I Know a Little Boy Who Swallowed A...

...pen cap. Well, not a BIC pen "cap" you see but the screw in end of a Pentel RSVP. The part that screws into the top- holding in the ink. Paige had been writing and left the pen on the couch. Seems like a normal thing to do. Until we found Joshy with the pen all disassembled and chewing on something. I tried to get him to give it to me and as he turned away from me he tipped his head up. I'm guessing that's when it went down. I asked him if he swallowed it and he said yes, but then again he's 19 months. Does he know what I'm asking? Does he know what he's saying? Apparantly. We moved the couch just to see (even though we didn't hear it hit the floor) and it wasn't there. Still waiting for it to come out, which the doctor said would take about 3 days. We're on day two and so far nothing. I'll keep you posted!

New Neice

Welcome Emma Grace Regula!
Congratulations to Heather, Jason and big sister Olivia!
She was born today at 3:07 pm.
9lbs 19 inches, lots of dark hair.

Live Strong, Be Strong, Write Strong!

Paige was the 1st grade winner from her school in the "Live Stong, Be Strong, Write Strong!" writing contest. For this she received a tee shirt and got to read her story at today's all school assembly. Auntie Missy and Mommy went to watch. Her story is called "My Pets" and here is what she wrote:

My Pets

I love my dog.

He keeps me safe, sleeps with me and plays with me.

He is blonde and furry.

My fish are fun to watch.

They chase each other.

They have a castle in the tank.

By: Paige Tetro

We are so proud of her!!

Casting Champion

Paige has a hidden talent. Chris took her to the Springfield Sportsman Show at the Big E last weekend and while they were there she tried fishing in a man made pond. She also entered a casting contest where they have to cast their bait onto a target at certain distances away. There's a whole program called CastingKids where they have these contents nationwide and the winners can get scholarships. Paige entered the contest twice. A perfect score was 150 (50 points each for 3 different types of casts). The first time she got a 60. But the 2nd time she entered she got a 100 which was enough points to qualify her to win the contest enter the state championship!! She took home a Zebco 33 fishing pole, a medal, a certificate, some lures, a target to practice with, a t-shirt and a coupon for a free fishing trip with a paid adult! It was unbelievable! Here are some pictures of her from the local website (MassBass).

Joshy pooped on the potty!

Last night during dinner Joshy was really struggling to poop. Chris took him out of his high chair and asked if he'd like to try to go on the potty. Joshy has been asking to use the potty every night for a week or so. Usually around bathtime when his diaper comes off. And after a few nights of him peeing on the floor we're all for it! But he's never actually done anything. Well shortly after they went in there we heard clapping and cheering. Paige and I burst in the room and Joshy was looking a little dazed, not quite sure what had happened and staring at the gigantic poop in the toilet. We clapped and cheered for a while but he just seemed a little freaked out. I'm sure he won't do it again for quite some time but we're pretty proud of the little guy for at least having an interest and wanting to try already.

So freaking sick!

Oh my god I've been on my deathbed! Vomiting and diarrhea from about 6pm Sunday night until about 7am Monday morning. Couldn't even keep down the tiniest sips of water. Then we went to the ER on advice from the OBGYN to get some IV fluids. My blood pressure was so low they thought I was going to pass out and my heart rate was very high. All of which show how "bone dry" I was. Two bags of fluid later and I barely had to pee. Not good. My potassium was low, I was anemic and my chloride was low- whatever that means! Thankfully the baby was fine. Apparently when you start to vomit like that your pregnant body "shunts" all your nutrients into the baby (good thinking mother nature). So not only am I loosing my nutrients into the toilet but then the rest gets sucked into the baby. Which puts me really low. They also gave me some good stuff for the nausea which did help. We were there for about 6 hours! Can't even image that bill-thank god for insurance! Today I just slept all day. Finally able to eat a little: bananas, toast, tea and gatorade. My body is so achy from all the vomiting. Thanks for all your help the past few days, Chris. Couldn't have done it without you.

Disney Trip

Well, we're back. We had a great time overall. Very exhausted and sometimes cranky but mostly very, very good. Here are some memories:

High Points
-How great the kids were on the plane.
-Seeing Paige's eyes light up at the whole experience.
-Eating in the Castle and seeing the Princesses.
-Watching Cinderella's Royal Coronation.
-Having a $100 dinners that we didn't have to pay for because of the meal plan! What a deal that is!
-Paige getting chosen by Crush in the Living Seas for a chat.
-Getting to see Dad and Sue, getting lost on the way to dinner!
-Joshy taking his shoes off a million times a day in each park and not knowing it until we ran over them with the stroller. This sounds like a bad thing but really became pretty comical!
-The parades and firework shows.
-Being able to do things for Paige that I wouldn't have gotten as a child like the hair wrap, face painting and character meals.


Low Points
-Joshy throwing his bottle in the garbage while Paige and Chris were in Stitch's great escape. He just said "baba" so I gave it to him and next thing I knew it was in the garbage!
-Paige whining about her feet hurting and asking Chris for a piggyback.
-Joshy not eating for the first few days because he's so stubborn and would rather not eat than be fed.
-Joshy crying for at least an hour one night waking everyone up with no explanation as to why.
-Some kid kicking Joshy in the face at Pooh's Thoughtful Spot.
-Paige's fear of all things scary, making her freak out in line for Peter Pan (what if Captain Hook jumps out at me!). She refused to see Voyage of the Little Mermaid (what if there is a big Ursula) at MGM and the Beauty & the Beast Show. As Chris says, we never have to worry about this one bungy jumping!
-Huge, poorly behaved children jumping over Joshy, pushing him and knocking him down in the Toon Town Park.
-Taking insanely overcrowded bus back to the resort and having to stand because no one would let a pregnant woman sit down.
-Listening to Paige complain about things we weren't buying her when she had more stuff than the rest of us combined!

Stats and Thoughts

Like Susan I have lots of random thoughts running through my head. Going to try blurting them all out and hope my head clears a little.

1. After a long trying day I made it through January 4th. We're all a year older.

2. Due to the age difference from Paige to the baby I'm going to be bringing kids to Parkman School for the next 12 years of my life! Remember I attended this school from 1975-1982 and now I'm going to have to be involved there again from 2004-2018!!! I will be 47 1/2 and still going to Parkman School! Like doing the dishes for Sue, this is what brings me down. The getting ready for school in the morning chore. Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up, all the while with a one year old clinging to my legs! Ugh! 12 more years.

3. I'm really bummed about the miners. I just got a CD Soundtrack of Coal Miner's Daughter and I had been listening to it over and over, thinking of the years I spent in mining country and the people I knew. Then this happened. I didn't sleep much on Tuesday night and when I did I dreamed about the trapped men. Its weird when stories of people I don't know take over my thoughts. I guess I "know" these people in some sense and that's why. Its a hard life and this is going to make it so much worse for so many families. My heart breaks for them.

4. Disney in 9 days! I need this vacation so bad! Here are the stats:
- Haven't been to Disney since 1989.
- Haven't flown away for a vacation since my honeymoon in August 1998.
(since visiting family doesn't count.)
- Haven't been away on vacation for a whole week since July of 2002.
- Haven't been on a plane since October 2002.

I NEED THIS TRIP SO FREAKING BAD!

I've lost the ability to judge...

Is it wrong that I think Dean Martin music is sexy?
Is it wrong to have 3 oatmeal cookies for breakfast? Oats, good. Raisins, good.
Why was Frank Sinatra so popular? He sings like a goodfella.
These are the kinds of questions that go through my mind!

Welcome Julie Samantha!

Born Friday December 2nd. Congratulations to Mom, Dad and both big sisters!
Paige can't wait to meet you!!

Oldies

So as I scan through the stations on the radio and it passes 102.9 I am shocked at what passes as "oldies" lately. I guess this is mostly a problem I have with my perception of what is considered an oldie. To me it does not represent songs that are X number of years old. To me oldies will always be Motown, Doo-wop songs from the early 60s, maybe even a little Bill Haley and other late 50s songs as well. The Platters, the Shirelles, Percy Sledge. An oldie is NOT Cyndi Lauper, the Eurthimics or the Rolling Stones (despite their age). It is not Huey Lewis or Fleetwood Mac. This really isn't a fight against being old, I'm 35 and that's fine. I just think they're categorizing their music in an odd way. Maybe they're changing their image or playlist or whatever it's called. But to me "Big D 103" will always be oldies and those songs just don't fit the bill.

Just another reason why I love my husband

He cleans the cat's butt when she is for some reason unable to do it for herself. Which is surprisingly a lot. She's only 8, but a very unclean cat. In fact the only cat I've ever known that didn't spend it's days cleaning itself. She smells so bad I wouldn't let her in the main part of the house for a day. At night she was in the cellar and during the day she's been outside or on the porch. But tonight is supposed extremely cold and it had to be done. Being pregnant I can't be near the poop end of a cat but also, I wouldn't do that job anyway. And he locks himself in the bathroom with her, requesting paper towels or a cat brush as needed until she comes out soaked and pissed but no longer smelling like poop. Thank god for Chris because you'll never catch me doing that!

Two Stories

So, the other morning Joshua woke up and after a few minutes of listening to him chatter I decided to go get him before he woke up Paige. When I got in there he was BUCK NAKED!!! He had taken his diaper completely off and of course it was poopy. Thankfully he wasn't too bad, nothing a bath couldn't fix. And I guess the sheets weren't too bad either (Chris changed them), mostly it was in the diaper still. Chris said he thinks Joshy just didn't want to sit in the poop anymore.

Last night Paige got a phone call from a boy! She's 6! The phone rang as we were going to pick up Joshy from daycare and when I answered this little voice said "Hi is Paige there?" and I could hear a grown up coaching in the background "ask if Paige is there." At this age you can't tell a boy's voice from a girl's voice so I had no idea. I listed to her say "Cool!" and then I had to know, who was this? She never gets calls and I'm nosy. So I whispered to her "Who is it?" and she whispered back "I have no idea." After she asked she found out it was a boy in her class. Then she said we were going to pick up her brother and the next thing I knew they had hung up. No idea why he called. She of course assumes it was to tell her that he loved her. She insisted we call him back and I think I might have found the right phone number. Although we got a machine. Her message was so cute, "This is Paige. I was going to ask why ____ called me and then I was going to talk. So ok, bye." And so it begins!

Good Times..Not!

So Dad had to evacuate. Well, didn't "have to" but the dividing line is about 2 miles from his house so they decided to go. They left yesterday and traveled up to Tampa. Normally this would only be about 2.5 hours but it took over 5 hours! This doesn't get them too far but at least they're out of South Florida and hopefully far north enough that the storm will come to the south of where they are. If they need to continue further north at least they'll have a jump on driving from home like other people who haven't left. They can only stay in that hotel until Sunday and then they need to check out and now they're saying the storm might not hit until Tuesday. Apparently there are no hotel rooms in Tampa so they'll either have to get in the car and head north with as of now, no place to go, or crash in on Scotty in his 1 bedroom apartment. According to the storm surge maps I found all they need is a direct hit from a Category 2 and the storm surge will be enough that their house will be flooded. They packed winter clothes in case their house is destroyed they'll just head up here. They could be here next week, which will be fine by me because...

Chris is going to Montreal again on Monday. For two weeks. He keeps saying its only one week but I'm mentally preparing for the worst. He's driving so he can come home for the remaining soccer games. But he'll miss the last practice, my birthday and if he is gone 2 weeks he'll miss Joshy's 1st real Halloween. Of the 2 other candidates that could have gone one had a death in the family and the other's wife is having surgery for cancer. I guess my little birthday is no big deal in comparison but I am so stressed about being pregnant and taking care of 2 children while my husband is out of the country!

Costume Dilemmas

So Paige was going to be Kim Possible, as a cheerleader. Which was great, she already has the matching saddle shoes. But remembering the Cinderella fiasco of last year (saying she wanted to be Cinderella, than changing her mind after I bought it) I decided to ask her one more time before ordering the costume. Just make sure it's what she really wants. She hemmed and hawed. I could tell she changed her mind. She was looking at Supergirl, Spidergirl, Jessie the Cowgirl, a witch. Finally she said ok, go with Kim Possible. But I could tell she was just picking it by default. There was something else on her mind. So I ask her, what is it you really want to be but aren't sure about telling me. A power ranger. But not the girl one that's pink, she doesn't like pink anymore. She wants to be the Red one. Fine by me, pretty much. Its cheaper, it's what she wants. Except that it feels a little odd to be getting my daughter something from the "boys" section and wondering if this is just the beginning of a lifetime of that, whatever. But then she starts to cry. What if all the people make fun of her for wearing a boy costume. She's worried about the neighbors! I try to assure her that the 60 year old people on our street will have absolutely NO IDEA what she is, nevermind that the Red one is a boy. My concern is her Halloween party at school. What if she panics that morning and refuses the wear the costume I buy for fear the other kids will make fun of her. And lets face it, kids do that. And Paige panics. This is a reality. What will she wear then? It will be too late to buy or make something else. Nothing from last year fits. I know she likes superheros, I just wish I could find her a girl superhero costume so she won't worry so much or get any grief. Still not sure what to get her and time is running out.

Joshy is going to be Tigger. They're so easy in that respect when they don't talk or have an opinion!

Good Times!

My baby has a heartbeat!
And it's Big E day. Or as we say in our house "Pig E!"
Good times!

Happy...

...belated birthday Tracy!!

...10th Anniversary Sue and Darren!

Happy Birthday...

Tracy!!!!

Answers

Apparently I talk a lot about my life, or my questions were really simple. Probably both.

1. At the Hallmark store in the mall, can't remember what it was called but it was located next to Filene's where a furniture store is currently. Genalco was after this.
2. I sewed straps.
3. Lake Wickabog
4. Point O'Woods
5. Jesse James (boy) or Penelope/Penny (girl)
6. At high school graduation, they ended up sitting next to each other because someone switched seats with one of them to sit where they could see their girlfriend.
7. Dog- Abby, Cat-Muffy who came before Sally was born. Reebok and Maverick were like 10-15 years later.
8. Uncle Ed and Auntie Betty-not to be confused with Auntie Bet. Her name was/is Betty Maznicki and she was related to Matt somehow and she worked with my mom.
9. Uncle Bob is my mother's 1st cousin. Nana August's older sister Eleanor (or Aunt E'nor as we used to call her) was Bob's mother.
10. Yes. I think it was for graduation. But I know it was with Cathy Urian and Roberta!
11. Wendy. And here's a little trivia, Sally's doll was named Linda and Karianne's was Judy I think and Amy had one too. All were identical. Although I will take Sally as an answer as well.
12. 1st best girl friend was Kerri Walsh, 1st best guy friend was Matt Squiers.
13. Uconn 1988-1989, Asnuntuck 1989-1991, Uconn Fall 1991, Year off 1992, Asnuntuck Spring 1993, BayPath 1993-1996. Even I get confused and have had to write it down!
14. Blue house of course!
15. A Reeses Peanut butter cup sundae with chocolate ice cream and all peanut butter, no fudge. Sorry for the non-specifics on this one but I thought it was a classic thing I ordered and would be obvious!
16. cream only
17. In Kindergarten I wanted to be a combo bus driver/teacher. I would bus the kids to school, teach them and then bring them home.
18. I create and maintain the web curriculum for Aetna's traditional (aka NON-HMO) customer service audience. Or a transponster.
19. We went to a cottage called "Villa Costa Lotta" in Ocean Park Maine that was owned by Uncle John's brother Randy. We would go with Randy's daughter Becky because she was my age and a guide to the area and Uncle John's other brother Pete and his family and whoever else he invited along that particular year.
20. The King family farm was on Elm Street running from the edge of the property that is the strip mall to the west, the tree line behind all the businesses on Palomba drive on the east and down to a little brook that separates Tracy's dentist and Bedding Barn to the south. The farmhouse itself sat on Elm Street where Palomba drive is now. It was a dairy farm and he used to deliver milk.

Get to know me game - Part Two

1. Where was my first job?
2. What did I do when working for Genalco?
3. What was the name of the lake where we had the cottage?
4. What was the name of the community where Aunt Lois had her cottage?
5. What were the names my parents thought of for me before deciding on Suzanne Marie?
6. How did my parents meet?
7. What was the name of my first dog? Cat?
8. Who are my godparents?
9. Explain who Uncle Bob is.
10. Was I ever involved in decorating Captain Abbey? If you think yes, describe the circumstances.
11. What was my childhood doll named? (has she been to see you lately Susan?)
12. Who was my first best friend, girl and boy.
13. Name all the colleges I went to in order. Bonus if you get the years!
14. What house was I in at JFK?
15. What would I order at Friendly's?
16. How do I drink my coffee?
17. What was the 1st career I said I wanted to do?
18. What do I do for a living?
19. Where did my family go on vacation every summer and with who? (the more specifics the better)
20. Where was my great grandparents farm in town? What did they grow/raise on the farm?