s.i.x.

Geof had a birthday Saturday before last. He is now 6 going on 16. We had hoped to have a couple of his friends over for the day but these days it's all or nothing. Or so the teacher said. We could pass out invites to just the three boys Geof wanted to have over because the teacher's didn't want feelings hurt. I understand and all but it meant that my kid didn't get to have the party he wanted. We did a family party instead and all was well. He's really into super heroes these days as you might have noticed from his Iron Man shirt and cake. He's also really into the Hulk and any and all things dealing with characters from the Marvel Universe. I can thank my Dad for his latest obsession, he's the one that introduced him to the world of comics and such. Hollywood isn't helping much either with the Hulk and Iron Man movies that have come out. We now own both on DVD and they've been running pretty much non-stop since Christmas. Yay me. I can't believe how fast the past 6 years have flown by. Sometimes I wonder where they've gone and I miss them. Geof is growing into a smart, handsome little man and I love him more everyday and with every new experience and I honestly couldn't be more proud to call him my son.

...and now I have to go cry my guts out!...

...before I do here are a few more pictures for your viewing pleasure...


Geof and his 6^th birthday loot

Geof and the BB gun he got for Christmas

The resulting bruise from Geof vs. a metal pole

Geof's first birthday

I AM Rosie Riveter

I had a lovely surprise this morning. It all started with the ring of the doorbell and a man standing on the other side with some not-so-great news. He asked if I knew that my tires had been slashed. I said no and went to the driveway to investigate hoping he was seriously mistaken. Unfortunately he was not. Both passenger side tires had been slashed and were puddled like forgotten snowmen. I thanked him for letting me know and immediately called the police to file a report. Within minutes a deputy arrived, asked me a few questions, looked at the tires and left. At this point I wasn't exactly sure who had done this but I suspected my next door neighbors were somehow connected. My next call was to Nathaniel and then my parents. I informed Nathaniel of the days excitement and asked to borrow my parents' pickup. Next I began the task of removing the two worthless tires. Not easy. While I was outside my neighbors returned from an outing. I spoke with them and it turns out that they'd been struck by The Slasher as well and had a pretty good idea who it was. Apparently their sons were friends with some ass named JOHN SELF who stole some of their video games last week. They told the asshole never to come back so the next morning they awake to find a slashed tire. Later that day the kids run into him at McDonalds where he asks if they've had any troubles with their van (all BUT admitting that he was the culprit). Then this morning they also awoke to yet another tire slashing. Why he thought MY tires needed slashing too is beyond me. I called the police again and told them I had a pretty good idea who they should be hunting down and when I gave the name they said they knew him pretty well. I got back to work and my parents arrived soon after. My mother and I had to make a run back to their house for a hollow metal pipe to place on the end of the tire iron for more leverage when loosening the lug nuts...and to use as a weapon should I ever run into the shitdick punk who crossed this mother of all bitches...but I digress. I got the pipe, got the tires off, and headed out to buy new tires. I waited almost 2 hours at the tire place burning daylight before I got what I needed and that was only after I went to the counter to ask for a progress report. The douche behind the counter sifts through some papers and says, 'oh, you must be Amanda your tires are all set.' Idiot. No telling how long he would have let me sit there. By that time it was almost dark, I got the tires on just as the last rays of light from the sun faded.

I had a feeling all week, something in the back of my head telling me that something was going to happen to my tires. I just had no idea THAT was going to happen. So now I'm tired, sore, and filthy but I feel like one badass Mother. Sometimes I'm glad Nathaniel isn't always around because I've learned how to deal with some pretty random and weird events in his absence. I'm stronger and more independent than I thought. It could have been worse and I'd have to say that in some respects I did enjoy this little learning adventure!

By the way, if you know this JOHN SELF fellow tell him I said hello and thank you and to come on by anytime, I'll be waiting, because I have an AK-47, a tire iron, a metal pipe and I damn sure know how to use them.

My Kiddo's National Television Debut!

I never mentioned anything earlier simply because I thought it was a scam... but... a few months ago I was contacted by a casting producer for an entertainment company out in Los Angeles concerning a video I had posted on Myspace of Geof. (Which you can see below!) The casting producer said that they were interested in using the video in an upcoming holiday home video special for NBC. Various papers and forms were sent back and forth between us and I hadn't heard anything else in a few weeks so I figured either Geof's video had been passed over or wouldn't air until next year. Much to my surprise my Mother called me this evening to tell me that something similar was on TV and to tune into NBC ASAP. So I did. After a few videos there was my baby on national TV as part of a montage of kids singing and misinterpreting "Jingle Bells"! Geof's face was priceless when he saw it.
I just wish I had been informed of when it would air so I could have given some of our more far flung friends and relatives a heads up! At any rate, in case you missed it as well, here's the video that was featured on NBCs Greatest Holiday Moments: Hilarious Home Video Countdown on December 29, 2008!

Jingle Bells

Halloween

Hope everyone had a great Halloween! Geof went as Iron Man because he's all about super heroes these days. He said all year that he wanted to go as a vampire and I got all excited about making that costume until about 2 months ago when he insisted on being Iron Man. I caved in and bought his costume. He had a really great time though and said it was a night he'll "remember for the rest of his life". I can dig that! He went with the usual crew, my younger cousins. In the picture left to right they are "Colonial Girl, 70s girl, and Gothic Chic. I dressed up for the first time in years. I had originally intended on dressing as an old woman. Something tame enough for work, ya know. I procrastinated too long and ended up as a deviled egg instead. I made the egg part and bought the horns and triton/pokey stick thingy. It went over really well and I won a box of organic pumpkin ginger cookies and a Little Debbie oatmeal cream cookie!

A moment to spare and thus an update

Hello world! Long time no post and all that self-deprecating hoohah mess....I almost typed "self-defecating" there! HA! Quite the mental image, no? Life these days is a blur. I thought the years I spent as a stay-at-home Mom whizzed by with lightening speed but that pales in comparison to my life today. It's nice in some respects and scary in others. I love my job. Seriously. I work with mentally disabled adults (who will be known as 'clients' from here on out). The area I am in is a production area. Local companies give us simple tasks such as inspecting parts or simple assembly. Our clients do these tasks and are paid by the piece. My job as an instructor is to keep them on task, keep the supplies they need filled, etc. All of this teaches the clients job skills, social skills, and life skills. The ultimate goal for most of the clients is a job within the community. For a lot of them that will never happen and for the most part they're happy to stay right where they are. I can't express the joy this job brings and the feeling that comes from doing good. It sounds cliche and dumb, but I think this is what I was born to do and I hope to have the opportunity to do it for the rest of my life.

In other news Geof is kicking ass in Kindergarten. Not literal ass of course. He's really enjoying himself and I hope his zest for learning stays with him throughout his days. His first school pictures were taken last week and I've yet to see them. I've already decided to buy them when they get in just because I'm a sentimental sap that way. The company his school uses lets you pick the background color and the pose and you get to see the pictures before buying. I'm not sure if that's the norm or not but I thought it was pretty cool. He's still all boy dripping in testosterone but enough maternal influence that he does have a sweet side. At least we haven't had any parent teacher conferences yet! His obsession with the Cars movie and all things Thomas is waning and now he's all about super heroes. He has decided to be Iron Man for Halloween after talking about being a vampire all year! I flaked and we bought his costume today, it's just a lot easier that way. As you may have noticed from the picture on the right he has lost another tooth. I was almost hoping that it would fall out before his school pictures were taken but it took another few days of him wiggling and twisting before he got a visit from the Tooth Fairy. Please pardon the quality of the photos my camera's batteries decided to die just before the photo shoot so it was my cell phone to the rescue.

Let's see...what else has been going on? My Dad had a stroke but he's doing just fine the only thing that has changed is his desire to quit smoking and he's on insulin shots twice a day. I think he still has some numbness on one side but that is improving. Once again he's escaped an early death. Nathaniel is still in the trucking industry. He's been on the road for a month at a time for a while now, probably almost a year. He's seriously looking for other options that will have him home at least three nights a week if not every night. Here's hoping that happens sooner than later. Our car decided to crap out on us last weekend while Nathaniel was home. It left us stranded on the side of the interstate. Luckily my parents were able to come get Geof and me while Nathaniel stayed behind to wait for the tow truck. He was there for over 5 hours! This happened on a Saturday and we didn't get the car back from the shop until the following Tuesday or Wednesday. Thank God we extended the warranty on that hunk of shit because it saved us about 2 grand for the repairs. We're very displeased with the particular General Motors product we purchased and it will most likely be the last we ever own. Period.

That about sums up the past month or so. What have you been up to?

Six Years On

Today is my 6^th wedding anniversary. Nathaniel is on the road again so it's just been another day around here. It's been a few years since Nathaniel has been home on our anniversary...at least that's what it feels like. You might catch me in a lie if you go back through the archives, but I don't have the energy to check my facts at the moment. At any rate, here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure. Be kind and excuse my rounded belly and bootylicious booty because I was busy growing a human when these pictures were taken.

School Daze

Yesterday was Geof's first day of Kindergarten....and we've all survived it mostly intact. Nathaniel came home off the road on Friday with a cold. We pumped orange juice and vitamins into Geof all weekend in the hopes that he wouldn't be sick for his first day of school. At 2am the night before he wakes me up to tell me he has a stuffy nose. I gave him some cold medicine and sent him back to bed. At 6:30am we got him up and he was all stuffed up. We fed him a small breakfast with orange juice and a few minutes later he puked it all up. We hesitated about taking him on to school but decided the puking incident was just nerves. At 7:30am we took him on to school. I walked him inside and to the gym where all the students gather before the school day starts. We sat for a while in his assigned area until he decided he needed to use the bathroom. We did that and I walked him back to the gym, pointed out where he needed to sit, waved goodbye and left. We did our hugs and kisses outside the gym so as not to embarrass him on his first day! I left the school fighting tears the whole way. I never did cry in spite of wanting to crawl in a hole to weep. Nathaniel took me on to work and I watched the clock all day wondering how he was doing and if he was ok. Nathaniel and Geof picked me up from work later that afternoon. Geof's response to my questions about the day was a hearty two thumbs up! He had a great time and I was relieved. He doesn't have to go today because they've staggered the start time for Kindergarteners. The other half of his class goes today and everyone goes tomorrow and for the rest of the year. Today he'll spend trying to get well enough to head back tomorrow. All in all it was a success and we've crossed another milestone in his life. I'm hanging in there and looking forward to whatever comes next!

Long time, no post

Let's see...what has gone on since my last post? Well, I had another tooth pulled. That took place a week ago this past Wednesday. Recovery hasn't been as smooth compared to the last extraction. I think I have a dry socket, but I'm not sure. The pain feels different and it radiates up towards my ear. A double dose of Ibuprofen knocks out the pain, it's just more annoying than anything else. This coming Monday I have another appointment for a tooth extraction and a filling at the same time. Yay me! I really do like my dentist and her assistant though, they make the torture not so..torturous!

Nathaniel came home from the road on the 16th, the same day as my last extraction. We had a really great time. Our relationship is better than ever these days and it really does a heart good. We spent a lot of quality family time together. We took Geof fishing (that's where the sunburn in the pic came from) and went to a farm and picked blueberries. Geof says I'm not allowed to go fishing with them anymore since I'm bad luck for them. I caught two fish and they each caught one. They were all really small, the biggest was probably 5 inches from mouth to tail! We had fun in spite of the luck. Nathaniel and I also were able to get away for a date night and went to an Unknown Hinson show in Charlotte. Great fun was had by all to say the least. It's nice to look forward to his arrival again, instead of his leaving.

I've also been looking for a job since we moved and finally got my first call back last week! And.....I got the job! My 6 year "vacation" will officially end next Wednesday the 30th. I'm nervous because I feel so old and out of touch but I'm really looking forward to some interaction with other adult humans! I'll be working for a non-profit group that serves individuals with mental and physical disabilities by teaching them job skills. My official position is called a job coach. I don't fully understand the entire operation but I get the gist. Basically it's a small time manufacturing type place. They get orders from local companies to do small odd jobs such as checking small parts for defects and sending back the ones that are good. Our clients are paid usually by piece work my job is to make sure they stay on task and help when necessary. The organization provides jobs to people who are otherwise unemployable. It gives them the satisfaction and pride in themselves that they would not have otherwise. My job itself is a piece of cake really, I'm most nervous about the social aspect of it and learning the quirks and personalities of my clients and how to effectively communicate with them. My younger sister was in a home from the age of two with handicapped children, so I'm somewhat experienced in being around people who have mental and physical retardations. I'm most excited to be a part of an organization who's mission I can get behind and be proud of. I'm not going to be part of a money hungry corporate abomination whose mission and concern is global domination and the size of their bank accounts. The pay and benefits are more than I ever expected given the fact that I have nothing to offer on paper and it's a non-profit, the hours are perfect for me especially once Geof starts school. (8:15am-3:45pm M-F). Yeah, I couldn't have asked a Genie for a better job to fall in my lap. Of course, I haven't started working yet, but I did get to tour the place a few days ago and fell in love with everyone there. I guess the only down side is that it's only a 35 hour work week, but it does give me room, should the need ever arise, to take on a second full time job. Flexibility is always a plus. Geof will be staying with my Dad aka "Pop" while I'm at work so it works out really well for everyone!

That's the news from here. I guess with the new job I won't be posting as often......ok, you can stop laughing at me now. I wonder if there's some kind of laxative that helps with blogging irregularity?

The aftermath

Ugh. Well I survived the extraction but things didn't exactly go as planned. My appointment was scheduled for 3:10pm, I got there 15 minutes early hoping to get in and get out quickly. That didn't happen. It was almost 4:15 before I even got into the dentist's chair. First came the numbing cream, then the many shots of Novocaine. At that point I was still in good spirits with only a slightly elevated heart rate. Once things were good and numb the pulling began. The Dr. pulled and pulled on the top tooth, then on the bottom, then back to the top. I thought at one point she was going to break my face...seriously...I could feel my facial bones directly under and around my nose bending and straining. Not pleasant. I requested more numbing a few times in between the tug-o-war sessions she was having with my face. Finally the sucker came out and I began to bleed. And bleed. And bleed some more. She shoved some gauze in my mouth and told me to bite down on it to help stop the bleeding then she left for a bit and came back. Still bleeding. More gauze. Still bleeding so she put in some sort of artificial clotting thing that my body will eventually absorb this slowed the bleeding a bit and work began on the lower tooth. Another tug-o-war session. This time I could feel things a little more than I wanted to and requested more Novocaine. I get the numbing agent and while she let it do its thing she decided to suture the top hole because it's still weeping a bit...no pain, no problem. Then she starts pulling again and I can still feel it. It was never intense pain just intense localized pressure and far more sensation than with the first tooth. At that point I had already been given the maximum amount of Novocaine they could legally give me and the decision was made to stop everything and try again in a few weeks. I was a-ok with that decision because by that time I was so exhausted and relieved both mentally and physically that I began to shake and cry uncontrollably. I felt like a complete idiot, but she was very understanding. [Which reminds me...I'm over 5 years post-partum and I still cry way too easily and I can't take pain like I could before. When will my hormones return to normal or am I stuck this way?] I walked out of the office a little after 5:30pm with 3 prescriptions and a wad of gauze soaking up the still oozing hole. Quite the lovely mess.

Apparently I am a medical oddity in the world of dentistry. My mouth is small, my jaw narrow, my teeth crowded, misshapen, and with what look like fused roots. Awesome. The tooth that gave so much trouble is in a weird location and sitting right against the curve of the jaw bone making it a beast to work with. Again...awesome. You can sort of see what I mean about fused roots in the next pictures. Instead of a normal tooth that has 3-4 prongs coming down mine has one gigantic one. It's been soaking in bleach since the dentists assistant handed me the cup it came home in. I have no idea what the white stuff on the root end is so don't ask. I hope the flower makes it look a little less gross. Personally, I find gross things very interesting. I still have some of my gallstones in a cup...perhaps I'll share them in a future post?

At this point I'm a little over 48 hours post-extraction and I feel just fine. One prescription I got was for vicodin, the other for nausea, and the other for motrin. I've taken the motrin during the day mostly because it lasts longer and I don't want to be too dopey to care for Geof. I took the vicodin the first night and it kept me awake {weird, right?} and then when I did get to sleep I had bizarre dreams and woke up constantly making me cranky the next day. I took it again last night and the same thing happened. I'll stick to the motrin, it lasts longer anyway. My only discomfort is from the half-pulled bottom tooth, it's not exactly in the same place it used to be but it isn't loose and doesn't interfere with chewing, just sore. Right now I feel like I'm teething, my gums sort of itch and I would love to gnaw on something hard...like a stick. I guess that means things are healing.

It may not sound like it from this post but I really like my dentist and her assistant. They were both very quick to stop everything when I would wince or squeak and very calming and patient.

Deadbeat Blogger, teeth, and other matters

I suck and I don't want to hear any arguments to the contrary! We're all moved in but there are still a couple boxes that haven't yet been unpacked. You spend 5 years learning just how much junk every little nook and cranny can handle and how to configure and store said junk and when you move to a slightly larger space it's hard to fill the void! Sounds crazy, I know....well it does if that last sentence made any sense. I'm very pleased with the new digs and I'm now to the fun decorating part and it's sending my creative juices flying...that's a gross mental image, sorry. My brain is so overloaded with ideas that it's beginning to short circuit and nothing much is getting done on the decorating front. Oh, and don't even get me started about my trip to Lowe's to check out the paint selection!

Now on to the teeth portion of this post to which the title eluded. Today at 3:10pm I will be getting the first 2 of 4 teeth ripped from my head. Yeah, I'm really excited. Small mouth + super far back/tightly packed teeth + years without dental insurance = Cavities requiring either extraction or hours of awkward positions and painful fillings. I was actually relieved when the dentist suggested having them pulled. I have to basically unhinge my jaw in order to open it wide enough to allow much work to be done back there. It's uncomfortable to say the least. The fact that I have to get my teeth pulled because of their condition is very embarrassing and I can't believe I'm putting all this out there for the world to use against me but, shit happens right? It's not like my personal hygiene is lacking because of things within my control. Tight spots and big hands...you do the math.

In other news George Carlin is dead. That sucks. He wasn't exactly a comedian from my generation but what kid (or adult for that matter) doesn't giggle through his "7 dirty words you can't say on TV" bit? He was and still is one of my favorite comedians of all time. He will be missed.

I'm Baaack!

We're finally in the new place officially. The cable and internet were hooked up yesterday and the keys to the old place were returned the day before. The new place is still a disaster, but not quite as bad. Everything is at least in the room where it belongs, but most things are still in boxes and will remain there for a while I'm sure. I've decided that I hate moving and feel as though I've aged 20 years in one weekend but I'm hopeful that the move was worth it. We asked Geof the first night we stayed in the new house what he thought of his room and his reply was, "it's paradise!". It is much larger than his old room and all his toys are in there now instead of in the living room. We've put in a small garden of tomatoes and I'll probably add some peppers as soon as I get to it on the to-do list....which has grown into quite a monster. All in all we're very pleased with the place, the neighbors are closer and on one side a little rowdier than the rest, but nothing too bad. I think we'll like it here and I'm looking forward to getting all these damn boxes out of my house!

A half truth

Dunkin' Donuts coffee isn't exactly my preferred caffeine source. I prefer Folgers or if I'm going high-brow a little fresh ground Fair Trade coffee. I'm no coffee snob trust me, I've only been to a Starbucks once, and usually the only coffee in my house is whatever pre-ground, vacuum sealed variety was on sale at the grocery store. I do however LOVE freebies and I like coffee and I think sharing rocks...so, this is my gift to you! Enjoy!

A Mother's Day Wish

I would like to take a moment to wish everyone a Happy Mother's Day. To all the birth mothers, adoptive mothers, second mothers, step mothers, surrogate mothers, mothers-to-be, mothers who never got to be mothers, and even the Fathers out there who have to play both roles I wish you all a safe and happy Mother's Day. Sometimes it's hard to find the time to enjoy the ride or to even catch a breath because time slips away far too quickly. Hopefully today you'll be able to at least slow the pace and take the time to enjoy the reasons why most of us put up with so much crap both literally and not....or at least lock yourself in your secret hideout for a little peace and quiet while you snack on your favorite sweets and enjoy a little calm.

*The Peruvian Lilies in this post are from Nathaniel and Geof and came a few days early as a surprise Mother's Day gift...they're really a lot more beautiful in person.

I hurt...

...EVERYWHERE! I guess that's what 6 hours of scrubbing a kitchen floor while on your hands and knees will do for you. I swear the new rental is filthy...the previous tenants apparently had 3 large dogs that were allowed inside...mud, fur and all. I do believe that had I really inspected it before signing the lease I would have run screaming the other way. The place does have potential to be really cute and that's what keeps me keeping on. Well, that and the fact that I can't in good conscience let my child live in that place until it has been scrubbed and sanitized top to bottom. It's as close to sterile as it can get at the moment. I spent all day yesterday cleaning since yesterday was the last day I had until we move in officially. The kitchen, bathroom, living room and Geof's room are all cleaned. I'll worry about my own room once we get there...it needed the least amount of work anyway. I also cut the grass for the first time in years. That was fun for about a minute then the novelty wore off. It's times like those when I wish Geof were a little older so I could pay him to do it!

And miles to go before I sleep

Today has been non stop it seems. Things started off early with an AM appointment with Geof's pediatrician to get his immunizations for school. That went more smoothly than I could ever have imagined. Geof was a real trooper and he made his mother extremely proud. He had to get 4 shots, 2 in each arm and he never shed a tear, flinched, or made a fuss. I could tell he wanted to though because his little chin was trembling ever so slightly. I've been dreading this day for a while, but apparently there was no need! He passed all of his exams and screenings with flying colors and has the all clear to attend school. That means I'm one step closer to letting him out into the world. After Geof's appointment I took him to McDonald's for lunch...as promised...and the rest of the day until about 30 minutes ago was spent doing laundry and packing up all the non-essentials. I think we have more non-essentials than essentials...how very American of us! Tomorrow we'll head down to my folks' and we'll get him registered for school and I'll hopefully get some utilities on and some cleaning done over at the new place. I really hate this part of moving, right now both places are disasters!