“Mom!  I see a rat!  On the ground!  I think he’s dead!”

I immediately turned on my Mom Voice.

“DON’T touch it.  It might be full of germs.  Or rabies!”

When I got a closer look, this is what I saw:

Ugly, but cute at the same time.

“Dawson, that is not a rat.  That is a little baby squirrel.  He must have fallen out of the tree.”

It was very windy yesterday and I assumed one strong gust tossed the little thing to the ground.

“Oh, Mom, he’s dead!” Dawson began to cry.

My heart melted as I witnessed my son’s innocence and compassion toward this helpless little animal.

Then the wind blew and we saw the squirrel’s legs move.  His tail twitched.  His body curled slightly.

“HE’S ALIVE!” Dawson shouted.  His sadness was replaced with happiness, then he became distraught.  ”Mommy!  We have to save it!  We have to bring him in the house and warm him up and feed him and help him!”

I didn’t know what to do, but I was not about to nurse a squirrel back to health.  I mean, it’s a rodent.  Rodentia and I do NOT get along.  I’m terrified of the creepy, scurrying little things.  (When I was very young I found a dead mouse in the garage and it scared me silly.  Still have this phobia about it, all these years later.)

I tried to explain to Dawson why we could not bring the animal in the house.

“Call Daddy!  Daddy will save him!”

Doug was at a friend’s Trivia party and I called his cell phone and told him the news.  He assured me he’d be home soon to help me with this situation.

When Doug arrived he got on the computer and Googled “baby squirrel fell out of tree” and found a wildlife site that gave detailed directions on how to help the squirrel.  Next, he found a cardboard box, lined it with an old towel and tucked a heated water bottle underneath.  Using gloves and a paper towel he picked up the little squirrel and tucked him inside the box.  It was like a baby squirrel crib.  My husband was my hero.  I knew I couldn’t have done what he did. Little Dawson was so happy that his father rescued the squirrel.

The website said that the mama squirrel would most likely retrieve her baby as long as he hadn’t been severely injured.  Since we weren’t sure of his condition we didn’t know what to expect.  Doug told Dawson that all we could do was hope the squirrel would survive the cold night and that his mother would get him in the morning.

Dawson awoke at 7:45 and was eager to check on his little friend.  We went outside and looked in the box but didn’t see the baby squirrel.  I told Dawson that his mother probably retrieved him.

Ater the Doodlebug went back in the house, I moved the towel a little and saw that the baby squirrel was still tucked inside, but he had died.  I touched his leg with a twig.  No movement.  No breathing.  I cried. I knew I couldn’t tell Dawson the truth.  It would break his heart.

I feel very sad.  I don’t like that I’ve lied to a 5-year-old.  I know he’s old enough to understand the truth, but I do not want to upset him.  On the other hand, lessons on life and death could be learned.  But is Dawson ready for that?  I don’t know.

What would you do?

I cannot believe that it is April already. I feel as though Easter has crept up on me. When I was young the season of Lent seemed so long. Now I realize that time is moving quickly; too quickly for me to grasp.

My babies are growing up! Dawson will be six years old in five months. Owen is six months old in two weeks. Each day is so special to me. I savor every moment I can with my boys.

We spend our mornings cuddling in “the big bed” and we often read stories while lounging there in the middle of the day. Dawson is learning how to recognize words in books. Yesterday he read the word “fox” without any prompting and spelled it out. I am so proud of him.

Owen is developing his personality each day. He smiles often, and he has learned how to use his hands; he now grabs for anything in sight. He is also eating solids twice daily now. He’s one hungry baby, too! Rice cereal is his breakfast favorite, and then later in the day we alternate between vegetables and fruits. His favorite is an apple-banana-pear concoction that Gerber makes.

We spent Easter at my parents’ house. Dawson was so excited to participate in an egg hunt that Grandma and Grandpa the Easter Bunny had set up just for him.  He loved hunting for eggs all around the lawn and in the woods by Papa’s house.  My mother was having a lot of fun just watching Dawson’s excitement.  I loved taking photos of the adventure.

My favorite part was when Dawson was running around, searching for the multi-colored eggs.  He went to the front yard near the ditch and yelled, “Look!  I think I see a blue one!”  When he realized it was not an egg after all he said, “Aww, man!  It’s just a beer can!”  The whole family burst into laughter.  It was the funnies thing I’ve heard in awhile.  I get such a kick out of the things that Dawson says.

Owen was the center of attention when he wasn’t sharing the limelight with his big brother.  Uncle Nathan and Aunt Becky took turns holding the little man.  He was so cute when wearing his bunny ears, too.

The best part of Easter (aside from the delicious food) was celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ with family.  I have come to appreciate these moments more and more as time goes by.

Last Monday I celebrated the Passover Seder with friends and had a wonderful time reading from the Mishnah (and the children asking the four questions), drinking the four cups of wine (mine was pure grape juice since I’m still nursing), and eating matza.  I especially loved the Charoset.  I don’t remember ever eating anything similar.  The Charoset was made of chopped apples, nuts and cinnamon (from what I tasted, that is, I don’t know the official recipe).

Another interesting part of the meal was bitter herbs or Maror (horse radish) and greens (we had green onions, parsley and celery) dipped in salt water and then eaten.  The horse radish was rather strong, I could feel it in my nostrils, but delicious just the same.

While I was raised Catholic, and still practice the religion today, I truly appreciated the Jewish customs.  I realized that aside from the differences in customs, there are many connections between the two faiths.  I was grateful to be able to connect to the heritage in this ritual.

Now a week later, celebrating Easter with my family truly completed the circle.  After dinner at my parents’ we watched a documentary on the History Channel about Jesus and the suffering he endured by being crucified.  It’s difficult for me to put it into words, but I truly felt His presence these last few weeks.  I have come to understand so much, and still yearn for more knowledge on Catholicism as well as Judaism.  I’m eager to learn more.

(I still can’t believe it’s April! Where has the time gone?)

Happy Easter to you all!

Speaking of Spring, temperatures a slowly creeping into the 60s and by next Wednesday we should have a beautiful 65 degree day. The best part is that Spring break starts Monday and I’m eager to get the kids outside to enjoy some sunshine.

While the weather was somewhat warm these last few days, I took the kids and Murphy on some walks to the park. Murphy was so happy to be on his leash and investigating the smells along the bike path behind our house. He must have peed on every tree from our back yard to the playground at Little Plover River Park.

While I was getting over a cold, Doug took Owen outside and they sat on the deck and watched Murphy chase squirrels and birds. Owen loves the sun. I noticed he was less fussy and went to bed half and hour earlier than usual. More sleep for Owen means more sleep for me. It’s a win-win.

I’ve also made an effort to spend more time with Dawson. Since Owen depends on me for everything, I’ve had to sacrifice my time with D. He’s been acting up to get my attention by running around the house and teasing the dog. I try to read more books to him at bedtime and to take him on “special errands” (to the post office or grocery store) with me. He likes the time, too, because he can talk to me about school and other things and I have a better time paying attention when Owen isn’t fussing or demanding my time.

We are so ready for school to be over so that we can spend our mornings at the park and hae picnics in the back yard. And of course, I’m looking forward to grilling season. I’m eager to have a grilled steak. It’s been a long winter.

What are you looking forward to these days?

Joe is a San Jose Shark who was chosen earlier this year to play in Vancouver for the 2010 USA Hockey Olympic team.  Our city was immersed in hockey, hockey, hockey for the last few weeks.  You can imagine the sadness we are feeling right now.  The boys played well and a silver medal is still pretty darned awesome.

It’s pretty solemn over here.  Team USA, you did well…

When my father was still in the bar business, he had a New Year’s Eve party every year. He bought a few cases of champagne and made sloppy joes and appetizers for his customers. He gave his regular bartenders the night off, and Doug and I would work the party so that everyone could have a good time.

Every year, people that did not regularly patronize our establishment crashed the party for the free food and champagne. One couple in particular comes to mind. I can’t remember their names, but we called them “The Toothless Wonders” because both husband and wife were missing several front teeth. Doug would joke that they must have gotten into a drunken brawl one night and knocked each other’s teeth out.

The NYE party was not the first time I had to wait on these people. In college I was a waitress at South Point, my aunt Kelly’s 24-hour diner, and this couple would come in for a cup of coffee and stay all night because we offered free refills. They never ordered anything else. They never left a tip. The Toothless Wonders were the epitome of freeloading.

On New Year’s Eve in 2003, the TWs came in right before the party was scheduled to begin. I think the man’s name might have been Dennis, and her name still evades me, but for the sake of this blog entry, we’ll call her Wanda. They secured two bar stools closest to the food table, and Dennis slammed a wad of singles on the bar. Wanda ordered two tappers of Miller and lit a Basic, full flavor cigarette.

“What’s on the menu tonight,” she asked. “Sandwiches or somethin’?”

“Barbecues,” I told her. “And there will be taco trays and cheese and sausage, too.”

“We didn’t eat all day for this,” Dennis told me.

I remember laughing to myself. I’m imagined they starved themselves all day just to make sure they’d get their fill that night. The couple was never dressed very nice. They seemed to wear the same clothes all the time. Dirty jeans, worn out shirts and sweaters, and worker’s boots, despite the fact that neither worked. They lived off SSI and food stamps, and I think Dennis was receiving disability, too.

They were usually very polite, that is until they had a couple beers and began shouting and rudely bumping into other customers on the way to the bathrooms. I didn’t dislike these people, I just found them to be kind of creepy.

On this particular night they were strangely quiet. Mostly because they were constantly refilling their plates and slamming Millers like shots of whiskey. Speaking of whiskey, Dennis decided after the midnight countdown he would like two shots of Kessler. I poured the shots and rang $5.50 into the register.

“Five-fifty!” He yelled. “I’ve been robbed!”‘

I worked throughout the night, tending bar, refilling the food trays and making sure everyone was having a good time. As I was emptying ashtrays into the garbage can, I turned around to see Dennis and Wanda making out by the jukebox. I nearly puked. Customers began to notice it, too. Everyone was uncomfortable with the PDA. I didn’t want to be the one to break up their intimate moment, so I made Doug go over to them. I don’t remember what he said, but The Toothless Wonders stopped sucking face and sat back down.

The rest of the night was uneventful, save for the local lush falling asleep at the bar. This, I could handle.

“Joe! No sleeping on my bar. I don’t drink in your bed!” I hollered.

“Well, ya could if ya wanted to,” Joe slurred.

New Year’s Eve is definitely a crazy night I’m sort of glad I’m too tired to party all night. It’s amazing what becoming a parent does to your social life.

This New Year’s Eve is a quiet one. Dawson and I watched a few episodes of Spongebob. Owen fell asleep in my arms. Doug is listening to old Bob & Tom shows on the radio. Maybe I’ll switch over to ABC for the ball drop in New York City. If I’m awake at midnight, I mean.

Happy New Year! May 2010 bring you much luck, love and happiness!

It just seems to go in spurts, these moments of calm followed by chaos and busyness and holy spotted cow, I’m tired.

We’ve attended two weddings this month, and one graduation party, and then we did some other things.  I can’t really remember what.

I’ve been having more headaches a lot lately, and I’m starting to worry.  Headaches while pregnant can mean blood pressure trouble.  I’ve been monitoring it at home and it’s only slightly elevated, but when I get 3 or 4 headaches in one day (or one BIG headache that goes away and reappears like painful magic), I get nervous.

Also, it’s freakin’ hot.  I complained how the first part of June was cold and rainy and sucky.  Now I want to rip out my tongue.  The humidity has arrived, bringing with it swollen ankles, sticky heat and general discomfort.  Add that crap to pregnancy and Dear Heavenly God, please, PLEASE send me air conditioning.  I just may die without it.

So, in lieu of a real post, I give you pictures of the fabulous times we’ve been having.

First we have my friend Kim’s Wedding:

Next we have my brother Frankie’s graduation party:

And finally, photos from K & T’s Wedding:

Doug and I had a wonderful time at each wedding, and my little brother’s graduation party was lots of fun, too.  We’ve got so many things coming up this summer… I don’t know if I can keep up!

What have you been up to?

So, I logged on to the StevensPointJournal.com and read this local news story and nearly peed my pants laughing.  Perhaps I’ll hang them out my car window later to dry them off.

Pantsless woman arrested

A 29-year-old Plover woman who was talking on a cell phone and driving without pants was arrested for drunken driving following a crash in the town of Port Edwards, according to the Wood County Sheriff’s Department.

Jessica L. Jackson, who was driving her pickup truck east on Highway 54 just before 8:50 a.m. Sunday, had her pants hanging out the window to dry when the vehicle hit the highway shoulder, and Jackson overcorrected, according to the Wood County Sheriff’s Department Accident Report. Jackson crossed the centerline, entered the ditch and rolled the vehicle.

Jackson was transported to Riverview Hospital, where she was treated and released. She was arrested for drunken driving, Wood County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Dave Laude said. The preliminary breath test showed an alcohol concentration of 0.18, more than double the legal limit.

Now, the act of drunk driving itself is not funny.  Not funny at all.  I’ve lost many friends to this kind of tragedy.

But when I read the headline and then the part where her pants were hanging out the window, I could not stop laughing.  I can’t help it.  I just find that part hysterical.

I can’t imagine the look on the cop’s face when discovering a pantsless woman in a car accident.  Maybe because this woman is from Plover (where I live) that made me laugh even harder. 

Only in Wisconsin…seriously.

Now before I go any further with this story, I must confess that I had never been down a toboggan run before.  I’m nearly 30 years old and last night was my first time.  I was a toboggan virgin.

Iverson Park is beautiful in the summer, but it’s full of snowy action in winter months.  They have a sledding hill which is BYOS (bring your own sled) and two toboggan slides, each 300 feet long.  When we got to the park and my dad asked if I wanted to go down, I hesitated when I discovered we’d have to climb to the top of the platform.  I was freaked out because this is what the drop looks like:

I. Was. Terrified.

My fearless Dawson looked at me and said, “Mommy, you can’t be scared.  It will be so much fun!”

I declined to go down with Dad, Mom and Dawson.  Instead, I went down with my brother Frank first.  I didn’t want my son to see me cry.

So we climb up to the top, I sat down on the front of the toboggan, with my feet directly under the curl and my little bro (who’s 6′ 3″ and a good 250 pounds) sat behind me.   I felt safer knowing there was an anchor behind me.  The slide attendant instructed me to keep my body parts on the sled and to hold tight to the rope.

“Ready?” she asked.

“I think so,” I said with a stutter.

“Have fun!” she yelled.

Next thing I know she dropped the hatch and down we flew.  Picture me screaming, eyes closed, and tears streaming down my rosy cheeks.

“Hooooollleeeee Craaaaapppp!” I screamed.

When we got to the end and started to slow down, I opened my eyes, and sat there frozen with fear.

“Are you okay?” Frank asked.

“Am I alive?” I replied.

“Yeah. You made it.” he said.

“Okay, then I’m okay.  I’m okay, right?”  I couldn’t believe I didn’t die.

As we walked back up the hill, I saw my parents, my sister and little Dawson going down for the second time.   My son, fearless and smiling, was screaming with delight.  He loved it.

“Mumma!  Poppa, Nonna and Rachel and me won the race!  Woo hoo!” he shouted.

“You did!” I said.

Dawson asked me if I liked the “noggin hill” and I told him as long as I didn’t break my own noggin, I would be fine.

I managed to get up the courage to go down again, but with my Dad, Mom and Dawson.  This time the sled crashed and we all went rolling.  I was so happy I wore three pairs of pants because I had some major butt burn.  That wasn’t the first time we crashed either (can you believe I went down a total of 12 times?), and this morning I was so stiff in the buttocks and lower back.

Dawson had preschool this morning, and I realized we were running late.  I quickly threw on one of the pairs of pants I wore last night and drove my boy to school.

When I got home, I sat down on the couch to take a rest and noticed my sweats were inside out.  I can’t believe I was out in public dressed like that!!

If anyone noticed, I’ll blame it on Noggin Hill and my butt burn.  It could have been worse.  I could have broken my arse instead of just getting a bruise on one cheek.  No seriously, it’s black and blue!

Dawson has been begging to go sledding again, and I think I might just do it.  As scary as it is, it sure is one hell of an adrenaline rush!

It was nice to have a few days off.  I wasn’t worrying about what to write each day, and instead focused on many other important things in my life.

Friday night I went out for drinks with my BFF, Amanda.  We hit a few bars in town and spent several hours catching up on the goings-on in each other’s lives.  I finally met her boyfriend (and he’s a doll) and we dished about people we friended on Facebook.  It was hilarious to gossip about people we knew in high school and what they are up to now, twelve years later.

That same night, my brother, Nate, and his girlfriend, Becky, came out, too.  It was nice to hang out with Nathan.  He’s four years younger than me, and when we were kids we fought a lot, but now that we’re older we get along great.  I didn’t get to spend a lot of time with him before he left for Kuwait, and when he came back home in November of 2006 I was a busy mom to a two year old and rarely got to hang out with him.  Over the last year we’ve been growing closer and it’s nice.  I really like Becky, too.  I hope he marries that girl.  Even Dawson loves her.  He’s already calling her Aunt Becky.

Saturday was a crazy day.  I had to work in the morning, but I didn’t get much sleep because I got home too late (bar time sure comes quickly when you’re having fun) so I was dragging for most of the day.  I took a catnap at noon and then I had to meet my mother for a Lia Sophia Extravaganza show.  It was awesome.  Mom and I both bought $10 in raffle tickets and we both won two pieces of jewelry from the new line (with a value of about $66) and I won $75 dollars in gift certificates, too.  It was a lot fun.  At one point during the party, the jewelry adviser asked for volunteers to model the jewelry and do some turns as if we were on a catwalk.  It was hilarious.

Yesterday my parents, Nathan, Becky, my sister Rachel and I participated in the Walk for Life in town.  We marched from City Hall to the Dreyfus Center at UWSP and then stayed for a Pro-Life Rally at the university.  They had some wonderful speakers and I’m really glad I went.  I’ve got some notes for a post that I’m working on.  Hopefully I’ll publish it by the end of the week.

Today was a very long day.  I was so tired from the lack of sleep and I was feeling tense and stressed out.  I had the worst migraine and I truly thought I was going to die.  Thankfully, Doug took care of Dawson so I could rest in the dark and quiet bedroom and now I’m feeling much better.  Groggy, but not in pain anymore.

In other news, Doug sold his truck yesterday.  He put it up for sale last spring, but with high gas prices we didn’t have any bites.  But a high school kid from Eau Claire was really interested and he came to look at it yesterday morning and bought it on the spot.  We didn’t expect that it would happen that quickly.  So, we’re down to just my vehicle and the carpooling is kind of a pain in the ass.  But we are saving money in gas and Doug and I are communicating better so that we can coordinate our schedules — so that’s a bonus.

Hopefully things will calm down soon.  I’ve got lots to say!