Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Bullets over Bedhead

  • Boo is sick. Green boogers running down her face, low grade fever, watery eyes, and Oh. My. God. the whining. I feel bad for her, but I think my ear drums are going to bleed soon.
  • We tried the toddler bed for the first time last night. She had a fit and conniption about it, screaming and carrying on for a good forty-five minutes. She insisted on going back in her crib and, at that point, I was quite happy to let her. She woke up a couple of hours later, sobbing. When I went in there, she kept saying "Bed bad, mama, bed bad." I'm getting the impression that she doesn't like the bed. It took me forever to get O into a bed, too. I think I just have stubborn children. I don't know who they get that from. *whistles nonchalantly.*
  • Boo is addicted to television. If it's on, she's staring at it. I've been limiting it to Sesame Street and Blue's Clues and I generally only let her watch it if I'm trying to clean or fix dinner, but man, I feel guilty about it.
  • Last week, there were TWO bomb scares at O's school. Both times, the school was emptied out and the kids stood around outside for hours. O, thankfully, had her kit with her, but she had no juice, no crackers, no glucagon. No house keys. They wouldn't let the kids take their backpacks out with them. I understand this, since they want to get the kids out as quickly as possible, but they released the kids early the second day - what if I hadn't been home? O would have been stuck outside the house for over an hour, with no cell phone and no keys. I've decided to hide a housekey outside somewhere. We're going to find a handbag for her, too - something that's big enough to hold her kit, her keys, a couple of juice boxes and some peanut butter crackers. There's an informational meeting at the school tonight about it. I'm hoping I can attend.
  • Christmas is going to be so tight this year. I've actually picked up stuff off of Freecycle to give to Boo. She's not going to care that she's getting a used play kitchen but it tears me up inside. I don't feel like I have to buy, buy, buy for my kids, but it really sucks when your budget for each kid is about $40. It doesn't give you much to work with, really. TCBIM and I are probably not going to do much of a gift exchange. Little things. Inexpensive things. I wish I were crafty so I could make stuff for people, but all I can do is bake.
  • What the hell happened with Michael Richards? Did anyone see his apology on Letterman last night? Bizarre stuff. Have you seen the initial tirade? That's even more fucked up. He's probably just committed career suicide.

8 comments:

floreksa said...

Just about all of A's birthday gift was from eBay - used books (25 for only $8). There's no way I could ever buy her the books I'd like her to have if I bought them new.

A's also BIG into "teeeeee-vfeeeeeeee" right now. Constant. I'm trying to limit it to Sesame Street too, but she whines for it from the minute she gets up till she falls asleep.

mel said...

Julia,

What's wrong with baking your Holiday presents?! People love cookies, loaves (like blueberry or cranberry-orange). Being the type who can't bake, I appreciate things like that (although I shouldn't be eating them all the time :) ).

I wish my mother hadn't spoiled us so much at christmas. To be 25 now, I dread opening all the presents and thinking about what a strain they are on her budget. I'd rather receive used items. As much as it might hurt you, the fact that your children will be happy will get you through.

LJ said...

I hate that we live in a society that has stigma to gifts. Hand made equals poor and cheap. Bought equals class. I HATE THAT!! I was raised that way but I'm so GLAD I broke out of that mold. However I still have a relative who is still living that mold and thinks the more you spend the better it is. I do plan on making gifts-mostly sewn things- but I do dread the way they are going to look at them once they are opened.
I also agree with mel, bake your presents! Wrap them up in Christmas style paper plates and pretty celephane. It would work! See I can't bake to save my life. How about I hire you as a baker and you hire me as a seamstress?! So is the house next door empty, I'll be moving in next week!
Big huggers to Boo. I think Mr A got that same thing. No fever yet though. Thank the sick gods. Fever for A equals pneumonia equals a wonderful stay in hospital luxury sweet for a week. ACK!! Think Happy Thoughts.

Anonymous said...

I think baked goods would make excellent gifts. Srsly.

I would definitely bring up your concern for O's well-being at that meeting if you can get there.

Gabe still sleeps with us more often than not. He'll be 3 in January. I've decided not to stress about it too much. More important things, yanno?

I heard the Michael Richards tirade on the radio this morning (of course bleeped all to hell) and was shocked. I can't believe he'd lose his cool like that. I wonder if he's on something. I hope the apology flies because I've always liked him, but I think you may be right: his career is probably over.

Andrea
http://littlebalddoctors.wordpress.com

Sarah said...

Julia,
I’m pretty tight for Christmas as well given the fact that I’ve only been working around 30 hours a week for the past month, so I can definitely relate. I’ve been spending money on stuff that always seems to come up as a need (socks and underwear and such) and don’t seem to have any left over. I so get you on this!

Chicky Chicky Baby said...

I bought a few gifts for my daughter from one of those second hand children's stores. She doesn't know any better and for the amount of time she'll play with it it makes more sense to buy used. And I agree with the others: Bake your presents! Personally, I'd rather receive a basket of goodies instead of a gift certificate any day.

Kerri. said...

I watched the tirade and then his apology on Letterman on YouTube. (Go catch the apology as soon as possible. CBS keeps pulling it from the YouTube ... shelves.) It made me very uncomfortable to watch, for both clips. I agree: Career suicide. He's toast.

And I think a baked gift is a perfect gift. Toys end up broken and clothes are outgrown, but those baked goods and devoured and appreciated first thing.

Unless it has raisins in it. And then it's crap.

Anonymous said...

Liam has a little bitty backpack-style thing that came with a bigger backpack. It holds his kit and some juice and crackers and Smarties and a tube of cake gel, and it's written into his IEP that he goes nowhere without it. Y'all should be able to do the same thing with O, I would think.

And seriously, don't let yourself sweat Christmas. I've been there (in many ways I'm always there, as you know), it sucks, but don't let it suck the joy out of you. There are lots of cool things that go on during the holiday season that cost nothing, and your kids will love sharing those experiences with you. If you don't make it All About Presents, neither will your kids.

And baked goods are great gifts (except, as Kerrie says, if you defile them with raisins).