21 June 2005

Monkey torture

"Mom, I gots monkeys in my ears!"

I'm really starting to hate the monkeys. That's code in our house for an ear infection, started by one of the pediatricans in our group. He asked to look at my son's ears, under the pretense of finding "monkeys."

Today, heck, this week, is NOT good for monkeys.

My husband and I played "Whose meeting is less important?" this afternoon. I won: I went to my meeting.

Tomorrow is worse. Neither of us can miss. We both have filled days. We are in positions that have considerable responsibility, and face time is required.

I'm trusting one of my teenager sitters on her recommendation, and having a friend of hers sit. Not ideal, but we really have no choice.

We have no family within a three hours' drive. All of them work, anyway.

My husband's mom would make the five-hour-plus trip if we asked, but she's just gotten back from an out-of-state funeral. We aren't asking.

I know my neighbors, but not well enough to trust them with a rambunctious three-year-old. He's not THAT sick.

I can't dump a sick kid on my friends and make their kids sick.

Daycare won't take him, because he's had a fever (low-grade) all day. We need 24 hours without fever. The policy was just redistributed yesterday, as a gentle reminder to folks like my husband who really try to push that rule.

Anyone who thinks being a working parent is easy really needs to spend some time in our shoes. Juggling work and family is hard enough. Toss in illness or a family crisis, or a work crisis, and it inches toward impossible.

Darn stupid monkeys.

20 June 2005

"We're on a mission from Gawt."

I didn't realize what day today was until NPR blared the music.

Then they did a tiny schtick: Twenty-five years ago today,
The Blues Brothers
mixed an early Saturday Night Live sketch with some classic gospel and soul singers, and one of the finest pileups in movie crash history.

Wow. Who knew? I find it sad, though, that the only other place that honored a classic was on Nickelodeon.

You read that right. Nickelodeon. My oldest daughter's favorite show, Drake & Josh, managed to honor John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd with a sketch that mimicked the Soul Man act.

Directed by Fred Savage. Yes, that Fred Savage.

Go pull out the tape or DVD, groove to the tunes, watch Jake and Elwood travel through the Chi-town, and see the beauty that is Lower Wacker Drive.

06 June 2005

Ten years, no time at all

My husband and I have been married ten years.

In that time we've:

Had three children, two girls and a boy.

Lived and loved in Missouri, New York, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri again.

Bought and sold three houses.

Suffered through five miscarriages.

Suffered through three pregnancies and incredibly scary labor and delivery.

Watched two grandparents (both mine) die.

Come to the breaking point and fight our way back.

Live through a few job crises.

Watch Seinfeld, Law & Order, Mad About You, Star Trek, Star Wars, The Practice, Sports Night, Twister, Desperate Housewives and Saturday Night Live together, even though the other person might not have wanted too.

Suffered through several Yankees World Series, listen or watch the Yankees stab the Twins through the heart, and watch my face crumple in resignation as the BoSox destroyed the Cardinals last year in the Series.

Enjoyed each other's company in Mackinac Island, Michigan, a few Caribbean islands, around Cape Cod and Boston, skiing (or in my case, falling and whining) on the slopes in Massachusetts, and worshipped at the Baseball Hall of Fame several times.

It all went by in a blink of an eye. There's no one I'd rather spend time with, and I hope our years are many yet to come, even with the inevitable ups and downs.

Palanca, hon.

03 June 2005

The Month That Never Ended

I've been busy. Can't you tell?

Work was nonstop in May. I think I had a total of four days off, which would explain why this is the first post in 30 days.

Mea culpa. Mea culpa. Mea maximus culpa.

In the last month, I've survived the publication of my first magazine at the new job, a media fiasco, a trip to Kansas City where I found out how awful the Internet connections are at Bartle Hall. Hey, KC, wanna know why you are losing convention business? It's because all you have is pathetic dial-up. Put in wireless. Soon.

In the last month, my son really came into his own. He's 3 now. He's full of questions. Driving home is like driving with Socrates in the back seat.

In the last month, my youngest has gotten very fast at crawling. She's learned how to pull up to her knees, and is really frustrated with herself about not being able to pull up to her two little feet. She's so petite (yup, all my genes), she's like a tiny doll (yes, smaller than her Cabbage Patch still) trying to walk.

In the last month, my eldest became a fourth grader. Yes, now all of you who read this and remember cuddling her as an infant in N.Y. can feel old with me. She's also stayed away from home for a full week and counting. She's living the good life with Grandma and Grandpa at their house on the lake. I have promises from Grandma that they will return her. They just don't say when. : )

In the last month, my husband and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary. That's going to lead into another entry soon. I promise.