10.30.2010

Alone Again. Naturally.

Yes.  It is part of a song.  Perhaps a title.  I truly, at this moment, don't remember who sang it or wrote it or have a clue what year it came out.  Alas, I have no flipping clue how to do one of those enchanting games and give points in my side bar.  I also, at this moment, after a bit of vino, do not know if side bar is one word, or two.  Do you?  Okay, phewwww, I can still rhyme, a litte. Seriously, re-read that.  It totally rhymed.

It is nearly halloween.  So happy all's hallows to y'all.  Yes, y'all.  It is a valid word.  Regardless of what webster and blah blah may think.

Okay, I'm alone, again.  Love of our life, man of our dreams -- okay the four year old's dreams (one needs to sleep to  dream).  Yes, four year old girls believe that their fathers are the 'it' of all 'it's and it is a lovely thing.  Because, then said father believes he is the it of all its and you as the super-tired wife and mommy, well, you  don't have to do a blooming thing because the man's ego is intact!  She will see to it (daddy's car is bigger, daddy is stronger, I love papa, he is so smart, strong, has more money, I miss him... blah blah blah... nod, yes, yes, yes, he is, I know, I miss him too, sweetheart). 

When I am alone, I realize that I must do every freaking thing under the sun.  Work, pay bills, pick up, drop off, do science projects, create halloween costumes, make home made yummies for school parties, write notes and emails to teachers, fill out book orders, pay bills, do taxes, do homework, arrange after school schedules, ensure children brush teeth and eat semi-healthy, handle pre-tween outbursts and friendship traumas, manage four year old insanity, and deal with sick kids.  Hmmm, did I say sleep?  I don't think so.  Pretty sure that is not on the to-do list.

I think I'm tired.  Alas, however, I'm waiting up for a text to know that our loved one has arrived at destination two or three, or whatever... so then I can sleep for a bit.  And, can wake up and tell lovely children that their dear father is safely in (someplace other than freaking here) and that he loves them and misses them tons.  And, yes, of course, he is buying presents, but due to current airline restrictions, said presents are now tiny... but yes, great things come in tiny packages.  No.  Not like the blue boxes with the white ribbons that mommy likes with the gold key/silver lockets/diamond hearts inside, but more along the lines of a dsi game removed from its packaging.

I know Husbandrinka travels quite a bit and Marinka seems to handle it just fine.  I wonder, however, does her wine supply come in those big kegs they have at the winery? Vinyard?  Whatever.   Because mine just comes in those 750 ML little dinky bottles - and it ain't cutting it.  Or does it seriously get easier when the children are older?  I think I'm going to have to switch to white or start bleaching my teeth.  I'm thinking I need to whine to the housewives!  But, I have some narrowing to do.  Tonight my whine would simply sound like whah whah whah, cabernet, whah, whah, whah, chardonney, whah?

Good news, though: we have made record time this trip before I (ie my bedroom) was totally invaded. In other words, until tonight they were sleeping in their beds.  Tonight, eeek -- they are both in my room!  It is fine.  It is good.  They think it is one big sleep over party thing.  And we will make pancakes and watch Camp Rock or Fairy something or other in the morning... and it will all be good, right?  And will save electricity by all sleeping in one room, right? But, damn, this is a long trip.  Do you think I can convince them this is just a weekend sleepover?  A halloween weekend party?  That ends Sunday at 5 p.m. -- any chance?   Or, perhaps they can come to your house for a few nights and I can sleep and watch an adult show and shave my legs and, ummm, sleep?  Yeah?  Well, call me!

May your ghosts and goblins and fairies and princesses and pirates and vampires and butterflies and ghouls and witches and cowboys and ballet dancers and firemen warm your hearts this weekend!  My butterfly fairy and go-go gal are rocking my world!  Happy Halloween.  (And, if  you know where I put my coffee and my keys, text me, okay?   Hmmm, never mind.  I don't know where my cell is either!  Twitter on and I'll just sit here... alone, again, naturally!)

10.16.2010

DInner Conversation.

We dropped the head of the house [yes, it is possible that he may actually read this] at the airport on Tuesday after school. After saying our goodbyes, we headed to music lesson for the girls. Lia’s lesson. Ten minutes of which we were using that day to introduce Gia to music lessons and see if she is ready. I’m thinking piano. And, when I walked out, Lia and Gia were both on the bench and, under the teacher’s guidance, Lia is showing Gia the middle C song -- I have lovely visions of sugar plums dancing to my darling duo’s carols on the keyboard during the coming holidays.

I come back, forty-five minutes later. Lia is seated at the piano. When she finishes her tune, which sounds pretty darn good, I hear from the other side of the large room: Mommy! bam, bam, bam, BOOM. Guess who is playing the drums? And again: bam, bam, bam, BOOM. SMILE. “She likes the drums!” Lia exclaimed. Bam, bam, bam, boom. The teacher nodded. Hmmm.

We get on the elevator and decide to go eat in the restaurant on the top floor. It is a great place, good food, nice people and convenient [as it is five and I need to feed all of us, after a quick flash to me dragging everything into the house and cooking and cleaning, on top of getting homework and everything else done alone, upstairs is a no brainer]. A little special dinner to start our week alone off right. Perfect. We will be able to have dinner and we can see planes as they approach and leave the airport.

We get all settled, food ordered, girls’ smoothie/shake ingredients resolved. After just a few sips of her smoothie and just after the food comes:

Gia: Ummmmm. Mommy, I need to go pee. I’ll be right back, okay?

Me: Go ahead, I’ll be there in a minute to help you wash your hands.

Gia: [over her shoulder, as she happily scampers away] Okay! See you in a minute.

Me: aaah, [sip, sip. Guess what that was? Just water... for now!]

I slowly walked to the bathroom. As I open the swinging door to the room:

Gia: [overly loud from the first stall] Mommy, IS THAT YOU?

Me: Yes honey.

Gia: I’m not done yet.

Me: That is okay.

Gia: Ummm, Mommy?

Me: Yes Gia.

Gia: Mommy are you pooping?

Me: No Gia. [in a very low voice - remember, the door to the ladies' room, is a swinging bar-type door]

Gia: Mommy, you are PEEING!

Me: Yes. Gia, remember we are in a restaurant. Please speak quietly.

Gia: We are not in a restaurant. We are in the RESTROOM.

         Did you just flush?

Me: Yes.

Gia: Ummm, Mommy?

         I need to poop. You can leave.

Me: I will wait and help you wash your hands. The soap dispenser is very high in here.

Gia: I don’t need your help. I can wash with just water. I don’t need soup [her speech is fine. The babysitter’s isn’t.]

Me: When you wash your hands, you should always use soap. Especially after you poop use the toilet.

Gia: Oh. Ummm, Mommy? The poop is stuck in my butt.

Me: ...

Gia: It is okay. I can push it out. uuuhhhhhh!

Me: Gia. You don’t need to push that ...

Gia: It worked Mommy! [plop. plop.}

Ummmm, Mommy?

Me: Yes Gia.

Gia: There is a fly in here.

Me: What is it doing?

Gia: I am pooping. [plop.]

Me: [I’m thinking: we need more fiber in our diets] No, Gia, what is the fly doing?

Gia: Oh, the fly. It is bugging me!

Ummmm. Mommy?

Me: Yes, Gia.

Gia: What does bugging mean? [obviously a word she learned from her sister’s frequent use]

Me: Ummmmmmm, Gia. Bugging means that it is bothering you.

Gia: Ummm, Mommy?

Me: Yes, Gia.

Gia: The fly is bothering me. Hey! There is no toilet paper in here!

Me: Hold on. [gathering toilet paper from next stall; folding and passing three usable portions under the divider to Gia]

Gia: Thank you Mommy! Ummm, Mommy?

Me: Yes, Gia.

Gia: Why did you give me three pieces?

Me: Do you need more?

Gia: No. I mean yes. This poop is SOFT!

Me: [passing more folded tissue sections - soft?]

Gia: Eeeeeeew. Okay, all done.

Me: [thinking: sip, sip, sip. Yes, later.] Okay, are you coming out?

Gia: [flushing] Man, that was FAST! Hey! The fly is gone!

Me: [assisting in the soap acquisition and water regulation]

Gia: [jumping up to high five the automatic paper towel dispenser to get another paper towel]

Ummm, Mommy?

Me: Yes, Gia.

Gia: I’m hungry now!



Gia galloped back to the table and grabbed her fork and dug in. The waitress that was sitting with Lia just smiled at me. [Could you pack this to go please? ]


Gia: Ummmm, Mommy?

Me: Yes, Gia.

Gia: Isn’t that sunset awesome? What a beautiful day. Isn’t it a beautiful day? But it is going to be night. But it is still beautiful, right?

Me: Yes, Gia it is.

Gia: Ummm, Mommy? Is that papa’s plane leaving?

Me: [nodding]

Gia: I miss papa already.

Me: Me too Gia.

Lia: Me too.

Yes, Lia was with us too. The gals there are great and know and love her and answer her questions and teach her to make smoothies and bring her extra of whatever she likes the best. She was at the table most of the time, eating and drinking her Guava milk shake and talking about the art on the wall with them. From five to six that night, it was our own personal restroom. Oh, I’m sorry, I mean restaurant. At home, after they were in bed, I poured myself a glass of vino and pulled out my french onion soup to re-heat. Oh look! She gave me foccacia to go with it. It was a beautiful day.


[In a more recent dinner time conversation, at our house this time thankfully -- "ummmmm Mommy, the poop won't come out!  It is okay though, don't worry, I can just pop it out!"]