Desert Danglings

Super Hero Underwear!

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:04:14 GMT

After much struggling and arguing, Xander finally had 5 days in a row where he got a sticker for going poop in the potty. Yay! As his reward, he got to wear his brand new super hero underwear! All of the super heroes are from Marvel Comics and, as his first choice, he picked Spider Man.

Pictures

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:40:20 GMT

Did it work?

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:29:07 GMT

Xander went poop in the potty twice yesterday and once so far today. Last night he said, "I don't want to poop in my pants." Hmmmm...

On Sunday and Monday I gave him hot sauce after he pooped in his pants and he had to sit in his timeout chair without water for 3 minutes. Maybe it worked. We'll see over the next few days.

Random Screams

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:36:33 GMT

Last night I was awakened by several random screams in my house. No, it's not a ghost. It's Xander. His epilepsy medication has a lovely side effect- vivid dreams. He doesn't always scream in his sleep nor does he always wake up when he has bad dreams. Last night, he had a few screams like he was scared, but then it was silent. It's always enough to wake me up, but not him. Funny.

Family Portrait

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:42:13 GMT

Here is a family portrait we had taken while on our Disney Cruise. I have crazy hair, especially in humid climates. Xander did not want to have his picture taken. Getting him to smile was next to impossible and then he gave his fake smile. Sigh. It turned out alright, though.

Still working on those Halloween pictures of Xander.

Sleep Deprived

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:56:26 GMT

Last night's scenario:

Xander walks into bedroom at 0228 and says, "Can I sleep with you?"

Me: Why? What happened?

X: A (mumbles something indistinguishable) flew into the air and buzzed me. It shook my hand and my clock light is after me.

Me: Really? Oh.

X: And there was a ghost.

Me: Ok. Let's go to sleep now.

Of course, he slept ok, but I didn't. You know kids like to move all over. I was on the very edge of the bed. Then he was coughing some and was stuffed up. Sigh. Through all of that, I still like cuddling with him.

For the record, he has this clock in his room that has a light in it. He sleeps with it on, but lately he has been telling me it scares him. In front of the light is a stained glass picture, which can be changed with the seasons. The current season is fall. The scene is a Snoopy Halloween and one of the characters is dressed as a ghost.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:12:29 GMT

Way Cool

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:27:39 GMT

My friend made hotel reservations for us to attend next years DragonCon. Now I need to go buy the tickets. Woo hoo! Should I start working on a costume now or use my old BTVS standby?

UPdate: Bought my ticket, uh, membership! Happy happy, joy joy!

Vacation Photos. Yay!

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:55:45 GMT

This is one of my favorites! It looks like Xander is a clown fish! Ha!

While the park had professionals taking pictures, no one argued if you took your own. Goofy is really, really tall!

Of course we had to get a shot with the big star!

Xander and Pluto were just to cute! And David was ok, too. ;-P

My friends, Tigger, Pooh and Eeyore, too!

We should have worn these for our wedding. Aren't we cute?

Cutie Patootie Alert!

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:51:55 GMT

My dad took a few pics with his cell phone during our vacation. He sent me one today. Yay! Here it is!

Never Discuss Politics

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:05:53 GMT

I honestly don't know why I bother, especially when the discussion is in the comments section of someone else's LJ. In the end, the other person basically said I was stupid and had no idea what I was talking about, as usual, this person was a raging left-wing nutbag, so I gave up. These discussions always end with someone calling me names. What's the point? No one can be civilized anymore and constantly responding on-line to their spewage of crapola wastes way too much of my time. That was the same reason I gave up my political blog- because of bullshit like that.

You can't turn a pig into a swan, so why try?

Pictures?

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:55:16 GMT

I don't know that I'll ever get pictures from our vacation or Xander's birthday posted. The hubby downloads them onto his computer and then I never see them. As for the two events mentioned above, it appears he didn't take any pictures- just videos and, since he did that with our special video camera, none of the videos are in a format I can use on YouTube. Whatever. Sorry folks.

Even Xander Knows it's Vacation Time

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:28:42 GMT

This morning he said, "First I'm going to school and then we go to hotel and ride in the elevator and go swimming at the hotel pool and tomorrow we get on a plane and then a big boat for Mickey Mouse!"

And that was all in one breath!

Hiking

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 03:13:57 GMT

We took Xander hiking today up at Montezuma's Pass in the Coronado National Memorial park. He made the .4 mile hike up the hill without being carried! It was a beautiful day and not too hot. We had a picnic lunch and all had a great time. I hope we can turn Little Man into a nature lover! We plan on taking him camping n ext spring for the first time. Should be fun.

Dinner Time Angst

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:12:31 GMT

Xander always gets excited to eat dinner and yet, when we are eating he refuses to eat and wants to go play. If I throw his food away, he screams that he wants to eat. This is getting old. Tonight was really bad- lots of screaming and crying for his food, which had been thrown away. He also peed in his pants today. On the advice of my Aunt Claudia, Xander is now back in 'diapers'. They're actually plastic training pants. We'll see how he likes that. He's not happy to be told he's still a baby because he's acting like one.

"I'M NOT A BABY!", he screams.

"Well", I say, "You certainly act like one."

I do wonder though, when David and I get angry with him, who is really acting more like a baby- us or him?

My Big Boy

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:55:30 GMT

Just waking up here. Coffee goooooood.

The morning after his birthday, Xander surprised me thanking me for the birthday party and cupcakes from the day before. Then he said, "Thank you for inviting Loretta. I miss her. I really appreciate it." Yes, that was word for word. Wow! And for those of you who do not know, Loretta was his babysitter when we lived in Bisbee. She babysat him from 3 months to two years old and was at our house at least twice a week. He asks for her on a regular basis.

He's growing up so fast! I know! I promised pictures. I have to wait for David to download them onto my computer or email them to me. For some reason, our old laptop (David's computer) has a slot for the camera card, which = easy download. My snazzy computer does not. Poo! :-(

Today we are going to Tucson. Xander has a neurology checkup.

"Today is My Birthday Day!"

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:38:46 GMT

That was the first thing Xander said when he woke up this morning. He was so excited! For breakfast he got a donut with sprinkles. Yum! There was fruit, too, but strangely he didn't eat any of it.

David asked Xander how old he was today and he proudly said, "Three!" It sounded more like "free", but I know what he meant. ;-)

Tonight he will get presents and some funfetti cupcakes. I'll post some pictures when we get some.

Best Laid Plans...

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:33:40 GMT

...go undone. Xander woke early again this morning, only this time, he had a fever. :-( I still have to finish my homework, but it is just going to have to wait until he is in bed tonight. At least he's not lethargic or anything- just a fever. This is the first one since he's been on his anti-seizure meds. No seizure so far, but I am waiting cautiously. I am sure I would have had my homework done yesterday if I had not been laid up in bed all day with a migraine and excessive nausea to go with it. I think my prescription meds are causing the nausea. They get rid of the pain, but then I can't move or I throw up. Yuk.

David is home for the afternoon since this is a holiday weekend, so maybe I will get my homework finished earlier than after 2000hrs.

Xander's 3rd birthday is next week. Can you believe it? I took him to the store with me this morning and he picked out his birthday cake. He picked the funfetti mix by Betty Crocker and the funfetti frosting with sprinkles to go with it. Ha! Not my choice, but I am sure he will love it. I may make cupcakes instead. They will stay fresher longer and are easier to eat. Thoughts?

What This Journal is About...

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:37:37 GMT

...is not what I want to type right now. This is supposed to be about my wonderful little Xander Man. He's been good and cute and good some more. We're still having the poopy pants issues, but that really is normal for boys his age.

I am angry about the step-son and I am NOT making this a private post. I don't care who reads it. If you drink and drive and wreck a car that you don't own, you deserve all the shame and public humiliation I can heap upon you!!!! Yes, you read that correctly. Last night Nick went out with his friend, Ray. Ray came to get him, so we had no idea that Nick even had the truck. Obviously, he didn't ask if he could use it. We got a call from Nick around 2030 telling us that he had 2 flat tires and needed some help. When the hubby arrived on scene (I was told about this later), Nick could not even stand up straight! WTF??? He was so drunk he drove off the road, hit something, but we still don't know what, pretty much shredded 2 of the tries and bent the rims. Hello?? That is hard to do. Thank goodness no one was hurt. He was lucky because no one else was involved and no cops were called. Personally, had I been the one to pick him up, I would have called the cops myself and reported a drunk on the road, and then left Nick to fend for himself.

I swear this guy, he's not really a kid anymore- just acts like one, is an alcoholic. I am positive he has driven home drunk on more than this occasion, but just hasn't gotten caught. At least the hubby is angry, too- finally. I have not heard him yell at Nick before, but I doubt even making him pay for the new wheels will teach him a lesson. He hasn't learned anything from any of his other mistakes so far. We agreed and, heck even invited him, to live with us when we got the bigger house because we saw him heading down the wrong path and hanging out with the wrong people. He was drinking all of the time and even got beat up pretty bad. Has he straightened out? No. We talk to him and he does better for a little while and then goes right back down the shit hole. I am so frustrated!

Anyway, I went to the recruiters' offices today and picked up some literature for Nick and put it on his bed. As far as I am concerned, he can either join the military and move out that way, or get kicked out and be on his own. IT'S TIME FOR TOUGH LOVE!!!

The Ups and Downs of Certain Days

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:42:33 GMT

The run this morning made me feel pretty good, especially since I got it done even though Xman woke up early. I even got all of my homework assignments done by 0900! This means I am free to have a special Friday with Xman. :-) It also meant I was going to have some time to myself today and I could do whatever I wanted. Then IT came home. The stepson, whom we had to wake up for work AGAIN because he's lazy, only spent an hour or two at work today. He said his knee gave out. He does have some old injuries from high school and he was limping, but I do not feel sorry for him. Every time I have told him to go to the doctor he gives some excuse. He even has his own health insurance now and yet, he gave another excuse.

"I don't have any insurance cards. I was supposed to get them after 30 days, but I still don't have them."

Do you think he has asked his employer about that? NO! Of course not. Do I have to hold his hand and, once again, explain about the real world and being persistent? I have done this so many times because no one else does it. He takes no responsibility for himself. All he did, of course, was go to sleep. It is now after 3pm and he is still in bed.

I woke him up briefly when the mail came to let him know he got a letter from the IRS. He still has not paid his taxes. You see, his job in Tombstone (one of three jobs) doesn't take out any taxes. This was his only job for most of last year. Do you think he ever kept any of his money to pay his taxes? No! Of course not! We made him file his taxes when he moved back in with us. He owed, obviously. He has told me numerous times that he has paid and "they must have not gotten the check." I've heard that one before. I told him in a very curt manner that he needed to call them on the phone and pay with his debit card. I also told him to get a ride to this job in Tombstone tomorrow because I am having a special day with Little Man and his father will need his own truck to drive. He went back to sleep. I'm sure he won't remember any of it.

To cheer myself up and reward myself for finishing my assignments early, I decided to take in a movie. Everyone is raving about District 9, but the first showing was at 1340. I did not want to wait that long, so I went to see Julie & Julia. Fabulous! I realize all of the critics are raving about Meryl Streep's performance and little else, but I thought the story itself was wonderful and very moving!

I never read Julie Powell's blog or the subsequent book, but this movie left me wishing I had been a follower. I had another blog myself at that time, one which was mostly political and I tired of very quickly. I wanted to be inspired by writing, but never was. Julie's project was inspiring and, to me, very respectful of Julia Child as a person and a chef. It makes me want to buy Mastering the Art of French Cooking and actually try some of the recipes. (I have a penchant for buying cookbooks and not really using them. Shhh! Don't tell!) In Julie's journey, it is sad to discover that Julia Child, whom we are not sure ever actually read the blog, described it as trite and disrespectful. In Julie's words, her idol "hated her". What a crushing blow to someone who only tried to understand herself by understanding Julia Child through cooking.

I will end this post on that happy note. I want to be in my happy place because some friends are taking me out to dinner tonight at Cafe Roka. It would be even better if the hubby could attend, but someone has to stay home with the Little Man. We need a sitter.

Bon Appetit!

Early Morning Stroller Run

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:59:40 GMT

I got up to run this morning and my Little Man woke up. This was, of course, due to the step-son's obnoxiously loud alarm blaring for about 10 minutes. Anyway, I was debating whether or not to stay with him because my husband was still asleep, but Xander wanted to run with me. :-) The run wasn't as long as I hoped it would be because he has to be back in time to get ready for preschool, but it was nice. He does love to go out with me and that makes me happy. When he is old enough, I hope he will want to really run with me. Right now he has to stay in the stroller and just encourage me.

Wanting to Scream

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:09:46 GMT

First, there's the refusal to use the potty. There's screaming, kicking and even biting.
"No, I don't want to go ca-ca!", he says.

5 minutes later

I'm trying to eat dinner. Xander gets my attention. He's standing in the doorway to his room. He smiles, squats and poops.

I won't even talk about my reaction. I definitely wanted to scream.

Day with Little Man

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:18:09 GMT

I got all of my work done today, so Xander and I will be spending the day together tomorrow. :-) I think we will go to Tucson and possibly the zoo. We have an annual pass and it has been a while, plus they have a small splash park there for the kids since it is hot. I'll be sure to take the camera and then come back and post pictures for everyone. Have a wonderful Thursday!

As promised! here are some pics of Xander Man at the zoo.

Xander hatched from a dinosaur egg! Ahhhhh!

Look out for the big, black kitty behind us!

Playing in the water.

Cute picture of XMan when he was One.

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:57:48 GMT

Wow. We really do look alike. Wouldn't you say, Mom?

Not Much to Post

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:00:19 GMT

We haven't had much to post lately. We took Xander to the Sonoran Desert Museum and the Tucson Children's Museum last Sunday. He seemed to really enjoy it. The weather was HOT HOT HOT!

He is asleep right now, but it's close to 0600, so I'm sure that won't last long. Must get groceries today, but I still need to make a list. Xander likes to go to the store if he gets to run around. If not, it's usually screaming all the way.

It's funny I feel so calm this morning. I've been awake since 0230. Maybe I'm calm because I'm tired.