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?

Turkeys

Just a little wildlife encounter in the backyard in the suburbs! I think we counted eight of them. (Click on the pictures to make them bigger for a better view.)

They came back the next day, here is a close encounter!

Pierced Ears

She finally did it! A little over a month before she turns six Paige decided today was the day to get her ears pierced. Her friend Emily just had them done and told her that it hurt less than a shot. All morning she mustered up the courage and we all trooped down to the mall. Of course that's when the real drama began. Crying, screaming, tantrums and carrying on like a total baby. But she didn't want to leave the store because she did really want to get it done but she was too afraid to do it. We were trapped there with her wanting to do it but too scared to do it. And we took every angle we could with the pep talk- telling her she was tough and strong that we believed she could handle it, down playing the pain, talking up the fun of it all, offering bribes and in the end resorting to shaming her into it. The problem was we knew she really wanted to do it and would be very disappointed if she chickened out. On the way over in the car she was dancing in her chair and singing a "I'm getting my ears pierced" song. So we didn't want to let the fear win. And we were going to do anything we could to help her get what she wanted. But it was a tough road, lasting hours, filled with embarrassment and many trips out of the store and back in. Thankfully the girls were very patient and helpful. I never saw them roll their eyes once! So here she is, Miss America.

Damn Fools

Do you know what bothers me about smoking? Well I supposed I have, obviously, many reasons. The first one is that I saw my mother bleed to death, out of her mouth, becuase the lung cancer ate through her aorta and it exploded. Code blue, lights flashing, people running, and blood everywhere. The last look on my mother's face to me that of helpless, scared confusion. I guess that would be the number one reason why I hate it. I have to live with that image forever. Oh, and now you do too. Good! Maybe it will make you stop smoking. But that's just it. All the idiots that I care about, who knew and cared for my mother are still smoking. (With one exception of Sonja, apparantly the smartest person I know.) But seriously, what is it with the escapism?!?!?! Life gets stressful, and people drop everything to smoke. Oh man the kids are driving me crazy...I'm going to smoke. I'm having such a hard day at work...I'm going to smoke. But you know what the rest of us have to do when life gets stressful? DEAL WITH IT! Through hard times and bad days and death and crisis. The rest of us just have to cope and handle it and carry on with nothing more than the mental capacity we were given at birth. I'm so sick of people taking a break from their lives to do something that will certainly kill them but will also, NOT REDUCE THEIR STRESS. It just makes you a more edgey, stressed out kind of a person. Hello?? What is there not to get. Why is this so freaking hard?!?!?!

I know I'm on a Harry Potter binge and all right now but if I could just take the memory and the vision of that night and the days that followed of sleeplessness and wretching and feeling more alone than I ever knew possible and put it into Dumbledore's Pensieve for others to watch and experience I'm pretty sure we'd have solved the smoking problem in this country.

Queen Latifah

The one thing Chris and I didn't mention about the trip was that Queen Latifah was staying in our hotel just 3 rooms down. Chris thought he might have seen her a few times, but then again maybe not. She stayed the same days we did. The kid in the hotel told us she was coming there the night we arrived. And as we left we saw the Cover Girl truck with her picture on it driving away too. Pretty cool.

Dada

My kid starts talking and he won't stop. Who'd have guessed?!
Yes, that's right. He said Dada in the same day! At least he said Mama first. Now he won't stop: "Mamamamamama Dadadadadaddadada Mamamamamama Dadadadadada"

Mama

Joshy said "Mama!" He had been close to it for a few days now, maybe a week or so actually. Saying "amah" and things like that. But today while waiting for his waffles in his high chair he said it twice, very clearly. Mama, Mama. The sweetest sound in the world!

Lofty Aspirations

Paige just announced that she wants to be a chef and a scientist when she grows up. Her words were, "On Saturday I could go cooking and on Monday I could do experiments." Sounds good to me!

Skunk

Last night while Chris and I were packing the van for camping we both turned to look at the porch and there was a skunk walking out of the house! Now there was a box blocking the view of the step from where we were standing so we can't be sure if it actually went into the house or not. I didn't see any footprints on the floor or anything that would indicate it had been inside. But it at least was right up to the door way. The door was open, Joshy was in his crib upstairs and Paige was in the tub. It was only about 8:30/9pm not very late at all for a nocturnal animal. Barely dark. I just freaked out and kept saying "Oh my God!" but it walked away and never noticed us. After that, we left the door shut! We're not even in the woods yet and already we're having problems with animals!