My Own David Beckham

He scored!! He scored AGAIN!! HE. SCORED. ONE. MORE. TIME. That's right, Austin did it. He finally scored, and scored big, 3 times! He literally did piroettes on the field after each one. I could not be any prouder of that kid.

He started kicking a soccerball maybe 8 times now and really has a concept of the game now. His first practice, he REFUSED to go on the field with the team. My husband was so mad until I tried to tell him this was something that was supposed to be fun so yelling at the kid and trying to make him go on the field was not going to help. The next practice he couldn't wait to go to practice but did not want to put on the shin guards or the uniform. I was really second guessing myself, if he was to young to play. Then the first game came and he loved the game. He ran with everyone, but would go past the ball.

He was always taught not to kick or hit so when we told him you have to kick the ball and there were other kids around he became timid. I think he didn't know if it really was okay to kick even if there were others around.

So today, he did it. He finally let loose, kicked and bumped around to get to the ball, just like the other kids. Oh, my little David Beckham. Maybe I can be a "posh" mom!

5 the magic number

A's birthday was Monday. Officially 5 and man am I using it to the fullest. 5 year olds put their wrappers in the garbage, 5 year olds sleep in their bed all night, 5 year olds don't crawl under the table at the restaurant. I think he is wishing he never turned 5, I actually heard him say he was still 4. I have to lay off I think now or it's not going to work anymore.

But that made me realize; it was today, 5 years ago that I brought him home from the hospital and the first time he was ever in this house. It seems he's always been here. We were at a restaurant for dinner tonight and he had a hand-me-down shirt on with a picture of a USA Flag and 2001 underneath it and I thought... he wasn't even alive then.

Crazy that you can't imagine when you’re pregnant who this person is going to be like and then you have him and you can't think of life without him.

Happy Birthday A!!

A Rose By Any Other Name

would be a dandelion… but I wouldn’t trade it for any bouquet of yellow long stemmed roses EVER. When a smiling little four year old boy tells you stay right here and comes back with an enormous smile on his angel little face and proudly and gently hands you that pristine weed, my heart couldn’t melt any more. Just goes to show, you can’t buy happiness. It lives in those moments.

No Teacher's Pet Here

So… going back to high school even for an Open House for my daughter still makes me nervous, I could feel a pimple already forming on my chin. Haley and I got to the high school at promptly 6:30 and filed into the auditorium in single file like the rest of the herd. I had my first kickboxing introduction class (more about that later) at 8:00 so I decided that I would go with Haley for an hour, sit in the back and if the speeches lasted to long, I would sneak out. I already have a stepson here for the past three years so I felt I had insight on this already but Haley needed to come and see for herself. So to the back we went, big mistake. Did I forget to tell you that all the punks sit in the back seats? You know the ones, they think they are so cool and have comments for everything and won’t shut up so you can’t hear a word the Principal is saying. The ones I am sure I would have been desperately and totally attracted to when I was that age and since at that time; seriously, did I really care what the Principal was saying? Nope, teenage boys were all I cared about back then. So where was I…, oh yeah, we weren’t sitting in the auditorium five minutes when the vice principal walked up and told them if they didn’t stop fooling around he was kicking them out. And of course, I am the only adult back there and feel like I am the one getting scolded and I feel two inches big. “No sir, all ten boys sitting behind me are not mine”, and “yes, honestly, they aren’t mine, I’m sure…so stop looking at me like I did something wrong” Geezz. I’m not that easy!

Mail Call

Remember when getting mail used to be fun? When the only thing in that little tin box was something good? Maybe a card with $5 dollars in it from your favorite grandma who was in Florida for the winter. Ahh, the good old days when you owed no one and it was a treat to get mail. Now I avoid it like the plague. Guess what, all the big bad bill people know who I am and they have my address and every month they are so kind as to leave me a reminder of just how much I owe them and how much interest they are collecting from me. Greedy Ba$tard$. Now if there were only a legal way to have those fun little cards that are so easy to use at the mall that seemingly have no limit and not have to pay them back, wouldn't that be fun? That might bring back the excitement of that long trip to the mailbox.

HIGH SCHOOL --- YIKES

OMG!!!! Who said time could go by this quickly?? My first born , my baby, the little girl going to school for the first time with her little Barbie lunch box got a letter from the high school saying come join us for an open house to introduce you to the school you will be attending shortly. This just doesn't seem possible. Wasn't it yesterday that I walked her into Kindergarten, made sure she got settled in to her new seat and her Barbie bookbag was hung up, and then hurried into my car so no one could see the tears welling up in my eyes? High School?? How can this happen? Didn't I just get out of high school myself? Seriously, was that really 20 years ago?? Okay, someone has got to stop playing with the clocks!

Change - maybe not

I feel change in the air. Something in the pit of my stomach. Like something is going to happen, I don’t know what, where or how… just something. An unsure feeling to say the least. I look at it two ways: 1- maybe it will be something good or for the better or B- maybe I’m just wrong. Something bad happening is not an option, I refuse to let that enter my thoughts. Positive thinking is what I have decided. Yup, the world has no choice but to listen, ‘cause I said so. (…excuse me for a second) Okay, I’m back – I just had to knock on something wood because fate was just laughing at me and if I didn’t knock quickly it would surely hit me with lightening this very second. Oh yeah, positive thinking. I’m trying to think positive; half glass full, the sun is shining, blah, blah blah. Obviously I have work to do on this positive thinking thing. I do however try to wake up every morning with a smile on my face and think of how fortunate that I am healthy and my family is healthy and that’s what is important. See that, by writing this that feeling in my stomach feels less like a pit and more like a seedling.

I'm Back

I'm back. Miss me? Sorry about that, I always look forward to the holidays but they ALWAYS seem to go way to fast. The shopping, wrapping, holiday parties and family parties have really taken their toll on me. I had a bad cold that started the day after Christmas but am finally feeling better, so I am trying to get back into the swing of things.

Christmas was good/a little too much. I hate the non-stop going of the season. It started Christmas Eve when MOST of my family got together which was fine, then Christmas day came the ENTIRE family got together which was great but then it kept going for the next three days of getting together and spending many hours together. It's hard because I LOVE spending time with my family (and it doesn't happen all that often) but if it could be every couple days for a week that would be fine but that's not how it happens. It's everyday for days straight. And I really do love being with my brother and sisters but when normally it's just my kids and husband and then all of a sudden for a week straight there are like at least 18 of us, it gets to be a bit much. But I really wouldn't change it.

Strange the one part of the season I look forward to every year now is to watch "It's a Wonderful Life" waiting to see if George (Jimmy Stewart) finds the pedals in his pocket from Zuzu's flower and not wanting to change one thing of his life after he realizes how good it is. The part that strikes me as strange is the fact that my mom used to always have to watch it and wrap presents and now as an adult I find myself wanting the same thing. It has me wondering, is this what is in store for my daughter? Is she going to want to wrap presents and watch the same thing and reflect on her own life? I guess only time will tell.

Alone or not Alone- that is the question

So yesterday, I dropped my son off at daycare and went to work. Nothing out of the ordinary, I admit. But then I got out of work, picked up my daughter from school, dropped her friend off at her house, picked up another friend that was coming over and dropped them off at my house. Then I went to the grocery store and picked up stuff for dinner.

I called Brian and found out he was going to pick up Austin from daycare. Great, a little time to myself! And I was going to see the Uconn women basketball game tonight too. I went home and the girls were out taking a walk in the neighborhood. So I started dinner and watched a little Oprah’s show on Love Stories. Side note… boy do Brian and I look like love losers compared to these people, a love note every day for 28 years. But I digress… let’s see, where was I? Oh yeah, a little time to myself…so everything was ready to be cooked but no one was home yet so I waited to start the actual heating part.

The girls got back and were playing Life in Haley’s room. Brian called and said he was still closing his shop. I was leaving for the game at 5:30 so he wasn’t going to be home before I left.

So I was a little happy I wasn’t going to have to do all the cooking, bath time and putting to bed chores that I sometimes don’t feel like doing. Don’t get me wrong, I do like some of it and wouldn’t change things if I could but truth be told cleaning dishes after dinner is not all that exciting to me. Call me wild, but dishes…not my idea of a fun time.

So I go to the game, which by the way was a total blow out but I still loved it, and have fun with my sister cheering on the girls to victory.

I get home, the lights are out, everyone is asleep and it dawns on me…I hate this. I didn’t get to give anyone hugs or kisses goodnight except on the cheek because they were already asleep. Yes, I had a good time but I missed MY family. The hustle and bustle of getting ready for the next day, brushing teeth, “I’m hungry”, “I need a drink” stall tactics, all of it. I missed it. Then I think “I am losing my mind”. How often do you get a peaceful night like this? Then it becomes clear as mud, I have no idea what I want. Or maybe I just want it all.

HOME SAFE AND SOUND

My brother-in-law came home safe and sound from Iraq a couple of weeks ago. My sister and her family live in Maryland so we finally got down to see him this past weekend. A relaxing and happy weekend was had by all. It was so nice to see my sister so content. It had been a long time since I had seen that.

My brother in law Brian left for his tour of duty in July of 2006. There had been talk about it for months, probably since December 2005, before he actually found out his guard unit was being called up. Around March he got the official word and my sister hadn’t slept since.

I would call her at least once a week to see how she was doing; “surviving” was all she could muster up. Taking care of her two girls, getting through each holiday, birthday and any other event that came up by her self was hard to watch. We made extra trips down there and she came up a couple of extra times but it was still difficult.

The thing with my sister and brother in law is that they are one of those rare couples that get along so well and love each other so much you can feel it when you are near them. You can walk around a corner and they are still sneaking kisses like teenagers, even after being together 16 years. So to say it was a difficult time for my sister is a true understatement. Next time, cut off her right arm, I'm sure that would be easier for her.

Luckily my brother in law wasn’t in direct combat, his specialty is black hawk helicopters and making sure they work properly and overseeing the mechanics. So thankfully he came home in one piece and didn’t have to deal with too much debriefing.

I got a call from her the day after Brian came home as they were having lunch at Hooters, (apparently they have delicious hot wings there, um…, yeah that’s what I would say if I was him!!). She had not sounded so happy and relaxed like that in so long.

Politically correct or not, all I have to say is Thank You God for bringing him home safe.

HOT DATE

I had a hot date Saturday afternoon. He kept asking for months if it was time yet, "nope", a few more weeks, I kept telling him. Finally, Saturday was the day!!! Just me and my favorite little guy, off to see "The Wiggles". Some hot date, right? Shockingly, we had a really fun time together. We got there a little early, actually really early, like they wouldn't even let us in yet but the last time we were at this theater we had just had an enormous snow storm and we missed the first ten minutes of the show and I was bound and determined not to have that happen again. But that would have been highly unlikely to happen again since it was about 70 degrees and sunny, no snow in sight!

So they finally let us in and we go right over to the stand that is selling all the crap that ever kid wants. T-shirts, hats, toys... everything imaginable. My little Eddie Van Halen picks the stuffed guitar, looks like a guitar but doesn't make noise, my idea of the perfect guitar for a four year old!

Then on to the bathroom and then snack time. It's a big day so we splurge, nachos with cheese and salsa, hot dog, two drinks and twizzlers for the show. This theater doesn't really have tables to eat at so we decide to have a picnic tucked away in a corner in the theater. So we plop ourselves down and eat our feast.

They mercifully let us go in to our seats and we take the whole scene in, we see the drum set, guitar - yes Murray's guitar- Austin couldn't believe it, he was really getting excited. All the scenery, we talk about what we think they are going to use the big pirate rope for, hint - in case you don't have a preschooler, Captain Feathersword is going to be there.

Now it's finally time for the show to start. There is singing, dancing and lots of entertainment going on and I have the best seat in the house. My star struck baby on my lap, singing and dancing along with them, playing his stuffed guitar and he is totally unaware of just how utterly in love I am with him at that moment.

Enough Already

I was quietly hiding in the bathroom because sometimes that is the only place on this entire green earth that I can truly have a minute to myself. That lasted for approximately 42 seconds before the pounding on the door started. My ninja four year old was kicking the door because he had to go to the bathroom. Mind you, there are 2 other bathrooms in the house, but he had to use this bathroom and it had to be NOW.

Flash back 20 minutes before this to my 13 year old whining, yes, whining still at 13 about how unfair life is or something like that because I honestly had stopped listening. Really all I heard was, blah, blah, whine, blah, blah, whine, ... you get my point. Why can't I get a tattoo? Really, no, that's not really what it was about, it was something about why she couldn't go somewhere but still the answer was "no" and that was it. Then came the whole thing about how I don't understand, and I am not listening to her and I just don't care about her. The drama of a teenage girl.

Rewind 10 minutes before that to my husband, who I guess was trying to help because he was going to be cooking some form of food. But really I would have preferred to cook it myself instead of every twenty seconds being asked if I know where the bowl is and where is the spatula and do we have butter, Is the dishwasher clean?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? WTF!!!

So there I was trying to hide out in the bathroom when even that wasn't safe. Didn't they get that I had had enough already? I couldn't deal with one more person complaining or asking me another question. I just needed a minute to myself but apparently I wasn't going to get that. So I left my sanctuary, um... the bathroom, and went back into the wolf's den.

My son got to go pee in the best bathroom in the house, the spatula, butter and bowl were all found, the crisis of staying home and not being at a friend's house was over and dinner was served.

What do you do when enough is enough??

"New Hampster"

Austin has been obsessed lately about dying, everything from how people die, where they died, why they died, you name it, he asks. He has a fascination about cemetary's too, I guess it's a four year old thing. Everytime we go by one, he wants to go in it. I know I have to break down and bring him in so he'll stop but truthfully, I try to stay as far away from them as possible.

The other day Austin asked his father where his father died. My husband not wanting to go into the details that his father died in Virginia but lived most of his life in New Hampshire and was cremated and his ashes are in New Hampshire told him simply he died in New Hampshire. He seemed satisfied with that and we didn't hear anymore about it. Well, the next day we go to visit my sister at her house. We are all sitting on the deck eating lunch and chit chatting when my sweet little baby tells my sister that his grandpa died. "Oh, he did?", obviously already knowing but pretending she didn't. And Austin, looking like a little angel with his face all serious and tells her, "yes, grandpa was sick and he died in "New Hampster". My sister, trying to keep a straight face says, "um, where did he die?". "New Hampster"

Gotta love those little babes, they keep us smiling!

Sick and Tired

Today Austin was sick with a fever. It wasn't one of those fevers where he's all lethargic and sadly pathetic. It was the kind where to feel him, yes he's hot, but he's also on the floor with his toy car racing around on his pretend race track. He was also on the computer playing on nickjr and noggin. He is fascinated by the games on these websites, especially the ones where you watch plants and flowers grow by picking the seeds and adding the food and water and then they magically grow and become beautiful. Totally fascinating for him!

But the good part, the really, really good part was he took a LONNNGGG nap. I am talking 4 hours!!!! And the reason that was such a great thing was because I was so tired today. I went out with my friend last night, which is rare to begin with that I went out without someone attached to me and stayed out way later than normal. We would normally go out at 7 which is a much more reasonable time but she went to a fair and didn't get back until almost 9 and since I was still in the mood to go out, left at that time.

I did regret it in the morning when I only had about four hours sleep when Austin woke up and needed "mommy attention". But like I said, a nap like that was exactly what I needed. How selfish of me to be happy he took that nap, but really, as I sit here and try to justify it, he needed the sleep, right? It was good for him! Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it anyway, so there.

Hopefully tomorrow things will be back to normal and my little germy child will be all better. One can hope, right?

TRAGIC

There was a tragic accident yesterday in a town over from me. Three high school kids died in a car accident. Two were brother and sister, a senior and a freshman in high school, the other was a friend. How Horrific!! I can't even imagine the pain that family is going through. To lose two of your children in one day. The absolute pain that family must feel. Not to mention, in August, four teenagers died in my town one night because one of the girls didn't want to be late for her curfew so they were speeding.

And all I could think of is my kids and how Zak, my 16 year old in two weeks, is going to be driving and how easily this could happen. Now granted, new laws have made things a little better, like having to have a permit for 6 months first and then you are allowed to get your license. And then once you get it, you are only allowed to have a parent or someone 21 or older in the car with you for the first 6 months, but still!! Next year, Zak and Haley will be the same age as these kids that died. Zak will be a senior and I am sure at some point going to have Haley, who will be a freshman in the car with him. You know, it's true what I've heard, little kids, little problems, big kids, big problems.

You have to let them grow up, as much as I don't want them too, it still happens. But how do you ensure that these kinds of accidents don't happen to them? Keep them in a bubble? Yes, that sounds good but I guess sometimes you have to pop that bubble. How do you know when that time is?

STUFF

Well, Since my blog name is Lil Mis Stuff, I figured you might want to learn a little "stuff" about me. So I guess in a nutshell, this is the main information you need to know:

1. I am 35 and the mother to 3 kids, and technically only two are my "biological" kids and one is a stepson but that's a blog for another day since really I hate answering that question.

2. I'm married to B for 6 years and have been together for 15. So most of my adult life has been with him.

3. I come from a big family, 3 sisters and 1 brother. My dad died when I was little (8) and my mom never remarried (but now has a live-in boyfriend). So needless to say, I have a LOT of issues. But maybe here will be were I can get over some.

4. Because of my dad dying at such a young age, I never really thought that you could get married and live a long life with someone. I also thought that whenever someone left my sight to go somewhere, they were going to die or be in a terrible accident. Fun being me, huh!!

So, that's a little about me and hopefully this will work out good, (um, well, for English majors).

I also read a lot of blogs so if you have one you want me to read and pass on to my friends, bring 'em on!

I should warn you, I am sure most of this will be about my kids, ages 4, 13 and two weeks away from being 16, yikes! And also my very insane, yet loving family.