Evidence of a Poorly Caffeinated Morning

I'm friendly at the park.

"What's your name?" I asked the mom at the neighboring swing.

"Kristi," she said.

small talk small talk. swing swing swing. small talk small talk. swing swing swing. Gussie climbs the slide and is about to jump off --

My mind won't work. Name jumbling ensues. I can't remember which one he is. I know he's mine. I search for his name but all I scream is:

"KRISTI !!!"

She jumped like a cat and looked, needless to say, confused.

"Oh," I muttered. "I meant ..."

Now, would someone please lock me up on days like that -- when the bags under my eyes are the size of large hams and I confuse my children's names with those of strangers at the park.

On days like that, all 5 of you should join in one accord and for the sake of humanity (and the survival of my children) bring me coffee -- an IV of espresso -- a can of Coke -- a whiff of your English Breakfast tea ... if not for me, do it for the children; do it for KRISTI !!!

This One's for Uncle Bunkle

Follow this link to see what happens when you combine Diet Coke and Mentos (although everybody probably already saw this like five years ago and I'm just a dork thinking I'm the cool one to point it out ...). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKoB0MHVBvM

I thought of my Uncle Tim when I first watched the above experiment. Uncle Tim, who emailed me this week with the following words of wisdom:

"You can pick your friends. You can pick your nose. But you can't pick your friend's nose."

That is so true. Have a great day, Uncle Bunkle!

Bring on the Mormons

"Home in Need of Mormonic Instruction"

"Desperately Seeking Mormons"

"Mormons Mormons We Love Mormons"

"Joseph Smith is Rad and so are You"

These were just a few of my sign ideas that I threatened my husband with if he fell asleep on the couch again rather than give me the adult conversation that I so desperately need. That was last night at 7:30. He was snoring by 7:45.

So tonight, I have a big bottle of Sprite and I'm gonna be sitting on my front porch waiting for guys in ties. I actually heard one was good looking.

Now, I know this isn't kind to do to my dear old Pete but it's Friday night and a girls got to live a little. Besides, once he reads this post he might just run out to rent a movie and buy popcorn ... maybe even some wine ... come on, Pete, I'd take you over a Mormon anyday.

Cherish Life

My friend Anne lost her husband Yong Min last month. He died after a long battle with cancer. Here is a link to a tribute to him. http://weblog.xanga.com/AnneofAvenel/661961437/remembering-daddy.html

Great Blog

This is my new favorite blog. This guy is a total spazz (that's a compliment in my world). http://sardoniccatholicdad.blogspot.com/2008/06/marys-plan-to-end-war.html

My One and Only

You know I'm not one for husband gushing but my one and only let me sleep in this morning (taking the fussy baby downstairs at 6 a.m.) then brought me coffee in bed at 8:30 (that's like 11 am to people who don't have kids) on FATHER'S DAY. God bless him. A poem about Pete:

Pete's our hero.

He's strong and gentle.

He fights for us tooth and nail to provide and protect.

When he returns from work every evening, it's like the sun has come up.

We love him. We love him. We love him.

Happy Father's Day, Pete.

Here's to more babies and to more Father's Days where I hope your only presents will be more than kisses and sand toys.

Edwina Edwina

This girl's got my back. God rest her soul. I just know the founder of La Leche League smiled down on me as I nursed Simeon on the park bench today.

Here's an article about her:

"La Leche founder changed attitudes about breastfeeding"
June 12, 2008

By MATT KIEFER mkiefer@pioneerlocal.com

Friends and family have spent the week reflecting on the life of Edwina Froehlich, a local pioneer for natural childbirth and breastfeeding who died Sunday (June 8).

Froehlich co-founded La Leche League with a group of neighborhood women in Franklin Park during the late 1950s, teaching other mothers how to nurse their infants at a time when doctors promoted formula and breastfeeding rates were reportedly near 20 percent.

"In those days you didn't mention 'breast' in print. We knew that if we were ever going to get anything in the paper, we would have to find a name that wouldn't actually tell people what our organization was about," Froehlich once explained when telling the origin of the group's name (Spanish for "the milk"), according to biographical information provided by La Leche League.

Her Franklin Park home served as the group's original offices, and she remained closely involved over the years as La Leche grew into an international organization with 3,000 groups in more than 60 countries. Froehlich also co-authored The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, which now has 2 million copies in print.

She moved to Inverness a few years ago, continuing to serve on the board, travel and speak on behalf of the Schaumburg-based organization until suffering a stroke last month. She passed away June 8 at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights at age 93.

Froehlich was inspired to take up the cause after observing her sister in labor in the early 1940s, when fathers were ushered from the hospital room, women received general anesthesia and babies were delivered via forceps.

"Mom was kind of shocked by the whole process," remarked her son, Paul Froehlich, a state representative from Schaumburg who in 2004 co-sponsored legislation allowing Illinois women to breast-feed their children in public. He also supported a state law allowing nursing mothers to excuse themselves from jury duty.

Paul Froehlich noted how norms have changed since La Leche was founded more than half a century ago. The league reports 77 percent of babies in America are now breast-fed at birth.

"I think nowadays people are getting more comfortable with the idea," he said, noting La Leche received an outpouring of support from league members around the world who are grateful for Edwina Froehlich's work. "We're getting a better feel of how many lives she affected directly and even more indirectly."

Simeon and His Daddy

I have a thing for guys in stripes.

Yes, I am That Crazy Neighbor Lady (Parts II and III)

And so it happened.

Our 4pm "Mommy's losing her mind and needs you to leave her alone while she makes dinner " video almost drowned out the sound of mowing outside my window.

Really, it was destiny that made me glance up to see Some Guy mowing the weeds Weeds WEEDS!!!

I couldn't believe it. I abandoned my first and second born, grabbed the camera and took off -- bare feet, running and laughing with a baby bouncing in the crook of my arm. Guy didn't seem to mind posing.

I then thought it was only fit to return with a note of thanks.

To which the owner asked while she saw me hanging it:

"Did you post the 'weeds. Weeds. WEEDS!!' sign?"

To which I was tempted to reply:

"Nope; I just have the same handwriting, manilla folder sign and Sharpie ..."

But instead I casually replied:

"Yeah" (as if I had been asked if I wanted a side of fries with that shake)

I hung my sign and paused for a few photos.

She watched stiffly then mumbled something about plans for pavement. The sky was peachy pink and smelled like freshly cut weeds. We looked at the sign wondering who should take it down. It was quiet. I got nervous and wanted to run away but opted for a smile and a slow side swagger.

To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed that they mowed so quickly. The following would have been future weed signs:

"Weeds are Rad."

"We Love Weeds."

"Save the Weeds."

"Weeds Have Feelings Too."

And finally, Haven's favorite:

"Weeds for Me. Weeds for You. Weeds for Us All in a Big Brown Shoe."