May 30, 2008 @ 06:40

Sheeped largely from my reading of officially my favorite blogger.  Rude Cactus.  Funny and thoughtful every day . . .  How does he do that?  Oh, hmm, guess it’s 23 things then . . . 

1.  The call waiting feature on my phone.  Oh, who am I kidding, my whole phone.  I’ve got the chocolate phone.  It apparently does a thousand useful things.  I bought it because it was a very pretty red.  And I still can’t answer an incoming call when I’m on another call. 

2.   The Hummer.  Are you living a double life?  Does Chuck Norris have nothing on you?  Do you have a bat cave?  No?  I didn’t think so.  Get a reasonable car. 

3.  Personal property taxes. Loathe it in concept and excecution. Every year I am “supposed” to figure out how to assess now to pay next year and pay in October this year’s taxes for tags that renew in June and oh crap next week is June and go to three different offices to accomplish all of these things in order to maintain the priveledge of driving a car that I must insure to the high heavens in case some day I lose my mind and hit an Aston Martin being driven by someone with a bad neck and do you have proof of that while you’re at it. 

4.  Why some countries drive on the left side of the road and others drive on the right.  Why is that? 

5.  Clothing for dogs. 

6.  Politics in general make me want to weep for my country.  This year is particularly worse because it’s like those dreams where your running and running but can’t get away.  Trying to reach the shore but just can’t swim any closer, the shore keeps receding.  And I’m not being sympathetic to Hillary here.  I mean for the nation as a whole.  It feels like we’re so close to real changes, but it’s getting bogged down already in politics as usual.  You know that old joke about all the lawyers at the bottom of the ocean being a good start . . .  I’d rather we just started with all the abominably selfish people.  It’d be great!  Politics would become about serving your fellow man instead of yourself.  And there are so many of them.  Selfish monsters I mean.  It’d be that happy medium between now and the world in I Am Legend.  Don’t lie, at some point in the quiet parts you thought . . .  “NICE!”  Think how much better the lines at amusement parks would be . . .  awesome.  

7.  Any other language.  I should fix that . . . 

8.  The music careers of three quarters of all Top 40 artists in America today . . .  maybe more than that . . .  This is not a new thing for me.  I mean seriously, let’s go back a bit, can you name one single song by Jessica Simpson?  Yeah, didn’t think so. 

9.  Office politics. 

10.  Being the other woman.  Ridiculously optimistic, no? 

11.  Beans on toast. 

12.  Pork rinds.  The ultimate un-euphemistic food name.  Couldn’t they call them piggy crisps or something?  Pork rind is just too graphically accurate . . .  A friend of mine, who shall remain nameless, once made her stay on the protien diet last a little bit longer with pork rind nachos.  Oh, the pain . . . 

13.  My fairly great record on matchmaking’s inability to translate into taking my own dating advice. 

14.  People who do not like chocolate.  This confuses me . . .  and frightens me just a little . . . 

15.  Algebra

16.  The thong.  Why, oh why? 

17.  Plain vanilla wedding cakes when your favorite is the Carmen Miranda.  Never worry about pleasing everybody on your wedding day.  Make it special for you.  My wedding cake was Mandarin Orange.  And I have not a single clue whether it was hit or not.  I loved it.  If vanilla is your ultimate favorite, then go forth, please do.  But don’t do it for the sake of compromise. 

18.  Too pretty to eat.  Uh, no . . . 

19.  Closely related to #18 . . .  Too rich . . .  pansies . . . 

20.  Fashion dolls.  These are found on what we refer to as the prostitute starter kit aisle in the toy store . . .  you know, Barbie, Bratz, etc.  What’s the boy’s toy equivalent of this?  And I mean the equivalent self esteem saboteur or future dream underminer.  I confess, I can’t think of one.  Can you? 

21.  Snooze buttons that do are not adjustable.  That’s just mean. 

22.  Why every weekend can’t be a three day weekend. 

Enjoy the two we’ve got anyway, loves, see you in a couple of days . . . 

p.s. We all know I don’t really want to dump anybody to the bottom of the ocean, right?  That would make me one of them . . . 

May 29, 2008 @ 22:47

Just a quick cake do-over . . .  from the posts that were lost last month . . . 

Pretty generic fundraiser dinner cake . . . 

The Razorback Birthday . . . 

And the my cake is bigger than your cake Four Tiered Birthday cake.  This was for the brothers that had spent the last couple of years one upping each other on the birthday cakes.  I was thinking that if I could just get the phone number of the brother I could totally play both sides and make a killin’!  “No, really, he’s getting a life sized eight point buck in triple chocolate mousse cake.” 

May 29, 2008 @ 18:10

Well, the honeymoon had to end sometime, didn’t it?  *sigh*  Today I got into, pardon me, a pissing match at work.  I thought I was trying to maintain a boundary that gets crossed often.  But as I was missing a piece of information on our end of things.  So I was just creating an unnecessary problem.  End result?  I was wrong and ended up looking stupid and worse, unprofessional.  Dammit . . .  I am not happy.  But I’ll tell you what I did immediately upon finding out that crucial piece of information.  I sent the email saying “I was wrong.”  Will this end the situation?  Doubt it. 

The worst part?  This should be a non-issue.  I know every office has it’s own little dramas playing out.  But come on people?  Passive aggression is for losers. 

May 25, 2008 @ 23:03

Today we held Puppy’s official birthday party.  On his actual birthday we sent Bob the Builder cupcakes and juice boxes to school.  Today we had friends and family over for hot dogs and cake and ice cream and would have had watermelon, too.  But in my last minute hide that cleaning I accidentally misplaced the watermelon.  No . . .  really . . .  I found it just before bed tonight as I was putting some party things away, sitting inside a plastic bin on top of the washing machine.  This is proof that I need a vacation.  Puppy was exceptionally good today.  We are on a streak.  He gets more and more patient every day.  We should all be able to say the same.  He tolerated our fussing over him for as long as he could stand it . . . 

Hmmm, Annie seems to be ready to move on, too.  Then we had our Word World cake . . . 

 . . .  and opened presents.  Which included to biggest play tent I’ve ever seen!  Thank you race fans! 

Yes, that is in fact filling our entire freakin’ dining room .  . . 

This was a very nice end to a very nice week.  On Friday, we had our IEP meeting with the Special Education team for his school district.  I was very nervous about it.  I have been preparing for all the possibilities that I could prepare for.  But Friday?  Oh, I wasn’t really prepared for that.  They raved.  They fussed.  They gushed.  They think he’s adorable . . .  hilarious . . .  brilliant . . .  Thanks.  Me, too.  After all of our mad dash towards the kindergarten finish line, trying to prepare him as best we could, Puppy has done it.  His required skills are off the chart.  His IQ in the gifted range.  His social development, and some special needs, have been identified and are believed to be so manageable that he’ll be starting in a regular class.  He’ll continue speech therapy during the school year.  We have already scheduled speech and occupational therapies to continue throughout the summer months as well.  And I’m now feeling some very real relief.  A weight lifted.  I feel a bit like you do right after a big scare.  Have you ever woken in the middle of the night to an imagined noise?  Those moments just after?  Your adrenaline is still up.  But you’ve hit the lights and are looking around the room and know there’s nothing there.  Heart still racing, feeling giddy with relief.  You know that feeling?  That’s where I am now.  We feel more and more like we can handle it all every day.  That’s definitely something to be thankful for. 

May 25, 2008 @ 22:18

I debated on how to manage the Word World cake.  It’s a bit rough.  I’m not 100% happy with the first version.  But Puppy was.  So . . . 

For those of you who don’t know Word World, here’s what a cake looks like there . . . 

May 23, 2008 @ 17:14

While waiting in the lobby of Puppy’s soon to be elementary school this afternoon, I listened to a teacher leading a quiz game for the lunching kids in the cafeteria.  A couple of other parents were talking to one another in the lobby as well.  The kids were trying to answer the question of whose faces are on Mt. Rushmore.  After quickly naming Washington and Lincoln, the teacher began giving them hints.  “Do you remember the President who had a teddy bear named for him?”  At which point, one of the women in the lobby says to the other, “OH!  Yeah!  Teddy Ruxpin!  I knew that!” 

Oh, sweet baby Jesus . . . 

May 23, 2008 @ 07:03

Just yesterday it seems . . . 

But, look how big you got, sweet boy . . .   

Happy birthday, Puppy!  Mommy and Bear and so many more people that not even you and me together could count, even though you are very very good at that now, love you! 

May 21, 2008 @ 22:22

Tonight I worked a fund raising dinner.  I ended up in the kitchen, helping out with some other volunteers.  I wasn’t sure what I’d end up doing for the evening, so I dressed middle of the road.  In fact, I wore this exact top. 

I got lots of compliments on it early in the day so I was feeling pretty cute.  We had begun sending out the second course of the dinner and I’m working along happily when an older gentleman volunteer that has been very chatty with us (in a good way) leans over and asks me, “How far along are you?” 

I nearly died. 

I looked down at the top that I’d loved so very much all day.  Dammit.  Never again I swear to myself.  This was a risky style.  What was I thinking?  Then I realized, he’s looking at me waiting for my answer.  I’ve been silent long enough that I have to say something.  All I can bring myself to say is, “What?”  As if I hadn’t heard him.  That’ll buy me another 5 seconds or so to regroup. 

“How far along, how many plates do you have left to send out?” 

Oh!  Thank god!  I really like that top . . . 

May 21, 2008 @ 07:06

Last night, Puppy had his preschool graduation.  It was held a local restaurant.  The kind where you buy tokens, you win tickets, and then you trade those tickets in for little plastic things that you take home to use as toy box liner.  It was fantastic.  We spent an hour warming up before the ceremony with games with Bear for guidance and Mom as ATM, as I’m useless at games. 

Then came the big moment . . .  our diploma . . . 

We sang a couple of songs for all the parents . . . 

But eventually, Puppy decided enough was enough and we left . . . 

Ice cream was calling our names.  I will admit that I cried just a tiny bit.  And will probably be subjecting you to the videos later . . . fair warning . . .  : ) 

May 19, 2008 @ 17:46

This morning I woke Puppy and began our usual weekday routine.  One of his regular questions as we put on shoes and pick out breakfast is “where are we going?”  Many of our conversations are repetitive.  He speaks in phrases that are well worn and sure to get a desired response.  Frequently robotic.  Sometimes his speech is completely disconnected from everything that is going on around him.  It may sound strange but these are some of the most unsettling moments.  He’ll repeat v-smile or on-line game instructions to ask for something he wants.  When they are appropriate to the conversation it feels like he’s trying to connect better.  “Mommy, choose the correct color!”, as he points to a piece of candy.  “No, that’s not quite right, choose again.”, if I should offer a banana instead of the chocolate.  All children speak gibberish at times.  They are silly and charming.  But I’ve set myself up as a lookout over his little social self, constantly scanning the horizons, looking for signs and signals.  I cling to every little bit of progress.  And it’s been an incredible last few months.  This morning I got a particularly good one.  As he sat in the middle of my bed, pulling on his socks, he began to ask me a question . . .  but two words in he paused. 

“Mommy, what . . . 

I could see his little eyes dart left and right, could see him searching for the words . . . 

“ . . .  are we . . . 

Another long pause. 

“ . . .  going to do

My god, is that what I think? 

“ . . .  today?” 

Mommy – what – are – we – going – to – do – today?  He grinned as if he knew what he’d just done.  Perfectly.  He’d placed us in time, he’d chosen a future tense.  And he’d done it perfectly.  Not such a big difference maybe, but to me, it was a milestone.  It was the way I was able to watch him search it out.  To look around in his mysterious little mind and find the right answer.  It was beautiful.  I wish I had it on video. 

Happy Monday indeed . . .