Minutes from a Thursday

Last year, our whole family went with Daddy to a meeting in Boston. This year, that same meeting is being held in Vegas. I spent most of a frustrating day talking on the phone (my most favoritest thing!) to United's frequent flier mile travel reps, all outsourced in India, trying to figure out how to get our family to Vegas for free. Daddy joined in for a good portion of the frustration this evening. We ignored our children. They were peeved. We were peeved. I am about ready to spend our vacation money on a nice quiet trip to the Poconos. At least when it's this cold, they have snow there.

GAH!

We went to playgroup this morning, which was nice. SOMETHING to get us out and away from the infernal cold. During cleanup time, I caught Isaac mid-description of his stomach flu to one mommy. He was so excited. "And my mommy put a pukey-pot next to my bed at night in case I had to throw up!" I was all "It's over! He's all better!" And she was all "I know. He told me." Of course he did, that Professor Isaac.

Another snippet from Isaac today. Daddy dressed him this morning in a dapper new brown shirt Mamaw bought him for Christmas. Daddy himself wore a brown sweater, so Isaac commented on how they were matchies. Also, he wanted Daddy to know, "Your shirt is the coolest". No, said Daddy, Isaac's shirt is the coolest. "Daddy, your shirt is definitely the coolest." And so on and so forth for a few minutes until Isaac stopped their debate with, "Daddy, why don't we just agree that we both look cooler than everybody else?"

Jacob is in a growth spurt. He eats every minute of every waking hour, and the last two nights he has awakened hungry in the middle of the night. Isaac and I have also figured out that Jake will sit still for Magic Tree House books. Chapter books! Kid is TWO.

Also, Jacob wants to take his new scooter with him everywhere. He fusses unholy at me if I don't let him ride it from the door to the car and then transport the thing around town under his feet. It's ridiculous. To get some exercise on Sunday and visit Daddy while he was at work, we took their scooters in Daddy's building and scooted up and down the empty halls. It was a hoot.

As for me, I am in the middle of writing two books, both due at the end of the month, because I am secretly an insomniac. Also, I dyed my hair dark brown. It doesn't suit me, I think. It will be blondish again soon.

Daddy is trying to write three papers by the end of the month and is trudging along, as one would expect from someone who has worked every day since we've been home.

We love our children so much and wish for less busy times. But until then, we curse our babysitter and the knee surgery she had to have that is keeping her away from us. What was she thinking with all this tendon-repairing nonsense?