And speaking of deliquent parenting...

Wanting to end the New Year on the right foot, I went to the gym around 8 this morning with Brady.  I left the gym just before 9, and I walked out to my car and and strapped Brady in his carseat.  I shut the door, walked around to the driver's side, and realized the car had somehow locked...and the keys were sitting right next to Brady.

This is not the beginning of the day and end of the year I was anticipating.

Since my phone was also locked securely in my car, I flagged down a man who was walking to his car and asked to use his phone.  He handed it to me and of course, it was completely dead.  He said I could sit in the passenger seat while he plugged it in to the car charger and I was trying to be very patient as the phone booted up, but I spotted another person in the parking lot and thankfully, his phone worked. 

Eric was at work, but I knew he didn't have a spare key.  He'd have to drive 15 minutes home, then 10 minutes to the gym, so instead I called 911, thinking they could quickly come jimmy the door open.

Depending on Durham PD was my first mistake.

I called 911, explained the situation and they said they'd send someone right out.  After about 10 minutes, a firetruck turned into the shopping center.  It stopped a few shops down and I thought they were confused.  Nope, just 3 firefighters wanting to make a morning breakfast run to Hardees.  Hey, don't worry about the toddler locked in the car...we'll be just fine.

I used another stranger's phone, called 911 again to see if they were planning on waiting until 2013 to send help, and as I did, a cruiser pulled up...a leisurely 15 minutes after I called.

I falsely assumed that since the 911 operator didn't tell me any differently, that the policeman would actually be able to do something for me.  Fun fact of the day: police are no longer allowed to carry Slim Jims.  He said he could call the lock people but he wasn't sure how long that would take.  So he did, and apparently they were busy this morning, because it was going to be an hour.  It would have been great if I could have had some of this information about 15 minutes ago when I called 911 in the first place.

Ok, next option.  Break a window...or have Eric go home and get me a key.  Brady had already been in the car for a while and my rational mind had to remind myself that he was safe and there was no need to go smashing car windows.  I called Eric on the policeman's cell phone (which, FYI, the police department does not pay for) and he went home to fetch the spare key.

The policeman informed me that I was handling this much better than most mothers.  This may have been aided by the fact that Brady was happy as a clam sitting in his car seat.  And I knew that although it was chilly in the car, he was warmer in the car than I was outside.  Standing outside for 50 minutes in my thin capri tights was not my idea of a good time, but Brady was dressed better than I was. 

After about 40 minutes in the car, Brady was sucking his thumb and twirling his hair and I saw his eyes get heavy.  Sure enough, he managed to put himself to sleep for his morning nap (which is still going on as I type this).  Brady has a way of making dumb things I do easier on me by being awesome.

Eric arrived to save the day and rushed back to work as I pumped the heat and drove Brady home.

Perhaps a fitting end to 2012.

Christmas in Newton

I figured I better get my Christmas posting in before 2013.  The good news is that the Mayans were wrong so Christmas 2012 went on on as scheduled.  Santa found his way to Newton, where we traveled to visit Eric's family.

 

Brady's grandparents were very eager to give Brady his big present, and figuring December 23rd was equal in Brady's eyes to December 25, they gave him a motorized 4-wheeler a few days early.  Brady liked it, although he had some initial difficulties with the "go" button that moved the vehicle forward.

 

Fast forward a couple hours.  Eric's parents live in a split level house and the 4-wheeler was on the main level.  I was in the kitchen cutting up some grapes.  I heard the engine going and turned to see a grinning Brady who decided this would be the perfect time to figure out how to hold down the go button. One problem...the 4-wheeler facing and heading directly towards the stairs.  I ran towards Brady but was a few feet short of saving him from taking the plunge down the stairs.  I watched helplessly as my daredevil flipped down the stairs and watched as his new gift toppledon top of him.  His face met the carpet (thank God for carpet) which gave us our own Rudolph look-alike for the remainder of Christmas.

Thankfully, Brady had no other lasting injuries and we were once again reminded of how resilient little kids are.  Otherwise, deliquent parents like us could never have kids.

 

Needless to say, Brady wasn't too amped up to get on the 4-wheeler the rest of the week.  Since his parents can't protect him, he's figured out he's got to protect himself somehow.

 

He passed out in the chair with me soon after his spill.  My hair is always Brady's comforter and I was happy to let him pull away.

Brady got to hang out with his buddy Kylie on Christmas Eve.  They spent a good amount of time sizing each other up.

 
And then, the big event...Christmas morning!

 



Christmas presents are great, but for this child, he really only wants two things...a ball and a hoop.

I usually have about a 25% approval rating on Eric's gifts, but Spike Ball as a hit.  With this group of crazies, it was as fun to watch as it was to play.

Happy New Year to all!

Brother or sister for Brady?

Find out here.

 

Sorry to disappoint if you were expecting to find out if it was a boy or a girl.  Like everyone else, you'll have to wait until May.

We ask Brady this question frequently, and 95% of the time his answer is the same...no.  I suspect he answers that way because his first "no" was greeted by hearty laughter, as have all the "no's" that have followed.  But perhaps he understands more than we givs him credit for and he is simply answering honestly.  Sometimes he doesn't even let us finish the question before he's ready with his answer.

Th kid knows what he wants...and doesn't.

Durham Santa

The outrageous prices (and lines) for visiting the mall Santa quickly crossed that to-do item off my Christmas list this year.  Neither Brady or I were too torn up about not getting a picture with Santa, but when an almost free Durham kid's event popped up that we were available for, we (ok I) decided to go.

During this event, kids could get their picture taken with Santa.  The squash court in the Durham Rec Center was transformed into the North Pole (admittedly a bit of a low-budget operation) with Santa waiting.  I came in with low expectations about getting a good picture, especially after seeing many cowering toddlers hide behind their mother's legs when prodded forward.  I should have known that my social butterfly would not be phased by the jolly man with the funny hat and long beard.  Brady is very into high-fives right now, and Santa was a benefactor.

Hard to tell in this action shot, but this is an aggressive high-five....he's got the leg kick and the cocked arm working.

"Should I, Mom?"

"Hmm, what do I want for Christmas?"

Back for more high-fives

"I'll just sit here and we'll make a day of it."

Santa was not the only one getting high-fives.  Brady found another friend in the squash court and was chasing her around.  Brady goes for the older woman, of course.

When we were getting ready to leave, we saw Santa Claus wondering around in the hall.  He came up Brady and started talking to him.  Let's just say it was not a "Santa" voice, and there were definitely no "ho ho ho's."  I'm all about breaking the myth that Santa is a plump, old, Caucasian man and what better way to do it than in Durham with a skinny, young, Hispanic Santa.

A different kind of Christmas list

Since I've been slacking on the blog lately, I thought I'd share my most recent "First Person" article from www.tarheelmonthly.com.

A few weeks back, I interviewed wrestling coach C.D. Mock, who is a joy to speak with.  He loves his University, he loves his program, and he loves wrestling.  We spoke at length about a common and necessary practice in college wrestling: weight cutting.  Not a conversation most people have before the holidays and I only felt slightly guilty about eating and drinking liberally while writing the story.

The most interesting part of the conversation was our discussion about hydration.  I knew wrestlers had to limit their food intake, which sounds terrible enough, but I had no idea they had to endure not only hunger, but thirst.  When wrestlers are cutting weight, much of what they’re losing is water weight, to be quickly gained back later.

One thing Mock told me stuck in my memory.  He said, “Most people have no idea what it means to be thirsty.  The minute anybody gets thirsty they can quench their thirst.  When you have to go to bed at night and your tongue is sticking on the roof of your mouth, it takes an ungodly amount of discipline to endure that.”

Think of a time when you were so incredibly hungry and you had that first bite of food.  Pretty good, right?  Now think of a time when you were so incredibly thirsty and you were finally able to gulp down that big glass of water.  Even better! When you get to that point of extreme thirst, a glass of water can be more satisfying than even the most delectable food.   

Mock is right, I’ve never been truly thirsty, but the closest I ever remember was during a flight a few years back.  I was sleeping when the beverage cart wheeled by and when I woke up, I was parched.  The flight attendants had settled in for the long flight and were nowhere to be seen.  The flight attendant call button tempted me from above, but I felt too much like a little kid calling for her mom in the middle of the night, so I sat and tried not to think of how thirsty I was…which of course made me thirstier.

So I have I no idea what it’s like to go to bed with my tongue stuck to the top of my mouth, but if it’s anything like my flight from hydration hell, I’ll pass.

It got me thinking, besides water and food, what are some things I’d rather not limit or eliminate from my life?  This is a different kind of Christmas list.  It’s not things I want, but rather things I could not bear to lose.  Let me keep these this Christmas, Santa, and I promise I’ll be good all year.

Sleep: You know those people who sleep about 5 hours a night but as long as they have a cup of coffee in the morning and they are up and running for the day?  That is not me.  I prefer 8 or 9 and will settle for 7.  Get much below that and I’m sorry if you run into me that day.  My second child is coming in May and I can only hope this baby loves sleep as much as his or her mom.

Online shopping:  I remember a few months ago having to recite my credit card number to a man and when I didn’t have to pull it out of my wallet, he seemed impressed (or possibly disgusted).  I was struck with the idea that many people don’t know their credit card or debit card numbers by heart.  To my defense, I pay our family bills, all of which are electronic.  But yes, I like online shopping and consider myself pretty good at it.  In the past few years, my Christmas shopping has felt like cheating.  Take online shopping away from me and you might not find a present in your stocking.

Library card: I love reading and I’m one of those crazy people who reads actual books.  The Kindle, Nook, Nexus and all other tablets are fantastic inventions, but they just aren’t for me.  I go through books too fast and I’m a bit too frugal (don’t let my online shopping fool you) to be an avid tablet user (which requires you buy books).  But did you know you can go to the library’s website, reserve a book, and the friendly librarians will grab it for you, put it on a shelf with your name on it, and call you up when it’s ready for pick up?  And it’s free?   It’s a great version of online shopping with no financial penalties.

GPS: There are some lost arts with the newest generation.  Cursive, for instance, is one discipline many schools are no longer teaching (my grandmother was aghast when she learned this and solemnly asked, “How will they sign checks?”).  Another abandoned skill is the map reading, and I will count myself among the lost causes.  Coupled with that, my internal navigation system is completely broken (actually, I’m not sure it was ever functioning).  I can be in a hotel room for an entire week, but when I step out of my room, I’ll need to look both ways to see which way the elevator is.  Some deficiencies life you make up for with practice and discipline….and some you just rely on technology.  Thank you, GPS, for (usually) preventing me from driving around the Triangle aimlessly.

Hot showers:  Everyone can agree that cold showers are terrible, but to me, a lukewarm shower will probably mean no shower at all.  I love visiting my in-laws, but they have that kind of shower.  The kind where the first few minutes are ok, but you keep turning the knob further and further to the left until it won’t budge any further.  It’s a slow progression from hot to warm to tepid and I’m scrambling because I haven’t even put the conditioner in my hair yet.  And forget about it if someone has taken a shower before you.  Take shorter showers, you say?  I’ll save the world in other ways, thank you.  Before I buy my next house, I will insist on a full 20-minute shower and if my skin is red by the end of it, hand me the papers to sign.  But hand me a towel first.

So there you have it.  Just let me sleep, shop, shower, read and navigate this Christmas and I’ll be merry.

What’s on your Christmas list?

A lot of P's in this post

The day started with pee and ended with poop.

Does that entice you to continue?

I'll start at the end.  We were getting Brady stripped down for his bath tonight.  I commented about how Brady had yet to poop for the day.  Smarter parents would have skipped the bath altogether.  Instead, I reviewed with Brady what he was supposed to do if he felt the urge coming on.  Obviously, he's supposed to tell us, via sign language (make a hole with right hand, thumb out with left, insert thumb in hole and remove).  Also obvious (well maybe not), that I have absolutely no expectation of Brady actually performing this, but I just started teaching the poop sign to Brady hoping one day he'll tell me before he has to go.  It's one thing saying "poop" and having Brady repeat the sign, it's another thing for him to sign after he actually poops (still helpful), and it's an entire other level for him to do this before he goes (most helpful).  Brady can do one out of three of the three...and it's not the most helpful third option.

Anyway, after our sign language review session, Brady got in the tub.  He was standing in the tub holding on to the side, his little butt hadn't even hit the water, when we hear "Plop, plop, plop" followed by a final "plop."  Four turds into the clean water. 

We'll need to have a review session tomorrow. 

I find sign language is a more effective tool for Brady when he wants something.  Not much use for it otherwise.  The good news is Eric was home tonight since the team didn't have practice.  Always nice to share the joy with another.

The day started less dramatically.  Brady usually wakes up around 6:30.  Sometimes, he'll squawk and let us know he's awake, but lots of times, I'll hear Brady talking to himself in the other room, content to roll around and do whatever he does in his crib.  This morning, Brady was awake but was being quiet in his crib.   Eric went in to his room and there he is, happy as a clam, wearing PJ's soaked in pee.  How can that be comfortable?

Ok, enough talk about Brady's bathroom habits.  Things were copacetic the rest of the day in that category.  In other news, I officially look pregnant.  I had two strangers today comment on the baby-to-be.  It's always nice for a pregnant lady reach this milestone.  For a solid month or so, I can see people's eyes glance towards the bump and continue conversation like it's not there.  Not that I blame them, my biggest fear is to ask someone when they're due only to get blank stare or a punch in the nose.

The first question came during music class at the library from a woman about my age.  I've always wanted to reply to the question, "When are you expecting?" with the response, "Expecting what?" but I resisted, knowing how mortified I'd be if I thought I got something like that wrong.  I'll do it one day though, just need to find the right person.

The second question came at Panera from a 70-something man at a neighboring table.  He was very sweet and said, "You're so thin that it almost looks like, well, you're just so thin that it looks like you could be expecting another baby."  I guess he wasn't sure, but if he was wrong, I certainly couldn't be offended because he told me how skinny I was.  Interesting strategy, sir.

Anyway, I'm glad to be passed of the stage of having to point out the red elephant every time I run into a friend or acquaintance.

To end on a high note, I want to let you know that I won the lottery tonight.  We went out to dinner to celebrate Eric being home and we were walking through the parking lot back to our car.  I saw what looked like a credit card lying on the ground.  I bent down to see if someone had dropped it, but saw it was just a Walmart gift card, so I left it on the ground.  "You're not going to pick it up?" asked my husband.

So I did, even though I detest Walmart.  I scratched off the silver covering (I told you this was the lotto), called to check my balance and whadduya know....I am a winner!  $9.59 just for me.

And yes, my husband straight-face suggested we go to Walmart right then to splurge on our winnings.  I told him what every lotto winner knows.  You have a wait, be intentional about what you buy, and never blow it all at once.

Now that I think about it, if we'd gone to Walmart after dinner, we would've skipped bathtime, and then my bathtub wouldn't have gotten cleaned tonight.  Yes, everything happens for a reason.

Brainwashed

With Brady's slowly increasing vocabulary, there are a few words that are clear, but may not be understood by the outside world.  Example - when Brady sees an "NC" symbol he say's "Ahh-ee."  The million other things I say to him each day don't register, but what do you know, that one has stuck.  Admittedly, he gets a little bit of exposureto the Tar Heel logo.  I'll be drinking a glass of water and Brady will point and say, "Ahh-ee."  I look down out my cup and sure enough, there it is.

The other day, the latest Tar Heel Monthly magazine came out and in the table of contents, there is a picture of me playing a soccer goalie (for a story I wrote).  I opened it, showed Brady, and asked him if he could find mama.  He looked at the page, his eyes lit up, and I had joy in my heart....he saw his mama!

Except actually, his eyes had landed on the small NC logo on the top left hand of the page to which he pointed and said, "Ahh-ee!"  He smiled at me proudly.

I felt bad until the next day when we were Skyping with Eric (he was traveling in Indiana).  Brady's always excited to see his dad, and the minute Eric's picture popped up on my computer screen Brady's face lit.  He pointed to the screen...more specifically, to Eric's shirt.  "Ahh-ee!"

So it begins.