Our New To Do List

No time to be sad,

We've got many things to do.
Like do "hide-and-seek".

Run around outside,
and other big boy stuff like
playing catch the ball!

Today, we're going
to the ZOO! How great is that!
Hope it doesn't rain....

Com'on Dad! Mom, too!
I like having you at home.
Birthday wish come true!

Umm, did I mention to you that my son is happy to have BOTH of his parents at home all day? Scratch that. He is OVER THE MOON GA-GA about it. The tyke wakes up all smiles everyday and all the time. He loves playing with Mommy and Daddy.... all...day...long.

We have been joking that Hubby losing his job all of a sudden was our son's super secret birthday wish come true.

I just knew he blew out those candles a little too well...

The kid obviously doesn't know what it really means when Daddy and Mommy both unemployed and I don't plan on explaining it to him anytime soon. He's two. All he knows is that...

1. ....there's always a playmate!
   
2. ...with all of his activities cut, we're to-ge-ther... all... the... time. Bonus!
   
3. No more going out to eat means no more strange high chairs and being on best behavior
4. No more shopping for Mommy means no more sitting in carts for hours on end
   
5. ... No more dressing rooms
6. ... No more "We'll leave in a sec, Honey"
   
7. ... No more "just browsing"

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Being a kid is so much FUN!

Haiku: S.W.A.K and Written By Mommy

Whew- hew! To all who
hung through birthday installments
one , two, even, three.

Then, there were the posts
all about the planning, too!
So many details!

Boy! I'm glad that's through.
Even though you still came back,
no doubt, you are too!

With that behind us
there's just one more thing to do...
Say "Thank You", of course.

I love stationary --thank you cards, invitations, note cards, lined envelopes, etc. If it's personalized, customized, and paper, I LOVE it!!!

I also (secretly) enjoy writing thank you cards as if they were penned by my son. (My two-year-old son...) I write them as I imagine he would talk to another toddler, print and use big letters, and even sign them with "Your Pal, A----".

If I had received something like this before I had a child, I would have rolled my eyes and pretended to gag. I would have passed it around the table at happy hour and made all my childless, single friends read it and they would have gagged, too.

I realize it's dorky. It's silly. It's clearly very obnoxious (even though all of my mommy friends do it, too), but nothing amuses me more. Fortunately, I get to write plenty of thank you cards following the windfall that was my son's birthday!

Ha-Ha, and you thought I really wouldn't bring up my kid's birthday ever again... Okay, last time. I promise.

So 'fess up. Are you obnoxious, too?

For more Haiku Friday, check out A Mommy Story and Playgroups are No Place for Children.

Do a Good Deed!

Here's the short story
No family should endure
this biohazard!

Bad news all around.
Can you help a momma out?
These ladies know how!

And, this one does, too!
Do your good deed for the day!
Good Karma for you.

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Haiku: No Time for Childhood Today

Clean house or feed ducks.

Maybe we'll do laundry? NAH!
It's too nice outside!

Let's go play today!
Dishes can wait for later.
You're only young once.

Pack snack. Bring your toys.
We have an appointment with
the sandbox and swings.

Hop into the car

No chores. No errands for us.
We'll be fancy free!

Service light pops up.
What? An oil change already?
How long can it take?

We'll get it in quick...
Ha! It's two hours later
and we're still waiting...

Oh crap! It's the brakes!

"Replace them now or later,"
they say, "up to you..."

Uh, what do you think?
I haul some precious cargo!
A boy and his snacks.

Yes! Replace them, please...
Wait! How much coin will we drop?
GULP! That's what I thought.

Sorry, my sweet son.
No time for the park today.
We just can't escape.

Penned at the Volvo dealership, waiting with my son for an oil change, new brake pads, and a "complimentary" car wash. Ha! More like "most expensive car wash ever"

For more Haiku Friday, check out A Mommy Story and Playgroups are No Place for Children.

Things That Can't Be Stated

Full belly. Warm coats.
Hold my hand crossing the road.
Clean socks with grippies.

Night light by your bed.
Don't worry. I'll be nearby.
Call if you need me.

If only, keeping
you safe and happy could be
always this easy.

Will you ever know
how much I really love you
if I go too soon?

Will they remember
to tell you that your mommy
tried her very best?

That it broke my heart
just thinking of leaving you?
Making plans for you.

Earlier this week, I started the paperwork to draw up our wills and set up legal guardianship for my son... "just in case". It's supposed to be the kind of thing you think about once and never again, but it's hard to remove myself from realization that I just may not be here to see my son grow up.

We've made the proper provisions for his care and education. We've stated our wishes for his upbringing and his future, but there's so much that a dry legal document can never express, like how I don't care if he's never the valedictorian or the star quarterback, just as long as he feels happy and loved... by us.

For more Haiku Friday, check out A Mommy Story and Playgroups are No Place for Children.

Mickey-D's or Chuck E Cheese

The telephone rang

Hubs cancels on us again
"...working late...blah...blah..."

The same old story
"Really? On Valentine's day?
...at the last minute?"

It's party of two
Mickey-D's or Chuck E Cheese?
Just you and me, son.

Oh, so romantic.
Crawling in the hamster maze
Just me and you, son.

Yes, my son and I spent Valentine's evening at McDonald's instead of home as a family, as originally promised to us... er, planned.

What's the point of cooking a fabulous meal filled with love when I'm only going to eat it (and/or beg my son to eat it), then clean up afterwards alone... again?

My son had a blast running around and even did a happy dance.

In fact, it was the CUTEST dance ever. He wouldn't let me get a video of it, so you'll just have to take my word of it. It was seriously so adorable.

There's probably a few of you following my recent post turned debate/discussion on FussyPants' League of Extraordinary Wives regarding this, but for those of you that aren't, here's the back story:

My husband's long hours, late nights, and weekends at the office have become the "norm" recently, leaving me with 100% of the parenting, 100% of the housework, 0% of his time and 0% help. I'm talking 100 hour work weeks, not home at 9 instead of 7, people. I've tried to be understanding. I've tried to make the best of it, but it's like being a single parent and it's killing me.

Something had to give. Why not my standards for proper nutrition?

There. Done venting.

For more Haiku Friday, check out A Mommy Story and Playgroups are No Place for Children.

Haiku, Brought to You by Elmo

8 AM. Time for...
"La la la-la. Elmo's song..."
It sticks to your brain!

Running through my head
"La la la-la. Elmo's song..."
All day and all night

It drives me batty,
But if it means a shower
I can love it, too.

Yeah, putting my son in front of the TV so I can shower in peace. It's an age old tradition, right? Why did I ever think I could change it? Well, I'll just cross that off my list of "never dos..." My list is getting rather short. hehe!

At least, it's PBS and not Sponge Bob... Not that there's anything wrong with that. I just really hate that theme song.

For more Haiku Friday, check out A Mommy Story and Playgroups are No Place for Children.

Every Breath...

Lying here, Awake.

Hating you more with each snore.
Thoughts tormenting me.

It's not even 5.
All because you freaked us out.
What the F, buddy!

You go back to sleep.
Blissful sweet dreams on your mind.
But not me. I seeth.

I've blogged before about my difficulty getting to sleep at night... Well, this haiku is dedicated to my husband, who woke everyone up at 4 am because he was convinced that our son had stopped breathing (PANIC). Well, he hadn't stopped breathing. He was just deep in sweet REM sleep-- peaceful, quiet, and still.

Once my husband had confirmed this, he went right back to sleep. Yeah, just like that.

I, on the other hand, was awake for the day with "keep me up" thoughts percolating in my brain... and after being up late with a sick kid, I could have smothered my husband...

For more Haiku Friday, check out A Mommy Story and Playgroups are No Place for Children.

1, 2, Buckle My Shoe. 3, 4, Run Out the Door.

They say that age two
was so much better than three.
Four, five. Such a breeze!

Six, barely survived
on a wing and a prayer.
Seven brings relief.

Can you please tell me
just how to get through today?
To make it past ONE.

This haiku is dedicated to all the mommies that like to compete over which stage is harder- the one their kid is in, or yours... No one wins. Just give it a rest.

Haiku about love. Big Love...

Oh, my dear Netflix,

we burned so hot and heavy
when this all began.

Now, affection wanes
as DVDs go unwatched
and barely exchanged.

Should we just end it?
Is it time to bid adieu?
Wait! It's Season Two.

Why you cunning minx!
There's no "long wait" after all...
You're a tricky one.

True love, we don't have
but there's certainly BIG LOVE
for us to enjoy!

Clever HBO,
making me want so much mo'
Leaving us hanging.

So, I've spilled my guts about my deep love for Big Love to you before, but I'll say it again... I LOVE this show.

So much so, that I almost convinced myself to start paying for cable again... almost.

I've devoured every single tasty morsel of the entire second season in matter of afternoons and I'm hungry for more.

No spoilers here, Internet. You'll have to see what all the fuss is about on your own. Good ahead. Give in to the temptation. Trust me, you'll thank me once you do.

Haiku of the Weary Wrapper

There's not even room
under our fake Christmas tree,
for yet one more thing.

As the grandparents
keep buying gift after gift.
Refusing to STOP!

Yes, they're mostly his.
I know, 'cuz I wrapped them all.
Each and every one.

"Please send us no more",
we beg and we plead to them.
"It's our right", they say

And more comes our way.
Oh why did I ever teach
them to shop online!

To play along for Haiku Friday, follow these steps:

1. Write your own haiku on your blog. You can do one or many, all following a theme or just random. What’s a haiku, you ask? Click here.

2. Pick up a Haiku Friday button to display on the post or in your sidebar by clicking the button above.

3. Go here to sign Mr. Linky and join the gang.

Considerate, Aren't I?

Blew off the playgroup
Blamed it on my cough and cold.
My head is fuzzy.

Highly contagious.
Would hate to infect others,
with terribleness!

Or, so I told them.
It's really last night's red wine
That makes me remiss.

Plan to use the time
To publish my final post.
NaBloPoMo ends.

For more Haiku Friday, check out A Mommy Story and Playgroups are No Place for Children.

Black Friday Haiku

A last piece of pie.
The starring war has ensued.
Baked goods always win.

I hope that you are all enjoying this lovely "Black Friday", eating leftovers and comfortably shopping online and not out there...

For more Haiku Friday, check out A Mommy Story and Playgroups are No Place for Children.

Countdown to Christmas

Five weeks 'til Christmas
So much shopping to be done.
Swore I'd start early.

When did time fly by
Had the best of intentions.
Yea for Amazon

Giving was once fun.
Where's the holiday spirit
When it's just a chore.

Don't know what they want.
Don't need another sweater
Don't need any STUFF.

For more on Haiku Friday fun, check out A Mommy Story and Playgroups are No Place for Children.

Cabin Fever Haiku

Quarantined at home.

Was sick, but getting better
More like house arrest.

Stir crazy, it's called.
These four walls are closing in
I need to get out.

Please help. Oh, please help.
We need someone to talk to
besides each other.

Have yet to emerge.
My son misses his buddies.
I need the chit-chat.

My toddler is sweet,
but not much into talking.
I miss my mom friends.

My husband brings news
from the outside world, called work.
All lame office jokes.

For more on Haiku Friday, check out A Mommy Story and Playgroups are No Place for Children.

All that Remains

The children have gone.
All Hallow's Eve tricks are done.
Must treats still remain?

Jack-o-lantern's grin,
So impish and inviting.
The 'fun size' can't hurt.

Tell that to my thighs
And the inches on my waist.
No more Snickers, please.

Next year, no candy.
We'll provide the healthy snack!
Kids riot. House egged.

For more on Haiku Friday, check out A Mommy Story and Playgroups are No Place for Children.