Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Some "Stuff"

As I am attempting to "clean up" my computer a bit, I ran across this in a document labeled "blog stuff." When I opened it and read what I had written (typed...) I realized I had done this when I was super busy (you know, like usual...) but had stolen a few minutes to record this so I didn't forget it. (It seems to be a side-effect of one of my medications, that if I don't do/write down something immediately when I think of it, it's gone forever. At least I hope it's a side-effect of a medication. . .) I then promptly forgot about it. Luckily I was smart enough to date it, so it's not pointless drivel from "sometime." It's pointless drivel with dates : )

So, without further ado, I will now post it, a bit late (cheat so I don't have to think today, LOL)

April 4, 2008

So I go downstairs to get some water (and what’s up with that..? Water, not coffee..? At 9 A.M. ish?) and my boy is sitting on the toilet (yes, we have attempted to foster a lack of inhibitions in our child, which includes allowing him to go to the bathroom at home with the door open, It's a natural bodily function, and shouldn't be a cause for shame or embarrassment...) Gameboy in his lap looking at his fingers…

Him: “Mommy..?”
Me:
“Yes?”
Him:
“Do you know what 3 plus 2 is..?”
Me: “What is it?”
Him:
“It’s 5! ! ! !”

It is five…like him…should he be adding already? I ask myself, as I have on numerous other occasions. He doesn’t go to school…not even pre-school, just to his 2nd Mom’s every weekday (that’s another entry…)

“That’s right, it’s 5…you’re so smart !” and I go and give him a kiss. As I’m walking away, he does one of those THINGS

Him: “Mommy….you smell so good1”
Me: “I do..? Thank you” and I float away to finish getting ready for work…is he really only five,,? Will he retain that ability to make a woman (yes, I am Mom, but still a woman who appreciates compliment, no matter the source) feel special & appreciated?

April 3, 2008

The boy is psychic…not a joke…he has proven this numerous times, both in small ways and large…

Example (small) My morning routine is pretty staid…I get up, stumble to the bathroom, pee, put in teeth, fall downstairs to get coffee, crawl back up to my computer and proceed to try to become human again. After about an hour, I begin to stir, take a shower and get ready for work, if it’s a workday, or go get more coffee if it isn’t. I am NEVER even SLIGHTLY functional when I wake up. However, last night I decided, as I was laying in bed, that I would get up and jump straight in the shower, dragging my boy with me as the wee one was in need of cleaning, I figured if we got in and out very first thing, it would make the morning go smoother. I made this decision in my brain, in the dark, just before I drifted to la la land.

This morning the boy comes in for wake up snuggles. After a minute or two of snuggling, I notice it’s pretty light outside & check the clock…8:27 OH S*&T! So I sit up real quick like, and jr scrambles off the bed, looks at me and says “Mommy, are you ready to shower now..?” I have NEVER, EVER, during this child's lifetime, gotten straight out of bed and into the shower.

Creepy, no?

Saturday, August 23, 2008

A Little Bit of Catch up (I really wanted to type "ketchup"....)

Alrighty then! I am going to try to squeeze out a post between phone calls, and maybe - just maybe - I might get caught up a little bit. No promises, because you know, even though I sat here for 10 minutes with nuttin', as soon as I typed that, call came in - go figger.

Ok, the Tooth Fairy came, and boy is she GOOD! When the (mostly) sweet (monster) boy lost his first tooth, finally! after weeks of it being loose, Mommy took it and put it in her wallet for safe keeping until bedtime & under pillow insertion...Well, my boy has a tendency to fall asleep on the couch, where we let him stay - sometimes all night, sometimes he gets up & goes to bed. Naturally the couch isn't conducive to tooth hiding, and it really wasn't planned that he sleep there, so the tooth stayed in my wallet overnight. Twice. And twice I had a broken-hearted boy the next morning. But the third time, well the thrird time the tooth fairy got sneaky.
He came in that morning, asking for his tooth, so he could put it in his room and remember to put it under his pillow. Well, Mommy doesn't wake up well, as we all know, so grumpy Mommy, awake all of five seconds is listening to "But MOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM, if I don't put it under my pillow in my room, the tooth fairy won'y be able to find it! She won't even know a I lost it! What happens if she soesn't know I lost it?"
Me: "She knows."
Him: "But what happens if she knows I lost it and she comes to get it and it isn't there?"
Me: "She won't come until it's under the pillow. That's what sends her the message." (Not bad for 10 seconds awake, huh?)

Him: "But what happens if she got the message when it came out and she comes and it's not under my pillow..?"
Me: "Fine! Go get my purse!"
Him: "Where is it?"
Me: "Where is it always?"
And he ran off downstairs to get my purse while I stumbled to the bathroom. @ minutes later he burst back up the stairs with my purse.
Him: "Here you go Mom! Can you get it for me?"
Me: "Do you see me sitting on the toilet..? Have you lived with me all your life..? Why are you asking me to do anything this soon after I crawled out of bed..?"
Him: "But Mom....my tooth...."
Me: "Grrrrrrrrr."

Him: *sigh*
I finished my bidness, and went for coffee, a VERY impatient 5 year old hot on my heels. Down the stairs. Up the stairs. When I sat down at the desk, he immediatly came at me again about the stinkin tooth.
Me: "If you want it that bad, YOU get it."
Him: looking dubiously at my purse "Where is it..?"
Me: "It's in my wallet where it won't get lost."
Him: Digging through my purse to grab my wallet. "Where at in your wallet?
Me: "In the zippered pocket." Did I mention it has several zippered pockets..?

Him: Looking over wallet, trying to decide where to start. "Uh Mom..?"
Me: "It's the outside one silly boy."

He unzipped the pocket as I sipped my first blessed sip of coffee. Then got a confused look on his face.
Him: "It's not in here."
Me: "Yes it is! It's the only thing in there, I made sure the wasn't anything else in there with it."

Him: "It's not in here." At this point, I'm hearing a hint of desperation in his voice.
Me: "Shayne, it's there. I know it's there. It's the only thing in that pocket. Quit doing the "man look"
Him: "There's something in here, but it's not my tooth - it's paper."
Me: "You must be in the wrong pocket, there isn't anything in there with it."
Him: Pulling out a five dollar bill "This is in here - that's it"
Me: "Where'd you get that? I didn't have any cash...Which pocket did you get in?"

Him: "This one." Pointing at the place where the tooth was
Me: "That's where it was - Are you sure it's not in there? And are you sure that's where you found that money?"
Him: "I'm sure."
Me: "Huh..." and suddenly a little light comes on in his eyes...
Him: "You told Daddy last nigh5t you didn't have any money..."
Me: "Yepper, I don't, er, didn't."
Him: "You said my tooth was in here."
Me: "Yep."
Pretty sharp kid, huh?

Him: The tooth fairy took my tooth from your wallet!"
Me: "Well, whattdya know, I guess she did."


And so, the tooth fairy came.

Then we had the "bubble wrap incident" as it is being referred to. I awoke on a Saturday to find my Hunny still asleep - on the couch - downstairs. Now him falling asleep in the living room isn't all that rare. He tends, on the weekends, to get comfy in his recliner and fall asleep in true couch potato style. No biggie. About 80% of the time he wakes about 3 am-ish and stumbles upstairs to bed, and the other 20% he just stays in the chair until about 6ish - which is sleeping in for him. FInding him on the couch though...that's not usual at all. And, let's not forget, by the time I got up it was somewhere between 9-10. My hunny is a morning person. a very morning person. For him to still be asleep at that hour..? Now that's rare.
Me: "Honey..?"
Him: **Groan.
Me: "What's wrong..?"
Him: "I hurt my back."
Me: ***a bit puzzled - after all, he was fine when I went to bed at about 10:30. I was fairly certain he hadn't gone anywhere, as our boy was still up - "How'd you hurt your back?"
Him: *mumbling *"Bubble wrap..."
Apparently after I had gone to bed, Hunny and the boy were down in the living room. Hunny got up to go in the kitchen for something, and on the way he bent over to pick up a piece of bubble wrap and couldn't get back up. He was down for a week. Because of bubble wrap. My big, strong, redneck truck driver was down for a week because of bubble wrap...I know it really isn't funny, and NOTHING about back pain is comical, but still - bubble wrap...

On the way to Stacey's a couple of weeks ago, as we're driving along we passed a car hauler with a seriously wrecked car on it. From the back seat I hear "Mom! Did you see how damaged that car was!?"
I heard it, but since it was coming from the mouth of a five year old, I didn't quite comprehend what I heard for a few seconds. It didn't quite process properly. Banged up..? Wrecked..? Smashed..? Even crashed.. any of those words would have computed immediately. But damaged..? From a five year old..? It just didn't compute right away. Hell, I'm not sure that verbiage - even though it is proper - from an adult would have computed right away...He scares me sometimes. Not in a convetional way, but rather for himself. It's tough being smart and being a kid. It was tough as a girl, and we're half-assed expected to be of above average intelligence, but to be the smart boy..? I tell myself he'll be fine, he has a great personality most of the time, he's not a bit bashful, he's pretty athletic, in a non-sportsy kinda way (does that make sense..?), he's a good looking kid. But still, kids can be very hateful. And it scares me. That child has never experienced someone being "mean" to him. I'm not even sure he'd know they were being mean...He's generally good natured, and doesn't hold a grudge. He can be madder than a wet hen one minute and loves you the next. He'll even make a point to tell you "I'm mad at you right now but I still love you..."
Ok, there's a start at the catch up. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to spend more time here, and get (closer to being) up to date. Then I'll have one less thing, one my list of many, to feel guilty about!
See ya laterzzzzzzzzzzz! ! ! !

First Day - A Little Delayed....

Here are some pictures from the boy's first day of school - which, yes, I know, was almost two weeks ago. . . .sorry. . . .


Making friends took all of 2 minutes . . .


With the little boy down the street he rides the bus with


The School


Huh. . ? You means there are girls here. . ?


My little Romeo - we're so proud !

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

First Day of School & Wanderings - As Usual :)

Today is the first day of school for my boy. We leave for school in about an hour & a half - and he's driving me absolutely BUGGY! I was woke up by the question

"Do you know what day it is?" posed to me before I even got my eyes open. . . never a good thing. I do mornings very poorly to begin with. And the child hasn't been more than 2 or 3 feet from me, except when I am at work, for the last month. It's starting to wear on me. That last statement isn't an exaggeration, either. I feel like I've grown an extra limb. When he's not up my butt, I hear "Mom?" literally every two minutes. If I get up to go downstairs, he follows on my heels, walking 6 inches behind me while I attempt to do whatever needs doing. He won't go upstairs alone. He won't go DOWNSTAIRS alone. He barely will go in his room alone, and I'm about over it.

Not very Mommy-like, huh? Yet another item to add to my things-I-feel-guilty-about list *sigh*

This morning, about every 10 minutes I hear "Mommy? When are you going to get dressed" or "Mommy? How many more minutes until we go?" or "Mommy how many minutes has it been?" This started at about 8:00. It's now about 11ish, and we don't leave for another hour - hour and fifteen minutes. AAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH.
I'm very happy that he's excited about school starting, and hope he retains that desire to go to school for the rest of his school career, and I keep telling myself that this pestering to go is a good thing, but DAMMMM, I've heard all I want to! I am nearly as excited as he is, and I'm sure a lot more nervous. I mean c'mon - this is the arena where my (our) parenting skills will be judged, Daily. He's a good boy, but very energetic. I foresee ADD accusations in his future - with which I will  heartily disagree. I do believe ADD is a real "disease" and that there are children who have to try to function through it. But I also believe there are MANY MORE parents - and schools for that matter - who are unable or unwilling to deal with an energetic child and go looking for this diagnosis so they can medicate said child and therefore have a more pliable and calm child who will no longer challenge them.

The premise - nay the NAME - of ADD is Attention Deficit Disorder. This implies problems PAYING ATTENTION to something - anything. It doesn't mean a child who is high-energy, intelligent, full of challenging questions,and is basically - though not always - undisciplined. Yet (in my opinion) the majority of kids diagnosed as ADD are exactly that. And the adults in their world can't or won't cope with it. I truly fear for the world of these children's generation. What happens when they become adults? Does ADD go away when you reach a certain age? Or will they be medicated for life? And truly, aren't the adults who allow this to happen just giving these one-day adults an excuse not to be productive, responsible people? "Oh, I can't hold a job - I have ADD", " I can't be bothered to pay bills - I have ADD", "I'm not responsible for my actions - I have ADD" Kinda scary, if you ask me. We already have a generation of "It's not my fault . . ." adults who refuse to take responsibility for their own actions because they have a million reasons why nothing is their fault which have been spoon-fed to them since childhood.

Wow - I really do have a propensity for wandering from my original subject - that wasn't what this post started out to be at all . . . and just think - this is how my mind works all the time . . .

Ok, so, back to school and my boy. Who is currently sitting on the floor, leaning against the desk, about a foot from me. And every few minutes trying to crawl up in my lap . . . Don't go thinking I haven't paid any attention to him either. I have. A lot. I always do. I answer his questions when possible - even the pointless ones. Well, mostly. Except for the "What happens if . . " questions, which I DID answer for months, but have told him I will no longer answer if they aren't "real" questions. What are "not real" questions you ask? Let me give you an example.

Stacey lives about 10 miles north of us. We were going to get my car last weekend, which was even further south than our home, and passed a fire truck & ambulance with lights on going south. Here's the conversation:

My Boy: "Did you see the fire truck and ambulance?"
Me: "Yes . . . " (how could I not? I was driving.)
My Boy: "Where are they going?"
Me: "Well, someone is probably sick and they're going to help them and maybe take them to a hospital."
My Boy: "Or maybe they're hurt."
Me: "Yes that's possible, too>"
My Boy: "Maybe there was an accident."
Me: "Yeah, there might have been an accident, but we just came from that way and didn't see one."

OK, now here's where it gets jinky . . .

My Boy: "What happens if they're going to Stacey's house?" Now remember they were going SOUTH, Stacey lives NORTH - way NORTH from where we were . .

Me: " I don't think they're going to Stacey's, she lives the other way from where they were going."
My Boy: "But what if they were?".
Me: "Honey, they aren't going to Stacey's. Stacey lives that way *pointing north* and they were going that way *pointing behind us - south"
My Boy: "But what happens if they were? What happens if someone is sick at Stacey's? Or hurt?"
Me: ***starting to get slightly exasperated - mind you this is a very intelligent kid. As a rule, he grasps concepts and knowledge the first time around. He remembers things he was told, or heard, literally YEARS ago, and he's only five.*** "Shayne, honey they aren't going to Stacey's. No one is sick at Stacey's, and no one is hurt. If they were going to Stacey's, we wouldn't have seen them, because they would have been going the other way. Now please drop it."
My Boy: "But what happens if . . ."
Me: "That's just about enough 'What happens if . . .' questions. If you have an actual question, about an actual situation, I'll answer them all day long. But no more hypothetical questions. I'm done."
My Boy: "What's hypothetical mean?"
Me: *sigh* and we were off again . .

Ok, well I guess I oughta go clean out my car, since I'm picking Hunny up so he can go with us. Hopefully I'll be back later with first day pictures :)

See ya laterzzzzzzzzzz ! ! ! !

Saturday, August 9, 2008

International Disturbed People's Day

I don't care if you lick windows,take the special bus or occasionally pee on yourself..
You hang in there sunshine, you're friggin' special...
Every sixty seconds you spend angry, upset or mad, is a full minute of happiness you'll never get back.
Today is International Disturbed People's Day -

Today's Message of the Day is:

Life is short,
Break the rules,
Forgive quickly,
Kiss slowly,
Love truly,
Laugh uncontrollably,
Never regret anything that made you smile.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Ha! It's Been Less Than A Week!

And here I am, back and posting! Woohoo! I'd prefer to do it daily, but then again, I'd prefer being independently wealthy, too...I got my car back on Saturday. In addition to the obvious stuff I took it in for (you know the overheating issues) I had also mentioned AGAIN that there is a vibration at 60mph and a kinda wobble when you turn hard right. This was first mentioned to them in December of 2006, along with the lifter rattle at start up, (which it still does). See, according to the mechanics, the lifter rattle was caused by a "non-Chrysler oil filter" which supposedly will allow the oil to drain out when the car isn't running, and will in turn cause the lifters to rattle on a cold start. They changed the oil & installed the "Chrysler oil filter." It still rattled. Ahem. I think I took it back 3 or 4 times, and every time I was told they "couldn't reproduce the issue". How convenient. I finally got fed up and took it down there on a Friday night and parked it, taking the keys with me. Once started, it has to sit for at least 6 hours to do it again. Saturday morning, Hunny & I went down there, got the manager as well the service guy I always deal with. We opened the hood, and with the guys all standing around the front of the car, I started it. It rattled. Huh, imagine that! I was able to reproduce the issue simply by following the implicit instructions I left every time - it must sit at least 6 hours, preferably overnight to reproduce the noise. That time they replaced the rocker arms and lifters, and something else. It still rattles. They still can't "reproduce the issue" - imagine that...As far as the vibration at 60mph at the "rocking" when I turn hard right, I was advised I needed new tires. Whatever.
Now, I know I have bumps in my shirt, so I couldn't possibly know anything about cars beyond how to start it and make it go...but even if that were the case, there is a major flaw with the whole "tire" theory. The tires on my car were installed at the end of March, 2006. The car had roughly 52,000 miles on it at that time. It has about 74,000 now. The tires that were put on it..? They are 90,000 mile tires. For those of you who are car challenged, that means they are made to go 90,000 miles before they should need replaced. 90,000 MILES! But supposedly, in December of 2006 (8 months after they were put on....) they were in such bad shape that someone who does front end repairs (!)took my front end apart (so you would think, right..?), found nothing wrong, and determined that my 90,000 mile rated tires needed replaced, after approx. - oh I don't know - 8,000 miles had been put on them.
Are any of you buying this..? Yeah, me neither, but again, I have bumps in my shirt, so I couldn't possibly know anything about cars beyond how to start it and make it go. (If you should ever feel a need to piss me off in a hurry, start a conversation with me about cars and mechanical problems, then talk down to me...I promise, we'll be scrapping shortly thereafter!)
So, I took it home, and drove it for a bit. Shortly after that (in July) was when the tranny went, and they had it for 6 weeks, because apparently, there were no trannies in existence, that weren't already in use, that would go in my car, and Chrysler had to build one for it...really!
Anywho, they have again decided I need new tires. Tire Barn put it in writing that there isn't anything wrong with my tires, and they rotated them, so I now have "new" front tires. So now I get to spend my next "not a day-off" at the Chrysler dealership, using single syllable words to explain to the front-end guy that no, I don't need new tires, the ones on the car are perfectly fine and still have approximately 65,000 miles before they are required to be changed. That I have indeed replaced the front tires that were on it with the tires that were on the back, an therefore have "new" tires on the front, and guess what..? I still have the same vibration at 60 mph! Now I'm fairly certain that if this work were being paid for out of my pocket, instead of by warranty, they'd have found all kinds of stuff to repair/replace...it just pisses me off that I have to spend what little free time I get sitting at the car lot waiting for them to fix what should have been fixed at the very least a week ago when it was in there, and actually should have been fixed back in Dec 2006, when it was first brought to their attention, or in July of 2007 when they had it for 6 weeks and had again been advised of it.
GRRRRRRRRRRR
Why do I keep going back you ask? Well, I have rental coverage on my warranty, but not first day. But the guy I deal with down there always manages to get me in a car as soon as they determine the issue & that it's covered. And he kept me in a rental car the whole 6 weeks they had it last year. He has also managed to knock down my "portion" of the bill considerably, several times. But I'm about done, yanno..?
Ok, gotta go, got work stuffs to do ewwwwwww.
See ya laterzzzzzzzzz!