House of Estrogen

A Little Levity

This blog has been a bit heavy lately... too much crappola in life weighing it down. I figured there is nothing like a good Nina story to lighten the mood though, so here is one from last week.

3 a.m. one night, Nina came into our room complaining her belly was hurting. We asked the usual questions: "Do you need to use the bathroom?", "Do you feel like you're going to throw up?"  She answered no to both, so J.C. suggested she go downstairs and eat a couple of crackers to settle her stomach. That would never fly with Elise, but Nina is a kid who is perfectly willing to go downstairs alone in a dark quiet house in the middle of the night.  A few minutes later, I heard her yelling from downstairs, "MOM! I need help!!"  In my groggy 3 a.m. state, I yelled back, "What's wrong?"  She yelled, "I didn't know it was dye, but it was dye. I need help!"  Huh?  I lumbered downstairs to find her sitting on the toilet examining her now red and green hands. "Why are your hands red and green?", I asked. She said, "I didn't know it was dye. It was dye, and I can't get it off. I tried washing my hands, and it won't come off." to which I responded, "But you were down here TO GET CRACKERS!!!!"  I have no idea what possessed her to start playing with food coloring at 3 a.m., but there she was with red and green hands. Classic Nina.  I told her that I needed my sleep, and that if she couldn't get it off with soap and water that I would help her in the morning. I was not about to waste my valuable sleep time figuring out how to clean food coloring off skin in the middle of the night. She started to cry saying, "But if I go to school with red and green hands, then the kids will laugh at me."  My 3 a.m. self had no sympathy because I responded, "THEN YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PLAYING WITH FOOD COLORING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!"

As parents, we try hard to put rules in place... "Look both ways before crossing the street", "Ask to be excused and clear your place after dinner", Pens are only for writing on paper, not walls or furniture", but I never imagined I would need the rule, "Don't PLAY WITH THE FREAKING FOOD COLORING at 3 a.m. when you are supposed to be eating crackers"!   I guess I'll add that one to the list. Who knew?

Simple Woman's Daybook, December 14, 2009

For Today...

Outside my window... a beautiful, sunny, 70-degree Texas December day.

I am thinking... about my dad, hoping today isn't too hard on him. He will be burying his brother today.

I am thankful for... being able to be here with my family...having the means to get here, and having J.C. mobile enough to take care of the kids while I'm gone.

From the kitchen... shrieks from my mother this morning after my dad spilled a huge glass of water all over the table she had already set for the lunch she is hosting today for a bunch of family. Thankfully, it was just water and not coffee! 

I am wearing... pajamas.

I am creating... not much besides this blog post.

I am going... to my uncle's funeral today.

I am reading... The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. My book club isn't reading this until March, but when I found myself without anything to read right before getting on a flight and knowing I'm number 600+ on the wait list for this at the library, I figured I might as well buy it. There's no telling when my name will bubble up to the top of the library wait list. Anyway, I am LOVING this book. Seriously... it has just sucked me in. I was not expecting to like it this much. I had heard that some of the dialects were difficult to read, but I haven't found that to be true at all. The three narrators are all very engaging and wonderful characters, and I have not had trouble switching between them. I can understand why the wait list for this book is so long. I'm already over halfway through it and eagerly turning the pages.

I am hoping... that my uncle's family, especially his wife, can work through their grief and find peace. They were married for 52 years.

I am hearing... the printer printing off tracking information for not one but TWO Christmas gifts I sent my parents that USPS claims to have delivered, but my parents don't have them yet. We'll need to go by the post office to check on them.

Around the house... I've been told that J.C. and the girls did some cleaning, so I'm anxious to see what they accomplished while I've been gone!

One of my favorite things... Dallas holiday decorations. I really need to bring my kids down here for the holidays. Nothing rivals the light displays in Highland Park and eating nachos under the watchful eye of a longhorn steer head wearing a santa hat!

A few plans for the rest of the week.... fly back home in time for Nina's ballet recital.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...  Remembering Uncle John. This was taken at a wedding a few years ago, but I've always thought it was a great picture of the three of them - my dad, his twin sister Dorothy, and their older brother John.

 
  

  

  To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook. 

The High Highs and the Low Lows

J.C. had his first physical therapy appointment yesterday. It went well, and the P.T. unlocked his brace about 50 degrees which allowed J.C. to fit in his car! Today was the first time in nearly a month that he has been able to drive, and it felt like a Christmas miracle. We both felt so liberated. He was able to leave work to meet the school bus without my having to drive him there! Maybe our luck was turning.

Then my mom called. My uncle passed away this morning. He fought a fierce but short battle against lung cancer. I miss him already. I know not everyone has a close relationship with their aunts and uncles, but I do with several of mine. Uncle John lived near my parents and would pick me up from the airport if they were busy, help out my parents with anything they needed, and always fit me in his schedule for a good Mexican dinner any time I was in town. Now he's gone, and besides all of us losing a really wonderful family member, the Dallas Zoo is losing a truly outstanding volunteer and Zoo advocate.

It has been a hard day riding this roller coaster of life. The news about my uncle was certainly a reality check that J.C.'s injury really isn't all that bad in the big picture of life, but it was also another hard pill to swallow in what has been a tough month emotionally.

J.C.'s new found driving privilege couldn't have come at a better time. Now I can hop on a plane this weekend for a quick trip to Dallas and feel reasonably confident that he can muddle through a few days alone with the kids. As long as he doesn't have to chase Addie anywhere, I think he'll do OK. I'm pretty sure she would beat him in any race.

Is it 2010 yet? I'm just about ready for 2009 to be over.

Life is Just One Big Smackdown Sometimes

Tonight was supposed to be my mini-escape. I was going to take two hours off from my job as mother, wife, caretaker, diaper-changer, cook, nose-wiper, dish-washer, taxi-driver, ice-pack-fetcher, referee, housekeeper, and lunch-packer to get my hair done. My poor neglected hair and psyche were in need of a boost - both in highlights and spirit. My appointment was great. I got my fill of quiet and US Weekly while the stylist made my hideous roots magically disappear. I looked in the mirror, admired my new do, felt rejuvenated, and got up to leave. Then, suddenly, I was down - flat. on. the. floor. I don't think I've ever gone from standing to floor that fast. My right shoulder, right hand, and left knee all throbbing, I picked myself up off the floor, dusted all the hair clippings off my clothes, and looked around to figure out what jerk had shoved me down. I realized I had somehow hooked my foot behind the foot rest of the chair when I got up. Ouch. So much for feeling energized and refreshed... I just feel bruised and broken. Clearly, we haven't shaken that hex yet. Sigh.

Simple Woman's Daybook, December 7, 2009

For Today...

Outside my window... I finally tracked down an extension cord for the outdoor Christmas lights, so we have lights now!

I am thinking... that I am so close to being done with Christmas shopping that I need to just knock out these last few gifts this week, so I can mark that job as completely finished.

I am thankful for... J.C.'s friend who dragged enough stuff out of my garage and up to the attic so that I can park in the garage again now that it is cold. Thank you S! We've had so many good friends help us in so many thoughtful ways the past couple of weeks.

From the kitchen... apricot glazed chicken, no clue about sides yet.

I am wearing... jeans with my new top and sweater that I treated myself to over the weekend.

I am creating... stamped, addressed Christmas cards ready to go out in the mail today!

I am going... to make an appointment for a hair cut/color today. Elise told me this weekend, "Mom, you REALLY need to get your hair dyed soon. It looks terrible." How's that for honesty?

I am reading... Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's, by John Elder Robison although I'm not sure I read more than a page or two this week, so I don't think that really counts as reading!

I am hoping... that J.C. gets out of his locked knee brace soon. I'm not holding my breath though. Our physical therapist neighbor was estimating he may need it locked for 6-8 weeks. Unfortunately, she's been right about everything else so far. I was really hoping maybe he could start driving soon. Sigh.

I am hearing... the dryer. I'm pretty sure my washer and dryer spend more hours of each day running than not.

Around the house... hidden Christmas presents that I'll hopefully find again once it is time to start wrapping!

One of my favorite things... a nap under a down comforter on a cold winter day.

A few plans for the rest of the week.... another busy week... ballet, gymnastics, and Daisies for the kids, mammogram for me, orthopedist appointment for J.C., Cookie Mom training, holiday lunch at work, Disney on Ice, and a holiday dinner with friends at a nice steak place (whew... something relaxing to end the week!)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...      

  

  To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook. 

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I love trimming the tree... playing Christmas music, pulling out memory after memory in the ornament box, and even the heartache of the occassional broken ornament. I love the kids' homemade ornaments, the souvenir ornaments from vacations, the sentimental ones from my childhood, the fancy, gorgeous glass ornaments from my father, even just the plain ol' red glass balls. Despite all the stress of the holidays around me, I find a little peace in pulling all these treasures out of the ornament box and decorating the tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  

Classic Photo

Two Christmas T-shirts: $20

Red Patent Boots: $11

Polka-dot Dress and Leggings: $24

Flash Drive with Photo on it: $12

Look on Santa's Face: Priceless

Yes... I'm THAT mom who forced my child to get in the Santa picture. Unfortunately, that meant being in the picture myself too. I'm sure Addie will need therapy for this at some point, but I assure you she did recover from this cruel and unusual punishment as soon as we were away from the scary man with the long white beard.

If you want to check out our previous years' Santa photos, click here.

Swim With Santa

This event always cracks me up... something about seeing Old Saint Nick out there in the middle of the pool and barefoot just doesn't scream Christmas.  The girls had a great time though, and it definitely makes for not your average Santa picture!

Definition

Friend: \'frend\; noun; one who is willing to trudge up to your dark, dusty attic to carry down heavy boxes of Christmas decorations and help put up your Christmas tree because your husband can't.

 
Thank you C, S, and J!

Jurassic Park

The girls made these at "Trashosaurus Rex" art camp last week. I want to go to camp!