July 12, 2006
Flu for You?
There is a flu bug in my house and he somehow found his way into my body and the bodies of my husband and son. It’s diarrhea central. I don’t mean to gross anyone out, but Immodium doesn’t work. It just makes you feel like you have to use the facilities and you can’t. And I mean, can’t.
Poor Doug and Dawson are home sick. And I’m at work, desperately trying to make it through the day without killing anyone; or at least without infecting them with Mr. Flu.
I really wish I could go home, but I have so much work to do.
Ugh. Responsibility sucks!
Posted by Dana
9:36 am •
Uncategorized •
July 11, 2006
Chaos. Utter Chaos.
I had one of those chaotic days yesterday. It was exhausting. Monday is my regularly scheduled day off from work because I work every Saturday. It’s a nice set-up and it saves me some daycare dough. Yesterday, I volunteered to work 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. because my co-worker’s step-father passed away and he had to travel to France for the funeral services, as that’s where his family resides.
It was a short shift and the three hours went by quickly. As I was leaving for the day, I dropped my coffee mug and it shattered. I don’t even drink coffee out of it, so it wasn’t a huge loss, but I liked that mug because it had “Dana Rocks” on it. It was a gift from a friend for my birthday. I wonder if I can make a new one so my gal pal doesn’t know how clumsy I am?
Driving home, I was at the stop sign on corner Park and Strongs and there were a few city workers gathered around a man hole with their trucks and equipment nearby. As I waited for an oncoming car to make a turn, I heard a man yell, “Jurgella!” This always causes me to turn my head and look because Jurgella happens to be my maiden name. The gentleman was a guy who I knew once upon a time. I don’t remember his name and that scares me. I am the QUEEN of names. It’s a title given to me by my father because he can never remember names and he will call me out of the blue to say, “You remember that lady with the brown hair who works for ABC Company? She was in the store today. What’s her name?” And I usually reply, “Oh you mean Jane? Yeah she works for Sunrise, Dad. Not ABC Company, but close.”
I smiled at the man and said, “Hey! How are you?” And kept on going for fear that he’d ask me questions and I wouldn’t know how to respond since I don’t know his name. I do remember that he worked for Ameritech with my “Uncle John” (not my real uncle, but close) and they used to patronize my father’s tavern before he leased it out. I may have to ask dear old Dad about that guy.
When I got home, Dawson was standing on his Playskool chair, looking out the window and yelling, “Mumma hee! Mumma hee!” Which translates to “My mom is home!” Doug was laying on the couch with a blanket over his head.
“What’s wrong with you?” I asked. He shifted his position, pulled the covers down and said, “I don’t want to go to work today. Call me in sick. NO wait! Call me in dead.”
“I can’t do that. You had a week of vacation. We all have to go back sometime!” I told him. And I think he actually began to cry! Okay, maybe it was teary yawn.
Later in the afternoon, Dawson awoke from a nap and screamed, “Mumma! Up! Out! Mumma!” I got him out of his crib and tried to feed him some lunch, but he was more focused on escaping out the patio door. He would sleep outside if I let him. He was so eager to play that I packed him in his stroller and we walked to the park. Dawson loves the spiral slide and he always makes my heart leap into my throat when he climbs the tall stairs to the top to slide down.
“Weeeeeeeee” he shouts. “Mumma! Gan! Gan!”
“Yes, you can go up again.” I pray the Lord’s prayer everytime he climbs to the top. He frightens me. He had pretty good balance, but I still fret that he may plummet to his death.
After our play time, we headed back home. Dawson insisted on walking by himself. No stroller ride for him. We saw two squad cars and three fire trucks flying down the road. Dawson was in awe. Just watching and staring and holding on to my leg.
“Mumma, wissen. Truck!” he said.
“Yes, I hear it. That is a fire truck!” I replied.
When we turned onto our street, we saw thick black smoke in the sky. I immediately said a prayer for whoever’s home may have been on fire. I am so afraid of house fires and I can only imagine what these people may be going through.
Chaos. That’s all I can say.
July 10, 2006
Mumma Wants the Bahamas
Are we not the cutest family? Okay, let me rephrase that. Is Dawson not the cutest baby?
I swore I’d never become one of “those” mothers who talks non-stop about her child as if no other child in the world compares to her own. But I can’t help but brag, gush and swoon over how smart my Doodlebug is. At just 22 months old (okay, on the 16th he’ll be 22 months old), he’s already telling his father and me how much he loves us. It’s rather adorable and often used as a strategy to get what he wants.
Perfect example of this newfound intelligence is when he wants C-A-N-D-Y, and yes I even have to spell it out here for fear that he’s secretly learned how to read and will ransack the lazy susan to find my stash of Eminems (yes, that’s code too, he will think I’m talking music), and I don’t think his daddy will be happy with me.
Dawson has decided that he will not eat all of his dinner because he is very well aware that his Mumma has a sweet tooth and has Hershey’s Kisses somewhere in the kitchen. He will tell his parents that he is “all done” and will beg and plead to get out of his high chair so that he may have some of the sweet stuff. He runs to the kitchen as fast as his toddler legs will carry him and make the hand signal for “more” of what it is he wants. This is something he learned at the Noel Learning Center and I am starting to hate it (I do love how smart he is, though).
When I tell him “no” to the C-A-N-D-Y, he will look at me with this big, adorable smile and say “Loyu” which is Toddlerese for “Love you”. Yep. My toddler is bribing me. He thinks that by saying he loves me, I will melt and give in to his demands. Sadly, 98% of the time I do. And my husband doesn’t like this! I can’t say I blame him. It’s wrong to let your child tell you he loves you only to get something he wants. What kind of example am I setting for him? Not a very good one. We fear that when he’s in college he’ll tell a liquor store clerk he loves her just to get a free case of beer. Okay, I’m kidding, but honestly I bet that isn’t farfetched these days!
Now, when we tell our precious sweet Doodlebug “no”. He lays on the floor, kicks, screams and drives us crazy. There are days I am tempted to jump out our second story window just so that I don’t have to hear that shrill scream. But I suppose two broken legs wouldn’t do me any good.
Sometimes, I find myself wishing for the days when he couldn’t yet talk or walk. I know it’s wrong, but when your almost-two-year-old insists on following you everywhere in the house, it’s chaos. I cannot pee in peace. I cannot talk on the phone because he MUST compete for my attention with whoever is on the other end. I have to apologized to my doctor’s office. The hyena sound you heard when I tried to make that hysterectomy appointment was my Doodlebug (okay, it was only an appointment for a Pap, but the thought did cross my mind). And the screaming of “Mumma! Mumma!” is getting annoying. This is what I feel the most guilt about. I couldn’t wait. COULD. NOT. WAIT. Until he learned to say “Mumma” and now that he can he screams the word. Whines the word. Cries the word. Until I cannot take it anymore and tell him my name is Katalina the Krazy. Because he can’t say that. Yet.
All in all it’s a wonderful life with Baby King, but I just need to vent sometimes. And I need a vacation. Bahamas is looking good. Now which one of you sugar daddies out there is going to pay for it?
Posted by Dana
8:29 am •
Uncategorized •
July 9, 2006
Dana & Doug Flowers
What a perfect photo op. I’ve been so busy moving I forgot to stop and enjoy life. It’s Sunday. The day of Rest. We plan on taking the boat out as soon as The Doodlebug awakes from his long anticipated nap (he was a crabby boy all morning). Doug is on his last day of vacation and I think he’s a little depressed about this. So to make him happy, we agreed we’d all go fishing. I’m sure I’ll take more boring outdoor pictures, but hey, what else have I got to do?
Happy Sunday, everyone!
