It’s just got to be hockey season because…

We not only had a pre-season River Rats game here…

With lots of fights, because now, we’ve got a NORTHWAY SERIES BACK!

Isaac got his face painted at the game and some silly gear courtesy of Nana…

and then we had opening night…

Can I begin this tale of hilarity by saying that I had a target on my chest? I was hanging down at the boards with Puddle (as she does) and Isaac, who seems to love all of the banging around of warm ups, and toward the end, a puck came flying over the boards. Normal occurance. Seriously normal. WELL, it came and hit me in the chest-bounced off me and went down on the ground. Isaac scrambled and got the puck…and I grabbed Puddle’s phone and put up the following status…

Just got hit in the hooters with a puck! must be hockey season!

Yep. it’s true. I did. Yes, it’s hilarious. I think I deserve one of those hot as all get out 3rd jerseys for my humiliation and pain. But I digress.

My little guy got a new hat…

and we watched a very young team really try and pull it out.

Isaac watched Mommy go slightly nutty yelling….

and exercise huge restraint in not throttling the old, grumpy geezer in front of them who thought children didn’t belong at a hockey game, and told a few parents so.

Then, we went down on the ice after the game for the Meet the Players session.

Isaac was beyond excited that we got to go onto the ice. He could NOT believe that we were actually walking on ice. He asked me a few times for ice skates. I told him he had to master the art of soccer cleats before he could even THINK of getting on skates.

Isaac got his hockey stick signed by the entire team, save for the coaches. They didn’t come out. I think the assistant coach was trying to find ways to tell them of the Curse of Meet the Players Night…but I digress.

Then, asked Isaac if I could do one thing. Take his picture in the goal…

We’ll be back for more games. I know it. I just know it.

I’ve finally corrupted my son to the dark side…Hockey is the appropriate sport…

 

How to…

Prevent Swine Flu.

courtesy of my Mom…

 

Announcements from the peanut gallery that make me twitch

Isaac is a one of a kind kid-to the point where it causes me to say the kid is just oddball. One of the things he does is announce what he wants to do or us to get him involved in. Prime example-

Before he went to Arizona to visit the outlaws with Doug, he announced that he wanted to play soccer.

Yeah. Ok. After the last trial of soccer, I wasn’t too sure. He was targeted by 2 kids and one actually threw a ball in his face. Literally. Hit him in the face with a ball. the instructor and parent did NOTHING. Yeah. I wasn’t sure. BUT, I’m not one to tell him he can’t do something.

So, I began hunting for places other than the one to play fall soccer at. I found one in a neighboring city, but even though that’s close to Mom and Dad’s house and where I work, I’d rather have Isaac play with kids in the neighborhood. Isn’t that half the reason you play sports? To get to know the kids around you and play with your friends?

So, I went and found a local soccer club that he could play on, but it turned out it was waaay too expensive-and was a TRAVEL CLUB. Not for first timers. I don’t understand what parent would put their 5 or 6 year old on a travel club that costs that much and is that much pressure with tryouts, ect. Not my idea of what beginning sports should be like, but I digress.

The expensive travel club emailed me back (because I emailed them about financial assistance-I really can’t afford $300.00 for my 5 year old to play soccer!) and suggested I look into the town rec league.

Hrm. Didn’t know the town had a rec league.
I got on line and looked it up, and made the phone call to the appropriate person, and asked about a million questions…and found out that we still had time to register! WOOHOO!

After PT the following day, I shot over to the town offices and got everything all locked and loaded. I got the email receipt and there was a note on the bottom that said:
“all players must wear shin guards. Cleats are reccomended but not required.”

I hadn’t thought of that.

How in the name of all things holy are we going to get ones that fit over AFO’s? How in the name of all things holy are we going to get cleats that aren’t too long and can take the bulk of a shin guard and sock and AFO?

Yeah, No clue here. So, I called the town person and played 20 questions about where to get the stuff. She reccomended Play it again Sports-deals in new and used equipment, because with the cleats, little kids wear them one season and then they need new ones because their feet grow! Why pay all of that money for cleats when you can get them in realllly good condition and on the cheap?

I’m with that.

I called Play it Again, and played 20 questions with them about cleats, AFOs and shin guards. I then went in after work and got the cleats and shin guards (with the AFO’s to make sure they fit…because for some reason, cleats run more narrow than any other shoe on the face of the planet.) and then promptly called the prosthetics office.

Why the prosthetics office? Easy. I wasn’t sure a) what kind of shin guards would work with AFOs and b) if there was a way to make them so they fit just perfectly and don’t impede the running he’s going to need to do.
After talking to the prosthetician who made Isaac’s AFOs, he had us make an appointment for today, and he’s going to modify the shin guards and check the cleats and the AFO’s. YAY!

What does he want for all of this?

Just a photo of the shrimper running the wrong way down the turf.

Ok. I can get behind that.

 

It’s so quiet in the house-or how I got my Mom to eat eel.

This week has been unremarkable in many ways here in Chez E. Nowhere. The guys have been in Arizona visiting the outlaws. As always, I’m not invited. I’m not sad about that at all. Nope. Not at all. So, my life has gone on as always, working and dong what I normally do.

Since cooking for one is kind of insane, my parents have had me over for dinner the majority of the time that the guys have been gone.

Last night, we went out for Asian food at this awesome Pan Asian place by one of the local malls. They serve pretty much all sorts of stuff, including a favorite of mine, sushi. Mom and Dad (ok, just Dad) didn’t really flinch when I ordered up sushi for us to share. Mom-well, she looked at me like I had 20 heads. That’s par for the course around here, so I took it in stride as always.

I ordered two rolls for everyone to share as they saw fit-a tropical roll (crab, cucumber and whitefish and shrimp on the outside topped with black roe, and a mango sauce…oh, yum!) and an eel roll.

With ordering those, and the miso soup that had just shown up, I was in Asiorican heaven.

The sushi shows up,and I offer the eel around. Dad takes some, declares it yummy. Mom sits there and stares at it…and me. Then she proceeds to roll her eyes at me as I’m just having this blissed out moment eating eel.

I offer Mom part of the tropical roll, and she refuses, because of the fish roe on top..even though it’s just a little pinch! It’s awesome, but she declines…then, I offered her the eel.

I got the “Mom look.”

I expected that.

I kept remiding her that the eel was COOKED and it was yummy and she should SO try it. Dad kept telling her the eel was yummy…and she should try it.

So, after me telling her to just dip it in her soy sauce and go for it, Mom picked up a piece of eel roll.

and proceded to commit sushi blasphemy. She started to DISMANTLE THE ROLL and cut it with a knife in an attempt to be dainty.

Yeah, sushi’s not about being dainty. It’s about the FLAVOR! You can’t dismantle a roll because if you do, you lose what makes the entire thing special. Each piece is bite sized and all of the flavors are carefully constructed! Yesh!

But Mom liked eel. Even though she may tell you otherwise…she liked the eel. She had 2 chunks.

So, wonder if the next time the boys are out of town I can get her to try sea urchin. One never knows.

 

Happy Father’s Day!

Dear Dadoo:

You are not the recipient of the majority of blog posts here that revolve around my family, but you are quite the instigator of a lot of the fun that happens. So, here is my official “dad” post…just for you.

And since it is widely known that I can’t do anything straight, and if I did, you’d think someone had died…

From the Home Office in SUNNY Seattle, Washington…

here are…

The top 10 reasons my Dad is the coolest!

10. He lets me take pictures like this:

9. Has mastered the art of rolling his eyes at me and telling me I’m insane.  That’s a good thing to master-I’m serious!

8. Daddy-Daughter Date night!

7. Knows that when a kid learns a foreign language, they only want to know the “good stuff” first, not basic vocab!

6. Knows everything about cooking-and is one heck of a chef!

5. Map coloring is now a sporting event, once every 4 years-kinda like the Olympics. Cackling is NOT optional. Neither are some good crayons.

4. Is the awesomest grandparent-breaks all the rules we used to have-and feeds Isaac eclairs in the living room.

3. He allows Yoda ornaments to be hung on his tree…after loudly stating that they were not allowed, ever.

2. Late night Lenten Domino’s Pizza!

1. He’s MY Dad! There should be no other explanation other than that needed!

so, Happy Father’s day to my darling Daddoo!

Love you!

 

A visit to the Teddy Bear Hospital

As I was sifting through fun things to do for the weekend, I stumbled upon Albany Med’s annual Teddy Bear Hospital day. I figured it looked cool, and the allure of the MediFlight helicopter was too much for us to pass up. So, we grabbed Cannuck, Isaac’s panda, and hopped in the car and headed down to Albany Med.

Of course, my vehicle obsessed boy ran right for the helicopter and sat inside…with permission of the medics of course!

 He asked a LOT of questions, but that was just fine with the medics, who patiently answered every last one of his “What’s that” and “What does that do?” questions.

Then , of course, we visited the fire truck. How can you NOT visit a fire truck with Isaac around!

 

Then, we finally made it inside…

and went straight to check in, where Isaac recieved his Teddy Bear Specialist ID card!

 

Notice my child’s photo. All of the other children were smiling nicely. Very nicely. My child has to make a face. Seriously. This is blackmail fodder for years to come!

So, after we got the ID badges, we moved on to the primary care division of the hospital, where Cannuck got his weight, blood pressure and reflexes checked…and got 3 shots.

Then, Cannuck got measured on a really cool giraffe growth chart

and then we went over and learned about 911, sunscreen and how to cover our coughs, with Jim, who really should think seriously about going into pediatrics!

We then went over and decided Cannuck got hurt…and needed a head cast! So, one of the medical students did that for us!

While the cast was drying we went and played OPERATION!

and then we went and saw x-rays of a famous green friend!

and we saw hand, foot and rib bones!

And then, after some face painting, it was time to check out with our awesome patient, who got a cast, surgery, shots and x-rays!

 

So, now, Isaac is a certified teddy bear specialist, and we had a great day!

 

Time to go to the REAL circus!

A few weeks ago, we heard that Ringling Brothers Circus was coming to the arena by the house. Originally, we didn’t think we’d be able to go, as we’re working on saving for what looks to be where Isaac will be for Kindergarten next year (that’s another post…and I figured I’d spare y’all a few days of kindergarten drama…).

Boy were we shocked when Mom decided it was high time Isaac should go to the circus!

So, we drove down to the arena and got our tickets and saw all of the trailers and RVs and things that go along with a circus set up. We also discovered that there was a preshow an hour before, where you got to go down on the circus floor and interact with the circus performers as well as see some animals, and do some neato circus things.  We even made the social worker at Isaac’s morning program jealous-she’s a circus nut and went every year as a kid, because she lived downstate, and was able to hit Coney Island!

Isaac was way too excited and had trouble waiting…

And after what seemed like an eon, we got in!

We went right down to the floor for the preshow, and the first thing Isaac did was play dress up!

and then we saw some jugglers…

We even got to get our very own clown noses!

and even watched some silly clowns do a “high wire act.”

Then, the show began…

There were Elephants-which were Isaac’s favorite! We saw jugglers, clowns and an amazing set of motorcycles in a globe of steel. 

we got cotton candy, which came with a Silly hat!

and laughed and laughed until we turned blue. 

it was one heck of a time had by all. We can’t wait until they come back into town next year!

 

I love my MOMMMYYYYY

Dear Mommy, or Moomie as we’ve come to call you, 

I’ve promised you that I’d blog something nice about you for a long time, but those most wonderful challenges you throw my way, such as “STOP TAKING MY PICTURE!!” and “YOU BETTER NOT BLOG THIS!” keep getting in the way of me telling the world how absolutely wonderful you are. 

So, on Mother’s day, I’m here to tell the world how great you are. 

You’ve put up with all of my many phases, and have indulged some of them-Star Wars and Strawberry Shortcake to name a few. 

You have encouraged me when I’m down and often times confirmed that I’m doing the right thing, or just been that other voice that says: “what the heck are you thinking?” That second one happens a lot. 

You are a great road trip partner-even when you tell me I’m driving too fast. At least the every few second grunts of terror have stopped. The hilarious trip we took to Rhinebeck this year was a blast. Oh, the laughs we had. 

You always know how to have a good time places. Disneyland springs to mind. You had us all in absolute stitches and were a super sport as we dragged you on rides. 

Speaking of rides, you were always the best sport at the “high thrill” amusement parks. You even brought sweatshirts on 100 degree days because you just wanted an excuse to watch us go. You did one ride a year, and we have the proof of that, unless you destroyed it. 

 

There’s this book that I often read to Isaac called “Guess How Much I Love You.” In it, the one bunny says to the other: “I love you all the way to the moon and back.”

Well, to my long suffering, oft blogged wonderful Moomie-

I love you all the way to the moon and back. 

 

Plus, I do still  love you more than my NFL Pajamies!

 

Love,

me.

 

Good words, cookies and who gets to take the Monkey to the movies

As he gets closer to kindergarten, Isaac  gets more and more hilarious. He’s rapidly becoming his own little person, not that he wasn’t before, but with the language delay, it was hard to tell what he was thinking, feeling or otherwise experiencing. 

 So, it should come as no shock that we’re dealing now with the barrage of verbal spewage. But, it never ceases to shock me that we ARE dealing with this, as we waited so long for words.

The other day, I picked Isaac up from aftercare, and I had a bunch of Girl Scout Cookies in the back seat of my car waiting to be delivered to my mom.  I asked him if it was ok if we shot over to Nana’s to deliver the cookies, and of course, he said yes. Then, he popped out with this:

 

“I’m going to use my good words with Nana!”

Of course, I had to ask.

“What exactly are your good words?”

“Please and thank you.”

“And what are you going to use them for at Nana’s?”

“A cookie.”

Yeah, the kid figures that if he says please and thank you, my Mom will give him a cookie.

 

Yeah, he’s right. But she’ll die laughing first.

 

So, later in the day, on the way home, he was looking through the coupons. There, he saw an ad for Aliens vs Monsters, and I explained to him that it was a movie, and that we’d probably go and see it.

He officially kicked me out of the movies at that point.He told me Nana would take him.

 

So much for me.

 

Mom is elated. She thinks that it means that she gets to go see the new Pixar movie, Up.

 

I don’t think so. She got Wall E. I get Up. So there. Take that, Mom.

 

room painting, Isaac style

So, when we moved into this house, I repainted Isaac’s room, because before he moved in, it was a little girl’s room. Ick. All sorts of flowers, butterflies and girlie stuff. Bah. Ick. No place for a NASCAR loving, fire engine addicted boy.  

 

Due to the horrific winter we’ve had this year, the fact that Isaac’s room has exposed walls, and all of that, there is a specific area in the room where the paint has bubbled, cracked and peeled. ICK. This brought me to the conclusion that I needed to repaint the room. 

 

Since Isaac’s now old enough to express an opinion, and a loud one at that, I decided (or made the mistake depending on your opinion) of letting him choose the color of his room. So, as I do, I thought and thought and thought of how to do this…so, I packed him up and we went down to the Home Depot.  I told him we were going to look at colors for his room, and he got to pick what color we painted the room. 

 

So, we head over to the Depot with the awesome paint counter. The guy who runs the paint counter is just amazing. He’s the one who helped me get all of the stuff together to paint my zen room, and dealt with the freaky lady. He never, ever shirks off a question, spends all the time you need to make sure the job is done to the best of the ability of the painter. But that’s another post for later-I just don’t always rant on bad customer service, but I digress…

 

We head over to the wall of paint chips, and Isaac zeroes in on the disney line, which, as I found out in August, is the same price as the regular paint. SOO, I had no problem with his singular focus on those colors.
Isaac announced to me that he wanted to paint his room….

RED

yes, Red. 

 

I about died. I offered him every other stinkin color in the palate, but nope, he wanted red. So, fine. Red it is.  

 

I now have to contend with what the pant guy admits is the hardest color to work with, but comes out strikingly beautiful. 

So, now Isaac wants to help me paint…and I’m a bit afraid of that with red paint…and we also have 3 red colors to pick from. 

 

it figures.

 

so, now, what do we do with the chair rail in Isaac’s room? Do we leave it white, do I pant it…I’m leaning toward painting it a different color, because I think red and white is just not what I’m looking for…and I’ve asked Isaac, and he’s back to his typical indecisive self, and as long as the room is red, he doesn’t care about anything else. 

 

So, it looks as if my spring break project is painting Isaac’s room! It figures! Maybe he’ll get painting with me, instead of when he helped paint my zen room, did three strokes and yelled “I’m DONE” and dropped the brush on my poor foot….