Sick of It

In New England instead of something being 'really far', it would naturally be referred to as 'wicked fahh'. It's part of the language we learned to adapt to when we lived in Boston. In Ohio, the terminology isn't so much regional as much as it is a distortion of definition. With the recent snowfall and cold snap, I've acquainted myself with some of their usage through the local news: 1 inch of snow=Atrocious, 3 inches=Treacherous, and below zero temperatures=Bone-Biting. Their definitions=Abysmal! I'm not saying a negative reading on the thermometer isn't cold, but seven below is not bone-biting unless you're in the elements without proper apparel. It has gotten cold here, darn cold. So cold in fact, that for the first time in years I had to arm myself with a scarf over my face when I went out to shovel the driveway. I forgot that when your mouth is warmed by the covering of your scarf, it throws your breath right up into your also covered nose; when you're doing this first thing it the morning it's definitely an appetite killer. Lesson no. 1 of '09: Next time I head out with my scarf I'll also be arming myself with a mint.

In 2008 I experimented with a change in occupation. I came close to earning my professional house painter's certificate, worked as an electrician, dabbled in plumbing, and did enough in the medical care profession that I believe I may be qualified to practice medicine in Third World countries. When we came down with Rotavirus a week before Thanksgiving, we had no way of knowing that it would stick with us until just before Christmas. Fortunately, we were well enough to travel back to Minnesota for the holidays, but of course all of that socializing bought us all down with colds. As if that wasn't enough, Abby lost it in the car on the way back to Ohio, and spent about half of the trip through Iowa, and almost all of the trip through Illinois puking. We made it back to Ohio, miraculously; it's one adventure I'd rather never repeat. But as luck would have it we weren't finished yet, and now we're struggling to overcome a respiratory flu. We've been sick with just about everything floating around the Midwest this Winter. Sick of it doesn't even begin to express my sediments. Lesson no. 2: Never travel without a puke bucket.

Thankfully, our girls are quite the little troopers. They trudge on with their fun and their lives of play and development. Abby turned four last week.... four going on fourteen. Her ability to express herself through language has grown by leaps and bounds. And like many fourteen year-olds, she now likes to spend time alone in her room. It's fairly innocent, playing with her Lizzie elephant and listening to music. But I must admit, it breaks my heart just a little to know my little girl is slipping away. She is quite proud that she has completed all of our prerequisites for starting preschool in the Fall. Most importantly, she is a full-time toilet user. Her only setback may be that she also needs to know how to follow the rules, a fine example of Abby the fourteen year-old.

Lauren too, is motivated to go to preschool and has joined the ranks of those in toilet training. There is a down-side to this. Our Tiny is so small that she needs her diaper just to hold up most of her pants. There is also the occasional clean-up scenario that all parents of potty trainers dread. This isn't my favorite stage, though I know it's a big one, and quite important. Besides the obvious payoff of no longer having to buy diapers, my favorite element to potty training is the cute little naked butt that flashes around the house. No judging. If you've potty trained a tot, you know just what I'm talking about.

Not much has changed with my Geoff. Another disappointing season with the Vikings. Same old, same old at the Air Force Base, at least for now. At this point I think he'd give just about anything to be back on his feet and taking his little ladies out on their Daddy Dates. But for now, that will have to wait. For now, the girls, with all that they were showered with at Christmas, are still playing with their cars. How two little girls can be so entertained by organizing Match Box cars into rows and grids is beyond me. But they like it, and they must be learning something....

I hope each of you had a great Christmas, and are off to a happy, healthy, and warm-as-possible start to 2009!