What do you say? June 20, 2008

We’ve had Madison now for about a week, and after a long day of playing today (along with bickering with cousin Emma - argh), this is what I hear when I put them down for bed:

“I miss my Mom.”

She cried for about five minutes, deep sobs that you don’t normally hear from little seven year old girls. This isn’t just homesickness; Maddy’s mom is in rehab for drugs (meth, pot, you name it), just tested positive for Hep. C, and has a few felonies she’s going to have to deal with. She hasn’t had Madison for years, sees her very rarely, and there is little chance that she’s ever going to be a full-time mom to Madison.

Yet she misses her. What do you do? What do you say?

I know all I could do was cry right along with her, rub her back, and whisper “it’s okay. it’s okay.”

John Chow contest for a bag of schwag June 12, 2008

I’m attempting to win a bag of schwag from John Chow, who also does some stuff over at Market Leverage. I especially like the iPod Nano, since I believe I might be the only person left in the free world who does not have some sort of mp3 player.

Tuesday things that I love May 13, 2008

1) Sleepy kids in jammies with their tummies hanging out who want to snuggle on the couch.
2) Hot coffee.
3) Fresh lilacs all over the house from the garden.
4) An iTunes mix of soundtracks on the stereo.
5) Lots of fun (really) work to look forward to.

What are your Tuesday things that you love?

Mother’s day musings May 12, 2008

Since we had THREE baseball games yesterday (oy!), I had a lot of time to think about Mother’s Day and how it has changed for me over the years.

Obviously, when you’re a little kid, the number one thing you can do for your mom on MD is to make her something special. And that’s what my three kiddos did. In fact, I was bawling my eyes out before 7:30 AM, which both concerned and thrilled them at the same time. The thing that did it for me was my 13 year old’s illustrated poem; we’ve had kind of a tough year with him so that meant so much to me.

Then, at the baseball game, this kid was on FIYAH. He hit two doubles, masterminded a double play, and ended up being one of the most valuable players of the tournament. In between the games, the team stood up one by one and did a verbal tribute to their moms. I swear to God, there wasn’t a dry eye on the field. These big ol’ strapping boys telling their moms how much they love ‘em was just over the TOP for this girl. Then hugs and kisses all day from all three rugrats - man, it was awesome.

Then came time for the obligatory call to my mom. I love my mom. I really do. She’s just hard to talk to. And that’s okay. We chatted for a little while, I updated her on the kids, thanked her for the card she sent me. It was nice. Most of our phone calls revolve around her telling me how wonderful my brothers are and what they’re doing….she still hasn’t gotten over the fact that I got married and moved away and I’m NOT moving back. It’s hard for her, I know, and I try to be patient.

The whole Mom thing is weird. My relationship with my Mom? It is what it is. I know that she is very limited in her ability to have relationships with other folks, and so I need to take that into account, and just be thankful for what we have. And I really, really, am.

What I am getting for Mother’s Day May 10, 2008

This year, I decided to lay down the law as far as Mother’s Day is concerned, and here it is.

1) I don’t want anything that comes from a store; well, except for donuts or pastry of some type. THAT I will make an exception for.
2) Handmade gifts that come from the heart are what make this girl’s heart sing.
3) I’ll need a nap.

So! Because we have like a billion baseball games this weekend (tournament), and we get to go to a whopping THREE games on Sunday (first one starts at 7 AM), I am playing hooky from the game today, Saturday, and getting just a wee bit of work done, THEN I’m taking a Saturday afternoon nap on the couch with the kitties. Already there is quite a bit of secret preparation going on: the kids all have homemade craft projects hidden in their rooms, and I’m hoping that the spouse is going to spring something on me like a foot massage. Or brushing my hair - Good God. Seriously, if I was a millionaire, i would hire someone part-time to brush my hair for three hours a day. Is that weird? I don’t think so.

Anyway, Happy Mother’s Day to you, if you are a mother; and if you are not, then go give your Mom a handmade card….or a phonecall…..or make something you know she’ll love. Do it. You’ll feel like a million bucks.

Fun with your semi-perfectionist seventh grader May 9, 2008

Me this morning: “Hey James?”

J: “Yeah?”

Me: “I had a look at your grades this morning.”

J: “oh yeah?”

Me: “Yeah. Did you know you’re getting an F in Math?”

(sounds of scrambling out of the bathroom, various bottles dropping, running down the hall)

J: “WHAT?!?!?!?!? I got an A on the test yesterday, I’ve turned in all my work, I don’t understand! Oh my God! Oh my GOD! What? What? OH MY GOD!”

Me: “Yeah, it’s an F all right…..(pause for dramatic effect)….it’s an F for FABULOUS! Ha ha! You’re getting a B-, dude! That’s awesome! Best ever!”

J: (falls over) “That’s so not cool, Mom.” (stomps back to bathroom)

Me: “Heh heh.”

And……scene!

Embarrassing confessions of a soccer mom May 8, 2008

Okay. Here it is. Emma is in her third season of soccer this spring, and is doing quite well. She loves the game and is actually getting pretty dang good!

However, I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m turning into one of those crazy, rabid parents that we all vowed we would NEVER emulate. You know what I’m talking about: they yell at the kids to SET IT UP! SET IT UP! and they yell at the ref to GET OUT OF THE WAY! and YOU’RE KIDDING ME! and so on. Last night, I found myself doing this and more; and it was almost like I could see myself doing it yet was powerless to stop. And let’s be totally honest: I didn’t really want to stop. I mean, come on - how many times as a mom do you really get to scream at your kids with little or no guilt attached? Yeah. You’re feeling me now, aren’t you?

An IEP meeting complete with stars and fairydust May 8, 2008

Today was the semi-annual IEP meeting for Henry and his teachers. IEP stands for Individualized Education Plan, but should really stand for Incredibly Excrutiatingly Long Planning Meeting. So I guess it would be….IELPM? Hmmm.

Anyway, this meeting was actually quite enjoyable, which for those of you out there with kids and an IEP you know how odd that statement sounds. But I’m serious - it was kinda fun. Henry is on track with his plan, and is actually testing right on par for most things, which both thrilled and surprised me. He is just trucking right along, the sweet little stinkhead.

One of the things we looked at was fourth grade. He’s going to pretty much have the same level of support he has now, but he will be allowed to - get this - have an mp3 player for testing. Here’s the deal: I shared with his teacher a couple weeks ago that he concentrates much better with music. So! Now I get to make a mixtape for my ten year old. I’m thinking some Sabbath, a wee bit of NIN, maybe some Ozzy? Oh, I kid, I kid. He’s a John Denver kind of guy.

Bottom line, the meeting went good, Henry is good, and all is well in the world. I even did a little celebratory jig, which was kind of awkward and embarrassing since I realized two seconds after I did such jig that my fly? It was wiiiiide open. Yeah. Way to poke a hole in that bubble of happiness, universe!

Tag, I’m it! May 2, 2008

I have been tagged by my friend RSG who apparently had QUITE the cuh-razy day today, what with the conferences and the appointments and the annual visit to the gyno. As a side note, I usually get myself so worked up over an impending gyno appt. that I have to take a nap afterwards. Sad, but true. We also had conferences here at my house and I found out that Emma? My 7 year old? She reads and comprehends at a sixth grade level. THAT’s why she’s so freaking bored in class and is starting to…ahem……cause a little ruckus. Unfortunately we don’t have a gifted program so I’m kind of at a loss as to what to do with her, other than just loading her up with books, books, and more books. The sweet thing has her nose in a book from dawn till dusk!

Okay, so the tag. Here’s the rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

From “Surrender the Pink” by Carrie Fisher. Yes, THAT Carrie Fisher. I find the book to be a bit pretentious yet still entertaining; she says “fuck” a lot which always lightens things up a bit. Here we go:

“You know what I think?” said Connie.
“No, but I’m sure you’re gonna tell me.”
“I think that it’s dangerous for you to be idle,” pronounced Connie.

Huh? Huh? PROFOUND, I tell you. Let’s see, who shall I tag……okay, here we go: Lelo, Rose, Leora, Heather, and Doc.

Pros and cons of working from home. April 29, 2008

Pros!

You get to snuggle in your Nana’s afghan that she made for you when you were 12 from your favorite colors at the time: yellow, purple, and oh yes! More purple.

You get to drink a LOT OF COFFEE.

You can go to the bathroom whenever you want (see above).

You can watch your complete DVD set of “Sex and the City” while you are typing very serious things about technology and Web 2.0.

Cons!

All those candy bars? That are in the cupboard? Uh huh.

You talk to your cats. A lot. Hello, kitties!

You kind of entertain the thought of napping way too much. Because, you know, YOU TOTALLY CAN.