Tuesday, July 28, 2009

The Original Budda Day

We were SUPER excited! For our honey moon we backpacked through SE Asia. We did the loop: Thialand, Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia. But we started in Bangkock. A whirl of new faces, new scents, new visions. Everything was so new. And we were...tourists. We hit the main strip on KoSan Road where we found a cheap place to stay. I kid you not, it was like the room Leonardo DeCaprio stayed in on the movie The Beach. Dingy, dirty, noisy, stains on the wall, no sheets on the bed and stains on the bed. We didnt sleep well that night, but it was late when we got in and I think this was the only place we could find a room.

The next day was our first real day there and we were so thrilled! We only had about a total of 3 hours sleep in the past two days with travel time and a NEW time zone chane...but we were ready to explore this forign land. Some nice local saw us walking and informed us it was a special government holiday, Budda Day, and the TukTuks were cheaper on this day, but only the green ones, b/c the green ones were government owned. He asked if we had seen much so far and was telling us a couple places we had to check out. "WOW, the people here are so nice!" we were thinking. So what did we do?? Flag down the next green TukTuk we saw! We were off on our adventure to see temples. It was amazing...everywhere our driver took us, it was like the people knew we were coming. They would make a comment about the holiday and told us it was good luck to donate to the temple we were in on Budda Day. At the time we had no idea...but we were taken to a few really cool, known temples, and a lot of little ones. It was only at the little ones, where most of the tourists WERNT that they knew we were coming....and they all told us one more new place we needed to check out, like a special store, b/c it was Budda Day and there were "special price"...so we did. First we wound up at some secluded gem shop where they really wanted us to buy something. When we said we were waiting till the end of our trip, when we were back in Bangkock, they told us we could have "Sale price only today, on Budda Day." Then it was off to another temple where they too referred us to a shop with "special prices for the holiday" then to a market with a travel agent, trying to get us to buy a package for while we were there...we didnt do this either b/c we just wanted to be uncommitted and be able to go from one place to the next...lucky us that this is what we WANTED to do...how we wanted to experience this trip. Then off to a few more temples, then to a suite shop. Now, Craig DID want a tailor-made suite, but again, the plan was to do this when we got back to Bangkock before we left back to The States...but they had us, "Special price today only for Budda Day." They had Craig standing on a platform measuring length, height, shoulder width, wiast, etc. He was getting spun around and whirled from one side to the other while they took all his measurements. It was exciting, and fun to be cauht up in this tailor made suite thing. We walked out with a recipt for a suite that would be ready to pick up when we got back. Now off to another temple...and this time, we started to realize things were a little strange...the people at the next temple knew things about us they shouldnt....we just bought a suite, it was our first day in Bangkock, we just got married...things like that. Wierd...then we were off to another place and we heard the TukTuk driver talking to someone, we decided it was a heads up to the next place. By now, we were tired, hungry and done with this. We just wanted to go back to Khaosan Road, get a bite to eat, a drink to sip and enjoy the day/eve. Our TukTuk driver wouldnt take us back. He insisted we had to make one more stop to another store. We eneded up going to the last place, a jewrly store, but quickly decided we were done. They kept saying, "Oh, Look, so pretty!" UGH! We were HAD! Damn Budda Day! So from then on, we referred to Craigs suit as his Budda Day Suit. It is a nice suit, and still fits...

My Personal Budda Day

Well, we are quickly approaching record breaking days. The kind of days you would expect in Arizona or Texas. The kind of days you NEED relief from the heat. The kind of days you could literally crack an egg on the pavement and watch it cook. I think its going on one week of Hattie's hot.

So, every year we toy with getting a window A/C unit...and every year decide we can tough out those few days and camp out in the basement. Yesterday, I went to get Jack from his nap and he was SOAKED. I mean, if you didnt know he was sleeping, youd think the kid just returned from running in the sprinklers! And night...UGH. The fans just blow warm air around.

Today was the day. We decided yesterday that I would go down to the hardware store and pick up an A/C unit. So did everyone else in a 50 mile radius of Portland....and they ALL went to the same place! (According to the owner of the store, everyone else was out and was referring them to his store). My expectation was to run in, grab my A/C unit, run out, get home, get it set up before Jacks nap and WALA...COOL BEDROOMS! This was SO NOT THE CASE.

Luckily, "Ammy" wanted to see Jack so I dropped him off with the diaper bag...I mean, Soph and I were going to be 45 min tops. I park in a "30 min only parking" space right in front of the store. I walk inside and BAM....there are people in one big line zig-zagging through the store. Its a typical hardware store...small isles, old store, poor A/C and a fan blowing. As I entered, some lady tells me "good luck." Im like...luck?? What?? She tells me she was in line for 2 hours.

Sure enough, we waited a good 2.5 hours. 2.5 hours with loads of people. Sweaty people. People who, like me were in dire need of an A/C unit. Men, women, children; we were all sandwiched in this hardware store with no where to go but forward. Mind you, I left the entire diaper bag with Jack at ammys house, and Ive got Sophia with me. The good part about breastfeeding is that the supply is always with you. I had the supply, but I left my Hooter Hider in the diaper bag. I mean, like I said, this was only going to be 45 minutes tops! Luckily I had a FLANNEL burp cloth in the truck. I made this work....I had to. Im standing up, sweating myself, trying to cover myself with this burp cloth, holding Sophia while she eats. All I hear is the sucking sound, with a little choke here and there from too much milk all at once. Im wondering what the other people are thinking, and VERY thankful that Portland is so liberal minded with nursing in public.

After about an hour of waiting, the store owner loudly announces he just sold the last 2 units. BUT, if you wish, you can stay in line and pre-order one for tomorrows shipment in order to guarantee you will get one. So, I do this. Soph has to eat again, the nice woman in front of me helps move the car seat each time we move up in line. Did I mention how hot it was in the store?? Even though there was a fan & an A/C on...do you know how much heat people generate just standing??

Well, I finally got to the front of the line and....SHIT! I have NO IDEA WHAT I NEED. My plan was the cheapest window unit (b/c I dont like the thought of spending money on this, even though it will make things pleasant at home.) He asks what Im needing to cool, and I tell him 2 bedrooms. I was then made to believe I needed a 10,000 btu window unit to cool a space that large. Then, somehow I was convinced I needed to buy the "portable floor model A/C" b/c it was only $100 more than the window unit I was already talked into upgrading to. OK..sold. What the hell happened?? I planned on spending a small penny... Now, as Craig says...I had a BUDDA DAY! And also as he said...it better make it cold enough so he can wear his budda suite (another blog) comfortably.

After this...I was exhausted and informed him we were "dining out" (as Jack likes to say) for the sole reason that I NEEDED to sit in the A/C for a few hours.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Car Wash

OMG. Last weekend we were driving around and the car needed a wash. It was all four of us in the white Corolla which now had a gray sheen to it. Knowing this, we delibertaly drove past our house to one of those drive through car washes....it would be who knows how long till we could wash the car, and we thought Jack would get a kick out of it!! Weve got Jack all pumped up and excited about going through the car wash. Im thinking, sweet...entertainment and a clean car...Ill have to do this again!

Well, as soon as Jack saw the first things that beat on the car, he was a little unsure of what to think. Then as they swished on his window, he wasnt totally digging it. He was leaning in towards the middle. Then when the next round of scrubbers came, he LOST it. It was hilarious, but so sad! Here he is, strapped in his car seat screaming, a sheer look of terror on his face, and hes reaching toward us crying. The softy that I am, I had no other option but to laugh a little (it was pretty funny), and jump into the small space between the two car seats and try to hold him. Ive got one leg stuck in the front seat still, Jack is holding on to what ever part of me he can grab on to! Poor kid. I guess there wont be any clean cars in my future...at least not with the quick drive through kind!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Jack's first race

He did it!! Jack has now competed in his first running race, a 60 meter dash. At 28 months of age, we have a new star athlete!!

It was too cute. Jack's endocrinologist actually told me about this event put on by Foot Traffic and basically you register anyone (even adults - they have a bunch of different events), they get a tag for their age group and they line up the kids in (his age group) 0-3. The girls went first, then the boys. I thought he missed his spot b/c I didnt notice it was all girls. I only noticed they were all small and in the next group, Jacks group, he looked like the smallest. Never mind that he is only in the 7th percentile for height!

Craig ran behind him/with him and said the whole time Jack was running and screaming, "Ahhhhh...The people are coming!!" (There were older kids lined up behind him). The look on his face, oh, he was having a blast. It didnt matter that he was one of the last to cross the finish line, he still got a cool purple ribbon.


Only bummer is....its almost over, its a 5 week deal. We will defiantly be back next Tuesday and we will keep it in our minds for next summer. It is so fun watching him "run" He moves his arms faster and says, "Im going super fast!" After his "race" we were watching other races and events, he just kept wanting to run some more. It was TOO CUTE! Just we knew about it sooner, but thanks to his doctor, we know about it now!

Fourth of July

This fourth of July...we had a pretty good time. It's funny how when you have kids of your own, you no longer long for everything to revolve around you...you wish you could...but nope, those days are gone. Its now about revolving around your kids.

It was Sophia's first encounter with fireworks, and she was a trooper. She was tired, would get a little startled, but then things were better when mama decided to give her some milk. (Man, so many things to carry with us...but I will not go anywhere without my Hooter Hider!)

Jack. Well, we were so excited for him. We really felt like this year he was truly going to appreciate and enjoy fireworks. We talked about it all day. We kept telling him, "We have to wait for it to get dark." He would repeat this all day, and even came up with, "When the sun goes night-night." Eventually he started saying, "I need it to be dark." Well, the moment finally came. Instead of fighting the crowds at the waterfront in Portland, we just hung around our neighborhood. Jack is still a little young for sitting in a crowd...well, maybe its that we dont want to sit in a crowd with a 2 yr old and a 3 mo old!! Anyway, we are sitting around getting ready to watch some local fireworks. Jack is totally excited about it sitting in the Burley. BAM, POW, CRACK!!! And poor Jack was terrified!! Craig picked him up, held him close, and Jack said, "I need to go home! I need to go home!" So we started walking home and Jack said, "I need to see the fireworks! I need to see the fireworks!" We went through this charade for a short time and then we were finally able to watch them. We had a blast. The was was we needed to be a "safe" distance from the explosions. Jack dug all the different colors of the fireworks, and the sounds. When we got home, he crashed the minute his head hit the pillow. And as for Soph, she was asleep before we got home (thanks to good ol mamas milk)!