May the Force Be With You

Check out this awesomeness!!



* Darth Vader from Star Wars MIMOBOT Series 2
* 8GB capacities
* Mac/PC compatible
* Sound Software allows you to hear your MIMOBOT flash drive’s innermost thoughts whenever you insert or remove it!

Brand: Global Holdings, Inc.

http://www.gilt.com/sale/women/stars-wars-usb/product/79773137

shameless contest entry

My friend, Emily, has a blog that I enjoy reading and aspire to emulate one day.  But the real point of this point is to try to win tickets for my family to Six Flags, because Emily is giving them away. Yes, Emily, I desperately want to take Batman and Robin to Six Flags.

Visit her blog for your chance to enter!

West of the Loop

My life, as I wished it looked

I have secretly replaced all of my work pants with Gap Premium pants in black and gray.  Let's see if anyone notices.

It's Friday and instead of being excited about the weekend, I'm worried about thousands of small minor details that are out of my control.  Doesn't do me any good to worry about them, but worry I must.

Happy Friday!

Hello, my pretty

In the words of Batman, "I very very want these."

The pink of perfection.

Now I feel like watching Summer Magic.  Best Haley Mills film of her career.

I'm dreaming of a MOOOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKE, just like the ones I used to eat

I'm down another 2 pounds, for a grand total of 7 pounds lost from my all time non-pregnancy high.  It seems the "Not Shoving Everything I See in My Mouth, Sleeping, and Getting off my Ass" diet plan is working.  Go figure.  It also helps that my husband is following a strict regime of "I Refuse to Eat in a Restaurant With Our Children."  Which really made me bitter on Friday when he was off all day and I came home and had to cook (Sidenote: WTF?!?)  I just wanted a molten chocolate cake from Chili's.  And a magarita.  And some southwest eggrolls.  Instead, I had chicken with chipotle and black bean salsa, corny cornbread, and brownies with white wine.  I know it sounds the same, but it's not.  Oh, how it was not.  Did I mention that I had to make it?

I am a major procrastinator.  It's one of my least favorite personality characteristics.  I finally (FINALLY) sent off the paperwork that was critical to the next phase of a project I've been working on.  Four weeks later than I would have liked, but it's done.  DONE!  Well, this phase.

Can we use college funds for therapy?

The Spouse worked over the weekend, so it was me and the Dynamic Duo for two days straight.  Saturday morning, we went to the church Easter Egg hunt.  It was well run, and so much nicer than the clusterfuck near riot egg hunt the HOA held last year.  Both kids got several eggs and won big prizes (Robin - big first place chocolate bunny, Batman - slightly smaller second place bunny) and Robin is still talking it about (egg hunt, saw bunny, CHOC-O-LOT) to everyone he sees.  We went out to a fancy sit down lunch (KFC Bell), then home for naptime. 

At 4pm, the photographer (http://tomerlinphoto.zenfolio.com/) showed up.  For 1.5 hours, we followed the boys as they played at the playground, ran around a baseball field and basketball court, searched for dinosaur tracks, and were silly.  I'm hoping we got some good shots of them. 

We went home, changed clothes, and had a snack.  We agreed that we would watch part of The Wizard of Oz, then eat dinner, then watch Tangled.  We would finish WOZ on Sunday. 

Batman passed out by 6:30.  Robin and I made pudding (CHOC-O-LOT), then ate dinner and had pudding (with cweem, mommy, CWEEM!  I do myself!) and whipped cream.  Batman woke up at 8:30, just as The Spouse was getting ready to leave for work.  He ate a bowl of yogurt, then went to bed.  I was very surprised, but happy.  I ready for awhile, to ensure that he was really asleep, then got the Easter eggs stuffed and baskets filled.  I was debating where to leave them.  Batman wakes up about an hour before Robin does.  I knew if I left the baskets on the kitchen table, like I did last year, Batman would open his and Robin's and eat all the candy.  I decided to put them in the basement.  I gated the down stairs and went to bed.

In the morning, I woke up to Robin demanding I read him a story.  I drug myself out of bed and retrieved him from his crib.  I was changing his diaper when Batman came in with tears streaming down his face.

"Mommy, I have some bad news."
"What's the matter?" Oh crap, did the tv die?  Is the playstation broken?  What could make him cry like that this early in the morning?

"The Easter Bunny didn't come."  Sob, cry, tears, snot, etc.

In my head, "OH SHIT!!"  Aloud, "I'm so sorry.  Why don't you come downstairs with me while I let the dogs out?" "No."  "Oh, come on" "NO." for another five minutes.

Finally, we all went down to the basment, as Sally and Leo crossed their legs and barked in desperation.  "MOMMY, LOOK!!!"  And so Easter morning was saved.  At least, until Batman snuck his Easter basket out of the kitchen and into the living room while I was getting dressed for church.  He would have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn't been for those meddling dogs.  He tattled that they ate all his chocolate.  So he got in trouble for sneaking the basket AND for giving chocolate to the dogs.  Luckily, I went easy on the candy this year and stuffed the eggs with legos and hot wheels.

The rest of Easter was uneventful.  We went to church and bagels for lunch.  I finished my book while Robin napped.  We played with neighbors in the afternoon.  Early baths, then tv in the basement while severe thunderstorms rolled through.  Finally, bedtime. 

The Easter Egg hunt at school was postponed due to rain, so even MORE candy and chocolate today.  Groan. 

Crap.  Cruise is out.  Baby Robin isn't potty trained and won't be allowed in the pool.  One to plans B and C.  Not exactly sure what those are yet.

Baby let's cruise, away from here...

I really really really want to take a (nuclear) family vacation this year.  We haven't taken a family trip together since we went to Assateague/Chincoteague when I was pregnant with Robin.

My family is spread over the U.S. and The Spouse is from the midwest.  Most of our vacation time and money is spent visiting family.  More specifically, I want to take a cruise. I'm so wiped out juggling 1.25 jobs, 2 kids, 2 dogs, and my husband's works schedule.   I'm a cruising virgin, so I'm doing my research on various cruise lines and programs.

The Spouse isn't completely sold on a cruise.  He's afraid of the unkown, afraid he's going to hate the ship, afraid the rooms/beds will be too small for we giants, afraid that the other people on the cruise will be elderly and lame, afraid that the other people on the cruise might be cool and awesome and I would force him to make friends.  Lots of fears, people!

I think The Spouse would prefer to go to Rehobeth for a week.  Here's my fantasy of a Rehobeth vacation this year:

-We drive the 3+ hours there in horrible traffic.  Stay 2-3 blocks from the beach and have to schlep our kids and assorted crap to and from the beach.  Our kids only want to go to kiddieland and throw tantrums when they have to go anywhere else.  We have to chase them around the beach during daytime hours.  We have no sitter, so all meals are at kid friendly places and at a speedy pace.
-Plus, we need to book two months ago.

Here's my fantasy of a cruise:

-We drive to the Port of Baltimore and park the car.  (I've been eyeing Carnival Cruise, seems to have the best prices and kids program.)  We can drop our kids off at the kids club in the morning and afternoon during days at sea (3 days).  We eat meals together, go to the pool together, nap together, plus family appropriate shows and activities.  We spend a day at Cape Canaveril, a day at Atlantis, a half day on the beach in various ports of call.  The Spouse and I get to eat a few meals together, alone, while the Dynamic Duo are at kids club, and whatever else it is that we used to do before the superheroes came along...

Cost of Rehobeth vacation would be considerably less than a 7 day cruise in August.  Cruises can be found inexpensively the rest of the year, but between The Spouse's work schedule, my work (and business) schedule, and Batman starting public school next year, I don't know that there is a better time for us to cruise. 

I spent the first part of my lunch hour getting my 'pits lasered.  I don't love doing it.  It hurts a bit more than waxing.  And there's the burnt hair smell.  However, the sting dissipates within 30 minutes and it's permanent.  This was my second session, and I noticed a big difference after the first.  It's not fun, but if I don't have to shave for the rest of my life, it's worth it.  I would consider doing my biniki area and possibly my face (but my facial hair is blond and it doesn't work well on light hair.)  Not sure if I could handle the pain of doing my legs.  That's a lot of area to get done.

After ignoring the dogs' tornado warning last week, I ordered a weather radio today.  It's allegedly programmable, so I will only get warnings for Fairfax County.  Fingers crossed.

As of Saturday, Batman is officially 5.5 years old. 

It really bugs me when people say "Nuh-vah-da."  That's not how you pronounce it.  Nor is the state of my birth "Or-gone."  Really, really bugs me.  No, actually, I was born in "Orey-gun." 

We spent 1.5 hours with the kitchen lady on Saturday, going over swatches.  It's a step forward.  Now we wait for the estimate to see if we can afford our tastes.

Things that need to be done but are being procrastinated:

-Email photos to kitchen lady.  I finally faxed the dimensions/outline that we said we would send in early January.  For a project we decided to do/set aside money for two years ago.
-Bathe dogs and trim nails.  They stink and their nails are way too long.  Poor babies.
-Finish taxes
-Send financial stuff for business to banker.
-Put photos in frames
-Re-hang painting in bathroom
-Hang photos in hall
-Replace Robin's photo in a frame with Batman in it.  So when Robin points to it and says, "That's my Robin picture" he will be correct.  And not absent from the walls.

DC is eerily quiet and still today.  It's as if everyone is sitting inside, huddled around a tv, waiting to see if we get a budget.  Saving for a rainy day hits home when it's pouring on the last day your husband might get paid for awhile. 

The Spouse is essential staff, so he will still go to work.  However, he won't get paid until this entire mess is worked out.  And no guarantee of back pay.  Our stupid congressman, Jim Moran, is spouting off that people won't get back pay.  They have in every other shutdown, so we're optimistic.  I'm a firm Dem, but have no idea how that man keeps getting elected.  I digress.

I am seriously torn between my desire/lust/longing for my "government shutdown commute" and my desire/greed/longing for my husband to gather a paycheck.

I was going to chop my hair this weekend, but waited too long to schedule an appt, so I'm a sister wife for another week at least. 

The boys have a photo shoot in two weeks and The Spouse has to work, so I'm not planning on it being a family shoot.  But I feel like I should make an effort to look nice, in case I get pulled into the shots.  I think we are just going to do it at the school playground/park across the street.  The boys can play and run around.  Not as scenic as I'd like, but I'm too tired and worn out to put any more effort into this than necessary.

Busy weekend ahead.  JCP is coming to fix our recliner tomorrow.  Soft play class and karate.  Drop boxes of shred stuff off at the county shredding event.  I need to redeem a Groupon at the butcher and hopefully get a pedicure.  Robin has a birthday party Sunday morning, then I am redeeming a Groupon for a massage and facial.  And a nap, at some point, I hope

How can the federal government justify not paying the soldiers it has sent to war?  If the feds shut down, they better pass a Defense appropriations bill before Friday night.  Frankly, I would walk off the job and be a deserter if my ass were getting shot at and I weren't getting paid for it.

I'm ready for spring, and decided the only way to get it here faster was to buy sandals.  I ordered these and will see how these fit when they get here:


I tried to accomodate the wedge trend with mom/old lady comfort sandals (all the better to chase the Dynamic Duo in) and, of course, black to match everything in my closet.

No idea what the boys (or I!) will wear for Easter.  I'll probably dig a dress out of the closet, if the weather is nice.  If not, pants and twinset like every other week.  I really don't care for the Gymbo, Old Navy, or Children's Place spring lines this year.  Crazy 8 had two vests I liked, but sold out in the sizes I need.  I cruised ebay and it jogged my memory of some things I previously bought for the boys.  I'm going to check - hopefully tonight - to see what fits Robin, then try to buy Batman the larger size. 

I went awhile without shopping and now I'm snapping things up right and left. 

The teacher I lined up to watch my kids for a few months can't do it, so I'm scrambling to find someone else.  The school principal has a list and made a recommendation (which I find odd, because our other two schools refused to refer someone in case there is a problem.)  I called the woman but she is, of course, at work.  Left a message and hope she'll call me back. 

Traffic has been a nightmare lately.  Not helped that I'm driving the wagon into work these two weeks while my mom and The Spouse share the sedan.  Don't get me wrong.  I *love* the wagon and would drive it daily if it weren't for fuel economy concerns.  But as I sit and watch every tourist stop and stare at each individual cherry blossom, I can't help but think about how much gas I am burning.  Still cheaper than riding metro.  You hear me metro?  I'm referring to your suckiness.

Found this in my magazine at lunch and ordered it this afternoon.  I couldn't resist.  $50!!



You know you want one: http://www.zappos.com/aldo-dalpe-natural

Just a typical weekend...

Friday -
-Picked up dinner
-Washed all of Batman's linens and cleaned his room for my mom's arrival
-Got kids fed and in bed.
-More laundry

Saturday -
-Picked up mom from airport
-took kids to consignment sale at local church, karate and soft play class, and home for lunch/nap.
-woke Robin up after an hour and took everyone to a birthday party.  My kids were horrible.
-Left kids at home with my mom and went to Costco
-Walked in the house and smelled poop.  Mom's nose was blocked and couldn't smell the diaper.
-Unloaded car, then took kids to grocery store and Blockbuster.
-Mom wasn't feeling good and went to bed.  No problem, because The Spouse will be up any minute.
-Any minute.
-Any minute.
-Sent Batman to wake up his dad.
-Any minute.
-Discovered Robin playing in dirty dishes in sink. Did dishes. 
-Any minute
-Go upstairs and tell The Spouse to get his ass out of bed and help me with his children.
-Start making dinner.  Robin asked me for a spoon.  Sure, kid, knock yourself out. 
-Turn around five minutes later to find him sitting on the kitchen table, eating a pan of brownies with the spoon.
-Hear the shower turn on.
-March upstairs, barge in the bathroom, and scream that him taking a shower does NOT help me with the kids.  "But your mom is here."  Dude, she's asleep.  and her being here for two weeks doesn't absolve you of taking care of your kids.  Fucker.
-I make dinner, I eat dinner alone.  Kids aren't hungry (Batman) or filled up on brownies (Robin).
-When The Spouse eventually emerges, I tell him that I'm done for the day and he can get his kids ready for bed.  He gave them baths and put on pjs, then went to work while I brushed teeth and read stories. 
-Batman was so excited that Mimi was here, he couldn't sleep.  Even though he wanted to sleep with her, he kept bounding in and out of the bedroom because he couldn't calm down. 
-Sweet Jesus, he finally fell asleep around 10:30!!

Sunday -
-Only to wake me up at 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning to ask me where Mimi was.  I don't know kid.  Lay down.  You have 30 minutes left. But he flipped and flopped and kept me awake.
-He left, and the dogs barked.  I let them out so Mom could put them out.  She put them back in my room and they quietly woofed every five minutes to tell me to get up and feed them.  Fuckers.
-I got up at 9:30.  Mimi had told the kids that we were going to have a rest day at home, so no church. 
-And then she went back to bed, leaving me with two young hyperactive boys cooped up inside because it's cold and snowed the night before.
-They fought.  And whined.  And broke the dog/baby gates that keep Robin out of the kitchen.  Robin put all the dog toys in their water dish, then mopped the floor with them.  Then got food out of the fridge and pantry for Sally.
-I did more dishes, cleaned up the mess, and yelled at everyone.  Even Batman who broke the gate in the first place.
-The Spouse came home and I screamed at him as he walked in the door because he threw a bunch of wet towels on top of clean folded laundry and left it to ferment in Robin's room. 
-Robin spilled his milk all over the table, himself, his food, chair, and floor.  I did not yell, but stripped him down, got him more food, and cleaned up the mess.  Then I put him to bed, hopped in the shower, and went to Chili's for maragaritas by myself.
-I did wake my mom up and put her in charge of the kids while The Spouse slept.  See, I'm a responsible mother!
-The hostess at Chili's was incredibly rude.  I sat down in the bar area and she very rudely kicked me out, telling me it was reserved for a private party.  Then, after I waited for a table, she very rudely told me that she made a mistake and I could sit in the bar.  I went back to my table and she flung I menu down.  I looked up at her, glared, and said in my meanest mommy voice, "I am having a very bad day and I need to you be just a little bit nice to me or I am going to cry, do you understand?  Good, because you haven't been nice yet.  Are you my server?  No, Ok, why don't you leave me alone now."  I said basically the same thing to the waitress and she was very sweet to me after that.  I sat and read my US Weekly and tipped well.
-I went to the mall and returned some stuff I bought for the Dynamic Duo, then tried on clothes.  OMG, am I unhappy with my body.  I bought a few things that were on sale at Penney's because I needed some new larger clothes and didn't want to pay a fortune for them.  I need to go through my closet and get rid of anything I owned before I had the kids.  I bought four tops and a jacket to add some color and variety to the current clothes that fit me.  I really needed to update the wardrobe and get some things that flatter my curves.
-I went home in a better mood and played with the kids for awhile before making dinner. 
-Watched the new Karate kid with my mom and went to bed.
-Everyone managed to let me sleep through the night.  Miracle.

Monday
-Got the kids to school, ran home to meet the handyman and get him started, then went to work.
-Peace and quiet...aaaahhhhh....
-My mom has bronchitis, but is ok to pick up the kids this evening.
-Salmon for dinner tonight.

Surely make you lose your mind...

A quick rundown of life in the fast lane:

-I have lined up a teacher at the kids school to bring them home on evenings The Spouse worked the night before.  He's not getting enough sleep and it's affecting everything.
-It's very sad I have to hire a babysitter to watch the kids after they have been in daycare all day.
-I'm trying to line up a service to mow the lawn every other week.  I'm checking with neighbors and trying to get a group rate.  Waiting for an estimate now.
-Cannot understand why The Spouse is so opposed to me paying people to do things that benefit him...
-I called a handyman to look at our living room ceiling where the bathtub leaks into it.  For five years...
-A coworker is going through a tough situation.  I don't want to blab about it here, because I learned my lesson about being a ginormous douchebag (I hope) and am trying to edit myself on the internet.  But this will afftect my job/life/stressload in either the short or long term, depending on what exactly is wrong and the end decision.
-So, either way, I lose.  But so does this person, so I cannot be selfish about it.
-But I am.
-My mom arrives on Saturday for 2.5 weeks, which is a long time.  She's coming to help, and we certainly need help, but 2.5 weeks!?!
-The Dynamic Duo start their new weekend classes on Saturday.
-And we have a birthday party that afternoon.
-Which means I won't get a nap on Saturday, and Robin won't get much of one either.
-Blech
-The Spouse lost the cap on his front tooth.  It's going to cost nearly $3,000 to get an implant, which won't be ready for another month or so.  There goes our flex fund for the year.  Not his fault, but ouch.  For him and our finances.
-I need to file our taxes and fill out paperwork for my business loan.  But I simply don't have the energy or motivation. 
-I am my own worst enemy and block to my professional success.
-Posh Spice is having a girl, after three boys.  I'm terribly jealous.  And wondering if they did IVF to try to get the girl she wanted?

Calgon, take me away!!

1) I caught Robin's cold because he coughed in my mouth for three days.  I'm a solid 4 on an illness scale of 1-10.  I can still work and do all my normal stuff, but it takes a LOT of effort.

2) We had family photos for the church directory last night.  I look really fat.  I know I have gained weight.  I see it, I know my clothes don't fit.  But, damn, seeing my fat face on film really sucked.

3) Photographer was able to get a GREAT photo of Robin, which is really hard to do, so we ordered photos of the dynamic duo.

4) I'm fat because I eat too much and don't exercise, but mostly because I don't sleep through the night.  Ever.  I try to go to bed earlier, and limit the stuff I force myself to do at night (dishes, laundry, de-cluttering) but I get woken up about four times a night, then I'm exhausted the next day.
5) I need to make some decisions about my business, but I'm too tired to get into it now.  And too overwhelmed with life in general to make the decisions and do the legwork.  I just want it done.  D O N E.  Done.

6) I'm so overwhelmed right now, and considering calling my mom and begging her to come help for awhile, but afraid that her being here will irritate me more than trying to do it all on my own.

7) The Calgon yell does not work for shit.

Last night, we took the superheroes to get their feet measured and hair cut. The Spouse was in A Mood and told me, "I had things I planned to do tonight, can't you go some other time?"  I responded, "Oh, because of all the quality time I'm spending with the kids lately?"  The snippy tone and dirty ass look I suppose reminded him that I worked all day, unlike some people, and have had the kids all weekend on my own.  (The Spouse works many long and bizarre hours and hasn't been around much in the past nine or so months.)  So he wisely loaded up the kids and we went to the mall, to Stride Rite and Cartoon Cuts. 

I usually cut the kids hair at home.  (Hair would have been my back up profession.  I played with my Barbies hair until, oh, maybe last week.)  We expected Robin to fight like a wildcat, like he does at home when I try to cut his hair.  It was the first time we've taken Robin somewhere, and only the third time for Batman. Nope, sat quietly and watched the Lion King.  $40 for the two boys.   I need to buy some large clippers and maybe a new DVD, and I'll see if that distracts Robin the next time he's due for a trim.  I can't shell out $40 for the boys for haircuts every 6-8 weeks.  That's more than I spend on my hair in a year. 

Probably. 

It's a math thing.

Conversations about Death

Batman caught us off-guard last week by asking what will happen to him and Robin if we die.  The Spouse blanched and launched into a talk on Heaven, and Batman corrected him by reiterating that he wanted to know what would happen to the kids if we died.  Frankly, I think The Spouse should consider himself lucky it wasn't a conversation about how babies are made. 

I explained to Batman that he and Robin would go live with Aunt Boo and Uncle Cell Phone.  Mimi would  take them to the land of Oz, and stay with them for a little while until they got used to it.  Furthermore, Sally and Leo would move with them, so they wouldn't have to leave them behind. 

This led to a discussion about what would happen to us when we died.  We talked about Heaven, and seeing family and friends again.  I told him that I would be with Roxanne the Wonder Dog, meeting her at the all-you-can-eat Milk Bone bar.  And Daddy and I would always watch over the two of them.  Batman corrected us and told us that we would be on a planet in outer space, which led me to wonder if he had been reading the Book of Mormon...

Eventually, Batman realized that if they were living with Aunt Boo and Uncle Cell Phone, then Gus would be their big brother.  And he has awesome toys.  So when *would* we die? 

I slept with one eye open. 

Mostly because Batman and Robin and Sally had me up that night.

Nominee for Douche of the Year!

Firefighter refused Giffords 911 call
msnbc.com news services

updated 2/17/2011 8:53:32 PM ET 2011-02-18T01:53:32

 

TUCSON, Ariz. — A city firefighter refused to respond to the Jan. 8 shooting spree that left six people dead and 13 wounded, the Arizona Daily Star reported, citing city memos.

The firefighter, Mark Ekstrum, quit the force two days later as management was considering possible disciplinary action against him, the Daily Star reported.

Fire Capt. Ben Williams wrote in a memo that when Ekstrum told him he would not go on the call, "he mentioned something about 'political bantering' and he did not want to be part of it," the newspaper reported.

After he was contacted by the Daily Star about the incident, Ekstrum said in a statement he was distraught about the shootings and had no disagreement with Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head and is recovering at a Houston medical facility. Ekstrum said he was "distracted" and doubted his ability to focus on an emergency call.

Ekstrum was part of a team trained to handle major medical emergencies. The unit was not part of the first group of emergency responders and was only dispatched to the scene about 90 minutes after the gunfire broke out, the newspaper reported.

The Daily Star obtained the city memos that detailed the incident via a public records request.

The newspaper reported that Williams wrote that Ekstrum "started to say something about how he had a much different political viewpoint than the rest of the crew and he was concerned."

I thought it was understood in our post 9/11 world - and, indeed, in the ENTIRE culture/history of firefighting - that when you are called you respond.  I"m sure a lot of paramedics would prefer not to treat gangbangers, or parents who just shot their kids and tried to commit suicide, or other clearly horrible people.  Yet, a civil servant is shot doing her job and this man can't show up to help the other nine who were killed because he didn't agree with her politics?!?! 

What a fucking douche!

Veteran retired from force before he could be disciplined, newspaper reports

My kids did some awesome things last night/this morning, and I felt it was worth writing about.

Robin pooped in the potty last night before his bath! Pretty excited! I got him undressed and he kept saying "Poop, Poop," so I put him on the toilet. He grunted and pooped a HUGE poop. We left him there for awhile while we danced and cheered, then wiped him and put him in the bath. He asked for bubbles so I ran some more water and added bubbbles.  Knock yourself out kid, you poop on the potty, you can have all the bubbles you want.

After the super awesome pooping in the potty, we got the kids ready for bed.  The Spouse was going to tuck Robin in while I read Batman a book.  Robin stuck out his lower lip (he's super talented with the pouty lip, if I haven't mentioned that before) looked at me, and said, "I want to take care of you."  What?  "I want to take care of you."  "You want to take care of Mommy?"  "Yes."  "Robin, that's terrific news, I would love for you to take care of me when I'm old and gray."  Batman piped up with, "Daddy, I'll take care of you."  So it's recorded here, folks.  Robin will take care of me in my old age. The Spouse will live with Batman

I hugged him and said, "I love my baby."  He replied, "I love my Mommy."  Then he wiggled down and gave The Spouse a pitty hug, kiss, and I love you.  Not nearly as convincing as when he says it to Mommy.   And all that emotional manipulation ended with me tucking him in, which is what he really wanted in the first place.  My heart grew three sizes that day.

This morning, I told Batman I needed to check my blackberry (which is  really a droid that I despise).

Me: I'm going to see who won last night's game.
Batman: I hope it was the Cowboys.
Me: Yes, that would be great wouldn't it.
Batman: Or the Ducks.
Me: Yes, I really hope the Ducks won...nope, they lost.
Batman: Aw, man.
Me: (Just happy that for once the college sports talk didn't revolve around the Cult of the Jayhawk that I married into.)

Still in shock over the shooting in Arizona and the loss of a former Hill staffer (and 37 yrs old mother of 3) here in DC today.  Made me all the more grateful to have sweet moments with my children.

THIS is why I don't blog.  Too much responsibility.  Poor neglected little online journal.

To sum up past six weeks:

-The Spouse took Batman and Robin to Kansas to visit the inlaws while I got a horrible cold and had a wonderfully sick weekend at home.
-Batman and Robin had a pretty good Christmas.  By design, they didn't get everything they wanted, but they did pretty well.
-New Year's Eve was a blast!  Batman got to stay up for the first time ever, and we salsa-ed our asses off with our neighbors. 
-New Year's Day hangover wasn't too bad.
-Republican congress being sworn in today.  Has anyone else observed that these new convervatives are huge breeders?  Makes me feel compelled to have more kids, just to boost numbers on the left.
-Big changes afoot.