My Life With Lucas

Happy 2nd Grade Day! In celebration of this momentous occassion I will go back to sleep! :)

2011-08-31T10:53:00.000-04:00

The Most Beautiful Hiking Trail We've Found So Far...

2011-05-17T18:28:00.003-04:00

In geocaching heaven! Unfortunately, all of this crazy record breaking rainfall washed out a bridge up ahead and I landed at the bottom of a mud bog. My sweet sweet boy stood at the top yelling down to me, "IS THAT QUICKSAND? ARE YOU SINKING? SHOULD I CALL 911?!" So fun.

My Very Bestest Friend

2011-05-17T18:28:00.002-04:00

I hope the day never comes that he no longer wants to hold my hand...

The Path Less Traveled

2011-05-17T18:27:00.001-04:00

Easter Tacos!

2011-04-24T16:51:00.001-04:00

Alternate Title: When Mom Had to Work All Night and Has to Go Back In at 3pm! Thank the Easter Bunny that Moe's was open. We tried our hand at a holiday food crawl but the Chinese food place was closed. Lucas decided that they must not really BE Chinese, but are probably really Americans who learned how to cook lo mein. Seems logical to me. Happy Easter everyone!

Ready for The Bunny

2011-04-23T13:10:00.002-04:00

Hiding out in the basement to throw Luke's Easter Basket together, I'll discover later that I forgot all kinds of things in it that I'd hidden away. He'd probably question why the Easter Bunny was bringing him 2 packs of Bakugan toothbrushes anyway...that is clearly something that Santa likes to put in his stocking. ;)

Luke's recital!

2011-04-18T01:25:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLVJSeVkvWE

Sent from my iPhone

Late Night Sugar High. :)

2011-04-15T12:20:00.000-04:00

Happy Spring!

2011-04-15T12:19:00.000-04:00

A birthday bouquet for my sweet little seven year old

2011-03-01T15:43:00.000-05:00

With love to you on Valentines Day

2011-02-14T15:42:00.000-05:00

We've decorated the tree and made a snowman...Lego that is.

2010-12-24T22:32:00.000-05:00

A very big Merry Christmas from us to you!

2010-12-24T22:31:00.000-05:00

All ready for one lovely little boy to discover on Christmas Morning.

2010-12-24T22:20:00.000-05:00

Introducing Baby Honesty Elisabeth

2010-10-28T19:54:00.000-04:00

Lucas, Addy and baby Honesty

2010-10-28T19:48:00.000-04:00

Proud boy holding his newest baby cousin! Sooooo sweet!

2010-10-28T19:40:00.000-04:00

Spooooooky!

2010-10-27T19:00:00.000-04:00

Hand designed by a crazy 6 year old.

2010-10-27T17:16:00.000-04:00

The first one's done! :)

2010-10-27T16:58:00.000-04:00

Happiest kid on the block!

2010-10-27T16:16:00.000-04:00

2010-10-16T08:49:00.001-04:00

When they learn to spell....

2010-10-03T12:06:00.000-04:00

Peace lovin' pirate.

2010-10-03T12:01:00.001-04:00

Adams Orchard...we missed pick-your-own apples, but we didn't miss the donuts. :)

2010-10-02T18:23:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday Indy!!

2010-10-02T18:22:00.001-04:00

Snow on Church Street on a very rainy Friday...

If it Can Happen to Him, it Will

2010-09-19T12:00:00.003-04:00

Lucas is three weeks in to first grade and he's covered in chickenpox. Due to my stellar parenting skills I had no idea that he'd managed to contract the dreaded chickenpox somewhere in those first few days of school. I thought he'd just played in a mega-nest of mosquitoes...turns out that you can indeed get the chickenpox even though you've had the varicella vaccine. Things they never tell you at the pediatrician's office while they're pedaling shots to unsuspecting mamas, I suppose. Apparently 15-20% of children who get vaccinated also still get chickenpox. It stands to reason then that Lucas would get it...funky skin kid that he is. And I still sent him to school. Because I'm mean...or maybe because his "contagious" days were long past by the time ~~I realized~~ my mother told me he had chickenpox...not dozens of bug bites. The news that they will be a milder case then they would have been without the vaccine appears to be pure fiction. Poor little nugget.

2010-09-01T14:10:00.002-04:00

Toothless!!

First Day of First Grade!

2010-09-01T13:33:00.002-04:00

My first grader. The days are long but the years are short...isn't that the saying? It couldn't be more true. Love this kid.

A Most Awesome Tuesday

2010-06-15T18:38:00.005-04:00

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T16:55:00.002-04:00

And a Easter smooch for you!

Waiting to Be Discovered...

2010-04-03T21:52:00.000-04:00

'Cause Nothing Says Happy Easter Like a Clone Trooper

2010-04-01T21:22:00.003-04:00

6

2010-03-03T17:33:00.004-05:00

This poor, shy wallflower of a boy turned 6 on Monday. On Sunday he celebrated the occasion with 25 of his closest friends and classmates, all their parents, and a fair number of siblings. It was barely controlled chaos, and the best birthday he's ever had. He has chosen some really rad buddies, and they all made for a super special day. Also, we now have more Legos then Toys R Us and my thumbs are sore.

Snowglobe...Extra Shaken

2010-02-25T10:05:00.003-05:00

A snowstorm worthy of a snow day from kindergarten's daily grind and Lucas was already home on school break. Being snowed in is the best excuse to hole up with your favorite 5 year old and be lazy lazy lazy. And that's just what we did. There's a spot in the new couch that still has my imprint from having never left it yesterday.

The Cuteness, It Kills Me

2010-02-24T21:00:00.002-05:00

My boy will often put himself to bed much earlier than I would like. If that sentence sounds odd to you it's because it's odd. Most five (almost 6!) year olds fight the bedtime routine, or so I'm told. But my boy? Well, he loves himself a good night's sleep, and more often than not 7:30pm finds him out cold in bed, covers already kicked off. So tonight when he started begging to be put to bed at 6:45pm, I wasn't in any hurry to get him up there because I knew what would follow...an hour of "Mom!"s. Read me a book! Tuck me back in! Can I watch TV? I need a drink! I have to peeeeee! Gah.

A zillion requests later and I'm losing my patience. Until I hear...wait for it...wait for it...it'll be worth it, I promise...

Mama? I just wanna see your beautiful face one more time before I fall asleeeeeeep.

Oh my. And if that RIGHT THERE doesn't melt your heart, then you my friend, are made of STONE. I love that boy. And he is not dramatic at all, no sir.

2010 Has Been Kinda Rough on Us...in a Wimpy Sort of Way

2010-02-11T21:54:00.002-05:00

So, I made it all the way to 500 posts on this blog and then sort of gave up. The last month has been crazy fast what with the throwing out my back, and then Luke's latest double ear infection, and then I shut my finger in the car door and it is just NOT RIGHT anymore, and the 48hr cold that kicked my booty, and then of course there's this crazy low cough/throat clearing thing I've had since last November that will not go away and MAN, 2010...ENOUGH!

Add that to working full time nights and volunteering in Luke's classroom during the day, and blog? What Blog? Besides...no one likes a complainer. Ugh.

ANYWAY, it's a new day! We spent the night making valentines for the 22 kids in his class. He wrote his name on every one, bless his heart! Some of the ICU nurses where I work have a community service program called Love Your Heart where they go to kindergarten/first grade classrooms and teach kids about making healthy choices in food and exercise. Each child in the class got to listen to their heartbeats at rest and after jumping jacks with Doppler's and stethoscopes. I asked Luke's teacher if they could do their presentation in his class in conjunction with Valentine's Day (Hearts!) I have some amazing pictures of it and the kids had a blast. I'll have to weed through them all and pick a few without any other sweet little faces in them but Luke's.

And now off to tackle that impossibly large pile of laundry in my basement. I clearly couldn't do any laundry with a bad back, a miserable cold or a bum finger...so you can imagine how much it's piled up.

Sleeping in his Cardboard House

2010-01-04T22:25:00.005-05:00

Hopefully not indicative of his future living arrangements. He got to have a little male bonding time with a friend's husband while we ladies caught a late movie. Apparently hours of xBox and Wii while tucker you out far too much to climb the stairs to your own comfy bed.

32.9

2010-01-03T20:20:00.001-05:00

That's how many inches of snow have fallen here in the last 24 hours.

It's 4am, I just got home from work, and my roads have clearly not been plowed all day. The snow is waist deep in places. Should be fun to shovel out in the morning.

Post Christmas

2009-12-29T12:58:00.003-05:00

I know I haven't posted anything here in a very long time, but trust me when I say, we've been busy. We had quite the blizzard yesterday that made the roads mile-long ice rinks, but before it really got going, HUGE snowflake clumps were falling from the sky and standing outside the front door felt very much like I might imagine it would be like to live in a freshly shaken snow globe. Awesome.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday, from our snow globe to yours...

When Your Tree Has a Five Year Old Boy...

2009-12-02T16:18:00.003-05:00

...two silver balls might have to share one branch,
but R2D2 will have a place of honor front and center.

The tree is up! Leaning slightly to the right and bit uneven in the distribution of ornaments, but up! Let the holidays and merriment begin.

Rockin' Out, One Colorful Brick at a Time

2009-11-27T16:22:00.000-05:00

I stood in line at Old Navy at 2:40am on Black Friday. I had just finished work and they were giving out Lego Rock Band so I figured why not? Ended up with two free games and a newly honed hand/eye coordination that can not be beat. Lucas is spectacularly good at it, despite looking half asleep in his (dirty) recliner. Trust me...he's totally killin' that beat.

Thankful for This One

2009-11-26T16:15:00.000-05:00

Like, really really THANKFUL.

Weekend Update

2009-11-07T09:57:00.003-05:00

So, Lucas and I are finally done being sick. Like completely done. And that's good. But we made my poor mother sick, so that's miserable.
*****
I've been volunteering in Luke's classroom two days a week. Partly because I really want to be involved in his education, and partly because I'm nosey and I want to keep an eye on what's happening in the classroom. Like is he behaving for his teacher? Does he have good buddies? Are his social skills evolving as they should be? All of that is good, I've found, though he does climb off the bus every afternoon with a list of indiscretions from his classmates. This one kid looked at him funny! And this other kid ran away when he asked him to play! Oh the horror!! Kindergarten hasn't toughened him up at all, he's still a pretty sensitive soul.
*****
My home smells like homemade banana pecan bread, cinnamon rolls and bacon right now, and yet all he wants to eat for breakfast is yogurt. I don't get it.

Argh! Happy Halloween Ya Filthy Land Lubber

2009-10-31T21:27:00.006-04:00

We are still alive. Barely. Lucas has begun a third round of antibiotics but we've managed to rally just in time for Halloween. But then there was a bit of a monsoon here, and Halloween seemed improbable at best. And then just when all hope was lost that we'd even be able to step foot outside, much less go trick or treating, all the weather nonsense stopped and it was 60 degrees outside and AWESOME.

He's standing on the coffee table, because PIRATES don't have to follow the RULES. I let him because the mess on floor disappears when I take his picture from a height of 18 inches. Happy Halloween everybody.

Have Some Medicine for Your Medicine...

2009-10-15T20:21:00.002-04:00

We're finally over the hump of illness...his, not mine. It's hard to avoid getting sick yourself when your child is a breathing germ bucket. He might as well have licked everything we own, such is the virulence of his ick.

He was, of course, allergic to his antibiotics, so medicine was treated with more medicine until I cried uncle and his pediatrician switched him to something else...something better...and he is on the mend. And now I have a chronic cough something-or-other that won't go away. FUN!

I'm thinking of finishing his original antibiotic. I've worked long enough in the health care field to know that's a no-no...but I doubt that'll stop me. Couldn't hurt, unless I too am allergic to amoxicillin...and then wouldn't that be a lesson learned.

When Swine Flu Hits the Workplace

2009-10-08T20:21:00.002-04:00

That's me...getting fit tested for a N95 respirator mask. Hospital work: Good, clean Hazmat-esque fun! That mask, by the way? Way too big. Got a lung full of that nasty super sweet sugar syrup on the first breath. Bah. And no, we never clean the conference room.

Sick Day Revisted

2009-10-08T16:31:00.002-04:00

Got another call today from the school nurse. So much for that overtime at work. Had to pack my bag up almost as soon as I got there and suffer through the world's worst shuttle system back to my car to pick him up. I made a call to his pediatrician's office and the triage nurse there was kind enough to tell me not to bring him in and infect all the other sick children. To which I said, HUH? What are you there for if not to treat the ill? I mean, I get her point, but she didn't need to be quite so sassy about it. If he doesn't feel well in the morning we're headed in...all those other sick kids can fend for themselves. It's looking an awful lot like last year's pneumonia...

Playin' Hooky

2009-10-06T16:27:00.000-04:00

I thought it'd be a bit more fun than this, having my little buddy back around for the day. But really, it's painful. He spontaneously erupts into tears wailing, "I just want to rejoin my claaaaaassssss." DUDE! Don't you know how hooky works? You're supposed to only seem sick until the bus pulls away and then you miraculously feel ALL BETTER! But, alas, that's not how my little martyr operates apparently. He actually is sick. And I don't blame him for heaving at the thought of those Children's Tylenol Meltaways...they look yucky to me too.

Sick Day

2009-10-05T16:22:00.000-04:00

I got a call from the school today. It was the nurse, and I could hear my child throwing up in the background. Poor kid. Poor nurse. Poor me.

I picked him up and he does indeed look sad, sick and pathetic. He hasn't yet offered up a repeat performance on the vomit (yay me!) but this reminds me lot of that time he had pneumonia. He'll be staying home tomorrow so when nap time comes around I'll have some company.

Our First Fieldtrip!

2009-10-02T11:17:00.004-04:00

Mom, I Need Some Paper

2009-09-25T16:25:00.003-04:00

There's a lot of talk about hexagons and word sounds around here, these days, which just goes you that his awesome-amazing-super-fun-teacher is not spending her days lounging around the house watching MTV reruns and eating ice cream out of the carton like some people I know. In my defense, I do break up all of that television with an occasional nap. I haven't been alone in almost 6 years people...it's a learning process. And hey, check out that penmanship! I don't want to brag but I did make him myself.

We Can Not Wait...

2009-09-22T11:19:00.004-04:00

...for this.

Amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NOkQ4dYVaM

Soccer Boy

2009-09-10T20:55:00.003-04:00

Rounding Out the Week

2009-09-04T16:53:00.003-04:00

He got to rock the HUGE backpack that he uses as an overnight bag for Grandma's house today. Apparently his teacher told him that his lime green (adorable) backpack was a wee bit too small, and to her credit, she's probably right. His home/school folder was a tight fit and all of his artwork was coming home folded in half. But really...the blue one is enormous on him and we'll have to track down another one before all the school supplies vanish for the season.

I spent the day ~~sleeping~~ running errands. I did pick up some really cute picks to use while packing his bento box lunches. He hasn't had any complaints about them and his lunchbox always comes home empty, so I guess he doesn't mind that his lunches look ~~different~~ WAY MORE AWESOME than those of his little buddies.

Second Day of School!

2009-09-03T15:04:00.003-04:00

Equally as happy to get on the bus on day 2 as he was for day 1. I'm off to get a pedicure. I could get used to this.

First Day of School! (Yesterday)

2009-09-03T14:56:00.004-04:00

My boy is leaving me for higher education today! He hopped right on the bus without a tear and blew me a kiss. My sweet little kidlet. He made me promise not to do a single fun thing without him. I went to brunch and a movie to keep my mind off missing him, but if he asks? I never left the couch.

First Day of School Eve

2009-09-01T20:20:00.003-04:00

He leaves on the school bus in the morning, but for now he's freshly scrubbed and tucked in to my bed for some snuggles and Spongebob. Truth be told, he'll probably be sound asleep by the time I get this posted. I'm not ready to let him go, wondering if it's too late to consider homeschooling...

Facebook Has Taken Over

2009-08-23T13:03:00.002-04:00

I forget to post here anymore since Facebook has taken over my life. Seriously...Facebook is addicting. Totally friend me people, I LOVE it!!

Anyway, Lucas didn't get to go on his big date yet. It's been scheduled and rescheduled a couple of times, but those are the breaks I guess, when you ask a doctor out. Their schedules are unpredictable at best. He was bummed the first time, but after that he seems to be moving on quite nicely. He doesn't want to get tied down anyway, he starts kindergarten next week and he'll have a whole new pond to fish in! Heh. I met his teacher yesterday for a Parent/Teacher conference, sans kiddo, to talk about how he learns and his favorite things and how he handles different situations. I am SO GLAD he got her...they will be a perfect match. When I casually mentioned that he leans toward the dramatic in most situations I thou gt she might cringe a little, but no, she happily exclaimed that she does the same thing. Match made in heaven.

A Boy in Love

2009-08-16T21:39:00.004-04:00

Her name is Prema. She has stolen my son's heart. They have a "date" on Wednesday to go to Moe's and the movies. He wonders if she'll try to kiss him at the end of the night. I am dying a little over his immediate devotion to her.We took a road trip up a very high mountain today to help celebrate a friend's wedding to her long-time boyfriend. A very low key and laid back affair with coworkers, friends and family, there was live music and happy conversation and good food. Lucas struck up a chat with this lovely doctor (I know! A doctor! My boy is no dummy!). By the end they had plans to see a movie and dinner at Moe's. I had to ask if I could come along. He spent the entire car ride home listing all the ways she was perfect for him, how excited he was at having a first date, and nervous that I might spill his secret before he was ready to let it out: that he loves her. My heart about broke in two. He's not allowed to love any one else like that yet. Only me.

Picture One Tired Mama Doin' the Happy Dance Here

2009-08-14T17:07:00.002-04:00

Yay! It's (kinda/almost) over! I sort of kicked butt on my test yesterday and ended my course with a 94. Not too bad for a gal that hadn't cracked a textbook in well over a decade. Drove myself and three classmates down to the capital after our little graduation ceremony (and there was cake!! And diet Coke!!) to get our newly minted licenses in hand, had an awesome lunch at a little cafe (there was poutine!! Oh my gravy, that was delicious.), and made it back to town by early afternoon. I got to work on my own unit today, but as an LNA, so that was awesome. This whole experience was a fun little side street off from my normally very straight road. All that's left is the state exam and practical test, sometime in early September. By that time I should have my little green booklet of skills tests memorized. But I'm basically done...so YAY!

Almost Over

2009-08-12T19:10:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow is a Big Day. But first let me say that my kitchen smells like maple bacon and MAN is it distracting. Breakfast: It's what's for dinner.

Anyway, this whole LNA thing is almost finished. I have a test tomorrow for a temporary license which should be easy peasy, you know, just 100 questions spread out over 50 chapters from a text book I got to memorize in 4 short weeks. And then a Much Bigger Test with the state later in the month for the chance to keep it. But I least I won't have to work on the general medicine floor anymore, where life is sustained at a balmy 87 degrees, made infinitely hotter by Personal Protective Equipment and isolation gowns. The surface of the sun is cooler than the floor my clinicals were carried out on. Back to life in the ICU where we like it icy cold; Where fleece vests are commonplace even through the summer months.

Which me luck for tomorrow people...I'm probably gonna need it.

One Very Old Dog, One Very New Trick

2009-08-01T08:13:00.003-04:00

These last couple of weeks have been every shade of crazy. I'm taking an accelerated LNA course at the hospital, but of course it's something that's only offered in the daylight hours, and so I've had to flip my sleep schedule and the first few days were brutal. I'm just going to put it out there: Being awake and alert and on the job for medical type work by 7am is CRAZY. And I'm sure the employees on days say the exact same thing about us crazy night shifters, but oh my goodness, 5:30am alarm clocks are the work of the devil.

On the one hand, my insomnia troubles as of late have been completely cured, as I am so exhausted by being awake so early that I am ready to crash by 8pm. I haven't slept this much in years. On the other hand, my favorite spot on the couch really really misses me, and the permanent indent of my body has started to disappear off the cushions. They have started to fluff back up now that I spend all of time working or (gasp!) sleeping in my bed like a normal person.

It's hard work, but rewarding work, and everybody needs to cross their fingers that I pass that big test at the end. It is a seriously ginormous textbook to have memorized in 4 weeks.

Figures

2009-07-22T20:19:00.002-04:00

Purchased this super cute, macked out Saab to replace my poor, sad, totalled Civic, and then 48 hours later someone hit it with a shopping cart while I was in a store, denting and scratching the back panel. NOT COOL.

Test Drive

2009-07-18T16:21:00.002-04:00

Okay, so, I normally work 2nd and 3rd shifts so that I can be home with Lucas during the day. It doesn't leave much time for sleep, but all that will change when he starts school. I'll be able to sleep the day away while he's in school getting smarter than me.

This past Wednesday, however, I started taking classes during the day to become an LNA. I've worked at the hospital for 14 (gulp) years, (I did start there when I was just 12, how kind of you to notice!) but now that the hospital has gone to electronic medical records, well...there's just not enough for me to do. And then the hospital was generous enough to pay for the course, and pay me to go, so I'm going. But I'm a nervous wreck about it, because let's face it, I'm no spring chicken and I haven't taken a test in 15 years. Gah.

AND OF COURSE the first time I work a day shift in over 6 years I total my car on the way home. It wasn't my fault, but still. If I miss a single day of the LNA course I can't finish it. Stressful. And then it was Wednesday night, my car is totaled, I have class in the morning and no way to get there, and life was miserable.

But as with all other things in life, trouble has a way of working itself out. A speedy rental, a thoughtful insurance rep and generous aunt have all come together to produce a fairly stellar end result. We went car shopping today a bought the newest car I have ever owned. With more bells and whistles than any car I have ever driven. And in the end it will cost me less every month to own. So all's well that ends well, I suppose, and when we pick up our new (to us) car on Monday, we'll post a few pics!

So This Happened Today

2009-07-15T18:54:00.002-04:00

And I'm wondering which money tree I should start picking bills off of to pay for it's replacement.

The Parts I Must Remember

2009-07-12T13:10:00.002-04:00

I'm standing at the stove whipping up lunch. An odd smorgasbord of lunch since I haven't been to the grocery store in far too long. Even though none of it really goes together, it still looks yummy, and I call to Lucas to come sit at the table to eat. He comes around the corner with a serious face on.

"I'd love to stay for lunch but I can't."

I'm wondering where on earth he might be going at 5 years old that I don't know about.

"I'm delivering pizzas for Pizza Putt today and my boss wants me back at one o'clock. What time is it now?"

Luckily for him he had a solid 20 minutes left on his "lunch break" before his boss wanted him back so he settled in his favorite chair and waited to be waited on.

"I have to remember to ask him for March 1st off", he continued, "'cause you know I don't like to work on my birthday. And I have to eat quick 'cause he doesn't like it when I'm late."

[It has always been a house rule for me (and now for him apparently) that I do not, under any circumstances, have to go to work on my birthday. I'm glad he's carrying on this particular tradition of mine, since I feel pretty strongly about it. I can guarantee he hasn't had to work a birthday yet.]

He gobbled up his lunch and told me thanks, but he had to go, and headed for the living room. I found him there few a minutes later playing video games. So apparently "delivering pizzas" means "playing xBox" when you're five. Good to know.

Dancing on Tables

2009-07-08T00:31:00.002-04:00

I came around the corner today to find my kiddo dancing on the coffee table and shaking his booty to Jack Johnson. That boy's got moves you've never seen.

Swingin'

2009-07-01T19:53:00.002-04:00

Cinderella: Now with More Money

2009-06-30T21:55:00.003-04:00

"You just sit back and relax," my son tells me. "I'm gonna vacuum for you because you work so hard." He sets about getting the vacuum out and plugging it in. He makes a big show about moving his kid-sized recliner to get to every inch, and even goes so far as to pull out the kitchen chairs to vacuum under the table. I snapped a few pictures just to prove it was true and sat back with the remote to channel surf. This is the life, I thought.

He wrapped up all of his hard work, put the vacuum back, and came to the living room to snuggle up next to me on the couch. "You know, Mom...people who do work need to get paid, right? And I just vacuumed the livin' room and under the table. Nobody works for free, you know. I'm gonna need a dollar."

I gave him a speech about how he shouldn't expect to get paid to participate in keeping a clean and healthy house, but honestly, that carpet was dirty and he is only five so I caved and gave him the dollar. He's been offering to vacuum every day this week and I'm running out of dollar bills.

A Boy and His Ocean

2009-06-27T20:38:00.003-04:00

We took a day trip with some friends to Maine. Maine is not exactly close enough to day trip, but we did it any way. We left town around 9am (two hours later than we had planned) and got home at 2am. Three mamas and five kids in a 12 seat conversion van. We actually had a blast and I'd do it again tomorrow if I didn't have to work.

Every time I look at that picture of Lucas carrying his foam surf board to the ocean I want to pinch his little booty 'cause he's JUST SO CUTE. ("It's called the BEACH!" he'd yell at me.)

Barnacles

2009-06-19T18:09:00.002-04:00

So, I spent the week sloshing about my basement trying to salvage what wasn't already ruined, and moving things that had escaped the flood to higher ground, aka: my living room. And yeah, a bunch of stuff had to be thrown away, but a good portion of it probably should have been tossed long ago. And I don't know about you, but I have accumulated the belongings of six families after having lived here so long, so if there's any of you out there in need of something, let me know, I probably have four of them in my basement.

And because bad luck seems to be following me like a little black rain cloud this week, I'll let you all know that I tripped over the power cord of my laptop, which sent it flying, and when it landed the LCD screen had gorgeous and colorful digital crack mark from one end to the other, rendering my laptop super pretty in a geometric sort of way, but also utterly useless. I'm not a person that gets angry as a general rule, but I was a pretty much miserable for most the day after that.

To turn my sad self around I packed up my kid and we headed to a friend's house. Hi Yvette! She's got a huge pool and Lucas had a new suit to break in. It was hot and sunny out, and the kid played in the pool without any drama or crying, which is awesome. Now, Yvette is the person who usually waxes my eyebrows for me, and I mentioned that maybe she could touch me up before we left. She warmed up the wax in the microwave while I got comfy in a kitchen chair. And then I heard her swear as the pot of wax tipped over and hit the floor...and the counter and the dish washer and the stove along the way.

If bad things happen in threes, I'd like the claim Yvette's wax pot explosion as one of mine, 'cause I'm not sure I can take much more.

Ending the Week With Ice Cream is ALWAYS a Good Idea

2009-06-13T11:01:00.002-04:00

Starting the weekend with a flooded basement, however, stinks. My neighbor came pounding on my door this morning to tell me that his washer had flooded the basement. I didn't get that he was trying to tell me mine was also flooded until he spelled it out for me. So instead of spending a leisurely Saturday morning resting up for a long night at work, I get to slosh around my entirely flooded basement with every towel we own trying to stem the flow. On the flip side, my basement was really in need of a good clean out. I just didn't realize it would be this morning.

When A Boy Finds His People

2009-06-11T23:08:00.004-04:00

Really, can any one person speak or think or recreate Stars Wars too much? And can you imagine the happiness that explodes from that one person when he finds a kindred spirit who is also five years old and maniacally addicted to Star Wars? Absolute nirvana, that's what.
We had to switch them to nerf swords because they were willing to beat each other to death for the sake of realism with the plastic light sabers. After the four hour playdate/bbq, I told Lucas it was time to go home and he wailed, "BUT WE JUST GOT HERE!"

Yummmmm, flour.

2009-06-04T20:33:00.006-04:00

We took a road trip to King Arthur Flour. Um, YUMMMMM! Free samples are DELICIOUS. And we're not talking about Costco style free samples where everything is yummy but frozen and reheated in a toaster oven. We're talkin' home made, double delish, hot from the oven with fresh butter cream frosting kind of samples. I could have stayed all day. Instead I spent a bunch of cash on a bag full of things that HAD to come home with me. I now need recipes for dark cocoa and butter cream frosting.We spent the rest of the day playing nerf sword battles and wiffle ball, and my exhausted kid needed to be hosed down from the sweat and dirt that caked his feet and face before he could be tucked into bed. Summer has finally begun.

The Little Things

2009-05-28T21:08:00.004-04:00

We're sitting side by side on floor watching So You Think You Can Dance. He's got a giant bowl of popcorn on his lap and I'm shoveling in cold couscous from dinner. A pretty ballerina glides across the stage on screen, and he sucks in his breath and whispers, "She's beautiful, Mama...I'm gonna marry her! Do you think she would want to marry me?"

*****

He leaves the room without a word and returns a few minutes later. "See?!" he exclaims, "I told you I'd be back in a jiffy!"

*****

"I'm gonna need a blue van," he says, completely out of nowhere. "To take my drivers test on", he explains to my confused face. "And when I drive my girlfriend around town we can meet you somewheres and play together."

He's kind of awesome, and I know every mama thinks that about their own, and each and every one of them is exactly right. But I couldn't imagine a better match of a kid for this mama.

Testing Day

2009-05-20T17:53:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was my 33rd birthday, and as a gift to me, my town's education system decided to take my child off my hands for a couple of hours and run him through his paces in preparation for kindergarten. I was a nervous wreck. We've already established that my son and I are mightily attached to each other, and this was the first time I would be leaving him someplace without me or my mother.

All the parents and their offspring milled around the entrance to the cutest little elementary school you've ever seen. The kids all took off running to the playground leaving us adults to stare at each other awkwardly, wondering if we should strike up a conversation with each other or just stare at the packets of paperwork we all had clutched in our hands.

I chose to stare at my paperwork. These parents, mostly moms, all looked like such...such...I don't know, responsible adults. Most of them were in mom jeans and flat toed chunky heeled boots...not that there's anything wrong with that mind you, it's just such a mom thing to wear. There I stood in Chuck Taylors with my hair in a messy ponytail, my car the only Civic in a sea of minivans, and they looked me up and down like maybe I was the babysitter. Great.

My friend Wendy had taken her son the day before and gave me a run down on what would happen, so I had already explained to Lucas that I wouldn't be sticking around after testing started. The teacher running the check in asked him his name. "Lucas", he answered. "And what's your last name, sweetie?" "Skywalker," he replied, without missing a beat. Everyone in line gave a little chuckle and the Principal threw his head back and laughed. Oh, I thought, this won't be so bad. And then Teacher Lady decides to get in on the act and tells him, "Who is your father?", in her best Darth Vader voice. My heart sank; I knew what was coming next. Lucas had already started walking away from her, and he spun back around and announced to the entire room in a voice clear and loud that he didn't have a dad. He only had a mom. And as thirty or so sets of eyes settled on me I wished for ground to open up and swallow me whole. When that didn't happen I sort of smiled to the crowd, kissed my kid, told him to be a good listener and good friend, and made a beeline for the door. He's right, he doesn't have a dad, but I'm proud of our family and he is too. And I've told him that all families are different and just because you don't have a dad, that doesn't mean that you're missing anything. That some families don't have Grandmas or Aunts or Uncles, and he has all those things and more. But it didn't lessen the sting in the moment.

In the end, it turns out that he loves his little school and he can't wait to go back. And I got a little taste of what life will be like in the fall. Hours and days and even weeks of alone time to fill with whatever I chose awaits me. I'll probably just pick up a second job, because I'm practical like that, but maybe not right away. Now we wait for his letter, announcing the teacher that will begin his formal education and help shape how he views school and knowledge and learning. And we will spend this summer searching out the world's most perfect Star Wars lunchbox, because it's simply never to early to start looking for the perfect lunchbox.

School

2009-05-15T22:09:00.000-04:00

He's starting school. When I start to think about it it feels like a one ton weight on my chest. And yes, I realize every child goes to school. My preshus little baby isn't the only one, nor is he the first...but, BUT! How will I know that his teacher will be kind? That she'll be good to him? That she'll know how get him to stop talking about Star Wars non-stop without hurting his feelings? Will he come home with a potty mouth? Will he survive spending the entire day, every day, away from me? We've been together 24/7 for five years...it's a valid concern, he's 5 1/2 he's only just had his first baby sitter.

Oh...the anxiety!

That is, until I went to the school's Parent Information Night. And the school is awesome. And the teachers seem awesome. And Mr. Principal is cute. Heh.

He goes for his testing time on Tuesday and I'm supposed to leave him there for a couple of hours so they can get an idea of what he's like. I'll need to plan something to do during that time so that I don't spend every second of it sure that my kid is in tears and begging for me. Which, I know won't happen...but it COULD. But it won't.

Giving His (Future) School's Playground a Test Run:

2009-05-15T16:04:00.003-04:00

Cinderella

2009-05-12T11:34:00.002-04:00

I woke up this morning to find my five year old son scrubbing the bathroom floor with baby wipes. When I asked him what he was doing he told me he was "cleaning the bathroom so that I wouldn't have to do any of this back breaking work".

Nice.

A First for Everything

2009-05-08T21:53:00.003-04:00

Lucas had a sitter tonight.

What? That's not front page news for you? Because it is for us. He's starting kindergarten in a few short months, and thanks to an indulgent/loving/local Grandma, I've never had to hire a sitter to go anywhere or do anything...including work. That makes us incredibly lucky and blessed, yes, but I have this fear of Lucas freaking out at kindergarten because he doesn't know how to be away from me or my mom. He doesn't really know how to be in the company of another adult by himself. He might not be nervous about this, but I was.

I did hire a sitter one night when I had company, but we had all the kids in bed when she got here and none of them woke up while we were out, so really...tonight was a first.

He had a blast.

I worry about everything for no reason.

The movie was good and so was dinner. This sitter thing would be sweeeeeet, if only I didn't have to pay her before she left. It turns out my mother has saved me approximately 11 billion dollars in babysitting fees over the past five years. Bless her heart.

No One on the Planet Can Drag Out a Project Longer than Me.

2009-04-30T19:36:00.003-04:00

I was surfing my favorite blogs a few months ago when I came across this, and I thought to myself, Man...I want those for my kid, too! (Alright, while searching for that link, I realized it was more like six months ago. I am a champion procrastinator.) I decided I could totally make those, and then I realized I didn't own a sewing machine. But maybe I could could sew them by hand? Turns out I can't hand sew a straight line. BUT! My aunt is a professional, and she agreed to make these for him for Christmas. Except I never sent her the material in time. So then they were going to be for Easter! Except I never sent her the material in time for that either. It was looking like perhaps he'd graduate high school before I took myself off the fabric store and picked out the flannel. I finally sent her my choice of fabrics and today the mail man dropped of a box filled with fun! It's his entire name, filled with dried corn kernels, and he LOVES them!

Thanks a million, Aunt Mary!

Awesome!

Dramatic? We Wrote the BOOK on Dramatic.

2009-04-29T20:23:00.003-04:00

Me (Standing in the checkout line): You're such a silly goose.

Lucas: What did you just say to me?

Me (Realizing I may need to answer carefully.): Huh? I didn't say anything. (Back pedal back pedal back pedal...)

Lucas: Yeah you did...you just said something to me...what was it?

Me (Hurriedly stuffing my money into the cashiers hand): You must be mistaken pal, I didn't say a word.

Lucas (Face positively filled with incredulity, like maybe I had just called him a four letter word right there in the checkout.): Did you just call me a GOOSE?

Me (Giving up and fessing up.): Yeah, okay, I called you a silly goose, but really bud, it's no big deal.

Lucas: HOW DARE YOU TRY TO DECEIVE ME! You need to apologize to your little boy RIGHT NOW!

I wonder if his kindergarten will have a theater department...

Chocolate: It's What's for Dinner

2009-04-24T15:41:00.003-04:00

One of the many perks of being the only parent: sometimes chocolate, strawberries and pound cake sounds like it'd be good for dinner, and there's no one around to argue that perhaps something more sensible would be better. Lucas announced that it was the "tastiest" meal he's ever had, and the "fanciest dinner he's ever had in long months". It was so good, I'm thinking about serving it again tonight.

Coming Soon to a Road Near You:

2009-04-23T13:56:00.004-04:00

He likes to unlock the car for me when we go anywhere, and I'll be honest, it's nice to walk out the door with your arms full and not have to struggle to get the doors unlocked, so I let him do it. But today he took an extra little liberty he's never tried before: when I came out he had buckled himself into the driver's seat and he was positively thrilled with his work. I wonder if I'd taken any longer if he'd have managed to get the car started. I'm sure that would increase my premiums.

Busted

2009-04-21T19:39:00.002-04:00

My laptop is broken. It keeps showing me the Blue Screen of Death every time I boot it up. It's a blessing and a curse, all rolled into one. I MISS checking my favorite blogs and hunting for bargains and trolling facebook, but HEY LOOK! I HAVE KID! Who knew?! He's been getting an awful lot of my undivided attention lately, and he likes it. A happy kid makes for a happy mama. But I really miss my laptop...like REALLY miss it.

Why He's Hoarse, of Course

2009-04-14T00:07:00.003-04:00

We had a lovely but quickity-quick Easter Sunday, thanks to the fact that I cram 25 of my 40 work hours into every weekend, most of them in the night. It doesn't leave a lot of time for holiday activities in the middle of day. Or maybe it just doesn't leave a lot time for me to sleep. Whatever.

Lucas had a lovely day dueling his Uncle Ben with their new light sabers. Like he really needed another one...one that makes action sounds and light displays and hurts like the dickens when it comes in contact with a finger or two. Lately all his days are spent reenacting looong battle scenes he's seen in the movies, and others he's made up on the go. By the time my son's head hits the pillow at night, he's talked himself hoarse...and that's no joke. I call to say goodnight from work and his little raspy voice answers and tells me, "Mommy? I love you a thousand. Here's Grandma." And I have to laugh...because even though he can't be bothered to linger on the phone with me for more than a second, it's because he can't shut off the Star Wars movie that's constantly running in his mind. I can hear him pick right up where he left off in the background, narrating as he goes and begging for his Grandma's attention.

I get these babycenter.com updates every week that offer up ideas of where your child might/should be developmentally for their age. I started getting them when I was pregnant. I lived for those updates and the pictures of how big your baby probably was on that day. I haven't ever figured out how to stop those updates...I'll probably still be receiving them when he's 18; This week's update: Your child is off to college! Today's email told me that in order for my son to become a good listener, I have to model that behavior for him. He needs my undivided attention when telling me something, so that he'll in turn model that behavior towards others. While I agree with that wholeheartedly, there's is no way on earth that I could stare into his eyes and listen intently to his words when they simply never stop. I can't figure out how to redirect him to a ~~silent~~ different activity. He is a man on mission and can not be deterred. I'm thinking kindergarten is going to be tough at first. I'd like to wish his teacher good luck.

Men Boys At Work

2009-04-06T00:01:00.001-04:00

"It's hard being five, you know. Way harder than it was when I was four. And I mean that."

A Responsible Mother Probably Would Have Called a Stop to it Instead of Running Inside for a Camera

2009-04-05T21:24:00.002-04:00

My son has found his people. He, like most little boys, is in awe of the big boys. We have a fair number of them in our apartment complex and they let him run in their pack. There's one particular boy who's sort of the pack leader, and Lucas idolizes him. In return, BigKid lets Lucas be his shadow, his team mate, and he protects him from the rougher games. Yesterday the boys decided to play some insane version of leapfrog and basketball. BidKid was leaping over boys, even boys who were standing straight up. It blew my mind. And I ran inside for my camera instead of making them stop. Bad parent.

And I let him do it Lucas, after I'd seen him jump over much taller kids. It made Luke's day.

And he let Lucas "jump" over him, because he's a really sweet kid.

Should Have Been a Lesson Learned

2009-03-29T12:55:00.004-04:00

Lucas and I went to see Monsters vs. Aliens on Friday. 3D movies have come a long way since the last time I saw one with the paper glasses, one eye red and the other blue. We were handed black plastic sunglasses, very Drew Carey-like, and headed on into the theater. Lucas was excited for about half a minute and then freaked a bit as 3D hamburgers went flying by his head. He yanked the glasses off and loudly announced to a full theater that he wasn't staying. I told him I paid $16 to see a matinee and he needed to put those glasses back on his face and give the movie a chance. And he did. Which is amazing, 'cause he can be a very stubborn and vocal kid when the mood strikes. It was such a fun movie, and it was so darn cute to see his little hand come up to swat things away in air in front of him. Except, he decided that he just loves those 3D glasses and he doesn't want to take them off. He put them back on as soon as he woke up yesterday, and wore them non-stop, even though I kept telling him he needed to take them off. We pulled in to Costco and he tells me, "I don't feel right., I 'fink I might be sick." Yeah, no kidding, you've been wearing those funky glasses all morning. He hops out of the car and barfs all over the parking lot. "Hmm" he says, "tastes like lemonade. I feel better now." But he still doesn't take the glasses off. Dude...boys are gross.

The Check Up

2009-03-25T00:13:00.003-04:00

I took my great-big-old-as-the-hills five year old to his five year checkup. He about broke my heart with sweetness and cuteness sitting cross-legged in the exam room getting his hearing test. Watching his little smile and his concentration while he heard sounds known only to dog's ears and raising his hand to let the nurse know...well, it just about killed me. I actually had to excuse myself for just a little second because I was about to erupt in a fit of giggles from the SHEER CUTENESS OF IT ALL, and I didn't want to interrupt or screw up the test, so instead I stood just outside the door with my hand over my mouth, trying to pull it together. Seriously, his hearing is GOOD. And he is CUTE. In addition to perfect hearing, he vision is spot on, he took all four vaccinations like a pro, and he's most proud of brushing his teeth with toothpaste and jumping high. Or at least that's all he could think of when Dr. Brad asked him. (We are both madly in love with Dr. Brad by the way: Me because he HEALS THE CHILDREN and he always tells me that I'm doing a really good job, and Lucas because Dr. Brad knows about Star Wars and likes to give out hugs, stickers and high fives. Both of us have equally good reasons, if you ask me.)

The Fumes!

2009-03-18T19:59:00.002-04:00

I spent the whole day painting my downstairs with the help of my totally awesome mother. The downstairs looks clean and fresh and dirty fingerprint-free, but the fumes from the paint are starting to make me woozy. Very very woozy.
**********
My son is wailing that his legs hurt. Two doses of ibuprofen later he says they're no better. What is that? Growing pains? I remember my little brother going through that when he was a little boy. My "little" brother is now 6ft tall. And speaking of Ben! He was nice today! To Lucas! And according to Lucas, that made today his "best day ever"!! It's nice to catch a glimpse of the little brother I know and love peeking through the hard, angry shell of the 16yr old he is now. Very nice indeed.

We'll Just Have to Wait and See

2009-03-13T08:33:00.004-04:00

So, after spending an impressive amount of cash on the entire Aveeno baby lotions and potions line, we headed over to Whole ~~Paycheck~~ Foods to find a couple of all natural solutions to the dreaded psoriasis. Honestly, the thing that seems to be working the best on him is Cortizone cream. Which I can get at the drug store on the corner. Live and learn.

His reward for behaving at the store while I read a million labels was a trip to the car wash. If he's really good again today maybe I'll let him scrub the floors later! Kidding. He loves to sit in the front seat while we go through the automated car wash in town. It's super exciting for him. He sits up on his knees, sniffing the air with anticipation, waiting for the smell of the raspberry scented soap to reach his nose. Why, yes, it is a thrill a minute over here, why do you ask? Psoriasis talk and the car wash...aren't you glad you checked in here today? *wink*

The P Word

2009-03-09T13:42:00.002-04:00

My son and I just returned from his pediatrician's office. He's had this crazy skin thing brewing on his belly for a while now, and we sort of just ignored it until Friday night, when we realized it was spreading. One crazy skin spot I can handle; I draw the line at a dozen, however.

Turns out he has psoriasis, which I will admit, sounded rather benign as his pediatrician (whom I LOVE) waved away any worries that it might be something of the icky variety, or something contagious. So, YAY! for it not being icky or contagious...HOWEVER...google can be a powerful thing for a curious mama and her newly diagnosed kiddo. Luke's version will apparently crop up any time his body is fighting off a virus unsuccessfully. I'm thinking kindergarten will be a petri dish of germs that will end up doing a number on his skin. Major bummer.

For now, his doctor says it should clear up in a couple of weeks...or a couple of months...there's really no telling. That's what a copay gets you these days: A diagnosis of "it could be this or it could be that". Worth every penny.

Next Thing You Know He'll Be Dating

2009-03-04T21:38:00.003-05:00

My crazy big kid has been stunning me this week with zany sayings and big words and fancy kisses. Me thinks we have to have a talk about the appropriateness of such fancy kisses, but that's a post for another day.

He spent the week before his fifth birthday telling everyone we passed that he was five. I had a little talk with him, explaining that while he would be five very, very soon, he shouldn't tell people something that wasn't true yet. His response was that he was just really excited, he "liked the way it sounded and he was testing it out." And who can argue with that, really?

Just today he told me that he was parched and needed a beverage; that I was being unreasonable; that his new sneakers were sick; that his video game was sweeeeet.

He bargains with me do things for him with the only tools he has. "I need you to build me something with Legos. I'll give you one smooch and two snuggles. What do you say?" Sometimes I hold out, because maybe there's an even better bargain to be had. "Alright" he says, "I'll rub your feet and let you hold the remote." See, now that's more like it. We shake on it to seal the deal.

When he's making these deals with me my mind jumps forward 10 years and he's bigger than I am and we're striking a very similar deal about car keys, staying out late and money. I wonder if smooches will still be on the table. I would like time to stop right now. Please.

5

2009-03-01T17:20:00.000-05:00

My sweet boy. You turned five years old today. You mean the world to me, which you already know, because I am annoying in how often I tell you how much I love you. You're the sweetest, kindest, most loving little person I could have ever been blessed with. The world paired us up perfectly, me and you. Happy birthday, Lucas.

Well, HELLO!

2009-02-24T00:23:00.002-05:00

It feels like a really long time since I've had anything to write in this space. That hasn't changed. Nothing is new. Thanks for stopping by!

Alright. So, my kid is turning five in just five teeny, tiny, itsy, bitsy little days. What will I doooo? I have a party to plan. Haven't done anything about that. In recent years (all four of them) I had the party planned ~~months~~ weeks in advance, because I was JUST SO EXCITED! But this year? Nothing is ready. BECAUSE I DON'T WANT MY BABY TO BE A FIVE YEAR OLD!

I don't know what my problem is...I'm having a hard time with him being five. I'll get over it (let's hope) and the party will be loud and fun and chaotic, but I'm dragging my feet because not-so-secretly I'd like him to be four forever.

Tell Me He's Not Oscar-Worthy

2009-02-18T16:45:00.003-05:00

My little preshus flipped out on me today in a skateboard shop (where I was trying to get my rotten 16 year brother a new pair of kicks). Good times. I leaned in close mid-wail and hissed out an order to get to the car. Once buckled back in I issued his punishment: 4 minutes in timeout. Now, I've got the world's longest fuse, but once I issue a punishment, there ain't no gettin' out of it. He was heartbroken, of course, that I would be mad at him about anything, and apologized all the way home. Well, apologizing and also rationalizing why, exactly, he didn't deserve a timeout to begin with.

My take on the situation is this: You flip out on me in public after numerous chances to straighten up your act and you get a timeout, and frankly, you've earned it.

His take on the situation: I yelled at him (hissed in his ear actually) which made him terribly sad and upset, and therefore I deserve the timeout for being a mean, mean mommy, and he deserved a bowl of vanilla ice cream for having had to put up with all my meanness.

In the end, I retracted the timeout because his apologies where heartfelt and numerous. Neither of us had to go to our rooms, but neither of us got any ice cream either.

Once we got back in the house he told me that he cried in the store because his heart controls him and his heart was sad that I yelled. And after that knife twisted in my heart, I fell to the ground dead.

KI-IDDD ROCK!

2009-02-15T18:34:00.004-05:00

I just got back from THE BEST CONCERT EVER! Kid Rock at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods. Man, that dude puts on QUITE a SHOW! My throat is still sore from all the screaming. AND!? I don't want to brag...but I did TRIPLE my money at the penny slots...just sayin'.

Road Trip!

2009-02-13T23:04:00.002-05:00

I'm leaving on a road trip in the morning for Connecticut. Going to a Kid Rock concert for Valentine's Day. When I talked to mom about it she thought I was taking Lucas with me...because it was a Kid Rock concert. Um, no. I panicked for a second because it sounded like she wasn't planning on having him spend the night, but everything was fine once I explained to her that Kid Rock was not a preschool rock band. Bless her heart.

It's five hour trip...not always super fun.

With the wildest friend I own...consistently super fun.

And it ends at a casino...ALWAYS super fun!

Happy Valentine's Day ladies! Smooches all around!