Tough Conversation

Last night, my husband and I decided to tell my children something that we have always wanted to tell them, but never really had a reason to do.  I got a phone call yesterday from my parents saying my uncle is very ill.  He has had cancer in the past, but is now in the hospital.  They have found spots on his liver and pancreas.  It doesn't look good.  After I hung up the phone, I told my husband that we need to tell the children.  I've said it here and there over the years if someone has become sick, but we would decide not to.  Time would pass.  This time he agreed. 

Soon after we were married, I became pregnant, carried the baby seven months, went for a routine check-up and the doctor could not find a heartbeat.  I was induced and delivered a perfect, tiny baby boy that had gotten wrapped in his umbilical cord.  We were devasted.  We held a small funeral with immediate family and his name was placed on the tombstone of my family's plot.  My children have never been to the cemetery.  It's in NY.  My husband and I would visit it occassionally or I would go when the kids were little and we were there for a visit.  Our oldest son was born ten months later and time went on.

It's always been right there - the two of us wanting to tell them, worrying that they would be mad and upset when they found out.  Our oldest will be sixteen.  Being a neurotic female, I thought it might change their lives, worried they would become depressed, etc.  They were great.  After a really nice conversation and many questions and many realizations ("I would be a middle child, not the oldest", "I'm the fourth, not the third", "was he cute?", "how sad were you when you had him?", "when was he born?", etc.), life went on.  More questions will pop up I'm sure - one was "will we be buried with him someday?" - which turned into a conversation about when they get married and have a family of their own. 

I'm relieved it's out there now and thankful they appeared fine with the news.  

A weight's been lifted,
NeuroticMom

Mom 101

Good morning:)

Thought I'd pass along a tid bit of information with the mosquitos and other bugs that drive me crazy, mocking us this time of year.

My youngest son got out of the pool a few days ago and had a few bug bites on his neck.  The bites were in a cluster.  Within 36-48 hours he had a few more bite-looking marks in that area and it was spreading.  He is highly prone to poison ivy, oak, sumac, etc.  Since he was going to the doctor Friday morning to have staples taken out of his head from a previous pool incident, I asked the doctor what it was.  He has a staff infection - probably from a bug bite. Ten days of bactrim.  He already hates it but the infection already looks better, after only 3 doses.  He has to stay out of the pool for a few days and not share towels with anyone.  Pretty easy - I'm just concerned of the side effects as the medicine builds up in his system.  Hopefully his stomach will be able to handle it.

It never ends,
NeuroticMom

The Karate Kid

I took my youngest and a few of his friends to the movies today.  We saw The Karate Kid and I have to say it was really good.  I'm always leary of a remake - aren't we all?  Well, you will be pleasantly surprised.  I loved Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith.  The kids had a ball and I'm "cool" mom today.

NeuroticMom

Tennis Anyone?

WOW - if you didn't have a chance to see Wimbledon today, watch Sports Center or go on the internet.  It was unbelievable!  Isner had it right at the suspension of play today - "This will never happen again!"
How could it?  The next closest match in the records book ended at 21-19 in the fifth set.

Good luck tomorrow.  Pretty good day for US sports between soccer and tennis.

Exhausted from watching,
NeuroticMom

World Cup Baby!

Go USA!

Even though soccer is not as popular here in the USA, we love it.  And of course we are praying for a USA win this morning. 

Bring home a win,

NeuroticMom

Starting Out on a Good Foot

I walked for an hour, got my husband and I coffee, put in a load of wash, have a pound of bacon sizzling and the frying pan out for aggs when my children wake up.  And it's not even 9am.  Not bad, but will it continue. I sure hope so!

I've made another goal for myself - put 80-90 ounces of water on the counter in the morning and finish it by dinner time.  I used to drink this much and I felt so much better in the evening - not as bloated.

Let me know if you have any little hints for the summer.  I'm hoping to incorporate these things in and have great habits by the time school starts again.

Have a great day,

NeuroticMom

They lost the game, but we did have our dinner together!

Can't Even Believe It!

Happy Father's Day.

I'm sure everyone is making the day special.  I know I am.  I've seen my husband for a total of 15 minutes today, fought with 2 out of 3 of my children, haven't showered yet and I'm hoping to make a nice meal for an 8:15pm sit down time.  Nice.

The two children I've fought with want to make plans for late this afternoon, but I won't let them.  Come hell or high water, we're eating dinner together.  Oh yea, we can't eat dinner until later because my poor husband is watching my poor son play in a soccer tournament in New Jersey in 95 degrees.  My son, who got picked up at 7:15 this morning and is now playing in the 5:05pm championship, will come home and pass out before I put dinner on the table.  I'll just have to prop him up! 

And the reason I'm not at the game right now - driving to and from hockey and baseball and I won't put my kids through the ride out to NJ and make them sit in this heat.  Seriously, sports should be off-limits on Father's Day (Mother's Day too)!

Hope your Father's Day was better than my husband's (and mine).

NeuroticMom

I didn't get up and get things done.  I actually feel hung-over and didn't drink a drop of alcohol last night.  Fifteen families hosted an eighth grade graduation party last night and I am exhausted today.  BUT, summer officially starts at 12pm.  Bring it on - I'm looking forward to it!

It's a beautiful day, my kids are happy and safe -what more could anyone want?

Happy Birthday TechnoMom!  Let's have a drink later - we deserve it!  Holy crap - it's not even a big birthday - what's up with the unbelievable gifts!

Make it a great one,
NeuroticMom

Bountiful Birthday

Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy!

My family showered me with birthday presents this morning before the kiddies were off to their last day of school and hubs departed for a  golf tournament.  

Here's my grab from this morning:

iPhone4

(This is replacing my old iphone which is acting like a dinosaur after 2 short years of life.)

 iPad3G

Oh my goodness!!  I am blown. away. 

Spendingtherestofthedaywithmyipad,

TechnoMom

Summer, Summer, Summer...

Summer is here! The kids are out of school and my goal for the summer is to blog daily.  It's a goal, not a promise.

One goal I have for the summer is waking up at 7am (the latest) and getting the mundane chores of the day done (1 or 2 loads of laundry, empty the dishwasher, walk several mornings a week, Starbuck's run and anything I need at the grocery store for the day) before my kids wake up.  Life will be so much easier if I can do this, right?

Blog to you tomorrow,
NeuroticMom

Question...

Why do English, Australian, Italian, etc. singers not have an accent when they sing?  My fifteen year old recently asked me this question, which brought back memories of a time when I wondered the same thing. 


If anyone knows the answer, let me know.


Driving us crazy,
NeuroticMom

Move Over George Clooney...

That's right!  There's a new hottie in town.  And he. is. HOT.

Let me introduce you to 'that hot guy' from the new Sex and the City 2, ladies, Mr. Max Ryan:

 Mr. Max here plays the love interest of Samantha.  This picture does NOT do him justice.

And for more eye candy, Carrie's old boyfriend Aidan (John Corbett irl):

                                                   

It is worth it to see this movie just to spend a couple of hours looking at these guys ;)  And the shoes and the clothes don't hurt either!

Holy Hotty Heaven,

TechnoMom