11 Days of Thanks - Day 11

I was going to end my little thanksgiving opus with a grand post wrapping up everthing I'm thankful for, preferable after a few glasses of good wine, because that's when I really start making sense! But really, in the end, all I can say is that I am thankful for my life, my family, my friends and the good fortune that we enjoy every day.

Hope you folks out there reading took a little time along with me to count your blessings as well. Happy Thanksgiving!

11 Days of Thanks - Day 10

I am thankful for the outlet that is this blog.

These entries are going to be the only way I'll be able to remember Colin's childhood. No wonder mothers only have a few choice stories to tell when looking back - there's too much chaos brewing upstairs to remember anything. When I ask my mom to tell me what I was like as a kid, she gets a little panicky. Probably has a touch o the post traumatic stress disorder from those years.

I kept a paper journal for a few months when the Bumble was new, but I'm on the computer so much it's just easier this way. And then I don't have to try to read my own handwriting. Plus this gives me a way to vent whatever stress or frustrations are brewing. If I let things build up too much steam then whammo - Rob's getting a naggy earful about putting darks in the light side of the laundry basket. Again!WhyisthissohardtofigureoutImadesignsand everythingandyoudon'tunderstandmeanddontwalkawaywhenwe'retalkingwhatdoyoumeancrazy?!. Transferance much?

And it lets me practice my writing, for that some day when I'll write a book. Names will be changed, of course.

11 Days of Thanks - Day 9

I am thankful I’m a mom.

During most of my life, I was pretty certain that I wasn’t going to have kids. Or at least it wasn't really a goal. I don’t remember playing mommy with my dolls. I had more fun playing “school” or “artist” than house. I didn’t throw elbows to get to the little baby in the room.

I think some people are born knowing they will have kids. Rob and I? Aren’t those people. We hemmed and hawed, traveled and blew money, and debated endlessly the endless pros and cons of kidlets as the years passed. It seemed like something we talked about a lot, but the conversation always ended the same, with shrugged shoulders. Ambivalent was a pretty accurate description. I got annoyed when people told me I’d change my mind. I didn't like the expressions that people with kids got when we tried to explain our reasons for not having one. We didn't feel like we'd be missing out if we didn't have a kid, since you can't know that until you have one, but we knew damn sure what freedoms we'd be giving up if we did. Then my mom went through breast cancer, and I realized that I wanted to have a child who would know and love her as a grandma and my dad as a grandpa. I think my about face tipped the scale for Rob, since he had the same feelings about his parents experiencing grandparent-hood.

And so along came the Bumble. And I’ll be forever glad we made up our minds.

Now, please quit asking me if we’re going to have another. Refer to the paragraph above.

11 Days of Thanks - Day 8

I am thankful for the clothes on my back.

Even though said clothes are in sore need of a refresh. But sadly, my body type isn't really popular among designers. Apparently, if you have a plus size lower half, you are assumed to have corresponding plus size bazoombas and really short legs. So I can't shop for a complete outfit in one store. And I'm a one-store shopping kind of gal. If I have to go all over the place I quickly get all ADD-ish and lose focus. I like to do my shopping online where I can find tall clothes and not have to go through the torture of the dressing room, even though the stores like to charge about 10 bucks extra for the privilege of having my ankles and wrists covered. And my socks. Holy socks! No. Really, they are all holey. Rob teases me all the time about my holey socks and keeps threatening to buy me some. I keep saying "well, go right ahead," but they never materialize.

11 Days of Thanks - Day 7

I am thankful for good sleep.

Really, I'm not one of those that can operate with any sense of cordiality when I'm sleep-deprived. Really. Just ask Rob. I think this is his motivation behind his incrediby generous policy of getting up with Colin on the weekends. Although it's not like he's up at the crack of dawn. The bumble likes his sleep as much as his mama and is just a wee bit grumpy if he's woken up before he's ready. If I could get away with throwing a tantrum when I get woken up to get ready for work - I'd so be there.

Poor Rob got all befuddled this morning. I heard him get up and turn on the shower. Glancing at the clock I noticed it was 7:00 and wondered why in tarnation he was up if Colin wasn't awake. It got a little funnier when he popped out of the shower to tell me in an urgent whisper, "IT'S 7:30!!" My reply? "It's Sunday. Not Monday..."

11 Days of Thanks - Day 6

I am thankful for my friends.

Rob and I are "quality vs quantity" people when it comes to our friends. We tend to have a small group of good people that we hang out with. They have similar lives and schedules, and it's always easy to pick up where we left off when time gets away from us.

Here are Rob and I with a few buds we hang with...

two of these things are not like the others...

Oh, you got me. The peeps in this pic aren't friends. They are rock stars!

I won a radio contest and we got to "hang" with the group Metro Station for about a half hour at a swanky bowling alley (no really, it's swanky. This is Portland after all). We were conspicously old suburban in the midst of a group of giggly teen girls dressed in their best eighties-esque leggings and odd shirt layering combos. The dudes in the band were a combo of too cool (the two in bug shades) and fairly nice (the guy on the far right). It was an awkward fishbowl with the band sitting on a couch, surrounded by girls who were suddenly too shy to say anything. So Rob and I were throwing out questions to do our part to be fan-like.

I really love this group's radio hit (it's a bitchin car tune! Shake Shake, shake shake a shake it!) but don't know anything about them, so it was kind of easy not to be impressed. But if this were someone like the Foo Fighters or Incubus, I'd so totally, like be, all overwhelmed and *giggle* starstruck to (oh my gosh he looked at meeee!!!) say anything like the girls we were with.

But we think our friends are rockstars at any rate, so it's always like we're hangin with our homies.

11 Days of Thanks - Day 5

I am thankful for my job.

I really want to be doing something different with my career. Since the major FAIL on getting the globe-spinning job at the Really Cool Massive Company Headquartered in My City, I've been investigating opportuntites that interest me with nary a nibble. In case you haven't noticed, the economy is shite people. In the meantime, I am certainly not going to bitch to the wrong people scoff at the job I have now. I work with good people, I have a window. It may not be the most mind-stimulating gig, but eh, it could be a heckuva lot worse.

11 Days of Thanks - Day 4

I am thankful for my health.

I think that I too often take my health for granted. Luckily I come from pretty hearty stock and seem to have good resistance to random germs. Good thing too. Since Colin has become my kitchen helper, one lesson that isn't really sinking in is the "don't lick/swipe/taste and return/or otherwise sample the food as it's being prepared.*

We made panini last night, and he helped me lay a slice of cheese and then turkey on each sandwich. I turned around, and turned back, and someone (pointing to the little man) had nibbled on every piece of cheese. And this is after he had licked the bread to see what was coming up for dinner.

*We don't let Colin help cook when we have company over!

11 Days of Thanks - Day 3

I am thankful for Rob.

He's my rock. He's a wonderful dad and a patient spouse. And I don't think I tell him enough how much he is my everything.

11 Days of Thanks – Day 2

I am thankful that our home sees more laughter than tears.

Colin is a riot these days. His latest gig is walking around looking for “ploblams.” We had a leak in our dishwasher the other day and Rob was investigating. Colin showed up and asked what he was doing, and Rob explained he was looking for the problem. Since then, Colin has been roaming the house, flashlight in hand, looking for “ploblams.” (say it out loud, it's hilarious) I was reading some directions (probably with a perplexed look on my face) and up pops Colin. “Is there a ploblem? I help?” And now every time we open the dishwasher, Colin comes running in to help “Find the ploblem.”

Eleven Days of Thanks – Day 1

Well, my plan to share two weeks of thanks got a bit shortened by my, eh, lack of starting on time. And doesn't 11 days of thanks have a nice ring to it?

Day 1 - I am thankful for my family. The trio that makes up my daily life. The double handful that is my immediate family and the gaggle of cousins, cousins’ kids, aunts and uncles by law or by blood that may not be close in miles, but are always welcoming and warm when we arrive in town.

They are (and make me) crazy, loud, loving and laugh-ful, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. Well, maybe some of them. NO! I’m joking. kind of. OF COURSE I wouldn’t trade any of them. most likely not. Just that one over there. No, not that one. THAT one. Hypothetically of course.

A little bowling fun, 3-year stats

Our playgroup met last week to knock down a few pins in a spirted round of bumper bowling. Jen (mom to Kaden) took these awesome pictures.

Here's the team. They had knocked back a few in the bar before strapping on their bitty bowling shoes...



A much needed clucks and fries break.

We will definately be going bowling again! Colin had a great time with his buds. They got into the whole "yeeesss!" (arm pump arm pump) and "ahh no" (shake head shake head) body language pretty quickly.

Colin had his three-year check up today. The bumble weighs in at 41 lbs and is 3', 5.5" tall. No wonder he's walking around in high-waters most of the time!

That feeling inside

Sooner or later any blog that features a toddler is going to turn to poop and pee. We’ve been dancing around the potty training issue for about six months. We started sticking Colin on the potty to get him used to it, to mixed results. He likes to have a seat, but the action is a little less than consistent. Although we can usually get some pee action before a bath (or right after, or during. Whatever.). He gets to put a sticker on his Potty Prize paper and we're all dokie dokie (okie dokie a la bumble).

Since we’re in a tag team approach with our daycare provider, we took a step back when she had a medical procedure that prevented her from doing a lot of heavy lifting for the last few months. And any lifting involving Colin is heavy. So now that she’s back to fighting form, she wanted us to step up the PT.

With a heavy sigh we agreed. It’s not that I’m not more than ready to get rid of the mess and expense of diapers. But watching my friend go through potty training (with her son, not her, I assume she's got the potty thing down) makes it seem like infinitely more work than a quick wipe and dipe change. And then there is the fact that Colin is still in a crib and can't get up by himself if he has to go at night or in the morning. (I know right? He’s three and in a crib. But whatev. He loves his nest and we love that he loves his nest.)

So this weekend we pulled out the pull-ups again. Tears. I WANT MY DIAPER!! He got used to them. We encouraged repeat visits to the can. Tears. I DON’T WANT TO GO!! He kind of got over this. And this bothered me, because I know you aren’t supposed to force them onto the potty, but we figured it was just Blockhead Syndrome coming out – Colin blocking anything that he didn’t suggest. Bringing out the big guns confirmed our suspicions. We pulled out M & Ms. Tears, sort of. I DON’T WANT…m em m? Choc-o-let? Okay!!

We also took a chance on a Potty Training DVD. I thought he’d hate it. After watching the mid-eighties production (in all its red and minty green toilets, jeans up to your boobs, mauve and powder blue wallpapered glory) filled with classics like “My potty” “Even moms and dads go poop and wee” “Getting that 'feeling' inside” “Sit on the potty and push, push push,” I wanted to want him to hate it. Nope. Kid LOVES it. “Where’s the Potty movie? Can we watch Potty movie again?!”

The good and bad thing about pull-ups are that the Bum still doesn’t really get to appreciate that Just Pissed in My Pants fresh feeling. We’ve heard that the “let them go naked and pee all over the place” method works well. But, um, have you met my husband? This wouldn’t really fly with him. And I admit, pee puddles aren’t my forte. I ignore the cat barf piles for as long as I can in the hopes that Rob will clean it up or the cat will have a snack. So imagine if there is a puddle I don't find.

What?! He's a cat. And it's not even digested.

Anyway, we will be trying the “let him wet himself silly method” this weekend to see how that works if he doesn't make a breakthrough this week. I bought some adorably cute Thomas the Train briefs and cotton training pants, so let’s hope that a little extra laundry is all that awaits me. And yes, I am deliberately avoiding the scenario where he does the doo in those cute cotton pants.

Rob come home!

We miss you! Rob's been gone all week at laser safety training and both Colin and I are ready for him to be home.

We did it.

No, I’m not just talking about my fellow Barock stars. Although – holy shit! He won! President Bobamba! (as Colin calls him)

I am not a politically proficient writer. I can’t really articulate why I feel the way I do about the issues I support and oppose, and forget about doing it verbally. I posted a blog the other day for about three hours about politics and I took it down. But I am proud of our country. Until about two hours ago I’ve been afraid to hope. It's 8:30pm, I'm on the couch, Colin is asleep, Rob is in Vegas and Barack Obama is our next president.

44 times we have transferred power peacefully. No guns. No riots. Presidential assassination is rare enough to be horrifying. Regardless of who you voted for, you were protected in your right to vote. Regardless of who you voted for, you have participated in an historic election. This is the first election in my life that I have paid attention to the power of division, and the power of unity among both parties. This is the first election where I didn’t feel like I was voting for the less of two evils. Both candidates had aspects that I agreed with. McCain, all over-used words aside, was a maverick in his time, and potentially could still be. Obama inspires hope, and guarantees that change will occur.

Some will say that hope is not a reason to vote for someone. Or that change is what we need. But I disagree. The greatest of our past presidents inspired hope on a grand scale, and they were transformational leaders – taking the country from where it was into the next stage of what it could be. FDR, JFK, Reagan. Hope is not the only reason I voted for Obama, but I look at Colin and I hope for…so many things. I feel like we can finally start to move in the right direction.

Now that the election is over I hope that McCain will live up to his mavrickness and help build bridges. I hope that President-elect Obama proves without a doubt that we’ve made the right choice. And above all, I hope that Colin will someday look back on these words and know that because of him, I hope.

Happy Halloween!

The mad scientist works in his lab. Pumpkin muffins ready for inspection.



I drill you brain?



Ready to wreck havoc on the 'hood.


SCORE!

Daddy's getting into the spirit...