ratatat

We're not sisters!

February 28, 2007

Miranda was playing with a friend, one who incidentally has a hyphenated last name. The two girls are playing with two younger girls who happened o be sisters. Miranda says that her friend A is her sister.

A: We're not sisters. Your last name is R. My last name is B-H. Your last name does not have a hyphen in it. My last name has a hyphen in it. We're not sisters!

I personally think she could have gone on to have more reasons, like cat ownership, household address or brother's name. Oh well, so much for pretend.

I'd like to pretend today did not drive me crazy. But it soooo did. The ethnic potluck was such a resounding success it overflowed the gym, had a 10 minute wait to get in, no available seating, bad acoustics and a little bumping into people. And made me feel that "I hate crowds" thing and I hardly ever feel that way. My pies were slightly underdone. Darn. The food was room temperature. BUT, the program was cute and short. The primary rooms were last and did a terrific job on What a Wonderful World. Miranda express some gladness that she can stop singing that song now. She climbed right up and sang loudly and held up the props at the right time. I am so proud of her.

Wild Wild Tuesday

February 27, 2007

In the car on the way to the doctor's office or was it Target or was it the J?

Henry is picking his nose. And licking his fingers. Miranda points this out.

Mom: Oh Henry. Don't do that. That's not good.

Henry: Yes it is. They are good! They taste good! I love boogers!

Miranda: Eew

Henry then jams his finger in his gumline and makes his mouth bleed.

Headache

February 26, 2007

We have too much stuff. We are Americans. The pressing need to pare down has grown bigger as we prepare to sell this house. You can't just hide the junk in the closet or the basement. And most of our excess stuff will end up at the Rummage Sale to End All Rummage Sales (dates pending). Or Goodwill. Or the dump. Or perhaps, with you teh Internets. Available, perhaps, especially if you, say, know me, or have a really good request:

1997 HP LaserJet 6L
Old Ma Bell metal bench table thing
2 Restoration hardware wall sconce lamps
c. 1999 IKEA Ottoman with storage area. Recovered to hide stains
c. 2006 IKEA chair, white cushion, pale laminate wood frame
c. 2003 IKEA plant stand, pale laminate wood, tall
2 TV antennas
several flat head screwdrivers
shoe racks, white, wire
most of the "Cat Who..." book series

That's not fair! I call foul!

February 25, 2007

Today (a Sunday!) was a snow day. A blizzard was schedule by the local news. The churches had to cancel...wonder if there will be a make up day. Yesterday, we received a pleasant 6 inches or so. Today we got another 3-4 inches. And the blowing winds that promised to drift the snow into 3 foot banks never quite appeared. I am actually hoping that the remaining storm system realizes it is above 32 degrees and gives us some rain to wash away at least some of the snow. The snow today was quite fun for playing outside. The weather was mild. the snow packed well. The kids were mostly entertained.

Miranda's snow dog:

Henry wanted to shovel just like Papa:

The weather kept us at home all day. But you ask, if we give in to the snow, doesn't Mother Nature win? Well, yes. She's been having a rough year, so we thought we'd oblige. We did miss a first birthday. Happy birthday O!

Car-mic retribution

February 21, 2007

Karma moves fast and furious at 20 mph. I cut someone off today in a mall parking lot. I didn't mean to--I crossed an intersection, the other car (who had the right of way) was going straight at a much faster clip than I expected. I waved an apology. And then parked my car. And who should pull up next to me, but that car I cut off. After the weird happenings in local mall parking lots, this made me slightly nervous. I mouthed "sorry" again. He nodded back in a "you are dumb" way. And then I needed to take Henry out of his car seat. The weather was great today. I normally only get him out of his car seat from the inside of the van on cold, cold days. But the car I cut off was parked on Henry's side of the van. Standing over Henry's car seat from the inside of the van, I could see right into the guy's coupe. He leaned his seat back, way back. The woman with him then slid from the passenger seat to lay on top of him and they started kissing. How far that went in the broad light of day in the parking lot of Kohl's while their baby slept in a car seat in the backseat...I did not stay around to see.

The weather was fabulous. Today made me sort of "get" why people live in Wisconsin. Where else could I be excited that it was 45 degrees out? Yay! 45 degrees! It was so great. Please do it again tomorrow. We didn't wear coats for part of the day. The weather can swing so wildly that it makes the change refreshing. Colder is not always a good refreshing, but each undulation up the mercury feels so good.

Notes

February 20, 2007

I. First, it must be said: Happy Birthday E. Four rocks. And four and a half sounds marvelous.

II. Three is kind of strange. Intense, poking, physical. Henry is happiest when he is leaning on me, climbing on me, being carried by me or poking me. I must be watched, but he doesn't need my help. For all posterity, the words most frequently out of Henry's mouth are "I'm fine." He says this to avoid diaper changes. or to "buck up" after he falls down. He is fine about eating or not. About sleeping or not. About wearing shoes or not.

I ran out of windshield washing fluid today. I attempted to open the hood to add more fluid when I realized I didn't know where there latch to open the hood was. So I got out the Owner's Manual. Henry was intrigued. After we were on our way he asked for the "car book." He liked it enough to ask for it when we got back in the car a few hours later. At least he fell asleep reading it the second time.

III. Photo Interlude

The weather is finally not stuck on bitter freezing cold. It got up to 40 on Monday. The kids played in the snow with my mom.

IV. Today on the ride to art class, I heard Miranda tell me:

"There are three kids in my school with good asses"

I turned off the radio. And I said, "huh? Could you say that again?" Because I don't want to leap to conclusions about why she might say that. They aren't having dance contests are they? Will the bootie talk never end?

"I said, there are three people in my school who wear glasses"

"oh."

V. Squirrel games.

It is a squirrel paradise in my yard.

Happy Presidents Day

February 19, 2007

Today was a school vacation day: Mid-Semester Break. Miranda dramatically declared it the worst day of her life. She is not enamored by the structure of Henry's classes. The day got better and worse in cycles. She created many works of art today for me to scan. Alas, it was not the most productive day.

MTS-are you ever going to post again?

February 18, 2007

Thank you Miranda for writing posts for me:

Entirely written by herself, a 5 sentence story.

"I like spaghetti
My favorite color is pink
I like going to school
I like reading mom a book
I like monkeys"

(Her spelling is based on how she hears it, thus a sense of how she talks.)

And a 3 Sentence story about Henry

Henry has blue eyes
Henry likes pirates
Henry loves me

The illustrations on both stories delight me.

Happy BIrthday to T.J.B.

4.1

Score!

February 16, 2007

You Are Cookie Monster
Misunderstood as a primal monster, you're a true hedonist with a huge sweet tooth.

You are usually feeling: Hungry. Cookies are preferred, but you'll eat anything if cookies aren't around.

You are famous for: Your slightly crazy eyes and usual way of speaking

How you life your life: In the moment. "Me want COOKIE!"

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

3.6

Our ethnicity is not so good for the potluck

February 15, 2007

We've RSVP'd to attend the Multicultural Program Ethnic Potluck at Miranda's school. I am probably just whiny because our ethnicity doesn't pop with an easy to prepare, readily identifiable ethnic dish. I plan to bring risotto because I like risotto, I cook risotto well and I can't bring beer. I am 5/8 Belgium, 1/8 Irish and 1/4 Bohemian. Hmmm...beer seems the most logical to cover my background. No? No. My grandparents, who are fully Belgian, do eat waffles. They even eat them in a strange, perhaps ethnic manner. They make waffles for dinner, soaked in milk. But I don't do this and I don't think many at the potluck would enjoy my contribution. The point of sharing all of this heritage would seem to be a way to try the best and the tastiest dishes from the world over.

Dessert wasn't a contribution option. That cuts out Belgian chocolates.

But the Chicago Tribune has raised an issue for me. I shouldn't claim to be Belgian because there is very little Belgian identity. Walloon! I am Walloon, except for the Flemish branches of the family.

You could be Captain Obvious and suggest I go for a Polish delicacy. Two reasons that's a No, 1) I don't know how to cook anything Polish. The closest is probably Chicken Paprikash, which is really more Hungarian I think. And 2) Rob is only 1/4 Polish. Our Polish-ness is all in the name, his grandfather came over as a small baby. That means Rob's grandmother (she was Dutch and maybe American Indian) didn't cook Polish food, and his Mother did not either. I did contemplate making an apple pie in honor of his mom's family. Each line I research on Rob's mom's family goes back to colonial days. And you can argue that the colonists were generally English, but after ~400 years in the Americas, I don't think I should make bangers and mash and call it our own. Not that I know how to cook anything distinctly English anyway.

I am frustrated that we are going to an "ethnic" potluck. I wish it were just a potluck and there were no recipe cards involved. The realist in me knows it is February and that seems to make every event a multicultural one. And the realist in me also know that people won't come to school every 2 weeks to celebrate another cool idea. But February is Black History Month; our local schools are mostly African American and it is important to celebrate the achievements, contributions and ideas African Americans have made to American and world society. I am not sure why that all has to occur only in February. I am not sure why February events are widened out to include everyone--in the line of thought that when you make everyone special you make no one special.

And I am pretty much as PC and liberal as they come, and the multicultural school program seems a conglomeration even to me. That said, the kids sing cute songs. (Miranda has been working on "Wonderful World" for weeks.) I wish that the ethnicity of our food were not a factor. If "ethnic' is a code for you don't all have to bring mac & cheese and we'd love to try your chicken satay, meatballs or spanakopita, then fine. But maybe mac & cheese is your ethnic food heritage. Ethnic makes me think too hard, not the slice of life I live in Wisconsin, but about the people who came to Wisconsin years ago. It seems a fine line between being welcoming to the traditions of all Americans and suggesting we reduce our ancestry to a side dish or appetizer.

Having thought about ethnic foods for the past several days, I would guess that desserts would be the best chance at getting something not from a cookbook but from memories.

I do make a sweet apple pie. But it is straight out of Joy of Cooking. Sigh.

3.5

Happy Birthday Henry!

February 14, 2007

He's 3! Henry celebrated his birthday today by sleeping and not doing much of anything. His class was cancelled and his big trip of the day was Walgreens. He will probably think that is a great birthday day when he is 26 and has to work on his birthday.


Here he is three years ago.


And today. Looking at his baby pictures, I can remember that is what Henry looked like, but I don't "see" the Henry of today in that little face.

He was adorable today, saying "I love it" and "great" when he opened his presents. He was so joyous and grateful. It makes you want to buy him presents. I wouldn't rule that out as his strategy. Henry is a deep one.

3.4

Worst nanny ever

February 13, 2007

I meant to cover this yesterday but forgot. Yesterday, someone asked if I were Henry's nanny. When I said no, she said I looked too young to be his mother. Which may be a polite way of saying that I use the word "suck" too often to be 30 years old or that I am either very good or only mediocre when interacting with Henry. Depending on if you think nannies are naturally good with children or if you think kids are better for their mothers. That's a whole lens I don't want to apply. The nannies I have met have often been interactive, willing, dedicated to their charges. They are at work and not nearly as desperate for adult conversation as I am.

But I actually don't think the statement was an oblique critique of my parenting as much as my hair. I am growing my hair out. The last time I had long hair I was younger, but I also looked younger. And chin length must be just enough to make it happen. I was almost carded in a restaurant. And now I don't look old enough to have a 3 year old? That would require a pretty high barrier to entry to first child-dom.

But the real post today should be about the party recap. Henry will be 3 tomorrow. Three years ago today, I was in labor. Right about now (10pm) I called my mom to say, let's go the hospital.

Remember the rocks? Head to the party recap and all will be revealed.

3.3

Snow? No!

February 12, 2007

Happy Birthday President Lincoln. Henry is aware of his birthday is 2 days away. Miranda asked whose birthday it was today. And all I had was Lincoln. Not be be confused with baby Lincoln.

The forecast shows snow for tomorrow. What a bad idea. No. Let's ge this early spring thing started.

3.2

And the sigh of relief was audible

February 11, 2007

The fete to celebrate Henry's birthday was today. It was a lively affair, with much running, jumping, game playing, and singing. Henry is not properly prepared for the coming year of being 3. He will expect helium balloons in every ceiling, a guitar player accompanying his every song, cake with frosting and those hard frosting decorations, and toys of all kinds. It should be a good year.

3.1

Home again jiggity-jig

February 10, 2007

How easy is it to fall out of the posting rhythm? Way.

Rob is home again. I picked him up from the airport tonight. Like releasing a breath you didn't quite realize you were holding, I feel calmer. Henry's birthday party is tomorrow. After that hurdle, life may resume its normal course. if the arctic weather would pass, I would be ever so grateful.

I heard a mom say to another mom that her daughter was told by her teacher that it was colder here that it is where the polar bears live. I wonder if that could be true. clarified--I wonder if it colder here now than in the Arctic right now.

2.5

Monday Monday

February 7, 2007

I think it is not Monday, but I can't be positive. School resumed today--that should mean Monday. I enrolled Henry in preschool--which was scheduled for a Tuesday. Yay! I went to yoga, so that points to Wednesday. We had no J classes--which usually means Saturday. Rob is not home--he's in SF, enjoying a cold in a warmer city than Milwaukee--but it has disoriented the days. Who knows? We'll see what tomorrow brings.

------------------

Henry's cold update: Much better. Almost normal. A slight cough.

He looked 2x as good as this today.

And Miranda's Snow White impression aside, she looked 4x as good as this today.

2.4

Picture without caption

February 6, 2007

---------------------------------

And for my personal record-keeping:

Henry is still ill. Crying randomly. Mild fever, less than yesterday. Green-snot, drippy nose.

2.3

It was so cold...

February 5, 2007

Miranda entertained herself with the camera this afternoon.She took about 150 photos in <30 minutes. A gallery:

2.2

Who can take a sunrise
sprinkle it with dew
cover it in chocolate
and a miracle or two?

February 4, 2007

ROCKS: Stir dirt, flour, sand, and salt. Add water until dough-y.

It is not too often I get to have a conversation about how god might have made rocks, with me playing the part of a creationist even! My mother imagines this is how your eternity might be spent if you were not on the good list. In which case, it probably would be less fun than we had today. Or Rob's favorite adage "you go to heaven for the weather and hell for the company" (Mark Twain) would look even more appealing.

2.1

Vile Virus

February 3, 2007

Henry and I made a trip to urgent care this evening. He just isn't bouncing back. The poor boy is sleeping poorly, his nose is constantly dripping or sneezing, his cheeks are red, his fever is mild, his cough is loose. He looks miserable. He feels miserable. And he is stuck in the unpleasant reality of having a virus. The rapid strep test was negative. His ears were clear. And having ruled out the big bad bugs that don't cure themselves very well, we'll just stick with time and fluids and pain relievers.

1.7

A cultural metamorphosis

February 2, 2007

I appreciate that the movie Groundhog Day has changed the meaning of the holiday today. Groundhog Day is a goofy holiday, seeming to add to the mocking of February as an inferior month. Rodent weather predicting may sound good in myth but like many things out of the classics, more than bit crazy when exposed to the light of day.

The concept of Groundhog Day doesn't even make sense. Making sunny weather on Feb. 2nd into a bad thing, no thank you. I think if the groundhog sees his shadow, then we should only have 6 more weeks of winter. And if it is cloudy and overcast and the groundhog does not see his shadow, then we should just admit there are really 9 more weeks of winter. At least in Wisconsin, i don't think spring ever comes much earlier than March 21.

I do wonder if Punxsutawney Phil is predicting an early spring this year because he thinks it is a safe bet what with the new "global warming exists, really" reports all over the news.

I don't have anything profound to say about the movie. If you have not seen it. Buy it. It is worth seeing. It is a quite a concept to think of living the same day over and over--funny and crazy and thoughtful. And having had two days of two sick children, I do hope I wake up and tomorrow is Saturday.

Happy Birthday to my cousin T!

1.6

King of Wishful Thinking

February 1, 2007

Both children are sick. A fever, a cough, general malaise. Henry adds in vomiting, but he has a history of vomiting and it really isn't all that suggestive of great illness in his case.

I am keeping them home, trying to keep them happy, wishing that the day could pass faster, the weather were warm enough to not freeze their little faces on a trip to Trader Joes, that my patience was as numerous as my patients. I am surprised that I am not more grumpy. I am glad that I haven't banned television. I am really glad the internet is working in the living room. I do wish they were feeling better. I hope it comes soon.

And I hope the groundhog find a way to end the arctic cold streak boring us into submission. He could be a hero like that.

1.5