Well...I started this blog thinking I was going to be a rockstar blogger...you know blogging daily or at least weekly. But no....it's been MONTHS! Apparently I might be one of those people who has an idea, starts it , then never finishes it. Oh wait...that's what I always accuse my husband of. Uh-oh...pot. kettle. black! And no Omarosa, that is NOT a racist statement! UG!
Anyway...Mother of the Year...well....instead of blogging, I took a different path to share these funny little stories that my friends and I laugh about. I started writing an article in Family Spectrum magazine. It's a local Omaha publication that I just sort of fell into. So, NO , I'm not a COMPLETE quitter...but I guess if I am going to mention the blog in my articles , I better start blogging!
So if ANYONE is out there following this blog with all it's cobwebs on it, hold me to blogging! Call me on it when it's been too long that I've posted something. Hey - Post a funny thing that happened to you!
I'm back babies! Well...I think I am!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Friday, June 17, 2011
My First Time....
Looking back, I think I remember my first time I witnessed a Mother of the Year Award Nominee. My husband and I were visiting my oldest, dearest friend (we'll call her Marie) who now lived about 4 hours away from us. Marie and Buddy were the first of our friends to have a child. Their son Andy was around 9 weeks old if I remember correctly. What I most vividly remember about the trip...crying, a lot of crying...oh and their little dog barking...a lot of barking! And a story that makes me ROFL and LOL everytime I think about it! It was a weekend my childless self will NEVER forget.
They lived in an area known for producing wine, so of course we went wine tasting (note to readers - we did not go out and get drunk w/ a 9 week baby in tow...we basically went out for 2 one ounce samples of wine...and mom didn't drink!). All 5 us hit our first (and only...read on) vineyard...leaving that barking mutt at home to the relief of our sanity. Don't worry, Marie knows that dog and I have a love/hate relationship. The baby was happy (finally) and we were happy because our wine loving selves had Marie as a built in chauffeur and some peace and quiet! Before we knew it, Josh and I felt like ourselves again, sipping some grape with friends in a quite environment, admiring Marie and Buddy's adorable little boy. But alas, our peaceful get together with old friends was interrupted by a dirty diaper. No big deal...Buddy offered to take Andy to the car to change him. I mean, why bring a diaper bag into a winery right...they aren't likely to have a changing table are they? As Marie, Josh and I caught up and I finished a glass of wine, we began to wonder what was taking Buddy so long to change a diaper.
We decided we better head out to the car to check on them. When we arrived, we could not contain our laughter...and to this day, I feel badly about it! The diaper was DIRTY. He had removed it. He replaced the diaper with a new one. Andy instantly made another DIRTY diaper. He went to replace it again, only the diaper bag was EMPTY. We're in the middle of wine country...there isn't a store for miles...we're at least 30 minutes from their house...Buddy is out there with a naked baby and no diaper and the cell phone wouldn't work to call us inside to tell us what is going on and he's a new dad and doesn't know what to do. I'm LMFAO just thinking about it! (SORRY GUYS...IT WAS FUNNY!)
Marie sort of freaks out, I'm TRYING to contain my laughter, they are frustrated beyond belief, you can see the new parent exhaustion set it at just that moment. The wrap him a blanket, try to secure him as best they can in the car seat and we drive looking for somewhere to buy a diaper. We find a gas station and Buddy comes out with size 3 diapers....they are as big as Andy! Marie is NOT happy. Buddy remains calm. We don't say too much and try to keep straight faces. Just as Marie unwraps Andy to attempt to put a size 3 diaper on a 9 week baby boy...he pees all over her and the car. If only he was a she, it wouldn't have been as funny! *Sorry Marie, I'm LMFAO right now again....
She's had it...just had it...I'm laughing and wanting to cry at the same time...I feel so bad for her...helpless and at the time I had NOT one motherly instinct in my body. She must have felt so alone and exhausted and I felt so bad for her. If I were her, I probably would've been bawling hysterically or running down the road freaking out!
The phone started working, Buddy called and ordered pizza, we picked up beer and the huge tri-tip bbq feast they had planned for us was cancelled in an instant. The ride home, silent.
When she reads this, she'll probably be mad at me for posting it...but I bet it was her first MOTY moment. She's such a wonderful mom, I doubt she's had very many others! It was certainly the first one I witnessed and above ALL else...it has ALWAYS made me anal retentive about having a fully stocked diaper bag at all times!
*Names have been changed to protect the innocent!
They lived in an area known for producing wine, so of course we went wine tasting (note to readers - we did not go out and get drunk w/ a 9 week baby in tow...we basically went out for 2 one ounce samples of wine...and mom didn't drink!). All 5 us hit our first (and only...read on) vineyard...leaving that barking mutt at home to the relief of our sanity. Don't worry, Marie knows that dog and I have a love/hate relationship. The baby was happy (finally) and we were happy because our wine loving selves had Marie as a built in chauffeur and some peace and quiet! Before we knew it, Josh and I felt like ourselves again, sipping some grape with friends in a quite environment, admiring Marie and Buddy's adorable little boy. But alas, our peaceful get together with old friends was interrupted by a dirty diaper. No big deal...Buddy offered to take Andy to the car to change him. I mean, why bring a diaper bag into a winery right...they aren't likely to have a changing table are they? As Marie, Josh and I caught up and I finished a glass of wine, we began to wonder what was taking Buddy so long to change a diaper.
We decided we better head out to the car to check on them. When we arrived, we could not contain our laughter...and to this day, I feel badly about it! The diaper was DIRTY. He had removed it. He replaced the diaper with a new one. Andy instantly made another DIRTY diaper. He went to replace it again, only the diaper bag was EMPTY. We're in the middle of wine country...there isn't a store for miles...we're at least 30 minutes from their house...Buddy is out there with a naked baby and no diaper and the cell phone wouldn't work to call us inside to tell us what is going on and he's a new dad and doesn't know what to do. I'm LMFAO just thinking about it! (SORRY GUYS...IT WAS FUNNY!)
Marie sort of freaks out, I'm TRYING to contain my laughter, they are frustrated beyond belief, you can see the new parent exhaustion set it at just that moment. The wrap him a blanket, try to secure him as best they can in the car seat and we drive looking for somewhere to buy a diaper. We find a gas station and Buddy comes out with size 3 diapers....they are as big as Andy! Marie is NOT happy. Buddy remains calm. We don't say too much and try to keep straight faces. Just as Marie unwraps Andy to attempt to put a size 3 diaper on a 9 week baby boy...he pees all over her and the car. If only he was a she, it wouldn't have been as funny! *Sorry Marie, I'm LMFAO right now again....
She's had it...just had it...I'm laughing and wanting to cry at the same time...I feel so bad for her...helpless and at the time I had NOT one motherly instinct in my body. She must have felt so alone and exhausted and I felt so bad for her. If I were her, I probably would've been bawling hysterically or running down the road freaking out!
The phone started working, Buddy called and ordered pizza, we picked up beer and the huge tri-tip bbq feast they had planned for us was cancelled in an instant. The ride home, silent.
When she reads this, she'll probably be mad at me for posting it...but I bet it was her first MOTY moment. She's such a wonderful mom, I doubt she's had very many others! It was certainly the first one I witnessed and above ALL else...it has ALWAYS made me anal retentive about having a fully stocked diaper bag at all times!
*Names have been changed to protect the innocent!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Where are my followers
I KNOW I have more than 5 friends...come on guys...sign up as my followers please...Also, I'd appreciate it if you share a MOTY story here...please, pretty please!!!! Maybe facebook isn't as effective of a marketing tool as a I thought it would be! I guess I better send out an invitation the old fashioned way...EMAIL!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Share your stories...
What are your Mother of the Year Moments???? And should it be just Mother of the Year...or maybe I should have titled it Parent of the Year. There are plenty of silly things that my husband has done that are less than perfect that we can laugh at...though , those moments are harder for me to laugh at than him!
Have you ever left the house to find your child didn't have shoes on? I've heard that one before from a friend?
Have you ever forgotten the diaper bag? I've heard that one too....
Share your fumbles, your mishaps and other silly things that you've done (or not done) that you look back and laugh at now...make some parents giggle that are having a rough day and need a laugh. As I think of more MOTY moments I've had, I'll post them too!
Have you ever left the house to find your child didn't have shoes on? I've heard that one before from a friend?
Have you ever forgotten the diaper bag? I've heard that one too....
Share your fumbles, your mishaps and other silly things that you've done (or not done) that you look back and laugh at now...make some parents giggle that are having a rough day and need a laugh. As I think of more MOTY moments I've had, I'll post them too!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Lost at the Mall...First Time I was MOTY and didn't know it!
Has your child ever gotten lost? I remember the ONE time it happened to me. It felt like 2 hours...in reality I have no idea how long he was lost...maybe 2-3 minutes. Let's set the stage shall we...Riley and I were at the mall...he was not quite 2. I was THAT mother. The one at the play area who usually stood by the exit so that all the other moms/kids had to walk around me to enter or exit the area so I could keep watch on my child. I was probably a fire hazard. Can you say OVERPROTECTIVE? I was new to the area and in order not to scare away the ONE mom friend I had, I took her advice and relaxed and sat down with her. What she didn't realize (having a perfectly well behaved daughter the same age) was that my son was notorious for escaping mall play areas. I NEVER took my eyes off of him...no matter what conversation we were having, I never looked at my friend, my eyes were glued to my child who darted from one area to another (like that guy that miraculously speeds across the tennis court retrieving rogue balls at Wimbeldon). When he moved to the side of the play area I couldn't see, I got up, left her mid conversation and watched him, then followed him back to where we were sitting.
As I was watching him, I started fumbling through my purse to get a snack ready for my 19 month old son...a trick to bribe him off the play equipment and lure him home. Both eyes on him, I dug through my giant bag for that darn Kids Clif Bar.....to no avail my hand could not find it unassisted by my eyeballs. I looked down into the bag, for what seemed mere seconds. Success..bar in hand, I looked up to call him over and he was nowhere to be found. PANIC! I remained calm...told my friend I couldn't find my little guy....scanned my eyes over every child in the place, looked in every nook and cranny as she scanned the play area at the mall. Moms could see the worry on my face, but few offered to help. After what seemed like an eternity...thoughts of was he kidnapped, did he go down the escalator, into the department store, where in this gazillion square foot mall could he be...my friend, bless her heart...spotted him 50 feet away playing in those fun car like strollers you can rent. I left everything, my purse, keys and all sense of self in the play area, ran over there, grabbed him and hugged him.
HE HAD NO IDEA I HAD LOST HIM! Surprisingly I never LOST it...I maintained a calm demeanor even though my stomach felt like it was in my throat about to escape my body. Mother of the Year? You decide? I did everything I could to keep my eye on my very active child. THE ONE TIME I decided to sit down instead of block the entrance/exit like a linebacker he got out......guess what. When people tell me I've overprotective or paranoid I think back to that time...and remember the fear, the heartache, the despair, the complete agony of not knowing where the ONE thing you love most in the world was. The one thing I would do anything for...I didn't know where he was for minutes or seconds. I NEVER want to feel that again. I never want to earn that "Mother of the Year" badge again. So I will never stop being overprotective....I will never give into sitting down at the play area with my now 2 year old daughter who will likely pull worse antics than he did...I will never allow that feeling to invade my body, soul, heart and mind as long as I live. MOTY? Yes....it was a bad thing htat happened, that probably most parents suffer through and empathize with...but this one...I'll NEVER be able to laugh about....This is one award I didn't want to win and one I rarely discuss with friends. I still feel like my stomach is going to leave my body when I think of it...5 years later!
Now that said....my friend at work was sharing his story about the Taste of Omaha last weekend. He, his wife and 3 year old precious daughter were there. They were by a large inflatable slide and noticed a 1.5-2 year old boy go down the slide, sprain his ankle and land at the bottom, crying and unable to walk. NO MOM IN SIGHT! When the mom did show up...all she did was show up..yell at the boy...and ask how he got out of his stroller...he'd been there for 10 minutes!!!! My friend's wife explained to the woman that her son was hurt...the woman stormed off w/ her child and never even thanked my friend and his wife for attending to her son. THIS IS NOT MOTY! This is just in my NOT SO HUMBLE opinion...bad parenting. I try my best NOT to judge others...especially mothers. BUT COME ON! How do you allow a 1.5 year old to get out of stroller at a MAJOR city event, take 15 minutes to find him, then not even comfort him or address his injuries! People...have fun, enjoy the city you live in, BUT PLEASE don't drink beer instead of watching you kids....take care of them and drink at home after they're asleep ! That's all I have to say about that!
Keep it positive moms- no judgement of other moms...most of us are doing the best we can...we need each other's support. IF YOU DON'T HAVE SUPPORT, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET SOME...MOM'S CLUB INTERNATIONAL, MOPS, MEETUP.COM...there are so many places for you to meet moms just like you! Don't be shy...get out there and meet other moms...it TRULY makes a world of difference!
As I was watching him, I started fumbling through my purse to get a snack ready for my 19 month old son...a trick to bribe him off the play equipment and lure him home. Both eyes on him, I dug through my giant bag for that darn Kids Clif Bar.....to no avail my hand could not find it unassisted by my eyeballs. I looked down into the bag, for what seemed mere seconds. Success..bar in hand, I looked up to call him over and he was nowhere to be found. PANIC! I remained calm...told my friend I couldn't find my little guy....scanned my eyes over every child in the place, looked in every nook and cranny as she scanned the play area at the mall. Moms could see the worry on my face, but few offered to help. After what seemed like an eternity...thoughts of was he kidnapped, did he go down the escalator, into the department store, where in this gazillion square foot mall could he be...my friend, bless her heart...spotted him 50 feet away playing in those fun car like strollers you can rent. I left everything, my purse, keys and all sense of self in the play area, ran over there, grabbed him and hugged him.
HE HAD NO IDEA I HAD LOST HIM! Surprisingly I never LOST it...I maintained a calm demeanor even though my stomach felt like it was in my throat about to escape my body. Mother of the Year? You decide? I did everything I could to keep my eye on my very active child. THE ONE TIME I decided to sit down instead of block the entrance/exit like a linebacker he got out......guess what. When people tell me I've overprotective or paranoid I think back to that time...and remember the fear, the heartache, the despair, the complete agony of not knowing where the ONE thing you love most in the world was. The one thing I would do anything for...I didn't know where he was for minutes or seconds. I NEVER want to feel that again. I never want to earn that "Mother of the Year" badge again. So I will never stop being overprotective....I will never give into sitting down at the play area with my now 2 year old daughter who will likely pull worse antics than he did...I will never allow that feeling to invade my body, soul, heart and mind as long as I live. MOTY? Yes....it was a bad thing htat happened, that probably most parents suffer through and empathize with...but this one...I'll NEVER be able to laugh about....This is one award I didn't want to win and one I rarely discuss with friends. I still feel like my stomach is going to leave my body when I think of it...5 years later!
Now that said....my friend at work was sharing his story about the Taste of Omaha last weekend. He, his wife and 3 year old precious daughter were there. They were by a large inflatable slide and noticed a 1.5-2 year old boy go down the slide, sprain his ankle and land at the bottom, crying and unable to walk. NO MOM IN SIGHT! When the mom did show up...all she did was show up..yell at the boy...and ask how he got out of his stroller...he'd been there for 10 minutes!!!! My friend's wife explained to the woman that her son was hurt...the woman stormed off w/ her child and never even thanked my friend and his wife for attending to her son. THIS IS NOT MOTY! This is just in my NOT SO HUMBLE opinion...bad parenting. I try my best NOT to judge others...especially mothers. BUT COME ON! How do you allow a 1.5 year old to get out of stroller at a MAJOR city event, take 15 minutes to find him, then not even comfort him or address his injuries! People...have fun, enjoy the city you live in, BUT PLEASE don't drink beer instead of watching you kids....take care of them and drink at home after they're asleep ! That's all I have to say about that!
Keep it positive moms- no judgement of other moms...most of us are doing the best we can...we need each other's support. IF YOU DON'T HAVE SUPPORT, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET SOME...MOM'S CLUB INTERNATIONAL, MOPS, MEETUP.COM...there are so many places for you to meet moms just like you! Don't be shy...get out there and meet other moms...it TRULY makes a world of difference!
Friday, June 3, 2011
WOW!
Ok...so this has nothing to do with me winning MOTY today...but I am happy to announce that I tried something new and succeeded! You know how hard it is trying to get your kids to try new foods right? Well imagine being 38 , set in your ways and busier than H-E-double hockey sticks! While meeting with someone at work who was trying to sell me advertising space, she was talking about how the magazine was growing. I asked if she was looking for new writers and if she'd consider letting me write an article (separate from my job) for the magazine...she said she'd give me a shot! Guess what! I submitted a test article and they actually LIKED it!!! Actually they used the word, LOVED (but I wasn't going to say anything in case you read the article in August and hate it) ...and they're going to publish it!!! Ok..don't get too excited, I'm not getting paid! But I'm proud of myself for going out on a limb, trying something completely new and it actually worked!!!! Ok, well maybe I do deserve a MOTY award today, but not in the sense I've come to know it by. In the sense, that I took a risk..for myself...not for my kids. I did something on my own, for me, to grow my creativity, use my brain in a new way, to grow my self esteem and to set a new goal for me. It's something small, but it's something just for me! I didn't use my gift certificate to buy them clothes and shoes again...I did it for myself! Today, I win!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Welcome!
So, I've never blogged a day in my life. But after having 2 kids, spending tons of time with my mom friends and sharing our Mom of the Year Award stories, I decided to start a blog about them. We all have them...the things that we've done or didn't do as moms that make us cringe or cry, but make our friends laugh or make them feel better about the parenting faux pas they've made!
We're not in this alone...NONE of us are perfect...if you are let's talk!
Share your MOTY stories here with me..The more the merrier!
I'll be sharing mine...there are lots to tell....I just hope you still respect me after you read them...haha!
We're not in this alone...NONE of us are perfect...if you are let's talk!
Share your MOTY stories here with me..The more the merrier!
I'll be sharing mine...there are lots to tell....I just hope you still respect me after you read them...haha!
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