Lori's public service announcement

This very well may be TMI for some of you, so be forewarned.

I am very much a glass-half-full kind of a girl. I typically have a positive outlook, and don't get too rattled about the small stuff. So after a recent mammogram found that I required "further testing", I was mostly able to tell myself that lots of tests require further testing due to technician error, machine inconsistencies, full moons, etc, etc.

A second mammogram with different views and an ultrasound, found that the mass was just a cyst. However, in the 10 minutes of staring at the ultrasound screen, watching the technician locate (easily locate) and measure what very obviously was not supposed to be there, I must admit to being quite...humbled? scared? breathless? ("Stop holding your breath you ninny. If you pass out on the ultrasound table, they are going to think something is REALLY wrong and require even more testing." )

So without being preachy, ladies...make sure you get your annual screenings and tests, and whatever else your doctor recommends, cuz there's nothing quite like knowing for certain that it's NOT cancer.

Becoming a mom

I think becoming a mom actually happens in stages. Obviously the first stage is to have the baby. (And as I have not adopted, I refer to having the baby, but I can only guess bringing any baby home for the first time feels the same.) Obviously, that's a pretty big stage, full of joy, uncertainty, awe, undreamed of feelings of protectiveness, fear --are they really sending this helpless little thing home with me WITHOUT A MANUAL?? "Wait, am I really a MOM?" "Do I have the knowledge to be a mom?" "I don't feel like a mom yet, I still feel like I'm playing at being a mom." The stage lasts for a few weeks and there are varying levels of all of those sensations, sometimes all within the same hour! Kind of reminded me of how I felt upon becoming a PT except on a much grander scale. You practice techniques with someone looking over your shoulder, graduate, complete your internships under pretty close supervision, get the license in the mail after taking the exam, and boom, you're set loose on the world of...pick your poison, pediatrics, geriatrics, orthopedics, neurology... But I digress.

Anyway, after you bring the baby home, you go through the stage of "playing dolls", dressing the baby in all the cute new outfits you've bought/received, so you can show the baby off when people come to visit. Changing the baby each and every time ANY spit up lands on one of those beautiful new outfits. Bringing 6 outfit changes for a photo session. Spending 15 minutes before you leave the house checking and double checking that you have diapers, wipes, blankets, spare clothes, burp rags, binkies, the pediatrician's phone number.

After a few months the stage of "seasoned mom" hits. You're feeling like quite the expert on your child and don't call your friends or pediatrician or mom each time the baby (insert appropriate item here; sneezes, cries, gets a rash, projectile vomits, etc). You set up play dates and compare notes on diapers, doctors, discipline strategies and feel quite worthy of the title "mom".

Then you have a second child and it's the "old hat" stage, and you feel a bit smug in knowing that you at least have a vague idea of what to expect, even though each child can be as different as night and day. There are a few bumps in the road (COLIC?? No one warned me about colic.) but overall life goes on fairly smoothly.

All of a sudden you are sending your oldest child off to school, and the "where did the time go" stage hits. Did I spend enough quality time with my child? Did we stay in our pajamas and play dolls or cars or dinosaurs often enough or did I rush them off to dance class or karate or piano lessons or the babysitter's too often? Did I properly prepare them for making friends, learning, being on their own in the big bad world where I can't protect them any longer? (Ok, some of us think we can protect them forever, and get frustrated with the world for not allowing that. I know, I know! I'm working on that.)

Anyway, I was feeling like my "stages" were at bay for a bit, at least until we hit "teenage angst". Until I took my 3 kids, and a friend of the oldest to a play last night, which required a 45 minute car ride due to traffic. I now realize I am in the "background" stage. I am just the chauffeur. I blend in like the curtains or the paint on the walls. As I drove listening to the radio and the chit chat in the back of the minivan (did I forget to mention you in all likelihood will go through the "mom car" stage even if you say you will never drive one? It may not be a minivan, but it will be a big, safe, covered in cracker crumbs, has all the necessities for a kid, "mom car" nonetheless) I realized that my opinion of anything at that exact moment in time, did not matter. There was a collective gasp and an excited "turn it up" when Lady Gaga's "Telephone" came on. I flipped the station when a commercial came on and heard "HEY! put it back on JAMS." I pointed out the things that used to excite the kids "We're near the airport-look there's a plane taking off." or "There's that funny billboard." and got a halfhearted "hmm" or "yah, I see" in reply. I looked in the rear view mirror only to hear the girls sighing over Justin Beiber, and to see them excitedly watching a music video on the "I-Touch" the friend had brought along. (And I wondered where they got their karaoke dance moves since I never allowed them to watch music videos. Hah! A 10 year old with an "I-Touch", who knew?) We ate dinner at "The Rain Forest Cafe" before the show, and they ran off together, leaving me to man the table and wait for the drinks, while they marveled at the animated leopard, elephants, crocodiles, and gorillas--one of which had boobs as my 4 year old pointed out.

When we got to the show, the staircase walls were lined with head shots of each of the performers, and they bolted up the stairs excitedly pointing out which student they thought would be playing which part, leaving me to pick up the dropped coats, and hold the cameras. As we sat in the seats waiting for the production to start, they excitedly talked amongst themselves about who their favorite character was, or which song was their favorite. It was a great show; kudos to the students at Marcos de Nizo High School for all their hard work. The kids LOVED it and couldn't wait to meet the performers afterward. And they did all thank me, over and over, for bringing them. (small self-pat on the back, and one for J's mom too, for teaching good manners!)

I had a good time, enjoyed the show and enjoyed watching the excitement of all the kids as they watched the show/met the performers. I guess I just thought that I would need to push them away when it was time for them to grow up and separate, but I haven't pushed yet, and it seems it has already happened. So now one of my ultra supportive friends is going to hug me and tell me that's why we do what we do, right? We're supposed to be pushing our kids to be strong and independent, and then we're happy that they are... Right?

Like father...and mother, like daughter

Watching sporting events in this household tends to be a boisterous affair.

"WHO were you throwing that to???"
"Are you BLIND? He was out of bounds."
"Pass interference, pass interference, PASS INTERFERENCE!!!!" (all during a Cardinals game)

"Are you KIDDING ME? How do you miss that??"
"Somebody get open!"
"Get the rebound!" (during a Huskies game)

"SHOOT THE PUCK!"
"Get in front of the net!"
"aarrggghhh." (during a Coyotes game)


So it shouldn't have been at all surprising when, during the USA/Canada hockey game, after Canada scored again and Dennis, Gabrielle, Tyler and I all groaned in unison, Evie who was not even watching the game, turned around and yelled at the TV, "YOU PUCKHEADS!"

How Is This Fair??

So... I quiz the kids at the dinner table on different things depending on what they are learning at school. (multiplication facts, spelling words, etc.) Please note that these are things they ARE LEARNING/HAVE STUDIED. So tonight they decided to turn the tables and to play a game called "Stump Mom". My questions included:

• How many times has Peyton Manning been voted to the Pro Bowl? (9. Their reference book was published before this year's selection. At this exact moment the answer is 10. Reasonable question; we're a football family. I guessed 8)


• What is Taylor Swift's middle name? (Alison. Gee, out of the million possibilities, I have no idea how I missed this)


• Where is the habitat for the White Tailed Eagle? (Asia. Have you ever heard of a White Tailed Eagle??)


• How many muscles are in an elephants trunk? (between 40,000-100,000 depending on which source you believe. Gabrielle told me 100,000 was the answer after I guessed 35, and I didn't believe her, so we googled it and got answers between 40,000-100,000)


• What year was Jeff Gordon voted the Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year? (1993. GOT THIS ONE, and I am not a huge racing fan!)


• How long can a tiger's tail grow to be? (3-4 feet. TWO RIGHT!)


• Which eagle other than the Bald Eagle has a white head and tail? (Madagascar Fish Eagle. Are you making that name up?)


• How many Grammy awards did Beyonce win in 2004? (5)

I think I might have to challenge them to a game of Boggle to regain my standing!

Learning the food chain

Me: "Oh! Guys, look! There's a falcon in our back yard!"
G and T: "No sir. That's not a falcon."
Me: "Yes it is, see how the beak is bigger and curved, and the legs" ...interrupted by G
G: "Why is it standing on that dove?"
Me: "That's not a dove, that's my sundial."
G: "The falcon is plucking feathers from your sundial."
G and T: "EWWWW, mom, it's still moving. MOM, IT'S STILL ALIVE. DO SOMETHING."
Me, running to the door: "I, um, maybe..."

Slam goes the door! The falcon flies away, carrying the dove with it. The kids are dejected and grossed out. So much for our birdwatching!

Just a Few of the Reasons I'm Thankful

I know it's a little early for a "Thanksgiving" post, but as I just said goodbye to my parents this morning before their trip back to Connecticut after a two week visit, I am feeling a bit melancholy and this is where it led... I am thankful for:

• my wonderful parents who continue to make the long trip out to visit us even though they HATE plane travel. My dad's back is often just getting better when it is time to get back on that cramped airplane and torture himself for all those hours again. And my mom seems to be sat next to someone coughing and hacking on the plane and ends up sick almost every time. (Fingers crossed-not this time!)


• my wonderful kids who continue to get SOOO excited that Grammy and Grampa are coming, and wanting to spend all the time they can with them while they are here.


• my wonderful husband who knows just how important extended family is to his wife, and puts up with the chaos and disruption of typical household life during visits (including his wife prioritizing everything else but him during these visits), and weeks long absences during the summer when I pick up and take the kids back east for more "extended family" visits.


• my wonderful friends, for WAY too many reasons to list, but including last minute drop off/pick up of kids to various places, scheduled drop off and pick up of kids to various places, last minute babysitting, always being available to listen to whatever I am rambling about at the moment, making my family feel welcome by putting together an amazing breakfast "party", agreeing with some of my hairbrained ideas, and then helping me to make them work :) ,picking me up when I am beating myself up for ohhh, any number of reasons...


• football season


• my oldest daughter who wants so badly to grow up, and so badly to be a kid.


• my son who is as thoughtful and giving as they come.


• my youngest daughter who is so full of life and energy and mischief.


• my sisters and brothers who make it a priority to come out and spend time with my kids even though they could be traveling for a "real" vacation. And put up with being put to work out here to boot! (I agreed to do blah, blah, blah, could you help?)


• poker


• my husband again, for getting angry that I overextend myself, but still helping me climb out of whatever hole I have dug myself into.

There is a whole lot more that I am thankful for in my life, but these things came to mind in just the few seconds that I was thinking about it. So, thanks, and I love you guys!

grocery list

I had just walked in from a run first thing this morning, and Tyler asked if I had bought apple juice (I hadn't). I debated running straight to the store right then before I hopped in the shower, but decided I was going to need a few things, and would rather shower and make a list. Tyler asked if he could make the list, so I said "sure". Here it is just as he wrote it...


juice
strawberries
lucky charms
frosted flakes
ritz
cheese nips
popcicles
monsters vs alians dvid
vinnilla ice cream
clondike bars
pretzels
Gatorade
ice cream sandwich

Glad he doesn't do the shopping!!