Do you not know what causes that?

The Corvette Whisperer

Benjamin is totally into Corvettes.  Not so unusual for a boy his age.  But he told us the other day that he has a sense about Corvettes.  They follow him like "chick magnets."  He knows when one will be around and everything.  And sure enough we spot at least one Corvette every day.  Sometimes it's even the same Corvette.  It all stems back from a field trip to the Corvette plant where they let him turn a Corvette on for the first time...

Things I Shouldn't Do...

Let Benjamin watch Marley & Me when I knew the dog would die in the end.  Anyone recall Derby 2008? It was a long evening...

I'm in trouble now...

So Benjamin and I are in the car the other day when he announces, "I've been reading that book you wrote about raising adolescent boys."  It was all I could do not to snort and spit out my drink when he said that.  Part of it was hilarious and part of it was dread...

"So," I said, "Are you learning anything?"

"Yeah, why don't you follow the rules?"

"Which rules?"

"Like why don't you ask me about music?"

"We talk about music all the time!," I say, relieved. "Remember when we talked about Reliant K?"

"Oh yeah, that..."

I'm safe for a few more pages...

Get a job!

Benjamin, now that he's 16 and all, wants a job.  He walked up to Skyline and got an application last week and has been busy filling it out.  For those of you who know Benjamin, know what a huge deal it is...  So he walked up today.  They told him that they were not currently hiring but that they would keep his resume on file. I was so proud of him for doing that!  It was really cool.  He also stopped and got an application at McD's on the way home for filling out.

Sweet sixteen!

(Is that what you call a 16th birthday for a boy?)

Today Benjamin turned 16.  We started the day by trying to let him sleep in, to the point of taking the little girls out to breakfast.  Benjamin called right away asking where we went.  He was fine not to coming with us.  Then we went to Kraft and Kvetch.  He got to play with Isaac and Justin. We came home and Kevin and I went out to lunch with him at Yang Kee Noodle - his favorite.

Tonight we met up with some friends at Skyline Chili.  We had cupcakes and then off to Graeter's for ice cream!  What could be better.  He loved the puzzle we gave him and the magazines (National Geographic and Cook's Illustrated) and the DS case. Hard to believe my teeny tiny baby is bigger than I am now...

Strange Conversation

B and I passed a billboard with a huge picture of a handgun.  He then asks me a question about handguns which I don't remember.  A few minutes pass and he says, "Do you know what my favorite long range weapons of choice are?" "Umm no, not really... Didn't know you had any...."  "Yes, a bow and arrow and slingshot!"

Okay, those are acceptable!

Tooth Removal Fail

So Owen has a slightly loose tooth.  It barely wiggles at all, but we can still hear of nothing but the tooth. So She was just sitting here talking about it when Isaac offered, "Go to Ms. Lori, she'll pull it for you."  (That's a nice woman in the school office.) Benjamin says, "Don't do what I did - put a crochet hook in your mouth..."

Ouch.

Third Night of Chanukah 2008

Benjamin is so much fun to watch.  He's part boy, part man.  He loved his paper airplane book and his subscription to Motor Trend.

Second Night of Chanukah 2008

Tonight was Benjamin's night. Each kid gets a night of Chanukah.  But this year we spiced it up by having them draw for nights.  It was hard for them to understand that even drawing first they could land the last night...

So Benjamin got a robe, gamestop card, juggling kit, airplane book, drawing from Owen, and a subscription to Motor Trend. 

Thanksgiving Weekend Wrap Up

Excuse my jumbled thoughts, they were composed on the fly in a much more coherent way but too many have bottled in my brain like a traffic jam and now it's just not as pretty!

Ada loves Laurie Berkner, a singer for kids.  Well there is one song called Victor Vito she really likes.  I just figured out why.  Listening to the lyrics the first line is: "Victor Vito and Freddie Fasco ate a burrito, with Tabasco."  Only Ada hears: "Victor Vito and Freddie Fasco, Ada Burrito and Tabasco."

Owen and Clara have been busy this weekend. I love watching their reading and writing bloom. Clara is more interested in spelling and reading.  She's paired up with the spelling queen, Lilah. (Good choice!)  Owen prefers writing and drawing her words.  So I came downstairs to find out house labeled.  Each room has a drawing and a label as to what the room is...  Pictures later.

Lilah was inspired and did her own label for her room.  There is a paper cup, taped to a piece of paper that says: If you find money, put it in the cup, it's for tzedakah.  She also learned to make her own beaded kippot. (I have these pictures but they aren't up yet.)

The little girls all cleaned their rooms nicely because of the Jewish House Fairy. 

Benjamin had a rough weekend. Due to my error we didn't get his medication refilled. Then today he slept through the day waking up at 5:30 p.m.  It was a crazy day and both Kevin and I thought that the other had him up and that he was peacfully hanging in his room. Oops.

Grandma is much the same. And I know some of you are really sorry that she decided to die during NaBloPoMo, but the writing it out has been good for me.  Today she was only semi-lucid, but I'd never admit that to her.  I was trying to make conversation, so I said, "Grandma, it looks like you've lost some weight."  "Obsome bait?" she asked. "No, lost some weight." "Obsome bait?"  "Grandma, you must be misunderstanding me..."  She frowns, "Noooo."  I tried again, "Grandma, I must be mumbling..."  "Yes," she agreed with a big smile.

While I was sitting there holding her hand she slept.  She woke up once and said to me, "I'm not sure why I'm holding this box."  When I asked her what box, she moved her hand to indicate that she thought MY hand was a box.  I said, "That's my hand."  She smiled, "Ooooo."  I could hear the "silly me" implied in the sound.

Mom is not dealing well living with her at the nursing home, of which mom was a resident first.  Mom is calling me to say Grandma is colder, mottled, having periods of apnea. I rush over and she points to Grandma, "Can't you see why I called?"  No, I can't.  She looks exactly the same.  I just nod and tell her I'll come every time to hold HER hand if she needs it.  I let her know that I understand how hard it is on her.

You just don't know what to expect. I explained it to a nurse today:  When labor is approaching, you know it's coming. You probably know the signs.  You probably know what to look for.  You might start having contractions.  You might even think, "Ah, this is labor."  But then the contractions stop.  You know that they will start again one day, but you're not sure when.  All you know is soon.

All we know is soon.  We don't know when.  And thankfully this is no induction at this end of the life cycle.