Ebb and flow of energy

I'm struck by the fact that children can have little to no energy and within 15 minutes they can be the Energizer bunny. CamMad is a prime example. Today CamMad at separate points were down for the count but rebounded with the energy that comes with youthfullness. I can only speak about CamMad but the transition time is scary for those who are around them. Today I was the only victim. Usually the transition time includes screaming, tears, kicking, and flailing. Sheepish this is not a time when I do a theraputic hold, car seats can serve that purpose. Every time CamMad goes through this process they come out much better and fun to be around. If it only worked that well for adults...

How 3 little words can change ones' attitude

Tonight as I was doing the night-night process with both children Child1 said "I love you". That little statement helped put a negative day at work and the hustle and bustle of family life into the proper perspective. Whether the child realized it or not that statement goes a long way when I deal with the alter-ego that kicks, screams, and calls out for Parent2! I feel like I can go to work in the morning in the proper framework to be the best I can be. Thank you CamMad. Sometimes we don't say it enough or hear it enough so (and you know who you are) "I love you" and "Thank you". Okay those of you who might read this at work this does not constitute a "hostile work environment".

The second half wasn't much better

Okay folks tonight was the famous let us set up the next couple of episodes. Yuck! Chloe and Edgar made their mark however.

First half hour and no good stuff

24 fans must be pulling their hair out as this week's episode so far has not left any memorable moments. The whole confession seems to be a smoke screen. I missing my Chloe and Edgar moments. The great thing is that there is still another half hour to go...

Quality time with the family

Today we had quite a bit of quality family time. I will admit as much as I enjoyed it I'm exhausted. There is my disclaimer as I start a stream of conscience that I have no idea where it is going to go. Child1 was rearing to go from the moment we all got up. It took us a while to get going but we did. Murphy (as in Murphy's Law) gave me a glimpse of the day to come, I went to grab my cell phone and I forgot to charge it Friday night and when I looked at it I realized that I was under 20%. I knew it wasn't going to make the day but I was going to bring the phone anyway. I even tried to find my car outlet to charge it in the phone and couldn't find it quick so I knew what my fate was but pushed on.

Off we went determined to go bowling. We made it to the alley and Parent2 brought the crochet bag in. I thought, "Does Parent2 really think there is going to be time with CamMad to crotchet and bowl?" I guess the answer was yes as it came inside the alley. We had a great time bowling. Child1 enjoyed the bumper guards and was excited for every pin that fell down. In fact Child1 got a spare and a couple X. Child2 was not going to be denied. Child2 sat down with either parent and helped push the ball down the alley, except the 1st frame where she dropped the ball and it got stuck in the middle of the alley. Each of us (parents that is) went down the alley to retrieve the wayward ball. Fortunately the whole place was crawling with families so we were not alone in have to make the walk of shame (far away from the monitors at the front desk). The time I went down the alley I thought I should at least not walk on the alley so I went down the gutter. Okay everyone get you gutter jokes out of the way...done yet?No, get it out of your system now...I felt like I was walking a tight rope with the size ( and width) of my feet it must of look very funny to the family. Anyway, it is very sad when your children beat you in bowling when they are still in primary school but that happened today.

Final Results:
Child1
Myself
tie between Parent2 and Child2

I'm not going to make excuses Child1 beat me far and square.

After bowling we were at a crossroads, lunch or shopping. Shopping won out, "big shocker" :) when you realize we went to Toys R Us. We had fun looking at things for CamMad but our goal was finding a birthday present for CamMad's cousin who is turning 2 next week. Their cousin is at a hard age to buy toys for. Toys are in two categories: under 2 or 3+. There is very little in the 2 age group. I think the See and Say we got is going to be a good toy. It got in on a technicality with the Uncle M's toy policy. That is a story for another blog but basically if it makes annoying noise it should be coming to their house. My aunt loves to break the policy just to get under the skin of Uncle M. This year it was a Doctor Elmo.

After shopping we went to get some lunch. Nothing exciting here but Child1 loved the fact that Curious George was the theme of the Kids Meal. The toy was Curious George on the high bar. Gymnastics and Child1 is like Peanut Butter and Jelly. Child1 wants to see the Curious George Movie that comes out soon. I'm hoping that the movie is coming to Smitty's. I want to be able to sit on comfy seats, stretch out, eat some good food, and enjoy an entertaining movie. Three out of four will not do. My standards are high and I will not settle for anything less than that.

Off to Uncle M's basketball game. We had a good time at the game. Child2 kept calling out wanting to spend time with Uncle M but he was kind of busy, he was only coaching the team. The game was definitely one sided but Child1 had a good time and didn't freak out over the buzzer or the refs' whistle. Child2 did not have a meltdown (notice we have not mentioned a nap yet) and enjoyed the excitement of the game.

If that wasn't enough of family quality time we still had a birthday party to attend. It was good seeing more family and enjoying CamMad's cousin's birthday party. I've already talked about the gifts. Oh yeah. Murphy starting making more of a presense. When I went to take pictures throughout the day the camera was just about out of battery juice. There were some good picture moments that went by the wayside thanks to both the digital camera and the camera phone. Thankfully CamMad's aunt took some good pictures and promised to send me a copy of them. No one has yet had the meltdown but I knew we were on borrowed time and we should get home ASAP.

ASAP took a while as our trek through the Southern and Western part of the state showed all the variations of precipitation. It started off as rain as we left the party and quickly started to mix. Within 10 miles we had snow that was sticking to the ground. There were spots that the car seemed to miss a beat but soon the snow started to get heavier. The car didn't seem to get any traction as the roads were not treated and being a Sunday night there was not a lot of road traffic making a driving path. The last 6 miles of so was a test in patience as the car had a mind of it's own. I was just hoping we would not find a ditch or the front end of a vehicle. It did come close the finding the front of a town plow truck as our car was handling best close to the middle line and the plow truck was not going to veer of it's line. Where I'm blogging now you know that we made it home safely. My knuckles are now just turning back to their natural color. I'm thankful that Child2 fell asleep within 10 minutes of getting into the car and Child1 fell asleep in the last 8 miles of the trip so I could truly focus on the road and not on them and their behaviors.

Whew, I feel better getting all that stuff out there. I hope that you got the fact that we had a lot of fun today as a family but I'm glad it is night time and everyone is asleep so I can get my work done now that I've blogged. Have a great week everyone.

Willpower

I'm proud of CamMad. Now that I've made my compliment not the truth. I don't like the fact that at times CamMad has a lot of similarities to myself. When I get on a roll there is not much that is going to get in my way. Child1 has that trait as well. Unfortunately when it comes to the night-night actually going to sleep process Child1 can be very stubborn and determined not to go sleep. Tonight was one of those nights. Fortunately for me I did not get the physical abuse that has transpired on a few occassions. Yes, you read that correctly Child1 abuses me not the other way around. Making sure I've suppressed my role as the parent I won the war. I may not win every battle but in the end Child1 is asleep. Parent2 nor DHS had to intervene and I do not need to visit the emergency room. That sounds like a successful night in the household of CamMad.

Today is officially PJ Day

While Parent2 was off to work and I was left home alone with CamMad Child1 made the request that today be a PJ day. Even though I had plans to get stuff done outside of the house I felt obliged to honor this request. All day we've been lounging around in our PJs, eating, playing, and just hanging out. In some ways this was a necessary day but that just puts more pressure on tomorrow to get the errands done that I put off today. This kind of request wouldn't have been possible when I was Child1's age because Sundays were always days when the stores were closed except for Radley's market and Smaha's market. Okay my nostalgia reference is done and back to the here and now.

It is amazing to watch the imagination of little ones. Today Child1 and I spent the good part of an hour playing a game that involved 6 inches of yarn (Sheepish, don't ask what kind it was a scrap left over from one of Parent2's projects) and tube from a toy. We made a game out of those project pretending we were launching rockets or projectiles by blowing. I'm not teaching Child1 how to use a spitshooter and we had a lengthy discussion on safety so that no one would get hurt. Child2 took a record nap today (yes we will pay for it tonight). The child took a 3+ hour nap and only was woken up by Parent2 coming home. Child1 towards the end kept asking me, "Can I wake Child2 up?" My response was "No" not because I wanted to keep on sleeping but I knew that dealing with a child who was woken up for no good reason was going to cause Child2 to be the bear that I wanted no part of.

Another amazing thing happened to me today. During nap time Child1 and I were playing on the Internet and stumbled upon a site from Arthur that asked "What would you do?" There were a series of situations and options on how to handle the situation. An example "Someone is calling you 4 eyes what should you do?" Some of the Arthur characters would offer advice like "tell mom", "let the person know that bionic bunny wears glass when he is not the superhero", or "call him/her a name back". Child1 handled each situation very well and did not make the bad choice. As a parent you always wonder if the lessons of right vs. wrong ever sinks in but you may really ever now until it is too late but at least now I feel that there is a better chance than not that Child1 would make the right choice. Sometimes the trials and tribulations of CamMad is enjoyable.

The Weekend Is Here and Some Thoughts

After a weird week of work the weekend is finally here. Looking back this has been a good week: no trips to the doctors, Parent2 had a good birthday, Auntie Heidi started her first blog, and no one at work got seriously hurt because of technology breakdowns. This weekend is looking like another weekend that is going to be action filled and yes Sheepish, cake will be on the menu!

I was so tired last night that I didn't have the energy or focus to blog but after a great night of sleep (well CamMad had the great night of sleep I just got a great school night of sleep) everyone is in a good mood allowing me to blog before dinner. This is rarely the case but I'm definitely taking advantage of the opportunity.

It is pretty amazing watching a child's self-confidence develop. Over the last couple of days CamMad have gone through some individual experiences where their self-confidence has increased and more of a willingness to take risks. Child1 made her "official" bus debut going on a school field trip. There was many days and nights of apprehension including times when one heard the statement "I don't want to go to school today." Anyone who knows Child1 knows that going to school is one of 1's favorite places to be (other than being with the 'rents). Once the trip was over 1 wanted to do it again the next day due to fun had by 1 and all. Child2 is not nearly as talkative as Child1 is but lately the self-confidence in speech is developing so much that 2 is starting to string a couple of words together.

Child1 has really developed some coordination and physical abiilties thanks to gymnastics. Fortunately we have not had any broken furniture or bones but there have been some close calls. 1 has really developed the art of the handstand. There are days when you know it could happen at anytime. It hasn't happened yet but that's okay as fun is the number 1 priority from the coaches as well as 1's parents.

I must go now and spend some quality time with CamMad before we get to much further into Friday night. Enjoy your weekend everyone.

The Look

CamMad has the ability to give me a look and without saying anything I know the whole story. Usually "the look" is not good: poop, anger, hurt, or my favorite sadness. There are times that I get "the look" and it tells me "I love you". At that point I usually melt (yes, I have that emotional side). Tonight was that night when putting child2 down. As the game started there was one time when I went in the child gave a look to say "I know I should be in bed I just wanted to see you one last time tonight." Child1 has given me looks in the past but today's was the look of "I had sooooooo much fun that there was nothing to worry about despite the meltdowns over the last few days." That look made me soooooo happy as I always want the best for CamMad. Don't get me wrong Parent2 gives me "the look" but that is for another time.

I'm sure everyone has a special one in their life that they get the look from. At times it may be great and other times it may be the last thing we want to see but the picture is definitely worth a thousand words.

Am I reduced to a sound effect?

Normally I don't like to blog here about work, that's why I have a different blog, but today something happened that was so funny I had to mention it here. Thanks to Parent2 I was able to stay after and get work done or run errands. In the midst of that phone call the head of the school's spelling bee was asking me to judge. Nothing like a last minute request but being the team player I said okay. Mistake #1. The poor person running the show was in over their head. The judges did not have a script. Those of you who know me well know that I live off of the computer spellcheck (my mind moves faster than I can type) so expecting me to be able to know if the word is correct based on an auditory spelling would have a sitcom in the works. So we had to photocopy the list 30 seconds before we were suppose to start. Then the first person started spelling out their word and I realized there was no buzzer, bell, or any other devise to let people know if they were correct or not. What to do! Here comes the Academic Decathlon experience. Do people remember the super quiz without the clock or buzzer? Yes I became the buzzer AND bell. For good effect I added the finger movement towards a button. Fortunately for me the word c-o-n-c-e-r-t-t-o knocked out about 2/3 of the competition so I wasn't there very long. Now I realize that my value on this earth is not to be the best dad to CamMad, not to be a good spouse, but to be a human sound effect machine. I'm thinking about the possibilities. Okay the moment is over.

I'm Not CTU...

24 is always good for at least one line a night or is that an hour. Tonight it could have been Chloe's little Thelma and Louise act during the interrogation of Spencer or during her "friend" talk with Edgar but the line of the night was delivered by Jack "I'm not CTU I'm going after Cummings!" As mushy as the episode was I forgot how much I enjoy brand new episodes (especially when I don't find the spoilers).

The Age of Innocence

CamMad is entering a wonderful age, the age of innocence. Unfortunately society will (hopefully slowly) tear down this innocence. I see it everyday at work teenagers trying to act like adults. pre-teens acting like older teenager, children trying to act like pre-teens and teenagers. Television, radio, the Internet are making things cool that are out of age-groups thus accelerating the growing up process. A good example would be during family tv time (Miss Spider's Sunny Patch and Little Bear) we saw an ad in between shows that highlighted shows on Nickelodeon like SpongeBob Squarepants and Fairly OddParents. These shows in my humble opinion should be geared more for the pre-teen/teen age group rather than the pre-school/primary school age group.

We are now having to answer/justify why Child1 doesn't get to watch SpongeBob even though television ads glorify the dude in yellow and Xmas presents that are intended to educate and entertain for this age group include the dude in yellow. I'm not sure how much longer we can provide good answers other than "Because, I'm the parent!" I will say that I treasure this age of innocence and I do not look forward to the age of hormones!

Patriots withdrawl

I can't bring myself to watch the AFC Championship game where the Patriots are not playing in it. I will watch the NFC game and I will probably watch the Super Bowl in two weeks but today it is just weird not have a weekend where the Patriots are a focal point of the weekend. Even the off week I was still watching football knowing that I was getting the sense of a team the Pats would be playing next week or later on in the season. This is not a good feeling.

I'm finding myself gravitating much like the Boston Sports Media Machine to the Red Sox. The draft is not until April and that is too far away. Red Sox spring training doesn't even get started for another month. What am I going to do to help fill the void left by the Patriots. Time with CamMad will only go so far and I don't have Academic Decathlon to fill the time as it had in the last 13 years. I think I will strongly investigate the whole indoor golfing scene. Fortunately I live relatively close (within a half-hour) of a fairly nice place to go. Please don't even suggest the whole Arena Football concept. A football score should not resemble a poorly played NBA basketball final score.

As with most things in life this situation will take care of itself in one form or another.

It is tiring trying to be selfless

This weekend the focus has been on Parent2's big day. Everything I've tried to do as been in support of this big day. Waking up on Saturday with a slight cold but I knew that couldn't stop me. Yesterday we went to breakfast with the family and had a good time. After coming home to let child2 take their nap I took Child1 so that we could get the necessary stuff for a special dinner and the birthday cake. After coming home I was wiped and while I was watching "This Old House Hour" I took a power nap that I shouldn't have as it kept up very late that night. Overall CamMad has been good going with the flow. This afternoon may have been the breaking point.

The plan was to get up and get going with a date at the local bowling center and use up some if not all of the craft store card Parent2 got or maybe check out the closing sales at LYS. Parent2 wanted to lounge around and by the time we were really ready to get going Child2 was ready for a nap. Being the realist I knew that no one would have fun if Child2 did not get their sleep so I made the executive decision to put off the bowling date by a week. Parent2 was fine with the idea but Child1 was very distraut. The child had focused so much of their attention to the bowling trip it was the start of the end of my patience. Redirection helped, then "lunch". No matter what I offered Child1 was not going to be satisfied. The child was content with their lunch choice until the child felt that it was burnt. Child1 can not stand their meals being burnt. To the child well-done (as it was in this case) is considered burnt. God help the person who marries this one. This person better be able to cook!

Once the lunch fiasco was solved we loaded up the car to spend $$$$. Car rides are always a crap-shoot. Sometimes it can be very relaxing as everyone is sleeping, entertaining when everyone is sharing a song, or torturous when we need to keep children awake or constantly hearing "What can I do now?" (Soon I blog about the wonderful invention of the DVD in the car even though we don't have one) Unfortunately this car ride was not entertaining, moderately relaxing, and borderline torturous. Eventually we made it to mecca area for shopping. Everywhere we went Child2 was only happy as long as we didn't need to stop and look at anything. Child1 wanted to put their hands on everything even though the child knew it was about Parent2. I tried my best to shield Parent2 from the wants and desires of CamMad as my cold started to win the battle for the need to rest. Eventually we made it and Parent2 came home with some "crafty" stuff to work on over the next few weeks.

The drive home was closer to the torture some of the car rides can be for CamMad. Everyone was starting to get tired and the sun was directly in our eyes. I knew that anyone who went to sleep now would be up very late tonight. A quick stop at the grocery store and we made it home with no bruises, crushed egos, or screaming children or adults. All in all I think Parent2 has enjoyed the weekend because the family unit was together without any distractions of the dreaded "have-tos". Right now I'm exhausted and we still have the cake (oh great sugar and kids what a match) to go tonight, baths for the kids, all while the need to get ready for the week ahead at work. It is tiring trying to be selfless.

Things could be worse...

Today we went to celebrate a couple of common birthdays. CamMad's cousin had a very hard night. The child has had some issues going Number 2. It is very painful for the child and everyone around the child knows when it is time. We just heard from them as they left the emergency room. The doctor had given an x-ray that showed blockage and they had to give the child the dreaded enema to clear it up. Our thoughts and prayers are for a speedy recovery and a long-term fix because no child should have to have that kind of experience. Initially this entry was going to focus on children's ability to wake up early early on mornings when they can sleep in. Maybe another time!

The Weekend is Here

The weekend is here and it couldn't get her fast enough. Thursday's actviities took their toll on the household. This morning's alarm was not something anyone wanted to acknowledge. Work was "fun" and CamMad want to spend some quality time with the 'rents. The only problem we will be crusing around the southern part of the state all in the name of someone's 40th b-day. Despite cruising around the state there will be some quality family time. Blogging may take a back burner this weekend but looking at things positively this weekend should prove a plethera of material to blog about when it comes to CamMad.

Tonight is a recovery night and build up the reserves. A low key night for CamMad is exactly what we need in order to face the weekend.

It is about the small things we can do

Tonight was my "free" night to get work down. The plan was to get out of "jail" early and get the 39 + 1 year old their birthday gifts. Don't ask what they are because I won't tell. Anyway the reality was I had a late afternoon meeting which pushed back my timetables by 90 minutes. CamMad got home way before me tonight and child2 was sad that I wasn't home yet. Thanks to the top 5 invention/top 5 detriment, the cell phone, child2 was able to talk to me on the phone. Parent2 remarked how quickly a smile appeared and was able to make it until night-night time. When I got home I was told to go right up and wish child2 a good night. Child2 was very cute as sleep just about won the battle. I was able to say goodnight and child2 went to sleep. Child1 fought the whole night-night process (big shocker). Who would have thought that a quick hi, did you have a good day, be good could change ones disposition. Sometimes parents forget the little things can make a big difference in their lives. Parent and cat owners please think about the small things things that can make a difference in the small ones in our lives.

Jealousy between CamMad

Ugh. It seems like every night there is some crisis between CamMad. One wants to be doing the exact same thing as the other one. To the point that one of them gets upset and starts a meltdown. The other situation that has wore down my nerves (just like the sound of fingernails on the chalkboard) is Child1 asserting their seniority and dropping the comment or performing the action that sends Child2 into a fit. I swear there are times that Child1 does it on purpose. Unfortunately Child1 at times can be beyond their years and trying to rationalize sounds good until you realize the age and then you're like ugh!

Tonight Child1 drops the "D" word after dinner, dessert, in front of Child2. Child2 who didn't eat a lot of dinner (because the child one eats 1 real meal each day and has mini-meals after that) locked onto the word like a cat pounces on a ball of yarn and chases it aimlessly for hours and couldn't let the word go. We tried to take advantage of the ADD-like quality of the age and misdirect but to no avail. Child1 at that point started a mini-meltdown because the primary needs were not being met at a fast enough pace. I had to take Child1 completely out of the room to refocus and remind the child about "D" word rules and procedures while Child2 was being consoled by Parent2.

In the end everything worked out peacefully. Child1 got to make cookies with me and Child2 was distracted enough so that night-night could happen at a reasonable hour (even though the child just fell asleep). We live to fight another day and so are the trial and tribulations of CamMad.

Getting back into the swing of things

This weeekend was definitely a tease. The kids enjoyed being home with the 'rents. I enjoyed the night owl phase. Getting back to swing of things may be harder than coming off the vacation. Child1 was definitely enjoying the weekend and didn't want to go to bed. I think I'm going to feel it or notice it in the AM. With the weather remaining chili winter has definitely set in. Only 5 more weeks until the next vacation. In some ways I'm hoping that we do not have snow days that we are going to have to pay back in June.

What pleases CamMad?

Those of you who know me know that I'm not very philosophical but today I feel the need to spew in a way that So-crates did a long time ago. (notice I got a Wayne's World and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure reference in) I asked Child1 what should I write about and I was told to write about Fruit RollUps. At first I was thinking that would be silly but the more I thought about it I would really be writing about the simple things that makes us happy. It could be special time with a loved one, petting your cat(s) (that's for you Sheepish), playing with the UPS box and ignoring what's inside, or getting a box of Fruit Rollups. Usually if we think that something material makes us happy it is really a feeling of satisfaction. What really makes up happy is knowing that people care about us, that we feel wanted, and that our basic needs are met. On this day that we celebrate the birth of a great man who life's was in support of everyone's civil rights I'm drawn to the idea of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Happy MLK Day everyone.

The following are the lyrics to MLK by U2
Sleep
Sleep tonight
And may your dreams
Be realized
If the thunder cloud
Passes rain
So let it rain
Rain down him
So let it be
So let it be

Sleep
Sleep tonight
And may your dreams
Be realized
If the thundercloud
Passes rain
So let it rain
Let it rain
Rain on him

Evening mindless entertainment is starting to take shape

During the school week it has become a tradition in the CamMad household to have mindless entertainment to help transition from one day to another. I need to have that background noise when working on my homework or to help me put things into perspective. Here is how the lineup is shaping up:

Sundays: West Wing
Mondays: 24 and CSI-Miami (if necessary)
Tuesdays: American Idol and Commander in Chief if things are really bad
Wednesdays: American Idol Results Show, Criminal Minds, and CSI-NY
Thursdays: CSI: Crime Scene Investigators
Fridays: ?

Yes this the sad life I lead when I map out the week's activities by the TV show that goes with it. At least I don't own a TIVO...if Adelphunk got their acts together I would consider DVR. That might the end of a social life.

A little parenting secret that works for us

On weekends and during school vacations whenever CamMad's parents need a break we play parent reversal. When Child1 plays the parent we can usually manipulate the situation so that one or both of us get a timeout which usually results in 5 minutes or so of peace and quiet. Individual results may vary please consult a doctor before attempting any peace and quiet in a household with children.

How fast can golf season get here?

It is official, the Patriots lost last night. I'm not going to go on with the specifics of the game. I will say that the Broncos don't stand a chance against Indianapolis. Looking outside my window as the snow falls and realizing how cold it is going to be by the end of the day makes me realize how much I enjoyed the last couple of days of warmer weather. Golf season can not get here any faster as far as I'm concerned. I think I will seriously need to look into the indoor golf simulator option just to satisfy the golf urge.

This may be the year Child1 may get some serious exposure to golf. I may take Child1 to play miniture golf or going to the range to hit some golf balls. I'm thinking golf will be like gymnastics for Child1 exposure more than the drive for perfection. Society has enough parents living their lives through their childrens' sporting prowess that I can not and would not do that to CamMad.

I love my children

CamMad really made today a memorable day for me. I'm not referring to the "present" that Child2 left for me. It started when the children let us sleep in (Parent2 let me sleep in even more). We had a family breakfast picnic when Child1 made special plates and wrapped up silverware. Later in the day I was presented cards that they made. The whole day was laid back and calm, the best kind of days after the school week. Bedtime for Child2 was real simple, back to the good old days (knock on wood). Child1 laid down and watched tv before the big game got started. Now it would even be better if the Pats win! Win or not today was a great day.

Yes, I am a creature of habit

In case people were not aware the Patriots are playing tonight in Denver. Due to the fact that I am a creature of habit I have the same kinds of food as I did last weekend and I feel compeled to blog. Go Patriots. I will have more later on tonight.

A night that was better than recent memory

Child2 went to sleep less than an hour after starting the night-night process. I am so relieved. Child1 went down pretty easy as well, which surprises me. Parent2 is still not feeling great and is taking advantage of a night of sleep that will not be distrurbed by me with the comment, "time to get up!" There is piece and quiet in the CamMad household!

With the piece and quiet am I doing the things I should be (cleaning, laundry, or any other domestic duties) the answer is NO! I'm catching up on some reading, installed the software that came in today iWork 06 and iLife 06. I started off my computer night by completing the hack of putting FrontRow on my Powerbook. Let me tell you I'm impressed and surprised how easy it was and wondering why Apple hasn't let anyone that is running 10.4.x put it on their machine.

Speaking of wondering why? Okay this is a bad segway...if you are a reader of Time magazine this week has some pretty good articles in it. The concept of ADT (attention deficit trait), finding out what time of the day you should avoid "brain activities", and ways to keep your brain sharp lead to some thought provoking readings.

Well enough of this I may take advantage and get to sleep before too long here. As Joe (from the Don and Mike Show) says, "The weekends' here, have a can of beer!"

It worked!!!!!!!!!!!

Child2 finally went to sleep. Even after Parent2 took their turn Child2 was still going strong. We just held to our guns and let Child2 go at it in the bedroom and within 15 minutes the slumbering child was sleeping in bed. In that 15 mintutes there was a lot of action going on in the bedroom. Despite the volume and banging Child1 didn't wake up. Thank goodness because that would have opened up a whole new can of worms.

No children were harmed in the blogging of this entry or in putting the child to sleep.

Hopefully tomorrow night we will not need to go through the length of time (2+ hours), the volume (11 on the Spinal Tap register), or physical destrutction of the bedroom. Only time will tell. We have a long weekend and the Patriots play on Saturday Night. Go Pats!

Dealing with the idea that you are outnumbered

In the CamMad household I'm in the minority in so many ways (please I don't want your pity). The area that gets me at times is when CamMad reject me in favor Parent2. After a bad and long day at work I really was hoping to be able to "enjoy" my time with CamMad before they go to sleep (whatever time that might be). As is the norm CamMad always prefer time with Parent2. At times it makes me very jealious and envyious of the relationship Parent2 has with CamMad. The logical side of my brain says Parent2 wishes to have my relationship with CamMad (the anti-clingon). The emotionally side (yes there is one...okay it may be a very small part of me) craves the attention CamMad shows Parent2.

Tonight is gymnastics night for CamMad. It was wonderful watching CamMad playing with the parachute. Child2 was having so much fun playing Lifeguard and Shark. The laughter was very contagious to those around Child2. Child2 might be ready this summer for the beginner class. With the number of doctor's visits already I hope gymnastics would not present more visits based on the track record.

Sleeping for Child2 is still an adventure. Tonight started at 6:30 and it is still going on (with no end in sight). Silly time may need to make a return in the CamMad household just to makeup with the winter blues and get CamMad to sleep without the aid of Benadril (or whatever drug you want to substitute) or the mallet. DHS probably wouldn't look too kindly to that type of "sleep-aid".

I wished my birthday wasn't 10 months away...

For those of you who may not be aware I'm an Apple computer junkie. I'm the one who questions the authority of M$ networks to accomodate Mac users. When things happen at work to the PC's I know that my machine is immune to the threats. Attitudes are starting to change especially due in part to iPods and iTunes.

Today is a big today on the Apple and Macintosh fronts, Macworld Expo Keynote Address from Steve Jobs. His majesty did not disappoint, duel core Intel processor iMacs and MacBook Pro (I promise not to turn this into a techie article), iLife 06 with iWeb, iWork 06, and new accessories for the iPod. I only wish my birthday was coming up so I could ask for them but alas this is not the case. I don't have a good excuse to get either machine (no Sheepish I don't want you to come over with coffee and Child 2 will not practice potty training on top of the laptop) but money was not an issue I would have ordered it this afternoon.

I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the new software. iWeb looks like a winner and the ability to put an RSS on my pictures so that all of CamMad's friends across the US can enjoy. I think the one of Child 2 wearing the hat tonight would be priceless. Don't fret flickr I will not ignore you as I have big plans for you too.

I'm thinking Father's Day would be a good excuse to ask for the new iPod accessories. Depending on how you look at it the WWDC is shortly after Father's Day and Steve usually announce cool stuff then too. It is a vicious cycle but you know what the quality of the product is worth the envy.

As I type child 2 is going down again. Hopefully this time sleep will follow.

Adult time gone forever or taking a midseason hiatis?

Tonight child 2 has pushed the night-night routine to a critical point. After an hour and a half of listening to the crying, banging, and yelling child 2 is still awake! The impact of this refusal of sleep: lack of adult time. Time to clean, get work done, talk to adults, just to name a couple of items that seems to be falling to wayside as CamMad time extends into the evenings later and later and the mornings earlier and earlier. I realize this is a phase and mostly due to environmental conditions but wow I can't wait for it to be over.

Do children take pleasure in torturing the parents?

Tonight child 2 went a little overboard with the night-night process. We spent an hour+ of listening to "Bang, Bang, Bang" on the bedroom door and the screams of "Mom, Mom, Dad, Dad". One of us would go in and put child 2 back to bed only to have it repeated over and over again. I'm not sure why the last time worked better than the 15 times before it. Child 1 just fights the idea of going to sleep. Usually Child 1 will settle and be asleep within 15 minutes, only getting to the point of settle can seem like an eternity. I'm sure my mom would laugh reading this post as she would tell me the stories of how I might have tortured her at their ages. I know that our experiences can be mild compared to others, we stress consistency as much as we can. For Child 2 consistency comes in a different form, that's all.

If it is not the night rituals that torture us it is the morning routines. On mornings when I don't have to rush to work everyone seems to be us early (before 5 AM). It seems like CamMad knows the mornings that I need to be work as soon as I can be and they have to almost be dragged out of bed and fight every step of the morning routine. I'm sure Sheepish would have an entertaining take on the entry. As much as I vent here the idea of having your child fall asleep in your arms or next to you is priceless and I don't think I would have it any other way.

Move over Diet Coke with Lime you may be replaced

Those of you who know me know that my Dr. Pepper products are still #1 but there may be a new #2 in the refrig. This weekend I've found Black Cherry Vanilla Diet Coke. Granted Dr. Pepper has had a similar product out on the market for a while but Coke version is not bad. I hear the suits from Coca-Cola, "Ours is BLACK cherry and there's is on cherry." Please give me a break!

I like to mix up the caffinated products so that the tastes don't go bland on the taste buds. Coffee has never made the cut and there is still that need for the caffine in the AM. The whole Jolt-Mountain Dew thing is just too much to take. My students I don't think would appreciate the shaking, constantly moving teacher. I hope that Coca-Cola keeps the product on the shelves and get the can version in the stores ASAP please. Then I would need the local grocery store chains to offer the "Big Sale" so I can stock up.

What I'm reduced to on a Sunday without the Patriots...

I'm not sure how to proceed on Sunday afternoons during the school year without the Patriots and/or Academic Decathlon occupying my time. If today is any indication golf season can not get here fast enough.

Strawberry Shortcake has become a familar site. Here is a nice picture of the puzzle we did today. For those who are not up on your Strawberry Shortcake characters, she is standing there with Angel Cake.



We struggled through the puzzle because the box actually contained two puzzles. Unfortunately we had to put together both puzzles and only one of them was complete. Then child 2 decided to destroy the puzzle before we could bag it up. (ADD moment: I just watched the promo for 24 and it looks like my Monday night TV quality time is firmly set between now and the end of May).

Actually it was nice family time. I was able to have CamMad help out and the SoundDock was blasting music with the Giants-Panthers game on in the background. I'm trying to train CamMad the finer points of Bono's and Edge's finer work. Sometimes we are successful and other times I hear, "Can we listen to Jimmy Buffet, the Beach Boys, or Laurie Berkner?" The first two are okay and no offense to Laurie Berkner (she has bailed us out of many car rides) but she is not on my playlists for the adults.

Poopy diapers

Disclaimer: The posting may be disturbing to some. Realize that child 2 has a liver condition that we have to constantly monitor and blood work on a daily basis wouldn't make sense.

Today I'm going to have to use the "potty" mouth. Child 1 wanted me to post a blog entry about poopy diapers and the more I thought about it the more it sounded like a good entry when it comes to the trials and tribulations of CamMad. Isn't amazing how much "stuff" comes out of such a small child? Unfortunately we get the smell first before the visual. Actually that is a good thing! In our household for child 2 it isn't enough to ask the question, "Is it solid or runny?" we have to ask, "What color is it?" or my favorite, "Did you check to see if there was any blood in it?" I'm curious how potty training is going to go. I'm sure there will be many years of counseling that is going to have to go with examination of poop before flushing. Nothing is ever easy when it comes to CamMad!

I'm not even going to down the road of kitty litter I'll save that one for Sheepish. I'm sure she would have a highly entertaining posting with insight that few of us only appreciate.

How badly do kids want to sleep?

I find it very amusing how children fight the idea of going to sleep yet adults thrive on it (sorry Sheepish it will come back in a natural form). Child 1 thinks the adults have so much fun that it is not fair to be asleep. Child 2 thinks the first time we put them down it is just a trial run. The child will get up and play and then bang on the door SCREAMING for us to come up and try it again. Sometimes we are successful sometimes it takes a dozen more times before success is achieved. Looking at it positively we are successful (sleeping through the night is another story for another time but it will be a good read).

The adults in this household on the otherhand are trying to get to bed as soon as we can. I'm sure I can speak for most parents with children under 18 we haven't had a string of solid nights of sleep in so long that we are prepetually tired so going to sleep is desired not fought. The wife constantly is amazed when I fall asleep with the children and I get myself up after the "catnap" at 8 pm. Unfortunately given the trials and tribulations of CamMad work sometimes has to take priority over sleep (hopefully not too many times during the week).

Big Game Tonight

Go Patriots! Unfortunately second biggest Pats fan in the family will be in bed when the game starts up. I will try to keep my cheering as quiet as I can. I can't wake up the kids or I'm in "BIG TROUBLE, mista". As sad as my life is, watching the game in solitude and at home, I will be blogging so please be kind with your comments.

How well do you know your child's doctor?

Unfortunately child 2 was back at the doctor's office again today. This is probably the 5th time in the last month. Fortunately we have a great doctor who does not minimize our visits and is very sympathetic. Child 2's medical condition does not lend us the luxury of letting things go as it may be the onset of something bigger. We are hoping that this visit was a false alarm but only time and more poops will let us know for certain. At least she got some more of the shots she needs!

Crying can really break your heart

Dropping off child 1 in class today made me feel 2 inches tall. Child 1 was so tired and wanted to stay with mom and dad so bad that it lead to a meltdown in the classroom. Rationally you know that leaving the situation and giving the child the chance to be distracted is best but the other side of you is saying stay and soothe the savage beast. I feel into my emotional needs and tried to stay and soothe the savage beast but the rational/responsible side eventually won out. Child 1 had a great day and barely remembers the morning incident.

Right now child 2 is much easier to deal with when the tears flow. Distractions often lead to the Sahara Effect (drying of the tears). The only problem is the tears are flowing like Niagra Falls. I realize it is the age but it still doesn't make you feel like your the best parent you can be for your child.

Oh the stories to hold over their heads when they are in their teenage years and when they become parents themselves.

The importance of routines

I forgot how important routines are and how quickly the little ones snuggle up to them and flourish. Child 2 was back in her routine: morning ride to Gramms, play with cousin, eat, sleep, pop (not necessarily in that order), clutter up someone else's space. Flourish that child did. Give that one a gold star for transitioning! The other one was craving others in her age group and was so looking forward to school. No disapointments here (except for lunch but that was health related). My routine is a routine that looks stable then others come to work. Then you are riding the chaos train hoping to stay on long enough to see the ride home knowing the trials and tribulations of CamMad make it worth it.

It is going to be one of those mornings

You know it is going to be a back to school morning when you are in the middle of your shower and you go to reach for your shampoo and realize it is not there. That happened to me this morning. So if you see me and it seems like cherries you know that CamMad struck again. What else is going to happen today? At least the alarm went off (and it was set correctly for AM not PM)...

Do I havvvve to?

Yes, the tease of a school vacation is just about over. Before I realize it I will be driving CamMad in the dark and it is still morning. I'm starting to recall how much material I'm going to get from getting CamMad ready, to school, and visiting gramms.

The only saving grace is idea that there is only 33 more school days until the February vacation. I wonder how long it will be before I'm thinking how good a snow day (besides the snow removal) will be. Birthdays will help fill the days as well as MLK day!

CamMad's mom is really happy this year as I won't be going all out getting ready for the Academic Decathlon state competition. Sheepish we won't need to sharpen pencils this year!!!! Will I miss the preparations? Yes. Are there going to be other things going on to fill the time? Duh! Welcome to my life. You're talking to Type A personality.

To those who may be stumbling upon this blog over the next few days, welcome! I hope you are going to enjoy the ride!

Mark this moment

Some will ask why I have a giant (96 oz) Purell sitting on my desk and force students in using it or the XXL version of Lysol wipes before they touch the computers...another one got hit by the stomach bug that has caused us to spend the day doing laundry and cleaning up vomit! The whole CamMad family has been hit by it in on form or another. CamMad's extended family is dealing with it as well.

If you haven't had a chance to read Sheepish Annie's latest post she outlines her New Year's Eve. Now I will do the same:

Noonish: Journey out to the shopping mall in the "big city". Spending $ with the gift card that runs out at midnight and then spending the rest of the time getting stuff for CamMad including a Leapster, that breaks down within 24 hrs (another story for another time).

4:15: Get home and realize that we have no food in the house.

4:30: Go shopping (finding out there is one more mouth to feed as we invite our neighbor who was going to be home alone)

5:15: Stop off at the movie store to find that anything of quality is already rented. So let's get Dukes of Hazzard.

6:00: neighbor comes over

7ish: Child 1 goes to bed and cook up dinner (snacky food baked not fried)

8:00: Celebrate New Year's CamMad style

9:00: With CamMad sleeping let's start up the "party"-Dukes of Hazzard

9:10: Stop the DVD because of a cruddy picture
9:11: Realize that the person who rented it before me had oily hands
9:12: Realize there should have been a "Hazzard" warning on this DVD

10:45: neighbor goes home (the movie is not over yet)

11ish: Finish the movie and CamMad's mom goes to bed
11:30ish: Laugh when watching Mary J. Blige on NBC and hearing her on ABC as they share broadcasting space within 50 feet of each other

11:45: Decide it is not really worth staying awake to say hello to 20-06
11:55: Quiet the child who are stirring

12:00: Realize it is midnight whoopee and starts to drift asleep hearing neighborhood kids celebrating in the snow

Such a day that typifies the trials and tribulations of CamMad.