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Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Three French Fries

In honor of Hanukah, I mess with the traditional count-down song just a little bit. There is not a whole lot to whine about in a holiday whose only requirement is the eating of fried foods. And eat them we do!

Anti-whines for the holiday: Snuggly Girl didn't really like the sweet potato/scallion latkes or the donuts with chocolate or dulce de leche filling. More for us grownups! (I also made standard latkes, so she wasn't totally deprived.) (And I didn't make the donuts, before anyone gets super impressed. My favorite Jewish bakery goes beyond jelly to make me happy!)

Whines for the holiday: I forgot again! and bought the fancy-schmancy artsy candles that don't actually fit in either of our menorahs. Every night we have to shave the bottoms off an increasing number of candles. (AW: My Love likes to do this job with flame, and who am I to judge as long as it gets done without my input.)

Last night I went to wash some pots before starting to make dinner and looked down to see blood on one finger. Pixies will not be shocked by another whine involving me, my kitchen, and blood. But this time I hadn't been cutting anything so I really don't know what happened.

Whine: blood on the cuff of my white cotton turtleneck (on the opposite side, where I hiked up my sleeve for dishwashing, I assume).

Anti-whine: no blood on the lovely cream-colored fisherman's sweater I found in the back of my sweater shelf and wore for the first time yesterday!

One more unrelated but very real whine: I have bad ankles. I have a sneaker style I love and have bought consistently for 10 or more years. I wear them every single day for most of the year. I could buy them sight-unseen, and they were always perfect. I need a new pair and was planning to ask My Love to pick them up this week on a business trip (much cheaper south of the border). But while browsing the company site, the first whine was: no stores close to where he'll be, and the second whine was: dozens of comments that the Version 8 of this shoe is DIFFERENT than previous versions and lots of long-time wearers are very upset. Argh. I'll have to go to the running store downtown and try them on (comments suggest a half-size up might help) and then if they fit I'll have to pay the local price for one pair to avoid being a jerk, before going back to ordering them. Or will I even trust that the new size will continue to fit? Maybe they'll hear the outcry and change back for Version 9. Argh! Why do the good things in life have to change, ever?

So what could be better than that? Flame, oil, blood, potatoes, footwear. We've got it all. What have you got?

70 comments:

kathy a. said...

oh, madeleine -- you've got it covered! and jelly donuts, as a prize!

my fingers crack and start randomly bleeding this time of year, and i'm not even in teh snow zone. it's all that hand washing to prevent germs. i forget to slather on the hand cream every time.

AW: the project of doom is done for now. W: unsatisfactory end to the recent festivities. the next round will probably come up next month. AW: a 3rd person on the project, the most reasonable man on earth, has really been wonderful. W/AW: it is unclear whether the person giving me angst and i have fired each other. maybe resolving that is best left to the new year.

AW: every year i help put on a fundraiser for a needy Good Cause. it was on saturday, and was great!

W: i'm way behind on the holiday thing.

Liz Miller said...

W: all my holiday (menorah and tree!) decorations are in the basement of the old house.

Sue said...

Madeleine: mmmmm........donuts. You have really cool holiday traditions. Just sayin... despite the blood and all.

kathy a. - good for you for the fundraiser. That's awesome. Best wishes for the new year continuation of the Project de Dooom.

Liz - aw. That's just sad. So sorry.

Anti-whines x 2: Whine the First - despite being diagnosed with diabetes on Friday, our little trooper kitteh Ouzo has been no trouble at all to inject with insulin twice a day. He doesn't feel it at all (now I know why kittens don't screech when their mamas pick them up by the scruff of the neck - no nerve endings under there - who knew?) and he LURVES his new mushy diabetic food. He eats right after his needle, so it's a reward for his patience.

Anti-whine the Second: The kittehs have a new climbing toy. It's super amazing, takes up half the living room, and they love it. Hubby asked if I got him anything as nice for Christmas. I need to go shopping again. ~sigh~

So, the diabetes could have easily been a whine, but it's all working out so well, I can't believe how fortunate we are. Ouzo's just a great cat.

You may all whine now: together, everyone, "All Sue ever talks about is her cats!!!

Oh, and I had a good physio appointment today too. And a good workout yesterday. So far, this is a good week.

Sue said...

That should say "Anti-Whine the First" Duh.

kathy a. said...

liz, can you rescue the decor? or are you winging it this year?

sue -- go, ouzo! so glad this is working out!

Liz Miller said...

Yay OUZO!!

I will rescue the decorations, it's just that we're already on day 5 of Hanukah, and I have lit nary a candle. It's a shandah.

kathy a. said...

liz, you are not a disgrace! we'll light some candles and help make up for the tiny lapse, ok?

Liz Miller said...

Thank you kindly!

KLee said...

Whining on behalf of Offspring: "Ice is hard. Who knew?" Her Girl Scout troop went ice skating Monday evening, and she's all black and blue. (Poor child, she takes after me in the uncoordinated department.)

You see, this is the reason that this is a problem for us: We live in the really Southern South. So Southern, in fact, that it was 75 degrees outside today. Ice skating is something that is ONLY done when the city ices over the floor of our civic arena. Hence, the reasoning behind the ice/hard comment.

Possible anti-whine: We never have to buy snow tires.

eh -- you gotta find the silver lining somewhere....

esperanza said...

I'm thinking of switching holidays. Sweet potato latkes...donuts...mmmmm.

My whine: hubby went to see the doctor yesterday (this is actually an A/W). He and doc decided that NOW was a good time to try to wean off of his anti-depressant (he's been taking it for ~1.5 years). NOW=major churchly holiday (have I mentioned he's a pastor) followed by--excuse me--a new baby?!?!). I thought this was a bad idea last night, and sure enough, he's all anxious and feeling funky tonight. He's calling the doc tomorrow to say give me a prescription. Esperanza does not like being reminded of the bad old days while great with child.

Emily said...

We had a family gathering last weekend. I was in charge of desserts. I made a cake, cookies and bought chocolate covered pretzels. The cake and cookies were obviously homemade (by the packaging for one thing), the pretzels were clearly store bought (in a box, with a label from the store on top). My MIL, had to make a big fuss and ask me if I made the pretzels. I, of course, had to say that I hadn't. No fuss about the cake or cookies.

I shouldn't be surprised--she always does this (finds something to compliment--but it's not really a compliment), but I still find it annoying!

Unrelated whine--I am sewing a long skirt for my daughter's concert. (Additional whine: Why does it *have* to be a long skirt? A short skirt we could buy.) The skirt has six panels:

back--side--side--front--side--side--back.

Despite all my care, I managed to sew it:

back--side--side--side--front--side--back.

Argh! And yes, you can tell. Fortunately, I figured it out before I sewed on the waistband. I have ripped/resewn it, but have to wait for daughter to return from her activity tonight to try it on (again) so I can be sure it fits before I sew on the waistband. And, just to add a little fun to the process--the concert is tomorrow night! (My own fault, I know, but other things kept cropping up--it's not that I've been lounging around eating bonbons:-))

I am invoking my "Jewish Mother" credentials and giving everyone (regardless of their personal views on matters spiritual) permission to enjoy the many foods of the Jewish holidays, including (but not limited to) latkes and sufganiyot (donuts). You may also indulge in matzoh balls and nosh on bagels/lox (but be careful with the matzoh balls, they are tough on the digestive process!)
Eat! Eat!

sarah at ratatat said...

8 nights is a much larger commitment than it seems. After spending much time at the JCC and with a Jewish grandmother by affection, my kids expect to light the candles. We've celebrated 1 night. Maybe tomorrow too?

Oh Liz - I hope you can rescue some stuff soon.

Esperanza - sending you positive thought son your husband staying well. Not the time of year to mess with such things.

Emily - I have that problem with dresses and skirts. It seems like it should be logical the ides and back panels. But not.

W/AW: I have been saving a lot at Costco. The tires were cheaper. The kids' glasses were quite a bit cheaper. But none of those things were cheap.

W: What to buy my husband for Christmas? No money for fabulous. Not enough creativity for creative.

Sue said...

Emily - I once sewed a skirt with two perfect pockets - one on the front and one on the back. Yes, they were both supposed to be on the sides. Pretty much ended my designing career at the age of 13.

Esperanza - my doc, who is not a church going type at ALL - switched me to new anti-depressants TWICE in one year. The first time was during Advent and the second was during Lent. My advice, for what it's worth - it's a good idea for hubby to wait until after Christmas to wean off of anything.

Sarah - I totally get the gift angst. My husband totally out-gifts me every year. I'm always at a loss for what to buy him.

Whine: Stooopid Fa&ebook makes me re-set my password every. fireplacing. day. I've checked all my privacy settings and they're all okay, the stupid site just won't let me in when I start up my computer in the morning. Argh.....I hates them, they are NOT the precious.

esperanza said...

Sue--that's the ironic part: doc is a *member* of hubby's church. You'd think he might figure this was a busy time of year, huh? And immediately after Christmas is right. out. too. Baby is due Jan 30.

Emily--I feel your sewing pain. My sedentary nesting activity has been at the sewing machine. I swear I rip out more than I sew. But I managed to make some Christmas presents and some stuff for new baby's room, so I'm quite proud of myself. My brain simply does not work that way.

And I will hereby proclaim that anyone of any religious proclivity, or none at all, is free to partake of any and all Christmas food. Especially these yummy turtle things that someone made us (pecans, caramel, chocolate...mmmm).

Sue said...

Yay for holiday foods of all yummy-ness!!!!!

Whine:

Dear Tiger, please stop texting me. I'm not your type. I am neither tall nor blond nor do I have any of the *cough* "qualities" that you seem to like in a woman - so why would you want to visit me in Canada?

Ah. Canada. Sorry bud. You'll have to bunk out elsewhere. And that dream you've had since you were three of being the Greatest! Golfer! Ever!

Not gonna happen. You're boring me now. Go away. And get some therapy while you're at it.

Sue said...

esperanza - doc is IN the congregation???? Holy Moly. More evidence of the disconnect between the pew and the pastor. Honestly, most folks who worship faithfully week by week really don't have any idea of what happens the rest of the week.

I hope your hubby can talk the doc into a delay - a lengthy one, perhaps into March or April....not that I'm any kind of expert, but big life changing events are not the times you want to be weaning off of meds.

kathy a. said...

heh -- i just used my administrative superpowers to destroy spam. poof!

klee, hope offspring's bruises fade fast. and that she tries skating again, even though you aren't in the snow zone. i had a lot of fun skating at her age, even though i lived in L.A. and am a congenital klutz.

emily, good work with the seam ripper! i'll take you up on some of the yummies, thanks.

esperanza, wtf was your hubby's doc thinking?? no no no no. very good about the sewing/nesting, though! i'll take a turtle, too; thank you.

sarah, i've got the same gift problem. i'll probably go with sweaters and stuff -- booooring but reliable. let me know if you run across any stray inspiration.

redzils said...

Remember my good attitude last week? Well, it shattered.

W: Old Dog, who my parents have had since I was 15, is dying.

W: Three year relationship is also dying - although I will be spending ten days in Sin City with Teh Boyfriend and HIS PARENTS over Christmas. It must say something that this is our Best Possible Option.

W: Job is soul-sucking, and, as our anonymous Pixie (not me) contributed over Thanksgiving, "I hate my job. I hate the person I am at my job. I hate what I am doing."

W: How do I leave a dying dog with a house sitter who only has cats and whose day job reports to me, without panicking?

W: Today it was light from 10:09 AM - 3:41 PM, according to my local paper. That means it was dark from 3:42 PM to 10:08 AM - 18.5 hours.

W: A friend was diagnosed with the same thing Sue mentions her hubby as having today, and I am too far away to give her a hug.

W: I am out of school and having the rest of my life, and it depresses me endlessly that "the rest of my life" seems to mean a soul-sucking job, a broken heart, and even less control over Those Things That Matter than I had as an oppressed graduate student.

W, the pathetic: I am STILL wildly dairy intolerant, so in addition to not being able to eat about ten of my favorite holiday things, I am also dreading the constant Ughs that ten days of eating out in non-safe kitchens over Xmas will produce.

~ The Whiniest Whiner Who May Never Stop Whining (but kathy told me to :)

JenR said...

oh redzils, I'm so sorry

Liz Miller said...

((((Redzils))))

At least there is actual daylight in Sin City.

AW: I invited one of MM's best friends and her mom over for this Friday for latkes and gifties and candles. So I'll need to rescue the decor before then. MM's BF and her mom are goyishe, which makes it all the more fun, b'cuz last year was the first time they'd ever celebrated Hanukah (we invited them then too).

I totes encourage everybody to invite your friends over for the fun and delicious holidays

JenR said...

sarah at ratatat - a quick one-person survey here at work offers these ideas... new bike shorts, gloves, bicycling socks, cold weather or rain gear made for riding, a pre-paid registration for one of his favorite rides/triathlons/marathons, or a gift certificate to buy tools or parts for his bikes. Or a trainer? I know those can be expensive but I'm sure there are some that aren't too horrible. I've got one more cycling guy that hasn't arrived at work yet today. I'll let you know if he has any ideas.

Madeleine said...

Oh, Pixies. We all have a lot going on this week. Hugs all around, and especially to Redzils on all the heartbreak.

Liz, there is a little known tradition (in my house at least) of not actually lighting the candles every night. You are not alone. I'm so glad you are having a party for the last, brightest night!

So far this year we already missed #4. SG found a box in the drawer with one candle left in it and asked why -- in fact, I think last year I may have forgotten to buy candles and gotten by entirely on teh Stash. Which is now down to one. Oh, plus the 5 we skipped on Monday! Woo-hoo! Working our way back to skipping a purchase. It's like those sandwich frequent-buyer cards.

In candle whinage, My Love is now off on a business trip and I'll have to do my own candle shaving/melting for the last 3 nights. That's (counts on fingers) 24 candles to jam into too-small holders. Sigh.

Sue said...

Oh Redzils, I'm so sorry. This is really a tough time for you - pixie hugs all around for you.

kathy a. said...

oh, redzils. sending hugs. that's a lot of badness all at once. with luck, the job will give way to something more interesting. i escaped my first, soul-sucking job by taking one that i considered temporary, in a field that i didn't think i'd like, and that field became my life's work.

yay for the holiday festivities, poorly-fitting candles or no!

jenr, thanks for the ideas you gave sarah -- some might work for me, too!

i also just remembered an idea that got lost in the swamp of the project of doom -- my beloved bought himself a cornet, but he has never had music lessons of any kind, so i'm going to try to find a teacher. (this, friends, is an example of what a middle-aged dad does with the empty nest....)

esperanza said...

((Dr. Redzils))

In all fairness to the perhaps-clueless church member/doctor, this idea may have been Mr. E's idea. It was presented to me in such a way that it's hard to say who started this foolishness. And doctor is actually a wonderful church member. When he volunteers (!) for the children's sermon, he calls the office to make sure he knows the Scripture reading, so he can make teh children's sermon go with the big people's sermon. Fer real.

And from a clueless Christian: you mean you replace all the candles in the menorah every night? I guess I had imagined that you just end up with a reeeeally short candle on night 8. That's a lot of candles.

Madeleine said...

9 + 8 + 7 + ..... I think it's about 44 candles. They are small ones and you don't blow them out. The standard inexpensive ones burn for about 30 minutes, those these artsy fartsy ones are lasting longer. You don't blow out Shabbat candles either. The ones we use on Friday nights burn for about 3 hours. Once I accidently bought ones that went the long way in the box and burned for 7 hours. I gave them to an orthodox friend to use on the early-sunset weeks of winter.

The candle for Havdallah (the ceremony at the end of Shabbat, on Saturday at sundown, which is not frequently observed among non-Orthodox Jews) is used over and over -- it's a long braided candle with several wicks and you plunge it into the wine to put it out. Very dramatic.

This ends our installment of Candles in Judaism: A Beginner's Guide from a Reform Perspective.

Madeleine said...

Whining works again!

I just got an email that the running store downtown is having a sale, everything at least 10% off. So that's where I'll be on Friday at 10 am, trying on those newfangled shoes that claim to be my eternal favorites.

kathy a. said...

thank you for the tutorial, madeleine.

and yay on the sale, so you can check it out in person! i really really hate it when they change something that works for me. oh, yes, i have grievances of the underwear, the jeans, the t-shirts that used to fit well and had substantial cotton fabric that wasn't laced with spandex and didn't aim to show every bra-strap and curl of flesh.

kathy a. said...

i forgot to whine of the crazy person who used to be a colleague, and then went to prison, and is upset she isn't being welcomed back with open arms.

so bright, so caring.
so much harm done. please get some
professional help.

Liz Miller said...

On the First Day of Hanukah, my mother gave to me: a Darth Vader long-sleeved tee.
On the second day of Hanukah, my mother gave to me: 2 Sufganyot and a Darth Vader long-sleeved tee
On the third day of Hanukah, my mother gave to me: 3 wooden dreidels, 2 Sufganyot and a Darth Vader long-sleeved tee
On the fourth day of Hanukah, my mother gave to me: 4 matzah balls, 3 wooden dreidels, 2 Sufganyot and a Darth Vader long-sleeved tee.
On the fifth day of Hanukah, my mother gave to me: 5 chocolate coins! 4 matzah balls, 3 wooden dreidels, 2 Sufganyot and a Darth Vader long-sleeved tee
On the sixth day of Hanukah, my mother gave to me: 6 pairs of fun socks, 5 chocolate coins! 4 matzah balls, 3 wooden dreidels, 2 Sufganyot, and a Darth Vader long-sleeved tee
On the seventh day of Hanukah my mother gave to me: 7 luscious latkes, 6 pairs of fun socks, 5 chocolate coins! 4 matzah balls, 3 wooden dreidels, 2 Sufganyot, and a Darth Vader long-sleeved tee
On the last day of Hanukah, my mother gave to me: A waxy menorah, 7 luscious latkes, 6 pairs of fun socks, 5 chocolate coins! 4 matzah balls, 3 wooden dreidels, 2 Sufganyot, and a Darth Vader long-sleeved tee

kathy a. said...

woooot! the music shop that kept our kids in lessons for lo those many years lined me up with someone who can teach cornet!! he told me about an adult student who inherited a trumpet and began from there. we agreed on 4 weekly 1/2 lessons to start; times available after beloved's work, to be arranged.

kathy a. said...

oh, liz for style! brava!

Gary said...

Liz - who says Adam Sandler is the only one who can write a funny Hanukah song?

Madeleine said...

Awesome lyrics, Liz.

My childhood version of that was:
On the first night of Hanukah, my mommy gave to me: a very pretty pink nightie!

Said nightie was eventually dyed greenish by my dad's inept laundry skills. But I still remember.

kathy a. said...

gary!

esperanza said...

I love it, Liz! And thereby rest my case about switching holidays. Who wants maids a-milking and lords a-leaping when they can have chocolate coins?

KLee said...

And latkes? I cannot resist the latkes!

Here's where I reveal my Goy Plan Of Hanukkah -- every year, around this time, I stock up on every box mix version of latke that I can find. (I tried the from scratch thing one year, and let's just say that my latkes had quite too much onion and knuckle skin in them for my liking.) The box mixes work for us, and I don't plotz from going without latkes.

In an aside to Emily and Esperanza, when I sew, I spend quite a bit of time doing what I have heard called "frogging." That is a stitcher's term denoting removing seams because it feels like all you ever do is "rip it, rip it". I once realized that I had put a quilt block in upside down as I was putting the final binding in. That was NOT a good night. There was much cursing.

Redzils -- I'm so sorry. About all of it. Please let us know if there's anything we can do for you. And don't EVER feel bad about whining The Big Stuff here. That's *exactly* what we're here for.

Days said...

Candle whines of any type get all my votes and sympathy.

Skirts, side panels and misplaced pockets prove that the WW is a constructive use of my time since I fully intended to provide new dress up clothing to the girls this season and need to get that sorted out.

I too share the whine of not knowing what to get the husband for a seasonal gift, or at least what to get him that we can afford. The anti-whine is also that he has no idea what to get me, so this may become the kind of holiday in which we give each other the guilt-free opportunity to drop a few bucks on ourselves instead of buying gifts that will ultimately be inadequate. Regardless of whether this suggests relationship inadequacy, there are a few things I would really like to buy for myself that I know he would not buy for me.

Secondary whines of snow and exam invigilation.

Style awards to Liz and kathy A., and cluesticks to doctors in need.

Days said...

redzils - So sorry to hear about all of that. Much whining permitted under such soul-sucking conditions.

esperanza said...

Madeleine, I forgot to thank you for the candle tutorial.

And Days, Mr. E and I are in exactly the same spot. We're just not doing presents for each other this year. Or last year, if I remember correctly. I want very little (or rather, very much: healthy baby, world peace, etc), and he wants very expensive, so we'll just skip it. Guilt free.

Sarah at ratatat said...

Oh Redzils, that's just heart breaking. I hope more sunshine can be in your future. And love too :)

My funny gentile Hanukkah story is that I hate candles. The first time we celebrated with a friend we lit the candles, sang songs, played dreidl, ate. And as we were about to leave the room, I wanted to blow out the candles. I can't leave a candle burning unattended. My friend and my husband laughed at me.

JenR - thanks for the ideas. He doesn't want a trainer, but I like the registration and gear suggestions. He'd love musical lessons, but I am trying to avoid that one, LOL. Maybe when we're empty nesters.

Style points to Liz.

Anonymous said...

Last year we found delish frozen latkes at a place whose pseudonym would be something along the line of Bargaining Joseph's. If you have one near you, they are yummy and easy--better than a mix, but not as good as from scratch.
--Neighbor Lady

Anonymous said...

Well, maybe they *are* better than the ones *I* make from scratch, now that I think about it....
OK, now I'm getting hungry!
--Neighbor Lady

Sue said...

*waving* Hey Gary - how are ya????

Style for Liz - no question.

Whine: attended without a doubt the most ridiculous church meeting of any kind, anywhere, EVAR, this afternoon. If it had lasted much longer I would have had to set my hair on fire just to get out of the room. Actually, I should have done that about half an hour into it.

Uber Whine: I'm quite certain that the baby Jesus just puked a bit of his lunch this afternoon because of that meeting.

Thanks for the candle-teaching and thanks esperanza for asking: I felt like too stooopid a Christian to ask....

Amy said...

let's not overlook kathy a.'s super haiku. (i'm kind of a fan of the genre.)

Madeleine said...

Not to worry, Amy, no risk of me overlooking a haiku! I love them too. I'd write this comment in a haiku but my battery is almost drained and I don't want to crash.

Madeleine said...

Whine of missed opportunity: The Olympic Torch is passing within three blocks of our house tomorrow afternoon, at a time when SG will be in an extracurricular class. In fact, the route is also within a few blocks of where her class is. Maybe I'll walk out and watch it myself, but it would be more fun with company. Sniff.

Whine of anticipated transportation problems: What time are they closing the main street? Because her class is on the other side of it.

kathy a. said...

take photos, madeleine! i have some of the olympic torch near our house, um, i guess about 8 years ago, when i took daughter. tell the extracurricular people it is a once-in-a-lifetime event, dagnabbit!

a number of friends here helped me make a quilt for annika when she had her transplant. her mom moreena just posted a holiday video, which is so lovely, and also news that anni might be sick, but she is also sick, so it is hard to sort out. if you are one of annika, moreena, frankie, and jorg's fans, please head over and give a hug. http://moreena.typepad.com/

Liz Miller said...

GARY!!!

Thank you for the kind words on the song. I was inspired by this week's title.

Liz Miller said...

Sue for Mullet for both:
"if it had lasted much longer I would have had to set my hair on fire just to get out of the room. Actually, I should have done that about half an hour into it."

and
"Uber Whine: I'm quite certain that the baby Jesus just puked a bit of his lunch this afternoon because of that meeting. "

Jenevieve said...

You guys are hilarious! No whines this week (what?! how is that even possible?), just here to commiserate and share holiday baking: I have lemon shortbread, homemade graham crackers, brown butter cookies, and banana and pumpkin bread. And in honor of today's snow, I've brought mulled wine and cider as well. Feast!

Sue said...

Oh Madeleine, that sucks!!!! I hope you can get some pics from someone. They are passing through here on Jan 3rd, and I'm REALLY hoping to be there.

(not to give away location, but are the Reitman's the torch bearers??? You don't have to answer that if you would prefer not to, I'll understand.)

Anonymous said...

So unmotivated to go clean up the dishes in the sink...it's so cozy on the couch with my overheating computer keeping my lap warm....
But, my daughter has a friend coming over this afternoon to bake hanukkah cookies, so I must must must go clean the kitchen.
No, really, I'm going to stop typing any second and go. do. that.

really

--Neighbor lady

Amy said...

I'm tired of my house being a mess. I'm tired of taking the blame for it being a mess because most of the stuff in is the kids' and my husband refuses to learn what to do with any of the kid stuff.

If I win the lottery, the first thing I'm going to do will be hire a housewife.

I'm tired. I'm trapped in a bad sleep situation with Tater, but I just don't have it in me to break him by letting him cry all the time.

If I win the lottery, the second thing I'll do will be to buy an oversized recliner to sleep in, because he and I are outgrowing the sofa (and he won't sleep if we aren't on a slight angle -- so no, a mattress on the floor won't cut it).

Now all I have to do is win.

Madeleine said...

Sue, I don't have any info on who the torch bearers are. Longest street in the world. Prime after school hours. The rest is just clicking . . .

Madeleine said...

Amy, so much sympathy on the tired.

Sue said...

I'll second the sympathy on Teh Tired. So very tie-tie here. Someone wake me up when it's all over....

Emily said...

kathy a. wonderful news about the successful fundraiser!

Sue--sorry that the cat has diabetes (even if he is a trouper about the shots)

My DH and I stopped exchanging gifts eons ago--now we try to do something nice together. Alone. Without the kids. :-)

Dr. Redzils--I went through something similar after I defended my thesis. After my defense, I got my hand shaken (shook?), a glass of champagne and hearty congratulations. It was nice, but after all that pain and suffering I expected to be followed by a band playing "Happy Days are Here Again" for at least three or four weeks while being fed peeled grapes by (insert person by whom you would wish to be fed peeled grapes here).

Amy--I hear you on teh tired! When I had babies, someone told me that the best thing to do was to think "this too shall pass". I hope this stage passes quickly!

Liz Miller said...

Amy, how is the mess your fault if your husband refuses to learn what to do with the kids' stuff?

I am hauling out the cluestick to smack the gender essentialism out of him.

kathy a. said...

we need some housekeeping fairies around here, soonest.

kathy a. said...

i didn't see liz's comment when i wrote the last, but agree with cluesticks, also.

esperanza said...

Late breaking whine. I am soooo tired. Three hour round trip to Big City for my OB appointment yesterday, followed today by three hour round trip to Big City for Sweet Baboo's appointment. And apparently, when I am teh tired, everything you do or fail to do gets on my very last, thinnest, shredded-est nerve.

That, or it's the hormones.

Amy said...

We are trying a new bedtime routine for Tater, where I nurse him and then Daddy reads him stories and puts him in the crib. Tater has been screaming like he's being tortured for the last 15 minutes. Daddy keeps going in and comforting him, but srsly. This is so not going to work, for him, for my daughter in the next room, or for me.

I hate this. I hate not having a better idea than just biting the bullet and sleeping on the sofa with him until he decides he's okay with the crib, which will be never because really -- what kid wants to sleep alone in a crib?

Crap.

Amy said...

Oh. Regarding the mess, the kid stuff is not all of the mess. It's just a part of the mess that he won't go near. His reasoning is that because I am home and I have stuff all over, say, the kitchen and living room (both true statements), he doesn't want to tidy something for fear of losing or pitching an item I'll need later. I understand that to a point, but honest to god, he could certainly put kid cups in the dishwasher. There is nothing in or on those cups, plates, or bowls that anyone could think another person might need later. His excuse is that he doesn't know what the special instructions are for them. Apparently "TOP RACK ONLY" isn't clear enough or catchy enough.

Whatever. The boy won't quit crying. He's cried himself to the point that he's got the sobbing hiccups, so I have to cut this short and just admit that for the next eleven hours I am a piece of furniture for a baby.

Madeleine said...

{{{Amy}}} Do you read Ask Moxie? Sounds like Tater is a tension-increaser. If you believe the Moxie-mantra, crying will simply not work for him. I'm so sorry.

kathy a. said...

oh, mamas! extra prizes to esperanza and her hormones, and to amy and the bad very bad ugly bedtime routine. i promise this won't last forever, but that is small consolation on a particular day.

kathy a. said...

also, amy -- he owes you, big time. top rack only is not hard.

Sue said...

Oh Amy, I'm so sorry. My youngest was just like Tater. Rough times, but as my dear mother used to say "This too shall pass" - she was right. It did.

Still.....until then, sending pixie cleaning crews and pixie fairy dust for Tater and for you.

Whine: Why does the worst of the Church-Amalgamation-That-Will-Never-Ever-Happen FOR SO MANY REASONS I CAN'T LIST THEM ALL have to hit me smack between the eyes with its stinking reality - THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS??????? Could not this nasty truth have been hidden from me for, you know, a week or so???

Would it really have been so bad for everyone to turn over that rock and show all the squirmy ugliness underneath it all in 2010? Srsly.

Ick.

kathy a. said...

sue and i need a hobby so we don't start throwing rocks at people. [not that we would in real life, being non-violent and all.] i had another round with the project of doom person this afternoon, the upshot of which is that she got all fireplacy, and i report with pride that i did not turn into a human flamethrower. even though it was really really tempting.

in other news, my beloved brought home a christmas tree, put lights on it, and made a decorative bowl of pine trimmings and stray tiny ornaments that no longer have hangers. fa la la la la.

Madeleine said...

Sue, forgot to say sooner, your FB password angst could be corrupt cookies. Consider clearing your cache and/or poking around the prefs, deleting your FB cookies, and recreating them. You probably don't want to delete all cookies because every site you ever log in to will forget your name. Cache is safe to clear, though.