If Louie did chocolate....

Edible LV. Gotta love that cake!! Happy 13th!!

A bead in the ear is worth.....6 hrs and $14.50 in parking fees.

Not long before Joe's infamous but unintended "Golf Club Experiment" (which can be seen below) he had another run-in with the medical world in a whole new way.

About 2 weeks prior, the boys got "busted" (ratted out) making a little "trouble" in the backyard doing something that...from what Cuzin' Jimmy tells me..."is just what little boys do". They were promptly sent to their room. (I predict that most things that Jimmy says are "not so strange" will land them in some type of punishment or correctional facility. ;o)

Bryan comes out within MAYBE 2 minutes and says "Uh, Mom...you should check Joe cuz I can't see the bead anymore...it disappeared around the bend."

(Use your imagination for my response...which did include an electrolux and string of comments about his state of mind). Of COURSE it is 4:50 on Wednesday, so I call the pediatrician to try and get him in, and explain the situation. "No problem, come on down...happens all the time. No sweat." Great. 2 Dr's later, it's still lodged, and we're headed home....bead still in his head, and a note in my purse about seeing the Ear, Nose and Throat specialists at Childrens in Boston the next day. (no sweat, right?) We go, have an appt at noon, and figure if he's GOOD, we'll get pizza on the way home. Joe was GREAT, until it was becoming increasinly more painful while they worked on it, until they finally had ENT Dr's (yes, 2, plus 2 more nurses and myself trying to hold him down once they have shoved it FURTHER in so now it KILLS and is leaning hard on his eardrum and bleeding slightly, they determine that the risk is no longer worth it, and he's better off being put under and having it removed in an OR in Children's....so please head over, and wait 6 hrs because he can't have eaten for 8.

After all the waiting, and little Joe-man waiting in his hospital stuff and me donning my OR dressing to my toes, we enter the OR and Joe plainly says to the anesthesiologist "I am not putting that mask on my face". The guy debates with Joe for a few, and finally CAVES to the calm, quiet pressure of a 6 year old, and makes a deal that we'll try it, and if we can't get it, then we have to try the mask (I'm thinkin, OK Kid....shot or mask...you pick). Joe turns his head, the Dr leans over with a magnifying scope, and easily and simply raises the stupid SMILING bead out of the ear - yes, smiley-face bead, a giant "I told you so" GRIN - and Joe thanks everyone for thier time and the board game and the private TV in PreOp, and walks directly out of the room and down the hall. Seriously??? Follow that with his story of going in to get his head stitched 2 weeks later, and saying "Uh, no, I am not getting stitches". The Dr THERE recommends stitches over the glue after looking at it, and he again, calmly and quietly states that there "will be no stitches" and she agrees that glue is worth a shot. (WHAT???? But didn't you just say.....and you know he's SIX, right....???).

I should have him go into work and talk to my boss about a raise I guess....who DOES that and gets away with it?? Joe....who, I'm afraid one day, might find out that it won't always work....but probably not before it does 100 more times.

Then they send me home with this cocky kid who thinks he can run an OR and an ER to be his "mother". No really, Joe...I'm the boss. Really.

Whose life flashes before your eyes when you watch your CHILD almost die??

The short version: we came indescribably close to Kathryn being hit by a car yesterday, very seriously...hard, and fast. The tires screached as the car pitched forward as cars do when brakes are slammed. It wasn't Kathryn's fault AT ALL, but it sure was upsetting. She was in tears by the other side of the street after shouting "I'm ok!!" in the road, like she was telling herself more than anyone else. The guys all came out of the gas station to see if she was ok, after watching the very near-miss. Hours later, she was looking at me... big, beautiful eyes blinking up at me- with the natural rhythm that I'm sure they always do, but somehow appearing to be awesome today- and I knew she was talking, but wasn't hearing her. All I could see was the wonderful fluidity in which her long dark eyelashes swooshed up and down without effort and with such perfect motion. She was laughing out loud at her own chatter, but steadily holding my gaze. Her eyes twinkled with a big smile in them. She has a great smile, but I'm not sure if I like it better when her mouth or eyes smile.

I get this numb/sick feeling if I think about it. I'm trying hard not to. But, even while trying NOT to, I get this itsy-bitsy, teeny fragment of a flash of what she might have looked like last night if....IF.... when those eyes wouldn't have been smiling. Maybe they would have massive swelling, or road rash, or stitches...or be lifeless. She's always been a pretty little girl to me, with enormous spunk and energy and charisma, but today she's even prettier than usual....what a pretty color her eyes are, i keep noticing. What lovely skin she has. Beautiful teeth. I love them just where they are. We waited SO long for those adult front teeth to finally come in. When it happened, we had been leaving CCD. It was the 20th anniversary of Mom's father's death (TWENTY YEARS??? That's a WHOLE other realization) and I was aware of it all day. Maybe I just WANT to think it was him who popped that car to a stop. Or her feet. Maybe that just makes me feel better. Maybe I named my youngest baby after him to make sure I always felt close. Maybe. She is a BEAUTIFUL girl.....especially today. What a face on that child. She's just beautiful.
So, whose life flashed before MY eyes in that split second? For now, we still live one life. She's an extension of me. She's my littlest girl. And for now...whether it "should be" the case or not, it was our life that flashed. Ours. If she'd been seriously injured or killed, I would have been too. At least, the me I know, anyway.

We're moving??????? OCT 15, '06. Holy crap.

I'm not sure WHY I am surprised, but I guess I am still fumbling with knowing what the hell to do to get it in order, as well as being petrified that something is going to come along and WHACK me back to reality. Nothing ever goes this smoothly. Ever. This is going to make my life so much HARDER in so many ways...yet more "the norm" in others. I spent today packing (if you can call it that) and walking down memory lane. I had started with books, moved on to some drawers, then to some photo albums and a stroll down memory lane with the loose pictures. I found myself looking at images of my grandparents as kids, or with thier siblings, or pictures of mom with me, or my sibs. I guess it felt like they were giving me a "nod" like "it's okay", and I believe it is....

So why is my heart in the pit of my stomache as well as SOARING at the same time???? Ugh.....I want to be sure this is right. I guess you never know until after you've done it... Fingers crossed!! ~L

Gee Grammy...

Taking Joe to a friend's house one day, we got into the closed-up car and noticed a decidedly gamey odor, like a bad sandwich had been baking in the back window all day. As I tried to id the source of the smell, Joe climbed in and casually commented,

"Smells like a wet hyena in here."

Does this bad boy look like a Wet Hyena?

Wwwhhhaaattt was that?

Another "quiet day" with the crew....

Today really should have been "easy enough".

Kath had to be at practice at 5. Bryan had to be dressed by then for football. Maddie had a cookout to be at, also at 5 - near cheerleading - with a bag of chips. Sounds remarkably do-able right?

4:45 Bryan not totally dressed. Now we're leaving a little late. That's ok. I can deal.
4:50 Leave the house.
4:54 No cash, no time to go buy chips.
5:02 Drop Kathryn and drive BACK to the center of town for chips.
5:10 Maddie is still counting quarters and other change in the seats to buy a bag of chips.
5:15 Drop Maddie (good thing it was near cheerleading since we had to go all the way back to the center anyway, right?)
5:25 Get back to field.
5:30 Bryan's practice starts
5:31 answer 5th call - since I left the house - from a cheer mom who doesn't know where this field is, and needs more directions.
5:32 switch lines to new incoming call, which requires me to run to the fieldhouse to take 2 pictures of players in game shirts. Ok, easy. Be there at 6. (Kathryn is DONE at 6:15, and I won't be there)
5:35 A friend is pulling in to parking lot and I run across field to see if Joe can stay with her, and Kathryn once she's out. She says sure, but there are not parking spaces so I should just take her car and go. Sure.
5:40 Answer call from same friend who says Joe has fallen off a fence and hit his head, but ran away cuz he's embarrassed. Turn around and go back to field.
5:44 Joe wants to stay, needs 8 hugs, and lets me leave in he car again.
5:49 Get call again from friend. Joe wants me to come back for him. I say no, I'm already late, and I'll be back in 15 minutes.
5:51 GET to fieldhouse parking lot. She calls again. Wants to know my ETA, as her football player on Bryan's team is feeling like he needs his inhaler...which is in her purse on the seat with me. As soon as I can...but I'm taking this picture.
5:55 Get into fieldhouse. Player walks in, and I open camera to take te picture. Battery is in my purse. In my $%^*# truck at the field.
6:03 Stuck in Central Ave traffic trying to get back to field to drop inhaler, get my truck, and get BACK to the &*#%^& fieldhouse to take %&$^$ picture.
6:15 Take picture.
6:18 headed back to field
6:25 arrive, and Kathryn lambastes me for being late.
6:30 Another kid has arrived who needs a picture in a jersey that is...yes...at the fieldhouse.
6:35 Throw camera at John and tell him to take picture and bring camera back.
MEANWHILE, I realize I do NOT have the key for the lights on the field. Turns out a coach in Natick took it with him.
6:45 Find a DIFFERENT coach, who thank GOD had the only other key in existance, with him.
7:30 Everyone is out, done, and go to car. Find Dave S whose kid locked the keys in the trunk of his car. Spend 45 minutes trying to get into it in the dark.
8:25 Return a half hour late to pick Maddie up. They want me to stay for dessert. LIKE we've had dinner yet??? Hah.
8:35 Get home to find that Mom has dinner ready to GO right onto plates (YIPPIIIEE!!)
8:50 Maddie realizes she's missing a book she needs to take to school. Tears begin.
8:55 Begin back-to-school shopping at Walgreens for the "light" list of necessities.
9:30-9:55 Pack bags, kick kids into bed, and begin folding 1700 loads of laundry.

Seriously?????? This is going to be a hell of a year. Really.

What'd I do today??? Oh, took the kids to practice and did some laundry. That's all. ;o)

School begins on Wednesday........

...AND THIS IS HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT.
(Laura: This is a streaming video. Keep watching closely til it lays it's egg and catches it in it's hind legs)

Zoo Trip!!!

A Sept 1, 06 Trip to the zoo got us some nice pictures.....and many more to come with our new Zoo Membership for 15 months! Thanks Laura and Cathy for that, and for a great day!

We ALL had a great day (except for the kid with his head stuck inthe rungs of one of the "lookout" fences...but hell, cause for celebration since we A) got him out quickly, and B) it was NOT JOE!!)

The Five Iron...

Experiment: Cranium vs Five Iron Golf Club

Result: Iron wins, every time.

Lesson: Um, always step back when your brother is driving golfballs into the neighbors yard.

Other Notes Worth mentioning: Flesh Glue is great stuff.

Warning: Flesh Glue not only glues flesh, but also surgical gloves. If it comes out fast or watery, it will adhere a Dr's gloved hand quite well to, oh, say a forehead.

Joke: I wonder if anyone here will ever hear someone yell "FOUR!" during a swing and not have someone follow promptly with "head!" right after it.

Summer Days and Sidewalk Chaulk.....

Yeah, this was seriously on my sidewalk one day after I bought some "harmless" sidewalk chaulk. Arrow and all, on this "stick" figure with what APPEARS to be some sort of "parts" which I am trying to not think about. Yup, yessiree.....


One of the busiest residential sidewalks in town....and about 50% of passers-by know at LEAST one of us who lives here.

When I'm 19.....

Snuggling before bed.....

"Hey Grammy?"

"What Babe?"

"When I'm 19, can we........ ....oh, never mind you'll be dead"

(Why she still snuggles this kid I may not ever know)

Non-Sticky Frogs...

Snuggling before bed...

"Hey Grammy. Did you know that frogs do not stick to the ceiling?"

"Uh, No Joe...how do you know that?"

"Will's family has one...I had a playdate there today."

**They don't stick to the ceiling....but do sometimes, land on their feet.

NOTE: The frog survived, but is being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder and a nervous tick.

:|

Story of the day...

Kids, cool things, sports, school, friends, travel, pictures, family or stuff to think about, or the very funny things kids say...

~L, L.