After spending all day in the ER with Peanut yesterday after a toddler meets side table incident I was awakened this morning with this little gem:
"MOMMY! I NEED YOU TO GET UP AND WIPE MY TUSHIE!"
Can you stand it? I mean really, the glamour is overwhelming. I bet Brad and Angelina don't get up and wipe tushies. Well, they're so perfect and glam I bet their kids don't even poop. Or they have a nanny who has the specific task of wiping tushies and never allowing Brad and Angie to know anything about something as foul as poop.
I need a nanny like that. Eh, I'd take any kind of nanny. As long as she works for free. Oh wait! That's not a nanny. That's a grandma. I have one of those! Lucky me!
But I still have to deal with the poop.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
I want my daughters to know better
...than singer Rihanna apparently does. Her boyfriend, Chris Brown, a star in his own right, beat the ever loving snot out of her and it seems she has forgiven him and taken him back.
The whole thing makes me sad. She's beautiful, talented, successful, wealthy and loved, but you cannot tell me that she loves herself. She must not have much self worth because it seems, from what I have read this, was not an isolated incident and she kept sticking around. It escalated into the now infamous incident and statistically there will likely be more.
The title for today is that I want my daughters to know better. I want my son to know better too, of course. I would be so disappointed if he EVER did something in any way abusive to his future girlfriend or wife. I would wonder where his dad and I went wrong. But it is the girls I worry most about. Society seems to like to tell our girls they are never pretty enough, skinny enough, smart enough, etc that it feels like a mountainous task to get them to be confident in who they are. Add a boy like Chris Brown into a relationship with a girl who suffers low self esteem and you often get another victim of domestic violence. Guys like him can smell low self worth from a mile away. Up to 3 million women are abused by intimate partners each year, and other data shows that number may be low and that it may well be closer to 6 million. 6 million!
I want my girls to know that they deserve to be treated well, all the time. They will never deserve a slap, a punch a verbal beat down, or anything of the sort. My dad used to tell me "He hits you once, shame on him. He hits you twice, shame on you because you were still there." He was right, except I would change the last bit of that. I wouldn't want my girls to have any feelings that they deserved what they got because they hadn't left. No one EVER deserves to be treated that way.
Look around. It is reported that one in 4 women in the US will have had an abusive relationship at some point in their life. Someone you know may have been or may be where Rihanna is right now. Or maybe it was or is you.
I'm wondering a lot about her parents right now. The agony they must feel with her choice to return to a man who beat her so senseless that he's been charged with two felonies. I can only imagine the helplessness they must feel, knowing she is an adult and will make her own choices but wanting desperately to protect their baby from a rage-filled and violent man.
Hug your girls. Teach them that they are beautiful, important and smart and that a good, loving relationship never contains violence. I hope for her sake Rihanna learns that soon too. And if it is you in a dangerous relationship, please call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Everyone deserves to be safe.
The whole thing makes me sad. She's beautiful, talented, successful, wealthy and loved, but you cannot tell me that she loves herself. She must not have much self worth because it seems, from what I have read this, was not an isolated incident and she kept sticking around. It escalated into the now infamous incident and statistically there will likely be more.
The title for today is that I want my daughters to know better. I want my son to know better too, of course. I would be so disappointed if he EVER did something in any way abusive to his future girlfriend or wife. I would wonder where his dad and I went wrong. But it is the girls I worry most about. Society seems to like to tell our girls they are never pretty enough, skinny enough, smart enough, etc that it feels like a mountainous task to get them to be confident in who they are. Add a boy like Chris Brown into a relationship with a girl who suffers low self esteem and you often get another victim of domestic violence. Guys like him can smell low self worth from a mile away. Up to 3 million women are abused by intimate partners each year, and other data shows that number may be low and that it may well be closer to 6 million. 6 million!
I want my girls to know that they deserve to be treated well, all the time. They will never deserve a slap, a punch a verbal beat down, or anything of the sort. My dad used to tell me "He hits you once, shame on him. He hits you twice, shame on you because you were still there." He was right, except I would change the last bit of that. I wouldn't want my girls to have any feelings that they deserved what they got because they hadn't left. No one EVER deserves to be treated that way.
Look around. It is reported that one in 4 women in the US will have had an abusive relationship at some point in their life. Someone you know may have been or may be where Rihanna is right now. Or maybe it was or is you.
I'm wondering a lot about her parents right now. The agony they must feel with her choice to return to a man who beat her so senseless that he's been charged with two felonies. I can only imagine the helplessness they must feel, knowing she is an adult and will make her own choices but wanting desperately to protect their baby from a rage-filled and violent man.
Hug your girls. Teach them that they are beautiful, important and smart and that a good, loving relationship never contains violence. I hope for her sake Rihanna learns that soon too. And if it is you in a dangerous relationship, please call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Everyone deserves to be safe.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
It's been 9 years...
...of marriage for me and Husband. Today is our Anniversary.
In all honesty I don't know what to say. I've written and deleted quite a few drafts of this. I'm stumped, and here is why:
Lots of people say that marriage is work. I don't see that. I mean, we both do things FOR each other and FOR our marriage, but it doesn't feel like work. I like leaving random love notes for him. I don't mind leaving his clothes hangers untouched so he is never hangerless (a pet peeve I learned early on). I don't roll his socks. He says that stretches them. I try to always serve something green with dinner, as I know that is his preference. I watch TV shows with him that I otherwise likely would not watch because he likes them. I massage his scalp if he sits in front of me while we watch. I sneak in a random kiss or 2 fairly often. I will snuggle against him for a bit when his alarm goes off at ungodly hours for work so he can begin his day feeling loved.
And he likes to send me flowers for no reason. He often waggles his eyebrows at me to indicate he thinks I'm hot (I assure you that only my husband would think that as many days I am covered in baby spit, hence the blog title). He lets me sleep in when he's home. He's been known to bring home some of my favorite treats on no occasion whatsoever days. He smacks my rear end affectionately. He makes dinner, folds laundry and puts kids to bed without ever complaining that these are things a stay home mom should be doing. I usually don't have to ask for a back rub.
Together you will likely find us hugging or holding hands (when we aren't pushing strollers). I cheer him in his career, he pretends to care when I tell him about the latest Mommy group happenings. We are a united front on all counts. It so nice to know that someone always has my back, no matter what.
I guess what I am saying is that none of this is work. When I think of work I think of stuff I HAVE to do; tasks that need to be begrudgingly accomplished. I don't see the things I do for my husband, and in turn my marriage, as work. I like to do them. I enjoy doing them. I suspect he feels the same.
I know I am lucky. Blessed, even, if that's how you look at things. We've endured some tough times. His mom's death, a hospitalized toddler, a miscarriage, a too early baby in the NICU and the resulting bills. But we are always in it together. It's been 9 years today and walking down that aisle towards him and saying "I do" was the smartest thing I ever did.
Happy Anniversary, Babe. You are as charming, funny and handsome as ever. I didn't know it was possible at the time, but I love you more now than I did then. Thank you for marrying me and for loving me the way I love you. You are the best.
UPDATE: He just called and sang "Happy Anniversary" to the tune of "Happy Birthday" to me and asked me what he could make me for a special dinner. See? I told you he's the best!
In all honesty I don't know what to say. I've written and deleted quite a few drafts of this. I'm stumped, and here is why:
Lots of people say that marriage is work. I don't see that. I mean, we both do things FOR each other and FOR our marriage, but it doesn't feel like work. I like leaving random love notes for him. I don't mind leaving his clothes hangers untouched so he is never hangerless (a pet peeve I learned early on). I don't roll his socks. He says that stretches them. I try to always serve something green with dinner, as I know that is his preference. I watch TV shows with him that I otherwise likely would not watch because he likes them. I massage his scalp if he sits in front of me while we watch. I sneak in a random kiss or 2 fairly often. I will snuggle against him for a bit when his alarm goes off at ungodly hours for work so he can begin his day feeling loved.
And he likes to send me flowers for no reason. He often waggles his eyebrows at me to indicate he thinks I'm hot (I assure you that only my husband would think that as many days I am covered in baby spit, hence the blog title). He lets me sleep in when he's home. He's been known to bring home some of my favorite treats on no occasion whatsoever days. He smacks my rear end affectionately. He makes dinner, folds laundry and puts kids to bed without ever complaining that these are things a stay home mom should be doing. I usually don't have to ask for a back rub.
Together you will likely find us hugging or holding hands (when we aren't pushing strollers). I cheer him in his career, he pretends to care when I tell him about the latest Mommy group happenings. We are a united front on all counts. It so nice to know that someone always has my back, no matter what.
I guess what I am saying is that none of this is work. When I think of work I think of stuff I HAVE to do; tasks that need to be begrudgingly accomplished. I don't see the things I do for my husband, and in turn my marriage, as work. I like to do them. I enjoy doing them. I suspect he feels the same.
I know I am lucky. Blessed, even, if that's how you look at things. We've endured some tough times. His mom's death, a hospitalized toddler, a miscarriage, a too early baby in the NICU and the resulting bills. But we are always in it together. It's been 9 years today and walking down that aisle towards him and saying "I do" was the smartest thing I ever did.
Happy Anniversary, Babe. You are as charming, funny and handsome as ever. I didn't know it was possible at the time, but I love you more now than I did then. Thank you for marrying me and for loving me the way I love you. You are the best.
UPDATE: He just called and sang "Happy Anniversary" to the tune of "Happy Birthday" to me and asked me what he could make me for a special dinner. See? I told you he's the best!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
additions
You likely noticed 2 new blog sections. One is a list of blogs I like to read. Blogs of friends and family on various subjects that may or may not interest you, but they interest me, so there they are.
The second is a way for me to pass my bargain hunting freakishness on to you. In the Deal of the Day section I will post my best daily find. It can be anything from online shopping bargains, to printable coupons to brick and mortar finds (that's actual in store deals.) I will do my best to update this feature daily and keep the deals varied for lots of different people...not everyone loves shoes as much as I do.
Is that a grab to keep people checking in? You betcha! Hope it works!
The second is a way for me to pass my bargain hunting freakishness on to you. In the Deal of the Day section I will post my best daily find. It can be anything from online shopping bargains, to printable coupons to brick and mortar finds (that's actual in store deals.) I will do my best to update this feature daily and keep the deals varied for lots of different people...not everyone loves shoes as much as I do.
Is that a grab to keep people checking in? You betcha! Hope it works!
I don't like this
I have a friend who has a husband who has a colleague I don't trust. A woman, of course. She's....ugh. I don't even know how to explain it.
OK, how about this....she's in the movies. And on television. At least, her type is. You've probably met her in high school or college. That girl. The one who finds a way to insert herself into your significant other's life. He is convinced she just needs his help with a few things, you are convinced she likes him and would jump at the chance to jump his bones.
My friend doesn't trust her either....who needs a married man to drive her somewhere? To pet sit? To chat on the phone at home on personal time every night for 3 weeks about "work issues"? And of course she has "no one else to call". I'd feel weird about asking any of that of a male friend and I'm married. Of course, she is not.
I know this is vague. I'm trying to protect the innocent. But I'm angry, she's angry and her husband likely thinks she's overreacting and by extension, so am I. Are we? I don't know. I don't think so. I think it's a game for this chick and it's my friend's marriage she is playing with. I'd love to hear what others might think with what little detail I have given. Are we right? Is her husband right? What's going on here?
OK, how about this....she's in the movies. And on television. At least, her type is. You've probably met her in high school or college. That girl. The one who finds a way to insert herself into your significant other's life. He is convinced she just needs his help with a few things, you are convinced she likes him and would jump at the chance to jump his bones.
My friend doesn't trust her either....who needs a married man to drive her somewhere? To pet sit? To chat on the phone at home on personal time every night for 3 weeks about "work issues"? And of course she has "no one else to call". I'd feel weird about asking any of that of a male friend and I'm married. Of course, she is not.
Friend, though not generally the jealous type, wants this chick gone. With their line of work, however, that is not a possibility. I support Friend of course. I love her and want this chick out of her hair ASAP. And I totally trust her husband....he's honorable and good and probably, rightfully, a little afraid of his wife. But this girl is not going anywhere. And I hate that for my friend. I see the potential for this to go wrong in many, many ways without even bringing actual cheating into the picture.
I know this is vague. I'm trying to protect the innocent. But I'm angry, she's angry and her husband likely thinks she's overreacting and by extension, so am I. Are we? I don't know. I don't think so. I think it's a game for this chick and it's my friend's marriage she is playing with. I'd love to hear what others might think with what little detail I have given. Are we right? Is her husband right? What's going on here?
Monday, March 2, 2009
Deal alert!
Last night I was reading a book to StinkyMan and he was stopping me to tell me all about the commas, exclamation points, question marks and periods. He identified the words "no" and "Max" and showed me that if you flip an "i" upside down it looks like an exclamation mark.
He goes to a good school, but it's not that good! I give all the credit to the good people at LeapFrog.
You know the LeapFrog people. Inventors of Tad the Talking Frog for babies, the Leapster, Fridge Phonics, the Tag Reader and much more. But what you may not know is that they also have a series of DVDs and they are fabulous. StinkyMan and Curly both learned all their letter and letter sounds this way. (I helped! I'm not a total slacker!) There is one all about letters, one about how to put those letters into words, a second one about words, one about basic number and math skills, and one about words becoming stories or learning to read.
My kids are mesmerized by these DVDs. Normally it freaks me out when they stare at the TV in a nearly zombie like trance, but not when they watch these. They have learned so much from them, as was obvious last night during story time.
So go here: http://www.deepdiscount.com/viewproduct.htm?productId=5788057
Put all 5 videos in your shopping cart. The amount should be $41.54. Entering code 22476 should take $10 off and shipping is FREE! So $31.54 for 5 DVDs that are normally $10 each. Great deal for your wallet, your kids' brains and your sanity on a rainy day or when you need 30 minutes of peace and you don't want Dora the Explorer shouting at you from the TV. Check it out. I cannot recommend these enough.
He goes to a good school, but it's not that good! I give all the credit to the good people at LeapFrog.
You know the LeapFrog people. Inventors of Tad the Talking Frog for babies, the Leapster, Fridge Phonics, the Tag Reader and much more. But what you may not know is that they also have a series of DVDs and they are fabulous. StinkyMan and Curly both learned all their letter and letter sounds this way. (I helped! I'm not a total slacker!) There is one all about letters, one about how to put those letters into words, a second one about words, one about basic number and math skills, and one about words becoming stories or learning to read.
My kids are mesmerized by these DVDs. Normally it freaks me out when they stare at the TV in a nearly zombie like trance, but not when they watch these. They have learned so much from them, as was obvious last night during story time.
So go here: http://www.deepdiscount.com/viewproduct.htm?productId=5788057
Put all 5 videos in your shopping cart. The amount should be $41.54. Entering code 22476 should take $10 off and shipping is FREE! So $31.54 for 5 DVDs that are normally $10 each. Great deal for your wallet, your kids' brains and your sanity on a rainy day or when you need 30 minutes of peace and you don't want Dora the Explorer shouting at you from the TV. Check it out. I cannot recommend these enough.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Martha Stewart I am not...
but this is the cake I made for Peanut's family birthday party today. Not bad for a woman who a) has only made 3 cakes before, b) decided at the last minute her baby deserved something better than a 9x13 cake mix cake with Betty Crocker frosting and c) took a nap for an hour before I got to work. (Hey, what can I say, I was really, really tired!)
Side view:
Side view:
And so that you may have a full appreciation of my amateur skills, you should know that the whole cake is covered in these tiny little droppy things. It takes a lot of these to cover that big ol' cake!
And so now I must go rest my hand. There was a lot of squeezing done to accomplish this!
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