Big Day for Henry

1. His gym class went sledding outside AND
2. It was the 100th day of Kindergarten AND
3. He lost his first tooth!!

He has said on more than one occasion that he hope the tooth fairy will bring him an electric guitar or an amp. Hope he's not too disappointed. We warned him that might not fit under his pillow!

WWR: Lou Barlow and Baby Dig Gossip!

Listen Up! My personal musical folk hero, Lou Barlow tells Pitchforkmedia.com all about how he and his two year old daughter rock out to The Gossip. Joanna Newsom, not so much...

*****Cut and Paste alert*****

LB: I finally saw the Gossip play last year at All Tomorrow's Parties, and I'd heard some records of theirs that I really liked, but then I saw them live, and I was like, "Oh my god," you know, so good.

And then the other day-- we have On Demand, you know, On Demand TV-- I could see the Gossip On Demand. One video and I was like, "Fuck, I gotta get that record."

We have a two-year-old, so it's good to play music that the baby responds to. She fuckin' loves it! Totally into it, totally dances. It's really empowering music, and we listen to it probably three or four times a day now. I love it. I totally love that record.

And then we're trying to listen to the new Joanna Newsom record, but they make an odd pair.

Pitchfork: Yeah, I can't see a two-year-old being too into that.

LB: No, she gets kind of agitated when we play it. We have to turn it off because the baby starts getting really repetitive, like, she'll get locked into some sort of...there's a tension that comes over everything.

Pitchfork: Well, that's kind of the reaction that a lot of people I know had to that record.

I need a vacation

Henry has had a the last week off from school. Here are a few of the choice things that went wrong over the last week:

1. Lucy learned how to spit. She spit milk over the loft railing. She spit milk at Henry. She entertained herself by spitting water into the sink at bed time.

2. I caught Henry climbing up onto the counter to get a glass to "help himself" to a can of pop while I was upstairs changing Lucy's diaper. The counter had an old depression glass cake plate on which my mom had sent the remains of my birthday cake. Luckily for him he didn't break the plate, but it wasn't because he was being careful.

3. I cleaned up chewed gum from the back seat of the van on three separate occasions because Henry "didn't have a tissue." He didn't ask for a tissue either.

4. Lucy learned how to hit. She doesn't hit hard but it is still a problem. Henry alternates between yelling, "Mom, Lucy hit me!" and goading her with, "hit me, hit me!" One day she was actually in time out twice in the half-hour right before Cary got home.

5. I went to the grocery store knowing I had a bunch of stuff to buy for Henry's birthday party and forgot my shopping list.

6. Cary came home on Tuesday night with an ear ache that was so severe that he went to see his dad immediately, and came home with ear drops for a viral ear infection.

7. But, hopefully, this will be the punctuation mark on the last seven days. This morning Henry woke up a little before Cary and eagerly started work on one of his birthday presents -- a set of paint your own race cars which he is much too young to own. He opened the box, got out the paints and got to work. By the time Cary found him the cars were painted and so was my vintage Marimekko tablecloth that I had used for the party. Cary tried some water but that didn't get the paint out. No one read the label on the paint, or bothered to wake me up to address the problem. When I woke up I could conclude only that at least I had left the tablecloth on the table or we would have had a bigger mess, and that it must be that time of year again where Henry ruins something I care about.

(Note to readers, as I am typing this Lucy is singing "Whip It" to herself while playing quietly, so all is not lost)

Thanks, Jarvis

Lately I've struggled to write my reviews for Amp Camp, and worried my interest could be starting to wane. Turns out that I had some less than stellar assignments, and well, perpetual body aches makes makes it tough to keep up with necessities like laundry, let alone actually write something.

I think I'm officially healthy again. I finished a review in no time for the infinitely enjoyable Jarvis, by Jarvis Cocker, of Pulp fame. Not only will the record sell itself -- it felt like it practically reviewed itself -- my favorite kind!

This may be one of the few CDs that most everyone (yeah, Mom, and the other 5 of you) who reads this will enjoy. And if you want to read my review you can check it out here. Of course, if anyone ever wants suggestions about how to spend your discretionary music dollar, all you have to do is ask.

Webkinz Update Part Deux

I am happy to report that my darling sister-in-law, who is let's say "29," has decided to adopt a Webkinz Unicorn. Now she and Henry are buddies. The only problem is that she gets home so late from her law office that she is never around for him to show her his sweet pad.

I am fairly certain, though I can prove nothing, that she was inspired by the blog.

The Ca-cough-ony is slowly dying down...

Happy Valentine's Day!
What went wrong today: We got so much snow last night that most of Cary's clients cancelled their appointments. So he was home to go pick up Henry when the school nurse called to say he was in her office after "one of his gagging attacks." At least Lucy and I didn't have to trudge out in the semi-blizzard to collect him.

WWR illness recap:
Henry's coughing/gagging/vomiting continued over the course of the last week. He missed five days of school. Next week is school vacation week. It will be a very long week off. The only thing we have planned is a dual trip to the dentist for both kids. Yay!

Lucy had trouble napping Monday and was up most of the night Monday night, so I was too. She was asleep in our bed for awhile but then it became obvious that Cary wouldn't get enough rest before work, so around 4 am we got up and watched TV. Tuesday was a long day in all senses of the word.

I took her to the doctor and she has a double ear infection. She and Henry are now both on amoxicillin and seem to be improving. I am regaining my voice, which definitely makes parenting easier. I only have to scream "Put that down!" once instead of saying it hoarsely several times, never to be understood.

I am losing count of what went wrong today

1. I have nearly lost my voice.
2. I was supposed to go to dinner and out for drinks with a couple of friends tomorrow night, but that is probably not going to happen since it interferes with my 9:30 bedtime.
3. Henry started complaining of an ear ache last night, just after the doctor's office closed.
4. Henry had to stay home from school again today.
5. Henry has an ear infection.
6. Henry is on his second course of anti-biotics in as many weeks.
7. Henry's teacher sent home his homework via a neighbor in his class. This is standard practice as if he is going to miss so much vital Kindergarten work that he must not fall behind! Included was what she termed a "fun" counting exercise. I have learned from past experience that the woman does not know fun.
8. He was required to count out 100 little somethings (popcorn, macaroni etc.) and put them in a baggie, held by a paper bear.
9. I admit, this was even hard for me. OK, we are both sick, but come on! I would think, was that 28 or 27, and then they would roll away. What a hassle. He can count to 100 without a problem, but when you add keeping track of these little chip thingys, it was not fun at all.
10. Cary is coming home for 15 minutes and then leaving me for the evening to see Leon Redbone.
    
11. I am a little down today.
    

The Answer to a Question I had Always Pondered...

What happens to the Superbowl schwag for the losing team? We all know it doesn't end up on eBay. Well, Danny and Nina alerted me to a New York Times article a few days ago that answered this age old question for me, and it turns out that it is full of what went wrong content at well! The NFL donates the hats and shirts to World Vision, a non-profit that distributes them to African countries.

Apparently it is OK for men, women, and, children in Uganda or Sierra Leone to be running around in innacurate Superbowl paraphernalia because who cares what's written on the front if the people need clothes. And MLB actually destroys the clothing.

But, I ask you, is this clothing so important, dangerous and meaningful even, that it has to be shipped halfway across the world? Also, does the NFL have any charitable committment besides trying to recoup the money they are forced to shell out making two sets of clothing where there can only be one winner?

I don't think I have ever read a story that so aptly describe American excess in my life.

Chills, Spills, and Bellyaches

Our household has been sick for what seems like forever, but has only been about two weeks. Here is a sampling of what went wrong during that time:

1. I dropped and cracked open an entire container of Ocean Spray cranberry juice the day after I had mopped the floor.
2. I kept Henry home from school with a cold on a day it turned out that they cancelled school because it was so cold. Henry chose this day to TURN OFF THE HEAT and not tell anyone. Luckily I noticed it was freezing in the house when it hit about 64 degrees.
3. Henry has been coughing so hard that he has actually thrown up. He is still to young to let you know it is coming, as a result he has vomited in the Party Store, at his Grandmother's dinner table, and all over his coat and shoes.
4. We discovered new spots of folliculitis just as Henry was finishing up the antibiotic, so he may have to visit the doctor again if he continues to break out.

I am happy to report that Henry went back to school today, and while I may suffering from near laryngitis, I don't have to raise my voice at anyone today, so it has been a welcome relief!