Sound Out

I get very few comments on my blog. I'm not complaining. Really, I'm not. I understand you are all so heavily consumed, paralyzed even, with laughter after reading a post that your fingers are not only unable to type, they can't even find the keyboard. This is okay with me. I sympathize with your sudden lack of motor control.

So, here's your chance! If you read this blog, even if you've only read it once, please add a comment to this post just letting me know you're here. That's it! You're under no contractual obligations to ever comment again, unless of course I become super famous from the fabulousness of this blog, at which point I will require your unwavering praise to continue access to my pullitzer-worthy masterpiece!

R-A-T Spells . . .

Well, I’ve discovered a new problem with rats. I didn’t know they could be more aggravating and disgusting than they already are. Apparently, they can chew threw the wires in your car causing extensive and costly damage. Dana and I had heard “something” in our attic for a little while during the winter. We suspected it was some animal who came in to keep warm. Neither one of us really wanted to go into the attic to discover what it was, and we were hoping it would just go away. (Man, we are bad lesbians; at least one of us should be handy and not mind rodents or bugs.) Plus, I hate dealing with traps b/c of the after effect, and we were reluctant to put out poison b/c of the kids and Zoe, and b/c if the rat died somewhere in the house/attic, the stench would have been awful. (We had this when some suspected field mice died in our walls in Wisconsin.) But, we stopped hearing the noises, and never saw any signs of rodents inside the house, so we assumed all was well. After all, rats, sadly, aren’t uncommon in TX, even if your place is spotless (not that our house is spotless, but still, it’s not rat-infested filth). When we went through our garage last week for our garage sale, we noticed several rat droppings, so we had solved the mystery. However, the weather had warmed, and attics and garages get hot quickly, so we assumed our rodent problem had left. Then, a couple days ago we had a “cold” snap, and it appears it has returned.

I went to take Beckett to school today, and the check engine light was on. This didn’t really alarm me, b/c it comes on if I’ve refueled within a week and the weather has abruptly changed in temperature (both of which had happened). This is reportedly “normal.” (side note: the dealership mechanics seem totally unconcerned by this occurrence, despite the manual stating in BOLD ‘do not drive the car.’) But, the “D” for “drive” was also flashing, and I was having trouble accelerating from stop. A quick check with the manual said I could have a transmission problem. So, I drop Beckett of at school, which is on the way to the dealership, then head off to Honda. I figure they’ll tell me it’s some weird malfunctioning warning light thing again. But, no, the guy’s like “uh, we need you to turn off your car,” and they run a diagnostic check. An hour later, clearly with the wrong son at a place full of cars (though, truly, Kyler had a lot of fun playing with the bead toy, playing peek-a-boo with the salesman, who were doing anything but selling cars, and pouring bottled water all over himself and the carpet (nice way to learn he’s developed the skill of unscrewing bottle caps), plus, I got to read up on who might win the presidential election and how the fundamentals of our economy are strong and big sales are expected for Christmas to solve all the problems.

So, after an hour or so, the service rep comes to get me, and says I have a serious problem. It has to do with the R-A-T. Yeah, he spells it out, so I’m thinking he’s giving me an acronym for some car part I’ve never heard of. I say, “R-A-T? Oh, you mean rat!?” “Yes, you had a rat in your engine. I was going to take a picture for you, but I thought I’d just let you look at it yourself.” I’m not sure why he first thought to snap a photo, as I was right inside. Whatever. I’m expecting to see a dead rat melted to my engine block or something horrific like that. But, no, instead I see chewed wires. Almost completely gnawed through so that just a few little copper strands of wire are connecting some kind of wiring contraption to my transmission (yeah, I didn’t just know they connected to the transmission; they had to point that out.) The guy says, “You’d be surprised how often this happens. Several times a month. Do you live in a rural area?” “No. I live here, in the city. The car stays in the garage.” “Oooh, you should get some traps.” Great advice.

Well, as ‘car engine mistaken for rat food’ is not covered under warranty (and why not, I ask? Shouldn’t Honda in some way be liable for manufacturing engine parts that taste yummy to rodents? I mean, seriously, didn’t they see this coming?), I’m told to file an insurance claim. The estimated cost to repair this entire wiring block that runs the transmission is $1300. Because of one *&%#$ rat!! If I’d had even the slightest suspicion that the annoying sounds we heard in our attic could end up costing us $1300 in car repairs, I would have just mustered the courage to lay out some traps. (But, the mechanic said it looked like the chewing was recent, as there are no signs of corrosion. So, it probably happened in the past 2 days when I didn’t drive the van.)

Now we just have to wait for the insurance adjuster to get herself out to the dealership to finish the claim. I’m told she’ll be out there between now and next Wednesday, so it’s good to know they work like the cable company. Meanwhile, the dealership loaned us an Accord that’s oddly the same size as Dana’s Civic.

Tea Party

It must be mentioned. . .I have not blogged in FOREVER. Sorry for that. Really, I am. I'll try to be better. Please believe me. I promise (cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle. . .well, you get the point).



Today, I asked Beckett where something was. The "something" that seemed so critical at the time has inexplicably escaped my mind at the moment. But, trust me, it was something of significant importance (And, remember, I'm trustworthy. I just you made that promise above, afterall.)

Anyways, Beckett told me it was on the table. "Which table?" I asked. "The table in the living room," he answered. "Okay, but which table in the living room? We have four." (Yeah, our living room is SO huge it's sheer vastness prevents me from determining which table this excruciatingly crucial 'something' is sitting on. Really, it's that I'm trying to teach Beckett to be more specific about things and what-not. Teach by example. That's my mantra.) "Mama, it's on the tea table," he declares. "The tea table? What's a tea table?" "Ugh!" He's fed up with me now. "The round table on the rug in the living room!" I know he's thinking, 'man, is my mom dense!' "Do you mean the coffee table?" I ask. "Why would it be a coffee table?" Beckett questions. "There's a teapot on it." Touche

Ice Screams

UPDATE: I wrote this post a week ago but forgot to publish it.

Yesterday we had an "ice storm" and school was cancelled. Dana's office opened 2 hours late and the entire city she works in was shut down until noon. To someone who lived in Wisconsin for almost a decade, this struck me as quite funny. Now, if you're keeping track, I was born and raised in Dallas, so I understand the rare cosmic event that freezing weather is for this neck of the woods. What I don't understand is the mass hysteria it creates and why the city can't prepare or react more efficiently. Now, I'm fully aware that our highway system is essentially a system of open-air bridges which are not commonly built in the North. So, our infrastructure presents a unique hazard in freezing weather. But they still can't seem to take care of the ground-level roads well. We use sand here instead of salt, and I've never been given a good explanation why. Perhaps sand is cheaper, but I've been unable to find numbers showing this. I'm told sand provides better traction, but it doesn't melt the ice. Because of this, the city won't lay sand until after the ice hits, so there's no road preparation for the storm they knew was coming for 2 days. Realizing the sand was doing little good at preventing the hundreds of ice-induced traffic accidents, the city switched to a chemical de-icer later in the day. Now, this has to be more costly than regular old salt. And quite honestly, the "storm" was really a thin sheet of ice covering the roads and making the grass crunchy. By noon, the ice had starting melting from the roof and by 4pm our driveway was no longer our own private skating rink, and the temperature was 45.


So, around noon I decided to go out b/c I figured the stores would be empty. That, and we desperately needed a refill on our asthma inhalers. So, to Target I went. It was fairly empty. People looked at me weirdly for going sans coat, despite the the sweats I was wearing. I mean, it was 45. I picked up the prescription and proceeded to wander the aisles of Target, making a mental list of wants and needs when I had some "disposable" income. When that will be exactly, I'm not quite sure. I really love Target. Anyways, we spent a decent amount of time in the toy car aisle, where Beckett and a man his late 20s looked at cool Hot Wheel cars. I guess I should get used to this vehicle fascination because it seems like it'll never end (if the 20-something guy was any indication). When we finally left the aisle, Beckett screamed that he wanted to go to the train aisle. Now, it was a simple request that would have been easily accommodated. But, the delivery of the request was less than ideal and was not to be rewarded. So, I said "no," which prompted a "cart tantrum" by Beckett. I let it continue as I wandered the aisels I wanted to look at it. Eventually, I mentioned to Beckett that if he just asked me nicely I would have said yes. This followed, "Mama, can we please look at the trains?" in the sweetest little voice you ever did hear. When I turned the corner, there was a woman standing there laughing. She said it was the funniest thing she'd heard all day. She had heard his entire tantrum (and, really, how couldn't you?) and the drastic change of voice. I'm glad she liked my little comedian. We'll see if she still finds it funny after listening to the same "joke" 10 times a day! Once, when Beckett threw a tantrum at the grocery store because I didn't select the "right" shopping cart, the nice old women pointed at that, even though he threw a knock-down, screaming fit up and down every aisle, he consistently said "please." He was loud and defiant, but he was still polite. I never thought of it that way. It gives me a silver lining!

Helpless

Last week, I emailed Proctor and Gamble to ask if they had plans to make one of their HE detergents in a particular scent that currently is only available in the standard detergent. I also mentioned that I thought the current available scent would be more aptly named 'revolting rain' instead of 'renewing rain,' as it added such a stench to our clothes that they are hard to wear. This is what they had to say:

We love to hear suggestions about improving our products or creating new ones; your comments help us decide what we'll do in the future. Be assured, I'm sharing them with the apropriate people in our company.

If you want compensation for an idea, it's important to know P&G can't accept an idea for consideration without a patent or a patent application. Once an idea is patented, the only way to submit it for review is through Connect & Develop on the home page of our website, pg.com. Just click on the Connect & Develop icon near the middle of the page, then Submit Your Innovation.

Hope this is helpful.
P&G Team

No, P&G Team, this was not helpful in the least. I hope the "apropriate people" actually read the email I take the time to write and maybe find it within themselves to answer my question "apropriately." Oh, and I hope they know how to spell "apropriate."

Oates-meal

Pediatrician update: We have found a new pediatrician! He accepts our insurance and he he's on Dallas' top docs list. And, most importantly, he has a huge aquarium and a train in his waiting room. Thank you to the parents of a little girl in Beckett's class for the recommendation!! We've only seen him once, but I liked him much better than the other dr. He agreed that putting tubes in Kyler's ears after only 3 ear infections was unnecessary and too aggressive a treatment. And, he didn't scold me or my children or tell me what other parents are doing wrong. Who thought those would be characteristics we'd look for?

Today, while driving back to the grocery store (yes, I said back. i was one of "those people" who shop and check out only to discover all their payment methods are at home. And to top it off, it was a nightmare shopping trip. We're under a "winter weather advisory," which means it might drop below freezing for half a second. This means every Dallasite must rush to the grocery store to stock up on food for fear they'll be holed up inside their homes. This is not the reason I was there. Monday is my weekly shopping day. If I could have pushed it back a day, I would have, but the kids can't live on rice cakes and honey forever.), I was jammin' to Hall & Oates "Kiss on my List" (only I sang "kiss on my lips" b/c, even though I know it's wrong, that's how I originally sang it, and it's just stuck with me), having a good ol' time while the boys snoozed away in their carseats. Then I remembered a joke I heard on Chelsea Lately the other night about an ambush makeover on the Today show. A mom whose kids were too embarrassed to be seen with her got a great makeover. When her new look was revealed, the kids (all girls of course) were screaming so loudly you couldn't hear Kathie Lee or Hota (now, is that a bad thing, I ask?). Chelsea's joke was that 'yeah, girls, Mom looks cool now, but she's still driving you home in a minivan blasting out Hall & Oates.' I quickly changed the station.

All in all, it really was a good shopping trip. I was able to get $132 of groceries for just $50.54 after coupons and sales, going just $.54 over our weekly grocery budget! And to top it off, the foundation repair guy said the lengthening crack in our hallway is not a result of foundation damage but just signs of the house shifting and the pressure from the a/c duct directly above it. So, I saved roughly $2082 today! (i'm just estimating on the foundation repair cost) I also discovered his (the foundation dude) father-in-law was the chief engineer to design the logistics of building indoor water parks in Wisconsin Dells. Because of him, Midwestern kids can simultaneously shoot down a water slide while watching the snow fall.

Random Musings

Soon I will post something more reflective about the start of the new year and the changes we're making and our goals for the boys (and us), but not today. No, today is more of a buffet post, a samper platter, if you will, of several, somewhat unrelated bits of stuff that don't comprise enough for a full post. But, they're still worth writing about.

• On how technology is changing childhood: I suspect I never picked up a pocket calculator and proceeded to talk on it and then used it to snap a quick picture, declaring "Cheese!". Or, if I did, I'm sure my parents thought my behavior bizarre. When Kyler does this, I think, "He's a genius! He can use a cell phone!"


• On the constitution of syle: I have a large 3-ring binder I use as a household organizer. It's covered in a beige fabric with a chocolate damask print. It's pretty. Beckett looked at it the other day and said, "Wow, Mama, that's beautiful!" I said, "You have style, my man." His response, "BURP!".


• On bathroom privacy: Every parent will tell you bathroom privacy ends once you have kids. Before they're mobile, you bring them into the bathroom with you because you're scared they'll feel abandoned or, at your the most desperate, you just don't to hear them scream. Once they're crawling, you bring them with you so they don't crawl somewhere they shouldn't, like over to that potted plant that's been waiting all day to have its dirt scooped onto the floor. One would expect this practice to end at some point in adolescence, yet I distinctly remember my mom demanding my sister, brother, and I PLEASE leave the bathroom so she could pee in private. We were each much too old for this to be an acceptable practice, but, yet, so accustomed to being there it didn't seem weird. To this day, my mom still leaves the bathroom door open. Now it's a little weird. Old habits die hard. Well, a few days ago, Kyler was pointing out my body parts as I was going to the bathroom - knee, leg, flower (my tatoo on my upper right thigh), hair. Then, he brought me the hair dryer and said, "On." I guess I'm glad he didn't bring a comb. Too many inappropriate puns to mention!


• On Christmas Trees: When I first moved to Wisconsin, I referred to all evergreens as Christmas trees. It struck me as odd that people had Christmas trees planted in their front yards. Now, I understood that such trees where first used as, well, plants, long before people started bringing them indoors, stringing them with lights, and hanging shining baubles on them. But, to a girl from Texas where evergreens don't really grow, every pine or fir tree said "Christmas" to me. I have, apparently, passed on this belief to Kyler. As we were taking a walk through our neighborhood, we happened upon an evergreen in someone's front yard (they do exist as landscaping here, they're just rare). He tugged at a branch and asked, "On?" Because all evergreen trees are Christmas trees, and thus, must have glowing lights on them.

Size Matters, but Not in a Good Way

Sorry for leaving you. I haven't blogged lately because, honestly, I haven't had many funny things to say. Things here are, well, what can I say, not so hot. Among working equal hours as I did in Madison for half the money, and unable to find a different, better-paying job, Dana working much longer hours and, thus, rarely seeing each other, Kyler's refusal to take a normal nap (I'm sorry, but an hour of screaming and 45 min. of sleeping does not count as napping, even if he is in his crib for almost 2 hours) for more than a week, Kyler's insistence to now awake at 5:15 am, Beckett's unwillingness to do anything I ask him without demands that things be done his way, his stock answer "It wasn't me!" whenever he pushes Kyler down or steals his toys, and the breaking of numerous Christmas ornaments (not to mention tree branches), I've taken to locking myself in the bathroom. Literally. It's the only break I get these days, if you can call having one child banging incessantly at each bathroom door chanting "Mama, Mama" a break. I take what I can get.



So, to top things off, we're looking for a new pediatrician. I thought our pediatrician in Dallas was fine the first time we saw her at Kyler's 1 yr. appt. Each subsequent visit, there have been things that have bothered me. We were in love with our pediatrician in Madison, so warming up to a new one is hard. But, I've felt this new doc isn't very nurturing or thorough, and she has an odd way of complimenting your parenting while simultaneously insulting "other parents" of kids in her practice. It leaves me wondering what things she criticizes about us to her other patients. 'You know, I have some moms who refuse to keep their toddler on Zyrtec even though it's working, and I keep telling them to give it to him regardless of symptoms, because you just never know when he'll need it.' (yeah, we're of the mind that if Kyler shows no environmental allergy symptoms, he doesn't need allergy meds. crazy, heh? but I keep getting reprimanded for it) At Kyler's 18 month appt. last week, the doctor actually scolded him for ripping a photo (a very tiny rip) that was part of a patient photo collage attached to a bulletin board. I'm sorry, but if your job requires you to have young children in a room where the only interesting thing to look at is a bunch of kids on the wall and you expect them not to touch it, then perhaps you need some education on child behavior. I'm just sayin'.



At this same appointment, Beckett had to get a Hepatitis A shot (his second this year, as WI doesn't require them). After the appointment, I was told we didn't owe anything because it was a well-visit. Then yesterday, I receive a bill for a $20 copay for Beckett's office visit. Yep, they filed a claim with our insurance company for a nurse walking into a room and sticking a needle in Beckett's thigh for a vaccine that's fully covered by the insurance company. It just didn't seem right to me. Just like I'd been miffed that I had to pay two copays last month when both boys were seen at one appointment that lasted less than 15 minutes. I decided I should call the dr.'s office to see if this was some crazy TX law established to get more money out of consumers, which wouldn't really be all that unlikely. Afterall, in Madison, we always doubled up the boys' appointments, on advice of the clinic, to save a copay. The billing department lady, after explaining to her my question three times, finally says it is a TX regulation. I mentioned that our last doctor didn't charge us this way (not mentioning this was in WI) just to see what she said, so I didn't understand the difference. She then asked, how then I could guarantee my sons' vaccination records were accurate if the office didn't file insurance claims on each one? Well, let's see, they recorded the vaccination information on their medical charts. You know, some people don't have insurance, and, yet, they still get vaccines. Amazing, yes! Plus, our last dr.'s office did file vaccination claims, because those were always covered in full. What they didn't do is file two office visit claims for a single appointment. After a lengthy discussion with much backtracking by the billing lady, I was finally told that's the way their office does things but to disregard the bill. TX law my arse!



So, I embarked on a search for a new pediatrician. There's a local magazine that has a yearly article on Dallas' top docs. I went down the list and started calling. So far, every doc on the list either doesn't accept our insurance or isn't accepting new patients. I have three more to call that are affiliated with the hospital we like. The other docs might be great docs, but they only have privileges with one of the worst hospitals in town. Too many people I know have almost died while being treated there. No, thank you! If those 3 docs turn up cold, I don't know what to do. I've been unable to get referrals. There are just too many doctors in the area to know which one to choose without some whittling down. Afterall, we blindly picked our current pediatrician out of the insurance provider book based on location, and look where that got us.


You would think in a metroplex the size of Dallas-Fort Worth, I'd be able to find a good pediatrician and a decent-paying job. Well, you would be wrong. As much as I love the endless possibilities of a large city, I'm starting to realize the advantages of a smaller one.

What Kind of Dr. is This?!

Yesterday Dana went to the doctor for a ruptured ear drum. Upon her return, Beckett and she had the following conversation:

"Mommy, did you get a lollipop?"

"No, I just had to pee in a cup."

"They didn't have a bathroom?"

I still laugh just thinking about!

Defensive Driving

This morning, Beckett saw a car accident on the news.

He said, "Look at that bad car crash! Is it John McCain?"

"No, it's not John McCain," I answered.

"Oh. Is it because John McCain's a great driver?"

This made me laugh hysterically! I have no idea why Beckett though McCain was driving that car that crashed into two other cars. It seemed awfully metaphoric.

Election Day!

Wow, what a cool night! I have to say, I did not expect the race to be called at 10:30. I thought we were in for a long haul, especially since the networks were shaking in their boots to even say whether either candidate won a state, in fear of a 2000 repeat. It was really quite exciting to watch and actually feel good about the world in the morning! Dana got a bit teary-eyed. I stayed stoic; I don't cry happy tears, not even when my children were born. Don't know why.


I must say, I am very disappointed in the CA Prop. 8 vote (as it's the first time in U.S. history that a right has been taken away by majority vote), though expected, and that Noriega lost the Senate seat to that corrupt bigot, John Cornyn. (It was a close race here in TX) . I was excited to see Obama carried Dallas county by 61%. It made me feel like my vote didn't get lost in the red tsunami that is Texas. He also carried the counties where Houston, San Antonio, and Austin are, which means he carried all the major metropolitan areas.

Beckett's teacher held an election in class today. Apparently, he first voted for McCain. His teacher said she didn't question him, but was surprised given the Obama sticker on my car (his teacher's also an Obama supporter, and we often talk politics when I pick Beckett up). But, she said he then decided to change his vote to "Myrock" Obama. Obama won the 3yr old vote, 7-1! At home, when I'd ask Beckett who he liked, he'd say "John McCain. Wait, is he the blue one?" Then I'd say, "No, that's Obama." "Oh, I mean 'Myrock' Obama," he'd say. This went on most of the night. The next morning, when I told him Obama won, he looked so sad and said, "But my friend will be sad. He likes John McCain." Beckett is blessed with a level of empathy about this I do not possess. I responded, "Well, Mama and Mommy have been sad for 8 years. He'll get used to it."

Boo!

Happy Halloween!!

This was our best Halloween, yet. The first Halloween that we took Beckett trick-or-treating, I spent the entire day sewing his costume with him sitting on my lap and feeling horribly nauseous with a throbbing migraine. (I was pregnant with Kyler.) I finished the costume about 15 minutes before nightfall. Then we proceeded to walk the neighborhood in freezing temperatures. I had to explain to several suspicious candy-givers that when I rang their doorbell with pumpkin in hand that, yes, I did have a child with me, only he was too cold and tired to climb the 24 steps to their house to ring their doorbell. The next year, Kyler was the cutest little ear-infected pea pod. Again, it was freezing. Kyler was so bundled in his stroller no one got to see how cute he was. Since we lived in an apartment, we decided to walk to a nearby neighborhood. It seemed like a good idea, but the walk was about 20 minutes each way and uphill (each way). Oh, and, it was freezing. This year, no one was sick and it was 70 degrees!! Though, I was still sewing Beckett's costume the morning of Halloween. Oh well. One of these years I'll be prepared!



Beckett was upset Kyler wasn't going as an ant. He had a bug theme in mind, I guess. But, we had the scarecrow costume leftover from Beckett. I tried to tell him it was scarecrow's job to keep the ladybugs out of the garden, but he didn't buy it. I guess he's informed that ladybugs are actually beneficial to agriculture. Interestingly, the scarecrow got tons more compliments this time around. We were told by several houses it was the best scarecrow costume of the night. Maybe folks in Wisconsin are just too used to seeing real scarecrows to be impressed with my costume-making skills!


Ladybug, Ladybug fly away home! My mom says I've ruined the nursery rhyme since I informed her that male "ladybugs" have spots and the female ones don't. This is absolutely true and was my best attempt to masculinize Beckett's costume in the eyes of my mom. (Dana and I, of course, did not care. He begged to be a ladybug). My mom's response, "Then how do you know how many children the ladybug has?" Seriously?

The kids had SO MUCH FUN trick-or-treating. Beckett raced to each door while Kyler trekked behind, carrying his pumpkin all by himself. After EVERY house, Beckett would exclaim, "They gave me MORE candy!" with utter astonishment. At one house, there was an odd lady whom I overheard tell the mom in front of us, "No candy for babies" as she reached into the toddler's bag and actually took the candy back. Then she shooed away the mom. I was shocked! The baby looked just slightly younger than Kyler. When it was our turn, the woman asked how old Kyler was. I exaggerated and said he's almost 2 hoping she'd let him have the candy. He did afterall walk up the walkway carrying his pumpkin all by himself. How can you deny a kid candy?! And just because you "own" the candy, is it really right to discriminate who can receive it? Kyler came home with a full pumpkin of candy, but it's not like we're allowing him to eat it all (the same goes for Beckett). But, even if we were, it's really no business to the person who gave us the candy freely. That woman really irritated me. If I hadn't been in such a darn good mood and had the boys there as witnesses, I probalby would have given her a piece of my mind. Or, maybe I wouldn't have. I did warn the families behind us, though. I felt a little better after that. Oh, and Kyler did get the candy!

Since we live in the neighborhood where my mom grew up, we trick-or-treated at her old house. The current owner let us come inside for a quick tour. It was very cool! It seemed so much smaller than I remember (my mom said the same thing). They had done some odd things to the kitchen, like turned the breakfast nook into a home office with built in cabinets, so there was no kitchen table. But the rest of the kitchen looked identical. It still had the tile floor my grandma had installed in the '80s, and the backsplash, counters, and cabinets were original from 1959 (except the cabinets had been painted white). My mom and I hadn't been in that house since '87 when my grandpa died. I'm really glad we got to see it again. Now, I'm on a mission to tour all my old houses. There were a lot of them. I wonder how the current owners would take that?

As upset as the mean candy lady made me, my good mood was preserved by the Obama pumpkins in the neighborhood. We have some talented and political neighbors. I would have never thought to carve Obama's face or "O" symbol onto a pumpkin (nor do I possess the skills), but I'm sure glad people did. In hindsight, we should have carved a big "W" on our pumpkin instead of a toothy smily face. But, that might have been too scary!

Mad Memory Skills

One of Beckett's favorite pasttimes of late is flipping through the many, many toy catalogs we get in the mail this time of year. Each page has at least one really, really cool toy that he really, really wants for Christmas. And, isn't Christmas in the morning, yet?

This morning he was looking at a Fisher Price catalog, ooing and aahing at all the cars, trucks, and trains he wants to add to his Christmas list (oh, yeah. he's keeping a list). Then I hear him say to Kyler, "Only from Fisher Price. Play, Laugh, Learn.", in near-perfect pitch. Should I be concerned he's watching too much TV?

Cute Kids Have Problems, Too

This afternoon, the boys and I were at CVS (buying, incidentally, 4 Soy Joy bars, 1 mascara, 1 foundation, 3 razors, and a Crest spin brush refill for $.80! yep, that's cents.), when one of the employees began smiling and waving at Kyler and Beckett. This happens everywhere we go. People are suckers for little kids. And in Texas, as opposed to Wisconsin, where approaching strangers and making silly faces at other people's children is not just common practice but a sign of politeness and friendliness (after all, you can't just see kids in a shopping cart and NOT say anything. that would be downright RUDE!), our shopping excursions are typically delayed at least 5 min. to stop and chat with a new acquaintance about these two adorable boys. I am fortunate that my boys are typically well-behaved in public. They relish in others' attention and will flirt, smile, and say silly things to get it. So, this particular CVS incident was nothing unusual and pretty much expected. Except, when the woman said, "Your boys are just too adorable!", and Beckett responded with equal parts exasperation and annoyance, "Why are people ALWAYS saying that?!" The woman just stopped and laughed. Bellowed is more accurate. Then she replied, "Because it's so true." See, Beckett's old enough to remember the days in Wisconsin not so long ago when we could shop uninterrupted, without the joyous gushing over his and his brother's cuteness that's now, at least to Beckett, so painfully predictable and confusing. Now, here in Texas, life is just full of problems. It's hard being cute.

Too Cool for School

Since Beckett started attending school, I've received many comments on what a "neat kid" he is (not picking up the toys from every bucket in the playroom that he's thrown on the floor "neat," but 80s middle school "neat.") His teacher has been impressed with his knowledge of letters, memory, matching skills, and his uncanny ability to connect animals to their primary food source while tracing a winding dotted line. (Apparently, this last skill was quite impressive and can take all school year to master. Yes, my son is a genius at tracing and feeding hungry animals their proper diet). She's often impressed with the connections he makes and astute observations. But he's not just intellectual. Oh, no, Beckett apparently is quite nurturing and empathic. Just ask the little Italian boy in his class who speaks very little English and was so distraught over his mother's leaving him at school that he cried almost the entire 3 hours of class. Beckett was, reportedly, very helpful and assured him his mother would indeed return, and, in the meantime, he could play with Thomas the Tank Engine. And then, there's his conversation skills. The mere fact that he never stops talking means that at some point he will say something truly remarkable. The director says, "we just love having Beckett here," and has remarked on how self-sufficient he is. Now, I acknowledge, she might say that to every parent. But I have to think I was singled out simply because of Beckett's awesomeness.

Is it possible to get an inflated ego because of your offspring? Maybe. But just as you start to pride yourself on wonderful parenting skills and remarkable genes, you watch your son painstakingly attempt to hang his lunch box from his penis, trying again each time it falls (the lunch box, not the penis) crashing to the floor. When you ask him, "Why? Why are you doing that?" he responds both emphatically and casually, "Because my penis is a good hanger." Well there you have it. He is a genius!

I scream. You Scream. We All Scream for Ice Cream!

Last night Beckett's preschool held its annual Ice Cream Social. If you heard Beckett talk about it, you'd think hotwheels made of gold were going to be falling from the sky into tubs of ice cream and sprinkles. He was THAT excited. When he called Grandma to invite her, he was so overwhelmed with anticipatory joy that he shouted the entire conversation while literally bouncing around the coffee table. (this leads me into a question or future blog about why kids contain all the energy but have the least to do. i'm pretty convinced we could solve our energy crisis and global warming by simply harvesting the energy of preschoolers. maybe they could run on a 3 1/2 ft equivalent of a gerbil wheel. we could market it as entertainment to avoid those pesky child labor regulations.) But, back to the party. For a week and a half Beckett asked me how many times he had to go to sleep before his "ice cream party." It actually doubled as a good math lesson. Even his teacher told me how excited he was. Apparently, ice cream and grandparents dominated his conversations at school the past few days.

When Beckett arrived at his party last night, the first things he saw were Nana and Grandpa standing in the playground (they were early; clearly not from my side of the family!). I'm told the smile on Beckett's face was big enough to drive a truck through (and, quite seriously, that act would have made his smile even bigger!) I was not there to witness this raw emotion because I had volunteered to help set up the party. I was assigned the task of cutting strawberries, or, rather, crushing and ripping apart strawberries with some blunt implement I was told was a knife, resembled a knife, but failed to perform the sole function for which a knife is intended. . . cutting. But, the kids seemed happy to load heaping piles of strawberry mush on top of their ice cream sundaes!

There was one (and almost two) casualty at the ice cream party. Beckett's red balloon escaped from the firm grip of his hand (or was voluntarily released) and floated into a ceiling fan where it's string became entangled in the blades, creating a spinning torture chamber. There was nothing for the poor balloon to do but concede to the will and strength of the fan and allow itself to pop. The look of horror on Beckett's face as this tragic accident unfolded and the frantic, concerned pleas to "save the balloon" was enough to make you cry. He was so noticeably distraught that he drew in an audience of sympathizers (other parents and kids). I think prayers might have been uttered, though I can't be sure. We almost had the misfortune to repeat this tragedy when Kyler's yellow balloon (which had been a gift to Nana from Beckett, making it doubly painful) freed itself from its string and floated into yet another ceiling fan. But this balloon learned from his sad, red friend to leave its string behind. That way, it couldn't get tangled in the fan blades. Rather, it floated on the ceiling directly above the fan, where it probably still is this morning. Tragedy averted.

Even with the untimely parting of our trusted red, round friend, the evening was a success.. Ice cream was enjoyed by all (or most; Kyler had jello). Beckett and Kyler got to spend a fun-filled evening with their his grandparents, and Beckett got to show off his sweet little school. Nights like this are why we moved to Texas.

Diaper Update

Sorry for the delay. I realize y'all have been frantically checking my blog for the latest Huggies drama. I sincerely apologize.

I emailed the company complaining about the hike in diaper price and the reduced quantity. They sent me a stack of $1 off coupons. Yippee!! They also sent me an email that attempted to school me on price-setting of merchandise and alerted me to how increased oil costs have impacted diaper production. You see, manufacturers do not "dictate price;" stores set their own price (oh, and diapers are made from petroleum). Really? How stupid do you think I am, Kimberly-Clark? I realize they don't mandate prices, but if they institute an increase in their wholesale price, you bet your pretty pennies the store is going to offset its increased cost by passing it on to the consumer. Come on. We know how the game's played. It doesn't have to be a written rule. But, I do have a handy stack of shiny coupons to use! (seriously, they're holograms)

Home Sweet Home?

Okay, so this post was written last Monday. Only, I needed the picture to make it complete, and I couldn't find the USB cable for the camera. I found it yesterday under the guest bed next to my nephew's Barney doll. Such is life. BTW, it's 90 degrees again.


I'm wondering where I am this week. The past 3 days the high has been barely 80 degrees. It's sunny with a slight breeze. I'm keeping the windows open and have turned off the A/C. On Sunday, I saw a woman wearing jeans and a turtle neck sweater. Last night, with our bedroom window ajar, I actually had to turn off the ceiling fan because Dana and I were too cold. I dressed Kyler in jeans, and he kept tugging at the pants muttering, "uh, uh" as if to say, "what is this strange fabric on my legs, and where'd my knees go?" This morning on the local news, the weather-woman suggested some people in a northern suburb might turn their heat on, as it was just 49 degrees at 6am. I must be in a parallel universe.

Then, I went outside and saw this hanging from my neighbor's house:

Seriously, though. For the first time since we moved back to Texas, I've really been missing our old stomping grounds of Madison. Of course, I've missed my friends since I backed out of Jen's driveway in sub-degree weather at the end of February (though I had a huge smile on my face as I rolled into Dallas the next day into 75 degree sunshine!). But I haven't really missed the city. Now that things have finally started settling down, I've had some time to reflect on what we've left behind. Late summer/early fall is my favorite time of year in WI. The weather's so lovely. Our recent "cold" front (brought on by Hurricane Ike) is reminding me what I loved so much.

That, and the fact that our electricity bill was "only" $219 this month. (Who gets excited about a $200 electric bill you might ask? I do, when last month's bill was $340 and the A/C never went below 80.) My goal is to get below $200 for September. Root me on!

In other news, preschool seems to have sparked a new-found independence in Beckett. Not that he could ever be described as a follower. He's not exactly a maverick (much like McCain), but he certainly has always had his own idea of how things should be done, like pottying requires a full strip-down, not just pulling down his pants.. This goes hand-in-hand with his insistence on how things shouldn't be done, like refusing to dress himself b/c he's "a baby, not a big boy" even though he's fully capable of doing it. Well, here is a list of things Beckett suddenly can/wants to do by himself since starting school:

1) Cut up his own food

2) Put his pajamas on

3) Buckle himself into his carseat

4) Put his shoes away

5) Hang up his backpack

6) Wipe his own butt (how excited am I about this?!! I just might throw myself a party!)

7) Zip his pants up/down

8) Put his underwear back on after pottying

9) Cook his own food

10) Make his bed

Now, the majority of these tasks are not a product of watching other kids at school because most are things not done at school, except maybe for the butt wiping. But just attending school has clearly given him a sense of accomplishment and maturity that's sparking a desire for increased independence. Since I think this newfound desire to do necessary tasks on his own may very well be short-lived, I'm racking my brain for additions to the list so that I can maximize my own rewards. The possibilities are endless! I'm open to suggestions. . .

The boys also have new stats:

Beckett - 40 1/4 in. tall; 36 pounds

Kyler - 32 in. tall (75%); 23 lbs. 6 oz. (49%) (he's grown a foot since birth!); head size, 45% (though, this one's a little iffy. the first time the nurse measured his head, she was concerned that his head had actually shrunk since his 12 mos. appt., which is very, very bad for reasons undisclosed to me, but still, very, very bad. she measured it again, and he was fine. not sure how much I can trust these #s!)

Soggy Deals

This post will be a little different than usual, but I felt I must share my dismay with my shopping trip today.

I went to Target today to buy diapers and got quite a shock. The diapers I've been buying for 3 1/2 years have suddenly shrunk in package size AND increased in price! Two months ago, I bought a box of Huggies Supremes that came with 76 diapers (I think) for $19.99. This is actually $1.50 more than I could buy them for in Wisconsin (plus a 3% sales tax increase), so I was already in an adjustment period to my increased diaper cost. Today, the largest size box only contained 64 diapers, and it was ON SALE for $21 (reg. price: $21.99. HUGE sale. Thanks, Target, for the help.) I saw no sign or empty shelf space for the larger sized box. Nope. My diapers had been downsized and their cost upsized. Darn this economy that may or may not be a recession!

Since we primarily use cloth diapers, a box of 76 diapers lasts us close to 2 months, so our diaper expense has been relatively low. This is how I've been able to afford the Supremes, which seem to be cut a little more baby-butt-friendly, instead of the regular Huggies. I may soon be rethinking this. Man, this irks me! Fundamentally, I know why Huggies would do this. But, gosh, I hate being screwed by companies who essentially have your hands tied to their products. I realize there are other diaper brands out there, but I really like my Huggies. A few months back, I veered off-track and bought a close-out special of Pampers Baby-Dry (136 diapers for $17.99!), which should be renamed Pampers "Sheets-Wet" b/c almost every morning Kyler awoke in pee-soaked sheets. The diapers actually leaked through the absorbant "fabric" or whatever it is diapers are made of, not out of the sides where all other diapers seem to leak. This not only created wet sheets and pjs but also a soggy diaper inside and out. It was like he was wearing a wet sponge. Weird.

So, what did I do? I'm sure the suspense is killing you. . . I bought the diapers. Actually, I bought 2 boxes. No, I haven't gone crazy or fallen into some money-wasting parallel universe. By buying 2 boxes of these riduculously priced diapers, Target gave me a $5 gift card. Plus, I used a $1.50 coupon. So, instead of $42, I essentially got 128 diapers for $35.50, which, if your math skills are wicked sharp, is more than twice what I paid for the Pampers, per diaper. But, the Supremes never leak, so I'm saving in laundry costs, and I go through the diapers more slowly (b/c they're more absorbant). This price gouging; however, will shift my diapering habits. Kyler will now only be wearing disposables to bed and on long trips.

The Sounds of Silence

Today was Beckett's first day of preschool. He had been talking about it since Tuesday, when he visited the school for the first time and met his teacher and classmates. He had fun, and it left an impression on him, and he couldn't wait to go back. He actually woke up early today, eager to make his bed, eat breakfast, brush his teeth, and get dressed. We could be on to something here!

He managed to sneak my camera into his bag and snapped photos all the way to preschool. I'll be sure to post some soon.

I dropped him off without incident. He quickly found Thomas the train to play with, so he didn't need me anymore. He told me he'd see me later.

When Kyler and I got home, I decided I'd use the time to clean the kitchen and family room, which somehow looked like the storms from Gustav actually had hit Dallas like the weather reports (incorrectly) predicted. I gave Kyler some toys that he never gets to play with (mostly cars and trucks that Beckett keeps to himself) and went to work. Kyler bored with the toys quickly and chose, rather, to run laps through the kitchen, dining/living room and family room. So, about every minute and a half I'd see him waddle by muttering "ball" or "mama." And then, I realized, that was the only sound in the house. I stopped for a second to relish the quiet. Kyler, who talks a lot for 15 mos., isn't really a loud child. I never knew this! I know Beckett makes a lot of noise, but I never understood how much he contributes to the air waves until today. And it's not just talking, though he talks A LOT. It's noise. . . running footsteps, hands slapping, cars racing and crashing. Just lots of noise.

About a month ago, some friends stayed the night with their 3 yr. old daughter. She (the mom, not the daughter) remarked on how much energy Beckett has (which, by default, contributes to his noisiness). I remember thinking to myself, "really? don't all 3 yr. olds run and jump endlessly around the house?" I remember back to our playgroup in WI, and Beckett seemed to have no more or less energy than the other boys so, despite the trappings of my sociological background, maybe it's a boy thing. Nevertheless, I discovered today energy does not equal mc-squared (okay, i can't figure out how to type exponents!), it equals NOISE.

When I picked Beckett up from preschool, his teacher commented that he did "very well." She also said he's "very gregarious" and talked "the entire 3 hours!" She said "he just had a lot to say." Like his Mama, Beckett talks non-stop. Only, I'm not so sure I fully understood what that meant until I didn't have it. Funny thing is, I missed our conversations, even if they are about flat tires and broken headlights. They say "silence is golden," which, quite honestly, I never have understood. There's just too much to learn from noise. (To be clear, I didn't miss the screams that come from not getting his way. I'm not that sentimental! Or crazy!).

Next Tueday, his class is taking a field trip to the library. Please, oh please, let him learn to whisper!