Real World Mom

One of the benefits of living at the New Jersey Shore is the boardwalk. (My apologies for the crappy cell phone photo. Bad mom forgot her camera!)

A friend and I took my daughter and one of her friends to spend too much money hang out on the boardwalk last night. The girls had a lot of fun–and so did we!

Here they are on a ride that is somewhat like an upside-down ferris wheel. As they would pass us (upside-down), they’d wave. Although this is the kind of thing I loved when I was younger, I wanted to puke just watching it!

This one was slightly easier for me to watch. It goes around in large circles, first in one direction, and then the other. This shot was taken while the ride was stopped, pretty high up. (Did I mention I’m also afraid of heights?)

In case you hadn’t already guessed, I didn’t go on any of the rides. I just enjoyed watching the girls have a blast! But I did treat myself to this cool mug:

Gotta love this philosophy, right?

Last night, I found out that Sam from Temporarily Me has been pregnant ‘forever’. Her friend Karen (Karen Sugarpants) wanted to try to cheer her up by throwing her a virtual baby shower, and having other moms share their overdue baby stories. Please visit Sam and leave her some words of encouragement!

My first child, D, was 15 [long] days late. He was due on June 17 but didn’t actually show up until July 2. Being June/July, it was hot, and I had gained about 50 pounds during my pregnancy; needless to say, I was a little cranky. Since this was my first child, I think I was more impatient than anything.

On the evening of July 1, I finally started having real contractions. I spoke to my doctor on the phone, then proceeded to take a shower and shave my legs. (Hubby thought I was crazy, but I wasn’t leaving the house without a shower!)

My baby D was born at 9:17 a.m. on July 2, 1987. All the crankiness and pregnancy discomfort was forgotten as I held my firstborn son.

Pregnancy number two also went past the due date. This time, by six [long] days. (Funny how the days seem much longer when you’re overdue!) I was much crankier that time. I hadn’t gained quite as much weight, but it was hot again and I wanted to be un-pregnant!

M was due on May 30 and finally arrived on June 5, 1989, at 2:18 a.m. (yeah, my boys liked the morning for some reason). Once again, the misery of the last couple of weeks was replaced with joy!

My average did improve with the next two children…

S (son #3) was born on October 22, 1991, at 6:55 a.m.–on his due date! (Thank you, S!)

And my daughter (baby #4), B, was born on March 23, 1995, at 5:07 p.m. Two days before her due date!

So, there is hope, Sam. And, one medical certainty: You will not be pregnant forever! Best of luck to you and your family! I want to see pics of the new arrival when you get the chance!

My daughter is a middle school student, and has just completed the third quarter of seventh grade. Once again, she earned honor roll! She has been on the honor roll every marking period since starting middle school. An accomplishment she is proud of, and, of course, so am I! Out of my four children, she is the only one who has done this, so I thought it might be interesting to interview her, and try to get a better understanding of just how she manages to do so well in school.

Q: How many times have you earned honor roll?
A: Seven so far.

Q: What is your secret to making honor roll so consistently?
A: Work hard at it; hand in work on time; pay attention in class; study; do my best.

Q: Is there any advice you can give other students who would like to be on the honor roll?
A: The kids in my class talk a lot, so I would say pay attention and hand in your work on time.

Q: How much time do you spend on homework each day?
A: For the most part, about 45 minutes.

Q: What do you like about being an honor roll student?
A: That teachers give me more respect than if I was a bad student, and I feel proud of myself.

Q: What are your goals for seventh grade?
A: I want to do well and get honor roll.

Q: What are your long-term goals?
A: To succeed, to get somewhere. I want to go to college and become an elementary school teacher. My older brother inspired me to be a teacher, along with the teachers I’ve liked and who were nice to me.

Q: What is your favorite subject in school?
A: English and math. I like math because I will need it for the rest of my life. I like English because I like to read and write.

Q: What is your least favorite subject?
A: Science. I don’t feel I get anything from it.

Q: How much do you think about school?
A: It depends what is going on–tests coming up, etc.

Q: How often to do you think about getting good grades?
A: A lot!

Q: What do you like best about school?
A: To learn.

Q: Least?
A: Waking up early.

Q: Any advice to teachers?
A: Don’t be mean. Make learning fun with hands-on type things, like drawing, etc.

Q: Do you have a lot of friends?
A: I wouldn’t say I’m popular, but I have as many as I need.

Q: What’s your favorite food?
A: Pancakes!

Q: Your favorite color?
A: Purple.

Q: Favorite holiday?
A: Christmas.

Congratulations, B, on being such an excellent student!  I’m very proud of you!  You are the best daughter a mom could ever hope to have–and you are such a caring, intelligent and loving young lady all rolled into one! I love you very much!!

Well, we did it. I took B yesterday to get her cartilage pierced. She’s thrilled! (For the background on this saga, read this.)

Just before getting her ear pierced (sorry for the blurry photo, used the camera in my cell phone):

This is right after. See the pretty new earring? And the BIG smile?

We’ll see what the fallout from her father is at the end of the week (if he notices!). But, B is happy, and that makes her mom happy!

Warning: This post is not for the faint of heart! Proceed at your own risk! LOL!

The other day, I saw a news article, “Pregnant woman uses train toilet, baby slips out.” In Ahmedabad, India, a pregnant woman gave birth while sitting on the crapper on a train.

According to the article, most of the toilets on Indian trains are merely shoots that empty right onto the tracks. (How disgusting is that?!) So, yes, you guessed it, the baby girl was found lying on the train tracks!

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you know I like to write about these crazy kinds of stories, but this one is even better!

You see, my daughter, B, almost had the same fate!

No, she wasn’t born on a train. She didn’t end up on train tracks. And she wasn’t born in India.

B was, however, thisclose to being born in a toilet!

It was March of 1995. I was at the hospital and in labor with baby #4. I remember saying to myself, “Oh shit, I remember what this feels like now!” as the contractions got stronger.

My doctor had stopped in and checked on me at some point, and told me I had a ways to go. He was going to drop his wife off at the airport and come back. Neither of us knew then that he wouldn’t be back in time.

One of the nurses measured and said I was only x centimeters dilated. (Another one who believed I had a ways to go.)

I was in pain, tired and pissed that I had a ways to go–and did I mention the pain?–so I told them I wanted drugs.

Nurse informed me that I’d have to have an iv, so I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed again. As I’m not very fond of bed pans, I opted to use the restroom one last time before they hooked me up with my liquid relief.

*** This is the part you may want to skip if you’re at all apprehensive of hearing about using the toilet or the nitty-gritty details of babies almost being born. ***

Within seconds of me sitting on the commode, Nurse walked by the open restroom door, and asked, “You don’t feel like you have to push, do you?”, when I felt the baby’s head! So, a very surprised me responded, “Uh, yes!”

I don’t know where they all came from, but there were suddenly about six people in the room, getting me back onto the bed, my feet in the stirrups and telling me not to push. Heh!

One of the associates from my doctor’s office came rushing down to someone’s rescue (cuz I certainly wasn’t going to hold that kid in much longer–hello?!), and delivered my beautiful baby girl. The doctor’s shirt got ruined because (bless him!) he didn’t even take the time to throw scrubs on.

Being just shy of 13, B doesn’t quite see the humor in this story yet. She will.

The ‘Give Me Five’ Monday meme is designed to share fun information with each other in a simple, short list! Here’s how it works: Each week, I will put out a random topic from my list of topics and you share 5 answers of your choice on the given topic and link back here! You can add photos, links or stories or just a simple list of your own of 5 things that relate to the topic as it pertains to you and your life experiences. It doesn’t have to be in any order of importance unless otherwise specified.

Sign up for weekly reminder emails at beccagirl@charter.net.

THIS WEEK’S THEME:  GIVE ME 5 LINKS TO YOUR OWN PAST BLOG POSTS THAT ARE MOST MEMORABLE FOR YOU.

1-  To Pierce or Not to Pierce (12/27/07)~  Guess I like this post because I decided to stand up to my stbx.  For years, he controlled me (or tried to), so it’s empowering to do what I think is right, whether he agrees or not.  Her birthday is in three weeks!

2-   Another Form of Family (12/16/07)~  This one is near and dear to my heart because it’s about my friends and how important they are to me.

3-  Perfectionism (12/12/07)~  I battle with this way too frequently.

4-  Teen Alcohol & Substance Abuse (1/25/08)~  Important info here!

5-  Top 10 Sex Myths Debunked (1/21/08)~   Found some entertaining stuff in the article that inspired this post.

In honor of my 100th post (Yay for Real World Mom!), I’ve decided to stick with tradition and write the “100 Things About Me” list.

100 Things I’ve Learned As A Mother

1. Love knows no boundaries
2. When you think you can’t possibly give any more, you do
3. You’ve got to choose your battles
4. I’m not much for defending myself, but don’t mess with my kids!
5. I know what unconditional love is
6. You learn to deal with boo-boos
7. I have three boys
8. How to deal with broken bones
9. And stitches
10. As well as bad dreams
11. Bad report cards
12. How not to puke when changing really gross diapers
13. Morning sickness is temporary
14. As is babyhood
15. There’s nothing like the feeling you get when looking into your baby’s eyes and they’re looking back at you
16. I’ve learned to trust my instincts
17. Though I don’t always listen to them
18. And I usually regret it
19. You really can feel your heart swell with pride
20. Seeing those first steps
21. When they take off on that bike alone for the first time
22. And your heart is in your throat
23. But they fly!
24. Good report cards
25. Seeing them in a production at school (no matter how minor the part, they’re stars!)
26. Coffee really is fuel
27. I didn’t start drinking it until I was 21
28. After child #2
29. I needed serious fuel with him
30. And even more with #3
31. I believe in something I call “Second Child Syndrome”
32. It seems one of the second child’s obligations to his or her parents is to drive them crazy
33. And supply your gray hair
34. And be really sweet and lovable–at just the right moments
35. I remember a comedian once said, “God makes babies cute so you don’t kill ‘em”
36. I think it was Gallagher (the comedian)
37. I think he was right
38. Sleep becomes a rare and much sought-after commodity
39. Don’t plan on getting any until they’re teenagers
40. And like to sleep late themselves
41. But then you lie awake worrying about them anyway
42. Who they’re friends are
43. What they’re really doing when they’re not home
44. Will they do the right things?
45. Make the right choices?
46. Will they be successful?
47. Will my car come home in the same shape it left in?
48. Is their new job interfering too much with school?
49. Isn’t it time for them to be home by now?
50. Labor is only the beginning of the pain you’ll go through as a Mom
51. You’ll hurt every time one of your kids does
52. It will devastate you to see them disappointed
53. Or, worse yet, injured
54. I am able to handle more than I think I can
55. Son #2 had an accident in which he fractured his skull
56. He was only 7
57. I’ve never been so scared
58. He was at a children’s hospital for three days
59. The worst three days of my life
60. I still thank God it wasn’t nearly as serious as it could have been
61. I needed my Mom during that time too
62. You don’t outgrow needing your Mom
63. There is just never going to be enough time
64. To do all that you want to do
65. To see all that you want to see
66. Or to say all that you want to say
67. I have to do the best that I can
68. You can never say “I love you” too much
69. I don’t remember my parents saying it to me
70. I make sure I say it to my children (and loved ones) at every opportunity
71. My kids say “I love you”
72. Even after four pregnancies and four kids, I still can’t handle puke
73. Doing it
74. Seeing someone do it
75. Hearing anyone do it
76. I did, however, get used to the sight of blood
77. Son #2 got stitches twice
78. Once in his head
79. And once in his lip
80. I told him the scar would look sexy one day
81. He’s 18 now
82. And it does!
83. No, I don’t think my son is sexy
84. But he is very handsome!
85. Son #3 cut his hand pretty badly when he was two
86. We got to skip the stitches on that one though
87. Because we sat in the emergency room so long, it stopped bleeding
88. We called his pediatrician from the ER, and he advised us how to care for it
89. My daughter has broken both of her wrists
90. Once when she fell off of a bike
91. The other when she fell off of a skateboard
92. Wheels can be dangerous
93. Son #1 is now 20
94. A year older than I was when I had him
95. Son #2 is 18
96. Son #3 is 16
97. Daughter #1 (and only) will be 13 in just under a month
98. I have been blessed with four beautiful children
99. They are beautiful inside and out
100. Nothing else I do in this lifetime will ever be as important as being their mother

Maria at Immoral Matriarch: Catechizer left this meme open for anyone, so I tagged myself!

Here are the instructions and my answers:

A) Each player answers the questions about themselves.

B) At the end of the post, the player then tags 2 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog. (But, like Maria, I’m not going to tag anyone, I’ll just leave it open to do if you want to.)

Ten years ago:
- it was February 1998
- I was selling PartyLite
- I was living on Walnut Street in Pennsylvania
- I was 10 years younger than I am now
- I had no idea what I was in for

Five things that were on my to-do list for today:
- laundry
- dishes
- try to keep up with my ever-expanding Google reader!
- change the sheets
- work on my new site

I enjoy:
- taking photos
- reading
- learning
- gardening
- blogging

What would I do if I suddenly became a millionaire:
- buy a car (don’t have a particular model in mind, just something that runs would work)
- put money away for the kids
- get T some really cool tech-type toys
- pay off the home of a family that’s like my own (I’d have to be real sneaky to get away with it)
- hire the meanest divorce lawyer I could find to kick the stbx’s ass!

Five jobs that I have had:
- jewelry sales
- auto parts delivery driver (high school)
- receptionist at a veterinary hospital
- Yankee Candle store manager
- front desk supervisor at a Gold’s Gym

Five things that people don’t know about me:
- I’m shy
- my favorite color is purple
- I love chocolate
- I am generally an optimistic person
- I believe that coffee is it’s own food group

I’m borrowing this idea from Jill at Caffeine Court–how I love that name–and her blog, so please be sure to stop by and say hello! What a great way to get to know a little more about each other!

Jill wrote:
“I’d like to do a little roll call. If you don’t mind would you please state your first name and the state you live in. You can give more information if you want.”

Some info about me:

• My name is Stacey and I live in Ocean County, NJ, but I’m originally from PA.
• I have four wonderful children–three boys, ages 20, 18 and 16, and one daughter who will be 13 in only five weeks.
• We have a dog, Madison (you can see her here, here, and here), who is almost six years old, and the sweetest ‘puppy’ ever!
• I’m currently going through the “wonderful” process known as divorce, which is a real pain in the ass quite educational (more info on that here, here and here)!
• I met the love of my life (”T”) in June of 2006, and we’ve been together ever since (tidbits on him here, here, here, and here)!

I’m really looking forward to reading the responses to this post! Have fun, kids!