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I Feel So Violated

19 Mar

I just can’t even believe this. How long did we live in Savannah?  A city considered to be a “high-crime” area?  NOTHING ever happened to us there.  It happened to people we knew but never to us.  Now though – we live in a small town with hardly any crime where EVERYONE is super nice and friendly and our car gets broken into while its parked in our driveway.

Apparently it happened to a lot of our neighbors.  Ours happened right under our little girl’s bedroom window.  Our big ass dog didn’t even bark.  He barks at a bird farting but not at someone breaking into Andrew’s SUV.  The SUVs alarm didn’t even go off.  Those jerks got in and then tossed stuff everywhere – you know shopping around for what they wanted to take that didn’t belong to them.

They took a keyboard he had from work and two computer cables he had for his work laptop but nothing else.  They passed up the season 4 box set of “Seinfeld” (what you don’t like to laugh jerks?) and all of Andrew’s CD’s (don’t like his taste in music?)  his Oakley sunglasses (I hope the sun damages your eyes) his radar detector (what you don’t break the law to speed?) they even left some money he had in there (apparently money isn’t worth the effort).  I understand that they took what they did because it’s probably the best thing for them them to make money off of – but why not take the rest too?  I mean, you’re already in there and I’m sure you’ll get a few bucks from some of the other stuff – especially the actual money!  It’s not that I wanted them to take all of it – I’m just trying to better understand what they did.

I just feel so violated and pissed.  I can’t even imagine how people get through something bigger than this – like a stolen car or a burglarized house or rape or armed robbery.  I feel so powerless and I just want to get back at them.  I wish we could have caught them in the act – I’m not sure how it would of all went down but I’m sure it would have surprised them and I would love to know who did this.  Just to see their faces and ask them why.  Do they get kicks out of it? Do they desperately need the money?

I know I’m probably making something bigger of this than it needs to be but I can’t help it right now.  I’m still reacting to the fact that it happened and I’m just so angry because I never thought it could happen here.  (Which is my own naive fault.) It also makes me scared because if they did that what else will they do?  Try to get in the house next?  Hopefully then that big ass dog of ours will step up and show those sharp teeth of his.  I know I certainly will.
 

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Thoughts from an Outsider

4 Mar

I truly hope I didn’t anger people as much as television news writers are angering me now.

I don’t really watch the news anymore because usually I just end up screaming at the television – critiquing the newscast story by story – also cartoons are pretty much all I get to see during the day now and night time is reserved for our sacred shows.  The only time I ever watch the news is try to see what Atlanta traffic will be like for Andrew on his way home from work but even then it drives me nuts.

The latest incident that’s causing me to vent involves that peanut butter recall.  I like to think when I wrote a story or approved a reporter’s script – I made sure we didn’t b.s. the viewer and just told them what they needed to know without dramatics or treating them like they were idiotic freaks.  I like to think I did the opposite of what so many news people do – – – – “Now for a story that is sending fear into the hearts of mothers everywhere…”

WHAT?!?! Oh right – they’re absolutely right – as soon as I heard the report I ran to the pantry and threw cans of food out of the way searching for my peanut butter – when I discovered it had the dreaded “2111” code on it I ran screaming from the kitchen, grabbed the children, tossed them into the cars (without putting them in their child safety seats you know because there’s no time to buckle up for safety when that peanut butter is lurking inside them) and sped to the emergency room.

What makes me sick is that they generalize and try to scare people into watching – JUST TELL PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW!

Since that really doesn’t happen anymore – I’m now not even trying to watch tv news.  Instead I look online for what I want to know – but even then I can’t escape the sensationalism – it “sends fear into my heart” every time I click on a story.

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Pea(poop)nut Butter Recall

18 Feb

AH!  I can’t believe this!  For the past 6 plus years of my life I’ve been searching for product recalls to write about for our consumer segment on the newscast – none of them ever affected me personally.  Of course, now that I don’t get to see hardly any news there’s a recall that affects my family and I just fed the potential poison to Nia last night!  I found out about it in the weirdest way too – as I was checking out at Publix tonight the cashier was mumbling and laughing about about “feeding her sister Peter Pan peanut butter” – I must have shot the what-the-hell-are-you-talking-about look at her because she then went on to tell me about the recall.

I haven’t eaten a lick of the peanut butter myself but I’ve been serving up the possibly salmonella-infested spread to Nia since we moved into this house.  I’m searching my memory trying to think if she got sick after eating the last sandwich I made for her – but that doesn’t matter because all of these websites say even if you haven’t gotten sick yet you still could and you won’t know it for like 8 to 72 hours after you swallow it down.  Now I have to sit through 3 days hoping my little girl doesn’t have a potty attack.  In the meantime, I’m just going to scowl at the little brown jar with it’s alarming red lid as if to tell it – you and me – we’re gonna go rounds if you upset my sweetie’s tummy.  I know I’m supposed to throw the jar away and all – it’s just right now I feel this strong need to have a showdown with it – at a distance of course.

It’s interesting what something like this can do to people.  I’ve read that some are suing because they say the salmonella infection cost them money due to lost work and doctor bills – others say they’re afraid to ever eat the peanut butter brands again. As for what it did to me – it’s taught me a lesson.  I’m trying to make sure I won’t miss another recall – I’ve signed up to get email alerts from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Food and Drug Administration and the Agriculture Department.  We’ll see…

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Doctor Appointment Agony

9 Feb

Two freaking hours!  That’s how long Nia, Nate and I were held hostage at our new pediatrician’s office today.  I can understand that if the waiting rooms were packed or something but there were only a few of us in there.  What’s worse is there were no toys/books to entertain the kids, there were signs everywhere that said “No food or drink” and “Take your soiled diapers home,” the fluorescent light was flickering and the boy had to spend an hour walking back and forth on the examining table in nothing but his diaper only to win 3 shots at the end of the torture!

I was losing it!  Nia even said (twice) “This is taking FOREVER!” (Wonder what bad-attitude adult put that phrase in her vocabulary?)

It was so hard picking a new doctor for the kids – we all really like the doctor we had in Savannah.  I mean, sometimes we wondered about a diagnosis or two but overall we never had a horrible experience with him.  This one makes me want to send him a thank you card or something.

(By the way – the boy is fine – just a well visit – it confirmed he’s healthy, small and angry. And if you were wondering – I did have to take a “soiled” diaper home with me since their trash cans were apparently too good for a little baby poo.)

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Feelings I Feel

7 Feb
Every day the kids make me experience so many different feelings – it’s amazing how I can go from insanely happy to insanely angry with the toss of a toy.

What Makes Me Happy: (here’s where I sound sappy)

  • Making them laugh
  • Teaching them something new
  • Cooking for them
  • When they eat what I cook for them
  • When they actually like what I cook for them and they say “mmmm”
  • If I can get through a day without the boy hitting his head on something hard (although his skull is like steal)
  • If I can get through a day without Nia having a meltdown (her latest one involved not getting to watch her nightly dose of Harold and the Purple Crayon before bedtime)
  • Nia being a loving big sister by giving Nate hugs and kisses and getting toys for him that he can’t reach
  • Being able to make them comfortable/safe/cared for – just the simplest of things like putting clean sheets on Nia’s bed – knowing she loved the way they smelled – something about that made me so happy to be a mom

What Makes Me Angry: (here’s where I sound psycho and mean)

  • Having to repeat myself over and over and over again – example – Nate’s taking a nap and I finally have some time to get stuff done – I choose to use the opportunity to take a shower – I tell Nia, “Momma’s going to take a shower” –  she replies, “And then you play with me?”  (please know I’ve already played with her and read quite a few books to her by this point) – I say “Of course” – well I’m not even out of the shower yet and she peaks her head in the bathroom and says, “Now you gonna play with me?”  This continues as I get dressed and dry my hair.  I know it doesn’t seem that bad but after repeating the obvious over and over again everyday – it just wears on me.
  • “Come Momma!”  I hear this ALL DAY LONG.  She’s constantly telling me to come and see something.  I feel awful for getting upset about it – I mean she just wants Momma to see all the stuff she’s doing (her latest is dressing Prince Eric up in Ariel’s clothing).  It’s just – I have to stop whatever it is I’m doing to “Come Momma!”  At least I’m burning calories I guess.
  • Trying to teach Nate not to do something – I mean how many times do I have to pick him up, take him away from the dangerous/yucky activity and try to distract him?  He thinks it’s funny – I think it’s making me lose my mind.  The latest thing he did was tip over the garbage can – now every time he’s in the kitchen I have to keep the can from crashing down on the floor.

There are so many feelings I feel – it’s hard to write about them all.  I’m glad to say I experience more happy ones than mad – but then again, these examples were just from one day!

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Commercials

2 Feb

I’m just loving a few of them right now (of the ones I get to watch when Andrew is not fast-forwarding them).

Here are some that make me laugh out loud (in no particular order):

– The Geico one where the caveman is being interviewed by the news anchor.  I like those caveman commercials overall but that one just cracks me up!

– The BK one where the people are dressed up like burgers and junior says “I wish I’d never been broiled.”  Or the one where junior says “you treat me like I’m on the kids’ menu!”

– Some cell phone one where the family is sitting at the dinner table and the dad keeps texting his family to pass him things – I just really like when the dad giggles like a little boy because he loves his toy so much.

– Andrew also got me liking those Peyton Manning ones where he’s encouraging random people.

You know what’s even more funny about these commercials is that they don’t make me want to buy their stuff- I just think they’re funny.  I mean, I can’t even remember what product those last two were selling.

There is one on now that many of you might not see because it’s for Publix Supermarkets but it made me cry the other day.  It was so freakin’ predictable and I told myself as I was watching it, you’re not going to cry – you know what’s going to happen.  That didn’t work though because there I was standing at my stove cooking, spoon in hand, balling into the spaghetti sauce.  It was about a little boy who wants to bake a heart-shaped cake for a girl and asks his mom for help – his mom is all protective like, “who’s this girl?” – well of course that girl turned out to be her.

Do I want to go shop at Publix now because of that commercial?  Well, it doesn’t matter because I shop there anyways!

The I think bothers me the most is one of those “oh I’m just driving along talking when BAM a car slams into me” ones.  I don’t mind them – I actually think they’re kind of funny in a sick way but there’s one with a mom and her baby in the backseat and it just makes me sick to my stomach.  I guess it’s what being a mom is all about – when it comes to your sweeties – nothing worries me more.  I guess that commercial did what it was supposed to do – except make me want to give them money.  (I actually don’t know which company that one was for either!)

Do you have any favorites/most hated?

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Day Care Isn’t Always the Bad Guy

31 Jan

We have not even driven in the parking lot of a day care since November and Nate has been sick twice.  There was that one fever a few weeks ago and now he has the worst case of yucky yellow-green snot nose he’s ever had and I’m feeling a case of it coming on too. Where did he get it?  I have no clue and I think that’s worse than knowing he caught it from day care – at least then you have an idea of what your kid could have because chances are they know what the culprit had!

As if it’s not bad enough that the boy has all that gook draining out of him all day and night – there I am CONSTANTLY wiping his nose.  To him it probably feels like I’m going to rip it off (even though I swear I’m being as gentle as I can!). I really think he hates me right now but I can’t help it – I just CANNOT stand it when kids have snot pouring out of their nose.  To help counteract my obsessive wiping I’ve loaded up his nose with Vaseline – I guess I’ve just traded one yucky looking thing for another but at least this one doesn’t run into his mouth or get smeared all over his face/toys/clothes.

I just hope this sickiness ends soon – what makes it even worse is that I had scheduled a “well-baby” check up for tomorrow.  I think I might have to change that now.

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Can’t Relax

18 Jan

Nate has a fever tonight and it is totally stressing me out because not only do I worry ANY time the kids even feel slightly warm to me (which I say so much Nia actually says she feels “warm to me” when I ask her how she feels) but tonight I am the only parent in town.  Andrew is back in Savannah for work which means IF I should have to take Nate to the hospital I will have to wake up the princess and take her to the germ-infested area as well.  I know I might not have to take him there – I’m just preparing myself mentally so it won’t be such a freak-out session when it happens.

I guess I’m so paranoid about stuff like this because Nia had a febrile seizure when she was about his age and it was the most scary experience I ever went through so I immediately think about that any time the thermometer is higher than 102.  They are just so helpless and innocent and they take up my whole heart – when their health is threatened – mine is too.

I know, I know – it’s just a fever – I mean there are much worse things – I just can’t help it.  I won’t be able to relax until I know he is back in the normal temperature range and his daddy is back home.

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Obsess Much?

17 Jan

Is it bad to make your child to go to sleep just so you can start watching a horribly brainless/addictive television show?  She kept saying, “but I’m not tired Momma” and I acted like I didn’t even hear it, “ok, night-night now. I love you. See you tomorrow.”  I then closed the door, ran to the kitchen, grabbed the Chinese food we ordered just for this special night, got situated downstairs and hit play.

I’m not just like this with “American Idol.”  I just really love television and movies.  I haven’t been falling asleep until like 5 in the morning because I’m just going from channel to channel.  It gets really bad when the music channels actually play music videos (around 4 am – 6 am) because then I just flip back and forth between them so I can see all the videos.  Andrew things I’m crazy but I just can’t fall asleep – I think it’s because it’s the only time I have to do what I love to do.

I guess there are worse things to enjoy.  I just have to chill out on rushing the kids to bed – I mean we were even recording it!   For the next t.v. show premiere, I’ll at least give Nia the chance to get in her bed before I turn the lights out and shut the door.  (I’m totally kidding, mom!)

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Please Forgive Us…

26 Dec

Telling her he won’t come if she’s naughty –
Telling her he’ll only bring her Little Mermaid Castle if she takes her naps and is nice to her brother –
Having her leave cookies and sugar for him and his sleigh-pulling friends (and then leaving a half-eaten cookie for her to see)
Causing her to love him so much that she runs up to the mall Santa without hesitation (even though I think he’s pretty skeevy)
Telling her he came while we were all sleeping (and her responding – “He was very quiet huh?  He tiptoed huh?” and then demonstrating to me just how he tiptoed – standing on her toes, bending her knees and back and putting her hands pointed down in the bunny hop position – I mean come on – how adorable is that)

I know it’s something a lot of parents tell their children – Andrew and I both believed and I hear he got pretty upset when he found out the truth – but there’s something about being the one who encourages the belief…  I don’t know – I just feel guilty.

Some fairy tale part of me still wants to believe – like maybe after we put out all the presents and go to sleep they’ll be one extra that no one bought or knows about – (and hopefully it won’t be a stinky candle or fruit cake).

I know it’s all about tradition and I know the fun of believing – I just dread the day when they find out the truth. I’m sure it will be a time they will never forget – many of us probably remember when/where/how we found out – I guess that’s all a part of the tradition too – I guess I just want our kids to just figure it out on their own because Andrew and I are such terrible liars – I just want them to understand the spirit of it all and that it wasn’t meant to hurt them.  Santa or not – there’s a beauty in believing.

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