We Were Going To...

Today, we were going to go to the park. We were going to hit the playground and maybe go for a walk. We were going to return library books and pick new ones. We were going to drop off some dry cleaning and stop at the drug store.

Never happened. We didn't make it out of our pjs until four o'clock this afternoon. (Unless you count Brennan and Griffin throwing their Halloween costumes over their pjs as getting dressed.) We played Memory and battled with light sabres. We made Rice Krispie treats and ran around the house. We didn't do all that much of anything, really.

It was a perfect day.

A House Party of Star Wars

My friend Carolyn told me about this website called House Party. It is a marketing website that gives people free goodies and stuff from companies if you agree to have a party in your home. It seems to be designed to create positive word of mouth among consumers about a new product or brand. To join, you have to take a screener questionnaire and then you are emailed about upcoming "house parties" that match up with your demographics/interests. Once you are emailed about a potential party, you have to take a more in depth survey to "apply" to be a party host.

I have applied for a bunch of different parties, but I never get picked. No free stuff for me.

Two months or so ago, I received an email asking me to apply to host a party for a new series on the Cartoon Network. I applied, but I wasn't all that interested. They wouldn't tell us the name of the series and well, my kids don't really watch Cartoon Network. (Don't get me wrong. We love our tv. It's just that we're more a Noggin/PBS Sprout family.)

Imagine my surprise when I received an email telling me we were selected to host a party to celebrate the Cartoon Network's new animated series: Star Wars. 20,000 people applied. 20,000! The force must really run strong in our house of little jedis.

Cartoon Network sent us a "party pack" for the celebration. We received a screener DVD of the preview episode of Star Wars; Star Wars stickers and tattoos; Star Wars glow sticks; an assortment of Star Wars masks; balloons; a Yoda bag; Star Wars posters and a light changing/sound effects light saber (bringing us to six total light sabers in our house. We clearly have a problem here.)

So last night, we had eight kiddies at our house for a Star Wars festival. Just when you thought our kids' Star Wars obsession couldn't get even crazier, it did.

Oh Poop

I just cleaned up a bathtub of crap. And when I say "crap," I literally mean : crap. You haven't lived until you have had to scoop up floating poopies from your child's tubbie.

Apparently, Griffin had corn today. I, however, may never eat corn again. EVER.

Chris has been out of town since early, early Tuesday morning. He doesn't return until Saturday. I am just about to go digging into the basement for our last bottle of wine. Please, dear Lord let there be a bottle of wine. Because nothing says you deserve a nice glass of red wine like cleaning up your child's poop.

Learning to Skate

Aidan and Brennan had their first ice skating lesson this evening. I, of course, cried as I watched them waddling out to the ice in their hockey skates and giant hockey helmets. My tears quickly turned to horror as I watched Brennan fall once, twice and then a hundred and one more times in the course of the forty-five minute session. That boy will have a bruised bottom for sure. He appears to lack all balance and despite clinging onto his walker for dear life, spent quite a bit of time collapsed on the ice.

The boys started the lesson assigned to the same group, but after Aidan joined the rest of the skaters in a walker-free waddle on the ice without a fall, Brennan was quickly demoted to another group. And then a few minutes (and falls) later, he was demoted to another group. And then yet another group. Until finally, there were no other groups left for Brennan to join and they opted to just give him his own private coach in an attempt to teach him how to stand up on the ice.

I was concerned as I watched all of this progress right up until I saw Brennan's laughing face hidden under his huge hockey mask. He loved every minute of it. He handled the falls, the lack of balance and the bruised butt like a champ. He giggled. He charmed. His face burst with smiles even as he fell... again... again... and again.

His first words to me when he got off the ice were, "Can I come back here again? Can I?"

Aidan also enjoyed his first skate. He got the balance action down cold and spent most of the lesson learning to hold his arms out for support as he crossed the rink.

The only person who did not enjoy the skating time? Griffin. He was both annoyed and insulted that he could not participate with his brothers. Before the lesson, he shouted with anger as we put on the boys' skates, yelling, "I skate! I SKATE!" This turned into "I hockey! I HOCKEY!" as we watched the boys' lesson. It's hard to be the little guy.

Puck Drop

We took the boys to the Sabres Puck Drop today. The Sabres opened up the arena to the public to watch practice and a scrimmage. It was a blast. The boys liked the hockey, loved the popcorn, and even got their face painted.

After Puck Drop, we hightailed it back to Whoville for Aidan's soccer practice and game. Best game ever for our brood. Aidan morphed before our eyes into an aggressive little soccer monkey. I honestly never knew he had it in him. (His normal soccer playing technique involves running up and down the field with the ball, but never actually trying to touch the ball. No touching. No overt attempt ever made to take possession of the ball. Just a whole lot of running in the herd.) But today! He started in goal and saved two shots. His success in goal must have set something off in him that we never knew existed, because from there he went on to steal the ball, dribble like a mad man and score four goals and two assists. I have never seen anything like it from him. We may never see anything like it again, but it was a whole lot of fun.

After the game, I gave Aidan a huge high five and a hug. He asked me if I saw his goals and I said I did.

"Didn't you hear me cheering?" I asked him.

"Oh, yeah - I heard you Mom." He smiled at me, and after a second asked, "Why are you the only mom who yells and cheers so loud during the game?"

Not quite sure how to answer that one. Except to tell him I simply can't help myself so he may have to get used to it.

They Had Me at the View and the Devils May Live in NYC

This was the view from my and Chris's hotel room balcony Thursday afternoon.

This was the view from our hotel room balcony early Friday morning.

To be honest, it's amazing I managed to take a picture Friday morning that was in focus and straight. I admit to only being outside because gulping cold air seemed to help the pounding in my head and the horrifying stomach ache that hinted to the party we attended the previous evening.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take any pictures of that party. Not a one.

Chris and I traveled to Watkins Glen to celebrate a new hotel opening with my entire family, including our NYC contingent - my brothers, sister in law - Tennille and Trav's girlfriend Lynda. There was much food, much drink, bands and lots and lots of people.

After we arrived at the party, I remember nursing one drink for two hours as I smoozed with party goers and nibbled at a ton of yummy food. I was relaxed and enjoying the jazz quartet on the patio, talking easily with friends and family. And then the NYC contingent - Seth, Tennille, Travis and Lynda arrived - and it all seemed to be quickly lost in a blur of drinks, more drinks, champagne and tequila shots. We busted many a move to the band, dancing up a storm. We giggled and dunk many a rice krispie treat (and marshmallows! and cookies!) in the chocolate fountain. (oh, so good.) We partied until way past our bedtime - finally passing out in bed at 2 a.m. (Note to self: those wild NYC kids were still at it when we left. They put us to shame.)

So this morning, when Chris and I had to drag ourselves out of bed to drive back to Buffalo, and reality, and work, and three children and our heads were split open and our stomach heaved, we blamed them - our NYC family. We have agreed they may be the devil. (Especially Trav's girlfriend Lynda who introduced the whole tequila shot idea into the equation.)

Obviously, we can't party like the rock stars we used to be. (Even if we pretended we could - just for a night.)

All in One Day

In one day, today, I:

- forgot to fill out Aidan's school picture form and only remembered as bus was coming down the street. I dashed out a quick check for a random amount as the bus waited, and waited, and waited in front of our house watching me, again in my pjs. Aidan is going to be s0oooo popular at school. I can tell.

- got my first call from Aidan's teacher. She had to call me because she couldn't understand the check I sent in that morning for Aidan's pictures since I never selected a package of pictures, a color for the backdrop or even paid the right amount for any of it. As we finished the call, she chuckled and said to me, "You have three young boys, right?" At my agreement, she laughed again and said, "I did too. And it gets easier, I promise." Good. Good to know.

- realized that the seminar I was signed up to watch via webcast was not at 9 am like I thought and planned, but really at noon because it was all on Pacific Coast time. Thus, my nice easy seminar day was now watching talking heads from noon until eight, instead of 9 until 5.

- also realized that during said seminar I am required to click a button every six minutes or I will not get the credit for watching the seminar. Therefore, I had to click the button right before break, grab my car keys and drive like a bat out of hell to pick up the boys before the next segment began.

- failed to relax and enjoy the seminar. Instead, I sucked every last minute out of that day. My laptop followed me to the bathrooms, my closet, the kitchen and den. I cleaned all the bathrooms, cleaned my closet, tried on old clothes, did a few loads of laundry, made Halloween cupcakes for boys, made homemade sauce, cooked up some meatballs and gave myself a pedicure. I apparently have forgotten how to relax. Do any mothers remember how to relax?

That's it. That's my Wednesday. All in one day.

May the Force Be With You at Pottery Barn Kids

The boys and I traveled to Pottery Barn Kids today to meet a few of the Star Wars characters in person:

I have never seen so many little boys at the Galleria Mall. It was Star Wars mania. Boys in Star Wars t-shirts, carrying light sabres, and hanging onto Star Wars books. It made me feel like less of a freak of a mother with my Star Wars obsessed kiddies. Maybe we should all form a support group?

Math Fun

Aidan brings home a folder every day from school. The folder contains any notes from the teacher, any announcements from the school and any completed and scored worksheets Aidan did during the day.

I like to look at all the worksheets to both get an idea of what Aidan is working on in school and to see if there is anything we need to work on at home to help him with his school work. Over his year and one week of school, I have seen worksheets with big stars and worksheets with one or two marked wrong. I never saw a worksheet with everything marked wrong. Until today, that is.

Everything. Every question! Wrong. No star at the top of the sheet - just a note from the teacher to Aidan which said "see me." It was a sea of red cross outs and checks. Not good. Even worse, it was a math worksheet - an area in which Aidan has naturally excelled.

I was concerned and figured I better review the math questions so we could do some review over the weekend at home to help. The worksheet listed a number, had a blank space, and then listed another number. In essence, the student was required to sequentially fill in the blank so that 12, ___, 14 became 12, 13, 14.

I'll be honest. When I saw how easy the problems were, I grew even more concerned. We have big problems here people. Apparently, my first grader can't count in double digits.

Aidan's answer was 12, 26, 14. The numbers he put in the blanks weren't even close to being in order. They made absolutely no sense.

After a minute, I looked at it again and comprehension dawned on me. I laughed and called Aidan over to talk.

Instead of filling in all the numbers in sequential order, Aidan was adding them all. I guess the kid can count after all. Whew.

Waving the White Flag of Motherhood

I had to switch my schedule this week and I was at home with the boys today. I was really looking forward to it. I had fantasies of the perfect day we would have together. We would take a walk in the sunshine. We would go to the park. I would push them on the swings. We would cuddle up on the couch. We would giggle and dance.

I have to laugh at myself sometimes. The walk sucked. Brennan complained he was bored the whole time. He dragged his feet and sulked. When we finally got to the playground, he moaned that it wasn't the RIGHT playground. Griffin screamed at me when I pushed him on the swing. Apparently, I wasn't pushing him hard enough, high enough or fast enough. We lasted outside for all of forty minutes before they were begging to return home. Forget soaking up that beautiful sunny fall weather, we must get home immediately and fight over action figures.

I guess it is a good thing we did return home. At home, at least, there are no witnesses to the parade of time outs, tantrums and screaming. Just me. Just me listening to the constant whining, the unending crying and the persistent fighting. Just me cleaning up the bowl of mac n cheese dumped on the floor at lunch. Just me being told by my three year old that I'm "not nice enough," that "I don't play enough" and that "I'm no fun." Just me wiping up the stream of urine left on the bathroom floor. Just me having my child throw something at me in anger. All the mess, all the tears, all the yelling - all just for me.

And that was all before we couldn't find Brennan's blanket before nap time.

I tore apart every inch of this freakin' house and no blanket. My imagined quiet nap time quickly morphed into more hysteria, more screaming and more tears. The dull ache in my head escalated into a full blown pounding.

Aidan got home from school, clearly worn out and cranky. After ten minutes at home, he burst into tears when he realized he had lost a Lego piece to his star wars space ship. His tantrum lasted a half hour. He raged. Griffin joined him just for fun. I wanted to bang my head against the wall.

After breaking up the millionth fight, enduring yet another screaming tantrum, I threw up my hands and quietly told them, "I've had it. I'm done."

I wave a white flag. I need a truce. I need tomorrow to be a better day.

It has to be a better day.

Sleepless for Twilight

I didn't get much sleep this weekend. Was I out partying it up? Did I have a hot date? Were the kids keeping me up all night?

No, no, and no.

I owe my late nights to that damn Twilight series of books. I started Friday with book one (and a glass of wine or two) and I was hooked. What is not to love? Teenage love and angst mixed in with some vampires and werewolves? It was like Buffy in a book! (Yes, I adored Buffy. I LOVED Buffy. Saw every single episode. I still contend it was amazing television. Don't judge me.)

I finished book one at 12:30 am Friday night. I then surfed amazon to consider purchasing books two, three and four - but I didn't want to wait for the free super saver shipping to finally deliver my goods in two or three weeks. I needed a more immediate fix.

I was glad I didn't cave. On Saturday, my cousin Ali brought over books two, three and four. I skipped in glee! (And yes, there is something a little scary that I am reading the same books as my adorable, seventeen year old cousin. But then, I also watch Gossip Girl and I have dvred the new 90210. I am obviously trying to reclaim my youth. Or the youth of my fantasies.)

I barely slept Saturday night or Sunday night as I knocked off books two, three and four. I would finish one book and the next would be too much temptation for me. I couldn't help myself. I couldn't stop. I lack self control.

This may explain to my neighbors why Aidan and I had to run down the street for the missed school bus Monday morning. And why I ran for said bus in my bare feet, pjs and wild, uncombed hair.

But it was worth it. Definitely all worth it. I need a nap now though.

Aidan at Six

Happy Birthday to my sweet six year old boy.

At six, you are my junior scientist. You have proudly announced you are going to be a scientist when you grow up. (And then you went out into the backyard to catch bugs to examine under your new microscope.) You prefer nature shows and the discovery channel to kids cartoons. (although you have a soft spot for scooby doo.) I will still never forget the day I found you watching an HGTV program on how to build a backyard deck. (an interesting choice for a five year old boy.) Your obsession with Star Wars continues, but you have added a little Pokemon to the mix. You love books that explain the world to you and will spend an hour pouring over a treatise on dinosaur bones, space or ancient egypt. You also have a love of video games - from the Wii (you rock the drums on Rock Band) to Star Wars Legos on XBox (you have figured out how to fake hook up a controller to let your brothers believe they are playing with you. )

You like to be in charge. You can get a little bossy. You love to negotiate. You ask a whole lot of questions. And you are my rule enforcer. I see a lot of myself in you and your daddy likes to remind me of that every chance he gets.

You don't like food all that much, unless it's a favorite junk food snack. We battle over veggies and fruit, but you always have room for pizza, cupcakes, pepperoni, and cookies. You are still my junk food junkie.

You are kind and sweet. You look out for your brothers and your friends. You never want to see anyone else hurt or upset. You love to cuddle and give hugs. You tell all of us in your family how much you love us. Every teacher you have had - from your toddler room to summer camp this year - has told me you have such a good, kind heart. Of all the things I have heard, that is always what makes me proudest of you.

Happy Birthday Aidan. I love you and I am so very proud of you.

(I am sure we won't see much of you today, now that we are caved and bought you that Nintendo DS you wanted for your birthday. I am trying to convince myself it has educational value. Trying... )

Church Time

Aidan's second day of school today opened with his very first school mass. I remember, not so fondly, how hard it was as a youngster to sit still for the long Catholic mass and asked him after school this afternoon if he had a difficult time this morning at church.

"No," He replied, "Church is actually a lot of moving around. We're up. We're down. We sit. We stand. We even kneel. There's a lot of kneeling. There's actually a whole lot to remember to do. I had to move a ton."

That's church from the perspective of an (almost) six year old.

1st Grade

First day of school: 1st grade. Things were a little easier than last year. There was no screaming or tantrums brought on by fear. There may have been a little hesitation as Aidan took his first step onto the bus, but his excitement to get to his new classroom, see his old friends and meet some new ones - propelled him forward.

I left work early today, eager to get home to see him off the bus. I always imagine our "Hallmark" back to school moment, giggling over the antics of his classmates over milk and cookies. And then I remember, I have three boys. I barely get two sentences out of him before he is off and running with his brothers. (Note to self: boys are not the best communicators.)

But his two sentences were all good. Welcome to first grade.

Overheard

Overheard at Aidan’s party on Sunday:

Aidan’s friend approaches Chris with serious eyes and says to him, “Hi, Aidan’s Dad? I need talk to you. I really want to have a sleepover with Aidan. Can I have a sleepover with Aidan?”

Chris, not quite sure how to respond to the solicitation, “Um, sure. We’ll talk to your parents and set one up soon, okay?”

Aidan’s friend: “Well, see, okay, since we are all here. I mean, I’m here and you’re here, right? So how about we just talk dates now, okay? Let’s put something together. Let’s make it happen
Aidan’s Daddy. Do you have a date that works for you guys? Because I’m available.”

Chris, trying hard not to laugh, “Um, well, hmmm.”

Aidan’s friend: “It can be at my house or your house. It doesn’t matter. I just want to have a sleepover party with Aidan. So, let’s firm up some dates, okay Aidan’s Daddy? Can you go grab your calendar? Go get your calendar and give me some dates. Let’s do this! Let’s make it happen!”

I can tell you now. I am not ready for the sleepover phase. And Chris and I are clearly not prepared for the negotiating tactics of six year old boys.

Overheard on Monday:

Our friends Christine and Dylan’s five year old daughter Casey has decided she will marry Brennan when she is older. After greeting us at her house with this news, she tells Brennan to follow her to her room to assist her with picking out a swimsuit to wear in the sprinkler. As I watch them, Brennan and Casey stand in front of her closet and slowly go through each of Casey’s bathing suits.

Casey: “What about this swimsuit Brennan? Should I wear this one?”

Brennan: “Hmmm, well, that one is okay.”

Casey: “Do you like this one?

Brennan: “That one is nice too, I guess.” Brennan takes a minute to look through a few more swimsuits, selects a blue one piece swimsuit, hands it to Casey and says: “I like this one better.”

Casey nods and smiles at Brennan. “Okay Brennan. I’ll wear this one for you, okay?”

Brennan: “Okay.”

At Brennan’s devilish smile back at me, I am fairly certain I am not ready for my three and a half year old to be picking out bathing suits for his girlfriends.