Let me pick your brain

Mr. Tonks and I are thinking of starting a business but he needs some more samples and I need some ideas. So, tell me, what’s your ideal kid’s room or playroom look like? Themes, colors, etc., etc.

Examples:

The Tonklings’ rooms

Also, there’s no picture because it’s not done yet but XC’s room is going to involve blue walls, an orange shag rug and baby ninjas.

Best worksheet ever

Below is a reading review worksheet JP came home with on Friday. The last question was On the back tell what animal you would pretend to be. Tell three things you would do.

I would like to point out the multi levels of awesomeness. He didn’t pick some pansy animal that already exists, he opted for an animal-human hybrid and he drew an equation illustrating how said mutant came to be. Second, he put teeth on the “K” and “C’s” of Killer Croc. Third, he employed a most ingenious use of an exclamation point I would snap! at you! to emphasize the Killer Croc’s bad assness. He then gave his killer croc some killer biceps. Would you just look at those things? That’s right, ladies and gents, welcome to the gun show. Finally, he used his noggin to come up with a phonetic spelling of sewer that stumped Mr. Tonks and I until we (lo!) sounded it out: soore.

My kid is so cool.

Words

Several of my good friends (hi guys!) have e-mailed or called since my last post. Written words are so finicky. Apparently there was an air of panic or despair that I totally didn’t see (read?). Truly, that’s not really the case.

I’ve found that if I blog and get all the nonsense swimming around in my head out into teh internets, I feel a lot better.

Watch…

Wingers will be assholes and sometimes you need to just walk away.

It’s okay if you can only donate to worthy causes. Something is better than nothing.

My mom isn’t driving her car until it’s fixed (though I’d still like to punch the dealer in the face for selling it at all).

We’re on the right track with JP. I’ve enrolled him and SG in a kids yoga class which they both seem to love. He’s working with the school social worker in a peer group and is going to have an in-depth assessment by a psychologist specializing in school-age children. In the meantime I’ve managed to convince him to read The Lightening Thief* as a means of scoring two tickets to a T-Bones game**. He reads a few pages on his own and then we read together at night and, so far, for whatever reason, it seems like a very good thing for him.

If selling our house is the right thing (and we’re pretty sure it is), then we won’t lose our shirts. And, if we’re not able to break even, we just won’t sell.

I can’t do anything about my aunt but continue to send letters and pictures, call her occasionally and try to get my ass to Chicago soon to see her.

I’m still not okay about SG turning 5 and XC turning 1 but we all know I wallow when my kids have birthdays and I’ll get over it.

My fickle friend is something of a flake. It’s nothing personal (I don’t think).

Finally, in spite of the baby’s inability to sleep through the night, I’ve been better rested lately.

So, see? Things are okey dokey.

*I love this series. Need a quick read? These are the books for you!

** If JP reads 1000 minutes by March 10 he’ll win free tickets to a T-Bones game from school.

An off switch would be nice

Last night we watched the SOTU and then I got into it with some right-wing assholes and then Mr. Tonks and I ranted until 11:30 about what the fuck is wrong with people (re: Republicans) and I couldn’t go to sleep until well after midnight. That meant I got a short nap before XC woke up at 1:30. Neat. Also the night before the baby was very wakeful (has a cold, cutting teeth) and SG threw up in her bed at 3 a.m. so last night I really was very tired.

I haven’t watched the national news for almost two weeks because I can’t stand to watch the Haiti coverage. I see little bodies, hear babies cry, etc. and it rips my heart out. The last time I watched the news it was all I could do not to openly sob in front of the Tonklings. I want to hop on a plan and nurse all the hungry babies because I can. I want to bring orphans to our home to live. I want to do something tangible, other than send money and I (irrationally) feel like a creep because I can’t.

My parents purchased a new car less than three weeks ago- a 2010 Toyota Camry. Fuck and shit. I’m terrified my mother is going to get stuck in an out of control car and be terribly injured or killed. I still can’t believe the assholes at the dealership sold them that car (a hearty fuck you to the jerks at Olathe Toyota) that, as of right now, CAN’T BE FIXED and has the possibility of being a DEATHTRAP. I’ve told my parents and Mr. Tonks parents (who own a 2010 Matrix and Venza) that, under no circumstances, are the children allowed to ride in their cars for any reason. That’s another thing I worry about.

I’m also fretting about JP (school), my aunt (dementia), selling our house (not losing our shirts), freaking out a little about SG’s birthday (she’ll be 5 *sob*), feeling slightly devastated over XC’s birthday (how is that almost a year has gone by?) and also feel irritated and hurt by a friend’s recent behavior.

All of this is to say that I just wish I could turn my mind off at night and sleep peacefully and let it go. I’ve never been good at that and, given that I’m 31, I doubt it’s something I’ll ever master.

Know what I love?

That my husband reads my blog while he’s at work. For some reason it makes me happy.

Know what I hate?

When people cultivate a friendship not because they enjoy your company but because you’re little more than a fad. Once they’ve moved onto another fad (aka “friend”) you suddenly realize that time spent with them was a complete waste . This has only happened a handful of times but it drives me crazy.

It feels good to get that off my chest.

Baby thoughts

I was looking at XC today, listening to him giggle uncontrollably as SG shouted at him, and thinking how woefully incomplete our family was this time last year. I had no idea how much we needed our squishy little guy. Ten months later and I’m still completely smitten with him. This third baby stuff rocks.

Gross!

I’ve met George Brett on a couple occasions. Privately, the guy is a dick and not nice to little kids. Publicly, he’s Mr. Congeniality. Apparently, he’s also really, really gross. Who the hell tells stories like this? (NSF)

If you want to wet your pants with glee

…check this out.

Don’t leave the duck there. It’s totally irresponsible. Put it on the swing, it’ll have much more fun.

Documents

I’m preparing to eliminate much crap from around the house- toys, clothes, furniture, etc., etc. If I don’t want to move it, it’s outta here. With every move I’ve gotten more cutthroat and ruthless [insert evil laugh here].  I’m looking forward to the Next Big Purge but there’s one area that I struggle with and we end up unnecessarily lugging several very heavy boxes because I don’t know what should stay and what should go: documents. Should I keep EOI’s from 10 years ago? Papers from houses bought and sold? Bank statements? Receipts? Should I shred EOI’s or can I just recycle them? How long should I keep all that stuff? What about statements from the SSA or the yearly info we get from the county about property taxes? Pay stubs? I have no idea what should be shred or recycled, kept or tossed but I really, really, really don’t want to take it with us. Help!