Literatimommy

Saturday, April 29, 2006

Breadstick of Doom and Gloom for Dieters

I've been dieting lately, trying to squirm back into those size tens and shed the extra baby pounds (baby pounds, which is code for weight gained while binging like crazy during the wee hours of the morning as I tried to console an irritible baby). My wonderful husband created a spreadsheet (at my request, ladies...) to calculate my calories. Did you know how many calories each breadstick from pizza hut has? Just the breadsticks, sans cheese. These dry, albiet yummy concoctions dipped in marinara sauce have 270 calories each! That is more calories that one slice of thin and crispy pizza with hamburger topping! Before I knew this, I managed to eat four plus two slices of pizza. Yikes! So, although breadsticks sound like they would be good for you, an innocent little addition to a healthy salad or a supplement to your slice of pizza, BEWARE! You could eat a whole slice of hand tossed pizza with canadian bacon for exactly the same calories. Now, on to the treadmill where I will have to walk at a medium pace for at least 4 hours to burn off those calories. And if you are ever so inclined, pizza hut has an excellent website which calculates the calories and fat of the pizza one scarfs down while trying to eat before someone needs a diaper changed, a drink, a napkin, out of their high chair, a dvd turned on, pants off, ect.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

happy birthday, daddy! And More Throw up, too!

Today was my hubbies 32nd birthday! I organized dinner for our family at an upscale Mexican food place, and we met him there after work. Moments after his brother arrived, presto chango, more puke! From Jackson. All over Mike and I. All over the floor. All over the lobby. I didn't know 3 year olds could hold so much vomit! So, mike got the ticket, and cleaned up as much as possible, and many apologies and a huge tip later, we were on the way home. We will not forget this birthday! On the way home, Jackson requested an ambulance because, "Jack's sick." Funny Funny Boy. I'll be glad when this little stomach bug leaves us!

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Here's a booger and other grossities

It's been a great, surprising weekend. It's been a weekend filled with fun, camping. But the funniest thing that has happened today was this. I was walking by on my way to the living room and my son, who is three, was reclining in his chair. I said, Hey, Jack! He said, Hey Momma, here's a booger. And he reached out his hand. What? I said. Did you say booger, like from your nose? yeah, he said nonchalantly. And that sums up life lately. About three days ago, I awoke to a cry from his room. I ran in, as he sounded desperate. I swooped him quickly, only to get thrown up on. Nice. He was fine the next day, so I assumed it was a rarity. My mistake as a rookie mom. So we went camping. I was giving my ten month old her bottle. Molly made one gagging sound, and bam, three days later, I was thrown up on again. Nice. Only this time, we were in nana and papa's camper. I had to shower in their tiny shower while mike, my hubby, changed and cleaned molly. While I was in the shower, Jack opened the shower door and said hey momma. I see momma's bobos, which is code for boobies. Right in front of my family; my dad, my mom, and everyone. Ahh, being a mom is never dull.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

The blues

my husband has a great job. by great job, i mean a job that pays very well, and pays good bonuses, and one that he doesn't hate most of the time. So, i guess that isn't a great job. anyway, one major drawback to this job is his work! he works late frequently, and we live 45 minutes to an hour from his office. So, that means its me and two kids under two for most of the day. i have long hours. usually 10-12 hours a day. so, this time of day is my worst time of day. i eat or surf the net just to get through! its 3-6 p.m. that i hate. i hate that most people in suburbia are having dinner with their families, or their parents are watching their kids play a game, while i am here with the kids. i honestly try to make a fun day for the kids. i love them immensely. but going on tweleve hours of something does get monotonus. ( i realize that word is misspelled, i just don't have the energy to check it!) not to mention, i love my husband and miss you a lot during the day. he is my best friend. he is funny, handsome, and just plain cute. so, i'm singing with EJ tonight....I guess that's why they call it the blues, time on my hands, could be time spent with you!

Monday, April 17, 2006

Duke Lacrosse

My Response to Kathleen Parker
I'm angry. There, I said it! Everyone knows it is better not to write/ speak/ or do anything except scrub a floor or box angry. But I am going to ignore my better judgment to respond to Kathleen Parker's defense of the Duke Lacrosse team. She said in her article which was published in the Star Telegram that the collective societal "we" should not jump to judge the Lacrosse players guilty just because they hired a stripper who claims she was "gang raped" by some of the young men. Here is what I know. Hiring strippers is seedy. Going to strip clubs is seedy. Watching a virtual stranger move for personal arousal is bordering on adultery. It denigrates the humanity of both the stripper and the person who hired the stripper. And, although she said in her article that viewing the lacrosse players as "privileged thus guilty" is wrong, I disagree. Kathleen, people aren't assuming their guilt. They're angry because these boys should know/do better! These boys are privileged. They have been blessed with athletic ability, strength, and an excellent opportunity to earn a college education while playing sports at an elite school. Somewhere along the way, didn't they learn that to whom much is given, much is required? While I refuse to assume their guilt in the rape, much of the anger regarding the situation is because they seem unchanged by their excellent opportunities and gifts. And, they also seem unchanged by the experience. This outrage, she argues, equates to a mob mentality waiting to for blood from the players. This analogy is laughable. Ironically she mentions a mob mentality, which, in my mind, is reminiscent of the mobs of white people who hung blacks who were accused of raping white women. A black youth was even murdered for whistling at a white woman. So, obviously, there is the race factor. All of the players of the lacrosse team were white, save one. The dancers were black. Also, all of the players, obviously, were male. At best, thirty to forty males to one or two female ratio. The balance of power there is obvious. Thirty male college athletes versus one female stripper. Even if you discount race, sex and socioeconomic status, thirty to one odds don't sound great. Perhaps to get a clear picture of what that looks like, we could use a sports analogy. Thirty NBA athletes playing a game against one. Even if all things are equal, and the one athlete was also an NBA athlete, that wouldn't be a game I'd like to watch. And, speaking of watching, what if no one was watching? What if all the athletes were playing in a dark house at night while drinking? What if one of them, after the game, sent out an email in which he said he wanted to skin the other player and murder him? I'm sorry Kathleen, I just don't' buy your, "even though they were lubricated with testosterone and liquor, they're not guilty," defense; and your caveat that "no one deserves a citizenship award," rings hollow. The thing is, I'm betting at least half of these guys are from a priviledged background. And, although it doesn't convict them, it does set them up to be more than just a stupid meat-head athlete. These young men don't need your defense, Kathleen. They have plenty of people willing to defend them, including the lawyer their parents hired, and even their coach! Not to mention all the elitist of the world, like you, who cry reverse racism. These athletes should apologize, at least, for their insensitivities in hiring a stripper, getting drunker than Dick Cheney on a duck hunt, and stop hiding behind their parents. Their behavior, although possibly not criminal belies the privildges and blessings they have recieved. And, although I do expect more of them, I expect more of you, too, Kathleen. Defending the already defended and priviledged class of people in society will not win you a Peabody or a Pulitzer, Kathleen, but it might get you a season pass to the next year's Duke Lacrosse games.