A Study in Contrasts

The boys got new sneakers last week. They are in love with their fancy new shoes. They even asked if they could go to sleep with them on their feet.

Aidan loved his new sneaks so much he wanted to save them and protect them at all cost. While he wore them around the house from the moment he woke up in the morning, he vowed that he would not wear them outside. "Not until spring at least," he swore. We finally got him to wear them to school today by negotiating boots for outside and sneakers for inside play only.

Brennan? He loved his new shoes so much he had to test them out by jumping in the biggest, muddiest, ickiest puddle he could find in the parking lot.

Brothers - quite a study in contrasts.

A Summary

Let's revisit my life of the past three months, shall we?

We missed Christmas because we were all too busy vomiting all over the place. It's lots of fun to have two kiddies with a stomach bug. But when you get to have it right along with them - it's a virtual party. Add a newborn and having to nurse while you fight the urge to vomit. Rock on.

Then we all got better. And Griffin got RSV, bronchitis and a double ear infection. We had to do daily visits to the doctor just to keep him from being hospitalized.

Chris's 26 year old cousin passed away. It was heartbreaking.

During our dog's annual check up, we were told she had bone cancer. We put her to sleep two weeks ago.

Then my four year old and two year old got the cold/flu. Fevers, coughs, runny noses. My two year old also got pink eye.

Then I got the cold/flu. I got better for a whole week. Then I got it again. This time with a nice high fever and chills. The Chris got it, but he won the added prize of a sinus infection. Lucky, lucky guy.

Our Tivo died. (sigh.) Our fridge broke. Our basement flooded. My Explorer's transmission blew up and I am now driving around in a rented minivan from hell. (I hate, HATE minivans. Our rental is particularly annoying because it beeps whenever I get too close to anything. The kids LOVE this feature because whenever it beeps they now yell out, "Too close! Too close" at full volume. I swear every time I hear the beeping my eye starts twitching involuntarily.)

And speaking of eyes? I got an eye infection. The doctor thought it was pink eye. But come on now. Me, get such a normal and easily treatable condition such as pink eye? Please. Of course not. I have some bizarre eye inflammatory disease thingy that requires steriod drops for the foreseeable future. And what's so super great about the drops? If I forget to take them? Then the eye swells up again. Fun, huh? Because every sleep deprived mom who can barely remember her children's names or where she parked the car, should definitely have to be responsible for remembering eye drops every two hours.

This week? Brennan strained/sprained his foot. Sweet. What mom doesn't love carrying around both a newborn and a two year old that weighs close to forty pounds? Even better? When the two year old gets to stay home from school and demand hours upon hours of Dora the Explorer.

I wait with bated breath for the adventures that next week will bring our family. I just can't wait.

The Boys

It's a good thing they are beyond cute because the winter crankiness has settled into our home. This is a bad, bad thing when you consider that winter can keep us buried in snow until May in Buffalo. It seems as if the whining and the neediness multiplies when you are trapped inside for days at a time. Infrequent trips to play out in the snow last all of fifteen minutes, while it takes three times as long to get them all outfitted in their snow gear. Our home looks like Toys R Us threw up and deposited every toy known to man in every possible room, but yet my kids are still bored. In fact, I think we are all just a little sick of each other.

If I have to play one more game of Uno, build one more Lego house, or watch Toy Story 2 for the millionth time ("Buzz flies momma! He flies"), I may go insane. Is it Spring yet? Please, pretty please - is it spring yet?

My Life as a Rock Star Continues...

Not only did I get to go out twice last weekend, but, on Tuesday, Chris and I had our very first joint outing since Griffin's arrival. We were lucky enough to score tickets to Ryan Miller's fundraiser for his new foundation - The Steadfast Foundation. The fundraiser was quite the spectacle - lots of fun drinks and food, auctions and Sabres galore. It was held at the Church - the old church on Delaware that Ani DiFranco rehabbed. The space is just beautiful. The highlight of the evening was the fashion show - watching the Sabres ham it up as fashionistas as they strutted their stuff on the catwalk.

The other highlight? At the live auction - trying to figure out how anyone would and/or could pay $50,000 for Ryan Miller's helmet. $50,000!!!! I overheard the woman who purchased it telling the attendant that her son was a huge hockey fan. Do you think her son will be bringing his $50,000 helmet to school for show and tell this week? Yikes!

While perusing the silent auction items, I struck up a conversation with the woman next to me. After a few minutes of small talk, she introduced herself as "Ryan's mom." She also introduced me to Ryan's grandma and aunt. I also met his father, brother and sister. But, alas, I didn't get a chance to meet the guy with the $50,000 helmet - Ryan Miller himself. Chris and I did get to stand next to Shooter Mcgavin - you know, the guy from Happy Gilmore? They auctioned off his golf club. Needless to say, it did not fetch anywhere near $50,000.

When I got home, I had a harsh dose of reality as I had to finish stuffing Aidan's classroom valentine gift bags. It was a little slow going after the three (or four) glasses of wine and the two (or three) sample size pomengrante margaritas I had consumed earlier in the evening. Who knows what ended up in those gift bags? As long as it wasn't a $50,000 helmet, it's all good.

Who cries at a parent/teacher conference?

Who does? Why, I do, of course. Shocker, I know.

I had Aidan's parent/teacher conference this morning. During the fifteen minute conference, I cried exactly three times. THREE! All good tears, I promise. Tears of pride and happiness over this beautiful child who happens to be my son. Aidan's teacher started the conference by telling me that they only wish they could clone a classroom of Aidans. (Tears began.) Later, she mentioned how sweet and kind he is to the other children. (More tears.) And finally, she told me what a special boy he is and how we (Chris and I) are doing a good job. (And tears yet again.) I need to believe that there are other parents who also cry during their conferences. Please, please, please do not let me be the only one.

The teacher also commented that Aidan loves to hang with the teachers during free time so he can tell them all about his life at home. Great, just what every mother wants to hear. I can only imagine the stuff that gets passed around this school.

There was also a sense of relief that all is well with Aidan and school. I was a little nervous about the whole parent/teacher conference thing and kept preparing myself for the worst. What if my kid was a terror? What if he was going to fail out of pre-K? Motherhood makes you loony. Thankfully, Aidan is doing just fine. Only fourteen or so more years of lower level education and parent teacher conferences left to survive. Whew. Let's hope I learn how to control the tears soon.

Who's Not Perfect?

There is a Laurie Berkner kiddie tune "I'm Not Perfect." Aidan was singing along with the song the other day when he stopped, looked confused for a moment and asked, "Who isn't perfect?"

I replied, "No one is perfect - that's what the song is about."

He looked confused for another second and then responded, "But I'm perfect."

When I laughed, he looked shocked and added, "But I am. I am PERFECT."

I guess I have no need to worry about Aidan's self esteem.

My Life As a Rock Star...

Well, a rock star that gets home to bed by 11 p.m that is...

I had quite the decadent weekend. Two nights out and about - childfree! Chris kept the kiddies happy, fed and in bed while I enjoyed dinner with my dinner club girlfriends on Friday night and attended the Sabres game on Saturday with my dear friend Carolyn. My husband is a saint and I feel refreshed and alive again. I had whole chunks of time without fetching anyone a juice box, nursing for hours on end or even wiping a runny nose. True mommy indulgence.

Payback may be a bitch though, huh? I owe Chris lots of time on the ski slopes for this one.

Two Months..

Griffin had his two month doctor's appointment today. All is well and healthy with our little beaner. He is a big boy - 14 1/2 pounds big - which explains why my arms ache at the end of the day.

At two months, our little guy is such a love. We are over the grumpy Griffin newborn phase and onto a happier, more content baby. He loves to coo and gurgle. When he smiles, his whole face lights up. I can't stop myself from just inhaling every little baby piece of him. When I change his diaper, I always stop to kiss his tiny little feet and toes. The other day, he actually lifted his bare baby feet up to me as if asking me to just give them a little snuggle. When I did, he gurgled and giggled while he lifted his tiny toes for more. As I kiss him, I always hope I remember each smile, each coo. I hope I remember his precious baby scent. I hope I remember the way he snuggles into my arm to catch a quick catnap or the way he rubs his little hand over mine while he nurses. It all goes so fast. I just hope I remember.

The Truth about Sugar Cereals...

Aidan has to bring an empty cereal box into school to make his valentine's day card mailbox. Is it wrong that I want to run out and buy a box of some organic whole wheat/whole grain/heart healthy/no sugar anywhere cereal for him to bring in instead of having him select from the buffet of sugar cereals in our pantry? I just know that my kid will be the only one with a lucky charms/cookie crisp/ cinnamon toast crunch mailbox. I JUST KNOW.

And then More Tears...

I so have a reputation as the big crying mommy at my boys' school.

When I picked Aidan up at school on Wednesday, he had a new book in his backpack all about Doggie Heaven - selected by his teacher Miss Laura from the local library. Aidan showed it to me and I cried (again) in his school hallway. I have always loved the teachers at this school, but this kindness was above and beyond anything ever expected by a parent.

Chris read the book to the boys at bedtime and we all loved the images of doggie heaven.