The Chatterbox Hyena Thread

[Alex2kMommy]

We had 5 birthday parties this weekend, 1 company dance party last night, football game, 5 hours of dance on Saturday and now I'm tired.

I swear if it wasnt for the pile of toys i got at Target after Christmas last year I'd be flat out broke

We have 2 birthday seasons we go through. Of course our kids fall into that too. We are now in the middle of the late summer/fall season. Then its late winter/spring season.

We have at least 2 birthday parties each weekend through Thanksgiving. My toys will run out by then I'm sure. A lot of Jake's new kindergarten friends are falling into Season 1. Who knows how many will fall into season 2.

I swear I'll grab a calendar if I have another child and my kid can be friends with them IF their birthday falls in the "off" months of April May June or July or Dec. Jan. Anytime other than that is a dealbreaker.

That is some crazy schedule!!!

When we had the boys in daycare, the families became very close-knit, and it seemed there was at least one birthday party every weekend. Crazy!

Then once DS8 started kindergarten and I became a SAHM, suddenly my closet of extra toys I'd picked up on sale wasn't dwindling! Lots of parents here do a big bash for their kid every other year, and some kids don't ever get one. One mom had tons of kids (like 8?) and she told me she her son couldn't attend DS' birthday party, because then she'd have to let ALL of her kids attend birthday parties.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

That is some crazy schedule!!!

When we had the boys in daycare, the families became very close-knit, and it seemed there was at least one birthday party every weekend. Crazy!

Then once DS8 started kindergarten and I became a SAHM, suddenly my closet of extra toys I'd picked up on sale wasn't dwindling! Lots of parents here do a big bash for their kid every other year, and some kids don't ever get one. One mom had tons of kids (like 8?) and she told me she her son couldn't attend DS' birthday party, because then she'd have to let ALL of her kids attend birthday parties.

Wow. I live in an area that has a HIGH Mormon population. I mean HIGH. Most of the homes in my neighborhood have 7-9 bedrooms and each neighborhood has its own Ward. Anyway, most of those families throw huge parties for each kid. Parties are BIG here. HUGE. Even if they are in the park or at your own house you do big. Doesn't necessarily mean expensive just BIG. I love it but it gets exhausting.

Jake went to a Star Wars one for his new friend yesterday. The whole inside of the front room was decorated like the inside of a space ship. it was awesome. They were all given light sabers and told to be on the lookout for Darth Vadar. The Uncle dressed up and would periodically come out and battle a child who let their guard down and didnt suspect it. they put black paper on all the walls downstairs so it was all decorated. Then they would run outside to some village set up to get life sustaining essentials (pizza and cake!) and come back in to battle Darth and then came about 7 storm troopers. It was so cool for the 20 or so boys. I feel bad for the adults in the costume though because they got the crap kicked out of them! f

The other birthday parties were chuck e cheese (my God Daughters) Pump It Up, Bounce U, Swimming pool. They actually rented out the public pool that has 3 water slides, a lazy river and a whirlpool. Why pay high water park prices when you can go there for $2.50! It also has a splash playground for the little ones in about a foot of water with cannons you can shoot stuff out of. the other was a crazy party at another childs home with 4 bounce things rented in the back yard. It was too hot for it in my opinion but none of the kids died of heat stroke so I guess it was ok.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

We had swim classes Saturday morning. DS8 did MUCH better than the first week of his higher-level class, where he practically swam STILL, if that's possible. They swim in one lane, back and forth, so he was really holding up the class. Saturday he did well, seemed to be keeping up with the others. The instructor accidently let the kids go at half an hour instead of 45 mins.

I was chatting with the mom of one of his basketball teammates at the time, so we chatted with the kids a bit, then I saw his instructor trying to wave DS back to the swim lane. I realized DS4 was still in his class and checked my watch, then laughed and sent DS back. She couldn't catch anyone else in time, so he had an extra 15 mins. or so of private instruction, WOOHOO!

I asked her after class how she thought he was doing, and she said he did great today. She said she thought the problem last week was that he didn't have goggles. (He didn't have goggles in the previous class, when he was doing much better, but for some reason it did seem to help him.)

 

[AZMickeyfans]

Is this indoor swimming?

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Oh! Before swim class we went to the orthodontist and picked up DS8's "palate expander", basically an adjustable retainer that will enlarge his bite. He's supposed to wear it all day and night, so he has been wearing it and slurring his speech all weekend.

At first he was near tears, but as he's figured out how to talk around the thing he's lightened up. Tonight I got him to say "Sister Susie sittin' on a 'cicle" and his "S"s sounded pretty darn good... and made everyone laugh, even him!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Is this indoor swimming?

Yes. Our neighborhood park does have a pool (unusual in Seattle), but it's open only in the summer.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

Oh! Before swim class we went to the orthodontist and picked up DS8's "palate expander", basically an adjustable retainer that will enlarge his bite. He's supposed to wear it all day and night, so he has been wearing it and slurring his speech all weekend.

At first he was near tears, but as he's figured out how to talk around the thing he's lightened up. Tonight I got him to say "Sister Susie sittin' on a 'cicle" and his "S"s sounded pretty darn good... and made everyone laugh, even him!

I might have had one of those. Does he have a key to turn it and it expands the top of his mouth? If so I had that and it HURT like a junk punch

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I might have had one of those. Does he have a key to turn it and it expands the top of his mouth? If so I had that and it HURT like a junk punch

Yes! Really, you had one? I thought they were a fairly newfangled invention...

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I just read your description of the Star Wars party to DH. We are both speechless! That sounds awesome! Hope the men all wore cups!

Oh, and one of my GFs (the ones I have monthly Girls Night Out with) told me that her daughter's teeth would get pretty sore with her expander, so when DS complained tonight about his teeth being sore, DH gave him some Tylenol. He said his front teeth were really sore, so DH rubbed his front teeth (through his lip) and DS practically fell asleep, it felt so good and relaxing. Awww, poor kid.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

Yes! Really, you had one? I thought they were a fairly newfangled invention...

Sorry, Morgan again.


Ok Yes I had one of those and you ahve to give it a quarter or half turn every night right. This was 20 years ago so I might be fuzzy on the details.

Let me warn you I remember this to be very painful some nights. sometimes it never hurt me for some reason but other nights I cried when it happened and well into the next day. I couldnt wait to get that taken out.

It was hard to eat certain foods too. spaghetti kept getting wrapped around it.

I just want to hug him because I know they hurt. Hopefully this is newer and better than what I had so it wont hurt so much.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

I just read your description of the Star Wars party to DH. We are both speechless! That sounds awesome! Hope the men all wore cups!

Oh, and one of my GFs (the ones I have monthly Girls Night Out with) told me that her daughter's teeth would get pretty sore with her expander, so when DS complained tonight about his teeth being sore, DH gave him some Tylenol. He said his front teeth were really sore, so DH rubbed his front teeth (through his lip) and DS practically fell asleep, it felt so good and relaxing. Awww, poor kid.

Yeah, sometimes it hurt to eat with it because everything hurt so much. Poor guy. have lots of ice cream for him as popsicles might pose a challenge for awhile getting it on the roof of his mouth.

Oh and that party was so cool. I swear I walked into a space ship. They had everything with buttons and lights were blinking. The whole place was blacked out too. sometimes all you could see were the light sabers and the boys thought it was AWESOME!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Sorry, Morgan again.


Ok Yes I had one of those and you ahve to give it a quarter or half turn every night right. This was 20 years ago so I might be fuzzy on the details.

Let me warn you I remember this to be very painful some nights. sometimes it never hurt me for some reason but other nights I cried when it happened and well into the next day. I couldnt wait to get that taken out.

It was hard to eat certain foods too. spaghetti kept getting wrapped around it.

I just want to hug him because I know they hurt. Hopefully this is newer and better than what I had so it wont hurt so much.

We're supposed to adjust it only twice a week, so it sounds like it will be a more gentle process than what you went through.

Oh, and with a regular retainer you're usually told to take it out when you eat, but they told him to wear it all the time, even when he eats! I made them repeat it, because I was sure I hadn't heard correctly! He said it actually helps move the teeth to have the chewing with the device in. Alas, DS was having none of that. He insists on taking it out, and I let him.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

Ok I have a "Shawna" story for you

Today at the Bounce U party it was for my girlfriends son The one that is going to be on the Bonnie Hunt show. Ethan's little brother Gavin. Anyway, Angie, the mom, comes up to us moms and says "why dont you all go shopping or get a drink together while the party is going on" We were just thinking the same thing.

This group of women I met with the Moms club in my neighborhood. I love all of them so much they are awesome. Well, 2 of them have this crazy obsession with the thrift store Savers. Its like a Goodwill if you dont have them. You would never guess this even after knowing them. They are high fashion all the way but they also like to bargain hunt so while they shop at Neiman Marcus and their husbands easily clear more than 4 times what Jeff makes they also shop at a thrift store for the thrill of the hunt.

I am a clothes snob. I will not wear or buy anthing used. Period. Those stores gross me out. Now, unlike all of my high school friends I did not marry for money so my tastes in clothes have had to change drastically however I still will not buy used clothing. No garage sale finds, I wont even take hand me downs for the kids unless its from my best friends. I'm just strange about this.

more to come

 

[Alex2kMommy]

My mom is very thrifty. She got into "junk stores", as we called them when I was a kid, and started buying some of our clothes there. Most of them I absolutely hated, especially in jr. high, so she gave up on me. She'd buy something that was a brand name but was like 15 - 20 years out of date. She'd get so mad at me for not loving it!

 

[AZMickeyfans]

So they suggest taking us Savers virgins into the store and showing what it means to hunt for something. I was interested in what these ladies do honestly because I dont see either one of them going in there.

So about 5 of us walk in Savers in a crappy part of town as we were a long way from home and I am immediately overcome by the smell of the place. I almost puke.

They see my revulsion but decide to drag me in anyway. The other virgin with me is afraid to touch anything. We both feel like spraying ourselves with lysol. I swear I was like this in there. Freaked out.

So I start to relax as my nose gets used to the nastiness and think why dont I go look for a pocketwatch like Bernice suggested. Well, no pocketwatches to be had BUT I did find a really ugly crystal clock that had this gold clock inside that comes out. I'll make that into a pocket watch. SCORE. $4.00 later and I've got my first purchase.

I wander over to my friends who are trying on designer boots. Trying to get me to try on shoes while I resist the urge to bolt out the door. I refused. I mean GROSS. I have a feet thing too. What if that person had athletes foot. that was the first thought that came to mind! GROSS!!! No way no how!

Then they go back to the clothes and they are trying to get me to wear a chicos shirt because my girls are large enough to be shown off in the shirt. I say I'll grab it on sale at chicos when I go to the store in the mall. They are relentlessly on me. The other girls have given in and are trying on clothes and I'm the only one sticking to my guns.

So I told my friend Tina that I COULD NOT try on any clothes and my clock purchase was about to be it when.......

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I know what you mean about the smell. And the Lysol!
I always wandered over to the books. Love me some cheap books!!!

 

[AZMickeyfans]

I walked past her shopping cart on my way to pay for my clock and bolt out of the store. Well, my pant pocket caught on it and RIPPED!

I froze in doubt at first. Was that just me? Did that just happen? I reach around to my side, bare skin.

OMG!!!! BARE SKIN!!!

She turned probably thinking I farted honestly until she saw my hand at my side and froze too not believing what just happened. Then she BUSTED out laughing.

Remember I am with 5 women in a crowded store and i have to go back to a birthday party where there are 25 kids and parents and pick my kids up before I can head home. There is no time. OMG! What do I do. I say "Can I cover it up with my purse??" the answer looks like a yes but then something fell out of my purse as I shifted it from the right side of my body.

I squated down to pick it up and the tear just ripped down to my knee! OMG!

By the way feel free to laugh your head off right now because I am laughing so hard I'm crying.


I hadn't ripped my pants by them being too small and busting out of them BUT since there was a rip already the movement I made ripped them all the way down. There was no covering this. I was flapping in the wind.

Tina was crying she was laughing so hard. People were starting to wonder what was going on. Then the girls came over wondering what happened. They knew it had to be something about me. I am always donig something stupid. THIS IS SO ME!

They all fall into hysterics. I'm laughing so hard but I'm trying to hide by bare leg. Its ripped from my waist to my knee at the side seam.

Ok so what do I have to do.

Well there is only one t hing I CAN do. I said drive me to the mall and grab me some pants. They were like UMMM we are in a clothing store. HELL NO!

Yes Shawna you HAVE TO NOW! The Savers GODS were not going to let you get out of ther without purchasing something!!!! They have won! This is a sign you need to buy pants I'd say!

So they get me pants as I run for the dressing room. YUCK. I had to try these on. AND THEN WEAR THEM OUT! Like a kid wears shoes out of the store. YOu take the old shoes to the check out and then show that the new shoes are on their feet. That was my pants.

After a few pairs I found some that might work and that I can take on vacation. Then they throw the chicos shirt over too. For giggles I try it on but put it back as its sleeve hits me at the elbow and I hate that.

Anyway, so not only did I dip my toes in the Savers world today but I jumped in the pool completely naked! I had to wear a pair of pants without washing them.

 

[eatmypixiedust]

Hello! I just made a shirt design for MHT! Do you guys wanna see?

 

[AZMickeyfans]

We're supposed to adjust it only twice a week, so it sounds like it will be a more gentle process than what you went through.

Oh, and with a regular retainer you're usually told to take it out when you eat, but they told him to wear it all the time, even when he eats! I made them repeat it, because I was sure I hadn't heard correctly! He said it actually helps move the teeth to have the chewing with the device in. Alas, DS was having none of that. He insists on taking it out, and I let him.

I'll ask my mom how often I had to do mine. twice a week is sounding familiar. Its been so long I dont remember.

Wearing the retainer when he eats is strange too. I dont blame you for letting him take it out.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

Hello! I just made a shirt design for MHT! Do you guys wanna see?

sure pix.