Category: Well why not?

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A mama in the darkness

Tiny hands explore my face as I rock you with your bottle.

The left one grazes my chin and cheek, searching for a strand of hair to twirl. The right one feels my ear and finds my earring. Usually it twists your own hair, but tonight you want mine.

I hope I always remember their touch, their tiny strokes.

Will there be more someday? Right now it is just me and you, and you have all of me.

Your legs dangle off my lap, not kicking about tonight. Calm, ready for bed. You’re getting so big.

Your warm head, fresh from a bath, nestled in the bend of my left elbow. It fits perfectly.

I rock, you drink. It’s early, but you’re tired already and I can tell it’s time.

The snuffles and grunts as you swallow the last milk of the day soon turn into the slow breaths and little snores of your slumber. Sleep comes easily tonight.

I watch you, breathing in every second and trying to etch the memory in my mind for all time.

I smile down at you in the darkness, your eyelids having fluttered shut for the final time for sleep. Tears well up in my eyes, for I know this era is fleeting.

I don’t want it to go.

They say we have to give this up soon, but not tonight. Not now.

You don’t need to be burped anymore, but I put you on my shoulder when the bottle is done anyway. I love when you sleep up there. You fit.

Your little left hand falls to rest on my left shoulder as you turn yourself around, getting comfortable in your dreams. I kiss it, then your cheek as I lay you in your crib. Face down, knees pulled in underneath you, bottom up in the air. Your favorite position.

I love you. Every piece of you. Every fiber of your being and every sparkle of your soul, wherever it may take you. Hopefully not too far away.

I will always love you like this. Forever.

 

This was originally intended to only be a little ode to D, but it just so happens to fit in with a couple writing prompts. So I’m linking up at both Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop and Heather’s Just Write.

 

 

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We have lost our manners

I heard that on the radio the other morning, and I could not agree more. We seriously have lost our manners. “Please.” “Thank you.” “May I?” “Excuse me.” (without being immediately followed by “excuse you” from the other party) Opening and/or holding the door for someone. You know, simple common courtesies that have unfortunately become less-than-common.

 

My sisters and I were raised to use good manners. You say “please” and “thank you”. You address adults by “Mr.” and “Mrs.” You say “excuse me” after you burp or fart. That is, after we were glared at for daring to let out said burp or fart within earshot of others in the first place. You do not chew with your mouth open or talk with your mouth full. You do not rest your elbows on the table while you eat. You write thank you notes after receiving gifts. You look people in the eye when being spoken to. You do NOT talk back, especially in public. You do not lie. And you are overall generally obedient to your parents.

 

And I’m sure this will garner many groans and eye rolls, but for the most part we complied. We were, I think, pretty well-behaved children, and have grown into well-mannered adults. I’m sure my mom can provide plenty of instances to the contrary, but I’m speaking on the whole here. Mom.

 

I’ve noticed so often, though, that kids these days are just shitty. They’re rude, they’re disobedient, they’re immature (yes, even kids can have a certain level of maturity for their age), they’re violent, they’re mean, they’re beyond disrespectful, and they’re just plain jerks.

 

How has this happened? Have manners really become so passé that parents can’t possibly be troubled to instill them in their children? Have we become so technologically advanced, absorbed, and jaded that it’s ridiculous to think we would bother to teach children such basic organic processes as good manners? Just leave it up to the computer or cell phone to do that for us? Is it really that hard? Nope. I don’t think so.

 

And when did this happen? When did it become so taxing to insert an extra word or 2 into your sentences here or there? When did it become uncool to be polite? When did we stop smiling at people as we pass? And god forbid anyone actually nods hello. No! Grumble, grumble, shuffle past. What the? Where are we living?

 

Am I the only one who feels this way? Am I the only one who orders by saying, “May I please have…?”; or says “thank you” to a compliment or good deed; or says “you’re welcome” to another’s “thank you”; or holds the door for someone behind me or someone who needs assistance; or hands someone something they dropped instead of walking by pretending not to see; or actually does try to look people in the eye as I walk by and say “hello”, or maybe just “hey”, but still, it’s better than staring blankly past them like they don’t exist? Am I crazy for doing all these things? I guess it doesn’t really matter if I am, for I’ll still do them. I was taught it’s just what you do. It’s not some big, unusual occurrence, not something that needs to be rewarded with a gold star each day. You just do it.

 

Anyone want to join me on a crusade to re-manner the world? Ok, maybe not the whole world, but at least re-manner our own little corners of it? I fully intend on raising D to use good manners. Nothing would crush me more than to see her growing into one of the foul-mouthed, ill-mannered, bad-tempered little hoodlums I see running around, pissing me off. Because really, that’s not the sign of a truly bad kid. I don’t think kids themselves are inherently rotten. That’s the sign of an extremely poor parenting job.

 

Thank you.

 

 

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Gettin’ Google-y with it

Na na na na na-na na… Yeah, guess it’s pretty hard to type out song lyrics when they only consist of 2 letters, but sing that to the tune of the refrain in “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” and I think you’ll get the idea.

 

Aaanyway… Yesterday I bit the bullet and created a Google+ page for this here blog. Anyone want to come play? It’s great! We’ve got circles and +s and streams and… well just come see for yourself. Here’s the jump off: ScooterMarie

 

Um, SM, why have you jumped on the Google+ train, yet you haven’t even created a Facebook page for your blog yet? Good question, my friend. See here’s the sitch… When I first started blogging, I was doing it fairly anonymously, and didn’t want to link up my blog with my Facebook profile. Yeah, I didn’t realize I could just create a separate FB page specifically for the blog without linking it to my personal page. Stop laughing, I’m still new to all this social media jazz.

 

So are you going to create a FB page for ScooterMarie? Well, I don’t know. I guess it depends on if I can cajole y’all into putting my Google+ page into your fantastically awesome circles or not. (don’t have any circles yet? well just let me know and i’ll send out some Google+ invites. it’ll be a party!) I know FB is still the big medium of choice, but word on the street is Google+ is out to be #1. Numero uno. The big cheese.

 

So please, come on over and play! You can also click on that g+ button up in my header to find me. I’ll be over there waiting for you! Did I mention I brought a couple 6-packs and snacks? Who doesn’t like beer and snacks in the morning? Gheesh.

 

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I’m crazy pumpkin head – give me some candy!

Unlike my husband, who holds this as his favorite holiday, I’ve never really been a big Halloween fan. Maybe it’s because I’m extremely uncreative (if that’s a word) and can never think up nor really feel like putting together a good costume, whereas he is the master. I mean, I always liked Halloween parties in school and stuff, and admire people who go all out on the decorations. You know, dry ice for scary smoke; bowls of jello, spaghetti, and grapes to represent various guts and body parts; robotic mummies and witches all over the place to bend over or jump out and scare you at just the right moment; spooky music. It’s just never been my thing to try and set up all that paraphernalia.

I’m more the simple pumpkins and mums on the front porch type. And although I’m the biggest wimp on the planet, I will admit that even I do like a really good, seriously frightening horror movie this time of the year. As long as there’s someone sitting next to me into whose lap I can jump, or a giant blanket under which to hide myself at the really terrifying parts, that is.

Carving pumpkins has never been the highlight of my year either, as I hate grabbing through all the innards and usually just go with a traditional smiling jack-o-lantern face. This year, however, I decided to spice things up a bit with the carving. We had a couple carving kits leftover from years past that I busted out last night, and we now have some pretty sweet-looking pumpkins on our front steps. And no, I didn’t suddenly get all artistically talented or anything; they were stencils. R did do D’s free-hand, though. See, I told you he’s the creative one in this family.

A little pumpkin? For me? Thanks! (pay no attention to the overflowing recycling bin in the background. *ahem*)
Daddy showing how to dig out the guts
Oh like this, Dad?
Hee - pumpkins are fun!
Daaad, gross, I don't want to eat that!
Well now what?
Pumpkins are REALLY fun!
Clothes get in the way of pumpkin carving
Bonus pic - D's new play corner in the living room
Family of jack-o-lanterns
D's
Mommy's (pattern was really called pumpkin head)
Daddy's

Didn’t they turn out great? It only took a couple hours to get them all finished because I had to give D a bath in the middle and then her incoming molar caused a scene at bedtime, but I’d say it was worth it. I did enjoy seeing D playing with her pumpkin this year, so that got me a little more in the Halloween spirit. And instead of real candles, this year we’re using little flickering pumpkin lights so we don’t have to worry about them constantly blowing out. Geniuses at work, I tell ya.

Happy Halloween!

 

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I was selfish, and it was glorious

After last week’s less-than-stellar performance on the record books, I decided I needed a treat. You know, some “me” time, some time to not have to think about anything, some time to relax, some time to not have to clean up a mess or sweep up a pile of crap. In other words, out of the house by myself.

So what did I do? I booked a Great Lakes hot stone massage at the Kohler Waters Spa. Go big, or go home, my friends. R’s mom had given me a gift card to the spa for Christmas last year, and I hadn’t made time for yet. So I thought what better way to do a me day than at the spa? And not just any spa – KOHLER! For those of you who haven’t been there, it is magnificent. You wouldn’t think a tiny town in east central Wisconsin would have a beautiful spa facility, but oh, it does. Kohler boasts a whole host of top-rate hotels, restaurants, golf courses, and of course, this spa. Check them all out here if you’d like to do a little pining.

Yes, it’s an hour away, and yes, it’s ridiculously expensive, but that’s why I ask for gift cards to the place whenever someone needs gift ideas. Duh. It is the ultimate. I arrived an hour before my appointment so I could take full advantage of the place. I was paying a $40 usage fee after all, so you’re damn right I was gonna get my money’s worth! We’re talking a rooftop whirlpool lounge with a fireplace – check. A deep, cold plunge pool followed by a soak in another hot whirlpool – check. My incredible hot stone massage – check. And obviously Kohler rain showers to freshen up afterward – check. That is my kind of heaven.

Paradise, thy name is Kohler spaahh...

I got to read my 4 week backlog of People magazines without interruption; I got to listen to my choice on the radio on the way up and back with the speakers as loud as I wanted (a little Adele and hip-hop, both of which are rarely on with r in the car); and I got to feel a whole lotta pent-up stress wash away. It was perfect, and just what I needed. Of course I had to clean up the messes that awaited me as soon as I got home, but it was fun while it lasted.

Then yesterday I had a mini-continuation of my self-centered glory when I took an almost hour and a half nap, smack dab in the middle of the day! What?? I never get to do that. We went out for brunch, and D was ready to conk out when we got home. So instead of cleaning up or reading or messing around on the computer while she was asleep as I usually do, I dozed out in the sun for about 20 minutes then headed into bed to sleep for another hour. Now THAT’S what I’m talkin’ about!

So yeah, I was a little selfish with my time this weekend, but it was absolutely worth it. It was so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend doing the same. (my own little adaptation of an awesome line from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. love that movie!)