Take a Breath

There is so many things tonight, that is just screaming for me to take pause and breath in this moment of life that surrounds me.

Holidays brings out many different aspects of our personalities. Stress of being with or without family, things we lost or people we found, elation of engagements and mourning of deaths always seem to happen this time of year. It really is the pinnacle of the emotional roller coaster ride for the year, and just to top it off we have weight loss and gym corporations reminding us all to take stock once again in ourselves... just in case we didn't get it right this year.

There is one thing I got right, and his birthday is tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow is the day my oldest son turns five years old. Tomorrow, it's all about him, but tonight as I sit by monitor light recapping on this moment, it's all about me. Five years ago my life and heart went though a metamorphasis and I couldn't be more grateful.

Three years after a traumatic loss, almost six years after a wonderful wedding to a man who's showing me the best of my dream unimagines are among the highs and lows in my memories tonight. My heart however is grateful for the moment that gave me a future and I met this wonderful little five year old boy we named Aiden. And I must admit, I must have paid off the right person in a past life because this little boy is a pure heart, gentle and kind, a great big brother, sensitive and caring, funny, happy, and as creative as there is space in the universe somehow is my son. Not only that, but by having him in my life, he has brougth other wonderful people to me that I would have otherwise never known.

Indeed, this is a time of year for reflection and gratitude. And my cup overflow.

Take a Bath

I think I should take a note from my three year old's playbook. Whenever he is faced with anything that doesn't tickle his fancy he immediately runs to me and demands that I draw the king his bath.

For him, this is a social time, thinking time, pondering time, playing time, relaxing time, leaning time but rarely every an actual cleaning time as the rinse just come accidentally.

So as the holidays rear their greedy little heads bringing their friends credit card debt and family drama trash, I suggest we all invest in our Calgon.

Bella's Legacy

We only had Bella for maybe three weeks, but she was a beloved family member. Carmel colored fuzzy biter, hamster with a tude for sure. Aiden and Cody loved her even when she was banging that dang wheel around in her cage at 3am.

The morning I walked into the room and realized her cage door was open, my heart sunk. It had to be like that over night and I knew she had a good head start on me. If we didn't hear or see her that day, chances were, we wouldn't, and I would have to come up with a story to tell the kids.. Aiden in paticular.

I had a fantastic story all worked up the next day, but I didn't get the chance. That morning, Aiden asked if we could put Bella in the ball. I said, well, no. He asked why not and I said, "Well, do you see anything funny about Bella's cage?" He looked at it and realized immediately the problem with the door being open.

"Oh NO!" He shreaked. "The door is open! Bella got out and the Dogs ate her!!"

There was no getting around it. There was some tears and a couple really hard days as we all searched the house in every crevice and floorspace of every room. The dogs were interrogated of course, but we didn't get much out of them but a suspicious smelly dog lick kiss.

After a couple days, Aiden realized we were not going to be able to find her. This is when he started making up fantastic stories of what could have been a possible alternative to being eaten by the dogs.

"Maybe she went out though the dog door, and decided she liked it outside." I would add in, "And she made friends with the squirrle, and she climbs up the trees and shares their acorns!" He would look at me and say, "Uh, no Mom. Hamsters don't eat acorns."

"Maybe she ran out the door and went over to Abby's house. Yeah, Bella went over there and scratched on the door. Abby heard her, and saw here there and took her in and let her stay with her at her house."

"Bella ran outside and decided she liked it there, so she's living under the porch. But we can't see her because she runs over to Ms. Patty's house when we come looking for her."

"Bella got out of the house, and learned how to fly Mommy! She's a super hero hamster now, that's why she can't come back. She's busy being a super hero!"

I have to admit, as cute as the stories have gotten, Aiden was still asking to get another hamster as soon as he realized Bella was gone. He wanted the brown short haired one, rather than the white long haired one Bella was... But it wasn't until a couple weeks ago, the acceptance was there without the tears that Bella wasn't coming back. The stories started to change a little.

Cody:
Bella's door got left open and she got out and the Dogs ATE her!
Aiden:
No Cody, Bella could have got away.
Cody:
Dogs ATE her!
Aiden:
They maybe didn't eat her.
Cody:
Dogs ATE her! Ump Ump! (Making eating chomping sounds.)
Aiden:
Well, maybe they ate her, but they just opened their mouth and swallowed.
Cody:
Dogs ATE her!
Aiden:
They ate her, but they didn't chew.

They boys thought they wanted to name the new hamster "Zoom" but while at the pet store, they insisted her name was Percy. Must not have looked like a Zoom once they met her.





So now, we quietly welcome Percy to our home. So far, she's much different in temperment. Not quite the spit fire Bella was... who bit me to prove her points. Percy freezes and will play statue for a few hours, and will roll over and play oppossom if you try to pick her up. (The guy in the store wasn't very good at hamster handling. After like three minutes of grasping at her, I thought how cleaver she rolled over and played dead! Like, just do it!!)

The dogs are of course interested in Percy too, but hopefully will not get the opportunity to get up close and personal. We are putting an alarm on the cage door!

The Weather

I remember when I was younger, people who talked about the weather, was something they did for polite conversation or filler with strangers that they didn't feel they had anything else in common with. I always imagined these conversations as, "Lovely day today." "Yes, it's getting colder." "I think it was winder this time last year."

Now that I am older however, I realize that the weather conversations I have are with the same group of strangers in which I have very little in common. However, my conversations about this topic are nothing short of enthusiastic and astonishing. I find myself waiting to pick up Cody from preschool, talking to people about my decision methods on how to dress the kids or my incorrect decision to leave my sweatshirt in the car. I also tell the story of my astonishment of how myself being a Cali Gal, will never get used to wearing short and t-shirts in 90 degree weather and still have to carry an umbrella.

The other part of this equation, is how excited the people on the other side of this conversation get. They vigerously nod their head and trade tales. "I hate winter here, it's a damp cold." whatever that means... "And the kids have to wear their big heavy coats and their lockers are not even big enough to hold their coats, so they leave them behind and just freeze at the bus stop." I have since learned that winter coats seem to cause the most clutter in the slow winter months in Cape May, NJ.

And when I step away from this converstation, I feel as though we have had a bond. We now share this common phenomenon of questionable dressing of ourselves and our children according to the laws of nature.

Sunny time, sunny times! So when we advise our children to keep their comments to the weather, as in sense and sensibility by my beloved Jane Austin... don't think of this as sending out children to sheild their feelings and restrain their feeling to idol chit chat. No, speak on the weather, delight in the glory of the shared experince that is given to us from mother nature and bond with your fellow earthlings.

Rewards

We go so tired of being the nay sayers. Constantly telling one or the other to stop this or don't do that. Going to a store has become insane with the "I Want" syndrome. We just were not getting though to them with the behavior we expected.

So starting this morning, we gave them 5 coupons. There was a shelf set up downstairs, with toys for each of the that they picked out the night before that they wanted. In order to get them open, they had to earn coupons and trade them in, like at Chuck E Cheese. They could also spend their coupons for TV time, or Computer Time. 1 coupon = 30 minutes or $1. So if a toy cost $5, it's 5 coupons.

They picked out these dogs, that were $20.

In the morning, Cody was in the lead even after spending a few coupons on computer games. He managed to sit in his seat all through breakfast, used please and thank you and tried a new food. Then we went the store, and there was no "I wants" as they didn't want to lose coupons.






They even put the toys down they were looking at in the toy isle and followed my voice and directions to a couple isles over without asking for toys, screaming, bickering... extremely well behaved in the store. Astonishing!! Cody took a nap WITHOUT MOM like a big boy and with no arguments. Then we went to dinner, where Cody wasn't hungry but he sat at the table, was pleasant and played quietly and was polite. Aiden hit the mother load on coupon earning, where he tried all the following new foods: Tempura sweet potato, tempura Shrimp, fried rice, Carrots, Habachi Chicken (which he loved), squash, mushroom, broccoli, salad, miso soup and for two coupons... Sushi.

Now here is where I need to warn, I was so excited Aiden was eating all these new foods, I completely went overboard on the trying sushi. First, I had forgotten he's eaten so much already. Then, I gave him not the california roll, but the roll with unagi inside and tuna on top. (For my non-sushi eating friends, unagi is cooked eel). It was the sushi with the temptation of two coupons, that made him try it, gag and throw up all over the table. I felt so bad. I will never force him to try sushi again.


He was such a trooper however, we went and got cleaned up. He said in the bathroom, "I don't want two coupons!" I had to laugh, and I did give him the two for trying it anyway.

Aiden saying "Two Coupons!"

Cody on computer time.

Aiden happy with his grand prize puppy.

True Wildwood, NJ Experience

Our friends the Bianchi's came up from Maryland for the Firemen Convention. We had gotten all settled in, with a great spot with good and cheap pizza slices, liquor store and port a potty within rock throwing distance. A good corner by all accounts.


The kids were enjoying the parade, waving hi and looking for fire dogs and dancing to the marching bands. It was a long parade however, but they were doing really well. Suddenly, I hear a shuffle behind me.
I turn around, and there is a man falling in slow motion to the ground. He can't get up. He rolls over and is looking at me. I ask him in a panic, wondering if one of the bazillion highly trained EMT's would like to access this situation rather than me, a lowly housewife dripping with kids. No one stepped up to the plate however.

"Sir, Sir, are you alright?" He looks at me in a panic. I am wondering if he's having a heart attack. I see blood starting to poor out the side of his face. "Sir, can you speak?"
He nods yes, and mumbles "I'm... I'm Ok." I realized at this point, he was completely inebriated as I inhaled the waft of man marinating in vodka and beer for two days cologne he was sporting. The man was clean enough, but had a two day growth of facial hair, and the stare only an embarrassed drunk who has lost control of his body could inhabit.

Of course, Aiden, the little mimic he is, starts coming over and asking him if he is alright. I redirect Aiden to go by daddy to watch the parade, which he does for about two seconds, and let the man know he is bleeding. The man tried to get up from the sidewalk, but could only manage to roll himself back behind where we were sitting and prop himself up on the fence.
I looked around again, and no one seemed to be paying much attention. Todd walked somewhere, I assumed to tell someone about what was going on. We discussed briefly if we should call the authorities, but decided that wouldn't really help him and that kind of scene for the kids wouldn't be good.

I grabbed some tissue from our stroller and handed it to him. I had put the tissue in his hand and direct him to where the blood was coming from. Luckily it wasn't gushing, but I didn't want the kids to see it. I then walked to the pizza parlor and got him and myself a bottle of water.
When I came out, he was quietly sitting and holding the tissue in the wrong spot on his face, now with a blood trickle drying down his cheek. I gave him a bottle of water, and washed my hands with part of the other one. Then I helped him to wipe the dried blood from his face, (Being sure not to allow any of his fluids to actually touch me, and Tammy was kind enough to give me hand sanitizer immediately after.)

He thanked me, and he sat there like an old uncle at Thanksgiving who everyone ignores. We enjoyed the rest of the parade and got the kids ice cream which was a good distraction. When the parade was over, he was able to get up and walk across the street onto his next adventure.
The funny part was, when I was getting the bottle of water, Aiden grabbed my camera and got a couple of classic shots of the scene in it's entirety.


Classic Aiden! While the picture of our fine friend is somewhat artistic... it was actually really funny because Aiden was telling him to say "cheese" as he was clicking the picture.

Where is the futuristic food in a pill?

I know you are thinking, what the heck is that? Is that the future food? This, is one round carrot on a plate. I put the dishes from dinner tonight though our first cycle of wash, aka.. let the dogs clean the plates before I put them in the dish washer. Low and behold... even the dogs won't eat the veggies! They too, leave the loan carrot on the plate, just in case the ants want to have a go at ignoring it as well.

Yeah.. you two! I'm talking about you fuzzballs! Next thing you know they are going to ask for a back of goldfish and lemonade for dinner instead, just like my sons.

I hate that I have become one of those Moms, the picky eater holds me hostage. I know I deserve it as I was horribly picky when I was young, right through my 20's. I am even picky now which is why I am so hell bent on wanting my kids to try new things and get used to the idea that food comes in more froms than a box or can. Regardless, I am that mom with the idol threats of sending them to bed hungry but can't handle the thought of their little tummies rumbling in the middle of the night. So I usually give in to a banana or like tonight, a bag of goldfish. Just get the teeth brushed and we'll try it all again tomorrow. It's just me and the carrots on our crusade... lonely on this side of the veggie war!

Aiden's First Day of School

The comforting thing was, that as Aiden got buckled into his seat on the bus, the other kids looked more terrified than he did.

I am just constantly amazed at how much I love these little people! I am so proud of him, and I can't wait for him to come home and share all his adventures from school with me. I am just ripped apart that he's now going to have all these adventures from here on out that don't include

When we left, we could hear the dogs howling at us down the street. What we didn't expect was for Brie to use her escape hatch and come meet us. I could hear the bus rumbling down the street, so I knew I didn't have time to run her back. So she got to bid Aiden a good day with us. She even tried to get on the bus with her!

Cody is watching "Finding Nemo" and says, "Nemo started school, just like Aiden today!" His orientation is Thursday and he starts next week.

Brag Post

I would be a horrible mother and get kicked down to the rank of "Brittneyesk Momma" if I didn't join everyone else in posting pictures of my childrens first days at school. I am going to up it one more however, and post the orientation! There were parents there saying, "See, I told you we should have brought our camera!" Yeah, I out parented you and you have to just sit there and take it. Ha.

Aiden running in front of his school.

Aiden trying to pose for a picture with the sun in his face.

Getting used to the classroom, which was really nice. Big with lots of unusual toys like puppets and typewriters.

Then we went on a bus ride around the neighborhood. Turned out one of the women I was friendly with, lives around the corner and Aiden will be at the same bus stop with her daughter. Very exciting, he was thrilled to already have a friend!

Aiden knew just what to do, he sat down and buckled up "Just like on the airplane!" I do worry that when the time comes for him to cruise off by himself that he will panic. The pictures here are the few moments where he wasn't glued to my leg.

While I took Aiden to orientation, Cody got to spend a little time with Daddy at work.

Cody's orientation is in a couple weeks. We already know two kids in his class however. My boys are getting so big!

And here is the hamster update, she's adjusting well. The kids are bound and determined to not let her be an nocturnal animal however, as they keep her awake and want to take her with them everywhere we go.

I myself have been being really good about eating and going to the gym, but hold fast at my current overweight. I just want Wii to tell me I am srong Overweight, rather than "That's Obese." Just like me, always looking for my Wii's approval. I will keep going on my quest to loose my bedonk-a-donk. It's just so hard starting back, but the food I ate, I have to say was so worth it. Sorry Richard Simmons, but it's true.

The Hamster Chronicles

Ever since the movie "Bolt" came out, Aiden has been interested in hamsters. Then at Aunt Rebecca's house he gets to go nuts over the bunny. Now the movie G-Force has arrived and we have yet to actually watch the whole movie, but just the idea and marketing around has got him Gerbil crazy. This combined with a few trips to the pet store, and he has successfully broken us down and conned us into getting him... a hamster.

Cody was mildly enthused by the idea of a pet hamster, but we know who the real motivator in the house was... Bug. Last week, I told him if he remembered by this week he wanted a hamster we could discuss. I only lasted four days until I decided we could go get one. He kept asking if it was next week yet.

Below is the photo chronicles of the events of picking out and bring home a new hamster.


Meeting the "Long Hair White Girl Hamster"

Cody meeting her...

Got her in the cage! We had gone to Wal-mart and got the cage and supplies with birthday gift cards from Grandma and Grandpa. Thanks!

Leaving the store. Aiden walking slow as to not swing her.

Aiden completely loving her up in the car. He didn't want to name her until we got home. But he did come to this conclusion: "Maybe that's the problem! She's so quiet because she doesn't have a name for us to call her."

Cody, thrilled to have a white ball!

Carrying her up the stairs away from the dogs.

And our newest family addition... Bella! She got named by Aiden as we were putting her cage together. She sleeps in his room and lives in a cage on top of his dresser. She is currently the most spoiled rotten hamster in the world... but what she wouldn't do for a nap.

When I told Aiden, she's most likely really just like to take a nap. He said, "Ok, lets close the door and give her some privacy." He's wanting to take her out and take her with him every where. This will be an interesting learning process... for us all.

Beautiful Flower

Did everyone enjoy the humidity today like I did? I know most people take three or four showers to try to beat the heat, but I just layed around and stayed stinky. I can't be loosing the shower war if I never participate in the race.

Plus I got to chase the kids with scary armpit itchies.

Speaking of scary, our garden. Before we bought the house, the previous owners were massive gardeners. There are plants I don't recognize and bulbs everywhere. I never know if something is a weed or something that's supposed to be there. So I have stopped just ripping out everything and waiting to see what blooms.

Today with all the rain, something bloomed in the garden. In between thunder storms and torrential downpours, I was able to snap a couple pictures. It was an orange flower, no shocker because the previous owners seemed to have a thing for orange flowers.

Now those picture are a bit blurry, but you can see it's beautiful colors. Let me show you a picture of it, with a little sharpness.

Yes my friends.. the beautiful blossoms are made entirely out of insects. And that's New Jersey!

Typical Summer Day

We are pretty house bound, waiting for Cody to be potty trained and all. Why is it now that he's doing this, when he does poop in his pants, the face is so much more dramatic. Like he's telling on me.. Hey Mom.. you're not paying attention and I am making a poop face for all the world to see.

He's been scrumptious little stinker today.

Aiden is really liking going to the gym. There are lots of BABIES, which he is always asking for a baby sister. He now wants a hamster. I told him if he can remember next week that he wants a hamster then we could discuss it.

I am glad I joined the gym today, and was completely blown away by the instructor today, who cursed like a sailor. It actually worked however, because she was saying all the things that go through my head. So frustrating trying to get back in shape again, especially considering I was still wanting a different shape when I had a better one than this one now. I know that sentence was confusing, but I also know.. most women know what I am saying.

Looks like these will be our typical days for the rest of the summer. The boys have about two and three more weeks until school starts. Yeah, Jersey didn't do that thing where they move everyone forward because they wanted to get a jump on the summer vacations. Weather still sucks here in June so they are content to wait. Once the mosquitoes are at full swarm, it's time for vacation. Thus, it doesn't start again until Labor Day. Cody's starts a week later which is nice. Gets us a chance to get focus on one, and not have to deal with two at the same time.

Wow, that's all I have to say, but I am missing a witty line to end on. So... I will end on Aiden's favorite joke right now.

"Why did the Banana go to the doctor? Because he wasn't peeling well. Haha, get it? Now that's funny right there."

For all our bored people

I barely ever watch the news. Now I know why. Besides being annoyed that the show was only giving us information that made interesting sound bites and warned us that the CDC estimates up to 50% of all Americans will contract the swine flu this year in a sentence that was shorter than this one... it reminded me how when people are bored, their stupid starts to show.

Two headline news reports proves Darwin's Theory isn't working as these people are inflicted with some serious stupid.

I haven't been into football really since my first child was born, but I did recently learn of a little drama involving Brett Farve, the handsome cameo star of "There's something about Mary," and pretty well known quarterback, retired, no wait... quarterback... yeah... no.. wait.. what was the question?

As much as his life decisions make absolutely no impact on anything, people are taking this really very seriously. So much, a woman felt the need to take a goat, shave a #4 on it it, paint it purple and yellow (Viking colors for those who didn't catch that) and stuff it in her trunk. When the police found the goat in her trunk, they asked what she was intending to do with it, she said "Kill it." I don't know who is more stupid, this woman... or the prosecutors who are still debating if animal cruelty charges are going to be pressed.

The second story that caught my attention, was the three men who broke into a local zoo, to feed a gorilla pop tarts. This ranks right up there with the two guys who broke into the SF Zoo a few years ago and brought their girlfriends penguins. This one ranks above that however, because one of the guys who needed to give the gorilla sugar high, was a police officer. Seriously, way too many donuts.

That gorilla's got game!

But you know what, this turned out to be a feel good day for the news. Just when I start to loose all faith in humanity I realize, I am not feeling all that bad anymore about not working out or being dumb enough to rip off my own toenail while trying to take off my sandal. I'm still above the curve!

So give me another scoop of ice cream, and let the news roll on. Let's see what's happening to Gotham City tonight.

So when life turns into a comic strip... send in the super heroes!