Darn it all August 18, 2008

I just checked Sam’s email account, because he had a new message a couple of weeks ago that I hadn’t gotten around to reading. Yes, at this point the kids don’t even know their passwords, parental control and all that. They don’t need it, really, it just makes it easier to keep things organized for me. Besides, as you can imagine, The Boy doesn’t get a whole lot of email.

But this email actually mattered. It was notifying him/me that Zude (where I have the kids start pages, with all their stuff - links and games and such) is closing down their beta and moving into a new development phase focusing on enterprise users. This is as of September 30th.

Guess I’ve got some work to do to move all those links and stuff to new start pages for the kids, don’t I? At least there’s plenty of notice. Of course, this would happen at my very busiest time of the year work-wise. Isn’t that always the way?

Maybe ZCubes? Netvibes, which I love, but it’s not very “pretty” for the kids. Pageflakes? I don’t know, I’ll have to hunt down some options. Alternatively, I could just pay for a domain and hosting and do it my own damn self, knowing it won’t disappear on me. Here’s a question for the hub, since he dealt with the cable company to get high speed set up - does our internet service provide any webspace to customers? I think the old plan in the real town did, but we didn’t need it then. Don’t know about here, and I certainly have my doubts.

If not, I might just pay actual money to have the space to put their links. Lastname.com, maybe. Have to check to see if it’s available.

Oh, that’s catchy August 15, 2008

Via Spare the Rock. I’m definitely adding this song to the kids’ media player, and probably my iPhone too, because damn, that’s catchy.

More cute Boy stories August 13, 2008

This time, it’s not a story he told, but something he did. See, I often wear a necklace crafted from typewriter keys. I’ve had it for a couple of years (well, since shortly after Sam was born, I guess), and I wear it about half the time now that I’ve bought a few other necklaces from Etsy. I used to wear this particular necklace daily, and Sam liked to play with it while he nursed.

An L. An S. A small charm that says Wish. Another that says Inspire.

Because really, doesn’t that say it all, right there? If you had to summarize my life visually, that would do a pretty good job. I absolutely adore those children. And if you’ll just stand still for a minute, I’ll tell you all about them.

Anyway. I wore that necklace today. When I got to the day care to pick up The Boy, he was busy playing so I got to just watch him play for a moment. Then one of the other kids spotted me and narc’d on me. I heard him say “Hey, your mommy’s here.” The Boy looked up and saw me, his face literally lit up, and the crankiness and tiredness I’d felt most of the day just kind of evaporated. He said “Mommy!” and came running over to me full speed ahead, and jumped into my arms. Got dirt from his shoes all over my shirt and pants, and I didn’t care, not one little bit. He gave me a great big hug and a kiss on my cheek.

I felt ever so much better.

Then he saw my necklace. Grabbed it. Looked at it closely. And said: “L is for Lauren, S is for Sam.”

I don’t recall ever having told him what the letters are, or why I wear them.

Sometimes my children scare me.

He’s still only 2.

I get to hear stories August 13, 2008

Sam, in the car on the way home this afternoon, rather . . . seriously: “It’s dangerous out there.”

Me, driving, and now kind of curious: “What’s dangerous?”

Sam: “Sissy said it’s dangerous - the beeeeeeeg mudpit.”

(This doesn’t actually sound like something L would say . . . not scared of much, that girl. Plus, you know, what big mudpit???)

Me: “Oh, what’s dangerous about it?”

Sam: “I falled in, and I get stuck, and I scared, and then Mommy and Daddy, and Sissy, and Grammy and Pops, and Grandma D., and Miss Shenelle and Miss Tammy, and Miss Sheila, and Miss Amanda SAVE me. You pull and you pull and you PUUUUULLLLLLL and POP! you pull me out.”

Me: “Well, of course. Why did we all save you?”

Sam: “Because you love me.”

Slight pause.

“And because it’s dangerous. You no let me fall.”

No. No, I won’t, Boo.

Cool August 13, 2008

Z Recommends: Where We’ve Been: The Big News At ZRecs

Parents, take note.

What? August 13, 2008

Healthy Children: Mixed Martial Arts for Children

Seriously - are people high? How in the world could you let a kid participate in this?

That’s a good deal August 8, 2008

I was thinking of an ultraportable laptop for Lauren for her birthday (keep her from stealing mine!), but didn’t want to spend that much.

300 bucks, however, is a pretty good deal.

Cute song August 8, 2008

Found at OWTK. I like her voice and the music is nice - it’s different than most of what we have (which is rather . . . folky). I think the kids would like it.

Lots of stuff to check out August 6, 2008

That Boy July 31, 2008

He is so funny. The other day, he was having a major meltdown, and I took him on home while Mark and L stayed in Lexington, waiting to pick Susie up from the groomers.

He calmed down a bit, so I decided to risk stopping at a convenience store for a juice for him for the ride home. They had a rack of Car Trader and Truck Trader magazines.

And Equipment Trader.

Now you have to understand. The Boy is wild about anything to do with cars and trucks, and increasingly, construction equipment. What can I say? He’s an almost three year old boy. As much as we tried to have gender-neutral toys around for the kids, and encouraged them to play with whatever, L could not have cared less about cars, and he loves them. She loves animals of all sorts, stuffed or real. He only has one stuffed animal that We. Must. Never. Lose, but if he’s got toy cars and trucks and diggers and dump trucks and “bulldirts” (bulldozers) around, he’s just fine.

So when I saw this magazine in the store, I thought it was just the thing to help him continue to calm down and get us home in some relative peace and quiet. I’m actually not at all sure that he spoke again the entire way home.

Tonight before bed, we were “reading” his magazine, and it was like a stream of consciousness . . .

“Wow, look at that one”
“What’s that called?”
“What’s that one do?”
“Look at that one, on top!”
“Whoa, that’s AMAZING!!!”

Best $1.75 I’ve ever spent.