Seafood Condiments: A Conversation with Luke

I'm trying to write these down as they happen (because they've been happening a lot lately). Note that "tato" in this case is pronounced TAY-toh, like potato.

Luke: (having recognized our destination as Zaxby's) Mom, I don't like chicken.
Me: We're going to get you Captain D's.
Luke: Mom, I don't like tato sauce.
Me: Tarter sauce.
L: I don't like turtle sauce.

Currently feeling: fishy

4 year old stats

Luke had his 4 year well visit today. I was quite surprised to learn that he had not been to the pediatrician's office since December 2007. Finally! Any antibiotics we've needed have come from the ENT. Yay! A more or less healthy year. Let's hope the trend continues. So, here's where we stand:

* Height: 43 inches (1.09 meters), 95th percentile; up 3 inches (7.6 cm) since last year
* Weight: 43 lbs (19.5 kg, 3 stone), 95th percentile; up 7 lbs (3.2 kg) since last year

His blood pressure, hematocrit, and BMI are all fine. His ears look great (yay!). He passed the hearing and vision tests (pictures, not letters). She was very impressed with his speech improvement. Apparently, everything looks great and sounds great! What more could a mother ask for?

But of course, there is a down side. He had to get *4* shots; one in each arm, and two in one leg (one of them tetanus, so it's still hurting him). Boy, was he not happy. He hasn't had shots since he was 2, so he didn't remember. We tried to explain that it would hurt for just a second, and then it would be over, but that didn't seem to help much (didn't think it would, but I felt compelled to try anyway). He's always done really well with them, so I was actually surprised that these went so badly. According to the nurse, he did great (let Daddy hold him and didn't try to wiggle/jump off the table), but it seemed pretty awful to me. When he got shots as a baby, he would just wail a single time as the needle went in, and that was it. Barely any tears. This time there was hysterical crying over the ones in the arms and *screaming* bloody murder at the two that went in the leg. He's never screamed like that before, ever. Not about his broken arm, not about his stitches in his finger (going in or coming out), never. Talk about feeling like the worst parents in the world! DH was literally shaking when it was over and nearly in tears himself.

Needless to say, Luke wanted to be carried out of the exam room, and for once, we capitulated. He also got a Twix in the car (the "fun size" that's about 2 inches long, which makes about 3 bites for him) and pancakes at IHOP for lunch. He's been asking for pancakes for dinner off and on for a couple of weeks now, and I've been intentionally holding out for today. He was so tired and zoned out at IHOP that we just brought him home. Today had been trying enough, it was cold and rainy and dreary outside, and he was complaining about his leg aching even after Children's Motrin had time to kick in. And he was asking to go home in a very sad and pitiful voice. I just didn't have the heart to send him to school. I know, I'm a sucker. But for today, that's fine with me! Unless he gets sick, there's no reason to go back until after he turns 5, which is also fine with me.

Currently feeling: sorry I had to be the grown-up and let them hurt him today

Happiness: A Conversation with Luke

This is part of our conversation on the way home yesterday.

Luke: Mom, I not sad anymore, I happy!
Me: When were you sad?
Luke: Nooo! I happy now.
Me: Oh, okay. What kinds of things make you happy?
Luke: I happy after rest time.
Me: Rest time makes you happy?
Luke: Yeah (Me: Yesssss!)
Me: What else makes you happy?
Luke: I know [Luke-speak for "I don't know."]
Me: What about toys? Do toys make you happy?
Luke: Yeah, I like toys. Twinkle toys [Tinker Toys] and Star Wars toys, too!
Me: What about the kitties?
Luke: Kitties have mouse toys. Kitties don't have Star Wars toys.
Me:

Currently feeling: how can I parent when I can't keep a straight face?

Out of the Blu

And no, that's not a typo. See:



Ta-da! I know that looks like a PS3, but it's really not, seeing as we don't have a single game for it. We really just wanted a Blu-ray player, and after doing our own research and asking all my board friends, we realized that the PS3 was really the best option. If we had a surround sound system, we might have reconsidered, but we don't, and we won't for a minimum of 3 years, probably more like 4-5. (Looking to have a new television with HDMI by then, too.) By then, it will be time to buy a new player anyway, or they'll have some better technology that we haven't even dreamed of yet. So for now, this will do quite nicely. Won't have a chance to get it hooked up until after the child goes to bed. I'll let you know what we think!

Currently feeling: thrilled!

Romeo and Ethel, The Pirate's Daughter

I thought about "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet," but this title was way more fun! LOL It comes from Shakespeare in Love (one of my favorite movies) for anyone scratching their heads about it. And for those really interested, it seems someone has rebuilt this "lost masterpiece". I'll have to read it when I have time. Ahem! Let's get this entry back on track, shall we?

The actual point of this post is titles. Blog entry titles, to be specific. I was reading a blog somewhere recently where the author complained about having to think up a title for every post. (Thanks, Melissa! It was Cheryl's blog, which I didn't know she had until this week. You might need to be a Yuku member and/or a "friend" of hers to read it, though.) I actually enjoy that part of the process, maybe a little too much. Sure, most of my titles are plain and boring and obvious, but I'd like to think that a few of them are occasionally at least a *little* bit clever, maybe bringing a smile to the face of my readers. Many times, the title is just functional, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm thinking of ones like "September 2008 Round-Up" or "Happy 4th Birthday to Luke." Certainly nothing wrong with those, I don't think. But I always get a little thrill when the just perfect title comes to me, like "Abbreviated." I thought of all kinds of titles for that post: Mommy and Daddy No More, Introducing Mom and Dad, I Guess We're Growing Up Too, I Don't Need to Be Any Shorter. They just weren't doing it for me. I actually thought on it for a while, but it finally hit me. I knew when I broke out into a big grin that it was the right one.

So, all you other bloggers out there, talk to me! Do you put thought into the titles of your posts, or do you just go with the first thing that comes to mind? Is thinking up titles something you enjoy, or do you wish you could just go without a title sometimes?
Currently feeling: well titled

Who needs Casey Kasem?

Everything I need to know about current pop music I learned from Dancing With the Stars! I know, how sad am I? LOL I don't listen to the local "pop" station much anymore. I don't like many of their hosts/gimmicks, and for quite a while, I didn't like any of the music, so I just stopped listening. That was easily 5 years ago, probably more like 7 or 8. Having a baby certainly didn't help. Primarily, I only listen to the radio when I'm in the car without my spouse, so for nearly 2 years as a SAHM, I hardly left the house without my DH, so I virtually never had the radio on.

I can't really say that I am a whole lot more "in touch" than I was, but I do at least flip on the radio a few times a week now, if only for 10 minutes or so on the way home from dropping Luke off at daycare. I still prefer the "light rock" station (now with Steve and Vicki, yay!), but I do flip on the Top 40 type station every once in a while. And when I do, at least once or twice a week, I am able to say "hey, I've heard that song before." And all because of DWTS! Sometimes it's because the song was performed by the artist on one of the results shows, but more often, it's because the song was used for one of the dance performances. That means that I don't know the "radio version," and I have no idea the name of the song, or even who sings it. But I definitely recognize it!

The main one so far has been the "Mark and Kristi song." Yes, that is how DH and I refer to it. That would definitely be a case of not knowing the title or artist. Let me see if I can find it. Hold please.... Hey, I just discovered that they list the songs, artists, and who danced to them by week on the ABC website! It only includes the current season, though. Wikipedia has dances, songs, and artists for every previous season; don't know why I didn't look there first.

Anyway, I have just discovered that, despite the fact that I remembered it as having been danced to by Mark and Kristi, it was actually Monica and Jonathan! Oops. At least I knew it had to be a foxtrot, based on the music. Oh, sorry, the music: "Bubbly" by Colbie Caillat (who?). Okay, so we'll have to change our nomenclature. It is now officially the "Monica and Jonathan song." But still, the only reason I am even vaguely aware of this song is because of the show.

And today, I heard another DWTS song on the radio: the "Lance and Lacey song." Again, thanks to the above websites, I now know that the "Lance and Lacy song" is actually "Disturbia" by Rihanna (who?!! LOL). Well, having now looked up the lyrics, that certainly makes their costumes make much more sense! I've heard the song 3 times now, and other than the "city of wonder" line, I hadn't the vaguest idea what the words were. It sounds cool, though. Guess that's all that matters these days. ::rolls eyes::

I suppose that means I am officially getting old? Much of the music sounds the same to me, no matter who sings it, and much of it just sounds like noise. Sometimes cool sounding noise (a la "Distrubia"), but still mostly noise, not a "song." Even the fact that I know who Casey Kasem is (besides the voice of Shaggy) probably dates me pretty seriously. I do remember when his American Top 40 program was replaced by the Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 on whatever station I was listening to at the time. See, I was up on "current" music, once upon a time. Kind-of strange to realize that I am a little familiar with it again, all thanks to ballroom dancing! Who'da thunk it? LOL

Currently feeling: like dancing

Honk Honk

(Another camera phone shot, sorry.)

What is with the geese? It's like they're suddenly everywhere. I can even hear them honking and see their shadows as they fly over the house, which has been almost a daily occurance for a week or more. I don't really remember seeing (or hearing) them in previous years either. I don't know if I was just being unobservant before now, or if Atlanta has suddenly become a choice migratorial goose pit stop. The picture above was taken in the parking lot at Olive Garden (at least they have good taste in restaurants!), and I saw another gaggle in the strip mall parking lot this morning near daycare. Are we being invaded? LOL I don't really mind, it's just a little weird.

Currently feeling: confused