Washing Our Socks

Tired? Nawh.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:35:00 +0000

Adam swears he didn't lace the peanut butter with sleeping pills. You can judge for yourselves.

This could be a problem. . .

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:52:00 +0000

We went to the doctor yesterday, and the reward for patiently allowing several people to peek in your ears is (obviously) a visit to the fish tank in the lobby. So after the ear-looking is all done, we head straight to the fishies. We only stopped along the way to tell several strangers that we were going to see the fishies, point out a sleeping baby, and admire one waiting room chair. Like I said, directly to the fish tank.

And then, after a minute or two of admiring the aquarium, the one and only CJ shouts out "Yummy! Yummy! Yummy!"

Thank goodness the top of that tank is locked.

Jingle Bells.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:34:00 +0000

Is it just me, or does he remind anyone else of the Fonz? Just a little?

Crashing.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:30:00 +0000

For Christmas, Conroy would like a jar of wood fill and a jar of spackle.

An open letter to Auntie Al.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:34:00 +0000

Scooter's Stats.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:55:00 +0000

Well, voting is now closed. Scooter will henceforth be called Scooter. (4 Boys, your sarcasm is noted. I'm starting a list.)

Today was the 15-month "well baby" visit. We are quite pleased to have only had 2 "not-so-well baby" visits in the last 3 months. It's a record.

The numbers, for those of you tracking such things: 20 lbs, 30.5 inches. He's in the 75th percentile for head size and 5th for weight -- which confirms our suspicion that he looks a bit like Charlie Brown, and means we will be heading out for ice cream MUCH more often. Also, feel free to send baked goods. For the baby. For his health. Yeah, that's it.

Survey.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:36:00 +0000

There is a disagreement in our home. We call on you, gentle readers, to put the question to rest.

The backstory: Our darling son does not crawl, walk, or run. He scoots (and he is darn good at it). It doesn't look like he'll be giving it up anytime soon.

The question: One of his parents has taken to calling him Scooter, and argues that it is the world's second-cutest nickname (Scout being reserved for girls). It evokes brainy muppets and zippy Vespas. The other thinks it is an awful thing to call the kid. This parent argues that it is mocking poor Scooter's favored method of transport, and could lead to him become a strange, small man who obscures his real name, his nickname, and justice. Or even worse, a Republican.

The answer: In your hands. I'm sure there is a clever survey widget or somesuch, but just leave your vote in the comments. Voting will remain open until I win.

Thank you for your help.

Mother's Day.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Mon, 11 May 2009 00:18:00 +0000

Mixed results:

My favorite dinner, and an excellent dessert that I am savoring as I write.

Earlier in the day, a first haircut and a SPECTACULAR fall. Total damage is two bumps and a bruise on the forehead, swollen upper lip. The hair, I think, speaks for itself.

Spring Cleaning, and mystery solved.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Thu, 07 May 2009 00:59:00 +0000

Today's assignment: deep clean your living room. As I'm unwilling to buy the cleaning party e-book, the details are sketchy -- I decide 'deep clean' means 'wash one window and dust behind a few things.'

We've known that CJ likes to store stuff on the second shelf of our tv stand, next to the tivo and near his toy shelf. Since it doesn't have any buttons or openings, we've decided to pick other battles (we are standing firm on keeping his tongue out of any and all sockets). Expecting him to stash several Cheerios there, I planned to add it to my daily cleaning check, which happens about once every two weeks.

While dusting under, around, and behind the tivo box today, here's what I found:

Inventory, clockwise from top left: 2 puzzle pieces, 1 black pump, 1 window envelope, 1 nose-ring thingamajig, 1 linky, the letter W, 1 plastic meatball, 1 river rock, 1 shape sorter block, 1/2 of Adam's iPod case, and 1 board book. Assorted cheerios and raisins not pictured.

Now, you might think the shoe would have tipped me off. But where am I going in a shoe like that?

This also solves the mystery of why he insists on scooting rather than crawling -- crawling takes two hands, making it impossible to get shoes and meatballs from one end of the house to the other, and causes contraband raisins and rocks to fall out of your overalls. Motor skills, schmoter skills, my kid's a GENIUS!

And, a bonus photo for those of you keeping score at home:
Spoon: 1, CJ: 0

Every party has a pooper.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Tue, 05 May 2009 01:21:00 +0000

Today was day one of the Spring Cleaning Party over at SimpleMom.net. Any party without funny hats, and I'm in. Even did the pre-party homework (gather cleaning supplies, check). So when the first assignment was to just walk around and declutter tables and shelves, I thought 'Score! I'll get through at least two assignments, almost as good as my week in the life experiment.'

I dutifully decluttered and sorted our piles of junk: a Wal-Mart diaper box for donations, a Target diaper box for stuff to sell. Two rooms to go, and morning nap ends. My super helpful helper joins the party.

I put him down in the mud room, still clutterful, thinking that a tidy clean house might confuse the kid, be too much of a shock to his system. And while I worked on lunch, his usual sort of babble made me think he was up to his usual sort of activity: putting rocks in my slippers, untying Adam's sneakers, disassembling the dustbuster. You know, just generally making himself useful.

But no. He had found an all new way to be helpful -- re-sorting everything in my boxes. Not a single thing left on the floor, but very very few things where I had left them.

How early can you teach a kid to read? Because those boxes were clearly labeled.

Cousin Love.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:55:00 +0000

Cousins are great. As long as they don't get too close.

Tiny Dancer.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:19:00 +0000

Things I Did Not Realize.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:57:00 +0000

I'm sure that of my 6 loyal readers, the 3 who have been at-home moms will not be surprised by anything on this list. But here is what I've learned in my first three days ALL ALONE with the little man:

1. That so many different muscle groups could be so sore, simultaneously, without actually getting anything done.

2. That cheap carpeting sheds more than all three family dogs. Combined.

3. What sitting in a cube without natural light for five days a week was doing to my psyche.

4. That when a baby is learning to pull himself up to standing, and a mother likes to wear yoga pants, you really really really need to put up kitchen curtains.

5. That I am still, 14 months later, as unqualified for this job as I was when we snuck him out of the hospital.

Now, can someone please tell me what I'm about to learn in the 2nd 1/2 of the week?

You may call me Mrs. Reed.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:05:00 +0000

So, it's day one of my new job: stay-at-home mom. Needless to say, we're not actually staying at home today. We're going to the doctor.

We started the day off right, waving goodbye to Daddy from the back porch in our jammies. I've watched enough sitcoms to know that the occasion called for me to be wearing an apron, so I threw that on over my pjs. Seems a bit much for pouring Cheerios, but whatever.

And this afternoon, before he arrives home, I will put on my pearls. Big, fake, beautiful pearls. With my pjs. I hope he doesn't expect this sort of glamorous treatment every day.

Surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:40:00 +0000

CJ's surgery to have tubes put in his ears yesterday went really well. Adam was with him when they put him under, and the surgery itself was so fast that Adam wasn't back from getting juice from the cafeteria before it was over. Recovery from the anesthesia was tougher, but watching the bigger kids go through the same thing we feel like CJ sailed through beautifully.

The rest of the day went really well -- he was basically a tired-er leaky-er version of himself. Miraculously, he took all his naps on the regular schedule, which happens only about twice a week. Typing that sentence makes me wonder, can we really call it "regular" or "schedule" if that's the case?

Anyway, aside from some yucky drainage and a very late bedtime, everything is wonderful and normal. The biggest drama or trauma probably goes to Bob, who didn't know this surgery was coming up, and accidentally got the text message "in surgery now. keep your fingers crossed." out of the blue at 7a.m. Sweetheart of a guy, he called several times asking who was in surgery, and didn't even complain about being woken up by such a cryptic missive.

You may all uncross your fingers now. But feel free to continue to pray, if you are so inclined. That never hurts ;-)

Today's Doctor Visit.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:51:00 +0000

5 minutes late
4 inches taller
3 shots given
2 ears infected
1 nurse bitten. It was self-defense, really.

Snow Day.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:59:00 +0000

Last week when the ice storm hit, we hunkered down and all three of us had a snow day. There were two noteworthy events, each better explained with pictures than words.

Here is CJ, watching Adam shovel the driveway. See if you can guess when Daddy is looking up at the window. . .

This went on for about 20 minutes. Then Adam started throwing snowballs, and I thought the poor kid's head would explode.

A little while later, cabin fever starts to set in, and Adam decides he'll entertain us all. By juggling. Pears. Have you ever seen Adam juggle? Nobody has. Because HE CAN'T JUGGLE. This is our kitchen light fixture, post-juggling-attempt:

From above.

From below.

Yes, We Can!

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:48:00 +0000

First, we acknowledge the greatness of this moment.
We celebrate.
We record in words and images.

Then, back to our favorite game:
Grab That Nose!

noreply@blogger.com (Adam) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 00:11:00 +0000

I HAVE......

If you haven't already, read Darcy's post below first!

So I'm over 30, I drive that stationwagon, I know the difference between affect and effect, My day starts and ends at a daycare center, and I live in a city that my wife thinks is the suburbs. Most importantly I do what my wife says so here is my list.

1. Started your own blog (Not that Darcy hasn't tried!)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (Does middle school count? I had the best Cymbal technique!)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (Twice but don't ask me why!)
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight (Does this make me sound like a girl?)
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (Hi Linda!)
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (Venice Casino in Las Vegas but still!)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on tour (ok so I changed this one!)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (Does Dorchester count?)
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Learned a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie (at least my name was IN the credits!)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (Thanks Mom for the Matchbox and the BrickBlocks!)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Seen the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House (Does from the street count?)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby (In the same week as 93)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake (It's the beach of salt you have to walk across that really gets you!)
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

I have. . .

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 23:32:00 +0000

I'm nearing 30. I own a station wagon. I live in the suburbs. I go to bed by 10 and spend Friday nights home with my boys. So when I found this list of adventures, I was surprised to realize that it wasn't always this way.

Copy the list. Bold the things you've done. Post it, or email me. Most importantly, surprise yourself.

1. Started your own blog (Hi everyone!)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (flute and piccolo, thank you very much.)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis (Do people do this on purpose? Yick.)
10. Sang a solo (does the shower count?)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris (Hi Ginelle!)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning (Hi honey!)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (Actually, I used to bring NYC visitors to the ferry and wave goodbye.)
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort (Hi Noah!)
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (Hi Mom!)
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (OK, it was really a "water taxi," but I'm taking the credit)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run (Don't hold your breath!)
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Learned a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted (But I did once wake to a college roommate sketching me while I slept. Hi Mon!)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (Karen, if you're out there, Woogie is next to me RIGHT NOW.)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Seen the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London (Hi Mel!)
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (Well, technically.)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House (I'm told I'll thank my Dad for this one day. Thanks, Dad!)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Tell me the truth.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 16:01:00 +0000

Does this outfit make my thighs look fat?

I do hereby and henceforth declare

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 04:47:00 +0000

today as upside down day.

In honor of which, we shall eat our toys

and play with our food.

A sailor went to C C C. . .

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 02:37:00 +0000

Check out the contents of a wicked awesome package delivered this week from the North Pole (Well, yes, OK. You could also call it Maine.)

Edited to add: Click on the picture to see more detail. There's some serious craftsmanship happening here.

A wall

noreply@blogger.com (Adam) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:08:00 +0000

So it's the Thanksgiving vacation and since Pa and I take turns working on each others' houses and it's my turn, we ask the question that comes up so often in our household....What half finished project will get finished Friday. It's not that it's hard to find a project to finish it's just hard to find one that won't cost any money! So we make our plans to finish the rewiring of the lighting on the first floor. So after moving ever bit of furniture that sits over a heating vent(that is a lot of furniture when you consider there are 12 vents in a 7 room house: two beds, one desk, one TV, and one coach) since people were coming to clean the ducts. As the men set up with their giant vacuum and their air powered cleaners it occurs to us that all this equipment makes a lot of noise and they have to leave the front door open on a 25 degree day. So Conroy, Darcy, and I jump in the car to take a ride for the hour or so it will take them to finish and go for a ride. When we return it's noon and we have lunch.

So here's the status: Ducts- Check, Lunch- Check, Baby hearing saved- Check, Paint for Academy Shop- Check, work on house- not so much. I'd like to say that this is different than the way things go around here usually but we all know that it isn't. New plan, Darcy has been wanting me to finish the wall that will cap off the kitchen cabinets and contain all the switches for the kitchen, back porch and back yard. Hard to believe but it was not my intention to leave it looking like this. But I haven't exactly had a chance to work on it.

Since Conroy got new tools from Gram he wanted to help. So Pa, Conroy, and I begin our work, the only problem was what to use (see above about money.) So we made the best of what we had and built the wall. That's right just like that we built a great wall, no delay, no more than had already happened. I really thought Darcy would appreciate our work but she didn't seem overly impressed. She just kept asking if this was the permanent wall. I don't know what her problem is. I did my best with what we had.

Now that we have seen that there is enough room we can build the real wall. In the mean time I think I'll leave this one up, it should only be a month or two, well maybe a year, two at the most.

Three and a half stooges.

noreply@blogger.com (Darcy) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:49:00 +0000

The day after Thanksgiving, Pa and Adam were scheduled to work on our house. Because this tiny little house needs all the help it can get.

Plan A: Put lights in the office/dressing room ceiling. Rejected by the crew because the light in the bedroom occasionally flickers, and this is a more interesting problem to fix.

Plan B: Fix the flickering bedroom light. Great, ready to go. Hon, you won't mind if we shut off power to 1/2 of the house for a few hours? Oh, wait, let me just take this call. . .

Plan C: Sears duct-cleaning service is on the way. Move a whole lotta furniture off of heating vents. Scramble to re-hide newly exposed Christmas presents. Attempt to act casual while doing so. OK. Duct cleaning is a go. Hey, that enormous vacuum is really loud.

Plan D: Get the drool machine out of the house so he can stop trying to drown out the duct guys with his own shouts. Go to Lowe's, buy paint for the needy children at the Academy. Wow. It takes a long time to mix up 7 gallons of paint. I'll be over here with this Oprah magazine.

Plan E: I'm hungry. Me too. Me three. Waaaah! Lunch.

Plan F: OK, so what were we going to do? Something in the kitchen, right? Because we haven't left this room yet.