Happy Birthday, Colin!!

Yes, I've been MIA from updating here. I was in Florida for work and Joe's had a trio of issues - concussion, staples to the head and MRSA, oh my!

Somewhere in there are some funny stories. But for tonight, I'll just drop off some pictures from our little family celebration tonight for Colin's 7th birthday! I cannot even believe he is 7. Argh!

We let him pick out dinner (chicken with bones) and a game (Deal or No Deal DVD). And the traditional scavenger hunt for presents!

Here's a couple pictures and then click here for more...

Tonight's Irony

Aidan's vocabulary word: distraught.

When did he go up to study it? After I sent him to his bedroom to do homework - without dessert.

It's nice that he could understand the word in action.

Soccer Suckers

Today was one of those days when I wanted to deny one of the boys belonged to me.

Overheard in the stands, by all the parents, on the very first day of indoor tot soccer....

"We're gonna get you, suckers!"

Who said that? Seamus, of course. Loudly. To all of the other 4 & 5 year olds on the orange team.

The other moms giggled nervously and I turned red. One of them wisely guessed that he wasn't my oldest and that he had older brothers. Does that give him a pass? Or me? Oy, I sure hope so.

No other word than disgusting

Colin has a...shall we say, gastro-intestinal problem. I don't know if problem is the right word, but let's just say...the boy can poop. Big. And fart. Loud. And smelly. And on command.

Although if I am being honest and if I was a little boy, I'd actually be impressed by his farting abilities.

Here are just a few things that have happened in the past few days in this area.

1.) Staying at the hotel for Jill's wedding, Joe's cousin who was nice enough to come watch the boys, reported to me at about 12:45am after the wedding/before the pre-party that Colin had just, um, relieved himself in the bathroom and he suggested that she not flush because he was worried it would flood. This was the second time that day Colin had made that statement. Thank goodness, we both took a flushing risk and didn't have to become acquainted with hotel maintenance.
2.) Last night, Colin beckoned excitedly to Aidan from the bathroom. Why? Because a popcorn kernel "somehow" landed in the toilet after Colin did his business. Aidan was riveted. Me? I think I threw up in my mouth.
3.) Tonight, Aidan came running to me. "Mommy! Mommy! I think Colin is raising ponies in the bathroom. It stinks like a stable in there!!" Then Aidan broke down in a fit of giggles. Colin? He came out suggesting that I go find the plunger. I did. I worked at that toilet for 25 minutes. As I type this, the stinking (literally) toilet is still clogged, the plunger is still resting inside of it and there is a message on Joe's voicemail that he has a surprise waiting for him when he gets home from his hockey game.

Is anyone surprised I have a glass of wine each night??

A New Decade

I feel old. Why? Aidan asked me how many decades I've lived in. I had to answer FIVE.

It also reminded me of a story from when I was Colin's age. It was NYE 1979 and my grandmother was babysitting. She told me we were about to enter a new decade. She later found me hugging my cat, Fluffo. When she asked me why I said I didn't want Fluffo to get lost when we went into the new decade.

This decade? We were of course busy celebrating The Flemwell Wedding. Pictures can be found here.

Seamus spots a baby

Baby Jesus, that is.

For those of you who know us personally, you'll know Joe is, shall we say, a tad anti-religion. (He is considering suing the Archdiocese of Boston for mental distress over why, after all those years in Catholic school and service as an altar boy, why was he was not one of the chosen boys for you-know-what with one of the priests. What was wrong with him, he wants to know?)

But the harder you try to prevent your kids from being into something, the more they are.

Witness our house, Tuesday night. Joe's making dinner as I'm on my way home and I get an Instant Message on my phone. (Which I only check at the red lights, of course.)

Joe: I am concerned. Scratch that. Very concerned. Seamus is flipping through TV and stopped on EWTN. [ed note: Catholic TV. more here.] He pauses for a few minutes, watches, then runs away yelling "Colin, Colin - I found baby Jesus on TV!"

Joe might be concered, but I'm shocked - Seamus has a clue who Jesus is??

Seamus' Christmas show

Seamus' pre-K class had their little Christmas show today. What's more adorable than 25 4 year olds screaming various songs? Here's an answer: when YOUR 4 year old gets to be one of the 2 sign holders and bravely go in front of the 75 or so adults to announce what is next. I was very proud of Shea!









And then they rocked around the Christmas Tree. Seamus' dance moves were not enough to win over his partner.

"I'm on Strik"

Aidan is on strike. From what? His homework. How do I know this? I wrote himself a badge. "I'm on Strik." But see, I can't let him be on strike...he obviously needs to study more. Ah, the challenges of parenthood...

"Save My Spot"

How do you know Seamus is the youngest? He will never get up from a meal, from the couch, etc. without asking me first to 'save my spot' or 'watch my plate." I've never heard the older two request this!

Santa!

I have lots of stories to tell...will post soon! For now, ho ho ho...

Wow! Yawn.

From time to time, people are really nice and tell me what a good mom I am. Usually I dismiss this as a nicety, as I'm just doing what I think is expected of me and what I want to do for the boys. And of course I don't share the bad stuff where those same folks would, um, clearly not think the same of me.

But this week, I've twice done something that I'm calling above and beyond the call. I got up with Colin to watch the Leonid meteor shower in the wee hours of the night. Or morning. Whatever you call 3am or 4am.


I got up with him at 3am on Tuesday and 4am on Thursday. Why did we miss Wednesday? Because although this 6 year old child WOKE HIMSELF UP AT 3AM (no alarm!) and came to me to go look, I said, yeah, yeah...let's rest for a few more minutes. And we woke up at 7am with Colin bawling about what he missed.

Colin claims he saw 12 between each day. I count 7. But we had fun looking.






Can you see it?! Yeah, me neither.

Caption Contest

What do you think Seamus' problem is??
 

Ok, I know a lot of you can't leave comments - as you tell me via email. :) Alas, it could have been an amusing contest.

The story is that Seamus is too sick to go to school, yet he thinks he should be able to have a playdate with his buddy next door, JoJo. No amount of reason can get a 4 year old to understand why school is a bad idea and therefore playing with his friend is not an acceptable substitute.

It's gonna be a looooooong day.

Cosmetic confusion

Aidan asked me to feel his face, remarking how smooth it felt to him. To me? It felt cold, clamy and a little bit sticky. Given that we just came back from the pediatrician with antibiotics for strep for both he and Colin, I worried that something more was wrong.

Until he held up my vanilla blackberry lip gloss. And announced that he had slathered it all over his face. Then I explained what it was and he looked a little sad and confused.



And in case you're wondering - lip gloss does not easily come off of skin when applied in heavy quantities.

300 pieces of fun

Colin and I spent just over 3 hours (straight) on a 300 piece puzzle. I can't decide if that is good or pathetic. What I am sure is pathetic, however, is how achy my back is after hovering over the table for that long. But the result was worth it.
 

October "Bores" Bring November "Scores"

You know that whole thing about April showers and May flowers? We have our own version of that.

The Scientist seen here at his school parade...



...had to be convinced to go out Trick or Treating. Yes, I had to actively argue with him (and Aidan for that matter, that's a whole 'nother story) to go acquire candy. Whose children are they?! Oh, right...Joe's. Me? I'm all about hitting as many houses as humanly possible.

So I managed to get him out and to our neighborhood pre-ToTing party.

This can also be refered to Cocktails for Candy. But that's not relevant here. What is is that after 6 houses Colin decided he was bored and it was much more interesting to stay with Grammy, who very nicely came up to hand out Reece's Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kats and spider rings to all who braved the trek to our door. Like these kids. In suburbia they really need to work for their chocolate!


So...Colin happily stayed home, answered the door and sorted his candy. And the payoff? The next day, when all the other 6 year olds were too pooped from their sugar-high crash, Colin was in top form and MANAGED TO SCORE A GOAL IN SOCCER. For anyone who has had the pain pleasure of seeing my adorable little nut play soccer this year, this was quite the shock. Colin's spent a lot of time checking out the sky for tornados, ending up on the wrong side of the field since he inherited my inability to discern left from right or yelling at his teammates for not passing to him. (This is a team of smart, skilled little boys.)

And he may or may not have been rewarded with an ipod shuffle. Hey, so I have been bribing the kid about focusing on school and soccer. And after yesterday AND 2 solid weeks of good daily reports from school? I had to give in. Keep your 'sucker' comments to yourselves, thankyouverymuch!