Which one?

Aiden has hit that phase where every comment, statement, declaration, definition, or question I make is countered by a question from him. Such as, "Look at the river there, Aiden!" Which one? "The only giant body of flowing water 15 feet from your window." Where? Sigh... Or his other big curiousity right now: How are things made. How you make a chair, mommy? [basic explanation] Oh, How you make a airplane? [extremely basic explanation] Oh, how you make you? "God did it." As a speech-language pathologist, I should be cheering and encouraging this development in Aiden's cognitive and language development--and I try--but I'm finding I have little patience for the endless Why's and I tend to think of many smart-alec remarks in my head. I'm actually relieved when he from time to time reverts back to his know-it-all attitude: [Me to Rad] "We should leave at 4:00 cuz it'll take about 30 minutes to get there if there's no traffic..." [Aiden, interjecting into our conversation] Yeah, I know.

Long time...

Just got back from a trip to the States. It was a surprise for Rad's mom since we had been saying we weren't coming back this summer. She was definitely surprised and very happy. Anyway, we got back today after a whirlwind of wedding events (congrats, Josh and Marissa!), reunions, and dinner dates. We've completely wrecked the nice little schedule we had going for the kids, but I keep reminding myself that life is short and things like messing up life's schedules for the chance to spend time with family and friends is worth it. But now, I'm deep into "return to normalism". I didn't realize how much I missed my Riechenbach home until we walked into the door. Was sort of feeling like I might be sad and a bit regretful coming home because it was so nice being with everyone again. But I don't :) Now I just want everyone to come here. People still ask when we're coming back to the States, though. They find it hard to conceive that this is Home (though, in our hearts, so is Va Beach). But when you think about it, this is where Rad and I started our married life together, had our first cars, career jobs, house, where our children have been born and grown up very happy. So it's good to be home in our little place in the world!

What the...?!?

So I've had this sore on my hip for like a month now and it's been slowly going away, so I haven't given it too much thought. Though because I knew I hadn't had a cut, bite, or scratch there, I did think, "What the hell is that?!?" After it lingering for a couple weeks, my friend Jill saw my band aid and asked what was up. I told her about the sore and she stated, "You better make sure that's not staph." Commence freak-out mode. I have been reading a lot of yucky stuff about the staph bacteria (AKA, flesh-eating disease, among other colorful names) on the news lately. Most recently, how staph infections kill more people every year than AIDS. One trip to your friendly, informative, freak-out-enhancing internet will make you privy to all the gory details. At any rate, as my stress level and magnified mirror inspections intensified over the next few days, I decided I should just go to the stupid doctor. So as I sat in the doctor's office while the prep nurse or whatever they're called puzzled over my sore--clearly perplexed as to what the heck it was--I just wanted to yell, "Just cut it off already!" Finally, the doc came in, took one look at "it" and said plainly......."It's an infected stretch mark." I must've looked at her like she was smoking crack because she then proceeded to explain that she'd just had another chick in with infected stretch marks all up and down her thighs, so there. I did actually say, "Did you say an infected stretch mark?!?!?! Are you sure it's not staph or skin cancer?!?!?" Nope. Just a plain ol' infected stretch mark. So, people, still I'm sitting here saying to myself, "What the...?!?!?"

Blue light special, Online Shoppers!

There is this annoying commercial over here on AFN (that's Armed Forces Network for you non-DoDDSers), where this hardcore chick is saying, "What do drugs, alcohol, gambling, and credit cards all have in common? They can all be addicting--Yes, even credit cards." (We can't have normal commercials here so we get educated during our show breaks!) This is what is going through my mind as I click, yet again, to Old Navy's website "just to look". It's not like we have a lot of options here. Especially right now. The euro rate pretty much restricts us from buying much from German stores and our other illustrious option is the Px (post exchange). Or as Aiden calls it, "The Pee Eks". I'm not a snob. I've bought and currently wear the Px brands--particularly proud of my purchases when they've been 75% off and cost about $2. But, I can only lace my meager wardrobe with these particular purchases or I risk looking like a doughty middle-aged mom. Shut up, Odell. Anyway! I've really been trying to get some different, colorful, bold patterns added to my staple black and gray pieces. BUT...Radley's got a few financial goals for us that he'd love to make easily done IF I can not shop like I normally do online for like, a month? I though, "No problem!" So, today, several times, I thought, "So it must've been a month by now that I've shopped at ON." So I counted back to my last purchase. It was NOT a month ago. And now I'm feeling...what I would liken to withdrawl...And that's when I go online "just to browse" while the AFN lady's talking to ME now...My bag has several items in it but I haven't hit that magical "checkout" button yet...How strong am I? Do I need to go to Old Navy rehab?

Quitters

Well, I don't know, but Aiden might be quitting soccer after barely getting started. Radley took him a couple weeks ago and he quit half-way through. He said he was tired (which I'm sure he was) and sat down like I'd said he should do (instead of crying like last time). This is the part that chagrined Radley: He then got up and started picking flowers and running around with another little boy that'd had enough. (I'm secretly laughing about this). Then last week, we got Aiden all dressed out in his soccer outfit complete with shiny new shin guards and right after they get there, Aiden refused to play because he said he was too tired. So, Radley got him back into the van to head home. That's when Aiden decided that he wanted to go to the spielplatz (playground)! Oh, that ticked Radley off. I thought he should give the poor kid a break because he really does still need a nap by the afternoon but I gave up getting him down for a nap over a year ago. Too much drama. He gets 12 hrs. of sleep a night anyway. Whatever. So tonight...He said he just wanted to watch the other kids play because....You guessed it--he was tired. We ended up not going because he was tired and I've actually just put him to bed (6:45pm). I don't know if this is just a bad streak, or if he's really quitting. By the way, I'm over belly dancing, so...I'm quitting :)

Charlie Sheen

Okay, seriously. Am I the only one who thinks that Charlie Sheen is one of the worst actors ever? What is up with him being on a popular show and winning awards for...acting? Ugh. I can' t stand him and I just can't figure out this bizarre following he's got. Is it because his dad's decent and people are loyal to him? What is it?!?!? Seriously. It bothers me enough to blog it.

You're fired!

I'm in a quandry. I like the woman that's been cleaning my house the past few years because she really cleans, but she has a horrible habit of breaking things--and not telling me about it until I see it myself, while still taking every euro we pay her. That ticks me off. Today, I saw my soap holder was broken and I can't for the life of me figure out HOW she could break that. Like the vacuum's retractable cord that she breaks repeatedly after Rad fixes it. And she chipped my polish pottery spoon holder. Ripped a rug long time ago...I'm just tired of my stuff being broken by someone else continually. My kids don't even break that much stuff!! So, I want to fire her. But I can't bring myself to say to her, "You suck, you're fired." So, I will probably sheepishly ask for my key back under the pretense of saving money this summer while I'm off and have more time to clean. Then, just not re-hire her. And then, I actually have to resume cleaning for hours...Our bathrooms are so huge when you have to clean them! Ugh. But on the bright side, I have been feeling indulgent not ever having to clean the bathrooms (since that's her main job) and I sort of miss disinfecting and grounging out dirt myself...It's satisfying. So, commence the toilet scrubbing...