Archives for 2010

Mar 19 2010

Hide-n-Seek

I'm sick and tired of seeing doctors. Really. I'm tired of waiting rooms and being told to be patient and take it easy and let myself recover. It's been 5 weeks already for goodness sake! I don't want to be told it will take 14 to 16 more weeks, or even a few more weeks. I don't want to be told to stay off the stairs and stay on the couch or my bed. Who wants to spend their time laying around all the time!?!

And I was dreading this morning's appointment, too.

But then, as we sat and waited, I watched this dark haired little girl with an orange balloon playing in a little cubby while her mommy waited to see the doctor. She was so cute; about three. And then, another mommy showed up with a little red haired girl about the same age. And the dark haired cutie asked,

"You wanna pway wif me?"

And the red haired girl says,

"Yeah!"

I sat there and chuckled at their three year old conversation. It's been a long time since I've had one that young! And then, the dark haired girls asked,

"Do you wanna pway hide en seek?"

"Yeah!" was the reply.

So the dark haired girl had the red haired girl count. And she was so cute, with her head against the wall, counting in her little girl voice while the dark haired girl raced across the waiting room with her orange balloon!

And I was reminded of times when my own children hid.

I remember when my oldest, now 22, was about the same age. Grandma was watching him and she called me in a panic one day. She had looked everywhere for him and couldn't find him anywhere. This went on forever; until she discovered him hiding under the organ bench, giggling while she frantically searched for him.

Or when my youngest, not even two, was our little Houdini. One day we were all sitting in the living room watching TV. On my way into the kitchen, I asked them all not to let her out of their sight. When I walked back into the living room, she was gone. Just…like…that.

No one had seen her move. We searched the house; searched outside. Searched the garage. We searched up and down the streets. And just when we frantically ran inside to call 911, I happened to catch a glimpse of her little lime green outfit. Behind her doll stroller. She was all tucked up under; watching; giggling. Hiding.

Or B-boo. Who was a climber. So much so, that at 10 months, we had to zip her into her crib. You can read about that here. Anyway, by the time she was about 18 months, she could climb anything. And I mean anything! I'd find her *hiding* on top of our 8 ft tall entertainment center! One day, I found her hiding on top of the refrigerator. She wasn't so much about hiding, I think, as about climbing. Until she could climb no more. We couldn't let her out of our sight, because we never knew where we'd find her!

And then there was the Smart One. He didn't do a lot of *physical* hiding, but he loved to hide under bowls. As in if he wasn't wearing them as a hat, he'd hide his face under them. Under blankets. He thought he was so cute. (So did we!)

And the Talented One. I remember him hiding his face in his hands, knowing that if he couldn't see us, we couldn't see him. We'd laugh and go along with it.

So, I guess the waiting room wasn't so bad today. I had the privilege of being taken back in time; somehow how finding those memories that had been hidden up until this morning.

Mar 11 2010

Grin

Sometimes, just making an effort, no matter how hard it seems, is worth it. Especially after a day like yesterday.

Today, my shakes are bad and it feels as if I'll never recover from this stuff; but, I forced myself to take a shower and really wash my hair good. Then, I beauty pampered myself a bit.

And then, after trimming my hair (I started it a little the other day, but got brave and did even more today), I even blow dried it AND styled it a bit!

And, I put on a bit of makeup.

And splashed some sweet smelling honeysuckle on.

And am out of my pajamas.

Just for the Joy of It. What brings you joy, today?

Mar 09 2010

Quirkiness

This morning as B-boo was in search of whipped topping, I had to laugh. You see, each morning, she has a cup of hot chocolate with whipped topping and usually a bagel with cream cheese. She's willing to eat other things for breakfast, but do NOT mess with her whipped topping. Which brings us back to last night really. Hubby had to go to the store and so I asked him to get more whipped topping because I didn't want B-boo to run out. I know she'll flip if she gets up and finds none. She just can't start her day out without it. Or the chocolate.

For the most part, her chocolate is left alone. No one else seems to have the fancy for it that she does. We're talking Ghiradelli hot chocolate. Good stuff. And whipped topping.

So hubby purchases two whipped toppings, only to find out there was already one in the freezer, bring us up to three in the freezer because there was a hidden one, no TWO in the fridge. Except, one was empty and the other almost. Which of course, threw her into a panic, because that meant she might not have whipped topping for her chocolate! But, Dad to rescue, he showed her how he'd stocked up just for her.

And speaking of chocolate, the Smart One doesn't like the good stuff; he only likes the Nestle or Swiss stuff, mixed with milk instead of water. I think he's loopy, but he leaves B-boo's chocolate alone, so it works. What he likes is the gluten free waffles. Don't let him run out, because his morning preference is a waffle sandwich. This means, waffle, egg, sausage patty, cheese, waffle. He will go without the sausage, but he prefers to have the sandwich. He also prefers certain socks for his feet. They have to fit, just right. This is really important to him.

And the Talented One; you have to make sure his bagel is completely covered with cream cheese. If he sees bagel, he'll put more cream cheese on it. He's quirky in other ways, too. For instance, he doesn't like to have his hands dirty; and please don't ask him to touch raw meat. And don't touch his hair. And he likes his own bed. Always has. As an infant, he'd stay up until placed in his crib; then he'd fall asleep. To this day, he rarely does overnights because he likes his bed.

I can't blame him for that one, though. I like my own bed, too. And my pillows have to be placed a certain way or I can't sleep. And I don't like to crawl into a bed with wrinkled sheets. If my bed is unmade for any reason, I have to make it before I can crawl into it. I know, they probably get their quirkiness from me!

The only one that seems to have no real quirkiness is the Drama Queen! She's our flipperty jibbet who just goes along for the ride! She'll sleep anywhere, eat just about anything (as long as she's not allergic to it!), and doesn't always care about what she's wearing.

The only one that is even more so than her is Chicken Noodle Butt. He'll eat anything. Sometimes hubby likes to have fun with him to see how far he'll go. As in chocolate on rice mixed with ketchup and who knows what else. The joke is if no one wants it, give it to Chicken Noodle Butt. His only "quirkiness" is his calendar. He lives by that calendar! Don't mess with it; don't argue with it.

And then…there's hubby. I'm not sure I can even go there. I'd have to say his "real" quirkiness is his feeling for food. As in, if he doesn't feel like eating it, he won't. If he's not in the mood for it, he'd rather just not eat. What a funny man. I laugh when he stands in front of a full fridge, looking for something, but finding nothing that he is in the "mood" for. You gotta love him.

Our poor kids don't stand a chance at normalness.

Mar 06 2010

Mothers/Daughters

This weekend, B-boo is out of town. I was supposed to be on this trip with our youth, but because of my recent illness, I'm stuck at home in bed instead.

But I miss her. I've been thinking a lot lately about how close we are. I sometimes wonder if it's a one-sided view, but I don't think so. I'm thinking the phone calls have proved that. B-boo and I have spent a lot of one on one time together. She is fiercely protective of me; my illness has definitely had an impact on her. She's been a wonderful nurse to me and I am so glad she went on this trip without me.

But I miss her. As a competitive gymnasts for four years, she traveled a lot. And so I traveled with her. We had plenty of time to build a relationship. When she quit, I was so sad that we would not take these trips anymore. And then she got sick. And instead of waiting in an airport or bonding in a hotel, we spent many hours in the waiting room of doctor after doctor. Yahtzee on my cell phone in the waiting rooms became routine. Movies and conversations in my bedroom while she recovered from surgeries brought us even closer.

And now, party planning and house cleaning and Wednesday nights with chocolate; all of these keep our relationship going. So yes, I miss her.

And I was telling hubby yesterday as I received a text from her letting us know she was ok; that I can only hope to have the same relationship with the Drama Queen as I have with B-boo. I wonder; because the Drama Queen has such a hold on her relationship with her Daddy. And that is ok, I understand her being Daddy's Girl.

She is such a ball of fire and ready to take off at any given minute. She is so different from B-boo. Tonight, we talked about her continuing to home school while I gave her a french manicure. She wanted me to take her to have one; I couldn't do that, but I could give her one myself. She was thrilled! And we talked about the things we could do and places we can go and the fun we can have.

Yes, she is different. She has different ideas and needs and wants. But I found out tonight, that I am definitely in the running. When it comes to the fun girl stuff and talking and laughing, she wants that with me.

So, while I miss B-boo terribly this weekend; I am using the time to fill some moments with the Drama Queen.

Mar 03 2010

Memories

Recently, Hubby has been going capturing old videos and transferring them to DVD's. We've had so much fun watching them; laughing as we remember things long forgotten. It's been fun to show our children what they were like when they were babies; the obvious love we had for them as newborns.

Yesterday, hubby came across some pictures of our dear friends from 1993! I just have to share this one and tell the story behind it!

This is my sweet friend. She ALWAYS makes me laughs. Someone once asked me to describe her, and my reply was, "She's the type that when she walks into a room, you automatically smile." We've been friends for over 17 years. We met when our husbands were working at an office supply store together. Turns out we were all the same age (give or take a few months) and we went to the same church. So, one weekend, the husbands decided the wives should meet. I was six months pregnant with the Talented One at the time. I'll never forget walking into their superbly clean, white apartment. The men introduced us, then walked into another room to do something with computers and left us standing there alone.

And we've been talking ever since!

The above picture was taken several months later, on an outing we took right after the Talented One was born. But the story to the outfit she was wearing brings back forever memories.

You see, we'd decided to go on a camping trip for Labor Day weekend. We waited and waited for them, and finally drove over to their apartment to meet them and hurry her up. When I walked into her bedroom, she was standing there, IRONING her cute little green outfit with white polka dots. To go camping. In the woods.

In her defense, she'd never been camping before; and I don't believe she's ever gone camping since.

I still laugh today at that outfit!

We had so much fun on that trip! She also took with her WHITE sweats. I'd have to say my fondest memory was sitting on the rocks, peeling potatoes.

And of our strapping young husbands, taking a bath in the freezing creek. And having the Good Looking One, six at the time, join them.

We've come a long way from "The Princess Bride" every Friday night at our house. We haven't made home made pizza in ages. They have three children now that keep them busy and her husband is gone much of the time, flying people here and there. We've a houseful of kids ourselves now!

But we are still there when it's important. We still make each other laugh. And we still have those memories.