mommy vs the bikini

I have ruined her life. Absolutely none of her friends will be dressed like her. Why does she have to be different? All this drama for the mama because I won't buy my nine year old a bikini. Truly I must be from ancient times and have a heart carved out of ice. Nevermind that I have purchased two piece bathing suits for her as recently as last summer. I just happen to have drawn the line at triangle shaped scraps of material for preteens.

To her I'm just all that stands in the way between her and the slumber party of the year. I actually feel her pain and remember when I thought my mom was so unfair. I'd like to take her aside and explain to her that her mommy did indeed wear a bikini as a teen but that she in fact isn't even past the age for requiring children's tylenol. However I won't. She will try my patience again and again over this with heart wrenching sobs and equally ear splitting shrieks of indignation and misery. However I think I will have to be Mt. Kilmanjaro or Everest. I am there to be climbed but immovable. Time will march on and she will also turn into a teen with a bikini much to her daddy's horror. Yet it won't be me, it will be time that has passed and I'm sure another line to draw in the sand.

In weak moments I actually wonder if I am just somehow out of touch and should just get with it. Is this a case of changing fashions or changing standards? I guess a little bit of both, ok alot of both. I dig in my spurs a bit when I think since when does a twelve year old without a job need to have a cell phone to call his own? Is the whole school really IMing each other? I'd prefer that my kids could actually spell accurately 90% of the time before they start texting and cranking out IM's to their bff's or bf's or whoever, whatever as they might say. When did it become desirable for kids to be miniaturized adults? Ralph Lauren ads? What does it say about us as adults when we fail to provide lines of demarcation on the path from childhood to adulthood? If they jump through all the hoops by age 7 what's left for them to strive towards? A job? Kids of their own to hurry along?

Delayed gratification is a quaint beauty in our culture. I'm hoping my kids come to know its features well and in time even appreciate it. For now though preteen angst is the rule and mom is just so mean.

party planning

Hmmm....how to entertain a bunch of first graders that doesn't involve trashing my house? Yes, it's party planning time and I'm looking for ideas that can be done outside that have an autumn theme. decorating mini-pumpkins? bobbing for apples? My goal is to not attract bees in the process. This is why I am not a preschool teacher. I am definitely a mom that has to outsource the arts and crafts portion of childhood. useful comments are oh so welcome here.

I am Alice

Now that I've finally gotten myself back on the blog I can't think of a thing to type. So the stream of consciousness thing will have to do for now.

Busy, busy, busy fall but that's the way it is for everyone. No sense whining. Ages ago I blogged about "where's my Alice?" the ever-present, always helpful housekeeper for the Brady's who kept that ship afloat. I still live in the Brady Bunch house with the addition of DD#4 but I've come to realize that I am Alice. It's crazy around here but truthfully I wouldn't have it any other way, I'd just like some tips to manage the chaos.

Blog, what blog?

So I'm not the most up to date blogger Google has ever known.....a few things have gone on since my last post over a year ago. Dear Daughter #4 made her arrival last summer. That's the biggie. We briefly thought we were moving this Spring. In hindsight that should have been crazy making but it turned into more of a Spring Cleaning on steroids. I'm just grateful that I didn't donate all the kids winter clothes! the mom's life....always looking ahead until you trip over the mess at your feet! Speaking of which, while I've been typing a boxful of cheerios has been dumped......

hiatus

I've taken a hiatus from the Blog Hunter column. I know I needed to do it for a variety of reasons but I still feel a little strange. I am not sure when or if I will carve out the time and space to do that again. I wonder if anyone will even notice the column is missing? In time maybe I won't even notice, and the Blog Hunter will be just a footnote in my history.

Hiatus, it sounds like such a fancy word. What I really should have said is that I'm taking an extended time out. There's the mommy talking......

Maybe just a shift, and just like an older car, it can be hard to change gears once you've been in one awhile. Clearly this is not a mechanic talking.

Lysol bomb

I have been joking with everyone I meet lately that my house needs a "Lysol bomb". What put me over the edge was finding out DD#2 had step throat. I like to use antibiotics only when needed but upon hearing this latest addition to the family petri dish I quickly mentioned my other kids sore throats and tummy aches to the nurse to ensure their very own 10- day regimens. After remembering our early morning cuddle in mom and dad's bed with the germy girl I promptly called my own doctor as well. It wasn't too hard of a sell to get a RX for my husband and me. Mention the word strep and people run screaming away from you. Now the question is, will this work? Can we kill all bacteria in a 10 day period and drive other viruses far far away?

As long as the kids keep leaving the house and breathing near other children I'd have to say no but I can always dream . But for now the hand washing speech will have to do. You'll know things have gone down hill if you happen to drive by a house with a huge plastic bubble drapped over it with Lysol printed in big, bold, blue letters.

flu babies

They ALL have the flu. The school week has been 1 out of 5 for DS and 2 1/4 out of 5 for DD#1. She came home early Wednesday after repeatedly trying to tell her teacher that her throat hurt during Mass. She can be a bit ummm, dramatic and so her tears were brushed off by all until the school nurse took her temperature and it was near 100. She came home, perked up and I was left wondering just what was going on as her temp was normal each time I took it with my trusty ear thermometer. By the end of the day every child was pasty feverish mess.

After a night of feverish children with DS and DD#3 throwing up, a group pediatrician visit was in order the next morning. Again at home with my trusty ear thermometer DD#1 had no temperature. Of all the kids she looked the best and I wondered if I had called it wrong keeping her home with the rest. But I reminded myself that temperature was not always an accurate reflection of how she felt. She always has been one tough cookie. As a baby she would get ear infections that only became evident in hindsight as I would take her to the pediatrician after not being able to soothe my grouchy angry baby.

So I about fell over in the exam room after explaining DD#1's history when the nurse said, " yup she' s got a temp of 100". Guess what not so trusty device of mine is headed to the garbage can? At least the batteries inside will be headed that way! And the kicker is this, she didn't even say "told ya so". It might have been easier if she had b/c right now I feel terrible for misjudging her this week.

Did I mention DH is returning home tonight? Some guys have all the luck.