Conversation at Work

Work Dude: Your kids seriously don't drink anything but milk or water?

Mrs Big Dubya: 'lil Dubya drinks some watered down apple juice, but yeah.... other than that it's just milk and water

Work Dude: Wow, that's pretty good

Mrs Big Dubya: Yeah, but we go through something like 6 gallons of milk a week

Work Dude: 6 gallons? man that's a lot of milk -- where on earth do you keep six gallons of milk

Mrs Big Dubya: The beer fridge

Work Dude: The beer fridge?

Mrs Big Dubya: Yeah, we've got a fridge in the basement where we keep the beer -- we put some of the milk in there too -- it's a full size fridge, so it comes in handy

Work Dude: You actually have a fridge full of beer and milk?

Mrs Big Dubya: Yeah, pretty much

Work Dude: Hmmmmm

The odd thing, this whole conversation didn't seem weird to me -- just everybody else who heard it. I'm wondering if maybe we've got issues

Gym? Gym Who? I don't know anybody named Gym

So..... as I've posted here, we are done.

I still stumble over it a little -- it's a little hard even now, but it's a good decision -- it's the right decision -- it's not that I wouldn't love to have another baby -- I would. But I know that I'm beyond blessed with the three that I have and that we are done. The Big Dubya is ready to move on to the next chapter of our lives.... the chapter without bottles, without diapers..... maybe a chapter where we sleep a little.

And well, the 'lillest man is done nursing -- has been done for a couple of months now. This is the longest I've gone without being pregnant in 5 years...... 5 years!

So, my body..... man, my body has taken a beating.

I'm not that big -- yes, I've got some pounds to lose, but I'm still a relatively small person. I'm just lumpy.... really, really lumpy.

So, I did it -- I joined a gym.

More surprising..... I actually go. I go a lot. I'm actually starting to see results. I'm still lumpy, but it's working.

It's only been a few weeks, so I'm not going to declare myself a gym-junky or anything -- I still don't love it -- I watch the clock while I'm there to see when I'm done -- but I go.... and this is a big step forward for me.

PS I was a guest-contributor at DadCentric for Father's Day -- check it out!

I was 17 years old.

He was 19, young -- handsome -- funny -- he had a fake ID, and he was paying attention to me.

Nobody ever paid attention to me -- this was a first. I liked the attention, but didn't really appreciate it -- I was getting ready to go off to college -- he didn't want to hold me back -- we became great friends.

He visited me in college -- everyone predicted we'd end up together -- we were Harry & Sally, but no, we weren't meant to be together that way -- it was almost like we loved each other too much to settle for each other.... if that makes any sense.

We helped each other celebrate new loves, and then get over broken hearts..... we went to our friends' weddings together -- we kept each other company while we waited for "the one"

We talked all night after his girlfriend broke his heart

He took me out drinking when some guy blew me off

I held his hand the day his mother passed away

I was nervous the day I had to tell him I was getting married -- there was no need to be, he was so happy for me.... he had faith that his "one" was out there.... and she was.

I was thrilled the day he told me he'd met "her", the day he called to tell me he'd bought a ring.... the day he called to tell me that they were expecting a baby..... and the day he called to tell me that they'd named his beautiful baby daughter after his mom.

I cried like a baby when I read that he'd died

I sobbed uncontrollably when I knelt before his casket to say goodbye, when I embraced his wife and thanked her for taking care of my guy, for making him so happy, for giving him his daughter, for showing him the gift of true love and profound joy.

He was 39, older but still handsome -- and gone way too soon

Rest in Peace my dear friend

Do you ever feel like we are all just too plugged in?

Let me be clear -- I have a cell phone, I have a blackberry and yes, I have a laptop... two of them actually. And yes, I bring some subset of the group with me just about everywhere I go.

But, can't we just unplug sometimes? Just for a few hours?

Case in point, a few weeks ago we were at a First Communion party for our nephews -- and while outside watching the kids play -- husband is on the blackberry. After seeing him whip it out a half a dozen times, I finally asked "What is so important?"..... he got annoyed and it was put away.

Over this past weekend we went to a concert.... our first "date night" in months and everybody in the place, including my date, was recording the concert with their blackberry/cellphone.

Seriously?

Why are you there if you are so busy working your phone that you aren't even watching the show? Do you really need to take a fuzzy picture of the act on stage? Okay fine, maybe you need one -- but do you need dozens of them? Do you absolutely need to post a photo of the beer you are drinking on Twitter? It looks remarkably like the last one you had -- and I suspect it will be indistinguishable from the next one too, no?

Can't we please just unplug once in a while?

The difference between one kid and three kids?

I might make this a regular series....

One kid -- you hope you can finish your lunch before the kid wakes up from his/her nap....

Three kids -- you just accept the fact that your lunch is the crust you cut off the grilled cheese and/or peanut butter & jelly sandwich and there's no chance of you actually being able to sit down and eat it -- just jam it into your mouth and be grateful you can chew.

The difference between one kid and three kids?

When you have one kid and he/she pees and/or pukes in your bed, you get up immediately and change the sheets -- anything else would be disgusting.

When you have three kids and one of them pees and/or pukes in your bed..... again. You wipe it up the best you can and throw a towel over it. You can change the sheets in the morning.... you need sleep so badly, you don't care how disgusting it is.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to The Big Dubya!

Dirty Hot Dogs

MrsBigDubya: What would you like for dinner?
'lil Dubyette: Hot dogs
Mrs BigDubya: Okay, I'll make you hot dogs
'lil Dubyette: Not dirty ones
Mr Big Dubya: Huh?
'lil Dubyette: I don't want dirty hot dogs
Mrs Big Dubya: Got it, you don't want dirty ones -- I'll make sure they are clean
Mr Big Dubya: Huh?
Mrs Big Dubya: She doesn't want them on the grill -- she doesn't like them to be charred

Summer's here......

It came in with a roar..... summer arrived here in CT this past weekend -- we went from cold, dreary 40 degree weather to fillin' up the kiddie pool and firing up the blender.... ah, spring in New England.

In honor of warm weather's arrival, The Whinery's May assignment is a summery one.....

Go check it out!

Little Barrel

New Post over at the Whinery.... perfect gift idea for Mother's Day -- and a coupon!

Check it out!

New Post over at The Whinery!

Go on, go check it out!

Baseball anyone?

Wanna win a copy of Wii Backyard Baseball 10? Did I mention the fabulous David Ortiz (Big Papi to those in RedSox Nation) is on the box?

Hubby's got some copies to give away, so stop by his site or DadCentric and try to win!!!

What are you waiting for.... FREE WII Game... c'mon scoot!

Things I wish were legit...

I wish lose weight fast schemes would work.... not just for me and the 10lbs that I would love, love, love to lose.... but also for all the profoundly fat people who need to lose exorbidant amounts of weight to simply improve their health -- to make them more comfortable in their own skin, and to make them more available for their children... their family.

I wish those work-at-home deals were for real... I would love to work from home so that I could spend more time with my kids -- or even just supplement my income so that I wasn't always worried about our finances... so dependent on ouside forces to make a living.

I wish those organizations that raise money for the children in third-world-countries really made a difference -- instead of all that donated money going to executives and over-head

I would love it if all those products on the info-mmercials really worked... anybody have a Sham-Wow?

Just what's on my alleged mind today :)

Attachments....

Haven't been posting much -- too busy..... too much to get into..... but I'm trying to come back, if any of you are still reading.

Lately, I've been focusing a lot on my 'lillest man..... he's gonna be 10 months in a few days and I'm so not sure where it went. I've been trying to savor all the "little" moments that I let zoom by with the other two -- but, they all just go by too fast. I'm trying to burn the site of that toothless grin on my brain -- pictures just aren't enough -- a picture just doesn't melt my heart the way the site of that smile.... that smile with one tiny little tooth popping out.

I've had to accept that this is my last one. I know, I'm so insanely blessed to have the three healthy, gorgeous children that I have -- to want more would absolutely be greedy -- that doesn't stop me from wondering ..... hmmmm, what if we won the Powerball?

But this is it -- I'm done. So, as I pack up all the little clothes..... I say a little good bye.

But there are some things that are harder to say good bye to than others -- for the Big Dubya, in a moment of weakness, he admitted that the baby papasan was going to be a tough one to see go. When we brought our first 'lil guy home from the hospital -- he was so tiny -- he weighed only 4lbs (just barely 4lbs) and we had to use receiving blankets to prop him up in it.

For me, there are little articles of clothing -- I'm going to give them a worthy set of parents-to-be so that I'll get to see them on a little one again..... but I'm sad to see them go.

I think the toughest is the basinette. I don't know why I'm so attached to that damn thing -- maybe it's because of the anticipation I felt when we first assembled it.... waiting for it's first little occupant. Maybe it was the excitement the second time we set it up, thinking it would be the last -- or maybe it's because I got to use it one more time..... I don't know.

It's odd to be so attached to a "thing" -- and I'm going to lend it out to another family -- but, this is the one thing..... I think I'd like to get back when they are done. I don't know why -- it's not fancy, or expensive and I will never get to use it again -- but I can't bear to let it go.

A tale of two mothers and two sons....

So, tonight I had my first experience with a toddler in the ER.

Nothing serious -- thank God, but.... it was quite an experience.

The 'lil man got out of the tub and while I was cleaning his ears with a Q-tip, he squirmed and I poked him -- normally I wouldn't think anything of it -- his ears are really, really waxy and I do this after every bath -- but, while drying his hair he was crying and I looked down and there was blood coming out of his ear.

I called the ER and they said they couldn't give me any advice (Gee thanks, why do you have a phone then?), but if I was concerned -- bring him in and have it looked at. I was on the fence, but.... better safe than sorry and so, he & I headed off to the ER.

We arrived and the triage nurse was lovely and said that she'd seen so many cases of this exact thing and that I was right to have it checked out.

While the 'lil man & I sat in the waiting room I noticed another mother and son...... they could be us 15ish years from now. He was holding an ice pack on a splinted wrist and she was white as a ghost -- she just looked nauseaus. A police officer sat with them "interviewing" the kid.... he was pretty pale too and described to the cop where he'd been earlier in the evening. The cop was sharp.... or had more information than the kid realized because he kept asking the same questions over and over..... he caught the kid in a few inconsistencies.

Were you there earlier in the night?
What do you mean jut out driving? What streets were you on?
Was that the first time you were there?
Who was with you?
How fast were you going?
Why did you go back?
Where were you headed?
Why'd you go that way?

He cautioned the kid about how important it was to tell the truth and then said:

I know this is tough in front of your Mom, but it's important to be honest.

The kid was mortified -- he'd learned his lesson -- he'd been an idiot, driving too fast, etc. He kept apologizing to his mother, to the cop.... the cop told him to save it

Apologize to your buddy with the broken arm.... to your girlfriend who's still being evaluated... to your mother who you scared to death

The mother looked like she could throw up on the spot -- she was so grateful her son was okay and yet, was so devastated by what laid ahead. The husband/father arrived and sat with the wife -- offering her support, they discussed what came next -- calling in sick to work tomorrow -- staying in the ER til the other parents arrived and the other kids were released.

She looked at me as I plied the 'lil man with M&Ms and I could tell she was longing for the days when things were simpler.... I know I was grateful to be there for an over-zealous Q-tip rather than for what they were facing.

The 'lil man was called in -- everything was fine -- scratch in the ear canal -- some motrin, a band-aid on the wrist ('cuz it's cool) and some ear drops and we were on our way home..... the other family was still there when we left, dealing with other parents as they arrived -- I'd say they are all in for a long night.