The remote and a baby

My nearly-one-year-old daughter has almost mastered the remote control for the Tivo and TV. How's that for a quick learner? At this moment she has retrieved the clicker from the other side of Mt. Laundry, pushed the button to turn the TV on, and has again climbed Mt. Laundry to get a better viewing angle. But as with most one-year-olds, when faced with a screen that does nothing but show a list of Mommy's boring thirty-something-year-old shows, she has lost interest and has moved on to taking the hat off her mini baby doll's head. That's more like it.

Time for me to grab that remote and find a better hiding spot!

Talking about how boring I am....

A friend and I were "tweeting" tonight, but not how you think. It was more like Intro to Tweet or Twitter 101 and she was my inept teacher. (Sorry, P, that is said with humor and love.) I don't really see the point in my taking part in it. I use facebook all the time. To snoop. I don't think anyone really wants to hear all the random crap that comes into my head. (Yes, the irony being that here I expel those thoughts, but I like to think that it is much less random and a little more crafted.) That being said I have decided to just go with it and throw some nonsense out there for stress relief or to make my friend laugh. Maybe it will be like the feeling of relief that I get when I loudly curse after slamming my thigh into the corner of the table. Again. Because I have not learned in my thirty-some-odd years how to navigate my body AROUND furniture instead of through it. Yes, folks, this could be fun. I shall embrace it! Time to let the profanities and sporadic thoughts fly!!

New Look

I'm trying to update the look of my blog. Funny thing is, growing up in the 80's I loved color and I vowed to never wear those boring browns and greens (gag!) that my mother always picked out. Yeah about that. Here I am in my thirties and all I wear are the boring tans and muted shades of blue and green. What the heck happened?? When did I lose all my nerve to take risks in clothing? Oh right. Probably when I realized that my mile-high hair did not look good.

I think I'm better off.

An "off" week

I was really dreading my boys being home on Winter Break this week. I thought for sure that they would raise hell and make messes everywhere and just drive me crazy. I have been pleasantly surprised to the contrary. With the aid of two hours of screen time a day (or more if they earn it) we are making it through. I have even enjoyed many aspects of it, such as having someone to watch and play with the baby while I take a shower in the morning. No rush and no interruptions - Heaven!

At first I thought that I should make plans to keep them busy all week. You know, find some activities to take them to, do something, anything to keep them occupied. But the snowfall early in the week has provided a play scape right outside our door. It turns out that this is the best activity I could ever ask for. No travel necessary, really cheap (ha!), and its novel since we haven't had much snow this year. The baby naps, the boys play, and Momma gets some chores done around the house - Perfect!

There has been a relaxed routine to our days that I will definitely miss next week. When the school bus returns I will find things that have to be done and have no excuse to put them off. There will be groceries to buy and errands to run, phone calls to make, appointments to go to, and when the boys return home exhausted and possibly grumpy, that nasty homework will have found its way back into our lives. This week hasn't been perfect and there has been arguing and fights, but overall it's been quiet and pleasant. So for now, for one more day, I am going to enjoy my kids being home with me. Warts and all. My kids are "off" from school and so am I - Sweet!

Screen Free?

It's "Screen Free Week" for my boys this week. Technically it's just the elementary school but my middle-schooler is supposed to participate, says ME. My youngest son was just leaving a cool afterschool activity of tie-dying when he frantically (but pleasantly) asked me what, what, what was he going to do the rest of the night? He ended up playing Wii Fit and Wii Sports. Yes, they are video games, but they're given the OK because they promote physical fitness. So that's what he did tonight while I went to the community center and did some real physical fitness and played volleyball. Or attempted to. With a hodge-podge of skill levels some nights it's frustrating not to get in a good workout. I've decided to suck it up and go and play anyway since it's my only outlet at the moment.

But back to the Screen Free Week... I have participated previously but I don't plan to this time. I am trying to be conscious of it and cut back, but I'm on the computer now and this morning watched a little television (I just started watching "Breaking Bad". Whoa!). As a matter of fact, that big, lovely screen is calling out to me now. "Hello...? Hello...? Where are you? Come to me. You know you want me. You know you want to sit and relax with me. You have American Idol to catch up on! Please visit with me! Just for a bit. I promise you can watch just one show and I won't delete the rest.... Just for a bit. A little bit...."

Yeah, see you later laptop!

Sickies and Check Me Outs

We all hate when our kids get sick. Whether you hate to see them suffer or the extra work you have to do to care for them or whatever, it stinks. Mine were suffering last week from strange, seemingly unrelated symptoms so I took them in together. One had massive sinus stuff, the other a crick in his neck and uneven shoulders (weird!) and the littlest munchkin had straight fever, nothing else. Not to mention that I was a runny, sneeze-y mess who couldn't answer the doctor's questions without a tissue pressed up to the side of my face. Two positive strep tests later (go figure!) we were on our way to the grocery store to fill the prescriptions and pick up some groceries since it was my usual shopping day. It was awful! I vowed "NEVER AGAIN" and I hope to remember that when I am feeling confident and in control some day in the future. Note to future self: Don't do it. Don't be a martyr and take them all. Go alone or eat those outdated beets and baked beans until you can!

Obviously curious why my two school-age children were raising havoc in the market, the bagger asked the checkout clerk if school was out that day. She dutifully replied that it was Regents week while I answered out loud that they were sick. I trailed off at the end, thinking how I now wanted to explain further that I was on them like white on rice about not touching anything while we were there, and hence my stressed out demeanor at the checkout. I didn't bother. I don't think the cashier/bagger conversation is really supposed to include me. Have you ever felt that way? That they know they have an audience but don't really acknowledge it? I have heard many stories about late-night partying or, my fave, gossip about other employees. Later this week when I went there again (alone!) I overheard about the love-hate viewing habits of The Jersey Shore and how "orange" those guys are, as well as how one of their fellow coworkers was looking a little tangerine himself until lately. I thought it was amusing but I didn't know if I should laugh, add my own comment, or just smile and leave. I chose number three. When in doubt always choose "C".

The kids are feeling better now and so am I. They are back in school and I am back to going to the market solo. Well, nearly. I still have the little one and she does like to squeal and shriek in the cart to draw attention. But that's ok. I'll just enjoy my little conversations with her as I make my way through the aisles and to the checkout. Maybe next time we can discuss our middle-of-the night parties, how red Elmo is looking lately or how we wonder if the new trend in bagging is to squash the bananas with the canned goods. Oh if only I were brave enough to choose "C"!

Update to Christmas post

As I sit here re-reading my last post two weeks later I realize a couple things:
1) we may never get a new tree (that duct-taped stand may have to do!), and
2) it already feels like it's been months since Christmas.

There's usually a depressing lull that happens after the holidays. All that running around and seeing people takes its toll and there is at first a welcome break. But once the kids are back in school (and thank goodness they are back in school!) and you start to get your routine back again, the northeast cold settles into your bones and you realize there's nothing to do.

A little nothing to do is fine. I welcome it whole-heartedly. But a LOT of nothing to do, as in feeling like you have no purpose, well that's just not a good road to be walking along in the depths of the winter season. Why do I stay in New York and bear all this cold and snow and wind and snow and ice and snow? Because of days like today, when it's in the high 30's and the sun is shining so everything is bright and white. The air feels cool and fresh and your spirits are lifted. Time to take a real walk out in the sunshine and dream about spring!