Milestones

Today is a big day. Today is my man's birthday. Today the Italian is officially old.

I can say this with some protection from mocking and retaliation, because I turned old about six weeks ago (yes, I am an older woman).

Today will be a day of modest celebration. The Italian has to work until lunchtime and I have to work this evening, so today's festivities will be limited to what we can accomplish in an afternoon with two kids in tow. Perhaps I will plan some other celebratory activities for some other time in addition to today.

I think lunch out would be a good start. Suggestions?

Things you don't expect to hear from your 4 year old son

My son is a builder. He likes to build things out of other things. He will build with just about anything - bits of wood, rocks, corks, tape, whatever it is he will build something with it.

The other day he got into the linen closet. On one of the low shelves in the closet is where I store my "feminine hygiene" products. I use O.B., the kind without the applicator, and I keep a box of each size on a shelf with the tops torn off, for easy access.

Well, Buddy pulled out about a half dozen of them and was playing with them. When I found him I explained they weren't meant to be toys and took away the ones that were still wrapped, but let him keep playing with the one he had unwrapped. He was pulling off the cotton, swinging it around on the string, having a great time.

After the kids were in bed and I was cleaning up I threw it away, figuring that if it wasn't lying around maybe he would forget about it and move on to something else.

The next morning I got the kids up and ready for the day and we piled into the car to take Punkin to camp and Buddy to preschool. It's a challenge to get everyone ready and I'm constantly worried that I've forgotten something (lunch, shin guards, sun block, etc). As we're riding down the highway he bursts out with:

"Momma! Where's my tampon?!"

Between laughing and trying hard not to show it I almost drove off the road. It's not something I expected to hear from him.

Speaking of which...

I just looked and realized that I haven't posted in the past month.

We got back yesterday from a 12 day trip to the homeland - meaning New England. Both the Italian and I are from Massachusetts and most of our family is still there. We took the kids and went to the Boston area to stay with my parents.

We had a mile long list of things to do, some of which were fun and some of which were not fun. We got a lot done, there is always more to do.

I'm still jet lagged and I get to take Buddy to his first day of preschool and myself to my first day back at work, so I have no idea why I am up this late.

I have a few choice photos to share and some lovely souvenir yarn to show you.

Anybody know of a good place in Northern California to get a pound of steamers? I had some in Maine for the first time in 20 years, and they were damn good. I'm not waiting until next summer to get some more.