Yesterday I got a call from one of my Dad' oldest friends. He works at BYU and wants my Dad to come visit and was enlisting my help. No Problem! I'll call my parents and harass them to come visit me and the family! But in the giddiness at the chance of seeing my parents I detract. When he called Middle Boy answered the phone.
"Who am I speaking to?" asked Old Professor.
"That totally depends! Who am I speaking to?" answered Middle Child with that sassy grin as he delved into his quirky personality.
As I was talking to the Old Professor, he remarked on how quick and smart my boy was to answer him that way. He was surprised and impressed at how well I had taught my children. I didn't have the heart to tell him that my child is just silly. He was thinking nothing of safety and only of how he could be 'smart' and 'sassy'! His 'unique personalty,' as my best friend calls it, was on show and he was showing off his quick wit.
The Old Professor also reminded me of the year stint I landed at BYU. I guess I coerced him into taking me to lunch one fine afternoon. I was talking about calling my parents back home 'the regular way.' Knowing the dorm conditions he asked what I meant by calling home 'the regular way.'
"I call collect," I replied, oblivious to the high cost of collect phone calls in the late 80's.
"You know that is quite expensive," he replied just to see what I would say.
I paused and responded in complete seriousness, "It's my job to love my parents and it's their job to figure out how to pay the phone bill."
Last night he reminded me of this conversation and told me that he would NEVER forget it and it was in his Top Ten things of College Studentisms.
8.30.2008
8.27.2008
Birthdays
Middle Child's birthday was officially August 14th. We had a family party during which he got a bunch of camping stuff for Scouts. He was pretty excited because he went camping Friday and got to use it! Then we decided to put off his friends party because school started the next week.
"Why don't we wait two weeks so that you can reconnect with some friends at school and invite them?" I suggested.
He agreed and thought it was a great idea. Somehow he thought two weeks was the next week, August 23! He was a little sad, but not much, when I told him it was August 30 that we'd be having the party. And even though I try to schedule things out in my life I still manage to overplan, and not by a little, it's always the big things that get overlapped! I had scheduled his party for Labor Day weekend when we go camping. And we haven't been as a family yet this year!
So I approached him carefully, he gets rather sad about things being put off. I think it's middle child syndrome, and it makes me feel the Mother Guilt I usually don't allow myself to sink into, but he brings it out in me. I explained the whole thing, how people won't be around Labor Day weekend and we should put it off another week! After a few sad faces he finally saw the light and agreed. Now we just have to hope that Clone Wars is still in theaters and search or make Clone invitations for all his friends. And at least waiting till school was in session worked out good because he's already found three more friends to invite that he wouldn't have otherwise!
"Why don't we wait two weeks so that you can reconnect with some friends at school and invite them?" I suggested.
He agreed and thought it was a great idea. Somehow he thought two weeks was the next week, August 23! He was a little sad, but not much, when I told him it was August 30 that we'd be having the party. And even though I try to schedule things out in my life I still manage to overplan, and not by a little, it's always the big things that get overlapped! I had scheduled his party for Labor Day weekend when we go camping. And we haven't been as a family yet this year!
So I approached him carefully, he gets rather sad about things being put off. I think it's middle child syndrome, and it makes me feel the Mother Guilt I usually don't allow myself to sink into, but he brings it out in me. I explained the whole thing, how people won't be around Labor Day weekend and we should put it off another week! After a few sad faces he finally saw the light and agreed. Now we just have to hope that Clone Wars is still in theaters and search or make Clone invitations for all his friends. And at least waiting till school was in session worked out good because he's already found three more friends to invite that he wouldn't have otherwise!
8.23.2008
Heart Stopping Moments in Time
As parents lots of things happen. So many are happy, sad, fantastic, infuriating, and so on and on and on. But thank goodness there are only a few actual heart-stopping moments when you wonder. Today was one of those moments. We lost Baby at a Baseball game tonight.
It was one of those surreal moments when I'm looking around and realize someone is missing. I look at Hubby and ask "Where's Baby?" He replies,"Isn't he with you?" NO! I run back to where I last saw him and look all around. He's nowhere to be seen. I start to panic. My heart flutters and I can't think straight. Did he leave thinking we had left? Does he even know where the car is? Did he go to the bathroom? Did he find a friend? Did he follow us and we just haven't seen him? I tell myself to calm down and look around the deck and if I don't see him then get him paged. Thank goodness most people have left and there isn't too many people milling around. As I look around the area I see him about halfway down the aisle with one of the employees. I run to him and grab him and hug him! He looks at me with those big brown milk chocolate eyes "Mommy, where did you go? I couldn't find you." I hugged him tighter trying to calm us both down. He breaks down in relief and can't stop talking almost all the way home about how things went down for him. He knew he was lost longer than I did and it tore at his heart that we could lose him. He's our Baby!
About three years ago we were at Disneyland with all of Hubby's family. Several of us decided to ride the ferris wheel. There are two lines. One for a regular ferris wheel and another for a sliding ferris wheel. I don't like ferris wheels to begin with so we rode in the traditional style. About 10 minutes later when we got off we met up with the rest of the group and I looked around. "Where's First Born?" Hubby replied, "I thought he was riding the ferris wheel with you guys." We were on a strip with several carnival type games and I ran from one to the next looking for him, sure he was trying to win a prize. No luck. Then I saw a security guard. I ran up to him and tried to remain calm as I almost cried, "We can't find our son." Trying to defuse the critical situation the guy said, "Did you want him back?" I actually laughed, 'Yes, we kind of like him." As he took down his information Sister-in-Law Fashionista came running over with First Born. He had ridden the ferris wheel but had gotten in the other line. At least he didn't know he was lost! Unfortunately he rode the sliding ferris wheel all by himself and had gotten sick!
The worst 'lost child' we had was at Christmastime in Salt Lake City at Temple Square. Middle Child was about three. We were with some friends in one of the buildings and decided it was time to go. After we all got bundled up I looked around and for the first time asked "Where's Middle Child?" Being the first time I lost a child I somewhat panicked. The other wife took all the kids while Hubby and his friend looked for the boy. I went to the counter and told the young women behind the counter I couldn't find my son. She looked concerned and said "That's terrible, what would you like me to do?" I was in shock! She's supposed to know, not me! I told her to call security. After about five anguish-filled minutes during which not a single employee/volunteer did anything while I waited for the nonexistent security, Hubby's friend found Middle Child. When he had heard "Let's go," he went! Thank goodness he stopped on the inside of the door. He decided that while he waited for us to catch up he would try to close the sliding automatic door on everybody trying to enter and exit.
I can only be thankful that all of these situations have come to a happy ending while other parents have heart-rending outcomes. These are some of the worst times in my life and no matter what I can't forget them. Even today when I remember these moments I get teary-eyed and say a little thankful prayer.
It was one of those surreal moments when I'm looking around and realize someone is missing. I look at Hubby and ask "Where's Baby?" He replies,"Isn't he with you?" NO! I run back to where I last saw him and look all around. He's nowhere to be seen. I start to panic. My heart flutters and I can't think straight. Did he leave thinking we had left? Does he even know where the car is? Did he go to the bathroom? Did he find a friend? Did he follow us and we just haven't seen him? I tell myself to calm down and look around the deck and if I don't see him then get him paged. Thank goodness most people have left and there isn't too many people milling around. As I look around the area I see him about halfway down the aisle with one of the employees. I run to him and grab him and hug him! He looks at me with those big brown milk chocolate eyes "Mommy, where did you go? I couldn't find you." I hugged him tighter trying to calm us both down. He breaks down in relief and can't stop talking almost all the way home about how things went down for him. He knew he was lost longer than I did and it tore at his heart that we could lose him. He's our Baby!
About three years ago we were at Disneyland with all of Hubby's family. Several of us decided to ride the ferris wheel. There are two lines. One for a regular ferris wheel and another for a sliding ferris wheel. I don't like ferris wheels to begin with so we rode in the traditional style. About 10 minutes later when we got off we met up with the rest of the group and I looked around. "Where's First Born?" Hubby replied, "I thought he was riding the ferris wheel with you guys." We were on a strip with several carnival type games and I ran from one to the next looking for him, sure he was trying to win a prize. No luck. Then I saw a security guard. I ran up to him and tried to remain calm as I almost cried, "We can't find our son." Trying to defuse the critical situation the guy said, "Did you want him back?" I actually laughed, 'Yes, we kind of like him." As he took down his information Sister-in-Law Fashionista came running over with First Born. He had ridden the ferris wheel but had gotten in the other line. At least he didn't know he was lost! Unfortunately he rode the sliding ferris wheel all by himself and had gotten sick!
The worst 'lost child' we had was at Christmastime in Salt Lake City at Temple Square. Middle Child was about three. We were with some friends in one of the buildings and decided it was time to go. After we all got bundled up I looked around and for the first time asked "Where's Middle Child?" Being the first time I lost a child I somewhat panicked. The other wife took all the kids while Hubby and his friend looked for the boy. I went to the counter and told the young women behind the counter I couldn't find my son. She looked concerned and said "That's terrible, what would you like me to do?" I was in shock! She's supposed to know, not me! I told her to call security. After about five anguish-filled minutes during which not a single employee/volunteer did anything while I waited for the nonexistent security, Hubby's friend found Middle Child. When he had heard "Let's go," he went! Thank goodness he stopped on the inside of the door. He decided that while he waited for us to catch up he would try to close the sliding automatic door on everybody trying to enter and exit.
I can only be thankful that all of these situations have come to a happy ending while other parents have heart-rending outcomes. These are some of the worst times in my life and no matter what I can't forget them. Even today when I remember these moments I get teary-eyed and say a little thankful prayer.
8.21.2008
Boy Conversations
While waiting for Baby's soccer practice to get over with I was near a group of new 7th grade boys getting ready for football practice.
"We have hot chicks at our school."
"Yeah, you guys have ALL the hot chicks at your school!"
"I told my mom I was gonna be checking out all the hot chicks in the halls and she told me not too. Like she's gonna stop me!"
"I went over to your school before it was over and you do have all the hot chicks!"
"That short one that hangs out with so-so, she digs me."
"You just barely figured that out?"
"If we play football real good we can get all the hot chicks!"
I'm glad these boys have their futures figured out when it comes to girls!
"We have hot chicks at our school."
"Yeah, you guys have ALL the hot chicks at your school!"
"I told my mom I was gonna be checking out all the hot chicks in the halls and she told me not too. Like she's gonna stop me!"
"I went over to your school before it was over and you do have all the hot chicks!"
"That short one that hangs out with so-so, she digs me."
"You just barely figured that out?"
"If we play football real good we can get all the hot chicks!"
I'm glad these boys have their futures figured out when it comes to girls!
8.20.2008
Play the Game!
This is a pretty fun game, participate if you want! Add a comment on my blog. Leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember! Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.
8.18.2008
Phone Parenting
The joys of parenting over the phone while whispering in the cubicles at work.
Me at 1pm: You two need to go outside and play. Turn the tv off and go play with some friends.
Middle Child (MC): Baby won't play with any of my friends.
Me: Let me talk to Baby
Baby (B): Hi Mommy
Me: You guys need to turn the tv off and go outside and play. You need to play with some of MC's friends.
B(whining): Moooom, I don't wanna play with MC's friends! He's trying to make me play with K! (4 yr old girl)
Me: Let me talk to MC. (MC comes on the phone) You need to play with someone that B wants to play with. You can't expect him to want to play with a girl half his age! Call C or M or MM.
MC: C's playing with another friend, M is at his grandma's, & MM is doing chores.
Me: Then GO OUTSIDE! Day after tomorrow you have school and no more free days! GO OUTSIDE! Go to the park, ride your bikes around, find some other friends running around the neighborhood! There are always kids outside! Take Boomer the Basset Hound for a walk! GO OUTSIDE!! No more tv until after 4pm! Let me talk to B.
B: Hi Mommy
Me: You need to GO OUTSIDE and play! No more tv until after 4pm!
B(whining): Moooom, I don't wanna go to the park!
Me: AAUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!!! GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY!
This conversation actually vacillated between the boys a few more times than this but I don't have the patience to write it all down. And I don't really want to remember it when I'm old and have dementia.
Last week when I got home on Wednesday First Born announced I owed him $5. "What for?" I asked.
"I took Baby to the movie with me & N."
"That's great, but next time let me know."
Later that day I asked Middle Child what he did that day and he played with C all day including riding his bike to the Dollar Store, about 2 1/2 miles away.
"Do you feel like you're on vacation with me at work?" I asked.
A resounding "YES" reached my ears. How fun for the boys. No one to nag them about chores and reading and anything else they might not do!
Me at 1pm: You two need to go outside and play. Turn the tv off and go play with some friends.
Middle Child (MC): Baby won't play with any of my friends.
Me: Let me talk to Baby
Baby (B): Hi Mommy
Me: You guys need to turn the tv off and go outside and play. You need to play with some of MC's friends.
B(whining): Moooom, I don't wanna play with MC's friends! He's trying to make me play with K! (4 yr old girl)
Me: Let me talk to MC. (MC comes on the phone) You need to play with someone that B wants to play with. You can't expect him to want to play with a girl half his age! Call C or M or MM.
MC: C's playing with another friend, M is at his grandma's, & MM is doing chores.
Me: Then GO OUTSIDE! Day after tomorrow you have school and no more free days! GO OUTSIDE! Go to the park, ride your bikes around, find some other friends running around the neighborhood! There are always kids outside! Take Boomer the Basset Hound for a walk! GO OUTSIDE!! No more tv until after 4pm! Let me talk to B.
B: Hi Mommy
Me: You need to GO OUTSIDE and play! No more tv until after 4pm!
B(whining): Moooom, I don't wanna go to the park!
Me: AAUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!!! GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY!
This conversation actually vacillated between the boys a few more times than this but I don't have the patience to write it all down. And I don't really want to remember it when I'm old and have dementia.
Last week when I got home on Wednesday First Born announced I owed him $5. "What for?" I asked.
"I took Baby to the movie with me & N."
"That's great, but next time let me know."
Later that day I asked Middle Child what he did that day and he played with C all day including riding his bike to the Dollar Store, about 2 1/2 miles away.
"Do you feel like you're on vacation with me at work?" I asked.
A resounding "YES" reached my ears. How fun for the boys. No one to nag them about chores and reading and anything else they might not do!
8.16.2008
Baby's mafia
We took all the boys to see Clone Wars. We dropped them off and did some shopping kid-free! I have rediscovered the joys of shopping without strollers and screaming, tired children. Now I’m that parent that mutters under my breath, Shut that kid up, as we’re strolling through the stores and someone else’s kid is stretching their lungs.
When we picked up all three of the boys they were having fun. Count Duku and Boba Fett were at the theater visiting with people. Except for the fact that the beginning of all the Star Wars starts with “In a galaxy far, far away. . .” I might have thought that they were real characters and it was a true story. But then we all have fantasies. Who doesn’t want to live on the planet from which Princess Amidala calls home. It is almost as beautiful as the Elven world in Lord of the Rings.
Back to reality. Baby told me I needed to see the movie. I said I would see it when it came out on video. (I am old enough that my jargon has not changed to match the times. I may watch DVD’s but I still call them videos. My children have given up on correcting me; they have grown used to my many eccentricities and my refusal to change for society.) Baby got excited, “When it comes out on DVD we can copy it!” We replied that it was illegal to copy movies. We told the kids that the cops would hunt them down and put them in jail. Baby smiled and delightfully declared, “They’ll have to get through all my friends first!” And then he laughed his evil laugh.
When we picked up all three of the boys they were having fun. Count Duku and Boba Fett were at the theater visiting with people. Except for the fact that the beginning of all the Star Wars starts with “In a galaxy far, far away. . .” I might have thought that they were real characters and it was a true story. But then we all have fantasies. Who doesn’t want to live on the planet from which Princess Amidala calls home. It is almost as beautiful as the Elven world in Lord of the Rings.
Back to reality. Baby told me I needed to see the movie. I said I would see it when it came out on video. (I am old enough that my jargon has not changed to match the times. I may watch DVD’s but I still call them videos. My children have given up on correcting me; they have grown used to my many eccentricities and my refusal to change for society.) Baby got excited, “When it comes out on DVD we can copy it!” We replied that it was illegal to copy movies. We told the kids that the cops would hunt them down and put them in jail. Baby smiled and delightfully declared, “They’ll have to get through all my friends first!” And then he laughed his evil laugh.
8.13.2008
New Beginnings
I started a new job this week and I sure am tired! I'm a little too tired to be clever and witty, which is how I try to write normally. As I drive home from work I try to think of witty titles for a post I might write that night. But then I get home and have things to do and rarely even get to the computer.
Last night was my first night using the metering system to get on the highway. I was gonna call it "Christmas on the Highway." I was gonna write about how the pretty lights greet us as we enter the highway, putting us in a cheery Christmas mood so we won't get road rage. . . That was as far as I got in my thinking because as I tried to switch lanes in an attempt to stay on the highway until my exit (15 miles down the road) someone else cut me off trying to be faster and cooler than me in my New Old Car.
Monday I thought about writing about "Swimming in Mud" which was how I felt during my first day at work. I tried to read through some manuals, which was pretty useless. So I tried to do what was in the manuals and finally by the end of the day I got one thing done. Thank goodness for some training to take my mind off my uselessness.
Today I got flowers from Hubby. It's our 15th anniversary. He's so sweet! I've been thinking for weeks of sweet things I could write to honor him on our 15th but my mind is blank tonight. Let me tell you he is the sweetest guy I ever found. He treats me like Gold and never complains about me despite my many faults (and let me tell you, there is no shortage of faults in my arena). I am so lucky to have someone so wonderful.
Tomorrow is Middle Child's birthday. I already told you about the Nintendo DS fiasco. So now I have no presents for him. I guess tomorrow I will be going shopping on my lunch break for a DS game. I've put off his friend birthday till the end of the month. This way he will have time to reconnect with friends at school and invite them to his party and I will have time to shop for a present!
Hopefully next post, whenever that is, will be much more entertaining!
Last night was my first night using the metering system to get on the highway. I was gonna call it "Christmas on the Highway." I was gonna write about how the pretty lights greet us as we enter the highway, putting us in a cheery Christmas mood so we won't get road rage. . . That was as far as I got in my thinking because as I tried to switch lanes in an attempt to stay on the highway until my exit (15 miles down the road) someone else cut me off trying to be faster and cooler than me in my New Old Car.
Monday I thought about writing about "Swimming in Mud" which was how I felt during my first day at work. I tried to read through some manuals, which was pretty useless. So I tried to do what was in the manuals and finally by the end of the day I got one thing done. Thank goodness for some training to take my mind off my uselessness.
Today I got flowers from Hubby. It's our 15th anniversary. He's so sweet! I've been thinking for weeks of sweet things I could write to honor him on our 15th but my mind is blank tonight. Let me tell you he is the sweetest guy I ever found. He treats me like Gold and never complains about me despite my many faults (and let me tell you, there is no shortage of faults in my arena). I am so lucky to have someone so wonderful.
Tomorrow is Middle Child's birthday. I already told you about the Nintendo DS fiasco. So now I have no presents for him. I guess tomorrow I will be going shopping on my lunch break for a DS game. I've put off his friend birthday till the end of the month. This way he will have time to reconnect with friends at school and invite them to his party and I will have time to shop for a present!
Hopefully next post, whenever that is, will be much more entertaining!
8.08.2008
The Force
A lot of my blogs tend to be about things Baby has done. We do not favor him over the other two, he is just at that stage. When the other two were that age they were really funny also. I just wasn't blogging yet. Here's a story about Middle Child when he was Baby's age.
Middle Child loves Star Wars. His favorite character is Darth Vader. He wants to be like him. He even has a t-shirt that says 'I Belong to the Dark Side.' He wears it under his unbuttoned Cub Scout shirt. He has a General Grevious Light Saber that he hides under his bed. When asked about his obsession with the Dark Side he explained that they can make people do things they don't want to do. We explained the difference between using The Force for good and evil and he didn't care. I think being in the middle he wanted to make First Born do stuff he didn't want to do.
In Sunday School Middle Child told his classmates that he had The Force and could make them move. They didn't believe him and he decided to prove his power. He licked the palm of his hand, held it in front of one of the girl's faces, and moved it closer and closer to her. As she backed up he exclaimed, "I have The Force!"
Middle Child loves Star Wars. His favorite character is Darth Vader. He wants to be like him. He even has a t-shirt that says 'I Belong to the Dark Side.' He wears it under his unbuttoned Cub Scout shirt. He has a General Grevious Light Saber that he hides under his bed. When asked about his obsession with the Dark Side he explained that they can make people do things they don't want to do. We explained the difference between using The Force for good and evil and he didn't care. I think being in the middle he wanted to make First Born do stuff he didn't want to do.
In Sunday School Middle Child told his classmates that he had The Force and could make them move. They didn't believe him and he decided to prove his power. He licked the palm of his hand, held it in front of one of the girl's faces, and moved it closer and closer to her. As she backed up he exclaimed, "I have The Force!"
Teacher Warnings
Baby found out his two best friends are in his 2nd grade class this year. He is so excited! He even wrote a note to his teachers.
Warning. Do not let me sit by Z or K. We will talk. In the morning. And afternoon.
If only all kids were so honest!
Warning. Do not let me sit by Z or K. We will talk. In the morning. And afternoon.
If only all kids were so honest!
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