell phones or other devices will not have to return to their vehicles to add time to meters. But drivers, beware: Technology is already available to close the gap on free parking and increase the odds of catching parking meter "scofflaws." The financial motivation to use it is strong.
Based on the experience elsewhere, the next generation of meters will probably be programmed to roll their clocks back to zero time left when a vehicle leaves a parking space, so the next driver cannot piggyback on a meter that was "over-fed."
Instead of pacing sidewalks checking each meter to meet their ticket-writing quotas, police and meter maids monitoring remote computers will be notified when a vehicle's time in a parking space has expired. Drivers may even get a text message on their mobile phones that they've been issued a fine. It's already happening in about 60 cities in France, where magnetic field technology at smart-meter parking spaces detects the presence of vehicles and alerts ticket-writing aides when meter time is expired.
So who knows if that's true, but if it is it sucks.
Also, today was Rae's shower. It was beautiful and what I loved most about it was that is was chic and stylish like Rae herself, but also warm and family/friend cozy, also like Rae. It definitely made me look even more forward to coming out of the cocoon of winter and spending more time with my friends.
And I would be remiss not to mention that Brendan has gone 2 full days without nursing, so I think we have turned a corner. He is KNOCK ON WOOD sleeping MUCH BETTER (please don't let that jinx it!) Part of me (the large sentimental, overly nostalgic part that probably borders on needing to be medicated) is very sad to end this chapter, but the other part of me (who enjoys multi-tasking, being able to hold a conversation, and desires my children not to be nursing when they have facial hair) is pleased about this. In fact, the last two days have marked the first time in over FOUR YEARS that I have not been pregnant or breastfeeding. Because I stopped nursing Liam when I found out I was pregnant with Brendan. Weird. Not as weird as the fact that my mom was pregnant for 100 months of her life, but still weird.
Ok, off to read The House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III...
ps. Liam quote of the day:
I said to Liam, "Hey, I went to Auntie Rachel's wedding shower today and everybody was talking about you!" And he asked, "Why?" And I said, "Because you're so cute. And funny. And wise." And he said, "Oh, but I'm not wise though." And I said, "You're not?" And he said, "No." And I said, "Well then, what are you?" He thought about it a moment, chewing his bottom lip in earnest concentration, and then said, "Precious." (but he said "pwecious" because he doesn't say the letter r very well.) I said, "Oh, precious, huh?" And he said, "Yes, but not wise."
Thursday, March 19, 2009
St. Patrick's Day Lite
So, I really love St. Patrick's Day. I really love it. But for some reason I seem destined to not actually be able to celebrate it. (With the notable exceptions of one year when me, Eric, and my friend Jonica went out in Wrigleyville and Rachel and Jon joined us, and that was good times. One other time we went to the parade downtown and were thisclose to then Senator-O'Bama and Dick Durbin and Daley and that was pretty cool.) Anyway last year I switched off working so we could go to the parade and then Eric got some emergency call in the middle of the night (which rarely happens)and had to be gone from midnight til 2 in the afternoon, so we didn't do anything. This year I was SURE it was going to be beautiful, which it was, but the week before the parade Eric got a call asking him to teach a class on Saturdays, so again we didn't go. And let me tell you I was not about to bring the kids down there by myself. And I don't know why we didn't go to the southside parade on Sunday but we didn't. So tonight, after a very hectic week that isn't done, we decided to go to Peggy Kinnane's and celebrate the Green and it was great. We had great drinks and food and best of all amazing amazing things, Brendan was totally awesome and didn't try to get out of his high chair even once! He ate a ton of food and so did Liam and they got a big Shamrock cookie too. And they were great on the ride home and being totally funny and great all around. (We saw a freight train, and then later Liam said, "I wonder if we'll see that forklift again?" and I said, "You mean the freight train?" and he said, "Oh yeah - freight train. Fork lift? What was I thinking? That was so silly, saying forklift instead of freight train." I said, "Liam, how did you get so funny? and he said, "I was just born that way. I could barely talk.") The only fallout was that they went to bed VERRRRRY late, but I'm just not going to care about that today. It's St. Patrick's Day Lite, so live a little!
Also, if you want to hear about the preschool experience, you'll have to read my comment to Kathy's comment from the Preschool post yesterday.
Also, if you want to hear about the preschool experience, you'll have to read my comment to Kathy's comment from the Preschool post yesterday.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Preschool
On Thursday we will be visiting a Montessori preschool for Liam. We're thinking he'll start this Fall, and whoa, how is he old enough to go to preschool? I HATE this time warping thing. But I think he's totally going to love it and I'm very excited for him. Me, I'm sad for. Anyway it's only 3 days a week for less than 3 hours, so I think I should be ok. The tuition though, wow. It makes Catholic grammar school look a lot less expensive, I'll say that much. 'Cause for less than 9 hours a week we'll be paying the same as fulltime grade school.
In other good news Liam and Brendan are really starting to play together, and it is so awesome to watch. Of course Liam is still there keeping Brando in line, but he's sending him to the naughty corner a lot less, so that's progress. I might have already mentioned this but Brendan sent himself there a couple weeks ago, and he was right to do so. Oh, and this being able to go outside thing is SO AWESOME!
In other good news Liam and Brendan are really starting to play together, and it is so awesome to watch. Of course Liam is still there keeping Brando in line, but he's sending him to the naughty corner a lot less, so that's progress. I might have already mentioned this but Brendan sent himself there a couple weeks ago, and he was right to do so. Oh, and this being able to go outside thing is SO AWESOME!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
There Are Places I Remember
Note: depressing post.
Since Liam has been born we have lost a tremendous amount of close friends and relatives. My mom lost her only sister in August 2007, her brother in November 2007 and my Dad lost his only brother in January 2008. It's been very hard just looking at my address book because there are so many people who are in it who aren't here anymore. And all of these people, my aunt and uncles and many other friends and relatives, are some of the most honorable, saintly people I have ever known. In early February my godmother lost her husband to cancer. Now, just a month later, we learned my godmother herself has died. She died on Friday, getting ready to go to the wake of another close family friend. She, like many others we have lost, was only 70, and in seemingly good health. And her poor sons, still mourning the loss of their father, now have to deal with the loss of their mother too. I am so sad to lose all these wonderful people, especially because I want my kids to know them. They are the very type of people I want my kids to aspire to be. And I know they are in a better place, fighting the good fight, and still here with us as well, but it pains me to know that I won't have them physically here, and that my kids won't know or remember them. I was crying for a minute in the kitchen tonight, and Brendan came over and gestured to the counter. After a few seconds Eric figured out he wanted a piece of kleenex. He gave it to Brendan, and Brendan walked over and gave it to me with a big smile. He then proceeded to give me three more pieces. Life does go on.
Here are some pics from our UIUC trip:
Since Liam has been born we have lost a tremendous amount of close friends and relatives. My mom lost her only sister in August 2007, her brother in November 2007 and my Dad lost his only brother in January 2008. It's been very hard just looking at my address book because there are so many people who are in it who aren't here anymore. And all of these people, my aunt and uncles and many other friends and relatives, are some of the most honorable, saintly people I have ever known. In early February my godmother lost her husband to cancer. Now, just a month later, we learned my godmother herself has died. She died on Friday, getting ready to go to the wake of another close family friend. She, like many others we have lost, was only 70, and in seemingly good health. And her poor sons, still mourning the loss of their father, now have to deal with the loss of their mother too. I am so sad to lose all these wonderful people, especially because I want my kids to know them. They are the very type of people I want my kids to aspire to be. And I know they are in a better place, fighting the good fight, and still here with us as well, but it pains me to know that I won't have them physically here, and that my kids won't know or remember them. I was crying for a minute in the kitchen tonight, and Brendan came over and gestured to the counter. After a few seconds Eric figured out he wanted a piece of kleenex. He gave it to Brendan, and Brendan walked over and gave it to me with a big smile. He then proceeded to give me three more pieces. Life does go on.
Here are some pics from our UIUC trip:
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Anatomy
Eric is taking a nap on the couch, and I see Liam over there talking to him. I say, "Liam, shh, Daddy's taking a nap." Liam says "Ok," and then he stays over there but now he's whispering. It doesn't seem to bother Eric so I just leave him be. I peek my head in a couple minutes later and see Liam stroking the top of Eric's head. I ask, "Liam, what are you doing?" It's pretty cute. Then Liam stage whispers to me across the room, "I'm trying to feel his skull."
Today we are going to UIUC for my on-campus day of class tomorrow, which btw I am completely unprepared for. Wouldn't you know it but Brendan is besieged by the teething pains like a crazy child. So just before his morning nap I had him on the couch with me and he wanted to get down and I put him on the floor, he takes one step, trips over my foot and faces plants on the hardwood. Blood is gushing everywhere, madness ensues, and yeah, in 3 hours we leave for a four hour car ride! Wish us luck. :o) (Good news is he still went down for his nap, so that's something.)
Today we are going to UIUC for my on-campus day of class tomorrow, which btw I am completely unprepared for. Wouldn't you know it but Brendan is besieged by the teething pains like a crazy child. So just before his morning nap I had him on the couch with me and he wanted to get down and I put him on the floor, he takes one step, trips over my foot and faces plants on the hardwood. Blood is gushing everywhere, madness ensues, and yeah, in 3 hours we leave for a four hour car ride! Wish us luck. :o) (Good news is he still went down for his nap, so that's something.)
Monday, March 2, 2009
Where is my camera?
Ugh. Right now at dinner Brendan was doing this crazy funny thing where he was trying to get our attention to watch him and then he was closing his eyes and making goofy faces and Liam and me and Eric were all laughing hysterically, and could I find the camera anywhere? No! Ugh (ugh, ugh, ugh a wug.) All of these funny things I can't preserve for posterity, and then when I do have the camera, of course they immediately stop whatever it was they were doing anywy. Kids. They are like leprechauns. Has anyone ever done a study about that?
Brendan calls me, Eric and Liam AND himself Momma. Now that he knows we think this is funny he does it all the time and refuses to call us anything else.
When I asked Liam if next time we go out with my friends would he please talk he said, "Well...I might." "Good," I said. Then he said with a completely straight face, "Or I might not, actually."
Ok, now I have to go do my lit review that I was supposed to have been doing for the last month and I have to present on Thursday when we go to campus. Ugh. I should have called this post ugh, but I'm just no good at paying homage to Maine South Summer Drama. Also Eric and I were watching the Blues Brothers last night and it is SO COOL how they are driving around in Park Ridge (in an MP police car, no less. It all comes full circle, right?)
Crabby Apple, keep me posted on your kitchen and other remodeling projects because we need to:
knock down some walls and redo our kitchen (unless we somehow get an addition soon)
redo our bathroom
refinish our basement
even out and resod our backyard
get a fence
do a lot of painting
so I'm interested in referrals if you know people or companies that do good work and aren't insanely expensive. I just got the name of a painter who is good and inexpensive so I am plotting projects for him (but shhh, don't tell Ziggy.)
Brendan calls me, Eric and Liam AND himself Momma. Now that he knows we think this is funny he does it all the time and refuses to call us anything else.
When I asked Liam if next time we go out with my friends would he please talk he said, "Well...I might." "Good," I said. Then he said with a completely straight face, "Or I might not, actually."
Ok, now I have to go do my lit review that I was supposed to have been doing for the last month and I have to present on Thursday when we go to campus. Ugh. I should have called this post ugh, but I'm just no good at paying homage to Maine South Summer Drama. Also Eric and I were watching the Blues Brothers last night and it is SO COOL how they are driving around in Park Ridge (in an MP police car, no less. It all comes full circle, right?)
Crabby Apple, keep me posted on your kitchen and other remodeling projects because we need to:
knock down some walls and redo our kitchen (unless we somehow get an addition soon)
redo our bathroom
refinish our basement
even out and resod our backyard
get a fence
do a lot of painting
so I'm interested in referrals if you know people or companies that do good work and aren't insanely expensive. I just got the name of a painter who is good and inexpensive so I am plotting projects for him (but shhh, don't tell Ziggy.)
Friday, February 27, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
To the Rescue
I know, we can't expect miracles, but I do still feel this man is going to help guide our country through this very tough time.
Friday, February 20, 2009
History Is Now
Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each one of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.
-- Robert Kennedy
-- Robert Kennedy
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Land of Lincoln (aka read more Orwell)
I remember years ago my brother Tommy pointed out to me how developers often take a beautiful site, chop it down, dribble concrete over it, add a few saplings, turn it into a shopping mall or a subdivision and then name it after what Once Was There. Caribou Crossing, Deer Path, Lush Meadows, Apple Tree Orchards, Fertile Farmland, etc. In fact way back in the early 20th century when Frank Lloyd Wright was designing houses in Oak Park he coined his style "Prairie,"even though the prairie was far from Oak Park and almost completely gone already. I think George Orwell captured this phenomenon perfectly with Doublespeak and Newspeak. Who could not think of 1984 when our arch enemy seamlessly switched from Iran to Iraq, or when we ended up with The Patriot Act and the Department of Homeland Security (seriously, someone from the TSA threw away Liam's teething toy on a flight to Arizona, even though I had printed out the page OFF THEIR WEBSITE that specifically said the teething toy I brought was "approved." He couldn't actually come up with any explanation of why he had to throw it away, or why their website said he didn't. Let's not even get me started with them throwing away his mini bottle of Vitamin Water but not his mini bottle of Apple Juice.)
Anyway, I live in the Land of Lincoln. This doesn't refer to the U. S. President who was actually born here (Reagan) but the one who lived and worked here for many years and went on to become one of our greatest presidents. Lincoln had flaws, he definitely did. But what he did for our country was so exceptionally awesome we can try to forgive those flaws and revere him for keeping the country together and abolishing slavery. Those are pretty huge accomplishments. So I think our state motto is a fine one. But for some reason I'd always thought that while Chicago had it's sordid pay to play ways (somehow slightly romantic, in a Godfather-view-of-the-Mafia way, and I did like getting Kennedy out of it if that's indeed how it happened) somehow Illinois was above that. Boy was I wrong. What is WITH this place?!?!
This Roland Burris thing is really the last straw. I distinctly remember watching him say he would offer himself as an unscathed choice for our state, to be a voice for us in the Senate while we sorted out the whole Governor debacle. I distinctly remember him saying he would not seek a second term, and that he was done with politics but he just saw that his state needed him and so he was going to be here if we wanted him. I thought, well that's a stand-up guy, that Roland Burris. What a man, coming out of retirement like that, taking one for the team. As soon as I heard him say, after he'd been appointed, that he was considering running again in 2010 I knew something was up. The news barely even commented on it, even though they KNEW he said the exact opposite a few weeks earlier. One commentator said something like, "well he has to say that to be able to get anything done and be taken seriously," and I wanted to buy that but I couldn't. I think I'm with the Trib and the Post in wanting him to resign, which of course he won't, but I don't know what we'd do then. Have a special election we can't afford? Here's an excerpt from the Washington Post article, "Under Fire, Burris Refuses to Resign Senate Seat" by Peter Slevin, dated February 18, 2009, :
In a sworn affidavit dated Jan. 5, Burris said that before late December, "there was not any contact between myself or any of my representatives with Governor Blagojevich or any of his representatives" about the seat.
Oh puh-lease (that's my comment.) :o)
Anyway, I live in the Land of Lincoln. This doesn't refer to the U. S. President who was actually born here (Reagan) but the one who lived and worked here for many years and went on to become one of our greatest presidents. Lincoln had flaws, he definitely did. But what he did for our country was so exceptionally awesome we can try to forgive those flaws and revere him for keeping the country together and abolishing slavery. Those are pretty huge accomplishments. So I think our state motto is a fine one. But for some reason I'd always thought that while Chicago had it's sordid pay to play ways (somehow slightly romantic, in a Godfather-view-of-the-Mafia way, and I did like getting Kennedy out of it if that's indeed how it happened) somehow Illinois was above that. Boy was I wrong. What is WITH this place?!?!
This Roland Burris thing is really the last straw. I distinctly remember watching him say he would offer himself as an unscathed choice for our state, to be a voice for us in the Senate while we sorted out the whole Governor debacle. I distinctly remember him saying he would not seek a second term, and that he was done with politics but he just saw that his state needed him and so he was going to be here if we wanted him. I thought, well that's a stand-up guy, that Roland Burris. What a man, coming out of retirement like that, taking one for the team. As soon as I heard him say, after he'd been appointed, that he was considering running again in 2010 I knew something was up. The news barely even commented on it, even though they KNEW he said the exact opposite a few weeks earlier. One commentator said something like, "well he has to say that to be able to get anything done and be taken seriously," and I wanted to buy that but I couldn't. I think I'm with the Trib and the Post in wanting him to resign, which of course he won't, but I don't know what we'd do then. Have a special election we can't afford? Here's an excerpt from the Washington Post article, "Under Fire, Burris Refuses to Resign Senate Seat" by Peter Slevin, dated February 18, 2009, :
In a sworn affidavit dated Jan. 5, Burris said that before late December, "there was not any contact between myself or any of my representatives with Governor Blagojevich or any of his representatives" about the seat.
On Jan. 7, Reid said Burris seemed "candid and forthright." He noted that Burris would testify the next day to a state House impeachment committee and said the answers would be "very important."
Burris was asked under oath on Jan. 8 by state Rep. Jim Durkin (R) whether he had spoken about the Senate seat with anyone "closely related to the governor, including family members or lobbyists connected with him." Durkin named six individuals.
After conferring with his attorney, Burris said he had spoken with "some friends." Asked again, he named only Lon Monk, a former Blagojevich chief of staff.
That was the end of it until the Chicago Sun-Times revealed a new Burris affidavit on Saturday, signed and dated Feb. 4, that revealed conversations with five Blagojevich advisers, all of whom had been named in Durkin's question.
The affidavit disclosed three talks with Robert Blagojevich. Burris said he told the governor's brother that he could not contribute to a future Blagojevich campaign because it could be seen as an attempt to "curry favor."
At a Sunday news conference, Burris said for the first time that Robert Blagojevich had asked him in October to raise money for the governor. He said he replied that he could not do so "because I was raising money for other candidates, and to call me back after the election."
On Monday, however, Burris told reporters that he had "called some people about trying to see if we could put a fundraiser together . . . They said, 'We aren't giving money to the governor.' " When Robert Blagojevich called in November, Burris said, he told him of his efforts and suggested that they consider going to others.
By the time Blagojevich called a third time, Burris said, he had decided that it would be wrong to raise money or contribute money.
"I mean," Burris told reporters, "that should give some indication of my commitment right there to get out of pay-to-play."
Oh puh-lease (that's my comment.) :o)
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