Monsters!

Early last week, I began the Mauston pre-launch campaign. "We'll be in Mauston this weekend!" Only three more days until we go to Mauston!" And the like could be heard streaming from my mouth from Monday through Thursday. By Friday, Nicolas was so bought in to the idea, that his only words seemed to be "Car?" "CAR?" and "Mauston!"

Curious about his enthusiasm to go to a place he could only have few and fleeting memories of, I began to question if the dear boy really knew what was ahead of him. After my early-morning video conference wrapped, I gathered up our gear and informed Nico that yes, now we could go. In the car. To Mauston. His reply? "Yay! Mauston. Grrrr. Rawwrrr." 

And then the penny dropped. Of course he was excited. For five days I had been gearing him up - in his 2 y.o. mind- to see MONSTERS.

With that much buildup, I had to deliver. They just may have not been the monsters he was hoping for.

Monster #1: Mommy shopping at the outlet mall. I have not been shopping for myself since before I was pregnant with Aoife. And I had the pleasure of taking the lady herself from shop to shop...until she or I dropped. She hit the wall first. :)

Monster #2: Nico himself and his big bro J. No. at Knuckleheads: a fantasy land for children filled with video games of all sorts, rides for all ages, and constant "bling, ding, binging" sounds that drive me nutso.

Monster #3: The ubiquitous mosquito. The small winged blood-sucking monster that is the only blight on our good times in Mauston. Jamie - who has not been there since last July - even lamented to me pre-trip: You know what I DON'T like about Mauston? The mosquitos." And post-trip came up with a plan to eradicate the areas of all said-monsters who had truly eaten the poor boy alive. With a back full of bites to prove it.

Monster #4: The rain. Patrick and Omar woke dark and early on Sat to hit the links. (A practiced Patrick winning by a few strokes.) By noon, the menfolk returned and the stormy clouds still hung heavy in the sky. The beach was not a total bust, but 90 mins does not a beach day make. This mama-sita had the blues.

Which were lifted by a much-needed trip to the Dirty Turtle, its lakeside playground, and plentiful Summer Shandies.

Monster #5: The heat. By Sunday, the rain rain had gone away. Replaced by shocking heat and a scorching sun, which I welcomed with open arms...and a bikini. :) Our last lovely day was full of sun, sand, shoveling, splashing, and sweating.

The sweat continued long into the evening for my three hotblooded children and one hot man. The overtired, overexcited, overly sweaty kids finally conked out at 11:30. By that time, their big papa - who I promptly kicked our of our room due to his show-off "look at me I'm asleep!" snoring,  had already been in slumberland for a blissful half hour. Monster. :)

Somewhere over the rainbow

Jamie loves school. It makes him happy. And happiness spreads faster than the flu virus around a pre-k classroom.

I love seeing his joyous face on school days. Today, he was so happy about school he got to sing about it. At the spring sing.

Anyone who knows our family, knows singing is not our thing. But Jamie does love to belt it out with the best of them.

Today's song list included itsy bitsy spider, you are my sunshine, rain rain go away, and (the best and brightest of them all) - somewhere over the rainbow.

Jamie: Back row, 4th orange boy from the left.

Jamie recently told me that I have the most beautiful voice he has ever heard. And I feel the same about his passionate and tear-inducing falsetto alto.

You pat my back son, I'll pat yours.

Let's go outside

Rolling green hills dotted with the vibrant blooms of wildflowers. A bubbling stream. Vistas as far as the eye can see. My home's garden: the exact opposite of this. Dandelion bombed lawn. Possible mosquito breeding ground for a bird bath. Vistas as far as a mole's eye can see. And yet we love it so.



Aoife and I lounge on the "mommy station" (aka the sun lounger, complete with cushy cushion).

Jamie co-pilots the watering with P. Everything is more fun with a water gun, don't you agree?

And Nico surveys all the activity from the comfort of his red Lamborghini, complete with golf clubs in the trunk.

My buddy

Patrick says jamie is me. If this is true, I am equal parts kind, charming, funny...and really like swords and guns. But not too much when my mom is around. 'cause they hurt people.

This lovely boy is more than my son. He's my buddy. To quote Bill Murray's character in lost in translation "...they turn out to be the most delightful people you will ever meet in your life."

Young and in love

Nicolas picolas ticolas. My mischievous wee lad is finally speaking a language I understand. Eat-a is now Aoife. JJ is now Jamie. And coo- coo is now cookie.

Aoife is starting to get him too. And, now that she has a few sounds of her own, is not afraid to use them in her own defense.

Seeing Nico in action, I can't blame the girl. He gives life to the phrase "loving to death" in action - with zest.

When a sticky fingered Nico approaches Aoife with love on his agenda, Aoife complies at first. But then, when he least expects it, bursts out with a wail that startles her well-meaning - yet aggressive - bro into stunned silence. And then beams brightly at me, visibly proud of her built in Nico alarm.

You're a quick learner my dear.

A day like no other

Mother's Day. Where I am now the mother. Yes, I like the recognition. Yes, I like the pampering. No, I do not like that this one day of the year must be special, and wonderful, and magical. It's simply too much pressure for this pretending to be laid back but not really so mama.

Be that as it may, I soldiered on (I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier...name that song...) and ate all the restaurant food my loving family was willing to place in front of me. The weekend began with our version of Italian tapas at my favorite neighborhood restaurant: Anteprima. There was warm mushroom salad, and delicious room temperature red wine, pastas, addictive bread sticks, and crispy pigs ears.  Patrick coerced me into eating them by making a snout nosed face and telling me it's just bacon. My charmer.

On Saturday, Aoife and me shopped for b-day party gifts in the local toy store. Pooped out by all the eye candy, me sweet girl slumbered (according to my not so evil plan) allowing me to pop in for a walk in and much needed haircut. Our second salon experience together. And she slept or smiled the whole way through. My little trooper.

Today I awoke with no plan. Never a good thing for Mother's Day. Especially when your husband and your oldest are eager to know what's next on the agenda. After a long morning of indecision, a happy game of tic tac toe with Jamie, and a lovely nap with my baby girl, I finally got into the swing of the day and collected my flock for a flight to Tweet.

After a mind-boggling wait (we played Boggle, you see...) we hand "linner" (lunch + dinner) with a side of Bellini for me. The boys and Aoife were as good as can be expected after waiting nearly an hour in our lovely and well-toy stocked yet still a booth at an adult restaurant. I think I may have even spied steam coming out of Patrick's ears at one point. 

We all needed to go fly a kite. And did. Jamie has been asking me for ages to take his gliding pterodactyl out for its maiden voyage. And today was the mother of all days to do so.

Hours at fun at the beach could only be topped by a stop at Mickey D's on the walk home for Happy Meals. And a quick swing by Dominick's for a bottle of Boujelous for mama's day.

Chef She

Patrick is a proponent of literally throwing our money out the door - at the first delivery guy who rings the bell. I'm surprised that he has not begun a campaign for food trucks to troll residential streets - ready and waiting to satisfy his every food-based whim.

I on the other hand hold our hard won cash in a firm grip and point my griping, tired hubbie towards the kitchen where a culinary bounty already lies in wait. Begging us to figure out just how well celery and gnocchi might pair together.

Recently I've managed to win the takeout war-showing P just how creative of a chef his wife can be.

Last night I conjured up this Italian sausage pizza bread. And patted myself and my fat wallet on the back in doing so.

Shoo fly shoo

Flies are irritating. They are pesky. But why are they the subject of my blog post? Because these devilish biting buggers drove me away from the beach. Flies 1, Sheila none.

The boys persevered however and managed to make a friend and attempt to dig a hole to China. Or the cement that surely lies somewhere beneath our sand stocked beach. Whichever comes first.

Aoife had the time of her life. Smiling and giggling and happily talk screaming as only she can.

I live for the beach. But please, shoo fly shoo! To your pesky biting I bid adieu!

Birds of a feather

A long time ago in a far away land, an older brother presented his little sis with an unexpected gift. A bird. But not just any bird. A parakeet that formerly resided in his fraternity house and was in need of a new home. It was love at first bite. I immediately named my new pet: Pecker - in homage to his quick beak. I felt it was a witty moniker; it was only much much later that I realized the joke was on me!

My big bro Mike, or Scoop as he is fondly known for his short-lived foray into journalism, swung by for dinner on Sat. As an international man of mystery he is not often in the 'hood, so the boys took the opportunity to bask in the glow of his attention.

You and your excellent taste in wine are always welcome, Mike. But no more bird brained gifts, please. :)

Me and Angela Marie

Half my life ago (gasp!) the dial phone hanging on my new to me dorm room jangled to life. On the other end of the line was Angie who said she remembered me from our years of age group meets where my water wizards were pitted against her turtles.

She ever so kindly suggested we meet and head over to our first college swim team event together. This time as teammates. We've been best friends - nearly - ever since. (We just needed to live together to realize we were slobbish soul mates!)

Last week Ang, Bob and their growing girls Ellery and Marin, graced us with a visit that we all wished could be longer. The big kids tore the house from limb to limb while Aoife bonded with Ang and we kids pretending to be grown ups caught up and took a few trips down memory lane.

Ang thousands of miles may keep us apart but your friendship stays strong in my heart. (cheesy I know....for old time's sake, I need to pound a few Miller High Life's before putting fingers to typepad next time!)

Mama's boy

There was a time when Patrick could claim Nico as his. But with my return to work the wee lad is mine, all mine. "mama" is now uttered among these four walls each day higher than Jamie can count to. And he thinks he can count to 100.

Two weeks ago my big boy conquered the climber at Lincoln park zoo. Much to his mama's delight.

Aoife at 4 months

My babe with stars in her eyes now lifts and twists her wee head to see the world around her. And smile a rosy cheeked grin at it all.

She is curious yet quiet until engaged by tummy raspberries, neck kisses, pop pop pop of mamas mouth, or me blowing a gentle breeze over her hair of still unknown color.

I feel as though she speaks to me with her eyes. And somehow I get her.

My sweet, lovely, patient, adoring, happy, scream talking, snugly, grabby handed girl.

So cheerful in fact that she cooed and beamed her way through her 4 mo check up. Only to be greatly displeased by the ending. Exactly How I feel about a diverse array of books and movies.

The stats:

• Weight: 14 lbs 3.5 oz (dropped to 50-75%) you would not know it from her 3 wakes and 1-2 meals a night!
• Length: a big stretch of a happy lady at 26.25 (>95%)
• Head: brainiac! 16-5/8 (90-95%)

Three little monkeys

Jamie asked this morning if I had to go to work everyday. When I replied no, his face transformed into the sweetest smile and he said "I'm so happy I feel like crying!" and tears of joy welled in his baby blues. You captured my sentiments perfectly son!

Tooth fairy

A very thoughtful Jamie recently upped the ante on his going to bed routine. After peeling him off the couch by force, he somehow quickly swaps out his sour puss and transforms into a smiling sharer who readies the (almost) entire family's nightly dental hygiene routine. Grow some teeth Aoife will ya?