Can You See Me Now?

Mags: "Mama? Maaaaaama?"
Me: "Yes Mags?" 
Mags: "Can we rock for a minute?"
Me: "Sure! Come on over."
Mags: "You smell really good today. I like it when you take showers."

My poor peanut. She was wiped out today. Her night terrors have made a strong comeback lately,  so by the late afternoon she has hit the wall. Today she wasn't trying to hide that she was exhausted and needed a quick power nap. I was more than happy to oblige. But, like always, I was being hunted. A blue-eyed, blond haired search party of one was out in full force. Take a look at the events that took place.

Warm, snuggled, sleeping five-year-old=heaven.

I was just going to take a quick pic and enjoy rocking her for 15 minutes. 

Tuck: "MAMA! MAMA! Oh! There you are. What are you.... 

Me: "Shhhhhhh!"

Tuck: "WHAT? WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

Me: "Shhhhhhh!" 

Tuck: "WHY DO YOU NEED ME TO BE QUIET? IS MAGS SLEEPIN'?"

Me: "Ummm...are you serious right now?"

Tuck: "Oh. Okay. I'll be quie...WAIT A MINUTE! I can see 

myself on your computer screen from way over here! 

Can you see me in your computer screen?"

Me: (gives up and laughs)

Me: (mouthing) "I see you." 

Tuck: "WHAT DID YOU SAY? YOU SAID IT TOO QUIET!"

Me: (pointing to sleeping Mags)

Tuck: "I see her in the computer screen, too. Look! She's sleepin'!"

Me: (laughing hysterically)

Tuck: (laughing hysterically at me laughing hysterically)

Tuck: "You can still see me, right? See me now? SEE?

 (jumps up and down, waves arms frantically)

Me: "Ahhhhh! No! Please don't wake up....

Mags: "What's all the noise about?"

Me: (EVIL EYE INTO COMPUTER CAMERA) 

That shot was not taken for fear you may turn into a statue.

My Achilles Heel...Literally

Mags: "Mama, don't worry. You're really super slow right now, but you'll get better. Maybe by the time you're 100, you'll be running faster...because you'll be part robot by then."

Me: "Interesting. Thanks for the encouragement, Mags."

For the past billion ten weeks, I've been recovering and healing. From what you ask? An Achilles injury that happened a full two years ago. I attempted physical therapy way back when the numbing and tingling in my heel began. I thought it was getting better, when in reality, it wasn't. Not even close.

You see, I've never given myself time to heal when it comes to running. I've always jumped back in too hard and too fast. As I've aged, this has seemed more and more stupid to me. (Mama, we don't say stupid!) Sorry, I meant, "silly." So, I've taken the past ten weeks off to heal it right this time, work with a physical therapist I enjoy (Thanks, Jules!) and to think about the following:

• Do I really LOVE running?
• Am I a RUNNER?
• Would I be DEVASTATED if I couldn't run again?

When I sat, thought about it and talked with Chris about it, all these questions ended up with the same answer...I don't think so.

Fifteen years ago, I WAS a RUNNER. I LIVED, BREATHED and ATE running. I RAN daily with a team of women that I adored. But, since then, I've started and stopped training multiple times. I've recovered from shin splints, a stress fracture, and an ankle sprain in that time. And now, I'm at the point where a painful injury that wouldn't heal is finally showing progress. I don't want to risk it again. I'm a chicken...at a fork in the road.

My cousin, Brit,  wrote a comment that summed it all up for me perfectly:

"Runners logic; damn it, I got hurt from running, I can't wait to get better so I can run again." 

He's exactly right. Why would I want to do this all over again? There's lots of other activities out there to explore. For instance, in two weeks, I'm going to WALK the 5K Color Run with Mags and her godmother, Christie. That will be something I've never done before. But after that, I think I'm going to untie my shoes for a while and take time to really figure out what I like to do. All I know is, right now, running isn't it. 

Have you ever been at a crossroads? 

Feel free to share with me in the comments.

AT LEAST SHE TRIED

Me: "Hey, guys! Can you come help me?"
Mags: "Help! I need somebody. Help! Not just anybody. HEEEEEELP!"
Me: "Did you just sing the Beatles at me? 
Mags: "Yeah, man. Peace."

I asked Mags to help me put her clothes away. She called to me from her room saying,

"I can't fit them all in!" 

I called back to her from the living room, 

"Try another drawer."

She emerged soon after with no clothes in hand. I assumed the mission was accomplished. Later on, when I walked into her room, this is what I found...

I deserved this.

A Stale Fortune

Tuck: "Mama, my fortune cookie fortune makes absolutely no sense."

Me: "That's because you're trying to read the side written in Chinese."

However, Tuck has a point. Fortune cookies always leave me scratching my head. Just put a bunch of mashed up clichés together and POOF! Your future fate is in the palm of your hands and a stale, tasteless cookie is in your mouth. Since every Chinese food establishment seems to hand out these little treasures with ease, I thought I would too...blogger style.  

I invite you to join me by going to The Fortune Cookie Message Generator and creating your own. You can also just leave your "blogger fortune" in the comments below. Enjoy! 

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Me: "Dishes or put the kids down for nap? Your choice."
Chris: "I'll put the kids down for nap." 
Me: "Okay, but please just put them in their beds. No playing or getting them riled up."
Chris: "I got it. Trust me."

Technically speaking, they were all "in bed" during "nap time." 

Sigh.

SUPERMAN vs. DADS

Chris: "We're going to need a babysitter for June 14th."
Me: "Why? Or should I say, what movie is coming out?"
Chris: "YOU tell me."
Me: "Spiderman? Wolverine? Batman?"
Chris: "He's faster than a speeding bullet."
Me: "The Flash?"
Chris: "It's like I don't even know you anymore."

Superman. The correct answer was Superman. Well, 'Man of Steel' to be exact. I successfully secured a babysitter AND opening night tickets to the show. I guess that would make me Wonder Woman ... just not as busty or hiptastic. 

And since we're going to be celebrating Father's Day this Sunday as well, my wheels started turning about Superman and dads. After scribbling my random thoughts on sticky notes ... a chart was born. 

Happy Father's Day to all those 

Super Dads out there!

Superman	Dads
Is often confused for a bird or a plane.	Is often confused about what’s stuck down the drain.
Says, “Up, up, and away. “	Says, “Get outside and play.”
Has the power to melt metal with his eyes.	Has the power to sleep through the loudest of cries.
Is weakened by the element, Kryptonite.	Is weakened by the nightly bedtime fight.
Escapes to his fortress of solitude.	Escapes to the bathroom without his brood.
Saves his love interest, Lois Lane, from the evil villain’s grip.	Saves his toddlers’ lives when off the back of the couch they flip.
Rocks a suit of red and blue with an ‘S’ on his chest.	Rocks a suit and tie because he is the best.

@AccordingtoMags                      http://accordingtomags.com

Especially to the SUPER DADDY in our house! 

Chris at http://attipscast.com

Three's Company

Tuck: "We have ANOTHER errand after this one?"
Me: "Yes, but we're almost done."
Mags: "Welcome to our world, Tuck."

I was pretty sure I surprised Tuck today when we had to jump in and out of the car numerous times to get through our to-do list. He was begging for mercy by the time we arrived at our last stop. Since our schedule was old hat for Mags, she just went with the flow. I probably should have prepared Tuck better, but I just assumed he knew what Mags and I did all day. It turned out that he had no idea (and hasn't been listening very well to my day's recap at dinner all year). When I asked him, he told me he thought we sat around all day playing UNO and eating lots of Cadbury Mini Eggs. Okay, okay, that was PART of my day with Mags. 

So, now that Tuck has joined our duo...to make a trio...he'll need time to adjust. Or as Mags told him while he was moaning through the grocery store, 

"Get with the program, Tuck!"

She's a no nonsense kind of gal. In reality, we're so excited to have him home with us. We have lots of adventures planned to get us into keep us out of trouble. Mags and I just need to give our buddy some time to adjust. 

Here we go, Summer Break 2013! 

Bring it! 

Dialect Disasters with Chris and Mel

Me: "Show me how you play this game you like on the iPad, Mags."
Mags: "Well, Mama, you move this like this and you put this over here and the rest I just sorta make up."

This morning I am linking-up with the great and powerful, Kelley from Kelley's Breakroom. She asked us to answer questions and read some words on camera. That way, she could hear all the different dialects to make fun of us that her readers have. She wanted us to record ourselves, preferably on camera. Huh? After a long day of spilling things on myself?  

That's when I decided to wrangle up Chris, my speech pathologist husband, to join in the fun. But how were we going to record ourselves? Chris and I decided iMovie on my Mac would be the easiest way to go. "Easiest." 

Recording went as expected. We were goofy, confused and made little to no sense. Then, the real meat of the project showed up. I had to figure out how to save the movie and upload it to YouTube. Piece of cake, right?

For some technically savvy people, yes. For me? It probably wasn't the smartest idea to start it at 9:30 PM. But after I used Google and the Help button A LOT, things came together. Soon I was adding clips, exporting, importing, uploading and posting. And the greatest part? IT ALL WORKED! 

So, without further ado, I present to you, 

Dialect Disasters with Chris and Mel

Thanks, Kelley! We had a lot of fun. 

RESUME BUILDERS

Me: "Mags, where are your shoes?" 
Mags: "In my shoe bucket."
Me: "Why aren't they on your feet?"
Mags: "You told me to FIND them, not PUT them on."

I awake to my kids' voices. 6:15 AM. I fall back to sleep for a few more minutes before the excitement of the day begins. 6:45 AM. I help them to make their breakfast, brew my coffee, and prepare lunches. 7:02 AM. I grimace as the sink full of dishes glaring at me with every pass I make. 7:15 AM. I jump in and out of the shower so fast that I barely need a towel to dry off. I used soap...I think. 7:31 AM. My mind is riddled with the mundane tasks that need to be accomplished as I get dressed. 7:34 AM. It's a daily schedule that is so ingrained in my being that I can do it half-awake. I'm captive to the day's trance as I holler out a teeth and shoe check. 7:39 AM. 

Suddenly, I'm snapped out of my state of numb as I realize I have 5 minutes until I'll be pushing the time limits. 7:43 AM. My hair is forced begrudgingly back into a ponytail (again) as I look down to make sure I have all the necessary clothing on my body. 7:45 AM. My blood is pumping and I kick into hyper drive. 7:46 AM. I race down the stairs to meet the kids in the car who are fighting over which one of them will open the car door first. 7:47 AM. I hand out stern looks and open the door myself. I bark my orders. WE HAVE NO TIME. NO TIME! STRAP IN! 7:48 AM. As I back out of the garage, I look down to find Mags has no shoes on her feet. 7:49 AM. A quick, blood-pumping sprint back inside to find ANY pair of shoes. Rain boots it is! 7:51 AM. In seat, buckle in, throw rain boots to back seat and off we go. 7:52 AM. We're cutting it close! Drive, sing, talk, tease, reprimand and park. Our first stop. 8:02 AM. We race Mags inside, kiss her good-bye and dive out the door of the preschool. 8:03 AM. 

Back in the car and we're off to catch Tuck's bus. We'll make it! 8:04 AM. Get stuck behind a bus (not ours) that stops every twenty feet. Tick, tick, tick. We're both sweating, biting our nails and staring at the clock. 8:06 AM. We drive the topsy, turvy mountain roads until we get to ours! 8:12 AM. We pass the little church on the left where OUR bus sits before picking up the kids. It's GONE! He's already on route. The chase is on. 8:15 AM. We turn into our development and I catch sight of the bus making the first turn of five. We're in pursuit. 8:17 AM. I notify Tuck to get ready with his back pack. 8:18 AM. We make the last turn where the bus stop full of kids impatiently waits. We're trailing right behind now. 8:19 AM. The bus stops, lights flashing and doors open. 8:20 AM. I throw the car in park, open my door and meet Tuck on the other side of the car to kiss him good-bye as he runs the length of the bus to meet the line of kids. 8:21 AM. He's the last one on, but takes a moment to blow me a kiss. The bus pulls away. BIG, DEEP BREATH! 8:22 AM. 

But the finish line is near. Only a few more days now. I can't give up. This is when I have to kick it in. Give it all I've got. I've worked so hard to get to this point. Soon, yes, very soon, I'll be able to add ... PROFESSIONAL BUS CHASER to my resume. It has a nice ring to it, no? 

C'mon Summer Vacation. I'm ready and waiting!

Rock-A-Bye...Hulk?

Me: "Mags, that's enough, lie down and please go to sleep."
Mags: "I just have to tuck in two more of my friends and then I'll be done."
Me: "Okay, but then into to bed. Deal?"
Mags: "You got it."

Mags has many friends of the stuffed and plastic kind that she tucks in each night. It's not unheard of for me to have to navigate around the sleeping brood sprawled across the floor. But, the other night, when I went in to give my sleeping beauty one final kiss, one of her favorite companions was NOT sleeping. In fact, he was rather miffed. 

So, I had a chat with Hulk. And here were his top five reasons he was having a hard time falling asleep...

1. HULK NO LIKE STINKIN' GIRLY PILLOW!
He was laying on a fluffy, pink, heart-shaped pillow. 

2. HULK NO NEED LITTLE BLANKET THAT SMELL LIKE GIRL!
He was covered in Mags' comfort item, 'Silky.' 

3.  HULK NO LIKE PUNY ROCKET!
Rocket from Little Einsteins was laying on top of him, probably playing him a lullaby.

4. HULK ENERGIZER BUNNY!
Whenever Mags moved it would activate Hulk's talking button.

5. HULK EYES WON'T CLOSE! 
Poor plastic Hulk with no eyelids.

I listened to all his woes and told him he needed to try to go to sleep or I was going to have to take out his batteries. He got REALLY angry. And as we all know (or should know)...you wouldn't like him when he's angry.