Rat Phooey
25 May 2012 @ 10:54 am
I long ago stopped writing monthly updates about the boys.  I was writing about them so much, anyway, that it seemed a little silly.  But then I stopped writing as much, about anything - in the busyness of life (boys, work, my father's illness), some things fell by the wayside.

But I want to capture these moments.  Especially since I am reminded almost daily how fleeting they are.

#1 had a rash (poison ivy - he must get that sensitivity from the spousage, because I am immune) and #2 had an earache (apple-flavored ABX, who knew?), so they saw the doc on Wednesday.

#1 is 4'7" tall.  At 7 years and 8 months, he is literally off-the-charts tall.  He is as tall as the average 10-year-old. He's always been tall, but he's grown 4 inches since last fall (when he was merely in the 95th percentile).  He is only just off the chart for weight, at 77 pounds.  Between his size and his smarts, is it any wonder we all sometimes forget that emotionally he's still a little boy?

At 3'9", #2 (5 years, 4 months) is in the 75th percentile for height (as was #1 at about this age, before he started going all Mister Fantastic on us).  His 44 pounds is just the 50th percentile, which makes sense given his a) picky eating and b) constant motion.  Based on their respective heights at age two, he is expected to pass his big brother in height by an inch or so; said big brother is in no hurry to see that happen.

They love each other so much.  Of course they bicker and fight now and then, but by and large they get along beautifully.  They enjoy playing together, whether it's games, or music, or riding their scooters.  #2 is ferocious about his independence, but adores his big brother.  And while #1 can sometimes be hard on #2, he is far more apt to be protective, caring, and supportive.

I am so very lucky to be their mother.

My sons
 
 
Rat Phooey
22 May 2012 @ 01:55 pm

4.6 pounds, bitches!

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Rat Phooey
20 May 2012 @ 08:40 pm
After a busy day of soccer and parks and playgrounds, the spousage and I escaped to a late dinner last night to celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary. Ela was unpleasantly loud, but the food went a long way to compensate.

The Daisy cocktail was a bright and fizzy blend of gin, rhubarb liqueur, cucumber, and lemon; mine was so good the spousage ordered one, and we saved his red zin for the main course.

The diver scallop "noodles" were yummy, managing to be both noodly and scallopy, but the real highlight of the dish was the Thai peanut sauce. I wanted to drink it right out of the bowl, it was so delicate and delicious. The spousage had gnocchi in a sauce of aged Gouda. I was skeptical of the hazelnut and date bits scattered over the top, but the whole mouthful was scrumptious, and the gnocchi were the absolute perfect texture.

My lamb "chop steak" was an odd brick of pressed, shredded lamb. Perhaps the presentation contributed to its being slightly overcooked, though the flavor was pleasant. The accompaniments were more successful - spring garlic, creamy polenta, pearl onions, and baby turnips al dente. The spousage's duck dish was entirely tasty, though the burnt onion pancake, while savory and good, had an odd texture.

None of the desserts floated my Weight Watching boat, so we stopped by the Franklin Fountain for ice cream, but the line went out the door and down the street, so we gave up and came home, where we promptly conked out in a heap on the sofa just after Mick Jagger's monologue on SNL.

For those of you just joining us, behind this cut are all of my previous anniversary post graphics. Cut. )
 
 
Rat Phooey
19 May 2012 @ 07:27 pm

Goes to eleven.jpg, originally uploaded by ratphooey.

 
 
Rat Phooey
17 May 2012 @ 08:57 am
  • Happy 58th birthday, Brown vs. Board of Ed! Separate does not equal equal.

  • I came in and found only two e-mails in my work account. Either Mercury is in retrograde, or our exchange server has better things to do.

  • The bug man is at our house. Last year's renovation project, plus the mild winter, has driven some unwelcome creatures inside. Ick.

  • I really need to solve my shoe storage problem. I keep trying, but the racks keep collapsing (both free-standing and door-hanger styles have failed me). Any suggestions? That don't involve getting rid of shoes?

  • I was really excited about my sausage'n'oatmeal this morning. Is that weird? (And that was before I found out today's feature flavor was spiced apple. Yum!)

  • I want to see the Avengers. But I am three movies behind (Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America), and I am a completist.
 
 
Rat Phooey
27 April 2012 @ 01:56 pm

Beating yourselves.jpg

Beating yourselves 2.jpg

 
 
Rat Phooey
20 April 2012 @ 09:51 am
Forward: The borked Kindle problem was solved when Amazon offered to sell me a replacement at half price (it was not an expensive model to begin with). And if (when) the combination e-ink/backlit version comes out, I'll get one and pass the other on to the spousage.

Forward: The broken eyeglasses problem was solved by the old pair. After a brief adjustment period, I feel as though I see very well with them - apparently the prescription change had been very slight. Plus I am enjoying the awesome purple bubbly frames once again.

The backward step involves my cell phone. It has disappeared. The last time I remember using it was in the car yesterday at about 11:15 AM. I realized it was not in my bag when I reached for it at 5:30 PM, and when it didn't turn up in the car, I hoped it would be on my desk at work, but no such luck. The fact that it hasn't been used since it went missing suggests loss rather than theft, but I've suspended service just in case (so don't expect to reach me on my cell for a bit). This may be the universe telling me to get a new phone. I never reallly liked that one, anyway. The QWERTY keyboard was occasionally unreliable, very annoying.

In other news, I either still have a cold, or have developed allergies. Ugh.
 
 
Rat Phooey
18 April 2012 @ 10:00 am
Yesterday I was venting mildly to [info]semioticwarrior about the damage #2 has wrought upon our household. Floors, walls, furniture, electronics - you name it, he's broken it or drawn on it.

This morning I broke my Kindle and my eyeglasses.

Since I am due for an eye exam and likely a new prescription, the glasses are not so big a loss. I found an old pair that's tolerable, and am presently supergluing the broken frame.

The Kindle is another matter. In the year and a half since The Spousage bought it for me, I've been reborn as the voracious reader I was before #1 was born. It pains me to know I can't just flip open the Kindle's cover and fire up another world right in my hands. Though the other day, when I learned of the forthcoming combination e-ink/backlit models, I got a little drooly. Now it's just hanging on til they are available that's the challenge.
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Rat Phooey
19 March 2012 @ 02:27 pm

Blue samples.jpg, originally uploaded by ratphooey.

As much as I would love to have a new living room sofa, it's not in the budget at the moment.

And the cushion cover I had made a few years ago has become a favorite cat-scratching target of our crazy brown tabby, Maggie.

So slipcovers it is, the whole sofa this time.

I found some gorgeous pillow covers on sale, both in shades of blue, so if I use the same slipcover company, these are my choices. Three shades in denim, two in chenille, and two in ultrasuede.

Much to my surprise, I'm leaning toward the denim. It's soft and durable and won't be as much of a cat fur magnet as the ultrasuede, or as much of a claw magnet as the chenille.

And it seems practical for a house full of little boys.

But I'll have to wait and see what looks best when the samples and the pillow covers arrive.

I am not so good at waiting and seeing.

 
 
Rat Phooey
19 March 2012 @ 11:24 am
I am SO SLEEPY. I wasn’t up terribly late last night, but Saturday I just could not fall asleep, so it was 3:30 AM before I finally dropped off. The boys slept in til 8ish, but then it was go go go all day. The whole weekend, actually. )