The Zimmer Zoo

Stupendous Mommy Moments

Posted on February 9, 2009 by Nancy

Not only did I have a stupendous Mommy moment … I had two in the same day. Within minutes of each other. I’m sure one fed into the other, but yikes.

One of the rules in our house is that you have to at least try the food that’s put in front of you. If you don’t like the one required bite, you’re not obligated to eat any more. And wonderful Mom that I am, I usually find something else for you to eat. We put this rule into place because 9 times out of 10, if the kids try it, they like it. Although, they seem to forget what they like and don’t like daily…so getting them to try that one bite is usually a battle. For example, when it’s Burke’s turn – you can usually find me running around the room after him with a spoon full of something. It’s not pretty. (Do I hear “scarred for life” …? *sigh*)

Normally, Maggie will try anything. Not this time. I was running around trying to get her to eat the one bite…which she finally stopped to eat…gagged a bit and said “I’m going to be sick!” Not something I enjoy hearing about food I’ve cooked! To which I said, “No, you’re not … just chew and swallow.” Ya. Should have listened to her. *sigh*

While Mike and I were cleaning that up, I noticed that the 2 week old “Happy Birthday” sign (you know, the kind that links the letters all together) was falling down. I don’t know why it was so important that I take care of it right at that moment, but I did. Yank…rip. Burke’s eyes got really big and I hear “Mommy ripped the sign!!! Daddy!!!” Whoo boy. I managed to diffuse that situation by telling him that it was old … he requested a new one for next time. Sure thing, Burke!

Bad mommy.

Filed under: bad mommy, scarred for life | Tagged: just one bite, mommy moments, old signs | 4 Comments »

Succulent Death

Posted on February 8, 2009 by Nancy

Mike sent me the following link: http://www.bbqaddicts.com/bacon-explosion.html and told me that we definitely needed to try this Bacon Explosion recipe.

I emailed him back and told him that even though I could already feel my arteries clogging and the pounds piling back on, if the sausage was substituted with hamburger, I’d be right there with him. (I’m not a big sausage fan.)

He replied that he was worried about my lack of vision. We should substitute the sausage with his mom’s meatloaf recipe. (Holy COW that’s an awesome meatloaf!!).

We chatted more about this recipe when he got home from work and decided that a layer of mashed potatoes would make this the perfect recipe. He then asked me what we should call it. I immediately said, “Death.” His response? “Hm. That’s just not … succulent enough.” Then his eyes got big and he laughed…the recipe title is now Succulent Death. Can’t wait to try it.

Filed under: food | Tagged: artery clogger, bacon, mashed potatoes, meatloaf, recipe | 6 Comments »

Weekends

Posted on February 7, 2009 by Nancy

Weekends are a strange thing. Before kids, I looked forward to weekends because I could sleep in or read all day or just do nothing. Now that there are kids around, I sleep in as much as Mike lets me before he has to head to work (Thanks honey!!) and then it’s playing/watching/feeding/doing things with and for the kids. We usually do a Costco run at some point.

Historically, I think when adults tried to make plans for a meeting or gathering (that’s not a party), they tried to do it for a week night rather than a weekend. Perhaps because, historically, weekends were considered family times … mommies and daddies didn’t work and the kids didn’t have school or activities. Now it seems like mommies and daddies work all days of the week and school activities sometimes spill into the weekends – so weekends are no longer the family time they used to be. (Don’t get me wrong…Mike doesn’t work all day on the weekends, so we get lots of time when he gets home 🙂 )

I know that in our house, since Mike works on the weekends, and since the kids are still young enough to have a bed time routine – weekend evenings are pretty much like any other night.

So where do all these randomly related thoughts lead? I guess…I’m wondering if others feel the same way – that weekends aren’t quite the family time they used to be. And if, like me … sometimes those “taboo” weekend nights might actually be better for planning a meeting or gathering since it means not having to wake up to go to work the next day.

Filed under: deep thoughts | Tagged: family time, weekend meetings, weekends | 1 Comment »

Bad Haiku Friday

Posted on February 6, 2009 by Nancy

Laura at Catholic Teacher Musings hosts a Bad Haiku every Friday. Since we’re all still feeling bad, it seemed to fit. 🙂

First Logan, then Burke;
Maggie, Daddy, then Mommy.
Virus, go away!

(Kept the twins home from school again today. Burke threw up again last night and there’s a 24 hour no vomit rule. Maggie woke up last night and thought she was going to throw up, but didn’t. Logan has exploded out of many, many diapers.)

Filed under: bhf | Tagged: bad haiku, stomach virus | 3 Comments »

Happy Thursday

Posted on February 5, 2009 by Nancy

It’s Happy Thursday time again! Goddess has a whole (very touching) story behind the HT idea, so head on over there and check it out. And join on in!

After such a wicked Wednesday, anything at all makes this a happy Thursday! But, it’s a great Thursday because first of all, it’s Mike’s birthday. (And while HE’S not a big celebrator of birthdays, I am – so he’s going to have to deal 😉 )

But the thing making me smile today is that the whole house is feeling better. Maggie’s a little gun-shy with the food. (I think that she thinks her tummy hurts because she’s still sick, but I’m pretty sure it’s just because it’s empty.) And we’re all still pretty sleepy, but *definitely* better. WOO HOO!

Filed under: HT | Tagged: not sick anymore | 3 Comments »

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!!

Posted on February 5, 2009 by Nancy

Happy Birthday Mike 🙂

What a way to spend the hours leading up to it, huh? At least the family is (somewhat) feeling better now…perhaps we should postpone that huge family dinner until the weekend though…

I’m not going to get into too much here, but I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate and love you. You are a wonderful husband …absolutely perfect for me 🙂 And I know for a fact that the kids all think your the best daddy in the world. (They’d be right too.)

I’m looking forward to spending many, many more birthdays with you!

Love,
Nancy

Filed under: Mike | Tagged: happy birthday | 1 Comment »

It’s Been a LONG Winter

Posted on February 4, 2009 by Nancy

WARNING: Not for the queasy stomached!!

We finally got Burke off the meds for his ear infection and Logan off the nebulizer and his meds when all hell breaks loose.

It all started last night a 7PM. ooooh – nope, it started Monday morning when Logan threw up in the car with Daddy while taking the twins to school. He was okay for the rest of the day, but then was awake for a few hours throwing up around 1AM Monday night.

Okay – back to last night, 7PM. Mike was giving the kids a bath when Burke threw up in the tub. Uhg. Dragged all 3 kids out (Logan was done, but the other two still had soap all over them). As a side note, Maggie had her first shower last night!

Finally got everyone into bed and under control by about 8PM. Mike and I came downstairs to eat some dinner and watch some TV (The Mentalist). We didn’t get very far when Burke was throwing up again…and then Maggie started.

Many PJ changes and bedding changes later – and Mike and I start feeling icky. (Probably around 10PM or 11PM.) I think I held out until about 1AM, but Mike was hit before then.

Many trips to the bathroom later, at around 5AM Logan wakes up crying. Diaper explosion. So bad that the entire inside of his PJs are just covered. Dumped him into the tub and hoped he’d go back to sleep after I got him all cleaned up.

Meanwhile, Maggie’s woken up probably every 1/2 hour to an hour to either throw up or just spit into the toilet.

When 8AM rolled around and the nanny showed up – I’m guessing you could see the complete and total relief on our faces. I got Maggie dressed and downstairs onto the couch (Burke and Logan were still sleeping). By the time Logan and Burke woke up, Maggie had thrown up again (and apparently did 2 or 3 more times throughout the morning).

Mike and I slept from when the nanny showed up until 4PM when she had to go home. Wow.

It’s now 5PM and Mike just got in from shoveling and is headed back to bed. The twins are pink cheeked and lounging on the couch watching TV. And I’m about to go wake Logan up from his nap.

Wish us a better night tonight!

Filed under: fam | Tagged: sick | 8 Comments »

Progress Reports

Posted on February 3, 2009 by Nancy

The twins got their very first progress reports from preschool yesterday. I have to say that I’m not that surprised by the results.

Well, let’s preface that with: when I opened them up and saw all “Gs” on Burke’s, my first thought was “uhmm….lower than an F?” heh Apparently G means “Good Progress” while W means “Working on Skill.”

Burke even got a G+ *grin* (Proud mommy here!) But that didn’t surprise me either because it was in the Using Crayons category.

If you missed his coloring in a previous post, here is a sample from December:

I was also not surprised by 2 of the W’s in Maggie’s. Categories: I communicate in sentences, and I can use language to express my wants and needs. Yep – we knew this. Remember that whole “Does Maggie ever talk?” thing? She’s better, but she still grunts at Mrs. Teachers when she wants things. (She does this to us as well, but we’re doing our best to ignore her until she uses the words we know she has…) The one that surprised me with Maggie was the W in the category I can count Jan (1 – 5) …I’m pretty sure she CAN…but then I figured that this might go hand-in-hand with the OTHER two she’s currently working on … hard to count for Mrs. Teacher when you won’t talk to her 😛

So…all in all, I’m not too worried and I’m not too surprised.

Logan’s progress is good and bad. His breathing is sooooooo much better now. And he’s back to a happy kid. Except that he threw up all over Mike and the car and things yesterday afternoon. Looked better toward the evening, but then was up for about 45 minutes around 1am throwing up in bed. (I had to change the sheets and his outfit twice!) He’s looking better this morning…hope it stays that way.

Filed under: kids, school | Tagged: progress, sick | 3 Comments »

Happy National Ballerina Day!

Posted on February 2, 2009 by Nancy

What? It’s Ground Hog Day?? Not in my family 🙂

For as long as I can remember, it’s been National Ballerina Day… 2/2 (tutu). You can imagine the celebrations on 2/2/02!

An example of an email from my Dad in 2001:

This is an automated response from your father.

Although most of the masses think today is “Ground Hog” day, we in the O’Daniel clan have been aware for years that this is really

“National Ballerina Day”

Those of us “in the know” can hardly contain our enthusiasm each year with the approach of 02/02. Break out the noise makers and the rum punch. Let your hair down and Twist Again with Chubby Checker! Today is TuTu!

Those of you truly dedicated to the perpetuation of this sacred holiday should ALREADY be planning for next years MILLENNIUM Celebration. Yes.. it only happens once every 1000 years. You guessed it… TuTuTu! Get ready NOW! Don’t miss the opportunity of a lifetime… we will only see it once 02/02/02. Or in the newest jargon 02.02.02!

Tu dot Tu dot Tu !!!!!!!

It’s coming……………….

Be Ready!

I can’t wait for 2/2/22

Filed under: holiday | Tagged: national ballerina day | 3 Comments »

Super Trooper

Posted on February 1, 2009 by Nancy

Logan has been such a good kid through all of this (and this). Our typical MO right now is to strap him into his high chair and let him watch some TV while I pump the meds to him through the nebulizer.

I gave up on the first day trying to have the mask strapped to his head – so I spend the 5 or so minutes just holding it close. (although, he let me take some pictures of him holding over his nose…)

Sometimes he tries to bite it, or put his finger in the holes, but mostly he knows if he just waits it out, it’ll go away soon enough.

And he’s MUCH better now!! No more holding his breath for a bit and then laboring to breathe in. *phew*

So, now my question is: what the heck IS this?

Dragon? Snake? Fish?

Filed under: Logan | Tagged: nebulizer | 9 Comments »

« Previous Page — Next Page »

The Zimmer Zoo

Affiliates

You are visitor number

Stupendous Mommy Moments

Succulent Death

Weekends

Bad Haiku Friday

Happy Thursday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!!

It’s Been a LONG Winter

Progress Reports

Happy National Ballerina Day!

Super Trooper

Recent Posts

Don’t feel like commenting?

Email Subscription

Categories

Archives

Blogs I Don't Have Time to Read But Still Do

2012 Book Reads

I’m All a Twitter