Awake

April 1, 2008 · 3 comments

I got coupons in the mail today from Lane Bryant AND Victoria’s Secret. Hmm…fat and sexy? The fat thing I got goin’ on!  The sexy thing? Meh. Not in awhile my friends.

I seem to have some sort of insomnia thing going on.  For the past two nights I’ve been up past 1am watching episodes of Rescue Me on my iPhone.  I’m caught up with Season 4 now!   I like that show a lot. It’s pretty crude, crass, brash, and all those things, but I enjoy the human aspects of it – the struggles with loss and love and addiction. Plus, it’s pretty funny. Denis Leary, who, by the way, is not attractive to me at all, has this amazing appeal as Tommy Gavin.  Anyway, if you’ve seen and liked it, you know what I mean. It’s certainly not a show for everyone, but I enjoy it. Looking forward to a new season starting up – you know, so I can miss all of it, finally erase it from my DVR and then just download it on iTunes?

I don’t watch much television these days; not new shows anyway.  I used to be very loyal to a lot of shows, but they either aren’t on anymore or I just don’t really care anymore.  Like America’s Next Top Model? Never used to miss an episode. This season? Watched the first 3 and don’t even miss it.  I’ve never seen any of those popular shows like The Hills or Gossip Girl or Beverly Hills, 90210 or The OC or whatever else is on these days.  I guess I’d rather watch my one half-hour How I Met Your Mother and call it a night.  Well, that and House.  Try to keep me from watching the outrageous stunts that Dr. House pulls in order to save people he obviously can’t stand. Just try it!

(Ooh, side note: if you haven’t heard it yet, you should really do yourself a favor and listen to the Band From TV version of Minnie the Moocher – this version is a slideshow some fan put together on youtube)

Daily I am struck by the differences in my boys. Even though Preston copies nearly everything his big brother does, he is very much so his own little man with his own amazing personality. He has always been my little snuggler. (That’s with an N, not M.) Obviously their respective ages make them different – where Matt is hyper, lanky, impatient, loud and high-maintenance, Preston is much more relaxed, squishy, accepting and easier.  That’s not to say he doesn’t have his moments, because he does.  He can push my buttons just like his big brother (ok, well, not as often or as well…), if we talk to him sternly for doing something he’s not supposed to, he totally gets the lip-quiver-big-teary-eyes thing, whereas Matt’s current thing is “Whatever.”

But while they have many similarities, Preston’s one big defining difference to me? Joy. He finds it in the simplest things. Tonight, he wanted to go up to bed, and even though I knew he wasn’t ready, I followed him up (yeah, he goes up on his own. I was so owed this kid going to bed on his own thing after how crappy they both slept for the first 2 years of their lives!). Anyway, we get into (well, I squish onto) his bed and we start reading books and he starts making silly sounds and giggling.  At first I discourage it: come on, it’s time to settle down; it’s time to go to sleep; let’s keep reading…but then, he’s getting such a kick out of himself; such simple pleasure from making noises and words, that I can’t help but join in.  And then? We’re both just laughing so hard that I can’t even read. And a little while later, I dozed off for a moment and when I opened my eyes again, he was just laying there, looking around.  Matt would have shaken me awake and been all MOM? MOM! instantly.  But my Goog? Just lets his mama doze off, knowing full well that I would wake back up and keep reading where I left off.  He reminds that this parenting gig can be pretty fun.

Don’t get me wrong, Matt is a good kid.  But he’s at the age where he’s stuck right in the middle of wanting to do everything his own way on his own schedule and wanting (knowing he needs) to do what we tell him.  The whole independence thing is pretty exhausting, for all of us.  We’ve got some things to work on – he’s very much a whiner when he’s tired, he has potty issues, and sometimes, is seriously not a good listener.  But he’s smart and funny and adorable and a good big brother, so I guess we’ll keep him around. 😀

I think it’s time to get more serious about his little responsibility chart. He truly seems to enjoy the sense of accomplishment (God help him, he’s like his mama), so I want to encourage that.

I’m happy it’s going to be warm soon.  I think we all need some fresh air and time outside instead of in front of the television.  That became painfully (although humorous) obvious when he told his babysitter all about our need for Green Bags and even threw out the tag line of “because when you’re throwing away food, you’re throwing away your money”.

And heaven knows that if  since I’m going to be crawling running a half-marathon in January, I need to get out and start pounding the pavement (gently though, as I don’t want shin splints!).

{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

jen April 1, 2008 at 9:45 pm

i've missed you. i love that you watch shows on your phone.

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Above Average Joe April 2, 2008 at 9:28 am

I have never missed an episode of Rescue Me. Next to The Shield, it is the best show on t.v. I think it will start up again this summer.

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liv April 2, 2008 at 10:01 am

shin splints! let's work on good stretching before and after running!

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